2009年12月大学英语六级考试真题(打印版)
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2009年12月英语六级考试翻译练习1-11D2. listening to music enables us to feel relaxed解析:“听音乐”在句中作主语,“听”应当处理成动名词形式。
“能使我们放松”很多同学会采用can make us feel relaxed的结构。
其实,enable就有“能够使某人……”的含义,注意enable sb. to do 的表达。
3. On no account can we解析:本题是强调语气,强调“决不能”,所以联想到on no account ,by no means, at no time, in no case等。
不管用哪一个,都要注意它们是含有否定的意味的,因此在置于句首时应使用倒装语序。
4. fake and inferior commodities解析:“假冒伪劣商品”包含两层含义:一是假货,二是次品,在翻译成英文的时候应该注意两层含义的正确译法。
“假冒”不能用false而应选择fake,“次品”可以说inferior表示质量差,也可以用commodity of low quality。
5. draw useful lessons from it解析:句意为:面对失败,有的人能够顽强抵抗,从中吸取教训,努力实现他们的目标。
本句由三个并列的谓语成分构成,谓语动词分别是stand up to“汲取”和try。
“汲取教训”正确表达为draw a lesson from。
然而我们又能从全句判断,从失败中吸取教训是为了将来能够更好地实现目标,因此加上修饰语useful,使内容更明确。
2009年12月英语六级考试翻译练习2 1.Everyone has his inherent ability ,________________ (只是很容易被习惯所掩盖).2.The importance of traffic safety , _________________ (无论如何强调都不为过).3.In my opinion , ______________ (打电动玩具既浪费时间也有害健康).4.There is no doubt that ______________ (近视是一个很严重的问题)among the youth of our country.5.According to my personal experience , ___________________ (微笑已带给我许多好处).答案:1. which is easily concealed by habits解析:每个人都有与生俱来的能力,只是很容易被习惯所掩盖。
2023年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案(第二套)2023年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案第二套英语六级听力第二套1.A) Spending their holidays in a novel way.2. D) He once owned a van.3. A) Generate their own electricity.4.C) Enjoying the freedom to choose where to go and work.5. C) Her job performance has worsened over the past month.6.B) Some problems at home7. B) The womans work proficiency.8. C) The woman will be off work on the next two Mondays.9. D) It can enable us to live a healthier and longer life.10.B) The spouses level of education can impact oneshealth.11.A) They had more education than their spouses.12.C) Forecasting flood risks accurately.13.D) To improve his mathematical flooding model.14.A) To forecast rapid floods in real time.15.B) They set up Internet-connected water-level sensors.16.B) To argue about the value of a college degree.17.D) The factor of wages.18.A) The sharp decline in marriage among men with no college degrees.19.C) More and more people prioritize animal welfare when buying things to wear.20.D)Avoided the use of leather and fur.21.A)Whether they can be regarded as ethical.22.D) The era we live in is the most peaceful in history.23.C) They believed the world was deteriorating.24.B) Our psychological biases.25.A) Paying attention to negative information.翻译第二篇在中国,随着老龄化社会的到来,养老受到普遍关注。
2023年12月大学英语六级真题试卷及答案(三套全) 一、听力理解第一套第一节(共5小题)1. What does the woman ask the man to do?A. Turn the television off.B. Turn the volume down.C. Turn the radio on.Answer: B2. Where does the conversation most probably take place?A. At the post office.B. At the bank.C. At the hotel.Answer: C3. What does the man imply about the woman?A. She hasn’t been to New York City.B. She needs to find a new job.C. She travels a lot for work.Answer: A4. How long has the man been waiting?A. For an hour.B. For half an hour.C. For ten minutes.Answer: B5. What is the woman doing?A. She is looking for her keys.B. She is waiting for someone to arrive.C. She is talking on the phone.Answer: C第二节(共5小题)6. What is the woman asking the man to do?A. Fix her computer.B. Help her find a job.C. Visit her tomorrow.Answer: A7. What does the man offer to do next?A. Take the woman to the restaurant.B. Prepare dinner for the woman.C. Look for a restaurant on the Internet.Answer: C8. What does the man say abo ut the woman’s computer?A. It can’t be fixed.B. It needs a software update.C. It needs a new battery.Answer: B9. What does the woman suggest doing after dinner?A. Go for a walk.B. Watch a movie at home.C. Go to a movie theater.Answer: B10. How do es the woman feel about the man’s suggestion?A. Excited.B. Indifferent.C. Annoyed.Answer: A二、阅读理解第一套An important part of a child’s development is the acquisition of social skills. Social skills help children to interact effectively with others and build healthy relationships. These skills are vital for success in school, work, and life in general.One of the best ways to help children develop social skills is through play. Play allows children to practice andmaster social, emotional, and cognitive skills in a relaxed and enjoyableenvironment. Through play, children learn valuable skills such as cooperation, sharing, problem-solving, and communication.There are different types of play that help in the development of social skills. Cooperative play is when children play and work together towards a common goal. This type of play helps children to learn teamwork and collaboration. Pretend play, on the other hand, allows children to develop empathy and understanding of others’ perspectives. They learn to take on different roles and pretend to be someone else, which helps in developing their social and emotional intelligence. Board games and group activities also promote social interaction and help children learn important skills such as taking turns, following rules, and resolving conflicts in a fair manner.Parents and educators play a crucial role in promoting social skills development. They can create opportunities for play and provide guidance and support. It is important for parents to encourage their children to engage in various types of play and provide them with age-appropriate toys and games. Educators can incorporate play-based learning activities in the classroom to foster social skills development.In conclusion, play is a valuable tool for social skills development. It allows children to practice and master important skills while having fun. Parents and educators should recognize the importance of play and provide opportunities and support for children to engage in different types of play.第二套The concept of time management is essential in today’s fast-paced world. Effective time management helps individuals to prioritize tasks, handle multiple responsibilities, and increase productivity. It allows individuals to make the most out of their time and achieve their goals efficiently.Here are some tips for effective time management:1.Set goals: Identify your long-term and short-termgoals. Break them down into smaller, manageable tasks.This will help you stay focused and motivated.2.Prioritize tasks: Determine which tasks are mostimportant and urgent. Focus on completing these tasks first.3.Create a schedule: Use a planner or online calendarto schedule your tasks and activities. Set deadlines for each task to stay organized and keep track of your progress.4.Avoid multitasking: Multitasking may seem like atime-saving technique, but it can actually decreaseproductivity. Focus on one task at a time and give it yourfull attention.5.Delegate tasks: If possible, delegate tasks to others.This will free up your time and allow you to focus on more important tasks.6.Take breaks: Schedule regular breaks to rest andrecharge. This will help you maintain focus and preventburnout.7.Avoid procrastination: Procrastination can lead tounnecessary stress and missed deadlines. Break tasks into smaller, manageable parts and tackle them one at a time.8.Learn to say no: Don’t overcommit yourself. Learn tosay no to tasks that are not essential or do not align withyour goals.e technology: Take advantage of technology toolssuch as productivity apps and time tracking apps. Thesecan help you stay organized and manage your time moreeffectively.10.Review and adjust: Regularly review your scheduleand tasks. Adjust as needed to accommodate unexpectedevents or changes in priorities.By implementing these tips, you can improve your time management skills and achieve greater success in your personal and professional life.第三套The importance of physical exercise cannot be overstated. Regular exercise has numerous health benefits and plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.Physical exercise helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve lung function, and increase muscle strength and endurance. It also promotes weight loss and helps to maintain a healthy body weight. Regular exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, andcertain types of cancer. It can also improve mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.In addition to the physical benefits, exercise is also important for cognitive function. Studies have shown that regular exercise improves memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. It can also enhance creativity and productivity.Exercise is not only beneficial for adults but also for children and adolescents. Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence helps to develop healthy bones, muscles, and joints. It improves coordination and balance, and reduces the risk of childhood obesity. It also has a positive impact on academic performance, including improved concentration and focus.There are many different forms of exercise that individuals can choose from, including aerobic exercise, strength training, flexibility exercises, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It is important to find a form of exercise that you enjoy and can incorporate into your daily routine.In conclusion, regular physical exercise is essential for overall health and well-being. It has numerous physical and mental health benefits and should be a priority for individuals of all ages. Make exercise a part of your daily routine and reap the rewards of a healthy and active lifestyle.三、写作题目及答案第一套写作题目:Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:。
12月英语六级真题及答案下载「word完整版」2014年12月英语六级真题及答案下载「word完整版」考试采取“多题多卷”模式,试题顺序不统一,请依据试题进行核对Part I WritingDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following topic. You should write at least 180 words but no more than 200 words.作文题一:学历歧视作文题二:科技与学习作文题三:学习没有捷径Part II ListeningSection ADirections:In this section,you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A) , B) , C) and D),and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Question 1A.At a groceryB.In a parking lotC.In a car showroomD.At a fast food restaurantQuestion 2A.Have a little nap after lunchB.Get up and take a short walkC.Change her position now and thenD.Stretch legs before standing upQuestion 3A.The students should practice long-distance runningB.He doesn’t quite believe what the woman saysC.The students’ physical condition is not desirableD.He thinks the race is too hard for the students Question 4A.They do not want to have a baby at presentB.They cannot afford to get married right nowC.They are both pursuing graduate studiesD.They will get their degrees in two yearsQuestion 5A.Twins usually have a lot in commonB.He must have been mistaken for JackC.Jack is certainly not as healthy as he isD.He has not seen Jack for quite a few days Question 6A.The man will take the woman wo the museumB.The man knows where the museum is locatedC.The woman is asking the way at the crossroadsD.The woman will attend the opening of the museum Question 7A.They cannot ask the guy to leaveB.The guy has been coming in for yearsC.They should not look down upon the guyD.The guy must be feeling extremely lonely Question 8A.Collect timepiecesB.Become time-consciousC.Learn to mend locksD.Keep track of his daily activitiesQuestions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.Question 9A.It winds its way to the seaB.It is quickly risingC.It is eating into its banksD.It is wide and deepQuestion 10A.Get the trucks over to the other side of the riverB.Take the equipment apart before being ferriedC.Reduce the transport cost as much as possibleD.Try to speed up the operation by any meansQuestion 11A.Ask the commander to send a helicopterB.Halt the operation until further ordersC.Cut trees and build rowing boatsD.Find as many coats as possibleQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.Question 12A.Help him join an Indian expeditionB.Talk about his climbing experiencesC.Give up mountain climbing altogetherD.Save money to buy climbing equipmentQuestion 13A.He was very strict with his childrenB.He climbed mountains to earn a livingC.He had an unusual religious backgroundD.He was the first to conquer Mt. QomolangmaQuestion 14A.They are like humansB.They are sacred placesC.They are to be protectedD.They are to be conqueredQuestion 15A.It was his father’s training that pilled him t hroughB.It was a milestone in his mountain climbing careerC.It was his father who gave him the strength to succeedD.It helped him understand the Sherpa view of mountainsSection 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 I with a single line through the centrePassage OneQuestion 16A. By reviewing what he has said previouslyB.By comparing memorandums with lettersC.By showing a memorandum’ s