2019年12月英语四级阅读段落信息匹配训练及答案(6)

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12月英语四级阅读真题及参考答案

I will greet this day with love in my heart.同学互助一起进步（页眉可删）12月英语四级阅读真题及参考答案2019年12月英语四级阅读真题Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on thefollowing passage.The fifth largest city in US passed a significantsoda tax proposal that will levy (征税)1.5 centsper liquid ounce on distributors.Philadelphils new measure was approved by a 13 to 4 city council vote. It sets a newbar for similar initiatives across the country. It is proof that taxes on sugary drinks canwin substantial support outside super-liberal areas. Until now, the only city tosuccessfully pass and implement a soda tax was Berkeley, California, in 20XX.The tax will apply to regular and diet sodas, as well as other drinks with adder sugar, such as Gatorade and iced teas. Its expected to raise $410 million over the next fiveyears, most of which will go toward funding a universal pre-kindergarten program forthe city.While the city council vote was met with applause inside the council room, opponents tothe measure, including soda lobbyists, made sharp criticisms and a promise tochallenge the tax in court."The tax passed today unfairly singles out beverages — including low —and no-caloriechoices," said Lauren Kane, spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association. "Butmost importantly, it is against the law. So we will side with the majority of the people ofPhiladelphia 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 step toward fixing certain lastinghealth issues that plague Americans. "The move to recapture a small part of the profitsfrom an industry that pushed a product that contributes to diabetes, obesity and heartdisease in poorer communities in order to reinvest in those communities will sure beinspirational to many other places," said Jim Krieger, executive director ofHealthyFood America. "indeed, we are already hearing from some of them. Its not justBerkeley anymore."Similar measures in Californias Albany, Oakland, San Francisco and Colorados Boulderare becoming hot-button issues. Health advocacy groups have hinted that even moremight 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 fllow 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 felings among consumers.B) It tried to win grocers support against the measure.C) It kept sending ltters 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 rescarch on discases.D) Benefit low-income people across the country.50. What do we lear about similar measures concening the soda tax in some other citics?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 a lot of proft from the soda industry.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on thefollowing passage.Popping food into the microwave for a couple ofminutes may seem utterly harmless, andEuropes stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly7millioncars, a new study has found, and the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchenappliances becoming "status" users, owners are throwing many microwave after anaverage of eight years. This is pushing sales of new microwave which are expected toreach 135 million annually in the EU by the end of the decade.A study by the University of Manchester worked out the emissions of carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change -- at every stage ofmicrowaves, from manufacture to waste disposal. "It iselectricity consumption bymicrowaves that has the biggest impact on the environment," say the authors, whoalso calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same asthose from a car. According to the same study, efforts to reduce consumption shouldfocus on improving consumer awareness and behaviour to use appliances moreefficiently. For example, electricity consumption by microwaves can be reduced byadjusting the time of cooking to the type of food."However, David Reay, professor of carbon management argues that, althoughmicrowaves use a great deal of enery, their emissions are minor compared to those fromcars. In the UK alone and these emit way more than all the emissions from microwavesin the EU. Backing this up, recent data show that passenger cars in the UK emitted 69mtonnes of CO2 in 20XX. This is 10 times the amount this new microwave oven studyestimates for annual emissions for all the microwave ovens in the whole of the EU." further, the energy used by microwaves is lower than any other form of cooking. Amongcommon kitchen appliances used for cooking, microwaves are the most energyefficient, followed by astove and finally a standard oven. Thus, rising microwave salescould 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 afrdabla.B) They have a shorter life cycle than other appliances.C) They are gtting much easier to operate.D) They take less tine to cook than other ppliaces.53. What recommendation does the study by the University of Manchester make?A) Cooking food of dfferent 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 envronmental protection.D) It consumes more power than conventional cooking. 2019年12月英语四级阅读真题答案Passage one46.B47.C48.D49.B50.APassage two51.D52.A53.B54.A55.C大学英语四级考试语法指示代词概说表示"这个"、"那个"、"这些"、"那些"等指示概念的代词叫做指示代词。

2019年12月英语四级阅读段落信息匹配训练(2)

2019年12月英语四级阅读段落信息匹配训练(2)段落信息匹配题是四六级改革之后的新题型，很多同学还不是很熟悉，以下是小编为同学们整理的英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题练习，希望对各位有所协助。

