2018年12月大学英语六级真题解析(仔细阅读卷二)

2018年12月六级考试真题（第二套）为了让大家更好地模拟真实考场，文都网校四六级完全按照真题卷面顺序排版了本套真题，Part I写作部分被放在了试卷的最后一页，与听力部分完全隔开，请大家在备考过程中提早适应卷面顺序！Part II Listening Comprehension(30minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.Afteryou hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through thecentre.Questions1to4are based on the conversation you have just heard.1.A)It is one of the most fascinating physics books ever written.B)It describes how some mysteries of physics were solved.C)It lists the various challenges physicists are confronting.D)It can benefit professionals and non-professionals alike.2.A)Stories about some female physicists.B)Physicists’contribution to humanity.C)Historical evolution of modern physics.D)Women’s changing attitudes to physics.3.A)By telling anecdotes about famous professors.B)By including lots of fascinating knowledge.C)By describing her own life experiences.D)By exposing a lot of myths in physics.4.A)It avoids detailing abstract concepts of physics.B)It contains a lot of thought-provoking questions.C)It provides experiments they can do themselves.D)It demonstrates how they can become physicists.Questions5to8are based on the conversation you have just heard.5.A)He has no idea how to proceed with his dissertation.B)He does not understand the professor’s instructions.C)He does not know what kind of topic to write on.D)He is too busy to finish his assignment in time.6.A)It is challenging.C)It is too broad.B)It is interesting.D)It is a bit outdated.7.A)Biography.C)Beauty.B)Philosophy.D)Nature.8.A)List the parameters first.C)Develop his reading ability.B)Stick to the topic assigned.D)Improve his cumulative grade.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear two passages.At the end of each passage,you will hear three or four questions.Both the passages and the questions will be spoken only once.After you heara question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre. Questions9to11are based on the passage you have just heard.9.A)The unprecedented high temperature in Greenland.B)The unusual cold spell in the Arctic area in October.C)The collapse of ice on the northern tip of Greenland.D)The rapid change of Arctic temperature within a day.10.A)It has puzzled the climate scientists for decades.B)It typically appears about once every ten years.C)It will pose a serious threat to many species.D)It has created a totally new climate pattern.11.A)Extinction of Arctic wildlife.C)Iceless summers in the Arctic.B)Emigration of indigenous people.D)Better understanding of ecosystems. Questions12to15are based on the passage you have just heard.12.A)A good start.C)A scientific approach.B)A detailed plan.D)A strong determination.13.A)Most people get energized after a sufficient test.B)It is vital to take breaks between demanding mental tasks.C)It is most important to have confidence in one’s willpower.D)Most people tend to have a finite source of energy.14.A)They found it easier to focus on work at hand.B)They held more positive attitudes toward life.C)They could do more challenging tasks.D)They could keep on working longer.15.A)They are subject to change.C)They are related to culture.B)They are beyond control.D)They are part of their nature.Section CDirections:In this section,you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions.The recordings will be played only once.After you hear a question,you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre. Questions16to18are based on the recording you have just heard.16.A)The job market is becoming somewhat unpredictable.B)The jobs of doctors and lawyers would be threatened.C)Machine learning would prove disruptive by2013.D)About half of current jobs might be automated.17.A)They could grade high-school essays just like human teachers.B)They could read as many as10,000essays in a single minute.C)They are widely applicable for massive open online courses.D)They are now being used by numerous high school teachers.18.A)It is slow when it comes to tracking novel things.B)It has to rely on huge amounts of previous data.C)It does poorly on frequent,high-volume tasks.D)It needs instructions throughout the process.Questions19to21are based on the recording you have just heard.19.A)The generation of steam with the latest technology.B)The importance of exploring new energy sources.C)The theoretical aspects of sustainable energy.D)The engineering problems with solar power.20.A)Cut down the city’s energy consumption.B)Build a new ten-kilometre railway line.C)Upgrade the city’s train facilities.D)Drive trains with solar energy.21.A)Collect carbon dioxide gas.C)Find a new material for storing energy.B)Recover super-heated steam.D)Build a tank for keeping calcium oxide. Questions22to25are based on the recording you have just heard.22.A)The lack of supervision by both the national and local governments.B)The poor relation between national health and social care services.C)The impact of the current economic crisis at home and abroad.D)The poor management of day centres and home help services.23.A)It was mainly provided by voluntary services.B)It called for a sufficient number of volunteers.C)It mainly caters to the needs of the privileged.D)It has deteriorated over the past sixty years.24.A)More of them suffering serious illnesses.C)Fewer home helpers available.B)Their preference for private services.D)Their longer lifespans.25.A)They have contributed a great deal to society.B)They are vulnerable to illnesses and diseases.C)They have long been discriminated against.D)They are unable to pay for health services.Part III Reading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the 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 sheet2with a single linethrough the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Just off the coast of Southern California sits Santa Cruz Island,where a magical creature called the island fox26.A decade ago,this island’s ecosystem was in27.Wild pigs attracted golden eagles from the mainland,and those flying28crashed the fox population.So the Nature Conservancy launched a29war against the pigs,complete with helicopters and sharp shooters.And it worked.Today,federal agencies are pulling the island fox from the Endangered Species List.It’s the fastest-ever recovery of a mammal,joining peers like the Louisiana black bear as glowing successes in the history of the Endangered Species Act.But the recovery of Santa Cruz Island isn’t just about the fox.The Nature Conservancy has30war on a multitude of invasive species here,from sheep to plants to the31Argentine ant.“Our philosophy with the island has always been,‘OK,32the threats and let the island go back to what it was,’”says ecologist Christina Boser.And it appears to be working.Native plants are coming back,and the fox once again bounds about carefree.But keeping those foxes from harm will occupy Boser and her colleagues for years to come.You see, humans are still allowed on Santa Cruz Island,and they bring dogs.So Boser has to vaccinate her foxes against various diseases.“We’re obligated to keep a pulse on the population for at least five years after theI)hinders J)mammal K)monitoring L)predators M)remove N)tempt O)underlyingA)aggressiveB)chaosC)configurationD)declaredE)dedicatedF)dwellsG)extinctionH)fierce foxes are delisted,”says Boser.That includes tagging the foxes and 33their numbers to ensure nothing goes wrong.This is the story of the little fox that has come back,and the people who have 34their lives to protecting it.This is the story of wildlife conservation in the age of mass 35.Section BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each state-ment contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from whichthe 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 Answersheet 2.Do Parents Invade Children’s Privacy When They Post Photos Online?[A]When Katlyn Burbidge’s son was 6years old,he was performing some ridiculous song and dancetypical of a first-grader.But after she snapped a photo and started using her phone,he asked her a serious question:“Are you going to post that online?”She laughed and answered,“Yes,I think I will.”What he said next stopped her.“Can you not?”[B]That’s when it dawned on her:She had been posting photos of him online without asking his permission.“We’re big advocates of bodily autonomy and not forcing him to hug or kiss people unless he wants to,but it never occurred to me that I should ask his permission to post photos of him online,”says Burbidge,a mom of two in Wakefield,Massachusetts,“Now when I post a photo of him online,I show him the photo and get his okay.”[C]When her 8-month-old is 3or 4years old,she plans to start asking him in an age-appropriate way,“Doyou want other people to see this?”That’s precisely the approach that two researchers advocated before a room of pediatrician （儿科医生）last week at the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting,when they discussed the 21st century challenge of “sharenting,”a new term for parents’online sharing about their children.“As advocates of children’s rights,we believe that children should have a voice about what information is shared about them if possible,”says Stacey Steinberg,a legal skills professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in Gainesville.[D]Whether it’s ensuring that your child isn’t bullied over something you post,that their identity isn’tdigitally “kidnapped”,or that their photos don’t end up on a half dozen child pornography （色情）sites,as one Australian mom discovered,parents and pediatricians are increasingly aware of the importance of protecting children’s digital presence.Steinberg and Bahareh Keith,an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine,say most children will likely never experience problems related to what their parents share,but a tension still exists between parents’rights to share theirexperiences and their children’s rights to privacy.[E]“We’re in no way trying to silence parents’voices,”Steinberg says.“At the same time,we recognize thatchildren might have an interest in entering adulthood free to create their own digital footprint.”They cited a study presented earlier this year of249pairs of parents and their children in which twice as many children as parents wanted rules on what parents could share.“The parents said,‘We don’t need rules—we’re fine,’and the children said,‘Our parents need rules,’”Keith says.“The children wanted autonomy about this issue and were worried about their parents sharing information about them.”[F]Although the American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidelines recommending that parents model appro-priate social media use for their children,it does not explicitly discuss oversharing by parents.“I think this is a very legitimate concern,and I appreciate their drawing our attention to it,”David Hill,a father of five,says.He sees a role for pediatricians to talk with parents about this,but believes the messaging must extend far beyond pediatricians’offices.“I look forward to seeing researchers expand our understanding of the issue so we can translate it into effective education and policy,”he says.[G]There’s been little research on the topic,Steinberg wrote in a law article about this issue.While statescould pass laws related to sharing information about children online,Steinberg feels parents themselves are generally best suited to make these decisions for their families.“While we didn’t want to create any unnecessary panic,we did find some concerns that were troublesome,and we thought that parents or at least physicians should be aware of those potential risks,”Steinberg says.They include photosrepurposed for inappropriate or illegal means,identity theft,embarrassment,bullying by peers or digital kidnapping.[H]But that’s the negative side,with risks that must be balanced against the benefits of sharing.Steinbergpointed out that parental sharing on social media helps build communities,connect spread-out families, provide support and raise awareness around important social issues for which parents might be their children’s only voice.[I]A C.S.Mott survey found among the56percent of mothers and34percent of fathers who discussedparenting on social media,72percent of them said sharing made them feel less alone,and nearly as many said sharing helped them worry less and gave them advice from other parents.The most common topics they discussed included kids’sleep,nutrition,discipline,behavior problems and day care and preschool. [J]“There’s this peer-to-peer nature of health care these days with a profound opportunity for parents to learn helpful tips,safety and prevention efforts,pro-vaccine messages and all kinds of other messages from other parents in their social communities,”says Wendy Sue Swanson,a pediatrician and executive director of digital health at Seattle Children’s Hospital,where she blogs about her own parenting journey to help other parents.“They’re getting nurtured by people they’ve already selected that they trust,”she says.[K]“How do we weigh the risks,how do we think about the benefits,and how do we alleviate the risks?”she says.“Those are the questions we need to ask ourselves,and everyone can have a different answer.”[L]Some parents find the best route for them is not to share at all.Bridget O’Hanlon and her husband,who live in Cleveland,decided before their daughter was born that they would not post her photos online.When a few family members did post pictures,O’Hanlon and her husband made their wishes clear.“It’s been hard not to share pictures of her because people always want to know how babies and toddlers（学走路的孩子）are doing and to see pictures,but we made the decision to have social media while she didnot,”O’Hanlon said.Similarly,Alison Jamison of New York decided with her husband that their child had a right to their own online identity.They did use an invitation-only photo sharing platform so that friends and family,including those far away,could see the photos,but they stood firm,simply refusing to put their child’s photos on other social media platforms.[M]“For most families,it’s a journey.Sometimes it goes wrong,but most of the time it doesn’t,”says Swanson,who recommends starting to ask children permission to post narratives or photos around ages6 to8.“We’ll learn more and more what our tolerance is.We can ask our kids to help us learn as a society what’s okay and what’s not.”[N]Indeed,that learning process goes both ways.Bria Dunham,a mother in Somerville,Massachusetts,was so excited to watch a moment of brotherly bonding while her first-grader and baby took a bath together that she snapped a few photos.But when she considered posting them online,she took the perspective of her son:How would he feel if his classmates’parents saw photos of him chest-up in the bathtub?“Itmade me think about how I’m teaching him to have ownership of his own body and how what is shared today endures into the future,”Dunham says.“So I kept the pictures to myself and accepted this as one more step in supporting his increasing autonomy.”36.Steinberg argued parental sharing online can be beneficial.37.According to an expert,when children reach school age,they can help their parents learn what can andcannot be done.38.One mother refrained from posting her son’s photos online when she considered the matter from her son’sperspective.39.According to a study,more children than parents think there should be rules on parents’sharing.40.Katlyn Burbidge had never realized she had to ask her son’s approval to put his photos online.41.A mother decided not to post her son’s photo online when he asked her not to.42.A woman pediatrician tries to help other parents by sharing her own parenting experience.43.There are people who decide simply not to share their children’s photos online.44.Parents and physicians should realize sharing information online about children may involve risks.45.Parents who share their parenting experiences may find themselves intruding into their children’sprivacy.Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D).You shoulddecide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2with a singleline through the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.Perhaps it is time for farmers to put their feet up now that robots are used to inspect crops,dig up weeds, and even have become shepherds,mercial growing fields are astronomically huge and take thousands of man-hours to operate.One prime example is one of Australia’s most isolated cattle stations, Suplejack Downs in the Northern Territory,extending across4,000square kilometers,taking over13hours to reach by car from the nearest major town—Alice Springs.The extreme isolation of these massive farms leaves them often unattended,and monitored only once or twice a year,which means if the livestock falls ill or requires assistance,it can be a long time for farmers to discover.However,robots are coming to the rescue.Robots are currently under a two-year trial in Wales which will train‘farmbots’to herd,monitor the health of livestock,and make sure there is enough pasture for them to graze on.The robots are equipped with many sensors to identify conditions of the environment,cattle and food,using thermal and vision sensors that detect changes in body temperature.“You’ve also got color,texture and shape sensors looking down at the ground to check pasture quality,”says Salah Sukkarieh of the University of Sydney,who will carry out trials on several farms in central New South Wales.During the trials,the robot algorithms（算法）and mechanics will be fine-tuned to make it better suited to ailing livestock and ensure it safely navigates around potential hazards including trees,mud,swamps,and hills.“We want to improve the quality of animal health and make it easier for farmers to maintain large landscapes where animals roam free,”says Sukkarieh.The robots are not limited to herding and monitoring livestock.They have been created to count individual fruit,inspect crops,and even pull weeds.Many robots are equipped with high-tech sensors and complex learning algorithms to avoid injuring humans as they work side by side.The robots also learn the most efficient and safest passages,and allow engineers and farmers to analyze and better optimize the attributes and tasks of the robot,as well as provide a live stream giving real-time feedback on exactly what is happening on the farms.Of course,some worry lies in replacing agricultural workers.However,it is farmers that are pushing for the advancements due to ever-increasing labor vacancies,making it difficult to maintain large-scale operations.The robots have provided major benefits to farmers in various ways,from hunting and pulling weeds to monitoring the condition of every single fruit.Future farms will likely experience a greater deal of autonomy as robots take up more and more farm work efficiently.46.What may farmers be able to do with robots appearing on the farming scene?A)Upgrade farm produce.C)Modify the genes of crops.B)Enjoy more leisure hours.D)Cut down farming costs.47.What will‘farmbots’be expected to do?A)Take up many of the farmers’routines.B)Provide medical treatments for livestock.C)Lead the trend in farming the world over.D)Improve the quality of pastures for grazing.48.What can robots do when equipped with high-tech sensors and complex learning algorithms?A)Help farmers choose the most efficient and safest passages.B)Help farmers simplify their farming tasks and management.C)Allow farmers to learn instantly what is occurring on the farm.D)Allow farmers to give them real-time instructions on what to do.49.Why are farmers pressing for robotic farming?A)Farming costs are fast increasing.C)Robotic farming is the trend.B)Robotics technology is maturing.D)Labor shortage is worsening.50.What does the author think future farms will be like?A)More and more automated.C)Larger and larger in scale.B)More and more productive.D)Better and better in condition.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.The public must be able to understand the basics of science to make informed decisions.Perhaps the most dramatic example of the negative consequences of poor communication between scientists and the public is the issue of climate change,where a variety of factors,not the least of which is a breakdown in the transmission of fundamental climate data to the general public has contributed to widespread mistrust and misunderstanding of scientists and their research.The issue of climate change also illustrates how the public acceptance and understanding of science (or the lack of it)can influence governmental decision-making with regard to regulation,science policy and research funding.However,the importance of effective communication with a general audience is not limited to hot issues like climate change.It is also critical for socially charged neuroscience issues such as the genetic basis for a particular behavior,the therapeutic potential of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases,or the use of animal models,areas where the public understanding of science can also influence policy and funding decisions.Furthermore,with continuing advances in individual genome（基因组）sequencing and the advent of personalized medicine,more non-scientists will need to be comfortable analyzing complex scientific information to make decisions that directly affect their quality of life.Science journalism is the main channel for the popularization of scientific information among the public.Much has been written about how the relationship between scientists and the media can shape the efficient transmission of scientific advances to the public.Good science journalists are specialists in making complex topics accessible to a general audience,while adhering to scientific accuracy.Unfortunately,pieces of science journalism can also oversimplify and generalize their subject material to the point that the basic information conveyed is obscured or at worst,obviously wrong.The impact of a basic discovery on human health can be exaggerated so that the public thinks a miraculous cure is a few months to years away when in reality the significance of the study is far more limited.Even though scientists play a part in transmitting information to journalists and ultimately the public, too often the blame for ineffective communication is placed on the side of the journalists.We believe that atleast part of the problem lies in places other than the interaction between scientists and members of the media, and exists because for one thing we underestimate how difficult it is for scientists to communicate effectively with a diversity of audiences,and for another most scientists do not receive formal training in science communication.51.What does the example of climate change serve to show?A)The importance of climate data is increasingly recognized.B)Adequate government funding is vital to scientific research.C)Government regulation helps the public understand science.D)Common folks’scientific knowledge can sway policy making.52.What should non-scientists do to ensure their quality of life?A)Seek personalized medical assistance from doctors.B)Acquire a basic understanding of medical science.C)Have their individual genome sequenced.D)Make informed use of animal models.53.Why is it important for scientists to build a good relationship with the media?A)It helps them to effectively popularize new scientific information.B)It enables the public to develop a positive attitude toward science.C)It helps them to establish a more positive public image.D)It enables them to apply their findings to public health.54.What does the author say is the problem with science journalism?A)It is keen on transmitting sensational information.B)It tends to oversimplify people’s health problems.C)It may give inaccurate or distorted information to the public.D)It may provide information open to different interpretations.55.What should scientists do to impart their latest findings to the public more effectively?A)Give training to science journalists.C)Seek timely assistance from the media.B)Stimulate public interest in science.D)Improve their communication skills.Part IV Translation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.近年来，中国政府进一步加大体育馆建设投资，以更好地满足人们快速增长的健身需求。

