2010年12月英语六级预测试题及答案(1)
Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled A Harmonious Societ y in My Mind. You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.
1. 建立和谐社会成为了一种潮流和趋势
2. 我心中的和谐社会是….
3. 为了建立和谐社会，我们应该如何去做?
A Harmonious Society in My Mind
Part ⅡReading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)
Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the question s on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.
Entertainment in London
Buying Books
Londoners are great readers. They buy vast numbers of newspapers and magazines and even of books esp ecially paperbacks, which are still comparatively cheap in spite of ever-increasing rises in the costs of printing. They still continue to buy "proper" books, too, printed on good paper and bound between hard covers.
There are many streets in London containing shops which specialize in book-selling. Perhaps the best kno wn of these is Charing Cross Road in the very heart of London. Here bookshops of all sorts and sizes are to be found, from the celebrated one which boasts of being "the biggest bookshop in the world" to the tiny, dus ty little places which seem to have been left over from Dickens' time. Many of them specialize in second-han
d books, in art books, in foreign books, in books of philosophy, politics or any other of th
e various subjects a bout which books may be written. One shop in this area specializes solely in books about ballet!
Although it may be the most convenient place for Londoners to buy books, Charing Cross Road is not th e cheapest. For the really cheap second-hand volumes, the collector must venture off the busy and crowded ro ads, to Farringdon Road in the East Central district of London. Here there is nothing so grand as bookshops. I nstead, the booksellers come along each morning and tip out their sacks of books on to barrows(推车) which l ine the gutters(贫民区). And the collectors, some professional and some amateur, who have been waiting for t hem, pounce towards the sellers. In places like this one can still, occasionally, pick up for a few pence an old volume that may be worth many pounds.
Both Charing Cross Road and Farringdon Road are well-known places of the book buyer. Yet all over Lo ndon there are bookshops, in places not so well known, where the books are equally varied and exciting. It is in the sympathetic atmosphere of such shops that the loyal book buyer feels most at home. In these shops, e ven the life-long book-browser is frequently rewarded by the accidental discovery of previously unknown delig hts. One could, in fact, easily spend a lifetime exploring London's bookshops. There are many less pleasant wa ys of spending time!
Going to the Theatre
London is very rich in theatres: there are over forty in the West End alone--more than enough to ensure that there will always be at least two or three shows running to suit every kind taste, whether serious or light hearted.
Some of them are specialist theatres. The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where the great opera sing ers of the world can be heard, is the home of opera and the Royal Ballet. The London Coliseum now houses the English National Opera Company, which encourages English singers in particular and performs most opera s in English at popular prices.
Some theatres concentrate on the classics and serious drama, some on light comedy, some on musicals. M ost theatres have a personality of their own, from the old, such as the Theatre Royal (also called the "Haymar ket") in the Haymarket, to the more modern such as the recently opened Baibican centre in the city. The Nati onal Theatre has three separate theatres in its new building by Waterloo Bridge. At the new Barbican centre t he Royal Shakespeare Company has their London home—their other centre is at Stratford-on-Avon.
Most of the old London theatres are concentrated in a very small area, within a stone's throw of the Picc adilly and Leicester Square tube stations. As the evening performances normally begin either at seven-thirty or eight p. m., there is a kind of minor rush-hour between seven-fifteen and eight o'clock in this district. People stream out of the nearby tube stations, the pavements are crowded, and taxis and private cars maneuver into p osition as they drop theatre-goers outside the entrance to each theatre. There is another minor rush-hour when the performance finishes. The theatre in London is very popular and it is not always easy to get in to see a s uccessful play.
Before World War Ⅱ, theatre performances began later and a visit to the theatre was a more formal occa sion. Nowadays very few people "dress" for the theatre (that is, wear formal evening dress) except for first ni ghts or an important performance. The times of performance were put forward during the war and have not be en put back. The existing times make the question of eating a rather tricky problem: one has to have either e arly dinner or late supper. Many restaurants in "theatreland" ease the situation by catering specially for early o r late dinners.
Television and the difficulty of financing plays have helped to close many theatres. But it seems that the worst of the situation is now over and that the theatre, after a period of decline, is about to pick up again. A lthough some quite large provincial towns do not have a professional theatre, there are others, such as Notting ham, Hull, Coventry or Newcastle, which have excellent companies and where a series of plays are performed during one season by a resident group of actors. Some towns such as Chichester or Edinburgh have theatres which give summer seasons. Even in small towns a number of theatres have been built in the last few years t o cater for the local population.