Why I Became a Teacher： to Pass on My Love ofLiteratureA) Like lots of people, I never thought I'd be a teacher when I was at school. To be honest l only did my training because my husband was on a four-year course and 1was on a three-year course at Cardiff University so I wanted to do something for one year. I thought doing a teaching qualification would be interesting and might be quite usefull I'm convinced that nothing else I might have done would have given me so much pleasure and satisfaction, or fitted in so well with family life.B) When I retire, in just a few years time, I can look back on a career which made a positive difference to thelives of thousands of children. Few other career choices can be so rewarding, so if you have a love of your subject and want the opportunity to pass that on then teaching can be a great career.C) Anyone going into teaching now will be used to teaching to formal work schemes and observation. I think it has raised standards in the profession but personally I feel the loss in the classroom. I've got the confidence of 30 years experience. I've seen new approaches come and go (and sometime even identical "new ideas" come and go more than once).D) For me, it's the passion for your subject andinterest in the success of your students that matters morethan how all the acronyms (首字母缩略词) add up. This is what will make you a good teacher. There's still room forindividuals but you have to have the confidence and passionfor your subject to make it work.E) The major challenge in teaching is time. There's not enough of it. It's hard if you're working full time to cope with the marking and feel Eke you have enough time to do your job properly. I've worked part time ever since I had children.I officially work three days a week--trot on my two days offI always work, it probably all adds up to what counts as afull week's work in most other jobs but the pay isn't bad so you can work part time and then the job really does fit inwith family life. There are shortcuts to save time, and ifhad to work part time I'd have to use. them. But working part time gives me the luxury, to be a critical marker. It cantake two hours to mark a 3,000 word A level essay, so if you have 16 pupils that's 32 hours of marking in one week forjust one class.F) One of the benefits of being a part-time teacher is that I do have time to mark properly. Sometimes my feedbackis almost as long as their essay but 1 really want the kidsto do well. One of the best things about teaching is you getto raise children's aspirations, and to make a difference in their lives. You get visits and emails from your old students to prove it! It's great to make the difference, and, as they say, it does make it all worthwhile.G ) The core of teaching is the subject and the pupils. We have a lot of NQTs and PGCE students coming to our school and sometimes I must admit to being disappointed when students don't know their subjects that well. I had an NQT who was teaching Animal Farm and asked me "What's Marxism?" --and she'd got a first in her degree so it just goes to show that government initiatives to try and attract those with firsts aren't necessarily going work.H) However. lots of people drop out of teaching after a couple of years, it is an exhausting job. So my advice to those just starling out is：I) Don't lose your sense of proportion over things that happen in the classroom or in an observation that doesn't go well. As long as in the higger picture of things you are connecting with kids and the subject--then don't get frustrated. Even after 30 years of teaching everyone has fearful days in teaching, he you think： "Can I really do this?"You've got In keep positive; it's only a problem if you gel mute bad days than good days.J)Make sure leaching doesn't overwhelm you. You have Io develop strategies especially if you are teaching a subject which requires a lot of marking. So plan things well. Get your pupils to do peer marking, which really can work. If you know you just can't handle any more marking in a particular week, get pupi!s to write a speech and then perform it in the next class. You've got to think ahead about times of maximum workload and plan accordingly--ask your more experienced colleagues for advice。

2019年12月四级参考答案完整版

2019年12月四级参考答案完整版考证菌2019-12-14 23:03:46via星火英语四六级试卷采用多题多卷形式，大家核对答案时，找准具体选项内容，忽略套数。

写作（共三套，忽略套数，只核对内容）第一套Dear Tom,On hearing that you are planning to teach English in China and ask me to recommend a city, I'd like to recommend our capital city, Beijing, an international metropolis.The reasons why I recommend Beijing can be listed as follows. First of all, there are a lot ofEnglish-speaking foreigners in Beijing, which helps you adapt to life here very quickly. Furthermore, as the capital of several dynasties, Beijing has a profound cultural background, so you can better experience the extensive and profound traditional Chinese culture. Most importantly, parents in Beijing, an international metropolis with many multinational companies, attach great importance to their children's English learning and many people who work in multinational companies also need to learn English.I truly hope that you can come to Beijing to start your teaching life and I'm looking forward to your arrival. If you have any question about the city, please feel free to contact me for further information.Yours sincerely,Li Ming第二套Dear Tom,On hearing that you are planning to learn Chinese in China and ask me to recommend a place, I'd like to recommend our capital city, Beijing, an international metropolis.I recommend Beijing to you because of the following reasons. First of all, there are a lot ofEnglish-speaking foreigners in Beijing, which helps you adapt to life here very quickly. Furthermore, as the capital of several dynasties, Beijing has a profound cultural background, so you can better experience the extensive and profound traditional Chinese culture. Last but not least, with many people understand and master both Chinese and English, Beijing has a good bilingual atmosphere. It is good for you to improve your Chinese. You could communicate with local people in Chinese as much as possible because practice makes perfect.I truly hope that you can come to Beijing and learn Chinese here. I'm looking forward to your arrival. If you have any question about the city, please feel free to contact me for further information.Yours sincerely,Li Ming第三套Dear Tom,I was so delighted to receive the letter from you. On hearing that you are planning to study in China, I decide to write you a letter to recommend a university. My recommendation is Xiamen University, which is one of the most outstanding universities in China.The reasons why I recommend this university can be listed as follows. First of all, Xiamen University is located in a coastal city, Xiamen, which has beautiful and attractive seaside scenery. If you study here, you can have a walk and breathe the fresh air at the end of the day's study. How comfortable and enjoyable! More importantly, Xiamen University has a high reputation for its academic contributions to China and the world.I truly hope that you can come to Xiamen University to start your college life and I am looking forward to your arrival. If you are interested in my recommendation and want to know more detail about the university, please feel free to contact me.Yours sincerelyLI Ming听力（共两套，第三套仅顺序改变，忽略套数，只核对内容）第一套Section A: 1-71. D) A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. D) It was sent to the animal control department.3. B) It is going to be expanded4. C) Some ancient wall paintings from Australia5. A) Pick up trash.6. A) They are especially intelligent.7. B) Children may be tempted to drop litter.Section B: 8-158. C) It will cover different areas of science.9. C) It will be more entertaining.10. A) People interested in science.11. B) Provide financial support.12. D) Dissatisfied13. A) He is too concerned with being perfect。

