09年12月英语四级考试模拟题及答案
2009年四级真题及答案
2009年12月大学英语四级真题Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic ofCreating a Green Campus. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1. 建设绿色校园很重要2. 绿色校园不仅指绿色的环境……3. 为了建设绿色校园,我们应该……Creating a Green CampusPart Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skim ming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Colleges taking another look at value of merit-based aidGood grades and high tests scores still matter—a lot—to many colleges as they award financial aid.But with low-income students projected to make up an ever-larger share of the college-bound population in coming years, some schools arere-examining whether that aid, typically known as “merit aid”, is the most effective use of precious institutional dollars.George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for example, said last week that it would cut the value of its average merit scholarships by about one-third and reduce the number of recipients(接受者), pouring the savings, about $2.5 million, into need-based aid. Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., made a similar decision three years ago.Now, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., says it will phase out merit scholarships altogether. No current merit-aid recipients will lose their scholarships, but need-based aid alone will be awarded beginning with students entering in fall 2008.Not all colleges offer merit aid; generally, the more selective a school, the less likely it is to do so. Harvard and Princeton, for example, offer generous need-based packages, but many families who don’t meet need eligibility(资格)have been willing to pay whatever they must for a big-name school.For small regional colleges that struggle just to fill seats, merit aid can be an important revenue-builder because many recipients still pay enough tuition dollars over and above the scholarship amount to keep the institution running.But for rankings-conscious schools in between, merit aid has servedprimarily as a tool to recruit top students and to improve their academic profits. “They’re trying to buy students,” says Skidmor e College economist Sandy Baum.Studies show merit aid also tends to benefit disproportionately students who could afford to enroll without it.“As we look to the future, we see a more pressing need to invest in need-based aid,” says Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, which has offered merit scholarships for 10 years. During that time, it rose in US News & World Report’s ranking of the best liberal arts colleges, from 25 to 17.Merit aid, which benefited about 75 students a year, or about 4% of its student body, at a cost of about $ 1 million a year, “served us well,” Inzer says, but “to be discounting the price for families that don’t need financial ai d doesn’t feel right any more.”Need-based aid remains by far the largest share of all student aid, which includes state, federal and institutional grants. But merit aid, offered primarily by schools and states, is growing faster, both overall and at the institutional level.Between 1995-96 and 2003-04, institutional merit aid alone increased 212%, compared with 47% for need-based grants. At least 15 states also offer merit aid, typically in a bid to enroll top students in the state’s public institutions.But in recent years, a growing chorus(异口同声)of critics has begun pressuring schools to drop the practice. Recent decisions by Hamilton and others may be “a sign that people are starting to realize that there’s this destructive competition going on,” says Baum, co-author of a recent College Report that raises concerns about the role of institutional aid not based on need.David Laird, president of the Minnesota Private College Council, says many of his schools would like to reduce their merit aid but fear that in doing so, they would lose top students to their competitors.“No one can take one-sided action,” says Laird, who is exploring whether to seek an exemption(豁免)from federal anti-trust laws so member colleges can discuss how they could jointly reduce merit aid, “This is a merry-go-round that’s going very fast, and none of the institutions believe they can sustain the risks of trying to break away by them selves.”A complicating factor is that merit aid has become so popular with middle-income families, who don’t qualify for need-based aid, that many have come to depend on it. And, as tuitions continue to increase, the line between merit and need blurs.That’s one reason Allegheny College doesn’t pl an to drop merit aid entirely.“We still believe in rewarding superior achievements and know that these top students truly value the scholarship,” says Scott Friedhoff,Allegheny’s vice president for enrollment.Emory University in Atlanta, which boasts a $4.7 billion endowment(捐赠), meanwhile, is taking another approach. This year, it announced it would eliminate loans for needy students and cap them for middle-income families. At the same time, it would expand its 28-year-old merit program.“Yeah, we’re playing the merit game,” acknowledges Tom Lancaster, associate dean for undergraduate education. But it has its strong point, too, he says. “The fact of the matter is, it’s not just about the lowest-income people. It’s the average American middle-class family who’s being priced out of the market.”*A few words about merit-based aid:Merit-based aid is aid offered to students who achieve excellence in a given area, and is generally known as academic, athletic and artistic merit scholarships.Academic merit scholarships are based on students’ grades, GPA and overall academic performance during high school. They are typically meant for students going straight to college right after high school. However, there are scholarships for current college students with exceptional grades as well. These merit scholarships usually help students pay tuition bills, and they can be renewed each year as long as the recipients continue to qualify. In some cases, students may need to be recommended by their school or a teacher as part of the qualification process.Athletic merit scholarships are meant for students that excel(突出)in sports of any kind, from football to track and field events. Recommendation for these scholarships is required, since exceptional athletic performance has to be recognized by a coach or a referee(裁判). Applicants need to send in a tape containing their best performance.Artistic merit scholarships require that applicants excel in a given artistic area. This generally includes any creative field such as art, design, fashion, music, dance or writing. Applying for artistic merit scholarships usually requires that students submit a portfolio(选辑)of some sort, whether that includes a collection of artwork, a recording ofa musical performance or a video of them dancing.1. With more and more low-income students pursuing higher education,a number of colleges are ________.A) offering students more merit-based aid B) revising their financial aid policiesC) increasing the amount of financial aid D) changing their admission processes2. What did Allegheny College in Meadville do three years ago?A) It tried to implement a novel financial aid program.B) It added $ 2.5 million to its need-based aid program.C) It phased out its merit-based scholarships altogether.D) It cuts its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3. The chief purpose of rankings-conscious colleges in offering merit aid is to ______.A) improve teaching quality B) boost their enrollmentsC) attract good students D) increase their revenues4. Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, believes ______.A) it doesn’t pay to spend $ 1 mill ion a year to raise its rankingB) it gives students motivation to award academic achievementsC) it’s illogical to use so much m oney on only 4% of its studentsD) it’s not right to give aid to t hose who can afford the tuition5. In recent years, merit-based aid has increased much faster than need-based aid due to ______.A) more government funding to colleges B) fierce competition among institutionsC) the increasing number of top students D) schools’ improved financial situations6. What is the attitude of many private colleges toward merit aid, according to David Laird?A) They would like to see it reduced.B) They regard it as a necessary evil.C) They think it does more harm than good.D) They consider it unfair to middle-class families.7. Why doesn’t Allegheny College p lan to drop merit aid entirely?A) Raising tuitions have made college unaffordable for middle-class families.B) With rising incomes, fewer students are applying for need-based aid.C) Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.D) Rising incomes have disqualified many students for need-based aid.8. Annual renewal of academic merit scholarships depends on whether the recipients remain ______.9. Applicants for athletic merit scholarships need a recommendation from a coach or a referee who ______ their exceptional athletic performance.10. Applicants for artistic merit scholarships must produce evidence to show their ______ in a particular artistic fieldPart Ⅲ Liste ning 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 have a 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 fora 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 classC) How he can get to Frost Hall. D) Whether he can use a check.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just 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 mustchoose 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. May er’s i nstructions 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 interpe rsonal communication.Passage 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。
2009年12月英语四级考试模拟训练附答案
2009年12月英语四级考试模拟训练附答案Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled “How to Conduct Patriotic Education Among the Youth of Today”. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese:1. 我国爱国主义教育的现状;2. 爱国主义教育的重要意义;3. 如何在青少年中开展爱国主义教育?Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stressFinding work-life balance in tod ay‟s frenetically (疯狂) paced world is no simple task.Spend more time at work than at home, and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, when you face challenges in your personal life, such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult.Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress —along with its harmful effects — is the result.The good news is that you can take control of your work-life balance — and give yourself the time to do the things that are most important to you. The first step is to recognize how the world of work has changed. Then you can evaluate your relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for striking a healthier balance.How work invades your personal lifeThere was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here‟s why:●Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs.●International business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.●Advanced communicati on technology. Many people now have the ability to work anywhere — from their home, from their car and even on vacation. Andsome managers expect this.●Longer hours. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they‟re scheduled. Often, ov ertime is mandatory (强制性的). If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations.●Changes in family roles. Today‟s married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.Married to your workIt can be tempting to rack up the hours at work —especially if you‟re trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for a child‟s education or a dream vacation. For others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload.But if you‟re spending most of your time at work, your home life will likely pay the price. Consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life balance:●Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you‟re tired. This means you‟re less productive and may make more mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.●Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your child‟s first bike ride, your father‟s 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.●Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you‟re spending time at the office instead of with them, you‟ll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.●Expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won‟t be able to avoid it, but you can lear n to manage it. Most importantly, say no when you‟re too tired, when it‟s affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations.Striking the best work-life balanceFor most people, juggling (巧妙处理) the demands of career and personal life is an ongoing challenge. With so many demands on your time — from overtime to family obligations — it can feel difficult to strike this balance. The goal is to make time for the activities that are the most important to you.Here are some ideas to help you find the balance that‟s best for you:●Learn to say no. Whether it‟s a co-worker asking you to spearhead (充当先锋) an extra project or your child‟s teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it‟s OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doi ng the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you‟ll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.●Leave work at work. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.●Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Do one or two loads of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers a course in time management, sign up for it.●Get enough sleep. There‟s nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working w hen you‟re sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but also you can make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.●Communicate clearly. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.●Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music.●Set aside one night each week for recreation. T ake the phone of f the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate (使年轻) you.Remember, striking a work-life balance isn‟t a one-shot deal. Creating balance in your life is a continuous process. Balance doesn‟t mean doing everything. Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle.1. What will happen if your work life and personal life feel out of balance?A) You will have little time to finish your work.B) You may feel stress, which will affect you negatively.C) You will have a lot of time to share with your family.D) You will never balance the combination of life and work.2. The boundaries between work and home have blurred for the following reasons, EXCEPT _______.A) global economy B) changes in family rolesC) advanced communication technology D) high divorce rate3. What will happen if you‟re spending most of your time at work?A) You will lose both health and wealth. B) You will be hated by your loved ones.C) You will lose all your friends. D) You may be given more responsibility.4. According to th e passage, you‟d better say no to mandatory overtime when _______________.A) you get bored with the work B) you are not interested in the workC) you can‟t get additional allowance D) you have crucial family obligations5. What does the underlined sentence mean?A) You should do the things people ask you to do without feeling guilty.B) You shouldn‟t do the things people ask you to do if you don‟t want to.C) To do things people ask you to do can bring you a lot of joy.D) To do things for yourself is more meaningful than to do things for others.6. What will NOT happen if you don‟t get enough sleep?A) You will feel stressed while working. B) You will have no sense of exhaustion.C) You can make costly mistakes. D) You will have low productivity.7. What does the real balance mean according to the author?A) Examining priorities and deciding what is the most important to you.B) Doing everything you want to do whether you can do it or not.C) Saying yes to everybody in order to maintain good relationships.D) Being firm that working overtime will strike a work-life balance.8. Spend more time at work than at home, and you won‟t have enough time to enjoy your _______________.9. You have slow responses and your eye-hand coordination decreases when you‟re ________.10. You can save a lot of time and avoid misunderstandings if you communicate clearly and ____________.Part III Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 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. