大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练(九)_CET英语

　Passage 9
People tend to be more impressed by evidence that seems to confirm some relationship. Thus many are convinced their dreams are prophetic（预言的）because a few have come true; they neglect of fail to notice the many that have not.
Consider also the belief that “the phone always rings when I’m in the shower.” If it does ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn’t ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn’t ring, that nonevent probably won’t even register（留下印象）
People want to see order, pattern and meaning in the world. Consider, for example, the common belief that things like personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths “happen in threes.” Such beliefs stem from the tendency of people to allow the third event to define the time that counts as their “happening together” is one month; if three crashes occur in a year, the period of time is stretched. Flexible end points reinforce such beliefs.
We also tend to believe what we want to believe. A majority of people thinks they are more intelligent, more fair-minded and more skilled behind the wheel of an automobile than the average person. Part of the reason we view ourselves so favorably is that we use criteria that work to our advantage. As economist Thomas Schelling explains, “Everybody ranks himself high in qualities he values: careful drivers give weight to care, skilled drivers give weight to skill, and those who are polite give weight to courtesy.” This way everyone ranks high on his own scale.
Perhaps the most important mental habit we can learn is to be cautious（谨慎的）in drawing conclusions. The “evidence” of every day life is sometimes misleading.
41. In the first paragraph the author states that_______
A) dreams cannot be said to be prophetic even though a few have come true
B) dreams are prophetic because some of them did come true
C) dreams may come true if clearly remembered
D) dreams and reality are closely related
42. By “things like…” “happen in threes” (Para.3,Line2), the author indicates that people believe____________
A) personal misfortunes tend to happen every now and then
B) personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths usually happen together
C) misfortunes tend to occur according to certain patterns
D) misfortunes will never occur more than three times to a person in his lifetime
43. The word “courtesy” (Para.4,Line 6) probably means_________-
A) good manners B) friendly relations
C) appropriate speech D) satisfactory service
44. What can be inferred from the passage?
A) Happenings that go unnoticed deserve more attention
B) In a series of misfortunes the third one is usually the most serious
C) People tend to make use of evidence that supports their own beliefs.
D) Believers of misfortunes happening in threes are cautious in interpreting events
45. It can be concluded from the passage that________
A) there is some truth even in the wildest dreams
B) one should take notice of other people’s merits
C) there is no order or pattern in world events
D) we should not base our conclusions on accidental evidence

Passage 9
看起来能够证实某种关系的迹象比较容易给人留下深刻的印象。于是许多人确信，梦是可以预言现实的，因为有一些梦已变为了现实；（４１）他们却没注意到有很多梦并未变为现实。
再想想有人相信“电话总是在我洗澡的时候响”，如果电话确实在你洗澡的时候响了起来，这件事就会比较突出，容易被记住。而如果电话没响，那么没发生的事情很可能都没给人留下印象。
人们想要弄清楚世界的顺序、模式与含义。举个例子来说，试想一下这个通常为大家接受的迷信：像个人不幸遭遇，飞机失事与死亡这类事总是“三个一并发生”。（４２）这种迷信源自人们想让第三件事发生来确证一事实上时段的心理。如果一个月之内有三架飞机失事，人们就会把“一起发生”的时段计算为一个月；而如果在一年里有三架飞机失事，这个时段就被延长了。不固定的终点增大了这类迷信的可信度。

　Passage 本 文“内↖容℃摘 自wWw.eDuzhAI.NeT中 国 教 育文※摘9
People tend to be more impressed by evidence that seems to confirm some relationship. Thus many are convinced their dreams are prophetic（预言的）because a few have come true; they neglect of fail to notice the many that have not.
Consider also the belief that “the phone always rings when I’m in the shower.” If it does ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn’t ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn’t ring, that nonevent probably won’t even register（留下印象）
People want to see order, pattern and meaning in the world. Consider, for example, the common belief that things like personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths “happen in threes.” Such beliefs stem from the tendency of people to allow the third event to define the time that counts as their “happening together” is one month; if three crashes occur in a year, the period of time is stretched. Flexible end points reinforce such beliefs.
We also tend to believe what we want to believe. A majority of people thinks they are more intelligent, more fair-minded and more skilled behind the wheel of an automobile than the average person. Part of the reason we view ourselves so favorably is that we use criteria that work to our advantage. As economist Thomas Schelling explains, “Ev

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