Questions 51 to 60 are based on the following passage.
【真题来源:2018年6月大学英语四级真题(第二套)PartⅢ,Section A,第26-35题】
Neon (霓虹)is to Hong Kong as red phone booths are to London and fog is to San Francisco. When night falls, red and blue and other colors(51)________a hazy (雾蒙蒙的) glow over a city lit up by tens of thousands of neon signs. But many of them are going dark,(52)________by more practical, but less romantic, LEDs (发光二极管). Changing building codes, evolving tastes, and the high cost of maintaining those wonderful old signs have businesses embracing LEDs, which are energy(53)________, but still carry great cost. "To me,neon represents memories of the past," says photographer Sharon Blance, whose series Hong Kong Neon celebrates the city 's famous signs. Looking at the signs now I get a feeling of amazement, mixed with sadness. Building a neon sign is an art practiced by(54)________trained on the job to mold glass tubes into(55)________shapes and letters. They fill these tubes with gases that glow when(56)________Neon makes orange, while other gases make yellow or blue. It takes many hours to craft a single sign. Blance spent a week in Hong Kong and(57)________more than 60 signs; 22 of them appear in the series that capture the signs lighting up lonely streets—an(58)________that makes it easy to admire their colors and craftsmanship. “ I love the beautiful, handcrafted, old-fashioned(59)________of neon,” says Blance. The signs do nothing more than(60)________a restaurant, theater, or other business, but do so in the most striking way possible.
A)alternative
B)approach
C)cast
D)challenging
E)decorative
F)efficient
G)electrified
H)identify
I)photographed
J)professionals
K)quality
L)replaced
M)stimulate
N)symbolizes
O)volunteers
空格前为名词colors,空格后为名词词组,显然句中缺少谓语,故本空应该填入一个动词。结合句意可知,当夜幕降临,红色、蓝色和其他颜色的霓虹灯投射出雾蒙蒙的光芒。备选项中只有cast(投射)符合句意,故答案为C)。
空格后为介词by,可以推断出本空需要填入一个动词的过去分词形式表被动。结合句意可知,其中许多霓虹灯都变暗了,取而代之的是更实用、但不那么浪漫的LED灯。备选项中只有replaced(代替,取代)符合语意,故答案为L)。
从句子结构上看,空格位于which引导的非限制性定语从句中。空格前有be动词are和名词energy,故该空需要填入一个形容词作表语。结合句意可知,这些二极管虽然节能,但仍然需要很高的成本。备选项中只有efficient(有效率的)跟下文提及的成本很高形成照应,故答案为F)。
空格前为介词by,空格后为动词trained,故本空需要填入一个名词。结合句意可知,制作霓虹灯招牌是由经过培训的专业人士操作的一种工艺。备选项中只有professionals(专业人员)与上下文内容衔接紧密,故答案为J)。
空格前是介词into,空格后是名词shapes,因此本空需要填入一个形容词作定语。结合句意可知,专业人士将玻璃管塑造成各种装饰性的形状和文字。备选项中只有decorative(装饰性的)符合句意,故答案为E)。
从句子结构上看,空格位于when引导的时间状语从句中。空格前为连接词when,故本空需要填入一个动词。结合句意可知,这些管子在通电时会发光。备选项中只有electrified(使通电)符合句意,故答案为G)。
空格前为并列连词and,空格后为名词短语,因此本空需要填入一个动词过去式和spent并列。结合句意可知,布兰斯在香港待了一周,拍摄了60多个招牌。备选项中只有photographed(拍摄)符合句意,故答案为I)。
空格前为不定冠词an,空格后为that引导的定语从句,故本空需要填入一个以元音音素开头的名词。结合句意可知,这种方式让人很容易欣赏到它们的色彩和工艺。备选项中只有approach(方式)符合要求,故答案为B)。
空格前为形容词old-fashioned,空格后为介词of,因此本空需要填入一个名词。结合句意可知,我喜欢这些缤纷的、手工制作的、老式质地的霓虹灯。备选项中只有quality(特征,特质)符合句意,故答案为K)。
空格前为比较状语从句连词than,空格后为名词词组a restaurant,故本空需要填入一个动词原形与前文do照应。结合句意可知,这些招牌的作用只不过是帮人识别餐馆、剧院或其他商铺。备选项中只有identify(识别)符合句意,故答案为H)。