structureD.By analyzing the organization of a letterQuestion 17A.They spent a lot of time writing memorandumsB.They seldom read a memorandum through to the endC.They placed emphasis on the format of memorandumsD.They ignored many of the memorandums they receivedQuestion 18A.Style and wordingB.Structure and lengthC.Directness and clarityD.Simplicity and accuracyPassage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.Question 19A.Accurate datingB.Professional lookC.Direct statement of purposeD.Inclusion of appropriate humorQuestion 20A.They give top priority to their work efficiencyB.They make an effort to lighten their workloadC.They never change work habits unless forced toD.They try hard to make the best use of their timeQuestion 21A.Self-confidenceB.Sense of dutyC.Work efficiencyD.Passion for workQuestion 22A.They are addicted to playing online gamesB.They try to avoid work whenever possibleC.They find to pleasure in the work they doD.They simply have no sense of responsibilityPassage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.Question 23A.He lost all his propertyB.He was sold to a circusC.He was forced into slaveryD.He ran away from his familyQuestion 24A.A carpenterB.A businessmanC.A master of hisD.A black drummerQuestion 25A.It named its town hall after Solomon NorthupB.It declared July 24 Solomon Northup DayC.It freedom all blacks in the town from slaveryD.It hosted a reunion for the Northup familySection 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.Section CIntolerance is the art of ignoring any views that differ from your own. It(26)_____ itself a hatred. Stereotypes, prejudice, and(27)_____.Once it intensifies in people, intolerance is nearly impossible to overcome. But why would anyone want to be labeled intolerant. Why would people want to be (28)_____aboutthe world around them? Why would one want to be part of the problem in America, instead of the solution?There are many explanations for intolerant attitudes, some(29)_____ childhood. It is likely that intolerant folks grew up(30)_____ intolerant parents and the cycle of prejudice has simply continued for (31)_____. Perhaps intolerant people are so set in their ways that they find it easier to ignore anything that might not (32)_____ their limited view of life. Or maybe intolerant students have simply never been (33)_____ to anyone different form themselves. But none of these reason is an excuse for allpwing the intolerance to continue.Intolerance should not be confused with disagreement.It is,of course,possible as diasgree with an opinion without being intolerant of it.If you understand a belief but still don't believe in that specific belief,that's fine.You are (34)_____ your opinion.As a matter of fact.(35)_____ disseniers(持异议者)are important for any belief.If we all believed the same things.we would never grow,and we would never learn about the world around us,does not stem frim disagreement.It stems from fear,And fear stems from fear.And fear stems from ignorance.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section AHis future subjects have not always treated the Prince of Wales with the respect one XXXX expect. They laughed aloud in 1986 when the heir to the British(36)_____ told a TV reporter that he talked to his plants at his country house, Highgrove, to stimulate their growth. The Prince was being humorous- “My sense of humor will get me into trouble one day”, he said to his aids(随从)-but listening to Charles Windsor can indeed prove stimulating. The royal(37)_____ has been promoting radical ideasfor most of his adult life. Some of his(38)_____, which once sounded a bit weird, were simply ahead of their time. Now, finally, the world seems to be catching up with him.Take his views on farming. Prince Charles’ Duchy Home Farm went(39)_____ back in 1986. When most shoppers cared only about the low price tag on suspiciously blemish-free(无瑕疵的) vegetables and(40)_____ large chickens piled high in supermarkets.His warnings on climate change proved farsighted,too.Charles began(41)_____ action in warming in 1990 and says he has been worried about the(42)_____ of man on the environment same be was a teenger.Although he was gradually gained international(43)_____ as one of the world's lending conservationists,many British people still think of him as an(34)_____ person who talks to plants.This year,as it happens,South Korean scientists proved that plants really do(45)_____ to round.So Charles was ahead of the game there,too.A.conformB.eccentricC.environmentalistD.expeditionsE.impactF.notionsanicH.originallyI.recognitionJ.respondK.subordinateL.suppressingM.throneN.unnaturallyO.urgingSection 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. High School Sports Aren’t Killing AcademicsA)In this month’s Atlantic cover article, “The Case Against High-School Sports,” Amanda Ripley argues that school-sponsored sports programs should be seriously cut. She writes that, unlike most countries that outperform the United States on international assessments, American schools put too much of an emphasis on athletics, “ Sports are embedded in American schools in a way they are not almost anywhere else,” she writes, “Yet this difference hardly ever comes up in domestic debates about America’s international mediocrity(平庸)in education.”B)American student-athletes reap many benefits from participating in sports, but the costs to the schools could outweigh their benefits, she argues, In particular, Ripley contends that sports crowd out the academic missions of schools: America should learn from South Korea and Finland and every other country at the top level of international test scores, all of whom emphasize athletics far less in school. ”Even in eighth grade, American kids spend more than twice the time Korean kids spend playing sports,” she writes, citing a 2010 study published in theJournal of Advanced Academics.C)It might well be true that sports are far more rooted in American high schools than in other countries. But our reading of international test scores finds no support for the argument against school athletics. Indeed, our own research and that of others lead us to make the opposite case. School-sponsored sports appear to provide benefits that seem to increase, not detract(减少)from, academic success.D)Ripley indulges a popular obsession(痴迷)with international test score comparisons, which show wide and frightening gaps between the United States and other countries. She ignores, however, the fact that states vary at least as much in test scores as do developed countries. A 2011 report from Harvard University shows that Massachusetts produces math scores comparable to South Korea and Finland, while Mississippi sc ores are closer to Trinidad and T obago. Ripley’s thesis about sports falls apart in light of this fact. Schools in Massachusetts provide sports programs while schools in Finland do not. Schools in Mississippi may love football while in Tobago interscholastic sports are nowhere near as prominent. Sports cannot explain these similarities in performance. They can’t explain international differences either.E)If it is true that sports undermine the academic mission of American schools, we would expect to see a negative relationship between the commitment to athletics and academic achievement. However, the University of Arkansas’s Daniel Bowen and Jay Greene actually find the opposite. They examine this relationship by analyzing schools’ sports winning percentage s as well as student-athletic participation rates compared to graduation rates and standardized test score achievement over a five-year periodfor all public high schools in Ohio. Controlling for student poverty levels, demographics(人口统计状况), and district financial resources, both measures of a school’s commitment to athletics are significantly and positively related to lower dropout rates as well as higher test scores.F)On-the-field success and high participation in sports is not random-it requires focus and dedication to athletics. One might think this would lead schools obsessed with winning to deemphasize academics. Bowen and Greene’s results contradict that argument. A likely explanation for this seemingly counterintuitive(与直觉相反的)result is that success in sports programs actually facilitates or reflects greater social capital within a school’s community.G)Ripley cites the writings of renowned sociologist James Coleman, whose research in education was groundbreaking. Coleman in his early work held athletics in contempt, arguing that they crowded out schools’ academic missions. Ripley quotes his 1961 study, The Adolescent Society, where Coleman writes, “Alt ogether, the trophy(奖品)case would suggest to the innocent visitor that he was entering an athletic club, not an educational institution.”H)However, in later research Coleman would show how the success of schools is highly dependent on what he termed social capital, “the social networks, and the relationships between adults and children that are of value for the child’s growing up.”I)According to a 2013 evaluation conducted by the Crime Lab at the University of Chicago, a program called Becoming a Man-Spor ts Edition creates lasting improvements in the boys’ study habits and grade point averages. During the first year of the program, students were founds to be less likely to transferschools or be engaged in violent crime. A year after the program, participants were less likely to have had an encounter with the juvenile justice system.J)If school-sponsored sports were completely eliminated tomorrow, many American students would still have opportunities to participate in organized athletics elsewhere, much like they do in countries such as Finland, Germany, and South Korea. The same is not certain when it comes to students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. In an overview of the research on non-school based after-school programs, researchers find that disadvantaged children participate in these programs at significantly lower rates. They find that low-income students have less access due to challenges with regard to transportation, non-nominal fees, and off-campus safety. Therefore, reducing or eliminating these opportunities would most likely deprive disadvantaged students of the benefits from athletic participation, not least of which is the opportunity to interact with positive role models outside of regular school hours.K)Another unfounded criticism that Ripley makes is bringing up the stereotype that athletic XX are typically lousy(蹩脚的)classroom teachers. “American principals, unlike the XX XX of principals around the world, make many hiring decisions with their sports teams in mind, which does not always end well for students,” she writes. Educators who seek employment at schools primarily for the purpose of coaching are likely to shirk(推卸)teaching responsibilities, the argument goes. Moreover, even in the cases where the employee is a teacher first and athletic coach second, the additional responsibilities that come with coaching likely comes at the expense of time otherwise spent on planning, grading, and communicating with parents andguardians.L)The data, however, do not seem to confirm this stereotype. In the most rigorous study on the classroom results of high school coaches, the University of Arkansas’s Anna Egalite finds that athletic coaches in Florida mostly tend to perform just as well as their non-coaching counterparts, with respect to raising student test scores. We do not doubt that teachers who also coach face serious tradeoffs that likely come at the expense of time they could dedicate to their academic obligations. However, as with sporting events, athletic coaches gain additional opportunities for communicating and serving as mentors(导师)that potentially help students succeed and make up for the costs of coaching commitments.M)If schools allow student-athletes to regularly miss out on instructional time for the sake of traveling to athletic competitions, that’s bad. However, such issues would be better addressed by changing school and state policies with regard to the scheduling of sporting events as opposed to total elimination. If the empirical evidence points to anything, it points towards school sponsored sports providing assets that are well worth the costs.N)Despite negative stereotypes about sports culture and Ripley’s presumption that academics and athletics are at odds with one another, we believe that the greater body of evidence shows that school-sponsored sports programs appear to benefit students. Successes on the playing field can carry over to the classroom and vice versa(反之亦然). More importantly, finding ways to increase school communities’ social capital is imperative to the success of the school as whole, not just the athletes.46.Stunets from low-income families have less access to off-campus sports programs.47.Amanda Ripley argues that America should learn from other countries that rank high in international tests and lay less emphasis on athletics.48.According to the author,Amanda Ripley fails to note that stunents'performance in exams varies from state to state.49.Amanda Ripley thinks that athletic coaches are poor at classroom instruction.50.James Coleman's later resrarch make an argument for a school's social capital.51.Reaearchers find that there is a ppsitive relationship between a school's commitment to athletics and academic achievements.52.Aa rigorous study finds that athletic coaches also do well in raising students'test scores.53.According to an evaluation,spograms contribute to students's academic preformance and character building.54.Amanda Ripley believes the emphasis on school sports shuold be brought up when trying to understand why Aamerican students are mediocre.55.James Coleman suggests in his earlier writings that school athletics would undermine a school's image.