2004年12月大学英语四级考试试题及参考答案(word版) - 副本
大学英语四级考试2024年6月真题(第一套)及答案解析

大学英语四级考试2024年6月真题(第一套)Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:Suppose your university is seeking students'opinions on whether university libraries should be open to the public.You are now to write an essay to express your view.You will have30minutesfor the task.You should write at least120words but no more than180words.PartⅡListening Comprehension(25minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear three news reports.At the end ofeach news report,you will hear two or three questions.Both the news report and the questions will bespoken only once.Afier you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions1and2are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)Due to a fire alarm in their apartments.B)Because of the smoke and heat damage2.A)Investigating the cause of the incident.B)Helping search for the suspect of the crime.C)Due to the water used to extinguish the flames.D)Becauseof the collapse of the three-story building.C)Rescuing the businessmen trapped in the building.D)Checking town records for the property developer.Questions3and4are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)It plays a less important role in one's health than nutrient intake.B)It impacts people's health to a lesser degree than sun exposure.C)It is associated with people's mental health conditionsD)It is linked with older adults'symptoms ofdepression4.A)It was indefinite C)It was straightforward.B)It was systematic.D)It was insignificant. Questions5to7are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)It has helped solve several murder cases.B)It has become a star police dog in Beijing6.A)To speed up investigation into criminal cases.B)To test the feasibility of cloning technology.7.A)Cloning is too complicated a processB)The technology is yet to be accepted C)It has surpassed its mother in performance.D)It has done better than naturally born dogs.C)To cut down training expensesD)To reduce their training time.C)Cloning is ethically controversial.D)The technology is too expensive.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end ofeach conversation,you will hear four questions.Both the conversation and the questions will bespoken only once.After you hear a question,you1·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Questions8to11are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)He read it somewhere online.B)He heard about it from a coworker.9.A)His publications.B)His first book.10.A)Collect a lot more data.B)Relax a bit less often.11.A)Find out the show's most interesting episodesB)Watch the series together with the woman.C)He read an article reviewing it.D)He watched a TV series based on it.C)His addressD)His name.C)Clarify many new conceptsD)Read more reference books.C)Get an e-Copy of the book to read.D)Check to see when the show starts.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)To check the prices of his farm produce.B)To ask the way to the Newcastle City Hall.13.A)Bakers.B)Vendors14.A)The issuing of certificates to vendors.B)The completion of the baking task.15.A)The closing date of submission.C)To inquire about the vegetarian food festival.D)To seekthe man's help with her work on the farm.C)Vegetarians.D)OrganisersC)The festival they are organising.D)The deadline for application.C)The details of the ceremonyB)The website of his company.D)The organiser'saddressSection CDirections:In this section,you will hearthre passages.At the end ofeach passage,you will hear three or four questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.Afteryou hear a question,you must choose the bestanswer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centreQuestions16to18are based on the passage you havejust heard.16.A)Most scenic sites have been closed.B)Access to official campsites is limited17.A)It is strongly opposed by nearby residentsB)It leads to much waste of public money18.A)Look for open land in ScotlandB)Leave no trace of their camping C)Health experts advise going outdoors.D)People have more time during the summer.C)It has caused environmental concernsD)It has created conflicts among campers.C)Avoid getting close to wilderness.D)Ask for permission from authorities.Questions19to21are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)They outcompete mythical creatures.B)They usually mind their own business.·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·C)They truly exist in the AmazonregionD)They resemble alarmingly large snakes 220.A)Scar tissue from dolphins'fighting.B)Skin infection from water pollution.21.A)It has been shrinking at an astonishing pace.C)Unhealed wounds from snake bites.D)Swimming along in seasonal floods.B)It has been placed under international protection.C)It has been appealing to both freshwater and sea dolphinsD)It has been abandoned as a battleground for male dolphins.Questions22to25are based on the passageyou have just heard.22.A)About58%of young adults call parental support the new normal.B)Most adult children enjoy increasing sources of financial supportC)A full70%of the young adults cannot afford to buy a car by themselves.D)Most early adults cannot sustain their lifestyles without parental support23.A)It renders them dependent.C)It makes them mentally immature.B)It causes them to lose dignity.D)It hinders them from getting ahead.24.A)It challenges one's willpower C)It calls for due assistance.B)It results from education.D)It defines adulthood.25.A)Current lifestyles C)College loansB)Poor budgeting.D)Emergency expensesPartⅢReading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the passage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter:Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.It's well known that physical exercise is beneficial not just to physical health but also to mental health.Yet whereas most countries have26evidence-backed guidelines on the type and intensity of exercise27for various physical health benefits,such guidelines do not yet exist for exercise and mood. This is28due to a lack of necessary evidence.However,a new systematic review brings us usefully up-to-date on the current findings in this area.Before29into some of the key take-aways,an important30made in the review is between aerobic exercise and anaerobic.The former31such things as walking,jogging and cycling and means exercising in such a way that your body is able to use oxygen to burn fat for energy.In contrast,anaerobic exercise—such as lifting heavy weights—is of such32intensity that your body does not have time to use oxygen to create energy and so instead it breaksdown glucose(葡萄糖)in your blood or muscles.Beginning first with the influence of exercise intensity on the mood benefits of aerobic exercise,the researchers,led by John Chan at Shenzhen University,found33resultsfrom19relevant studies.Some3·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·favoured higher intensity,others low,while seven studies found that intensity made no34_to mood benefits.In relation to the intensity of anaerobic exercise,however,the results were far clearer—the optimum (最佳选择)for improving mood is35intensity,perhaps because low intensity is too dull while high intensity is too unpleasantA)constitutesB)contradictoryC)decisionD)detailedE)differenceF)dippingG)distinctionH)falling I)involves J)moderate K)notified L)partlyM)required N)traditionally O)vigorousSection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by markingthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.Why DoAmericans Work So Much?A)How will we all keep busy when we only have to work15hours a week?That was the question that worriedthe British economist John Maynard Keynes when he wrote his short essay“Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren”in1930.Over the next century,he predicted,the economy would become so productive that people would barely need to work at all.For a while,it looked like Keynes was right.In1930the average working week was47hours in the United States.But by1970,the number of hours Americans worked on average had fallen to slightly less than39.B)But then something changed.Instead of continuing to decline,the duration of the working week remainedstable.It has stayed at just below40hours for nearly five decades.So what happened?Why are people working just as much today as in1970?C)There would be no mystery in this if Keynes had been wrong about the power of technology to increase theeconomy's productivity,which he thought would lead to a standard of living“between four and eight times as high as it is today.”But Keynes got that right:Technology has made the economy massively more productive.According to Benjamin M.Friedman,an economistat Harvard,the U.S.economy is right ontrack to reach Keynes's eight-fold(八倍)multiple by2029.That is a century after the last data Keynes wouldhave had access to.D)In a new paper,Friedman tries to figure out why that increased productivity has not translated into increasedleisure time.Perhaps people just never feel materially satisfied,always wanting more money to buy the next ·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·4new thing.This is a theory that appeals to many economists.“This argument is,at best,far from sufficient,”he writes.If that were the case,why did the duration of the working week decline in the first place?E)Another theory Friedman considers is that,in an era of ever fewer settings that provide effectiveopportunitiesfor personal connections and relationships,people may place more value on the socializing that happens at work.There is support for this theory.Many people today consider colleagues as friends.But Friedman argues that the evidence for this theory is far from conclusive.Many workers report that they would like to spend more time with family,rather than at work.Furthermore,this theory cannot explain the change in trend in the U.S.working week in the1970s.F)A third possibility proves more convincing for Friedman.That is:American inequality means that the gainsof increasing productivity are not widely shared by everyone.In other words,most Americans are too poor to work less.Unlike the other two explanations Friedman considers,this one fits chronologically(按年代).Inequality declined in America during the period following World War II,along with the duration of the working week.But since the early1970s it has risen dramatically.G)Keynes's prediction of a shorter working week rests on the idea that the standard of living would continuerising for everyone.But Friedman says that this is not what has happened.Although Keynes's eight-fold figure holds up for the economy as a whole,it is not at all the case for the median(中位数的)American worker.For them,output by2029is likely to be around3.5times what it was when Keynes was writing.This is a bit below his four-to eight-fold predicted rangeH)This can be seen in the median worker's income over this time period,complete with a shift in1973that fitsin precisely with when the working week stopped shrinking.According to Friedman,between1947and1973 the average hourly wage for normal workers(those who were not in management roles)in private industries other than agriculture nearly doubled in terms of what their money could buy.But by2013the average hourly wage for ordinary workers had fallen5percent from the1973level in terms of actual purchasing power.Thus,though American incomes may have gone up since1973,the amount that American workers can actually buy with their money has gone down.For most Americans,then,the magic of increasing productivity stopped working around1973.Thus,they had to keep working just as much in order to maintain their standard of livingI)What Keynes predicted was a very optimistic version of what economists call technological unemployment.This is the idea that less labor will be necessary because machines can do somuch.In Keynes's vision,the resulting unemployment would be distributed more or less evenly across society in the form of increased leisure.But Friedman says that,for Americans,reality is much darker.Americans now have a labor market in which millions of people—those with fewer skills and less education—are seeking whatever poorly paid work they can get.This is confirmed by a recent poll that found that,for half of hourly workers,their top concern is not that they work too much but that they work too little.This is most likely not because they like their jobs so much.Rather,we can assume it is because they need the money.J)This explanation leaves an important question.If the very rich—the workers who have reaped above-average gains from the increased productivity since Keynes's time—can afford to work less,why do they continue to work so much?(Indeed,research has shown that the highest earners in America tend to work the most.)5·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·Friedman believes that for many top earners,work is a labor of love.They are doing work they care about and are interested in,and doing more of it is not necessarily a burden.For them,it may even be a pleasure.These top earners derive meaning from their jobs and work is an important part of how they think of themselves.And,of course,they are compensated for it at a level that makes it worth their while.K)Friedman concludes that the prosperity(繁荣)Keynes predicted is here.After all,the economy as a whole has grown even more brilliantly than he expected.But for most Americans,that prosperity is nowhere to be seen.And,as a result,neither are those shorter working weeks.36.Some people view socializing at the workplace as a chance to develop personal relationships.37.As ordinary American workers'average hourly pay had decreased despite increasing productivity,they had towork just as manyhours as before to keep their living standards.38.American workers'average weekly workingtime has not changed for nearly half a century.39.Friedman believes inequality in the rgely explains why increasing productivity has not resulted inreduced working hours.40.Many economists assume people's thirst for material things has prevented them from enjoying more leisuretime.41.An economist'sprediction about a shorter average working week seemed to be correct for a time in the20thcentury.42.In the bor market,the primary concern of people with less schooling and fewer skills is to secure anyemployment even if it is low-paid.43.Keynes was right in predicting that technology would make the economy much more productive.44.Many of the highest earners have a keen interest in and love for what they are doing45.According to Keynes,there would be a shorter working week with everyone's standard of living continuingtorise.Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Eachpassage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.Lao Zi once said,“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”People-pleasing,or seeking self-worth through others'approval,is unproductive and an exhausting way to go through life.Why do we allow what others think of us to have so much power over how we feel about ourselves?If it's true that you can't please all people all of the time,wouldn't it make sense to stop trying?Unfortunately,sense often isn't driving our behavior.For social beings who desire love and belonging, wanting to be liked,and caring about the effect we have on others,is healthy and allows us to make connections.