2006年6月大学英语六级考试真题
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2006年06月大学英语六级真题一、Writing (本大题1小题.每题15.0分,共15.0分。
For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition . You should write at least 100 words, and base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below: )第1题Number of people in City X traveling abroad in 1995, 2000 and 2005 1.近十年来X市有越来越多的人选择出境旅游2.出现这种现象的原因3.这种现象可能产生的影响Traveling Abroad【正确答案】:[参考范文]Traveling AbroadThe diagram shows the numbers of people in City X traveling abroad in 1995, 2000 and 2005. As indicated in the table, in 1995, about 10,000 people in the city went sightseeing abroad. Five years later, in the year of 2000, the number increased greatly to 40,000. Another five years later, in 2005, the number dramatically tripled, reaching a surprising peak of more than 120,000. We can see clearly more and more people traveling abroad in the last ten years.One reason for this drastic increase can be attributed to the booming of Chinese economy in these years, which has significantly raised the income of the people. With more savings in their bank accounts, people no longer regard traveling abroad as a luxury which they could hardly afford before. This may also be due to the rapid development in the social culture in China, which have greatly broaded the horizons of the Chinese people and have made them more interested in the outside world. Indeed, few people now can resist the temptation of the sunlight in Thailand, the mysteries in Egypt and the beaches in Australia.This rapid development in traveling abroad is very rewarding. More Chinese tourists traveling abroad will surely promote China's economic and cultural exchange with other countries. And also, with increased contacts, there will be better mutual understanding between people of these countries. But the greatest benefit travel brings about is that it has greatly improved the quality of cultural life of the Chinese people. [审题]这篇写作要求根据某市在1995年、2000年和2005年出境旅游人数资料写作短文。
2006年6月17日大学英语六级(CET-6)真题试卷(A卷)Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.1. A) She met with Thomas just a few days ago.B) She can help with the orientation program.C) She is not sure she can pass on the message.D) She will certainly try to contact Thomas.2. A) Set the dinner table.B) Change the light bulb.C) Clean the dining room.D) Hold the ladder for him.3. A) He’d like a piece of pie.B) He’d like some coffee.C) He’d rather stay in the warm room.D) He’s just had dinner with his friends.4. A) He has managed to sell a number of cars.B) He is contented with his current position.C) He might get fired.D) He has lost his job.5. A) Tony’s secretary.B) Paul’s girlfriend.C) Paul’s colleague.D) Tony’s wife.6. A) He was fined for running a red light.B) He was caught speeding on a fast lane.C) He had to run quickly to get the ticket.D) He made a wrong turn at the intersection.7. A) He has learned a lot from his own mistakes.B) He is quite experienced in taming wild dogs.C) He finds reward more effective than punishment.D) He thinks it important to master basic training skills.8. A) At a bookstore.B) At the dentist’s.C) In a restaurant.D) In the library.9. A) He doesn’t want Jenny to get into trouble.B) He doesn’t agree with the woman’s remark.C) He thinks Jenny’s workload t oo heavy at college.D) He believes most college students are running wild.10. A) It was applaudable.B) It was just terrible.C) The actors were enthusiastic.D) The plot was funny enough.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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11. A) Social work.B) Medical care.C) Applied physics.D) Special education.12. A) The timely advice from her friends and relatives.B) The two-year professional training she received.C) Her determination to fulfill her dream.D) Her parents’ consistent moral support.13. A) To get the funding for the hospitals.B) To help the disabled children there.C) To train therapists for the children there.D) To set up an institution for the handicapped.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) At a country school in Mexico.B) In a mountain valley of Spain.C) At a small American college.D) In a small village in Chile.15. A) By expanding their minds and horizons.B) By financing their elementary education.C) By setting up a small primary school.D) By setting them an inspiring example.16. A) She wrote poetry that broke through national barriers.B) She was a talented designer of original school curriculums.C) She proved herself to be an active and capable stateswoman.D) She made outstanding contributions to children’s education.17. A) She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature.B) She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.C) She translated her books into many languages.D) She advised many statesmen on international affairs.Passage ThreeQuestions 18 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.18. A) How animals survive harsh conditions in the wild.B) How animals alter colors to match their surroundings.C) How animals protect themselves against predators.D) How animals learn to disguise themselves effectively.19. A) Its enormous size.B) Its plant-like appearance.C) Its instantaneous response.D) Its offensive smell.20. A) It helps improve their safety.B) It allows them to swim faster.C) It helps them fight their predators.D) It allows them to avoid twists and turns.2006年6月17日六级参考答案Part I1. C2. D3. B4. C5. D6. A7. C8. B9. B 10. A11. B 12. C 13. B 14. D 15. A16. D 17. A 18. C 19. B 20. A。
英语听⼒频道为⼤家整理的2006年6⽉英语六级听⼒真题,供⼤家参考:) Section A 1. M: Mary, could you please tell Thomas to contact me? I was hoping he would be able to help me out with the freshmen orientation program next week. W: I would certainly tell him if I saw him, but I haven't seen him around for quite a few days. Q: What does the woman mean? 2. M: Susan, I am going to change the light bulb above the dining room table. Will you hold the ladder for me? W: No problem. But be careful while you're up there. Q: What does the man want the woman to do? 3. W: It's freezing cold. Let me make some coffee to warm us up. Do you want a piece of pie as well? M: Coffee sounds great. But I'm going to have dinner with some friends in a while, so I'd better skip the pie. Q: What does the man mean? 4. W: How come Jim lost his job? M: I didn't say he had lost it. All I said was if he didn't get out and start selling a few cars instead of idling around all day, he might find himself looking for a new job. Q: What does the man say about Jim? 5. M: Hello, Mary. This is Paul at the bank. Is Tony home? W: Not yet. Paul. I don't think you can reach him at the office now, either. He phoned me five minutes ago to say he was stopping for a hair-cut on his way home. Q: Who do you think the woman probably is? 6. W: Oh! Boy! I don't understand how you got a ticket today. I always thought you were slow even driving on the less crowded fast lane. M: I'm usually careful. But this time I thought I could get through the intersection before the light turned. Q: What do we learn about the man? 7. W: Your dog certainly seems to know you are his master. Did you have to punish him very often when you trained him? M: I found it's much better to praise him when he obeys and not to be so fussy when he makes mistakes. Q: What does the man say about training dogs? 8. M: I am afraid there won't be time to do another tooth today. Make sure you don't eat anything like stakes for the next few hours, and we'll fill the other cavity tomorrow. W: All right. Actually, I must hurry to the library to return some books. Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place? 9. W: I am worried about Jenny going to college. College students are so wild nowadays. M: Actually, only a few are like that. Most students are too busy studying to have time to cause trouble. Q: What does the man imply? 10. W: You didn't seem to be terribly enthusiastic about the performance. M: You must be kidding. I couldn't have clapped any harder. My hands are still hurting. Q: What does the man think of the performance? Section B Passage 1 Born and raised in central Ohio, I'm a country girl through and through. I'm currently studying to become a physical therapist, a career path that marks a great achievement for me. At Ohio State University, admission into the physical therapy program is intensely competitive. I made it pass the first cut the first year I applied, but was turned down for admission. I was crushed, because for years I have been determined to become a physical therapist. I received advice from friends and relatives about changing my major and finding another course for my life. I just couldn't do it. I knew I could not be as happy in another profession. So I stilled myself, began to work seriously for another year and reapplied. Happily I received notice of my admission. Later, I found out that less than 15% of the applicant had been offered positions that year. Now in the first two years of professional training, I couldn't be happier with my decision not to give up on my dream. My father told me that if I wanted it badly enough, I would get in. Well, Daddy, I wanted it. So there. After graduation, I would like to travel to another country, possibly a Latin American country and work in a children's hospital for a year or two. So many of the children there are physically handicapped but most hospitals don't have the funding to hire trained staff to care for them properly. I would like to change that somehow. 11. What is the speaker's field of study? 12. According to the speaker, what contributed to her admission to Ohio State University? 13. Why does the speaker want to go to a Latin American country? Passage 2 Gabriela Mistral was once an ordinary teacher in a small village school in Northern Chile. Towering mountains separate her village from the world outside. Gabriela Mistral was only fifteen when she began teaching, but she was a good teacher. She helped the minds of her students' scale the mountain walls and reached out to the world beyond. For eighteen years, Gabriela devoted her life to the poor farm children of Chile's Northern valleys. During part of this time, she was director of schools in all of Chile. Before long, many countries recognized her as a great friend of children and the leader in education. In 1922, she was invited to Mexico to help organize the rural school system. Two years later, Gabriela Mistral came to the United States where she served as a visiting professor in several colleges. In New York City, a group of teachers helped to finance the publication of her first book of poetry. Some of her books have been translated into six different languages. She gave the income from some of her books to help poor and neglected children. Beginning in the 1920's, her interests reached out to broader fields. Statesmen asked her advice on international problems. She tried to break through the national barriers that hindered the exchange of ideas among the Spanish speaking peoples of South America. She tried to develop a better understanding between the United States and countries of Latin America. In 1945, she gained worldwide recognition by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, the first Southern American to win the prize. 14. Where did Gabriela Mistral start her teaching career? 15. How did Gabriela Mistral help the poor children of her hometown? 16. Why did many countries think highly of Gabriela Mistral? 17. How did Gabriela Mistral become famous all over the world? Passage 3 Over time animals have developed many ways to stay away from predators. A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals. Hiding is one of the best ways to stay alive. Some animals hide by looking like the places where they live. To see how this works, let's look at the sea dragon. It is a master of disguise. The sea dragon is covered with skin that looks like leaves. The skin helps the dragon look like a piece of seaweed. A hungry meat eater would stay away from anything that looks like seaweed. Other animals stay safe by showing their colors. They want other animals to see them. Scientists call these bright colors--warning colors. You have probably seen animals that have warning colors. Some grasshoppers show off their own bright colors. Those colors don't just look attractive; they tell their enemies to stay away. Of course, hungry predators sometimes ignore the warning. They still go after the grasshopper. If that happens, the grasshopper has a backup defense. It makes lots of foam. The foam tastes so bad that the predator won't do it again. Color doesn't offer enough protection for some other animals. They have different defenses that help them survive in the wild. Many fish live in groups or schools. That's because there is safety in numbers. At the first sign of trouble, schooling fish swim as close together as they can get. Then the school of fish makes lotsof twists and turns. All that movement makes it hard for predators to see individuals in a large group. 18. What is the speaker mainly talking about? 19. What protects the sea dragon from the meat eater's attack? 20. According to the passage, why do many fish stay in groups?。
2006年6月英语六级真题Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversationand the question 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), anddecide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the AnswerSheet with a single line through the center.Example: You will hear:You will read:A) 2 hours.B) 3 hours.C) 4 hours.D) 5 hours.From the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they will start at 9 o’clock in the morning and have to finish at 2 in the afternoon. Therefore, D) “5 hours” is the correct answer. You should choose [D] on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single line through the center.Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]1. A) She met with Thomas just a few days ago.B) She can help with the orientation program.C) She is not sure she can pass on the message.D) She will certainly try to contact Thomas.2. A) Set the dinner table.B) Change the light bulbC) Clean the dining room.D) Hold the ladder for him.3. A) He’d like a piece of pie.B) He’d like some coffeeC) He’d rather stay in the warm room.D) He’s just had dinner with his friends.4. A) He has managed to sell a number of cars.B) He is contented with his current position.C) He might get fired.D) He has lost his job.5. A) Tony’s secretary.B) Paul’s girlfriend.C) Paul’s colleague.D) Tony’s wife.6. A) He was fined for running a red light.B) He was caught speeding on a fast lane.C) He had to run quickly to get the ticket.D) He made a wrong turn at the intersection.7. A) He has learned a lot from his own mistakes.B) He is quite experienced in taming wild dogs.C) He finds reward more effective than punishment.D) He thinks it important to master basic training skills.8. A) At a bookstore.B) At the dentist’s.C) In a restaurant.D) In the library.9. A) He doesn’t want Jenny to get into trouble.B) He doesn’t agree with the woman’s remark.C) He thinks Jenny’s workload too heavy at college.D) He believes most college students are running wild.10. A) It was applaudable.B) It was just terrible.C) The actors were enthusiastic.D) The plot was funny enough.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 choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheetwith a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11. A) Social work.B) Medical careC) Applied physicsD) Special education.12. A) The timely advice from her friends and relatives.B) The two-year professional training she received.C) Her determination to fulfill her dream.D) Her parents’ consistent moral support.13. A) To get the funding for the hospitals.B) To help the disabled children there.C) To train therapists for the children there.D) To set up an institution for the handicapped.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) At a country school in Mexico.B) In a mountain valley of Spain.C) At a small American college.D) In a small village in Chile.15. A) By expanding their minds and horizons.B) By financing their elementary education.C) By setting up a small primary school.D) By setting them an inspiring example.16. A) She wrote poetry that broke through national barriers.B) She was a talented designer of original school curriculums.C) She proved herself to be an active and capable stateswoman.D) She made outstanding contributions to children’s education.17. A) She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature.B) She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.C) She translated her books into many languages.D) She advised many statesmen on international affairs.Passage ThreeQuestion 18 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.18. A) How animals survive harsh conditions in the wild.B) How animals alter colors to match their surroundings.C) How animals protect themselves against predators.D) How animals learn to disguise themselves effectively.19. A) Its enormous size.B) Its plant-like appearance.C) Its instantaneous response.D) Its offensive smell.20. A) It helps improve their safety.B) It allows them to swim faster.C) It helps them fight their predators.D) It allows them to avoid twists and turns.Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) andD). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on theAnswer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are good reasons to be troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies. Television and video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what’s wrong with a society that presents videos of domestic violence as entertainment. Most researchers agree that the causes of real-world violence are complex. A 1993 study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences listed “biological, individual, family, peer, school, and community factors” as all playing their parts.Viewing abnormally large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in certain individuals.The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate the case for causality (因果关系). Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group of societies including theAmerican Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: “At this time, well over 1,000 studies… point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children.”Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of catering to politicians, and even disputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out “the most doubtful measures of aggression”, only 28% supported a connection.The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read ‘aggressive’or ‘non-aggressive’ words from a list, can we be sure what they are actually measuring? The intent of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions is an important step in the right direction.Another appropriate ster would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is, of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society.21. Why is there so much violence shown in movies, TV and video games?A) There is a lot of violence in the real world today.B) Something has gone wrong with today’s society.C) Many people are fond of gunplay and bloodshed.D) Showing violence is thought to be entertaining.22. What is the skeptics (Line 3. Para.3) view of media violence?A) Violence on television is a fairly accurate reflection of real-world life.B) Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers.C) A causal relationship exists between media and real-world violence.D) The influence of media violence on children has been underestimated.23. The author uses the term “alarmists” (Line 1. Para.5) to refer to those who ______.A) use standardized measurements in the studies of media violenceB) initiated the debate over the influence of violent media on realityC) assert a direct link between violent media and aggressive behaviorD) use appropriate methodology in examining aggressive behavior24. In refuting the alarmists, the author advances his argument by first challenging____.A) the source and amount of their dataB) the targets of their observationC) their system of measurementD) their definition of violence25. What does the author think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media and violence?A) More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.B) It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.C) The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.D) He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.You’re in trouble if you have to buy your own brand-name prescription drugs. Over the past decade, prices leaped by more than double the inflation rate. Treatments for chronic conditions can easily top $2,000 a month-no wonder that one in four Americans can’s afford to fill their prescriptions. The solution? A hearty chorus of “O Canada.” North of the border, where price controls reign, those same brand-name drugs cost 50% to 80% less.The Canadian option is fast becoming a political wake-up call, “If our neighbors can buy drugs at reasonable prices, why can’t we?” Even to whisper that thought provokes anger.“Un-American!” And-the propagandists’ trump card (王牌)—“Wreck our brilliant health-care system.” Super-size drug prices, they claim, fund the research that sparks the next generation of wonder drugs. No sky-high drug price today, no cure for cancer tomorrow. So shut up and pay up. Common sense tells you that’s a false alternative. The reward for finding. Say, a cancer cure is so huge that no one’s going to hang it up. Nevertheless, if Canada-level pricing came to the United States, the industry’s profit margins would drop and the pace of new-drug development would slow. Here lies the American dilemma. Who is all this splendid medicine for? Should ourhealth-care system continue its drive toward the best of the best, even though rising numbers of patients can’t afford it? Or should we direct our wealth toward letting everyone in on today’s level of care? Measured by saved lives, the latter is almost certainly the better course.To defend their profits, the drug companies have warned Canadian wholesalers and pharmacies(药房) not to sell to Americans by mail, and are cutting back supplies to those who dare.Meanwhile, the administration is playing the fear card. Officials from the Food and Drug Administration will argue that Canadian drugs might be fake, mishandled, or even a potential threat to life.Do bad drugs fly around the Internet? Sure-and the more we look, the more we’ll find, But I haven’t heard of any raging epidemics among the hundreds of thousands of people buyingcross-border.Most users of prescription drugs don’s worry about costs a lot.They’re sheltered by employee insurance, owing just a $20 co-pay.The financial blows rain, instead, on the uninsured, especially the chronically ill who need expensive drugs to live, This group will still include middle-income seniors on Medicare, who’ll have to dig deeply into their pockets before getting much from the new drug benefit that starts in 2006.26. What is said about the consequence of the rocketing drug prices in the U.S.?A) A quarter of Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs.B) Many Americans can’t afford to see a doctor when they fall ill.C) Many Americans have to go to Canada to get medical treatment.D) The inflation rate has been more than doubled over the years.27. It can be inferred that America can follow the Canadian model and curb its soaring drug prices by _____.A) encouraging people to buy prescription drugs onlineB) extending medical insurance to all its citizensC) importing low-price prescription drugs from CanadaD) exercising price control on brand-name drugs28. How do propagandists argue for the U.S. drug pricing policy?A) Low prices will affect the quality of medicines in America.B) High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs.C) Low prices will bring about the anger of drug manufacturers.D) High-price drugs are indispensable in curing chronic diseases.29. What should be the priority of America’s health-care system according to the author?A) To resolve the dilemma in the health-care system.B) To maintain America’s lead in the drug industry.C) To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.D) To quicken the pace of new drug development.30. What are American drug companies doing to protect their high profits?A) Labeling drugs bought from Canada as being fakes.B) Threatening to cut back funding for new drug research.C) Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies.D) Attributing the raging epidemics to the ineffectiveness of Canadian drugs.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.Age has its privileges in America. And one of the more prominent of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age-in some cases as low as 55-is automatically entitled to a dazzling array of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility is determined not by one’s need but by the date on one’s birth certificate. Practically unheard of a generation ago, the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses-as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them;yet,millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent (有支付能力的). Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly” and “needy”are synonymous (同义的).Perhaps that once was true, but today elderly Americans as a group have a lower poverty rate than the rest of the population. To be sure, there is economic diversity within the elderly, and many older Americans are poor, But most of them aren’t. It is impossible to determine the impact of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to revenue. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense.Directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they are a direct irritant in what some politicians and scholars see as a coming conflict between the generations.Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits,which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another sore point, Buoyed (支持) by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are declining the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job-thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers.Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a formidable economic privilege to a group with millions of members who don’t need them.It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enhance the myth that older people can’t take care of themselves and need special treatment; and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly are ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the essence of the very thing older Americans are fighting against-discrimination by age.31. We learn from the first paragraph that____.A) offering senior citizens discounts has become routine commercial practiceB) senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a decent lifeC) giving senior citizens discounts has boosted the market for the elderlyD) senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to get a discount32. What assumption lies behind the practice of senior citizen discounts?A) Businesses, having made a lot of profits, should do something for society in return.B) Old people are entitled to special treatment for the contribution they made to society.C) The elderly, being financially underprivileged,need humane help from society.D) Senior citizen discounts can make up for the inadequacy of the Social Security system.33. According to some politicians and scholars, senior citizen discounts will___.A) make old people even more dependent on societyB) intensify conflicts between the young and the oldC) have adverse financial impact on business companiesD) bring a marked increase in the companies revenues34. How does the author view the Social Security system?A) It encourages elderly people to retire in time.B) It opens up broad career prospects for young people.C) It benefits the old at the expense of the youngD) It should be reinforced by laws and court decisions35. Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main argument?A) Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination.B) The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted.C) Priority should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens.D) Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination.Passage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.In 1854 my great-grandfather, Morris Marable, was sold on an auction block in Georgia for $500. For his white slave master, the sale was just “business as usual.” But to Morris Marable and his heirs, slavery was a crime against our humanity. This pattern of human rights violations against enslaved African-Americans continued under racial segregation for nearly another century. The fundamental problem of American democracy in the 21st century is the problem of “structural racism” the deep patterns of socio-economic inequality and accumulated disadvantage that are coded by race, and constantly justified in public speeches by both racist stereotypes and white indifference. Do Americans have the capacity and vision to remove these structural barriers that deny democratic rights and opportunities to millions of their fellowcitizens?This country has previously witnessed two great struggles to achieve a truly multicultural democracy.The First Reconstruction (1865-1877) ended slavery and briefly gave black men voting rights, but gave no meaningful compensation for two centuries of unpaid labor. The promise of “40 acres and a mule (骡子)”was for most blacks a dream deferred (尚未实现的).The Second Reconstruction (1954-1968), or the modern civil rights movement, ended legal segregation in public accommodations and gave blacks voting rights . But these successes paradoxically obscure the tremendous human costs of historically accumulated disadvantage that remain central to black Americans’ lives.The disproportionate wealth that most whites enjoy today was first constructed from centuries of unpaid black labor. Many white institutions, including some leading universities, insurance companies and banks, profited from slavery. This pattern of white privilege and black inequality continues today.Demanding reparations (赔偿) is not just about compensation for slavery and segregation. It is, more important, an educational campaign to highlight the contemporary reality of “racial deficits” of all kinds, the unequal conditions that impact blacks regardless of class. Structural racism’s barriers include “equity inequity.” the absence of black capital formation that is a direct consequence of America’s history. One third of all black households actually have negative net wealth. In 1998 the typical black family’s net wealth was $16,400, less than one fifth that of white families.Black families are denied home loans at twice the rate of whites.Blacks remain the last hired and first fired during recessions.During the 1990-91 recession. African-Americans suffered disproportionately. At Coca-Cola, 42 percent of employees who lost their jobs were blacks. At Sears, 54 percent were black, Blacks have significantly shorter life spans, in part due to racism in the health establishment. Blacks are statistically less likely than whites to be referred for kidney transplants or early-stage cancer surgery.36. To the author, the auction of his great-grandfather is a typical example of____.A) crime against humanityB) unfair business transactionC) racial conflicts in GeorgiaD) racial segregation in America37. The barrier to democracy in 21st century America is____.A) widespread use of racist stereotypesB) prejudice against minority groupsC) deep-rooted socio-economic inequalityD) denial of legal rights to ordinary blacks38. What problem remains unsolved in the two Reconstructions?A) Differences between races are deliberately obscured.B) The blacks are not compensated for their unpaid labor.C) There is no guarantee for blacks to exercise their rights.D) The interests of blacks are not protected by law.39. It is clear that the wealth enjoyed by most whites____.A) has resulted from business successes over the yearsB) has been accompanied by black capital formationC) has derived from sizable investments in educationD) has been accumulated from generations of slavery40. What does the author think of the current situation regarding racial discrimination?A) Racism is not a major obstacle to blacks’ employment.B) Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouchedC) A major step has been taken towards reparations.D) Little has been done to ensure blacks’ civil rights.Part III V ocabulary (20 minutes)Direction: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence thereare four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet witha single line through the centre.41. Because of the of its ideas, the book was in wide circulation both at home and abroad.A)originality B) subjectivityC) generality D) ambiguity42. With its own parliament and currency and a common ___ for peace, the European Union declared itself—in 11 official languages—open for business.A) inspiration B) assimilationC) intuition D) aspiration43. America has now adopted more _________ European-style inspection systems, and the incidence of food poisoning is falling.A) discrete B) solemnC) rigorous D) autonomous44. Mainstream pro-market economists all agree that competition is an ___ spur to efficiency and innovation.A) extravagant B) exquisiteC) intermittent D) indispensable45. In the late 19th century, Jules Verne, the master of science fiction, foresaw many of the technological wonders that are ___ today.A) transient B) commonplaceC) implicit D) elementary46. I was so ___ when I used the automatic checkout lane in the supermarket for the first time.A) immersed B) assaultedC) thrilled D) dedicated47. His arm was ___ from the shark’s mouth and reattached, but the boy, who already died, remained in a delicate condition.A)retrieved B) retainedC) repelled D) restored48. Bill Gates and Walt Disney are two people America has ___ to be the Greatest American.A) appointed B) appeasedC) nicknamed D) dominated49. The ___ majority of citizens tend to believe that the death penalty will help decreasethe crime rate.A) overflowing B) overwhelmingC) prevalent D) premium50. We will also see a ___ increase in the number of televisions per household, as smallTV displays are added to clocks, coffee makers and smoke detectors.A) startling B) surpassingC) suppressing D) stacking51. The advance of globalization is challenging some of our most ___ values and ideas, including our idea of what constitutes “home”.A) enriched B) enlightenedC) cherished D) chartered52. Researchers have discovered that ___ with animals in an active way may lower aperson’s blood pressure.A) interacting B) integratingC) migrating D) merging53. The Beatles, the most famous British band of the 196.s, traveled worldwide for many years, _________ cultural barriers.A) transporting B) transplantingC) transferring D) transcending54. In his last years, Henry suffered from a disease that slowly ___ him of much of hissight.A) relieved B) jeopardizedC) deprived D) eliminated55. Weight lifting, or any other sport that builds up your muscles, can make bones become denser and less ___ to injury.A) attached B) proneC) immune D) reconciled56. He has ___ to museums hundreds of his paintings as well as his entire personalcollection of modern art.A) ascribed B) attributedC) designated D) donated57. Erik’s website contains ___ photographs and hundreds of articles and short videosfrom his trip around the globe.A) prosperous B) gorgeousC) spacious D) simultaneous58. Optimism is a ___ shown to be associated with good physical health, less depressionand longer life.A) trail B) traitC) trace D) track59. The institution has a highly effective program which helps first-year students make a successful ___ into college life.A) transformation B) transmissionC) transition D) transaction60. Philosophers believe that desire, hatred and envy are “negative emotions” which ___the mind and lead it into a pursuit of power and possessions.A) distort B) reinforceC) exert D) scramble61. The term “glass ceiling” was first used by the Wall Street Journal to describe the apparent barriers that prevent women from reaching the top of the corporate ___.A) seniority B) superiorityC) height D) hierarchy62. Various efforts have been made over the centuries to predict earthquakes, including observing lights in the sky and ___ animal behavior.A) abnormal B) exoticC) absurd D) erroneous63. Around 80 percent of the ___ characteristics of most white Britons have beenpassed down from a few thousand Ice Age hunters.A) intelligible B) randomC) spontaneous D) genetic64. Picasso gained popularity in the mid-20th century, which was ___ of a new attitude towards modern art.A) informative B) indicativeC) exclusive D) expressive65. The country was an island that enjoyed civilized living for a thousand years or more with little ___ from the outside world.A) disturbance B) discriminationC) irritation D) irregularity66. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and ________ .A) stability B) capability。
2006年6月大学英语六级听力真题Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.11.A) She met with Thomas just a few days ago.B) She can help with the orientation program.C) She is not sure she can pass on the message.D) She will certainly try to contact Thomas.12A) Set the dinner table.B) Change the light bulb.C) Clean the dining room.D) Hold the ladder for him.13A) He’d like a piece of pie.B) He’d like some coffee.C) He’d rather stay in the warm room.D) He’s just had dinner with his friends.14. A) Tony’s secretary.B) Paul’s girlfriend.C) Pau l’s colleague.D) Tony’s wife.15.A) He was fined for running a red light.B) He was caught speeding on a fast lane.C) He had to run quickly to get the ticket.D) He made a wrong turn at the intersection.16.A) At a bookstore.B) At the dentist’s.C) In a restaurant.D) In the library.17. A) He doesn’t want Jenny to get into trouble.B) He doesn’t agree with the woman’s remark.C) He thinks Jenny’s workload too heavy at college.D) He believes most college students are running wild.18. A) It was applaudable.B) It was just terrible.C) The actors were enthusiastic.D) The plot was funny enough.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) the date he collectedB) notes from research journalsC) his research projectD) the climate changes in his hometown20.A)the paper should be written in paper formatB) the student should consult his parents for informationC) the pubished and unpubished date should be put in the referenceD) the draft should be handed in soon21.A)the student will hand in the final copyB) the student will have the professor to look at her draftC) the student will do a field tripD) the student will talk to another professorQuestions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A) eliminating the original vegetation from the building siteB) making the houses in an area similar to one anotherC) deciding where a house will be builtD) surrounding a building with wildflowers and plants23.A)they aer changed to make the site more interestingB) they are expanded to limit the amount of constructionC) they are integrated into the design of the bulidingD) they are removed for construction24.A)because many architects studied with WrighB) because Wright started the practice of landscape integratingtC) because Wright used elements of envelope buildingD) because most of the houses Wright built were made of stone25.A)Architects should scrap pr clean the original landscapeB) Architects should incorporate the features of the original landscapeC) Architects may refer to many architecture booksD) Architects have to learn more techniquesSection 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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 28are based on the passage you have just heard.26 A) Social work.B) Medical care.C) Applied physics.D) Special education.27 A) The timely advice from her friends and relatives.B) The two-year professional training she received.C) Her determination to fulfill her dream.D) Her parents’ consistent moral support.28 A) To get the funding for the hospitals.B) To help the disabled children there.C) To train therapists for the children there.D) To set up an institution for the handicapped。
答案1、 C They knew none of the other guests at the party.2、 B To the dentist's3、 C Dr.Andrews used to keep his patients waiting.4、 A Tom is usually talkative.5、 D To get the seminar schedule for the woman.6、 A The woman has to get the textbooks in other ways.7、 B Meet his lawyer.8、 A Jessic always says what she thinks.9、 D Helen is quiet.10、 D Jimmy's words are often not reliable.11、 C It has done more harm than good in the southern USA.12、 B They will soon be overgrown with kudzu.13、 C The climate there is unfavorable to its growth.14、 D An association of teachers and scholars15、 A Its largest expansinon took place during that period.16、 B Government funding.17、 C He started the organization Heifer International.18、 A To help starving families to become self-supporting.19、 A They should help other families the way they have been helped.20、 B It has helped relieve hunger in some developing countries.21. D they have difficulty finding qualified personnel at home22. D seeks either his own or his children's development23. A take cultural factors into consideration24. C provide a detailed description of their study and work experiences25. B the differences between the varieties of English26. C rewarding27. A girls will turn out to be less valuable than boys28. B girls can gain equal access to education29. C It will yield greater returns than other known investments.30. D the economic and social benefits of educating women31. C To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops.32. B self-prepared tools are no longer enough for car theft33. A A coded ignition key.34. D To allow for possible errors in the GPS system.35. B Contact the car owner.36. B Older parents can take better care of their children.37. D They have to go on working beyond their retirement age.38. C older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodies39. A Approaching of death.40. C Not until they had the twins did they feel they had formed a family. Vocabulary41. A current42. B mood44. A held back45. D preferences46. C derive47. B occur48. D illegal49. A feature50. B forbids51. C penalty52. A distinguish53. D pick up54. C impression55. B participate56. D hold on to57. B tackle58. A state59. C significant60. D soared61. C symptoms62. A laid off63. B traced64. D proportion66. A performance67. C apply68. D affordable69. B treat70. D Inspired71. A ago 72. C idea 73. B come 74. A indoor 75. D revealed76. B down 77. C safe 78. A reduced 79. D destroy 80. B however81. C completely 82. A or 83. B fact 84. D developed 85. A starts86. D inevitably 87. C instead 88. C adopting 89. B beneficial 90. A Entire听力原文Section A11. M: What was it like working with those young stars?W: It was a great group, I always got mad when people said that we didn’t get along, just because we’re girls, there was n ever a fight. We had a great time.Q: What does the woman mean?12. M: Are you telling me you don’t have a housekeeper?W: No, we don’t. if you make a mess, you clean up yourself.Q: What do we learn from this conversation?13. M: I hear that the Edwards are thinking of buying another house.W: Should they be doing that with all the other expenses they have o pay? Anyhow, they are over 70 now, their present house is not too bad.Q: What does the man imply?14. W: You look like you are freezing to death. Why don’t you put this on?M: Thank you, it was so warm at noon, I didn’t expect the weather to change so quickly.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?15. W: I’ll have the steak, French fries, and let’s see, chocolate ice cream for dissert.M: Oh, oh, you know these things will ruin your health, too much fat and sugar, how about ordering some vegetables and fruit instead?Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?16. W: What was it like growing up in New York’s Bronx District? Was it safe?M: To me it was, it was all I knew. My mom would send me to the shop and I’d go and buy things when I was about 8 years old.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?17. W: Nice weather, isn’t it? Oh, I’ve seen you around the office, butI don’t think we’ve met, I am Henry Smith, I work in the Market Research Section.M: Nice to meet you, Henry, I am Helen Grant, I am in the Advertising Section on the ninth floor.Q: What can we infer from the conversation?18. M: Ma’am, I hear you have an apartment for rent, can I take a look at it?W: Sure, you’re welcome any time by appointment, but I have to tell you the building is close to a railways. And if you can’t put up with the noise you might as well save the trip.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Conversation 1W: Please have a seat, Mr. Saunders. I received your job resume last week, and it was very impressed.M: Thank you!W: We are a small financial company trading mostly stocks and bonds may I ask why you are so interested in working for us?M: Your company has an impressive reputation and I’ve always wanted to work for a smaller company.W: That’s good to hear. Would you mind telling me a little bit about your present job?M: I’m currently working in a large international company in charge of a team of 8 brokers. We buy and sell stocks for major clients worldwide.W: Why do you think you are the right candidate for this position?M: As a head broker, I have a lot of experiences in the stock market, I deal with the clients on the daily bases, and I enjoy working with people.W: Well, you might just be the person we’ve been looking for. Do you have any questions?M: Aha, if I were hired, how many accounts would I be handling?W: you will be working with two other head brokers, in another words, you will be handling about a third of our clients.M: And who would I report to?W: Directly to me.M: I see. What kind of benefits package do you offer?W: Two weeks of paid vacation in your first year employment, you are also been entitled to medical and dental insurance, but this is something you should discuss with our Personnel Department. Do you have any other questions?M: No not at the moment.W: Well, I have to discuss you application with my colleagues and we’ll get back to you early next week.M: OK, thanks, it’s been nice meeting you!W: Nice meeting you too! And thanks for coming in today.19. What’s the purpose of Mr. Saunders’ visit?20. What is Mr. Saunders’ current job?21. What can we conclude from the conversation?Conversation 21W: Pardon?M: The book! You haven’t turned the page in the last ten minutes.W: No, Jim, I suppose I haven’t. I need to get through it, though, bu t I keep drifting away.M: So it doesn’t really hold your interest?W: No, not really. I wouldn’t bother with it, to be honest, but I have to read it for a seminar. I’m at a university.M: It’s a labor of labor then rather than a labor of love.W: I should say, I don’t like Dickens at all really, the author, indeed, I am starting to like the whole course less and less.M: It’s not just the book,, it’s the curse as well?W: Yeah, in a way, although the curse itself isn’t really that bad, a lot of it is pretty good, in fact, and the lecturer is fine, as to me, I suppose, you see, I want to do philosophy rather than English, but my parents took me out of it.M: So the courses are OK as such, it’s just that had if been left to you, you would choose a different one.W: Oh, they had my best interest and heart of course, my parents, they always do, don’t they? They believe that my job prospect would be pretty limited with the degree of philosophy. Plus, they give me a really generous allowance, but I am beginning to feel that I’m wasting my time and their money. They would be so disappointed though if I told them I was quitting.22. Why can’t Karen concentrate on the book?23. Why is Karen starting to like the course less and less?24. Who thinks Philosophy graduates have limited job opportunities?25. What is Karen thinking of doing?Section BPassage OneIn Greece, only rich people will rest in peace for ever when they die. Most of the population, however, will be undisturbed for only three years, then they will be dug up, washed, compressed into a small tin box, and placed in a bone room. If the body has only partially decayed, it is reburied in a smaller cheaper grave, but not for long, the body will be dug up again some time later when it has fully decayed. Buying a piece of land for a grave is the only way to avoid this process. The cost of the grave is so great that most p0eople choose to rent the grave for three years and even after it has been dug up, lasting peace is still not guaranteed. If no one pays for renting space in the bone room, the skeleton is removed and stored in a building in a poor part of the town. Lack of space in Athens is the main reason why the dead are dug up after the three years. The city is so overcrowded that sometimes dead bodies are kept in the hospitals for over a week until a grave is found. Athens’ city council wants to introduce cremation, that is burning dead bodies as a means of dealing with the problems. But the Greek church resists this practice, they believe the only place where people burn is hell, so burning dead bodies is against the Greek concept of life after death. To save space, the church suggested burying the bodies standing up instead of lying down. Some people proposed building multi-storey underground grave yards.26. What must Greeks do to keep the dead resting in ever-lasting peace?27. Why are most dead bodies in Athens dug up after three years?28. What suggestions does the church give about the burying of dead bodies?29. What practice does the Greek church object to?Passage TwoIf you visit a big city anywhere in the world, you will probably find a restaurant would serve the food of your own native country. Most large cities in theoffer international sample of foods. Many people enjoy eating the food of other nations. This is probably one reason why there are so many different kinds of restaurants in theUnited States. A second reason is that many Americans come from other part of the world. They enjoy tasting the foods of their native lands. In the city of Detroit, for example, there are many people from western Europe, Greece, Latin America, and the Far East. There are many restaurants in Detroit which serve the foods of these areas. There are many other international restaurants too. Americans enjoy the foods in these restaurants as well as the opportunity to better understand the people and their way of life. One of the most common international restaurants to be found in theUnited States is the Italian restaurant. The restaurant may be a small business run by a single family. The mother of the family cooks all of the dishes, and the father and children serve the people who come to eat there. Or it may be a large restaurant owned by several different people who worked together in the business. Many Italian dishes that Americans enjoy are made with meats, tomatoes and cheese, they are very delicious and tasty.30. Why are there so many international restaurants in the United States?31. Why do Americans like to go to international restaurants apart from enjoying the foods there?32. How is a typical Italian family restaurant run in theUnited States?Passage ThreeOne winter day in 1891, a class at a training school in Massachusetts, U.S.A, went into the gym for their daily exercises. Since the football season had ended, most of the young man felt they were in for a boring time.But their teacher, James Nasmith had other ideas. He had been working for a long time on a new game that would have the excitement of the American football. Nasmith showed the men a basket he had hung at the each end of the gym, and explained that they were going to sue a round European football, at first everybody tried to throw the ball into the basket no matter where he was standing. “Pass! Pass!” Nasmith kept shouting, blowing his whistle to stop the excited players. Slowly, they began to understand what was wanted of them. The problem with the new game, which was soon called “basketball”, was getting the ball out of the basket. They used ordinary food baskets with bottoms and the ball, of course, stayed inside. At first, someone had to climb up every time a basket was scored. It was several years before someone came up with the idea of removing the bottom of the basket and letting the ball fall through. There have been many changes in the rules since then, and basketball has become one of the world’s most popular sports.33. What did Nasmith do to entertain his students one winter day?34. According the speaker, what was the problem with the new game?35. How was the problem with the new game solved?Section CFor Americans, time is money. They say, “you only get so much time in this life; you’d better use it wisely.” The (36) ________ will not be better than the past or present, as American are (37) ________ to see things, unless people use their time for constructive activity. Thus Americans (38)________ a “well-organized” person, one who has a written list of thins to do and a (39) ________ for doing them. The ideal person is punctual and is (40)________ of other people’s time. They do not (41)________ people’s time with conversation or other activity that has no (42) ________ beneficial outcome.The American attitude toward time is not (43) ________ shared by others, especially non-Europeans. They are more likely to regard time as (44)________________________________. One of the more difficult things many students must adjust to in the states is the notion that time must be saved whenever possible and used wisely every day.In the contest (45)________________________________, McDonald’s, KFC, and other fast food establishments are successful in a country where many people want to spend the least amount of time preparing an d eating meals. As McDonald’s restaurants (46) ________________________________, bringing not just hamburgers but an emphasis on speed, efficiency, and shiny cleanliness.36. future37. trained38. admire39. schedule40. considerate41. waste42. visible43. necessarily44. something that is simply there around them, not something they can use45. the fast food industry can be seen as a clear example of American cultural product46. spread around the world, they have been viewed as symbols of American society and culture(注:可编辑下载,若有不当之处,请指正,谢谢!)。
