2013年12月本科英语六级试题(听力部分)及录音文本及详解

2013年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第3套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）请用黑色签字笔在答题卡1指定区域内作答作文题，在试题册上的作答无效！Part ⅡListening Comprehension(30 minutes)Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section AQuestions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.Cell phones provide instant access to people. They are creating a major 36 in the social experiences of both children and adolescents. In one recent U.S. survey, about half the teens polled said that their cell phone had 37 their communication with friends. Almost all said that their cell phone was the way they stayed in touch with peers, one-third had used the cell phone to help a peer in need, and about 80% said the phone made them feel safer. Teenagers in Australia, 38 ,said that their mobile phones provided numerous benefits and were an39 part of their lives; some were so 40 to their phones that the researchers considered it an addiction. In Japan, too, researchers are concerned about cell phone addiction. Researchers in one study in Tokyo found that more than half of junior high school students used their phones to exchange e-mails with schoolmates more than 10 times a day.Cell phones 41 social connections with peers across time and space. They allow young people to exchange moment-by-moment experiences in their daily lives with special partners and thus to have a more 42 sense of connection with friends. Cell phones also can 43 social tolerance because they reduce children's interactions with others who are different from them. In addition to connecting peers, cell phones connect children and parents. Researchers studying teenagers in Israel concluded that, in that 44 environment, mobile phones were regarded as "security objects" in parent-teen relationships―im portant because they provided the possibility of 45 and communication at all times.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答A) affiliatedB) attachedC) contactD) contendE) continuousF) diminishG) enduranceH) foster I) hazardous J) improved K) instantaneous L) intrinsicM) relatively N) shiftO) similarlySection BWaste Not, Want Not Feeding the 9 Billion: The Tragedy of Waste[A] By 2075, the United Nations' mid-range projection for global population is about 9.5 billion.This means that there could be an extra three billion mouths to feed by the end of the century,a period in which substantial changes are anticipated in the wealth, calorie intake and dietarypreferences of people in developing countries across the world. Such a projection presents mankind with wide-ranging social, economic, environmental and political issues that need to be addressed today to ensure a sustainable future for all. One key issue is how to produce more food in a world of finite resources.[B] Today, we produce about four billion metric tonnes of food per year. Yet due to poor practicesin harvesting, storage and transportation, as well as market and consumer wastage, it is estimated that 30-50% of all food produced never reaches a human stomach. Furthermore, this figure does not reflect the fact that large amounts of land, energy, fertilisers and water have also been lost in the production of foodstuffs which simply end up as waste. This level of wastage is a tragedy that cannot continue if we are to succeed in the challenge of sustainably meeting our future food demands. |Where Food Waste Happens[C] In 2010,the Institution of Mechanical Engineers identified three principal emerging populationgroups across the world, based on characteristics associated with their current and projected stage of economic development.• Fully developed, mature, post-industrial societies, such as those in Europe, characterised by stable or declining populations which are increasing in age.• Late-stage developing nations that are currently industrialising rapidly, for example China, which will experience declining rates of population growth, coupled with increasing affluence (富裕）and age profile.• Newly developing countries that are beginning to industrialise, primarily in Africa, with high to very high population growth rates, and characterised by a predominantly young age profile.[D] Each group over the coming decades will need to address different issues surrounding foodproduction, storage and transportation, as well as consumer expectations, if we are to continue to feed all our people.[E] In less-developed countries, such as those of sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, wastagetends to occur primarily at the farmer-producer end of the supply chain. Inefficient harvesting, inadequate local transportation and poor infrastructure (基础设施)mean that produce is frequently handled inappropriately and stored under unsuitable farm site conditions.[F] In mature, fully developed countries such as the UK, more-efficient farming practices andbetter transport, storage and processing facilities ensure that a larger proportion of the food produced reaches markets and consumers. However, characteristics associated with modern consumer culture mean produce is often wasted through retail and customer behaviour. [G] Major supermarkets, in meeting consumer expectations, will often reject entire crops ofperfectly edible fruit and vegetables at the farm because they do not meet exacting marketing standards for their physical characteristics, such as size and appearance.[H] Of the produce that does appear in the supermarket, commonly used sales promotionsfrequently encourage customers to purchase excessive quantities which, in the case of perishable foodstuffs, inevitably generate wastage in the home. Overall between 30% and 50% of what has been bought in developed countries is thrown away by the purchaser.Better Use of Our Finite Resources[I] Wasting food means losing not only life-supporting nutrition but also precious resources,including land, water and energy. As a global society, therefore, tackling food waste will help contribute towards addressing a number of key resource issues.[J] Land Usage: Over the last five decades, improved farming techniques and technologies have helped to significantly increase crop yields along with a 12% expansion of farmed land use.However, a further increase in farming area without impacting unfavourably on what remains of the world's natural ecosystems appears unlikely. The challenge is that an increase in animal-based production will require more land and resources, as livestock (牲畜)farming demands extensive land use.[K] Water Usage: Over the past century, human use of fresh water has increased at more than double the rate of population growth. Currently about 3.8 trillion m3of water is used by humans per year. About 70% of this is consumed by the global agriculture sector, and the level of use will continue to rise over the coming decades.[L] Better irrigation can dramatically improve crop yield and about 40% of the world's food supply is currently derived from irrigated land. However, water used in irrigation is often sourced unsustainably.In processing foods after the agricultural stage, there are large additional uses of water that need to be tackled in a world of growing demand. This is particularly crucial inthe case of meat production, where beef uses about 50 times more water than vegetables. In the future, more effective washing techniques, management procedures, and recycling and purification of water will be needed to reduce wastage.[M]Energy Usage: Energy is an essential resource across the entire food production cycle, with estimates showing an average of 7-10 calories of input being required in the production of one calorie of food. This varies dramatically depending on crop, from three calories for plant crops to 35 calories in the production of beef. Since much of this energy comes from the utilisation of fossil fuels, wastage of food potentially contributes to unnecessary global warming as well as inefficient resource utilisation.[N] In the modem industrialised agricultural process—which developing nations are moving towards in order to increase future yields—energy usage in the making and application of fertilisers and pesticides represents the single biggest component. Wheat production takes 50% of its energy input for these two items alone. Indeed, on a global scale, fertiliser manufacturing consumes about 3-5% of the world's annual natural gas supply. With production anticipated to increase by 25% between now and 2030, sustainable energy sourcing will become an increasingly major issue. Energy to power machinery, both on the farm and in the storage and processing facilities, adds to the energy total, which currently represents about 3.1% of annual global energy consumption.Recommendations[O] Rising population combined with improved nutrition standards and shifting dietary preferences will exert pressure for increases in global food supply. Engineers, scientists and agriculturalists have the knowledge, tools and systems that will assist in achieving productivity increases. However, pressure will grow on finite resources of land, energy and water. The potential to provide 60-100% more food by simply eliminating losses, while simultaneously freeing up land, energy and water resources for other uses, is an opportunitythat should not be ignored. In order to begin tackling the challenge, the Institution recommends that:•The UN Food and Agriculture Organisat ion work with the international engineering community to ensure governments of developed nations put in place programmes that transfer engineering knowledge, design know-how, and suitable technology to newly developing countries. This will help improve produce handling in the harvest, and immediate post-harvest stages of food production.• Governments of rapidly developing countries incorporate waste minimisation thinking into the transport infrastructure and storage facilities currently being planned, engineered and built.• Governments in developed nations devise and im plement policy that changes consumer expectations. These should discourage retailers from wasteful practices that lead to the rejection of food on the basis of cosmetic characteristics, and losses in the home due to excessive purchasing by consumers.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

2013年12月六级真题及答案第1套Part I Writing (30 minutes)（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on happiness by referring to the saying“Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them.”You can cite examples to illustrate your point and then explain how you can develop your ability to deal with problems and be happy. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At theend of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答。

2013年12月英语六级听力试题及答案第1套2013年12月英语六级听力原文第1套Section A1.A) Labor problems.B) Weather conditions.C) An error in the order.D)Misplacing of goods.2.A) What the woman says makes a lot of sense.B) The rich are opposed to social welfare.C) He is sympathetic with poor people.D) He agrees with Mr. Johnson's views.3.A) He will be practicing soccer.B) He has work to finish in timeC) He will be attending a meeting.D) He has a tough problem to solve.4.A) Mary should get rid of her pet as soon as possible.B) Mary will not be able to keep a dog in the building.C) Mary is not happy with the ban on pet animals.D) Mary might as well send her dog to her relative.5.A) The twins' voices are quite different.B) Lisa and Gale are not very much alike.C) He does not believe they are twin sisters.D) The woman seems a bit hard of hearing.6.A) The serious economic crisis in Britain.B) A package deal to be signed in November.C) A message from their business associates.D) Their ability to deal with financial problems.7.A) It is impossible to remove the stain completely.B) The man will be charged extra for the service.C) The man has to go to the main cleaning facility.D)Cleaning the pants will take longer than usual.8.A)European markets.B) A protest rally.C) Luxury goods.D) Imported products.Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A) He made a business trip.B) He had a quarrel with Marsha.C) He talked to her on the phone.D) He resolved a budget problem.10.A) She may have to be fired for poor performance.B) She has developed some serious mental problem.C) She is in charge of the firm's budget planning.D) She supervises a number of important projects.11.A) She failed to arrive at the airport on time.B) David promised to go on the trip in her place.C)Something unexpected happened at her home.D) She was not feeling herself on that day.12.A) He frequently gets things mixed up.B) He is always finding fault with Marsha.C) He has been trying hard to cover for Marsha.D) He often fails to follow through on his projects.Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.13.A) They are better sheltered from all the outside temptations.B) They are usually more motivated to compete with their peers.C) They have more opportunities to develop their leadership skills.D) They take an active part in more extracurricular activities.14.A) Its chief positions are held by women.B) Its teaching staff consists of women only.C) Its students aim at managerial posts.D) Its students are role models of women.15.A) It is under adequate control.B) It is traditional but colourful.C) They are more or less isolated from the outside world.D) They have ample opportunities to meet the opposite sex.Section BPassage OneQuestions16 to 19 are based on the conversation you have just heard.16.A) By invading the personal space of listeners.B) By making gestures at strategic points.C) By speaking in a deep, loud voice.D) By speaking with the local accent.17.A) To promote sportsmanship among business owners.B) To encourage people to support local sports groups.C) To raise money for a forthcoming local sports event.D) To show his family's contribution to the community.18.A) They are known to be the style of the sports world.B) They would certainly appeal to his audience.C) They represent the latest fashion in the business circles.D) They are believed to communicate power and influence.19.A) To cover up his own nervousness.B) To create a warm personal atmosphere.C) To enhance the effect of background music.D) To allow the audience to better enjoy his slides.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20.A) She was the first educated slave of John Wheatley's.B) She was the greatest female poet in Colonial America.C) She was born about the time of the War of Independence.D) She was the first African-American slave to publish a book21.A) Revise in a number of times.B) Obtain consent from her owner.C) Go through a scholarly examination.D) Turn to the colonial governor for help.22.A)Literary works calling for the abolition of slavery.B)Religious scripts popular among slaves in America.C) A rich stock of manuscripts left by historical figures.D) Lots of lost works written by African-American women.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23.A) It is a trait of generous character.B) It is a reflection of self-esteem.C) It is an indicator of high intelligence.D) It is a sign of happiness and confidence.24.A) It was self-defeating.B) It was aggressive.C) It was the essence of comedy.D) It was something admirable.25.A) It is a double-edged sword.B) It is a feature of a given culture.C) It is a unique gift of human beings.D) It is a result of both nature and nurture.Section CIt is important that we be mindful of the earth, the planet out of which we are born and by which we are nourished, guided, healed-the planet, however, which we have (26)______ to a considerable degree in these past two centuries of(27)______ exploitation. This exploitation has reached such (28)______ that presently it appears that some hundreds of thousands of species will be(29)______ before the end of the century.In our times, human shrewdness has mastered the deep (30)______ of the earth at a level far beyond the capacities of earlier peoples. We can break the mountains apart; we can drain the rivers and flood the valleys. We can turn the most luxuriant forests into throwaway paper products. We can (31)______ the great grass cover of the western plains and pour (32)______ chemicals into the soil until the soil is dead and blows away in the wind. We can pollute the air with acids, the rivers with sewage(污水), the seas with oil. We can invent computers (33)______ processing ten million calculations per second. And why"? To increase the volume and the speed with which we move natural resources through the consumer economy to the junk pile or the waste heap. Our managerial skills are measured by the competence (34)______ in accelerating this process. If in these activities the physical features of the planet are damaged, if the environment is made inhospitable for (35)______ living species,then so be it. We are, supposedly, creating a technological wonder world.答案1-25 ADCBBCDBCA ACCAD ABDBD CDDBA26. abused27.industrial28.extremes29.extinguished30.mysteries31. tear apart32. toxic33.capable of34.manifested35. a multitude of。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear 8 shortconversations and 2 long c onversations.At the endof each conversation,one or more questions will beasked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions wil l be spoken onlyonce.After each question there will be a pause.During the pause,you must read the four choicesmarked A),B),C)and D),and decide which is the best answer,Then mark the corresponding letteron Answer S heet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

1.A) The rock band needs more hours ofpractice.B) The rock band is going to play here fora month.C) Their hard work has resulted in a bigsuccess.D) He appreciates the woman's help with theband.2.A) Go on a diving tour in Europe.B) Add 300 dollars to his budget.C) Travel overseas on his own.D) Join a package tour to Mexico.3.A) In case some problem should occur.B) Something unexpected has happened.C) To avoid more work later on.D) To make better preparations.4.A) The woman asked for a free pass to try outthe facilities.B) The man is going to renew his membershipin a fitness center.C) The woman can give the man a discount ifhe joins the club now.D) The man can try out the facilitiesbefore he becomes a member.5.A) He is not afraid of challenge.B) He is not fit to study science.C) He is worried about the test.D) He is going to drop the physics course.6.A) Pay for part of the picnic food.B) Invite Gary's family to dinner.C) Buy something special for Gary.D) Take some food to the picnic.7.A) Bus drivers' working conditions.B) A labor dispute at a bus company.C) Public transportation.D) A corporate takeover.8.A) The bank statement.B) Their sales overseas.C) The payment for an order.D) The check just deposited.Questions 9 to 11 are based on theconversation you have just heard.9.A) A hotel receptionist.B) A private secretary.C) A shop assistant.D) A sales manager.10.A) Voice.B) Intelligence.C) Appearance.D) Manners.11.A) Arrange one more interview.B) Offer the job to David Wallace.C) Report the matter to their boss.D) Hire Barbara Jones on a trial basis.Questions 12 to 15 are based on theconversation you have just heard.12.A) He invented the refrigerator.B) He patented his first invention.C) He got a degree in Mathematics.D) He was admitted to university.13.A) He distinguished himself in lowtemperature physics.B) He fell in love with Natasha Willoughby.C) He became a professor of Mathematics.D) He started to work on refrigeration.14.A) Finding the true nature of subatomicparticles.B) Their work on very high frequency radiowaves.C) Laying the foundations of modernmathematics.D) Their discovery of the laws of 15.A) To teach at a university.B) To patent his inventions.C) To spend his remaining years.D) To have a three-week holiday.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 shortpassages. At the end of ea ch passage, you will hearsome questions. Both the passage and thequestio ns will be spoken only once. After you hear aquestion, you must choose the best answer from thefour choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mar k the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through th e centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

