大学英语六级考试(CET6)2012年12月听力真题
六级2012-12-2听力答案
六级2012年12月卷（二）听力原文及答案Listening ComprehensionSection A11. W: It’s a miracle that Robert came out of the air crash alive.M: That’s indeed a miracle. All the other passengers were killed.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?【听前预测】根据意思相反的两个选项中有一个可能是答案的命题规律，将答案锁定在[A]和[C]之间。
【解析】选[A]。
对话中女士提到Robert…alive（罗伯特…活着），[A]中的survived对应alive，故答案为[A]。
12. M: Isn’t it rather cold outside, Sally?W: It is a bit, but I can’t stand the terrible smoke inside. I’d rather stay here if you don’t mind.Q: Why does the woman want to stay outside?【听前预测】选项中的smoke a cigarette，the smell of smoke inside等表明，对话与吸烟有关。
【解析】选[D]。
对话中女士提到but I can’t stand the terrible smoke inside（但我受不了里面的烟味）。
[D]中的doesn’t like the smell of smoke inside是对此的同义转述，故答案为[D]。
but后的内容常为考点。
13. W: I’m going over to see a car someone has for sale.With all your experience as a mechanic, I’dappreciate your opinion.M: That was twenty years ago. Cars have changed so much. I’m not sure how much help I might be, butsure I’ll come along for the ride.Q: What does the man imply?【听前预测】由选项中的The woman shouldn’t，He doesn’t know可知，男士的话为听音重点。
2012年12月英语六级听力真题
2012年12月大学英语考试真题（听力部分）Section A11. A) The serious accident may leave Anna paralyzed.B) The man happened to see Anna fall on her back.C) The injury will confine Anna to bed for quite a while.D) The doctor’s therapy has been very successf ul.12. A) The man could watch the ballet with her.B) She happened to have bought two tickets.C) She can get a ballet ticket for the man.D) Her schedule conflicts with her sister’s.13. A) He will send someone right away.B) He has to do other repairs first.C) The woman can call later that day.D) The woman can try to fix it herself.14. A) Take up collection next week.B) Give his contribution some time later.C) Buy an expensive gift for Gemma.D) Borrow some money from the woman.15. A) Decline the invitation as early as possible.B) Ask Tony to convey thanks to his mother.C) Tell Tony’s mother that she eats no meat.D) Add more fruits and vegetables to her diet.16. A) The increasing crime rate. B) The impact of mass media.C) The circulation of newspapers. D) The coverage of newspapers.17. A) Limit the number of participants in the conference.B) Check the number of people who have registered.C) Provide people with advice on career development.D) Move the conference to a more spacious place.18. A) The apartment is still available.B) The apartment is close to the campus.C) The advertisement is outdated.D) On-campus housing is hard to secure.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) To test how responsive dolphins are to various signals.B) To find out if the female dolphin is cleverer than the male one.C) To see if dolphins can learn to communicate with each other.D) To examine how long it takes dolphins to acquire a skill.20. A) Produce the appropriate sound.B) Press the right-hand lever first.C) Raise their heads above the water.D) Swim straight into the same tank.21. A) Only one dolphin was able to see the light.B) The male dolphin received more rewards.C) Both dolphins were put in the same tank.D) The lever was beyond the dolphins’ reach.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.22. A) In a botanical garden. B) In a lecture room.C) In a resort town. D) On a cattle farm.23. A) It is an ideal place for people to retire to.B) It is at the centre of the fashion industry.C) It remains very attractive with its mineral waters.D) It has kept many traditions from Victorian times.24. A) It was named after a land owner in the old days.B) It is located in the eastern part of Harrogate.C) It is protected as parkland by a special law.D) It will be used as a centre for athletic training.25. A) The beautiful flowers. B) The refreshing air.C) The mineral waters. D) The vast grassland. Section BPassage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) He specializes for University students.B) He start specialized sinse University.C) He specialized in interpersonal relationship.D) He specializes in interpersonal relationship.27. A) Students who scored low standardized tests.B) Black freshmen with high standardized test scores.C) Students who are accustomed to living in dorms.D) Black students from families with low incomes.28. A) They at the college dorms at the end of the semester.B) They were of the university’s housing policy.C) They generally spend more time together that white pairs.D) They broke up more often than same-race roommates.29. A) Their racial attitudes improved.B) Their test scores rose gradually.C) They grew bored of each other.D) They started doing similar activities.Passage TwoQuestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. A) It will become popular gradually.B) It will change the concept of food.C) It has attracted worldwide attention.D) It can help solve global flood crises.31. A) It has been increased over the years.B) It has been drastically cut by NASA.C) It is still far from being sufficient.D) It comes regularly from its donors.32. A) They are less healthy than we expected.B) They are not as expensive as believe.C) They are more nutritious and delicious.D) They are not as natural as we believed.Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you h33. A) He has better memories of childhood.B) He was accused of family violence.C) He is a habitual criminal.D) He was wrongly imprisoned.34. A) The jury’s prejudice against his race.B) The evidence found at the crime scene.C) The two victims’ identification.D) The testimony of his two friends.35. A) The US judicial system has much room for improvement.B) Frightened victims can rarely make correct identification.C) Eyewitnesses are often misled by the layer’s questions.D) Many factors influence the accuracy of witness testimony. Section BAbout 700,000 children in Mexico dropped out of school last year as recession-stricken families pushed kids to work, and a weak economic recovery will allow only a (36)_________improvement in the drop-out rate in 2010, a top education (37) _________said.Mexico’s economy suffered more than any other in Latin America last year, (38) _________an estimated 7 percent due to a (39) _________in U.S. demand for Mexican exports such as cars.The (40) _________led to a 4 percent increase in the number of kids who left (41) _________or middle school in 2009, said Juan de Dios Castro, who (42) _________the nation’s adult education program and keeps a close watch on drop-out rates.“(43) _________rose and that is a factor that makes our job more dif ficult.” Castro told Reuters in an interview earlier this month. (44)_____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________.As a result, drop-out rates will not improve much, Castro said. “There will be some imp rovement, but not significant,” Castro said.(45)_____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________. And children often sell candy and crafts in the streets or word in restaurants.(46)_____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________. Mexico’s politicians have resisted mending the country’s tax, energy and labor laws for decades, leaving its economy behind countries such as Brazil and Chile.。
2012年12月听力真题
2012年12月11. W:Have you finished that painting for the new student center?M: Just this morning, I’ve been working extra hours all week, you know the building opens tomorrow.Q: What does the man mean?12. M: Do you sell camping gear?W: Yes, we have tents, sleeping bags, just about everything you might need, including stoves.Q: What is the man probably going to do?13. M: Hi Jenny have you talked to Mr Wright about the new sports program?W: well, I contacted his office half an hour ago, and his secretary said he was out for lunch until 2:00.Q: What does the woman mean?14. M：Bill says he’s not working so hard on his biology project.W: But he spends a lot of time in the lab, doesn’t he?Q: What does the woman imply about Bill?15.M: I have to say i find the new smoking regulations too strict.W: Well, they are for everyone’s health. I have no complaints.Q: What are the speakers talking about?16.W: Jack asked me to drop off this report. He’s tight up in meetings all morning.M: I was hoping he brings it in himself, I need to talk with him about it.Q: Why can’t Jack come in person?17.M: Should we invite Mr.Smith to join us for dinner this weekend,he has just come back from England.W: You can have a try, but as far as i know,he seldom accepts invitations from his employeesQ: What can we infer about Mr.Smith?18.W: This place doesn’t look familiar at all, we must be lost.M：Yes，it seems so. Let’s pull in here, while i’m filling in the tank,you go ask the way and get me something to drink please.Q: What does the man going to do first?Long Conversation 1M: Well ,did you enjoy it?W: Yes, I enjoy it much more that I thought I would.M: Really?W: Yes, I don’t usually go to science fiction films.I don’t thin k they are much better than comics on film, if you know what I mean.M : Yes, sure.And a few years ago,they were certainly like that. But they’ve got a lot better now.W: Yes, and historical films, that’s what I really like. I never miss a good film se t in middle ages. Oh, and love stories, I never miss one on TV.M: Fondly enough, I don’t like those kinds of films at all. But to come back to this one, I personally didn’t think it was very good . It certainly wasn’t as good as other science fiction films I’ve ever seen.W: Wasn’t it?M: No, not at all. Oh, the effects were very good.W: Yes, I thought they were marvelous. Especially the battle in space, incredable.M: Yes, but I was going to say I thought the acting was terrible.W: Yes. I suppose Jason was too good to be true. And what was the name of the Baddy?M: Cargon?W: Yeah. Cargon was really evil, wasn’t he? But I suppose that’s what these films are all about—good triumphing over evil. And the characters have to be black and white.M: Well ,yes, but not always. Worth the well wasn’t like for example. Anyway, you enjoy the film. That’s the most important.W: Yes, I did. Thanks for taking me.Q:19. What does the man say about the science fiction films?20. What opinion did the speakers share about the film they just seen?21. What to be learned about Jason and Cargon?Long Conversation 2M: Can I ask you about your evening class? What class do you go to?W: Car maintance.M: What night of the week it on?W: Wednesday night.M: And how long does it last?M: Well, it supposed to start at 6, but that’s a bit of problem because people have difficulty getting through the traffic. So we start at 6: 30 and then it goes on until the 9 o’clock.M: And what was your reason for wanting to do the class?W: Well, I just bought my first car and I don’t know anything about cars. So I thought it was a good opportunity to learn. I guess most of the peole in the class are in the same situation.M: Um, and what do you actually do? Do you bring the car along to the class?W: Yes, we do. And in the first part of the lesson, the first half hour, the man who runs the class will go though some particular part of the car, and we’ll learn about it. And then we spend the rest of th e time, actually working on my own cars, the same problem.M: And how many people are there in the class?W: Mm, I think 16, but 3 quarters of them are women. It’s quite interesing because the man is obiously used to teaching man. And he always starts his sentence by saying, ” Wow, your chops were slow.” And then he stops and says “Oh, any woman, you ladies, but...ur..”M: Mm..sounds funny.Q:22. What does