四级模拟题是提升考试成绩的利器。通过反复训练，考生可以更好地理解题型和出题规律，从而在实质考试中提高做题效率和准确性。以下是2025年12月大学英语四级阅读自测题（3），期望对大伙有所帮助!
2025年12月大学英语四级阅读自测题（3）
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
Chemistry did not emerge as a science until after the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century and then only rather slowly and laboriously. But chemical knowledge is as old as history, being almost entirely concerned with the practical arts of living. Cooking is essentially a chemical process; so is the melting of metals and the administration of drugs and potions. This basic chemical knowledge, which was applied in most cases as a rule of thumb, was nevertheless dependent on previous experiment. It also served to stimulate a fundamental curiosity about the processes themselves. New information was always being gained as artisans improved techniques to gain better results.
The development of a scientific approach to chemistry was, however, hampered by several factors. The most serious problem was the vast range of material available and the consequent difficulty of organizing it into some system. In addition, there were social and intellectual difficulties, chemistry is nothing if not practical; those who practice it must use their hands, they must have a certain practical flair. Yet in many ancient civilizations, practical tasks were primarily the province of a slave population. The thinker or philosopher stood apart from this mundane world, where the practical arts appeared to lack any intellectual content or interest.
The final problem for early chemical science was the element of secrecy. Experts in specific trades had developed their own techniques and guarded their knowledge to prevent others from stealing their livelihood. Another factor that contributed to secrecy was the esoteric nature of the knowledge of alchemists, who were trying to transform base metals into gold or were concerned with the hunt for the elixir that would bestow the blessing of eternal life. In one sense, the second of these was the more serious impediment because the records of the chemical processes that early alchemists had discovered were often written down in symbolic language intelligible to very few or in symbols that were purposely obscure.
21. What is the passage mainly about?
A) The scientific revolution in the seventeenth century.
B) Reasons that chemistry developed slowly as a science.
C) The practical aspects of chemistry.
D) Difficulties of organizing knowledge systematically.
22. According to the passage, how did knowledge about chemical processes increase before the seventeenth century?
A) Philosophers devised theories about chemical properties.
B) A special symbolic language was developed.
C) Experience led workers to revise their techniques.
D) Experts shared their discoveries with the public.
23. The bold word "hampered" in Line 1 Para 2 is closest in meaning to||||.
A) recognized B) determined
C) solved D) hindered
24. The bold word "it" refers to which of the following?
A) Problem. B) Material.
C) Difficulty. D) System.
25. Which of the following statements best explains why "the second of these was the more serious impediment"?
A) Chemical knowledge was limited to a small number of people.
B) The symbolic language used was very imprecise.
C) Very few new discoveries were made by alchemists.
D) The records of the chemical processes were not based on experiments.
21.B。本篇文章的主要内容是什么?主题总结型，通过总结和总结，进而得出文章的主题。选项A的意思是"十七世纪的科学革命"，这只不过在文章的第1段中提到了这一点，但只不过其中一个很小的细节;选项B的意思是"化学作为一门学科进步缓慢是什么原因"，在文章的第二段和第三段中作者花了不少的笔墨讲述化学进步缓慢是什么原因，故它是本题的正确答案;选项C的意思是"化学的实用方面"，这只不过文章第二段所提到的一个细节;选项D的意思是"把化学常识有系统地组织起来的困难"，这只不过所提出的三个缘由中的一个，不可以以偏盖全。故本题的正确答案是B。
22.C。依据文章的内容，在十七世纪之前，化学过程的常识是怎么样增加的?细节推理型，依据文章中的有关信息，并进行剖析和总结。选项A的意思是"哲学家撰写了有关化学常识的理论。"，文章第二段的最后一句话The thinker or philosopher stood apart from this mundane world告诉大家哲学家离得远远的有关的化学常识，而不是撰写了理论;选项B的意思是"形成了一套特殊的符号语言"，文章最后一段的最后一句话告诉大家用符号是什么原因为了守旧秘密，而不是为了进步化学常识;选项C的意思是"经验引导着工大家改进他们的技术。"，第1段所讲的内容正是关于这一点，而且这也是进步化学常识的办法，故是正确答案;选项D的意思是"专家们与公众推荐这类化学常识"，文章第三段明显提到为了守旧秘密他们这类炼丹术士采取多种方法守旧秘密，所以该选项不正确。
23.D。文中黑体词hamper在乎思上与什么选项更接近?词义推断型，通过对上下文的理解，推断出生词的意思。做这种题目时，第一找到该单词所在的地方，并把上下文的句子仔细研读。它们所提供的线索和提示会告诉大家这个陌生单词的意思。在这句话中的hamper的意思是"妨碍，挡住"。而在四个选项中，只有选项D hinder是这个意思。故本题的正确答案是D。
24.B。文中黑体词it指代的是什么?词义推断型，通过对上下文的理解，推断出代词所代指的意思。做这种题目时，第一找到该代词所在的地方，并把上下文的句子仔细研读。它们所提供的线索和提示会告诉大家这个陌生单词的意思。尤其是该代词前面的名词短语或从句。通常来讲，这种题目的答案都能在同一句话的主语或宾语，或者在前一句话的主语和宾语中找到。仔细阅读完前面的句子后，大家可以得知这里it指的是 material。
25.A。下面什么句子能zui好地讲解加下划线的短语"第二个是更紧急的妨碍是什么原因"?语句理解型，考查学生对文章中难题句子的理解和讲解。选项A的意思是"化学常识只不过局限在少数人的手中。"，文章第三段所讲的内容正是关于这一点，故选项A是正确答案; 选项B的意思是"所用的符号语言不准确"，文章第三段中提到了intelligible to very few or in symbols that were purposely obscure告诉大家这类符号并非不准确;选项C的意思是"很少的发现是由炼丹术士发现的"，文章第三段中所提到的信息告诉大家大多数发现都是由这类术士发现的，与文章内容不符;选项D的意思是"关于化学过程的记录不是打造在实验的基础上"，原文中明确提到所有化学常识的记录都是打造在实验的基础上。
以上是新东方在线大学英语四级频道推荐的“2025年12月大学英语四级阅读自测题（3）”有关内容，预祝大伙都能获得好成绩！