2013年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第1套）Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Youshould decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with asingle line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.Among the government’s most interesting reports is one that estimates what parents spend ontheir children. Not surprisingly, the costs are steep. For a middle-class, husband-and-wife family(average pretax income in 2009: $76,250), spending per child is about $12,000 a year. With.inflation the family’s spending on a child will total $286,050 by age 17The dry statistics ought to inform the ongoing deficit debate, because a budget is not just acatalog of programs and taxes. It reflects a society’s priorities and values. Our society does not despite rhetoric(说辞) to the contrary—put much value on raising children. Present budgetpolicies tax parents heavily to support the elderly. Meanwhile, tax breaks for children are modest.If deficit reduction aggravates these biases, more Americans may choose not to have children or tohave fewer children. Down that path lies economic decline.Societies that cannot replace their populations discourage investment and innovation. Theyhave stagnant (萧条的) or shrinking markets for goods and services. With older populations,theyresist change. To stabilize its population—discounting immigration—women must have an2.0.Many countries with struggling economiesaverage of two children. That’s a fertility rate ofare well below that.shaped by culture, religion, Though having a child is a deeply personal decision, it’sa good answer” asto why fertility varies amongeconomics, and government policy. “No one hascountries, says sociologist Andrew Cherlin of The Johns Hopkins University. Eroding religiousbelief in Europe may partly explain lowered birthrates. In Japan young women may be rebellingisolated lives of child rearing. General optimism and pessimism count.against their mothers’　Hopefulness fueled Ameri ca’s baby boom. After the Soviet Union’s collapse, says Cherlin,Russiaand Eastern Europe.“anxiety for the future” depressed birthrates inIn poor societies, people have children to improve their economic well-being by increasingthe number of family workers and providing supports for parents in their old age. In wealthysocieties, the logic often reverses. Government now supports the elderly, diminishing the need forchildren. By some studies, the safety nets for retirees have reduced fertility rates by 0.5 children inthe United States and almost 1.0 in Western Europe, reports economist Robert Stein in the journalNational Affairs. Similarly, some couples don’t have children because they don’t want to sacrificetheir own lifestyles to the lime and expense of a family.Young Americans already face a bleak labor market that cannot instill (注入) confidenceabout having children. Piling on higher t axes won’t help, “If higher taxes make it more expensiveto raise children,” says Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, “peopletwice about having another child.” That seems like common sense, despite the multiple influences on becoming parents.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations.At the end of each conversation,one or more questions will be asked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After each question there will be a pause.During the pause,you must read the four choices marked A),B),C)and D),and decide which is the best answer,Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.听力短对话1.A) Labor problems.B) Weather conditions.C) An error in the order.D)Misplacing of goods.W: Has my order arrived yet? I have been expecting it last week.M：I called the company this morning. They had some labor problems, so your order will be shipped late. It should be here by the end of the week.Q；What has caused the delay of the shipment?2.A) What the woman says makes a lot of sense.B) The rich are opposed to social welfare.C) He is sympathetic with poor people.D) He agrees with Mr. Johnson's views.W: I don’t agree with Mr. Johnson’s views on social welfare. He seems to suggest the poor are robbing the rich.M: He might have used better words to express his idea, but I think what he said makes a lot of sense.Q：What does the man mean?3.A) He will be practicing soccer.B) He has work to finish in timeC) He will be attending a meeting.D) He has a tough problem to solve.M：Liz, I just found out I have a meeting and I can’t pick up the kids after their soccer practice. Would you be able to pick them up in time?W：Yes, that won’t（=will not）be a problem. I think I can finish early today.Q：Why does the man say he can’t pick up the kids?4.A) Mary should get rid of her pet as soon as possible.B) Mary will not be able to keep a dog in the building.C) Mary is not happy with the ban on pet animals.D) Mary might as well send her dog to her relative.W: Mary is going to get a little dog from one of her relatives.M: Really?But I hear her apartment building is about to place a ban on pet animals.Q：What does the man imply?5.A) The twins' voices are quite different.B) Lisa and Gale are not very much alike.C) He does not believe they are twin sisters.D) The woman seems a bit hard of hearing.W：I can never tell whether it’s Lisa or Gale on the phone. Their voices sound incredibly similar.M: That’s about the only thing they have in common for twins, believe it or not.Q：What does the man mean?6.A) The serious economic crisis in Britain.B) A package deal to be signed in November.C) A message from their business associates.D) Their ability to deal with financial problems.W: Jay,what does the fax from our associates in Britain say?M：They want to know if the economic crisis would affect our ability to carry out the deal we signed last November.Q：What are the speakers talking about?7.A) It is impossible to remove the stain completely.B) The man will be charged extra for the service.C) The man has to go to the main cleaning facility.D)Cleaning the pants will take longer than usual.M: Do you think you'll be able to get this ink stain out of my pants?W: It won't be a problem, but I need to send them over to our main cleaning facility.That’s an extra day’s time.Q：What does the woman mean?8.A)European markets.B) A protest rally.C) Luxury goods.D) Imported products.W: That looks like a protest rally. I wonder what they are protesting against.M: That sign says they are against importing luxury goods from Europe. They seemed to be getting so worked up about that.Q：What are the speakers talking about?听力长对话原文1Conversation OneQuestions 9 to 12 are based on theconversation you have just heard.9.A) He made a business trip.B) He had a quarrel with Marsha.C) He talked to her on the phone.D) He resolved a budget problem.10.A) She may have to be fired for poor performance.B) She has developed some serious mental problem.C) She is in charge of the firm's budget planning.D) She supervises a number of important projects.11.A) She failed to arrive at the airport on time.B) David promised to go on the trip in her place.C)Some thing unexpected happened at her home.D) She was not feeling herself on that day.12.A) He frequently gets things mixed up.B) He is always finding fault with Marsha.C) He has been trying hard to cover for Marsha.D) He often fails to follow through on his projects.W：What is it, Bob? (9)You sounded pretty serious on the phone. Have we still got a budget problem?M：I don’know. I hope not. The meeting's on Friday. But that’s not what I want to talk to you about. Er, closethe door, will you? It’s Marsha.W: Marsha?What about her?M: I'm worried. I don’t know what to do. (10)She’s just not performing. We may have to let her go.W: Fire her? She’s been with us a long time, Bob. If she leaves, it’ll be a big loss to us. She’s done really excellent work.M：Yes. But lately, the last month or so, in fact, there have been a lot of problems. She’s changed. Not only does she have a tendency to be moody all the time, but she misses appointments, doesn’t follow through on projects, and doesn't seem to plan anything till the last minute.W: Em, did she ever explain why she didn’t show up for the Denver trip?M：No. She said she was sorry and that it wouldn’t happen again. Something about a mix-up on arrangements to get to the airport. Now, whenever anybody mentions the subject to her, she just goes silent. I don’t know. Thank goodness, David pulled us out of the hole on that one.W: Yes, hedid a really fine job, filling in for Marsha like that at the last minute.M：(12)I don’t think it was thefirst time he’s had to do that. If we knew all the facts, I think we’d find that he's been covering for Marsha on quite a few projects.9. What did the man do before he came to see the woman?10. What does the man say about Marsha?11. How did Marsha explain why she didn't show up for the Denver trip?12. What does the man say about David?听力长对话原文2Conversation TwoQuestions 13 to 15 are based on theconversation you have just heard.13.A) They are better sheltered from all the outside temptations.B) They are usually more motivated to compete with their peers.C) They have more opportunities to develop their leadership skills.好D) They take an active part in more extracurricular activities.14.A) Its chief positions are held by women.B) Its teaching staff consists of women only.C) Its students aim at managerial posts.好D) Its students are role models of women.15.A) It is under adequate control.B) It is traditional but colourful.C) They are more or less isolated from the outside world.D) They have ample opportunities to meet the opposite sex.好M：You also hire the mistresses of Oxford High School for girls. How many girls do you have here?W：We have 615 girls.M: in your experience, do girls do better academically and later professionally in single-sex schools?W：Yes. I think they do better academically and you can measure that very crudely from the examination results, (13) I also think they do better academically because they have more opportunities to take the leading role in discussions and in managerial responsibilities.(14)I think they see the role models of the chief positions in the school being held by women.M：I wonder if you could say then in a few words what the advantages are for a girl at a single-sex school.Well, I think within the classroom, she’s going to have full opportunity to express her own opinions. She isn’t going to be shouted down by over-confident young gentlemen.W: Are teenagers in particular, do you think, sheltered too much from contact with the opposite sex? Does this cause them difficulties when they find themselves in mixed groups?M：Well, I would like to find the parents who could shelter girls from the opposite sex if they livein Oxford.(15)They encounter boys all the time socially out of school, and through debating societies and things like that, some school activities as well.M: So, no disadvantages at all?W：I don’t think there are any disadvantages. I think that it’s grossly overstated that one needs to have contact with the opposite sex right through the whole of life, in the classroomand outside the classroom and at all ages.13. What does the woman say about the girls in her school?14. What do we learn about the woman's school?15. What does the woman say about the girls' social life?听力短文原文Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).Passage OneQuestions16 to 19 are based on the conversation you have just heard.16.A) By invading the personal space of listeners.B) By making gestures at strategic points.C) By speaking in a deep, loud voice.D) By speaking with the local accent.17.A) To promote sportsmanship among business owners.B) To encourage people to support local sports groups.C) To raise money for a forthcoming local sports eventD) To show his family's contribution to the community.18.A) They are known to be the style of the sports world.B) They would certainly appeal to his audience.C) They represent the latest fashion in the business circles.D) They are believed to communicate power and influence.19.A) To cover up his own nervousness.B) To create a warm personal atmosphere.C) To enhance the effect of background music.D) To allow the audience to better enjoy his slides.Passage OneLarry arrivedearly for his speaking engagement. He positioned the table so that he could move close to the audience that's the strategic point in the speech. (16)He had read that speakers can be more persuasive if they invade the personal space of listeners, encouraging an emotional response. For the same reason, he placed the chairs close to each other and raised the temperature to a slightly uncomfortable level. (17)The purpose of the speech was to encourage the audience of corporate executives and local business owners to support localsports groups. To enhance his credibility with the audience, Larry had brought some slides of his family attending sports events. One photo showed him at an award ceremony, where he had been honored for his financial contribution to alocal baseball team. Realizing that this particular audience would find his regional accent unattractive, Larry planned to speak with an accent that wouldbe more acceptable to his audience. (18)After reading a book on how to address for success, he had purchased an expensive dark navy suit and golden tie. Hechose colors and styles known to communicate power and influence. (19)Just before people began entering the hall, Larry dimmed the lights and turned up the sound system, which was playing soft music, hoping to create a warm personal atmosphere for the speech. He hoped that t hese added effects would encourage his audience to support local sports teams. He had also planned the content of his speech to focus on the teams with the best records, the ones that had won the most games in the last season.16.How cana speaker make himself more persuasive when delivering a speech?17.For what purpose was Larry going to make a speech?18.Why didLarry purchase an expensive navy suit and golden tie?19.Why didLarry dim the lights and turn up the sound system before people entered the hall?Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20.A) She was the first educated slave of John Wheatley's.B) She was the greatest female poet in Colonial America.C) She was born about the time of the War of Independence.D) She was the first African-American slave to publish a book好21.A) Revise in a number of times.B) Obtain consent from her owner.C) Go through a scholarly examination.好D) Turn to the colonial governor for help.22.A)Literary works calling for the abolition of slavery.B)Religious scripts popular among slaves in America.C) A rich stock of manuscripts left by historical figures.好D) Lots of lost works written by African-American women.PhillisWheatley was a young African-American slave who belonged to landowner JohnWheatley in Colonial America. (20)She was also a poet and the first African-American ever to publish a book. Her poems on various subjects,religious and moral were printed in Boston in 1773, three years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Early slaves were generally denied education, but Wheatley was allowed by her owner to study poetry, Latin and the Bible. And by the time she reached her late teens, she had written enough poetry to put together a slender book of verse. Even so, publication was difficult. (21)The publisher, fearful of being cheated, forced her to submit to his scholarly examination by a board of educated men, including the colonial governor. The board of judges questioned wheatley extensively and ruled that she was educated enough to have written the book. Only then was publication permitted. Wheatley may have been the first, but she was not the only slave towrite books during the growing days of the Republic. Unfortunately, most of the early popular African-American writers have been all but forgotten in moderntimes until now. A chronicle professor, Henry Louis Gates, recently studied aresearch project looking into 19th century African-American fiction and poetry.(22)In the process he uncovered numerous lost works, almost half of which werewritten by African-American women. In very literary styles, the newly resurfaced manuscripts offered a rich stock of African-American culture,recreating among other things the early days of slavery and the importance of religion to the slaves.20. Whatdoes the speaker say about Phillis Wheatley?21. What was Wheatley forced to do to get her book published?22. What did Prof. Henry Louis Gates uncover in the process of his research?Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23.A) It is a trait of generous character.B) It is a reflection of self-esteem.C) It is an indicator of high intelligence.D) It is a sign of happiness and confidence.好24.A) It was self-defeating.B) It was aggressive.好C) It was the essence of comedy.D) It was something admirable.25.A) It is a double-edged sword.好B) It is a feature of a given culture.C) It is a unique gift of human beings.D) It is a result of both nature and nurture.In today's personality stakes, nothing is more highly valued than the sense of humor. We seek it out in others and are proud to claim it in ourselves, perhaps even more than good looks or intelligence. (23) If someone has a great sense of humor, we reason, it means that they are happy, socially confident and have a healthy perspective on life. (24)This attitude would have surprised the ancient Greeks,who believed humor to be essentially aggressive. And in fact our admiration for the comically gifted is relatively new and not very well-founded, says RodMartin’s a psychologist at the University of Western Ontario. "Being funny isn't necessarily an indicator of good social skills and well-being,”his research has shown, "it may just exactly be a sign of personality flaws." (25)He has found that humor is a double-edged sword. It can forge better relationships and help you cope with life, or it can be corrosive eating a way your self-esteem and irritating others. "It’s a form of communication like speech, and we all use it differently*" says Martin. We use bonding humor to enhance our social connections* but we also may employ it as a way of excluding or rejecting an outsider. Though humor is essentially social, how you use it says a lot about your sense of self. Those who use self-defeating humor,making fun of themselves, of the enjoyment of others, tend to maintain that hostility toward themselves even when alone. Similarly, those who are able to view the world with amused tolerance are often equally forgiving of their own shortcomings.23. How dopeople today view humor according to the speaker?24. What did ancient Greeks think of humor?25. What has psychologist Rod Martin found about humor?Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time，you should listen carefully for its general idea.When the passage is read for the second time，you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally，when the passage is read for the third time，you should check what you have written.It is important that we be mindful of the earth, the planet out of which we are bornand by which we are nourished, guided, healed-the planet, however, which we have (26)______ to a considerable degree in these past two centuries of(27)______ exploitation. This exploitation has reached such (28)______ thatpresently it appears that some hundreds of thousands of species will be(29)______ before the end of the century.In ourtimes, human shrewdness has mastered the deep (30)______ of the earth at alevel far beyond the capacities of earlier peoples. We can break the mountainsapart; we can drain the rivers and flood the valleys. We can turn the mostluxuriant forests into throwaway paper products. We can (31)______ the greatgrass cover of the western plains and pour (32)______ chemicals into the soiluntil the soil is dead and blows away in the wind. We can pollute the air withacids, the rivers with sewage(污水), the seas with oil. We caninvent computers (33)______ processing ten million calculations per second. Andwhy"? To increase the volume and the speed with which we move naturalresources through the consumer economy to the junk pile or the waste heap. Ourmanagerial skills are measured by the competence (34)______ in acceleratingthis process. If in these activities the physical features of the planet aredamaged, if the environment is made inhospitable for(35)______ living species,then so be it. We are, supposedly, creating a technological wonder world.听力填空It isimportant that we be mindful of the earth, the planet out of which we are bornand by which we are nourished, guided, healed-the planet, however, which wehave abused to a considerable degree in these past two centuries of industrialexploitation. This exploitation has reached such extremes that presently itappears that some hundreds of thousands of species will be extinguished beforethe end of the century.In our times, human shrewdness has mastered the deep mysteriesof the earth at a level far beyond the capacities of earlier peoples. We canbreak the mountains apart; we can drain the rivers and flood the valleys. Wecan turn the most luxuriant forests into throwaway paper products. We can tear apartthe great grass cover of the western plains and pour toxic chemicals into thesoil until the soil is dead and blows away in the wind. We can pollute the airwith acids, the rivers with sewage(污水), the seas with oil. We caninvent computers capable of processing ten million calculations per second. Andwhy"? To increase the volume and the speed with which we move naturalresources through the consumer economy to the junk pile or the waste heap. Ourmanagerial skills are measured by the competence manifested in acceleratingthis process. If in these activities the physical features of the planet aredamaged, if the environment is made inhospitable for a multitude of living species,then so be it. We are, supposedly, creating a technological wonder world.1-25 ADCBB CDBCA ACCAD ABDBD CDDBA26. abused27.industrial28.extremes29.extinguished30.mysteries31. tearapart32. toxic33.capable of34.manifested35. a multitude of。

2013年12月英语六级听力答案+原文第1套1-25 CDADB ABCAC BDCBA DDCBA CADBB26. Legislation27. instruction28. efficient29. dropout30. motivation31. discipline32. contend33. in favor of34. at their disposal35.inferior to听力短对话1.W: What a wonderful performance! Yourrockband has never sounded b etter.M: Many thanks. I guess all those hoursofpractice in the past month are f inally paying off.Q：What does the manmean?2.M: I can't decide what to do for my summervacation. I either want to go on a bike tour ofEurope or go diving in Mexico.W: Well, we're offering an all-inclusivetwo-week trip to Mexico for only 3 00 dollars.Q：What does the womansuggest the man do for his vacation?3. W: How long do you think this projectmight take?M: I'd say about three months, but it couldtake longer if something unex pected happened.Maybe we'd better allow an extramonth, so we won‘t have to worry about being late.Q: Why does the man say extra time shouldbe allowed for the project?4. M: I'm thinking about becoming a memberhere, and I'd like some info rmation.W: Sure. A three-month membership costs 150dollars, and that includes use of the wait-room, sauna and pool. I'll give youa free path so that you can try out the facilities before youdecide.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?5.W: I'm sorry to hear that you failed thePhysics course, Ted.M: Let's face it. I'm just not cut out tobe a scientist.Q: What does the man mean?6.M: Gary insisted on buying the food for thepicnic.W: That's pretty generous of him. Butshouldn't we at least offer to shar e the expenses?He has a big family tosupport.Q: What does the woman suggest they do?7.W: Did you see the headlines in the paperthis morning?M: Year. Apparently the bus company will belaying off its employees if th ey can't reach anagreement on wages by midnight.Q: What did the man read about?8.W: Have we received payment for theoverseas order we delivered last month?M: Yes. The cheque came in yesterdayafternoon. I'll be depositing it whe n I go the banktoday.Q:What is the woman concerned about?听力长对话原文1Conversation OneW: OK, that's it. Now we have to makeadecision. We might as well do th at now, don't youthink?M: Sure, let's see. First we saw FrankBrisenski. What did you think of hi m?W: Well, he's certainly a very polite youngman.M: And very relaxed, too.W: But his appearance…M:En… He wasn't well dressed. He wasn'teven wearing a tie.W: But he did have a nice voice. He soundedgood on the telephone.M: True. And I thought he seemed veryintelligent. He answered Dona's q uestions very well.W: That's true, but dressing well isimportant. Well, let's think about the others. Now whatabout Barbara Jones?She had a nice voice, too. She sounde d good on the telephone, and shewas welldressed, too.M:En… She did look very neat, very nicelydressed, but…W: But so shy. She wouldn't be very good attalking to people at the front desk.M:En…OK. Now who was the next? Ar…Yes,David Wallace. I thought he was very good,had a lot of potential. What do youthink?W:En… He seemed like a very bright guy. Hedressed very nicely, too. An d he had a reallynice appearance.M: He seemed relaxed to me, the type ofperson people feel comfortable with right away.W: He was polite, but also very friendlyand relaxed as you say. I think h e'll be good withthe guests at the frontdesk.M: He had a very pleasant voice, too.W: That's right. OK, good! I guess we haveour receptionist then, don't yo u?M: Yes, I think so. We'll just offer thejob to…Q9: What are the speakers looking for?Q10: What is Frank Brisenski's weakness?Q11: What do the speakers decide to do?