2015年12月英语六级考试真题(第2套)

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2016年12月大学英语六级考试真题听力原文及参考答案(第2套)

2016年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第2套）参考答案Part IV TranslationThe number of Chinese language learners undergoes a dramatic rise as China’s economy surges, which has turned Chinese into one of the most popular language among language learners across the world. In recent years, Chinese universities are moving up significantly in the world university rankings. Owing to the great advances in its educational system, China now ranks unsurprisingly as one of the most favored destinations for overseas students. In 2015, there were around 400,000 overseas students flocking to China to pursue their studies. They no longer restrict their interest to Chinese language and culture, instead, branching out into other subjects including science and engineering. Although the United States and the United Kingdom are still dominant in the global education market, China is catching up at a fast pace with them.Part II Listening Comprehension听力原文Section AQuestions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.M: Guess what? The worst food I ever had was in France.W: Really? That's odd. I thought the French were all good cooks.M: Yes, that's right. I suppose it's really like anywhere else, though. You know, some places are good, some bad. But it's really all our own fault.W: What do you mean?M: Well, it was the first time I'd been to France. This was years ago when I was at school. I went there with my parents' friends, from my father's school. They’d hired a coach to take them to Switzerland.W: A school trip?M: Right. Most of them had never been abroad before. We'd crossed the English Channel at night and we set off through France and breakfast time arrived, and the coach driver had arranged for us to stop at this little café. There we all were tired and hungry and then we made a great discovery. W: What was that?M: Bacon and eggs.W: Fantastic! The real English breakfast.M: Yes, anyway we didn't know any better--- so we had it, and ugh...!W: What was it like? Disgusting?M: Ah, it was incredible. They just got a bowl and put some fat in it. And then they put some bacon in the fat, broke an egg over the top and put the whole lot in the oven for about ten minutes. W: In the oven? You're joking. You can't cook bacon and eggs in the oven!M: Well, they must have done it that way. It was hot, but it wasn't cooked. There was just this egg floating about in gallons of fat and raw bacon.W: Did you actually eat it?M: No, nobody did. They all wanted to turn round and go home. You know, back to teabags and fish and chips. You can't blame them really. Anyway, the next night we were all given another foreign specialty.W: What was that?M: Snails--that really finished them off. Lovely holiday that was!1. What did the woman think of the French?2. Who did the man travel with on his first trip to Switzerland?3. What does the man say about the breakfast at the little French café?4. What did the man think of his holiday in France?Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.M: You say your shop has been doing well. Could you give me some idea of what “doing well” means in facts and figures?W: Well, “doing well” means averaging 1,200 pounds or more a week for about 7 years, making almost a quarter of a million pounds. And “doing well” means your earnings are rising. Last year we did slightly over 50,000 and this year we hope to do more than 60,000. So that's good if we continue to rise.M: Now that's growth on earnings, I assume. What about your expenses?W: Yes, that's growth. The expenses of course go up steadily. And since we've moved to this new shop, the expenses have increased greatly because it's a much bigger shop. So I couldn't say exactly what our expenses are. There's something in the region of 6 or 7 thousand pounds a year, which is not high---commercially speaking, it's very low. And we try to keep our expenses as low as we can.M: And your prices are much lower than the same goods in shops round about. How do the local shopkeepers feel about having a shop doing so well in their midst?W: Perhaps a lot of them don't realize how well we're doing because we don't make a point of publicizing. That was a lesson we learned very early on. We were very friendly with all local shopkeepers and we have been to mention to a local shopkeeper how much we have made that week. He was very unhappy and never as friendly again. So we make a point of never publicizing the amount of the money we make. But we're on very good terms with all the shops; none of them have ever complained that we're putting them out of business or anything like that. I think it's a nice funny relationship. Maybe if they did know what we made, perhaps they wouldn't be so friendly.5. What are the speakers mainly talking about?6. What does the woman say her shop tries to do?7. What do we learn about goods sold at the woman's shop?8. Why doesn't the woman want to make known their earnings anymore?Section BQuestions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.Birds are famous for carrying things around. Some, like homing pigeons, can be trained to deliver messages and packages. Other birds unknowingly carry seeds that cling to them for the ride. Canadian scientists have found a worrisome, new example of the power that birds have to spread stuff around. Way up north in the Canadian Arctic, seabirds are picking up dangerous chemicals in the ocean and delivering them to ponds near where the birds live.Some 10,000 pairs of the birds, called fulmars, a kind of Arctic seabird, make their nests on Devon Island, north of the Arctic Circle. The fulmars travel some 400 kilometers over the sea to find food. When they return home, their droppings end up all around their nesting sites, including in nearby ponds.Previously, scientists noticed pollutants arriving in the Arctic with the wind. Salmon also carry dangerous chemicals, as the fish migrate between rivers and the sea. The bodies of fish and other meat-eaters can build up high levels of the chemicals.To test the polluting power of fulmars, researchers collected samples of deposits from 11 ponds on Devon Island. In ponds closest to the colony, the results showed that there were far more pollutants than in ponds less affected by the birds. The pollutants in the ponds appear to come from fish that fulmars eat when they're out on the ocean. People who live, hunt, or fish near bird colonies need to be careful, the researchers say. The birds don't mean to cause harm, but the chemicals they carry can cause major problems.9. What have Canadian scientists found about some seabirds?10. What does the speaker say about the seabirds called fulmars?11. What did scientists previously notice about pollutants in the Arctic?12. What does the speaker warn about at the end of the talk?Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.In recent years, the death rate among American centenarians -- people who have lived to age 100 or older--has decreased, dropping 14 percent for women and 20 percent for men from 2008 to 2014. The leading causes of death in this age group are also changing. In 2000, the top five causes of death for centenarians were heart disease, stroke, flu, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. But by 2014, the death rate from Alzheimer's disease for this age group had more than doubled--increasing from 3.8 percent to 8.5 percent --making the progressive brain disease the second leading cause of death for centenarians. One reason for the rise in deaths from Alzheimer's disease in this group may be that developing this condition remains possible even after people beat the odds of dying from other diseases such as cancer.People physically fit enough to survive over 100 years ultimately give in to diseases such as Alzheimer's which effects the mind and cognitive function. In other words, it appears their minds give out before their bodies do. On the other hand, the death rate from flu dropped from 7.4 percent in 2000 to 4.1 percent in 2014. That pushed flu from the third leading cause of death to the fifth.Overall, the total number of centenarians is going up. In 2014, there were 72,197 centenarians, compared to 50,281 in 2000. But because this population is getting larger, the number of deaths in this group is also increasing --18,434 centenarians died in 2000, whereas 25,914 died in 2014.13. What does the speaker say about the risk of dying for American centenarians in recent years?14. What does the speaker say about Alzheimer's disease?15. What is characteristic of people who live up to 100 years and beyond?Section CQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.Okay. So let's get started. And to start things off I think what we need to do is consider a definition. I'm going to define what love is but then most of the experiments I'm going to talk about are really focused more on attraction than love. And I'm going to pick a definition from a former colleague, Robert Sternberg, who is now the dean at Tufts University but was here on our faculty at Yale for nearly thirty years. And he has a theory of love that argues that it's made up of three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment, or what is sometimes called decision commitment. And these are relatively straightforward. He argued that you don't have love if you don't have all three of these elements.Intimacy is the feeling of closeness, of connectedness with someone, of bonding. Operationally, you could think of intimacy as you share secrets, you share information with this person that you don't share with anybody else. Okay. That's really what intimacy is, the bond that comes from sharing information that isn't shared with other people. The second element is passion. Passion is the drive that leads to romance. You can think of it as physical attraction. And Sternberg argues that this is a required component of a love relationship. The third element of love in Sternberg's theory is what he calls decision commitment, the decision that one is in a love relationship, the willingness to label it as such, and a commitment to maintain that relationship at least for some period of time. Sternberg would argue it's not love if you don't call it love and if you don't have some desire to maintain the relationship. So if you have all three of these, intimacy, passion and commitment, in Sternberg's theory you have love. Now what's interesting about the theory is what do you have if you only have one out of three or two out of three? What do you have and how is it different if you have a different two out of three? What's interesting about this kind of theorizing is it gives rise to many different combinations that can be quite interesting when you break them down and start to look at them carefully. So what I've done is I've taken Sternberg's three elements of love, intimacy, passion and commitment, and I've listed out the different kinds of relationships you would have if you had zero, one, two or three out of the three elements.16. What does the speaker say about most of the experiments mentioned in his talk?17. What does Robert Sternberg argue about love?18. What question does the speaker think is interesting about Sternberg's three elements of love?Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.Hi, I'm Elizabeth Hoffler, Master of Social Work. I'm a social worker, a lobbyist and a special assistant to the Executive Director at the National Association of Social Workers. Today we are going to be talking about becoming a social worker. Social work is the helping profession. Its primary mission is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. We often deal with complex human needs. Social work is different from other professions, because we focus on the person and environment. We deal with the external factors that impact a person's situation and outlook. And we create opportunity for assessment and intervention to help clients and communities cope effectively with their reality and change that reality when necessary.In thousands of ways social workers help other people --people from every age, every background, across the country. Wherever needed, social workers come to help. The most well-known aspect of the profession is that of a social safety net. We help guide people to critical resources and counsel them on life-changing decisions. There are more than six hundred thousand professional social workers in the country, and we all either have a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, or a PhD in social work. There are more clinically-trained social workers than clinically-trained psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric nurses combined.Throughout this series, you will learn more about the profession, the necessary steps to get a social work degree, the rich history of social work and many ways that social workers help others.Later in this series, you'll hear from Stacy Collins and Mel Wilson, fellow social workers at the National Association of Social Workers. Stacy is going to walk you through the step-by-step process of becoming a social worker, and Mel will tell you about the range of options you have once you get your social work degree, as well as the high standards of responsibility that social workers must adhere to.The National Association of Social Workers represents nearly 145,000 social workers across the country. Our mission is to promote, protect and advance the social work profession. We hope you enjoy this series about how you can make a difference by becoming a social worker. Next, we are going to talk about choosing social work.19. What does the speaker mainly talk about?20. What do social workers mainly do?21. What do professional social workers have in common according to the speaker?22. What is Mell Wilson going to talk about in the series?Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.Today, I'd like to talk about what happens when celebrity role models get behind healthy habits but at the same time promote junk food? Currently, there is mounting criticism of Michelle Obama's “Let's Move!” campaign, which fights childhood obesity by encouraging youngsters to become more physically active, and has signed on singer Beyoncé, and basketball player Shaquille O'Neal, both of whom also endorse sodas, which are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Now there's a lot more evidence of how powerful a celebrity -- especially a professional athlete --can be in influencing children's behavior.In a report published by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, researchers studied 100 professional athletes and their endorsement contracts. The team focused on athletes since they are theoretically the best role models for active, healthy lifestyles for children. After sorting the deals by category, they determined that among the 512 brands associated with the athletes, most involved sporting goods, followed closely by food and beverage brands.Sports drinks, which are often high in sugar and calories, made up most of the food and drink deals, with soft drinks and fast food filling out the remainder. Of the 46 beverages endorsed by professional athletes, 93% relied exclusively on sugar for all of their calories.It's no surprise that high profile athletes can influence children's eating behaviors, but the scientists were able to quantify how prevalent these endorsements are in the children's environment. Advertisements featuring professional athletes and their endorsed products tend to get impressive exposure, on TV, radio, in print and online. And in 2010, the researchers reported that children ages 12 to 17 saw more athlete-endorsed food and beverage brand commercials than adults.One reason any campaign wants a popular celebrity spokesperson is because kids are attracted to them no matter what they are doing. We can't expect kids to turn off that admiration when the same person is selling sugar. At best, kids might be confused. At worst, they'll think themessages about soda are the same as the messages about water. But those two beverages aren't the same.If children are turning to athletes as role models, it's in their best interest if their idols are consistent. Consistent messaging of positive behaviors will show healthier lifestyles for kids to follow.23. What is the aim of Michelle Obama's campaign?24. What does research find about advertisements featuring professional athletes?25. What does the speaker think kids' idols should do?This is the end of Listening Comprehension.。

2015年12月大学英语六级考试真题(第3套)