英语四级段落信息匹配题及答案

英语四级段落信息匹配题及答案导读：我根据大家的需要整理了一份关于《英语四级段落信息匹配题及答案》的内容，具体内容：如英语俨然也成为了一门必修必须掌握的学科，英语四级已经成为大学生们很基本的一门考试了，今天我在这里为大家分享一些英语四级段落信息匹配题，欢迎大家阅读!英语四级段落信息匹配题...如英语俨然也成为了一门必修必须掌握的学科，英语四级已经成为大学生们很基本的一门考试了，今天我在这里为大家分享一些英语四级段落信息匹配题，欢迎大家阅读!英语四级段落信息匹配题篇1Paper--More than Meets the EyeA) We are surrounded by so much paper and card that it is easy to forget just how complex it is. There are many varieties and grades of paper materials, and whilst it is fairly easy to spot the varieties, it is far more difficult to spot the grades.B) It needs to be understood that most paper and card is manufactured for a specific purpose, so that whilst the corn-flake packet may look smart, it is clearly not something destined for the archives. It is made to look good, but only needs a limited life span. It is also much cheaper to manufacture than high grade card.C) Paper can be made from an almost endless variety ofcellulose-based material which will include many woods, cottons and grasses or which papyrus is an example and from where we get the word "paper". Many of these are very specialized, but the preponderance of paper making has been from soft wood and cotton or rags, with the bulk being wood-based.Paper from WoodD) In order to make wood into paper it needs to be broken down into fine strands. Firstly by powerfulmachinery and then boiled with strong alkalies such as caustic soda, until a fine pulp of cellulose fibers is produced. It is from this pulp that the final product is made, relying on the bonding together of the cellulose into layers. That, in a very small nutshell, is the essence of paper making from wood. However, the reality is rather more complicated. In order to give us our white paper and card, the makers will addbleach and other materials such as china clay and additional chemicals.E) A further problem with wood is that it contains a material that is not cellulose. Something calledlignin. This is essential for the tree since it holds the cellulose fibres together, but if it is incorporated into the manufactured paper it presents archivists with a problem. Lignin eventually breaks down and releases acid products into the paper. This will weaken the bond between the cellulose fibers and the paper will become brittle and look ratherbrown and careworn. We have all seen this in old newspapers and cheap paperback books. It has been estimated that most paper back books will have a life of notgreater than fifty years. Not what we need for our archives.F) Since the lignin can be removed from the paper pulp during manufacture, the obvious question is "why is it left in the paper?" The answer lies in the fact that lignin makes up a considerable part of the tree. By leaving the lignin in the pulp a papermaker can increase his paper yield from a tree to some 95%. Removing it means a yield of only 35%. It is clearly uneconomic to remove the lignin for many paper and card applications.G) It also means, of course, that lignin-free paper is going to be more expensive, but that is nevertheless what the archivist must look for in his supplies. There is no point whatsoever in carefully placing our valuable artifacts in paper or card that is going to hasten their demise. Acid is particularly harmful to photographic materials, causing them to fade and is some cases simply vanish!H) So, how do we tell a piece of suitable paper or card from one that is unsuitable? You cannot do it by simply looking, and rather disappointingly, you cannot always rely on the label. "Acid-free" might be true inasmuch as a test on the paper may indicate that it is a neutral material at this time. But lignin can take years beforeit starts the inevitable process of breaking down, and in the right conditions it will speed up enormously.I) Added to this, as I have indicated earlier, paper may also contain other materials added during manufacture such as bleach, china clay, chemical whiteners and size. This looks like a bleak picture, and it would be but for the fact that there are suppliers who will guarantee the material that they sell. If you want to be absolutely sure that you are storing in, or printing on, the correct material then this is probably the only way.J) Incidentally, acids can migrate from material to material. Lining old shoe boxes with good quality acid-free paper will do little to guard the contents. The acid will get there in the end. Paper from RagK) Paper is also commonly made from cotton and rag waste. This has the advantage of being lignin-free, but because there is much less cotton and rag than trees, it also tends to be much more expensive than wood pulp paper. You will still need to purchase from a reliable source though, since even rag paper and card can contain undesirable additives.L) A reliable source for quality rag papers is a recognized art stockiest. Many water color artists insist on using only fine quality rag paper and board.M) The main lesson to learn from this information is that you cannot rely on purchasing archival materials from the high street. The only safe solution is to purchase from specialist suppliers. It may cost rather more, but in the end you will know that your important and valuable data and images have the best home possible.1. The corn-flake packet is cheaper than high grade card.2. There are a lot of materials which can be used for making paper, but the superiority ones are soft wood, cotton and rags.3. During the whole manufacturing process, the final product is made from a pulp of cellulose fibres.4. In order to make white paper and card, the makers will add bleach.5. Liguin is essential for the tree but it will make paper easy to break.6. Many paper producers will preserve lignin during manufacture, because leaving the lignin will make more paper from a tree.7. Acid is particularly harmful to photographic materials.8. If the lignin is removed from the paper, the paper will be more expensive.9. Although free of lignin, paper made from cotton and rag waste can also cost more money than wood pulp paper because there is much less cotton and rag than trees.10. What we can learn from "Paper from Rag" is that you had better buy archival materials from specialist suppliers.答案参考：1. B 根据题干中的信息提示词corn—flake packet,high grade card,可定位到文章第二段，该部分最后提到corn-flake packet在制造过程中比高等级的纸(high grade card)便宜.2. C 根据题干中的信息提示词soft wood，cotton and rags，可定位到文章第三段最后一句。