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 oneIt is easy to miss amid the day-to-day headlines of global economic recession, but there is a less conspicuous kind of social upheaval(剧变)underway that is fast altering both the face of the planet and the way human beings live. That change is the rapid acceleration of urbanization. In 2008, for the first time in human history, more than half the world’s population was living in towns and cities. And as a recently published paper shows, the process of urbanization will only accelerate in the decades to come—with an enormous impact on biodiversity and potentially on climate change.As Karen Seto, the led author of the paper, points out, the wave of urbanization isn’t just about the migration of people into urban environments, but about the environments themselves becoming bigger to accommodate all those people. The rapid expansion of urban areas will have a huge impact on biodiversity hotspots and on carbon emissions in those urban areas.Humans are the ultimate invasive species—when the move into new territory, the often displace the wildlife that was already living there. And as land is cleared for those new cities—especially in the dense tropical forests—carbon will be released into the atmosphere as well. It’s true that as people in developing nations move from the countryside to the city, the shift may reduce the pressure on land, which could in turn be good for the environment. This is especially so in desperately poor countries, where residents in the countryside slash and burn forests each growing season to clear space for farming. But the real difference is that in developing nations, the move from rural areas to cities often leads to an accompanying increase in income — and that increase leads to an increase in the consumption offood and energy, which in turn causes a rise in carbon emissions. Getting enough to eat and enjoying the safety and comfort of living fully on the grid is certainly a good thing — but it does carry an environmental price.The urbanization wave can’t be stopped —and it shouldn’t be. But Seto’s paper does underscore the importance of managing that transition. If we do it the right way, we can reduce urbanization’s impact on the environment. “There’s an enormous opportunity here, and a lot of pressure and responsibility to think about how we urbanize,” says Seto. “One thing that’s clear is that we can’t build cities the way we have over the last couple of hundred years. The scale of this transition won’t allow that.” We’re headed towards an urban planet no matter what, but whether it becomes heaven or hell is up to us.56. What issue does the author try to draw people’s attention to?A. The shrinking biodiversity worldwide.B. The rapid increase of world population.C. The ongoing global economic recession.D. The impact of accelerating urbanization.57. In what sense are humans the ultimate invasive species?A. They are much greedier than other species.B. They are a unique species born to conquer.C. They force other species out of their territories.D. They have an urge to expand their living space.58. In what way is urbanization in poor countries good for the environment?A. More land will be preserved for wildlife.B. The pressure on farmland will be lessened.C. Carbon emissions will be considerably reduced.D. Natural resources will be used more effectively.59. What does the author say about living comfortably in the city?A. It incurs a high environmental price.B. It brings poverty and insecurity to an end.C. It causes a big change in people’s lifestyle.D. It narrows the gap between city and country.60. What can be done to minimize the negative impact of urbanization according to Seto?A. Slowing down the speed of transition.B. Innovative use of advanced technology.C. Appropriate management of the process.D. Enhancing people’s sense of responsibility.Passage TwoWhen Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched in Feb. 2004, even he could not imagine the forces it would let loose. His intent was to connect college students. Facebook, which is what this website rapidly evolved into, ended up connecting the world.To the children of this connected era, the world is one giant social network. They are not bound —as were previous generations of humans — by what they were taught. They are only limited by their curiosity and ambition. During my childhood, all knowledge was local. You learned everything you knew from your parents, teachers, preachers, and friends.With the high-quality and timely information at their fingertips, today’s children are rising normally tame middle class is speaking up against social ills. Silicon Valley executives are being shamed into adding women to their boards. Politicalleaders are marshalling the energy of millions for elections and political causes. All of this is being done with social media technologies that Facebook and its competitors set free.As does every advancing technology, social media has created many new problems. It is commonly addictive and creates risks for younger users. Social media is used by extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere to seek and brainwash recruits. And it exposes us and our friends to disagreeable spying. We may leave our lights on in the house when we are on vacation, but through social media we tell criminals exactly where we are, when we plan to return home, and how to blackmail(敲诈)us.Governments don’t need informers any more. Social media allows government agencies to spy on their own citizens. We record our thoughts, emotions, likes and dislikes on Facebook; we share our political views, social preferences, and plans. We post intimate photographs of ourselves. No spy agency or criminal organization could actively gather the type of data that we voluntarily post for them.The marketers are also seeing big opportunities. Amazon is trying to predict what we will order. Google is trying to judge our needs and wants based on our social-media profiles. We need to be aware of the risks and keep working to alleviate the dangers.Regardless of what social media people use, one thing is certain: we are in a period of accelerating change. The next decade will be even more amazing and unpredictable than the last. Just as no one could predict what would happen with social media in the last decade, no one can accurately predict where this technology will take us. I am optimistic, however, that a connected humanity will find a way to uplift itself.61. What was the purpose of Facebook when it was firstcreated?A. To help students connect with the outside world.B. To bring university students into closer contact.C. To help students learn to live in a connected era.D. To combine the world into an integral whole.62. What difference does social media make to learning?A. Local knowledge and global knowledge will merge.B. Student will become more curious and ambitious.C. People are able to learn wherever they travel.D. Sources of information are greatly expanded.63. What is the author’s greatest concern with social media technology?A. Individuals and organizations may use it for evil purposes.B. Government will find it hard to protect classified information.C. Peop le may disclose their friends’ information unintentionally.D. People’s attention will be easily distractedfrom their work in hand.64. What do businesses use social media for?A. Creating a good corporate image.B. Conducting large-scale market surveys.C. Anticipating the needs of customers.D. Minimizing possible risks and dangers.65. What does the author think of social media as a whole?A. It will enable human society to advance at a faster pace.B. It will pose a grave threat to our traditional ways of life.C. It is bound to bring about another information revolution.D. It breaks down the final barriers in human communication.Part IV TranslationDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.翻译题一:自从1978年启动改革以来,中国已从计划经济转为以市场为基础的经济,经历了经济和社会的快速发展。
作文(三套)更多样、有效的学习方式Learn in diverse and effective waysWith the application of information technology in education,college students can now learn in more diverse and effective ways.Benefited from this,students' learning efficiency and learning effect has been improved.First of all,studying through the online courses offered by the university is the most common way for college students to study nowadays.Online education gets rid of the traditional offline teaching mode,so that students are no longer restricted by time and place.Even thousands of miles away,through the Internet,students can learn knowledge anytime and anywhere,which greatly saves time.Secondly, through the Internet,many college students can achieve unprecedented interaction,feedback and communication with teachers,classmates and friends. The learning scope and communication objects are also expanded with the application of information technology in education,which is more convenient and efficient than the traditional learning methods.Finally,college students can learn what they are interested in through a variety of online platforms,which cover a broader and more cutting-edge range of knowledge than what is taught in school.We college students should actively adapt to and effectively make use of the more diversified and effective learning styles.Only in this way can we quickly grow intothe talents needed by the society.随着信息技术在教育中的应用,大学生现在可以以更加多样和有效的方式学习。
2009年6月大学英语六级真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)题型有:1. Writing 2. Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) 3. Listening Comprehension 4. Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) 5. Cloze 8. TranslationPart I Writing (30 minutes)1.For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled On the Importance of a Name. You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.1. 有人说名字或名称很重要;2. 也有人觉得名字或名称无关紧要;3. 我认为……。
On the Importance of a Name________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _______________正确答案:On the Importance of a Name When asked about which symbol can represent one’s identity, I believe the first answer occurring to most people should be their names. There is no denying the fact that it is a controversial topic whether names are important or not. Some hold the positive view. When choosing names for themselves or for their children, people generally enrich the names with special implied meanings, expecting that the names could reflect something more favorable. They believe a name reveals one’s emotion, will and ambition, and symbolizes one’s image, qualities and tastes. An elegant name which fits a person can imply psychological guidance, give him self-confidence, contribute to his success and accompany him for the whole life. As a result, they make painstaking efforts to choose outstanding names, wishing for success, good luck and more wealth. Despite that, others have voiced a different opinion that names are not as vital as they are supposed to be. A name is a word or phrase that man uses to denote and identify a specific person, place or thing. As an important identity of a person in society, a name carries no other social functions. So, there is no inexorable correlation between the sign and “the signified”. Personally, I admit that names do influence us in different ways, but any overestimation of their effects on us, as many people put it, is just a fatalist. No matter what differences names make to our life and career, their symbolic function can never be changed. As a matter of fact, names themselves by no means lead to success or professional achievements in one’s life.解析:开头段:引入话题,名字是否重要是一个有争议的话题。
