2013年12月英语四级真题及答案(第一套)
2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below．You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least l20 words but n0．more than l80 words．Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.C) The conference room has to be cleaned.D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted.B) She is near-sighted.C) She cannot finish work in time.D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.C) The woman should order her food quickly.D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic.B) He doesn't keep his promises.C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International trade.B) Product development.C) Financial consulting.D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip.B) Look for a job in Miami.C) Make a ticket reservation.D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18.B) It has an interesting museum.C) It is a beautiful little town,D). It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions.B) They are fifty-five miles apart.C) They are quite close to each other.D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7.B) They are crowded with tourists.C) They have lots of old houses.D) They have many rarr plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner,D) Accompany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30.B) About 6:30.C) About 5:30.D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr Gartner from Milan.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar.C) The company's sales representative.D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce,15. A) Travel agent.B) Business manager.C) Secretary.D) Saleswoman,Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once, After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D ). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others.B) She wanted to find out more about it.C) She needed some overseas experience.D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program.B) Work on an agricultural project.C) Learn Portuguese.D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising.B) Time spent working.C) Time spent on leisure activities.D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading.B) Surfing the Web.C) Eating out.D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving.B) Gardening.C) Going to the pub.D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident,C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin's carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there.B) He knocked down several mailboxes.C) He tore down the company's main gate.D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job.B) He will have to pay damages.C) He will be fined heavily.D) He will receive retraining.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read.for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always are 26 , they replied, "Because it is right. " If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants 27skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get 28 and very uninformative answers: "Because it's right. " "Because that's the way it's done. " "Because it's the 29 " Or even ,I don't know. " The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are __30 by social norms--shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms 31 how people " ought" to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform ( 遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they 32 . In fact, we are much more likely to notice 33 from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little 34 if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both 35 . Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage: Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate's or four-year bachelor's degree programs. But as the nursing shortage 36 , a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing "fast-track programs" that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training.In 1991, there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200. Typical is Columbia University's Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year. Those who stay on for an 39 two years can earn a master's degree that 40 them as nurse practitioners (执业护士) or clinical nurse specialists.Many students are recent 41 ; others are career switchers. Rudy Guardron, 32, a 2004 graduate of Columbia's program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a pharmaceutical (药物的) research company. At Columbia, he was __42__ as a nurse practitioner. "I saw that nurses were in high 43 and it looked like a really good opportunity," he says. "Also, I didn't want to be in school for that long. "The fast-track trend fills a need, but it's also creating some 44 between newcomers and veterans. "Nurses that are still at the bedside 45 these kids with suspicion," says Linda Pellico, who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years. "They wonder, how can they do it quicker?" The answer is they don't.A) additionalB) appliedC) demandD) excessiveE) experienceF) expores G) graduatesH) operationsI) promoteJ) qualifiesK) specializedL) tensionM) trainedN) viewO) worsensSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a ltter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The rise of the sharing economyA) Last night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms in 30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it—2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new "sharing economy", in which people rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet.B) You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast (家庭旅店). owning a timeshare (分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb. RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online payment systems handle the billing.What's mine is yours, for a feeC) Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites let individuals act as an ad hoc ( 临时的) taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店) as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, butyou can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps ( 胜过) ownership.D) Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $ 26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the gr/d ( 电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E) Such "collaborative (合作的) consumption" is a good thing for several reasons. Owners make money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $ 9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000. Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. And there are environmental benefits, too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F) For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm. Curmudgeons (倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends ( or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works.Peering into the futureG) The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started in America 15 years ago. At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successfal purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay, Having started out as a peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional "power sellers" ( many of whom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise, Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H) Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire fn'm, has a share in a sharing rival. So do GM and Dalmler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office.space) on peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.i) The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, for example? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax, of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and-breakfasts are more than adequate.J) The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet's value to consumers. This emerging model isnow big and disruptive (颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb's success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48, The ma~or concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it. 49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel, rentdls, etc. 52, Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactions online.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made full use of. 55, Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D ). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corrvsponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV ( or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and fighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they'd eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them in other words, how much they remembered eating..This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal. says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the Univerity of Bristol."Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,'" Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relation_ship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought. ""These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body's response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie(卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake's label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less. the new fmdings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractious and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat.B) what ingredients the food contains.C) When we eat our meals.D) How fast we eat our meals.57. what would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body's response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one's consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less.B) Choose food with fewer calories.C) Concentrate on food while eating.D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B ) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to goon to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic ( 勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 "Pathways to Prosperity" report for more attention to the "forgotten half" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue. Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a know.ledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positio~_s that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation inthinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (干预) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position. B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges fmd it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. what suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children's education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children's education.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.许多人喜欢中餐。
2013年12月四级真题及答案（第1套）
