2016年12月四级真题(第二套)

201712月大学英语四级真题与答案解析第二套

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第2套)Part IWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have twooptions upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to agraduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain thereasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180words.Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now26heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 hastaken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to27 to coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) and they take up more spacethan cooler waters, raising sea28While the top of the ocean is well studied, its depths are moredifficult to 29The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get abetter30 of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readingscollected by everything from a 19th century31 of British naval ships to modem automated oceanprobes. The extensive data sources,32 with computer simulations ( 计算机模拟), created atimeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming fromfossil fuel33About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now resides at a34 of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're35whether the deep-seawarming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.A. absorbB. CombinedC. ContributeD. depthE. emissionsF. excursionG. exploreH. floorI. heightsJ. indifferentK. levelsL. mixedM. pictureN. unsureO. voyageSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart KidsA) I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation--and how people persevere aftersetbacks--as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments bypsychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animalsconclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animaloften remains passive even when it can effect change--a state they called learned helplessness.B) People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when they encounter difficulty,whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soondiscovered, lay in people's beliefs about why they had failed.C) In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than doesthe belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayedhelpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep tryingwhen the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded fortheir success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve hard math problems. Theseexperiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.D) Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners--helplessversus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failuresdifferently, but they also hold different "theories" of intelligence.The helpless ones believeintelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a"fixed mind-set (思维模式). "Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors toa lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challengesmake mistakes more likely. The mastery-oriented children, on the other hand, think intelligence isnot fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challengesare energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏); they offer opportunities to learn. Studentswith such a growth mind-set were destined (注定) for greater academic success and were quitelikely to outperform their counterparts.E) We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373students for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficultand the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At thebeginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagreewith statements such as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't reallychange. " We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see whathappened to their grades.F) As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was a more important goal thangetting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard. They understood that evengeniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, studentswith a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students whoheld a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning.They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability.They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well.Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that they wouldstudy less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.G) Such different outlooks had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the mathachievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to those ofstudents who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students witha growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of theother students by the end of the first semester--and the gap between the two groups continued towiden during the two years we followed them.H) A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage orignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-setare less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growthmind-set.I) How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories aboutachievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses whowere more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of greatmathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.J) In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding themind as a learning machine. I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose mathgrades were declining in their first year of junior high.Forty-eight of the students receivedinstruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessionsand classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. Inthe growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled "You Can Grow YourBrain. " They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and thatlearning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students beganto see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there weretwo types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the childrenin the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.K) Research is converging (汇聚) on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius istypically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from agift. 36. The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37. Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38. We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning.39. Students' belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40. In the author's experiment, students with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41. The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students' mind-sets on math learning.42. After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.43. Informing students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44. People with a fixed mind-set believe that one's intelligence is unchangeable.45. In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A., B., C. AndD . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote," are commodities which arenowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and whichare, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation. "Two and a haft centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. Withsurging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the worldhave begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found afall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast,a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims thatconsumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattierfare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action.Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure todemonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of itsofferings. For example, some drink manufacturers have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount ofsugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, somecompanies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust thefundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on theinside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes ( 配方) is one way to improve public health, it should be part of amulti-sided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. To deal with obesity,a mixture of approaches--including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes--will beneeded. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and .tobacco?A. They were profitable to manufacture.B. They were in ever-increasing demand.C. They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D. They were no longer considered necessities of life.47. Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A. They are under growing pressure to balance their national budgets.B. They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C. The practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D. The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48. What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A. It did not work out as well as was expected.B. It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C. It could not succeed without German cooperation.D. It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49. What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A. Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B. Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C. Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D. Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50. What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet" ( Line 4, Para.7)?A. There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B. There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C. There is no hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D. There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cottonballs to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds afterthey step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers saya model's body mass should be a workplace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday inthe American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case forgovernment regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16--low enough toindicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried notjust about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and teens," says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that theydefine perfect body image based on what they see in magazines. " That's especially worrying, she says,given that anorexia(厌食症) results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according tothe National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coalminers. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting fromoccupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houseswho hire models with a BMI under 18 could pay $ 82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail.Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rulesin France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating inParis Fashion Week", she says, adding," Our argument is that the same would be true of New YorkFashion Week. "51. What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A. It has caused needless controversy.B. It is but a matter of personal taste.C. It is the focus of the modeling business.D. It affects models' health and safety.52. What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A. A change in the public's view of female beauty.B. Government legislation about models' weight.C. Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D. Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53. Why are Record and Austin especially worried about the low body mass index of models?A. It contributes to many mental illnesses.B. It defines the future of the fashion industry.C. It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D. It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A. It has difficulty hiring models.B. It has now a new law to follow.C. It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D. It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A. It will create a completely new set of rules.B. It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C. It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D. It will have models with a higher BMI.Part ⅣTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月大学英语四级CET4真题及答案(第3套)

2016年12月英语四级真题（第三套）Part I Writing(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start a business of your own. You are to make a decision. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than180words.说明：由于2016年12月四级考试全国共考了2套听力，本套真题听力与前2套内容完全一样，只是顺序不一样，因此在本套真题中不再重复出现。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense. But when it comes to one of the crudest crimes—animal fighting—things __26__ work out that way. Dog-fighting victims are __27__ and killed for profit and “sport,” ye t their criminal abusers often receive a __28__ sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animal fighters only get probation （缓刑）.Some progress has been made in the prosecution（起诉）of animal fighters. But federal judges often rely heavily on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines when they __29__ penalties, and in the case of animal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely __30__ .The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which __31__ these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them, proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6-12 to 21-27 months. This is a step in the right __32__ , but we’d like to see the U.S. Sentencing Commission make further changes to the guidelines.Along with this effort, we’re working with animal advocates and state and federal lawmakers to __33__ anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assist overburdened animal __34__ that care for animal fighting victims. This help is__35__ important because the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major factor that prevents people from getting involved in cruelty cases in the first place.A) convenient B) creates C) critically D) determine E) direction F) hesitate G) inadequateH) inspired I) method J) minimal K) rarely L) shelters M) strengthen N) sufferingsO) torturedSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.When Work Becomes a GameA)What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. The promise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.B)Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what has come to be known as “gamification”: essentially, turning work into a game. “Gamification is about understanding what it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience in games, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace and education,” explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.C)It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to the winners, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could also mean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Comp anies from Google to L’Oreal to IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in their workplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that the global gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.D)The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachers have long looked for fun ways to engage people’s reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jacks has been “gamifying” its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, he adds, and the turn-of- the-century steel magnate （巨头）Charles Schwab is said to have often come into his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factory floor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.E)But the word “gamification” an d the widespread, conscious application of the concept only began in earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation now entering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. “ We are at a point where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playing video games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too，” Werbach says.F)A number of companies have sprung up—GamEffective, Bunchball and Badgeville, to name a few—in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effective turn employees’ ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. “What makes a game game-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome,” Werbach says. “The principle is about understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understanding of psychology.”G)Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition. Sales people often fall into this category. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their sales pitches into a competition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who is winning at all times. Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One company Werbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employees’ morale （士气）.When employees log in to their computers, they’re shown a picture of one of their coworkers andask ed to guess that person’s name.H)Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cometti runs a company that gamifies employee trainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed a gamification strategy for a sales training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed “storm chaser teams” and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn various rewards. “Rewards do not have to be stuff,” Cometti says. “Rewards can be flexible working hours.” Another training, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme. “Snow White” is available for everyone to use, but the “dwarfs” are still under copyright, so Cometti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay roll law principles.I)Some people do not take naturally to gamified work environments, Cometti says. In her experience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering do not tend to like the sound of the word. “If we are designing for engineers, I’m not talking about a ‘game’at all,” Cometti says. “I’m talking about a ‘simulation’（模拟），I’m talking about ‘ being able to solve this problem. ’ ”J) Gamification is “not a magic bullet,” Werbach warns. A gamification strategy that is not sufficiently thought through or well tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but it will not motivate people in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used with vulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobs yet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbach gives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, California, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another. Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began to stop taking bathroom breaks, worried that iftheir productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnant employees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the board as a “digital whip.” “It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance, ” Werbach says.K) Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, “as more and more people come into the workforce who are familiar with the structures and expressions of digital games.” “We are far from reaching the peak,” Cometti agrees. “There is no reason this will go away.”36.Some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying to do the same.37.Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38.To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow workers when starting their computers.39.The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40.There is reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41.Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42.When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43.Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44.The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45.It is necessary to use terms other than “gamification” for some professions.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to “solve” problems— real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired—not to teach but to hold meetings—has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house（信息交流中心）for using technology in classrooms and in online courses. It’s an administrative sham（欺诈）of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems—class attendance, educational success, student happiness and well-being—might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic（官僚的）mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. If we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way—the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally, they should be allowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me thatpeople do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.46.What does the author say about present-day universities?A)They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B)They often fail to combine teaching with research.C)They are over-burdened with administrative staff.D)They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47.According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A)Good classroom teachers.B)Efficient administrators.C) Talented researchers.D) Motivated students.48.What does the author imply about the classes at present?A)They facilitate students’ independent learning.B)They help students form closer relationships.C)They have more older students than before.D)They are much bigger than is desirable.49.What does the author think of teaching ability?A)It requires talent and practice.B)It is closely related to research.C)It is a chief factor affecting students’ learning.D)It can be acquired through persistent practice.50.What is the author’s suggestion for improving university teaching?A)Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences.B)Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C)Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D)Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago—by McDonald’s. According to a new study from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards—like the toys in McDonald’s Happy Meals—stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food item.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket（彩票）, with a S10, $50 or $100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less.“The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting,” says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective. In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard odds included.“One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking than certainty awards,” says Reimann. “The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills.’ The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state of hope—a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding.” In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gamble.How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa（温泉疗养）weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant—and make you eat a little less.51.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A)It may shed light on people's desire to crack a secret.B)It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.C)It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.D)It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52.What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A)Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.B)Most kids and adult s don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C)Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D)Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?A)Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B)Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.C)Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D)Neither children nor adults could resit the temptation of a free toy.54.How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A)The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B)People now care more about quality than quantity.C)People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D)The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?A)People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.B)More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.C)We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D)More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月四级真题详细答案解析(第三套)

