2013年12月英语四级真题及答案详解kj140224170236

2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题PartⅡListening Comprehension(30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.C) The conference room has to be cleaned.D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted.B) She is near-sighted.C) She cannot finish work in time.D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.C) The woman should order her food quickly.D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic.B) He doesn't keep his promises.C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency arc too long7. A) International trade.-B) Product development.C) Financial consulting.D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip.B) Look for a job in Miami.C) Make a ticket reservation.D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18.B) It has an interesting museum.C) It is a beautiful little town.D) It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions.B) They are fifty-five miles apart.C) They are quite close to each other.D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by RouteB) They are crowded with tourists.C) They have lots of old houses.D) They have many rare plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr. Gartner.D) Accompany Mr. Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30. B) About 6:30. C) About 5:30. D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr. Gartner from Milan.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar.C) The company's sales representative.D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15. A) Travel agent. B) Business manager. C) Secretary. D) Saleswoman.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the conversation you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others.B) She wanted to find out more about it.C) She needed some overseas experience.D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program.B) Work on an agricultural project.C) Learn Portuguese.D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising.B) Time spent working.C) Time spent on leisure activities.D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading. B) Surfing the Web. C) Eating out. D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving. B) Gardening. C) Going to the pub. D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident.C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin's carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there.B) He knocked down several mailboxes.C) He tore down the company's main gate.D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job.B) He will have to pay damages.C) He will be fined heavily.D) He will receive retraining.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate __26__, they replied. "Because it is right." If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their menwear pants __27__ skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likelyto get __28__ and very uninformative answers: "Because it's right. " "Because that's the way it's done." "Because it's the __29__. " Or even "I don't know. " The reason for these and countlessother patterns of social behavior is that they are __30__ by social norms-shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms __31__ how people "ought" to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform(遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they __32__. In fact, we are much more likely to notice__33__ from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little __34__ if they bowed, started to stroke you, or kissed you on both __35__ Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriatein other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.听力文本及答案Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a fewminutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here.W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. IceM: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision.Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products have beenwell received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least two years.Q: What is the woman going to do?【答案】1.D The woman is going to major in child education.2.B The sound equipment has to be set up.3.A She is exhausted.4.C The woman should order her food quickly.5. B He doesn’t keep his promises.6.C The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.7.A International trade.8.D Take a vacation.【点评】本次四级短对话无论从对话内容还是从题目本身来看，整体难度相对简单，和往年该部分相类似，话题覆盖日常生活（生活琐事、看电影、旅游等）、校园生活、商务工作（会议、求职等）。

2013年12月英语四级真题及答案一、听力部分Section AA)Move the furniture.B)It is time to pay the rent.C)At the town hall.A)Go abroad.B)He has to do some tasks.A)The woman learned a lot from the trip.C)She prefers reading in silence.A)She doesn’t know where her purse is.B)He’s not sure where his rent check is.C)At a university.Section BB)It is a difficult maze.C)They are almost all identical.A)By writing messages on the walls.C)To confuse predators.D)They could feel it in their bodies.C)They did not notice any difference.B)They use landmarks to find food.C)Birds were attracted to the sound.A)They can guide the whales’ migration.D)She receives the most love from her children. Section CA)The world is full of wonders.C)The photographer’s perseverance.B)It is his most valuable treasure.C)By planning ahead.A)It can make the world a better place.二、阅读部分Passage OneA)To arrange interviews with important people.B)Their personal qualities may have beenoverlooked.D)To discover your own strong points.D) A wide range of skills.C)Set clear goals.Passage TwoB)Expectations for women’s appearances.D)Advertising is everywhere in people’s dailylives.A)How to manipulate women’s insecurities.C)Changing people’s perception of beauty.B)They are knowledgeable about a variety oftopics.Passage ThreeA)They were the first private schools in Britain.D)Those from wealthy families aspired to begentlemen.C)Discipline their bodies and minds.D)English gentlemen could set a good example.D)Influenced by their economic background. Passage FourA)It is often the small things that matter most.B)Men and women respond differently to stress.C)Tenderness is essential for a happyrelationship.D)Show affection and empathy.B)Prolonged stress can weaken the immunesystem.三、写作部分短文写作Directions: For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition based on the picture below. You should write at least 120 words, and base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below:写作要点：1. 描述图片内容：一辆大货车卡住了一个过道，不能向前行； 2. 分析产生的原因：大货车太大，通道太窄，驾驶员没有及时发现状况； 3. 谈谈你的看法：如何避免这种情况：修建更宽敞的通道、提高驾驶员的观察技巧等。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第一套)Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on the way people communicate and then explain whether electronic communication can replace face-to-face contact. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.“Dear Andy---How are you? Your mother and I are fine. We both miss you and hope you are doing well. We look forward to seeing you again the next time your computer crashes and you come downstairs for something to eat. Love, Mom and Dad.”_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Part II Listening Comprehension （30 minutes）Section A:Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A. go to a place he has visitedB. make her own arrangementsC. consult a travel agentD. join in a package tour2. A. they are on a long trip by carB. they are stuck in a traffic jamC. they are used to getting up earlyD. they are tired of eating out at night3. A. he is a person difficult to deal withB. he dislikes any formal gatherC. he is unwilling to speak in publicD. he often keeps a distance from others4. A. work in another departmentB. pursue further educationC. recruit graduate studentsD. take an administrative job5. A. he would not be available to start the job in timeB. he is not quite qualified for the art director positionC. he would like to leave some more time for himselfD. he will get his application letter ready before May 16. A. cleaner B. mechanic C. porter D. salesman7. A. request one or two roommates to do the cleaningB. help Laura with her term paper due this weekendC. get Laura to clean the apartment herself this timeD. ask Laura to put off the cleaning until another week8. A. a problem caused by the constructionB. an accident that occurred on the bridgeC. the building project they are workingD. the public transportation conditionQuestions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A. to look for a job as a salespersonB. to have a talk with Miss ThompsonC. to place an order for some productsD. to complain about a faulty