Music in Britain
It is debatable whether the tastes of kings reflect those of their subjects. However, three English monarchs certainly shared their people's linking for music. Richard Ⅰ(1157-1199), the "Lionheart", composed songs that he sang with his musician, Blondel. It is said that when the king was a prisoner in Austria, Blondel found hi m by singing a song known only to him and the king, who took up the tune in the tower of the castle in w hich he was secretly imprisoned. Henry VⅢ(1491-1547), notorious for his six wives, was a skilled musician and some of his songs are still known and sung. Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and her husband, Prince Albert, delighted in singing ballads. The great composer and pianist Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a welcome gu est at their court, where he would accompany the Queen and the Prince when they sang.
The British love of music is often unfamiliar to foreigners, probably because there are few renowned Briti sh composers. The most famous is Henry Purcell (1658-1695), whose opera "Dido and Aeneas" is a classic. T he rousing marching song "Lillibulero" attributed to Purcell, now used by BBC as an identification signal prec eding Overseas Service news bulletins, was said to have "sung James Ⅱout of three kingdoms" when he fled from Britain in 1688. Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) is known for his choral and orchestral works, some of which have been made more widely known by the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin. Benjamin Britten (1913-1 976), a composer with a very personal style, has become world-famous for such operatic works as "Peter Grim es" and "Billy Budd". Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was deeply influenced by English folk music, as i s shown by his variations on the old tune "Green-sleeves" (which most people consider a folk song). In recent years there has been a great revival of folk music, and groups specializing in its performance have sprung up all over Britain. This phenomenon has its roots in the work of Cecil Sharp (1859-1924), who collected folk s ongs and dances.
Present-day concern with music is shown by the existence of something like a hundred summer schools in music, which cater for all grades of musicians, from the mere beginner to the skilled performer. These school s, where a friendly atmosphere reigns, provide courses lasting from a weekend to three or four weeks, and cov er a wide range, from medieval and classical music to rock-and-roll and pop. There are also important musical
festivals in towns such as Aldeburgh, Bath, and Cheltenham. Pop-music festivals draw thousands of people, es pecially young people. In the great cities there are resident world-famous orchestras and from all over the worl d great performers come to play or sing in Britain. In many towns there are brass bands, and the players are often such people as miners or members of the local fire brigade, for music in Britain is not just an elegant i nterest, it is above all democratic.
1. Which of the following do the great readers in London probably buy the least?
A) Newspaper
B) Magazine
C) Paperback
D) Hardback
2. Chafing Cross Road is very famous because______.
A) all kinds of bookstores are along the streets
B) it lies right in the center of London
C) they have the cheapest books in London
D) the biggest bookstore in the world is there
3. What can you learn about Farringdon Road?
A) It's to the east of London.
B) It's a street of bookstores.
C) It's a center for second-hand books.
D) It's where worthless books are sold.
4. What does the author mean by saying "some of them are specialist theatres"?
A) Those theatres only have operas show
B) The theatres are especially good for their ballet show
C) These theatres offer really affordable ticket
D) They each hold a special type of play or show
5. Because of the theatre performances, the area around Piccadilly and Leicester Square tube stations gets crowded______.
A) before seven-thirty
B) between seven and eight
C) at about eight o'clock
D) from seven-fifteen to eight
6. What kind of change did World War I1 bring to the theatres?
A) The putting forward of dinner
B) The costume of the performance
C) The time of the performance
D) The restaurants nearly offer different food
7. What, according to the author, caused the decline of theatre business?
A) There are not professional theatres in large provincial towns.
B) During World War Ⅱ, a lot of theatres were destroyed.
C) Some people begin to choose stay at home and watch TV.
D) The performance of the plays is becoming worse and worse.
8. According to the author, three music lovers of the royal family members are ______________________ __
9. The British love of music is not known to foreigners for__________________.
10. The courses offered by summer school in music where a friendly atmosphere reigns last ___________ _____________
Part ⅢListening Comprehension (35 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of ea ch conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the ques tions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read th e 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) Go to the parties.
B) Go for a ride.
C) Study for her exam.
D) Change her clothes.
12. A) The air pollution is caused by the development of industry.
B) The city was poor because there wasn't much industry.
C) The woman's exaggerating the seriousness of the pollution.
D) He might move to another city very soon.
