下半年大学英语四级模拟试题及答案
下半年大学英语四级模拟试题及答案2017下半年大学英语四级模拟试题及答案大学英语四级考试，即CET-4，College English Test Band 4的缩写，是由国家教育部高等教育司主持的全国性英语考试。
下面为大家带来了下半年大学英语四级模拟试题及答案，欢迎大家参考阅读！Part ⅡReading Comprehension(35 minutes)Directions: There are four passages in this part. Each passage is followed by somequestions 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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage. ?If, at the end of a conversation somebody says to me, “as soon as I know, I’ll ring you up”, he is talking too much for granted. He is proposing to attempt the impossible. So I have to say, “I’m afraid you can’t. You see. I’m not on the telephone.I just haven’t got a telephone.”?Why don’t you have a telephone? Not because I pretend to as unusual. There are two chief reasons: because I don’t really like the telephone I find I can still work and play, eat, breathe and sleep without it. Why don’t I like the telephone? Because I think it is a pest and a time-waster. It may create unnecessary suspense and anxiety, as when you wait for an expected call that doesn’t come; or irritating delay, as when you keep ringing a number that is always engaged. As for speaking in a public telephone box, which seems to me really horrible. Youwould not use it unless you were in a hurry, and because you are in a hurry you will find other people waiting before you. When you do get into the box, you are half asphyxiated by stale, unventilated air, flavored with cheap face-powder and chain-smoking; and by the time you have begun your conversation your back is chilled by the cold look of somebody who is fidgeting to take your place.?If you have a telephone in your own house, you will admit that it tends to ring when you least want it to ring; when you are asleep, or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are in your bath.Are you strong-minded enough to ignore it, to say to yourself, “Ah, well, it will all be the same in a hundred years’ time.You are not. You think there may be some important news or message for you. Have you never rushed dripping from the bath, or chewing from the table, or dazed from the bed, only to be told that you are a wrong number?Suppose you ignore the telephone when it rings, and suppose that, for once, somebody has an important message for you. I can assure you that if a message is really important it will reach you sooner or later. Think of the proverb: “ill news travels apace.” I must say good news seems to travel just as fast. And think of the saying: “the truth will out.” It will.21. The write does not like telephone in a public telephone box, because____.A) unventilated airB) it is far from his homeC) it is not convenientD) he must pay for it22. In the third paragraph, “it will all be the same in ahundred years’time’ means ____.A) the phone has been the same thing for many yearsB) everything will remain the same thing whether I answer the phone or notC) the phone will not be changed in a hundred yearsD) the phone will not be changed for many years23. What do es “the truth will out” mean in the last sentence?A) The truth will become publicly.B) The truth will be truth.C) The truth will disappear.D) The truth will be hidden.24. Which of the following in the main idea of the passage?A) It is not necessary to have a telephone because ill news travels just as fast as good newsB) The writer states his reasons for not having a telephoneC) The writer does not like the telephone at all.D) People can live a normal life without a telephone.25. What kind of person do you think the writer is?A) Eccentric. B) Modern.C) Realistic. D) Idealistic.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage. ?Spending time in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a book-lover or merely go there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to find shelter from a sudden shower. Whatever the reason, you can soon become totally unaware of your surroundings. The desire to pick up a attractive dust-jacket is irresistible, althoughthis method of selection ought not to be followed, as you might end up with a rather dull book. You soon become engrossed in some book or other, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spend too much time there and must dash off to keep some forgotten appointment-without buying a book, of course.?This opportunity to escape the realities of everyday life is, I think, the main attraction of a bookshop. There are not many places where it is possible to do this. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can wander round such placesto your heart’s content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will approach you with the inevitable greeting: “can I help you, sir?” You needn’t buy anything you don’t want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished browsing. Then, and only then, are his services necessary. Of course, you may want to find out where a particular section is, but when he has led you there, the assistant should retire discreetly and look as if he is not interested in selling a single book.?You have to be careful not to be attracted by the variety of books in a bookshop. It is very easy to enter the shop looking for a book on, say, ancient coins and to come out carrying a copy of the latest best-selling novel and perhaps a book about brass-rubbing-something which had only vaguely interested you up till then. This volume on the subject, however, happened to be so well illustrated and the part of the text you read proved so interesting, that you just had to buy it. This sort of thing can be very dangerous. Apart from running up a huge account, you can waste a great deal of time wandering from section to section.?Book-seller must be both long-suffering and indulgent. There is a story which well illustrates this. A medical student hadto read a text-book which was far too expensive for him to buy. He couldn’t obtain it from the library and the only copy he could find was in his bookshop. , therefore, he would go a long to the shop and read a little of the book at a time. One day, however, he was dismayed to find the book missing from its usual place and was about to leave when he noticed the owner of the shop beckoning to him. Expecting to be told off, he went towards him. To his surprise, the owner pointed to the book, which was tucked away in a corner, “I put it there in case anyone was tempted to buy it,” he said, and left the delighted student to continue his reading.26. Spending time in a bookshop____.A) can be very much enjoyB) can be very pleasantC) can be pleasure-givingD) can give you the greatest pleasure27. When you enter the bookshop to find a book, you will ____.A) become completely absorbed in the books without realizing where you are.B) become completely lost without any knowledge of your whereabouts.C) become completely unconscious in the bookshop.D) lose any sense of direction as to where you are.28. How should book sellers do?A) He should be both suffer for a long time and satisfy customers’ wishes.B) He should be both endure and indulge for a long time.C) He should be both tender and lenient.D) He should be both patient and kind.29.Why did the owner of the shop put the book in a corner?A) He put it there in case anyone was persuaded to buy itB) He put it there in case anyone was inclined to buy it.C) He put it there in case anyone was attracted to buy it.D) He put it there in case anyone was fascinated to buy it.30.How should an assistant do in a good shop?A) Help you to choose a book.B) Approach you with the inevitable greeting.C) Keep himself staying until you have finished glancing.D) Show his great interest in selling book.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage. ?In a world that is becoming more and more interdependent, there is an ever-increasing need to link communications systems on various continents and to provide live international television coverage. This need is now being met by the communications satellites.?Communications satellites make use of technology that has been available for some time: the microwave radio relay. Microwave, which have a higher frequency thanordinary radio waves, are used routinely in sending thousands of telephone calls and television programs across long distances. They give high-quality performance, and they can carry many messages at the same time.?But they has always been one problem in using radio relay in overseas communications. Although high-frequency waves can travel almost unlimited distances, theytravel only in straight lines. Since the curvature of the earth limits a microwave’s line-of-sight path to about 30 miles, good a series of relay towers spaced every 30 miles or so.Obviously it isn’t possible to built these towers across the ocean. But by sending signals high up into the sky and then bouncing them back again to a far-off spot, we can send microwave messages long distances.?As long ago as 1945, Arthur C. Clarke, an English science-fiction writer, proposed that manned “stationary” satellites be used to relay and broadcast electromagnetic communication signals. In 1945, of course, the idea of getting a satellite out into space seemed fantastic. But with ten years, satellites were close to reality. With the first launching of a satellite into orbit by the Soviet Union (Sputnik I) in 1957, the real development work on satellite communications began.Shortly thereafter, two successful satellites were launched in the United States, Echo I and Telstar I.?The launching of the Telstar I satellite in 1962 marked a major step toward opening the era of commercial satellite communications. Echo I, a ten-story aluminum-coated balloon, was a “passive” target; it merely reflected weak signals back to the earth. But Telstar I was the first “active” satellite to pi ck up a broadband signal, amplify it, and transmit it back to the earth on a different frequency. The satellite’s transmission of transatlantic television thrilled millions.?A few months after Telstar I went into orbit, Relay, a medium-altitude satellite launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), providedthe first satellite communication between North and South America. Relay was followed by the Telstar II satellite, and by NASA’s Syncom series and its successors——all of them high-altitude (23,000 miles) satellites whose orbits are synchronous with the rotation of the earth so that this positions, if they couldbe seen from the earth, would appear to be fixed in one spot.?Shortly before Telstar I was launched, the United States Congress established the Communications Satellite Corporation——Comsat——to develop a commercial satellite system as part of an improved global communications network. Comsat, which is owned partly by public investors and partly by communications carriers, represents the United States in the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium-Intelsat-and acts as manager for that body. Since its inception in 1962, the corporation, in collaboration with Intelsat, has inaugurated commercial satellite transmission of telephone, television, and other telecommunications traffic between North America and Europe and North America and the Far East.?The commercial