2015 年12 月大学英语六级考试真题及答案（第3 套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay based on the picture below. You should focus on the harm caused by misleading information online. You are required to write atleast 150 words but no more than 200 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section AQuestions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.It seems to be a law in the technology industry that leading companies eventually lose their positions, often quickly and brutally. Mobile phone champion Nokia, one of Europe’s biggest technology success stories, was no 36 losing its market share in just a few years.In 2007, Nokia accounted for more than 40% of mobile phone sales 37 . But consumers’ preferences were already 38 toward touch-screen smartphones. With the introduction of Apple’s iPhone in the middle of that year, Nokia’s market share 39 rapidly and revenue plunged. By the end of 2013, Nokia had sold its phone business to Microsoft.What sealed Nokia’s fate was a series of decisions made by Stephen Elop in his position as CEO, which he 40 in October 2010. Each day that Elop spent in charge of Nokia, the company’s market value declined by $23 million, making him, by the numbers, one of the worst CEOs in history.But Elop was not the only person at 41 .Nokia’s board resisted change, making it impossible for the company to adapt to rapid shifts in the industry. Most 42 , orma Ollila, who had led Nokia’s transition from an industrial company to a technology giant, was too fascinated by the company 43 success to recognize the change that was needed to sustain its competitiveness. The company also embarked on a 44 cost cutting program, which included the elimination of thousands of jobs. This contributed to the 45 of the company’s once-spirited culture, which had motivated employees to take risks and make miracles. Good leaders left the company, taking Nokia’s sense of vision and direction with them. Not surprisingly, much of Nokia's most valuable design and programming talent left as well.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2 上作答。

2023年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案(第二套)

2023年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案（第二套）2023年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案第二套英语六级听力第二套1.A) Spending their holidays in a novel way.2. D) He once owned a van.3. A) Generate their own electricity.4.C) Enjoying the freedom to choose where to go and work.5. C) Her job performance has worsened over the past month.6.B) Some problems at home7. B) The womans work proficiency.8. C) The woman will be off work on the next two Mondays.9. D) It can enable us to live a healthier and longer life.10.B) The spouses level of education can impact oneshealth.11.A) They had more education than their spouses.12.C) Forecasting flood risks accurately.13.D) To improve his mathematical flooding model.14.A) To forecast rapid floods in real time.15.B) They set up Internet-connected water-level sensors.16.B) To argue about the value of a college degree.17.D) The factor of wages.18.A) The sharp decline in marriage among men with no college degrees.19.C) More and more people prioritize animal welfare when buying things to wear.20.D)Avoided the use of leather and fur.21.A)Whether they can be regarded as ethical.22.D) The era we live in is the most peaceful in history.23.C) They believed the world was deteriorating.24.B) Our psychological biases.25.A) Paying attention to negative information.翻译第二篇在中国，随着老龄化社会的到来，养老受到普遍关注。

2016年12月六级真题(第二套)

2016年12月大学英语六级考试（第2套）Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on creation. Your essay should include the importance of creation and measures to be taken to encourage creation. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 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 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.1. A. They were proud of their cuisine.B. They were particular about food.C. They were all good at cooking.D. They were fond of bacon and eggs.2. A. His parents.B. His friends.C. His parents' friends.D. His schoolmates.3. A. No one of the group ate it.B. It was a little overcooked.C. No tea was served with the meal.D. It was the real English breakfast.4. A. It was full of excitement.B. It was rather disappointing.C. It was a risky experience.D. It was really extraordinary.Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A. The woman's earnings over the years.B. The key to running a shop at a low cost.C. The business success of the woman's shop.D. The woman's relationship with other shops.6. A. Keep down its expenses.B. Expand its business scale.C. Improve its customer service.D. Upgrade the goods it sells.7. A. They are in great demand.B. They are delivered free of charge.C. They are very-popular with the local residents.D. They are sold at lower prices than in other shops.8. A. To maintain friendly relationships with other shops.B. To avoid being put out of business in competition.C. To attract more customers in the neighborhood.D. To follow the custom of the local shopkeepers.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.9. A. They are on the verge of extinction because of pollution.B. They carry plant seeds and spread them to faraway places.C. They deliver pollutants from the ocean to their nesting sites.D. They can be used to deliver messages in times of emergency.10. A. They originate from Devon Island in the Arctic area.B. They migrate to the Arctic Circle during the summer.C. They have the ability to survive in extreme weathers.D. They travel as far as 400 kilometers in search of food.11. A. They had become more poisonous.B. They were carried by the wind.C. They poisoned some of the fulmars.D. They were less than on the continent.12. A. The effects of the changing climate on Arctic seabirds.B. The harm Arctic seabirds may cause to humans.C. The diminishing colonies for Arctic seabirds.D. The threats humans pose to Arctic seabirds.Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.13. A. It has remained basically the same.B. It has become better understood.C. It has been exaggerated.D. It has decreased.14. A. It is now the second leading cause of death for centenarians.B. It develops more easily in centenarians not actively engaged.C. It calls for more intensive research.D. It has had no effective cure so far.15. A. They cherish their life more than ever.B. Their minds fall before their bodies do.C. Their quality of life deteriorates rapidly.D. They care more about their physical health.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.16. A. They form the basis on which he builds his theory of love.B. They were carried out over a period of some thirty years.C. They were done by his former colleague at Yale.D. They are focused more on attraction than love.17. A. The relationship cannot last long if no passion is involved.B. It is not love if you don't wish to maintain the relationship.C. Romance is just impossible without mutual understanding.D. Intimacy is essential but not absolutely indispensable to love.18. A. Whether it is true love without commitment.B. Which of them is considered most important.C. How the relationship is to be defined if any one is missing.D. When the absence of any one doesn't affect the relationship.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.19. A. The history of social work.B. Social work as a profession.C. Academic degrees required of social work applicants.D. The aim of the National Association of Social Workers.20. A. They try to change people's social behavior.B. They raise people's awareness of the environment.C. They create a lot of opportunities for the unemployed.D. They help enhance the well-being of the underprivileged.21. A. They have all made a difference through their work.B. They are all members of the National Association.C. They all have an academic degree in social work.D. They have all received strict clinical training.22. A. Social workers' job options and responsibilities.B. Ways for social workers to meet people's needs.C. The importance of training for social workers.D. The promotion of social workers' social status.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.23. A. To fight childhood obesity.B. To help disadvantaged kids.C. To urge kids to follow their role models.D. To encourage kids to play more sports.24. A. They are most effective when appearing on TV.B. They best boost product sales when put online.C. They are becoming more and more prevalent.D. They impress kids more than they do adults.25. A. Do what they advocate in public.B. Always place kids' interest first.C. Pay attention to their image before children.D. Message positive behaviors at all times.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select out one word for each blank from a lot 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 itemon Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Small communities, with their distinctive character—where life is stable and intensely human—are disappearing. Some have __26____ from the face of the earth, others are dying slowly, but all have ___27___ changes as they have come into contact with an ___28___ machine civilization. The merging of diverse peoples into a common mass has produced tension among members of the minorities and the majority alike.The Old Order Amish, who arrived on American shores in colonial times, have ___29___ in the modern world in distinctive, small communities. They have resisted the homogenization ___30___ more successfully than others. In planting and harvest times one can see their bearded men working the fields with horses and their women hanging out the laundry in neat rows to dry. Many American people have seen Amish families with the men wearing broad-brimmed black hats and the women in long dresses. In railway or bus ___31___.Although the Amish have lived with ___32___ America for over two and a half centuries. They have moderated its influence on their personal lives, their families, communities, and their values.The Amish are often ___33___ by other Americans to be relics of the past who live a simple, inflexible life dedicated to inconvenient out-dated customs. They are seen as abandoning both modem ___34___ and the American dream of success and progress, But most people have no quarrel with the Amish for doing things the old-fashioned way. Their conscientious objection was tolerated in wartime. For after all. They are good farmers who ___35___ the virtues of work and thrift.A)accessing I)progressB)conveniences J)respectiveC)destined K)survivedD)expanding L)terminalsE)industrialized M)undergoneF)perceived N)universalG)practice O)vanishedH)processSection 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.Countries Rush for Upper Hand in AntarcticaA) On a glacier-filled island with fjords（峡湾）and elephant seals, Russia has built Antarctica’s first Orthodox church on a bill overlooking its research base. Less than an hour away by snowmobile. Chinese laborers have updated the Great Wall Station, a vital part of China’s plan to operate five basses on Antarctica, complete with an indoor badminton court and sleeping quarters for 150 peop le. Not to be outdone, India’s futuristic new Bharathi base, built on stills（桩子）using 134 interlocking shipping containers, resembles a spaceship. Turkey and Iran have announced plans to build bases, too.B) More than a century has passed since explorers raced to plant their flags at the bottom of the world, and for decades to come this continent is supposed to be protected as a scientific preserve, shielded from intrusions like military activities and mining . But an array of countries are rushing to assert greater influence here, with an eye not just towards the day those protective treaties expire, but also for the strategic and commercial that already exist.C) The newer players are stepping into what they view as a treasure house of resources. Some of the ventures focus on the Antarctic resources that are already up for grabs, like abundant sea life. South Korea, which operates state-of–the-art bases here, is increasing its fishing of krill（磷虾），found in abundance in the Southern Ocean, while Russia recen tly frustrated efforts to create one of the world’s largest ocean sanctuaries here.D) Some scientists are examining the potential for harvesting icebergs form Antarctica, which is estimated to have the biggest reserves of fresh water on the planet. Nations are also pressing ahead with space research and satellite projects to expand their global navigation abilities.E) Building on a Soviet-era foothold, Russia is expanding its monitoring stations for Glonass, its version of the Global Positioning System(GPS). At least three Russian stations are already operating in Antarctica, part of its effort to challenge the dominance of the American GPS, and new stations are planned for sites like the Russian base, in the shadow of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity.F) Elsewhere in Antarctica, Russian researchers boast of their recent discovery of a freshwater reserve the size of Lake Ontario after drilling through miles of solid ice. “You can see that we’re here to stay,” said Vladimir Cheberdak, 57, chief of the Bellingshausen Station, as he sipped tea under a portrait of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, a high-ranking officer in the Imperial Russian Navy who explored the Antarctic coast in 1820.G) Antarctica’s mineral, oil and gas wealth are a longer-term prize. The treaty banning mining here, shielding coveted(令人垂诞的)reserves of iron ore, coal and chromium, comes up for review in 2048. Researchers recently found kimberlite(金伯利岩) deposits hinting at the existence of diamonds. And while assessments vary widely, geologists estimate that Antarctica holds at least 36 billion barrels of oil and natural gas.H) Beyond the Antarctic treaties, huge obstacles persist to tapping these resources, like drifting icebergs that could jeopardize offshore platforms. Then there is Antarctic’s remoteness, with some mineral deposits found in windswept locations on a continent