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 11 to 20 are based on the following passage.Major retailers and car manufacturers have slashed (削减) their marketing budgets in the six months to October, 2008, as the financial crisis has taken its toll, while supermarkets have 11 advertising spending in a battle to prove that they offer the most 12 prices.According to new research undertaken for The Daily Telegraph by Nielsen Media Research, in the six months to September 30, 2008, Marks & Spencer‟s advertising spend fell 20.3pc to £25.3m, 13 with the same period in 2007.While the retailer has spent heavily on a campaign 14 celebrities in the past two years, it is understood to be cutting back on celebrity spending in 2009. The retailer is, however, still the UK‟s 25th largest spender o n advertising,15 being at 17th place in the six months to September 30, 2007.Car manufacturers have also significantly 16 back on marketing spending, believed to be a result of the financial crisis. According to Nielsen, Ford spent £26.6m in the six months to September 30, 2008, down 21pc from the same period last year. Vauxhall also 17 spending by 15.6pc in the period to £26.5m.For supermarkets, however, a significant increase in advertising spending, it appears, is a 18 as they seek to woo (追求) increasingly price- 19 customers. The leading supermarkets have 20 an aggressive price war in the past six months as consumers have been faced with news of higher food prices.A) conscientious I) necessityB) conscious J) contributionC) against K) reducedD) despite L) moreoverE) comparing M) scaledF) compared N) competitiveG) launched O) featuringH) boosted■ Section BDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished sentences. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are more than 2,000 different kinds of mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes bite people to drink their blood. Male mosquitoes do not drink blood. They drink fluids from plants. The female mosquito uses its thin sucking tube to break the skin, find blood and inject the victim with a substance that keeps blood flowing.The female mosquito drinks the blood and uses it to produce as many as 250 eggs. The insect leaves the eggs in any standing water.The eggs produce worm-like creatures called larvae (幼虫) in two days to a few months. However, some eggs can stay in water for years until conditions are right for development. The larvae feed on organisms in the water. After four to ten days, they change again, into creatures called pupas (蛹). The pupas rise to the surface of the water. Adult mosquitoes pull themselves out of the pupas and fly away.The World Health Organization (WHO) says mosquitoes carry organisms that cause disease and death for millions of people throughout the world. The most important disease spread by mosquitoes is malaria (疟疾). The WHO says 247 million people became infected with malaria in 2006. Malaria caused almost one million deaths, mostly among children in Africa. The disease is found in more than one hundred countries in Africa, Asia, the western Pacific Ocean, the Middle East and Central and South America.Malaria parasites (寄生虫) enter a person‟s blood through a mosquito bite. These organisms travel to the liver. They grow and divide there. After a week or two, the parasites invade red blood cells and reproduce thousands of times. They cause the person‟s b ody temperature to rise. They also may destroy major organs. People with malaria may suffer kidney failure or loss of red blood cells.Some medicines are generally effective in preventing and treating malaria. They are designed to prevent the parasites from developing in the body. People die from malaria because they are not treated for the disease or the treatment is delayed.21. According to the passage, we can infer that _________.A) female mosquitoes don‟t bite animalsB) female mosquitoes bite people for a substance that keeps blood flowingC) malaria is found everywhere in the worldD) countries in Europe and North America have low malaria death rate22. What is the right order in which mosquitoes grow?a. Adult mosquitoes pull themselves out of the pupas and fly away.b. The larvae change into creatures called pupas.c. The insect leaves the eggs in any standing water.d. The eggs produce worm-like creatures called larvae.A) c, a, b, d B) d, c, b, a C) c, d, b, a D) d, b, c, a23. According to the WHO, the organisms carried by mosquitoes __________.A) are the food for larvaeB) have led to the death of millions of people in the worldC) invade red blood cells first and then destroy major organsD) can enter a person‟s brain through the mosquito‟s bite24. According to the passage, malaria medicines are generally designed to _______.A) keep people‟s body temperature at a normal levelB) prevent parasites from entering people‟s skinsC) stop parasites from growing inside the bodyD) stop parasites from invading red blood cells25. What is the passage mainly talking about?A) The growing process of mosquitoes and the diseases spread by them.B) The medicines used in preventing and treating malaria.C) The kinds of mosquitoes in the world today.D) The larvae of mosquitoes feed on organisms in the water.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.Conservationists call them hot spots — habitats that cover just 1.4 percent of the earth‟s land surface but are so rich in biological diversity that preserving them could keep an astonishing number of plant and animal species off the endangered list.Since 1988, when Dr. Norman Myers and his colleagues began describing these hot spots in a series of scientific papers and arguing for their protection, they have become a focus of worldwide conservation efforts. Private organizations and government agencies, including the World Bank, have made preserving 25 such ecological arks a top priority for financing and protective legislation. But a growing chorus of scientists is warning that directing conservation funds to hot spots may be a recipe for major losses in the future. Of species that live on land, nearly half of all plants and more than a third of all animals are found only in the hot spots. But they do not include many rare species and major animal groups that live in less biologically rich regions (“cold spots”). And the hot-spot concept does not factor in the importance of someecosystems to human beings, the scientists argue.This debate has been simmering quietly among biologists for years; however, it is coming to a boil now with the publication of an article in the current issue of American Scientist arguing that “calls to direct conservation funding to the world‟s biodiversity hot spots may be bad investment advice.” “The hot-spot concept has grown so popular in recent years within the larger conservation community that it now risks eclipsing all other approaches,” write the authors of the pa per. “The officers and directors of all too many foundations, non-governmental organizations and international agencies have been seduced by the simplicity of the hot spot idea,” they go on. “We worry that the initially appealing idea of getting the most species per unit area is, in fact, a thoroughly misleading strategy.”But hot spots have their ardent defenders, notably Dr. Norman Myers and Dr. Russell Mittermeier. Dr. Myers says hot spots have been successful at attracting attention and financing for conservation in tropical countries. “And that has been good,” he said. “No one is suggesting that one invest solely in hot spots, but if you want to avoid extinctions, you have to invest in them.”26. The best title for this passage would be ________.A) A Debate on Preserving Hot Spots B) An Introduction to Hot SpotsC) Hot Spots vs. Cold Spots D) How to Finance Hot Spots27. Hot spots occupy a small percentage of the earth‟s land surface with _____________.A) a third of all plants B) many major animal groups living in cold spotsC) rich biological diversity D) many rare species living in cold spots28. Critics of hot spots hold the opinion that ________.A) hot spots are always as important as cold spotsB) it is unwise to invest largely in hot spotsC) governments should choose the best time to invest in hot spotsD) the hot-spot approach is a misleading strategy from the very beginning29. According to Dr. Norman Myers, _________.A) protecting and investing in hot spots can save species from extinctionB) conservation efforts should not center on hot spotsC) governments should invest most in cold spotsD) the hot-spot approach now is not as good as it was in the past30. What is the writer‟s attitude towards the hot-spot approach?A) Critical. B) Neutral. C) Supportive. D) Doubtful.Part IV Cloze (15 minutes)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage.Two million years ago, just as the Earth‟s primitive apemen were evolving into big-brained humans, a pair of supernovae explosions occurred near Earth. Our planet was buffeted (冲击) with blasts of radiation —with 31 effects. “These s upernovae would 32 away our protective ozone layer,” said Dr Narciso Benitezof Johns Hopkins University. Earth lost its protection 33 ultraviolet light. All sorts of mutational (突变) damage to animals‟ DNA would have occurred. New species could have emerged 34 . It is possible that Homo sapiens (智人) may have been one of these.The likely 35 of a supernova‟s radiation led scientists in the past 36 that one may have affected 37 on Earth. Benitez now believes that 38 two supernovae occurred near Earth two million years ago: The first would have blasted space free 39 interstellar particles; and the second would have struck Earth at full force, 40 its ozone layer.Observations of space around our Sun have revealed that, 41 the rest of the galaxy, space near u s has little interstellar gas in it. “ 42 it is missing much of its dust and gas —just as if a supernova 43 it out,” added Maíz-Apellániz. 44 , our tiny corner of the galaxy appears to have been swept clean by a supernova brush about two million years ago; and intriguingly, at just this time, a set of extinctions — known as the Pliocene (上新世) / Pleistocene (更新世) extinctions — is also known 45 .It was also around this time that mankind‟s direct ancestor, Homo erectus, the species 46 to be the first true human being, appeared in Africa and Asia after 47 more primitive ape-like creatures. These beings may have been some of the lucky few who were able to 48 advantage of conditions in these hazardous, radioactive 49 . This triumph only occurred thanks to this celestial (上天的) 50 , however.31. A) devastate B) devastating C) devastated D) devastation32. A) blow B) have blown C) blew D) be blowing33. A) in B) on C) against D) to34. A) as a result of B) as a result C) the end result D) from the result of35. A) compact B) contact C) intact D) impact36. A) speculate B) speculating C) to speculate D) speculated37. A) evolution B) revolution C) resolution D) solution38. A) at least B) at most C) at first D) at last39. A) with B) without C) at D) of40. A) destroyed B) to destroy C) destroying D) destroy41. A) unlikely B) likely C) unlike D) dislike42. A) Definitely B) Obviously C) Eventually D) Essentially43. A) would clean B) cleaned C) have cleaned D) had cleaned44. A) In word B) In words C) In other words D) In a word45. A) to occur B) to have occurred C) occurring D) have occurred46. A) considered B) was considered C) considering D) being considered47. A) placing B) replacing C) being placed D) being replaced48. A) get B) gain C) win D) take49. A) reasons B) results C) spaces D) times50. A) invention B) intervention C) convention D) creationPart V Translation (5 minutes)Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets.51. Don‟t get involved in love games too early. _______ (要是……该怎么办) you suffer from failure in love?52. That car ___________________(尽给我添麻烦) ever since I bought it.53. _______________________ (努力不吸入) the vapor, Thomas turned his head.54. But for his wife‟s encouragement, he _____________ (就不能发明那个机器).55. It _________________________ (直到得到有关当局的批准) that we can start the job.Part I WritingOne possible version:How to Conduct Patriotic Education Among the Youth of TodayThese years have seen a widespread neglect of patriotic education in our society. According to some official reports, many patriotic education centers have been closed down or kept open to the public for other more profitable purposes, while many of our national hero es have given way to today‟s pop stars in youth‟s minds. If this current is allowed to run its course, I am afraid, things are bound to turn for the worse, with less and less sense of patriotism left in the youth.The significance of patriotic education to our society can be seen from the following perspectives: Patriotic education can make youth more aware of the glorious history and culture of our nation, thus building up their sense of pride as Chinese. Furthermore, patriotic education helps youth valu e today‟s hard-earned life so as to hold dearer their golden chances of enriching themselves with knowledge in peace.So the most pressing issue for us now is how to effectively instill patriotism in the youth of today. In my opinion, the first step should be focused upon giving fuller play to the potential of patriotic education centers instead of running them for the purpose of making money. Then, greater efforts must be made to integrate patriotic education into the curriculums throughout a student‟s education. In short, where there is effective patriotic education of youth, there is a greater enhancement of national cohesion.Part II Reading Comprehension(Skimming and Scanning)1. B)。
2009年12月英语四级考试模拟训练及答案一