satellite Intelsat IV was launched in June of 1972.This one-and-one-half-ton spacecraft multiplied by five times the space-borne relaying capacity linking Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. With the launching of Intelsat IV, full global coverage by communications satellites had at last been achieved.31. The first paragraph indicates ____.A) communications systems is becoming more and more independentB) link communications systems on various continentsC) the need to link communications systems on various is ever-increasingD) this need is now being met by the communications satellites32.The maximum distance for high-frequency and straight line microwave transmission is ____ miles.A) much more than 30B) less than30C) 30D) about 3033.The phrase “marked a major step”(Line 1,Para. 5) most probably means____.A) got significant stepB) was an important advanceC) made a progressD) marked in the history34.What is the author trying to tell us in the second paragraph?A) Microwave radio relay.B) Microwave itself.C) Microwave’s transmission.D) Microwave’s value.35. In paragraph 6, “...whose orbits are synchronous with the rotation of the earth so that this positions,...” means ____.A) satellites are orbited in the same time with the rotation of the earthB) that moves as fast as the earth the earth turns roundC) that travels in the same direction with the earth turns roundD) that travels faster than the earth turnsPassage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage. ?Americans believe no one stands still. If you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind. This attitude results in a nation of people committed to researching, experimenting and exploring. Time is one of the two elements that Americans save carefully, the other being labor.?“We are slaves to nothing but the clock,” it has been said. Time is treated as if it were something almost tangible. We budget it, save it, waste it, steal it,kill it, cut it, account for it; we also charge for it. It is a precious commodity. Many people have a rather acute shortness of each lifetime. Once the sands have run out of a person’s hourglass, they cannot be replaced. We want every minute to count.?A foreigner’s first impression of the U. S. is likely to be that everyone is ina rush-often under pressure. City people appear always to be hurry to get where they are going, restlessly seeking attention in a store, elbowing others as they try to complete their errands. Racing through daytime meals is part of the pace of life in this country. Working time is considered precious. Others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so they too can be served and get back to work within the time allowed. Each person hurries to make room for the next person. If you don’t, waiter will hurry you. ?You also find drivers will be abrupt and that people will push past you. You will miss smiles, brief conversations, small courtesies with strangers. Don’t take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent someone else “wasting” it beyond a certain courtesy point. ?This view of time affects the importance we attach to patience. In the American system of values, patience is not a high priority. Many of us have what might be called “a short fuse.” We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away without some return-be this in terms of pleasure, work value, or rest. Those coming from lands where time is looked upondifferently may find this matter of pace to be one of their most difficult adjustments in both business and day life.?Many newcomers to the States will miss the opening courtesies of a business call, for example. They will miss the ritual socializing that goes with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee that may be traditional in their own country. They may miss leisurely business chats in a café or coffee h ouse. Normally, Americans do not assess their visitors in such relaxed surroundings over prolonged small talk; much less do they take them out for dinner, or around on the golf course while they develop a sense of trust and report. Rapport to most of us is less important than performance. We seek out evidence of past performance rather than evaluate a business colleague through social courtesies. Since we generally assess and probe professionally rather than socially, we start talking business very quickly.Most Americans live according to time segments laid out in engagement calendars.We often give a person two or three ( or more) segments of our calendar, but in business world we almost always have other appointments following hard on the heels of whatever we are doing. Time is therefore always ticking in our inner ear.?As a result we work hard at the task of saving time. We produce a steady flow of labor-saving devices; we communicate rapidly through telexes phone calls or memos rather than through personal contacts, which though pleasant, take longer-especially given our traffic-filled streets. We therefore save most personal visiting for after work hours or for social weekend gatherings.36.“If you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind.”(Para.1,L ine1)means ____.A) if you are moving, you are falling downB) you would fall behind if you move aheadC) you are moving ahead or you are falling behindD) you are not moving, you are disappear37. The second paragraph implies____.A) everyone’s life has his regretsB) everybody has his defaultsC) lifetime is not long for everyoneD) lifetime is full of pities38. In the American system of value, patience is not a high priority indicates ____.A) patience is very importantB) patience is high valuableC) patience is not of valueD) patience is ranked after others39. “We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away withoutsome return...”, this sentence reflects Americans’ attitude to life ____.A) is not patient enoughB) gets angry easilyC) saves timesD) values time40. Is the article to ____?A) narrate B) tell storyC) inform D) arguePart ⅢVocabulary and Structure(20 minutes)Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part.For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D) . Choose the one answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.41. We consider ____ the instrument should be adjusted each time it isused.A) necessary thatB) necessary of it thatC) D) that it necessary42. “____ he would not agree to this plan?”A) Why do you knowB) Do you know whyC) You know whyD) You know the reason why43. When you play football, the person with whom you are playing against is your ____.A) oppositionB) oppositionistC) competitionD) opponent44. I wonder if John has forgotten my number. I ____ him to call for the past two hours.A) have been expectingB) have expectedC) have been expectedD) expected45. Tom as well as two of his classmates ____ invited to the party.A) are B) will beC) is D) be46. correct, and ____.A) neither is mineB) mine is neitherC) neither am ID) either is mine47. You look so tired tonight, It’s time you ____ to bed.A) go B) wentC) going D) to go48. Our company has made a ____ with a foreign automobile company to buy50 cars.A) contract B) contrastC) contact D) convert49. Success is not worth the ____ of your health.A) value B) attitudeC) bargain D) sacrifice50. My suggestion is that we ____ a trade delegation to Malaysia.A) sent B) be sentC) send D) being sent51. Why not ____ that suit to see it matches with your shirt?A) try back B) try onB) try for D) try out52. A ____ is official permission to visit a country granted by the government of that country. It may be obtained from the embassy of the country you wish to visit.A) visa B) patentC) license D) passport53. The criminal always paid ____ cash so the police could nottrack himdown.A) in B) byC) on D) for54. ____ your cooperation, we could not have succeeded in our experiment.A) Because of B) BecauseC) But that D) But for55. No one can avoid ____ by advertisements.A) influencingB) influencedC) being influencedD) to influence56. I have so much work to do that a holiday for me this year is ____.A) out of questionB) out of the questionC) out of a questionD) out question57. ____ their common aim may seem good, people probably do not realize that dieting can do harm to their health.A) If B) BecauseC) Though D) When58. The discount houses were first established in that period of time ____ people’s purchasing power was low.A) what B) whereC) which D) when59. He ____ the money, he is not such kind of person.A) can’t have stolenB) must n’t have stolenC) can’t stealD) may not steal60. ____ by the earthquake, the city had to be rebuilt.A) Having badly damagedB) Having been badly damagedC) Been badly damagedD) Being badly damaged61. Would you mind ____ quiet for a moment? I’m trying ____ of form.A) keeping,to fill outB) keeping,filling outC) keep,to fill outD) to keep,to fill out62. Mercury is different from other industrial metals ____ it isa liquid.A) because ofB) whereasC) in thatD) though63. He made a hypothesis ____ the great storms on the sun create large amounts of electric energy.A) why B) whichC) when D) that64. He had the ____ over other boys of having had very good preschool education.A) alternative B) advantageC) ability D) challenge65. ____ went to the birthday party last night.A) Many friends of JohnB) Many John’s friendsC) Many of John friendsD) Many friends of John’s66. —“Are you tired?”—“No, not ____.”A) in the leastB) at the leastC) so to speakD) at least67. The notice says that no books in the reading room are allowed ____ out of it.A) to takeB) takeC) takingD) to be taken68. ____ in the front row and ____ a pair of binoculars I saw everythingclearly and beautifully.A) Seated,usingB) Seating,usingC) Seated,usedD) Seating,used69. ____ they want to the bar to enjoy a drink.A) No sooner had they got to know the news whenB) Hardly they had got to know the news thanC) No sooner had they got to know the news thanD) Scarcely had they got to know the news than70. At the beginning of a year, everybody ____ many plans for the comingdays.A) come up withB) come up toC) come throughD) come roundPart ⅣCloze(15 minutes)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage.For each blank there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Bees are very small animals which fly through the air to look for flowers (71)____. When a bee (72)____ some food, it returns to the hive and dances. The dance is the way a bee (73)____ to other bees that is has found food.?Bees do two kinds of (74)____ to tell other bees of their (75)____ of food. First, there is a round dance. (76)____ this dance, the bee moves in a (77)____ inside the hive. The round dance is used (78)____ the food is close by. The food must not be more than ten meters (79)____ If a bee comes back and dance a round dance, other bees know they must go out and look nearby for food. The bees also (80)____ the bee that has found the food. The smell tells them what kind of flower to (81)____. After watching the round dance and smelling the bee (82)____ has found the food, can find the other source.?A second kind of dance (83)____by the bee is a tail-wagging dance. In this dance, the bee wiggles the (84)____ of its