2006年12月英语六级真题及答案解析_新题型(标准完整版)

2006年12月英语六级真题(B卷)Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.Each summer, no matter how pressing my work schedule, I take off one day exclusively for my son. We call it dad-son day. This year our third stop was the amusement park, where he discovered that he was tall enough to ride one of the fastest roller coasters(过山车) in the world. We blasted through face-stretching turns and loops for ninety seconds. Then, as we stepped off the ride, he shrugged and, in a distressingly calm voice, remarked that it was not as exciting as other rides he’d been on. As I listened, I began to sense something seriously out of balance.Throughout the season, I noticed similar events all around me. Parents seemed hard pressed to find new thrills for indifferent kids. Surrounded by ever-greater stimulation, their young faces wore looking disappointed and bored.Facing their children’s complaints of “nothing to do”. Parents were shelling out large numbers of dollars for various forms of entertainment. In many cases the money seemed to do little more than buy transient relief from the terrible moans of their bored children. This set me pondering the obvious question: “How can it be so hard for kids to find something to do when there’s never been such a range of stimulating entertainment available to them?”Why do children immersed in this much excitement seem starved for more? That was, I realized, the point. I discovered during my own reckless adolescence that what creates excitement is not going fast, but going faster. Thrills have less to do with speed than changes in speed.I’m concerned about the cumulative effect of years at these levels of feverish activity. It is no mystery to me why many teenagers appear apathetic (麻木的) and burned out, with a “been there, done that”air of indifference toward much of life. As increasing numbers of friends’ children are prescribed medications-stimulants to deal with inattentiveness at school or anti-depressants to help with the loss of interest and joy in their lives-l question the role of kids boredom in some of the diagnoses.My own work is focused on the chemical imbalances and biological factors related to behavioral and emotional disorders. These are complex problems. Yet I’ve been reflecting more and more on how the pace of life and the intensity of stimulation may be contributing to the rising rates of psychiatric problems among children and adolescents in our society.21. The author felt surprised in the amusement park at the face that________.A) his son was not as thrilled by the roller coaster ride as expectedB) his son blasted through the turns and loops with his face stretchedC) his son appeared distressed but calm while riding the roller coasterD) his son could keep his balance so well on the fast-moving roller coaster22. According to the author, children are bored _________.A) unless their parents can find new thrills for themB) when they don’t have any access to stimulating fun gamesC) when they are left alone at weekends by their working parentsD) even if they are exposed to more and more kinds of entertainment23. From his own experience. the author came to the conclusion that children seem to expect________.A) a much wider variety of sports facilitiesB) activities that require sophisticatedC) ever-changing thrilling forms of recreationD) physical exercises that are more challenging24. In Para. 6 . the author expresses his doubt about the effectiveness of trying to change children indifference toward much of life by ________.A) diverting their interest from electronic visual gamesB) prescribing medications for their temporary reliefC) creating more stimulating activities for themD) spending more money on their entertainment25. In order to alleviate children’s boredom, the author w ould probably suggest ____ .A) adjusting the pace of life and intensity of stimulationB) promoting the practice of dad-son daysC) consulting a specialist in child psychologyD) balancing school work with extracurricular activitiesPassage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.It used to be that people were proud to work for the same company for the whole of their working lives. They’d get a gold watch at the end of their productive years and a dinner featuring speeches by their bo sses praising their loyalty/But today’s rich cap italists have regressed (倒退) to the “survival of the fittest”ideas and their loyalty extends not to their workers or even to their stockholders but only to themselves. Instead of giving out gold watches worth a hundred or so dollars for forty or so years of work, they grab tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars as they sell for their own profit the company they may have been with for only a few years.The new rich selfishly act on their own to unfairly grab the wealth that the country as a whole has produced. The top l percent of the population now has wealth equal to the whole bottom 95 percent and they want more. Their selfishness is most shamelessly expressed in downsizing and outsourcing (将产品包给外公司做) because these business maneuvers don’t act to create new jobs as the founders of new industries used to do, but only to cut out jobs while keeping the money value of what those jobs produced for themselves.To keep the money machine working smoothly the rich have bought all the politicians from the top down. The president himself is constantly leaving. Washington and the business of the nation because he is summoned to “fundraising dinners” where fat cats pay a thousand or so dollars a plate to worm their way into government not through service but through donations of vast amounts of money. Once on the inside they have both political parties busily tearing up all the regulations that protect the rest of us from the greed of the rich.The middle class used to be loyal to the free enterprise system. In the past, the people of the middle class mostly thought they’d be rich themselves someday or have a good shot at becoming rich. But nowadays income is being distributed more and more unevenly and corporate loyalty is a thing of the past. The middle class may also wake up to forget its loyalty to the so-called freeenterprise system altogether and the government which governs only the rest of us while letting the corporations do what they please with our jobs. As things stand. if somebody doesn’t wake up, the middle class is on a path to being downsized all the way to the bottom of society.26. It can be inferred form the first paragraph that people used to place a high value on _________ .A) job securityB) boss es’ praiseC) corporate loyaltyD) retirement benefits27. The author is strongly critical of today’s rich capitalists for _________.A) not giving necessary assistance to laid-off workersB) maximizing their profits at the expense of workersC) not setting up long-term goals for their companiesD) rewarding only those who are considered the fittest28. The immediate consequence of the new capitalists’ practice is ________ .A) loss of corporate reputationB) lower pay for the employeesC) a higher rate of unemploymentD) a decline in business transactions29. The rich try to sway the policy of the government by ________ .A) occupying important positions in both political partiesB) making monetary contributions to decision-makersC) pleasing the public with generous donationsD) constantly hosting fundraising dinners30. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?A) To call on the middle class to remain loyal to the free enterprise system.B) To warn the government of the shrinking of the American middle class.C) To persuade the government to change its current economic policies.D) To urge the middle class to wake up and protect their own interests.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passageIntel chairman Andy Grove has decided to cut the Gordian knot of controversy surrounding stem cell research by simply writing a check.The check, which he pledged last week, could be for as much as $5 million, depending on how many donors make gifts of between $50,000 and $500,000. which he has promised to match. It will be made out to the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF).Thanks in part to such private donations, university research into uses for human stem cells the cells earliest stages of development that can form any body part-will continue in California. With private financial support, the state will be less likely to lose talented scientists who would betempted to leave the field or even leave the field or even leave the country as research dependent on federal money slows to a glacial (极其缓慢的) pace.Hindered by limits President Bush placed on stem cell research a year ago, scientists are turning to laboratories that can carry out work without using federal money. This is awkward for universities. Which must spend extra money building separate labs and keeping rigorous records proving no federal funds were involved. Grove’s donation, a first step toward a $20 million target at UCSF. Will ease the burden.The president’s decision a year ago to allow resear ch on already existing stem cell lines was portrayed as a reasonable compromise between scientists’ needs for cells to work with, and concerns that this kind of research cold lead to wholesale creation and destruction of human embryos (胚胎)。

学习-----好资料2006年12月英语六级真题(B卷)Part l Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)Section A1. A) The foggy weather has affected Mary's mood.B) They are puzzled about Mary's tow spirits.C) Mary is dissatisfied with her promotion.D) Mary cares too much about her looks.2. A) Go to an art exhibition.B) Dine out with an old friend.C) Attend the opening night of a play.D) See his paintings on display.3. A) Her mother was quite outstanding in academic work.B) She was not particularly interested in going to school.C) Her parents laid great emphasis on academic excellence.D) She helped upgrade the educational level of immigrants.4. A) The machines there were ill maintained.B) Tickets for its members were cheaper.C) It was filled with people all the time.D) It had a reputation for good service.5. A) Both Sarah and Tom have been awarded doctoral degrees.B) Tom has arranged to meet his bride Sarah in Hawaii.C) Tom was more excited than Sarah at the wedding.D) A double blessing has descended upon Tom.6. A) There were too many questions in the examination.B) The examination was well beyond the course content.C) The examination questions were somewhat too difficult.D) The course prepared him adequately for the examination.7. A) It's less time-consuming.B) His wife is tired of cooking.C) It's part of his job.D) He is sick of home-cooked meals.8. A) He has just started to teach piano lessons.B) He seldom takes things seriously.C) He is very proud of his piano skills.D) He usually understates his achievements.更多精品文档．