2019年12月大学英语四级听力改革练习题及答案(2)
2019年12月英语四级真题第二套（含听力原文）
2019年12⽉英语四级真题第⼆套（含听⼒原⽂）2019年12⽉英语四级真题第⼆套(含听⼒原⽂）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 learn Chinese. Please recommend a place 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 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down..2. A) Cultural bias. B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system. D) Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat. B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned. D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The beach is a popular tourist resort. B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide. D) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It became an online star. B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo. D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6. A) Send it back to the zoo. B) Release it into the wild.C) Return it to its owner. D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B) A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The raccoon did something no politician could.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) She got a well-paying job in a bank. B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary. D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Several years ago. B) Two decades ago.C) Right after graduation. D) Just last month.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents. B) He took a few of his friends to a gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank. D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11. A) Buy some professional clothes. B) Budget her salary carefully.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise. D) Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has a difficult decision to make. B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend. D) He has just too many things to attend to.13. A) Give priority to things more urgent. B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision. D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14. A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15. A) They need time to make preparations. B) They need to save enough money for it.C) They haven’t started their careers yet. D) They haven’t won their parents’ approval.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) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17. A) Improving mind-reading strategies. B) Reading classic scientific literature.C) Playing games that challenge one’s mind. D) Traveling to different places in the world.18. A) Give others freedom to express themselves. B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices. D) Participate in debates or discussions.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) The nature of relationships between dogs. B) The reason a great many people love dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans. D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20. A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility. B) They can respond to humans’ questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans. D) They behave like other animals in many ways.21. A) They have their own joys and sorrows. B) They experience true romantic love.C) They help humans in various ways. D) They stay with one partner for life.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A cow bone. B) A rare animal.C) A historical site. D) A precious stone.23. A) Measuring it. B) Preserving it.C) Dating it. D) Identifying it.24. A) The site should have been protected. B) The boy’s family had acted correctly.C) The boy should have called an expert. D) The channel needs to interview the boy.25. A) Search for similar fossils elsewhere. B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Conduct a more detailed search. D) Seek additional funds for the search.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.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example —or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air. Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. during the flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.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.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A] Along with old classics like “carrots give you night vision” and “Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”, one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake—even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfastregularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.[B] “The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,” explains diet specialistSarah Elder. “Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.” But there’s widespread disagreeme nt over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “dangerous”.[C] What’s the reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two. In one US study that analyzed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D] But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause—or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss program. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine. [E] If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of wei ght loss, why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking and regula r exercise,” she says.[F] A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “limited evidence” supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G] Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.[H] Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language use. A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However, one of the review’s researchers, Mary Beth Spitznagel, says there is “reasonable” evidence break fast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research. “Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,” she says.“And no studies found that eat ing breakfast was bad for concentration.”[I] What’s most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day, according to research by theAustralian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of “adult” breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J] But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods, it’s best to do it early. One re cruited 200 obese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn’t. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more—however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.[K] While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry. “Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,” Johnstone says. Every body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely, Spitznagel says. “A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels,” says El der, “Breakfastisn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36. According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37. Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38. Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39. It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40. Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41. To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42. It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43. More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44. People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45. Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate.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.Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher—of any kind—in the world.It costs about $1 million to create a new textbook. A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors, from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers. Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives, such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources, simply do not. This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing, but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books—which has increased over 1,000 percent since 1977. A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order. But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad, textbooks are not passive or lifeless. For example, over the centuries, they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways. From 1800 to the present day, textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively. That means students are asked to use their individual experie nce to come up with answers to general questions. Today’s psychology texts, for example, ask: “How much of your personality do you think you inherited?” while ones in physics say: “How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe t hat “textbooks come in layers, something like an onion.” For the active learner, engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience: Readers proceed at their own pace. They “customize” their books by engaging with different layers and linkages. Highlighting, Post-It notes, dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46. What does the passage say about open educational resources?A) They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B) They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C) They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D) They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47. What is the main cause of the publishers’ losses?A) Failure to meet student need. B) Industry restructuringC) Emergence of e-books. D) Falling sales.48. What does the textbook industry need to do?A) Reform its structures. B) Cut its retail prices.C) Find replacements for printed textbooks. D) Change its business strategy periodically.49. What are students expected to do in the learning process?A) Think carefully before answering each question.B) Ask questions based on their own understanding.C) Answer questions using their personal experience.D) Give answers showing their respective personality.50. What do experts say about students using textbooks?A) They can digitalize the prints easily. B) They can learn in an interactive way.C) They can purchase customized versions. D) They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants, we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups: one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy. Well, those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant. It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body. The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far, this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered, although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors. Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact, the slugs use the genetic material so well, they pass it on to their further generations. The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes, which they can’t yet produce on their own.”“There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,” says Sidney Piercefrom the University of South Florida. “And yet here, they do. They all ow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to 9 months without having to eat any food. They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51. What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A) It looks like both a plant and an animal. B) It converts some sea animals into plants.C) It lives half on animals and half on plants. D) It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52. What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A) The genes it captures from the sea plant algae. B) The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C) The nutrients it hijacks from other species. D) The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53. What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A) They can live without sunlight for a long time.B) They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C) They can survive without algae for quite some time.D) They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54. What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A) They are stolen from animals like the sea slug. B) They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C) They don’t usually function inside animal cells. D) They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55. What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A) They behave the way most plant species do. B) They can survive for months without eating.C) They will turn into plants when they mature. D) They will starve to death without sunlight.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国的家庭观念与其⽂化传统有关。
大学英语2019年12月四级真题第2套(2)
20佃年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第二套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minu tes to write an essay comme nting onthe saying Learning is a daily experience and a lifetime mission. Youcan cite examples to illustrate the importance of lifelong learning. Youshould write at least120 words but no more than180 words.Part n Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each newsreport, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and thequestions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C).and D). Then mark the corresp onding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a si ngle linethrough the cen tre.Questions 1 and 2 will be based on the following news item.1. A) A celebratio n held for the US military history.B) A new museum being built for the history of American diplomacy.C) An eno rmous collecti on displayed in Wash ington D.C.D) A lecture hall un der con structi on by America n diplomats.2. A) It occupies an area of 20,000 square kilometers.B) It is expected to take about three/ears con structi on.C) It will serve as an education area for diplomats.D) It will be featured in American military history.Questions 3 and 4 will be based on the following news item.3. A) $20,000 every year.B) $5,100 every two yearsC) $ 510 every year.D) $ 200 every two years.4. A) Too many con flicts occur on New York streets.B) It takes little to get an illegal food vending license.C) Ven dors are allowed to work the street un lice nsed.D) The nu mber of legal permits is too limited.Questions 5 and 7 will be based on the following news item.5. A) Buying machines.B) Removing manually.C) Applying poisons.D) Using animals.6. A) To improve the weeding efficiency.B) To reduce manpower costs.C) To protect the environment.D) To help local farmers.7. A) She is a company owner.B) She is a cemetery official.C) She works for an insurance company.D) She works in an environmental sector.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 thequestions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C), and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single linethrough the centre.Conversation OneQuestions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) From the wanted column.B) From some of her friends.C) From a telephone directory.D) From a television commercial.9. A) She received full-time education abroad.B) She graduated from an open university.C) She finished her secondary school.D) She studied in a vocational college.10. A) She is a shorthand-typist.B) She works as a tour guide.C) She is a policewoman.D) She teaches an evening class.11. A) Persuade the woman to be a policewoman.B) Find a suitable job for the woman.C) Help the woman to be a tour guide.D) Provide the woman with some formal education.Conversation TwoQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) It provides him with career opportunities.B) It helps enlarge his customer network.C) It has been off and on for ten yearsD) It was interrupted for four years.13. A) Individualized service.B) Traditional setting.C) Home-made beer.D) Social games.14. A) The quality of beer.B) The atmosphere.C) The owner's attitude.D) The right location.15. A) It is a rather tough job.B) It is a profitable business.C) It helps old people kill time.D) It makes retirees feel useful.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passage. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will bespoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the bestanswer from the four choices marked A), B), C), and D). Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through thecentre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) It is becoming increasingly popular.B) It helps the user to escape reality.C) It gives rise to serious social instability.D) It hurts a person and those around them.17. A) They use drugs just for fun.B) They take drugs to get high.C) They use drugs as medicine.D) They keep drug use a secret.18. A) It is quite common in entertainment circles.B) It is the cause of various social problems.C) It is hard to get rid of.D) It is fatal to the user.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) Taking up exercises after recovery.B) Producing tasty healthy frozen food.C) Finding new ways to cure heart disease.D) Going on a diet upon leaving the hospital.20. A) It was carefully tested with consumers.B) It was promoted by health organizations.C) It was disapproved by many diet experts.D) It was highly expected by the general public.21. A) Competitive price.B) Low expectations.C) Vigorous promotion.D) Unique ingredients.22. A) It was suggested by thefirm 'v s ice-president.B) It matches thefood 'd s ark green packaging.C) It has a positive implication for consumers.D) It tricks the elders into impulse purchasing.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) It is practiced in most of the states.B) It will be abolished sooner or later.C) It has drawn a lot of criticism from overseas.D) It has to be approved by the Supreme Court.24. A) Whether the practice should be allowed to continue in future.B) Whether there should be a minimum age limit for execution.C) What type of crim in als should receive it.D) What effect it might have on youn gsters.25. A) The court sen ten ced him to life in pris on for killi ng two frie nds.B) The gover nor cha nged his death sentence to life in pris on.C) He was the first minor to be executed in South Carolina.D) He was senten ced to death for a crime he committed as a minor.Part 川Reading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections: In this secti on, there is a passage with ten bla nks. You are required to select one word for each bla nk from a list of choices give n in a word bankfollowi ng the passage. Read the passage through carefully before makingyour choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please markthe corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a sin gle linethrough the cen tre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than on ce.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.For many America ns, 2019 en ded with an unu sually bitter cold spell. Late November and December 26 early snow and bon e-chilli ng temperatures in much of the coun try, part of a year whe n, for the first time in two 27 , record-cold days will likely turn out to have outnumbered record-warm ones. But the U.S. was the exceptio n: November was the warmest ever 28 , and curre nt data in dicates that 2019 is likely to have bee n the fourth hottest year on record.Enjoy the snow now, because 29 are good that 2019 will be even hotter, perhaps the hottest year since records have been kept.That' b s cause, scientists are predicti ng, 2019 will be an El Ni?os Year.El Ni?os, Spanish for “thechild ”,0 when surface ocean waters in the souther n Pacific become abno rmally warm. So large is the Pacific, coveri ng 30% of the pla nets urface, that the 31 en ergy gen erated by its warm ing is eno ugh to touch off a series of weather changesaround the world. El Ni?os are 32 with abnormally dry conditions in Southeast Asia and Australia. They can lead to extreme rain in parts of North and South America, eve n as souther n Africa 33 dry weather. Marine life may be affected too: E1 Ni?os can 34 the rising of the cold, nutrient-rich (营养丰富的)water that supports large fish 35 , and the unusually warm ocea n temperatures can destroyoral (珊瑚).C) boreD) chancesE) com muni catedF) decadesG) experie ncesH) globallySection B Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statementsattached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of theparagraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more tha n on ce. Each paragraph is markedwith a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2How to Eat Well[A] Why do so many America ns eat tons of processed food, the stuff that is correctly calledjunk (垃圾)and should really carry warning labels?[B] It 'not because fresh ingredients are hard to come by. Supermarkets offer morevariety than ever, and there are over four times as manfarmers rriarkets in the U. S.as there were 20 years ago. Nor is it for lack of available information. There areplenty of recipes(食谱),how-to videos and cooking classes available to anyone whohas a computer, smartphone or television. If anything, the information is overwhelming.[C] And yet we aren ' cooking. If you eat three meals a day and behave like mostAmerica ns, you probably get at least a third of your dally calories (卡路里) outsidethe home. Nearly two-thirds of us grab fast food once a week, and we get almost25% of our dally calories from snacks. So we' r e ating out or taking in, and we don't sit down — or we do, but we hurry.[D] Shouldn ' preparing — and consuming — food be a source of comfort, pride, health,well-being, relaxation, sociability? Something that connects us to other humans? Why would we want to outsource (夕卜包)this basic task, especially when outsourci ng it is so harmful?[E] When I talk about cook ing, I 'm ot talk ing about creati ng elaborate dinner parties or K) populatio ns L) realize M) reduce N) saw O) specificthree-day science projects.I 'm talking about simple, easy, everyday meals. My mission is to encourage green hands and those lacking time or money to feed themselves. That means we need modest, realistic expectations, and we need to teach people to cook foodthat 'go s od enough to share with family and friends.[F] Perhaps a return to real cooking needn'b t e far off. A recent Harris poll revealed that79% of Americans say they enjoy cooking and 30% “ loveit ”;14% admit to notenjoying kitchen work and just 7% won't go near the stove at all. But thisdoesn'n t ecessarily translate to real cooking, and the result of this survesyhouldn 't surprise anyone: 52% of those 65 or older cook at home five or more times per week;only a third of young people do.[G] Back in the 1950s most of us grew up in households where Morn cooked virtuallyevery night. The intention to put a home-cooked meal on the table was pretty much universal. Most peoplecouldn 'af t ford to do otherwise.