13. A) He believes dancing is enjoyable.
B) He definitely does not like dancing.
C) He admires those who dance.
D) He won't dance until he has done his work.
14. A) He admires Jean's straightforwardness.
B) He thinks Brown deserves the praise.
C) He will talk to Jean about what happened.
D) He believes Jean was rude to Brown.
15. A) The woman had been planning for the conference.
B) The woman called the man but the line was busy.
C) The woman didn't come back until midnight.
D) The woman had guests all evening.
16. A) He shows great enthusiasm for his studies.
B) He is a very versatile person.
C) He has no talent for tennis.
D) He does not study hard enough.
17. A) He has managed to sell a number of cars.
B) He is contented with his current position.
C) He might get fired.
D) He has lost his job.
18. A) Jerry stayed in a room on the third floor for an hour.
B) Jerry was absent when the discussion was being held.
C) Nobody but the woman noticed that Jerry was absent.
D) Jerry did not leave room 405 until an hour had passed.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. A) To provide language learning opportunities.
B) To teach students how to be expert in computer.
C) To provide work opportunities for graduating students in the community.
D) To help students pass math exam.
20. A) English grammar.
B) English literature.
C) Intercultural communication.
D) Mathematics class.
21. A) By May 29th.
B) By June 29th.
C) By July 29th.
D) By April 29th.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
22. A) Video and online game.
B) Hazards of a high-tech society.
C) Relationships on campus.
D) Internet addiction.
23. A) Because they lack self-discipline in their studies.
B) Because they spend too much time on the Internet.
C) Because they have not exerted their utmost efforts.
D) Because they have developed poor relationships with teachers.
24. A) The impulse to go online begins to affect other areas of life.
B) One begins to feel anxious or depressed or lonely if online.
C) One isn't looking forward to being connected with other people online.
D) One is likely to be violent or crazy or aggressive if not online.
25. A) To have some sort of balance in life.
B) To keep off the Internet completely.
C) To develop some sort of healthy recreation.
D) To have a face-to-face talk with a psychiatrist.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear som e questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mus t 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 One
Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. A) Diamond-producing rivers are located far away the mountain side.
B) Diamonds can be formed without volcano heat and pressure.
C) Volcano explosions brought some diamonds up to the earth surface.
D) Explosions of the volcano can damage diamonds as well.
27. A) In the volcanoes.
B) On the floor of the sea.
C) Under the river bed.
D) At the foot of the mountain.
28. A) How Diamond is Formed and Found.
B) Diamond—A Precious Stone.
C) Diamond Hunting.
D) Diamond—Producing Countries.
Passage Two
Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.
29. A) How people fall ill.
B) The influence of people's emotions on their health.
C) A new method to cure breast cancer.
D) Several ways to keep fit.
30. A) Because he was of ill health.
B) Because he was in a bad mood.
C) Because his wife abandoned him.
D) Because his immune system was not strong enough.
31. A) Those who like talking about cheerful things live longer.
B) Those who avoid talking about cheerful things die sooner.
C) Those who like talking about their disease live longer.
D) Those who avoid talking about their illness live longer.
Passage Three
Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
32. A) Selling home furnishing.
B) Renting furnished apartment.
C) Selling used furniture.
D) Renting home furnishing.
33. A) Because the furniture they get in this way is better in quality.
B) Because it saves them a lot of money.
C) Because it saves them much trouble and money.
D) Because they can get better quality furniture in this way.
34. A) The idea of renting furniture is not acceptable.
B) Renting furniture is not popular in the couple's home town.
C) Only those who don't have enough money want to rent furniture.
D) People usually grow to like the furniture they have rented.
35. A) Rent or Buy?
B) A New Way of Getting Home Furnishing.
C) Furnished Apartment.
D) A New Idea.
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first tim e, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are requ ired to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numb ered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use t he exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the pass age is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.
People do not analyze every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a 36 from the last time they had a similar problem. They often accept the 37 or ideas of other people. Other times they begin to act without thinking; they try to find a solution by 38 and error. However, when all these 39 fail, the person wit h a problem has to start analyzing. There are six 40 in analyzing a problem.