2013年12月四级真题及答案（第1套）Section BDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.The Gatais used to frown when they received power bills that routinely topped $200. Last September the couple moved into a 1,500-square-foot home in Premier Gardens, a subdivision of 95 "zero-energy homes"(ZEH)just outside town. Now they're actually eager to see their electricity bills. The grand total over the 10 months they've lived in the three-bedroom house: $ 75. For the past two months they haven't paid a cent.ZEH communities are the leading edge of technologies that might someday create houses that produce as much energy as they consume. Premier Gardens is one of a half-dozen subdivisions in California where every home cuts power consumption by 50% , mostly by using low-power appliances and solar panels.Aside from the panels on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, special windows cut power bills by blocking solar heat in summer and retaining indoor warmth in winter.The rest of the energy savings comes from the solar units. They don't just feed the home they serve. If they generate more power than the home is using, the excess flows into the utility's power grid(电网). The residents are billed by "net metering" : they pay for the amount of power they tap off the grid, less the kilowatts(千瓦)they feed into it. If a home generates more powerthan it uses, the bill is zero.That sounds like a bad deal for the power company, but it's not. Solar homes produce the most power on the hot sunny afternoons when everyone rushes home to turn up the air conditioner. " It helps us lower usage at peak power times," says solar expert Mike Keesee. " That lets us avoid building costly plants or buying expensive power at peak usage time. "What's not to like? Mostly the costs. The special features can add $ 25,000 or more to the purchase price of a house. Tax breaks bring the cost down, especially in California, but in many states ZEHs can be prohibitively expensive. For the consumer, it's a matter of paying now for the hardware to save later on the utilities.58．Why are the Gatais eager to see their electricity bills now?A．They want to see how much they have saved.B．They want to cut down their utility expenses.C．They want to know if they are able to pay.D．They want to avoid being overcharged.59．What is special about the ZEH communities?A．They have created cutting-edge technologies.B．They aim to be self-sufficient in power supply.C．They are subdivided into half a dozen sections.D．They are built in harmony with the environment.60．How are the residents in the ZEH communities billed for electricity use?A．They are only charged for the amount of power they consume on rainy days.B．They needn't pay a single cent for their power consumption on sunny days.C．They only pay for the excess power that flows into theutility's power grid.D．They pay for the electricity from the grid less their home-generated power.61．What does the "net metering" practice mean to the power company?A．More pressure at peak time.B．Less profits in the short term.C．Increased electricity output.D．Reduced operational costs.62．The author believes that buying a house in a ZEH community______.A．is but a dream for average consumersB．gives the owner substantial tax benefitsC．is a worthy investment in the long runD．contributes to environmental protectionRomantic love has clear evolutionary roots but our views about what makes an ideal romantic relationship can be swayed by the society we live in. So says psychologist Maureen O'Sullivan from the University of San Francisco. She suggests that humans have always tried to strengthen the pair-bond to maximise(使最大化)reproductive success.Many societies throughout history and around the world today have cultivated strong pressures to stay married. In those where ties to family and community are strong, lifelong marriages can be promoted by practices such as the cultural prohibition of divorce and arranged marriages that are seen as a contract between two families, not just two individuals. In modern western societies, however, the focus on individuality and independence means that people are less concerned about conforming to(遵守)the dictates of family and culture. In theabsence of societal pressures to maintain pair-bonds, O'Sullivan suggests that romantic love has increasingly come to be seen as the factor that should determine who we stay with and for how long. " That's why historically we see an increase in romantic love as a basis for forming long-term relationships," she says.According to O'Sullivan culture also shapes the sorts of feelings we expect to have, and actually do experience, when in love. Although the negative emotions associated with romantic love—fear of loss, disappointment and jealousy—are fairly consistent across cultures, the positive feelings can vary. " If you ask Japanese students to list the positive attributes they expect in a romantic partner, they rate highly things like loyalty, commitment and devotion," says O'Sullivan. " If you ask American college women, they expect everything under the sun: in addition to being committed, partners have to be amusing, funny and a friend. "We judge a potential partner according to our specific cultural expectations about what romantic love should feel like. If you believe that you have found true romance, and your culture tells you that this is what a long-term relationship should be based on, there is less need to rely on social or family pressures to keep couples together, O'Sullivan argues.63．What does the author say about people's views of an ideal romantic relationship? A．They vary from culture to culture.B．They ensure the reproductive success.C．They reflect the evolutionary process.D．They are influenced by psychologists.64．We can infer from the passage that strong family and community ties______.A．largely rely on marriage contractsB．can contribute to stable marriagesC．often run counter to romantic loveD．make divorces virtually unacceptable65．Without social pressures to keep pair-bonds, romantic love______.A．will be a substitute for marriage in human relationships B．plays a key role in maintaining long-term relationships C．is likely to replace the dictates of family and societyD．is a way to develop individuality and independence66．O'Sullivan believes that when people from different cultures fall in love, ______.A．they expect different things from their partnerB．they tend to exaggerate each other's positive qualitiesC．they often fail to see each other's negative qualitiesD．they lay more emphasis on commitment and devotion 67．We can conclude from the passage that______.A．cultural differences often tear apart a family built on romantic loveB．marriages are hard to sustain without social or family pressuresC．romantic love is becoming increasingly important in family relationshipsD．romantic love tends to yield where family or social pressures are strongPassage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front ofus.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people’s hunger levels were predicted not by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol.“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,”Brunstrom says. “This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought.”These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes tric k our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie (卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and helpus control our appetite, Brunstrom says.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
2013年12月cet4听力真题+答案(第一套)
Part III Listening Comprehension(30minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear8shortconversations and2long c onversations.At the endof each conversation,one or more questions will beasked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions wil l be spoken onlyonce.After each question there will be a pause.During the pause,you must read the four choicesmarked A),B),C)and D),and decide which is the best answer,Then mark the corresponding letteron Answer S heet1with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1.A)The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B)The man will soon start a business of his own.C)The man would like to be a high school teacher.D)The woman is going to major in child education.2.A)The furniture has to be rearranged.B)The sound equipment has to be set up.C)The conference room has to be cleaned.D)The video machine has to be checked.3.A)She is exhausted.B)She is near-sighted.C)She cannot finish work in time.D)She cannot go straight home.4.A)The woman is too particular about food.B)He would rather have a meal an hour later.C)The woman should order her food quickly.D)He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches. 5.A)He is not a good mechanic.B)He doesn't keep his promises.C)He spends his spare time doing repairs.D)He is always ready to offer help to others.6.A)Sam has a big family to support.B)Sam is not interested in traveling.C)The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D)The work hours in the travel agency arc too long. 7.A)International trade.B)Product development.C)Financial consulting.D)Domestic retailing.8.A)Go on a business trip.B)Look for a job in Miami.C)Make a ticket reservation.D)Take a vacation.Questions9to11are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9.A)It is located on Route18.B)It has an interesting museum.C)It is a beautiful little town.D)It lies seven miles east of Newton.10.A)They are in opposite directions.B)They are fifty-five miles apart.C)They are quite close to each other.D)They are a long drive from Norwalk.11.A)They are connected by Route7.B)They are crowded with tourists.C)They have lots of old houses.D)They have many rare plants.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B)Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C)Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner.D)Accompany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13.A)About8:30.B)About6:30.C)About5:30.D)About4:15.14.A)Mr Gartner from Milan.B)Gianni Riva at Megastar.C)The company's sales representative.D)Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15.A)Travel agent.B)Business manager.C)Secretary.D)Saleswoman.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear3shortpassages.At the end of ea ch passage,you will hearsome questions.Both the passage and thequestio ns will be spoken only once.After you hear aquestion,you must choose t he best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mar k the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through th e centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文及答案解析第一套
2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文：听力短对话Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college andmajor in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding outhow children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a fewminutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really goodhere.M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make adecision.Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to makeends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products havebeen well received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least twoyears.Q: What is the woman going to do?听力长对话原文1Conversation OneM: Excuse me, I need some information about someof the towns near here.W: What would you like to know?M: Well, first, I'd like directions to go to Norwalk. I believe there is an interesting museum there.It isn't far, is it?W: No, not at all. Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. And you're right.It's a wonderful little museum.M: Oh good. Now what about Amitsville? I have some friends. I'd like to visit there and I alsowant to get to Newton. They are near each other, aren't they?W: Hmm... well, they are actually in opposite directions. Amitsville is northeast. It's about thirtyfive miles northeast of here.M: Huh-uh, thirty five miles northeast. And how about Newton?W: Well, Newton is in the other direction. It's southwest, so it isn't really very close toAmitsville at all and it's a long drive. It's about fifty five miles southwest from here and the roadis not at all straight.M: Fifty five miles southwest! Well, maybe I won't go there this time.W: I'd recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town. They are both very close. Westfield is justseven miles west of here and Great Town is about five miles south. They are really pretty littletowns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield and five miles south to Great Town. Good. Well, I thinkthat's all the information I need for a while. Thank you. You've been very helpful.W: You're welcome, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay.Q9: What does the man know about Norwalk?Q10: What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton?Q11: What do we learn about Westfield and Great Town?