that is larger the Europe and where winter temperatures hover around minus 55 degrees Celsius.I) But advances in technology might make Antarctica a lot more accessible three decades from now. And even before then, scholars warn, the demand for resources in an energy-hungry world could raise pressure to renegotiate Antarctica’s treaties, possibly allowing more commercial endeavours here well before the prohibit ions against them expire. The research stations on King George lsland offer a glimpse into the long game on this ice-blanketed continent as nations assert themselves, eroding the sway long held by countries like the United States, Britain. Australia and New Zealand.J) Being stationed in Antarctica involves adapting to life on the planet’s driest, windiest and coldest continent, yet each nation manages to make itself at home. Bearded Russian priests offer regular services at the Orthodox church for the 16 or so Russian speakers who spend the winter at the base, largely polar scientists in fields like glaciology and meteorology. Their number climbs to about 40 in the warmer summer months. China has arguably the fastest growing operations in Antarctica. It opened its fourth station last year and is pressing ahead with plans to build a fifth. It is building its second ice-breaking ship and setting up research drilling operations on an ice dome 13,422 feet above sea level that is one the planet’s coldest places. Chinese officials say the expansion in Antarctica prioritises scientific research. But they also acknowledge that concerns about “resource security” influence their moves.K) China’s newly renovated Great Wall Station on King George lsland makes the Russia n and Chilean bases here seem outdated. ”We do weather monitoring here and other research.” Ning Xu, 53, the chief of the Chinese base, said over tea during a fierce blizzard(暴风雪) in late November. The large base he leads resembles a snowed-in college campus on holiday break, with the capacity to sleep more than 10 times the 13 people who were staying on through the Antarctic winter. Yong Yu, a Chinese microbiologist, showed off the spacious building, with empty desks under an illustrated timeline detailing the rapid growth of China’s Antarctic operations since the 1980s “We now feel equipped to grow,” he said.L) As some countries expand operations in Antarctica, the United States maintains three year-round stations on the continent with more than 1,000 peo ple during the southern hemisphere’s summer, including those at the Amundsen Scott station, built in 1956 at an elevation of 9,301 feet on a plateau at the South Pole. But US researchers quietly complain about budget restraints and having far fewer icebreakers the Russia, limiting the reach of the United States in Antarctica.M) Scholars warn that Antarctica’s political drift could blur the distinction between military and civilian activities long before the continent’s treaties come up for renegotiation, e specially in parts of Antarctica that are ideal for intercepting(拦截) signals from satellites or retasking satellite systems, potentially enhancing global electronic intelligence operations.N) Some countries have had a hard time here, Brazil opened a research station in 1984, but it was largely destroyed by a fire that killed two members of the navy in 2012, the same year that a diesel-laden Brazilian barge sank near the base. As if that were not enough. a Brazilian C-130 Hercules military transport plane has remained stranded near the runway of Chile’s air base here since it crash-landed in 2014.O) However, Brazil’s stretch of misfortune has created opportunities for China, with a Chinese company winning the $100 million contract in 2015 to rebuild the Brazilian station.P) Amid all the changes, Antarctica maintains its allure. South Korea opened its second Antarctic research base in 2014, describing it as a way to test robots developed by Korean researchers for use in extreme conditions. With Russia’s help, Belarus is preparing to build this first Antarctic base. Colombia said this year that it planned to join other South American nations with bases in Antarctica.Q) “The old days of the Antarctic being dominated by the interests and wishes of white men fro m European. Australasian and North American states are over.” Said Klaus Dodds, a politics scholar at the University of London who specialises in Antarctica. “The reality is that Antarctica is geopolitically contested.”36. According to Chinese officials, their activities in Antarctica lay greater emphasis on scientific research.37. Efforts to create one of the world’s largest ocean sanctuaries failed because of Russia’s obstruction.38. With several monitoring stations operating in Antarctica, Russia is t rying hard to counter America’s dominance in the field of worldwide navigational facilities.39. According to geologists’ estimates. Antarctica has enormous reserves of oil and natural gas.40. It is estimated that Antarctica boasts of the richest reserves of fresh water on earth.41. The demand for energy resources may compel renegotiation of Antarctica’s treaties before their expiration.42. Many countries are racing against each other to increase their business and strategic influence on Antarctica.43. Antarctica’s harsh natural conditions constitute huge obstacles to the exploitation of its resources.44. With competition from many countries, Antarctica is no longer dominated by the traditional white nations.45. American scientists complain about lack of sufficient money and equipment for their expansion in Antarctica. Passage oneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Any veteran nicotine addict will testify that fancy packaging plays no role in the decision to keep smoking. So, it is argued, stripping cartons of their branding will trigger no mass movement to quit.But that isn’t why the government—under pressure from cancer charities, health workers and the Labour party—has agreed to legislate for standardized packaging. The theory is that smoking should be stripped of any appeal to discourage new generations from starting in the first place. Plain packaging would be another step in the reclassification of cigarettes from inviting consumer products to narcotics（麻醉剂）.Naturally, the tobacco industry is violently opposed. No business likes to admit that it sells addictive poison as a lifestyle choice. That is why government has historically intervened, banning advertising, imposing health warnings and punitive(惩罚性的) duties. This approach has led over time to a fall in smoking with numbers having roughly halved since the 1970s. Evidence from Australia suggests plain packaging pushes society further along that road. Since tobacco as one of the biggest causes of premature death in the UK, a measure that tames the habit even by a fraction is worth trying.So why has it taken so long? The Department of Health declared its intention to consider the move in November 2010 and consulted through 2012. But the plan was suspended in July 2013. It did not escape notice that a lobbying firm set up by Lynton Crosby, David Cameron’s election campaign director, had previously acted for Philip Morris International. (The prime minister denied there was a connection between his news adviser’s outside interests and the change in legislative programme.) In November 2013, after an unnecessary round of additional consultation, health minister Jane Ellison said the government was minded to proceed after all. Now we are told Members of Parliament (MPs) will have a free voice before parliament is dissolved in March.Parliament has in fact already authorised the government to tame the tobacco trade. MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of Labour amendments to the children and families bill last February that included the power to regulate for plain packaging. With sufficient will in Downing Street this would have been done already. But strength of will is the missing ingredient where Mr. Cameron and public health are concerned. His attitude to state intervention has looked confused ever since his bizarre 2006lament(叹息) that chocolate oranges placed seductively at supermarket check-outs fueled obesity.The government has moved reluctantly into a sensible public health policy, but with such obvious over-cautiousness that any political credit due belongs to the opposition. Without sustained external pressure it seems certain Mr. Cameron would still be hooked on the interests of big tobacco companies.46. What do chain smokers think of cigarette packaging?A) Fancy packaging can help to engage new smokers.B) It has little to do with the quality or taste of cigarettes.C) Plain packaging discourages non-smokers from taking up smoking.D) It has little impact on their decision whether or not to quit smoking.47. What has the UK government agreed to do concerning tobacco packaging?A) Pass a law to standardise cigarette packaging.B) Rid cigarette cartons of all advertisements.C) Subsidise companies to adopt plain packaging.D) Reclassify cigarettes according to packaging.48. What has happened in Australia where plain packaging is implemented?A) Premature death rates resulting from smoking have declined.B) The number of smokers has dropped more sharply than in the UK.C) The sales of tobacco substitutes have increased considerably.D) Cigarette sales have been falling far more quickly than in the UK.49. Why it taken so long for the UK government to consider plain packaging?A) Prime Minister Cameron has been reluctant to take action.B) There is strong opposition from veteran nicotine addicts.C) Many Members of Parliament are addicted to smoking.D) Pressure from tobacco manufacturers remains strong.50. What did Cameron say about chocolate oranges at supermarket checkouts?A) They fueled a lot of controversy.B) They made more British people obese.C) They attracted a lot of smokers.D) They had certain ingredients missing.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.What a waste of money!In return for an averageof£44,000 of debt,students get an average of only 14 hours of lecture and tutorial time a week in Britain. Annual fees have risen from£1,000 to $9,000 in the last decade. But contact time at university has barely risen at all. And graduating doesn’t even provide any guarantee of a decent job:sixin ten graduates today are in non-graduate jobs.No wonder it has become fashionable to denounce many universities as little more that elaborate com-tricks(骗术). There’s a lotfor students to complain about the repayment threshold for paying back loans will be frozen for five years, meaning that lower-paid graduals have to start repaying their loans, and maintenance grants have been replaced by loans meaning that students from poorer backgrounds face higher debt than those with wealthier parents.Yet it still pa ys to go to university. If going to university doesn’t work out, students pay very little—if any—of their tuition fees back, you only start repaying when you are earning £21, 000 a year. Almost half of graduates—thosewho go on to earn less—will have a por tion of their debt written off. It’s not just the lectures and tutorials that are important. Education is the sum of what students teach each other in between lectures and seminars. Students do not merely benefit while at university, studies show they go on to be healthier and happier than non-graduates, and also far more likely to vote.Whatever your talents, it is extraordinarily difficult to get a leading job in most fields without having been to university. Recruiters circle elite universities like vulturous(兀鹰). Many top firms will not even look at applications from those who lack a 2.1, i.e., an upper-second class degree, from an elite university. Students at university also meet those likely to be in leading jobs in the future, forming contacts for life. This might not be right, but school-leavers who fail to acknowledge as much risk making the wrong decision about going to university.Perhaps the reason why so many universities offer their students so little is they know studying at a top university remains a brilliant investment even if you don’t learn anything.Studying at university will only become less attractive if employers shift their focus away from where someone went to university—and there is no sign of that happening anytime soon. School-leavers may moan, but they have little choice but to embrace university and the student debt that comes with it.51. What is the author’s opinion of going to university?A) It is worthwhile after all.B) It is simply a waste of time.C) It is hard to say whether it is good or bad.D) It is too expensive for most young people.52. What does the author say about the employment situation of British university graduates?A) Few of them are satisfied with the jobs they are offered.B) It usually takes a long time for them to find a decent job.C) Graduates from elite universities usually can get decent jobs.D) Most of them take jobs which don’t require a college degree.53. What does the author say is important for university students besides classroom instruction?A) Making sure to obtain an upper-second class degree.B) Practical skills they will need in their future careers.C) Interactions among themselves outside the classroom.D) Developing independent and creative thinking abilities.54. What is said to be an advantage of going to university?A) Learning how to take risks in an ever-changing world.B) Meeting people who will be helpful to you in the future.C) Having opportunities of playing a leading role in society.D) Gaining up-to-date knowledge in science and technology.55. What can we infer from the last paragraph?A) It is natural for students to make complaints about university education.B) Few students are willing to bear the burden of debt incurred at university.C) University education is becoming attractive to students who can afford it.D) The prestige of the university influences employers’ recruitment decisions.Part IV Translation (30minutes)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.随着中国经济的蓬勃发展，学汉语的人数迅速增加，使汉语成了世界上人们最爱学的语言之一。