2019年四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题及答案解析（1）.doc

2019年四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题及答案解析（1）.doc2019 年四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题及答案解析(1) Section BDirections：In this section，you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statementcontains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You maychoose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is markedwith a letter Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Driver ’s License Test TipsA.This article will provide you with some simple tipsfor passing your driver’s license test.Adeq uate preparation is absolutely essential ，without which any number ofdriver ’s license test tips will be redundant.B.Getting a driver’s license is a big step in anyone ’s life.It gives an individual the luxury to drive a car anytimehe or she pleases，as driving without passing a driver ’s license test is against the law.For some people ，the stress can be too much to handleand as a result they may mess up on the driver ’s licensetest.There are some simple driver ’s license test tips that anyonecan follow,to be assured of passing the test and getting their driver ’s license.C.The most important of all the tips for passing yourdriver ’s license test is to be prepared.This can only beachieved by you through hours and hours of sincere anddiligent practice.If you are not sufficiently prepared foryour driver’s license test，all the driver’s license tipsfor passing yo ur driver’slicense test will be utterlypointless and redundant.You can read as many drivers’license test tips as you want，but if you are not practicing enough，then all these driving test tips will be in vain.Enroll ingyourself in driving schools is advisable for this purpose.D.Now，if you ’re wondering how to prepare for yourdriving test ，the first thing you need to know is what thedriving test instructors and officials are going to belooking for.The following are the qualities that theinstructors will be on the lookout for and also theparameters that the scoring will be conducted on.E)Starting the vehicle ：The instructor will be observing youright from the time you start the vehicle.He will note if you tum your head to look back and ifyou follow all the safety regulations that are required tobe followed while starting a vehicle.Here are some tips on learning to drive a car.F)Control of the vehicle ：He will pay close attention to howmuch control you actually have over the vehicle.Yourabilities with the gas pedal ，the brake ，the steering wheel andother controls will be scrutinized.G)Steering ：Not many road test tips stress on theimportance of steering.This quality is closely ana.lyzed by the instructor and obviously if your steeringis wayward( 任性的 ) ，the chances of passing the driver ’s license test are very slim.H)Driving in traffic ：Keeping calm and avoiding panic attacks while driving in traffic is of utmost importance.Many people get extremely stressed and nervous ，when they are in the midst of traffic and one of the very crucial tips to pass road test for driver ’s license is to stay calm and composed when driving in traffic.Also read more on road safety and car safety.I)Traffic signs and lane discipline：This is another area that the instructors will be rating you on.Your ability to observe lane discipline and your recognition of the varioustraffic signs plays a major role in your passing thetest.Keep these driver ’s license test tips in mind to pass the test in your veryfirst attempt.J)Stopping ：Stopping the car smoothly and at the right place is a critical skill to have.When the in. structor asks you to stop the car ，the timing ，the positioning and the technique of doing so are important driving test tips to bear in mind.K)Backing up and distance judgment：Your backing up skills and your ability to judge the distancesbetween your vehicle and other entities will also be carefully scrutinized.If you cannot back up your vehicle satisfactorily ,parking would be very troublesome for you anda major source of hazard to you and to others around you.L)Hill parking ：One of the essential tips for passingyour driv er ’s license test is to master the art of hillparking.This is not as easy as it seems and can become amajor source of anxiety in a driver.If you can display goodskills at hill parking ，it proves that you have developedgoodcontrol over the vehicle.M)Arm signals and driving etiquette：Another aspect that you will be judged on is your efficiency at giving the right arm signals at the right time.Your respect for other drivers on the road and the amount of courtesy you show them alsoplays a part in your final rating on the driver ’s license test.Read more about defensive driving techniques andtips and defensive driving courses.N)Drivers who are well aware and informed about all therules and regulations that need to be followed have a beRer chance of clearing their driver ’s license test.The primary goalof these driver ，slicense test tips is to instill( 慢慢灌输)a responsible and mature frame of mind in every individ.ual.These road test tips will be pointless unless youdevelop a calm demeanor and tmless you are aware of allthe rules that must be followed while driving.O)Here are a few more basic drivers ’license test ti ps that you should keep in mind when vou ，re leaming how toprepare for your driving test.Always use the restroom before yourtest begins.Not doing so will cause more anxiety during the test.Memorize all the traffic signs and their significance well inadvance before the /doc/5d15800806.html,e your rear view mirrors efficiently and regularly.Ensure that you are well on time for your test and arecarrying all the required documents and paperwork.Getadequatesleep the previous night and do not give the test with an empty stomach.Stick to thepermitted speed limit.Do not drive too fast and do not drive too slow either.P)Passing a driver ’s license test is not simple and unlessyou are well versed in driver education.You could face a lot of difficulties.At the end of the day,remember that the instructors also want you to pass the test ，so do your best to stay calm and composed and believe in your ability to pass the test.，but the key to passing This cannot be reinstated enough your driver ’s lic ense test is practice.46.According to this article，the importance of steeringis emphasized by not many road test tips.47.Your timing ，positioning and technique should be considered by yourself when you stoD your test car.48.Some people may fail their driver’s license tests because they have too much stress.49.Hill parking as one of the essential tips for yourlicense test seems easV.50.The tips in this article primarily aimed atinstilling a responsible and mature frame of mind in you.51.In order to pass your’s license test.youdriver should practice.52.Your driver ’s license test begins in practice wh en you start your test car.53.During the preparation，a few more basic tips process should be kept in mind.54.You should sleep adequately the night before yourtest.55.A lot of difficulties could be faced if you arenot well versed in driver education.48.Some people may fail their driver’S license tests because they have too much stress.有些人可能没有通过驾照考试，是因为压力太大。