学习-----好资料9. A) It's tedious.B) It's absurd.C) It's justifiable.D) It's understandable.10. A) Arrange accommodation for her.B) Explain the cause of the cancellation.C) Compensate her for the inconvenience.D) Allow her to take another flight that night.Section BPassage oneQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.11. A) Producing legendary paintings.B) Making a fortune from decorative arts.C) Manufacturing quality furniture.D) Setting up a special museum.12. A) To show his fascination with Asian culture.B) To tell the story of the American Revolution.C) To promote interest in American decorative arts.D) To increase the popularity of the Dupont Company.13. A) By theme or period.B) By style or design.C) By manufacturer or origin.D) By function or purpose.Passage TwoQuestions 14 to 16 are based on the passage you have just heard.14. A) People may use two or mare languages.B) People will choose Chinese rather than English.C) The percentage of native speakers of English will inerease.D) The number of people relying on their mother tongue will drop.15. A) The number of Spanish speakers is far greater than that of Arabic speakers.B) Arabic spoken in one Arab country may not be understood in another.C) Arabic spoken in Egypt differs from Arabic spoken in Morocco in origin.D) The number of Arabic speakers is declining because of the invasion of English.16. A) It is impossible for Arab countries to standardize their language.更多精品文档．学习-----好资料B) Most people in the world will learn to speak Chinese in the future.C) It is uncertain whether English will world language in the future.D) Spanish is very likely to become the top language of the world by 2050.Passage ThreeQuestions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.17. A) Because they believe blind students prefer to mix with students who can see.B) Because it would cost lots of money to build such special colleges.C) Because it would constitute discrimination against blind students.D) Because they think blind people should learn to live among sighted people.18. A) By encouraging them to be more self-reliant.B) By showing them proper care and respect.C) By offering them more financial assistance.D) By providing them with free medical service.19. A) Financial aid from the American government.B) Modern technology.C) Professional support.D) Help from the National Federation of the Blind.20. A) Ask American professors to write recommendations on their behalf.B) Obtain American citizenship before they reach the age of 30.C) Turn to special institutions in their own country for assistance.D) Apply to the National Federation of the Blind for scholarships.Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.Each summer, no matter how pressing my work schedule, I take off one day exclusively formy son. We call it dad-son day. This year our third stop was the amusement park, where he discovered that he was tall enough to ride one of the fastest roller coasters(过山车) in the world. We blasted through face-stretching turns and loops for ninety seconds. Then, as we stepped off the ride, he shrugged and, in a distressingly calm voice, remarked that it was not as exciting as other rides he'd been on. As I listened, I began to sense something seriously out of balance. Throughout the season, I noticed similar events all around me. Parents seemed hard pressedto find new thrills for indifferent kids. Surrounded by ever-greater stimulation, their young faceswore looking disappointed and bored.Facing their children's complaints of “nothing to do”. Parents were shelling out large numbers of dollars for various forms of entertainment. In many cases the money seemed to dolittle more than buy transient relief from the terrible moans of their bored children. This set me pondering the obvious question: “How can it be so hard for kids to find something to do when there's never been such a range of stimulating entertainment available to them?”更多精品文档．学习-----好资料Why do children immersed in this much excitement seem starved for more? That was, I realized, the point. I discovered during my own reckless adolescence that what creates excitement is not going fast, but going faster. Thrills have less to do with speed than changes in speed.I'm concerned about the cumulative effect of years at these levels of feverish activity. It is no mystery to me why many teenagers appear apathetic (麻木的) and burned out, with a “been there, done that”air of indifference toward much of life. As increasing numbers of friends' children are prescribed medications-stimulants to deal with inattentiveness at school or anti-depressants to help with the loss of interest and joy in their lives-l question the role of kids boredom in some of the diagnoses.My own work is focused on the chemical imbalances and biological factors related tobehavioral and emotional disorders. These are complex problems. Yet I've been reflecting more and more on how the pace of life and the intensity of stimulation may be contributing to the rising rates of psychiatric problems among children and adolescents in our society.21. The author felt surprised in the amusement park at the face that________.A) his son was not as thrilled by the roller coaster ride as expectedB) his son blasted through the turns and loops with his face stretchedC) his son appeared distressed but calm while riding the roller coasterD) his son could keep his balance so well on the fast-moving roller coaster22. According to the author, children are bored _________.A) unless their parents can find new thrills for themB) when they don't have any access to stimulating fun gamesC) when they are left alone at weekends by their working parentsD) even if they are exposed to more and more kinds of entertainment23. From his own experience. the author came to the conclusion that children seem to expect________.A) a much wider variety of sports facilitiesB) activities that require sophisticatedC) ever-changing thrilling forms of recreationD) physical exercises that are more challenging24. In Para. 6 . the author expresses his doubt about the effectiveness of trying to change children indifference toward much of life by ________.A) diverting their interest from electronic visual gamesB) prescribing medications for their temporary reliefC) creating more stimulating activities for themD) spending more money on their entertainment25. In order to alleviate children's boredom, the author would probably suggest ____ .A) adjusting the pace of life and intensity of stimulationB) promoting the practice of dad-son daysC) consulting a specialist in child psychologyD) balancing school work with extracurricular activities更多精品文档．学习-----好资料Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.It used to be that people were proud to work for the same company for the whole of their working lives. They'd get a gold watch at the end of their productive years and a dinner featuring speeches by their bosses praising their loyalty/But today's rich capitalists have regressed (倒退) to the “survival of the fittest”ideas and their loyalty extends not to their workers or even to their stockholders but only to themselves. Instead of giving out gold watches worth a hundred or so dollars for forty or so years of work, they grab tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars as they sell for their own profit the company they may have been with for only a few years.The new rich selfishly act on their own to unfairly grab the wealth that the country as a whole has produced. The top l percent of the population now has wealth equal to the whole bottom 95 percent and they want more. Their selfishness is most shamelessly expressed in downsizing and outsourcing (将产品包给外公司做) because these business maneuvers don't act to create new jobs as the founders of new industries used to do, but only to cut out jobs while keeping the money value of what those jobs produced for themselves.To keep the money machine working smoothly the rich have bought all the politicians fromthe top down. The president himself is constantly leaving. Washington and the business of the nation because he is summoned to “fundraising dinners”where fat cats pay a thousand or so dollars a plate to worm their way into government not through service but through donations of vast amounts of money. Once on the inside they have both political parties busily tearing up all the regulations that protect the rest of us from the greed of the rich.The middle class used to be loyal to the free enterprise system. In the past, the people of the middle class mostly thought they'd be rich themselves someday or have a good shot at becoming rich. But nowadays income is being distributed more and more unevenly and corporate loyalty is a thing of the past. The middle class may also wake up to forget its loyalty to the so-called free enterprise system altogether and the government which governs only the rest of us while letting the corporations do what they please with our jobs. As things stand. if somebody doesn't wake up, the middle class is on a path to being downsized all the way to the bottom of society.26. It can be inferred form the first paragraph that people used to place a high value on_________ .A) job securityB) bosses' praiseC) corporate loyaltyD) retirement benefits27. The author is strongly critical of today's rich capitalists for _________.A) not giving necessary assistance to laid-off workersB) maximizing their profits at the expense of workersC) not setting up long-term goals for their companiesD) rewarding only those who are considered the fittest28. The immediate consequence of the new capitalists' practice is ________ .A) loss of corporate reputation更多精品文档．学习-----好资料B) lower pay for the employeesC) a higher rate of unemploymentD) a decline in business transactions29. The rich try to sway the policy of the government by ________ .A) occupying important positions in both political partiesB) making monetary contributions to decision-makersC) pleasing the public with generous donationsD) constantly hosting fundraising dinners30. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?A) To call on the middle class to remain loyal to the free enterprise system.B) To warn the government of the shrinking of the American middle class.C) To persuade the government to change its current economic policies.D) To urge the middle class to wake up and protect their own interests.Passage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passageIntel chairman Andy Grove has decided to cut the Gordian knot of controversy surrounding stem cell research by simply writing a check.The check, which he pledged last week, could be for as much as $5 million, depending onhow many donors make gifts of between $50,000 and $500,000. which he has promised to match. It will be made out to the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF).Thanks in part to such private donations, university research into uses for human stem cellsthe cells earliest stages of development that can form any body part-will continue in California. With private financial support, the state will be less likely to lose talented scientists who would be tempted to leave the field or even leave the field or even leave the country as research dependent on federal money slows to a glacial (极其缓慢的) pace.Hindered by limits President Bush placed on stem cell research a year ago, scientists areturning to laboratories that can carry out work without using federal money. This is awkward for universities. Which must spend extra money building separate labs and keeping rigorous records proving no federal funds were involved. Grove's donation, a first step toward a $20 million targetat UCSF. Will ease the burden.The president's decision a year ago to allow research on already existing stem cell lines was portrayed as a reasonable compromise between scientists' needs for cells to work with, and concerns that this kind of research cold lead to wholesale creation and destruction of human embryos (胚胎)。

