2014年12月英语四级考试CET4翻译题答案

2014年12月四级真题答案详解(第1套)Part IWritingThe Most Beneficial Campus Activity写作指南本年度的作文文体比较自由，不再局限于议论文。

题目要求考生介绍让自己“收获最大的校园活动”，并阐述原因。

根据题目要求，文章的结构可安排如下：第一段：引出话题，指出校园活动虽多，但个人觉得收获最大的活动是为农民工义教。

第二段：简要描述该义教活动的一些基本情况，如义教的目的、过程以及效果等。

第三段：简明扼要地阐述收获最大的原因，如让自己明白到大学生也可以为社会作出大改变。

范文与译文范文译文Students in the university are no strangers to awealth of activities，such as English speech contests，calligraphy exhibitions and sports meets．I myself havebeen involved in many campns activities，among whichI find volunteering to teach migrant workers the mostbeneficial．The activity was launched to offer free eveningcourses to migrant workers who want to acquire moreemployableskills．I was in charge of teaching **puter skills．Inclass I demonstrated how **puter skill would increasetheir efficiency in their career．When the course wasover．one of the students told me that he got promoted，because he was now able to use the Excel to manage theinventory．I was so happy to hear that!I value this experience the most，because it makes merealize that universities could contribute a lot to **omunity．With small gestures，even coHege students areable to make a big difference for the disadvantaged．大学生对学校丰富多彩的活动并不会感到陌生，比如：英语演讲比赛、书法展览和校园运动会。