2018年12月四级考试真题（第二套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short es s ay on the challenges of s杠dy ing a ro叫.You should write at least 120 words but叩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.Afteryou hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A) ,B),C) a nd D) . Then mark the co汀esponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single linethrough the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on th e news report you have just heard.1.A) A man was pulled to safety after a building collapse.B) A beam about ten feet long collapsed to the ground.C) A rescue worker got trapped in the basement.D) A deserted 100-year-old building caught fire.2.A) H e suffered a fatal injury in an accident.B) H e once served in a fr r e department.C) H e was collecting building materials.D) H e moved into his neighbor's old house. Questions 3 and 4 are based on th e news report you have just beard.3.A)Improve the maths skills of high school teachers.C) H elp British people understand their paychecks.4.A) Children t吐e maths courses at an earlier age.B) T he public sees the value of maths in their life.C) B ritish people know how to do elementary calculations.D)阳mary school teachers understand basic maths concepts.B) Change British people's negative view of maths.D) L aunch a campaign to promote maths teaching.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)He owns a fleet of aircraft.B)He is learning to be a pilot.C) H e regards his royal duties as a burden.D) H e held a part-time job for over 20 years.6.A) H e can demonstrate his superior piloting skills.C) H e can show his difference from other royalty.7.A) T hey enjoyed his company.C) T hey rarely recognised him.Section BB) H e can change his focus of attention and relax.D) H e can come into closer contact with his people.B) T hey liked him in his uniform.D) T hey were surprised to see him.． Directmns: In this ·uh zsection, you wi ear two ong conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear fourquestions.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) T hey were skilled carpenters themselves.C) W ood supply was plentiful in Romania.9.A) P rovide quality furniture at affordable prices C) E nlarge their company by hiring more workers.10.A) T hey are from her hometown.C) T hey all come from Romania.11.A) A ll across Europe.C) M ostly in Bucharest.B) I t didn't need much capital to start with.D) T hey saw a business opportunity there.B) A ttract foreign investment to expand business. D) O pen some more branch companies in Germany.B) T hey are imported from Germany.D) T hey come from all over the continent.B) T hroughout the world.D) I n Romania only.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 12.A) G o to a concert with him and his girlfriend.C) G o with him to choose a pearl for Susan.13.A) I t is sponsored by local restaurants.C) I t is especially popular with the young.14.A) T hey design a special set of menus for themselves.B) T hey treat themselves to various entertainments.C) T hey go to eat at different stylish restaurants.D) T hey participate in a variety of social events.15.A) M ore restaurants will join Restaurant Week.B) T his year's Restaurant Week will start soon.C)) B igger discounts will be offered this Restaurant Week. D) M ore types of food will be served this Restaurant Week.Section CB) T ry out a new restaurant together in town.D) A ttend the opening of a local restaurant.B) I t specializes in food advertizing.D) I t provides information on local events.．Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages.At the end f h ·zz h h f oeac passage, you wi ear t ree or our questw 瓜．Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. A fter 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)Rewarding them for eating vegetables.B)Exposing them to vegetables repeatedly.C) I mproving the taste of vegetable dishes for them.D) E xplaining the benefits of eating vegetables to them.17 .A) T hey were disliked most by children.C) T hey were least used in Belgian cooking.18.A) Vegetables differ in their nutritional value.C) P arents watch closely what children eat.B) T hey were considered most nutritious.D) T hey were essential to children's health.B) C hildren's eating habits can be changed.D) Children's choices of food vary greatly.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) Space exploration has serious consequences.C) T here is quite a lot to learn about the moon.20.A) It is costly to bring back.C) It is of no use on Earth.21.A) R ecord details of space exploration.B) M onitor the change of lunar weather.B) I ndia has many space exploration programs.D) A lot of garbage has been left on the moon.B) It is risky to destroy.D) It is damaged by radiation.ect of radiation and vacuum on its materials.C) Study the effD) E xplore the possibility of human settlement on the moon.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A) I t is likely t o remam a means of busmess commumcat10n.B) I t is likely to be a competitor of various messaging apps.C) I t will gradually be replaced by social media.D) I t will have to be governed by specific rules.23.A) Save the message in their file.B) M ake a timely response.C) E xamine the information carefully.D) See if any action needs to be taken.24.A) I t is to be passed on.B) I t is mostly junk.C) I t requires no reply.D) It causes no concern.25.A) M ake it as short as possible.B) U se simple and clear language.C) Adopt an informal style of writing.D) A void using capitals for emphasis.Part ill 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 ident加d by a letter: Please mark the correspondi ng letter for each item on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Have you ever used email to apologize to a colleague? Delivered a 26 to a subordinate (下属）with a voice-mail message? F1own by plane across the country just to deliver important news in person? The various communication options at our fingertips today can be good for 27 and productivity—and at the same time very troublesome. W ith so many ways to communicate, how should a manager choose the one that's best—28 when the message to be delivered is bad or unwelcome news for the recipient? We've 29 b·usmess commumcat1on consultants and etiquette (礼仪）experts to come up with the following guidelines for 30 using the alternative ways of delivering difficult messages.First of all, choose how personal you want to be. A face-to-face commumcatJ.on 1s the most 31 . 0止er choices, in descending order of personalization, are: a real-time phone call, a voice-m组1message, a handwritten note, a typewritten letter, and the most 32 is em叫Some of these may change order according to the 33 situation or your own preferences; for example, a handwritten note might seem more personal than voice-m叫How do you decide on the best choice for the difficult message you've got to deliver? "My 34 concern is: How can I soften or civilize this message?" says etiquette expert Dana Casperson. "So when I apologize, I usually choose in-person first, or a phone conversation as my top alternative, and maybe a handwritten note next. Apologizing by email is something I now totally 35 ."A)avoid B) c onvemence C) e ffectivelyD) e scape E)intimate F) p articularlyG)primary H)prompt!)rewardJ) s ilent K) s pecific L) s urveyedM) u nfriendly N)warning 0) w itnessedSection BDirectmns: In th· is 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.How a Poor, Abandoned Parisian Boy Became a Top ChefA) T he busy streets in Paris were uneven and caked in thick mud, but there was always a breathtaking sight to see in the shop windows of Patisserie de la Rue de la Paix.By 1814, people crowded outside the bakery, straining for aglimpse of the latest sweet food created by the young chef who worked inside.B) H is name was Marie-Antoine Careme, and he had appeared, one day, almost out of nowhere. But in his short lifetime, which ended exactly 184 years ago today, he would forever revolutionize French gourme汀ood(美食），write best-selling cook books and think up magical dishes for royals and other important people.C)Careme's childhood was one part tragedy, equal part mystery.Born the 16th child to poor parents in Paris in either1783 or 1784, a young Careme was suddenly abandoned at the height of the French Revolution.At 8 years old, he worked as a kitchen boy for a restaurant in Paris in exchange for room and board.By age 15, he had become an apprentice (学徒）to Sylvain Bailly, a well-known dessert chef with a successful bakery in one of Paris's most fashionable neighborhoods.D) C areme was quick at learning in the kitchen, Bailly encouraged his young apprentice to learn to read and write. C或me would often spend his free afternoons at the nearby National Library reading books on art and architecture.In the back room of the little bakery, his interest in design and his baking talent combined to work wonders—he shaped delicious masterpieces out of flour, butter and sugar.E) I n Iris teenage years, Careme fashioned eatable copies of the late 18th century's most famous buildings-cookies in the shape of ruins of ancient Athens and pies in the shape of ancient Chinese palaces and temples.Sylvain Bailly, his master, displayed these luxuriant creations—often as large as 4 feet tall—in his bakery windows.F) C areme's creations soon captured the discriminating eye of a French diplomat, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand­Perigord.Around 1804, Talleyrand challenged C或me to produce a full menu for his personal castle, instructing the young baker to use local, seasonal fruits and vegetables and to avoid repeating main dishes over the course of an entire year.The experiment was a grand success and Talleyrand's association with French nobility would prove a profitable connection for Careme.G)French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was known to be unimpressed by the declining taste of early 18th centurycooking, but under pressure to entertain Paris's high society, he too called Careme to his kitchen at Tuileries Palace.In 1810, Careme designed the extraordinary cake for the wedding of Napoleon and his second bride, Marie­Louise of Austria. He became one of the first modem chefs to focus on the appearance of his table, not just the flavor of his dishes. "I want order and taste.A well-displayed meal is enhanced one hundred percent in my eyes, " he later wrote in one of his cook books.H)ln 1816, C邱me began a culinary (烹任的）journey which would forever mark his place as history's first top chef. He voyaged to England to cook in the modem Great Kitchen of the prince regent (摄政主），George lV, and crossed continents to prepare grand banquets for the tables of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Never afraid to talk up his own accomplishments, a boastful C邱me made a fortune as wealthy families with social ambitions invited him to their kitchens. Later, in his cook books, he would often include a sketch of himself, so that people on the street would be able to recognize—and admire—him.I)C邱me's cooking displays became the symbol of fine French dining; they were plentiful, beautiful and imposing. Guests would fall silent in wonder as servants carried Careme's fancy creations into the dining hall. F or a banquet celebrating the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia's visit to George IV's Brighton Pavillion on Jan.18, 1817, the menu featured 120 different dishes, highlighting eight different soups, 40 main courses, and 32 desserts.J) As he traveled through the homes of early 19th century nobility, Careme forged the new art of French gourmetfood.Locked in hot kitchens, C areme created his four "mother sauces." These sauces—bechamel, veloute, espagnole and allemande—formed the central building blocks for many French main courses.He also perfected the souffle—a baked egg dish, and introduced the standard chefs uniform—the same double-breasted white coat and tall white hat still worn by many chefs today. T he white clothing conveyed an image of cleanliness, according to Careme—and in his realm, appearance was everything.K) B etween meals, Careme wrote cook books that would be used in European kitchens for the next century. His manuals : including The Royal Parisian Baker and the massive five-volume Art of French Cooking Series (1833-1847, c ompleted after his death)first systematized many basic principles of cooking, complete with drawings and step-by-step directions. Long before television cooking shows, C邱me walked readers through common kitchen tasks, instructing them to "try this for yourself, at home" as famous American Chef Julia Child might do, many years later.L) I n the end, however, it was the kitchen that did Careme in. Decades of working over coal frres in tight, closed spaces with little fresh air (to ensure his dishes would not get cold) h ad fatally damaged his lungs. On Jan.12, 1833, Careme died just before he turned 50.M) B ut in his lifetime, Careme, ever confident, could see beyond his short domination in the kitchen.He wanted to"set the standard for beauty in classical and modem cooking, a nd prove to the distant future that the French chefs of the 19th century were the most famous in the world," as he wrote in his papers.N) D ecades later, chef Auguste Escoffier would build upon Careme's concept of French cuisine (烹任）. But in the very beginning, t here was just Careme, the top chef who elevated dining into art.36.Careme was among the first chefs who stressed both the appearance and flavor of dishes.37.Careme wanted to show to later generations that French chefs of his time were most outstanding in the world.38.Careme benefited greatly from serving a French diplomat and his connections,39.Careme learned his trade from a famous dessert chef in Paris.40.Careme's creative works were exhibited in the shop windows by his master.41.Careme's knowledge of art and architecture helped him create extraordinary desserts out of ordinary ingredients.42.Many people in Paris were eager to have a look at the latest sweet food made by Careme.43.Careme became extremely wealthy by cooking for rich and socially ambitious families.44.Careme's writings dealt with fundamental cooking principles in a systematic way.45.Careme's contribution to French cooking was revolutionary.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. E ach passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C)and DJ.You should decide on the best choice and markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Roughly the size of a soda can, sitting on a bookshelf, a relatively harmless gadget may be turning friends awayfrom your home. The elephant in your living room is your Internet-connected security camera, a device people are increasingly using for peace of mind in their homes.But few stop to think about the effect these devices may have on house guests.Should you tell your friends, for instance, t hat they're being recorded while you all watch the big game together?"It's certainly new territory, especially as home security cameras become easier to install," says Lizzie Post, president of the Emily Post Institute, America's foremost manners advisors. "I think it will be very interesting to see what etiquette (礼仪）emerges in terms of whether you tell people you have a camera or not, a nd whether guests have a right to ask that it be turned off, if it's not a security issue."Post wants to make clear that she's not talking about legal rights, b ut rather personal preferences.She also wants to explain that there are no right or wrong answers regarding manners on this front yet, b ecause the technology is just now becoming mainstream.Besides, the Emily Post Institute doesn't dictate manners.When it comes to security cameras, Post says it's a host's responsibility to make sure guests feel comfortable within their home. "I'm always a fa n of being open and honest." For instance, if the host casually acknowledges that there is a camera in the room by telling a story about it, that may be enough to provide an opening for a guest to say if they are uncomfortable.However, if a contractor is working in your home. You don't need to tell them that there are cameras watching. Then again, the air of accountability that the camera generates can also work in contractors'favor. "If anything does go wrong while they're in the house, they don't want to be blamed for it, "she says. "In fa ct, the camera could be the thing that proves that they didn't steal the $ 20, or knock the vase off the table."46.For what reason may your friends feel reluctant to visit your home?A) The security camera installed may intrude into their privacy.B) They don't want their photos to be circulated on the Internet.C) The security camera may tum out to be harmful to their health.D) They may not be willing to interact with your family members.4 7. W hat does Lizzie Post say is new territory?A) The effect of manners advice on the public.C) The increasing use of home security devices.B) Cost of applying new technologies at home.D) Etiquette around home security cameras.48. W hat is Lizzie Post mainly discussing with regard to the use of home security cameras?A) Legal rights. B) Moral issues.C) Likes and dislikes of individuals.)D The possible impact on manners.49. W hat is a host's responsibility regarding security cameras, according to Lizzie Post?A) Making their guests feel at ease.B) Indicating where they are.C)Turning them off in time.D) Ensuring their guests'privacy.50.In what way can the home security camera benefit visitors to your home?A) It can satisfy their curiosity.B) It can prove their innocence.C) It can help them learn new technology.D) It can make their visit more enjoyable.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.PepsiCo is to spend billions of dollars to develop drinks and snacks and reformulate existing ones with lower sugar, salt and fat, as consumers demand healthier options and regulatory pressure intensifies amid an obesity epidemic （流行病）．The maker of Mountain Dew and Gatorade has been one of the earlier movers in the industry to offer products with reduced levels of unhealthy ingredients—PepsiCo claims a packet of its chips now contains less salt than a slice of white bread. However, its new 10-year plan makes clear it believes it still has a long way to go.Shifting eating habits, including a sharp drop in consumption of sparkling drinks, have forced radical change on the industry. B ut those shifts have yet to be reflected in record obesity levels, which stand at 36.5% overall in the US.Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo chairman, said the plan to make its products healthier was important for the company's grow山But on the subject of obesity, she pointed out that consumers'lifestyles have changed significantly, with many people being more sedentary (久坐不动的）not least because more time is spent in front of computers. She said PepsiCo's contribution was to produce healthier snacks that still tasted good." Society has to change its habits," she added. "We can't do much to alter sedentary lifestyles, but we can provide consumers with great-tasting products, low in salt, sugar and fat. In the past we had to have a taste trade-off. But we're breaking that trade-off."PepsiCo's plan for its foods and drinks is based on guidelines from the World Health Organisation, which last week backed using taxes on sparkling drinks to reduce sugar consumption. Initiatives also include efforts to reduce its , environmental impact, water consumption and materials used in packaging by 2025.PepsiCo did not say exactly how much it planned to invest to reach its goals. However, Dr Mehmood Khan, chief scientific officer, said the company had doubled research and development spending in the past five years and was " committed to sustaining investment", adding that companies cannot cost-cut their way to increasing sales. PepsiCo's research and development budget in 2015 was $ 754血llion.51.Why is PepsiCo making a policy change?A) To win support from the federal government.B) To be more competitive in the global market.C) To satisfy the growing needs for healthy foods.52.What does PepsiCo think it will have to do in the future?A) Invest more to develop new snacks.D) To invest more wisely in the soft drink industry.B) Reduce levels of obesity in the US.C) Change consumers'eating habits.D)Keep on improving its products.53.Why does PepsiCo plan to alter its products, according to Indra Nooyi?A) To ensure the company's future development.C) To help improve its consumers'lifestyles.54. W hat does Indra Nooyi say about the obesity epidemic?A) It is mainly caused by overconsumption of snacks.C) It is attributable to people's changed lifestyles.B) To adapt to its customers'changed taste.D) To break the trade-off in its product design.B) It results from high sugar and salt consumption.D) It has a lot to do with longer working hours.55.What has PepsiCo been doing to achieve its ob j ective?A)Studying WHO's guidelines.C) Expanding its market overseas. Part IVB) Increasing its research funding.D)Cutting its production costs. Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage fr om Chinese into English. You should write your an.swer on Answer Sheet 2.越来越多的中国人现在的确离不开手机了。

