精品学习网收集整理了，2013年考研英语阅读理解试题（第四章），希望对大家有所帮助！

Passage4

Thosewhowelcomedtherailwaysawitasmorethanarapidandcomfortablemeansofpassing.Theyactuallysawitasafactorinworldpeace.Theydidnotforeseethattherailwaywouldbejustonemoremeansfortherapidmovementofaggressivearmies.Noneofthemforesawthatthemorewearetogether-themorechancesthereareofwar.Anyboyorgirlwhoisoneofalargefamilyknowsthat.

Wheneveranynewinventionisputforward,thoseforitandthoseagainstitcanalwaysfindmedicalmentoapproveorcondemn.Theanti-railwaygroupproduceddoctorswhosaidthattunnelswouldbemostdangeroustopublichealth:theywouldproducecolds,catarrhs（粘膜炎）andconsumptions.Thedeafeningnoiseandtheglareoftheenginefire,wouldhaveabadeffectonthenerves.Further,beingmovedthroughtheairatahighspeedwoulddograveinjurytodelicatelungs.Inthosewithhighblood-pressure,themovementofthetrainmightproduceapoplexy（中风）.Thesuddenplungingofatrainintothedarknessofatunnel,andtheequallysuddenrushintofulldaylight,wouldcausegreatdamagetoeyesight.Butthepro-railwaygroupwasofcourseabletoproduceequallyfamousmedicalmentosayjusttheopposite.Theysaidthatthespeedandswingofthetrainwouldequalizethecirculation,promotedigestion,tranquilizethenerves,andensuregoodsleep.

Theactualrolling-stockwasanythingbutcomfortable.Ifitwasatestofendurancetositforfourhoursoutsideacoachinrain,orinsideindirtyair,therailwayofferedlittlemoreinthewayofcomfort.Certainlythefirst-classcarriageshadcushionedseats;butthesecond-classhadonlynarrowbareboards,whilethethird-classhadnothingatall;noseatsandnoroof;theywerejustopentrucks.Sothatthird-classpassengersgainednothingfromthefewmodeexceptspeed.Inthematterofcomfort,indeedtheylost;theydid,onthecoaches,haveaseat,butnowtheyhadtostandalltheway,whichgaveopportunitiestothecomic（滑稽的）press.Thiskindofthing:Amanwasseenyesterdaybuyingathird-classticketforthenewLondonandBirminghamRailway.Thestateofhismindisbeingenquiredinto.

Awriterintheearlydaysofrailwayswrotefeelinglyofbothsecond-andthird-classcarriages.Hemadethesuggestionthatthedirectorsoftherailwaysmusthavesentallovertheworldtofindthehardestpossiblewood.Oftheopenthird-classtruckshesaidthattheyhadthepeculiarpropertyofmeetingtherainfromwhateverquarteritcame.Hedescribedthemashorizontalshower-baths,fromwhosesearchingpowertherewasnoescape.

16.Allboysandgirlsinlargefamiliesknowthat.

A）aboyandagirlusuallyfightwhentheyaretogether

B）peopletendtobetogethermorethantheyusedtobe

C）alotofpeoplebeingtogethermakesfightslikely

D）Railwayleadstheworldtopeace

17.Accordingtothosewhowelcomedtherailway,therailwayitselfshouldincludeallthefollowingexcept.

A）therailwayenablespeopletravelfast

B）therailwaybringscomforttopeople

C）therailwaymakestheworldpeaceful

D）therailwayleadstheworldtowaraswell.

18.Accordingtotheanti-railwaygroup,allthefollowingsaretruebut.

A）tunnelsaredangeroustopublichealth

B）thenoiseandtheglareoftheenginefiremayaffectpeople'snerves

C）therapidspeedthroughtheairdoesdamagetopeople'slungs

D）tothosewithhighblood-pressure,therapidspeedofthetraincausesthemtodie

19.Wemaysafelyconcludethat.

A）theauthorbelongstotheanti-railwaygroup

B）theauthorbelongstothefor-railwaygroup

C）theauthorspeakshighlyoftherailway

D）theauthormaynevertaketrainbecauseofitspotentialdangers

20.Whatisthetoneofthispassage?

A）Practical

B）Satirical

C）Humorous

D）Exaggerated