·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·6However,where we get into trouble is when our self-worth is dependent upon whether we win someone's approval or not.This need to be liked can be traced back to when we were children and werecompletely dependent on others to take care of us:Small children are not just learning how to walk and communicate,they are alsotrying to learn how the world works.We learn about who we are and what is expected of us based on interactions with others so,to a four-year-old,if Mommy or Daddy doesn't like him or her,there is the danger that they will abandon them.We need to understand that when we desperately want someone to approveof us,it's being driven by that little kid part of us that is still terrified of abandonment.As you become more capable of providing yourself with the approval you seek,your need for external validation will start to vanish,leaving you stronger,more confident,and yes,happier in your life.Imagine how much time we lose each moment we restrainour authentic selves in an effort to be liked.If we base our worth on the opinions of others,we cheat ourselves of the power to shape our experiences and embrace life not only for others but also for ourselves,becauseultimately,there is no difference.So embrace the cliché(老话)and loveyourself as it's highly doubtful that you'll regret it.46.What can we conclude from Lao Zi's quotation?A)We should seethrough otherpeople's attempt to make a prisonerof us.B)We can never really please other people even if we try as hard as we can.C)We can never be truly free if taking to heart others'opinion of us.D)We should care about other people's view as much as they care about our own.47.What will happen if we base our self-worth on other people's approval?A)Our desire to be loved will be fulfilled.C)Our identity as social beings will be affected.B)Our life will be unfruitful and exhausting D)Our sense of self will be sharpened and enhanced.48.What may account for our need to be liked or approved of?A)Our desperate longing for interactions with others.C)Our knowledge about the pain of abandonment.B)Our understanding of the workings of the world.D)Our early childhood fear of being deserted.49.What can we do when we become better able to provide ourselves with the desired approval?A)Enjoy a happier life.C)Receive more external validation.B)Exercise self-restraint.D)Strengthen our power of imagination.50.What does the author advise us to do in the last paragraph?A)Embrace life for ourselves and for others.C)See our experiencesas assets.B)Base our worth on others'opinions.D)Love ourselves as we arePassage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.Some people have said aging is more a slide into forgetfulness than a journey towards wisdom.However,a growing body of research suggests that late-in-life learning is possible.In reality,education does an aging brain good.7·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·Throughout life,people's brains constantly renovate themselves.In the late1960s,British brain scientist Geoffrey Raisman spied growth in damaged brain regions ofrats through an electron microscope; their brains were forging new connections.This meant brains may change every time a person learns something new.Of course,that doesn't mean the brain isn't affected by the effects of time.Just as height usually declines over the years,so does brain volume:Humans lose about4percent every decade starting in their40s.But that reduction doesn't necessarily make people think slower;as long as we are alive and functioning,we can alter our brains with new information and experiences.In fact,scientists now suspect accumulating novel experiences,facts,and skills can keep people's minds more flexible.New pathways can strengthen our ever-changing mental structure,even as the brain shrinks.Conventional fixes like word puzzles and brain-training apps can contribute to mental durability.Even something as simple as taking a different route to the grocery store or going somewhere new on vacation can keep the brain healthy.A desire for new life challenges can further boost brainpower.Research about aging adults who take on new enterprises shows improved function and memory as well as a reduced risk of mental disease.Openness—a characteristic defined by curiosity and a desire for knowledge—may also help folks pass brain tests.Some folks are born with this take-in-the-world atitude,but those who aren't as genetically gifted aren't necessarily out of luck.While genes can encourage an interest in doing new things,a2012study in the journal Psychology and Aging found completing reasoning tasks like puzzles and number games can enhance that desire for novel experiences,which can,in turn,refresh the brain.That's why brain scientist Richard Kennedy says“It's not that old dogs can't learn new tricks.It's that maybe old dogs don't realize why they should.”51.What do some people think of aging adults?A)Their wisdom grows as time goes by.C)They can benefit from late-in-life learning.B)Their memory gradually deteriorates D)They are likely to have mental health issues.52.What can we conclude from Geoffrey Raisman's finding?A)Brain damage seriously hinders one'slearning.C)Brains can refresh and improve with learning.B)Brain power weakens slower than we imagine D)Brains forge connections under new conditions53.What is one thing that helps maintain the health of our brain even as it shrinks?A)Doing daily routines by conventional means.C)Imitating old dogs'way of learning new tricksB)Avoiding worrying about our mental durability.D)Approaching everyday tasks in novel ways.54.What does the author say can contribute to the improvement of brain function?A)Being curious and desiring knowledge.C)Rising to life's challenges and avoiding risks.B)Being eager to pass brain tests at an old age.D)Boosting immunity to serious mental diseases55.What is the finding of the2012study in the journal Psychology and Aging?A)Wishing to solve puzzles enhances one's reasoning power.B)Playingnumber games unexpectedly stimulates one's memory.·2024年6月四级真题(第一套)·8C)Desiring new experiences can help to renovate thebrain.D)Learning new tricks shouldnot beconfined to old dogs only.Part IV Translation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on AnswerSheet2.四合院(siheyuan)是中国一种传统的住宅建筑,其特点是房屋建造在一个院子的四周,将院子合围在中间。
2022年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第2套)含答案

2022年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第2套)Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:In this task,you are to write an essay on the necessity of developing social skills for college students.You will have30minutes for the task.You should write at least120 words but no more than180words.PartⅡListening Comprehension(25minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear three news reports.At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions.Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions1and2are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)Part of its dam wall collapsed.B)It released a lot of harmful gases.C)It was destroyed by an earthquake.D)Some miners were trapped underground.2.A)It posed a safety threat to the miners.B)It caused damage too heavy to assess.C)It brought the mine’s operations to a halt.D)It was followed by two more earthquakes.Questions3and4are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)It prepared beds for all the six new citizens.B)It assigned a team of doctors for each expected baby.C)It made ample preparations for various possibilities.D)It brought in the most advanced instruments.4.A)They had to undergo2-3physical checkups.B)They were all of normal size except the sixth.C)They could go home together with their mother a day later.D)They needed to stay in the hospital for a couple of months.Questions5to7are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)It is owned by the local government.B)It has been turned into a public park.C)It has been bought by an American.D)It is a perfect tourist destination.6.A)Its seafood.B)Its unusual coastline.C)Its unspoiled beaches.D)Its architecture.7.A)It has an unmatched location.B)It is worth over18million euros.C)It has beautiful weather all year round.D)It is an ideal place to meet famous stars.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions8to11are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)She has been attending some group classes.B)She has registered for two new gym classes.C)She became a member of the gym two months ago.D)She is entitled to a discount on all the gym exercises.9.A)Considering the promotion of its regular classes.B)Taking measures to expand its exercise programs.C)Recruiting coaches for hot yoga and advanced spinning.D)Offering existing members a discount of two new classes.10.A)She missed the deadline for the10-week course.B)She missed out on the gym’s general discount.C)She didn’t sign up for membership in time.D)She wasn’t so much interested in hot yoga.11.A)She doesn’t want to reveal her card details over the phone.B)She doesn’t think it wise to pay before attending any class.C)She might have to cancel her registration any minute.D)She prefers to have the fee added to her monthly billQuestions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)To make investments.B)To sign a business contract.C)To research new markets.D)To open a new office.13.A)Dubai.B)Beijing.C)Amsterdam.D)Earl’s Court.14.A)Rent a bike for him to get around the town.B)Reserve a meeting room in the head office.C)Help him prepare his presentation.D)Send him a map of the hotel area.15.A)Bring his projector.B)Keep all his receipts.C)Submit his claims form.D)Pay with his credit card.Section CDirections:In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each passage,you will hear three or four questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions16to18are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)Whether a country’s educational level is linked to women’s rights.B)Whether women’s rights are making good progress around the world.C)Whether a country’s protection of women’s rights is related to its public health.D)Whether women’s rights are more often overlooked in less-developed countries.17.A)Their people still have better health if women’s rights are respected.B)They must make efforts to increase women’s access to health care.C)Their people tend to attach importance to women’s rights.D)They need to invest more in hospital staff and facilities.18.A)Their link with a country’s public health.B)Their potential impact on social progress.C)Their value to a country’s international image.D)Their positive effect on economic development.Questions19to21are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)It creates a wonderful setting for dating.B)It may cause strange physical reactions.C)It turns parks into picnic sites.D)It may result in a crowded beach.20.A)Breathing difficulty.B)Bad breath.C)Excessive sweating.D)High blood pressure.21.A)It protects people against bacteria.B)It enables people to build up endurance.C)It accelerates people’s blood circulation.D)It provides people with extra energy.Questions22to25are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A)They are more likely to win in combat sports.B)They are in the minority among the population.C)They have a higher chance of joining sports teams.D)They have more disadvantages in getting ahead.23.A)Their brain is more powerful than that of right-handed people.B)The left side of their brain is more powerful than its right side.C)They tend to be a lot more aggressive than right-handed people.D)Their brain has a stronger connection between its two sides.24.A)They have a larger brain.B)It still remains unknown.C)It is related to their genes.D)They are better at reasoning.25.A)Teach them how to perform tasks with their right hand.B)Help them fully develop their mathematical abilities.C)Encourage them to play fast-paced interactive sports.D)Advise them to choose jobs that require quick reactionsPart III Reading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the passage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Researchers,writing in the journal Heart,pooled data from23studies and found that social isolation or feelings of loneliness were tied to an increased risk of coronary heart disease(冠心病)and strokes.The studies included data from181,006men and women ages18and over.There were4,628 coronary events and3,002strokes in follow-up periods26from three to21years. Three of the papers27loneliness,18looked at social isolation and two included both. Social isolation and loneliness were determined with questionnaires;the researchers depended on medical records and death28for determining coronary events and strokes.The scientists found that loneliness and social isolation increased the29risk of having a heart attack or a death from heart disease by29percent,and the risk of stroke by32 percent.There were no30between men and women.“People have tended to focus from a policy point of view on31lonely people to make them more32,”said the lead author,Nicole K.Valtorta,a research fellow at the University of York in England.“Our study33that if this is a risk factor,then we should be trying to prevent the risk factor in the first place.”The authors34that this was a review of observational studies and did not35 cause and effect.A)acknowledge F)establish K)producesB)certificates G)formats L)rangingC)connected H)measured M)relativeD)demonstrates I)narrow N)submittingE)differences J)permanent O)targetingSection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.The hidden costs colleges don’t want you to know aboutA)This fall,thousands of college students from across the country will begin theirundergraduate studies at colleges around the nation.They will inevitably pack too much to fit in their tiny dorm rooms.They will also carry with them a huge student loan debt,in addition to countless“hidden”out-of-pocket costs paid for by their bank accounts and the bank accounts of their families.B)At my well-respected,private,four-year university in Washington,D.C.,which boasts ayearly tuition of$44,046not including room and board,I receive over$57,000yearly in financial aid.As a student from a family that is struggling to make ends meet,my financial aid package is a combination of federal grants and federal work study,university merit scholarships and financial aid awards,and about$8,000yearly in federally subsidized(有补贴的)and unsubsidized loans.On paper,my expenses and my financial aid just about even out.Off paper,they don’t.C)Universities today are in the business of making money,and mine is no exception.Theyhit me right out of gate with a$160fee to attend my freshman orientation,a price which does not include the cost of travel to and from the District.Almost every class has an associated fee not included in the cost of tuition,most between$40and$100.Fees for lab science classes are the highest,and all students at my university are required to take at least one lab before they graduate.Buying a laptop proved a necessity and,thankfully,a relative bought me one as a gift.Renting a mini-fridge for my dorm room costs my roommates and me about$140a year.D)Schools will charge you whatever they can.The costs of any damage to the dorm,including elevators,bathrooms,and common areas,are billed to every person on a dorm floor,or even the entire building if they do not know who caused the damage.After I fell out of my bed twice during my freshman year,the university installed a railing—for$20, billed to my student account.My financial aid did not anticipate any of the costs and so it did not cover them.E)An Internet search of“hidden costs”of college turns up a host of articles on parent-centered websites on the college application process.These articles are almost always geared towards upper-and middle-class families.For students already struggling to pay tuition,these costs may be the least of their worries.F)So what hidden costs should low-income students really be paying attention to?My college experience offers a few examples.G)If you are a low-income student who will be attending school out-of-state,make sure youknow if you can use your state benefits,such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,or SNAP.It wasn’t