body as it moves in a (85)____ line. The tail-wagging dance is used when the food is far away. The food must be (86)____ ten meters away. The bees know from the speed of the tail-wagging dance just how far away the food source is. The line the bee dances on shows the direction that the bees (87)____ fly into find the food. In the tail-wagging dance, the bees also smell the bee (88)____ has found the food. The smell tells them what kind of flowers to look for. After watching the tail-wagging dance and smelling the bee that has found the food, know (89)____ things. They know how far (90)____ fly, what direction to fly in, and what kind of flowers to look for.71. A) for food B) for eatingC) to eat D) for eating food72. A) looks for B) findsC) in search of D) found73. A) communicates B) makesC) helps D) supports74. A) dances B) waysC) methods D) means75. A) information B) newsC) discovery D) happiness76. A) on B) forC) in D) at77. A) direction B) lineC) round D) circle78. A) when B) asC) at D) that79. A) away B) longC) high D) from80. A) taste B) touchC) smell D) do81. A) wait for B) look forC) engage in D) subject to82. A) what B) thatC) who D) it83. A) done B) madeC) danced D) got84. A) head B) eyesC) end D) middle85. A) circle B) roundC) around D) straight86. A) more than B) much thanC) much D) less than87. A) should B) wouldC) must D) may88. A) which B) thatC) it D) what89. A) these B) thoseC) three D) below90. A) to B) inC) for D) onPart ⅤWriting(30 minutes)Directions: The attraction of such a market is described first,then details of this source of enjoyment are presented, both appearing to the emotions of the readers.Title: How to Persuade People to Visit a Pet Fish Market[范文]How to Persuade People to Visit a Pet Fish Market ?Walking through a pet fish market always makes you feel relaxed.?As the fish basins and tanks are displayed on either side of the narrow street, it takes quite some time to walk through it, and considering the colorful varieties of fish displayed, it is an enjoyment to take a walk there. As soon as you enter the market, you see goldfish galore swimming in basins of all shapes and sizes. The “bubble eyes” may first come into view, their bubbles quivering with every . The “skyward dragons” on the other hand, look foolishly conceited. Why do they always look upward with their eyes parallel to the horizon? Is this the social behavior of their kind-never looking down, but always looking up? You wonder. Then there are the “tiger-heads”, moving ever so solemnly. They fill you with a sense of calmness. For those who love jewelry, the “pearls” will surely provide great pleasure. Somewhere higher up in more expensive tanks, with air bubbles blowing up and weeds growing from the sandy bottoms, the tropical fishes are real attraction: extremely colorful and elegant.Their prices may surprise you, but there’s no harm in looking.参考答案Part Ⅱ Reading ComprehensionPassage One内容概要：本文的作者论述了自己的主张，家里没有必要安装电话，因为它带来的是麻烦，而不是便利。
四级模拟考试题库及答案
四级模拟考试题库及答案一、听力部分1. A) The man is going to the cinema.B) The woman is going to the cinema.C) Both are going to the cinema.D) Neither is going to the cinema.答案：C2. A) The woman is a teacher.B) The man is a teacher.C) The woman is a student.D) The man is a student.答案：A3. A) The woman is satisfied with the meal.B) The man is satisfied with the meal.C) Both are satisfied with the meal.D) Neither is satisfied with the meal.答案：D二、阅读部分1. What is the main idea of the passage?A) The importance of sleep.B) The effects of sleep deprivation.C) The benefits of taking a nap.D) The relationship between sleep and health.答案：B2. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a symptom of sleep deprivation?A) Difficulty in concentrating.B) Increased appetite.C) Irritability.D) Enhanced creativity.答案：D3. What does the author suggest to improve sleep quality?A) Exercising regularly.B) Drinking coffee before bedtime.C) Watching TV in bed.D) Taking a hot bath before sleep.答案：A三、写作部分1. Directions: Write an essay on the topic of "The Role of Technology in Education". You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.答案：略2. Directions: Write an essay on the topic of "The Impact of Social Media on Communication". You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.答案：略四、翻译部分1. 随着科技的发展，人们的生活方式发生了巨大的变化。
2024年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第3套)附答案
大学英语四级考试COLLEGE ENGLISH TEST—Band Four—2024年12月第3套(附答案)敬告考生：1.所有题目必须在答题卡上规定位置作答，在试题册上或答题卡上非规定位置的作答一律无效。
2.请在规定时间内在答题卡指定位置依次完成作文、听力、阅读、翻译各部分考试，作答作文期间不得翻阅该试题册。
听力录音播放完毕后，请立即停止作答，监考员将立即收回答题卡1，得到监考员指令后方可继续作答。
3.作文题内容印在试题册背面，作文题及其他主观题必须用黑色签字笔在答题卡指定区域内作答。
4.选择题均为单选题，错选、不选或多选将不得分，作答时必须使用HB-2B铅笔在答题卡上相应位置填涂，修改时须用橡皮擦净。
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试)Directions : Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for its coming edition on how to enrich students' knowledge of traditional Chinese culture.You are now to write an essay for submission. You will have 30 minutes to write theessay. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.请用黑色签字笔在答题卡1指定区域内作答作文题，在试题册上的作答无效！注：每次四级考试只出两套听力，请参照2024年12月第1套卷和第2套卷的听力。
Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spokenonly once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the fourchoices marked A),B),C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) They will see a 27% higher price to buy natural gasB) They will have insufficient heating oil to keep warm.C) They will have a costly bill to pay to heat their homes.D) They will experience the coldest winter in four decades.2. A) Provided additional funding to Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.B) Assured U.S. citizens of an increase in energy supplies by the end of this year.C) Predicted a 10% jump in heating bills for most U.S. households this winter.D) Decided on this year's energy assistance package of $ 8 billion in total.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) They care less about their diet now than before.B) They may lack adequate knowledge of healthy food.C) They may hold too optimistic a view about their diet.D) They pay insufficient attention to their choice of food.4. A) Those who finished 24-hour food questionnaires.B) Those who fully understood the rating scale.C) Those who cared about food quality.D) Those who rated their diet as poor.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) They experienced a heartbreaking moment.B) They gathered together to rescue an elephant.C) They heard a noise from the bottom of a well.D) They found an elephant wandering around a well.6. A) To borrow their crane.B) To ask them for help.C) To report the strange noise.D) To get food for the elephant.7. A) The elephant was able to return to the jungle.B) The army officers were examined for injuries.C) The army officers were rewarded for their rescue efforts.D) The elephant was given medical treatment for many days.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spokenonly once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the fourchoices marked A),B),C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He found it had caused him much inconvenience.B) It led him to spend more money than necessary.C) It was much less secure than paying with cash.D) He wanted to be less dependent on his phone.9. A) Living beyond her means.B) Lack of budgeting strategies.C) Fashion addiction.D) Impulse purchasing.10. A) Eat healthier food with less money.B) Order food like burgers and chips.C) Avoid getting addicted to junk food.D) Pay either in cash or with his phone.11.A) Making a shopping list.B) Sticking to his budget.C) Withdrawing cash only once a month.D) Thinking twice before buying something.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He does not enjoy any ball games.B) He has to prepare for the future.C) He has breathing problems.D) He is not up to anything challenging.13.A) Soccer.B) Badminton.C) V olleyball.D) Basketball.14. A) The possibilities of joining the school sports team.B) The opportunities of winning some championships.C) The chances of getting an athletic scholarship later on.D) The odds of becoming a professional sportsman someday.15.A) It differs entirely from indoor volleyball.B) It appeals to both schoolgirls and schoolboys.C) It is less popular than indoor sports in the country.D) It is completely different from other outdoor games.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A),B),C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with asingle line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A) It usually requires years of preparations.B) It does a lot of harm to the environment.C) It often burns over three hundred tonnes of refined fuel.D) It proves to be the most complicated stage of space missions.17.A) They are burnt up in outer space.B) They are guided back to Earth.C) They are reused up to 100 timesD) They are treated as expendable.18. A) New technologies for bringing back space vehicles for recyclingB) The technology for meeting the needs of commercial space travel.C) Many of the technologies to limit the impact of space travel on Earth.D) The technology for effectively protecting ozone from being destroyed.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It can help unskilled readers feel more secure.B) It can encourage reluctant readers to read aloud.C) It can strengthen children's confidence in others.D) It can boost children's interest in communication.20. A) By motivating children to find out about their favourite pets.B) By taking children to the library to borrow books on animals.C) By allowing children to surf the internet about pets by themselves.D) By showing children how to acquire knowledge about healthy pets.21. A) By learning that raising pets can do much goodB) By watching how healthy pets are brought up.C) By hearing about their peers' passion for pets.D) By visiting friends who have household pets.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) Send would-be students a packet of information.B) Update regularly all information on their websites.C) Inform prospective students of their yearly enrollment.D) Answer questions raised by applicants and their parents.23.A) Oversee private institutions directly.B) Follow other states' example.C) Supervise all schools consistently.D) Regulate public institutions by law.24. A) They are resourceful.B) They are competitive.C) They provide the best opportunity to realize one's dream.D) They appeal most to students from other states in the U.S.25. A) Some students waste much time surfing the net.B) Students may need to visit too many websites.C) Students have to search for the information.D) Some students may lack adequate access.