2016年12月英语四级真题（卷三）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start a business of your own. You are to make a decision. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180words.说明：由于2016年12月四级考试全国共考了2套听力，本套真题听力与前2套内容完全一样，只是顺序不一样，因此在本套真题中不再重复出现。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense. But when it comes to one of the crudest crimes—animal fighting—things __26__ work out that way. Dog-fighting victims are __27__ and killed for profit and “sport,” yet their criminal abusers o ften receive a __28__ sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animal fighters only get probation （缓刑）.Some progress has been made in the prosecution（起诉）of animal fighters. But federal judges often rely heavily on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines when they __29__ penalties, and in the case of animal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely __30__ .The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which __31__ these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them, proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6-12 to 21-27 months. This is a step in the right __32__ , but we’d like to see the U.S. Sentencing Commission make further changes to the guidelines.Along with this effort, we’re working with animal advocates and state and f ederal lawmakers to __33__ anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assist overburdened animal __34__ that care for animal fighting victims. This help is__35__ important because the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major factor that prevents people from getting involved in cruelty cases in the first place.A) convenient B) creates C) critically D) determine E) direction F) hesitate G) inadequateH) inspired I) method J) minimal K) rarely L) shelters M) strengthen N) sufferings O) torturedSection BDirections:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.When Work Becomes a GameA)What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. The promise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.B)Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what has come to be known as “gamification”: essentially, turning work into a game. “Gamification is about understanding what it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience in games, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace and education,” explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.C)It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to the winners, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could also mean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies from Google to L’Oreal to IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in their workplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that the global gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.D)The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachers have long looked for fun ways to engage people’s reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jacks has been “gamifying” its snack food by putti ng a small prize inside for more than 100 years, he adds, and the turn-of- the-century steel magnate（巨头）Charles Schwab is said to have often come into his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factory floor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.E)But the word “gamification” and the widespread, conscious application of the concept only began in earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation now entering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. “ We are at a point where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playing video games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too，” Werbach says.F)A number of companies have sprung up—GamEffective, Bunchball and Badgeville, to name a few—in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effective turn employees’ ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. “What makes a game game-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome,” Werbach says. “The principle is about understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understanding of psychology.”G)Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition. Sales people often fall into this category. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their sales pitches into a competition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who is winning at all times. Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One company Werbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employees’ morale （士气）.When employees log in to their computers, they’re shown a picture of one of their coworkers and asked to guess that person’s name.H)Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cometti runs a company that gamifies employee trainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed a gamification strategy for a sales training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed “storm chaser teams” and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn various rewards. “Rewards do not have to be stuff,” Cometti says. “Rewards can be flexible working hours.” Another training, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme. “Snow White” is available for everyone to use, but the “dwarfs” are still u nder copyright, so Cometti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay roll law principles.I)Some people do not take naturally to gamified work environments, Cometti says. In her experience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering do not tend to like the sound of the word. “If we are designing for engineers, I’m not talking about a ‘game’at all,” Cometti says. “I’m talking about a ‘simulation’（模拟），I’m talking about ‘ being able to solve this problem. ’ ”J) Gamification is “not a magic bullet,” Werbach warns. A gamification strategy that is not sufficiently thought through or well tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but it will not motivate people in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used with vulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobs yet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbach gives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, California, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another. Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began to stop taking bathroom breaks, worried that if their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnant employees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the board as a “digital whip.” “It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance, ” Werbach says.K) Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, “as more and more people come into the workforce who are familiar with the structures and expressions of digital gam es.” “We are far from reaching the peak,” Cometti agrees. “There is no reason this will go away.”36.Some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying to do the same.37.Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38.To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow workers when startingtheir computers.39.The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40.There is reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41.Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42.When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43.Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44.The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45.It is necessary to use terms other than “gamification” for some professions.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to “solve” problems— real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired—not to teach but to hold meetings—has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house（信息交流中心）for usi ng technology in classrooms and in online courses. It’s an administrative sham（欺诈）of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems—class attendance, educational success, student happiness and well-being—might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic（官僚的）mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. If we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way—the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally, they should be allowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that people do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.46.What does the author say about present-day universities?A)They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B)They often fail to combine teaching with research.C)They are over-burdened with administrative staff.D)They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47.According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A)Good classroom teachers.B)Efficient administrators.C) Talented researchers.D) Motivated students.48.What does the author imply about the classes at present?A)They facilitate students’ independent learning.B)They help students form closer relationships.C)They have more older students than before.D)They are much bigger than is desirable.49.What does the author think of teaching ability?A)It requires talent and practice.B)It is closely related to research.C)It is a chief factor affecting students’ learning.D)It can be acquired through persistent practice.50.What is the author’s suggestion for improving university teaching?A)Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences.B)Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C)Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D)Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago—by McDonald’s. According to a new study from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards—like the toys in McDonald’s Happy Meals—stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food item.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket（彩票）, with a S10, $50 or $100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less.“The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting,” says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective. In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard odds“One explanation for this finding is t hat possible awards may be more emotionally provoking than certainty awards,” says Reimann. “The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills.’ The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state of h ope—a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding.” In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gamble.How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa（温泉疗养）weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant—and make you eat a little less.51.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A)It may shed light on people's desire to crack a secret.B)It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.C)It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.D)It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52.What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A)Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.B)Most kids and adult s don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C)Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D)Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?A)Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B)Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.C)Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D)Neither children nor adults could resit the temptation of a free toy.54.How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A)The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B)People now care more about quality than quantity.C)People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D)The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?A)People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.B)More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.C)We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D)More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月大学英语四级真题及完整答案(共两卷)

