15-16-2大英四级模拟题第1套试题

2016年6月大学英语四级真题（第1套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to your parents or any family members upon making memorable achievement. Y ou should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A)The International Labor Organization's key objective.B)The basic social protection for the most vulnerable.C)Rising unemployment worldwide.D)Global economic recovery.2. A)Many countries have not taken measures to create enough jobs.B)Few countries know how to address the current economic crisis.C)Few countries have realized the seriousness of the current crisis.D)Many countries need support to improve their people's livelihood.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A)Serve standardized food nationwide.B)Put calorie information on the menu.C)Increase protein content in the food.D)Offer convenient food to customers.4. A)They will be fined.B)They will be closed.C)They will get a warning.D)They will lose customers.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A)Inability to implement their business plans.B)Inability to keep turning out novel products.C)Lack of a successful business model of their own.D)Failure to integrate innovation into their business.6. A)It is the secret to business success.B)It is the creation of something new.C)It is a magic tool to bring big rewards.D)It is an essential part of business culture.7. A)Its hardworking employees.B)Its flexible promotion strategy.C)Its innovation culture.D)Its willingness to make investments.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversations you will hear four questions. Both the conversations and the question-s will be spoken only once. After you hear a question. Y ou must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A)He's got addicted to technology.B)He is not very good at socializing.C)He is crazy about text-messaging.D)He does not talk long on the phone.9. A)Talk big.B)Talk at length.C)Gossip a lot.D)Forget herself.10. A)He thought it was cool.B)He needed the practice.C)He wanted to stay connected with them.D)He had an urgent message to send.11. A)It poses a challenge to seniors.B)It saves both time and money.C)It is childish and unprofessional.D)It is cool and convenient.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A)He wants to change his job assignment.B)He is unhappy with his department manager.C)He thinks he deserves extra pay for overtime.D)He is often singled out for criticism by his boss.13. A)His workload was much too heavy.B)His immediate boss did not trust him.C)His colleagues often refused to cooperate.D)His salary was too low for his responsibility.14. A)He never knows how to refuse.B)He is always ready to help others.C)His boss has a lot of trust in him.D)His boss has no sense of fairness.15. A)Put all his complaints in writing.B)Wait and see what happens next.C)Learn to say no when necessary.D)Talk to his boss in person first.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you w ill hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A)The importance of sleep to a healthy life.B)Reasons for Americans' decline in sleep.C)Some tips to improve the quality of sleep.D)Diseases associated with lack of sleep.17. A)They are more health-conscious.B)They are changing their living habits.C)They get less and less sleep.D)They know the dangers of lack of sleep.18. A)Their weight will go down.B)Their mind function will deteriorate.C)Their work efficiency will decrease.D)Their blood pressure will rise.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)How much you can afford to pay.B)What course you are going to choose.C)Which university you are going to apply to.D)When you are going to submit your application.20. A)The list of courses studied.B)The full record of scores.C)The references from teachers.D)The personal statement.21. A)Specify what they would like to do after graduation.B)Describe in detail how much they would enjoy studying.C)Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject.D)Emphasize that they admire the professors in the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)It was equipped with rubber tyres.B)It was built in the late 19th century.C)It was purchased by the Royal family.D)It was designed by an English engineer.23. A)They consumed lots of petrol.B)They took two passengers only.C)They were difficult to drive.D)They often broke down.24. A)They were produced on the assembly line.B)They were built with less costly materials.C)They were modeled after British cars.D)They were made for ordinary use.25. A)It made news all over the world.B)It was built for the Royal family.C)It marked a new era in motor travel.D)It attracted large numbers of motorists.PartIII Reading ComprehensionSection ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Physical activity does the body good, and there's growing evidence that it helps the brain too. Researchers in the Netherlands report that children who get more exercise, whether at school or on their own, 26to have higher GPAs and better scores on standardized tests. In a 27of 14 studies that looked at physical activity and academic28, investigators found that the more children moved, the better their grades were in school, 29in the basic subjects of math, English and reading.The data will certainly fuel the ongoing debate over whether physical education classes should be cut as schools struggle to 30on smaller budgets. The arguments against physical education have included concerns that gym time may be taking away from study time. With standardized test scores in the U.S. 31in recent years, some administrators believe students need to spend more time in the classroom instead of on the playground. But as these findings show, exercise and academics may not be 32exclusive. Physical activity can improve blood 33to the brain, fueling memory, attention and creativity, which are 34to learning. And exercise releases hormones that can improve 35and relieve stress, which can also help learning. So while it may seem as if kids are just exercising their bodies when they're running around, they may actually be exercising their brains as well.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph ismarked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Finding the Right Home—and Contentment, T oo[A] When your elderly relative needs to enter some sort of long-term care facility—a moment fewparents or children approach without fear—what you would like is to have everything made clear.[B] Does assisted living really mark a great improvement over a nursing home, or has the industrysimply hired better interior designers? Are nursing homes as bad as people fear, or is that an out-moded stereotype（固定看法)? Can doing one's homework really steer families to the best places? It is genuinely hard to know.[C] I am about to make things more complicated by suggesting that what kind of facility an olderperson lives in may matter less than we have assumed. And that the characteristics adult children look for when they begin the search are not necessarily the things that make a difference to the people who are going to move in. I am not talking about the quality of care, let me hastily add. Nobody flourishes in a gloomy environment with irresponsible staff and a poor safety record. But an accumulating body of research indicates that some distinctions between one type of elder care and another have little real bearing on how well residents do.[D] The most recent of these studies, published in The journal of Applied Gerontology, surveyed150 Connecticut residents of assisted living, nursing homes and smaller residential care homes（known in some states as board and care homes or adult care homes). Researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center asked the residents a large number of questions about their quality of life, emotional well-being and social interaction, as well as about the quality of the facilities.[E] “We thought we would see differences based on the housing types,” said the lead author of thestudy, Julie Robison, an associate professor of medicine at the university. A reasonable assumption—don't families struggle to avoid nursing homes and suffer real guilt if they can't?[F] In the initial results, assisted living residents did paint the most positive picture. They wereless likely to report symptoms of depression than those in the other facilities, for instance, and less likely to be bored or lonely. They scored higher on social interaction.[G] But when the researchers plugged in a number of other variables, such differences disappeared.It is not the housing type, they found, that creates differences in residents' responses. “It is the characteristics of the specific environment they are in, combined with their own personal characteristics—how healthy they feel they are, their age and marital status,” Dr. Robison explained. Whether residents felt involved in the decision to move and how long they had lived there also proved significant.[H] An elderly person who describes herself as in poor health, therefore, might be no lessdepressed in assisted living（even if her children preferred it) than in a nursing home. A person who had input into where he would move and has had time to adapt to it might do as well in a nursing home as in a small residential care home, other factors being equal. It is an interaction between the person and the place, not the sort of place in itself, that leads to better or worse experien ces. “Y ou can't just say, 'Let's put this person in a residential care home instead of a nursing home—she will be much better off,'” Dr. Robison said. What matters, she added, “is a combination of what people bring in with them, and what they find there.”[I] Such findings, which run counter to common sense, have surfaced before. In a multi-state studyof assisted living, for instance, University of North Carolina researchers found that a host of variables—the facility's type, size or age；whether a chain owned it；how attractive the neighborhood was—had no significant relationship to how the residents fared in terms of illness, mental decline, hospitalizations or mortality. What mattered most was the residents' physical health and mental status. What people were like when they came in had greater consequence than what happened once they were there.[J] As I was considering all this, a press release from a respected research firm crossed my desk, announcing that the five-star rating system that Medicare developed in 2008 to help families compare nursing home quality also has little relationship to how satisfied its residents or their family members are. As a matter of fact, consumers expressed higher satisfaction with the one-star facilities, the lowest rated, than with the five-star ones.（More on this study and the star ratings will appear in a subsequent post.)[K] Before we collectively tear our hair out—how are we supposed to find our way in a landscape this confusing?—here is a thought from Dr. Philip Sloane, a geriatrician（老年病学专家)at the University of North Carolina:“In a way, that could be liberating for families.”[L] Of course, sons and daughters want to visit the facilities, talk to the administrators and residents and other families, and do everything possible to fulfill their duties. But perhaps they don't have to turn themselves into private investigators or Congressional subcommittees.“Families can look a bit more for where the residents are going to be happy,” Dr. Sloane said.And involving the future resident in the process can be very important.[M] We all have our own ideas about what would bring our parents happiness. They have their ideas, too. A friend recently took her mother to visit an expensive assisted living/nursing home near my town. I have seen this place—it is elegant, inside and out. But nobody greeted the daughter and mother when they arrived, though the visit had been planned；nobody introduced them to the other residents. When they had lunch in the dining room, they sat alone at a table.[N] The daughter feared her mother would be ignored there, and so she decided to move her into a more welcoming facility. Based on what is emerging from some of this research, that might have been as rational a way as any to reach a decision.36.Many people feel guilty when they cannot find a place other than a nursing home for theirparents.37.Though it helps for children to investigate care facilities, involving their parents in thedecision-making process may prove very important.38.It is really difficult to tell if assisted living is better than a nursing home.39.How a resident feels depends on an interaction between themselves and the care facility theylive in.40.The author thinks her friend made a rational decision in choosing a more hospitable place overan apparently elegant assisted living home.41.The system Medicare developed to rate nursing home quality is of little help to finding asatisfactory place.42.At first the researchers of the most recent study found residents in assisted living facilities gavehigher scores on social interaction.43.What kind of care facility old people live in may be less important than we think.44.The findings of the latest research were similar to an earlier multi-state study of assisted living.45.A resident's satisfaction with a care facility has much to do with whether they had participatedin the decision to move in and how long they had stayed there.Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.As Artificial Intelligence(AI) becomes increasingly sophisticated, there are growing concerns that robots could become a threat. This danger can be avoided, according to computer science professor Stuart Russell, if we figure out how to turn human values into a programmable code.Russell argues that as robots take on more complicated tasks, it's necessary to translate our morals into AI language.For example, if a robot does chores around the house, you wouldn't want it to put the pet cat in the oven to make dinner for the hungry children. “You would want that robot prelo aded with a good set of values,” said Russell.Some robots are already programmed with basic human values. For example, mobile robots have been programmed to keep a comfortable distance from humans. Obviously there are cultural differences, but if you were talking to another person and they came up close in your personal space, you wouldn't think that's the kind of thing a properly brought-up person would do.It will be possible to create more sophisticated moral machines, if only we can find a way to set out human values as clear rules.Robots could also learn values fromdrawing patterns from large sets ofdata on human behavior. They are dangerous only if programmers are careless.The biggest concern with robots going against human values is that human beings fail to do sufficient testing and they've produced a system that will break some kind of taboo（禁忌).One simple check would be to program a robot to check the correct course of action with a human when presented with an unusual situation.If the robot is unsure whether an animal is suitable for the microwave, it has the opportunity to stop, send out beeps（嘟嘟声), and ask for directions from a human. If we humans aren't quite sure about a decision, we go and ask somebody else.The most difficult step in programming values will be deciding exactly what we believe in moral, and how to create a set of ethical rules. But if we come up with an answer, robots could be good for humanity.46.What does the author say about the threat of robots?A)It may constitute a challenge to computer programmers.B)It accompanies all machinery involving high technology.C)It can be avoided if human values are translated into their language.D)It has become an inevitable peril as technology gets more sophisticated.47.What would we think of a person who invades our personal space according to the author?A)They are aggressive.B)They are outgoing.C)They are ignorant.D)They are ill-bred.48.How do robots learn human values?A)By interacting with humans in everyday life situations.B)By following the daily routines of civilized human beings.C)By picking up patterns from massive data on human behavior.D)By imitating the behavior of property brought-up human beings.49.What will a well-programmed robot do when facing an unusual situation?A)Keep a distance from possible dangers.B)Stop to seek advice from a human being.C)Trigger its built-in alarm system at once.D)Do sufficient testing before taking action.50.What is most difficult to do when we turn human values into a programmable code?A)Determine what is moral and ethical.B)Design some large-scale experiments.C)Set rules for man-machine interaction.D)Develop a more sophisticated program. Passage T woQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Why do some people live to be older than others? Y ou know the standard explanations: keeping a moderate diet, engaging in regular exercise, etc. But what effect does your personality have on your longevity（长寿）?Do some kinds of personalities lead to longer lives? A new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society looked at this question by examining the personality characteristics of 246 children of people who had lived to be at least 100.The study shows that those living the longest are more outgoing, more active and less neurotic （神经质的) than other people. Long-living women are also more likely to be sympathetic and cooperative than women with a normal life span. These findings are in agreement with what you would expect from the evolutionary theory: those who like to make friends and help others can gather enough resources to make it through tough times.Interestingly, however, other characteristics that you might consider advantageous had no impact on whether study participants were likely to live longer. Those who were more self-disciplined, for instance, were no more likely to live to be very old. Also, being open to new ideas had no relationship to long life, which might explain all those bad-tempered old people who are fixed in their ways.Whether you can successfully change your personality as an adult is the subject of a longstanding psychological debate. But the new paper suggests that if you want long life, you should strive to be as outgoing as possible.Unfortunately, another recent study shows that your mother's personality may also help determine your longevity. That study looked at nearly 28,000 Norwegian mothers and found that those moms who were more anxious, depressed and angry were more likely to feed their kids unhealthy diets. Patterns of childhood eating can be hard to break when we're adults, which may mean that kids of depressed moms end up dying younger.Personality isn't destiny（命运), and everyone knows that individuals can learn to change. But both studies show that long life isn't just a matter of your physical health but of your mental health.51. The aim of the study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society is____.A)to see whether people's personality affects their life spanB)to find out if one's lifestyle has any effect on their healthC)to investigate the role of exercise in living a long lifeD)to examine all the factors contributing to longevity52. What does the author imply about outgoing and sympathetic people?A)They have a good understanding of evolution.B)They are better at negotiating an agreement.C)They generally appear more resourceful.D)They are more likely to get over hardship.53. What finding of the study might prove somewhat out of our expectation?A)Easy-going people can also live a relatively long life.B)Personality characteristics that prove advantageous actually vary with times.C)Such personality characteristics as self-discipline have no effect on longevity.D)Readiness to accept new ideas helps one enjoy longevity.54. What does the recent study of Norwegian mothers show?A)Children's personality characteristics are invariably determined by theirmothers.B)People with unhealthy eating habits are likely to die sooner.C)Mothers' influence on children may last longer than fathers'.D)Mothers' negative personality characteristics may affect their children's life spans.55.What can we learn from the findings of the two new studies?A)Anxiety and depression more often than not cut short one's life span.B)Longevity results from a combination of mental and physical health.C)Personality plays a decisive role in how healthy one is.D)Health is in large part related to one's lifestyle.Part IV TranslationDirections:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.功夫（Kong Fu) 是中国武术（martial arts）的俗称。