[H] Although frozen dinners were invented in the 40s, their popularity didn 'b t oom untiltelevisions became popular a decade or so later. Since then, packaged, pre-preparedmeals have been what 'f s or dinner. The microwave and fast-food chains were the biggest catalysts （催化剂）, but the big food companies—which want to sell anything except the raw ingredients that go into cooking—made the homecook an endangered species.[I] Still, I find it strange that only a third of young people report preparing meals at homeregularly. Isn 'th t is the same crowd that rails against processedjunk and champions craft cooking? And isn 'th t is the generation who saythey ' rceoncerned about their health and the well—being of the planet? If these are truly the values of many young people, then their behaviordoesn'm t atch their beliefs.[J] There have been half-hearted but well-publicized efforts by some food companies to reduce calories in their processed foods, but the Standard American Diet is still the polar opposite of the healthy, mostly plant —based diet that just about every expert says we should be eating. Considering that thegovernment 'st s andards are not nearly ambitious enough, the picture is clear: by not cooking at home, we' re not eating the right things, and the consequences are hard to overstate.[K] To help quantify （量化） the costs of a poor diet, I recently tried to estimate thisimpact in terms of a most famous food, the burger （汉堡包）. I concluded that the profit from burgers is more than offset （抵消） by the damage they cause in health problems and environmental harm.[L] Cooking real food is the best defense—not to mention that any meal you' rleikely to eat at home contains about 200 fewer calories than one you would eat in arestaurant.[M] To those Americans for whom money is a concern, my advice is simple: Buy what you can afford, and cook it yourself. The common prescription is to primarily shop the grocery store, since that 'w s here fresh produce, meat and seafood, and dairy are. And to save money and still eat well youdon'n t eed local, organic ingredients; all you need is real food. I 'm not saying local food isn't better; it is. But there is plenty of decent food in the grocery stores.[N] The other sections you should get to know are the frozen foods and the canned goods. Frozen produce is still produce; canned tomatoes are still tomatoes. Justmake sure you' regetting real food without tons of added salt or sugar. Ask yourself, would Grandma consider this food? Does it look like something that might occur in nature? It 'p s retty much common sense: you want to buy food, not unidentifiablefood like objects.[O] You don'h t ave to hit the grocery store daily, nor do you need an abundance of skill.Since fewer than haft of Americans say they cook at an intermediate level and only 20% describe their cooking skills as advanced, the crisis is one of confidence. And the only remedy for that is practice. There 'n s othing mysterious about cooking the evening meal. You just have to do a little thinking ahead and redefine what qualifies as dinner. Like any skill, cooking gets easier as you do it more; every time you cook, you advance your level of skills. Someday you won't even need recipes. My advice is that you not pay attention to the number of steps and ingredients, because they can be deceiving.[P] Time, I realize, is the biggest obstacle to cooking for most people. You must adjust your priorities to find time to cook. For instance, you can move a TV to the kitchenand watch your favorite shows while you' rsetanding at the sink. No one is asking you to give up activities you like, but if you' rwe atching food shows on TV, try cooking instead.36. Cooking benefits people in many ways and enables them to connect with one another.37. Abundant information about cooking is available either online or on TV.38. Young people do less cooking at home than the elderly these days.39. Cooking skills can be improved with practice.40. In the mid-20th century, most families ate dinner at home instead of eating out.41. Even those short of time or money should be encouraged to cook for themselves andtheir family.42. Eating food not cooked by ourselves can cause serious consequences.43. To eat well and still save money, people should buy fresh food and cook itthemselves.44. We get a fairly large portion of calories from fast food and snacks.45. The popularity of TV led to the popularity of frozen food.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 choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through thecentre.Passage One Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.The wallet is heading for extinction. As a day-to-day essential, it will die off with the generation who read print newspapers.The kind of shopping—where you hand over notes and count out change in return—now happens only in the most minor of our retail encounters, like buying a bar of chocolate or a pint of milk from a comer shop. At the shops where you spend any real money, that money is increasingly abstracted. And this is more and more true, the higher up the scale you go. At the most cutting-edge retail stores—Victoria Beckham on Dover Street, for instance—you don'g t o and stand at any kind of cash register when you decide to pay. The staff are equipped with iPads to take your payment while you relax on a sofa.Which is nothing more or less than excellent service, if you have the money. But acrosssociety, the abstraction of the idea of cash makes me uneasy.Maybe I 'm just old-fashioned. But earning moneyisn 'q t uick or easy for most of us.Isn 'it t a bit weird thatspending it should happen in haft ablink (眨眼) of an eye? Doesn'a t wallet—that time-honored Friday-night feeling of pleasing, promising fatness—represent something that matters?But I 'l el ave the economics to the experts. What bothers me about the death of the wallet is the change it represents in our physical environment. Everything about the look and feel of a wallet —the way the fastenings and materials wear and tear and loosen with age, the plastic and paper and gold and silver, and handwritten phone numbers and printed cinema tickets—is the very opposite of what our world is becoming. The opposite of a wallet is a smart phone or an iPad. The rounded edges, cool glass, smooth and unknowable as apebble (鹅卵石). Instead of digging through pieces of paper and peering into corners, we move our fingers left and right. No more counting out coins. Show your wallet, if you still have one. It may not be here much longer.46. What is happening to the wallet?A) It is disappearing.B) It is being fattened.C) It is becoming costly.D) It is changing in style.47. How are business transactions done in big modern stores?A) Individually.B) Electronically.C) In the abstract.D) Via a cash register.48. What makes the author feel uncomfortable nowadays?A) Saving money is becoming a thing of the past.B) The pleasing Friday-night feeling is fading.C) Earning money is getting more difficult.D) Spending money is so fast and easy.49. Why does the author choose to write abouwt hat 'h s appening to the wallet?A) It represents a change in the modern world.B) It has something to do with everybody 'lif s e.C) It marks the end of a time-honored tradition.D) It is the concern of contemporary economists.50. What can we infer from the passage about the author?A) He is resistant to social changes.B) He is against technological progress.C) He feels reluctant to part with the traditional wallet.D) He feels insecure in the ever-changing modern world.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Everybody sleeps, but what people stay up late to catch—or wake up early in order not to miss—varies by culture.From data collected, it seems the things that cause us to lose the most sleep, on average, are sporting events, time changes, and holidays.Around the world, people changed sleep patterns thanks to the start or end of daylight savings time. Russians, for example, began to wake up about a half-hour later each day after President Vladimir Putin shifted the country permanently to “ wintertime ”starting on October 26.Russia 'o s ther late nights and early mornings generally correspond to public holidays. On New Year 'E s ve, Russians have the world 'l s atest bedtime, hitting the hay at around 3:30 am.Russians also get up an hour later on International Women's Day, the day for treating and celebrating female relatives.Similarly, Americans 'late nights, late mornings, and longest sleeps fall on three-day weekends.Canada got the least sleep of the year the night it beat Sweden in the Olympic hockey(冰球)final.The World Cup is also chiefly responsible for sleepdeprivation (剥夺). The worst night for sleep in the U. K. was the night of the England-Italy match on June 14. Brits stayed up a half-hour later to watch it, and then they woke up earlier than usual the next morning thanks to summer nights, the phenomenon in which the sun barely sets in northern countries in the summertime. That was nothing, though, compared to Germans, Italians, and the French, who stayed up around an hour and a haft later on various days throughout the summer to watch the Cup.It should be made clear that not everyone has a device to record their sleep patterns; in some of these nations, it 'li s kely that only the richest people do. And people who elect to track their sleep may try to get more sleep than the average person. Even if that 'th s e case, though, the above findings are still striking. If the most health-conscious among us have such deep swings in our shut-eye levels throughout the year, how much sleep are the rest of us losing?51. What does the author say aboupteople 'sl s eeping habits?A) They are culture-related.B) They affect people 'he s alth.C) They change with the seasons.D) They vary from person to person.52. What do we lear n about the Russia ns regard ing sleep?A) They don' t il asleep until very late.B) They don' sleep much on weekends.C) They get less sleep on public holidays.D) They sleep Ion ger tha n people elsewhere.53. What is the major cause foEuropea ns loss of sleep?A) The daylight sav ings time.B) The colorful night life.C) The World Cup.D) The summertime.54. What is the most probable reas on for some rich people to use a device to recordtheir sleep patter ns?A) They have trouble falli ng asleep.B) They want to get sufficie nt sleep.C) They are invo Ived in a sleep research.D) They want to go to bed on regular hours.55. What does the author imply in the last paragraph?A) Sleeplessness does harm tpeople 'health.B) Few people really know the importa nee of sleep.C) It is importa nt to study our sleep patter ns.D) Average people probably sleep less than the rich.Part IV Translation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minu tes to tran slate a passage from Chin ese into En glish. You should write your an swer on Answer Sheet 2云南省的丽江古镇是中国著名的旅游目的地之一。
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题完整版(第二套)
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题完整版（第二套）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 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 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 Ⅲ Reading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section AFinally, some good news about airplane traverl. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory（呼吸道）viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in individual – had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of gettingsick ,according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore , these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one roe in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.A）accurateB）conclusionC）directlyD）eitherE）evaluateF）explorationsG）flightsH）largelyI）nearbyJ）respondK）slimL）spreadM）summitN）vividlyO）vulnerableSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. Youmay 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.A South Korean city designed for the future takes on a life of its ownA）Getting around a city is one thing —and then there’s the matter of getting from one city to another. One vision of the perfect city of the future: a place that offers easy access to air travel.In 2011, a University of North Carolina business professor named John Kasarda published a book called Aerotropoli s: The Way We’ll Live Next. Kasarda says future cities should be built intentionally around or near airports. The idea, as he has put it, is to offer businesses “rapid, long-distance connectivity on a massive scale.”B）“The 18th century really was a water borne （水运的）century, the 19th century a rail century. the 20th century a highway, car, truck century一and the 21st century will increasingly be an aviation century, as the globe becomes increasingly connected by air,” Kasarda says. Songdo, a city built from scratch in South Korea, is one of Kasarda’s prime examples. It has existed for just a few years.“ From the get-go, it was designed on the basis of connectivity and competitiveness,”says Kasada. “The government built the bridge directly from the airport to the Songdo International Business District. And the surface infrastructure was built in tandem with the new airport.”C）Songdo is a stone’s throw from South Korea’s Incheon Airport, its main international hub （枢纽）. But it takes a lot more than a nearby airport to be a city of the future. Just building a place as an “international business district” doesn’t mean it will become one. Park Yeon Soo conceived （构想）this city of the future back in 1986. He considers Songdo his baby. “I am a visionary,” he says. Thirty years after he imagined the city, Park’s baby is close to 70 percent built, with 36.000 people living in the business district and 90,000 residents in greater Songdo. It’s about an hour outside Seoul, built on reclaimed tidal flats along the Yellow Sea, There’s a Coast Guard building and a tall trade tower, as well as a park, golf course and university.D）Chances are you’ve actually seen this place. Songdo appears in the most famous music video ever to come ou of South Korea. “Gangnam Style” refers to the fashionable Gangnam district in Seoul. But some of the video was filmed in Songdo.“I don’t know if you remember, there was a scene in a subway station. That was not Gangnam. That was actually Songdo,” says Jung Won Son, a professor of urban developm ent at London’s Bartlett School of Planning, “Part of the reason to shoot there is that it’s new and nice.”E）The city was supposed to be a hub for global companies, with employees from all over the world. But hat’s not how it has turned out. Songdo’s rep utation is as a futuristic ghost town. But the reality is more complicated. A bridge with big, light-blue loops leads into the business district. In the center of the main road, there’s a long line of flags of the world. On the corner, there’s aStarbucks and a 7-Eleven--all of the international brands that you see all over the world nowadays.F）The city is not empty. There are mothers pushing strollers, old women with walkers -- even in the middle of the day. when it’s 90 degrees out. Byun Young-Jin chairs the Songdo real estate association and started selling property here when the first phase of the city opened in 2005. He says demand has boomed in the past couple of years. Most of his clients are Korean. In fact, the developer says, 99 percent of the homes here are sold to Koreans. Young families move here because the schools are great. And that’s the problem: Songdo has become a popular Korean city 一more popular as a residential area than a business one. It’s not yet the futuristic international busines s hub that planners imagined. “It’s a great place to live. And it’s becoming a great place to work,” says Scott Summers, the vice president of Gale International, the developer of the city. The floor-to-ceiling windows of his company’s offices overlook Songdo Central Park, with a canal full of kayaks and paddle boats. Shimmering （闪烁的）glass towers line the canal’s edge.G）“What’s happened is, because we focused on creating that quality of life first, which enabled the residents to live here, what has probably missed the mark is for companies to locate here,” he says. “There needs to be strong economic incentives.” The city is still unfinished, and it feels a bit like a theme park. It doesn’t feel all that futuristic. There’s a high-tech underground trash dis posal system. Buildings are environmentally friendly. Everybody’s televisionset is connected to a system that streams personalized language or exercise classes.H）But Star Trek this is not. And to some of the residents, Songdo feels hollow. “I’m, like, in prison for weekdays. That’s what we call it in the workplace,” says a woman in her 20s. She doesn’t want to use her name for fear of being fired from her job. She goes back to Seoul every weekend. “I say I’mprison-breaking on Friday nights.” But she has to make the prison break in her own car. There’s no high-speed train connecting Songdo to Seoul, just over 20 miles away.I）The man who first imagined Songdo feels frustrated. too. Park says he built South Korea a luxury vehicle, “like Mercedes or BMW. It’s a good car now. But we’re waiting for a good driver to accelerate.”But there are lots of other good cars out there, too. The world is dotted with futuristic, high-tech cities trying to attract the biggest international companies J）Songdo’s backers contend that it’s still early, and business space is filling up—about 70 percent of finished offices are now occupied. Brent Ryan, who teaches urban design at MIT, says Songdo proves a universal principle. “There have been a lot of utopian （乌托邦的）cities in history. And the reason we don’t know about a lot of them is that a lot of them have vanished entirely.” In other words, when it comes to cities—or anything else—it is hard to predict the future.36. Songdo’s popularity lies more in its quality of life than its business attraction.37. The man who conceives Songdo feels disappointed because it has fallen short of his expectations.38. A scene in a popular South Korean music video was shot in Songdo.39. Songdo still lacks the financial stimulus for businesses to set up shop there.40. Airplanes will increasingly become the chief means of transportation, according to a professor.41. Songdo has ended up different from the city it was supposed to be.42. Some of the people who work in Songdo complain about boredom in the workplace.43. A business professor says that a future city should have easy access to international transportation.44. Acording to an urban design professor, it is difficult for city designers to foresee what happen in the future.45. Park Yeon So. Who envisioned Songdo, feels a parental connection with the city.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.The fifth largest city in the US passed a significant soda tax proposal that will levy （征税）1.5 cents per liquid ounce on distributors.Philadelphia’s new measure was approved by a 13 to 4 city council vote. It sets a new bar for similar initiatives across the county. It is proof that taxes on sugary drinks can win substantial support outside super-liberal areas. Until now, the only city to successfully pass and implement a soda tax was Berkeley, California, in 2014.The tax will apply to regular and diet sodas, as well as other drinks with added s ugar, such as Gatorade and iced teas. It’s expected to raise $410 million over the next five years, most of which will go toward funding a universalpre-kindergarten program for the city.While the city council vote was met with applause inside the council room, opponents to the measure, including soda lobbyists made sharp criticisms and a promise to challenge the tax in court.“The tax passed today unfairly singles out beverages—including low- andno-calorie choices,” said Lauren Kane, spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association. “But most importantly, it is against the law. So we will side with the majority of the people of Philadelphia who oppose this tax and take legal action to stop it.”An industry backed anti-tax campaign has spent at least $4 million on advertisements. The ads criticized the measure. characterizing it as a“grocery tax.”Public health groups applauded the approved tax as a step toward fixing certain lasting health issues that plague Americans. “The move to recapture a small part of the profits from an industry that pushes a product that contributes to diabetes, obesity and heart disease in poorer communities in order to reinvest in those communities will sure be inspirational to many other places,” said Jim Krieger, executive dire ctor of Healthy Food America. “Indeed, we are already hearing from some of them. It’s not just Berkeley’ anymore.”Similar measures in California’s Albany, Oakland, San Francisco and Colorado’s Boulder are becoming hot-button issues Health advocacy groups have hinted that even more might be coming.46. What does the passage say about the newly-approved soda tax in Philadelphia?A）It will change the lifestyle of many consumers.B）It may encourage other US cities to follow suit.C）It will cut soda consumption among low-income communities.D）It may influence the marketing strategies of the soda business.47. What will the opponents probably do to respond to the soda tax proposal? A）Bargain with the city council.B）Refuse to pay additional tax.C）Take legal action against it.D）Try to win public support.48. What did the industry-backed anti-tax campaign do about the soda tax proposal?A）It tried to arouse hostile feelings among consumers.B）It tried to win grocers’ support against the measure.C）It kept sending letters of protest to the media.D）It criticized the measure through advertising.49. What did public health groups think the soda tax would do?A）Alert people to the risk of sugar-induced diseases.B）Help people to fix certain long-time health issues.C）Add to the fund for their research on diseases.D）Benefit low-income people across the country.50. What do we learn about similar measures concerning the soda tax in some other cities?A）They are becoming rather sensitive issues.B）They are spreading panic in the soda industry.C）They are reducing the incidence of sugar-induced diseases.D）They are taking away lot of profit from the soda industry.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Popping food into the microwave for a couple of minutes may seem utterly harmless, but Europe’s stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7 million cars, a new study has found. And the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchen appliances becoming “status” items, owners are throwing away microwaves after an average of eight years. This is pushing sales of new microwaves which are expected to reach 135 million annually in the EU by the end of the decade.A study by the University of Manchester calculated the emissions of CO2—the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change—at every stage of microwaves, from manufacture to waste disposal. “It is electricity consumption by microwaves that has the biggest impact on the environment,” say the authors. The authors also calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same as those from using a car. According to the same study, efforts to reduce consumption should focus on improving consumer awareness and behaviour. For example, consumers could use appliances in a more efficient way by adjusting the time of cooking to the type of food.However, David Reay, professor of carbon management, argues that, although microwaves use a great deal of energy, their emissions are minor compared to those from cars. In the UK alone, there are around 30 million cars. These cars emit more than all the microwaves in the EU. Backing this up, recent data show that passenger cars in the UK emitted 69 million tons of CO2 in 2015. This is 10 times the amount this new microwave oven study estimates for annual emissions for all the microwave ovens in the EU. Further, the energy used by microwaves is lower than any other from of cooking. Among common kitchen appliances used for cooking, microwaves are the most energy efficient, followed by a stove and finally a standard oven. Thus, rising microwave sales could be seen as a positive thing.51. What is the finding of the new study?A）Quick-cooking microwave ovens have become more popular.B）The frequent use of microwaves may do harm to our health.C）CO2 emissions constitute a major threat to the environment.D）The use of microwaves emits more CO2 than people think.52. Why are the sales of microwaves expected to rise?A）They are becoming more affordable.B）They have a shorter life cycle than other appliances.C）They are getting much easier to operate.D）They take less time to cook than other appliances.53. What recommendation does the study by the University of Manchester make?A）Cooking food of different varieties.B）Improving microwave users’ habits.C）Eating less to cut energy consumption.D）Using microwave ovens less frequently.54. What does Professor David Reay try to argue?A）There are far more emissions from cars than from microwaves.B）People should be persuaded into using passenger cars less often.C）The UK produces less CO2 than many other countries in the EU.D）More data are needed to show whether microwaves are harmful.55. What does Professor David Reay think of the use of microwaves?A）It will become less popular in the coming decades.B）It makes everyday cooking much more convenient.C）It plays a positive role in environmental protection.D）It consumes more power than conventional cooking.Part Ⅳ Translation （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2. 中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