2006年6月英语六级真题听力原文Section A1. M: Mary, could you please tell Thomas to contact me? I was hoping he would be able to help me out with the freshm en ori entation prog ram n ext week.W: I would certainly tell him if I saw him, but I haven't seen him around for quite a few days.Q: What does the woman mean?2. M: Susan, I am going to change the light bulb above the dining room table. Will you hold the ladder for me?W: No problem. But be careful while you're up there.Q: What does the man want the woman to do?3. W: It's freezing cold. Let me make some coffee to warm us up. Do you want a piece of pie as well?M: Coffee sounds great. But I'm going to have dinner with some friends in a while, so I'd better skip the pie.Q: What does the man mean?4. W: How come Jim lost his job?M: I didn't say he had lost it. All I said was if he didn't get out and start selling a few cars instead of idling around all day, he might find himself looking for a new job.Q: What does the man say about Jim?5. M: Hello, Mary. This is Paul at the bank. Is Tony home?W: Not yet. Paul. I don't think you can reach him at the office now, either. He phoned me five minutes ago to say he was stopping for a hair-cut on his way home.Q: Who do you think the woman probably is?6. W: Oh! Boy! I don't understand how you got a ticket today. I always thought you were slow even driving on the less crowded fast lane.M: I'm usually careful. But this time I thought I could get through the intersection before the light turned.Q: What do we learn about the man?7. W: Y our dog certainly seems to know you are his master. Did you have to punish him very often when you trained him?M: I found it's much better to praise him when he obeys and not to be so fussy when he makes mistakes.Q: What does the man say about training dogs?8. M: I am afraid there won't be time to do another tooth today. Make sure you don't eat anything like stakes for the next few hours, and we'll fill the other cavitytomorrow.W: All right. Actually, I must hurry to th e li brary to retu rn som e books.Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?9. W: I am worried about Jenny going to college. College students are so wild nowadays.M: Actually, only a few are like that. Most students are too busy studying to have time to cause trouble.Q: What does the man imply?10. W: Y ou didn't seem to be terribly enthusiastic abou t th e perf orman ce.M: Y ou must be kidding. I couldn't have clapped any harder. My hands are still hurting.Q: What does the man think of the performance?Section BPassage 1Born and raised in central Ohio, I'm a country girl through and through. I'm currently studying to become a physical therapist, a career path that marks a great achievement for me. At Ohio State University, admission into the physical therapy program is intensely competitive. I made it pass the first cut the first year I applied, but was turned down for admission. I was crushed, because for years I have been determined to become a physical therapist. I received advice from friends and relatives about changing my major and finding another course for my life. I just couldn't do it. I knew I could not be as happy in another profession. So I stilled myself, began to work seriously for another year and reapplied. Happily I received notice of my admission. Later, I found out that less than 15% of the applicant had been offered positions that year. Now in the first two years of professional training, I couldn't be happier with my decision not to give up on my dream. My father told me that if I wanted it badly enough, I would get in. Well, Daddy, I wanted it. So there. After graduation, I would like to travel to another country, possibly a Latin American country and work in a children's hospital for a year or two. So many of the children there are physically handicapped but most hospitals don't have the funding to hire trained staff to care for them properly. I would like to change that somehow.11. What is the speaker's field of study?12. According to the speaker, what contributed to her admission to Ohio State University?13. Why does the speaker want to g o to a Latin American coun try?Passage 2Gabriela Mistral was once an ordinary teacher in a small village school in Northern Chile. Towering mountains separate her village from the world outside. Gabriela Mistral was only fifteen when she began teaching, but she was a good teacher. She helped the minds of her students' scale the mountain walls and reachedout to the world beyond. For eighteen years, Gabriela devoted her life to the poor farm children of Chile's Northern valleys. During part of this time, she was director of schools in all of Chile. Before long, many countries recognized her as a great friend of children and the leader in education. In 1922, she was invited to Mexico to help organize the rural school system. Two years later, Gabriela Mistral came to the United States where she served as a visiting professor in several colleges. In New Y ork City, a group of teachers helped to finance the publication of her first book of poetry. Some of her books have been translated into six different languages. She gave the income from some of her books to help poor and neglected children. Beginning in the 1920's, her interests reached out to broader fields. Statesmen asked her advice on international problems. She tried to break through the national barriers that hindered the exchange of ideas among the Spanish speaking peoples of South America. She tried to develop a better understanding between the United States and countries of Latin America. In 1945, she gained worldwide recognition by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, the first Southern American to win the prize.14. Where did Gabriela Mistral start her teaching career?15. How did Gabriela Mistral help the poor children of h er h ometown?16. Why did many countries think highly of Gabriela Mistral?17. How did Gabriela Mistral become fam ous all over th e world?Passage 3Over time animals have developed many ways to stay away from predators. A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals. Hiding is one of the best ways to stay alive. Some animals hide by looking like the places where they live. To see how this works, let's look at the sea dragon. It is a master of disguise. The sea dragon is covered with skin that looks like leaves. The skin helps the dragon look like a piece of seaweed. A hungry meat eater would stay away from anything that looks like seaweed. Other animals stay safe by showing their colors. They want other animals to see them. Scientists call these bright colors--warning colors. Y ou have probably seen animals that have warning colors. Some grasshoppers show off their own bright colors. Those colors don't just look attractive; they tell their enemies to stay away. Of course, hungry predators sometimes ignore the warning. They still go after the grasshopper. If that happens, the grasshopper has a backup defense. It makes lots of foam. The foam tastes so bad that the predator won't do it again. Color doesn't offer enough protection for some other animals. They have different defenses that help them survive in the wild. Many fish live in groups or schools. That's because there is safety in numbers. At the first sign of trouble, schooling fish swim as close together as they can get. Then the school of fish makes lots of twists and turns. All that mo vement makes it hard for predators to see individuals in a large group.18. What is the speaker mainly talking about?19. What protects the sea dragon from the meat eater's attack?。
2006年6月大学英语四级真题试卷(710分制)(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 on the topic of students selecting their lecturers.You should write at least l20 words following the outline given below:1. 有些大学允许学生自由选择某些课程的任课老师。
2、学生选择老师时所考虑的主要因素是……。
3、学生自选任课老师的益处及可能产生的问题。
On Students Choosing Lecturers_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ __________________________正确答案:On Students Choosing Lecturers Nowadays, some universities give students the freedom to choose their own lecturers for some courses. This practice is greatly hurrahed among the students, as they can sit in classes given by the teachers to their liking who is earned, friendly and humorous. The ideal lecturer is one with a liberal teaching style, a profound and diverse academic background, and a good-humored and agreeable personality .So several factors should be taken into account in choosing a lecturer. In the first place, a learned teacher with a wide academic background should be preferred, since a learned teacher will greatly enlarge his/her students’ scope of knowledge in delivering his/her lessons. Secondly, a teacher with a liberal teaching style is desirable, as such a teacher will create a relaxed and pleasant classroom atmosphere, thus making learning interesting. Last but not least, attention should also be paid to the personality of the lecturer to be chosen. A friendly teacher with a good humor will treat us as friends and offer us valuable guidance beyond the lecture itself. This campus practice can definitely urge students to take an active part in study and thus pour more efforts and interest in their learning. And it will also push teachers to improve their teaching quality. But it can inevitably bring some side-effects. Some teachers might be so popular with the students that the size of his class may be too large while others may well be neglected. Thus teachers may be encouraged to cater to their students’ interest without sticking to the teaching plan.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 attached to the passage. For questions 1-7, mark:Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in thepassage;NG (for NOT GIVEN)if the information is not given in the passage.Highways Early in the 20th century, most of the streets and roads in the U. S. were made of dirt, brick, and cedar wood blocks. Built for horse, carriage, and foot traffic, they were usually poorly cared for and too narrow to accommodate(容纳) automobiles. With the increase in auto production, private turnpike(收费公路) companies under local authorities began to spring up, and by 1921 there were 387,000 miles of paved roads. Many were built using specifications of 19th century Scottish engineers Thomas Telford and John MacAdam(for whom the macadam surface is named), whose specifications stressed the importance of adequate drainage. Beyond that, there were no national standards for size, weight restrictions, or commercial signs. During World War Ⅰ, roads throughout the country were nearly destroyed by the weight of trucks. When General Eisenhower returned from Germany in 1919, after serving in the U.S. Army’s first transcontinental motor convoy(车队), he noted: “The old convoy had started me thinking about good, two-lane highways, but Germany’s Autobahn or motorway had made me see the wisdom of broader ribbons across the land.”It would take another war before the federal government would act on a national highway system. During World War Ⅱ,a tremendous increase in trucks and new roads were required. The war demonstrated how critical highways were to the defense effort. Thirteen per cent of defense plants received all their supplies by truck, and almost all other plants shipped more than half of their products by vehicle. The war also revealed that local control of highways had led to a confusing variety of design standards. Even federal and state highways did not follow basic standards. Some states allowed trucks up to 36,000 pounds, while others restricted anything over 7,000 pounds. A government study recommended a national highway system of 33, 920 miles, and Congress soon passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944, which called for strict, centrally controlled design criteria. The interstate highway system was finally launched in 1956 and has been hailed as one of the greatest engineering public works projects of the century. To build its 44,000-mile web of highways, bridges, and tunnels, hundreds of unique engineering designs and solutions had to be worked out. Consider the many geographic features of the country: mountains, steep grades, wetland, rivers, deserts and plains. Variables included the slope of the land, the ability of the pavement to support the load, the intensity of road use, and the nature of the underlying soil. Urban areas were another problem.Innovative designs of roadways, tunnels, bridges, overpasses, and interchanges that could run through or bypass urban areas soon began to weave their way across the country, forever altering the face of America. Long-span, segmented-concrete, cable-stayed bridges such as Hale Boggs in Louisiana and the Sunshine Skyway in Florida, and remarkable tunnels like Fort McHenry in Maryland and Mt. Baker in Washington, met many of the nation’s physical challenges. Traffic control systems and methods of construction developed under the interstate program soon influenced highway construction around the world, and were invaluable in improving the condition of urban streets and traffic patterns. Today the interstate system links every major city in the U. S., and the U. S. with Canada and Mexico.Built with safety in mind, the highways have wide lanes and shoulders, dividing medians or barriers, long entry and exit lanes, curves engineered for safe turns, and limited access. The death rate on highways is half that of all other U.S. roads (0.86 deaths per 100 million passenger miles compared to 1.99 deaths per 100 million on all other roads). By opening the North American continent, highways have enabled consumer goods and services to reach people in remote and rural areas of the country, spurred the growth of suburbs, and provided people with greater options in terms of jobs, access to cultural programs, health care, and other benefits. Above all, the interstate system provides individuals with what they cherish most, personal freedom of mobility. The interstate system has been an essential element of the nation’s economic growth in terms of shipping and job creation: more than 75 per cent of the nation’s freight deliveries arrive by truck; and most products that arrive by rail or air use interstates for the last leg of the journey by vehicle. Not only has the highway system affected the American economy by providing shipping routes, it has led to the growth of spin-off industries like service stations, motels, restaurants, and shopping centers. It has allowed the relocation of manufacturing plants and other industries from urban areas to rural. By the end of the century there was an immense network of paved roads, residential streets, expressways, and freeways built to support millions of vehicles. The highway system was officially renamed for Eisenhower to honor his vision and leadership. The year construction began he said: “Together, the united forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the very name we bear--United States. Without them, we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts.2.National standards for paved roads were in place by 1921.A.YB.NC.NG正确答案:B解析:与原文中的.. and by 1921 there were 387,000 miles of paved roads.... Beyond that, there were no national standards for size, weight restrictions, or commercial signs. 相悖。
2006年6月英语六级真题Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of eachconversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversationand the question 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), anddecide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the AnswerSheet with a single line through the center.Example: You will hear:You will read:A) 2 hours.B) 3 hours.C) 4 hours.D) 5 hours.From the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they will start at 9o’clock in the morning and have to finish at 2 in t he afternoon. Therefore, D) “5 hours” is thecorrect answer. You should choose [D] on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single line throughthe center.Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]1. A) She met with Thomas just a few days ago.B) She can help with the orientation program.C) She is not sure she can pass on the message.D) She will certainly try to contact Thomas.2. A) Set the dinner table.B) Change the light bulbC) Clean the dining room.D) Hold the ladder for him.3. A) He’d like a piece of pie.B) He’d like some coffeeC) He’d rather stay in the warm room.D) He’s just had dinner with his friends.4. A) He has managed to sell a number of cars.B) He is contented with his current position.C) He might get fired.D) He has lost his job.5. A) Tony’s secretary.B) Paul’s girlfriend.C) Paul’s colleague.D) Tony’s wife.6. A) He was fined for running a red light.B) He was caught speeding on a fast lane.C) He had to run quickly to get the ticket.D) He made a wrong turn at the intersection.7. A) He has learned a lot from his own mistakes.B) He is quite experienced in taming wild dogs.C) He finds reward more effective than punishment.D) He thinks it important to master basic training skills.8. A) At a bookstore.B) At the dentist’s.C) In a restaurant.D) In the library.9. A) He doesn’t want Jenny to get into trouble.B) He doesn’t agree with the woman’s remark.C) He thinks Jenny’s workload too heavy at college.D) He believes most college students are running wild.10. A) It was applaudable.B) It was just terrible.C) The actors were enthusiastic.D) The plot was funny enough.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you willhear 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 choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheetwith a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11. A) Social work.B) Medical careC) Applied physicsD) Special education.12. A) The timely advice from her friends and relatives.B) The two-year professional training she received.C) Her determination to fulfill her dream.D) Her parents’ consistent moral support.13. A) To get the funding for the hospitals.B) To help the disabled children there.C) To train therapists for the children there.D) To set up an institution for the handicapped.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) At a country school in Mexico.B) In a mountain valley of Spain.C) At a small American college.D) In a small village in Chile.15. A) By expanding their minds and horizons.B) By financing their elementary education.C) By setting up a small primary school.D) By setting them an inspiring example.16. A) She wrote poetry that broke through national barriers.B) She was a talented designer of original school curriculums.C) She proved herself to be an active and capable stateswoman.D) She made outstanding contributions to children’s education.17. A) She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature.B) She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.C) She translated her books into many languages.D) She advised many statesmen on international affairs.Passage ThreeQuestion 18 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.18. A) How animals survive harsh conditions in the wild.B) How animals alter colors to match their surroundings.C) How animals protect themselves against predators.D) How animals learn to disguise themselves effectively.19. A) Its enormous size.B) Its plant-like appearance.C) Its instantaneous response.D) Its offensive smell.20. A) It helps improve their safety.B) It allows them to swim faster.C) It helps them fight their predators.D) It allows them to avoid twists and turns.Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) andD). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on theAnswer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are good reasons to be troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media.Movies. Television and video games are full of gunplay andbloodshed, and one might reasonablyask what’s wrong with a society that presents videos of domestic violence as entertainment. Mostresearchers agree that the causes of real-world violence are complex. A 1993 study by the U.S.National Academy of Sciences listed “biological, individual, family, peer, school, and communityfactors” as all playing their parts.Viewing abnormally large amounts of violent television and video games may well contributeto violent behavior in certain individuals.The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate thecase for causality (因果关系). Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group ofsocieties including theAmerican Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: “At thistime, well over 1,000 studies… point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between mediaviolence and aggressive behavior in some children.”Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies ofcatering to politicians, and evendisputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When JonathanFreedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he foundonly 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out “the mostdoubtful measures of aggression”, only 28% supported a connection.The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent mediacause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. Whenlabeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as aviolent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read ‘aggressive’or ‘non-aggressive’ words from a list, can we be sure what they are actually measuring? The intentof the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of mediaviolence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptionsand conclusions is an importantstep in the right direction.Another appropriate ster would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Severalresearchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is,of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matterhas now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse criticsand news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neitherscience nor society.21. Why is there so much violence shown in movies, TV and video games?A) There is a lot of violence in the real world today.B) Something has gone wrong with today’s society.C) Many people are fond of gunplay and bloodshed.D) Showing violence is thought to be entertaining.22. What is the skeptics (Line 3. Para.3) view of media violence?A) Violence on television is a fairly accurate reflection ofreal-world life.B) Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers.C) A causal relationship exists between media and real-world violence.D) The influence of media violence on children has been underestimated.23. The author uses the term “alarmists” (Line 1. Para.5) to refer to those who ______.A) use standardized measurements in the studies of media violenceB) initiated the debate over the influence of violent media on realityC) assert a direct link between violent media and aggressive behaviorD) use appropriate methodology in examining aggressive behavior24. In refuting the alarmists, the author advances his argument by first challenging____.A) the source and amount of their dataB) the targets of their observationC) their system of measurementD) their definition of violence25. What does the author think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media andviolence?A) More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.B) It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.C) The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.D) He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.You’re in trouble if you have to buy your own brand-name prescription drugs. Over the pastdecade, prices leaped by more than double the inflation rate. Treatments for chronic conditions caneasily top $2,000 a month-no wonder that one in four Americans can’s afford to fill theirprescriptions. The solution? A hearty chorus of “O Canada.” North of the border, where pricecontrols reign, those same brand-name drugs cost 50% to 80% less.The Canadian option is fast becoming a political wake-up call, “If our neighbors can buydrugs at reasonable prices, why can’t we?” Even to whisper that thought provokes anger.“Un-American!” And-the propagandists’ trump card (王牌)—“Wreck our brilliant health-caresystem.” Super-size drug prices, they claim, fund the research that sparks the next generation ofwonder drugs. No sky-high drug price today, no cure for cancer tomorrow. So shut up and pay up.Common sense tells you that’s a false alternative. The reward for finding. Say, a cancer cure is sohuge that no one’s going to hang it up. Nevertheless, if Canada-level pricing came to the UnitedStates, the industry’s profit margins would drop and the pace of new-drug development wouldslow. Here lies the American dilemma. Who is all this splendid medicine for? Should ourhealth-care system continue its drive toward the best of the best, even though rising numbers ofpatients can’t afford it? Or should we direct our wealth toward letting everyone in on today’s levelof care? Measured by saved lives, the latter is almost certainly the better course.To defend their profits, the drug companies have warned Canadian wholesalers andpharmacies(药房) not to sell to Americans by mail, and are cutting back supplies to those whodare.Meanwhile, the administration is playing the fear card. Officials from the Food and DrugAdministration will argue that Canadian drugs might be fake, mishandled, or even a potentialthreat to life.Do bad drugs fly around the Internet? Sure-and the more we look, the more we’ll find, But Ihaven’t heard of any raging epid emics among the hundreds of thousands of people buyingcross-border.Most users of prescription drugs don’s worry about costsa lot.They’re sheltered by employee insurance, owing just a $20 co-pay.The financial blows rain, instead, on the uninsured, especially the chronically ill who needexpensive drugs to live, This group will still include middle-income seniors on Medicare, who’llhave to dig deeply into their pockets before getting much from the new drug benefit that starts in2006.26. What is said about the consequence of the rocketing drug prices in the U.S.?A) A quarter of Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs.B) Many Americans can’t afford to see a doctor when they fall ill.C) Many Americans have to go to Canada to get medical treatment.D) The inflation rate has been more than doubled over the years.27. It can be inferred that America can follow the Canadian model and curb its soaring drugprices by _____.A) encouraging people to buy prescription drugs onlineB) extending medical insurance to all its citizensC) importing low-price prescription drugs from CanadaD) exercising price control on brand-name drugs28. How do propagandists argue for the U.S. drug pricing policy?A) Low prices will affect the quality of medicines in America.B) High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs.C) Low prices will bring about the anger of drug manufacturers.D) High-price drugs are indispensable in curing chronic diseases.29. What should be the priority of America’s hea lth-care system according to the author?A) To resolve the dilemma in the health-care system.B) To maintain America’s lead in the drug industry.C) To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.D) To quicken the pace of new drug development.30. What are American drug companies doing to protect their high profits?A) Labeling drugs bought from Canada as being fakes.B) Threatening to cut back funding for new drug research.C) Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies.D) Attributing the raging epidemics to the ineffectiveness of Canadian drugs.