2016年12月大学英语四级真题及完整答案(共两卷)2016年12月大学英语四级真题（第一套）Part I Writing (30minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.1. A) It was going to be renovated. C) It was dangerous to live in.B) He could no longer pay the rent. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A storm. C) A forest fire.B) A strike. D) A Terrorist attack.Questions 3and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.C) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.D) They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. A) They provided the miner with food and water.B) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.C) They released the details of the accident.D) They tried hard to repair the accident.Question5 to7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates. C) Close some of its post offices.B) Improve its services. D) Redesign delivery routes.6. A) Closing offices on holidays. C) Computerizing mail sorting processes.B) Shortening business hours. D) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7.A）A lot of controversy will ariseB) Taxpayers will be very pleasedC) Many people will begin to complainD) Many post office staff will lose their jobsSection BDirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end of eachconversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)He will lose part of his pay. C)He will be given a warning.B)He will go through retraining. D)He is go good terms with his workmates.9.A)He is an experienced press operator. C)He is always on time.B)He is trustworthy guy. D）He is go good terms with his workmates.10.A)She is a trade union representative. C)She is better at handing such matters.B)She is a senior manager of the shop. D)She is in charge of public relation.11.A)He is always trying to stir up trouble.B)He is skilled and experienced.C)He is very close to the manager.D)He is always complaining about low wages.Question12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)Open. C)Selfish.B)Reserved. D)Friendly.13.A)They read a book. C)They stay quiet.B)They talk about the weather D)They chat with fellow passengers.14.A)She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.B)She was never invited to a colleague’s home.C)She was eager to visit an English castle.D)She was always treated as a foreigner.15.A) House are much more quiet. C) They want a garden of their own.B) They want to have more space. D) Houses provide more privacy.Section CDirections:In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each passage,you will hear three or four questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A) They will automatically be given hiring priority.B) They don’t have to go through job interviews.C) They are likely to get much higher pay.D) They don’t have much choice of jobs.17.A) Visit the school careers services. C) Look at school bulletin boards.B) Ask their professors for help. D) Go through campus newspapers.18.A) Providing students with information about the library.B) Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.C) Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.D) Helping students find the books and journals they need.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) It tastes better. C) It is easier to grow.B) It may be sold at a higher price. D) It can better survive extreme weathers.20.A) It can grow in drier soil. C) It will replace green tea one day.B) It is immune to various diseases. D) It is healthier than green tea.21.A) It does not have a stable market.B) It has made tea farmers’ life easier.C) It does not bring the promised health benefits.D) It has been well received by many tea drinkers.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) They care more about environment.B) They decorate their homes themselves.C) They prefer unique objects of high quality.D) They need decorations to show their status.23. A) They made great contributions to society.B) They could only try to create at night.C) They were proud of their creations.D) They focused on the quality of their products.24. A) Identify fake crafts. C) Design handicrafts themselves.B) Make wise choices. D) Learn the importance of creation.25. A) To attract foreign investments. C) To arouse public interest in crafts.B) To preserve the traditional culture. D) To boost the local economy.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter foreach item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Many men and women have long bought into the idea that t here are “male” and “female” brains, believing that explains just about every difference between the sexes. A new study（26）that belief, questioning whether brains really can be distinguished by gender.In the study, Tel Aviv University researchers（27）for sex differences the entire human brain.And what did they find? Not much. Rather than offer evidence for（28）brains as “male” or “female,” research shows that brains fall into a wide range, with most people falling right in the middle.Daphna Joel, who led the study, said her research found that while there are some gender-based（29）, many different types of brain can’t always be distinguished by gender.While the “average” male and “average” female brains were（30）different, you couldn’t tell it by loo king at individual brain scans. Only a small（31）of people had “all-male” or “all-female” characteristics.Larry Cahill, an American neuroscientist (神经科学家),said the study is an important addition to a growing body of research questioning（32）beliefs about gender and brain function. But he cautioned against concluding from this study that all brains are the same,（33）of gender.“There’s a mountain of evidence（34）the importance of sex influences at all levels of brain function,” he told The Seattle Times.If anything, he said, the study（35）that gender plays a very important role in the brain “even when we are not clear exactly how.”A) abnormal B) applied C) briefly D) categorizingE) challenges F) figure G) percentage H) provingI) regardless J) searched K) similarities L) slightlyM) suggests N) tastes O) traditionalSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Can Burglars Jam Your Wireless Security System?[A]Any product that promises to protect your home deserves careful examination. So it isn’t surprising that you’ll find plenty of strong opinions about the potential vulnerabilities of popular home-security systems.[B]The most likely type of burglary (入室盗窃) by far is the unsophisticated crime of opportunity, usually involving a broken window or some forced entry. According to the FBI, crimes like these accounted roughly two-thirds of all household burglaries in the US in 2013.The wide majority of the rest were illegal, unforced entries that resulted from something like a window being left open. The odds of a criminal using technical means to bypass a security system are so small that the FBI doesn’t even track those statistics.[C]One of the main theoretical home-security concerns is whether or not a given system is vulnerable to being blocked from working altogether. With wired setups, the fear is that a burglar (入室盗贼) might be able to shut your system down simply by cutting the right cable. With a wireless setup, you stickbattery-powered sensors up around your home that keep an eye on windows, doors, motion, and more. If they detect something wrong while the system is armed, they’ll transmit a wireless alert signal to a base station that will then raise the alarm. That approach will eliminate most cord-cutting concerns—but what about their wireless equivalent, jamming? With the right device tuned to the right frequency, what’s to stop a thief from jamming your setup and blocking that alert signal from ever reaching the base station?[D]Jamming concerns are nothing new, and they’re not unique to security systems. Any device that’s built to receive a wireless signal at a specific frequency can be overwhelmed by a stronger signal coming in on the same frequency. For comparison, let’s say you wanted to “jam” a conversation between two people—all you’d need to do is yell in the listener’s ear.[E] Security devices are required to list the frequencies they broadcast on—that means that a potential thief can find what they need to know with minimal Googling. They will, however, need so know wh at system they’re looking for. If you have a sign in your yard declaring what setup you use, that’d point them in the right direction, though at that point, we’re talking about a highly targeted, semi-sophisticated attack, and not the sort forced-entry attack that makes up the majority of burglaries. It’s easier to find and acquire jamming equipment for some frequencies than it is for others.[F] Wireless security providers will often take steps to help combat the threat of jamming attacks. SimpliSafe, wi nner of our Editor’s Choice distinction, utilizes a special system that’s capable of separating incidental RF interference from targeted jamming attacks. When the system thinks it’s being jammed, it’ll notify you via push alert(推送警报).From there, it’s up to you to sound the alarm manually.[G] SimpliSafe was singled out in one recent article on jamming, complete with a video showing the entire system being effectively bypassed with handheld jamming equipment. After taking appropriate measures to contain the RF interference to our test lab, we tested the attack out for ourselves, and were able to verify that it’s possible with the right equipment. However, we also verified that SimpliSafe’s anti-jamming system works. It caught us in the act, sent an alert to my smartphone, and also listed our RF interference on the system’s event log. The team behind the article and video in question make no mention of the system, or whether or not in detected them.[H]We like the unique nature of that software. It means that a thief likely wouldn’t be able to Google how the system works, then figure out a way around it. Even if they could, SimpliSafe claims that its system is always evolving, and that it varies slightly from system to system, which means there wouldn’t be a universal magic formula for cracking it. Other systems also seem confident on the subject of jamming. The team at Frontpoint addresses the issue in a blog on its site, citing their own jam protection software and claiming that there aren’t any documented cases of successful jam attack since the company began offering wireless security sensors in the 1980s.