12月六级考试答案(B卷) 2006年12月六级考试答案(B卷)Part I Listening ComprehensionSection A Short Conversations1.B) They are puzzled about Mary’s low spirits.2.A) Go to an art exhibition.3.C) Her parents laid great emphasis on academic excellence.4.C) It was filled with people all the time.5.D) A double blessing has descended upon Tom.6.B) The examination was well beyond the course content.7.C) It’s part of his job.8.D) He usually understates his achievements.9.B) It’s absurd.10. A) Arrange accommodation for her.Section B Short Passages11. D) Setting up a special museum.12. C) To promote interest in American decorative arts.13. A) By theme or period.14. A) People may use two or more languages.15. B) Arabic spoken in one Arab country may not be understood in another.16. C) It’s uncertain whether English will be the world language in the future.17. D) Because they think blind people should learn to live among sighted people.18. A) By encouraging them to be more self-reliant.19. B) Modern technology.20. D) Apply to the national Federation of the Blind for scholarships.Part II Reading Comprehension21. A) his son was not as thrilled by the roller coaster rider as expected22. D) even if they are exposed to more kinds of entertainment23. C) ever-changing thrilling forms of recreation24. B) prescribing medications for their temporary relief.25. A) adjusting the pace of life and intensity of stimulation26. C) corporate loyalty27. B) maximizing their profits at the expense of workers28. C) a higher rate of unemployment29. B) making monetary contributions to decision-makers30. D) To urge the middle class to wake up and protect their own interest31. C) settle the dispute on stem cell research quickly32. A) interested businesses and individuals33. D) have to raise money to build separate labs34. A) human stem cells are used in the research35. B) he did not want to offend its opponents36. D) tenants renting a house over a year37. B) appropriate housing may not be readily available38. C) tenants have done damage to the house39. D) To make it easier for the State Assembly to pass the bill40. A) both bills are likely to be made state lawsPart III Vocabulary41.A)extinct42.B)retrieve43.D)scrutiny44.C)irritate45.B)costumes46.D)lingered47.A)traits48.D)in abundance49.C)exiled50.B)chronic51.D)commemorate52.A)toxic53.B)integral54.C)heritage55.D)enriched56.C)cater to57.A)migration58.C)conserving59.D)activated60.A)minimize61.B)gigantic62.D)simulation63.C)vulnerable64.B)prevalent65.A)ethnic66.C)prone67.D)bewildered68.B)addiction69.C)elite70.A)hypothesisPart IV Error CorrectionS1.在much和the way间插入to S2.what > whereS3.which > thatS4.original > originS5.system > systemsS6.by > inS7.it > themS8.efficient > inefficientS9.facilitates > facilitate S10.possibly > possible。

参考答案2006年12月答案Test FivePart I Writing SampleThe Importance of Reading ClassicsIt is widely acknowledged that reading the classics is both important and beneficial to the character development and personal growth of the young people. To me, nothing can bring more joy and happiness than reading those masterpieces created by great figures like Confucius and Cao Xueqin. I believe works like The Dream in the Red Chamber and The Legend of Three Kingdoms can drastically elevate one’s aesthetic taste and deepen the understanding of the glorious history of Chinese culture.However, the modern society is full of temptations. Compared with TV soap operas, sport events, and video games, classical literary works are old fashioned and time consuming. In bookstores, ―Fast-food‖ reading materials are replacing classics, and young writers with sensational and ―cool‖ remarks win the support of a large number of fans.As the salt of this world, we college students should be fully aware of the important role the classics pl ay in broadening one’s vision. Therefore, we should start reading and studying the treasuries our ancestors left and absorbing the essence of those classical works. We should also advocate to the public the importance of classics so that an increasing number of general people can enjoy the pleasure of reading.Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)1. N2. Y3. Y4. NG5. a trip to the Mir Space Station6. a space hotel7. small gravitational pull8. the fuel to take off / launch9. $50,00010. space travelPart III Listening ComprehensionSection A11. D 12. C 13. B 14. C 15. D16. A 17. B 18. A 19. B 20.D21. A 22. B23. B 24.C 25. ASection B26. B 27. C 28.C 29.D 30. A31. D 32. A 33. C 34.D 35. BSection C36. addition 37. psychologist 38. recognize 39. challenges40. wisdom 41. identify 42. secret 43. specific44. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they canrespond to them45. What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn46. Even without being taught new words, a control group caught up with the other infants within a fewmothsPart IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth)Section A47. a blessing48. simplified49. A tragedy / disaster / loss almost occurred to itOr: it had nearly been destroyed by a firestorm.50. different51. make a list of the unnecessary things before unloading themSection B52. A 53. D 54. A 55. D 56. B57. B 58. C 59. D 60. A 61. APart V Error Correction62. on→in63. report后面加was64. demand→demanding65. 去掉to66. in 改为that67. writing→write68. desirable→undesirable69. begin→began70. its→their71. nation→nationalPart VI Translation72. followed my advice, you would not have run into trouble73. watched her injured son being sent into the operation room74. were advised not to travel to that country at the moment75. by/ via email instead of phone76. It was not until the deadline did he send out/post.Tapescripts：Section A11. W: I need to find a dentist; you said you know Dr. Smith well, do you recommend her?M: Well, I had to see her a few times, but what impressed me most were the magazines in her waiting room.Q: What does the woman imply?12. W: I’m afraid I can’t show you the apartment at the moment, because the tenant is still living in it. It’sreally a lovely place, with a big kitchen and a sunny window, for only two hundred dollars a month.M: Sounds good, but we really can’t rent an apartment without seeing it first.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?13. M: So, that’s what’s been keeping you so busy recently!W: Yes, I’ve been tied up with my studies. You know I’m planning to go to the United States this coming summer, but I’m a bit nervous about my English.Q: What is the woman busy doing?14. W: How did you feel when you found out you had high blood pressure?M: Shocked! The problem for me was that there were no symptoms; it seemed to have sneaked up on me.Q: What does the man mean?15. W: So, you’re just back from a trip to India. What were you doing there?M: The trip was intended to bring to the world’s attention the fact that AIDS is not just an African disease; it’s also endangering other countries, notably, India and Thailand.Q: What was the purpose of the man’s trip to India?16. M: It’s quite clear form my visit, this is a full size, comprehensive university. So why is it still called acollege?W: The College of William and Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning in this country.We have nurtured great minds like Thomas Jefferson and we are proud of our name.Q: What do we learn from this conversation about the College of William and Mary?17. M: Have the parts we need for the photo copying machine arrived yet?W: I ordered them last week, but something is holding them up.Q: What does the woman say about the parts needed for the photo copying machine?18. W: The cafeteria provided many kinds of dished for us today. Did you notice that?M: Yes, kind of rare, isn’t it?Q: What does the man imply?Now you’ll hea r the two long conversations.Long Conversation One:W: Hello, Patrick, is that you?M: Yeah Jane, what can I do for you?W: I was calling about the apple tree that you were trimming yesterday.M: That was hard work!W: I’m sure it was. It sure looked diff icult.M: Yeah, I’m glad it’s finished. Hauling the branches to the front for garbage pick up was no fun either. W: Well, I don’t think you’re quite finished yet, some of the larger branches fell over into my yard, and I think you should come and get them.M: Listen Jane, I don’t see why I should do that. You eat all the apples that fall in your yard and you’ve never complained about that before.W: Well, it’s easier to pick up apples then to drag tree branches all the way to the curb. My kids pick up the apples, and the branches are just too big for them to drag.M: Well, I guess you’ll just have to do it yourself Jane.W: Patrick, I wish you would reconsider. We’ve always gotten along fairly well, but I think you’re out of line here. The branches are your responsibility.M: Sorry Jane, I disagree! You take the benefits of the apple tree, but refuse to deal with the bad side of it!Besides, it won’t take you any time to get the branches out front!W: Get the branches off my property or I’ll have to sue you.M: Yeah? For what?! You’re taking those law classes too seriously! I’ve gotta go, I have to pick up my son.W: You’ll be hearing from me.M: Yeah, yeah. See you in court Jane.Questions 19-22 are based on the questions you have just heard.19. What did the man do yesterday?20. What was the woman’s original plan when she went to Florence?21. What did the woman threaten to do?22. What was the man’s reaction to the woman’s threat?Long conversation 2M: Did you hear about the air crash that occurred in South America recently? It was quite a tragic accident!W: No，I didn’t see anything in the news about it. What happened?M: A foreign airliner was attempting to land at night in a mountainous area in Argentina and flew into ahill!W: That sounds really terrible! Did anyone survive?M: No, everyone aboard, including the crew, was killed instantly.W: What were the circumstances? Were they bad weather, a fire, or an engine failure?M: Apparently, there were so low clouds in the area, but mostly it was just miscommunication between the pilots and air traffic controllers.W: Weren’t they both speaking in English, the official international aviation language?M: Yes they were, but the transmit ion from poor quality radios was slightly distorted and the accents of the Spanish speaking controllers was so strong that the pilots misunderstood a vital instruction.W: How could a misunderstanding like that cause such a serious accident?M: The pilots were told to descend to 22,000 feet. The instruction actually meant 22,000 feet, but they thought they heard descend 2,000 fe et. That’s a huge difference, and it should have been confirmed, but it was not. Unfortunately, the terrain of the mountains in that region extends up to 20,000 feet. W: So the pilots did descend to the wrong altitude then, because they were following the air controllers’ instructions.M: Sadly enough, yes they did. It was a really bad mistake. Many people died as a result of the simply understanding.W: Wow, that’s a powerful lesson on how important it can be to accurately communicate to each other. Questions: 23-25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. What was the cause of the tragedy?24. How high are the mountains in the region?25. What lesson could be drawn from the accident?Section BPassage 1Edgar Poe, an American writer, was born in 1809. His parents were actors. Edgar was a baby when his father left the family. He was two years old when his mother died. He was taken into the home of a wealthy business man named John Allen. He then received his real name, Edgar Allen Poe. As a young man, Poe attended the University of Virginia. He was a good student, but he liked to drink alcohol and play card games for money. As an unskilled game player, he often lost money. Since he couldn’t pay off his gambling money, he left university and began working for magazines. He worked hard, yet he was not well paid, or well known. At the age of 27, he got married. For a time it seemed that Poe would find happiness, but his wife was sick for most of their marriage, and died in 1847. Through all his crises, Poe produced many stories and poems which appeared in different publications, yet he didn’t become famous until 1845, when his poem, The Raven, was published. There is a question, however, about Poe’s importance in American Literature. Some critics sa y that Poe was one of America’s best writers, and even influenced many French writers, but others disagree. They say that Poe’s work is difficult to understand and most of his writing describes many unpleasant situations and events. Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 when he was 40 years old. It is said that he was found dead after days of heavy drinking.Questions26 to 29 are based on the passage you’ve just heard:26. What happened to Edgar Allen Poe’s family, when he was only two years old?27. Why did Edgar Allen Poe leave the University of Virginia?28. What do some critics say about Edgar Allen Poe?29. How did Edgar Allen Poe’s life come to an end?Passage 2More than fifty years ago, the United Nations declared that literacy is a basic human right. It’s v ery important for improving the lives of individuals, however, it is estimated that 880 million adults aroundthe world are illiterate, that is, they are unable to read or write. A majority of them are women. Over 100 million school age children around the world do not attend school. Many others complete school or fail to finish their studies without learning to read or write. Many countries depend on the efforts of people who offer their time to help illiterate individuals. For example, John Mogger became concerned about the problem of illiteracy three years ago, so he started teaching five prisoners in Brazil. In his teaching, he developed a system with these prisoners. He says his way of teaching can help anyone learn how to read and write with about thirty hours of study. To learn his system, people must first know how to write letters of the alphabet and learn which sounds they represent. The system divides letters into three groups. The first group of letter can be written between two lines. The second can be written between two lines but part of the letter is above the top line. The third group has letters that are partly written below the lower line. John Mogger taught his students to write simply words from the letters, in this way, his students learned more than seven hundred words. Many of them can now write to family members. They also can read newspapers and magazines.Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you’ve just heard:30. According to the speaker, which group of people make up the majority of the illiterate population?31. What is the most important feature of John Moggers method of teaching the alphabet?32. What does John Mogger say about his teaching method?Passage 3Farmers usually use plows to prepare their fields for planting crops. Plows cut into the ground, and lift up weeds, and other unwanted plants. However, plowing is blamed for causing severe damage to top soil by removing the plants that protect soil from being blown or washed away. Many farmers in South Asia are now trying a process called Low Till Farming. Low Till Farming limits the use of plows. In this method of farming seeds and fertilizer are put into the soil through small cuts made in the surface of the ground. Low Till Agriculture leaves much or all the soil and remains of plants on the ground. They serve as a natural fertilizer and help support the roots of future crops. They take in rain and allow it to flow into the soil instead of running off. It has been proved that Low Till Farming increases harvests and reduces water use, and this method reduced the need for chemical products because there are fewer unwanted plants. Scientists say Low Till Farming is becoming popular in South Asia, which is facing a sever water shortage. They say the area will become depended on imported food unless water is saved through methods like Low Till Farming. Currently, more than 150 million people in South Asia depend on local rice and wheat crops. Farmers grow rice during wet weather. During the dry season they grow wheat in the same fields. Farmers are using the Low Till method to plant wheat after harvesting rice. Scientists say Low Till Agriculture is one of the best examples in the worlds of technologies working for both people, and the environment.Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you’ve just heard:33. What is the main problem cause by the usual way of plowing?34. What does the speaker say about Low Till Farming?35. Where is Low Till Farming becoming popular?Section CAdults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand (36) addition and subtraction. Now, British research (37) psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to (38) recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that (39) challenges in some ways, the received (40) wisdom that apart from learning to (41) identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. ―It’s no (42) secret that children learn words, but thewords they tend to know are linked to (43) specific situations in the home,‖ exp lains Shaffer. (44) This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting. ―Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,‖ Shaffer says, ―and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.‖ (45) What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. ―Language is a test case for human cognitive development,‖ says Shaffer, ―but parents eager to teach their infants should take note: (46) Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months. ―This is not about advancing development‖, he says, ―it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.‖2011年12月英语六级真题写作Directions:for this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled the way to success by commenting on Abraham Lincoln’s famous remark ,‖give me six hours to chop down a tree ,and I will spend the first four hours sharpe ning the axe‖ you should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.快速阅读Google's plan for world's biggest online library: philanthropy or act of piracy?Google has already scanned 10 million books in its bid to digitise the contents of the world's major librar ies, but a copyright battle now threatens the project, with Amazon and Microsoft joining authors and publisher s opposed to the scheme.In recent years the world's most venerable libraries have played host to some incongruous visitors. In dust y nooks and far-flung stacks, teams of workers dispatched by Google have been beavering away to make digit al copies of books. So far, Google has scanned more than 10 million titles from libraries in America and Eur ope –including half a million volumes held by the Bodleian in Oxford. The exact method it uses is unclear; t he company does not allow outsiders to observe the process.Why is Google undertaking such a venture, so seemingly out-of-kilter with its snazzy, hi-tech image? Why is it even interested in all those out-of-print library books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? The company claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, afte r all, is to "organise the world's information", so it would be odd if that information did not include books. Li ke the Ancient Egyptians who attempted to build a library at Alexandria containing all the known world's scro lls, Google executives talk of constructing a universal online archive, a treasure trove of knowledge that will b e freely available –or at least freely searchable –for all.The company likes to present itself as having lofty, utopian aspirations. "This really isn't about making m oney" is a mantra. "We are doing this for the good of society." As Santiago de la Mora, head of Google Boo ks for Europe, puts it: "By making it possible to search the millions of books that exist today, we hope to ex pand the frontiers of human knowledge."Dan Clancy, the chief architect of Google Books, offers an analogy with the invention of the Gutenberg p ress –Google's book project, he says, will have a similar democratising effect. He talks of people in far-flung parts being able to access knowledge as never before, of search queries leading them to the one, long out-of-print book they need.And he does seem genuine in his conviction that this is primarily a philanthropic exercise. "Google's core business is search and find, so obviously what helps improve Google's search engine is good for Google," he says. "But we have never built a spreadsheet outlining the financial benefits of this, and I have never had to justify the amount I am spending to the company's founders."It is easy, talking to Clancy and his colleagues, to be swept along by their missionary zeal. But Google's book-scanning project is proving controversial. Several opponents have recently emerged, ranging from rival tec h giants such as Microsoft and Amazon to small bodies representing authors and publishers across the world. I n broad terms, these opponents have levelled two sets of criticisms at Google.First, they have questioned whether the primary responsibility for digitally archiving the world's books sho uld be allowed to fall to a commercial company. In a recent essay in the New York Review of Books, Robert Darnton, the head of Harvard University's library, argued that because such books are a common resource –the possession of us all –only public, not-for-profit bodies should be given the power to control them.The second, related criticism is that Google's scanning of books is actually illegal. This allegation has led to Google becoming mired in a legal battle whose scope and complexity makes the Jarndyce and Jarndyce ca se in Bleak House look straightforward.At its centre, however, is one simple issue: that of copyright. The inconvenient fact about most books, to which Google has arguably paid insufficient attention, is that they are protected by copyright. Copyright laws differ from country to country, but in general protection extends for the duration of an author's life and for a substantial period afterwards, thus allowing the author's heirs to benefit. (In