2014年专四听力与答案

2014年6月英语四级听力真题(试题+答案+原文)：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) He has proved to be a better reader than the woman.B) He has difficulty understanding the book.C) He cannot get access to the assigned book.D) He cannot finish his assignment before the deadline.2.A) She will drive the man to the supermarket.B) The man should buy a car of his own.C) The man needn't go shopping every week.D) She can pick the man up at the grocery store.3.A) Get more food and drinks.B) Ask his friend to come over.C) Tidy up the place.D) Hold a party.4.A) The talks can be held any day except this Friday.B) He could change his schedule to meet John Smith.C) The first-round talks should start as soon as possible.D)The woman should contact John Smith first.5.A) He understands the woman's feelings.B) He has gone through a similar experience.C) The woman should have gone on the field trip.D) The teacher is just following the regulations.6.A) She will meet the man halfway.B) She is sorry the man will not come.C) She will ask David to talk less.D) She has to invite David to the party.7.A) Few students understand Prof. Johnson's lectures.B) Few students meet Prof. Johnson's requirements.C)Many students find Prof. Johnson's lectures boring.D) Many students have dropped Prof. Johnson's class.8.A) Check their computer files.B) Make some computations.C) Study a computer program.D) Assemble a computer.Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A) It allows him to make a lot of friends.B) It requires him to work long hours.C) It enables him to apply theory to practice. It helps him understand peopl e better.D) It helps him understand people better.10.A) It is intellectually challenging.B) It requires him to do washing-up all the time.C) It exposes him to oily smoke all day long.D) It demands physical endurance and patience.11.A) In a hospital.B) At a coffee shop.C) At a laundryD) In a hotel12.A) Getting along well with colleagues.B) Paying attention to every detail.C) Planning everything in advance.D) Knowing the needs of customers.Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.13.A) The pocket money British children get.B) The annual inflation rate in Britain.C) The things British children spend money on.D) The rising cost of raising a child in Britain.14A) It enables children to live better.B) It goes down during economic recession.C) It often rises higher than inflation.D) It has gone up 25% in the past decade.15.A) Save up for their future education.B) Pay for small personal things.C) Buy their own shoes and socks.D) Make donations when necessary.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。

