2016年大学英语四级真题(第二套)完美PDF打印版

2016年6月大学英语四级真题（第2套)Part I WritingDirections:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to one of your school teachers upon entering college. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅡListening ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A)How college students can improve their sleep habits.B)Why sufficient sleep is important for college students.C)Why college students are more likely to have stress problems.D)How college students can handle their psychological problems.2. A)It is not easy to improve one’s sleep habits.B)It is not good for students to play video games.C)Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations.D)Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A)Whether more airports should be built around London.B)Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities.C)Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets.D)Whether the Spanish company could offer better service.4. A)Inefficient management. B)Poor ownership structure.C)Lack of innovation and competition. D)Lack of runway and terminal capacity. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A)Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes.B)Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes.C)Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products.D)Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers.6. A)The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.B)Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking.C)Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.D)Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.7. A)They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes.B)They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine.C)They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study.D)They will pay more attention to the quality of their products.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A)Indonesia. B)Holland. C)Sweden. D)England.9.A)Getting a coach who can offer real help. B)Talking with her boyfriend in Dutch.C)Learning a language where it is not spoken . D)Acquiring the necessary ability to socialize .10. A)Listening language programs on the radio. B)Trying to speak it as much as one can.C)Making friends with native speakers. D)Practicing reading aloud as often as possible.11.A)It creates an environment for socializing.B)It offers various courses with credit points.C)It trains young people’s leadership abilities.D)It provides opportunities for language practice.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A)The impact of engine design on rode safety. B)The role policemen play in traffic safety.C)A sense of freedom driving gives. D)Rules and regulations for driving.13. A)Make cars with automatic control. B)Make cars that have better brakes.C)Make cars that are less powerful. D)Make cars with higher standards.14. A)They tend to drive responsibly. B)They like to go at high speed.C)They keep within speed limits. D)They follow traffic rules closely.15.A)It is a bad idea. B)It is not useful.C)It is as effective as speed bumps . D)It should be combined with education.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)The card got damaged . B)The card was found invalid.C)The card reader failed to do the scanning. D)The card reader broke down unexpectedly.17. A)By converting the credit card with a layer of plastic.B)By calling the credit card company for confirmation.C)By seeking help from the card reader maker Verifone.D)By typing the credit card number into the cash register.18.A)Affect the sales of high-tech appliances.B)Change the life style of many Americans.C)Give birth to many new technological inventions.D)Produce many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)They are set by the dean of the graduate school.B)They are determined by the advising board.C)They leave much room for improvement.D)They vary among different departments.20. A)By consulting the examining committee . B)By reading the Bulletin of Information.C)By contacting the departmental office. D)By visiting the university’s website.21. A)They specify the number of credits students must earn.B)They are harder to meet than those for undergraduates.C)They have to be approved by the examining committee.D)They are the same among various divisions of the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)Students majoring in nutrition. B)Students in health classes.C)Ph.D. candidates in dieting. D)Middle and high school teachers.23. A)Its overestimate of the effect of dieting. B)Its mistaken conception of nutrition.C)Its changing criteria for beauty. D)Its overemphasis on thinness.24. A)To illustrate her point that beauty is but skin deep.B)To demonstrate the magic effect of dieting on women.C)To explain how computer images can be misleading.D)To prove that technology has impacted our culture.25. A)To persuade girls to stop dieting.B)To promote her own concept of beauty.C)To establish an emotional connection with students.D)To help students rid themselves of bad living habits.Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Contrary to popular belief, older people generally do not want to live with their children.Moreover, most adult children 26 every bit as much care and support to their aging parents as wasthe case in the “good old days”, and most older people do not feel 27.About 80% of people 65years and older have living children, and about 90% of themhave 28contact with their children. About 75% of elderly parents who don’t go to nursing homes live within 30 minutes of at least one of their children.However, 29 having contact with children does not guarantee happiness in old age. In fact, some research has found that people who are most involved with their families have the lowest spirits. This research may be 30 ,however, as ill health often makes older people more 31 and thereby increases contact with family members. So it is more likely that poor health, not just family involvement, 32 spirits.Increasingly, researchers have begun to look at the quality of relationships, rather than at the frequency of contact, between the elderly and their children. If parents and children share interests and values and agree on childrearing practices and religious 33 , they are likely to enjoy each other’s company. Disagreements on such matters can 34 cause problems. If parents are agreed by their daughter’s divorce, dislike her new husban d, and disapprove of how she is raising their grandchildren, 35 are that they are not going to enjoy her visits.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph ismarked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?[A] For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economictrends and their interactions. The combined effects of those trends and the political tensions they generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies. Y et I, too, have resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization.[B] I can no longer ignore that risk. Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declinesthat are undermining the world food economy forces me to conclude that such a collapse is possible.[C] As demand for food rises faster than supplies are growing, the resulting food-price inflationputs severe stress on the governments of many countries. Unable to buy grain or grow their own, hungry people take to the streets. Indeed, even before the steep climb in grain prices in 2008, the number of failing states was expanding. If the food situation continues to worsen, entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. In the 20th century the main threat to international security was superpower conflict; today it is failing states.[D] States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food securityand basic social services such as education and health care. When governments lose theircontrol on power, law and order begin to disintegrate. After a point, countries can become so dangerous that food relief workers are no longer safe and their programs are halted. Failing states are of international concern because they are a source of terrorists, drugs, weapons and refugees(难民), threatening political stability everywhere.[E]The surge in world grain prices in 2007 and 2008—and the threat they pose to foodsecurity——has a different, more troubling quality than the increases of the past. During the second half of the 20th century, grain prices rose dramatically several times. In 1972, for instance, the Soviets, recognizing their poor harvest early, quietly cornered the world wheat market. As a result, wheat prices elsewhere more than doubled, pulling rice and corn prices up with them. But this and other price shocks were event-driven——drought in the Soviet Union, crop-shrinking heat in the U.S. Corn Belt. And the rises were short-lived: prices typically returned to normal with the next harvest.[F]In contrast, the recent surge in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reversewithout a reversal in the trends themselves. On the demand side, those trends include the ongoing addition of more than 70 million people a year, a growing number of people w anting to move up the food chain to consume highly grain-intensive meat products, and the massive diversion(转向)of U.S. grain to the production of bio-fuel.[G]As incomes rise among low-income consumers, the potential for further grain consumption ishuge. But that potential pales beside the never-ending demand for crop-based fuels. A fourth of this year’s U.S. grain harvest will go to fuel cars.[H]What about supply? The three environmental trends——the shortage of fresh water, the loss oftopsoil and the rising temperatures——are making it increasingly hard to expand the world’s grain supply fast enough to keep up with demand. Of all those trends, however, the spread of water shortages poses the most immediate threat. The biggest challenge here is irrigation, which consumes 70% the world’s fresh water. Millions of irrigation wells in many countries are now pumping water out of underground sources faster than rainfall can refill them. The result is falling water tables(地下水位)in countries with half the world’s pe ople, including the three big grain producers——China, India and the U.S.[I]As water tables have fallen and irrigation wells have gone dry, China’s wheat crop, the world’slargest, has declined by 8% since it peaked at 123 million tons in 1997. But water shortages are even more worrying in India. Millions of irrigation wells have significantly lowered water tables in almost every state.[J]As the world’s food security falls to pieces, individual countries acting in their own self-interest are actually worsening the troubles of many. The trend began in 2007, when leading wheat-exporting countries such as Russia and Argentina limited or banned their exports, in hopes of increasing local food supplies and thereby bringing down domestic food prices.Vietnam banned its exports for several months for the same reason. Such moves may eliminate the fears of those living in the exporting countries, but they are creating panic in importing countries that must rely on what is then left for export.[K]In response to those restrictions, grain-importing countries are trying to nail down long-term trade agreements that would lock up future grain supplies. Food-import anxiety is even leading to new efforts by food-importing countries to buy or lease farmland in other countries. In spite of such temporary measures, soaring food prices and spreading hunger in many other countries are beginning to break down the social order.[L]Since the current world food shortage is trend-driven, the environmental trends that cause it must be reversed. We must cut carbon emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2020, stabilize the world’s population at eight billion by 2040, completely remove poverty, and restore forests and soils. There is nothing new about the four objectives. Indeed, we have made substantial progress in some parts of the world on at least one of these——the distribution of family-planning services and the associated shift to smaller families.[M]For many in the development community, the four objectives were seen as positive, promoting development as long as they did not cost too much. Others saw them as politically correct and morally appropriate. Now a third and far more significant motivation presents itself: meeting these goals may be necessary to prevent the collapse of our civilization. Y et the cost we project for saving civilization would amount to less than $200 billion a year, 1/6 of current global military spending. In effect, our plan is the new security budget.36.The more recent steep climb in grain prices partly results from the fact that more and morepeople want to consume meat products.37. Social order is breaking down in many countries because of food shortages.38. Rather than superpower conflict, countries unable to cope with food shortages now constitutethe main threat to world security.39. Some parts of the world have seen successful implementation of family planning.40. The author has come to agree that food shortages could ultimately lead to the collapse of worldcivilization.41. Increasing water shortages prove to be the biggest obstacle to boosting the world’s grainproduction.42. The cost for saving our civilization would be considerably less than the world’s currentmilitary spending.43. To lower domestic food prices, some countries limited or stopped their grain exports.44. Environmental problems must be solved to ease the current global food shortage.45. A quarter of this year’s American grain harvest will be used to produce bio-fuel for cars. Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age,but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions—including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving—started to dull as early as age 27.Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.On the other hand, indicators of a person’s accumulated knowledge—like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge—kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Mostpeople’s minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse.“These patterns suggest th at some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it with one’s abilities,may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no dis e ases,” Salthouse said in a news release.The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.The tests are designed to detect subtle (细微的)changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition (认知能力)generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia(痴呆),according to the researchers.“By following individuals over time,” Salthouse said, “we gai n insight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline.”The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants’ health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.46. What is the common view of mental function?A)It varies from person to person. B)It weakens in one’s later years.C)It gradually expands with age. D)It indicates one’s health condition.47. What does the new study find about mental functions?A)Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.B)They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.C)They are closely related to physicaland mental exercise.D)Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.48. What does Timothy Salthouse say abo ut people’s minds in most cases?A)They tend to decline in people’s later years.B)Their flexibility determines one’s abilities.C)They function quite well even in old age.D)Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.49. Although people’s minds m ay function less flexibly as they age, they_____.A)may be better at solving puzzlesB)can memorize things with more easeC)may have greater facility in abstract reasoningD)can put what they have learnt into more effective use50. According to Salthouse, their study may help us_____.A)find ways to slow down our mental declineB)find ways to boost our memoriesC)understand the complex process of mental functioningD)understand the relation between physical and mental healthPassage T woQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthand(简写)educators use for this is “pre-K”—meaning instruction before kindergarten—and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at V anderbilt University’s Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.A new Peabody study of the Tennessee V oluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn’t be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child’s schooling. I lean toward the latter view.This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预)works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.51.What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?A)It should cater to the needs of individual children.B)It is essential to a person’s future academic success.C)Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.D)Parents regard it as the first phase of children’s development.52.What does the new Peabody study find?A)Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.B)The third grade marks a new phase of learning.C)The third grade is critical to children’s development.D)Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs.53.When does the author think pre-K works the best?A)When it is accessible to kids of all families.B)When it is made part of kids’ education.C)When it is no longer considered a luxury.D)When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.54.What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?A)She knows the real goal of education. B)She is a mayor of insight and vision.C)She has once run a pre-K program. D)She is a firm supporter of pre-K.55.What does the author think is critical to kids’ education?A)Teaching method. B)Kids’ interest.C)Early intervention. D)Parents’ involvement.Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在山东省潍坊市，风筝不仅仅是玩具，而且还是这座城市文化的标志。