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.Super realistic masks are made from flexible materials such as silicone and are designed to imitate real human faces -down to every last detail.In a study by the Universities of York and Kyoto, researchers asked participants to look at pairs of photographs and decide which showed a 26 face and which showed a person wearing a mask.Surprisingly, participants made the wrong call in one -in -five cases.The 20% error rate 27 in the study likely underestimates the extent to which people would struggle to tell an 28 face from the real thing outside of the lab.The researchers collected data from participants from both the UK and Japan to 29 any differences according to race. When trial participants were asked to choose between photographs of faces of a different race from theirs, response times were slower and selections were 5% less 30.There are now dozens of criminal cases in which offenders have 31 themselves off as people of a different age, race or gender, sending police investigations down the wrong path.In one recent case, an international gang used an 32 realistic mask to pose as a French minister, 33 business executives out of millions of pounds.Dr. Jet Sanders, who worked on the study while a PhD student at the University of York, said: "Failure to detect synthetic faces may have important implications for security and crime prevention as super realistic masks may 34 the key characteristics of a person's appearance to be 35 identified."Section BDirections : In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by markingthecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Stop thinking and start doingA) Most people have a dream in life, a vision of who or what they'd like to be in the future. At a minimum, everyone has interests and values that determine what they want out of their lives. Even so, trying to set achievable goals that you'll work for over the course of many years can be extremely challenging. It can be hard to know where to even begin, and the things you hope to achieve may seem impossible. But, if you're well prepared you may be able to set goals for your life that are just as fulfilling to work toward as to achieve.B) We all have goals that we want to achieve in our lives. These goals may include learning a newlanguage, eating healthier and losing weight, becoming a better parent, saving more money, and so on. It can be easy to assume that the gap between where you are now and where you want to be in the future is caused by a lack of knowledge. This is why we buy courses on how to start a business or how to lose weight fast or how to learn a new language in three months. We assume that if we knew about a better strategy, then we would get better results. We believe that a new result requires new knowledge.C) What I'm starting to realize, however, is that new knowledge does not necessarily drive newresults. In fact, learning something new can actually be a waste of time if your goal is to make progress and not simply gain additional knowledge.D) It all comes down to the difference between learning and practicing. Thomas Sterner, in his bookThe Practicing Mind, explains the key difference between practicing and learning. He says: “When we practice something, we are involved in the deliberate repetition of a process with the intention of reaching a specific goal." Here the words " deliberate" and "intention" are key, because they define the difference between actively practicing something and passively learning it.E) Learning something new and practicing something new may seem very similar, but these twomethods can have profoundly different results. Here are some additional ways to think about the difference. Let's say your goal is to get stronger and more fit. You can research the best instructions on weight lifting technique, but the only way to build strength is to practice lifting weights. Let's say your goal is to grow your startup. You can learn about the best way to make a sales pitch, but the only way to actually land customers is to practice making sales calls. Let'ssay your goal is to write a book. You can talk to a best-selling author about writing, but the only way to become a better writer is to practice publishing consistently.F) Passive learning creates knowledge. Active practice creates skill. Let's consider a couple morereasons to prioritize active practice over passive learning. First, passive learning can be a stick that supports inaction. In many cases, learing is actually a way to avoid taking action on the goals and interests that we say are important to us. For example, let's say you want to learn a foreign language. Reading a book on how to learn a foreign language quickly allows you to feel like you are making progress ("Hey, I'm figuring out the best way to do this!"). Of course, you're not actually practicing the action that would deliver your desired outcome (speaking the foreign language).G) In situations like this one, we often claim that we are preparing or researching the best method,but these rationalizations allow us to feel like we are moving forward when we are merely spinning our wheels. We make the mistake of being in motion rather than taking action.Learning is valuable until it becomes a form of procrastination（拖延).H) Another point to consider is that practice is learning, but learning is not practice. Passivelearning is not a form of practice because although you gain new knowledge, you are not discovering how to apply that knowledge. Active practice, meanwhile, is one of the greatest forms of learning because the mistakes you make while practicing reveal important insights.I) Even more importantly, practice is the only way to make a meaningful contribution with yourknowledge. You can watch an online course about how to build a business or read an article about a terrible disaster in a developing nation, but that knowledge is unproductive unless you actually launch your business or donate to those in need. Learning by itself can be valuable for you, but if you want to be valuable to others, then you have to express your knowledge in some way.J) The last important point to consider is that practice focuses your energy on the process. Thomas Sterner once said, "Progress is a natural result of staying focused on the process of doing anything." The state of your life right now is a result of the habits and beliefs that you have been practicing each day. When you realize this and begin to direct your focus toward practicing better habits day-in and day-out, continual progress will be the logical outcome. It is not the things we learn nor the dreams we visualize that determine our results, but rather the habits that we practice each day. Fall in love with boredom and focus your energy on the process, not theproduct.K) What does this all mean? Is passive learning useless? Of course not. In many cases, learning for the sake of learning can be a beautiful thing. Not to mention that soaking up new information can help you make more informed decisions when you do decide to take action. That said, the main point of this article is that learning by itself does not lead to progress. We often hide behind information and use learning as an excuse to delay the more difficult and more important choice of actually doing something. Spend less time passively learning and more time actively practicing. Stop thinking and start doing.36. Acquisition of new knowledge may not guarantee the progress that you aim to make.37. Your current situation in life is built on the beliefs and habits you have been practicing daily.38. Knowing the best way to learn a foreign language will not enable you to speak it without actualpractice.39. People may find it demanding to create a goal which will take a long time to achieve.40. Learning and practicing seem to be very much alike, but the two processes can lead to quitedifferent outcomes.41. Absorbing new information is helpful in making better decisions prior to action.42. Sometimes we may feel like we are making progress by doing some research or makingpreparations, but actually we are staying at the starting point.43. We are inclined to think that a lack of knowledge prevents us from advancing to a better future.44. Learning can benefit you by itself, but only practice can turn what you learn into meaningfulcontributions.45. Practice involves repeating a process intentionally to attain a particular objective.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) andD). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Research in human-vehicle interaction has shown even systems designed to automate drivingare far from being error-proof. Recent evidence points to drivers' limited understanding of what these systems can and cannot do as a contributing factor to system misuse. A recent study tackles the issue of over-trusting drivers and the resulting system misuse from a legal viewpoint. It looks at what the manufacturers of self-driving cars should legally do to ensure that drivers understand how to use the vehicles appropriately.One solution suggested in the study involves requiring buyers to sign end-user license agreements (EULAs),similar to the terms and conditions that require agreement when using new software products. But this is far from ideal. The agreement may not provide enough information to the driver, leading to confusion about the nature of the requests for agreement and their implications. Further, most end users don't read EULAs. A 2017 study shows 91 percent of people agree to them without reading. Among young people, 97 percent agree without reviewing the terms.The issue is that, unlike using a smartphone app, operating a car has serious safety risks, whether the driver is human or software. And human drivers need to consent to take responsibility for the outcomes of the software and hardware."Warning fatigue" and distracted driving are also causes for concern. For example, a driver, annoyed after receiving continuous warnings, could decide to just ignore the message. Or, if the message is presented while the vehicle is in motion, it could represent a distraction. Given these limitations and concerns, even if this mode of obtaining consent is to move forward, it likely won't fully protect automakers from their legal liability should the system malfunction(发生故障)or an accident occur.Driver training for self-driving vehicles can help ensure that drivers fully understand system capabilities and limitations. This needs to occur beyond the vehicle purchase. Recent evidence shows even relying on the information provided by the seller is not going to answer many questions. All of this considered, the road forward for self-driving cars is not going to be a smooth ride after all.46. What do we learn from research in human-vehicle interaction?A) Automatic driving systems are by no means immune to errors.B) Driverless vehicles are likely to be misused by some people.C) Self-driving car manufacturers are not aware of the legal matters involved.D) There is a long way to go before humans can interact with driverless vehicles.47. What is the problem with requiring buyers to sign end-user license agreements?A) End users, young and old alike, find the terms complex to interpret.B) Most end users sign them without bothering to read the terms.C) Many people are often confused by the wording of the terms.D) Most end users do not understand the terms after reading them through48. What would drivers do when they suffer from "warning fatigue"?A) Waste no time keeping the car moving.B) Rest a while to avoid fatigue driving.C) Take no action despite repeated warnings.D) Take note of the message though fatigued.49. What does the author think of continuing to ask buyers to sign end-user license agreements?A) It will probably not guarantee the safety of drivers in case of accidents.B) It likely won't ensure that the automatic driving system functions properly.C) It likely won't fully protect automakers against accusations of deliberate cheating.D) It will probably not provide manufacturers adequate protection from legal responsibilities.50. What should be done to help drivers fully understand system capabilities and limitations?A) Training them to be experts in vehicle automation.B) Familiarizing them with the systems through training.C) Broadening their knowledge of accident-prevention mechanisms.D) Facilitating their access to the information provided by the seller.