2016英语专四答案+听力原文

2016 TEM 4 Mini- Lecture text：What is Grit?Good afternoon, everyone. Today, I would like to talk about my research project concerning the key to success. I would like to start my topic with my own story.When I was 27 years old, I left a very demanding job: teaching seventh graders math in the New York City public schools. And like any teacher, I made quizzes and tests. I gave out homework assignments. When the work came back, I calculated grades. What struck me was that IQ was not the only difference between my best and my worst students. Some of my strongest performers did not have super IQ scores. Some of my smartest kids weren't doing so well. Then I felt very interested in knowing the reason why the students' math performance is not that closely related to their IQ scores. [2]I started studying kids and adults in all kinds of challenging settings, and in every study [1]my question was, who is successful here and why? My research team and I went to West Point Military Academy. We tried to predict which students would stay in military training and which would drop out. [3]We went to the National Spelling Contest and tried to predict which children would advance farthest in competition. We worked with private companies, asking, which of these salespeople is going to keep their jobs? And who's going to earn the most money? We went to many places, and finally one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ. It was grit. What is grit? Well, [4]grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for theweek, not just for the month, but for years, [5]and working really hard to make that future a reality. [6]Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint. A few years ago, I started studying grit in the Chicago public schools. I asked thousands of high school juniors to take grit questionnaires, and then waited around more than a year to see who would graduate. [7]It turned out that grittier kids were significantly more likely to graduate, even when I matched them on every characteristic I could measure, things like family income, test scores and so on. To me, the most shocking thing about grit is how little we know, how little science knows about building it. Every day, parents and teachers ask me” How do I build grit in kids? How do I keep them motivated for the long run?" Our data show very clearly that there are many talented individuals who simply do not follow through on their commitments. [8]In fact, in our data, grit is usually unrelated or even inversely related to measures of talent. So far, the best idea I've heard about building grit in kids is something called "growth mindset." [9]Growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can change with your effort. [10]Kids with grit are much more likely to persevere when they fail, because they don't believe that failure is a permanent condition. So growth mindset is a great idea for building grit. But we need more. And that's where I'm going to end my remarks, because that's where we are. That's the work that stands before us. We have to be willing to fail, to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned.As a conclusion, we need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier. Nest time, I would like to share with my experience in building up students’ grit.2016 TEM 4 Mini- Lecture task：My question●Why isn’t IQ the only difference between situati ons?●What is the key to (1) _____?My research●Investigation of all kinds of (2) _____, including:- West Point Military Academy- (3) _____- Private companiesMy finding: grit as predictor of success●Grit is (4) _____ for very long-term goals.●Grit is working hard for years to make (5) _____●Grit is living your life like a (6) _____My survey●high school juniors took grit questionnaires●(7) _____ kids were more likely to graduateGrit-building●little is known about how to build grit in students●date how grit is unrelated to (8) _____●growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is (9) _____ ●kids with grit believe failure is (10)_____ConclusionWe need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier.。

2016.06 1stSection 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. C）Lack of a successful business model of their own. B）Inability to keep turning out novel products. 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. You must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）,B）,C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）He’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 will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）,B）,C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A）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.参考答案1. C) Rising unemployment worldwide.2. C) Few countries have realized the seriousness of the current crisis.3. B) Put calorie information on the menu.4. A) They will be fined.5. D) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.6. B) It is the creation of something new.7. C) Its innovation culture.8.D)He does not talk long on the phone.9.B)talk at length.10.A)He thought it was cool.11.C)It is childish and unprofessional.12. A) He wants to change his job assignment.13. A) His workload was much too heavy.14. C) His boss has a lot of trust in him.15. D) Talk to his boss in person first.16 A) The importance of sleep to a healthy life17 C) They get less and less sleep18 D) Their blood pressure will rise19. B) What course you are going to choose20. D) The personal statement21. C）Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject22 B) It was built in the late 19th century.23 D) They often broke down.24 A) They were produced on the assembly line.25 C) It marked a new era in motor travel.News Report 1The International Labor Organization says the number of people without jobs is increasing. In its latest update on global employment trends, the agency says projections of the number of unemployed people this year range from 210 million to nearly 240 million people. The report warns that 200 million poor workers are at risk of joining the ranks of people living on less than 2 dollars per day in the past three years. The director general of the International Labor Organization Juan Somavia notes that some countries have taken measures to address the effects of the global crisis.However, he points out that many countries have not done so. And based on past experiences, it takes four to five years after economic recovery for unemployment to return to pre-crisis levels. Mr. Somavia says the International Labor Organization is proposing a global jobs' agreement to deal with unemployment. 'It's key objective is to play so the center of recovery efforts, measures that would generate high levels of employment and provide basic social protection for the most vulnerable.'Q1. What is the news report mainly about?Q2. What does, Juan Somavia, the director general of the International Labor Organization say?News Report 2Big fast food chains in New York City have started to obey a first of its kind rule, requiring them to post calorie counts right on the menu. Cathy Nurses is with the New York City department of health, 'We wanted to give people an opportunity to actually see the calories before they purchased the food and make a decision and inform decision. That if they want to make their healthier choice, if they want to eat fewer calories they can. And we expect this will have a huge impact on obesity. And of course, if it has an impact on obesity, it will have an impact on diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure. 'The new rules will introduce as a part of anti-obesity campaign. That also includes a recent citywide ban and artificial trans-fats in restaurant food. The menu roll only applies to restaurants that serve standardized potion sizes and have fifty more locations nationwide. Starting last Saturday, chains big enough to fall under the rule will face penalties about 2000 dollars for not showing calorie informationin a prominent spot on their menus preferably next to the price.Q3. What are big fast food chains in New York City require to do according to the new rule?Q4. What would happen to big restaurant chains that violate the new rule?News Report ThreeAlmost all companies recognize the importance of innovation today. But not many are able to integrate innovation into their business.A commentary in the Shanghai Daily points out that innovation doesn't mean piles of documents. It is something more practical. The article says many people tend to assume that innovation just means creating something new, but actually it's more than that. It's an attitude of doing things. A company should find ways to innovate not just in products but also in functions, business models and processes. The article cites the global giant Procter & Gamble as an example, saying a real innovative company should develop an innovation culture and use it as a primary tool for success. Procter & Gamble has a “Corporate Innovation Fund” which offers big rewards for high-risk ideas that succeed. It also has a special innovation facility for its employees. Sometimes its employees are released from their daily jobs for weeks and spend their time interacting in the innovation facility instead. In conclusion, the article says innovative ideas alone do not ensure success. It's pointless unless there is a repeatable process in place to turn inspiration into financial performance.Q5. What is the problem with many companies according to the news report?Q6. What do many people tend to think of innovation?Q7. What does the company Procter & Gamble owe its success to?【Conversation】Conversation OneM: So, Linzy, do you like to text message on your cell phone?W: Yeah, I text message a lot.M: I don't do it so much. I prefer to make a call if I'm in a hurry.W: Yeah, I go both ways. Sometimes I don’t really want to talk to the person. I just want to ask them one question, so it's much easier for me just to text message. If I call them, I'll have to have a long conversation.M: Yeah, I can see what you mean. But I get off the phone pretty quickly when I call. I'm not a big talker.W: Yeah, that's true. You don't talk a lot.M: So are you fast at writing the messages with your thumb?W: Well, when I first got a cell phone, I was so slow. I thought I would never text message. But then people kept text messaging me, so I felt obliged to learn how to text message. So now I'm pretty fast. What about you?M: Actually I have the opposite problem. When I first got my cell phone, I thought it was so cool to text message all my friends who have one, and I was pretty fast with my thumb then. But it seems like now I don't use it so much, I've got slower actually.W: Yeah, I think text messaging actually is what you have to do with your age. For example, people in high school, they text message a lot. But I ask my father if he texted messages, and guess what he said? M: What?W: He said he'd never text message. He thinks it's very childish and unprofessional to text message. M: Yeah, I can see what he means. It's considered pretty informal to text message to someone. Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you've just heard.Q8: What does the man say about himself?Q9: What does the woman tend to do while she is on the phone?Q10: Why did the man text message all his friends when he first got his cell phone?Q11: What does the woman's father think of text messaging?Conversation TwoW: Good morning, Mr. Johnson. How can I help you?M: Well, I'd like to talk to you about Tim Bond, the department manager.W: What seems to be the problem?M: Well, ever since Sandra left the department, I feel like I've been targeted to do all her work as well as mine. I'm expected to attend too many meetings and I seem to be spending a lot of my time doing unnecessary paper work.W: I'm sorry to hear that.M: And, on top of that, I'd specifically asked if I could leave early last Friday as I done a lot of overtime during the week. But that afternoon, even though I'd finished my assigned work, I was told to help other colleagues finish their work, too.W: But surely that's a positive sign showing that Mr. Bond has a lot of trust in you.M: Yes, but other colleagues get to leave early, and they don't have such a lot of work to do.W: So you feel he's really making unrealistic demands on you?M: Yes, absolutely.W: Have you approached Mr. Bond about this particular problem?M: I've tried, but it seems like he just has no time for me.W: Well, at this stage, it would be better if you approached him directly. If nothing else showing that you've tried to solve the problem yourself before you take it further. Makes it clear that you're just not a complainer. Why don't you send an email requesting a meeting with him in private?M: Hmm, I've been a bit worried about his reaction. But anyway I'll send him an email to request a meeting, and I'll see what happens from there. Thanks for your advice.W: Good luck. And let us know the outcome.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you've just heard.Q12. What do we learn about the man from the conversation?Q13. What is the man's chief complaint?Q14. How does the woman interpret the fact that the man was asked to help his colleagues with their work?Q15. What did the woman advise the man to do?【Passages】Passage OneThe massive decline in sleep happened so slowly and quietly that few seemed to notice the trend. Was it because of the growing attraction of the Internet, video games and endless TV channels? Never disconnecting from work? No matter how it happened, millions of Americans are putting their health, quality of life and even length of life in danger.New evidence shows why getting enough sleep is a top priority. Some 40% of Americans get less than 7 hours of shut-eye on week nights. "The link between sleep and health, and bad sleep and disease is becoming clearer and clearer." says Lawrence Alberstaine, a sleep expert at Harvard University. For example, sleep duration has declined from some 8 hours in the 1950s to 7 in recent years. At the same time, high blood pressure has become an increasing problem. Blood pressure and heart rate are typically at their lowest levels during sleep. People who sleep less tend to have higher blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, weight gain and other problems.Sleeping better may help fight off illness. "When people are sleep-derived, there are higher levels of stress hormones in their bodies which can decrease immune function." says Doctor Felice, of Northwestern University in Chicago. A university of Chicago study shows people who sleep well live longer. So say good night sooner and it may help you stay active and vital to a ripe old age.Q16. What is the speaker mainly talking about?Q17. What do we learn from the talk about today's Americans?Q18. What does the speaker say will happen to people who lack sleep?Passage TwoParents and teachers will tell you not to worry when applying for a place at a university. But in the same breath will remind you that it is the most important decision of your life.The first decision is your choice of course. It will depend on what you want to get out of university, what you are good at and what you enjoy. The next decision is where to apply. Aim high but within reason. Do you have the right combination of subjects and are your expected grades likely to meet entry requirements? The deadline is January 15th. But it is best to submit your application early because universities begin work as soon as forms start rolling in.The most important part of the application is the much feared personal statement. This is your chance to convey boundless enthusiasm for the subject. So economy of expression is foremost. Omit dull and ineffective generalities and make sure you give concrete examples.Admissions officers read every personal statement that arrives. It is not convincing if you say you have chosen the subject because you enjoy it. You have to get across what it is about a particular area that has inspired you. They will look for evidence that you have reflected and thought about the subject. Applicants should be honest. There is no point saying you run marathons, if you are going to be out of breath arriving at the interview on the second floor.Q19. What is the first decision you should make in preparing to apply for a place at a university?Q20. What is the most important part of the application?Q21. What must applicants do in their personal statements?Passage ThreeIt is widely believed that German invented the first car in 1885. It was actually a tricycle with a petrol motor at the rear. Soon, members of the royal family and other wealthy people took up motoring as a sport. Many of the early cars had 2 seats. There were no petrol pumps and few garages, so every driver had to be his own engineer for the frequent breakdowns.By 1905, cars began to look like cars of today, with head lamps, wind screen, rubble tires and number plates. Henry Ford's Model T introduced in America in 1909 was cheaper because it was made on the assembly line. It brought cars closer towards the reach of ordinary people. With the popularity of the car, registration became a must in 1903 with the motor car act. Competency tests were introduced in 1935.Today, the legal driving age for a car in the UK is 17. You are not allowed to drive a car unsupervised until you have passed a driving test. In 1958, Britain celebrated the opening of its first motor way – the Preston Bypass. Until then, no one really understood what a motor way was, not even the laborers who were building it. The bypass held a new era in motor travel and was greeted with excitement and optimism. Service stations came with the motor way and the legend of the transport cafe was born. Of course, the service station has diversified greatly. But whether it’s an English-cooked breakfast or a coffee and a sandwich, one thing has remained the same: the prices.Q22. What does the speaker say about the first motor car?Q23. What was the problem with the early cars in Britain?Q24. Why did Henry Ford's Model T cars cost less? Q25. What do we learn about the Preston Bypass?。