听力长对话原文2Conversation TwoM: Err... Sandra, I've finished with Mr. Gordon now. Do you think you could pop through inbringing me up-to-date on their arrangements for the Italian trip?W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson. I'll bring everything with me.M: Right, take a seat. Now my first meeting is when?W: Your first meeting is on Monday the 21st at 9a.m. with Dr. Gucci of Bancos en Piedra inMilan.M: OK, so can I fly out early Monday morning?W: Well, there is a flight to Lenarty Airport which leaves at six thirty London time and gets inat eight thirty Italian time.M: Yeah, but that only leaves me thirty minutes to clear customs in getting to the city centerand it means I have to check in by five thirty, which means leaving home at about four fifteen.W: I'm afraid so.M: Hmm... not so keen on that. What's the program for the rest of that day?W: It's quite full, I'm afraid. At eleven, you're seeing Jeana Rivard at Meg Star and then you'llhave a lunch engagement with Gaven from the Chamber of Commerce at one.M: Where's that?W: You're meeting him at his office and then he's taking you somewhere.M: Good, that sounds fine. What about the afternoon?W: Well, at three thirty, you're seeing our sales representative there and then you're free tillevening.M: I see. I seem to remember that I'm having a dinner with someone from Bergamo.W: That's right. And Mr. Betty from SAP Industries at eight.Q12: What would the man like the woman to do?Q13: At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?Q14: Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have a lunch with on Monday?Q15: What is most probably the woman's job?听力短文原文Passage 1Donna Fredrick’s served with the Peace Corps fortwo years in Brazil. She joined the Peace Corps aftershe graduated from the college because she wantedto do something to help other people. She had been brought up on a farm, so the Peace Corpsassigned her to a agricultural project. Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese forthree months. She also learnt a great deal about its history and culture. During her two yearswith the Peace Corps, Donna lived in a village in northeast Brazil. That part of Brazil is very dryand farming is often difficult there. Donna helped the people of the village to organise anarrigation project, and she also advised them on planting corps. They didn’t require muchwater. When Donna returned to the States, she couldn’t settle down. She tried several jobs,but they seemed very boring to her. She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one dayshe got on an plane and went back to Brazil. She wasn’t sure what she’s going to do. She justwanted to be there. After a few weeks, Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching fiveclasses a day. Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. She shares a smallapartment with another teacher. And she makes a little extra money by sending stories tonewspapers in the States. Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-timejournalist.Question 16Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?Question 17What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?Question 18Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?Question 19How did Donna make extra money to support herself?Passage 2Results of a recent Harry’s pool on free time showed that the average work week for manyAmericans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the householdduties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free timeto relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of studyor work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In many countries free time is spent indifferent ways. The results of a Harry’s pool showed that reading was the most popular sparetime activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure timeactivities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second.In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was eating out. Thesecond most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popularoutdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity forAmericans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars rankedeighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoydoing similar things in their free time, there’s evidence to suggest that these interests arechanging. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Manymore people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends orplaying games online.Question 20What is the recent Harry Pole about?Question 21What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?Question 22What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?Passage 3On March 13th, while on duty Charles Mclaughlin, a very careless driver employed by thecompany Lummis was involved in another accident. The accident occurred in Riverside California.Not paying attention to his driving, Mclaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd street andhit Volkswagen rabbit. This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car.On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined thatMclaughlin had been quite careless. As a result of the committee’s conclusion, the branchmanager Mr. David Rossi reported that he had talked with Mclaughlin about his extremely poordriving record. Further evidence of Mclaughlin's irresponsibility occurred on May 6th when hewas returning from his shift. That day he ran into a roll-up door at the Lummis facility in Valero,causing significant damage to the door. Damage tothe truck, however, was minor. Finally, onJune 7th, Mclaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mailboxes near the edge of the company’s parking lot. There was damage to the mailboxes andminor damage to the truck. Mr. David Rossi stated that he had spoken with Mclaughlin onseveral occasions about his driving record. He added that he had warned Mclaughlin that threepreventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurredon March 13th?24. What did Mclaughlin do on June 7th near the edge of the company’s parking lot?25. What is most probably going to happen to Mclaughlin?听力填空When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate apart and alone, they replied, “Because it is right.”If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants instead of skirts or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers because it’s right, because that’s the way it’s done, because it’s the custom or even I don’t know. The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are controlled by social norms shared rules or guide lines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms define how people ought to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist. In fact we are much more likely to notice departures from norms than conformity to them. You will not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little startled if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both cheeks. Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.【四级长对话】9. B) It has an interesting museum.10. A) They are in opposite directions.11. C) They have lots of old houses.点评：显然长对话第一篇属于比较常见的“问路”话题。
2013年12月四级第一套
2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)Part ⅠWriting(30minutes)Directions :For this part , you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short easy based on the picture below . You should start your essay with a brief accountof the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain whyeducation doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information . Youshould write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words .“Once I learn how to use Google , isn’t thatall the education I really need?”_____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________Part ⅡListening Comprehension (30minutes)Section ADirections:In this section ,you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations . At the end of each conversation , one or morequestions will be asked about what was said . Both the conversationsand the questions will be spoken only once . After each questions therewill be a pause . During the pause , you must read the four choicesmarked A) , B) , C) and D) , and decide which is the best answer .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheer 1 with a singleline through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high schoolteacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.C) The conference room has to be cleanedD) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted. C) She cannot finish work in time.B) She is near-sighted. D) She cannot go straight home.4. A)The woman is too particular about food.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.C) The woman should order her food quickly.D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic. C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.B) He doesn't keep his promises. D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.D) The Work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International tradeC)Financial consulting.B) Product development. D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip. C) Make a ticket reservation.B) Look for a job in Miami. D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18. C) It is a beautiful little town.B) It has an interesting museum. D) It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A)They are in opposite directions. C) They are quite close to each other.B)They are fifty-five miles apart. D) They are along drive from Norwalk.11. A)They are connected by Route7. C)They have lots of old houses.B)They are crowded with tourists. D)They have many rare plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner.D) Accompany Mr Gartner to the bate airport.13. A) About8:30. B) About6:30.C) About5:30. D) About4:15.14. A)Mr Gartner from Milan. C)The company's sales representative.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar. D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15. A) Travel agent.C) Secretary.B) Business manager. D) Saleswoman.Section BDirections:In this section ,you will hear 3 short passage . At the end of each passage , you will hear some questions . Both the passage and thequestions will be spoken only once . After you hear a question , youmust choose the best answer from the four choice marked A) , B) , C)and D) .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheer 1 with asingle line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others.B) She wanted to find out more about it.C) She needed some overseas experience.D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program. C) Learn Portuguese.B) Work on an agricultural project. D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of hermir1ld.