2012年6月大学英语六级考试真题Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled The Impact of the Internet on Interpersonal Communication. Your essay should start with a brief description of the picture. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words. Write your essay on Answer Sheet 1.Part II Listening Comprehension （30 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked ［A］, ［B］, ［C］and ［D］, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. ［A］The injury will confine Anna to bed for quite a while.［B］The serious accident may leave Anna paralyzed.［C］The man happened to see Anna fall on her back.［D］The doctor’s therapy has been very successful.2. ［A］The man could watch the ballet with her.［B］Her schedule conflicts with her sister’s.［C］She happened to have bought two tickets.［D］She can get a ballet ticket for the man.3. ［A］He will send someone right away.［B］He has to do other repairs first.［C］The woman can try to fix it herself.［D］The woman can call later that day.4. ［A］Borrow some money from the woman.［B］Give his contribution some time later.［C］Take up a collection next week.［D］Buy an expensive gift for Gemma.5. ［A］Add more fruits and vegetables to her diet.［B］Ask Tony to convey thanks to his mother.［C］Decline the invitation as early as possible.［D］Tell Tony’s mother that she eats no meat.6. ［A］The increasing crime rate.［B］The circulation of newspapers.［C］The coverage of newspapers.［D］The impact of mass media.7. ［A］Move the conference to a more spacious place.［B］Limit the number of participants in the conference.［C］Check the number of people who have registered.［D］Provide people with advice on career development.8. ［A］The apartment is still available. ［C］On-campus housing is hard to secure.［B］The advertisement is outdated. ［D］The apartment is close to the campus.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. ［A］To test how responsive dolphins are to various signals.［B］To see if dolphins can learn to communicate with each other.［C］To examine how long it takes dolphins to acquire a skill.［D］To find out if the female dolphin is cleverer than the male one.10. ［A］Raise their heads above the water. ［C］Press the right-hand lever first.［B］Swim straight into the same tank. ［D］Produce the appropriate sound.11. ［A］Both dolphins were put in the same tank.［B］The male dolphin received more rewards.［C］Only one dolphin was able to see the light.［D］The lever was beyond the dolphins’ reach.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. ［A］In a resort town. ［C］On a cattle farm.［B］In a lecture room. ［D］In a botanical garden.13. ［A］It is an ideal place for people to retire to.［B］It has kept many traditions from Victorian times.［C］It is at the centre of the fashion industry.［D］It remains very attractive with its mineral waters.14. ［A］It is located in the eastern part of Harrogate.［B］It will be used as a centre for athletic training.［C］It was named after a land owner in the old days.［D］It is protected as parkland by a special law.15. ［A］The beautiful flowers. ［C］The refreshing air.［B］The vast grassland. ［D］The mineral waters.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked ［A］, ［B］, ［C］and ［D］. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. ［A］He provides counseling for university students.［B］He teaches psychology at Ohio State University.［C］He specializes in interpersonal relationships.［D］He has experience tutoring black students.17. ［A］Students who scored low on standardized tests.［B］Students who are accustomed to living in dorms.［C］Black students from families with low incomes.［D］Black freshmen with high standardized test scores.18. ［A］They generally spent more time together than white pairs.［B］They moved out of the college dorms at the end of the semester.［C］They were more appreciative of the university’s housing policy.［D］They broke up more often than same-race roommates.19. ［A］Their test scores rose gradually. ［C］They grew bored of each other.［B］They started doing similar activities. ［D］Their racial attitudes improved.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. ［A］It can help solve global food crises.［B］It will change the concept of food.［C］It has attracted worldwide attention.［D］It will become popular gradually.21. ［A］It has been drastically cut by NASA.［B］It comes regularly from its donors.［C］It has been increased over the years.［D］It is still far from being sufficient.22. ［A］They are not as natural as we believed.［B］They are less healthy than we expected.［C］They are more nutritious and delicious.［D］They are not as expensive as before.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. ［A］He is a habitual criminal.［B］He was wrongly imprisoned.［C］He was accused of family violence.［D］He has bitter memories of childhood.24. ［A］The evidence found at the crime scene.［B］The jury’s prejudice against his race.［C］The two victims’ identification.［D］The testimony of his two friends.25. ［A］Eyewitnesses are often misled by the lawyer’s questions.［B］Frightened victims can rarely make correct identification.［C］Many factors influence the accuracy of witness testimony.［D］The US judicial system has much room for improvement.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.About 700,000 children in Mexico dropped out of school last year as recession-stricken families pushed kids to work, and a weak economic recovery will allow only a （26）__________ in the drop-out rate in 2010, a top education （27）__________ said.Mexico’s economy suffered more than any other in Latin America last year, （28）__________ an estimated 7 percent due to a （29）__________ in U.S. demand for Mexican exports such as cars.The （30）__________ led to a 4 percent increase in the number of kids who left （31）__________ in 2009, said Juan de Dios Castro, who （32）__________ the nation’s adult education program and keeps a close watch on drop-out rates.