2016年英语专业四级考试真题试卷（含听力和原文）第一部分：真题试卷TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS(2016)-GRADE FOUR-TIME LIMIT: 130 MIN PART ⅠDICTATION [10 MIN] Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third reading, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given ONE minute to check through your work once more.Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.音频：关注公众号“超能资料库”回复关键词“专四”获取免费音频PART ⅡLISTENING COMPERHESION [20 MIN] SECTION A TALKIn this section you will hear a talk. You will hear the talk ONCE ONLY. While listening, you may look at the task on ANSWER SHEET ONE and write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each gap. Make sure what you fill in is both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may use the blank sheet for note-taking.You have THIRTY seconds to preview the gap-filling task.Now listen to the talk. When it is over, you will be given TWO minutes to check your work.SECTION B CONVERSATINSIn this section you will hear two conversations. At the end of each conversation, five questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversations and the questions will be spoken ONCE ONLY. After each question there will be a ten-second pause. During the pause, you should read the four choices of [A], [B], [C] and [D], and mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.You have THIRTY seconds to preview the questions.Now listen to the conversations.Conversation One1.[A] To tell the man that he has been shortlisted for interview.[B]To ask the man a few questions about his interview.[C]To explain to the man how to make a presentation.[D]To tell the man the procedure of the interview.2.[A] Questions related to the job.[B]General questions about himself.[C]Specific questions about his CV.[D]Questions about his future plan.3.[A] Questions from the interviewers.[B]Questions from the interviewee.[C]Presentation from the interviewee.[D]Requests from the interviewee.4.[A] Educational and professional background.[B]Problems be has faced and solved.[C]Major successes in his career so far.[D]Company future and his contribution.5.[A] 11 a. m., next Tuesday. [B] 11 a. m., next Thursday.[C] 9 a. m., this Tuesday. [D] 9 a. m., this Thursday.Conversation Two6.[A] The disadvantages of college loans.[B]Government financing in college education.[C]How to handle the problem of college loans.[D]How college students pay for their education.7.[A] It has increased by 6 to 8%.[B]It has increased by 8 to 10%.[C]It has decreased by 6 to 8%.[D]It has decreased by 8 to 10%.8.[A] Student’s family income.[B]First year salary after graduation.[C]A fixed amount of 30,000 dollars.[D]Payment in the next ten years.9.[A] Students can borrow money first.[B]Students pay no tax on savings.[C]Students pay less tax after graduation.[D]Students withdraw without paying tax.10.[A] Giving up charitable or volunteer work.[B]Neglecting their study at college.[C]Giving up further education.[D]Neglecting high salary in job-seeking.PART ⅢLANGUAGE USAGE [10 MIN] There are twenty sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are four options marked [A]. [B], [C] and [D]. Choose one word phrase that best completes the sentence.Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET TWO.11.How can I concentrate if you continually me with silly questions?[A] have… interrupted [B] had… interrupted[C] are… interrupting[D] were… interrupting12.A mong the four sentences below, Sentence express the highest degree of possibility.[A]It may take a long time to find a solution to the problem.[B]It might take a long time to find a solution to the problem.[C]It could take a long time to find a solution to the problem.[D]It should take a long time to find a solution to the problem.13.She is a better speaker than in the class.[A] any boy [B] the other boys [C] other any girl [D] all the girls14.Nobody heard him sing, ?[A] did one [B] did he [C] didn’t they [D] did they15.I can’t put up with .[A]that friend of you [B] that friend of yours[C] the friend of you [D] the friend of yours16.There has been an increasing number of in primary schools in past few years.[A]man teacher [B] men teacher [C] man teachers [D] men teachers17.This is one of the issues that deserve .[A] being mentioned [B] mentioning [C] to mention [D] for mention18.The audience excited on seeing favorite star glide onto the stage.[A] were… their [B] were… its [C] was… their [D] was… one’s19. your advice, I would have made the wrong decision.A. ample F. genuinely K. scantB. combinationsG. insteadL. shapedC. directlyD. disseminatedH. lists I. promulgatedM. sophisticated N. transplantedE. generationsJ. publicizedO. virtual[A] Hadn’t it been for [B] Had it not been for[C] Had it been for [D] Had not it been for20.The sentence I wish I had been more careful in spending money express the speaker’s.[A]hope [B] joy [C] regret [D] relief21.T he Attorney General ordered a federal autopsy of Brown’s body, seeking to the family and community there would be a thorough investigation into his death.[A]ensure [B] insure [C] assure [D] ascertain22.T he police department came under strong criticism for both the death of an unarmed and its handling of the.[A]consequence [B] outcome [C] result [D] aftermath23.The Foreign Secretary tried to doubts about his handling of the crisis.[A] dispel [B] expel [C] repel [D] quell24.Mutual funds are thus best for investors who don’t want to take the time to study stocks in detail or whothe resources to build a portfolio.[A]deprive [B] lack [C] yearn [D] attain25.Chris ran John at a sporting-goods trade show and the two quickly struck an easy rapport.[A]into…up[B] on…into[C] across…on[D] against…into26.“I’m leaving the country soon,” he told a convened group of reporters.[A] especially [B] particularly [C] specially [D] specifically27.Israel and Hamas had reached a deal on extending the ceasefire by an extra 24 hours until Tuesday at midnight.[A]contemporary [B] makeshift [C] spontaneous [D] temporary28.to unplugging the alarm clock and trusting your ability to wake on time on your own, you should probably ease yourself into the new arrangement by keeping a very regular schedule for several weeks.[A]Due [B] Prior [C] Related [D] Thanks29.I f you are an athlete, strong abdominal muscles help you ensure a strong back and freedom from injury duringupper-body movement.[A]valiant [B] variable [C] vigilant [D] vigorous30.F inning is a cruel in which the shark’s fins are lopped off, and the live shark is thrown back to sea.[A]reality [B] truth [C] practice [D] skillPART ⅣCLOZE [10 MIN] Decide which of the words given in the box below would best complete the passage if inserted in the corresponding blank. The words can be used ONCE ONLY. Mark the letter for each word on ANSWER SHEET TWO.Imagine a world without writing. Obviously there would be no books: no novels, no encyclopedias, no cookbooks, no textbooks, no telephone books, no scriptures, no diaries, no travel guides. There would be no ball-points, no typewriters, no computers, no Internet, no magazines, no movie credits, no shopping lists, no newspapers, no tax returns. But such (31) of subjects almost miss the point. The world we live in hasbeen indelibly marked by the written word, (32) by the technology of writing over thousands of years. Ancient kings proclaimed their authority and (33) their laws in writing. Scribes administered great empires by writing, their knowledge of recording and retrieving information essential to governing complex societies. Religious traditions were passed on through (34) , and spread to others, in writing. Scientific and technological progress was achieved and (35) through writing. Accounts in trade and commerce could be kept because of writing. Nearly every step of civilization has been mediated through writing. A world without writing would bear (36) resemblance to the one we now live in. Writing is a (37) necessity to the societies anthropologists call civilizations. A civilization is distinguished from other societies by the complexity of its social organization, by its construction of cities and large public buildings, and by the economic specialization of its members, many of whom are not (38) involved in food procurement or production. A civilization, with its taxation and tribute systems, its trade and its public works, requires a (39) system of record keeping. And so the early civilizations of Egypt, China, and (probably) India all developed a system of writing. Only the Peruvian civilization of the Incas and their predecessors did not use writing but (40) invented a system of keeping records on knotted color-coded strings known as quipu.PART ⅤREADING COMPREHENSION [35MIN] SECTION A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONSIn this section there are three passages followed by ten multiple choice questions. For each multiple choice question, there are four suggested answers marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. Choose the one that you think is the best answer and mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET TWO.PASSAGE ONE(1)When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a mining-broker’s cle rk in San Francisco, and an expert in all the details of stock traffic. I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation; but these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune, and I was content with the prospect. My time was my own after the afternoon board, Saturdays, and I was accustomed to putting it in on a little sail-boat on the bay. One day I ventured too far, and was carried out to sea. Just at nightfall, when hope was about gone, I was picked up by a small ship which was bound for London. It was a long and stormy voyage, and they made me work my passage without pay, as a common sailor. When I stepped ashore in London my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me twenty-four hours. During the next twenty-four I went without food and shelter.(2)About ten o’clock on the following morning, dirty and hungry, I was dragging myself along Portland Place, when a child that was passing, towed by a nurse-maid, tossed a big pear—minus one bite—into the gutter. I stopped, of course, and fastened my desiring eye on that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it, my stomach craved it, my whole being begged for it. But every time I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose, and of course I straightened up then, and looked indifferent and pretended that I hadn’t been thinking about the pear at all. This same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn’t get the pear.(3)I was just getting desperate enough to brave all the shame, and to seize it, when a window behind me was raised, and a gentleman spoke out of it, saying: “ Step in here,please.”(4)I was admitted by a man servant, and shown into a sumptuous room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting. They sent away the servant, and made me sit down. They had just finished their breakfast, and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me. I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food, but as I was not asked to sample it, I had to bear my trouble as best as I could.(5)Now, something had been happening there a little before, which I did not know anything about until a good many days afterwards, but I will tell you about it now. Those two old brothers had been having a pretty hot argument a couple of days before, and had ended by agreeing to decide it by a bet, which is the English way ofsettling everything.(6)You will remember that the Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each, to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country. For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled; the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank. Well, the brothers chatting along, happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift in London without a friend, and with no money but that million-pound bank-note, and no way to account for his being in possession of it. Brother A said he would starve to death; Brother B said he wouldn’t. Brother A said he couldn’t offer it at a bank or anywhere else, because he would be arrested on t he spot. So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days, anyway, on that million, and keep out of jail, too. Brother A took him up. Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note. Then he dictated a letter, which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand, and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to.(7)I finally became the pick of them.41.In Para. 1, the phrase “set my feet” probably means .A. put me asideB. prepare meC. let me walkD. start my journey42.It can be concluded from Para. 2 that .A.the man wanted to maintain dignity though starvedB.the man could not get a proper chance to eat the pearC.the man did not really want the pear since it was dirtyD.it was very difficult for the man to get the pearpared with Brother A, Brother B was more towards the effect of the one-million-pound bank-note on a total strange.A.neutralB. negativeC. reservedD. positivePASSAGE TWO(1)The concept of peace is a very important one in cultures all over the world. Think about how we greet people. In some language, the phrases for greetings contain the word for peace. In some cultures we greet people by shaking hands or with another gesture to show that we are not carrying weapons —that we come in peace. And there are certain symbols which people in very different cultures recognize as representing peace. Let’s look at a few of them.The dove(2)The dove has been a symbol of peace and innocence for thousands of years in many different cultures. In ancient Greek mythology it was a symbol of love and the renewal of life. In ancient Japan a dove carrying a sword symbolized the end of war.(3)There was a tradition in Europe that if dove flew around a house where someone was dying then their soul would be at peace. And there are legends which say that devil can turn himself into any bird except for a dove. In Christian art, the dove was used to symbolized the Holy Ghost and was often p ainted above Christ’s head.(4)But it was Pablo Picasso who made the dove a modern symbol of peace when he used it on a poster for the World Peace Congress in 1949.The rainbow(5)The rainbow is another ancient and universal symbol, often representing the connection between human beings and their gods. In Greek mythology it was associated with Iris, the goddess who brought messages from the gods on Mount Olympus. In Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the earth. In the Bible a rainbow showed Noah that the Biblical flood was finally over, and that God had forgiven his people. In the Chinese tradition, the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union of yin and yang. Nowadays the rainbow is used by many popular movements for peace and the environment, representingthe possibility of a better world in the future and promising sunshine after rain.Mistletoe(6)This plant was sacred in many cultures, generally representing peace and love. Most people know of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time, which probably comes from Scandinavian mythology. The goddess Freya’s son was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe, so, in honour of him, she declared that it would always be a symbol of peace. It was often hung in doorways as a sign of friendship.(7)The ancient Druids believed that hanging mistletoe in your doorway could protect you from evil spirits. Tribes would stop fighting for a period of time if they found a tree with mistletoe. But you will never see mistletoe in a Christian church —it is banned because of its associations with pagan religion and superstition.The olive branch(8)The olive tree has always been a valuable source of food and oil. In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena gave the olive tree to the people of Athens, who showed their gratitude by naming the city after her. But no one knows for sure when or why it began to symbolize peace. There is probably a connection with ancient Greece. Wars between states were suspended during the Olympics Games, and the winners were given crowns of olive branches. The symbolism may come from the fact that the olive tree takes a long time to produce fruit, so olives could only be cultivated successfully in long periods of peace. Whatever the history, the olive branch is a part of many modern flags symbolizing peace and unity. One well-known example is the United Nations symbol.The ankh(9)The ankh is an ancient symbol which was adopted by the hippie movement in the 1960s to represent peace and love. It was found in many Asian cultures, but is generally associated with ancient Egypt. It represented life and immortality. Egyptians were buried with an ankh, so that they could continue to live in the “afterworld”. The symbol was also found along the sides of the Nile, which gave life to the people. They believed that the ankh could control the flow of the river and make sure that there was always enough water.44.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A.Concept of Peace.B. Popular Peace Symbols.C. Origin of Peace Symbols.D. Cultural Difference of Peace.45.The rainbow represents the connection between human beings and their gods in all the following countries EXCEPT .A.SwedenB. GreeceC. FinlandD. China46.In North Europe mistletoe was often hung in doorways to indicate .A.friendshipB. loveC. kinshipD. honour47.The origin of the ankh can date back to .A.the NileB. the “afterword”C. the hippie movementD. ancient EgyptPASSAGE THREE(1)Two sides almost never change: That you can manipulate people into self-sufficiency and that you can punish them into good citizenship.(2)The first manifests itself in our tireless search for the magical level at which welfare grants are big enough to meet basic needs but small enough to make low-paid work attractive. The second has us looking to the criminal justice system to cure behavior that is as much as anything the result of despair.(3)The welfare example is well known. We don’t want poor people to live in squalor or their children to be malnourished. But we also don’t want to subsidize the indolence of people who are too lazy to work. The first impulse leads us to provide housing, food stamps, medical care and a cash stipend for families in need. The second gets us to think about “workforce”.(4)We’ve been thinking about it for two reasons: the “nanny” pro blems of two high-ranking government officials (who hired undocumented foreigners as household helpers, presumably because they couldn’t findAmericans to do the work) and President Clinton’s proposal to put a two-year limit on welfare.(5)Maybe something useful will come of Clinton’s idea, but I’m not all that hopeful. It looks to me like one more example of trying to manipulate people into taking care of themselves.(6)On the criminal justice side, we hope to make punishment tough enough to discourage crime but not so tough as to clog our prisons with relatively minor offenders. Too short a sentence, we fear, will create contempt for the law. Too long a sentence will take up costly space better used for the violent and unremorseful.(7)Not only can we never find the “perfect” punishment, our search for optimum penalties is complicated by our desire for fairness: to let the punishment fit the crime. The problem is that almost any punishment—even the disgrace of being charged with a crime—is sufficient to deter the middle class, while for members of the underclass, probation may be translated as “I beat it”.(8)So how can you use the system —welfare or criminal justice —to produce the behavior we want? The answer, I suspect is: You can’t.(9)We keep trying to use welfare and prison to change people—to make them think and behave the way we do —when the truth is the incentives work only for those who already think the way we do: who view today’s action with an eye on the future.(10)We will take lowly work (if that is all that’s available) because we believe we can make bad jobs work for us. We avoid crime not because we are better people but because we see getting caught as a future-wrecking disaster. We are guided by a belief that good things will happen for us in the future if we take proper care of the present. Even under the worst of circumstances, we believe we are in control of our lives.(11)And we have trouble understanding that not everybody believes as we believe. The welfare rolls, the prison and the mean street of our cities are full of people who have given up on their future. Without hope for the future, hard work at a low-paid job makes no sense. Working hard in school, or pleasing a boss, or avoiding pregnancy makes no sense. The deadly disease is hopelessness. The lawlessness and poverty are only the obvious symptoms.(12)I’m not advocating that we stop looking for incentives to move poor people toward self-sufficiency or that we stop punishing people for criminal behavior. There will always be some people who need help and some who deserve to be in jail.(13)All I’m saying is that the long-term answer both to welfare and the crime that plagues our communities is not to fine tune the welfare and criminal justice systems but to prevent our children from getting the disease of despair.(14)If we encourage our young people to believe in the future, and give them solid evidence for believing, we’ll find both crime and poverty shrinking to manag eable proportions.48.What is the author’s attitude towards Clinton’s proposal to welfare?A.Pessimistic.B. Optimistic.C. Suspicious.D. Sarcastic.49.It can be inferred from Para. 7 that optimum penalties are to the underclass.A.hopelessB. uselessC. frighteningD. humiliating50.Which of the following is the most appropriate title for the passage?A. Lawlessness and Poverty.B. Criminal Justice System.C. Welfare Grants.D. Disease of Despair.SECTION B SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONSIn this section there are five short answer questions based on the passages in Section A. Answer the questions with NO more than TEN words in the space provided on ANSWER SHEET TWO.PASSAGE ONE51.In Para. 4, what does the man mean by saying “I had to bear my trouble”?52.What can be inferred from the last sentence of the passage?PASSAGE TWO53.Why does the UN use the olive branch in its symbol?PASSAGE THREE54.According to the author, what balance should we keep in welfare?55.What does the author mean by saying “Even under the worst of circumstances, we believe we are in control of our lives” (Para.10)?PART ⅥWRITING [45MIN]Read carefully the following excerpt on term-time holiday arguments in the UK, and then write your response in NO LESS THAN 200 words, in which you should:•summarize the main message of the excerpt, and then•comment on whether parents should take children out of school for holiday during term time in order to save money.You should support yourself with information from the excerpt.Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.Term-time holidays will be bannedParents are to be banned by Michael Gove, UK’s Education Secretary, from taking their children out of school to save money on holidays.He is to abolish the right of head teacher to “authorise absence” from the classroom, which has been used to let families take term-time breaks, and will warn them they face fines for their children not being at school.“Any time out of school has the potential to damage a child’s education,” a senior source at the Department for Education said this weekend. “That is why the government will end the distinction between authorised and unauthorised absence.”“This is part of the government’s wider commitment to bring down truancy levels in our schools. There will also be stricter penalties for parents and schools.”The tough measures on truancy are part of a wider attempt by Mr. Gove to make education more academically rigorous and to tackle a cultu re in the educational establishment which he believes has accepted “excuses for failure”.Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the measure would discourage parents from trying to put pressure on heads to sanction term-time holiday. “ The high cost of holidays outside of term time is still an issue but ultimately a child’s education is more important than a holiday,” he said.Write your response on ANSWER SHEET THREE.—THE END—PART ⅡLISTENING COMPRENSIONSECTION A TALK下列各题必须使用黑色字迹签字笔在答题区域内作答，超出红色矩形边框限定区域的答案无效。

