2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)

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12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Section AQuestions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A) It was dangerous to live in. C) He could no longer pay the rent.B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A strike. C) A forest fire.B) A storm. D) A terrorist attack.Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A) They tried hard to repair the elevator.B) They released the details of the accident.C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D) They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services.C) Redesign delivery routes.D) Close some of its post offices.6. A) Shortening business hours.B) Closing offices on holidays.C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B) Many people will begin to complain.C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.D) A lot of controversy will arise.Section B8. A) He will be kept from promotion.B) He will go through retraining.C) He will be given a warning.D) He will lose part of his pay.9. A) He is always on time.B) He is a trustworthy guy.C) He is an experienced press operator.D)He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A) She is a trade union representative.B) She is in charge of public relations.C) She is a senior manager of the shop.D) She is better at handling such matters.11. A) He is skilled and experienced.B) He is very close to the manager.C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.D) He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Open.B) Selfish.C) Friendly.D) Reserved.13. A) They stay quiet.B) They read a book.C) They talk about the weather.D) They chat with fellow passengers.14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.B) She was eager to visit an English castle.C) She was never invited to a colleague's home.D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A) Houses are much more quiet.B) Houses provide more privacy.C) They want to have more space.D) They want a garden of their own.答案1. A It was dangerous to live in.2. B A storm3. B They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. C They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5. D Close some of its post office.6. C Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7. A Many post office staff will lose their jobs.8. D He will lose part of his pay.9. B He is a trustworthy guy.10.D She is better at handling such matters11.C He is always trying to stir up trouble.12. D Reserved13. A They stay quiet14. C She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15. B Houses provide more privacy16. D They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. C Visit the school careers service.18. B Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19. C It may be sold at a higher price.20. A It is healthier than green tee.21. D It does not have a stable market.22. B They prefer unique objects of high quality.23. B They could only try to create at night.24. A Make wise choices.25. A To boost the local economy.2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套原文Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was fo rced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the e mergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?Q4.What did the rescue team do?新闻3Section A - 3The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is one of several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Last week, for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on Saturdays, a move he says could save $3 billion annually.“We are losing revenue as we speak,” Donahoe said. “We do not want taxpayer money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business you have to make choices.”Dean Granholm the vice president for delivery and post office operations said the first waves of closings would begin this fall. He estimated that about 3,000 postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postal clerks could lose their jobs.Q5.What is the U.S. Postal Service planning to do?Q6.What measure has been planned to save costs?Q7.What will happen when the proposed measure come into effect?长对话1&2Conversation 1A: Mrs. Hampton, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.B: Oh dear. What about?A: One of the press operators arrived an hour and a half late.B: But that's a straightforward affair. He will simply lose part of his pay. That's why we have a clock-in system.A: But the point is the man was clocked-in at 8 o'clock. We have John standing by the time clock, and he swears he saw nothing irregular.B: Is John reliable?A: Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.B: Have you spoken to the man who was late?A: Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first. He's a difficult man, and I think there's been some trouble on the shop floor. I've got a feeling that trade union representative is behind this. The manager told me that Jack Green's been very active around the shop the last few days.B: Well, what do you want me to do?A: I was wondering if you'd see Smith, the man who was late, because you are so much better at handling things like this.B: Oh, alright. I'll see him. I must say I agree with you about there being bad feelings in the works. I've had the idea for some time that Jack Green's been busy stirring things up in connection with the latest wage claim. He's always trying to make trouble. Well, I'll get the manager to send Smith up here.Q8. What will happen to the press operator who was late for the work according to the woman?Q9. What does the man say about John who stands by the time clock?Q10. Why does the man suggest the woman see the worker who was late?Q11. What does the woman say about Jack Green?Conversation 2A: Our topic today is about somethings that foreigners nearly always say when they visit Britain. It's 'Why are the British so cold?' And they're talking about the British personality – the famous British 'reserve'. It means that we aren't very friendly, we aren't very open.B: So do you think it's true?A: It's a difficult one. So many people who visit Britain say it's difficult to make friends with British people. They say we're cold, reserved, unfriendly...B: I think it's true. Look at Americans or Australians. They speak the same language, but they're much more open. And you see it when you travel, people - I mean strangers - speak to you on the street or on the train. British people seldom speak on the train. Or the bus. Not in London, anyway.A: 'Not in London'. That's it. Capital cities are full of tourists and are never very friendly. People are different in other parts of the country.B: Not completely. I met a woman once, an Italian. She's been working in Manchester for two years,and no one - not one of her colleagues - had ever invited her to their home. They were friendly to her at work, but nothing else. She couldn't believe it. She said that would never happen in Italy.A: You know what they say –'an Englishman's home is his castle'. It’s really difficult to get inside.B: Yeah. It's about being private. You go home to your house and your garden and you close the door. It's your place.A: That's why the British don't like flats. They prefer to live in houses.B: That’s true.Q12. What do foreigners generally think of British people according to the woman?Q13. What may British people typically do one the train according to the man?Q14. What does the man say about the Italian woman working in Manchester?Q15. Why do British people prefer houses to flats?听力篇章Passage OneIn college, time is scarce, and consequently, very precious. At the same time, expenses in college pile up surprisingly quickly. A part time job is a good way to balance costs while ensuring there is enough time left over for both academic subjects and after-class activities.If you are a college student looking for a part time job, the best place to start your job search is right on campus. There are tons of on-campus job opportunities, and as a student, you’ll automatically be given hiring priority. Plus, on-campus jobs eliminate commuting time, and could be a great way to connect with academic and professional resources at your university. Check with yo ur school’s career service or employment office for help to find a campus job. Of course, there are opportunities for part-time work off-campus, too. If you spend a little time digging for the right part time jobs, you’ll save yourself time when you find a job that leaves you with enough time to get your school work done, too. If you are a college student looking for work but worry you won’t have enough time to devote to academic subjects, consider working as a study hall or a library monitor. Responsibilities generally include supervising study spaces to ensure that a quiet atmosphere is maintained. It’s a pretty easy job, but one with lots of downtime-which means you will have plenty of time to catch up on reading, do homework or study for an exam.Q16: What does the speaker say about college students applying for on-campus jobs?Q17: What can students do to find a campus job according to the speaker？Q18: What does the speaker say is a library monitor’s responsibility?Passage TwoAgricultural workers in green tea fields near Mt. Kenya are gathering the tea leaves. It is beautiful to see. The rows of tea bushes are straight. Allappears to be well. But the farmers who planted the bushes are worried. Nelson Kibara is one of them. He has been growing tea in the Kerugoya area for 40 years.He says the prices this year have been so low that he has made almost no profit. He says he must grow different kinds of tea if he is to survive.Mr. Kibara and hundreds of other farmers have been removing some of their tea bushes and planting a new kind of tea developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya. Its leaves are purple and brown. When the tea is boiled, the drink has a purple color. Medical researchers have studied the health benefits of the new tea. They say it is healthier than green tea and could be sold for a price that is three to four times higher than the price of green tea.But Mr. Kibara says he has not received a higher price for his purple tea crop.He says the market for the tea is unstable and he is often forced to sell his purple tea for the same price as green tea leaves. He says there are not enough buyers willing to pay more for the purple tea.Q19. Why have tea farmers in Kenya decided to grow purple tea?Q20. What do researchers say about purple tea?Q21. What does Mr. Kibara find about purple tea?Passage ThreeToday's consumers want beautiful handcrafted s to wear and to have for their home environment. They prefer something unique and they demand quality. Craftsmen today are meeting this demand. People and homes are showing great change as more and more unique handcrafted items become available. Handcrafts are big business. No long does a good craftsman have to work in a job he dislikes all day and then try to create at night. He has earned his professional status. He is now a respected member of society. Parts of the fun of being a craftsman is meeting other craftsmen. They love to share their ideas and materials and help others find markets for their work. Craftsmen have helped educate consumers to make wise choices. They help thembecome aware of design and technique. They help them relate their choice to its intended use. They often involve consumers in trying the craft themselves. When a group of craftsmen expends to include more members, a small craft organization is formed. Such an organization does a lot in training workshops in special media, craft marketing techniques, craft fairs and sales, festivals, TV appearances and demonstrations. State art councils help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals which draw crowds of tourist consumers. This boosts the local economy considerably because tourists not only buy crafts, but they also use the restaurants and hotels and other services of the area.Q22. What does the speaker say about today's consumers?Q23. What does the speaker say about a good craftsman in the past?Q24. What do craftsmen help consumers do?Q25. Why do state art council’s help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals?。