“（33）__________ rose and that is a factor that makes our job more difficult,”Castro told Reuters in an interview earlier this month.Hindered by higher taxes and weak demand for its exports, Mexico’s economy is seen only （34）__________ this year. As a result, drop-out rates will not improve much, Castro said. “There will be some improvement, but not significant,”Castro said.Mexico has （35）__________ had high drop-out rates as poor families pull kids out of school to help put food on the table. And children often sell candy and crafts in the streets or work in restaurants.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 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.In face of global warming, much effort has been ___36___ on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of strategies. But while much of the research and innovation has concentrated on finding less-polluting energy ___37___, it may be decades before clean technologies like wind and solar meet a ___38___ portion of our energy needs.In the meantime, the amount of CO2 in the air is rapidly approaching the limits proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change（IPCC）. “As long as we’re consuming fossil fuels, we’re putting out CO2,”says Klaus Lackner, a geophysicist at Columbi a University. “We cannot let the CO2 in the atmosphere rise ___39___.”That ___40___ of urgency has increased interest in ___41___ and storing CO2, which the IPCC says could provide the more than 50% reduction in emissions thought needed to reduce global w arming. “We see the potential for capture and storage to play an in tegral role in reducing emissions,”says Kim Corley, Shell’s senior advisor of CO2 and ___42___ affairs. That forward thinking strategy is gaining support.But what do you do with the gas once you’ve captured it? One option is to put it to new uses. Dakota Gasification of North Dakota captures CO2 at a plant that ___43___ coal into synthetic natural gas. It then ships the gas 200 miles by pipeline to Canada, where it is pumped ___44___ in oil recovery operations.However, scientists say that the scale of CO2 emissions will require vast amounts of long-term storage. Some ___45___ storing the CO2 in coal mines or liquid storage in the ocean.A）converts I）understandingB）alternatives J）takesC）played K）capturingD）significant L）environmentalE）sense M）importantF）focused N）regularlyG）indefinitely O）proposeH）undergroundSection 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.Teens’ Secret Lives OnlineA） Celina McPhail’s mom wouldn’t let her have a Facebook account. The 12-year-old is on Instagram instead. Her mother, Maria McPhail, agreed to let her download the app（应用软件）onto her iPod Touch, because she thought she was fostering an interest in photography. But Ms. McPhail, of Austin, Texas, has learned that Celina and her friends mostly use the service to post Photoshopped photo-jokes and text messages they create on another free app called Versagram.When kids can’t get on Facebook, “they’re good at f inding ways around that,” she says.B）It’s harder than ever to keep an eye on the children. Many parents limit their preteens’ access to well-known sites like Facebook and monitor what their children do online. But with kids constantly seeking new places to connect—preferably, unsupervised by their families—most parents are learning how difficult it is to prevent their kids from interacting with social media. C）Children are using technology at ever-younger ages. About 15% of kids under the age of 11 have their own mobile phone, according to eMarketer. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project reported last summer that 16% of kids aged from 12 to 17 who are online used Twitter, double the number from two years earlier.D）Parents worry about the risks of online predators and bullying, and there are other concerns. Kids are creating permanent public records, and they may encounter excessive or inappropriate advertising. Yet many parents also believe it is in their kids’ interest to be expert in technology. E）As families grapple with how to use social media safely, many marketers are working to create social networks and other interactive applications for kids that parents will approve. Some go even further, seeing themselves as providing a crucial education in online literacy—“training wheels for social media”, as Rebecca Levey, founder of social media site KidzVuz puts it.F）Last week, 20 companies pitched online and mobile products for kids in Pasadena, Calif., at the 6th annual Digital Kids Conference. This summer, Microsoft and Scholastic will help sponsor the first Digital Family Summit in Philadelphia. Scholastic will preview a new version of Storia, an interactive e-reading application aimed at kids ages 3 to 14. “As kids migrate more to devices, we don’t want to be left out,”says Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media.G）“Digital media is a great thing for kids; even a 12-year-old can have a personal brand,”says Stephanie Schwab, the founder of the Digital Family convention. Her 3-year-old uses an iPad every day. When Ms. Schwab recently wondered out loud what the weather was like, her son responded, “Ask Siri.”H）KidzVuz is a social media start-up aimed at teaching kids how to create content at an early age. Kids create a profile with a handle （say, “GossipGirl”）but no name, and parents have to approve the account. Kids then create video reviews of books, films, food and clothes. There is no private messaging, and comments are actively monitored for nastiness. The site was launched by two technologically active mothers in New York City. One co-founder, Ms. Levey, says the idea is to create a safe place for children to learn how to communicate effectively and politely on a medium that will be key to their social, academic and economic lives.I）Faith King, a 9-year-old third grader in RedBank, N.J., says since she started posting video reviews to KidzVuz, she