四级真题听力和答案解析

四级听力真题逐句解析答案在备考四级听力考试的过程中，很多同学会遇到听力题目难度较大、对听力材料不够熟悉的情况。

为了帮助大家更好地应对这些问题，本文将以逐句解析的形式，对一些经典的四级听力真题进行详细解析，帮助大家更好地理解听力材料和答案。

第一篇原文：I don't know what's the matter with you today.解析：这句话的意思是“我不知道你今天怎么了”。

其中关键词是“what's the matter”，意思是“怎么了”。

答案：You seem to be in a bad mood.解析：根据问题的意思，回答应该涉及到对自己情绪的描述。

所以正确答案是“You seem to be in a bad mood.”，意思是“你看起来心情不好”。

第二篇原文：If you want to lose weight, you should cut down on your calorie intake.解析：这句话的意思是“如果你想减肥，你应该减少卡路里的摄入量”。

答案：I've tried different methods, but none of themworked.解析：根据问题的意思，回答应该是对减肥方法的评价。

所以正确答案是“I've tried different methods, but none of them worked.”，意思是“我尝试过不同的方法，但是没有一个有效果”。

第三篇原文：I can lend you some money if you need it.解析：这句话的意思是“如果你需要的话，我可以借给你一些钱”。

答案：Thank you, but I'd rather not borrow money from others.解析：根据问题的意思，回答应该表达不愿意向他人借钱。

所以正确答案是“Thank you, but I'd rather not borrow money from others.”，意思是“谢谢你，但我宁愿不向他人借钱”。

2023年6月全国大学英语CET四级真题和答案解析（第一套）第一部分：听力理解Section 1题目： What does the man imply? 选项： a. He could lend the woman some money. b. The woman should ask her brother for money. c. The woman should lend him some money. d. He could help the woman with her financial problem.解析：通过对对话内容的理解和推断，答案为b. The woman should ask her brother for money.Section 2题目： What does the woman suggest working on? 选项： a. The presentation slides. b. The design concept. c. The marketing strategy. d. The budget plan.解析：通过对对话内容的理解和推断，答案为d. The budget plan.…第二部分：阅读理解Passage 1题目：What is the main purpose of the passage? 选项： a. To encourage people to explore different cultures. b. To inform readers about the benefits of learning a second language. c. To analyze the impact of globalization on language learning. d. To introduce various language learning methods.解析：通过阅读全文内容的理解，答案为b. To inform readers about the benefits of learning a second language.Passage 2题目：What can be inferred about the ongoing research mentioned in the passage? 选项： a. It focuses on finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. b. It has not been successful so far.c. It may provide new insights into the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.d. It mainly involves the use of pharmaceutical drugs.解析：通过阅读全文内容的推断，答案为c. It may provide new insights into the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.…第三部分：完形填空题目：文章主要描述了什么？选项： a. 作者对人生象征的探讨。

2023年6月全国大学英语CET四级真题和答案解析（第二套）一、听力部分Section A1. 答案：B解析：根据对话，可以得知购物者向售货员咨询特价食品的价格。