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.Age has its privileges in America. And one of the more prominent of them is the seniorcitizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age-in some cases as low as 55-isautomatically entitled to a dazzling array of price reductions at nearly every level of commerciallife. Eligibility is determined not by one’s need but by the date on one’s birth certificate.Practically unheard of a generation ago, the discounts have become a routine part of manybusinesses-as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them;yet,millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent (有支付能力的). Businesses thatwould never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to olderAmericans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly” and “needy”are synonymous (同义的).Perhaps that once was true, but today elderly Americans as a group have a lower poverty ratethan the rest of the population. To be sure, there is economic diversity within the elderly, and manyolder Americans are poor, But most of them aren’t. It is impossible to determine the impact of thediscounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to revenue. But in othercases the discounts are given at the expense.Directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they are a direct irritant in whatsome politicians and scholars see as a coming conflict between the generations.Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits,which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is anothersore point, Buoyed (支持) by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans aredeclining the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job-thereby lessening employment andpromotion opportunities for younger workers.Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a formidableeconomic privilege to a group with millions of members who don’t need them.It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deservepriority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enhance the myth that older peoplecan’t take care of themselves and need special treatment; and they threaten the creation of a newmyth, that the elderly are ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and otherage groups. Senior citizen discounts are the essence of the very thing older Americans are fightingagainst-discrimination by age.31. We learn from the first paragraph that____.A) offering senior citizens discounts has become routinecommercial practiceB) senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a decent lifeC) giving senior citizens discounts has boosted the market for the elderlyD) senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to geta discount32. What assumption lies behind the practice of senior citizen discounts?A) Businesses, having made a lot of profits, should do something for society in return.B) Old people are entitled to special treatment for the contribution they made to society.C) The elderly, being financially underprivileged,need humane help from society.D) Senior citizen discounts can make up for the inadequacy of the Social Security system.33. According to some politicians and scholars, senior citizen discounts will___.A) make old people even more dependent on societyB) intensify conflicts between the young and the oldC) have adverse financial impact on business companiesD) bring a marked increase in the companies revenues34. How does the author view the Social Security system?A) It encourages elderly people to retire in time.B) It opens up broad career prospects for young people.C) It benefits the old at the expense of the youngD) It should be reinforced by laws and court decisions35. Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main argument?A) Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination.B) The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted.C) Priority should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens.D) Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination.Passage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.In 1854 my great-grandfather, Morris Marable, was sold on an auction block in Georgia for$500. For his white slave master, the sale was just “business as usual.” But to Morris Marableand his heirs, slavery was a crime against our humanity. This pattern of human rights violationsagainst enslaved African-Americans continued under racial segregation for nearly another century.The fundamental problem of American democracy in the 21st century is the problem of “structuralracism” the deep patterns of s ocio-economic inequality and accumulated disadvantage that arecoded by race, and constantly justified in public speeches by both racist stereotypes and whiteindifference. Do Americans have the capacity and vision to remove these structural barriers thatdeny democratic rights and opportunities to millions of their fellowcitizens?This country has previously witnessed two great struggles to achieve a truly multiculturaldemocracy.The First Reconstruction (1865-1877) ended slavery and briefly gave black men voting rights,but gave no meaningful compensation for two centuries of unpaid labor. The promise of “40 acresand a mule (骡子)”was for most blacks a dream deferred (尚未实现的).The Second Reconstruction (1954-1968), or the modern civil rights movement, ended legalsegregation in public accommodations and gave blacks voting rights . But these successesparadoxically obscure the tremendous human costs of historically accumulated disadvantage thatremain central to black Americans’ lives.The disproportionate wealth that most whites enjoy today was first constructed fromcenturies of unpaid black labor. Many white institutions, including some leading universities,insurance companies and banks, profited from slavery. This pattern of white privilege and blackinequality continues today.Demanding reparations (赔偿) is not just about compensation for slavery and segregation. Itis, more important, an educational campaign to highlight the contemporary reality of “racialdeficits” of all kinds, the unequal conditions that impact blacks regardless of class. Structuralracism’s barriers include “equity inequity.” the absence of black capital formation that is a directconsequence of America’s history. One third of all black households actually have negative netwealth. In 1998 the typical black family’s net wealth was $16,400, less than one fifth that ofwhite families.Black families are denied home loans at twice the rate of whites.Blacks remain the last hired and first fired during recessions.During the 1990-91 recession. African-Americans suffered disproportionately. At Coca-Cola,42 percent of employees who lost their jobs were blacks. At Sears, 54 percent were black, Blackshave significantly shorter life spans, in part due to racism in the health establishment. Blacks arestatistically less likely than whites to be referred for kidneytransplants or early-stage cancersurgery.36. To the author, the auction of his great-grandfather is a typical example of____.A) crime against humanityB) unfair business transactionC) racial conflicts in GeorgiaD) racial segregation in America37. The barrier to democracy in 21st century America is____.A) widespread use of racist stereotypesB) prejudice against minority groupsC) deep-rooted socio-economic inequalityD) denial of legal rights to ordinary blacks38. What problem remains unsolved in the two Reconstructions?A) Differences between races are deliberately obscured.B) The blacks are not compensated for their unpaid labor.C) There is no guarantee for blacks to exercise their rights.D) The interests of blacks are not protected by law.39. It is clear that the wealth enjoyed by most whites____.A) has resulted from business successes over the yearsB) has been accompanied by black capital formationC) has derived from sizable investments in educationD) has been accumulated from generations of slavery40. What does the author think of the current situation regarding racial discrimination?A) Racism is not a major obstacle to blacks’ employment.B) Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouchedC) A major step has been taken towards reparations.D) Little has been done to ensure blacks’ civil rights.Part III Vocabulary (20 minutes)Direction: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence thereare four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that bestcompletes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet witha single line through the centre.41. Because of the of its ideas, the book was in wide circulationboth at home andabroad.A)originality B) subjectivityC) generality D) ambiguity42. With its own parliament and currency and a common ___ for peace, the EuropeanUnion declared itself—in 11 official languages—open for business.A) inspiration B) assimilationC) intuition D) aspiration43. America has now adopted more _________ European-style inspection systems, and theincidence of food poisoning is falling.A) discrete B) solemnC) rigorous D) autonomous44. Mainstream pro-market economists all agree that competition is an ___ spur toefficiency and innovation.A) extravagant B) exquisiteC) intermittent D) indispensable45. In the late 19th century, Jules Verne, the master of science fiction, foresaw many of thetechnological wonders that are ___ today.A) transient B) commonplaceC) implicit D) elementary46. I was so ___ when I used the automatic checkout lane in the supermarket for the firsttime.A) immersed B) assaultedC) thrilled D) dedicated47. His arm was ___ from the shark’s mouth and rea ttached, but the boy, who alreadydied, remained in a delicate condition.A)retrieved B) retainedC) repelled D) restored48. Bill Gates and Walt Disney are two people America has ___ to be the GreatestAmerican.A) appointed B) appeasedC) nicknamed D) dominated49. The ___ majority of citizens tend to believe that the death penalty will help decreasethe crime rate.A) overflowing B) overwhelmingC) prevalent D) premium50. We will also see a ___ increase in the number of televisions per household, as smallTV displays are added to clocks, coffee makers and smoke detectors.A) startling B) surpassingC) suppressing D) stacking51. The advance of globalization is challenging some of our most ___ values and ideas,including our idea of w hat constitutes “home”.A) enriched B) enlightenedC) cherished D) chartered52. Researchers have discovered that ___ with animals in an active way may lower aperson’s blood pressure.A) interacting B) integratingC) migrating D) merging53. The Beatles, the most famous British band of the 196.s, traveled worldwide for many years,_________ cultural barriers.A) transporting B) transplantingC) transferring D) transcending54. In his last years, Henry suffered from a disease that slowly ___ him of much of hissight.A) relieved B) jeopardizedC) deprived D) eliminated55. Weight lifting, or any other sport that builds up your muscles, can make bones become denserand less ___ to injury.A) attached B) proneC) immune D) reconciled56. He has ___ to museums hundreds of his paintings as well as his entire personalcollection of modern art.A) ascribed B) attributedC) designated D) donated57. Erik’s website contains ___ photographs and hundreds of articles and short videosfrom his trip around the globe.A) prosperous B) gorgeousC) spacious D) simultaneous58. Optimism is a ___ shown to be associated with good physical health, less depressionand longer life.A) trail B) traitC) trace D) track59. The institution has a highly effective program which helps first-year students make asuccessful ___ into college life.A) transformation B) transmissionC) transition D) transaction60. Philosophers believe that desire, hatred and envy are “negative emotions” which ___the mind and lead it into a pursuit of power and possessions.A) distort B) reinforceC) exert D) scramble61. The term “glass ceiling” was first used by the Wall Street Journal to describe the apparentbarriers that prevent women from reaching the top of the corporate ___.A) seniority B) superiorityC) height D) hierarchy62. Various efforts have been made over the centuries to predict earthquakes, including observinglights in the sky and ___ animal behavior.A) abnormal B) exoticC) absurd D) erroneous63. Around 80 percent of the ___ characteristics of most white Britons have beenpassed down from a few thousand Ice Age hunters.A) intelligible B) randomC) spontaneous D) genetic64. Picasso gained popularity in the mid-20th century, which was ___ of a new attitudetowards modern art.A) informative B) indicativeC) exclusive D) expressive65. The country was an island that enjoyed civilized living fora thousand years or more withlittle ___ from the outside world.A) disturbance B) discriminationC) irritation D) irregularity66. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and ________ .A) stability B) capabilityC) durability D) availability67. Back in the days when people traveled by horse and carriage,。
洛基英语,中国在线英语教育领导品牌Part ⅢListening Comprehensionsection ADirections: In this section,you will hear 8short conversationa and 2 long sentance.At the end of each conversations,one oremore qusetions will be asked about what was both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once,After eachquestion there will be a pause.you must read the four choices with A) B) C)and D).and decide which is the best answer ,then letter on Answer sheet 2 with a single line though the centre.注意:此部分答题在答题卡2上作答。
11.A)The girls got on well with each other.B)It's understandable that girls don't get along.C)She was angry eith the other young stars.D)The girls lacked the courage to fight.12.A)The woman does her own housework.B)The woman needs a housekeeper.C)The woman's house is in a mess.D)The woman works as a housekeeper.13.A)The Edwards are quite well-off.B)The Edwards should cut down on their living expenses.C)It'll be unwise for the Edwards to buy another house.D)It's too expensive for the Edwards to live in their present house.14.A)The woman didn't except it to be so warm at noon.B)The woman is sensitive to weather changes.C)The weather forrcast was unreliableD)The weather turned cold all of a sudden.15.A)At a clinic.B)At a restaurant.C)In a supermarket.D)In an ice cream shop.16.A)The woman did not feel any danger growing up in the Bronx.B)The man thinks it was quite safe living in the Bronx district.C)The woman started working at an early age to support her family .D)The man doesn's think it safe to send an 8-year-old to buy things.17.A)The man has never seen the woman before.B)The two speakers work for the same company.C)The two speakers work in the same floor.D)The woman is interested in market research.18.A)The woman can't tolerate any noise.B)The man is looking foe an apartment.C)The man has missed his appointment.D)the woman is going to take a train trip.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19.A)To make a business report to the woman .B)To be interviewed for a job in the woman's company.C)To resign from his position in the woman's company.D)To exchange stock market infotmation with the woman.20.A)He is head of a small teading company.B)He works in an international insurance company.C)He leads s team of brokers in a big company.D)He is a public relations officer in a small company.21.A)The woman thinks Mr.Saunders is asking for more than they can offer.B)Mr.Saunders will share one third of the woman's responsibilities.C)Mr.Saunders believes that he deserves more paid vacations.D)The woman seems to be satisfied with Mr.Saunders' past experience.22.A)She's worried about the seminar.B)The man keeps intertupting her.C)She finds it too hard.D)She lacks interest in it.23.A)The lecturers are boring.B)The course is poorly designed.C)She prefers Philosophy to English.D)She enjoys literature more.24.A)Karen's friend.B)Karen's parents.C)Karen's lecturers.D)Karen's herself.25.A)Changing her major.B)Spending less of her parents' money.C)Getting transferred to the Englidh Department.D)Leaving the university.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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答.Passage OneQuestion 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26.A)Rent a grave.B)Burn the body.C)Buty the dead near a church.D)buy a piece of land for a grave.27.A)To solve the problem of lacj of land.B)To see whether they have decayed.C)To follow the Greek religious practice.D)To move them to a multi-Storey28.A)They should be buried lying dowm .B)They should be buried standing up.C)They should be buried after being washed.D)They should be buried when partially decayed.29.A)Burning dead bodies to ashes.B)Storing dead bodies in a remote place.C)Placing dead bodies in a bone room.D)Digging up dead bodies after three years.Passage TwoQuestion 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30.A)Many foreign tourist visit the Unite States every year.B)Americans enjoy eating out with their friends.C)The United States is a country of immigrants.D)Americans prefer foreign foods to their own food.31.A)They can make friends with people from other countries.B)They can get to know people of other cultures and their lifestyles.C)They can practise speaking foreign languages there.D)They can meet with businessmen from all over the world.32.A)The couple cook the dishes and the children help them .B)The husband does the cooking and the wife serves as the address.C)The mother does the cooking while the famepand children withon the guests.D)A hired cook prepares the dishes and the farmily members serve the guests. Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard .33.A)He took them to watch a basketball game.B)He trained them to play European football.C)He let them compete in getting balls out of a basket.D)He taught them to play an exciting new game.34.A)The players found the basket too high to teach.B)The players had trouble getting the ball out of the basket.C)The players had difficulty understanding the complex rules.D)The players soon found the game boring.35.A)By removing the bottom of the basket.B)By lowering the position of the basket.C)By simplifying the complex rules.D)By altering the size Of the basket.Sectin 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.Forblank numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing infornation,For these blanks ,you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words.Flinally,when the passage is read for the third time,you should check what you have written .注意:此部分试题在答题卡2上;请在答题卡2上作答。
2006年6月英语四级考试真题(新题型)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of students selecting their lecturers. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1.有些大学允许学生自由选择某些课程的任课老师2.学生选择老师时所考虑的主要因素是3.学生自选任课老师的益处及可能产生的问题注意:实考中,此部分试题在答题卡1上。
On Students Selecting LecturersPart II R eading Comprehension ( Skimming and Scanning) (15 minules )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, markY(for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N ( for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;NG(for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.HighwaysEarly in the 20th century, most of the streets and roads in the U.S. were made of dirt, brick, and cedar wood blocks. Built for horse, carriage, and foot traffic, they were usually poorly cared for and too narrow to accommodate ( 容纳) automobiles.With the increase in auto production, private turnpike(收费公路) companies under local authorities began to spring up, and by 1921 there were 387,000 miles of paved roads. Many were built using specifications of 19th century Scottish engineers Thomas Telford and John MacAdam( for whom the macadam surface is named), whose specifications stressed the importance of adequate drainage. Beyond that, there were no national standards for size, weightrestrictions, or commercial signs. During World War I, roads throughout the country were nearly destroyed by the weight of trucks. When General Eisenhower returned from Germany in 1919, after serving in the U. S. Anny's first transcontinental motor convoy (车队), he noted: "The old convoy had started me thinking about good, two-lane highways, but Germany's Autobahn or motorway had made me see the wisdom of broader ribbons across the land. ' It would take another war before the federal government would act on a national highway system. During World War Il ,a tremendous increase in trucks and new roads were required. The war demonstrated how criticalhighways were to the defense effort. Thirteen per cent of defense plants received all their supplies by truck, and almost all other plants shipped more than half of their products by vehicle. The war also revealed that local control of highways had led to a confusing variety of design standards. Even federal and state highways did not follow basic standards. Some states allowed trucks up to 36,000 pounds, while others restricted anything over 7,000 pounds. A government study recommended a national highway system of 33,920 miles, and Congress soon passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944, which called for strict, centrally controlled design criteria.The interstate highway system was finally launched in 1956 and has been hailed as one of the greatest public works projects of the century. To build its 44,000-mile web of highways, bridges, and tunnels, hundreds of unique engineering designs and solutions had to be worked out. Consider the many geographic features of the country: mountains, steep grades, wetland, rivers, deserts and plains. Variables included the slope of the land, the ability of the pavement to support the load, the intensity of road use, and the nature of the underlying soil. Urban areas wereanother problem. Innovative designs of roadways, tunnels, bridges, overpasses, and interchanges that could run through or bypass urban areas soon began to weave their way across the country, forever altering the face of America.Long-span, segmented-concrete, cable-stayed bridges such as Hale Boggs in Louisiana and the Sunshine Skyway in Florida, and remarkable tunnels like Fort McHenry in Maryland and Mt. Baker in Washington, met many of the nation's physical challenges. Traffic control systems and methods of construction developed under the interstate program soon influenced highway construction around the world, and were invaluable in improving the condition of urban streetsand traffic patterns.Today, the interstate system links every major city in the U. S. , and the U. S. with Canada and Mexico. Built with safety in mind, the highways have wide lanes and shoulders, dividing medians or barriers, long entry and exit lanes, curves engineered for safe turns, and limited access. The death rate on highways is half that of all other U. S. roads(0.86 deaths per 100 million passenger miles compared to 1.99 deaths per 100 million on all other roads).By opening the North American continent, highways have enabled consumer goods and services to reach people in remote and rural areas of the country, spurred the growth of suburbs, and provided people with greater options in terms of jobs, access to cultural programs, health care, and other benefits. Above all, the interstate system provides individuals with what they cherish most: personal !~eedom of mobility.The interstate system has been an essent-iai element of the nation's economic growth in terms of shipping and job creation: more than 75 per cent of the nation's freight deliveries arrive by truck; and most products that arrive by rail or air use interstates for the last leg of the journey by vehicle. Not only has the highway system affected the American economy by providing shipping routes, it has led to the growth of spin-off industries like service stations, motels, restaurants, and shopping centers. It has allowed the relocation of manufacturing plants and other industries from urban areas to rural.By the end of the century there was an immense network of paved roads, residential streets, expressways, and freeways built to support millions of vehicles. The highway system was officially renamed for Eisenhower to honor his visi0n and leadership. The year construction began he said: "Together, the united forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamie elements in the very name we bear---United States. Without them, we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts."注意:实考中,8-10题在答题卡1上1. National standards for paved roads were in place by 1921.2. General Eisenhower felt that the broad German motorways made more sense than the two-lane highways of America.3. It was in the 1950s that the American government finally took action to build a national highway system.4. Many of the problems presented by the country's geographical features found solutions in innovative engineering projects.5. In spite of safety considerations, the death rate on interstate highways is still higher than that of other American roads.6. The interstate highways system provides access between major military installations in America.7. Service stations, motels and restaurants promoted the development of the interstate highway system.8. The greatest benefits brought about by the interstate system was9. Trucks using the the interstate highways deliver more than10. The interstate system was renamed after Eisenhower in recognition ofPart III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of eachconversation, one or more questious 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) The girls got on well with each other. B) It's understandable that girls don't get along.C) She was angry with the other young stars. D) The girls lacked the courage to fight.12. A) The woman does her own housework~t B) The woman needs a housekeeper.C) The weather house is in a mess. D) The weather works as a housekeeper.13. A) The Edwards are quite well off.B) The Edwards should cut down on their living expenses.C) It'll be unwise for the Edwards to buy another h0use.D) It's too expensive for the Edwards to live in their present house.14. A) The woman didn't expect it to be so warm at noon. B) The woman is sensitive to weather changes.C) The weather forecast was unreliable. D) The weather turned cold all of a sudden.15. A) At a clinic. B) In a supermarket.C) At a restaurant. D) In an ice cream shop.16. A) The woman did not feel any danger growing up in the Bronx.B) The man thinks it was quite safe living in the Bronx district.C) The woman started working at an early age to support her family.D) The man doesn't think it safe to send an 8-year-old to buy things.17. A) The man has never seen the woman before. B) The two speakers work for the same company.C) The two speakers work on the same floor. D) The woman is interested in market research.18. A) The woman can't tolerate any noise. B) The man is looking for an apartment.C) The man has missed his appointment. D) The woman is going to take a train trip. Questions 19 to21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) To make a business report to the woman.B) To be interviewed for a job in the woman's company.C) To resign from his position in the woman's company.D) To exchange stock market information with the woman.20. A) He is head of a small trading company. B) He works in an international insurance company.C) He leads a team of brokers in a big company. D) He is a public relations officer in a small company.21. A) The woman thinks Mr. Sannders is asking for more than they can offer.B) Mr. Saunders will share one third of the woman's responsibilities.C) Mr. Saunders believes that he deserves more paid vacations.D) The woman seems to be satisfied with Mr. Saunders's past experience.