2016年12月-大学英语四级-考试真题附答案-（第二套.）2016年12，月大学英语四级，考试真题附答案，（第二套.）Part IWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have twooptions upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to agraduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain thereasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes )Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each newsreport, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and thequestions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single linethrough the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A. To satisfy the curiosity of tourists.B. To replace two old stone bridges.C. To enable tourists to visit Goat Island.D. To improve utility services in the state.2. A. Countless tree limbs.B. A few skeletons.C. Lots of wrecked boats and ships.D. Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A. It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B. It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C. It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D. It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4. A. Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B. Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C. Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D. Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A. An environment-friendly battery.B. An energy-saving mobile phone.C. A plant-powered mobile phone charger.D. A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6. A. While sitting in their school's courtyard.B. While playing games on their phones.C. While solving a mathematical problem.D. While doing a chemical experiment.7. A. It increases the applications of mobile phones.B. It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C. It improves the reception of mobile phones.D. It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken onlyonce. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A, B, C and D. Then mark the correspondingletter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre. Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A. He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B. He called the woman and left her a message.C. He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D. He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A. It is the most modern production line.B. It assembles super-intelligent robots.C. It has stopped working completely.D. It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A. To seek her permission.B. To place an order for robots.C. To request her to return at once.D. To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A. She is on duty.B. She is having her day off.C. She is on sick leave.D. She is abroad on business.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. He saved a baby boy's life.B. He wanted to be a superhero.C. He prevented a train crash.D. He was a witness to an accident.13. A. He has a 9-month-old boy.B. He is currently unemployed.C. He enjoys the interview.D. He commutes by subway.14. A. A rock on the tracks.B. A misplaced pushchair.C. A strong wind.D. A speeding car.15. A. She stood motionless in shock.B. She cried bitterly.C. She called the police at once.D. She shouted for help.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hearthree or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices markedA, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with asingle line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A. She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B. She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C. She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D. She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A. To preserve a tradition.B. To amuse her daughter.C. To help local education.D. To make some extra money.18. A. To raise money for business expansion.B. To make her truck attractive to children.C. To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.D. To teach kids the value of mutual support.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A. The reasons for imposing taxes.B. The various services money can buy.C. The various burdens on ordinary citizens.D. The function of money in the modem world.20. A. Educating and training citizens.B. Improving public transportation.C. Protecting people's life and property.D. Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A. By asking for donations.B. By selling public lands.C. By selling government bonds.D. By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A. It is located at the center of the European continent.B. It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C. It contains less than a square mile of land.D. It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A. Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B. Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C. It is where many American movies are shot.D. It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A. Tobacco.B. Potatoes.C. Machinery.D. Clothing.25. A. European history.B. European geography.C. Small countries in Europe.D. Tourist attractions in Europe.Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now26heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 hastaken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to27 to coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) and they take up more spacethan cooler waters, raising sea28While the top of the ocean is well studied, its depths are moredifficult to 29The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get abetter30 of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readingscollected by everything from a 19th century31 of British naval ships to modem automated oceanprobes. The extensive data sources,32 with computer simulations ( 计算机模拟), created atimeline of oceantemperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming fromfossil fuel33About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now resides at a34 of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're35whether the deep-seawarming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.A. absorbB. CombinedC. ContributeD. depthE. emissionsF. excursionG. exploreH. floorI. heightsJ. indifferentK. levelsL. mixedM. pictureN. unsureO. voyageSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart KidsA) I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation--and how people persevere aftersetbacks--as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments bypsychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animalsconclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animaloften remains passive even when it can effect change--a state they called learned helplessness.B) People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when they encounter difficulty,whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn One answer, I soondiscovered, lay in people's beliefs about why they had failed.C) In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than doesthe belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayedhelpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep tryingwhen the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded fortheir success on easier problems did not improvetheir ability to solve hard math problems. Theseexperiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.D) Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners--helplessversus mastery-oriented.I realized these different types of students not only explain their failuresdifferently, but they also hold different "theories" of intelligence.The helpless ones believeintelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a"fixed mind-set (思维模式). " Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors toa lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challengesmake mistakes more likely. The mastery-oriented children, on the other hand, think intelligence isnot fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challengesare energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏); they offer opportunities to learn. Studentswith such a growth mind-set were destined (注定) for greater academic success and were quitelikely to outperform their counterparts.E) We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373students for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficultand the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At thebeginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagreewith statementssuch as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't reallychange. " We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see whathappened to their grades.F) As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was a more important goal thangetting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard. They understood that evengeniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, studentswith a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students whoheld a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning.They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability.They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well.Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that they wouldstudy less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.G) Such different outlooks had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the mathachievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to those ofstudents who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students witha growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of theother students by the end of the first semester--and the gap between the two groups continued towiden during the two years we followed them.H) A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage orignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-setare less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growthmind-set.I) How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children One way is by telling stories aboutachievements that result from hardwork. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses whowere more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of greatmathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.J) In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding themind as a learning machine. I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose mathgrades were declining in their first year of junior high.Forty-eight of the students receivedinstruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessionsand classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. Inthegrowth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled "You Can Grow YourBrain. " They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and thatlearning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students beganto see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there weretwo types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the childrenin the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.K) Research is converging (汇聚) on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius istypically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from agift.36. The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37. Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38. We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning.39. Students' belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40. In the author's experiment, students with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41. The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students' mind-sets on math learning.42. After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.43. Informing students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44. People with a fixed mind-set believe that one's intelligence is unchangeable.45. In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices markedA.,B.,C. AndD . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith oncewrote," are commodities which arenowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and whichare, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation. "Two and a haft centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. Withsurging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the worldhave begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found afall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast,a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims thatconsumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattierfare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action.Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure todemonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of itsofferings. For example, some drink manufacturers have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount ofsugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, somecompanies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust thefundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on theoutside, but none on theinside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes ( 配方) is one way to improve public health, it should be part of amulti-sided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. T o deal with obesity,a mixture of approaches--including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes--will beneeded. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and .tobaccoA. They were profitable to manufacture.B. They were in ever-increasing demand.C. They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D. They were no longer considered necessities of life.47. Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugarA. They are under growing pressure to balance their national budgets.B. They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C. The practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D. The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48. What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foodsA. It did not work out as well as was expected.B. It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C. It could not succeed without German cooperation.D. It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49. What is the more recent effort by food companies tomake foods and drinks both healthy and tastyA. Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B. Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C. Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D. Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50. What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet" ( Line 4, Para.7)A. There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B. There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C. There is no hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D. There is noeffective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cottonballs to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds afterthey step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers saya model's body mass should be a workplace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday inthe American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case forgovernment regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16--low enough toindicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin areworried notjust about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and teens," says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that theydefine perfect body image based on what they see in magazines. " That's especially worrying, she says,given that anorexia (厌食症) results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according tothe National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coalminers. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting fromoccupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houseswho hire models with a BMI under 18 could pay $ 82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail.Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rulesin France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating inParis Fashion Week", she says, adding," Our argument is that the same would be true of New YorkFashion Week. "51. What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body massA. It has caused needless controversy.B. It is but a matter of personal taste.C. It is the focus of the modeling business.D. It affects models' health and safety.52. What are Record and Austin advocating in the MondayeditorialA. A change in the public's view of female beauty.B. Government legislation about models' weight.C. Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D. Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53. Why are Record and Austin especially worried about the low body mass index of modelsA. It contributes to many mental illnesses.B. It defines the future of the fashion industry.C. It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D. It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industryA. It has difficulty hiring models.B. It has now a new law to follow.C. It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D. It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion WeekA. It will create a completely new set of rules.B. It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C. It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D. It will have models with a higher BMI.Part ⅣTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月英语四级真题（卷二）Part I Writing(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to work in a state-owned business and the other in a joint venture. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes )Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A. To satisfy the curiosity of tourists. B.To replace two old stone bridges.C.To enable tourists to visit Goat Island.D.To improve utility services in the state.2.A. Countless tree limbs. B.A few skeletons.C.Lots of wrecked boats and ships.lions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A. It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B.It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C.It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D.It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4.A. Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B.Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C.Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D.Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A. An environment-friendly battery. B.An energy-saving mobile phone.C.A plant-powered mobile phone charger.D.A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6.A. While sitting in their school's courtyard. B.While playing games on their phones.C.While solving a mathematical problem.D.While doing a chemical experiment.7.A. It increases the applications of mobile phones.B.It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C.It improves the reception of mobile phones.D.It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A. He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B. He called the woman and left her a message.C. He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D. He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A. It is the most modern production line. B. It assembles super-intelligent robots.C. It has stopped working completely.D. It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A. To seek her permission. B. To place an order for robots.C. To request her to return at once.D. To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A. She is on duty. B. She is having her day off.C. She is on sick leave.D. She is abroad on business.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. He saved a baby boy's life. B. He wanted to be a superhero.C. He prevented a train crash.D. He was a witness to an accident.13. A. He has a 9-month-old boy. B. He is currently unemployed.C. He enjoys the interview.D. He commutes by subway.14. A. A rock on the tracks. B. A misplaced pushchair.C. A strong wind.D. A speeding car.15. A. She stood motionless in shock. B. She cried bitterly.C. She called the police at once.D. She shouted for help.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A. She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B. She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C. She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D. She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A. To preserve a tradition. B. To amuse her daughter.C. To help local education.D. To make some extra money.18. A. To raise money for business expansion. B. To make her truck attractive to children.C. To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.D. To teach kids the value of mutual support. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A. The reasons for imposing taxes. B. The various services money can buy.C. The various burdens on ordinary citizens.D. The function of money in the modem world.20. A. Educating and training citizens. B. Improving public transportation.C. Protecting people's life and property.D. Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A. By asking for donations. B. By selling public lands.C. By selling government bonds.D. By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A. It is located at the center of the European continent.B. It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C. It contains less than a square mile of land.D. It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A. Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B. Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C. It is where many American movies are shot.D. It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A. Tobacco. B. Potatoes.C. Machinery.D. Clothing.25. A. European history. B. European geography.C. Small countries in Europe.D. Tourist attractions in Europe.Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now 26 heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to 27 to coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea 28 While the top of the ocean is well studied, its depths are more difficult to 29 The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get abetter 30 of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century 31 of British naval ships to modem automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, 32 with computer simulations ( 计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming from fossil fuel 33About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now resides at a 34 of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're 35 whether the deep-sea warming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.A. absorbB. CombinedC. ContributeD. depthE. emissionsF. excursionG. explore H. floor I. heights J. indifferent K. levels L. mixed M. pictureN. unsure O. voyageSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart KidsA) I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation--and how people persevere after setbacks--as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change--a state they called learned helplessness.B) People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when they encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people's beliefs about why they had failed.C) In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve hard math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.D) Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners—helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold different "theories" of intelligence. The helpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a "fixed mind-set (思维模式). " Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-oriented children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏); they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined (注定) for greater academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.E) We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored373students for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficult and the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At the beginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't really change. " We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.F) As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was a more important goal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard. They understood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability. They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that they would study less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.G) Such different outlooks had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the math achievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of the other students by the end of the first semester--and the gap between the two groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.H) A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growth mind-set.I) How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses who were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of great mathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.J) In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding the mind as a learning machine. I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high. Forty-eight of the students received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled "You Can Grow Your Brain. " They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the children in the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.K) Research is converging (汇聚) on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift.36. The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37. Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38. We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning.39. Students' belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40. In the author's experiment, students with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41. The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students' mind-sets on math learning.42. After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.43. Informing students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44. People with a fixed mind-set believe that one's intelligence is unchangeable.45. In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A., B., C. And D . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote," are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation. "Two and a haft centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufacturers have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes ( 配方) is one way to improve public health, it should be part of a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, mixture of approaches--including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes--will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and .tobacco?A. They were profitable to manufacture.B. They were in ever-increasing demand.C. They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D. They were no longer considered necessities of life.47. Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A. They are under growing pressure to balance their national budgets.B. They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C. The practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D. The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48. What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A. It did not work out as well as was expected.B. It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C. It could not succeed without German cooperation.D. It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49. What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A. Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B. Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C. Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D. Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50. What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet" ( Line 4, Para.7)?A. There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B. There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C. There is no hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D. There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers say a model's body mass should be a workplace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16--low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and teens," says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines. " That's especially worrying, she says, given that anorexia (厌食症) results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coalminers. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with a BMI under 18 could pay $ 82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week", she says, adding," Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week. "51. What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A. It has caused needless controversy.B. It is but a matter of personal taste.C. It is the focus of the modeling business.D. It affects models' health and safety.52. What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A. A change in the public's view of female beauty.B. Government legislation about models' weight.C. Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D. Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53. Why are Record and Austin especially worried about the low body mass index of models?A. It contributes to many mental illnesses.B. It defines the future of the fashion industry.C. It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D. It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A. It has difficulty hiring models.B. It has now a new law to follow.C. It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D. It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A. It will create a completely new set of rules.B. It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C. It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D. It will have models with a higher BMI.Part ⅣTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.随着中国的改革开放，如今很多年轻人都喜欢举行西式婚礼。