2015年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案(第二套).doc

2015年12月大学英语六级考试真题(第2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 focus on the difficulty in acquiring useful information in spite of advanced information technology. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words．_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ Part II Listening Comprehension(30 minutes)听力音频地址：wximg.233./attached/media/20160426/646_2894.mp3Section 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.She is impatient to learn computer programming.B.She is unaware her operation system is outdated.C.She is unable to use the new computer program.D. She is amazed at the fast change of technology.2.A.He has long been fed up with traveling.B.He prefers to stay home for the holiday.C.He is going out of town for a couple of days.D. He is annoyed by the heavy traffic downtown.3.A.The challenges facing East Asia.B.The location for their new office.C.Their expansion into the overseas marketD. The living expenses in Tokyo and Singapore.4. A.A number of cell phones were found after the last show.B.The woman forgot where she had left her cell phone.C.The woman was very pleased to find her cell phone.D. Reserved tickets could be picked up at the ticket counter.5.A.The building materials will be delivered soon.B.The project is being held up by bad weather.C.The construction schedule may not be met.D. Qualified carpenters are not easy to find.6.A.She is getting very forgetful these days.B.She does not hold on to bitter feelings.C.She resents the way she is treated.D. She never intends to hurt anyone.7.A.The man wants to rent a small apartment.B.The woman has trouble getting a mortgage.C.The woman is moving to a foreign country.D.The man is trying to sell the woman a house.8. A.They are writing a story for the Morning News.B.They are facing great challenges to get re-elected.C.They are launching a campaign to attract women voters.D.They are conducting a survey among the women in town.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A.Touch his heart.B.Make him cry.C.Remind him of his life.D.Make him feel young.10. A.He is good at singing operas.B.He enjoys complicated music:C.He can sing any song if he likes it.D.He loves country music in particular.11.A.Go to a bar and drink for hours.B.Go to an isolated place to sing blues.C.Go to see a performance in a concert hall.D.Go to work and wrap himself up in music.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A.How he became an announcer.B.How he writes news stories.C.How he makes his living.D.How he does his job.13.A.They write the first version of news stories.B.They gather news stories on the spot.C.They polish incoming news stories.D.They write comments on major news stories.14. A.Reading through the news stories in a given period of time.B.Having little time to read the news before going on the air.C.Having to change the tone of his voice from time to time.D.Getting all the words and phrases pronounced correctly.15.A.It shows where advertisements come in.B.It gives a signal for him to slow down.C.It alerts him to something important.D.It serves as a reminder of sad news.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 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A.It gives pleasure to both adults and children.B.It is often carried around by small children.C.It can be found in many parts of the world.D.It was invented by an American Indian.17. A.They were made for earning a living.B.They were delicate geometric figures.C.They were small circus figures made of wire.D.They were collected by a number of museums.18.A.In art.B.In geometry.C.In engineering.D.In circus performance.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A.They offer students a wide variety of courses.B.They attract students from all over the world.C.They admit more students than they can handle.D.They have trouble dealing with overseas students.20. A.Everyone will benefit from education sooner or later.B.A good education contributes to the prosperity of a nation.C.A good education is necessary for one to climb the social ladder.D.Everyone has a right to an education appropriate to his potential.21. A.He likes students with high motivation.B.He enjoys teaching intelligent students.C.He tailors his teaching to students' needs.D.He treats all his students in a fair manner.Passage ThreeQuestions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A.It is mostly imported from the Middle East.B.It is a sure indicator of its economic activity.C.It has a direct impact on the international oil market.D.It equals more than 30 million barrels of oil each day.23. A.It eventually turns into heat.B.It is used in a variety of forms.C.Its use is chiefly responsible for air pollution.D.Part of it is lost in the process of transmission.24.A.When it is used in rural areas.B.When it is environment-friendly.C.When it operates at near capacity.D.When it operates at regular times.25.A.Traffic jams in cities.B.Inefficient use of energy.C.Fuel shortage.D.Global warming.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.Graphics are used in textbooks as part of the language of the discipline, as in math or economics, or as study aids. Authors use graphic aids to 26 and expand on concepts taken up in the text because graphics are yet another way of portraying relationships and 27 connections.Graphics are used extensively in natural sciences and social sciences. Social scientists work with statistics 28 data, and the best way to present these statistics is often in graphic form. Graphics are included- not merely as a means of making the information easier for the student to grasp, but as an integral part of the way social scientists think. Many textbooks, 29 those in economics, contain appendixes that provide specific information on reading and working with graphic material.Make it a practice to 30 attentively the titles, captions, headings, and other material connected with graphics. These elements 31 and usually explain what you are looking at. When you are examining graphics, the 32 questions to ask are (a.)What is this item about? and (b.)Whatkey idea is the author 33 ?One warning: Unless you integrate your reading of graphics with the text, you may make a wrong assumption. 34 , from a chart indicating that 33 percent of firstborn children in a research sample did not feel close to their fathers, you might assume that some dreadful influence was at work on the firstborn children. However, a careful reading of the text 35 that most of the firstborn children in the sample were from single-parent homes in which the father was absent.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are requiredto 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 AnswerSheet 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.According to a report from the Harvard School of Public Health, many everyday products, including some bug sprays and cleaning fluids, could lead to an increased risk of brain and behavioral disorders in children. The developing brain, the report says, is particularly 36 to the toxic effects of certain chemicals these products may contain, and the damage they cause can be 37 .The official policy, however, is still evolving. Health and environmental 38 have long urged U.S. government agencies to 39 the use of some of the 11 chemicals the report cites and called for more studies on their long-term effects. In 2001, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency 40 the type and amount of lead that could be present in paint and soil in homes and child-care 41, after concerns were raised about lead poisoning. The agency is now 42 the toxic effects of some of the chemicals in the latest report.But the threshold for regulation is high. Because children's brain and behavioral disorders, like hyperactivity and lower grades, can also be linked to social and genetic factors, it's tough to pin them on exposure to specific chemicals with solid43 evidence, which is what the EPA requires. Even the Harvard study did not provea direct 44 but noted strong associations between exposure and risk of behavioral issues.Nonetheless, it's smart to 45 caution. While it may be impossible to prevent kids from drinking tap water that may contain trace amounts of chemicals, keeping kids away from lawns recently sprayed with chemicals and freshly dry-cleaned clothes can't hurt.A.advocatesB pactC.correlationD.exerciseE. facilitiesF. interactionG. investigatingH. overwhelmedI. particlesJ. permanentK. restrictedL. simulatingM. statisticalN. tightenO. vulnerableSection BDirections : In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the 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.The Impossibility of Rapid Energy Transitions[ A ] Politicians are fond of promising rapid energy transitions. Whether it is a transition from imported to domestic oil or from coal-powered electricity production to natural-gas power plants, politicians love to talk big. Unfortunately for them (and often the taxpayers), our energy systems are a bit like an aircraft carrier: they are unbelievably expensive, they are built to last for a very long time, they have a huge amount of inertia ( meaning it takes a lot of energy to set them moving ), and they have a lot of momentum once they are set in motion. No matter how hard you try, you can't turn something that large on a dime ( 10美分硬币 ), or even a few thousand dimes.[ B ] In physics, moving objects have two characteristics relevant to understanding the dynamics of energy systems: inertia and momentum. Inertia is the resistance of objects to efforts to change their state of motion. If you try to push a boulder ( 大圆石 ), it pushes you back. Once you have started the boulder rolling, it develops momentum, which is defined by its mass and velocity.Momentum is said to be "conserved," that is, once you build it up, it has to go somewhere. So a heavy object, like a football player moving at a high speed, has a lot of momentum-that is, once he is moving, it is hard to change his state of motion. If you want to change his course, you have only a few choices: you can stop him, transferring ( possibly painfully) some of his kinetic energy (动能) to your own body, or you can approach alongside and slowly apply pressure to gradually alter his course.[ C ] But there are other kinds of momentum as well. After all, we don't speak only of objects or people as having momentum; we speak of entire systems having momentum. Whether it's a sports team or a presidential campaign, everybody relishes having the big momentum, because it makes them harder to stop or change direction. [ D ] One kind of momentum is technological momentum. When a technology is deployed, its impacts reach far beyond itself. Consider the incandescent (白炽灯的) bulb, an object currently hated by many environmentalists and energy-efficiency advocates. The incandescent light bulb, invented by Thomas Edison, which came to be the symbol of inspiration, has been developed into hundreds, if not thousands, of forms. Today, a visit to a lighting store reveals a stunning array of choices. There are standard-shaped bulbs, flame-shaped bulbs, colored globe-shaped bulbs, and more. It is quite easy, with all that choice, to change a light bulb.[ E ] But the momentum of incandescent lighting does not stop there. All of those specialized bulbs ledto the building of specialized light fixtures, from the desk lamp you study by, to the ugly but beloved hand-painted Chinese lamp you inherited from your grandmother, to the ceiling fixture in your closet, to the light in your oven or refrigerator, and to the light that the dentist points at you. It is easyto change a light bulb, sure, but it is harder to change the bulb and its fixture. [ F ] And there is more to the story, because not only are the devices that house incandescent bulbs shaped to their underlying characteristics, but rooms and entire buildings have been designed in accordance with how incandescent lighting reflects off walls and windows.[ G ] As lighting expert Howard Brandston points out, “ Generally, there are no bad light sources, only bad applications. " There are some very commendable characteristics of the CFL [ compact fluorescent (荧光的) light bulb ], yet the selection of any light source remains inseparable from the luminaire (照明装置 ) that houses it, along with the space in which both are installed, and lighting requirements that need to be satisfied. The lamp, the fixture, and the room, all three must work in concert for the true benefits of end-users. If the CFL should be used for lighting a particular space, or an object within that space, the fixture must be designed to work with that lamp, and that fixture with the room. It is a symbiotic (共生的) relationship. A CFL cannot be simply installed in an incandescent fixture and then expected to produce a visual appearance that is more than washed out, foggy, and dim. The whole fixture must be replaced-light source and luminaire-and this is never an inexpensive proposition.[ H ] And Brandston knows a thing or two about lighting, being the man who illuminated the Statue of Liberty.[ I ]Another type of momentum we have to think about when planning for changes in our energy systems is labor-pool momentum. It is one thing to say that we are going to shift 30 percent of our electricity supply from, say, coal to nuclear power in 20 years. But it is another thing to have a supply of trained talent that could let you carry out this promise. That is because the engineers,designers, regulators, operators, and all of the other skilled people needed for the new energy industry are specialists who have to be trained first ( or retrained, if they are the ones being laid off in some related industry), and education, like any other complicated endeavor, takes time.And not only do our prospective new energy workers have to be trained, they have to be trained in the right sequence. One needs the designers, and perhaps the regulators, before the builders and operators, and each group of workers in training has to know there is work waiting beyond graduation. In some cases, colleges and universities might have to change their training programs, adding another layer of difficulty.[ J ] By far the biggest type of momentum that comes into play when it comes to changing our energy systems is economic momentum. The major components of our energy systems, such as fuel production, refining, electrical generation and distribution, are costly installations that have lengthy life spans. They have to operate for long periods of time before the costs of development have been recovered. When investors put up money to build, say, a nuclear power plant, they expect to earn that money back over the planned life of the plant, which is typically between 40and 60 years. Some coal power plants in the United States have operated for more than 70 years! The oldest continuously operated commercial hydro-electric plant in the United States is on New York's Hudson River, and it went into commercial service in 1898.[ K ] As Vaclav Smil points out, "All the forecasts, plans, and anticipations cited above have failed so miserably because their authors and promoters thought the transitions they hoped to implement would proceed unlike all previous energy transitions, and that their progress could be accelerated in an unprecedented manner. "[ L ] When you hear people speaking of making a rapid transition toward any type of energy, whether it is a switch from coal to nuclear power, or a switch from gasoline-powered cars to electric cars, or even a switch.from an incandescent to a fluorescent light, understanding energy system inertia and momentum can help you decide whether their plans are feasible.46. Not only moving objects and people but all systems have momentum.47. Changing the current energy system requires the systematic training of professionals and skilled labor.48. Changing a light bulb is easier than changing the fixture housing it.49. Efforts to accelerate the current energy transitions didn't succeed as expected.50. To change the light source is costly because you have to change the whole fixture.51. Energy systems, like an aircraft carrier set in motion, have huge momentum.52. The problem with lighting, if it arises, often doesn't lie in light sources but in their applications.53. The biggest obstacle to energy transition is that the present energy system is too expensive to replace.54. The application of a technology can impact areas beyond itself.55. Physical characteristics of moving objects help explain the dynamics of energy systems.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 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.One hundred years ago, "Colored" was the typical way of referring to Americans of African descent. Twenty years later, it was purposefully dropped to make way for "Negro. " By the late 1960s,that term was overtaken by "Black. " And then, at a press conference in Chicago in 1988, Jesse Jackson declared that "African American" was the term to embrace. This one was chosen because it echoed the labels of groups, such as "Italian Americans" and "Irish Americans," that had already beenfreed of widespread discrimination.A century's worth of calculated name changes point to the fact that naming any group is a politically freighted exercise. A 2001 study cataloged all the ways in which the term "Black" carried connotations (涵义) that were more negative than those of "African American. "But if it was known that "Black" people were viewed differently from "African Americans,"researchers, until now, hadn't identified what that gap in perceptionwas derived from. A recent study, conducted by Emory University's Erika Hall, found that "Black" people are viewed more negatively.than "African Americans" because of a perceived difference in socioeconomic status. As a result,"Black" people are thought of as less competent and as having colder personalities.The study's most striking findings shed light on the racial biases permeating the professional world.Even seemingly harmless details on a resume, it appears, can tap into recruiters' biases. A job application might mention affiliations with groups such as the "Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers" or the "National Black Employees Association," the names of which apparently have consequences, and are also beyond their members' control.In one of the study's experiments, subjects were given a brief description of a man from Chicago with the last name Williams. To one group, he was identified as "African-American," and another was told he was "Black. " With little else to go on, they were asked to estimate Mr. Williams's salary,professional standing, and educational background.The "African-American" group estimated that he earned about $ 37,000 a year and had a two-year college degree. The "Black" group, on the other hand, put his salary at about $ 29,000, and guessed that he had only "some" college experience. Nearly three-quarters of the first group guessed that Mr.Williams worked at a managerial level, while only 38.5 percent of the second group thought so.Hall's findings suggest there's an argument to be made for electing to use "African American,"though one can't help but get the sense that it's a decision that papers over the urgency of continued progress. Perhaps a new phrase is needed, one that can bring everyone one big step closer to realizing Du Bois's original, idealistic hope: "It's not the name-it's the Thing that counts. "56.Why did Jesse Jackson embrace the term "African American" for people of African descent?57. A.It is free from racial biases.B.It represents social progress.C.It is in the interest of common Americans.D.It follows the standard naming practice.57. What does the author say about the naming of an ethnic group ?A.It advances with the times.B.It is based on racial roots.C.It merits intensive study.D.It is politically sensitive.58.What do Erika Hall's findings indicate?A.Racial biases are widespread in the professional world.B.Many applicants don't attend to details on their resumes.C.Job seekers should all be careful- about their affiliations.D.Most recruiters are unable to control their racial biases.59. What does Erika Hall find in her experiment about a man with the last name Williams?A.African Americans fare better than many other ethnic groups.B.Black people's socioeconomic status in America remains low.C.People's conception of a person has much to do with the way he or she is labeled.D.One's professional standing and income are related to their educational background.60. What is Dr. Du Bois's ideal?A.All Americans enjoy equal rights.B.A person is judged by their worth.C.A new term is created to address African Americans.D.All ethnic groups share the nation's continued progress.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Across the board, American colleges and universities are not doing a very good job of preparing their students for the workplace or their post-graduation lives. This was made clear by the work of two sociologists, Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa.In 2011 they released a landmark study titled"Academically Adrift," which documented the lack of intellectual growth experienced by many people enrolled in college. In particular, Arum and Roksa found, college students were not developing the critical thinking, analytic reasoning and other higher-level skills that are necessary to thrive in today's knowledge-based economy and to lead our nation in a time of complex challenges and dynamic change.Arum and Roksa placed the blame for students' lack of learning on a watered-down college curriculum and lowered undergraduate work standards. Although going to college is supposed to be a Full-time job, students spent, on average, only 12 to14 hours a week studying and many were skating through their semesters without doinga significant amount of reading and writing. Students who take more challenging classes and spend more time studying do learn more. But the priorities of many undergraduates are with extracurricular activities, playing sports, and partying and socializing.Laura Hamilton, the author of a study on parents who pay for college, will argue in a forthcoming book that college administrations are overly concerned with the social and athletic activities of their students. In Paying for the Party, Hamilton describes what she calls the “arty pathway," which eases many students through college, helped-along by various clubs that send students into the party scene and a host of easier majors.By sanctioning this watered-down version of college, universities are"catering to the social and educational needs of wealthy students at the expense of others" who won't enjoy the financial backing or social connections of richer students once they graduate.These students need to build skills and knowledge during college if they are to use their degrees as a stepping-stone to middle-class mobility. But more privileged students must not waste this opportunity either. As recent graduates can testify, the job market isn't kind to candidates who can't demonstrate genuine competence, along with a well-cultivated willingness to work hard. Nor is the global economy forgiving of an American workforce with increasingly weak literacy, math and science abilities. College graduates will still fare better than those with only a highschool education, of course. But a university degree unaccompanied by a gain in knowledge or skills is an empty achievement indeed. For students who have been coasting through college, and for American universities that have been demanding less work, offering more attractions and charging higher tuition, the party may soon be over.61. What is Arum and Roksa's finding about higher education in America?A.It aims at stimulating the intellectual curiosity of college students.B.It fails to prepare students to face the challenges of modern times.C.It has experienced dramatic changes in recent years.D.It has tried hard to satisfy students' various needs.62. What is responsible for the students' lack of higher-level skills?A.The diluted college curriculum.B.The boring classroom activities.C.The absence of rigorous discipline.D.The outdated educational approach.63. What does Laura Hamilton say about college administrations?A.They fail to give adequate help to the needy students.B.They tend to offer too many less challenging courses.C.They seem to be out of touch with society.D.They prioritize non-academic activities.64. What can be learned about the socially and financially privileged students?A.They tend to have a sense of superiority over their peers.B.They can afford to choose easier majors in order to enjoy themselves.C.They spend a lot of time building strong connections with businesses.D.They can climb the social ladder even without a degree.65. What does the author suggest in the last paragraph?A.American higher education has lost its global competitiveness.B.People should not expect too much from American higher education.C. The current situation in American higher education may not last long.D.It will take a long time to change the current trend in higher 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.最近，中国政府决定将其工业升级。