2013年6月英语四级考试真题以及答案(第1套)

2013年6月四级真题（第1套）Part Ⅰ Writing（30 minutes）Directions：For this part．you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay．You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and then express your views on the importance of reading literature．You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension（30 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations．At the end ofeach 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 apause．During the pause，you must read the four choices marked A，B，C and D，anddecide which is the best answer．Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet lwith a single line through the centre．注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第一套)及参考答案完整版

2019 年12 月大学英语四级考试真题及参考答案完整版(第一套)Part I Writing (25minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to study. Please recommend a university to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.【参考范文】Dear，I am delighted to hear that you are going to study in a Chinese university. Since you haveasked for my advice about choosing which university I will try to give you some usefulsuggestions hereIt is well known that Peking University is a great place to lean. There are several factorsaccounting for this choice and the following are the most typical ones. First and foremost,Peking University is one of the top universities in China and the birthplace of many great minds. Therefore, it can provide high-quality teaching resources, which is essential for a foreign learner. In addition, Beijing is the capital of China and there are various historic buildings. They provide foreign students to know Chinese culture and historyI hope you will find these suggestions helpful and wish you all the bes！tYours，Li Ming 【参考译文】亲爱的露丝:得知你要来中国的大学学习,我很高兴。

2018年12月大学英语四级真题及答案（第一套）

2018年12⽉⼤学英语四级真题及答案（第⼀套）2018年12⽉⼤学英语四级考试真题（第1套）Part I Writing (30minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the challenges of living in a big city. You should write at least120 words but no more than 180 words._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Land a space vehicle on the moon in 2019.B) Design a new generation of mobile phones.C) Set up a mobile phone network on the moon.D) Gather data from the moon with a tiny device.2. A) It is stable. B) It is durable.C) It is inexpensive. D) It is sophisticated. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It lasted more than six hours.B) No injuries were yet reported.C) Nobody was in the building when it broke out.D) It had burned for 45 minutes by the time firefighters arrived.4. A) Recruit and train more firefighters.B) Pull down the deserted shopping mall.C) Turn the shopping mall into an amusement park.D) Find money to renovate the local neighborhood. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Shrinking potato farming. B) Heavy reliance on import.C) Widespread plant disease. D) Insufficient potato supply.6. A) It intends to keep its traditional diet.B) It wants to expand its own farming.C) It is afraid of the spread of disease.D) It is worried about unfair competition.7. A) Global warming. B) Ever-rising prices.C) Government regulation. D) Diminishing investment. Section BDirections：In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C), and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) Informative. B) Inspiring.C) Dull. D) Shallow.9. A) She types on a keyboard. B) She does recording.C) She takes photos. D) She takes notes.10. A) It keeps her mind active. B) It makes her stay awake.C) It enables her to think hard. D) It helps her kill time.11. A) It enables her to improve her pronunciation.B) It helps her better remember what she learns.C) It turns out to be an enjoyable way of learning.D) It proves to be far more effective than writing.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) To spend her honeymoon.B) To try authentic Indian food.C) To take photos of the Taj Mahal.D) To trace the origin of a love story.13. A) In memory of a princess.B) In honor of a great emperor.C) To mark the death of an emperor of the 1600s.D) To celebrate the birth of a princess’s 14th child.14. A) It looks older than expected.B) It is built of wood and bricks.C) It stores lots of priceless antiques.D) It has walls decorated with jewels.15. A) Their streets are narrow.B) They are mostly crowded.C) Each one has a unique character.D) Life can be tedious in some places. Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C), D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They help spread the latest technology.B) They greatly enrich people’s leisure life.C) They provide residents with the resources needed.D) They allow free access to digital books and videos.17. A) By helping them find jobs.B) By inspiring their creativity.C) By keeping them off the streets.D) By providing a place of relaxation.18. A) Their interaction with teenagers proved fruitful.B) They used libraries less often than teenagers.C) They tended to visit libraries regularly.D) Their number increased modestly. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It is the cleverest cat in the world.B) It is the largest cat in Africa.C) It is an unusual cross breed.D) It is a large-sized wild cat.20. A) They are as loyal as dogs.B) They have unusually long tails.C) They are fond of sleeping in cabinets.D) They know how to please their owners.21. A) They shake their front paws.B) They teach them to dive.C) They shower with them.D) They shout at them.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) Anxious and depressed.B) Contented and relieved.C) Excited but somewhat sad.D) Proud but a bit nervous.23. A) It is becoming parents’ biggest concern.B) It is gaining increasing public attention.C) It is depends on their parents for success.D) It starts the moment they are born.24. A) Set a good example for them to follow.B) Read books and magazines to them.C) Help them to learn by themselves.D) Choose the right school for them.25. A) Their intelligence.B) Their home life.C) The effort they put in learning.D) The quality of their school.Part ⅢReading Comprehension ( 40 minutes ) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.Millions die early from air pollution each year. Air pollution costs the global economy more than $5 trillion annually in welfare costs, with the most serious 26 occurring in the developing world.The figures include a number of costs 27 with air pollution. Lost income alone amounts to $225 billion a year.The report includes both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Indoor pollution, which includes 28 like home heating and cooking, has remained 29 over the past several decades despite advances in the area. Levels of outdoor pollution have grown rapidly along with rapid growth in industry and transportation.Director of Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Chris Murray 30 it as an “urgent call to action.”“One of the risk factors for premature deaths is the air we breathe, over which individuals have little 31 ,”he said.The effects of air pollution are worst in the developing world, where in some places lost-labor income 32 nearly 1% of GDP. Around 9 in 10 people in low-and middle-income countries live in places where they 33 experience dangerous levels of outdoor air pollution.But the problem is not limited 34 to the developing world. Thousands die prematurely in the U.S. as a result of related illnesses. In many European countries, where diesel(柴油) 35 have become more common in recent years, that number reaches tens of thousands.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Food-as-Medicine Movement Is Witnessing Progress[A] Several times a month, you can find a doctor in the aisles of Ralph’s market in Huntington Beach, California, wearing a white coat and helping people learn about food. On one recent day, this doctor was Daniel Nadeau, wandering the cereal aisle with Allison Scott, giving her some idea on how to feed kids who persi stently avoid anything that is healthy. “Have you thought about trying fresh juices in the morning?” he asks her. “The frozen oranges and apples are a little cheaper, and fruits are really good for the brain. Juices are quick and easy to prepare, you can t ake the frozen fruit out the night before and have it ready the next morning.”[B] Scott is delighted to get food advice from a physician who is program director of the nearby Mary and Dick Allen Diabetes Center, part of the St. Joseph Hoag Health alliance. The center’s ‘Shop with Your Doc’ program sends doctors to the grocery store to meet with any patients who sign up for the service, plus any other shoppers who happen to be around with questions.[C] Nadeau notices the pre-made macaroni (通⼼粉)-and-cheese boxes in Scott’s shopping cart and suggests she switch to whole grain macaroni and real cheese. “So I’d have to make it?”she asks, her enthusiasm fading at the thought of how long that might take, just to have her kids reject it. “I’m not sure they’d eat it. They just won’t eat it.”[D] Nadeau says sugar and processed foods are big contributors to the rising diabetes rates among children. “In America, over 50 percent of our food is processed food,” Nadeau tells her. “And only 5 percent of our food is plant-based food. I think we should try to reverse that.” Scott agrees to try more fruit juices for the kids and to make real macaroni and cheese. Score one point for the docto r, zero for diabetes.[E] Nadeau is part of a small revolution developing across California. The food-as-medicine movement has been around for decades, but it’s making progress as physicians and medical institutions make food a formal part of treatment, rather than relying sol ely on medications (药物). By prescribing nutritional changes or la unching programs such as ‘Shop with your Doc’, they are trying to prevent, limit or even reverse disease by changing what patients eat. “There’s no question people can take things a long way toward reversin g diabetes, reversing high blood pressure, even pr eventing cancer by food choices,” Nadeau says.