the woman say about her evening class?23. Why did the wman want to attend to the class?24.What do the people who attend the class do in the first part of the lesson?25. What do we learn about participants in the class?Section B PassagesPassage 1We don’t choose friends on the basis of how much money they have, of course, but lots of differences can be disturbing to both sides. Aaron, for example,was single, and earns a very good salary. Her friend, Pat, the divorced mother of three, is struggling to make ends meet. “We are both frequent theater-goers,” Aaron explains, “ and I’ll gl adly pay for two tickets, just to have pass company it plays in concerts , but she won’t go anywhere unless she can pay her own way. I hate to go alone, so we both stay home. It all seems so silly.” Pat sees the situation differently. After her unhappy mar rige to a man who was trying to control her without considering her wishes and feelings ,she says, “ it’s very important to me to carry my own weight. I’m not comfortable in any relationship where all I do is take. ”The difficult situation finally chang ed when Aaron moved recently. Pat’s children were with their father, so she took a picnik lunch to her friends new plays, then spend the day helping her unpack and get settled. “ I was so grateful, ” Aarons says, “ but I persuaded Pat to let me return the favour in my own way with season tickets to our little theater group. I think she’s beginning to recognize that she contributes as much to our friendship, but I do”26. What do we learn about Pat?27. What draws Aaron and Pat together?28. What does Aaron do to return Pat’s favor?29. What do we learn friendship from the passage?Passage 2Sun School in the town of Ashbert in England is a day school for children age 10 to 18.It is based on the value of social equality between students and stuff, and has few rules.Sun School believes that the healthy growth of the child is more important than academic success. It offers a variety of lessons and activities for students to choose from. In free time for children to follow their own interests.Classes are small,and based on the individual needs of each child. The timetable is fixed.But democratically decided and students are expected to attend.The weekly school meeting is at the center of the way sun school is orgnized.It mix all the decisions that affect theschool,including rules, the timetable and accepting or rejecting new students and teachers.Participating in thease meetings gives children an understand of democratic decision making and helps them develops their skills of argument and persuasion.The most import advantage of the school meeting is that it shows the children that the school is really their’s.They have the right to decide on changes. And the school’s su ccess or failure depends on their decisions and their behavior.Sun School employs no cooking or cleaning stuff,these jobs are done by students and teachers.Decorating and simple repairs are also done by students, it is believed that school truly belongs to who use it, they must take responsibility for its maintenance.30. what value is Sun School based on?31. what is characteristic of the school decision making processur program?32. why does sun school ask the students to do the maintainance?Passage 3Well, to continue, as i mentioned earlier, there is also research that demonstrates that individuals perform worse, not better on tasks when other people are there. R.W.Harburt did an interesting experiment. He had his sujects learn afinger maze. This is a game in which you indicate with your finger the way through a complex system of passages or paths.The subjects who had an audience did worse than the subjects who did alone.Now how can we explain these very different results? It seemed very confusing for a long time. Social psychologist, John Roberts, finally cleared up the confusion about why people sometimes perform better and sometimes worse in front of an audience. Roberts found that the presence of an audience facilitates what you already kn ow how to do. That is, if you know what you are doing, having an audience helps you do it better.But if you don’t already know how to do something, you will probably make some mistakes and you will make mistakes for a longer time if you have an audience. T hat’s exactly what happened to the subjects who were learning the finger maze.So, if you were doing well, having an audience increases the chances that you will continue to do well. If you were doing badly, having an audience increases the chances that you will continue to do badly. Roberts cleverly pointed out that when you are first learning something, you are better off working alone than practicing with other people.33. What did the speaker probably discuss before coming to this part of the talk?34. When does the presence of an audience facilitate your performance according to Roberts?35. What does Roberts think as a better way to learn new things?Section C Compound DictationAmericans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide selection of food available. They have a broader knowledge of nutrition, so they buy more fresh fruit and vegetables than ever before. At the same time, Americans purchase increasing quantities of sweets and sodas.Statistics show that the way people live determines the way they eat. American life-styles have changed. There are now growing numbers of people who live alone, single parents and children, and double-income families. These changing life styles are responsible for the incresing number of people who must rush meals or sometimes simply go without them. Many Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food. Partly as a consequence of this limited time, over half of all American homes now have microwave ovens. Moreover, Americans eat out nearly four times a week on average. It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that people consume. The United States Department of Agriculture and the food industry collect sales statistics and keep accurate records. This information not only tells us what people are eating but also tells us about the changes in attitudes and tastes. Red meat, which used to be the most popular choice for dinner, is no longer an American favorite. Instead, chicken, turkey, and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods have greatly increased in recent years.。
2012年12月英语四六级真题答案及详解（完整版）
2012年12月英语六级试题答案(完整版)Part ⅠWritingMy View on University RankingIn recent years, all kinds of University Ranking Lists can be found on some educational websites, or newspapers. The ranking standards also vary. These lists have great influence on students. They are even becoming the only scale to evaluate the colleges and universities.People hold different views toward this phenomenon. Some believe that these lists help the students a lot, especially for those who will choose their university. While some other protest vigorously. In their points, the list is really ridiculous and harmful. In my view, the university ranking may have its own reference values, but its disadvantages overweigh its values.For those university-students-to-be, they are supposed to choose the school according to his or her own situation, but not the so-called Ranking List. What’s more, how about the university students? How do they feel about themselves when they see the ranking? The list may become some intangible shackles for them if their own school ranks poorly.In a nutshell, there is no easy method to rank these universities, but the Ranking, only helps students ignore the essentials, namely, their ninety-nine percent perspiration.此次六级作文的自由度很大，看似给出了提纲，实际上具体的观点全靠个人发挥。
2012年12月英语六级真题(含答案)
2012年12月英语六级真题及答案详解Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay entitled Man and Computer by commenting on the saying, “The real danger is not th at the computer will begin to think like man, but that man will begin to think like the computer.” You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Man and ComputerPart II Reading Comprehension （Skimming and Scanning）（15 minutes）Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on A nswer Sheet 1. Forquestions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Thirst grows for living unpluggedMore people are taking breaks from the connected life amid the stillness and quiet of retreats like the Jesuit Center in Wernersville, Pennsylvania.About a year ago, I flew to Singapore to join the writer Malcolm Gladwell, the fashion designer Marc Ecko and the graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister in addressing a group of advertising people on “Marketing to the Child of Tomorrow.” Soon after I arrived, the chief executive of the agency that had invited us took me aside. What he was most interested in, he began, was stillness and quiet.A few months later, I read an interview with the well-known cutting-edge designer Philippe Starck.1What allowed him to remain so consistently ahead of the curve? “I never read any magazines or watch TV,” he said, perhaps with a little exaggeration. “Nor do I go to cocktail parties, dinners or anything like that.” He lived outside conventional ideas, he implied, because “I live alone mostly, in the middle of nowhere.”Around the same time, I noticed that those who part with $2,285 a night to stay in a cliff-top room at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, pay partly for the privilege of not having a TV in their rooms; the future of travel, I’m reliably told, lies in “black-hole resorts,” which charge high prices precisely because you can’t get online in their rooms.Has it really come to this?The more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug. Internet rescue camps in South Korea and China try to save kids addicted to the screen.Writer friends of mine pay good money to get the Freedom software that enables them to disable the very Internet connections that seemed so emancipating not long ago. Even Intel experimented in 2007 with conferring four uninterrupted hours of quiet time (no phone or e-mail) every Tuesday morning on 300 engineers and managers. Workers were not allowed to use the phone or send e-mail, but simply had the chance to clear their heads and to hear themselves think.The average American spends at least eight and a half hours a day in front of a screen, Nicholas Carr notes in his book The Shallows. The average American teenager sends or receives 75 text messages a day, though one girl managed to handle an average of 10,000 every 24 hours for a month.Since luxury is a function of scarcity, the children of tomorrow will long for nothing more than intervals of freedom from all the blinking machines, streaming videos and scrolling headlines that leave them feeling empty and too full all at once.2The urgency of slowing down—to find the time and space to think—is nothing new, of course, and wiser souls have always reminded us that the more attention we pay to the moment, the less time and energy we have to place it in some larger context. “Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries,” the French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in the 17th century, “and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries.” He also famously remarked that all of man’s problems come from his inability to sit quietly in a room alone.When telegraphs and trains brought in the idea that convenience was more important than content, Henry David Thoreau reminded us that “the man whose horse trots (奔跑), a mile in a minute does