大学英语四级考试模拟题一 Part Ⅰ Writing （30 minutes） Directions： For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic: ONE –OFF CHOPSTICKS. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese： 1. 你和你的朋友在餐厅就餐，你的朋友对餐厅提供的非一次性筷子不满。 2. 餐厅的负责人解释说这是为了节约资源， 并保证这些餐具已经严格消毒； 3. 你对此事的看法和采取的做法。 One-off Chopsticks 注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上。

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension （Skimming and Scanning）（15

minutes） Directions： In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A,B, C and D. For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage. 注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答；8-10题在答题卡1上。 Plastic Bag Pollution The use of plastic bags has increased at an alarming rate since they became popular in the 1980s. Big black bin liners, plastic carrier bags carrying advertising logos, clear sandwich bags and a variety of other forms. They’re lightweight, handy and easily discarded. Too easily discarded. Just take a look around you. Plastic bags can be seen hanging from the branches, flying in the air, settled amongst bushes, and floating on rivers. They block up drains causing water and sewage to overflow and become the breeding grounds of bacteria that cause diseases. Plastic bags are difficult and costly to recycle and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to decay. They break down into tiny toxic particles that pollute the soil and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally consume them. But the problems surrounding waste plastic bags start long before they decay. Our planet is becoming increasingly endangered by our over-use of plastic bags. Production of Plastic Bags Plastic bags are made from ethylene (乙烯)，a gas that is produced as a by-product of oil, gas and coal production. Ethylene is made into polymers (聚合体)—chains of ethylene molecules — called polyethylene. This substance, also known as polythene, is used to produce a range of items, including plastic bags. You have probably noticed two types of plastic shopping bags—the lighter, filmy bags you get from supermarkets and food outlets, and the heavier bags from other retail outlets, like clothing stores. The supermarket bags are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE), while the thicker bags are made from low density polyethylene (LDPE). Unlike HDPE, LDPE can not be recycled. While plastic bags may not be the most high tech application of plastics technology, it is certainly one of the most prevalent. According to Clean Up Australia, Australians use in excess of 6 billion plastic bags per year. If tied together these bags would form a chain that is long enough to go around the world 37 times. More than half of these bags (3.6 billion) are made from HDPE. Dangers to Sea Life Plastic bags are now amongst the top 12 items of waste most often found along the coastlines. Animals and sea creatures are hurt and killed every day by discarded plastic bags—a dead turtle with a plastic bag hanging from its mouth isn’t a pleasant sight but mistaking plastic bags for food is commonplace amongst marine animals. Plastic blocks their intestines (肠道) and leads to slow starvation. Others become entangled in plastic bags and drown. Because plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down, every year our seas become “home” to more and more bags that find their way there through our sewers and waterways. Every bag that’s washed down a drain during rainfall ends up in the sea; every bag that’s flushed down a toilet ends up in the sea; every bag that’s blown into a river will most likely end up in the sea. One disquieting fact stemming from this is that plastic bags can become serial killers. Once an animal diet of plastic bags, it decays at a much faster rate than the bag. Once the animal has decomposed, the bag is released back into the environment more or less intact, ready to be eaten by another misguided organism. The incredibly slow rate of decay of plastic bags also means that each bag we use compounds the problem, because the bags simply accumulate. Pollution Taxes & Bans Different countries have adopted a range of approaches to discourage the use of plastic bags in an attempt to cut down on the number of bags finding their way into the environment. In South Africa for instance, where an estimated eight billion plastic bags are used annually, the government has implemented new regulations that will see only thicker, more durable plastic bags produced. As well as making them more suitable for reuse, it is hoped that the extra cost associated with their production and supply will prevent retailers giving the higher quality bags away, making their use a more expensive option for consumers. The use of plastic bags is being discouraged in other places such as Singapore and Tainwan, while the tax imposed on the use of plastic shopping bags in Ireland has resulted in the use of plastic shopping bags being reduced by 90% in just six months. Prior to the 15 euro cent per bag tax, it was estimated that 1.2 million plastic shopping bags were being handed out in Ireland per year. The money raised from the tax will be used to fund environmental initiatives. While anything that lowers our consumption is good, why wait until we’re hit financially before we change our habits when changes aren’t difficult to make? How about taking previously used bags with you next time you go to the shops? Or even better—turn back time and do as grandma did and take a bamboo basket with you every time you go shopping. Shop-owners would rather you use their bags as they’re a convenient and cheap form of advertising, but what’s more important, shareholder profits or the environment? Plastic bags can be re-cycled although only about one in every 200 ever finds its way to a recycling unit. Find out if there’s a re-cycling bin near you and , if not, ask your local authority for one. Greenhouse Gases Some countries have introduced so called “environmentally friendly plastic bags” that are biodegradable (可生物降解). These bags take about three years to break down into practically nothing and while that sounds like an attractive solution, the truth is that the process of breaking

大学英语四级试卷模拟一试卷答案对照版Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:It was once believed that being overweight was healthy, but nowadays few people subscribe to this viewpoint. While many people are fighting the battle to reduce weight, studies are being conducted concerning the appetite and how it is controlled by both emotional and biochemical factors. Some of the conclusions of these studies may give insights into how to deal with weight problems. For example, when several hundred people were asked about their eating habits in times of stress, 44 percent said they reacted to stressful situations by eating. Further investigations with both humans and animals indicated that it is not food which relieves tension but rather the act of chewing.A test in which subjects were blindfolded showed that obese(肥胖)people have a keener sense of taste and crave（渴望）more flavorful food than non-obese people. When deprived of the variety and intensity of tastes, obese people are not satisfied and consequently eat more to fulfill this need. Blood samples taken from people after they were shown apicture of food revealed that overweight people reacted with an increase in blood insulin（胰岛素）, a chemical associated with appetite. This did not happen to average-weight people.In another experiment, results showed that certain people have aspecific, biologically induced hunger for carbohydrate（糖类）.Eating carbohydrates raises the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. Enough serotonin produces a sense of satiation（满足),and hunger for carbohydrates subsides.Exercise has been recommended as an important part of a weigh-loss program. However, It has been found that mild exercise, such as using the stairs instead of the elevator, is better in the long run than taking on a strenuous program, such as jogging, which many people find difficult to continue over long periods of time and which also increase appetite.1. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.A) overweight people are tenseB) thin people don't eat when under stressC) weight watchers should chew on something inedible when tenseD) 56 percent of the population isn't overweight.2. According to the passage, insulin _______.A) increases in the bloodstream when people eat large amounts of foodB) can be used to lessen the appetiteC) causes a chemical reaction when food is seenD) levels don't change in average-weight people who see food3. In order to lose weight, it would be a good idea for heavy people to _______.A) jog 3 miles daily and chew on carrot sticksB) avoid stressful situations and have control over their eating habitsC) eat plenty of chewy carbohydratesD) walk up stairs and look at pictures of food4. Which of the following exercises might be best for an overweight person to engage in daily?A) An evening walkB) A long swimC) Cross-country skiingD) 10-mile bicycle rides5. What can be said about serotonin?A) It is a chemical that increases the appetite.B) Only certain people produce it in their brains.C) It tells the brain when a person is full.D) It neurotransmits carbohydrates to the brain.Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:Washington Irving was America's first man of letters to be knowninternationally. His works were received enthusiastically both in England and in the United States. He was, in fact, one of themost successful writers of his time in either country, delighting a large general public and at the same time winning the admiration of fellow writers like Scott in Britain and Poe and Hawthorne in the United States. The respect in which he was held was partly owing to the man himself, with his warm friendliness, his good sense, his urbanity, his gay spirits, has artistic integrity, his love of both the Old World and the new. Thackeray described Irving as "a gentleman, who, though himself born in no very high sphere, was most finished, polished, witty; socially the equal of the most refined Europeans." In England he was granted an honorary degree from Oxford-- an unusual honor for a citizen of a young,uncultured nation--- and he received the medal of the Royal Society of Literature; America made him ambassador to Spain.Irving's background provides little to explain his literaryachievements. A gift but deliberate child, he had little schooling, He studied law, but without zeal, and never did practise seriously. He was immune to his strict Prebyterian home environment, frequenting both social gatherings and the theatre.6. The main point of the first paragraph is that Washington Irving was ______.A) America's first man of lettersB) a great writer who was successful in his own country andother parts of the world as wellC) a man who won the respect of other writers because of hishigh social statusD) a man who was able to move from literature to politics7. What is implied by the comment about Scott, Poe and Hawthorne?A) Irving's great popularity resulted in the admiration of Scott, Poe and Hawthorne.B) More Americans than Britains admired Irving.C) Irving's work was not only popular, but also of high literary quality.D) Irving's success was attributed to his family background.8. What can be said about Irving's law career?A) He only began to practice law late in life.B) He spent very little time working as a lawyer.C) He never practiced law although he studied it .D) He worked as a lawyer with great enthusiasm.9. Why did Thackeray think that Irving's social grace was unusual?A) Because Irning's degree was honorable and unusual.B) Because his parents were not aristocratic.C) Because he had good sense and gay spirits.D) Because he often exhibited warm friendiness.10. Which of the following best describes the effect of Irving's Presbyterian background on his life?A) It had almost no effect on his life.B) It promoted his interest in law.C) It fostered his love for literature.D) It enabled him to become a successful writer.Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:Time spent in bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether youare a book lover or merely there to buy a book as a present.Whatever the person , you can soon become totally in awareof your surroundings. You soon become engrossed（全神贯注)in some books, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent far too much time there and must dash off to keep some forgotten appointment --- without buying a book,of course.This opportunity to escape the realities of everyday life is, I think,the main attraction of a bookshop. A music shop is very like a bookshop. You can wander round such places to your heart's content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will approach you with the inevitable greeting:" Can I help you, sir?" You Needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop, an assistant should remain in the background until you havefinished browsing（游览）.Then, and only then, are his services necessary.You have to be careful not to be attracted by the variety of books in a bookshop. It is very easy to enter the shop looking for a book on ancient coins and to come out carrying a copy of the latest best-selling novel and perhaps a book about brass-rubbing -- something which had only vaguely interested you up until then. This volume on the subject, however, happened to be so well illustrated and the part of the text you read proved so interesting that you just had to buy it. This sort of thing can be very dangerous. Apart from running up a huge account, you canwaste a great deal of time wandering from section to section.Booksellers must be both long-suffering and indulgent（宽容）.11. You may be unaware of the time passing by in a bookshop because ______.A) you want to escape the reality of everyday lifeB) you have to finish browsing one of the booksC) you don't want to waste your moneyD) you have to make sure you don't buy a dull book as apresent12. In a good bookshop _______.A) the shop assistant greets you in a friendly wayB) you feel obliged to buy one of the booksC) your heart is contentedD) no shop assistant will approach you unless his service is called13. It is very unwise to enter a bookshop and buy ______.A) a best-selling novel on brass-rubbingB) a book on ancient coinsC) a book on the subject that vaguely interests youD) a book well illustrated and expensive14. According to the writer, the best way to escape the realities of routine life is _____.A) to have a long chat with assistant in a bookshopB) to stay in a bookshop, being absorbed in reading booksof various kindsC) to buy a best-selling novel to readD) to wander about in the streets15. The best title of this selection would be632A) On buying booksB) Bookshops and AssistantsC) Booklovers and BookshopsD) How to Escape the Realities of Everyday Life in a BookshopQuestions 16 to 20 are on the following passage:Social change is more likely to occur in societies where thereis a mixture of different kinds of people than in societies wherepeople are similar in many ways. The simple reason for thisis that there are more different ways of looking at things present in the first kind of society, There are more ideas, more disagreements in interest, and more groups and organizationswith different beliefs. In addition, there is usually a greater worldly interest and greater tolerance in mixed societies.All these factors tend to promote social change by openingmore areas of life to decision. In a society where people arequite similar in many ways, there are fewer occasions for people to see the need or the opportunity for changebecauseeverything seems to be the same. And although conditionsmay not be satisfactory, they are at least customary and undisputed.Within a society, social change is also likely to occur more frequently and more readily in the material aspects of the culture than in the non-material, for example, in technologyrather than in values; in what has been learned later in life rather than what was learned early; in the less basic andless emotional aspects of society than in their opposites;in the simple elements rather than in the complex ones;in form rather than in substance; and in elements that are acceptable to the culture rather than in strange elements.Furthermore, social change is easier if it is gradual.For example, it comes readily on human relations on acontinuous scale rather than one with sharp dichotomies.This is one reason why change has not come more quickly to black Americans as compared to other Americanminorities, because of the sharp difference in appearancebetween them and their white counterparts.16. According to the passage, one of the factors that tendto promote social change is _____.A) mutual interestB) different points of viewC) more worldly peopleD) advanced technology17. Social change is less likely to occur in a society wherepeople are quite similar in many ways because______.A) people there are always satisfied with their living conditionsB) people there have identical needs that can be met withoutmuch disputesC) people there have got accustomed to their conditions thatthey seldom think it necessary to changeD) people there are less emotional and easy to please18. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?A) Social values play an important role in social change.B) Social change is more likely to occur in the materialaspectsof society.C) Social change is more likely to occur if it comes graduallyD) Social change tends to meet with more difficulty in basic andemotional aspects of society.19. The expression "greater tolerance" in Paragraph 1 refersto ______.A) greater willingness to accept social changeB) quicker adoption to changing circumstancesC) more respect for different beliefs and behaviorD) greater readiness to agree to different opinions and ideas20. The passage mainly discusses______.A) two different societiesB) the necessary of social changeC) different social changesD) certain factors that determine the ease with which socialchanges occurPart 2 Vocabulary and structureDirections: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part, For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C), and D) .Choose the ONE answer that best competes the sentence.Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet witha single line through the canter.21. The presence of armed guards ______ us from doinganything disruptive.A) excitedB) irritatedC) preventedD) encourage22. -- Do you know the girl with long hair?-- I don't think so, although she ______ me of someone I know.A) remembersB) remindsC) recallsD) recollects23. When you read his books, you have to read between thelines; there's so much _____ in his writing.A) ironyB) vocabularyC) grammarD) idiom24. If the pressure is not _______ immediately, there may be an explosion.A) relievedB) retreatedC) revealedD) released25. She had been kind to me, so I felt ______ to help her when she was in trouble.A) detachedB) obligedC) generousD) virtuous26. The music would stop at intervals, then ______ after a while.A) restoreC) resumeD) assume27. The new laws threaten to ______ many people of the most elementary freedoms.A) depriveB) deceiveC) snatchD) depress28. Machinery ______ rapidly if it is not taken care of .A) devastatesB) destroysC) dedicatesD) deteriorates29. Knowledge then is the _____ condition of expansion of mind.A) indigestibleB) indispensableC) indissolubleD) indisputable30. We must try to ______ the best of our moral values for our children and grandchildren.B) prescribeC) purchaseD) preserve31. Some very important issues were ______ all his attention.A) taking upB) taking offC) taking outD) taking in32. She has bought a pair of glasses, which she can never ______when reading books.A) do withB) do withoutC) do upD) do away33. Now the problem of energy is becoming critical. It _____ an immediate solution.A) calls onB) calls upC) calls atD) calls for34. What happened in that class probably reflects what ishappening in society _______.A) at firstB) at randomC) at largeD) at length35. _______ the gas shortage, I'm going to buy a compact car this year.A) In front ofB) In place ofC) In terms ofD) In view of36. His mother always keeps a candle in the house ______there is a power cut.A) in caseB) in the caseC) in the eventD) in event of37. Not only ______ resulted in vast expenses, but they have endangered human existence as well.A) nuclear weapons haveB) have nuclear weaponsC) will nuclear weaponsD) nuclear weapons that38. Air ______ of a combination of nitrogen and oxygen.A) composesB) comprisesC) formsD) consists39. _______ composers such as Mozart, who was treated as an employee by those who commissioned him, Beethoven enjoyedequal social status with his employers.A) becauseB) There wereC) UnlikeD) Having been40. The strong beam of light from a light house is used by sailors _______.A) to determining their locationB) in determining their locationC) with determining their locationD) while determining their location41. _______ travels 5.8 trillion miles in one year has beenscientifically proven.A) That lightB) LightC) For light toD) When light42. Even though African game preserves have saved many animals,there are ______ that will not be saved.A) some otherB) all othersC) many moreD) much more43. After writing poetry unsuccessfully for several years, he was not certain whether to quit or ______ with his art.A) if he should continueB) to be continuedC) to continueD) he should continue44. John offered us a lift when he was leaving the office, but our work _______, we declined the offer.A) not being finishedB) not having finishedC) had not been finishedD) was not finished45. That town was no longer the sleepy littlevillage ________.A) it wereB) it wasC) it has beenD) it had been46. -- I saw Sam in the library yesterday morning.