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.22. A) She's worried about the seminar. B) The man keeps interrupting her.C) She finds it too hard. D) She lacks interest in it.23. A) The lecturers are boring. B) The course is poorly designed.C) She prefers Philosophy to English. D) She enjoys literature more.24. A) Karen's friend. B) Karen's parents. C) Karen's lecturers. D) Karen herself.25. A) Changing her major. B) Spending less of her parents' money.C) Getting transferred to the English Department. D) Leaving the university.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) Rent a grave. B) Bury the body.C) Bury the dead near a church. D) Buy a piece of land for a grave.27. A) To solve the problem of lack of la, id: B) To see whether they have decayed.C) To follow the Greek religious practice. D) T0 move them to a muhi-storey graveyard.28. A) They should be buried lying down. BI They should be buried standing up.C) They should be buffed after being washed. D) They should be buried when partially decayed.29. A) Burning dead bodies to ashes. B) Storing dead bodies in a remote place.C) Placing dead bodies in a bone room. D) Digging up dead bodies after three years. Passage TwoQuestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. A) Many foreign tourists visit the United States every year.B) Americans enjoy eating out with their friends.C) The United States is a country of immigrants.D) Americans prefer foreign foods to their own food.31. A) They can make friends with people from other countries.B) They can get to know people of other cultures and their lifestyles.C) They can practise speaking foreign languages there.D) They can meet with businessmen from all over the world.32. A) The couple cook the dishes and the children help them.B) The husband does the cooking and the wife serves as the waitress.C) The mother does the cooking while the father and the children wait on the guests.D) A hired cook prepares the dishes and the family members serve the guests.Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. A) He took them to watch a basketball game.B) He trained them to play European football.C) He let them compete in getting balls out of a basket.D) He taught them to play an exciting new game.34. A) The players found the basket too high to reach.B) The players had trouble getting the ball out of the basket.C) The players had difficulty understanding the complex rules.D) The players soon found the game boring,35. A) By removing the bottom of the basket B) By lowering the position of the basket.C) By simplifying the complex rules. D) By altering the size of the basket.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 rend 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 rend for the third time, you should check what you have written.注意:实考中,该试题在答题卡2上。
2006年6月英语六级真题Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are good reasons to be troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies. Television and video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what‟s wrong with a society that presents videos of domestic violence as entertainment. Most researchers agree that the causes of real-world violence are complex. A 1993 study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences listed “biological, i ndividual, family, peer, school, and community factors” as all playing their parts.Viewing abnormally large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in certain individuals.The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate the case for causality (因果关系). Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group of societies including theAmerican Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: “At this time, well over 1,000 studies… point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children.”Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of catering to politicians, and even disputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out “the most doubtful measures of aggression”, only 28% supported a connectio n.The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read …aggressive‟ or …non-aggressive‟ words from a list, can we be sure what they are actually measuring? The intent of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions is an important step in the right direction.Another appropriate ster would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is,of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society.21. Why is there so much violence shown in movies, TV and video games?A) There is a lot of violence in the real world today.B) Something has gone wrong with today‟s society.C) Many people are fond of gunplay and bloodshed.D) Showing violence is thought to be entertaining.22. What is the skeptics (Line 3. Para.3) view of media violence?A) Violence on television is a fairly accurate reflection of real-world life.B) Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers.C) A causal relationship exists between media and real-world violence.D) The influence of media violence on children has been underestimated.23. The author uses the term “alarmists” (Line 1. Para.5) to refer to those who ______.A) use standardized measurements in the studies of media violenceB) initiated the debate over the influence of violent media on realityC) assert a direct link between violent media and aggressive behaviorD) use appropriate methodology in examining aggressive behavior24. In refuting the alarmists, the author advances his argument by first challenging____.A) the source and amount of their dataB) the targets of their observationC) their system of measurementD) their definition of violence25. What does the author think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media and violence?A) More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.B) It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.C) The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.D) He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.Y ou’re in trouble if you have to buy your own brand-name prescription drugs. Over the past decade, prices leaped by more than double the inflation rate. Treatments for chronic conditions can easily top $2,000 a month-no wonder that one in four Americans can’s afford to fill their prescriptions. The solution? A hearty chorus of “O Canada.” North of the border, where price controls reign, those same brand-name drugs cost 50% to 80% less.The Canadian option is fast becoming a political wake-up call, “If our neighbors can buy drugs at reasonable prices, why can‟t we?” Even to whisper that thought provokes anger.“Un-American!”And-the propagandists’trump card (王牌)—“Wreck our brilliant health-care system.” Super-size drug prices, they claim, fund the research that sparks the next generation of wonder drugs. No sky-high drug price today, no cure for cancer tomorrow. So shut up and pay up. Common sense tells you that‟s a false alternative. The reward for finding. Say, a cancer cure is so huge that no one‟s going to hang it up. Nevertheless, if Canada-level pricing came to the United States, the industry‟s profit margins would drop and the pace of new-drug development would slow. Here lies the American dilemma. Who is all this splendid medicine for? Should ourhealth-care system continue its drive toward the best of the best, even though rising numbers of patients can‟t afford it? Or should we direct our wealth toward letting everyone in on today‟s level of care? Measured by saved lives, the latter is almost certainly the better course.To defend their profits, the drug companies have warned Canadian wholesalers and pharmacies(药房) not to sell to Americans by mail, and are cutting back supplies to those who dare.Meanwhile, the administration is playing the fear card. Officials from the Food and Drug Administration will argue that Canadian drugs might be fake, mishandled, or even a potential threat to life.Do bad drugs fly around the Internet? Sure-and the more we look, the more we’ll find, But I haven‟t heard of any raging epid emics among the hundreds of thousands of people buyingcross-border.Most users of prescription drugs don’s worry about costs a lot.They’re sheltered by employee insurance, owing just a $20 co-pay.The financial blows rain, instead, on the uninsured, especially the chronically ill who need expensive drugs to live, This group will still include middle-income seniors on Medicare, who‟ll have to dig deeply into their pockets before getting much from the new drug benefit that starts in 2006.26. What is said about the consequence of the rocketing drug prices in the U.S.?A) A quarter of Americans can‟t afford their prescription drugs.B) Many Americans can‟t afford to see a doctor when they fall ill.C) Many Americans have to go to Canada to get medical treatment.D) The inflation rate has been more than doubled over the years.27. It can be inferred that America can follow the Canadian model and curb its soaring drug prices by _____.A) encouraging people to buy prescription drugs onlineB) extending medical insurance to all its citizensC) importing low-price prescription drugs from CanadaD) exercising price control on brand-name drugs28. How do propagandists argue for the U.S. drug pricing policy?A) Low prices will affect the quality of medicines in America.B) High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs.C) Low prices will bring about the anger of drug manufacturers.D) High-price drugs are indispensable in curing chronic diseases.29. What should be the priority of America‟s hea lth-care system according to the author?A) To resolve the dilemma in the health-care system.B) To maintain America‟s lead in the drug industry.C) To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.D) To quicken the pace of new drug development.30. What are American drug companies doing to protect their high profits?A) Labeling drugs bought from Canada as being fakes.B) Threatening to cut back funding for new drug research.C) Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies.D) Attributing the raging epidemics to the ineffectiveness of Canadian drugs.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.Age has its privileges in America. And one of the more prominent of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age-in some cases as low as 55-is automatically entitled to a dazzling array of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility is determined not by one‟s need but by the date on one‟s birth certificate. Practically unheard of a generation ago, the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses-as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them;yet,millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent (有支付能力的). Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly” and “needy” are synonymous (同义的).Perhaps that once was true, but today elderly Americans as a group have a lower poverty rate than the rest of the population. To be sure, there is economic diversity within the elderly, and manyolder Americans are poor, But most of them aren‟t. It is impossible to determine the impact of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to revenue. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense.Directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they are a direct irritant in what some politicians and scholars see as a coming conflict between the generations.Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits,which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another sore point, Buoyed (支持) by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are declining the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job-thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers.Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a formidable economic privilege to a group with millions of members who don‟t need them.It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enhance the myth that older people can’t take care of themselves and need special treatment;and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly are ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the essence of the very thing older Americans are fighting against-discrimination by age.31. We learn from the first paragraph that____.A) offering senior citizens discounts has become routine commercial practiceB) senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a decent lifeC) giving senior citizens discounts has boosted the market for the elderlyD) senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to get a discount32. What assumption lies behind the practice of senior citizen discounts?A) Businesses, having made a lot of profits, should do something for society in return.B) Old people are entitled to special treatment for the contribution they made to society.C) The elderly, being financially underprivileged,need humane help from society.D) Senior citizen discounts can make up for the inadequacy of the Social Security system.33. According to some politicians and scholars, senior citizen discounts will___.A) make old people even more dependent on societyB) intensify conflicts between the young and the oldC) have adverse financial impact on business companiesD) bring a marked increase in the companies revenues34. How does the author view the Social Security system?A) It encourages elderly people to retire in time.B) It opens up broad career prospects for young people.C) It benefits the old at the expense of the youngD) It should be reinforced by laws and court decisions35. Which of the following best summarizes the author‟s main argument?A) Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination.B) The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted.C) Priority should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens.D) Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discriminat ion.Passage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.In 1854 my great-grandfather, Morris Marable, was sold on an auction block in Georgia for $500. For his white slave master, the sale was just “business as usual.”But to Morris Marable and his heirs, slavery was a crime against our humanity. This pattern of human rights violations against enslaved African-Americans continued under racial segregation for nearly another century. The fundamental problem of American democracy in t he 21st century is the problem of “structural racism” the deep patterns of socio-economic inequality and accumulated disadvantage that are coded by race, and constantly justified in public speeches by both racist stereotypes and white indifference. Do Americans have the capacity and vision to remove these structural barriers that deny democratic rights and opportunities to millions of their fellowcitizens?This country has previously witnessed two great struggles to achieve a truly multicultural democracy.The First Reconstruction (1865-1877) ended slavery and briefly gave black men voting rights,but gave no meaningful compensation for two centuries of unpaid labor. The promise of “40 acres and a mule (骡子)”was for most blacks a dream deferred (尚未实现的).The Second Reconstruction (1954-1968), or the modern civil rights movement, ended legal segregation in public accommodations and gave blacks voting rights . But these successes paradoxically obscure the tremendous human costs of historically accumulated disadvantage that remain central to black Americans‟ lives.The disproportionate wealth that most whites enjoy today was first constructed from centuries of unpaid black labor. Many white institutions, including some leading universities,insurance companies and banks, profited from slavery. This pattern of white privilege and black inequality continues today.Demanding reparations (赔偿) is not just about compensation for slavery and segregation. It is, more important, an educational campa ign to highlight the contemporary reality of “racial deficits” of all kinds, the unequal conditions that impact blacks regardless of class. Structural racism‟s barriers include “equity inequity.” the absence of black capital formation that is a direct c onsequence of America‟s history. One third of all black households actually have negative net wealth. In 1998 the typical black family’s net wealth was $16,400, less than one fifth that of white families.Black families are denied home loans at twice the rate of whites.Blacks remain the last hired and first fired during recessions.During the 1990-91 recession. African-Americans suffered disproportionately. At Coca-Cola, 42 percent of employees who lost their jobs were blacks. At Sears, 54 percent were black, Blacks have significantly shorter life spans, in part due to racism in the health establishment. Blacks are statistically less likely than whites to be referred for kidney transplants or early-stage cancer surgery.36. To the author, the auction of his great-grandfather is a typical example of____.A) crime against humanityB) unfair business transactionC) racial conflicts in GeorgiaD) racial segregation in America37. The barrier to democracy in 21st century America is____.A) widespread use of racist stereotypesB) prejudice against minority groupsC) deep-rooted socio-economic inequalityD) denial of legal rights to ordinary blacks38. What problem remains unsolved in the two Reconstructions?A) Differences between races are deliberately obscured.B) The blacks are not compensated for their unpaid labor.C) There is no guarantee for blacks to exercise their rights.D) The interests of blacks are not protected by law.39. It is clear that the wealth enjoyed by most whites____.A) has resulted from business successes over the yearsB) has been accompanied by black capital formationC) has derived from sizable investments in educationD) has been accumulated from generations of slavery40. What does the author think of the current situation regarding racial discrimination?A) Racism is not a major obstacle to blacks‟ employment.B) Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouchedC) A major step has been taken towards reparations.D) Little has been done to ensure blacks‟ civil rights.21 D) Showing violence is thought to be entertaining22 B) Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers.23 C) assert a direct line between violent media and aggressive behavior.24 D) their definition of violence25 A) More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.26 A) A quarter of Americans can't afford their prescription drubs.27 D) exercising price control on brand-name drugs.28 B) High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs.29 C) To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.30 C) Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies.31 A) offering senior citizens discounts has become routine commercial practice32 C) The elderly, being financ ially underprivileged, need human help from society.33 B) intensify conflicts between the young and the old34 C) It benefits the old at the expense of the young.35 D) Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age36 A) crime against humanity37 C) deep-rooted socio-economic inequality38 B) The blacks are not compensated for their unpaid labor39 D) has been accumulated from generations of slavery40 B) Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouched.。
D) Jimmy will regret marrying a Frenchwoman.Section B Directions: 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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11.A) It has done more harm than good in the southern USA.B) It was brought to the northern USA by Asian farmers.C) It was introduced into the USA to kill harmful weeds.D) It can be used by farmers to protect large buildings.12. A) They will become too hard to plough. B) They will soon be overgrown with kudzu. C) People will have to rely on kudzu for a living. D) People will find it hard to protect the soil.13. A) The soil there is not so suitable for the plant.B) The factories there have found a good use for it.C) The farmers there have brought it under control. D) The climate there is unfavorable to its growth.Passage Two Questions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) The universe as a whole. C) An association of teachers and scholars.B) A society of legal professionals. D) A business corporation. 15. A) Provincial colleges were taken over by larger universities.B) Its largest expansion took place during that period.C) Small universities combined to form bigger ones. D) Its role in society went through a dramatic change.16. A) Private donations. C) Government funding. B) Fees paid by students. D) Grants from corporations.Passage Three Questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.17. A) He was interested in the study of wild animals.B) He started the organization Heifer International.C) He was wounded in the Spanish civil war. D) He sold his cows to many countries in the world.18. A) To make plans for the development of poor communities.B) To teach people how to use new skills to raise animals.C) To help starving families to become self-supporting. D) To distribute food to the poor around the world.19. A) They should submit a report of their needs and goals.B) They should provide food for the local communities.C) They should offer all baby animals to their poor neighbors.D) They should help other families the way they have been helped.。
2006年6月英语六级听力真题及mp3下载Part I Listening Comprehension 20 minutes)Section A1. M: Mary, could you please tell Thomas to contact me? I was hoping he would be able to help me out with the freshmen orientation program next week.W: I would certainly tell him if I saw him, but I haven't seen him around for quite a few days.Q: What does the woman mean?2. M: Susan, I am going to change the light bulb above the dining room table. Will you hold the ladder for me?W: No problem. But be careful while you're up there.Q: What does the man want the woman to do?3. W: It's freezing cold. Let me make some coffee to warm us up. Do you want a piece of pie as well?M: Coffee sounds great. But I'm going to have dinner with some friends in a while, so I'd better skip the pie.Q: What does the man mean?4. W: How come Jim lost his job?M: I didn't say he had lost it. All I said was if he didn't get out and start selling a few cars instead of idling around all day, he might find himself looking for a new job.Q: What does the man say about Jim?5. M: Hello, Mary. This is Paul at the bank. Is Tony home?W: Not yet. Paul. I don't think you can reach him at the office now, either. He phoned me five minutes ago to say he was stopping for a hair-cut on his way home.Q: Who do you think the woman probably is?6. W: Oh! Boy! I don't understand how you got a ticket today. I always thought you were slow even driving on the less crowded fast lane.M: I'm usually careful. But this time I thought I could get through the intersection before the light turned.Q: What do we learn about the man?7. W: Your dog certainly seems to know you are his master. Did you have to punish him very often when you trained him?M: I found it's much better to praise him when he obeys and not to be so fussy when he makes mistakes.Q: What does the man say about training dogs?8. M: I am afraid there won't be time to do another tooth today. Make sure you don't eat anything like stakes for the next few hours, and we'll fill the other cavity tomorrow.W: All right. Actually, I must hurry to the library to return some books.Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?9. W: I am worried about Jenny going to college. College students are so wild nowadays.M: Actually, only a few are like that. Most students are too busy studying to have time to cause trouble.Q: What does the man imply?10. W: You didn't seem to be terribly enthusiastic about the performance.M: You must be kidding. I couldn't have clapped any harder. My hands are still hurting.Q: What does the man think of the performance?Section BPassage 1Born and raised in central Ohio, I'm a country girl through and through. I'm currently studying to become a physical therapist, a career path that marks a great achievement for me. At Ohio State University, admission into the physical therapy program is intensely competitive. I made it pass the first cut the first year I applied, but was turned down for admission. I was crushed, because for years I have been determined to become a physical therapist. I received advice from friends and relatives about changing my major and finding another course for my life.I just couldn't do it. I knew I could not be as happy in another profession. So I stilled myself, began to work seriously for another year and reapplied. Happily I received notice of my admission. Later, I found out that less than 15% of the applicant had been offered positions that year. Now in the first two years of professional training, I couldn't be happier with my decision not to give up on my dream. My father told me that if I wanted it badly enough, I would get in. Well, Daddy, I wanted it. So there. After graduation, I would like to travel to another country, possibly a Latin American country and work in a children's hospital for a year or two. So many of the children there are physically handicapped but most hospitals don't have the funding to hire trained staff to care for them properly.I would like to change that somehow.11. What is the speaker's field of study?12. According to the speaker, what contributed to her admission to Ohio State University?13. Why does the speaker want to go to a Latin American country?Passage 2Gabriela Mistral was once an ordinary teacher in a small village school in Northern Chile. Towering mountains separate her village from the world outside. Gabriela Mistral was only fifteen when she began teaching, but she was a good teacher. She helped the minds of her students' scale the mountain walls and reached out to the world beyond. For eighteen years, Gabriela devoted her life to the poor farm children of Chile's Northern valleys. During part of this time, she was director of schools in all of Chile. Before long, many countries recognized her as a great friend of children and the leader in education. In 1922, she was invited to Mexico to help organize the rural school system. Two years later, Gabriela Mistral came to the United States where she served as a visiting professor in several colleges. In New York City, a group of teachers helped to finance the publication of her first book of poetry. Some of her books have been translated into six different languages. She gave the income from some of her books to help poor and neglected children. Beginning inthe 1920's, her interests reached out to broader fields. Statesmen asked her advice on international problems. She tried to break through the national barriers that hindered the exchange of ideas among the Spanish speaking peoples of South America. She tried to develop a better understanding between the United States and countries of Latin America. In 1945, she gained worldwide recognition by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, the first Southern American to win the prize.14. Where did Gabriela Mistral start her teaching career?15. How did Gabriela Mistral help the poor children of her hometown?16. Why did many countries think highly of Gabriela Mistral?17. How did Gabriela Mistral become famous all over the world?Passage 3Over time animals have developed many ways to stay away from predators. A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals. Hiding is one of the best ways to stay alive. Some animals hide by looking like the places where they live. To see how this works, let's look at the sea dragon. It is a master of disguise. The sea dragon is covered with skin that looks like leaves. The skin helps the dragon look like a piece of seaweed. A hungry meat eater would stay away from anything that looks like seaweed. Other animals stay safe by showing their colors. They want other animals to see them. Scientists call these bright colors--warning colors. You have probably seen animals that have warning colors. Some grasshoppers show off their own bright colors. Those colors don't just look attractive; they tell their enemies to stay away. Of course, hungry predators sometimes ignore the warning. They still go after the grasshopper. If that happens, the grasshopper has a backup defense. It makes lots of foam. The foam tastes so bad that the predator won't do it again. Color doesn't offer enough protection for some other animals. They have different defenses that help them survive in the wild. Many fish live in groups or schools. That's because there is safety in numbers. At the first sign of trouble, schooling fish swim as close together as they can get. Then the school of fish makes lots of twists and turns. All that movement makes it hard for predators to see individuals in a large group.18. What is the speaker mainly talking about?19. What protects the sea dragon from the meat eater's attack?20. According to the passage, why do many fish stay in groups? 2006年6月17日大学英语六级A卷答案(由点点英语提供)第一部分、听力1.C. She is not sure she can pass on the message.2.D. Hold the ladder for him3.B. He'd like some coffee4.C. He might get fired5.D. Tony's wife6.A. He was fined for runing a red light7.C. He finds reward more effective than punishment.8.B. At the dentist's9.B. He doesn't agree with the woman's remark10.A. It was applaudable11.B. Medical care12.C. Her determination to fulfill her dream13.B. To help disabled children there.14.D. In a small village in Chile.15.A. By expanding their minds and horizons16.D. She made outstanding contributions to children's education17.A. She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature18.C. How animals protect themselves against predators.19.B. Its plan-like appearance20.A. It helps improve their safety。
最牛英语口语培训模式:躺在家里练口语,全程外教一对一,三个月畅谈无阻!洛基英语,免费体验全部在线一对一课程:/ielts/xd.html(报名网址)A卷听力1.C.She is not sure she can pass on the message.2.D.Hold the ladder for him3.B.He'd like some coffee4.C.He might get fired5.D.Tony's wife6.A.He was fined for runing a red light7.C.He finds reward more effective than punishment.8.B.At the dentist's9.B.He doesn't agree with the woman's remark10.A.It was applaudable11.B.Medical care12.C.Her determination to fulfill her dream13.B.To help disabled children there.14.D.In a small village in Chile.15.A.By expanding their minds and horizons16.D.She made outstanding contributions to children's education17.A.She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature18.C.How animals protect themselves against predators.19.B.Its plan-like appearance20.A.It helps improve their safety阅读21. D Showing violence is thought to be entertaining22. B Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers23. C assert a direct link between violent media and aggressive behavior24. D their definition of violence25. A More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn26. A A quarter of Americans can't afford their prescription drubs.27. D excercising price control on brand-name drugs28. B High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs29. C To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.30. C Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies31. A offering senior citizens discounts has become rountine commercial practice32. C The elderly ,being finacially underprivileged,need humane help from society33. B intensify conflicts between the young and the old34. C It benefits the old at the expense of the young35. D Senior citizen discounta may well be a type of age discrimination36. A crime against humanity37. B prejudice against minority groups38. C There is no guarantee for blacks to exercise their rights39. D has been accmulated from generations of slavery40. B Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouchedA卷词汇答案:41 A. originality42.D.aspiration43.C.rigorous44.D.indispensablemonplace46.C.thrilled47.D.retrieved48.C.nominated49.B.overwhelming50.A.startling51.C.cherished52.A.interacting53.D.transcending54.C.deprived55.B.prone56.D.donated57.B.gorgeous58.B.trait59.C.transition60.A.distort61.D.hierachy62.A.abnormal63.D.genetic64.B.indicative65.A.disturbance 66.C.durability67.D.stunned68.B.drastic69.A.descendants70.C.extinct改错S1 master →masteringS2 that →whatS3 in an effect →去掉anS4 lazy →lazinessS5 which →thatS6 affecting →affectedS7 at same time →same前插入theS8 year →yearsS9 relative →relativelyS10 with →without争议题解析六级听力答案各大机构共有4道题目有问题。
2006年6月17日大学英语六级(CET-6)真题试卷(A卷)注意事项一、将自己的校名、姓名、准考证号写在答题卡上。
将本试卷代号(A、B卷)划在答题卡上。
二、试卷和答题卡均不得带出考场。
考试结束,监考员收卷后考生才可离开。
三、仔细读懂题目的说明。
四、多项选择题的答案一定要划在答题卡上,凡是写在试卷上的答案一律无效。
每题只能选一个答案:如多选。
则该题无分,选定答案后,用铅笔在相应字母的中部划一条横线。
正确方法是:A) B) C) D)。
使用其他符号答题者不给分,划线要有一定粗度,浓度要盖过字母底色。
五、如果要改动答案,必须先用橡皮擦净原来选定的答案,然后再按上面的规定重新答题。
六、试题的第四部分改错(Error Correction)和第五部分作文(Writing)印刷在答题卡上,请用黑色字迹签字笔在答题卡上作答。
七、在90分钟内做完试题的第一至第四部分,90分钟后,监考员收取试卷,然后考生再做第五部分作文题,答题时间为30分钟。
全部考试时间为120分钟,不得拖延时间。
八、在考试过程中要注意对自己的答案保密,若被他人抄袭,一经发现,后果自负。
全国大学英语四、六级考试委员会Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both theconversation and the question will be spoken only once. After eachquestion there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the fourchoices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer.Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single linethrough the centre.1. A) She met with Thomas just a few days ago.B) She can help with the orientation program.C) She is not sure she can pass on the message.D) She will certainly try to contact Thomas.2. A) Set the dinner table.B) Change the light bulb.C) Clean the dining room.D) Hold the ladder for him.3. A) He’d like a piece of pie.B) He’d like some coffee.C) He’d rather stay in the warm room.D) He’s just had dinner with his friends.4. A) He has managed to sell a number of cars.B) He is contented with his current position.C) He might get fired.D) He has lost his job.5. A) Tony’s secretary.B) Paul’s girlfriend.C) Paul’s colleague.D) Tony’s wife.6. A) He was fined for running a red light.B) He was caught speeding on a fast lane.C) He had to run quickly to get the ticket.D) He made a wrong turn at the intersection.7. A) He has learned a lot from his own mistakes.B) He is quite experienced in taming wild dogs.C) He finds reward more effective than punishment.D) He thinks it important to master basic training skills.8. A) At a bookstore.B) At the dentist’s.C) In a restaurant.D) In the library.9. A) He doesn’t want Jenny to get into trouble.B) He doesn’t agree with the woman’s remark.C) He thinks Jenny’s workload too heavy at college.D) He believes most college students are running wild.10. A) It was applaudable.B) It was just terrible.C) The actors were enthusiastic.D) The plot was funny enough.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 bespoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the bestanswer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark thecorresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through thecentre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11. A) Social work.B) Medical care.C) Applied physics.D) Special education.12. A) The timely advice from her friends and relatives.B) The two-year professional training she received.C) Her determination to fulfill her dream.D) Her parents’ consistent moral support.13. A) To get the funding for the hospitals.B) To help the disabled children there.C) To train therapists for the children there.D) To set up an institution for the handicapped.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) At a country school in Mexico.B) In a mountain valley of Spain.C) At a small American college.D) In a small village in Chile.15. A) By expanding their minds and horizons.B) By financing their elementary education.C) By setting up a small primary school.D) By setting them an inspiring example.16. A) She wrote poetry that broke through national barriers.B) She was a talented designer of original school curriculums.C) She proved herself to be an active and capable stateswoman.D) She made outstanding contributions to children’s education.17. A) She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature.B) She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.C) She translated her books into many languages.D) She advised many statesmen on international affairs.Passage ThreeQuestions 18 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.18. A) How animals survive harsh conditions in the wild.B) How animals alter colors to match their surroundings.C) How animals protect themselves against predators.D) How animals learn to disguise themselves effectively.19. A) Its enormous size.B) Its plant-like appearance.C) Its instantaneous response.D) Its offensive smell.20. A) It helps improve their safety.B) It allows them to swim faster.C) It helps them fight their predators.D) It allows them to avoid twists and turns.Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and markthe corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through thecentre.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are good reasons to be troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies, Television and video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what’s wrong with a society that presents videos of domestic violence as entertainment.Most researchers agree that the causes of real-world violence are complex. A 1993 study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences listed “biological, individual, family, peer, school, and community factors” as all playing their parts.Viewing abnormally large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in certain individuals. The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate the case for causality (因果关系). Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group of societies including the American Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: “At this time, well over 1,000 studies... point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children.”Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of catering to politicians, and even disputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out “the most doubtful measures of aggression”, only 28% supported a connection.The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read ‘aggressive’ or ‘non-aggressive’ words from a list, can we be sure what they are actually measuring? The intent of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions is an important step in the right direction.Another appropriate step would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is, of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society.21. Why is there so much violence shown in movies, TV and video games?A) There is a lot of violence in the real world today.B) Something has gone wrong with today’s society.C) Many people are fond of gunplay and bloodshed.D) Showing violence is thought to be entertaining.22. What is the skeptics (Line 3. Para. 3) view of media violence?A) Violence on television is a fairly accurate reflection of real-world life.B) Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers.C) A causal relationship exists between media and real-world violence.D) The influence of media violence on children has been underestimated.23. The author uses the term “alarmists” (Line 1. Para. 5) to refer to those who________.A) use standardized measurements in the studies of media violenceB) initiated the debate over the influence of violent media on realityC) assert a direct link between violent media and aggressive behaviorD) use appropriate methodology in examining aggressive behavior24. In refuting the alarmists, the author advances his argument by first challenging________.A) the source and amount of their dataB) the targets of their observationC) their system of measurementD) their definition of violence25. What does the author think of the debate concerning the relationship between themedia and violence?A) More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.B) It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.C) The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.D) He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.You’re in trouble if you have to buy your own brand-name prescription drugs. Over the past decade, prices leaped by more than double the inflation rate. Treatments for chronic conditions can easily top $2,000 a month-no wonder that one in four Americans can’s afford to fill their prescriptions. The solution? A hearty chorus of “O Canada.” North of the border, where price controls reign, those same brand-name drugs cost 50% to 80% less.The Canadian option is fast becoming a political wake-up call, “If our neighbors canbuy drugs at reasonable prices, why can’t we? Even to whisper that thought provokes anger. “Un-American!” And-the propagandists’trump card (王牌)—“Wreck our brilliant health-care system.” Supersize drug prices, they claim, fund the research that sparks the next generation of wonder drugs. No sky-high drug price today, no cure for cancer tomorrow. So shut up and pay up.Common sense tells you that’s a false alternative. The reward for finding, say, a cancer cure is so huge that no one’s going to hang it up. Nevertheless, if Canada-level pricing came to the United States, the industry’s profit margins would drop and the pace of new-drug development would slow. Here lies the American dilemma. Who is all this splendid medicine for? Should our health-care system continue its drive toward the best of the best, even though rising numbers of patients can’t afford it? Or should we direct our wealth toward letting everyone in on today’s level of care? Measured by saved lives, the latter is almost certainly the better course.To defend their profits, the drug companies have warned Canadian wholesalers and pharmacies (药房) not to sell to Americans by mail, and are cutting back supplies to those who dare.Meanwhile, the administration is playing the fear card. Officials from the Food and Drug Administration will argue that Canadian drugs might be fake, mishandled, or even a potential threat to life.Do bad drugs fly around the Internet? Sure-and the more we look, the more we’ll find, But I haven’t heard of any raging epidemics among the hundreds of thousands of people buying crossborder.Most users of prescription drugs don’t worry about costs a lot. They’re sheltered by employee insurance, owing just a $20 co-pay. The financial blows rain, instead, on the uninsured, especially the chronically ill who need expensive drugs to live, This group will still include middle-income seniors on Medicare, who’ll have to dig deeply into their pockets before getting much from the new drug benefit that starts in 2006.26. What is said about the consequence of the rocketing drug prices in the U.S.?A) A quarter of Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs.B) Many Americans can’t afford to see a doctor when they fall ill.C) Many Americans have to go to Canada to get medical treatment.D) The inflation rate has been more than doubled over the years.27. It can be inferred that America can follow the Canadian model and curb its soaringdrug prices by ________.A) encouraging people to buy prescription drugs onlineB) extending medical insurance to all its citizensC) importing low-price prescription drugs from CanadaD) exercising price control on brand-name drugs28. How do propagandists argue for the U.S. drug pricing policy?A) Low prices will affect the quality of medicines in America.B) High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs.C) Low prices will bring about the anger of drug manufacturers.D) High-price drugs are indispensable in curing chronic diseases.29. What should be the priority of America’s health-care system according to theauthor?A) To resolve the dilemma in the health-care system.B) To maintain America’s lead in the drug industry.C) To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.D) To quicken the pace of new drug development.30. What are American drug companies doing to protect their high profits?A) Labeling drugs bought from Canada as being fakes.B) Threatening to cut back funding for new drug research.C) Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies.D) Attributing the raging epidemics to the ineffectiveness of Canadian drugs.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.Age has its privileges in America. And one of the more prominent of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age—in some cases as low as 55—is automatically entitled to a dazzling array of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility is determined not by one’s need but by the date on one’s birth certificate. Practically unheard of a generation ago, the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses—as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them;yet, millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent (有支付能力的). Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly”and “needy”are synonymous (同义的). Perhaps that once was true, but today elderly Americans as a group have a lower poverty rate than the rest of the population. To be sure, there is economic diversity within the elderly, and many older Americans are poor, But most of them aren’t.It is impossible to determine the impact of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to revenue. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense, directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they are a direct irritant in what some politicians and scholars see as a coming conflict between thegenerations.Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits, which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another sore point, Buoyed (支持) by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are declining the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job-thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers.Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a formidable economic privilege to a group with millions of members who don’t need them.It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enhance the myth that older people can’t take care of themselves and need special treatment;and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly are ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the essence of the very thing older Americans are fighting against-discrimination by age.31. We learn from the first paragraph that ________.A) offering senior citizens discounts has become routine commercial practiceB) senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a decent lifeC) giving senior citizens discounts has boosted the market for the elderlyD) senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to get a discount32. What assumption lies behind the practice of senior citizen discounts?A) Businesses, having made a lot of profits, should do something for society inreturn.B) Old people are entitled to special treatment for the contribution they made tosociety.C) The elderly, being financially underprivileged, need humane help from society.D) Senior citizen discounts can make up for the inadequacy of the Social Securitysystem.33. According to some politicians and scholars, senior citizen discounts will ________.A) make old people even more dependent on societyB) intensify conflicts between the young and the oldC) have adverse financial impact on business companiesD) bring a marked increase in the companies revenues34. How does the author view the Social Security system?A) It encourages elderly people to retire in time.B) It opens up broad career prospects for young people.C) It benefits the old at the expense of the young.D) It should be reinforced by laws and court decisions.35. Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main argument?A) Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination.B) The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted.C) Priority should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens.D) Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination.Passage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.In 1854 my great-grandfather, Morris Marable, was sold on an auction block in Georgia for $500. For his white slave master, the sale was just “business as usual.” But to Morris Marable and his heirs, slavery was a crime against our humanity. This pattern of human rights violations against enslaved African-Americans continued under racial segregation for nearly another century.The fundamental problem of American democracy in the 21st century is the problem of “structural racism” the deep patterns of socio-economic inequality and accumulated disadvantage that are coded by race, and constantly justified in public speeches by both racist stereotypes and white indifference. Do Americans have the capacity and vision to remove these structural barriers that deny democratic rights and opportunities to millions of their fellow citizens?This country has previously witnessed two great struggles to achieve a truly multicultural democracy.The First Reconstruction (1865-1877) ended slavery and briefly gave black men voting rights, but gave no meaningful compensation for two centuries of unpaid labor. The promise of “40 acres and a mule (骡子)”was for most blacks a dream deferred (尚未实现的).The Second Reconstruction (1954-1968), or the modern civil rights movement, ended legal segregation in public accommodations and gave blacks voting rights. But these successes paradoxically obscure the tremendous human costs of historically accumulated disadvantage that remain central to black Americans’ lives.The disproportionate wealth that most whites enjoy today was first constructed from centuries of unpaid black labor. Many white institutions, including some leading universities, insurance companies and banks, profited from slavery. This pattern of white privilege and black inequality continues today.Demanding reparations (赔偿) is not just about compensation for slavery and segregation. It is, more important, an educational campaign to highlight the contemporary reality of “racial deficits” of all kinds, the unequal conditions that impact blacks regardless of class. Structural racism’s barriers include “equity inequity.” the absence of black capital formation that is a direct consequence of America’s history. Onethird of all black households actually have negative net wealth. In 1998 the typical black family’s net wealth was $16,400, less than one fifth that of white families. Black families are denied home loans at twice the rate of whites.Blacks remain the last hired and first fired during recessions. During the 1990-91 recession, African-Americans suffered disproportionately. At Coca-Cola, 42 percent of employees who lost their jobs were blacks. At Sears, 54 percent were black, Blacks have significantly shorter life spans, in part due to racism in the health establishment. Blacks are statistically less likely than whites to be referred for kidney transplants or early-stage cancer surgery.36. To the author, the auction of his great-grandfather is a typical example of ________.A) crime against humanityB) unfair business transactionC) racial conflicts in GeorgiaD) racial segregation in America37. The barrier to democracy in 21st century America is ________.A) widespread use of racist stereotypesB) prejudice against minority groupsC) deep-rooted socio-economic inequalityD) denial of legal rights to ordinary blacks38. What problem remains unsolved in the two Reconstructions?A) Differences between races are deliberately obscured.B) The blacks are not compensated for their unpaid labor.C) There is no guarantee for blacks to exercise their rights.D) The interests of blacks are not protected by law.39. It is clear that the wealth enjoyed by most whites ________.A) has resulted from business successes over the yearsB) has been accompanied by black capital formationC) has derived from sizable investments in educationD) has been accumulated from generations of slavery40. What does the author think of the current situation regarding racial discrimination?A) Racism is not a major obstacle to blacks’ employment.B) Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouched.C) A major step has been taken towards reparations.D) Little has been done to ensure blacks’ civil rights.Part III Vocabulary (20 minutes)Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that bestcompletes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the AnswerSheet with a single line through the centre.41. Because of the ________ of its ideas, the book was in wide circulation both at homeand abroad.A) originalityB) subjectivityC) generalityD) ambiguity42. With