2020年大学英语四级阅读理解练习题及解析(10)

(10)

【阅读练习】

After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994, earthquake scientists had good news to report

： The

damage and death toll（ 死亡人数 ） could have been much worse. More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, and earthquake of similar __1__ that shook America in 1998 claimed 25,000 victims.

Injuries and deaths were __2__ less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4 traffic was light on the city have strengthened the city

making them more __4__ to quakes.

In the past, making structures quake-resist-ant meant firm yet __5__ materials, such as steel and wood, that bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to __6__ the impact of ground vibrations. The most __7__ designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports, called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake 's vibrations. When ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would __8__ the building to shift in the opposite direction. The new designs should offer even greater __9__ to cities where earthquakes ofen take place.

： 31 a.m. On a holiday, when 's highway. In addition, __3__

's buildings and highways,

made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years

The new smart structures could be very __10__ to build. However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.

[A] changes [B] flexible [C] decrease [D] recent [E] push [F] reduce [G] relatively [H] safety [I] resistant [J] expensive [K] force [L] accordingly [M] intensity [N] security [O] opposed Answers：

1. 选M）。此处应填名词，作介词of的宾语，作为后置定语修饰 earthquake ，说明该名词是“地震”的自然属性。选项中的名词有 changes， safety ， intensity 和 security ，只有 intensity 能够表示 地震的强度，故选 M）。

2. 选G）。此处应填副词，用来修饰形容词less。选项中的副词有

relatively “相对的”和 accordingly “相对应的”，第一段说这次地 震和 1998年的那次地震水准一样，但造成的损失却小很多，再从后句 中“高速路上的车辆不是很多”能够推断：这次的地震造成的“死伤 人数”与 1998年比少很多，即少是相对的，故选 G）relatively 。

3. 选A）。空格中要填的词是本句话中的主语，应为名词。这句话 的主干是 have strengthened the city 's buildings and highways, 从第三段的内容和注释 3的解析可知：建筑结构发生了变化，故应选 择 A）changes。

4. 选I）。此处应填形容词，和其前面的 more构成形容词的比较级， 描述新型建筑与地震相关的性能。 them = the city

's buildings

and highways, have strengthened \" 被加固\" 说明他们更有抵御风险 的水平了。选项中的四个形容词只有 resistant 符合这个意思，故选 I） 。

5. 选B）。此处应填形容词，修饰名词 materials。从后面 的 ...bent without breaking \" B）准确。

6. 选F）。此处应填名词。根据上下文insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation

“在建筑物和地基之间填

充橡胶和钢材”是为了减少 the impact of ground vibrations\" 地面 震动对建筑物的影响 \" 。选项中 decrease 和 reduce 都能够表示“减少” 的意思，前者指稳定的逐步地减少，后者强调在大小、水准或强度方 面下降或减少。故 F）reduce 更符合题意。

7. 选D）。根据注释3,能够推知，这里要填的词是和前面的In the past, Laer 相对应的，选项中的形容词中只有 recent 可表示时间， the most recent desighs “最近的设计”,在原文中能够对应“过去, 后来”，故D）为准确答案。

即使弯曲也不会折断 \" ，说明是有韧性

的材料。选项中的四个形容词只有 flexible 表示“柔韧的，可变形 的”，故