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled A Good Teacher-student Relationship.. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below.1. 良好的师生关系很重要2. 怎样建立良好的师生关系3. 你是如何做的A Good Teacher-student RelationshipPart Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.The Great Australian FenceA war has been going on for almost a hundred years between the sheep farmers of Australia and the dingo, Australia’s wild dog.To protect their livelihood,the farmers build a wire fence, 3,307 miles of continuous wire network, reaching from the coast of South Australia all the way to the cotton fields of eastern Queensland, just shore of the Pacific Ocean.The Fence is Austrelia’s version of the Great Wall of China, but even longer, erected to keep out hostitle invaders, in the case hordes of yellow dogs.The empire it preserves is that of the woolgrowers, sove reigns of the world’s second largest sheep flock, after C hina’s―some 123 million head ―and keepers of a wool export business worth four billion dollars.Never mind that more and more people ―conservationists, politicians, taxpayers and animal lovers―say th at such a barrier would never be allowed today on ecological grounds.With sections of it almost a hundred years old, the dog fence has become, as conservationist Lindsay Fairweather ruefully admits, an icon of Australian frontier ingenuity.To appreciate this unusual outback monument and to meet the people whose livelihoods depend on it.,I spendt part of an Australian autumn traveling the wire.It’s known by different names in different states: the Dog Fence is South Australia, the Broder Fence in New South Wales and the Barrier Fence in Queensland. I would call it simly the Fence.For most of its prodigious length, this epic fence winds like a river across a landscape that, unless a big rain has fallen, scarely has rivers. The eccentric route, prescribed mostly by property lines, provides a sampler of outback topography: the Fence goes over sand dunes, past salt lakes,up and down rock-strewn hills, through dense scrub and across barren plains.The Fence stays away from towns. Where it passes near a town, it has actually become a tourist attraction visited on bus tours. It marks the traditional dividing line between cattle and sheep. Inside, where the dingoes are legally classified as vermin, they are shot, poisoned and trapped. Sheep and dingoes do not mix and the Fence sends that message mile after mile.What is this creature that by itself threatens an entire industry, infliciting several millions of dollars of damage a year despite the presence of the world’s most obsessive fence ? Cousin to the coyote and the jackal, descended from the Asian wolf, Canis lupus dingo is introduced to Australia more than 3,500 years ago probably with Asian seafarers who landed on the north coast. The adaptable dingo spread rapidly and in a short time became the top predator, killing off all its marsupial competitors. The dingo looks like a small wolf with a long nose, short pointed ears and a bushy tail. Dingoes rarely bark ; they yelp and howl. Standing about 22 inches at the shoulder―slightly taller than a coyote ―the dingo is Australia’s largest land fresh-eating animal. The woolgrowers’ war against dingoes, which is similar to the sheep ranchers’ rage against coyotes in the US, started not long after the first European settlers landed in 1788, bringing with them a cargo of sheep. Dingoes officially became outlaws in 1830 when governments placed a bounty on their heads. Today bounties for problem dogs killing sheep inside the Fence can reach $500. As pioneers penetrated the interior with their flocks of sheep, fences replaced shepherds until, by the end of the 19 th century, thousands of miles of barrier fencing crisscrossed the vast grazing lands.The dingo started out as a quiet observer, writes Roland Breckwoldt, in A Very Elegant Animal; The Dingo, but soon came to represent everything that was dark and dangerous on the continent.It is estimated that since sheep arrived in Australia, dingo numbers have increased a hundredfold. Though dingoes have been eradicated from parts of Australia, an educated guess puts the population at than a million.Eventually government officials and graziers agreed that one well-maintained fence, placed on the outer rim of sheep country and paid for by taxes levied on woolgrowers, should supplant the maze of private netting. By 1960, three states joined their barriers to form a single dog fence.The intense private battles between woolgrowers and dingoes have usually served to define the Fence only in economic terms. It marks the difference between profit and loss.Yet the Fence casts a much broader ecological shadow for it has become a kind of terrestrial dam, deflecting the flow of animals inside and out. The ecological side effects appear most vividly at Sturt National Park. In 1845, explorer Charles Sturt led an expedition through these parts on a futile search for an inland sea. For Sourt led an expedition through these parts on a futile search for an inland sea. For Sturt and other early explorers, it was a rare event to see a kangaroo. Now they are ubiquitous forwithout a native predator the kangaroo population has exploded inside the Fence.Kangaroos are now cursed more than dingoes. They have become the rivals of sheep, competing for water and grass. In response state governments cull (to kill animals to reduce their populatio ns ) more than three million kangaroos a year to keep Australia’s national symbol from overrunning the pastoral lands. Park officials, who recognize that the fence is to blame, respond to the excess of kangaroos by saying “The fence is there, we have to live with it.”1. Why was the fence built ?A)To separate the sheep from the cattle.B)To protect the Australian wool industry.C)To act as a boundary between properties.D)To stop the dingoes from being slaughtered by farmers.2.On what point do the conservationists and politicians agree ?A)Wool exports are vial to the economy.B)The number of dogs needs to be reduced.C)The fence poses a threat to the environment.D)The fence acts a useful frontier between states.3.The author visitor Australia_______________.A)to study Australian farming methodsB)to investigate how the fence was constructedC)because he was interested in life around the fenceD)because he wanted to learn more about the wool industry4.How does the author feel about the fence ?A)Impressed B)Delighted C)Shocked D)Annoyed5.From the sixth paragraph we know that_______________.A)dingoes are known to attack humansB)the fence serves a different purpose in each stateC)the dingo is indigenous to AustraliaD)the fence is only partially successful6.The authorities first acknowledge the dingo problem in the year of _______________.A)1778 B)1830 C)1845 D)19607.How do the park officials feel about the fence ?A)Angry B)Proud C)Pleased D)Philosophical8.Dingoes have flourished as a result of ______________.9.Woolgrowers and dingoes have usually defined the Fence only in ______________.10.Kangaroos have increased in number because of ______________.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 is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
2009年12月大学英语四级真命题及答案解析
2009年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Creating a Green Campus. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1. 建设绿色校园很重要2. 绿色校园不仅指绿色的环境……3. 为了建设绿色校园,我们应该……Creating a Green CampusPart ⅡReading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Colleges taking another look at value of merit-based aid Good grades and high tests scores still matter—a lot—to many colleges as they award financial aid.But with low-income students projected to make up an ever-larger share of the college-bound population in coming years, some schools are re-examining whether that aid, typically known as “merit aid”, is the most effective use of precious institutionaldollars.George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for example, said last week that it would cut the value of its average merit scholarships by about one-third and reduce the number of recipients(接受者), pouring the savings, about $2.5 million, into need-based aid. Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., made a similar decision three years ago.Now, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., says it will phase out merit scholarships altogether. No current merit-aid recipients will lose their scholarships, but need-based aid alone will be awarded beginning with students entering in fall 2008.Not all colleges offer merit aid; generally, the more selective a school, the less likely it is to do so. Harvard and Princeton, for example, offer generous need-based packages, but many families who don’t meet need eligibility(资格)have been willing to pay whatever they must for a big-name school.For small regional colleges that struggle just to fill seats, merit aid can be an important revenue-builder because many recipients still pay enough tuition dollars over and above the scholarship amount to keep the institution running.But for rankings-conscious schools in between, merit aid has served primarily as a tool to recruit top students and to improve their academic profits. “They’re trying to buy students,”says Skidmore College economist Sandy Baum.Studies show merit aid also tends to benefit disproportionately students who could afford to enroll without it.“As we look to the future, we see a more pressing need to invest in need-based aid,”says Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, which has offered meritscholarships for 10 years. During that time, it rose in US News & World Report’s ranking of the best liberal arts colleges, from 25 to 17.Merit aid, which benefited about 75 students a year, or about 4% of its student body, at a cost of about $ 1 million a year, “served us well,”Inzer says, but “to be discounting the price for families that don’t need financial aid doesn’t feel right any more.”Need-based aid remains by far the largest share of all student aid, which includes state, federal and institutional grants. But merit aid, offered primarily by schools and states, is growing faster, both overall and at the institutional level.Between 1995-96 and 2003-04, institutional merit aid alone increased 212%, compared with 47% for need-based grants. At least 15 states also offer merit aid, typically in a bid to enroll top students in the state’s public institutions.But in recent years, a growing chorus(异口同声)of critics has begun pressuring schools to drop the practice. Recent decisions by Hamilton and others may be “a sign that people are starting to realize that there’s this destructive competition going on,”says Baum, co-author of a recent College Report that raises concerns about the role of institutional aid not based on need.David Laird, president of the Minnesota Private College Council, says many of his schools would like to reduce their merit aid but fear that in doing so, they would lose top students to their competitors.“No one can take one-sided action,”says Laird, who is exploring whether to seek an exemption(豁免)from federal anti-trust laws so member colleges can discuss how they could jointly reduce merit aid, “This is a merry-go-round that’s going very fast, and noneof the institutions believe they can sustain the risks of trying to break away by themselves.”A complicating factor is that merit aid has become so popular with middle-income families, who don’t qualify for need-based aid, that many have come to depend on it. And, as tuitions continue to increase, the line between merit and need blurs.That’s one reason Allegheny College doesn’t plan to drop merit aid entirely.“We still believe in rewarding superior achievements and know that these top students truly value the scholarship,”says Scott Friedhoff, Allegheny’s vice president for enrollment.Emory University in Atlanta, which boasts a $4.7 billion endowment(捐赠), meanwhile, is taking another approach. This year, it announced it would eliminate loans for needy students and cap them for middle-income families. At the same time, it would expand its 28-year-old merit program.“Yeah, we’re playing the merit game,”acknowledges Tom Lancaster, associate dean for undergraduate education. But it has its strong point, too, he says. “The fact of the matter is, it’s not just about the lowest-income people. It’s the average American middle-class family who’s being priced out of the market.”*A few words about merit-based aid:Merit-based aid is aid offered to students who achieve excellence in a given area, and is generally known as academic, athletic and artistic merit scholarships.Academic merit scholarships are based on students’grades, GPA and overall academic performance during high school. They are typically meant for students going straight to college right after high school. However, there are scholarships for currentcollege students with exceptional grades as well. These merit scholarships usually help students pay tuition bills, and they can be renewed each year as long as the recipients continue to qualify. In some cases, students may need to be recommended by their school or a teacher as part of the qualification process.Athletic merit scholarships are meant for students that excel(突出)in sports of any kind, from football to track and field events. Recommendation for these scholarships is required, since exceptional athletic performance has to be recognized by a coach or a referee(裁判). Applicants need to send in a tape containing their best performance.Artistic merit scholarships require that applicants excel in a given artistic area. This generally includes any creative field such as art, design, fashion, music, dance or writing. Applying for artistic merit scholarships usually requires that students submit a portfolio(选辑)of some sort, whether that includes a collection of artwork, a recording of a musical performance or a video of them dancing.1. With more and more low-income students pursuing higher education, a number of colleges are ________.A) offering students more merit-based aid B) revising their financial aid policiesC) increasing the amount of financial aid D) changing their admission processes2. What did Allegheny College in Meadville do three years ago?A) It tried to implement a novel financial aid program.B) It added $ 2.5 million to its need-based aid program.C) It phased out its merit-based scholarships altogether.D) It cuts its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3. The chief purpose of rankings-conscious colleges in offering merit aid is to ______.A) improve teaching quality B) boost their enrollmentsC) attract good students D) increase their revenues4. Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, believes ______.A) it doesn’t pay to spend $ 1 million a year to raise its rankingB) it gives students motivation to award academic achievementsC) it’s illogical to use so much money on only 4% of its studentsD) it’s not right to give aid to those who can afford the tuition5. In recent years, merit-based aid has increased much faster than need-based aid due to ______.A) more government funding to colleges B) fierce competition among institutionsC) the increasing number of top students D) schools’improved financial situations6. What is the attitude of many private colleges toward merit aid, according to David Laird?A) They would like to see it reduced.B) They regard it as a necessary evil.C) They think it does more harm than good.D) They consider it unfair to middle-class families.7. Why doesn’t Allegheny College plan to drop merit aid entirely?A) Raising tuitions have made college unaffordable for middle-class families.B) With rising incomes, fewer students are applying for need-based aid.C) Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.D) Rising incomes have disqualified many students for need-based aid.8. Annual renewal of academic merit scholarships depends on whether the recipients remain ______.9. Applicants for athletic merit scholarships need a recommendation from a coach or a referee who ______ their exceptional athletic performance.10. Applicants for artistic merit scholarships must produce evidence to show their ______ in a particular artistic fieldPart ⅢListening 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 have a 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 have just 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。
2009年12月大学英语四级考试真题及参考答案听力试题无