not carry the most important messages.”Marshall McLuhan, who came closer than most to seeing what was coming, warned, “When things come at you very fast, naturally you lose touch with yourself.”We have more and more ways to communicate, but less and less to say. Partly because we are so busy communicating. And we are rushing to meet so many deadlines that we hardly register that what we need most are lifelines.So what to do? More and more people I know seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation (沉思), or tai chi (太极)；these aren’t New Age fads (时尚的事物) so much as ways to connect with what could be called the wisdom of old age. Two friends of mine observe an “Internet sabbath (安息日)” every week, turning off their online connections from Friday night to Monday morning. Other friends take walks and “forget” their cellphones at home.A series of tests in recent years has shown, Mr. Carr points out, that after spending time in quiet rural settings, subjects “exhibit greater attentiveness, stronger memory and generally improved cognition. Their brains become both calmer and sharper.” More than that, empathy (同感，共鸣)，as well as deep thought, depends (as3neuroscientists like Antonio Damasio have found) on neural processes that are “inherently slow.”I turn to eccentric measures to try to keep my mind sober and ensure that I have time to do nothing at all (which is the only time when I can see what I should be doing the rest of the time). I have yet to use a cellphone and I have never Tweeted or entered Facebook.I try not to go online till my day’s writing is finished, and I moved from Manhattan to rural Japan in part so I could more easily survive for long stretches entirely on foot.None of this is a matter of asceticism (苦行主义)；it is just pure selfishness. Nothing makes me feel better than being in one place, absorbed in a book, a conversation, or music. It is actually something deeper than mere happiness: it is joy, which the monk (僧侣) David Steindl-Rast describes as “that kind of happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens.”It is vital, of course, to stay in touch with the world. But it is only by having some distance from the world that you can see it whole, and understand what you should be doing with it.For more than 20 years, therefore, I have been going several times a year—often for no longer than three days—to a Benedictine hermitage (修道院)，40 minutes down the road, as it happens, from the Post Ranch Inn. I don’t attend services when I am there, and I have never meditated, there or anywhere; I just take walks and read and lose myself in the stillness, recalling that it is only by stepping briefly away from my wife and bosses and friends that I will have anything useful to bring to them. The last time I was in the hermitage, three months ago, I happened to meet with ayoungish-looking man with a 3-year-old boy around his shoulders.“You’re Pico, aren’t you?” the man said, and introduced himself as Larry; we had met, I gathered, 19 years before, when he had been living in the hermitage as an assistant to one of the monks.“What are you doing now?” I asked.4We smiled. No words were necessary.“I try to bring my kids here as often as I can,” he went on. The child of tomorrow, I realized, may actually be ahead of us, in terms of sensing not what is new, but what is essential.1. What is special about the Post Ranch Inn?A) Its rooms are well furnished but dimly lit.B) It makes guests feel like falling into a black hole.C) There is no access to television in its rooms.D) It provides all the luxuries its guests can think of.2. What does the author say the children of tomorrow will need most?A) Convenience and comfort in everyday life.B) Time away from all electronic gadgets.C) More activities to fill in their leisure time.D) Greater chances for individual development.3. What does the French philosopher Blaise Pascal say about distraction?A) It leads us to lots of mistakes.B) It renders us unable to concentrate.C) It helps release our excess energy.D) It is our greatest misery in life.4. According to Marshall McLuhan, what will happen if things come at us very fast?A) We will not know what to do with our own lives.B) We will be busy receiving and sending messages.C) We will find it difficult to meet our deadlines.D) We will not notice what is going on around us.5. What does the author say about yoga, meditation and tai chi?5A) They help people understand ancient wisdom.B) They contribute to physical and mental health.C) They are ways to communicate with nature.D) They keep people from various distractions.6. What is neuroscientist Antonio Damasio’s finding?A) Quiet rural settings contribute a lot to long life.B) One’s brain becomes sharp when it is activated.C) Eccentric measures are needed to keep one’s mind sober.D) When people think deeply, their neural processes are slow.7. The author moved from Manhattan to rural Japan partly because he could _______.A) stay away from the noise of the big city.B) live without modern transportation.C) enjoy the beautiful view of the countryside.D) practice asceticism in a local hermitage8. In order to see the world whole, the author thinks it necessary to __________.9. The author takes walks and reads and loses himself in the stillness of the hermitage so that he can bring his wife and bosses and friends ___________.10. The youngish-looking man takes his little boy to the hermitage frequently so that when he grows up he will know __________.Part III Listening Comprehension （35 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices6marked A）, B）, C） and D）, and decide which is the best answer.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.11. A) Ask his boss for a lighter schedule.B) Trade places with someone else.C) Accept the extra work willingly.D) Look for a more suitable job.12. A) It is unusual for his wife to be at home now.B) He is uncertain where his wife is at the moment.C) It is strange for his wife to call him at work.D) He does not believe what the woman has told him.13. A) The man is going to send out the memo tomorrow.B) The man will drive the woman to the station.C) The speakers are traveling by train tomorrow morning.D) The woman is concerned with the man’s health.14. A) The suite booked was for a different date.B) The room booked was on a different floor.C) The room booked was not spacious enough.D) A suite was booked instead of a double room.15. A) The reason for low profits.B) The company’s sales policy.C) The fierce competition they face.7D) The lack of effective promotion.16. A) Go and get the groceries at once.B) Manage with what they have.C) Do some shopping on their way home.D) Have the groceries delivered to them.17. A) The hot weather in summer.B) The problem with the air conditioner.C) The ridiculous rules of the office.D) The atmosphere in the office.18. A) Set a new stone in her ring.B) Find the priceless jewel she lost.C) Buy a ring with precious diamond.D) Shop on Oxford Street for a decent gift.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) Damaging public facilities.B) Destroying urban wildlife.C) Organising rallies in the park.D) Hurting baby animals in the zoo.20. A) He had bribed the park keepers to keep quiet.B) People had differing opinions about his behaviour.C) The serious consequences of his doings were not fully realised.8D) His behaviour was thought to have resulted from mental illness.21. A) Brutal.B) Justifiable.C) Too harsh.D) Well-deserved.22. A) Encouraging others to follow his wrong-doing.B) Stealing endangered animals from the zoo.C) Organising people against the authorities.D) Attacking the park keepers in broad daylight.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) She has already left school.B) She works for the handicapped.C) She is fond of practical courses.D) She is good at foreign languages.24. A) He is interested in science courses.B) He attends a boarding school.C) He speaks French and German.D) He is the brightest of her three kids.25. A) Comprehensive schools do not offer quality education.B) Parents decide what schools their children are to attend.C) Public schools are usually bigger in size than private schools.9D) Children from low income families can’t really choose schools.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some 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 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) Encourage the students to do creative thinking.B) Help the students to develop communication skills.C) Cultivate the students’ ability to inspire employees.D) Focus on teaching the various functions of business.27. A) His teaching career at the Harvard Business School.B) His personal involvement in business management.C) His presidency at college and experience overseas.D) His education and professorship at Babson College.28. A) Development of their raw brain power.B) Exposure to the liberal arts and humanities.C) Improvement of their ability in capital management.D) Knowledge of up-to-date information technology.1029. A) Reports on business and government corruption.B) His contact with government and business circles.C) Discoveries of cheating among MBA students.D) The increasing influence of the mass media.Passage TwoQuestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. A) They have better options for their kids than colleges.B) The unreasonably high tuition is beyond their means.C) The quality of higher education may not be worth the tuition.D) They think that their kids should pay for their own education.31. A) They do too many extracurricular activities.B) They tend to select less demanding courses.C) They take part-time jobs to support themselves.D) They think few of the courses worth studying.32. A) Its samples are not representative enough.B) Its significance should not be underestimated.C) Its findings come as a surprise to many parents.D) Its criteria for academic progress are questionable.Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. A) A newly married couple.B) A business acquaintance.11C) Someone good at cooking.D) Someone you barely know.34. A) Obtain necessary information about your guests.B) Collect a couple of unusual or exotic recipes.C) Buy the best meat and the freshest fruit.D) Try to improve your cooking skills.35. A) Losing weight.B) Entertaining guests.C) Making friends.D) Cooking meals.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.People with disabilities comprise a large but diverse segment of the population. It is (36) ______ that over 35 million Americans have physical, mental, or other disabilities. (37) ______ half of thesedisabilities are “developmental,” i.e., they occur prior to theindividual’s twenty-second birthday, often from (38) ______conditions, and are severe enough to affect three or more areas ofdevelopment, such as (39) ______, communication and employment.12Most other disabilities are considered (40) ______, i.e., caused by outside forces.Before the 20th century, only a small (41) ______ of people with disabilities survived for long. Medical treatment for such conditions as stroke or spinal cord (42) ______ was unavailable. People whose disabilities should not have inherently affected their life span were often so mistreated that they (43) ______. Advancements in medicine and social services have created a climate in which(44) . Unfortunately, these basics are often all that is available. Civil liberties such as the right to vote, marry, get an education, and gain employment have historically been denied on the basis of disability.