2011年12月英语六级完形填空答案及解析

2011年12月大学英语六级真题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 famousremark, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend, the firstfour sharpening the axe." You should write at least 150 words but no morethan 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 bestanswer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10,complete the 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 even interested in all those out-of-print library books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? The company claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, after all, is to " organize 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 in the 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, thispost-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 40million 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 editionof 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 critics allege 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 way for 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。

新编2011年12月大学英语六级考试真题与解析Passage OneQuestions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.What's the one word of advice a well-meaning professional would give to a recent college graduate? China? India? Brazil? How about trade?When the Commerce Department reported last week that the trade deficit in June approached $50 billion, it set off a new round of economic doom saying. Imports, which soared to $200.3 billion in the month, are subtracted in the calculation of gross domestic product. The larger the trade deficit, the smaller the GDP. Should such imbalances continue, pessimists say, they could contribute to slower growth.But there's another way of looking at the trade data. Over the past two years, the figures on imports and exports seem not to signal a double-dip recession –--- a renewed decline in the broad level of economic activity in the United States – but an economic expansion.The rising volume of trade –---- more goods and services shuttling in and out of the United States –--- is good news for many sectors. Companies engaged in shipping, trucking, rail freight, delivery, and logistics (物流) have all been reporting better than expected results. The rising numbers signify growing vitality in foreign markets ----- when we import more stuff, it puts more cash in the hands of people around the world, and U.S. exports are rising because more foreigners have the ability to buy the things we produce and market. The rising tide of trade is also good news for people who work in trade-sensitive businesses, especially those that produce commodities for which global demand sets the price – agricultural goods, mining, metals, oil.And while exports always seem to lag, U.S. companies are becoming more involved in the global economy with each passing month. General Motors sells as many cars in China as in America each month. While that may not do much for imports, it does help GM's balance sheet –----and hence makes the jobs of U.S.-based executives more stable.One great challenge for the U.S. economy is slack domestic consumer demand. Americans are paying down debt, saving more, and spending more carefully. That's to be expected, given what we've been through. But there's a bigger challenge. Can U.S.-based businesses, large and small, figure out how to get a piece of growing global demand? Unless you want to pick up and move to India, or Brazil, or China, the best way to do that is through trade. It may seem obvious, but it's no longer enough simply to do business with our friends and neighbors here at home.Companies and individuals who don't have a strategy to export more, or to get more involved in foreign markets, or to play a role in global trade, are shutting themselves out of the lion's share of economic opportunity in our world.52. How do pessimists interpret the U.S. trade deficit in June?A) It reflects Americans' preference for imported goods.B) It signifies a change in American economic structure.C) It is the result of America's growing focus on domestic market.D) It could lead to slower growth of the national economy.53. What does the author say about the trade data of the past two years?A) It indicates that economic activities in the U.S. have increased.B) It shows that U.S. economy is slipping further into recession.C) It signals decreasing domestic demand for goods and services.D) It reflects the fluctuations in the international market.54. Who particularly benefit from the rising volume of trade?A) People who have expertise in international trade.B) Consumers who favor imported goods and services.C) Producers of agricultural goods and raw materials.D) Retailers dealing in foreign goods and services.55. What is one of the challenges facing the American economy?A) Competition from overseas. C) Slack trade activities.B) People's reluctance to spend. D) Decreasing productivity.56. What is the author's advice to U.S. companies and individuals?A) To import more cheap goods from developing countries.B) To move their companies to where labor is cheaper.C) To increase their market share overseas.D) To be alert to fluctuations in foreign markets.Passage TwoA recurring criticism of the UK's university sector is its perceived weakness in translating new knowledge into new products and services.Recently, the UK National Stem Cell Network warned the UK could lose its place among the world leaders in stem cell research unless adequate funding and legislation could be assured. We should take this concern seriously as universities are keys in the national innovation system.However, we do have to challenge the unthinking complaint that the sector does not do enough in taking ideas to market. The most recent comparative data on the performance of universities and research institutions in Australia, Canada, USA and UK shows that, from a relatively weak starting position, the UK now leads on many indicators of commercialization activity.When viewed at the national level, the policy interventions of the past decade have helped transform the performance of UK universities. Evidence suggests the UK's position is much stronger than in the recent past and is still showing improvement. But national data masks the very large variation in the performance of individual universities. The evidence shows that a large number of universities have fallen off the back of the pack, a few perform strongly and the rest chase the leaders.This type of uneven distribution is not peculiar to the UK and is mirrored across other economies. In the UK, research is concentrated: less than 25% of universities receive 75% of the research funding. These same universities are also the institutions producing the greatest share of PhD graduates, science citations, patents and license income. The effect of policies generating long-term resource concentration has also created a distinctive set of universities which are research-led and commercially active. It seems clear that the concentration of research and commercialization work creates differences between universities.The core objective for universities which are research-led must be to maximize the impact of their research efforts. These universities should be generating the widest range of social, economic and environmental benefits. In return for the scale of investment, they should share their expertise in order to build greater confidence in the sector.Part of the economic recovery of the UK will be driven by the next generation of research commercialization spilling out of our universities. There are three dozen universities in the UK which are actively engaged in advanced research training and commercialization work.If there was a greater coordination of technology transfer offices within regions and a simultaneous investment in the scale and functions of our graduate schools, universities could, and should, play a key role in positioning the UK for the next growth cycle.57. What does the author think of UK universities in terms of commercialization?A) They fail to convert knowledge into money.B) They do not regard it as their responsibility.C) They still have a place among the world leaders.D) They have lost their leading position in many ways.58. What does the author say about the national data on UK universities' performance in commercialization?A) It masks the fatal weaknesses of government policy.B) It does not rank UK universities in a scientific way.C) It does not reflect the differences among universities.D) It indicates their ineffective use of government resources.59. We can infer from Paragraph 5 that "policy interventions" (Line 1, Para. 4) refers to _____.A) government aid to non-research-oriented universitiesB) compulsory cooperation between universities and industriesC) fair distribution of funding for universities and research institutionsD) concentration of resources in a limited number of universities60. What does the author suggest research-led universities do?A) Publicize their research to win international recognition.B) Fully utilize their research to benefit all sectors of society.C) Generously share their facilities with those short of funds.D) Spread their influence among top research institutions.61. How can the university sector play a key role in the UK's economic growth?A) By establishing more regional technology transfer offices.B) By asking the government to invest in technology transfer research.C) By promoting technology transfer and graduate school education.D) By increasing the efficiency of technology transfer agencies.【解析】52. D. 题干中pessimists 对美国六月份贸易赤字的看法。