-- You ______ him; he is still abroad.A) might not seeB) could not seeC) can't have seenD) mustn't have seen47. It is absolutely essential that all the applicants ______ one by one.A) interviewedB) to interviewC) be interviewedD) to be interviewing48. I think I should prefer to go on Thursday, _______ it's all the same to you.A) as ifB) ifC) unlessD) as soon as49. My approach is not to learn everything about something,but _____ something about everything.A) rather to learnB) rather learningC) to rather learnD) rather than learn50. Advice should be provided free to_______ needs it.A) whomB) whoeverC) whoD) no matter whoPart 3 TranslationDirections: In this part, there are five items which you shouldtranslate into Chinese, each item consisting of one or two sentences. There sentences are all taken from the Reading Passages you have just read in Part 1 of this paper. You are allowed 15 minutes to do the translation. You should refer backto the passages so as to identify their meanings in the context.51. ( Passage 1, Para.1)Further investigations with both humans and animals indicatedthat it is not food which relieves tension but rather the act of chewing.52. (Passage 1, Para.2)When deprived of the variety and intensity of tastes, obese people are not satisfied and consequently eat more to fulfill this need.53. (Passage 2,Para. 2)Irving's background provides little to explain his literary achievements.A gifted but deliberate child, he had little schooling.54. (Passage 3, Para. 3)Apart from running up a huge account, you can waste a greatdeal of time wandering from section to section.55. ( Passage 4, Para. 1)In addition, there is usually a greater worldly interest and greater tolerance in mixed societies.Part 4 WritingDirections: for this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition on the topic The Quality of Products. You should write at least 100 words, and base your composition the outline on the outline (given in Chinese) below:1. 产品质量差的原因2. 产品质量差的后果3. 怎样提高产品质量The Quality of Products模拟一答案1. C2. D3. B4. A5. C6. B7. C8. B9. B10. A11. D12. D13. C14. B15. A16. B17. C19. D20. D21. C22. B23. A24. D25. B26. C27. A28. D29. B30. D31. A32. B33. D34. C35. D36. A37. B38. D39. C41. A42. C43. C44. A45. D46. C47. C48. B49. A50. B51. 对人类和动物的进一步调查表明,, 减轻(精神)压力的(因素)不是食物,, 而是咀嚼动作。

--2大学英语四级模仿题第一套Part One Writing (30 minutes)Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and then express your views on the importance of reading literature. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section A Directions：In this section，you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，youwill hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A)，B)，C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 will be based on the following news item.1. A) A rocket has been successfully launched.B) There was a rocket hitting the moon.C) A deep dark hole appeared on the moon’s South Pole.D) There was an amazing finding made by LRO.2. A) Some form of water existed on the moon.B) The water on the moon was as much as in the desert.C) There was a lot of rocket remaining on the moon surface.D) A large area has been affected by the rocket.Questions 3 and 4 will be based on the following news item.3. A) Babies. B) Old men. C) Young men. D) Doctors.4. A) Because their babies are particularly weak.B) Because the flu vaccines are too difficult to reach.C) Because the flu vaccines can be lifesaving for them.D) Because this is the decision made by the committee.Questions 5 to 7 will be based on the following news item.5. A) A lightning strike started the fire.B) The Great Ocean Road attracted many tourists.C) Traffic was very busy on Christmas Day.D) Residents were forced to leave their homes.6. A) The hot and windy weather might expand bushfires.B) There will be a strong earthquake.C) Their homes were destroyed by the fires on Christmas Day.D) The temperatures will fall down soon.7. A) On Christmas Day. B) On December 19th.C) In winter. D) On a windy day.Section BDirections：In this section，you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A)，B)，C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Conversation One Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) To make the man feel happy.B) To persuade the man to shop with his kids.C) To convince the man Christmas is worth spending.D) To prevent the man from spending too much shopping.9. A) At a Christmas party. B) Not long before Christmas.C) At the New Year’s Eve.D) On some day of April.10. A) Expectation. B) Complaint. C) Enjoyment. D) Indifference.11. A) Paying off Christmas bills. B) Trying to earn more money.C) Preparing for Christmas. D) Limiting his wife’s expense. Conversation Two Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He doesn’t feel like doing it.B) He thinks it doesn’t suit him.C) It will take too much time. D) It is not funny at all.13. A) Go hill walking. B) Go swimming. C) Go cycling. D) Dine out.14. A) It has existed for a long time. B) It enjoys very good business.C) The owner of the restaurant is an Italian. D) It is located on a busy street.15. A) He cannot get the meal ready so early. B) He didn’t want to get a table himself.C) He thinks it’s too early to have lunch.D) He has to go and see a relative before then. Section C Directions：In this section，you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage，you will hearsome questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you heara question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A)，B)，C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Passage One Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) Cheap clothes. B) Expensive clothes. C) Fashionable clothes. D) Casual clothes.17. A) They enjoy loud music. B) They seldom lose their temper.C) They want to have children. D) They enjoy modern dances.18. A) The speaker goes to bed very late and her sister gets up early.B) The speaker’s twin sister often brings friends home and his annoys her.C) The speaker likes to keep things neat while her twin sister doesn’t.D) They can’t agree on the color of the room and furniture.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) The great number of people engaged in cigarette producing.B) The rapid development of cigarette-making machines.C) The rapid development of cigarette-making factories.D) The increasing output of tobacco.20. A) Forty-three. B) Thirty-one.C) Seventy-five. D) Forty-six.21. A) Income，years of schooling and job type.B) Family background and work environment.C) Education and mood.D) Occupation and influence of family members.22. A) City people smoke less than people living on farms.B) Better-educated men tend to smoke more heavily than other men.C) Better-educated women tend to smoke more heavily than other women.D) A well-paid man is likely to smoke more packs of cigarettes per day.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The speed and journey of the fastest rocket soaring to the sun.B) The brightness of the sun and its distance from the earth.C) The size and heat of the sun compared with other stars.D) The total heat and time a column of ice needs to melt.24. A) 93 million degrees Centigrade. B) 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.C) 10,000 degrees Centigrade. D) Over 2,000 degree Fahrenheit.25. A) The sun casts its light to millions of other stars.B) Most of t he sun’s heat and light are received on the earth.C) More resources from the sun will make the earth even prosperous.D) Appropriate amount of heat and light makes life on the earth possible.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section，there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word fore each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.Pearls are valuable white gems from the ocean. Actually they are produced by oysters，small shell fish living on the bottom of the ocean.Only some oysters will make pearls. Oysters 26 _____ pearls only when they are hurt，or injured，by sand. If a grain of sand enters the oyster's shell，it becomes 27 _____ because the rough grain of sand irritates its 28 ______，soft skin.The oyster tries to protect itself by producing a white 29 ______ that looks like milk. The oyster covers the sand with a 30 ______ fluid which protects itself. Later the white liquid becomes hard and forms a shell，or a bead，around the sand. At this time a pearl is beginning to 31 _____.The white pearl grows slowly inside the oyster's shell. Usually，it takes about six or seven years for the oyster to produce a pearl.Of course，not all oysters produce pearls even though most oysters 32 _____ take sand into their shells. Only sand which the oyster cannot get rid of will 33 ______ it. In other words，if an oyster "swallows" some sand，it will try to "split it out". If the oyster cannot get rid of the sand，then it will produce the white fluid to protect itself. 34 ______，only about one in a thousand oysters will produce a pearl；fewer than 1 percent.35 ______，some pearl manufacturers have discovered how to make oysters produce pearls. These pearl manufacturers — such as the Mikimoto Company in Japan — try to produce pearls instead of finding them.Directions：In this section，you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify theparagraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Write the corresponding letter for eachstatement on Answer Sheet 2.No，Seriously：No ExcusesA.In the early days of the education reform movement，a decade or so ago，you'd often hear fromreformers a powerful rallying cry，"No excuses." For too long，they said，poverty had been used as an excuse by complacent (自满) educators and bureaucrats who refused to believethat poor students could achieve at high levels. Reform-minded school leaders took theopposite approach，insisting that students in the South Bronx should be held to the samestandards as kids in Scarsdale. Amazingly enough，those high expectations often paid off，producing test results at some low-income urban schools that would impress parents in anyaffluent suburb,B. Ten years later，you might think that reformers would be feeling triumphant. Spurred in part bythe Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative，many states have passed laws reformers have long advocated：allowing for more charter schools，weakening teachers' tenure (终身职位) protections，compensating teachers in part based on their students performance. But infact，the mood in the reform camp seems increasingly anxious and defensive.C. Last month，Diane Ravitch，an education scholar who has emerged as the most potent critic ofthe reform movement，wrote an Op Ed for this newspaper arguing that raising high povertyschools to consistently high levels of proficiency is much more difficult and less common than reformers make it out to be. When politicians hold up specific schools in low incomeneighborhoods as success stories，Ravitch wrote，those successes often turn out，on closerexamination，to be less spectacular than they appear. She mentioned the Bruce RandolphSchool in Denver，which President Obama singled out as an example of "what good schoolscan do," and the Urban Prep Academy in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. Each schoolgraduates a very high percentage of its seniors，but，Ravitch said，test scores at those schools suggested that students were below average in the basic academic skills necessary for success in college and in life.D. The backlash(激烈反映) was quick and intense. Duncan said that Ravitch was "insulting all of the hardworking teachers，principals and students all across the country who are proving her wrong every day. " Jonathan Alter，a columnist for Bloomberg View，wrote that she was"sliming reformers" and later，when he and Ravitch appeared together on a Denver radio show，accused her of "abusing statistics" in her analysis of the schools achievement test scores.E. The Bruce Randolph school，Alter explained，"should not be compared to other Coloradoschools in affluent neighborhoods" ；to consider Randolph's scores alongside those of white， middle class schools was like "comparing apples and oranges." Instead，he argued，the school should be judged on the "stunning" fact that its ninth grade writing proficiency rates haddoubled since ，improving to 15 percent of the class from 7 percent，and that its ninthgrade math proficiency rates had risen to 14 percent of the class from 5 percent.F. A week later，the founder of Urban Prep，Tim King，took to the Huffington Post to defend hisschool against Ravitch's charges. King acknowledged that just 17 percent of his 11th gradestudents passed the statewide achievement test last year，while in the Chicago public schools as a whole，the comparable figure was 29 percent. But echoing Alter's fruit metaphor，he wrotethat Ravitch was comparing "apples to grapefruits" by holding the students at Urban Prep，who are almost all black males from low-income families，to the standards of " children from allacross Chicago. "Q. To point out the obvious：These are excuses. In fact，they are the very same excuses for failurethat the education reform movement was founded to oppose. (If early reformers believed inanything，it was that every student is an apple. ) And not only are they excuses；they aren'teven particularly persuasive ones. By any reasonable measure，students at Bruce Randolph are doing very badly. The average ACT score at Randolph last year was 14，the second lowestaverage of any high school in Denver，placing students in the bottom 10 percent of ACT test takers nationwide. In the middle school，composite scores on state tests put students at the first percentile(百分位) in reading and writing (meaning that at 99 percent of Colorado schools，students are scoring better，and at the fifth percentile in math. As for Urban Prep：demographicdata show that the school's students are not，in fact，disadvantaged grapefruits among well to do apples when compared with the city's student population as a whole；84 percent of itsstudents are low income and 99. 8 percent are nonwhite，while in Chicago public schools，86 percent of students are low income and 91 percent are nonwhite.H. We can quibble (推托) about fruit all day，but a more productive response would be torecommit to the principle that 15 (or 17) percent proficiency just isn't good enough，no matter where you live. To acknowledge this fact is not to say that reform is doomed；it is not blaming students or insulting teachers. It is merely reminding ourselves that the 83 percent of 11thgrade students at Urban Prep who didn't pass the state exam，and the 85 percent of 9th gradestudents at Bruce Randolph who didn't pass the state writing test，deserve better.I. So why are some reformers resorting to excuses?Most likely for the same reason that urbaneducators from an earlier generation made excuses：successfully educating large numbers oflow income kids is very，very hard. But it is not impossible，as reformers have repeatedlydemonstrated on a small scale. To achieve systemwide success，though，we need a shift instrategy.J. The reformers policy goals are，in most cases，quite worthy. Yes，contracts should berenegotiated so that the best teachers are given incentives (勉励，勉励) to teach in the poorest schools，and yes，school systems should extend the school day and school year for low income students，as many successful charter schools have done. But these changes are not nearlysufficient. As Paul Reville，the Massachusetts secretary of education，wrote recently inEducation Week，traditional reform strategies "will not，on average，enable us to overcome thebarriers to student learning posed by the conditions of poverty. " Reformers also need to takeconcrete steps to address the whole range of factors that hold poor students back. That doesn'tmean sitting around hoping for Utopian social change. It means supplementing classroomstrategies with targeted，evidence based interventions outside the classroom：workingintensively with the most disadvantaged families to improve home environments for youngchildren；providing high quality early childhood education to children from the neediestfamilies；and，once school begins，providing low income students with a robust system ofemotional and psychological support，as well as academic support.K. School reformers often portray these efforts as a distraction from their agenda—something for someone else to take care of while they do the real work of wrestling with the teachers unions. But in fact，these strategies are essential to the success of the school reform movement.Pretending they are not is just another kind of excuse.36. In Chicago public schools，the percentage of low-income students is higher than that of UrbanPrep.37. To acknowledge that 15 (or 17) percent proficiency just isn't good enough is remindingourselves that those who didn't pass the state exam deserve better.38. Those strategies for helping low incomes out are essential to the success of the school reform movement.39. Urban educators from an earlier generation made excuses that successfully educating largenumbers of low income kids is very hard but not impossible.40. The ninthgrade math proficiency rates of Bruce Randolph School had risen by 9 percent.41. Diane Ravitch was charged with "abusing statistics" on a Denver radio show.42. Reformers need to provide low income students with a robust system of emotional，psychological supports and academic support.43. Diane Ravitch thought that raising high-poverty schools to consistently high levels ofproficiency is much more difficult and less common than what reformers expect.44. The students at Urban Prep are almost all black males from low income families.45. Allowing for more charter schools，weakening teachers' tenure protections and compensating teachers in part based on their students' performance are long-term goals for reformers.Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A)，B)，C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.What does the typical American or Canadian usually eat?Most people think that the typical North American diet consists of fast foods —hamburgers and French fries. It also includes convenience foods，usually frozen or canned，"junk food"，without much food value —candy，potato chips，cereal with lots of sugar but no vitamins —and so on. This diet is very high in sugar，salt，fat，and cholesterol (胆固醇) and the choice of food does not provide much good nutrition.However，eating habits are changing. North Americans are becoming more interested in good health，and nutrition is an important part of health. People are eating less red meat and fewer eggs，and they are eating more chicken and fish. They know that chicken and fish are better for their health than meat or eggs because these foods do not contain much fat or cholesterol. Some foods might cause health problems，and people want to stay away from them.For health reasons，many people are also buying more fresh vegetables. They may eat them without cooking them first，or they might cook them quickly in very little water because they want to keep the vitamins.The "typical" North American diet now includes food from many different countries. More ethnic restaurants are opening in big cities in the United States and Canada. Foods from Japan，Thailand，Mexico，West Africa，China，and India are very popular.How are we going to eat in the future?We will probably continue to eat more fish and vegetables and less meat. We will still buy convenience foods，but frozen foods will be better for our health，and canned foods will have less salt and sugar. Our "junk food" in the future is not really going to be "junk" at all，because instead of candy bars we are going to eat "nutrition bars" with a lot of vitamins and protein. In the future，our diet will probably be even more interesting and healthful than it is now.46. What does “junk food” refer to?A) The food which can be served fast. B) The food which cooks well.C) The food which is short of nutrition. D) The food which contains less sugar.47. North Americans are changing their eating habits because now ______.A) they are paying more attention to food nutritionB) they can produce more chicken and fishC) food prices are becoming higher and higherD) food problems are becoming more and more serious48. What eating habit are some North Americans getting into?A) Eating fresh vegetables and fruits only.B) Eating more raw fresh vegetables.C) Eating food full of vitamins.D) Eating out in different foreign restaurants.49. What will happen to the foods in North America in the future?A) More convenient foods will be produced.B) The canned foods will be without salt and sugar.C) The "junk food" will no longer exist.D) The diet we have will be all healthful.50. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?A) Different Eating Habits B) The Popular Western FoodsC) Foods in North America D) Changes in Diet of North AmericansPassage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.For many African people，life changed dramatically in recent years. This is especially true far the Tuareg people of north-central Africa. Historically，the Tuaregs led the life of nomads (游牧民)，people without permanent home. They traveled across the Sahara Desert in caravans (商队) of camels，carrying goods between Arab Africa in the north and black Africa in the south.The Tuaregs were a light-skinned Berber people，with a culture and language of their own. Europeans called them the "blue men" of the desert because they dressed all in blue，even their shoes. They were well known for their great skill in finding their way across the open desert with the only stars to guide them. They were also known for their independent spirit. In fact，they loved the nomad way of life. National borders had no meaning for them in the desert. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries，Africa was divided up and ruled by various European countries，but this did not affect the Tuaregs，who continued to move freely.In the middle-twentieth century，however，there were big changes in Africa. In many countries，black Africans began to break free of European rule and set up their own governments. As the new governments gained power，national borders became more important and it becamemore difficult for the Tuaregs to travel and trade.At the same time，another big change had come to the area. People were beginning to use motor vehicles for traveling across the desert. Cars and trucks were faster and more efficient than camels. Thus，the Tuaregs caravans lost their important role in the desert. The old way of life was now definitely over.The question was how could the Tuaregs now make a living?They noticed that the people living near water holes could plant vegetable gardens and suffered less from the drought. Soon Tuaregs began to settle down near the old watering places in the desert. They began to grow vegetables and fruit trees.Now many of Tuaregs miss their caravan days and some dream of teaching their children the old ways，but instead，they are teaching them to be farmers.51. Where are Tuareg people living now?A) In the Sahara Desert. B) In north Africa.C) In south Africa. D) In north-central Africa.52. The distinctive feature of the Tuareg people was that______.A) they had light skin B) they all dressed in blueC) they spoke their own language D) they led a unique way of life53. What was the situation of Africa in the middle-twentieth century?A) Europeans and black Africans set up their own borders.B) Africa was divided up and controlled by European powers.C) Many African countries were out of control of Europeans.D) There were fierce battles between black Africans and Europeans.54. What is the main factor that made the Tuaregs caravans lose their importance?A) Black Africans set up their own governments.B) People used motor vehicles for transportation in the desert.C) The Tuaregs lost their important traveling tool — camels.D) National borders became important in Africa.55. Tuaregs are now living their lives by ______.A) setting down to grow vegetables and fruitsB) moving from one water hole to anotherC) carrying goods with cars and trucksD) teaching their children how to be farmersPart IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.苏州是座水城，也是一座园林(gardens)都市，因而它被称作“东方威尼斯”。

2015年12月英语四级考试真题试卷（第一套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying "Listening is more important than talking?" You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of paying attention to others' opinions. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________Part ⅡListening Comprehension ( 30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations.At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After each question there will be a pause.During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A, B, C,and D.and decide which is the best answer.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer .Sheet I with a single line through the center.1.A) They admire the courage of space explorers.B)They were going to watch a wonderful movie.C)They enjoyed the movie on space exploration.D)They like doing scientific exploration very much.2.A) In a school library.B)At a gift shop.C)In the office of a travel agency.D)At a graduation ceremony.3.A) He used to work in the art gallery.B)He does not have a good memoiy.C)He is not interested in any part-time jobs.D)He declined a job offer from the art gallery.4.A) He will be unable to attend the birthday party.B)The woman should have informed him earlier.C)He will go to the birthday party after the lecture.D)Susan has been invited to give a lecture tomorrow.5.A) Set a deadline for the staff to meet.B)Assign more workers to the project.C)Reward those having made good progress.D)Encourage the staff to work in small groups.6.A) Where she can leave her car.B)The rate for parking in Lot C.C)How far away the parking lot is.D)The way to the visitor's parking.7.A) He regrets missing the classes. B) He has benefited from exercise.C) He plans to take the fitness classes. D) He is looking forward to a better life.8. A) How to select secretaries. B) How to raise work efficiency.C) The responsibilities of secretaries. D) The secretaries in the man's company. Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A) It is used by more people than English. B) It is more difficult to learn than English.C) It will be as commonly used as English. D) It will eventually become a world language.10.A) Its popularity with the common people. B) The effect of the Industrial Revolution.C) The influence of the British Empire. D) Its loan words from many languages.11.A) It has a growing number of newly coined words.B) It includes a lot of words from other languages.C) It is the largest among all languages in the world.D) It can be easily picked up by overseas travellers.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) To place an order. B) To apply for a job.C) To return some goods. D) To make a complaint.13.A) He works on a part-time basis for the company.B) He has not worked in the sales department for long.C) He is not familiar with the exact details of the goods.D) He has become somewhat impatient with the woman.14.A) It is not his responsibility. B) It win be free for large orders.C) It depends on a number of factors. D) It costs ￡15 more for express delivery.15.A) Make inquiries with some other companies.B) Report the information to her superior.C) Pay a visit to the saleswoman in charge.D) Ring back when she comes to a decision.Section BDirections：In this section, you will hear 3 short passages.At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B,C.and D .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the center.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.16.A) No one knows for sure when they came into being.B) No one knows exactly where they were first made.C) No one knows for what purpose they were invented.D) No one knows what they will look like in the future.17.A) Measure the speed of wind. B) Give warnings of danger.C) Pass on secret messages. D) Carry ropes across rivers.18.A) To find out the strength of silk for kites. B) To test the effects of the lightning rod.C) To prove that lightning is electricity. D) To protect houses against lightning.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) She was born with a talent for languages. B) She was trained to be an interpreter.C) She can speak several languages. D) She enjoys teaching languages.20.A) They want to learn as many foreign languages as possible.B) They have an intense interest in cross-cultural interactions.C) They acquire an immunity to culture shock.D) They would like to live abroad permanently.21.A) She became an expert in horse racing.B) She learned to appreciate classical music.C) She was able to translate for a German sports judge.D) She got a chance to visit several European countries.22.A) Take part in a cooking competition. B) Taste the beef and give her comment.C) Teach vocabulary for food in English. D) Give cooking lessons on Western food.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23.A) He had only a third-grade education. B) He once threatened to kill his teacher.C) He often helped his mother do housework. D) He grew up in a poor single-parent family.24.A) Stupid. B) Active. C) Brave. D) Careless.25.A) Watch educational TV programs only. B) Write two book reports a week.C) Help with housework. D) Keep a diary.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times.When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea.When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard.Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.When you look up at the night sky, what do you see? There are other __26__ bodies out there besides the moon and stars. One of the most __27__ of these is a comet (彗星).Comets were formed around the same time the Earth was formed. They are __28__ ice and other frozen liquids and gases. __29__ these "dirty snowballs" begin to orbit the sun, just as the planets do.As a comet gets closer to the sun, some gases in it begin to unfreeze. They __30__ dust particles from the comet to form a huge cloud. As the comet gets even nearer to the sun, a solar wind blows the cloud behind the comet, thus forming its tail. The tail and the __31__ fuzzy (模糊的) atmosphere around a comet are __32__ that can help identify this __33__ in the night sky.In any given year, about a dozen known comets come close to the sun in their orbits. The average person can't see them all, of course. Usually there is only one or two a year bright enough to be seen with the __34__ eye. Comet Hale-Bopp, discovered in 1995, was an unusually bright comet. Its orbit brought it __35__ close to the Earth, within 122 million miles of it. But Hale-Bopp came a long way on its earthly visit. It won't be back for another four thousand years or so.Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections : In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the passage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the center. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.Scholars of the information society are divided over whether social inequality decreases or increases in an information-based society. However, they generally agree with the idea that inequality in the information society is __36__ different from that of an industrial society. As informatization progresses in society, the cause and structural nature of social inequality changes as well.It seems that the information society __37__ the quantity of information available to the members of a society by revolutionizing the ways of using and exchanging information. But such a view is a __38__ analysis based on the quantity of information supplied by various forms of the mass media. A different __39__ is possible when the actual amount of information __40__ by the user is taken into account. In fact, the more information __41__ throughout the entire society,the wider the gap becomes between "information haves" and "information have-nots" , leading to digital divide.According to recent studies, digital divide has been caused by three major __42__: class, sex, and generation. In terms of class, digital divide exists among different types of workers and between the upper and middle classes and the lower class. With __43__ to sex, digital divide exists between men and women. The greatest gap, however, is between the Net-generation, __44__ with personal computers and the Internet, and the older generation, __45__ to an industrial society.A) accustomed B) acquired C) assembly D) attribute E) championsF) elements G) expands H) familiar I) flows J) fundamentallyK) interpretation L) passive M) regard N) respectively O) superficialSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Joy: A Subject Schools LackBecoming educated should not require giving up pleasure.A) When Jonathan Swift proposed, in 1729, that the people of Ireland eat their children, he insisted it would solve three problems at once: feed the hungry masses, reduce the population during a severe depression, and stimulate the restaurant business. Even as a satire (讽刺), it seems disgusting and shocking in America with its child-centered culture. But actually, the country is closer to his proposal than you might think.B) If you spend much time with educators and policy makers, you'll hear a lot of the following words: "standards," "results," "skills," "self-control," "accountability," and so on. I have visited some of the newer supposedly "effective" schools, where children shout slogans in order to leam self-control or must stand behind their desk when they can't sit still.C) A look at what goes on in most classrooms these days makes it abundantly clear that when people think about education, they are not thinking about what it feels like to be a child, or what makes childhood an important and valuable stage of life in its own right.D) I'm a mother of three, a teacher, and a developmental psychologist. So I've watched a lot of children—talking, playing, arguing, eating, studying, and being young. Here's what I've come to understand. The thing that sets children apart from adults is not their ignorance, nor their lack of skills. It's their enormous capacity for joy. Think of a 3-year-old lost in the pleasures of finding out what he can and cannot sink in the bathtub, a 5-year-old beside herself with the thrill of puttingtogether strings of nonsensical words with her best friends, or an 11-year-old completely absorbed in a fascinating comic strip. A child's ability to become deeply absorbed in something, and derive intense pleasure from that absorption, is something adults spend the rest of their lives trying to return to.E) A friend told me the following story. One day, when he went to get his 7-year-old son from soccer practice, his kid greeted him with a downcast face and a sad voice. The coach had criticized him for not focusing on his soccer drills. The little boy walked out of the school with his head and shoulders hanging down. He seemed wrapped in sadness. But just before he reached the car door, he suddenly stopped, crouching (蹲伏) down to peer at something on the sidewalk. His face went down lower and lower, and then, with complete joy he called out, "Dad. Come here. This is the strangest bug I've ever seen. It has, like, a million legs. Look at this. It's amazing. " He looked up at his father, his features overflowing with energy and delight. "Can't we stay here for just a minute? I want to find out what he does with all those legs. This is the coolest ever. "F) The traditional view of such moments is that they constitute a charming but irrelevant byproduct of youth—something to be pushed aside to make room for more important qualities, like perseverance (坚持不懈), obligation, and practicality. Yet moments like this one are just the kind of intense Absoiption and pleasure adults spend the rest of their lives seeking. Human lives are governed by the desire to experience joy. Becoming educated should not require giving up joy but rather lead to finding joy in new kinds of things: reading novels instead of playing with small figures, conducting experiments instead of sinking cups in the bathtub, and debating serious issues rather than stringing together nonsense words, for example. In some cases, schools should help children find new, more grown-up ways of doing the same things that are constant sources of joy: making art, making friends, making decisions.G) Building on a child's ability to feel joy, rather than pushing it aside, wouldn't be that hard. It would just require a shift in the education world's mindset (思维模式). Instead of trying to get children to work hard, why not focus on getting them to take pleasure in meaningful, productive activity, like making things, working with others, exploring ideas, and solving problems? These focuses are not so different from the things in which they delight.H) Before you brush this argument aside as rubbish, or think of joy as an unaffordable luxury in a nation where there is awful poverty, low academic achievement, and high dropout rates, think again. The more horrible the school circumstances, the more important pleasure is to achieving any educational success.I) Many of the assignments and rules teachers come up with, often because they are pressured by their administrators, treat pleasure and joy as the enemies of competence and responsibility. The assumption is that children shouldn't chat in the classroom because it hinders hard work; instead, they should leain to delay gratification (快乐) so that they can pursue abstract goals, like going to college.J) Not only is this a boring and awful way to treat children, it makes no sense educationally.Decades of research have shown that in order to acquire skills and real knowledge in school, kids need to want to learn. You can force a child to stay in his or her seat, fill out a worksheet, or practice division. But you can't force the child to think carefully, er\joy books, digest complex information, or develop a taste for learning. To make that happen, you have to help the child find pleasure inlearning—to see school as a source of joy.K) Adults tend to talk about learning as if it were medicine; unpleasant, but necessary and good for you. Why not instead think of learning as if it were food—something so valuable to humans that they have evolved to experience it as a pleasure?L) Joy should not be trained out of children or left for after-school programs. The more difficult a child's life circumstances, the more important it is for that child to find joy in his or her classroom. "Pleasure" is not a dirty word. And it doesn't run counter to the goals of public education. It is, in fact, the precondition.46. It will not be difficult to make learning a source of joy if educators change their way of thinking.47. What distinguishes children from adults is their strong ability to derive joy from what they are doing.48. Children in America are being treated with shocking cruelty.49. It is human nature to seek joy in life.50. Grown-ups are likely to think that learning to children is what medicine is to patients.51. Bad school conditions make it all the more important to turn learning into a joyful experience.52. Adults do not consider children's feelings when it comes to education.53. Administrators seem to believe that only hard work will lead children to their educational goals.54. In the so-called "effective" schools, children are taught self-control under a set of strict rules.55. To make learning effective, educators have to ensure that children want to leam.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C. And D .You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer. Sheet 2 with a single line through the center.