2008英语专四真题及答案详解
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2008年6月大学英语四级考试真题答案与详解PartⅠ Writing参考范文:With the development of people’s living standard, an unprecedented variety of recreational activities have been available for people to enjoy, ranging from sports, movie, karaoke to online activities. It goes without saying that various activities brought by modern technology have greatly broadened our horizon and they can keep us healthy both physically and mentally.However, recreational activities also bring many problems. For example, some young people are easily addicted to the virtual world online, which affects their study seriously and may lead to worse consequences as well. Therefore, people will benefit from recreational activities only if they take part in them properly.As a college student, I hold a belief that recreational activities do more good than harm. we should pay more attention to the advantages of various recreational activities and make the most of them. Meanwhile, we should learn how to use those activities positively, and make them a helpful tool for our development.PartⅡ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)6. B)7. C)te homogeneous but smallrelationships with consumersthe appropriate mediaPart Ⅲ Listening ComprehensionSection AA)C)B)D)D)B)A)D)Conversation One19. C) 录音中的关键信息:he steals their money, handbag, whatever, andmakes off with it.20. D) 录音中的关键信息:Especially if they flashed a card to you.21. C) 录音中的关键信息:the police are warning people especiallypensioners not to admit anyone unless they have an appointment.22. C) 录音中的关键信息:she’s just been to the post office to draw herpension, …He stole the whole lot.Conversation Two23. A) 录音中的关键信息:I was a marketing consultant responsible formarketing ten UK hotels.D) 录音中的关键信息:As I speak Japanese, I had a very big advantage.25. A)录音中的关键信息:I love train travel. That’s why I’m veryinterested in this job.Section BPassage One26. A) “Like most working people, I find time or the lack of it a never endingfrustration and an unwinnable battle. My everyday is a race against the clock that I never ever seem to win.” 根据本句可推断,说话人主要抱怨时间不够用,所以A正确。
2008年12月si ji da an1.A).【定位】由提干中的Stella Bianchi, mother 定位到第三段1-2句:“The boy‟s mother ran toward me from across the park ,” I thought she was coming over to apologize, but instead she started shouting at me for …disciplining her child ‟.【精解】段首处设题。
文章提到Stella本以为孩子的母亲是来道歉的,A)与此一致。
本体关键在于定位答案。
2.D)【定位】由提干中的deal with other people‟s children 定位到第四段:Getting your own children to play nice is difficult enough. Dealing with other people‟s children has become a minefield.【精解】段末设题,这句话的意思是:管教别人的孩子如进雷区,“minefield”这个词固然生僻,一可根据mine“地雷”的意思进行判断;二可通过上文进行推断。
上句提出管教自己的孩子已经很难了,两句之间是递进关系,推断管教别人孩子更不容易。
D)项与此相符。
3.B)【定位】由题干中的Professor Naomi White, criticize定位到第七段最后一句:We see our children as an extension of ourselves, so if you‟re saying that my child is behaving inappropriately, then that‟s somehow a criticism of me.【精解】段末设题。
文章指出“如果你说我的孩子做的不对,那就有些批评我的意味了。
2008年6月大学英语四级考试真题答案与精解2008年6月大学英语四级考试真题答案与精解(试卷A)PartⅠ Writing范文:Abundant recreational activities are available for people to release their strain and stress, ranging from sports to online activities。
There is going on a hot debate arguing whether they are good for the public or not, especially for college students。
As for such a question, different people hold different views。
Some believe that recreation is helpful if we want to keep healthy physically and mentally。
While there also sounds an opposite voice, which claims that activities also bring many problems。
For example, some young people are easily addicted to the virtual world online, which affects their study seriously and may lead to worse consequences as well。
As for me, I hold a belief that recreational activities do more good than harm。
They do give us a good chance, and efficiency too。
2008年英语专业四级全真试题答案与精解2008年英语专业四级全真试题答案与精解PART I DICTATIONChoosing a CareerWhen students graduate from college,/ many of them do not know how they want to spend their working lives, / and they sometimes move from job to job/ until they find something that suits them / and of equal important to which they are suited. Others never find a job in which they are really happy. / They remain all their lives square pegs in round holes. / When we choose our careers, we need to ask ourselves two questions./ First, what do we think we would like to be?/ Second, what kind of people are we?/ The idea, for example, of being a painter or a musician may seem very attractive, / but unless we have great talent and are willing to work very hard, / we are certain to fail in these occupations, and failure will lead to unhappiness in life. / So it is important to assess our suitability for a certain career in job search.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION1. A2. D3. A4. D5. B6. D7. A8. C9. C 10. A 11. D 12. B 13. B 14. C 15. A 16. D 17. B 18. D 19. B 20. A 21. D 22. A 23. C 24. B 25. A 26. D 27. C 28. B 29. B 30. DPART III CLOZE31. C 32. A 33. D 34. B 35. A 36. C 37. A 38. D 39. A 40. D 41. C 42. B 43. D 44. A 45. B 46. A 47. D 48. B 49. C 50. B PART IV GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY51. D 52. D 53. D 54. C 55. B 56. A 57. D 58. C 59. A 60. A 61. A 62. C 63. D 64. A 65. B 66. D 67. C 68. A 69. D 70. B 71. A 72. C 73. D 74. D 75. B 76. A 77. C 78. B 79. A 80. CPART V READING COMPREHENSION81. C 82. B 83. A 84. B 85. C 86. D 87. A 88. C 89. B 90. B 91. A 92. D 93. B 94. D 95. C 96. C 97. B 98. D 99. B 100. C\试题精讲PART III CLOZE【全⽂翻译】盐、贝壳和⾦属似乎在当今世界的偏远地区仍然当作钱使⽤。
2008年6月大学英语四级真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)题型有:1. Writing 2. Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) 3. Listening Comprehension 4. Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) 5. Cloze 8. TranslationPart I Writing (30 minutes)1.For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on Recreational Activities according to the outline given below. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese. Recreational Activities 1. 娱乐活动多种多样; 2. 娱乐活动可能使人们受益,也可能有危害性; 3. 作为大学生,我的看法。
正确答案:Recreational Activities With the development of living standards, people are spending more time on various forms of recreational activities ranging from outdoor sports, karaoke, to online games and Internet-surfing. Most recreational activities bring benefits and add color to our life. For instance, sports keep us fit. Karaoke and dancing make us relaxed from work pressure, video or online games may stimulate our imagination and Internet can bring us easy access to information. However, every coin has two sides, so do recreational activities. Online games and Internet is especially a controversial issue. The problems arise when some people stay online night and day, chatting with strangers and getting lost in those meaningless games. So addicted have they become that they are actually neglecting meals and sleeps, which is harmful to their normal life, work and interpersonal relationships. As an undergraduate student, I think we embrace those recreational activities that help us alternate work with rest as well as broaden our visions, which may put us in a favorable position in the future job market. When it comes to those addictive, time-consuming activities, I think to stay far away. In a word, we should keep a balance between recreational activities and study, or we may be taught a painful lesson.Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions attached to the passage. For questions 1-7, mark:Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage.Media Selection for Advertisements After determining the target audience for a product or service, advertising agencies must select the appropriate media for the advertisement. We discuss here the major types of media used in advertising. We focus our attention on seven types of advertising: television,newspapers, radio, magazines, out-of-home, Internet, and direct mail. Television Television is an attractive medium for advertising because it delivers mass audiences to advertisers. When you consider that nearly three out of four Americans have seen the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ? you can understand the power of television to communicate with a large audience. When advertisers create a brand, for example, they want to impress consumers with the brand and its image. Television provides an ideal vehicle for this type of communication. But television is an expensive medium, and not all advertisers can afford to use it. Television’s influence on advertising is fourfold. First, narrowcasting means that television channels are seen by an increasingly narrow segment of the audience. The Golf Channel, for instance, is watched by people who play golf. Home and Garden Television is seen’by those interested in household improvement projects. Thus, audiences are smaller and more homogeneous (具有共同特点的) than they have been in the past. Second, there is an increase in the number of television channels available to viewers, and thus, advertisers. This has also resulted in an increase in the sheer number of advertisements to which audiences are exposed. Third, digital recording devices allow audience members more control over which commercials they watch. Fourth, control over programming is being passed from the networks to local cable operators and satellite programmers. Newspapers After television, the medium attracting the next largest annual ad revenue is newspapers. The New York Times, which reaches a national audience, accounts for $1 billion in ad revenue annually. It has increased its national circulation (发行量) by 40% and is now available for home delivery in 168 dries. Locally, newspapers are the largest advertising medium. Newspapers are a less expensive advertising medium than television and provide a way for advertisers to communicate a longer, more detailed message to their audience than they can through television. Given new production techniques, advertisements can be printed in newspapers in about 48 hours, meaning newspapers are also a quick way of getting the massage out. Newspapers are often the most important form of news for a local community, and they develop a high degree of loyalty from local readers. Radio Advertising on radio continues to grow. Radio is often used in conjunction with outdoor billboards (广告牌)and the Internet to reach even more customers than television. Advertisers are likely to use radio because it is a less expensive medium than television, which means advertisers can afford to repeat their ads often~ Internet companies are also turning to radio advertising. Radio provides a way for advertisers to communicate with audience members at all times of the day. Consumers listen to radio on their way to school or work, at work, on the way home, and in the evening hours. Two major changes —satellite and Internet radio —will force radio advertisers to adapt their methods. Both of these radio forms allow listeners to tune in stations that are more distant than the local stations they could receive in the past. As a result, radio will increasingly attract target audiences who live many miles apart. Magazines Newsweeklies, women’s rifles, and business magazines have all seen increases in advertising because they attract the high-end market. Magazines are popular with advertisers because of the narrow market that they deliver. A broadcast medium such as network television attracts all types ofaudience members, but magazine audiences are more homogeneous. If you read Sports Illustrated, for example, you have much in common with the magazine’s other readers. Advertisers see magazines as an efficient way of reaching target audience members. Advertisers using the print media —magazines and newspapers —will need to adapt to two main changes. First, the Internet will bring larger audiences to local newspapers. These audiences will be more diverse and geographically dispersed(分散) than in the past. Second, advertisers will have to understand how to use an increasing number of magazines for their target audiences. Although some magazines will maintain national audiences, a large number of magazines will entertain narrower audiences. Out-of-home advertising Out-of-home advertising, also called place-based advertising, has become an increasingly effective way of reaching consumers, who are more active than ever before. Many consumers today do not sit at home and watch television. Using billboards, newsstands, and bus shelters for advertising is an effective way of reaching these on-the-go consumers. More consumers travel longer distances to and from work, which also makes out-of-home advertising effective. Technology has changed the nature of the billboard business, making it a more effective medium than in the past. Using digital printing, billboard companies can print a billboard in 2 hours, compared with 6 days previously. This allows advertisers more variety in the types of messages they create because they can change their messages more quickly. Internet As consumers become more comfortable with online shopping, advertisers will seek to reach this market. As consumers get more of their news and information from the Internet, the ability of television and radio to get the word out to consumers will decrease. The challenge to Internet advertisers is to create ads that audience members remember. Internet advertising will play a more prominent role in organizations’ advertising in the near future. Internet audiences tend to be quite homogeneous, but small. Advertisers will have to adjust their methods to reach these audiences and will have to adapt their persuasive strategies to the online medium as well. Direct mail A final advertising medium is direct mail, which uses mailings to consumers to communicate a client’s message. Direct mail includes newsletters, postcards, and special promotions. Direct mail is an effective way to build relationships with consumers. For many businesses, direct mail is the most effective form of advertising.2.Television is an attractive advertising medium in that______.A.it has large audiencesB.it appeals to housewivesC.it helps build up a company’s reputationD.it is affordable to most advertisers正确答案:A解析:参见“Television”部分的第一段第一句:Television is an attractive medium for advertising because it delivers mass audiences to advertisers(给广告商带来庞大的收视群体).3.With the increase in the number of TV channels,______.A.the cost of TV advertising has decreasedB.the number of TV viewers has increasedC.advertisers’ interest in other media has decreasedD.the number of TV ads people can see has increased正确答案:D解析:参见“Television”部分的第二段第六、七句:Second,there is an increase in the number of television channels...This has resulted in an increase in the sheer number of advirtisements to which audiences are exposed(观众所接触的广告数量的增长).4.Compared with television, newspapers as an advertising medium______.A.earn a larger annual ad revenueB.convey more detailed messagesC.use more production techniquesD.get messages out more effectively正确答案:B解析:参见“Newspapers”部分的第二段第一句:Newspapers...provide a way for advertisers to communicate a longer,more detailed message to their audiences...(将更长更详细的信息转达给观众)...5.Advertising on radio continues to grow because______.A.more local radio stations have been set upB.modem technology makes it more entertainingC.it provides easy access to consumersD.it has been revolutionized by Internet radio正确答案:C解析:参见“Radio”部分的第一段最后两句:Radio provides a way for advertisers to communicate with audience members at all times of the day. Consumers listen to radio on their way to school or work,at work...即收音机使广告商随时随地可以和听众交流,为消费者提供了“easy access”。
