12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

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2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section A News ReportDirections: In this section, you will hear threenews reports。

At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions。

Both thenews repor t and the questions will be spoken only once。

After you hear a question, yo u mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C ) and D)。

Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a si ngle line through the centre。

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Land a space vehicle on the moon in 2019.B) Design a new generation of mobile phones.C) Set up a mobile phone network on the moon.D) Gather data from the moon with a tiny device.2. A) It is stable.B) It is durable.C) It is inexpensive.D) It is sophisticated.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It lasted more than six hours.B) No injuries were yet reported.C) Nobody was in the building when it broke out.D) It had burned for 45 minutes by the time firefighters arrived.4. A) Recruit and train more firefighters.B) Pull down the deserted shopping mall.C) Turn the shopping mall into an amusement park.D) Find money to renovate the local neighborhood.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Shrinking potato farming.B) Heavy reliance on import.C) Widespread plant disease.D) Insufficient potato supply.6. A) It intends to keep its traditional diet.B) It wants to expand its own farming.C) It is afraid of the spread of disease.D) It is worried about unfair competition.7. A) Global warming.B) Ever-rising prices.C) Government regulation.D) Diminishing investment.Section B ConversationDirections: In this section,you will hear two long conversation.At the end of ea ch conversations you will hear four questions. Both the conversations and the question-s will be spoken only once.After you hear a question.You must choo se the best answer from the four choices marked A,B, C, D.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line throu gh the center.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) Informative.B) Inspiring.C) Dull.D) Shallow.9. A) She types on a keyboard.B) She does recording.C) She takes photos.D) She takes notes.10. A) It keeps her mind active.B) It makes her stay awake.C) It enables her to think hard.D) It helps her kill time.11. A) It enables her to improve her pronunciation.B) It helps her better remember what she learns.C) It turns out to be an enjoyable way of learning.D) It proves to be far more effective than writing.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) To spend her honeymoon.B) To try authentic Indian food.C) To take photos of the Taj Mahal.D) To trace the origin of a love story.13. A) In memory of a princess.B) In honor of a great emperor.C) To mark the death of an emperor of the 1600s.D) To celebrate the birth of a princess's 14th child.14. A) It looks older than expected.B) It is built of wood and bricks.C) It stores lots of priceless antiques.D) It has walls decorated with jewels.15. A) Their streets are narrow.B) They are mostly crowded.C) Each one has a unique character.D) Life can be tedious in some places.Section C PassageDirections: In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each pa ssage,you will hear three or four questions。

2022年12月英语四级听力原文和答案(第一套)

2022年12月英语四级听力原文和答案(第一套)

2022年12月英语四级听力原文和答案(第一套)Part II Listening Comprehension第二部分:听力考试Section AA 节Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A) , B) , C) and D) . Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.考试说明:在这一部分,你将听到三篇新闻报道。

每篇新闻的结尾,会有两到三个问题。

新闻和问题只读一遍。

听到问题后从A、B、C、D 四个选项中选出最佳答案。

然后在答题纸1 上相应的字母中间划上横线(涂满)。

News Report One新闻报道一(1)Operations at one of Australia's largest gold mines had to be temporarily suspended on Friday after a partial wall collapse at one of the mine's dams.周五,澳大利亚最大金矿之一的一座大坝发生部分围墙坍塌,该矿不得不暂停运营。

The wall collapsed at the Cadia Mine. Came just a few days after two earthquakes hit the area.卡迪亚矿区的墙壁倒塌了。

12月英语四级听力真题及原文答案(第一套)

12月英语四级听力真题及原文答案(第一套)

20XX年12月英语四级听力真题及原文答案(第一套)Section ADirections: In this section, you will bear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the endof each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both theconversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each questions there will be apause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B),C) and D), and decide whichis the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 1 with a single line throughthe center.1.A)They admire the courage of space explorers.B)They enjoyed the movie on space exploration.C)They were going to watch a wonderful movie.D)They like doing scientific exploration very much.2.A)At a gift shop.B)At a graduation ceremony.C)In the office of a travel agency.D)In a school library.3.A)He used to work in the art gallery.B)He does not have a good memory.C)He declined a job offer form the art gallery.D)He is not interested in any part-time jobs.4.A)Susan has been invited to give a lecture tomorrow.B)He will go to the birthday party after the lecture.C)The woman should have informed him earlier.D)He will be unable to attend the birthday party.5.A)Reward those having made good progress.B)Set a deadline for the staff to meet.C)Assign more workers to the project.D)Encourage the staff to work in small groups.6.A)The way to the visitors parking.B)The rate for parking in Lot C.C)How far away the parking lot is.D)Where she can leave her car.7.A)He regrets missing the classes.B)He plans to take the fitness classes.C)He is looking forward to a better life.D)He has benefited form exercise.8.A) How to select work efficiency.B)How to select secretaries.C)The responsibilities of secretaries.D)The secretaries in the mans company. Conversation 19.A)It is more difficult to learn than English.B)It is used by more people than English.C)It will be as commonly used as English.D)It will eventually become a world language.10.A)It has words words from many languages.B)Its popularity with the common people.C)The influence of the British Empire.D)The effect of the Industrial Revolution.11.A)It includes a lot of words form other languages.B)It has a growing number of newly coined words,C)It can be easily picked up by overseas travellers.D)It is the largest among all languages in the world. Conversation 212.A)To return some goods.B)To apply for a job.C)To place an order.D)To make a complaint.13.A) He has become somewhat impatient with the woman.B)He is not familiar with the exact details of goods.C)He has not worked in the sales department for long.D)He works on a part-time basis for the company.14.A)It is not his responsibility.B)It will be free for large orders.It costs 15 more for express delivery.D)It depends on a number of factors.15.A)Report the information to her superior.B)Pay a visit to the saleswoman in charge.C)Ring back when she comes to a decision.D)Make inquiries with some other companies.。

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Section AQuestions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A) It was dangerous to live in. C) He could no longer pay the rent.B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A strike. C) A forest fire.B) A storm. D) A terrorist attack.Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A) They tried hard to repair the elevator.B) They released the details of the accident.C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D) They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services.C) Redesign delivery routes.D) Close some of its post offices.6. A) Shortening business hours.-B) Closing offices on holidays.C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B) Many people will begin to complain.C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.D) A lot of controversy will arise.Section B8. A) He will be kept from promotion.B) He will go through retraining.C) He will be given a warning.D) He will lose part of his pay.9. A) He is always on time.B) He is a trustworthy guy.C) He is an experienced press operator.D)He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A) She is a trade union representative.B) She is in charge of public relations.C) She is a senior manager of the shop.D) She is better at handling such matters.11. A) He is skilled and experienced.B) He is very close to the manager.C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.D) He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Open.B) Selfish.C) Friendly.D) Reserved.13. A) They stay quiet.B) They read a book.-C) They talk about the weather.D) They chat with fellow passengers.14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.B) She was eager to visit an English castle.C) She was never invited to a colleague's home.D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A) Houses are much more quiet.B) Houses provide more privacy.C) They want to have more space.D) They want a garden of their own.答案1. A It was dangerous to live in.2. B A storm3. B They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. C They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5. D Close some of its post office.6. C Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7. A Many post office staff will lose their jobs.8. D He will lose part of his pay.9. B He is a trustworthy guy.10.D She is better at handling such matters11.C He is always trying to stir up trouble.12. D Reserved13. A They stay quiet14. C She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15. B Houses provide more privacy16. D They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. C Visit the school careers service.18. B Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19. C It may be sold at a higher price.20. A It is healthier than green tee.21. D It does not have a stable market.22. B They prefer unique objects of high quality.23. B They could only try to create at night.24. A Make wise choices.25. A To boost the local economy.2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套原文Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.rced to move out his On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was foproperty after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s e mer gency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners sothat they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to morethan 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is oneof three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?Q4.What did the rescue team do?新闻3Section A - 3The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is oneof several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Lastweek, for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stopmail delivery on Saturdays, a move he says could save $3 billion annually.“We are losing revenue as we speak,” Donahoe said. “We do not want taxpayer money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business youhave to make choices.”Dean Granholm the vice president for delivery and post office operationssaid the first waves of closings would begin this fall. He estimated that about3,000 postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postalclerks could lose their jobs.Q5.What is the U.S. Postal Service planning to do?Q6.What measure has been planned to save costs?Q7.What will happen when the proposed measure come into effect?长对话1&2Conversation 1A: Mrs. Hampton, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.B: Oh dear. What about?A: One of the press operators arrived an hour and a half late.B: But that's a straightforward affair. He will simply lose part of his pay. That's why we have a clock-in system.A: But the point is the man was clocked-in at 8 o'clock. We have John standing by the time clock, and he swears he saw nothing irregular.B: Is John reliable?A: Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.B: Have you spoken to the man who was late?A: Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first. He's a difficult man, andI think there's been some trouble on the shop floor. I've got a feeling that trade union representative is behind this. The manager told me that Jack Green's been very active around the shop the last few days.B: Well, what do you want me to do?A: I was wondering if you'd see Smith, the man who was late, becauseyou are so much better at handling things like this.B: Oh, alright. I'll see him. I must say I agree with you about there beingbad feelings in the works. I've had the idea for some time that Jack Green'sbeen busy stirring things up in connection with the latest wage claim. He's always trying to make trouble. Well, I'll get the manager to send Smith up here.Q8. What will happen to the press operator who was late for the work according to the woman?Q9. What does the man say about John who stands by the time clock?Q10. Why does the man suggest the woman see the worker who was late?Q11. What does the woman say about Jack Green?Conversation 2A: Our topic today is about somethings that foreigners nearly always saywhen they visit Britain. It's 'Why are the British so cold?' And they're talking about the British personality – the famous British 'reserve'. It means that wearen't very friendly, we aren't very open.B: So do you think it's true?A: It's a difficult one. So many people who visit Britain say it's difficult tomake friends with British people. They say we're cold, reserved, unfriendly...B: I think it's true. Look at Americans or Australians. They speak the same language, but they're much more open. And you see it when you travel, people- I mean strangers - speak to you on the street or on the train. British peopleseldom speak on the train. Or the bus. Not in London, anyway.A: 'Not in London'. That's it. Capital cities are full of tourists and are neververy friendly. People are different in other parts of the country.B: Not completely. I met a woman once, an Italian. She's been working in Manchester for two years,and no one - not one of her colleagues - had everinvited her to their home. They were friendly to her at work, but nothing else.She couldn't believe it. She said that would never happen in Italy.A: You know what they say –'an Englishman's home is his castl e'. It’s really difficult to get inside.B: Yeah. It's about being private. You go home to your house and yourgarden and you close the door. It's your place.A: That's why the British don't like flats. They prefer to live in houses.B: That’s true.Q12. What do foreigners generally think of British people according to the woman?Q13. What may British people typically do one the train according to theman?Q14. What does the man say about the Italian woman working in Manchester?Q15. Why do British people prefer houses to flats?听力篇章Passage OneIn college, time is scarce, and consequently, very precious. At the sametime, expenses in college pile up surprisingly quickly. A part time job is a goodway to balance costs while ensuring there is enough time left over for bothacademic subjects and after-class activities.If you are a college student looking for a part time job, the best place tostart your job search is right on campus. There are tons of on-campus job opportunities, and as a student, you’ll automatically be given hiring priority.Plus, on-campus jobs eliminate commuting time, and could be a great way toconnect with academic and professional resources at your university. Checkwith your school’s career service or employment office for help to find acampus job. Of course, there are opportunities for part-time work off-campus,too. If you spend a little time digging for the right part time jobs, you’ll saveyourself time when you find a job that leaves you with enough time to get yourschool work done, too. If you are a college student looking for work but worryyou won’t have enough time to devote to academic subjects, consider workingas a study hall or a library monitor. Responsibilities generally includesupervising study sp aces to ensure that a quiet atmosphere is maintained. It’s a pretty easy job, but one with lots of downtime-which means you will haveplenty of time to catch up on reading, do homework or study for an exam.Q16: What does the speaker say about college students applying foron-campus jobs?Q17: What can students do to find a campus job according to thespeaker?Q18: What does the speaker say is a library monitor’s responsibility?Passage TwoAgricultural workers in green tea fields near Mt. Kenya are gathering thetea leaves. It is beautiful to see. The rows of tea bushes are straight. Allappears to be well. But the farmers who planted the bushes are worried.Nelson Kibara is one of them. He has been growing tea in the Kerugoya areafor 40 years.He says the prices this year have been so low that he has made almost no profit. He says he must grow different kinds of tea if he is to survive.Mr. Kibara and hundreds of other farmers have been removing some oftheir tea bushes and planting a new kind of tea developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya. Its leaves are purple and brown. When the teais boiled, the drink has a purple color. Medical researchers have studied thehealth benefits of the new tea. They say it is healthier than green tea and couldbe sold for a price that is three to four times higher than the price of green tea.But Mr. Kibara says he has not received a higher price for his purple tea crop.He says the market for the tea is unstable and he is often forced to sell his purple tea for the same price as green tea leaves. He says there are not enough buyers willing to pay more for the purple tea.Q19. Why have tea farmers in Kenya decided to grow purple tea?Q20. What do researchers say about purple tea?Q21. What does Mr. Kibara find about purple tea?Passage ThreeToday's consumers want beautiful handcrafted s to wear and to have fortheir home environment. They prefer something unique and they demand quality. Craftsmen today are meeting this demand. People and homes are showing great change as more and more unique handcrafted items become available. Handcrafts are big business. No long does a good craftsman have to work in a job he dislikes all day and then try to create at night. He has earnedhis professional status. He is now a respected member of society. Parts of thefun of being a craftsman is meeting other craftsmen. They love to share theirideas and materials and help others find markets for their work. Craftsmen have helped educate consumers to make wise choices. They help them become aware of design and technique. They help them relate their choice toits intended use. They often involve consumers in trying the craft themselves. When a group of craftsmen expends to include more members, a small craft organization is formed. Such an organization does a lot in training workshopsin special media, craft marketing techniques, craft fairs and sales, festivals, TV appearances and demonstrations. State art councils help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals which draw crowds of tourist consumers. This boosts thelocal economy considerably because tourists not only buy crafts, but they alsouse the restaurants and hotels and other services of the area.Q22. What does the speaker say about today's consumers?Q23. What does the speaker say about a good craftsman in the past?Q24. What do craftsmen help consumers do?Q25. Why do state art council’s help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals?。