[F] In the big picture, says Dr. Richard Afable, CEO and president of ST. Joseph Hoag Health, medical institutions across the state are starting to make a philosophical switch to becoming a health organization, not just a health care organization. That feeling echoes the beliefs of the Therapeutic Food Pantry program at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, which completed its pilot phase and is about to expand on an ongoing basis to five clinic sites throughout the city. The program will offer patients several bags of food prescribed for their condition, along with intensive training in how to cook it. “We really want to link food and medicine, and not just give away food,” says Dr. Rita Nguyen, the hospit al’s medical director of Healthy Food Initiatives. “We want people to understand what they’re eating, how to prepare it, the role food plays in their lives.”[G] In Southern California, Loma Linda University School of Medicine is offering specialized training for its resident physicians in Lifestyle Medicine — that is a formal specialty in using food to treat disease. Research findings increasingly show the power of food to treat or reverse diseases, but that does not mean that diet alone is always the solution, or that every illness can benefit substantially from dietary changes. Nonetheless, physicians say that they look at the collective data and a clear picture emerges: that the salt, sugar, fat and processed foods in the American diet contribute to the nation’s high rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of deaths from heart disease and stroke are caused by high blood pressure, tobacco use, elevated cholesterol and low consumption of fruits and vegetables.[H] “It’s a different paradigm(范式) of how to treat disease,” says Dr. Brenda Rea, who helps run the family and preventive medicine residency program at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. The lifestyle medicine specialty is designed to train doctors in how to prevent and treat disease, in part, by changing patients’ nutritional habits. The medical center and school at Loma Linda als o has a food cupboard and kitchen for patients. This way, patients not only learn about which foods to buy, but also how to prepare them at home.[I] Many people don’t know how to cook, Rea says, and they only know how to heat things up. That means depending on packaged food with high salt and sugar content. So teaching people about which foods are healthy and how to prepare them, she says, can actually transform a patient’s life. And beyond that, it might transform the health and lives of that patient’s family. “What people e at can be medicine or poison,” Rea says. “As a physician, nutrition is one of the most powerful things you can change to reverse the effects of long-term disease.”[J] Studies have explored evidence that dietary changes can slow inflammation(炎症), for example, or make the body inhospitable to cancer cells. In general, many lifestyle medicine physicians recommend a plant-based diet — particularly for people with diabetes or other inflammatory conditions.[K] “As what happened with tobacco, this will require a cultural shift, but that can happen,” says Nguyen. “In the same way p hysicians used to smoke, and then stopped smoking and were able to talk to patients about it, I think physicians can have a bigger voice in it.”36. More than half of the food Americans eat is factory-produced.37. There is a special program that assigns doctors to give advice to shoppers in food stores.38. There is growing evidence from research that food helps patients recover from various illnesses.39. A healthy breakfast can be prepared quickly and easily.40. Training a patient to prepare healthy food can change their life.41. One food-as-medicine program not only prescribes food for treatment but teaches patients how to cook it.42. Scott is not keen on cooking food herself, thinking it would simply be a waste of time.43. Diabetes patients are advised to eat more plant-based food.44. Using food as medicine is no novel idea, but the movement is making headway these days.45. Americans’ high rates of various illnesses result from the way they eat. Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 and 50 are based on the following passage.California has been facing a drought for many years now, with certain areas even having to pump freshwater hundreds of miles to their distribution system. The problem is growing as the population of the state continues to expand. New research has found deep water reserves under the state which could help solve their drought crisis. Previous drilling of wells could only reach depths of 1,000 feet, but due to new pumping practices, water deeper than this can now be extracted (抽取). The team at Stanford investigated the aquifers(地下蓄⽔层)below this depth and found that reserves may be triple what was previously thought.It is profitable to drill to depths more than 1,000 feet for oil and gas extraction, but only recently in California has it become profitable to pump water from this depth. The aquifers range from 1,000 to 3,000 feet below the ground, which means that pumping will be expensive and there are other concerns. The biggest concern of pumping out water from this deep in the gradual settling down of the land surface. As the water is pumped out, the vacant space left is compacted by the weight of the earth above.Even though pumping from these depths is expensive, it is still cheaper than desalinating(脱盐)the ocean water in the largely coastal state. Some desalination plants exist where feasible, but they are costly to run and can need constant repairs. Wells are much more reliable sources of freshwater, and California is hoping that these deep wells may be the answer to their severe water shortage.One problem with these sources is that the deep water also has a higher level of salt than shallower aquifers. This means that some wells may even need to undergo desalination after extraction, thus increasing the cost. Research from the exhaustive study of groundwater from over 950 drilling logs has just been published. New estimates of the water reserves now go up to 2,700 billion cubic meters of freshwater.46.How could California’s drought crisis be solved according to some researchers?A) By building more reserves of groundwater.B) By drawing water from the depths of the earth.C) By developing more advanced drilling devices.D) By upgrading its water distribution system.47.What can be inferred about extracting water from deep aquifers?A) It was deemed vital to solving the water problem.B) It was not considered worth the expense.C) It may not provide quality freshwater.D) It is bound to gain support from the local people.48. What is mentioned as a consequence of extracting water from deep underground?A) The sinking of land surface. C) The damage to aquifers.B) The harm to the ecosystem. D) The change of the climate.49. What does the author say about deep wells?A) They run without any need for repairs.B) They are entirely free from pollutants.C) They are the ultimate solution to droughts.D) They provide a steady supply of freshwater.50. What may happen when deep aquifers are used as water sources?A) People’s health may improve with cleaner water.B) People’s water bills may be lowered considerably.C) The cost may go up due to desalination.D) They may be exhausted sooner or later.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The AlphaGo program’s victory is an example of how smart computers have become.But can artificial intelligence (AI) machines act ethically, meaning can they be honest and fair?One example of AI is driverless cars. They are already on California roads, so it is not too soon to ask whether we can program a machine to act ethically. As driverless cars improve, they will save lives. They will make fewer mistakes than human drivers do. Sometimes, however, they will face a choice between lives. Should the cars be programmed to avoid hitting a child running across the road, even if thatwill put their passengers at risk? What about making a sudden turn to avoid a dog? What if the only risk is damage to the car itself, not to the passengers?Perhaps there will be lessons to learn from driverless cars, but they are not super-intelligent beings. Teaching ethics to a machine even more intelligent than we are will be the bigger challenge.About the same time as AlphaGo’s triumph, Microsoft’s ‘chatbot’ took a ba d turn. The software, named Taylor, was designed to answer messages from people aged 18-24. Taylor was supposed to be able to learn from the messages she received. She was designed to slowly improve her ability to handle conversations, but some people were teaching Taylor racist ideas. When she started saying nice things about Hitler, Microsoft turned her off and deleted her ugliest messages.AlphaGo’s victory and Taylor’s defeat happened at about the same time. This should be a warning to us. It is one thi ng to use AI within a game with clear rules and clear goals. It is something very different to use AI in the real world. The unpredictability of the real world may bring to the surface a troubling software problem.Eric Schmidt is one of the bosses of Google, which own AlphoGo. He thinks AI will be positive for humans. He said people will be the winner, whatever the outcome. Advances in AI will make human beings smarter, more able and “just better human beings.”51.What does the author want to show with the example of AlphaGo’s victory?A)Computers will prevail over human beings.B)Computers have unmatched potential.C)Computers are man’s potential rivals.D)Computers can become highly intelligent.52.What does the author mean by AI machines acting ethically?A)They are capable of predicting possible risks.B)They weigh the gains and losses before reaching a decision.C)They make sensible decisions when facing moral dilemmas.D)They sacrifice everything to save human lives.53.What is said to be the bigger challenge facing humans in the AI age?A)How to make super-intelligent AI machines share human feelings.B)How to ensure that super-intelligent AI machines act ethically.C)How to prevent AI machines doing harm to humans.D)How to avoid being over-dependent on AI machines.54.What do we learn about Microsoft’s “chatbot” Taylor?A)She could not distinguish good from bad.B)She could turn herself off when necessary.C)She was not made to handle novel situations.D)She was good at performing routine tasks.55. What does Eric Schmidt think of artificial intelligence?A) It will be far superior to human beings.B) It will keep improving as time goes by.C) It will prove to be an asset to human beings.D) It will be here to stay whatever the outcome.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.由于通信⽹络的快速发展，中国智能⼿机⽤户数量近年来以惊⼈度增长。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第3套)