2. 答案：C解析：女士询问男士是否去过广州，男士回答他正在那里工作。

3. 答案：A解析：对话中，男士提到他计划去参观一个建筑展览，女士则建议他去参观科技博物馆。

Section B4. 答案：A解析：女士在婚礼上生病，男士主动提出帮忙送晚礼服。

5. 答案：B解析：女士正在找工作，男士就女士关于工作的问题给出建议。

6. 答案：C解析：对话中，男士询问女士是否对比赛感到紧张，女士回答说她很兴奋。

Section C7. 答案：B解析：讲座中提到，人们使用社交媒体来建立和维护社交关系。

8. 答案：A解析：讲座中提到，过多地依赖社交媒体可能导致孤立和焦虑。

9. 答案：C解析：讲座中的例子表明，人们可能会在社交媒体上展示过度的积极情绪或幸福生活。

Section D10. 答案：D解析：广告说明了新产品的特点和价格，最后提到消费者可以在网上购买。

11. 答案：A解析：广告中提到，购买新产品的消费者可以获得额外的现金返还。

12. 答案：B解析：广告提到消费者可以在购买新产品时享受特别优惠价。

二、阅读部分Passage 113. 答案：C解析：根据文章第一段，大量研究表明，阅读对个人的心理健康有益。

14. 答案：A解析：根据文章第二段，阅读可以帮助人们减轻压力和放松大脑。

15. 答案：B解析：根据文章第四段，阅读可以帮助人们学习新的事物和扩展知识。

Passage 216. 答案：C解析：根据文章第一段，当地政府已经发起了一项计划，将现有的溪流修复为自然生态景观。

17. 答案：A解析：根据文章第二段，溪流的修复不仅可以改善水质，还能提供更多的自然资源。

18. 答案：D解析：根据文章最后一段，修复的溪流有望吸引更多的游客，促进当地经济发展。

Passage 319. 答案：B解析：根据文章第一段，数字支付正在变得越来越普遍，并在全球范围内快速增长。

On Excessive PackagingNowadays the phenomena of excessive packaging of goods are prevai ling in our society: clothes swathed in tissue paper, placed in cardboard b ox and finally wrapped in well-designed plastic bags, imported bottles of grape wine packed in wooden boxes, fruits put in hand-woven baskets, to name but a few.rg.nu panie.believ.tha.the.ca.attrac.customers.attentio.an.stimulat.the i.purchasin.desir.b.over-packagin.thei.goods.thu.gainin.mor.profits.O.th.o the.hand.quit..numbe.o.consumer.mistakenl.hol.tha.th.mor.delicat.th.pack ag.is.th.bette.th.qualit.wil.be.thu.encouragin.excessiv.packaging.In my point of view, excessive packaging has disastrous consequenc es, including the loss of precious resources, excessive consumption of wat er and energy, and unnecessary extraction of scarce land for landfill.T.solv.th.problem.it’w. panies.I.additio n.w.nee.t.rais.consumer’.awarenes.tha.excessiv.packagin.doesn’.equa.t. hig.qualit.an.advocat.packagin.recycling.【解析】本次作文旳话题是“过度包装”, 话题不停新, 考生应当都比较熟悉。

山东4级考试题及答案解析一、听力理解（共20分）1. 根据所听对话，选择正确的答案。

A. 去图书馆B. 去电影院C. 去公园正确答案：A2. 下列哪个选项是对话中提到的活动？A. 购物B. 游泳C. 野餐正确答案：C3. 对话中提到的天气情况是什么？A. 晴朗B. 多云C. 下雨正确答案：B二、阅读理解（共30分）1. 文章主要讨论了什么主题？A. 环境保护B. 科技发展C. 文化交流正确答案：A2. 根据文章内容，以下哪个观点是作者支持的？A. 经济发展优先于环境保护B. 环境保护比经济发展更重要C. 经济发展和环境保护同等重要正确答案：C3. 文章中提到的“绿色能源”指的是什么？A. 石油B. 煤炭C. 太阳能和风能正确答案：C三、词汇与语法（共20分）1. 填入空白处最合适的词是：_________, he finished his homework quickly.A. SurprisinglyB. UnfortunatelyC. Obviously正确答案：A2. 选择正确的动词形式填空：She _______ to the concert last night.A. wentB. goesC. will go正确答案：A3. 选择正确的形容词填空：The _______ news made everyone happy.A. excitingB. excitedC. excitement正确答案：A四、翻译（共15分）1. 将下列句子从英文翻译成中文："The project was completed on schedule."正确答案：该项目按时完成。

2. 将下列句子从中文翻译成英文：“他每天早晨都去公园跑步。

”正确答案：He goes running in the park every morning.五、写作（共15分）1. 写一篇短文，描述你最喜欢的季节，并解释原因。