2015年12月英语六级考试真题及详细答案(第一套).docx

2015年12月大学英语六级考试真题(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 picturebelow. You should focus on the impact of social networking websites on reading.You arereauired to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words._______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ Part IIListening Comprehension(30 minutes)听力音频地址：/englishlistening/CET6/zhenti/2016-05-28/427638.htmlSection 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. Thenmark the eorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A. The restaurant offers some specials each day.B. The restaurant is known for its food varieties.C. The dressing makes the mixed salad very inviting.D. The woman should mix the ingredients thoroughly.2. A. He took over the firm from Mary.C. He failed to foresee major problems.B. He is running a successful business.D. He is opening a new consulting firm.3. A. Someone should be put in charge of office supplies.B. The man can leave the discs in the office cabinet.C. The man may find the supplies in the cabinet.D. The printer in the office has run out of paper.4.A. He has to use a magnifying glass to see clearly.B. The woman can use his glasses to read.C. He has the dictionary the woman wants.D. The dictionary is not of much help to him.5.A. Redecorating her office.B. Majoring in interior design.C. Seeking professional advice.D. Adding some office furniture.6.A. Problems in port management.B. Improvement of port facilities.C. Delayed shipment of goods.D. Shortage of container ships.7.A. Their boss.B. A colleague.C. Their workload.D. A coffee machine.8.A. Call the hotel manager for help.B. Postpone the event until a later date.C. Hold the banquet at a different place.D. Get an expert to correct the error.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A. He shares some of the household duties.B. He often goes back home late for dinner.C. He cooks dinner for the family occasionally.D. He dines out from time to time with friends.10.A. To take him to dinner.B. To talk about a budget plan.C. To discuss an urgent problem.D. To pass on an important message.11. A. Foreign investors are losing confidence in India's economy.B. Many multinational enterprises are withdrawing from India.C. There are wild fluctuations in the international money market.D. There is a sharp increase in India's balance of payment deficit. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. They have unrealistic expectations about the other half.B. They may not be prepared for a lifelong relationship.C. They form a more realistic picture of life.D. They try to adapt to their changing roles.13. A. He is lucky to have visited many exotic places.B. He is able to forget all the troubles in his life.C. He is able to meet many interesting people.D. He is lucky to be able to do what he loves.14.A. It is stressful.B. It is full of tim.C. It is all glamour.D. It is challenging15. A. Bothered.B. Amazed.C. Puzzled.D. Excited.Section BDirections : In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hearsome questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After youhear 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 linethrough the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A. Maintain the traditional organizational culture.B. Learn new ways of relating and working together.C. Follow closely the fast development of technology.D. Learn to be respectful in a hierarchical organization.17. A. How the team integrates with what it is supposed to serve.B. How the team is built to keep improving its performance.C. What type of personnel the team should be composed of.D. What qualifications team members should be equipped with.18. A. A team manager must set very clear and high objectives.B. Teams must consist of members from different cultures.C. Team members should be knowledgeable and creative.D. A team manager should develop a certain set of skills.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A. It is a platform for sharing ideas on teaching at the University of Illinois.B. It was mainly used by scientists and technical people to exchange text.C. It started off as a successful program but was unable to last long.D. It is a program allowing people to share information on the Web.20. A. He visited a number of famous computer scientists.B. He met with an entrepreneur named Jim Clark.C. He sold a program developed by his friends.D. He invested in a leading computer business.21.A. They had confidence in his new ideas.B. They trusted his computer expertise.C. They were very keen on new technology.D. They believed in his business connections.Passage ThreeQuestions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A. Prestige advertising.B. Institutional advertising.C. Wordofmouth advertising.D. Distributing free trial products.23.A. To sell a particular product.B. To build up their reputation.C. To promote a specific service.D. To attract high-end consumers.24. A. By using the services of large advertising agencies.B. By hiring their own professional advertising staff.C. By buying media space in leading newspapers.D. By creating their own ads and commericais.25.A. Decide on what specific means of communication to employ.B. Conduct a large-scale survey on customer needs.C. Specify the objectives of the campaign in detail.D. Pre-test alternative ads or commercials in certain regions.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hoar a passage three times. When the passage is read for thofirst time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When tho passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in tho blanks with the exact words you have justhoard. Finally, when tho passage is read for the third time, you should chock what youhave written.Extinction is difficult concept to grasp. It is an26concept. It's not at all like the killing ofindividual lifeforms that can be renewedthrough normal processes of reproduction. Nor is it simply27numbers. Nor is it damage that can somehow be remedied or for which some substitute can beound. Nor is it something that simply affects our own generation. Nor is it something that could beremedied by some supernatural power. It is rather an28and final act for which there is no remedy on earth or in heaven. A species once extinct is gone forever. However many generations29us incoming centuries, none of them will ever see this species that we extinguish.Not only are we bringing about the extinction of life30, we are also making the land and theair and the sea so toxic that the very conditions of life are being destroyed.31basic naturalresources, not only are the nonrenewable resources being32in a frenzy ( 疯狂) of processing,consuming, and33, but we are also mining much of our renewable resources, such as the verysoil itself on which terrestrial (地球上的) life depends.The change that is taking place on the earth and in our minds is one of the greatest changes ever totake place in human affairs, perhaps the greatest, since what we are talking about is not simply anotherhistorical change or cultural34, but a change of geological and biological as well as psychologicalorder of35Part III Reading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thopassage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark tho corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through tho centre. You may not use any of tho words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage. It seems to be a law in thetechnology industry that leading companies eventually lose theirpositions, often quickly and brutally.Mobile phone champion Nokia, one of Europe's biggesttechnology success stories, was no36, losing its market share in just a few years.In 2007, Nokia accounted for more than 40% of mobile phone sales37But consumers' preferences were already38toward touch-screen smartphones. With the introduction of Apple'siPhone in the middle of that year, Nokia's market share39rapidly and revenue plunged. By theend of 2013, Nokia had sold its phone business to Microsoft. What sealed Nokia's fate was a series of decisions made by Stephen Elop in his position as CEO,which he40in October 2010. Each day that Elop spent in charge of Nokia, the company's marketvalue declined by $ 23 million, making him, by the numbers, one of the worst CEOs in history. But Elop was not the only person at41Nokia's board resisted change, making it impossiblefor the company to adapt to rapid shifts in the industry. Most42, Jorma Ollila, who had ledNokia's transition from an industrial company to a technology giant, was too fascinated by thecompany's43success to recognize the change that was needed to sustain its competitiveness. The company also embarked on a44cost-cutting program, which included the elimination of which hadmotivated employees to take risks and make miracles. Good leaders left the company, taking Nokia'ssense of vision and directions with them. Not surprisingly, much of Nokia's most valuable design andprogramming talent left as well.A)assumed I) previousB. bias J) relayedC. desperateK) shiftingD. deteriorationL) shrankE) exceptionM) subtleF) faultN) transmittingG) incidentallyO) worldwideH) notablySection BDirections : In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by .marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2. First-Generation College-Goers: Unprepared and Behind Kids who are the first in their families to brave the world of higher education come on campus withlittle academic know—how and are much more likely than their peers to drop out before graduation.[ A] When Nijay Williams entered college last fall as a first—generation student and Jamaican immigrant,he was academically unprepared for the rigors of higher education. Like many first—generationstudents, he enrolled in a medium-sized state university many of his high school peers were alsoattending, received a Pell Grant, and took out some small federal loans to cover other costs.Given the high price of room and board and the closeness of the school to his family, he chose tolive at home and worked between 30 and 40 hours a week while taking afull class schedule.[ B] What Nijay didn't realize about his school—Tennessee State University—was its frighteningly lowgraduation rate: a mere 29 percent for its first-generation students. At the end of his first year,Nijay lost his Pell Grant of over $ 5,000 after narrowly missing the 2.0 GPA cut-off, making itimpossible for him to continue paying for school.[ C ]Nijay represents a large and growing group of Americans: first—generation college students whoenter school unprepared or behind. To make matters worse, these schools are ill-equipped tograduate these students—young adults who face specific challenges and obstacles. They typicallycarry financial burdens that outweigh those of their peers, are more likely to work while attendingschool, and often require significant academic remediation (补习).[ D ] Matt Rubinoff directs I'm First, a nonprofit organization launched last October to reach out to thisspecific population of students. He hopes to distribute this information and help prospectivecollege-goers fmd the best post-secondary fit. And while Rubinoff believes there are a goodnumber of four—year schools that truly care about these students and set aside significant resourcesand programs for them, he says that number isn't high enough.[ E ] "It's not only the selective and elite institutions that provide those opportunities for a small subsetof this population," Rubinoff said, adding that a majority of first-generation undergraduates tendtoward options such as online programs, two—year colleges, and commuter state schools."Unfortunately, there tends to be a lack of information and support to help students think biggerand broader. "[ F] Despite this problem, many students are still drawn to these institutions--and two-year schools inparticular. As a former high school teacher, I saw students choose familiar, cheaper options yearafter year. Instead of skipping out on higher education altogether, they chose community collegesor state schools with low bars for admittance.[ G]"They underestimate themselves when selecting a university,"said Dave Jarrat, a marketingexecutive for Inside Track, a for—profit organization that specializes in coaching low-income studentsand supporting colleges in order to help students thrive. "The reality of it is that a lot of low-incomekids could be going to elite tufiversities on a full ride scholarship and don't even realize it. "[ H] "Many students are coming from a situation where no one around them has the experience ofsuccessfully completing higher education, so they are coming in questioning themselves and theircollege worthiness," Jarrat continued. That helps explain why, as I'm First's Rubinoff indicated,the schools to which these students end up resorting can end up being some of the poorestmatches for them. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville offers one example of this dilemma. Aflagship university in the South, the school graduates just 16 percent of its first—generationstudents, despite its overall graduation rate of 71 percent. Located only a few hours apart, TheUniversity of Tennessee and Tennessee State are worth comparing. Tennessee State's overallgraduation rate is a tiny 39 percent, but at least it has a smallergap between the outcomes forfirst—generat.ion students and those of their peers.[I] Still, the University of Tennessee deserves credit for being transparent. Many large institutionskeep this kind of data secret—or at least make it incredibly difficult to find The University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill, for instance, admits only that the graduation rate for its first—generation pupils is "much lower" than the percentage of all students who graduate within fouryears (81 percent). [J] It is actually quite difficult to fred reliable statistics on the issue for many schools.Highereducation institutions are, under federal law, required to report graduation rates, but thesereports typically only include Pell recipient numbers —not necessarily rates specific to fLrst—generation students. Other initiatives fail to break down the data, too. Imagine how intimidating itcan be for prospecitive students unfamiliar with the complexities of higher education to navigatethis kind of information and then identify which schools are the best fit.[ K] It was this lack of information that prompted the launch of I'm First in 2013, originally as an annof its umbrella organization, the Center For Student Opportunity."If we can help to directstudents to more of these types of campuses and help students to understand them to be realisticand accessible places, have them apply to these schools at greater frequency and ultimately get inand enroll, we are going to raise the success rate," Rubinoff said, citing a variety of colleges ranging from large state institutions to smaller private schools.[ L] Chelsea Jones, who now directs student programming at I'm First, was a first —generation college student at Howard. Like other student new to the intimidating higher—education world, she often struggled on her path to college, "There wasn't really a college—bound cnlture at my high school," she said. "I wanted to go to college but I didn't really know the process. " Jones became involved with a college —access program through Princeton University in high school. Now, she attributes much of her understanding of college to that: "But once I got to campus, it was a completely different ball game that no one really prepared me for. "[ M] She was fortunate, though. Howard, a well—regarded historically black college, had an array of resources for its first—generation students, including matching kids with counselors, comecting first— generation students to one another, and TRIO, a national program that supported 200 students onHoward's campus. Still, Jones represents a small percentage of first-generation students who areable to gain entry into more elite universities, which are often known for robust financial aidpackages and remarkably high graduation rates for first—generation students.(Harvard, for example, boasts a six—year graduation rate for underrepresented minority groups of 98 percent. )[ N]Christian Vazquez, a first—generation Yale graduate, is another exception, his success story settinghim far apart from students such as Nijay. "There is a lot of support at Yale, to an extent, after awhile, there is too much support," he said, half—joking about the countless resources available atthe school. Students are placed in small groups with counselors ( trained seniors on campus) ;they have access to cultural and ethnic affinity (联系) groups, tutoring centers and also have a summer orientation specifically for first—generation students ( the latter beingone of the mostcommon programs for students).[ O]"Our support structure was more like : ' You are going to get through Yale; you are going to dowell,' " he said, hinting at mentors (导师), staff, and professors who all provided significantsupport for students who lacked confidence about "belonging" at such a top institution.46. Many first—generation college—goers have doubts about their abilities to geta college degree.47. First—generation college students tend to have much heavier financial burdens than their peers.48. The graduation rate of first—generation students at Nijay's university was incredibly low.49. Some top institutions like Yale seem to provide first—generation students with more support than they actually need.50. On entering college, Nijay Williams had no idea how challenging college education was.51. Many universities simply refuse to release their exact graduation rates for first-generation students.52. According to a marketing executive, many students from low-income families don't know they could have a chance of going to an elite university.53. Some elite universities attach great importance to building up the first—generation students' serf—confidence.54. I'm First distributes information to help first-generation college-goers find schools that are most suitable for them.55. Elite universities tend to graduate fn'st-generation students at a higher rate. 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 on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.Saying they can no longer ignore the rising prices of health care, some of the most influentialmedical groups in the nation are recommending that doctors weigh the costs, not just the effectivenessof treatments, as they make decisions about patient care.The shift, little noticed outside the medical establishment but already controversial inside it,suggests that doctors are starting to redefine their roles, from being concerned exclusively aboutindividual patients to exerting influence on how healthcare dollars are spent. In practical terms, the new guidelines being developed could result in doctors choosing one drugover another for cost reasons or even deciding that a particular treatment—at the end of life, forexample—is too expensive. In the extreme, some critics have said that making treatment decisionsbased on cost is a form of rationing. Traditionally, guidelines have heavily influenced the practice of medicine, and the latest ones areexpected to makedoctors more conscious of the economic consequences of their decisions, eventhough there's no obligation to follow them. Medical society guidelines are also used by insurancecomoanies to help determine reimbursement (报销) policies. Some doctors see a potential conflict in trying to be both providers of patient care and fmancial Overseers."There should be forces in society who should be concerned about the budget, but they shouldn'tbe functioning simultaneously as doctors," said Dr. Martin Samuels at a Boston hospital. He saiddoctors risked losing the trust of patients if they told patients, "I'm not going to do what I think is bestfor you because I think it's bad for the healthcare budget in Massachusetts. " Doctors can face some grim trade —offs. Studies have shown, for example, that two drugs are aboutequally effective in treating macular degeneration, and eye disease. But one costs $ 50 a dose and theother close to $ 2,000. Medicare could save hundreds of millions of dollars a year if everyone used thecheaper drug, Avastin, instead of the costlier one, Lucentis. But the Food and Drug Administration has not approved Avastin for use in the eye. and using itrather than the alternative, Lucentis, might carry an additional, although slight, safety risk. Shoulddoctors consider Medicare's budget in deciding what to use?"I think ethically (在道德层面上) we are just worried about the patient in front of us and nottrying to save money for the insurance industry or society as a whole," said Dr. Donald Jensen. Still, some analysts say that there's a role for doctors to play in cost analysis because not manyothers are doing so. "In some ways," said Dr. Daniel Sulmasy, "it represents a failure of wider society to take up the issue. "56. What do some most influential medical groups recommend doctors do?A. Reflect on the responsibilities they are supposed to take.B. Pay more attention to the effectiveness of their treatments.C. Take costs into account when making treatment decisions.D. Readjust their practice in view of the cuts in health care.57. What were doctors mainly concerned about in the past?A. Specific medicines to be used.B. Effects of medical treatment.C. Professional advancement.D. Patients' trust.58. What may the new guidelines being developed lead to?A. The redefining of doctors' roles.B. Overuse of less effective medicines.C. Conflicts between doctors and patients.D. The prolonging of patients' suffering.59. What risk do doctors see in their dual role as patient care providers and financial overseers?A. They may be involved in a conflict of interest.B. They may be forced to divide their attention.C. They may have to use less effective drugs.D. They may lose the respect of patients.60. What do some experts say about doctors' involvement in medical cost analysis?A. It may add to doctors' already heavy workloads.B. It will help to save money for society as a whole.C. It results from society's failure to tackle the problem.D. It raises doctors' awareness of their social responsibilities.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Economic inequality is the "defining challenge of our time," President Barack Obama declared in aspeech last month to the Center for American Progress. Inequality is dangerous, he argued, not merelybecause it doesn't look good to have a large gap between the rich and the poor, but because inequalityitself destroys upward mobility, making it harder for the poor to escape from poverty. "Increasedinequality and decreasing mobility pose a fundamental threat to the American Dream," he said. Obama is only the most prominent public figure to declare inequality Public Enemy No. 1 and thegreatest threat to reducing poverty in America. A number of prominent economists have also arguedthat it's harder for the poor to climb the economic ladder today because the rungs (横档 ) in that ladderhave grown farther apart.For all the new attention devoted to the 1 percent, a new damset from the Equality of OpportunityProject at Harvard and Berkeley suggests that, if we care about upward mobility overall, we're vastlyexaggerating the dangers of the rich—poor gap. Inequality itself is not a particularly strong predictor ofeconomic mobility, as sociologist Scott Winship noted in a recent article based on his analysis of this data. So what factors, at the community level, do predict if poor children will move up the economicladder as adtdts? what explains, for instance, why the Salt Lake City metro area is one of the 100largest metropolitan areas most likely to lift the fortunes of the poor and the Atlanta metro area is oneof the least likely?Harvard economist Raj Cherty has pointed to economic and racial segregation, community density,the size of a community's middle class, the quality of schools, commtmity religiosity, and familystructure, which he calls the "single strongest correlate of upward mobility. " Chetty finds thatcommunities like Salt Lake City, with high levels of two-parent families and religiosity, are much morelikely to see poor children get ahead than communities like Atlanta, with high levels of racial andeconomic segregation. Chetty has not yet issued a comprehensive analysis of the relative predictive power of each of thesefactors. Based on my analyses of the data. of the factors that Chetty has highlighted, the followingthree seem to be most predictive of upward mobility in a given community:1. Per-capita (人均) income growth2. Prevalence of single mothers ( where correlation is strong, but negative)3. Per-capita local government spending In other words, communities with high levels of per-capita income growth, high percentages oftwo-parent families, and high local government spending-which may stand for good schools-are themost likely to help poor children relive Horatio Alger's rags-to-riches story.61. How does Obama view economic inequality?A. It is the biggest obstacle to social mobility.B. It is the greatest threat to social stability.。