2014年12月大学英语四级模拟试题Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start you,:" essay with a brief account of the increasing use of the mobile phone in people's then and then explain the consequences of overusing it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than, 180 words.“Dear Andy-How are you? Your mother and I are fine.We both miss you and hope you are doing well.We look forward to seeing you again the nest time your computer crashes and you come down-stairs for something to eat,Love,Mom and Dad.”Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes) Section A1. A) Plan his budget carefully. B) Give her more information.C) Ask someone else for advice. D) Buy a gift for his girlfriend.2. A) She'll have some chocolate cake. B) She'll take a look at the menu.C) She'll go without dessert. D) She'll prepare the dinner.3. A) The man can speak a foreign language. B) The woman hopes to improve her English.C) The woman knows many different languages.D) The man wishes to visit many more countries.4. A) Go to the library. B) Meet the woman. C) See Prof. Smith. D) Have a drink in the bar.5. A) She isn't sure when Prof. Bloom will be back. B) The man shouldn't be late for his class.C) The man can come back sometime later. D) She can pass on the message for the man.6. A) He has a strange personality. B) He's got emotional problems.C) His illness is beyond cure. D) His behavior is hard to explain.7. A) The tickets are more expensive than expected. B) The tickets are sold in advance at half price.C) It's difficult to buy the tickets on the spot. D) It's better to buy the tickets beforehand.8. A) He turned suddenly and ran into a tree. B) He was hit by a fallen box from a truck.C) He drove too fast and crashed into a truck.D) He was trying to overtake the truck ahead of him. Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) To go boating on the St. Lawrence River. B) To go sightseeing in Quebec Province.C) To call on a friend in Quebec City. D) To attend a wedding in Montreal.10. A) Study the map of Quebec Province. B) Find more about Quebec City.C) Brush up on her French. D) Learn more about the local customs.11. A) It's most beautiful in summer. B) It has many historical buildings.C) It was greatly expanded in the 18th century. D) It's the only French-speaking city in Canada. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) It was about a little animal. B) It took her six years to write.C) It was adapted from a fairy tale. D) It was about a little girl and her pet.13. A) She knows how to write best-selling novels. B) She can earn a lot of money by writing for adults.C) She is able to win enough support from publishers. D) She can make a living by doing what she likes.14. A) The characters. B) The readers. C) Her ideas. D) Her life experiences.15.A) She doesn't really know where they originated.B) She mainly drew on stories of ancient saints.C) They popped out of her childhood dreams. D) They grew out of her long hours of thinking. Section B Passage One Questions 16 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.16. A) Monitor students' sleep patterns. B) Help students concentrate in class.C) Record students' weekly performance. D) Ask students to complete a sleep report.17. A) Declining health. B) Lack of attention. C) Loss of motivation. D) Improper behavior.18. A) They should make sure their children are always punctual for school.B) They should ensure their children grow up in a healthy environment.C) They should help their children accomplish high-quality work.D) They should see to it that their children have adequate sleep.Passage Two Questions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) She stopped being a homemaker. B) She became a famous educator.C) She became a public figure. D) She quit driving altogether.20. A) A motorist's speeding. B) Her running a stop sign.C) Her lack of driving experience. D) A motorist's failure to concentrate.21. A) Nervous and unsure of herself. B) Calm and confident of herself.C) Courageous and forceful. D) Distracted and reluctant.22. A) More strict training of women drivers. B) Restrictions on cell phone use while driving.C) Improved traffic conditions in cities. D) New regulations to ensure children's safety. Passage Three Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) They haven't devoted its much energy to medicine as to space travel.B) There are too many kinds of cold viruses for them to identify.C) It is not economical to find a cure for each type of cold.D) They believe people can recover without treatment.24. A) They reveal the seriousness of the problem. B) They indicate how fast the virus spreads.C) They tell us what kind of medicine to take. D) They show our body is fighting the virus.25. A) It actually does more harm than good. B) It causes damage to some organs of our body.C) It works better when combined with other remedies. D) It helps us to recover much sooner. Section C You probably have noticed that people express similar ideas in different ways, depending on the situation they are in. This is very __26__. All languages have two general levels of usage: a formal level and an informal level. English is no __27__. The difference in these two levels is the situation in which you use a __28__ level. Formal language is the kind of language you find in textbooks, __29__, and in business letters. You would also use formal English in compositions and __30__ that you write in school. Informal language is used in conversation with colleagues, family members and friends, and when we write __31__ notes or letters to close friends.Formal language is different from informal language __32__. First, formal language tends to be more polite. What we may find interesting is that it usually takes more words to be polite. For example, I might say to a friend or a family member. "Close the door, please." but to a __33__, I probably would say, "Would you mind closing the door?"Another difference between formal and informal language is some of the __34__. There are bound to be some words and phrases that __35__ formal language and others that are informal. Let's say that I really like soccer. If I'm talking to my friend, I might say "I'm just crazy about soccer!" But if I were talking to my boss, I would probably say "I really enjoy soccer."Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section A Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.The mobile phone is a magic device widely used these days. Although it has been nearly 30 years since the first commercial mobile-phone network was launched, advertisers have yet to figure out how to get their __36__ out to mobile-phone users in a big way. There are 2.2 billion cell-phone users worldwide, a __37__ that is growing by about 25% each year. Yet spending on ads carried over cell-phone networks last year __38__ to just $1.5 billion worldwide, a fraction of the $424 billion global ad market.But as the number of eyeballs glued to __39__ screens multiplies, so too does the mobilephone's value as a pocket billboard(广告牌) Consumers are __40__ using their phones for things other than voice calls, such as text messaging, downloading songs and games, and __41__ the Internet. By 2010, 70 million Asians are expected to be watching videos and TV programs on mobile phones. All of these activities give advertisers __42__ options for reaching audiences. During soccer's World Cup last summer, for example, Adidas used real-time scores and games to __43__ thousands of fans to a website set up for mobile-phone access. "Our target audience was males aged 17 to 25," says Marcus Spurrell, Adidas regional manager for Asia. "Their mobiles are always on, always in their pocket-you just can't __44__ cell phones as an advertising tool."A) Throughout American history there has almost always been at least one central economic narrative that gave the ambitious or unsatisfied reason to pack up and seek their fortune elsewhere. For the first 300 or so years of European settlement, the story was about moving outward: getting immigrants to the continent and then to the frontier to clear the prairies(大草原), drain the wetlands and build new cities.B) By the end of the 19th century, as the frontier vanished, the US had a mild panic attack. What would this energetic, enterprising country be without new lands to conquer? Some people, such as Teddy Roosevelt, decided to keep on conquering (Cuba, the Philippines, etc.), but eventually, in industrialization, the US found a new narrative of economic mobility at home. From the 1890s to the 1960s, people moved from farm to city, first in the North and then in the South. In fact, by the 1950s, there was enough prosperity and white-collar work that many began to move to the suburbs. As the population aged, there was also a shift from the cold Rust Belt to the comforts of the Sun Belt. We think of this as an old person's migration, but it created many jobs for the young in construction and health care, not to mention tourism, retail and restaurants.C) For the last 20 years from the end of the cold war through two burst bubbles in a single decade-the US has been casting about for its next economic narrative. And now it is experiencing another period of panic, which is bad news for much of the workforce but particularly for its youngest members.D) The US has always been a remarkably mobile country, but new data from the Census Bureau indicate that mobility has reached its lowest level in recorded history. Sure, some people are stuck in homes valued at less than their mortgages(抵押贷款), but many young people-who don't own homes and don't yet have families-are staying put, too. This suggests, among other things, that people aren't packing up for new economic opportunities the way they used to. Rather than dividing the country into the 1 percenters versus(与......