2014年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第2套)Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay about a course that has impressed you most in college. You should state the reasons and write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. 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.1.A)The man is not good at balancing his budget.B)She will go purchase the gift herself.C)The gift should not be too expensive.D)They are going to Jane^ house-warming party.2.A)He is quite willing to give the woman a hand.B)It takes patience to go through the statistics.C)He has prepared the statistics for the woman.D)The woman should take a course in statistics.3.A)Page 55 is missing from the woman’s scripts.B)They cannot begin their recording right away.C)The woman does not take the recording seriously.D)The man wants to make some changes in the scripts.4.A)The date of Carl’s wedding.C) A significant event in July.B)The birthday of Carl’s bride.D) Preparations for a wedding.5.A)The woman forgot to tell the man in advance.B)The man was absent from the weekly meeting.C)The woman was annoyed at the man’s excuse.D)The man was in charge of scheduling meetings.6.A)The woman is a marvelous cook. C) The man has to leave in half an hour.B)The woman has just bought an oven. D) The man cannot wait for his meal.7.A)How she can best help the man. C) What items sell well in the store.B)Where the man got the bad news. D) Whether the man can keep his job.8.A)The woman can sign up for a swimming class.B)He works in the physical education department.C)The woman has the potential to swim like a fish.D)He would like to teach the woman how to swim.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A) He teaches in a law school. C) He is a diplomat.B)He loves classical music. D) He is a wonderful lecturer.10. A) Went to see a play. C) Took some photos.B) Watched a soccer game. D) Attended a dance.11. A) She decided to get married in three years.B)Her mother objected to Eric’s flying lessons.C)She insisted that Eric pursue graduate studies.D)Her father said she could marry Eric right away.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) Editor. C) Journalist.B)Teacher. D) Typist.13.A) The beautiful Amazon rainforests. C) Big changes in the Amazon valley.B) A new railway under construction. D) In a local evening paper.14.A) In news weeklies. C) In a local evening paper.B) In newspapers5 Sunday editions. D) In overseas editions of U. S. magazines.15.A) To be employed by a newspaper. C) To sell her articles to a news service.B) To become a professional writer. D) To get her life story published soon.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 OneSection 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.than a few years.[I] In a survey of older workers who were laid off during the recession, just one in six had found another job, and half of that group had accepted pay cuts. 14% of the re-employed said the pay in their new job was less than half what they earned in their previous job. “I just say to myself：‘ Why me? What have I done to deserve this?’ ’’ said John Agati， 56，whose last full-time job, as a product developer, ended four years ago when his employer went out of business. That position paid $90,000, and his resume lists jobs at companies like American Express, Disney and USA Networks. Since being laid off, though, he has worked a series of part-time, low-wage, temporary positions, including selling shoes at Lord & Taylor and making sales calls for a car company.[J] The last few years have taken a toll not only on his family’s finances, but also on his feelings of self- worth. “You just get sad,” Mr. Agati said. “I see people getting up in the morning, going out to their careers and going home. I just wish I was doing that. Some people don’t like their jobs, or they have problems with their jobs, but at least they’re working. I just wish I was in their shoes.” He said he cannot afford to go back to school, as many younger people without jobs have done. Even if he could afford it, economists say it is unclear whether older workers like him benefit much from more education.[K] “It just doesn’t make sense to offer retraining for people 55 and older,” said Daniel Hamermesh, an economics professor. “Discrimination by age, long-term unemployment, and the fact that they’ve now at the end of the hiring queue just don’t make it sensible to invest in them.”[L] Many displaced older workers are taking this message to heart and leaving the labor force entirely. The share of older people applying for Social Security early rose quickly during the recession as people sought whatever income they could find. The penalty they will pay is permanent, as retirees who take benefits at age 62 will receive as much as 30% less in each months check for the rest of their lives than they would if they had waited until full retirement age (66 for those born after 1942).[M] Those not yet qualified for Social Security are increasingly applying for another, comparable kind of income support that often goes to people who expect never to work again：disability benefits. More than one in eight people in their late 50 s is now on some form of federal disability insurance program, according to Professor Mark Duggan at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.[N] The very oldest Americans, of course, were battered by some of the same ill winds that tormented (折磨）those now nearing retirement, but at least the most senior were cushioned by a more readily available social safety net. More important, in a statistical twist, they may have actually benefited from the financial crisis in the most fundamental way: longer lives.[O] Death rates for people over 65 have historically fallen during recessions, according to a November 2011 study by economists at the University of California, Davis. Why? The researchers argue that weak job markets push more workers into accepting relatively undesirable work at nursing homes, leading to better care for residents.46.Greater mobility puts younger people at an advantage in seeking new jobs.47.Many of the older workers laid off during the recession had to accept lower pay in their new jobs.48.Those who lose their jobs shortly before retirement age live a shorter-than-average life.49.Seniors at nursing homes could benefit from the weak job market.50.Age discrimination in employment makes it pointless retraining older workers.51.According to recent reports and data analyses, boomers suffer most from the weak economy.52.Unemployed boomers are at a disadvantage in job-hunting because employers tend to hire younger workers.53.People in their fifties and early sixties bear the heaviest family burdens.54.People who take benefits from Social Security before official retirement age will get much less for the restof their lives.55.Older workers5 choice of jobs can be limited because of disability.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 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more pedaling (骑车的) passengers on those shining blue Citi Bikes. But what about local bike shops? Is Citi Bike rolling up riders at their expense?At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca, manager W. Ben said the shop has seen an increase in its overall sales due to the bike-share program. “ It’s getting more people on the road,’’ he said. James Ryan, an employee at Danny’s Cycles in Gramercy also said Citi Bike is a good option for people to ease into biking in a city famed for its traffic jams and aggressive drivers. “They can try out a bike without committing to buying one,” he said.Rentals are not a big part of the business at either Gotham Bikes or Danny’s Cycles. But for Frank’s Bike Shop, a small business on Grand St. , the bike-share program has been bad news. Owner Frank Arroyo said his rental business has decreased by 90% since Citi Bike was rolled out last month. Arroyo’s main rental customers are European tourists, who have since been drawn away by Citi Bikes.However, Ben said the bike-share is good for bike sales at his shop. People have used the bike- share and realized how great it is to bike in the city, then decide that they want something nicer for themselves,’’ he noted.Christian Farrell of Waterfront Bicycle Shop, on West St. just north of Christopher St. , said initially he was concerned about bike-share, though, he admitted, “ I was happy to see people on bikes.”Farrell’s early concerns were echoed by Andrew Crooks, owner of NYC Velo, at 64 Second Ave. “It seemed like a great idea, but one that would be difficult to implement,” Crooks said of Citi Bike. He said he worried about inexperienced riders’ lack of awareness of biking rules and strong negative reaction from non-cyclists. However, he said, ifs still too early to tell if his business has been impacted.While it’s possible bike-share will cause a drop in business, Crooks allowed that the idea is a positive step forward for New York City.56.What is the author’s chief concern about the increasing use of Citi Bikes in New York?A)How non-cyclists will respond to it.B)Whether local bike shops will suffer.C)Whether local bike businesses will oppose it.D)How the safety of bike riders can be ensured.57.What happened to Gotham Bikes as a result of the bike-share program?A) It found its bike sales unaffected.C) It saw its bike sales on the rise.B) It shifted its business to rentals.D) It rented more bikes to tourists.58.Why is the bike-share program bad news for Franks Bike Shop?A)It cannot meet the demand of the bike-share program.B)Its customers have been drawn away by Citi Bikes.C)Its bike prices have to be lowered again and again.D)It has to compete with the city’s bike rental shops.59.Why did Andrew Crooks think that the bike-share program would be difficult to execute?A)Inexperienced riders might break biking rules.B)Conflicts might arise among bike rental shops.C)Traffic conditions might worsen in the downtown area.D)There are not enough lanes to accommodate the bikes.60.What is the general attitude of local bike shops towards Citi Bike?A) Wait-and-see. B) Negative.C) Indifferent.D) Approving.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Various studies have shown that increased spending on education has not led to measurable improvements in learning. Between 1980 and 2008, staff and teachers at US public schools grew roughly twice as fast as students. Yet students showed no additional learning in achievement tests.Universities show similar trends of increased administration personnel and costs without greater learning, as documented in Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa’s recent book Academically Adrift：Limited Learning on College Campuses.A survey shows that 63% of employers say that recent college graduates don’t have the skills they need to succeed and 25% of employers say that entry-level writing skills are lacking.Some simplistically attribute the decline in our public education system to the drain of skilled students by private schools, but far more significant events were at work.Public schools worked well until about the 1970s. In fact, until that time, public schools provided far better education than private ones. It was the underperforming students who were thrown out of public schools and went to private ones.A prominent reason public schools did well was that many highly qualified women had few options for working outside the house other than being teachers or nurses. They accepted relatively low pay, difficult working conditions, and gave their very best.Having such a large supply of talented women teachers meant that society could pay less for their services. Womens liberation opened up new professional opportunities for women, and, over time, some of the best left teaching as a career option, bringing about a gradual decline in the quality of schooling.Also around that time, regulations, government, and unions came to dictate pay, prevent adjustments, and introduce bureaucratic (官僚的）standard for advancement. Large education bureaucracies and unions came to dominate the landscape, confusing activity with achievement. Bureaucrats regularly rewrite curriculums, talk nonsense about theories of education, and require ever more administrators. The end result has been that, after all the spending, students have worse math and reading skills than both their foreign peers and earlier generations spending far less on education— as all the accumulating evidence now documents.61.What do we learn from various studies on America’s public education?A)Achievement tests have failed to truly reflect the quality of teaching.B)Public schools lack the resources to compete with private schools.C)Little improvement in education has resulted from increased spending.D)The number of students has increased much faster than that of teachers.62.How do some people explain the decline in public education?A)Government investment does not meet schools’ needs.B)Skilled students are moving to private schools.C)Qualified teachers are far from adequately paid.D)Training of students, basic skills is neglected.63. What was a significant contributor to the past glory of public schools?A)Well-behaved students.C)Talented women teachers.B)Efficient administration.D)Generous pay for teachers.64.Why did some of the best women teachers leave teaching?A)New career opportunities were made available to them by women’s liberation.B)Higher academic requirements made it difficult for them to stay in their jobs.C)They were unhappy with the bureaucratic administration in their schools.D)The heavy teaching loads left them little time and energy for family life.65.What does the author think is one of the results of government involvement in education?A)Increasing emphasis on theories of education.B)Highly standardized teaching methods.C)Students’ improved academic performance.D)An ever-growing number of administrators.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.中国的互联网社区是全世界发展最快的。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试翻译题目许多人喜欢中餐，在中国，烹饪不仅被视为一种技能，而且也被视为一种艺术。