^| You have to believe, there is a way. The ancients said:" the kingdom of heaven is trying to enter". Only when the reluctant step by step to go to it 's time, must be managed to get one step down, only have struggled to achieve it.-- Guo Ge Tech2009年12月大学英语六级考试听力原文短对话11. W: Did you use credit cards on your vacation last month in Europe? M: Sure did. They certainly beat going around with a wallet full of big bills. But carrying lots of cash is still very common among some older people travelling abroad. Q: What does the man say about some elderly people?12. W: Rod must be in a bad mood today. What’s wrong with him? M: He was passed over in the selection process for the dean of the Administration’s Office. He’d been hoping for the position for a long time. Q: What does the man mean?13. M: What a great singer Justin is! His concert is just awesome and you’ll never regret the money you paid for the ticket. W: Yeah, judging by the amount of applause, everyone was enjoying it. Q: What does the woman mean?14. W: I received an email yesterday from Henry. Do you remember he was one of the chairpersons of our Students’Union? M: Yes, but I haven’t heard from him for ages. Actually, I have been out of touch with him since our first reunion after graduation. Q: What do we learn about the speakers?15. M: Driving at night always makes me tired. Let’s stop the dinner. W: Fine, and let’s find a motel so that we can get anearly start tomorrow. Q: What will the speakers probably do?16. W: Let’s look at the survey on consumer confidence we conducted last week. How reliable are these figures? M: They have a 5% margin of error. Q: What are the speakers talking about?17. W: Look at this catalogue John. I think I want to get this red blouse. M: Eh, I think you already have one like this in blue. Do you need every color in the rainbow? Q: What does the man mean?18. W: This notice says that all the introductory marketing classes are closed. M: That can’t be true. There are supposed to be 13 of them this semester. Q: What does the man mean?Long Conversation 1M: I see your new resume that you worked as a manager of store called Computer Country, could you tell me a little more about your responsibilities there? W: Sure. I was responsible for overseeing about 30 employees. I did all of the orderings for the store and I kept track of the inventory。
心之所向,所向披靡七夕,古今诗人惯咏星月与悲情。
吾生虽晚,世态炎凉却已看透矣。
情也成空,且作“挥手袖底风”罢。
是夜,窗外风雨如晦,吾独坐陋室,听一曲《尘缘》,合成诗韵一首,觉放诸古今,亦独有风韵也。
乃书于纸上。
毕而卧。
凄然入梦。
乙酉年七月初七。
-----啸之记。
2009年12月大学英语六级考试听力原文短对话11. W: Did you use credit cards on your vacation last month in Europe?M: Sure did. They certainly beat going around with a wallet full of big bills. But carrying lots of cash is still very common among some older people travelling abroad.Q: What does the man say about some elderly people?12. W: Rod must be in a bad mood today. What’s wrong with him?M: He was passed over in the selection process for the dean of the Administration’s Office. He’d been hoping for the position for a long time.Q: What does the man mean?13. M: What a great singer Justin is! His concert is just awesome and you’ll never regret the money you paid for the ticket.W: Yeah, judging by the amount of applause, everyone was enjoying it.Q: What does the woman mean?14. W: I received an email yesterday from Henry. Do you remember he was one of the chairpersons of our Students’ Union?M: Yes, but I haven’t heard from him for ages. Actually, I have been out of touch with him since our first reunion after graduation.Q: What do we learn about the speakers?15. M: Driving at night always makes me tired. Let’s stop the dinner.W: Fine, and let’s find a motel so that we can get an early start tomorrow.Q: What will the speakers probably do?16. W: Let’s look at the survey on consumer confidence we conducted last week. How reliable are these figures?M: They have a 5% margin of error.Q: What are the speakers talking about?17. W: Look at this catalogue John. I think I want to get this red blouse.M: Eh, I think you already have one like this in blue. Do you need every color in the rainbow?Q: What does the man mean?18. W: This notice says that all the introductory marketing classes are closed.M: That can’t be true. There are supposed to be 13 of them this semester.Q: What does the man mean?Long Conversation 1M: I see your new resume that you worked as a manager of store called Computer Country, could you tell me a little more about your responsibilities there?W: Sure. I was responsible for overseeing about 30 employees. I did all of the orderings for the store and I kept track of the inventory。
2023年12月大学英语六级考试试题(第2套)Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to write an essay that begins with the sentence“Nowadays parents are increasingly aware that allowing kids more freedom to explore and learn on their own helps foster their independence and boost their confidence.”You can make comments,cite examples or use your personal experiences to develop your essay.You should write at least150words but no more than200words(not including the sentence given).Part II Listening Comprehension (30minutes)Section ADirections: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 Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions1to4are based on the conversation you have just heard.1. A.Spending their holidays in a novel way.B.Exploring more summer holiday resorts.C.Surfing online to check out the best deals.D.Renting a car instead of driving their own.2. A.He did not like to be locked into one place.B.He did not find holiday homes appealing.C.He was well travelled.D.He once owned a van.3. A.Generate their own electricity.B.Drive under any weather condition.C.Receive instructions via computers.D.Ensure the safety of passengers.4. A.Riding one’s mountain bike on vacation.B.Slowing down in one’s increasingly hectic lifeC.Enjoying the freedom to choose where to go and work.D.Having one’s basic needs covered while away from home. Questions5to8are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A.Her physical health has deteriorated these past few weeks.B.She has lagged behind most of her co-workers in output.C.Her job performance has worsened over the past month.D.She has missed several important appointments lately.6. A.Penalty for curtailed output.B.Some problems at home.C.Disturbance of her mind.D.Serious health issues.7. A.The woman’s whole-hearted support.B.The woman’s work proficiency.C.His management capability.D.His engaging personality.8. A.The man will help the woman get back to her usual self.B.The man will be back at his100%in a couple of weeks.C.The woman will be off work on the next two Mondays.D.The woman will resume her work in two weeks.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear two 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 Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions9to11are based on the passage you have just heard.9. A.It can have an impact on our moods and emotions.B.It can improve our financial status significantly.C.It can help us achieve better work performance.D.It can enable us to live a healthier and longer life.10.A.One’s health tends to differ before and after marriage.B.The spouse’s level of education can impact one’s health.C.The wealthier one’s spouse is,the healthier one becomes.D.One’s health status is related to one’s social background.11.A.They had more education than their spouses.B.They had much in common with their spouses.C.They benefited a lot from their career achievements.D.They showed interest in their spouses’occupations.Questions12to15are based on the passage you have just heard.12.A.Finding out the changing climate patterns.B.Identifying the cities’geological features.C.Forecasting flood risks accurately.D.Eliminating their root cause.13.A.To validate his hypothesis about the gravity of floods.B.To determine the frequency of high tides causing floods.C.To see the feasibility of his project on flooding.D.To improve his mathematical flooding model.14.A.To forecast rapid floods in real time.B.To classify the flooding data processed.C.To study the consequences of high tides on flooded areas.D.To teach local citizens how to collect data of incoming floods.15.A.They tracked the rising tides with video-cameras.B.They set up Internet-connected water-level sensors.C.They used newly-developed supercomputing facilities.D.They observed the direction of water flow on the spot.Section CDirections:In this section,you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played 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 Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions16to18are based on the recording you have just heard.16.A.To debate the validity of current survey data.B.To argue about the value of a college degree.C.To account for the drastic decline in employment among men.D.To compare men without college degrees with those who have.17.A.The issue of changing job requirements.B.The increase in women taking up jobs.C.The impact of inflation.D.The factor of wages.18.A.The sharp decline in marriage among men with no college degrees.B.The wage gap between those with college degrees and those without.C.More jobs requiring their holders to have a college degree nowadays.D.Men’s unwillingness to accept low wages in times of growing inflation. Questions19to21are based on the recording you have just heard.19.A.More and more people attach importance to protecting endangered animals.B.An increasing number of people demand to free animals being kept in cages.C.More and more people prioritize animal welfare when buying things to wear.D.An increasing number of people follow the latest trend of becoming vegetarians20.A.Utilized a silk substitute made from mushrooms.B.Refrained from using chemicals in their products.belled all their products as vegan.D.Avoided the use of leather and fur.21.A.Whether they can be regarded as ethical.B.Whether they can be considered sustainable.C.Whether they actually signify a substantial change.D.Whether they effectively protect animals at large.Questions22to25are based on the recording you have just heard.22.A.The belief is less prevalent that the world is going to hell.B.The environmental welfare has worsened in the world.C.The world has seen more violence in recent years.D.The era we live in is the most peaceful in history.23.A.They did not wish to live in the previous century.B.They were convinced by the statistics presented to them.C.They believed the world was deteriorating.D.They were actually not in their right mind.24.A.Our ancestors’influence.B.Our psychological biases.C.The current state of affairs.D.The subjectivity of mass media.25.A.Paying attention to negative information.B.Calculating dangerous risks to our survival.C.Vacuuming up depressing or enraging stories.D.Spreading exciting news around us far and wide.Part III Reading Comprehension(40minutes) 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 foreach item on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The desert is deceiving.At first glance it looks lifeless,barren,and bone-dry.For most passersby humming through the Mojave on their way to try their luck in Las Vegas or heading towards the Grand Canyon,it’s just a26 stretch of land with some mountains in the distance and more27 to be a setting for a movie that takes place on Mars.The desert,however,is28 with life,mystery,and magic.The Mojave desert sees less than two inches of rain a year,and like most deserts,is a land of29 . Temperature fluctuations vary from freezing to30 hot,not only between seasons,but even within the same day.At the heart of this vast,25,000-square-mile desert is Mojave National Preserve.The folks managing and working there wear the wide-brimmed(宽边的)hats that have become31 with places like Yosemite. The preserve is rich with history,culture,biodiversity,and endless opportunities to32 your interest, especially for anyone who loves the outdoors.For a photographer,it requires patience and33 a few spare tires to maneuver the network of unpaved“roads”,but the rewards are plenty.Photographing here requires a good,34 pair of shoes and a lot of preparation.Plenty of water,spare tires,and a full tank of gas are needed to explore this unit of the national park system,which is the third largest in the country.Like all deserts.though,if you are patient,you will be rewarded,as they often reveal their secrets slowly. During my last outing,I was surprised to see how much of the area was shaped by ancient volcanoes and geological forces,much of which remains today,giving the area a35 feel and painting a colorful background for great photographs.Section BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.Treasure