appliance10. A. the person in charge is not in the officeB. the supplies are out of stock for the momentC. they failed to reach an agreement on the priceD. the company is re-cataloguing the items11. A. 0734,12536 extension 15B. 0734,21653 extension 51C. 0734,38750 extension 15D. 0734,62135 extension 51Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. since he found a girlfriendB. since he took to heavy smokingC. since he began to exercise regularlyD. since he started to live on his own13. A. he is getting too fatB. he smokes too muchC. he doesn’t eat vegetablesD. he doesn’t look well at all14 A. they are overweight for their ageB. they are respectful to their parentsC. they are still in their early twentiesD. they dislike doing physical exercise15 A. to quit smokingB. to reduce his weightC. to find a girlfriendD. to follow her adviceSection BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear questions, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the center.Passage OneQuestions16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16 A. they have destroyed several small townsB. they will soon spread to San FranciscoC. they have injured many residentsD. they are burning out of control17. A. they have been hospitalizedB. they have got skin problemsC. they were choked by the thick smokeD. they were poisoned by the burning chemicals18 A. it failed because of a sudden rocket explosionB. it has been re-scheduled for a midday takeoffC. it has been cancelled due to technical problemsD. it was delayed for eleven hours and thirty minutes19 A. they made frequent long-distance calls to each otherB. they illegally used government computers in New JerseyC. they were found to be smarter than computer specialistsD. they were arrested for stealing government informationPassage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20.A. peaceful B. considerate C. generous D. cooperative21.A. someone dumped the clothes left in the washer and dryerB. someone broke the washer and dryer by overloading themC. Mindy Lance’s laundry blocked the way to the laundry roomD. Mindy Lance threatened to take revenge on her neighbors22. A. asking the neighborhood committee for helpB. limiting the amount of laundry for each washC. informing the building manager of the matterD. installing a few more washers and dryersPassage threeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A. she is both a popular and a highly respected authorB. she is the most loved African novelist of all timesC. she is the most influential author since the 1930sD. she is the first writer to focus on the fate of slaves24. A. The Book Critics Circles AwardB. the Nobel Prize for literatureC. the Pulizer Prize for fictionD. the National Book Award25. A. she is a relative of Morrison’sB. she is a slave from AfricaC. she is a skilled storytellerD. she is a black womanSection CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.Many college students today own personal computers that cost anywhere from $1,000 to perhaps $5,000 or more. 26_______, it is not uncommon for them to purchase 27_________ costing another several hundred dollars. Twenty years ago, computers were 28_________, but they were very large and extremely expensive. Few, if any, 29________ purchased computers for home use. Over they years, the price of the “guts” of a computer --- its memory --- has declined to less than a thousandth of the price per unit of memory that prevailed twenty years ago. This is the main reason why computers cost so much less today than they used to. 31_____ memory circuitry that is small enough to fit into the portable personal computers that many of us own and use. 32______, as the price of computation has declined the average consumer and business have spent more on purchasing computers.33________, improved agricultural technology, hybrid(杂交) seeds, 34________ animal breeding, and so on have vastly increased the amount of output a typical farmer can produce. The prices of goods such as meats and grains have fallen sharply relative to the prices of most other goods and services. As agricultural prices have fallen, many households have decreased their total expense on food. Even though the 35______ of a product purchased generally increases when its price falls, total expenses on it may decline.Part III Reading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ATo get a sense of how women have progressed in science. Take a quick tour of the physics department at the University of California, Berkeley. This is a storied place, the 36_______ some of the most important discoveries in modern science---starting with Ernest Lawrence’s invention of the cyclotron(回旋加速器) in 1931. a generation ago, female faces were 37_______ and, even today, visitors walking through the first floor of LeConte Hall will see a full corridor of exhibits 38_______ the many distinguished physicists who made history here, 39_______ all of them white makes.But climb up to the third floor and you’ll see a 40______ display. There, among the photos of current faculty members and students, are portraits of the 41________head of the department, Marjorie Shapiro, and four other women whose research 42_______ everything from the mechanics of the universe to the smallest particles of matter. A sixth woman was hired just twoweeks ago. Although they’re still only about 10 percent of the physics faculty, women are clearly a presence here. And the real 43_______ may be in the smaller photos to the right: graduate and undergraduate students, about 20 percent of them female. Every year Berkeley sends its fresh female physics PhDs to the country’s top universities. That makes Shapiro optimistic, but also 44______, “I believe things are getting better,”she says, “but they’re not getting better as 45________ as I would like.”A circumstanceB confidenceC coversD currentE dealsF differentG exposing H fast I honoringJ hope K presently L rareM realistic N site O virtuallySection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read 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.Is College a Worthy Investment?A) Why are we spending so much money on college? And why are we so unhappy about it? We allseem to agree that a college education is wonderful, and yet strangely we worry when we see families investing so much in this supposedly essential good. Maybe it’s time to ask a question that seems almost sacrilegious(大不敬的): is all this investment in college education really worth it?B) The answer, I fear, is no. for an increasing number of kids, the extra time and money spentpursuing a college diploma will leave them worse off than they were before they set foot on campus.C) For my entire adult life, a good education has been the most important thing for middle-classhouseholds. My parents spent more educating my sister and me than they spent on their house, and they’re not the only ones…and, of course, for an increasing number families, most of the cost of their house is actually the cost of living in a good school district. Questioning the value of a college education seems a bit like questioning the value of happiness, or fun.D) The average price of all goods and services has risen about 50 percent. But the price of acollege education has nearly doubled in that time. Is the education that today’s students are getting twice as good? Are new workers twice as smart? Have they become somehow massively more expensive to education?E) Perhaps a bit, Richard V edder, an Ohio University economics professor, says, “I look at thedata, and I see college costs rising faster then inflation up the mid-1980s by 1 percent a year.Now I see them rising 3 to 4 percent a year over inflation. What has happened? The federal government has started dropping money out of airplanes.” Aid has increased, subsidized(补贴的) loans have become available, and “the universities have gotten the money.”Economist Bryan Caplan, who is writing a book abut education, agrees: “It’s a giant waste of resources that will continue as long as the subsidies continue.”F) Promotional literature for colleges and student loans often speaks of debt as an “investment inyourself.” But an investment is supposed to generate income to pay off the loans. More thanhalf of all recent graduates are unemployed or in jobs that do not require a degree, and the amount of student-loan debt carried by households had increased more than five times since 1999. these graduates were told that a diploma was all they needed to succeed, but it won’t even get them out of the spare bedroom at Mom and Dad’s. for many, the most visible result of their four