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Do you ever blend up a protein drink for breakfast, or grab a protein bar following an afternoon workout? If so, you are likely among the millions of people in search of more protein-rich diets.Protein-enriched products are found everywhere. But contrary to all the publicity that everyone needs more protein, most Americans get twice as much as they need.Many of us living in the most developed countries are buying into a myth of protein deficiency created by food companies and self-identified health experts. Global retail sales of protein supplement products reached an astonishing US$ 18.9 billion in 2020.But are we really in need of more protein? Physicians in the U.S. have never actually examined a patient with protein deficiency because simply by eating an adequate number of daily calories weare also most likely getting enough protein.In fact, Americans currently consume almost twice the National Academy of Medicine's recommended daily intake of protein although the most desirable protein intake may vary depending on age and activity level.For example, if you're a dedicated athlete you might need to consume higher quantities of protein. Generally, though, a 140-pound person should not exceed 120 grams of protein per day, particularly because a high protein diet can strain kidney and liver function and increase risks of developing heart disease and cancer.While fats and sugar have taken the beating in turns since over a century ago, protein has managed to remain our red-hot favorite.In the 1970s through the 1990s, protein products remained visible but moved back somewhat with the dietary spotlight firmly fixed on low-calorie, low-fat, sugar-free snack foods and beverages following the publication of studies linking sugar and saturated(饱和的）fat consumption to heart disease.Later research in 2003, however, suggested high-protein diets could aid in weight loss, and protein quickly regained its former nutrient-superstar status.Now most people living in high-income nations are consuming enough protein. When we replace meals with a protein bar or drink, we also risk missing out on the rich sources of antioxidants(抗氧化剂), vitamins and many other benefits of real food.51. What do we learn about publicity over protein in America?A) It has helped to create the myth of protein deficiency.B) It has helped Americans in search of protein-rich diets.C) It has raised a lot of health concerns among the public.D) It has been funded by food companies and health experts.52. Why have physicians in the U.S. never actually examined a patient with protein deficiency?A) Americans can purchase many kinds of protein-rich foods everywhere.B) Americans can absorb the number of calories recommended by food experts.C) Americans can get sufficient protein just by cating adequate foods daily.D) Americans can rely on food supplements to prevent protein deficiency.53. What should people take into consideration in deciding on the most preferable protein intake?A) How healthy they are and what food they eatB) How old they are and what activities they do.C) How much protein they consume and what their body weight is.D) How serious their protein deficiency is and what remedies they use.54. What foods have been largely out of favor for more than a century?A) Sugar-free snacks.B) Protein-rich foods.C) Both red and white meats.D) Sugary and fatty foods.55. What does the author imply people in developed countries should do to keep healthy?A) Enjoy natural food.B) Eat vegetarian diets.C) Consume enough protein daily.D) Replace meals with protein bars.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.中国政府十分重视环境保护。
英语四级考试题模拟及答案
英语四级考试题模拟及答案英语四级考试是许多大学生必须通过的一项考试，它是考察英语能力的重要指标之一。
为了帮助考生更好地备考，以下是一份英语四级考试题目模拟及答案，供参考学习。
一、听力部分1. What does the woman advise the man to do?A. Change his major.B. Study harder.C. Take fewer courses.D. Drop the course.2. What does the woman think of their food?A. Delicious.B. Too salty.C. Overpriced.D. Terrible.3. Where is the man planning to go?A. To the library.B. To the bookstore.C. To the office.D. To the cafeteria.答案：1. B. Study harder.2. A. Delicious.3. B. To the bookstore.二、阅读部分Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following passage:Most experts agree countries need to start seriously slashing greenhouse gas emissions.. and that we can continue emitting greenhouse gases for only another 10 to 15 years before crossing a threshold into a more extreme climate.4. What do most experts agree on?A. Greenhouse gas emissions need to be increased.B. Greenhouse gas emissions need to be seriously reduced.C. Greenhouse gas emissions have no impact on the climate.D. Greenhouse gas emissions can continue as they are.5. How many years do most experts believe we have before crossing a threshold into a more extreme climate?A. 5 to 10 years.B. 10 to 15 years.C. 15 to 20 years.D. 20 to 25 years.6. What is the main idea of the passage?A. Countries should ignore greenhouse gas emissions.B. Countries have plenty of time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.C. Countries must act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.D. Countries will not be affected by greenhouse gas emissions.答案：4. B. Greenhouse gas emissions need to be seriously reduced.5. B. 10 to 15 years.6. C. Countries must act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.三、写作部分请根据以下题目写一篇短文：题目：Does social media have a positive or negative impact on society?参考范文：Social media has become an indispensable part of our lives, with millions of people using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on a daily basis. While social media has its benefits, such as connecting people from all around the world and providing a platform for sharing information and ideas, it also has negative impacts on society.One of the positive aspects of social media is its ability to bring people together. It allows individuals to stay in touch with friends and family, no matter where they are located. Social media also provides a platform for sharing news and information quickly and easily, which can be beneficial in emergency situations.However, social media also has negative impacts on society. One of the biggest concerns is the spread of fake news and misinformation. With the rise of social media, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between reliable sources and fake news. This can lead to a misinformed public and have serious consequences for society.Furthermore, social media can have a negative impact on mental health. Studies have shown that excessive use of social media can lead to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The constant comparison to others on social media can also lead to low self-esteem and self-worth.In conclusion, while social media has its benefits, such as connecting people and sharing information, it also has negative impacts on society, such as the spread of fake news and negative effects on mental health. It is important for individuals to use social media responsibly and critically evaluate the information they see online.以上是一份英语四级考试题目模拟及答案，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
最新完美版大学英语四级模拟试卷答案
最新完美版大学英语四级模拟试卷答案参考答案及解析Part I WritingJob Hunting for College StudentsWe have been hearing that college graduates are finding it more and more difficult to get a job. The situation seems puzzling. For one thing, college graduates comprise only a limited proportion of the population. They should be highly competitive in the job markets. For another, one country has been developing very quickly and it does need a lot of college graduates.In my opinion, the major reason for the situation is that college graduates nowadays usually have unrealistic hopes when they go to find a job. They mostly want to have an easy job which promises a good salary and all the opportunities to advance their career developments. They are reluctant to start from the routine work, say, in a company.A solution to this problem requires efforts on both the society and the graduates themselves. Our society should learn to value the talents and knowledge of college graduates. By creating a better environment for them, our society can benefit from their contributions. On the other hand, college students should take a more down-to-earth attitude toward their career. They need to be more realistic and prove themselves to be competent in work.Part II Reading Comprehension(Skimming and Scanning)1.Y 细节理解题。
大学英语四级模拟试题及答案
大学英语四级模拟试题及答案大学英语四级模拟试题及答案在现实的学习、工作中，我们最熟悉的就是试题了，借助试题可以更好地对被考核者的知识才能进行考察测验。
什么样的试题才能有效帮助到我们呢？下面是店铺收集整理的大学英语四级模拟试题及答案，仅供参考，大家一起来看看吧。
大学英语四级模拟试题及答案篇1Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Directions: There are 4 passages in this part.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 correspondingletter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:Some radio singals were heard in 1967.They were coming from a point in the sky where there was unknown star.They were coming very regularly,too:about once a second,if they were controlled by clock.?The scientists who heard the signals did not tell anybody else.They were rather afraid to tell in case they frightened people.The signals were coming from a very small body—no bigger,perhaps than the earth.Was that why no light could be seen from it?Or were the signals coming from a planet that belonged to some other star??There was no end to the questions,but the scientists kept the news secret.