FeverA.Most visitors come to Cape Canaveral,on the northeast coast of Florida,for the tourist attractions.It’shome to the second-busiest cruise ship port in the world and is a gateway to the cosmos.Nearly1.5million visitors flock here every year to watch rockets,spacecraft,and satellites blast off into the solar system from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.Nearly64kilometers of undeveloped beach and648square kilometers of protected refuge fan out from the cape’s sandy shores.B.Yet some of Cape Canaveral’s most legendary attractions lie unseen,wedged under the sea’s surface inmud and sand,for this part of the world has a reputation as a deadly ship trap.Over the centuries,dozens of majestic Old World sailing ships smashed and sank on this irregular stretch of windy Florida coast.They were vessels built for war and commerce,crossing the globe carrying everything from coins tocannons,boxes of silver and gold,chests of jewels and porcelain,and pearls from the Caribbean.C.Cape Canaveral contains one of the greatest concentrations of colonial shipwrecks in the world.In recentyears,advances in radar,diving,detection equipment,computers,and GPS have transformed the hunt.The naked eye might see a pile of rocks,but technology can reveal the precious artifacts(人工制品)that lie hidden on the ocean floor.D.As technology renders the seabed more accessible,the hunt for treasure-filled ships has drawn a fresh tideof salvors(打捞人员)and their investors—as well as marine archaeologists(考古学家)wanting to bring to light the lost relics.But of late,when salvors have found vessels,their rights have been challenged in court.The big question:who should have control of these treasures?E.High-stakes fights over shipwrecks pit archaeologists against treasure hunters in a vicious cycle ofaccusations.Archaeologists regard themselves as protectors of history,and they see salvors as careless destroyers.Salvors feel they do the hard work of searching for ships,only to have them stolen from under them when discovered.This kind of clash inevitably takes place on a grand scale.Aside from the salvors, their investors,and the maritime archaeologists who serve as expert witnesses,the battles sweep in local and international governments and organizations like UNESCO that work to protect under-water heritage.The court cases that ensue stretch on for years.Are finders keepers,or do the ships belong to the countries that made them and sent them sailing centuries ago?Where once salvors and archaeologists worked side by side,now they belong to opposing,and equally contemptuous,tribes.F.Nearly three million vessels lie wrecked on the Earth’s ocean floor—from old canoes to the Titanic—and likely less than one percent have been explored.Some—like an ancient Roman ship found off Antikythera,Greece,dated between70and60BC and carrying astonishingly sophisticated gears and dials for navigating by the sun—are critical to a new understanding of our past.No wonder there is an eternal stirring among everybody from salvors to scholars to find them.G.In May2016,a salvor named Bobby Pritchett,president of Global Marine Exploration(GME)in Tampa,Florida,announced that he had discovered scattered remains of a ship buried a kilometer off Cape Canaveral.Over the prior three years,he and his crew had obtained14state permits to survey a nearly 260-square-kilometer area off the cape;they worked250days a year,backed by investor funds of,he claims,US$4million.It was hard work.Crew members were up at dawn,dragging sensors from their expedition vessels back and forth,day in and day out,year after year,to detect metal of any ing computer technology,Pritchett and his crew created intricate,color-coded maps marked with the GPS coordinates of thousands of finds,all invisible under a meter of sand.H.One day in2015,the magnetometer(磁力计)picked up metal that turned out to be an iron cannon;whenthe divers blew the sand away,they also discovered a more precious bronze cannon with markings indicating French royalty and,not far off,a famous marble column carved with the coat of arms of France, known from historical paintings.The discovery was cause for celebration.The artifacts indicated the divers had likely found the wreck of La Trinity,a16th-century French vessel that had been at the center ofa bloody battle between France and Spain that changed the fate of the United States of America.I.And then the legal storm began,with GME and Pritchett pitted against Florida and France.The SunkenMilitary Craft Act of2004,a US federal act,protects any vessel that was on a military mission,allowing the originating country to claim their ship even centuries later.In2018,two long years after Pritchett’s discovery,the federal district court ruled in favor of France.For Pritchett,the decision was devastating.Millions of dollars of investor funding and years of labor were lost.J.But this is far from the first time a salvor has lost all rights to a discovery.In2012,for instance,Spain wona five-year legal battle against Odyssey Marine Exploration,which had hauled594,000gold and silvercoins from a Spanish wreck off the coast of Portugal across the Atlantic to the United States.“Treasure hunters can be naive,”says attorney David Concannon,who has had several maritime archaeologists as clients and represented two sides in the battles over the Titanic for20years.“Many treasure hunters don’t understand they are going to have to fight for their rights against a government that has an endless supply of money for legal battles that treasure hunters are likely to lose.”K.Putting an inflated price on artifacts rather than viewing them as cultural and historical treasures that transcend any price is what irritates many archaeologists.For the archaeologist,everything in a wreck matters—hair,fabric,a fragment of a newspaper,rat bones—all things speak volumes.Archaeologists don’t want artifacts ending up in a private collection instead of taking humanity on a journey of understanding.L.George Bass is one of the pioneers of under-water archaeology,and a researcher at Texas A&M University.He has testified in court against treasure hunters,but says archaeology is not without its own serious problems.He believes archaeologists need to do a better job themselves instead of routinely criticizing treasure hunters.“Archaeology has a terrible reputation for not publishing enough on its excavations(发掘) and finds,”he says.Gathering data,unearthing and meticulously preserving and examining finds,verifying identity and origin,piecing together the larger story,and writing and publishing a comprehensive paper or book can take decades.A bit cynically,Bass describes colleagues who never published because they waited so long they became ill or died.Who is more at fault,Bass asks,the professional archaeologist who carefully excavates a site and never publishes on it or the treasure hunter who locates a submerged wreck, salvages part,conserves part,and publishes a book on the operation?M.P ritchett concedes that his find deserves careful excavation and preservation.“I think what I found should go in a museum,”he says.“But I also think I should get paid for what I found.”Indeed,it’s a bit of a mystery why governments,archaeologists,and treasure hunters can’t work together—and why salvors aren’t at least given a substantial finder’s fee before the original owner takes possession of the vessel and its artifacts.36.Exploration of shipwrecks on the sea floor is crucial in updating our understanding of humanity’s past.37.Quite a number of majestic ships sailing from Europe to America were wrecked off the Florida coast overthe centuries.38.Pritchett suffered a heavy loss when a US district court ruled against him.39.Recently,people who found treasures in shipwrecks have been sued over their rights to own them.40.Pritchett claims he got support of millions of dollars from investors for his shipwreck exploration.41.One pioneer marine scientist thinks archaeologists should make greater efforts to publish their findings.42.With technological advancement in recent years,salvors now can detect the invaluable man-made objectslying buried under the sea.43.According to a lawyer,many treasure hunters are susceptible to loss because they are unaware they face afinancially stronger opponent in court.44.Salvors of treasures in sunken ships and marine archaeologists are now hostile to each other.45.Archaeologists want to see artifacts help humans understand their past instead of being sold to privatecollectors at an outrageous price.Section CDirections:There are2passages 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 Sheet2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.Could you get by without using the internet for four and a half years?That’s exactly what singer and actress Selena Gomez has done in a bid to improve her mental health.She has spoken extensively about the relationship between her social media usage and her mental wellbeing,recalling feeling like“an addict”when she became Instagram’s most followed user in2016.“Taking a break from social media was the best decision that I’ve ever made for my mental health,”says she.“The unnecessary hate and comparisons went away once I put my phone down.”Ditching the web at large,however,is a far more subtle and complicated prospect.The increasing digitisation of our society means that everything from paying a gas bill to plotting a route to a friend’s house and even making a phone call is at the mercy of your internet connection.Actively opting out of using the internet becomes a matter of privilege.Ms Gomez’s multi-millionaire status has allowed her to take the“social”out of social media,so she can continue to leverage her enormous fame while keeping the trolls(恶意挑衅的贴子)at bay.The fact that she’s still the second most-followed woman on Instagram suggests it’s entirely possible to maintain a significant web profile to promote various projects—by way of a dedicated team—without being exposed to the cruel comments,hate mail and rape or death threats.It goes without saying that this is fundamentally different from how the rest of us without beauty deals and films to publicise use the likes of Instagram,TikTok and Twitter,but even the concept of a digital detox (戒瘾)requires having a device and connectivity to choose to disconnect from.The UK’s digital divide has worsened over the past two years,leaving poorer families without broadband connections in their homes.Digital exclusion is a major threat to wider societal equality in the UK,so witnessing companies like Facebook championing the metaverse(元宇宙)as the next great frontier when school children are struggling to complete their homework feels particularly irritating.Consequently,it’s worth bearing in mind that while deleting all social media accounts will undoubtedly make some feel infinitely better,many other people benefit from the strong sense of community that sharing platforms can breed.Internet access will continue to grow in importance as we edge further towards web3.0,and greater resources and initiatives are needed to provide the underprivileged with the connectivity they desperately need to learn,work and live.It’s crucial that people who feel that social media is having a detrimental effect on their mental health are allowed to switch off—and for those living in digital exclusion to be able to switch on in the first place.46.What do we learn about singer and actress Selena Gomez in the past four and a half years?A.She has had worsening mental problems.B.She has won Instagram’s most followers.C.She has refrained from using social media.D.She has succeeded in a bid on the internet.47.Why does actively opting out of using the internet become a matter of privilege?A.Most people find it subtle and complicated to give up using the internet.B.Most people can hardly ditch the web while avoiding hate and comparisons.C.Most people can hardly get by without the internet due to growing digitisation.D.Most people have been seriously addicted to the web without being aware of it.48.Why does the author say“witnessing companies...feels particularly irritating”(Para.6)?A.The UK digital divide would further worsen due to the metaverse.B.The concept of the metaverse is believed to be still quite illusory.C.School children would be drawn farther away from the real world.D.Most families in the UK do not have stable broadband connections.49.What is worth bearing in mind concerning social media platforms?A.They are conducive to promoting societal equality.B.They help many people feel connected with others.C.They provide a necessary device for a digital detox.D.They create a virtual community on the internet.50.What does the author think is really important for those living in digital exclusion?A.Having access to the internet.B.Edging further towards web3.0.C.Getting more educational resources.D.Opening more social media accounts.