years is the loan payments, which now average hundreds of dollars a month on lan balances in the tens of thousands.G) It’s true about the money---sort of. College graduates now make 80 percent more than peoplewho have only a high-school diploma, and though there are no precise estimates, the wage premium(高出的部分) for an outstanding school seems to be even higher. But tha t’s not true of every student. It’s very easy to spend four years majoring in English literature and come out no more employable than you were before you went in. conversely, chemical engineers straight out of school can easily make almost four times the wages of an entry-level high-school graduate.H) James Heckman, the Nobel Prize winning economist, has examined how the returns oneducation break down for individuals with different backgrounds and levels of ability. “Even with these high prices, you’re still finding a high return for individuals who are bright and motivated,: he says. On the other hand, “if you’re not college ready, then the answer is no, it’s not worth it.” Experts tend to agree that for the average student, college is still worth it today, but they also agree that the rapid increase in price is eating up more and more of the potential return. For borderline students, tuition(学费) rise can push those returns into negative territory.I) Everyone seems to agree that the government, and parents, should be rethinking how we investin higher education---and that employers need to rethink the increasing use of college degrees as crude screening tools for jobs that don’t really require college skills. “Employers seeing a surplus of college graduates and looking to fill jobs are just adding that requirement,”says Vedder. “In fact, a college degree becomes a job requirement for becoming a bar-tender.”J) We have started to see some change on the finance side. A law passed in 2007 allows many students to cap their loan payment at 10 percent of their income and forgives any balance after25 years. But of course, that doesn’t control the cost of education; it just shifts it to taxpayers.It also encourages graduated to choose lower-paying careers, which reduces the financial return to education still further. “You’re subsidizing people to become priests and poets and so forth,” says Heckman. “You may think that’s a good thing, or you may not.” Either way it will be expensive for the government.K) What might be a lot cheaper is putting more kids to work Caplan notes that work also builds valuable skills---probably more valuable for kids who don’t naturally love sitting in a classroom. Heckman agrees wholeheartedly: “People are different, and those abilities can be shaped. Tha t’s what we’ve learned, and public policy should recognize that.”L) Heckman would like to see more apprenticeship-style(学徒式) programs, where kids can learn in the workplace---learn not just specific job skills, but the kind of “soft skills,” like getting to work on time and getting along with a team, that are crucial for career success. “It’s about having mentors(指导者) and having workplace-based education,”he says. “Time and again I’ve seen examples of this kind of program working.”M) Ah, but how do we get there from here? With better public policy, hopefully, but also by making better individual decision. “Historically markets have been able to handle these things,”says Vedder, “and I think eventually markets will handle this one. If it doesn’timprove soon, people are going to wake up and ask, ‘Why am I going to college?’”46. Caplan suggests that kids who don’t love school go to work.47. An increasing number of families spend more money on houses in a good school district.48. Subsidized loans to college students are a huge waste of money, according to one economist.49. More and more kids find they fare worse with a college diploma.50. For those who are not prepared for higher education, going to college is not worth it.51. Over the years the cost of a college education has increased almost by 100%.52. A law passed recently allows many students to pay no more than one tenth of their income fortheir college loans.53. Middle class Americans have highly valued a good education.54. More kids should be encouraged to participate in programs where they can learn not only jobskills but also social skills.55. Over fifty percent of recent college graduates remain unemployed or unable to find a suitablejob.Section CPassage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.A recent global survey of 2,000 high-net-worth individuals found that 60% were not planning on a traditional retirement. Among U.S. participants, 75% expected to continue working in some capacity even after stepping away from full-time jobs. “Many of these people made their wealthy by doing something they’re passionate(有激情的) about,” says Daniel Egan, head of behavioral finance for Barclays Wealth Americas. “Given the choice, they prefer to continue working.”Barclays calls these people “nevertirees.”Unlike many Americans compelled into early retirement by company restrictions, the average nevertiree often has no one forcing his hand. If 106-year-old investor Irving Kahn, head of his won family firm, wants to keep coming to work every day, who’s going to stop him? Seventy-eight-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s job security is guaranteed in the Constitution.It may seem that these elderly people are trying to cheat death. In fact, they are. And it’s working. Howard Friedman, a professor at UC Riverside, found in his research that those who work hardest and are successful in their careers often live the longest lives. “People are generally being given bad advice to slow down, take it easy, stop worrying, are retire to Foloida,”he described one study one study participant, still working at the age of 100, who was recently disappointed to see his son retire.“We’re beginning to see a change in how people view retirement,”says George Leeson, co-director of the Institute of Population Ageing at Oxford. Where once retirement was seen as a brief reward after a long struggle through some miserable job, it is now akin(近似) to being cast aside. What Leeson terms “the Warren Buffett effect”is becoming more broadly appealing as individuals come to “view retirement as not simply being linked to economic productivity but also about contribution.”Observers are split on whether this is a wholly good thing. On the one hand, companies and financial firms can benefit from the wisdom of a resilient(坚韧的) chief. On the other, the new generation can find it more difficult to advance---an argument that typically holds little sway to anevertiree.56. What do we learn about the so-called “nevertiree”?A. they are passionate about making a fortuneB. they have no choice but to continue workingC. they love what they do and choose not to retireD. they will not retire unless they are compelled to57. What do Irving Kahn and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have in common?A. neither of them is subject to forced retirementB. neither of them desires reward for their workC. both cling to their positions despite oppositionD. both are capable of coping with heavy workloads58. What is the finding of Howard Friedman’s research?A. the harder you work, the bigger your fortune will beB. the earlier you retire, the healthier you will beC. elderly people have to slow down to live longerD. working at an advanced age lengthens people’s life59. What is the traditional view of retirement according to the passage?A. it means a burden to the younger generationB. it is a symbol of mature and civilized societyC. it a compensation for one’s life-long hard workD. it helps increase a nation’s economics productivity60. What do critics say about “nevertirees?A. they are an obstacle to a company’s developmentB. they lack the creativity of the younger generationC. they cannot works as efficiently as they used toD. they prevent young people from getting aheadPassage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.When we talk about Americans barely into adulthood who are saddled with unbearable levels of debt. The conversation is almost always about student loan debt. but there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that today’s young adults are also drowning in credit-care debt---and that many of them will take this debt to their graves.More than 20% overspent their income by more than $100 every single month. Since they haven’t built up their credit histories yet, it’s a safe bet that these young adults are paying relatively high interest rates on the resulting credit card debt.Although many young