Part I Writing (30minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on ho w to balance jobresponsibilities and personal interests. You should write at lea st 150 words but no more than 200 words.______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ __________Part II Listening Comprehension (30minutes)听力音频MP3文件，点击进入听力真题页面Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear two longconversations. 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 mustch oose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then m ark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.1. A) Stop worrying about him.B) Keep away from the statue.C) Take a picture of him.D) Pat on a smile for the photo.2. A) Gaining great fame on the Internet.B) Publishing a collection of his photos.C) Collecting the best photos in the world.D) Becoming a professional photographer.3. A) Surfing various websites and collecting photos.B) Editing his pictures and posting them online.C) Following similar accounts to compare notes.D) Studying the pictures in popular social media.4. A) They are far from satisfactory.B) They are mostly taken by her mom.C) They make an impressive album.D) They record her fond memories.Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) A journal reporting the latest progress in physics.B) An introductory course of modem physics.C) An occasion for physicists to exchange ideas.D) A series of interviews with outstanding physicists.6. A) The future of the physical world.B) The origin of the universe.C) Sources of radiation.D) Particle theory.7. A) How matter collides with anti-matter.B) Whether the universe will turn barren.C) Why there exists anti-matter.D) Why there is a universe at all8. A) Matter and anti-matter are opposites of each other.B) Anti-matter allowed humans to come into existence.C) The universe formed due to a sufficient amount of matter.D) Anti-matter exists in very high-temperature environments.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each pas sage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questio ns will bespoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the b est answer fromthe four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corres ponding letter on AnswerSheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.9. A) She found herself speaking a foreign language.B) She woke up speaking with a different accent.C) She found some symptoms of her illness gone.D) She woke up finding herself in another country.10. A) It is usually caused by a stroke or brain injury.B) It has not yet found any effective treatment.C) It leaves the patient with a distorted memory.D) It often happens to people with speech defects.11. A) British.B) Irish.C) Russian.D) Australian.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.12. A) Water sports.B) Racing in rivers.C) Stories about women swimmers.D) Books about swimming.13. A) She succeeded in swimming across the English Channel.B) She published a guide to London's best swimming spots.C) She told her story of adventures to some young swimmers.D) She wrote a book about the history of swimwear in the UK.14. A) They loved vacationing on the seashore.B) They had a unique notion of modesty.C) They were prohibited from swimming.D) They were fully dressed when swimming.15. A) She designed lots of appropriate swimwear for women.B) She once successfully competed against men in swimming.C) She was the first woman to swim across the English Channel.D) She was an advocate of women's right to swim in public pools.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks f ollowedby three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. Af ter you hear aquestion, you must choose the best answer from the four choic es marked A, B, C andD. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Shee t 1 with a single line throughthe centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.16. A) Build a machine that can detect lies.B) Develop a magnetic brain scanner.C) Test the credibility of court evidence.D) Win people's complete trust in them.17. A) They are optimistic about its potential.B) They are sceptical of its reliability.C) They think it is but business promotion.D) They celebrate it with great enthusiasm.18. A) It is not to be trusted at all.B) It does not sound economical.C) It may intrude into people's privacy.D) It may lead to overuse in court trials.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.19. A) Most of its residents speak several languages.B) Some of its indigenous languages are dying out.C) Each village there speaks a totally different language.D) Its languages have interested researchers the world over.20. A) They are spread randomly across the world.B) Some are more difficult to learn than others.C) More are found in tropical regions than in the mild zones.D) They enrich and impact each other in more ways than one.21. A) They used different methods to collect and analyze data.B) They identified distinct patterns of language distribution.C) Their conclusions do not correspond to their original hypotheses.D) There is no conclusive account for the cause of language diversity.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.22. A) Its middle-class is disappearing.B) Its wealth is rationally distributed.C) Its population is rapidly growing.D) Its cherished dream is coming true.23. A) Success was but a dream without conscientious effort.B) They could realize their dreams through hard work.C) A few dollars could go a long way.D) Wealth was shared by all citizens.24. A) Better working conditions.B) Better-paying jobs.C) High social status.D) Full employment.25. A) Reduce the administrative costs.B) Adopt effective business models.C) Hire part-time employees only.D) Make use of the latest technology.Part III Reading Comprehension (40minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage withten blanks. You are require d to select one word foreach 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 co rresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line throught he centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Surfing the Internet during class doesn't just steal focus from the educator；it also hurtsstudents who're already struggling to __26__ the material. A new study from Michigan StateUniversity, though, argues that all students—includ ing high achievers—see a decline in performance when they browse the Inte rnet during class for non-academic purposes.To measure the effects of Internet-based distractions during class, researche rs __27__500 students taking an introductory psychology class at Michigan State Unive rsity. Researchers usedACT scores as a measure of intellectual __28__ Bec ause previous research has shown thatpeople with high intellectual abilities are better at __29__ out distractions, researchersbelieved students with high ACT scores would not show a __30__ decrease in performance due to their use of digital devices. But students who surfed the web during class did worseontheir exams regardless of their ACT scores, suggesting that even the acade mically smarteststudents are harmed when they're distracted in class.College professors are increasingly __31__ alarm bells about the effects smar tphones, laptops, and tablets have on academic performance. One 2013 st udy of college students found that 80% of students use their phones or laptop s during class, with the average student checkingtheir digital device 11 times in a __32__ class. A quarter of students report that their use ofdigital device s during class causes their grades to __33__.Professors sometimes implement policies designed to __34__ students' use of digital devices, and world where people are increasingly some instructors e ven confiscate (没收）tablets andphones. In dependent on their phones, though, such strategies of ten fail. One internationalstudy found that 84% of people say they couldn't go a day without their smartphones. Untilstudents are able to __35__ the pull of social networking, texting, and endlessly surfing theweb, they may continue to straggle in their classes.A) aptitude B) eradication C) evaluated D) evaporated E) filtering F) grasp G) legacy H) minimize I) obscure J) obsess K) raising L) resist M) signific ant N) suffer O) typicalSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statemen ts attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the pa ragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You m ay choose a paragraph more than once. Eachparagraph is marked with a lette r. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet2.A Pioneering Woman of Science Re-Emerges after 300 YearsA) Maria Sibylla Merian, like many European women of the 17th century, stay ed busy managinga household and rearing children. But on top of that, Meria n, a German-born woman who livedin the Netherlands, also managed a succe ssful career as an artist, botanist, naturalist andentomologist (昆虫学家).B)"She was a scientist on the level with a lot of people we spend a lot of time ta lking about," said Kay Etheridge, a biologist at Gettysburg College in Pennsylv ania who has been studying thescientific history of Merian's work."She didn't do as much to change biology as Charles Darwin, but she was sig nificant. "C) At a time when natural history was a valuable tool for discovery, Merian d iscovered factsabout plants and insects that were not previously known. Her observations helped dismiss the popular belief that insects spontaneouslyemerged from mud. The knowledge she collectedover decades didn't just sati sfy those curious about nature, but also provided valuable insights into medi cine and science. She was the first to bring together insects and theirhabitats, including food they ate, into a single ecological composition.D) After years of pleasing a fascinated audience across Europe with books of detailed descriptions and life-size paintings of familiar insects, in 1699 she s ailed with her daughternearly 5,000 miles from the Netherlands to South America to study insects in the jungl es ofwhat is now known as Suriname. She was 52 years old. The result was h er masterpiece, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium.E) In her work, she revealed a side of nature so exotic, dramatic and valua ble to Europeansof the time that she received much acclaim. But a century l ater, her findings came underscientific criticism. Shoddy（粗糙的）reproductions of her work along with setbacks to women'sroles in 18th- and 1 9th- century Europe resulted in her efforts being largely forgotten."It waskind of stunning when she sort of dropped off into oblivion（遗忘）," said Dr. Etheridge."Victorians started putting women in a box, and they're still trying to crawl o ut of it."F) Today, the pioneering woman of the sciences has re-emerged. In recent ye ars, feminists，historians and artists have all praised Merian's tenacity（坚韧）, talent andinspirational artistic compositions. And now biologists like Dr. Etheridge are digging into thescientific texts that accompanied her art. Three hundred years after her death, Merian will be celebrated at an international symposium in Amsterdam this June.G) And last month, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium was republish ed. It contains 60 plates (插图）and original descriptions, along with stories about Merian's life and updateds cientific descriptions. Before writing Metamorphosis, Merian spent decades do cumentingEuropean plants and insects that she published in a series of books. She began in her 20s, making textless, decorative paintings of flowers with insects."Then she got really serious," Dr. Etheridge said. Merian started raising insect s at home, mostly butterflies and caterpillars."Shewould sit up all night until they came out of the pupa (桶）so she could draw them," she said.H) The results of her decades' worth of careful observations were detailed pa intings anddescriptions of European insects, followed by unconventional vis uals and stories of insects andanimals from a land that most at the time could only imagine. It's possible Merian used amagnifying glass to capture the det ail of the split tongues of sphinx moths (斯芬克斯飞蛾）depicted in the painting. She wrote that the two tongues combine to form one tube fordrinking nectar (花蜜）. Some criticized this detail later, saying there was just one tongue, but Merian wasn't wrong. She may have observed the adult moth just as it emer ged from its pupa. For a brief moment during that stage of its life cycle, the t ongue consists of two tiny half-tubesbefore merging into one.I) It may not have been ladylike to depict a giant spider devouring a hummi ngbird, but whenMerian did it at the turn of the 18th century, surprisingly, no body objected. Dr. Etheridge calledit revolutionary. The image, which also c ontained novel descriptions of ants, fascinated aEuropean audience that was more concerned with the exotic story unfolding before them thanthe gender of the person who painted it.J)"All of these things shook up their nice, neat little view," Dr. Etheridge said. B ut later, peopleof the Victorian era thought differently. Her work had been rep roduced, sometimes incorrectly. A few observations were deemed impossibl e."She'd been called a silly woman for saying thata spider could eat a bird," Dr . Etheridge said. But Henry Walter Bates, a friend of CharlesDarwin, observed it and put it in book in 1863, proving Merian was correct.K) In the same plate, Merian depicted and described leaf-cutter ants for the fi rst time."InAmerica there are large ants which can eat whole trees bare as a broom h andle in a singlenight, she wrote in the description. Merian noted how the a nts took the leaves below groundto their young. And she wouldn't have know n this at the time, but the ants use the leaves tofarm fungi (菌类）underground to feed their developing babies.L) Merian was correct about the giant bird-eating spiders, ants building bridge s with theirbodies and other details. But in the same drawing, she incorrectly l umped together army andleaf-cutter ants. And instead of showing just the ty pical pair of eggs in a hummingbird nest, she painted four. She made other mistakes in Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium aswell: not every cat erpillar and butterfly matched.M) Perhaps one explanation for her mistakes is that she cut short her Surina me trip aftergetting sick, and completed the book at home in Amsterdam. An d errors are common amongsome of history's most- celebrated scientific min ds, too."These errors no more invalidate Ms. Merian's work than do well- known mis conceptions published by Charles Darwin or IsaacNewton," Dr. Etheridge wrote in a paper that argued that too many have wrongly focu sed onthe mistakes of her work.N) Merian's paintings inspired artists and ecologists. In an 1801 drawing fro m his book, General Zoology Amphibia, George Shaw, an English botanist and zoologist, credited Merian fordescribing a frog in the account of her South A merican expedition, and named the young treefrog after her in his portraya l of it. It wouldn't be fair to give Merian all the credit. Shereceived assistanc e naming plants, making sketches and referencing the work of others. Herdau ghters helped her color her drawings.O) Merian also made note of the help she received from the natives of Surina me, as well asslaves or servants that assisted her. In some instances she wro te moving passages that includedher helpers in descriptions. As she wrote in her description of the peacock flower,"TheIndians, who are not treated well by their Dutch masters, use the seeds t o abort their children, so that they will not become slaves like themselves. Th e black slaves from Guinea and Angolahave demanded to be well treated, thr eatening to refuse to have children. In fact, theysometimes take their own li ves because they are treated so badly, and because they believethey will be b orn again, free and living in their own land. They told me this themselves. " P) Londa Schiebinger, a professor of the history of science at Stanford Univer sity, called thispassage rather astonishing. It's particularly striking centurie s later when these issues are still prominent in public discussions about soci al justice and women's rights."She was ahead ofher time," Dr. Etheridge said.36. Merian was the first scientist to study a type of American ant.37. The European audience was more interested in Merian's drawings than he r gender.38. Merian's masterpiece came under attack a century after its publication.39. Merian's mistakes in her drawings may be attributed to her shortened sta y in SouthAmerica.40. Merian often sat up the whole night through to observe and draw insects.41. Merian acknowledged the help she got from natives of South America.42. Merian contributed greatly to people's better understanding of medicine a nd science.43. Merian occasionally made mistakes in her drawings of insects and birds.44. Now, Merian's role as a female forerunner in sciences has been re-establi shed.45. Merian made a long voyage to South America to study jungle insects over three centuriesago.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by s ome questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four cho ices marked A), B), C) and D). Youshould decide on the best choice and markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the cen tre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.While human achievements in mathematics continue to reach new levels of c omplexity, manyof us who aren't mathematicians at heart (or engineers by t rade) may struggle to rememberthe last time we used calculus (微积分）.It's a fact not lost on American educators, who amid rising math failure rates are debating howmath can better meet the real-life needs of students. Should we change the way math is taughtin schools, or eliminate some courses enti rely?Andrew Hacker, Queens College political science professor, thinks that advan ced algebra andother higher-level math should be cut from curricula in favor of courses with more routine usefulness, like statistics."We hear on all sides that we're not teaching enough mathematics, and the C hinese are runningrings around us," Hacker says."I'm suggesting we're teaching too much mathematics to toomany people. . . not everybody has to know calculus. If you're going to become an aeronautic al (航空的）engineer, fine. But most of us aren't."Instead, Hacker is pushing for more courses like the one he teaches at Queen s College： Numeracy 101. There, his students of "citizen statistics" learn to a nalyze public information likethe federal budget and corporate reports. Suc h courses, Hacker argues, are a remedy for thenumerical illiteracy of adults who have completed high-level math like algebra but are unableto calculat e the price of, say, a carpet by area.Hacker's argument has met with opposition from other math educators who say what's neededis to help students develop a better relationship with math earlier, rather than teaching themless math altogether.Maria Droujkova is a founder of Natural Math, and has taught basic calculus concepts to 5-year-olds. For Droujkova, high-level math is important, and wh at it could use in Americanclassrooms is an injection of childlike wonder. "Make mathematics more available," Droujkova says."Redesign it so it's more accessible tomore kinds of people: young children, adults who worry about it, adults who may have had badexperiences. " Pamela Harris, a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, has a similar p erspective. Harrissays that American education is suffering from an epidemi c of "fake math"一an emphasis onrote memorization (死记硬背）of formulas and steps, rather than an understanding of how mathcan influenc e the ways we see the world.Andrew Hacker, for the record, remains skeptical."I'm going to leave it to those who are in mathematics to work out the ways t o make theirsubject interesting and exciting so students want to take it," Hac ker says."All that I ask is thatalternatives be offered instead of putting all of us on the road to calculus. "46. What does the author say about ordinary Americans?A) They struggle to solve math problems.B) They think math is a complex subject.C) They find high-level math of little use.D) They work hard to learn high-level math.47. What is the general complaint about America's math education according to Hacker?A) America is not doing as well as China.B) Math professors are not doing a good job.C) It doesn't help students develop their literacy.D) There has hardly been any innovation for years.48. What does Andrew Hacker's Numeracy 101 aim to do?A) Allow students to learn high-level math step by step.B) Enable students to make practical use of basic math.C) Lay a solid foundation for advanced math studies.D) Help students to develop their analytical abilities.49. What does Maria Droujkova suggest math teachers do in class?A) Make complex concepts easy to understand.B) Start teaching children math at an early age.C) Help children work wonders with calculus.D) Try to arouse students' curiosity in math.50. What does Pamela Harris think should be the goal of math education?A) To enable learners to understand the world better.B) To help learners to tell fake math from real math.C) To broaden Americans' perspectives on math.D) To exert influence on world development.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.For years, the U. S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The B ureau of LaborStatistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demandwill grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs bythen.So what's the solution? Robots.Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi Universit y of Technologyhas developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can makehospital rounds, delivermedications and other items, and retrieve records. It follows a specific individual, such as adoctor or nurse, who can use it to reco rd and access patient data. This type of robot will likelybe one of the first to b e implemented in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.Robots capable of social engagement help with loneliness as well as cogni tive functioning, but the robot itself doesn't have to engage directly—it can s erve as an intermediary for human communication. Telepresence robots suc h as MantaroBot, Vgo, and Giraff can be controlled through a computer, smar tphone, or tablet, allowing family members or doctors to remotelymonitor pati ents or Skype them, often via a screen where the robot's ' face' would be. If youcan't get to the nursing home to visit grandma, you can use a telepresenc e robot to hang outwith her. A 2016 study found that users had a "consisten tly positive attitude" about the Giraffrobot's ability to enhance communicati on and decrease feelings of loneliness.A robot's appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why theRIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop arobotic nurse that looks like a huge teddy bear . RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance), also known as ‘Robear', can h elp patients into and out of wheelchairs and beds with its strongarms.On the less cute and more scary side there is Actroid F, which is so human-lik e that somepatients may not know the difference. This conversational robot c ompanion has cameras in itseyes, which allow it to track patients and use a ppropriate facial expressions and bodylanguage in its interactions. During a month- long hospital trial, researchers asked 70 patientshow they felt being around the robot and "only three or four said they didn't like having itaround. "It's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses (though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off). Ins tead, they perform routine andlaborious tasks, freeing nurses up to attend t o patients with immediate needs. This is oneindustry where it seems the int egration of robots will lead to collaboration, not replacement.51. What does the author say about Japan?A) It delivers the best medications for the elderly.B) It takes the lead in providing robotic care.C) It provides retraining for registered nurses.D) It sets the trend in future robotics technology.52. What do we learn about the robot Terapio?A) It has been put to use in many Japanese hospitals.B) It provides specific individualized care to patients.C) It does not have much direct contact with patients.D) It has not revolutionized medical service in Japan.53. What are telepresence robots designed to do?A) Directly interact with patients to prevent them from feeling lonely.B) Cater to the needs of patients for recovering their cognitive capacity.C) Closely monitor the patients' movements and conditions around the clock.D) Facilitate communication between patients and doctors or family membe rs.54. What is one special feature of the robot Actroid F?A) It interacts with patients just like a human companion.B) It operates quietly without patients realizing its presence.C) It likes to engage in everyday conversations with patients.D) It uses body language even more effectively than words.55. What can we infer from the last paragraph?A) Doctors and surgeons will soon be laid off.B) The robotics industry will soon take off.C) Robots will not make nurses redundant.D) Collaboration will not replace competition.Part IV Translation (30minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage f rom Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on AnswerSheet 2.中国越来越重视公共图书馆，并鼓励人们充分加以利用。