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.Psychologists have long been in disagreement as to whether competition is a learned or a genetic component of human behavior.Whatever it is,you cannot but recognize the effect competition is exerting in academics and many other areas of contemporary life.Psychologically speaking,competition has been seen as an inevitable consequence of human drives. According to Sigmund Freud,humans are born screaming for attention and full of organic drives for fulfillment in various areas.Initially,we compete for the attention of our parents.Thereafter,we are at the mercy of a battle between our base impulses for self-fulfillment and social and cultural norms which prohibit pure indulgence.Current work in anthropology(人类学)has suggested,however,that this view of the role of competition in human behavior may be incorrect.Thomas Hobbes,one of the great philosophers of the seventeenth century,is perhaps best remembered for his characterization of the“natural world”,that is,the world before the imposition of the will of humanity,as being“nasty,brutish,and short.”This image of the pre-rational world is still widely held,reinforced by Charles Darwin’s highly influential work.The Origin of Species. which established the doctrine of natural selection.This doctrine,which takes for granted that those species best able to adapt to and master the natural environment in which they live will survive,has suggested that the struggle for survival is an inherent human trait which determines a person’s success.Darwin’s theory has even been summarized as“survival of the fittest”—a phrase Darwin himself never used—further highlighting competition’s role in success.As it has often been pointed out,however,there is nothing in the concept of natural selection that suggests that competition is the most successful strategy for“survival of the fittest.”Darwin asserted in The Origin of Species that the struggles he was describing should be viewed as metaphors and could easily include dependence and cooperation.Many studies have been conducted to test the importance placed on competition as opposed to other values,such as cooperation—by various cultures,and generally conclude that Americans uniquely praise competition as natural,inevitable,and desirable.In1937,the world-renowned anthropologist Margaret Meadpublished Cooperation and Competition among Primitive Peoples,based on her studies of several societies that did not prize competition,and,in fact,seemed at times to place a negative value on it.One such society was the Zuni Indians of Arizona,and they,Mead found,valued cooperation far more than competition.After studying dozens of such cultures,Mead’s final conclusion was that competitiveness is a culturally created aspect of human behavior,and that its prevalence in a particular society is relative to how that society values it.51.What does the author think is easy to see in many areas of contemporary life?A.The disagreement on the inevitability of competition.B.The consequence of psychological investigation.C.The effect of human drives.D.The impact of competition.52.According to psychology,what do people strive to do following the initial stage of their life?A.Fulfill individual needs without incurring adverse effects of human drives.B.Indulge in cultural pursuits while keeping their base impulses at bay.C.Gain extensive recognition without exposing pure indulgence.D.Satisfy their own desires while observing social conventions.53.What do we learn about the“natural world”characterized by Thomas Hobbes?A.It gets misrepresented by philosophers and anthropologists.B.It gets distorted in Darwin’s The Origin of Species.C.It is free from the rational intervention of humans.D.It is the pre-rational world rarely appreciated nowadays.54.What can we conclude from Darwin’s assertion in The Origin of Species?A.All species inherently depend on others for survival.B.Struggles for survival do not exclude mutual support.petition weighs as much as cooperation as a survival strategy.D.The strongest species proves to be the fittest in natural selection.55.What conclusion did Margaret Mead reach after studying dozens of different cultures?A.It is characteristic of humans to be competitive.B.Americans are uniquely opposed to cooperation.petition is relatively more prevalent in Western societies.D.People’s attitude towards competition is actually culture-bound.Part IV Translation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.在中国,随着老龄化社会的到来,养老受到普遍关注。
历届大学英语六级考试真题及参考答案(12月至12月)2011年12月大学英语六级真题及答案Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled The Way to Success by commenting on Abraham Lincoln's famous remark, "Giveme six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend, the first four sharpeningthe axe." You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.The Way to Success注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions:In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer thequestions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answerfrom the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, completethe sentences with the information given in the passage.Google's Plan for World's Biggest Online Library: Philanthropy Or Act of Piracy?In recent years, teams of workers dispatched by Google have been working hard to make digital copies of books. So far, Google has scanned more than 10 million titles from libraries in America and Europe - including half a million volumes held by the Bodleian in Oxford. The exact method it uses is unclear; the company does not allow outsiders to observe the process.Why is Google undertaking such a venture? Why is it eveninterested in all thoseout-of-printlibrary books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? Thecompany claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, after all, is to "organise the world's information", so it would be odd if that information did not include books.The company likes to present itself as having lofty aspirations. "This really isn't about making money. We are doing this for the good of society." As Santiago de la Mora, head of Google Books for Europe, puts it: "By making it possible to search the millions of books that exist today, we hope to expand the frontiers of human knowledge."Dan Clancy, the chief architect of Google Books, does seem genuine in his conviction that thisis primarily a philanthropic (慈善的) exercise. "Google's core business is search and find, soobviously what helps improve Google's search engine is good for Google," he says. "But we havenever built a spreadsheet (电子数据表) outlining the financial benefits of this, and I have neverhad to justify the amount I am spending to the company's founders."It is easy, talking to Clancy and his colleagues, to be swept along by their missionary passion. But Google's book-scanning project is proving controversial. Several opponents have recently emerged, ranging from rival tech giants such as Microsoft and Amazon to small bodies representing authors and publishers across the world. In broad terms, these opponents have levelled two sets of criticisms at Google.First, they have questioned whether the primary responsibility for digitally archiving the world's books should be allowed to fall to a commercial company. In a recent essay inthe New YorkReview of Books, Robert Darnton, the head of Harvard University's library, argued that because such books are a common resource – the possession of us all – only public, not-for-profit bodiesshould be given the power to control them.The second related criticism is that Google's scanning of books is actually illegal. This allegation has led to Google becoming mired in (陷入) a legal battle whose scope and complexity makes the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Charles Dickens' Bleak House look straightforward.At its centre, however, is one simple issue: that of copyright. The inconvenient fact about most books, to which Google has arguably paid insufficient attention, is that they are protected by copyright. Copyright laws differ from country to country, but in general protection extends for the duration of an author's life and for a substantial period afterwards, thus allowing the author's heirs to benefit. (In Britain and America, this post-death period is 70 years.) This means, of course, that almost all of the books published in the 20th century are still under copyright – and the last century saw more books published than in all previous centuries combined. Of the roughly 40 million books in US libraries, for example, an estimated 32 million are in copyright. Of these, some 27 million are out of print.Outside the US, Google has made sure only to scan books that are out of copyright and thus in the "public domain" (works such as the Bodleian's first edition of Middlemarch, which anyone canread for free on Google Books Search).But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright and out-of-copyright works. Inits defence, Google points out that it displays only small segments of books that are in copyright– arguing that such displays are "fair use". But criticsallege that by making electronic copies of these books without first seeking the permission of copyright holders, Google has committed piracy."The key principle of copyright law has always been that works can be copied only once authors have expressly given their permission," says Piers Blofeld, of the Sheil Land literary agency in London. "Google has reversed this – it has simply copied all these works without bothering toask."In 2005, the Authors Guild of America, together with a group of US publishers, launched a class action suit (集团诉讼) against Google that, after more than two years of negotiation, endedwith an announcement last October that Google and the claimants had reached an out-of-courtsettlement. The full details are complicated - the text alone runs to 385 pages–and trying tosummarise it is no easy task. "Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible," saysBlofeld, one of the settlement's most vocal British critics.Broadly, the deal provides a mechanism for Google to compensate authors and publishers whose rights it has breached (including giving them a share of any future revenue it generates fromtheir works). In exchange for this, the rights holders agree not to sue Google in future.This settlement hands Google the power - but only with the agreement of individual rights holders – to exploit its database of out-of-print books. It can include them in subscription deals sold to libraries or sell them individually under a consumer licence. It is these commercial provisions that are proving the settlement's most controversial aspect.Critics point out that, by giving Google the right to commercially exploit its database, thesettlement paves the wayfor a subtle shift in the company's role from provider of information to seller. "Google's business model has always been to provide information for free, and sell advertising on the basis of the traffic this generates," points out James Grimmelmann, associate professor at New York Law School. Now, he says, because of the settlement's provisions, Google could become a significant force in bookselling.Interest in this aspect of the settlement has focused on "orphan" works, where there is noknown copyright holder – these make up an estimated 5-10% of the books Google has scanned. Under the settlement, when no rights holders come forward and register their interest in a work, commercial control automatically reverts to Google. Google will be able to display up to 20% oforphan works for free, include them in its subscription deals to libraries and sell them to individual buyers under the consumer licence.It is by no means certain that the settlement will be enacted (执行) – it is the subject of afairness hearing in the US courts. But if it is enacted, Google will in effect be off the hook as far as copyright violations in the US are concerned. Many people are seriously concerned by this - and the company is likely to face challenges in other courts around the world.No one knows the precise use Google will make of the intellectual property it has gained byscanning the world's library books, and the truth, as Gleick, an American science writer and member of the Authors Guild, points out, is that the company probably doesn't even know itself. But what is certain is that, in some way or other, Google's entrance into digital bookselling will have a significant impact on the book world in the years to come. 