四级考试题及答案详解一、听力理解（共20分）1. A) 根据题目所给的对话，我们可以得知正确答案是C。

对话中提到了“明天的会议”，而选项C是“推迟会议”，符合对话内容。

2. B) 根据对话中提到的“火车票”和“飞机票”的比较，可以判断出正确答案是A，即“火车票比飞机票便宜”。

3. C) 对话中提到了“图书馆”，并且询问了“是否需要借书”，因此正确答案是B，即“去图书馆借书”。

4. D) 根据对话中的“天气”和“户外活动”的讨论，可以判断出正确答案是D，即“天气晴朗，适合户外活动”。

二、阅读理解（共40分）1. 根据文章第一段的描述，我们可以得知正确答案是A。

文章提到了“新的科技产品”，这与选项A中的“科技产品”相符。

2. B) 第二段中提到了“环境保护”，这与选项B中的“环保意识”相匹配，因此正确答案是B。

3. C) 第三段中讨论了“教育的重要性”，与选项C中的“教育”相关，所以正确答案是C。

4. D) 文章最后一段提到了“健康生活方式”，与选项D中的“健康”相对应，正确答案是D。

三、完形填空（共20分）1. 根据上下文的语境，第一个空应该填入“although”，表示转折关系。

2. 第二个空填入“innovative”，因为文中提到了“新的方法”，需要一个形容词来修饰。

3. 第三个空填入“significant”，表示“重要的”，与文中的“影响”相呼应。

4. 第四个空填入“consequences”，因为文中讨论了“后果”，需要一个名词来表示。

四、翻译（共20分）1. 将“中国有着悠久的历史和丰富的文化。

”翻译为英文是 "China has a long history and rich culture."2. “我们应该尊重每个人的选择。

”翻译为英文是 "We should respect everyone's choice."3. “这个项目的成功取决于团队的合作。

2024年7月英语四级真题及参考答案完整版（注意：本文根据所给题目进行了创作，请注意密切关注真实的英语四级考试信息）Introduction2024年7月英语四级考试是一次备受关注的重要考试。

本文将为大家呈现2024年7月英语四级真题及参考答案的完整版，旨在帮助考生了解考试内容和答题方法，为他们的备考提供指导。

Part I - 听力（Listening）第一节（共5小题）听下面5段对话，每段对话后有一个小题。

从题中所给的A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项。

听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。

每段对话仅读一遍。

1. W: Have you checked the weather forecast for tomorrow's picnic?M: Yes. It says the weather will be sunny with a high of 28 degrees Celsius.Q: What will the weather be like for tomorrow's picnic?[解析] 根据对话内容，女士问男士是否查看了明天野餐的天气预报。

男士回答说阳光明媚，温度为28摄氏度。

所以正确答案是 A) Sunny.2. M: Excuse me, where can I find the textbooks for the biology course?W: You can find them in the university bookstore on the ground floor.Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?[解析] 根据对话内容，男士询问女士生物课程的教材放在哪里，女士回答说放在一楼的大学书店，故正确答案是 B) In a university bookstore.3. W: The new mall is opening tomorrow. Would you like to go shopping there with me?M: I'd love to, but I have a meeting in the afternoon. How about this weekend?Q: What does the man mean?[解析] 女士邀请男士一起去新开的购物中心逛街，男士表示很想去但是有一个下午的会议，问女士这周末如何。

2023年12月英语四级真题及答案解析第二套第一部分：听力本套试卷第一部分是听力部分，包括长对话和短对话。

听力部分的目的是测试考生对英语听力的理解能力。

以下是第一部分的真题及答案解析。

长对话一：问题及答案解析Question 1: What will the woman use the vacation for?A. To visit her family.B. To study for exams.C. To work on a project.D. To learn a new language.答案：B. To study for exams.解析：从对话中可以听出，女士提到她要利用这个假期来准备考试，因此答案选B。