听力长对话原文2Conversation TwoW: Hello.M: Hello. Is that the reference library?W: Yes, can I help you?M: I hope so. I ran earlier and asked forsome information about Dennis H utton, thescientist. You asked me to ring back.W: Oh, yes. I have found something.M: Good. I've got a pencil and paper.Perhaps you could read out what it says.W: Certainly. Hutton Dennis, bornDarlington, 1836, died New York, 1920.M: Yes, got that.W: Inventor and physicist, the son of afarmworker. He was admitted to t he University ofLondon at the age of 15.M: Yes.W: He graduated at 17 with the first classdegree in physics and mathem atics. All right?M: Yes, all right.W: He made his first notable achievement atthe age of 18. It was a m ethod ofrefrigeration which rolls from his work inlow temperature physics. H e became professor ofmathematics at the Universityof Manchester at 24, whe re he remained for twelve years. Duringthat time, hemarried one of his stude nts, Natasha WilloughbyM: Yes, go on.W: Later working together in London, theylaid the foundations of modern physics byshowing that normal laws of cause andeffect do not apply at the le vel of subatomic particles.For this he and hiswife received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1910, and did so again in 1912fortheir work on very high frequenc y radio waves. In his lifetime, Hutton patented244inventions. Do you want an y more?M: Yes, when did he go to America?W: Let me see. In 1920 he went to teach inNew York and died there sud denly after onlythree weeks. Still he was a goodage.M: Yes, I suppose so. Well, thanks.Question 12: What do we learn about DennisHutton when he was 15?Question 13: What did Dennis Hutton do atthe age of 24?Question 14: For what were Dennis Huttonand his wife awarded the Nob el Prize a secondtime?Question15: Why did Dennis Hutton go to New York?听力短文原文Passage OneIn America, white tailed deer are morenumerousthan ever before, so abu ndant in fact that they'vebecome a suburban nuisanceand a health hazard.Why can't the herd be thinned theold-fashioned way? The small commu nity of NorthHaven on Long Island is home tosome six hundred to seven hun dred deer. The department ofEnvironmentalConservation estimates the optim um population at 60. The town has beenbrowsedbare of vegetation except where gardens and shrubs are protected by highfences.Drivers routinely collide with deer andthere are so many dead bodies lef t by the side of theroad that the town hasmade it a deal with a local pet ceme tery to collect and dispose of thebodies.Some people in the town have become ill from deer transmitted diseases. Ontheoccasions when hunting has been tried, local animal rights people have workedto secure court orders against t he hunts. And when that is failed, they stopthe hunters, banging on potsand p ans to alert the deer. Town meetings calledto discuss the problem inevitably dissolved into confrontations.The activists believe simply that the deerare not the problem. Some com munities have evendiscussed the possibility ofbringing wolves back into the e cological mix. That means wolves inthe suburbsof New York. It is almost too wonderful not to try it. The wolves would killdeer ofcourse. They would also te rrorize and kill dogs and cats which is notwhat the suburban dwellershave in mind.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passageyou have just heard Q16. What do we learn about white-taileddeer in North Haven?Q17. Why do local animal rights people bangon pots and pans?Q18.What would happen if wolves were brought back into the ecologica l mix?Passage TwoAnd now, if you'll walk this way, ladiesand gentlemen, the next room we' re going to see isthe room in which the familyused to hold their formal dinner parties and even occasionallyentertain headsof state and royalty. However, they managed to keep this room friendlyandintimate. And I think you'll agree . It has a very informal atmosphere, quiteunlike somegrand houses you visit . The curtains were never drawn, even atnight, so guests got a view ofthe lak e and fountains outside which were lit upat night – a very attractive sight. A s you cansee, ladies and gentlemen, theguests were seated very informally ar ound this oval table, whichwould add tothe relaxed atmosphere. The table da tes from the 18th century and is madefromSpanish oak. It's rather remarka ble for the fact that although it's extremelybig, it'ssupported by just six rathe r slim legs. However, it seems to havesurvived like that for 200years. So it's probably going to last a bit longer.The chairs which go with the table are not acomplete set. There wereoriginally six of them. They are interesting for the f act that they areveryplain and undecorated for the time, with only one plain central panel at theback and noarmrests. I myself find them rather uncomfo rtable to sit in forvery long, but people were usedto more discomfort in the past. And now, ladiesand gentlemen, if you'd like to follow me intothe great h all…Questions 19 to 22 are based on the passageyou have just heardQ19. What do we learn about the speaker?Q20. What does the speaker say about theroom they are visiting?Q21. What is said about the oval table in theroom?Q22.What does the speaker say about the chairs?Passage ThreeJanet James was 22 years old when she wasdiagnosed with MS—a diseas e that attacks thebody's nerves. She has justgraduated from college and got a job at an advertising agency whenshe began tosense that something strang e was going on inside her body. When Jamesrealizedhow severe her illness w as, she knew she had better hurry up and live life. MSis thebiggest crippler of young adults. And although she didn't have many symptoms,she knew it wasj ust a matter of time. First on her agenda was to pursue herdream of hosting a pop musicprogramme. She worked at a radio station for ayear, always awa re that her body wasdegenerating. Then her best friend movedaway. And one night James began screaming,"I gotto go! I got togo!" Two weeks later, she arrived at Alaska, thousands of miles from herfriends,her family and her past."Everything fell into a place", sherecalls. A 23-year-old girl with anincurable d isease can fly to Alaska andeverything can work out. The MS attacks came an d went.And most of the timethey hardly slowed her down. James hiked, fishe d, learnt to sailandexperimented with hot air ballooning."I lived for adventure", shesays."Nobody ever had abetter time or did more exotic strange thingsthan I did in an 80-year period." Inevitablyhowever, the day came whenshe was so weake ned that she had to return to Pittsburgh, herhome town. Thereshe began relie ving her adventures by writing a book about them. Her bookwaspublished in 1993.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passageyou have just heard.Q23. What does the speaker say about MS?Q24. What did Janet James decide to do after herdisease was diagnosed?Q25. What's sort of person can we infer JanetJames is? the ecological mix?听力填空It‘s difficult to estimate the number ofyoungstersinvolved in home schooling where children are notsent to school andreceive their formal education fromo ne or both parents. Legislation and courtdecisionshave made it legally possible in most states forparents to educatetheir children at home and each year m ore people take advantage ofthatopportunity.Some states require parents or a home tutorto meet teacher certificatio n standards, andmany require parents to completelegal forms to verify that t heir children are receiving instruction in stateapproved curriculum.Supporters of home education claim that itis less expensive and far mor e efficient than mass public education. Moreoverthey site several advantages : alleviation of schoolovercrowding, strengthenfamily relationships, lower drop out rates, the facts that students areallowedto learn at their own rate, increas ed motivation, higher standardized testscores, andreduced discipline proble ms.Criticsof the home schooling movement content that it creates as many problems asitsolves. They acknowledge that, in a few cases, home schooling offerseducationalopportunities superior to those found in most public school s, butfew parents can provide sucheducational advantages. Some parents wh o withdrawtheir children from the schools in favor ofhome schooling have an i nadequateeducational background and insufficient formal training toprovide a satisfactoryeducation for their children. Typically, parents have fewertechnol ogicalresources at their disposal than do schools. However, the relativelyinex pensivecomputer technology that is readily available today is causing somet o challenge the notionthat home schooling is in any way inferior to morehig hly structured classroom education.2013年12月英语六级听力答案+原文第2套1-25 ADCBB CDBCA ACCAD ABDBD CDDBA26. abused27.industrial28.extremes29.extinguished30.mysteries31. tearapart32. toxic33.capable of34.manifested35. a multitude of听力短对话1.W: Hasmy order arrived yet? I have beenexpecting it last week.M：I called the company thismorning. They hadsome labor problems, so your ord er will be shipped late. Itshould be here by the end of theweek.Q；What has caused the delayof the shipment?2.W: Idon‘t agree with Mr. Johnson‘s views on social welfare. He seems to suggest thepoorare robbing the rich.M: Hemight have used better words to express his idea, but I think what he saidmakes a lotof sense.Q：What does the man mean?3.M：Liz, I just found out Ihave a meeting and I can‘t pick up the kids after their so ccerpractice. Wouldyou be able to pick them up in time?W：Yes, that won‘t be aproblem. I think I can finish early today.Q：Why does the man say he can‘tpick up the kids?4.W: Maryis going to get a little dog from one of her relatives.M: Really?But I hear her apartment building is about to place a ban on p et animals.Q：What does the man imply?5.W：I can never tell whether it‘sLisa or Gale on the phone. Their voices sound incr ediblysimilar.M: That‘sabout the only thing they have in common for twins, believe it o r not.Q：What does the man mean?6.W: Jay,what does the fax from our associates in Britain say?M：They want to know if theeconomic crisis would affect our ability to carry out t he deal wesigned lastNovember.Q：What are the speakerstalking about?7.M: Doyou think you'll be able to get this ink stain out of my pants?W: Itwon't be a problem, but I need to send them over to our main clean ing facility.That‘san extra day‘s time.Q：What does the woman mean?8.W: Thatlooks like a protest rally. I wonder what they are protesting agai nst.M: Thatsign says they are against importing luxury goods from Europe. They seemed tobegetting so worked up about that.Q：What are the speakerstalking about?听力长对话原文1Conversation OneW：What isit, Bob?(9)You sounded prettyserious on the phone. Have we still got abudgetproble m?M：I don‘ know. I hope not. Themeeting's on Friday. But that‘s not what I want t o talk toyou about. Er, closethe door, will you? It‘s Marsha.W: Marsha?What about her?M: I'mworried. I don‘t know what to do.(10)She‘s just not performing. We may have tolether go.W: Fireher? She‘s been with us a long time, Bob. If she leaves, it‘ll be a b ig loss tous. She‘sdone really excellent work.M：Yes. But lately, the lastmonth or so, in fact, there have been a lot of problems . She‘schanged. Notonly does she have a tendency to be moody all the time, but shemissesappointments, doesn‘t follow through on projects, and doesn't seem to plananything tillthe last minute.W: Em, didshe ever explain why she didn‘t show up for the Denver trip?M：No. She said she was sorryand that it w ouldn‘t happen again. (11) Something about amix-up onarrangements to get to the airport. Now, whenever anybody mentions the subjecttoher, she just goes silent. I don‘t kno w. Thank goodness, David pulled us outof the hole on thatone.W: Yes, hedid a really fine job, filling in for Marsha like that at the last mi nute.M：(12)I don‘t think it was thefirst time he‘s had to do that. If we knew all the fa cts, I thinkwe‘d findthat he's been covering for Marsha on quite a few project s.9. Whatdid the man do before he came to see the woman?10. Whatdoes the man say about Marsha?11. Howdid Marsha explain why she didn't show up for the Denver trip?12. Whatdoes the man say about David?听力长对话原文2Conversation TwoM：You also hire the mistressesof Oxford High School for girls. How many girls do you havehere?W：We have 615 girls.M: in yourexperience, do girls do better academically and later profession ally insingle-sexschools?W：Yes. I think they do betteracademically and you can measure that very crude ly fromthe examinationresults,(13) I also think they do better academically because they havemoreopportun ities to take the leading role in discussions and in managerial responsibilities.( 14)Ithink they see the role models of the chief positions in the school beinghe ld by women.M：I wonder if you could saythen in a few words what the advantages are for a gi rl at asingle-sex school.Well, I think within the classroom, she‘s going to have full opportunity toexpress her own opinions. She isn‘t going to be shouted d own by over-confidentyounggentlemen.W: Areteenagers in particular, do you think, sheltered too much from c ontact withtheopposite sex? Does this cause them difficulties when they find t hemselves inmixed groups?M：Well, I would like to findthe parents who could shelter girls from the oppositesex ifthey live in Oxford.(15)They encounter boys all the time socially out of school, andthroughdebating societies and things like that, some school activit ies as well.M: So, nodisadvantages at all?W：I don‘t think there are anydisadvantages. I think that it‘s grossly overstated t hat oneneeds to havecontact with the opposite sex right through the whole of life, in the classroomandoutside the classroom and at all ages.13. Whatdoes the woman say about the girls in her school?14. Whatdo we learn about the woman's school?15. What does the woman say about the girls' social life?听力短文原文Passage OneLarry arrivedearly for his speaking engagement.He positioned the table so that he couldmove closeto the audience that's the strategic point in thesp eech.(16)He hadread that speakers can be more persuasive if they invade the pe rsonalspace oflisteners, encouraging an emotional response. For the same r eason, he placedthechairs close to each other and raised the temperature toa slightlyuncomfortable level.(17)Thepurpose of the speech was to encourage theaudience of corporate executives and localbusiness owners to support localsports groups. To enhan ce his credibility with the audience,Larry had broughtsome slides of his famil y attending sports events. One photo showed him atanaward ceremony, whe re he had been honored for his financial contribution to alocal baseball team . Realizing that this particular audience would find hisregional accent unattra ctive, Larry planned to speak with an accent that wouldbe more acceptable to hisaudience.(18)After reading a book on how to addressfor success, he had purchased ane xpensive dark navy suit and golden tie. Hechose colors and styles known to c ommunicate power and influence.(19)Justbefore people began entering the hall, Larry dimmed the lights andtur ned upthe sound system, which was playing soft music, hoping to create a wa rmpersonalatmosphere for the speech. He hoped that these added effects wo uldencourage his audience tosupport local sports teams. He had also planned thecontent of his speech to focus on theteams with the best records, the ones that had won the most games in the last season.16.How cana speaker make himself more persuasive when delivering a speech?17.Forwhat purpose was Larry going to make a speech?18.Why didLarry purchase an expensive navy suit and golden tie?19.Why didLarry dim the lights and turn up the sound system before peo ple enteredthehall?Passage TwoPhillisWheatley was a young African-American slave who belonged to lan downerJohnWheatley in Colonial America.(20)She was also a poet and the firstAfrican-American everto publish a book. Her poems on various subjects,religious and moral were printed in Boston in1 773, three years before thesigning of the Declaration of Independence. Early slaves weregenerally deniededucation, but Wheatley was allowed by her owne r to study poetry, Latin andtheBible. And by the time she reached her late tee ns, she had written enoughpoetry to puttogether a slender book of verse. E ven so, publication wasdifficult.(21)The publisher, fearful of being cheated, forced her to submit tohis schola rly examination by a board of educatedmen, including the colonialgovernor. T he board of judges questioned Wheatley extensively andruled thatshe was e ducated enough to have written the book. Only then waspublicationpermitted. Wheatley may have been the first, but she was not the only slave towriteboo ks during the growing days of the Republic. Unfortunately, most of theearly p opular African-American writers have been all but forgotten in moderntimes u ntil now. A chronicleprofessor, Henry Louis Gates, recently studied aresearch project looking into 19th centuryAfrican-American fiction and poetry.(22)In t he process he uncovered numerous lost works,almost half of which werewri tten by African-American women. In very literary styles, thenewlyresurfaced manuscripts offered a rich stock of African-American culture,recreating amon gother things the early days of slavery and the importance ofreligion to the sl aves.20. Whatdoes the speaker say about Phillis Wheatley?21. Whatwas Wheatley forced to do to get her book published?22. Whatdid Prof. Henry Louis Gates uncover in the process of his resear ch?Passage ThreeIn today'spersonality stakes, nothing is more highly valued than the sens e of humor.Weseek it out in others and are proud to claim it in ourselves, perhaps even morethan goodlooks or intelligence.(23) If someone has a great sense of humor, wereason, it means thatthey are happy, socially confident and have a healthyperspective on life.(24)This attitudewould have surprised the ancient Greeks,who believed humo r to be essentially aggressive.And in fact our admiration forthe comically gifted is relatively new and not very well-founded,says RodMartin‘s a psycho logist at the University of Western Ontario."Being funnyisn'tnecessarily an indicator of good social skills and well-being ,‖ hisresearch has shown, "it mayjust exactly be a sign of personalityflaws."(25)He has found that humor is a double-edged sword. It can forgebetter rela tionships and help you cope with life, or it can be corrosiveeatingaway your se lf-esteem and irritating others."It‘s a form of communicationlike speech,and we all use it differently*" says Martin. We use bondinghumor to enhance our social connections* but we als o may employ it as a way ofexcluding or rejecting an outsider. Thoughhumor is essentially social, how youuse it says a lot about your sense of self. Those who useself-defeating humor,making fun of themselves, of the enjoyment of others, tend to maintainthathostility toward themselves even when alone. S imilarly, those who are able toview the worldwith amused tolerance are ofte n equally forgiving of their ownshortcomings.23. How dopeople today view humor according to the speaker?24. Whatdid ancient Greeks think of humor?25. What has psychologist Rod Martin found about humor?听力填空It isimportant that we be mindful of the earth, the planet out of which we a re bornand by which we arenourished, guided, healed-the planet, however,w hich wehave abused to a considerable degree inthese past two centuries of i ndustrialexploitation.This exploitation has reached such extremes that pres ently itappears that some hundreds ofthousands of species will be extinguish ed beforethe end of the century.In our times, human shrewdness has mastered the deep mysteriesof the earth at a level farbeyond the capacities of earlier peoples. We canbreak the mountains apart; we can drain therivers and flood the valleys. Wecan turn th e most luxuriant forests into throwaway paperproducts. We can tear apartth e great grass cover of the western plains and pour toxic chemicals into thesoil until the soil is dead and blows away in the wind. We can pollute theairwith a cids, the rivers with sewage(污水), the seas with oil. We caninvent computers capable of processing ten milli on calculations per second. Andwhy"? To increase the volume and thespeed w ith which we move naturalresources through the consumer economy to the ju nk pile orthe waste heap. Ourmanagerial skills are measured by the compet ence manifested inacceleratingthis process. If in these activities the physical f eatures of the planet aredamaged, ifthe environment is made inhospitabl e for a multitude of living species,then so be it. We are,supposedly, creating a technological wonder world.2013年12月英语六级听力答案+原文第3套1-25 DCBCD ABABD ACBCA BCCDA DACDB26.addition27.recognize28.challenges29.identify30. secret31.specific32. givinginstructions33. shedlight on34.acquisition35. caught up with听力短对话1.M：I need to find a dentist.You said you knowDr. Smith well. Do you recommend her?W: Well, Ihad to see her a few times, but what impressed me most were t he magazines inher waiting room.Q：What does the woman imply?2.W：I‘m afraid I can‘t show youthe apartment at the moment, because the tenantis stillliving in it. It‘sreally a lovely place with a big kitchen and a sunny windo w, for only $200amonth.M：Sounds good, but we reallycan‘t rent an apartment without seeing it first.Q：What do we learn from theconversation?3.M：So, that's what‘s beenkeeping you so busy recently!W: Yes, I‘vebeen tied up with my studies. You know I‘m planning to go to theUnitedStates this coming summer, but I'm a bit nervous about my Englis h.Q：What is the woman busydoing?4.W：How did you feel when youfound out you had high blood pressure?M:Shocked! The problem for me was that there were no symptoms. It se emed to havesneakedup on me.Q：What does the man mean?5.W: So,you're just back from a trip to India. What were you doing there?M：The trip was intended tobring to the world's attention the fact that AIDS is no t just anAfricandisease. It's also endangering other countries, notably, India a nd Thailand.Q：What was the purpose of theman‘s trip to India?6.M：It‘s quite clear for myvisit. This is a full size, comprehensive university. So wh y is it stillcalleda college?W：The College of William andMary is the second oldest institution of higher learn ing inthis country. Wehave nurtured great minds like Thomas Jefferson and w e are proud of ourname.Q：What do we learn from thisconversation about the College of William and Mar y?7.M: Havethe parts we need for the photo copying machine arrived yet?W: Iordered them last week, but something is holding them up.Q：What does thewoman say about the parts needed for the photo copying mach ine?8.W：The cafeteria provided manykinds of dishes for us today. Did you notice that?M: Yes,kind of rare, isn‘t it?Q：What does the man imply?听力长对话原文1Conversation OneW:Hello‘Patrick, Is that you?M：Yeah, Jane. What can I dofor you?W: (9)Iwas calling about the apple tree that you were trimming yesterda y.M: Thatwas hard work!W：I'm sure it was. It truelooked difficult.M：Yeah, I‘m glad it‘sfinished. Hauling the branches to the front for garbage pick-up was nofuneither.W：Well, I don't think you'requite finished yet.(10)Some of the larger branches fell overinto my yard, andI think you should come and get them.M: Listen,Jane. I don't see why I should do that. You‘ve eaten all the app les that fallin youryard and you‘ve never complained about that before.W：Well, it‘s easier to pickup apples than to drag tree branches all the way to the curb. Mykids pick upthe apples, and the branches are just too big for them t o drag.M：Well, I guess you‘ll justhave to do it yourself, Jane.W:Patrick, I wish you would reconsider. We‘ve always gotten along fairl y well,but I thinkyou‘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。