注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2009年12月大学英语六级考试真题Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Should Parents Send Their Kids to Art Classes? You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.1. 现在有不少家长送孩子参加各种艺术班2. 对这种做法有人表示支持,也有人并不赞成3. 我认为……Should Parents Send Their Kids to Art Classes?Part ⅡReading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Bosses Say “Yes” to Home WorkRising costs of office space, time lost to stressful commuting, and a slow recognition that workers have lives beyond the office—all are strong arguments for letting staff work from home.For the small business, there are additional benefits too—staff are more productive, and happier, enabling firms to keep their headcounts (员工数) and their recruitment costs to a minimum. It can also provide a competitive advantage, especially when small businesses want to attract new staff but don’t have the budget to offer huge salaries.While company managers have known about the benefits for a long time, many have done little about it, sceptical of whether they could trust their employees to work to full capacity without supervision, or concerned about the additional expenses teleworking policies might incur as staff start charging their home phone bills to the business.Yet this is now changing. When communications provider Inter-Tel researched the use of remote working solutions among small-and-medium-sized UK businesses in April this year, it found that 28% more companies claimed to have introduced flexible working practices than a year ago.The UK network of Business Links confirms that it too has seen a growing interest in remote working solutions from small businesses seeking its advice, and claims that as many as 60-70% of the businesses that come through its doors now offer some form of remote working support to their workforces.Technology advances, including the widespread availability of broadband, are making the introduction of remote working a piece of cake.“If systems are set up properly, staff can have access to all the resources they have in the office wherever they have an internet connection,”says Andy Poulton, e-business advisor at Business Link for Berkshire and Wiltshire. “There are some very exciting developments which have enabled this.”One is the availability of broadband everywhere, which now covers almost all of the country (BT claims that, by July, 99.8% of its exchanges will be broadband enabled, with alternative plans in place for even the most remote exchanges). “This is the enabler,” Poulton says.Yet while broadband has come down in price too, those service providers targeting the business market warn against consumer services masquerading (伪装) as business-friendly broadband.“Broadband is available for as little as £15 a month, but many businesses fail to appreciate the hidden costs of such a service,” says Neil Stephenson, sales and marketing director at Onyx Internet, an internet service provider based in the north-east of England. “Providers offering broadband for rock-bottom prices are notorious for poor service, with regular breakdowns and heavily congested(拥堵的) networks. It is always advisable for businesses to look beyond the price tag and look for a business-only provider that can offer more reliability, with good support.” Such services don’t cost too much—quality services can be found for upwards of £30 a month.The benefits of broadband to the occasional home worker are that they can access email in real time, and take full advantage of services such as internet-based backup or even internet-based phone services.Internet-based telecoms, or V oIP (V oice over IP) to give it its technical title, is an interesting tool to any business supporting remote working, not necessarily because of the promise of free or reduced price phone calls (which experts point out is misleading for the average business), but because of the sophisticated voice services that can be exploited by the remote worker—facilities such as voicemail and call forwarding, which provide a continuity of the company image for customers and business partners.By law, companies must “consider seriously” requests to work flexibly made by a parent with a child under the age of six, or a disabled child under 18. It was the need to accommodate employees with young children that motivated accountancy firm Wright Vigar to begin promoting teleworking recently. The company, which needed to upgrade its IT infrastructure (基础设施) to provide connectivity with a new, second office, decided to introduce support for remote working at the same time.Marketing director Jack O’Hern explains that the company has a relatively young workforce, many of whom are parents: “One of the triggers was when one of our tax managers returned from maternity leave. She was intending to work part time, but could only manage one day a week in the office due to childcare. By offering her the ability to work from home, we have doubled her capacity—now she works a day a week from home, and a day in the office. This is great for her, and for us as we retain someone highly qualified.”For Wright Vigar, which has now equipped all of its fee-earners to be able to work at maximum productivity when away from the offices (whether that’s from home, or while on the road), this strategy is not just about saving on commute time or cutting them loose from the office, but enabling them to work more flexible hours that fit around their home life.O’Hern says: “Although most of our work is client-based and must fit around this, we can’t see any reason why a parent can’t be on hand to deal with something important at home, if they have the ability to complete a project later in the day.”Supporting this new way of working came with a price, though. Although the firm was updating its systems anyway, the company spent 10-15% more per user to equip them with a laptop rather than a PC, and about the same to upgrade to a server that would enable remote staff to connect to the company networks and access all their usual resources.Although Wright Vigar hasn’t yet quantified the business benefits, it claims that, inaddition to being able to retain key staff with young families, it is able to save fee-earners a substantial amount of “dead” time in their working days.That staff can do this without needing a fixed telephone line provides even more efficiency savings. “With Wi-Fi (fast, wireless internet connections) popping up all over the place, even on trains, our fee-earners can be productive as they travel, and between meetings, instead of having to kill time at the shops,” he adds.The company will also be able to avoid the expense of having to relocate staff to temporary offices for several weeks when it begins disruptive office renovations (翻新) soon.Financial recruitment specialist Lynne Hargreaves knows exactly how much her firm has saved by adopting a teleworking strategy, which has involved handing her company’s data management over to a remote hosting company, Datanet, so it can be accessible by all the company’s consultants over broadband internet connections.It has enabled the company to dispense with its business premises altogether, following the realisation that it just didn’t need them any more. “The main motivation behind adopting home working was to increase my own productivity, as a single mum to an 11-year-old,” says Hargreaves. “But I soon realised that, as most of our business is done on the phone, email and at off-site meetings, we didn’t need our offices at all. We’re now saving £16,000 a year on rent, plus the cost of utilities, not to mention what would have been spent on commuting.”1. What is the main topic of this passage?A) How business managers view hi-tech.B) Relations between employers and employees.C) How to cut down the costs of small businesses.D) Benefits of the practice of teleworking.2. From the research conducted by the communications provider Inter-Tel, we learn that__________.A) more employees work to full capacity at homeB) employees show a growing interest in small businessesC) more businesses have adopted remote working solutionsD) attitudes toward IT technology have changed3. What development has made flexible working practices possible according to AndyPoulton?A) Reduced cost of telecommunications.B) Improved reliability of internet service.C) Availability of the V oIP service.D) Access to broadband everywhere.4. What is Neil Stephenson’s advice to firms contracting internet services?A) They look for reliable business-only providers.B) They contact providers located nearest to them.C) They carefully examine the contract.D) They contract the cheapest provider.5. Internet-based telecoms facilitates remote working by __________.A) offering sophisticated voice servicesB) giving access to emailing in real timeC) helping clients discuss business at homeD) providing calls completely free of charge6. The accountancy firm Wright Vigar promoted teleworking initially in order to__________.A) present a positive image to prospective customersB) support its employees with children to take care ofC) attract young people with IT expertise to work for itD) reduce operational expenses of a second office7. According to marketing director Jack O’Hern, teleworking enabled the company to__________.A) enhance its market imageB) reduce recruitment costsC) keep highly qualified staffD) minimise its office space8. Wright Vigar’s practice of allowing for more flexible working hours not only benefitsthe company but helps improve employees’ __________.9. With fast, wireless internet connections, employees can still be __________ whiletraveling.10. Single mother Lynne Hargreaves decided to work at home mainly to __________. Part ⅢListening Comprehension (35 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 2 with a single line through the centre.11. A) They would rather travel around than stay at home.B) They prefer to carry cash when traveling abroad.C) They usually carry many things around with them.D) They don’t like to spend much money on traveling.12. A) The selection process was a little unfair.B) He had long dreamed of the dean’s position.C) Rod was eliminated in the selection process.D) Rod was in charge of the admissions office.13. A) Applause encourages the singer.B) She regrets paying for the concert.C) Almost everyone loves pop music.D) The concert is very impressive.14. A) They have known each other since their schooldays.B) They were both chairpersons of the students’ union.C) They have been in close touch by email.D) They are going to hold a reunion party.15. A) Cook their dinner.B) Rest for a while.C) Get their car fixed.D) Stop for the night.16. A) Newly-launched products.B) Consumer preferences.C) Survey results.D) Survey methods.17. A) He would rather the woman didn’t buy the blouse.B) The woman needs blouses in the colors of a rainbow.C) The information in the catalog is not always reliable.D) He thinks the blue blouse is better than the red one.18. A) The course is open to all next semester.B) The notice may not be reliable.C) The woman has not told the truth.D) He will drop his course in marketing.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) A director of a sales department.B) A manager at a computer store.C) A sales clerk at a shopping center.D) An accountant of a computer firm.20. A) Handling customer complaints.B) Recruiting and training new staff.C) Dispatching ordered goods on time.D) Developing computer programs.21. A) She likes something more challenging.B) She likes to be nearer to her parents.C) She wants to have a better-paid job.D) She wants to be with her husband.22. A) Right away.B) In two months.C) Early next month.D) In a couple of days.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) It will face challenges unprecedented in its history.B) It is a resolute advocate of the anti-global movement.C) It is bound to regain its full glory of a hundred years ago.D) It will be a major economic power by the mid-21st century.24. A) The lack of overall urban planning.B) The huge gap between the haves and have-nots.C) The inadequate supply of water and electricity.D) The shortage of hi-tech personnel.25. A) They attach great importance to education.B) They are able to grasp growth opportunities.C) They are good at learning from other nations.D) They have made use of advanced technologies.