until after I had accepted admission to an out-of-state school that I learned that I could not use my Ohio Medicaid on campus for anything other than emergency care.My benefits became invalid the second I moved out of Ohio.After my freshman year,I had to opt for the school’s insurance plan,which costs around$2,000a year.Even if your school offers a flat-rate fee for a doctor’s appointment at the student health center(mine is$20a visit),these fees often do not include extra fees for lab tests or prescription medications(药物).H)If you plan on paying off bills in your student account with a credit card,be aware of anyadditional costs.My school charges an additional fee for the use of a credit card to settle outstanding charges,which can add upwards of3%of the balance to your bill.I)There is another depressing reality hidden within even the largest financial aid packages:Colleges often offer the most generous packages during freshman year as a way to attract new students.My family was careful to ask about the chances of financial aid being taken away after my freshman year.We were assured that,except for low grades or a raise in family income,no money would be taken away.We did not know to ask—and the school did not readily point out—that even if tuition rises,my financial aid package will stay the same.So when my university voted to raise tuition costs3%at the end of my freshman year,my financial aid package remained the same and I was suddenly responsible for an additional$1,200for the next year.The university administration will likely vote to raise costs at least once more before my graduation.J)Yes,I chose to attend an expensive university far from my hometown.Yes,there were cheaper options.But there are promising students from struggling families across the nation who should not rule out their dream schools entirely.All things considered,I am paying significantly less than the ticket price of my university,and having an educational experience in Washington,D.C.,that I would not have had anywhere else.As a low-income student from a down-and-out Rust Belt community,these educational experiences have enormous potential to brighten my future—and my family’s future.K)The key is to make sure that students and their families understand that hidden costs exist, and that they may prove problematic.Fill out a more comprehensive checklist,and be wary of listed prices that seem too low.Understand just how complicated the financial aid process is.L)Students and families must also understand their ability to self-advocate.They should not pay student bills or excess fees blindly.If something does not look right,ask about it.If it still doesn’t look right,negotiate it.In cases where parents are working multiple jobs,are less knowledgeable about college bureaucracies,have limited English language skills,orare not contributing financially to their child’s education,the burden of self-advocacy will fall on the student.I understand the difficulty,and the embarrassment.But it is necessary. M)In the grand scheme of things,however,colleges also must come to understand that the hidden fees they ask for may prove unmanageable for the very kinds of low-income or first-generation students they are trying desperately to attract.36.Students’financial aid remains unchanged even when tuition rises.37.Students may not be able to enjoy their state benefits when they go to college out of the state.38.The financial aid the author receives is supposed to cover all her college expenses.39.When the person who damages dorm facilities is not identified,students are required to share the cost.40.Though it is difficult and embarrassing,students should make inquiries about what fees they have to pay and why.41.Today,many Americans have to go to college on student loans.42.Receiving education in a private university in the nation’s capital may change the author’s future life and that of her family’s.43.Students may no longer be qualified for financial aid if they perform poorly in school or if their family income has increased.44.In addition to tuition,college students have to pay extra fees for the courses they take.45.Some schools charge students a fee to their student accounts for using credit cards to pay billsSection CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.To write his2010book,The5-Factor World Diet,nutritionist Harley Pasternak traveled to the healthiest countries around the world to learn more about what made their meals extra nourishing.He noted that Japanese people ate a wonderful variety of seaweeds,and that Chinese people tried to include at least five different colors in every meal.Pasternak also came away with some valuable observations about how different the North American way of life was, compared with many other countries.For starters,Americans eat much bigger portions than people in other countries.“We don’t prioritize eating seasonally or locally,and we also add lots of salt,sugar and thickening agents to our foods,”explained Pasternak.Contrast that to the healthy Mediterranean,Nordicand Okinawan diets listed in Pasternak’s book.They all seem to stick to the ethos(特质)of regional,seasonal produce.For example,a traditional Mediterranean diet includes fruits,vegetables,whole grains, nuts and olive oil as the main components of nutritional intake.Fish,chicken and red wine make moderate appearances,while red meat,salt and sugar are used much less often.The benefits of a traditional Mediterranean diet have been studied since the1970s,and researchers have found that living that olive oil life can help people lose weight,lower their heart disease risk and reverse diabetes.Most other healthy eating cultures also make meals an event—say,multiple courses around the family table,or a glass or two of red wine at a long lunch—as opposed to hastily wolfing down handfuls of cereal above the kitchen sink and calling it dinner.Each of the healthy eating cultures has its own unique feature.But Pasternak did take note of one unifying factor in all of the healthy societies he observed.“The only overlapping feature in most of these healthy countries is that they all walk way more than the average American,”said Pasternak,“So really,regardless of what you’re eating,if someone’s walking four miles more than you each day,they’re going to be a lot thinner and live a lot longer than you.”46.What characterizes Japanese and Chinese foods?A)Variety.B)Flavor.C)Color.D)Naturalness.47.What is typical of Americans in the way of eating?A)They emphasize nutrition.B)They tend to eat quite a lot.C)They prioritize convenience.D)They care about flavors.48.What features in Mediterranean,Nordic and Okinawan diets?A)Fruits and vegetables.B)Olive oil and red wine.C)Seasonal local produce.D)Unprocessed ingredients.49.What do people in most healthy eating cultures have in common?A)They get the whole family to eat at a table.B)They eat their meals regularly and punctually.C)They consume plenty of cereal for breakfast.D)They attach great importance to their meals.pared with the average American,people in healthy societies______.A)walk at least4miles a dayB)do considerably more walkingC)pay more attention to body shapeD)consume a lot more organic foodPassage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.Recognizing when a friend or colleague feels sad,angry or surprised is key to getting along with others.But a new study suggests that being sensitive to people’s feelings may sometimes come with an extra dose of stress.This and other research challenge the prevailing view that emotional intelligence is uniformly beneficial to its bearer.In a study,psychologist Myriam Bechtoldt of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management in Germany asked166male university students a series of questions to measure their emotional intelligence.For example,they showed the students photographs of people’s faces and asked them to what extent feelings such as happiness or disgust were being expressed.The students then had to give job talks in front of judges who displayed serious facial expressions.The scientists measured concentrations of stress hormones in the students’saliva(唾液)before and after the talk.In students who were rated more emotionally intelligent,the stress measures increased more during the experiment and took longer to go back to baseline.The findings suggest that some people may be too emotionally clever for their own good,says Bechtoldt.“Sometimes you can be so good at something that it causes trouble,”she notes.Indeed,the study adds to previous research hinting at a dark side of emotional intelligence.A study published in2002in Personality and Individual Differences suggested that emotionally perceptive people might be particularly influenced by feelings of depression and hopelessness.Furthermore,several studies have implied that emotional intelligence can be used to manipulate others for personal gains.More research is needed to see how exactly the relation between emotional intelligence and stress would play out in women and in people of different ages and education levels. Nevertheless,emotional intelligence is a useful skill to have,as long as you learn to also properly cope with emotions—both others’and your own,says Bechtoldt.For example,some sensitive individuals may assume responsibility for other people’s sadness or anger,which ultimately stresses them out.Remember,as Bechtoldt says,“you are not responsible for how other people feel.”51.What is the finding of the new study?A)Emotional intelligence helps people get along with others.B)Emotional intelligence is generally beneficial to its bearer.C)People who are aware of others’feelings may experience more stress.D)People who are emotionally stressed may have trouble making friends.52.What was the purpose of psychologist Myriam Bechtoldt’s experiment?A)To define different types of human feelings.B)To assess the impacts of being emotionally clever.C)To demonstrate how to distinguish different feelings.D)To identify gender differences in emotional intelligence.53.What does the finding of Myriam Bechtoldt’s study indicate?A)Greater emotional cleverness means less trouble in one’s life.B)Emotional intelligence helps people succeed in job interviews.C)People’s psychological wellbeing is related to various factors.D)People may suffer from having a high emotional intelligence.54.What do we learn about emotional intelligence from a number of studies?A)People suffering from depression are emotionally immature.B)People who look at the dark side of life often feel depressed.C)Some people may take advantage of it and benefit themselves.D)Some people may lack it and are easily manipulated by others.55.What does the author suggest sensitive individuals do?A)Avoid burdening themselves with others’feelings.B)Rid themselves of worries over worldly affairs.C)Learn to cope with people’s negative feelings.D)Help people to deal with their troubles in life.PartⅣTranslation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.立春(Start of Spring)在中国农历中表示春天的开始。
2023年12月大学英语四级真题试卷及答案(三套全)

2023年12月大学英语四级真题试卷及答案(三套全) 一、听力理解第一套第一节(共5小题)1. What does the woman ask the man to do?A. Turn the television off.B. Turn the volume down.C. Turn the radio on.Answer: B2. Where does the conversation most probably take place?A. At the post office.B. At the bank.C. At the hotel.Answer: C3. What does the man imply about the woman?A. She hasn’t been to New York City.B. She needs to find a new job.C. She travels a lot for work.Answer: A4. How long has the man been waiting?A. For an hour.B. For half an hour.C. For ten minutes.Answer: B5. What is the woman doing?A. She is looking for her keys.B. She is waiting for someone to arrive.C. She is talking on the phone.Answer: C第二节(共5小题)6. What is the woman asking the man to do?A. Fix her computer.B. Help her find a job.C. Visit her tomorrow.Answer: A7. What does the man offer to do next?A. Take the woman to the restaurant.B. Prepare dinner for the woman.C. Look for a restaurant on the Internet.Answer: C8. What does the man say abo ut the woman’s computer?A. It can’t be fixed.B. It needs a software update.C. It needs a new battery.Answer: B9. What does the woman suggest doing after dinner?A. Go for a walk.B. Watch a movie at home.C. Go to a movie theater.Answer: B10. How do es the woman feel about the man’s suggestion?A. Excited.B. Indifferent.C. Annoyed.Answer: A二、阅读理解第一套An important part of a child’s development is the acquisition of social skills. Social skills help children to interact effectively with others and build healthy relationships. These skills are vital for success in school, work, and life in general.One of the best ways to help children develop social skills is through play. Play allows children to practice andmaster social, emotional, and cognitive skills in a relaxed and enjoyableenvironment. Through play, children learn valuable skills such as cooperation, sharing, problem-solving, and communication.There are different types of play that help in the development of social skills. Cooperative play is when children play and work together towards a common goal. This type of play helps children to learn teamwork and collaboration. Pretend play, on the other hand, allows children to develop empathy and understanding of others’ perspectives. They learn to take on different roles and pretend to be someone else, which helps in developing their social and emotional intelligence. Board games and group activities also promote social interaction and help children learn important skills such as taking turns, following rules, and resolving conflicts in a fair manner.Parents and educators play a crucial role in promoting social skills development. They can create opportunities for play and provide guidance and support. It is important for parents to encourage their children to engage in various types of play and provide them with age-appropriate toys and games. Educators can incorporate play-based learning activities in the classroom to foster social skills development.In conclusion, play is a valuable tool for social skills development. It allows children to practice and master important skills while having fun. Parents and educators should recognize the importance of play and provide opportunities and support for children to engage in different types of play.第二套The concept of time management is essential in today’s fast-paced world. Effective time management helps individuals to prioritize tasks, handle multiple responsibilities, and increase productivity. It allows individuals to make the most out of their time and achieve their goals efficiently.Here are some tips for effective time management:1.Set goals: Identify your long-term and short-termgoals. Break them down into smaller, manageable tasks.This will help you stay focused and motivated.2.Prioritize tasks: Determine which tasks are mostimportant and urgent. Focus on completing these tasks first.3.Create a schedule: Use a planner or online calendarto schedule your tasks and activities. Set deadlines for each task to stay organized and keep track of your progress.4.Avoid multitasking: Multitasking may seem like atime-saving technique, but it can actually decreaseproductivity. Focus on one task at a time and give it yourfull attention.5.Delegate tasks: If possible, delegate tasks to others.This will free up your time and allow you to focus on more important tasks.6.Take breaks: Schedule regular breaks to rest andrecharge. This will help you maintain focus and preventburnout.7.Avoid procrastination: Procrastination can lead tounnecessary stress and missed deadlines. Break tasks into smaller, manageable parts and tackle them one at a time.8.Learn to say no: Don’t overcommit yourself. Learn tosay no to tasks that are not essential or do not align withyour goals.e technology: Take advantage of technology toolssuch as productivity apps and time tracking apps. Thesecan help you stay organized and manage your time moreeffectively.10.Review and adjust: Regularly review your scheduleand tasks. Adjust as needed to accommodate unexpectedevents or changes in priorities.By implementing these tips, you can improve your time management skills and achieve greater success in your personal and professional life.第三套The importance of physical exercise cannot be overstated. Regular exercise has numerous health benefits and plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.Physical exercise helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve lung function, and increase muscle strength and endurance. It also promotes weight loss and helps to maintain a healthy body weight. Regular exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, andcertain types of cancer. It can also improve mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.In addition to the physical benefits, exercise is also important for cognitive function. Studies have shown that regular exercise improves memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. It can also enhance creativity and productivity.Exercise is not only beneficial for adults but also for children and adolescents. Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence helps to develop healthy bones, muscles, and joints. It improves coordination and balance, and reduces the risk of childhood obesity. It also has a positive impact on academic performance, including improved concentration and focus.There are many different forms of exercise that individuals can choose from, including aerobic exercise, strength training, flexibility exercises, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It is important to find a form of exercise that you enjoy and can incorporate into your daily routine.In conclusion, regular physical exercise is essential for overall health and well-being. It has numerous physical and mental health benefits and should be a priority for individuals of all ages. Make exercise a part of your daily routine and reap the rewards of a healthy and active lifestyle.三、写作题目及答案第一套写作题目:Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:。