精心准备的中餐既可口又好看，烹饪技艺和配料在中国各地差别很大。

但好的烹饪都有一个共同点，总是要考虑到颜色、味道、口感和营养(nutrition)。

由于食物对健康至关重要，好的厨师总是努力在谷物、肉类和蔬菜之间取得平衡，所以中餐既味美又健康。

Most people like Chinese food. In China, cooking is considered as n ot only a skill but also an art. The well-prepared Chinese food is bo th delicious and good-looking. Although cooking methods and food ingr edient vary wildly in different places of China, it is common for goo d cuisine to take color, flavor, taste and nutrition into account. Si nce food is crucial to health, a good chef is insistently trying to s eek balance between cereal, meat and vegetable, and accordingly Chine se food is delicious as well as healthy.信息技术(Information Technology)，正在飞速发展，中国公民也越来越重视信息技术，有些学校甚至将信息技术作为必修课程，对这一现象大家持不同观点。

一部分人认为这是没有必要的，学生就应该学习传统的课程。

2014年12月英语四级真题答案及点评(沪江版)新浪教育2014年12月20日全国大学英语四级考试已结束，本次考试为多题多卷，新浪外语第一时间收集整理不同版本试题，供考生参考，以下是新浪网教育频道第一时间收集整理不同版本试题，供考生参考，以下为沪江网校提供的四级试题及参考答案汇总：一、四级作文参考范文：大学里最难忘的课(沪江网校版)When talking about the course which impresses me the most, I will certainly choose Basic Chemical Experiment. As a student of science, I am always fascinated with the magic in test tubes, and from this course I gained more than pure knowledge。

To begin with, this course provides us opportunities to put theories into practices. The experiments helped us testify and better understand what we have learned in books. Besides, by designing experimental procedures of own, we became more flexible and innovative。

Moreover, I also developed other skills that required outside labs through this course. For example, to be focused and careful when proceeding a task, to be patient and calm when facing failures, and to communicate properly when you need someone else to cooperate. These can be very valuable assets to your life。