people blame “socializing”as a barrier to saving money, most of them aren’t knocking back $20 drinks in trendy(时尚的) lounges. They’re struggling with much more daily financial demands.To a disturbingly large extent, the young and the broke are relying on credit cards to make it until their next payday. This obviously isn’t sustainable in the long run, and it’s going to put a huge drag on their spending power even after they reach their peak earning years. Because they’ll still be paying interest on that bottle of orange juice or box of spaghetti（意式面条）they bought a decade earlier.A new study out of Ohio State University found that young adults are accumulating creditcard debt at a more rapid rate than other age groups, and that they’re slower at paying it off. “If what we found continues to hold true, we may have more elderly people with substantial financial problems in the future,” warns Lucia Dunn, professor of economics at Ohio State. “If our findings persist, we may be faced with a financial crisis among elderly people who can’t pay off their credit cards.”Dunn says a lot of these young people are never going to get out from under their credit card debt. “Many people are borrow on credit cards so heavily that payoff rates at these levels are not sufficient to recover their credit card debt by the end of their life, which could have loss implications for the credit card issuing banks.”61. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?A. many young Americans will never be able to pay off their debtsB. credit cards play an increasingly important role in college lifeC. credit cards are doing more harm than student loansD. the American credit card system is under criticism62. Why do young people have to pay a higher interest on their credit card debt?A. they tend to forget about the deadlinesB. they haven’t developed a credit historyC. they are often unable to pay back in timeD. they are inexperienced in managing money63. What is said to be the consequence of young adults relying on credit cards to make ends meet?A. it will place an unnecessary burden on societyB. it will give them no motivation to work hardC. it will exert psychological pressure on themD. it will affect their future spending power64. What will happen to young adults if their credit card debt keeps accumulating according to Lucia Dunn?A. they will have to pay an increasingly higher interest rateB. they may experience a financial crisis in their old ageC. their quality of life will be affectedD. their credit cards may be cancelled65. What does Lucia Dunn think might be a risk for the credit card issuing banks?A. they go bankrupt as a result of over-lendingB. they lose large numbers of their regular clientsC. their clients leave their debts unpaid upon deathD. their interest rates have to be reduced now and thenPart 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.“你要茶还是咖啡？”是用餐人常被问到的问题。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试阅读理解真题及答案（全套）幸福就好我亦安2013年12月大学英语四级考试阅读理解真题(一)【阅读】Sectio n CDirectio ns : There are 2 passages in this sect ion. Each passage is followed by some questi ons or unfini shed stateme nts. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresp onding letter on An swer Sheet 2 with a sin gle line through the cen tre.Passage OneQuesti ons 56 to 60 are based on the follow ing passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food in take are in flue need by a large nu mber of factors besides our biological n eed forenergy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have show n, for in sta nee, that eati ng in front of the TV (or a similardistract ion) can in crease both hun ger and the amount of food con sumed. Even simplevisual cues, like plate size and light ing, have bee n show n to affect portion size and con sumpti on.A new study suggested that our short-term memoryalso mayplay a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they ' d eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them —in other words, how much they remembered eati ng.This disparity (盖弃) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger in flue nee on our appetite tha n the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brun strom, a professor of experime ntal psychology at the Uni versity of Bristol."Hun ger isn't con trolled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. Wehave identified an independent role for memory for that meal，" Brunstrom says."This shows that the relati on ship betwee n hun ger and food in take is more complex than we thought."These findings echo earlier research that suggests our percepti on of food can sometimes trick our body' s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instanee, people who drank the same3S0-calorie (卡路里)milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙),depending on whetherthe shake' s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eat ing habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eati ng less, the new findings do highlight the ben efits offocus ing on our food and avoidi ng TV and multitask ing while eat ing.The so-called min dful-eat ing strategies can fight distract ions and help us con trol our appetite, Brun strom says.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第一套）Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on the way people municate and then explain whether electronic munication can replace face-to-face contact. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.“Dear Andy —How are you? Your mother and I are fine. We both miss you and hope you are doing well. We look forward to seeing you again the next time your puter crashes and you e downstairs for something to eat. Love, Mom and Dad.”Part II Listening prehension （30 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1.A）The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B）The man will soon start a business of his own.C）The man would like to be a high school teacher.D）The woman is going to major in child education.2.A）The furniture has to be rearranged.B）The sound equipment has to be set up.C）The conference room has to be cleaned.D）The video machine has to be checked.3.A）She is exhausted. C）She cannot finish work in time.B）She is near-sighted.D）She cannot go straight home.4.A）The woman is too particular about food.B）He would rather have a meal an hour later.C）The woman should order her food quickly.D）He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5.A）He is not a good mechanic. C）He spends his spare time doing repairs. B）He doesn’t keep his promises. D）He is always ready to offer help to others.6.A）Sam has a big family to support.B）Sam is not interested in traveling.C）The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.D）The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7.A）International trade. C）Financial consulting.B）Product development.D）Domestic retailing.8.A）Go on a business trip. C）Make a ticket reservation.B）Look for a job in Miami. D）T ake a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A）It is located on Route 18. C）It is a beautiful little town.B）It has an interesting museum. D）It lies seven miles east of Newton.10.A）They are in opposite directions. C）They are quite close to each other. B）They are fifty-five miles apart.D）They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A）They are connected by Route 7. C）They have lots of old houses.B）They are crowded with tourists. D）They have many rare plants. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A）Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B）Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C）Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner.D）Acpany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13.A）About 8:30. C）About 5:30.B）About 6:30.D）About 4:15.14. A）Mr Gartner from Milan. C）The pany’s sales representative.B）Gianni Riva at Megastar. D）Gavin from the Chamber of merce.15.A）Travel agent. C）Secretary.B）Business manager.D）Saleswoman.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A）She had a desire to help others. C）She needed some overseas experience. B）She wanted to find out more about it. D）She was interested in farming.17.A）Carry out a cultural exchange program. C）Learn Portuguese. B）Work on an agricultural project. D）Teach English.18.A）She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B）She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C）She was invited to work as an English teacher.D）She could not get the country out of her mind.19.A）By teaching additional English classes.B）By writing stories for American newspapers.C）By working part time for the Peace Corps.D）By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20.A）Time spent exercising. C）Time spent on leisure activities. B）Time spent working. D）Time spent with friends and family. 