2019年12月英语四级真题第二套（含听力原文）
2019年12⽉英语四级真题第⼆套（含听⼒原⽂）2019年12⽉英语四级真题第⼆套(含听⼒原⽂）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 learn Chinese. Please recommend a place 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 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down..2. A) Cultural bias. B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system. D) Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat. B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned. D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The beach is a popular tourist resort. B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide. D) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It became an online star. B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo. D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6. A) Send it back to the zoo. B) Release it into the wild.C) Return it to its owner. D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B) A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The raccoon did something no politician could.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) She got a well-paying job in a bank. B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary. D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Several years ago. B) Two decades ago.C) Right after graduation. D) Just last month.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents. B) He took a few of his friends to a gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank. D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11. A) Buy some professional clothes. B) Budget her salary carefully.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise. D) Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has a difficult decision to make. B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend. D) He has just too many things to attend to.13. A) Give priority to things more urgent. B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision. D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14. A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15. A) They need time to make preparations. B) They need to save enough money for it.C) They haven’t started their careers yet. D) They haven’t won their parents’ approval.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) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17. A) Improving mind-reading strategies. B) Reading classic scientific literature.C) Playing games that challenge one’s mind. D) Traveling to different places in the world.18. A) Give others freedom to express themselves. B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices. D) Participate in debates or discussions.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) The nature of relationships between dogs. B) The reason a great many people love dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans. D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20. A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility. B) They can respond to humans’ questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans. D) They behave like other animals in many ways.21. A) They have their own joys and sorrows. B) They experience true romantic love.C) They help humans in various ways. D) They stay with one partner for life.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A cow bone. B) A rare animal.C) A historical site. D) A precious stone.23. A) Measuring it. B) Preserving it.C) Dating it. D) Identifying it.24. A) The site should have been protected. B) The boy’s family had acted correctly.C) The boy should have called an expert. D) The channel needs to interview the boy.25. A) Search for similar fossils elsewhere. B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Conduct a more detailed search. D) Seek additional funds for the search.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.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example —or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air. Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. during the flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.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.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A] Along with old classics like “carrots give you night vision” and “Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”, one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake—even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfastregularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.[B] “The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,” explains diet specialistSarah Elder. “Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.” But there’s widespread disagreeme nt over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “dangerous”.[C] What’s the reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two. In one US study that analyzed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D] But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause—or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss program. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine. [E] If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of wei ght loss, why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking and regula r exercise,” she says.[F] A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “limited evidence” supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G] Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.[H] Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language use. A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However, one of the review’s researchers, Mary Beth Spitznagel, says there is “reasonable” evidence break fast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research. “Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,” she says.“And no studies found that eat ing breakfast was bad for concentration.”[I] What’s most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day, according to research by theAustralian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of “adult” breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J] But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods, it’s best to do it early. One re cruited 200 obese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn’t. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more—however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.[K] While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry. “Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,” Johnstone says. Every body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely, Spitznagel says. “A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels,” says El der, “Breakfastisn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36. According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37. Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38. Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39. It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40. Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41. To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42. It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43. More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44. People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45. Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate.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.Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher—of any kind—in the world.It costs about $1 million to create a new textbook. A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors, from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers. Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives, such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources, simply do not. This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing, but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books—which has increased over 1,000 percent since 1977. A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order. But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad, textbooks are not passive or lifeless. For example, over the centuries, they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways. From 1800 to the present day, textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively. That means students are asked to use their individual experie nce to come up with answers to general questions. Today’s psychology texts, for example, ask: “How much of your personality do you think you inherited?” while ones in physics say: “How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe t hat “textbooks come in layers, something like an onion.” For the active learner, engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience: Readers proceed at their own pace. They “customize” their books by engaging with different layers and linkages. Highlighting, Post-It notes, dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46. What does the passage say about open educational resources?A) They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B) They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C) They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D) They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47. What is the main cause of the publishers’ losses?A) Failure to meet student need. B) Industry restructuringC) Emergence of e-books. D) Falling sales.48. What does the textbook industry need to do?A) Reform its structures. B) Cut its retail prices.C) Find replacements for printed textbooks. D) Change its business strategy periodically.49. What are students expected to do in the learning process?A) Think carefully before answering each question.B) Ask questions based on their own understanding.C) Answer questions using their personal experience.D) Give answers showing their respective personality.50. What do experts say about students using textbooks?A) They can digitalize the prints easily. B) They can learn in an interactive way.C) They can purchase customized versions. D) They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants, we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups: one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy. Well, those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant. It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body. The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far, this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered, although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors. Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact, the slugs use the genetic material so well, they pass it on to their further generations. The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes, which they can’t yet produce on their own.”“There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,” says Sidney Piercefrom the University of South Florida. “And yet here, they do. They all ow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to 9 months without having to eat any food. They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51. What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A) It looks like both a plant and an animal. B) It converts some sea animals into plants.C) It lives half on animals and half on plants. D) It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52. What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A) The genes it captures from the sea plant algae. B) The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C) The nutrients it hijacks from other species. D) The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53. What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A) They can live without sunlight for a long time.B) They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C) They can survive without algae for quite some time.D) They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54. What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A) They are stolen from animals like the sea slug. B) They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C) They don’t usually function inside animal cells. D) They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55. What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A) They behave the way most plant species do. B) They can survive for months without eating.C) They will turn into plants when they mature. D) They will starve to death without sunlight.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国的家庭观念与其⽂化传统有关。
2019年12月大学英语四级真题试卷及答案(三套全)
2019年12月四级真题及答案（全三套）第一套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 (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 is27 , 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 recently30 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 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 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 V ann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017’s Hurrican e 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. Thevideo 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 agen cy’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 in frastructure 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 MikeSwigart told me, “because we’re in literally every community in this country … We’re obligated to d eliver 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 $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS’s charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebu ild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving, prosperous,” he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “that’s the first sign to them that life is starting to return to normal.”36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’ safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ 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 G oel 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 enga ging, 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 researc hers’ 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 rece nt 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 (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。
2019年12月四级真题第二套附答案及听力材料
2019年12月四级真题（第二套）答案附后面Part I WritingDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a place to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening ComprehensionSection ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down.2.A) Cultural bias.B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system.D) Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A) He fell out of a lifeboat.B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned.D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4.A) The beach is a popular tourist resort.B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide.D) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A) It became an online star.B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo.D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6.A) Send it back to the zoo.B) Release it into the wild.C) Return it to its owner.D) Give it a physical checkup.7.A) A racoon can perform acts no human can.B) A racoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The racoon did something no politician could.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) She got a well-paying job in a bank.B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C) She received her first monthly salary.D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9.A) Several years ago.B) Two decades ago.C) Right after graduation.D) Just last month.10.A) He sent a small check to his parents.B) He took a few of his friends to a gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank.D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11.A) Buy some professional clothes.B) Budget her salary carefully.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise.D) Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) He has a difficult decision to make.B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.D) He has just too many things to attend to.13.A) Give priority to things more urgent.B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision.D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14.A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15.A) They need time to make preparations.B) They need to save enough money for it.C) They haven’t started their careers yet.D) They haven’t won their parents’ approval.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) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17.A) Improving mind-reading strategies.B) Reading classic scientific literature.C) Playing games that challenge one’s mind.D) Traveling to different places in the world.18.A) Give others freedom to express themselves.B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices.D) Participate in debates or discussions.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) The nature of relationships between dogs.B) The reason a great many people love dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20.A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility.B) They can respond to humans’ questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans.D) They behave like other animals in many ways.21.A) They have their own joys and sorrows.B) They experience true romantic love.C) They help humans in various ways.D) They stay with one partner for life.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A) A cow bone.B) A rare animal.C) A historical site.D) A precious stone.23.A) Measuring it.B) Preserving it.C) Dating it.D) Identifying it.24.A) The site should have been protected.B) The boy’s family had acted correctly.C) The boy should have called an expert.D) The channel needs to interview the boy.25.A) Search for similar fossils elsewhere.B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Conduct a more detailed search.D) Seek additional funds for the search.Part III Reading ComprehensionSection 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.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory (呼吸道) viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example – or one row in front of or behind that individual – had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study, little was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So,to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. during the flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on 34 side of a person infected with the flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 percent chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.A) accurateB) conclusionC) directlyD) eitherE) evaluateF) explorationsG) flightsH) largely I) nearbyJ) respond K) slimL) spread M) summit N) vividly O) vulnerableSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Is Breakfast Really the MostImportant Meal of the Day?A) Along with old classics like “carrots give you night vision” and “Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”, one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake, even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.B) “The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,” explains diet specialist Sarah Elder. “Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.” But there’s widespread disagreement over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy (等级) of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food indust ry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research –and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “dangerous”.C) What’s the reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two. In one US study that analysed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfasthelps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet – since breakfast foods are often higher in fibre and nutrients.D) But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause – or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss programme. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participa nts to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine.E) If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of weight loss, why is there a link between obesity and breakfast -skipping? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviours such as regular exercise and not,” she says.F) A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “limited evidence” supporting or refuting (反驳) the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.G) Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value – partly because cereal is fortified (增加营养价值) with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fibre and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.H) Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language.A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclu sive. However, one of the review’s researchers, Mary Beth Spitznagel, says there is “reasonable” evidence breakfast does improve concentration – there just needs to be more research. “Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies show ing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,” she says. “And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad for concentration.”I) What’s most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing the longing for food and consumption later in the day, according to research by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. While cereal remains a firm favourite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of ‘adult’ breakfast cereals found that some cerealscontain more than three-quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.J) But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods, it’s best to do it early. One study recruited 200 obese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn’t. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more – however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.K) While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry. “Breakfast is most importan t for people who are hungry when they wake up,” Johnstone says. “Each body starts the day differently –and those individual differences need to be researched more closely,” Spitznagel says. “A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meal s throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels,” says Elder. “Breakfast isn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36. According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37. Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38. Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the mist important meal of the day.39. It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40. Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41. To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42. It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43. More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44. People who prioritise breakfast tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45. Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memorise and concentrate.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.Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher – of any kind – in the world.It costs about $1 million to create a new textbook. A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors, from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers. Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives, such as open e-textbooks and open educational resources, simply do not. This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing, but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be chalked up to the excessively high cost of their books –which has increased over 1,000 percent since 1977. A restructuring of the textbook industry may well be in order. But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad, textbooks are not passive or lifeless. For example, over the centuries. they have simulated (模拟) dialogues in a number of ways. From 1800 to the present day, textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively (归纳性地). That means students are asked to use their individual experience to come up with answers to general questions. Today’s psychology texts, for example, ask: “How much of your personality do you think you inherited?” while ones in physics say: “How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe that “textbooks come in layers, something like an onion.” For an active learner, engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience. Readers proceed at their own pace. They “customize” their books by engaging with different layers and linkages. Highlighting, Post-It notes, dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46. What does the passage say about open educational resources?A) They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B) They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C) They can’t con nect professors and students as textbooks do.D) They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47. What is the main cause of the publishers’ losses?A) Failure to meet student need.B) Industry restructuring.C) Emergence of e-books.D) Falling sales.48. What does the textbook industry need to do?A) Reform its structures.B) Cut its retail prices.C) Find replacements for printed textbooks.D) Change its business strategy periodically.49. What are students expected to do in the learning process?A) Think carefully before answering each question.B) Ask questions based on their own understanding.C) Answer questions using their personal experience.D) Give answers showing their respective personality.50. What do experts say about students using textbooks?A) They can digitalize the prints easily.B) They can learn in an interactive way.C) They can purchase customized versions.D) They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants, we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups: one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy.Well, those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug (海蛞蝓) that’s truly half animal and half plant. It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae (藻类) on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll, the green pigment (色素) in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body. The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far, this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered, although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors. Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact, the slugs use the genetic material so well that they pass it on to their future generations. Their babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes, which they can’t yet produce on their own.“There’s no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,” says Sidney Pierce from the University of South Florida. “And yet here, they do. They allow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to nine months without having to eat any food. They get all their nutritional needs me t by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae51. What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A) It looks like both a plant and an animal.B) It converts some sea animals into plants.C) It lives half on animals and half on plantsD) It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52. What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A) The genes it captures from the sea plant algae.B) The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C) The nutrients it hijacks from other species.D) The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53. What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A) They can live without sunlight for a long time.B) They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C) They can survive without algae for quite some time.D) They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54. What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A) They are stolen from animals like the sea slug.B) They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C) They don’t usually function inside animal cells.D) They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55. What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A) They behave the way most plant species do.B) They can survive for months without eating.C) They will turn into plants when they mature.D) They will starve to death without sunlight.Part IV TranslationDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案解析
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案解析(1/1)Part ⅠWriting（30 minutes）Directions : For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a place to him. You should write at least 120words but no more than 180words.______________下一题(1~2/共25题)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 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.News report onePlay00:0003:28VolumeQuestions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.第1题A.A wandering cow was captured by the police.B.Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.C.A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.D.Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.第2题A.It became a great attraction for tourists.B.It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C.It was shot to death by a police officer.D.It was sent to the animal control department.上一题下一题(3~4/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)News report twoPlay00:0001:50VolumeQuestions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.第3题A.It is the largest of its kind.B.It is staring an online exhibition.C.It is going to be expanded.D.It is displaying more fossil specimens.第4题A.A collection of bird fossils from Australia.B.Some ancient wall paintings from Australia.C.Photographs of certain rare fossil exhibits.D.Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest.上一题下一题(5~7/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)News report threePlay00:0002:32VolumeQuestions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.第5题A.Amuse visitors.B.Deliver messages.C.Pick up trash.D.Play with children.第6题A.They ar e children’s favorite.B.They are especially intelligent.C.They are clean and pretty.D.They are quite easy to tame.第7题A.Children may overfeed the rooks.B.Children may contract bird diseases.C.Children may be harmed by the rooks.D.Children may be tempted to drop litter.上一题下一题(8~11/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)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.Conversation 1Play00:0003:32VolumeQuestions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.第8题A.It will cover different areas of science.B.It will be hosted by famous professors.C.It will be produced at Harvard University.D.It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.第9题A.It will be more futuristic.B.It will be more entertaining.C.It will be more systematic.D.It will be easier to understand.第10题A.Youngsters eager to explore.B.Students majoring in science.C.Children in their early teens.D.People interested in science.第11题A.Provide financial support.B.Offer professional advice.C.Help promote it on the Internet.D.Make episodes for its first season.上一题下一题(12~15/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)Conversation 2Play00:0003:11VolumeQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.第12题A.Unsure.B.Helpless.C.Dissatisfied.D.Concerned.第13题A.He loses heart when faced with setbacks.B.He is too concerned with being perfect.C.He takes on projects beyond his ability.D.He is too ambitious in achieving goals.第14题A.Embarrassed.B.Unconcerned.C.Resentful.D.Miserable.第15题pare his present with his past only.B.Try to be optimistic whatever happens.C.Always learn from others’ achievements.D.Treat others the way he would be treated.上一题下一题(16~18/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hearthree 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.Passage onePlay00:0003:52VolumeQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.第16题A.They have greater potential to be leaders.B.They are more likely to become engineers.C.They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.D.They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.第17题A.Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B.Insist that boys and girls work together more.C.Respond more positively to boys’ comments.D.Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.第18题A.Pay extra attention to top students.B.Provide a variety of optional courses.C.Place great emphasis on test scores.D.Offer personalized teaching materials.上一题下一题(19~21/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)Passage twoPlay00:0002:40VolumeQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.第19题A.It seldom rains in summer time.B.It does not rain as much as people think.C.It often rains cats and dogs.D.It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.第20题A.The rain is usually very light.B.They have got used to the rain.C.The rain comes mostly at night.D.They drive most of the time.第21题A.It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.B.It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.C.It has never seen thunder and lighting.D.It has a lot of places for entertainment.上一题下一题(22~25/共25题)Part ⅡListening Comprehension(25 minutes)Passage threePlay00:0003:49VolumeQuestions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.第22题A.It results from exerting one s muscles continuously.B.It oceurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.C.It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity.D.It comes from straining one´s muscles in an unusual way第23题A.They gradually become fragmented.B.They begin to make repairs immediately.C.Body movements in the affected area become difficult.D.Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area.第24题A.About one week.B.About ten days.C.About four weeks.D.About two days.第25题A.Take pain-killers.B.Have a hot shower.C.Drink plenty of water.D.Apply muscle creams.上一题下一题(26~35/共30题)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.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory (呼吸道) viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in individual - had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented. 29 informationabout the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore , these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study. litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the US. 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one roe in font of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.A) accurate B) conclusion C) directly D) eitherE) evaluate F) explorations G) flights H) largelyI) nearby J) respond K) slim L) spreadM) summit N) vividly O) vulnerable第26题【26】____第27题【27】____第28题【28】____第29题【29】____第30题【30】____第31题【31】____第32题【32】____第33题【33】____第34题【34】____第35题【35】____上一题下一题(36~45/共30题)Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.A South Korean city designed for the future takes on a life of its ownA) Getting around a city is one thing - and then there’s the matter of getting from one city toanother. One vision of the perfect city of the future: a place that offers easy access to air travel.In 2011, a University of North Carolina business professor named John Kasarda published a book called Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next. Kasarda says future cities should be built intentionally around or near airports. The idea, as he has put it, is to of fer businesses “rapid, long-distance connectivity on a massive scale.”B) “The 18th century really was a waterborne (水运的) century, the 19th century a rail century. the 20th century a highway, car, truck century一and the 21st century will increasingly be an aviation century, as the globe becomes increasingly connected by air,”Kasarda says. Songdo, a city built from scratch in South Korea, is one of Kasarda’s prime examples. It has existed for just a few years.“ From the get-go, it was designed on the basis of connectivity and competitiveness,”says Kasada. “The government built the bridge directly from the airport to the Songdo International Business District. And the surface infrastructure was built in tandem with the new airport.”C) Songdo is a stone’s throw from South Korea’s Incheon Airport, its main international hub (枢纽). But it takes a lot more than a nearby airport to be a city of the future. Just building a place as an “international business district”doesn’t mean it will become one. Park Yeon Soo conceived (构想) this city of the future back in 1986. He considers Songdo his baby. “I am a visionary,”he says. Thirty years after he imagined the city, Park’s baby is close to 70 percent built, with 36.000 people living in the business district and 90,000 residents in greater Songdo. It’s about an hour outside Seoul, built on reclaimed tidal flats along the Yellow Sea, There’s a Coast Guard building and a tall trade tower, as well as a park, golf course and university.D) Chances are you’ve actually se en this place. Songdo appears in the most famous music video ever to come ou of South Korea. “Gangnam Style” refers to the fashionable Gangnam district in Seoul. But some of the video was filmed in Songdo.“I don’t know if you remember, there was a scene in a subway station. That was not Gangnam. That was actually Songdo,” says Jung Won Son, a professor of urban development at London’s Bartlett School of Planning, “Part of the reason to shoot there is that it’s new and nice.”E) The city was supposed to be a hub for global companies, with employees from all over the world. But hat’s not how it has turned out. Songdo’s reputation is as a futuristic ghost town. But the reality is more complicated. A bridge with big, light-blue loops leads into the business district. In the center of the main road, there’s a long line of flags of the world. On the corner, there’s a Starbucks and a 7-Eleven--all of the international brands that you see all over the world nowadays.F) The city is not empty. There are mothers pushing strollers, old women with walkers -- even in the middle of the day. when it’s 90 degrees out. Byun Young-Jin chairs the Songdo real estate association and started selling property here when the first phase of the city opened in 2005. He says demand has boomed in the past couple of years. Most of his clients are Korean. In fact, the developer says, 99 percent of the homes here are sold to Koreans. Young families move here because the schools are great. And that’s the problem: Songdo has become a popular Koreancity 一more popular as a residential area than a business one. It’s not yet the futuristic international business hub that planners imagined. “It’s a great place to live. And it’s becoming a great place to work,”says Scott Summers, the vice president of Gale International, the developer of the city. The floor-to-ceiling windows of his company’s offices overlook Songdo Central Park, with a canal full of kayaks and paddle boats. Shimmering (闪烁的) glass towers line the canal’s edge.G) “What’s happen ed is, because we focused on creating that quality of life first, which enabled the residents to live here, what has probably missed the mark is for companies to locate here,” he says. “There needs to be strong economic incentives.” The city is still unfin ished, and it feels a bit like a theme park. It doesn’t feel all that futuristic. There’s a high-tech underground trash disposal system. Buildings are environmentally friendly. Everybody’s television set is connected to a system that streams personalized language or exercise classes.H) But Star Trek this is not. And to some of the residents, Songdo feels hollow. “I’m, like, in prison for weekdays. That’s what we call it in the workplace,” says a woman in her 20s. She doesn’t want to use her name for fear of being fired from her job. She goes back to Seoul every weekend. “I say I’m prison-breaking on Friday nights.” But she has to make the prison break in her own car. There’s no high-speed train connecting Songdo to Seoul, just over 20 miles away.I) The man who first imagined Songdo feels frustrated. too. Park says he built South Korea a luxury vehicle, “like Mercedes or BMW. It’s a good car now. But we’re waiting for a good driver to accelerate.” But there are lots of other good cars out there, too. The world is dotted with futuristic, high-tech cities trying to attract the biggest international companiesJ) Songdo’s backers contend that it’s still early, and business space is filling up-about 70 percent of finished offices are now occupied. Brent Ryan, who teaches urban design at MIT, says Songdo proves a universal principle. “There have been a lot of utop ian (乌托邦的) cities in history. And the reason we don’t know about a lot of them is that a lot of them have vanished entirely.”In other words, when it comes to cities-or anything else-it is hard to predict the future.第36题Songdo’s popularity lies more in its quality of life than its business attraction._______第37题The man who conceives Songdo feels disappointed because it has fallen short of his expectations._______第38题A scene in a popular South Korean music video was shot in Songdo._______第39题Songdo still lacks the financial stimulus for businesses to set up shop there._______第40题Airplanes will increasingly become the chief means of transportation, according to a professor._______第41题Songdo has ended up different from the city it was supposed to be._______第42题Some of the people who work in Songdo complain about boredom in the workplace. _______第43题A business professor says that a future city should have easy access to international transportation._______第44题Acording to an urban design professor, it is difficult for city designers to foresee what happen in the future._______第45题Park Yeon So. Who envisioned Songdo, feels a parental connection with the city._______上一题下一题(46~50/共30题)Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)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.The fifth largest city in the US passed a significant soda tax proposal that will levy (征税)1.5 cents per liquid ounce on distributors.Philadelphia’s new measure was approved by a 13 to 4 city council vote. It sets a new bar for similar initiatives across the county. It is proof that taxes on sugary drinks can win substantial support outside super-liberal areas. Until now, the only city to successfully pass and implement a soda tax was Berkeley, California, in 2014.The tax will apply to regular and diet sodas, as well as other drinks with added sugar, such as Gatorade and iced teas. It’s expected to raise $410 million over the next five years, most of which will go toward funding a universal pre-kindergarten program for the city.While the city council vote was met with applause inside the council room, opponents to the measure, including soda lobbyists made sharp criticisms and a promise to challenge the tax in court.“The tax passed today unfairly singles out beverages-including low- and no-calorie choices,” said Lauren Kane, spokesw oman for the American Beverage Association. “But most importantly, it is against the law. So we will side with the majority of the people of Philadelphia who oppose this tax and take legal action to stop it.”An industry backed anti-tax campaign has spent at least $4 million on advertisements. The ads criticized the measure. characterizing it as a“grocery tax.”Public health groups applauded the approved tax as a step toward fixing certain lasting health issues that plague Americans. “The move to recapture a small part of the profits from an industry that pushes a product that contributes to diabetes, obesity and heart disease in poorer communities in order to reinvest in those communities will sure be inspirational to many other places,” said Jim Krieger, executive director of Healthy Food America. “Indeed, we are alreadyhearing from some of them. It’s not just Berkeley’ anymore.”Similar measures in California’s Albany, Oakland, San Francisco and Colorado’s Boulder are becoming hot-button issues Health advocacy groups have hinted that even more might be coming.第46题What does the passage say about the newly-approved soda tax in Philadelphia?A.It will change the lifestyle of many consumers.B.It may encourage other US cities to follow suit.C.It will cut soda consumption among low-income communities.D.It may influence the marketing strategies of the soda business.第47题What will the opponents probably do to respond to the soda tax proposal?A.Bargain with the city council.B.Refuse to pay additional tax.C.Take legal action against it.D.Try to win public support.第48题What did the industry-backed anti-tax campaign do about the soda tax proposal?A.It tried to arouse hostile feelings among consumers.B.It tried to win grocers’ support against the measure.C.It kept sending letters of protest to the media.D.It criticized the measure through advertising.第49题What did public health groups think the soda tax would do?A.Alert people to the risk of sugar-induced diseases.B.Help people to fix certain long-time health issues.C.Add to the fund for their research on diseases.D.Benefit low-income people across the country.第50题What do we learn about similar measures concerning the soda tax in some other cities?A.They are becoming rather sensitive issues.B.They are spreading panic in the soda industry.C.They are reducing the incidence of sugar-induced diseases.D.They are taking away lot of profit from the soda industry.上一题下一题(51~55/共30题)Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Popping food into the microwave for a couple of minutes may seem utterly harmless, but Europe’s stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7 million cars, a new study has found. And the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchen appliances becoming “status” items, owners are throwing away microwaves after an average of eight years. This is pushing sales of new microwaves which are expected to reach 135 million annually in the EU by。