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspaper.C).By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising. C)Time spent on leisure activitiesB) Time spent working. D)Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading. B) Surfing the Web. C) Eating out. D) Watching TV.22. A)Driving. C) Going to the pub.B) Gardening. D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident.C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughl in’s carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there.B) He knocked down several mail boxes.C) He tore down the company’s main gate.D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job. C) He will be fined heavily.B)He will have to pay damages. D)He will receive retraining.Section CDirections: In this section ,you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time , you should listen carefully for itsgeneral idea . When the passage is read for the second time , you arerequired to fill in the blanks with the extra words you have just heard.Finally, when the passage is read for the third time , you should checkwhat you have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate _26_，they replied. “ Because it is right. ”If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks , or why their men wear pants _27_ skirts，or why they may be married to only one person at a time，we are likely to get _28_ and very uninformative answers :”Because it’s right.’’‘‘Because that’s the way it’s done’’‘‘Because it s the _29_ ”or even “I don’t know ”The reason for these and countless other " patterns of social behavior that they are _30_ by social norms--shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation Norms _31_ how people “ought” to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform (遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they _32_ . In fact , we are much more likely to notice _33_ from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little _34_ if they bowed , started to stroke you or kissed you on both _35_．Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world．When we visit another society whose norms are different , we quickly become aware that things we do this way，they do that way．Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40minutes)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 aword bank following the passage . Read the passage through carefullybefore making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by aletter . Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre . You may not use any ofthe words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage .What does it take to be a well-trained nurse ? The answer used to be two-year associate’s of four-year bachelor’s degree programs．But as the nursing shortage _36_，a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing“fast-track programs”that enable college graduates with no nursing _37_ to become registered nurses with only a year or so of _38_ training .In 1991，there were only 40 fast-track curricula ; now there are more than 200. Typical is Columbia University’s Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year . Those who stay on for an _39_ two years can earn a master’s degree that _40_ them as nurse practitioners (执业护士) or clinical nurse specialists．Many students are recent _41_ ; others are career switchers．Rudy Guardron，32，a 2004 graduate of Columbia’s program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a pharmaceutical (药物的) research company . At Columbia , he was _42_ as a nurses practitioner . “I saw that nurses were in high _43_ and it lookedlike a really good opportunity，”he says．“Also，I didn't want to be in school for that long.’’The fast-track trend fills a need，but it’s also creating some _44_ between newcomers and veterans.“Nurses that are still at the bedside _45_ these kids with suspicion，”says Linda Pellico，who has taught nursing at Yale University for l8 years.“They wonder, how can they do it quicker?”The answer is they don’t.A) additional I) promoteB) applied J) qualifiesC) demand K) specializedD) excessive L) tensionE) experience M) trainedF) explores N) viewG) graduates O) worsensH) operationsSection 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 theparagraphs．Identify the paragraph from which the information isderived. You may choose a paragraph more than once . Each paragraphis marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 .The rise of the sharing economyA) Last night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers250,000 rooms in 30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their bed were provided by private individuals，rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb , a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it—2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new “sharing economy”, in which people rent beds，cars , boats and other assets directly from each other , co-ordinated via the internet.B) You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast (家庭旅店)，owning a timeshare(分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper andeasier than ever——and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things，which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard , a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible，but was usually more trouble than it was worth Now websites such as Airbnb，RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters ; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked ; social networks provide a way to check up on people mad build trust；and online payment systems handle the billing.What’s mine is yours，for a feeC) Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer ,sharing sites let individuals act as all ad hoc (临时的) taxi service，car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店) as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, but you can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it , access trumps (胜过) ownership.D) Rachel Botsmam , the author of a book on the subject, says the consumerpeer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the grid(电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E) Such “collaborative”(合作的) consumption is a good thing for severalreasons. Owners make money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $9,300. Car owners who rent out their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month ; some make more than $1,000. Renters, meanwhile, pay 1ess than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hote1 or car-hire firm.And there are environmental benefits , too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F) For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part ofthe charm. Curmudgeons(倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust.As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends (or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually woks.Peering into the futureG) The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started inAmerica 15 year ago. At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successful purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay. Having started out as a peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional “power seller” (many of whom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise. Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H) Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire firm,has a share in a sharing rival. So do GM ad Daimler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office space) on peer-to-peer renta1 sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.I) The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject tohotel taxes, for example? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax, of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and-breakfasts are more than adequate.J) The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet's value to consumers. This emerging model is now big and disruptive(颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb's success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48. The major concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it.49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel,rentals, etc.52. Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactionsonline.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items notmade full use of.55. Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.Section CDirections : There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are fourchoices marked A) , B) , C) and D). You should decide on the bestchoice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction ) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they'd eaten but rather by now much food they'd seen in front of them---in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity(差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol. “Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,” Brunstrom says. “T his shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought. “These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body's response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 880-caiorie (卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones ( 荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake's label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits ? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite , Brunstrom says.56．What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake ?A) How we perceive the food we eat. C) When we eat our meals.B) What ingredients the food contains. D) How fast we eat our meals.57．What would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food．B) You would not feel like eating the same food．C) You would have a good appetite．D) You would not feel so hungry．58．What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases．B) Food labels may influence our body’s response to food．C) Hunger levels depend on one’s consumption of calories．D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary．59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less. C) Concentrate on food while eating．B) Choose food with fewer calories. D) Pick dishes of the right size．60 .What is the main idea of the passage7A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion．B) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels．C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health．Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education , so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally，both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer，creating a growing skills gap in our economy．We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not，or have a clear sense of purpose or interest , and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world．We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training，as well as the development of a work ethic( 勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommendHarvard's 2011 “Pathways to Prosperity” report for more attention to the“forgotten half” ( those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue．Simultaneously，the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet，the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech，knowing how to find information , and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles，and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education，parental concern is not surprising，but learning where and when to intervene ( 干预) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations .61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position.B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges find it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65.What suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children's education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children's education.Part ⅣTranslation (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 Sheet2.许多人喜欢中餐, 在中国,烹饪不仅被视为一种技能,而且也被视为一种艺术。
2013年12月全国大学英语四级考试试卷与答题解析