相对) everyone else, the split in our economy is really between two other classes: the mobile and immobile.E)Part of the problem is that the country's largest industries are in decline. In the past, it was perfectly clear where young people should go for work (Chicago in the 1870s, Detroit in the 1910s, Houston in the 1970s) and,more or less, what they'd be doing when they got there (killing cattle, building cars, selling oil). And these industries were large enough to offer jobs to each class of worker, from unskilled laborer to manager or engineer.Today, the few bright spots in our economy are relatively small (though some promise future growth) and decentralized. There are great jobs in Silicon Valley, in the biotech research capitals of Boston and Raleigh-Durham and in advanced manufacturing plants along the southern z-85 corridor. These companies recruit all over the countryand the globe for workers with specific abilities. (You don't need to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. to get a job in one of the microhubs(微中心), by the way. But you will almost certainly need at least a B. A. in computer science or a year or two at a technical school.) This newer, select job market is national, and it offers members of the mobile class competitive salaries and higher bargaining power.F)Many members of the immobile class, on the other hand, live in the America of the gloomy headlines. If you have no specialized skills, there's little reason to uproot to another state and be the last in line for a low-paying job at a new auto plant or a green-energy startup. The surprise in the census(普查) data, however, is that the immobile workforce is not limited to unskilled workers. In fact, many have a college degree.G) Until now, a B. A. in any subject was a near-guarantee of at least middle-class wages. But today, a quarter of college graduates make less than the typical worker without a bachelor's degree. David Autor, a prominent labor economist at , recently told me that a college degree alone is no longer a guarantor of a good job. While graduates from top universities are still likely to get a good job no matter what their major is, he said, graduates from less-famous schools are going to be judged on what they know. To compete for jobs on a national level, they should be armed with the skills that emerging industries need, whether technical or not.H) Those without such specialized skills-like poetry, or even history, majors-are already competing with their neighbors for the same sorts of second-rate, poorer-paying local jobs like low-level management or big-box retail sales. And with the low-skilled labor market atomized into thousands of microeconomics, immobile workers are less able to demand better wages or conditions or to acquire valuable skills.I) So what, exactly, should the ambitious young worker of today be learning? Unfortunately, it's hard to say, since the US doesn't have one clear national project. There are plenty of emerging, smaller industries, but which ones are the most promising? (Nanotechnology's(纳米技术) moment of remarkable growth seems to have been 5 years into the future for something like 20 years now.) It's not clear exactly what skills are most needed or if they will even be valuable in a decade.J)What is clear is that all sorts of government issues--education. health-insurance portability, worker retraining-are no longer just bonuses to already prosperous lives but existential requirements. It's in all of our interests to make sure that as many people as possible are able to move toward opportunity, and America's ability to invest people and money in exciting new ideas is still greater than that of most other wealthy countries. (As recently as five years ago, US migration was twice the rate of European Union states.) That, at least, is some comfort at a time when our national economy seems to be searching for its next story line.46.Unlike in the past, a college degree alone does not guarantee a good job for its holder.47. The census data is surprising in that college graduates are also among the immobile workforce.48. New figures released by the government show that Americans today are less mobile than ever before.49. The migration of old people from cold to warm places made many jobs available to the young.50. America is better at innovation than most other rich nations-51. Early American history is one of moving outward.52. Young people don't know what to learn because it is hard to predict what skills are most needed or valued ten years from now.53. Computer or other technical skills are needed to get a well-paying job in high-tech or advanced manufacturing.54. When the frontier vanished about a century ago, America found new economic mobility inindustrialization.55. America today can be divided into two classes: those who move and those who don't.Section c Passage One Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.A new study shows a large gender gap on economic policy among the nation's professional economists, a divide similar to the gender divide found in the general public."As a group, we are pro-market." says Ann Mari May. co-author of the study and a University of Nebraska economist. "But women are more likely to accept government regulation and involvement in economic activity than our male colleagues.""It's very puzzling," says free market economist Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. "Not a day goes by that I don't ask myself why there are so few women economists on the free market side."A native of France, de Rugy supported government intervention(干预) early in her life but changed her mind after studying economics. "We want many of the same things as liberals-less poverty, more health care-but have radically different ideas on how to achieve it."Liberal economist Dean Baker, co-founder of the Center for Economic Policy and Research, says male economists have been on the inside of the profession, confirming each other's anti-regulation views. Women, as outsiders, "are more likely to think independently or at least see people outside of the economics profession as forming their peer group," he says.The gender balance in economics is changing. One-third of economics doctorates (博士学位) now go to women. "More diversity is needed at the table when public policy is discussed," May says.Economists do agree on some things. Female economists agree with men that Europe has too much regulation and that Wal-mart is good for society. Male economists agree with their female colleagues that military spending is too high.The genders are most divorced from each other on the question of equality for women. Male economists overwhelmingly think the wage gap between men and women is largely the result of individuals' skills, experience and voluntary choices. Female economists overwhelmingly disagree by a margin of 4-to-1.The biggest disagreement: 76% of women say faculty opportunities in economics favor men. Male economists point the opposite way: 80% say women are favored or the process is neutral.56. What is the finding of the new study?A) The gender divide is a big concern of the general public.B) Men and women understand economics quite differently.C) The gap between male and female economists needs to be closed.D) Male and female economists disagree widely on economic policy.57. What does Ann Mari May say about female economists?A) They are strongly against male domination in the economics profession.B) They tend to support government intervention in economic activity.C) They usually play an active role in public policy-making.D) They are mostly strong advocates of free market economy.58. What do we learn about economist Veronique de Rugy?A) She represents most female economists' standpoint.B) She devotes herself to eliminating women's poverty.C) Her study of economics changed her view on government's role in economic activities.D) Her academic background helped her get into the inner circle of the economics profession.59. What does Ann Mari May imply about public policy-making?A) More female economists should get involved.B) It should do justice to female economists' studies.C) More attention should be paid to women's rights. D) It should aim at sustainable development.60. On what issue do male and female economists differ most?A) Government regulation. B) Job creation. C) Military spending. D) Gender equality. Passage Two Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.The number of postgraduate students travelling from non-EU countries to study at UK universities has fallen for the first time in 16 years, fuelling fears that the government's immigration crackdown is discouraging thousands of the brightest students from continuing their studies in Britain.Jo Beall, British Council director of education and society, said the fall would cause alarm among UK vice-chancellors(大学行政主管). "The sector was expecting a decline in growth, but the actual reduction in postgraduate numbers is of real concern as international students make up the majority of numbers in many postgraduate courses and research teams in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.""Attracting the brightest and most ambitious postgraduate and research students is critical if the UK is to maintain its quality reputation for research," Beall said.Universities get a third of their tuition(学费) fee revenue from non-EU students. There is growing fear among vice-chancellors that this revenue-as well as the cultural, academic and economic benefit international students bring-is being put at risk.Tim Westlake, director for the student experience at Manchester University, said students whose families relied on them working in the UK after their studies to gain experience and repay the fees were starting to look elsewhere.Last month the home secretary. Theresa May. announced that embassy staff would interview more than 100 000 applicants in an attempt to prevent bogus(假冒的) ones entering the country. She also said immigrants were responsible for pushing up UK house prices. The comments followed the introduction of new limitations on students' right to work during and after their studies. Beall said: "Government statistics for the first time provide real evidence that the changes to UK visa regulations may have discouraged many students from applying to the UK. and in particular postgraduate students who are so important to the UK's research output. The UK enjoys an excellent reputation around the world for the high quality of our education system, so the government needs to ensure that institutions have all the support they need to attract international students who make a tremendous academic, cultural and economic contribution to the UK."61. What has caused the decline of the number of non-EU postgraduates in the UK?A) The increase in tuition and fees. B) The ever-rising living expenses.C) Changed immigration policies. D) Universities' tightened budgets.62. What is UK vice-chancellors' biggest concern?A) How to obtain financial support from the government.B) How to keep the academic reputation of their institutions.C) How to prevent bogus applicants entering their universities.D) How to stimulate the creativity of their research teams.63. Why do UK universities try to attract postgraduate students from outside the EU?A) A substantial part of their revenue comes from non-EU students' tuition and fees.B) Non-EU postgraduate students are usually highly motivated.C) The number of UK postgraduate students has fallen sharply.D) Some of the postgraduate programmers are specially designed for non-EU students64. What were the expectations of some non-EU students' families?A) Their children could enjoy the UK's cultural benefits.B) Their children could find well-paying jobs upon their return.C) Their children could become established academically.D) Their children could work in the UK after graduation.65. What does Beall suggest the UK government should do?A) Allow promising international students to work in research teams.B) Revise UK visa regulations to accommodate non-EU students.C) Give universities adequate support to attract non-EU students.D) Try to address the needs of international students in the UK.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2,"你要茶还是要咖啡？"是用餐人常被问到的问题，许多西方人会选咖啡，而中国人则会选茶。