Britain and America, this post-deat h period is 70 years.) This means, of course, that almost all of the books published in the 20th century are st ill under copyright –and last century saw more books published than in all previous centuries combined. Of t he roughly 40 million books in US libraries, for example, an estimated 32 million are in copyright. Of these, some 27 million are out of print.Outside the US, Google has made sure only to scan books that are out of copyright and thus in the "pub lic domain" (works such as the Bodleian's first edition of Middlemarch, which anyone can read for free on Go ogle Books Search).But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright and out-of-copyright works. In its defence, Google points out that it displays only snippets of books that are in copyright –arguing that such displays ar e "fair use". But critics allege that by making electronic copies of these books without first seeking the permis sion of copyright holders, Google has committed piracy."The key principle of copyright law has always been that works can be copied only once authors have ex pressly given their permission," says Piers Blofeld, of the Sheil Land literary agency in London. "Google has r eversed this –it has simply copied all these works without bothering to ask."In 2005, the Authors Guild of America, together with a group of US publishers and publishers, launched a class action suit against Google that, after more than two years of wrangling, ended with an announcement l ast October that Google and the claimants had reached an out-of-court settlement. The full details are staggerin gly complicated –the text alone runs to 385 pages –and trying to summarise it is no easy task. "Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible," says Blofeld, one of the settlement's most vocal British critic s.Broadly, the deal provides a mechanism for Google to reimburse authors and publishers whose rights it ha s breached (including giving them a share of any future revenue it generates from their works). In exchange f or this, the rights holders agree not to sue Google in future.The settlement stipulates that a body known as the Books Rights Registry will represent the interests of U S copyright holders. Authors and publishers with a copyright interest in a book scanned by Google who make themselves known to the registry will be entitled to receive a payment –in the region of $60 per book –as compensation.听力理解Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and2 long conversations. At the end of eac h conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the quest ions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read th e four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.11.M: I don’t know what to do. I have to drive to Chicago next Friday for my cousin’s wedding, but I hav e got a Psychology test to prepare for.W: Why don’t you record your notes so you can study on the way?Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?12.M: Professor Wright, you may have to find another student to play this role, the lines are so long and I simply can’t remember them all.W: Look, Tony. It is still a long time before the first show. I don’t expect you to know all the lines yet. Just keep practicing.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?13.M: Hello, this is Dr. Martin from the Emergency Department. I have a male patient with a fractured ankl e.W: Oh, we have one bed available in ward 3, send him here and I will take care of him.Q: What are the speakers talking about?14.W: Since Simon will graduate this May, the school paper needs a new editor. So if you are interested, I will be happy to nominate you.M: Thanks for considering me. But the baseball team is starting up a new season. And I’m afraid I have a lot on my hands.Q: What does the man mean?15. W: Have you heard the news that Jame Smeil has resigned his post as prime minister?M: Well, I got it from the headlines this morning. It’s reported th at he made public at this decision at th e last cabinet meeting.Q: what do we learn about Jame Smeil?16. W: The morning paper says the space shuttle is taking off at 10 a.m. tomorrow.M: Yeah, it’s just another one of this year’s routine missions. T he first mission was undertaken a decade ago and broadcast live then worldwide.Q: what can we infer from this conversation?17. M: We do a lot of camping in the mountains. What would you recommend for two people?W: You’d probably be better off with the four real drive vehicle. We have several off-road trucks in stoc k, both new and used.Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?18. W: I hear you did some serious shopping this past weekend.M: Yeah, the speakers of my old stereo finally gave out and there was no way to repair them.Q: What did the man do over the weekend?Conversation OneW: Now, could you tell me where the idea for the business first came from?M: Well, the original shop was opened by a retired printer by the name of Gruby. Mr Gruby being left-h anded himself, thought of the idea to try to promote a few products for left-handers.W: And how did he then go about actually setting up the business?M: Well, he looked for any left-handed products that might already be on the market which were very fe w. And then contacted the manufactures with the idea of having products produced for him, mainly in the scis sors range to start with.W: Right. So you do commission some part of your stock.M: Yes, very much so. About 75 percent of our stock is specially made for us.W: And the rest of it?M: Hmm, the rest of it now, some 25, 30 years after Mr. Gruby’s initial efforts, there are more left-hand ed product actually on the market. Manufactures are now beginning to see that there is a market for left-hande d products.W: And what’s the range of your stock?M: The range consists of a variety of scissors from children scissors to scissors for tailors, hairdressers et c. We also have a large range of kitchen ware.W: What’s the competition like? Do you have quite a lot of competition?M: There are other people in the business now in specialists, but only as mail-order outlets. But we have a shop here in central London plus a mail-order outlet. And we are without any doubt the largest supplier ofthe left-handed items.Q19: What kind of business does the man engaged in?Q20: What does the man say about his stock of products?Q21: What does the man say about other people in his line of business?Conversation TwoM: Can we make you an offer? We would like to run the campaign for four extra weeks.W: well, can we summarize the problem from my point of view? First of all, the campaign was late. It missed two important trade affairs. The ads also did not appear into key magazines. As a result, the campaign failed. Do you accept that summary of what happened?M: well, the delay wasn’t entirely our fault. You did in fact make late changes to the specifications of th e advertisements.W: Uh, actually, you were late with the initial proposals so you have very little time and in fact, we onl y asked for small changes.M: Well whatever, can we repeat our offer to run the campaign for 4 extra weeks?W: That’s not really the point. The campaign missed two key t rade affairs. Because of this, we are askin g you either to repeat the campaign next year for free, or we only pay 50% of the fee for this year.M: Could we suggest a 20% reduction to the fee together with the four week sustention to the campaign.W: We are not happy. We lost business.M: I think we both made mistakes. The responsibility is on both sides.W: Ok, let’s suggest a new solution. How about a 40% cut in fee, or a free repeat campaign?M: Well, let’s take a break, we’re not getting very f ar. Perhaps we should think about this.22: What do we learn about the man’s company?23: Why was the campaign delayed according to the man?24: What does the woman propose as a solution to the problem?25: What does the man suggest they do at the end of the conversation?。

Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

11.A) Dr. Smith’s waiting room isn’t tidy. B) Dr. Smith enjoys reading magazines.C) Dr. Smith has left a good impression on her. D) Dr. Smith may not be a good choice.12.A) The man will rent the apartment when it is available.B) The man made a bargain with the landlady over the rent.C) The man insists on having a look at the apartment first.D) The man is not fully satisfied with the apartment.13.A) Packing up to go abroad. B) Brushing up on her English.C) Drawing up a plan for her English course. D) Applying for a visa to the United States.14.A) He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.B) He doesn’t think high blood pressure is a p roblem for him.C) He was not aware of his illness until diagnose d with it.D) He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.15.A) To investigate the causes of AIDS.B) To raise money for AIDS patients.C) To rally support for AIDS victims in Africa.D) To draw attention to the spread of AIDS in Asia.16.A) It has a very long history.B) It is a private institution.C) It was founded by Thomas Jefferson.D) It stresses the comprehensive study of nature.17.A) They can’t fit into the machine. B) They have not been delivered yet.C) They were sent to the wrong address. D) They were found to be of the wrong type.18.A) The food served in the cafeteria usually lacks variety.B) The cafeteria sometimes provides rare food for the students.C) The students find the service in the cafeteria satisfactory.D) The cafeteria tries hard to cater to the students’ needs.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19 .A) He picked up some apples in his yard.B) He cut some branches off the apple tree.C) He quarreled with his neighbor over the fence.D) He cleaned up all the garbage in the woman’s yard.20.A) Trim the apple trees in her yard. B) Pick up the apples that fell in her yard.C) Take the garbage to the curb for her. D) Remove the branches from her yard.21.A) File a lawsuit against the man. B) Ask the man for compensation.C) Have the man’s apple tree cut down. D) Throw garbage into the man’s yard.22.A) He was ready to make a concession. B) He was not intimidate d.C) He was not prepared to go to court. D) He was a bit concerned.Questions 23 to 25are based on the conversation you have just heard.23.A) Bad weather. B) Human error.C) Breakdown of the engines. D) Failure of the communications system.24.A) Two thousand feet. B) Twelve thousand feet.C) Twenty thousand feet. D) Twenty-two thousand feet.25.A) Accurate communication is of utmost importance.B) pilots should be able to speak several foreign languages.C) Air controllers should keep a close watch on the weather.D) Cooperation between pilots and air controllers is essential.Section B注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

根据考生答题的顺序，试卷共由6部分组成：写作测试、快速阅读理解、听力理解、仔细阅读理解、改错和翻译。

2006.12.24实际考卷结构如下：第一部分：写作 (时间:30 minutes)(分值:15分）第二部分：阅读理解 (时间:40 minutes)(分值:35分)仔细阅读理解 (25m)(篇章阅读理解和篇章词汇理解) （形式为分别为多项选择和选词填空) 快速阅读理解(15 minutes) (形式为是非判断 + 句子填空或其他 )第三部分：听力理解(时间:35 minutes)(分值:35分)听力对话(短对话和长对话)(形式为多项选择)听力短文(短文理解和短文听写)(形式为分别为多项选择和复合式听写)第四部分综合测试 (时间:20 minutes)(分值:15分)完型填空或改错 (15m) (形式分别为多项选择和错误辨认并改正)篇章问答或句子翻译 (5m) (形式为简短回答或汉译英)先做写作，再做快速阅读，再做听力，最后做其它题型。