2018年12月大学英语六级阅读试卷解析Section BResilience Is About How You recharge, Not How You Endure[A] As constant travelers and parents of a 2-year-old, we sometimes fantasize about how much work we can do when one of us gets on a plane, undistracted by phones, friends, or movies. We race to get all our ground work done: packing, going through security, doing a last-minute work call, calling each other, then boarding the plane. Then, when we try to have that amazing work session in flight, we get nothing done. Even worse, after refreshing our email or reading the same studies over and over, we are too exhausted when we land to soldier on with(继续处理) the emails that have inevitably still piled up.[B] Why should flying deplete us? We’re just sitting there doing nothing. Why can’t we be tougher — more resilient（有复原力的）and determined in our work so we can accomplish all of the goals we set for ourselves? Based on our current research, we have come to realize that the problem is not our hectic schedule or the plane travel itself; the problem comes from a misunderstanding of what it means to be resilient, and the resulting impact of overworking.[C] We often take a militaristic, “tough” approach to resilience and determination like a Marine pulling himself through the mud, a boxer going one more round, or a football player picking himself up off the ground for one more play. We believe that longer we tough it out, the tougher we are, and therefore the more successful we will be. However, this entire conception is scientifically inaccurate.[D] The very lack of a recovery period is dramatically holding back our collective ability to be resilient and successful. Research has found that there is a direct correlation between lack of recovery and increased incidence of health and safety problems. And lack of recovery —whether by disrupting sleep with thoughts of work or having continuous cognitive arousal by watching our phones — is costing our companies $62 billion a year in lost productivity.[E] And just because work stops, it doesn’t mean we are recovering. We “stop” work sometimes at 5PM, but then we spend the night wrestling with solutions to work problems, talking about our work over dinner, and falling asleep thinking about how much work we’ll do tomorrow. In a study just released, researchers from Norway found that 7.8% of Norwegians have become workaholics(工作狂). The scientists cite a definition of “workaholism” as “being overly concerned about work, driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, and investing so much time and effort to work that it impairs other important life areas.”[F] We believe that the number of people who fit that definition includes the majority ofAmerican workers, including those who read HBR, which prompted us to begin a study of workaholism in the U.S. Our study will use a large corporate dataset from a major medical company to examine how technology extends our working hours and thus interferes with necessary cognitive recovery, resulting in huge health care costs and turnover costs for employers.[G] The misconception of resilience is often bred from an early age. Parents trying to teach their children resilience might celebrate a high school student staying up until 3AM to finish a science fair project. What a distortion of resilience! A resilient child is a well-rested one. When an exhausted student goes to school, he risks hurting everyone on the road with his impaired driving; he doesn’t have the cognitive resources to do well on his English test; he has lower self-control with his friends; and at home, he is moody with his parents. Overwork and exhaustion are the opposite of resilience. And the bad habits we learn when we’re young only magnify when we hit the workforce.[H] As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz have written, if you have too much time in the performance zone, you need more time in the recovery zone, otherwise you risk burnout. Mustering your resources to “try hard” requires burning energy in order to overcome your currently low arousal level. This is called upregulation. It also exacerbates exhaustion. Thus the more imbalanced we become due to overworking, the more value there is in activities that allow us to return to a state of balance. The value of a recovery period rises in proportion to the amount of work required of us.[I] So how do we recover and build resilience? Most people assume that if you stop doing a task like answering emails or writing a paper, that your brain will naturally recover, such that when you start again later in the day or the next morning, you’ll have your energy back. But surely everyone reading this has had times where you lie in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep because your brain is thinking about work. If you lie in bed for eight hours, you may have rested, but you can still feel ex hausted the next day. That’s because rest and recovery are not the same thing. Stopping does not equal recovering.[J] If you’re trying to build resilience at work, you need adequate internal and external recovery periods. As researchers Zijlstra, Cropley and Rydstedt write in their 2014 paper: “Internal recovery refers to the shorter periods of relaxation that take place within the frames of the workday or the work setting in the form of short scheduled or unscheduled breaks, by shifting attention or changing to other work tasks when the mental or physical resources required for the initial task are temporarily depleted or exhausted. External recovery refers to actions that take place outside of work—e.g. in the free time between the workdays, and during w eekends, holidays or vacations.” If after work you lie around on your bed and get riled up by political commentary on your phone or get stressed thinking about decisions about how to renovate your home, your brain has not received a break from high mental arousal states. Our brains need a rest as much as our bodies do.[K] If you really want to build resilience, you can start by strategically stopping. Give yourself the resources to be tough by creating internal and external recovery periods. Amy Blankson describes how to strategically stop during the day by using technology to control overworking. She suggests downloading the Instant or Moment apps to see how many times you turn on your phone each day. You can also use apps like Offtime or Unpludded to create tech free zones by strategically scheduling automatic airplane modes. The average person turns on their phone 150times every day. If every distraction took only 1 minute, that would account for 2.5 hours a day.[L] In addition, you can take a cognitive break every 90 minutes to charge your batteries. Try to not have lunch at your desk, but instead spend time outside or with your friends —not talking about work. Take all of your paid time off, which not only gives you recovery periods, but raises your productivity and likelihood of promotion.[M] As for us, we’ve started using our plane time as a work-free zone, and thus time to dip into the recovery phrase. The results have been fantastic. We are usually tired already by the time we get on a plane, and the crowed space and unstable internet connection make work more challenging. Now, instead of swimming upstream, we relax, sleep, watch movies, or listen to music. And when we get off the plane, instead of being depleted, we feel recovered and ready to return to the performance zone.36. It has been found that inadequate recovery often leads to poor health and accidents 答案：D解析：考察同义替换【D】The very lack of a recovery period is dramatically holding back our collective ability to be resilient and successful. Research has found that there is a direct correlation between lack of recovery and increased incidence of health and safety problems. And lack of recovery — whether by disrupting sleep with thoughts of work or having continuous cognitive arousal by watching our phones — is costing our companies $62 billion a year in lost productivity.37. Mental relaxation is much needed, just as physical relaxation is.答案：J解析：考察同义替换【J】If you’re trying to build resilience at work, you need adequate internal and external recovery periods. As researchers Zijlstra, Cropley and Rydstedt write in their 2014 paper: “Internal recovery refers to the shorter periods of relaxation that take place within the frames of the workday or the work setting in the form of short scheduled or unscheduled breaks, by shifting attention or changing to other work tasks when the mental or physical resources required for the initial task are temporarily depleted or exhausted. External recovery refers to actions that take place outside of work—e.g. in the free time between the workdays, and during weekends, holidays or vacations.” If after work you lie around on your bed and get riled up by political commentary on your phone or get stressed thinking about decisions about how to renovate your home, your brain has not received a break from high mentalarousal states. Our brains need a rest as much as our bodies do.38. Adequate rest not only helps one recover, but also increases one’s work efficiency答案：L解析：考查原词+同义替换【L】In addition, you can take a cognitive break every 90 minutes to charge your batteries. Try to not have lunch at your desk, but instead spend time outside or with your friends —not talking about work. Take all of your paid time off, which not only gives you recovery periods, but raises your productivity and likelihood of promotion.39. The author always has a hectic time before taking a flight.答案：A解析：考察原词定位【A】As constant travelers and parents of a 2-year-old, we sometimes fantasize about how much work we can do when one of us gets on a plane, undistracted by phones, friends, or movies. We race to get all our ground work done: packing, going through security, doing a last-minute work call, calling each other, then boarding the plane. Then, when we try to have that amazing work session in flight, we get nothing done. Even worse, after refreshing our email or reading the same studies over and over, we are too exhausted when we land to soldier on with(继续处理) the emails that have inevitably still piled up.40. Recovery may not take place even if one seems to have stopped working答案：E解析：考察同义替换【E】And just because work stops, it doesn’t mean we are recovering. We “stop” work sometimes at 5PM, but then we spend the night wrestling with solutions to work problems, talking about our work over dinner, and falling asleep thinking about how much work we’ll do tomorrow. In a study just released, researchers from Norway found that 7.8% of Norwegians have become workaholics(工作狂). The scientists cite a definition of “workaholism” as “being overly concerned about work, driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, and investing so much time and effort to work that it impairs other important life areas.”41. It is advised that technology be used to prevent people from overworking.答案：K解析：考查同义替换[K] If you really want to build resilience, you can start by strategically stopping. Give yourself the resources to be tough by creating internal and external recovery periods. Amy Blankson describes how to strategically stop during the day by using technology to control overworking. She suggests downloading the Instant or Moment apps to see how many times you turn on your phone each day. You can also use apps like Offtime or Unpludded to create tech free zones by strategically scheduling automatic airplane modes. The average person turns on their phone 150 times every day. If every distraction took only 1 minute, that would account for 2.5hours a day.42. Contrary to popular belief, rest does not equal recovery.答案：I解析：考查同义替换与概括总结[I] So how do we recover and build resilience? Most people assume that if you stop doing a task like answering emails or writing a paper, that your brain will naturally recover, such that when you start again later in the day or the next morning, you’ll have your energy back. Bu t surely everyone reading this has had times where you lie in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep because your brain is thinking about work. If you lie in bed for eight hours, you may have rested, but you can still feel exhausted the next day. That’s beca use rest and recovery are not the same thing. Stopping does not equal recovering.43.The author has come to see that his problem results from a misunderstanding of the meaning of resilience.答案：B解析：考查同义替换加概括总结[B] Why should flying deplete us? We’re just sitting there doing nothing. Why can’t we be tougher — more resilient（有复原力的）and determined in our work so we can accomplish all of the goals we set for ourselves? Based on our current research, we have come to realize that the problem is not our hectic schedule or the plane travel itself; the problem comes from a misunderstanding of what it means to be resilient, and the resulting impact of overworking.44 People s distorted view about resilience may have developed from their upbringing.答案：G解析：考查同义替换与概括总结[G] The misconception of resilience is often bred from an early age. Parents trying to teach their children resilience might celebrate a high school student staying up until 3AM to finish a science fair project. What a distortion of resilience! A resilient child is a well-rested one. When an exhausted student goes to school, he risks hurting everyone on the road with his impaired driving; he doesn’t have the cognitive resources to do well on his English test; he has lower self-control with his friends; and at home, he is moody with his parents. Overwork and exhaustion are the opposite of resilience. And the bad habits we learn when we’re young only magnify when we hit the workforce.45 People tend to think the more determined they are, the greater their success will be.答案：C解析：考查同义替换[C] We often take a militaristic, “tough” approach to resilience and determination like a Marine pulling himself through the mud, a boxer going one more round, or a football player picking himself up off the ground for one more play. We believe that longer we tough it out, the tougher we are, and therefore the more successful we will be.However, thisentire conception is scientifically inaccurate.Section CPassage2Q51-55On Jan. 9, 2007, 10 years ago today, Steve Jobs formally announced Apple's "revolutionary mobile phone" —a device that combined the functionality of an iPod, phone and Internet communication into a single unit, navigated by touch.It was a huge milestone in the development of smartphones, which are now owned by a majority of American adults and are increasingly common across the globe.As smartphones have proliferated, so have questions about their impact on how we live and how we work. Often the advantages of convenient, mobile technology are both obvious and taken for granted, leaving more subtle topics for concerned discussion: Are smartphones disturbing children's sleep? Is an inability to get away from work having a negative impact on health? And what are the implications for privacy?But today, on the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, let's take a moment to consider a less obvious advantage: the potential for smartphone technology to revolutionize behavioral science. That's because, for the first time in human history, a large proportion of the species is in continuous contact with technology that can record key features of an individual's behavior and environment. To quote a recent article published in Perspectives in Psychological Science: "Psychology has a great deal of data on what people believe they do... but little data on what people actually do."Researchers have already begun to use smartphones in social scientific research, either to query people regularly as they engage in their normal lives or to record activity using the device's built-in sensors. These studies are confirming, challenging and extending what's been found using more traditional approaches, in which people report how they behaved in real life or participate in relatively short and artificial laboratory-based tasks.To illustrate the use of smartphone-based data collection, consider a forthcoming study that combined queries embedded in everyday life with sensor data to paint a more accurate picture of how mood is affected by a person's location. The data for the study came from more than 12,000 members of the general public who downloaded a free Android app to participate in the research. Twice during the day, they were prompted to report their mood and location, with location information additionally collected from the phone's location sensors. Using both kinds of location data, the study found that people reported significantly more positive moods in locations that typically involve social interactions (such as a caféor friend's house) than at home, and more positive moods at home than at work.Other studies have used sensor data to draw more subtle kinds of inferences. For instance, a study published in 2015 followed 48 students over the course of a 10-week school term. Using a combination of location, activity and audio sensors, the researchers could infer students' patterns of class attendance, study time, physical activity and socializing. These variables, in turn, predicted student GPA with surprisingly high accuracy. Another 2015 study used mobile phones to track 40 adult participants over a two-week period. Using patterns of movement and phone usage, the researchers were able to identify behaviors that predicted symptoms of depression.These studies are just first steps. As more data are collected and methods for analysis improve, researchers will be in a better position to identify how different experiences, behaviors and environments relate to each other and evolve over time, with the potential to improve people's productivity and wellbeing in a variety of domains. Beyond revealing population-wide patterns, the right combination of data and analysis can also help individuals identify unique characteristics of their own behavior, including conditions that could indicate the need for some form of intervention — such as an uptick in behaviors that signal a period of depression.Smartphone-based data collection comes at an opportune time in the evolution of psychological science. Today, the field is in transition, moving away from a focus on laboratory studies with undergraduate participants towards more complex, real-world situations studied with more diverse groups of people. Smartphones offer new tools for achieving these ambitions, offering rich data about everyday behaviors in a variety of contexts.So here's another way in which smartphones might transform the way we live and work: by offering insights into human psychology and behavior and, thus, supporting smarter social science.51. What does the author say about the negative impact of smartphones?A. It has been overshadowed by the positive impact.B. It has more often than not been taken for granted.C. It is not so obvious but has caused some concern.D. It is subtle but should by no means be overstated.答案：C解析：通过题干定位至第三段，由Often the advantages of convenient, mobile technology are both obvious and taken for granted, leaving more subtle topics for concerned discussion可知，C 选项，消极的影响没有优点那么明显但是已经导致一些令人忧虑的问题，符合原文。

PassageOneQuestions46to50arebasedonthefollowingpassage.YoumayhaveheardthatCoca-Colaoncecontainedaningredientcapableofsparkingpar ticulardevotioninconsumers:cocaine.The“coca”inthename referredtotheeGtractsofcocal eafthatthedrinksoriginator,chemistJohnPemberton,miGedwithhissugarysyrup(姜汁).Atthetime,cocaleafeGtractmiGedwithwinewasacommontonic(滋补品),andPemberton’ssweetbrewwasawaytogetaroundlocallawsprohibitingthesaleofalco hol.Buttheotherhalfofthenamerepresentsanotheringredient，lessinfamous(名声不好的),perhaps,butalsostrangelypotent:thekolanut.InWestAfrica,peoplehavelongchewedkolanutsasstimulants,becausetheycontaincaf feinethatalsooccursnaturallyintea,coffee,andchocolate.Theyalsohaveheartstimulants.HistorianPaulLovejoyrelatesthatthecultivationofkolanutsinWestAfricaishundredso fyearsold.Theleafy,spreadingtreeswereplantedongravesandaspartoftraditionalrituals.E venthoughthenuts,whichneedtostaymoist,canbesomewhatdelicatetotransport,traderscar riedthemhundredsofmilesthroughouttheforestsandgrasslands.Europeansdidnotknowofthemuntilthe1500s,whenPortugueseshipsarrivedonthecoa stofwhatisnowSierraLeone.AndwhilethePortuguesetookpartinthetrade,ferryingnutsdo wnthecoastalongwithothergoods,by1620,whenEnglisheGplorerRichardJobsonmadehis wayuptheGambia,thenutswerestillpeculiartohiseyes.Bythelate19thcentury,kolanutswerebeingshippedbythetonnetoEuropeandtheUS.M anymadetheirwayintomedicines,intendedasakindofenergyboost.Onesuchpopularmedic inaldrinkwasVinMariani,aFrenchproductconsistingofcocaeGtractmiGedwithredwine.It wascreatedbyaFrenchchemist,AngeloMariani,in1863.SowhenPembertoncreatedhisdri nk,itrepresentedanongoingtrend.Whencocaineeventuallyfellfromgraceasabeverageingr edient,kola-eGtractcolasbecamepopular.Thefirstyearitwasavailable,Coca-ColaaveragednineservingsadayacrossalltheAtlan tasodafountainswhereitwassold.Asitgrewmorepopular,thecompanysoldrightstobottleth esoda,soitcouldtraveleasily.Todayabout1.9billionCokesarepurchaseddaily.It’sbecomes oiconicthatattemptstochangeitstastein1985—sweeteningitinamoveprojectedtoboostsal es—proveddisastrous,withwidespreadangerfromconsumers.“Coca-ColaClassic”，returnedtostoreshelvesjustthreemonthsafterthe“NewCoke”wasreleased.Thesedays,theCoca-Colarecipeisacloselyguardedsecret.Butit’ssaidtonolongerc ont ainkolanuteGtract,relyinginsteadonartificialimitationstoachievetheflavour.你可能听说可口可乐曾经含有一种能够使消费者“死忠”的成分：可卡因。

2018年12月英语六级翻译真题真题及答案（卷一至卷二）英语六级翻译真题一中国越来越重视公共图书馆，并鼓励人们充分加以利用。

新近公布的统计数字表明，中国的公共图书馆数量在逐年增长。

许多图书馆通过翻新和扩建，为读者创造了更为安静、舒适的环境。

大型公共图书馆不仅提供种类繁多的参考资料，而且定期举办讲座、展览等活动。

近年来，也出现了许多数字图书馆，从而节省了存放图书所需的空间。

一些图书馆还推出了自助服务系统，使读者借书还书更加方便，进一步满足了读者的需求。

参考译文China is paying more and more attention to public libraries，and people are encouraged to make full use of them。

The newly published statistics show that the number of public libraries in China is increasing year by year。

Many libraries have created a quieter and more comfortable environment for readers through refurbishment and expansion。

Large public libraries not only provide a wide variety of reference materials，but also regularly hold activities such as lectures，exhibitions and so on。

In recent years，there have also been many digital libraries which can save the space to store books。

一．作文For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance work and leisure. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.第一段：描述工作和业余很难平衡的一个社会现象。

第二段：进行观点的阐述。

第三段：得出结论。

Along with the development of society， more and more problems are brought to our attention; one of the most serious problems is how to reach the balance between work and leisure。

People have different attitudes towards the problem。

It is generally agreed that work has been playing an increasingly important role in our life， because we need to work to earn money for life。

But if people put too much time on work， their health conditions will be damaged and suffer from kinds of diseases。

The sub health among workers has attracted extensive attention of the society， which can be found in TV programs， newspapers， university classes and many aspect of our everyday life。

2018年12月大学英语六级真题（第二套）(总分：710.00，做题时间：150分钟)一、Part Ⅰ Writing(总题数：1，分数：106.50)Directions ： For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance job responsibilities and personal interests. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.（分数：106.50）__________________________________________________________________________________________ 正确答案：(Work is a means of livelihood for most people, while personal interests often add spice to one's life. Both are beyond dispute indispensable for leading a fulfilling life. But it is far from easy to achieve a trade-off between them.It requires, above all, full and proper use of work time. More exactly, people should follow their work plans and make a concentrated effort to complete their assignments. Being productive at work, in fact, not only benefits your career development, but also saves you plenty of time and energy to explore private interests. Once you find your favorite pastimes, try to make them part of your life, lest you idle such hard-won free time away. Movie fans, for example, can spend one hour or more watching films each weeknight and share their comments via social media on weekends.A better approach, of course, is to seek a job or start a business closely related to one's hobbies, though it is less practical for most people. But at any rate, it is inadvisable to be distracted by personal interests at work or to be a workaholic.)解析：二、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension(总题数：0，分数：0.00)Section A(总题数：2，分数：56.80)Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.（分数：28.4）Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.（分数：28.4）(1).（分数：7.1）A.Stop worrying about him.B.Keep away from the statue.C.Take a picture of him. √D.Put on a smile for the photo.解析：听力原文：Conversation One对话 1M: Do you mind taking my photo with the statueover there? I think it will mak e a great shot.男：能不能帮我和那边的雕像照张相？我觉得这会是一个很棒的照片。