2016 TEM 4 Mini- Lecture text：What is Grit？Good afternoon，everyone。

Today, I would like to talk about my research project concerning the key to success。

I would like to start my topic with my own story.advance farthest in competition. We worked with private companies, asking, which of these salespeople is going to keep their jobs? And who's going to earn the most money？We went to many places, and finally one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn’t good looks, physical health, and it wasn’t IQ. It was grit. What is grit? Well, ［4]grit is passion andperseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out，not just for the week, not just for the month，but for years，[5]and working really hard to make that future a reality. ［6］Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint。

2016 TEM 4 Mini- Lecture text：What is Grit?Good afternoon, everyone. Today, I would like to talk about my research project concerning the key to success. I would like to start my topic with my own story.When I was 27 years old, I left a very demanding job: teaching seventh graderssalespeople is going to keep their jobs? And who's going to earn the most money? We went to many places, and finally one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ. It was grit. What is grit? Well, [4]grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the- week, not just for the month, but for years, [5]and working really hard to make that future a reality. [6]Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint. A few years ago, I started studying grit in the Chicago public schools. I asked thousands of high school juniors to take grit questionnaires, and then waited around more than a year to see who would graduate. [7]It turned out that grittier kids were significantly more likely to graduate, even when I matched them on every characteristic I could measure, things like family income, test scores and so on. To me, the most shocking thing about grit is how little we know, how little science knows about building it. Every day, parents and teachers ask me” How do I build grit in kids? How do I keep them motivated for the long run?" Our data show very clearly that there are many talented individuals who simply do not follow through on their commitments. [8]In fact, in our data, grit is usually unrelated or even inversely related to measures of talent. So far, the best idea I've heard about building grit in kids is something called "growth mindset." [9]Growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can change with your effort. [10]Kids with grit are much more likely to persevere when they fail, because they don't believe that failure is a permanent condition. So growth mindset is a great idea for building grit. But we need more. And that's where I'm going to end my remarks, because that's where we are. That's the work that stands before us. We have to be willing to fail, to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned.As a conclusion, we need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier. Nest time, I would like to share with my experience in building up students’ grit.- 2016 TEM 4 Mini- Lecture task：My question●Why isn’t IQ the only difference between situatio ns?●What is the key to (1) _____?My research●Investigation of all kinds of (2) _____, including:- West Point Military Academy- (3) _____- Private companiesMy finding: grit as predictor of success●Grit is (4) _____ for very long-term goals.●Grit is working hard for years to make (5) _____●Grit is living your life like a (6) _____My survey●high school juniors took grit questionnaires●(7) _____ kids were more likely to graduateGrit-building●little is known about how to build grit in students●date how grit is unrelated to (8) _____●growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is (9) _____●kids with grit believe failure is (10)_____- ConclusionWe need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier.。

2016年英语专业四级考试答案ListeningPART I DICTATIONThink Positively and Feel PositivelyAre you confident or insecure in a difficult situation? Do you react positively or negatively? The answer may depend in part on whom you are around.A study found that negative thinking can be contagious in some cases. For example, the researchers studied 103 college roommates. They measured each roommate’s tendency towards negative thinking. It was found that thinking patterns can be contagious. Students with a negative thinking roommate became more depressed themselves and students with more positive thinking roommates were more likely to become more positive as well.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALK1. success2. challenging settings3. National Spelling Contest4. passion and perseverance5. future a reality6. marathon7. grittier8. measures of talent9. not fixed10. not permanentSECTION B CONVERSATIONS1. C. procedure2. A. job3. C. presentation4. D. company5. B. 11 Thursday6. B. Handle7. A. increased by 6 to8. B. first9. D. withdraw10. A. charitablePART III LANGUAGE USAGE11-20: ADABB DBABC 21-30: ADABA CDBDCPART IV CLOZE31-40: HLIED KOCMGPART V READING COMPREHENSION41-50: BADBD ADCBD51. Keep wits together in the presence of that food.52. The author was given the million-pound bank-note.53. It symbolizes peace and unity.54. Meeting basic needs and making low-paid work.55. Good things will happen by taking care of the present.PART VI WRITING参考范文When it comes to whether parents should take their children to spend holidays during term-time, views on the issue vary from person to person. Parents claim that by doing so, they can save a lot of money born of busy school holidays. Educational officials strongly oppose this tendency on the gr ound that it encourages truancy, which in turn damages a child’s education. From my perspective, the merits of banning term-time holidays outweigh its demerits.To begin with, taking tough measures on this kind of truancy is conducive to the normal teaching process, one of the key elements to guarantee kid’s academic performance. As we know, currently, teachers have the discretion to approve a certain time of absence from school for each child, which is supposed to be for illness and is not supposed to be granted for holidays. By definitely abolishing the right of head teachers to “authorize absence” from the classroom, those teachers can rarely be pestered by parents who want to take children to go on a holiday just to save money, which severely disrupts te aching process. What ‘s more, without strict penalties imposed on the parents who lead to their kid’s playing truant, those parents can gradually view asking for holiday leave as a right. Once this cultural expectation is formed, the level of truancy will dramatically increase.Accordingly, the growing trend of term-time holidays should be banned with no delay. In this way, teachers can impart knowledge without disturbance and parents will be deterred from saving money at the expense of sacrificing their kid’s education.2016专四听力原文PART I DICTATIONThink Positively and Feel PositivelyAre you confident or insecure in a difficult situation? Do you react positively or negatively? The answer may depend in part on whom you are around.A study found that negative thinking can be contagious in some cases. For example, the researchers studied 103 college roommates. They measured each roommate’s tendency towards negative thinking. It was found that thinking patterns can be contagious. Students with a negative thinking roommate became more depressed themselves and students with more positive thinking roommates were more likely to become more positive as well.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALKWhat is Grit?Good morning, everyone. Today I would like to talk about my recent research project, concerning the key to success. I would like to start my topic with my own story.When I was 27 years old, I left for a demanding job - teaching seventh graders math in the New York City public schools. And like any teacher, I made quizzes and tests. I gave out homework assignments. When the work came back, I calculated grades.What struck me was that I.Q. was not the only difference between my best and my worst students. Some of my strongest performers did not have super I.Q. scores. Some of my smartest kids weren't doing so well.And I felt interested in knowing the reason why the students’ math performance is not that closely related to their IQ scores. I started studying kids and adults in all kinds of challenging settings, and in every study my question was, who is successful here and why? My research team and I went to West Point Military Academy. We tried to predict which students would stay in military training and which would drop out. We went to the National Spelling Contest and tried to predict which children would advance furthest in competition. We worked with private companies, asking, which of these sales people is going to keep their jobs? And who's going to earn the most money? We went to many places. And finally, one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't I.Q. It was grit. What is grit?Well, grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make future a reality. Grit is living your life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.A few years ago, I started studying grit in the Chicago public schools. I asked thousands of high school juniors to take grit questionnaires, and then waited around more than a year to see who would graduate. It turned out that grittier kids were significantly more likely to graduate, even when I matched them on every characteristic I could measure, things like family income, test scores, and so on. To me, the most shocking thing about grit is how little we know, how little science knows, about building it. Every day, parents and teachers asked me, "How do I build grit in kids? How do I keep them motivated for the long run?" Our data show very clearly that thereare many talented individuals who simply do not follow through on their commitment. In fact, in our data, grit is usually unrelated to measures of talent.So far, the best idea I've heard about building grit in kids is something called "growth mindset." Growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can change with your effort. Kids with grit are much more likely to persevere when they fail, because they don't believe that failure is a permanent condition.So growth mindset is a great idea for building grit. But we need more. And that's where I'm going to end my talk, because that's where we are. That's the work that stands before us. We have to be willing to fail, to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned.As a conclusion, we need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier. Next time, I would like to share with you my experience in bui lding up students’ grit.Section BConversation OneW:Hello, this is Kate Smith. I’m calling from ABC Company.M: Oh, hello, Kate. Great to hear from you.W:You’ve already been told that you’ve been short-listed for interview.M: Oh, yes.W: W ell we’re very excited about meeting you. Ok, I just want to talk you through the procedure for the day. Someone will meet you when you arrive, and then bring you up to meet myself and Arthur Miller, the CEO.M: Ok sounds good. So will you be the only members of the interview panel there then?W:Yes, it’ll be just me and Arthur who will talk to you. The interview will be in three parts – first of all we’ll ask you some general questions about yourself and your educational andprofessional background, and then we’l l move on to specifics.M: Oh, er, Specifics? Well er, what kind of questions will you be asking?W:Well, it’ll be very similar to the personal statement you submitted with your CV - we’ll be expecting you to to give actual examples of problems you’ve f aced and solved, and of what you feel are the major successes in your career so far.M: Ok well yeah, that sounds great –can’t wait!W:Then there’ll be a chance for you to ask us any questions - about the job itself, or ABC Company in general...M: Oh, erm, ok...I’ll think of something!W:After that, we’d like you to give a short presentation on how you see ABC as a company progressing, and how you see yourself taking us there.M: Ok so will I be expected to give like a formal style presentation?W:It can be as formal or informal as you like. There’ll be a computer and a data projector there available. If you need anything else, just let us know.M:Oh, erm ok, a presentation! I’ll think of something. I haven’t done one of those in a while... W: Is that all clear?M: Yes.W:Great, so, Daniel, I’ll see you at 11am, Thursday, next week.M: Ok, great. I look forward to meeting you! Thanks, bye.W: Bye.Questions 1 to 5 are based on Conversation One.Question 1: Why does the woman call the man?Question 2: What kind of questions can the man ask in an interview?Question 3: Which is the last part of the interview?Question 4: What might be expected from the man’s presentation?Question 5: When is the interview scheduled?Conversation TwoW: It says a growing number of students are making a major hole from the minute they enter the real world, because they are already some of them, more than 100,000 dollars in debt. With us now is Mark Spencer. He is the senior financial analyst from SBC Bank. Welcome to you.M: Thank you, nice to be with you.W: Now, I guess there are two kinds of debts, good debt and bad debt. Where does this go?M: Well, student loan debt is traditionally considered good debt, but the problem for many students and their families is that the cost of colleges has been going up at 6-8% a year, far faster than the income, far faster than the standard of living. That means debt’s taking on a bigger and bigger role in financing education.W: How much debt is too much debt for-for one student?M: Well, one guideline is that you look at the first-year salary in your field after graduation, and use that as a barometer, but even then…W: Is that right?M: Well, you are talking big payments even in that instance. For example, 30,000 dollars’ wo rth of debt, if you are gonna repay that over 10 years, you are talking more than 300 dollars a month’s debt in payments every month for 10 years.W: But there are surely more than one way to get a loan for college. There are government programs, there are so many kinds of grants. What’s-what’s the best advice for people who are looking for these loans to try to keep themselves from going under?M: I understand that loans are just one way of college finance. Take advantage of the other opportunities, things like a college savings’ plan. Let-let you save on a tax advantage basis, so you can put money away in these accounts and withdraw tax-free to pay for that education. W: So it’s important to start early and that really reduces their reliance on debt later.M: Another thing. Leave no stone unturned, looking at grants, scholarships, even on campus jobs.I mean every dollar you get that way is seen as another dollar you don’t have to borrow later. W: The kinds of jobs that so many students, fresh off students, like to go into, eh——charity stuff, volunteer work. This debt is eliminating a lot of that, isn’t it?M: I think that’s the social cost, really, I mean, you know, when you consider that, you know, people may pass up a rewarding career and charitable work or a non-profit organization, because they have to get a higher salary some places else to pay off that debt.W: Yeah, that’s for sure. Mark Spencer, senior financial analyst from SBC Bank, Mark, good you could be here.M: Thank you.Questions 6 to 10 are based on Conversation TwoQuestion 6: What is the interview mainly about?Question 7: How does the cost of education change every year? Question 8: What is used to measure student loan debt as a guideline? Question 9: What is the advantage of joining a college savings’ plan? Question 10: What is the possible social cost of college loan?。

-----2016 年6 月英语四级听力真题及答案详解Section A News ReportDirections ：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 markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre。