2011年12月英语六级作文题目：The way to successWhat is success? In fact,success is a positive feeling ,it is a state of confidence after we achieve our ideals and a feeling of meeting.So all of us will try our best to get success."If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z..Hardwork is x; y is good methods and z is stop talking and get down to work."It is said by Einstein, who is used to be a winner of the Nobel Prize . According to this Wisdom, we known that if we want to do everything successful, we must follow these ways. -When we begin to study, our parents and teachers always told us to study hard. Hardworking, which is an useful way to success. It is necessary for us.Hardworking, which is means we will try our best to do the things.Besides,if you want to get success,we not only need hardwork , but also have some useful methods. If you have some useful methods, you will feel that it is more easier to achieve your goals. You have many different ways to know the useful ways,such as: ask your parents,friends and teachers,search from Internet.So we must have some useful methods.What ’ s more,we must stop talking and get down to work.Success is base on the actions. Actions,may not let we get success.But if we not action , it can never be successful.Regardless of the dream is big or small, the goal is high or low, from now on, swing it into action.In my opinion, if you follow these important ways to do every things, you will get success at last.II快速阅读1 to serve.2 broaden humanity’s3 non-profit organizations4 the copyright of the books .5the online display of6.It was settled after .7.The commercial.8 provide information for free.9 orphan works10.impact on the book worldIII听力/mp3听力1the man is looking...12 how...13 the suitcase...14he needs..15she has made16repace17at a lost...18convert..19careful..20to be entirely..21they look..22like..23the monpoly..24the passing..25they lose..26many..27how unstable..28it collapsed.. ,29the........ocean30whether a ..31the way..32 when the url..33some iced..34exercise35many embarassing。