2019年12月英语四级真题答案【卷二】
2019年12月英语四级真题答案【卷二】Section AFinally, some good news about airplane traverl. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory(呼吸道)viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in individual –had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick ,according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore , these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air. Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one roe in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.A) accurateB) conclusionC) directlyD) eitherE) evaluateF) explorationsG) flightsH) largelyI) nearbyJ) respondK) slimL) spreadM) summitN) vividlyO) vulnerablePart III Reading ComprehensionSection A26. [B] conclusion27. [L] spread28. [K] slim29. [A] accurate30. [O] vulnerable31. [C] directly32. [E] evaluate33. [G] flights34. [D] either35. [H] largely36:F37:I38:D39:G40:B41:E42:H43:A44:J45:C46-50:饮料征税46:B47:C48:D49:B50:A51-55:微波炉51:D52:A53:B54:A55:C【整体概述】文都四六级老师认为，今年的四级翻译真题比往年稍微困难了一些。
卷二 2019年12月英语四级真题及答案
2019年12月四级考试真题及答案第二套Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese.Please recommend a place to him.You should write at least120words but no more than180words.PartⅡListening Comprehension(25minutes) 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 andthen questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,youmust choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)andD).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a singleline through the centre.Questions1and2are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B)There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C)There is discrimination against male nurses.D)The number of male nurses has gone down..2.A)Cultural bias.B)Inadequate pay.C)Educational system.D)Working conditions.Questions3and4are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)He fell out of a lifeboat.B)He lost his way on a beach.C)He was almost drowned.D)He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4.A)The beach is a popular tourist resort.B)The emergency services are efficient.C)The beach is a good place to watch the tide.D)The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.Questions5to7are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)It became an online star.B)It broke into an office room.C)It escaped from a local zoo.D)It climbed25storeys at one go.6.A)Send it back to the zoo.B)Release it into the wild.C)Return it to its owner.D)Give it a physical checkup.7.A)A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B)A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C)The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D)The raccoon did something no politician could.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 thequestions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single linethrough the centre.Questions8to11are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)She got a well-paying job in a bank.B)She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary.D)She got a pay raise for her performance.9.A)Several years ago.B)Two decades ago.C)Right after graduation.D)Just last month.10.A)He sent a small check to his parents.B)He took a few of his friends to a gym.C)He immediately deposited it in a bank.D)He treated his parents to a nice meal.11.A)Buy some professional clothes.B)Budget her salary carefully.C)Join her colleagues for gym exercise.D)Visit her former university campus.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)He has a difficult decision to make.B)He has been overworked recently.C)He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.D)He has just too many things to attend to.13.A)Give priority to things more urgent.B)Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C)Think twice before making the decision.D)Seek advice from his family and advisor.14.A)His parents and advisor have different opinions.B)He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C)He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D)His girlfriend does not support his decision.15.A)They need time to make preparations.B)They need to save enough money for it.C)They haven’t started their careers yet.D)They haven’t won their parents’approval.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 questionswill be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose thebest answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through thecentre.Questions16to18are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B)Using information to understand and solve problems.C)Enriching social and intellectual lives.D)Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17.A)Improving mind-reading strategies.B)Reading classic scientific literature.C)Playing games that challenge one’s mind.D)Traveling to different places in the world.18.A)Give others freedom to express themselves.B)Expose themselves to different cultures.C)Discard personal biases and prejudices.D)Participate in debates or discussions.Questions19to21are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)The nature of relationships between dogs.B)The reason a great many people love dogs.C)Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.D)How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20.A)They have an unusual sense of responsibility.B)They can respond to humans’questions.C)They can fall in love just like humans.D)They behave like other animals in many ways.21.A)They have their own joys and sorrows.B)They experience true romantic love.C)They help humans in various ways.D)They stay with one partner for life.Questions22to25are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A)A cow bone.B)A rare animal.C)A historical site.D)A precious stone.23.A)Measuring it.B)Preserving it.C)Dating it.D)Identifying it.24.A)The site should have been protected.B)The boy’s family had acted correctly.C)The boy should have called an expert.D)The channel needs to interview the boy.25.A)Search for similar fossils elsewhere.B)Ask the university to reward Jude.C)Conduct a more detailed search.D)Seek additional funds for the search.PartⅢReading 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 bankfollowing the passage.Read the passage through carefully before makingyour choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Pleasemark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet2with asingle line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions26to35are based on the following passage.Finally,some good news about airplane travel.If you are on a plane with a sick passenger,you are unlikely to get sick.That is the26of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses27on airplanes.Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu,for example—or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness.All other passengers had only a very28chance of getting sick,according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented29information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past.Therefore,these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less30to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study,litter was known about the risks of getting31infected by common respiratory viruses,such as the flu or common cold,on an airplane,the researchers said.So,to32the risks of infection,the study team flew on10 different33in the U.S.during the flu season.The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on34side of a person infected with flu,as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual,had about an80person chance of getting sick.But other passengers were35safe from infection.They had a less than3percent chance of catching the flu.A)accurateB)conclusionC)directlyD)eitherE)evaluateF)explorationsG)flightsH)largelyI)nearbyJ)respondK)slimL)spreadM)summitN)vividlyO)venerableSection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to each statement contains information given in one of theparagraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is markedwith a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letteron Answer Sheet2.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A]Along with old classics like“carrots give you night vision”and“Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”,one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake—even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly,according to the British Dietetic Association,and around three-quarters of Americans.[B]“The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,”explains diet specialist Sarah Elder.“Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy,as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.”But there’s widespread disagreement over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy of meals.There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is“dangerous”.[C]What’s the reality?Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies?The most researched aspect of breakfast(and breakfast-skipping)has been its links to obesity.Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two.In one US study that analyzed the health data of50,000people over seven years,researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index(BMI)than those who ate a large lunch or dinner.The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D]But as with any study of this kind,it was unclear if that was the cause—or ifbreakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with.To find out, researchers designed a study in which52obese women took part in a12-week weight loss program.All had the same number of calories over the day,but half had breakfast, while the other half did not.What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight:it was changing their normal routine.[E]If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of weight loss,why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast?Alexandra Johnstone,professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen,argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health.“There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes,but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking and regular exercise,”she says.[F]A2016review of10studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is“limited evidence”supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake,and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G]Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight.Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control.Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight.Skipping breakfast has been associated with a27%increased risk of heart disease,a21% higher risk of type2diabetes men,and a20%higher risk of type2diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins.In one study on the breakfast habits of1,600young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly.There have been similar findings in Australia,Brazil,Canada and the US.[H]Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function,including concentration and language use.A review of54studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory,though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However,one of the review’s researchers,Mary Beth Spitznagel,says there is “reasonable”evidence breakfast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research.“Looking at studies that tested concentration,the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,”she says.“And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad for concentration.”[I]What’s most important,some argue,is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day,according to research by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US,a recent investigation into the sugar content of“adult”breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion,and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J]But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods,it’s best to do it early.One recruited200obese adults to take part in a16-week-long diet,where half added dessert to their breakfast,and half didn’t.Those who added dessert lost an average of40pounds more—however,the study was unable to show the long-term effects.A review of54studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier,and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.[K]While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when,the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry.“Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,”Johnstone says.Every body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely,Spitznagel says.“A balanced breakfast is really helpful,but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day,which helps control weight and hunger levels,”says Elder,“Breakfast isn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36.According to one professor,obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37.Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38.Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39.It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40.Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41.To keep oneself healthy,eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42.It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43.More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44.People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45.Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate.Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are fourchoices marked A),B),C)and D).You should decide on the best choiceand mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2with a single linethrough the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.Textbooks represent an11billion dollar industry,up from$8billion in2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher—of any kind—in the world.It costs about$1million to create a new textbook.A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors,from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers.Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives,such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources,simply do not.This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development,review and testing,but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses,largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks.But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books—which has increased over1,000percent since1977.A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order.But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad,textbooks are not passive or lifeless.For example,over the centuries,they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways.From1800to the present day,textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively.That means students are asked to use their individual experience to come up with answers to general questions.Today’s psychology texts, for example,ask:“How much of your personality do you think you inherited?”while ones in physics say:“How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe that“textbooks come in layers,something like an onion.”For the active learner,engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience:Readers proceed at their own pace.They“customize”their books by engaging with different layers and linkages.Highlighting,Post-It notes,dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46.What does the passage say about open educational resources?A)They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B)They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C)They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D)They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47.What is the main cause of the publishers’losses?A)Failure to meet student need.B)Industry restructuringC)Emergence of e-books.D)Falling sales.48.What does the textbook industry need to do?A)Reform its structures.B)Cut its retail prices.C)Find replacements for printed textbooks.D)Change its business strategy periodically.49.What are students expected to do in the learning process?A)Think carefully before answering each question.B)Ask questions based on their own understanding.C)Answer questions using their personal experience.D)Give answers showing their respective personality.50.What do experts say about students using textbooks?A)They can digitalize the prints easily.B)They can learn in an interactive way.C)They can purchase customized versions.D)They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants,we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups:one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy.Well,those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant.It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll,the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight,and hold these genes within their body.The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far,this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered,although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors.Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact,the slugs use the genetic material so well,they pass it on to their further generations.The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll,though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes,which they can’t yet produce on their own.”“There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,”says Sidney Pierce from the University of South Florida.“And yet here,they do. They allow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition.So if something happens to their food source,they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to9months without having to eat any food.They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51.What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A)It looks like both a plant and an animal.B)It converts some sea animals into plants.C)It lives half on animals and half on plants.D)It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52.What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A)The genes it captures from the sea plant algae.B)The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C)The nutrients it hijacks from other species.D)The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53.What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A)They can live without sunlight for a long time.B)They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C)They can survive without algae for quite some time.D)They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54.What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A)They are stolen from animals like the sea slug.B)They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C)They don’t usually function inside animal cells.D)They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55.What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A)They behave the way most plant species do.B)They can survive for months without eating.C)They will turn into plants when they mature.D)They will starve to death without sunlight.PartⅣTranslation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
2019年12月大学英语四级真题试卷(题后附答案及解析)(二)
1． For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a place to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
4．
A．He fell out of a lifeboat.
B．He lost his way on a beach.
C．He was almost drowned.
D．He enjoyed swimming in the sea.
正确答案：C
解析：事实细节题。新闻开头提到，一位来自利比亚的男士正在南港海滩上散步，在离码头大约半英里远的地方，他感觉有点累，所以就躺下来睡着了。但潮水很快袭来并完全包围了他，将他与岸边隔离。幸运的是，海滩救生员发现了他，在他溺水前救了他。
5．
A．The beach is a popular tourist resort.
B．The emergency services are efficient.
C．The beach is a good place to watch the tide.