英语四级阅读信息匹配精选训练及答案

英语四级阅读信息匹配精选训练及答案四级阅读信息匹配精选训练一：A One evening a few years ago I found myself in an anxiety. Nothing was really wrong my family and I were healthy, my career was busy and successful -- I was just feeling vaguely down and in need of a friend who could raise my spirits, someone who would meet me for coffee and let merant until the clouds lifted. I dialed my best friend, who now lives across the country in California, and got her voicemail. That's when it started to dawn on me -- lonesomeness was at the root of my dreariness. My social life had dwindled to almost nothing, but somehow until that moment I'd been too busy to notice. Now it hit me hard. My old friends, buddies since college or even childhood, know everything about me; when they left, they had taken my context with them.B Research has shown the long-range negative consequences of socialisolation on one's health. But my concerns were more short-term. I needed to feel understood right then in the way that only a girlfriend can understand you. I knew it would be wrong to expect my husband to replace my friends: He couldn't, and even if he could, to whom would I then complain about my husband? So I resolved to acquire new friends -- women like me who had kids and enjoyed rolling their eyes at the worlda little bit just as I did. Since I'd be making friends with more intention than I'd ever given the process, I realized Icould be selective, that I could in effect design my own social life. The down side, of course, was that I felt pretty frightened.C After all, it's a whole lot harder to make friends in midlife that it is when yon're younger -- a fact woman I've spoken with point out again and again. As Leslie Danzig, 41, a Chicago theater director and mother, sees it, whenyou're in your teens and 20s, you're more or less friends with everyone unless there's a reason not to be. Your college roommate becomes your best pal atleast partly due to proximity. Now there needs to be a reason to be friends. "There are many people I'm comfort-able around, but I wouldn't go so far as to call them friends. Comfort isn't enough to sustain a real friendship," Danzig says.D At first, finding new companions felt awkward. At 40 I couldn't run upto people the way my4-year-old daughters do in the playground and ask, "Will you be my friend? Every time you start anew relationship, you're vulnerable again," agrees Kathleen Hall, D Min, founder and CEO of the Stress Institute,in Atlanta. "You're asking, 'Would you like to come into my life?' It makes us self-conscious."E Fortunately, my discomfort soon passed. I realized that as a mature friend seeker my vulnerability risk was actually pretty low. If someone didn't take me up on my offer, so what: I wasn't in junior high, when I might have been rejected for having the wrong clothes or hair. At my age I have amassed enough self-esteem to realize that I have plenty to offer.F We're all so busy, in fact, that mutual interests -- say, in a project, class, or cause that we already make time for -- become the perfect catalysts for bringing us in contact with candidates for camaraderie. Michelle Mertes, 35, a teacher and mother of two in Wausau, Wisconsin, says anew friend she made at church came as a pleasant surprise. "In high school I chose friends based on their popular-ity and how being part of their circle might reflect on me. Now's it's our shared values and activities that count." Mertes says her pal, with whom she organized the church's youth programs, is nothing like her but their drive and organizational skills make them ideal friends.G Happily, as awkward as making new friends can be, self-esteem issues do not factor in -- or if they do, you can easily put them into perspective. Danzig tells of the mother of a child in her son's pre-school, a tall, beautiful woman who is married to a big-deal rock musician. "I said to my husband, she's too cool for me,'" she jokes. "I get intimidated by people. But once I got to know her, she turned out to be pretty laid-back and friendly." In the end there was no chemistry between them, so they didn't become good pals. "I realized that we weren't each other's type, but it wasn't about hierarchy." What midlife friendship is about, it seems, is reflecting the person you've become or are still becoming back at yourself, thus reinforcing the progress you've made in your life.H Harlene Katzman, 41, a lawyer in New York City, notes that her oldest friends knew her back when she was less sure of herself. As much as she loves them, she believes they sometimes respond to is-sues in light of who she once was. An old chum has the goods on you. With recently made friends, you can turn over a new leaf.I A new friend, chosen right, can also help you point your boat in the direction you want to go. Hanna Dershowitz, 39, an attorney and mother in Los Angeles, found that a new acquaintance from workwas exactly what she needed ina friend. In addition to liking and respecting Julia, Dershowitz had a feeling that the fit and athletic younger woman would help her to get in shape.J While you're busy making new friends, remember that you still need to nurture your old ones. We asked Marla Paul, author of The Friendship Crisis: Finding, Making, and Keeping Friends When You "re Not a Kid Anymore, for the best ways to maintain these important relationships. Keep in touch. Your friends should be a priority; schedule regular lunch dates or coffee catch-up sessions, no matter how busy you are. Know her business. Keep track of important events in a friend's life and show your support. Call or e-mail to let her know you're thinking of her. Speak your mind. Tell a friend politelyif something she did really upset you. If you can't be totally honest, then you need to reexamine the relationship. Accept her flaws. No one is perfect, so work around her quirks --she's chronically late, or she's a bit negative -- to cut down on frustration and fights. Boost her ego. Heartfelt compliments make everyone feel great, so tell her how much you love her new sweater or what a great job she did on a work project.46. Leslie Danzig thought making friends at one's middle age needed some reasons.47. A well-chosen new friend can help you go in the direction that you like.48. A few years ago the author felt lonely and depressed when she phoned her best friend in another city who was much wanted then but unavailable.49. According to Kathleen Hall, one might feel sensitive in the first curse of making new friends.50. Midlife friendship can help you realize your direction of life and reinforce the progress you've made in your life.51. In Mafia Paul's book, to be a better friend, you should keep track with your fiiends, care for your friend's job, express yourself, accept her flaws and compliment your friend for her/his good dressing and job.52. For the author, a girl friend might be the right person to under "stand her and erase her negative feeling.53. According to Michelle Metes, midlife friendship is based on the shared values and activities54. As a mature friend seeker, the author finds herself with enough confidence to offer and take rejection with grace.55. With newly made friends, you can have a chance to take on a new look in your life.Section B交友之道A数年前的一天晚上，我发现自己陷入了焦虑中。