“Perhaps there are intelligent beings out there.”they thought,“who are trying to send messages to other planets,or to us?So the news was notgiven to the newspaper.Instead,the scientists studied the signals and searched for others like them...Well,all that happened in 1967 and 1968.Since then scientists have learnt more about those strange,regular,radio signals.And they have told the story,of course.The signals do not come from a planet;they come from a new kind of star called a “pulsar””.About a hundred other pulsars have now been found,and most of themare very like the first one.?Pulsars are strong radio stars.They are the smallest but the heaviest stars we know at present.A handful of pulsar would weigh a few thousand tons.Their light—if they give much light—is too small for us to see.But we can be sure of this,no intelligent beings are living on them.21. The radio signals discussed in this passage____.A.were regularB.were controlled by a clockC.were heard in 1967 onlyD.were secret messages22. The radio singals were sent by____.A.a satelliteB.a planetC.a sky body which was unknown at that timeD.intelligent beings who were unknown at that time23. The scientists did not tell people about the signals because____.A.the singals stood for secret messagesB.people would ask them too many questionsC.they did not want to frighten peopleD.they stood for unimportant messages24. A pulsar is____.A. a small heavy star which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seenB. a small heavy planet which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seenC. a small heavy satellite which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seenD. a small intelligent being who sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seen 25. Which of the following is true?A.One of the pulsars found by scientists sends radio signals.B.Pulsar began to send radio singals in 1967.C.Scientists have searched for pulsars for many years but found none.D.Scientists have found many pulsars since 1967.Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:Over vast areas of every continent,the rainfall and vegetation necessary for life are disappearing.Already more than 40 percent of the earth's land is desert ordesert?like.About 628 million people—one out of seven—live in these dry regions.In the past,they have managed to survive,but with difficulty.[ZZ(Z]Now largely through problems caused by modern life,their existence is threatened by the slow,steady spread of the earth's deserts.Scientists still do not understand all the complex problems of the desert,but there have been many ideas for saving the land.Sandi Arabia has planted 10 milliontrees to help keep the sand from taking over fertile areas.The Israelis are again using some of the water collection systems left by the ancient people in theNegev desert.They plan to water their orchards with the extra water.Some Sahel farmers still raise cattle on their poor farm land,but before the cattle are sold,they are taken to greener lands in the south to get fat.26. What is the article mainly concerned?A.The problem of spreading desert.B.The rainfall and vegetation in desert areas.C.The water collection systems.D.The difference between modern life and ancient life.27. “one out of seven” refers to____.A.more than a third of the lands' earthB.the percentage of the earth's land that is desert-likeC.the number of people who live in dry regionsD.a day of a week28. In paragraph 2,“they are taken to the greener lands in the south.”Theyrefers to____.A.the Sahel farm landB.the farmersC.the cattlesD.the trees29. How many ideas for saving the land are described?A.Five.B.Two.C.Four.D.Three.30. Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?A.The earth's desert are slowly spreading.B.One out of 10 people lives in dry regions.C.Their life in the desert is threatened now by traditional problems.D.New water wells can solve the problem in Africa's desert.Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:Telephone, television, radio, and telegraph all help people communicate witheach other. Because of these devices, ideas and news ofevents spread quickly allover the world. For example, within seconds, people can know the results of anelection in another country. An international football match comes into the homesof everyone with a television set.News of a disaster such as an earthquake or aflood can bring help from distant countries within hours, help is on the way. Because of modern technology like the satellites that travel around the world, information travels fast.How has this speed of communication changed the world? To many people,the world has become smaller. Of course this does not mean that the world is actually physically smaller. It means that the world seems smaller. Two hundred years ago,communication between the continents took a long time. All news was carried on ships that took weeks or even months to cross the ocean. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,it took six weeks for news from Europe to reach America.This time difference influenced people's actions. For example, one battle, or fight, in the War of 1812 between England and the United States could have been avoided. A peace agreement had already been signed. Peace was made in England, but the news of peace took six weeks to reach America. During these six weeks, the large and serious Battle of New Orleans was fought. Many people lost their lives after a peace treaty had been signed.They would not have died if news had come in time.In the past,communication took much time than it does now.?There was a good reason why the world seemed so much larger than it does today.31. News spreads fast because of____.A.modern transportationB.new technologyC.the change of the worldD.a peace agreement32. According to this passage,____is very important to people in a disaster area.A.fast communicationB.modern technologytest newsD.new ideas33. Which of the following statements is true?A.The world now seems smaller because of faster communication.B.The world is actually smaller today.C.The world is changing its size.D. The distance between England and America has changed since the War of 181234. Two hundred years ago,news between the continents was carried____.A.by telephone and telegraphB.by landC.by airD.by sea35. The New Orleans Battle could have been avoided if the peace agreement had been signed____.A.by both sidesB.in timeC.in AmericaD.in EnglandQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern ourhealth.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seatbelts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do.?A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of health?related behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personal choice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity.36. The concept of personal choice concerning health is important because____.A.personal health choices help cure most illnessesB.it helps raise the level of our medical knowledgeC.it is essential to personal freedom in American societyD.wrong decisions could head to poor health37. To “live a completely sedentary life?style”(Para. 1) in the passage means____.”A.to live an inactive lifeB.to live a decent lifeC.to live a life with complete freedomD.to live a life of vice38. Sound personal health choice is often difficult to make because____.A.current medical knowledge is still insufficientB.there are many factors influencing our decisionsC.few people are willing to trade the quality of life for longevityD.people are usually influenced by the behavior of their friends39. To knowingly allow oneself to pursue unhealthy habits is compared by Fries and Crapo to____.A.improving the quality of one's lifeB.limiting one's personal health choiceC.deliberately ending one's lifeD.breaking the rules of social behavior40. According to Fries and Crapo sound health choices should be based on____.A.personal decisionsws of societyC.statistical evidenceD.opinions of friendsPart Ⅲ Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)Directions:There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part.For each sentence there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D).Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence.Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.41. ____he thought of it,the stars seemed always large andclear before the dawn of Christmas Day.A.As forB.Now thatC.BecauseD.As soon as42. A thought____him like a silver dagger.A.beatB.hitC.struckD.pondered43. I'll____this afternoon.A.get the radio fixedB.get the radio to be fixedC.get the radio being fixedD.get the radio fixing44. Who is____personnel at present?A.in the charge ofB.under charge ofC.under the charge ofD.in charge of45. Tell him to turn down the TV.It's____my nerves.A.get overB.get inC.get crazy withD.get on46. The family decided to raise two cows and five sheep____the chickens,ducks and rabbits.A.exceptB.besidesC.besideD.except for47. I woke up,____that he had gone.A.only findingB.only having foundC.only to findD.only to have found48. The project____by the time you come to China again.A.will be completedB.will have been completedC.is to be completedD.is going to be completed49. In the course of the work,we____lots of difficulties.A.met withB.sawC.got intoD.came across50. ____his accent,he must be from the south.A.Judged byB.Being judged fromC.Judging fromD.Being judged by51. The boy____his father.A.was accused of having killedB.was accused to have killedC.was accused of killingD.was accused to kill52. Missing the train means____for an hour.A.waitingB.to waitC.to be waitingD.have to wait53. Something extraordinary happened in that hospital.A man,who was declaredclinically dead,suddenly____.A.returned to lifeB.restored to lifeC.came to lifeD.survived54. They are glad to see the children____in the day?care center.A.well taken careB.being well taken care ofC.well looked afterD.being well looked after55. She is a woman of rare gifts.Her performance last night was indeed very____.A.impressedB.impressiveC.impressingD.impression56. The road being built was scheduled to____traffic on May Day.A.be close toB.be closed toC.be open toD.be opened to57. It was more than fifteen years ago____I entered the laboratory of Professor Agassiz.A.whenB.thatC.in whichD.since58. ____than it began raining.A.Hardly had he reached homeB.Hardly did he reach homeC.No sooner did he reach homeD.No sooner had he reached home59. The man's life____if he had been sent to a better hospital.A.might have been savedB.may have been savedC.was to be savedD.should be saved60. Everybody looked____the direction of the explosion.A.toB.fromC.inD.into61. This is a____young writer.He has published quite a few good stories inrecent years.A.promisedB.looking forwardC.promisingD.clever62. The doctor insists that the patient____.A.must be operatedB.should be operatedC.be operated onD.needs operating on63. It sounds as if the telephone____.A.were ringingB.was ringing.C.has being ringingD.is ringing64. The family looked on helplessly as their house____.A.burning downB.was burned downC.was burning downD.burned down65. What is the____language in India?A.officeB.officialC.officiallyD.officer66. He____twenty times,striking a match each time to look at his old watch.A.had wakedB.was awakeC.must have wakedD.was waken67. There he bought____chocolate for his daughter,and thenhe had____beers in the bar not far from the school.A.a bar of...a couple ofB.a piece of...a bottle ofC.a dozen of...a couple ofD.a cubic of...a tin of68. With his big fleshy nose he____his grandpa.A.looks likeB.takes afterC.looks afterD.resembles69. The ____majority were in support of this bill so it was passed withoutmuch difficulty.A.overflowingB.overtakingC.overloadingD.overwhelming70. The actress____the terms of her contract and was sued by the producer.A.isolatedB.signedC.implementedD.violatedPart Ⅳ Translation from English into Chinese (15 minutes)Directions:In this part,there are five items which you should translate into Chinese,each item consisting of one or two sentences.These sentences are all taken from the reading passages you have just read in Part Three of the Test Paper.You are allowed 15 minutes to do the translation.You should refer back to the passages so as to identify their meanings in the context.71.(Passage 1 Para.1)They were rather afraid to tell in case they frightened people.72. (Passage 2 Para.1)Now largely through problems caused by modern life,their existence is threatened by the slow,steady spread of the earth's deserts.73. (Passage 3 Para.1)Because of modern technology like thesatellite that travel around the world,information travels fast.74. (Passage 4 Para.1)We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.75. (Passage 4 Para.1)They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to abehavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.Par t Ⅴ Writing (30 minutes)Directions:〖YY)〗〖WTBZ〗For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition with the title ON Friendship.Your composition should be no less than 120 words.Remember to write your composition neatly.You should also base your composition on the outline below.1.The need for friends2.True friendship3.My principle in making friends参考答案1、短文大意1967年人类收到了一些太空信号。
