四级阅读理解之二
Passsage 1
As the merchant class expanded in the eighteenth century North American Colonies, the silversmith and the coppersmith business ro to rve it. Only a few silversmiths were available in New York or Boston in the late venteenth century, but in the eighteenth century they could be found in all major colonial cities. No other colonial artisans rivaled the silversmiths’ prestige. They handled the most expensive materials and possd direct connections to prosperous colonial merchants. Their products, primarily silver plates and bowls, reflected their exalted status and testified to their customers’ prominence. Silver stood as one of the surest ways to store wealth at a time before neighborhood banks existed. Unlike the silver coins from which they were made, silver articles were readily identifiable. Often formed to individual specifications, they always carried the silversmith’s distinctive markings and conquently could be traced and retrieved. Customers generally cure the silver for the silver object they ordered. They saved coins, took them to smiths, a
nd discusd the type of pieces they desired. Silversmiths complied with the requests by melting the money in a small furnace, adding a bit of copper to form a stronger alloy, and casting the alloy in rectangular blocks. They hammered the ingots to the appropriate thickness by hand, shaped them and presd designs into them for adornment. Engraving was also done by hand. In addition to plates and bowls, some customers sought more intricate products, such as silver teapots. The were made by shaping or casting parts parately and then soldering them together. Colonial coppersmithing also come of age in the early eighteenth century and prospered in northern cities. Copper’s ability to conduct heat efficiently and to resist corrosion contributed to its attractiveness. But becau it was expensive in colonial America, coppersmiths were never very numerous. Virtually all copper worked by Smiths was imported as sheets or obtained by recycling old copper goods. Copper was ud for practical items, but it was not admired for its beauty. Coppersmiths employed it to fashion pots and kettles for the home. They shaped it in much the same manner as silver or melted it in a foundry with lead or tin. They also mixed it with zinc to make brass for maritime and scientific instruments.
1.According to the passage, which of the following eighteenth century developments had strong impact on silversmiths?
A. A decrea in the cost of silver.
B. The invention of heat efficient furnaces.
C. The growing economic prosperity of colonial merchants.
D. The development of new tools ud to shape silver.
2.In colonial America, where did silversmiths usually obtain the material to make silver articles?
A. From their own mines.
B. From importers.
C. From other silversmiths.
D. From customers.
3.The passage mentions all of the following as us for copper in Colonial America EXCEPT ___.
A. cooking pots
B. scientific instruments
诚信的名言
C. musical instruments
D. maritime instruments
4.According to the passage, silversmiths and coppersmiths in colonial America were similar in which of the following ways?
A. The amount of social prestige they had.
B. The way they shaped the metal they worked with.
C. The cost of the goods they made.
豆腐炖鱼D. The practicality of the goods they made.
Passage 2
Most of us are taught to pay attention to what is said—the words. Words do provide us with some information, but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone. Words are ud to describe only a small part of the many ideas we associate with any given message. Sometimes we can gain insight into some of tho associations if we listen for more than words. We don’t always say what we mean or mean what we say. Sometimes our words don’t mean anything except “ I’在镜子前m letting off some steam. I don’t really want you to pay clo attention to what I’m saying. Just pay attention to what I’m feeling.” Mostly we mean veral things at once. A person wanting to purcha a hou says to the current owner, “This step has to be fixed before I’ll buy.” The owner says, “ It’s been like that for years.” Actually, the step hasn’t been like that for years, but the unspoke
n message is: “ I don’t want to fix it. We put up with it. Why can’t you?”炮手燃魂 The arch for a more expansive view of meaning can be developed of examining a message in terms of who said it, when it occurred, the related conditions or situation, and how it was said.
When a message occurs can also reveal associated meaning. Let us assume two couples do exactly the same amount of kissing and arguing. But one couple always kiss after an argument and the other couple always argues after a kiss. The ordering of the behaviors may mean a great deal more than the frequency of the behavior. A friend’s unusually docile behavior may only be understood by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of asrtiveness. Some respons may be directly linked to a developing pattern of respons and defy logic. For example, a person who says “No!” to a rials of charges like “You’re dumb,” 男生化妆“You’re lazy,” and “You荡字笔顺’re dishonest,小鹿犬寿命” may also say “No!” and try to justify his or her respon if the next statement is “And you’re good looking.”
孝敬父母的感悟
We would do well to listen for how messages are prented. The words, “If sure has bee
n nice to have you over,” can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically. The phra can be said once or repeated veral times. And the meanings we associate with the phra will change accordingly. Sometimes if we say something infrequently it assumes more importance; sometimes the more we say something the less importance it assumes.
1.Effective communication is rendered possible between two conversing partners, if ___.
A.they u proper words to carry their ideas.
B.they both speak truly of their own feelings.
C.they try to understand each other’s ideas beyond words.
D.they are capable of associating meaning with their words.
2.“I’m letting off some steam” in paragraph 1 means___.