2019年12月英语四级试卷及答案

2019年12月四级考试真题及答案第-套Part Writing (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, уоu are allowed 30 minutes to write а letter to а foreign friend who wants to teach English in China. Please recommend а cityto him. You should write at least 120 words but по more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, уou will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, уоu will hear two or three questions. Both the news report andthen questions will be spoken only once. After уоu hear a question, уоumust choose the best answer. from the four choices markedA), В), C) andD). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet lwith а singleline 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.В) 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 hear d.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 а wildlife photo contest.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Pick up trash.В) 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 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 l with a single linethrough 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.SectionCDirections: 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 questionswіll bеѕроkеn оnlу оnсе. Аftеr уоu hеаr а quеѕtіоn, уои muѕt сhооѕе thеbest answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through thecentre.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.OB) Provide a variety of optional courses.OC) 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 llI Reading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required 1o select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bankfollowving the passage. Read the passage through carefuly before makingyour choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter: Pleasemark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank 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 yourchances with tap water'? Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or_ 26the ruins of Angkor. It's hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. It's thesafe, sane thing to do, right? The bottle is_ 27, and the label says“pure water”but maybe what's inside is not so28-.Would you still be drinking it if you knewthat more than 90percent of all bottled water sold around the world_29microplastics?That's the conclusion of a recently__ 30_study, which analyzed 259 bottlesfrom ll brands sold in nine countries,-31 an average of 325 plastic particles per liter of water. These microplastics included a__ 32commonly 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, ajournalism organization. About a million bottles are bought every minute, not only bythirsty tourists but also by many of the 2.1 billion worldwide who live with unsafedrinking water.Confronted with this__ 34 several bottled-water manufacturers includingNestle and Coco-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology.These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than thOrb study suggested. Regardless, the World Health Organization has now launched a review into the__ 35health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.A) adequateB) admiringC) containsD) defendingE) evidenceF) instantG) liquidH) modifiedI) naturalJ) potentialK) releasedL) revealingM) sealedN) solvesO) substance :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 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 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 colderthan Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zeroin Park Rapids, Minnesota, and 45 degrees below zero in Buffalo, North Dakota,according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businessesclosed, and more than l ,000 flights have been canceled.[B] Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail deliverytemporarily. "Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPSemployees," USPS announced Wednesday morning, the Postal Service is suspendingdelivery Jan. 30 in the following 3-digit ZIP Code locations." Twelve regions werelisted as unsafe on Wednesday; on Thursday, eight remained.[C] As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extremeweather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and othernatural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague VannNewkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destructionand resource scarcity from 2017's Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters can wreck acommunity'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 dronecaught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith, driving through burned homes in thatfamiliar white van, collecting mail in an affected area. The video is striking: The operation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to RaeAnn 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 mailthat was left untouched. For Smith, this was just another day on the job. I followedmy route like I normally do," Smith told a reporter. As I'd come across a box thatwas up but with no house, I checked, and there was mail--outgoing mail--in it. Andso we picked those up and carried on.'[E] USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across thcountry, 285 emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control. These teamsare trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps: people, property,product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agency 's top priority is ensuringthat employees are safe. Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure, such as theroads that mail carriers drive on. Finally, it decides when and how tore-openoperations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sentelsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming NewOrleans mail to existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed inNew Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected fromwater damage.[F] As soon as it's safe enough to be outside,' couriers start distributingaccumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standingaddresses to file change-of- address forms with their new location. After HurricaneKatrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of other locations across thecountry in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.[G] Every day, USPS processes, on average, 493.4 million pieces ofmail -anything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeoplefrom both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can beextremely sensitive and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still relyon delivery services to be completed.[H] It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such asSocial Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitivematerial. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make surethat Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion. After HurricaneFlorence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local electionboards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.