D．The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
3. What does the news report say about the Libyan man?
2019年12月英语四级真题第二套(含听力原文)
2019 年12 月英语四级真题第二套（含听力原文）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 learn Chinese. Please recommend a place 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 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down..2. A) Cultural bias. B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system. D) Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat. B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned. D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The beach is a popular tourist resort. B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide. D) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It became an online star. B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo. D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6. A) Send it back to the zoo. B) Release it into the wild.C) Return it to its owner. D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B) A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The raccoon did something no politician could.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) She got a well-paying job in a bank. B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary. D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Several years ago. B) Two decades ago.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has a difficult decision to make.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.13. A) Give priority to things more urgent.C) Think twice before making the decision.14. A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program. D)His girlfriend does not support his decision.15. A) They need time to make preparations.C) They haven 't started their careers yet.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) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A cow bone.C) A historical site.23. A) Measuring it.C) Dating it.24. A) The site should have been protected.C) The boy should have called anexpert.B) A rare animal.D) A precious stone.B) Preserving it.D) Identifying it.B) The boy's family had acted correctly. D) The channel needs to interview the boy.C) Right after graduation.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank.11. A) Buy some professional clothes.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise. D) Just last month.B) He took a few of his friends to a gym. D) He treated his parents to a nice meal. B) Budget her salary carefully.D) Visit her former university campus.B) He has been overworked recently.D) He has just too many things to attend to.B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.B) They need to save enough money for it.D) They haven 't won their parents ' approval17. A) Improving mind-reading strategies. C)Playing games that challenge one 's mind.18. A) Give others freedom to express themselves.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices. B) Reading classic scientific literature.D) Traveling to different places in the world.B) Expose themselves to different cultures.D) Participate in debates or discussions.19. A) The nature of relationships between dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.20. A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility.C) They can fall in love just like humans.21. A) They have their own joys and sorrows. C)They help humans in various ways. B) The reason a great many people love dogs. D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.B) They can respond to humans ' questions. D) They behave like other animals in many ways.B) They experience true romantic love.D) They stay with one partner for life.25. A) Search for similar fossilselsewhere.C) Conduct a more detailed search. B) Ask the university to reward Jude.D) Seek additional funds for the search.Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example —or one row in front of or behind that individual —had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratoryviruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. during the flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.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.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A] Along with old classics like “ carrots give you night vision ” and “ Santa doesn 'children ”, one of the most w-welol rn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake —even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.[B] “Theb ody uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night, ex”pl ains diet specialistSarah Elder. “ Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as wellm aask e up for protein and calciumt bringused throughout the night. ” But there 's widespreandt odvisear gwreh e mth e r breakfast should keep its topspot in the hierarchy of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry 'invso lvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “ dangerous ”.[C] What' s the reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the da yor a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there 's a relationship between the two. In one US study that analyzed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D] But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause —or if breakfast-skippers were justmore likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss program. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn 't breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine.[E] If breakfast alone isn 'at guarantee of wei ght loss, why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “ There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking and regula r exercise, ” she says.[F] A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “ limited evidence ” supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight ofood intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G] Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast 's nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.[H] Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language use. A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However, one of the review 's researchSeprist,z nMaagreyl ,B seatyhs there is“ reasonable ”evidence fbarseta dkoes improve concentration —there just needs to be more research. “ Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit, s”he says. “And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad for concentration. ”[I] What' s most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High -protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day, according to research by theAustralian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of breakfast cereals found that somecereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J] But some research suggests if we ' re going to eat sugary foods, it ' s besct rtuoi tdeod i2t 0e0a rly. One robese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn ' t. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more—however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn ' t matter as much as simply eating something. [K] While there ' s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eatianngd when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we ' re hungry. “ Breakfast is most important for peare hungry when they wake up, ” Jo hsnasytso. nEevery body starts the day differently —and those individual differences need to be researched more closely, Spitznagel says. “ A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels, der, “”B sraeyask fEalst isn 't the only meal we should be getting right.36. According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37. Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38. Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39. It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40. Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41. To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42. It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43. More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44. People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45. Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate.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.Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearsonis the largest publisher —of any kind —in the world.It costs about $1 million to create a new textbook. A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors, from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers. Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives, such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources, simply do not. This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing, but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books —which has increasedover 1,000 percent since 1977. A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order. But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad, textbooks are not passive or lifeless. For example, over the centuries, they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways. From 1800 to the present day, textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively. That means students are asked to use their individual experie nce to come up with answers to general questions. Today' s psychology texts, for exa ask: “ How much of your personality do you think you inherited?” while ones in physics say: predict where the ball you tossed will land? ”Experts observe that “ textbooks come in layers, something like an onion.” For the active learne with atextbook can be an interactive experience: Readers proceed at their own pace. They books by engaging with different layers and linkages. Highlighting, Post-It notes, dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46. What does the passage say about open educational resources?A) They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B) They don 't profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C) They can 't connect professors and students as textbooks do.D) They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47. What is the main cause of the publishers ' losses?49. What are students expected to do in the learning process?A) Think carefully before answering each question.B) Ask questions based on their own understanding.C) Answer questions using their personal experience. D) Give answers showing their respective personality.50. What do experts say about students using textbooks?A) They can digitalize the prints easily.B) They can learn in an interactive way. C) They can purchase customized versions. D) They can adapt the material themselves.Passage Two Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants, we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups: oneconverts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy. Well, those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant. It 'psre tty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body. The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far, this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered,although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors. Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact, the slugs use the genetic material so well, they pass it on to their further generations. The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can 'g t enerate energy from sunlight until they 've eaten enough algae to steal the necessary gene,s which they can ' t yet produce on their own.“ There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,from the University of South Florida. “ And yet here, theoy wd oth. eT haenyim aalll to rely on sunshine forA) Failure to meet student need.C) Emergence of e-books.48. What does the textbook industry need to do?A) Reform its structures.C) Find replacements for printed textbooks.B) Industry restructuring D) Falling sales. B) Cut its retail prices. D) Change its business strategy periodically.itsnutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat. ”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to 9 months without having to eat any food. They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they ' ve hijacked from the algae.51. What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A) It looks like both a plant and an animal. B) It converts some sea animals into plants.C) It lives half on animals and half on plants. D) It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52. What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A) The genes it captures from the sea plant algae. B) The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C) The nutrients it hijacks from other species. D) The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53. What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A) They can live without sunlight for a long time.B) They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C) They can survive without algae for quite some time.D) They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54. What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A) They are stolen from animals like the sea slug. B) They can 't function unless exposed to sunlight.C) They don't usually function inside animal cells. D) They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55. What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A) They behave the way most plant species do. B) They can survive for months without eating.C) They will turn into plants when they mature. D) They will starve to death without sunlight.Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
卷二 2019年12月英语四级真题及答案
2019年12月四级考试真题及答案第二套Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese.Please recommend a place to him.You should write at least120words but no more than180words.PartⅡListening Comprehension(25minutes) 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 andthen questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,youmust choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)andD).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a singleline through the centre.Questions1and2are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B)There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C)There is discrimination against male nurses.D)The number of male nurses has gone down..2.A)Cultural bias.B)Inadequate pay.C)Educational system.D)Working conditions.Questions3and4are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)He fell out of a lifeboat.B)He lost his way on a beach.C)He was almost drowned.D)He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4.A)The beach is a popular tourist resort.B)The emergency services are efficient.C)The beach is a good place to watch the tide.D)The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.Questions5to7are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)It became an online star.B)It broke into an office room.C)It escaped from a local zoo.D)It climbed25storeys at one go.6.A)Send it back to the zoo.B)Release it into the wild.C)Return it to its owner.D)Give it a physical checkup.7.A)A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B)A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C)The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D)The raccoon did something no politician could.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 thequestions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single linethrough the centre.Questions8to11are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)She got a well-paying job in a bank.B)She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary.D)She got a pay raise for her performance.9.A)Several years ago.B)Two decades ago.C)Right after graduation.D)Just last month.10.A)He sent a small check to his parents.B)He took a few of his friends to a gym.C)He immediately deposited it in a bank.D)He treated his parents to a nice meal.11.A)Buy some professional clothes.B)Budget her salary carefully.C)Join her colleagues for gym exercise.D)Visit her former university campus.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)He has a difficult decision to make.B)He has been overworked recently.C)He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.D)He has just too many things to attend to.13.A)Give priority to things more urgent.B)Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C)Think twice before making the decision.D)Seek advice from his family and advisor.14.A)His parents and advisor have different opinions.B)He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C)He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D)His girlfriend does not support his decision.15.A)They need time to make preparations.B)They need to save enough money for it.C)They haven’t started their careers yet.D)They haven’t won their parents’approval.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 questionswill be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose thebest answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through thecentre.Questions16to18are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B)Using information to understand and solve problems.C)Enriching social and intellectual lives.D)Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17.A)Improving mind-reading strategies.B)Reading classic scientific literature.C)Playing games that challenge one’s mind.D)Traveling to different places in the world.18.A)Give others freedom to express themselves.B)Expose themselves to different cultures.C)Discard personal biases and prejudices.D)Participate in debates or discussions.Questions19to21are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)The nature of relationships between dogs.B)The reason a great many people love dogs.C)Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.D)How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20.A)They have an unusual sense of responsibility.B)They can respond to humans’questions.C)They can fall in love just like humans.D)They behave like other animals in many ways.21.A)They have their own joys and sorrows.B)They experience true romantic love.C)They help humans in various ways.D)They stay with one partner for life.Questions22to25are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A)A cow bone.B)A rare animal.C)A historical site.D)A precious stone.23.A)Measuring it.B)Preserving it.C)Dating it.D)Identifying it.24.A)The site should have been protected.B)The boy’s family had acted correctly.C)The boy should have called an expert.D)The channel needs to interview the boy.25.A)Search for similar fossils elsewhere.B)Ask the university to reward Jude.C)Conduct a more detailed search.D)Seek additional funds for the search.PartⅢReading 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 bankfollowing the passage.Read the passage through carefully before makingyour choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Pleasemark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet2with asingle line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions26to35are based on the following passage.Finally,some good news about airplane travel.If you are on a plane with a sick passenger,you are unlikely to get sick.That is the26of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses27on airplanes.Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu,for example—or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness.All other passengers had only a very28chance of getting sick,according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented29information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past.Therefore,these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less30to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study,litter was known about the risks of getting31infected by common respiratory viruses,such as the flu or common cold,on an airplane,the researchers said.So,to32the risks of infection,the study team flew on10 different33in the U.S.during the flu season.The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on34side of a person infected with flu,as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual,had about an80person chance of getting sick.But other passengers were35safe from infection.They had a less than3percent chance of catching the flu.A)accurateB)conclusionC)directlyD)eitherE)evaluateF)explorationsG)flightsH)largelyI)nearbyJ)respondK)slimL)spreadM)summitN)vividlyO)venerableSection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to each statement contains information given in one of theparagraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is markedwith a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letteron Answer Sheet2.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A]Along with old classics like“carrots give you night vision”and“Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”,one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake—even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly,according to the British Dietetic Association,and around three-quarters of Americans.[B]“The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,”explains diet specialist Sarah Elder.“Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy,as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.”But there’s widespread disagreement over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy of meals.There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is“dangerous”.[C]What’s the reality?Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies?The most researched aspect of breakfast(and breakfast-skipping)has been its links to obesity.Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two.In one US study that analyzed the health data of50,000people over seven years,researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index(BMI)than those who ate a large lunch or dinner.The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D]But as with any study of this kind,it was unclear if that was the cause—or ifbreakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with.To find out, researchers designed a study in which52obese women took part in a12-week weight loss program.All had the same number of calories over the day,but half had breakfast, while the other half did not.What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight:it was changing their normal routine.[E]If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of weight loss,why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast?Alexandra Johnstone,professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen,argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health.“There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes,but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking and regular exercise,”she says.[F]A2016review of10studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is“limited evidence”supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake,and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G]Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight.Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control.Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight.Skipping breakfast has been associated with a27%increased risk of heart disease,a21% higher risk of type2diabetes men,and a20%higher risk of type2diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins.In one study on the breakfast habits of1,600young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly.There have been similar findings in Australia,Brazil,Canada and the US.[H]Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function,including concentration and language use.A review of54studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory,though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However,one of the review’s researchers,Mary Beth Spitznagel,says there is “reasonable”evidence breakfast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research.“Looking at studies that tested concentration,the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,”she says.“And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad for concentration.”[I]What’s most important,some argue,is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day,according to research by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US,a recent investigation into the sugar content of“adult”breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion,and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J]But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods,it’s best to do it early.One recruited200obese adults to take part in a16-week-long diet,where half added dessert to their breakfast,and half didn’t.Those who added dessert lost an average of40pounds more—however,the study was unable to show the long-term effects.A review of54studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier,and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.[K]While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when,the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry.“Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,”Johnstone says.Every body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely,Spitznagel says.“A balanced breakfast is really helpful,but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day,which helps control weight and hunger levels,”says Elder,“Breakfast isn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36.According to one professor,obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37.Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38.Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39.It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40.Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41.To keep oneself healthy,eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42.It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43.More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44.People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45.Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate.Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are fourchoices marked A),B),C)and D).You should decide on the best choiceand mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2with a single linethrough the centre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.Textbooks represent an11billion dollar industry,up from$8billion in2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher—of any kind—in the world.It costs about$1million to create a new textbook.A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors,from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers.Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives,such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources,simply do not.This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development,review and testing,but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses,largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks.But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books—which has increased over1,000percent since1977.A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order.But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad,textbooks are not passive or lifeless.For example,over the centuries,they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways.From1800to the present day,textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively.That means students are asked to use their individual experience to come up with answers to general questions.Today’s psychology texts, for example,ask:“How much of your personality do you think you inherited?”while ones in physics say:“How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe that“textbooks come in layers,something like an onion.”For the active learner,engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience:Readers proceed at their own pace.They“customize”their books by engaging with different layers and linkages.Highlighting,Post-It notes,dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46.What does the passage say about open educational resources?A)They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B)They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C)They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D)They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47.What is the main cause of the publishers’losses?A)Failure to meet student need.B)Industry restructuringC)Emergence of e-books.D)Falling sales.48.What does the textbook industry need to do?A)Reform its structures.B)Cut its retail prices.C)Find replacements for printed textbooks.D)Change its business strategy periodically.49.What are students expected to do in the learning process?A)Think carefully before answering each question.B)Ask questions based on their own understanding.C)Answer questions using their personal experience.D)Give answers showing their respective personality.50.What do experts say about students using textbooks?A)They can digitalize the prints easily.B)They can learn in an interactive way.C)They can purchase customized versions.D)They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants,we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups:one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy.Well,those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant.It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll,the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight,and hold these genes within their body.The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far,this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered,although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors.Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact,the slugs use the genetic material so well,they pass it on to their further generations.The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll,though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes,which they can’t yet produce on their own.”“There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,”says Sidney Pierce from the University of South Florida.“And yet here,they do. They allow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition.So if something happens to their food source,they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to9months without having to eat any food.They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51.What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A)It looks like both a plant and an animal.B)It converts some sea animals into plants.C)It lives half on animals and half on plants.D)It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52.What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A)The genes it captures from the sea plant algae.B)The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C)The nutrients it hijacks from other species.D)The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53.What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A)They can live without sunlight for a long time.B)They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C)They can survive without algae for quite some time.D)They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54.What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A)They are stolen from animals like the sea slug.B)They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C)They don’t usually function inside animal cells.D)They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55.What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A)They behave the way most plant species do.B)They can survive for months without eating.C)They will turn into plants when they mature.D)They will starve to death without sunlight.PartⅣTranslation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