TalkHow to Succeed in Your Literature ClassⅠ. Features of literature class—(1) freedom with personal ideas encouragedⅡ. Three pieces of advice for literature class learnersA. In advance—for large lectures：—greater progress and more (2) in the lecture—for small lectures：—(3) in open discussion—target of literature class：—general aspects of important books—subtle differences of how stories are crafted—drill in reading and (4) of huge amounts of informationB. C losely—method：—reading all materials instead of (5)—paying more attention to style and deeper intention instead of plots or (6)—requirement of literature papers：focused and (7)—benefit to paper writing：—learning to defend personal interpretations with (8) evidenceC. Questioningly—not afraid of possible contradictions—display of full thought in arguments with (9)Ⅲ. The additional tip—selection of a course with (10)Conversation One1.[A] Federal government. [B] Individual public schools.[C] The education chief. [D] Individual states and districts.2.[A] Because it enables teachers to prepare for subject matter in more depth.[B] Because it can put students at a competitive advantage.[C] Because it is more suitable for current economy.[D] Because it is gaining increasing popularity in the US-3.[A] Extending school year can reduce the quality of the time in class.[B] Extending school year can interrupt family life.[C] Extending school year doesn’t necessarily improve test scores.[D] Extending school year may increase the cost of schools.4.[A] More learning experiences.[B] The avoidance of summer learning loss.[C] More time for teacher-student interaction.[D] Reducing gap between the rich and the poor.5.[A] He is strongly in favour of Miriam’s ideas.[B] He is mildly in favour of Miriam’s ideas.[C] He is strongly against Miriam’s ideas.[D] He is mildly against Miriam’s ideas.Conversation Two6.[A] English Literature. [B] Computer.[C] Business Administration. [D] Finance.7.[A] The working environment was poor. [B] The job was boring.[C] The pay was rather low. [D] He disliked his employer.8.[A] Enthusiastic. [B] Perseverant. [C] Eloquent. [D] Cooperative.9.[A] Overtime work. [B] Regular work. [C] Work of leadership. [D] Varied work.10.[A] Doctor’s note is not necessary for a one-day sick leave.[B] Some employees used to take advantage of its loopholes.[C] All the terms in it are preferred to the candidate.[D] Paternity leave is as long as maternity leave when the first child is born.Limiting the Growth of TechnologyThroughout history man has changed his physical environment to improve his way of life. With the tools of technology man has altered many physical features of the earth. However, these changes in the physical environment have not always had beneficial results. Today, pollution of the air and water is a danger to the health of the planet. Smoke from factories pollutes the air of industrialized areas and the surrounding countryside. The pollution of water is equally harmful. It is now necessary for man to limit the growth of technology in order to survive on earth.How to Succeed in Your Literature ClassGood morning everyone, our topic today is about how to do well in your literature class in your college days. Literature courses and assignments tend to be extremely different from those of any other discipline because of their extreme subjectivity. This aspect is what many people tend to find most surprising and challenging in an academic setting.(1) I am not saying that you can throw reason and fact out of the window in literature courses，but von arc given much more intellectual freedom with your personal thoughts and ideas.Beginning with the “in advance” piece of wisdom. For large lectures students often think it is not that important to do the readings since they will not be forced to speak up and offer opinions. This is completely wrong. Why attend a lecture on a piece of writing that the professor assumes you have read? (2) You will take nothing away from the lecture and will not be able to make any sense of whatever notes you take, even if you read the material after the fact.(3) In small classes that have lots of open discussion，professors can always tell who has and who has not done the week's reading. Don’t think it won't affect your participation grade for the course.The entire point of a literature class is to engross a student in the general aspects of important explore many subtle differences of how stories are crafted, and to train the college scholar to read and (4) digest huge amounts of information. You won’t do well in the course withou t making a sincere attempt to read and understand every assigned text.Next, make sure you read all material very closely. (5) Do not skim through seemingly unimportant passages of long novels, or read Spark Notes and think you know what happens in the reading. (6) These methods of “reading” leave you without any idea of the author’s style or deeper intentions: they merely give you plot or surface meanings. Reading things halfway will be of no benefit to you when it is time to write your papers.(7) Literature professors usually want papers that are very sharply focused and detailed. (8) There is DO single answer or interpretation to most pieces of literature，but students must be able to read closely enough to defend a case with textual evidence that will support their personal interpretation.Finally，do not feel defeated if you find a piece of evidence in the text that seems to contradict the line of thinking you had developed about the piece of literature. (9) Literature papers and discussions should question every theory by offering counterevidence. As I previously said, clear-cut answers do not exist in any form of literature, be it poetry, fiction, essays, or even nonfiction. You must read all genres with a discerning eye，and instead of avoiding possible conflicts in your papers, use them to show that you have fully thought through your arguments.And the last piece of advice I have to offer：look at the reading lists of literature courses are considering so you do not make yourself miserable by spending a semester reading literature you have no interest in. (10) Literature courses should be enjoyable, and their readings stimulating, so find one that interests you and begin analyzing everything!OK, today I’ve given several tips to you regarding the ways of succeeding in your literature class. I hope they could help you get your hands on the class when you are ready to go. Thank you for listening.