2014年12月下半年英语四级真题及答案和评分标准Part I Writing(主观题)Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay about a campus activity that has benefited you most. State the reasons at least 120 No more than180 words.【参考范文】Every university offers numerous kinds of activities to enrich students' extracurricular life. As one of the young college students, I have benefited a lot from all of these well-organized activities, but the one impressing me most is the debate competition which I took part in last year.That was a debate competition between different majors and the topic was about theoretical knowledge versus practices. What mattered most is not the result of the debate, but gathering background information and practicing the process of debate. Also, no individual could accomplish the challenging task all by herself or himself, so joint efforts have played a significant role in winning the competition. Team spirit and co-operation has been improved a lot and I believe this is more precious than winning or losing.To be brief, we should participate in more campus activities, not only can we get a better understanding of what we have learnt before, but also make new friends and discover our interests.附：作文评分标准本题满分为15分，成绩分为六个档次：13-15分、10-12分、7-9分、4-6分、1-3分和0分。

2014年12月英语四级真题及答案(二卷) 2014年12月CET4真题及答案（二卷）（文字版）Part II Listening(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 I with a single line through the centre.Question 1A.At a groceryB.In a parking lotC.In a car showroomD.At a fast food restaurant2、A.Have a little nap after lunchB.Get up and take a short walkC.Change her position now and thenD.Stretch legs before standing up Question3A.The students should practice long-distance runningB.He doesn’t quite believe what the woman saysC.The students’ physical condition is not desirableD.He thinks the race is too hard for the studentsQuestion 4A.They do not want to have a baby at presentB.They cannot afford to get married right nowC.They are both pursuing graduate studiesD.They will get their degrees in two yearsQuestion 5A.Twins usually have a lot in commonB.He must have been mistaken for JackC.Jack is certainly not as healthy as he isD.He has not seen Jack for quite a few daysQuestion 6A.The man will take the woman wo the museumB.The man knows where the museum is locatedC.The woman is asking the way at the crossroadsD.The woman will attend the opening of the museumQuestion 7A.They cannot ask the guy to leaveB.The guy has been coming in for yearsC.They should not look down upon the guyD.The guy must be feeling extremely lonelyQuestion 8A.Collect timepiecesB.Become time-consciousC.Learn to mend locksD.Keep track of his daily activitiesQuestions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard. Question 9A.It winds its way to the seaB.It is quickly risingC.It is eating into its banksD.It is wide and deepQuestion 10A.Get the trucks over to the other side of the riverB.Take the equipment apart before being ferriedC.Reduce the transport cost as much as possible.D.Try to speed up the operation by any meansQuestion 11A.Ask the commander to send a helicopterB.Halt the operation until further ordersC.Cut trees and build rowing boatsD.Find as many coats as possibleQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. Question 12A.Help him join an Indian expeditionB.Talk about his climbing experiencesC.Give up mountain climbing altogetherD.Save money to buy climbing equipmentQuestion 13A.He was very strict with his childrenB.He climbed mountains to earn a livingC.He had an unusual religious backgroundD.He was the first to conquer Mt. QomolangmaQuestion 14A.They are like humansB.They are sacred placesC.They are to be protectedD.They are to be conqueredQuestion 15A.It was his father’s training that pilled him throughB.It was a milestone in his mountain climbing careerC.It was his father who gave him the strength to succeedD.It helped him understand the Sherpa view of mountainsSection 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 I with a single line through the centre Passage OneQuestion 16A. By reviewing what he has said previouslyB.By comparing memorandums with lettersC.By showin g a memorandum’ s structureD.By analyzing the organization of a letterQuestion 17A.They spent a lot of time writing memorandumsB.They seldom read a memorandum through to the endC.They placed emphasis on the format of memorandumsD.They ignored many of the memorandums they received.Question 18A.Style and wordingB.Structure and lengthC.Directness and clarityD.Simplicity and accuracyPassage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question 19A.Accurate datingB.Professional lookC.Direct statement of purposeD.Inclusion of appropriate humorQuestion20A.They give top priority to their work efficiencyB.They make an effort to lighten their workloadC.They never change work habits unless forced toD.They try hard to make the best use of their timeQuestion 21A.Self-confidenceB.Sense of dutyC.Work efficiencyD.Passion for workQuestion 22A.They are addicted to playing online gamesB.They try to avoid work whenever possibleC.They find to pleasure in the work they doD.They simply have no sense of responsibilityPassage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question 23A.He lost all his propertyB.He was sold to a circusC.He was forced into slaveryD.He ran away from his familyQuestion 24A.A carpenterB.A businessmanC.A master of hisD.A black drummerQuestion 25A.It named its town hall after Solomon NorthupB.It declared July 24 Solomon Northup DayC.It freedom all blacks in the town from slaveryD.It hosted a reunion for the Northup familySection 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. Section CIntolerance is the art of ignoring any views that differ from your own. It(26)_____ itself a hatred. Stereotypes, prejudice, and(27)_____.Once it intensifies in people, intolerance is nearly impossible to overcome. But why would anyone want to be labeled intolerant. Why would people want to be (28)_____about the world around them? Why would one want to be part of the problem in America, instead of the solution?There are many explanations for intolerant attitudes, some (29)_____ childhood. It is likely that intolerant folks grew up (30)_____ intolerant parents and the cycle of prejudice has simply continued for (31)_____. Perhaps intolerant people are so set in their ways that they find it easier to ignore anything that might not (32)_____ their limited view of life. Or maybe intolerant students have simply never been (33)_____ to anyone different form themselves. But none of these reason is an excuse for allpwing the intolerance to continue. Intolerance should not be confused with disagreement.It is,of course,possible as diasgree with an opinion without being intolerant of it.If you understand a belief but still don't believe in that specific belief,that's fine.You are (34)_____ your opinion.As a matter offact.