2013年12月全国大学英语四级考试试卷Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled What Electives to Choose. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words following the outline given below in Chinese:1. 各大学开设了各种各样的选修课；2. 学生因为各种原因选择了不同的选修课；3. 以你自己为例……What Electives to Choose__________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Part ⅡListening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each 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 used to be in poor health. C) She was somewhat overweight.B) She was popular among boys. D) She didn’t do well at high school.2. A) At the airport. C) In a booking office.B) In a restaurant. D) At the hotel reception.3. A) Teaching her son by herself. C) Asking the teacher for extra help.B) Having confidence in her son. D) Telling her son not to worry.4. A) Have a short break. C) Continue her work outdoors.B) Take two weeks off. D) Go on vacation with the man.5. A) He is taking care of this twin brother. C) He is worried about Rod’s health.B) He has been feeling ill all week. D) He has been in perfect condition.6. A) She sold all her furniture before she moved house.B) She still keeps some old furniture in her new house.C) She plans to put all her old furniture in the basement.D) She brought a new set of furniture from Italy last month.7. A) The woman wondered why the man didn’t return the book.B) The woman doesn’t seem to know what the book is about.C) The woman doesn’t find the book useful any more.D) The woman forgot lending the book to the man.8. A) Most of the man’s friends are athletes. C) The man doesn’t look like a sportsman.B) Few people share the woman’s opinion. D) The woman doubts the man’s athletic ability.Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) She has packed it in one of her bags. C) She has probably left it in a taxi.B) She is going to get it at the airport. D) She is afraid that she has lost it.10. A) It ends in winter, C) It will last one week.B) It will cost her a lot. D) It depends on the weather.11. A) The plane is taking off soon. C) There might be a traffic jam.B) The taxi is waiting for them. D) There is a lot of stuff to pack.12. A) At home. C) At the airport.B) In the man’s car. D) By the side of a taxi.Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.13. A) She is thirsty for promotion. C) She is tired of her present work.B) She wants a much higher salary. D) She wants to save travel expenses.14. A) Translator. C) Language instructor.B) Travel agent. D) Environmental engineer.15. A) Lively personality and inquiring mind. C) Devotion and work efficiency.B) Communication skills and team spirit. D) Education and experience.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear3 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 1with a single line through the centre. Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They care a lot about children.B) They need looking after in their old age.C) They want to enrich their life experience.D) They want children to keep them company.17. A) They are usually adopted from distant places.B) Their birth information is usually kept secret.C) Their birth parents often try to conceal their birth information.D) Their adoptive parents don’t want them to know their birth parents.18. A) They generally hold bad feelings towards their birth parents.B) They do not want to hurt the feelings of their adoptive parents.C) They have mixed feelings about finding their natural parents.D) They are fully aware of the expenses involved in the search.19. A) Early adoption makes for closer parent-child relationship.B) Most people prefer to adopt children from overseas.C) Understanding is the key to successful adoption.D) Adoption has much to do with love.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) He suffered from mental illness.B) He bought The Washington Post.C) He turned a failing newspaper into a success.D) He was once a reporter for a major newspaper.21. A) She was the first woman to lead a big U. S. publishing company.B) She got her first job as a teacher at the University of Chicago.C) She committed suicide because of her mental disorder.D) She took over her father’s position when he died.22. A) People came to see the role of women in the business world.B) Katharine played a major part in reshaping Americans’ mind.C) American media would be quite different without Katharine.D) Katharine had exerted an important influence on the world.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just beard.23. A) It’ll enable them to enjoy the best medical care.B) It’ll allow them to receive flee medical treatment.C) It’ll protect them from possible financial crises.D) It’ll prevent the doctors from overcharging them.24. A) They can’t immediately get back the money paid for their medical cost.B) They have to go through very complicated application procedures.C) They can only visit doctors who speak their native languages.D) They may not be able to receive timely medical treatment.25. A) They don’t have to pay for the medical services.B) They needn’t pay the entire medical bill at once.C) They must send the receipts to the insurance company promptly.D) They have to pay a much higher price to get an insurance policy.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.You probably have noticed that people express similar ideas in different ways 26 the situation they are in. This is very natural. All languages have two general levels of usage: a formal level and an informal level. English is no 27 . The difference in these two levels is the situation in which you use a 28 level. Formal language is the kind of language you find in text books,. 29 books and in business letters. You would also use formal English in 30 and essays that you write in school. Informal language is used in conversation with 31 , family members and friends, and when we write personal notes or letters to close friends.Formal language is different from informal language in several ways. First, formal language 32 be more polite. What we may find interesting is that it usually takes more words to be polite. For example, I might say to a friend or a family member, "Close the door, please," but to a33 , I probably would say "Would you mind closing the door?"Another difference between formal and informal language is some of the 34 . There are bound to be some words and phrases that belong in formal language and others that are informal. Let’s say that I really like soccer. If I am talking to my friend, I might say "I am just 35 soccer!" But if I were talking to my boss, I would probably say "I really enjoy soccer. "Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choice. Each choice in 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.As war spreads to many comers of the globe, children sadly have been drawn into the center of conflicts. In Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Colombia, however, groups of children have been taking part in peace education 36 . The children, after learning to resolve conflicts, took on the 37 of peacemakers. The Children’s Movement for Peace in Colombia was even nominated (提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998. Groups of children 38 as peacemakers studied human rights and poverty issues in Colombia, eventually forming a group with five other schools in Bogotáknown as The Schools of Peace.The classroom 39 opportunities for children to replace angry, violent behaviors with 40 ，peaceful ones. It is in the classroom that caring and respect for each person empowers children to take a step 41 toward becoming peacemakers. Fortunately, educators have access to many online resources that are 42 useful when helping children along the path to peace. The Young Peacemakers Club, started in 1992，provides a Website with resources for teachers and 43 on starting a Kindness Campaign. The World Centers of Compassion for Children International call attention to children’s rights and how to help the 44 of war. Starting a Peacemakers’ Club is a praiseworthy venture for a class and one that could spread to other classrooms and ideally affect the culture of the 45 school.A) acting I) informationB) assuming J) offersC) comprehensive K) projectsD) cooperative L) respectivelyE) entire M) roleF) especially N) technologyG) forward O) victimsH) imagesSection 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.How to Make Peace with Y our WorkloadA) Swamped (忙碌的)，under the gun, just struggling to stay above water. . . ; whatever office clichéyou employ to depict it, we’ve all been in that situation where we feel like we might be swallowed up by our workload. Nonetheless many a way may be used to manage your to-do list to prevent feeling overwhelmed. How to make peace with your workload once and for all goes as follows.B) Get organized. "Clear the deadwood out of your desk and keep your office in shape,which enhances your capability to handle other tasks and raises the probability that you’ll retrieve the items you do need in a faster and easier fashion, " says Jeff Davidson who works as a work/life expert and writer of more than 50 books on workplace issues. "When something can be disposed, let it go, given in reality most of what you retain is replaceable. " Joel Rudy, vitae president of operations for Photographic Solutions, with better than thirty years of business management experience, believes that keeping organized is a must. "Messy work areas are nonproductive in some measure. Provided that you can’t locate a document or report easily because it’s lost in a pile of mess, then you have a problematic situation, " he says. "Thereby you are supposed to take the time to tidy up your work areas and keep your important files, manuals and reports in an accessible location, which will maximize your efficiencies. "C) Make a to-do list, then cover it up. It may sound weird, but it works, says Jessica Carlson, an account executive at Bluefish Design Studio which is an advertising consulting firm. Carlson urges her team to utilize to-do lists to stay on track and highlight items that are a priority. "Cover up the list, with the exception of one high-priority task at one time, " she suggests. "This will allow you to focus better on the task at hand; otherwise, it will be easy to get overwhelmed if you’re reading through a to-do list that spans an entire page. Concentrating on a single item will make your tasks appear like they are more doable, " Carlson says.D) Stop multitasking. Despite what you may consider multitasking, it’s counterproductive. Unless you’re drinking coffee while scanning your morning e-mails, you’re not saving any time by attempting to do ten things at once. "If you find yourself getting tangled in too many things, it may be of much necessity of you to re-evaluate your involvement, " Rudy says. "Your mind will wander from one topic to another and you may end up never accomplishing a thing. " Rudy recommends the best way to stop multitasking is to create priority lists with deadlines. "When applicable, complete one project before you move further on to the next one, " he says.E) Set time limits. Deborah Chaddock-Brown, a work-at-home single parent, says she’s frequently overwhelmed by the demands of maintaining order in her residence and running her own business. Still, she manages to "do it all" by setting a time limit for each task. "I have the type of personality that flits (轻轻地掠过) from thing to thing because I do have so much on my plate, " Brown says. "As a consequence I assign time slots: For the next 15 minutes I will participate in social media for the purpose of marketing my business (not sending photos or playing Farmville) and that is the only thing I am about to do for the next 15 minutes. When the time is up, I move on to the next task. That way, at night I don’t end up with a pile of tasks to accomplish even though I felt busy all day. "F) Talk to your manager. "Quite often, people are working on things that are no longer a top priority, but someone forgot to tell them (that they’re no longer important). There are usually clear priorities in the manager’s head; he or she has just not done a great job