2019年12月英语四级真题第二套(含听力原文)
2019年12月英语四级真题第二套(含听力原文）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 learn Chinese. Please recommend a place 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 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down..2. A) Cultural bias. B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system. D) Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat. B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned. D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The beach is a popular tourist resort. B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide. D) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It became an online star. B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo. D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6. A) Send it back to the zoo. B) Release it into the wild.C) Return it to its owner. D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B) A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The raccoon did something no politician could.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) She got a well-paying job in a bank. B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary. D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Several years ago. B) Two decades ago.C) Right after graduation. D) Just last month.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents. B) He took a few of his friends to a gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank. D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11. A) Buy some professional clothes. B) Budget her salary carefully.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise. D) Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has a difficult decision to make. B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend. D) He has just too many things to attend to.13. A) Give priority to things more urgent. B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision. D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14. A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15. A) They need time to make preparations. B) They need to save enough money for it.C) They haven’t started their careers yet. D) They haven’t won their parents’ approval.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) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17. A) Improving mind-reading strategies. B) Reading classic scientific literature.C) Playing games that challenge one’s mind. D) Traveling to different places in the world.18. A) Give others freedom to express themselves. B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices. D) Participate in debates or discussions.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) The nature of relationships between dogs. B) The reason a great many people love dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans. D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20. A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility. B) They can respond to humans’ questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans. D) They behave like other animals in many ways.21. A) They have their own joys and sorrows. B) They experience true romantic love.C) They help humans in various ways. D) They stay with one partner for life.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A cow bone. B) A rare animal.C) A historical site. D) A precious stone.23. A) Measuring it. B) Preserving it.C) Dating it. D) Identifying it.24. A) The site should have been protected. B) The boy’s family had acted correctly.C) The boy should have called an expert. D) The channel needs to interview the boy.25. A) Search for similar fossils elsewhere. B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Conduct a more detailed search. D) Seek additional funds for the search.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.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example —or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. during the flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.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.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A] Along with old classics like “carrots give you night vision” and “Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”, one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake—even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.[B] “The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,” explains diet specialistSarah Elder. “Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.” But there’s widespread disagreeme nt over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “dangerous”.[C] What’s the reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two. In one US study that analyzed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D] But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause—or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss program. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine.[E] If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of wei ght loss, why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking and regula r exercise,” she says.[F] A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “limited evidence” supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G] Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.[H] Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language use. A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However, one of the review’s researchers, Mary Beth Spitznagel, says there is “reasonable” evidence break fast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research. “Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,” she says.“And no studies found that eat ing breakfast was bad for concentration.”[I] What’s most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day, according to research by theAustralian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of “adult” breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J] But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods, it’s best to do it early. One re cruited 200 obese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn’t. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more—however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.[K] While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry. “Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,” Johnstone says. Every body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely, Spitznagel says. “A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels,” says El der, “Breakfast isn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36. According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37. Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38. Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39. It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40. Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41. To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42. It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43. More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44. People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45. Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate.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.Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher—of any kind—in the world.It costs about $1 million to create a new textbook. A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors, from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers. Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives, such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources, simply do not. This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing, but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books—which has increased over 1,000 percent since 1977. A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order. But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad, textbooks are not passive or lifeless. For example, over the centuries, they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways. From 1800 to the present day, textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively. That means students are asked to use their individual experie nce to come up with answers to general questions. Today’s psychology texts, for example, ask: “How much of your personality do you think you inherited?” while ones in physics say: “How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe t hat “textbooks come in layers, something like an onion.” For the active learner, engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience: Readers proceed at their own pace. They “customize” their books by engaging with different layers and linkages. Highlighting, Post-It notes, dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46. What does the passage say about open educational resources?A) They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B) They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C) They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D) They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47. What is the main cause of the publishers’ losses?A) Failure to meet student need. B) Industry restructuringC) Emergence of e-books. D) Falling sales.48. What does the textbook industry need to do?A) Reform its structures. B) Cut its retail prices.C) Find replacements for printed textbooks. D) Change its business strategy periodically.49. What are students expected to do in the learning process?A) Think carefully before answering each question.B) Ask questions based on their own understanding.C) Answer questions using their personal experience.D) Give answers showing their respective personality.50. What do experts say about students using textbooks?A) They can digitalize the prints easily. B) They can learn in an interactive way.C) They can purchase customized versions. D) They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants, we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups: one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy. Well, those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant. It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body. The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far, this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered, although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors. Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact, the slugs use the genetic material so well, they pass it on to their further generations. The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes, which they can’t yet produce on their own.”“There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,” says Sidney Piercefrom the University of South Florida. “And yet here, they do. They all ow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to 9 months without having to eat any food. They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51. What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A) It looks like both a plant and an animal. B) It converts some sea animals into plants.C) It lives half on animals and half on plants. D) It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52. What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A) The genes it captures from the sea plant algae. B) The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C) The nutrients it hijacks from other species. D) The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53. What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A) They can live without sunlight for a long time.B) They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C) They can survive without algae for quite some time.D) They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54. What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A) They are stolen from animals like the sea slug. B) They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C) They don’t usually function inside animal cells. D) They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55. What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A) They behave the way most plant species do. B) They can survive for months without eating.C) They will turn into plants when they mature. D) They will starve to death without sunlight.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
2019年12月英语四级真题及答案第二套
2019年12月英语四级真题及答案第二套Part IWriting (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a place 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 reportand 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 singleline through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down..2.A) Cultural bias.B)Inadequate pay.C)Educational system.D)Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A) He fell out of a lifeboat.B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned.D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4.A) The beach is a popular touristresort. B) The emergency services areefficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide.D) The lifeboats patrol the area round theclock.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A) It became an online star.B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo.D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6.A) Send it back to the zoo.B)Release it into the wild.C)Return it to its owner.D)Give it a physical checkup.7.A) A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B)A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C)The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D)The raccoon did something no politician could.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversationand 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 witha single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A) She got a well-paying job in a bank.B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary.D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9.A) Several years ago.B)Two decades ago.C)Right after graduation.D)Just last month.10.A) He sent a small check to his parents.B) He took a few of his friends to a gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank.D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11.A) Buy some professional clothes.B)Budget her salary carefully.C)Join her colleagues for gym exercise.D)Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) He has a difficult decision to make.B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with hisgirlfriend. D) He has just too many thingsto attend to.13.A) Give priority to things more urgent.B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision.D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14.A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support hisdecision.15.A) They need time to make preparations.B) They need to save enough money for it.C)They haven’t started their careers yet.D)They haven’t won their parents’ approval.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 questionswill be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose thebest answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line throughthe centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17.A) Improving mind-reading strategies.B)Reading classic scientific literature.C)Playing games that challenge one’s mind.D)Traveling to different places in the world.18.A) Give others freedom to express themselves.B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices.D) Participate in debates or discussions.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) The nature of relationships between dogs.B) The reason a great many people love dogs. C)Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans. D)How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20.A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility.B) They can respond to humans’ questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans.D) They behave like other animals in many ways.21.A) They have their own joys and sorrows.B)They experience true romantic love.C)They help humans in various ways.D)They stay with one partner for life.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A) A cow bone. B)A rare animal. C) A。
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第2套)
2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第2套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a place 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 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down..2. A) Cultural bias. B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system. D) Working conditions. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat. B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned. D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The beach is a popular tourist resort. B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide. D) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It became an online star. B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo. D) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.6. A) Send it back to the zoo. B) Release it into the wild.C) Return it to its owner. D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A raccoon can perform acts no human can.B) A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The raccoon did something no politician could.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) She got a well-paying job in a bank. B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C She received her first monthly salary. D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Several years ago. B) Two decades ago.C) Right after graduation. D) Just last month.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents. B) He took a few of his friends toa gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank. D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11. A) Buy some professional clothes. B) Budget her salary carefully.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise. D) Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has a difficult decision to make. B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend. D) He has just too many things to attend to.13. A) Give priority to things more urgent. B) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision. D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14. A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15. A) They need time to make preparations. B) They need to save enough money for it.C) They haven’t started their careers yet. D) They haven’t won their parents’ approval.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) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17. A) Improving mind-reading strategies. B) Reading classic scientific literature.C) Playing games that challenge one’s mind. D) Traveling to different places in the world.18. A) Give others freedom to express themselves. B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices. D) Participate in debates or discussions. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) The nature of relationships between dogs. B) The reason a great many people love dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans. D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20. A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility. B) They can respond to humans’questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans. D) They behave like other animals in many ways.21. A) They have their own joys and sorrows. B) They experience true romantic love.C) They help humans in various ways. D) They stay with one partner for life. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A cow bone. B) A rare animal.C) A historical site. D) A precious stone.23. A) Measuring it. B) Preserving it.C) Dating it. D) Identifying it.24. A) The site should have been protected. B) The boy’s family had acted correctly.C) The boy should have called an expert. D) The channel needs to interview the boy.25. A) Search for similar fossils elsewhere. B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Conduct a more detailed search. D) Seek additional funds for the search.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.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example—or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. during the flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.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.Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?[A] Along with old classics like “carrots give you night vision” and “Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”, one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake—even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.[B] “The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,” explains diet specialist Sarah Elder. “Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.” But there’s widespread disagreement over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “dangerous”.[C] What’s t he reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relation ship between the two. In one US study that analyzed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fiber and nutrients.[D] But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause—or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss program. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine.[E] If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of weight loss, why is there a link between obesity and skipping breakfast? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviors such as not smoking andregular exercise,” she says.[F] A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “limited evidence” supporting or refuting the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.[G] Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fiber and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.[H] Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language use. A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However, one of the review’s researchers, Mary Beth Spitznagel, says there is “reasonable” evidence breakfast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research. “Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,” she says.“And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad f or concentration.”[I] What’s most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing food and consumption later in the day, according to research by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. While cereal remains a firm favorite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of “adult” breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.[J] But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods, it’s best to do it early. One recruited 200 obese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn’t. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more—however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.[K] While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry. “Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,” Johnstone says. Every body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely, Spitznagel says. “A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels,” says Elder, “Breakfast isn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36. According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37. Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38. Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39. It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40. Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41. To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42. It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43. More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44. People who priorities breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45. Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memories and concentrate. 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.Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher—of any kind—in the world.It costs about $1 million to create a new textbook. A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors, from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers. Textbook publishers connect professors, instructors and students in ways that alternatives, such as Open E-Textbooks and Open Educational Resources, simply do not. This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing, but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be chalked up to the exorbitant cost of their books—which has increased over 1,000 percent since 1977. A reshuffling of the textbook industry may well be in order. But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad, textbooks are not passive or lifeless. For example, over the centuries, they have simulated dialogue in a number of ways. From 1800 to the present day, textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively. That means students are asked to use their individual experience to come up with answers to general questions. Today’s psychology texts, for example, ask: “How much of your personality do you think you inherited?” while ones in physics say: “How can you predi ct where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe that “textbooks come in layers, something like an onion.” For the active learner, engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience: Readers proceed at their own pace. They “customize” their books by engaging with different layers and linkages. Highlighting, Post-It notes, dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46. What does the passage say about open educational resources?A) They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B) They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C) They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D) They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47. What is the main cause of the publishers’ losses?A) Failure to meet student need. B) Industry restructuringC) Emergence of e-books. D) Falling sales.48. What does the textbook industry need to do?A) Reform its structures. B) Cut its retail prices.C) Find replacements for printed textbooks. D) Change its business strategy periodically.49. What are students expected to do in the learning process?A) Think carefully before answering each question.B) Ask questions based on their own understanding.C) Answer questions using their personal experience.D) Give answers showing their respective personality.50. What do experts say about students using textbooks?A) They can digitalize the prints easily. B) They can learn in an interactive way.C) They can purchase customized versions. D) They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants, we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups: one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy. Well, those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug that is truly half animal and half plant. It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body. The term kleptoplasty is used to describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight. And so far, this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered, although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors. Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact, the slugs use the genetic material so well, they pass it on to their further generations. The babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll, though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes, which they can’t yet produce on their own.”“There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,” says Sidney Pierce fro m the University of South Florida. “And yet here, they do. They allow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to 9 months without having to eat any food. They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51. What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A) It looks like both a plant and an animal. B) It converts some sea animals into plants.C) It lives half on animals and half on plants. D) It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52. What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A) The genes it captures from the sea plant algae. B) The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C) The nutrients it hijacks from other species. D) The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53. What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A) They can live without sunlight for a long time.B) They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C) They can survive without algae for quite some time.D) They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54. What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A) They are stolen from animals like the sea slug. B) They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C) They don’t usually function inside animal cells. D) They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55. What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A) They behave the way most plant species do. B) They can survive for months without eating.C) They will turn into plants when they mature. D) They will starve to death without sunlight.Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国的家庭观念与其文化传统有关。