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Section AQuestions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A) It was dangerous to live in. C) He could no longer pay the rent.B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A strike. C) A forest fire.B) A storm. D) A terrorist attack.Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A) They tried hard to repair the elevator.B) They released the details of the accident.C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D) They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services.C) Redesign delivery routes.D) Close some of its post offices.6. A) Shortening business hours.B) Closing offices on holidays.C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B) Many people will begin to complain.C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.D) A lot of controversy will arise.Section B8. A) He will be kept from promotion.B) He will go through retraining.C) He will be given a warning.D) He will lose part of his pay.9. A) He is always on time.B) He is a trustworthy guy.C) He is an experienced press operator.D)He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A) She is a trade union representative.B) She is in charge of public relations.C) She is a senior manager of the shop.D) She is better at handling such matters.11. A) He is skilled and experienced.B) He is very close to the manager.C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.D) He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Open.B) Selfish.C) Friendly.D) Reserved.13. A) They stay quiet.B) They read a book.C) They talk about the weather.D) They chat with fellow passengers.14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.B) She was eager to visit an English castle.C) She was never invited to a colleague's home.D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A) Houses are much more quiet.B) Houses provide more privacy.C) They want to have more space.D) They want a garden of their own.答案1. A It was dangerous to live in.2. B A storm3. B They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. C They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5. D Close some of its post office.6. C Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7. A Many post office staff will lose their jobs.8. D He will lose part of his pay.9. B He is a trustworthy guy.10.D She is better at handling such matters11.C He is always trying to stir up trouble.12. D Reserved13. A They stay quiet14. C She was never invited t o a colleague’s home.15. B Houses provide more privacy16. D They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. C Visit the school careers service.18. B Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19. C It may be sold at a higher price.20. A It is healthier than green tee.21. D It does not have a stable market.22. B They prefer unique objects of high quality.23. B They could only try to create at night.24. A Make wise choices.25. A To boost the local economy.2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套原文Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was forced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant directo r.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?Q4.What did the rescue team do?新闻3Section A - 3The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is one of several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Last week, for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on Saturdays, a move he says could save $3 billion annually.“We are losing revenue as we speak,” Donahoe said. “We do not want taxpayer money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business you have to make choices.”Dean Granholm the vice president for delivery and post office operations said the first waves of closings would begin this fall. He estimated that about 3,000 postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postal clerks could lose their jobs.Q5.What is the U.S. Postal Service planning to do?Q6.What measure has been planned to save costs?Q7.What will happen when the proposed measure come into effect?长对话1&2Conversation 1A: Mrs. Hampton, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.B: Oh dear. What about?A: One of the press operators arrived an hour and a half late.B: But that's a straightforward affair. He will simply lose part of his pay. That's why we have a clock-in system.A: But the point is the man was clocked-in at 8 o'clock. We have John standing by the time clock, and he swears he saw nothing irregular.B: Is John reliable?A: Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.B: Have you spoken to the man who was late?A: Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first. He's a difficult man, and I think there's been some trouble on the shop floor. I've got a feeling that trade union representative is behind this. The manager told me that Jack Green's been very active around the shop the last few days.B: Well, what do you want me to do?A: I was wondering if you'd see Smith, the man who was late, because you are so much better at handling things like this.B: Oh, alright. I'll see him. I must say I agree with you about there being bad feelings in the works. I've had the idea for some time that Jack Green's been busy stirring things up in connection with the latest wage claim. He's always trying to make trouble. Well, I'll get the manager to send Smith up here.Q8. What will happen to the press operator who was late for the work according to the woman?Q9. What does the man say about John who stands by the time clock?Q10. Why does the man suggest the woman see the worker who was late?Q11. What does the woman say about Jack Green?Conversation 2A: Our topic today is about somethings that foreigners nearly always say when they visit Britain. It's 'Why are the British so cold?' And they're talking about the British personality – the famous British 'reserve'. It means that we aren't very friendly, we aren't very open.B: So do you think it's true?A: It's a difficult one. So many people who visit Britain say it's difficult to make friends with British people. They say we're cold, reserved, unfriendly...B: I think it's true. Look at Americans or Australians. They speak the same language, but they're much more open. And you see it when you travel, people - I mean strangers - speak to you on the street or on the train. British people seldom speak on the train. Or the bus. Not in London, anyway.A: 'Not in London'. That's it. Capital cities are full of tourists and are never very friendly. People are different in other parts of the country.B: Not completely. I met a woman once, an Italian. She's been working in Manchester for two years,and no one - not one of her colleagues - had ever invited her to their home. They were friendly to her at work, but nothing else. She couldn't believe it. She said that would never happen in Italy.A: You know what they say –'an Englishman's home is his ca stle'. It’s really difficult to get inside.B: Yeah. It's about being private. You go home to your house and your garden and you close the door. It's your place.A: That's why the British don't like flats. They prefer to live in houses.B: That’s tru e.Q12. What do foreigners generally think of British people according to the woman?Q13. What may British people typically do one the train according to the man?Q14. What does the man say about the Italian woman working in Manchester?Q15. Why do British people prefer houses to flats?听力篇章Passage OneIn college, time is scarce, and consequently, very precious. At the same time, expenses in college pile up surprisingly quickly. A part time job is a good way to balance costs while ensuring there is enough time left over for both academic subjects and after-class activities.If you are a college student looking for a part time job, the best place to start your job search is right on campus. There are tons of on-campus job opportunities, and a s a student, you’ll automatically be given hiring priority. Plus, on-campus jobs eliminate commuting time, and could be a great way to connect with academic and professional resources at your university. Check with your school’s career service or employmen t office for help to find a campus job. Of course, there are opportunities for part-time work off-campus, too. If you spend a little time digging for the right part time jobs, you’ll save yourself time when you find a job that leaves you with enough time to get your school work done, too. If you are a college student looking for work but worry you won’t have enough time to devote to academic subjects, consider working as a study hall or a library monitor. Responsibilities generally include supervising study spaces to ensure that a quiet atmosphere is maintained. It’s a pretty easy job, but one with lots of downtime-which means you will have plenty of time to catch up on reading, do homework or study for an exam.Q16: What does the speaker say about college students applying for on-campus jobs?Q17: What can students do to find a campus job according to the speaker?Q18: What does the speaker say is a library monitor’s responsibility?Passage TwoAgricultural workers in green tea fields near Mt. Kenya are gathering the tea leaves. It is beautiful to see. The rows of tea bushes are straight. All appears to be well. But the farmers who planted the bushes are worried. Nelson Kibara is one of them. He has been growing tea in the Kerugoya area for 40 years.He says the prices this year have been so low that he has made almost no profit. He says he must grow different kinds of tea if he is to survive.Mr. Kibara and hundreds of other farmers have been removing some of their tea bushes and planting a new kind of tea developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya. Its leaves are purple and brown. When the tea is boiled, the drink has a purple color. Medical researchers have studied the health benefits of the new tea. They say it is healthier than green tea and could be sold for a price that is three to four times higher than the price of green tea.But Mr. Kibara says he has not received a higher price for his purple tea crop.He says the market for the tea is unstable and he is often forced to sell his purple tea for the same price as green tea leaves. He says there are not enough buyers willing to pay more for the purple tea.Q19. Why have tea farmers in Kenya decided to grow purple tea?Q20. What do researchers say about purple tea?Q21. What does Mr. Kibara find about purple tea?Passage ThreeToday's consumers want beautiful handcrafted s to wear and to have for their home environment. They prefer something unique and they demand quality. Craftsmen today are meeting this demand. People and homes are showing great change as more and more unique handcrafted items become available. Handcrafts are big business. No long does a good craftsman have to work in a job he dislikes all day and then try to create at night. He has earned his professional status. He is now a respected member of society. Parts of the fun of being a craftsman is meeting other craftsmen. They love to share their ideas and materials and help others find markets for their work. Craftsmen have helped educate consumers to make wise choices. They help them become aware of design and technique. They help them relate their choice to its intended use. They often involve consumers in trying the craft themselves. When a group of craftsmen expends to include more members, a small craftorganization is formed. Such an organization does a lot in training workshops in special media, craft marketing techniques, craft fairs and sales, festivals, TV appearances and demonstrations. State art councils help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals which draw crowds of tourist consumers. This boosts the local economy considerably because tourists not only buy crafts, but they also use the restaurants and hotels and other services of the area.Q22. What does the speaker say about today's consumers?Q23. What does the speaker say about a good craftsman in the past?Q24. What do craftsmen help consumers do?Q25. Why do state art council’s help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals?。

2023年12月英语四级真题试卷及详细答案(第一套)详细版

2023年12月英语四级真题试卷及详细答案(第一套)详细版

此正确答案为C选项。

【听力原文】News Report ThreeLions have disappeared from much of Africa, but for the past few years scientists have wondered if the big cats were hanging on in remote parts of Sudan and Ethiopia. 【5】 Continuous fighting in the region has made surveys difficult. 【6】But scientists released a report Monday documenting, with hard evidence, the discovery of “lost lions”. A team with Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, supported by a charity organization, spent two nights in November camping in the National Park in northwest Ethiopia, on the Ethiopia-Sudan border.【7】The researchers set out six camera traps capturing images of lions, and identified lion tracks. The scientists concluded that lions are also likely to live in the neighbouring National Park across the border in Sudan. The International Union for Conservation of Nature had previously considered the area a “possible range” for the species, and local people had reported seeing lions in the area, but no one presented convincing evidence.【杀掉拦路虎】 1. Sudan [s?'dɑ:n] n.苏丹2. Ethiopia [?i:θ?'??p??]n.埃塞俄比亚(非洲东部国家)3. Oxford ['?ksf?d]n.牛津(英国城市),牛津大学4.WildlifeConservation[?wa?ld?la?fknsvein] 野生生物资源保护 5. charity [?t??riti]n.慈善(行为);施舍,捐助;慈善机关;仁爱第6页共56页宽容6. traps [tr?ps]n.随身携带物,随身行李;圈套( trap的名词复数 );(对付人的)计谋;(练习射击用的)抛靶器;(捕捉动物的)夹子v.诱骗( trap的第三人称单数 );使受限制;困住;使(水与气体等)分离7. convincing [k?n?v?ns??]adj.令人相信的;有说服力的;令人心悦诚服的 v.使相信(convince的现在分词);使明白;使确信;说服8. clue [klu:]n. 线索;提示;(帮助警方破案的)线索;(纵横填字谜、游戏或问题的)提示词语; vt. <非正>为…提供最新情况(消息等) 9. Inadequate [?n??d?kw?t]adj. 不充足的;不适当的;不足胜任的;信心不足的10. hazard [?h?z?d] vt. 冒险;使遭受危险;n. 危险;冒险的事;机会;双骰子游戏 11. facility [f??siliti] n. 设备;容易;能力;灵巧Questions 5 to 7 are based on the new report you have just heard.5.What has made it difficult to survey lions in remote parts of Sudan and Ethiopia?5. A) The lack of clues about the species. B) Endless fighting in the region. C) Inadequate funding for research.D) The hazards from the desert. 【答案】B【解析】本题为细节题,由【5】 Continuous fighting in the region has made surveysdifficult.可知:在这一地区不断的战争使调查很困难,a选项是缺乏物种的线索,c选项是研究证据不充分,d选项来自沙漠的危险,本题难点在于对原文理解以及弄懂各个选项的意思。