2013年12月英语六级真题答案完整版作文部分范文一：Happiness – Go for itIn this long journey we call "life", everybody is in pursuit of happiness and has their own interpretation of happiness. An inspiring idea is that happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them, which reveals the very truth about happiness. It cannot be achieved through waiting, but only through striving.There is no way that life always progresses as we wish. Problems may occur and we find ourselves in trouble, but it doesn't mean we are deprived of happiness. There are numerous examples for us to follow: disabled people overcoming obstacles, patients fighting against disease, poverty-stricken people achieving their dreams -- all these inspiring heroes. Their lives are definitely not problem-free, but they have found happiness by courageously solving problems.Therefore, it is essential to develop the ability to deal with problems. We need to muster our courage and confidence to face the fact. Meanwhile, we need to find effective ways to cope with them.In a word, if we stay strong and approach problems effectively, there will be no storm in life that we cannot weather. And after the storm, happiness is within our reach.范文二：Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the remark “the greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” You can give examples to illustrate your point and then explain what you will do to make your life more meaningful. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.How to Live a Meaning LifeAmong all the highlighted topics, there is “how to live a meaning life?” Everyone has his or her own opinion. As the saying h as it, “the greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”I cannot agree any more.If our life is just to pursue something for ourselves, we will surely feel fruitless and meaningless when we grow old. From Steve Jobs’s bibliogra phy, we can get that the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. Steve Jobs has brought a great many changes to our world. His life, although short, definitely outlast. That’s a life worth living.Therefore, if t here is a way to make my life meaningful, it should be to find something I’m interested in and also helpful to others or the whole society. Only in this way can I keep my passion throughout my life until I finally fulfil my life.范文三：For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay about the impact of information explosion by referring to the saying "a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention". You can cite examples to illustrate your point and then explain what you can do to avoid being distracted by irrelevant information? You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Ways to Get Over Information ExplosionAs a famous saying goes, “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention”. No wadays we are in the Information Age. Some people keep complaining about distraction by the information explosion.Admittedly, the new information age has brought us so much convenience that we are allowed to get enough information just with a simple click sitting in front of the computers. Nevertheless, we are also confused, annoyed, distracted and upset by an incredibly large quantity of information. For example, when searching for something online, people are easily carried away by irrelevant information and forget their original plan. Besides, some information often turns out to be useless and actually advertisement. Therefore, it can be time-consuming and troublesome to search information online.Then what we can do to avoid being distracted by irrelevant information? Here I have some useful tips: Firstly, make a list of what you really want before your searching. This will help you to refuse some appealing, yet irrelevant information. Secondly, find some trustful and professional sources or websites and then save and categorize them. In this case, you can easily leave some ads and useless information behind.听力部分【短对话】1.W: What a wonderful performance! Your rock band has never sounded better.M: Many thanks. I guess all those hours of practice in the past month are finally paying off.Q：What does the man mean?2.M: I can't decide what to do for my summer vacation. I either want to go on a bike tour of Europe or go diving in Mexico.W: Well, we're offering an all-inclusive two-week trip to Mexico for only 300 dollars.Q：What does the woman suggest the man do for his vacation?3. W: How long do you think this project might take?M: I'd say about three months, but it could take longer if something unexpected happened. Maybe we'd better allow an extra month, so we won’t have to worry about being late.Q: Why does the man say extra time should be allowed for the project?4. M: I'm thinking about becoming a member here, and I'd like some information.W: Sure. A three-month membership costs 150 dollars, and that includes use of the wait-room, sauna and pool. I'll give you a free path so that you can try out the facilities before you decide.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?5.W: I'm sorry to hear that you failed the Physics course, Ted.M: Let's face it. I'm just not cut out to be a scientist.Q: What does the man mean?6.M: Gary insisted on buying the food for the picnic.W: That's pretty generous of him. But shouldn't we at least offer to share the expenses? He has a big family to support.Q: What does the woman suggest they do?7.W: Did you see the headlines in the paper this morning?M: Year. Apparently the bus company will be laying off its employees if they can't reach an agreement on wages by midnight.Q: What did the man read about?8.W: Have we received payment for the overseas order we delivered last month?M: Yes. The cheque came in yesterday afternoon. I'll be depositing it when I go the bank today.Q: What is the woman concerned about?【六级听力长对话原文1】W: OK, that's it. Now we have to make a decision. We might as well do that now, don't you think?M: Sure, let's see. First we saw Frank Brisenski. What did you think of him?W: Well, he's certainly a very polite young man.M: And very relaxed, too.W: But his appearance…M: En…He wasn't well dressed. He wasn't even wearing a tie.W: But he did have a nice voice. He sounded good on the telephone.M: True. And I thought he seemed very intelligent. He answered Dona's questions very well.W: That's true, but dressing well is important. Well, let's think about the others. Now what about Barber Jones? She had a nice voice, too. She sounded good on the telephone, and she was well dressed, too.M: En…She did look very neat, very nicely dressed, but…W: But so shy. She wouldn't be very good at talking to people at the front desk.M: En…OK. Now who was the next? Ar…Yes, David Wallace. I thought he was very good, had a lot of potential. What do you think?W: En…He seemed like a very bright guy. He dressed very nicely, too. And he had a really nice appearance.M: He seemed relaxed to me, the type of person people feel comfortable with right away.W: He was polite, but also very friendly and relaxed as you say. I think he'll be good with the guests at the front desk.M: He had a very pleasant voice, too.W: That's right. OK, good! I guess we have our receptionist then, don't you?M: Yes, I think so. We'll just offer the job to…Question 9: What are the speakers looking for?Question 10: What is Frank Brisenski's weakness?Question 11: What do the speakers decide to do?【六级听力长对话原文2】W: Hello.M: Hello. Is that the reference library?W: Yes, can I help you?M: I hope so. I ran earlier and asked for some information about Dennis Hutton, the scientist. You asked me to ring back.W: Oh, yes. I have found something.M: Good. I've got a pencil and paper. Perhaps you could read out what it says.W: Certainly. Hutton Dennis, born Darlington, 1836, died New York, 1920.M: Yes, got that.W: Inventer and physicist, the son of a farmworker. He was admitted to the University of London at the age of 15.M: Yes.W: He graduated at 17 with the first class degree in physics and mathematics. All right?M: Yes, all right.W: He made his first notable achievement at the age of 18. It was a method of refrigeration which rolls from his work in low temperature physics. He became professor of mathematics at the University of Manchester at 24, where he remained for twelve years. During that time, he married one of his students, Natasha WilloughbyM: Yes, go on.W: Later working together in London, they laid the foundations of modern physics by showing that normal laws of cause and effect do not apply at the level of subatomic particles. For this he and his wife received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1910, and did so again in 1912 for their work on very high frequency radio waves. In his lifetime, Hutton patented 244 inventions. Do you want any more?M: Yes, when did he go to America?W: Let me see. In 1920 he went to teach in New York and died there suddenly after only three weeks. Still he was a good age.M: Yes, I suppose so. Well, thanks.Question 12: What do we learn about Dennis Hutton when he was 15?Question 13: What did Dennis Hutton do at the age of 24?Question 14: For what were Dennis Hutton and his wife awarded the Nobel Prize a second time?Question 15: Why did Dennis Hutton go to New York?In America, white tailed deer are more numerous than ever before, so abundant in fact that they've become a suburban nuisance and a health hazard.Why can't the herd be thinned the old-fashioned way? The small community of North Haven on Long Island is home to some six hundred to seven hundred deer. The department of Environmental Conservation estimates the optimum population at 60. The town has been browsed bare of vegetation except where gardens and shrubs are protected by high fences.Drivers routinely collide with deer and there are so many dead bodies left by the side of the road that the town has made it a deal with a local pet cemetery to collect and dispose of the bodies. Some people in the town have become ill from deer transmitted diseases. On the occasions when hunting has been tried, local animal rights people have worked to secure court orders against the hunts. And when that is failed, they stop the hunters, banging on pots and pans to alert the deer. Town meetings called to discuss the problem inevitably dissolved into confrontations.The activists believe simply that the deer are not the problem. Some communities have even discussed the possibility of bringing wolves back into the ecological mix. That means wolves in the suburbs of New York. It is almost too wonderful not to try it. The wolves would kill deer of course. They would also terrorize and kill dogs and cats which is not what the suburban dwellers have in mind.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heardQ16. What do we learn about white-tailed deer in North Haven?Q17. Why do local animal rights people bang on pots and pans?Q18. What would happen if wolves were brought back into the ecological mix?六级短文2原文And now, if you'll walk this way, ladies and gentlemen, the next room we're going to see is the room in which the family used to hold their formal dinner parties and even occasionally entertain heads of state and royalty. However, they managed to keep this room friendly and intimate. And I think you'll agree. It has a very informal atmosphere, quite unlike some grand houses you visit. The curtains were never drawn, even at night, so guests got a view of the lake and fountains outside which were lit up at night – a very attractive sight. As you can see, ladies and gentlemen, the guests were seated very informally around this oval table, which would add to the relaxed atmosphere. The table dates from the 18th century and is made from Spanish oak. It's rather remarkable for the fact that although it's extremely big, it's supported by just six rather slim legs. However, it seems to have survived like that for 200 years. So it's probably going to last a bit longer. The chairs which go with the table are not a complete set. There were originally six of them. They are interesting for the fact that they are very plain and undecorated for the time, with only one plain central panel at the back and no armrests. I myself find them rather uncomfortable to sit in for very long, but people were used to more discomfort in the past. And now, ladies and gentlemen, if you'd like t o follow me into the great hall…Q19. What do we learn about the speaker?Q20. What does the speaker say about the room they are visiting?Q21. What is said about the oval table in the room?Q22. What does the speaker say about the chairs?六级短文3原文Janet James was 22 years old when she was diagnosed with MS—a disease that attacks the body's nerves. She has just graduated from college and got a job at an advertising agency when she began to sense that something strange was going on inside her body.When James realized how severe her illness was, she knew she had better hurry up and live life. MS is the biggest cripplerof young adults. And although she didn't have many symptoms, she knew it was just a matter of time. First on her agenda was to pursue her dream of hosting a pop music programme. She worked at a radio station for a year, always aware that her body was degenerating. Then her best friend moved away. And one night James began screaming, "I got to go! I got to go!" Two weeks later, she arrived at Alaska, thousands of miles from her friends, her family and her past. "Everything fell into a place", she recalls. A 23-year-old girl with an incurable disease can fly to Alaska and everything can work out. The MS attacks came and went. And most of the time they hardly slowed her down. James hiked, fished, learnt to sail and experimented with hot air ballooning. "I lived for adventure", she says. "Nobody ever had a better time or did more exotic strange things than I did in an 80-year period." Inevitably however, the day came when she was so weakened that she had to return to Pittsburgh, her home town. There she began relieving her adventures by writing a book about them. Her book was published in 1993.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.Questions 23What does the speaker say about MS?Questions 24What did Janet James decide to do after her disease was diagnosed?Questions 25What's sort of person can we infer Janet James is?the ecological mix?2013年12月大学英语六级考试听力填空原文It’s difficult to estimate the number of youngsters involved in home schooling where children are not sent to school and receive their formal education from one or both parents. Legislation and court decisions have made it legally possible in most states for parents to educate their children at home and each year more people take advantage of that opportunity.Some states require parents or a home tutor to meet teacher certification standards, and many require parents to complete legal forms to verify that their children are receiving instruction in state approved curriculum.Supporters of home education claim that it is less expensive and far more efficient than mass public education. Moreover they site several advantages: alleviation of school overcrowding, strengthen family relationships, lower dropout rates, the facts that students are allowed to learn at their own rate, increased motivation, higher standardized test scores, and reduced discipline problems.Critics of the home schooling movement content that it creates as many problems as itsolves. They acknowledge that, in a few cases, home schooling offers educational opportunities superior to those found in most public schools, but few parents can provide such educational advantages. Some parents who withdraw their children from the schools in favor of home schooling have an inadequate educational background and insufficient formal training to provide a satisfactory education for their children. Typically, parents have fewer technological resources at their disposal than do schools. However, the relatively inexpensive computer technology that is readily available today is causing some to challenge the notion that home schooling is in any way inferior to more highly structured classroom education. 1. 答案：D) Their hard work has resulted in a big success.2. 答案：B) Join a package tour to Mexico.3. 答案：B) In case some problem should occur.4. 答案：C) The man can try out the facilities before he becomes a member.5. 答案：A) He is not fit to study science.6. 答案：C) Pay for part of the picnic food.7. 答案：A) A labor dispute at a bus company.8. 答案：D) The payment for an order.9. B) A hotel receptionist.10. A) Appearance.11. C) Offer the job to David Wallace.12 C) He was admitted to university.13. B) He became a professor of Mathematics.14. D) Their work on very high frequency radio waves.15. D) To teach at a university.16. A They have become a headache to the community.17. C To alert the deer.18. B They would endanger domestic animals.19. A She is a tourist guide.20. C It was used by the family to hold dinner parties.21. B It is very big, with only six slim legs.22. D They are uncomfortable to sit in for long.23. D It is the biggest crippler of young adults.24. A Hurry up and live life.25. B Adventurous.26. Legislation27. instruction28. efficient29. dropout30. motivation31. discipline32. contend33. in favor of34. at their disposal35. inferior to36 enthusiasm37 reward38 determine39 impact40 additional41 closely42 consistent43 suspending44 affect45 penalty46. G47. C48. H49. F50. A51. G52. D53. K54. I55. J56. C. They often have to seek job outside the academic circle.57. A. It should be improved to better suit the job market.58. C. An IDP be made in communication with an adviser.59. B. help employees make the best use of their abilities to achieve their goals.60. A. It is the effective tool of self-awareness and introspection for better career plans.61. A) It still leaves much to be desired.62. B) Where women's rights are protected by law.63. D) They are underrepresented in politics.64. B) It does not guarantee a better life for the nation's women.65. D) Tap women's economic potential.翻译部分翻译一： Since ancient times, the Chinese people usually celebrate harvest in the Mid-Autumn, which is similar to the custom of celebrating Thanksgiving in the North America. The Mid-Autumn has become popular all over China in the Early Tang Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, is a day for worshiping the moon. At that day, family members get together and enjoy the bright moon in the sky at night. In 2006, the Mid-Autumn was listed as a China cultural heritage, and in 2008 designated as a public holiday. The moon cake, an indispensable food of the Festival, is often used as a gift for relatives and friends or enjoyed in the family party. Traditional moon cakes are imprinted with Chinese characters with such meanings as “longevity”, “happiness” or “harmony”.翻译二： The world-renowned Silk Road is a series of routes connecting the East and the West. It extended more than 6,000 kilometers. The Silk Road was named after ancient China’s silk trade which played an important role in the civilization development of China, South Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It was through the Silk Road that papermaking, gunpowder, compass and printing of the four great inventions of ancient China were introduced around the world. Similarly, Chinese silk, tea and porcelain spread all over the world. Europe also exported various goods and plants through the Silk Road to meet the needs of the Chinese market.。