Drections: Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.Question 1How college students can improve their sleep habits. A) Why sufficient sleep is important for college students. B)Why college students are more likely to have stress problems. C) How college students can handle their psychological problems. D)Question 2s sleep habits. It is not easy to improve one 'A) It is notgood for students to play video games.B) Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations. C)Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping. D)Drections: Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.Question 3A)Whether more airports should be built around London.Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities. B) Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets. C)Whether the Spanish company could offer better service. D) Question 4Inefficient management. A)Poor ownership structure.B) Lack of innovation and competition. C)Lack of runwayand terminal capacity.D)Drections: Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.Question 5Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes. A)Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes. B)Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products. C)Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers. D)Question 6A) The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.----------B)Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking. C)Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.D)Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.Question 7A)They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes. They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine. B) They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study. C) They will pay more attention to the quality of their products. D)Section B ConversationAt the end of each 。

2016专四真题及完整答案2016专四真题及完整答案TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2016)-GRADE FOURTIME LIMIT: 130 MIN PART I DICTATION [10 MIN]Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given ONE minute to check through your work once more.Please write the whole passage on Answer Sheet OnePART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION [20MIN]SECTION A TALKIn this section you will hear a talk You will hear the talk ONCE ONLY. While listening, you may look at the task on ANSWER SHEET ONE and write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each gap. Make sure what you fill in is both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may use the blank sheet for note-taking.You have THIRTY seconds to preview the gap-filling task.Now listen to the talk. When it is over, you will be given TWO minutes to check your workWhat Is Grit?My questions●Why isn't I.Q. the only difference between students?●What is the key to (1) __________.My Research●investigation of all kinds of (2) __________, including:—West Point Military Academy.— (3) __________.— private companies.My finding: grit as predictor of success●Grit is (4) __________ for very long-term goals.●Grit is working hard for years to make (5) __________.●Grit is living your life like a (6) __________.My survey●high school juniors took grit questionnaires.●(7) __________kids were more likely to graduate.Grit-building●little is known about how to build grit in students.●data show grit is unrelated to (8) __________.●growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is (9) __________.●kids with grit believe failure is (10) __________.ConclusionWe need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier.SECTION B CONVERSATIONSIn this section you will hear two conversations. At the end of each conversation, five questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken ONCE ONLY. After each question there will be a ten-second pause. During the pause, you should read the four choices of A, B, C and D, and mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.You have THIRTY seconds to preview the questions.Now, listen to the conversations.Conversation OneQuestions 1 to 5 are based on Conversation One.1. A. To tell the man that he has been shortlisted for interview.B. To ask the man a few questions about his interview.C. To tell the man the procedure of the interview.D. To explain to the man how to make a presentation.2. A. Questions related to the job.B. General questions about himself.C. Specific questions about his CV.D. Questions about his future plan.3. A. Questions from the interviewers.B. Questions from the interviewee.C. Presentation from the interviewee.D. Requests from the interviewee.4. A. Educational and professional background.B. Problems he has faced and solved.C. Major successes in his career so far.D. Company future and his contribution.5. A. 11 a.m., next Tuesday.B. 11 a.m., next Thursday.C. 9 a.m., this Tuesday.D. 9 a.m., this Thursday.Conversation TwoQuestions 6 to 10 are based on Conversation Two6. A. How college students pay for their education.B. How to handle the problem of college loans.C. The disadvantages of college loans.D. Government financing in college education.7. A. It has increased by 6 to 8 %.B. It has increased by 8 to 10 %.C. It has decreased by 6 to 8%.D. It has decreased by 8 to 10%.8. A. Student's family income.B. First year salary after graduation.C. A fixed amount of 30,000 dollars.D. Payment in the next ten years.9. A. Students can borrow money first.B. Students pay no tax on savings.C. Students pay less tax after graduation.D. Students withdraw without paying tax.10. A. Giving up charitable or volunteer work.B. Neglecting their study at college.C. Giving up further education.D. Neglecting high salary in job-seeking.PART III LANGUAGE USAGE [10 MIN]There are twenty sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Choose one word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET TWO.11. How can I concentrate if you ___________ continually ___________ me with silly questions?A. have... interruptedB. had...interruptedC. are...interruptingD. were...interrupting12. Among the four sentences below, Sentence ___________ expresses the highest degree of possibility.A. It may take a long time to find a solution to the problem.B. It might take a long time to find a solution to the problem.C. It could take a long time to find a solution to the problem.D. It should take a long time to find a solution to the problem.13. She is a better speaker than___________in the class.A. all the girlsB. the other boysC. other any girlD. any boy14. Nobody heard him sing,___________.A. did theyB. did heC. didn't theyD. did one15. I can't put up with___________.A. that friend of youB. that friend of yoursC. the friend of youD. the friend of yours16. There has been an increasing number of ___________ in primary schools in the past few years.A. man teacherB. men teacherC. man teachersD. men teachers17. This is one of the issues that deserve___________.A. mentioningB. being mentionedC. to mentionD. for mention18. The audience ___________ excited on seeing ___________favorite star glide onto the stage.A. were ... itsB. were...theirC. was...theirD. was...one's19. ___________your advice, I would have made the wrong decision.A. Hadn't it been forB. Had it not been forC. Had it been forD. Had not it been for20. The sentence I wish I had been more careful in spending money expresses the speaker's_____.A. hopeB. joyC. regretD. relief21. The Attorney General ordered a federal autopsy of Brown's body, seekingto___________ the family and community there would be a thorough investigation into his death.A. ensureB. assureC. insureD. ascertain22. The police department came under strong criticism for both the death of an unarmed man andits handling of the___________.A. consequenceB. outcomeC. resultD. aftermath23. The Foreign Secretary tried to ___________ doubts about his handling of the crisis.A. dispelB. expelC. repelD. quell24. Mutual funds are thus best for investors who don't want to take the time to study stocks in detail or who ___________ the resources to build a portfolio.A. depriveB. lackC. yearn25. Chris ran ___________ John at a sporting-goods trade show and the two quickly struck ___________an easy rapport.A. into...upB. on...intoC. across...onD. against...into26. "I am leaving the country soon," he told a ___________ convened group of reporters.A. especiallyB. particularlyC. speciallyD. specifically27. Israel and Hamas had reached a deal on extending the _______ ceasefire by an extra 24 hours until Tuesday at midnight.A. contemporaryB. makeshiftC. spontaneousD. temporary28. ___________to unplugging the alarm clock and trusting your ability to wake on time on your own, you should probably ease yourself into the new arrangement by keeping a very regular schedule for several weeks.A. DueC. RelatedD. Thanks29. If you are an athlete, strong abdominal muscles help you ensure a strong back and freedom from injury during ___________ upper-body movement.A. valiantB. variableC. vigorousD. vigilant30. Finning is a cruel ___________ in which the shark's fins are lopped off, and the live shark is thrown back to sea.A. realityB. truthC. skillD. practicePART IV CLOZE [10 MIN]Decide which of the words given in the box below would best complete the passage if inserted in the corresponding blank. The words can be used ONCE ONLY. Mark the letter for each word on ANSWER SHEET TWO.I A. ampleB. combinationsC. directlyD. disseminatedE. generationsF. genuinelyG . instead H. lists I. promulgated J. publicized K. scant L. shaped M. sophisticated N. transplanted O. virtualmagine a world without writing. Obviously there would be no books: no novels, no encyclopedias, no cookbooks, no textbooks, no telephone books, no scriptures, no diaries, no travel guides. There would be no ball-points, no typewriters, no computers, no Internet, no magazines, no movie credits, no shopping lists, no newspapers, no tax returns. But such___________(31) of objects almost miss the point. The world we live in has been indelibly marked by the written word, ___________ (32) by the technology of writing over thousands of years. Ancient kings proclaimed their authority and ___________ (33) their laws in writing. Scribes administered great empires by writing, their knowledge of recording and retrieving information essential to governing complex societies. Religious traditions were passed on through ___________ (34), and spread to others, in writing. Scientific and technological progress was achieved and___________(35) through writing. Accounts in trade and commerce could be kept because of writing. Nearly every step of civilization has been mediated through writing. A world without writing would bear ___________(36) resemblance to the one we now live in. Writing is a___________ (37) necessity to the societies anthropologists call civilizations. A civilization is distinguished from other societies by the complexity of its social organization, by its construction of cities and large public buildings, and by the economic specialization of its members, many of whom are not___________(38) involved in food procurement or production. A civilization, with its taxation and tribute systems, its trade, and its public works, requires a ___________ (39) system of record keeping.And so the early civilizations of Egypt, China, and (probably) India all developed a system of writing. Only the Peruviancivilization of the Incas and their predecessors did not use writing but___________(40) invented a system of keeping records on knotted color-coded strings known asquipu.PART V READING COMPREHENSION [35 MIN]SECTION A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONSIn this section there are three passages followed by ten multiple choice questions. For each multiple choice question, there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer and mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET TWO.PASSAGE ONE(1)When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a mining-broker's clerk in SanFrancisco, and an expert in all the details of stock traffic. I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation; but these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune, and I was content with the prospect. My time was my own after the afternoon board, Saturdays, and I was accustomed to putting it in on a little sail-boat on the bay. One day I ventured too far, and was carried out to sea. Just at nightfall, when hope was about gone, I was picked up by a small ship which was bound for London. It was a long and stormy voyage, and they made me work my passage without pay, as a common sailor.When I stepped ashore in London my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in my pocket. This money fedand sheltered me twenty-four hours.During the next twenty-four I went without food and shelter.(2)About ten o'clock on the following morning, dirty and hungry, I was dragging myself along Portland Place, when a child that was passing, towed by a nurse-maid, tossed a big pear -minus one bite - into the gutter. I stopped, of course, and fastened my desiring eye on that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it, my stomach craved it, my whole being, begged for it. But every time I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose, and of course I straightened up then, and looked indifferent and pretended that I hadn't been thinking about the pear at all. This same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn't get the pear. (3)I was just getting desperate enough to brave all the shame, and to seize it, when a window behind me was raised, and a gentleman spoke out of it, saying: "Step in here, please."(4)I was admitted by a man servant, and shown into a sumptuous room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting. They sent away the servant, and made me sit down. They had just finished their breakfast, and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me. I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food, but as I was not asked to sample it,I had to bear my trouble as best as I could.(5)Now, something had been happening there a little before, which I did not know anything about until a good many days afterwards, but I will tell you about it now. Those two old brothers had been having a pretty hot argument a couple of days before, and had ended by agreeing to decide it by a bet, which is the English way of settling everything.(6)You will remember that the Bank of England once issuedtwo notes of amillion pounds each, to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country. For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled; the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank. Well, the brothers, chatting along, happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift in London without a friend, and with no money but that million-pound bank-note, and no way to account for his being in possession of it. Brother A said he would starve to death; Brother B said he wouldn't. Brother A said he couldn't offer it at a bank or anywhere else, because he would be arrested on the spot. So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days, anyway, on that million, and keep out of jail, too. Brother A took him up. Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note. Then he dictated a letter, which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand, and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to.(7)I finally became the pick of them.41. In Para. 1, the phrase "set my feet" probably means___________.A. put me asideB. start my journeyC. prepare meD. let me walk42. It can be concluded from Para. 2 that___________.A. the man wanted to maintain dignity though starvedB. the man could not get a proper chance to eat the pearC. the man did not really want the pear since it was dirtyD. it was very difficult for the man to get the pear43. Compared with Brother A, Brother B was more ___________ towards the effect of the one-million-pound bank-note on a total stranger.A. neutralB. negativeC. reservedD. positivePASSAGE TWO(1)The concept of peace is a very important one in cultures all over the world.Think about how we greet people. In some languages, the phrases for greetings contain the word for peace. In some cultures we greet people by shaking hands or with another gesture to show that we are not carrying weapons—that we come in peace. And there are certain symbols which people in very different cultures recognize as representing peace. Let's look at a few of them.The dove(2)The dove has been a symbol of peace and innocence for thousands of years inmany different cultures. In ancient Greek mythology it was a symbol of love and the renewal of life. In ancient Japan a dove carrying a sword symbolized the end of war.(3)There was a tradition in Europe that if a dove flew arounda house wheresomeone was dying then their soul would be at peace. And there are legends which say that the devil can turn himself into any bird except for a dove. In Christian art, the dove was used tosymbolize the Holy Ghost and was often painted above Christ's head.(4)But it was Pablo Picasso who made the dove a modern symbol of peace when he used it on a poster for the World Peace Congress in 1949.The rainbow(5)The rainbow is another ancient and universal symbol, often representing the connection between human beings and their gods. In Greek mythology it was associated with Iris, the goddess who brought messages from the gods on Mount Olympus. In Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the earth. In the Bible a rainbow showed Noah that the Biblical flood was finally over, and that God had forgiven his people. In the Chinese tradition, the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union of yin and yang. Nowadays the rainbow is used by many popular movements for peace and the environment, representing the possibility of a better world in the future and promising sunshine after the rain.Mistletoe(6)This plant was sacred in many cultures, generally representing peace and love. Most people know of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time, which probably comes from Scandinavian mythology. The goddess Freya's son was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe, so, in honour of him, she declared that it would always be a symbol of peace. It was often hung in doorways as a sign offriendship.(7)The ancient Druids believed that hanging mistletoe in your doorway protected you from evil spirits. Tribes would stopfighting for a period of time if they found a tree with mistletoe. But you will never see mistletoe in a Christian church - it is banned because of its associations with pagan religion and superstition.The olive branch(8)The olive tree has always been a valuable source of food and oil. In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena gave the olive tree to the people of Athens, who showed their gratitude by naming the city after her. But no one knows for sure when or why it began to symbolize peace. There is probably a connection with ancient Greece. Wars between states were suspended during the Olympic Games, and the winners were given crowns of olive branches. The symbolism may come from the fact that the olive tree takes a long time to produce fruit, so olives could only be cultivated successfully in long periods of peace. Whatever the history, the olive branch is a part of many modern flags symbolizing peace and unity. One well-known example is the United Nations symbol.The ankh(9)The ankh is an ancient symbol which was adopted by the hippie movement in the 1960s to represent peace and love. It was found in many Asian cultures, but is generally associated with ancient Egypt. It represented life and immortality. Egyptians were buried with an ankh, so that they could continue to live in the "afterworld". The symbol was also found along the sides of the Nile, which gave life to the people. They believed that the ankh could control the flow of the riverand make sure that there was always enough water.44. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A. Concept of Peace.B. Origin of Peace Symbols.C. Popular Peace Symbols.D. Cultural Difference of Peace.45. The rainbow represents the connection between human beings and their gods in all the following countries EXCEPT___________.A. SwedenB. GreeceC. FinlandD. China46. In North Europe mistletoe was often hung in doorways to indicate___________.A. friendshipB. loveC. kinshipD. honour47. The origin of the ankh can date back to___________.A. the NileB. the "afterworld"C. the hippie movementD. ancient EgyptPASSAGE THREE(1)Two sides almost never change: That you can manipulate people intoself-sufficiency and that you can punish them into good citizenship.(2)The first manifests itself in our tireless search for the magical level at whichwelfare grants are big enough to meet basic needs but small enough to make low-paid work attractive. The second has uslooking to the criminal justice system to cure behavior that is as much as anything the result of despair.(3)The welfare example is well known. We don't want poor people to live in squaloror their children to be malnourished. But we also don't want to subsidize the indolence of people who are too lazy to work. The first impulse leads us to provide housing, food stamps, medical care and a cash stipend for families in need. The second gets us to think about "workforce".(4)We've been thinking about it for two reasons: the "nanny" problems of twohigh-ranking government officials (who hired undocumented foreigners as household helpers, presumably because they couldn't find Americans to do the work) and President Clinton's proposal to put a two-year limit on welfare.(5)Maybe something useful will come of Clinton's idea, but I'm not all that hopeful.It looks to me like one more example of trying to manipulate people into taking care of themselves.(6)On the criminal justice side, we hope to make punishment tough enough todiscourage crime but not so tough as to clog our prisons with relatively minor offenders. T oo short a sentence, we fear, will create contempt for the law. Too longa sentence will take up costly space better used for the violent and unremorseful.。