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section A News ReportDirections: In this section, you will hear threenews reports。

At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions。

Both thenews repor t and the questions will be spoken only once。

After you hear a question, yo u mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C ) and D)。

Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a si ngle line through the centre。

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Land a space vehicle on the moon in 2019.B) Design a new generation of mobile phones.C) Set up a mobile phone network on the moon.D) Gather data from the moon with a tiny device.2. A) It is stable.B) It is durable.C) It is inexpensive.D) It is sophisticated.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It lasted more than six hours.B) No injuries were yet reported.C) Nobody was in the building when it broke out.D) It had burned for 45 minutes by the time firefighters arrived.4. A) Recruit and train more firefighters.B) Pull down the deserted shopping mall.C) Turn the shopping mall into an amusement park.D) Find money to renovate the local neighborhood.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Shrinking potato farming.B) Heavy reliance on import.C) Widespread plant disease.D) Insufficient potato supply.6. A) It intends to keep its traditional diet.B) It wants to expand its own farming.C) It is afraid of the spread of disease.D) It is worried about unfair competition.7. A) Global warming.B) Ever-rising prices.C) Government regulation.D) Diminishing investment.Section B ConversationDirections: In this section,you will hear two long conversation.At the end of ea ch conversations you will hear four questions. Both the conversations and the question-s will be spoken only once.After you hear a question.You must choose the be st answer from the four choices marked A,B, C, D.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line throu gh the center.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) Informative.B) Inspiring.C) Dull.D) Shallow.9. A) She types on a keyboard.B) She does recording.C) She takes photos.D) She takes notes.10. A) It keeps her mind active.B) It makes her stay awake.C) It enables her to think hard.D) It helps her kill time.11. A) It enables her to improve her pronunciation.B) It helps her better remember what she learns.C) It turns out to be an enjoyable way of learning.D) It proves to be far more effective than writing.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) To spend her honeymoon.B) To try authentic Indian food.C) To take photos of the Taj Mahal.D) To trace the origin of a love story.13. A) In memory of a princess.B) In honor of a great emperor.C) To mark the death of an emperor of the 1600s.D) To celebrate the birth of a princess's 14th child.14. A) It looks older than expected.B) It is built of wood and bricks.C) It stores lots of priceless antiques.D) It has walls decorated with jewels.15. A) Their streets are narrow.B) They are mostly crowded.C) Each one has a unique character.D) Life can be tedious in some places.Section C PassageDirections: In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each pa ssage,you will hear three or four questions。

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套(含听力原文及答案)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to teach English in China. Please recommend a city to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and then 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 1with a single line through the centre.Questions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.B) A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.C) Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.D) A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. A) It was shot to death by a police officer.B) It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C) It became a great attraction for tourists.D) It was sent to the animal control department. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It is the largest of its kind.B) It is going to be expanded.C) It is displaying more fossil specimens.D) It is staring an online exhibition.4. A) A collection of bird fossils from Australia.B) Photographs of certain rare fossil exhibits.C) Some ancient wall paintings from Australia.D) Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Pick up trash.B) Amuse visitors.C) Deliver messages.D) Play with children.6. A) They are especially intelligent.B) They are children’s favorite.C) They are quite easy to tame.D) They are clean and pretty.7. A) Children may be harmed by the rooks.B) Children may be tempted to drop litter.C) Children may contract bird diseases.D) Children may overfeed the rooks.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) It will be produced at Harvard University.B) It will be hosted by famous professors.C) It will cover different areas of science.D) It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.9. A) It will be more futuristic.B) It will be more systematic.C) It will be more entertaining.D) It will be easier to understand.10. A) People interested in science.B) Youngsters eager to explore.C) Children in their early teens.D) Students majoring in science.11. A) Offer professional advice.B) Provide financial support.C) Help promote it on the Internet.D) Make episodes for its first season.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Unsure.B) Helpless.C) Concerned.D) Dissatisfied.13. A) He is too concerned with being perfect.B) He loses heart when faced with setbacks.C) He is too ambitious in achieving goals.D) He takes on projects beyond his ability.14. A) Embarrassed.B) Unconcerned.C) Miserable.D) Resentful.15. A) Try to be optimistic whatever happens.B) Compare his present with his past only.C) Always learn from others’ achievements.D) Treat others the way he would be treated.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.B) They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.C) They are more likely to become engineers.D) They have greater potential to be leaders.17. A) Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B) Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.C) Insist that boys and girls work together more.D) Respond more positively to boys’ comments.18. A) Offer personalized teaching materials.B) Provide a variety of optional courses.C) Place great emphasis on test scores.D) Pay extra attention to top students.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It often rains cats and dogs.B) It seldom rains in summer time.C) It does not rain as much as people think.D) It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.20. A) They drive most of the time.B) The rain is usually very light.C) They have got used to the rain.D) The rain comes mostly at night.21. A) It has a lot of places for entertainment.B) It has never seen thunder and lighting.C) It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.D) It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It occurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.B) It results from exerting one’s muscles continuously.C) It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity.D) It comes from staining one’s muscles in an unusual way.23. A) Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area.B) Body movements in the affected area become difficult.C) They begin to make repairs immediately.D) They gradually become fragmented.24. A) About one week.B) About two days.C) About ten days.D) About four weeks.25. A) Apply muscle creams.B) Drink plenty of water.C) Have a hot shower.D) Take pain-killers..Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When travelling overseas, do you buy water in plastic bottles or take your chances with tap water? Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or 26 the ruins of Angkor. It’s hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. It’s the safe, sane thing to do, right? The bottle is 27 , and the label says “pure water”, but maybe what’s inside is not so 28 . Would you still be drinking it if you knew that more than 90 percent of all bottled water sold around the world 29 microplastics?That’s the conclusion of a recently 30 study, which analyzed 259 bottles from 11 brands sold in nine countries, 31 an average of 325 plastic particles per liter of water. These microplastics included a 32 commonly known as PET and are widely used in the manufacture of clothing and food and 33 containers. The study was conducted at the State University of New York on behalf of Orb Media, a journalism organization. About a million bottles are bought every minute, not only by thirsty tourists but also by many of the 2.1 billion worldwide who live with unsafe drinking water.Confronted with this 34 , several bottled-water manufacturers including Nestle and Coco-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology. These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than the Orb study suggested. Regardless, the World Health Organization has now launched a review into the 35 health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Quiet Heroism of Mail Delivery[A] On Wednesday, a polar wind brought bitter cold to the Midwest. Overnight, Chicago reached a low of 21degrees Fahrenheit below zero, making it slightly colder than Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zero in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and 45 degrees below zero in Buffalo, North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businesses closed, and more than 1,000 flights have been canceled.[B] Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail delivery temporarily. “Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPS employees,” USPS announced Wednesday morning, “the Postal Service is suspending delivery Jan. 30 in the following 3-digit ZIP Code locations.” Twelve regions were listed as unsafe on Wednesday; on Thursday, eight remained.[C] As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extreme weather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and other natural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague Vann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters can wreck a community’s infrastructure, disrupting systems for months or years. Some services, however, remind us that life will eventually return, in some form, to normal.[D] Days after the deadly 2017 wildfires in Santa Rosa, California, a drone caught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith, driving through burned homes in that familiar white van, collecting mail in an affected area. The video is striking: The operation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to Rae Ann Haight, the program manager for the national-preparedness office at USPS, Smith was fulfilling a request made by some of the home owners to pick up any mail that was left untouched. For Smith, this was just another day on the job. “I followed my route like I normally do,” Smith told a reporter. “As I’d come across a box that was up but with no house, I checked, and there was mail—outgoing mail—in it. And so we picked those up and carried on.”[E] USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across the country, 285 emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control. These teams are trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps: people, property, product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agency’s top priority is ensuring that employees are safe. Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure, such as the roads that mail carriers drive on. Finally, it decides when and how to re-open operations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sent elsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming New Orleans mail to existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed in New Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected from water damage.[F] As soon as it’s safe enough to be outside, couriers start distributing accumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standing addresses to file change-of-address forms with their new location. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of other locations across the country in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.[G] Every day, USPS processes, on average, 493.4 million pieces of mail—anything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeople from both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can be extremely sensitive and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56 percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still rely on delivery services to be completed. [H] It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such as Social Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitive material. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make sure that Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion. After Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local election boards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.[I] Mail companies are logistics companies, which puts them in a special position to help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized its massive infrastructure as a “unique federal asset” to be called upon in a disaster or terrorist attack. “I think we’re unique as a federal agency,” USPS official Mike Swigart told me, “because we’re in literally every community in this country … We’re obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.”[J] Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use their expertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than a decade, FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergency supplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012, the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groups in California, and donated space for 3.1 million pounds of charitable shipping globally. Last October, the company pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS’s charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving, prosperous,” he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “that’s the first sign to them that life is starting to return to normal.”36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’ safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ still responsible for the completion of almost half of payments.40. The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becoming normal again.41. After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery, temporary mail service points were set up.42. Postal service in some regions in the U.S. was suspended due to extreme cold weather.43. Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributing urgent supplies.44. A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite of extreme conditions.45. Postal services work hard to identify items that require priority treatment.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in the online class, Knowledge Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Tech’s online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Professor Goel already had 8 teaching assistants, but that wasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of questions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasn’t too great. But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill the questions and answers. After some adjustment and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’ questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual assistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t know she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with artificial intelligence and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn’t inform them about Jill’s true identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all questions posed by students on the online forum. The name, Jill Watson, will of course, change to something else next semester. Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of AI than say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.46. What do we learn about Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence?A) It is a robot that can answer students’ questions.B) It is a course designed for students to learn online.C) It is a high-tech device that revolutionizes teaching.D) It is a computer program that aids student learning.47. What problem did Professor Goel meet with?A) His students were unsatisfied with the assistants.B) His course was too difficult for the students.C) Students’ questions were too many to handle.D) Too many students dropped out of his course.48. What do we learn about Jill Watson?A) She turned out to be a great success.B) She got along pretty well with students.C) She was unwelcome to students at first.D) She was released online as an experiment.49. How did the students feel about Jill Watson?A) They thought she was a bit too artificial.B) They found her not as capable as expected.C) They could not but admire her knowledge.D) They could not tell her from a real person.50. What does Professor Goel plan to do next with Jill Watson?A) Launch different versions of her online.B) Feed her with new questions and answers.C) Assign her to answer more of students’ questions.D) Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Thinking small, being engaging, and having a sense of humor don’t hurt. Those are a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from a recent study that examined nearly 400 campaigns. But having a large network and some promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding, raising money for a project through online appeals, has taken off in recent years for everything from making movies to building water-saving gadgets. Scientists have tried to tap Internet donors,too, with mixed success. Some raised more than twice their goal, but others have fallen short of reaching more modest targets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures, a team led by science communications scholar Mike Schäfer of the University of Zurich in Switzerland examined the content of the WebPages for 371 recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals, the researchers report in Public Understanding of Science. For one, they use a crowdfunding platform that specializes in raising money for science, and not just any kind of project. Although sites like Kickstarter take all comers, platforms such as , , and only present scientific projects. For another, they present the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humor improved success. Most of them engage with potential donors since projects that answered questions from interested donors and posted lab notes fared better. And they target a small amount of money. The projects included in the study raised $4000 on average, with 30% of projects receiving less than $1000. The more money a project sought, the lower the chance it reached its goal, the researchers found.Other factors may also significantly influence a project’s success, most notably, the size of a scientist’s personal and professional networks, and how much a researcher promotes a project on his or her own. Those two factors are by far more critical than the content on the page. Crowdfunding can be part of researchers’ efforts to reach the public, and people give because “they feel a connection to the person” who is doing the fundraising—not necessarily to the science.51. What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for their projects?A) They did not raise much due to modest targets.B) They made use of mixed fundraising strategies.C) Not all of them achieved their anticipated goals.D) Most of them put movies online for the purpose.52. What is the purpose of Mike Schäfer’s research of recent crowdfunding campaigns?A) To create attractive content for science websites.B) To identify reasons for their different outcomes.C) To help scientists to launch innovative projects.D) To separate science projects from general ones.53. What trait contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaign?A) The potential benefit to future generations. B) Its interaction with prospective donors.C) Its originality in addressing financial issues.D) The value of the proposed project.54. What did the researchers think of the financial targets of crowdfunding projects?A) They should be small to be successful.B) They should be based on actual needs.C) They should be assessed with great care. D) They should be ambitious to gain notice.55. What motivates people to donate in a crowdfunding campaign?A) The ease of access to the content of the webpage.B) Their desire to contribute to the cause of science.C) The significance and influence of the project itself.D) Their feeling of connection to the scientists themselves.Part Ⅱ Translation (30 minutes) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. Youshould write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国家庭十分重视孩子的教育。