its own parliament and currency and a common ________ for peace, theEuropean Union declared itself—in 11 official languages—open for business.A) inspirationB) assimilationC) intuitionD) aspiration43. America has now adopted more ________ European-style inspection systems, andthe incidence of food poisoning is falling.A) discreteB) solemnC) rigorousD) autonomous44. Mainstream pro-market economists all agree that competition is an ________ spurto efficiency and innovation.A) extravagantB) exquisiteC) intermittentD) indispensable45. In the late 19th century, Jules Verne, the master of science fiction, foresaw many ofthe technological wonders that are ________ today.A) transientB) commonplaceC) implicitD) elementary46. I was so ________ when I used the automatic checkout lane in the supermarket forthe first time.A) immersedB) assaultedC) thrilledD) dedicated47. His arm was ________ from the shark’s mouth and reattached, but the boy, whonearly died, remained in a delicate condition.A) retrievedB) retainedC) repelledD) restored48. Bill Gates and Walt Disney are two people America has ________ to be the GreatestAmerican.A) appointedB) appeasedC) nicknamedD) dominated49. The ________ majority of citizens tend to believe that the death penalty will helpdecrease the crime rate.A) overflowingB) overwhelmingC) prevalentD) premium50. We will also see a ________ increase in the number of televisions per household, assmall TV displays are added to clocks, coffee makers and smoke detectors.A) startlingB) surpassingC) suppressingD) stacking51. The advance of globalization is challenging some of our most ________ values andideas, including our idea of what constitutes “home”.A) enrichedB) enlightenedC) cherishedD) chartered52. Researchers have discovered that ________ with animals in an active way maylower a person’s blood pressure.A) interactingB) integratingC) migratingD) merging53. The Beatles, the most famous British band of the 1960s, traveled worldwide formany years, ________ cultural barriers.A) transportingB) transplantingC) transferringD) transcending54. In his last years, Henry suffered from a disease that slowly ________ him of muchof his sight.A) relievedB) jeopardizedC) deprivedD) eliminated55. Weight lifting, or any other sport that builds up your muscles, can make bonesbecome denser and less ________ to injury.A) attachedB) proneC) immuneD) reconciled56. He has ________ to museums hundreds of his paintings as well as his entirepersonal collection of modern art.A) ascribedB) attributedC) designatedD) donated57. Erik’s website contains ________ photographs and hundreds of articles and shortvideos from his trip around the globe.A) prosperousB) gorgeousC) spaciousD) simultaneous58. Optimism is a ________ shown to be associated with good physical health, lessdepression and longer life.A) trailB) traitC) traceD) track59. The institution has a highly effective program which helps first-year students makea successful ________ into college life.A) transformationB) transmissionC) transitionD) transaction60. Philosophers believe that d esire, hatred and envy are “negative emotions” which________ the mind and lead it into a pursuit of power and possessions.A) distortB) reinforceC) exertD) scramble61. The term “glass ceiling” was first used by the Wall Street Journal to describe t heapparent barriers that prevent women from reaching the top of the corporate ________.A) seniorityB) superiorityC) heightD) hierarchy62. Various efforts have been made over the centuries to predict earthquakes, includingobserving lights in the sky and ________ animal behavior.A) abnormalB) exoticC) absurdD) erroneous63. Around 80 percent of the ________ characteristics of most white Britons have beenpassed down from a few thousand Ice Age hunters.A) intelligibleB) randomC) spontaneousD) genetic64. Picasso gained popularity in the mid-20th century, which was ________ of a newattitude towards modern art.A) informativeB) indicativeC) exclusiveD) expressive65. The country was an island that enjoyed civilized living for a thousand years or morewith little ________ from the outside world.A) disturbanceB) discriminationC) irritationD) irregularity66. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and________.A) stabilityB) capabilityC) durabilityD) availability67. Back in the days when people traveled by horse and carriage, Karl Benz ________the world with his extraordinary three-wheeled motor vehicle.A) inhibitedB) extinguishedC) quenchedD) stunned。
2006年6月大学英语四级考试试题及参考答案PartⅠ Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what war said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once: After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you maxi read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is, the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.1.A) They enjoyed the party better than the other guests.B) They knew none of the other guests at the party.C) They didn't think much of the food and drinks.D) They went a long way to attend the party.2. A) To the dentist's. C) To the post office.B) To the market. D) To the bookstore.3. A) She dislikes Dr. Andrews as much as the new physician.B) Dr. Andrews has been promoted for his thoroughness.C) She disagrees with Dr. Andrews on many occasions.D) Dr. Andrews used to keep his patients waiting.4. A) Tom is usually talkative. C) Tom is disliked by his colleagues.B) Tom has a very bad temper. D) Tom has dozens of things to attend to.5. A) To find out more about the topic for the seminar.B) To make a copy of the schedule for his friend.C) To get the seminar schedule for the woman.D) To pickup the woman from the library.6. A) The man doesn't want to sell his textbooks to the woman.B) The woman has to get the textbooks in other ways.C) The woman has sold her used textbooks to the bookstore.D) The man is going to buy his textbooks from a bookstore.7. A) Give a speech. C) Attend a conference.B) Meet his lawyer. D) Make a business trip.8 A) Jessie should know the marketing director better.B) Jessie is wrong to find fault with her boss.C) Jessie seems to have a lot on her mind.D) Jessie always says what she thinks.9. A) Helen is quiet. C) Helen is sociable.B) Helen is talkative. D) Helen is active.10. A) Jimmy is not serious in making decisions.B) Jimmy is rich enough to buy a big house.C) Jimmy's words are often not reliable.D) Jimmy will regret marrying a Frenchwoman.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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11.A) It has done more harm than good in the southern USA.B) It was brought to the northern USA by Asian farmers.C) It was introduced into the USA to kill harmful weeds.D) It can be used by farmers to protect large buildings.12. A) They will become too hard to plough.B) They will soon be overgrown with kudzu.C) People will have to rely on kudzu for a living.D) People will find it hard to protect the soil.13. A) The soil there is not so suitable for the plant.B) The factories there have found a good use for it.C) The farmers there have brought it under control.D) The climate there is unfavorable to its growth.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) The universe as a whole. C) An association of teachers and scholars.B) A society of legal professionals. D) A business corporation.15. A) Provincial colleges were taken over by larger universities.B) Its largest expansion took place during that period.C) Small universities combined to form bigger ones.D) Its role in society went through a dramatic change.16. A) Private donations. C) Government funding.B) Fees paid by students. D) Grants from corporations.Passage ThreeQuestions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.17. A) He was interested in the study of wild animals.B) He started the organization Heifer International.C) He was wounded in the Spanish civil war.D) He sold his cows to many countries in the world.18. A) To make plans for the development of poor communities.B) To teach people how to use new skills to raise animals.C) To help starving families to become self-supporting.D) To distribute food to the poor around the world.19. A) They should submit a report of their needs and goals.B) They should provide food for the local communities.C) They should offer all baby animals to their poor neighbors.D) They should help other families the way they have been helped.20. A) It has helped relieve hunger in some developing countries.B) It has improved animal breeding skills all over the world.C) It has bridged the gap between the rich and the poor in America.D) It has promoted international exchange of farming technology.PartⅡ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions at unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A) , B) , C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.Passage OneEducating girls quite possibly yields a higher rate of return than any other investment available in the developing world. Women's education may be unusual territory for economists, but enhancing women's contribution to development is actually as much an economic as a social issue. And economics, with its emphasis on incentives (激励), provides guideposts that point to an explanation for why so many girls are deprived of an education.Parents in low-income countries fail to invest in their daughters because they do not expect them to make an economic contribution to the family: girls grow up only to marry into somebody else's family and bear children. Girls are thus seen as less valuable than boys and art kept at home to do housework while their brothers are sent to school - the prophecy(预言) becomes self- fulfilling, trapping women in a vicious circle (恶性循环) of neglect.An educated mother, on the other hand, has greater earning abilities outside the home and faces an entirely different set of choices. She is likely to have fewer but healthier children and can insist on the development of all her children, ensuring that her daughters are given a fair chance. The education of her daughters then makes it much more likely that the next generation of girls, as well as of boys, will be educated and healthy. The vicious circle is thus transformed into a virtuous circle.Few will dispute that educating women has great social benefits. But it hasenormous economic advantages as well. Most obviously, there is the direct effect of education on the wages of female workers. Wages rise by 10 to 20 per cent for each additional year of schooling. Such big returns are impressive by the standard of other available investments, but they are just the beginning. Educating women also has a significant impact on health practices, including family planning.21. The author argues that educating girls in developing countries is ____.A) rewarding C) expensiveB) troublesome D) labor-saving22. By saying "... the prophecy becomes self-fulfilling ..." (Lines 45. Para. 2), the author means that ____.A) girls will eventually find their goals in life beyond reachB) girls will be increasingly discontented with their life at homeC) girls will be capable of realizing their own dreamsD) girls will turn out to be less valuable than boys23. The author believes that a vicious circle can turn into a virtuous circle when ___.A)women care more about educationB) parents can afford their daughters' educationC) girls can gain equal access to educationD) a family has fewer but healthier children24. What does the author say about women's education?A)It has aroused the interest of a growing number of economists.B)It will yield greater returns than other known investments.C) It is now given top priority in many developing countries.D) It deserves greater attention than other social issues.25. The passage mainly discusses ____.A) unequal treatment of boys and girls in developing countriesB) the major contributions of educated women to societyC) the economic and social benefits of educating womenD) the potential earning power of well-educated womenPassage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:Psychiatrists ( 精神病专家) who work with older parents say that maturity can be an asset in child rearing - older parents are more thoughtful, use less physical discipline and spend more time with their children. But raising kids takes money and energy. Many older parents find themselves balancing their limited financial resources, declining energy and failing health against the growing demands of an active child. Dying and leaving young children is probably the older parents' biggest, and often unspoken, fear. Having late-life children, says an economics professor, often means parents, particularly fathers, "end up retiring much later." For many,retirement becomes an unobtainable dream.Henry Metcalf, a 54-year-old journalist, knows it takes money to raise kids. But he's also worried that his energy will give out first. Sure, he can still ride bikes with his athletic fifth grader, but he's learned that young at heart doesn't mean young. Lately he's been taking afternoon naps (午睡) to keep up his energy. "My body is aging," says Metcalf. "You can't get away from that."Often, older parents hear the ticking of another kind of biological clock. Therapists who work with middle-aged and older parents say fears about aging are nothing to laugh at. "They worry they'll be mistaken for grandparents, or that they'll need help getting up out of those little chairs in nursery school," says Joann Galst, a New York psychologist. But at the core of those little fears there is often a much bigger one: "that they won't be alive long enough to support and protect their child," she says.Many late-life parents, though, say their children came at just the right time. After marrying late and undergoing years of fertility (受孕) treatment, Marilyn Nolen and her husband. Randy, had twins. "We both wanted children," says Marilyn, who was 55 when she gave birth. The twins have given the couple what they desired for years, "a sense of family."Kids of older dads are often smarter, happier and more sociable because their fathers are more involved in their lives. 'The dads are older, more mature," says Dr. Silber, "and more ready to focus on parenting."26. Why do psychiatrists regard maturity as an asset in child rearing?A) Older parents can better balance their resources against children's demands.B) Older parents are usually more experienced in bringing up their children.C) Older parents are often better prepared financially.D) Older parents can take better care of their children.27. What does the author mean by saying "For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream" (Lines 7-8, Para. 1)?A) They have to go on working beyond their retirement age.B) They can't get full pension unless they work some extra years.C) They can't obtain the retirement benefits they have dreamed of.D) They are reluctant to retire when they reach their retirement age.28. The author gives the example of Henry Metcalf to show that ____.A)many people are young in spirit despite their advanced ageB) taking afternoon naps is a good way to maintain energyC) older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodiesD) older parents should exercise more to keep up with their athletic children29. What's the biggest fear of older parents according to New York psychologist Joan Galst?A) Being laughed at by other people. C) Being mistaken for grandparents.B) Slowing down of their pace of life. D) Approaching of death.30. What do we learn about Marilyn and Randy Nolen?A) They thought they were an example of successful fertility treatment.B) Not until they had the twins did they feel they had formed a family.C) They believed that children born of older parents would be smarter.D) Not until they reached middle age did they think of having children.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:Interest in pursuing international careers has soared in recent years. enhanced by chronic (长久的 ) personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talent.Professionals seek career experience outside of their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity and initiative. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language.When applying for a job, one usually has to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing: a one- or two-page document describing one's educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a r6sum6 are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the corporate (公司) culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to embrace two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start.● "Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of 'cross- border' job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not bean adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience. "● Pay attention to the resume format you use-chronological or reverse-chronological order. Chronological order means listing your 'oldest' work experience first. Reverse-chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines, the general preference is for the reverse-chronological format. "● If you are submitting your resume in English, fi nd out if the recipient (收件人) uses British English or American English because there are variations between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as 'tertiary education' in the United Kingdom, but this term is almost never used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these variations may assume that your resume contains errors.31. Companies are hiring more foreign employees because_______ .A) they have difficulty finding qualified personnel at homeB) they find foreign employees are usually more talentedC)they need original ideas from employees hired overseasD)they want to expand their business beyond home borders32. The author believes that an individual who applies to work overseas ____.A) is usually creative and full of initiativeB) aims to improve his foreign language skillsC)seeks either his own or his children's developmentD) is dissatisfied with his own life at home33. When it comes to resume writing, it is best to ____.A) know the employer's personal likes and dislikesB) follow appropriate guidelines for job huntingC) learn about the company's hiring processD) take cultural factors into consideration34. When writing about qualifications, applicants are advised to ____.A) provide a detailed description of their study and work experiencesB) give the title of the university degree they have earned at homeC)highlight their keen interest in pursuing a 'cross-border' careerD) stress their academic potential to impress the decision maker35. According to the author's last piece of advice, the applicants should be aware of ____.A) the recipient's preference with regard to the formatB) the different educational systems in the US and the UKC)the differences between the varieties of EnglishD) the distinctive features of American and British culturesPassage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobiliser (锁止器), and a radio signal from a control centre miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro- processor and memory, and a GPS (全球定位系统) satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control centre to block the vehicle's engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. 'The pattern of vehicle crime has changed,' says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools. But only if the car is more than 10 years old.Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won't allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition (点火) key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars,often by getting bold of the owner's keys. And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system.If the car travels 100 metres without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operations centre that it has been stolen. The hundred metres minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal.Staff at the centre will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing, and keep police informed of the vehicle's movements via the car's GPS unit.36. What's the function of the remote immobilizer fitted to a car?A) To allow the car to lock automatically when stolen.B) To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops.C)To help the police make a surprise attack on the car thief.D)To prevent car theft by sending a radio signal to the car owner.37. By saying 'The pattern of vehicle crime has changed' (Lines 1-2. Para. 3). Martyn Randall suggests that ____.A) self-prepared tools are no longer enough for car theftB)the thief has to make use of computer technologyC)it takes a longer time for the car thief to do the stealingD) the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old38. What is essential in making a modem car tougher to steal?A) A GPS satellite positioning receiver. C) A special cellphone signal.B) A unique ID card. D) A coded ignition key.39. Why does the tracking system set a 100-metre minimum before sending an alarm to the operations centre?A) To give the driver time to contact the operations centre.B) To allow for possible errors in the GPS system.C) To keep police informed of the car's movements.D) To leave time for the operations centre to give an alarm.40. What will the operations centre do first after receiving an alarm?A) Start the tracking system. C) Contact the car owner.B) Locate the missing car. D) Block the car engine.Part III Vocabulary (20 minutes)Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences it: this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose cite ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the Corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.41. A special feature of education at MIT is the opportunity for students and faculty to____ together in research activities.A)involve C) specializeB) participate D) consist42. American college students are increasingly_____ with credit card debt and the consequences can be rather serious.A)discharged C) boostedB) dominated D) burdened43. Some people argue that the death_____ does not necessarily reduce the number of murders.A) penalty C) patternB) plot D) practice44. A study shows that students living in non-smoking dorms are less likely to_____ the habit of smoking.A)turn up C) make upB) pick up D) draw up45. The most successful post-career athletes are those who can take the identity and fife skills the learned in sports and_____ them to another area of life.A) apply C) employB) utilize D) exert46. Many personnel managers say it is getting harder and harder to_____ honest applicants from the growing number of dishonest ones.A) dissolve C) discountB) disguise D) distinguish47. Almost all job applicants are determined to leave a good_____ on a potential employer.A) illusion C) reflectionB) impression D) reputation48. Being out of work, lane can no longer_____ friends to dinners and movies as she used to.A) treat C) urgeB) appeal D) compel49. Although they lost their jobs, savings and unemployment benefits allow the couple to_____ their comfortable home.A) look forward to C) hold on toB) catch up with D) come in for50. The findings paint a unique picture of the shopping habits of customers, plus their motivation and_____.A) possessions C) privilegesB) possibilities D) preferences51. With the increasing unemployment rate, workers who are 50 to 60 years old are usually the first to be_____.A) laid aside C) laid outB) laid up D) laid off52. People's expectations about the future may have more influence on their_____ sense of well-being than their state does.A) primitive C) currentB) modern D) initial53. _____by the superstars on television, the young athletes trained hard and playedintensely. A) Imitated C) ImposedB) Insured D) Inspired54. The physical differences between men and women can be_____ directly to our basic n as hunters and child-bearers.A) switched C) pursuedB) traced D) followed55. Many women still feel that they are being_____ by a male culture, particularly in the professional services sector.A) held out C) held forthB) held on D) held back56. The technological advances made it possible for the middle classes to enjoy what had once been_____ only to the very rich.A) manageable C) affordableB) acceptable D) measurable57. After working all day, he was so tired that he was in no___ to go to the party with us.A) mood C) senseB) emotion D) taste58. It is clear that the dog has a much greater____ of its brain devoted to smell than is the case with humans.A) composition C) compoundB) proportion D) percent59. There is already clear_____ to show that plants and animals are being affected by climate change.A) witness C) identityB) evidence D) certification60. Numerous studies already link the first meal of the day to better classroom____.A) function C) performanceB) behavior D) display61. In the US, 88 percent of smokers had started before they were 18, despite the fact that it is____ to sell cigarettes to anyone under that age.A) illegal C) liberalB) irrational D) liable62. Although many experts agree that more children are overweight, there is debate over the best ways to ____the problem.A) relate C) attachB) file D) tackle63. Sadly, as spending on private gardens has____, spending on public parks has generally declined.A) lifted C) heightenedB) flown D) soared64. It's good to know that quite a few popular English expressions actually______from the Bible.A) acquire C) resultB) derive D) obtain65. According to the key witnesses, a peculiarly big nose is the criminal's most memorable facial_____.A) feature C) hintB) signature D) spot66. An important factor in determining how well you perform in an examination is the____ of your mind.A) case C) stateB) circumstance D) situation67. Brazil's constitution ____ the military use of nuclear energy.A) withdraws C) objectsB) interrupts D) forbids68. Tom, did it ever_____ to you that you would be punished for cheating on exams?A) strike C) occurB) happen D) reflect69. Lung cancer, like some other cancers, often doesn't produce____ until it is too late and has spread beyond the chest to the brain, liver or bones.A) symbols C) trailsB) symptoms D) therapies70. Research shows that there is no____ relationship between how much a person earns and whether he feels good about life.A) successive C) significantB) sincere D) subsequentPart IV Cloze (15 minutes)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are jour choices marked A). B). C) and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.The part of the environmental movement that draws my firm's attention is the design of cities, buildings and products. When we designed America's first so-called "green" office building in New York two decades _71_ , we felt very alone. But today, thousands of people come to green building conferences, and the _72_ that buildings can be good for people and the environment will be increasingly influential in years to _73_ .Back in 1984 we discovered that most manufactured products for decoration weren't designed for _74_ use. The "energy-efficient" sealed commercial buildings constructed after the 1970s energy crisis _75_ indoor air quality problems caused by materials such as paint, wall covering and carpet. So far 20 years. we've beenfocusing on these materials _76_ to the molecules, looking for ways to make them _77_ for people and the planet.Home builders can now use materials-such as paints that release significantly _78_ amounts of organic compounds -that don't _79_ the quality of the air, water, or soil. Ultimately, _80_, our basic design strategy is focused not simply on being "less bad" but on creating _81_ healthful materials that can be either safely returned to the soil _82_ reused by industry again and again. As a matter of _83_, the world's largest carpet manufacturer has already _84_ a carpet that is fully and safely recyclable (可循环利用的).Look at it this way: No one _85_ out to create a building that destroys the planet. But our current industrial systems are _86_ causing these conditions, whether we like it or not. So _87_ of simply trying to reduce the damage, we are _88_ a positive approach. We're giving people high-quality, healthful products and an opportunity to make choices that have a _89_ effect on the world. It's not just the building industry, either. _90_ cities are taking these environmentally positive approaches to design, planning and building. Portland, Seattle and Boston have said they want to be green cities. Chicago wants to be the greenest city in the world.71. A) off B) away C) before D) ago72. A) practice B) idea C) outlook D) scheme73. A) go B) continue C) come D) arrive74. A) relevant B) indoor C) flexible D) inward75. A) revealed B) displayed C) exhibited D) discovered76. A) back B) near C) down D) next77. A) cautious B) comfortable C) stable D) safe78. A) reduced B) revised C) delayed D) descended79. A) destroy B) deny C) dissolve D) depress80. A) anyway B) besides C) anyhow D) however81. A) exactly B) completely C) partially D) superficially82. A) and B) nor C) or D) but83. A) principle B) course C) interest D) fact84. A) developed B) sketched C) researched D) constructed85. A) looks B) pulls C) starts D) makes86. A) originally B) traditionally C) basically D) inevitably87. A) instead B) because C) out D) regardless88. A) adjusting B) adopting C) adapting D) admitting89. A) functional B) sensible C) beneficial D) precious90. A) Full B) Entire C) Total D) CompletePart V. Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a poster recruiting volunteers. You should write at Least 120 words following the outline。