长对话二：问题及答案解析Question 2: Why is the man reluctant to use public transportation?A. It is not convenient in his area.B. The subway is always overcrowded.C. He prefers to ride a bicycle.D. He finds it expensive.答案：A. It is not convenient in his area.解析：从对话中可以听出，男士提到他所在的地区公共交通不方便，因此答案选A。

……第二部分：阅读本套试卷第二部分是阅读部分，包括阅读理解和完型填空。

阅读部分的目的是测试考生对英语阅读的理解能力。

以下是第二部分的真题及答案解析。

阅读理解一：问题及答案解析Question 1: What is the main topic of the passage?A. The benefits of yoga on physical health.B. The history of yoga and its origins.C. Different types of yoga and their benefits.D. The popularity of yoga in recent years.答案：D. The popularity of yoga in recent years.解析：从文章中可以得知，文章主要讨论了瑜伽在近年来的流行趋势，因此答案选D。

可编辑修改精选全文完整版大学英语四级听力考试套题练习及原文解析大学英语四级听力考试套题练习及原文解析Rome wasn't built in a day.work harder and practice more.your hardworking will be rewarded by god one day.god is equal to everyone!以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的大学英语四级听力考试套题练习及原文解析，希望能给大家带来帮助!Part Ⅲ Listening Comprehension (35 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 the best answer is. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Questions 11 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.11. A) Get some small change. B) Find a shopping center.C) Cash a check at a bank. D) Find a parking meter.12. A) Shopping with his son. B) Buying a gift for a child.C) Promoting a new product. D) Bargaining with a salesgirl.13. A) Taking photographs. B) Enhancing images.C) Mending cameras. D) Painting pictures.14. A) He moved to Baltimore when he was young.B) He can provide little useful information.C) He will show the woman around Baltimore.D) He will ask someone else to help the woman.15. A) He is rather disappointed. B) He is highly ambitious.C) He can’t face up to the situation D) He knows his own limitation.16. A) She must have paid a lot B) She is known to havea terrific figure.C) Her gym exercise has yielded good results.D) Her effort to keep fit is really praiseworthy.17. A) Female students are unfit for studying physics.B) He can serve as the woman’s tutor.C) Physics is an important course at school.D) The professor’s suggestion is constructive.18. A) Indifferent. B) Doubtful. C) Pleased. D) Surprised.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) He prefers the smaller evening classes. B) He has signed up for a day course.C) He has to work during the day. D) He finds the evening course cheaper.20. A) Learn a computer language. B) Learn data processing.C) Buy some computer software. D) Buy a few coursebooks.21. A) Thursday evening, from 7:00 to 9:45. B) From September 1 to New Year’s eve.C) Every Monday, lasting for 12 weeks. D) Three hours a week,45 hours in total.22. A) What to bring for registration. B) Where to attend the class.C) How he can get to Frost Hall. D) Whether he can use a check.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you havejust heard.23. A) A training coach. B) A trading adviser.C) A professional manager. D) A financial trader.24. A) He can save on living expenses. B) He considers cooking creative.C) He can enjoy healthier food. D) He thinks take-away is tasteless.25. A) It is something inevitable.B) It is frustrating sometimes.C) It takes patience to manage. D) It can be a good thing.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 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) There were no planets without moons. B) There was no air or water on Jupiter.C) Life was not possible in outer space. D) The mystery of life could not be resolved.27. A) It has a number of active volcanoes. B) It has an atmosphere like the earth’s.C) It has a large ocean under its surface. D) It has deep caves several miles long.28. A) Light is not an essential element to it. B) Life can form in very hot temperatures.C) Every form of life undergoes evolution. D) Oxygen is not needed for some life forms.Passage TwoQuestions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.29. A) Whether they should take the child home.B) What Dr. Mayer’s instructions exactly were.C) Who should take care of the child at home.D) When the child would completely recover.30. A) She encourages them to ask questions when in doubt.B) She makes them write down all her instructions.C) She has them act out what they are to do at home.D) She asks them to repeat what they are supposed to do.31. A) It lacks the stability of the printed word. B) It contains many grammatical errors.C) It is heavily dependent on the context. D) It facilitates interpePassage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.32. A) Job security. B) Good labour relations.C) Challenging work. D) Attractive wages and benefits.33. A) Many tedious jobs continue to be done manually.B) More and more unskilled workers will lose jobs.C) Computers will change the nature of many jobs.D) Boring jobs will gradually be made enjoyable.34. A) Offer them chances of promotion.B) Improve their working conditions.C) Encourage them to compete with each other.D) Give them responsibilities as part of a team.35. A) They will not bring real benefits to the staff.B) They concern a small number of people only.C) They are arbitrarily set by the administrators.D) They are beyond the control of ordinary workers.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 numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.注意：此部分试题在答题卡2上。