对话1W：Hello，Frank.M：Hello，Miriam. How’s everything going?W：Fine.M：Would you like to join me for a drink?W：OK, thanks.M：Any news recently?W: Oh，well，yesterday I read the newspaper and got very shocking news. You know，(1) it’s not the government that sets the calendar for our public schools. Public school calendars are set by individual states and districts. According to the news, our local school decided to keep students in class year-round with shorter breaks throughout，offering about 20 additional school days.M: Mm…, (2) I heard that the education chief said in an interview that our current school calendar based upon the agrarian economy and the vast majority of the students in our country weren’t working the fields in the summers. So he…he th ought it was really an outdated, outmoded model.It needed be changed.W: I don’t agree with him. Extending school year seems so completely short-sighted to me, (3-1) More time is no silver bullet for reform. Take Miami-Dade County Schools in Florida for example, it used an extended day program for three years，but dropped it because they didn’t see improvement in test scores. (3-2) Besides, it disrupt family life.M: Well, surely you must have to admit that we have a significantly shorter school year. Our students are going to school 180 days a year, generally. And if in a sports contest, one team is practicing three days a week and one team is practicing five days a week, the team that is practicing more is going to do better.W: But simply extending school time in and of itself will not produce the desired results.M: Well, yes. Mm…; but, extending school time does bring some advantages. (4-1) It gives the students learning experiences that they might not be able to get over the summertime.W：But you ask the teachers and students whether, whether they reckon that extending school time brings them advantages. I think it goes without saying that no one wants to extend bad time. The teachers are fatigued at the end of the day, and the students are fatigued and unmotivated. The students need summer break to have a good rest.M：Yes, you are right. (4-2) But without those camps and other stimulating activities，something called summer learning loss occurs. Researchers estimate that low-income students can lose two months of math and reading achievement owing to a lack of reinforcement during the summer break. It’s particularly true for low-income kids who don’t have the opportunities that other kids have during those big breaks.W：But have you considered this? Extending the school day is very very expensive. The Miami-Dade program cost more than $ 100 million.M：Yes, you are right, (3-3) Really it can result in increased cost because more teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and other staff are deployed. But I think it can bring some… some benefits to students and teachers as well, for example, umm，it allows teachers to delve into subject matter in more depth? (4-3) it builds in time for more teacher-student interaction；and, it makes it possible for students to spend more time on task.1. Who set the public school calendars?2. Why does the education chief support extending the school year?3. According to Miriam, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?4. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of extending the school year cited by Frank?5. What do we know about Frank according to the conversation? …Conversation TwoW: Good morning，Mr. Smith. Have a seat, please!M: Thanks a lot.W: What is your major?M: My major is Business Administration. I am espe cially interested in “Marketing”.W: Have you received any degrees?M: Yes. (6-1) First, I received my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and then an MBA degree.W: Do you feel that you have received a good general training?M: (6-2) Yes，I have studied in an English training program and a computer training program sinceI graduated from university. I am currently studying Finance at a training school.W: Your resume says that you have had one-year experience working in a foreign representative office in Shanghai, may I ask why you left?M: I worked in a foreign rep. office for one year. (7) However, I left there two years ago because the work they gave me was rather dull.W: If you believe you are a good fit for the position, please talk about what kind of personality you think you have.M：(8 -1) I always approach things very enthusiastically. When I begin something, I don，t like to leave it half-done.W：And what are your personal weaknesses?M：(8 - 2) I’m afraid I，m a poor talker. I’m not comfortable talking with the people whom I have just met for the first time. That is not very good for business, so I have been studying public speaking.W：It is very difficult for somebody to see one’s own weakness. Are you more of a leader or a follower?M：(9 -1) I don’t try to lead people. (8-3) I’d rather cooperate with everybody, and get the job done by working together.W: You know, most workers are working under great pressure. How about overtime work?M: Overtime work is very common in companies. (9-2) I can work overtime if it’s necessary, but I don't think we will work overtime every day.W：Do you like regular work?M: (9-3) No，I don’t like regular work. I am interested in different projects with new opportunities. But I can do regular work if the company needs me to do so.W: You performed very well, sir! If you have no questions, please go through the contract and sign it.M: OK. Thank you very much.M: I have a few questions for you. First, I’d like to know if you offer employees sick leave.W：Yes, employees can take up to 10 days of sick leave per year. (10-1) However, in order to get paid，you’ll have to bring in a note from the doctor’s.M：(10-2) Even if I’m only sick for one day?W: (10-3) That’s correct.M: (10-4) That’s pretty strict，if you ask me.W: (10-5) Well, we’ve had to add that to the contract because we found that many of our employees were taking almost one sick day a month，even though they weren’t sick.M：I see. I guess that makes sense. How many days of paternity leave do you offer?W：(10-6) Men are allowed to take 10 days of paternity leave for their first child.M：(10-6) Why are women flowed so much more time for maternity leave?W: Well, women are the ones giving birth. I think it，s fair to give them more time, don’t you? M: I guess so. I don’t have any other questions. Should I sign here then?W: Yes, please.。