2020年12月英语四级听力原文和答案(第一套)

2020年12月英语四级听力原文和答案(第一套)

2020年12月英语四级听力原文和答案(第一套)2020年12月英语四级听力原文(第一套)News report 1( 1 ) A poisonous fish which has a sting strong enough to kill a human is invading the Mediterranean, warn the scientist.The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has raised concerns after the poisonous fish was spotted in the waters around Turkey, Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean.Native to the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, the potentially deadly fish has poisonous barbs and an painful sting capable of killing people.Although fatalities are rare, the stings can cause extreme pain, and stop people breathing.The fish, also known as the Devil Firefish, is a highly invasive a species, ( 2 ) and environmentalists fear its arrival could endanger other types of marine life.After being spotted in the Med, a marine scientist says: "The fish is spreading, and that's a cause for concern.”Q1: What is reported in the news?A ) A deadly fish has been spotted in the Mediterranean waters.B ) Invasive species are driving away certain native species.C ) The Mediterranean is a natural habitat of Devil Firefish.D ) Many people have been attacked by Devil Firefish.Q2: What is the environmentalist concern about the spread of devil fire fish in the Mediterranean?A ) It could add to greenhouse emissions.B ) It could disrupt the food chains there.C ) It could pose a threat to other marine species.D ) It could badly pollute the surrounding waters.News Report 2(3-1)Almost half the center of Paris will be accessible only by foot or bicycle this Sunday to mark World-Car-Free Day. ( 4 ) This is in response to rising air pollution that made Paris the most polluted city in the world for a brief time. Mayor Ann Ethogo promoted the first World-Car-Free Day last year. Ethogo also has supported a Pairs-briefs-Day on the first Sunday of every month. Paris clears traffic from eight lanes of the main road. (3-2)About 400 miles of streets will be closed to cars. It is expected to bring significant reduction in pollution levels. Last year's Car-FreeDay showed a 40% drop in pollution levels in some parts of the city. According to an independent air pollution monitor, reports the guardian and sound levels dropped by 50% in the city center.Q3: What will happen on World-Car-Free-Day in Paris?A ) Cars will not be allowed to enter the city.B ) About half of its city center will be closed to cars.C ) Buses will be the only vehicles allowed on its streets.D ) Pedestrians will have free access to the city.Q4: What motivated the mayor of Paris to promote the first World-Car-Free Day in her city?A ) The rising air pollution in Paris.B ) The worsening global warming.C ) The ever-growing cost of petrol.D ) The unbearable traffic noise.News Report 3( 5 ) A Philippine fisherman was feeling down on his luck when a house fire forced him to clear out his possessions and change locations. Then, a good luck charm that he kept under his bed changed his life. The unidentified man fished out a giant pearl from the ocean when his anchor got stuck on the rock while sailing off a coastal island in the Philippines 10 years ago. ( 6 ) When he was forced to sell it, ( 7 ) the shocked tourist agent at Puerto Francesca told him that the 77-pound giant pearl that he had kept hidden in his run-down wooden house was the biggest pile in the world, which was valued at 76 million pounds. The pearl of Allah, which is currently on display in a New York Museum, only weighs 14 pounds. That is 5 times smaller than the pearl that the fisherman just handed in. The monstrous pearl, measured at 1 foot wide and 2.2 feet long, is going to be verified by local experts and international authorities before hopefully going on display to attract more tourists in the little town.Question 5. What happened to the Philippine fisherman one day?A ) Many of his possessions were stolen.B ) His house was burnt down in a fire.C ) His fishing boat got wrecked on a rock.D ) His good luck charm sank into the sea.Question 6. What was the fisherman forced to do?A ) Change his fishing locations.B ) Find a job in a travel agency.C ) Spend a few nights on a small island.D ) Sell the pearl he had kept for years.Question 7. What did the fisherman learn from the tourist agent?A ) A New York museum...B ) The largest pearl in the world...C ) His monstrous pearl was extremely valuable.D ) His pearl could be displayed in a museum.Conversation 1W: Mr. Smith, it's a pleasure meeting you.M: Nice to meet you,too. What can I do for you?W: Well, I'm here to show you what our firm can do for you. ( 8 )Astra Consultant has branches in over 50 countries, offering different business services. We are a global company with 75 years of history and our clients include some of the world's largest companies.M: Thank you, Mrs. Houston. I know Astro Consultant is a famous company, but you said you would show me what you could do for me. Well, what exactly can your firm do for my company?W: We advise businesses on all matters—from market analysis to legal issues. Anything of business like yours could need, our firm offers expert advice. Could I ask you, Mr. Smith, to tell me a little about your company and the challenges you face? That way, I could better respond as to how we can help you.M: OK, sure. ( 9 ) This is a family business started by my grandfather in 1950. We employed just over 100 people. We manufacture an export stone for buildings and other constructions. Our clients usually want a special kind of stone cut in a special design. That's what we do in our factory. ( 10 ) Our main challenge is that our national currency is rising and we're losing competitive advantage to stone producers in India.W: I see. that's very interesting. ( 11 ) I would suggest that you let us first conduct a financialanalysis of your company, together with an analysis of your competitors in India. That way we could offer the best advice on different ways forward for you.Q8. What do we learn about the woman's company?A ) It boast a fairly long history.B ) It produces construction materials.C ) It has 75 offices around the world.D ) It has over 50 business partners.Q9. What does the man say about his own company?A ) It has about 50 employees.B ) It was started by his father.C ) It has a family business.D ) It is over 100 years old.Q10. What is the main problem with the man's company?A ) Shortage of raw material supply.B ) Legal disputes in many countries.C ) Outdated product design.D ) Loss of competitive edge.Q11. What does the woman suggest doing to help the man’s company?A ) Conducting a financial analysis for it.B ) Providing training for its staff members.C ) Seeking new ways to increase its exports.D ) Introducing innovative marketing strategies.Conversation 2W: Wow, Congratulations, Simon. (12-1)The place looks absolutely amazing.M: Really? You think so?W: Of course,(12-2)I love it! It looks like you had a professional interior designer. But you didn't, did you?M: No. I did it all by myself—with a little help from my brother Greg. He's actually in the construction business, which was really helpful.W: (12-3)I honestly am impressed. I knew I could probably repaint the walls in my house over a weekend or something, but not a full renovation. Where did you get your ideas? I wouldn't know where to start.M: ( 13 ) Well, for a while now, I've been regularly buying home design magazines every now and then, and say the picture I liked. Believe it or not, I had a full notebook of magazine pages. Since my overall style was quite minimal, I thought and hoped the whole renovation wouldn't be too difficult. And sure enough, with Greg's help,it was very achievable.W: Was it very expensive? I imagine a project like this could be.M: ( 14 ) Actually, it was surprisingly affordable. I managed to sell a lot of my old furniture, and put that extra money towards the new material. Greg was also able to get some discount of materials from a recent project he was working on as well.W: Great. If you don't mind, I'd like to pick your brain a bit more. Jonathan and I are thinking of renovating our sitting room, not the whole house—not yet anyway. ( 15 ) And we'd love to get some inspiration from your experience. Are you free to come over for a coffee early next week?Question 12. What do we learn about the woman from the conversation?A ) She is a real expert at house decorations.B ) She is well informed about the design business.C ) She is attracted by the color of the sitting room.D ) She is really impressed by the man’s house.Question 13. Where did the man get his ideas for the project?A ) From his younger brother Greg.B ) From home design magazines.C ) From a construction businessman.D ) From a professional interior designer.Question 14. What did the man say about the project he recently completed?A ) The effort was worthwhile.B ) The style was fashionable.C ) The cost was affordable.D ) The effect was unexpected.Question 15. Why does the woman invite the man to her house next week?A ) She’d like him to talk with Jonathan about a new project.B ) She wants him to share his renovation experience with her.C ) She wants to discuss the house decoration budget with him.D ) She’d like to show him around her newly-renovated house.Passage 1( 16 ) Removing foreign objects from ears and noses costs England almost£3 million a year, a study suggests. Children were responsible for the vast majority of cases. 95% of objects removed from noses, and 85% from ears. Every year, an average of 1,218 nose,and 2,479 ear removals took place between 2010 and 2016. ( 17 ) According to England's hospital episodes statistics, children aged 1 to 4 were the most likely to need help from doctors for a foreign object in their nose. 5 to 9 -year-olds come to the hospital with something in their ears the most.Jewelry items accounted for up to 40% of cases in both the ears and noses of children. Paper and plastic toys for the items removed next most from noses. Cotton buds, and pencils were also found in years.( 18 ) According to the study, the occurrence of foreign objects in children is generally attributed to curiosity. Children have an impulse to explore their noses and ears. This results in the accidental entry of foreign objects. Any ear, nose and throat surgeon has many weird stories about wonderful objects found in the noses and ears of children and adults. Batteries can pose a particular danger. In all cases, prevention is better than cure. This is why many toys contain warnings about small parts. Recognizing problems early and seeking medical attention is important.Question16 What does England spend an annual£3 million on?A ) Providing routine care for small childrenB ) Paying hospital bills for emergency cases.C ) Doing research on ear, nose and throat diseases.D ) Removing objects from patients’ noses and ears.Question17 What do we learn from England's hospital episodes statistics?A ) Many children like to smell things they find or play with.B ) Many children like to put foreign objects in their mouth.C ) Five-to nine-year-olds are the most likely to put things in their ears.D ) Children aged one to four are often more curious than older children.Question18 What is generally believed to account for children putting things in their ears or noses?A ) They tend to act out of impulse.B ) They want to attract attentions.C ) They are unaware of the potential risks.D ) They are curious about these body parts.Passage 2( 21 ) Good morning. Today, I would like to talk to you about my charity Re-bicycle.But before that, let me introduce someone. This is Layla Rahimi. She was so scared when she first moved to new Zealand. Does she struggled to leave the house? I would spend days working up the courage to walk to the supermarket for basic supplies. ( 19 ) After a few months of being quite down and unhappy, she was invited to join a local bike club. At this time, Re-bicycle got involved and gave Layla a second-hand bicycle. Within weeks, her depression had begun to ease as she cycled. The bicycle totally changed her life, giving her hope and a true feeling of freedom. ( 20 ) To date, Re-bicycle has donated more than 200 bikes to those in need and is now expanding bike-riding lessons as a demand source. With a bike, new comers here can travel farther but for almost no cost. The 3 hours a day they used to spend walking to and from English language lessons has been reduced to just 1hour.( 21 ) Our bike riding lessons are so successful that we are urgently looking for more volunteers, learning to ride a bike is almost always more difficult for an adult. And this can take days and weeks rather than hours. So if any of you have some free time during the weekend, please come join us at Re-bicycle and make a difference in someone’s life.Question 19. What did Re-bicycle do to help Layla Rahimi?A ) It paid for her English lessons.B ) It gave her a used bicycle.C ) It delivered her daily necessities.D ) It provided her with physical therapy.Question 20. What is Re-bicycle doing to help those in need?A ) Expanding bike-riding lessons.B ) Asking local people for donations.C ) Providing free public transport.D ) Offering walking tours to visitors.Question 21. What do we learn from the passage about Re-bicycle?A ) It is a language school.B ) It is a charity organization.C ) It is a counseling center.D ) It is a sports club.Passage 3Thanks to the international space station, ( 22 ) we know quite a bit about the effects of low gravity on the human body, but NASA scientists want to learn more.To that end, they have been studying how other species deal with low gravity, specifically focusing on mice. The results are both interesting and humorous. The scientists first sent some mice and especially designed cage to the international space station.The cage allowed them to study the behavior of the mice remotely from earth, via video.As you’ll notice in the video, ( 23 ) the mice definitely seem uncomfortable at the beginning of the experiment.They move around clumsily, drifting within the small confines of the cage and do their best to figure out which way is up, but without success. However, it’s not long before the mice begin to catch on.They adapt remarkably well to their new environment, and even use the lack of gravity to their advantage as they push themselves around the cage. That’s when things really get wild. ( 24 ) The 11th day of the experiment shows the mice are not just dealing with the gravity change, but actually seem to be enjoying it. Several of the mice are observed running around the cage walls. The scientists wanted to see whether the mice would continue doing the same kinds of activities they were observed doing on earth.( 25 ) The study showed that the mice kept much of the routines intact, including cleaning themselves and eating when hungry.Question 22 : What do NASA scientists want to learn about?A ) How mice imitate human behavior in space.B ) How low gravity affects the human body.C ) How mice interact in a new environment.D ) How animals deal with lack of gravity.Question 23: What does the passage say about the mice at the beginning of the experiment?A ) They were not used to the low-gravity environment.B ) They found it difficult to figure out where they were.C )They found the space in the cage too small to stay in.D ) They were not sensitive to the changed environment.Question 24: What was observed about the mice on the 11th day of the experiment?A ) They tried everything possible to escape from the cage.B ) They continued to behave as they did in the beginning.C ) They already felt at home in the new environment.D ) They had found a lot more activities to engage in.Question 25: What did the scientists find about the mice from the experiment?A ) They repeated their activities every day.B ) They behaved as if they were on Earth.C ) They begin to eat less after some time.D ) They changed their routines in space.答案1-7 ACBABDC8-15 ACDADBCB16-25 DCDBABDDCB。