[I] Mail companies are logistics companies, which puts them in a special positionto help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized itsmassive infrastructure as a unique federal asset" to be called upon in a disaster orterrorist attack. I think we're unique as a federal agency," USPS official MikeSwigart told me, because we're in literally every community in this countryWe' re obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.'[J] Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use theirexpertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than adecade, FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergencysupplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012,the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groupsin California, and donated space for 3.1 million pounds of charitable shipping st October, the company pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support forHurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS's charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, usesthe company 's logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild. We realize that as acompany with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role," saidEduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs it:trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke toMartinez in November, he had been touring the damage fromHurricane Michael inFlorida with the American Red Cross. We have an obligation to make sure ourcommunities are thriving, prosperous," he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disastermay still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some smallroutines--mail delivery being one of them--may help residents remember that theircommunities are still their communities. When they see that carrier back out on thestreet," Swigart said, that's the first sign to them that life is starting to return tonormal."36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees' safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach tccommunities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ still responsible for the completion of almost half ofpayments.40. The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becomingnormal again.41. After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery, temporary mail servicepoints were set up.42. Postal service in some regions in the U.S. was suspended due to extreme coldweather.43. Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributingurgent supplies.44. A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite ofextreme 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 fourchoices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choiceand 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 intelligentteaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in theonline class, Knowledge Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a corerequirement of Georgia Tech's online Master of Science in Computer Scienceprogram. Professor Goel already had 8 teaching assistants, but that wasn t enough todeal 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 gounanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to dosomething to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistantnamed Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill W atson before releasing herto the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasnt too great. But Goel and histeam sourced the online discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had everbeen asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill the questionsand answers. After some adjustment and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer thestudents questions correctly 97% of the time. The L virtual assistant became soadvanced and realistic that the students didn t know she was a computer. The students,who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with artificial intelligenceand couldn't tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn 't inform them about Jill'strue identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about theexperience.The goal of Professor Goel's virtual assistant next year is to take over answering40% 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 muchrosier outlook on the future of AI than say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gatesor 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.10/23149. How did the students feel about Jill W atson?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 W atson?A) Launch different versions of her online.B) Feed her with new questions and answers.c) Assign her to answer more of students questions.D) Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Thinking small, being engaging, and having a sense of humor don' t hurt. Thoseare a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from arecent study that examined nearly 400 campaigns. But having a large network andsome promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding, raising money for a project through online appeals, has taken offin recent years for everything from making movies to building water-saving gadgets.Scientists have tried to tap Internet donors, too, with mixed success. Some raisedmore than twice their goal, but others have fallen short of reaching more modesttargets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures, ateam led by science communications scholar Mike Schäfer of the University of Zurichin Switzerland examined the content of the WebPages for 371 recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals, the researchers report inPublic Understanding of Science. For one, they use a crowdfunding platform thatspecializes in raising money for science, and not just any kind of project. Althoughsites like Kickstarter take all comers, platforms such as Experiment.com,, and Petridish. org only present scientific projects. For another, theypresent the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humorimproved success. Most of them engage with potential donors since projects thatanswered questions from interested donors and posted lab notes fared better. And theytarget a small amount of money. The projects included in the study raised $4000 onaverage, with 30% of projects receiving less than $ 1000. The more money a projectsought, 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 muchresearcher promotes a project on his or her own. Those two factors are by far morecritical than the content on the page. Crowdfunding can be part of researchers effortsto reach the public, and people give because they feel a connection to the person"who is doing the fundraising--not necessarily to the science.11/3151. What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for theirprojects?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 Schafer's research of recent crowdfundingcampaigns?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.为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 crowdfundingprojects?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 IV Translation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you cre allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from ( 'hinese 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月大学英语四级考试真题+参考答案完整版