(35)_____ disseniers(持异议者)are important for any belief.If we all believed the same things.we would never grow,and we would never learn about the world around us,does not stem frim disagreement.It stems from fear,And fear stems from fear.And fear stems from ignorance.答案：26.manifests27.discrimination28.uninformed29.dating back to30.imitating31.generations32.conform to33.exposed34.entitled to35.knowledgeablePart III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section AHis future subjects have not always treated the Prince of Wales with the respect one XXXX expect. They laughed aloud in 1986 when the heir to the British(36)_____ told a TV reporter that he talked to his plants at his country house, Highgrove, to stimulate their growth. The Prince was being humorous- “My sense of humor will get me into trouble one day”, he said to his aids(随从)-but listening to Charles Windsor can indeed prove stimulating. The royal(37)_____ has been promoting radical ideas for most of his adult life. Some of his(38)_____, which once sounded a bit weird, were simply ahead of their time. Now, finally, the world seems to be catching up with him. Take his views on farming. Prince Charles’ Duchy Home Farm went(39)_____ back in 1986. When most shoppers cared only about the low price tag on suspiciously blemish-free(无瑕疵的) vegetablesand(40)_____ large chickens piled high in supermarkets.His warnings on climate change proved farsighted,too.Charles began(41)_____ action in warming in 1990 and says he has been worried about the(42)_____ of man on the environment same be was a teenger.Although he was gradually gained international(43)_____ as one of the world's lending conservationists,many British people still think of him as an(44)_____ person who talks to plants.This year,as it happens,South Korean scientists proved that plants reallydo(45)_____ to round.So Charles was ahead of the game there,too.A.conformB.eccentricC.environmentalistD.expeditionsE.impactF.notionsanicH.originallyI.recognitionJ.respondK.subordinateL.suppressingM.throneN.unnaturallyO.urgingSection 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. High School Sports Aren’t Killing AcademicsA)In this month’s Atlantic cover article, “The Case Against High-School Sports,” Amanda Ripley argues that school-sponsored sports programs should be seriously cut. She writes that, unlike most countries that outperform the United States on international assessments, American schools put too much of an emphasis on athletics, “ Sports are embedded in American schools in a way they are not al most anywhere else,” she writes, “Yet this difference hardly ever comes up in domestic debates about America’s international mediocrity(平庸)in education.”B)American student-athletes reap many benefits from participating in sports, but the costs to the schools could outweigh their benefits, she argues, In particular, Ripley contends that sports crowd out the academic missions of schools: America should learn from South Korea and Finland and every other country at the top level of international test scores, all of whom emphasize athletics far less in school. ”Even in eighth grade, American kids spend more than twice the time Korean kids spend playing sports,” she writes, citing a 2010 study published in the Journal of Advanced Academics.C)It might well be true that sports are far more rooted in American high schools than in other countries. But our reading of international test scores finds no support for the argument against school athletics. Indeed, our own research and that of others lead us tomake the opposite case. School-sponsored sports appear to provide benefits that seem to increase, not detract(减少)from, academic success.D)Ripley indulges a popular obsession(痴迷)with international test score comparisons, which show wide and frightening gaps between the United States and other countries. She ignores, however, the fact that states vary at least as much in test scores as do developed countries. A 2011 report from Harvard University shows that Massachusetts produces math scores comparable to South Korea and Finland, while Mississippi scores are closer to Trinidad and Tobago. Ripley’s thesis about sports falls apart in light of this fact. Schools in Massachusetts provide sports programs while schools in Finland do not. Schools in Mississippi may love football while in Tobago interscholastic sports are nowhere near as prominent. Sports cannot explain these similarities in performance. They can’t explain international differences either.E)If it is true that sports undermine the academic mission of American schools, we would expect to see a negative relationship between the commitment to athletics and academic achievement. However, the University of Arkansas’s Daniel Bowen and Jay Greene actually find the opposite. They examine this relationship by analyzing schools’ sports winning percentages as well as student-athletic participation rates compared to graduation rates and standardized test score achievement over a five-year period for all public high schools in Ohio. Controlling for student poverty levels, demographics(人口统计状况), and district financial resources, both measures of a school’s commitment to athletics are significantly and positively related to lower dropout rates as well as higher test scores.F)On-the-field success and high participation in sports is not random-it requires focus and dedication to athletics. One might think this would lead schools obsessed with winning to deemphasize academics. Bowen and Greene’s results contradict that argument. A likely explanation for this seemingly counterintuitive(与直觉相反的)result is that success in sports programs actually facilitates or reflects greater social capital within a school’s community.G)Ripley cites the writings of renowned sociologist James Coleman, whose research in education was groundbreaking. Coleman in his early work held athletics in contempt, arguing that they crowded out schools’ academic missions. Ripley quotes his 1961 study, The Adolescent Society, where Coleman writes, “Altogether, the trophy(奖品)case wouldsuggest to the innocent visitor that he was entering an athletic club, not an educational institution.”H)However, in later research Coleman would show how the success of schools