大学英语4试题及答案
大学英语4试题及答案### 大学英语四级考试模拟试题及答案解析#### 一、听力理解（共20分）Section A1. A) The man forgot to bring his camera.B) The woman's camera was broken.C) The man's camera was broken.D) The woman forgot to bring her camera.答案：C解析：对话中提到了男士的相机坏了，女士建议他去修理。
2. A) He has finished his homework.B) He has made a lot of progress.C) He has made no progress.D) He has given up his studies.答案：B解析：对话中男士提到自己已经取得了很多进步。
Section B3. What is the main topic of the lecture?A) The history of photography.B) The impact of technology on photography.C) The future of photography.D) The role of photography in art.答案：B解析：讲座主要讨论了科技对摄影的影响。
4. What does the speaker suggest about the future of photography?A) It will become more accessible to the public.B) It will be limited to professional photographers.C) It will be replaced by other forms of art.D) It will require more specialized equipment.答案：A解析：演讲者暗示摄影将变得更加普及。
大学英语四级考试（CET4）模拟试题及答案
大学英语四级考试（CET 4）(恩波英语研究所命制)MODEL TEST— Band Four —(6 MSH 2)试题册（125分钟）-Part ⅠWriting(30 minutes)注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上，请在答题卡1上作答。
Part ⅡReading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1~7, markY (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage.For questions 8~10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.The T rouble with T elevisionIt is difficult to escape the influence of television. If you fit the statistical averages, by the age of 20 you will have been exposed to at least 20,000 hours of television. Y ou can add10,000 hours for each decade you have lived after the age of 20. The only things Americans do more than watch television are work and sleep.Calculate for a moment what could be done with even a part of those hours. Five thousand hours, I am told, are what a typical college undergraduate spends working on a bachelors degree. In 10,000 hours you could have learned enough to become an astronomer or engineer. Y ou could have learned several languages fluently. If it appealed to you, youcould be reading Homer in the original Greek or Dostoyevsky in Russian. If it didn t, you could have walked around the world and written a book about it.The trouble with television is that it discourages concentration. Almost anything interesting and rewarding in life requires some constructive, consistently applied effort. The dullest,the least gifted of us can achieve things that seem miraculous to those who never concentrate onanything. But television encourages us to apply no effort. It sells us instantgratification（满意）. It diverts us only to divert, to make the time pass without pain. Television s variety becomes a narcotic（麻醉的）, nor a stimulus. Its serial, kaleidoscopic （万花筒般的）exposures force us to follow its lead. The viewer is on a perpetual guidedtour: 30 minutes at the museum, 30 at the cathedral, 30 for a drink, then back on the bus to the next attraction—except on television, typically, the spans allotted arc on theorder of minutes or seconds, and the chosen delights are more often car crashes and people killing one another. In short, a lot of television usurps（篡夺；侵占）one of the mostprecious of all human gifts, the ability to focus your attention yourself, rather than just passively surrender it.Capturing your attention—and holding it—is the prime motive of most television programming and enhances its role as a profitable advertising vehicle. Programmers live in constantfear of losing anyone s attention—anyone s. The surest way to avoid doing so is to keep everything brief, not to strain the attention of anyone but instead to provide constantstimulation through variety, novelty, action and movement. Quite simply, television operates on the appeal to the short attention span.It is simply the easiest way out. But it has come to be regarded as a given, as inherent in the medium itself; as an imperative, as though General Sarnoff, or one of the other augustpioneers of video, had bequeathed（遗留；传于）to us tablets of stone commanding that nothing in television shall ever require more than a few moments Concentration.In its place that is fine. Who can quarrel with a medium that so brilliantly packages escapist entertainment as a mass marketing tool? But I see its values now pervading this nationand its life. It has become fashionable to think that, like fast food, fast ideas are the way to get to a fast moving, impatient public.In the case of news, this practice, in my view, results in inefficient communication. I question how much of television s nightly news effort is really absorbable and understandable.Much of it is what has been aptly described as “machine gunning with scraps.”I think the technique fights coherence. I think it tends to make things ultimately boring (unless theyare accompanied by horrifying pictures) because almost anything is boring if you know almost nothing about it.I believe that TV s appeal to the short attention span is not only inefficient communication but decivilizing as well. Consider the casual assumptions that television tends tocultivate: that complexity must be avoided, that visual stimulation is a substitute for thought, thatverbal precision is an anachronism. It may be old fashioned, but I was taughtthat thought is words, arranged in grammatically precise.There is a crisis of literacy in this country. One study estimates that some 30 million adult Americans are “functionally illiterate” and cannot read or write well enough to answer thewant ad or understand the instructions on a medicine bottle.Literacy may not be an inalienable human right, but it is one that the highly literate Founding Fathers might not have found unreasonable or even unattainable. We are not only notattaining it as a nation, statistically speaking, but we are falling further and further short of attaining it. And, while I would not be so simplistic as to suggest that television is thecause, I believe it contributes and is an influence.Everything about this nation—the structure of the society, its forms of family organization, its economy, its place in the world—has become more complex, not less. Y et itsdominating communications instrument, its principal form of national linkage, is one that sells neat resolutions to human problems that usually have no neat resolutions. It is allsymbolized in my mind by the hugely successful art form that television has made central to the culture, the 30 second commercial: the tiny drama of the earnest housewife whofinds happiness in choosing the right toothpaste.When before in human history has so much humanity collectively surrendered so much of its leisure to one toy, one mass diversion? When before has virtually an entire nationsurrendered itself wholesale to a medium for selling?Some years ago Y ale University law professor Charles L. Black. Jr. wrote: “… forced feeding on trivial fare is not itself a trivial matter. I think this society is being forced, fed with trivialfare, and I fear that the effects on our habits of mind, our language, our tolerance for effort, and our appetite for complexity are only dimly perceived. If I am wrong, we will havedone no harm to look at the issue skeptically and critically, to consider how we should be residing it. I hope yo u will join with me in doing so.”注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上作答；8~10题在答题卡1上。
四级考试模拟题及答案
四级考试模拟题及答案一、听力理解（共25题，每题1分，共25分）1. A) The man is looking for a job.B) The woman is looking for a job.C) The man is looking for a house.D) The woman is looking for a house.2. A) The woman is a teacher.B) The man is a teacher.C) The woman is a student.D) The man is a student.3. A) The man is late for the meeting.B) The woman is late for the meeting.C) The man is early for the meeting.D) The woman is early for the meeting.4. A) The woman is not interested in the movie.B) The man is not interested in the movie.C) The woman is interested in the movie.D) The man is interested in the movie.5. A) The man will go to the library.B) The woman will go to the library.C) The man will go to the gym.D) The woman will go to the gym.6-10. [此处省略，共5题]二、阅读理解（共20题，每题2分，共40分）11. What is the main idea of the passage?A) The importance of a good diet.B) The benefits of regular exercise.C) The impact of stress on health.D) The role of sleep in well-being.12. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a cause of stress?A) Work pressure.B) Financial problems.C) Lack of sleep.D) A healthy diet.13. What does the author suggest as a way to reduce stress?A) Taking a vacation.B) Exercising regularly.C) Eating more fast food.D) Working longer hours.14. What is the relationship between the author and the subject of the passage?A) The author is a health expert.B) The author is a personal trainer.C) The author is a nutritionist.D) The author is a stress management coach.15. What is the purpose of the passage?A) To inform.B) To persuade.C) To entertain.D) To argue.16-20. [此处省略，共5题]三、完形填空（共15题，每题1分，共15分）21. A) DespiteB) AlthoughC) UnlessD) Because22. A) decidedB) hesitatedC) agreedD) refused23. A) excitedB) nervousC) surprisedD) disappointed24. A) opportunityB) challengeC) problemD) solution25. A) encouragedB) inspiredC) motivatedD) influenced26-30. [此处省略，共5题]四、翻译（共5题，每题3分，共15分）31. 随着科技的发展，人们的生活越来越便利。
大学英语四级模拟试题及答案