TEST FOR ENGLIS H MAJORS (2008) -GRADEFOUR-TIME LIMIT: 135 MINPART I DICTAT ION [15 MIN]Listen to the follow ing passag e. Altoge therthe passag e will be read to you four times. During the firstreadin g, whichwill be done at normal speed, listen and try to unders tandthe meanin g. For the second and thirdreadin gs, the passag e will be read senten ce by senten ce, or phrase by phrase, with interv als of 15 second s. The last readin g will be done at normal speedagainand during this time you should checkyour work. You will then be given2 minute s to checkthroug h your work once more.Please writethe wholepassag e on ANSWER SHEETONE.PART II LISTEN ING COMPRE HENSI ON [120 MIN]In Sectio ns A, B and C you will hear everyt hingONCE ONLY Listen carefu lly and then answerthe questi ons that follow. Mark the correc t answer to each questi on on your answer sheet.SECTIO N A CONVER SATIO NSIn this sectio n you will hear severa l conver satio ns. Listen to the conver satio ns carefu lly and then answer the questi ons that follow.Questi ons 1 to 3 are basedon the.follow ing conver satio n. At the end of the conver satio n, you will be given15 second s to answer the questi ons. Now listen to the conver satio n.1. When is Anne availa ble for the meetin g?A. The thirdweek of May.B. The thirdweek of June.C. The eleven th of June.D. The eleven th of May.2. Theirmeetin g will probab ly take placeinA. London.B. Toront o.C. Mexico City.D. Chicag o.3. When is Eric callin g back?A. Thursd ay aftern oon.B. Friday aftern oon.C. Thursd ay mornin g.D. Friday mornin g.Questi ons 4 to 6 are basedon the follow ing conver satio n. At the end of the conver satio n, you will be given15 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the conver satio n.4. Accord ing to the woman, advert iseme ntsA. let us know the best produc t.B. give us suffic ientinform ation.C. fail to convin ce people.D. give mislea dinginform ation.5. In the woman's opinio n, moneyspenton advert iseme nts is paidA. by manufa cture rs.B. by custom ers.C. by advert isers.D. by all of them.6. Whichof the follow ing statem entsis INCORR ECT?.A. The womanseemsto be negati ve aboutadvert ising.B. The womanappear s to know more aboutadvert ising.C. The man is to be presen t at a debate on advert ising.D. The man has a lot to talk abouton advert ising.Questi ons 7 to 10 are basedon the follow ing conver satio n. At the end of the conver satio n, you will be given20 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the conver satio n.7. Mr Brownbrough t with him only a few things becaus eA. therewasn't enough spacein the cupboa rd.B. the hospit al wouldprovid e him with everyt hing.C. he was to stay therefor a very shorttime.D. visito rs couldbringhim otherthings.8. Accord ing to the hospit al rules, at whichof the follow ing hourscan visito rs see patien ts?A. 2:00 pm.B. 5:00 pm.C. 7:00 pm.D. 6:00 pm.9. Whichof the follow ing statem entsis INCORR ECT?A. Patien ts have breakf ast at 8.B. Patien ts have lunchat 12.C. Thereare specia l alcoho l lounge s.D. Thereare specia l smokin g lounge s.10. Whichstatem ent best descri bes Mr Brown?A. He knowslittle abouthospit al rules.B. He can keep alcoho l in the ward.C. He knowswhen to smoke.D. He is used to hospit al life.SECTIO N B PASSAG ESIn this sectio n, you will hear severa l passag es. Listen to the passag es carefu lly and thenanswer the questi ons that follow.Questi ons 11 to 13 are basedon the follow ing passag e. At the end of the passag e, you will be given15 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the passag e.11. Meetin g roomsof variou s sizesare needed forA. contac ts with headqu arter s.B. relaxa tionand enjoym ent.C. inform al talks.D. differ ent purpos es.12. Whichof the follow ing is NOT mentio ned in the passag e as part of hotelfacili tiesforguests?A. Restau rants.B. Cinema s.C. Swimmi ng pools.D. Bars.13. A hotelfor an intern ation al confer enceshould have the follow ing EXCEPTA. conven ienttransp ort servic es.B. compet ent office secret aries.C. good sports and restau rantfacili ties.D. suitab le and comfor table rooms.Questi ons 14 to 17 are basedon the follow ing passag e. At the end of the passag e, you will be given20 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the passag e.14. The museum aims mainly to displa yA. the area's techno logic al develo pment.B. the nation's import ant histor icalevents.C. the area's agricu ltura l and indust rialdevelo pment.D. the nation's agricu ltura l and indust rialdevelo pment.15. The follow ing have been signif icant in the area's prospe rityEXCEPTA. the motorw ays.B. the Romanroad.C. the canals.D. the railwa ys.16. We know from the passag e that some exhibi tsA. are borrow ed from worksh ops.B. are specia lly made for displa y.C. reflec t the localcultur e and custom s.D. try to reprod uce the sceneat that time.17. The passag e probab ly comesfromA. a conver satio n on the museum.B. a museum tour guide.C. a museum bookle t.D. a museum advert iseme nt.Questi ons 18 to 20 are basedon the follow ing passag e. At the end of the passag e, you will be given15 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the passag e.18. Accord ing to the speake r, safety in dormit ory meansthat youA. insure all your expens ive things.B. lock doorswhen goingout.C. lock window s at night.D. take all necess ary precau tions.19. What does the speake r sugges t girlsdo when they are goingto be out late?A. Call theirfriend s.B. Stay with theirfriend s.C. Avoidwalkin g in street s.D. Always take a taxi.20. What is the speake r's last advice?A. To take a few self-defens e classe s.B. To stickto well-lit street s at night.C. To avoidwalkin g aloneat night.D. To stay with theirfriend s.SECTIO N C NEWS BROADC ASTIn this sectio n, you will hear severa l news items. Listen to them carefu lly and then answer the questi ons that follow.Questi ons 21 and 22 are basedon the follow ing news. At the end of the news item, you will be given10 second s to answer the questi ons. Now. listen to the news.21. What happen ed during the New Year celebr ation in Thaila nd?A. Terror istsfought with Govern menttroops.B. Thai troops killed terror ists.C. Therewere shooti ngs.D. Therewere explos ions.22. What has led to the violen t situat ion in the southof Thaila nd?A. The Muslim s wanted indepe ndenc e.B. Thai troops have been sent there.C. About2000 people have been killed.D. Therehave been more bombin gs since2004.Questi ons 23 and 24 are basedon the follow ing news. At the end of the news item, you will be given10 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the news.23. Underthe nation al oil law, the Iraqigovern mentA. will give more oil revenu es to only a few provin ces.B. will let provin ces distri butetheiroil revenu es.C. will distri buteoil revenu es accord ing to popula tionsize.D. will distri buteoil revenu es accord ing to securi ty needs.24. The constr uctio n packag e is meanttoA. help buildmore houses.B. help improv e the countr y's econom y.C. help more childr en to go to school.D. help more youngpeople to get educat ion.Questi ons 25 and 26 are basedon the follow ing news. At the end of the news item, you will be given10 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the news.25. The jointcommit tee will promot e co-operat ion betwee n Egyptand Spainin all the follow ingareasEXCEPTA. educat ion.B. indust ry.C. invest ment.D. techno logy.26. What is this news item mainly about?A. The establ ishme nt of a jointcommit tee.B. The traderelati ons betwee n Egyptand Spain.C. The future tradevolume betwee n Egyptand Spain.D. The establ ishme nt of a jointbusine ss counci l.Questi on 27 is basedon the follow ing news. At the end of the news item, you will be given5 second s to answer the questi on. Now, listen to the news.27. Accord ing to the news, Japane se teenag e womenA. are less violen t than men.B. are less violen t than before.C. are more violen t than before.D. are more violen t than men.Questi on 28 is basedon the follow ing news. At the end of the news item, you will be given5 second s to answer the questi on. Now, listen to the news.28. Whichof the follow ing statem entsis CORREC T accord ing to the news?A. Zimbab weans stayed away from voting.B. Zimbab weans were enthus iasti c aboutvoting.C. Only a few Zimbab weans turned up to vote.D. Zimbab weans believ ed that Mugabe wouldwin.Questi ons 29 and 30 are basedon the follow ing news. At the end of the news item, you will be given10 second s to answer the questi ons. Now, listen to the news.29. The news mentio ned _____reason(s) for the action takenby Indian teleco m worker s.A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 430. Accord ing to the news, who amongthe follow ing were NOT affect ed by teleco m worker s'action?A. Banks.B. Big compan ies.C. Long-distan ce caller s.D. Govern mentoffici als.PART III CLOZE[15 MIN]Decide whichof the choice s givenbelowwouldbest comple te the passag e if insert ed in the eorres pondi ng blanks. Mark the best choice for each blankon your answer sheet.Salt, shells or metals are stillused as moneyin out-of-the-way partsof the worldtoday.Salt may seem rather a strang e (31)____ to use as money, (32)_____in countr ies wherethe food of the people is mainly vegeta ble, it is oftenan (33)_____necess ity. Cakesof salt, stampe d to show their(34)____, were used as moneyin some countr ies untilrecent(35)_____,and cakesof salt (36)____ buy goodsin Borneo and partsof Africa.Sea shells (37)_____as moneyat some time(38)____ anothe r over the greate r part of the Old World. Thesewere (39)___ mainly from the beache s of the Maldiv es Island s in the Indian Ocean, and were traded to Indiaand China. In Africa, shells were traded rightacross the (40)___ from East to West.Metal,valued by weight, (41)____ coinsin many partsof the world. Iron, in lumps, bars or rings,is stillused in many countr ies(42)_____papermoney.It can either be exchan ged(43)____ goods, or made into tools, weapon s, or orname nts. The earlymoneyof China, apartfrom shells, was of bronze, (44)_____in flat, roundpieces with a hole in the middle, called"cash". The (45)_____of theseare betwee n threethousa nd and four thousa nd yearsold - olderthan the earlie st coinsof the easter n Medite rrane an.Nowada ys, coinsand noteshave (46)____ nearly all the more pictur esque (47)____ of money, and (48)____ in one or two of the more remote countr ies people stillkeep it for future use on ceremo nial(49)____ such as weddin gs and funera ls, exampl es of (50)____ moneywill soon be foundonly in museum s.(31) A. object B. articl e C. substa nce D. catego ry(32) A. but B. and C. so D. even(33) A. abstra ct B. advant ageou s C. abunda nt D. absolu te(34) A. weight B. valueC. role D. size(35) A. timesB. events C. situat ionsD. condit ions(36) A. even B. also C. stillD. never(37) A. had been used B. are used C. wouldbe used D. wouldhave been used(38) A. and B. but C. yet D. or(39) A. collec ted B. produc ed C. grownD. raised(40) A. city B. distri ct C. commun ib D. contin ent(41) A. proces sed B. produc ed C. preced ed D. procee ded(42) A. in spiteof B. instea d of C. alongwith D. in line with(43) A. agains t B. as C. in D. for(44) A. oftenB. seldom C. really D. much(45) A. earlie r B.earlie st C.better D.best(46) A. replac ed B. reprod ucedC. reflec ted D. recove red(47) A. sizesB. shapes C. format s D. forms(48) A. whileB. althou gh C. becaus e D. if(49) A. events B. gather ingsC. occasi ons D. assemb lies(50) A. origin al B. primit ive C. histor icalD. crudePART IV GRAMMA R & VOCABU LARY[15 MIN]Thereare thirty senten ces in this sectio n. Beneat h each senten ce thereare four wordsor phrase marked A, B, C and D. Choose one word orphra se that best comple tes the senten ce. Mark your answer s on your answer sheet.51. Our associ ation, whichhas consis tentl y presse d for greate r employ mentopport uniti es for tNdisabl ed, will publis h ____ propos als in the near future.A. theirB. ourC. hisD. its52. Had Judy been more carefu l on the mathsexam, she ____ much better result s now.A. wouldbe gettin gB. couldhave gotC. must getD. wouldget53. Nine is to three_____threeis to one.A. whenB. thatC. whichD. what54. Men differ from animal s ____ they can thinkand speak.A. for whichB. for thatC. in thatD. in which55. ____ he wanted to go out with his friend s at the weeken d, he had to stay behind to finishhis assign ment.A. Much thoughB. Much asC. As muchD. Though much56. I enjoye d myself so much ____ I visite d my friend s in Parislast year.A. whenB. whichC. thatD. where57. Whichof the follow ing is INCORR ECT?A. All his lectur es were boring. C. Her few friend s are all fond of dancin g.B. Half his moneywas gone. D. He invite d many his friend s to the party.58. When you have finish ed with that book, don't forget to put it back on my desk, _____?A. do youB. don't youC. will youD. won't you59. What does "He wisely refuse d to spendhis money" mean?A. It was wise of him to refuse to spendhis money.B. He refuse d to spendhis moneyin a wise manner.C. He was shortof moneyand didn't want to buy anythi ng.D. He refuse d, in a wise manner, to spendhis money.60. They stoodchatti ng togeth er as easily and natura lly as ____.A. it couldbeB. couldbeC. it wasD. was61. The follow ing are all correc t respon ses to "Who told the news to the teache r?" EXCEPTA. Jim did this.B. Jim did so.C. Jim did that.D. Jim did.62. Qualit y is ____ counts most.A. whichB. thatC. whatD. where63. In his playsShakes peare _____his charac terslive throug h theirlangua ge.A. wouldmakeB. had madeC. madeD. makes64. The square itself is five hundre d yardswide, five times____ the size of St. Peter's inRome.A. /B. that ofC. whichisD. of65. Whichof the follow ing senten ces expres ses "probab ility"?A. You must leaveimmedi ately.B. You must be feelin g rather tired.C. You must be here by eighto'clock.D. You must comple te the readin g assign menton time.66. When he firststarte d in univer sity, he really felt at _____with his major--- econom ics.A. shoreB. bankC. oceanD. sea67. On the road motori sts should be awareof cyclis ts and be ____ toward s them.A. consid erabl eB. consid eringC. consid erateD. consid ered68. Sallywas a bit shy, but the teache r foundher quite____ discus singa recent film withothers.A. at homeB. at mostC. at houseD. at bean69. The compan y has capita lized_____the errorof judgme nt made by its busine ss compet itor.A. inB. overC. withD. on70. Tim has failed threecourse s this semest er, so he will have to _____them next semest er.A. remakeB. repeatC. reappl yD. revise71. Keep this refere nce book; it may come in _____one day.A. handyB. usefulC. conven ientD. helpfu l72. The questi ons that the speake r raised were well ____ the averag e adult.A. pastB. onC. beyondD. throug h73. Teache rs in this school were encour agedto use dramaas a(n) _____of learni ng.A. designB. instru mentC. agencyD. tool74. First, we need to find out what his scheme is, and then act _____.A. sensit ivelyB. imagin ative lyC. effici entlyD. accord ingly75. At firstJim was not quiteclearwhat he was goingto do afteruniver sity, but now he seems_____on becomi ng a comput er progra mmer.A. fitB. setC. dispos edD. decide d76. When invite d to talk abouthis achiev ement s+ he refuse d to blow his own _____anddeclin ed to speakat the meetin g.A. trumpe tB. whistl eC. bugleD. flute77. In spiteof the treatm ent, the pain in his leg grew inA. gravit yB. extentC. intens ityD. amount78. Bus servic es betwee n Town Centre and Newton Housin g Estate will be _____untilthemotorw ay is repair ed.A. discon tinue dB. suspen dedC. haltedD. ceased79. The moon, beingmuch nearer to the Earththan the Sun, is the ____ causeof the tides.A. princi palB. basicC. initia lD. elemen tary80. Teddycame to my ____ with a cheque of $200 to pay my room rate, afterI phoned himthat my wallet had been stolen.A. attend anceB. assist anceC. rescueD. safetyPART V READIN G COMPRE HENSI ON [25 MIN]In this sectio n thereare four passag es follow ed by questi ons or unfini shedstatem ents,each with four sugges ted answer s marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you thinkis the best answer. Mark your answer s on your answer sheet.TEXT AWhen the sun is up in Amster dam, the larges t city in the Nether lands sits quietl y on theAmstel River.You can rent a bicycl e, visitthe Van Gogh or Anne Frankmuseum, or take a watertaxi.But when the sun goes down, the partyi ng begins. In the big clubsand in coffee shops,touris ts gather to hang out, talk politi cs and smoke.Severa l areasof the city clearl y show the two worlds that rule Amster dam. And they're allwithin a shortcab ride of each other.For exampl e, Dam Square attrac ts daytim e sights eersto its festiv als, open market s, concer ts and otherevents. Severa l beauti ful and very popula r hotels can be foundthere. And thereis theRoyalPalace and the MagnaPlazashoppi ng mall.But as evenin g descen ds on Dam Square so do the party-seeker s. Hip pop or funk musicbegins blarin g from Club Paradi so and Club Melkwe g. Theseare two of the most popula r clubsinEurope. So if you come, be readyto dance. The clubsdon't shut down until4 am.And whileyou are there, checkout the variou s inexpe nsive ways to tour the city. Don'tworryaboutgettin g lost. Althou gh Dutchis the offici al langua ge, most people in Amster dam speakEnglis h and are happyto help you with direct ions.And you'll notice that half the people in the street s are on bicycl es. They rent for US$17 to $20 for a wholeday.Amster dam also has a good canalsystem. From anywhe re betwee n U852 and $9.50, you can use the canalbus or a watertaxi to cruise the "Venice of the North".You can take in the pictur esque canalhousearchit ectur e: The rows of neat, narrow four-storydwelli ngs of browns tonewith largewindow s are well worthseeing. Many of them are severa l centur ies old.You mightalso want to jump out of the canalbus at the Museum Quarte r and startwalkin g.Master piece s by Dutchartist s such as Rembra ndt, Bruege l, Van Gogh and others are on displa y atthe V an Gogh Museum, Rembra ndt Houseand others.The city has an apprec iatio n of its histor ic past. One placeto visitis the Anne FrankHousein Nine Street s. It was therethat the youngJewish girl wroteher famous diaryduring WorldWar II. Visito rs can view Anne's origin al diaryand climbbehind the bookca se to the room whereshe and her family hid from the Nazisfor two years.81. At the beginn ing of