2019年12月大学英语四级真题试卷及答案(三套全)
2019年12月四级真题及答案（全三套）第一套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 (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 is27 , 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 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 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 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 V ann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017’s Hurrican e 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. Thevideo 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 agen cy’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 in frastructure 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 MikeSwigart told me, “because we’re in literally every community in this country … We’re obligated to d eliver 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 $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS’s charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebu ild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving, prosperous,” he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “that’s the first sign to them that life is starting to return to normal.”36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’ safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ 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 G oel 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 enga ging, 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 s uccess, m ost 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 researc hers’ 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 (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。
2019年12月大学英语四级听力真题、答案和原文(第二套)
2019年12月大学英语四级真题(第2套)听力真题Section AQuestions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A) The number of nurses has dropped to a record 1ow.B) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.C) There is discrimination against male nurses.D) The number of male nurses has gone down.2.A) Cultural bias.B) Inadequate pay.C) Educational system.D) Working conditions.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A) He fell out of a lifeboat.B) He lost his way on a beach.C) He was almost drowned.D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4.A) The beach is a popular tourist resort.B) The emergency services are efficient.C) The beach is a good place to watch the tide.D) The lifeboats patrol the are around the clock.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A) It became an online star.B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo.D) It climbed 25 storey sat one go.6.A) Send it back to the zoo.B) Release it into the wild.C) Re tum it to its owner.D) Give it a physical checkup.7.A) A racoon can perform acts no human can.B) A racoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The racoon became as famous as some politicians.D) The racoon did something no politician could.Section BQuestions 8 to ll are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A) She got a well-paying job in a bank.B) She received a bonus unexpectedly.C) She received her first monthly salary.D)She got a pay raise for her performance.9.A) Several years ago.B) Two decades ago.C) Right after graduation.D) Just 1ast month.10.A) He sent a small check to his parents.B) He took a few of his friends to a gym.C) He immediately deposited it in a bank.D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11.A) Buy some professional clothes.B) Budget her salary carefully.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise.D) Visit her former university campus.Questions 12 to l5 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) He has a difficult decision to make.B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.D) He has just too many things to attend to.13.A) Give priority to things more urgent.B) Tum to his girlfriend for assistance.C) Think twice before making the decision.D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14.A) His parents and advisor have different opinions.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15.A) They need time to make preparations.B) They need to save enough money for it.C) They haven't started their careers yet.D) They haven’t won their parents' approval.Section CQuestions l6 to l8 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.C) Enriching social and intellectual lives.D) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.17.A) Improving mind-reading strategies.B) Reading classic scientific literature.C) Playing games that challenge one's mind.D) Traveling to different places in the world.18.A) Give others freedom to express themselves.B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices.D) Participate in debates or discussions.Questions 19 to 2l are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) The nature of relationships between dogs.B) The reason a great many people love dogs.C) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20.A) They have an unusual sense of responsibility.B) They can respond to humans' questions.C) They can fall in love just like humans.D) They be have like other animals in many ways.21.A) They have their own joys and sorrows.B) They experience true romantic love.C) They help humans in various ways.D) They stay with one partner for life.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A) A cow bone.B) A rare animal.C) A historical site.D) A precious stone.23.A) Measuring it.B) Preserving it.C) Dating it.D) Identifying it.24.A) The site should have been protected.B) The boy’s family had acted correctly the boy should have called aexpert.C) The boy should have called an expert.D) The channel needs to interview the boy.25.A) Search for similar fossils elsewhere.B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Conduct a more detailed search.D) Seek additional funds for the search参考答案1.D) The number of male nurses has gone down.2.A) Cultural bias.3.C) He was almost drowned.4.B) The emergency services are efficient.5.A) It became an online star.6.B) Release it into the wild.7.D) The raccoon did something no politician could8.C) She received her first monthly salary.9.B) Two decades ago.10.D) He treated his parents to a nice meal.11.C) Join her colleagues for gym exercise.12.A) He has a difficult decision to make.13.C) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14.B) His girlfriend does not support his decision.15.C) They have not started their careers yet.16.B) Using information to understand and solve problems.17.C) Playing games that challenge one's mind.18.D) Participate in debates or discussions.19.A) The nature of relationships between dogs.20.C) They can fall in love just 1ike humans.21.D) They stay with one partner for life.22.A) A cow bone.23.B) Preserving it.24.B) The boy's family had acted correctly.25.C) Conduct a more detailed search.听力原文News report oneThe British government has called for more men 10 consider a career in nursing. Figures show the number of male nurses has fallen in the last three years. Now,the number of men working in the nursing sector has reached us seven-year low. Numbers of male nurses increased between 2011 and 2014 and reached a peak of 7168. This figure has dropped to only 6924in 2017. The UK Health Secretary said this is clearly a cultural problem，and probably one that exists in many parts of the world. But we can make efforts to change that now. We want to persuade males to think about career options of going into nursing. There is absolutely no reason why men cant go into this profession. The health secretary said that the government already has plans to attract a more varied workforce into nursing.She stated，we are leading the way on workforce planning. We will become the first nation in Europe to publish a national health and care workforce plan.Questions one and two are based on the news report you have just heard. Question1：What problem is Britain facing?Question2：What is the cause of the problem according to the UK Health Secretary?News report twoA man from Libya was enjoying a walk along the sands at south port beach. When he was about half a mile out from the dark，he felt a bit tired. So he lay down and fell asleep，but the tide swept in quickly at the beach. And the man was shocked to wake up and find the tide had come in and completely surrounded him，cutting him off from the shore. Fortunately for him，the beach life guards were quickly on the scene to stop him fromdrowning. The actor professionally to ensure the man was comfortable until an ambulance arrived. He was then taken to hospital. He is now in as table condition. When interviewed Keith porter of the southport beach said，our beach is so flat that it's very common for the tide come around the back of people and cut them off from the beach. Thankfully the emergency services have again worked well together to ensure a positive outcome. And we wish the gentleman a speedy recovery.Questions three and four are based on the news report you have just heard. Question3：What does the news reports say about the Libyan man? Question4：What did Keith Porter say at an interview?News report threeA raccoon，a small cat like animal climbed to the top of a 25-story skyscraper early on Wednesday. It was captured after becoming an online star across the world. At a little before three a.m，the animal made it to the roof of the building，after it took along break on a 17th floor window edge. At the top of the building，animal control officers put cat food in traps and captured the raccoon. A private wildlife management company will release the animal into the wild. The raccoons upward journey began on Monday. The brown animal was spotted stuck on a narrow window edge of the office tower. On Tuesday, the raccoon slowly climbed the building. It reached the 23rd floor，and it's legend continued to grow on social media with every floor it climbed.As it went up，people gathered on the sidewalk below to take photos and cheer for its safety. Online office workers posted photos and videos of the raccoon，resting on window edges and climbing up the building's concrete exterior. One online post said that the raccoon has succeeded in uniting the country the way no politician could.Questions five to seven are based on the news report you have just heard：Question5：What does the news report say about the raccoon，a small cat like animal?Question6：What will the wildlife management company do with the captured raccoon?Question7：What did one online post say?Conversation lW：I have really amazing news. I just got a text message from my bank，saying my salary has been deposited in my account.M：Getting paid as good. But I don’t understand why you’re so excited. It happens every month.W：Well，I've been working for a few years. In fact，I worked all through university，but I only had part time jobs then. So this is the first time I've ever been paid for a month of full time work.M：Well，then you must feel great. I mean，its been two decades，but I can still remember when I got my first real salary. I was happy for days.I felt like it was a small fortune，even though it wasn't.W：I've never earned so much money before. And there's so many things I'd like to do with it. What did you do with your first pay?M：I bought a new suit for work and took my parents to a nice restaurant to celebrate. Maybe you could do the same.W：I have enough professional clothes. And my parents are across the country. So seeing them is impossible. But some people from the office are members of a gym.I want to join. And my university classmates are arranging a trip to visit our old campus，and Id love to go with them，but I can’t afford both.M：If I were you.I join the gym because it's a good way to stay healthy，and it might help you build a stronger relationship with your colleagues. And good relationships are key to a successful career.W：Hm. You’re right. Thanks for the advice. I’m taking it.Question 8 to ll are based on the conversation you have just heard. Question8：Why did the woman feel excited?Question9：When did the man get his first full time job?Question10：What did the man do when he got his first pay? Questionll：What does the woman says he is going to?Conversation 2W：Whats going on with you lately? You seem so distracted. Like you aren't really listening to anything I say.M：I know.I’m sorry. I can't seem to focus on anything，because I still haven't decided if I should accept the offer for that phd program in London, or if I should take the job offer in New York.W：Look,it's a tough decision，but you’re running out of time，aren't you? I thought you said the company expected an answer by the end of the month.M： Actually，its the beginning of next month for the job，but the university needs a decision by the end of the week. So I have to act quickly.M：You definitely need advice for the important decision like this. So who have you talked to about it? What does your family think? And your adviser for your masters program?M：I've asked their advice and that's part of the problem. My parents want me to get the degree，but my advisor thinks it's time for me to get more work experience.W： What do you mean by part of the problem? Oh， wait，it's your girlfriend，isn’t it? You've been dating since your first year of university，so that six years now. She must have an opinion about all this. I mean isn’t it time for you to think about getting married?M：I do want to get married, but she thinks we need to wait until we'velaunched our careers. Plus，she's not sure what she’ll be doing next year. She's considering a job in England and one in Australia. And her parents are pushing for the latter.Questions l2 to l5 are based on the conversation you have just heard. Question12: Why does the man seem to be distracted?Questionl3: What does the woman say the man should do?Qucstion14: What does the man say is part of his problem?Question15: Why doesn't the man's girlfriend agree to get married right now?Passage OneAnalytical skills are our ability to understand and solve problems using information we have available. These skills are extremely important for our professional，social，and intellectual lives. What are the best ways to improve them? One way is to expand your worldview. Unfortunately，this takes time. Ultimately，it will help you better evaluate information and analyze different ideas and outcomes. Travelling is a great way to expand your world view，although it can be expensive. An entertaining way of enhancing your analytical skills is to engage them by playing brain games. These are games that challenge you to think deeply and to develop your analytical skills.These games will get you used to thinking in a certain way. As a result，they will help improve your ability to think. However，opinions vary on whether video games are effective. The general consensus is that the be stones avoid mindless violence，and instead focus on strategy and challenge us to solve problems and achieve broad goals.Joining a debate or reading club or group is also a good idea. This provides people with the opportunity to come together and discuss ideas，literature and problems. Groups like these will help you refine your analyticalskills and enable you to express yourself better. Any social group that encourages free exchange of ideas and pursuit of knowledge is beneficial. It helps you to actively develop your analytical skills.Questions l6 to l8 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question16: What kind of ability do analytical skills refer to in the passage?Question17: What does the passage say is an entertaining way of enhancing one's analytical skills?Question18: What else does the speaker advise people to do to improve their analytical skills?Passage TwoThere's an endless amount of scientific data proving that dogs can develop strong bonds with their owners. People aren’t kidding when they say they love their dog or their dog loves them，but were rather ignorant about the nature of the relationships that form between dogs.In an effort to understand the matter further，I spoke with doctor Mark Beckh off a researcher and former professor of animal behavior. The doctor's response to the question of whether or not dogs can fall in love like humans do was a straight“Of course!”. He went on to say that if love is defined as along term commitment，meaning dogs seek one another out when they're apart，they’re happy when they’re reunited，they protect one another，they feed one another，they raise their children together. Then，of course，dogs love each other.Now our fury friends don't really experience romantic love, like in the movies，but they can form deep and lasting bonds with their fellow dogs as well as humans.In fact，evidence shows that most dogs stay with one partner their whole lives.In actuality，love between dogs can be even more intimate than human relationships.When they interact，they aren't afraid to smell each other and will express themselves clearly and honestly. Once again，it seems we have a lot to learn from dogs.Questions 19 to 2l are based on the passage you have just heard. Question19: What does the passage say we don't know much about? Question20: What does Dr.Mark Beckh off say about dogs?Question21: What does the speaker say about most dogs?Passage ThreeApiece of history has been found thanks to a boy tripping on a rare，1.2-milion-year-old animal fossil. In November 2016，Jude Sparks，now 10，was on an outing with his family near their New Mexico home，when he tripped over what he thought was a cow bone. Now，researchers at New Mexico State University are preserving this discovery，which was identified as an ancient elephant-like animal Kyle Sparks，father of Jude，said he let his son decide what to do with the fossil.So Jude reached out to Peter Houde，a professor at new Mexico State University who had experience with the same type of fossil in the past. The next day Houde came out to see the fossil for himself. Houde told ABC News that he was quite excited about the find. It was fortunate that the family didn't try to dig up the fossil because that could destroy the specimen；they did the right thing by calling someone who would know what to do.“It's great for the community，because now everybody can appreciate it.”he added.Houde and his fellow faculty members dug up the fossil in late May. They hope to re tum to the site with geologists for an additional search as there could be more fossils near the site. Jude and his family had been invited by the researchers to see the fossil being preserved at the university.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question22: What did the boy Jude Sparks think he had discovered? Question23: What are the researchers at New Mexico State University doing with the boy's discovery?Question24: What did professor Peter Houde say when interviewed by ABC News?Question25: What do the researchers plan to do?。
12月第2套英语四级听力真题及答案
12月第2套英语四级听力真题及答案大家在平时做英语四级听力练习的时候，是需要掌握正确的方法的，怎么掌握正确的方法呢?下面小编就跟大家聊聊关于12月第2套英语四级听力真题及答案吧，希望能帮助到大家。
2019年12月第2套英语四级听力真题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 report and the questions will be spokenonly once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark thecorresponding 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) The number of male nurses has gone down.B) There is discrimination against male nurses.C) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.D) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.2. A) Working conditions.B) Educational system.C) Inadequate pay.D) Cultural bias.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat.B) He was almost drowned.C) He lost his way on a beach.D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.B) The beach is a good place to watch the tide.C) The emergency services are efficient.D) The beach is a popular tourist resort.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo.D) It became an online star.6. A) Release it into the wild.B) Return it to its owner.C) Send it back to the zoo.D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A racoon can perform acts no human can.B) A racoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The racoon did something no politician could.D) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.Section B ConversationDirections：In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of eachconversations you will hear four questions. Both the conversations and the question-s willbe spoken only once. After you hear a question. You must choose the best answer fromthe four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) She received a bonus unexpectedly.B) She got a well-paying job in a bank.C She received her first monthly salary.D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Two decades ago.B) Several years ago.C) Just last month.D) Right after graduation.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents.B) He treated his parents to a nice meal.C) He took a few of his friends to a gym.D) He immediately deposited it in a bank.11. A) Join her colleagues for gym exercise.B) Visit her former university campus.C) Buy some professional clothes.D) Budget her salary carefully.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has just too many things to attend to.B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has a difficult decision to make.D) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.13. A) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.B) Give priority to things more urgent.C) Think twice before making the decision.D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14. A) His girlfriend does not support his decision.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His parents and advisor have different opinions.15. A)They need time to make preparations.B) They haven't started their careers yet.C) They need to save enough money for it.D) They haven't won their parents' approval.Section C PassageDirections： 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 spokenonly once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the fourchoices 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) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.B) Enriching social and intellectual lives.C) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.D) Using information to understand and solve problems.17. A) Traveling to different places in the world.B) Playing games that challenge one's mind.C) Improving mind-reading strategies.D) Reading classic scientific literature.18. A) Participate in debates or discussions.B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices.D) Give others freedom to express themselves.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.B) The nature of relationships between dogs.C) The reason a great many people love dogs.D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20. A) They behave like other animals in many ways.B) They have an unusual sense of responsibility.C) They can respond to humans' questions.D) They can fall in love just like humans.21. A) They stay with one partner for life.B) They have their own joys and sorrows.C) They experience true romantic love.D) They help humans in various ways.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A rare animal.B) A historical site.C) A cow bone.D) A precious stone.23. A) Dating it.B) Preserving it.C) Measuring it.D) Identifying it.24. A) The channel needs to interview the boy.B) The boy should have called an expert.C) The boy's family had acted correctly.D) The site should have been protected.25. A) Conduct a more detailed search.B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Search for similar fossils elsewhere.D) Seek additional funds for the search.2019年12月第2套英语四级听力答案1. A2. D3. B4. C5. D6. A7. C8. C9. A10. B11. A12. C13. D14. D15. B16. D17. B18. A19. B20. D21. A22. C23. B24. C25. A大学英语四级考试语法指导物主代词概说表示所有关系的代词叫做物主代词，也可叫做代词所有格。
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2019年12月大学英语四级听力改革练习题及答案(2)英语四级听力习题：
26.
A. Watching TV can cause physical diseases.
B. TV places the viewer in a completely passive position.
C. People are too dependent on TV.
D. The quality of some TV programs is poor.
27.
A. Television has more advantages than disadvantages.
B. Television has more disadvantages than advantages.
C. It is no use watching TV.
D. Television in itself is neither good nor bad.
28.
A. How much a TV set costs.
B. The quality of TV programs.
C. How people put it to use.
D. The number of people watching TV.
英语四级听力材料
Television now plays such an important part in so many people's lives that it is essential for us to try to decide whether it is a blessing or a curse. Obviously television has
both advantages and disadvantages. But do the former outweigh the latter? In the first place, television is not only a convenient source of entertainment, but also a comparatively cheap one. They just sit comfortably at home and enjoy endless series of programs rather than to go out in search of amusement elsewhere. Some people, however, maintain that this is precisely where the danger lies. The television viewer needs to do nothing. [26]He is completely passive and has everything presented to him without any effort on his part. Secondly, television keeps one informed about current events, allows one to follow the latest developments in science and politics. Yet here again there is a danger. The television screen itself has a terrible, almost physical fascination for us. [26]We get so used to looking at its movements, so dependent on its pictures that it begins to dominate our lives. There are many other arguments for and against television. [26]The poor quality of its program is often criticized. But it is undoubtedly a great comfort to many lonely elderly people. And does it corrupt or instruct our children? [27]I think we must realize that television in
itself is neither good nor bad. [28]It is the uses to which
it is put that determine its value to society.
Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.
英语四级听力参考答案：
26. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as the disadvantages of TV?
准确答案：A
解析：本文分析电视的利弊，它带来益处的同时也有潜在的弊端。
文章分别提到，观看电视是被动接受的行为(即B)，它使人产生依赖性(即C)，有些电视节目质量太差(即D)。
未提到的弊端是A，故选A。
此外，A“看电视会导致生理疾病”的说法闻所未闻。
这是对原文中almost physical fascination“几乎有生理上的迷恋”的曲解。
换言之，有些选项可据常识加以判断。
27. What is the speaker's opinion of television?
准确答案：D
解析：短文结尾处，作者在给出了正反观点后，给出了中允的观点：“我想我们必须理解到，电视本身无所谓好坏。
”即D准确。
C太绝对，能够排除;A、B针锋相对，D则不偏不倚。
根据短文中作者的口吻，他是持中立态度的，应选D。
本题能够“听到什么选什么”。
28. What determines the value of television to society?
准确答案：C
解析：文章最后说：电视本身无所谓好坏，人们使用它的方式决
定了它对社会的价值。
C与此同义。
A(电视机的价格)、D(观看电视的
人数)与全文中心无关，能够排除;B在文中有所提及，是某个细节，属于答非所问。