2016年12月大学英语四级第二套真题附答案及听力材料2016年12月四级真题（第二套）Part I WritingDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A) To satisfy the curiosity of tourists.B) To replace two old stone bridges.C) To enable tourists to visit Goat Island.D) To improve utility services in the state.2.A) Countless tree limbs.B) A few skeletons.C) Lots of wrecked boats and ships.D) Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.A) It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B) It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C) It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D) It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4.A) Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B) Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C) Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D) Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A) An environment-friendly battery.B) An energy-saving mobile phone.C) A plant-powered mobile phone charger.D) A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6.A) While sitting in their school's courtyard.B) While playing games on their phones.C) While solving a mathematical problem.D) While doing a chemical experiment.7.A) It increases the applications of mobile phones.B) It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C) It improves the reception of mobile phones.D) It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A) He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B) He called the woman and left her a message.C) He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D) He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9.A) It is the most modern production line.B) It assembles super-intelligent robots.C) It has stopped working completely.D) It is going to be upgraded soon.10.A) To seek her permission.B) To place an order for robots.C) To request her to return at once.D) To ask for T om's phone number.11.A) She is on duty.B) She is having her day off.C) She is on sick leave.D) She is abroad on business.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) He saved a baby boy's life.B) He wanted to be a superhero.C) He prevented a train crash.D) He was a witness to an accident.13.A) He has a 9-month-old boy.B) He is currently unemployed.C) He enjoys the interview.D) He commutes by subway.14.A) A rock on the tracks.B) A misplaced pushchair.C) A strong wind.D) A speeding car.15.A) She stood motionless in shock.B) She cried bitterly.C) She called the police at once.D) She shouted for help.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A) She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B) She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C) She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D) She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.A) To preserve a tradition.B) To amuse her daughter.C) To help local education.D) To make some extra money.18.A) To raise money for business expansion.B) To make her truck attractive to children.C) To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.D) To teach kids the value of mutual support.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) The reasons for imposing taxes.B) The various services money can buy.C) The various burdens on ordinary citizens.D) The function of money in the modern world.20.A) Educating and training citizens.B) Improving public transportation.C) Protecting people's life and property.D) Building hospitals and public libraries.21.A) By asking for donations.B) By selling public lands.C) By selling government bonds.D) By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.A) It is located at the center of the European continent.B) It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C) It contains less than a square mile of land.D) It is surrounded by France on three sides.23.A) Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B) Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C) It is where many American movies are shot.D) It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24.A) Tobacco.B) Potatoes.C) Machinery.D) Clothing.25.A) European history.B) European geography.C) Small countries in Europe.D) Tourist attractions in Europe.Part III Reading ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now 26 heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to 27 to coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea 28 . While the top of the ocean is well studied, its depths are more difficult to 29 . The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get a better 30 of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century 31 of British naval ships to modern automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, 32 with computer simulations (计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming from fossil fuel 33 .About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now resides at a 34 of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're 35 whether the deep-sea warming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.A) absorbB) combinedC) contributeD) depthE) emissionsF) excursionG) exploreH) floor I) heights J) indifferent K) levels L) mixed M) picture N) unsure O) voyageSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart KidsA) I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation –and how people persevere after setbacks –as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change – a state they called learned helplessness.B) People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when they encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people's beliefs about why they had failed.C) In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve hard math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.D) Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners –helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold different “theories” of intelligence. The helpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain a mount, and that's that. I call this a “fixed mind-set (思维模式).” Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-oriented children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏); they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined (注定) for greater academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.E) We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373 students for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work getsmore difficult and the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At the beginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as “Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't really change.” We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.F) As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was a more important goal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard. They understood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability. They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability,those with a fixed mind-set said that they would study less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.G) Such different outlooks had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the math achievement test scores of the students with a growthmind-set were comparable to those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of the otherstudents by the end of the first semester – and the gap between the two groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.H) A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growth mind-set.I) How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses who were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of great mathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.J) In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding the mind as a learning machine. I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high. Forty-eight of the students received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled “You Can Grow Your Brain.” They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changesin 27% of the children in the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.K) Research is converging (汇聚) on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift.36. The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37. Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38. We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning.39. Students’ belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40. In the author's experiment, students with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41. The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students' mind-sets on math learning.42. After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.43. Informing students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44. People with a fixed mind-set believe that one's intelligence is unchangeable.45. In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For eachof them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.“Sugar, alcohol and tobacco,” econ omist Adam Smith once wrote, “are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation.”Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufacturers have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have beenachieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes (配方) is one way to improve public health, it should be part of a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches – including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes – will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and tobacco?A) They were profitable to manufacture.B) They were in ever-increasing demand.C) They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D) They were no longer considered necessities of life.47. Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A) They are under growing pressure to balance their national budgets.B) They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C) The practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D) The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48. What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A) It did not work out as well as was expected.B) It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C) It could not succeed without German cooperation.D) It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49. What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A) Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B) Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C) Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D) Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50. What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, “There is no silver bullet” (Line 4, Para. 7)？A) There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B) There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C) There is no hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D) There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing fromhunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers say a model's body mass should be a workplace health and safety issue. In an editorial releasedMonday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16 – low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence.“Especially girls and teens,” says Record. “Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines.” That's especially worrying, she says, given that anorexia (厌食症) results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coal miners. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with a BMI under 18 could pay $82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. su pport could make a difference. “A designer can't survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week”, she says, adding, “Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week.”51. What do Record and Austin say about fashion models'body mass?A) It has caused needless controversy.B) It is but a matter of personal taste.C) It is the focus of the modeling business.D) It affects models' health and safety.52. What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A) A change in the public's view of female beauty.B) Government legislation about models' weight.C) Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D) Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53. Why are Record and Austin especially worried about the low body mass index of models?A) It contributes to many mental illnesses.B) It defines the future of the fashion industry.C) It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D) It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A) It has difficulty hiring models.B) It has now a new law to follow.C) It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D) It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A) It will create a completely new set of rules.B) It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C) It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D) It will have models with a higher BMI.Part IV TranslationDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should writeyour answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第二套）Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension（25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) To satisfy the curiosity of tourists. C) To enable tourists to visit GoatIsland.B) To replace two old stone bridges. D) To improve utility services in the state2. A) Countless tree limbs. C) Lots of wrecked boats and ships.B) A few skeletons. D) Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard3. A)It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B)It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C)It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D)It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4. A) Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B)Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C)Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D)Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) An environment-friendly battery. C) A plant-powered mobile phone charger.B) An energy-saving mobile phone. D) A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6. A) While sitting in their school's courtyard. C) While solving a mathematical problem.B) While playing games on their phones. D) While doing a chemical experiment.7. A)It increases the applications of mobile phonesB)It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C)It improves the reception of mobile phones.D)It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections:In this section，you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation，you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B) He called the woman and left her a message.C)He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D)He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A)Itis the most modern production line. C)It has stopped working completelyB)It assembles super-intelligent robots. D)It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A) To seek her permission. C) To request her to return at once.B) To place an order for robots. D) To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A) She is on duty. C) She is on sick leave.B) She is having her day off. D) She is abroad on business.Question12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He saved a baby boy's life. C) He prevented a train crash.B) He wanted to be a superhero. D) He was a witness to an accident13. A) He has a 9-month-old boy. C) He enjoys the interview.B) He is currently unemployed. D) He commutes by subway.14. A) A rock on the tracks. C) A strong wind.B) A misplaced pushchair. D) A speeding car.15. A) She stood motionless in shock. C) She called the police at once.B) She cried bitterly. D) She shouted for help.Section CDirections：In this section，you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage，you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B)She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C)She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D)She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A)To preserve a tradition. C)To help local education.B)To amuse her daughter. D)To make some extra money.18. A)To raise money for business expansion. C)To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.B)To make her truck attractive to children. D)To teach kids the value of mutual supportQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)The reasons for imposing taxes. C)The various burdens on ordinary citizens.B)The various serious money can buy. D)The function of money in the modern world.20. A)Educating and training citizens. C)Protecting people’s life and property.C)Improving public translation. D)Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A)By asking for donations. C)By selling government bonds.B)By selling public lands. D)By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)It is located at the center of the European continent.B)It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C)It contains less than a square mile of land.D)It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A)Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B)Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C)It is where many American movies are shot.D)It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A) Tobacco. B) Potatoes. C) Machinery. D) Clothing25. A)European history. C) Small countries in Europe.B)European geography. D) Tourist attractions in Europe.PARTⅢReading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now (26)heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to (27)to coral bleaching(珊瑚白化) and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea (28). While the top of the ocean is studied, its depths are more difficult to (29)The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get better (30)of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century(31)of British naval ships to modern automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, (32)with computer simulations(计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming from fossil fuel (33).About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now residents at a (34)of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're (35)whether the deep-sea warming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.Directions：In this section，you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart Kids[A] I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation-and how people persevere after setbacks-as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change-a state they called learned helplessness.[B]People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people’s beliefs about why they had failed.[C] In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve harm math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.[D]Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners-helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold different “theories”of intelligence. The helpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a "fixed mind-set(思维模式)."Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-orient children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏);they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined(注定)for great academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.[E]We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373 student for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficult and the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At the beginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as "Your intelligence issomething very basic about you that you can't really change." We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.[F] As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was more important goal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard, They understood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability. They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that would study less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.[G] Such different outlook had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the math achievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to the those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of the other students by the end of the first semester-and the gap between the two groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.[H] A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growth mind-set.[I] How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses Who were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but mathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.[J] In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding the mind as a learning machine, I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high. Forty-eight of the students received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled “You Can Grow Your Brain.” They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the children in the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.[K]Research is converging(汇聚)on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift.36.The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37.Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achievesuccess.38.We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work love of learning.39.Students’ belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40.In the author’s experiment, student with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41.The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students’ mind-sets on math learning.42.After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.rming students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44.People with a fixed mind-set believe that one’s intelligence is unchangeable.45.In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set. Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote, "are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation."Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales if untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufactures have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however.Some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes(配方)is one way to improve public health, it should be partof a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember thatthere is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches-including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes-will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and tobacco?A)They were profitable to manufacture.B)They were in ever-increasing demand.C)They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D)They were no longer considered necessities of life.47.Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A)They are under growing pressures to balance their national budgets.B)They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C)They practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D)The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48.What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A)It did not work out as well as was expected.B)It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C)It could not succeed without German cooperation.D)It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49.What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A)Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B)Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C)Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D)Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50.What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet"(Line 4, Para 7)?A)There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B)There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C)There is on hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D)There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers say a model's body mass should be a workspace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16-low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and tens", says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 reportthat they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines." That's especially worrying, she says, given that anorexia(厌食症)results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coal miners. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with BMI under 18 could pay $82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week", she says, adding, "Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week."51.What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A)It has caused needless controversy.B)It is focus of the modeling business.C)It is but a matter of personal taste.D)It affects models' health and safety.52.What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A)A change in the public's view of female beauty.B)Government legislation about models' weight.C)Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D)Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53.Why are Record and Austin worried about the low body mass index of models?A)It contributes to many mental illnesses.B)It defines the future of the fashion industry.C)It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D)It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runaway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A)It has difficulty hiring models.B)It has now a new law to follow.C)It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D)It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A)It will create a completely new set of rules.B)It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C)It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D)It will have models with a higher BMI.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月大学英语四级第二套真题和答案2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第二套）Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension（25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) To satisfy the curiosity of tourists. C) To enable tourists to visit GoatIsland.B) To replace two old stone bridges. D) To improve utility services in the state2. A) Countless tree limbs. C) Lots of wrecked boats and ships.B) A few skeletons. D) Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard3. A)It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B)It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C)It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D)It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4. A) Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B)Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C)Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D)Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) An environment-friendly battery. C) A plant-powered mobile phone charger.B) An energy-saving mobile phone. D) A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6. A) While sitting in their school's courtyard. C) While solving a mathematical problem.B) While playing games on their phones. D) While doing a chemical experiment.7. A)It increases the applications of mobile phonesB)It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C)It improves the reception of mobile phones.D)It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections:In this section，you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation，you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B) He called the woman and left her a message.C)He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D)He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A)Itis the most modern production line. C)It has stopped working completelyB)It assembles super-intelligent robots. D)It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A) To seek her permission. C) To request her to return at once.B) To place an order for robots. D) To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A) She is on duty. C) She is on sick leave.B) She is having her day off. D) She is abroad on business.Question12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He saved a baby boy's life. C) He prevented a train crash.B) He wanted to be a superhero. D) He was a witness to an accident13. A) He has a 9-month-old boy. C) He enjoys the interview.B) He is currently unemployed. D) He commutes by subway.14. A) A rock on the tracks. C) A strong wind.B) A misplaced pushchair. D) A speeding car.15. A) She stood motionless in shock. C) She called the police at once.B) She cried bitterly. D) She shouted for help.Section CDirections：In this section，you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage，you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B)She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C)She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D)She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A)To preserve a tradition. C)To help local education.B)To amuse her daughter. D)To make some extra money.18. A)To raise money for business expansion. C)To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.B)To make her truck attractive to children. D)To teach kids the value of mutual supportQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)The reasons for imposing taxes. C)The various burdens on ordinary citizens.B)The various serious money can buy. D)The function of money in the modern world.20. A)Educating and training citizens. C)Protecting people’s life and property.C)Improving public translation. D)Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A)By asking for donations. C)By selling government bonds.B)By selling public lands. D)By exploiting natural resources. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)It is located at the center of the European continent.B)It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C)It contains less than a square mile of land.D)It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A)Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B)Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C)It is where many American movies are shot.D)It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A) Tobacco. B) Potatoes. C) Machinery. D) Clothing25. A)European history. C) Small countries in Europe.B)European geography. D) Tourist attractions in Europe.PARTⅢ Reading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section， there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now(26)heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to (27)to coral bleaching(珊瑚白化) and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea (28). While the top of the ocean is studied, its depths are more difficult to(29)The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get better (30)of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century(31)of British naval ships to modern automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, (32)with computer simulations(计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming fromfossil fuel (33).About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now residents at a (34)of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they'reDirections：In this section， you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart Kids[A] I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation-and how people persevere after setbacks-as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change-a state they called learned helplessness.[B]People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people’s beliefs about why they had failed.[C] In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve harm math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.[D] Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners-helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold different “theories”of intelligence. The helpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a "fixed mind-set(思维模式)."Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-orient children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏);they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined(注定)for great academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.[E] We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373 student for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficult and the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At the beginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't really change." We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.[F] As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was more important goal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard, They understood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability. They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that would study less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.[G] Such different outlook had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the math achievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to the those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of the other students by the end of the first semester-and the gap between the two groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.[H] A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growth mind-set.[I] How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniusesWho were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but mathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.[J] In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding the mind as a learning machine, I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high. Forty-eight of the students received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled “You Can Grow Your Brain.” They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts thebrain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the children in the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.[K]Research is converging(汇聚)on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift.36.The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37.Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38.We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work love of learning.39.Students’ belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitud e toward setbacks.40.In the author’s experiment, student with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41.The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students’ mind-sets on math learning.42.After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.rming students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44.People with a fixed mind-set believe that one’s intelligence is unchang eable.45.In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote, "are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation."Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales if untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing theborder to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufactures have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however.Some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes(配方)is one way to improve public health, it should be part of a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember thatthere is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches-including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes-will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and tobacco?A)They were profitable to manufacture.B)They were in ever-increasing demand.C)They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D)They were no longer considered necessities of life.47.Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A)They are under growing pressures to balance their national budgets.B)They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C)They practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D)The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48.What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A)It did not work out as well as was expected.B)It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C)It could not succeed without German cooperation.D)It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49.What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A)Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B)Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C)Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D)Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50.What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet"(Line 4, Para 7)?A)There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B)There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C)There is on hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D)There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers say a model's body mass should be a workspace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16-low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and tens", says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines." That's especially worrying, she says, given that anorexia(厌食症)results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coal miners. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with BMI under 18 could pay $82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week", she says, adding, "Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week."51.What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A)It has caused needless controversy.B)It is focus of the modeling business.C)It is but a matter of personal taste.D)It affects models' health and safety.52.What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A)A change in the public's view of female beauty.B)Government legislation about models' weight.C)Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D)Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53.Why are Record and Austin worried about the low body mass index of models?A)It contributes to many mental illnesses.B)It defines the future of the fashion industry.C)It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D)It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runaway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A)It has difficulty hiring models.B)It has now a new law to follow.C)It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D)It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A)It will create a completely new set of rules.B)It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C)It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D)It will have models with a higher BMI.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第二套）Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension（25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) To satisfy the curiosity of tourists. C) To enable tourists to visit GoatIsland.B) To replace two old stone bridges. D) To improve utility services in the state2. A) Countless tree limbs. C) Lots of wrecked boats and ships.B) A few skeletons. D) Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard3. A)It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B)It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C)It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D)It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4. A) Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B)Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C)Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D)Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) An environment-friendly battery. C) A plant-powered mobile phone charger.B) An energy-saving mobile phone. D) A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6. A) While sitting in their school's courtyard. C) While solving a mathematical problem.B) While playing games on their phones. D) While doing a chemical experiment.7. A)It increases the applications of mobile phonesB)It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C)It improves the reception of mobile phones.D)It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections:In this section，you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation，you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B) He called the woman and left her a message.C)He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D)He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A)Itis the most modern production line. C)It has stopped working completelyB)It assembles super-intelligent robots. D)It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A) To seek her permission. C) To request her to return at once.B) To place an order for robots. D) To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A) She is on duty. C) She is on sick leave.B) She is having her day off. D) She is abroad on business.Question12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He saved a baby boy's life. C) He prevented a train crash.B) He wanted to be a superhero. D) He was a witness to an accident13. A) He has a 9-month-old boy. C) He enjoys the interview.B) He is currently unemployed. D) He commutes by subway.14. A) A rock on the tracks. C) A strong wind.B) A misplaced pushchair. D) A speeding car.15. A) She stood motionless in shock. C) She called the police at once.B) She cried bitterly. D) She shouted for help.Section CDirections：In this section，you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage，you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B)She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C)She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D)She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A)To preserve a tradition. C)To help local education.B)To amuse her daughter. D)To make some extra money.18. A)To raise money for business expansion. C)To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.B)To make her truck attractive to children. D)To teach kids the value of mutual supportQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)The reasons for imposing taxes. C)The various burdens on ordinary citizens.B)The various serious money can buy. D)The function of money in the modern world.20. A)Educating and training citizens. C)Protecting people’s life and property.C)Improving public translation. D)Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A)By asking for donations. C)By selling government bonds.B)By selling public lands. D)By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)It is located at the center of the European continent.B)It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C)It contains less than a square mile of land.D)It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A)Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B)Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C)It is where many American movies are shot.D)It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A) Tobacco. B) Potatoes. C) Machinery. D) Clothing25. A)European history. C) Small countries in Europe.B)European geography. D) Tourist attractions in Europe.PARTⅢReading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now (26)heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to (27)to coral bleaching(珊瑚白化) and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea (28). While the top of the ocean is studied, its depths are more difficult to (29)The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get better (30)of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century(31)of British naval ships to modern automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, (32)with computer simulations(计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming from fossil fuel (33).About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now residents at a (34)of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're (35)whether the deep-sea warming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.Directions：In this section，you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart Kids[A] I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation-and how people persevere after setbacks-as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change-a state they called learned helplessness.[B]People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people’s beliefs about why they had failed.[C] In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve harm math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.[D]Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners-helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold differe nt “theories”of intelligence. The helpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a "fixed mind-set(思维模式)."Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-orient children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏);they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined(注定)for great academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.[E]We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373 student for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficult and the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At the beginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't really change." We then assessed their beliefsabout other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.[F] As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was more important goal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard, They understood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability. They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that would study less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.[G] Such different outlook had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the math achievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to the those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of the other students by the end of the first semester-and the gap between the two groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.[H] A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growth mind-set.[I] How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses Who were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but mathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.[J] In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding the mind as a learning machine, I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high. Forty-eight of the students received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled “You Can Grow Your Brain.” They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the children in the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.[K]Research is converging(汇聚)on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift.36.The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37.Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38.We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work love of learning.39.Students’ belief about the cause of their failure expla ins their attitude toward setbacks.40.In the author’s experiment, student with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41.The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students’ mind-sets on math learning.42.After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.rming students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44.People with a fixed mind-set believe that one’s intell igence is unchangeable.45.In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set. Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote, "are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation."Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales if untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufactures have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however.Some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes(配方)is one way to improve public health, it should be part of a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember thatthere is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches-including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes-will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and tobacco?A)They were profitable to manufacture.B)They were in ever-increasing demand.C)They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D)They were no longer considered necessities of life.47.Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A)They are under growing pressures to balance their national budgets.B)They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C)They practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D)The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48.What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A)It did not work out as well as was expected.B)It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C)It could not succeed without German cooperation.D)It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49.What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A)Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B)Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C)Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D)Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50.What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet"(Line 4, Para 7)?A)There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B)There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C)There is on hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D)There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers say a model's body mass should be a workspace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16-low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and tens", says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines." That's especiallyworrying, she says, given that anorexia(厌食症)results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coal miners. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with BMI under 18 could pay $82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week", she says, adding, "Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week."51.What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A)It has caused needless controversy.B)It is focus of the modeling business.C)It is but a matter of personal taste.D)It affects models' health and safety.52.What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A)A change in the public's view of female beauty.B)Government legislation about models' weight.C)Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D)Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53.Why are Record and Austin worried about the low body mass index of models?A)It contributes to many mental illnesses.B)It defines the future of the fashion industry.C)It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D)It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runaway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A)It has difficulty hiring models.B)It has now a new law to follow.C)It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D)It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A)It will create a completely new set of rules.B)It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C)It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D)It will have models with a higher BMI.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年6月英语四级真题第二套Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to express your thanks to one of your school teachers upon entering college. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension （25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear three news reports。