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套(含听力原文及答案)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to teach English in China. Please recommend a city to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and then 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 1with a single line through the centre.Questions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.B) A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.C) Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.D) A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. A) It was shot to death by a police officer. B) It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C) It became a great attraction for tourists. D) It was sent to the animal control department.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It is the largest of its kind. B) It is going to be expanded.C) It is displaying more fossil specimens. D) It is staring an online exhibition.4. A) A collection of bird fossils from Australia. B) Photographs of certain rarefossil exhibits.C) Some ancient wall paintings from Australia. D) Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Pick up trash. B) Amuse visitors.C) Deliver messages. D) Play with children.6. A) They are especially intelligent. B) They are children’s favorite.C) They are quite easy to tame. D) They are clean and pretty.7. A) Children may be harmed by the rooks. B) Children may be tempted to drop litter.C) Children may contract bird diseases. D) Children may overfeed the rooks.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) It will be produced at Harvard University. B) It will be hosted by famous professors.C) It will cover different areas of science. D) It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.9. A) It will be more futuristic. B) It will be more systematic.C) It will be more entertaining. D) It will be easier to understand.10. A) People interested in science. B) Youngsters eager to explore.C) Children in their early teens. D) Students majoring in science.11. A) Offer professional advice. B) Provide financial support.C) Help promote it on the Internet. D) Make episodes for its first season.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Unsure. B) Helpless. C) Concerned. D) Dissatisfied.13. A) He is too concerned with being perfect. B) He loses heart when faced with setbacks.C) He is too ambitious in achieving goals. D) He takes on projects beyond his ability.14. A) Embarrassed. B) Unconcerned. C) Miserable. D) Resentful.15. A) Try to be optimistic whatever happens. B) Compare his present with his past only.C) Always learn from others’ achievements.D) Treat others the way he would be treated.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.B) They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.C) They are more likely to become engineers.D) They have greater potential to be leaders.17. A) Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B) Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.C) Insist that boys and girls work together more.D) Respond more positively to boys’ comments.18. A) Offer personalized teaching materials. B) Provide a variety of optionalcourses.C) Place great emphasis on test scores. D) Pay extra attention to top students.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It often rains cats and dogs. B) It seldom rains in summer time.C) It does not rain as much as people think. D) It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.20. A) They drive most of the time. B) The rain is usually very light.C) They have got used to the rain. D) The rain comes mostly at night.21. A) It has a lot of places for entertainment.B) It has never seen thunder and lighting.C) It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.D) It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It occurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.B) It results from exerting one’s muscles continuously.C) It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity.D) It comes from staining one’s muscles in an unusual way.23. A) Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area.B) Body movements in the affected area become difficult.C) They begin to make repairs immediately.D) They gradually become fragmented.24. A) About one week. B) About two days.C) About ten days. D) About four weeks.25. A) Apply muscle creams. B) Drink plenty of water.C) Have a hot shower. D) Take pain-killers..Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When travelling overseas, do you buy water in plastic bottles or take your chances with tap water Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or 26 the ruins of Angkor. It’s hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. It’s the safe, sane thing to do, right The bottle is 27 , and the label says “pure water”, but maybe what’s inside is not so 28 . Would you still be drinking it if you knew that more than 90 percent of all bottled water sold around the world 29 microplasticsThat’s the conclusion of a recently 30 study, which analyzed 259 bottles from 11 brands sold in nine countries, 31 an average of 325 plastic particles per liter of water. These microplastics included a 32 commonly known as PET and are widely used in the manufacture of clothing and food and 33 containers. The study was conducted at the State University of New York on behalf of Orb Media, a journalism organization. About a million bottles are bought every minute, not only by thirsty tourists but also by many of the billion worldwide who live with unsafe drinking water.Confronted with this 34 , several bottled-water manufacturers including Nestle and Coco-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology. These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than the Orb study suggested. Regardless, the World Health Organization has now launched a review into the 35 health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Quiet Heroism of Mail Delivery[A] On Wednesday, a polar wind brought bitter cold to the Midwest. Overnight, Chicago reached a low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, making it slightly colder than Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zero in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and 45 degrees below zero in Buffalo, North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businesses closed, and more than 1,000 flights have been canceled.[B] Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail delivery tempora rily. “Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPS employees,” USPS announced Wednesday morning, “the Postal Service is suspending delivery Jan. 30 in the following 3-digit ZIP Code locations.” Twelve regions were listed as unsafe on We dnesday; on Thursday, eight remained.[C] As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extreme weather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and other natural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague Vann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters can wreck a community’s infrastructure, disrupting systems for months or years. Some services, however, remind us that life will eventually return, in some form, to normal.[D] Days after the deadly 2017 wildfires in Santa Rosa, California, a drone caught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith, driving through burned homes in that familiar white van, collecting mail in an affected area. The video is striking: The operation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to Rae Ann Haight, the program manager for the national-preparedness office at USPS, Smith was fulfilling a request made by some ofthe home owners to pick up any mail that was left untouched. For Smith, this was just another day on the job. “I followed my route like I normally do,” Smith told a reporter. “As I’d come across a box that was up but with no house, I checked, and there was mail—outgoing mail—in it. And so we picked those up and carried on.”[E] USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across the country, 285 emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control. These teams are trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps: people, property, product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agency’s top priority is ensuring that employees are safe. Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure, such as the roads that mail carriers drive on. Finally, it decides when and how to re-open operations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sent elsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming New Orleans mail to existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed in New Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected from water damage.[F] As soon as it’s safe enough to be outside, couriers star t distributing accumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standing addresses to file change-of-address forms with their new location. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of other locations across the country in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.[G] Every day, USPS processes, on average, million pieces of mail—anything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeople from both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can be extremely sensitive and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56 percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still rely on delivery services to be completed.[H] It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such as Social Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitive material. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make sure that Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion. After Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local election boards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.[I] Mail companies are logistics companies, which puts them in a special position to help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized its massive infrastructure as a “unique federal asset” to be called upon in a disaster or terrorist attack. “I think we’re unique as a federal agency,” USPS official Mike Swigart told me, “because we’re in literally every community in this country … We’re obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.”[J] Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use their expertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than a decade, FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergency supplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012, the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groups in California, and donated space for million pounds of charitable shipping globally. Last October, the company pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS’s charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving, prosperous,” he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “that’s the first sign to them that life i s starting to return to normal.”36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’ safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ still responsible for the completion of almost half of payments.40. The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becoming normal again.41. After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery, temporary mail service points were set up.42. Postal service in some regions in the . was suspended due to extreme cold weather.43. Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributing urgent supplies.44. A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite of extreme conditions.45. Postal services work hard to identify items that require priority treatment.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in the online class, Knowledge Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Tech’s online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Professor Goel already had 8 teaching assistants, but that wasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of questions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasn’t too great. But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill the questions and answers. After some adjustment and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’ questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual assistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t kno w she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with artificial intelligence and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn’t inform them about Jill’s true identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all questions posed by students on the online forum. The name, Jill Watson, will of course, change to something else next semester. Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of AI than say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.46. What do we learn about Knowledge-Based Artificial IntelligenceA) It is a robot that can answer students’ questions.B) It is a course designed for students to learn online.C) It is a high-tech device that revolutionizes teaching.D) It is a computer program that aids student learning.47. What problem did Professor Goel meet withA) His students were unsatisfied with the assistants.B) His course was too difficult for the students.C) Students’ questions were too many to handle.D) Too many students dropped out of his course.48. What do we learn about Jill WatsonA) She turned out to be a great success. B) She got along pretty well with students.C) She was unwelcome to students at first. D) She was released online as an experiment.49. How did the students feel about Jill WatsonA) They thought she was a bit too artificial. B) They found her not as capable as expected.C) They could not but admire her knowledge. D) They could not tell her from a real person.50. What does Professor Goel plan to do next with Jill WatsonA) Launch different versions of her online.B) Feed her with new questions and answers.C) Assign her to answer more of students’ questions.D) Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Thinking small, being engaging, and having a sense of humor don’t hurt. Those are a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from a recent study thatexamined nearly 400 campaigns. But having a large network and some promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding, raising money for a project through online appeals, has taken off in recent years for everything from making movies to building water-saving gadgets. Scientists have tried to tap Internet donors, too, with mixed success. Some raised more than twice their goal, but others have fallen short of reaching more modest targets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures, a team led by science communications scholar Mike Schäfer of the U niversity of Zurich in Switzerland examined the content of the WebPages for 371 recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals, the researchers report in Public Understanding of Science. For one, they use a crowdfunding platform that specializes in raising money for science, and not just any kind of project. Although sites like Kickstarter take all comers, platforms such as , , and only present scientific projects. For another, they present the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humor improved success. Most of them engage with potential donors since projects that answered questions from interested donors and posted lab notes fared better. And they target a small amount of money. The projects included in the study raised $4000 on average, with 30% of projects receiving less than $1000. The more money a project sought, the lower the chance it reached its goal, the researchers found.Other factors may also significantly influence a project’s success,most notably, the size of a scientist’s personal and professional networks, and how much a researcher promotes a project on his or her own. Those two factors are by far more critical than the content on the page. Crowdfunding can be part of researchers’ effor ts to reach the public, and people give because “they feel a connection to the person” who is doing the fundraising—not necessarily to the science.51. What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for their projectsA) They did not raise much due to modest targets.B) They made use of mixed fundraising strategies.C) Not all of them achieved their anticipated goals.D) Most of them put movies online for the purpose.52. What is the purpose of Mike Schäfer’s research of recent crowdfunding campaignsA) To create attractive content for science websites.B) To identify reasons for their different outcomes.C) To help scientists to launch innovative projects.D) To separate science projects from general ones.53. What trait contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaignA) The potential benefit to future generations. B) Its interaction with prospective donors.C) Its originality in addressing financial issues. D) The value of the proposed project.54. What did the researchers think of the financial targets of crowdfunding projectsA) They should be small to be successful. B) They should be based on actual needs.C) They should be assessed with great care. D) They should be ambitious to gain notice.55. What motivates people to donate in a crowdfunding campaignA) The ease of access to the content of the webpage.B) Their desire to contribute to the cause of science.C) The significance and influence of the project itself.D) Their feeling of connection to the scientists themselves.Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国家庭十分重视孩子的教育。