21.A）Reading. C）Eating out.B）Surfing the Web. D）Watching TV.22.A）Driving. C）Going to the pub.B）Gardening. D）Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23.A）The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B）The car driver was partly responsible for the accident.C）McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D）McLaughlin’s carelessness resulted in the collision.24.A）He crashed into a car parked there.C）He tore down the pany’s main gate. B）He knocked down several mailboxes.D）He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25.A）He will lose his job. C）He will be fined heavily.B）He will have to pay damages. D）He will receive retraining.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate （26）__________, they replied, “Because it is right.”If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants （27）__________ skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get （28）__________ and very uninformative answers: “Because it’s right.”“Because that’s the way it’s done.”“Because it’s the （29）__________.”Or even “I don’t know.”The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are （30）__________ by social norms—shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms （31）__________ how people “ought”to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform （遵守）to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they （32）__________. In fact, we are much more likely to notice （33）__________ from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little （34）__________ if they bowed, started to stroke you, or kissed you on both （35）__________. Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly bee aware that things we do this way, they do that way.Part III Reading prehension （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.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.To get a sense of how women have progressed in science, take a quick tour of the physics department at the University of California, Berkeley. This is a storied place, the ___36___ of some of the most important discoveries in modern science—starting with Ernest Lawrence’s invention of the cyclotron （回旋加速器）in 1931.A generation ago, female faces were ___37___ and, even today, visitors walking through the first floor of LeConte Hall will see a full corridor of exhibits ___38___ the many distinguished physicists who made history here, ___39___ all of them white males.But climb up to the third floor and you’ll see a ___40___ display. There, among the photos of current faculty members and students, are portraits of the ___41___ head of the department, Marjorie Shapiro, and four other women whose research ___42___ everything from the mechanics of the universe to the smallest particles of matter. A sixth woman was hired just two weeks ago. Although they’re still only about 10 percent of the physics faculty, women are clearly a presence here. And the real ___43___ may be in the smaller photos to the right: graduate and undergraduate students, about 20 percent of them female. Every year Berkeley sends its fresh female physics PhDs to the country’s top universities. That makes Shapiro optimistic, but also ___44___. “I believe things are getting better,”she says, “but they’re not getting better as ___45___ as I would like.”A）circumstanceI）honoringB）confidenceJ）hopeC）coversK）presentlyD）currentL）rareE）dealsM）realisticF）differentN）siteG）exposingO）virtuallyH）fastSection 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.Is College a Worthy Investment?A）Why are we spending so much money on college? And why are we so unhappy about it? We all seem to agree that a college education is wonderful, and yet strangely we worry when we see families investing so much in this supposedly essential good. Maybe it’s time to ask a question that seems almost sacrilegious （大不敬的）: is all this investment in college education really worth it?B）The answer, I fear, is no. For an increasing number of kids, the extra time and money spent pursuing a college diploma will leave them worse off than they were before they set foot on campus.C）For my entire adult life, a good education has been the most important thing for middle-class households. My parents spent more educating my sister and me than they spent on their house, and they’re not the only ones... and, of course, for an increasing number of families, most of the cost of their house is actually the cost of living in a good school district. Questioning the value of a college education seems a bit like questioning the value of happiness, or fun.D）The average price of all goods and services has risen about 50 percent. But the price of a college education has nearly doubled in that time. Is the education that today’s students are getting twice as good? Are new workers twice as smart? Have they bee somehow massively more expensive to educate?E）Perhaps a bit. Richard Vedder, an Ohio University economics professor, says, “I look at the data, and I see college costs rising faster than inflation up to the mid-1980s by 1 percent a year. Now I see them rising 3 to 4 percent a year over inflation. What has happened? The federal government has started dropping money out of airplanes.”Aid has increased, subsidized （补贴的）loans have bee available, and “the universities have gotten the money.”Economist Bryan Caplan, who is writing a book about education, agrees: “It’s a giant waste of resources that will continue as long as the subsidies continue.”F）Promotional literature for colleges and student loans often speaks of debt as an“investment in yourself.”But an investment is supposed to generate ine to pay off the loans. More than half of all recent graduates are unemployed or in jobs that do not require a degree, and the amount of student-loan debt carried by households has increased more than five times since 1999. These graduates were told that a diploma was all they needed to succeed, but it won’t even get them out of the spare bedroom at Mom and Dad’s. For many, the most visible result of their four years is the loan payments, which now average hundreds of dollars a month on loan balances in the tens of thousands.G）It’s true about the money—sort of. College graduates now make 80 percent more than people who have only a high-school diploma, and though there are no precise estimates, the wage premium （高出的部分）for an outstanding school seems to be even higher. But that’s not true of every student. It’s very easy to spend four years majoring in English literature and e out no more employable than you were before you went in. Conversely, chemical engineers straight out of school can easily make almost four times the wages of an entry-level high-school graduate.H）James Heckman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, has examined how the returns on education break down for individuals with different backgrounds and levels of ability. “Even with these high prices, you’re still finding a high return for individuals who are bright and motivated,”he says. On the other hand, “if you’re not college ready, then the answer is no, it’s not worth it.”Experts tend to agree that for the average student, college is still worth it today, but they also agree thatthe rapid increase in price is eating up more and more of the potential return. For borderline students, tuition （学费）rise can push those returns into negative territory.I）Everyone seems to agree that the government, and parents, should be rethinking how we invest in higher education—and that employers need to rethink the increasing use of college degrees as crude screening tools for jobs that don’t really require college skills. “Employers seeing a surplus of college graduates and looking to fill jobs are just adding that requirement,”says Vedder. “In fact, a college degree bees a job requirement for being a bar-tender.”J）We have started to see some change on the finance side. A law passed in 2007 allows many students to cap their loan payment at 10 percent of their ine and forgives any balance after 25 years. But of course, that doesn’t control the cost of education; it just shifts it to taxpayers. It also encourages graduates to choose lower-paying careers, which reduces the financial return to education still further. “You’re subsidizing people to bee priests and poets and so forth,”says Heckman. “You may think that’s a good thing, or you may not.”Either way it will be expensive for the government.K）What might be