[I] Jamming attacks are absolutely possible. As said before, with the right equipment and the right know-how, it’s possible to jam any wirelesstransmission. But how probable is it that someone will successfully jam their way into your home and steal your stuff?[J] Let’s imagine that you live in a small home with a wireless security setup that offers a functional anti-jamming system. First, a thief is going to need to target your home, specifically. Then, he’s going to need to know the technical details of your system and acquire the specific equipment necessary for jamming your specific setup. Presumably, you keep your doors locked at night and while you’re away. So the thief will still need to break in. That means defeating the lock somehow, or breaking a window. He’ll need to be jamming you at this point, as a broken window or opened door would normally release the alarm. So, too, would the motion detectors in your home, so the thief will need to continue jamming once he’s inside and searching for things to steal. However, he’ll need to do so without tripping the anti-jamming system, the details of which he almost certainly does now have access to.[K]At the end of the day, these kinds of systems are primarily designed to protect against the sort of opportunistic smash-and-grab attack that makes up the majority of burglaries. They’re also only a single layer in what should ideally be a many-sided approach to securing your home, one that includes common sense things like sound locks and proper exterior lighting at night. No system is impenetrable, and none can promise to eliminate the worst case completely. Every one of them has vulnerabilities that a knowledgeable thief could theoretically exploit. A good system is one that keeps that worst-case setting as improbable as possible while also offering strong protection in the event of a less-extraordinary attack.36. It is possible for burglars to make jamming attacks with the necessaryequipment and skill.37. Interfering with a wireless security system is similar to interfering with aconversation.38. A burglar has to continuously jam the wireless security device to avoidtriggering the alarm, both inside and outside the house.39. SimpliSafe provides devices that are able to distinguish incidental radiointerference from targeted jamming attacks.40. Only a very small proportion of burglaries are committed by technical means.41. It is difficult to crack SimpliSafe as its system keeps changing.42. Wireless devices will transmit signals so as to activate the alarm oncesomething wrong is detected.43. Different measures should be taken to protect one’s home from burglary inaddition to the wireless security system.44. SimpliSafe’s device can send a warning to the house owner’s cellphone.45. Burglars can easily get a security device’s frequency by Internet search.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.As a person who writes about food and drink for a living. I couldn’t tell you the first thing about Bill Perry or whether the beers he sells are that great. But I can tell you that I like this guy. That’s because he plans to ban tipping in favor of paying his servers an actual living wage.I hate tipping.I hate it because it’s an obligation disguised as an option. I hate it for thepost-dinner math it requires of me. But mostly, I hate tipping because I believe I would be in a better place if pay decisions regarding employees were simply left up to their employers, as is the custom in virtually every other industry.Most of you probably think that you hate tipping, too. Research suggests otherwise. You actually love tipping! You like to feel that you have a voice in how much money your server makes. No matter how the math works out, you persistently view restaurants with voluntary tipping systems as being a bettervalue, which makes it extremely difficult for restaurants and bars to do away with the tipping system.One argument that you tend to hear a lot from the pro-tipping crowd seems logical enough: the service is better when waiters depend on tips, presumably because they see a benefit to successfully veiling their contempt for you. Well, if this were true, we would all be slipping a few 100-dollar bills to our doctors on the way out their doors, too. But as it turns out, waiters see only a tiny bump in tips when they do an exceptional job compared to a passable one. Waiters, keen observers of humanity that they are, are catching on to this; in one poll, a full 30% said they didn’t believe the job they did had any impact on the tips they received.So come on, folks: get on board with ditching the outdated tip system. Pay a little more upfront for your beer or burger. Support Bill Perry’s pub, and any other bar or restaurant that doesn’t ask you to do drunken math.46. What can we learn about Bill Perry from the passage?A) He runs a pub that serves excellent beer.B) He intends to get rid of the tipping practice.C) He gives his staff a considerable sum for tips.D) He lives comfortably without getting any tips.47. What is the main reason why the author hates tipping?A) It sets a bad example for other industries.B) It adds to the burden of ordinary customers.C) It forces the customer to compensate the waiter.D) It poses a great challenge for customers to do math.48. Why do many people love tipping according to the author?A) They help improve the quality of the restaurants they dine in.B) They believe waiters deserve such rewards for good service.C) They want to preserve a wonderful tradition of the industry.D) They can have some say in how much their servers earn.49. What have some waiters come to realize according to a survey?A) Service quality has little effect on tip size.B) It is in human mature to try to save on tips.C) Tips make it more difficult to please customers.D) Tips benefit the boss rather that the employees.50. What does the author argue for in the passage?A) Restaurants should calculate the tips for customers.B) Customers should pay more tips to help improve service.C) Waiters deserve better than just relying on tips for a living.D) Waiters should be paid by employers instead of customers.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.In the past, falling oil prices have given a boost to the world economy, but recent forecasts for global growth have been toned down, even as oil prices sink lower and lower. Does that mean the link between lower oil prices and growth has weakened?Some experts say there are still good reasons to believe cheap oil should heatup the world economy. Consumers have more money in their pockets when they’re paying less at the pump. They spend that money on other things, which stimulates the economy.The biggest gains go to countries that import most of their oil like China, Japan, and India, But doesn’t the extra money in the pockets of those countries’ consumers mean an equal loss in oil producing countries, cancelling out the gains? Not necessarily, says economic researcher Sara Johnson. “Many oil producers built up huge reserve funds when prices were high, so when prices fall they willdraw on their reserves to support government spending and subsidies(补贴) for their consumers.”But not all oil producers have big reserves, In Venezuela, collapsing oil prices have sent its economy into free-fall.Economist Carl Weinberg believes the negative effects of plunging oil prices are overwhelming the positive effects of cheaper oil. The implication is a sharp decline in global trade, which has plunged partly because oil-producing nations can’t afford to import as much as they used to.Sara Johnson acknowledges that the global economic benefit from a fall in oil prices today is likely lower than it was in the past. One reason is that more countries are big oil producers now, so the nations suffering from the price drop account for a larger share of the global economy.Consumers, in the U.S. at least, are acting cautiously with the savings they’re getting at the gas pump, as the memory of the recent great recession is still fresh in their mind. And a number of oil-producing countries are trimming their gasoline subsidies and raising taxes, so the net savings for global consumers is not as big as the oil price plunge might suggest.51. What does the author mainly discuss in the passage?A) The reasons behind the plunge of oil prices.B) Possible ways to stimulate the global economy.C) The impact of cheap oil on global economic growth.D) The effect of falling oil prices on consumer spending.52. Why do some experts believe cheap oil will stimulate the global economy?A) Manufacturers can produce consumer goods at a much lower cost.B) Lower oil prices have always given a big boost to the global economy.C) Oil prices may rise or fall but economic laws are not subject to change.D) Consumers will spend their saving from cheap oil on other commodities.53. What happens in many oil-exporting countries when oil prices go down?A) They suspend import of necessities from overseas.B) They reduce production drastically to boost oil prices.C) They use their money reserves to back up consumption.D) They try to stop their economy from going into free-fall.54. How does Carl Weinberg view the current oil price plunge?A) It is one that has seen no parallel in economic history.B) Its negative effects more than cancel out its positive effects.C) It still has a chance to give rise to a boom in the global economy.D) Its effects on the global economy go against existing economic laws.55. Why haven’t falling oil prices boosted the global economy as they did before?A) People are not spending all the money they save on gas.B) The global economy is likely to undergo another recession.C) Oil importers account for a larger portion of the global economy.D) People the world over are afraid of a further plunge in oil prices.Part IV Translation (30minutes)Directions: For this part,you are allowed 30minutes to transtate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福，在春节和其他喜庆场合，红色到处可见。