Tape Script of Listening ComprehensionSection 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 will be based on the following news item.Kenyan police say one person was killed and 26 injured in an explosion at a bus station in central Nairobi. The blast hit a bus about to set off for the Ugandan capital Kampala. Last July, the Somali group al-Shabab said it was behind the blasts in the Ugandan capital which killed more than 70 people. Will Ross reports from the Kenyan capital.The explosion happened beside a bus which was about to set off for an overnight journey from Nairobi to the Ugandan capital Kampala. Some eyewitnesses report that a bag was about to be loaded on board, but it exploded during a security check. Windows of the red bus were left smashed, and blood could be seen on the ground beside the vehicle. Just hours earlier,Uganda’s police chief had warned of possible Christmas-time attacks by Somali rebels.1. What is the news report mainly about?2. When did the incident occur?Questions 3 and 4 will be based on the following news item.Woolworths is one of the best known names on the British High Street. It’s been in business nearly a century. Many of its 800 stores are likely to close following the company’s decision to call in administrators after an attempt to sell the business for a token £1 failed.The company has huge debts. The immediate cause for the collapse has been Britain’s slide toward recession, which has cut into consumer spending. However, the business had been in trouble for years.Known for low-priced general goods, Woolworths has struggled in the face of competition from supermarkets expanding beyond groceries and a new generation of internet retailers.Many of the store group’s 25,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs. Some profitable areas such as the DVD publishing business will survive.3. What do we learn about Woolworths from the news report?4. What did Woolworths attempt to do recently?Questions 5 to 7 will be based on the following news item.Cairo is known for its overcrowded roads, irregular driving practices and shaky old vehicles, but also for its air pollution. In recent months, though, environmental studies indicate there have been signs of improvement. That’s due in part to the removal of many of the capital’s old-fashioned black and white taxis. Most of these dated back to the 1960s and 70s and were in a poor state of repair.After new legislation demanded their removal from the roads, a low interest loan scheme was set up with three Egyptian banks so drivers could buy new cars. The government pays about $900 for old ones to be discarded and advertising on the new vehicles helps cover repayments.The idea has proved popular with customers ―they can now travel inair-conditioned comfort and because the new cabs are metered, they don’t have to argue over fares. Banks and car manufacturers are glad for the extra business in tough economic times. As for the taxi drivers, most are delighted to be behind the wheel of new cars, although there have been a few complaints about switching from black and white to a plain white colour.5. What change took place in Cairo recently?6. What helped bring about the change?7. Why do customers no longer argue with new cab drivers?Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Conversation OneW: Morning, this is TGC.M: Good morning. Walter Barry here, calling from London. Could I speak to Mr. Grand, please?W: Who’s calling, please?M: Walter Barry, from London.W: What is it about, please?M: Well, I understand that your company has a chemical processing plant. My own company, LCP, Liquid Control Products, is a leader in safety fromleaks in the field of chemical processing. I would like to speak to Mr. Grand to discuss ways in which we could help TGC protect itself from such problems and save money at the same time.W: Yes, I see. Well, Mr. Grand is not available just now.M: Can you tell me when I could reach him?W: He’s very busy for the next few days –then he’ll be away in New York. So it’s difficult to give you a time.M: Could I speak to someone else, perhaps?W: Who in particular?M: A colleague for example?W: You’re speaking to his personal assistant. I can deal with calls for Mr. Grand.M: Yes, well, could I ring him tomorrow?W: No, I’m sorry he won’t be free tomorrow. Listen, let me suggest something. You send us details of your products and services, together with references from other companies and then we’ll contact you.M: Yes, that’s very kind of you. I have your address.W: Very good, Mr….M: Barry. Walter Barry from LCP in London.W: Right, Mr. Barry. We look forward to hearing from you.M: Thank you. Goodbye.W: Bye.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. What do we learn about the woman’s company?9. What do we learn about the man?10. What is the woman’s position in her company?11. What does the woman suggest the man do?Conversation TwoM: You’re going to wear out the computer’s keyboard!W: Oh, hi.M: Do you have any idea what time it is?W: About ten or ten-thirty?M: It’s nearly midnight.W: Really? I didn’t know it was so late.M: Don’t you have an early class to teach tomorrow morning?W: Yes, at seven o’clock. My commuter class, the students who go to work right after their lesson.M: Then you ought to go to bed. What are you writing, anyway?W: An article I hope I can sell.M: Oh, another of your newspaper pieces? What’s this one about?W: Do you remember the trip I took last month?M: The one up to the Amazon?W: Well, that’s what I’m writing about—the new highway and the changes it’s making in the Amazon valley.M: It should be interesting.W: It is. I guess that’s why I forgot all about the time.M: How many articles have you sold now?W: About a dozen so far.M: What kind of newspapers buy them?W: The papers that carry a lot of foreign news. They usually appear in the big Sunday editions where they need a lot of background stories to help fill up the space between the ads.M: Is there any future in it?W: I hope so. There’s a chance I may sell this article to a news service.M: Then your story would be published in several papers, wouldn’t it?W: That’s the idea. And I might even be able to do other stories on a regular basis.M: That would be great.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. What is the woman’s occupation?13. What is the woman writing about?14. Where do the woman’s articles usually appear?15. What does the woman expect?Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three 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 centre.Passage OneIn today’s class, we’ll discuss Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved. As I’m sure you all know, Morrison is both a popular and a highly respected author, and it’s not easy to be both. Born in 1931, Morrison has written some of the most touching and intelligent works on the African-American experience ever written by anyone, and yet to call her an “African-American writer”doesn’t seem to do her justice. In many ways, she’s simply an American writer—and certainly one of our best.Beloved is a truly remarkable work. It was recommended for nearly every major literary prize, including the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and it in fact won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988. Morrison herself is distinguished for having won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993.What makes Beloved unique is the skillful, sure way in which Morrison blends intensely personal storytelling and American history, racial themes and gender themes, the experience of Blacks with the experience of all people everywhere, the down-to-earth reality of slavery with a sense of mysterious spirituality.We’ll be paying special attention to these themes as we discuss this work. I’m particularly interested in your views on the relative importance of race and gender in this book. Is it more important that Sethe, the main character, is black or that she’s a woman? Which contributes more to her being? What does Morrison tell us about both?Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. What do we learn about Toni Morrison?17. What honor did Toni Morrison receive in 1993?18. What does the speaker tell us about Sethe, the main character in Morrison’s novel Beloved?Passage TwoThe topic of my talk today is gift-giving. Everybody likes to receive gifts, right? So you may think that gift-giving is a universal custom. But actually, the rules of gift-giving vary quite a lot, and not knowing them can result in greatembarrassment. In North America, the rules are fairly simple. If you’re invited to someone’s home for dinner, bring wine or flowers or a small item from your country. Among friends, family, and business associates, we generally don’t give gifts on other occasions except on someone’s birthday and Christmas. The Japanese, on the other hand, give gifts quite frequently, often to thank someone for their kindness. The tradition of gift-giving in Japan is very ancient. There are many detailed rules for everything from the color of the wrapping paper to the time of the gift presentation. And while Europeans don’t generally exchange business gifts, they do follow some formal customs when visiting homes, such as bringing flowers. The type and color of flowers, however, can carry special meaning.Today we have seen some broad differences in gift-giving. I could go on with additional examples. But let’s not miss the main point here: If we are not aware of and sensitive to cultural differences, the possibilities for miscommunication and conflict are enormous. Whether we learn about these differences by reading a book or by living abroad, our goal must be to respect differences among people in order to get along successfully with our global neighbors.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. What does the speaker say about gift-giving of North Americans?20. What do we learn about the Japanese concerning gift-giving?21. What point does the speaker make at the end of the talk?Passage ThreeHetty Green was a very spoilt, only child. She was born in Massachusetts, USA, in 1835. Her father was a millionaire businessman. Her mother was often ill, and so from the age of two her father took her with him to work and taught her about stocks and shares. At the age of six she started reading the daily financial newspapers and opened her own bank account.Her father died when she was 21 and she inherited $7.5 million. She went to New York and invested on Wall Street. Hetty saved every penny, eating in the cheapest restaurants for 15 cents. She became one of the richest and most hated women in the world. At 33 she married Edward Green, amulti-millionaire, and had two children, Ned and Sylvia.Hetty’s meanness was well known. She always argued about prices in shops. She walked to the local grocery store to buy broken biscuits which were much cheaper, and to get a free bone for her much loved dog. Once she lost a two-cent stamp and spent the night looking for it. She never bought clothes and always wore the same long, ragged black skirt. Worst of all, when her son Ned fell and injured his knee, she refused to pay for a doctor and spent hours looking for free medical help. In the end Ned lost his leg.When she died in 1916 she left her children $100 million. Her daughter built a hospital with her money.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. What do we learn about Hetty Green as a child?23. How did Hetty Green become rich overnight?24. Why was Hetty Green much hated?25. What do we learn about Hetty’s daughter?Part II Listening ComprehensionSection A1. B2. C3. A4. D5. D6. A7. CSection B8. D9. B10. B11. C12. A13. B14. C15. D Section C16. A17. B18. D19. D20. C21. B22. B23. A24. D25. CPart III Reading Comprehension Section A36. E 37. C 38. O 39. H 40. M 41. N 42. J 43.K 44.I 45. F Section B46. D 47. C 48.I 49.E 50. C 51. H 52. G 53.F 54.A 55. I Section C56. A 57. D 58.C 59.D 60. B 61. D 62. B 63.C 64.A 65. BPart IV TranslationPaper cutting is one of China’s most popular traditional folk arts. Chinese paper cutting has a history of more than 1,500 years. It was widespread particularly during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. People often beautify their homes with paper cuttings. During the Spring Festival and wedding celebrations, in particular, paper cuttings are used to decorate doors, windows and rooms in order to enhance the joyous atmosphere. The color most frequently used in paper cutting is red, which symbolizes health and prosperity. Chinese paper cutting is very popular around the world and it is often given as a present to foreign friends.。

2016年6月大学英语四级考试真题（第3套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to one of your school teachers upon entering college. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)说明：由于2016年6月四级考试全国共考了两套听力，本套听力内容与前两套内容完全一样，只是选项的顺序不同而已，故在本套中不再重复给出。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 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, 26 to have higher GPAs and better scores on standardized tests. In a 27 of 14 studies that looked at physical activity and academic 28 , investigators found that the more children moved, the better their grades were in school, 29 in 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 30 on 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. 31 in 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 32 exclusive. Physical activity can improve blood 33 to the brain, fueling memory, attention and creativity, which are 34 to learning. And exercise releases hormones that can improve 35 and 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, theySection 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.Finding the Right Home -- and Contentment, TooA) When your elderly relative needs to enter some sort of long-term care facility --a moment few parents 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 industry simply 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 older person 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, surveyed 150 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 the study, 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 were less 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 less depressed 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 anursing 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 experiences. "You 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 study of 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 for their parents.37. Though it helps for children to investigate care facilities, involving their parents in the decision-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 they live in.40. The author thinks her friend made a rational decision in choosing a more hospitable placeover an apparently elegant assisted living home.41. The system Medicare developed to rate nursing home quality is of little help to finding a satisfactory place.42. At first the researchers of the most recent study found residents in assisted living facilities gave higher 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 participated in 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 2with 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 preloaded 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 from drawing patterns from large sets of data 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 cheek 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 opportunityto 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 is 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. C) They are ignorant.B) They are outgoing. 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 properly 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 TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Why do some people live to be older than others? You 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 lessneurotic (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 justa 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 their mothers.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 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.乌镇是浙江的一座古老水镇，坐落在京杭大运河畔。