(45)________________________________________________________ _______________. Disabled people formed grassroots coalitions to advocate their rights to integration and meaningful equality of opportunity. (46) . In the mid-1970s,critical legislation mandated（规定）access to education, publictransportation, and public facilities, and prohibited employmentdiscrimination by federal agencies or employers receiving federalfunds.Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension （Reading in Depth）（25 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2.Questions 47 to 54 are based on the following passage.13A key process in interpersonal interaction is that of social comparison, in that we evaluate ourselves in terms of how we compare to others. In particular, we engage in two types of comparison. First, we decide whether we are superior or inferior to others on certain dimensions, such as attractiveness, intelligence, popularity, etc. Here, the important aspect is to compare with an appropriate reference group. For example, modest joggers should not compare their performance with Olympic standard marathon (马拉松) runners. Second, we judge the extent to which we are the same as or different from others. At certain stages of life, especially adolescence, the pressure to be seen as similar to peers is immense. Thus, wearing the right brand of clothes or shoes may be of the utmost importance. We also need to know whether our thoughts, beliefs and ideas are in line with those of other people. This is part of the process of self-validation whereby we employ self-disclosures to seek support for our self-concept.People who do not have access to a good listener may not only be denied the opportunity to heighten their self-awareness, but they arealso denied valuable feedback as to the validity and acceptability of their inner thoughts and feelings. By discussing these with others, we receive feedback as to whether these are experiences which others have as well, or whether they are less common. Furthermore, bygauging the reactions to our self-disclosures we learn what types are acceptable or unacceptable with particular people and in specificsituations. On occasions it is the fear that certain disclosures may be unacceptable to family or friends that motivates an individual to seek professional help. Counsellors will be familiar with client statements such as: “I just couldn’t talk about this to my husband.”, “I reallycan’t let my mother know my true feelings.” Another aspect of social comparison in the counselling context relates to a technique known as normalising. This is the process whereby helpers provide reassurance to clients that what they are experiencing is not abnormalor atypical (非典型的), but is a normal reaction shared by otherswhen facing such circumstances. Patient disclosure, facilitated by the therapist, seems also to facilitate the process of normalising.1447. To evaluate ourselves, the author thinks it important for us to compare ourselves with _______.48. During adolescence, people generally feel an immense pressure to appear _______.49. It is often difficult for people to heighten their self-awareness without _______.50. What can people do if they find what they think or say unacceptable to family or friends?51. Counsellors often assure their clients that what they experience themselves is only _______.Section BDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. Foreach of them there are four choices marked A）, B）,C） and D）. You should decide on the best choice and markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a singleline through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.Amid all the job losses, there’s one category of worker that the economic disruption has been good for: nonhumans.From self-service checkout lines at the supermarket to industrial robots armed with saws and taught to carve up animal bodies inslaughter-houses, these ever-more-intelligent machines are now not just assisting workers but actually kicking them out of their jobs.Automation isn’t just affecting factory workers, either. Some law firms now use artificial intelligence software to scan and read15mountains of legal documents, work that previously was performed by highly-paid human lawyers.“Robots continue to have an impact on blue-collar jobs, and white-collar jobs are under attack by microprocessors,” says economics professor Edward Leamer. The recession permanently wiped out 2.5 million jobs. U.S. gross domestic product has climbed back to pre-recession levels, meaning we’re producing as much as before, only with 6% fewer workers. To be sure, robotics are not the only job killers out there, with outsourcing (外包) stealing far more jobs than automation.Jeff Burnstein, president of the Robotics Industry Association, argues that robots actually save U.S. jobs. His logic: companies that embrace automation mig ht use fewer workers, but that’s still better than firing everyone and moving the work overseas.It’s not that robots are cheaper than humans, though often they are. It’s that they’re better. “In some cases the quality requirementsare so exacting that even if you wanted to have a human do the job, you couldn’t,” Burnstein says.Same goes for surgeons, who’re using robotic systems to perform an ever-growing list of operations—not because the machines save money but because, thanks to the greater precision of robots, thepatients recover in less time and have fewer complications, says Dr.Myriam Curet.Surgeons may survive the robot invasion, but others at the hospital might not be so lucky, as iRobot, maker of the Roomba, a robotvacuum cleaner, has been showing off Ava, which could be used as a messenger in a hospital. And once you’re home, recovering, Avacould let you talk to your doctor, so there’s no need to send someone to your house. That “mobile telepresence” could be useful at theoffice. If you’re away on a trip, you can still attend a meeting. Just connect via videoconferencing software, so your face appears onAva’s screen.16Is any job safe? I was hoping to say “journalist,” but researchers are already developing software that can gather facts and write a news story. Which means that a few years from now, a robot could be writing this column. And who will read it? Well, there might be a lot of us hanging around with lots of free time on our hands.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
2012年12月大学英语六级第二套真题听力原文
Section A11. M: This is the second time this week my boss asked me to work extra hours. I’m glad to get abigger paycheck, but I don’t want such a heavy schedule.W: Better watch your step. A lot of people would like to trade places with you.Q: What does the woman imply the man should do?12. W: Oh, there you are. Your wife just called. I told her you were around somewhere, but Icouldn’t find you. She’s like you to call her at home.M: At home? She should be at work. I hope nothing is wrong.Q: What does the man imply?13. M: We have to get up early tomorrow if we want to be at the railway station by 8:00. Perhapswe should go to bed now.W: I suppose so, but I have to finish this memo and put it in the mail.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?14. W: Let me check, sir. A suite on the third floor was reserved by a Mr. Colmar form July 10th to16th.M: I’m afraid there’s a mistake, madam. I told my secretary to book a specious double room rather than a luxurious suite.Q: What is the wrong of the reservation?15. W: Profits are down considerably this quarter. Do you have any idea what might be theproblem?M: I guess it’s just that this is a slack time of the year. I hear other companies are having the same problem.Q: What are the speakers talking about?16. M: I forgot to pick up the groceries on the way home. I’ll just rest a minute and then go and getthem.W: No problem. We can make do with what’s left here, and get them tomorrow.Q: What does the woman suggest they man do?17. W: Somebody should do something about the air-conditioning. It’s ridiculous. I have to wear asweater to work in the middle of summer.M: I agree. It’s been like this for weeks.Q: What are the speakers talking about?18. W: I lost the diamond out of my ring. Do you know where I could have it replaced?M: I’ve never had a stone put in anything, but I know that the jewelry shop on Oxford Street has a good reputation.Q: What does the woman intend to do?Now you’ll hear two long conversionsConversation OneW: Mr. Stern, may I ask you? Do you think it was necessary and fair to arrest Steve Bril?M: I don’t know whether you realise that this man has been eating a part of park for five years. And he is encouraging other people to do the same thing every single day. He has been organizing groups to destroy our urban wildlife.W: But Mr. Stern, this situation has been going on happily for five years. Why do you suddenly decide to do something about it?M: Well, at first, we just thought he was eccentric person, a bit odd, you know. But over the years we came to realise that he is a dangerous guy. He has been ruining our city environment. Parks are to look at, not to eat. It’s just as if you’re going to allow people walk through a zoo, and eat the baby bears.W: But surely you or your park keepers, Mr. Stern, could have discouraged Mr. Bril from his activity without going such drastic measures, without arresting him.M: Steve is a nice fellow, but what he is doing is illegal. He knows an awful lot about wild weeds.We’ll be very happy to let him organize tours if he just wouldn’t eat the plants and wouldn’t encourage other people to do so, too. You never know what this could lead to, all sorts of people ruining our park in all sorts of ways. This kind of thing is very definitely criminal behavior and must be stopped.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard19. What does the man say Steve Bril has been doing?20. Why was Steve Bril not arrested years ago?21. What does the woman think of the action taken against Steve Bril?22. What finally net to Steve Bril’s arrest?Conversation TwoM: Mary, are your children still at school?W: Yes, my eldest boy, Martin, left school last year. He works at a day center nearby for physically handicapped adults. My daughter Liz is in the fourth year at a comprehensive school.M: How is her foreign language?W: Very good. She likes French and German. She is not very scientific. Christopher, my youngest child, is in the last year of junior school. He is much more practically oriented, strong in math and science.M: He will be going to a comprehensive school, I suppose.W: We have the choice of three comprehensive schools.M: Really? It’s unusual to have so many to choose from.W: Well, yes. Parter school seems to have done all right. We’re err…um.... There’re certain criticisms about it, but on the whole, we are not too dissatisfied.M: Well, generally speaking, what do you think one considers when one is trying to choose? Well, I don’t know if one can really choose one school actually you tend to. Children go where they’re sent.W: You can’t err…um…very easily unless you are very rich and can afford to choose a private school. And since we’re not very rich, we’ve got all three children to consider. We can’t do that.So they go to the local comprehensive school. What really matters is, you know, the quality of the staff, the size of the school. I think the size of the school has a lot of to do with it.