SECTION A CONVERSATIONSQuestions l to 3 are based on the following conversation．1. What are they mainly talking about in the conversation?A. Transport.B. Customers.C. Relocation.D. Restaurants.2. Which of the following is mentioned by Tim as a good reason for moving?A. More office space.B. Convenient parking.C. Fewer office workers.D. A near-by train station.3. Why is Jane worried about winter in the new location?A. It is much colder there.B. There are few activities.C. There are no good restaurants.D. There is no cinema or theater.Questions 4 to 7 are based on the following conversation．4. Miss Parkinson became interested in her own business _______.A. before she worked for the media companyB. when she was on holiday five years agoC. after she went to therapists and classesD. after her friend recommended it to her5. Why did she ask her teachers to teach her at home?A. She was busier than before.B. It was more convenient.C. She liked to exercise at home.D. She was given a promotion.6. Which of the following is NOT true according to the conversation?A. She recommended people to take classes.B. She was willing to pay more for classes at home.C. She left her job immediately after her promotion.D. She regarded the business as apastime at first.7. Why did she finally leave her job?A. She got bored with her job.B. She saw an opportunity.C. She needed the money.D. She was forced to leave.Questions 8 to 10 are based on the following conversation．8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the single-lens reflex?A. Different lenses can be used.B. Focusing is easier.C. You can see what you are taking.D. It is cheaper and lighter.9. According to the shop assistant, the main difference between the two types of cameras liesin _______.A. lensB. priceC. weightD. size10. It can be inferred from the conversation that the customer is more likely to buy _______in the end.A. a single-lens cameraB. nothingC. a rangefinder cameraD. several lenses insteadSECTION B PASSAGESQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage．11. Which of the following details about the front of the house is CORRECT?A. The front is pink.B. The curtain is drawn.C. No window can be seen.D. There are two doors.12. What is to the immediate left side of the house?A. A washing line.B. Another house.C. A flat area.D. A chimney.13. Where is the small town in the picture?A. Between two hills.B. Further to the left of the house.C. At the back of the house.D. At the side of a hill.Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage．14. When did Ben first become interested in Mongolia?A. When he grew up.B. When he learned Mongolian.C. When he returned home.D. When he was nine years old.15. Where did he spend most of his teenage years?A. In Mongolia.B. In the Arab world.C. In his hometown.D. In some other regions.16. We learn from the passage that Ben _______ while doing his master’s degree.A. became interested in classical MongolianB. learned classical and modern MongolianC. gave up modern MongolianD. mastered modern Mongolian17. Which of the following details is NOT true according to the passage?A. Ben wants to visit Mongolia when the weather is warm.B. Ben considers the travel expense reasonable.C. The trip today is expensive considering inflation.D. Ben was unable to travel to Mongolia in1971.Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage．18. Which is the height of towers at Sky Greens vertical farm?A. 9 meters.B. 20 meters.C. 100 meters.D. 40 meters.19. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?A. The farm sells its vegetables to a local supermarket.B. The farm uses less water and energy to grow vegetables.C. The farm causes less pollution in its production.D. The farm sells at the same price as imported produce20. According to the passage, one particular advantage of the Sky Green is _______.A. local climateB. local supportC. plan for expansionD. closeness to the citySECTION C NEWS BROADCASTQuestions 21 and 22 are based OH the following news．21. According to the passage, Turkish police were unsure about _______.A. when the woman was killedB. the main cause of the deathC. the woman’s identityD. why she failed to return home22. How many people had been detained by Turkish police?A. 9.B. 19.C.22.D. 33.Questions 23 and 24 are based on the following news．23. What is the situation now in Kidal according to the news?A. Islamist militants are still in control of the town.B. French forces have entered the town.C. French are going to land at the airport.D. Islamist militants are attacking the airport.24. Why did the French launch the military operation?A. To control Kidal airport.B. To protect the town.C. To protect the capital Bamako.D. To fight against Islamist militants.Questions 25 and 26 are based on the following news．25. Which of the following is TRUE about the immigration reform?A. It was proposed by a group of senators.B. Mr Obama had carried out the reform.C. Illegal immigrants would soon be given citizenship.D. The reform failed to improve the current system.26. According to Obama’s 2011 blueprint, how long would it take for illegal immigrants to gain citizenship?A. Eight years.B. Five years.C. Thirteen years.D. Eleven years.Questions 27 and 28 are based on the following news．27. What is Lorraine Melvill’s business?A. Running a plastic surgery clinic.B. Arranging for surgery and safaris.C. Providing consultancy to local people.D. Organizing trips to UK and American.28. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the news item?A. Local African clients helped keep her business going.B. Her clients were unable to pay her the money.C. Her business was affected by the global financial crisis.D. She still had as many European clients as before.Questions 29 is based on the following news.29. What is the main idea of the news item?A. Foreign investment in unstable regions.B. BP’s presence in North Africa.C. Security concerns in risky countries.D. Protection for foreign oil workers.Questions 30 is based on the following news.30. What is the main message of the news item?A. London attracts shoppers from all over the world.B. Most people in Nigeria live in poverty.C. Wealthier Nigerians become a big spender.D. People from the Middle East are the most wealthy.PART Ⅱ LISTENING COMPREHE (20 MIN)SECTION A CONVERSATIONS1.