2016年英语专业四级考试答案ListeningPART I DICTATIONThink Positively and Feel PositivelyAre you confident or insecure in a difficult situation? Do you react positively or negatively? The answer may depend in part on whom you are around.A study found that negative thinking can be contagious in some cases. For example, the researchers studied 103 college roommates. They measured each roommate’s tendency towards negative thinking. It was found that thinking patterns can be contagious. Students with a negative thinking roommate became more depressed themselves and students with more positive thinking roommates were more likely to become more positive as well.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALK1. success2. challenging settings3. National Spelling Contest4. passion and perseverance5. future a reality6. marathon7. grittier8. measures of talent9. not fixed10. not permanentSECTION B CONVERSATIONS1. C. procedure2. A. job3. C. presentation4. D. company5. B. 11 Thursday6. B. Handle7. A. increased by 6 to8. B. first9. D. withdraw10. A. charitablePART III LANGUAGE USAGE11-20: ADABB DBABC 21-30: ADABA CDBDCPART IV CLOZE31-40: HLIED KOCMGPART V READING COMPREHENSION41-50: BADBD ADCBD51. Keep wits together in the presence of that food.52. The author was given the million-pound bank-note.53. It symbolizes peace and unity.54. Meeting basic needs and making low-paid work.55. Good things will happen by taking care of the present.PART VI WRITING参考范文When it comes to whether parents should take their children to spend holidays during term-time, views on the issue vary from person to person. Parents claim that by doing so, they can save a lot of money born of busy school holidays. Educational officials strongly oppose this tendency on the gr ound that it encourages truancy, which in turn damages a child’s education. From my perspective, the merits of banning term-time holidays outweigh its demerits.To begin with, taking tough measures on this kind of truancy is conducive to the normal teaching process, one of the key elements to guarantee kid’s academic performance. As we know, currently, teachers have the discretion to approve a certain time of absence from school for each child, which is supposed to be for illness and is not supposed to be granted for holidays. By definitely abolishing the right of head teachers to “authorize absence” from the classroom, those teachers can rarely be pestered by parents who want to take children to go on a holiday just to save money, which severely disrupts te aching process. What ‘s more, without strict penalties imposed on the parents who lead to their kid’s playing truant, those parents can gradually view asking for holiday leave as a right. Once this cultural expectation is formed, the level of truancy will dramatically increase.Accordingly, the growing trend of term-time holidays should be banned with no delay. In this way, teachers can impart knowledge without disturbance and parents will be deterred from saving money at the expense of sacrificing their kid’s education.2016专四听力原文PART I DICTATIONThink Positively and Feel PositivelyAre you confident or insecure in a difficult situation? Do you react positively or negatively? The answer may depend in part on whom you are around.A study found that negative thinking can be contagious in some cases. For example, the researchers studied 103 college roommates. They measured each roommate’s tendency towards negative thinking. It was found that thinking patterns can be contagious. Students with a negative thinking roommate became more depressed themselves and students with more positive thinking roommates were more likely to become more positive as well.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALKWhat is Grit?Good morning, everyone. Today I would like to talk about my recent research project, concerning the key to success. I would like to start my topic with my own story.When I was 27 years old, I left for a demanding job - teaching seventh graders math in the New York City public schools. And like any teacher, I made quizzes and tests. I gave out homework assignments. When the work came back, I calculated grades.What struck me was that I.Q. was not the only difference between my best and my worst students. Some of my strongest performers did not have super I.Q. scores. Some of my smartest kids weren't doing so well.And I felt interested in knowing the reason why the students’ math performance is not that closely related to their IQ scores. I started studying kids and adults in all kinds of challenging settings, and in every study my question was, who is successful here and why? My research team and I went to West Point Military Academy. We tried to predict which students would stay in military training and which would drop out. We went to the National Spelling Contest and tried to predict which children would advance furthest in competition. We worked with private companies, asking, which of these sales people is going to keep their jobs? And who's going to earn the most money? We went to many places. And finally, one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't I.Q. It was grit. What is grit?Well, grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make future a reality. Grit is living your life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.A few years ago, I started studying grit in the Chicago public schools. I asked thousands of high school juniors to take grit questionnaires, and then waited around more than a year to see who would graduate. It turned out that grittier kids were significantly more likely to graduate, even when I matched them on every characteristic I could measure, things like family income, test scores, and so on. To me, the most shocking thing about grit is how little we know, how little science knows, about building it. Every day, parents and teachers asked me, "How do I build grit in kids? How do I keep them motivated for the long run?" Our data show very clearly that thereare many talented individuals who simply do not follow through on their commitment. In fact, in our data, grit is usually unrelated to measures of talent.So far, the best idea I've heard about building grit in kids is something called "growth mindset." Growth mindset is the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can change with your effort. Kids with grit are much more likely to persevere when they fail, because they don't believe that failure is a permanent condition.So growth mindset is a great idea for building grit. But we need more. And that's where I'm going to end my talk, because that's where we are. That's the work that stands before us. We have to be willing to fail, to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned.As a conclusion, we need to be gritty about getting our kids grittier. Next time, I would like to share with you my experience in bui lding up students’ grit.Section BConversation OneW:Hello, this is Kate Smith. I’m calling from ABC Company.M: Oh, hello, Kate. Great to hear from you.W:You’ve already been told that you’ve been short-listed for interview.M: Oh, yes.W: W ell we’re very excited about meeting you. Ok, I just want to talk you through the procedure for the day. Someone will meet you when you arrive, and then bring you up to meet myself and Arthur Miller, the CEO.M: Ok sounds good. So will you be the only members of the interview panel there then?W:Yes, it’ll be just me and Arthur who will talk to you. The interview will be in three parts – first of all we’ll ask you some general questions about yourself and your educational andprofessional background, and then we’l l move on to specifics.M: Oh, er, Specifics? Well er, what kind of questions will you be asking?W:Well, it’ll be very similar to the personal statement you submitted with your CV - we’ll be expecting you to to give actual examples of problems you’ve f aced and solved, and of what you feel are the major successes in your career so far.M: Ok well yeah, that sounds great –can’t wait!W:Then there’ll be a chance for you to ask us any questions - about the job itself, or ABC Company in general...M: Oh, erm, ok...I’ll think of something!W:After that, we’d like you to give a short presentation on how you see ABC as a company progressing, and how you see yourself taking us there.M: Ok so will I be expected to give like a formal style presentation?W:It can be as formal or informal as you like. There’ll be a computer and a data projector there available. If you need anything else, just let us know.M:Oh, erm ok, a presentation! I’ll think of something. I haven’t done one of those in a while... W: Is that all clear?M: Yes.W:Great, so, Daniel, I’ll see you at 11am, Thursday, next week.M: Ok, great. I look forward to meeting you! Thanks, bye.W: Bye.Questions 1 to 5 are based on Conversation One.Question 1: Why does the woman call the man?Question 2: What kind of questions can the man ask in an interview?Question 3: Which is the last part of the interview?Question 4: What might be expected from the man’s presentation?Question 5: When is the interview scheduled?Conversation TwoW: It says a growing number of students are making a major hole from the minute they enter the real world, because they are already some of them, more than 100,000 dollars in debt. With us now is Mark Spencer. He is the senior financial analyst from SBC Bank. Welcome to you.M: Thank you, nice to be with you.W: Now, I guess there are two kinds of debts, good debt and bad debt. Where does this go?M: Well, student loan debt is traditionally considered good debt, but the problem for many students and their families is that the cost of colleges has been going up at 6-8% a year, far faster than the income, far faster than the standard of living. That means debt’s taking on a bigger and bigger role in financing education.W: How much debt is too much debt for-for one student?M: Well, one guideline is that you look at the first-year salary in your field after graduation, and use that as a barometer, but even then…W: Is that right?M: Well, you are talking big payments even in that instance. For example, 30,000 dollars’ wo rth of debt, if you are gonna repay that over 10 years, you are talking more than 300 dollars a month’s debt in payments every month for 10 years.W: But there are surely more than one way to get a loan for college. There are government programs, there are so many kinds of grants. What’s-what’s the best advice for people who are looking for these loans to try to keep themselves from going under?M: I understand that loans are just one way of college finance. Take advantage of the other opportunities, things like a college savings’ plan. Let-let you save on a tax advantage basis, so you can put money away in these accounts and withdraw tax-free to pay for that education. W: So it’s important to start early and that really reduces their reliance on debt later.M: Another thing. Leave no stone unturned, looking at grants, scholarships, even on campus jobs.I mean every dollar you get that way is seen as another dollar you don’t have to borrow later. W: The kinds of jobs that so many students, fresh off students, like to go into, eh——charity stuff, volunteer work. This debt is eliminating a lot of that, isn’t it?M: I think that’s the social cost, really, I mean, you know, when you consider that, you know, people may pass up a rewarding career and charitable work or a non-profit organization, because they have to get a higher salary some places else to pay off that debt.W: Yeah, that’s for sure. Mark Spencer, senior financial analyst from SBC Bank, Mark, good you could be here.M: Thank you.Questions 6 to 10 are based on Conversation TwoQuestion 6: What is the interview mainly about?Question 7: How does the cost of education change every year?Question 8: What is used to measure student loan debt as a guideline?Question 9: What is the advantage of joining a college savings’ plan?Question 10: What is the possible social cost of college loan?中国古代政治制度史一、专制主义中央集权制度1．含义：专制主义中央集权制，包括专制主义和中央集权制度两个概念。

2016年6月英语四级听力真题附答案及原文（完整版）听力内容：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。

2016年英语四级真题听力+答案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。

2016年6月18日大学英语四级听力原文（听写版）News report 1The international labor organization says the number of people without jobs is increasing. In its latest update on global employment trends, the agency says projections of the number on unemployed people this year range from 210 million to nearly 240 million people. The report warns that 200 million poor workers are at risk of joining the ranks of people leaving on less than 2 dollars per day in the past 3 years. The director general of the international labor organization WS notes that some countries have taken measures to address the effects of the global crisis. However, he points out that many countries have not done so. And based on past experiences, it takes 4-5 years after economic recovery for unemployment to return to pre-crisis levels. Mr. S says the international organization is proposing a global job agreement to deal with unemployment.Mr. S: It’s key objective is to place the center of recovery efforts, measures will generate high levels of employment and provide basic social protection for the most vulnerable.1、What is the news report main about?2、What does Mr. S say?News Report 2Big fast food chains in New York city have started to obey a first kind of its rule requiring them to post calorie on its menu. CN is with New York Department of Health.We wanted to give people an opportunity to actually see the calories before they purchase the food and make a decision and inform decision that if they want to make a healthier choice. If they want to eat fewer calories, they can. And we expect this will have a huge impact on obesity. And of course, if this has an impact on obesity, it will have an impact on diabetes, and heart disease, and high blood pressure.The new rules were introduced as part of anti-obesity campaign that also includes a recent city wide ban on artificial transfat in restaurant food. The menu rule only applies to restaurants that serves standard portion sizes and 15 or more locations nationwide. Starting last Saturday, chains big enough to fall under the rule will face penalties about 2000 dollars for not showing calorie information in a prominent sports on their menus, preferably next to the price.3. what are big fast food chains in New York cityrequire to do according to the new rule?4.What will happen to big restaurant chains that violate the new rule?News Report 3Almost all companies recognize the importance of innovation today, but not many are able to integrate innovation into their business. A commentary in a … daily points out that innovation doesn’t mean piles of documents, it’s somet hing more practical. The article says many people tend to assume that innovation just means create something new, but actually it’s more than that. It’s an attitude of doing thing. A company should find ways to innovate not just in products but also in functions, business models and processes. The article cites the global giant and gamble as an example, saying the real innovative company should develop an innovation culture, and use it as a primary tool for success. P and gamble has a proper innovation fun which offers bigger rewards for high risk ideas. It also has a special innovation facility for employees. sometimes their employees are released from their daily jobs for weeks, and spend their time interrupting in the innovation facility instead. Inconcl usion, the article says innovative ideas alone do not ensure success, it’s pointless unless their to turn inspiration into financial performance.5. What is the problem of many companies according to news report?6. What do many people turn to think of the innovation?7. What does the company gamble?Section BConversation 1M: So, Linsy, do you like to text message on your cellphone?W:Yeah, I text message a lot.I don’t do it so much, I prefer to make a call if I’m in a hurry.Yeah, I go both ways. Someti mes I don’t want to talk to the person, I just want to ask him a question, so it’s much easier for me, just text message, if I call them, I have to have a long conversation.Yeah, I …. But I get off the phone pretty quickly ….Yeah, that’s true, you don’t talk a lot.So are you a fast messager?When I first get a cellphone, I was so …, I thought I’d never text message, but people can’t text message me. So I feel obliged to learn how to text message, so now I’m pretty fast , what about you?Actually, I have the opposite problem. When I first get my cellphone. I thought it was so cool the to text message to all my friends who have one. Aren’t pretty fast .., but it seems like now I don’t use so much. I got slower actually.Yeah, I’ve been text messaging, actua lly sort of has to do with your age. For example, people in high school, they text message a lot, but I asked my father, “do you text message?” and guess what he said?What?He said, he would never text message, he thinks it’s very childish and unprofessio nal to text message.Yeah, I could see what he means, it’s considered pretty informal to text message8. what does the man say about himself?9. what does the woman tend to do while she is on the phone?10. why did the men text his friends when he first got his cell phone?11. what does the woman’s father think of the text massage? childishConversation 2Good morning, Mr. Johnson, how can I help you?well, I’d like to talk to you about Team Barn, the department manager.What seems to be the problem?Well, ever since Saudra left the department, I felt like I’ve been targeted to do all her work, as well as mine. I’m expected to attend many meetings. And I seem to be spending a lot of time doing unnecessary paperwork.I’m sorry to hear that.And on top of that, I’ve specifically asked if I could leave early last Friday, even though as I’ve finished my assignment, I was told to help. But surely, that’s a positive sign showing that Mr. Barn has a lot of trust in you.Yeah, but other colleague gets leave early and they don’t have such a lot of work to do.So you feel he’s making unrealistic demands on you?Yes, absolutely.Have you approached Mr. Barn about this particular problem?I tried, but it seems he just has no time for me.Well, at this stage, it would be better to approach him directly. If nothing else show you can solve the problem yourself before you take it further, makes it clear you’re not just a complainer. Why don’t you send him an email, requesting a meeting with him in private.Hmm, I feel a bit wo rry about his reaction. But, anyway I’ll send him an email requesting a meeting, and see what happens though, thanks for your advice.Good luck, let us know the outcome.12. what do we know about the man from the cover?13. what is the man’s chief complain t?14. how was the women interpret the facts that?15. what did the women advise the man to do?Section CPassage oneThe massive decline in sleep happens so slowly and quietly that feel seems trend. because the growing attraction of the video games and endless TV channels. never disconnecting from work, no matter how it happened, millions of Americans are putting their health or …of their life even life endanger. new evidence shows why getting enough sleep is the top priority. Some 40% of the Americans get less than 7 hours. Believe between sleep and health, and bad sleep and disease is becoming clearer and clearer says L , Harvard University. For example, sleep duration has declined from some 8 hours 1950s to7 in recent years, at the same time high blood pressure is becoming an increasing problem. Blood pressure are typically at lowest levels high during sleep people who sleepless and have high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, and other problems. Sleeping better may help fight of illnesses, when people sleep deprived their high levels of stress Hormons in their bodies which can decrease immune function says Doctor P of western university in Chicago, the university of Chicago study shows people who sleep well live longer so say goodnight sooner and it may help you stay active and vital to a right old age.16.What is the speaker mainly talking about?17.What do we learn from the talked-about days of Americans?18. What does the speaker say will happen to people who lack of sleep?Passage 2Parents and teachers will tell you not to worry when apply for a place in university, but in the same breath, they will remind you that it is the most important decision of your life. The first decision is your choice of course, it would depend on what you want to get out of university, what you are good at and what you enjoy. The next decision is where to apply. Aim high but within reason. Do you have the right commendation of subjects? And are your expected grades likely to meet into your requirements? The deadline is January 15th, but it’s better to submits your application early because universities began work as soon as forms rolling in. The most important part of the application is the much feared personal statement. This is your chance to convey bondless enthusiasm for the subject, so expression is for most. ? and ineffective generalities, and make sure you give the concrete examples. Admission officers will read every personal statements that arrives. It’s not convincing if you say you have chosen a subject because you enjoy it. You have to get across what it is about a particular area that has inspired you. They will look for evidence that you have reflected and thought about the subject. Applicants should be honest. There is no point saying you run marathons if you are going to be out of breath arriving at the interview on the second floor.19. what is the first decision you should made when apply?20. what is the most important part of the application?21. what must applicants do in their personal statements?Passage 3 (motor car)Passage ThreeIt is usually agreed that JC Benz built the first motor car in 1885. It was actually a tricycle with a petrol motor and XX. Soon, members of the royal family and other wealthy people to XX motory as a sport. Many of the early cars have two seats. There were no petrol XX and few garages. So every driver had to be his own engineer for the frequent breakdowns. By 1905, cars began to look like cars of today with head lamps with screen and number plates. Henry Ford’s Model T intr oduced in America in 1909, which cheaper because it was made on the assembly line. It brought cars close to both the rich and ordinary people. With the popularity of the car, registration became a must in 1903 with a motor car owner. Competency tests were introduced in 1955. Today the legal driving age of car in the UK is 17. You are not allowed to drive a car on XX until you pass the driving test. In 1958, Britain celebrated the opening of its first motor way, the Briston bypass. Until then, no one understood what a motor way was, not even a labor who were building it. The bypass held a new era in motor travel and was greeted with excitement and optimism. Service stations came with the motor way. And the legend of transport cafe was born. Of course, the service station has diversified greatly. But whether its English cooked breakfast or coffee and sandwich, one thing has remained the same, the XX.22/ what does the speaker say about the first motor car?23/ what was the problem the cars in Britain?24/ Why d id HF’s Model T cars cost less?25/ what do we learn about the bypass?参考答案1. C) Rising unemployment worldwide.2. C) Few countries have realized the seriousness of the current crisis.3. B) Put calorie information on the menu.4. A) They will be fined.5. D) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.6. B) It is the creation of something new.7. C) Its innovation culture.8. D) He does not talk long on the phone9. B) Talk at length10.A) He thought it was cool11. C) it is childish an unprofessional.12. A) He wants to change his job assignment.13. A) His workload was much too heavy.14. C) His boss has a lot of trust in him.15. D) Talk to his boss in person first.16 A) The importance of sleep to a healthy life17 C) They get less and less sleep18 D) Their blood pressure will rise19. B) What course you are going to choose20. D) The personal statement21. C） Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject22 B) It was built in the late 19th century.23 D) They often broke down.24 A) They were produced on the assembly line.25 C) It marked a new era in motor travel.。