a lot cheaper is putting more kids to work. Caplan notes that work also builds valuable skills—probably more valuable for kids who don’t naturally love sitting in a classroom. Heckman agrees wholeheartedly: “People are different, and those abilities can be shaped. That’s what we’ve learned, and public policy should recognize that.”L）Heckman would like to see more apprenticeship-style （学徒式）programs, where kids can learn in the workplace—learn not just specific job skills, but the kind of “soft skills,”like getting to work on time and getting along with a team, that are crucial for career success. “It’s about having mentors （指导者）and having workplace-based education,”he says. “Time and again I’ve seen examples of this kind of program working.”M）Ah, but how do we get there from here? With better public policy, hopefully, but also by making better individual decisions.”Historically markets have been able to handle these things,”says Vedder, “and I think eventually markets will handle this one. If it doesn’t improve soon, people are going to wake up and ask,‘Why am I going to college?’”46. Caplan suggests that kids who don’t love school go to work.47. An increasing number of families spend more money on houses in a good school district.48. Subsidized loans to college students are a huge waste of money, according to one economist.49. More and more kids find they fare worse with a college diploma.50. For those who are not prepared for higher education, going to college is not worth it.51. Over the years the cost of a college education has increased almost by 100%.52. A law passed recently allows many students to pay no more than one tenth oftheir ine for their college loans.53. Middle-class Americans have highly valued a good education.54. More kids should be encouraged to participate in programs where they can learn not only job skills but also social skills.55. Over fifty percent of recent college graduates remain unemployed or unable to find a suitable job.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.A recent global survey of 2,000 high-net-worth individuals found that 60% were not planning on a traditional retirement. Among U.S. participants, 75% expected to continue working in some capacity even after stepping away from full-time jobs. “Many of these people made their wealth by doing something they’re passionate （有激情的）about,”says Daniel Egan, head of behavioral finance for Barclays Wealth Americas. “Given the choice, they prefer to continue working.”Barclays calls these people “nevertirees.”Unlike many Americans pelled into early retirement by pany restrictions, the average nevertiree often has no one forcing his hand. If 106-year-old investor Irving Kahn, head of his own family firm, wants to keep ing to work every day, who’s going to stop him? Seventy-eight-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s job security is guaranteed in the Constitution.It may seem that these elderly people are trying to cheat death. In fact, they are. And it’s working. Howard Friedman, a professor at UC Riverside, found in his research that those who work hardest and are successful in their careers often live the longest lives. “People are generally being given bad advice to slow down, take it easy, stop worrying, and retire to Florida,”he says. He described one study participant, still working at the age of 100, who was recently disappointed to see his son retire.“We’re beginning to see a change in how people view retirement,”says George Leeson, co-director of the Institute of Population Ageing at Oxford. Where once retirement was seen as a brief reward after a long struggle through some miserable job, it is now akin （近似）to being cast aside. What Leeson terms “the Warren Buffett effect”is being more broadly appealing as individuals e to “view retirement as not simply being linked to economic productivity but also about contribution.”Observers are split on whether this is a wholly good thing. On the one hand, panies and financial firms can benefit from the wisdom of a resilient （坚韧的）chief. On the other, the new generation can find it more difficult to advance—anargument that typically holds little sway to a nevertiree.56. What do we learn about the so-called”nevertirees”?A）They are passionate about making a fortune.B）They have no choice but to continue working.C）They love what they do and choose not to retire.D）They will not retire unless they are pelled to.57. What do Irving Kahn and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have in mon?A）Neither of them is subject to forced retirement.B）Neither of them desires reward for their work.C）Both cling to their positions despite opposition.D）Both are capable of coping with heavy workloads.58. What is the finding of Howard Friedman’s research?A）The harder you work, the bigger your fortune will be.B）The earlier you retire, the healthier you will be.C）Elderly people have to slow down to live longer.D）Working at an advanced age lengthens people’s life.59. What is the traditional view of retirement according to the passage? A）It means a burden to the younger generation.B）It is a symbol of a mature and civilized society.C）It is a pensation for one’s life-long hard work.D）It helps increase a nation’s economic productivity.60. What do critics say about “nevertirees”?A）They are an obstacle to a pany’s development.B）They lack the creativity of the younger generation.C）They cannot work as efficiently as they used to.D）They prevent young people from getting ahead.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.When we talk about Americans barely into adulthood who are saddled with unbearable levels of debt, the conversation is almost always about student loan debt. But there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that today’s young adults are also drowning in credit-card debt—and that many of them will take this debt to their graves.More than 20% overspent their ine by more than $100 every single month. Since they haven’t built up their credit histories yet, it’s a safe bet that these young adults are paying relatively high interest rates on the resulting credit card debt.Although many young people blame “socializing”as a barrier to saving money, most of them aren’t knocking back $20 drinks in trendy （时尚的）lounges. They’re struggling with much more daily financial demands.To a disturbingly large extent, the young and the broke are relying on credit cards to make it until their next payday. This obviously isn’t sustainable in the long run, and it’s going to put a huge drag on their spending power even after theyreach their peak earning years, because they’ll still be paying interest on that bottle of orange juice or box of spaghetti （意式面条）they bought a decade earlier.A new study out of Ohio State University found that young adults are accumulating credit card debt at a more rapid rate than other age groups, and that they’re slower at paying it off. “If what we found continues to hold true, we may have more elderly people with substantial financial problems in the future,”warns Lucia Dunn, professor of economics at Ohio State. “If our findings persist, we may be faced with a financial crisis among elderly people who can’t pay off their credit cards.”Dunn says a lot of these young people are never going to get out from under their credit card debt. “Many people are borrowing on credit cards so heavily that payoff rates at these levels are not sufficient to recover their credit card debt by the end of their life, which could have loss implications for the credit card issuing banks.”61. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?A）Many young Americans will never be able to pay off their debts.B）Credit cards play an increasingly important role in college life.C）Credit cards are doing more harm than student loans.D）The American credit card system is under criticism.62. Why do young people have to pay a higher interest on their credit card debt? A）They tend to forget about the deadlines.B）They haven’t developed a credit history.C）They are often unable to pay back in time.D）They are inexperienced in managing money.63. What is said to be the consequence of young adults relying on credit cards to make ends meet?A）It will place an unnecessary burden on society.B）It will give them no motivation to work hard.C）It will exert psychological pressure on them.D）It will affect their future spending power.64. What will happen to young adults if their credit card debt keeps accumulating according to Lucia Dunn?A）They will have to pay an increasingly higher interest rate.B）They may experience a financial crisis in their old age.C）Their quality of life will be affected.D）Their credit cards may be cancelled.65. What does Lucia Dunn think might be a risk for the credit card issuing banks? A）They go bankrupt as a result of over-lending.B）They lose large numbers of their regular clients.C）Their clients leave their debts unpaid upon death.D）Their interest rates have to be reduced now and then.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.许多人喜欢中餐。