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文) Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, yo u will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once . After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A. It was dangerous to live in.B. It was going to be renovated.C. He could no longer pay the rent.D. He had sold it to the royal family.2. A. A strike.B. A storm.C. A forest fire.D. A terrorist attack.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A. They lost contact with the emergency depa rtment.B. They were trapped in an underground elevator.C. They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D. They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A. They tried hard to repair the elevator.B. They released the details of the accident.C. They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D. They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A. Raise postage rates.B. Improve its services.C. Redesign delivery routes.D. Close some of its post offices.6. A. Shortening business hours.B. Closing offices on holidays.C. Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D. Computerizing mall sorting processes.7. A. Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B. Many people will begin to complain.C. Taxpayers will be very pleased.D. A lot of controversy will arise.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversatio n and the questions will be spoken only once. Afte r you hear a question, you must choose the best a nswer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A. He will be kept from promotion.B. He will go through retraining.C. He will be given a warning.D. He will lose part of his pay.9. A. He is always on time.B. He is a trustworthy guy.C. He is an experienced press operator.D. He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A. She is a trade union representative.B. She is in charge of public relations.C. She is a senior manager of the shop.D. She is better at handling such matters.11. A. He is skilled and experienced.B. He is very close to the manager.C. He is always trying to stir up trouble.D. He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversatio n you have just heard.12. A. Open.B. Friendly.C. Selfish.D. Reserved.13. A. They stay quiet.B. They read a book.C. They talk about the weather.D. They chat with fellow passengers.14. A. She was always treated as a foreigner.B. She was eager to visit an English castle.C. She was never invited to a colleague's home.D. She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A. Houses are much more quiet.B. Houses provide more privacy.C. They want to have more space.D. They want a garden of their own.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will h ear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer f rom the four choices marked A, B, C and D. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 wit h a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage yo u have just heard.16. A. They don't have much choice of jobs.B. They are likely to get much higher pay.C. They don't have to go through job interviews.D. They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A. Ask their professors for help.B. Look at school bulletin boards.C. Visit the school careers service.D. Go through campus newspapers.18. A. Helping students find the books and journals they need.B. Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmos phere.C. Helping students arrange appointments with librari ans.D. Providing students with information about the lib rary.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage yo u have just heard.19. A. It tastes better.B. It is easier to grow.C. It may be sold at a higher price.D. It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A. It is healthier than green tea.B. It can grow in drier soil.C. It will replace green tea one day.D. It is immune to various diseases.21. A. It has been well received by many tea drin kers.B. It does not bring the promised health benefits.C. It has made tea farmers' life easier.D. It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage yo u have just heard.22. A. They need decorations to show their stat us.B. They prefer unique objects of high quality.C. They decorate their homes themselves.D. They care more about environment.23. A. They were proud of their creations.B. They could only try to create at night.C. They made great contributions to society.D. They focused on the quality of their products.24. A. Make wise choices.B. Identify fake crafts.C. Design handicrafts themselves.D. Learn the importance of creation.25. A. To boost the local economy.B. To attract foreign investments.C. To arouse public interest in crafts.D. To preserve the traditional culture.。

实用文档之12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

实用文档之12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

实用文档之"2019年12月英语四级真题第一套(含听力原文及答案)"Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to teach English in China. Please recommend a city to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and then 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 1with a single line through the centre.Questions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.B) A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.C) Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.D) A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. A) It was shot to death by a police officer. B) It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C) It became a great attraction for tourists. D) It was sent to the animal control department.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It is the largest of its kind. B) It is going to be expanded.C) It is displaying more fossil specimens. D) It is staring an online exhibition.4. A) A collection of bird fossils from Australia. B) Photographs of certain rare fossil exhibits.C) Some ancient wall paintings from Australia. D) Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Pick up trash. B) Amuse visitors.C) Deliver messages. D) Play with children.6. A) They are especially intelligent. B) They are children’s favorite.C) They are quite easy to tame. D) They are clean and pretty.7. A) Children may be harmed by the rooks. B) Children may be tempted to drop litter.C) Children may contract bird diseases. D) Children may overfeed the rooks.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) It will be produced at Harvard University. B) It will be hosted by famous professors.C) It will cover different areas of science. D) It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.9. A) It will be more futuristic. B) It will be more systematic.C) It will be more entertaining. D) It will be easier to understand.10. A) People interested in science. B) Youngsters eager to explore.C) Children in their early teens. D) Students majoring in science.11. A) Offer professional advice. B) Provide financial support.C) Help promote it on the Internet. D) Make episodes for its first season.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Unsure. B) Helpless. C) Concerned. D) Dissatisfied.13. A) He is too concerned with being perfect. B) He loses heart when faced with setbacks.C) He is too ambitious in achieving goals. D) He takes on projects beyond his ability.14. A) Embarrassed. B) Unconcerned. C) Miserable. D) Resentful.15. A) Try to be optimistic whatever happens. B) Compare his present with his past only.C) Always learn from others’ achievements.D) Treat others the way he would be treated.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.B) They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.C) They are more likely to become engineers.D) They have greater potential to be leaders.17. A) Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B) Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.C) Insist that boys and girls work together more.D) Respond more positively to boys’ comments.18. A) Offer personalized teaching materials. B) Provide a variety of optional courses.C) Place great emphasis on test scores. D) Pay extra attention to top students.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It often rains cats and dogs. B) It seldom rains in summer time.C) It does not rain as much as people think. D) It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.20. A) They drive most of the time. B) The rain is usually very light.C) They have got used to the rain. D) The rain comes mostly at night.21. A) It has a lot of places for entertainment.B) It has never seen thunder and lighting.C) It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.D) It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It occurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.B) It results from exerting one’s muscles continuously.C) It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity.D) It comes from staining one’s muscles in an unusual way.23. A) Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area.B) Body movements in the affected area become difficult.C) They begin to make repairs immediately.D) They gradually become fragmented.24. A) About one week. B) About two days.C) About ten days. D) About four weeks.25. A) Apply muscle creams. B) Drink plenty of water.C) Have a hot shower. D) Take pain-killers..Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40minutes)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 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When travelling overseas, do you buy water in plastic bottles or take your chances with tap water? Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or 26 the ruins of Angkor. It’s hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. It’s the safe, sane thing to do, right? The bottle is 27 , and the label says “pure water”, but maybe what’s inside is not so28 . Would you still be drinking it if you knew that more than 90 percent of all bottled water sold around the world 29 microplastics?That’s the conclusion of a recently 30 study, which analyzed 259 bottles from 11 brands sold in nine countries, 31 an average of 325 plastic particles per liter of water. These microplastics included a 32 commonly known as PET and are widely used in the manufacture of clothing and food and 33 containers. The study was conducted at theState University of New York on behalf of Orb Media, a journalism organization. About a million bottles are bought every minute, not only by thirsty tourists but also by many of the 2.1 billion worldwide who live with unsafe drinking water.Confronted with this 34 , several bottled-water manufacturers including Nestle and Coco-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology. These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than the Orb study suggested. Regardless, the World Health Organization has now launched a review into the 35 health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Quiet Heroism of Mail Delivery[A] On Wednesday, a polar wind brought bitter cold to the Midwest. Overnight, Chicago reached a low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, making it slightly colder than Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zero in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and 45 degrees below zero in Buffalo, North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businesses closed, and more than 1,000 flights have been canceled.[B] Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail delivery temporarily. “Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPS employees,” USPS announcedWednesday morning, “the Postal Service is suspending deli very Jan. 30 in the following 3-digit ZIP Code locations.” Twelve regions were listed as unsafe on Wednesday; on Thursday, eight remained.[C] As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extreme weather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and other natural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague Vann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters can wreck a community’s infrastructure, disrupting systems for months or years. Some services, however, remind us that life will eventually return, in some form, to normal.[D] Days after the deadly 2017 wildfires in Santa Rosa, California, a drone caught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith, driving through burned homes in that familiar white van, collecting mail in an affected area. The video is striking: The operation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to Rae Ann Haight, the program manager for the national-preparedness office at USPS, Smith was fulfilling a request made by some of the home owners to pick up any mail that was left untouched. For Smith, this was just another day on the job. “I followed my route like I normally do,” Smith told a reporter. “As I’d come across a box that was up but with no house, I checked, and there was mail—outgoing mail—in it. And so we picked those up and carried on.”[E] USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across the country, 285 emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control. These teams are trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps: people, property, product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agency’s top priority is ensuring that employees are safe. Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure, such as the roads that mail carriers drive on. Finally, it decides when and how to re-open operations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sent elsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming New Orleans mail to existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed in New Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected from water damage.[F] As soon as it’s safe enough to be outside, couriers start distributing accumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standing addresses to file change-of-address forms with their new location. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of other locations across the country in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.[G] Every day, USPS processes, on average, 493.4 million pieces of mail—anything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeople from both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can be extremely sensitive and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56 percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still rely on delivery services to be completed.[H] It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such as Social Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitive material. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make sure that Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion. After Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local election boards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.[I] Mail companies are logistics companies, which puts them in a special position to help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized its massive infrastructure as a “unique federal asset” to be called upon in a disaster or terrorist attack. “I think we’re unique as a federal agency,” USPS official Mike Swigart told me, “because we’re in literally every community in this country … We’re obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.”[J] Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use their expertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than a decade, FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergency supplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012, the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groups in California, and donated space for 3.1 million pounds of charitable shipping globally. Last October, the company pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS’s charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving, prosperous,” he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “that’s the first sign to themthat life is starting to return to normal.”36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’ safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ still responsible for the completion of almost half of payments.40. The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becoming normal again.41. After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery, temporary mail service points were set up.42. Postal service in some regions in the U.S. was suspended due to extreme cold weather.43. Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributing urgent supplies.44. A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite of extreme conditions.45. Postal services work hard to identify items that require priority treatment.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in the online class, Knowledge Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Tech’s online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Professor Goel already had 8 teaching assistants, but thatwasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of questions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasn’t too great. But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill the questions and answers. After some adjustment and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’ questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual assistant bec ame so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t know she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with artificial intelligence and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn’t inform th em about Jill’s true identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all questions posed by students on the online forum. The name, Jill Watson, will of course, change to something else next semester. Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of AI than say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.46. What do we learn about Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence?A) It is a robot that can answer students’ questions.B) It is a course designed for students to learn online.C) It is a high-tech device that revolutionizes teaching.D) It is a computer program that aids student learning.47. What problem did Professor Goel meet with?A) His students were unsatisfied with the assistants.B) His course was too difficult for the students.C) Students’ questions were too many to handle.D) Too many students dropped out of his course.48. What do we learn about Jill Watson?A) She turned out to be a great success. B) She got along pretty well with students.C) She was unwelcome to students at first. D) She was released online as an experiment.49. How did the students feel about Jill Watson?A) They thought she was a bit too artificial. B) They found her not as capable as expected.C) They could not but admire her knowledge. D) They could not tell her from a real person.50. What does Professor Goel plan to do next with Jill Watson?A) Launch different versions of her online.B) Feed her with new questions and answers.C) Assign her to answer more of students’ questions.D) Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Thinking small, being engaging, and having a sense of humor don’t hurt. Those are a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from a recent study that examined nearly 400 campaigns. But having a large network and some promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding, raising money for a project through online appeals, has taken off in recent years for everything from making movies to building water-saving gadgets. Scientists have tried to tap Internet donors, too, with mixed success. Some raised more than twice their goal, but others have fallen short of reaching more modest targets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures, a team led byscience communications scholar Mike Schäfer of the University of Zurich in Switzerland examined the content of the WebPages for 371 recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals, the researchers report in Public Understanding of Science. For one, they use a crowdfunding platform that specializes in raising money for science, and not just any kind of project. Although sites like Kickstarter take all comers, platforms such as , , and only present scientific projects. For another, they present the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humor improved success. Most of them engage with potential donors since projects that answered questions from interested donors and posted lab notes fared better. And they target a small amount of money. The projects included in the study raised $4000 on average, with 30% of projects receiving less than $1000. The more money a project sought, the lower the chance it reached its goal, the researchers found.Other factors may also significantly influence a p roject’s success, most notably, the size of a scientist’s personal and professional networks, and how much a researcher promotes a project on his or her own. Those two factors are by far more critical than the content on the page. Crowdfunding can be part of researchers’ efforts to reach the public, and people give because “they feel a connection to the person” who is doing the fundraising—not necessarily to the science.51. What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for their projects?A) They did not raise much due to modest targets.B) They made use of mixed fundraising strategies.C) Not all of them achieved their anticipated goals.D) Most of them put movies online for the purpose.52. What is the purpose of Mike Schäfer’s research of recent crowdfunding campaigns?A) To create attractive content for science websites.B) To identify reasons for their different outcomes.C) To help scientists to launch innovative projects.D) To separate science projects from general ones.53. What trait contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaign?A) The potential benefit to future generations. B) Its interaction with prospective donors.C) Its originality in addressing financial issues. D) The value of the proposed project.54. What did the researchers think of the financial targets of crowdfunding projects?A) They should be small to be successful. B) They should be based on actual needs.C) They should be assessed with great care. D) They should be ambitious to gain notice.55. What motivates people to donate in a crowdfunding campaign?A) The ease of access to the content of the webpage.B) Their desire to contribute to the cause of science.C) The significance and influence of the project itself.D) Their feeling of connection to the scientists themselves.Part ⅣTranslation (30minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国家庭十分重视孩子的教育。

