2012年英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案

　　The modern sailing ship was developed by a man who never went to sea.

　　He was Prince Henry of Portugal,the younger son of the Partuguese king and an English princess.

　　Prince Henry lived in the fifteenth century.As a boy he became devoted to the sea,and he dedicated himself to improving the design of ships and the methods of sailing them.In 1416,when he was twenty?two,Henry founded a school for mariners, to which he invited everyone who could help himJewish astronomers,Italian and Spanish sailors, and Arab mathematicians and map makers who knew to use the crude compass of the day and could improve it.

　　Henrys goal was to design and equip vessels that would be capable of making long ocean voyages without having to hug the shore.The caravel carried more sail and was longer and slimmer than any ship then made,yet was tough enough to withstand gales at sea.He also developed the carrack,which was a slower ship,but one that was capable of carrying more cargo.

　　To Prince Henry the world owes credit for development of craft that made oceanic exploration possible.He lives in history as Henry the Navigator.

　　1. Henry the Navigator was a member of the royal family of____.

　　A.England B.Spain C.Italy D.Portugal

　　2. Prince Henry started his school for the purpose of____.

　　A.helping mariners

　　B.improving ship design and sailing methods

　　C.studying astronomy and mathematics

　　D.improving his own skill as a sailor

　　3. The teachers in Prince Henrys school seem to have been____.

　　A.members of the royal family

　　B.astronomers,sailors and map makers

　　C.shipbuilders

　　D.All of the above

　　4. Prince Henrys goal was to design vessels that could____.

　　A.make long deepsea voyages

　　B.travel faster than those in use at that time

　　C.explore the coastline of Portugal

　　D.carry larger crews and more cargo than existing one

　　5. The best title for this passage is

　　A.The First Modern Sailing Vessels

　　B.The Mariner Prince

　　C.Prince Henrys Role in History

　　D.The First School for Sailors

　　1.D。

　　航海家享利是哪个皇室家族中的一员?本题为细节题。这道题的答案在第一段，不难作答。

　　2.B。

　　享利王子创建他的学校是为了本题为推断题。这道题要求结合上下文考虑。第二段中讲述享利王子致力于发展船只设计技术与航海术，后面马上提到他建立学校及学校成员：天文学家、水手、数学家、制图人。综合考虑，答案应该是 B。

　　3.B。

　　享利王子的学校中的老师是本题为细节题。这道题的答案在第二段，选项A、C是文中未提及的，所以不选。

　　4.A。

　　享利王子目的是要造什么样的船?本题为细节题。这道题的答案在第三段第一句话。be capable of make long ocean voyages without having to hug the shore意指能作远洋航行而无须紧靠海岸。

　　5.C。

　　本文最好的标题是什么?本题为综合分析题。这道题要求考生通读全文，掌握大意进行分析。A、B、D三项都不是对文大意最好的归纳。而且选项 A中Modern一词是不合适的;B项中Mariner一词是错用，从文中可以得知享利王子从未进入海洋 (第一句);D项中the first也是文中未提及的。而C项则是对本文最好的概括。