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 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) She taught chemistry and microbiology courses in a college.B) She gave lectures on how to become a public speaker.C) She helped families move away from industrial polluters.D) She engaged in field research on environmental pollution.27. A) The job restricted her from revealing her findings.B) The job posed a potential threat to her health.C) She found the working conditions frustrating.D) She was offered a better job in a minority community.28. A) Some giant industrial polluters have gone out of business.B) More environmental organizations have appeared.C) Many toxic sites in America have been cleaned up.D) More branches of her company have been set up.29. A) Her widespread influence among members of Congress.B) Her ability to communicate through public speaking.C) Her rigorous training in delivering eloquent speeches.D) Her lifelong commitment to domestic and global issues.Passage TwoQuestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. A) The fierce competition in the market.B) The growing necessity of staff training.C) The accelerated pace of globalisation.D) The urgent need of a diverse workforce.31. A) Gain a deep understanding of their own culture.B) Take courses of foreign languages and cultures.C) Share the experiences of people from other cultures.D) Participate in international exchange programmes.32. A) Reflective thinking is becoming critical.B) The Labor market is getting globalised.C) Knowing a foreign language is essential.D) Globalisation will eliminate many jobs.Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. A) Red-haired women were regarded as more reliable.B) Brown-haired women were rated as more capable.C) Golden-haired women were considered attractive.D) Black-haired women were judged to be intelligent.34. A) They are smart and eloquent.B) They are ambitious and arrogant.C) They are shrewd and dishonest.D) They are wealthy and industrious.35. A) They force people to follow the cultural mainstream.B) They exaggerate the roles of certain groups of people.C) They emphasize diversity at the expense of uniformity.D) They hinder our perception of individual differences.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 numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.The ancient Greeks developed basic memory systems called Mnemonics. The name is36 from their Goddess of Memory, “Mnemos e ne”. In the ancient world, a trained memory was an 37 asset, particularly in public life. There were nodevices for taking notes, and early Greek orators(演说家) delivered long speeches with great because they learned the speeches using Mnemonic systems.The Greeks discovered that human memory is an associative process—that it works by linking things together. For example, think of an apple. The your brain registers the word “apple”, it the shape, color, taste, smell and of that fruit. All these things are associated in your memory with the word “apple”.. An example could be when you think about a lecture you have had. This could trigger a memory about what you’re talking about through that lecture, which can then trigger another memory.. An example given on a website I was looking at follows: Do you remember the shape of Austria, Canada, Belgium, or Germany? Probably not. What about Italy, though? . You made an association with something already known, the shape of a boot, and Italy’s shape could not be forgotten once you had made the association.Part ⅣReading Comprehension(Reading in Depth)(25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2. Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.Many countries have made it illegal to chat into a hand-held mobile phone while driving. But the latest research further confirms that the danger lies less in what a motorist’shands do when he takes a call than in what the conversation does to his brain. Even using a “hands-free” device can divert a driver’s attention to an alarming extent.Melina Kunar of the University of Warwick, and Todd Horowitz of the Harvard Medical School ran a series of experiments in which two groups of volunteers had to pay attention and respond to a series of moving tasks on a computer screen that were reckoned equivalent in difficulty to driving. One group was left undistracted while the other had to engage in a conversation using a speakerphone. As Kunar and Horowitz report, those who were making the equivalent of a hands-free call had an average reaction time 212 milliseconds slower than those who were not. That, they calculate, would add 5.7 metres to the braking distance of a car travelling at 100kph. They also found that the group using the hands-free kit made 83% more errors in their tasks than those who were not talking.To try to understand more about why this was, they tried two further tests. In one, members of a group were asked simply to repeat words spoken by the caller. In the other, they had to think of a word that began with the last letter of the word they had just heard. Those only repeating words performed the same as those with no distraction, but those with the more complicated task showed even worse reaction times—an average of 480 milliseconds extra delay. This shows that when people have to consider the information they hear carefully, it can impair their driving ability significantly.Punishing people for using hand-held gadgets while driving is difficult enough, even though they can be seen from outside the car. Persuading people to switch their phones off altogether when they get behind the wheel might be the only answer. Who knows, they might even come to enjoy not having to take calls.47. Carrying on a mobile phone conversation while one is driving is considered dangerousbecause it seriously distracts _______________________.48. In the experiments, the two groups of volunteers were asked to handle a series ofmoving tasks which were considered _______________________.49. Results of the experiments show that those who were making the equivalent of ahands-free call took _______________________ to react than those who were not. 50. Further experiments reveal that participants tend to respond with extra delay if they arerequired to do _______________________.51. The author believes persuasion, rather than _______________________, might be theonly way to stop people from using mobile phones while driving.Section BDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.There is nothing like the suggestion of a cancer risk to scare a parent, especially one of the over-educated, eco-conscious type. So you can imagine the reaction when a recent USA Today investigation of air quality around the nation’s schools singled out those in the smugly(自鸣得意的)green village of Berkeley, Calif., as being among the worst in the country. The city’s public high school, as well as a number of daycare centers, preschools,elementary and middle schools, fell in the lowest 10%. Industrial pollution in our town had supposedly turned students into living science experiments breathing in a laboratory’s worth of heavy metals like manganese, chromium and nickel each day. This in a city that requires school cafeterias to serve organic meals. Great, I thought, organic lunch, toxic campus.Since December, when the report came out, the mayor, neighborhood activists(活跃分子)and various parent-teacher associations have engaged in a fierce battle over its validity: over the guilt of the steel-casting factory on the western edge of town, over union jobs versus children’s health and over what, if anything, ought to be done. With all sides presenting their own experts armed with conflicting scientific studies, whom should parents believe? Is there truly a threat here, we asked one another as we dropped off our kids, and if so, how great is it? And how does it compare with the other, seemingly perpetual health scares we confront, like panic over lead in synthetic athletic fields? Rather than just another weird episode in the town that brought you protesting environmentalists, this latest drama is a trial for how today’s parents perceive risk, how we try to keep our kids safe—whether it’s possible to keep them safe—in what feels like an increasingly threatening world. It raises the question of what, in o ur time, “safe” could even mean.“There’s no way around the uncertainty,” says Kimberly Thompson, president of Kid Risk, a nonprofit group that studies children’s health. “That means your choices can matter, but it also means you aren’t going to know if they do.”A 2004 report in the journal Pediatrics explained that nervous parents have more to fear from fire, car accidents and drowning than from toxic chemical exposure. To which I say: Well, obviously. But such concrete hazards are beside the point. It’s the dangers parents can’t—and may never—quantify that occur all of sudden. That’s why I’ve rid my cupboard of microwave food packed in bags coated with a potential cancer-causing substance, but although I’ve lived blocks from a major fault line(地质断层) for more than 12 years, I still haven’t bolted our bookcases to the living room wall.52. What does a recent investigation by USA Today reveal?A) Heavy metals in lab tests threaten children’s health in Berkeley.B) Berkeley residents are quite contented with their surroundings.C) The air quality around Berkeley’s school campuses is poor.D) Parents in Berkeley are over-sensitive to cancer risks their kids face.53. What response did USA Today’s report draw?A) A heated debate.B) Popular support.C) Widespread panic.D) Strong criticism.54. How did parents feel in the face of the experts’ studies?A) They felt very much relieved.B) They were frightened by the evidence.C) They didn’t know who to believe.D) They weren’t convinced of the results.55. What is the view of the 2004 report in the journal Pediatrics?A) It is important to quantify various concrete hazards.B) Daily accidents pose a more serious threat to children.C) Parents should be aware of children’s health hazards.D) Attention should be paid to toxic chemical exposure.56. Of the dangers in everyday life, the author thinks that people have most to fear from__________.A) the uncertainB) the quantifiableC) an earthquakeD) unhealthy foodPassage TwoQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.Crippling health care bills, long emergency-room waits and the inability to find a primary care physician just scratch the surface of the problems that patients face daily.Primary care should be the backbone of any health care system. Countries with appropriate primary care resources score highly when it comes to health outcomes and cost. The U.S. takes the opposite approach by emphasizing the specialist rather than the primary care physician.A recent study analyzed the providers who treat Medicare beneficiaries(老年医保受惠人). The startling finding was that the average Medicare patient saw a total of seven doctors—two primary care physicians and five specialists—in a given year. Contrary to popular belief, the more physicians taking care of you don’t guarantee better care. Actually, increasing fragmentation of care results in a corresponding rise in cost and medical errors.How did we let primary care slip so far? The key is how doctors are paid. Most physicians are paid whenever they perform a medical service. The more a physician does, regardless of quality or outcome, the better he’s reimbursed (返还费用). Moreover, the amount a physician receives leans heavily toward medical or surgical procedures. A specialist who performs a procedure in a 30-minute visit can be paid three times more than a primary care physician using that same 30 minutes to discuss a patient’s disease. Combine this fact with annual government threats to indiscriminately cut reimbursements, physicians are faced with no choice but to increase quantity to boost income.Primary care physicians who refuse to compromise quality are either driven out of business or to cash-only practices, further contributing to the decline of primary care.Medical students are not blind to this scenario. They see how heavily the reimbursement deck is stacked against primary care. The recent numbers show that since 1997, newly graduated U.S. medical students who choose primary care as a career have declined by 50%. This trend results in emergency rooms being overwhelmed with patients without regular doctors.How do we fix this problem?It starts with reforming the physician reimbursement system. Remove the pressure for primary care physicians to squeeze in more patients per hour, and reward them for optimally (最佳地) managing their diseases and practicing evidence-based medicine. Make primary care more attractive to medical students by forgiving student loans for those who choose primary care as a career and reconciling the marked difference between specialist and primary care physician salaries.We’re at a point where primary care is needed more than ever. Within a few years, the first wave of the 76 million Baby Boomers will become eligible for Medicare. Patients。