写作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 ,‖give me six hours to chop down a tree ,and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe‖ y ou should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.快速阅读Google's plan for world's biggest online library: philanthropy or act of piracy?Google has already scanned 10 million books in its bid to digitise the contents of the world's major libraries, but a copyright battle now threatens the project, with Amazon an d Microsoft joining authors and publishers opposed to the scheme.In recent years the world's most venerable libraries have played host to some incongr uous visitors. In dusty nooks and far-flung stacks, teams of workers dispatched by Google have been beavering away 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 millio n volumes held by the Bodleian in Oxford. The exact method it uses is unclear; the com pany does not allow outsiders to observe the process.Why is Google undertaking such a venture, so seemingly out-of-kilter with its snazzy, hi-tech image? Why is it even interested in all those out-of-print library books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? The company claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, after all, is to "organise the w orld's information", so it would be odd if that information did not include books. Like theAncient Egyptians who attempted to build a library at Alexandria containing all the kno wn world's scrolls, Google executives talk of constructing a universal online archive, a tre asure trove of knowledge that will be freely available –or at least freely searchable –for all.The company likes to present itself as having lofty, utopian aspirations. "This really i sn't about making money" is a mantra. "We are doing this for the good of society." As S antiago 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, offers an analogy with the inventio n of the Gutenberg press –Google's book project, he says, will have a similar democratis ing effect. He talks of people in far-flung parts being able to access knowledge as never before, of search queries leading them to the one, long out-of-print book they need.And he does seem genuine in his conviction that this is primarily a philanthropic exe rcise. "Google's core business is search and find, so obviously what helps improve Google' s search engine is good for Google," he says. "But we have never built a spreadsheet out lining the financial benefits of this, and I have never had to justify the amount I am spen ding to the company's founders."It is easy, talking to Clancy and his colleagues, to be swept along by their missionar y zeal. But Google's book-scanning project is proving controversial. Several opponents hav e recently emerged, ranging from rival tech giants such as Microsoft and Amazon to smal l bodies representing authors and publishers across the world. In broad terms, these oppon ents have levelled two sets of criticisms at Google.First, they have questioned whether the primary responsibility for digitally archiving t he world's books should be allowed to fall to a commercial company. In a recent essay i n the New York Review of Books, Robert Darnton, the head of Harvard University's libra ry, argued that because such books are a common resource –the possession of us all –o nly public, not-for-profit bodies should be given the power to control them.The second, related criticism is that Google's scanning of books is actually illegal. Th is allegation has led to Google becoming mired in a legal battle whose scope and comple xity makes the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Bleak House look straightforward.At its centre, however, is one simple issue: that of copyright. The inconvenient fact a bout 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 pro tection 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 c entury are still under copyright –and 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 Middlemarc h, which anyone can read for free on Google Books Search).But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright and out-of-copyright works. In its defence, Google points out that it displays only snippets of books that are i n copyright –arguing that such displays are "fair use". But critics allege that by makingelectronic 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 wo rks without bothering to ask."In 2005, the Authors Guild of America, together with a group of US publishers and publishers, launched a class action suit against Google that, after more than two years of wrangling, ended with an announcement last October that Google and the claimants had re ached an out-of-court settlement. The full details are staggeringly complicated –the text al one runs to 385 pages –and trying to summarise it is no easy task. "Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible," says Blofeld, one of the settlement's most vocal British critics.Broadly, the deal provides a mechanism for Google to reimburse authors and publishe rs whose rights it has breached (including giving them a share of any future revenue it g enerates from their works). In exchange for this, the rights holders agree not to sue Googl e in future.The settlement stipulates that a body known as the Books Rights Registry will repres ent the interests of US copyright holders. Authors and publishers with a copyright interest in a book scanned by Google who make themselves known to the registry will be entitle d to receive a payment –in the region of $60 per book –as compensation.听力理解Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and2 long conversation s. 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 questi on 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.M: I don’t know what to do. I have to drive to Chicago next Friday for my cousin’s wedding, but I have got a Psychology test to prepare for.W: Why don’t you record your notes so you can study on the way?Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?12.M: Professor Wright, you may have to find another student to play this role, the line s are so long and I simply can’t remember them all.W: Look, Tony. It is still a long time before the first show. I don’t expect you to k now all the lines yet. Just keep practicing.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?13.M: Hello, this is Dr. Martin from the Emergency Department. I have a male patient with a fractured ankle.W: Oh, we have one bed available in ward 3, send him here and I will take care of him.Q: What are the speakers talking about?14.W: Since Simon will graduate this May, the school paper needs a new editor. So if you are interested, I will be happy to nominate you.M: Thanks for considering me. But the baseball team is starting up a new season. A nd I’m afraid I have a lot on my hands.Q: What does the man mean?15. W: Have you heard the news that Jame Smeil has resigned his post as prime mi nister?M: Well, I got it from the headlines this morning. It’s reported th at he made public at this decision at the last cabinet meeting.Q: what do we learn about Jame Smeil?16. W: The morning paper says the space shuttle is taking off at 10 a.m. tomorrow.M: Yeah, it’s just another one of this year’s routine missions. T he first mission was undertaken a decade ago and broadcast live then worldwide.Q: what can we infer from this conversation?17. M: We do a lot of camping in the mountains. What would you recommend for t wo people?W: You’d probably be better off with the four real drive vehicle. We have several of f-road trucks in stock, both new and used.Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?18. W: I hear you did some serious shopping this past weekend.M: Yeah, the speakers of my old stereo finally gave out and there was no way to re pair them.Q: What did the man do over the weekend?W: Now, could you tell me where the idea for the business first came from?M: Well, the original shop was opened by a retired printer by the name of Gruby. Mr Gruby being left-handed himself, thought of the idea to try to promote a few products for left-handers.W: And how did he then go about actually setting up the business?M: Well, he looked for any left-handed products that might already be on the market which were very few. And then contacted the manufactures with the idea of having prod ucts produced for him, mainly in the scissors range to start with.W: Right. So you do commission some part of your stock.M: Yes, very much so. About 75 percent of our stock is specially made for us.W: And the rest of it?M: Hmm, the rest of it now, some 25, 30 years after Mr. Gruby’s initial efforts, ther e are more left-handed product actually on the market. Manufactures are now beginning to see that there is a market for left-handed products.W: And what’s the range of your stock?M: The range consists of a variety of scissors from children scissors to scissors for t ailors, hairdressers etc. We also have a large range of kitchen ware.W: What’s the competition like? Do you have quite a lot of competition?M: There are other people in the business now in specialists, but only as mail-order outlets. But we have a shop here in central London plus a mail-order outlet. And we are without any doubt the largest supplier of the left-handed items.Q19: What kind of business does the man engaged in?Q20: What does the man say about his stock of products?Q21: What does the man say about other people in his line of business?M: Can we make you an offer? We would like to run the campaign for four extra weeks.W: well, can we summarize the problem from my point of view? First of all, the ca mpaign was late. It missed two important trade affairs. The ads also did not appear into key magazines. As a result, the campaign failed. Do you accept that summary of what ha ppened?M: well, the delay wasn’t entirely our fault. You did in fact make late changes to th e specifications of the advertisements.W: Uh, actually, you were late with the initial proposals so you have very little time and in fact, we only asked for small changes.M: Well whatever, can we repeat our offer to run the campaign for 4 extra weeks?W: That’s not really the point. The campaign missed two key t rade affairs. Because of this, we are asking you either to repeat the campaign next year for free, or we only p ay 50% of the fee for this year.M: Could we suggest a 20% reduction to the fee together with the four week sustent ion to the campaign.W: We are not happy. We lost business.M: I think we both made mistakes. The responsibility is on both sides.W: Ok, let’s suggest a new solution. How about a 40% cut in fee, or a free repeat campaign?M: Well, let’s take a break, we’re not getting very f ar. Perhaps we should think abo ut this.22: What do we learn about the man’s company?23: Why was the campaign delayed according to the man?24: What does the woman propose as a solution to the problem?25: What does the man suggest they do at the end of the conversation?Section BPassage OneThe University of Tennessee’s Walters Life Sciences building, is a model animal facil ity, spotlessly clean, careful in obtaining prior approval for experiments from an animal ca re committee. Of the 15,000 mice house there in a typical year, most give their lives for humanity. These are good mice and as such won the protection of the animal care commi ttee. At any given time however some mice escape and run free. These mice are pests. T hey can disrupt experiments with the bacteria organisms they carry. They are bad mice an d must be captured and destroyed. Usually, this is accomplished by means of sticky traps, a kind of fly paper on which they become increasingly stuck. But the real point of the cautionary tale, says animal behaviorist Herzau, is that the labels we put on things can aff ect our moral responses to them. Using stick traps or the more deadly snap traps would b e deemed unacceptable for good mice. Yet the killing of bad mice requires no prior appr oval. Once the research animal hits the floor and becomes an escapee, says Herza, its mo ral standard is instantly diminished. In Herzau’s own home, there was more ironic exampl e when his young son’s pet mouse Willy died recently, it was accorded a tearful cer emon ial burial in garden. Yet even as they mourned Willy, says Herzau, he and his wife were setting snap traps to kill the pest mice in their kitchen with the bare change in labels fr om pet to pest, the kitchen mice obtained totally different moral standards Questions:26, What does the passage say about most of the mice used for experiments?27, Why did the so-called bad mice have to be captured and destroyed?28, When are mice killed without prior approval?29, Why does the speaker say what the Her zau’s did at home is ironical?Passage TwoThere are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or wo man who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbu lence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter —the ci ty that is swallowed up by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these three trembling cities the greatest is the last, the city of final desti nation, the city that has a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York’s high-str ung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable ac hievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and cont inuity; but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from Italy to s et up a small grocery store in a slum, or a young girl arriving from a small town in Mis sissippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving fro m the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no d ifference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh eyes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf t he Consolidated Edison Company.Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. What does the speaker say about the natives of New York?31. What does the speaker say commuters give to New York?32. What do we learn about the settlers of New York?Passage Three―If you asked me television is unhealthy‖, I said to my roommate Walter, as I walked into the living room.―While y ou are sitting passively in front of the TV set, your muscl es are turning to fat, your complexion is fading, and your eyesight is being ruined.‖―Shh~‖Walter put his finger to his lips, ―This is an intriguing murder mystery.‖―Really?‖ I replied.―Bu t you know, the brain is destroyed by TV viewing. Creativity is killed by that bo x. And people are kept from communicating with one another. From my point of view, T V is the cause of the declining interest in school and the failure of our entire educational system.‖―Ah ha, I can’t see your point.‖ Walter said softly. ―But see? The woman on the wit ness stand in this story is being questioned about the murder that was committed one hun dred years ago.‖Ignoring his enthusiastic description of the plot, I went on with my argument.―As I see it,‖ I explained, ―not only are most TV programs badly written and produc ed, but viewers are also manipulated by the mass media. As far as I am concerned, TV watchers are cut off from reality from nature, from the other people, from life itself! I w as confident in my ability to persuade.After a short silence, my roommate said, ―Anyway, I’ve been planning to watch the football game. I am going to change the channel.‖―Don’t touch that dial!‖ I shouted, ―I wanted to find out how the mystery turns out!‖I am not sure I got my point to cross.Questions 33- 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. As the speaker walked into the living room, what was being shown on TV?34. What does the speaker say about watching television?35. What can we say about the speaker?Additionally, the settlement hands Google the power –but only with the agreement o f individual rights holders –to exploit its database of out-of-print books. It can include th em in subscription deals sold to libraries or sell them individually under a consumer licen ce. It is these commercial provisions that are proving the settlement's most controversial a spect.Critics point out that, by giving Google the right to commercially exploit its database, the settlement paves the way for a subtle shift in the company's role from provider of in formation to seller. "Google's business model has always been to provide information for f ree, and sell advertising on the basis of the traffic this generates," points out James Grim melmann, associate professor at New York Law School. Now, he says, because of the sett lement's provisions, Google could become a significant force in bookselling.Interest in this aspect of the settlement has focused on "orphan" works, where there i s no known copyright holder –these make up an estimated 5% to 10% of the books Go ogle 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% of orphan works for free, include them in its subscription d eals to libraries and sell them to individual buyers under the consumer licence."The deal has in effect handed Google a swath of intellectual copyright. It is a mam moth potential bookselling market," says Blofeld. He adds it is no surprise that Amazon, which currently controls 90% of the digital books market, is becoming worried.But Dan Clancy of Google dismisses the idea that, by gaining control over out-of-pri nt and orphan works, Google is securing for itself a significant future revenue stream. He points out that out-of-print books represent only a tiny fraction of the books market –between 1% and 2%. "This idea that we are gaining access to a vast market here –I really don't think that is true."James Gleick, an American science writer and member of the Authors Guild, broadly agrees. He says that, although Google's initial scanning of in-copyright books made him uncomfortable, the settlement itself is a fair deal for authors."The thing that needs to be emphasised is that this so-called market over which Goo gle is being given dominance –the market in out-of-print books –doesn't currently exist. That's why they're out of print. In real life, I can't see what the damage is –it's only g ood."It is by no means certain that the settlement will be enacted –it is the subject of a fairness hearing in the US courts. But if it is enacted, Google will in effect be off the ho ok as far as copyright violations in the US are concerned. Many people are seriously con cerned by this –and the company is likely to face challenges in other courts around the world.Over the coming months, we will hear a lot more about the Google settlement and it s ramifications. Although it's a subject that may seem obscure and specialised, it concerns one of the biggest issues affecting publishing and, indeed, other creative industries –the control of digital rights.No one knows the precise use Google will make of the intellectual property it has ga ined by scanning the world's library books, and the truth, as Gleick points out, is that the company probably doesn't even know itself. But what is certain is that, in some way oranother, Google's entrance into digital bookselling will have a significant impact on the bo ok world in years to come.Section CCompound DictationIn the past, one of the biggest disadvantages of machines has been their inability to work on a micro scale. For example, doctors did not have devices allowing them to go in side the human body to detect health problems or to perform delicate surgery. Repair cre ws did not have a way of identifying broken pipes located deep within a high-rise apartm ent building. However, that’s about to change. Advances in computers and biophysics have started a micro miniature revolution that allows scientists to envision and in some cases actually build microscopic machines. These devices promise to dramatically change the wa y we live and work.Micromachines already are making an impact. At Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, research scientists have designed a 4-inch silicon chip that holds 700 ti ny primitive motors. At Lucas Nova Sensor in Fremont, California, scientists have perfecte d the world’s first microscopic blood-pressure sensor. Threaded through a person’s blood v essels, the sensor can provide blood pressure readings at the valve of the heart itself.Although simple versions of miniature devices have had an impact, advanced versions are still several years away.Auto manufacturers, for example, are trying to use tiny devices that can sense when t o release an airbag and how to keep engines and breaks operating efficiently. Some futuri sts envision nanotechnology also being used to explore the deep sea in small submarine, o r even to launch finger-sized rockets packed with micro miniature instruments.―There is an explosion of new ideas and applications,‖ So, when scientists now thinkabout future machines doing large and complex tasks, they’re thinking smaller than ever before.深度阅读2011年12月英语六级完型填空真题选自美国slate网站。