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第一套)及参考答案完整版

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

历年英语四级考试真题及答案Word版历年英语四级考试真题及答案(2007.6—2012.6 共十一套)2007年6月英语四级真题及答案Part I Writing (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Welcom to our club. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given bellow: 欢迎辞,欢迎加入俱乐部。
标题:Welcome to our club书写提纲:1. 表达你的欢迎;2. 对你们俱乐部作一个简要介绍。
Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the question 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 statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Protect Your Privacy When Job-hunting OnlineIdentity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person’s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception typically for economic gain.The numbers associated with identity theft are beginning to add up fast these days. A recent Genera Accounting Office report estimates that as many as 750,000 Americans are victims of identity theft everyear. And that number may be low, as many people choose not to report the crime even if they know the have been victimized.Identity theft is “an absolute epidemic,” states Robert Ellis Smith, a respected author and advocat of privacy. “It’s certainly picked up in the last four or fi ve years. It’s worldwide. It affects everybod and there’s very little you can do to prevent it and, worst of all, you can’t detect it until it’s probabl too late.”Unlike your fingerprints, which are unique to you and cannot be given to someone else for their use you personal data, especially your social security number, your bank account or credit card number, you telephone calling card number, and other valuable identifying data, can be used, if they fall into th wrong hands, to personally profit at your expense. In the United States and Canada, for example, many peopl have reported that unauthorized persons have taken funds out of their bank or financial accounts, or, i the worst cases, taken over their identities altogether, running up vast debts and committing crimes whil using the victims’ names. In many cases, a victim’s losses may included not only out-of-pocket financia losses, but substantial additional financial costs associated with trying to restore his reputation i the community and correcting erroneous information for which the criminal is responsible.According to the FBI, identity theft is the number one fraud committed on the Internet. So how do jo seekers protect themselves while continuing to circulate their resumes online?The key to a successfu online job search is learning to manager the risks. Here are some tips for staying safe while conductin a job search on the Internet.1. Check for a privacy policy.If you are considering posting your resume online, make sure the job search site your are considerin has a privacy policy, like /doc/798333515.html,. The policy should spell out how your information will b used, stored and whether or not it will be shared. You may want to think twice about posting your resum on a site that automatically shares your information with others. You could be opening yourself up to unwanted calls from solicitors (推销员).When reviewing the site’s privacy policy, you’ll be able to delete your resume just as easily a you posted it. You won’t necessarily want your resume to remain out there on the Internet once you lan a job. Remember, the longer your resume remains posted on a job board, the more exposure, both positiv and not-so-positive, it will receive.2. Take advantage of site features.Lawful job search sites offer levels of privacy protection. Before posting your resume, carefully consider your job search objective and the level of risk you are willing to assume./doc/798333515.html,, for example, offers three levels of privacy from which job seekers can choose. Th first is standard posting. This option gives job seekers who post their resumes the most visibility t the broadest employer audience possible.The second is anonymous (匿名的) posting. This allows job seekers the same visibility as those in th standard posting category without any of their contact information beingdisplayed. Job seekers who wis to remain anonymous but want to share some other information may choose which pieces of contact informatio to display.The third is private posting. This option allows a job seeker to post a resume without having it searche by employers. Private posting allows job seekers to quickly and easily apply for jobs that appear on /doc/798333515.html, without retyping their information.3. Safeguard your identity.Career experts say that one of the ways job seekers can stay safe while using the Internet to searc out jobs is to conceal their identities. Replace your name on your resume with a generic (泛指的) identifier such as “Intranet Developer Candidate,” or “Experienced Marketing Representative.”You should also consider eliminating the name and location of your current employer. Depending on you title, it may not be all that difficult to determine who you are once the name of your company is provided Use a general description of the company such as “Major auto manufacturer,” or “International package goods supplier.”If your job title is unique, consider using the generic equivalent instead of the exact title assigne by your employer.4. Establish and email address for your search.Another way to protect your privacy while seeking employment online is to open up an email accoun specifically for your online job search. This will safeguard your existing email box in the event someon you don’t know gets hold of your email address and shares it with others.Using an email address specifically for you job search also eliminates the possibility that you wil receive unwelcome emailsin your primary mailbox. When naming your new email address, be sure that it doesn’t contain references to your name or other information that will give away your identity. The bes solution is an email address that is relevant to the job you are seeking such as salesmgr2004@/doc/798333515.html,5. Protect your reference.If your resume contains a section with the names and contact information of your references, take i out. There’s no sense in safeguarding your information while sharing private contact information of you references.6. Keep confidential (机密的) information confidential.Do not, under any circumstances, share your social security, driver’s license, and bank account number or other personal information, such as race or eye color. Honest employers do not need this informatio with an init ial application. Don’t provide this even if they say they need it in order to conduct a background check. This is one of the oldest tricks in the book –don’t fall for it.注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2022年12月全国大学英语四级考试真题和答案解析(第三套)

2022年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第3套)Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:In this task,you are to write an essay on the role of physical exercise in achieving success at college.You will have30minutes for the task.You should write at least 120words but no more than180words.PartⅡListening Comprehension(25minutes)特殊说明:由于多题多卷,官方第三套真题的听力试题与第二套真题的一致,只是选项顺序不同,因此,本套试卷不再提供听力部分。
Part III Reading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the passage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Parenting brings fathers more joy than it does mothers,according to a new study.The research examined three studies26more than18,000participants.Across all three, parenthood was27with more positive wellbeing outcomes for dads than for mums.So why are fathers happier than mothers?“Fathers may fare better than mothers in part due to how they spend time with their children,”said lead author Katherine Nelson-Coffey.In one study,the authors28that dads were more likely to take“playing”as an29 activity both when caring for their kids and spending time with their kids.“Playing with their children likely offers parents opportunities to experience positive feelings and30 closeness with their children,”they say.Fathers also did better than men without kids,reporting greater happiness,life satisfaction,and fewer31symptoms.They also reported greater connectedness and autonomy(自主).For mums,32,compared to women without children,the results weren’t quite as positive.Mums reported greater autonomy,but also“greater trouble”and fewer positive33.Mums reported happier moods while interacting with their kids,compared to other experiences,but not while engaging34in childcare.“This difference suggests that how mothers and fathers spend time with their children might have important35for their wellbeing,”the authors write.They suspect that mums may be less happy than dads because they’re more likely to have higher expectations about parenthood.As such,they’re more likely to be“let down”by the experience.A)additional F)directly K)involvingB)associated G)emotions L)noteC)composing H)however M)preciselyD)cultivate I)implications N)superficialE)depressive J)interfered O)thereforeSection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.Learning to say noA)Not doing something will always be faster than doing it.This philosophy applies in manyareas of life.For example,there is no meeting that goes faster than not having a meeting at all.This is not to say you should never attend another meeting,but the truth is that we say“yes”to too many things we don’t actually want to do.B)How often do people ask you to do something and you just reply,“Sure.”Three days later,you’re overwhelmed by how much is on your to-do list.We become frustrated by our obligations even though we were the ones who said“yes”to them in the first place.Even worse,people will occasionally fight to do things that waste time.You don’t have to do something just because it exists.It’s worth asking if things are necessary.Many of them are not,and a simple“no”will be more productive than whatever work the most efficient person can cope with.But if the benefits of saying“no”are so obvious,then why do we say“yes”so often?C)We say“yes”to many requests not because we want to do them,but because we don’twant to be seen as rude or unhelpful.Often,we have to consider saying“no”to someone we will interact with again in the future—our co-worker,our spouse,our family and friends.Saying“no”to our superiors at work can be particularly difficult.In these situations,I like the approach recommended in Essentialism by Greg McKeown.He writes,“Remind your superiors what you would be neglecting if you said‘yes’and force them to deal with the trade-off.For example,if your manager comes to you and asks you to do X,you can respond with‘Yes,I’m happy to make this the priority.Which of these other projects should I deprioritize to pay attention to this new project?’”D)Collaborating with others is an important element of life.The thought of straining therelationship outweighs the commitment of our time and energy.For this reason,it can be helpful to be gracious in your response.Do whatever favors you can,and be warm-hearted and direct when you have to say no.But even after we have accounted for these social considerations,many of us still seem to do a poor job of managing the trade-off between yes and no.We find ourselves over-committed to things that don’tmeaningfully improve or support those around us,and certainly don’t improve our own lives.E)Perhaps one issue is how we think about the meaning of yes and no.The words“yes”and“no”get so often used in comparison with each other that it feels like they carry equal weight in conversation.In reality,they’re not just opposite in meaning,but of entirely different magnitudes in commitment.When you say“no”,you’re only saying“no”to one option.When you say“yes”,you’re saying“no”to every other option.I like how economist Tim Harford put it,“Every time we say‘yes’to a request,we’re also saying ‘no’to anything else we might accomplish with the time.”Once you’re committed to something,you’ve already decided how that future block of time will be spent.In other words,saying“no”saves you time in the future.Saying“yes”costs you time in the future.“No”is a form of time credit.You retain the ability to spend your future time however you want.“Yes”is a form of time debt.You have to pay back your commitment at some point.F)“No”is a decision.