At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions。

Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once。

After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）and D）。

Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre。

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard。

1。

A）The International Labor Organization’s key objective。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第2套)Part IWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have twooptions upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to agraduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain thereasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes )Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each newsreport, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and thequestions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single linethrough the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A. To satisfy the curiosity of tourists.B. To replace two old stone bridges.C. To enable tourists to visit Goat Island.D. To improve utility services in the state.2. A. Countless tree limbs.B. A few skeletons.C. Lots of wrecked boats and ships.D. Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A. It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B. It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C. It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D. It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4. A. Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B. Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C. Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D. Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A. An environment-friendly battery.B. An energy-saving mobile phone.C. A plant-powered mobile phone charger.D. A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6. A. While sitting in their school's courtyard.B. While playing games on their phones.C. While solving a mathematical problem.D. While doing a chemical experiment.7. A. It increases the applications of mobile phones.B. It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C. It improves the reception of mobile phones.D. It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken onlyonce. 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 Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A. He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B. He called the woman and left her a message.C. He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D. He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A. It is the most modern production line.B. It assembles super-intelligent robots.C. It has stopped working completely.D. It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A. To seek her permission.B. To place an order for robots.C. To request her to return at once.D. To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A. She is on duty.B. She is having her day off.C. She is on sick leave.D. She is abroad on business.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. He saved a baby boy's life.B. He wanted to be a superhero.C. He prevented a train crash.D. He was a witness to an accident.13. A. He has a 9-month-old boy.B. He is currently unemployed.C. He enjoys the interview.D. He commutes by subway.14. A. A rock on the tracks.B. A misplaced pushchair.C. A strong wind.D. A speeding car.15. A. She stood motionless in shock.B. She cried bitterly.C. She called the police at once.D. She shouted for help.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hearthree or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices markedA, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with asingle line through the centre. Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A. She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B. She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C. She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D. She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A. To preserve a tradition.B. To amuse her daughter.C. To help local education.D. To make some extra money.18. A. To raise money for business expansion.B. To make her truck attractive to children.C. To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.D. To teach kids the value of mutual support.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A. The reasons for imposing taxes.B. The various services money can buy.C. The various burdens on ordinary citizens.D. The function of money in the modem world.20. A. Educating and training citizens.B. Improving public transportation.C. Protecting people's life and property.D. Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A. By asking for donations.B. By selling public lands.C. By selling government bonds.D. By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A. It is located at the center of the European continent.B. It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C. It contains less than a square mile of land.D. It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A. Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B. Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C. It is where many American movies are shot.D. It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A. Tobacco.B. Potatoes.C. Machinery.D. Clothing.25. A. European history.B. European geography.C. Small countries in Europe.D. Tourist attractions in Europe.Part ⅡReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now26heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 hastaken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to27 to coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) and they take up more spacethan cooler waters, raising sea28While the top of the ocean is well studied, its depths are moredifficultto 29The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get abetter30 of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readingscollected by everything from a 19th century31 of British naval ships to modem automated oceanprobes. The extensive data sources,32 with computer simulations ( 计算机模拟), created atimeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming fromfossil fuel33 About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now resides at a34 of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're35whether the deep-seawarming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.A. absorbB. CombinedC. ContributeD. depthE. emissionsF. excursionG. exploreH. floorI. heightsJ. indifferentK. levelsL. mixedM. pictureN. unsureO. voyageSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2. The Secret to Raising Smart KidsA) I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation--and how people persevere aftersetbacks--as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments bypsychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animalsconclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animaloften remains passive even when it can effect change--a state they called learned helplessness.B) People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when they encounter difficulty,whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soondiscovered, lay in people's beliefs about why they had failed.C) In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than doesthe belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayedhelpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep tryingwhen the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded fortheir success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve hard math problems. Theseexperiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.D) Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners--helplessversus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failuresdifferently, but they also hold different "theories" of intelligence.The helpless ones believeintelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a"fixed mind-set (思维模式). " Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors toa lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challengesmake mistakes more likely. The mastery-oriented children, on the other hand, think intelligence isnot fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challengesare energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏); they offer opportunities to learn. Studentswith such a growth mind-set were destined (注定) for greater academic success and were quitelikely to outperform their counterparts.E) We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373students for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficultand the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At thebeginning of seventh grade, we assessed the students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagreewith statements such as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't reallychange. " We then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see whathappened to their grades.F) As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was a more important goal thangetting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard. They understood that evengeniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, studentswith a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students whoheld a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning.They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sign of low ability.They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well.Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that they wouldstudy less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.G) Such different outlooks had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high, the mathachievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable to those ofstudents who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the studentswitha growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of theother students by the end of the first semester--and the gap between the two groups continued towiden during the two years we followed them.H) A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage orignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-setare less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growthmind-set.I) How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories aboutachievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses whowere more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of greatmathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.J) In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding themind as a learning machine. I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose mathgrades were declining in their first year of junior high.Forty-eight of the students receivedinstruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessionsand classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. Inthe growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled "You Can Grow YourBrain. " They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and thatlearning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students beganto see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there weretwo types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the childrenin the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.K) Research is converging (汇聚) on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius istypically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from agift.36. The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37. Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38. We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning.39. Students' belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40. In the author's experiment, students with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41. The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students' mind-sets on math learning.42. After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.43. Informing students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44. People with a fixed mind-set believe that one's intelligence is unchangeable.45. In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set. Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. 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 AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote," are commodities which arenowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and whichare, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation. "Two and a haft centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. Withsurging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the worldhave begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico's taxation found afall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast,a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims thatconsumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattierfare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action.Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure todemonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of itsofferings. For example, some drink manufacturers have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount ofsugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, somecompanies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust thefundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on theinside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes ( 配方) is one way to improve public health, it should be part of amulti-sided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. To deal with obesity,a mixture of approaches--including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes--will beneeded. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and .tobacco?A. They were profitable to manufacture.B. They were in ever-increasing demand.C. They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D. They were no longer considered necessities of life.47. Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A. They are under growing pressure to balance their national budgets.B. They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C. The practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D. The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48. What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A. It did not work out as well as was expected.B. It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C. It could not succeed without German cooperation.D. It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49. What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A. Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B. Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C. Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D. Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50. What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet" ( Line 4, Para.7)?A. There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B. There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C. There is no hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D. There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cottonballs to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds afterthey step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers saya model's body mass should be a workplace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday inthe American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case forgovernment regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16--low enough toindicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried notjust about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women theirimages influence."Especially girls and teens," says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that theydefine perfect body image based on what they see in magazines. " That's especially worrying, she says,given that anorexia (厌食症) results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according tothe National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coalminers. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting fromoccupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houseswho hire models with a BMI under 18 could pay $ 82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail.Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rulesin France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating inParis Fashion Week", she says, adding," Our argument is that the same would be true of New YorkFashion Week. "51. What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A. It has caused needless controversy.B. It is but a matter of personal taste.C. It is the focus of the modeling business.D. It affects models' health and safety.52. What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A. A change in the public's view of female beauty.B. Government legislation about models' weight.C. Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D. Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53. Why are Record and Austin especially worried about the low body mass index of models?A. It contributes to many mental illnesses.B. It defines the future of the fashion industry.C. It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D. It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A. It has difficulty hiring models.B. It has now a new law to follow.C. It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D. It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A. It will create a completely new set of rules.B. It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C. It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D. It will have models with a higher BMI.Part ⅡTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