1. Their claims to damages have not been convincingly ______ .A refutedB overwhelmedC depressedD intimidated正确答案：A答案详解：[译文] 他们要求的损失赔偿还没有被令人信服地驳倒。

[注释] 难词辨义。

refute 意为“反驳，驳斥”；符合题意。

overwhelm 意为“制服，压服”；depress 意为“使沮丧”；intimidate 意为“胁迫”。

2. Please don't _____ too much on the painful memories. Everything will be all right.A hesitateB lingerC retainD dwell正确答案：D答案详解：[译文] 请不要总想着这些令人痛苦的记忆。

一切会好起来的。

[注释] 难词辨义。

dwell on/upon 意为“凝思，详述；老是想着”，与题意吻合。

hesitate 意为“犹豫”；linger 意为“徘徊，逗留”；retain 意为“保持，保有”。

3. The jobs of wildlife technicians and biologists seemed ______ to him, but one day he discovered their difference.A identicalB verticalC parallelD specific您所选答案：正确答案：A答案详解：[译文] 对他来说，野生动植物技师和生物学家的工作是完全相同的，但有一天他发现了他们的差异。

[注释] 难词辨义。

identical 意为“完全相同的，等同的”，符合题意。

vertical 意为“垂直的”；paralled 意为“类似的；平行的”；specific 意为“明确的，具体的”。

4. Mary became ______ homewsick and critical of the United States, so she fled from her home in west Bloomfield to her hometown in Austria.A completelyB sincerelyC absolutelyD increasingly您所选答案：正确答案：D答案详解：[译文] 玛丽越来越想家，看不惯美国，所以她从西布鲁姆菲德飞回了奥地利的家乡。