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. What do we learn about the woman’s daughter Liz?24. What does the woman say about her youngest child, Christopher?25. What can we conclude from the conversation?Section BPassage OneYears ago, when I was a young assistant professor at the Harvard Business School, I thought that the key to developing managerial leadership lay in raw brain power. I thought the role of business schools was to develop future managers who knew all about the various functions of business. My thinking gradually became tempered by living and working outside the United States and by serving seven years as a college president. During my presidency of Babson College, I added several traits or skills that I felt a good manager must possess. The first is the ability to express oneself in a clear, articulate fashion. Good oral and written communication skills are absolutely essential if one is to be an effective manager. Second, one must possess the required set of qualities called leadership skills. To be a good leader, one must understand and be sensitive to people and be able to inspire them toward the achievement of common goals. Next, I concluded that effective managers must be broad human beings who not only understand the world of business but also have a sense of the cultural, social,political, historical, and the international aspects of life and society. This suggests that exposure to the liberal arts and humanities should be part of every manager’s education. Finally, as I pondered the business and government-related scandals that have occupied the front pages of newspapers, it became clear that a good manager in today’s world must have courage and a strong sense of integrity. He must know where to draw the line between right and wrong.Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. What did the speaker use to think business schools should do to produce managers?27. What might have changed the speaker’s view of point?28. What does the speaker stress as part of manager’s education?29. What convinced the speaker that managers need a sense of integrity?Passage TwoWith top colleges charging as much as $50,000 per year, the idea that students may spend their first two years learning next-to-nothing is enough to make parents pause. How can you make that investment worthwhile? And does going to college really make you smarter? It depends on what you study and whether you study enough. A discussion at The New York Times this week tackled the issue, with several academics weighing in on whether college is worthwhile, and whether schools are dumbing down their curricula to appeal to more people. In their new book Academically Adrift, sociologists Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa found that 32 percent of the students they followed did not take “any courses with more than 40 pages of reading per week” in a typical semester, and half of the students didn’t take “any courses in which they had to write more than 20 pages for the class”. Using these criteria, they determined that 45 percent of college students make little academic progress during the first two years of a four-year degree. Their research raises a few red flags. On the one hand, is it any surprise that a public school system forced to “teach to the test” produces large numbers of students who are unwilling to think analytically, learn on their own, or write a research paper? On the other, does the number of pages read plus the number of pages written equals an accurate assessment of academic progress? A literature or history major, for instance, would have far more reading to do than a math major, but the math workload isn’t lighter lifting just because it involves reading fewer pages per week.Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. Why do parents hesitate to pay for their kids’ college education according to the speaker?31. What does the survey by the 2 sociologists show about the students?32. What does the speaker imply about the research by the 2 sociologists?Passage ThreeEntertaining a close circle of friends isn’t usually difficult. You all know each other so there’s no problem about conversation. And even if the food is a bit sketchy, no one really minds because they’ve come to see you, not a free meal. Well, most of them anyway. It’s the guests you don’t know very well who present unexpectable traps. Therefore, in such categories, as the new husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend of an intimate friend, the business acquaintances who may be useful to your career, worst of all, the totally unpredictable friend of a friend, my advice in such cases is if you’re an indifferent cook, don’t do any cooking. It’s far better to stick to coffee and drinks, with a few expensive biscuits on the side. You can always plead that your flat is so small for more than 2 to eat comfortably, that you get home too late to prepare a decent meal, that your oven is on the blink. Any reasonable excuses will do, even it’s not believed. If you fancy yourself as a cook, and are anxious to make a good impression, do your homework first. Nothing is more discouraging than to spend hours preparing a delicious meat dish followed by, say, fresh strawberries, only to discover that your first-time guest is a strict vegetarian or is on a slimming diet. This may result in the rest of you tucking into a vast meal while your guest toys suspiciously with a few sides of tomato. “No, thank you, I won’t have any creamed carrots out for my waist line.”Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. What kind of guest is most likely to give you a hard time according to the speaker?34. What should you do before preparing a meal for your guests?35. What is the speaker mainly talking about?Section CPeople with disabilities comprise a large but diverse segment of the population. It is estimatedthat over 35 million Americans have physical, mental, or other disabilities. Approximately, half of these disabilities are “developmental,” i.e., they occur prior to the individual’s twenty-second birthday, often from genetic conditions, and are severe enough to affect three or more areas of development, such as mobility, communication and employment. Most other disabilities are considered accidental, i.e., caused by outside forces.Before the 20th century, only a small percentage of people with disabilities survived for long. Medical treatment for such conditions as stroke or spinal cord injury was unavailable. People whose disabilities should not have inherently affected their life span were often so mistreated that they perished. Advancements in medicine and social services have created a climate in which people with disabilities can expect to have such basic needs as food, shelter and medical treatment met. Unfortunately, these basics are often all that is available. Civil liberties, such as the right to vote, marry, get an education, and gain an employment have historically been denied on the basis of disability.In recent decades, the disability rights movement has been organized to combat these violations of civil rights. Disabled people formed grassroots coalitions to advocate their rights to integration and meaningful equality of opportunity. Congress responded by passing major legislation, recognizing people with disabilities as a protected class. In the mid-1970s, critical legislation mandated access to education, public transportation, and public facilities, and prohibited employment discrimination by federal agencies or employers receiving federal funds.。
2012年12月六级听力真题
大学英语六级考试听力真题2012年12月11. A) She can count on the man for help.B) She can lend the man a sleeping bag.C) she has other plans for this weekend.D) she has got camping gear for rent.12. A) the man should keep his words.B) Karen can take her to the airport.C) Karen always support her at work.D) she regrets asking the man for help.13. A) his trip to Hawaii has used o al his money.B) he usually checks his brakes before a trip.C) his trip to Hawaii was not enjoyable.D) he can’t afford to go traveling yet.14. A) there was nothing left except some pie.B) the woman is going to prepare the dinner.C) The woman has to find something else to eat.D) Julie has been invited for dinner.15. A) send Professor Smith a letter.B) apply to three graduate schools.C) present a new letter of reference.D) submit no more than three letters.16. A) he is a professional gardener in town.B) he declines to join the gardening club.C) he prefers to keep his gardening skills to himself.D) he wishes to receive formal training in gardening.17. A) many people do not appreciate modern art.B) the recent sculpture exhibit was not well organized.C) modern art cannot express people’s true feelings.D) sculpture is not a typical form of modern art.18. A) Bob cannot count on her vote.B) she will vote for another candidate.C) Bob does not have much chance to win.D) She knows the right person for the position.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) poor management of the hospital.B) the outdated medical testing procedures.C) decisions made by the head technician.D) the health hazard at her work place.20. A) cut down her workload.B) repair the X-ray equipment.C) transfer her to another department.D) allow her to go on leave for two months.21. A) they are virtually impossible to enforceB) neither is applicable to the woman’s case.C) their requirements may be difficult to meet.D) both of them have been subject to criticism22. A) Organize a mass strike.B) try to help her get it back.C) compensate for her loss.D) find her a better paying job..Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) in the preparatory phase.B) in the concluding partC) in stating your terms.D) in giving concessions.24. A) He uses lots of gestures to help make his points clear.B) He presents his arguments in a straightforward way.C) he responds readily to the other party’s proposal.D) He behaves in a way contrary to his real intention.25. A) both can succeed depending on the specific situation.B) the honest type is more effective than the actor type.C) both may fail when confronting experienced rivals.D) the actor works better in the negotiations.Passage one26.A) the weight of the boxes moving across the stage.B) the number of times of repeating the process.C) the size of the objects shown.D) the shape of the cubes used.27. A) girls seem to start reasoning earlier than boys.B) girls tend to get excited more easily than boys.C) boys enjoying playing with cubes more than girlsD) boys pay more attention to moving objects than girls.28. A) it is a breakthrough in the study of the nerve system.B) its findings are quite contrary to previous research.C) its result helps understand babies’ language ability.D) it may stimulate scientists to make further studies.29. A) they talk at an earlier age.B) their bones mature earlierC) they are better able to adapt to the surroundings.D) the two sides of their brain develop simultaneously.Passage two30. A) the city’s general budget for the coming year.B) the blueprint for the development of the city.C) the controversy over the new office regulations.D) the new security plan for the municipal building.31. A) whether the security checks were really necessary.B) whether the security checks would crate long queues at peak hours.C) how to cope with the huge crowds of visitors to the municipal building.D) how to train the newly recruited security guards.32. A) confrontational.B) straightforward.C) ridiculous.D) irrelevant.Passage three33. A) he consider himself a blessed man.B) he works hard to support his five kids.C) he used to work as a miner in Nevada.D) he once taught at a local high school.34. A) to be nearer to Zac’s school.B) to cut their living expenses.C) to look after her grandchildren.D) to help with the household chores.35. A) skeptical.B) realistic.C) indifferent.D) optimistic.Section CMountain climbing is becoming a popular sport, but it is also a (36)dangerous one. People can fall. They may also become ill. One of the most common dangers to climbers is altitude sickness, which can affect even very(37)climbers.Altitude sickness usually begins when a climber goes above 8,000 to 9,000 feet. The higher one climbs, the less oxygen there is in the air. When people don’t get enough oxygen, they often begin to (38) for air. They may also feel (39)and light-headed. Besides these symptoms of altitude sickness, others such as headache and(40) may also occur. At heights of over 18,000 feet, people may be climbing in a (41) daze (恍惚). Their state of mind can have(42)effect on their judgment.A few (43) can help most climbers avoid altitude sickness. The first is not to go too high, too fast. If you climb to 10,000 feet, stay at that height for a day or two.(44) . Or if you do climb higher sooner, come back down to a lower height when you sleep. Also, drink plenty of liquids and avoid tobacco and alcohol. (45). You breathe less when you sleep, so you get less oxygen.The most important warning is this: if you have severe symptoms, then don’t go away, go down. (46) .。