2013年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)

2013年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

PartⅡListening Comprehension(30 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 decidewhich is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

2014年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)

2014年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案（第一套）Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage。

The rise of the Internet has been one of the most transformative developments in human history, comparable in impact to the invention of the printing press and the telegraph。

Over two billion people worldwide now have access to vastly more information than ever before, and can communicate with each other instantly , often using Web—connected mobile devices they carry everywhere。

But the Internet’s tremendous impact has only just begun。

"Mass adoption of the Internet is driving one of the most exciting social, cultural，and political transformations in history，and unlike earlier periods of change, this time the effects are fully global，" Schmidt and Cohen write in their new book The New Digital Age.Perhaps the most profound changes will come when the five billion people worldwide who currently lack Internet access get online。

2013年6月大学英语四级真题试卷(第1套)(题后含答案及解析)

2013年6月大学英语四级真题试卷（第1套）(题后含答案及解析)题型有：1. Writing 2. Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) 3. Listening Comprehension 4. Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) 5. Cloze 8. TranslationPart I Writing (30 minutes)1．For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and then express your views on the importance of doing small things before undertaking something big. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.正确答案：Doing Big Things Starts from Doing the Small Ones As is vividly revealed in the picture above, the boy expresses his worries about the disposal of nuclear wastes, while the father tells him to empty the dustbin in the room first. The picture reminds us of an old Chinese saying—If you don’t like to do trivial things like cleaning your room, it’s impossible for you to undertake any important task. Undoubtedly, the symbolic meaning subtly conveyed in the picture should be given deep consideration that it is vital and necessary to deal with trivial things. Doing small things well can help us develop the good qualities needed in undertaking important tasks, which lays a solid foundation for our future development. More often these small things would make the difference between success and failure. We surely know that the want of a horse shoe nail may cause a kingdom to be lost. Therefore, when it comes to the key to success, the most important thing lies in dealing with every trivial thing well around us. In one word, for college students, to achieve goals needs not merely the great ambition, but the practical spirit of dealing with trivial things from the beginning. Only in this way can we make the highest eminence.Part 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 attached to the passage. For questions 1-7, mark：Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage.Can Digital Textbooks Truly Replace the Print Kind? The shortcomings of traditional print edition textbooks are obvious. For starters they’re heavy, with the average physics textbook weighing 3.6 pounds. They’re also expensive, especially when you factor in the average college student’s limited budget, typically costing hundreds of dollars every semester. But the worst part is that print versions of textbooks are constantly undergoing revisions. Many professors require that their students use only the latest versions in the classroom, essentially rendering older textsunusable. For students, it means they’re basically stuck with a four pound paperweight that they can’t sell back. Which is why digital textbooks, if they live up to their promise, could help ease many of these shortcomings. But till now, they’ve been something like a mirage(幻影)in the distance, more like a hazy(模糊的)dream than an actual reality. Imagine the promise. Carrying all your textbooks in a 1.3 pound iPad? It sounds almost too good to be true. But there are a few pilot schools already making the transition(过渡)over to digital books. Universities like Cornell and Brown have jumped onboard. And one medical program at the University of California, Irvine, gave their entire class iPads with which to download textbooks just last year. But not all were eager to jump aboard. “ People were tired of using the iPad textbook besides using it for reading,” says Kalpit Shah, who will be going into his second year at Irvine’s medical program this fall. “ They weren’t using it as a source of communication because they couldn’t read or write in it. So a third of the people in my program were using the iPad in class to take notes, the other third were using laptops and the last third were using paper and pencil. “The reason it hasn’t caught on yet, he tells me, is that the functionality of e-edition textbooks is incredibly limited, and some students just aren’t motivated to learn new study behavior. But a new application called Inkling might change all that. The company just released an updated version last week, and it’ll be utilized in over 50 undergraduate and graduate classrooms this coming school year. “Digital textbooks are not going to catch on,”says Inkling CEO Matt Maclnnis as he’s giving me a demo(演示)over coffee. “ What I mean by that is the current perspective of the digital textbook is it’s an exact copy of the print book. There’s Course Smart, etc. , these guys who take an image of the page and put it on a screen. If that’s how we’re defining digital textbooks, there’s no hope of that becoming a mainstream product. “He calls Inkling a platform for publishers to build rich multimedia content from the ground up, with a heavy emphasis on real-world functionality. The traditional textbook merely serves as a skeleton. At first glance Inkling is an impressive experience. After swiping(触击)into the iPad app(应用软件),which you can get for free here, he opens up a few different types of textbooks. Up first is a chemistry book. The boot time is pretty fast, and he navigates through(浏览)a few chapters before swiping into a fully rendered 3D molecule that can be spun around to view its various building blocks. “Publishers give us all of the source media, artwork, videos,”he says. “We help them think through how to actually build something for this platform. “Next he pulls up a music composition textbook, complete with playable demos. It’s a learning experience that attacks you from multiple sensory directions. It’s clear why this would be something a music major would love. But the most exciting part about Inkling, to me, is its notation(批注)system. Here’s how it works: When you purchase a used print book, it comes with its previous owner’s highlights and notes in the margins. It uses the experience of someone who already went through the class to help improve your reading(how much you trust each notation is obviously up to you). But with Inkling, you can highlight a piece of content and make notes. Here’s where things get interesting, though: If a particularly important passage is highlighted by multiple Inkling users, that information is stored on the cloud and is available foranyone reading the same textbook to come across. That means users have access to notes from not only their classmates and Facebook friends, but anyone who purchased the book across the country. The best comments are then sorted democratically by a voting system, meaning that your social learning experience is shared with the best and brightest thinkers. As a bonus, professors can even chime in(插话)on discussions. They’ll be able to answer the questions of students who are in their class directly via the interactive book. Of course, Inkling addresses several of the other shortcomings in traditional print as well. Textbook versions are constantly updated, motivating publishers by minimizing production costs(the big ones like McGraw-Hill are already onboard). Furthermore, students will be able to purchase sections of the text instead of buying the whole thing, with individual chapters costing as little as $ 2.99. There are, however, challenges. “ It takes efforts to build each book,”Maclnnis tells me. And it’s clear why. Each interactive textbook is a media-heavy experience built from the ground up, and you can tell that it takes a respectable amount of manpower to put together each one. For now the app is also iPad-exclusive, and though a few of these educational institutions are giving the hardware away for free, for other students who don’t have such a luxury it’s an added layer of cost—and an expensive one at that. But this much is clear: The traditional textbook model is and has been broken for quite some time. Whether digitally interactive ones like Inkling actually take off or not remains to be seen, and we probably won’t have a definite answer for the next few years. However, the solution to any problem begins with a step in a direction. And at least for now, that hazy mirage in the distance? A little more tangible(可触摸的), a little less of a dream.2．The biggest problem with traditional print textbooks is that______.A．they are not reused once a new edition comes outB．they cost hundreds of dollars every semesterC．they are too heavy to carry aroundD．they take a longer time to revise正确答案：A解析：文章第一段提到了纸质教科书的一些缺点，如很重、昂贵等。