the passag e, the author indica tes thatA. Amster dam is genera lly knownas a quietcity.B. partie s go on all day long in Amster dam,C. Amster dam presen ts two differ ent pictur es.D. Amster dam attrac ts many daytim e visito rs.82. Whichtouris t attrac tionis citedfor elabor ation in Paragr aphsFour and Five?A. RoyalPalace.B. Dam Square.C. Club Paradi so.D. MagnaPlaza.83. Accord ing to the passag e, the localpeople have all the follow ing charac teris ticsEXCEPTA. they are partygoers.B. they show hospit ality.C. they can speakEnglis h.D. they are fond of cyclin g.84. Whichof the follow ing adject ivescan best descri be Amster dam as a touris t city?A. Modern.B. Deligh tful.C. Quiet.D. Histor ic.TEXT BIn an articl e some Chines e schola rs are descri bed as being"tantal izedby the myster iousdragon bone hierog lyphi cs." Tantal izedis one of many Englis h wordsthat have theirorigin s inmythsand legend s of the past (in this case, Greekand Romanones). The meanin g of the verb tantal ize is a very partic ularone: "to promis e or show someth ing desira ble to a person andthentake it away; to teaseby arousi ng hope." Many (but not all) Englis h dictio narie s give you a briefindica tionof a word's origin s in bracke ts before or afterthe explan ation of the meanin g. For tantal ize the follow ing explan ation is given: [> Tantal us]. This meansthat you should look up the name Tantal us to find out the word's origin s, and if you do, you will find out that in Greekmythol ogy, Tantal us was a king who was punish ed in the lowerworldwith eterna l hunger and thirst; he was put up to his chin in waterthat always movedaway when he triedto drinkit and with fruiton branch es abovehim placed just a little bit out of his reach. Can you see why his name was change d into a verb meanin g "to teaseor tormen t by arousi ng desire"?Anothe r exampl e is the word siren, famili ar to us as the mechan icaldevice that makessuch an alarmi ng soundwhen police cars, ambula nces, or fire engine s approa ch. This word also has itsorigin s in Greekmythol ogy. The travel er Odysse us (Ulysse s to the Romans) made his men plugtheirears so that they wouldn't hear the danger ous voices of the sirens, creatu res who were halfbird and half womanand who luredsailor s to theirdeaths on sharprocks. So the word came to beassoci atedboth with a loud soundand with danger!When someon e speaks of a "jovial mood" or a "hercul ean effort," he or she is usingwordswith origin s in mythol ogy. Look thesewordsup to find theirmeanin g and relati onshi p to myths.Many common words, such as the namesfor the days of the week and the months of the year, also come from mythol ogy. Wednes day derive s from the ancien t Norseking of the gods, Woden,and Thursd ay was origin allyThor's day, in honour of Thor, the god of thunde r. As a matter of fact, all the planet s, except the one we live on, bear namesthat come from Romanmythol ogy, includ ing the planet that is farthe st away from the sun and for that reason was called afterthe Romangod of the dead. This god has also givenhis name to one of the chemic al elemen ts.Severa l otherelemen ts have namesthat come from mythol ogy, too.It seemsthat mythsand legend s live on in the Englis h langua ge.85. The purpos e of the firstsenten ce in Paragr aph One is ____.A. to descri be the work of some Chines e schola rs.B. to arouse reader s' intere st in hierog lyphi cs.C. to lead reader s onto the main theme.D. to link the preced ing part to the presen t one.86. We learnfrom the passag e, all Englis h dictio narie s includ e _____.A. legend s.B. mythol ogy.C. word origin s.D. word defini tions.87. The exampl e of tantal ize is to show _____.A. how the word came into existe nce.B. how Tantal us was punish ed in the lowerworld.C. how all Englis h dictio narie s show word origin s.D. how the meanin g of the word change d over the years.88. Accord ing to the passag e, whichof the follow ing does NOT have origin s in mythsorlegend s?A. Jovial.B. Wednes day.C. Earth.D. March.89. Whichof the follow ing can best serveas the titleof the passag e?A. Greekand RomanMythol ogy in Langua ge.B. Mythol ogica l Origin s of Englis h Words.C. Histor icalChange s in Word Meanin gs.D. Mythol ogy and Common Words.TEXT CMy heartsank when the man at the immigr ation counte r gestur ed to the back room. l'm an Americ an born and raised, and this was Miami, whereI live, but they weren't quitereadyto let me in yet."Please wait in here, Ms Abujab er," the immigr ation office r said. My husban d, with his very Americ an last name, accomp anied me. He was gettin g used to this. The same thinghad happen edrecent ly in Canada when I'd flownto Montre al to speakat a book event. That time they held mefor 45 minute s. Todaywe were return ing from a litera ry festiv al in Jamaic a, and I was startl ed that I was beingsent "in back" once again.The office r behind the counte r called me up and said, "Miss, your name lookslike the name of someon e who's on our wanted list. We're goingto have to checkyou out with Washin gton.""How long will it take?""Hard to say ... a few minute s," he said. "We'll call you when we're readyfor you."Afteran hour, Washin gtonstillhadn't decide d anythi ng aboutme. "Isn't this comput erize d?"I askedat the counte r. "Can't you just look me up?"Just a few more minute s, they assure d me.Afteran hour and a half, I pulled my cell phoneout to call the friend s I was suppos ed to meet that evenin g. An office r rushed over. "No phones!" he said. "For all we know you couldbe callin g a terror ist cell and giving them inform ation.""I'm just a univer sityprofes sor," I said. My voicecame out in a squeak."Of course you are. And we take people like you out of here in leg ironseveryday."I put my phoneaway.My husban d and 1 were gettin g hungry and tired. Wholefamili es had been brough t into the waitin g room, and the placewas packed with excita ble childr en, exhaus ted parent s, even a flightattend ant.I wanted to scream, to jump on a chairand shout: "I'm an Americ an citize n; a noveli st; lprobab ly teachEnglis h litera tureto your childr en." Or wouldthat all be counte d agains t me?Aftertwo hoursin detent ion, I was approa chedby one of the office rs. "You're free to go," he said. No explan ation or apolog ies. For a moment, neithe r of us moved, we were stillin shock.Then we leaped to our feet."Oh, one more thing." He handed me a tatter ed photoc opy with an addres s on it. "If youweren't happywith your treatm ent, you can writeto this agency.""Will they respon d?" I asked."I don't know --- I don't know of anyone who's ever writte n to them before." Then he added, "By the way, this will probab ly keep happen ing each time you travel intern ation ally.""What can I do to keep it from happen ing again?"He smiled the emptysmilewe'd seen all day. "Absolu telynothin g."Aftertellin g severa l friend s aboutour ordeal, probab ly the most freque nt advice I've heardin respon se is to change my name. Twenty yearsago, my own gradua te school writin g profes sor。
2008年12月大学英语四级考试真题Part I Writing(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Limiting the Use of Disposable Plastic Bag.You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.1.一次性塑料袋的使用2.使用一次性塑料袋带来的问题3.限制一次性塑料袋的意义Limiting the Use of Disposable Plastic Bag__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ ________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 choicesmarked [A], [B], [C] and [D].For questions 8 -10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.That’s enough, kidsIt was a lovely day at the park and Stella Bianchi was enjoying the sunshine with her two children when a young boy, aged about four, approached her two-year-old son and pushed him to the ground.“I’d watched him for a little while and my son was the fourth or fifth child he’d shoved,” she says.” I went over to them, picked up my son, turned to the boy and said, firmly, ’No, we don’t push,” What happened next was unexpected.“The boy’s mother ran toward me from across the park,” Stel la says,” I thought she was coming over to apologize, but instead she started shouting at me for disciplining her child, All I did was let him know his behavior was unacceptable. Was I supposed to sit back while her kid did whatever he wanted, hurting othe r children in the process?”Getting your own children to play nice is difficult enough. Dealing with other people’s children has become a minefield.In my house, jumping on the sofa is not allowed. In mysister’s house it’s encouraged. For her, it’s about kids being kids: “If you can’t do it at three, when can you do it?”Each of these philosophies is valid and, it has to be said, my son loves visiting his aunt’s house. But I find myself saying “no” a lot when her kids are over at mine. That’s OK between si sters but becomes dangerous territory when you’re talking to the children of friends or acquaintances.“Kids aren’t all raised the same,” agrees Professor Naomi White of Monash University.” But there is still an idea that they’re the property of the parent. We see our children as an extension of ourselves, so if you’re saying that my child is behaving inappropriately, then that’s somehow a criticism of me.”In those circumstances, it’s difficult to know whether to approach the child directly or the parent first. There are two schools of thought.“I’d go to the child first,” says Andrew Fuller, author of Tricky Kids. Usually a quiet reminder that ’we don’t do that here’ is enough. Kids nave finely tuned antennae (直觉) for how to behave in different settings.”He points out bringing it up with the parent first may make them feel neglectful, which could cause problems. Of course,approaching the child first can bring its own headaches, too.This is why White recommends that you approach the parents first. R aise your concerns with the parents if they’re there and ask them to deal with it,” she says.Asked how to approach a parent in this situation, psychologist Meredith Fuller answers: “Explain your needs as well as stressing the importance of the friendship. Preface your remarks with something like: ’I know you’ll think I’m silly but in my house I don’t want…’”When it comes to situations where you’re caring for another child, white is straightforward: “common sense must prevail. If things don’t go well, then have a chat.”There’re a couple of new grey areas. Physical punishment, once accepted from any adult, is no longer appropriate. “A new set of considerations has come to the fore as part of the debate about how we handle children.”For Andrew Fuller, the child-centric nature of our society has affected everyone:” The rules are different now from when today’s parents were growing up,” he says, “Adults are scared of saying: ’don’t swear’, or asking a child to stand up on a bus. They’re worried that there will be conflict if they point these things out – either from older children, ortheir parents.”He sees it as a loss of the sense of common public good and public courtesy (礼貌), and says that adults suffer form it as much as child.Meredith Fuller agrees: “A code of conduct is hard to create when you’re living in a world in which everyone is exhausted from overwork and lack of sleep, and a world in which nice people are perceived to finish last.”“I t’s about what I’m doing and what I need,” Andrew Fuller s ays. ”the days when a kid came home from school and said, “I got into trouble”. And dad said, ‘you probably deserved it’. Are over. Now the parents are charging up to the school to have a go at teachers.”This jumping to our children’s defense is part of what fuels the “walking on eggshells” feeling that surrounds our dealings with other people’s children. You know that if you remonstrate(劝诫) with the child, you’re going to have to deal with the parent. It’s admirable to be protective of our kids, but is it good?“Children have to learn to negotiate the world on their own, within reasonable boundaries,” White says. “I suspect that it’s only certain sectors of the population doing therunning to the school –better –educated parents are probably more likely to be too involved.”White believes our notions of a more child-centered, it’a way of talking about treating our children like commodities(商品). We’re centered on them but in ways that reflect positively on us. We treat them as objects whose appearance and achievements are something we can be proud of, rather than serve the best interests of the children.”One way over-worked, under-resourced parents show commitment to their children is to leap to their defence. Back at the park, Bianchi’ intervention(干预) on her son’ behalf ended in an undignified exchange of insulting words with the other boy’ mother.As Bianchi approached the park bench where she’d been sitting, other mums came up to her and congratulated her on taking a stand. “Apparently the boy had a long standing reputation for bad behaviour and his mum for even worse behaviour if he was challenged.”Andrew Fuller doesn’t believe that we should be afraid of dealing with other people’s kids. “look at kids that aren’t your own as a potential minefield,” he s ays. He recommends that we don’t stay silent over inappropriate behaviour,particularly with regular visitors.1. What did Stella Bianchi expect the young boy’s mother to do when she talked to him?A) make an apologyB) come over to interveneC) discipline her own boyD) take her own boy away2. What does the author say about dealing with other people’s children?A) it’s important not to hurt them in any wayB) it’s no use trying to stop their wrongdoingC) it’s advisable to treat them as one’s own kidsD) it’s possible for one to get into lots of trouble3. According to professor Naomi white of Monash university, when one’s kids are criticized, their parents will probably feel___________________________A) discouragedB) hurtC) puzzledD) overwhelmed4. Wh at should one do when seeing other people’s kids misbehave according to Andrew fuller?A) talk to them directly in a mild wayB) complain to their parents politelyC) simply leave them aloneD) punish them lightly5. Due to the child-centric nature of our society, ______________________A) parents are worried when their kids swear at themB) people think it improper to criticize kids in publicC) people are reluctant to point our kids’ wrongdoingsD) many conflicts arise between parents and their kids6. In a world where everyone is exhausted from over work and lack of sleep,____________________________A) it’s easy for people to become impatientB) it’s difficult to create a code of conductC) it’s important to be friendly to everybodyD) it’s hard for peop le to admire each other7. How did people use to respond when their kids got into trouble at school?A) they’d question the teachersB) they’d charge up to the schoolC) they’d tell the kids to clam downD) They’d put the blame on their kids8. Professor white believes that the notions of a more child-centred society should be____________________9. According to professor white, today’s parents treat their children as something they___________________10. Andrew fuller suggests that , when kids behave inappropriately, people should not______________________ Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked [A], [B], [C] and [D], and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.11. A)Only true friendship can last long.B)Letter writing is going out of style.C)She keeps in regular touch with her classmates.D)She has lost contact with most of her old friends.12. A) A painter. C) A porter.B) A mechanic. D) A carpenter.13. A) Look for a place near her office. C) Make inquiries elsewhere.B) Find a new job down the street. D) Rent the $600 apartment.14. A) He prefers to wear jeans with a larger waist.B) He has been extremely busy recently.C) He has gained some weight lately.D) He enjoyed going shopping with Jane yesterday.15. A)The woman possesses a natural for art.B) Women have a better artistic taste than men.C) He isn’t good at abstract thinking.D) He doesn’t like abstract paintings.16. A) She c ouldn’t have left her notebook in the library.B) she may have put her notebook amid the journals.C) she should have made careful notes while doing reading.D) she shouldn’t have read his notes without his knowing it.17. A)she wants to get some sleep C) she has a literature class to attendB) she needs time to write a paper D)she is troubled by her sleep problem18. A)He is confident he will get the job.B)His chance of getting the job is slim.C)It isn’t easy to find a qualified sales manager.D)The interview didn’t go as well as he expected. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A)He can manage his time more flexibly.B)He can renew contact with his old friends.C)He can concentrate on his own projects.D)He can learn to do administrative work.20. A)Reading its ads in the newspapers.B)Calling its personnel department.C)Contacting its manager.D)Searching its website.21. A)To cut down its production expenses.B)To solve the problem of staff shortage.C)To improve its administrative efficiency.D)To utilize its retired employees’ resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.22. A)Buy a tractor.B)Fix a house.C)See a piece of property.D)Sing a business contract.23. A)It is only forty miles form where they live.B)It is a small one with a two-bedroom house.C)It was a large garden with fresh vegetables.D)It has a large garden with fresh vegetables.24. A)Growing potatoes will involve less labor.B)Its soil may not be very suitable for corn.C)It may not be big enough for raising corn.D)Raising potatoes will be more profitable.25. A)FinancesB)EquipmentC)LaborD)ProfitsSection BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26 A) To introduce the chief of the city’s police forceB)To comment on a talk by a distinguished guestC)To address the issue of community securityD)To explain the functions of the city council27 A)He has distinguished himself in city managementB)He is head of the International Police ForceC)He completed his higher education abroadD)He holds a master’s degree in criminology28 A)To coordinate work among police departmentsB)To get police officers closer to the local peopleC)To help the residents in times of emergencyD)To enable the police to take prompt action29 A)PopularB)discouragingC)effectiveD)controversialPassage TwoQuestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30 A)people differ greatly in their ability to communicateB)there are numerous languages in existenceC)Most public languages are inherently vagueD)Big gaps exist between private and public languages31 A)it is a sign of human intelligenceB)in improves with constant practiceC)it is something we are born withD)it varies from person to person32 A)how private languages are developedB)how different languages are relatedC)how people create their languagesD)how children learn to use languagePassage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33 A)she was a tailorB)she was an engineerC)she was an educatorD)she was a public speaker34.A)Basing them on science-fiction movies.B) Including interesting examples in themC) Adjusting them to different audiencesD) Focusing on the latest progress in space science35.A) Whether spacemen carry weaponsB) How spacesuits protect spacemenC) How NASA trains its spacemenD) What spacemen cat and drinkSection CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, 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.Crime is increasing world wide. There is every reason to believe the (36)____will continue through the next few decades.Crime rates have always been high in multicultural, industrialized societies such as the United States, but a new (37) ____has appeared on the world (38)____rapidly rising crime rates in nations that previously reported few(39)____. Street crimes such as robbery, rape (40) ___and auto theft are clearly rising (41)___in eastern European countries such as Hungary and in western European nations such as the united Kingdom.What is driving this crime (42)____?There are no simple answers. Still,there are certain conditions(43) _______with rising crime increasing heterogeneity (混杂) of populations, greater cultural pluralism, higher immigration, democratization of government,(44) _________________________________________________.These conditions are increasingly observable around the world. For instance, cultures that were previously isolated and homogeneous(同种类的) ,such as Japan, Denmark and Greece (45)______________________.Multiculturalism can be a rewarding, enriching experience, but it can also lead to a clash of values. Heterogeneity in societies will be the rule in the twenty-first century, and (46)_______________________Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth)(25 minutes)Section AQuestion 47-56A bookless life is an incomplete life. Books influence the depth and breadth of life. They meet the natural______47_____for freedom, for expression, for creativity and beauty of life. Learners, therefore, must have books, and the right type of book, for the satisfaction of theirneed. Readers turn______48_____ to books because their curiosity concerning all manners of things, their eagerness to share in the experiences of others and their need to ____49 _____ from their own limited environment lead them to find in books food for the mind and the spirit. Through their reading they find a deeper significance to life as books acquaint them with life in the world as it was and it is now. They are presented with a __50 _____ of human experiences and come to ___51 ____ other ways of thought and living. And while ____52 ____ their own relationships and responses to life , the readers often find that the ___53__ in their stories are going through similar adjustments, which help to clarify and give significance to their own.Books provide ___54 ____ material for readers’ imagination to grow. Imagination is a valuable quality and a motivating power, and stimulates achievement. While enriching their imagination, books __55 ____their outlook, develop a fact-finding attitude and train them to use leisure ___56 ___. The social and educational significance of the readers’ books cannot be overestimated in an academic library.A. AbundantB. CharactersC. CommunicatingD. CompletelyE. DeriveF. DesireG. DiversityH. EscapeI. EstablishingJ. NarrowK. NaturallyL. PersonnelM. ProperlyN. RespectO. WidenSection BDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.If you are a male and you are reading this ,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics .you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should, ” says Dr. Gullotta, “This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike.”Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45,it should be at least once a year.Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old ma who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.“When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer” he says, “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged this life”According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of menin the same age group.“A lot of men think they are invincible (不可战胜的)”Gullotta says “They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think” Geez, if it could happen to him.Then there is the ostrich approach,” some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, ” says Dr. Ross Cartmill.“Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,” Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says.” But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.”57.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?A. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today.B. Their average life span has been considerably extended.C. They have lived long enough to read this article.D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier live.58.What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?A. men drink and smoke much more than womenB. men don’t seek medical care as often as womenC. men aren’t as cautions as women in face of dangerD. men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases59. Which of the following best completes the sentence “Geez, if it could happen to him…’(line2,para,8)?A. it could happen to me, tooB. I should avoid playing golfC. I should consider myself luckyD. it would be a big misfortune60what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach”(line q para.9)A. a casual attitude towards one’s health conditionsB. a new therapy for certain psychological problemsC. refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involvedD. unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear61. What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?A.They may increase public expensesB.They will save money in the long runC.They may cause psychological strains on menD.They will enable men to live as long as womenPassage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.High-quality customer service is preached(宣扬) by many ,but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than doneShoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers-and anyone who will listen.Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide t frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school“Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,” said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group.” the store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.”On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to threemore due to negative reviews. The resulting “snowball effect” can be disastrous to retailers.According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the most problems. ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting(业余兼职的)local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers.“Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are morelikely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly.” said Professor Stephen Hoch. “Maybe something as sim ple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.”Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答62. Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?A Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.C Few customers believe the service will be improved.D Customers have no easy access to store managers.63. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying “ … the shopper must also find a replacement” (Line 2, Para. 4)?A New customers are bound to replace old ones.B It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores.C Most stores provide the sameD Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some troubletoo.64. Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers_____A can stay longer browsing in the storeB won’t have trouble parking their carsC won’t have any worries about securityD can find their cars easily after shopping65. What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?A Manners of the salespeopleB Hiring of efficient employeesC Huge supply of goods for saleD Design of the store layout.66. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________.A exert pressure on stores to improve their serviceB settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic wayC voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directlyD shop around and make comparisons between storesPart V Cloze (15 minutes)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. Foreach blank there are four choices marked [A], [B], [C]and [D] on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Playing organized sports is such a common experience in the United States that many children and teenagers that them for granted. This is especially true__67__children from families and communities that have the resources needed to organize and__68__sports programs and make sure that there is easy__69__to participation opportunities. Children in low-income families and poor communities are__70__likely to take organized youth sports for granted because they often__71__the resources needed to pay for participation__72__, equipment, and transportation to practices and games__73__ their communities do not have resources to build and__74__sports fields and facilities.Organized youth sports__75__appeared during the early 20th century in the United States and other wealthy nations. They were originally developed__76__some educators and developmental experts__77__that the behavior and character of children were__78__influenced by their social surrounding andeveryday experiences. This__79__many people to believe that if you could organize the experiences of children in__80__ways, you could influence the kinds of adults that those children would become.This belief that the social__81__influenced a person’s overall development was very__82__to people interested in progress and reform in the United States__83__the beginning of the 20th century. It caused them to think about__84__they might control the experiences of children to__85__responsible and productive adults. They believed strongly that democracy depended on responsibility and that a__86__capitalist economy depended on the productivity of worker.67. A. among B. within C. on D. towards68. A. spread B. speed C. spur D. sponsor69. A. access B. entrance C. chance D. route70 A. little B. less C. more D. much71. A. shrink B. tighten C. limit D. lack72. A. bill B accounts C. fees D. fare73. A. so B. as C. and D. but74. A. maintain B. sustain C. contain D. entertain75.A. last B. first C. later D. finally76.A. before B. while C. until D. when。
TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2008) -GRADE FOUR—TIME LIMIT: 135 MINPART I DICTATION [15 MIN]Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times。
During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds。
The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more.Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION [120 MIN]In Sections A, B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY Listen carefully and then answerthe questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your answer sheet.SECTION A CONVERSATIONSIn this section you will hear several conversations. Listen to the conversations carefully and then answer the questions that follow。
2008年英语专四试卷真题及答案QUESTION BOOKLETTEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2008)-GRADE FOUR-TIME LIMIT: 135 MINPART I DICTATION [15 MIN] Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more. Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE. PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION [120 MIN] In Sections A, B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your answer sheet. SECTION A CONVERSATIONS In this section you will hear several conversations. Listen to the conversations carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 1 to 3 are based on the.following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the conversation. 1. When is Anne available for the meeting? A. The third week of May. B. The third week of June. C. The eleventh of June. D. The eleventh of May. 2. Their meeting will probably take place in A. London. B. Toronto. C. Mexico City. D. Chicago. 3. When is Eric calling back? A. Thursday afternoon. B. Friday afternoon. C. Thursday morning. D. Friday morning. Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the conversation. 4. According to the woman, advertisements A. let us know the best product. B. give us sufficient information. C. fail to convince people. D. give misleading information. 5. In the woman's opinion, money spent on advertisements is paid A. by manufacturers. B. by customers. C. by advertisers. D. by all of them. 6. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?. A. The woman seems to be negative about advertising. B. The woman appears to know more about advertising. C. The man is to be present at a debate on advertising. D. The man has a lot to talk about on advertising. Questions 7 to 10 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the conversation. 7. Mr Brown brought with him only a few things because A. there wasn't enough space in the cupboard. B. the hospital would provide him with everything. C. he was to stay there for a very short time. D. visitors could bring him other things. 8. According to the hospital rules, at which of the following hours can visitors see patients? A. 2:00 pm. B. 5:00 pm. C. 7:00 pm. D. 6:00 pm. 9. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT? A. Patients have breakfast at 8. B. Patients have lunch at 12. C. There are special alcohol lounges. D. There are special smoking lounges. 10. Which statement best describes Mr Brown? A. He knows little about hospital rules. B. He can keep alcohol in the ward. C. He knows when to smoke. D. He is used to hospital life.SECTION B PASSAGES In this section, you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the passage. 11. Meeting rooms of various sizes are needed for A. contacts with headquarters. B. relaxation and enjoyment. C. informal talks. D. different purposes. 12. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as part of hotel facilities for guests?A. Restaurants.B. Cinemas.C. Swimming pools.D. Bars. 13. A hotel for an international conference should have the following EXCEPT A. convenient transport services. B. competent office secretaries. C. good sports and restaurant facilities. D. suitable and comfortable rooms. Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the passage. 14. The museum aims mainly to display A. the area's technological development. B. the nation's important historical events. C. the area's agricultural and industrial development. D. the nation's agricultural and industrial development. 15. The following have been significant in the area's prosperity EXCEPTA. the motorways.B. the Roman road.C. the canals.D. the railways. 16. We know from the passage that some exhibits A. are borrowed from workshops. B. are specially made for display. C. reflect the local culture and customs. D. try to reproduce the scene at that time. 17. The passage probably comes from A. a conversation on the museum. B. a museum tour guide. C. a museum booklet. D. a museum advertisement. Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the passage. 18. According to the speaker, safety in dormitory means that you A. insure all your expensive things. B. lock doors when going out. C. lock windows at night. D. take all necessary precautions. 19. What does the speaker suggest girls do when they are going to be out late? A. Call their friends. B. Stay with their friends. C. Avoid walking in streets. D. Always take a taxi. 20. What is the speaker's last advice? A. To take a few self-defense classes. B. To stick to well-lit streets at night. C. To avoid walking alone at night. D. To stay with their friends.SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST In this section, you will hear several news items. Listen to them carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now. listen to the news. 21. What happened during the New Year celebration in Thailand? A. Terrorists fought with Government troops. B. Thai troops killed terrorists. C. There were shootings. D. There were explosions. 22. What has led to the violent situation in the south of Thailand? A. The Muslims wanted independence. B. Thai troops have been sent there. C. About 2000 people have been killed. D. There have been more bombings since 2004. Questions 23 and 24 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news. 23. Under the national oil law, the Iraqi government A. will give more oil revenues to only a few provinces. B. will let provinces distribute their oil revenues. C. will distribute oil revenues according to population size. D. will distribute oil revenues according to security needs. 24. The construction package is meant to A. help build more houses. B. help improve the country's economy. C. help more children to go to school. D. help more young people to get education. Questions 25 and 26 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news. 25. The joint committee will promote co-operation between Egypt and Spain in all the following areas EXCEPTA. education.B. industry.C. investment.D. technology. 26. What is this news item mainly about? A. The establishment of a joint committee. B. The trade relations between Egypt and Spain. C. The future trade volume between Egypt and Spain. D. The establishment of a joint business council. Question 27 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question. Now, listen to the news. 27. According to the news, Japanese teenage women A. are less violent than men. B. are less violent than before. C. are more violent than before. D. are more violent than men. Question 28 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question. Now, listen to the news. 28. Which of the following statements is CORRECT according to the news? A. Zimbabweans stayed away from voting. B. Zimbabweans were enthusiastic about voting. C. Only a few Zimbabweans turned up to vote. D. Zimbabweans believed that Mugabe would win. Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news. 29. The news mentioned _____ reason(s) for the action taken by Indian telecom workers.A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4 30. According to the news, who among the following were NOT affected by telecom workers' action?A. Banks.B. Big companies.C. Long-distance callers.D. Government officials.PART III CLOZE [15 MIN] Decide which of the choices given below would best complete the passage if inserted in the eorresponding blanks. Mark the best choice for each blank on youranswer sheet. Salt, shells or metals are still used as money in out-of-the-way parts of the world today. Salt may seem rather a strange (31)____ to use as money, (32)_____ in countries where the food of the people is mainly vegetable, it is often an (33)_____ necessity. Cakes of salt, stamped to show their (34)____, were used as money in some countries until recent (35)_____, and cakes of salt (36)____ buy goods in Borneo and parts of Africa. Sea shells (37)_____ as money at some time(38)____ another over the greater part of the Old World. These were (39)___ mainly from the beaches of the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean, and were traded to India and China. In Africa, shells were traded right across the (40)___ from East to West. Metal, valued by weight, (41)____ coins in many parts of the world. Iron, in lumps, bars or rings, is still used in many countries(42)_____ paper money. It can either be exchanged(43)____ goods, or made into tools, weapons, or ornaments. The early money of China, apart from shells, was of bronze, (44)_____ in flat, round pieces with a hole in the middle, called "cash". The (45)_____ of these are between three thousand and four thousand years old - older than the earliest coins of the eastern Mediterranean. Nowadays, coins and notes have (46)____ nearly all the more picturesque (47)____ of money, and (48)____ in one or two of the more remote countries people still keep it for future use on ceremonial (49)____ such as weddings and funerals, examples of (50)____ money will soon be found only in museums. (31) A. object B. article C. substance D. category (32) A. but B. and C. so D. even (33) A. abstract B. advantageous C. abundant D. absolute (34) A. weight B. value C. role D. size (35) A. times B. events C. situations D. conditions (36) A. even B. also C. still D. never (37) A. had been used B. are used C. would be used D. would have been used (38) A. and B. but C. yet D. or (39) A. collected B. produced C. grown D. raised (40) A. city B. district C. communib D. continent (41) A. processed B. produced C. preceded D. proceeded (42) A. in spite of B. instead of C. along with D. in line with (43) A. against B. as C. in D. for (44) A. often B. seldom C. really D. much (45) A. earlier B.earliest C.better D.best (46) A. replaced B. reproduced C. reflected D. recovered (47) A. sizes B. shapes C. formats D. forms (48) A. while B. although C. because D. if (49) A. events B. gatherings C. occasions D. assemblies (50) A. original B. primitive C. historical D. crude PART IV GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY [15 MIN] There are thirty sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are four words or phrase marked A, B, C and D. Choose one word orphrase that best completes the sentence. Mark your answers on your answer sheet. 51. Our association, which has consistently pressed for greater employment opportunities for tN disabled, will publish ____ proposals in the near future.A. theirB. ourC. hisD. its 52. Had Judy been more careful on the maths exam, she ____ much better results now.A. would be gettingB. could have gotC. must getD. would get 53. Nine is to three _____ three is to one.A. whenB. thatC. whichD. what 54. Men differ from animals ____ they can think and speak.A. for whichB. for thatC. in thatD. in which 55. ____ he wanted to go out with his friends at the weekend, he had to stay behind to finish his assignment.A. Much thoughB. Much asC. As muchD. Though much 56. I enjoyed myself so much ____ I visited my friends in Paris last year.A. whenB. whichC. thatD. where 57. Which of the following is INCORRECT? A. All his lectures were boring. C. Her few friends are all fond of dancing. B. Half his money was gone. D. He invited many his friends to the party. 58. When you have finished with that book, don't forget to put it back on my desk, _____?A. do youB. don't youC. will youD. won't you 59. What does "He wisely refused to spend his money" mean? A. It was wise of him to refuse to spend his money. B. He refused to spend his money in a wise manner. C. He was short of money and didn't want to buy anything. D. He refused, in a wise manner, to spend his money. 60. They stood chatting together as easily and naturally as ____.A. it could beB. could beC. it wasD. was 61. The following are all correct responses to "Who told the news to the teacher?" EXCEPTA. Jim did this.B. Jim did so.C. Jim did that.D. Jim did. 62. Quality is ____ counts most.A. whichB. thatC. whatD. where 63. In his plays Shakespeare _____ his characters live through their language.A. would makeB. had madeC. madeD. makes 64. The square itself is five hundred yards wide, five times ____ the size of St. Peter's in Rome.A. /B. that ofC. which isD. of 65. Which of the following sentences expresses "probability"? A. You must leave immediately. B. You must be feeling rather tired. C. You must be here by eight o'clock. D. You must complete the reading assignment on time. 66. When he first started in university, he really felt at _____ with his major --- economics.A. shoreB. bankC. oceanD. sea 67. On the road motorists should be aware of cyclists and be ____ towards them.A. considerableB. consideringC. considerateD. considered 68. Sally was a bit shy, but the teacher found her quite ____ discussinga recent film with others.A. at homeB. at mostC. at houseD. at bean 69. The company has capitalized _____ the error of judgment made by its business competitor.A. inB. overC. withD. on 70. Tim has failed three courses this semester, so he will have to _____ them next semester.A. remakeB. repeatC. reapplyD. revise 71. Keep this reference book; it may come in _____ one day.A. handyB. usefulC. convenientD. helpful 72. The questions that the speaker raised were well ____ the average adult.A. pastB. onC. beyondD. through 73. Teachers in this school were encouraged to use drama as a(n) _____ of learning.A. designB. instrumentC. agencyD. tool 74. First, we need to find out what his scheme is, and then act _____.A. sensitivelyB. imaginativelyC. efficientlyD. accordingly 75. At first Jim was not quite clear what he was going to do after university, but now he seems _____ on becoming a computer programmer.A. fitB. setC. disposedD. decided 76. When invited to talk about his achievements+ he refused to blow his own _____ and declined to speak at the meeting.A. trumpetB. whistleC. bugleD. flute 77. In spite of the treatment, the pain in his leg grew inA. gravityB. extentC. intensityD. amount 78. Bus services between Town Centre and Newton Housing Estate will be _____ until the motorway is repaired.A. discontinuedB. suspendedC. haltedD. ceased 79. The moon, being much nearer to the Earth than the Sun, is the ____ cause of the tides.A. principalB. basicC. initialD. elementary 80. Teddy came to my ____ with a cheque of $200 to pay my room rate, after I phoned him that my wallet had been stolen.A. attendanceB. assistanceC. rescueD. safetyPART V READING COMPREHENSION [25 MIN] In this section there are four passages followed by questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer. Mark your answers on your answer sheet. TEXT A When the sun is up in Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River. You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi. But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke. Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they're all within a short cab ride of each other. For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And there is the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall. But as evening descends on Dam Square so do the party-seekers. Hip pop or funk music begins blaring from Club Paradiso and Club Melkweg. These are two of the most popular clubs in Europe. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don't shut down until 4 am. And while you are there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don't worry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions. And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles. They rent for US$17 to $20 for a whole day. Amsterdam also has a good canal system. From anywhere between U852 and $9.50, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise the "Venice of the North". You can take in the picturesque canal house architecture: The rows of neat, narrow four-story dwellings of brownstone with large windows are well worth seeing. Many of them are several centuries old. You might also want to jump out of the canal bus at the Museum Quarter and start walking. Masterpieces by Dutch artists such as Rembrandt, Bruegel, Van Gogh and others are on display at the Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt House and others. The city has an appreciation of its historic past. One place to visit is the Anne Frank House in Nine Streets. It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II. Visitors can view Anne's original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years. 81. At the beginning of the passage, the author indicates that A. Amsterdam is generally known as a quiet city. B. parties go on all day long in Amsterdam, C. Amsterdam presents two different pictures. D. Amsterdam attracts many daytime visitors. 82. Which tourist attraction is cited for elaboration in Paragraphs Four and Five? A. Royal Palace. B. Dam Square. C. Club Paradiso. D. Magna Plaza. 83. According to the passage, the local people have all the following characteristics EXCEPT A. they are party goers. B. they show hospitality. C. they can speak English. D. they are fond of cycling. 84. Which of the following adjectives can best describe Amsterdam as a tourist city?A. Modern.B. Delightful.C. Quiet.D. Historic.TEXT B In an article some Chinese scholars are described as being "tantalized by the mysterious dragon bone hieroglyphics." Tantalized is one of many English words that have their origins in myths and legends of the past (in this case, Greek and Roman ones). The meaning of the verb tantalize is a very particular one: "to promise or show something desirable to a person and then take it away; to tease by arousing hope." Many (but not all) English dictionaries give you a brief indication of a word's origins in brackets before or after the explanation of the meaning. For tantalize the following explanation is given: [> Tantalus]. This means that you should look up the name Tantalus to find out the word's origins, and if you do, you will find out that in Greek mythology, Tantalus was a king who was punished in the lower world with eternal hunger and thirst; he was put up to his chin in water that always moved away when he tried to drink it and with fruit on branches above him placed just a little bit out of his reach. Can you see why his name was changed into a verb meaning "to tease or torment by arousing desire"? Another example is the word siren, familiar to us as the mechanical device that makes such an alarming sound when police cars, ambulances, or fire engines approach. This word also has its origins in Greek mythology. The traveler Odysseus (Ulysses to the Romans) made his men plug their ears so that they wouldn't hear the dangerous voices of the sirens, creatures who were half bird and half woman and who lured sailors to their deaths on sharp rocks. So the word came to be associated both with a loud sound and with danger! When someone speaks of a "jovial mood" or a "herculean effort," he or she is using words with origins in mythology. Look these words up to find their meaning and relationship to myths. Many common words, such as the names for the days of the week andthe months of the year, also come from mythology. Wednesday derives from the ancient Norse king of the gods, Woden, and Thursday was originally Thor's day, in honour of Thor, the god of thunder. As a matter of fact, all the planets, except the one we live on, bear names that come from Roman mythology, including the planet that is farthest away from the sun and for that reason was called after the Roman god of the dead. This god has also given his name to one of the chemical elements. Several other elements have names that come from mythology, too. It seems that myths and legends live on in the English language. 85. The purpose of the first sentence in Paragraph One is ____. A. to describe the work of some Chinese scholars. B. to arouse readers' interest in hieroglyphics. C. to lead readers onto the main theme. D. to link the preceding part to the present one. 86. We learn from the passage, all English dictionaries include _____.A. legends.B. mythology.C. word origins.D. word definitions. 87. The example of tantalize is to show _____. A. how the word came into existence. B. how Tantalus was punished in the lower world. C. how all English dictionaries show word origins. D. how the meaning of the word changed over the years. 88. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT have origins in myths or legends?A. Jovial.B. Wednesday.C. Earth.D. March. 89. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage? A. Greek and Roman Mythology in Language. B. Mythological Origins of English Words. C. Historical Changes in Word Meanings. D. Mythology and Common Words. TEXT C My heart sank when the man at the immigration counter gestured to the back room. l'm an American born and raised, and this was Miami, where I live, but they weren't quite ready to let me in yet. "Please wait in here, Ms Abujaber," the immigration officer said. My husband, with his very American last name, accompanied me. He was getting used to this. The same thing had happened recently in Canada when I'd flown to Montreal to speak at a book event. That time they held me for 45 minutes. Today we were returning from a literary festival in Jamaica, and I was startled that I was being sent "in back" once again. The officer behind the counter called me up and said, "Miss, your name looks like the name of someone who's on our wanted list. We're going to have to check you out with Washington." "How long will it take?" "Hard to say ... a few minutes," he said. "We'll call you when we're ready for you." After an hour, Washington still hadn't decided anything about me. "Isn't this computerized?" I asked at the counter. "Can't you just look me up?" Just a few more minutes, they assured me. After an hour and a half, I pulled my cell phone out to call the friends I was supposed to meet that evening. An officer rushed over. "No phones!" he said. "For all we know you could be calling a terrorist cell and giving them information." "I'm just a university professor," I said. My voice came out in a squeak. "Of course you are. And we take people like you out of here in leg irons every day." I put my phone away. My husband and 1 were getting hungry and tired. Whole families had been brought into the waiting room, and the place was packed with excitable children, exhausted parents, even a flight attendant. I wanted to scream, to jump on a chair and shout: "I'm an American citizen; a novelist; l probably teach English literature to your children." Or would that all be counted against me? After two hours in detention, I was approached by one of the officers. "You're free to go," he said. No explanation or apologies. For a moment, neither of us moved, we were still in shock. Then we leaped to our feet. "Oh, one more thing." He handed me a tattered photocopy with an address on it. "If you weren't happy with your treatment, you can write to this agency." "Will they respond?" I asked. "I don't know --- I don't know of anyone who's ever written to them before." Then he added, "By the way, this will probably keep happening each time you travel internationally." "What can I do to keep it from happening again?" He smiled the empty smile we'd seen all day. "Absolutely nothing." After telling several friends about our ordeal, probably the most frequent advice I've heard in response is to change my name. Twenty years ago, my own graduate school writing professor advised me to write under a pen name so that publishers wouldn't stick me in what he called "the ethnic ghetto" --- a separate, secondary shelf in the bookstore. But a name is an integral part of anyone's personal and professional identity -just like the town you're born in and the place where you're raised. Like my father, I'll keep the name, but my airport experience has given me a whole new perspective on what diversity and tolerance are supposed to mean. I had no idea that being an American would ever be this hard. 90. The author was held at the airport because _____. A. she and her husband returned from Jamaica. B. her name was similar to a terrorist's. C. she had been held in Montreal. D. she had spoken at a book event. 91. She was not allowed to call her friends because _____. A. her identity hadn't been confirmed yet. B. she had been held for only one hour and a half. C. there were other families in the waiting room.。
2008年6月英语四级真题及答案Part I Writing (30 minutes)Recreational ActivitiesDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write A Letter of Apology according to the outline given below. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese.1.娱乐活动多种多样2.娱乐活动可能使人们受益,也可能有危害性3.作为大学生,我的看法。
Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Media Selection for AdvertisementsAfter determining the target audience for a product or service, advertising agencies must select the appropriate media for the advertisement. We discuss here the major types of media used in advertising. We focus on attention on seven types of advertising: television, newspapers, radio, magazines, out-of-home, Internet, and direct mail.TelevisionTelevision in an attractive medium for advertising because it delivers mass audiences to advertisers. When you consider that nearly three out of four Americans have seen the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?you can understand the power of television to communicate with a large audience. When advertisers create a brand, for example, they want to impress consumers with the brand and its image. Television provides an ideal vehicle for this type of communication. But television is an expensive medium, and not all advertisers can afford to use it.Television’s influence on advertising is fourfold. First, narrowcasting means that television channels are seen by an increasingly narrow segment of the audience. the Golf Channel, for instance, is watched by people who play golf. Home and Garden Television is seen by those interested in household improvement projects. Thus, audiences are smaller and more homogeneous(具有共同特点的) than they have been in the past. Second, there is an increase in the number of television channels available to viewers, and thus, advertisers. This had also resulted in an increase in the sheer number of advertisements to which audiences are exposed. Third, digital recording devices allow audience members more control over which commercials they watch. Fourth, control over programming is being passed from the networks to local cable operators and satellite programmers.NewspapersAfter television, the medium attracting the next largest annual as revenue is newspapers. The New York Times, which reaches a national audience, accounts for $1 billion in ad revenue annually. It has increased its national circulation(发行量) by 40% and is now available for home delivery in 168 cities. Locally, newspapers are the largest advertising medium.Newspapers are a less expensive advertising medium than television and provide a way for advertisers to communicate a longer, more detailed message to their audience than they can through television. Given new production techniques, advertisements can be printed in about 48 hours, meaning newspapers are also a quick way of getting the message out. Newspapers are often the most important form of newsfor a local community, and they develop a high degree of loyalty from local readers.RadioAdvertising on radio continues to grow. Radio is often used in conjunction with outdoor bill-boards (广告牌) and the Internet to reach even more customers than television. Advertisers are likely to use radio because it is a less expensive medium than television, which means advertisers can afford to repeat their ads often. Internet companies are also turning to radio advertising. Radio provides a way for advertisers to communicate with audience members at all times of the day. Consumers listen to radio on their way to school or work, at work, on the way home, and in the evening hours.Two major changes—satellite and Internet radio—will force radio advertisers to adapt their methods. Both of these radio forms allow listeners to tune in stations that are more distant than the local stations they could receive in the past. As a result, radio will increasingly attract target audiences who live many miles apart.MagazinesNewsweeklies, women’s titles, and business magazines have all seen increases in advertising because they attract the high-end market. Magazines are popular with advertisers because of the narrow market that they deliver. A broadcast medium such as network television attracts all types of audience members, but magazine audiences are more homogeneous. If you read Sports Illustrated, for example, you have such in common with the magazine’s other readers. Advertisers see magazines as an efficient way of reaching target audience members.Advertisers using the print media—magazines and newspapers—will need to adapt to two main changes. First, the Internet will bring larger audiences to local newspapers. These audiences will be more diverse and geographically dispersed(分散) than in the past. Second, advertisers will have to understand how to use an increasing number of magazines for their target audiences. Although some magazines will maintain national audiences, a large number of magazines will entertain narrower audiences.Out-of-home advertisingOut-of-home advertising, also called place-based advertising, has become an increasingly effective way of reaching consumers, who are more active than ever before. Many consumers today do not sit at home and watch television. Using billboards, newsstands, and bus shelters for advertising is an effective way of reaching these on-the-go consumers. More consumers travel longer distances to and from work, which also makes out-of-home advertising effective. Technology has changed the nature of the billboard business, making it a more effective medium than in the past. Using the digital printing, billboard companies can print a billboard in 2 hours, compared with 6 days previously. This allows advertisers more variety in the types of messages they create because they can change their messages more quickly.InternetAs consumers become more comfortable with online shopping, advertisers will seek to reach this market. As consumers get more of their news and information from the Internet, the ability of television and radio to get the word out to consumers will decrease. The challenge to Internet advertisers is to create ads that audience members remember.Internet advertising will play a more prominent role in organizations’ advertising in the near future. Internet audiences tend to be quite homogeneous, but small. Advertisers will have to adjust their methods to reach these audiences and will have to adapt their persuasive strategies to the inline medium as well.Direct mailA final advertising medium is direct mail, which uses mailings to consumers to communicate a client’s message. Direct mail includes newsletters, postcards, and special promotion. Direct mail is an effective way to build relationships with consumers. For many businesses, direct mail is the most effective form of advertising.1. Television is an attractive advertising medium in that ________.A) it has large audiencesB) it appeals to housewivesC) it helps build up a company’s reputationD) it is affordable to most advertisers2. With the increase in the number of TV channels, ________.A) the cost of TV advertising has decreasedB) the number of TV viewers has increasedC) advertisers’ interest in other media has decreasedD) the number of TV ads people can see has increased3. Compare with television, newspapers as an advertising medium _______.A) earn a larger annual ad revenueB) convey more detailed messagesC) use more production techniquesD) get messages out more effectively4. Advertising on radio continues to grow because _______.A) more local radio stations have been set upB) modern technology makes it more entertainingC) it provides easy access to consumersD) it has been revolutionized by Internet radio5. Magazines are seen by advertisers as an efficient way to _______.A) reach target audiencesB) appeal to educated peopleC) attract diverse audiencesD) convey all kinds of messages6. Out-of-home advertising has become more effective because _______.A) billboards can be replaced within two hoursB) consumers travel more now than ever beforeC) such ads have been made much more attractiveD) the pace of urban life is much faster nowadays7. The challenge to Internet advertisers is to create ads that are ________.A) quick to updateB) pleasant to look atC) easy to rememberD) convenient to access8. Internet advertisers will have to adjust their methods to reach audiences that tend to be _______.9. Direct mail is an effective form of advertising for business to develop ________.10. This passage discusses how advertisers select ________ for advertisements.Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)Section A11. A) Given his ankle a good rest.B) Treat his injury immediately.C) Continue his regular activities.D) Be careful when climbing steps.12. A) On a train.B) On a plane.C) In a theater.D) In a restaurant.13. A) A tragic accident.B) A sad occasion.C) Smith’s unusual life story.D) Smith’s sleeping problem.14. A) Review the detail of all her lessons.B) Compare notes with his classmates.C) Talk with her about his learning problems.D) Focus in the main points of her lectures.15. A) The man blamed the woman for being careless. B) The man misunderstood the woman’s apology.C) The woman offered to pay for the man’s coffee. D) The woman spilt coffee on the man’s jacket.16. A) Extremely tedious.B) Hard to understand.C) Lacking a good plot.D) Not worth seeing twice.17. A) Attending every lecture.B) Doing lots of homework.C) Reading very extensively.D) Using test-taking strategies.18. A) The digital TV system will offer different programs. B) He is eager to see what the new system is like.C) He thinks it unrealistic to have 500 channels. D) The new TV system may not provide anything better.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) A notice by the electricity board.B) Ads promoting electric appliances.C) The description of a thief in disguise.D) A new policy on pensioners’ welfare.20. A) Speaking with a proper accent.B) Wearing an official uniform.C) Making friends with them.D) Showing them his ID.21. A) To be on the alert when being followed.B) Not to leave senior citizens alone at home.C) Not to let anyone in without an appointment.D) To watch out for those from the electricity board.22. A) She was robbed near the parking lot.B) All her money in the bank disappeared.C) The pension she had just drawn was stolen.D) She was knocked down in the post office.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) Marketing consultancy.B) Professional accountancy.C) Luxury hotel management.D) Business conference organization.24. A) Having a good knowledge of its customs.B) Knowing some key people in tourism.C) Having been to the country before.D) Being able to speak Japanese.25. A) It will bring her potential into full play.B) It will involve lots of train travel.C) It will enable her to improve her Chinese.D) It will give her more chances to visit Japan.Section BPassage OneQuestions 26 to 28 are based on the conversation you have just heard.26. A) The lack of time.B) The quality of life.C) The frustrations at work.D) The pressure on working families.27. A) They were just as busy as people of today.B) They saw the importance of collective efforts.C) They didn’t complain as much as modern man.D) They lived a hard life by hunting and gathering.28. A) To look for creative ideas of awarding employees.B) To explore strategies for lowering production costs.C) To seek new approaches to dealing with complaints.D) To find effective ways to give employees flexibility.Passage TwoQuestions 29 to 31 are based on the conversation you have just heard.29. A) Family violence.B) The Great Depression.C) Her father’s disloyalty.D) Her mother’s bad temper.30. A) His advanced age.B) His children’s efforts.C) His improved financial condition.D) His second wife’s positive influence.31. A) Love is blind.B) Love breeds love.C) Divorce often has disastrous consequences.D) Happiness is hard to find in blended families.Passage ThreeQuestions 32 to 35 are based on the conversation you have just heard.32. A) It was located in a park.B) Its owner died of a heart attack.C) It went bankrupt all of a sudden.D) Its potted plants were for lease only.33. A) Planting some trees in the greenhouse.B) Writing a want ad to a local newspaper.C) Putting up a Going Out of Business sign.D) Helping a customer select some purchases.34. A) Opening an office in the new office park.B) Keeping better relations with her company.C) Developing fresh business opportunities.D) Building a big greenhouse of his own.35. A) Owning the greenhouse one day.B) Securing a job at the office park.C) Cultivating more potted plants.D) Finding customers out of town.Section CWe’re now witnessing the emergence of an advanced economy based on information and knowledge. Physical (36) ________, raw materials, and capital are no longer thekey (37) ________ in the creation of wealth. Now, the (38) _______ raw material in our economy is knowledge. Tomorrow’s wealth depends on the development and exchange of knowledge. And (39) _______ entering the workforce offer their knowledge, not their muscles. Knowledge workers get paid for their education and their ability to learn. Knowledge workers (40) ________ in mind work. They deal with symbols: (41) ________, and data.What does all this mean for you? As a future knowledge worker, you can expect to be (42) ________, processing, as well as exchanging information, (43) _______, three out of hour jobs involve some form of mind work, and that number will increase sharply in the future. Management and employees alike (44)_______________________________________________________________________.In the new world of work, you can look forward to being in constant training (45) _______________________________________________________________. And don’t wait for someone to “empower” you. You have to empower yourself.Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)Section ASome years ago I was offered a writing assignment that would require three months of travel through Europe. I had been abroad a couple of times, but I could hardly _47_ to know my way around the continent. Moreover, my knowledge of foreign languages was _48_ to a little college French.I hesitated. How would I, unable to speak the language, _49_ unfamiliar with local geography or transportation systems, set up _50_ and do research? It seemed impossible, and with considerable _51_ I sat down to write a letter begging off. Halfway through, a thought can through my mind: you can learn if you don’t try. So I accepted the assignment.There were some bad _52_. But by the time I had finished the trip I was an experienced traveler. And ever since, I have never hesitated to head for even the most remote of places, without guiders or even _53_ bookings, confident that somehow I will manage.The point is that the new, the different, is almost by definition _54_. But each time you try something, you learn, and as the learning piles up, the world opens to you.I’ve learned to ski at 40, and flown up the Rhine River in a _55_. And I know I’ll go on doing such things. It’s not because I’m braver or more daring than others. I’m not. But I’ll accept anxiety as another name for challenge and I believe I can _56_ wonders.A) accomplishB) advancedC) balloonD) claimE) constantlyF) declareG) interviewsH)limitedI) manufactureJ) momentsK) newsL) reducedM) regretN) scaryO) totallySection BPassage OneGlobal warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but regardless of whether it is or isn’t –we won’t do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth,” as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don’t know enough to relieve global warming, and –without major technological breakthroughs—we can’t do much about it.From 2003 to 2050, the world’s population is projected to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1 billion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. but that’s too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economic growth unless we condemn the world’s poor to their present poverty and freeze everyone else’s living standards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more than double by 2050.No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they’re “doing something.” Consider the Kyoto Protocol(京都议定书). It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn’t. But it hasn’t reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories (签字国) didn’t adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when it’s really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don’t solve the engineering problem, we’re helpless.57. What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?A) It may not prove an environmental crisis at all.B) It is an issue requiring world wide commitments.C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid or stop it.D) Very little will be done to bring it under control.58. According to the author’s understanding, what is Al Gore’s view on global warming?A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.59. Green house emissions will more than double by 2050 because of _______.A) economic growthB) the widening gap between the rich and poorC) wasteful use of energyD) the rapid advances of science and technology60. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, ________.A) politicians have started to do something to better the situationB) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy useC) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warmingD) international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems61. What is the message the author intends to convey?A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technologyC) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming. Passage TwoSomeday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Websites you’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchase or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.In fact, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen — the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it’s important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret.The key question is: Does that matter?When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me.”But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠券).But privacy does matter – at least sometimes. It’s like health: When you have it, you don’t notice it. Only when it’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it.62. What does the author mean by saying “the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked ”(Lines 3-4, Para.2)?A) People’s personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others’ secrets.C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.63. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.B) Friends should always be faithful to each other.C) There should be a distance even between friends.D) There should be fewer disputes between friends.64. Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simple cannot keep asecret” (Line 5, Para.3)?A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.C) There are always people who are curious about others’ affairs.D) Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities.65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.C) They rely more and more on electronic devices.D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.66. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ________.A) people will make every effort to keep itB) its importance is rarely understoodC) it is something that can easily be lostD) people don’t cherish it until they lose itPart V Cloze (15 minutes)Universities are institution that teach a wide variety of subjects at advanced levels. They also carry out research work aimed _67_ extending man’s knowledge of these subjects. The emphasis given to each of these functions _68_from university to university, according to the views of the people in _69_ and according to the resources available. The smaller and newer universities do not _70_ the staff or equipment to carry out the _71_research projects possible in larger institutions. _72_ most experts agree that some research activity is _73_ to keep the staff and their students in _74_ with the latest developments in their subjects.Most students attend a university mainly to _75_the knowledge needed for their chosen _76_. Educationists believe that this aim should not be the _77_ one. Universities have always aimed to produce men and women _78_ judgment and wisdom as well as knowledge. For this reason, they _79_ students to meet others with differing _80_and to read widely to _81_their understanding in many fields of study. _82_ a secondary school course, a student should be interested enough in a subject to enjoy gaining knowledge for its own_83_. He should be prepared to _84_sacrifices to study his chosen _85_ in depth. He should have an ambition to make some 86 contribution to man’s knowledge.67. A) at B) by C) toD) in68.A) turnsB) rangesC) movesD) varies69.A) prospectB) placeC) controlD) favor70.A) occupyB) possessC) involveD) spare71.A) maximumB) mediumC) virtualD) vast72.A) But B) As C) While73.A) natural B) essential C) functionalD) optional74.A) coordination B) accordance C) touch D) grasp75.A) acquire B) accept C) endure D) ensure76.A) procession B) profession C) possession D) preference77.A) typical B) true C) mere D) only78.A) with B) under C) on D) through79.A) prompt B) provoke C) encourage D) anticipate80.A) histories B) expressions C) interests D) curiosities81.A) broaden B) lengthen C) enforceD) specify82.A) Amid B) After C) Over D) Upon83.A) object B) course C) effect D) sake84.A) take B) make C) suffer D) pay85.A) field B) scope C) target D) goal86.A) radical B) truthfu l C) meaningful D) initPart VI Translation (5 minutes)87. Our efforts will pay off if the results of this research ___________________(能应用于新技术的开发)。
TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2008) -GRADE FOUR-TIME LIMIT: 135 MINPART I DICTATION [15 MIN]Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more.Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION [120 MIN]In Sections A, B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY Listen carefully and then answerthe questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your answer sheet.SECTION A CONVERSATIONSIn this section you will hear several conversations. Listen to the conversations carefully and then answer the questions that follow.Questions 1 to 3 are based on the.following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the conversation.1. When is Anne available for the meeting?A. The third week of May.B. The third week of June.C. The eleventh of June.D. The eleventh of May.2. Their meeting will probably take place inA. London.B. Toronto.C. Mexico City.D. Chicago.3. When is Eric calling back?A. Thursday afternoon.B. Friday afternoon.C. Thursday morning.D. Friday morning.Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the conversation.4. According to the woman, advertisementsA. let us know the best product.B. give us sufficient information.C. fail to convince people.D. give misleading information.5. In the woman's opinion, money spent on advertisements is paidA. by manufacturers.B. by customers.C. by advertisers.D. by all of them.6. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?.A. The woman seems to be negative about advertising.B. The woman appears to know more about advertising.C. The man is to be present at a debate on advertising.D. The man has a lot to talk about on advertising.Questions 7 to 10 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation,you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the conversation.7. Mr Brown brought with him only a few things becauseA. there wasn't enough space in the cupboard.B. the hospital would provide him with everything.C. he was to stay there for a very short time.D. visitors could bring him other things.8. According to the hospital rules, at which of the following hours can visitors see patients?A. 2:00 pm.B. 5:00 pm.C. 7:00 pm.D. 6:00 pm.9. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A. Patients have breakfast at 8.B. Patients have lunch at 12.C. There are special alcohol lounges.D. There are special smoking lounges.10. Which statement best describes Mr Brown?A. He knows little about hospital rules.B. He can keep alcohol in the ward.C. He knows when to smoke.D. He is used to hospital life.SECTION B PASSAGESIn this section, you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and thenanswer the questions that follow.Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the passage.11. Meeting rooms of various sizes are needed forA. contacts with headquarters.B. relaxation and enjoyment.C. informal talks.D. different purposes.12. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as part of hotel facilities forguests?A. Restaurants.B. Cinemas.C. Swimming pools.D. Bars.13. A hotel for an international conference should have the following EXCEPTA. convenient transport services.B. competent office secretaries.C. good sports and restaurant facilities.D. suitable and comfortable rooms.Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the passage.14. The museum aims mainly to displayA. the area's technological development.B. the nation's important historical events.C. the area's agricultural and industrial development.D. the nation's agricultural and industrial development.15. The following have been significant in the area's prosperity EXCEPTA. the motorways.B. the Roman road.C. the canals.D. the railways.16. We know from the passage that some exhibitsA. are borrowed from workshops.B. are specially made for display.C. reflect the local culture and customs.D. try to reproduce the scene at that time.17. The passage probably comes fromA. a conversation on the museum.B. a museum tour guide.C. a museum booklet.D. a museum advertisement.Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the passage.18. According to the speaker, safety in dormitory means that youA. insure all your expensive things.B. lock doors when going out.C. lock windows at night.D. take all necessary precautions.19. What does the speaker suggest girls do when they are going to be out late?A. Call their friends.B. Stay with their friends.C. Avoid walking in streets.D. Always take a taxi.20. What is the speaker's last advice?A. To take a few self-defense classes.B. To stick to well-lit streets at night.C. To avoid walking alone at night.D. To stay with their friends.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section, you will hear several news items. Listen to them carefully and then answer the questions that follow.Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now. listen to the news.21. What happened during the New Year celebration in Thailand?A. Terrorists fought with Government troops.B. Thai troops killed terrorists.C. There were shootings.D. There were explosions.22. What has led to the violent situation in the south of Thailand?A. The Muslims wanted independence.B. Thai troops have been sent there.C. About 2000 people have been killed.D. There have been more bombings since 2004.Questions 23 and 24 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.23. Under the national oil law, the Iraqi governmentA. will give more oil revenues to only a few provinces.B. will let provinces distribute their oil revenues.C. will distribute oil revenues according to population size.D. will distribute oil revenues according to security needs.24. The construction package is meant toA. help build more houses.B. help improve the country's economy.C. help more children to go to school.D. help more young people to get education.Questions 25 and 26 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.25. The joint committee will promote co-operation between Egypt and Spain in all the followingareas EXCEPTA. education.B. industry.C. investment.D. technology.26. What is this news item mainly about?A. The establishment of a joint committee.B. The trade relations between Egypt and Spain.C. The future trade volume between Egypt and Spain.D. The establishment of a joint business council.Question 27 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question. Now, listen to the news.27. According to the news, Japanese teenage womenA. are less violent than men.B. are less violent than before.C. are more violent than before.D. are more violent than men.Question 28 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question. Now, listen to the news.28. Which of the following statements is CORRECT according to the news?A. Zimbabweans stayed away from voting.B. Zimbabweans were enthusiastic about voting.C. Only a few Zimbabweans turned up to vote.D. Zimbabweans believed that Mugabe would win.Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.29. The news mentioned _____ reason(s) for the action taken by Indian telecom workers.A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 430. According to the news, who among the following were NOT affected by telecom workers'action?A. Banks.B. Big companies.C. Long-distance callers.D. Government officials.PART III CLOZE [15 MIN]Decide which of the choices given below would best complete the passage if inserted in the eorresponding blanks. Mark the best choice for each blank on your answer sheet.Salt, shells or metals are still used as money in out-of-the-way parts of the world today.Salt may seem rather a strange (31)____ to use as money, (32)_____ in countries where the food of the people is mainly vegetable, it is often an (33)_____ necessity. Cakes of salt, stamped to show their (34)____, were used as money in some countries until recent (35)_____, and cakes of salt (36)____ buy goods in Borneo and parts of Africa.Sea shells (37)_____ as money at some time(38)____ another over the greater part of the Old World. These were (39)___ mainly from the beaches of the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean, and were traded to India and China. In Africa, shells were traded right across the (40)___ from East to West.Metal, valued by weight, (41)____ coins in many parts of the world. Iron, in lumps, bars or rings, is still used in many countries(42)_____ paper money. It can either be exchanged(43)____ goods, or made into tools, weapons, or ornaments. The early money of China, apart from shells, was of bronze, (44)_____ in flat, round pieces with a hole in the middle, called "cash". The (45)_____ of these are between three thousand and four thousand years old - older than the earliest coins of the eastern Mediterranean.Nowadays, coins and notes have (46)____ nearly all the more picturesque (47)____ of money, and (48)____ in one or two of the more remote countries people still keep it for future use on ceremonial (49)____ such as weddings and funerals, examples of (50)____ money will soon be found only in museums.