样卷结构试题内容答题时间答题卡Part I Writing 30 minutes Answer Sheet 1Part II Reading Comprehension(Skimming and Scanning) 15 minutesPart III Listening Comprehension 35 minutes Answer Sheet 2Part IV Reading Comprehension(Reading in Depth) 25 minutesPart V Cloze 15 minutesPart VI Translation 5 minutes2006年12月新英语六级真题（完整版）2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 写作/exam/zt_5757.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 快速阅读/exam/zt_5758.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 听力/exam/zt_5759.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 阅读1/exam/zt_5760.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 阅读2/exam/zt_5761.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 阅读3 /exam/zt_5762.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 改错/exam/zt_5763.asp2006年12月新英语六级真题 -- 翻译/exam/zt_5764.asp。

正保远程教育旗下品牌网站美国纽交所上市公司(NYSE:DL)外语教育网外语学习的网上乐园2006年12月大学英语六级考试真题Part I Writing (30 minutes)1．阅读经典书籍对人的成长至关重要2．现在愿意阅读经典的人却越来越少，原因是……3．我们大学生应该怎么做The Importance of Reading ClassicsPart II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning )(15 minutes)Space TourismMake your reservations now. The space tourism industry is officially open for business, and tickets are going for a mere $20 million for a one-week stay in space. Despite reluctance from National Air and Space Administration (NASA), Russi a made American businessman Dennis Tito the world’s first space tourist. Tito flew into space aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket that arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on April 30,2001. The second space tourist, South African businessman Mark Shuttleworth, took off aboard the Russian Soyuz on April 25, 2002, also bound for the ISS.Lance Bass of’N Sync was supposed to be the third to make the $20 million trip, but he did not join the three-man crew as they blasted off on October 30,2002, due to lack of payment. Probably the most incredible aspect of this proposed space tour was that NASA approved of it.These trips are the beginning of what could be a profitable 21st century industry. There are already several space tourism companies planning to build suborbital vehicles and orbital cities within the next two decades. These companies have invested millions, believing that the space tourism industry is on the verge of taking off.In 1997, NASA published a report concluding that selling trips into space to private citizens could be worth billions of dollars. A Japanese report supports these findings, and projects that space tourism could be a $10 billion per year industry within the next two decades. The only obstacles to opening up space to tourists are the space agencies, who are concerned with safety and the development of a reliable, reusable launch vehicle.Space AccommodationsRussia’s Mir space station was supposed to be the first destination for space tourists. But in March 2001, the Russian Agency brought Mir down into the Pacific Ocean. As it turned out, bringing down Mir only temporarily delayed the first tourist trip into space.The Mir crash did cancel plans for a new reality-based game show from NBC, which was going to be called Destination Mir. The survivor-like TV show was scheduled to air in fall 2001. Participants on the show were to go through training at Russia’s cosmonaut(宇航员) training center, Star City. Each week, one of the participants would be eliminated from the show, with the winner receiving a trip to the Mir space station. The Mir crash has ruled out NBC’s space plants for now. NASA is against beginning space tourism until the International Space Station is completed in 2006.Russia in not alone in its interest in space tourism. There are several projects underway to commercialize space。

2006年12月六级听力真题原文及答案Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

11.A) Dr. Smith’s waiting room isn’t tidy. B) Dr. Smith enjoys reading magazines. C) Dr. Smith has left a good impression on her. D) Dr. Smith may not be a good choice.12. A) The man will rent the apartment when it is available.B) The man made a bargain with the landlady over the rent.C) The man insists on having a look at the apartment first.D) The man is not fully satisfied with the apartment.13. A) Packing up to go abroad. B) Brushing up on her English.C) Drawing up a plan for her English course. D) Applying for a visa to the United States.14. A) He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.B) He doesn’t think high blood pressure is a problem for h im.C) He was not aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.D) He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.15. A) To investigate the causes of AIDS.B) To raise money for AIDS patients.C) To rally support for AIDS victims in Africa.D) To draw attention to the spread of AIDS in Asia.16. A) It has a very long history. B) It is a private institution.C) It was founded by Thomas Jefferson. D) It stresses the comprehensive study of nature.17. A) They can’t fit into the machine. B) They h ave not been delivered yet.C) They were sent to the wrong address. D) They were found to be of the wrong type.18. A) The food served in the cafeteria usually lacks variety.B) The cafeteria sometimes provides rare food for the students.C) The students find the service in the cafeteria satisfactory.D) The cafeteria tries hard to cater to the students’ needs. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19 .A) He picked up some apples in his yard.B) He cut some branches off the apple tree.C) He quarreled with his neighbor over the fence.D) He cleaned up all the garbage in the woman’s yard.20. A) Trim the apple trees in her yard. B) Pick up the apples that fell in her yard. C) Take the garbage to the curb for her. D) Remove the branches from her yard.21. A) File a lawsuit against the man. B) Ask the man for compensation.C) Have the man’s apple tree cut down. D) Throw garbage into the man’s yard.22. A) He was ready to make a concession. B) He was not intimidated.C) He was not prepared to go to court. D) He was a bit concerned. Questions 23 to 25are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) Bad weather. B) Human error.C) Breakdown of the engines. D) Failure of the communications system.24. A) Two thousand feet. B) Twelve thousand feet.C) Twenty thousand feet. D) Twenty-two thousand feet.25. A) Accurate communication is of utmost importance.B) pilots should be able to speak several foreign languages.C) Air controllers should keep a close watch on the weather.D) Cooperation between pilots and air controllers is essential. Section B注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

2006年12月6级真题Part I WritingDirections:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled The Celebration of Western Festival. You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below:1．现在国内有不少人喜欢过西方的洋节2．产生这种现象的原因3．这种现象可能带来的影响……Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Why They CameNot many decisions could have been more difficult for a family to make than to say farewell to a community where it had lived for centuries, to abandon old ties and familiar landmarks, and to sail across dark seas to a strange land. Today, when mass communications tell one part of the world all about another, it is quite easy to understand how poverty or tyranny might force people to exchange an old nation for a new one. But centuries ago migration was a leap into the unknown. It was an enormous intellectual and emotional commitment. The forces that moved early immigrants to their great decision – the decision to leave their homes and begin an adventure filled with uncertainty, risk and hardship –must have been of overpowering proportions. As Oscar Handlin states, the early immigrants of America ―would collide with unaccustomed problems, learn to understand alien ways and alien languages, manage to survive in a very foreign environment.‖Despite the obstacles and uncertainties that lay ahead of them, millions did migrate to ―the promised land‖–America. But what was it that moved so many to migrate against such overwhelming odds (可能性)? There were probably as many reasons for coming to America as there were people who came. It was a highly individual decision. Yet it can be said that three large forces –religious persecution, political oppression and economic hardship –provided the chief motives for the mass migrations to America. They were responding in their own way to the pledge of the Declaration of Independence: the promise of ―life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.‖The search for freedom of worship has brought people to America from the days of the Pilgrims to modern times. In 1620, for example, the Mayflower carried a cargo of 102 passengers who ―welcomed the opportunity to advance the gospel(训言) of Christ in these remote parts.‖ A number of other groups such as the Jews and Quakers came to America after the Pilgrims, all seeking religious freedom. In more recent times, anti-Semitic persecution in Hitler’s Germany has driven people from their homes to seek refuge in America. However, not all religious sects(教派) have received the tolerance and understanding for which they came. The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony showed as little tolerance for dissenting(不同意的) beliefs as the Anglicans of England had shown them. They quickly expelled other religious groups from their society. Minority religious sects, from the Quakers and Shakers through the Catholics and Jews to the Mormons, have at various times suffered both discrimination and hostility in the United States.But the diversity of religious belief has made for religious toleration. In demanding freedom for itself, each sect had to permit freedom for others. The insistence of each successive wave of immigrants upon its right to practice its religion helped make freedom of worship a central part ofthe American Creed(宗教信条). People who gambled their lives on the right to believe in their own God would not easily surrender that right in a new society.The second great force behind immigration has been political oppression. America has always been a refuge from tyranny. As a nation conceived in liberty, it has held out to the world the promise of respect for the rights of man. Every time a revolution has failed in Europe, every time a nation has succumbed to tyranny(暴政), men and women who love freedom have assembled their families and their belongings and set sail across the seas. This process has not come to an end in our own day. The terrors of Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy, the terrible wars of Southeast Asia – all have brought new thousands seeking safety in the United States.The economic factor has been more complex than the religious and political factors. From the very beginning, some have come to America in search of riches, some in flight from poverty, and some because they were bought and sold and had no choice.And the various reasons are intertwined. Thus some early arrivals were lured to these shores by dreams of amassing(积聚) great wealth, like the Spanish in Mexico and Peru. These adventurers, expecting quick profits in gold, soon found that real wealth lay in such crops as tobacco and cotton. As they built up the plantation economy in states like Virginia and the Carolinas, they needed