2009年12月大学英语四级考试试题Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic ofCreating a Green Campus. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1. 建设绿色校园很重要2. 绿色校园不仅指绿色的环境……3. 为了建设绿色校园,我们应该……Creating a Green CampusPart Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)二、快速阅读Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Colleges taking another look at value of merit-based aidGood grades and high tests scores still matter—a lot—to many colleges as they award financial aid.But with low-income students projected to make up an ever-larger share of the college-bound population in coming years, some schools are re-exa mining whether that aid, typically known as “merit aid”, is the most effective use of precious institutional dollars.George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for example, said last week that it would cut the value of its average merit scholarships by about one-third and reduce the number of recipients(接受者), pouring the savings, about $2.5 million, into need-based aid. Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., made a similar decision three years ago.Now, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., says it will phase out merit scholarships altogether. No current merit-aid recipients will lose their scholarships, but need-based aid alone will be awarded beginning with students entering in fall 2008.Not all colleges offer merit aid; generally, the more selective a school, the less likely it is to do so. Harvard and Princeton, for example, offer generous need-based packages, but many families who don’t meet need eligibility(资格)have been willing to pay whatever they must for a big-name school.For small regional colleges that struggle just to fill seats, merit aid can be an important revenue-builder because many recipients still pay enough tuition dollars over and above the scholarship amount to keep the institution running.But for rankings-conscious schools in between, merit aid has served primarily as a tool to recruit top students and to improve their academic profits. “They’re trying to buy students,” says Skidmore College economist Sandy Baum.Studies show merit aid also tends to benefit disproportionately students who could afford to enroll without it.“As we look to the future, we see a more pressing need to invest in need-based aid,” says Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, which has offered merit scholarships for 10 years. During that time, it rose in US News & World Report’s ranking of the best liberal arts colleges, from 25 to 17.Merit aid, which benefited about 75 students a year, or about 4% of its student body, at a cost of about $ 1 million a year, “served us well,” Inzer says, but “to be discounting the price for families that don’t need financial aid doesn’t feel right any more.”Need-based aid remains by far the largest share of all student aid, which includes state, federal andinstitutional grants. But merit aid, offered primarily by schools and states, is growing faster, both overall and at the institutional level.Between 1995-96 and 2003-04, institutional merit aid alone increased 212%, compared with 47% for need-based grants. At least 15 states also offer merit aid, typically in a bid to enroll top students in the state’s public institutions.But in recent years, a growing chorus(异口同声)of critics has begun pressuring schools to drop the practice. Recent decisions by Hamilton and others may be “a sign that people are starting to realize that there’s this destructive competition going on,” says Baum, co-author of a recent College Report that raises concerns about the role of institutional aid not based on need.David Laird, president of the Minnesota Private College Council, says many of his schools would like to reduce their merit aid but fear that in doing so, they would lose top students to their competitors.“No one can take one-sided action,” says Laird, who is exploring whether to seek an exemp tion(豁免)from federal anti-trust laws so member colleges can discuss how they could jointly reduce merit aid, “This is a merry-go-round that’s going very fast, and none of the institutions believe they can sustain the risks of trying to break away by themse lves.”A complicating factor is that merit aid has become so popular with middle-income families, who don’t qualify for need-based aid, that many have come to depend on it. And, as tuitions continue to increase, the line between merit and need blurs.T hat’s one reason Allegheny College doesn’t plan to drop merit aid entirely.“We still believe in rewarding superior achievements and know that these top students truly value the scholarship,” says Scott Friedhoff, Allegheny’s vice president for enrollmen t.Emory University in Atlanta, which boasts a $4.7 billion endowment(捐赠), meanwhile, is taking another approach. This year, it announced it would eliminate loans for needy students and cap them for middle-income families. At the same time, it would expand its 28-year-old merit program.“Yeah, we’re playing the merit game,” acknowledges Tom Lancaster, associate dean for undergraduate education. But it has its strong point, too, he says. “The fact of the matter is, it’s not just about the lowest-income p eople. It’s the average American middle-class family who’s being priced out of the market.”*A few words about merit-based aid:Merit-based aid is aid offered to students who achieve excellence in a given area, and is generally known as academic, athletic and artistic merit scholarships.Academic merit scholarships are based on students’ grades, GPA and overall academic performance during high school. They are typically meant for students going straight to college right after high school. However, there are scholarships for current college students with exceptional grades as well. These merit scholarships usually help students pay tuition bills, and they can be renewed each year as long as the recipients continue to qualify. In some cases, students may need to be recommended by their school or a teacher as part of the qualification process.Athletic merit scholarships are meant for students that excel(突出)in sports of any kind, from football to track and field events. Recommendation for these scholarships is required, since exceptional athletic performance has to be recognized by a coach or a referee(裁判). Applicants need to send in a tape containing their best performance.Artistic merit scholarships require that applicants excel in a given artistic area. This generally includes any creative field such as art, design, fashion, music, dance or writing. Applying for artistic merit scholarships usually requires that students submit a portfolio(选辑)of some sort, whether that includes a collection of artwork,a recording of a musical performance or a video of them dancing.1. With more and more low-income students pursuing higher education, a number of colleges are ________.- 2 -A) offering students more merit-based aid B) revising their financial aid policiesC) increasing the amount of financial aid D) changing their admission processes2. What did Allegheny College in Meadville do three years ago?A) It tried to implement a novel financial aid program.B) It added $ 2.5 million to its need-based aid program.C) It phased out its merit-based scholarships altogether.D) It cuts its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3. The chief purpose of rankings-conscious colleges in offering merit aid is to ______.A) improve teaching quality B) boost their enrollmentsC) attract good students D) increase their revenues4. Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, believes ______.A) it doesn’t pay to spend $ 1 million a year to raise its rankingB) it gives students motivation to award academic achievementsC) it’s illogical to use so much money on only 4% of its studentsD) it’s not right to give aid to those who can afford the tuition5. In recent years, merit-based aid has increased much faster than need-based aid due to ______.A) more government funding to colleges B) fierce competition among institutionsC) the increasing number of top students D) schools’ improved financial situations6. What is the attitude of many private colleges toward merit aid, according to David Laird?A) They would like to see it reduced.B) They regard it as a necessary evil.C) They think it does more harm than good.D) They consider it unfair to middle-class families.7. Why doesn’t Allegheny College plan to drop me rit aid entirely?A) Raising tuitions have made college unaffordable for middle-class families.B) With rising incomes, fewer students are applying for need-based aid.C) Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.D) Rising incomes have disqualified many students for need-based aid.8. Annual renewal of academic merit scholarships depends on whether the recipients remain ______.9. Applicants for athletic merit scholarships need a recommendation from a coach or a referee who ______ their exceptional athletic performance.10. Applicants for artistic merit scholarships must produce evidence to show their ______ in a particular artistic field第二部分听力,见听力原稿Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 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.Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.In families with two working parents, fathers may have more impact on a child’s language development than mothers, a new study suggests.Researchers 47 92 families form 11 child care centers before their children were a year old, interviewing each to establish income, level of education and child care arrangements. Overall, it was a group of- 3 -well-class families, with married parents both living in the home.When the children were 2, researchers videotaped them at home in free-play sessions with both parents, 48 all of their speech. The study will appear in the November issue of The Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.The scientists measured the 49 number of utterance (话语) of the parents, the number of different words they used, the complexity of their sentences and other 50 of their speech. On average, fathers spoke less than mothers did, but they did not differ in the length of utterances or proportion of questions asked.Finally, the researchers 51 the children’s speech at age 3, using a standardized language test. The only predictors of high scores on the test were the mother’s level of education, the 52 of child care and the number of different words the father used.The researchers are 53 why the father’s speech, and not the mother’s, had an effect.“It’s well 54 that the mother’s language does have an impact,” said Nadya Pancsofar, the lead author of the study. It could be that the high-functioning mothers in the study had 55 had a strong influence on their child ren’s speech development, Ms. Pancsofar said, “or it may be that mothers are 56 in a way we didn’t measure in the study.”注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
2009年12月大学英语四级考试答案(A卷)
1. B2. D3. C4. C5. C6. A7. C 8. qualified 9. recognizes 10. portforlio 11. A 12. B 13. A 14. B 15. D 16. C 17. D 18. A 19. C 20. B 21. C 22. A 23. D 24. B 25. A 26—A 29—31.BDA 32—35.CADB 36. classified 37. background 38. album 39. appreciation 40. context 41. implies 42. image 43. instruments 44. Descriptive writing in humanity, particularly in literature, is often mixed with critical writing. 45. It tells the reader how to do something, for example, explaining the techniques used to show a film 46. Authors may actually use more than one type of techniques in the given piece of informational writing 47. K recruited 48. J recording 49. L total 50. C aspects 51. B analyzed 52. H quality 53. N unsure 54. G established 55. A already 56. E contributing 57-61 CBBAC 62-66 ABDAC 67-71 DDACB 72-76 AADCD 77-81 AABAC 82-86 DBCAD 87.You would not have failed if you had followed my instructions(按照我的指令去做) 88.Despite the hardship he encountered,Mark never gave up pursuing knowledge(放弃对知识的追求) 89.Scientists agree that it will be a long time before we find the methods of curing cancers(我们找到治愈癌症的⽅法) 90.Production has to be increased considerably to keep pace with the constantly increasing demands of consumers(与消费者不断增长的需求保持同步) 91.The more exercise you take,the fewer chances you will have of catching a cold(你越不⼤可能感冒)。
2009年12月大学英语四级真题及详细参考答案
2009年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Creating a Green Campus. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1. 建设绿色校园很重要2. 绿色校园不仅指绿色的环境……3. 为了建设绿色校园,我们应该……Creating a Green CampusColleges taking another look at value of merit-based aid Good grades and high tests scores still matter—a lot—to many colleges as they award financial aid.But with low-income students projected to make up an ever-larger share of the college-bound population in coming years, some schools are re-examining whether that aid, typically known as “merit aid”, is the most effective use of precious institutional dollars.George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for example, said last week that it would cut the value of its average merit scholarships by about one-third and reduce the number of recipients(接受者), pouring the savings, about $2.5 million, into need-based aid. Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., made a similar decision three years ago.Now, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., says it will phase out merit scholarships altogether. No current merit-aid recipients will lose their scholarships, but need-based aid alone will be awarded beginning with students entering in fall 2008.Not all colleges offer merit aid; generally, the more selective a school, the less likely it is to do so. Harvard and Princeton, for example, offer generous need-based packages, but many families who don’t meet need eligibility(资格)have been willing to pay whatever they must for a big-name school.For small regional colleges that struggle just to fill seats, merit aid can be an important revenue-builder because many recipients still pay enough tuition dollars over and above the scholarship amount to keep the institution running.But for rankings-conscious schools in between, merit aid has served primarily as a tool to recruit top students and to improve their academic profits. “They’re trying to buy students,” says Skidmore College economist Sandy Baum.Studies show merit aid also tends to benefit disproportionately students who could afford to enroll without it.“As we look to the future, we see a more pressing need to invest in need-based aid,”says Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, which has offered merit scholarships for 10 years. During that time, it rose in US News & World Report’s ranking of thebest liberal arts colleges, from 25 to 17.Merit aid, which benefited about 75 students a year, or about 4% of its student body, at a cost of about $ 1 million a year, “served us well,”Inzer says, but “to be discounting the price for families that don’t need financial aid doesn’t feel right any more.”Need-based aid remains by far the largest share of all student aid, which includes state, federal and institutional grants. But merit aid, offered primarily by schools and states, is growing faster, both overall and at the institutional level.Between 1995-96 and 2003-04, institutional merit aid alone increased 212%, compared with 47% for need-based grants. At least 15 states also offer merit aid, typically in a bid to enroll top students in the state’s public institutions.But in recent years, a growing chorus(异口同声)of critics has begun pressuring schools to drop the practice. Recent decisions by Hamilton and others may be “a sign that people are starting to realize that there’s this destructive competition going on,”says Baum, co-author of a recent College Report that raises concerns about the role of institutional aid not based on need.David Laird, president of the Minnesota Private College Council, says many of his schools would like to reduce their merit aid but fear that in doing so, they would lose top students to their competitors.“No one can take one-sided action,”says Laird, who is exploring whether to seek an exemption(豁免)from federal anti-trust laws so member colleges can discuss how they could jointly reduce merit aid, “This is a merry-go-round that’s going very fast, and none of the institutions believe they can sustain the risks of trying to break away by themselves.”A complicating factor is that merit aid has become so popular with middle-income families, who don’t qualify for need-based aid, that many have come to depend on it. And, as tuitions continue to increase, the line between merit and need blurs.That’s one reason Allegheny College doesn’t plan to drop merit aid entirely.“We still believe in rewarding superior achievements and know that these top students truly value the scholarship,”says Scott Friedhoff, Allegheny’s vice president for enrollment.Emory University in Atlanta, which boasts a $4.7 billion endowment(捐赠), meanwhile, is taking another approach. This year, it announced it would eliminate loans for needy students and cap them for middle-income families. At the same time, it would expand its 28-year-old merit program.“Yeah, we’re playing the merit game,”acknowledges Tom Lancaster, associate dean for undergraduate education. But it has its strong point, too, he says. “The fact of the matter is, it’s not just about the lowest-income people. It’s the average American middle-class family who’s being priced out of the market.”