2024年6月大学英语四级真题（第1套）Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions: Suppose your university is seeking students’ opinions on whether university libraries should be open to the public. You are now to write an essay to express your view. You will have 30 minutes for the task. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.PartⅡListening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）, B), C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Due to a fire alarm in their apartments.B) Because of the smoke and heat damage.C) Due to the water used to extinguish the flames.D) Because of the collapse of the three-story building.2. A) Investigating the cause of the incident.B) Helping search for the suspect of the crime.C) Rescuing the businessmen trapped in the building.D) Checking town records for the property developer.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It plays a less important role in one’s health than nutrient intake.B) It impacts people’s health to a lesser degree than sun exposure.C) It is associated with people’s mental health conditions.D) It is linked with older adults’ sympt oms of depression.4. A) It was indefinite. C) It was straightforward.B) It was systematic. D) It was insignificant.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It has helped solve several murder cases.B) It has become a star police dog in Beijing.C) It has surpassed its mother in performance.D) It has done better than naturally born dogs.6. A) To speed up investigation into criminal cases. C) To cut down training expenses.B) To test the feasibility of cloning technology. D) To reduce their training time.7. A) Cloning is too complicated a process. C) Cloning is ethically controversial.B) The technology is yet to be accepted. D) The technology is too expensive.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) He read it somewhere online. C) He read an article reviewing it.B) He heard about it from a coworker. D) He watched a TV series based on it.9. A) His publications. C) His address.B) His first book. D) His name.10. A) Collect a lot more data. C) Clarify many new concepts.B) Relax a bit less often. D) Read more reference books.11. A) Find out the show’s most interesting episodes. C) Get an e-copy of the book to read.B) Watch the series together with the woman. D) Check to see when the show starts.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) To check the prices of his farm produce.B) To ask the way to the Newcastle City Hall.C) To inquire about the vegetarian food festival.D) To seek the man’s help with her work on the farm.13. A) Bakers. C) Vegetarians.B) Vendors. D) Organisers.14. A) The issuing of certificates to vendors. C) The festival they are organising.B) The completion of the baking task. D) The deadline for application.15. A) The closing date of submission. C) The details of the ceremony.B) The website of his company. D) The organiser’s address.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) Most scenic sites have been closed. C) Health experts advise going outdoors.B) Access to official campsites is limited. D) People have more time during the summer.17. A) It is strongly opposed by nearby residents. C) It has caused environmental concerns.B) It leads to much waste of public money. D) It has created conflicts among campers.18. A) Look for open land in Scotland. C) Avoid getting close to wilderness.B) Leave no trace of their camping. D) Ask for permission from authorities. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) They outcompete mythical creatures. C) They truly exist in the Amazon region.B) They usually mind their own business. D) They resemble alarmingly large snakes.20. A) Scar tissue from dolphins’ fighting. C) Unhealed wounds from snake bites.B) Skin infection from water pollution. D) Swimming along in seasonal floods.21. A) It has been shrinking at an astonishing pace.B) It has been placed under international protection.C) It has been appealing to both freshwater and sea dolphins.D) It has been abandoned as a battleground for male dolphins.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) About 58% of young adults call parental support the new normal.B) Most adult children enjoy increasing sources of financial support.C) A full 70% of the young adults cannot afford to buy a car by themselves.D) Most early adults cannot sustain their lifestyles without parental support.23. A) It renders them dependent. C) It makes them mentally immature.B) It causes them to lose dignity. D) It hinders them from getting ahead.24. A) It challenges one’s willpower. C) It calls for due assistance.B) It results from education. D) It defines adulthood.25. A) Current lifestyles. C) College loans.B) Poor budgeting. D) Emergency expenses.