communicating those with the employee, " says Holly Green, CEO of The Human Factor. Green’s suggestion unfolds in this manner: "If you find yourself confronted with too many responsibilities, sit down, note the significant things you are in charge of, and go to your manager to have a conversation to discuss priorities, trade-offs, time commitments and interdependencies required to do each thing well, and then ask what you should stop working on or work on less so you can get the right things done. " Green says managers should be willing to help sort out priorities, so long as employees have a can-do approach and aren’t just complaining about their workload.G) Eliminate time wasters. "If interruptions are keeping you from your responsibilities,learn how to deal with them accordingly, " says Eileen Roth, author of Organizing for Dummies. Roth proposes the following suggestions to combat disruptions: "Use voice mail to cut down on telephone interruptions, turn off the alert that says ‘You’ve got an e-mail’ and give staff members a set time to visit you. " Justin Gramm, president of Globella Buyers Realty, exemplifies Roth’s point. "E-mail had been a big time waster for me in the past because it was a constant interruption, causing me to lose focus on the task at hand, " he says. Since determined to check his e-mails only twice a day, Gramm says he has become much more efficient. "If people want to get more work done, they need to stop checking e-mails and get down to business, " he says.H) Assess your workload before taking on new tasks. "The paradox of today’s work environment is that the more you do, the more that’s expected of you, " Davidson says. In order to better assess your workload, Davidson suggests asking yourself the following questions before agreeing to undertake new responsibilities: Is the task aligned (使一致) with your priorities and goals; Are you likely to be as prone to saying yes to such a request tomorrow or next week; What else could you do that would be more rewarding; What other pressing tasks and responsibilities are you likely to face; Does the other party have options other than you; Will he or she be crushed if you say no?I) Want to know more? Most of our experts recommended books for additional tips on how to maximize efficiency, but one book was mentioned time and again. Check out The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.46. "The more you do, the more you are expected to do" has been a paradox in today’s work environment.47. As long as employees have a can-do attitude and do not just complain about their workload, the managers would like to help them decide what to do first.48. As a single parent, Deborah Chaddock-Brown finds it difficult to make a balance between business and housework.49. There are many useful methods of preventing people from feeling overwhelmed by workload.50. Messy work areas are nonproductive to some extent, so you are supposed to keep your work areas tidy and important files at hand.51. To know more about how to maximize efficiency, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is recommended.52. In Organizing for Dummies, using voice mail to cut down on telephone interruptions and turning off the e-mail notice are suggested in combating interruptions.53. According to Rudy, the best way to stop multitasking is to make a list of priorities and set deadlines for each task.54. Focusing on a single matter will make your tasks appear more possible to be done.55. In fact, most of what people retain is substitutable, so dispose the things that are disposable.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A)，B)，C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.By almost any measure, there is a boom in Internet-based instruction. In just a few years, 34 percent of American universities have begun offering some form of distance learning (DL)，and among the larger schools, it’s closer to 90 percent. If you doubt the popularity of the trend, you probably haven’t heard of the University of Phoenix. It grants degrees entirely on the basis of online instruction. It enrolls 90，000 students, a statistic used to support its claim to be the largest private university in the country.While the kinds of instruction offered in these programs will differ, DL usually signifies a course in which the instructors post syllabi(课程大纲)，reading assignments, and schedules on Websites, and students send in their assignments by e-mail. Generally speaking, face-to-face communication with an instructor is minimized or eliminated altogether.The attraction for students might at first seem obvious. Primarily, there’s the convenience promised by courses on the Net: you can do the work, as they say, in your pajamas (睡衣). But figures indicate that the reduced effort results in a reduced commitment to the course. While dropout rates for all freshmen at American universities is around 20 percent, the rate for online students is 35 percent. Students themselves seem to understand the weaknesses inherent in the setup. In a survey conducted for eCornell, the DL division of Cornell University, less than a third of the respondents expected the quality of the online course to be as good as the classroom course.Clearly, from the schools’ perspective, there’s a lot of money to be saved. Although some of the more ambitious programs require new investments in servers and networks to support collaborative software, most DL courses can run on existing or minimally upgraded(升级) systems. The more students who enroll in a course but don’t come to campus, the more the school saves on keeping the lights on in the classrooms, paying doorkeepers, and maintaining parking lots. And there’s evidence that instructors must work harder to run a DL course for a variety of reasons, they won’t be paid any more, and might well be paid less.56. What is the most striking feature of the University of Phoenix?A) All its courses are offered online.B) Its online courses are of the best quality.C) It boasts the largest number of students on campus.D) Anyone taking its online courses is sure to get a degree.57. According to the passage, distance learning is basically characterized by ________ .A) a considerable flexibility in its academic requirementsB) the great diversity of students’ academic backgroundsC) a minimum or total absence of face-to-face instructionD) the casual relationship between students and professors58. Many students take Interact-based courses mainly because they can ________ .A) earn their academic degrees With much less effortB) save a great deal on traveling and boarding expensesC) select courses from various colleges and universitiesD) work on the required courses whenever and wherever59. What accounts for the high dropout rates for online students?A) There is no strict control over the academic standards of the courses.B) The evaluation system used by online universities is inherently weak.C) There is no mechanism to ensure that they make the required effort.D) Lack of classroom interaction reduces the effectiveness of instruction.60. According to the passage, universities show great enthusiasm for DL programs for the purpose of ________ .A) building up their reputation C) upgrading their teaching facilitiesB) cutting down on their expenses D) providing convenience for students Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stores. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.As a writer I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.A revelation(启示) came last week when I asked her, "Don’t you Want to win again?" "No, " she replied, "I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade. "I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously (自由地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly "guided" by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was coopting (借用) my daughter’s experience.While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.61. What do we learn from the first paragraph?A) Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities.B) Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy her leisure time.C) Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing.D) A lot of distractions compete for children’s time nowadays.62. What did the author say about her own writing experience?A) She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer.B) Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations.C) She was constantly under pressure of writing more.D) Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers.63. Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?A) She believed she possessed real talent for writing.B) She was sure of winning with her mother’s help.C) She wanted to share her stories with readers.D) She had won a prize in the previous contest.64. The author took great pains to refine her daughter’s stories because ________ .A) she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidanceB) she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so muchC) she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dream of becoming a writerD) she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing65. What’s the author’s advice for parents?A) A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue.B) Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience.C) Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in.D) Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions.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.如今，越来越多的大学生抱怨很难找到好工作。
2013年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)
2013年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
PartⅡListening Comprehension(30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause.During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decidewhich is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2013年12月全国大学英语四级真题及答案解析
2013年12月份全国大学英语四级考试试卷一：中餐【真题原文】许多人喜欢中餐，在中国，烹饪不仅被视为一种技能，而且也被视为一 种艺术。
精心准备的中餐既可口又好看，烹饪技艺和配料在中国各地差别很大。
但好的烹 饪都有一个共同点，总是要考虑到颜色、味道、口感和营养(nutrition)。
由于食物对健康至 关重要，好的厨师总是努力在谷物、肉类和蔬菜之间取得平衡，所以中餐既味美又健康。
【翻译答案】Most people like Chinese food. In China, cooking is considered as not only a skill but also an art. The well-prepared Chinese food is both delicious and good-looking. Although cooking methods and food ingredient vary wildly in different places of China, it is common for good cuisine to take color, flavor, taste and nutrition into account. Since food is crucial to health, a good chef is insistently trying to seek balance between cereal, meat and vegetable, and accordingly Chinese food is delicious as well as healthy.试卷二：信息技术【真题原文】信息技术(Information Technology)，正在飞速发展，中国公民也越来越 重视信息技术，有些学校甚至将信息技术作为必修课程，对这一现象大家持不同观点。
2013年12月大学英语四级真题答案解析第一套