2012年12月大学英语四级真题答案与解析Part I Writing参考范文：第一种图表（即我们试题部分的图表）Education PaysThe bar graph describes the unemployment rates in 2010 for social groups with different education degrees in theUnited States. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics， the better you are educated， the more likely you are to get employed. For example， there are only about 1.9% and 4% of people with doctoral degree and master s degree respectively who are unemployed， while people with only a high school diploma or less suffer a much higher unemployment rate （14.9% and 10.3% respectively）.These data clearly indicate that education pays in the long run and it is a worthy investment. In this IT age especially， when knowledge of science and technology is power， people need to be well equipped with knowledge and skills in order to be competitive in job hunting and be better paid. A higher degree is definitely an advantage in the first place in the job market.It must be added， however， a high degree alone is not enough. It will not ensure a better employment opportunity. In order to succeed in the career， people must also develop practical skills and techniques as well as good communication， teamwork and social experience.第二种图表（这也是本次考试的另一份试卷的图表）（见图表2）Education PaysAs is shown in the bar chart above， the social groups with higher degree are not only more likely to be employed in the first place， but they are also better paid later in the workplace. Those with doctoral and professional degrees enjoy a much higher weekly median earning （$1551 and 1665 respectively） and suffer a much lower unemployment rate （2.5% and 2.4%）. On the other hand， those with less education suffer a considerably higher unemployment rate and have a much lower weekly income. For example， there are a total of 23.5% （9.4%+14.1%） of people unemployed with high school diploma or less， who have only a median weekly income of $545，as compared with the average $797.These data clearly indicate that education pays in the long run and it is a worthy investment. In this IT age especially， when knowledge of science and technology is power， people need to be well equipped with knowledge and skills in order to be competitive in job hunting and be better paid. A higher degree is definitely an advantage in the first place in the job market and a competitive edge for workplace promotions.It must be added， however， a high degree alone is not enough. It will not ensure a better employment opportunity and higher salary. In order to succeed in the career，people must also develop practical skills and techniques as well as good communication， teamwork and social experience.概述四级考试主要的作文命题形式是“文示”提纲作文，但不时也考应用文（书信、演讲词等）和图表作文，图表作文曾在1991年6月（表格： Changes in People s Diet）和2002年6月（柱状图： Student Use of Computers），似乎是10年考一次，但不排除今后会更频繁地考到。

2013年12月份全国大学英语四级考试试卷一：中餐【真题原文】许多人喜欢中餐，在中国，烹饪不仅被视为一种技能，而且也被视为一 种艺术。

精心准备的中餐既可口又好看，烹饪技艺和配料在中国各地差别很大。

但好的烹 饪都有一个共同点，总是要考虑到颜色、味道、口感和营养(nutrition)。

由于食物对健康至 关重要，好的厨师总是努力在谷物、肉类和蔬菜之间取得平衡，所以中餐既味美又健康。

【翻译答案】Most people like Chinese food. In China, cooking is considered as not only a skill but also an art. The well-prepared Chinese food is both delicious and good-looking. Although cooking methods and food ingredient vary wildly in different places of China, it is common for good cuisine to take color, flavor, taste and nutrition into account. Since food is crucial to health, a good chef is insistently trying to seek balance between cereal, meat and vegetable, and accordingly Chinese food is delicious as well as healthy.试卷二：信息技术【真题原文】信息技术(Information Technology)，正在飞速发展，中国公民也越来越 重视信息技术，有些学校甚至将信息技术作为必修课程，对这一现象大家持不同观点。

2013年12⽉⼤学英语四级考试真题答案解析2套2013年12⽉⼤学英语四级测试真题答案分析(⼆) Part 1 writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the increasing use of the mobile phone in people’s life and then explain the consequences of overusing it.You should write at least IW words but no more than 180 words.People are crossing the street looking at their cell phones and using walking sticks in order to see.Part 2 Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections ：In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which the best answer is. Then mark the corresponding letter o" Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

一、作文【作文(一)】The Impact of the Mobile Phone in People’s LifeThe thought-provoking drawing mirrors a common phenomenon in contemporary society that there is the negative influence of mobile phone. As is subtly shown in the picture，so many people are too much addicted to cell phones that they use walking sticks to see the road. What a meaningful cartoon!It is to me that indulging in mobile phones produces native influences on body and mind. First and foremost, overusing mobile phones is detrimental to physical health for watching mobiles for a long stretch definitely impairs one’s eyesight. Suppose that a man is addicted in cell phones in whatever situation, it will be very disadvantageous for him to concentrate on his work, learning, or daily life and is very likely to hurt him. Furthermore, overusing cell phones adversely affects state of mind. An addict may stay inside his bubble instead of pursuing other endeavors, which eventually prevents the growth of think skills.It is high time that we took effective measures to curb this trend. I cherish a belief that cell phones themselves are not good or bad and we can benefit a lot from it as long as we take a good control over them.【作文(二)】The Impact of the Internet on the Way People Communicate网络对人们沟通产生的影响Internet does exert such a profound effect on our life that it revolutionizes the way of people’s living and thinking. As is subtly revealed in the portrayal，there are two parents sitting in the front of computer，who are chatting with their child on the internet. What a meaningful picture!From my perspective, the electronic contact cannot replace face to face communication owing to the following factors. To begin with, over-reliance on electronic contact will damage the interpersonal relationship, for the cold machine never replaces a warm-hearted greeting face to face. For example, the aged parents would like their only son who works far away home to come back home more often rather than to talk with him on th e internet occasionally. What’s more, face to face communication is preferable because it is beneficial to build a harmonious society, for it attaches more importance on human affection and feelings instead of convenience and speed.Hence, it is necessary for us to use Internet in a reasonable way. After all, Internet is invented to connect you and me, and to bring conveniences to our life rather than set a barrier to keep people beyond reach. If we want to keep our interpersonal relationship more effectively, weshould spend more time with them face to face in real life. Only in this way can we not only make full use of the communication tool on the net but also make our relationship tighter.二、听力测试（原文）2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文：听力短对话Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a few minutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here.M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision.Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products have been well received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least two years.Q: What is the woman going to do?【四级听力长对话原文1】M: Excuse me, I need some information about some of the towns near here.W: What would you like to know?M: Well, first, I'd like directions to go to Norwalk. I believe there is an interesting museum there. It isn't far, is it?W: No, not at all. Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. And you're right. It's a wonderful little museum.M: Oh good. Now what about Amitsville? I have some friends. I'd like to visit there and I also want to get to Newton. They are near each other, aren't they?W: Hmm... well, they are actually in opposite directions. Amitsville is northeast. It's about thirty five miles northeast of here.M: Huh-uh, thirty five miles northeast. And how about Newton?W: Well, Newton is in the other direction. It's southwest, so it isn't really very close to Amitsville at all and it's a long drive. It's about fifty five miles southwest from here and the road is not at all straight.M: Fifty five miles southwest! Well, maybe I won't go there this time.W: I'd recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town. They are both very close. Westfield is just seven miles west of here and Great Town is about five miles south. They are really pretty little towns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield and five miles south to Great Town. Good. Well, I think that's all the information I need for a while. Thank you. You've been very helpful.W: You're welcome, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay.Q9: What does the man know about Norwalk?Q10: What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton?Q11: What do we learn about Westfield and Great Town?【四级听力长对话原文2】M: Err... Sandra, I've finished with Mr. Gordon now. Do you think you could pop through in bringing me up-to-date on their arrangements for the Italian trip?W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson. I'll bring everything with me.M: Right, take a seat. Now my first meeting is when?W: Your first meeting is on Monday the 21st at 9a.m. with Dr. Gucci of Bancos en Piedra in Milan.M: OK, so can I fly out early Monday morning?W: Well, there is a flight to Lenarty Airport which leaves at six thirty London time and gets in at eight thirty Italian time.M: Yeah, but that only leaves me thirty minutes to clear customs in getting to the city center and it means I have to check in by five thirty, which means leaving home at about four fifteen.W: I'm afraid so.M: Hmm... not so keen on that. What's the program for the rest of that day?W: It's quite full, I'm afraid. At eleven, you're seeing Jeana Rivard at Meg Star and then you'll have a lunch engagement with Gaven from the Chamber of Commerce at one.M: Where's that?W: You're meeting him at his office and then he's taking you somewhere.M: Good, that sounds fine. What about the afternoon?W: Well, at three thirty, you're seeing our sales representative there and then you're free till evening.M: I see. I seem to remember that I'm having a dinner with someone from Bergamo.W: That's right. And Mr. Betty from SAP Industries at eight.Q12: What would the man like the woman to do?Q13: At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?Q14: Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have a lunch with on Monday?Q15: What is most probably the woman's job?【听力短文】Listening Passage 1Donna Fredrick’s served with the Peace Corps for two years in Brazil. She joined the Peace Corps after she graduated from the college because she wanted to do something to help other people. She had been brought up on a farm, so the Peace Corps assigned her to a agricultural project. Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese for three months. She also learnt a great deal about its history and culture. During her two years with the Peace Corps, Donna lived in a village in northeast Brazil. That part of Brazil is very dry and farming is often difficult there. Donna helped the people of the village to organise an arrigation project, and she also advised themon planting corps. They didn’t require much water. When Donna returned to the States, shecould n’t settle down. She tried several jobs, but they seemed very boring to her. She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one day she got on an plane and went back to Brazil. She wasn’t sure what she’s going to do. She just wanted to be there. After a few weeks, Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching five classes a day. Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. She shares a small apartment with another teacher. And she makes a little extra money by sending stories to newspapers in the States. Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-time journalist.Question 16Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?Question 17What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?Question 18Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?Question 19How did Donna make extra money to support herself?Listening Passage 2Results of a recent Harry’s pool on free time showed that the average work week for many Americans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the household duties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free time to relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of study or work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In many countries free time is spent in different ways. The results of a Harry’s pool showed that reading was the most popular spare time activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure time activities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second. In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was eating out. The second most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popular outdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity for Americans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars ranked eighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoy doing similar things in their free time, there’s evidence to suggest that these interests are changing. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Many more people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends or playing games online.Question 20What is the recent Harry Pole about?Question 21What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?Question 22What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?Listening Passage 3On March 13th, while on duty Charles Mclaughlin, a very careless driver employed by the company Lummis was involved in another accident. The accident occurred in Riverside California. Not paying attention to his driving, Mclaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd street and hit Volkswagen rabbit. This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car. On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined that Mclaughlin had been quite careless. As a result of the committee’s conclusion, the branch manager Mr. David Rossi reported that he had talked with Mclaughlin about his extremely poor driving record. Further evidence of Mclaughlin's irresponsibility occurred on May 6th when he was returning from his shift. That day he ran into a roll-up door at the Lummis facility in Valero, causing significant damage to the door. Damage to the truck, however, was minor. Finally, on June 7th, Mclaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mail boxes near the edge of the company’s pa rking lot. There was damage to the mailboxes and minor damage to the truck. Mr. David Rossi stated that he had spoken with Mclaughlin on several occasions about his driving record. He added that he had warned Mclaughlin that three preventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurred on March 13th?24. What did Mclaughlin do on June 7th near the edge of the company’s parking lot?25. What is most probably going to happen to Mclaughlin?【听力填空】：When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate apart and alone, they replied, “Because it is right.” If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants instead of skirts or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers because it’s right, because that’s the way it’s done, because it’s the custom or even I don’t know. The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are controlled by social norms shared rules or guide lines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms define how people ought to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist. In fact we are much more likely to notice departures from norms than conformity to them. You will not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake handswhen you were introduced, but you might be a little startled if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both cheeks. Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other partsof the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.【四级长对话】9. B) It has an interesting museum.10. A) They are in opposite directions.11. C) They have lots of old houses.点评：显然长对话第一篇属于比较常见的“问路”话题。

第一张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。

Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage。

What does it take to be a well—trained nurse? The answer used to be two—year associate's or four—year bachelor’s degree programs。

But as the nursing shortage 36 , a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing ”fast—track programs" that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training。