四级真题2024年12月第一套 Passage Two
四级真题2024年12月第一套 Passage Two


①　Engineering in the U.S. has long been a male-dominated profession. Fifty years ago, it looked like that might change.

②　In 1970, the percentage of women majoring in engineering was less than 1%. In 1979, that number was 9%. Many hoped women would continue to enter the field at the same rate. But that’s not what happened. Today, only 21% of engineering majors are women, a number largely unchanged since 2000.
③　I am a historian who, along with my colleagues, surveyed 251 women engineers who graduated from college in the 1970s. These pioneers reflected on the challenges they faced— and had advice for women entering the field today.
④　One survey taker explained, “The greatest challenge for me was continuing to believe in myself, when all the messages I was getting were that I would never be taken seriously or promoted or given raises at the same rate as men, who were clearly less qualified and not as smart as I was.”
⑤　A chemical engineer who worked in manufacturing agreed, “You have to prove yourself just because you are female. And you have to work twice as hard!”
⑥　A civil engineer said, “We are ‘women engineers. ’ People don’t refer to a man as a ‘man engineer’—he’s an engineer. We are constantly reminded that we don’t truly belong.” Another civil engineer stated, “On many levels, you’re never quite one of the groups.”
⑦　Women also talked about family caregiving responsibilities. A retired vice president from a major chemical company stated, “Young women engineers are on an equal footing until they have children, then they struggle to balance work and family—and compete with men who don’t have the same household responsibilities.”
⑧　But over the years things have changed a lot. Young women engineers are more accepted mostly because there are just more of them.
⑨Many women engineers hailed the benefits of their chosen career. A program manager in manufacturing stated that engineering is the best degree. A mechanical engineer said, “It will give you the flexibility to do almost anything. It is also satisfying to see the effects of what you have done.”

1.1. What does the passage say about the engineering profession in the United States?

A It has seen a change in attitude towards women engineers since 1979.

B It witnessed a significant increase in women engineers in the 1970s.

C It has experienced the gradual weakening of male dominance.

D It boasted the largest number of engineering majors in 2000.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据题干关键词engineering profession in the United States定位到文章前两段。文章第一段指出，美国的工程职业长期以来由男性主导，接着第二段提到在1970年女性主修工程学的比例下到1%，到1979年这一数字达到了9%，这说明在20世纪70年代女性工程师数量有显著的增加。B项与原文表述一致，故为答案。其他三项均与文章内容不符，故排除。

2.2. What does one survey taker say was her greatest challenge?

A Not to feel superior to less qualified male engineers.

B Not to take seriously all the messages she was getting.

C Not to think highly of her qualifications when promoted or given a pay raise.

D Not to lose self-confidence though constantly discouraged or unfairly treated.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据题干关键词one survey take和greatest challenge定位到第四段。第四段引述的一位受访者的原话中提到，在她收到的所有信息都是关于自己受重视、获得晋升或加薪的速度永远也赶不上显然不如自己有资格、也不如自己聪明的男性时，她最大的挑战是要继续相信自己。也就是说，她最大的挑战是即使经常受到挫折或不公平对待，也不能失去自信。D项与原文一致，故为答案。选项A和B文中未提及，可排除。原文中表达的是在收到不利消息时仍保持自信，C项与原文不符，故排除。

3.3. How do women engineers frequently feel according to the two civil engineers?

A Disqualified on many levels.

B Excluded from the group.

C Overworked by their organizations.

D Looked down upon by male colleagues.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据题干关键词two civilengineers定位到第六段。第六段中提到，一位土木工程师说人们称呼她们是“女工程师”，而男性不会被称为“男工程师”，感觉自己不属于这个群体，另一位土木工程师也提到在很多层面上自己从来都不是其中的一员。这都体现出她们感觉自己被排除在群体之外。B项符合原文，故为答案。其他三项文中均未提及，故排除。

4.4. What probably makes young women engineers more accepted nowadays?

A Their success in gaining an equal footing.

B The change in their responsibilities.

C Their ability to balance work and family.

D The increase in their number.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。倒数第二段明确指出，年轻的女工程师被更多人接受，主要是因为她们的人数增多了。选项D与原文一致，故为答案。其他三项均不是年轻女性工程师如今更易被接受的原因，均可排除。

5.5. What can we conclude about many female engineers from the statement of a mechanical engineer?

A They take great pride in their chosen career.

B They have reaped the benefits of being flexible.

C They enjoy doing engineering to the best degree.

D They have proved capable of doing almost anything.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。最后一段第一句提到，许多女工程师为自己选择的职业所带来的好处欢呼雀跃。最后一段结尾句引述了一位机械工程师的原话，即“它(工程学)能让你灵活地做几乎任何事情。看到自己所做工作产生的成效也会让人感到满足”。从以上两点可以推断，女工程师们对自己所选的职业感到自豪。选项A符合原文，故为答案。选项B中的being fexible虽与原文中的fexibility同义，但这是该机械工程师的直接陈述，无需推断，故排除。C项和D项与原文不符，故排除。