2018年12月大学英语六级真题试卷（二）(题后含答案及解析)题型有：1. Writing 2. Listening Comprehension 3. Reading Comprehension 4. TranslationPart I Writing1．For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance job responsibilities and personal interests. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.正确答案：How to Balance Job Responsibilities and Personal Interests When it comes to the issue of how to balance job responsibilities and personal interests, the majority of people will be confused. Since both of them have a significant impact on our life, then how to strike a balance between the two. Here are my views. On the one hand, we should attach primary importance to job responsibilities, as our job can provide us regular income with which we can live the life we like. Besides, now that we’ve taken this job, we should regard it as our mission and be conscientious about it. On the other hand, important as it is, job is not everything of our life. It’ s also necessary for us to spend due time on our personal interests, so that we can take a rest from work. What’ s more, whether we can develop our personal interests also has a great effect on our life quality. All in all, it is high time that we placed great emphasis on the balance of job responsibilities and personal interests. We are supposed to ensure the time to develop our interests on the condition of finishing our job.解析：这是一篇议论文写作，话题是如何平衡工作责任与个人兴趣。

2018年12月英语六级真题及答案三套完整版2018年12月英语六级考试真题试卷附答案(完整版第1套)Part I Writing(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an e ssay on how to balance workand leisure. You should write at least 1 50 words but no more than 200 words.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How to Balance Work and LeisureJust as the old saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", which illustrates the importance and necessity of keeping a balance between work and leisure. However, in today's fast-paced work culture, it's difficult for most people to successfully maintain a good balance between the two.As for me, some tips can contribute to achieving the balance. First of all, you should develop efficient working habits, because only in this way can you squeeze out some leisure time. It requires you to devote your full attention to the task at hand and complete daily work efficiently. Second, in order to relieve the fatigue and stress, it's vital to schedule one thing that you are interested in each day and set aside some time for relaxation. Last but not least, for those workaholics, please keep in mind that if you work hard, you shouldn't feel guilty when you spend time on personal leisure, for entertainment is also a part of life.To conclude, work and leisure complement each other, so when you get tired and bored with your daily grind, try to take some time off work to relax yourself.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.1. A) It can benefit professionals and non-professionals alike.B) It lists the various challenges physicists arc confronting.C) It describes how some mysteries of physics were solved.D) It is one of the most fascinating physics books ever written.2. A）physicists' contribution to humanity.B) Stories about some female physicists.C) Historical evolution of modern physics.D) Women's changing attitudes to physics.3. A) By exposing a lot of myths in physics.B) By describing her own life experiences.C) By including lots of fascinating knowledge.D) By telling anecdotes about famous professors.4. A) It avoids detailing abstract concepts of physics.B) It contains a lot of thought-provoking questions.C) It demonstrates how they can become physicists.D) It provides experiments they can do themselves.Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) He is too busy to finish his assignment in time.B) He does not know what kind of topic to write on.C) He does not understand the professor's instructions.D) He has no idea how to proceed with his dissertation论文、专题、学术演讲.6. A) It is too broad宽的、宽阔的.B) It is a bit outdated过时的、落伍的.C) It is challenging.D) It is interesting.7. A) Biography传记、档案.B) Nature.C) Philosophy哲学.D)Beauty.8. A)Improve his cumulative grade.B) Develop his reading ability.C) Stick to坚持、忠于、信守 the topic assigned.D) List the parameters first.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.9. A) The unprecedented空前的、史无前例的 high temperature高温 in Greenland.B) The collapse of ice on the northern tip of Greenland.C) The unusual cold spell in the Arctic area in October.D) The rapid change of Arctic temperature within a day.10. A) It has created a totally new climate pattern.B) It will pose a serious threat to many species.C) It typically appears about once every ten years.D) It has puzzled the climate scientists for decades.11. A) Extinction of Arctic wildlife.B) Iceless summers in the Arctic.C) Emigration of indigenous people.D) Better understanding of ecosystems.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.12. A) A good start.B) A detailed plan.C) A strong determination.D) A scientific approach.13. A) Most people get energized after a sufficient rest.B) Most people tend to have a finite source of energy.C) It is vital to take breaks between demanding mental tasks.D) It is most important to have confidence in one's willpower意志力、毅力.14. A) They could keep on继续、连续不断 working longer.B) They could do more challenging tasks.C) They found it easier to focus on work at hand.D) They held more positive attitudes toward life.15. A) They are part of their nature.B) They are subject to受制于、服从 change.C) They are related to culture.D) They are beyond control.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.16. A) About half of current jobs might be automated.B) The jobs of doctors and lawyers would be threatened.C) The job market is becoming somewhat unpredictable.D) Machine learning would prove disruptive by 2013.17. A) They are widely applicable for massive open online courses.B) They are now being used by numerous high school teachers.C) They could read as many as 10, 000 essays in a single minute.D) They could grade评级、评分 high-school essays just like human teachers18. A) It needs instructions throughout the process.B) It does poorly on frequent, high-volume tasks.C) It has to rely on huge amounts of previous以前的、先前的 data.D) It is slow when it comes to tracking novel things.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.19. A) The engineering problems with solar power.B) The generation of steam with the latest technology.C) The importance of exploring new energy sources.D) The theoretical aspects of sustainable energy可持续能源、可再生能源.20. A) Drive trains with solar energy太阳能.B) Upgrade the city's train facilities.C) Build a new ten-kilometre railway line.D) Cut down the city's energy consumption21. A) Build a tank for keeping calcium oxide.B) Find a new material for storing储存、存储 energy.C) Recover super-heated steam.D) Collect carbon dioxide gas.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.22. A) The lack of supervision by both the national and local governments.B) The impact of the current economic crisis at home and abroad.C) The poor management of day centres and home help services.D) The poor relation between national health and social care services.23. A) It was mainly provided by voluntary services.B) It mainly caters to the needs of the privileged.C) It called for a sufficient number of volunteers.D) It has deteriorated over the past sixty years.24. A) Their longer lifespans.B) Fewer home helpers available.C) Their preference for private services.D) More of them suffering serious illnesses.25. A) They are unable to pay for health services.B) They have long been discriminated辨别 against.C) They are vulnerable to illnesses and diseases.D) They have contributed a great deal to society.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.Just off the coast of Southern California sits Santa Cruz Island, where a magical creature called the island fox _F_26_dwells_. A decade ago, this island's ecosystem 生态系统 was in _B_27_chaos混乱的_ Wild pigs attracted golden eagles from the mainland, and those flying _L_28_predators捕食者、食肉动物_ crashed the fox population. So the Nature Conservancy launched a _H_29_fierce凶猛、凶狠_ war against the pigs, complete with helicopters直升机 and sharp shooters.And it worked. Today, federal agencies are pulling the island fox from the Endangered Species List. It's the fastest-ever recovery of a mammal哺乳动物, joining peers 同龄人、同事 like the Louisiana black bear as glowing successes in the history of the Endangered濒临灭绝的 Species Act.But the recovery of Santa Cruz Island isn't just about the fox. The Nature Conservancy 保护、管理 has _D_30_declared_ war on a multitude of大量、一大批 invasive入侵的、侵略性的 species here, from sheep to plants to the _A_31_aggressive侵略性的、好斗的、有进取心的_ Argentine ant阿根廷蚂蚁."Our philosophy with the island has always been, 'OK, _M_32_remove _ the threats and let the island go back to what it was," says ecologist Christina Boser. And it appears to be working. Native plants are coining back, and the fox once again bounds about carefree.But keeping those foxes from harm will occupy Boser and her colleagues for years to come. You see, humans are still allowed on Santa Cruz Island, and they bring dogs. So Boser has to vaccinate her foxes against various diseases. "We're obligated to keep a pulse on the population for at least five years after the foxes are delisted," says Boser. That includes tagging标记、标签 the foxes and _K_33_monitoring监视、监测_ their numbers to ensure nothing goes wrong.This is the story of the little fox that has come back, and the people who have _E_34_dedicated奉献_ their lives to protecting it. This is the story of wildlife 野生动植物 conservation保护、保存、保持 in the age of mass _G_35_extinction灭绝、消灭_.A) aggressive B) chaos C) configuration D) declared E) dedicated F) dwells G) extinction H) fierce I) hinders J) mammal K) monitoring L) predators M) remove N) tempt O) underlyingSection 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.Do Parents Invade Children's Privacy When They Post Photos Online?A) When Katlyn Burbidge's son was 6 years old, he was performing some ridiculous song and dance typical of a first-grader. But after she snapped a photo and started using her phone, he asked her a serious question: "Are you going to post that online?"She laughed and answered, "Yes, I think I will." What he said next stopped her. "Can you not?"B) That's when it dawned on her: She had been posting photos of him online without asking his permission. "We're big advocates of bodily autonomy and not forcing him to hug or kiss people unless he wants to, but it never occurred to me that I should ask his permission to post photos of him online," says Burbidge, a mom of two in Wakefield, Massachusetts. "Now when I post a photo of him online, I show him the photo and get his okay. "C) When her 8-month-old is 3 or 4 years old, she plans to start asking him in an age-appropriate way, "Do you want other people to see this?" That’s precisely the approach that two researchers advocated before a room of pediatricians （儿科医生）last week at the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, when they discussed the 21st century challenge of "sharenting", a new term for parents' online sharing about their children. "As advocates of children's rights, we believe that children should have a voice about what information is shared about them if possible", says Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in Gainesville.D) Whether it's ensuring that your child isn't bullied over something you post, that their identity isn't digitally "kidnapped", or that their photos don't end up on a half dozen child pornography (色情） sites, as one Australian mom discovered, parents and pediatricians are increasingly aware of the importance of protecting children's digital presence. Steinberg and Bahareh Keith, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine, say most children will likely never experience problems related to what their parents share, but a tension still exists between parents' rights to share their experiences and their children's rights to privacy.E) "We're in no way trying to silence parents, voices," Steinberg says. "At the same time, we recognize that children might have an interest in entering adulthood free to create their own digital footprint. "They cited a study presented earlier this year of 249 pairs of parents and their children in which twice as many children as parents wanted rules on what par ents could share. "The parents said, ‘We don't need rules-we're fine,’ and the children said, ‘Our parents need rules,’ Keith says. "The children wanted autonomy about this issue and were worried about their parents sharing information about them. "F) Although the American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidelines recommending that parents model appropriate social media use for their children, it does not explicitly discuss oversharing by parents. "I think this is a very legitimate concern, and I appreciate their drawing our attention to it", David Hill, a father of five, says. He sees a role for pediatricians to talk with parents about this，but believes the messaging must extend far beyond pediatricians, offices. "I look forward to seeing researchers expand our understanding of the issue so we can translate it into effective education and policy," he says.。

2018年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第2套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions：For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance job responsibilities and personal interests.You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words。

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 bya 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.Surfing the Internet during class doesn't just steal focus from the educator; it also hurts students who’re already struggling to 26 the material. A new study from Michigan State University， though, argues that all students—including high achievers-see a decline in performance when they browse the Internet during class for non-academic purposes.To measure the effects of Internet-based distractions during class, researchers 27 500 students taking an introductory psychology class at Michigan State University。

2018年12月大学英语六级考试真题及参考答案Part I Writing (30 minutes)For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance academic study and extracurricular activities. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words。

Part ⅢReading 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.In what’s probably the craziest headline I’ve ever written, I’ve reported that 26 in livestock protection are happening with scientists painting eyes on the butts of cows. The experiment is based upon the idea that farmers who’re protecting their herd from lions would shoot and kill lions in an effort to protect their livestock. While this makes a lot of sense, it results in many lion deaths that 27 would have been unnecessary. Researchers in Australia have been 28 and testing a method of trickery to make lions think they are being watched by the painted eyes on cow butts.This idea is based on the principle that lions and other 29 are far less likely to attack when they feel they are being watched. As conservation areas become smaller, lions are increasingly coming into contact with human populations, which are expanding to the 30 of these protected areas.Efforts like painting eyes on cow butts may seem crazy at first, but they could make actual headway in the fight for conservation. “If the method works, it could provide farmers in Botswana-and 31 —with a low-cost, sustainable tool to protect their livestock, and a way to keep lions safe from being killed.”Lions are 32 ambush（埋伏）hunters, so when they feel their prey has 33 them, they usually giveup on the hunt. Researchers are 34 testing their idea on a select herd of cattle. They have painted half of the cows with eyes and left the other half as normal. Through satellite tracking of both the herd and the lions in the area, they will be able to 35 if their psychological trickery will work to help keep farmers from shooting lions.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Resilience Is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure[A] As constant travelers and parents of a 2-year-old, we sometimes fantasize about how much work we can do when one of us gets on a plane, undistracted by phones, friends, or movies. We race to get all our ground work done: packing, going through security, doing a last-minute work call, calling each other, then boarding the plane. Then, when we try to have that amazing work session in flight, we get nothing done. Even worse, after refreshing our email or reading the samestudies over and over, we are too exhausted when we land to soldier on with（继续处理）theemails that have inevitably still piled up.[B] why should flying deplete us? We’re just sitting there doing nothing. Why can’t we be tougher,more resilient（有复原力的）and determined in our work so we can accomplish all of the goalswe set for ourselves? Based on our current research, we have come to realize that the problem is not our hectic schedule or the plane travel itself; the problem comes from a misconception of what it means to be resilient, and the resulting impact of overworking.[C] We often take a militaristic, “tough” approach to resilience and determination like a Marine pulling himself through the mud, a boxer going one more round, or a football player picking himself up off the ground for one more play. We believe that the longer we tough it out, the tougher we are, and therefore the more successful we will be. However, this entire conception is scientifically inaccurate.[D] The very lack of a recovery period is dramatically holding back our collective ability to be resilient and successful. Research has found that there is a direct correlation between lack of recovery and increased incidence of health and safety problems. And lack of recovery —whetherby disrupting sleep with thoughts of work or having continuous cognitive arousal by watching our phones —is costing our companies $62 billion a year in lost productivity.[E] And just because work stops, it doesn’t mean we are recovering. We “stop” work sometimes at 5pm, but then we spend the night wrestling with solutions to work problems, talking about our work over dinner, and falling asleep thinking about how much work we’ll do tomorrow. In a study just released, researchers from Norway found that 7.8% of Norwegians have become workaholics（工作狂）. The scientists cite a definition “workaholism”as “being overly concerned about work,driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, and investing so much time and effort in work that it impairs other important life areas.”[F] We believe that the number of people who fit that definition includes the majoriy of American workers, which prompted us to begin a study of workaholism in the U.S. Our study will use a large corporate dataset from a major medical company to examine how technology extends our working hours and thus interferes with necessary cognitive recovery, resulting in huge health care costs and turnover costs for employers.[G] The misconception of resilience is often bred from an early age. Parents trying to teach their children resilience might celebrate a high school student staying up until 3am to finish a science fair project. What a distortion of resilience! A resilient child is a well-rested one. When an exhausted student goes to school, he risks hurting everyone on the road with his impaired driving; he doesn’t have the cognitive resources to do well on his English test; he has lower self-control with his friends; and at home, he is moody with his parents. Overwork and exhaustion are the opposite of resilience and the bad habits we acquire when we’re young only magnify when we hit the workforce.[H] As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz have written, if you have too much time in the performance zone, you need more time in the recovery zone, otherwise you risk burnout. Gathering your resources to “try hard” requires burning energy in order to overcome your currently low arousal level. It also worsens exhaustion. Thus the more imbalanced we become due to overworking, the more value there is in activities the allow us to return to a state of balance. The value of a recovery period rises in proportion to the amount of work required of us.[I] So how do we recover and build resilience? Most people assume that if you stop doing a task like answering emails or writhing a paper, your brain will naturally recover, so that when you start again later in the day or the next morning, you’ll have your energy back. But surely everyone reading this has had times when you lie in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep because your brains is thinking about work. If you lie in bed for eight hours, you may have rested, but you can still feel exhausted the next day. That’s because rest and recovery are not the same thing.[J] If you’re trying to build resil ience at work, you need adequate internal and external recovery periods. As researchers Zijlstra, Cropley and Rydstedt write in their 2014 paper: “Internal recovery refers to the shorter periods of relaxation that take place within the frames of the work day or the work setting in the form of short scheduled or unscheduled breaks, by shifting attention or changing to other work tasks when the mental or physical resources required for the initial task are temporarily depleted or exhausted. External recovery refers to actions that take place outsideof work—e.g. in the free time between the work days, and during weekends, holidays or vacations.” If after work you lie around on your bed and get irritated by political commentary on your phone or get stressed thinking about decisions about how to renovate your home, your brain has not received a break from high mental arousal states. Our brains need a rest as much as our bodies do.[K] If you really want to build resilience, you can start by strategically stopping. Give yourself the resources to be tough by creating internal and external recovery periods. Amy Blankson describes how to strategically stop during the day by using technology to control overworking. She suggests downloading the Instant or Moment apps to see how many times you turn on your phone each day. You can also use apps like Offtime or Unplugged to create tech free zones by strategically scheduling automatic airplane modes. The average person turns on their phone 150 times every day. If every distraction took only 1 minute, that would account for 2.5 hours a day.[L] In addition, you can take a cognitive break every 90 minutes to charge your batteries. Try to not have lunch at your desk, but instead spend time outside or with your friends—not talking about work. Take all of your paid time off, which not only gives you recovery periods, but raises your productivity and likelihood of promotion.[M] As for us, we’ve started using our plane time as a work-free zone, and thus time to dip into the recovery phase. The results have been fantastic. We are usually tired already by the time we get on a plane, and the crowded space and unstable internet connection make work more challenging. Now, instead of swimming upstream, we relax, sleep, watch movies, or listen to music. And when we get off the plane, instead of being depleted, we feel recovered and ready to return to the performance zone.36. It has been found that inadequate recovery often leads to poor health and accidents.37. Mental relaxation is much needed, just as physical relaxation is.38. Adequate rest not only helps one recover, but also increases one’s work efficiency.39. The author always has a hectic time before taking a flight.40. Recovery may not take place even if one seems to have stopped working.41. It is advised that technology be used to prevent people from overworking.42. Contrary to popular belief, rest does not equal recovery.43. The author has come to see that his problem results from a misunderstanding of the meaning of resilience.44. People’s distorted view about resilience may have developed from their upbringing.45. People tend to think the more determined they are, the greater their success will be.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.Children with attention problems in early childhood were 40% less likely to graduate from high school, says a new study from Duke University.The study included 386 kindergarteners from schools in the Fast Track Project, a multi-site clinical trial in the U.S. that in 1991 began tracking how children developed across their lives.With this study, researchers examined early academic attention and socio-emotional skills and how each contributed to academic success into young adulthood.They found that early attention skills were the most consistent predictor of academic success, and that likability by peers also had a modest effect on academic performance.By fifth grade, children with early attention difficulties had lower grades and reading achievement scores than their peers. As fifth-graders, children with early attention problems obtained average reading scores at least 3% lower than their contemporaries’ and grades at least 8% lower than those of their peers. This was after controlling for IQ, socio-economic status and academic skills at school entry.Although these may not seem like large effects, the impact of early attention problems continued throughout the children’s academic careers. Low er reading achievement scores and grades in fifth grade contributed to reduced grades in middle school and thereby contributed to a 40% lower high school graduation rate.“The children we identified as having attention difficulties were not diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder（注意力缺乏多动症）（ADHD）, although some may have had thedisorder. Our findings suggest that even more modest attention difficulties can increase the risk of negative academic outcomes,” said David Rabiner, an associate dean of Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, whose research has focused on ADHD and interventions to improve academic performance in children with attention difficulties.Social acceptance by peers in early childhood also predicted grades in fifth grade, Children not as liked by their first-grade peers had slightly lower grades in fifth grade, while those with higher social acceptance had higher grades.“This study shows the importance of so-called ‘non-cognitive’ or soft skills in contributing to childre n’s positive peer relationships, which, in turn, contribute to their academic successs,” said Kenneth Dodge, director of the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy.The results highlight the need to develop effective early interventions to help those with attention problems stay on track academically and for educators to encourage positive peer relationships, the researchers said.“We’re learning that student success requires a more comprehensive approach, one that incorporates not only academic skills but also social, self-regulatory and attention skills,” Dodge said. “If we neglect any of these areas, the child’s development lags. If we attend to these areas, a child’s success may reinforce itself with positive feedback loops.”46. What is the focus of the new study from Duke University?A) The contributor to children’s early attention.B) The predictors of children’s academic success.C) The factors that affect children’s emotional well-being.D) The determinants of children’s development of social skills.47. How did the researchers ensure that their findings are valid?A) By attaching equal importance to all possible variables examined.B) By collecting as many typical samples as were necessary.C) By preventing them from being affected by factors not under study.D) By focusing on the family background of children being studied.48. What do we learn from the findings of the Duke study?A) Modest students are generally more attentive than their contemporaries.B) There are more children with attention difficulties than previously thought.C) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder accounts for most academic failures.D) Children’s academic performance may suffer from even slight inattention.49. What does the Duke study find about children better accepted by peers?A) They do better academically.B) They are easy to get on with.C) They are teachers’ favorites.D) They care less about grades.50. What can we conclude from the Duke study?A) Children’s success is related to their learning environment.B) School curriculum should cover a greater variety of subjects.C) Social skills are playing a key role in children’s development.D) An all-round approach should be adopted in school education.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.On Jan. 9,2007, Steve Jobs formally announced Apple’s “revolutionary mobile phone”— a device that combined the functionality of an iPod, phone and Internet communication into a single unit, navigated by touch.It was a huge milestone in the development of smartphones, which are now owned by a majority of American adults and are increasingly common across the globe.As smartphones have multiplied, so have questions about their impact on how we live and how we work. Often the advantages of convenient, mobile technology are both obvious and taken for granted, leaving more subtle topics for concerned discussion: Are smartphones disturbing children’s sleep? Is an inability to get away from work having a negative impact on health? And what are the implications for privacy?But today, on the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, let’s take a moment to consider a less obvious advantage: the potential for smartphone technology to revolutionize behavioral science. That’s because, for the first time in human history, a large proportion of the species is in continuous contact with technology that can record key features of an individual’s behavior and environment.Researchers have already begun to use smartphones in social scientific research, either to query people regul arly as they engage in their normal live or to record activity using the device’s built-in sensors. These studies are confirming, challenging and extending what’s been found using more traditional approaches, in which people report how they behaved in real life or participate in relatively short and artificial laboratory-based tasks.Such studies are just first steps. As more data are collected and methods for analysis improve, researchers will be in a better position to identify how different experiences, behaviors and environments relate to each other and evolve over time, with the potential to improve people’s productivity and wellbeing in a variety of domains. Beyond revealing population-wide patterns, the right combination of data and analysis can also help individuals identify unique characteristics of their own behavior, including conditions that could indicate the need for some form of intervention—such as an unusual increase in behaviors that signal a period of depression.Smartphone-based data collection comes at an appropriate time in the evolution of psychological science. Today, the field is in transition, moving away from a focus on laboratory studies with undergraduate participants towards more complex, real-world situations studied with more diverse groups of people. Smartphones offer new tools for achieving these ambitions, providing rich data about everyday behaviors in a variety of contexts.So here’s another way in which smartphones might transform the way we live and work: by offering insights into human psychology and behavior and, thus, supporting smarter social science.51.What does the author say about the negative impact of smartphones?A)It has been overshadowed by the positive impact.B)It has more often than not been taken for granted.C)It is not so obvious but has caused some concern.D)It is subtle but should by no means be overstated.52.What is considered a less obvious advantage of smartphone technology?A)It systematically records real human interactions.B)It helps people benefit from technological advances.C)It brings people into closer contact with each other.D)It greatly improves research on human behavior.53.What characterizes traditional psychological research?A)It is based on huge amounts of carefully collected data.B)It relies on lab observations and participants’ reports.C)It makes use of the questionnaire method.D)It is often expensive and time-consuming.54.How will future psychological studies benefit individuals?A)By helping them pin down their unusual behaviors.B)By helping them maintain a positive state of mind.C)By helping them live their lives in a unique way.D)By helping them cope with abnormal situations.55.What do we learn about current psychological studies?A)They are going through a period of painful transition.B)They are increasingly focused on real-life situations.C)They are conducted in a more rigorous manner.D)They are mainly targeted towards undergraduates.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.近年来，中国政府近一步加大体育馆建设投资，以更好地满足人们快速增长的健身需求。