2013年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第一套）Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on happiness by referring to the saying “Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them.”You can cite examples to illustrate your point and then explain how you can develop your ability to deal with problems and be happy. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Part II Listening prehension （30 minutes）Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single linethrough the centre.1.A）The rock band needs more hours of practice.B）The rock band is going to play here for a month.C）Their hard work has resulted in a big success.D）He appreciates the woman’s help with the band.2.A）Go on a diving tour in Europe.C）Travel overseas on his own.B）Add 300 dollars to his budget.D）Join a package tour to Mexico.3.A）In case some problem should occur. C）To avoid more work later on. B）Something unexpected has happened. D）To make better preparations.4. A）The woman asked for a free pass to try out the facilities.B）The man is going to renew his membership in a fitness center.C）The woman can give the man a discount if he joins the club now.D）The man can try out the facilities before he bees a member.5. A）He is not afraid of challenge. C）He is worried about the test.B）He is not fit to study science. D）He is going to drop the physics course.6. A）Pay for part of the piic food. C）Buy something special for Gary.B）Invite Gary’s family to dinner. D）Take some food to the piic.7.A）Bus drivers’working conditions. C）Public transportation.B）A labor dispute at a bus pany. D）A corporate takeover.8. A）The bank statement. C）The payment for an order.B）Their sales overseas.D）The check just deposited.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A）A hotel receptionist.C）A shop assistant.B）A private secretary.D）A sales manager.10. A）Voice.C）Appearance.B）Intelligence.D）Manners.11.A）Arrange one more interview. C）Report the matter to their boss. B）Offer the job to David Wallace. D）Hire Barbara Jones on a trial basis.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 12. A）He invented the refrigerator. C）He got a degree in Mathematics. B）He patented his first invention. D）He was admitted to university.13. A）He distinguished himself in low temperature physics.B）He fell in love with Natasha Willoughby.C）He became a professor of Mathematics.D）He started to work on refrigeration.14. A）Finding the true nature of subatomic particles.B）Their work on very high frequency radio waves.C）Laying the foundations of modern mathematics.D）Their discovery of the laws of cause and effect.15. A）To teach at a university. C）To spend his remaining years.B）To patent his inventions. D）To have a three-week holiday.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A）They have fallen prey to wolves.B）They have bee a tourist attraction.C）They have caused lots of damage to crops.D）They have bee a headache to the munity.17.A）To celebrate their victory.C）To scare the wolves.B）To cheer up the hunters. D）To alert the deer.18.A）They would help to spread a fatal disease.B）They would pose a threat to the children.C）They would endanger domestic animals.D）They would eventually kill off the deer.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A）She is an interpreter.C）She is a domestic servant.B）She is a tourist guide.D）She is from the royal family.20.A）It was used by the family to hold dinner parties.B）It is situated at the foot of a beautiful mountain.C）It was frequently visited by heads of state.D）It is furnished like one in a royal palace.21. A）It is elaborately decorated.C）It is very big, with only six slim legs.B）It has survived some 2,000 years. D）It is shaped like an ancient Spanish boat.22. A）They are unfortable to sit in for long. C）They have lost some of their legs. B）They do not match the oval table at all.D）They are interesting to look at.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A）It is an unmon infectious disease.B）It destroys the patient’s ability to think.C）It is a disease very difficult to diagnose.D）It is the biggest crippler of young adults.24. A）Search for the best cure. C）Write a book about her life.B）Hurry up and live life.D）Exercise more and work harder.25. A）Aggressive.C）Sophisticated.B）Adventurous.D）Self-centered.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.It’s difficult to estimate the number of youngsters involved in home schooling, where children are not sent to school and receive their formal education from one or both parents. （26）_________ and court decisions have made it legally possible in most states for parents to educate their children at home, and each year more people take advantage of that opportunity. Some states require parents or a home tutor to meet teacher certification standards, and many require parents to plete legal forms to verify that their children are receiving （27）_________ in state-approved curricula.Supporters of home education claim that it’s less expensive and far more （28）_________ than mass public education. Moreover, they cite several advantages: alleviation of school overcrowding, strengthened family relationships, lower （29）_________ rates, the fact that students are allowed to learn at their own rate, increased （30）_________, higher standardized test scores, and reduced （31）_________ problems.Critics of the home schooling movement （32）_________ that it creates as many problems as it solves. They acknowledge that, in a few cases, home schooling offers educational opportunities superior to those found in most public schools, but few parents can provide such educational advantages. Some parents who withdraw their children from the schools （33）_________ home schooling have an inadequate educational background and insufficient formal training to provide a satisfactory education for their children. Typically, parents have fewer technological resources （34）_________ than do schools. However, the relatively inexpensive puter technology that is readily available today is causing some to challenge the notion that home schooling is in any way （35）_________ more highly structured classroom education.Part III Reading prehension （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. Eachchoice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.Quite often, educators tell families of children who are learning English as a second language to speak only English, and not their native language, at home. Although these educators may have good ___36___, their advice to families is misguided, and it ___37___ from misunderstandings about the process of language acquisition. Educators may fear that children hearing two languages will bee ___38___ confused and thus their language development will be ___39___; this concern is not documented in the literature. Children are capable of learning more than one language, whether ___40___ or sequentially （依次地）. In fact, most children outside of the United States are expected to bee bilingual or even, in many cases, multilingual. Globally, knowing more than one language is viewed as an ___41___ and even a necessity in many areas.It is also of concern that the misguided advice that students should speak only English is given primarily to poor families with limited educational opportunities, not to wealthier families who have many educational advantages. Since children from poor families often are___42___ as at-risk for academic failure, teachers believe that advising families to speak English only is appropriate. Teachers considerlearning two languages to be too ___43___ for children from poor families, believing that the children are already burdened by their home situations.If families do not know English or have limited English skills themselves, how can they municate in English? Advising non-English-speaking families to speak only English is ___44___ to telling them not to municate with or interact with their children. Moreover, the ___45___ message is that the family’s native language is not important or valued.A）asset I）permanentlyB）delayedJ）prevalentC）deviatesK）simultaneouslyD）equivalentL）stemsE）identifiedM）successivelyF）intentionsN）underlyingG）objectO）visualizingH）overwhelmingSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Uses of DifficultyThe brain likes a challenge—and putting a few obstacles in its way may well boost its creativity.A）Jack White, the former frontman of the White Stripes and an influential figure among fellow musicians, likes to make things difficult for himself. He uses cheap guitars that won’t stay in shape or in tune. When performing, he positions his instruments in a way that is deliberately inconvenient, so that switching from guitar to organ mid-song involves a mad dash across the stage. Why? Because he’s on the run from what he describes as a disease that preys on every artist:“ease of use”. When making music gets too easy, says White, it bees harder to make it sing.B）It’s an odd thought. Why would anyone made their work more difficult than it already is? Yet we know that difficulty can pay unexpected dividends. In 1966, soon after the Beatles had finished work on “Rubber Soul”, Paul McCartney looked into the possibility of going to America to record their next album. The equipment inAmerican studios was more advanced than anything in Britain, which had led the Beatles’great rivals, the Rolling Stones, to make their latest album, “Aftermath”, in Los Angeles. McCartney found that EMI’s（百代唱片）contractual clauses made it prohibitively expensive to follow suit, and the Beatles had to make do with the primitive technology of Abbey Road.C）Lucky for us. Over the next two years they made their most groundbreaking work, turning the recording studio into a magical instrument of its own. Precisely because they were working with old-fashioned machines, George Martin and his team of engineers were forced to apply every ounce of their creativity to solve the problems posed to them by Lennon and McCartney. Songs like “Tomorrow Never Knows”, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, and “A Day in the Life”featured revolutionary sound effects that dazzled and mystified Martin’s American counterparts.D）Sometimes it’s only when a difficulty is removed that we realise what it was doing for us. For more than two decades, starting in the 1960s, the poet Ted Hughes sat on the judging panel of an annual poetry petition for British schoolchildren. During the 1980s he noticed an increasing number of long poems among the submissions, with some running to 70 or 80 pages. These poems were verbally inventive and fluent, but also“strangely boring”. After making inquiries Hughes discovered that they were being posed on puters, then just finding their way into British homes.E）You might have thought any tool which enables a writer to get words on to thepage would be an advantage. But there may be a cost to such facility. In an interview with the Paris Review Hughes speculated that when a person puts pen to paper, “you meet the terrible resistance of what happened your first year at it, when you couldn’t write at all”. As the brain attempts to force the unsteady hand to do its bidding, the tension between the two results in a more pressed, psychologically denser expression. Remove that resistance and you are more likely to produce a 70-page ramble （不着边际的长篇大论）.F）Our brains respond better to difficulty than we imagine. In schools, teachers and pupils alike often assume that if a concept has been easy to learn, then the lesson has been successful. But numerous studies have now found that when classroom material is made harder to absorb, pupils retain more of it over the long term, and understand it on a deeper level.G）As a poet, Ted Hughes had an acute sensitivity to the way in which constraints on self-expression, like the disciplines of metre and rhyme （韵律）, spur creative thought. What applies to poets and musicians also applies to our daily lives. We tend to equate （等同）happiness with freedom, but, as the psychotherapist and writer Adam Phillips has observed, without obstacles to our desires it’s harder to know what we want, or where we’re heading. He tells the story of a patient, a first-time mother who plained that her young son was always clinging to her, wrapping himself around her legs wherever she went. She never had a moment to herself, she said, because her son was “always in the way”. When Phillips asked herwhere she would go if he wasn’t in the way, she replied cheerfully, “Oh, I wouldn’t know where I was!”H）Take another mon obstacle: lack of money. People often assume that more money will make them happier. But economists who study the relationship between money and happiness have consistently found that, above a certain ine, the two do not reliably correlate. Despite the ease with which the rich can acquire almost anything they desire, they are just as likely to be unhappy as the middle classes. In this regard at least, F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong.I）Indeed, ease of acquisition is the problem. The novelist Edward St Aubyn has a narrator remark of the very rich that, “not having to consider affordability, their desires rambled on like unstoppable bores, relentless （持续不断的）and whimsical （反覆无常的）at the same time.”When Boston College, a private research university, wanted a better feel for its potential donors, it asked the psychologist Robert Kenny to investigate the mindset of the super-rich. He surveyed 165 households, most of which had a net worth of $25m or more. He found that many of his subjects were confused by the infinite options their money presented them with. They found it hard to know what to want, creating a kind of existential bafflement. One of them put it like this: “You know, Bob, you can just buy so much stuff, and when you get to the point where you can just buy so much stuff, now what are you going to do?”J）The internet makes information billionaires out of all of us, and the architects ofour online experiences are catching on to the need to make things creatively difficult. Twitter’s huge success is rooted in the simple but profound insight that in a medium with infinite space for self-expression, the most interesting thing we can do is restrict ourselves to 140 characters. The music service This Is My Jam helps people navigate the tens of millions of tracks now available instantly via Spotify and iTunes. Users pick their favourite song of the week to share with others. They only get to choose one. The service was only launched this year, but by the end of September 650,000 jams had been chosen. Its co-founder Matt Ogle explains its raison d’être （存在的理由）like this: “In an age of endless choice, we were missing a way to say: ‘This. This is the one you should listen to’.”K）Today’s world offers more opportunity than ever to follow the advice of the Walker Brothers and make it easy on ourselves. pared with a hundred years ago, our lives are less tightly bound by social norms and physical constraints. Technology has cut out much of life’s donkeywork, and we have more freedoms than ever: we can wear what we like and municate with hundreds of friends at once at the click of a mouse. Obstacles are everywhere disappearing. Few of us wish to turn the clock back, but perhaps we need to remind ourselves how useful the right obstacles can be. Sometimes, the best route to fulfillment is the path of more resistance.46. The rigorous requirements placed on the writing of poetry stimulate the poet’s creativity.47. With creativity, even old-fashioned instruments may produce spectacular sound effects.48. More money does not necessarily bring greater happiness.49. It is a false assumption that lessons should be made easier to learn.50. Obstacles deliberately placed in the creation of music contribute to its success.51. Those who enjoy total freedom may not find themselves happy.52. Ted Hughes discovered many long poems submitted for poetry petition were posed on puters.53. Maybe we need to bear in mind that the right obstacles help lead us to greater achievements.54. An investigation found that many of the super-rich were baffled by the infinite choices their money made available.55. One free social networking website turned out to be successful because it limited each posting to one hundred and forty characters.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by somequestions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.There was a time not long ago when new science Ph.D.s in the United States were expected to pursue a career path in academia （学术界）. But today, most graduates end up working outside academia, not only in industry but also in careers such as science policy, munications, and patent law. Partly this is a result of how bleak the academic job market is, but there’s also a rising awareness of career options that Ph.D. scientists haven’t trained for directly—but for which they have useful knowledge, skills, and experience. Still, there’s a huge disconnect between the way we currently train scientists and the actual employment opportunities available for them, and an urgent need for dramatic improvements in training programs to help close the gap. One critical step that could help to drive change would be to require Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scientists to follow an individual development plan （IDP）.In 2002, the U.S. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology remended that every postdoctoral researcher put together an IDP in consultationwith an adviser. Since then, several academic institutions have begun to require IDPs for postdocs. And in June, the U.S. National Institutes of Health （NIH）Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group remended that the NIH require IDPs for the approximately 32,000 postdoctoral researchers they support. Other funding agencies, public and private, are moving in a similar direction.IDPs have long been used by government agencies and the private sector to achieve specific goals for the employee and the organization. The aim is to ensure that employees have an explicit tool to help them understand their own abilities and aspirations, determine career possibilities, and set （usually short-term）goals. In science, graduate students and new Ph.D. scientists can use an IDP to identify and navigate an effective career path.A free Web application for this purpose, called myIDP, has bee available this week. It’s designed to guide early-career scientists through a confidential, rigorous process of introspection （内省）to create a customized career plan. Guided by expert knowledge from a panel of science-focused career advisers, each trainee’s self-assessment is used to rank a set of career trajectories（轨迹）. After the user has identified a long-term career goal, myIDP walks her or him through the process of setting short-term goals directed toward accumulating new skills and experiences important for that career choice.Although surveys reveal the IDP process to be useful, trainees report a need for additional resources to help them identify a long-term career path and plete an IDP.Thus, myIDP will be most effective when it’s embedded in larger career-development efforts. For example, universities could incorporate IDPs into their graduate curricula to help students discuss, plan, prepare for, and achieve their long-term career goals.56. What do we learn about new science Ph.D.s in the United States today?A）They lack the skills and expertise needed for their jobs.B）They can choose from a wider range of well-paying jobs.C）They often have to seek jobs outside the academic circle.D）They are regarded as the nation’s driving force of change.57. What does the author say about America’s Ph.D. training?A）It should be improved to better suit the job market.B）It is closely linked to future career requirements.C）It should be re-oriented to careers outside academia.D）It includes a great variety of practical courses.58. What was remended for Ph.D.s and postdoctoral researchers?A）They meet the urgent needs of the corporate world.B）A long-term career goal be set as early as possible.C）An IDP be made in consultation with an adviser.D）They acquire an explicit tool to help obtain jobs.59. Government agencies and the private sector often use IDPs to ______.A）bring into full play the skills and expertise of their postdoctoral researchers B）help employees make the best use of their abilities to achieve their career goals C）place employees in the most appropriate positionsD）hire the most suitable candidates to work for them60. What do we know about myIDP?A）It is an effective tool of self-assessment and introspection for better career plans.B）It enables people to look into various possibilities and choose the career they love.C）It promises a long-term career path.D）It is part of the graduate curricula.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Just over a decade into the 21st century, women’s progress can be celebrated across a range of fields. They hold the highest political offices from Thailand to Brazil, Costa Rica to Australia. A woman holds the top spot at the International Monetary Fund; another won the Nobel Prize in economics. Self-made billionaires in Beijing, tech innovators in Silicon Valley, pioneering justices in Ghana—in these and countless other areas, women are leaving their mark.But hold the applause. In Saudi Arabia, women aren’t allowed to drive. In Pakistan, 1,000 women die in honor killings every year. In the developed world, women lag behind men in pay and political power. The poverty rate among women in the U.S. rose to 14.5% last year.To measure the state of women’s progress, Newsweek ranked 165 countries, looking at five areas that affect women’s lives: treatment under the law, workforce participation, political power, and access to education and health care. Analyzing data from the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, among others, and consulting with experts and academics, we measured 28 factors to e up with our rankings.Countries with the highest scores tend to be clustered in the West, where gender discrimination is against the law, and equal rights are constitutionally enshrined （神圣化）. But there were some surprises. Some otherwise high-ranking countries had relatively low scores for political representation. Canada ranked third overall but 26th in power, behind countries such as Cuba and Burundi. Does thissuggest that a woman in a nation’s top office translates to better lives for women in general? Not exactly.“Trying to quantify or measure the impact of women in politics is hard because in very few countries have there been enough women in politics to make a difference,”says Anne-Marie Goetz, peace and security adviser for U.N. Women.Of course, no index can account for everything. Declaring that one country is better than another in the way that it treats more than half its citizens means relying on broad strokes and generalities. Some things simply can’t be measured. And cross-cultural parisons can’t account for differences of opinion.Certain conclusions are nonetheless clear. For one thing, our index backs up a simple but profound statement made by Hillary Clinton at the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. “When we liberate the economic potential of women, we elevate the economic performance of munities, nations and the world,”she said. “There’s a stimulative effect that kicks in when women have greater access to jobs and the economic lives of our countries: Greater political stability. Fewer military conflicts. More food. More educational opportunity for children. By harnessing the economic potential of all women, we boost opportunity for all people.”61. What does the author think about women’s progress so far?A）It still leaves much to be desired. C）It has greatly changed women’s fate. B）It is too remarkable to be measured. D）It is achieved through hard struggle.62. In what countries have women made the greatest progress?A）Where women hold key posts in government.B）Where women’s rights are protected by law.C）Where women’s participation in management is high.D）Where women enjoy better education and health care.63. What do Newsweek rankings reveal about women in Canada?A）They care little about political participation.B）They are generally treated as equals by men.C）They have a surprisingly low social status.D）They are underrepresented in politics.64. What does Anne-Marie Goetz think of a woman being in a nation’s top office? A）It does not necessarily raise women’s political awareness.B）It does not guarantee a better life for the nation’s women.C）It enhances women’s status.D）It boosts women’s confidence.65. What does Hillary Clinton suggest we do to make the world a better place? A）Give women more political power. C）Allow women access to education. B）Stimulate women’s creativity. D）Tap women’s economic potential.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.中国人自古以来就在中秋时节庆祝丰收。