2006年6月大学英语六级考试真题Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation,a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will bespoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.1. A) She met with Thomas just a few days ago.B) She can help with the orientation program.C) She is not sure she can pass on the message.D) She will certainly try to contact Thomas.2. A) Set the dinner table.B) Change the light bulb.C) Clean the dining room.D) Hold the ladder for him.3. A) He’d like a piece of pie.B) He’d like some coffee.C) He’d rather stay in the warm room.D) He’s just had dinner with his friends.4. A) He has managed to sell a number of cars.B) He is contented with his current position.C) He might get fired.D) He has lost his job.5. A) Tony’s secretary.B) Paul’s girlfriend.C) Paul’s colleague.D) Tony’s wife.6. A) He was fined for running a red light.B) He was caught speeding on a fast lane.C) He had to run quickly to get the ticket.D) He made a wrong turn at the intersection.7. A) He has learned a lot from his own mistakes.B) He is quite experienced in taming wild dogs.C) He finds reward more effective than punishment.D) He thinks it important to master basic training skills.8. A) At a bookstore.B) At the dentist’s.C) In a restaurant.D) In the library.9. A) He doesn’t want Jenny to get into trouble.B) He doesn’t agree with the woman’s rema rk.C) He thinks Jenny’s workload too heavy at college.D) He believes most college students are running wild.10. A) It was applaudable.B) It was just terrible.C) The actors were enthusiastic.D) The plot was funny enough.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) andD). Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through thecentre.Passage OneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11. A) Social work.B) Medical care.C) Applied physics.D) Special education.12. A) The timely advice from her friends and relatives.B) The two-year professional training she received.C) Her determination to fulfill her dream.D) Her parents’ consistent moral support.13. A) To get the funding for the hospitals.B) To help the disabled children there.C) To train therapists for the children there.D) To set up an institution for the handicapped.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) At a country school in Mexico.B) In a mountain valley of Spain.C) At a small American college.D) In a small village in Chile.15. A) By expanding their minds and horizons.B) By financing their elementary education.C) By setting up a small primary school.D) By setting them an inspiring example.16. A) She wrote poetry that broke through national barriers.B) She was a talented designer of original school curriculums.C) She proved herself to be an active and capable stateswoman.D) She made outstanding c ontributions to children’s education.17. A) She won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature.B) She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.C) She translated her books into many languages.D) She advised many statesmen on international affairs.Passage ThreeQuestions 18 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.18. A) How animals survive harsh conditions in the wild.B) How animals alter colors to match their surroundings.C) How animals protect themselves against predators.D) How animals learn to disguise themselves effectively.19. A) Its enormous size.B) Its plant-like appearance.C) Its instantaneous response.D) Its offensive smell.20. A) It helps improve their safety.B) It allows them to swim faster.C) It helps them fight their predators.D) It allows them to avoid twists and turns.Part ⅡReading Comprehension (35 minutes) Directions:There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are good reasons to be troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies, Television and video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what’s wrong with a society that presents videos of domestic violence as entertainment.Most researchers agree that the causes of real-world violence are complex. A 1993 study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences listed “biological, individual, family, peer, school, and community factors” as all playing their parts.Viewing abnormally large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in certain individuals. The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate the case for causality (因果关系). Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group of societies including the American Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: “At this time, well over 1,000 studies... point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children.”Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of catering to politicians, and even disputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out “the most doubtful measures of aggression”, only 28% supported a connection.The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read “aggressive”or“non-aggressive”words from a list, can we be sure what they are actuallymeasuring? The intent of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions is an important step in the right direction.Another appropriate step would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is, of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society.21. Why is there so much violence shown in movies, TV and video games?A) There is a lot of violence in the real world today.B) Something has gone wrong with today’s society.C) Many people are fond of gunplay and bloodshed.D) Showing violence is thought to be entertaining.22.What is the skeptics (Line 3. Para. 3) view of media violence?A) Violence on television is a fairly accurate reflection of real-world life.B) Most studies exaggerate the effect of media violence on the viewers.C) A causal relationship exists between media and real-world violence.D) The influence of media violence on children has been underestimated.23.The author uses the term “alarmists” (Line 1. Para. 5) to refer to those who ________.A) use standardized measurements in the studies of media violenceB) initiated the debate over the influence of violent media on realityC) assert a direct link between violent media and aggressive behaviorD) use appropriate methodology in examining aggressive behavior24.In refuting the alarmists, the author advances his argument by first challenging ________.A) the source and amount of their dataB) the targets of their observationC) their system of measurementD) their definition of violence25.What does the author think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media and violence?A) More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.B) It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.C) The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.D) He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.You’re in trouble if you have to buy your own brand-name prescription drugs. Over the past decade, prices leaped by more than double the inflation rate. Treatments for chronic conditions can easily top $2,000 a month—no wonder that one in four Americans can’s afford to fill their prescriptions. The solution? A hearty chorus of “O Canada.” North of the border, where price controls reign, those same brand-name drugs cost 50% to 80% less.The Canadian option is fast becoming a political wake-up call,“If our neighbors can buy drugs at reasonable prices, why can’t we? Even to whisper that thought provokes anger.“Un-American!”And—the propagandists’trump card (王牌)—“Wreck our brilliant health-care system.” Super-size drug prices, they claim, fund the research that sparks the next generation of wonder drugs. No sky-high drug price today, no cure for cancer tomorrow. So shut up and pay up.Common sense tells you that’s a false alternative. The reward for finding. Say, a cancer cure is so huge th at no one’s going to hang it up. Nevertheless, if Canada-level pricing came to the United States, the industry’s profit margins would drop and the pace of new-drug development would slow. Here lies the American dilemma. Who is all this splendid medicine for? Should our health-care system continue its drive toward the best of the best, even though rising numbers of patients can’t afford it? Or should we direct our wealth toward letting everyone in on today’s level of care? Measured by saved lives, the latter is almost certainly the better course.To defend their profits, the drug companies have warned Canadian wholesalers and pharmacies (药房) not to sell to Americans by mail, and are cutting back supplies to those who dare.Meanwhile, the administration is playing the fear card. Officials from the Food and Drug Administration will argue that Canadian drugs might be fake, mishandled, or even a potential threat to life.Do bad drugs fly around the Internet? Sure-and the more we look, the more we’ll find, But I haven’t heard of any raging epidem ics among the hundreds of thousands of people buying cross-border.Most users of prescription drugs don’t worry about costs a lot. They’re sheltered by employee insurance, owing just a $20 co-pay. The financial blows rain, instead, on the uninsured, especially the chronically ill who need expensive drugs to live, This group will still include middle-income seniors on Medicare, who’ll have to dig deeply into their pockets before getting much from the new drug benefit that starts in 2006.26. What is said about the consequence of the rocketing drug prices in the U.S.?A) A quarter of Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs.B) Many Americans can’t afford to see a doctor when they fall ill.C) Many Americans have to go to Canada to get medical treatment.D) The inflation rate has been more than doubled over the years.27. It can be inferred that America can follow the Canadian model and curb its soaring drug prices by ________.A) encouraging people to buy prescription drugs onlineB) extending medical insurance to all its citizensC) importing low-price prescription drugs from CanadaD) exercising price control on brand-name drugs28. How do propagandists argue for the U.S. drug pricing policy?A) Low prices will affect the quality of medicines in America.B) High prices are essential to funding research on new drugs.C) Low prices will bring about the anger of drug manufacturers.D) High-price drugs are indispensable in curing chronic diseases.29. What should be the priority of America’s health-care system according to the author?A) To resolve the dilemma in the health-care system.B) To maintain America’s lead in the drug industry.C) To allow the vast majority to enjoy its benefits.D) To quicken the pace of new drug development.30. What are American drug companies doing to protect their high profits?A) Labeling drugs bought from Canada as being fakes.B) Threatening to cut back funding for new drug research.C) Reducing supplies to uncooperative Canadian pharmacies.D) Attributing the raging epidemics to the ineffectiveness of Canadian drugs.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.Age has its privileges in America. And one of the more prominent of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age—in some cases as low as 55—is automatically entitled to a dazzling array of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility is determined not by one’s need but by the date on one’s birth certificate. Practically unheard of a generation ago, the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses—as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them;yet, millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent (有支付能力的). Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly”and “needy”are synonymous (同义的). Perhaps that once was true, but today elderly Americans as a group have a lower poverty rate than the rest of the population. To be sure, there is economic diversity within the elderly, and many older Americans are poor. But most of them aren’t.It is impossible to determine the impact of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to revenue. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense, directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they are a direct irritant in what some politicians and scholars see as a coming conflict between the generations.Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits, which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another sore point, Buoyed (支持) by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are declining the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job—thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers.Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a formidable economic privilege to a gr oup with millions of members who don’t need them.It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enhance the myth that older people can’t take care of themselves and need special treatment; and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly are ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the essence of the very thing older Americans are fighting against—discrimination by age.31. We learn from the first paragraph that ________.A) offering senior citizens discounts has become routine commercial practiceB) senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a decent lifeC) giving senior citizens discounts has boosted the market for the elderlyD) senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to get a discount32. What assumption lies behind the practice of senior citizen discounts?A) Businesses, having made a lot of profits, should do something for society in return.B) Old people are entitled to special treatment for the contribution they made to society.C) The elderly, being financially underprivileged, need humane help from society.D) Senior citizen discounts can make up for the inadequacy of the Social Security system.33. According to some politicians and scholars, senior citizen discounts will ________.A) make old people even more dependent on societyB) intensify conflicts between the young and the oldC) have adverse financial impact on business companiesD) bring a marked increase in the companies revenues34. How does the author view the Social Security system?A) It encourages elderly people to retire in time.B) It opens up broad career prospects for young people.C) It benefits the old at the expense of the young.D) It should be reinforced by laws and court decisions.35. Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main argument?A) Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination.B) The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted.C) Priority should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens.D) Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination.Passage FourQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.In 1854 my great-grandfather, Morris Marable, was sold on an auction block in Georgia for $500. For his white slave master, the sale was just “business as usual.” But to Morris Marable and his heirs, slavery was a crime against our humanity. This pattern of human rights violations against enslaved African-Americans continued under racial segregation for nearly another century.The fundamental problem of American democracy in the 21st century is the problem of “structural racism” : the deep patterns of socio-economic inequality and accumulated disadvantage that are coded by race, and constantly justified in public speeches by both racist stereotypes and white indifference. Do Americans have the capacity and vision to remove these structural barriers that deny democratic rights and opportunities to millions of their fellow citizens?This country has previously witnessed two great struggles to achieve a truly multicultural democracy.The First Reconstruction (1865-1877) ended slavery and briefly gave black men voting rights, but gave no meaningful compensation for two centuries of unpaid labor. The promise of “40 acres and a mule (骡子)”was for most blacks a dream deferred (尚未实现的).The Second Reconstruction (1954-1968), or the modern civil rights movement, ended legal segregation in public accommodations and gave blacks voting rights. But these successes paradoxically obscure the tremendous human costs of historically accumulated disadvantage that remain centra l to black Americans’ lives.The disproportionate wealth that most whites enjoy today was first constructed from centuries of unpaid black labor. Many white institutions, including some leading universities, insurance companies and banks, profited from slavery. This pattern of white privilege and black inequality continues today.Demanding reparations (赔偿) is not just about compensation for slavery and segregation. It is, more important, an educational campaign to highlight the contemporary reality of“racial deficits”of all kinds, the unequal conditions that impact blacks regardless of class. Structural racism’s barriers include “equity inequity ,” the absence of black capital formation that is a direct consequence of America’s history. One third of all black households actually have negative net wealth. In 1998 the typical black family’s net wealth was $16,400, less than one fifth that of white families. Black families are denied home loans at twice the rate of whites.Blacks remain the last hired and first fired during recessions. During the 1990-91 recession, African-Americans suffered disproportionately. At Coca-Cola, 42 percent of employees who lost their jobs were blacks. At Sears, 54 percent were black. Blacks have significantly shorter life spans, in part due to racism in the health establishment. Blacks are statistically less likely than whites to be referred for kidney transplants or early-stage cancer surgery.36. To the author, the auction of his great-grandfather is a typical example of ________.A) crime against humanityB) unfair business transactionC) racial conflicts in GeorgiaD) racial segregation in America37. The barrier to democracy in 21st century America is ________.A) widespread use of racist stereotypesB) prejudice against minority groupsC) deep-rooted socio-economic inequalityD) denial of legal rights to ordinary blacks38. What problem remains unsolved in the two Reconstructions?A) Differences between races are deliberately obscured.B) The blacks are not compensated for their unpaid labor.C) There is no guarantee for blacks to exercise their rights.D) The interests of blacks are not protected by law.39. It is clear that the wealth enjoyed by most whites ________.A) has resulted from business successes over the yearsB) has been accompanied by black capital formationC) has derived from sizable investments in educationD) has been accumulated from generations of slavery40. What does the author think of the current situation regarding racial discrimination?A) Raci sm is not a major obstacle to blacks’ employment.B) Inequality of many kinds remains virtually untouched.C) A major step has been taken towards reparations.D) Little has been done to ensure blacks’ civil rights.Part III Vocabulary (20 minutes)Directions:There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.41. Because of the ________ of its ideas, the book was in wide circulation both at home andabroad.A) originality B) subjectivity C) generality D) ambiguity42. With its own parliament and currency and a common ________ for peace, the European Union declared itself—in 11 official languages—open for business.A) inspiration B) assimilation C) intuition D) aspiration43.America has now adopted more ________ European-style inspection systems, and the incidence of food poisoning is falling.A) discrete B) solemn C) rigorous D) autonomous44.Mainstream pro-market economists all agree that competition is an ________ spur to efficiency and innovation.A) extravagant B) exquisite C) intermittent D) indispensable45. In the late 19th century, Jules Verne, the master of science fiction, foresaw many of the technological wonders that are ________ today.A) transient B) commonplace C) implicit D) elementary46. I was so ________ when I used the automatic checkout lane in the supermarket for the first time.A) immersed B) assaulted C) thrilled D) dedicated47. His arm was ________ from the shark’s mouth and reattached, but the boy, who already died, remained in a delicate condition.A) retrieved B) retained C) repelled D) restored48. Bill Gates and Walt Disney are two people America has ________ to be the Greatest American.A) appointed B) appeased C) nicknamed D) nominated49. The ________ majority of citizens tend to believe that the death penalty will help decrease the crime rate.A) overflowing B) overwhelming C) prevalent D) premium50. We will also see a ________ increase in the number of televisions per household, as small TV displays are added to clocks, coffee makers and smoke detectors.A) startling B) surpassing C) suppressing D) stacking51. The advance of globalization is challenging some of our most ________ values and ideas, including our idea of what constitutes “home”.A) enriched B) enlightened C) cherished D) chartered52. Researchers have discovered that ________ with animals in an active way may lower a person’s blood pressure.A) interacting B) integrating C) migrating D) merging53. The Beatles, the most famous British band of the 1960s, traveled worldwide for many years, ________ cultural barriers.A) transporting B) transplanting C) transferring D) transcending54. In his last years, Henry suffered from a disease that slowly ________ him of much of his sight.A) relieved B) jeopardized C) deprived D) eliminated55. Weight lifting, or any other sport that builds up your muscles, can make bones become denser and less ________ to injury.A) attached B) prone C) immune D) reconciled56. He has ________ to museums hundreds of his paintings as well as his entire personal collection of modern art.A) ascribed B) attributed C) designated D) donated57. Erik’s website contains ________ photographs and hundreds of articles and short videos from his trip around the globe.A) prosperous B) gorgeous C) spacious D) simultaneous58.Optimism is a ________ shown to be associated with good physical health, less depression and longer life.A) trail B) trait C) trace D) track59.The institution has a highly effective program which helps first-year students make a successful ________ into college life.A) transformation B) transmission C) transition D) transaction60. Philosophers believe that desire, hatred and envy are “negative emotions” which ________ the mind and lead it into a pursuit of power and possessions.A) distort B) reinforce C) exert D) scramble61.The term “glass ceiling” was first used by the Wall Street Journal to describe the apparent barriers that prevent women from reaching the top of the corporate ________.A) seniority B) superiority C) height D) hierarchy62.Various efforts have been made over the centuries to predict earthquakes, including observing lights in the sky and ________ animal behavior.A) abnormal B) exotic C) absurd D) erroneous63.Around 80 percent of the ________ characteristics of most white Britons have been passed down from a few thousand Ice Age hunters.A) intelligible B) random C) spontaneous D) genetic64.Picasso gained popularity in the mid-20th century, which was ________ of a new attitude towards modern art.A) informative B) indicative C) exclusive D) expressive65.The country was an island that enjoyed civilized living for a thousand years or more with little ________ from the outside world.A) disturbance B) discrimination C) irritation D) irregularity66.Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and ________.A) stability B) capability C) durability D) availability67.Back in the days when people traveled by horse and carriage, Karl Benz ________ the world with his extraordinary three-wheeled motor vehicle.A) inhibited B) extinguished C) quenched D) stunned68.If we continue to ignore the issue of global warming, we will almost certainly suffer the ________ effects of climatic changes worldwide.A) dubious B) drastic C) trivial D) toxic69.According to the theory of evolution, all living species are the modified ________ of earlier species.A) descendants B) dependants C) defendants D) developments70.The panda is an endangered species, which means that it is very likely to become ________ without adequate protection.A) intact B) insane C) extinct D) exemptPart IV Error Correction (15 minutes)Directions: This part consists of a short passage. In this passage, there are altogether 10 mistakes, one in each numbered line. You may have to change a word, add a word or delete a word.。