Part I WritingThe Way to SuccessAbraham Lincoln, a successful leader sparkling in American history, once put, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Simple as his remark is, it subtly encapsulates a profound and enlightening notion that the path to success only lies under the feet of people who are well-prepared.Currently in this progressively competitive society, it is anything but uncommon for us to see people desperately in want of success. Taking a look around, not only can we easily find students staying up late with their homework, we can also notice that a multitude of clerks step into the mansion in the early morning, then go back home after overtime. However, success, as a matter of fact, only belongs to a few of them. For instance, there is no shortage of this kind of people—who participate in numerous interviews and get nothing but a rejection slip, then they start whining time after time, “why isn’t that me?”Just as an ancient Chinese proverb goes, “Sharp tools make good work.”Accumulation of ability and knowledge is the prerequisite of success, and once we are strong and powerful enough, the whole universe will come to assist us in chasing our dreams.The way to successSuccess, the one everyone desires, plays an essential role in our daily life, because it directly determines our daily behaviors. In other words, if there is no desire for success, there will be no individuals’ development and even no advance of our society. It is the aspiration of success that promotes our growth of our individuals and society. But throughout the whole human history, how to succeed is always the most concerned topic.Among all the factors of success, well preparation of knowledge, the basic requisition of success, should be placed on the first one. Without extensive and intensive knowledge, even if there are exterior opportunities to success, such as the parents’ assistance or friends’ recommendation, you will still never succeed, because you cannot qualify the job you have already had. The more preparation you do in advance, the more likely you will get success. As Lincoln has said, if I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.Besides the well preparation of knowledge, the preparation of confidence and interpersonal skills is also indispensable on the way to success.[快速阅读]Google's plan for world's biggest online library: philanthropy or act of piracy?[1] Google has already scanned 10 million books in its bid to digitise thecontents of the world's major libraries, but a copyright battle now threatens the project, with Amazon and Microsoft joining authors and publishers opposed to the scheme.[2] In recent years the world's most venerable libraries have played hostto some incongruous visitors. In dusty nooks and far-flung stacks, teams of workers dispatched by Google have been beavering away 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.[3] Why is Google undertaking such a venture, so seemingly out-of-kilterwith its snazzy, hi-tech image? Why is it even interested in all those out-of-print library books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? company claims its motives areessentially 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. Like the Ancient Egyptians who attempted to builda library at Alexandria containing all the known world's scrolls, Googleexecutives talk of constructing a universal online archive, a treasure trove of knowledge that will be freely available – or at least freely searchable – for all.[4] The company likes to present itself as having lofty, utopian aspirations."This really isn't about making money" is a mantra. "We are doing this for the good of society." As Santiago de la Mora, head of Google Books for Europe, puts it: "making it possible to search the millions of books that exist today, we hope to expand the frontiers of human knowledge."[5] Dan Clancy, the chief architect of Google Books, offers an analogy withthe invention of the Gutenberg press – Google's book project, he says, will have a similar democratising effect. He talks of people in far-flung parts being able to access knowledge as never before, of search queries leading them to the one, long out-of-print book they need.[6] And he does seem genuine in his conviction that this is primarily aphilanthropic exercise. "Google's core business is search and find, so obviously what helps improve Google's search engine is good for Google,"he says. "But we have never built a spreadsheet outlining the financial benefits of this, and I have never had to justify the amount I am spending to the company's founders."[7] It is easy, talking to Clancy and his colleagues, to be swept along bytheir missionary zeal. 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 bodiesrepresenting authors and publishers across the world. In broad terms, these opponents have levelled two sets of criticisms at Google.[8] First, they have questioned whether the primary responsibility fordigitally archiving the world's books should be allowed to fall to a commercial company. a recent essay in the New York Review 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 bodies should be given the power to control them.[9] The second, related criticism is that Google's scanning of books isactually illegal. This allegation has led to Google becoming mired in a legal battle whose scope and complexity makes the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Bleak House look straightforward.[10] its centre, however, is one simple issue: that of copyright. Theinconvenient 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 last century saw more books published than in allprevious centuries combined. Of the roughly 40 million books in USlibraries, for example, an estimated 32 million are in copyright. Of these, some 27 million are out of print.[11] Outside the US, Google has made sure only to scan books that are out ofcopyright and thus in the "public domain" (works such as the Bodleian's first edition of Middlemarch, which anyone can read for free on Google Books Search).[12] But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright andout-of-copyright works. its defence, Google points out that it displays only snippets of books that are in copyright – arguing that such displays are "fair use". But critics allege that by making electronic copies of these books without first seeking the permission of copyright holders, Google has committed piracy.[13] "The key principle of copyright law has always been that works can becopied 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 to ask."[14] 2005, the Authors Guild of America, together with a group of USpublishers and publishers, launched a class action suit against Google that, after more than two years of wrangling, ended with an announcement last October that Google and the claimants had reached an out-of-court settlement. The full details are staggeringly complicated – the text alone runs to 385 pages – and trying to summarise it is no easy task."Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible," says Blofeld, one of the settlement's most vocal British critics.[15] Broadly, the deal provides a mechanism for Google to reimburse authorsand publishers whose rights it has breached (including giving them a share of any future revenue it generates from their works). In exchange for this, the rights holders agree not to sue Google in future.[16] The settlement stipulates that a body known as the Books Rights Registrywill represent the interests of US copyright holders. Authors andpublishers with a copyright interest in a book scanned by Google who make themselves known to the registry will be entitled to receive a payment – in the region of $60 per book – as compensation.[17] Additionally, the settlement hands Google the power – but only with theagreement 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. is these commercial provisions that are proving the settlement's mostcontroversial aspect.[18] Critics point out that, by giving Google the right to commerciallyexploit its database, the settlement paves the way for a subtle shift in the company's role from provider of information to seller. "'s business model has always been to provide information for free, and selladvertising on the basis of the traffic this generates," points out JamesGrimmelmann, associate professor at New York Law School. Now, he says, because of the settlement's provisions, Google could become a significant force in bookselling.[19] in this aspect of the settlement has focused on "orphan" works, wherethere is no known copyright holder– these make up an estimated 5% to 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% of orphan works for free, include them in its subscription deals to libraries and sell them to individual buyers under the consumerlicence.[20] "The deal has in effect handed Google a swath of intellectual copyright.It is a mammoth potential bookselling market," says Blofeld. He adds it is no surprise that Amazon, which currently controls 90% of the digital books market, is becoming worried.[21] But Dan Clancy of Google dismisses the idea that, by gaining control overout-of-print and orphan works, Google is securing for itself a significant future revenue stream. He points out that out-of-print books represent only a tiny fraction of the books market – between 1% and 2%. "This idea that we are gaining access to a vast market here – I really don't think that is true.[22] James Gleick, an American science writer and member of the Authors Guild,broadly agrees. He says that, although Google's initial scanning of in-copyright books made him uncomfortable, the settlement itself is a fair deal for authors.[23] "The thing that needs to be emphasised is that this so-called market overwhich Google is being given dominance – the market in out-of-print books – doesn't currently exist. That's why they're out of print. In real life,I can't see what the damage is – it's only good."[24] It is by no means certain that the settlement will be enacted – it isthe subject of a fairness 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.[25] Over the coming months, we will hear a lot more about the Googlesettlement and its ramifications. Although it's a subject that may seem obscure and specialised, it concerns one of the biggest issues affectingpublishing and, indeed, other creative industries – the control of digital rights.[26] No one knows the precise use Google will make of the intellectual propertyit has gained by scanning the world's library books, and the truth, as Gleick points out, is that the company probably doesn't even know itself.what is certain is that, in some way or another, Google's entrance into digital bookselling will have a significant impact on the book world in years to come.题目：1. Google claims its plan for the world’s biggest online library is _____A. to save out-of-print books in libraries.B. to serve the interest of the general publicC. to encourage reading around the worldD. to promote its core business of searching【解析】该题问的是Google所声称的自己图书馆计划的目的。