“Yes”is a responsibility.Saying“no”is sometimes seen as a luxurythat only those in power can afford.And it’s true:turning down opportunities is easier when you can fall back on the safety net provided by power,money,and authority.But it’s also true that saying“no”is not merely a privilege reserved for the successful.It’s alsoa strategy that can help you become successful.Saying“no”is an important skill todevelop at any stage of your career because it retains the most important asset in life:your time.As investor Pedro Sorrentino put it,“If you don’t guard your time,people will steal it from you.”You need to say“no”to whatever isn’t leading you toward your goals. G)Nobody embodied this idea better than Steve Jobs,who said,“People think focus meanssaying‘yes’to the thing you’ve got to focus on.But that’s not what it means at all.It means saying‘no’to the hundred other good ideas that there are.You have to pick carefully.”Jobs had another great quote about saying“no”:“I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done.Innovation is saying‘no’to1,000 things.”H)Over time,as you continue to improve and succeed,your strategy needs to change.Theopportunity cost of your time increases as you become more successful.At first,you just eliminate the obvious distractions and explore the rest.As your skills improve and you learn to separate what works from what doesn’t,you have to continually increase your threshold for saying“yes”.You still need to say“no”to distractions,but you also need to learn to say“no”to opportunities that were previously good uses of time,so you can make space for better uses of time.It’s a good problem to have,but it can be a tough skill to master.I)What is true about health is also true about productivity:an ounce of prevention is worth apound of cure.More effort is wasted doing things that don’t matter than is wasted doing things inefficiently.And if that is the case,elimination is a more useful skill than optimization.I’m reminded of the famous Peter Drucker quote,“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”36.People often grant a request just because they want to appear polite and helpful.37.It’s no easy job learning to say“no”to opportunities that were once considered worth grasping.38.When you decline a request,you are saving your future time.39.People sometimes struggle to do things that are simply a waste of time.40.Doing efficiently what is not worth doing is the most useless effort.41.It is especially difficult for people to decline to do what their superiors ask them to do.42.People agree to do too many things they are in fact unwilling to do.43.According to one famous entrepreneur,innovation means refusal to do an enormous number of things.44.It is an essential aspect of life to cooperate with other people.45.Refusing a request is sometimes seen as a privilege not enjoyed by ordinary people. Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.We’re eating more fish than ever these days.At around20kilograms per person global fish consumption is now more than twice what it was in the1960s.What’s really remarkable, though,is where that fish comes from.For the first time in human history,most of our aquatic(水产的)food now comes from farming rather than fishing.People ate around73million tonnes of farmed fish—just more than half of the volume of fish that humans consumed—in2014.That’s out of a total fish supply of167million tonnes; the remaining20million or so tonnes go into things like animal feed and medical products.To keep eating fish at the current rate,we’re definitely going to need to keep aquaculture(水产养殖)developing.That’s because the volume of fish caught in the wild has leveled off since the1990s.Back in1974,only10%of marine fish stocks had been overfished.Now,more than three-tenths are.Only a tenth of our oceans’fish stocks could sustain heavier fishing than current levels.But while catchings at sea have suffered,fish-farming has been growing at a fast rate.A lot of that is coming from China,which produces60%of the world’s farmed fish.In fact, some35countries,including China,now produce more farmed than wild-caught fish.This shift toward aquaculture isn’t just good for ensuring salmon(三文鱼)on your plate; it’s also crucial to ensuring food security and sustainability.By2050,the world will need to feed an estimated9.7billion people.They’ll have to get their protein somewhere.However, raising cattle,pigs,and other land-based animals requires vast sums of grain and water.For example,pound for pound,beef requires15times more feed to raise than carp,a freshwaterfish farmed all over Asia.That grain—and the water needed to grow it—could be consumed by people instead.However,aquaculture is no silver bullet.In some southeast Asian countries,shrimp farming does disastrous damage to marine ecosystems.Despite these problems,however, shrimp continues to be among the most popular seafoods worldwide.46.What does the author say is remarkable about the fish we eat?A)They reproduce quickly.B)They are mostly farmed.C)They have become as important as grain.D)They have a longer history than humans.47.What do we need to do if we keep consuming fish at the current rate?A)Increase the fishing volume considerably.B)Develop more advanced fishing technology.C)Enlarge the marine fish stocks effectively.D)Expand the scale of fish-farming continuously.48.What does the author say about China in terms of aquatic food?A)It places increasing emphasis on fishing now.B)It boasts of the world’s largest fishing stocks.C)It raises more fish than caught from the wild.D)It supplies60%of the world’s fish products.49.Why does the author say aquaculture is so important these days?A)It is a must for feeding the world’s fast-growing population.B)It proves a reliable source of protein for humans and animals.C)It is essential to maintaining both mental and physical health.D)It ensures a balanced healthy diet for people the world over.50.What does the author imply by saying aquaculture is no silver bullet?A)Shrimp-farming is a risky business.B)Fish-farming will not be sustainable.C)Fish-farming may cause serious problems too.D)Shrimp-farming can become quite expensive.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.In2020,the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the World Food Programme(WFP).Why a Nobel Prize for the WFP,and why now?In2019,the WFP assisted nearly100 million people in88countries.It is the safety net for those who fall off the edge of existence. It is a response to solving the problem of food instability.Its Nobel Prize reminds us all of the moral hazard in imagining that the poor and vulnerable are somebody else’s problem.The WFP has been around since1961and has been the global coordinator of nationally based efforts to avoid disasters with food aid.Despite decades of effort to eliminate hunger, the latest estimate is that about11%of people on the planet(about820million people)aresuffering daily undernourishment.Progress at reducing undernourishment has stopped despite gains through the1990s and2000s.Developed countries sometimes offer food and aid to developing ones,but at a price. One American philosopher stated that addressing the needs of the poor and vulnerable is about more than money—it is mostly about creating conditions under which prosperity and opportunity can thrive.When aid is offered with heavy conditions attached,like loan repayment or food for resources,it often widens the gap between rich and poor and sustains the old world order.This is why the work of the WFP is so vital.The scientific community,however,can provide a helping hand to the WFP.By sharing knowledge of agriculture and climate with peers in countries most vulnerable to poverty and hunger,scientists can help reduce these problems.By making its voice heard,science can lead by example.The ability to overcome food shortages that must be built into some of the poorest countries will not come from loans from wealthy countries,which may have food problems of their own,or world economic institutions.This ability will be built upon self-confident people using open and shared scientific knowledge to pull themselves out of their misery.51.What does the WFP’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize make us realize?A)More and more people in the world are suffering from starvation.B)All of us can be affected by food instability one way or another.C)It is hazardous to leave millions of people poor and vulnerable.D)It is morally wrong to think helping the poor is not our business.52.What do we learn about the WFP’s effort to eliminate hunger?A)It has ensured a sufficient food supply to millions.B)It is still far from its goal despite the progress made.C)It has done a good job in combating natural disasters.D)It is preventing starvation occurring on a global scale.53.What will happen when food aid is offered at a price?A)The rich will become richer and the poor poorer.B)More people will be willing to join in the effort.C)More food will be made available to the needy.D)The relief effort will be rendered less sustainable.54.How can scientists help cope with poverty and hunger?A)By collaborating closely with world economic institutions.B)By sharing expertise with peers in poverty-stricken nations.C)By setting up more food research programs in developing countries.D)By building self-respect in people suffering from undernutrition.55.What message does the author try to convey at the end of the passage?A)Wealthy nations should solve their own food problems first.B)Rich countries should be more generous in providing food aid.C)Poor nations should enhance their own ability to solve their food shortages.D)World economic institutions should play a bigger role in fighting hunger.PartⅣTranslation(30minutes)Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.冬至(Winter Solstice)是全年白昼最短、黑夜最长的一天,标志着一年中最寒冷时节的开始。
2024年6月大学英语四级考试真题和答案(第1套)
2024年06月大学英语四级考试真题和答案(第1套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: Suppose your university is seeking students’ opinions on whether university libraries should be open to the public. You are now to write an essay to express your view. You will have 30 minutes for the task. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.PartⅡ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Due to a fire alarm in their apartments.B) Because of the smoke and heat damage.C) Due to the water used to extinguish the flames.D) Because of the collapse of the three-story building.2. A) Investigating the cause of the incident.B) Helping search for the suspect of the crime.C) Rescuing the businessmen trapped in the building.D) Checking town records for the property developer.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It plays a less important role in one’s health than nutrient intake.B) It impacts people’s health to a lesser degree than sun exposure.C) It is associated with people’s mental health conditions.D) It is linked with older adults’ symptoms of depression.4. A) It was indefinite.B) It was systematic.C) It was straightforward.D) It was insignificant.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It has helped solve several murder cases.B) It has become a star police dog in Beijing.C) It has surpassed its mother in performance.D) It has done better than naturally born dogs.6. A) To speed up investigation into criminal cases.B) To test the feasibility of cloning technology.C) To cut down training expenses.D) To reduce their training time.7. A) Cloning is too complicated a process.B) The technology is yet to be accepted.C) Cloning is ethically controversial.D) The technology is too expensive.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He read it somewhere online.B) He heard about it from a coworker.C) He read an article reviewing it.D) He watched a TV series based on it.9. A) His publications.B) His first book.C) His address.D) His name.10. A) Collect a lot more data.B) Relax a bit less often.C) Clarify many new concepts.D) Read more reference books.11. A) Find out the show’s most interesting episodes.B) Watch the series together with the woman.C) Get an e-copy of the book to read.D) Check to see when the show starts.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) To check the prices of his farm produce.B) To ask the way to the Newcastle City Hall.C) To inquire about the vegetarian food festival.D) To seek the man’s help with her work on the farm.13. A) Bakers.B) Vendors.C) Vegetarians.D) Organisers.14. A) The issuing of certificates to vendors.B) The completion of the baking task.C) The festival they are organising.D) The deadline for application.15. A) The closing date of submission.B) The website of his company.C) The details of the ceremony.D) The organiser’s address.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) Most scenic sites have been closed.B) Access to official campsites is limited.C) Health experts advise going outdoors.D) People have more time during the summer.17. A) It is strongly opposed by nearby residents.B) It leads to much waste of public money.C) It has caused environmental concerns.D) It has created conflicts among campers.18. A) Look for open land in Scotland.B) Leave no trace of their camping.C) Avoid getting close to wilderness.D) Ask for permission from authorities.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) They outcompete mythical creatures.B) They usually mind their own business.C) They truly exist in the Amazon region.D) They resemble alarmingly large snakes.20. A) Scar tissue from dolphins’ fighting.B) Skin infection from water pollution.C) Unhealed wounds from snake bites.D) Swimming along in seasonal floods.21. A) It has been shrinking at an astonishing pace.B) It has been placed under international protection.C) It has been appealing to both freshwater and sea dolphins.D) It has been abandoned as a battleground for male dolphins.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) About 58% of young adults call parental support the new normal.B) Most adult children enjoy increasing sources of financial support.C) A full 70% of the young adults cannot afford to buy a car by themselves.D) Most early adults cannot sustain their lifestyles without parental support.23. A) It renders them dependent.B) It causes them to lose dignity.C) It makes them mentally immature.D) It hinders them from getting ahead.24. A) It challenges one’s willpower.B) It results from education.C) It calls for due assistance.D) It defines adulthood.25. A) Current lifestyles.B) Poor budgeting.C) College loans.D) Emergency expenses.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.It’s well known that physical exercise is beneficial not just to physical health but also to mental health. Yet whereas most countries have____26____, evidence-backed guidelines on the type and intensity of exercise____27____for various physical health benefits, such guidelines do not yet exist for exercise and mood.This is____28____due to a lack of necessary evidence. However, a new systematic review brings us usefully up-to-date on the current findings in this area.Before____29____into some of the key take-aways, animportant____30____made in the review is between aerobic exercise and anaerobic. The former____31____such things as walking, jogging and cycling and means exercising in such a way that your body is able to use oxygen to burn fat for energy. In contrast, anaerobic exercise—such as lifting heavy weights—is of such____32____intensity that your body does not have time to use oxygen to create energy and so instead it breaks down glucose (葡萄糖) in your blood or muscles.Beginning first with the influence of exercise intensity on the moodbenefits of aerobic exercise, the researchers, led by John Chan at Shenzhen University, found____33____results from 19 relevant studies. Some favoured higher intensity, others low, while seven studies found that intensity made no____34____to mood benefits.In relation to the intensity of anaerobic exercise, however, the results were far clearer—the optimum (最佳选择) for improving moodis____35____intensity, perhaps because low intensity is too dull while high intensity is too unpleasant.A) constitutesB) contradictoryC) decisionD) detailedE) differenceF) dippingG) distinctionH) fallingI) involvesJ) moderateK) notifiedL) partlyM) requiredN) traditionallyO) vigorousSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Why Do Americans Work So Much?A) How will we all keep busy when we only have to work 15 hours a week? That was the question that worried the British economist John Maynard Keynes when he wrote his short essay “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren” in 1930. Over the next century, he predicted, the economy would become so productive that people would barely need to work at all. For a while, it looked like Keynes was right. In 1930 the average working week was 47 hours in the United States. But by 1970, the number of hours Americans worked on average had fallen to slightly less than 39.B) But then something changed. Instead of continuing to decline, the duration of the working week remained stable. It has stayed at just below 40 hours for nearly five decades. So what