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案及原文)

2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Section AQuestions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A) It was dangerous to live in. C) He could no longer pay the rent.B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A strike. C) A forest fire.B) A storm. D) A terrorist attack.Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A) They tried hard to repair the elevator.B) They released the details of the accident.C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D) They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services.C) Redesign delivery routes.D) Close some of its post offices.6. A) Shortening business hours.-B) Closing offices on holidays.C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B) Many people will begin to complain.C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.D) A lot of controversy will arise.Section B8. A) He will be kept from promotion.B) He will go through retraining.C) He will be given a warning.D) He will lose part of his pay.9. A) He is always on time.B) He is a trustworthy guy.C) He is an experienced press operator.D)He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A) She is a trade union representative.B) She is in charge of public relations.C) She is a senior manager of the shop.D) She is better at handling such matters.11. A) He is skilled and experienced.B) He is very close to the manager.C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.D) He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Open.B) Selfish.C) Friendly.D) Reserved.13. A) They stay quiet.B) They read a book.-C) They talk about the weather.D) They chat with fellow passengers.14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.B) She was eager to visit an English castle.C) She was never invited to a colleague's home.D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A) Houses are much more quiet.B) Houses provide more privacy.C) They want to have more space.D) They want a garden of their own.答案1. A It was dangerous to live in.2. B A storm3. B They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. C They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5. D Close some of its post office.6. C Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7. A Many post office staff will lose their jobs.8. D He will lose part of his pay.9. B He is a trustworthy guy.10.D She is better at handling such matters11.C He is always trying to stir up trouble.12. D Reserved13. A They stay quiet14. C She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15. B Houses provide more privacy16. D They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. C Visit the school careers service.18. B Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19. C It may be sold at a higher price.20. A It is healthier than green tee.21. D It does not have a stable market.22. B They prefer unique objects of high quality.23. B They could only try to create at night.24. A Make wise choices.25. A To boost the local economy.2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套原文Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was fo rced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emer gency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?Q4.What did the rescue team do?新闻3Section A - 3The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is one of several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Last week, for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on Saturdays, a move he says could save $3 billion annually.“We are losing revenue as we speak,” Donahoe said. “We do not want taxpayer money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business you have to make choices.”Dean Granholm the vice president for delivery and post office operations said the first waves of closings would begin this fall. He estimated that about 3,000 postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postal clerks could lose their jobs.Q5.What is the U.S. Postal Service planning to do?Q6.What measure has been planned to save costs?Q7.What will happen when the proposed measure come into effect?长对话1&2Conversation 1A: Mrs. Hampton, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.B: Oh dear. What about?A: One of the press operators arrived an hour and a half late.B: But that's a straightforward affair. He will simply lose part of his pay. That's why we have a clock-in system.A: But the point is the man was clocked-in at 8 o'clock. We have John standing by the time clock, and he swears he saw nothing irregular.B: Is John reliable?A: Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.B: Have you spoken to the man who was late?A: Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first. He's a difficult man, and I think there's been some trouble on the shop floor. I've got a feeling that trade union representative is behind this. The manager told me that Jack Green's been very active around the shop the last few days.B: Well, what do you want me to do?A: I was wondering if you'd see Smith, the man who was late, because you are so much better at handling things like this.B: Oh, alright. I'll see him. I must say I agree with you about there being bad feelings in the works. I've had the idea for some time that Jack Green's been busy stirring things up in connection with the latest wage claim. He's always trying to make trouble. Well, I'll get the manager to send Smith up here.Q8. What will happen to the press operator who was late for the work according to the woman?Q9. What does the man say about John who stands by the time clock?Q10. Why does the man suggest the woman see the worker who was late?Q11. What does the woman say about Jack Green?Conversation 2A: Our topic today is about somethings that foreigners nearly always say when they visit Britain. It's 'Why are the British so cold?' And they're talking about the British personality – the famous British 'reserve'. It means that we aren't very friendly, we aren't very open.B: So do you think it's true?A: It's a difficult one. So many people who visit Britain say it's difficult to make friends with British people. They say we're cold, reserved, unfriendly...B: I think it's true. Look at Americans or Australians. They speak the same language, but they're much more open. And you see it when you travel, people - I mean strangers - speak to you on the street or on the train. British people seldom speak on the train. Or the bus. Not in London, anyway.A: 'Not in London'. That's it. Capital cities are full of tourists and are never very friendly. People are different in other parts of the country.B: Not completely. I met a woman once, an Italian. She's been working in Manchester for two years,and no one - not one of her colleagues - had ever invited her to their home. They were friendly to her at work, but nothing else. She couldn't believe it. She said that would never happen in Italy.A: You know what they say –'an Englishman's home is his castl e'. It’s really difficult to get inside.B: Yeah. It's about being private. You go home to your house and your garden and you close the door. It's your place.A: That's why the British don't like flats. They prefer to live in houses.B: That’s true.Q12. What do foreigners generally think of British people according to the woman?Q13. What may British people typically do one the train according to the man?Q14. What does the man say about the Italian woman working in Manchester?Q15. Why do British people prefer houses to flats?听力篇章Passage OneIn college, time is scarce, and consequently, very precious. At the same time, expenses in college pile up surprisingly quickly. A part time job is a good way to balance costs while ensuring there is enough time left over for both academic subjects and after-class activities.If you are a college student looking for a part time job, the best place to start your job search is right on campus. There are tons of on-campus job opportunities, and as a student, you’ll automatically be given hiring priority. Plus, on-campus jobs eliminate commuting time, and could be a great way to connect with academic and professional resources at your university. Check with your school’s career service or employment o ffice for help to find a campus job. Of course, there are opportunities for part-time work off-campus, too. If you spend a little time digging for the right part time jobs, you’ll save yourself time when you find a job that leaves you with enough time to get your school work done, too. If you are a college student looking for work but worry you won’t have enough time to devote to academic subjects, consider working as a study hall or a library monitor. Responsibilities generally include supervising study sp aces to ensure that a quiet atmosphere is maintained. It’s a pretty easy job, but one with lots of downtime-which means you will have plenty of time to catch up on reading, do homework or study for an exam.Q16: What does the speaker say about college students applying for on-campus jobs?Q17: What can students do to find a campus job according to the speaker?Q18: What does the speaker say is a library monitor’s responsibility?Passage TwoAgricultural workers in green tea fields near Mt. Kenya are gathering the tea leaves. It is beautiful to see. The rows of tea bushes are straight. All appears to be well. But the farmers who planted the bushes are worried. Nelson Kibara is one of them. He has been growing tea in the Kerugoya area for 40 years.He says the prices this year have been so low that he has made almost no profit. He says he must grow different kinds of tea if he is to survive.Mr. Kibara and hundreds of other farmers have been removing some of their tea bushes and planting a new kind of tea developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya. Its leaves are purple and brown. When the tea is boiled, the drink has a purple color. Medical researchers have studied the health benefits of the new tea. They say it is healthier than green tea and could be sold for a price that is three to four times higher than the price of green tea.But Mr. Kibara says he has not received a higher price for his purple tea crop.He says the market for the tea is unstable and he is often forced to sell his purple tea for the same price as green tea leaves. He says there are not enough buyers willing to pay more for the purple tea.Q19. Why have tea farmers in Kenya decided to grow purple tea?Q20. What do researchers say about purple tea?Q21. What does Mr. Kibara find about purple tea?Passage ThreeToday's consumers want beautiful handcrafted s to wear and to have for their home environment. They prefer something unique and they demand quality. Craftsmen today are meeting this demand. People and homes are showing great change as more and more unique handcrafted items become available. Handcrafts are big business. No long does a good craftsman have to work in a job he dislikes all day and then try to create at night. He has earned his professional status. He is now a respected member of society. Parts of the fun of being a craftsman is meeting other craftsmen. They love to share their ideas and materials and help others find markets for their work. Craftsmen have helped educate consumers to make wise choices. They help them become aware of design and technique. They help them relate their choice to its intended use. They often involve consumers in trying the craft themselves. When a group of craftsmen expends to include more members, a small craft organization is formed. Such an organization does a lot in training workshopsin special media, craft marketing techniques, craft fairs and sales, festivals, TV appearances and demonstrations. State art councils help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals which draw crowds of tourist consumers. This boosts the local economy considerably because tourists not only buy crafts, but they also use the restaurants and hotels and other services of the area.Q22. What does the speaker say about today's consumers?Q23. What does the speaker say about a good craftsman in the past?Q24. What do craftsmen help consumers do?Q25. Why do state art council’s help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals?。

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

2019年12月英语四级真题第一套含听力原文及答案

2. A) It was shot to death by a police officer. C) It became a great a rac on for tourists.
B) It found its way back to the park’s zoo. D) It was sent to the animal control department.
C) They are more likely to become engineers.
D) They have greater poten al to be leaders.
17. A) Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.
B) Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.
D) Treat others the way he would be treated.
Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案与原文)

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套(含答案与原文)

2018年12月四级英语听力真题第一套Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section A News ReportDirections: In this section, you will hear threenews reports。

At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions。

Both thenews repor t and the questions will be spoken only once。

After you hear a question, yo u mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C ) and D)。

Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a si ngle line through the centre。

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Land a space vehicle on the moon in 2019.B) Design a new generation of mobile phones.C) Set up a mobile phone network on the moon.D) Gather data from the moon with a tiny device.2. A) It is stable.B) It is durable.C) It is inexpensive.D) It is sophisticated.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It lasted more than six hours.B) No injuries were yet reported.C) Nobody was in the building when it broke out.D) It had burned for 45 minutes by the time firefighters arrived.4. A) Recruit and train more firefighters.B) Pull down the deserted shopping mall.C) Turn the shopping mall into an amusement park.D) Find money to renovate the local neighborhood.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Shrinking potato farming.B) Heavy reliance on import.C) Widespread plant disease.D) Insufficient potato supply.6. A) It intends to keep its traditional diet.B) It wants to expand its own farming.C) It is afraid of the spread of disease.D) It is worried about unfair competition.7. A) Global warming.B) Ever-rising prices.C) Government regulation.D) Diminishing investment.Section B ConversationDirections: In this section,you will hear two long conversation.At the end of ea ch conversations you will hear four questions. Both the conversations and the question-s will be spoken only once.After you hear a question.You must choo se the best answer from the four choices marked A,B, C, D.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line throu gh the center.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) Informative.B) Inspiring.C) Dull.D) Shallow.9. A) She types on a keyboard.B) She does recording.C) She takes photos.D) She takes notes.10. A) It keeps her mind active.B) It makes her stay awake.C) It enables her to think hard.D) It helps her kill time.11. A) It enables her to improve her pronunciation.B) It helps her better remember what she learns.C) It turns out to be an enjoyable way of learning.D) It proves to be far more effective than writing.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) To spend her honeymoon.B) To try authentic Indian food.C) To take photos of the Taj Mahal.D) To trace the origin of a love story.13. A) In memory of a princess.B) In honor of a great emperor.C) To mark the death of an emperor of the 1600s.D) To celebrate the birth of a princess's 14th child.14. A) It looks older than expected.B) It is built of wood and bricks.C) It stores lots of priceless antiques.D) It has walls decorated with jewels.15. A) Their streets are narrow.B) They are mostly crowded.C) Each one has a unique character.D) Life can be tedious in some places.Section C PassageDirections: In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each pa ssage,you will hear three or four questions。