*A few words about merit-based aid:Merit-based aid is aid offered to students who achieve excellence in a given area, and is generally known as academic, athletic and artistic merit scholarships.Academic merit scholarships are based on students’grades, GPA and overall academic performance during high school. They are typically meant for students going straight to college right after high school. However, there are scholarships for current college students with exceptional grades as well. These merit scholarships usually help students pay tuition bills, and they can be renewed each year as long as the recipients continue to qualify. In some cases, students may need to be recommended by their school or a teacher as part of the qualificationprocess.Athletic merit scholarships are meant for students that excel(突出)in sports of any kind, from football to track and field events. Recommendation for these scholarships is required, since exceptional athletic performance has to be recognized by a coach or a referee(裁判). Applicants need to send in a tape containing their best performance.Artistic merit scholarships require that applicants excel in a given artistic area. This generally includes any creative field such as art, design, fashion, music, dance or writing. Applying for artistic merit scholarships usually requires that students submit a portfolio(选辑)of some sort, whether that includes a collection of artwork, a recording of a musical performance or a video of them dancing.1. With more and more low-income students pursuing higher education, a number of colleges are ________.A) offering students more merit-based aidB) revising their financial aid policiesC) increasing the amount of financial aidD) changing their admission processes2. What did Allegheny College in Meadville do three years ago?A) It tried to implement a novel financial aid program.B) It added $ 2.5 million to its need-based aid program.C) It phased out its merit-based scholarships altogether.D) It cuts its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3. The chief purpose of rankings-conscious colleges in offering merit aid is to ______.A) improve teaching quality B) boost their enrollmentsC) attract good students D) increase their revenues4. Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, believes ______.A) it doesn’t pay to spend $ 1 million a year to raise its rankingB) it gives students motivation to award academic achievementsC) it’s illogical to use so much money on only 4% of its studentsD) it’s not right to give aid to those who can afford the tuition5. In recent years, merit-based aid has increased much faster than need-based aid due to ______.A) more government funding to collegesB) fierce competition among institutionsC) the increasing number of top studentsD) schools’ improved financial situations6. What is the attitude of many private colleges toward merit aid, according to David Laird?A) They would like to see it reduced.B) They regard it as a necessary evil.C) They think it does more harm than good.D) They consider it unfair to middle-class families.7. Why doesn’t Allegheny College plan to drop merit aid entirely?A) Raising tuitions have made college unaffordable for middle-class families.B) With rising incomes, fewer students are applying for need-based aid.C) Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.D) Rising incomes have disqualified many students for need-based aid.8. Annual renewal of academic merit scholarships depends on whether the recipients remain ______.9. Applicants for athletic merit scholarships need a recommendation from a coach or a referee who ______ their exceptional athletic performance.10. Applicants for artistic merit scholarships must produce evidence to show their ______ in a particular artistic fieldPart ⅣReading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)Section AQuestions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.In families with two working parents, fathers may have more impact on a child’s language development than mothers, a new study suggests.Researchers ___47___ 92 families form 11 child care centers before their children were a year old, interviewing each to establish income, level of education and child care arrangements. Overall, it was a group of well-class families, with married parents both living in the home.When the children were 2, researchers videotaped them at home in free-play sessions with both parents, ___48 all of their speech. The study will appear in the November issue of The Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.The scientists measured the ___49___ number of utterance (话语) of the parents, the number of different words they used, the complexity of their sentences and other ___50___ of their speech. On average, fathers spoke less than mothers did, but they did not differ in the length of utterances or proportion of questions asked.Finally, the researchers ___51___ the children’s speech at age 3, using a standardized language test. The only predictors of high scores on the test were the mother’s level of education, the ___52___ of child care and the number of different words the father used.The researchers are ___53___ why the father’s speech, and not the mother’s, had an effect.“It’s well ___54___ that the mother’s language does have an impact,”said Nadya Pancsofar, the lead author of the study. It could be that the high-functioning mothers in the study had ___55___ had a strong influence on their children’s speech development, Ms. Pancso far said, “or it may be that mothers are __ 56___ in a way we didn’t measure in the study.”A) already B) analyzed C) aspects D) characters E) contributing F) describing G) established H) qualityI) quoted J) recording K) recruited L) totalM) unconscious N) unsure O) yetSection BPassage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world ofmake-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.57. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?A) She serves as a role model for African women.B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.C) She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women.58. What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?A) They are victims of violence.B) They are of an inferior violence.C) They use quite a lot of body language.D) They live on charity and social welfare.59. What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.60. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,B) She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.C) However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.D) She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns.61. What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.C) Outshine previous First Lady.D) Fully display her fine qualities.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale,who’ll become Oxford’s vice-chancellor—a position equivalent to university president in America.Hamilton isn’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc, have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’s gone global. Yet the talent flow isn’t universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America.The chief reason is that American schools don’t tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university’s budget. “We didn’t do any global consideration,”says Patricia Hayes, the board’s chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist (活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job s he had overseen “a major strengthening of Yale’s financial position.”Of course, fund-raising isn’t the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind of promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.62. What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage?A) Institutions worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S.B) A lot of political activists are being recruited as administrators.C) American universities are enrolling more international students.D) University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising.63. What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators?A) The political correctness.B) Their ability to raise funds.C) Their fame in academic circles.D) Their administrative experience.64. What do we learn about European universities from the passage?A) The tuitions they charge have been rising considerably.B) Their operation is under strict government supervision.C) They are strengthening their position by globalization.D) Most of their revenues come from the government.65. Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor chiefly because _____.A) she was known to be good at raising moneyB) she could help strengthen its ties with YaleC) she knew how to attract students overseasD) she had boosted Yale’s academic status66. In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development?A) They can enhance the university’s image.B) They will bring with them more international faculty.C) They will view a lot of things from a new perspective.D) They can set up new academic disciplines.Part ⅤCloze (15 minutes)Older people must be given more chances to learn if they are to contribute to society rather than be a financial burden, according to a new study on population published recently.The current people approach which 67 on younger people and on skills for employment is not 68 to meet the challenges of demographic (人口结构的) change, it says. Only 1% of the education budget is 69 spent on the oldest third of the population.The 70 include the fact that most people can expect to spend a third of their lives in71 , that there are now more people over 59 than under 16 and that 11.3 million people are72 state pension age.“73 needs to continue throughout life. Our historic concentration of policy attention and resources 74 young people cannot meet the new 75 ,”says the report’s author, Professor Stephen McNair.The major 76 of our education budget is spent on people below the age of 25. 77 people are changing their jobs, 78 , partners and lifestyles more often than 79 , they need opportunities to learn at every age 80 , some people are starting new careers in their 50s and later.People need opportunities to make a “midlife review”to 81 to the later stage of employed life, and to plan for the transition (过渡) 82 retirement, which may now happen 83 at any point from 50 to over 90, says McNair.And there should be more money 84 to support people in establishing a 85 of identity and finding constructive 86 for the “third age”, the 20 or more years they will spend in healthy retired life.67. A) operates B) focuses C) counts D) depends68. A) superior B) regular C) essential D) adequate69. A) currently B) barely C) anxiously D) heavily70. A) regulations B) obstacles C) challenges D) guidelines71. A) enjoyment B) retirement C) stability D) inability72. A) over B) after C) across D) beside73. A) Indentifying B) Learning C) Instructing D) Practicing74. A) at B) by C) in D) on75. A) desires B) realms C) needs D) intentions76. A) measure B) ratio C) area D) portion77. A) When B) Until C) Whether D) Before78. A) neighbors B) moods C) homes D) minds79. A) age B) ever C) previously D) formerly80. A) For example B) By contrast C) In particular D) On average81. A) transform B) yield C) adjust D) suit82. A) within B) from C) beyond D) to83. A) unfairly B) unpredictably C) instantly D) indirectly84. A) reliable B) considerable C) available D) feasible85. A) sense B) conscience C) project D) definition86. A) ranks B) assets C) ideals D) rolesPart VI Translation (5 minutes)Directions:Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets. Please write your translation on Answer Sheet 2.87. You would not have failed if you __________________________(按照我的指令去做).88. Despite the hardship he encountered, Mark never ______________(放弃对知识的追求).89. Scientists agree that it will be a long time ______________(我们找到治愈癌症的方法).90. Production has to be increased considerably to __________________(与消费者不断增长的需求保持同步).91. The more exercise you take,________________________(你越不大可能得感冒).2009年12月大学英语四级考试答案详解Part ⅠWriting参考范文Creating a Green CampusRecently, with the idea of making and maintaining “a green earth”being the focus of the society, “green campus”has become a more and more popular concept in universities or colleges, which, undoubtedly, will bring us an ever-lasting benefit to both our campus and our society.The concept of “green campus”does not only mean a green environment but also refers to an environmental sense in people’s mind. Campus plays a crucial role in educating the young generation and the consciousness of “green campus”will definitely produce a profound effect on students’various environmental protection activities after their graduation. What’s more, the young generation is under the burden of severe environmental pollution and there are many problems waiting for them to solve.To make “green campus”come true, firstly, it is necessary to work out effective principles for the development of sustainable and recyclable campus. Secondly, it calls for people’s awareness of the serious pollution around us and actual action to reduce the waste. Last but not least, it is necessary to strengthen the ties between campus and society, so as to ensure that “green campus” can work smoothly with the co-effort of the whole society.试题详解1. 【原题译文】随着越来越多的低收入学生追求高等教育,一些学院__。
2009年12月大学英语四级(CET-4)考试真题
2009年12月大学英语四级(CET-4)考试真题一、Writing (本大题1小题.每题14.0分,共14.0分。
For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition . You should write at least 100 words, and base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below: )第1题A short essay on the topic of create a green campus.1. 建设绿色校园十分重要2. 绿色校园不仅指绿色环境3. 为了建设绿色校园我们应该……【正确答案】:答案:Creating a Green CampusRecently, with the idea of making and maintaining “a green earth”being the focus of the society, “green campus” has become a more and more popular concept in universities or colleges, which, undoubtedly, will bring us an ever-lasting benefit to both our campus and our society. The concept of “green campus” does not only mean a green environment but also refers to an environmental sense in people’s mind. Campus plays a crucial role in educating the young generation and the consciousness of “green campus” will definitely produce a profound effect on students’various environmental protection activities after their graduation. What’s more, the young generation is under the burden of severe environmental pollution and there are many problems waiting for them to solve.To make “green campus” come true, firstly, it is necessary to work out effective principles for the development of sustainable and recyclable campus. Secondly, it calls for people’s awareness of the serious pollution around us and actual action to reduce the waste. Last but not least, it is necessary to strengthen the ties between campus and society, so as to ensure that “green campus” can work smoothly with the co-effort of the whole society.建设绿色校园近来,随着建设并保持“绿色地球”的观念成为社会关注的焦点,“绿色校园”也成为校园里流行的话题。
2009年大学英语四级(CET-4)真题答案