happened? Why are people working just as much today as in 1970?C) There would be no mystery in this if Keynes had been wrong about the power of technology to increase the economy’s productivity, which he thought would lead to a standard of living “between four and eight times as high as it is today.” But Keynes got that right: Technology has made the economy massively more productive. According to Benjamin M. Friedman, an economist at Harvard, the U.S. economy is right on track to reach Keynes’s eight-fold (八倍) multiple by 2029. That is a century after the last data Keynes would have had access to.D) In a new paper, Friedman tries to figure out why that increased productivity has not translated into increased leisure time. Perhaps people just never feel materially satisfied, always wanting more money to buy the next new thing. This is a theory that appeals to many economists. “This argument is, at best, far from sufficient,” he writes. If that were the case, why did the duration of the working week decline in the first place?E) Another theory Friedman considers is that, in an era of ever fewer settings that provide effective opportunities for personal connections and relationships, people may place more value on the socializing that happens at work. There is support for this theory. Many people today consider colleagues as friends. But Friedman argues that the evidence for this theory is far from conclusive. Many workers report that they would like to spend more time with family, rather than at work. Furthermore, this theory cannot explain the change in trend in the U.S. working week in the 1970s.F) A third possibility proves more convincing for Friedman. That is: American inequality means that the gains of increasing productivity are not widely shared by everyone. In other words, most Americans are too poor to work less. Unlike the other two explanations Friedman considers, this one fits chronologically (按年代). Inequality declined in America during the period following World War II, along with the duration of the working week. But since the early 1970s it has risen dramatically.G) Keynes’s prediction of a shorter working week rests on the idea that the standard of living would continue rising for everyone. But Friedman says that this is not what has happened. Although Keynes’s eight-fold figure holds up for the economy as a whole, it is not at all the case for the median (中位数的) American worker. For them, output by 2029 is likely to be around 3.5 times what it was when Keynes was writing. This is a bit below his fourto eight-fold predicted range.H) This can be seen in the median worker’s income over this time period, complete with a shift in 1973 that fits in precisely with when the working week stopped shrinking. According to Friedman, between 1947 and 1973 the average hourly wage for normal workers (those who were not in management roles) in private industries other than agriculture nearly doubled in terms of what their money could buy. But by 2013 the average hourly wagefor ordinary workers had fallen 5 percent from the 1973 level in terms of actual purchasing power. Thus, though American incomes may have gone up since 1973, the amount that American workers can actually buy with their money has gone down. For most Americans, then, the magic of increasing productivity stopped working around 1973. Thus, they had to keep working just as much in order to maintain their standard of living.I) What Keynes predicted was a very optimistic version of what economists call technological unemployment. This is the idea that less labor will be necessary because machines can do so much. In Keynes’s vision, the resulting unemployment would be distributed more or less evenly across society in the form of increased leisure. But Friedman says that, for Americans, reality is much darker. Americans now have a labor market in which millions of people—those with fewer skills and less education —are seeking whatever poorly paid work they can get. This is confirmed by a recent poll that found that, for half of hourly workers, their top concern is not that they work too much but that they work too little. This is most likely not because they like their jobs so much. Rather, we can assume it is because they need the money.J) This explanation leaves an important question. If the very rich—the workers who have reaped above-average gains from the increased productivity since Keynes’s time—can afford to work less, why do they continue to work so much? (Indeed, research has shown that the highest earners in America tend to work the most.) Friedman believes that for many top earners, work is a labor of love. They are doing work they care about and are interested in, and doing more of it is not necessarily a burden. For them, it may even be a pleasure. These top earners derive meaning from their jobs and work is an important part of how they think of themselves. And, of course, they are compensated for it at a level that makes it worth their while.K) Friedman concludes that the prosperity (繁荣) Keynes predicted is here. After all, the economy as a whole has grown even more brilliantly than he expected. But for most Americans, that prosperity is nowhere to be seen. And, as a result, neither are those shorter working weeks.36. Some people view socializing at the workplace as a chance to develop personal relationships.37. As ordinary American workers’ average hourly pay had decreased despite increasing productivity, they had to work just as many hours as before to keep their living standards.38. American workers’ average weekly working time has not changed for nearly half a century.39. Friedman believes inequality in the U.S. largely explains why increasing productivity has not resulted in reduced working hours. 40. Many economists assume people’s thirst for material things has prevented them from enjoying more leisure time.41. An economist’s prediction about a shorter average working week seemed to be correct for a time in the 20th century.42. In the U.S. labor market, the primary concern of people with less schooling and fewer skills is to secure any employment even if it is low-paid.43. Keynes was right in predicting that technology would make the economy much more productive.44. Many of the highest earners have a keen interest in and love for what they are doing.45. According to Keynes, there would be a shorter working week with everyone’s standard of living continuing to rise.Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Lao Zi once said, “Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”People-pleasing, or seeking self-worth through others’ approval, is unproductive and an exhausting way to go through life. Why do we allow what others think of us to have so much power over how we feel about ourselves? If it’s true that you can’t please all people all of the time, wouldn’t it make sense to stop trying?Unfortunately, sense often isn’t driving our behavior. For social beings who desire love and belonging, wanting to be liked, and caring about the effect we have on others, is healthy and allows us to make connections. However, where we get into trouble is when our self-worth is dependent upon whether we win someone’s approval or not.This need to be liked can be traced back to when we were children and were completely dependent on others to take care of us: Small children are not just learning how to walk and communicate, they are also trying to learn how the world works. We learn about who we are and what is expected of us based on interactions with others, so, to a four-year-old, if Mommy or Daddy doesn’t like him or her, there is the danger that they will abandon them. We need to understand that when we desperately want someone to approve of us, it’s being driven by that little kid part of us that is still terrified of abandonment.As you become more capable of providing yourself with the approval you seek, your need for external validation will start to vanish, leaving youstronger, more confident, and yes, happier in your life. Imagine how much time we lose each moment we restrain our authenticselves in an effort to be liked.If we base our worth on the opinions of others, we cheat ourselves of the power to shape our experiences and embrace life not only for others but also for ourselves, because ultimately, there is no difference. So embrace the cliché(老话) and love yourself as it’s highly doubtfulthat you’ll regret it.46. What can we conclude from Lao Zi’s quotation?A) We should see through other people’s attempt to make a prisoner of us.B) We can never really please other people even if we try as hard as we can.C) We can never be truly free if taking to heart others’ opinion of us.D) We should care about other people’s view as much as they care about our own.47. What will happen if we base our self-worth on other people’s approval?A) Our desire to be loved will be fulfilled.B) Our life will be unfruitful and exhausting.C) Our identity as social beings will be affected.D) Our sense of self will be sharpened and enhanced.48. What may account for our need to be liked or approved of?A) Our desperate longing for interactions with others.B) Our understanding of the workings of the world.C) Our knowledge about the pain of abandonment.D) Our early childhood fear of being deserted.49. What can we do when we become better able to provide ourselves with the desiredapproval?A) Enjoy a happier life.B) Exercise self-restraint.C) Receive more external validation.D) Strengthen our power of imagination.50. What does the author advise us to do in the last paragraph?A) Embrace life for ourselves and for others.B) Base our worth on others’ opinions.C) See our experiences as assets.D) Love ourselves as we are.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Some people have said aging is more a slide into forgetfulness than a journey towards wisdom. However, a growing body of research suggeststhat late-in-life learning is possible. In reality, education does an aging brain good.Throughout life, people’s brains constantly renovate themselves. In the late 1960s, British brain scientist Geoffrey Raisman spied growth in damaged brain regions of rats through an electron microscope; their brains were forging new connections. This meant brains may change every time a person learns something new.Of course, that doesn’t mean the brain isn’t affected by the effects of time. Just as height usually declines over the years, so does brain volume: Humans lose about 4 percent every decade starting in their 40s. But that reduction doesn’t necessarily make people think slower; as long as we are alive and functioning, we can alter our brains with new information and experiences.In fact, scientists now suspect accumulating novel experiences, facts, and skills can keep people’s minds more flexible. New pathways can strengthen our ever-changing mental structure, even as the brain shrinks.Conventional fixes like word puzzles and brain-training apps can contribute to mental durability. Even something as simple as taking a different route to the grocery store or going somewhere new on vacation can keep the brain healthy.A desire for new life challenges can further boost brainpower. Research about aging adults who take on new enterprises shows improved function and memory as well as a reduced risk of mental disease. Openness —a characteristic defined by curiosity and a desire for knowledge—may also help folks pass brain tests. Some folks are born with thistake-in-theworld attitude, but those who aren’t as genetically gifted aren’t necessarily out of luck. While genes can encourage an interest in doing new things, a 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging found completing reasoning tasks like puzzles and number games can enhance that desire for novel experiences, which can, in turn, refresh the brain. That’s why brain scientist Richard Kennedy says “It’s not that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. It’s that maybe old dogs don’t realize why they should. ”51. What do some people think of aging adults?A) Their wisdom grows as time goes by.B) Their memory gradually deteriorates.C) They can benefit from late-in-life learning.D) They are likely to have mental health issues.52. What can we conclude from Geoffrey Raisman’s finding?A) Brain damage seriously hinders one’s learning.B) Brain power weakens slower than we imagine.C) Brains can refresh and improve with learning.D) Brains forge connections under new conditions.53. What is one thing that helps maintain the health of our brain even as it shrinks?A) Doing daily routines by conventional means.B) Avoiding worrying about our mental durability.C) Imitating old dogs’ way of learning new tricks.D) Approaching everyday tasks in novel ways.54. What does the author say can contribute to the improvement of brain function?A) Being curious and desiring knowledge.B) Being eager to pass brain tests at an old age.C) Rising to life’s challenges and avoiding risks.D) Boosting immunity to serious mental diseases.55. What is the finding of the 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging?A) Wishing to solve puzzles enhances one’s reasoning power.B) Playing number games unexpectedly stimulates one’s memory.C) Desiring new experiences can help to renovate the brain.D) Learning new tricks should not be confined to old dogs only.Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chineseinto English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.四合院(siheyuan)是中国一种传统的住宅建筑,其特点是房屋建造在一个院子的四周,将院子合围在中间。
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题+参考答案完整版
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题及参考答案完整版Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)2019年12月14日,大学英语四级笔试考试已经结束,各位考生对本次四级考试的做题感觉如何呢?文都教育英语老师在第一时间为大家解读2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题参考答案,希望大家都能够顺利通过本次四级考试。
Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letterto a foreign friend who wants to study. Please recommend a university tohim. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.【参考范文】Dear Lucy,I am delighted to hear that you are going to study in a Chineseuniversity. Since you have asked for my advice about choosing whichuniversity, I will try to give you some useful suggestions here.It is well known that Peking University is a great place to learn.There are several factors accounting for this choice and the followingare the most typical ones. First and foremost, Peking University is one of the top universities in China and the birthplace of many great minds.Therefore, it can provide high-quality teaching resources, which isessential for a foreign learner.In addition, Beijing is the capital of China and there are various historic buildings. They provide foreign students a good chance to know Chineseculture and history.I hope you will find these suggestions helpful and wishyou all the best.Yours,LiMing【参考译文】亲爱的露丝:得知你要来中国的大学学习,我很高兴。
大学英语四级考试2023年12月真题(第一套)【可复制可检索】