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Part I WritingDirections:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letterto express your thanks to one of your school teachers upon entering college . You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part Ⅱ Listening ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) andD). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A)How college students can improve their sleep habits.B)Why sufficient sleep is important for college students.C)Why college students are more likely to have stress problems.D)How college students can handle their psychological problems.2. A)It is not easy to improve one ’s sleep habits.B)It is not good for students to play video games.C)Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations.D)Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A)Whether more airports should be built around London.B)Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities.C)Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets.D)Whether the Spanish company could offer better service.4. A)Inefficient management. B)Poor ownership structure.C)Lack of innovation and competition. D)Lack of runway and terminal capacity.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A)Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes.B)Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes.C)Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products.D)Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers.6. A)The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.B)Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking.C)Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.D)Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.7. A)They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes.B)They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine.C)They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study.D)They will pay more attention to the quality of their products.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A)Indonesia. B)Holland. C)Sweden. D)England.9.A)Getting a coach who can offer real help. B)Talking with her boyfriend in Dutch.C)Learning a language where it is not spoken . D)Acquiring the necessary ability to socialize .10. A)Listening language programs on the radio. B)Trying to speak it as much as one can.C)Making friends with native speakers. D)Practicing reading aloud as often as possible.11.A)It creates an environment for socializing.B)It offers various courses with credit points.C)It trains young people’s leadership abilities.D)It provides opportunities for language practice.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A)The impact of engine design on rode safety. B)The role policemen play in traffic safety.C)A sense of freedom driving gives. D)Rules and regulations for driving.13. A)Make cars with automatic control. B)Make cars that have better brakes.C)Make cars that are less powerful. D)Make cars with higher standards.14. A)They tend to drive responsibly. B)They like to go at high speed.C)They keep within speed limits. D)They follow traffic rules closely.15.A)It is a bad idea. B)It is not useful.C)It is as effective as speed bumps . D)It should be combined with education.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)The card got damaged . B)The card was found invalid.C)The card reader failed to do the scanning. D)The card reader broke down unexpectedly.17. A)By converting the credit card with a layer of plastic.B)By calling the credit card company for confirmation.C)By seeking help from the card reader maker Verifone.D)By typing the credit card number into the cash register.18.A)Affect the sales of high-tech appliances.B)Change the life style of many Americans.C)Give birth to many new technological inventions.D)Produce many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)They are set by the dean of the graduate school.B)They are determined by the advising board.C)They leave much room for improvement.D)They vary among different departments.20. A)By consulting the examining committee . B)By reading the Bulletin of Information.C)By contacting the departmental office. D)By visiting the university’s website.21. A)They specify the number of credits students must earn.B)They are harder to meet than those for undergraduates.C)They have to be approved by the examining committee.D)They are the same among various divisions of the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)Students majoring in nutrition. B)Students in health classes.C)Ph.D. candidates in dieting. D)Middle and high school teachers.23. A)Its overestimate of the effect of dieting. B)Its mistaken conception of nutrition.C)Its changing criteria for beauty. D)Its overemphasis on thinness.24. A)To illustrate her point that beauty is but skin deep.B)To demonstrate the magic effect of dieting on women.C)To explain how computer images can be misleading.D)To prove that technology has impacted our culture.25. A)To persuade girls to stop dieting.B)To promote her own concept of beauty.C)To establish an emotional connection with students.D)To help students rid themselves of bad living habits.Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Contrary to popular belief, older people generally do not want to live with their children. Moreover, most adult children 26 every bit as much care and support to their aging parents as was the case in the “good old days”, and most older people do not feel 27.About 80% of people 65years and older have living children, and about 90% of themhave 28contact with their children. Ab out 75% of elderly parents who don’t go to nursing homes live within 30 minutes of at least one of their children.However, 29 having contact with children does not guarantee happiness in old age. In fact, some research has found that people who are most involved with their families have the lowest spirits. This research may be 30 ,however, as ill health often makes older people more 31 and thereby increases contact with family members. So it is more likely that poor health, not just family involvement, 32 spirits.Increasingly, researchers have begun to look at the quality of relationships, rather than at the frequency of contact, between the elderly and their children. If parents and children share interests and values and agree on childrearing practices and religious 33 , they are likely to enjoy each other’s company. Disagreements on such matters can 34 cause problems. If parents are agreed by their daughter’s divorce, dislike her new husband, and disapprove of how she is raising their grandchildren, 35 are that they are not going to enjoy her visits.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph ismarked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?[A] For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economictrends and their interactions. The combined effects of those trends and the political tensions they generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies. Yet I, too, have resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization.[B] I can no longer ignore that risk. Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declinesthat are undermining the world food economy forces me to conclude that such a collapse is possible.[C] As demand for food rises faster than supplies are growing, the resulting food-price inflationputs severe stress on the governments of many countries. Unable to buy grain or grow their own, hungry people take to the streets. Indeed, even before the steep climb in grain prices in 2008, the number of failing states was expanding. If the food situation continues to worsen, entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. In the 20th century the main threat to international security was superpower conflict; today it is failing states.[D] States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food securityand basic social services such as education and health care. When governments lose their control on power, law and order begin to disintegrate. After a point, countries can become so dangerous that food relief workers are no longer safe and their programs are halted. Failing states are of international concern because they are a source of terrorists, drugs, weapons and refugees(难民), threatening political stability everywhere.[E]The surge in world grain prices in 2007 and 2008—and the threat they pose to foodsecurity——has a different, more troubling quality than the increases of the past. During the second half of the 20th century, grain prices rose dramatically several times. In 1972, for instance, the Soviets, recognizing their poor harvest early, quietly cornered the world wheat market. As a result, wheat prices elsewhere more than doubled, pulling rice and corn prices up with them. But this and other price shocks were event-driven——drought in the Soviet Union, crop-shrinking heat in the U.S. Corn Belt. And the rises were short-lived: prices typically returned to normal with the next harvest.[F]In contrast, the recent surge in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reversewithout a reversal in the trends themselves. On the demand side, those trends include the ongoing addition of more than 70 million people a year, a growing number of people wanting to move up the food chain to consume highly grain-intensive meat products, and the massive diversion(转向)of U.S. grain to the production of bio-fuel.[G]As incomes rise among low-income consumers, the potential for further grain consumption ishuge. But that potential pales beside the never-ending demand for crop-based fuels. A fourth of this year’s U.S. grain harvest will go to fuel cars.[H]What about supply? The three environmental trends——the shortage of fresh water, the loss oftopsoil and the rising temperatures——are making it increasingly hard to expand the w orld’s grain supply fast enough to keep up with demand. Of all those trends, however, the spread of water shortages poses the most immediate threat. The biggest challenge here is irrigation, which consumes 70% the world’s fresh water. Millions of irrigatio n wells in many countries are now pumping water out of underground sources faster than rainfall can refill them. The result is falling water tables(地下水位)in countries with half the world’s people, including the three big grain producers——China, India and the U.S.[I]As water tables have fallen and irrigation wells have gone dry, China’s wheat crop, the world’slargest, has declined by 8% since it peaked at 123 million tons in 1997. But water shortages are even more worrying in India. Millions of irrigation wells have significantly lowered water tables in almost every state.[J]As the world’s food security falls to pieces, individual countries acting in their own self-interest are actually worsening the troubles of many. The trend began in 2007, when leadingwheat-exporting countries such as Russia and Argentina limited or banned their exports, in hopes of increasing local food supplies and thereby bringing down domestic food prices.Vietnam banned its exports for several months for the same reason. Such moves may eliminate the fears of those living in the exporting countries, but they are creating panic in importing countries that must rely on what is then left for export.[K]In response to those restrictions, grain-importing countries are trying to nail down long-term trade agreements that would lock up future grain supplies. Food-import anxiety is even leading to new efforts by food-importing countries to buy or lease farmland in other countries. In spite of such temporary measures, soaring food prices and spreading hunger in many other countries are beginning to break down the social order.[L]Since the current world food shortage is trend-driven, the environmental trends that cause it must be reversed. We must cut carbon emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2020, stabilize the world’s population at eight billion by 2040, completely remove poverty, and restore forests and soils. There is nothing new about the four objectives. Indeed, we have made substantial progress in some parts of the world on at least one of these——the distribution of family-planning services and the associated shift to smaller families.[M]For many in the development community, the four objectives were seen as positive, promoting development as long as they did not cost too much. Others saw them as politically correct and morally appropriate. Now a third and far more significant motivation presents itself: meeting these goals may be necessary to prevent the collapse of our civilization. Yet the cost we project for saving civilization would amount to less than $200 billion a year, 1/6 of current global military spending. In effect, our plan is the new security budget.36.The more recent steep climb in grain prices partly results from the fact that more and morepeople want to consume meat products.37. Social order is breaking down in many countries because of food shortages.38. Rather than superpower conflict, countries unable to cope with food shortages now constitutethe main threat to world security.39. Some parts of the world have seen successful implementation of family planning.40. The author has come to agree that food shortages could ultimately lead to the collapse of worldcivilization.41. Increasing water shortages prove to be the biggest obstacle to boosting the world’s gra inproduction.42. The cost for saving our civilization would be considerably less than the world’s currentmilitary spending.43. To lower domestic food prices, some countries limited or stopped their grain exports.44. Environmental problems must be solved to ease the current global food shortage.45. A quarter of this year’s American grain harvest will be used to produce bio-fuel for cars. Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age,but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions—including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving—started to dull as early as age 27.Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.On the other hand, indicators of a person’s accumulated knowledge—like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge—kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Most people’s minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse.“These patterns suggest that some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it with one’s abilities,may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no dis e ases,” Salthouse said in a news release.The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.The tests are designed to detect subtle (细微的)changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition (认知能力)generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia(痴呆),according to the researchers.“By following individuals over time,” Salthouse said, “we gain insight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline.”The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants’ health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.46. What is the common view of mental function?A)It varies from person to person. B)It weakens in one’s later years.C)It gradually expands with age. D)It indicates one’s health condition.47. What does the new study find about mental functions?A)Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.B)They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.C)They are closely related to physicaland mental exercise.D)Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.48. What does Timothy Salthouse say about people’s minds in most cases?A)They tend to decline in people’s late r years.B)Their flexibility determines one’s abilities.C)They function quite well even in old age.D)Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.49. Although people’s minds may function less flexibly as they age, they_____.A)may be better at solving puzzlesB)can memorize things with more easeC)may have greater facility in abstract reasoningD)can put what they have learnt into more effective use50. According to Salthouse, their study may help us_____.A)find ways to slow down our mental declineB)find ways to boost our memoriesC)understand the complex process of mental functioningD)understand the relation between physical and mental healthPassage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthand(简写)educators use for this is “pre-K”—meaning instruction before kindergarten—and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.A new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn’t be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child’s schooling. I lean toward the latter view.This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预)works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.51.What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?A)It should cater to the needs of individual children.B)It is essential to a person’s future academic success.C)Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.D)Parents regard it as the first phase of children’s development.52.What does the new Peabody study find?A)Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.B)The third grade marks a new phase of learning.C)The third grade is critical to children’s development.D)Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs.53.When does the author think pre-K works the best?A)When it is accessible to kids of all families.B)When it is made part of kids’ education.C)When it is no longer considered a luxury.D)When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.54.What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?A)She knows the real goal of education. B)She is a mayor of insight and vision.C)She has once run a pre-K program. D)She is a firm supporter of pre-K.55.What does the author think is critical to kids’ education?A)Teaching method. B)Kids’ interest.C)Early intervention. D)Parents’ involvement.Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在山东省潍坊市，风筝不仅仅是玩具，而且还是这座城市文化的标志。

2016年12月英语四级真题及答案详解和听力原文第二套2016年12月英语四级真题第二套Part I Writing (30minutes)(请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试)For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to work in a state-owned business and the other in a joint venture. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes )Section ADirections：In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C). Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard .1. A) It was dangerous to live in.C) He could no longer pay the rent.B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A strike.B)A storm. C) A forest fire. D) A Terrorist attack.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard .3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A) They tried hard to repair the accident.B) They released the details of the accident.C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D) They provided the miner with food and water.Question s 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard .5. A) Raise postage rates. C) Redesign delivery routes.B) Improve its services. D) Close some of its post offices.6. A) Shortening business hours. C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.B) Closing offices on holidays. D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs. C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.B) Many people will begin to complain. D) A lot of controversy will arise.Section BDirections：In this section，you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation，you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question s 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard .8. A) He will be kept from promotion.C) He will be given a warning.B) He will go through retraining. D) He will lose part of his pay.9. A) He is always on time. C) He is an experienced press operator.B) He is trustworthy guy. D) He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A) She is a trade union representative. C) She is a senior manager of the shop.B) She is in charge of public relation. D) She is better at handing such matters.11. A) He is skilled and experienced.C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.B) He is very close to the manager.D) He is always complaining about low wages.Question s 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard .12. A) Open.B) Friendly. C) Selfish.D)Reserved.13. A)They stay quiet.C) They talk about the weather.B) They read a book. D) They chat with fellow passengers.14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.B) She was eager to visit an English castle.C) She was never invited to a colleague’s home.D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A) House are much more quiet. C) They want to have more space.B) Houses provide more privacy. D) They want a garden of their own.Section CDirections：In this section，you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard .16.A) They don’t have much choice of jobs.B) They are likely to get much higher pay.C) They don’t have to go through job interviews.D) They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A)Ask their professors for help. C) Visit the school careers services.B)Look at school bulletin boards. D) Go through campus newspapers.18. A)Helping students find the books and journals they need.B)Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.C)Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.D)Providing students with information about the library.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard .19. A) It tastes better. C) It may be sold at a higher price.B) It is easier to grow.D) It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A) It is healthier than green tea.C) It will replace green tea one day.B) It can grow in drier soil. D) It is immune to various diseases.21. A)It has been well received by many tea drinkers.B) It does not bring the promised health benefits.C)It has made tea farmers’life easier.D) It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard .22. A) They need decorations to show their status.B) They prefer unique objects of high quality.C) They decorate their homes themselves.D) They care more about environment.23. A) They were proud of their creations.B) They could only try to create at night.C) They made great contributions to society.D) They focused on the quality of their products.24. A) Make wise choices.C) Design handicrafts themselves.B)Identify fake crafts. D) Learn the importance of creation.25. A) To boost the local economy. C) To arouse public interest in crafts.B) To attract foreign investments.D)To preserve the traditional culture.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.The ocean is heating up. That’s the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth’s oceans now26 heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to27 to coral bleaching（珊瑚白化)and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea28 . While the top of the ocean is well studied, its depths are more difficult to 29 . The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get a better 30 of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century 31 of British naval ships to modern automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, 32 with computer simulations(计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming from fossil fuel33 .About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now resides at a34 of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they’re 35 whether the deepsea warming canceled out warming at the sea’s surface.A) absorbB) combinedC) contribute D) depthE) emissionsF) excursionG) exploreH) floorI) heightsJ) indifferentK) levelsL) mixedM) pictureN) unsureO) voyageSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart Kids[A] I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation—and how people persevere after setbacks—as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change—a state they called learned helplessness.[B] People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when they encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people’s beliefs about why they had failed.[C] In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve hard math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.[D] Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners —helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold different “theories”of intelligence. The helpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that’s that.I call this a “fixed mind-set(思维模式).”Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-oriented children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating(令人生畏)；they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined(注定) for greater academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.[E] We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373 students for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more grades. At the beginning of seventh grade,, we accessed the students’mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as “Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can’t really change.”we then assessed their beliefs about other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.[F] As predicted the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was a more important goal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard. They understood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or try a different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned about looking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing that having to work hard was a sigh of low ability. They thought that a person with talent or intelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack of ability, those with a fixed mind-set said that they would study less in the future, try never to take that subject again and consider cheating on future tests.[G] Such different outlooks had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of juniorhigh, the math achievement test scores of the students with a growth mine-set were comparable to those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult, the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math grades overtook those of the other students by the end of the first semester—and the gap between the two groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.[H] A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace and discourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research shows that managers who have a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees than are managers with a growth mind-set.[I] How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniuses who were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but descriptions of growth mathematicians who fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.[J] In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instruction regarding the mind as a learning machine. I designed an eight-session workshop for 91 students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high Forty-eight of the students received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combination of study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and how to apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed an article entitled “You Can Grow Your Brain.”They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts the brain to grow new connections. From such instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachers reported significant motivational changes in 27% of the children in the growth mind-set workshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.[K] Research is converging (汇聚) on the conclusion that great accomplishment and even genius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift.36. The author’s experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to work hard is an indication of low ability.37. Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achieve success.38. We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning.39. Students’belief about the cause of their failure explains their attitude toward setbacks.40. In the author’s experiment, students with a growth mind-set showed greater perseverance in solving difficult math problems.41. The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students’mind-sets on math learning.42. After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.43. Informing students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhance their motivation for learning.44. People with a fixed mind-set believe that one’s intelligence is unchangeable.45. In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.“Sugar, alcohol and tobacco,”economist Adam Smith once wrote, “are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation.”Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico’s taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past there decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufacturers have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes(配方) is one way to improve public health, it should be part of a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches—including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes —will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and tobacco?A) They were profitable to manufacture.B) They were in ever-increasing demand.C) They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D) They were no longer considered necessities of life.47. Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A) They are under growing pressure to balance their national budgets.B) They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C) The practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D) The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48. What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A) It did not work out as well as was expected.B) It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C) It could not succeed without German cooperation.D) It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49. What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A) Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B) Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C) Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers’needs.D) Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50. What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, “There is no silver bullet”(Line 4, Para.7)?A) There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B) There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C) There is no hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D) There is no effective way to reduce people’s sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models casting tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers say a model’s body mass should be a workplace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index(BMI)under 16—low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization’s standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence.“Especially girls and teens.”Says Record. “Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines.”That’s especially worrying, she says, given that anorexia（厌食症)results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National institute of Mental Health.It’s commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coal miners. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record’s suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model’s weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with a BMI under 18 could pay $82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won’t be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. support could make a difference. “A designer can’t survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week”, she says, adding, “Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week.”51. What do Record and Austin say about fashion models’body mass?A) It has caused needless controversy.C) It is the focus of the modeling business.B) It is but a matter of personal taste.D) It affects models’health and safety.52. What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A) A change in the public’s view of female beauty.B) Government legislation about models’weight.C) Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D) Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53. Why are Record and Austin especially worried about the low body mass index of models?A) It contributes to many mental illnesses.B) It defines the future of the fashion industry.C) It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D) It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runway.54. What do we learn about France’s fashion industry?A) It has difficulty hiring models.C) It allows girls under 18 on the runway.B) It has now a new law to follow.D) It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A) It will create a completely new set of rules.B) It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C) It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D) It will have models with a higher BMI.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.随着中国的改革开放，如今很多年轻人都喜欢举行西式婚礼。