2018年12月英语六级考试阅读1-2套卷答案选词填空AIFJB GKMDEIn what is probably the craziest headline I have ever written，actual advances in livestock protection are happening by scientists painting eyes on the butts of cows。

The experiment is based upon the idea that farmers who are protecting their herd from lions，would shoot and kill lions in the efforts to protect their livestock。

While this makes a lot of sense，it resulting in many lion deaths that otherwise would have been unnecessary。

Researchers in Australia have been devising and testing a method of trickery to make lions think they are being watched by stamping eyes on cow butts。

This idea is based on the principle that lions and other predators are far less likely to attack when they feel they are being watched。

As conservation areas become smaller，lions are increasingly coming into contact with human populations，which are expanding to the boundaries of these protected areas。

2018年12月份大学英语六级仔细阅读译文及详细解析（卷二）Section CPassage One全文翻译及命题分析也许是时候让农场主们歇歇脚了，因为机器人正被用来监测庄稼生长、拔除杂草，甚至放牧。

商业种植面积及其广袤，需要数千工时来耕作。

澳大利亚最偏远的苏坡杰克·唐斯（Suplejack Downs）牛场就是一个典型的例子。

它位于北部地区，绵延4000平方公里，距离最近的主要城市艾丽丝泉（Alice Springs）逾13个小时车程。

这些大规模农场极度偏远，往往无人照料，每年只能监测一两次，这意味着如果牲畜生病或需要援助，农场主可能需要很长时间才能发现。

然而，机器人正前来救援。

机器人目前正在威尔士进行为期两年的试验，该试验将训练“农场机器人”放牧，监测牲畜的健康，并确保有足够的牧场供它们放牧。

这些机器人配备了许多传感器来识别环境、牛群以及食物的状况，使用热传感器和视觉传感器来探测体温的变化。

悉尼大学的萨拉·苏卡黎(Salah Sukarieh)将在新南威尔士州中部的几个农场进行试验，他说：“你还可以用颜色、质地和形状传感器检测地面上的牧草质量。

”在试验期间，将对机器人的算法和技术性细节进行微调，使其更适合生病的牲畜，并确保它能够安全地绕过树木、淤泥、沼泽和丘陵等潜在障碍区。

苏卡黎说:“我们希望改善牲畜的健康品质，并让农场主更容易维护牲畜在广阔的草场上信步由缰的壮观景象。

”机器人并不局限于放牧和监控牲畜，他们还被用来统计单果数量，检查农作物，甚至拔除杂草。

许多机器人配备有高科技传感器和复杂的学习算法，以避免它们在与人类并肩工作时伤害人类。

机器人还知晓最高效、最安全的通行方式，使工程师和农场主能够分析和更好地优化机器人的属性和任务，并提供现场直播，实时反馈农场上正在发生的事情。

当然，农业工人担心其岗位被取代。

然而，由于劳动力空缺的不断加剧，大规模生产难以维持，正是农场主们在力推技术进步。

Part I Writing (30minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on ho w to balance workand leisure. You should write at least 150 words but no mor e than 200 words.______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ __________Part II Listening Comprehension (30minutes)听力音频MP3文件，点击进入听力真题页面Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear two longconversations. 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 mustch oose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then m ark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.1. A) It can benefit professionals and non-professionals alike.B) It lists the various challenges physicists arc confronting.C) It describes how some mysteries of physics were solved.D) It is one of the most fascinating physics books ever written.2. A）physicists' contribution to humanity.B) Stories about some female physicists.C) Historical evolution of modern physics.D) Women's changing attitudes to physics.3. A) By exposing a lot of myths in physics.B) By describing her own life experiences.C) By including lots of fascinating knowledge.D) By telling anecdotes about famous professors.4. A) It avoids detailing abstract concepts of physics.B) It contains a lot of thought-provoking questions.C) It demonstrates how they can become physicists.D) It provides experiments they can do themselves.Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) He is too busy to finish his assignment in time.B) He does not know what kind of topic to write on.C) He does not understand the professor's instructions.D) He has no idea how to proceed with his dissertation.6. A) It is too broad.B) It is a bit outdated.C) It is challenging.D) It is interesting.7. A) Biography.B) Nature.C) Philosophy.D)Beauty.8. A)Improve his cumulative grade.B) Develop his reading ability.C) Stick to the topic assigned.D) List the parameters first.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each pas sage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questio ns will bespoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the b est answer fromthe four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corres ponding letter on AnswerSheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.9. A) The unprecedented high temperature in Greenland.B) The collapse of ice on the northern tip of Greenland.C) The unusual cold spell in the Arctic area in October.D) The rapid change of Arctic temperature within a day.10. A) It has created a totally new climate pattern.B) It will pose a serious threat to many species.C) It typically appears about once every ten years.D) It has puzzled the climate scientists for decades.11. A) Extinction of Arctic wildlife.B) Iceless summers in the Arctic.C) Emigration of indigenous people.D) Better understanding of ecosystems.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.12. A) A good start.B) A detailed plan.C) A strong determination.D) A scientific approach.13. A) Most people get energized after a sufficient rest.B) Most people tend to have a finite source of energy.C) It is vital to take breaks between demanding mental tasks.D) It is most important to have confidence in one's willpower.14. A) They could keep on working longer.B) They could do more challenging tasks.C) They found it easier to focus on work at hand.D) They held more positive attitudes toward life.15. A) They are part of their nature.B) They are subject to change.C) They are related to culture.D) They are beyond control.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks f ollowedby three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. Af ter you hear aquestion, you must choose the best answer from the four choic es marked A, B, C andD. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Shee t 1 with a single line throughthe centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.16. A) About half of current jobs might be automated.B) The jobs of doctors and lawyers would be threatened.C) The job market is becoming somewhat unpredictable.D) Machine learning would prove disruptive by 2013.17. A) They are widely applicable for massive open online courses.B) They are now being used by numerous high school teachers.C) They could read as many as 10, 000 essays in a single minute.D) They could grade high-school essays just like human teachers18. A) It needs instructions throughout the process.B) It does poorly on frequent, high-volume tasks.C) It has to rely on huge amounts of previous data.D) It is slow when it comes to tracking novel things.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.19. A) The engineering problems with solar power.B) The generation of steam with the latest technology.C) The importance of exploring new energy sources.D) The theoretical aspects of sustainable energy.20. A) Drive trains with solar energy.B) Upgrade the city's train facilities.C) Build a new ten-kilometre railway line.D) Cut down the city's energy consumption21. A) Build a tank for keeping calcium oxide.B) Find a new material for storing energy.C) Recover super-heated steam.D) Collect carbon dioxide gas.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.22. A) The lack of supervision by both the national and local governments.B) The impact of the current economic crisis at home and abroad.C) The poor management of day centres and home help services.D) The poor relation between national health and social care services.23. A) It was mainly provided by voluntary services.B) It mainly caters to the needs of the privileged.C) It called for a sufficient number of volunteers.D) It has deteriorated over the past sixty years.24. A) Their longer lifespans.B) Fewer home helpers available.C) Their preference for private services.D) More of them suffering serious illnesses.25. A) They are unable to pay for health services.B) They have long been discriminated against.C) They are vulnerable to illnesses and diseases.D) They have contributed a great deal to society.Part III Reading Comprehension (40minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage withten blanks. You are require d to select one word foreach 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 co rresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line throught he centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Just off the coast of Southern California sits Santa Cruz Island, where a magi cal creature calledthe island fox __26__. A decade ago, this island's ecosyst em was in __27__ Wild pigsattracted golden eagles from the mainland, and t hose flying __28__ crashed the fox population. So the Nature Conservancy la unched a __29__ war against the pigs, completewith helicopters and sharp sh ooters.And it worked. Today, federal agencies are pulling the island fox from the End angered SpeciesList. It's the fastest-ever recovery of a mammal, joining pe ers like the Louisiana black bear as glowing successes in the history of the En dangered Species Act.But the recovery of Santa Cruz Island isn't just about the fox. The Nature Co nservancy has __30__ war on a multitude of invasive species here, from sh eep to plants to the __31__ Argentine ant."Our philosophy with the island has always been, 'OK,__32__ the threats andlet the island go back to what it was," says ecologist Christina Boser. And it appears to beworking. Native plants are coining back, and the fox once again bounds about carefree.But keeping those foxes from harm will occupy Boser and her colleagues for years to come. Yousee, humans are still allowed on Santa Cruz Island, and th ey bring dogs. So Boser has to vaccinate her foxes against various diseases. "We're obligated to keep a pulse on the population for at least five years afte r the foxes are delisted," says Boser. That includestagging the foxes and __33 __ their numbers to ensure nothing goes wrong.This is the story of the little fox that has come back, and the people who have __34__ theirlives to protecting it. This is the story of wildlife conservation i n the age of mass __35__.A) aggressive B) chaos C) configuration D) declared E) dedicated F) dwel ls G) extinction H) fierce I) hinders J) mammal K) monitoring L) predators M ) remove N) tempt O) underlyingSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statemen ts attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the pa ragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You m ay choose a paragraph more than once. Eachparagraph is marked with a lette r. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2.Do Parents Invade Children's Privacy When They Post Photos Online?A) When Katlyn Burbidge's son was 6 years old, he was performing some ridi culous song anddance typical of a first-grader. But after she snapped a phot o and started using her phone, heasked her a serious question:"Are you going to post that online?" She laughed and answered,"Yes, I think I will." What he said next stopped her. "Can you not?"B) That's when it dawned on her: She had been posting photos of him online without asking his permission."We're big advocates of bodily autonomy and not forcing him to hug or kissp eople unless he wants to, but it never occurred to me that I should ask his pe rmission to postphotos of him online," says Burbidge, a mom of two in Wake field, Massachusetts."Now when Ipost a photo of him online, I show him the photo and get his oka y. "C) When her 8-month-old is 3 or 4 years old, she plans to start asking him in an age-appropriate way,"Do you want other people to see this?" That’s precisely the approach thattwo researchers advocated before a room of pediatricians （儿科医生）last week at the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics meeting, when they discusse d the 21st century challenge of "sharenting", a new term for parents' online sharing about their children."As advocates ofchildren's rights, we believe that children should have a voice about what information is sharedabout them if possible", says Stacey Steinbe rg, a legal skills professor at the University ofFlorida Levin College of Law in Gainesville.D) Whether it's ensuring that your child isn't bullied over something you post, that their identity isn't digitally "kidnapped", or that their photos don't end u p on a half dozen childpornography (色情） sites, as one Australian mom discovered, parents and pediatricians areinc reasingly aware of the importance of protecting children's digital presence. S teinberg andBahareh Keith, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Univer sity of Florida College ofMedicine, say most children will likely never experienc e problems related to what their parentsshare, but a tension still exists bet ween parents' rights to share their experiences and theirchildren's rights to pr ivacy.E) "We're in no way trying to silence parents, voices," Steinberg says."At the same time, we recognize that children might have an interest in enter ing adulthood free to create their owndigital footprint."They cited a study presented earlier this year of 249 pairs of parents and the irchildren in which twice as many children as parents wanted rules on what pa rents could share. "The parents said,‘We don't need rules-we're fine,’ and the children said,‘Our parents needrules,’ Keith says."The children wanted autonomy about this issue and were worried aboutthei r parents sharing information about them. "F) Although the American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidelines recommendi ng that parentsmodel appropriate social media use for their children, it doe s not explicitly discussoversharing by parents."I think this is a very legitimate concern, and I appreciate theirdrawing our a ttention to it", David Hill, a father of five, says. He sees a role for pediatrician s totalk with parents about this，but believes the messaging must extend far beyond pediatricians, offices. "I look forward to seeing researchers expand our understanding of the issue so we cantranslate it into effective education and policy," he says.G) There's been little research on the topic, Steinberg wrote in a law article a bout this issue. While states could pass laws related to sharing information about children online, Steinbergfeels parents themselves are generally best s uited to make these decisions for their families."While we didn't want to create any unnecessary panic, we did find some concerns that weretroublesome, and we thought that parents or at least physici ans should be aware of those potential risks," Steinberg says. They include p hotos repurposed for inappropriate or illegal means, identity theft, embarr assment, bullying by peers or digital kidnapping.H) But that's the negative side, with risks that must be balanced against the benefits ofsharing. Steinberg pointed out that parental sharing on social med ia helps build communities, connect spread-out families, provide support and raise awareness around important social issues for which parents might be their children's only voice.I) A C. S. Mott survey found among the 56 percent of mothers and 34 percen t of fathers whodiscussed parenting on social media,72 percent of them said sharing made them feel lessalone, and nearly as man y said sharing helped them worry less and gave them advice fromother paren ts. The most common topics they discussed included kids' sleep, nutrition, di scipline, behavior problems and day care and preschool.J)"There's this peer-to-peer nature of health care these days with a profound opportunity for parents to learn helpful tips, safety and prevention efforts, pro-vaccine messages and allkinds of other messages from other parents in t heir social communities", says Wendy SueSwanson, a pediatrician and exec utive director of digital health at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where she blog s about her own parenting journey to help other parents."They're gettingnurtured by people they've already selected that they trust." she says.K)"How do we weigh the risks, how do we think about the benefits, and how do we alleviate the risks?" she says."Those are the questions we need to ask ourselves, and everyone can havea different answer."L) Some parents find the best route for them is not to share at all. Bridget O' Hanlon and herhusband, who live in Cleveland, decided before their daughter was born that they would notpost her photos online. When a few family mem bers did post pictures, O'Hanlon and herhusband made their wishes clear. "It's been hard not to share pictures of her because peoplealways want to kno w how babies and toddlers (学走路的孩子）are doing and to see pictures, butwe made the decision to have social medi a while she did not," O'Hanlon said. Similarly, AlisonJamison of New York deci ded with her husband that their child had a right to their own online identity. They did use an invitation-only photo sharing platform so that friends and f amily, including those far away, could see the photos, but they stood firm, si mply refusing to put theirchild's photos on other social media platforms.M)"For most families, it's a journey. Sometimes it goes wrong, but most of the ti me it doesn't," says Swanson, who recommends starting to ask children permission to pos t narratives orphotos around ages 6 to 8."We'll learn more and more what our tolerance is. We can ask ourkids to hel p us learn as a society what's okay and what's not. "N) Indeed, that learning process goes both ways. Bria Dunham, a mother in S omerville, Massachusetts, was so excited to watch a moment of brotherly bon ding while her first-graderand baby took a bath together that she snapped a f ew photos. But when she considered postingthem online, she took the persp ective of her son: How would he feel if his classmates, parentssaw photos of him chest-up in the bathtub?"It made me think about how I'm teaching him tohave ownership of his own body and how what is shared today endures into the future," Dunham says. "So I kept the pictures to myself and accepted this as one more step insuppor ting his increasing autonomy. "36. Steinberg argued parental sharing online can be beneficial.37. According to an expert, when children reach school age, they can help the ir parents learnwhat can and cannot be done.38. One mother refrained from posting her son’s photos online when she cons idered the matterfrom her son's perspective.39. According to a study, more children than parents think there should be rul es on parents'sharing.40. Katlyn Burbidge had never realized she had to ask her son's approval to put his photosonline.41. A mother decided not to post her son's photo online when he asked her n ot to.42. A woman pediatrician tries to help other parents by sharing her own pare nting experience.43. There are people who decide simply not to share their children's photos o nline.44. Parents and physicians should realize sharing information online about chi ldren may involve risks.45. Parents who share their parenting experiences may find themselves intru ding into theirchildren's privacy.