大学英语四级考试2023年12月真题(第一套)PartI Writing (30 minutes) Directions: Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for is coming edition on a campus event that has impressed them most.You are now to write an essay for submission.You will have 30 minutes to write the essay.You should write at least 120words but no more than180wordsPartⅡListening 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 bespoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)Their brains work in harmony.B)They are generally the same age.2.A)It can be touching.B)It is hard to predict. C)Their interests are quite similar.D)They have the same ethnic background.C)It can work both ways.D)It resembles family ties.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)Search for their half-brothers.B)Identify their biological fathers.4.A)They were both given up for adoption.B)They were born to the same mother. C)Find out more about their ancestry.D)See whether they are actually related.C)They flew 737 airplanes as pilots.D)They were both 60 years of age.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)One of his friends was caught littering. C)The beautiful beach was spoiled with lots of trash.B)Other tourists refused to join in the cleanup.D)The kilometer-long beach was practically deserted.6.A)A passerby C)The beach authorities.B)A local woman. D)One of the five tourists.7.A)The tourists'good deed was not noticed by the locals.B)Some natives were selling poor-quality food to tourists.C)The number of tourists to the beach is on a steady decline.D)It was tourists not natives who were cleaning up the beach.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 bespoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.1·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)He has to play football with workmates.B)He has got some books to read.9.A)To teach kids about animal protection.B)To learn how popular zoos could be.10.A)He enjoys excellent health.B)He is keen on extreme sports.11.A)Tending to his swollen ankle.B)Concentrating on reading. C)He is going to visit a friend.D)He is physically unfit for it.C)To see some rare animals in cages.D)To give her little nephew a treat.C)He coaches tennis players every week.D)He spends most of his time in the gym.C)Writing three book reports.D)Planning Christmas celebrations.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)It is being debated by hundreds of retirees.B)It is attracting many people's attention.13.A)One should foresee a financial crisis.B)One should trust financial planners'figures.14.A)It doesn't need to be permanent.B)It shouldn't be considered risky.15.A)By keeping close contact with one's employers.B)By retiring when one reaches sixty years old. C)It partly records his own experience.D)It argues for postponing retirement.C)One should have one million dollars to retire.D)One should start saving as early as possible.C)It helps to reduce travel expenses.D)It is the way to quit a job one hates.C)By investing half of one's monthly income.D)By following the counsel of financial planners.Section CDirections: In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each passage,you will hear three or four questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)They tended to be easily anticipated by those belonging to their own race.B)They tended to be arbitrarily judged by individuals of opposing groups.C)They were readily shared among members of the same social or racial group.D)They were influenced by the presence of someone from an outsider group.17.A)When they tried to make a positive impression on the researchers.B)When an unknown student from another university was present.C)When an experimenter from the research team took notice.D)When they were offered both candy and fruit as a snack.18.A)By advertising its social benefits. C)By supporting struggling consumers.B)By teaching consumers diet strategies. D)By maintaining its positive image.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)The academic and learning issues struggling students encounter.B)The risk students face due to a history of mental health problems.·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·2C)The effect of interacting with therapy dogs on students under pressure.D)The work universities are doing to help students succeed academically.20.A)Their communicative skills.B)Their executive functioning.21.A)Rid students of their anxiety.B)Add to some students'stress. C)Their academic networking.D)Their leadership capacities.C)Contribute little to typical students'success.D)Help students with mental issues pull through.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A)Work hard and plan carefully.B)Attempt to succeed at any cost.23.A)Regarding failure as something inevitable.B)Trying out innovative marketing strategies.24.A)Expect future success so as to move forward.B)Learn from our failure and forge ahead.25.A)Fresher offers.B)Safcr opcration. C)Aim high and expect great results.D)Remain optimistic even in difficulty.C)Venturing into sectors never explored before.D)Being willing to experiment with novel ideas.C)Distinguish between good and bad risks.D)Examine our strategies and find out weaknesses.C)More challengesD)Less competition.Part ⅢSection AReading Comprehension(40 minutes) 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 following the passage.Read the passage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Exercising for just 10 minutes a week is linked to a longer life,according to a new study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine.Several recent studies have found that even low-intensity exercise,done for a short amount of time,can have a meaningful 26 on health.Still,the idea that exercising for just 10 minutes a week may be enough to increase your lifespan is novel.It's also somewhat 27 _,since the federal physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of28 exercise each week.The study was based on data from more than 88,000 U.S.adults who 29in the National Health Interview Survey between 1997 and 2008.Contrary to some research that has found an 30 limit to the amount of exercise that is healthy,the researchers found that there was 31 no limit to the longevity(长寿)benefits of exercise.Even the small group of people who got 10 times the amount of exercise recommended by the federal government had a 46%lower 32 of death than the least active group.Still,observational studies like this one cannot prove cause and effect;they can only find 33 .The researchers also were not able to 34 for certain lifestyle factors that could affect lifespan,including3·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·dietary habits and changes in physical activity over time.Despite these - 35 ,the study's results are yet another indication of the power of physical activity,even in small amounts.Section BDirections: In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter:Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.How Climate Change Will Affect What You EatA)Earlier this year,scientists warned that one in six animal species could go extinct(灭绝的)due to climatechange.Could the same thing happen to our crops and other foodstuffs too?B)It's clear that farmers in many parts of the world are going to find things harder in the coming decades.Last week,BBC Future explored one scientist's efforts to help crops cope with the increased probability of droughts.By using the genes from resurrection(复活)plants,Jill Farrant of the University of Cape Town is exploring whether she can design crops to survive for much longer periods without water.C)But if we can't find ways to protect other foods,will they survive climate change?Fortunately,there is somegood news on this front.Despite alarmist headlines about "foods that are going extinct,"there is no evidence that major food types like beans,chocolate,wine,corn or wheat will cease to exist.D)But that doesn't mean it's all good news for future food.We will probably have to change where we growcertain crops,as some regions get too hot.The disadvantage,obviously,is that local farmers will suffer under this situation.And some people may struggle to get the same access to certain foods.“Even if overall food production may be unaffected,food security can still be impacted,"says Margaret Walsh,a scientist at the US Department of Agriculture's Climate Change Program Office.In other words,even if a certain food is still grown on some corner of the Earth,it doesn't mean that everyone will continue to have the same degree of access as today.E)Overall,the yields of many foods,from staples to life-enhancing extras such as coffee and chocolate,will likely be impacted by climate change too.How those decreases will be felt will depend on the degree of .warming and the crop in question,but in general,“anything over about 30°C is very bad for crops,”says Wolfram Schlenker,an associate professor of intermnational and public affairs at Columbia University.For·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·4example,statistical studies that he and a colleague built of corm and soybean(大豆)production in the US show a steep decline after crossing the 30°C temperature threshold(临界点).F)In the US—the world's largest producer of corm and soybeans-farms can move north to some degree,Schlenker says.But eventually,yields will likely suffer because the soil north of lowa deelines in quality-a legacy of glacial (冰川的)expansion.Other studies,including studies of wheat in India and corn in Africa,also found that there is a threshold above which yields sharply decline:crops can adapt and move,but only toa point “What's common to all studies is the finding that extreme heat is damaging to crop growth,althoughexact cutofts vary by crop,"Schlenker says."“If predictions for the end of the century are true,though,I thinka lot of agricultural areas in the US will see significant hits.”G)Under current conditions,about 4%of the world's croplands experience drought in any given year,but by theend of the century those conditions are forecasted to jump to about 18%per year.Some studies indicate that horticulture crops—generally,everything besides staples-may be impacted most severely,largely because they tend to be confined to a smaller geographic area.Researcher Andrew Jarvis and his colleagues found that 80%of coffee-growing zones in Central America and Brazil could become unsuitable by 2050,for example, while climate change will likely have "great impacts”on cocoa (可可粉)production in West Afica.“High quality chocolate will be less available in the future,and if you want it,you'l have to pay a lot more for it,”Jarvis saysH)This means that,for those who can afford it,some foods will simply cost them more in the future.But forpoorer people,those same price jumps will likely cause certain foods to go extinct from their diets.“The more you reduce,the shorter the supply,and the higher the price will jump,"Schlenker says.I)Another potential climate change-induced problem is our dependence on commodity crops-wheat,soybeans,corn and rice—which curently provide humanity with 75%of its calories,either directly or indirectly through the animals we raise on those crops.Jarvis and his colleagues also found that,over the past five decades,the world has seen an increasing standardisation of diets;the foods we eat globally today arc 36%more similar than they were in 1961.While this can be good news for the world's poorest people who now consume more calories,protein and fat than in the past,homogeneity (同一性)and over-dependence on a handful of staples leaves us vulnerable to threats such as drought,disease and pests-all of which are predicted to worsen in many parts of the world as a result of climate change.J)There are ways we could soften the coming blow to the global food supply,however.Like Farrant's work with resurrection crops,a number of companies,organisations and researchers are aiming to create drought- and temperature-resistant crops through genetic engineering and conventional breeding.For now,the jury is still out as to how successful those endeavours will be.“Th e people at Monsanto who I've talked to are much more optimistic that they'll be able to engineer heat-tolerant crops,”Schlenker says.“On the other hand, scientists at the USDA who I've spoken with are much more cautious.”K)Until genetic engineering comes to fruition,other strategies might also help in some places,including applying more fertiliser,implementing better irrigation,using machinery that gets crops out of the field faster or installing storage facilties to delay spoilage.“Many places could benefit a great deal just by using technologies that already exist,”Walsh says.“General farm management can go a long way toward easing changes.”5 ·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·L)Finally,diversifying our diet away from heat-sensitive wheat,corn,rice and other crops could also help.“We've seen profound changes in the last decades in what we eat largely as a result of international trade,andI think that trend toward more diversification will continue,”Jarvis says.“Depending on a greater number ofplant species creates a more vigorous and less risky food system—and one that provides a broader range of nutritional requirements.”36.One consequence of climate change is that some people may not have adequate access to certain foods.37.People around the world are eating foods more similar than what they used to eat.38.A recent news report talked about scientific efforts to help crops survive droughts through geneticengineering39.It is predicted that climate change will affect the availability and price of quality chocolate.40.People wonder if certain crops and foodstuffs could disappear like some animal species due to climatechange41.Although farms in the US can move a bit northward,crop yields may decrease.42.One possible solution to the food security problem is diversification of diet.43.It remains unsettled whether the global food supply problem can be solved by creating heat-tolerant cropsthrough genetic engineering.44.Poor people may have to give up eating certain foods because of their high prices.45.A number of existing farming technologies could be used to reduce the negative effect of climate change onfood productionSection CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.One of my bad habits is saying"busy"when people ask me how I'm doing.Sometimes it's because I actually am busy,but other times it's because that's what I think I'm supposed to say.That's what important people say.That's what people who get promoted say.But working long hours doesn't drive better results. Never taking a vacation won't lead to a promotion.So why are we so proud to talk about how busy we are all the time?In 2016,researchers from Columbia,Harvard,and Georgetown conducted a study to figure it out.They found busy people are perceived to be of high status,and interestingly,these status attributions are heavily influenced by our own beliefs about social mobility.In other words,the more we believe that one has the opportunity for success based on hard work,the more we tend to think that people who skip leisure and work all the time are of higher standing.That's why we feel like we have to appear busy,and there's a real perception that if someone is knee-deep in meetings,emails,and stress,then they're probably a big deal.This culture of busyness is making it hard for ·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·6employees to find work-life balance.According to a recent study,one in five highly engaged employees is at risk of burnout (精疲力竭).Personally,I'm going to stop saying "busy"when people ask me how I am.It sounds selfrighteous(自以为是的)and scts the wrong tone.Phrases like “T have limited access to emaif”and "T'l respond as soon as I get back”sound like you're being held against your will from working as opposed to making the most of your time off.That's why we recently launched the Out of Office Email Generator,a free tool you can use before your next long weekend or trip.You can share loud and proud that you won't be checking email until you're back. Managers need to think twice about emailing their teams on the weekend and talking about how busy they are. Leaders should take time off themselves and encourage employees to do the same.46.What is a reason for the author to be in the habit of saying "busy"when asked how he is doing?A)He just follows successful people's example. C)He thinks everyone should be devoted to work.B)He is actually proud to be fully occupied.D)He believes busyness ensures accomplishments.47.Why do we tend to think that busy people are of high status?A)Our status can be attributed to our social mobility.B)We hold the belief that hard work leads to success.C)Our own opportunity for success never comes easily.D)We find few people of high status have time for leisure.48.What do we learn about the culture of busyness from a recent study?A)It places employees in endless meetings,emails and stress.B)It compels some 20%of employees to appear always busy.C)It distorts many employees'belief of what a satisfying life is.D)It does much harm to many busy employees'well-being.49.What do such utterances as “I have limited access to email”sound like according to the author?A)One is too busy to check all emails in time. C)One is forced by circumstances to stop working.B)One is opposed to the prevailing work culture. D)One is simply enjoying their time off work.50.Why did the author and his colleagues launch the Out of Office Email Generator?A)To enable busy employees to spend less time checking emails.B)To ensure employees as well as employers truly have time off.C)To stop managers from talking about how busy their teams usually are.D)To encourage both employers and employees to answer emails promptly.