2016年12月大学英语四级真题及答案第一套

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Supposeyou have twooptions upon graduation: one is to find a job somewhere and the otherto start abusiness of your own. You are to make a decision. Write an essay to explain the reasonsfor your decision. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are requiredto select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices. Eachchoice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letterfor each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may notuse any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense.But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes--animal fighting--things26work out that way.Dog-fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and "sport,"yet their criminal abusers oftenreceive a28 sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animalfighters only get probation (缓刑). Some p rogress has been made i n the prosecution (起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judgesoften rely heavily on the U. S. Sentencing GuideLines when they29 penalties, and in the case ofanimal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which31 these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them,proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6 - 12 to 21 - 27 months. Thisis a step in the right32, but we'd like to see the U. S. Sentencing Commission make further changes to the guidelines.Along with this effort, we're working with animal advocates and state and federallawmakers to33 anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting lawsand policies that assistoverburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is 35 importantbecause the high cost of caring for animal victims is amajor factor that prevents people from gettinginvolved in cruelty cases in the first place.A. convenientB. createsC. criticallyD. determineE. directionF. hesitateG. inadequateH. inspiredI. methodJ. minimalK. rarelyL. sheltersM. strengthenN. sufferingsO. torturedSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statementsattached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose aparagraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.When Work Becomes a GameA) What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. Thepromise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, fora lucky few.B) Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through whathas come to be knownas "gamification" : essentially, turning work into a game."Gamification is about understandingwhat it is that makes games engaging and whatgame designers do to create a great experience ingames, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace andeducation," explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School ofBusinessat the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.C) It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard andoffering prizes to thewinner, or giving employees digital badges or stars forcompleting certain activities. It could alsomean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies fromGoogle to L'Oréalto IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in theirworkplaces. And moreand more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that theglobalgamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.D) The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies,marketers and teachershave long looked for fun ways to engage people's reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jackshas been "gamifying" its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, headds, and theturn-of-the-century steel magnate (巨头) Charles Schwab is said to have often comeinto his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the pastshift on the factoryfloor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat theprevious one.E) But the word "gamification" and the widespread, conscious application of theconcept only beganin earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in partto video games, the generation nowentering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. "We are at apoint where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playingvideo games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too," Werbachsays.F) A number of companies have sprung up--GamEffective, Bunchbail and Badgeville,to name a few--in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effectiveturn employees' ordinary job tasks into part ofa rich adventure narrative. "What makes a gamegame-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome," Werbach says. "The principle isabout understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understandingof psychology. "G) Some p eople, Werbach says, are motivated by competition.Sales people often fall into thiscategory. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their saies pitches into acompetition with other team members, complete with a digitalleaderboard showing who is winningat all times. Others are more motivated bycollaboration and social experiences. One companyWerbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employees' morale(士气). When employees log in to their computers, they're shown a picture of one of theircoworkers and asked to guess that person's name.H) Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company thatgamifies employeetrainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed agamification strategy for a saies training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed"storm chaser teams" and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn variousrewards. "Rewards do not haveto be stuff," Cornetti says. "Rewards can be flexible workinghours. " Anothertraining, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfstheme."Snow White" is available for everyone to use, but the "dwarfs" are still undercopyright,so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) toillustrate specific pay rolllaw principles.I) Some p eople do not take naturaily to gamified work environments, Cornetti says.In herexperience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineeringdo not tend to like thesound of the word. "If we are designing for engineers, I'mnot talking about a ' game' at all,"Cornetti says. "I'm talking about a ' simulation' (模拟), I'm talking about ' being able to solvethis problem. '"J) Gamification is " not a magic bullet," Werbach warns.A gamification strategythat is notsufficiently thought through or well tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but itwill not motivate people in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used withvulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobsyet know they can beeasily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbachgivesthe example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, Caiifornia, which used largedigital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another.Some employees found the board motivating. To others, itwas the opposite of fun. Some began tostop taking bathroom breaks, worried thatif their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnantemployees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the boardas a "digital whip. ""It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance," Werbachsays.K) Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, "as more andmore people comeinto the workforce who are familiar with the structures and expressions of digitai games. ""We arefar from reaching the peak," Cornetti agrees. "There is no reason this will go away. "36. Some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying todo the same.37. Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negativeresults.38. To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellowworkers when startingtheir computers.39. The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a centuryago.40. There is reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41. Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42. When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes gamesinteresting.43. Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44. The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignmentsinto fun experiences.45. It is necessary to use terms other than "gamification" for some professions.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices markedA, B, C andD . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keepyounger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task itis to "solve"problems--real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actualproblems in educating our young people and olderstudents have deepened, while the number of peoplehired--not to teach but to holdmeetings--has increased significantly. Every new problem creates anew job for anadministrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, thecenter is a clearing house (信息交流中心) for using technology in classroomsand in online courses.It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems--class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being--might be improved by cuttingdown the bureaucratic ( 官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. If we replaced half of ouradministrative staff with classroomteachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actuallyknew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way--the curriculum should beflexible enough sothat they can use their individual talents to achieve the goalsof the course. Additionally, they should beallowed to teach, and be rewarded fordoing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at andconsumed by researchand happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are notexclusive,but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent andpractice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterlyconfusing to me that peopledo not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell thedifference between their best and worstteachers.46. What does the author say about present-day universities?A. They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B. They often fail to combine teaching with research.C. They are over-burdened with admires" trative staff.D. They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47. According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A. Good classroom teachers.B. Efficient administrators.C. Talented researchers.D. Motivated students.48. What does the author imply about the classes at present?A. They facilitate students' independent learning.B. They help students form closer relationships.C. They have more older students than before.D. They are much bigger than is desirable.49. What does the author think of teaching ability?A. It requires talent and practice.B. It is closely related to research.C. It is a chief factor affecting students' learning.D. It can be acquired through persistent practice.50. What is the author's suggestion for improving university teaching?A. Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences.B. Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C. Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D. Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms. Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked yearsago--byMcDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and BrandLab, small non-foodrewards--like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals--stimulate the same reward centers in the brain asfood does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people wouldchoose a smaller meal ff it was paired with a non-food item.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a haft-sized portion when combinedwith a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to makeadults choose thesmaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket ( 彩票), with a $10, $ 50 or $100 payout,and this was as effective as a tangible giftin persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of arelatively small monetary award is interesting," says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes thatmake them effective.In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard oddsincluded."One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionallyprovoking thancertrainty Reimann." The of added attraction andawards,"saysuncertainty winningprovidesdesirability through emotional ' thrills. ' The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state ofhope--astate that is in itself psychologically rewarding. " In other words, there's a reason why peoplelike to gamble.How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Ormaybe t he reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a futuredate. That would get you back in the restaurant--and make you eat a little less.51. What do we learn about McDonald's inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A. It may shed light on people's desire to crack a secret.B. It has proved to be key to McDonald's business success.C. It appeals to kid's curiosity to fred out what is hidden inside.D. It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A. Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald's more.B. Most kids and adults don't actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C. Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D. Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53. What is most interesting in Martin Reimann's fmding?A. Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B. Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.C. Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D. Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54. How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A. The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B. People now care more about quality than quantity.C. People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D. The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55. What can we infer from Martin Reimann's finding?A. People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.B. More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald's example.C. We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D. More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IVTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage fromChinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福。

2013年12月全国英语四级真题(第1套)