2013年12月英语六级考试一、Writing(共1题，合计15分)1For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on happiness by referring tothe saying "Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them. "You can cite examples to illustrate your point and then explain how you can developyour ability to deal with problems and be happy. You should write at least 150 wordsbut no more than 200 words.__________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________二、听力部分(共2题，合计35分)回答2-26题：2A. The rock band needs more hours of practice.B.The rock band is going to play here for a month.C.Their hard work has resulted in a big success.D.He appreciates the woman's help with the band.3A. Go on a diving tour in Europe.B.Travel overseas on his own.C.Add 300 dollars to his budget.D.Join a package tour to Mexico.4A. In case some problem should occur.B.Something unexpected has happened.C.To avoid more work later on.D.To make better preparations.5A. The woman asked for a free pass to try out the facilities.B.The man is going to renew his membership in a fitness center.C.The woman can give the man a discount if he joins the club now.D.The man can try out the facilities before he becomes a member.6A. He is not afraid of challenge.B.He is not fit to study science.C.He is worried about the test.D.He is going to drop the physics course.7A. Pay for part of the picnic food.B.Invite Gary's family to dinner.C.Buy something special for Gary.D.Take some food to the picnic.8A. Bus drivers' working conditions.B. A labor dispute at a bus company.C.Public transportation.D. A corporate takeover.9A. The bank statement.B.Their sales overseas.C.The payment for an order.D.The check just deposited.10．Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A. A hotel receptionist.B. A private secretary.C. A shop assistant.D. A sales manager.11A. Voice.B.Intelligence.C.Appearance.D.Manners,12A. Arrange one more interview.B.Offer the job to David Wallace.C.Report the matter to their boss.D.Hire Barbara Jones on a trial basis.13．Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A. He invented the refrigerator.B. He patented his first invention.C.He got a degree in Mathematics.D.He was admitted to university.14A. He distinguished himself in low temperatu, re physics.B.He fell in love with Natasha Willoughby.C.He became a professor of Mathematics.D.He started to work on refrigeration.15A. Finding the true nature of subatoraic particles.B.Their work on very high frequency radio waves.ying the foundations of modern mathematics.D.Their discovery of the laws of cause and effect.16A. To teach at a university.B.To patent his inventions.C.To spend his remaining years.D.To have a three-week holiday.17．Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.A. They have fallen prey to wolves,B. They have become a tourist attraction.C.They have caused lots of damage to crops.D.They have become a headache to the community.18A. To celebrate their victory.B.To cheer up the hunters.C.To scare the wolves.D.To alert the deer19A. They would help to spre, ada fatal disease.B.They would pose a threat to the children.C.They would endanger domestic animals.D.They would eventually kill off the deer.20．Questions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.A. She is an interpreter.B.She is a tourist guide.C.She is a domestic servant.D.She is from the royal family.21A. It was used by the family to hold dinner parties.B.It is situated at the foot of a beautiful mountain.C.It was frequently visited by heads of state.D.It is furnished like one in a royal palace.22A. It is elaborately decorated.B.It has survived some 2,000 years.C.It is very big, with only six slim legs.D.It is shaped like an ancient Spanish boat.23A. They are uncomfortable to sit in for long.B.They do not match the oval table at all.C.They have lost some of their legs.D.They are interesting to look at.24．Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.A. It is an uncommon infectious disease.B. It destroys the patient's ability to think,C. It is a disease very difficult to diagnose.D. It is the biggest crippler of young adults.25A. Search for the best cure.B.Hurry up and live life.C.Write a book about her life.D.Exercise more and work harder.26A. Aggressive.B.Adventurous.C.Sophisticated.D.Self-centered.回答27-36题It's difficult to estimate the number of youngsters involved in home schooling, where children are notsent to school and receive their formal education from one or both parents.26__________and court decisionshave made it legally possible in most states for parents to educate their children at home, and each yearmore people take advantage of that opportunity. Some states require parents or a home tutor to meetteacher certification standards, and many require parents to complete legal forms to verify that their children are receiving27__________in state-approved curricula.Supporters of home education claim that it's less expensive and far more 28__________ than mass publiceducation. Moreover, they cite several advantages: alleviation of school overcrowding, strengthenedfaintly relationships, lower 29_________ rates, the fact that students are allowed to learn at their ownrate,increased 30 _________, higher standardized test scores, and reduced 31_________ problems.Critics of the home schooling movement 32_________ that it creates as many problem as it solves.Theyacknowledge tha|, in a few cases, home schooling offers educational opportunities superior to those foundin most public schools, but few parents can provide such educational advantages. Some parents whowithdraw their children from the schools 33_________ home schooling have an inadequate educationalbackground and insufficient formal training to provide a satisfactory education for their children.Typically, parents have fewer technological resources 34_________than do schools. However, the relativelyinexpensive computer techoology that is readily available today is causing some to challenge the notionthat home schooling is in any way35_________ more highly structured classroom education.三、阅读理解(共4题，合计35分)Questions 37-46 are based on the following passage.Some performance evaluations require supervisors to take action. Employees who receive a veryfavorable evaluation may deserve some type of recognition or even a promotion. If supervisors do notacknowledge such outstanding performance, employees may either lose their 36_________ and reduce theireffort or search for a new job at a firm that will 37_________ them for high performance. Supervisors shouldacknowledge high performance so that the employee will continue to perform well in the future.Employees who receive unfavorable evaluations must also be given attention. Supervisors must38_________ the reasons for poor performance. Some reasons, such as a family illness, may have a temporaryadverse 39_________ on performance and can be corrected. Other reasons, such as a bad attitude, may not betemporary. When supervisors give employees an unfavorable evaluation, they must decide whether to takeany 40 _________action,s. If the, employees were unaware of their own deficiencies, the unfavorable evaluationcan pinpoint (指出) the deficiencies that employees must correct. In this case, the supervisor may simplyneed to monitor the employees 41_________and ensure that the deficiencies are corrected.If the employees were already aware of their deficiencies before the evaluation period, however, theymay be unable or unwilling to correct them. This situation is more serious, and the supervisor may need totake action. The action should be 42_________with the firm's guidelines and may include reassigning theemployees to new jobs,43_________them temporarily, or firingthem. A supervisor's action toward a poorlyperforming worker can 44_________ the attitudes of other employees. If no 45_________is imposed on an employeefor poor performance, other employees may react bv reducing their productivity as well.A． additionalB． affectC． aptlyD．assimilateE． circulationF． closelyG． consistentH, enthusiasmI．identifyJ．impactK．penaltyL． rewardM． simplifyingN． suspendingO．vulnerable回答47-56题The College Essay: Why Those,500 Words Drive Us Crazy[A] Meg is a lawyer-mom in suburban Washington, D. C., where lawyer-morns are thick on the ground.Her son Doug is one of several hundred thousand high-school seniors who had a painful fall. Thedeadline for applying to his favorite college was Nov.1, and by early October he had yet to fill outthe application. More to the point, he had yet to settle on a subject for the personal essayaccompanying the application. According to college folklore, awell-turned essay has the power toseduce (诱惑) an admissions committee. "He wanted to do one thing at a time," Meg says,explaining her son's delay. "But really, my son is a huge procrastinator (拖延者). The essay is thehardest thing to do, so he's put it off the longest. " Friends and other veterans of the process havewarned Meg that the back and forth between editing parent and writing student can be traumatic ( 痛苦的).[B] Back in the good old days--say, two years ago, when the last of my children suffered the ordea/( 折磨)--a high-school student applying to college could procrastinate all the way to New Year's Day oftheir senior year, assuming they could withstand the parental pestering (烦扰). But things changefast in thenail-biting world of college admissions. The recent trend toward early decision and earlyaction among selective colleges and universities has pushed the traditional deadline ofJanuary up toNov.1 or early December for many students.[C]If the time for heel-dragging has been shortened, the true source of the anxiety and panicremainswhat it has always been. And it's not the application itself. A college application is a relativelystraightforward questionnaire asking for the basics: name, address, family history, employmenthistory. It would all be innocent enough--20 minutes of busy work--except it comes attached to apersonal essay.[D]"There are good reasons it causes such anxiety," says Lisa Sohmer, director of collegecounseling atthe Garden School in Jackson Heights, N.Y. "It's not just the actual writing. By now everything elseis already set. Your course load is set, your grades are set, your test scores are set. But the essay issomething you can still control, and it's open-ended. So the temptation is to write and rewrite andrewrite. " Or stall and stall and stall.[E]The application essay, along with its mythical importance, is a recent invention. In the 1930s,whenonly one in 10 Americans had a degree from a four-year college, an admissions committee wascontent to ask for a sample of applicants' school papers to assess their writing ability. By the 1950s,most schools required a brief personal statement of why the student had chosen to apply to oneschool over another.[F] Today nearly 70 percent of graduating seniors go off to college, including two-year and fouryeariustitutions. Even ap .art from the increased competition, the kids enter a process that has been utterlytransformed from the one baby boomers knew. Nearly all application materials are submitted online,and the Common Application provides a one-size-fits form accepted by more than 400 schools,including the nation's most selective.[G]Those schools usually require essays of their own, but the longest essay,500 words maximum,isgenerally attached to the Common Application. Students choose one of six questions. Applicants areasked to describe an ethical dilemma they've faced and its impact on them, or discuss a public issueof special concern to them, or tell of a fictional character or creative work that has profoundlyinfluenced them. Another question invites them to write about theimportance (to them, again) ofdiversity -- a word that has assumed magic power in American higher education. The most popularoption: write on a topic of your choice.[H]“Boys in particular look at the other questions and say, ' Oh, that's too much work, ’ ” saysJohnBoshoven, a counselor in the Ann Arbor, Mich., public schools. "They think if they do a topic oftheir choice, ' I'll just go get that history paper I did last year on the Roman Empire and turn it into afirst-person application essay! ' And they end up producing something utterly ridiculous. "[I]Talking to admissions professionals like Boshoven, you realize that the list of "don'ts" inessaywriting is much longer than the "dos. ”“No book reports, no history papers, no character studies,"says Sohmer.[J]"It drives you crazy, how easily kids slip into cliches ( 老生常谈) ," says Boshoven. "Theydon'trealize how typical their experiences are. 'I scored the winning goal in soccer against our arch-rival. ’‘ My grandfather served in World War H, and I hope to be just like him someday.That maymean a lot to that particular kid. But in the world of the application essay, it's nothing.You'll losethe reader in the first paragraph. "[K]"The greatest strength you bring to this essay," says the College Board's how-to book, "is 17 years or so of familiarity with the topic: YOU. The form and style are very familiar, and best of all, you arethe world-class expert on the subject of YOU... It has been the subject of your close scrutiny everymorning since you were tall enough to see into the bathroom mirror. " The key word in the CommonApplication prompts is "you. "[L]The college admission essay contains the grandest American themes--status anxiety, parentalpiety(孝顺), intellectual standards--and so it is only a matter of time before it becomes infected by thecountry's culture of excessive concern with self-esteem. Even if the question is ostensibly ( 表面上)about something outside the self ( describe a fictional character or solve a problem of geopolitics),the essay invariably returns to the favorite topic: what is its impact on YOU?[M]"For all the anxiety the essay causes," says Bill McClintick of Mercersburg AcademyinPennsylvania, "it's a very small piece of the puzzle. I was in college admissions for 10 years. I sawldds and parents beat themselves up over this.And at the vast majority of places, it is simply not abig variable in the college's decision-making process. "[ N] Many admissions officers say they spend less than a couple of minutes on each application, includingthe essay. According to a recent survey of admissions officers, only one in four private colleges saythe essay is of "considerable importance" in judging an application. Among public colleges anduniversities, the number drops to roughly one in 10. By contrast,86 percent place"considerableimportance" on an applicant's grades,70 percent on "strength of curriculum. "[O] Still, at the most selective schools, where thousands of candidates may submit identically high gradesand test scores, a marginal item like the essay may serve as a tie-breaker between two equallyqualified candidates. The thought is certainly enough to keep the pot boiling under parents like Meg,the lawyer-mom, as she tries to help her son choose an essay topic. For a moment the other day, shethought she might have hit on a good one. "His father's from France," she says. "I said maybe youcould write about that, as something that makes you different. You know；half French, halfAmerican. I said, ' You could write about your identity issues. ' He said, ' I don't have any identityissues!' And he's right. He's a well-adjnsted， normal kid. But that doesn't make for a good essay,does it?" 47Today many universities require their applicants to write an essay of up to five hundred words.48．One recent change in college admissions is that selective colleges and universities have moved the traditional deadline to earlier dates.49．Applicants and their parents are said to believe that the personal essay can sway the admissions committee.50．Applicants are usually better off if they can write an essay that distinguishes them from the rest.51．Not only is the competition getting more intense, the application process today is also totally different from what baby boomers knew.52．In writing about their own experiences many applicants slip into cliches, thus falling to engage the reader.53．According to a recent survey, most public colleges and universities consider an applicant's grades highly important.54．Although the application essay causes lots of anxiety, it does not play so important a role in thecollege's decision-making process.55．The question you are supposed to write about may seem outside the self, but the theme of the essay should center around its impact on you.56．In the old days, applicants only had to submit a sample of their school papers to show their writing ability.根据下列材料，回答57-61题Among the government's most interesting reports is one that estimates what parents spend on theirchildren. Not surprisingly, the costs are steep. For a middle-class, hnsband-and-wife family (averagepretax income in 2009: $76,250), spending per child is about $12,000 a year. With inflation the family's spending on a child will total $ 286,050 by age 17.The dry statistics ought to inform the ongoing deficit debate, because a budget is not just a catalog ofprograms and taxes. It reflects a society's priorities and values. Our society does not-despite rhetoric(说辞) to the contrary--put much value on raising children. Present bridget policies tax parents heavily tosupport the elderly. Meanwhile, tax breaks for children are modest. If deficit reduction aggravates thesebiases, more Americans may choose not to have children or to have fewer children. Down that path lieseconomic decline.Societies that cannot replace their populations discourage investment and innovation. They havestagnant (萧条的) or shrinking markets for goods and services. With older populations, they resistchange. To stabilize its population--discounting immigration--women must have an average of twochildren. That's a fertility rate of 2.0. Many countries with struggling economies are well below that.Though having a child is a deeply personal decision, it's shaped by culture, religion, economics, andgovernment policy. "No one has a good answer" as to why fertility varies among countries, sayssociologist Andrew Cherlin of The Johns Hopkins University. Eroding religious belief in Europe may partlyexplain lowered birthrates. In Japan young women may be rebelling against their mothers' isolated lives ofchild rearing. General optimism and pessimism count. Hopefulness fueled America's baby boom. After theSoviet Union's collapse, saysCherlin, "anxiety for the future" depressed birthrates in Russia and EasternEurope.In poor societies, people have children to improve their economicwell-being by increasing thenumber of family workers and providing support for parents in their old age. In wealthy societies, the logicoften reverses. Govenunent now supports the elderly, diminishing the need for children. By some studies,the safety nets for retirees have reduced fertility rates by 0.5 children in the United States and almost 1.0in Western Europe, reports economist Robert Stein in the journal National Affairs. Similarly, somecouples don't have children because they don't want to sacrifice their own lifestyles to the time andexpense of a family.Young Americans already face a bleak labor market that cannot instill (注入) confidence abouthaving children. Piling on higher taxes won't help, "If higher taxes make it more expensive to raisechildren," says Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, "people will think twice abouthaving another child. " That seems like common sense, despite the multiple influences on becomingparents.57．What do we learn from the government report?A. Inflation increases families' expenses.B.Raising children is getting expensive.C.Budget reduction is around the corner.D.Average family expenditure is increasing.58．What is said to be the consequence of a shrinking population?A. Weakened national strength.B.Increased immigration.C.Economic downturn.D.Social instability.59．What accounted for America's baby boom?A. Optimism for the future.B.Improved living conditions.C.Religious beliefs.D.Economic prosperity.60．Why do people in wealthy countries prefer to have fewer children?A. They want to further improve their economic well-being.B. They cannot afford the time and expenses of rearing children.C. They are concerned about the future of the coming generation.D. They don't rely on their children to support them in old age.61．What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?A. To instill confidence in the young about raising children.B. To advise couples to think twice before having children.C.To encourage the young to take care of the elderly.D.To appeal for tax reduction for raising children.Questions 62-66are based on the following passage.Space exploration has always been the province of dreamers: The human imagination readily soarswhere human ingenuity (创造力) struggles to follow.A Voyage to the Moon, often cited as the firstscience fiction story, was written by Cyrano de Bergerac in 1649. Cyrano was dead and buried for a goodthree centuries before the first manned rockets started to fly.In 1961, when President Kennedy declared that America would send a man to the moon by thedecade's end, those words, too, had a dreamlike quality. They resonated (共鸣) with optimism and ambition in much the same way as the most famous dream speech of all, delivered by Martin Luther KingJr. two years later. By the end of the decade, both visions had yielded concrete results and transformedAmerican society. And yet in many ways the two dreams ended up at odds with each other.The fight forracial and economic equality is intensely pragmatic (讲求实用的) and immediate in its impact. The urgeto explore space is just the opposite, It is figuratively and literally otherworldly in its aims. When the dust settled, the space dreamers lost out. There was no grand follow-up to the Apollomissions. The technologically compromised space shuttle program has just come to an end, with nosuccessor. The perpetual argument is that funds are tight, that we have more pressing problems here onEarth. Amid the current concerns about the federal deficit, reaching toward the stars seems a dispensableluxury--as if saving one-thousandth of a single year's budget would solve our problems. But human ingenuity struggles on. NASA is developing a series of robotic probes that will get the mostbang from a buck. They will serve as modern Magellans, mapping out the solar system for whateverexplorers follow, whether man or machine. On the flip side, companies like Virgin Galactic are plotting abottom-up assault on the space dream by making it a reality to the public. Private spaceflight could liewithin reach of rich civilians in a few years. Another decade or two and it could go mainstream.The space dreamers end up benefiting all of us--not just because of the way they expand human knowledge, or because of the spin-off technologies they produce, but because the two types of dreamsfeed off each other. Both Martin Luther King and John Kennedy appealed to the idea that humans cantranscend what were once considered inherent limitations. Today we face seeming challenges in energy,the environment, health care. Tomorrow we will transcend these as well, and the dreamers will deserve alot of the credit. The more evidence we collect that our species is capable of greatness, the more we willactually achieve it.62．The author mentions Cyrano de Bergerac in order to show that__________ A. imagination is the mother of inventionB.ingenuity is essential for science fiction writersC.it takes patience for humans to realize their dreamsD.dreamers have always been interested in science fiction63．How did the general public view Kennedy's space exploration plan? A.It symbolized the American spirit.B. It was as urgent as racial equality.C.It sounded very much like a dream.D.It made an ancient dream come true.64．What does the author say about America's aim to explore space?A. It may not bring about immediate economic gains.B. It cannot be realized without technological innovation.C.It will not help the realization of racial and economic equality.D.It cannot be achieved without a good knowledge of the other worlds.65．What is the author's attitude toward space programs?A. Critical.B.Reserved.C.Unbiased.D.Supportive.66．What does the author think of the problems facing human beings?A. They pose a serious challenge to future human existence.B. They can be solved sooner or later with human ingenuity.C.Their solutions need joint efforts of the public and private sectors.D.They can only be solved by people with optimism and ambition.四、翻译(共1题，合计15分)67．中国园林(the Chinese garden)是经过三千多年演变丽成的独具一格的园林景观(1andscape)。