2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第二套）Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension（25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) To satisfy the curiosity of tourists. C) To enable tourists to visit GoatIsland.B) To replace two old stone bridges. D) To improve utility services in the state2. A) Countless tree limbs. C) Lots of wrecked boats and ships.B) A few skeletons. D) Millions of coins on the bottom.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard3. A)It suspended diplomatic relations with Libya.B)It urged tourists to leave Tunisia immediately.C)It shut down two border crossings with Libya.D)It launched a fierce attack against Islamic State.4. A) Advise Tunisian civilians on how to take safety precautions.B)Track down the organization responsible for the terrorist attack.C)Train qualified security personnel for the Tunisian government.D)Devise a monitoring system on the Tunisian border with Libya.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) An environment-friendly battery. C) A plant-powered mobile phone charger.B) An energy-saving mobile phone. D) A device to help plants absorb sunlight.6. A) While sitting in their school's courtyard. C) While solving a mathematical problem.B) While playing games on their phones. D) While doing a chemical experiment.7. A)It increases the applications of mobile phonesB)It speeds up the process of photosynthesis.C)It improves the reception of mobile phones.D)It collects the energy released by plants.Section BDirections:In this section，you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation，you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He visited the workshops in the Grimsby plant.B) He called the woman and left her a message.C)He used stand-ins as replacements on all lines.D)He asked a technician to fix the broken production line.9. A)Itis the most modern production line. C)It has stopped working completelyB)It assembles super-intelligent robots. D)It is going to be upgraded soon.10. A) To seek her permission. C) To request her to return at once.B) To place an order for robots. D) To ask for Tom's phone number.11. A) She is on duty. C) She is on sick leave.B) She is having her day off. D) She is abroad on business.Question12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He saved a baby boy's life. C) He prevented a train crash.B) He wanted to be a superhero. D) He was a witness to an accident13. A) He has a 9-month-old boy. C) He enjoys the interview.B) He is currently unemployed. D) He commutes by subway.14. A) A rock on the tracks. C) A strong wind.B) A misplaced pushchair. D) A speeding car.15. A) She stood motionless in shock. C) She called the police at once.B) She cried bitterly. D) She shouted for help.Section C，you will Directions：In this section，you will hear three passages. At the end of each passagehear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.），After you hear a question，you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She inherited her family ice-cream business in Billings.B)She loved the ice-cream business more than teaching primary school.C)She started an ice-cream business to finance her daughter's education.D)She wanted to have an ice-cream truck when she was a little girl.17. A)To preserve a tradition. C)To help local education.B)To amuse her daughter. D)To make some extra money.18. A)To raise money for business expansion. C)To allow poor kids to have ice-cream too.B)To make her truck attractive to children. D)To teach kids the value of mutual supportQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)The reasons for imposing taxes. C)The various burdens on ordinary citizens.B)The various serious money can buy. D)The function of money in the modern world.20. A)Educating and training citizens. C)Protecting people’s life and property.C)Improving public translation. D)Building hospitals and public libraries.21. A)By asking for donations. C)By selling government bonds.B)By selling public lands. D)By exploiting natural resources.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)It is located at the center of the European continent.B)It relies on tourism as its chief source of revenues.C)It contains less than a square mile of land.D)It is surrounded by France on three sides.23. A)Its beauty is frequently mentioned in American media.B)Its ruler Prince Rainier married an American actress.C)It is where many American movies are shot.D)It is a favorite place Americans like to visit.24. A) Tobacco. B) Potatoes. C) Machinery. D) Clothing25. A)European history. C) Small countries in Europe.B)European geography. D) Tourist attractions in Europe.PARTⅢReading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank morethan once.The ocean is heating up. That's the conclusion of a new study that finds that Earth's oceans now (26)heat at twice the rate they did 18 years ago. Around half of ocean heat intake since 1865 has taken place since 1997, researchers report online in Nature Climate Change.Warming waters are known to (27)to coral bleaching(珊瑚白化) and they take up more space than cooler waters, raising sea (28). While the top of the ocean is studied, its depths are more difficult to (29)The researchers gathered 150 years of ocean temperature data in order to get better (30)of heat absorption from surface to seabed. They gathered together temperature readings collected by everything from a 19th century(31)of British naval ships to modern automated ocean probes. The extensive data sources, (32)with computer simulations(计算机模拟), created a timeline of ocean temperature changes, including cooling from volcanic outbreaks and warming from fossil fuel(33).About 35 percent of the heat taken in by the oceans during the industrial era now residents at a (34)of more than 700 meters, the researchers found. They say they're (35)whether the deep-sea warming canceled out warming at the sea's surface.A )absorb B)combined C)contribute D)depth E)emissionF)excursion G)explore H)floor I)heights J)indifferentK)levels L)mixed M)picture N)unsure O)voyageSection BDirections：In this section，you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.The Secret to Raising Smart Kids[A] I first began to investigate the basis of human motivation-and how people persevere after setbacks-as a psychology graduate student at Yale University in the 1960s. Animal experiments by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania had shown that after repeated failures, most animals conclude that a situation is hopeless and beyond their control. After such an experience an animal often remains passive even when it can effect change-a state they called learned helplessness.[B]People can learn to be helpless, too. Why do some students give up when encounter difficulty, whereas others who are no more skilled continue to strive and learn? One answer, I soon discovered, lay in people’s beliefs about why they had failed.[C] In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame. When I told a group of school children who displayed helpless behavior that a lack of effort led to their mistakes in math, they learned to keep trying when the problems got tough. Another group of helpless children who were simply rewarded for their success on easier problems did not improve their ability to solve harm math problems. These experiments indicated that a focus on effort can help resolve helplessness and generate success.[D]Later, I developed a broader theory of what separates the two general classes of learners-helpless versus mastery-oriented. I realized these different types of students not only”of intelligence. The explain their failures differently, but they also hold differe nt “theorieshelpless ones believe intelligence is a fixed characteristic: you have only a certain amount, and that's that. I call this a "fixed mind-set(思维模式)."Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. They avoid challenges because challenges make mistakes more likely. The mastery-orient children, on the other hand, think intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through education and hard work. Such children believe challenges are energizing rather than intimidating (令人生畏);they offer opportunities to learn. Students with such a growth mind-set were destined(注定)for great academic success and were quite likely to outperform their counterparts.[E]We validated these expectations in a study in which two other psychologists and I monitored 373 student for two years during the transition to junior high school, when the work gets more difficult and the grading more strict, to determine how their mind-sets might affect their math grades. At the beginning of seventh grade, we assessed t he students' mind-sets by asking them to agree or disagree with statements such as "Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't really change." We then assessed their beliefsabout other aspects of learning and looked to see what happened to their grades.[F] As predicted, the students with a growth mind-set felt that learning was more importantgoal than getting good grades. In addition, they held hard work in high regard, Theyunderstood that even geniuses have to work hard. Confronted by a setback such as a disappointing test grade, students with a growth mind-set said they would study harder or trya different strategy. The students who held a fixed mind-set, however, were concerned aboutlooking smart with less regard for learning. They had negative views of effort, believing thathaving to work hard was a sign of low ability. They thought that a person with talent orintelligence did not need to work hard to do well. Attributing a bad grade to their own lack ofability, those with a fixed mind-set said that would study less in the future, try never to takethat subject again and consider cheating on future tests.[G] Such different outlook had a dramatic impact on performance. At the start of junior high,the math achievement test scores of the students with a growth mind-set were comparable tothe those of students who displayed a fixed mind-set. But as the work became more difficult,the students with a growth mind-set showed greater persistence. As a result, their math gradesovertook those of the other students by the end of the first semester-and the gap between thetwo groups continued to widen during the two years we followed them.[H] A fixed mind-set can also hinder communication and progress in the workplace anddiscourage or ignore constructive criticism and advice. Research s hows that managers w hohave a fixed mind-set are less likely to seek or welcome feedback from their employees thanare managers with a growth mind-set.[I] How do we transmit a growth mind-set to our children? One way is by telling stories about achievements that result from hard work. For instance, talking about mathematical geniusesWho were more or less born that way puts students in a fixed mind-set, but mathematicianswho fell in love with math and developed amazing skills produce a growth mind-set.[J] In addition, parents and teachers can help children by providing explicit instructionregarding the mind as a learning machine, I designed an eight-session workshop for 91students whose math grades were declining in their first year of junior high. Forty-eight of thestudents received instruction in study skills only, whereas the others attended a combinationof study skills sessions and classes in which they learned about the growth mind-set and howto apply it to schoolwork. In the growth mind-set classes, students read and discussed anarticle entitled “You Can Grow Your Brain.” They were taught that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use and that learning prompts the brain to grow new connections. Fromsuch instruction, many students began to see themselves as agents of their own brain development. Despite being unaware that there were two types of instruction, teachersreported significant motivational changes in 27% of the children in the growth mind-setworkshop as compared with only 9% of students in the control group.[K]Research is converging(汇聚)on the conclusion that great accomplishment and evengenius is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flowsnaturally from a gift.36.The author's experiment shows that students with a fixed mind-set believe having to workhard is an indication of low ability.37.Focusing on effort is effective in helping children overcome frustration and achievesuccess.38.We can cultivate a growth mind-set in children by telling success stories that emphasizehard work love of learning.ins their attitude toward setbacks.39.Students’ belief about the cause of their failure expla-set showed greater perseverance in40.In the author’s experiment, student with a growth mindsolving difficult math problems.-sets41.The author conducted an experiment to find out about the influence of students’on math learning.42.After failing again and again, most animals give up hope.rming students about the brain as a learning machine is a good strategy to enhancetheir motivation for learning.igence is unchangeable.44.People with a fixed mind-set believe that one’s intell45.In the workplace, feedback may not be so welcome to managers with a fixed mind-set.Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questionsor unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）andAnswer Sheet2D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter onwith a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage."Sugar, alcohol and tobacco," economist Adam Smith once wrote, "are commoditieswhich are nowhere necessaries o f life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation."Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose some sort of tax on alcohol andtobacco. With surging obesity levels putting increasing strain on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A preliminary review of Mexico'staxation found a fall in purchases o f taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales if untaxed andhealthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, amid claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germanyto satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier fare.The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressureto demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality ofits offerings. For example, some drink manufactures have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing theamount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however.Some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learninghow to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on theoutside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.While reformulating recipes(配方)is one way to improve public health, it should be partof a multi-sided approach. The key is to remember thatthere is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches-including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes-will be needed. There is no silver bullet.46. What did Adam Smith say about sugar, alcohol and tobacco?A)They were profitable to manufacture.B)They were in ever-increasing demand.C)They were subject to taxation almost everywhere.D)They were no longer considered necessities of life.47.Why have many countries started to consider taxing sugar?A)They are under growing pressures to balance their national budgets.B)They find it ever harder to cope with sugar-induced health problems.C)They practice of taxing alcohol and tobacco has proved both popular and profitable.D)The sugar industry is overtaking alcohol and tobacco business in generating profits.48.What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?A)It did not work out as well as was expected.B)It gave rise to a lot of problems on the border.C)It could not succeed without German cooperation.D)It met with firm opposition from the food industry.49.What is the more recent effort by food companies to make foods and drinks both healthy and tasty?A)Replacing sugar or salt with alternative ingredients.B)Setting a limit on the amount of sugar or salt in their products.C)Investing in research to find ways to adapt to consumers' needs.D)Adjusting the physical composition of their products.50.What does the author mean by saying, at the end of the passage, "There is no silver bullet"(Line 4, Para 7)?A)There is no single easy quick solution to the problem.B)There is no hope of success without public cooperation.C)There is on hurry in finding ways to solve the obesity problem.D)There is no effective way to reduce people's sugar consumption.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.You may have heard some of the fashion industry horror stories: models eating tissues or cotton balls to hold off hunger, and models collapsing from hunger-induced heart attacks just seconds after they step off the runway.Excessively skinny models have been a point of controversy for decades, and two researchers s ay a model's body mass should be a workspace health and safety issue. In an editorial released Monday in the American Journal of Public Health, Katherine Record and Bryn Austin made their case for government regulation of the fashion industry.The average international runway model has a body mass index (BMI) under 16-low enough to indicate starvation by the World Health Organization's standard. And Record and Austin are worried not just about the models themselves, but about the vast number of girls and women their images influence."Especially girls and tens", says Record. "Seventy percent of girls aged 10 to 18 report that they define perfect body image based on what they see in magazines." That's especiallyworrying, she says, given that anorexia(厌食症)results in more deaths than does any other mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.It's commonly known that certain diseases are linked with occupations like lung disease in coal miners. Professional fashion models are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders resulting from occupational demands to maintain extreme thinness.Record's suggestion is to prohibit agents from hiring models with a BMI below 18.In April, France passed a law setting lower limits for a model's weight. Agents and fashion houses who hire models with BMI under 18 could pay $82,000 in fines and spend up to 6 months in jail. Regulating the fashion industry in the United States won't be easy, Record says. But with the new rules in France, U.S. support could make a difference. "A designer can't survive without participating in Paris Fashion Week", she says, adding, "Our argument is that the same would be true of New York Fashion Week."51.What do Record and Austin say about fashion models' body mass?A)It has caused needless controversy.B)It is focus of the modeling business.C)It is but a matter of personal taste.D)It affects models' health and safety.52.What are Record and Austin advocating in the Monday editorial?A)A change in the public's view of female beauty.B)Government legislation about models' weight.C)Elimination of forced weight loss by models.D)Prohibition of models eating non-food stuff.53.Why are Record and Austin worried about the low body mass index of models?A)It contributes to many mental illnesses.B)It defines the future of the fashion industry.C)It has great influence on numerous girls and women.D)It keeps many otherwise qualified women off the runaway.54. What do we learn about France's fashion industry?A)It has difficulty hiring models.B)It has now a new law to follow.C)It allows girls under 18 on the runway.D)It has overtaken that of the United States.55. What does Record expect of New York Fashion Week?A)It will create a completely new set of rules.B)It will do better than Paris Fashion Week.C)It will differ from Paris Fashion Week.D)It will have models with a higher BMI.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer on A nswer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，黄颜色是一种很重要的颜色，因为它具有独特的象征意义。