精品2015年12月英语六级真题及答案完整版(网友版第一套)

2015年12月英语六级真题及答案完整版（网友版第一套）Direction: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short eaasy based on the picture below. You should focus on the difficulty in acquiring useful information in spite of advanced information technology. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.As is graphicallyrevealed in the cartoon, a few employees are holdinga conference in themeeting room equipped with advanced devices. However, the moststriking feature of the drawing is that the man in the center, whoseems like a manager, says that they have lots of informationtechnology, while useful information is badly needed. Simple as theillustration seems, it discloses a serious problem that it israther hard to obtain helpful information in the highly modernizedsociety.A multitude of reasonscan account for the phenomenon. On the one hand, it can bepartially due to the fact that the modern technology has beendeveloping at an incredible speed, which provides a boomingamountof information and it is difficult to tell the right from thewrong. On the other hand, it is also because the restriction aboutspreading information on the Internet is far from perfect, makingit difficultto get rid of the problem effectively andfundamentally.From my perspective,it is high time that we transferred our focus from developingtechnology to searching for something helpful. Only in this way canwe acquire what we literally need.第一版：短对话1.W: Wow, what a variety of salads you’ve got on your menu, could yourecommend something special?M: Well, I think you can try this mixed salad. We make the dressingwith fresh berries.Q: what does the man mean?2.W: I was talking to Mary the other day, and she mentioned that your newconsulting firm is doing really well.M: Yes, business paced up much faster than we anticipated. We now haveover 200 clients.Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?3.W: Do you know where we keep flash disks andprinting paper?M: They should be in the cabinet if there are any. That’s where we keepall of our office supplies.Q: what does the woman mean?4.W: The printing of this dictionary is so small. I can’t read theexplanations at all.M: Let me get my magnify glass. I know I just can’t do without it.Q: What does the man mean?5.W: I’m considering having my office redecorated, the furniture is oldand the paint is chipping.M: I’ll give you my sister-in-law’s number. She just graduated from aninterior designing academy, and will give a free estimate.Q: What is the woman considering?6.W: We have a full load of goods that needs to be delivered. But wecan’t get a container ship anyway.M: That’s always being a problem in this port. The facilities here arenever able to meet our needs.Q: What are the speakers talking about?7.W: Why didn’t Rod get a pay raise?M: The boss just isn’t convinced that his work attitude warranted it.She said she saw him by thecoffee machine more often than at his desk.Q: What are the speakers talking about?8.W: The hotel called, saying that because of the scheduling there, theywon’t be are able to cater for our banquet.M: I know an Indian restaurant on the high street that offers a specialdiner for groups. The food is excellent, and the room is large enough toaccommodate us.Q: What does the man suggest they do?长对话Conversation 1M: Hello Jane.W: Hello Paul.M: Please coming. I’m just getting ready to go home. Susan is expectingme for dinner. I wanted to be on time for a change.W: Look, I’m terribly sorry to drop in this time on Friday, Paul, butit is rather important.M: That’s OK. What’s the problem?W: Well, Paul, I won’t keep you long. You see there is a problem withthe exchange rates. The Indian Rupee has taken a fall on the foreign exchangemarket. You see there is being a sharp increase in Indian’s balance of paymentdeficit.M: I see. How serious, isn’t it?W: Well, as you know, there have been reports of unrest India, and theprospects for the Rupee look pretty gloomy.M: A nd that’s going to affect us, as if wedidn’t have enough problemson our hands.W: So I thought it would be wise to take out forward exchange cover toprotect our position on the outstanding contract.M: Just a minute. Forward exchange cover, now what does that meanexactly?W: Well, it means that JO notes enters into a commitment to sell IndianRupees at the present rate.M: I see. And how will that benefit us?W: Well, JO notes wouldn’t lose out if Indian Rupee falls further.M: What will it cost, Jane?W: A small percentage, about 1% and that can be built into the price ofthe bike.M: Well, I don’t suppose there is much choice.All right Jane, let’sput it into action.Q9: What do we learn aboutthe man’s daily life?Q10: Why did the woman cometo see the man?Q11: What makes the womanworry about the Indian Rupee?Conversation 2W: Charles, among other things, you regarded as one of the America’sgreat masters of the blues. Amusical idiom does essentially about loss,particularly the loss of romantic love. Why does love die?M: People often get into love affairs because they have unrealisticexpectations about somebody. Then when the person doesn’t turn out to be whothey thought he or she was, they start thinking maybe I can change him or her.That kind of thinking is a mistake. Because when the dust settles, people aregoing to be pretty much what they are. It’s a rare thing for anybody to be ableto change who they really are. And this creates a lot of problems.W: At 62, you continue to spend a large percentage of your lifetouring. What appeals to you about life on the road?M: Music, I don’t especially love life on the road, but I figure if youare lucky enough to be able to do what you truly love doing, you’ve got theultimate of life.W: What’s the most widely-held misconception about the life of a famousmusician?M: People think it’s all glamour. Actually we have the same troublesthey do. Playing music doesn’t mean life treats you any better.W: How do you feel about being recognized everywhere you go?M: You think I be used to it by now. But I still find it fascinating.You go to a little town in Japan,where nobody speaks English, yet they knowyou on side and know all your music. I’m still amazed by the love peopleexpress for me and by music.Q12: What does the man sayabout most people when they get into love affairs?Q13: What does the man sayabout himself as a singer on the road most of his life?Q14: What do most peoplethink of the life of a famous musician?Q15: How does the man feelwhenever he was recognized by his fans?短文Passage 1Changing technology and markets have stimulated the team approach tomanagement. Inflation, resource scarcity, reduced personnel levels and budgetcuts have all underscore the need for better coordination in organizations.Team management provides for this coordination. Team management calls for newskills if personnel potential is to be fully realized. Although a team may be composed ofknowledgeable people, they must learn new ways of relating and working togetherto solve cross-functional problems. When teams consist to be experiencedemployees from hierarchical organizations, who have been condition totraditional organizational culture. Cooperation may not occur naturally, itmainly to be created. Furthermore, theissue is not just how the team canfunction more effectively, but how it integrates with the overall organization,all society that it supposes it serves. A group of individuals is notautomatically a team. Therefore, team building may be necessary in order toimprove the group’s performance. Casey, an expertin this field, suggests thatthe cooperation process within teams must be organized, promoted and managed.He believes the team corporation results when members go beyond theirindividual capabilities, beyond what each is used to being and doing. Together,the team may then produce something new, unique and superior to that of any onemember. For this to happen, he suggests the multi-cultural managers exhibitunderstanding of their own and others’cultural influences and limitations.They should also cultivate such skills as toleration of ambiguity, persistenceand patience, as well as assertedness. If a team manager exemplifies suchqualities, then the team as a whole would be better able to realize theirpotential and achieve their objectives.Q 16: What should teammembers do to fully realize their potential?Q 17: What needs to beconsidered for effective team management?Q 18: What conclusion can wedraw from what Casey says?Passage 2In early 1994, when MarkAndreessen was just 23 years old, he arrived in Silicon Valley with an ideathat would change the world. As a student at the University of Illinois, he andhis friends had developed a program called Mosaic, which allowed people toshare information on the worldwide web. Before Mosaic, the web had been usedmainly by scientists and other technical people, who were happy just to sendand receive text. But with Mosaic, Andreessen and his friends had developed aprogram, which could send images over the web as well. Mosaic was an overnightsuccess. It was put on theuniversity’s network at the beginning of 1993. Andby the end of the year, it had over a million users. Soon after, Andreessenwent to seek his fortune in Silicon Valley. Once he got there, he started tohave meetings with a man called Jim Clark, who was one of the Valley’s mostfamous entrepreneurs. In 1994, nobody was making any real money from theInternet, which was still very slow and hard to use. But Andreessen had seen an opportunity thatwould make him and Clark rich within two years. He suggested they should createa new computer program that would do the same job as Mosaic but would be mucheasier to use. Clark listened carefully to Andreessen, whose ideas andenthusiasm impressed him greatly. Eventually, Clark agreed toinvest threemillion dollars of his own money in the project, and to raise an extra fifteenmillion from venture capitalists, who were always keen to listen to Clark’s newideas.Q 19 What do we learn about Mosaic?Q 20 What did Andreessen do upon arriving in Silicon Valley?Q 21Why were venture capitalists willing to join in Clark’sinvestment?Passage 3Advertising informs consumers about the existence and benefits ofproducts and services and attempts to persuade them to buy them. The best formof advertising is probably word of mouth advertising which occurs when peopletell their friends about the benefits of products or services that they havepurchased. Yet virtually no providers of goods or services relay on this alone,which using paid advertising instead. Indeed many organizations also use institutionalor prestige advertising which is designed to build up their reputation ratherthan to sell particular products. Although large companies could easily set up theirown advertising departments, write their own advertisements and by media space themselves.They tend to use the services of large advertising agencies. These are likelyto have more resources and more knowledge about all aspects of advertisingandadvertising media than single company. It is also easier for a dissatisfycompany to give its account to another agency. And it would be to fire theirown advertising staff. The company generally give the advertising agency andagreed budget. A statement of the objective of the advertising campaign know asbrief and overall advertising strategy concerning the message to becommunicated to the target customers. The agency creates advertisements anddevelops a media prime, specifying which media will be used and in which proportions.Agencies often produce alternative ads or commercials that pretested innewspapers, television stations etc. in different parts of the country. Beforea final choices was madeprior to anational campaign.Q22 What is probably the bestform of advertising according to the speaker?Q23 What does the speaker sayis the proposes of many organization using prestige advertising ?Q24 How did large companiesgenerally handle their advertising?Q25 What would advertisingagencies often do before a national campaign?听写题Extinction is a difficult concept to grasp. It is an eternal concept. Itis not at all like the killing of individual life forms that can be renewedthroughnormal processes of reproduction. Nor is simply diminishing numbers.Nor is it damage that can somehow be remedied or for which some substitute canbe found. Nor is it something that only affects our own generation. Nor is it somethingthat could be remedied by some supernatural power. It is, rather, an absoluteand final act which there is no remedy on earth or in heaven. A species onceextinct, it’s gone forever. However many generations succeed us in comingcenturies, none of them will ever see this species that we extinguish. Not onlyus we bring about extinction of life on a vast scale. We are also making theland and the air and sea so toxic that the very conditions of life are being destroyed.As regard natural resources ,not only are the none renewable resources beingused up in a of frenzy of processing, consuming and disposing but we are alsoruining much of our renewable resources. Such as the very solid self on which terrestriallife depends. The change that is taking place on the earth and in our minds isone of the greatest changes ever to take place in human affairs. Perhaps thegreatest, since we are talking about is not simply another historical change orcultural modification. But it change the geological and biological as well as psychologicalorder of magnitude.选词填空（一）36. B. caters37. M. recommended38. D. debated39. F. ideal40. C. chronically41. G. improvements42. E. deprivation43. L. ready44. H. necessarily45. O. target翻译（一）解析者：长沙新东方张巧临最近，中国政府决定将其工业升级。

2014年12月英语六级真题及答案(完整版共三套)

17. A) It is very beneficial to their academic progress. B) It helps them soak up the surrounding culture. C) It is as important as their learning experience. D) It ensures their physical and mental health.
Passage Two Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
19. A) They try to give students opportunities for experimentation. B) They are responsible merely to their Ministry of Education. C) They strive to develop every student's academic potential. D) They ensure that all students get roughly equal attention.
2. A) The woman will skip Dr. Smith's lecture to help the man. B) Kathy is very pleased to attend the lecture by Dr. Smith. C) The woman is good at doing lab demonstrations. D) The man will do all he can do assist the woman.