(31) A. object B. article C. substance D. category(32) A. but B. and C. so D. even(33) A. abstract B. advantageous C. abundant D. absolute(34) A. weight B. value C. role D. size(35) A. times B. events C. situations D. conditions(36) A. even B. also C. still D. never(37) A. had been used B. are used C. would be used D. would have been used(38) A. and B. but C. yet D. or(39) A. collected B. produced C. grown D. raised(40) A. city B. district C. communib D. continent(41) A. processed B. produced C. preceded D. proceeded(42) A. in spite of B. instead of C. along with D. in line with(43) A. against B. as C. in D. for(44) A. often B. seldom C. really D. much(45) A. earlier B.earliest C.better D.best(46) A. replaced B. reproduced C. reflected D. recovered(47) A. sizes B. shapes C. formats D. forms(48) A. while B. although C. because D. if(49) A. events B. gatherings C. occasions D. assemblies(50) A. original B. primitive C. historical D. crudePART IV GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY [15 MIN]There are thirty sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are four words or phrase marked A, B, C and D. Choose one word orphrase that best completes the sentence. Mark your answers on your answer sheet.51. Our association, which has consistently pressed for greater employment opportunities for tN disabled, will publish ____ proposals in the near future.A. theirB. ourC. hisD. its52. Had Judy been more careful on the maths exam, she ____ much better results now.A. would be gettingB. could have gotC. must getD. would get53. Nine is to three _____ three is to one.A. whenB. thatC. whichD. what54. Men differ from animals ____ they can think and speak.A. for whichB. for thatC. in thatD. in which55. ____ he wanted to go out with his friends at the weekend, he had to stay behind to finishhis assignment.A. Much thoughB. Much asC. As muchD. Though much56. I enjoyed myself so much ____ I visited my friends in Paris last year.A. whenB. whichC. thatD. where57. Which of the following is INCORRECT?A. All his lectures were boring. C. Her few friends are all fond of dancing.B. Half his money was gone. D. He invited many his friends to the party.58. When you have finished with that book, don't forget to put it back on my desk, _____?A. do youB. don't youC. will youD. won't you59. What does "He wisely refused to spend his money" mean?A. It was wise of him to refuse to spend his money.B. He refused to spend his money in a wise manner.C. He was short of money and didn't want to buy anything.D. He refused, in a wise manner, to spend his money.60. They stood chatting together as easily and naturally as ____.A. it could beB. could beC. it wasD. was61. The following are all correct responses to "Who told the news to the teacher?" EXCEPTA. Jim did this.B. Jim did so.C. Jim did that.D. Jim did.62. Quality is ____ counts most.A. whichB. thatC. whatD. where63. In his plays Shakespeare _____ his characters live through their language.A. would makeB. had madeC. madeD. makes64. The square itself is five hundred yards wide, five times ____ the size of St. Peter's inRome.A. /B. that ofC. which isD. of65. Which of the following sentences expresses "probability"?A. You must leave immediately.B. You must be feeling rather tired.C. You must be here by eight o'clock.D. You must complete the reading assignment on time.66. When he first started in university, he really felt at _____ with his major --- economics.A. shoreB. bankC. oceanD. sea67. On the road motorists should be aware of cyclists and be ____ towards them.A. considerableB. consideringC. considerateD. considered68. Sally was a bit shy, but the teacher found her quite ____ discussing a recent film withothers.A. at homeB. at mostC. at houseD. at bean69. The company has capitalized _____ the error of judgment made by its business competitor.A. inB. overC. withD. on70. Tim has failed three courses this semester, so he will have to _____ them next semester.A. remakeB. repeatC. reapplyD. revise71. Keep this reference book; it may come in _____ one day.A. handyB. usefulC. convenientD. helpful72. The questions that the speaker raised were well ____ the average adult.A. pastB. onC. beyondD. through73. Teachers in this school were encouraged to use drama as a(n) _____ of learning.A. designB. instrumentC. agencyD. tool74. First, we need to find out what his scheme is, and then act _____.A. sensitivelyB. imaginativelyC. efficientlyD. accordingly75. At first Jim was not quite clear what he was going to do after university, but now he seems_____ on becoming a computer programmer.A. fitB. setC. disposedD. decided76. When invited to talk about his achievements+ he refused to blow his own _____ anddeclined to speak at the meeting.A. trumpetB. whistleC. bugleD. flute77. In spite of the treatment, the pain in his leg grew inA. gravityB. extentC. intensityD. amount78. Bus services between Town Centre and Newton Housing Estate will be _____ until themotorway is repaired.A. discontinuedB. suspendedC. haltedD. ceased79. The moon, being much nearer to the Earth than the Sun, is the ____ cause of the tides.A. principalB. basicC. initialD. elementary80. Teddy came to my ____ with a cheque of $200 to pay my room rate, after I phoned himthat my wallet had been stolen.A. attendanceB. assistanceC. rescueD. safetyPART V READING COMPREHENSION [25 MIN]In this section there are four passages followed by questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer. Mark your answers on your answer sheet.TEXT AWhen the sun is up in Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on theAmstel River. You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a watertaxi.But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in coffee shops,tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke.Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they're allwithin a short cab ride of each other.For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And there is theRoyal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall.But as evening descends on Dam Square so do the party-seekers. Hip pop or funk musicbegins blaring from Club Paradiso and Club Melkweg. These are two of the most popular clubs inEurope. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don't shut down until 4 am.And while you are there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don'tworry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions.And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles. They rent for US$17 to $20 for a whole day.Amsterdam also has a good canal system. From anywhere between U852 and $9.50, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise the "Venice of the North".You can take in the picturesque canal house architecture: The rows of neat, narrow four-story dwellings of brownstone with large windows are well worth seeing. Many of them are several centuries old.You might also want to jump out of the canal bus at the Museum Quarter and start walking.Masterpieces by Dutch artists such as Rembrandt, Bruegel, Van Gogh and others are on display atthe Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt House and others.The city has an appreciation of its historic past. One place to visit is the Anne Frank House in Nine Streets. It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II. Visitors can view Anne's original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years.81. At the beginning of the passage, the author indicates thatA. Amsterdam is generally known as a quiet city.B. parties go on all day long in Amsterdam,C. Amsterdam presents two different pictures.D. Amsterdam attracts many daytime visitors.82. Which tourist attraction is cited for elaboration in Paragraphs Four and Five?A. Royal Palace.B. Dam Square.C. Club Paradiso.D. Magna Plaza.83. According to the passage, the local people have all the following characteristics EXCEPTA. they are party goers.B. they show hospitality.C. they can speak English.D. they are fond of cycling.84. Which of the following adjectives can best describe Amsterdam as a tourist city?A. Modern.B. Delightful.C. Quiet.D. Historic.TEXT BIn an article some Chinese scholars are described as being "tantalized by the mysteriousdragon bone hieroglyphics." Tantalized is one of many English words that have their origins inmyths and legends of the past (in this case, Greek and Roman ones). The meaning of the verb tantalize is a very particular one: "to promise or show something desirable to a person andthentake it away; to tease by arousing hope." Many (but not all) English dictionaries give you a brief indication of a word's origins in brackets before or after the explanation of the meaning. For tantalize the following explanation is given: [> Tantalus]. This means that you should look up the name Tantalus to find out the word's origins, and if you do, you will find out that in Greek mythology, Tantalus was a king who was punished in the lower world with eternal hunger and thirst; he was put up to his chin in water that always moved away when he tried to drink it andwith fruit on branches above him placed just a little bit out of his reach. Can you see why his name was changed into a verb meaning "to tease or torment by arousing desire"?Another example is the word siren, familiar to us as the mechanical device that makes such an alarming sound when police cars, ambulances, or fire engines approach. This word also has itsorigins in Greek mythology. The traveler Odysseus (Ulysses to the Romans) made his men plugtheir ears so that they wouldn't hear the dangerous voices of the sirens, creatures who were halfbird and half woman and who lured sailors to their deaths on sharp rocks. So the word came to beassociated both with a loud sound and with danger!When someone speaks of a "jovial mood" or a "herculean effort," he or she is using wordswith origins in mythology. Look these words up to find their meaning and relationship to myths.Many common words, such as the names for the days of the week and the months of the year, also come from mythology. Wednesday derives from the ancient Norse king of the gods, Woden,and Thursday was originally Thor's day, in honour of Thor, the god of thunder. As a matter of fact, all the planets, except the one we live on, bear names that come from Roman mythology, including the planet that is farthest away from the sun and for that reason was called after the Roman god of the dead. This god has also given his name to one of the chemical elements.Several other elements have names that come from mythology, too.It seems that myths and legends live on in the English language.85. The purpose of the first sentence in Paragraph One is ____.A. to describe the work of some Chinese scholars.B. to arouse readers' interest in hieroglyphics.C. to lead readers onto the main theme.D. to link the preceding part to the present one.86. We learn from the passage, all English dictionaries include _____.A. legends.B. mythology.C. word origins.D. word definitions.87. The example of tantalize is to show _____.A. how the word came into existence.B. how Tantalus was punished in the lower world.C. how all English dictionaries show word origins.D. how the meaning of the word changed over the years.88. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT have origins in myths orlegends?A. Jovial.B. Wednesday.C. Earth.D. March.89. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?A. Greek and Roman Mythology in Language.B. Mythological Origins of English Words.C. Historical Changes in Word Meanings.D. Mythology and Common Words.TEXT CMy heart sank when the man at the immigration counter gestured to the back room. l'm anAmerican born and raised, and this was Miami, where I live, but they weren't quite ready to letme in yet."Please wait in here, Ms Abujaber," the immigration officer said. My husband, with his very American last name, accompanied me. He was getting used to this. The same thing had happenedrecently in Canada when I'd flown to Montreal to speak at a book event. That time they held mefor 45 minutes. Today we were returning from a literary festival in Jamaica, and I was startled that I was being sent "in back" once again.The officer behind the counter called me up and said, "Miss, your name looks like the name of someone who's on our wanted list. We're going to have to check you out with Washington.""How long will it take?""Hard to say ... a few minutes," he said. "We'll call you when we're ready for you."After an hour, Washington still hadn't decided anything about me. "Isn't this computerized?"I asked at the counter. "Can't you just look me up?"Just a few more minutes, they assured me.After an hour and a half, I pulled my cell phone out to call the friends I was supposed to meet that evening. An officer rushed over. "No phones!" he said. "For all we know you could be calling a terrorist cell and giving them information.""I'm just a university professor," I said. My voice came out in a squeak."Of course you are. And we take people like you out of here in leg irons every day."I put my phone away.My husband and 1 were getting hungry and tired. Whole families had been brought into the waiting room, and the place was packed with excitable children, exhausted parents, even a flightattendant.I wanted to scream, to jump on a chair and shout: "I'm an American citizen; a novelist; lprobably teach English literature to your children." Or would that all be counted against me?After two hours in detention, I was approached by one of the officers. "You're free to go," he said. No explanation or apologies. For a moment, neither of us moved, we were still in shock.Then we leaped to our feet."Oh, one more thing." He handed me a tattered photocopy with an address on it. "If youweren't happy with your treatment, you can write to this agency.""Will they respond?" I asked."I don't know --- I don't know of anyone who's ever written to them before." Then he added, "By the way, this will probably keep happening each time you travel internationally.""What can I do to keep it from happening again?"He smiled the empty smile we'd seen all day. "Absolutely nothing."After telling several friends about our ordeal, probably the most frequent advice I've heard in response is to change my name. Twenty years ago, my own graduate school writing professor advised me to write under a pen name so that publishers wouldn't stick me in what he called "the ethnic ghetto" --- a separate, secondary shelf in the bookstore. But a name is an integral part of anyone's personal and professional identity -just like the town you're born in and the place where you're raised.Like my father, I'll keep the name, but my airport experience has given me a whole newperspective on what diversity and tolerance are supposed to mean. I had no idea that being an American would ever be this hard.90. The author was held at the airport because _____.A. she and her husband returned from Jamaica.B. her name was similar to a terrorist's.C. she had been held in Montreal.D. she had spoken at a book event.91. She was not allowed to call her friends because _____.A. her identity hadn't been confirmed yet.B. she had been held for only one hour and a half.C. there were other families in the waiting room.D. she couldn't use her own cell phone.92. We learn from the passage that the author would _____ to prevent similar experiencefrom happening again.A. write to the agencyB. change her nameC. avoid traveling abroadD. do nothing93. Her experiences indicate that there still exists _____ in the US.A. hatredB. discriminationC. toleranceD. diversity94. The author sounds in the last paragraph.A. impatientB. bitterC. worriedD. ironicTEXT DPublic speaking fills most people with dread. Humiliation is the greatest fear; self-exposure and failing to appeal to the audience come a close second. Women hate it most, since girls are pressurized from an early age to be concerned with appearances of all kinds.Most people have plenty of insecurities, and this seems like a situation that will bring them out. If you were under pressure to be perfect, you are terrified of falling in the most public of ways.While extroverts will feel less fear before the ordeal, it does not mean they will necessarily do it better. Some very shy people manage to shine. When I met the British comedian Julian Clary, he was shy and cautious, yet his TV performances are perfect.In fact, personality is not the best predictor of who does it well. Regardless of what you are like in real life, the key seems to be to act yourself.Actual acting, as in performing the scripted lines of a character other than yourself, does not do the job. While politicians may limit damage by having carefully rehearsed, written scripts to speak from, there is always a hidden awareness among the audience that the words might not be true.Likewise, the incredibly perfect speeches of many American academics are far from natural.。