一、作文【作文(一)】The Impact of the Mobile Phone in People’s LifeThe thought-provoking drawing mirrors a common phenomenon in contemporary society that there is the negative influence of mobile phone. As is subtly shown in the picture，so many people are too much addicted to cell phones that they use walking sticks to see the road. What a meaningful cartoon!It is to me that indulging in mobile phones produces native influences on body and mind. First and foremost, overusing mobile phones is detrimental to physical health for watching mobiles for a long stretch definitely impairs one’s eyesight. Suppose that a man is addicted in cell phones in whatever situation, it will be very disadvantageous for him to concentrate on his work, learning, or daily life and is very likely to hurt him. Furthermore, overusing cell phones adversely affects state of mind. An addict may stay inside his bubble instead of pursuing other endeavors, which eventually prevents the growth of think skills.It is high time that we took effective measures to curb this trend. I cherish a belief that cell phones themselves are not good or bad and we can benefit a lot from it as long as we take a good control over them.【作文(二)】The Impact of the Internet on the Way People Communicate网络对人们沟通产生的影响Internet does exert such a profound effect on our life that it revolutionizes the way of people’s living and thinking. As is subtly revealed in the portrayal，there are two parents sitting in the front of computer，who are chatting with their child on the internet. What a meaningful picture!From my perspective, the electronic contact cannot replace face to face communication owing to the following factors. To begin with, over-reliance on electronic contact will damage the interpersonal relationship, for the cold machine never replaces a warm-hearted greeting face to face. For example, the aged parents would like their only son who works far away home to come back home more often rather than to talk with him on th e internet occasionally. What’s more, face to face communication is preferable because it is beneficial to build a harmonious society, for it attaches more importance on human affection and feelings instead of convenience and speed.Hence, it is necessary for us to use Internet in a reasonable way. After all, Internet is invented to connect you and me, and to bring conveniences to our life rather than set a barrier to keep people beyond reach. If we want to keep our interpersonal relationship more effectively, weshould spend more time with them face to face in real life. Only in this way can we not only make full use of the communication tool on the net but also make our relationship tighter.二、听力测试（原文）2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文：听力短对话Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a few minutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here.M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision.Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products have been well received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least two years.Q: What is the woman going to do?【四级听力长对话原文1】M: Excuse me, I need some information about some of the towns near here.W: What would you like to know?M: Well, first, I'd like directions to go to Norwalk. I believe there is an interesting museum there. It isn't far, is it?W: No, not at all. Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. And you're right. It's a wonderful little museum.M: Oh good. Now what about Amitsville? I have some friends. I'd like to visit there and I also want to get to Newton. They are near each other, aren't they?W: Hmm... well, they are actually in opposite directions. Amitsville is northeast. It's about thirty five miles northeast of here.M: Huh-uh, thirty five miles northeast. And how about Newton?W: Well, Newton is in the other direction. It's southwest, so it isn't really very close to Amitsville at all and it's a long drive. It's about fifty five miles southwest from here and the road is not at all straight.M: Fifty five miles southwest! Well, maybe I won't go there this time.W: I'd recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town. They are both very close. Westfield is just seven miles west of here and Great Town is about five miles south. They are really pretty little towns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield and five miles south to Great Town. Good. Well, I think that's all the information I need for a while. Thank you. You've been very helpful.W: You're welcome, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay.Q9: What does the man know about Norwalk?Q10: What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton?Q11: What do we learn about Westfield and Great Town?【四级听力长对话原文2】M: Err... Sandra, I've finished with Mr. Gordon now. Do you think you could pop through in bringing me up-to-date on their arrangements for the Italian trip?W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson. I'll bring everything with me.M: Right, take a seat. Now my first meeting is when?W: Your first meeting is on Monday the 21st at 9a.m. with Dr. Gucci of Bancos en Piedra in Milan.M: OK, so can I fly out early Monday morning?W: Well, there is a flight to Lenarty Airport which leaves at six thirty London time and gets in at eight thirty Italian time.M: Yeah, but that only leaves me thirty minutes to clear customs in getting to the city center and it means I have to check in by five thirty, which means leaving home at about four fifteen.W: I'm afraid so.M: Hmm... not so keen on that. What's the program for the rest of that day?W: It's quite full, I'm afraid. At eleven, you're seeing Jeana Rivard at Meg Star and then you'll have a lunch engagement with Gaven from the Chamber of Commerce at one.M: Where's that?W: You're meeting him at his office and then he's taking you somewhere.M: Good, that sounds fine. What about the afternoon?W: Well, at three thirty, you're seeing our sales representative there and then you're free till evening.M: I see. I seem to remember that I'm having a dinner with someone from Bergamo.W: That's right. And Mr. Betty from SAP Industries at eight.Q12: What would the man like the woman to do?Q13: At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?Q14: Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have a lunch with on Monday?Q15: What is most probably the woman's job?【听力短文】Listening Passage 1Donna Fredrick’s served with the Peace Corps for two years in Brazil. She joined the Peace Corps after she graduated from the college because she wanted to do something to help other people. She had been brought up on a farm, so the Peace Corps assigned her to a agricultural project. Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese for three months. She also learnt a great deal about its history and culture. During her two years with the Peace Corps, Donna lived in a village in northeast Brazil. That part of Brazil is very dry and farming is often difficult there. Donna helped the people of the village to organise an arrigation project, and she also advised themon planting corps. They didn’t require much water. When Donna returned to the States, shecould n’t settle down. She tried several jobs, but they seemed very boring to her. She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one day she got on an plane and went back to Brazil. She wasn’t sure what she’s going to do. She just wanted to be there. After a few weeks, Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching five classes a day. Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. She shares a small apartment with another teacher. And she makes a little extra money by sending stories to newspapers in the States. Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-time journalist.Question 16Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?Question 17What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?Question 18Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?Question 19How did Donna make extra money to support herself?Listening Passage 2Results of a recent Harry’s pool on free time showed that the average work week for many Americans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the household duties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free time to relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of study or work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In many countries free time is spent in different ways. The results of a Harry’s pool showed that reading was the most popular spare time activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure time activities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second. In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was eating out. The second most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popular outdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity for Americans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars ranked eighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoy doing similar things in their free time, there’s evidence to suggest that these interests are changing. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Many more people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends or playing games online.Question 20What is the recent Harry Pole about?Question 21What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?Question 22What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?Listening Passage 3On March 13th, while on duty Charles Mclaughlin, a very careless driver employed by the company Lummis was involved in another accident. The accident occurred in Riverside California. Not paying attention to his driving, Mclaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd street and hit Volkswagen rabbit. This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car. On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined that Mclaughlin had been quite careless. As a result of the committee’s conclusion, the branch manager Mr. David Rossi reported that he had talked with Mclaughlin about his extremely poor driving record. Further evidence of Mclaughlin's irresponsibility occurred on May 6th when he was returning from his shift. That day he ran into a roll-up door at the Lummis facility in Valero, causing significant damage to the door. Damage to the truck, however, was minor. Finally, on June 7th, Mclaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mail boxes near the edge of the company’s pa rking lot. There was damage to the mailboxes and minor damage to the truck. Mr. David Rossi stated that he had spoken with Mclaughlin on several occasions about his driving record. He added that he had warned Mclaughlin that three preventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurred on March 13th?24. What did Mclaughlin do on June 7th near the edge of the company’s parking lot?25. What is most probably going to happen to Mclaughlin?【听力填空】：When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate apart and alone, they replied, “Because it is right.” If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants instead of skirts or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers because it’s right, because that’s the way it’s done, because it’s the custom or even I don’t know. The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are controlled by social norms shared rules or guide lines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms define how people ought to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist. In fact we are much more likely to notice departures from norms than conformity to them. You will not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake handswhen you were introduced, but you might be a little startled if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both cheeks. Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other partsof the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.【四级长对话】9. B) It has an interesting museum.10. A) They are in opposite directions.11. C) They have lots of old houses.点评：显然长对话第一篇属于比较常见的“问路”话题。
大学英语四级卷一真题2013年12月