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2015年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第2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 focus on the difficulty in acquiring useful information in spite of advanced information technology. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 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 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A) She is impatient to learn computer programming.B) She is unaware her operation system is outdated.C) She is unable to use the new computer program.D) She is amazed at the fast change of technology.2. A) He has long been fed up with traveling.B) He prefers to stay home for the holiday.C) He is going out of town for a couple of days.D) He is annoyed by the heavy traffic downtown.3. A) The challenges facing East Asia.B) The location for their new office.C) Their expansion into the overseas market.D) The living expenses in Tokyo and Singapore.4. A) A number of cell phones were found after the last show.B) The woman forgot where she had left her cell phone.C) The woman was very pleased to find her cell phone.D) Reserved tickets could be picked up at the ticket counter.5. A) The building materials will be delivered soon.B) The project is being held up by bad weather.C) The construction schedule may not be met.D) Qualified carpenters are not easy to find.6. A) She is getting very forgetful these days.B) She does not hold on to bitter feelings.C) She resents the way she is treated.D) She never intends to hurt anyone.7. A) The man wants to rent a small apartment.B) The woman has trouble getting a mortgage.C) The woman is moving to a foreign countryD) The man is trying to sell the woman a house.8. A) They are writing a story for the Morning News.B) They are facing great challenges to get re-elected.C) They are launching a campaign to attract women voters.D) They are conducting a survey among the women in town.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) Touch his heart.B) Make him cry.C) Remind him of his life.D) Make him feel young.10. A) He is good at singing operas.B) He enjoys complicated music.C) He can sing any song if he likes it.D) He loves country music in particular.11. A) Go to a bar and drink for hours.B) Go to an isolated place to sing blues.C) Go to see a performance in a concert hall.D) Go to work and wrap himself up in music.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) How he became an announcer.B) How he writes news stories.C) How he makes his living.D) How he does his job.13. A) They write the first version of news stories.B) They gather news stories on the spot.C) They polish incoming news stories.D) They write comments on major news stories.14. A) Reading through the news stories in a given period of time.B) Having little time to read the news before going on the air.C) Having to change the tone of his voice from time to time.D) Getting all the words and phrases pronounced correctly.15. A) It shows where advertisements come in.B) It gives a signal for him to slow down.C) It alerts him to something important.D) It serves as a reminder of sad news.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 1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) It gives pleasure to both adults and children.B) It is often carried around by small children.C) It can be found in many parts of the world.D) It was invented by an American Indian.17. A) They were made for earning a living.B) They were delicate geometric figures.C) They were small circus figures made of wire.D) They were collected by a number of museums.18. A) In art.B) In geometry.C) In engineering.D) In circus performancePassage TwoQuestions 19 to 21 are baited on the passage you have just heard.19. A) They offer students a wide variety of courses.B) They attract students from all over the world.C) They admit more students than they can handle.D) They have trouble dealing with overseas students.20. A) Everyone will benefit from education sooner or later.B) A good education contributes to the prosperity of a nation.C) A good education is necessary for one to climb the social ladder.D) Everyone has a light to an education appropriate to his potential.21. A) He likes students with high motivation.B) He enjoys teaching intelligent students.C) He tailors his teaching to students’ needs.D) He treats all his students in a fair manner.Passage ThreeQuestions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It is mostly imported from the Middle East.B) It is a sure indicator of its economic activity.C) It has a direct impact on the international oil market.D) It equals more than 30 million barrels of oil each day.23. A) It eventually turns into heat.B) It is used in a variety of forms.C) Its use is chiefly responsible for air pollution.D) Part of it is lost in the process of transmission.24. A) When it is used in rural areas.B) When it is environment-friendly.C) When it operates at near capacity.D) When it operates at regular times.25. A) Traffic jams in cities.B) Inefficient use of energy.C) Fuel shortage.D) Global warming.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.Graphics are used in textbooks as part of the language of the discipline, as in math or economics, or as study aids. Authors use graphic aids to __26__ and expand on concepts taken up in the text because graphics are yet another way of portraying relationships and __27__ connections.Graphics are used extensively in natural sciences and social sciences. Social scientists work with statistics __28__ data, and the best way to present these statistics is often in graphic form. Graphics are included not merely as a means of making the information easier for the student to grasp, but as an integral part of the way social scientists think. Many textbooks, __29__ those in economics, contain appendixes that provide specific information on reading and working with graphic material.Make it a practice to __30__ attentively the titles, captions, headings, and other material connected with graphics. These elements __31__ and usually explain what you are looking at. When you are examining graphics, the __32__ questions to ask are (a) What is this item about? and(b) What key idea is the author__33__?One warning: Unless you integrate your reading of graphics with the text, you may make a wrong assumption. __34__, from a chart indicating that 33 percent of firstborn children in a research sample did not feel close to their fathers, you might assume that some dreadful influence was at work on the firstborn children. However, a careful reading of the text __35__ that most of the firstborn children in the sample were from single-parent homes in which the father was absent.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.According to a report from the Harvard School of Public Health, many everyday products, including some bug sprays and cleaning fluids, could lead to an increased risk of brain and behavioral disorders in children. The developing brain, the report says, is particularly __36__ to the toxic effects of certain chemicals these products may contain, and the damage they cause can be __37__.The official policy, however, is still evolving. Health and environmental __38__ have long urged U. S. government agencies to __39__ the use of some of the 11 chemicals the report cites and called for more studies on their long-term effects. In 2001, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency __40__ the type and amount of lead that could be present in paint and soil in homes and child-care __41__, after concerns were raised about lead poisoning. The agency is now __42__ the toxic effects of some of the chemicals in the latest report.But the threshold f or regulation is high. Because children’s brain and behavioral disorders, like hyperactivity and lower grades, can also be linked to social and genetic factors, it’s tough to pin them on exposure to specific chemicals with solid __43__ evidence, which is what the EPA requires. Even the Harvard study did not prove a direct __44__ but noted strong associations between exposure and risk of behavioral issues.Nonetheless, it’s smart to __45__ caution. While it may be impossible to prevent kids from drinking tap water that may contain trace amounts of chemicals, keeping kids away from lawns recently sprayed with chemicals and freshly dry-cleaned clothes can't hurt.A) advocates B) compact C) correlation D) exercise E) facilities F) interaction G) investigatingH) overwhelmed I) particles J) permanent K) restricted L) simulating M) statistical N) tighten O) vulnerableSection 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.The Impossibility of Rapid Energy Transitions[A] Politicians are fond of promising rapid energy transitions. Whether it is a transition from imported to domestic oil or from coal-powered electricity production to natural-gas power plants, politicians love to talk big. Unfortunately for them (and often the taxpayers), our energy systems are a bit like an aircraft carrier: they are unbelievably expensive, they are built to last for a very long time, they have a huge amount of inertia (meaning it takes a lot of energy to set them moving), and they have a lot of momentum once they are set in motion. No matter how hard you try, you can’t turn something that large on a dime (10 美分硬币), or even a few thousand dimes.[B] In physics, moving objects have two characteristics relevant to understanding the dynamics of energy systems: inertia and momentum. Inertia is the resistance of objects to efforts to change their state of motion. If you try to push a boulder (大圆石), it pushes you back. Once you have started the boulder rolling, it develops momentum, which is defined by its mass and velocity. Momentum is said to be “conserved,” that is, once you build it up, it has to go somewhere. So a heavy object, like a football player moving at a high speed, has a lot of momentum — that is, once he is moving, it is hard to change his state of motion. If you want to change his course, you have only a few choices: you can stop him, transferring (possibly painfully) some of his kinetic energy (动能) to your own body, or you can approach alongside and slowly apply pressure to gradually alter his course.[C] But there are other kinds of momentum as well. After all' we don’t speak only of objects or people as having momentum; we speak of entire systems having momentum. Whether it’s a sports team or apresidential campaign, everybody relishes having the big momentum, because it makes them harder to stop or change direction.[D] One kind of momentum is technological momentum. When a technology is deployed, its impacts reach far beyond itself. Consider the incandescent (白炽灯的) bulb, an object currently hated by many environmentalists and energy-efficiency advocates. The incandescent light bulb, invented by Thomas Edison, which came to be the symbol of inspiration, has been developed into hundreds, if not thousands, of forms. Today, a visit to a lighting store reveals a stunning array of choices. There are standard-shaped bulbs,flame-shaped bulbs, colored globe-shaped bulbs, and more. It is quite easy, with all that choice, to change a light bulb.[E] But the momentum of incandescent lighting does not stop there. All of those specialized bulbs led to the building of specialized light fixtures, from the desk lamp you study by, to the ugly but belovedhand-painted Chinese lamp you inherited from your grandmother, to the ceiling fixture in your closet, to the light in your oven or refrigerator, and to the light that the dentist points at you. It is easy to change a light bulb, sure, but it is harder to change the bulb and its fixture.[F] And there is more to the story, because not only are the devices that house incandescent bulbs shaped to their underlying characteristics, but rooms and entire buildings have been designed in accordance with how incandescent lighting reflects off walls and windows.[G] As ligh ting expert Howard Brandston points out, “Generally, there are no bad light sources, only bad applications.” There are some very commendable characteristics of the CFL [compact fluorescent (荧光的) light bulb], yet the selection of any light source remains inseparable from the luminaire (照明装置) that houses it, along with the space in which both are installed，and lighting requirements that need to be satisfied. The lamp, the fixture, and the room, all three must work in concert for the true benefits of end-users. If the CFL should be used for lighting a particular space, or an object within that space, the fixture must be designed to work with that lamp, and that fixture with the room. It is a symbiotic (共生的) relationship. A CFL cannot be simply installed in an incandescent fixture and then expected to produce a visual appearance that is more than washed out, foggy, and dim. The whole fixture must be replaced — light source and luminaire — and this is never an inexpensive proposition.[H] And Brandston knows a thing or two about lighting, being the man who illuminated the Statue of Liberty.[I] Another type of momentum we have to think about when planning for changes in our energy systems is labor-pool momentum. It is one thing to say that we are going to shift 30 percent of our electricity supply from, say, coal to nuclear power in 20 years. But it is another thing to have a supply of trained talent that could let you carry out this promise. That is because the engineers, designers, regulators, operators, and all of the other skilled people needed for the new energy industry are specialists who have to be trained first (or retrained, if they are the ones being laid off in some related industry), and education, like any other complicated endeavor, takes time. And not only do our prospective new energy workers have to be trained, they have to be trained in the right sequence. One needs the designers, and perhaps the regulators, before the builders and operators, and each group of workers in training has to know there is work waiting beyond graduation. In some cases, colleges and universities might have to change their training programs, adding another layer of difficulty.[J] By far the biggest type of momentum that comes into play when it comes to changing our energy systems is economic momentum. The major components of our energy systems, such as fuel production, refining, electrical generation and distribution, are costly installations that have lengthy life spans. They have to operate for long periods of time before the costs of development have been recovered. When investors put up money to build, say, a nuclear power plant, they expect to earn that money back over the planned life of the plant, which is typically between 40 and 60 years. Some coal power plants in the United States have operated for more than 70 years! The oldest continuously operated commercial hydro-electric plant in the United States is on New York’s Hudson River, and it went into commercial service in 1898.[K] As Vaclav Smil points out, “All the forecasts’ plans, and anticipations cited above have failed so miserably because their authors and promoters thought the transitions they hoped to implement would proceed unlike all previous energy transitions, and that their progress could be accelerated in an unprecedented manner.”[L] When you hear people speaking of making a rapid transition toward any type of energy, whether it is a switch from coal to nuclear power, or a switch from gasoline-powered cars to electric cars, or even a switch from an incandescent to a fluorescent light, understanding energy system inertia and momentum can help you decide whether their plans are feasible.46. Not only moving objects and people but all systems have momentum.47. Changing the current energy system requires the systematic training of professionals and skilled labor.48. Changing a light bulb is easier than changing the fixture housing it.49. Efforts to accelerate the current energy transitions didn’t succeed as expected.50. To change the light source is costly because you have to change the whole fixture.51. Energy systems, like an aircraft carrier set in motion, have huge momentum.52. The problem with lighting, if it arises, often doesn’t lie in light sources but in their applications.53. The biggest obstacle to energy transition is that the present energy system is too expensive to replace.54. The application of a technology can impact areas beyond itself.55. Physical characteristics of moving objects help explain the dynamics of energy systems.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 B). 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 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.One hundred years ago, “Colored” was the typical way of referring to Americans of African descent. Twenty years later, it was purposefully dropped to make way for “Negro.” By the late 1960s, that term was overtaken by “Black.” And then, at a press conference in Chicago in 1988, Jesse Jackson declared that “African American” was the term to embrace. This one was chosen because it echoed the labels of groups, such as “Italian Americans” and “Irish Americans,” that had already been freed of widespread discrimination.A century’s worth of calculated name changes point to the fact that naming any group is a politically freighted exerc ise. A 2001 study cataloged all the ways in which the term “Black” carried connotations (涵义) that were more negative than those of “African American.”But if it was known that “Black” people were viewed differently from “African Americans,” researchers, un til now, hadn’t identified what that gap in perception was derived from. A recent study, conducted by Emory University’s Erika Hall, found that "Black" people are viewed more negatively than "African Americans" because of a perceived difference in socioeco nomic status. As a result, “Black” people are thought of as less competent and as having colder personalities.The study’s most striking findings shed light on the racial biases permeating the professional world.Even seemingly harmless details on a résumé, it appears, can tap into recruiters’ biases. A job application might mention affiliations with groups such as the “Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers” or the “National Black Employees Association,” the names of which apparently have conseq uences, and are also beyond their members’ control.In one of the study’s experiments, subjects were given a brief description of a man from Chicago with the last name Williams. To one group, he was identified as “African-American,” and another was told he was “Black.” With little else to go on, they were asked to estimate Mr. Williams’s salary, professional standing, and educational background.The “African-American” group estimated that he earned about $ 37,000 a year and had a two-year college degree. Th e “Black” group, on the other hand, put his salary at about $ 29,000, and guessed that he had only “some” college experience. Nearly three-quarters of the first group guessed that Mr. Williams worked at a managerial level, while only 38.5 percent of the second group thought so.Hall’s findings suggest there's an argument to be made for electing to use “African American,” though one can’t help but get the sense that it’s a decision that papers over the urgency of continued progress. Perhaps a new phrase is n eeded, one that can bring everyone one big step closer to realizing Du Bois’s original, idealistic hope: “It’s not the name —it’s the Thing that counts.”56. Why did Jesse Jackson embrace the term "African American" for people of African descent?A) It is free from racial biases.B) It represents social progress.C) It is in the interest of common Americans.D) It follows the standard naming practice.57. What does the author say about the naming of an ethnic group?A) It advances with the times.B) It is based on racial roots.C) It merits intensive study.D) It is politically sensitive.58. What do Erika Hall’s findings indicate?A) Racial biases are widespread in the professional world.B) Many applicants don’t attend to details on their résumé.C) Job seekers should all be careful about their affiliations.D) Most recruiters are unable to control their racial biases.59. What does Erika Hall find in her experiment about a man with the last name Williams?A) African Americans fare better than many other ethnic groups.B) Black people’s socioeconomic status in America remains low.C) People’s conception of a person has much to do with the way he or she is labeled.D) One’s professional standing and income are related to their educational background.60. Wh at is Dr. Du Bois’s ideal?A) All Americans enjoy equal rights.B) A person is judged by their worth.C) A new term is created to address African Americans.D) All ethnic groups share the nation’s continued progress.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Across the board, American colleges and universities are not doing a very good job of preparing their students for the workplace or their post-graduation lives. This was made clear by the work of two sociologists, Richard Arum a nd Josipa Roksa. In 2011 they released a landmark study titled “Academically Adrift,” which documented the lack of intellectual growth experienced by many people enrolled in college. In particular, Arum and Roksa found, college students were not developing the critical thinking, analytic reasoning and other higher-level skills that are necessary to thrive in today’s knowledge-based economy and to lead our nation in a time of complex challenges and dynamic change.Arum and Roksa placed the blame for students’ lack of learning on a watered-down college curriculum and lowered undergraduate work standards. Although going to college is supposed to be a full-time job, students spent, on average, only 12 to 14 hours a week studying and many were skating through their semesters without doing a significant amount of reading and writing. Students who take more challenging classes and spend more time studying do learn more. But the priorities of many undergraduates are with extracurricular activities, playing sports’ an d partying and socializing.Laura Hamilton, the author of a study on parents who pay for college, will argue in a forthcoming book that college administrations are overly concerned with the social and athletic activities of their students. In Paying for the Party, Hamilton describes what she calls the "party pathway," which eases many students through college, helped along by various clubs that send students into the party scene and a host of easier majors. By sanctioning this watered-down version of college, universities are "catering to the social and educational needs of wealthy students at the expense of others" who won’t enjoy the financial backing or social connections of richer students once they graduate.These students need to build skills and knowledge during college if they are to use their degrees as a stepping-stone to middle-class mobility. But more privileged students must not waste this opportunity either. As recent graduates can testify, the job market isn’t kind to candidates who can't demon strate genuine competence, along with a well-cultivated willingness to work hard. Nor is the global economy forgiving of an American workforce with increasingly weak literacy, math and science abilities. College graduates will still fare better than those with only a high school education, of course. But a university degree unaccompanied by a gain in knowledge or skills is an empty achievement indeed. For students who havebeen coasting through college, and for American universities that have been demanding less work, offering more attractions and charging higher tuition, the party may soon be over.61. What is Arum and Roksa’s finding about higher education in America?A) It aims at stimulating the intellectual curiosity of college students.B) It fails to prepare students to face the challenges of modem times.C) It has experienced dramatic changes in recent years.D) It has tried hard to satisfy students’ various needs.62. What is responsible for the students’ lack of higher-level skills?A) The diluted college curriculum.B) The boring classroom activities.C) The absence of rigorous discipline.D) The outdated educational approach.63. What does Laura Hamilton say about college administrations?A) They fail to give adequate help to the needy students.B) They tend to offer too many less challenging courses.C) They seem to be out of touch with society.D) They prioritize non-academic activities.64. What can be learned about the socially and financially privileged students?A) They tend to have a sense of superiority over their peers.B) They can afford to choose easier majors in order to enjoy themselves.C) They spend a lot of time building strong connections with businesses.D) They can climb the social ladder even without a degree.65. What does the author suggest in the last paragraph?A) American higher education has lost its global competitiveness.B) People should not expect too much from American higher education.C) The current situation in American higher education may not last long.D) It will take a long time to change the current trend in higher 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.最近，中国政府决定将其工业升级。