2011年英语四级考试机考样题(word版)
导读: The test consists of 3 sections with different types of tasks to test your abilities of English listening, speaking, writing and reading.It will take approximately 2 hours to complete.
Passage 2
Questions 55 to 59 are based on the following passage.
According to sociologists, there are several different ways in which a person may become recognized as the leader of a social group in the United States. In the family traditional cultural patterns place leadership on one or both of the parents. In other cases, such as friendship groups, one or more persons may gradually emerge as leaders, although there is no formal process of selection. In larger groups, leaders are usually chosen formally through election or recruitment (招募).
Although leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability, decades of research have failed to produce consistent evidence that there is any category of “natural leaders.” It seems that there is no set of personal qualities that all leaders have in common; rather, virtually any person may be recognized as a leader if the person has qualities that meet the needs of that particular group.
Furthermore, although it is commonly supposed that social groups have a single leader, research suggests that there are typically two different leadership roles that are held by different individuals. Instrumental leadership is leadership that emphasizes the completion of tasks by a social group. Group members look to instrumental leaders to “get things done.” Expressive leadership, on the other hand, is leadership that emphasizes the collective well-beings of a social group’s members. Expressive leaders are less concerned with the overall goals of the group than with providing emotional support to group members and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them. Group members expect expressive leaders to maintain stable relationships within the group and provide support to individual members.
Instrumental leaders are likely to have a rather secondary relationship to other group members. They give others and may discipline group members who inhibit attainment of the group’s goals. Expressive leaders cultivate a more personal or primary relationship to others in the group. They offer sympathy when someone experiences difficulties or is subjected to discipline, are quick to lighten a serious moment with humor, and try to resolve issues that threaten to divide the group. As the difference in these two roles suggest, expressive leaders generally receive more personal affection from group members; instrumental leaders, if they are successful in promoting group goals, may enjoy a more distant respect.
55. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) The problems faced by leaders.
(B) How leadership differs in small and large groups.
(C) How social groups determine who will lead them.
(D) The role of leaders in social groups.
56. The passage mentions all of the following ways by which people can become leaders EXCEPT ___________.
(A) recruitment
(B) formal election process
(C) specific leadership training
(D) traditional cultural patterns
57. In mentioning “natural leaders” in line 9, the author is making the point that __________.
(A) few people qualify as “natural leaders”.
(B) there is no proof that “natural leaders” exist.
(C) “natural leaders” are easily accepted by the members of a group.
(D) “natural leaders” share a similar set of characteristics.
58. The word “resolve” in line 27 is closest in meaning to _____________.
(A) avoid repeating
(B) talk about
(C) avoid thinking about
(D) find a solution for
59. The passage indicates that instrumental leaders generally focus on ___________.
(A) ensuring harmonious relationships.
(B) sharing responsibility with group members.
(C) identifying new leaders.
(D) achieving a goal.
Task 2 Skimming and Scanning (Questions 60-69; 15 minutes)
Directions: You have 15 minutes to go over the passage and answer questions 60 to 69. For questions 60 to 66, choose the best answer from the choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 67 to 69, comple the sentences with the information given in the passage.
Questions 55 to 59 are based on the following passage.
According to sociologists, there are several different ways in which a person may become recognized as the leader of a social group in the United States. In the family traditional cultural patterns place leadership on one or both of the parents. In other cases, such as friendship groups, one or more persons may gradually emerge as leaders, although there is no formal process of selection. In larger groups, leaders are usually chosen formally through election or recruitment (招募).
Although leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability, decades of research have failed to produce consistent evidence that there is any category of “natural leaders.” It seems that there is no set of personal qualities that all leaders have in common; rather, virtually any person may be recognized as a leader if the person has qualities that meet the needs of that particular group.
Furthermore, although it is commonly supposed that social groups have a single leader, research suggests that there are typically two different leadership roles that are held by different individuals. Instrumental leadership is leadership that emphasizes the completion of tasks by a social group. Group members look to instrumental leaders to “get things done.” Expressive leadership, on the other hand, is leadership that emphasizes the collective well-beings of a social group’s members. Expressive leaders are less concerned with the overall goals of the group than with providing emotional support to group members and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them. Group members expect expressive leaders to maintain stable relationships within the group and provide support to individual members.
Instrumental leaders are likely to have a rather secondary relationship to other group members. They give others and may discipline group members who inhibit attainment of the group’s goals. Expressive leaders cultivate a more personal or primary relationship to others in the group. They offer sympathy when someone experiences difficulties or is subjected to discipline, are quick to lighten a serious moment with humor, and try to resolve issues that threaten to divide the group. As the difference in these two roles suggest, expressive leaders generally receive more personal affection from group members; instrumental leaders, if they are successful in promoting group goals, may enjoy a more distant respect.
55. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) The problems faced by leaders.
(B) How leadership differs in small and large groups.
(C) How social groups determine who will lead them.
(D) The role of leaders in social groups.
56. The passage mentions all of the following ways by which people can become leaders EXCEPT ___________.
(A) recruitment
(B) formal election process
(C) specific leadership training
(D) traditional cultural patterns
57. In mentioning “natural leaders” in line 9, the author is making the point that __________.
(A) few people qualify as “natural leaders”.
(B) there is no proof that “natural leaders” exist.
(C) “natural leaders” are easily accepted by the members of a group.
(D) “natural leaders” share a similar set of characteristics.
58. The word “resolve” in line 27 is closest in meaning to _____________.
(A) avoid repeating
(B) talk about
(C) avoid thinking about
(D) find a solution for
59. The passage indicates that instrumental leaders generally focus on ___________.
(A) ensuring harmonious relationships.
(B) sharing responsibility with group members.
(C) identifying new leaders.
(D) achieving a goal.
Task 2 Skimming and Scanning (Questions 60-69; 15 minutes)
Directions: You have 15 minutes to go over the passage and answer questions 60 to 69. For questions 60 to 66, choose the best answer from the choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 67 to 69, comple the sentences with the information given in the passage.