2022年12月大学英语四级考试真题第1套听力原文

2022年12月大学英语四级考试真题第1套听力原文

[00:00.00]College English Test Band Four<ch>大学英语四级考试[00:02.74]Part ⅡListening Comprehension<ch>第二部分听力理解[00:06.92]Section A<ch> A节[00:08.66]Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. <ch>说明:在本节中,你将听到三篇新闻报道。

[00:13.34]At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. <ch>在每一篇新闻报道的最后,你会听到两个或三个问题。

[00:18.89]Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. <ch>新闻报道和问题将只播放一遍。

[00:22.97]After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). <ch>听到问题后,你需要从A)、B)、C)和D)四个选项中选出最佳答案。

[00:31.42]Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. <ch>然后将相应的答案涂在答题卡1上。

[00:37.96]News Report One<ch>新闻一[00:40.60]Operations at one of Australia's largest gold mines had to be temporarily suspended on Friday after a partial wall collapse at one of the mine's dams.<ch>周五,澳大利亚最大金矿之一的一个大坝发生部分墙体倒塌,不得不暂时停止运营。

2021年12月四级第一套听力原文paint house

2021年12月四级第一套听力原文paint house

2021年12月四级第一套听力原文paint houseNews Report 1[1] A 22-year-old Chinese woman who suffered from a persistent cough was shocked to learn that she had a piece of chicken bone lodged in her lung. The unnamed woman from the province of Shandong started to have coughing problems when she was 7 or 8 years old. For 14 years, she made numerous hospital visits. However, no doctor could identify any problem. Her uncontrollable coughing was a mystery. Finally, the woman got a full body scan at a hospital in the city of Qingdao. This special medical procedure revealed she had a chicken bone stuck in her lung. [2] Doctors performed surgery and removed the bone. The simple procedure went smoothly and the woman has recovered fully. With the bone finally removed from her lung, the woman is very happy that she no longer suffers from that annoying cough.1. What was the woman's problem?答案:B) She was coughing all the time.2. How was the woman's problem eventually solved?答案:C) Through a surgical operation.News Report 2[3] A white sheep named Prickles that ran away from an Australian farm during the 2013 bush- fires recently returned home. According to farmer Alice Gray, Prickles was only a lamb when she ran away. The bush fires that hit the area back then destroyed a large part of her family's massive property. They thought Prickles had died in thefire[3] But instead, the young sheep escaped into a 200-acre forest near the fire.[4] Once the fires were over, the family had to fix the damage done to the farm as it was such a large property. This included rebuilding about 50 kilometers of fencing. It was this huge fencing that prevented Prickles from finding her way back. Over the years, the family spotted her a few times. They even recorded her with cameras installed to monitor deer activity. But while they knew Prickles was alive, they couldn't find her and never expected her to return by herself. 7 years later, they were proven wrong.3. What does the news report say about the white sheep Prickles?答案:D) lt ran away into a nearby forest.4. What did the family do after the bush fires?答案:A)They rebuilt the fencing around their farm.News Report 3[5] Tons of gold have fallen out the sky in Russia, after a cargo plane malfunctioned in mid-air this morning. The aircraft was carrying £265 million worth of gold and diamonds when the door flew open, sending the precious metal back to earth. According to the official news agency, Russian authorities have recovered more than 170 gold bars weighing 20 kilograms each. The plane was traveling from Yakutsk Airport in a major diamond producing region to the city Krasnoyarsk in Siberia. [6] However, the aircraft made an emergency landing in Magan after it began losing some of its valuable cargo.Reports suggest some bars of gold was scattered up to 15 miles away from the airport. 9 tons of gold on plane AN-12 belonged to a goldmine company. Police have sealed off the runway and say it is unclear if it was an accident or an attempted robbery. [7] Technical engineers who worked on the plane prior to take-off are reportedly going to be questioned by the police.5. What is the news report mainly about?答案:D) The loss of gold from an airplane.6. What do the aircraft do when the incident happened?答案:A) It made an emergency landing.7. What does the news report say about the technical engineers who worked on the plane before take-off?答案:C) They will be questioned by the police.。

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2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Section AQuestions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.A) It was dangerous to live in. C) He could no longer pay the rent.B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A strike. C) A forest fire.B) A storm. D) A terrorist attack.Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A) They tried hard to repair the elevator.B) They released the details of the accident.C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D) They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services.C) Redesign delivery routes.D) Close some of its post offices.6. A) Shortening business hours.B) Closing offices on holidays.C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B) Many people will begin to complain.C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.D) A lot of controversy will arise.Section B8. A) He will be kept from promotion.B) He will go through retraining.C) He will be given a warning.D) He will lose part of his pay.9. A) He is always on time.B) He is a trustworthy guy.C) He is an experienced press operator.D)He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A) She is a trade union representative.B) She is in charge of public relations.C) She is a senior manager of the shop.D) She is better at handling such matters.11. A) He is skilled and experienced.B) He is very close to the manager.C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.D) He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Open.B) Selfish.C) Friendly.D) Reserved.13. A) They stay quiet.B) They read a book.C) They talk about the weather.D) They chat with fellow passengers.14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.B) She was eager to visit an English castle.C) She was never invited to a colleague's home.D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A) Houses are much more quiet.B) Houses provide more privacy.C) They want to have more space.D) They want a garden of their own.答案1. A It was dangerous to live in.2. B A storm3. B They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. C They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5. D Close some of its post office.6. C Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7. A Many post office staff will lose their jobs.8. D He will lose part of his pay.9. B He is a trustworthy guy.10.D She is better at handling such matters11.C He is always trying to stir up trouble.12. D Reserved13. A They stay quiet14. C She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15. B Houses provide more privacy16. D They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. C Visit the school careers service.18. B Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19. C It may be sold at a higher price.20. A It is healthier than green tee.21. D It does not have a stable market.22. B They prefer unique objects of high quality.23. B They could only try to create at night.24. A Make wise choices.25. A To boost the local economy.2016年12月英语四级听力真题第1套原文Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was fo rced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the e mergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?Q4.What did the rescue team do?新闻3Section A - 3The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is one of several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Last week, for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on Saturdays, a move he says could save $3 billion annually.“We are losing revenue as we speak,” Donahoe said. “We do not want taxpayer money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business you have to make choices.”Dean Granholm the vice president for delivery and post office operations said the first waves of closings would begin this fall. He estimated that about 3,000 postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postal clerks could lose their jobs.Q5.What is the U.S. Postal Service planning to do?Q6.What measure has been planned to save costs?Q7.What will happen when the proposed measure come into effect?长对话1&2Conversation 1A: Mrs. Hampton, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.B: Oh dear. What about?A: One of the press operators arrived an hour and a half late.B: But that's a straightforward affair. He will simply lose part of his pay. That's why we have a clock-in system.A: But the point is the man was clocked-in at 8 o'clock. We have John standing by the time clock, and he swears he saw nothing irregular.B: Is John reliable?A: Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.B: Have you spoken to the man who was late?A: Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first. He's a difficult man, and I think there's been some trouble on the shop floor. I've got a feeling that trade union representative is behind this. The manager told me that Jack Green's been very active around the shop the last few days.B: Well, what do you want me to do?A: I was wondering if you'd see Smith, the man who was late, because you are so much better at handling things like this.B: Oh, alright. I'll see him. I must say I agree with you about there being bad feelings in the works. I've had the idea for some time that Jack Green's been busy stirring things up in connection with the latest wage claim. He's always trying to make trouble. Well, I'll get the manager to send Smith up here.Q8. What will happen to the press operator who was late for the work according to the woman?Q9. What does the man say about John who stands by the time clock?Q10. Why does the man suggest the woman see the worker who was late?Q11. What does the woman say about Jack Green?Conversation 2A: Our topic today is about somethings that foreigners nearly always say when they visit Britain. It's 'Why are the British so cold?' And they're talking about the British personality – the famous British 'reserve'. It means that we aren't very friendly, we aren't very open.B: So do you think it's true?A: It's a difficult one. So many people who visit Britain say it's difficult to make friends with British people. They say we're cold, reserved, unfriendly...B: I think it's true. Look at Americans or Australians. They speak the same language, but they're much more open. And you see it when you travel, people - I mean strangers - speak to you on the street or on the train. British people seldom speak on the train. Or the bus. Not in London, anyway.A: 'Not in London'. That's it. Capital cities are full of tourists and are never very friendly. People are different in other parts of the country.B: Not completely. I met a woman once, an Italian. She's been working in Manchester for two years,and no one - not one of her colleagues - had ever invited her to their home. They were friendly to her at work, but nothing else. She couldn't believe it. She said that would never happen in Italy.A: You know what they say –'an Englishman's home is his castle'. It’s really difficult to get inside.B: Yeah. It's about being private. You go home to your house and your garden and you close the door. It's your place.A: That's why the British don't like flats. They prefer to live in houses.B: That’s true.Q12. What do foreigners generally think of British people according to the woman?Q13. What may British people typically do one the train according to the man?Q14. What does the man say about the Italian woman working in Manchester?Q15. Why do British people prefer houses to flats?听力篇章Passage OneIn college, time is scarce, and consequently, very precious. At the same time, expenses in college pile up surprisingly quickly. A part time job is a good way to balance costs while ensuring there is enough time left over for both academic subjects and after-class activities.If you are a college student looking for a part time job, the best place to start your job search is right on campus. There are tons of on-campus job opportunities, and as a student, you’ll automatically be given hiring priority. Plus, on-campus jobs eliminate commuting time, and could be a great way to connect with academic and professional resources at your university. Check with yo ur school’s career service or employment office for help to find a campus job. Of course, there are opportunities for part-time work off-campus, too. If you spend a little time digging for the right part time jobs, you’ll save yourself time when you find a job that leaves you with enough time to get your school work done, too. If you are a college student looking for work but worry you won’t have enough time to devote to academic subjects, consider working as a study hall or a library monitor. Responsibilities generally include supervising study spaces to ensure that a quiet atmosphere is maintained. It’s a pretty easy job, but one with lots of downtime-which means you will have plenty of time to catch up on reading, do homework or study for an exam.Q16: What does the speaker say about college students applying for on-campus jobs?Q17: What can students do to find a campus job according to the speaker?Q18: What does the speaker say is a library monitor’s responsibility?Passage TwoAgricultural workers in green tea fields near Mt. Kenya are gathering the tea leaves. It is beautiful to see. The rows of tea bushes are straight. Allappears to be well. But the farmers who planted the bushes are worried. Nelson Kibara is one of them. He has been growing tea in the Kerugoya area for 40 years.He says the prices this year have been so low that he has made almost no profit. He says he must grow different kinds of tea if he is to survive.Mr. Kibara and hundreds of other farmers have been removing some of their tea bushes and planting a new kind of tea developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya. Its leaves are purple and brown. When the tea is boiled, the drink has a purple color. Medical researchers have studied the health benefits of the new tea. They say it is healthier than green tea and could be sold for a price that is three to four times higher than the price of green tea.But Mr. Kibara says he has not received a higher price for his purple tea crop.He says the market for the tea is unstable and he is often forced to sell his purple tea for the same price as green tea leaves. He says there are not enough buyers willing to pay more for the purple tea.Q19. Why have tea farmers in Kenya decided to grow purple tea?Q20. What do researchers say about purple tea?Q21. What does Mr. Kibara find about purple tea?Passage ThreeToday's consumers want beautiful handcrafted s to wear and to have for their home environment. They prefer something unique and they demand quality. Craftsmen today are meeting this demand. People and homes are showing great change as more and more unique handcrafted items become available. Handcrafts are big business. No long does a good craftsman have to work in a job he dislikes all day and then try to create at night. He has earned his professional status. He is now a respected member of society. Parts of the fun of being a craftsman is meeting other craftsmen. They love to share their ideas and materials and help others find markets for their work. Craftsmen have helped educate consumers to make wise choices. They help thembecome aware of design and technique. They help them relate their choice to its intended use. They often involve consumers in trying the craft themselves. When a group of craftsmen expends to include more members, a small craft organization is formed. Such an organization does a lot in training workshops in special media, craft marketing techniques, craft fairs and sales, festivals, TV appearances and demonstrations. State art councils help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals which draw crowds of tourist consumers. This boosts the local economy considerably because tourists not only buy crafts, but they also use the restaurants and hotels and other services of the area.Q22. What does the speaker say about today's consumers?Q23. What does the speaker say about a good craftsman in the past?Q24. What do craftsmen help consumers do?Q25. Why do state art council’s help sponsor local arts and crafts festivals?。

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