-3 M: We have to move the company to a new office.W: I think that's a great idea, Tim.M: Good.W: We should be in the centre of town.We'll be nearer to our customers. M: Jane, I...W: The transport is better...M: Jane, I...W: ... and there are lots of good restaurants.M: Jane, I think we should move to the country.W: Oh!M: For... against.For: cheaper rent,cheaper houses,cleaner air.It's quieter.The re's not so muchnoise.And parking's easier.Do you agree that these are all go od reasons for moving?W: Yes, I agree.But let's talk about the things against moving.Number one.A l ong way from some clients.M: Yes, but that's not a problem.W: What about communications?M: There's an airport near the new location as well as a motorway.And there are fast trains to everywhere from there.W: So communications are better than they are from here?M: I think so.W: But what do we do with our spare time?I know we can go for walks in the country.Perhaps,go horse-riding.But we can only do that in summer.What do we do in winter? When it's cold and wet.It's not like here in the city, is it? M: I agree.But in the town over there---twenty minutes by car---there are ci nemas,theatres,good restaurants and there's a jazz club.So, I think our comp any should move to the country.Do you agree?W: I am afraid I don't.Questions 4 to 7 are based on the following conversation.M: So, Miss Parkinson,you organize fitness training and beauty treatments f or workingwomen?W: That's right, Mr. Cruise.M: Could you tell me how you first got the idea for the business?W: Certainly. I suppose it all started about 5 years ago.I was on holiday and had a very badskiing accident.I found that the only thing that helped the pain was massage and gentleexercise,like yoga or stretching exercises.So I used to go to therapists and cla sses after work.M: Where did you work at that time?W: In the training department of a media company.M: I see.W: But then I got a promotion to training manager.That meant I worked lon ger hours and wasdifficult to get to classes.I asked some of my teachers if th ey would come to my houseinstead,and most of them agreed.It was more ex pensive but I thought it was worth it.Lots ofmy friends loved the idea too.So I recommended people to them.That's when I began to realizethat maybe I co uld make a business out of it.M: Did you give up your job then?W: No, not immediately.The idea was too scary.I had a good job with a good salary,andstarting my own business seemed a bit risky.So I just did it at a ho bby really.M: So why did you leave your job in the end?W: Well, the decision was made for me really.My company decided to reloca te to a differenttown.They offered me the choice of relocating with themor qu ite a large sum of money if Ipreferred to leave.I know an opportunity when I see it.So I took the money!M: Good for you.Questions 8 to 10 are based on the following conversation.M: Good afternoon, madam.W: Good afternoon.I'd like to buy a camera.M: We have all kinds of cameras here, madam.What sorts of camera are you thinking you arebuying?W: Well, I don't know anything about cameras.But my friend tells me that 35-millimetercameras are the best.M: Well, they are certainly the much popular.Would you like a rangefinder ty pe or a single-lens reflex?W: What's the difference?M: With a single-lens reflex,you actually look through the lens when you're t aking a photo.Soyou can see exactly what you are taking.W: That seems a good idea.M: Yes, focusing is easier, too.Try this one.It's a good mate.W: Yes, I see what you mean.The image is very clear and bright.M: That's right.Moreover,you can use a number of different lenses.Let me put a telephoto lens on for you to try.W: My world! That's very good.I can see the people across the street as if the y are inside theshop!M: Being able to change the lens is very important,in my opinion.You can't d o that with mostrangefinder cameras though they smaller and cheaper.W: How much is this camera?M: The list price is 5,000.But I can let you have it for 4,500.W: That's far too much! Did you say that rangefinder cameras are cheaper? M: Yes, they are much cheaper.W: Good! Show me some, please.SECTION B PASSAGESQuestions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage.This is a picture.In the foreground there's a house built into the side of a bare hill.The house isactually cut out of the rock,and the front is painted white.Th ere's a single window with a pink curtain across it and a wooden door.This ro ck house is clearly inhabited because in front of thehousethere is washing han ging on a washing line in what looks like the front yard.Then, abovethe painte d front of the house,they've built a chimney.It's quite possible that at the ba ck ofthis same hill there's another door---or the front of another house, perha ps.At the side of thehouse,to the left there's a flat area.They've got chairs the re and one person appears to beserving food.They're wearing casual summer clothes.Further to the left is another chimney,which probably belongs to a diff erent house.In the background of the picture,a longway from this particular bare hill,there's another hill.Then, in between there's a relatively flat plain,an d then there's a small town.It looks like a town because there are a lot of whi tehousesand each one is quite close to the next building.This must be a hot c ountry because thesky is blue and there isn't much vegetation.I should think that rock houses are actually reallycool and pleasant to live in.Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage.Ben became interested in Mongolia early in life.When he was nine years old he read a bookabout Marco Polo,about how Marco Polo traveled with his uncles on the ultimate business triptothe Mongol Empire at its height.Marco Polo's trip lasted almost a quarter of a century,duringwhich he grew up,mastered M ongolian,gained the confidence of the Mongol emperor,and then eventually returned home with fantastic tales of strange lands and stranger people.The storyof Marco Polo fascinated Ben.Ben tried to save money from his first job d eliveringnewspaperswith an eye toward a $3,000 trip to Mongolia.But in those days it would take himyears to have the money ready.So he continued to rea d about Mongolia in the meantimebutspent most of his teenage years in the A rab world,where he learned the language and becameinterested in journalism .He took courses in classical and modern Mongolianwhile studying for hismast er's degree and found it very difficult.But he still wants to visit Mongolia in the spring orsummer, he said."Mongolian winters,when temperatures drop to -30 °C are not for me."Theprice today with an upscale company is reasonable, Ben said,"compared to the $3,000 it wasback in 1971.Today the same trip is around $5,000,which though still a large sum,is, in terms of inflation,a good bargain."Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage.Less than 20 miles from Singapore's skyscrapers is a completely different set of high-risetowers.Much smaller in scale but with a big ambition,over 100 ni ne-meter tall towers at SkyGreens vertical farmoffer a new vision of urban s ustainability.Green vegetables like Chinesecabbage are grown,stacked in gree nhouses,and sold at local supermarkets.The farm was built in2009 and since October this yearthe fully operating farm has been supplying one of city'ssupe rmarketswith weekly deliveries of its greens.The Sky Greens produce costs a round 40%more than an imported equivalent.However, the small amount of energy and water needed togrow the vegetables,and the close proximity to the consumer,means that carbon dioxideemitted in production and transport ation is kept to a minimum.The Sky Greens venture issupported by the Sing aporean governmentand has another advantage over other urban farms aro und the world:abundant natural heating and light.Singapore has year-roundt emperatures of around 30 degrees Celsiusand the farm is in an open area designated bythe government as an agro-technology park,miles away from the shadow of cityskyscrapers.And there are plans for the current site to expand to produce up to two tons of greensa week next year and build over 2,000 towers in the next few years.News Item 1 (For Questions 21 and 22)The family of Sarai Sierra, an American womanwhowent missing in Istanbul n early two weeks ago,is inmourning after learning that Turkish police found her body Saturday.Turkish police found the woman'sbody near ancient stone wall s in Istanbul's Sarayburnu district.Police suspected she had beenkilled at ano ther location.Police told CNN's sister network CNN Turkthat the body of the 3 3-year-old mother of two showed signs of stab wounds.However, the police c hief ofIstanbul,Huseyin Capkin,said Sierra died from a blow to her head.Nine suspects had been detained in connection with the woman's disappearance and death.Sierra's family and friendsfirst sounded the alarm last weekafter sh e did not arrive on a return flight from Istanbul onJanuary 22.News Item 2 (For Questions 23 and 24)French forces say they have entered Kidal in the north of Mali,the last major t own they have yetto secure in their drive against Islamist militants.French fo rces now control Kidal airport after anumber of aircraft,including helicopters ,landed there last night.Islamist militants were reportedto have already left th e townand it was unclear who was in charge.France --- the formercolonial po wer in Mali--- launched a military operation this month after Islamistmilitant sappeared to be threatening the south.French army spokesman confirms tha t "Frenchtroops were deployed overnight in Kidal".One regional security so urce told the Press thatFrench aircraft had landed at Kidaland that protecti on helicopters are in the sky.Kidal,930miles north-east of the capital Bamako,was until recently under the contr ol of the Islamistmilitants.News Item 3 (For Questions 25 and 26)US President Barack Obama has said the time has comefor a review on the U S immigrationsystem.He made his case at a high school in Las Vegas,Nevada, a day after a group of senatorsoutlined a framework for reform.The White House and senators envisage a path tocitizenshipfor many of an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.He notedthat the current syste m was "out of date and badly broken".Mr Obama's case for animmigration ref orm reflects a blueprint he rolled out in 2011,though that did not go far.MrObama now backs the Senate plan including making illegal immigrants pay tax es and fines,andsending them to the back of the queue before they can beco me American citizens.His 2011blueprint also focused on a path to permane nt residency and eventual citizenship.After eightyears,individuals would be all owed to become legal permanent residentsand would eventually become ci tizens five years later,according to his 2011 blueprint.News Item 4 (For Questions 27 and 28)In a suburb in northern Johannesburg South Africa, Lorraine Melvillis running around trying toorganize hospital visits for her clients staying in her guest house.She started herbusiness,"Surgeon and Safari,"back in 2000 and since then she has had p eople from all over theworldcome to her to facilitate their cosmetic procedur es,and perhaps go on safari too."Formost people in the first-world economies like the UK,and especially in America,their biggestdesire is to go on African sa fari," she explains,"and yet their greatest want in their life was tohave plastic surgery,so why not put the two together?" Like most companies,however,Su rgeon and Safari was hit by the global financial crisis,particularly as a numbe r of Melvill'sclients were borrowing money to afford their procedures.However, whilst the United States andeurozone economies may have languished,Melvill says that she has benefited from the growthof some African countries' econo mies."There is a huge emergence of local Africansthat choseto come to Sout h Africa for elective surgery,whether it be breast reduction,tummy tucks," s hesays.News Item 5 (For Question 29)The bloodshed at In Amenas has left the oil and gas industrystruggling to com e to terms withwhat it might mean for investment in risky countries.Bob Dudl ey,BP's chief executivesays thecompany is "reviewing security" at its other f acilities in the region and around the world.Theattack is the worst tragedy of i ts kind in living memorydespite the energy industry's presence in many unst able regions.BP has "never experienced an attack on this scale before",MrD udley says.Security remains a top priority in countries such as Iraq,where th ere have beeninstances of workers being kidnapped.The perception of risk fo r foreign oil workers and theirfamilies in North Africa,has soared.News Item 6 (For Question 30)Shopping is a serious business in London whatever the season--- but it doesn' t get much moreserious than this time of year.The UK's capital January sales sees throngs of dedicated shopaholicscram its countless department stores,q uirky boutiques and market stalls,keen toget their hands on the latest fashio n trends and product offers.But it's not just domestic spending that's keeping the tills ringing in London.While the vibrant city's high-end stores areno stra ngers to overseas visitors,with those from the Middle East typically spending t he most,asurprising new contender has emerged in recent times as a big spe nderin the internationalmarket --- Nigeria.Nigeria's economic growth has aver aged about 7.4% annually over the past decade,creating a wealthier Nigerian elite with a large spending power.At the sametime,however, robust economi c growth has not reduced poverty in the country,with about twothirds of its p opulation living on less than $1 per day.。

