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.第 1 页共8 页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 One Questions 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.第 2 页共8 页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) adept 34. 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) criticize38. _______ 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第 3 页共8 页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 50 sustained 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第 4 页共8 页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 old technology 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.第 5 页共8 页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.第 6 页共8 页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。