is highly dependent on what he termed social capital, “the social networks, and the relationships between adul ts and children that are of value for the child’s growing up.”I)According to a 2013 evaluation conducted by the Crime Lab at the University of Chicago,a program called Becoming a Man-Sports Edition creates lasting improvements in the boys’ study habits a nd grade point averages. During the first year of the program, students were founds to be less likely to transfer schools or be engaged in violent crime. A year after the program, participants were less likely to have had an encounter with the juvenile justice system.J)If school-sponsored sports were completely eliminated tomorrow, many American students would still have opportunities to participate in organized athletics elsewhere, much like they do in countries such as Finland, Germany, and South Korea. The same is not certain when it comes to students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. In an overview of the research on non-schoolbased after-school programs, researchers find that disadvantaged children participate in these programs at significantly lower rates. They find that low-income students have less access due to challenges with regard to transportation, non-nominal fees, and off-campus safety. Therefore, reducing or eliminating these opportunities would most likely deprive disadvantaged students of the benefits from athletic participation, not least of which is the opportunity to interact with positive role models outside of regular school hours.K)Another unfounded criticism that Ripley makes is bringing up the stereotype that athletic XX are typically lousy(蹩脚的)classroom teachers. “American principals, unlike the XX XX of principals around the world, make many hiring decisions with their sports teams in mind, which does not always end well for students,” she writes. Educators who seek employme nt at schools primarily for the purpose of coaching are likely to shirk(推卸)teaching responsibilities, the argument goes. Moreover, even in the cases where the employee is a teacher first and athletic coach second, the additional responsibilities that come with coaching likely comes at the expense of time otherwise spent on planning, grading, and communicating with parents and guardians.L)The data, however, do not seem to confirm this stereotype. In the most rigorous study on the classroom results of high s chool coaches, the University of Arkansas’s Anna Egalite finds that athletic coaches in Florida mostly tend to perform just as well as their non-coaching counterparts, with respect to raising student test scores. We do not doubt that teachers who also coach face serious tradeoffs that likely come at the expense of time they could dedicate to their academic obligations. However, as with sporting events, athletic coaches gain additional opportunities for communicating and serving asmentors(导师)that potentially help students succeed and make up for the costs of coaching commitments.M)If schools allow student-athletes to regularly miss out on instructional time for the sake of traveling to athletic competitions, that’s bad. However, such issues would be better addressed by changing school and state policies with regard to the scheduling of sporting events as opposed to total elimination. If the empirical evidence points to anything, it points towards school sponsored sports providing assets that are well worth the costs.N)Despite negative stereotypes about sports culture and Ripley’s presumption that academics and athletics are at odds with one another, we believe that the greater body of evidence shows that school-sponsored sports programs appear to benefit students. Successes on the playing field can carry over to the classroom and vice versa(反之亦然). More importantly, finding ways to increase school communities’ social capital is imperative to the success of the school as whole, not just the athletes.46.Stunets from low-income families have less access to off-campus sports programs.47.Amanda Ripley argues that America should learn from other countries that rank high in international tests and lay less emphasis on athletics.48.According to the author,Amanda Ripley fails to note that stunents'performance in exams varies from state to state.49.Amanda Ripley thinks that athletic coaches are poor at classroom instruction.50.James Coleman's later resrarch make an argument for a school's social capital.51.Reaearchers find that there is a ppsitive relationship between a school's commitment to athletics and academic achievements.52.Aa rigorous study finds that athletic coaches also do well in raising students'test scores.53.According to an evaluation,spograms contribute to students's academic preformance and character building.54.Amanda Ripley believes the emphasis on school sports shuold be brought up when trying to understand why Aamerican students are mediocre.55.James Coleman suggests in his earlier writings that school athletics would undermine a school's image.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 oneIt is easy to miss amid the day-to-day headlines of global economic recession, but there is a less conspicuous kind of social upheaval(剧变)underway that is fast altering both the face of the planet and the way human beings live. That change is the rapid acceleration of urbanization. In 2008, for the first time in human history, more than half the world’s population was living in towns and cities. And as a recently published paper shows, the process of urbanization will only accelerate in the decades to come—with an enormous impact on biodiversity and potentially on climate change.As Karen Seto, the led author of the paper, points out, the wave of urbanization isn’t just about the migration of people into urban environments, but about the environments themselves becoming bigger to accommodate all those people. The rapid expansion of urban areas will have a huge impact on biodiversity hotspots and on carbon emissions in those urban areas.Humans are the ultimate invasive species—when the move into new territory, the often displace the wildlife that was already living there. And as land is cleared for those new cities—especially in the dense tropical forests—carbon will be released into the atmosphere as well. It’s true that as people in developing nations move from the countryside to the city, the shift may reduce the pressure on land, which could in turn be good for the environment. This is especially so in desperately poor countries, where residents in the countryside slash and burn forests