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.When it's five o'clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, for many workers, is defined by time. They leave when the clock tells them they're done.These days, the time is everywhere-, not just on clocks or watches, but on cell-phones and computers. That may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research shows that clock-basedwork schedules hinder morale (士气) and creativity.Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example: a meeting from 9 a. m. to 10 a. m. , research from 10 a. m. to noon, etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish. They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all of us employ a mix of both these types of planning.What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Does one make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experiments conducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organize different activities—from project planning, holiday shopping, to yoga—by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under "clock time" vs "task time. " They found clock timers to be more efficient but less happy because they felt little control Over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but less productive. They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up.The researchers argue that task-based organizing tends to be undervalued and under-supported in business culture. Smart companies, they believe, will try to bake more task-based planning into their strategies.This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but the researchers argue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy: work organized by clock time. While most people will still probably need, and be, to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when performing a job that requires more creativity. It'll make those tasks easier, and the task-doers will be happier.56. What does the author think of time displayed everywhere?A) It makes everybody time-conscious.B) It is a convenience for work and life.C) It may have a negative effect on creative work.D) It clearly indicates the fast pace of modem life.57. How do people usually go about their work according to the author?A) They combine clock-based and task-based planning.B) They give priority to the most urgent task on hand.C) They set a time limit for each specific task.D) They accomplish their tasks one by one.58. What did Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier find in their experiments about clock-timers?A) They seize opportunities as they come up.B) They always get their work done in time.C) They have more control over their lives.D) They tend to be more productive.59. What do the researchers say about today's business culture?A) It does not support the strategies adopted by smart companies.B) It does not attach enough importance to task-based practice.C) It places more emphasis on work efficiency than on workers' lives.D) It aims to bring employees' potential and creativity into full play.60. What do the researchers suggest?A) Task-based timing is preferred for doing creative work.B) It is important to keep a balance between work and life.C) Performing creative jobs tends to make workers happier.D) A scientific standard should be adopted in job evaluation.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Martha Stewart was charged, tried and convicted of a crime in 2004. As she neared the end of her prison sentence, a well-known columnist wrote that she was " paying her dues," and that " there is simply no reason for anyone to attempt to deny her right to start anew. "Surely, the American ideal of second chances should not be reserved only for the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, many federal and state laws impose post-conviction restrictions on a shockingly large number of Americans, who are prevented from ever fully paying their debt to society.At least 65 million people in the United States have a criminal record. This can result in severe penalties that continue long after punishment is completed.Many of these penalties are imposed regardless of the seriousness of the offense or the person's individual circumstances. Laws can restrict or ban voting, access to public housing, and professional and business licensing. They can affect a person's ability to get a job and qualification for benefits.In all, more than 45,000 laws and rules serve to exclude vast numbers of people from fully participating in American life.Some laws make sense. No one advocates letting someone convicted of pedophilia(恋童癖) work in a school. But too often collateral (附随的) consequences bear no relation to public safety. Should a woman who possessed a small amount of drugs years ago be permanently unable to be licensed as a nurse?These laws are also counterproductive, since they make it harder for people with criminal records to find housing or land a job, two key factors that reduce backsliding.A recent report makes several recommendations, including the abolition of most post-conviction penalties, except for those specifically needed to protect public safety. Where the penalties are not a must, they should be imposed only if the facts of a case support it.The point is not to excuse or forget the crime. Rather, it is to recognize that in America's vast criminal justice system, second chances are crucial. It is in no one's interest to keep a large segment of the population on the margins of society.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Western Festival: Welcome or Reject? You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1. 西方的节日越来越深的影响着许多中国年青人的生活。

2. 有人认为西方的节日使很多中国的传统日益淡化。

3. 你的观点。

Western Festival: Welcome or Reject?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, markY(for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N(for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG(for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage. Our dreams combine verbal, visual and emotional stimuli into a sometimes broken, nonsensical but often entertainingstory line. We can sometimes even solve problems in our sleep. Or can we? Many experts disagree on exactly what the purpose of our dreams might be. Are they strictly random brain impulses, or are our brains actually working through issues from our daily life while we sleep -- as a sortof coping mechanism? Should we even bother to interpret our dreams? Many say yes, that we have a great deal to learn from our dreams.Why do we Dream?For centuries, we've tried to figure out just why our brains play these nightly shows for us. Early civilizations thought dream worlds were real, physical worlds that they could enter only from their dream state. Researchers continue to toss around many theories about dreaming. Those theories essentially fall into two categories:● The idea that dreams a re only physiological stimulations● The idea that dreams are psychologically necessaryPhysiological theories are based on the idea that we dream in order to exercise various neural connections that some researchers believe affect certain types of learning. Psychological theories are based onthe idea that dreaming allows us to sort through problems, events of the day or things that are requiring a lot of our attention. Some of these theorists think dreams might be prophetic. Many researchers andscientists also believe that perhaps it is a combination of the two theories.Dreaming and the BrainWhen we sleep, we go through five sleep stages. The first stage isa very light sleep from which it is easy to wake up. The second stage moves into a slightly deeper sleep, and stages three and four represent our deepest sleep. Our brain activity throughout these stages is gradually slowing down so that by deep sleep, we experience nothing but delta brain waves -- the slowest brain waves. About 90 minutes after we go to sleep and after the fourth sleep stage, we begin REM sleep.Rapid eye movement (REM) was discovered in 1953 by University of Chicago researchers Eugene Aserinsky, a graduate student in physiology, and Nathaniel Kleitman, Ph.D., chair of physiology. REM sleep isprimarily characterized by movements of the eyes and is the fifth stage of sleep.How to Improve Your Dream RecallIt is said that five minutes after the end of a dream, we have forgotten 50 percent of the dream's content. Ten minutes later, we've forgotten 90 percent of its content. Why is that? We don't forget our daily actions that quickly. The fact that they are so hard to remember makes their importance seem less.There are many resources both on the Web and in print that willgive you tips on how to improve your recall of dreams. Those who believe we have a lot to learn about ourselves from our dreams are big proponents of dream journals. Here are some steps you can take to increase your dream recall:● When you go to bed, t ell yourself you will remember your dreams.● Set your alarm to go off every hour and half so you'll wake up around the times that you leave REM sleep -- when you're most likely to remember your dreams. (Or, drink a lot of water before you go to bed to ensure you have to wake up at least once in the middle of the night!)● Keep a pad and pencil next to your bed.● Try to wake up slowly to remain within the "mood" of your last dream. Common Dream Themes and Their Interpretations● Being naked in publ icMost of us have had the dream at some point that we're at school, work or some social event, and we suddenly realize we forgot to put on clothes! Experts say this means: ◆ We're trying to hide something (and without clothes we have a hard time doing that).◆ We're not prepared for something, like a presentation or test (and now everyone is going to know -- we're exposed!).If we're naked but no one notices, then the interpretation is that whatever we're afraid of is unfounded. If we don't care that we're naked, the interpretation is that we're comfortable with who we are.● FallingYou're falling, falling, falling... and then you wake up. This is a very common dream and is said to symbolize insecurities and anxiety. Something in your life is essentially out of control and there isnothing you can do to stop it. Another interpretation is that you have a sense of failure about something. Maybe you're not doing well in schoolor at work and are afraid you're going to be fired or expelled. Again, you feel that you can't control the situation.● Being chasedThe ever-popular chase dream can be extremely frightening. What it usually symbolizes is that you're running away from your problems. What that problem is depends on who is chasing you. It may be a problem at work, or it may be something about yourself that you know is destructive. For example, you may be drinking too much, and your dream may be telling you that your drinking is becoming a real problem.● Taking an exam (or forgetting that you have one)This is another very common dream. You suddenly realize you are supposed to be taking an exam at that very moment. You might be running through the hallways and can't find the classroom. This type of dreamcan have several variations that have similar meanings. (Maybe your pen won't write, so you can't finish writing your answers.) What experts say this may mean is that you're being scrutinized about something or feel you're being tested -- maybe you're facing a challenge you don't think you're up to. You don't feel prepared or able to hold up to the scrutiny. It may also mean there is something you've neglected that you know needs your attention.● FlyingMany flying dreams are the result of lucid dreaming (清醒梦). Notall flying dreams are, however. Typically, dreaming that you are flying means you are on top of things. You are in control of the things thatmatter to you. Or, maybe you've just gained a new perspective on things. It may also mean you are strong willed and feel like no one and nothing can defeat you. If you are having problems maintaining your flight, someone or something may be standing in the way of you having control. If you are afraid while flying, you may have challenges that you don't feel up to.● Running, but going now hereThis theme can also be part of the chasing dream. You're trying to run, but either your legs won't move or you simply aren't going anywhere -- as if you were on a treadmill (踏车). According to some, this dream means you have too much on your plate. You're trying to do too many things at once and can't catch up or ever get ahead.1. This passage mainly discusses different theories about why we have dreams at night.2. Early theories held that dreams were reflection of people’s real, physical worlds.3. According to physiological theories, dreaming allows us to sort through problems or events of the day that require our attention.4. REM occurs at the third and fourth stage during which we experience the deepest sleep.5. The reason why dreams do not seem important is that they are very difficult to remember.6. Trying to get recorded what you said or did in your dream can help increase your dream recall.7. If a person dreams he is naked but is not noticed by others, it means what he is afraid of is groundless.1.[Y][N][NG]2.[Y][N][NG]3.[Y][N][NG]4.[Y][N][NG]5.[Y][N][NG]6.[Y][N][NG]7.[Y][N][NG]8. You re falling, falling, falling in your dream, which is said to symbolize .9. Being chased in a dream usually means that you’re escaping from your .10. One of the interpretations for flying dreams is that you are and nothing can defeat you.Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension(Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank followingthe passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.A department store’s inputs include the l and upon which the building is located, the labor of the employees, (47) ______ in the form of building, equipment and merchandise, and the management skills of the store managers. On a farm, the operation system is the transformation that occurs when a fa rmer’s (48) ______ (land, equipment, labor, etc.) are converted into such outputs as corn, wheat or milk. The exact form of the conversion process (49) ______ from industry to industry, but it is an (50) ______phenomenon that exists in every industry. Economists refer to this (51) ______ of resources into goods and services as the production function. For all operation systems, the general goal is to create some kind of value-added outputs that are worth more to consumers than just the sum of the inputs. To the consumers, the resulting products (52) ______ utility due to the form, the time, or the place of their availability from the conversion process.However, the process is subject to random changes. Unplanned or uncontrollable influences may cause the actual output to differ from planned output. Random fluctuations can arise from external disruption(fire, floods or lightning, for example) or from (53) ______ problems inherent in the conversion process. Inherent variability of equipment, material imperfections, and human errors all affect output quality (54)______. In fact, random variations are the rule rather than the exception in production processes; therefore, (55) _____ variation becomes a major management task.The function of the feedback is to provide (56) ______ linkages. Without some feedback of information, management personnel cannot control operations because they don' t know the results of their directions.A) offerB) capitalC) mediumD)difficultE) variesF) differentlyG) proposalH) transformation I) beautifullyJ) economicK) reducingL) internalM) inputsN) affordO) informationSection 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.Most of the people who appear most often and most gloriously in the history books are great conquerors and generals and soldiers, whereas the people who really helped civilization forward are often never mentioned at all. We do not know who first set a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat, or calculated the length of the year, or manured(施肥)a field; but we know all about the killers and destroyers. People think a great deal of them, so much so that on all the highest pillarsin the great cities of the world you will find the figure of a conqueror or a general or a soldier. And I think most people believe that the greatest countries are those that have beaten in battle the greatestnumber of other countries and ruled over them as conquerors. It is just possible they are, but they are not the most civilized.Animals fight; so do savages (野蛮人); hence to be good at fighting is to be good in the way in which an animal or a savage is good, but it is not to be civilized. Even being good at getting other people to fight for you and telling them how to do it most efficiently --- this, after all, is what conquerors and generals have done --- is not being civilized. People fight to settle quarrels. Fighting means killing, and civilized peoples ought to be able to find some way of settling their disputes other than by seeing which side can kill off the greater number of the other side, and then saying that that side which has killed most has won. And it not only has won, but, because it has won, has been in the right. For that is what going to war means; it means saying that might is right.That is what the story of mankind has on the whole been like. Even our own age has fought the two greatest wars in history, in which millions of people were killed or disabled. And while today it is true that people do not fight and kill each other in the streets --- while, that is to say, we have got to the stage of keeping the rules and behaving properly to each other in daily life --- nations and countries have not learnt to do this yet, and still behave like savages.57. In the opening sentence the author indicates that ________.A) most history books were written by conquerors, generals and soldiers.B) those who truly helped civilization forward is rarely mentioned in history books.C) history books focus more on conquerors than on those who helped civilization forward.D) conquerors, generals and soldiers should not be mentioned in history books.58. In the author’s opinion, the countries that rul ed over a large number of other countries are ________.A) certainly both the greatest and the most civilizedB) neither the most influential nor the most civilized.C) possibly the most civilized but not the most powerful.D) likely the greatest in some sense but not the most civilized.59. The meaning of “That is what going to war means; it means saying that might is right.”(Last sentence of Paragraph 2) is that________.A) those who fight believe that the winner is right and the loser wrong.B) only those who are powerful have the right to go to war.C) those who are right should fight against those who are wrong.D) in a war only those who are powerful will win.60. In the third paragraph, what the author wants to convey to us is that ________.A) World War I and World War II are different from previous wars.B) our age is not much better than those of the past.C) modern time is not so civilized compared with the past.D) we have fought fewer wars but suffered heavier casualties.61. This passage is most likely taken from an article entitled________.A) War and World PeaceB) Creators of CivilizationC) Civilization and HistoryD) Who Should Be RememberedPassage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.The motor vehicle has killed and disabled more people in its brief history than any bomb or weapon ever invented. Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others. So the massacre on the road may be regarded as a social problem.In fact, the enemies of society on wheels are rather harmlesspeople or ordinary people acting carelessly, you might say. But it is a principle both of law and common morality that carelessness is no excuse when one's actions could bring death or damage to others.A minority of the killers go even beyond carelessness to total negligence. Researchers have estimated that as many as 80 per cent ofall automobile accidents can be attributed to the psychologicalcondition of the driver. Emotional upsets can distort drivers' reactions, slow their judgment, and blind them to dangers that might otherwise be evident. The experts warn that it is vital for every driver to make a conscious effort to keep one's emotions under control.Yet the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers. Street walkers regularly violate traffic regulations; they are at fault in most vehicle walker accidents. And many cyclists even believe that they are not subject to the basic rules of the road.Significant legal advances have been made towards safer driving in the past few years. Safety standards for vehicle have been raised bothat the point of manufacture and through periodic road-worthiness inspections. In addition, speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures, the accident rate has decreased. But the accident expertsstill worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave. The only real and lasting solution, say the experts, is to convince people that driving is a skilled task requiring constantcare and concentration. Those who fail to do all these things pose a threat to those with whom they share the road.62. The word “massacre” in line 3 paragraph one means _____A) mass-killing. B) disaster. C) tragedy. D) accident.63. What is the author's main purpose in writing the passage?A) To show that the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention.B) To promote understanding between careless drivers and street walkers.C) To discuss traffic problems and propose possible solutions.D) To warn drivers of the importance of safe driving.64. According to the passage, traffic accidents may be regarded asa social problem because _____.A) autos have become most destructive to mankindB) people usually pay little attention to law and moralityC) civilization brings much harm to peopleD) the lack of virtue is becoming more severe65. Why does the author mention the psychological condition of the driver in Paragraph Three?A) To give an example of the various reasons for road accidents.B) To show how important it is for drivers to be emotionally healthy.C) To show some of the inaccurate estimations by researchers.D) To illustrate the hidden tensions in the course of driving.66. Who are NOT mentioned as being responsible for the road accidents?A) Careless bicycle-riders.B) Mindless people walking in the street.C) Irresponsible drivers.D) Irresponsible manufactures of automobiles.Part V Cloze(15 minutes)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Today the world's economy is going through two great changes, both bigger than an Asian financial crisis here or a European monetary union there.The first change is that a lot of industrial_67_is moving from the United States, Western Europe and Japan to _68 _countries in Latin America, South-East Asia and Eastern Europe. In 1950, the United States alone _69_ for more than half of the world's economy output. In 1990,its _70_ was down to a quarter. By 1990, 40% of IBM's employees werenon-Americans; Whirlpool, America's leading _71_ of domestic appliances, cut its American labor force _72_ 10%. Quite soon now, many big western companies will have more _73_ (and customers) in poor countries than in rich _74_ . The second great change is _75_, in the rich countries of the OECD, the balance of economic activity is _76_ from manufacturing to _77_. In the United States and Britain, the _78_ ofworkers in manufacturing has _79_ since 1900 from around 40% to barely half that_80_ in Germany and Japan, which rebuilt so many _81_ after 1945, manufacturing's share of jobs is now below 30%. The effect of the _82 is increased _83_ manufacturingmoves from rich countries to the developing ones, _84_ cheap labor _85_ them a sharp advantage in many of the _86_ tasks required by mass production.67. A. product B. production C. products D. productivity68. A. other B. small C. capitalistic D. developing69. A. accounted B. occupied C. played D. shared70. A. output B. development C. share D. economy71. A. state B. consumer C. representative D. supplier72. A. by B. at C. through D. in73. A. products B. market C. employees D. changes74. A. one B. ones C. times D. time75. A. what B. like C. that D. how76. A. ranging B. varying C. swinging D. getting77. A. producing B. products C. servicing D. services78. A. proportion B. number C. quantity D. group79. A. changed B. gone C. applied D. shrunk80. A. Furthermore B. Even C. Therefore D. Hence81. A. armies B. weapons C. factories D. countries82. A. question B. manufacturing C. shift D. rebuilding83. A. with B. as C. given D. if84. A. while B. whose C. who's D. which85. A. give B. is giving C. gives D. gave86. A. repetitive B. various C. creative D. enormousPart Ⅵ Translation (5 minutes)Directions: Complete the sentence on Answer Sheet 2 by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets.87. (任何国家无论在什么情况下都不可以) have the right to use nuclear weapons.88. It’s essential that (他把一切准备好) before the examination .89. The population of America is not large (与中国相比).90. The beggar accepted the one-dollar note (甚至连一声谢谢都没说).91. Life is full of risks (不论你是否喜欢).答案Part 1 作文:(略)Part 2 快速阅读1. N2. Y3. N4. N5. Y6. NG7. Y8. insecurities and anxiety 9. problems 10.strong willedPart 3 听力Section A(11-15) BBBBB (16-20) CDDCD (21-25)CCCBCSection B(26-30) CDBAB (31-35) DDBBCSection C36. topic 37. exaggerated 38. confusing 39. compete40. application 41. handling 42. widespread 43. calculation44. Another example of the same sort of process has been the use of computers by banks to provide up-to-date records of client’s accounts.45. The most successful example is perhaps the use of computers by airlines to control seat reservation an provide information about flights.46. One could take a series of photographs of the area, from which, the amount of rise and fall of the landscape can be analyzed within a few inches.Part 4 阅读(Reading in Depth)Section A(47-51)B) capital; M) inputs; E) varies; J) economic; H) transformation(52-56)A) offer ; L) internal ; F)differently ; k) reducing; O) information; Section B(57-61)BDABC (62-66)ACBBDPart 5 完型(67-76) BDACD ACBCB (77-86) DADBC CBBCAPart 6 翻译87. Under no circumstances should any nation88. get everything ready89. as compared with that of China90. without so much as saying thanks91. whether you like it or not。

大学英语模拟真题Test 2第一部分：交际用语（共5小题；每小题3分，满分15分）此部分共有5个未完成的对话，针对每个对话中未完成的部分有4个选项，请从A 、B 、C 、D 四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

1. —Why not go and have dinner in the restaurant? —_________ It’s too expensive. A. Why not. B. I agree . C. I ’m afraid not. D. I ’m sure. 2. —Mike,I am going to skate in the mountains tomorrow. —Oh,really? _________ A. Good luck. B. Great. C. Have a good time. C. Have a good time. D. Congratulations! D. Congratulations! 3. —Please help yourself to the fish. —_________ A. Thanks,but I don’t like the fish.B. Sorr y ,I can’t help.y,I can’t help.C. Well,fish don’t suit me.D. No,I can’t.4. —_________ —He teaches physics in a school. A. What does your father want to do? B. Who is your father? C. What is your father? D. Where is your father now? 5. —Excuse me, how much is the jacket? —It It’’s 499 Yuan. _________ A. Oh, no. Tha t’t’s OK! s OK! B. How do you like it? C. Which do you prefer? D. Would you like to try it on? 第二部分：阅读理解（共10小题；每小题3分，满分30分）此部分共有2篇短文，在第一篇短文后有5个正误判断题，从每题后的两个选项中选出正确答案；在第二篇短文后有5个问题。

大学英语四级模拟题十五Part I Writing (15’) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to one of your friends who helped you most when you were in difficulty. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25’) Section A (1’×7 = 7’) Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.News Report OneQuestions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you’ve just heard.1.A) 250, 000 at 50 centres. C) 255, 000 at 50 centres.B) 250, 000 at 55 centres. D) 255,000 at 55 centres.2.A) Electronic detection.B) Telephone call screening.C) Fingerprints identification.D) Sunday’s dress rehearsal.News Report TwoQuestions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you’ve just heard.3.A) It called for a quality inspection on Peanut Corp. of America.B) It rejected the business request from Peanut Corp. of America.C) It decided not to cooperate with Peanut Corp. of America.D) It decided to have a lawsuit with Peanut Corp. of America.4.A) They have so far caused 691 people to be sick.B) They have so far caused 3, 516 people to be sent to hospital.C) They have so far caused 2 plants to be contaminated.D) They have so far caused 9 foods to be recalled in history.News Report ThreeQuestions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you’ve jus t heard.5. A) Inability to keep turning out novel products.B) Inability to implement their business plans.C) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.D) Lack of a successful business model of their own.6. A) It is a magic tool to bring big rewards.B) It is the secret to business success.C) It is an essential part of business culture.D) It is the creation of something new.7.A) Its hardworking employees.B) Its innovation culture.C) Its flexible promotion strategy.D) Its willingness to make investments.Section B (1’×8 = 8’) Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Conversation OneQuestions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you’ve just heard.8.A) She has no time to study.B) She is short of money.C) She hasn’t heard from her parents for a long time.D) She doesn’t know where all her money has gone.9.A) 190 dollars. C) 760 dollars.B) 250 dollars. D) 1, 010 dollars.10.A) He is Carina’s boyfriend.B) He is Carina’s financial consultant.C) He is working in the loan section of a bank.D) He is studying economics at a university.11.A) She has a poor head for economics.B) She wants to ask for a loan from Tim’s bank.C) She earns little but spends far too much money for a student.D) She wants Tim to be her financial consultant.Conversation TwoQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you’ve just heard.12.A) At a road crossing.B) Near a school.C) In front of a kindergarten.D) Outside a police station.13.A) He did not notice it.B) He drove too fast to read it.C) It says 45 miles an hour.D) It is not clearly visible.14.A) It is not genuine.B) It actually belongs to somebody else.C) It should have been renewed two months ago.D) It is no longer valid.15.A) He was fined 35 dollars.B) He had to do two weeks’ community service.C) He got a ticket.D) He had his driver’s license canceled.Section C (1’×10 = 10’) Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you’ve just heard.16.A) He is short of money.B) He does not think money is everything.C) He works hard for the sake of money.D) He wants to be a successful businessman and has plenty of time for leisure.17.A) People have reasons to seek fame.B) People are advised not to seek fame.C) Fame is less important than money.D) Fame is more important than money.18.A) She is not interested in either money or fame.B) She wants to succeed in doing something more inventive.C) She makes a living by doing research.D) She thinks that those who seek fame will end up with a poor reputation. Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you’ve just heard.19.A) Cheating. C) Road accidents.B) Theft. D) Air crash.20.A) Have the right documents.B) Learn the local customs.C) Book tickets well in advance.D) Make hotel reservations.21.A) Get a lift if possible.B) Contact your agent.C) Have a friend meet you.D) Use official transport.Passage ThreeQuestions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you’ve just heard.22.A) It covers 97 square kilometers.B) It covers 179 square miles.C) It is only half the size of Spain.D) It is as big as New York City.23.A) It was cut off from the rest of the world.B) It imported food from foreign countries.C) Its citizens enjoyed a peaceful, comfortable life.D) Its geographic features attracted many visitors.24.A) The increasing investment by developed countries.B) The establishing of diplomatic relations with France and Spain.C) The building of roads connecting it with neighboring countries.D) The fast development of its neighboring countries.25.A) They work on their farms.B) They work in the tourist industry.C) The make traditional handicrafts.D) They raise domestic animals.Part III Multiple Choice (0.5'×20=10') Directions: There are 20 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then write the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.26. The knowledge that a rescue team would continue searching for them ________ thetrapped miners.A) retained B) attained C) maintained D) sustained27. The committee recommends that the budget ________ discussed at the next meeting.A) is B) will be C) be D) are28. Anyone over the age of 18 is ________ to vote.A) illegible B) legible C) eligible D) ineligible29. ________ of us can do everything, but all of us can do ________.A) None, something C) Some, everythingB) Few, nothing D) Few, nothing30. My father often tells me that a man should aim ________ and never speak ________of himself.A) highly, high C) high, highB) high, highly D) highly, highly31. John was ________ from the warehouse to the accounting office, which wasconsidered a promotion.A) transformed B) transferred C) delivered D) transmitted32. I don’t want to _________ his bad temper.A) put up with C) keep up withB) come up with D) come out with33. The film you watched yesterday was ________ from a novel by Jane Austen.A) adopted B) based C) adapted D) adept34. If he had made an appointment, he ________ the director.A) could see C) can seeB) could have seen D) had seen35. The government’s plan is that social security ________ about a fifth of the totalpublic spending.A) takes account of B) on account of C) accounts for D) counts on36. Give the message to _______ needs it at the table.A) whomever B) whatever C) whosever D) whoever37. He did not realize that the unemployment was all that _______in the city.A) critic B) critical C) criticism D) criticize 38. _______ are usually preferred by children in the hospital.A) Women doctor C) Woman doctorB) Women doctors D) Woman doctors39. We can read worldwide news on the website of The British Broadcasting_______.A) Cooperate B) Cooperation C) Corporate D) Corporation40. My doctor ________ me to a specialist in heart disease.A) inferred B) preferred C) referred D) differed41. We gave up the house, because of _______ considerations.A) economic B) economics C) economical D) economy42. The flu is believed _______ by viruses that like to reproduce in the cells inside thehuman nose and throat.A) cause C) to be causedB) being caused D) to have caused43. Thanks to the modern electrical _______, housework nowadays has been made easierand easier.A) appliances B) facilities C) tools D) instruments44. Let me see all the official documents _______ the sale of this land.A) concerned B) concerning C) concerns D) concernedly45. Great as Newton was, many of his theories_______ today and are being modified bythe work of scientists of our time.A) are to be challenged C) have been challengedB) are challenging D) may be challengedPart IV Reading Comprehension (35')Section A (0.5’×10 = 5’) Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please write the corresponding letter for each item on the Answer Sheet. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.（请在答题纸上写单词的代号）You have chosen to attend a university that is not only a great educational institution but is also a great research institution. I encourage you to take 46 of that. Take courses and 47 seminars that explore the frontiers of fields where new knowledge and understanding are being created. For me, participating in research as an undergraduate led me from my major in 48 engineering to my major in computer science, and it 49 a passion for being on the leading edge of discovery. This 50sustained me through my PhD and continues to excite me after more than 30 years as a Stanford faculty member. Being at the 51 of discovery and taking part in the creation of new knowledge is an 52 rewarding and life-altering experience.As you begin your time at Stanford and plan your four years here, I would 53 you to remember that your undergraduate education is a foundation for life. It is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. It is much more than your 54 to your first job. It is an opportunity to develop the skills and passion for being a lifelong learner in areas 55 to and outside of your career.Section B (1’×10 = 10’) Directions:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by writing the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.The End of the Book?[A] Amazon, by far the largest bookseller in the country, reported on May 19 that it is now selling more books in its electronic Kindle format than in the old paper-and-ink format. That is remarkable, considering that the Kindle has only been around for four years. E-books now account for 14 percent of all book sales in the country and are increasing far faster than overall book sales. E-book sales are up 146 percent over last year, while hardback sales increased 6 percent and paperbacks decreased 8 percent.[B] Does this spell the doom of the physical book? Certainly not immediately, and perhaps not at all. What it does mean is that the book business will go through a transformation in the next decade or so more profound than any it has seen since Gutenberg introduced printing with moveable type in the 1450s.[C] Physical books will surely become much rarer in the marketplace. Mass market paperbacks, which have been declining for years anyway, will probably disappear, as will hardbacks for mysteries, thril lers, “romance fiction,” etc. Such books, which only rarely end up in permanent collections, either private or public, will probably only be available as e-books within a few years. Hardback and trade paperbacks for “serious” nonfiction and fiction will surely last longer. Perhaps it will become the mark of an author to reckon with that he or she is still published in hard copy.[D] As for children’s books, who knows? Children’s books are like dog food in that the purchasers are not the consumers, so the market (and the marketing) is inherently strange.[E] For clues to the book’s future, let’s look at some examples of technol ogical change and see what happened to the old technology.[F] One technology replaces another only because the new technology is better, cheaper, or both. The greater the difference, the sooner and more thoroughly the new technology replaces the old. Printing with moveable type on paper dramatically reduced the cost of producing a book compared with that of the old-fashioned ones handwritten on vellum, which comes from sheepskin. A Bible—to be sure, a long book—required vellum made from 300 sheepskins and countless man-hours of labor. Before printing arrived, a Bible cost more than a middle-class house. There were perhaps 50,000 books in all of Europe in 1450. By 1500 there were 10 million.[G] But while printing quickly caused the hand written book to die out, handwriting lingered on（继续存在）well into the 16th century. Very special books are still occasionally produced on vellum, but they are one-of-a-kind show pieces.[H] Sometimes a new t echnology doesn’t drive the old one out, but only parts of it while forcing the rest to evolve. The movies were widely predicted to drive live theater out of the marketplace, but they didn’t, because theater turned out to have qualities movies could not reproduce. Equally, TV was supposed to replace movies but, again, did not.[I] Movies did, however, fatally impact some parts of live theater. And while TV didn’t kill movies, it did kill second-rate pictures, shorts, and cartoons.[J] Nor did TV kill radio. Comedy and drama shows (“Jack Benny,” “Amos and Andy,” “The Shadow”)all migrated to television. But because you can’t drive a car and watch television at the same time, rush hour became radio’s prime, while music, talk, and news radio greatly enlarged their audiences. Radio is today a very different business than in the late 1940s and a much larger one.[K] Sometimes old technology lingers for centuries because of its symbolic power. Mounted cavalry（骑兵）replaced the chariot（二轮战车）on the battlefield around 1000 BC. But chariots maintained their place in parades and triumphs right up until the end of the Roman Empire 1,500 years later. The sword hasn’t had a military function for a hundred years, but is still part of an officer’s full-dress uniform, precisely because a sword always symbolized “an officer and a gentleman.”