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by s ome questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four cho ices marked A), B), C) and D). Youshould decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the cen tre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Perhaps it is time for farmers to put their feet up now that robots are used to inspect crops, dig up weeds, and even have become shepherds, too. Comme rcial growing fields areastronomically huge and take thousands of man-hours to operate. One prime example is oneof Australia's most isolated cattle sta tions, Suplejack Downs in the Northern Territory, extending across 4,000 squ are kilometers, taking over 13 hours to reach by car from thenearest major to wn—Alice Springs.The extreme isolation of these massive farms leaves them often unattended , and monitoredonly once or twice a year, which means if the livestock falls i ll or requires assistance, it can bea long time for farmers to discover.However, robots are coming to the rescue.Robots are currently under a two-year trial in Wales which will train 'farmbot s' to herd, monitorthe health of livestock, and make sure there is enough p asture for them to graze on. Therobots are equipped with many sensors to id entify conditions of the environment, cattle andfood, using thermal and vis ion sensors that detect changes in body temperature."You've also got color, texture and shape sensors looking down at the groun d to check pasturequality," says Salah Sukkarieh of the University of Sydne y, who will carry out trials on severalfarms in central New South Wales.During the trials, the robot algorithms (算法) and mechanics will be fine-tuned to make itbetter suited to ailing livesto ck and ensure it safely navigates around potential hazardsincluding trees, m ud, swamps, and hills."We want to improve the quality of animal health and make it easier for farm ers to maintainlarge landscapes where animals roam free," says Sukkarieh. The robots are not limited to herding and monitoring livestock. They have b een created tocount individual fruit, inspect crops, and even pull weeds. Many robots are equipped with high-tech sensors and complex learning algor ithms to avoid injuring humans as they work side by side. The robots also lea rn the most efficient and safestpassages, and allow engineers and farmers to analyze and better optimize the attributes andtasks of the robot, as well as provide a live stream giving real-time feedback on exactly what ishappening on the farms.Of course, some worry lies in replacing agricultural workers. However, it is fa nners that arepushing for the advancements due to ever-increasing labor vac ancies, making it difficult tomaintain large-scale operations.The robots have provided major benefits to farmers in various ways, from hu nting and pullingweeds to monitoring the condition of every single fruit. Futur e farms will likely experience agreater deal of autonomy as robots take up m ore and more farm work efficiently.46. What may farmers be able to do with robots appearing on the farming sc ene?A) Upgrade farm produce.B) Enjoy more leisure hours.C) Modify the genes of crops.D) Cut down farming costs.47. What will 'farmbots' be expected to do?A) Take up many of the farmers, routines.B) Provide medical treatments for livestock.C) Lead the trend in farming the world over.D) Improve the quality of pastures for grazing.48. What can robots do when equipped with high-tech sensors and complex l earningalgorithms?A) Help farmers choose the most efficient and safest passages.B) Help farmers simplify their farming tasks and management.C) Allow farmers to learn instantly what is occurring on the farm.D) Allow farmers to give them real-time instructions on what to do.49. Why are farmers pressing for robotic farming?A) Farming costs are fast increasing.B) Robotics technology is maturing.C) Robotic fanning is the trend.D) Labor shortage is worsening.50. What does the author think future farms will be like?A) More and more automated.B) More and more productive.C) Larger and larger in scale.D) Better and better in condition.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The public must be able to understand the basics of science to make inform ed decisions. Perhaps the most dramatic example of the negative conseque nces of poor communication between scientists and the public is the issue o f climate change, where a variety of factors, notthe least of which is a break down in the transmission of fundamental climate data to thegeneral public, has contributed to widespread mistrust and misunderstanding of scientis tsand their research.The issue of climate change also illustrates how the public acceptance and u nderstanding ofscience (or the lack of it) can influence governmental decisio n-making with regard to regulation, science policy and research funding.However, the importance of effective communication with a general audien ce is not limited to hot issues like climate change. It is also critical for sociall y charged neuroscience issues suchas the genetic basis for a particular beh avior, the therapeutic potential of stem celltherapy for neurodegenerativ e diseases, or the use of animal models, areas where the publicunderstanding of science can also influence policy and funding decisions. Furthermore, withc ontinuing advances in individual genome (基因组) sequencing and the advent of personalizedmedicine, more non-scientists will need to be comfortable analyzing complex scientificinformation to make decisions that directly affect their quality of life.Science journalism is the main channel for the popularization of scientific inf ormation amongthe public. Much has been written about how the relationship between scientists and the mediacan shape the efficient transmission of scie ntific advances to the public. Good sciencejournalists are specialists in making complex topics accessible to a general audience, whileadhering to scientific accuracy.Unfortunately, pieces of science journalism can also oversimplify and general ize their subjectmaterial to the point that the basic information conveyed is o bscured or at worst, obviouslywrong. The impact of a basic discovery on hu man health can be exaggerated so that thepublic thinks a miraculous cure is a few months to years away when in reality the significance ofthe study is far more limited.Even though scientists play a part in transmitting information to journalists an d ultimately thepublic, too often the blame for ineffective communicatio n is placed on the side of thejournalists. We believe, that at least part of the problem lies in places other than the interaction between scientists and mem bers of the media, and exists because for one thing we underestimate how d ifficult it is for scientists to communicate effectively with a diversity of audi ences, and for another most scientists do not receive formal training in science communication.51. What does the example of climate change serve to show?A) The importance of climate data is increasingly recognized.B) Adequate government funding is vital to scientific research.C) Government regulation helps the public understand science.D) Common folks' scientific knowledge can sway policy making.52. What should non-scientists do to ensure their quality of life?A) Seek personalized medical assistance from doctors.B) Acquire a basic understanding of medical science.C) Have their individual genome sequenced.D) Make informed use of animal models.53. Why is it important for scientists to build a good relationship with the med ia?A) It helps them to effectively popularize new scientific information.B) It enables the public to develop a positive attitude toward science.C) It helps them to establish a more positive public image.D) It enables them to apply their findings to public health.54. What does the author say is the problem with science journalism?A) It is keen on transmitting sensational information.B) It tends to oversimplify people's health problems.C) It may give inaccurate or distorted information to the public.D) It may provide information open to different interpretations.55. What should scientists do to impart their latest findings to the public more effectively?A) Give training to science journalists.B) Stimulate public interest in science.C) Seek timely assistance from the media.D) Improve their communication skills.Part IV Translation (30minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage f rom Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on AnswerSheet 2.近年来，中国越来越多的博物馆免费向公众开放。

2018年12月英语六级阅读真题答案(X匹配)来源：文都教育2018年大学六级考试已结束，对于阅读部分，今年的匹配题相对而言比较常规。

在解题策略上，文章比较长，信息量也非常庞大，但大部分的关键信息依然源于段首句与段末句，文都四六级辅导老师将英语六级阅读真题答案与大家分享。

【六级匹配题真题】Resilience Is About How Y ou Recharge, Not How You Endure[A]As constant travelers and parents of a 2-year-old, we sometimes fantasize about how much work we can do when one of us gets on a plane, undistracted by phones, friends, and Finding Nemo. We race to get all our ground work done: packing, going through TSA, doing a last-minute work call, calling each other, then boarding the plane. Then, when we try to have that amazing work session in flight, we get nothing done. Even worse, after refreshing our email or reading the same studies over and over, we are too exhausted when we land to soldier on with the emails that have inevitably still piled up.[B]Why should flying deplete us? We’re just sitting there doing nothing. Why can’t we be tougher — more resilient and determined in our work – so we can accomplish all of the goals we set for ourselves? Based on our current research, we have come to realize that the problem is not our hectic schedule or the plane travel itself; the problem comes from a misunderstanding of what it means to be resilient, and the resulting impact of overworking.[C]We often take a militaristic, “tough” approach to resilience and grit. We imagine a Marine slogging through the mud, a boxer going one more round, or a football player picking himself up off the turf for one more play. We believe that the longer we tough it out, the tougher we are, and therefore the more successful we will be. However, this entire conception is scientifically inaccurate.[D]The very lack of a recovery period is dramatically holding back our collective ability to be resilient and successful. Research has found that there is a direct correlation between lack of recovery and increased incidence of health and safety problems. And lack of recovery — whether by disrupting sleep with thoughts of work or having continuous cognitive arousal by watching our phones —is costing our companies $62 billion a year (that’s billion, not million) in lost productivity.[E]And just because work stops, it doesn’t mean we are recovering. We “stop” work sometimes at 5PM, but then we spend the night wrestling with solutions to work problems, talking about our work over dinner, and falling asleep thinking about how much work we’ll do tomorrow. In a study released last month, researchers from Norway found that 7.8% of Norwegians have becomeworkaholics. The scientists cite a de finition of “workaholism” as “being overly concerned about work, driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, and investing so much time and effort to work that it impairs other important life areas.”[F]We believe that the number of people who fit that definition includes the majority of American workers, including those who read HBR, which prompted us to begin a study of workaholism in the U.S. Our study will use a large corporate data set from a major medical company to examine how technology extends our working hours and thus interferes with necessary cognitive recovery, resulting in huge health care costs and turnover costs for employers.[G]The misconception of resilience is often bred from an early age. Parents trying to teach their children resilience might celebrate a high school student staying up until 3AM to finish a science fair project. What a distortion of resilience! A resilient child is a well-rested one. When an exhausted student goes to school, he risks hurting everyone on the road with his impaired driving; he doesn’t have the cognitive resources to do well on his English test; he has lower self-control with his friends; and at home, he is moody with his parents. Overwork and exhaustion are the opposite of resilience. And the bad habits we learn when we’re young only magnify when we hit the workforce.[H]As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz have written, if you have too much time in the performance zone, you need more time in the recovery zone, otherwise you risk burnout. Mustering your resou rces to “try hard” requires burning energy in order to overcome your currently low arousal level. This is called upregulation. It also exacerbates exhaustion. Thus the more imbalanced we become due to overworking, the more value there is in activities that allow us to return to a state of balance. The value of a recovery period rises in proportion to the amount of work required of us.[I]So how do we recover and build resilience? Most people assume that if you stop doing a task like answering emails or writing a paper, that your brain will naturally recover, such that when you start again later in the day or the next morning, you’ll have your energy back. But surely everyone reading this has had times where you lie in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep because your brain is thinking about work. If you lie in bed for eight hours, you may have rested, but you can still feel exhausted the next day. That’s because rest and recovery are not the same thing. Stopping does not equal recovering.[J] If you’re tr ying to build resilience at work, you need adequate internal and external recovery periods. As researchers Zijlstra, Cropley and Rydstedt write in their 2014 paper: “Internal recovery refers to the shorter periods of relaxation that take place within the frames of the workday or the work setting in the form of short scheduled or unscheduled breaks, by shifting attention or changing to other work tasks when the mental or physical resources required for the initial task are temporarily depleted or exhausted. External recovery refers to actions that take place outside of work—e.g. in the free time between the workdays, and during weekends, holidays or vacations.” If after work you lie around on your bed and get riled up by political commentary on your phone or get stressed thinking about decisions about how to renovate your home, your brain has notreceived a break from high mental arousal states. Our brains need a rest as much as our bodies do.[K]If you really want to build resilience, you can start by strategically stopping. Give yourself the resources to be tough by creating internal and external recovery periods. In her upcoming book The Future of Happiness, based on her work at Yale Business School, Amy Blankson describes how to strategically stop during the day by using technology to control overworking. She suggests downloading the Instant or Moment apps to see how many times you turn on your phone each day. The average person turns on their phone 150 times every day. If every distraction took only 1 minute (which would be seriously optimistic), that would account for 2.5 hours of every day.[L]You can use apps like Offtime or Unplugged to create tech free zones by strategically scheduling automatic airplane modes. In addition, you can take a cognitive break every 90 minutes to recharge your batteries. Try to not have lunch at your desk, but instead spend time outside or with your friends — not talking about work. Take all of your paid time off, which not only gives you recovery periods, but raises your productivity and likelihood of promotion.[M]As for us, we’ve started using our plane time as a work-free zone, and thus time to dip into the recovery phase. The results have been fantastic. We are usually tired already by the time we get on a plane, and the cramped space and spotty internet connection make work more challenging. Now, instead of swimming upstream, we relax, meditate, sleep, watch movies, journal, or listen to entertaining podcasts. And when we get off the plane, instead of being depleted, we feel rejuvenated and ready to return to the performance zone.【六级匹配题参考答案】36.It has been found that inadequate recovery often leads to poor health and accidents答案：D解析：D段第二句“Research has found that there is a direct correlation between lack of recovery and increased incidence of health and safety problems.”能与题干进行同义替换。

2018 年 12 ⽉真题（第⼆套）百事公司价值数⼗亿美元的健康计划 PepsiCo Multibillion-Dollar Health Driveis to spend billions of dollars to develop drinks and snacks and reformulate existing ones with lower sugar, salt and fat, as consumers demand healthier options and regulatory pressure intensifies amid an obesity epidemic.The maker of and has been one of the earlier movers in the industry to offer products with reduced levels of unhealthy ingredients — PepsiCo claims a packet of its crisps now contains less salt than a slice of .However, its new 10-year plan makes clear it believes it still has a long way to go.Shifting eating habits, including a sharp drop in consumption of sparkling drinks, have forced radical change on the industry.But those shifts have yet to be re flected in record obesity levels, which stand at 36.5% overall in the US.Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo's chairman, said the plan to make its products healthier was important for the company's growth.PepsiCo 百事公司将花费数⼗亿美元开发饮料和零⻝，同时现有的产品也改⽤低糖、低盐和低脂的配⽅。