each growing season to clear space for farming. But the real difference is that in developing nations, the move from rural areas to cities often leads to an accompanying increase in income — and that increase leads to an increase in the consumption of food and energy, which in turn causes a rise in carbon emissions. Getting enough to eat and enjoying the safety and comfort of living fully on the grid is certainly a good thing — but it does carry an environmental price. The urbanization wave can’t be stopped —and it shouldn’t be. But Seto’s paper does underscore the importance of managing that transition. If we do it the right way, we can reduceurb anization’s impact on the environment. “There’s an enormous opportunity here, and a lot of pressure and responsibility to think about how we urbanize,” says Seto. “One thing that’s clear is that we can’t build cities the way we have over the last couple of hundredyears. The scale of this transition won’t allow that.” We’re headed towards an urban planet no matter what, but whether it becomes heaven or hell is up to us.56. What issue does the author try to draw people’s attention to?A. The shrinking biodiversity worldwide.B. The rapid increase of world population.C. The ongoing global economic recession.D. The impact of accelerating urbanization.57. In what sense are humans the ultimate invasive species?A. They are much greedier than other species.B. They are a unique species born to conquer.C. They force other species out of their territories.D. They have an urge to expand their living space.58. In what way is urbanization in poor countries good for the environment?A. More land will be preserved for wildlife.B. The pressure on farmland will be lessened.C. Carbon emissions will be considerably reduced.D. Natural resources will be used more effectively.59. What does the author say about living comfortably in the city?A. It incurs a high environmental price.B. It brings poverty and insecurity to an end.C. It causes a big change in people’s lifestyle.D. It narrows the gap between city and country.60. What can be done to minimize the negative impact of urbanization according to Seto?A. Slowing down the speed of transition.B. Innovative use of advanced technology.C. Appropriate management of the process.D. Enhancing people’s sense of responsibility.Passage TwoWhen Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched in Feb. 2004, even he could not imagine the forces it would let loose. His intent was to connect college students. Facebook, which is what this website rapidly evolved into, ended up connecting the world. To the children of this connected era, the world is one giant social network. They are not bound — as were previous generations of humans — by what they were taught. They are only limited by their curiosity and ambition. During my childhood, all knowledge was local. You learned everything you knew from your parents, teachers, preachers, and friends.With the high-quality and timely information at their fingertips, today’s children are rising normally tame middle class is speaking up against social ills. Silicon Valley executives are being shamed into adding women to their boards. Political leaders are marshalling the energy of millions for elections and political causes. All of this is being done with social media technologies that Facebook and its competitors set free.As does every advancing technology, social media has created many new problems. It is commonly addictive and creates risks for younger users. Social media is used by extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere to seek and brainwash recruits. And it exposes us and our friends to disagreeable spying. We may leave our lights on in the house when we are on vacation, but through social media we tell criminals exactly where we are, when we plan to return home, and howtoblackmail(敲诈)us.；Governmentsdon’tneedinfo；Themarketersarealsoseein；Regardlessofwhatsocialme；61.WhatwasthepurposeofFa；A.Tohelpstudentsconnectw；B.Tobringuniversitystude；C.Tohelphow to blackmail(敲诈)us.Governments don’t need informers any more. Social media allows government agencies to spy on their own citizens. We record our thoughts, emotions, likes and dislikes on Facebook; we share our political views, social preferences, and plans. We post intimate photographs of ourselves. No spy agency or criminal organization could actively gather the type of data that we voluntarily post for them.The marketers are also seeing big opportunities. Amazon is trying to predict what we will order. Google is trying to judge our needs and wants based on our social-media profiles. We need to be aware of the risks and keep working to alleviate the dangers.Regardless of what social media people use, one thing is certain: we are in a period of accelerating change. The next decade will be even more amazing and unpredictable than the last. Just as no one could predict what would happen with social media in the last decade, no one can accurately predict where this technology will take us. I am optimistic, however, that a connected humanity will find a way to uplift itself.61. What was the purpose of Facebook when it was first created?A. To help students connect with the outside world.B. To bring university students into closer contact.C. To help students learn to live in a connected era.D. To combine the world into an integral whole.62. What difference does social media make to learning?A. Local knowledge and global knowledge will merge.B. Student will become more curious and ambitious.C. People are able to learn wherever they travel.D. Sources of information are greatly expanded.63. What is the author’s greatest concern with social media technology?A. Individuals and organizations may use it for evil purposes.B. Government will find it hard to protect classified information.C. People may disclose their friends’ information unintentionally.D. People’s attention will be easily distractedfrom their work in hand.64. What do businesses use social media for?A. Creating a good corporate image.B. Conducting large-scale market surveys.C. Anticipating the needs of customers.D. Minimizing possible risks and dangers.65. What does the author think of social media as a whole?A. It will enable human society to advance at a faster pace.B. It will pose a grave threat to our traditional ways of life.C. It is bound to bring about another information revolution.D. It breaks down the final barriers in human communication.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.翻译题一：自从1978年启动改革以来，中国已从计划经济转为以市场为基础的经济，经历了经济和社会的快速发展。