2013年12月真题（一）听力原文[00:03.12]College English Test Band 4[00:06.58]PartⅡ. Listening Comprehension2013年12月四级真题（一）.m p3[00:10.37]Section A[00:12.18]Directions: In this section,[00:15.24]you will hear 8 short conversations[00:18.18]and 2 long conversations.[00:21.12]At the end of each conversation,[00:23.43]one or more questions will be asked[00:26.02]about what was said.[00:27.96]Both the conversation and the questions[00:30.75]will be spoken only once.[00:33.32]After each question there will be a pause.[00:36.48]During the pause,[00:38.35]you must read the four choices[00:40.45]marked A),B), C) and D),[00:44.79]and decide which is the best answer.[00:48.11]Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 [00:52.43]with a single line through the centre.[00:55.51]Now let’s begin with the eight short conversations.[01:02.36]1. M: After high school, I’d like to go to college[01:07.81]and major in business administration.[01:10.72]W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.[01:17.21]Q: What do we learn from the conversation?[01:34.80]2. W: Is everything ready for the conference?[01:38.96]M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers.[01:44.82]They’ll be here in a few minutes.[01:47.58]Q: What preparations have yet to be made?[02:05.67]3. W: Is it almost time to go home now?[02:10.31]I’m so tired. I can hardly see straight(看清楚).[02:13.66]M: Just a few more minutes. Then we can go.[02:16.81]Q: What is the woman’s problem?[02:34.39]4. W: I’m not sure what I’m in a mood for.[02:39.14]Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here. [02:44.02]M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park.[02:48.94]So just make a decision.[02:51.19]Q: What does the man mean?[03:08.06]5. W: Tom said he would come to repair[03:11.72]our solar heater when he has time.[03:14.77]M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.[03:20.74]Q: What does the man imply about Tom?[03:38.79]6. W: So you know that Sam turned down the job[03:43.50]offered by the travel agency?[03:45.83]M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet（量入为出；收支平衡.[03:53.54]Q: What do we learn from the conversation?[04:10.68]7. M: Could you tell me a bit about[04:14.36]the business your company is doing?[04:16.66]W: We mainly deal with large-volume buyers（大宗买家）from western countries and our products have been well received.[04:24.60]Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?[04:42.67]8. W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.[04:49.67]M: You must really be looking forward to it.[04:52.01]You haven’t had any time off for at least two years.[04:56.24]Q: What is the woman going to do?[05:13.90]Now you will hear the two long conversations.[05:17.91]Conversation One[05:20.09]M: Excuse me. I need some information about some of thetowns near here.[05:25.30]W: What would you like to know?[05:26.92]M: Well, first, I’d like directions to go to Norwalk.[05:31.71][9]I believe there is an interesting museum there.[05:35.00]It isn’t far, is it?[05:36.79]W: No, not at all.[05:38.51]Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. [05:43.42]And you’re right. It’s a wonderful little museum.[05:46.70]M: Oh, good. Now what about Amitsville?[05:50.54]I have some friends[05:51.79]I’d like to visit there and I also want to get to Newton. [05:56.24]They are near each other, aren’t they?[05:57.85]W: Hmm... well,[10] they are actually in opposite directions. [06:02.09]Amitsville is northeast.[06:04.20]It’s about thirty-five miles northeast of here.[06:07.55]M: Aha! Thirty-five miles northeast.[06:10.69]And how about Newton?[06:12.62]W: Well, Newton is in the other direction.[06:15.36]It’s southwest. So it isn’t really very close to Amitsville at all [06:20.33]and it’s a long drive. It’s about fifty-five miles southwest from here[06:25.61]and the road is not at all straight.[06:29.10]M: Fifty-five miles southwest![06:31.83]Well, maybe I won’t go there this time.[06:34.89]W: I’d recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town.[06:38.37]They are both very close.[06:40.44]Westfield is just seven miles west of here[06:43.44]and Great Town is about five miles south.[06:46.73][11]They are really pretty little towns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.[06:53.47]M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield[06:56.99]and five miles south to Great Town.[06:59.76]Good! Well, I think that’s all the information[07:02.76]I’ll need for a while. Thank you. You’ve been very helpful. [07:07.03]W: You’re welcome, sir.[07:08.65]I hope you enjoy your stay.07:11.64]Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.[07:17.61]9. What does the man know about Norwalk?[07:37.22]10. What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton? [07:58.44]11. What do we learn about Westfield and Great Town?[08:19.01]Conversation Two[08:20.89]M: Err... Sandra, I’ve finished with Mr. Gartner now.[08:27.80][12]Do you think you could pop through(做到) and bring me up to date on the arrangements for the Italian trip?[08:33.47]W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson.[08:35.29]I'll bring everything with me.[08:41.89]M: Right, take a seat.[08:43.71]Now my first meeting is when?[08:47.07]W: Your first meeting is on Monday, the 21st,[08:50.43]at 9:00 a.m. with Dr Gucci of Bancos en Piedra in Milan. [08:56.14]M: OK. So can I fly out early Monday morning?[09:00.15]W: Well, there is a flight to Linate airport[09:03.14]which leaves at 6:30 London time and gets in at 8:30 Italian time.[09:09.55]M: Yeah, but that only leaves me 30 minutes[09:12.27]to clear customs and get into the city center.[09:15.59]And it means I have to check in by 5:30,[09:19.43][13]which means leaving home at about 4:15.[09:22.82]W: I’m afraid so.[09:24.33]M: Hmm... not so keen on that.[09:26.38]What’s the program for the rest of that day?[09:29.39]W: It’s quite full, I’m afraid.[14] At 11:00, you’re seeing GianniRiva at Megastar and then you'll have a lunch engagement(约会) with Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce at 1:00.[09:40.37]M: Where’s that?[09:41.54]W: You’re meeting him at his office[09:43.33]and then he’s taking you somewhere.[09:45.44]M: Good! That sounds fine.[09:47.46]What about the afternoon?[09:48.85]W: Well, at 3:30, you're seeing our sales representative there [09:53.07]and then you’re free till the evening.[09:55.62]M: I see. I seem to remember that[09:58.40]I’m having dinner with someone from Bergamo.[10:01.14]W: That’s right. A Mr. Batty from SAP Industries at 8:00. [10:06.51]Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.[10:12.68]12. What would the man like the woman to do?[10:32.24]13. At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?[10:54.35]14. Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have lunch with on Monday? [11:15.23]15. What is most probably the woman’s job?[11:35.43]Section B[11:36.67]Directions: In this section,[11:38.87]you will hear 3 short passages.[11:41.66]At the end of each passage,[11:44.02]you will hear some questions.[11:45.99]Both the passage and the questions[11:48.10]will be spoken only once.[11:50.58]After you hear a question,[11:52.42]you must choose the best answer[11:54.57]from the four choices marked A),B), C) and D).[11:59.65]Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 [12:03.96]with a single line through the centre.[12:07.00]Passage One[12:09.53]Donna Fredrick has served with the Peace Corps(美国和平队) for two years in Brazil.[12:15.33][16]She joined the Peace Corps after she graduated from college because she wanted to do something to help other people. [12:23.86]She had been brought up on a farm,[12:26.50][17]so the Peace Corps assigned her to an agricultural project. [12:31.24]Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese for three months.[12:36.38]She also learned a great deal about its history and culture.[12:40.73]During her two years with the Peace Corps,[12:44.87]Donna lived in a village in northeastern Brazil.[12:48.28]That part of Brazil is very dry and farming is often difficult there.[12:54.19]Donna helped the people of the village to organise an irrigation project,[12:59.65]and she also advised them on planting corps that didn’t require much water.[13:05.21]When Donna returned to the States,[13:08.35]she couldn’t settle down. She tried several jobs,[13:12.47]but they seemed very boring to her.[13:15.76][18]She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one day she got on a plane and went back to Brazil.[13:24.51]She wasn’t sure what she was going to do.[13:26.96]She just wanted to be there. After a few weeks,[13:31.64]Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching five classes a day.[13:37.14]Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. [13:41.79]She shares a small apartment with another teacher. [13:45.54][19]And she makes a little extra money by sending stories to newspapers in the States.[13:51.76]Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-timejournalist.[13:57.78]Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have juse heard.[14:03.78]16. Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?[14:26.25]17. What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?[14:46.87]18. Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?[15:07.60]19. How did Donna make extra money to support herself? [15:28.71]Passage Two[15:30.87]Results of a recent Harris poll on free time showed[15:34.49]that the average work week for many Americans is 50 hours. [15:39.36][20]With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of household duties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free time to relax and pursue hobbies is important.[15:55.02]People need time away from the pressures of study or work to relax[15:59.90]and enjoy time with friends and family.[16:03.21]In different countries, free time is spent in different ways. [16:07.56][21]The results of the Harris poll showed that reading was the most popular spare time activity in the US.[16:14.69]This was followed by watching TV.[16:17.52]In a UK survey on leisure time activities,[16:20.74]watching TV and videos was most popular.[16:24.50]Listening to the radio came second.[16:27.18]In a similar survey conducted in Japan,[16:29.89]the most popular free time activity was eating out.[16:33.98]The second most popular activity was driving.[16:37.43]There were also differences in the most popular[16:39.88]outdoor pursuits between the three countries.[16:43.41]The most popular outdoor activity for Americans was gardening.[16:47.91][22]In the UK, it was going to the pub.[16:51.07]In Japan, going to bars ranked eighth in popularity[16:55.19]and gardening ranked ninth.[16:57.98]Although people around the world may enjoy doing similar things[17:01.81]in their free time,[17:03.14]there’s evidence to suggest that these interests are changing. [17:06.91]In the US, for example,[17:08.78]the popularity of computer activities is increasing.[17:12.75]Many more people in the States are spending their free time surfing the Web,[17:17.62]emailing friends or playing games online.[17:22.14]Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.[17:27.86]20. What is the recent Harris poll mainly about?[17:48.53]21. What was the most popular leisure activity in the US? [18:09.76]22. What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?[18:30.90]Passage Three[18:32.87]On March 13, while on duty, Charles McLaughlin,[18:37.97]a very careless driver employed by the company Lummis, [18:41.97]was involved in another accident.[18:44.65]The accident occurred in Riverside, California.[18:48.21]Not paying attention to his driving,[18:51.05]McLaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd Street [18:55.58]and hit a Volkswagen Rabbit.[18:58.43]This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car.[19:03.95][23]On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined that McLaughlin had been quite careless.[19:12.81]As a result of the committee’s conclusion,[19:15.12]the branch manager Mr. David Rossi reported[19:18.92]that he had talked with McLaughlin about his extremely poor driving record.[19:24.53]Further evidence of McLaughlin’s irresponsibility occurred on May 6[19:29.15]when he was returning from his shift.[19:32.36]That day he ran into a roll-up door at the Lummis facility in Valero,[19:37.20]causing significant damage to the door.[19:40.38]Damage to the truck,[19:41.57]however, was minor.[19:43.67][24]Finally, on June 7, McLaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mailboxes near the edge of the company’s parking lot.[19:54.66]There was damage to the mailboxes[19:56.58]and minor damage to the truck.[19:59.50]Mr. David Rossi stated[20:01.36]that he had spoken with McLaughlin on several occasions [20:04.16]about his driving record.[20:06.54][25]He added that he had warned McLaughlin that three preventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.[20:16.97]Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have justheard.[20:23.34]23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurred on March 13?[20:47.39]24. What did McLaughlin do on June 7 near the edge of the company’s parking lot?[21:10.69]25. What is most probably going to happen to McLaughlin?[21:31.98]Section C[21:33.38]Directions: In this section,[21:35.89]you will hear a passage three times.[21:39.04]When the passage is read for the first time,[21:42.26]you should listen carefully for its general idea.[21:45.63]When the passage is read for the second time,[21:48.65]you are required to fill in the blanks[21:51.09]with the exact words you have just heard.[21:54.32]Finally, when the passage is read for the third time,[21:57.90]you should check what you have written.[22:00.75]Now listen to the passage.[22:04.63]When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate[26] apart and alone, they replied,[22:11.93]“Because it is right.”[22:13.96]If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks,[22:17.88]or why their men wear pants [27]instead of skirts,[22:22.05]or why they may be married to only one person at a time, [22:26.12]we are likely to get [28]similar and very uninformative answers: [22:30.98]“Because it’s right.”“Because that’s the way it’s done.”[22:35.05]“Because it’s the [29]custom.”Or even “I don’t know.”[22:39.05]The reason for these and countless other patterns[22:42.16]of social behavior is that[22:44.44]they are [30]controlled by social norms—shared rules or guidelines[22:49.25]which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation.[22:53.81]Norms [31]define how people “ought”to behave[22:57.58]under particular circumstances[23:00.06]in a particular society.[23:02.51]We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they [32]exist.[23:08.52]In fact，we are much more likely to notice [33]departures from norms[23:13.87]than conformity to them.[23:15.96]You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands [23:19.79]when you were introduced,[23:21.37]but you might be a little [34]startled if they bowed,[23:24.79]started to stroke you, or kissed you on both [35]cheeks. [23:28.37]Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate [23:32.27]in other parts of the world.[23:34.38]When we visit another society whose norms are different, [23:37.75]we quickly become aware that things we do this way,[23:41.49]they do that way.[23:44.40]Now the passage will be read again.[23:47.73]When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti[23:51.39]why they always ate apart and alone, they replied,[23:54.98]“Because it is right.”[23:57.02]If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, [24:00.86]or why their men wear pants instead of skirts,[24:04.55]or why they may be married to only one person at a time, [24:08.55]we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers: [24:13.48]“Because it’s right.”“Because that’s the way it’s done.”[24:17.34]“Because it’s the custom.”Or even “I don’t know.”[24:21.75]The reason for these and countless other patterns[24:25.19]of social behavior is that[24:27.39]they are controlled by social norms—shared rules or guidelines [24:32.27]which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate[24:34.77]in a given situation.[24:37.05]Norms define how people “ought”to behave[24:40.17]under particular circumstances[24:42.48]in a particular society.[24:44.65]We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist.[24:49.79]In fact，we are much more likely to notice departures from norms[24:54.87]than conformity to them.[24:57.20]You would not be surprised[24:58.90]if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, [25:02.73]but you might be a little startled if they bowed,[25:06.05]started to stroke you, or kissed you on both cheeks.[25:09.68]Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate [25:13.87]in other parts of the world.[25:16.21]When we visit another society whose norms are different, [25:20.18]we quickly become aware that things we do this way,[25:23.96]they do that way.[25:25.97]Now the passage will be read for the third time.[25:29.98]When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti[25:33.20]why they always ate apart and alone, they replied,[25:36.98]“Because it is right.”[25:39.43]If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, [25:43.27]or why their men wear pants instead of skirts,[25:47.19]or why they may be married to only one person at a time, [25:51.37]we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers: [25:56.43]“Because it’s right.”“Because that’s the way it’s done.”[26:00.65]“Because it’s the custom.”Or even “I don’t know.”[26:04.51]The reason for these and countless other patterns[26:07.70]of social behavior is that[26:09.84]they are controlled by social norms—shared rules or guidelines [26:14.70]which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate[26:17.55]in a given situation.[26:19.45]Norms define how people “ought”to behave[26:23.31]under particular circumstances[26:25.72]in a particular society.[26:27.89]We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist.[26:34.01]In fact，we are much more likely to notice departures from norms[26:39.43]than conformity to them.[26:41.41]You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands [26:45.22]when you were introduced,[26:46.71]but you might be a little startled if they bowed,[26:50.13]started to stroke you, or kissed you on both cheeks.[26:54.02]Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate[26:57.82]in other parts of the world.[26:59.80]When we visit another society whose norms are different, [27:03.57]we quickly become aware that things we do this way,[27:07.01]they do that way.[27:10.88]This is the end of listening comprehension.2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（一）PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