2016年12月大学英语四级真题答案及解析

2016年12月大学英语四级作文真题及解析2016年12月英语四级考试作文范文：听比说重要(1)2016年12月大学英语四级考试已经结束。

针对本次的四级作文话题“听比说重要”，文都四六级辅导老师第一时间为大家解读分析。

话题贴近生活，难度一般，方便同学们考场上展开论述。

下面，我们给大家提供一篇参考范文，供参考。

As we all known, talking and listening are commonly used in communication, but how can you talk without listening to others? Good conversation skills include much more than simply talking to others, listening is also a necessary quality of a successful person.I firmly believe that listening is of greater significance than talking. For one thing, If you can not listen correctly, you can not talk properly. Just imagine a world where everyone keep talking but nobody listening, it's useless to say anything then. For another, if you want to make achievement in social settings, relationships and business, one way to ensure your success is to be a great listener.Therefore, in order to enhance our conversation skills, here are a few simple rules we can follow to help us become a better listener, such as stopping talking endlessly, giving your full attention to the speaker and making an effort to shift the focus of the conversation to the other person. All in all, nothing can instead of listening! (169 words)2016年12月英语四级作文范文：活到老学到老(1)2016年12月大学英语四级考试如期而至，今年四级作文题目之一是“活到老学到老”。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题答案（共三套）

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题答案（共三套）听力答案Section A1. [A] It was dangerous to live in.2. [B] A storm3. [B] They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. [C] They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5. [D] Close some of its post office.6. [C] Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7. [A] Many post office staff will lose their jobs.Section B8.[D] He will lose part of his pay.9.[B] He is a trustworthy guy.10.[D] She is better at handling such matters.11.[C] He is always trying to stir up trouble.12.[D] Reserved13.[A] They stay quiet14.[C] She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15.[B] Houses provide more privacySection C16. [D] They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. [C] Visit the school careers service.18. [B] Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19. [C] It may be sold at a higher price.20. [A] It is healthier than green tee.21. [D] It does not have a stable market.22. [B] They prefer unique objects of high quality.23. [B] They could only try to create at night.24. [A] Make wise choices.25. [A] To boost the local economy.阅读答案Section A26. [E] challenges27. [J] searched28. [D] categorizing29. [K] similarities30. [L] slightly31. [G] percentage32. [O] traditional33. [ I ] regardless34. [H] proving35. [M] suggestsSection B36. [I]37. [D]38. [J]39. [F]40. [B]41. [H]42. [C]43. [K]44. [G]45. [E]Section Cpassage one46. [B] He intends to get rid of the tipping practice.47. [C] It forces the customer to comensate the waiter.48. [D] They can have some say in how much their servers earn.49. [A] Services quality has little effect on tip size.50. [D] Waiters should be paid by employers instead of customers.passage two51. [C] The impact of cheap oil on global economic growth.52. [D] Consumers will spend their savings from cheap oil on other commodities.53. [C] They use their money reserves to back up consumption.54. [B] Its negative effects more than cancel out its positive effects.55. [A] People are not spending all the money they save on gas.翻译范文翻译一：在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福，在春节和其他喜庆场合，红色到处可见。

2016年12月英语四级真题及答案解析（三套完整版）

【导语】以下是整理的2016年12⽉英语四级真题及答案解析（三套完整版），希望对⼤家备考有所帮助。

【作⽂】 innovation创新 Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on innovation. Your essay should include the importance of innovation and measures to be taken to encourage innovation/creation/invention. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words. 参考范⽂： In today's highly competitive world, innovation matters enormously to an organization or a country. It is the driving force behind increased competitiveness. Take growing a successful business as an example. In this day and age, social media are gaining popularity among the general public. A company that only relies on traditional media doing its marketing is more likely to get eliminated in the digital era. Put in another way, a company with its focus on social media to boost its brand recognition stands a better chance of standing out from the crowd. Clearly, innovation is a vital contributing factor to business success. What can be done to encourage innovation? To name only a few: Above all, a business or a country should strive to build a corporate culture or a social climate that values innovation. Second, anyone who participates in the innovation process should be rewarded. Third, we are in urgent need of an education system that stresses innovation over mechanical learning. Simply put, innovation is an important force that pushes our society forward. creation创造 Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on creation. Your essay should include the importance of innovation and measures to be taken to encourage innovation/creation/invention. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words. 参考范⽂： It is universally acknowledged that innovation refers to being creative, unique and different. In fact, today it is impossibly difficult for us to image a 21st century without innovation. We should place a high value on innovation firstly because innovative spirit can enable an individual to ameliorate himself, so he can be equipped with capacity to see what others cannot see, be qualified for future career promotion, and be ready for meeting the forthcoming challenges. What’s more, we ought to attach importance to the role played by innovation in economic advancement. Put it another way, in this ever-changing world, innovation to economic growth is what water is to fish. To sum up, if innovation misses our attention in any possible way, we will suffer a great loss beyond imagination. In order to encourage innovation, it is wise for us to take some feasible measures. For example, mass media should greatly publicize the significance of creative spirit and encourage the public to cultivate awareness of innovation. Besides, those who manage to innovate should be awarded generous prize. Though there is a long way ahead to go, I am firmly certain that the shared efforts will be paid off. 【参考译⽂】众所周知创新意味着有创造⼒，独⼀⽆⼆和不同。

2016年6月大学英语四级考试真题、听力原文及参考答案(第2套)