2016年6月大学英语四级真题（第2套)Part I Writing Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter toexpress your thanks to one of your school teachers upon entering college. You should write at least 120 words but nomore than 180 words. Part ⅡListening Comprehension Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, youwill hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through thecentre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A)How college students can improve their sleep habits.B)Why sufficient sleep is important for college students.C)Why college students are more likely to have stress problems.D)How college students can handle their psychological problems.2. A)It is not easy to improve one ’s sleep habits.B)It is not good for students to play video games.C)Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations.D)Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A)Whether more airports should be built around London.B)Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities.C)Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets.D)Whether the Spanish company could offer better service.4. A)Inefficient management.B)Poor ownership structure. C)Lack of innovation and competition. D)Lack of runway and terminal capacity.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A)Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes.B)Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes.C)Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products.D)Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers.标准时间25 minutes 自测用时minutes6. A)The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.B)Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking.C)Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.D)Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.7. A)They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes.B)They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine.C)They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study.D)They will pay more attention to the quality of their products.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A)Indonesia. B)Holland. C)Sweden. D)England.9.A)Getting a coach who can offer real help. B)Talking with her boyfriend in Dutch.C)Learning a language where it is not spoken . D)Acquiring the necessary ability to socialize .10. A)Listening language programs on the radio. B)Trying to speak it as much as one can.C)Making friends with native speakers. D)Practicing reading aloud as often as possible.11.A)It creates an environment for socializing.B)It offers various courses with credit points.C)It trains young people’s leadership abilities.D)It provides opportunities for language practice.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A)The impact of engine design on rode safety. B)The role policemen play in traffic safety.C)A sense of freedom driving gives. D)Rules and regulations for driving.13. A)Make cars with automatic control. B)Make cars that have better brakes.C)Make cars that are less powerful. D)Make cars with higher standards.14. A)They tend to drive responsibly. B)They like to go at high speed.C)They keep within speed limits. D)They follow traffic rules closely.15.A)It is a bad idea. B)It is not useful.C)It is as effective as speed bumps . D)It should be combined with education.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)The card got damaged . B)The card was found invalid.C)The card reader failed to do the scanning. D)The card reader broke down unexpectedly.17. A)By converting the credit card with a layer of plastic.B)By calling the credit card company for confirmation.C)By seeking help from the card reader maker Verifone.D)By typing the credit card number into the cash register.18.A)Affect the sales of high-tech appliances.B)Change the life style of many Americans.C)Give birth to many new technological inventions.D)Produce many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)They are set by the dean of the graduate school.B)They are determined by the advising board.C)They leave much room for improvement.D)They vary among different departments.20. A)By consulting the examining committee .B)By reading the Bulletin of Information. C)By contacting the departmental office. D)By visiting the university ’s website.21. A)They specify the number of credits students must earn.B)They are harder to meet than those for undergraduates.C)They have to be approved by the examining committee.D)They are the same among various divisions of the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)Students majoring in nutrition.B)Students in health classes. C)Ph.D. candidates in dieting.D)Middle and high school teachers. 23. A)Its overestimate of the effect of dieting.B)Its mistaken conception of nutrition. C)Its changing criteria for beauty. D)Its overemphasis on thinness.24. A)To illustrate her point that beauty is but skin deep.B)To demonstrate the magic effect of dieting on women.C)To explain how computer images can be misleading.D)To prove that technology has impacted our culture.25. A)To persuade girls to stop dieting.B)To promote her own concept of beauty.C)To establish an emotional connection with students.D)To help students rid themselves of bad living habits.Part IIIReading Comprehension Section A Directions:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passagethrough carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line throughthe centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Contrary to popular belief, older people generally do not want to live with their children.Moreover, most adult children 26 every bit as much care and support to their aging parents标准时间40 minutes 自测用时minutesas was the case in the “good old days”, and most older people do not feel27 .About 80% of people 65years and older have living children, and about 90% of them havenursing homes28 contact with their children. About 75% of elderly parents who don’t go to live within 30 minutes of at least one of their children.However, 29 having contact with children does not guarantee happiness in old age. Infact, some research has found that people who are most involved with their families have the lowest spirits. This research may be 30 , however, as ill health often makes older people more31 and thereby increases contact with family members. So it is more likely that poor health, notjust family involvement, 32 spirits.Increasingly, researchers have begun to look at the quality of relationships, rather than at the frequency of contact, between the elderly and their children. If parents and children share interestsand values and agree on childrearing practices and religious 33 , they are likely to enjoy each company. Disagreements on such matters can 34 cause problems. If parents are other’sagreed by their daughter’s divorce, dislike her new husband, and disapprove of how she is raising their grandchildren, 35 are that they are not going to enjoy her visits.A) abandoned E)commitment I)frequent M)provideB)advanced F)dampens J)fulfillment N)understandablyC)biased G)dependent K)grant O)unrealisticallyD)chances H)distant L)merelySection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph fromwhich the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraphis marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2.Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?[A] For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economictrends and their interactions. The combined effects of those trends and the political tensionsthey generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies. Yet I, too, have resistedthe idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also ourglobal civilization.[B] I can no longer ignore that risk. Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declinesthat are undermining the world food economy forces me to conclude that such a collapse ispossible.[C] As demand for food rises faster than supplies are growing, the resulting food-price inflationputs severe stress on the governments of many countries. Unable to buy grain or grow theirown, hungry people take to the streets. Indeed, even before the steep climb in grain prices in2008, the number of failing states was expanding. If the food situation continues to worsen,entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. In the 20th century the main threat tointernational security was superpower conflict; today it is failing states.[D] States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food securityand basic social services such as education and health care. When governments lose theircontrol on power, law and order begin to disintegrate. After a point, countries can become sodangerous that food relief workers are no longer safe and their programs are halted. Failingstates are of international concern because they are a source of terrorists, drugs, weapons andrefugees(难民), threatening political stability everywhere.[E] The surge in world grain prices in 2007 and 2008—and the threat they pose to foodsecurity——has a different, more troubling quality than the increases of the past. During thesecond half of the 20th century, grain prices rose dramatically several times. In 1972, forinstance, the Soviets, recognizing their poor harvest early, quietly cornered the world wheatmarket. As a result, wheat prices elsewhere more than doubled, pulling rice and corn pricesup with them. But this and other price shocks were event-driven——drought in the SovietUnion, crop-shrinking heat in the U.S. Corn Belt. And the rises were short-lived: pricestypically returned to normal with the next harvest.[F] In contrast, the recent surge in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reversewithout a reversal in the trends themselves. On the demand side, those trends include theongoing addition of more than 70 million people a year, a growing number of people wantingto move up the food chain to consume highly grain-intensive meat products, and the massivediversion(转向) of U.S. grain to the production of bio-fuel.[G] As incomes rise among low-income consumers, the potential for further grain consumption ishuge. But that potential pales beside the never-ending demand for crop-based fuels. A fourth ofgrain harvest will go to fuel cars.this year’s U.S.[H] What about supply? The three environmental trends——the shortage of fresh water, the lossof topsoil and the rising temperatures——are making it increasingly hard to expand theworld’s grain supply fast enough to keep up with demand. Of all those trends, however, thespread of water shortages poses the most immediate threat. The biggest challenge here isirrigation, which consumes 70% the world’s fresh water. Millions of irrigation wells in manycountries are now pumping water out of underground sources faster than rainfall can refillthem. The result is falling water tables(地下水位) in countries with half the world’s people,including the three big grain producers——China, India and the U.S.[I] As water tables have fallen and irrigation wells have gone dry, China’s wheat crop, the world’largest, has declined by 8% since it peaked at 123 million tons in 1997. But water shortagesare even more worrying in India. Millions of irrigation wells have significantly lowered watertables in almost every state.[J] As the world’s food security falls to pieces, individual countries acting in their own self-interest are actually worsening the troubles of many. The trend began in 2007, when leadingwheat-exporting countries such as Russia and Argentina limited or banned their exports, inhopes of increasing local food supplies and thereby bringing down domestic food prices.Vietnam banned its exports for several months for the same reason. Such moves may eliminatethe fears of those living in the exporting countries, but they are creating panic in importingcountries that must rely on what is then left for export.[K] In response to those restrictions, grain-importing countries are trying to nail down long-termtrade agreements that would lock up future grain supplies. Food-import anxiety is even leadingto new efforts by food-importing countries to buy or lease farmland in other countries. In spiteof such temporary measures, soaring food prices and spreading hunger in many other countriesare beginning to break down the social order.[L] Since the current world food shortage is trend-driven, the environmental trends that cause it must be reversed. We must cut carbon emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2020, stabilize the world’s population at eight billion by 2040, completely remove poverty, and restore forests and soils. There is nothing new about the four objectives. Indeed, we have made substantial progress in some parts of the world on at least one of these——the distribution of family-planning services and the associated shift to smaller families.[M]For many in the development community, the four objectives were seen as positive, promoting development as long as they did not cost too much. Others saw them as politically correct and morally appropriate. Now a third and far more significant motivation presents itself: meeting these goals may be necessary to prevent the collapse of our civilization. Yet the cost we project for saving civilization would amount to less than $200 billion a year, 1/6 of current global military spending. In effect, our plan is the new security budget.36.The more recent steep climb in grain prices partly results from the fact that more and morepeople want to consume meat products.37. Social order is breaking down in many countries because of food shortages.38. Rather than superpower conflict, countries unable to cope with food shortages now constitutethe main threat to world security.39. Some parts of the world have seen successful implementation of family planning.40. The author has come to agree that food shortages could ultimately lead to the collapse of worldcivilization.grain 41. Increasing water shortages prove to be the biggest obstacle to boosting the world’sproduction.42. The cost for sa ving our civilization would be considerably less than the world’s currentmilitary spending.43. To lower domestic food prices, some countries limited or stopped their grain exports.44. Environmental problems must be solved to ease the current global food shortage.-fuel for cars.45. A quarter of this year’s American grain harvest will be used to produce bioSection CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age, but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions—including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving—started to dull as early as age 27.Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.On the other hand, indicators of a person’s accumulated knowledge—like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge—kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Mostpeople’s minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse.“These patterns suggest that some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it withd one’s abilities, may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no dise ases,” Salthouse sai in a news release.The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoningand perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.The tests are designed to detect subtle (细微的) changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition (认知能力) generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia (痴呆), according to the researchers.n changes, “By following individuals over time,” Salthouse said, “we gain insight in cognitio and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline.”health and lifestyle to see The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants’　which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.46. What is the common view of mental function?A)It varies from person to person. B)It weakens in one’s later years.C)It gradually expands with age. D)It indicates one’s health condition.47. What does the new study find about mental functions?A)Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.B)They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.C)They are closely related to physical and mental exercise.D)Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.nds in most cases?48. What does Timothy Salthouse say about people’s miA)They tend to decline in people’s later years.B)Their flexibility determines one’s abilities.C)They function quite well even in old age.D)Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.ey age, they _____.49. Although people’s minds may function less flexibly as thA)may be better at solving puzzlesB)can memorize things with more easeC)may have greater facility in abstract reasoningD)can put what they have learnt into more effective use50. According to Salthouse, their study may help us_____.A)find ways to slow down our mental declineB)find ways to boost our memoriesC)understand the complex process of mental functioningD)understand the relation between physical and mental healthPassage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville aboutthe educational needs of children. The shorthand(简写)educators use for this is“pre-K”—meaning instruction before kindergarten—and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds andeven younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakersargue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 millionchildren. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College by Su Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.A new Peabody study of the Tennessee V oluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works,but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issuesin elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-Kwith all the other issues related to educating a child.Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn’t be free to families able topay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the childschooling. I lean toward the latter view.This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takesoffice. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thingis for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预)works. Whatgovernment has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with asequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each childwho arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical timewhen young brains are developing rapidly.51.What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?A)It should cater to the needs of individual children.B)It is essential to a person’s future academic success.C)Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.D)Parents regard it as the first phase of children’s development.52.What does the new Peabody study find?A)Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.B)The third grade marks a new phase of learning.C)The third grade is critical to children’s development.D)Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs.53.When does the author think pre-K works the best?A)When it is accessible to kids of all families.B)When it is made part of kids’ education.C)When it is no longer considered a luxury.D)When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.54.What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?A)She knows the real goal of education. B)She is a mayor of insight and vision.C)She has once run a pre-K program. D)She is a firm supporter of pre-K.55.What does the author thin k is critical to kids’ education?A)Teaching method.B)Kids ’ interest.C)Early intervention. D)Parents ’ involvement.Part IV Translation Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在山东省潍坊市，风筝不仅仅是玩具，而且还是这座城市文化的标志。

2016年6月大学英语四级考试真题第二套全文共3篇示例，供读者参考篇12016年6月大学英语四级考试真题第二套Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic: The Importance of Education. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese:1. 教育的重要性；2. 你对教育的态度；3. 你的看法。