14年专四真题答案解析一、听力（简答题）第一题：根据所听到的内容，回答提问。

原文：I went to a concert last night. The music was amazing, but the seats were very uncomfortable.分析：根据原文可知，人们在昨晚参加了音乐会，音乐很棒，但座位非常不舒服。

答案：The seats were uncomfortable.第二题：根据所听到的问题选择正确答案。

原文：Q: When is the meeting?A: It's on Wednesday.分析：根据原文可知，问题是关于会议时间的，答案是星期三。

答案：On Wednesday.第三题：根据所听到的内容，回答提问。

原文：I think the new movie is better than the book.分析：根据原文可知，人们认为新电影比书好。

答案：The new movie is better than the book.二、阅读理解第一篇：根据短文内容，选择正确的答案。

原文：The Great Wall is one of the most famous places in China. It was built by many men a long time ago. The GreatWall is very long. It is more than 6000 kilometers long! Itis more than 2000 years old.分析：根据原文可知，万里长城是中国最著名的地方之一，是很久以前由许多人修建的。

这座长城非常长，有6000多公里长！已有2000多年的历史。

答案：The Great Wall is 6000 kilometers long.第二篇：根据短文内容判断正（T）误（F）。

原文：In ancient Rome, parents believed that a good education was important for their children. Boys and girls learned to read and write. They also learned history, math, and science. Some children went to private schools, but most went to public schools. Wealthy families hired private teachers.分析：根据原文可知，古罗马的父母认为良好的教育对孩子很重要。