大学英语四级卷一真题2013年12月(总分：710.00，做题时间：130分钟)一、Part I Writing (30 minutes) (总题数：1，分数：106.50)（分数：106.50）__________________________________________________________________________________________ 正确答案：(The Impact of the Mobile Phone in People’s Life The thought-provoking drawing mirrors a common phenomenon in contemporary society that there is the negative influence of mobile phone. As is subtly shown in the picture，so many people are too much addicted to cell phones that they use walking sticks to see the road. What a meaningful cartoon! It is to me that indulging in mobile phones produces native influences on body and mind. First and foremost, overusing mobile phones is detrimental to physical health for watching mobiles for a long stretch definitely impairs one’s eyesight. Suppose that a man is addicted in cell phones in whatever situation, it will be very disadvantageous for him to concentrate on his work, learning, or daily life and is very likely to hurt him. Furthermore, overusing cell phones adversely affects state of mind. An addict may stay inside his bubble instead of pursuing other endeavors, which eventually prevents the growth of think skills. It is high time that we took effective measures to curb this trend. I cherish a belief that cell phones themselves are not good or bad and we can benefit a lot from it as long as we take a good control over them. )解析：二、Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes) (总题数：1，分数：56.80)（分数：56.80）A.Go to a place he has visitedB.Make her own arrangementsC.Consult a travel agent √D.Join in a package tour解析：[听力原文] W: I'd like to take a trip to Florida for my spring break. Can you give me any idea where to go? M: I could tell you about the places I visited, but I think you'd better look up a travel agency to help the arrangement. Q: What does the man suggest the woman do? [解析] 请求建议题。
2013年12月全国英语四级真题(第1套)
2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第1套）Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Interneton learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtaininformation. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Part ⅡListening Comprehension (30 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each questionthere will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B),C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letteron Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged. C) The conference room has to be cleaned.B) The sound equipment has to be set up. D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted. C) She cannot finish work in time.B) She is near-sighted. D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food. C) The woman should order her food quickly.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later. D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic. C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.B) He doesn’t keep his promises. D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International trade. C) Financial consulting.B) Product development. D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip. C) Make a ticket reservation.B) Look for a job in Miami. D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18. C) It is a beautiful little town.B) It has an interesting museum. D) It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions. C) They are quite close to each other.B) They are fifty-five miles apart. D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7. C) They have lots of old houses.B) They are crowded with tourists. D) They have many rare plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr. Gartner.D) Accompany Mr. Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30. C) About 5:30.B) About 6:30. D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr. Gartner from Milan. C) The company’s sales representative.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar. D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15. A) Travel agent. C) Secretary.B) Business manager. D) Saleswoman.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others. C) She needed some overseas experience.B) She wanted to find out more about it. D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program. C) Learn Portuguese.B) Work on an agricultural project. D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising. C) Time spent on leisure activities.B) Time spent working. D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading. C) Eating out.B) Surfing the Web. D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving. B) Gardening. C) Going to the pub. D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident.C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin’s carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there. C) He tore down the company’s main gate.B) He knocked down several mailboxes. D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job. C) He will be fined heavily.B) He will have to pay damages. D) He will receive retraining.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read forthe second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you havejust heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check whatyou have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate 26 , they replied, “Because it is right.” If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants 27 skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get 28 and very uninformative answers: “Because it’s right.”“Because that’s the way it’s done.”“Because it’s the 29 .” Or even “I don’t know.” The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are 30 by social norms—shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms 31 how people “ought” to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform (遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they 32 . In fact, we are much more likely to notice 33 from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little 34 if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both 35 . Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Readthe passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate’s or four-year bachelor’s degree programs. But as the nursing shortage 36 , a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing “fast-track programs” that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training.In 1991, there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200. Typical is Columbia University’s Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year. Those who stay on for an 39 two years can earn a master’s degree that40 them as nurse practitioners (执业护士) or clinical nurse specialists.Many students are recent 41 ; others are career switchers. Rudy Guardron, 32, a2004 graduate of Columbia’s program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a pharmaceutical(药物的) research company. At Columbia, he was 42 as a nurse practitioner. “I saw that nurses were in high 43 and it looked like a really good opportunity,” he says. “Also, I didn’t want to be in school for that long.”The fast-track trend fills a need, but it’s also creating some 44 between newcomers and veterans. “Nurses that are still at the bedside 45 these kids with suspicion,”says Linda Pellico, who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years. “They wonder, how can they do it quicker?” The answer is they don’t.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify theparagraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph morethan once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by markingthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The rise of the sharing economyA)Last night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms in30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it—2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new “sharing economy”, in which pe ople rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet.B)You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast (家庭旅店), owning atimeshare (分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb, RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online payment systems handle the billing.What’s mine is yours, for a feeC)Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites letindividuals act as an ad hoc (临时的) taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店)as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them.Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, but you can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps (胜过) ownership.D)Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rentalmarket alone is worth $26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the grid (电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E)Such “collaborative (合作的) consumption” is a good thing for several reasons. Owners makemoney from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000.Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned toa traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. And there are environmental benefits,too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F)For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm.Curmudgeons(倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends (or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works. Peering into the futureG)The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started in America 15 years ago.At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successful purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay. Having started out asa peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional “power sellers”(many ofwhom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise. Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H)Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire firm, has a share in asharing rival. So do GM and Daimler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office space) on peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.I)The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, forexample? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax, of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and-breakfasts are more than adequate.J)The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet’s value to consumers. This emerging model is now big and disruptive(颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb’s success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48. The major concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it.49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel, rentals, etc.52. Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactions online.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made full useof.55. Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) andD). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people’s hunger levels were predicted not by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol.“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,” Brunstrom says. “This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought.”These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trickour body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie(卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat. C) When we eat our meals.B) What ingredients the food contains. D) How fast we eat our meals.57. What would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body’s response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one’s consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less. C) Concentrate on food while eating.B) Choose food with fewer calories. D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard’s 2011 “Pathways to Prosperity”report for more attention to the “forgotten half”(those who do not go on to college) and ideasabout how to address this issue.Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene(干预) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students’ expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don’t go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position.B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges find it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. What suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children’s education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children’s education.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.许多人喜欢中餐。