2016年6月大学英语四级考试真题（第2套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to your parents or any other family member upon making a memorable achievement. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The International Labour Organization's key objective.B) The basic social protection for the most vulnerable.C) Rising unemployment worldwide.D) Global economic recovery.2. A) Many countries have not taken measures to create enough jobs.B) Few countries know how to address the current economic crisis.C) Few countries have realised the seriousness of the current crisis.D) Many countries need support to improve their people's livelihood.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) Serve standardised food nationwide.C) Increase protein content in the food.B) Put calorie information on the menu.D) Offer convenient food to customers.4. A) They will be fined. C) They will get a warning.B) They will be closed.D) They will lose customers.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Inability to implement their business plans.B) Inability to keep turning out novel products.C) Lack of a successful business model of their own.D) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.6. A) It is the secret to business success. C) It is a magic tool to bring big rewards.B) It is the creation of something new.D) It is an essential part of business culture.7. A) Its hardworking employees. C) Its innovation culture.B) Its flexible promotion strategy. D) Its willingness to make investments.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He's got addicted to technology. C) He is crazy about text-messaging.B) He is not very good at socializing.D) He does not talk long on the phone.9. A) Talk big.C) Gossip a lot.B) Talk at length. D) Forget herself.10. A) He thought it was cool. C) He wanted to stay connected with them.B) He needed the practice.D) He had an urgent message to send.11. A) It poses a challenge to seniors. C) It is childish and unprofessional.B) It saves both time and money. D) It is cool and convenient.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He wants to change his job assignment.B) He is unhappy with his department manager.C) He thinks he deserves extra pay for overtime.D) He is often singled out for criticism by his boss.13. A) His workload was much too heavy. C) His colleagues often refused to cooperate.B) His immediate boss did not trust him. D) His salary was too low for his responsibility.14. A) He never knows how to refuse.C) His boss has a lot of trust in him.B) He is always ready to help others.D) His boss has no sense of fairness.15. A) Put all his complaints in writing. C) Learn to say no when necessary.B) Wait and see what happens next.D) Talk to his boss in person first.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) The importance of sleep to a healthy life.B) Reasons for Americans' decline in sleep.C) Some tips to improve the quality of sleep.D) Diseases associated with lack of sleep.17. A) They are more health-conscious. C) They get less and less sleep.B) They are changing their living habits. D) They know the dangers of lack of sleep.18. A) Their weight will go down. C) Their work efficiency will decrease.B) Their mind function will deteriorate.D) Their blood pressure will rise.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) How much you can afford to pay.B) What course you are going to choose.C) Which university you are going to apply to.D) When you are going to submit your application.20. A) The list of courses studied.C) The references from teachers.B) The full record of scores. D) The personal statement.21. A) Specify what they would like to do after graduation.B) Describe in detail how much they would enjoy studying.C) Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject.D) Emphasize that they admire the professors in the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It was equipped with rubber tyres.C) It was purchased by the Royal family.B) It was built in the late 19th century.D) It was designed by an English engineer.23. A) They consumed lots of petrol. C) They were difficult to drive.B) They took two passengers only.D) They often broke down.24. A) They were produced on the assembly line. C) They were modeled after British cars.B) They were built with less costly materials. D) They were made for ordinary use.25. A) It made news all over the world. C) It marked a new era in motor travel.B) It was built for the Royal family. D) It attracted large numbers of motorists.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Contrary to popular belief, older people generally do not want to live with their children. Moreover, most adult children 26 every bit as much care and support to their aging parents as was the case in the "good old days", and most older people do not feel 27 .About 80% of people 65 years and older have living children, and about 90% of them have28 contact with their children. About 75% of elderly parents who don't go to nursing homes live within 30 minutes of at least one of their children.However, 29 having contact with children does not guarantee happiness in old age. In fact, some research has found that people who are most involved with their families have the lowest spirits. This research may be 30 , however, as ill health often makes older people more 31 and thereby increases contact with family members. So it is more likely that poor health, not just family involvement, 32 spirits.Increasingly, researchers have begun to look at the quality of relationships, rather than at the frequency of contact, between the elderly and their children. If parents and children share interests and values and agree on childrearing practices and religious 33 , they are likely to enjoy each other's company. Disagreements on such matters can 34 cause problems. If parents are angered by their daughter's divorce, dislike her new husband, and disapprove of how she is raisingSection BDirections:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?A) For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economic trends and their interactions. The combined effects of those trends and the political tensions they generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies. Yet I, too, have resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization.B) I can no longer ignore that risk. Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declines that are undermining the world food economy forces me to conclude that such a collapse is possible.C) As demand for food rises faster than supplies are growing, the resulting food-price inflation puts severe stress on the governments of many countries. Unable to buy grain or grow their own, hungry people take to the streets. Indeed, even before the steep climb in grain prices in 2008, the number of failing states was expanding. If the food situation continues to worsen, entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. In the 20th century the main threat to international security was superpower conflict; today it is failing states.D) States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food security and basic social services such as education and health care. When governments lose their control on power, law and order begin to disintegrate. After a point, countries can become so dangerous that food relief workers are no longer safe and their programs are halted. Failing states are of international concern because they are a source of terrorists, drugs, weapons and refugees (难民) threatening political stability everywhere.E) The surge in world grain prices in 2007 and 2008 --and the threat they pose to food security -- has a different, more troubling quality than the increases of the past. During the second half of the 20th century, grain prices rose dramatically several times. In 1972, for instance, the Soviets, recognizing their poor harvest early, quietly cornered the world wheat market. As a result, wheat prices elsewhere more than doubled, pulling rice and corn prices up with them. But this and other price shocks were event-driven -- drought in the Soviet Union, crop-shrinking heat in the U.S. Corn Belt. And the rises were short-lived: prices typically returned to normal with the next harvest.F) In contrast, the recent surge in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reverse without a reversal in the trends themselves. On the demand side, those trends include the ongoing addition of more than 70 million people a year, a growing number of people wanting to move up the food chain to consume highly grain-intensive meat products, and the massive diversion (转向) of U.S. grain to the production of bio-fuel.G) As incomes rise among low-income consumers, the potential for further grain consumption is huge. But that potential pales beside the never-ending demand for crop-based fuels.A fourth of this year's U.S. grain harvest will go to fuel cars.H) What about supply? The three environmental trends -- the shortage of fresh water, the loss of topsoil and the rising temperatures -- are making it increasingly hard to expand the world's grain supply fast enough to keep up with demand. Of all those trends, however, the spread of water shortages poses the most immediate threat. The biggest challenge here is irrigation, which consumes 70% of the world's fresh water. Millions of irrigation wells in many countries are now pumping water out of underground sources faster than rainfall can refill them. The result is falling water tables (地下水位) in countries with half the world's people, including the three big grain producers -- China, India and the U.S.I) As water tables have fallen and irrigation wells have gone dry, China's wheat crop, the world's largest, has declined by 8% since it peaked at 123 million tons in 1997. But water shortages are even more worrying in India. Millions of irrigation wells have significantly lowered water tables in almost every state.J) As the world's food security falls to pieces, individual countries acting in their own self-interest are actually worsening the troubles of many. The trend began in 2007, when leading wheat-exporting countries such as Russia and Argentina limited or banned their exports, in hopes of increasing local food supplies and thereby bringing down domestic food prices. Vietnam banned its exports for several months for the same reason. Such moves may eliminate the fears of those living in the exporting countries, but they are creating panic in importing countries that must rely on what is then left for export.K) In response to those restrictions, grain-importing countries are trying to nail down long-term trade agreements that would lock up future grain supplies. Food-import anxiety is evenleading to new efforts by food-importing countries to buy or lease farmland in other countries. In spite of such temporary measures, soaring food prices and spreading hunger in many other countries are beginning to break down the social order.L) Since the current world food shortage is trend-driven, the environmental trends that cause it must be reversed. We must cut carbon emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2020, stabilize the world's population at eight billion by 2040, completely remove poverty, and restore forests and soils. There is nothing new about the four objectives. Indeed, we have made substantial progress in some parts of the world on at least one of these -- the distribution of family-planning services and the associated shift to smaller families.M) For many in the development community, the four objectives were seen as positive, promoting development as long as they did not cost too much. Others saw them as politically correct and morally appropriate. Now a third and far more significant motivation presents itself: meeting these goals may be necessary to prevent the collapse of our civilization. Yet the cost we project for saving civilization would amount to less than $200 billion a year, 1/6 of current global military spending. In effect, our plan is the new security budget.36. The more recent steep climb in grain prices partly results from the fact that more and more people want to consume meat products.37. Social order is breaking down in many countries because of food shortages.38. Rather than superpower conflict, countries unable to cope with food shortages now constitute the main threat to world security.39. Some parts of the world have seen successful implementation of family planning.40. The author has come to agree that food shortages could ultimately lead to the collapse of world civilization.41. Increasing water shortages prove to be the biggest obstacle to boosting the world's grain production.42. The cost for saving our civilization would be considerably less than the world's current military spending.43. To lower domestic food prices, some countries limited or stopped their grain exports.44. Environmental problems must be solved to ease the current global food shortage.45. A quarter of this year's American grain harvest will be used to produce bio-fuel for cars.Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age, but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions -- including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving -- started to dull as early as age 27.Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.On the other hand, indicators of a person's accumulated knowledge -- like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge --kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Most people's minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse."These patterns suggest that some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it with one's abilities, may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no diseases," Salthouse said in a news release.The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.The tests are designed to detect subtle(细微的) changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition(认知能力) generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia (痴呆), according to the researchers."By following individuals over time," Salthouse said, "we gain insight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline."The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants' health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.46. What is the common view of mental function?A) It varies from person to person.C) It gradually expands with age.B) It weakens in one's later years.D) It indicates one's health condition.47. What does the new study find about mental functions?A) Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.B) They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.C) They are closely related to physical and mental exercise.D) Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.48. What does Timothy Salthouse say about people's minds in most cases?A) They tend to decline in people's later years.B) Their flexibility determines one's abilities.C) They function quite well even in old age.D) Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.49. Although people's minds may function less flexibly as they age, theyA) may be better at solving puzzlesB) can memorize things with more easeC) may have greater facility in abstract reasoningD) can put what they have learnt into more effective use50. According to Salthouse, their study may help us ________.A) find ways to slow down our mental declineB) find ways to boost our memoriesC) understand the complex process of mental functioningD) understand the relation between physical and mental healthPassage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthand(简写) educators use for this is "pre-K" --meaning instruction before kindergarten --and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.A new Peabody study of the Tennessee V oluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预) works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.51. What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?A) It should cater to the needs of individual children.B) It is essential to a person's future academic success.C) Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.D) Parents regard it as the first phase of children's development.52. What does the new Peabody study find?A) Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.B) The third grade marks a new phase of learning.C) The third grade is critical to children's development.D) Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs,53. When does the author think pre-K works the best?A) When it is accessible to kids of all families.B) When it is made part of kids' education.C) When it is no longer considered a luxury.D) When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.54. What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?A) She knows the real goal of education.C) She has once run a pre-K program.B) She is a mayor of insight and vision. D) She is a firm supporter of pre-K.55. What does the author think is critical to kids' education?A) Teaching method. C) Early intervention.B) Kids' interest. D) Parents' involvement.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.功夫(Kung Fu)是中国武术(martial arts)的俗称。