2012年12月大学英语六级(CET-6)真题试卷(一)
2012年12月大学英语六级(CET-6)真题试卷Part I Writing(30 minutes)Direction: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay entitled Man and Computer by commenting on the saying, “The real danger is not that the computer will begin to think like man, but that man will begin to think like the computer.” You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Man and ComputerPart II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)(15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Thirst grows for living unpluggedMore people are taking breaks from the connected life amid the stillness and quiet of retreats like the Jesuit Center in Wernersville, Pennsylvania.About a year ago, I flew to Singapore to join the writer Malcolm Gladwell, the fashion designer Marc Ecko and the graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister in addressing a group of advertising people on “Marketing to the Child of Tomorrow.” Soon after I arrived, the chief executive of the agency that had invited us took me aside. What he was most interested in, he began, was stillness and quiet.A few months later, I read an interview with the well-known cutting-edge designer Philippe Starck.What allowed him to remain so consistently ahead of the curve? “I never read any magazines or watch TV,” he said, perhaps with a little exaggeration. “Nor do I go to cocktail parties, dinners or anything like that.” He lived outside conventional ideas, he implied, because “I live alone mostly, in the middle of nowhere.”Around the same time, I noticed that those who part with $2,285 a night to stay in a cliff-top room at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, pay partly for the privilege of not having a TV in their rooms; the future of travel, I’m reliably told, lies in “black-hole resorts,” which charge high prices precisely because you can’t get online in their rooms.Has it really come to this?The more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug. Internet rescue camps in South Korea and Chinatry to save kids addicted to the screen.Writer friends of mine pay good money to get the Freedom software that enables them to disable the very Internet connections that seemed so emancipating not long ago. Even Intel experimented in 2007 with conferring four uninterrupted hours of quiet time (no phone or e-mail) every Tuesday morning on 300 engineers and managers. Workers were not allowed to use the phone or send e-mail, but simply had the chance to clear their heads and to hear themselves think.The average American spends at least eight and a half hours a day in front of a screen, Nicholas Carr notes in his book The Shallows. The average American teenager sends or receives 75 text messages a day, though one girl managed to handle an average of 10,000 every 24 hours for a month.Since luxury is a function of scarcity, the children of tomorrow will long for nothing more than intervals of freedom from all the blinking machines, streaming videos and scrolling headlines that leave them feeling empty and too full all at once.The urgency of slowing down—to find the time and space to think —is nothing new, of course, and wiser souls have always reminded us that the more attention we pay to the moment, the less time and energy we have to place it in some larger context. “Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries,” the Frenchphilosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in the 17th century, “and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries.” He also famously remarked that all of man’s problems come from his inability to sit quietly in a room alone.When telegraphs and trains brought in the idea that convenience was more important than content, Henry David Thoreau reminded us that “the man whose horse trots (奔跑), a mile in a minute does not carry the most important messages.”Marshall McLuhan, who came closer than most to seeing what was coming, warned, “When things come at you very fast, naturally you lose touch with yourself.”We have more and more ways to communicate, but less and less to say. Partly because we are so busy communicating. And we are rushing to meet so many deadlines that we hardly register that what we need most are lifelines.So what to do? More and more people I know seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation (沉思), or tai chi (太极)；these aren’t New Age fads (时尚的事物) so much as ways to connect with what could be called the wisdom of old age. Two friends of mine observe an “Internet sabbath (安息日)” every week, turning off their online connections from Friday night to Monday morning. Other friends take walks and “forget” their cellphones at home.A series of tests in recent years has shown, Mr. Carr points out, that after spending time in quiet rural settings, subjects “exhibit greater attentiveness, stronger memory and generally improved cognition. Their brains become both calmer and sharper.”More than that, empathy (同感，共鸣)，as well as deep thought, depends (as neuroscientists like Antonio Damasio have found) on neural processes that are “inherently slow.”I turn to eccentric measures to try to keep my mind sober and ensure that I have time to do nothing at all (which is the only time when I can see what I should be doing the rest of the time).I have yet to use a cellphone and I have never Tweeted or entered Facebook. I try not to go online till my day’s writing is finished, and I moved from Manhattan to rural Japan in part so I could more easily survive for long stretches entirely on foot.None of this is a matter of asceticism (苦行主义)；it is just pure selfishness. Nothing makes me feel better than being in one place, absorbed in a book, a conversation, or music. It is actually something deeper than mere happiness: it is joy, which the monk (僧侣) David Steindl-Rast describes as “that kind of happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens.”It is vital, of course, to stay in touch with the world. But it is only by having some distance from the world that you can seeit whole, and understand what you should be doing with it.For more than 20 years, therefore, I have been going several times a year—often for no longer than three days—to a Benedictine hermitage (修道院)，40 minutes down the road, as it happens, from the Post Ranch Inn. I don’t attend services when I am there, and I have never meditated, there or anywhere; I just take walks and read and lose myself in the stillness, recalling that it is only by stepping briefly away from my wife and bosses and friends that I will have anything useful to bring to them. The last timeI was in the hermitage, three months ago, I happened to meet witha youngish-looking man with a 3-year-old boy around his shoulders.“You’re Pico, aren’t you?” the man said, and introduced himself as Larry; we had met, I gathered, 19 years before, when he had been living in the hermitage as an assistant to one of the monks.“What are you doing now?” I asked.We smiled. No words were necessary.“I try to bring my kids here as often as I can,” he went on. The child of tomorrow, I realized, may actually be ahead of us, in terms of sensing not what is new, but what is essential.1. What is special about the Post Ranch Inn?A) Its rooms are well furnished but dimly lit.B) It makes guests feel like falling into a black hole.C) There is no access to television in its rooms.D) It provides all the luxuries its guests can think of.2. What does the author say the children of tomorrow will need most?A) Convenience and comfort in everyday life.B) Time away from all electronic gadgets.C) More activities to fill in their leisure time.D) Greater chances for individual development.3. What does the French philosopher Blaise Pascal say about distraction?A) It leads us to lots of mistakes.B) It renders us unable to concentrate.C) It helps release our excess energy.D) It is our greatest misery in life.4. According to Marshall McLuhan, what will happen if things come at us very fast?A) We will not know what to do with our own lives.B) We will be busy receiving and sending messages.C) We will find it difficult to meet our deadlines.D) We will not notice what is going on around us.5. What does the author say about yoga, meditation and tai chi?A) They help people understand ancient wisdom.B) They contribute to physical and mental health.C) They are ways to communicate with nature.D) They keep people from various distractions.6. What is neuroscientist Antonio Damasio’s finding?A) Quiet rural settings contribute a lot to long life.B) One’s brain becomes sharp when it is activated.C) Eccentric measures are needed to keep one’s mind sober.D) When people think deeply, their neural processes are slow.7. The author moved from Manhattan to rural Japan partly because he could _______.A) stay away from the noise of the big city.B) live without modern transportation.C) enjoy the beautiful view of the countryside.D) practice asceticism in a local hermitage8. In order to see the world whole, the author thinks it necessary to __________.9. The author takes walks and reads and loses himself in the stillness of the hermitage so that he can bring his wife and bosses and friends ___________.10. The youngish-looking man takes his little boy to the hermitage frequently so that when he grows up he will know __________.Part III Listening Comprehension （35 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.11. A) She can count on the man for help. C) She can lend the man a sleeping bag.B) She has other plans for this weekend. D) She has got camping gear for rent.12. A) The man should keep his words. C) Karen always supports her at work.B) She regrets asking the man for help. D) Karen can take her to the airport13. A) He can't afford to go traveling yet. C) He usually checkshis brakes before a tripB) His trip to Hawaii was not enjoyable. D) His trip to Hawaii has used up all his money.14. A) There was nothing left except some pie. C) The woman is going to prepare the dinner.B) The man has to find something else to eat. D) Julie has been invited for dinner.15. A) Submit no more than three letters. C) Apply to three graduate schools.B) Present a new letter of reference. D) Send Professor Smitha letter.16. A) He declines to join the gardening club.B) He is a professional gardener in town.C) He prefers to keep his gardening skills to himself.D) He wishes to receive formal training in gardening.17. A) Sculpture is not a typical form of modern art.B) Modern art cannot express people's true feelings.C) The recent sculpture exhibit was not well organized.D) Many people do not appreciate modern art.18.A) Bob does not have much chance to win. C) Bob cannot count on her vote.B) She will vote for another candidate. D) She knows the rightperson for the positionQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) Poor management of the hospital. C) Decisions made by the head technician.B) The health hazard at her work place. D) The outdated medical testing procedures.20. A) Transfer her to another department. C) Cut down her workload.B) Repair the X-ray equipment. D) Allow her to go on leave for two months.21 .A) They are virtually impossible to enforce. C) Both of them have been subject to criticism.B) Neither is applicable to the woman's case. D) Their requirements may be difficult to meet.22. A) Organize a mass strike. C) Try to help her get it back.B) Compensate for her loss. D) Find her a better paying job.