2016年英语专业四级考试答案ListeningPART I DICTATIONThink Positively and Feel PositivelyAre you confident or insecure in a difficult situation？Do you react positively or negatively？The answer may depend in part on whom you are around。

A study found that negative thinking can be contagious in some cases. For example，the researchers studied 103 college roommates. They measured each roommate's tendency towards negative thinking. It was found that thinking patterns can be contagious。

Students with a negative thinking roommate became more depressed themselves and students with more positive thinking roommates were more likely to become more positive as well。

PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALK1。

success2。

challenging settings3。

National Spelling Contest4。

passion and perseverance5。

future a reality6. marathon7。

2016年6月-四级听力第一套-真题及听力原文2016.06 1stSection 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 currenteconomic 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. C）Lack of a successful business model of their own.B）Inability to keep turning out novel products. D）Failure to integrate innovation into theirbusiness.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. You must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）,B）,C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）He’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 will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）,B）,C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A）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 aftergraduation.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.参考答案1. C) Rising unemployment worldwide.2. C) Few countries have realized the seriousness of the current crisis.3. B) Put calorie information on the menu.4. A) They will be fined.5. D) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.6. B) It is the creation of something new.7. C) Its innovation culture.8. D)He does not talk long on the phone.9.B) talk at length.10.A) He thought it was cool.11.C) It is childish and unprofessional.12. A) He wants to change his job assignment.13. A) His workload was much too heavy.14. C) His boss has a lot of trust in him.15. D) Talk to his boss in person first.16 A) The importance of sleep to a healthy life17 C) They get less and less sleep18 D) Their blood pressure will rise19. B) What course you are going to choose20. D) The personal statement21. C）Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject22 B) It was built in the late 19th century.23 D) They often broke down.24 A) They were produced on the assembly line.25 C) It marked a new era in motor travel.News Report 1The International Labor Organization says the number of people without jobs is increasing. In its latest update on global employment trends, the agency says projections of the number of unemployed people this year range from 210 million to nearly 240 million people. The report warns that 200 million poor workers are at risk of joining the ranks of people living on less than 2 dollars per day in the past three years. The director general of the International Labor Organization Juan Somavia notes that some countries have taken measures to address theeffects of the global crisis.However, he points out that many countries have not done so. And based on past experiences, it takes four to five years after economic recovery for unemployment to return to pre-crisis levels. Mr. Somavia says the International Labor Organization is proposing a global jobs' agreement to deal with unemployment. 'It's key objective is to play so the center of recovery efforts, measures that would generate high levels of employment and provide basic social protection for the most vulnerable.'Q1. What is the news report mainly about?Q2. What does, Juan Somavia, the director general of the International Labor Organization say? News Report 2Big fast food chains in New York City have started to obey a first of its kind rule, requiring them to post calorie counts right on the menu. Cathy Nurses is with the New York City department of health, 'We wanted to give people an opportunity to actually see the calories before they purchasedthe food and make a decision and inform decision. That if they want to make their healthier choice, if they want to eat fewer calories they can. And we expect this will have a huge impact on obesity. And of course, if it has an impact on obesity, it will have an impact on diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure. 'The new rules will introduce as a part of anti-obesity campaign. That also includes a recent citywide ban and artificial trans-fats in restaurant food. The menu roll only applies to restaurants that serve standardized potion sizes and have fifty more locations nationwide. Starting last Saturday, chains big enough to fall under the rule will face penalties about 2000 dollars for not showing calorie information in a prominent spot on their menus preferably next to the price.Q3. What are big fast food chains in New York City require to do according to the new rule?Q4. What would happen to big restaurant chains that violate the new rule?News Report ThreeAlmost all companies recognize the importance ofinnovation today. But not many are able to integrate innovation into their business.A commentary in the Shanghai Daily points out that innovation doesn't mean piles of documents. It is something more practical. The article says many people tend to assume that innovation just means creating something new, but actually it's more than that. It's an attitude of doing things. A company should find ways to innovate not just in products but also in functions, business models and processes.The article cites the global giant Procter & Gamble as an example, saying a real innovative company should develop an innovation culture and use it as a primary tool for success. Procter & Gamble has a “Corporate Innovation Fund” which offers big rewards for high-risk ideas that succeed. It also has a special innovation facility for its employees. Sometimes its employees are released from their daily jobs for weeks and spend their time interacting in the innovation facility instead. In conclusion, the article says innovative ideas alonedo not ensure success. It's pointless unless there is a repeatable process in place to turn inspiration into financial performance.Q5. What is the problem with many companies according to the news report?Q6. What do many people tend to think of innovation?Q7. What does the company Procter & Gamble owe its success to?【Conversation】Conversation OneM: So, Linzy, do you like to text message on your cell phone?W: Yeah, I text message a lot.M: I don't do it so much. I prefer to make a call if I'm in a hurry.W: Yeah, I go both ways. Sometimes I don’t really want to talk to the person. I just want to ask them one question, so it's much easier for me just to text message. If I call them, I'll have to have a long conversation.M: Yeah, I can see what you mean. But I get off the phone pretty quickly when I call. I'm not a big talker.W: Yeah, that's true. You don't talk a lot.M: So are you fast at writing the messages with your thumb?W: Well, when I first got a cell phone, I was so slow.I thought I would never text message. But then people kept text messaging me, so I felt obliged to learn how to text message. So now I'm pretty fast. What about you?M: Actually I have the opposite problem. When I first got my cell phone, I thought it was so cool to text message all my friends who have one, and I was pretty fast with my thumb then. But it seems like now I don't use it so much, I've got slower actually.W: Yeah, I think text messaging actually is what you have to do with your age. For example, people in high school, they text message a lot. But I ask my father if he texted messages, and guess what he said?M: What?W: He said he'd never text message. He thinks it's very childish and unprofessional to text message. M: Yeah, I can see what he means. It's considered pretty informal to text message to someone. Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you've just heard.Q8: What does the man say about himself?Q9: What does the woman tend to do while she is on the phone?Q10: Why did the man text message all his friends when he first got his cell phone?Q11: What does the woman's father think of text messaging?Conversation TwoW: Good morning, Mr. Johnson. How can I help you?M: Well, I'd like to talk to you about Tim Bond, the department manager.W: What seems to be the problem?M: Well, ever since Sandra left the department, I feel like I've been targeted to do all her work aswell as mine. I'm expected to attend too many meetings and I seem to be spending a lot of my time doing unnecessary paper work.W: I'm sorry to hear that.M: And, on top of that, I'd specifically asked if I could leave early last Friday as I done a lot of overtime during the week. But that afternoon, even though I'd finished my assigned work, I was told to help other colleagues finish their work, too.W: But surely that's a positive sign showing that Mr. Bond has a lot of trust in you.M: Yes, but other colleagues get to leave early, and they don't have such a lot of work to do.W: So you feel he's really making unrealistic demands on you?M: Yes, absolutely.W: Have you approached Mr. Bond about this particular problem?M: I've tried, but it seems like he just has no time for me.W: Well, at this stage, it would be better if you approached him directly. If nothing else showingthat you've tried to solve the problem yourself before you take it further. Makes it clear that you're just not a complainer. Why don't you send an email requesting a meeting with him in private? M: Hmm, I've been a bit worried about his reaction. But anyway I'll send him an email to request a meeting, and I'll see what happens from there. Thanks for your advice.W: Good luck. And let us know the outcome. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you've just heard.Q12. What do we learn about the man from the conversation?Q13. What is the man's chief complaint?Q14. How does the woman interpret the fact that the man was asked to help his colleagues with their work?Q15. What did the woman advise the man to do?【Passages】Passage OneThe massive decline in sleep happened so slowly and quietly that few seemed to notice the trend.Was it because of the growing attraction of the Internet, video games and endless TV channels? Never disconnecting from work? No matter how it happened, millions of Americans are putting their health, quality of life and even length of life in danger.New evidence shows why getting enough sleep is a top priority. Some 40% of Americans get less than 7 hours of shut-eye on week nights. "The link between sleep and health, and bad sleep and disease is becoming clearer and clearer." says Lawrence Alberstaine, a sleep expert at Harvard University. For example, sleep duration has declined from some 8 hours in the 1950s to 7 in recent years. At the same time, high blood pressure has become an increasing problem. Blood pressure and heart rate are typically at their lowest levels during sleep. People who sleep less tend to have higher blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, weight gain and other problems.Sleeping better may help fight off illness. "When people are sleep-derived, there are higher levels ofstress hormones in their bodies which can decrease immune function." says Doctor Felice, of Northwestern University in Chicago. A university of Chicago study shows people who sleep well live longer. So say good night sooner and it may help you stay active and vital to a ripe old age.Q16. What is the speaker mainly talking about?Q17. What do we learn from the talk about today's Americans?Q18. What does the speaker say will happen to people who lack sleep?Passage TwoParents and teachers will tell you not to worry when applying for a place at a university. But in the same breath will remind you that it is the most important decision of your life.The first decision is your choice of course. It will depend on what you want to get out of university, what you are good at and what you enjoy. The next decision is where to apply. Aim high but within reason. Do you have the right combination of subjects and are your expected grades likely tomeet entry requirements? The deadline is January 15th. But it is best to submit your application early because universities begin work as soon as forms start rolling in.The most important part of the application is the much feared personal statement. This is your chance to convey boundless enthusiasm for the subject. So economy of expression is foremost. Omit dull and ineffective generalities and make sure you give concrete examples.Admissions officers read every personal statement that arrives. It is not convincing if you say you have chosen the subject because you enjoy it. You have to get across what it is about a particular area that has inspired you. They will look for evidence that you have reflected and thought about the subject.Applicants should be honest. There is no point saying you run marathons, if you are going to be out of breath arriving at the interview on the second floor.Q19. What is the first decision you should make inpreparing to apply for a place at a university?Q20. What is the most important part of the application?Q21. What must applicants do in their personal statements?Passage ThreeIt is widely believed that German invented the first car in 1885. It was actually a tricycle with a petrol motor at the rear. Soon, members of the royal family and other wealthy people took up motoring as a sport. Many of the early cars had 2 seats. There were no petrol pumps and few garages, so every driver had to be his own engineer for the frequent breakdowns.By 1905, cars began to look like cars of today, with head lamps, wind screen, rubble tires and number plates. Henry Ford's Model T introduced in America in 1909 was cheaper because it was made on the assembly line. It brought cars closer towards the reach of ordinary people. With the popularity of the car, registration became a must in 1903 with the motor car act. Competency testswere introduced in 1935.Today, the legal driving age for a car in the UK is 17. You are not allowed to drive a car unsupervised until you have passed a driving test. In 1958, Britain celebrated the opening of its first motor way – the Preston Bypass. Until then, no one really understood what a motor way was, not even the laborers who were building it. The bypass held a new era in motor travel and was greeted with excitement and optimism. Service stations came with the motor way and the legend of the transport cafe was born. Of course, the service station has diversified greatly. But whether it’s an English-cooked breakfast or a coffee and a sandwich, one thing has remained the same: the prices.Q22. What does the speaker say about the first motor car?Q23. What was the problem with the early cars in Britain?Q24. Why did Henry Ford's Model T cars cost less?Q25. What do we learn about the Preston Bypass?。