2018年12月英语六级考试真题及答案(完整版第2套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance job responsibilities and personal interests. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How to Balance Job Responsibilities and Personal InterestsIn today's highly competitive environment, the heavy workload makes people out of breath and leaves them no time for their hobbies. Therefore, learning to balance job responsibilities and personal interests is of great significance for modern people. Here are some suggestions which can help us achieve the balance. In the first place, we should be aware that although work duties are our first priority, it doesn't mean that we cannot explore personal interests. Secondly, it's important to realize that beneficial activities off work help us get relaxed. We can transfer our focus from busy work by reading an interesting book or listening to music, thereby getting our intense nerves calm down. What's more, find enough time to develop our hobbies by finishing the task on time. We should arrange our time reasonably and complete our daily work efficiently, which will give us more freedom to allocate time to pursue personal interests.In sum, it is absolutely do-able to strike a balance between full-time work and personal hobbies as long as we realize the benefit of cultivating培养interests and the importance of reasonable time arrangement.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.1. A) Stop worrying about him.B) Keep away from the statue.C) Take a picture拍照、照相of him.D) Pat on a smile for the photo.2. A) Gaining great fame名声、名望on the Internet.B) Publishing a collection of his photos.C) Collecting the best photos in the world.D) Becoming a professional photographer.3. A) Surfing various websites and collecting photos.B) Editing his pictures and posting them online.C) Following similar accounts to compare notes.D) Studying the pictures in popular social media.4. A) They are far from satisfactory.B) They are mostly taken by her mom.C) They make an impressive album.D) They record her fond memories.Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) A journal reporting the latest progress in physics.B) An introductory course of modem physics.C) An occasion for physicists to exchange ideas.D) A series of interviews with outstanding physicists.6. A) The future of the physical world.B) The origin of the universe.C) Sources of radiation.D) Particle theory.7. A) How matter collides with anti-matter.B) Whether the universe will turn barren.C) Why there exists anti-matter.D) Why there is a universe at all8. A) Matter and anti-matter are opposites of each other.B) Anti-matter allowed humans to come into existence.C) The universe formed due to a sufficient amount of matter.D) Anti-matter exists in very high-temperature environments.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.9. A) She found herself speaking a foreign language.B) She woke up speaking with a different accent.C) She found some symptoms of her illness gone.D) She woke up finding herself in another country.10. A) It is usually caused by a stroke中风、行程or brain injury脑损伤.B) It has not yet found any effective treatment.C) It leaves the patient with a distorted memory.D) It often happens to people with speech defects.11. A) British.B) Irish.C) Russian.D) Australian.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.12. A) Water sports.B) Racing in rivers.C) Stories about women swimmers.D) Books about swimming.13. A) She succeeded in swimming across the English Channel.B) She published a guide to London's best swimming spots.C) She told her story of adventures to some young swimmers.D) She wrote a book about the history of swimwear in the UK.14. A) They loved vacationing on the seashore.B) They had a unique notion of modesty.C) They were prohibited from swimming.D) They were fully dressed when swimming.15. A) She designed lots of appropriate swimwear for women.B) She once successfully competed against men in swimming.C) She was the first woman to swim across the English Channel英吉利海峡.D) She was an advocate of women's right to swim in public pools.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.16. A) Build a machine that can detect侦查、发现lies谎言.B) Develop a magnetic brain scanner.C) Test the credibility of court evidence.D) Win people's complete trust in them.17. A) They are optimistic about its potential.B) They are sceptical of its reliability.C) They think it is but business promotion.D) They celebrate it with great enthusiasm.18. A) It is not to be trusted at all.B) It does not sound economical.C) It may intrude into people's privacy.D) It may lead to overuse in court trials.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.19. A) Most of its residents speak several languages.B) Some of its indigenous languages are dying out.C) Each village there speaks a totally different language.D) Its languages have interested researchers the world over.20. A) They are spread randomly across the world.B) Some are more difficult to learn than others.C) More are found in tropical热带的regions than in the mild温和zones.D) They enrich and impact each other in more ways than one.21. A) They used different methods to collect and analyze data.B) They identified distinct patterns of language distribution.C) Their conclusions do not correspond to their original hypotheses.D) There is no conclusive决定性的account说明、解释for the cause of language diversity多样性、多元化. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.22. A) Its middle-class中层阶级、中等的is disappearing消失.B) Its wealth is rationally distributed.C) Its population is rapidly growing.D) Its cherished dream is coming true.23. A) Success was but a dream without conscientious effort.B) They could realize their dreams through hard work.C) A few dollars could go a long way.D) Wealth was shared by all citizens.24. A) Better working conditions.B) Better-paying jobs.C) High social status.D) Full employment.25. A) Reduce the administrative costs.B) Adopt effective business models.C) Hire part-time employees only.D) Make use of the latest technology.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.Surfing the Internet during class doesn't just steal focus from the educator；it also hurts students who're already struggling to _F_26_ grasp_ the material. A new study from Michigan State University, though, argues that all students—including high achievers—see a decline in performance when they browse the Internet during class for non-academic purposes.To measure the effects of Internet-based distractions during class, researchers _C_27_evaluated_ 500 students taking an introductory psychology class at Michigan State University. Researchers used ACT scores as a measure of intellectual _A_28_aptitude (天才、天资）_ Because previous research has shown that people with high intellectual abilities are better at _E_29_filtering_ out distractions, researchers believed students with high ACT scores would not show a _M_30_significant_ decrease in performancedue to their use of digital devices. But students who surfed the web during class did worse on their exams regardless of their ACT scores, suggesting that even the academically smartest students are harmed when they're distracted in class.College professors are increasingly _K_31_raising_ alarm bells about the effects smartphones, laptops, and tablets have on academic performance. One 2013 study of college students found that 80% of students use their phones or laptops during class, with the average student checking their digital device 11 times in a _O_32_typical_ class. A quarter of students report that their use of digital devices during class causes their grades to _N_33_suffer_.Professors sometimes implement policies designed to _H_34_minimize_ students' use of digital devices, and world where people are increasingly some instructors even confiscate (没收）tablets and phones. In dependent on their phones, though, such strategies often fail. One international study found that 84% of people say they couldn't go a day without their smartphones. Until students are able to _L_35_resist抵抗、抗拒_ the pull of social networking, texting, and endlessly surfing the web, they may continue to straggle in their classes.A) aptitude B) eradication C) evaluated D) evaporated E) filtering F) grasp G) legacy H) minimize I) obscure J) obsess K) raising L) resist M) significant N) suffer O) typicalSection 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.A Pioneering Woman of Science Re-Emerges after 300 YearsA) Maria Sibylla Merian, like many European women of the 17th century, stayed busy managing a household and rearing children. But on top of that, Merian, a German-born woman who lived in the Netherlands, also managed a successful career as an artist, botanist, naturalist and entomologist (昆虫学家).B) "She was a scientist on the level with a lot of people we spend a lot of time talking about," said Kay Etheridge, a biologist at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania who has been studying the scientific history of Merian's work. "She didn't do as much to change biology as Charles Darwin, but she was significant. "C) At a time when natural history was a valuable tool for discovery, Merian discovered facts about plants and insects that were not previously known. Her observations helped dismiss the popular belief that insects spontaneously emerged from mud. The knowledge she collected over decades didn't just satisfy those curious about nature, but also provided valuable insights into medicine and science. She was the first to bring together insects and their habitats, including food they ate, into a single ecological composition.D) After years of pleasing a fascinated audience across Europe with books of detailed descriptions and life-size paintings of familiar insects, in 1699 she sailed with her daughter nearly 5, 000 miles from the Netherlands to South America to study insects in the jungles of what is now known as Suriname. She was 52 years old. The result was her masterpiece, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium.E) In her work, she revealed a side of nature so exotic, dramatic and valuable to Europeans of the time that she received much acclaim. But a century later, her findings came under scientific criticism. Shoddy （粗糙的）reproductions of her work along with setbacks to women's roles in 18th- and 19th- century Europe resulted in her efforts being largely forgotten. "It was kind of stunning when she sort of dropped off into oblivion（遗忘）," said Dr. Etheridge. "Victorians started putting women in a box, and they're still trying to crawl out of it."F) Today, the pioneering woman of the sciences has re-emerged. In recent years, feminists，historians and artists have all praised Merian's tenacity（坚韧）, talent and inspirational artistic compositions. And now biologists like Dr. Etheridge are digging into the scientific texts that accompanied her art. Three hundred years after her death, Merian will be celebrated at an international symposium in Amsterdam this June.G) And last month, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium was republished. It contains 60 plates (插图）and original descriptions, along with stories about Merian's life and updated scientific descriptions. Before writing Metamorphosis, Merian spent decades documenting European plants and insects that she published in a series of books. She began in her 20s, making textless, decorative paintings of flowers with insects. "Then she got really serious," Dr. Etheridge said. Merian started raising insects at home, mostly butterflies and caterpillars. "She would sit up all night until they came out of the pupa (桶）so she could draw them," she said.H) The results of her decades' worth of careful observations were detailed paintings and descriptions of European insects, followed by unconventional visuals and stories of insects and animals from a land that most at the time could only imagine. It's possible Merian used a magnifying glass to capture the detail of the split tongues of sphinx moths (斯芬克斯飞蛾）depicted in the painting. She wrote that the two tongues combine to form one tube for drinking nectar (花蜜）. Some criticized this detail later, saying there was just one tongue, but Merian wasn't wrong. She may have observed the adult moth just as it emerged from its pupa. For a brief moment during that stage of its life cycle, the tongue consists of two tiny half-tubes before merging into one.I) It may not have been ladylike to depict a giant spider devouring a hummingbird, but when Merian did it at the turn of the 18th century, surprisingly, nobody objected. Dr. Etheridge called it revolutionary. The image, which also contained novel descriptions of ants, fascinated a European audience that was more concerned with the exotic story unfolding before them than the gender of the person who painted it.J) "All of these things shook up their nice, neat little view," Dr. Etheridge said. But later, people of the Victorian era thought differently. Her work had been reproduced, sometimes incorrectly. A few observations were deemed impossible. "She'd been called a silly woman for saying that a spider could eat a bird," Dr. Etheridge said. But Henry Walter Bates, a friend of Charles Darwin, observed it and put it in book in 1863, proving Merian was correct.K) In the same plate, Merian depicted and described leaf-cutter ants for the first time. "In America there are large ants which can eat whole trees bare as a broom handle in a single night, she wrote in the description. Merian noted how the ants took the leaves below ground to their young. And she wouldn't have known this at the time, but the ants use the leaves to farm fungi (菌类）underground to feed their developing babies.L) Merian was correct about the giant bird-eating spiders, ants building bridges with their bodies and other details. But in the same drawing, she incorrectly lumped together army and leaf-cutter ants. Andinstead of showing just the typical pair of eggs in a hummingbird nest, she painted four. She made other mistakes in Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium as well: not every caterpillar and butterfly matched.M) Perhaps one explanation for her mistakes is that she cut short her Suriname trip after getting sick, and completed the book at home in Amsterdam. And errors are common among some of history's most- celebrated scientific minds, too. "These errors no more invalidate Ms. Merian's work than do well- known misconceptions published by Charles Darwin or Isaac Newton, " Dr. Etheridge wrote in a paper that argued that too many have wrongly focused on the mistakes of her work.N) Merian's paintings inspired artists and ecologists. In an 1801 drawing from his book, General Zoology Amphibia, George Shaw, an English botanist and zoologist, credited Merian for describing a frog in the account of her South American expedition, and named the young tree frog after her in his portrayal of it. It wouldn't be fair to give Merian all the credit. She received assistance naming plants, making sketches and referencing the work of others. Her daughters helped her color her drawings.O) Merian also made note of the help she received from the natives of Suriname, as well as slaves or servants that assisted her. In some instances she wrote moving passages that included her helpers in descriptions. As she wrote in her description of the peacock flower, "The Indians, who are not treated well by their Dutch masters, use the seeds to abort their children, so that they will not become slaves like themselves. The black slaves from Guinea and Angola have demanded to be well treated, threatening to refuse to have children. In fact, they sometimes take their own lives because they are treated so badly, and because they believe they will be born again, free and living in their own land. They told me this themselves. "P) Londa Schiebinger, a professor of the history of science at Stanford University, called this passage rather astonishing. It's particularly striking centuries later when these issues are still prominent in public discussions about social justice and women's rights. "She was ahead of her time," Dr. Etheridge said.36. Merian was the first scientist to study a type of American ant. K37. The European audience was more interested in Merian's drawings than her gender.I38. Merian's masterpiece came under attack a century after its publication.E39. Merian's mistakes in her drawings may be attributed to her shortened stay in South America.M40. Merian often sat up the whole night through to observe and draw insects.G41. Merian acknowledged the help she got from natives of South America.O42. Merian contributed greatly to people's better understanding of medicine and science.C43. Merian occasionally made mistakes in her drawings of insects and birds.L44. Now, Merian's role as a female forerunner in sciences has been re-established.F45. Merian made a long voyage to South America to study jungle insects over three centuries ago.DSection 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.While human achievements in mathematics continue to reach new levels of complexity, many of us who aren't mathematicians at heart (or engineers by trade) may struggle to remember the last time we used calculus (微积分）.It's a fact not lost on American educators, who amid rising math failure rates are debating how math can better meet the real-life needs of students. Should we change the way math is taught in schools, or eliminate some courses entirely?Andrew Hacker, Queens College political science professor, thinks that advanced algebra and other higher-level math should be cut from curricula in favor of courses with more routine usefulness, like statistics."We hear on all sides that we're not teaching enough mathematics, and the Chinese are running rings around us," Hacker says. "I'm suggesting we're teaching too much mathematics to too many people. . . not everybody has to know calculus. If you're going to become an aeronautical (航空的）engineer, fine. But most of us aren't."Instead, Hacker is pushing for more courses like the one he teaches at Queens College：Numeracy 101. There, his students of "citizen statistics" learn to analyze public information like the federal budget and corporate reports. Such courses, Hacker argues, are a remedy for the numerical illiteracy of adults who have completed high-level math like algebra but are unable to calculate the price of, say, a carpet by area.Hacker's argument has met with opposition from other math educators who say what's needed is to help students develop a better relationship with math earlier, rather than teaching them less math altogether.Maria Droujkova is a founder of Natural Math, and has taught basic calculus concepts to 5-year-olds. For Droujkova, high-level math is important, and what it could use in American classrooms is an injection of childlike wonder."Make mathematics more available," Droujkova says. "Redesign it so it's more accessible to more kinds of people: young children, adults who worry about it, adults who may have had bad experiences. "Pamela Harris, a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, has a similar perspective. Harris says that American education is suffering from an epidemic of "fake math"一an emphasis on rote memorization (死记硬背）of formulas and steps, rather than an understanding of how math can influence the ways we see the world.Andrew Hacker, for the record, remains skeptical."I'm going to leave it to those who are in mathematics to work out the ways to make their subject interesting and exciting so students want to take it," Hacker says. "All that I ask is that alternatives be offered instead of putting all of us on the road to calculus. "46. What does the author say about ordinary Americans?A) They struggle to solve math problems.B) They think math is a complex subject.C) They find high-level math of little use.D) They work hard to learn high-level math.47. What is the general complaint about America's math education according to Hacker?A) America is not doing as well as China.B) Math professors are not doing a good job.C) It doesn't help students develop their literacy.D) There has hardly been any innovation for years.48. What does Andrew Hacker's Numeracy 101 aim to do?A) Allow students to learn high-level math step by step.B) Enable students to make practical use of basic math.C) Lay a solid foundation for advanced math studies.D) Help students to develop their analytical abilities.49. What does Maria Droujkova suggest math teachers do in class?A) Make complex concepts easy to understand.B) Start teaching children math at an early age.C) Help children work wonders with calculus.D) Try to arouse students' curiosity in math.50. What does Pamela Harris think should be the goal of math education?A) To enable learners to understand the world better.B) To help learners to tell fake math from real math.C) To broaden Americans' perspectives on math.D) To exert influence on world development.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.For years, the U. S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demand will grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs by then.So what's the solution? Robots.Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi University of Technology has developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can make hospital rounds, deliver medications and other items, and retrieve records. It follows a specific individual, such as a doctor or nurse, who can use it to record and access patient data. This type of robot will likely be one of the first to be implemented in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.Robots capable of social engagement help with loneliness as well as cognitive functioning, but the robot itself doesn't have to engage directly—it can serve as an intermediary for human communication. Telepresence robots such as MantaroBot, Vgo, and Giraff can be controlled through a computer, smartphone, or tablet, allowing family members or doctors to remotely monitor patients or Skype them, often via a screen where the robot's ' face' would be. If you can't get to the nursing home to visit grandma, you can use a telepresence robot to hang out with her. A 2016 study found that users had a "consistently positive attitude" about the Giraff robot's ability to enhance communication and decrease feelings of loneliness.A robot's appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop a robotic nurse that looks like a huge teddy bear. RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance), also known as ‘Robear', can help patients into and out of wheelchairs and beds with its strong arms.On the less cute and more scary side there is Actroid F, which is so human-like that some patients may not know the difference. This conversational robot companion has cameras in its eyes, which allow it to track patients and use appropriate facial expressions and body language in its interactions. During a month- long hospital trial, researchers asked 70 patients how they felt being around the robot and "only three or four said they didn't like having it around."It's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses (though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off). Instead, they perform routine and laborious tasks, freeing nurses up to attend to patients with immediate needs. This is one industry where it seems the integration of robots will lead to collaboration, not replacement.51. What does the author say about Japan?A) It delivers the best medications for the elderly.B) It takes the lead in providing robotic care.C) It provides retraining for registered nurses.D) It sets the trend in future robotics technology.52. What do we learn about the robot Terapio?A) It has been put to use in many Japanese hospitals.B) It provides specific individualized care to patients.C) It does not have much direct contact with patients.D) It has not revolutionized medical service in Japan.53. What are telepresence robots designed to do?A) Directly interact with patients to prevent them from feeling lonely.B) Cater to the needs of patients for recovering their cognitive capacity.C) Closely monitor the patients' movements and conditions around the clock.D) Facilitate communication between patients and doctors or family members.54. What is one special feature of the robot Actroid F?A) It interacts with patients just like a human companion.B) It operates quietly without patients realizing its presence.C) It likes to engage in everyday conversations with patients.D) It uses body language even more effectively than words.55. What can we infer from the last paragraph?A) Doctors and surgeons will soon be laid off.B) The robotics industry will soon take off.C) Robots will not make nurses redundant.D) Collaboration will not replace competition.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.中国越来越重视公共图书馆，并鼓励人们充分加以利用。

2018年12月大学英语六级真题（第二套）2018年12月大学英语六级真题（第二套）(总分：710.00，做题时间：150分钟)一、Part Ⅰ Writing(总题数：1，分数：106.50)Directions ：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on how to balance job responsibilities and personal interests. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.（分数：106.50）________________________________________________________________ __________________________ 正确答案：(Work is a means of livelihood for most people, while personal interests often add spice to one's life. Both are beyond dispute indispensable for leading a fulfilling life. But it is far from easy to achieve a trade-off between them.It requires, above all, full and proper use of work time. More exactly, people should follow their work plans and make a concentrated effort to complete their assignments. Being productive at work, in fact, not only benefits your career development, but also saves you plenty of time and energy to explore private interests. Once you find your favorite pastimes, try to make them part of your life, lest you idle such hard-won free time away. Movie fans, for example, can spend one hour or more watching films each weeknight and share their comments via social media on weekends.A better approach, of course, is to seek a job or start a business closely related to one's hobbies, though it is less practical for most people. But at any rate, it is inadvisable to be distracted by personal interests at work or to be a workaholic.)解析：二、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension(总题数：0，分数：0.00)Section A(总题数：2，分数：56.80)Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.（分数：28.4）Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.（分数：28.4）(1).（分数：7.1）A.Stop worrying about him.B.Keep away from the statue.C.Take a picture of him. √D.Put on a smile for the photo.解析：听力原文：Conversation One对话 1M: Do you mind taking my photo with the statueover there?I think it will mak e a great shot.男：能不能帮我和那边的雕像照张相？我觉得这会是一个很棒的照片。