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) In giving concessions. C) In stating your terms.B) In the concluding part. D) In the preparatory phase.24. A) He behaves in a way contrary to his real intention.B) He presents his arguments in a straightforward way.C) He responds readily to the other party's proposals.D) He uses lots of gestures to help make his points clear.25. A) Both may fail when confronting experienced rivals.B) The honest type is more effective than the actor type.C) Both can succeed depending on the specific situation.D) The actor type works better in tough negotiations.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some 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 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) The shape of the cubes used. C) The number of times of repeating the process.B) The size of the objects shown. D) The weight of the boxes moving across the stage.27. A) Boys enjoy playing with cubes more than girls.B) Girls tend to get excited more easily than boys.C) Girls seem to start reasoning earlier than boys.D) Boys pay more attention to moving objects than girls.28. A) It is a breakthrough in the study of the nerve system.B) It may stimulate scientists to make further studies.C) Its result helps understand babies' language ability.D) Its findings are quite contrary to previous research.29. A) The two sides of their brain develop simultaneously. C) Their bones mature earlier.B) They are better able to adapt to the surroundings. D) They talk at an earlier age.Passage TwoQuestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. A) The new security plan for the municipal building.B) The blueprint for the development of the city.C) The controversy over the new office regulations.D) The city's general budget for the coming year.31 .A) Whether the security checks were really necessary.B) How to cope with the huge crowds of visitors to the municipal buildingC) Whether the security checks would create long queues at peak hours.D) How to train the newly recruited security guards.32. A) Irrelevant. B) Straightforward. C) Ridiculous. D) Confrontational.Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. A) He used to work as a miner in Nevada. C) He considers himself a blessed man.B) He works hard to support his five kids. D) He once taught at a local high school34 .A) To be nearer to Zac's school. C) To cut their living expenses.B) To look after her grandchildren.D) To help with the household chores.35. A) Skeptical. B) Optimistic. C) Indifferent. D) Realistic.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.Mountain climbing is becoming popular sport, but it is also a (36) _______dangerous one. People can fall; they may also become ill. One of the most common dangers to climbers is altitude sickness, which can affect even very (37) _______climbers.Altitude sickness usually begins when a climber goes above 8 000 or 9 000 feet. The higher one climbs, the less oxygen there is in the air. When people don't get enough oxygen, they often begin to (38) _______for air. They may also feel (39) _______andlight-headed. Besides these symptoms of altitude sickness, others such as headache and (40) _______may also occur. At heights of over 18000 feet, people may be climbing in a (41) _______daze（恍惚）. This state of mind can have an (42) _______ effect on their judgment.A few (43) _______ can help most climbers avoid altitude sickness. The first is not to go too high too fast. If you climb to 10 000 feet, stay at that height for a day or two. (44) _______.Or if you do climb higher sooner, come back down to a lower height when you sleep. Also, drink plenty of liquids and avoid tobacco and alcohol. (45) _______. You breathe less when you sleep, so you get less oxygen.The most important warning is this: if you have severe symptoms and they don't go away, go down! (46) _______.Part ⅣReading Comprehension （Reading in Depth）（25 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2.Questions 47 to 54 are based on the following passage.A key process in interpersonal interaction is that of social comparison, in that we evaluate ourselves in terms of how we compare to others. In particular, we engage in two types of comparison. First, we decide whether we are superior or inferior to others on certain dimensions, such as attractiveness, intelligence, popularity, etc. Here, the important aspect is to compare with an appropriate reference group. For example, modest joggers should not compare their performance with Olympic standard marathon (马拉松) runners. Second, we judge the extent to which we are the same as or different from others. At certain stages of life, especially adolescence, the pressure to be seen as similar to peers is immense. Thus, wearing the right brand of clothes or shoes may be of the utmost importance. We also need to know whether our thoughts, beliefs and ideas are in line with those of other people. This is part of the process of self-validation whereby we employ self-disclosures to seek support for our self-concept.People who do not have access to a good listener may not only be denied the opportunity to heighten their self-awareness, but they are also denied valuable feedback as to the validity and acceptability of their inner thoughts and feelings. By discussing these with others, we receive feedback as to whether these are experiences which others have as well, or whether they are lesscommon. Furthermore, by gauging the reactions to our self-disclosures we learn what types are acceptable or unacceptable with particular people and in specific situations. On occasions it is the fear that certain disclosures may be unacceptable to family or friends that motivates an individual to seek professional help. Counsellors will be familiar with client statements such as: “I just couldn’t talk about this to my husband.”, “I really can’t let my mother know my true feelings.” Another aspect of social comparison in the counselling context relates to a technique known as normalising. This is the process whereby helpers provide reassurance to clients that what they are experiencing is not abnormal or atypical (非典型的), but is a normal reaction shared by others when facing such circumstances. Patient disclosure, facilitated by the therapist, seems also to facilitate the process of normalising.47. To evaluate ourselves, the author thinks it important for us to compare ourselves with _______.48. During adolescence, people generally feel an immense pressure to appear _______.49. It is often difficult for people to heighten their self-awareness without _______.50. What can people do if they find what they think or say unacceptable to family or friends?51. Counsellors often assure their clients that what they experience themselves is only _______.Section BDirections: 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 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.Amid all the job losses, there’s one category of worker that the economic disruption has been good for: nonhumans.From self-service checkout lines at the supermarket to industrial robots armed with saws and taught to carve up animal bodies in slaughter-houses, these ever-more-intelligent machines are now not just assisting workers but actually kicking them out of their jobs.Automation isn’t just affecting factory workers, either. Somelaw firms now use artificial intelligence software to scan and read mountains of legal documents, work that previously was performed by highly-paid human lawyers.“Robots continue to have an impact on blue-collar jobs, and white-collar jobs are under attack by microprocessors,” says economics professor Edward Leamer. The recession permanently wiped out 2.5 million jobs. U.S. gross domestic product has climbed back to pre-recession levels, meaning we’re producing as much as before, only with 6% fewer workers. To be sure, robotics are not the only job killers out there, with outsourcing (外包) stealing far more jobs than automation.Jeff Burnstein, president of the Robotics Industry Association, argues that robots actually save U.S. jobs. His logic: companies that embrace automation might use fewer workers, but that’s still better than firing everyone and moving the work overseas.It’s not that robots are cheaper than humans, though often they are. It’s that they’re better. “In some cases the quality requirements are so exacting that even if you wanted to have a human do the job, you couldn’t,” Burnstein says.Same goes for surgeons, who’re using robotic systems to perform an ever-growing list of operations—not because the machines savemoney but because, thanks to the greater precision of robots, the patients recover in less time and have fewer complications, says Dr. Myriam Curet.Surgeons may survive the robot invasion, but others at the hospital might not be so lucky, as iRobot, maker of the Roomba, a robot vacuum cleaner, has been showing off Ava, which could be used as a messenger in a hospital. And once you’re home, recovering, Ava could let you talk to your doctor, so there’s no need to send someone to your house. That “mobile telepresence” could be useful at the office. If you’re away on a trip, you can still attend a meeting. Just connect via videoconferencing software, so your face appears on Ava’s screen.Is any job safe? I was hoping to say “journalist,”but researchers are already developing software that can gather facts and write a news story. Which means that a few years from now, a robot could be writing this column. And who will read it? Well, there might be a lot of us hanging around with lots of free time on our hands.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