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第1套）Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Interneton learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtaininformation. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Part ⅡListening Comprehension (30 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 questionthere 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 letteron Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged. C) The conference room has to be cleaned.B) The sound equipment has to be set up. D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted. C) She cannot finish work in time.B) She is near-sighted. D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food. C) The woman should order her food quickly.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later. D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic. C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.B) He doesn’t keep his promises. D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International trade. C) Financial consulting.B) Product development. D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip. C) Make a ticket reservation.B) Look for a job in Miami. D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18. C) It is a beautiful little town.B) It has an interesting museum. D) It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions. C) They are quite close to each other.B) They are fifty-five miles apart. D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7. C) They have lots of old houses.B) They are crowded with tourists. D) They have many rare plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr. Gartner.D) Accompany Mr. Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30. C) About 5:30.B) About 6:30. D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr. Gartner from Milan. C) The company’s sales representative.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar. D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15. A) Travel agent. C) Secretary.B) Business manager. D) Saleswoman.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 choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others. C) She needed some overseas experience.B) She wanted to find out more about it. D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program. C) Learn Portuguese.B) Work on an agricultural project. D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising. C) Time spent on leisure activities.B) Time spent working. D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading. C) Eating out.B) Surfing the Web. D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving. B) Gardening. C) Going to the pub. D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident.C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin’s carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there. C) He tore down the company’s main gate.B) He knocked down several mailboxes. D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job. C) He will be fined heavily.B) He will have to pay damages. D) He will receive retraining.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 forthe second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you havejust heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check whatyou have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate 26 , they replied, “Because it is right.” If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants 27 skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get 28 and very uninformative answers: “Because it’s right.”“Because that’s the way it’s done.”“Because it’s the 29 .” Or even “I don’t know.” The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are 30 by social norms—shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms 31 how people “ought” to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform (遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they 32 . In fact, we are much more likely to notice 33 from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little 34 if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both 35 . Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Readthe passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate’s or four-year bachelor’s degree programs. But as the nursing shortage 36 , a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing “fast-track programs” that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training.In 1991, there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200. Typical is Columbia University’s Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year. Those who stay on for an 39 two years can earn a master’s degree that40 them as nurse practitioners (执业护士) or clinical nurse specialists.Many students are recent 41 ; others are career switchers. Rudy Guardron, 32, a2004 graduate of Columbia’s program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a pharmaceutical(药物的) research company. At Columbia, he was 42 as a nurse practitioner. “I saw that nurses were in high 43 and it looked like a really good opportunity,” he says. “Also, I didn’t want to be in school for that long.”The fast-track trend fills a need, but it’s also creating some 44 between newcomers and veterans. “Nurses that are still at the bedside 45 these kids with suspicion,”says Linda Pellico, who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years. “They wonder, how can they do it quicker?” The answer is they don’t.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify theparagraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph morethan once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by markingthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The rise of the sharing economyA)Last night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms in30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it—2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new “sharing economy”, in which pe ople rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet.B)You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast (家庭旅店), owning atimeshare (分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb, RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online payment systems handle the billing.What’s mine is yours, for a feeC)Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites letindividuals act as an ad hoc (临时的) taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店)as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them.Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, but you can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps (胜过) ownership.D)Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rentalmarket alone is worth $26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the grid (电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E)Such “collaborative (合作的) consumption” is a good thing for several reasons. Owners makemoney from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000.Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned toa traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. And there are environmental benefits,too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F)For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm.Curmudgeons(倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends (or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works. Peering into the futureG)The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started in America 15 years ago.At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successful purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay. Having started out asa peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional “power sellers”(many ofwhom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise. Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H)Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire firm, has a share in asharing rival. So do GM and Daimler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office space) on peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.I)The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, forexample? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax, of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and-breakfasts are more than adequate.J)The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet’s value to consumers. This emerging model is now big and disruptive(颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb’s success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48. The major concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it.49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel, rentals, etc.52. Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactions online.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made full useof.55. Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) andD). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people’s hunger levels were predicted not by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol.“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,” Brunstrom says. “This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought.”These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trickour body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie(卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat. C) When we eat our meals.B) What ingredients the food contains. D) How fast we eat our meals.57. What would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body’s response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one’s consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less. C) Concentrate on food while eating.B) Choose food with fewer calories. D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard’s 2011 “Pathways to Prosperity”report for more attention to the “forgotten half”(those who do not go on to college) and ideasabout how to address this issue.Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene(干预) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students’ expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don’t go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position.B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges find it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. What suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children’s education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children’s education.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.许多人喜欢中餐。

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2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below． You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least l20 words but n0．more than l80 words．Part II Listening Comprehension (30 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 I with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.C) The conference room has to be cleaned.D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted.B) She is near-sighted.C) She cannot finish work in time.D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.C) The woman should order her food quickly.D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic.B) He doesn't keep his promises.C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International trade.B) Product development.C) Financial consulting.D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip.B) Look for a job in Miami.C) Make a ticket reservation.D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18.B) It has an interesting museum.C) It is a beautiful little town,D). It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions.B) They are fifty-five miles apart.C) They are quite close to each other.D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7.B) They are crowded with tourists.C) They have lots of old houses.D) They have many rarr plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner,D) Accompany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30.B) About 6:30.C) About 5:30.D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr Gartner from Milan.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar.C) The company's sales representative.D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce,15. A) Travel agent.B) Business manager.C) Secretary.D) Saleswoman,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 I with a single line through the centre. Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others.B) She wanted to find out more about it.C) She needed some overseas experience.D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program.B) Work on an agricultural project.C) Learn Portuguese.D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising.B) Time spent working.C) Time spent on leisure activities.D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading.B) Surfing the Web.C) Eating out.D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving.B) Gardening.C) Going to the pub.D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident,C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin's carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there.B) He knocked down several mailboxes.C) He tore down the company's main gate.D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job.B) He will have to pay damages.C) He will be fined heavily.D) He will receive retraining.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 with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always are 26 , they replied, "Because it is right. " If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants 27skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get 28 and very uninformative answers: "Because it's right. " "Because that's the way it's done. " "Because it's the 29 " Or even ,I don't know. " The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are __30 by social norms--shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms 31 how people " ought" to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform ( 遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they 32 . In fact, we are much more likely to notice 33 from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little 34 if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both 35 . Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage: Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate's or four-year bachelor's degree programs. But as the nursing shortage 36 , a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing "fast-track programs" that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training.In 1991, there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200. Typical is Columbia University's Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year. Those who stay on for an 39 two years can earn a master's degree that 40 them asnurse practitioners (执业护士) or clinical nurse specialists.Many students are recent 41 ; others are career switchers. Rudy Guardron, 32, a 2004 graduate of Columbia's program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a pharmaceutical (药物的) research company. At Columbia, he was __42__ as a nurse practitioner. "I saw that nurses were in high 43 and it looked like a really good opportunity," he says. "Also, I didn't want to be in school for that long. "The fast-track trend fills a need, but it's also creating some 44 between newcomers and veterans. "Nurses that are still at the bedside 45 these kids with suspicion," says Linda Pellico, who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years. "They wonder, how can they do it quicker?" The answer is they don't.A) additionalB) appliedC) demandD) excessiveE) experienceF) expores G) graduatesH) operationsI) promoteJ) qualifiesK) specializedL) tensionM) trainedN) viewO) worsensSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a ltter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The rise of the sharing economyA) Last night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms in 30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it—2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new "sharing economy", in which people rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet.B) You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast (家庭旅店). owning a timeshare (分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard,a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb. RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online payment systems handle the billing. What's mine is yours, for a feeC) Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites let individuals act as an ad hoc ( 临时的) taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店) as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, but you can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps ( 胜过) ownership.D) Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $ 26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the gr/d ( 电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E) Such "collaborative (合作的) consumption" is a good thing for several reasons. Owners make money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $ 9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000. Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. And there are environmental benefits, too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F) For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm. Curmudgeons (倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends ( or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works.Peering into the futureG) The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started in America 15 years ago. At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successfal purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay, Having started out as a peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional "power sellers" ( many of whom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise, Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H) Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire fn'm, has a share ina sharing rival. So do GM and Dalmler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office.space) on peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.i) The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, for example? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax, of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and-breakfasts are more than adequate.J) The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet's value to consumers. This emerging model is now big and disruptive (颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb's success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48, The ma~or concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it. 49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel, rentdls, etc. 52, Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactions online.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made full use of. 55, Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D ). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corrvsponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV ( or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and fighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they'd eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them in other words, how much they remembered eating.. This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal. says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor ofexperimental psychology at the Univerity of Bristol."Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified anindependent role for memory for that meal,'" Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relation_ship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought. ""These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body's response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie(卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake's label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less. the new fmdings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractious and help us control our appetite,Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat.B) what ingredients the food contains.C) When we eat our meals.D) How fast we eat our meals.57. what would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body's response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one's consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less.B) Choose food with fewer calories.C) Concentrate on food while eating.D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B ) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to goon to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic ( 勤奋工作的美德 ) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 "Pathways to Prosperity" report for more attention to the "forgotten half" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a know.ledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positio~_s that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (干预 ) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position. B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges fmd it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. what suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children's education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children's education.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.许多人喜欢中餐。