[L] Sometimes new technology is a little cranky（不稳定的）at first. Television repairman was a common occupation in the 1950s, for instance. And so the oldtechnology remains as a backup. Steamships captured the North Atlantic passenger business from sail in the 1840s because of its much greater speed. But steamships didn’t lose their sails until the 1880s, because early marine engines had a nasty habit of breaking down. Until ships became large enough (and engines small enough) to mount two engines side by side, they needed to keep sails. (The high cost of steam and the lesser need for speed kept the majority of the world’s ocean freight movin g by sail until the early years of the 20th century.)[M] Then there is the fireplace. Central heating was present in every upper-and middle-class home by the second half of the 19th century. But functioning fireplaces remain to this day a powerful selling point in a house or apartment. I suspect the reason is a deep-rooted love of the fire. Fire was one of the earliest major technological advances for humankind, providing heat, protection, and cooked food (which is much easier to eat and digest). Human control of fire goes back far enough (over a million years) that evolution could have produced a genetic leaning towards fire as a central aspect of human life.[N] Books—especially books the average person could afford—haven’t been around long enough to produce evolutionary change in humans. But they have a powerful hold on many people nonetheless, a hold extending far beyond their literary content. At their best, they are works of art and there is a tactile（触觉的）pleasure in books necessarily lost in e-book versions. The ability to quickly thumb through pages is also lost. And a room with books in it induces, at least in some, a feeling not dissimilar to that of a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter’s night.[O] For these reasons I think physical books will have a longer existence as a commercial product than some currently predict. Like swords, books have symbolic power. Like fireplaces, they induce a sense of comfort and warmth. And, perhaps, similar to sails, they make a useful back-up for when the lights go out..56. The increase of e-book sales will force the book business to make changes not seenfor centuries.57. Authors still published in printed versions will be considered important ones.58. The radio business has changed greatly and now attracts more listeners.59. Contrary to many people’s prediction of its death, the film industry survived.60. Remarkable changes have taken place in the book business.61. A new technology is unlikely to take the place of an old one without a clearadvantage.62. A house with a fireplace has a stronger appeal to buyers.63. Old technology sometimes continues to exist because of its reliability.64. Paperbacks of popular literature are more likely to be replaced by e-books. 65. Some people are still in favor of printed books because of the sense of touch they canprovide.Section C (2’×10 = 20’) 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 best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 66 to 70 are based on the following passage.Children are a delight. They are our future. But sadly, hiring someone to take care of them while you go to work is getting more expensive by the year.Earlier this month, it was reported that the cost of enrolling an infant or small kid at a childcare center rose 3% in 2012, faster than the overall cost of living. There are now large strips of the country where daycare for an infant costs more than a tenth of the average married couple’s income.This is not necessarily a new trend, but it is a somewhat puzzling one. The price of professional childcare has been rising since the 1980s. Yet during that time, pay for professional childcare workers has stood still. Actually caregivers make less today, in real terms, than they did in 1990. Considering that labor costs are responsible for up to 80% of a daycare center’s expenses, one would expect flat wages to have meant flat prices.So who’s to blame for higher childcare costs?Childcare is a carefully regulated industry. States lay down rules about how many children each employee is allowed to watch over, the space care centers need per child, and other minute details. And the stricter the regulations, the higher the costs. If it has to hire a caregiver for every two children, it can’t really achieve any econ omies of scale on labor to save money when other expenses go up. In Massachusetts, where childcare centers must hire one teacher for every three infants, the price of care averaged more than $16,000 per year. In Mississippi, where centers must hire one teacher for every five infants, the price of care averaged less than $5,000.Unfortunately, I don’t have all the daycare-center regulations at hand. But I wouldn’t be surprised if as the rules have become more elaborate, prices have risen. The tradeoff （交换）might be worth it in some cases; after all, the health and safety of children should probably come before cheap service. But certainly, it doesn’t seem to be an accident that some of the cheapest daycare available is in the least regulated South. 66. What problem do parents of small kids have to face?A) The ever-rising childcare prices.B) The budgeting of family expenses.C) The balance between work and family.D) The selection of a good daycare center.67. What does the author feel puzzled about?A) Why the prices of childcare vary greatly from state to state.B) Why increased childcare prices have not led to better service.C) Why there is a severe shortage of childcare professional in a number of states.D) Why childcare workers’ pay has not incre ased with the rising childcare costs.68. What prevent childcare centers from saving money?A) Steady increase in labor costs.B) Strict government regulations.C) Lack of support from the state.D) High administrative expenses.69. Why is the average cost of childcare in Mississippi much lower than inMassachusetts?A) The overall quality of service is not as good.B) Payments for caregivers there are not as high.C) Each teacher is allowed to care for more kids.D) Living expenses there are comparatively low.70. What is the author’s view on daycare service?A) Caregivers should receive regular professional training.B) Less elaborate rules about childcare might lower costs.C) It is crucial to strike a balance between quality and costs.D) It is better for different states to learn from each other.Passage TwoQuestions 71 to 75 are based on the following passage.When it’s five o’clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, for many workers, is defined by time. They leave when the c lock tells them they’re done.These days, the time is everywhere: not just on clocks or watches, but on cell-phones and computers. That may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research shows that clock-based work schedules hinder morale（士气）and creativity.Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example: a meeting from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., research from 10 a.m. to noon, etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish. They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all of us employ a mix of both these types of planning.What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Does one make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experiments conducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organize different activities—from project planning, holiday shopping, to yoga—by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under “clock time” vs“task time.” They found clock timers to be more efficient but less happy because they felt little control over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but less productive. They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up.The researchers argue that task-based organizing tends to be undervalued and under-supported in the business culture. Smart companies, they believe, will try to bake more task-based planning into their strategies.This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but the researchers argue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy: work organized by clock time. While most people will still probably need, and be, to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when performing a job that requires more creativity. It’ll make those tasks easier, and the task-doers will be happier.71. What does the author think of time displayed everywhere?A) It makes everybody time-conscious.B) It is a convenience for work and life.C) It may have a negative effect on creative work.D) It clearly indicates the fast pace of modern life.72. How do people usually go about their work according to the author?A) They give priority to the most urgent task on hand.B) They combine clock-based and task-based planning.C) They set a time limit for each specific task.D) They accomplish their tasks one by one.73. What did Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier find in their experiments aboutclock-timers?A) They tend to be more productive.B) They always get their work done in time.C) They have more control over their lives.D) They seize opportunities as they come up.74. What do the researchers say about today’s business culture?A) It does not support the strategies adopted by smart companies.B) It does not attach enough importance to task-based practice.C) It places more emphasis on work efficiency than on workers’ lives.D) It aims to bring employees’ potential and creativity into full p lay.75. What do the researchers suggest?A) A scientific standard should be adopted in job evaluation.B) It is important to keep a balance between work and life.C) Performing creative jobs tends to make workers happier.D) Task-based timing is preferred for doing creative work.Part V Translation (15') Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese to English. You should write your answer on the Answer Sheet.在几年前，因特网上提供的工作绝大部分还局限于高科技领域。

大学英语四级模拟考试题Part Ⅰ Writing1、Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Your friend invites you to vote for some kinds of competitions on WeChat. How do you see WeChat voting? Write an essay to state your point of view. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part Ⅱ Listening ComprehensionSection A2、 A. Serena Williams won a tennis champion.B. Serena Williams was pronounced Sportsperson of the year.C. Serena Williams decided to work in a sports magazine.D. Serena Williams was facing a lot of challenges.3、 A. They challenged Serena Williams's ethnicity.B. They followed the role model of Serena Williams.C. They raised a number of complaints.D. They warmly welcomed the announcement.4、 A. Emigration of top students, poor infrastructure, and low demand.B. Emigration of all students, poor infrastructure, and high demand.C. Emigration of all students, poor infrastructure, and no funds.D. Emigration of top students, poor infrastructure, and no funds.5、 A. The issues are too serious.B. There are no easy solutions.C. There are other difficult problems.D. Education is important to economic development.6、 A. About 5 million.B. About 20 million.C. About 108 million.D. About 150 million.7、 A. Latino immigrants.B. Elder people.C. Asian immigrants.D. College graduates.Section B8、 A. He was doing shopping. B. He was watching a film.C. He was making a phone call.D. He was talking to a policeman.9、 A. Her attractive clothing. B. Her beautiful figure.C. Her unusual height.D. Her fashionable handbag.10、 A. He was arrested by the police. B. He was acting in a film.C. He had taken the woman's bag by mistake.D. He was only making a joke.11、 A. State your problem to the head waiter.B. Demand a discount on the dishes ordered.C. Ask to see the manager politely but firmly.D. Ask the name of the person waiting on you.12、 A. Your problem may not be understood correctly.B. You don't know if you are complaining at the right time.C. Your complaint may not reach the person in charge.D. You can't tell how the person on the line is reacting.13、 A. Demand a prompt response. B. Provide all the details.C. Send it by express mail.D. Stick to the point.Section C14、 A. Theft. B. Air crash.C. Cheating.D. Road accidents.15、 A. Learn the local customs. B. Have the right documents.C. Book tickets well in advance.D. Make hotel reservations.16、 A. Contact your agent. B. Use official transport.C. Get a lift if possible.D. Have a friend meet you.17、 A. He saw the office on his way home from work.B. A friend referred him to Dr. Carter's office.C. He found Dr. Carter's number in the phone book.D. He found Dr. Carter's number on the Internet.18、 A. He has to pick up his tool kits. B. He has to take a bus home.C. He has to open his store in the morning.D. He has to pick up his kids.19、 A. The man's telephone number is 647-0547.B. The man's telephone number is 603-0547.C. The man was scheduled to meet the doctor at 8:15 A.M. Thursday.D. The man was scheduled to meet the doctor at 8:00 A.M. Thursday.20、 A. He hurt his knee when a tall ladder fell on him.B. He injured his ankle when he fell from a ladder.C. He sprained his hand when he fell off the roof of his house.D. His foot has a paint can on because he likes painting the house.21、A. Women tend to put children in front of everything else.B. Women need a house to gain the sense of security.C. Women are generally more practical than men.D. Women are less likely to save for retirement.22、A. The poverty cycle makes them lonely.B. They are more in need of money at the old age.C. The divorce rate in North America is rather low.D. They are responsible for raising children.23、A. Invest on real estate properties.B. Spend 30% of it in stocks and shares.C. Put all of it in low-risk investment.D. Invest on their children's education.Part Ⅲ Reading ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to selectone word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The popular notion that older people need less sleep than younger adults is a myth, scientists said yesterday.While elderly people 24 to sleep for fewer hours than they did when they were younger, this has a(n) 25 effect on their brain's performance and they would benefit from getting more, according to research.Scan Drummond, a psychiatrist (心理医生) at the University of California, San Diego, said older people are more likely to suffer from broken sleep, while younger people are better at sleeping 26 straight through the night.More sleep in old age, however, is 27 with better health, and most older people would feel better and more 28 if they slept for longer periods, he said."The ability to sleep in one chunk (整段时间) overnight goes down as we age but the amount of sleep we need to 29 well does not change," Dr. Drummond told the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in San Diego."It's 30 a myth that older people need less sleep. The more healthy an older adult is, the more they sleep like they did when they were 31 . Our data suggests that older adults would benefit from 32 to get as much sleep as they did in their 30s. That's 33 from person to person, but the amount of sleep we had at 35 is probably the same amount as we need at 75."A. alertB. associatedC. attractingD. clingE. continuingF. definitelyG. differentH. efficientlyI. formally J. function K. mixed L. negativeM. sufficient N. tend O. youngerSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Need a Brain Boost? Exercise!A. If you spend your workday at a desk, you know that familiar and dreaded feeling: the mid-afternoon slump. E-mails take a bit longer to compose, documents take longer to read. It's expected, given that you spend most of your time in a chair. To combat your mental fatigue, you reach for artificial stimulation in the form of caffeine, sugar or energy drinks.B. However, all you need to sharpen your mental acuity (敏锐) is something you already own: your legs. This should come as little surprise. Mental fatigue sets in after you've been sitting for an extended period of time and walking around is an easy way to temporarily increase your alertness. But a few types of extended physical activity can have measurable impact on your mental acuity.C. According to recent research, a single workout can immediately boost higher-order thinking skills, making you more productive and efficient as you labor through your workday. When you exercise your legs, you also exercise your brain; this means that a lunchtime workout can improve your cognitive performance, thanks to blood flow and brain food. Brain-derived neurotrophic (神经营养的) factor, or BDNF, is a protein that facilitates the growth ofneurons and nourishes existing ones. It improves executive function, a type of higher-order thinking that allows people to formulate arguments, develop strategies, creatively solve problems and synthesize information. BDNF sits idly at the synapses (神经键) of your brain neurons and crosses the synapses only with the increased blood flow that comes with exercise.D. Writers have long used exercise to unleash their creative powers. William Wordsworth composed his poems while walking. According to Adam Sisman, author of "The Friendship: Wordsworth & Coleridge," Wordsworth composed the 159-line "Tintern Abbey" in his head while on one of his walks: "The whole poem was carried in his mind; not a word of it was written down before they reached Bristol, and not a line altered afterwards." Novelist Susan Henderson often goes hiking for two or three hours. "For my first draft, I'll go into the woods," she says. "I'll go with a specific question or dilemma, and talk it out into the voice recorder on my phone." Craig Finn of the band the Hold Steady uses running as a way to gather song ideas. "Long runs are a very meditative time. My mind gets to a crazy, unique place once I get above 10 miles. It's a time for some very clear thinking. I don't know that it's conscious, but I always feel inspired to write after I run."E. Fortunately, you don't have to run 10 miles to boost your executive function. Several studies have shown that a short aerobic (有氧的) workout gives your brain an immediate boost. According to Charles Hillman, professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois, as little as 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate is enough.F. Your choice of exercise also makes a difference. A calm mind is key. The less you pay attention to external stimuli—like a book or your environment—the greater the benefit later, because any activity that requires extended concentration involves the same higher-order thinking skills you need after the run. In other words, the more rested your mind during exercise, the better your post-workout problem-solving skills.G. This is bad news if you like to read while exercising. But it's even worse for people who combine their gaming fix with exercise. Hillman said that in a recent study, treadmill runners fared better on post-exercise tests than those who played Wii Fit. "With Wii Fit, you're exercising, but you're also cognitively responding to, and accounting for, things in your environment, he says. "This is much like the urban environment, where you have to stop for traffic and pedestrians. You have a busy mind to go along with that busy body."H. The concept of the calm mind is why you might not even need to elevate your heart rate to reap the benefits. All you have to do is head for the hills, or at least the trail, and get away from the concrete jungle. According to a 2008 study from the University of Michigan, nature stimulates creativity and strengthens cognitive powers better than urban environments. This is the idea behind Attention Restoration Theory, which assumes that a strong mind always needs time to be refreshed. In an urban environment, your mind is never at ease. You have to pay attention to all sorts of external stimuli, such as cars in crosswalks and people on sidewalks. It's survival mode. What you need is a workout that involves involuntary attention. This type of attention requires no extra work on your brain's part. You use it when you notice the cherry blossoms or the beauty of Rock Creek Park. It doesn't take any extra effort to notice the pretty things; you just do it. According to the researchers at University of Michigan, natural environments are much better than urban environments at restoring and improving cognitive functioning.I. A natural environment gives the directed-attention part of your brain some vacation time, allowing it to refresh. "Simple and brief interactions with nature can produce marked increase in cognitive control," according to the researchers. The best part? The participants in the study were walkers, not runners. For most people, walking is a more practical option.J. Don't like to run, or even walk? No problem. You can be flexible in your workoutroutine. Literally. Yoga may also improve cognitive functioning, according to a recent study. One of the authors, Neha Gothe, an assistant professor of education at Wayne State University, said that when you practice yoga, you're not only moving, you're in touch with your body movements. "This awareness might be the reason why you keep distracting parts away and focus on the task at hand," she says. So while yoga involves focus, it's a different kind: It requires a mind-body connection, not a connection to external stimuli. In this way, yoga allows your mind time to rest by keeping external thoughts like workplace stress at bay.K. No matter your workout, most researchers agree that the cognitive benefits last for at least an hour after exercise. So the next time you need to give your brain a boost, skip the energy drink and grab your workout gear.34、 You do not need to exercise your legs for a long time in order to boost your brain.35、 Exercise is not enough to combat your mental fatigue, you also required to be calm during the exercise.36、 Natural environments make the direct-attention part of your brain have some spare time.37、 Exercises inspired many writers or novelists to create famous workers.38、 Some people combat mental fatigue by coffee when they spend a long time at desk.39、 Exercise environment is also an important factor that may influence the effectiveness of the exercise.40、 Compared with urban environment, natural environment is more suitable for improving your cognitive performance.41、 Besides running and walking, there still are other exercises that can sharpen your mental acuity.42、 Lunchtime workout can exercise your brain, allowing you to be more productive.43、 Not all of the extended physical activities can have considerable influence on people's mental acuity.