大学英语四级模拟试题及答案一、单选题（共25题，共50分）1.Yesterday was such a ____ day we decided to go for a drive.A.gloriousB.dynamicalC.avenueD.invitationABCD正确答案：A2.That is ___ behavior and nobody likes it.A.whistleB.structuralC.selfishD.furABCD正确答案：C3.During these ten years, many new methods have been ___ in thefield of foreign language teaching.A.adoptedB.adaptedC.alarmedD.aidedABCD正确答案：A4.I am afraid it was a ____ for you to do this.A.botherB.bitterC.bakeD.bandABCD正确答案：A5.That radio company is so big that it has a lot of ____ in foreign countries.A.introducersB.instructorsC.conductorsD.agentsABCD正确答案：D6.That is a ____ point of view. I don’t agree with youA.crystalB.proteinC.unionD.conservativeABCD正确答案：D7.This supermarket developed rapidly under his _____.A.administrationB.suggestionC.approachD.appearanceABCD正确答案：A8.Under no _____ will I go there again.A.circumstancesB.situationC.giantD.happenABCD正确答案：A9.If you want a pen, look inside the _____ of the desk.A.boxB.drawerC.majorD.meltABCD正确答案：B10.I certainly didn ’t intend to _____ your plans.A.upsetB.shakeC.shaveD.dragABCD正确答案：A11.What they are ____ about is which comes first: the chicken or the egg?A.summingB.strikingC.stirringD.arguingABCD正确答案：D12.We all ____ your coming to help us.A.appropriateB.appreciateC.admitD.affectABCD正确答案：BI never realized that someday I would be married to a ___.A.moleculeB.oxygenC.geniusD.rugABCD正确答案：C14.Milk,butter,and cheese are ____ here from the farms.A.importedB.transferredC.transformedD.transportedABCD正确答案：D15.I ’m worried about the appearance of the floor. I need to _____ it.A.cleanB.fixC.waxD.ovenABCD正确答案：C16.Everyone ____ the right to his own opinion.A.imitatesB.requestsC.deservesD.outlinesABCD正确答案：C17.Would he have seen you if you hadn’t _____ to him?A.intendedB.wavedC.expressedD.debtABCD正确答案：B18.Rock music usually ____ the young people in most countries.A.applies toB.appeals toC.amazesD.actressABCD正确答案：B19.This is the military ____. Nobody is allowed to get in without permission.A.bondB.zoneC.butterD.zooABCD正确答案：B20.This sick man was _____ in a blanket.A.inputB.issuedC.ensuredD.wrappedABCD正确答案：D21.You have your choice of three _____ of ice cream.A.varietiesB.topsC.respectsD.decksABCD正确答案：A22.He gave us a good ____ of his experience.A.demonstrationB.frequencyC.descriptonABCD正确答案：C23.This mountain range has many high _____ and fertile valleys.A.peaksB.hillsC.phaseD.pinkABCD正确答案：A24.His proposal is _____ to all of us and you do not need to tell us more about it.A.apparentB.appearingC.approachingD.apartABCD正确答案：A25.Two lines can form an infinite number of ______.A.anklesB.anglesC.angelsD.adultsABCD。
xx下半年大学英语四级模拟试卷及答案
xx下半年大学英语四级模拟试卷及答案xx年下半年很快就要到了，为了帮助大家更好地备考四级考试，下面是网提供应大家关于大学英语四级模拟试卷及答案，希望对大家的备考有所帮助。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following topic. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.题目一：Suppose a foreign friend of yours is ing to visit your campus, what is the most interesting place you would like to take him/her to see and why?假设你的一位外国朋友来参观你的校园，你最感兴趣的地方想带他/她去看?为什么?题目二：Suppose a foreign friend of yours is ing to visit your hometown, what is the most interesting place you would like to take him/her to see and why?假设你的一位外国朋友来参观你的家乡，你最感兴趣的地方想带他/她去看?为什么?题目三：Suppose a foreign friend of yours is ing to visit China, what is the most interesting place you would like to take him/her to see and why?假设你的一位外国朋友来参观中国，你最感兴趣的地方想带他/她去看?为什么?Directions: 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 followingthe 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 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.Global warming is a trend toward warmer conditions around the world. Part of the warming is natural; we have experienced a 20,000-year-long warming as the last ice age ended and the ice36away,However , we have already reached temperatures that are in 37with other minimum-ice periods, so continued warming is likely not natural. We are 38to a predicted worldwide in increase in temperatures39betweem 1℃ and 6℃ over the next 100 years. The war ming will be more40in some areas, less in other, and some places may even cool off. Likewise, the 41of this warming will be very different depending on where you are-coastal areas must worry about rising sea levels, while Siberia and northern Canada may bee more habitable(宜居的)and 42for humans than these areas are now.The fact remains, however, that it will likely get warmer, on 43, everywhere. Scientists are in general agreement that the warmer conditions we have been experiencing are at least in part the result of a human-induced global warming trend. Some scientists44that thechanges we are seeing fall within the range of random(无规律的)variation-some years are cold, others warm, and we have just had an unremarkable string of warm years45--but that is being an increasingly rare interpretation in the face of continued and increasing warm conditions.A) appealing I) meltedB) average J) persistC) contributing K) rangingD) dramatic L) recentlyE) frequently M) resolvedF) impact N) sensibleG) line O) shockH) maintainDirections: 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 paragraphsIdentify 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.[A] Amazon, by far the largest bookseller in the country, reported on May 19 that it is now selling more books in its electronic Kindle format than in the oldpaper-and-ink format. That is remarkable, considering that the Kindle has only been around for four years. E-books nowaount for 14 percent of all book sales in the country and are increasing far faster than overall book sales. E-book sales are up 146 percent over last year, while hardback sales increased 6 percent and paperbacks decreased 8 percent.[B] Does this spell the doom of the physical book? Certainly not immediately, and perhaps not at all. What it does mean is that the book business will go through a transformation in the next decade or so more profound than any it has seen since Gutenberg introduced printing from moveable type in the 1450s.[C] Physical books will surely bee much rarer in the marketplace. Mass market paperbacks, which have been declining for years anyway, will probably disappear, as will hardbacks for mysteries, thrillers, “romance fiction,” etc. Such books, which only rarely end up in permanent collections, either private or public, will probably only be available as e-books within a few years. Hardback and trade paperbacks for “serious” nonfiction and fiction will surely last longer. Perhaps it will bee the mark of an author to reckon with that he or she isstill published in hard copy.[D] As for children’s books, who knows? Children’s books are like dog food in that the purchasers are not theconsumers, so the market (and the marketing) is inherently strange.[E] For clues to the book’s future, let’s look at some examples of technological change and see what happened to the old technology.[F] One technology replaces another only because the new technology is better, cheaper, or both. The greater the difference, the sooner and more thoroughly the new technology replaces the old. Printing with moveable type on paper dramatically reduced the cost of producing a book pared with the old-fashioned ones handwritten on vellum, which es from sheepskin. A Bible—to be sure, a long book—required vellum made from 300 sheepskins and countless man-hours of labor. Before printing arrived, a Bible cost more than a middle-class house. There were perhaps 50,000 books in all of Europe in 1450. By 1500 there were 10 million.[G] But while printing quickly caused the hand written book to die out, handwriting lingered on (继续存在) well into the 16th century. Very special books are still oasionally produced on vellum, but they are one-of-a-kind show pieces.[H]Sometimes a new technology doesn’t drive the old one out, but only parts of it while forcing the rest to evolve. The movies were widely predicted to drive live theater out of the marketplace, but they didn’t, becausetheater turned out to have qualities movies could not reproduce. Equally, TV was supposed to replace movies but, again, did not.[I] Movies did, however, fatally impact some parts of live theater. And while TV didn’t kill movies, it did kill second-rate pictures, shorts, and cartoons.[J] Nor did TV kill radio. Comedy and drama shows (“Jack Benny,” “Amos and Andy,” “The Shadow”) all migrated to television. But because you can’t drive a car and watch television at the same time, rush hour became radio’s prime, while music, talk, and news radio greatly enlarged their audiences. Radio is today a very different business than in the late 1940s and a much larger one.[K] Sometimes old technology lingers for centuries because of its symbolic power. Mounted cavalry (骑兵) replaced the chariot (二轮战车) on the battlefield around 1000 BC. But chariots maintained their place in parades and triumphs right up until the end of the Roman Empire 1,500 years later. The sword hasn’t had a military function for a hundred years, but is still part of an officer’s full-dress uniform, precisely because a sword always symbolized “an officer and a gentleman.”[L] Sometimes new technology is a little cranky (不稳定的) at first. Television repairman was a mon oupation in the 1950s, for instance. And so the old technology remainsas a backup. Steamships captured the North Atlantic passenger business from sail in the 1840s because of its much greater speed. But steamships didn’t lose their sails until the 1880s, because early marine engines had a nasty habit of breaking down. Until ships became large enough (and engines small enough) to mount two engines side by side, they needed to keep sails. (The high cost of steam and the lesser need for speed kept the majority of the world’s ocean freight moving by sail until the early years of the 20th century.)[M] Then there is the fireplace. Central heating was present in every upper-and middle-class home by the second half of the 19th century. But functioning fireplaces remain to this day a powerful selling point in a house or apartment. I suspect the reason is a deep-rooted love of the fire. Fire was one of the earliest major technological advances for humankind, providing heat, protection, and cooked food (which is much easier to cat and digest). Human control of fire goes back far enough (over a million years) that evolution could have produced a geic leaning towards fire as a central aspect of human life.[N] Books—especially books the average person could afford—haven’t been around long enough to produce evolutionary change in humans. But they have a powerful hold on many people noheless, a hold extending far beyondtheir literary content. At their best, they are works ofart and there is a tactile(触觉的)pleasure in books necessarily lost in e-book versions. The ability to quickly thumb through pages is also lost. And a room with books in it induces, at least in some, a feeling not dissimilar to that of a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter’s night.[O] For these reasons I think physical books will have a longer existence as a mercial product than some currently predict. Like swords, books have symbolic power. Like fireplaces, they induce a sense of fort and warmth. And, perhaps, similar to sails, they make a useful back-up for when the lights go out.46. Authors still published in printed versions will be considered important ones.47. Some people are still in favor of printed books because of the sense of touch they can provide.48. The radio business has changed greatly and now attracts more listeners.49. Contrary to many people’s prediction of its death, the film industry survived.50. Remarkable changes have taken place in the book business.51. Old technology sometimes continues to exist because of its reliability.52. The increase of e-book sales will force the book business to make changes not seen for centuries.53. A new technology is unlikely to take the place of an old one without a clear advantage.54. Paperbacks of popular literature are more likely to be replaced by e-books.55. A house with a fireplace has a stronger appeal to buyers.。