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Female employees consistently pay lower airfares than men do for the same flights because they tend to book earlier.We compared the airfare paid by employees in the same position within a company for the same class of travel and used a common statistical technique to account for other factors that might affect differences in airfares.We found that women paid on average $18 less per ticket than their male colleagues.Further7 ·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·investigation allowed us to conclude that this gap is largely explained by the fact that women tended to book earlier than men,1.8 days on average.We wanted to determine what was causing these gender differences in booking business trips so we tested a variety of possible explanations,such as women choosing to plan ahead or male frequent travelers being inclined to book late.None of these explained away the gender gap,so we applied data collected from surveys that express consumer preferences that play a central role in economic decisions,such as patience and risk avoidance.We found that only the concept of "negative reciprocity"-in which an employee who feels unfairly treated engages in negative behaviors,such as spending their company's money less carefully-explains these differences.The surveys showed men tend to exhibit more of these negative behaviors than women.This isn't to say that all men engage in these behaviors—or that booking relatively late is a sign of abnormal behavior.It only means that the gender gap disappears when we plug in the negative reciprocity variable.Prior research on negative reciprocity among workers found that it can result in lower employee motivation, business performance and workplace morale(士气)and culture.Our results show another way these negative behaviors can manifest themselves,like in airline bookings, and add to evidence that women are less likely to engage in them.Companies spend significant sums of money on business travel.While that $18 difference per ticket may seem small,it adds up.Our analysis suggests early booking by women can translate into savings of $1 million a year for a large multinational company with 20,000 regular travelers.51.What did the author's team conclude about the gender difference in airfares from their further investigation?A)It is largely attributed to women booking earlier than men.B)It is largely explained by women's choosing cheaper flights.C)It is mainly accounted for by male employees'readiness to pay more.D)It is due to the fact that women care more about their company's money.52.What did the researchers want to determine by testing a variety of possible explanations?A)What made male frequent travelers book air tickets late.B)What caused women to plan ahead in booking business trips.C)What motivated women to book cheaper flights.D)What accounted for the gender gap in airfares.53.What happened when the negative reciprocity variable was taken into account?A)Both men and women were found to engage in negative behaviors.B)Neither men nor women viewed booking late as a bad behavior.C)The gender differcnce in airfare expenses no longer existed.D)The gender gap tended to narrow to a significant degree.54.What did prior research on negative reciprocity among workers find?A)It can do more harm to the workplace than to employees.B)It contributes to the male-female divide in the workplace.C)It proves to be counterproductive in a number of ways.D)It can result in increasing labor-management conflicts.·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·855.What does the author emphasize about their analysis in the last paragraph?A)It can help companies increase their savings significantly.B)It can duly contribute to companies'business performance.C)It can translate women's booking practice into men's behavior.D)It can enhance large multinational companies'competitiveness.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.中国政府十分重视人民的健康饮食(diet)。
历年大学英语四级考试试题及参考答案
2007年12月全国大学英语四级考试真题和答案Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Universities Branch OutAs never before in their long history, universities have become instruments of national competition as well as instruments of peace. They are the place of the scientific discoveries that move economies forward, and the primary means of educating the talent required to obtain and maintain competitive advantage. But at the same time, the opening of national borders to the flow of goods, services, information and especially people has made universities a powerful force for global integration, mutual understanding and geopolitical stability.In response to the same forces that have driven the world economy, universities have become more self-consciously global: seeking students from around the world who represent the entire range of cultures and values, sending their own students abroad to prepare them for global careers, offering course of study that address the challenges of an interconnected world and collaborative (合作的) research programs to advance science for the benefit of all humanity.Of the forces shaping higher education none is more sweeping than the movement across borders. Over the past three decades the number of students leaving home each year to study abroad has grown at an annual rate of 3.9 percent, from 800,000 in 1975 to 2.5 million in 2004. Most travel from one developed nation to another, but the flow from developing to developed countries is growing rapidly. The reverse flow, from developed to developing countries, is on the rise, too. Today foreign students earn 30 percent of the doctoral degrees awarded in the United States and 38 percent of those in the United Kingdom. And the number crossing borders for undergraduate study is growing as well, to 8 percent of the undergraduates at America’s best institutions and 10 percent of all undergraduates in the U.K. In the United States, 20 percent of the newly hired professors in science and engineering are foreign-born, and in China many newly hired faculty members at the top research universities received their graduate education abroad. Universities are also encouraging students to spend some of their undergraduate years in another country. In Europe, more than 140,000 students participate in the Erasmus program each year, taking courses for credit in one of 2,200 participating institutions across the continent. And in the United States, institutions are helping place students in the summer internships (实习) abroad to prepare them for global careers. Yale and Harvard have led the way, offering every undergraduate at least one international study or internship opportunity—and providing thefinancial resources to make it possible.Globalization is also reshaping the way research is done. One new trend involvessourcing portions of a research program to another country. Yale professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Tian Xu directs a research center focused on the genet ics of human disease at Shanghai’s Fudan University, in collaboration with faculty colleagues from both schools. The Shanghai center has 95 employees and graduate students working in a 4,300-square-meter laboratoryseminars with scientists from both campuses. The arrangement benefits both countries; Xu’s Yale lab is more productive, thanks to the lower costs of conducting research in China, and Chinese graduate students, postdoctors and faculty get on-the-job training from a world-class scientist and his U.S. team.As a result of its strength in science, the United States has consistently led the world in the commercialization of major new technologies, from the mainframe computer and the integrated circuit of the 1960s to the Internet infrastructure (基础设施) and applications software of the 1990s. the link between university-based science and industrial application is often indirect but sometimes highly visible: Silicon Valley was intentionally created by Stanford University, and Route 128 outside Boston has long housed companies spun off from MIT and Harvard. Around the world, governments have encouraged copying of this model, perhaps most successfully in Cambridge, England, where Microsoft and scores of other leading software and biotechnology companies have set up shop around the university. For all its success, the United States remains deeply hesitant about sustaining the research- university model. Most politicians recognize the link between investment in science and national economic strength, but support for research funding has been unsteady. The budget of the National Institutes of Health doubled between 1998 and 2003, but has risen more slowly than inflation since then. Support for the physical sciences and engineering barely kept pace with inflation during that same period. The attempt to make up lost ground is welcome, but the nation would be better served by steady, predictable increases in science funding at the rate of long-term GDP growth, which is on the order of inflation plus 3 percentper year.American politicians have great difficult recognizing that admitting more foreign students can greatly promote the national interest by increasing international understanding. Adjusted for inflation, public funding for international exchanges and foreign-language study is well below the levels of 40 years ago, in the wake of September 11, changes in the visa process caused a dramatic decline in the number of foreign students seeking admission to U.S. universities, and a corresponding surge in enrollments in Australia, Singapore and the U.K. Objections from American university and the business leaders led to improvements in the process and reversal of the decline, but the United States is still seen by many as unwelcoming tointernational students.Most Americans recognize that universities contribute to the nation’s well-being through their scientific research, but many fear that foreign students threaten American competitiveness by taking their knowledge and skills back home. They fail to grasp that welcoming foreign students to the United States has two important positive effects: first, the very best of them stay in the States and— likeimmigrants throughout history—strengthen the nation; and second, foreign students who study in the United States become ambassadors for many of its most cherished (珍视) values when they return home. Or at least they understand them better. In America as elsewhere, few instruments of foreign policy are as effective in promoting peace and stability as welcoming international university students.注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
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满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 1 2004年12月大学英语四级考试试题
Part I Section A Listening Comprehension (20 minutes) Directions: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each convers- ation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre. Example: You will hear: You will read: A) At the office. B) In the waiting room. C) At the airport. D) In a restaurant. From the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they had to finish in the evening. This conversation iS most likely to have taken place at the office. Therefore, A) "At the office" is the best answer. You should choose [A] on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single line through the centre.
Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]
1. A) The man enjoys traveling by car. B) The man lives far from the subway. C) The man is good at driving. D) The man used to own a car. 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 2 2. A) Tony should continue taking the course. B) She approves of Tony's decision. C) Tony can choose another science course. D) She can't meet Tony so early in the morning.
3. A) She has to study for the exam. B) She is particularly interested in plays. C) She's eager to watch the new play. D) She can lend her notes to the man.
4. A) They will be replaced by on-line education sooner or later. B) They will attract fewer kids as on-line education expands. C) They will continue to exist along with on-line education. D) They will limit their teaching to certain subjects only.
5. A) Most students would like to work for a newspaper. B) Most students find a job by reading advertisements. C) Most students find it hard to get a job after they graduate. D) Most students don't want jobs advertised in the newspapers.
6. A) Move the washing machine to the basement. B) Turn the basement into a workshop. C) Repair the washing machine. D) Finish his assignment. 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 3 7. A) Some students at the back cannot hear the professor. B) The professor has changed his reading assignment. C) Some of the students are not on the professor's list. D) The professor has brought extra copies of his assignment.
8. A) She doesn't want to talk about the contest. B) She's modest about her success in the contest. C) She's spent two years studying English in Canada. D) She's very proud of her success in the speech contest.
9. A) Talking about sports. B) Writing up local news. C) Reading newspapers. D) Putting up advertisements
10. A) They shouldn't change their plan. B) They'd better change their mind. C) The tennis game won't last long. D) Weather forecasts are not reliable.
Part I Section B Compound Dictation Directions: in this section, y'ou will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from S1 to S7 with the exact words you have 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 满分四六级英语网www.cetcet.com独家整理 4 just heard. For blanks numbered from S8 to SIO you are required to fill in the missing information. You can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally; when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. There are a lot of good cameras available at the moment - most of these are made in Japan but there are also good (S 1) models from Germany and the USA. We have (S2) range of different models to see which is the best (S3) money. After a number of different tests and interviews with people who are (S4) assessed, our researchers (S5) with the different cameras being the Olympic BY model as the best auto-focus camera available at the moment. It costs $200 although you may well want to spend more - (S6) much as another $200 - on buying (S7) lenses and other equipment. It is a good Japanese camera, easy to use. (S8)
whereas the American versions are considerably more expensive The Olympic BY model weighs only 320 grams which is quite a bit less than other cameras of a similar type. Indeed one of the other mod- els we looked at weighed almost twice as much. (S9) ALL the people we interviewed expressed almost total satisfaction with it (Sl0)