First, the person must 41 that there is a problem. For example, Sam's bicycle is 42 , and he cannot ride it to class as he usually does. Sam must see that there is a problem with his bicycle. Next, the thinker must 43 the problem. Before Sam can repair his bicycle, he must find the reason why it does not work. For instanc e, 44 _______________ He must take his problem more specific.45 _____________________________________. For instance, suppose Sam decided that his bike does not work because there is something wrong with the ge ar wheels. At this time, he can look in his bicycle repair book and read about gears. He can talk to his frien ds at the bike shop. He can look at his gears carefully. 46 ____________________________________________ _. Take Sam as an illustration. His suggestions might be: put oil on the gear wheels; buy new gear wheels an d replace the old ones; tighten or loosen the gear wheels.
Part ⅣReading Comprehension(Reading in Depth)(25 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the pa ssage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please writ e your answers on Answer Sheet 2.
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
Addison Heard uses an image of his wife and infant son for the background on his laptop. An MBA stud ent at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, Heard thinks about his family constantly. But b ecause he's away at B-school, he has experienced much of his son's first year via phone calls and digital phot os. Says Heard, "It has been particularly hard, not being there with them every day. "
This was his family's choice. It didn't make financial sense for his wife, Eden, a corporate lawyer in Was hington, to quit her job, sell their condo(公寓), and move to Charlotterville with her husband. So he went alo ne. In his first Year each spouse made the 200-mile round-trip commute on alternate weekends. Since their so n was born last May, Addison has been doing most of the driving.
As complicated as the Heard's situation seems, it isn't all that rare. In any year, hundreds of couples deal with how to handle the family logistics(后勤工作) of going to B-school. Some choose a long-distance relation ship, commuting back and forth on weekends and breaks. Others see partners and children only on vacations a nd holidays. Still others pack up the family and bring them along.
Being apart hasn't been easy, but the Heards have made it work. On weekends when the couple is in Vir ginia, they attend social events, so she can feel a part of the community. Heard also avoids Friday classes to gain more family time. "We've gotten into a routine that works," he says, "but I'm looking forward to being h ome, so the three of us can be a family. "
Any long-distance commute puts pressure on a relationship, causing some couples to drift apart. Being thr own in a rigorous academic schedule for one spouse and a demanding career for the other, the stress intensifie s, often distracting students from their studies.
Some schools offer students in these situations a good deal of support. For faraway spouses, there are on-campus social events when they visit, online communities, even involvement in alumni networks in their home cities. But mainly B-schools try to make it easier for students to take their partners along for the ride. They help families find housing, preschools, or local employment.
The decision to attend a distant B-school is fraught(伴随着的) with financial and logistical problems. Stud ents also must decide if their families should stay or go. Either way, schools try to accommodate them. "We have more than ourselves to think about," an MBA student, Cory Hricik says. "It's a family-influenced choice. "
47. Heard will come into contact with his son in his first year via____________________.
48. Before his son was born, in order to meet each other, Addison made the 200-mile round-trip commute _______________.
49. The way that Addison continues his study will make the other____________________.
50. Some B-schools will make it easier for students to ______________________.
51. According to Hrncirik's remarks, the pursuit of MBA degree is ______________________.
Section B
Directions: 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 b est choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.
There he was America's first President with a MBA, the man who loves to boast about his business back ground, whose presidential campaign raised unprecedented sums from corporate wallets and whose cabinet is st uffed with chief executives. Faith in the integrity of American business leaders was being undermined(破坏), G eorge Bush said fiercely, by executives "breaching trust and abusing power". It was time for "a new ethic of personal responsibility in the business community". He was going to "end the days of cooking the books, shad ing the truth and breaking our laws".
Only months ago, the idea that George W Bush would publicly lambaste America's cooperate bosses was laughable. As a candidate, born on the wave of a decade-long economic boom and an unprecedented 18-year b ull market, he cashed in on American's love affair with corporate success. But things are different now. The st ock market bubble has burst and, despite signs of economic recovery. Wall Street seems to be sunk in gloom.
A string of scandals at some of America's most high-flying firms--including Enron, Xerox. Tyco, Global Cros sing and most recently, World Comhas radically changed the public mood.
As political pressure for reform increases, so too does the heat on Mr Bush. Is the businessman's presiden t really prepared to take business on and push hard for reform? Despite the set jaw and aggrieved tone in Ne w York. Probably not. Mr. Bush thinks the current crisis stems from a few bad-apple chief executives rather t han the system as a whole. Hence he focus on tough penalties for corrupt businessmen and his plea for higher ethical standards. The president announced the creation of a financial-crimes SWAT team, at the Justice Depa rtment to root out corporate fraud, and wants to double the maximum prison sentence for financial fraud from five to ten years. But he offered few concrete suggestions for systemic reform: little mention of changes to st rengthen shareholders' rights, not even an endorsement of the Senate corporate-reform bill.