2016年6月大学英语四级考试真题、听力原文及参考答案(第2套)

2016年6月大学英语四级考试真题（第2套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to your parents or any other family member upon making a memorable achievement. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The International Labour Organization's key objective.B) The basic social protection for the most vulnerable.C) Rising unemployment worldwide.D) Global economic recovery.2. A) Many countries have not taken measures to create enough jobs.B) Few countries know how to address the current economic crisis.C) Few countries have realised the seriousness of the current crisis.D) Many countries need support to improve their people's livelihood.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) Serve standardised food nationwide.C) Increase protein content in the food.B) Put calorie information on the menu.D) Offer convenient food to customers.4. A) They will be fined. C) They will get a warning.B) They will be closed.D) They will lose customers.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Inability to implement their business plans.B) Inability to keep turning out novel products.C) Lack of a successful business model of their own.D) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.6. A) It is the secret to business success. C) It is a magic tool to bring big rewards.B) It is the creation of something new.D) It is an essential part of business culture.7. A) Its hardworking employees. C) Its innovation culture.B) Its flexible promotion strategy. D) Its willingness to make investments.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He's got addicted to technology. C) He is crazy about text-messaging.B) He is not very good at socializing.D) He does not talk long on the phone.9. A) Talk big.C) Gossip a lot.B) Talk at length. D) Forget herself.10. A) He thought it was cool. C) He wanted to stay connected with them.B) He needed the practice.D) He had an urgent message to send.11. A) It poses a challenge to seniors. C) It is childish and unprofessional.B) It saves both time and money. D) It is cool and convenient.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He wants to change his job assignment.B) He is unhappy with his department manager.C) He thinks he deserves extra pay for overtime.D) He is often singled out for criticism by his boss.13. A) His workload was much too heavy. C) His colleagues often refused to cooperate.B) His immediate boss did not trust him. D) His salary was too low for his responsibility.14. A) He never knows how to refuse.C) His boss has a lot of trust in him.B) He is always ready to help others.D) His boss has no sense of fairness.15. A) Put all his complaints in writing. C) Learn to say no when necessary.B) Wait and see what happens next.D) Talk to his boss in person first.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) The importance of sleep to a healthy life.B) Reasons for Americans' decline in sleep.C) Some tips to improve the quality of sleep.D) Diseases associated with lack of sleep.17. A) They are more health-conscious. C) They get less and less sleep.B) They are changing their living habits. D) They know the dangers of lack of sleep.18. A) Their weight will go down. C) Their work efficiency will decrease.B) Their mind function will deteriorate.D) Their blood pressure will rise.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) How much you can afford to pay.B) What course you are going to choose.C) Which university you are going to apply to.D) When you are going to submit your application.20. A) The list of courses studied.C) The references from teachers.B) The full record of scores. D) The personal statement.21. A) Specify what they would like to do after graduation.B) Describe in detail how much they would enjoy studying.C) Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject.D) Emphasize that they admire the professors in the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It was equipped with rubber tyres.C) It was purchased by the Royal family.B) It was built in the late 19th century.D) It was designed by an English engineer.23. A) They consumed lots of petrol. C) They were difficult to drive.B) They took two passengers only.D) They often broke down.24. A) They were produced on the assembly line. C) They were modeled after British cars.B) They were built with less costly materials. D) They were made for ordinary use.25. A) It made news all over the world. C) It marked a new era in motor travel.B) It was built for the Royal family. D) It attracted large numbers of motorists.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Contrary to popular belief, older people generally do not want to live with their children. Moreover, most adult children 26 every bit as much care and support to their aging parents as was the case in the "good old days", and most older people do not feel 27 .About 80% of people 65 years and older have living children, and about 90% of them have28 contact with their children. About 75% of elderly parents who don't go to nursing homes live within 30 minutes of at least one of their children.However, 29 having contact with children does not guarantee happiness in old age. In fact, some research has found that people who are most involved with their families have the lowest spirits. This research may be 30 , however, as ill health often makes older people more 31 and thereby increases contact with family members. So it is more likely that poor health, not just family involvement, 32 spirits.Increasingly, researchers have begun to look at the quality of relationships, rather than at the frequency of contact, between the elderly and their children. If parents and children share interests and values and agree on childrearing practices and religious 33 , they are likely to enjoy each other's company. Disagreements on such matters can 34 cause problems. If parents are angered by their daughter's divorce, dislike her new husband, and disapprove of how she is raisingSection BDirections:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?A) For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economic trends and their interactions. The combined effects of those trends and the political tensions they generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies. Yet I, too, have resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization.B) I can no longer ignore that risk. Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declines that are undermining the world food economy forces me to conclude that such a collapse is possible.C) As demand for food rises faster than supplies are growing, the resulting food-price inflation puts severe stress on the governments of many countries. Unable to buy grain or grow their own, hungry people take to the streets. Indeed, even before the steep climb in grain prices in 2008, the number of failing states was expanding. If the food situation continues to worsen, entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. In the 20th century the main threat to international security was superpower conflict; today it is failing states.D) States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food security and basic social services such as education and health care. When governments lose their control on power, law and order begin to disintegrate. After a point, countries can become so dangerous that food relief workers are no longer safe and their programs are halted. Failing states are of international concern because they are a source of terrorists, drugs, weapons and refugees (难民) threatening political stability everywhere.E) The surge in world grain prices in 2007 and 2008 --and the threat they pose to food security -- has a different, more troubling quality than the increases of the past. During the second half of the 20th century, grain prices rose dramatically several times. In 1972, for instance, the Soviets, recognizing their poor harvest early, quietly cornered the world wheat market. As a result, wheat prices elsewhere more than doubled, pulling rice and corn prices up with them. But this and other price shocks were event-driven -- drought in the Soviet Union, crop-shrinking heat in the U.S. Corn Belt. And the rises were short-lived: prices typically returned to normal with the next harvest.F) In contrast, the recent surge in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reverse without a reversal in the trends themselves. On the demand side, those trends include the ongoing addition of more than 70 million people a year, a growing number of people wanting to move up the food chain to consume highly grain-intensive meat products, and the massive diversion (转向) of U.S. grain to the production of bio-fuel.G) As incomes rise among low-income consumers, the potential for further grain consumption is huge. But that potential pales beside the never-ending demand for crop-based fuels.A fourth of this year's U.S. grain harvest will go to fuel cars.H) What about supply? The three environmental trends -- the shortage of fresh water, the loss of topsoil and the rising temperatures -- are making it increasingly hard to expand the world's grain supply fast enough to keep up with demand. Of all those trends, however, the spread of water shortages poses the most immediate threat. The biggest challenge here is irrigation, which consumes 70% of the world's fresh water. Millions of irrigation wells in many countries are now pumping water out of underground sources faster than rainfall can refill them. The result is falling water tables (地下水位) in countries with half the world's people, including the three big grain producers -- China, India and the U.S.I) As water tables have fallen and irrigation wells have gone dry, China's wheat crop, the world's largest, has declined by 8% since it peaked at 123 million tons in 1997. But water shortages are even more worrying in India. Millions of irrigation wells have significantly lowered water tables in almost every state.J) As the world's food security falls to pieces, individual countries acting in their own self-interest are actually worsening the troubles of many. The trend began in 2007, when leading wheat-exporting countries such as Russia and Argentina limited or banned their exports, in hopes of increasing local food supplies and thereby bringing down domestic food prices. Vietnam banned its exports for several months for the same reason. Such moves may eliminate the fears of those living in the exporting countries, but they are creating panic in importing countries that must rely on what is then left for export.K) In response to those restrictions, grain-importing countries are trying to nail down long-term trade agreements that would lock up future grain supplies. Food-import anxiety is evenleading to new efforts by food-importing countries to buy or lease farmland in other countries. In spite of such temporary measures, soaring food prices and spreading hunger in many other countries are beginning to break down the social order.L) Since the current world food shortage is trend-driven, the environmental trends that cause it must be reversed. We must cut carbon emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2020, stabilize the world's population at eight billion by 2040, completely remove poverty, and restore forests and soils. There is nothing new about the four objectives. Indeed, we have made substantial progress in some parts of the world on at least one of these -- the distribution of family-planning services and the associated shift to smaller families.M) For many in the development community, the four objectives were seen as positive, promoting development as long as they did not cost too much. Others saw them as politically correct and morally appropriate. Now a third and far more significant motivation presents itself: meeting these goals may be necessary to prevent the collapse of our civilization. Yet the cost we project for saving civilization would amount to less than $200 billion a year, 1/6 of current global military spending. In effect, our plan is the new security budget.36. The more recent steep climb in grain prices partly results from the fact that more and more people want to consume meat products.37. Social order is breaking down in many countries because of food shortages.38. Rather than superpower conflict, countries unable to cope with food shortages now constitute the main threat to world security.39. Some parts of the world have seen successful implementation of family planning.40. The author has come to agree that food shortages could ultimately lead to the collapse of world civilization.41. Increasing water shortages prove to be the biggest obstacle to boosting the world's grain production.42. The cost for saving our civilization would be considerably less than the world's current military spending.43. To lower domestic food prices, some countries limited or stopped their grain exports.44. Environmental problems must be solved to ease the current global food shortage.45. A quarter of this year's American grain harvest will be used to produce bio-fuel for cars.Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age, but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions -- including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving -- started to dull as early as age 27.Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.On the other hand, indicators of a person's accumulated knowledge -- like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge --kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Most people's minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse."These patterns suggest that some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it with one's abilities, may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no diseases," Salthouse said in a news release.The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.The tests are designed to detect subtle(细微的) changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition(认知能力) generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia (痴呆), according to the researchers."By following individuals over time," Salthouse said, "we gain insight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline."The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants' health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.46. What is the common view of mental function?A) It varies from person to person.C) It gradually expands with age.B) It weakens in one's later years.D) It indicates one's health condition.47. What does the new study find about mental functions?A) Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.B) They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.C) They are closely related to physical and mental exercise.D) Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.48. What does Timothy Salthouse say about people's minds in most cases?A) They tend to decline in people's later years.B) Their flexibility determines one's abilities.C) They function quite well even in old age.D) Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.49. Although people's minds may function less flexibly as they age, theyA) may be better at solving puzzlesB) can memorize things with more easeC) may have greater facility in abstract reasoningD) can put what they have learnt into more effective use50. According to Salthouse, their study may help us ________.A) find ways to slow down our mental declineB) find ways to boost our memoriesC) understand the complex process of mental functioningD) understand the relation between physical and mental healthPassage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthand(简写) educators use for this is "pre-K" --meaning instruction before kindergarten --and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.A new Peabody study of the Tennessee V oluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预) works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.51. What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?A) It should cater to the needs of individual children.B) It is essential to a person's future academic success.C) Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.D) Parents regard it as the first phase of children's development.52. What does the new Peabody study find?A) Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.B) The third grade marks a new phase of learning.C) The third grade is critical to children's development.D) Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs,53. When does the author think pre-K works the best?A) When it is accessible to kids of all families.B) When it is made part of kids' education.C) When it is no longer considered a luxury.D) When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.54. What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?A) She knows the real goal of education.C) She has once run a pre-K program.B) She is a mayor of insight and vision. D) She is a firm supporter of pre-K.55. What does the author think is critical to kids' education?A) Teaching method. C) Early intervention.B) Kids' interest. D) Parents' involvement.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.功夫(Kung Fu)是中国武术(martial arts)的俗称。