cheap labor. So they began to import indentured servants from England (men and women who agreed to labor a term of years in exchange for eventual freedom). And slaves from Africa.The process of industrialization in America increased the demand for cheap labor, and chaotic economic conditions in Europe in creased the supply. If some immigrants continued to believe that the streets of New York were paved with gold, more were driven by the hunger and hardship of their native lands. The Irish potato famine of 1845 brought almost a million people to America in five years. American manufacturers advertised in European newspapers, offering to pay the passage of any man willing to come to America to work for them.The immigrants who came for economic reasons contributed to the strength of the new society in several ways. Those who came from countries with advanced political and economic institutions brought with them faith in those institutions and experience in making them work. They also brought technical and managerial skills which contributed greatly to economic growth in the new land. Above all, they helped give America the extraordinary social mobility which is the essence of an open society.In the community he had left, the immigrant usually had a fixed place. He would carry on his father’s craft of trade; he would farm his father’s land or that small portion of it that was left him after it was divided with his brothers. Only with the most exceptional talent and enterprise could he break out of the circumstances in life into which he had been born. There were no such circumstances for him in the New World. Once having broken with the past, except for sentimental ties and cultural inheritance, he had to rely on his own abilities. It was the future and not the past which he had to face. Except for the Negro slave, the immigrant could go anywhere and do anything his talents permitted. A large, virgin continent lay before him, and he had only to join it together by canals, railroads and roads. If he failed to achieve the dream of a better life for himself, he could still retain it for his children.These were the major forces that started this massive migration to America. Every immigrant served to reinforce and strengthen those elements in American society that had attracted him in the first place. The motives of some immigrants were commonplace. The motives of other were noble.Taken together they add up to the strengths and weaknesses of America.1. Early immigrants _____________________.A. didn’t find it difficult to make decisions to leave their homes.B. were able to know the nation before they left their homes.C. had to face the uncertainties and obstacles when they migrated to a strange land.D. were forced to leave their homeland unwillingly.2. People migrated to America for the following reasons EXCEPT ___________.A. searching for new religious freedom.B. breaking with past cultural inheritance.C. escape political oppression.D. searching for riches.3. The Puritans of the Massachusetts serve as an example of _______________.A. freedom of worshipB. religious intoleranceC. economic successD. respect for the rights of man.4. The diversity of religious belief has ultimately resulted in_______________.A. religious persecution.B. discriminationC. religious toleranceD. hostility5. As a result of the terror of Hitler’s Germany, __________________.A. thousands of Germans revolted against Hitler.B. the Jews and the native Germans succumbed to the tyranny.C. the Germans and Jews fled to seek political protection.D. many Germans left for the U.S. to seek security.6. Some early adventurers like the Spanish in Mexico and Peru were drawn to America by _____________.A. dreams of freedomB. dreams of pursuing great fortuneC. dreams of religious freedomD. dreams of political freedom7. Slaves were imported from Africa for the _________________ reason.A. politicalB. economicC. culturalD. religious8. In what way did immigrants seeking economic freedom contribute to the strength of the U.S. economy?A. They introduced advanced political and economic elites.B. They brought with them technical and managerial skills.C. They introduced the freedom of religion.D. They helped establish social stability.9. The most important contribution immigrants had made to the open society of America is ______________________.10. In the New World, immigrants had to break with the past, and achieved the dream of a better life by relying on _________________.Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)Section A11. A) She helped upgrade the educational level of immigrants.B) Her mother was quite outstanding in academic work.C) She was not particularly interested in going to school.D) Her parents laid great emphasis on academic excellence.12. A) Tickets for its members were cheaper. B) It was filled with people all the time.C) It had a reputation for good service. D) The machines there were iii maintained.13. A) Tom has arranged to meet his bride Sarah in Hawaii.B) A double blessing has descended upon Tom.C) Tom was more excited than Sarah at the wedding.D) Both Sarah and Tom have been awarded doctoral degrees.14. A) The course prepared him adequately for the examination.B) The examination questions were somewhat too difficult.C) The examination was well beyond the course content.D) There were too many questions in the examination.15. A) It’s part of his job.B) It’s less time-consuming.C) His wife is tired of cooking. D) He is sick of home-cooked meals.16. A) He seldom takes things seriously. B) He is very proud of his piano skills.C) He has just started to teach piano lessons. D) He usually understates his achievements.17. A) It’s absurd.B) It’s tedious.C) It’s understandable.D) It’s jus tifiable.18. A) Allow her to take another flight that night. B) Compensate her for the inconvenience.C) Explain the cause of the cancellation. D) Arrange accommodation for her. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) He doesn’t want to take final exams.B) He hasn’t prepared well for his tests.C) He has too many exams on the same day. D) He needs to get good scores on his tests.20. A) He should go to the Dean of Students Office.B) He ought to talk immediately to his professors.C) He should begin studying at once.D) He ought to decide which tests are most important.21. A) They are both excellent students. B) They have two classes together.C) They haven’t taken final exams before.D) They live in the same dormitory.22. A) Psychology. B) Anthropology. C) Calculus. D) Chemistry. Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A) At a dentist office. B) In a school. C) In an ambulance. D) At a hospital.24. A) Doctors. B) Nurses. C) Hospital administrators. D) Patients.25. A) Because they don’t get much practice with them.B) Because they often use them in their work.C) Because they have to pass a test.D) Because they plan to become doctors.Section BPassage OneQuestions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) Setting up a special museum. B) Producing legendary paintings.C) Manufacturing quality furniture. D) Making a fortune from decorative arts.27. A) To increase the popularity of the DuPont Company.B) To promote interest in American decorative arts.C) To tell the story of the American Revolution.D) To show his fascination with Asian culture.28. A) By style or design. B) By manufacturer or origin.C) By function or purpose. D) By theme or period.Passage TwoQuestions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.29. A) The number of people relying on their mother tongue will drop.B) The percentage of native speakers of English will increase.C) People will choose Chinese rather than English.D) People may use two or more languages.30. A) The number of Spanish speakers is far greater than that of Arabic speakers.B) Arabic spoken in Egypt differs from Arabic spoken in Morocco in origin.C) Arabic spoken in one Arab country may not be understood in another.D) The number of Arabic speakers is declining because of the invasion of English.31. A) It is uncertain whether English will be the world language in the future.B) Spanish is very likely to become the top language of the world by 2050.C) Most people in the world will learn to speak Chinese in the future.D) It is impossible for Arab countries to standardize their language.Passage ThreeQuestions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.32. A) Because it would cost lots of money to build such special colleges.B) Because it would constitute discrimination against blind students.C) Because they believe blind students prefer to mix with students who can see.D) Because they think blind people should learn to live among sighted people.33. A) By providing them with free medical service.B) By encouraging them to be more self-reliant.C) By offering them more financial assistance.D) By showing them proper care and respect.34. A) Modern technology. B) Professional support.C) Financial aid from the American government.D) Help from the National Federation of the Blind.35. A) Ask American professors to write recommendations on their behalf.B) Obtain American citizenship before they reach the age of 30.C) Apply to the National Federation of the Blind for scholarships.D) Turn to special institutions in their own country for assistance.Section CThe 142-member World Trade Organization (WTO) has reached a (36) ____________ point in efforts to (37) ___________ a new round of global trade negotiations. The trade body’s director-general is warning that if new negotiations are not held soon, the WTO risks being considered (38) ___________The last major round of World Trade Negotiations, the so-called Uruguay Round, conducted by the WTO’s (39) _________ the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, ended successfully in 1993.In 1999 in Seattle, there was a (40) ___________ failure to start a new round. The ministers attending the Seattle meeting were unable to reach an agreement on what the (41) _____________and agenda of fresh negotiations should be.The impact of that (42) __________ produced a resolve that it should not be repeated. But just more than three months before a WTO ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar, there is still no (43) ____________ on the agenda.One of several obstacles to agreement lies in the argument by developing countries that (44) ______________ _________________________ and they want preliminary assurances that this situation will not continue.Mr. Moore pointed out that the needs of the most advanced economies also have to be taken into account. ―I have said this before, and some do not like me saying it, but the major economies have needs to,‖ he said. ―(45) ________________________________________________________. The new global rules have to take into account the realities of the new economy. And when you have three countries that represent over 60 percent of the world’s imports, therefore jobs everywhere, they have some needs as well.‖Mr. Moore said (46) _________________________________________________.Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)Section AQuestions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.Could the bad old days of economic decline be about to return? Since OPEC agreed to supply cuts in March, the price of crude oil has jumped to almost $26 a barrel, up from less than $10 last December. This near tripling of oil prices calls up scary memories of the 1973 oil shock, when prices quadrupled, and 1979-80, when they also almost tripled. Both previous shocks resulted in double-digit inflation and global economic decline. So where are the headlines warning of gloom and doom the time?The oil price was given another push up this week when Iraq suspended oil exports. Strengthening economic growth, at the same time as winter grips the northern hemisphere, could push the price higher still in the short term.Yet there are good reasons to expect the economic consequences now to be less severe than in the 1970s. In most countries the cost of crude oil now accounts for a smaller share of the price of petrol than it did in the 1970s. In Europe, taxes account for up to four-fifths of the retail price, so even quite big changes in the price of crude have a more muted effect on pump prices than in the past.Rich economies are also less dependent on oil than they were, and so less sensitive to swings in the oil price. Energy conservation, a shift to other fuels and a decline in the importance of heavy, energy-intensive industries have reduced oil consumption. Software, consultancy and mobile telephones use far less oil than steel of car production. For each dollar of GDP (in constant prices) rich economies now use nearly 50% less oil than in 1973. The OECD estimates in its latest Economic Outlook that, if oil prices averaged $22 a barrel for a full year, compared with $13 in 1998, this would increase the oil import bill in rich economies by only 0.25-0.5% of GDP. That is less than one quarter of the income loss in 1974 or 1980. On the other hand, oil importing emerging economies—to which heavy industry has shifted—have become more energy-intensive, and so could be more seriously squeezed.One more reason not to lose sleep over the rise in oil prices is that, unlike the rises in the1970s, it has not occurred against the background of general commodity price inflation and global excess demand. A sizable portion of the world is only just emerging from economic decline. The Economist’s commodity price index is broadly unchanging from a year ago. In 1973 commodity prices jumped by 70%, and in 1979 by almost 30%.47. The main reason for the latest rise of oil price is ______________.48. Dramatic inflation and global economic decline in 1970s resulted from ________________.49. The writer doesn’t think the present economic situation will be more severe than in the 1970s because ___________________________________________________.50. The estimates in Economic Outlook show that in rich countries oil-price changes may have _____51. From the last paragraph, we can see that people needn’t worry about the rise of oil prices just because _________________________________.Section BPassage OneEach summer, no matter how pressing my work schedule, I take off one day exclusively for my son. We call it dad-son day. This year our third stop was the amusement park, where he discovered that he was tall enough to ride one of the fastest roller coasters (过山车)in the world. We blasted through face-stretching turns and loops for ninety seconds. Then, as we stepped off the ride, he shrugged and, in a distressingly calm voice, remarked that it was not as exciting as other rides he’d been on. As I listened, I b egan to sense something seriously out of balance.Throughout the season, I noticed similar events all around me. Parents seemed hard pressed to find new thrills for indifferent kids. Surrounded by ever-greater stimulation, their young faces were looking disappointed and bored.Facing their children’s complaints of ―nothing to do‖, parents were shelling out large numbers of dollars for various forms of entertainment. In many cases the money seemed to do little more than buy transient relief from the terrible moans of their bored children. This set me pondering the obvious question: ―How can it be so hard for kids to find something to do when there’s never been such a range of stimulating entertainment available to them?‖What really worries me is the intensit y of the stimulation. I watch my little daughter’s face as she absorbs the powerful onslaught (冲击)of arousing visuals and bloody special effects in movies.Why do children immersed in this much excitement seems starved for more? That was, I realized, the point. I discovered during my own reckless adolescence that what creates excitement is not going fast, but going faster. Thrills have less to do with speed than changes in speed.I’m concerned about the cumulative effect of years at these levels of feverish activity. It is no mystery to me why many teenagers appear apathetic (麻木的)and burned out, wi th a ―been there, d one that‖ air of indifference toward much of life. As increasing numbers of friends’ children are prescribed medications — stimulants to deal with inattentiveness at school or anti-depressants to help with the loss of interest and joy in their lives —I question the role of kids’ boredom in someof the diagnoses.My own work is focused on the chemical imbalances and biological factors related to behavioral and emotional disorders. These are complex problems. Yet I’ve been reflecting more and more on how the pace of life and the intensity of stimulation may be contributing to the rising rates of psychiatric problems among children and adolescents in our society.52. The author felt surprised in the amusement park at the fact that ________.A) his son could keep his balance so well on the fast-moving roller coasterB) his son was not as thrilled by the roller coaster ride as expectedC) his son blasted through the turns and loops with his face stretchedD) his son appeared distressed but calm while riding the roller coaster53. According to the author, children are bored _________.A) even if they are exposed to more and more kinds of entertainmentB) when they are left alone at weekends by their working parentsC) when they don’t have any acc ess to stimulating fun gamesD) unless their parents can find new thrills for them54. From his own experience, the author came to the conclusion that children seem to expect_____.A) a much wider variety of sports facilities B) physical exercises that are morechallengingC) ever-changing thrilling forms of recreationD) activities that require sophisticated skills55. In Para. 6, the author expresses his doubt about the effectiveness of trying to changechildren’s indifference toward much of life by _________.A) creating more stimulating activities for themB) spending more money on their entertainmentC) diverting their interest from electronic visual gamesD) prescribing medications for their temporary relief56. In order to alleviate children’s bo redom, the author would probably suggest ________.A) balancing school work with extracurricular activitiesB) adjusting the pace of life and intensity of stimulationC) consulting a specialist in child psychologyD) promoting the practice of dad-son daysPassage TwoIt used to be that people were proud to work for the same company for the whole of their working lives. They’d get a gold watch at the end of their productive years and a dinner featuring speeches by their bosses praising their loyalty. But tod ay’s rich capitalists have regressed(倒退)to the ―survival of the fittest‖ ideas and their loyalty extends not to their workers or even to their stockholders but only to themselves. Instead of giving out gold watches worth a hundred or so dollars for forty or so years of work, they grab tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars as they sell for their own profit the company they may have been with for only a few years.The new rich selfishly act on their own to unfairly grab the wealth that the country as a whole has produced. The top 1 percent of the population now has wealth equal to the whole bottom 95 percent and they want more. Their selfishness is most shamelessly expressed in downsizing and outsourcing(将产品包给外公司做)because these business maneuvers don’t act to create newjobs as the founders of new industries used to do, hut only to cut out jobs while keeping the money value of what those jobs produced for themselves.To keep the money machine working smoothly the rich have bought all the politicians from the top down. The president himself is constantly leaving Washington and the business of the nation because he is summoned to ―fundraising dinners‖ where fat cats pay a thousand or so dollars a plate to worm their way into government not through service but through donations of vast amounts of money. Once on the inside they have both political parties busily tearing up all the regulations that protect the rest of us from the greed of the rich.The middle class used to be loyal to the free enterprise system. In the past, the people of the middle class mostly thought they’d be rich themselves someday or have a good shot at becoming rich. But nowadays income is being distributed more and more unevenly and corporate loyalty is a thing of the past. The middle class may also wake up to forget its loyalty to the so-called free enterprise system altogether and the government which governs only the rest of us while letting the corporations do what they please with our jobs. As things stand, if somebody doesn’t wake up, the middle class is on a path to being downsized all the way to the bottom of society.57. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that people used to place a high value on _________.A) retirement benefits B) job security C) bosses’ praise D) corporate loyalty58. The author is strongly critical of today’s rich capitalists for _________.A) rewarding only those who are considered the fittestB) not giving necessary assistance to laid-off workersC) maximizing their profits at the expense of workersD) not setting up long-term goals for their companies59. The immediate consequence of the new capitalists’ practice is ___________.A) a decline in business transactions B) a higher rate of unemploymentC) lower pay for the employees D)loss of corporate reputation60. The rich try to sway the policy of the government by _________.A) pleasing the public with generous donationsB) constantly hosting fundraising dinnersC) making monetary contributions to decision-makersD) occupying important positions in both political parties61. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?A) To urge the middle class to wake up and protect their own interests.B) To call on tile middle class to remain loyal to the free enterprise system.C) To warn the government of the shrinking of the American middle class.D) To persuade the government to change its current economic policies.Part V Error Correction (15 minutes)The most important starting point for improving the understanding ofscience is undoubtedly an adequate scientific education at school. Publicattitudes towards science owe much the way science is taught in these institutions. Today, school is what most people come into contact with a formal instruction and explanation of science for the first time, at least in a systematic way. It is at this point which the foundations are laid for an 62 _________63 _________64 _________。