考拉进阶CET-4历年真题阅读译文（2014.12—2010.06）2014年12月四级真题（第一套）Passage One纽约人渐渐习惯了更多的人骑着闪亮的蓝色花旗自行车。

但当地的自行车商店怎么看呢？花旗自行车是不是在使它们受损的情况下来增加骑行的人呢？在翠贝卡区的Gotham Bikes，经理W. Ben说，该店的整体销量因自行车共享计划而上升。

“它让更多的人上路，”他说。

格拉姆西区Danny’s Cycles的雇员James Ryan也说花旗自行车是一个不错的选择，它让人们逐步适应在一个以交通堵塞和野蛮司机闻名的城市里骑车。

“他们不用买自行车就可以试骑，”他说。

租赁既不是Gotham Bikes也不是Danny’s Cycles的主营业务。

但对Frank’s Bike Shop ——电商网站Grand St.上的一个小店——来说，自行车共享计划却是坏消息。

店主Frank Arroyo说，自从上个月花旗自行车正式推出，他的租赁业务下降了90%。

Arroyo的主要租客是欧洲游客，他们从此就被花旗自行车吸引走了。

然而Ben说，自行车共享对他的店铺的自行车销售来说却是有益的。

“人们用了自行车共享并意识到在城市里骑自行车有多棒，然后决定为自己买更好的自行车，”他指出。

Waterfront Bicycle Shop位于克里斯多福街以北的西街，该店的Christian Farrell 说，他最初很担忧自行车共享，但他承认，“我很高兴看到人们骑自行车。

”Andrew Crooks有着和Farrell早期一样的担忧。

他是位于第二大街64号的NYC Velo 的店主。

“它看起来是一个好主意，但却很难实施，”Crooks这样评价花旗自行车。

他说他很担忧经验不足的骑行者缺乏对骑行规定的认识以及来自不骑车的人的强烈反对。

然而，他说，现在说他的生意受到影响还为时尚早。

虽然自行车共享很可能会造成生意下滑，但Crooks承认，这种想法对纽约市来说是向前迈出了积极的一步。

2014年12月英语四级翻译真题及译文Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese to English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.真题一：越来越多的中国年轻人正对旅游产生兴趣，这是近年来的新趋势。

年轻游客数量的不断增加，可以归因于他们迅速提高的收入和探索外部世界的好奇心。

随着旅行多了，年轻人在大城市和著名景点花的时间少了，他们反而更为偏远的地方所吸引。

有些人甚至选择长途背包旅行。

最近调查显示，很多年轻人想要通过旅行体验不同的文化、丰富知识、拓宽视野。

More and more Chinese young people are getting interested in traveling, which is a new trend recently. The increasing number of young travelers can be attributed to the rapid growth of income and the curiosity to explore the outside world. With more travel, youngsters spend more time in remote areas rather than big cities and famous resorts. Furthermore, some of them would choose backpacking. Recent survey showed that many young people want to experience different culture, enlarge knowledge, and broader their horizon through traveling.中国的互联网社区是全世界发展最快的。

Short conversations1.Woman: When was the last time you dusted the apartment?Man: When was the last time my mother came over?Question: What does the man imply?2.Woman: Hurry up Mark, there’s a bus coming now。

Man: Why run? There’ll be another one in 2 or 3 minutes。

Question: What does the man mean?3.Man: Laura, it seems that you are up to your neck in work, how come you’ve been so busy?Woman: Ms Smith has asked for a sick leave, and I have to take over her work for a couple of days。

Question: What do we learn about the woman?4.Woman: Washing dishes at the cafeteria every day is really boring。

Man: Why don’t you quit and deliver the flowers with me?Question: What does the man suggest the woman do?5.Woman: Rod, you said you’d take this package to the post office yesterday。

Man: Oh, no, it must have slipped my mind。