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大学英语六级考试(CET6)2012年12月听力真题听力原文Part III Listening ComprehensionSection A11.M: I’d like to go camping with you this weekend, but I don’t have a sleeping bag. W: No problem. You can count on me to get one for you. My family has tons of camping gear.Q: What does the woman mean?12.M: I know I promise to drive you to the airport next Thursday, but I’m afraid something has come up. They’ve called a special meeting at work.W: No big deal. Karen said she was available as a back-up.Q: What does the woman mean?13.W: Have you saved enough money for a trip to Hawaii?M: Not even close. My uncle must put the brakes on my travelling plans.Q: What does the man mean?14.M: I’m starving. Do we still have any pie left from the dinner yesterday?W: Oh, Julia invited her friends over in the afternoon and they ate it all.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?15.W: Three letters of recommendation are required to apply to graduate schools. I was wondering if the one professor Smith wrote for me last year could still be used. M: It’s a bit dated. You’d better submit a recent one.Q: What does the man suggest the woman do?16.W: I’ve noticed that you spend a lot of time tending your garden. Would you like to join our gardening club? We meet every other Wednesday.M: Oh, thanks for the invitation, but this is how I relax. I’d rather not make it something formal and structured.Q: What can we infer about the man?17.M: I heard the recent sculpture exhibit was kind of disappointing.W: That’s right. I guess a lot of other people feel the way I do about modern art. Q: What does the woman mean?18.M: Bob is running for chairman of the student union. Would you vote for him?W: Oh, I can’t decide right now because I have to find out more about the other candidates.Q: What does the woman mean?Conversation OneW: I don’t know what to do. I can’t seem to get anyone in the hospital to listen to my complaints and this outdated equipment is dangerous. Just look at it.M: Hmm, uh, are you trying to say that it presents a health hazard?W: Yes, I am. The head technician in the lab tried to persuade the hospital administration to replace it, but they are trying to cut costs.M: You are pregnant, aren’t you?W: Yes, I am. I made an effort to get my supervisor to transfer me to another department, but he urged me not to complain too loudly. Because the administration is more likely to replace me than an X-ray equipment, I’m afraid to refuse to work. But I’m more afraid to expose my unborn child to the radiation.M: I see what you mean. Well, as your union representative, I have to warn you that it would take quite a while to force management to replace the old machines and attempt to get you transferred may or may not be successful.W: Oh, what am I supposed to do then?M: Workers have the legal right to refuse certain unsafe work assignments under two federal laws, the Occupation or Safety and Health Act and the National Labor Relations Act. But the requirements of either of the Acts may be difficult to meet. W: Do you think I have a good case?M: If you do lose your job, the union will fight to get it back for you along with back pay, your lost income. But you have to be prepared for a long wait, maybe after two years.Q19. What does the woman complain about?Q20. What has the woman asked her supervisor to do?Q21. What does the man say about the two federal laws?Q22. What will the union do if the woman loses her job?Conversation TwoW: Mr. Green, is it fair to say that negotiation is an art?M: Well, I think it’s both an art and sc ience. You can prepare for a negotiation quite scientifically, but the execution of the negotiation has quite a lot to do with one’s artistic quality. The scientific part of a negotiation is in determining your strategy. What do you want out of it? What can you give? Then of course there are tactics. How do you go about it? Do you take an opening position in a negotiation which differs from the eventual goal you are heading for? And then of course there are the behavioral aspects.W: What do you mean by the behavioral aspects?M: Well, that’s I think where the art comes in. In your behavior, you can either be an actor. You can pretend that you don’t like things which you are actually quite pleased about. Or you can pretend to like things which you are quite happy to do without. Or you can be the honest type negotiator who’s known to his partners in negotiation and always plays everything straight. But the artistic part of negotiation I think has to do with responding immediately to cues one gets in the process of negotiation. These can be verbal cues or even body language. This is where the artistic quality comes in. W: So really, you see two types of negotiator then, the actor or the honest one.M: That’ right. And both can work. I would say the honest negoti ator can be quite effective in some circumstances. In other circumstances you need an actor.Q23. When is a scientific approach best embodied in a negotiation according to the man?Q24. In what way is a negotiator like an actor according to the man?Q25. What does the man say about the two types of negotiator?Section BPassage 1A scientific team is studying the thinking ability of eleven and half month old children. The test is a simple one. The baby watches a sort of show on a small stage. In Act One of the show, a yellow cube is lifted from a blue box, and moved across the stage. Then it is returned to the box. This is repeated 6 times. Act Two is similar except that the yellow cube is smaller. Baby boys do not react at all to the difference and the size of the cube. But girls immediately become excited. The scientists interpret the girls’ excitement as meaning they are trying to understand what they have just seen. They are wondering why Act Two is odd and how it differs from Act One. In other words, the little girls are reasoning. This experiment certainly does not definitely prove that girls start to reason before boys, but it provides a clue that scientists would like to study more carefully. Already it is known that bones, muscles and nerves develop faster in baby girls. Perhaps it is early nerve development that makes some infant girls show more intelligence than infant boys. Scientists have also found that nature seems to give another boost to girls. Baby girls usually talk at an earlier age than boys do. Scientists think that there is a physical reason for this. They believe that the nerve endings in the left side of the brain develop faster in girls than in boys, and it is this side of the brain that strongly influences an individual’s ability to us e language and remember things.Q26. What is the difference between Act One and Act Two in the test?Q27. How do the scientists interpret their observation from the experiment?Q28. What does the speaker say about the experiment?Q29. According to scientists, what is another advantage given to girls by nature? Passage 2A super attendant of the city municipal building, Dillia Adorno, was responsible for presenting its new security plan to the public. City employees, citizens and reporters gathered in the hall to hear her describe the plan. After outlining the main points she would cover, she assured the audience that she would be happy to answer questions at the end of her presentation. Dillia realized the plan was expensive and potentially controversial. So she was not surprised to see a number of hands go up as soon as she finished speaking. An employ asked, “Would the new system create long lines to get into the building like the line in the airport security checks?” Dillia had anticipated this question and had an answer ready. After repeating the question, she explained that the sufficient number of security guards would be working at peak hours to speed things along. The next question was more confrontational.”Where was the money come from to pay for all of this?”The journalists who ask the question seem hostile. But Dillia was careful not to adopt the defensive tone. She stated thatthe money would come from the city’s general budget. “I know these are tide times”, she added, “But everyone agrees on the i mportance of safe guarding our employees and members of the public who come into the building.” Near the end of the 25 minutes she has said, Dillia said she would take two more questions. When those were finished, she concluded the session with a brief restatement of how the new system will improve security and peace of mind in the municipal building.Question 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. What is the focus of Dillia Adorno’s presentation?31. What question had Dillia Adorno anticipated?32. What did the speakers think of the question from the journalist?Passage 3Despite unemployment and the lost of her home, Andrea Clark considers herself a blessed and happy woman. Why the cheerful attitude? Her troubles have brought her close r to her family. Last year, Andrea’s husband, Rick, a miner in Nevada was laid off. Though Andrea kept her job as a school bus driver, she knew that they couldn’t pay their bill and support their youngest of five children, Zack, age nine, on one income. “At first their church helped out, but you can’t keep that up forever”, Andrea says. Then Michal, their eldest of her four adult children suggested they move in with his family. For almost three months, seven Clarks lived under one roof. Andrea, Rick and Zack stayed in the basement department, sharing laundry and single bathroom with Michal, his wife and their two children.The change cut their expenditures in half, but the new living arrangement proved too challenging. When Andrea found a job with a school d istrict closer to her mother’s home in west Jorden, Utah, the family decided to move on. Packing up again with no picnic, Zack had to switch schools for the second time and space is even tighter. Andrea says that the moves themselves are exhausting and Rick is still looking for a job.The recession has certainly come with more problems than Andrea anticipated, but she remains unfailingly optimistic. She is excited to spend more time with her mother. Another plus, rents are lower in Utah than in Nevada. So A ndrea thinks they’ll be able to save up and move out in less than 6 months.Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.Q33 What do we learn about Andrea’s husband?Q34 Why did Andrea move to live in her eldest son’s home?Q35 What is And rea’s attitude toward the hardships brought by the economic recession?Section CMountain climbing is becoming a popular sport, but it is also a potentially dangerous one. People can fall. They may also become ill. One of the most common dangers to climbers is altitude sickness, which can affect even very experienced climbers. Altitude sickness usually begins when a climber goes above 8,000 to 9,000 feet. The higher one climbs, the less oxygen there is in the air. When people don’t get enough oxygen, they often begin to gasp for air. They may also feel dizzy and light-headed. Besides these symptoms of altitude sickness, others such as headache and fatiguemay also occur. At heights of over 18,000 feet, people may be climbing in a constant daze. Their state of mind can have adverse affect on their judgment. A few precautions can help most climbers avoid altitude sickness. The first is not to go too high, too fast. If you climb to 10,000 feet, stay at that height for a day or two. Your body needs to get used to a high altitude before you climb to a even higher one. Or if you do climb higher sooner, come back down to a lower height when you sleep. Also, drink plenty of liquids and avoid tobacco and alcohol. When you reach your top height, do like activities rather than sleep too much. You breathe less when you sleep, so you get less oxygen. The most important warning is this: if you have severe symptoms, then don’t go away, go down. Don’t risk injury or death because ofover-confidence or lack of knowledge.听力答案第一版本：听力12.Steele .。