2009年大学英语四级(CET-4)真题答案2009年大学英语四级(CET-4)真题答案真题试卷A卷Part I Writing (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Free Admission to Museums. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below:1. 越来越多的博物馆免费开放的目的是什么?2. 也会带来一些问题3. 你的看法Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C )and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.How Do You See DiversityAs a manager, Tiffany is responsible for interviewing applicants for some of the positions with her company. During one interview, she noticed that the candidate never made direct eye contact. She was puzzled and somewhat disappointed because she liked the individual otherwise.He had a perfect resume and gave good responses to her questions, but the fact that he never looked her in the eye said “untrustworthy,” so she decided to offer the job to her second choice. “It wasn?t u ntil I attended a diversity workshop that I realized the person we passed over was the per fect person,”Tiffany confesses. What she hadn?t known at the time of the interview was Opt the candidate?s “different” behavior was simply a cultural misunderstanding. He was an Asian-American raised in a household where respect for those in authority was shown by averting(避开) your eyes.“I was just thrown off by the lack of eye contact; not realizing it was cultural,” Tiffany says. “I missed out, but will not miss t hat opportunity again.”Many of us have had similar encounters with behaviors we perceive as different. As the world becomes smaller and our workplaces more diverse, it is becoming essential to expand our understanding of others and to reexamine some of our false assumptions.Hire AdvantageAt a time when hiring qualified people is becoming more difficult, employers who can eliminate invalid biases(偏见) from the process have a distinct advantage. My company, Mindsets LLC, helps organizations and individuals see their own blind spots.A real estate recruiter we worked with illustrates the positive difference suchtraining can make.“During my Mindsets coa ching session, I was taught how to recruit a diversified workforce. I recruited people from different cultures and skill sets. The agents were able to utilize their full potential and experiences to build up the company. When the real estate teethes began to change, it was because we had a diverse agent pool that we were able to say in the real estate market much longer than others in the same profession.”…Blinded by GenderDale is an account executive who attended one of my workshops on supervising a dive rse workforce. “Through one of the sessions, I discovered my personal bias,” he recalls. “I learned I had not been looking at a person as a whole person, and being open to differences.” In his case, the blindness was not about culture but rather gender.“I had a management position open in toy department; and the two finalists were a man and a woman. lied I not attended this workshop, I would have automatically assumed the man was the best candidate because the position required quite a bit of extensive travel. My reasoning would have been that even though both candidates were great and could have been successful in the position, I assumed the woman would have wanted to he home with her children and not travel.” Dale?s assumptions are another example of the well-Intentioned but incorrect thinking that limits an organization?s ability to tap into the full potential of a diverse workforce.“I learned from the class that instead of imposing my gender biases into the situation.I needed to present the full range of duties, responsibilities and expectations to all candidates and allots them to make an informed dec ision.” Dale credits the workshop, “because it helped me make decisions based on fairness.”Year of the Know-It-AllDoug is another supervisor who attended one of my workshops. Fie recalls a major lesson learned from his own employee.“One of my most embar rassing moments was when I had a Chinese-American employee put in a request to take time off to celebrate Chinese New Year. In my ignorance, I assumed he hadhis dates wrong?, as the first of January had just passed. When I advised him of this, I gave him a tong talking-to about turning in requests early with the proper dates.“He patiently waited, then when I was done, he said he would like Chinese New Yea r off, not the Western New Year. He explained politely that in his culture the new year did not begin January first, and that Chinese New Year, which is tied to the lunar cycle, is one of the most celebrated holidays on the Chinese calendar. Needless to say, I felt very embarrassed in assuming he had his dates mixed up. But I learned a great deal about assumptions, and that the timing of holidays varies considerably from culture to culture.“Attending the diversity workshop helped me realize how much I coul d learn by simply asking questions and creating dialogues with toy employees, rather than making assumptions and trying to be a know-it-all,” Doug admits. “The biggest thing I took away from the workshop is learning how to be more …inclusive? to differences.”A Better Bottom LineAn open mind about diversity not only improves organizations internally, it is profitable as well. These comments from a customer service representative show how an inclusive attitude can improve sales. “Most of my customers speak English as a second language. One of the best things my company has done is to contract with a language service that offers translations over the phone. It wasn?t until my boss received Mindsets? training that she was able to understand how importantinclu siveness was to customer service. As a result, Oct customer base has increased.”Once we start to se e people asindividuals, and discard the stereotypes, we can move positively toward inclusiveness for everyone. Diversity is about coming together and taking advantage of our differences and similarities. It is about building better communities and organizations that enhance us as individuals and reinforce our shared humanity.When we begin to question our assumptions and challenge what we think we have learned from Oct past, from the media, peers, family, friends, etc., toe begin to realize that some of our conclusions are flawed(有缺陷的) or contrary to our fundamental values. We need to van) ourselves to think differently, shift our mindsets and realize that diversity opens doors for all of us, creating opportunities in organizations and communities that benefit everyone.注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2009年12月大学英语四级试题答案(A卷)
2009年12月大学英语四级试题答案(A卷)快速阅读1. B revising their financial aid policies2. D It cut its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3. C attract good students4. D it's not right to give aid to those who can afford the tuition5. B fierce competition among institutions6. A They would like to see it reduced.7. C Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.8. qualified9. recognizes10. portforlios听力答案(选项以A卷为标准)Section A短对话:11. A Get some small change.12. B Buying a gift for a child.13. A Taking photographs.14. B He can provide little useful information.15. D He knows his own limitations.16. C Her gym exercise has yielded good results.17. D The professor's suggestion is constructive.18. A Indifferent长对话:19. C He has to work during the day.20. B Learn data processing.21. C Every Monday, lasting for 12 weeks.22. A What to bring for registration.23. D A financial trader.24. B He considers cooking creative.25. D It can be a good thing.Section B短文:26. C. Life was not possible in outer space.27. C. It has a large ocean under its surface.28. A. Light is not an essential element to it.29. B What Dr. Meyer's instructions exactly were30. D She askes them to repeat what they are supposed to do.31. A It lacks the stability of the printed word.32. C Challenging work.33. A Many tedious jobs continue to be done manually.34. D Give them responsibilities as part of a team.35. B They concern a small number of people only.Section C36. classified37. background38. album39. appreciation40. context41. implies42. image43. instruments44. Descriptive writing in the humanities, particularly in literature, is often mixed with critical writing.45. It tells the reader how to do something. For example, explaining the technique used to shoot a film.46. Authors may actually use more than one type of technique in a given piece of informational writing来源:Section A 选词填空47. K recruited48. J recording49. L total50. C aspects51. B analyzed52. H quality53. N unsure54. G established55. A already56. E contributing Section B 阅读理解57. C58. B59. D60. C61. A62. A63. B64. D65. A66. C完型填空67-76.DDACB ABDCD77-86.AABAC DBCAD翻译答案:87. You would not have failed if_______ .(按照我的指令去做)参考答案:you had followed my instructions88. Despite the hardship he encountered, Mark never_______. (放弃对知识的追求)参考答案:gave up pursuing knowlege89. Scientists agree that it will be a long time_________.(我们找到治愈癌症的方法)a参考答案:before we find the methods to cure cancers90. Production has to be increased considerably to ______. (与消费者不断增长的需求保持同步)参考答案:keep pace with the constantly increasing demands of consumers91. The more exercise you take, _________.(你越不大可能感冒)新东方范文:Create a Green CampusIt is of great importance to make and maintain a green campus in our university or college. Obviously, a growing number of people are beginning to realize that it is our duty to do that in the present days, since the concept of “a green world” has become the focus of the society.The idea of “a green campus” is beyond a green environment. To begin with, the development on the campus is to besus tainable and recyclable. Some of the authorities’ budget should be on how to reduce of the waste. What’s more, we’d better be aware of the seriousness of pollution around us. Thus the idea of environmental protection may become a common occurrence in our daily life.It is necessary that effective actions should be taken to protect our campus from waste and pollution, ?and hence these activities are to play an increasingly important role in our day-to-day life. Certainly, there is little doubt that further consideration must be paid to our green campuses.本次作文还是延续四级一贯成熟的风格,偏重校园生活。
2009年12月大学英语新四级(CET-4)真题试卷
2009年12月20日大学英语新四级(CET-4)全真试题Part I Writing (30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of createa green campus. You should write at least 120 words following the outline givenbelow:1. 建设绿色校园十分重要2. 绿色校园不仅指绿色环境3. 为了建设绿色校园我们应该……Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7,choose the best answer from thefour choices marked A),B),C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences withthe information given in the passage.Colleges taking another look at value of merit-based aid* Good grades and high test scores still matter—a lot—to many colleges as they award financial aid.But with low-income students projected to make up an ever-larger share of the college-bound population in coming years, some schools are re-examing whether that aid, typically known as “merit aid”, is the most effective use of precious institutional dollars.George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for example, said last week that it would cut the value of its average merit scholarships by about one-third and reduce the number of recipients (接受者), pouring the savings, about $2.5million, into need-based aid. Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., made a similar decision three years ago.Now, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., says it will phase out merit scholarships altogether. No current merit-aid recipients will lose their scholarships, but need-based aid alone will be awarded beginning with students entering in fall 2008.Not all colleges offer merit aid; generally, the more selective a school, the less likely it is to do so. Harvard and Princeton, for example, offer generous need-based packages, but many families who don’t meet need eligibility (资格) have been willing to pay whatever they must for a big-name school.For small regional colleges that struggle just to fill seats, merit aid can be an important revenue-builder because many recipients still pay enough tuition dollars over and above scholarship amount to keep the institution running.But for rankings-conscious schools in between, merit aid has served primarily as a tool to recruit top students and to improve their academic profiles. “They’re trying to buy students,” says Skidmore Colllege economist Sandy Baum.Studies show merit aid also tends to benefit disproportionately students who could afford to enroll without it.“As we look to the future, we see a more pressing need to invest in need-based aid,”says Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, which has offered merit scholarships for 10 years. During that time, it rose in US News & World Report’s ranking of the best liberal arts colleges, from 25 to 17.Merit aid, which benefited about 75 students a year, or about 4% of its student body, at a cost of about $1 milion a year, “served us well,” Inzer says, but “to be discounting the price for families that don’t need financial aid doesn’t feel right any more.”Need-based aid remains by far the largest share of all student aid, which includes state, federal and institutional grants. But merit aid, offered primarily by schools and states, is growing faster, both overall and at the institutional level.Between 1995-96 and 2003-04, institutional merit aid alone increased 212%, compared with 47% for need-based grants. At least 15 states also offer merit aid, typically in a bid to enroll top students in the state’s public institutions.But in recent years, a growing chorus (异口同声) of critics has begun pressuring schools to drop the practice. Recent decisions by Hamilton and others may be “a sign that people are starting to realize that there’s this destructive competition going on.”says Baum, co-author of a recent College Report that raises concerns about the role of institutional aid not based on need.David Laird, president of the Minnesota Private College Council, says many of his schools would like to reduce their merit aid but fear that in doing so, they would lose top students to their competitors.“No one can take one-sided action,” says Laird, who is exploring whether to seek an exemption (豁免) from federal anti-trust laws so member colleges can discuss how they could jointly reduce merit aid. “This is a merry-go-round that’s going very fast, and none of the institutions believe they can sustain the risks of trying to break away by themselves.”A complicating factor is that merit aid has become so popular with middle-income families, who don’t qualify for need-based aid, that many have come to depend on it. And, as tuitions continue to increase, the line between merit and need blurs.That is one reason Allegheny College doesn’t plan to drop merit aid entirely.“We still believe in rewarding superior achievements and know that these top students truly value the scholarship,” says Scott Friedhoff, Allegheny’s vice president for enrollment.Emory University in Atlanta, which boasts a $4.7 billion endowment(捐赠), meanwhile, is taking another approach. This year, it announced it would eliminate loans for needy students and cap them for middle-income families. At the same time, it would expand its 28-year-old merit program.“Yeah, we’re playing the merit game,”acknowledges Tom Lancaster, associate dean for undergraduate education. But it has its strong points, too, he says, “The fact of the matter is, it’s not just about the lowest-income people. It’s the average American middle-class family who’s being priced out of the market.”*A few words about merit-based aid:Merit-based aid is aid offered to students who achieve excellence in a given area, and is generally known as academic, athletic and artistic merit scholarships.Academic merit scholarships are based on students’grades, GPA and overall academic performance during high school. They are typically meant for students going straight to college right after high school. However, there are scholarships for current college students with exceptionalgrades as well. These merit scholarships usually help students pay tuition bills, and they can be renewed each year as long as the recipients continue to qualify. In some cases, students may need to be recommended by their school or a tearcher as part of the qualification process.Athletic merit scholarships are meant for student that excel (突出) in sports of any kind, from football to track and field events. Recommendation for these scholarships is required, since exceptional athletic performance has to be recognized by a coach or a referee(裁判). Applicants need to send in a tape containing their best performance.Artistic merit scholarships require that applicants excel in a given artistic area. This generally includes any creative field such as art, design, fashion, music, dance or writing. Applying for artistic merit scholarships usually requires that students submit a portfolio(选辑)of some sort, whether that includes a collection of artwork, a recording of a musical performance or a video of them dancing.注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2009年12月英语四级听力试题参考答案及解析
2009年12月英语四级听力试题参考答案及解析Part Ⅲ Listening ComprehensionSection A试题详解11. A) Get some small change. A)换取零钱。
B) Find a shopping center. B)找一个购物中心。
C) Cash a check at a bank. C)在银行兑现支票。
D) Find a parking meter. D) 找一个停车计费器。
【听音指导】选项均缺少主语,属于细节题加转折题型,预读时无需关注句意,直接找相似场景即可,并且按照听力短对话规律,重点仍然在女士话语当中,典型的“转折”出答案题型。
【正确项分析】由but后的money changer可知男生需要换零钱,可快速排除选项B (购物中心)和选项D (停车) 二个场景,答案应在选项A、C当中。
C选项虽也和“钱”有关,但对话中对该选项中的银行只字未提,由此可知答案为选项A。
【原文及译文】M: Excuse me. Do you have change for a ten-dollar note? I need to pay the parking meter.W: I’m sorry, but I think you can get it through the money changer in the shopping center across the street.Q: What is the man trying to do?男士:打扰一下,你能给我换开一张10美元的钞票吗?我需要支付停车费。