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneWhen we talk about intelligence, we do not mean the abihty to get a good score on a certain kind of test, or even the ability to do well in school. By intelligence we mean a style of life, a life, a way of behaving in various situations. The tree test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do.The intelligent person, young or old, meeting a new situation or problem, opens himself up to it. He tries to take in with mind and senses everything he can about it. He thinks about it, instead of about himself or what it might cause to happen to him. He grapples with it boldly, imaginatively, resourcefully, and if not confidently, at least hopefully; if he fails to master it, he looks without fear or shame at his mistakes and learns what he can from them. This is intelligence. Clearly its roots lie in a certain feeling about life, and one's self with respect to life. Just as clearly, unintelligence is not what most psychologists seem to suppose, the same thing as intelligence, only less of it. It is an entirely different style of behavior, arising out of entirely different set of attitudes.Years of watching and comparing bright children with the not-bright, or less bright, have shown that they are very different kinds of people. The bright child is curious about life and reality, eager to get in touch with it, embrace it, unite himself with it. Thereis no wall, no barrier, between himself and life. On the other hand, the dull child is far less curious, far less interested in what goes on and what is real, more inclined to live in a world of fantasy. The bright child likes to experiment, to try things out. He lives by the maxim that there is more than one way to skin a cat. If he can't do something one way, he'll try another. The dull child is usually afraid to try at all. It takes a great deal of urging to get him to try even once; if that try fails, he is through.Nobody starts off stupid. Hardly an adult in a thousand, or ten thousand could in any three years of his life learn as much, grow as much in his understanding of the world around him, as every infant learns and grows in his first three years. But what happens, as we grow older, to this extraordinary capacity for learning and intellectual growth? What happens is that it is destroyed, and more than by any other one thing, it is destroyed by the process that we misname education—a process that goes on in most homes and schools.44、 The writer believes that intelligence is ______.A. doing well in schoolB. doing well on some examinationsC. a certain type of behaviorD. good scores on tests45、 The writer believes that "unintelligence" is ______.A. similar to intelligenceB. less than intelligenceC. the common belief of most psychologistsD. a particular way of looking at the world46、 Why does the writer say that education is misnamed? ______A. Because it takes place more in homes than in school.B. Because it discourages intellectual growth.C. Because it helps dull children with their problems.D. Because it helps children understand the world around them.47、 In the paragraphs which follow the above passage, the writer probably discusses ______.A. how education destroys the development of intelligenceB. how bright children differ from dull childrenC. how intelligence is inheritedD. how the child's intellectual capacity grows at home and school48、 Which can be inferred from the passage? ______A. The unintelligent child is always incurious to the outer world and fears to try.B. The intelligent child must be more aggressive than unintelligent ones.C. The differences of intelligence are due to the bad education.D. The intelligence is result of late education.Passage TwoThere seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown, They probably came about just to give children something to do, In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another, In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers, This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world,What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same, The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology, It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that isamazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic (北极的) peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent (进步). The progress from a rattle (拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials.49、 The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that ______.A. their social roles are rigidly determinedB. most boys would like to follow their fathers' professionsC. boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothersD. they like challenging activities50、 One aspect of "the universality of toys" lies in the fact that ______.A. technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toysB. the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of universitiesC. the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toysD. the basic characteristics of toys are the same the world over51、 Which of the following is the author's view on the historical development of toys?A. The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged.B. Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries.C. The toy industry has witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years.D. Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child's character.52、 Regarded as a kind of art form, toys ______.A. follow a direct line of ascentB. also appeal greatly to adultsC. are not characterized by technological progressD. reflect the pace of social progress53、 The author uses the example of a rattle to show that ______.A. in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materialsB. even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technologyC. it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-makingD. even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the timePart Ⅳ TranslationDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.54、亚健康亚健康(sub-health)现已成为广大城市居民的一个重大问题，尤其是对于白领阶层和受过高等教育的人群。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试模拟试卷及答案（1）Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Directions: There are 4 passages in this part.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the correspondingletter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:Some radio singals were heard in 1967.They were coming from a point in the sky where there was unknown star.They were coming very regularly,too:about once a second,if they were controlled by clock.The scientists who heard the signals did not tell anybody else.They were rather afraid to tell in case they frightened people.The signals were coming from avery small body―no bigger,perhaps than the earth.Was that why no light could be seen from it?Or were the signals coming from a planet that belonged to some other star?There was no end to the questions,but the scientists kept the news secret.“Perhaps there are intelligent beings out there.”they thought,“who are trying to send messages to other planets,or to us?So the news was not given to the newspaper.Instead,the scientists studied the signals and searched for others like them...Well,all that happened in 1967 and1968.Since then scientists have learnt more about those strange,regular,radio signals.And they have told the story,of course.The signals do not come from a planet;they come from a new kind of star called a “pulsar””.About a hundred other pulsars have now been found,and most of them are very like the first one.Pulsars are strong radio stars.They are the smallest but the heaviest stars we know at present.A handful of pulsar would weigh a few thousandtons.Their light―if they give much light―is too small for us to see.But we can be sure of this,no intelligent beings are living on them.21. The radio signals discussed in thispassage____.A.were regularB.were controlled by a clockC.were heard in 1967 onlyD.were secret messages22. The radio singals were sent by____.A.a satelliteB.a planetC.a sky body which was unknown at that timeD.intelligent beings who were unknown at that time23. The scientists did not tell people about the signals because____.A.the singals stood for secret messagesB.people would ask them too many questionsC.they did not want to frighten peopleD.they stood for unimportant messages24. A pulsar is____.A. a small heavy star which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seenB. a small heavy planet which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seenC. a small heavy satellite which sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seenD. a small intelligent being who sends out strong radio signals and cannot be seen25. Which of the following is true?A.One of the pulsars found by scientists sends radio signals.B.Pulsar began to send radio singals in 1967.C.Scientists have searched for pulsars for many years but found none.D.Scientists have found many pulsars since 1967.rn life and ancient life.27. “one out of seven” refers to____.A.more than a third of the lands' earthB.the percentage of the earth's land that is desert-likeC.the number of people who live in dry regionsD.a day of a week28. In paragraph 2,“they are taken to the greener lands in the south.”They refers to____.A.the Sahel farm landB.the farmersC.the cattlesD.the trees29. How many ideas for saving the land are described?A.Five.B.Two.C.Four.D.Three.30. Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?A.The earth's desert are slowly spreading.B.One out of 10 people lives in dry regions.C.Their life in the desert is threatened now by traditional problems.D.New water wells can solve the problem inAfrica's desert.Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:Telephone, television, radio, and telegraph all help people communicate with each other. Because of these devices, ideas and news of events spread quickly all over the world. For example, within seconds, people can know the results of an election in another country. An international football match comes into the homes of everyone with a television set.News of a disaster such as an earthquake or a flood can bring help from distant countries within hours, help is onthe way. Because of modern technology like the satellites that travel around the world, information travels fast.How has this speed of communication changed the world? To many people,the world has become smaller. Of course this does not mean that the world is actually physically smaller. It means that the world seems smaller. Two hundred years ago,communication between the continents took a long time. All news was carried on ships that took weeks or even months to cross the ocean. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,it took six weeks for news from Europe to reach America.This time difference influenced people's actions. For example, one battle, or fight, in the War of 1812 between England and the United States could have been avoided. A peace agreement had already been signed. Peace was made in England, but the news of peace took six weeks to reach America. During thesesix weeks, the large and serious Battle of New Orleans was fought. Many people lost their lives after a peace treaty had been signed.They would not have died if news had come in time.In the past,communication took much time than it does now.There was a good reason why the world seemed so much larger than it does today.31. News spreads fast because of____.A.modern transportationB.new technologyC.the change of the worldD.a peace agreement32. According to this passage,____is very important to people in a disaster area.A.fast communicationB.modern technologytest newsD.new ideas33. Which of the following statements is true?A.The world now seems smaller because of faster communication.B.The world is actually smaller today.C.The world is changing its size.D. The distance between England and America has changed since the War of 181234. Two hundred years ago,news between the continents was carried____.A.by telephone and telegraphB.by landC.by airD.by sea35. The New Orleans Battle could have been avoided if the peace agreement had been signed____.A.by both sidesB.in timeC.in AmericaD.in EnglandQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do. A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of heal threlated behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of thistext to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personalchoice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.[ZZ(Z]They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attemptingsuicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity.36. The concept of personal choice concerning health is important because____.A.personal health choices help cure most illnessesB.it helps raise the level of our medical knowledgeC.it is essential to personal freedom in American societyD.wrong decisions could head to poor health37. To “live a completely sedentary lifestyle”(Para. 1) in the passage means____.”A.to live an inactive lifeB.to live a decent lifeC.to live a life with complete freedomD.to live a life of vice38. Sound personal health choice is oftendifficult to make because____.A.current medical knowledge is still insufficientB.there are many factors influencing our decisionsC.few people are willing to trade the quality of life for longevityD.people are usually influenced by the behavior of their friends39. To knowingly allow oneself to pursue unhealthy habits is compared by Fries and Crapo to____.A.improving the quality of one's lifeB.limiting one's personal health choiceC.deliberately ending one's lifeD.breaking the rules of social behavior40. According to Fries and Crapo sound health choices should be based on____.A.personal decisionsws of societyC.statistical evidenceD.opinions of friendsPart Ⅲ Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)Directions:There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part.For each sentence there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D).Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence.Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.41. ____he thought of it,the stars seemed always large and clear before the dawn of Christmas Day.A.As forB.Now thatC.BecauseD.As soon as42. A thought____him like a silver dagger.A.beatB.hitC.struckD.pondered43. I'll____this afternoon.A.get the radio fixedB.get the radio to be fixedC.get the radio being fixedD.get the radio fixing44. Who is____personnel at present?A.in the charge ofB.under charge ofC.under the charge ofD.in charge of45. Tell him to turn down the TV.It's____my nerves.A.get overB.get inC.get crazy withD.get on46. The family decided to raise two cows and five sheep____the chickens,ducks and rabbits.A.exceptB.besidesC.besideD.except for47. I woke up,____that he had gone.A.only findingB.only having foundC.only to findD.only to have found48. The project____by the time you come to China again.A.will be completedB.will have been completedC.is to be completedD.is going to be completed49. In the course of the work,we____lots of difficulties.A.met withB.sawC.got intoD.came across50. ____his accent,he must be from the south.A.Judged byB.Being judged fromC.Judging fromD.Being judged by51. The boy____his father.A.was accused of having killedB.was accused to have killedC.was accused of killingD.was accused to kill52. Missing the train means____for an hour.A.waitingB.to waitC.to be waitingD.have to wait53. Something extraordinary happened in that hospital.A man,who was declaredclinically dead,suddenly____.A.returned to lifeB.restored to lifeC.came to lifeD.survived54. They are glad to see the children____in the day care center.A.well taken careB.being well taken care ofC.well looked afterD.being well looked after55. She is a woman of rare gifts.Her performance last night was indeed very____.A.impressedB.impressiveC.impressingD.impression56. The road being built was scheduledto____traffic on May Day.A.be close toB.be closed toC.be open toD.be opened to57. It was more than fifteen years ago____I entered the laboratory of Professor Agassiz.A.whenB.thatC.in whichD.since58. ____than it began raining.A.Hardly had he reached homeB.Hardly did he reach homeC.No sooner did he reach homeD.No sooner had he reached home59. The man's life____if he had been sent to a better hospital.A.might have been savedB.may have been savedC.was to be savedD.should be saved60. Everybody looked____the direction of the explosion.A.toB.fromC.inD.into61. This is a____young writer.He has published quite a few good stories inrecent years.A.promisedB.looking forwardC.promisingD.clever62. The doctor insists that the patient____.A.must be operatedB.should be operatedC.be operated onD.needs operating on63. It sounds as if the telephone____.A.were ringingB.was ringing.C.has being ringingD.is ringing64. The family looked on helplessly as their house____.A.burning downB.was burned downC.was burning downD.burned down65. What is the____language in India?A.officeB.officialC.officiallyD.officer66. He____twenty times,striking a match each time to look at his old watch.A.had wakedB.was awakeC.must have wakedD.was waken67. There he bought____chocolate for his daughter,and then he had____beers in the bar not far from the school.A.a bar of...a couple ofB.a piece of...a bottle ofC.a dozen of...a couple ofD.a cubic of...a tin of68. With his big fleshy nose he____his grandpa.A.looks likeB.takes afterC.looks afterD.resembles69. The ____majority were in support of this bill so it was passed without much difficulty.A.overflowingB.overtakingC.overloadingD.overwhelming70. The actress____the terms of her contract and was sued by the producer.A.isolatedB.signedC.implementedD.violatedPart Ⅳ Translation from English into Chinese (15 minutes)Directions:In this part,there are five items which you should translate into Chinese,each item consisting of one or two sentences.These sentences are all taken from the reading passages you have just read in Part Three of the Test Paper.You are allowed 15 minutes to do the translation.You should refer back to the passages so as to identify their meanings in the context.71.(Passage 1 Para.1)They were rather afraid to tell in case they frightened people.72. (Passage 2 Para.1)Now largely through problems caused by modern life,their existence is threatened by the slow,steady spread of the earth's deserts.73. (Passage 3 Para.1)Because of modern technology like the satellite that travel around theworld,information travels fast.74. (Passage 4 Para.1)We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.75. (Passage 4 Para.1)They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.答案1短文大意1967年人类收到了一些太空信号。