精品2016年12月英语四级真题及答案解析(三套完整版)

2016年12月英语四级真题及答案解析（三套完整版）【导语】以下是老师整理的2016年12月英语四级真题及答案解析（三套完整版），希望对大家备考有所帮助。

【作文】innovation创新Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on innovation. Your essay should include the importance of innovation and measures to be taken to encourageinnovation/creation/invention. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.参考范文：In today's highly competitive world, innovationmatters enormously to an organization or a country. It is the driving force behind increased competitiveness.Take growing a successful business as an example. In this day and age, social media are gaining popularity among the general public. A company that only relieson traditional media doing its marketing is morelikely to get eliminated in the digital era. Put in another way, a company with its focus on social media to boost its brand recognition stands a better chance of standing out from the crowd. Clearly, innovation is a vital contributing factor to business success.What can be done to encourage innovation? To name only a few: Above all, a business or a country shouldstrive to build a corporate culture or a socialclimate that values innovation. Second, anyone who participates in the innovation process should be rewarded. Third, we are in urgent need of an education system that stresses innovation over mechanical learning.Simply put, innovation is an important force that pushes our society forward.creation创造Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on creation. Your essay should include the importance of innovation and measures to be taken to encourage innovation/creation/invention. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.参考范文：It is universally acknowledged that innovation refers to being creative, unique and different. In fact, today it is impossibly difficult for us to image a21st century without innovation.We should place a high value on innovation firstly because innovative spirit can enable an individual to ameliorate himself, so he can be equipped with capacity to see what others cannot see, be qualified for future career promotion, and be ready for meetingthe forthcoming challenges. What’s more, we ought to attach importance to the role played by innovation in economic advancement. Put it another way, in thisever-changing world, innovation to economic growth is what water is to fish. To sum up, if innovation misses our attention in any possible way, we will suffer a great loss beyond imagination.In order to encourage innovation, it is wise for us to take some feasible measures. For example, mass media should greatly publicize the significance of creative spirit and encourage the public to cultivate awareness of innovation. Besides, those who manage to innovate should be awarded generous prize. Though there is a long way ahead to go, I am firmly certain that the shared efforts will be paid off.【参考译文】众所周知创新意味着有创造力，独一无二和不同。