There are few signs yet that cleaning up corporate America is an issue that animates the voters. Polls sho w that Americans have little faith in their business leaders, but politicians do not seem to be suffering as a re sult. Mr. Bush's approval ratings have fallen from their sky-highs, but they are still very strong.
The president, therefore, need do no more than talk tough. This alone will convince ordinary Americans t hat he is on top of the issue. As the economy rebounds and public outage subsides, the clamor for change wi
ll be quieter. Democratic attacks will fizzle, and far-reaching reform bills will be watered down before they be come law. Politically, the gamble makes sense. Unfortunately for American capitalism, a great opportunity will be missed.
52. We can infer from the third paragraph that Mr. Bush______.
A) didn't intend to take business on and push hard for reform
B) did not do anything at all for the presence of the current situation
C) took shareholders' right into account, but he didn't approve reform bill
D) took some measures to pave the way for the reform
53. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A) Bush had to offer concrete suggestions for reform as political pressure increase
B) At present, the maximum prison sentence for financial fraud is five year
C) It is laughable that M Bush publicly attacked America's corporate bosses
D) Americans have little faith in their business as well as political leaders
54. Which of the following statements about Mr. Bush is mentioned in this passage?
A) M Bush is the second President with an MBA in American history
B) M Bush contributes a lot to decade-long economic boom
C) M Bush's approval ratings are still high
D) M Bush didn't get support in his presidential campaign
55. The author's attitude towards the reform is______.
A) indifferent
B) optimistic
C) skeptical
D) favorable
56. The phrase "a great opportunity" mentioned in the last paragraph refers to an opportunity to______.
A) carry out reform
B) boom economy
C) animate the voters
D) attack chief executive
Passage Two
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
In recent decades, there is a phenomenon which makes us give some attention; the so-called Southeast Asi an "tigers" have rivaled the western "lions" for stock cliches that make economic headlines. The myth of Ame rican economic hegemony(霸权) over Asia in the imposing and patriarchal figure of Uncle Sam has provided f requent political grist (有利) for Southeast Asian political leaders, particularly Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahat hir. He has attempted to forge an international reputation as a snarling tiger, but lately sounds more like a bar nyard dog groaning at shadows. Without demeaning in any way the remarkable achievements of the newly dev eloping economies of Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, these nations at times appear to be their own worst e nemies. This is often exemplified by Dr. Mahathir, who rails at Western evil whenever an international or dom estic crisis provides an opportunity.
To be more specific, the recent devaluation of the Philippine and Thai currencies, and the subsequent pres sure on the Malaysian currency has inspired Dr. Mahathir to launch an all-out attack on the West as the sourc e of the problem. He even alleges that the United States has deli-berately destabilized Southeast Asian economi es in revenge for these nations, supporting the brutal military rule in Mahathir, an action which the United Sta tes seems to want inspected rather than rewarded. But by resorting to such scapegoat (替罪羊), instead of acce pting even a bit responsibility, the Prime Minister may undermine the future success of the region and Malaysi a in particular.
Upon further questioning, Dr. Mahathir narrowed his attack to one wealthy individual, the well-known phil anthropist (慈善家), Mr. George Soros, whose opposition to Myanmar's admission to ASEAN (Association of S outheast Asian Nations) Mahathir found particularity, irritating. The logical mistakes that underlie such conspira cy theories do not help Malaysia address the serious issues of economic overheating that experts have been wa rning about for all these difficult periods, which include large deficits and low savings to debt ratios. In fact, t he recent dramatic drop in Malaysia's stock market and currency has led Dr. Mahathir to reverse his initial ap proach to the crisis. He even announces measures that at least imply he is quite aware of excesses in his own administration's spending policies that have contributed to this crisis of confidence. In the end, this kind of re action undermines the esteem that Dr. Mahathir's enlightened leadership has justly earned.
57. It is implied in the first paragraph that Dr. Mahathir______.
A) has correctly identified the financial problem in Asia
B) tries to manipulate anti-Western actions for political gains
C) detests the USA's controlling over the regional economies
D) believes in the effect of the ghostly influence from the west
58. The author of this essay seems to suggest that______.
A) the devaluation of Malaysia's currency is due to the American plot