女士:很抱歉,但我觉得你可以到马路对面的购物中心里的货币兑换中换取零钱。
问题:男士要干什么?【词汇点拨】parking meter 停车计费器;cash a check 支票兑现;change n. 零钱12. A) Shopping with his son. A) 与儿子一起购物。
最新 2009年12月大学英语四级考试模拟试题(七)-精品
2009年12月大学英语四级考试模拟试题(七)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Net-surfing —— Are You Ready?Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, markY(for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;N(for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given inthe passage;NG(for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.The Trouble With TelevisionIt is difficult to escape the influence of television. If you fit the statistical averages, by the age of 20 you will have been exposedto at least 20,000 hours of television. You can add 10,000 hours for each decade you have lived after the age of 20. The only things Americans do more than watch television are work and sleep.Calculate for a moment what could be done with even a part ofthose hours. Five thousand hours, I am told, are what a typicalcollege undergraduate spends working on a bachelor's degree. In10,000 hours you could have learned enough to become an astronomer or engineer. You could have learned several languages fluently. If it appealed to you, you could be reading Homer in the original Greek or Dostoyevsky in Russian. If it didn't, you could have walked aroundthe world and written a book about it.。
2009年12月四级真题及答案
2009年12月四级真题及答案「四级翻译真题」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.为了推动教育公平,中国已经资金投入360亿元,用作提升农村地区教育设施和强化中西部地区农村义务教育。
这些资金用作提升教学设施、出售书籍,并使16万多所中小学受惠。
资金还用作添置音乐和绘画器材。
现在农村和山区的儿童可以与沿海城市的`儿童一样上音乐和绘画课。
一些为拒绝接受更好教育而转至城市上学的学生如今又返回了本地农村学校就读于。
「四级翻译参考答案」In order to promote equity in education, China has invested 36 billion yuan for improving educational facilities in rural areas and strengthening rural compulsory education in the Midwest. These funds were used to improve the teaching facilities and purchase books, so that more than 160,000 primary and secondary schools benefit from it.These funds are also used to purchase musical instruments and painting equipments.Now children in rural and mountainous areas can learn music and painting like those children in coastal cities.Some students who transferred to the city schools in order to receive a better education now get back to the local rural schools.。
真题一2009年12月大学英语四级考试试题
2009年12月大学英语四级考试试题Part ⅠWriting(30 minutes)注意:此部分试题在答题卡1上。
Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Creating a Green Campu s. You should write at least 120 words following the outlinegiven below:1.建设绿色校园很重要2.绿色校园不仅指绿色的环境……3.为了建设绿色校园,我们应该……Creating a Green Campu sPart ⅡReading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)(15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Colleges taking another look at value of merit-based aid Good grades and high tests scores still matter—a lot—to many colleges as they award financial aid.But with low-income students projected to make up an ever-larger share of the college-bound population in coming years, some schools are re-examining whether that aid, typically known as “merit aid”, is the most effective use of precious institutional dollars.George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for example, said last week that it would cut the value of its average merit scholarships by about one-third and reduce the number of recipients(接受者), pouring the savings, about $2.5 million, into need-based aid. Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., made a similar decision three years ago.Now, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., says it will phase out merit scholarships altogether. No current merit-aid recipients will lose their scholarships, but need-based aid alone will be awarded beginning with students entering in fall 2008.Not all colleges offer merit aid; generally, the more selective a school, the less likely it is to do so. Harvard and Princeton, for example, offer generous need-based packages, but many families who don’t meet need eligibility(资格)have been willing to pay whatever they must for a big-name school.For small regional colleges that struggle just to fill seats, merit aid can be an important revenue-builder because many recipients still pay enough tuition dollars over and above the scholarship amount to keep the institution running.But for rankings-conscious schools in between, merit aid has served primarily as a tool to recruit top students and to improve their academic profits. “They’re trying to buy students,” saysSkidmore College economist Sandy Baum.Studies show merit aid also tends to benefit disproportionately students who could afford to enroll without it.“As we look to the future, we see a more pressing need to invest in need-based aid,” says Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, which has offered merit scholarships for 10 years. During that time, it rose in US News & World Report’s ranking of the best liberal arts colleges, from 25 to 17.Merit aid, which benefited about 75 students a year, or about 4% of its student body, at a cost of about $ 1 million a year, “served us well,”Inzer says, but “to be discounting the price for families that don’t need financial aid doesn’t feel right any more.”Need-based aid remains by far the largest share of all student aid, which includes state, federal and institutional grants. But merit aid, offered primarily by schools and states, is growing faster, both overall and at the institutional level.Between 1995-96 and 2003-04, institutional merit aid alone increased 212%, compared with 47% for need-based grants. At least 15 states also offer merit aid, typically in a bid to enroll top students in the state’s public institutions.But in recent years, a growing chorus(异口同声)of critics has begun pressuring schools to drop the practice. Recent decisions by Hamilton and others may be “a sign that people are starting to realize that there’s this destructive competition going on,”says Baum, co-author of a recent College Report that raises concerns about the role of institutional aid not based on need.David Laird, president of the Minnesota Private College Council, says many of his schools would like to reduce their merit aid but fear that in doing so, they would lose top students to their competitors.“No one can take one-sided action,”says Laird, who is exploring whether to seek an exemption(豁免)from federal anti-trust laws so member colleges can discuss how they could jointly reduce merit aid, “This is a merry-go-round that’s going very fast, and none of the institutions believe they can sustain the risks of trying to break away by themselves.”A complicating factor is that merit aid has become so popular with middle-income families, who don’t qualify for need-based aid, that many have come to depend on it. And, as tuitions continue to increase, the line between merit and need blurs.That’s one reason Allegheny College doesn’t plan to drop merit aid entirely.“We still believe in rewarding superior achievements and know that these top students truly value the scholarship,” says Scott Friedhoff, Allegheny’s vice president for enrollment.Emory University in Atlanta, which boasts a $4.7 billion endowment(捐赠), meanwhile, is taking another approach. This year, it announced it would eliminate loans for needy students and cap them for middle-income families. At the same time, it would expand its 28-year-old merit program.“Yeah, we’re playing the merit game,”acknowledges Tom Lancaster, associate dean for undergraduate education. But it has its strong point, too, he says. “The fact of the matter is, it’s not just about the lowest-income people. It’s the average American middle-class family who’s being priced out of the market.”*A few words about merit-based aid:Merit-based aid is aid offered to students who achieve excellence in a given area, and is generally known as academic, athletic and artistic merit scholarships.Academic merit scholarships are based on students’grades, GPA and overall academic performance during high school. They are typically meant for students going straight to college right after high school. However, there are scholarships for current college students with exceptional grades as well. These merit scholarships usually help students pay tuition bills, and they can be renewed each year as long as the recipients continue to qualify. In some cases, students may need to be recommended by their school or a teacher as part of the qualification process.Athletic merit scholarships are meant for students that excel(突出)in sports of any kind, from football to track and field events. Recommendation for these scholarships is required, since exceptional athletic performance has to be recognized by a coach or a referee(裁判). Applicants need to send in a tape containing their best performance.Artistic merit scholarships require that applicants excel in a given artistic area. This generally includes any creative field such as art, design, fashion, music, dance or writing. Applying for artistic merit scholarships usually requires that students submit a portfolio(选辑)of some sort, whether that includes a collection of artwork, a recording of a musical performance or a video of them dancing.1.With more and more low-income students pursuing higher education, a number of colleges are________.A) offering students more merit-based aid B) revising their financial aid policiesC) increasing the amount of financial aid D) changing their admission processes2.What did Allegheny College in Meadville do three years ago?A) It tried to implement a novel financial aid program.B) It added $ 2.5 million to its need-based aid program.C) It phased out its merit-based scholarships altogether.D) It cuts its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3.The chief purpose of rankings-conscious colleges in offering merit aid is to ______.A) improve teaching quality B) boost their enrollmentsC) attract good students D) increase their revenues4.Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, believes ______.A) it doesn’t pay to spend $ 1 million a year to raise its rankingB) it gives students motivation to award academic achievementsC) it’s illogical to use so much money on only 4% of its studentsD) it’s not right to give aid to those who can afford the tuition5.In recent years, merit-based aid has increased much faster than need-based aid due to ______.A) more government funding to colleges B) fierce competition among institutionsC) the increasing number of top students D) schools’ improved financial situations6.What is the attitude of many private colleges toward merit aid, according to David Laird?A) They would like to see it reduced.B) They regard it as a necessary evil.C) They think it does more harm than good.D) They consider it unfair to middle-class families.7.Why doesn’t Allegheny College plan to drop merit aid entirely?A) Raising tuitions have made college unaffordable for middle-class families.B) With rising incomes, fewer students are applying for need-based aid.C) Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.D) Rising incomes have disqualified many students for need-based aid.8.Annual renewal of academic merit scholarships depends on whether the recipients remain______.9.Applicants for athletic merit scholarships need a recommendation from a coach or a refereewho ______ their exceptional athletic performance.10.Applicants for artistic merit scholarships must produce evidence to show their ______ in aparticular artistic field.PartⅢListening 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 for gym.B) She is known to have a 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 have just 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 interpersonal communication. Passage 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。
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Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled “How to Conduct Patriotic Education Among the Youth of Today”. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese:1. 我国爱国主义教育的现状;2. 爱国主义教育的重要意义;3. 如何在青少年中开展爱国主义教育?Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stressFinding work-life balance in today’s frenetically (疯狂) paced world is no simple task.Spend more time at work than at home, and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, when you face challenges in your personal life, such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult.Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress —along with its harmful effects —is the result.The good news is that you can take control of your work-life balance —and give yourself the time to do the things that are most important to you. The first step is to recognize how the world of work has changed. Then you can evaluate your relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for striking a healthier balance.How work invades your personal lifeThere was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here’s why:●Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs.●International business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.●Advanced communication technology. Many people now have the ability to work anywhere —from their home, from their car and even on vacation. And some managers expect this.●Longer hours. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they’re scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory (强制性的). If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations.●Changes in family roles. Today’s married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.Married to your workIt can be tempting to rack up the hours at work —especially if you’re trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for a child’s education or a dream vacation. For others, workingmore hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload.But if you’re spending most of your time at work, your home life will likely pay the price. Consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life balance:●Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you’re tired. This means you’re less productive and may make more mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.●Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your child’s first bike ride, your father’s 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.●Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you’re spending time at the office instead of with them, you’ll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.●Expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won’t be able to avoid it, but you can learn to manage it. Most importantly, say no when you’re too tired, when it’s affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations.Striking the best work-life balanceFor most people, juggling (巧妙处理) the demands of career and personal life is an ongoing challenge. With so many demands on your time —from overtime to family obligations —it can feel difficult to strike this balance. The goal is to make time for the activities that are the most important to you.Here are some ideas to help you find the balance that’s best for you:●Learn to say no. Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to spearhead (充当先锋) an extra project or your child’s teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it’s OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.●Leave work at work. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.●Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Do one or two loads of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers a course in time management, sign up for it.●Get enough sleep. There’s nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you’re sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but also you can make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.●Communicate clearly. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.●Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music.●Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate (使年轻) you.Remember, striking a work-life balance isn’t a one-shot deal. Creating balance in your life is a continuous process. Balance doesn’t mean doing everything. Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle.1. What will happen if your work life and personal life feel out of balance?A) You will have little time to finish your work.B) You may feel stress, which will affect you negatively.C) You will have a lot of time to share with your family.D) You will never balance the combination of life and work.2. The boundaries between work and home have blurred for the following reasons, EXCEPT _______.A) global economy B) changes in family rolesC) advanced communication technology D) high divorce rate3. What will happen if you’re spending most of your time at work?A) You will lose both health and wealth. B) You will be hated by your loved ones.C) You will lose all your friends. D) You may be given more responsibility.4. According to the passage, you’d better say no to mandatory overtime when _______________.A) you get bored with the work B) you are not interested in the workC) you can’t get additional allowance D) you have crucial family obligations5. What does the underlined sentence mean?A) You should do the things people ask you to do without feeling guilty.B) You shouldn’t do the things people ask you to do if you don’t want to.C) To do things people ask you to do can bring you a lot of joy.D) To do things for yourself is more meaningful than to do things for others.6. What will NOT happen if you don’t get enough sleep?A) You will feel stressed while working. B) You will have no sense of exhaustion.C) You can make costly mistakes. D) You will have low productivity.7. What does the real balance mean according to the author?A) Examining priorities and deciding what is the most important to you.B) Doing everything you want to do whether you can do it or not.C) Saying yes to everybody in order to maintain good relationships.D) Being firm that working overtime will strike a work-life balance.8. Spend more time at work than at home, and you won’t have enough time to enjoy your _______________.9. You have slow responses and your eye-hand coordination decreases when you’re ________.10. You can save a lot of time and avoid misunderstandings if you communicate clearly and ____________.Part III Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)■Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select oneword 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. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 11 to 20 are based on the following passage.Major retailers and car manufacturers have slashed (削减) their marketing budgets in the six months to October, 2008, as the financial crisis has taken its toll, while supermarkets have 11 advertising spending in a battle to prove that they offer the most 12 prices.According to new research undertaken for The Daily Telegraph by Nielsen Media Research, in the six months to September 30, 2008, Marks & Spencer’s advertising spend fell 20.3pc to £25.3m, 13 with the same period in 2007.While the retailer has spent heavily on a campaign 14 celebrities in the past two years, it is understood to be cutting back on celebrity spending in 2009. The retailer is, however, still the UK’s 25th largest spender on advertising,15 being at 17th place in the six months to September 30, 2007.Car manufacturers have also significantly 16 back on marketing spending, believed to be a result of the financial crisis. According to Nielsen, Ford spent £26.6m in the six months to September 30, 2008, down 21pc from the same period last year. Vauxhall also 17 spending by 15.6pc in the period to £26.5m.For supermarkets, however, a significant increase in advertising spending, it appears, is a 18 as they seek to woo (追求) increasingly price- 19 customers. The leading supermarkets have 20 an aggressive price war in the past six months as consumers have been faced with news of higher food prices.A) conscientious I) necessityB) conscious J) contributionC) against K) reducedD) despite L) moreoverE) comparing M) scaledF) compared N) competitiveG) launched O) featuringH) boosted■Section BDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished sentences. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice.Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.There are more than 2,000 different kinds of mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes bite people to drink their blood. Male mosquitoes do not drink blood. They drink fluids from plants. The female mosquito uses its thin sucking tube to break the skin, find blood and inject the victim with a substance that keeps blood flowing.The female mosquito drinks the blood and uses it to produce as many as 250 eggs. The insect leaves the eggs in any standing water.The eggs produce worm-like creatures called larvae (幼虫) in two days to a few months. However, some eggs can stay in water for years until conditions are right for development. Thelarvae feed on organisms in the water. After four to ten days, they change again, into creatures called pupas (蛹). The pupas rise to the surface of the water. Adult mosquitoes pull themselves out of the pupas and fly away.The World Health Organization (WHO) says mosquitoes carry organisms that cause disease and death for millions of people throughout the world. The most important disease spread by mosquitoes is malaria (疟疾). The WHO says 247 million people became infected with malaria in 2006. Malaria caused almost one million deaths, mostly among children in Africa. The disease is found in more than one hundred countries in Africa, Asia, the western Pacific Ocean, the Middle East and Central and South America.Malaria parasites (寄生虫) enter a person’s blood through a mosquito bite. These organisms travel to the liver. They grow and divide there. After a week or two, the parasites invade red blood cells and reproduce thousands of times. They cause the person’s body temperature to rise. They also may destroy major organs. People with malaria may suffer kidney failure or loss of red blood cells.Some medicines are generally effective in preventing and treating malaria. They are designed to prevent the parasites from developing in the body. People die from malaria because they are not treated for the disease or the treatment is delayed.21. According to the passage, we can infer that _________.A) female mosquitoes don’t bite animalsB) female mosquitoes bite people for a substance that keeps blood flowingC) malaria is found everywhere in the worldD) countries in Europe and North America have low malaria death rate22. What is the right order in which mosquitoes grow?a. Adult mosquitoes pull themselves out of the pupas and fly away.b. The larvae change into creatures called pupas.c. The insect leaves the eggs in any standing water.d. The eggs produce worm-like creatures called larvae.A) c, a, b, d B) d, c, b, a C) c, d, b, a D) d, b, c, a23. According to the WHO, the organisms carried by mosquitoes __________.A) are the food for larvaeB) have led to the death of millions of people in the worldC) invade red blood cells first and then destroy major organsD) can enter a person’s brain through the mosquito’s bite24. According to the passage, malaria medicines are generally designed to _______.A) keep people’s body temperature at a normal levelB) prevent parasites from entering people’s skinsC) stop parasites from growing inside the bodyD) stop parasites from invading red blood cells25. What is the passage mainly talking about?A) The growing process of mosquitoes and the diseases spread by them.B) The medicines used in preventing and treating malaria.C) The kinds of mosquitoes in the world today.D) The larvae of mosquitoes feed on organisms in the water.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.Conservationists call them hot spots —habitats that cover just 1.4 percent of the earth’s land surface but are so rich in biological diversity that preserving them could keep an astonishing number of plant and animal species off the endangered list.Since 1988, when Dr. Norman Myers and his colleagues began describing these hot spots in a series of scientific papers and arguing for their protection, they have become a focus of worldwide conservation efforts. Private organizations and government agencies, including the World Bank, have made preserving 25 such ecological arks a top priority for financing and protective legislation. But a growing chorus of scientists is warning that directing conservation funds to hot spots may be a recipe for major losses in the future. Of species that live on land, nearly half of all plants and more than a third of all animals are found only in the hot spots. But they do not include many rare species and major animal groups that live in less biologically rich regions (“cold spots”). And the hot-spot concept does not factor in the importance of some ecosystems to human beings, the scientists argue.This debate has been simmering quietly among biologists for years; however, it is coming to a boil now with the publication of an article in the current issue of American Scientist arguing that “calls to direct conservation funding to the world’s biodiversity hot spots may be bad investment advice.” “The hot-spot concept has grown so popular in recent years within the larger conservation community that it now risks eclipsing all other approaches,” write the authors of the paper. “The officers and directors of all too many foundations, non-governmental organizations and int ernational agencies have been seduced by the simplicity of the hot spot idea,” they go on. “We worry that the initially appealing idea of getting the most species per unit area is, in fact, a thoroughly misleading strategy.”But hot spots have their ardent defenders, notably Dr. Norman Myers and Dr. Russell Mittermeier. Dr. Myers says hot spots have been successful at attracting attention and financing for conservation in tropical countries. “And that has been good,”he said. “No one is suggesting that one invest solely in hot spots, but if you want to avoid extinctions, you have to invest in them.”26. The best title for this passage would be ________.A) A Debate on Preserving Hot Spots B) An Introduction to Hot SpotsC) Hot Spots vs. Cold Spots D) How to Finance Hot Spots27. Hot spots occupy a small percentage of the earth’s land surface with _____________.A) a third of all plants B) many major animal groups living in cold spotsC) rich biological diversity D) many rare species living in cold spots28. Critics of hot spots hold the opinion that ________.A) hot spots are always as important as cold spotsB) it is unwise to invest largely in hot spotsC) governments should choose the best time to invest in hot spotsD) the hot-spot approach is a misleading strategy from the very beginning29. According to Dr. Norman Myers, _________.A) protecting and investing in hot spots can save species from extinctionB) conservation efforts should not center on hot spotsC) governments should invest most in cold spotsD) the hot-spot approach now is not as good as it was in the past30. What is the writer’s attitude towards the hot-spot approach?A) Critical. B) Neutral. C) Supportive. D) Doubtful.Part IV Cloze (15 minutes)Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage.Two million years ago, just as the Earth’s primitive apemen were evolving into big-brained humans, a pair of supernovae explosions occurred near Earth. Our planet was buffeted (冲击) with blasts of radiation —with 31 effects. “These supernovae would 32 away our protective ozone layer,”said Dr Narciso Benitez of Johns Hopkins University. Earth lost its protection 33 ultraviolet light. All sorts of mutational (突变) damage to animals’DNA would have occurred. New species could have emerged 34 . It is possible that Homo sapiens (智人) may have been one of these.The likely 35 of a supernova’s radiation led scientists in the past 36 that one may have affected 37 on Earth. Benitez now believes that 38 two supernovae occurred near Earth two million years ago: The first would have blasted space free 39 interstellar particles; and the second would have struck Earth at full force, 40 its ozone layer.Observations of space around our Sun have revealed that, 41 the rest of the galaxy, space near us has little interstellar gas in it. “42 it is missing much of its dust and gas —just as if a supernova 43 it out,”added Maíz-Apellániz. 44 , our tiny corner of the galaxy appears to have been swept clean by a supernova brush about two million years ago; and intriguingly, at just this time, a set of extinctions —known as the Pliocene (上新世) / Pleistocene (更新世) extinctions —is also known 45 .It was also around this time that mankind’s direct ancestor, Homo erectus, the species 46 to be the first true human being, appeared in Africa and Asia after 47 more primitive ape-like creatures. These beings may have been some of the lucky few who were able to 48 advantage of conditions in these hazardous, radioactive 49 . This triumph only occurred thanks to this celestial (上天的) 50 , however.31. A) devastate B) devastating C) devastated D) devastation32. A) blow B) have blown C) blew D) be blowing33. A) in B) on C) against D) to34. A) as a result of B) as a result C) the end result D) from the result of35. A) compact B) contact C) intact D) impact36. A) speculate B) speculating C) to speculate D) speculated37. A) evolution B) revolution C) resolution D) solution38. A) at least B) at most C) at first D) at last39. A) with B) without C) at D) of40. A) destroyed B) to destroy C) destroying D) destroy41. A) unlikely B) likely C) unlike D) dislike42. A) Definitely B) Obviously C) Eventually D) Essentially43. A) would clean B) cleaned C) have cleaned D) had cleaned44. A) In word B) In words C) In other words D) In a word45. A) to occur B) to have occurred C) occurring D) have occurred46. A) considered B) was considered C) considering D) being considered47. A) placing B) replacing C) being placed D) being replaced48. A) get B) gain C) win D) take49. A) reasons B) results C) spaces D) times50. A) invention B) intervention C) convention D) creationPart V Translation (5 minutes)Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets.51. Don’t get involved in love games too early. _______ (要是……该怎么办) you suffer from failure in love?52. That car ___________________(尽给我添麻烦) ever since I bought it.53. _______________________ (努力不吸入) the vapor, Thomas turned his head.54. But for his wife’s encouragement, he _____________ (就不能发明那个机器).55. It _________________________ (直到得到有关当局的批准) that we can start the job.Part I WritingOne possible version:How to Conduct Patriotic Education Among the Youth of TodayThese years have seen a widespread neglect of patriotic education in our society. According to some official reports, many patriotic education centers have been closed down or kept open to the public for other more profitable purposes, while many of our national heroes have given way to today’s pop stars in youth’s minds. If this current is allowed to run its c ourse, I am afraid, things are bound to turn for the worse, with less and less sense of patriotism left in the youth.The significance of patriotic education to our society can be seen from the following perspectives: Patriotic education can make youth more aware of the glorious history and culture of our nation, thus building up their sense of pride as Chinese. Furthermore, patriotic education helps youth value today’s hard-earned life so as to hold dearer their golden chances of enriching themselves with knowledge in peace.So the most pressing issue for us now is how to effectively instill patriotism in the youth of today. In my opinion, the first step should be focused upon giving fuller play to the potential of patriotic education centers instead of running them for the purpose of making money. Then, greater efforts must be made to integrate patriotic education into the curriculums throughout a student’s education. In short, where there is effective patriotic education of youth, there is a greater enhancement of national cohesion.Part II Reading Comprehension(Skimming and Scanning)1. B)。