has learned important lessons of film production. “You need to make sure the lights are on so people can see you,”she says. She also has learned to focus on interesting contents. “Don’t review a dictionary,”she advises. Her mother, Cristie Ritz-King, says her daughter’s love of the site has prompted many conversations about the importance of being skeptical about strangers online and questioning the accuracy of information. She wants her daughter to learn early on to be agile（机敏的）with social media. “It’s never going away,”she says.J）The University of Southern California’s Annenberg Innovation Lab has created Playground, a social platform for school-age students. The idea is for kids to learn how to create Internet content —and to consider the implications of privacy, the permanence of a Web footprint, the basics of brand building and a little about online manners. Educators need to teach Internet literacy at anearly age, says Erin Reilly, Playground’s creator. “Kids are always going to find a back door for communication and coll aboration,” she says.K）Along with established social sites for kids, such as Walt Disney Co.’s Club Penguin, kids are flocking to newer sites such as , a meeting place aimed at girls’ ages 5 to 12 who are interested in designing clothes, and Everloop, a social network for kids under the age of 13. Viddy, a video-sharing site which functions similarly to Instagram, is becoming more popular with kids and teenagers as well.L）Some kids do join YouTube, Google, Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter, despite policies meant to bar kids under 13. These sites require that users enter their date of birth upon signing up, and they must be at least 13 years old. Apple—which requires an account to download apps like Instagram to an iPhone—has the same requirement. But there is little to bar kids from entering a false date of birth or getting an adult to set up an account. Instagram declined to comment.M）“If we learn that someone is not old enough to have a Google account, or we receive a report, we will investigate and take the appropriate action,”says Google spokesman Jay Nancarrow. He adds that users first have a chance to demonstrate that they meet our age requirements. If they don’t, we will close the account. Facebook and most other sites have similar policies.N）Still, some children establish public identities on social media networks like YouTube and Facebook with their parents’ permission. Autumn Miller, a 10-year-old from Southern California, has nearly 6,000 people following her Facebook fan-page postings（博文）, which include links to videos of her in makeup and costumes, dancing Laker-Girl style. Autie’s Freestyle Friday Dance Channel on YouTube has nearly 13,000 subscribers and hosts 39 videos that have logged in excess of 3.5 million views.O）Facebook’s “fan pages”—in which brands can establish a Facebook presence and those who “like”the brand can see its postings—are supposed to be managed by someone of appropriate age to have a profile page, according to Andrew Noyes, Facebook’s manager of public policy communications. Autie’s father Mr. Miller confirmed that his daughter mostly succeeds in overseeing her own fan page with parental supervision.P）But many parents and children find themselves in an evasive（躲躲闪闪的）dance online. Alexa Ashley’s mother, Lisa, allowed her on Facebook at 13—then took the account away. When she learned that her daughter, now 14, had an Instagram account and wanted to check it out, Alexa bristled at her mother’s interest. Alexa says she doesn’t mind being barred from Facebook—where her grandmother’s comments embarrassed her. She is sticking with Instagram for now.46. In spite of different kinds of concerns, many parents still think it is good for their kids to be skilled in internet technology.47. The more electronic devices are being used by children, the more markets the internet companies are longing to occupy.48. Maria McPhail allowed her 12-year-old daughter to download the app of Instagram because she believed her daughter was interested in photography.49. Parents’ watch and control can help children manage their own fan pages.50. Despite the age limitations, some kids fake their birthdates to open an online account.51. Being skeptical about strangers online and questioning the accuracy of information are very important.52. No kids can send or receive private messages on KidzVuz and their reviews are under severe control.53. Proper measures will be adopted by Google if its users are not old enough to have Google accounts.54. When Ms. Schwab asked about the weather conditions, her son advised her to seek help from Siri.55. Under the permission of parents, some children create public accounts on social media networks such as YouTube and Facebook.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked ［A］, ［Ｂ］, ［Ｃ］and ［Ｄ］You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals.What’s far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis, and unethical （不道德的）behavior in general.“Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors,” says Mauri ce Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn’s Wharton School.“It turns out there’s no economic benefit to just having a goal—you just get a psychological benefit.”Schweitzer says, “But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful.”A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed a sales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with histeam’s use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.In a rebuttal （反驳）paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: “Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose.”But Schweitzer contends the “mounting causal evidence”linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. “Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh man y positive effects,” he says.“Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization,” Schweitzer says.56. What message does the author try to convey about goal-setting?［A］Its role has been largely underestimated.［B］The goals most people set are unrealistic.［C］The goals increase people’s work efficiency.［D］Its negative effects have long been neglected.57. What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by citing the example of Enron?［A］Financial incentives ensure companies meet specific revenue goals.［B］Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success.［C］Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power.［D］Businesses are less likely to succeed without setting realistic goals.58. How did Sears’ goal-setting affect its employees?［A］They resorted to unethical practice to meet their sales quota.［B］They improved their customer service on a companywide basis.［C］They were obliged to work more hours to increase their sales.［D］They competed with one another to attract more customers.59. What do advocates of goal-setting think of Schweitzer’s research?［A］It exaggerates the side effects of goal-setting.［B］Its conclusion is not based on solid scientific evidence.［C］It runs counter to the existing literature on the subject.［D］Its findings are not of much practical value.60. What is Schweitzer’s contention against Edwin Locke?［A］Goal-setting has become too deep-rooted in corporate culture.［B］Studying goal-setting can throw more light on successful business practices.［C］The link between goal-setting and harmful behavior deserves further study.［D］The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.For most of the 20th century, Asia asked itself what it could learn from the modern, innovating West. Now the question must be reversed: what can the West’s overly indebted and sluggish （经济滞长的）nations learn from a flourishing Asia?Just a few decades ago, Asia’s two giants were stagnating （停滞不前）under faulty economic ideologies. However, once China began embracing free-market reforms in the 1980s, followed by India in the 1990s, both countries achieved rapid growth. Crucially, as they opened up their markets, they balanced market economy with sensible government direction. As the Indian economist Amartya Sen has wisely said, “The invisible hand of the market has often relied heavily on the visible hand of government.”Contrast this middle path with America and Europe, which have each gone ideologically overboard in their own ways. Since the 1980s, America has been increasingly clinging to the ideology of uncontrolled free markets and dismissing the role of government—following Ronald Reagan’s idea that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”Of course, when the markets came crashing down in 2007, it was decisive government intervention that saved the day. Despite this fact, many Americans are still strongly opposed to “big government.”If Americans could only free themselves from their antigovernment doctrine, they would begin to see that America’s problems are not insoluble. A few sensible federal measures could put the country back on the right path. A simple consumption tax of, say, 5% would significantly reduce the country’s huge government deficit without damaging productivity. A small gasoline tax would help free America from its dependence on oil imports and create incentives for green energy development. In the same way, a significant reduction of wasteful agricultural subsidies could also lower the deficit. But in order to take advantage of these common-sense solutions, Americans will have to put aside their own attachment to the idea of smaller government and less regulation. American politicians will have to develop the courage to follow what is taught in all American public-policy schools: that there are good taxes and bad taxes. Asian countries have embraced this wisdom, and have built sound long-term fiscal （财政的）policies as a result.Meanwhile, Europe has fallen prey to a different ideological trap: the belief that European governments would always have infinite resources and could continue borrowing as if there were no tomorrow. Unlike the Americans, who felt that the markets knew best, the Europeans failed to anticipate how the markets would react to their endless borrowing. Today, the European Union is creating a $580 billion fund to ward off sovereign collapse. This will buy the EU time, but it will not solve the bloc’s larger problem.61. What has contributed to the rapid economic growth in China and India?［A］Copying western-style economic behavior.［B］Timely reform of government at all levels.［C］Free market plus government intervention.［D］Heavy reliance on the hand of government.62. What does Ronald Reagan mean by saying “government is the problem”（Lines 3-4, Para. 3）?［A］Many social ills are caused by wrong government policies.［B］Many social problems arise from government inefficiency.［C］Government action is key to solving economic problems.［D］Government regulation hinders economic development.63. What stopped the American economy from collapsing in 2007?［A］Abandonment of big government by the public.［B］Self-regulatory repair mechanisms of the free market.［C］Effective measures adopted by the government.［D］Cooperation between the government and businesses.64. What is the author’s suggestion to the American public in face of the government deficit?［A］They give up the idea of smaller government and less regulation.［B］They develop green energy to avoid dependence on oil import.［C］They urge the government to revise its existing public policies.［D］They put up with the inevitable sharp increase of different taxes.65. What’s the problem with the European Union?［A］Conservative ideology.［B］Shrinking market.［C］Lack of resources.［D］Excessive borrowing.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.《孙子兵法》（The Art of War）是中国古代最重要的一部军事著作之一，是我国优秀传统文化的重要组成部分。
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