The Importance of EducationEducation plays a crucial role in shaping individuals as well as societies. It is widely acknowledged that education is the key to success and personal growth. With the rapid development of technology and globalization, the importance of education has become more prominent than ever.In my opinion, education is not only about acquiring knowledge but also about developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to new situations.A well-rounded education helps individuals to become better citizens and contribute positively to their communities. Education also opens doors to new opportunities and improves one's chances of professional success.I believe that everyone should have access to quality education regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. Education should be seen as a fundamental human right and governments should invest more resources in improving educational systems and making education more accessible to all. Only by providing equal educational opportunities to everyone can we ensure a more just and prosperous society.In conclusion, education is essential for individual growth, societal progress, and global development. It is the foundation of a successful and fulfilling life. We should all recognize the importance of education and strive to promote education for all.篇22016年6月大学英语四级考试真题第二套Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Due to increasing popularity of online shopping, many stores have closed and many people will be out of work. Some people think the trend has brought negative impacts on the society, while others consider it positive. You are supposed to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Online Shopping: Negative or Positive Impact on Society?The rise of online shopping has revolutionized the way we shop and has brought about both positive and negative impacts on society. While some believe that online shopping has resulted in many stores closing down and people losing their jobs, others argue that it has created new job opportunities and made shopping more convenient for consumers.On the negative side, the increasing popularity of online shopping has led to the closure of many brick-and-mortar stores, especially small businesses. This has resulted in job losses for many people who worked in these stores, contributing to unemployment rates in certain areas. Additionally, the lack of face-to-face interaction in online shopping may lead to a decline in social connections and community bonds.However, on the positive side, online shopping has created new job opportunities in e-commerce, logistics, and customer service. The convenience of shopping online has also made it easier for consumers to compare prices, read reviews, and make purchases from the comfort of their own homes. This has benefited many people, especially those with busy schedules or limited access to physical stores.In conclusion, while online shopping has brought about some negative impacts on society, such as store closures and job losses, it has also had many positive effects, such as creating new job opportunities and making shopping more convenient for consumers. It is important for society to adapt to these changes and find ways to minimize the negative impacts while maximizing the benefits of online shopping.篇3In June 2016, the second set of the College English Test Level 4 (CET-4) was administered to students across China. This exam is a crucial milestone for Chinese students as it assesses their proficiency in English and is a requirement for graduation from many universities. As such, the CET-4 exam is a source of stress and anxiety for many students who spend months preparing for it.The second set of the exam in June 2016 consisted of four sections: listening, reading, writing, and translation. The listening section tested students' ability to understand spoken English, while the reading section evaluated their comprehension of written English. The writing section required students to write a short essay on a given topic, and the translation section tested their ability to translate English sentences into Chinese.One of the most challenging aspects of the CET-4 exam is the time constraint. Students must answer a large number of questions within a limited amount of time, which can be difficult for those who struggle with time management. Additionally, the exam covers a wide range of topics, from science and technology to arts and culture, which requires students to have a broad knowledge base.Overall, the CET-4 exam is a rigorous test that requires students to demonstrate their English skills in a variety of areas. It is a challenging but important milestone for Chinese students as they strive to improve their English proficiency and expand their academic and career opportunities.。

2016年6月大学英语四级真题（第2套)Part I WritingDirections:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letterto express your thanks to one of your school teachers upon entering college. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅡListening ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A)How college students can improve their sleep habits.B)Why sufficient sleep is important for college students.C)Why college students are more likely to have stress problems.D)How college students can handle their psychological problems.2. A)It is not easy to improve one’s sleep habits.B)It is not good for students to play video games.C)Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations.D)Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A)Whether more airports should be built around London.B)Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities.C)Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets.D)Whether the Spanish company could offer better service.4. A)Inefficient management. B)Poor ownership structure.C)Lack of innovation and competition. D)Lack of runway and terminal capacity. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A)Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes.B)Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes.C)Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products.D)Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers.6. A)The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.B)Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking.C)Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.D)Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.7. A)They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes.B)They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine.C)They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study.D)They will pay more attention to the quality of their products.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A)Indonesia. B)Holland. C)Sweden. D)England.9.A)Getting a coach who can offer real help. B)Talking with her boyfriend in Dutch.C)Learning a language where it is not spoken . D)Acquiring the necessary ability to socialize .10. A)Listening language programs on the radio. B)Trying to speak it as much as one can.C)Making friends with native speakers. D)Practicing reading aloud as often as possible.11.A)It creates an environment for socializing.B)It offers various courses with credit points.C)It trains young people’s leadership abilities.D)It provides opportunities for language practice.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A)The impact of engine design on rode safety. B)The role policemen play in traffic safety.C)A sense of freedom driving gives. D)Rules and regulations for driving.13. A)Make cars with automatic control. B)Make cars that have better brakes.C)Make cars that are less powerful. D)Make cars with higher standards.14. A)They tend to drive responsibly. B)They like to go at high speed.C)They keep within speed limits. D)They follow traffic rules closely.15.A)It is a bad idea. B)It is not useful.C)It is as effective as speed bumps . D)It should be combined with education.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)The card got damaged . B)The card was found invalid.C)The card reader failed to do the scanning. D)The card reader broke down unexpectedly.17. A)By converting the credit card with a layer of plastic.B)By calling the credit card company for confirmation.C)By seeking help from the card reader maker Verifone.D)By typing the credit card number into the cash register.18.A)Affect the sales of high-tech appliances.B)Change the life style of many Americans.C)Give birth to many new technological inventions.D)Produce many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A)They are set by the dean of the graduate school.B)They are determined by the advising board.C)They leave much room for improvement.D)They vary among different departments.20. A)By consulting the examining committee . B)By reading the Bulletin of Information.C)By contacting the departmental office. D)By visiting the university’s website.21. A)They specify the number of credits students must earn.B)They are harder to meet than those for undergraduates.C)They have to be approved by the examining committee.D)They are the same among various divisions of the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A)Students majoring in nutrition. B)Students in health classes.C)Ph.D. candidates in dieting. D)Middle and high school teachers.23. A)Its overestimate of the effect of dieting. B)Its mistaken conception of nutrition.C)Its changing criteria for beauty. D)Its overemphasis on thinness.24. A)To illustrate her point that beauty is but skin deep.B)To demonstrate the magic effect of dieting on women.C)To explain how computer images can be misleading.D)To prove that technology has impacted our culture.25. A)To persuade girls to stop dieting.B)To promote her own concept of beauty.C)To establish an emotional connection with students.D)To help students rid themselves of bad living habits.Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Contrary to popular belief, older people generally do not want to live with their children. Moreover, most adult children 26 every bit as much care and support to their aging parents as was the case in the “good old days”, and most older people do not feel 27.About 80% of people 65years and older have living children, and about 90% of themhave28contact with their children. About 75% of elderly parents who don’t go to nursing homeslivewithin 30 minutes of at least one of their children.However, 29 having contact with children does not guarantee happiness in old age. In fact, some research has found that people who are most involved with their families have the lowest spirits. This research may be 30 ,however, as ill health often makes older people more 31 and thereby increases contact with family members. So it is more likely that poor health, not just family involvement, 32 spirits.Increasingly, researchers have begun to look at the quality of relationships, rather than at the frequency of contact, between the elderly and their children. If parents and children share interests and values and agree on childrearing practices and religious 33 , they are likely to enjoy each other’s company. Disagreements on such matters can 34 cause problems. If parents are agreed by their daughter’s divorce, dislike her new hus band, and disapprove of how she is raising their grandchildren, 35 are that they are not going to enjoy her visits.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph ismarked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?[A] For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economictrends and their interactions. The combined effects of those trends and the political tensions they generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies. Yet I, too, have resisted the idea that food shortages could bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization.[B] I can no longer ignore that risk. Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declinesthat are undermining the world food economy forces me to conclude that such a collapse is possible.[C] As demand for food rises faster than supplies are growing, the resulting food-price inflationputs severe stress on the governments of many countries. Unable to buy grain or grow their own, hungry people take to the streets. Indeed, even before the steep climb in grain prices in 2008, the number of failing states was expanding. If the food situation continues to worsen, entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. In the 20th century the main threat to international security was superpower conflict; today it is failing states.[D] States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food securityand basic social services such as education and health care. When governments lose their control on power, law and order begin to disintegrate. After a point, countries can become so dangerous that food relief workers are no longer safe and their programs are halted. Failing states are of international concern because they are a source of terrorists, drugs, weapons and refugees(难民), threatening political stability everywhere.[E]The surge in world grain prices in 2007 and 2008—and the threat they pose to foodsecurity——has a different, more troubling quality than the increases of the past. During the second half of the 20th century, grain prices rose dramatically several times. In 1972, for instance, the Soviets, recognizing their poor harvest early, quietly cornered the world wheat market. As a result, wheat prices elsewhere more than doubled, pulling rice and corn prices up with them. But this and other price shocks were event-driven——drought in the Soviet Union, crop-shrinking heat in the U.S. Corn Belt. And the rises were short-lived: prices typically returned to normal with the next harvest.[F]In contrast, the recent surge in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reversewithout a reversal in the trends themselves. On the demand side, those trends include the ongoing addition of more than 70 million people a year, a growing number of people wanting to move up the food chain to consume highly grain-intensive meat products, and the massive diversion(转向)of U.S. grain to the production of bio-fuel.[G]As incomes rise among low-income consumers, the potential for further grain consumption ishuge. But that potential pales beside the never-ending demand for crop-based fuels. A fourth of this year’s U.S. grain harvest will go to fuel cars.[H]What about supply? The three environmental trends——the shortage of fresh water, the loss oftopsoil and the rising temperatures——are making it increasingly hard to expand the world’s grain supply fast enough to keep up with demand. Of all those trends, however, the spread of water shortages poses the most immediate threat. The biggest challenge here is irrigation, which consumes 70% the world’s fresh water. Millions of irrigation wells in many countries are now pumping water out of underground sources faster than rainfall can refill them. The result is falling water tables(地下水位)in countries with half the world’s people, including the three big grain producers——China, India and the U.S.[I]As water tables have fallen and irrigation wells have gone dry, China’s wheat crop, the world’slargest, has declined by 8% since it peaked at 123 million tons in 1997. But water shortages are even more worrying in India. Millions of irrigation wells have significantly lowered water tables in almost every state.[J]As the world’s food security falls to pieces, individual countries acting in their own self-interest are actually worsening the troubles of many. The trend began in 2007, when leading wheat-exporting countries such as Russia and Argentina limited or banned their exports, in hopes of increasing local food supplies and thereby bringing down domestic food prices.Vietnam banned its exports for several months for the same reason. Such moves may eliminate the fears of those living in the exporting countries, but they are creating panic in importing countries that must rely on what is then left for export.[K]In response to those restrictions, grain-importing countries are trying to nail down long-term trade agreements that would lock up future grain supplies. Food-import anxiety is even leading to new efforts by food-importing countries to buy or lease farmland in other countries. In spite of such temporary measures, soaring food prices and spreading hunger in many other countries are beginning to break down the social order.[L]Since the current world food shortage is trend-driven, the environmental trends that cause it must be reversed. We must cut carbon emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2020, stabilize the world’s population at eight billion by 2040, completely remove poverty, and restore forests and soils. There is nothing new about the four objectives. Indeed, we have madesubstantial progress in some parts of the world on at least one of these——the distribution of family-planning services and the associated shift to smaller families.[M]For many in the development community, the four objectives were seen as positive, promoting development as long as they did not cost too much. Others saw them as politically correct and morally appropriate. Now a third and far more significant motivation presents itself: meeting these goals may be necessary to prevent the collapse of our civilization. Yet the cost we project for saving civilization would amount to less than $200 billion a year, 1/6 of current global military spending. In effect, our plan is the new security budget.36.The more recent steep climb in grain prices partly results from the fact that more and morepeople want to consume meat products.37. Social order is breaking down in many countries because of food shortages.38. Rather than superpower conflict, countries unable to cope with food shortages now constitutethe main threat to world security.39. Some parts of the world have seen successful implementation of family planning.40. The author has come to agree that food shortages could ultimately lead to the collapse of worldcivilization.41. Increasing water shortages prove to be the biggest obstacle to boosting the world’s grainproduction.42. The cost for saving our civilization would be considerably less than the world’s currentmilitary spending.43. To lower domestic food prices, some countries limited or stopped their grain exports.44. Environmental problems must be solved to ease the current global food shortage.45. A quarter of this year’s American grain harvest will be used to produce bio-fuel for cars. Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age,but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions—including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving—started to dull as early as age 27.Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.On the other hand, indicators of a person’s accumulated knowledge—like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge—kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Most people’s minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse.“These patterns suggest that some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it withone’s abilities,may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no dis e ases,” Salthouse sa id in a news release.The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.The tests are designed to detect subtle (细微的)changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition (认知能力)generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia(痴呆),according to the researchers.“By following individuals over time,” Salthouse said, “we gain i nsight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline.”The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants’ health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.46. What is the common view of mental function?A)It varies from person to person. B)It weakens in one’s later years.C)It gradually expands with age. D)It indicates one’s health condition.47. What does the new study find about mental functions?A)Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.B)They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.C)They are closely related to physicaland mental exercise.D)Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.48. What does Timothy Salthouse say about people’s minds in most cases?A)They tend to decline in people’s later years.B)Their flexibility determines one’s abilities.C)They function quite well even in old age.D)Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.49. Although people’s minds may function less flexibly as they age, they_____.A)may be better at solving puzzlesB)can memorize things with more easeC)may have greater facility in abstract reasoningD)can put what they have learnt into more effective use50. According to Salthouse, their study may help us_____.A)find ways to slow down our mental declineB)find ways to boost our memoriesC)understand the complex process of mental functioningD)understand the relation between physical and mental healthPassage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthand(简写)educators use for this is “pre-K”—meaning instruction before kindergarten—and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds andeven younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.A new Peabody study of the Tennessee V oluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn’t be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child’s schooling. I lean toward the latter view.This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预)works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.51.What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?A)It should cater to the needs of individual children.B)It is essential to a person’s future ac ademic success.C)Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.D)Parents regard it as the first phase of children’s development.52.What does the new Peabody study find?A)Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.B)The third grade marks a new phase of learning.C)The third grade is critical to children’s development.D)Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs.53.When does the author think pre-K works the best?A)When it is accessible to kids of all families.B)Whe n it is made part of kids’ education.C)When it is no longer considered a luxury.D)When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.54.What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?A)She knows the real goal of education. B)She is a mayor of insight and vision.C)She has once run a pre-K program. D)She is a firm supporter of pre-K.55.What does the author think is critical to kids’ education?A)Teaching method. B)Kids’ interest.C)Early intervention. D)Parents’ involvement.Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在山东省潍坊市，风筝不仅仅是玩具，而且还是这座城市文化的标志。