2013年12月六级真题（第3套）[ti:][ar:][al:][by:][offset:0][01:44.85]College English Test （Band 6）[01:48.14]Part II Listening Comprehension[01:51.59]Section A[01:53.54]Directions: In this section,[01:56.43]you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. [02:01.33]At the end of each conversation,[02:03.18]one or more questions will be asked about what was said.[02:07.06]Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. [02:11.82]After each question there will be a pause.[02:14.93]During the pause,[02:16.42]you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D),[02:22.01]and decide which is the best answer.[02:24.95]Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1[02:29.06]with a single line through the centre.[02:32.38]Now, let's begin with the eight short conversations.[02:37.88]1. M: I need to find a dentist,[02:41.49]you said you know Dr. Smith well, do you recommend her?[02:45.23]W: Well, I had to see her a few times,[02:47.96]but what impressed me most were the magazines[02:52.11]in her waiting room.[02:54.16]Q: What does the woman imply?[03:11.31]2. W: I'm afraid I can't show you the apartment[03:15.47]at the moment, because the tenant is still living in it.[03:18.79]It's really a lovely place[03:20.42]with a big kitchen and a sunny window,[03:22.55]for only 200 a month.[03:25.29]M: Sounds good, but we really can't rent an apartment[03:28.75]without seeing it first.[03:31.08]Q: What do we learn from the conversation?[03:48.62]3. M: So, that's what's been keeping you so busy recently![03:53.76]W: Yes, I've been tied up with my studies.[03:56.93]You know I'm planning to go to the United States[03:59.54]this coming summer, but I'm a bit nervous about my English. [04:04.49]Q: What is the woman busy doing?[04:21.88]4. W: How did you feel when you found out[04:25.63]you had high blood pressure?[04:27.46]M: Shocked! The problem for me was[04:29.89]that there were no symptoms; it seemed to have sneaked up on me. [04:35.05]Q: What does the man mean?[04:51.49]5. W: So, you're just back from a trip to India.[04:57.51]What were you doing there?[04:59.82]M: The trip was intended to bring to[05:01.53]the world's attention the fact that AIDS is not[05:04.61]just an African disease; it's also endangering other countries, [05:09.47]notably, India and Thailand.[05:12.42]Q: What was the purpose of the man's trip to India?[05:31.17]6. M: It's quite clear for my visit,[05:35.17]this is a full size, comprehensive university.[05:38.97]So why is it still called a college?[05:41.98]W: The College of William and Mary is[05:44.08]the second oldest institution of higher learning[05:47.19]in this country. We have nurtured great minds like[05:50.45]Thomas Jefferson and we are proud of our name.[05:54.93]Q: What do we learn from this conversation about[05:57.39]the College of William and Mary?[06:14.93]7. M: Have the parts we need for[06:18.07]the photo copying machine arrived yet?[06:20.73]W: I ordered them last week,[06:22.40]but something is holding them up.[06:24.66]Q: What does the woman say about the parts[06:26.91]needed for the photo copying machine?[06:44.39]8. W: The cafeteria provided many kinds of dishes for us today. [06:50.45]Did you notice that?[06:51.89]M: Yes, kind of rare, isn't it?[06:54.98]Q: What does the man imply?[07:11.99]Now youll hear the two long conversations.[07:17.12]Conversation One[07:20.72]W: Hello, Patrick, is that you?[07:23.74]M: Yeah Jane, what can I do for you?[07:26.07]W: I was calling about the apple tree that[07:28.62]you were trimming yesterday.[07:30.94]M: That was hard work![07:32.62]W: I'm sure it was. It true looked difficult.[07:36.05]M: Yeah, I'm glad it's finished.[07:38.38]Hauling the branches to the front for[07:40.27]garbage pick-up was no fun either.[07:43.15]W: Well, I don't think youre quite finished yet,[07:46.74]some of the larger branches fell over into my yard,[07:49.67]and I think you should come and get them.[07:51.99]M: Listen Jane, I don't see why I should do that.[07:55.61]You've eaten all the apples that fall in your yard[07:58.98]and you've never complained about that before.[08:01.81]W: Well, it's easier to pick up apples than[08:04.11]to drag tree branches all the way to the curb.[08:07.24]My kids pick up the apples, and the branches are[08:10.46]just too big for them to drag.[08:13.03]M: Well, I guess you'll just have to do it yourself Jane.[08:16.41]W: Patrick, I wish you would reconsider.[08:19.05]Weve always gotten along fairly well,[08:21.16]but I think youre out of line here.[08:23.64]The branches are your responsibility.[08:26.39]M: Sorry Jane, I disagree![08:28.99]You take the benefits of the apple tree,[08:31.41]but refuse to deal with the bad side of it![08:34.55]Besides, it won't take you any time to[08:37.25]get the branches out front![08:39.62]W: Get the branches off my property[08:42.47]or I'll have to sue you.[08:44.97]M: Yeah? For what?![08:46.77]You're taking those law classes too seriously![08:49.69]I've gotta go, I have to pick up my son.[08:52.48]W: You'll be hearing from me.[08:54.38]M: Yeah, yeah. See you in court Jane.[08:58.22]Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation[09:01.35]you have just heard.[09:04.54]9. What did the man do yesterday?[09:23.51]10. What did the woman ask the man to do?[09:43.04]11. What did the woman threaten to do?[10:02.20]12. What was the mans reaction to the womans threat?[10:22.68]Conversation Two[10:24.59]M: Did you hear about the air crash that[10:26.74]occurred in South America recently?[10:29.35]It was quite a tragic accident![10:31.97]W: No, I didn't see anything in the news about it.[10:35.90]What happened?[10:37.25]M: A foreign airliner was attempting to land at night[10:40.60]in a mountainous area of Argentina and flew into a hill![10:45.08]W: That sounds really terrible! Did anyone survive?[10:49.39]M: No, everyone aboard, including the crew, was killed instantly. [10:54.53]W: What were the circumstances?[10:57.00]Was there bad weather, a fire, or engine failure?[11:00.82]M: Apparently, there were some low clouds in the area,[11:04.19]but mostly it was just miscommunication[11:06.86]between the pilots and the air traffic controllers.[11:10.28]W: Weren't they both speaking in English,[11:12.64]the official international aviation language?[11:15.83]M: Yes, they were. But the transmission[11:18.24]from poor quality radios was slightly distorted[11:21.66]and the accents of the Spanish speaking controllers[11:24.71]were so strong that the pilots misunderstood a vital instruction. [11:30.21]W: How could a misunderstanding like that[11:32.35]caused such a serious accident?[11:35.62]M: The pilots were told to descend to two-two thousand feet. [11:39.95]The instruction actually meant 22,000 feet,[11:44.01]but they thought they heard descend to 2,000 feet.[11:47.69]That's a huge difference, and it should have been confirmed, [11:51.32]but it was not. Unfortunately, the terrain of the mountains [11:55.10]in Norweija extends up 20,000 feet.[11:58.71]W: So the pilots did descend to the wrong altitude then,[12:02.40]thinking they were following the air controllers'instructions. [12:06.10]M: Sadly enough, yes they did. It was a really bad mistake. [12:10.80]Many people died as a result of the simple misunderstanding. [12:14.68]W: Wow, that's a powerful lesson on[12:17.41]how important it can be to accurately communicate to each other. [12:22.58]Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation[12:26.13]you have just heard.[12:28.27]13. What was the cause of the tragedy?[12:47.93]14. How high are the mountains in Norweija?[13:07.60]15. What lesson could be drawn from the accident?[13:27.51]Section B[13:28.95]Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. [13:33.71]At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions.[13:37.59]Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. [13:41.80]After you hear a question,[13:43.57]you must choose the best answer from the four choices[13:47.10]marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter [13:52.82]on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.[13:58.26]Passage One[14:00.22]Edgar Allen Poe, an American writer, was born in 1809.[14:05.50]His parents were actors. Edgar was a baby[14:08.81]when his father left the family. He was two years old[14:12.82]when his mother died. He was taken into the home of[14:16.20]a wealthy businessman named John Allen.[14:20.44]He then received his new name, Edgar Allen Poe.[14:25.07]As a young man, Poe attended the University of Virginia.[14:28.92]He was a good student, but he liked to drink alcohol[14:32.35]and play card games for money. As an unskilled game player, [14:36.89]he often lost money.[14:39.07]Since he couldn't pay off his gambling debt,[14:41.68]he left university and began working for magazines.[14:45.39]He worked hard, yet he was not well paid, or well known.[14:49.96]At the age of 27, he got married.[14:52.90]For a time it seemed that Poe would find some happiness,[14:57.20]but his wife was sick for most of their marriage,[15:00.01]and died in 1847. Through all his crises,[15:05.06]Poe produced many stories and poems[15:07.85]which appeared in different publications,[15:10.39]yet he didn't become famous until 1845,[15:14.71]when his poem, The Raven, was published.[15:18.15]There is a question, however,[15:19.74]about Poes importance in American Literature.[15:23.06]Some critics say Poe was one of America's best writers,[15:26.90]and even had a great influence on many French writers,[15:30.24]but others disagree. They say Poe's work[15:33.76]is difficult to understand and most of his writing[15:37.35]describes many unpleasant situations and events.[15:41.46]Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 when he was 40 years old.[15:47.21]It is said that he was found dead after days of heavy drinking. [15:52.35]Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard. [15:57.27]16. What happened to Edgar Allen Poes family, when he was only two years old?[16:19.86]17. Why did Edgar Allen Poe leave the University of Virginia?[16:40.38]18. What do some critics say about Edgar Allen Poe?[17:00.99]19. How did Edgar Allen Poes life come to an end?[17:21.02]Passage Two[17:22.49]More than fifty years ago,[17:24.30]the United Nations declared that literacy is a basic human right. [17:29.16]It's very important for improving the lives of individuals,[17:33.11]however, it is estimated that 880 million adults[17:36.97]around the world are illiterate, that is,[17:40.18]they are unable to read or write. A majority of them are women. [17:45.64]More than 110 million school age children in the world[17:50.39]do not attend school. Many others complete school or fail to[17:54.66]finish their studies without learning to read or write.[17:58.31]Many countries depend on the efforts of people[18:00.88]who offer their time to help illiterate individuals.[18:04.64]For example, John Mogger became concerned about[18:07.61]the problem of illiteracy three years ago,[18:11.02]so he started teaching five prisoners in Brazil.[18:14.64]In his teaching, he developed a system with this group of prisoners. [18:19.56]He says his way of teaching can help anyone learn[18:22.62]how to read and write with about thirty hours of study.[18:26.83]To learn his system, people must first know[18:29.59]how to write letters of the alphabet[18:32.22]and learn which sounds they represent.[18:35.37]The system divides letters into three groups.[18:38.50]The first group of letters can be written between two lines.[18:42.72]The second can be written between two lines[18:45.58]but part of the letters is above the top line.[18:48.92]The third group has letters that are partly written[18:51.65]below the lower line. John Mogger taught his students to[18:55.67]write simple words from the letters, in this way,[18:59.15]his students learned more than 700 words.[19:02.53]Many of them can now write to family members.[19:05.40]They also can read newspapers and magazines.[19:10.43]Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. [19:16.81]20. According to the speaker, which group of people[19:20.98]makes up of the majority of the illiterate population?[19:39.12]21. What is the most important feature of John Moggers method[19:44.43]of teaching the alphabet?[20:01.02]22. What does John Mogger say about his teaching method?[20:21.54]Passage Three[20:23.34]Farmers usually use ploughs to prepare their fields for[20:27.28]planting crops. Plows cut into the ground,[20:31.50]and lift up weeds and other unwanted plants.[20:35.10]However, plowing is blamed for causing severe damage to[20:39.70]topsoil by removing the plants that protect soil[20:43.24]from being blown or washed away.[20:46.62]Many farmers in South Asia are now trying a process[20:50.38]called Low Till Farming. Low Till Farming limits the use of ploughs. [20:56.60]In this method of farming seeds and fertilizer are[20:59.96]put into the soil through a small cut made[21:02.91]in the surface of the ground. Low Till Agriculture[21:06.84]leaves much or all of the soil and remains of plants on the ground. [21:11.59]They serve as a natural fertilizer[21:13.76]and help support the roots of future crops.[21:17.12]They take in rain and allow it to flow into[21:19.63]the soil instead of running off. It has been proved that[21:24.05]Low Till Farming increases harvests and reduces water use,[21:28.58]and this method reduces the need for chemical products[21:31.82]because there are fewer unwanted plants.[21:35.94]Scientists say Low Till Farming is becoming popular in South Asia, [21:41.46]which is facing a severe water shortage.[21:44.43]They say the area will become dependent on[21:46.73]imported food unless water is saved through methods[21:49.89]like Low Till Farming. Currently,[21:53.17]more than 150 million people in South Asia depend on[21:57.53]local rice and wheat crops. Farmers grow rice during wet weather. [22:02.78]During the dry season they grow wheat in the same fields.[22:07.16]Farmers are using the Low Till method to plant wheat[22:10.30]after harvesting rice. Scientists say Low Till Agriculture[22:14.67]is one of the best examples in the world of technologies[22:17.84]working for both people, and the environment.[22:22.06]Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.[22:27.86]23. What is the main problem caused by the usual way of plowing? [22:49.12]24. What does the speaker say about Low Till Farming?[23:09.48]25. Where is Low Till Farming becoming popular?[23:30.06]Section C[23:31.86]Directions: In this section,[23:34.84]you will hear a passage three times.[23:37.89]When the passage is read for the first time,[23:40.44]you should listen carefully for its general idea.[23:43.84]When the passage is read for the second time,[23:46.91]you are required to fill in the blanks[23:49.14]with the exact words you have just heard.[23:52.86]Finally,[23:53.72]when the passage is read for the third time,[23:56.30]you should check what you have written.[23:59.33]Now listen to the passage.[24:03.19]Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are.[24:07.34]Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-olds[24:11.05]could understand addition and subtraction.[24:14.22]Now, British research psychologist Graham Schafer[24:17.89]has discovered that infants can learn words for[24:20.77]uncommon things long before they can speak.[24:24.74]He found that 9-month-old infants could be taught,[24:27.81]through repeated show-and-tell,[24:29.95]to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, [24:34.48]a result that challenges in some ways the received wisdom that, [24:39.17]apart from learning to identify things[24:41.37]common to their daily lives, children don't begin to[24:45.09]build vocabulary until well into their second year.[24:49.43]Its no secret that children learn words,[24:52.10]but the words they tend to know are words linked to[24:54.96]specific situations in the home, explains Schafer.[24:58.99]This is the first demonstration that we can choose[25:01.96]what words the children will learn and that[25:04.45]they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice[25:07.59]giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.[25:10.99]Figuring out how humans acquire language[25:13.66]may shed light on why some children learn to read[25:17.11]and write later than others, Schafer says,[25:19.97]and could lead to better treatments for developmental problems. [25:24.43]What's more, the study of language acquisition[25:27.25]offers direct insight into how humans learn.[25:30.95]Language is a test case for human cognitive development,[25:34.70]says Schafer. But parents eager to teach their infants[25:38.19]should take noteeven without being taught new words[25:41.53]a control group caught up with the other infants[25:44.65]within a few months. This is not about advancing development, [25:49.17]he says. Its just about what children can do[25:52.45]at an earlier age than what educators have often thought. [25:57.57]Now the passage will be read again.[26:00.58]Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are.[26:04.91]Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-olds[26:08.24]could understand addition and subtraction.[26:11.69]Now, British research psychologist Graham Schafer[26:15.54]has discovered that infants can learn words for uncommon things [26:19.92]long before they can speak. He found that 9-month-old infants [26:24.50]could be taught, through repeated show-and-tell,[26:27.54]to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, [26:32.01]a result that challenges in some ways the received wisdom that, [26:36.71]apart from learning to identify things[26:38.99]common to their daily lives, children don't begin to[26:42.70]build vocabulary until well into their second year.[26:46.97]Its no secret that children learn words,[26:49.57]but the words they tend to know are words linked to[26:52.54]specific situations in the home, explains Schafer.[26:56.51]This is the first demonstration that we can choose[26:59.34]what words the children will learn and that[27:02.15]they can respond to them[27:03.61]with an unfamiliar voice[27:05.28]giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.[27:08.31]Figuring out how humans acquire language[27:11.05]may shed light on why some children learn to read[27:14.28]and write later than others, Schafer says,[27:17.31]and could lead to better treatments for developmental problems. [27:21.74]What's more, the study of language acquisition[27:24.58]offers direct insight into how humans learn.[27:28.81]Language is a test case for human cognitive development,[27:32.75]says Schafer. But parents eager to teach their infants[27:36.25]should take noteeven without being taught new words[27:40.00]a control group caught up with the other infants[27:42.65]within a few months.[27:44.64]This is not about advancing development, he says.[27:47.84]Its just about what children can do[27:50.29]at an earlier age than what educators have often thought. [27:55.53]Now the passage will be read for the third time.[27:59.81]Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are.[28:04.12]Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-olds[28:07.75]could understand addition and subtraction.[28:10.99]Now, British research psychologist Graham Schafer[28:14.70]has discovered that infants can learn words[28:17.40]for uncommon things long before they can speak.[28:21.43]He found that 9-month-old infants could be taught,[28:24.63]through repeated show-and-tell, to recognize the names[28:28.24]of objects that were foreign to them,[28:31.37]a result that challenges in some ways the received wisdom that, [28:35.95]apart from learning to identify things[28:38.24]common to their daily lives,[28:40.60]children don't begin to build vocabulary[28:43.19]until well into their second year.[28:46.19]Its no secret that children learn words,[28:48.86]but the words they tend to know are words linked to[28:51.81]specific situations in the home, explains Schafer.[28:55.79]This is the first demonstration that we can choose[28:58.67]what words the children will learn and that[29:01.29]they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice[29:04.45]giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.[29:07.78]Figuring out how humans acquire language[29:10.43]may shed light on why some children learn to read[29:13.75]and write later than others, Schafer says,[29:16.52]and could lead to better treatments for[29:18.93]developmental problems. What's more,[29:22.19]the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into [29:25.90]how humans learn. Language is a test case for[29:29.54]human cognitive development, says Schafer.[29:32.61]But parents eager to teach their infants should take note [29:36.27]even without being taught new words a control group[29:39.66]caught up with the other infants within a few months.[29:43.52]This is not about advancing development, he says.[29:46.77]Its just about what children can do[29:49.21]at an earlier age than what educators have often thought. [29:54.80]This is the end of listening comprehension.。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conv ersations.Atthe end of each conversation,one or more questions will be aske d about what was said.Boththe conversation and the questions will be spoke n only once.After each question there will be apause.During the pause,you m ust read the four choices marked A),B),C)and D),and decidewhich is the best answer,Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a singleli ne through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

1.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.2.A) The manwill rent the apartment when it is available.B) The manmade a bargain with the landlady over the rent.C) The maninsists on having a look at the apartment first.D) The manis not fully satisfied with the apartment.3.A) Packingup to go abroad.B)Brushing up on her English.C) Drawingup a plan for her English course.D)Applying for a visa to the United States.4.A) He isanxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.B) Hedoesn't think high blood pressure is a problem for him.C) He wasnot aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.D) He didnot take the symptoms of his illness seriously.5.A) Toinvestigate the causes of AIDS.B) Toraise money for AIDS patients.C) Torally support for AIDS victims in Africa.D) To drawattention to the spread of AIDS in Asia.6.A) It hasa very long history.B) It is aprivate institution.C) It wasfounded by Thomas Jefferson.D) Itstresses the comprehensive study of nature.7.A) Theycan't fit into the machine.B) Theyhave not been delivered yet.C) Theywere sent to the wrong address.D) Theywere found to be of the wrong type.8.A) Thefood served in the cafeteria usually lacks variety.B) Thecafeteria sometimes provides rare food for the students.C) Thestudents find the service in the cafeteria satisfactory.D) The cafeteria tries hard to cater to the students'needs.Questions9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A) Hepicked up some apples in his yard.B) He cutsome branches off the apple tree.C) Hequarreled with his neighbor over the fence.D) Hecleaned up all the garbage in the woman's yard.10.A) Trimthe apple trees in her yard.B) Pick upthe apples that fell in her yard.C) Takethe garbage to the curb for her.D) Removethe branches from her yard.11.A) File alawsuit against the man.B) Ask theman for compensation.C) Havethe man's apple tree cut down.D) Throwgarbage into the man's yard.12.A) He wasready to make a concession.B) He wasnot prepared to go to court.C) He wasnot intimidated.D) He wasa bit concerned.Questions13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.13.A) Badweather.B) Humanerror.C)Breakdown of the engines.D) Failureof the communications system.14.A) Twothousand feet.B) Twelvethousand feet.C) Twentythousand feet.D)Twenty-two thousand feet.15.A)Accurate communication is of utmost importance.B) Pilotsshould be able to speak several foreign languages.C) Aircontrollers should keep a close watch on the weather.D) Cooperation between pilots and air controllers isessential.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, youwill hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions wi ll be spoken only once. Afteryou hear a question, you must choose the best a nswer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresp onding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through thecentre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

2013年英语六级听力试题及答案:12月英语6
级听力试题
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2013年英语六级听力试题及答案:12月英语6级听力试题
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听力文本及答案Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a few minutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here. M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision. Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products have been well received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least two years. Q: What is the woman going to do?【答案】1.D The woman is going to major in child education.2.B The sound equipment has to be set up.3.A She is exhausted.4.C The woman should order her food quickly.5. B He doesn’t keep his promises.6.C The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.7.A International trade.8.D Take a vacation.【点评】本次四级短对话无论从对话内容还是从题目本身来看，整体难度相对简单，和往年该部分相类似，话题覆盖日常生活（生活琐事、看电影、旅游等）、校园生活、商务工作（会议、求职等）。

2013年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第1套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on happiness by referring to the saying“Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them.”You can cite examples to illustrate your point and then explain how you can develop your ability to deal with problems and be happy. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At theend of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答。