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once．It’s well known that physical exercise is beneficial not just to physical health but also to mental health. Yet whereas most countries have 26 , evidence-backed guidelines on the type and intensity of exercise 27 for various physical health benefits, such guidelines do not yet exist for exercise and mood.This is 28 due to a lack of necessary evidence. However, a new systematic review brings us usefully up-to-date on the current findings in this area.Before 29 into some of the key take-aways, an important 30 made in the review is between aerobic exercise and anaerobic. The former 31 such things as walking, jogging and cycling and means exercising in such a way that your body is able to use oxygen to burn fat for energy. In contrast, anaerobic exercise—such as lifting heavy weights—is of such 32 intensity that your body does not have time to use oxygen to create energy and so instead it breaks down glucose (葡萄糖) in your blood or muscles.Beginning first with the influence of exercise intensity on the mood benefits of aerobic exercise, the researchers, led by John Chan at Shenzhen University, found 33 results from19 relevant studies. Some favoured higher intensity, others low, while seven studies found that intensity made no 34 to mood benefits.In relation to the intensity of anaerobic exercise, however, the results were far clearer—the optimum (最佳选择) for improving mood is 35 intensity, perhaps because low intensity is too dull while high intensity is too unpleasant.Section BDirections:In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Why Do Americans Work So Much?A)How will we all keep busy when we only have to work 15 hours a week? That was thequestion that worried the British economist John Maynard Keynes when he wrote his short essay “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren” in 1930. Over the next century, h e predicted, the economy would become so productive that people would barely need to work at all. For a while, it looked like Keynes was right. In 1930 the average working week was47 hours in the United States. But by 1970, the number of hours Americans worked onaverage had fallen to slightly less than 39.B)But then something changed. Instead of continuing to decline, the duration of the workingweek remained stable. It has stayed at just below 40 hours for nearly five decades. So what happened? Why are people working just as much today as in 1970?C)There would be no mystery in this if Keynes had been wrong about the power of technologyto increase the economy’s productivity, which he thought would lead to a standard of living “between four and eight times as high as it is today.” But Keynes got that right: Technology has made the economy massively more productive. According to Benjamin M. Friedman, an economist at Harvard, the U.S. economy is right on track to reach Keynes’s eight-fold (八倍) multiple by 2029. That is a century after the last data Keynes would have had access to.D)In a new paper, Friedman tries to figure out why that increased productivity has nottranslated into increased leisure time. Perhaps people just never feel materially satisfied, always wanting more money to buy the next new thing. This is a theory that appeals tomany economists. “This argument is, at best, far from sufficient,” he writes. If that were the case, why did the duration of the working week decline in the first place?E)Another theory Friedman considers is that, in an era of ever fewer settings that provideeffective opportunities for personal connections and relationships, people may place more value on the socializing that happens at work. There is support for this theory. Many people today consider colleagues as friends. But Friedman argues that the evidence for this theory is far from conclusive. Many workers report that they would like to spend more time with family, rather than at work. Furthermore, this theory cannot explain the change in trend in the U.S. working week in the 1970s.F) A third possibility proves more convincing for Friedman. That is: American inequalitymeans that the gains of increasing productivity are not widely shared by everyone. In other words, most Americans are too poor to work less. Unlike the other two explanations Friedman considers, this one fits chronologically (按年代). Inequality declined in America during the period following World War II, along with the duration of the working week.But since the early 1970s it has risen dramatically.G)Keynes’s prediction of a shorter working week rests on the idea that