11.【答案】A) Listen to the recorded notes while driving.12.【答案】C) The man lacks confidence in playing the part.13.【答案】A) Arranging a bed for a patient14.【答案】A) He is too busy to accept more responsibility.15. 【答案】C) He has left his position in the government.16. 【答案】D) The man is well informed about the space shuttle missions.17. 【答案】A) At a car renting company18. : What did the man do over the weekend?【答案】A) He listened to some serious music.19: What kind of business does the man engaged in?【答案】B) Selling products made for left-handers.20: What does the man say about his stock of products?【答案】D) Most of them are specially made for his shop.21: What does the man say about other people in his line of business?【答案】D) They sell by mail order only.22: What do we learn about the man’s company?【答案】C)It sponsors trade fairs.23: Why was the campaign delayed according to the man?【答案】C)The woman's company made last-minute changes.24: What does the woman propose as a solution to the problem?【答案】D) Cut the fee by half for this year.25: What does the man suggest they do at the end of the conversation?【答案】D)Reflect on their respective mistakes.26. What does the passage say about most of the mice used for experiments?【答案】D)They sacrifice their lives for the benefit of humans.27 Why did the so-called bad mice have to be captured and destroyed?【答案】C) They may affect the results of experiments.28 When are mice killed without prior approval?【答案】C) When they become escapees.29 Why does the speaker say wha t the Herzau’s did at home is ironical?【答案】A)While holding a burial ceremony for a pet mouse, they were killing pest mice.30. What does the speaker say about the natives of New York?【答案】D) They take it for granted.31. What does the speaker say commuters give to New York?【答案】A) Tidal restlessness.32. What do we learn about the settlers of New York?【答案】B) They are adventurers from all over the world.33. As the speaker walked into the living room, what was being shown on TV?【答案】D) A murder mystery34. What does the speaker say about watching television?【答案】C)It is unhealthy for the viewers.35. What can we say about the speaker?【答案】B) He can’t resist the temptation of T.V. either.（36）detect （37）delicate （38）identifying （39）apartment（40）revolution （41）dramatically 42）primitive （43）vessels（44）Although simple versions of miniature devices have had an impact, advanced versions are still several years away.（45）that can sense when to release an airbag and how to keep engines and breaks operating efficiently.（46）when scientists now think about future machines doing large and complex tasks, they smaller than ever before.。

2011年12月大学英语六级考试Part I WritingThe Way to SuccessSuccess is something everyone looks for, longs for and dies for. But have you ever considered what success is? Some may hold that success means one has beautiful life, like pretty house, cool cars and grea t power. It’s indeed one way to define success. But to me, success is doing something one really feels like doing.To achieve this kind of success, one has to bear in mind three essential prerequisites, namely knowing where your interest really lies in, possessing the strong will to pursue your interest and having the diligence to realize your dream. In other words, they are “what” “why” and “how” of success. It’s really luckily good for one, especially for the younger generation of today to find their dreams, follow them and in the end, make them come true and become successful.Although it’s never easy to succeed, progressing with the strong will and diligence towards the right direction, you’ll be the one!本篇亮点：1. 排比词组或句子的运用：Success is something everyone looks for, longs for and dies for.…namely, knowing where your interest really lies in, possessing the strong will to pursue your interest and having the diligence to realize your dream.2. bear in mind3. lie in4. strong will to pursue your interest本文有待提高之处：1. 文中人称有些混乱。

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, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend, the first four sharpening the axe." Youshould 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 the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from thefour choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentenceswith 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 even interested in all thoseout-of-print library books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? The company claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, after all, is to "organize 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 this is primarily a philanthropic (慈善的) exercise. "Google's core business is search and find, so obviously what helps improve Google's search engine is good for Google," he says. "But we have never built a spreadsheet (电子数据表) outlining the financial benefits of this, and I have never had 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 leveled 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 in the New York Review of Books, Robert Danton, 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 bodies should 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 Jaundice and Jaundice 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英语六级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 can read for free on Google Books Search).But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright and out-of-copyright works. In its defense, Google points out that it displays only small segments of books that are in copyright– arguing that such displays are "fair use". But critics allege 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 Bluffed, of the Sheila Land literary agency in London. "Google has reversed this – it has simply copied all these works without bothering task."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, ended with an announcement last October that Google and the claimants had reached anout-of-court settlement. The full details are complicated - the text alone runs to 3853pages– and trying to summarize it is no easy task. "Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible," says Bluffed, 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 from their 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 license. 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, the settlement paves the way for 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 Grimmelman, 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 no known 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% of orphan works for free, include them in its subscription deals to libraries and sell them to individual buyers under the consumer license.It is by no means certain that the settlement will be enacted (执行) – it is the subject of fairness hearing in the US courts. But if it is enacted, Google will in effect be off the hook as far英语六级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 by scanning the world's library books, and the truth, as Gerick, 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。