2016年6月大学英语四级真题听力原文(一二三套)DInternational Labour Organization is proposing a global job agreement to deal with unemployment.“It’s key objective is to place the center of recovery efforts, measures will generate higher levels of employment and provide basic social protection for the most vulnerable.”1、What is the news report main about?2、What does Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization say?News Report 2Big fast food chains in New York city have started to obey a first kind of its rule, requiring them to post calorie counts right on the menu. City Nurses is with New York department of health.“We wanted to give people an opportunity to actually see the calories before they purchase the food and make a decision and informed decision that if they want to make the healthierchoice. If they want to eat fewer calories, they can. And we expect this will have a huge impact on obesity. And of course, if this has an impact on obesity, it will have an impact on diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure.”The new rules will be introduced as a part of anti-obesity campaign. That also includes a recent citywide ban on artificial trans-fats in restaurant food. The menu roll only applies to restaurants that serves standardized potion sizes and have fifty or more locations nationwide. Starting last Saturday, chains big enough to fall under the rule will face penalties of up to 2000 dollars for not showing calorie information in a prominent sports on their menus, preferably next to the price.3. what are big fast food chains in New York city required to do according to the new rule?4.What will happen to big restaurant chains that violate the new rule?News Report 3Almost all companies recognize the importance of innovation today, but not many are able to integrate innovation into their business. A commentary in the Shanghai Daily points out that innovation doesn’t mean piles of documents, it’s something more practical. The article says many people tend to assume that innovation just means creating something new, but actually it’s more than that. It’s an attitude of doing thing. A company should find ways to innovate not just in products but also in functions, business models and processes.The article cites the global giant Procter & Gamble as an example, saying a real innovative company should develop an innovation culture, and use it as a primary tool for success. Procter & Gamble has a “Corporate Innovation Fund” which offers big rewards for high-risk ideas. It also has a special innovation facility for its employees. Sometimes its employees are released from their daily jobs for weeks and spend theirtime interrupting in the innovation facility instead. In conclusion, the article says innovative ideas alone d o not ensure success. It’s pointless unless there is repeatable processes in place to turn inspiration into financial performance.5. What is the problem of many companies according to news report?6. What do many people tend to think of the innovation?7. What does the company Procter & Gamble owe its success to?Section BConversation 1M: So, Lenzy, do you like to text message on your cell phone?W:Yeah, I text message a lot.M: I don’t do it so much, I prefer to make a call if I’m in a hurry.W: Yeah, I go both ways. Sometimes I don’t want to talk to the person, I just want to ask hima question, so it’s much easier for me, just text message, if I call them, I have to have a long conversation.M: Yeah, I can see what you mean. But I get of f the phone pretty quickly when I call. I’m not a big talker.W: Yeah, that’s true, you don’t talk a lot.M: So are you fast at writing the message with your thumb?W: Well, when I first get a cellphone, I was so slow, I thought I would never text message. But then people kept text messaging me. So I felt obliged to learn how to text message, so now I’m pretty fast. What about you?M: Actually I have the opposite problem. When I first get my cellphone, I thought it was so cool the to text message all my friends who have one. And I was pretty fast with my thumb then. But it seems like now I don’t use so much.I got slower actually.W: Yeah, I’ve been text messaging actually sort of has to do with your age. For example,people in high school, they text message a lot. But I asked my father if he texted message, and guess what he said?M: What?W: He said he’d never text message. He thinks it’s very childish and unprofessional to text message.M: Yeah, I can see what he means. It’s considered pretty informal to text message someone.8. what does the man say about himself?9. what does the woman tend to do while she is on the phone?10. why did the men text message all his friends when he first got his cell phone?11. what does the woman’s fat her think of the text massage?Conversation 2W: Good morning, Mr. Johnson, how can I help you?M: well, I’d like to talk to you about TeamBarn, the department manager.W: What seems to be the problem?M: Well, ever since Sandra left the departm ent, I feel like I’ve been targeted to do all her work as well as mine. I’m expected to attend many meetings. And I seem to be spending a lot of time doing unnecessary paper work.W: I’m sorry to hear that.M: And on top of that, I’ve specifically asked if I could leave early last Friday as I’d done a lot of overtime during the week. But that afternoon, even though I’d finished my assigned work, I was told to help other colleagues finish their work, too.W: But surely that’s a positive sign showing that Mr. Bond has a lot of trust in you.M: Yeah, but other colleague gets leave early, and they don’t have such a lot of work to do.W: So you feel he’s making unrealistic demands on you?M: Yes, absolutely.W: Have you approached Mr. Bond about this particular problem?M: I’ve tried, but it seems like he just has no time for me.W: Well, at this stage, it would be better to approach him directly. If nothing else showing that you’ve tried to solve the problem yourself before you take it further, mak es it clear you’re just not a complainer. Why don’t you send him an email requesting a meeting with him in private?M: Hmm, I feel a bit worried about his reaction. But, anyway I’ll send him an email request a meeting, and I’ll see what happens from there. Thanks for your advice.W: Good luck. And let us know the outcome.12. what do we know about the man from the conversation?13. what is the man’s chief complaint?14. How was the women interpret the factthat the man was asked to help his colleagues with their work?15. what did the women advise the man to do?Section CPassage 1The massive decline in sleep happens so slowly and quietly that feel seems trend. Was it because of the growing attraction of the Internet, video games and endless TV channels? Never disconnecting from work? No matter how it happened, millions of Americans are putting their health, quality of life and even length of life in danger.New evidence shows why getting enough sleep is the top priority. Some 40% of the Americans get less than 7 hours of shut-eye on week nights. “The link between sleep and health, and bad sleep and disease is becoming clearer and clearer.” says Lawrence Alberstaine, a sleep expert at Harvard University. For example, sleep duration has declined from some 8 hoursin the 1950s to 7 in recent years. At the same time, high blood pressure has become an increasing problem. Blood pressure and heart rate are typically at their lowest levels high during sleep. People who sleep less and have higher blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, weight gain and other problems.Sleeping better may help fight of illnesses. “when people sleep-deprived, there are higher levels of stress hormones in their bodies which can decrease immune function.” says Doctor Felice of Northwestern university in Chicago. A university of Chicago study shows people who sleep well live longer. So say goodnight sooner and it may help you stay active and vital to a right old age.16.What is the speaker mainly talking about?17.What do we learn from the talk about today’s Americans?18. What does the speaker say will happen to people who lack sleep?Passage 2Parents and teachers will tell you not to worry when apply for a place in university, but in the same breath, they will remind you that it is the most important decision of your life.The first decision is your choice of course, it would depend on what you want to get out of university, what you are good at and what you enjoy. The next decision is where to apply. Aim high but within reason. Do you have the right combination of subjects and are your expected grades likely to meet entry requirements? The deadline is January 15th. But it’s better to submit your application early because universities begin work as soon as forms start rolling in.The most important part of the application is the much feared personal statement. This is your chance to convey boundless enthusiasm for the subject. So economy of expression is foremost. Omit dull and ineffective generalities,and make sure you give the concrete examples. Admission officers will read every personal statement that arrives. It’s not convincing if you say you have chosen a subject because you enjoy it. You have to get across what it is about a particular area that has inspired you. They will look for evidence that you have reflected and thought about the subject.Applicants should be honest. There is no point saying you run marathons if you are going to be out of breath arriving at the interview on the second floor.19. what is the first decision you should make in preparing to apply for a place at a university?20. what is the most important part of the application?21. what must applicants do in their personal statements?Passage 3It is usually agreed that a German Carl Benzbuilt the first motor car in 1885. It was actually a tricycle with a petrol motor at the rear. Soon, members of the Royal family and other wealthy people took up motoring as a sport. Many of the early cars have two seats. There were no petrol pumps and few garages, So even driver had to be his own engineer for the frequent breakdowns.By 1905, cars began to look like cars of today, with head lamps, with screen, rubber tyres and number plates. Henry Ford’s Model T introduced in America in 1909, which cheaper because it was made on the assembly line. It brought cars closer towards the reach of ordinary people. With the popularity of the car, registration became a must in 1903 with the Motor Car Act. Competency tests were introduced in 1935.Today, the legal driving age of car in the UK is 17. You are not allowed to drive a car unsupervised until you have passed a driving test. In 1958, Britain celebrated the opening ofits first motorway—the Preston Bypass. Until then, no one really understood what a motorway was, not even the laborers who were building it. The bypass held a new era in motor travel and was greeted with excitement and optimism. Service stations came with the motorway and the legend of transport cafe was born. Of course, the service station has diversified greatly. But whether it’s an English-cooked breakfast or coffee and a sandwich, one thing has remained the same: the prices.22.What does the speaker say about the first motor car?23.What was the problem with the early cars in Britain?24.Why did Henry Ford’s Model T cars cost less?25.What do we learn about the Preston bypass?2016年6月大学英语四级真题第二套听力原文Section ANews Report OneYou probably think college students are experts at sleeping, but parties，preparations for tests，personal problems and general stress can rack a student’s sleep habits，which can be bad for the body and the mind. Texas Tech University is even offering a class called Improving Your Sleep Habits. People suffering from sleep loss are at an increased risk from obesity, psychological problems and car crashes. Students who don't get enough sleep have poor attendance and lower grades. On top of all that, a new study published in the Journal Learning &Memory finds you're probably better off sleeping than making last-minute preparations for a test.200 college kids were taught to play some unfamiliar video games. Subjects who learned the games in the morning lost some skills when they played again 12 hours later，butthey did much better after getting a good night’s sleep. So if you really want to do your job well, don't forget to get some sleep.News Report TwoLong queues，delayed flights and overcrowding at airports have become almost as much a topic for conversation in Britain as the traditional complaining about the weather. Meanwhile，there’re complaint that the poor service in London’s major airports is discouraging foreigners from doing business in Britain. Much of the criticism is directed at the British Airports Authority, which runs 7 major airports，including the 3 main ones serving London. The Competition Commission is now to investigate whether the British Airports Authority needs to sell off some of its assets. The idea is that competition between rival operators would lead to better service at airports. The British Airports Authority recently bought by aSpanish company, says the root cause of the problems is not the ownership structure, but a lack of runway and terminal capacity, which is addressing through a program of heavy investment.News Report ThreeUnder the law in Massachusetts, tobacco companies have to measure the nicotine content of every type of cigarette and report the results. The Department of Public Health in Boston gathers and carefully examines the figures，and then draws its conclusions. 116 brands were looked at for the study.82 were found to have higher nicotine yields than they did 6 years previously. The biggest increase tended to be in brands that were popular with young smokers，that worries the Department because of the addictive nature of nicotine .Stanton Glance，a professor of medicine in San Francisco explains why.“The amount of nicotine that’s delivered in every type of cigarettes is 10 percent higher thanit was 6 years ago，which means that it’s easier to get hooked and harder to quit. The big tobacco companies have always insisted that they are frank with their customers about the dangers of smoking and provide them with enough detail to make an informed decision. However，none of them were prepared to comment on this study or discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.”Section BConversation OneM：And you know, one thing that l want to ask you. It’s great that you have had thisexperience of teaching in Indonesia andfollowing up on what you just mentioned，what would you recommend for studentswho do not live in an English speakingcountry and, you know, they want to learn.I don’t know about perfecting，but theywant at least to be able to communicatedecently. How can they go about this?W：Yeah, it’s really hard. That’s the real struggle because, right now , I do live inHolland but I really don’t socialize muchwith Dutch people and my boyfriend'sEnglish is so good that we just basicallyspeak English all the time. so I have tomake a real effort to practice. There’s asmuch listening exposure as I want--all Ihave to do is turn on the TVM：And reading also. right?W：Yeah, reading. There’s plenty that I can get to read and listen to but for speaking，there really is no substitute for trying to speakand use the language in a relaxedatmosphere. So I think that's really thechallenge for people who live in a countrywhere their target language isn't spoken.And for that, gosh，what would I do if Ididn’t have peo ple here，probably try tofind a club. In Sweden they have a reallycool system called “study Circles”, well, it’snot…it’s like a course. But really, you justhave a course leader who is there, sort of ,as a coach and guide and to help out, andyou don’t get grades, and you go justbecause you want to learn.Conversation TwoW：Okay，Nelson. So we are talking about driving and are there any rules orregulations that you’d like to change?M：I'm not sure I want to change rules, but I’d like the police to be stricter on the rules.Like if people jump traffic lights, I don’tknow why there isn’t a camera at the traffic lights to stop people doing that. Or likespeeding. It’s very easy to put speedcameras in certain places.W：Maybe car manufacturers should have some responsibility in limiting their power oftheir engines. What’s the point inproducing an engine that’s big andpowerful enough to go like 200km/h whenthe speed limit is only 100?M：Right, but do you know there are no speed limits in Germany?W：People there do drive responsibly ,though.Often people break laws simply because thelaws are there. If the law isn’t there，people will drive within their ability range. Whenyou got speed limits，this creates situationsactually present dangers on the road.M：Do you think Germans have better education about personal responsibility when driving? W：Possibly, they also have very good cars. M：Right.W：If you got a good car that can go at a high speed then it’s really nice to do that.M：But still, with care.W：So I think it’s the restriction that creates the dangers sometimes.M：Okay.W：Obviously, when driving through aresidential area or where there’s a scho ol，you’ve got to have speed policemen.M：Speed bumps.W：Yes, speed bumps. Those speed bumps that force you to slow down. I think they’regood ideas.M：So you don't think fining people is useful? W：Not really, because the police don’t have time to police every single driver.Section CPassage OneBehind the cash register at a store in downtown San Francisco，Sam Azar swiped his credit card to pay for a pack of cigarettes. The store's card reader failed to scan the card's magnetic strip. Azar tried again and again. No luck. As customers began to queue，Mr. Azar reached beneath the counter for a black plastic bag. He wrapped one layer of theplastic around the card and tried again. Success! The sale was completed.“I don’t know how it works. It just does，”said M r. Azar who 1earned the trick from another clerk. Verifone，the company that makes the store’s card reader, would not confirm or deny that the plastic bag trick worked. But it’s one of many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures that people without engineering degrees have discovered，often out of desperation，and shared.“ Today's shaky, economy is likely to produce many more such tricks. In postwar Japan，the economy wasn’t doing so great，so you couldn’t get everyday-use items like household cleaners.” says Lisa Katayama，author of Urawaza，a book named after the Japanese term for “clever lifestyle tips and tricks.”So people look for ways to do with what they had. Today, Americans are finding their own tips and tricks for fixing mal-functioning devices with supplies as simple as paper and glue.Some，like Mr. Azar’s plastic bag are open to argument as to how they work，or whether they really work at all. But many tech home remedies can be explained by a little science. Passage TwoIf you are a graduate student，you may depend on your advisor for many things，including help with improving grades，acquiring financial support，forming an examining committee and getting letters of recommendation. If you are a graduate teaching assistant，your advisor also may be your boss. Academic departments vary in their procedures for assigning academic advisors to graduate students. In some departments，either the chairman or the director of graduate studies serves for at least the first semester as a new student advisor. Then the students select an advisor based on shared academic interests. In other departments，a new student is assigned afaculty advisor based on some system of distribution of the department’s advising load .Later, students may have the opportunity of selecting the advisor that they prefer. In any case，new graduate students can learn who their advisors or temporary advisors are by visiting or emailing the departmental office, and asking for the information. Graduation requirements specify the number of credits you must earn，the minimum grade point average you must achieve and the distribution of credits you must have from among different departments or fields of study.In addition，it is necessary to apply for graduation when you near the time that you’11 be completing your graduation requirements. Since graduation requirements vary among divisions of the university, you should consult the Bulletin of Information. You should also direct your questions to your departmental office or academic advisor.Passage ThreeJody Harbert is a diet and nutrition expert who travels around the state to speak in middle and high schools. She primarily speaks to students in health classes，but sometimes the school will arrange for her to speak to several different groups of girls. Her biggest concern is the emphasis American culture places on thinness and the negative ways of this affects girls today. Jody has a Ph.D. in nutrition，but more important，she has personal experience. Her mother taught her to diet when she was only 8 years old. Jody has created several different presentations which she gives to different types of audiences，and she tries to establish an emotional connection with the students so that they will feel comfortable asking questions or talking to her privately. She shows them pictures and images from popular culture of beautiful women and explains how computers are used to make the women lookeven more thin and beautiful man they are in real life. She describes how the definition of beauty has changed over the years and even from culture to culture. She then talks about health issues and the physical damage that can occur as a result of dieting. Finally，she addresses self-respect and the notion that a person’s sense of beauty must include more than how much a person weighs. Sometimes, Jody feels that she succeeds in persuading some students to stop dieting. Other times，she feels that she fails.2016年6月大学英语四级真题第三套听力原文（与第二套相同）。