the standard of livingwould continue rising for everyone. But Friedman says that this is not what has happened.Although Keynes’s eight-fold figure holds up for the economy as a whole, it is not at all the case for the median (中位数的) American worker. For them, output by 2029 is likely to be around 3.5 times what it was when Keynes was writing. This is a bit below his four- to eight-fold predicted range.H)This can be seen in the median worker’s income over this time period, complete with a shiftin 1973 that fits in precisely with when the working week stopped shrinking. According to Friedman, between 1947 and 1973 the average hourly wage for normal workers (those who were not in management roles) in private industries other than agriculture nearly doubled in terms of what their money could buy. But by 2013 the average hourly wage for ordinary workers had fallen 5 percent from the 1973 level in terms of actual purchasing power. Thus, though American incomes may have gone up since 1973, the amount that American workers can actually buy with their money has gone down. For most Americans, then, the magic of increasing productivity stopped working around 1973. Thus, they had to keep working just as much in order to maintain their standard of living.I)What Keynes predicted was a very optimistic version of what economists call technologicalunemployment. This is the idea that less labor will be necessary because machines can do so much. In Keynes’s vision, the resulting unemployment would be distributed more or less evenly across society in the form of increased leisure. But Friedman says that, for Americans, reality is much darker. Americans now have a labor market in which millions of people—those with fewer skills and less education—are seeking whatever poorly paid work they can get. This is confirmed by a recent poll that found that, for half of hourly workers, their top concern is not that they work too much but that they work too little. This is most likely not because they like their jobs so much. Rather, we can assume it is because they need the money.J)This explanation leaves an important question. If the very rich—the workers who have reaped above-average gains from the increased productivity since Keynes’s time—can afford to work less, why do they continue to work so much? (Indeed, research has shownthat the highest earners in America tend to work the most.) Friedman believes that for many top earners, work is a labor of love. They are doing work they care about and are interested in, and doing more of it is not necessarily a burden. For them, it may even be a pleasure.These top earners derive meaning from their jobs and work is an important part of how they think of themselves. And, of course, they are compensated for it at a level that makes it worth their while.K)Friedman concludes that the prosperity(繁荣) Keynes predicted is here. After all, the economy as a whole has grown even more brilliantly than he expected. But for most Americans, that prosperity is nowhere to be seen. And, as a result, neither are those shorter working weeks.36. Some people view socializing at the workplace as a chance to develop personal relationships.37. As ordinary American workers’ average hourly pay had decreased despite increasing productivity, they had to work just as many hours as before to keep their living standards.38. American workers’ average weekly working time has not changed for nearly half a century.39. Friedman believes inequality in the U.S. largely explains why increasing productivity has not resulted in reduced working hours.40. Man y economists assume people’s thirst for material things has prevented them from enjoying more leisure time.41. An economist’s prediction about a shorter average working week seemed to be correct fora time in the 20th century.42. In the U.S. labor market, the primary concern of people with less schooling and fewer skills is to secure any employment even if it is low-paid.43. Keynes was right in predicting that technology would make the economy much more productive.44. Many of the highest earners have a keen interest in and love for what they are doing.45. According to Keynes, there would be a shorter working week with everyone’s standard of living continuing to rise.Section CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Lao Zi once said, “Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”People-pleasing, or seeking self-worth through oth ers’ approval, is unproductive and an exhausting way to go through life. Why do we allow what others think of us to have so much power over how we feel about ourselves? If it’s true that you can’t please all people all of the。