2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题及参考答案完整版Part ⅠWriting (30 minutes)2019年12月14日，大学英语四级笔试考试已经结束，各位考生对本次四级考试的做题感觉如何呢？文都教育英语老师在第一时间为大家解读2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题参考答案，希望大家都能够顺利通过本次四级考试。

Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letterto a foreign friend who wants to study. Please recommend a university tohim. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.【参考范文】Dear Lucy,I am delighted to hear that you are going to study in a Chineseuniversity. Since you have asked for my advice about choosing whichuniversity, I will try to give you some useful suggestions here.It is well known that Peking University is a great place to learn.There are several factors accounting for this choice and the followingare the most typical ones. First and foremost, Peking University is one of the top universities in China and the birthplace of many great minds.Therefore, it can provide high-quality teaching resources, which isessential for a foreign learner.In addition, Beijing is the capital of China and there are various historic buildings. They provide foreign students a good chance to know Chineseculture and history.I hope you will find these suggestions helpful and wishyou all the best.Yours,LiMing【参考译文】亲爱的露丝：得知你要来中国的大学学习，我很高兴。

英语四级段落信息匹配题练习及答案

Directions: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.长篇阅读Beauty and Body Image in the Media[A] Images of female bodies are everywhere. Women—and their body parts—sell everything from food to cars. Popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. Some have even been known to faint on the set from lack of food. Women’s magazines are full of articles urging that if they can just lose those last twenty pounds, they’ll have it all—the perfect marriage, loving children, great sex, and a rewarding career.[B] Why are standards of beauty being imposed on women, the majority of whom are naturally larger and more mature than any of the models? The roots, some analysts say, are economic. By presenting an ideal difficult to achieve and maintain the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits. And it’s no accident that youth is increasingly promoted, along with thinness, as an essential criterion of beauty. If not all women need to lose weight, for sure they’re all aging, says the Quebec Action Network for Women’s Health in its 2001 report. And, according to the industry, age is a disaster that needs to be dealt with.[C] The stakes are huge. On the one hand, women who are insecure about their bodies are more likely to buy beauty products, new clothes, and diet aids. It is estimated that the diet industry alone is worth anywhere between 40 to 100 billion (U.S.) a year selling temporary weight loss (90% to 95% of dieters regain the lost weight). On the other hand, research indicates that exposure to images of thin, young, air-brushed female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls.[D ] The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control—including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative (泻药)abuse, and self-induced vomiting. The pressure to be thin is also affecting young girls: the Canadian Women’s Health Network warns that weight control measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6. American statistics are similar. Several studies, such as one conducted by Marika Tiggemann and Levina Clark in 2006 titled “Appearance Culture in 9- to 12-Year-Old Girls: Media and Peer Influences on Body Dissatisfaction,” indicate that nearly half of all preadolescent girls wish to be thinner, and as a result have engaged in a diet or are aware of the concept of dieting. In 2003, Teen magazine reported that 35 percent of girls 6 to 12 years old have been on at least one diet, and that 50 to 70 percent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight. Overall research indicates that 90% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance in some way. Media activist Jean Kilbourne concludes that, “Women are sold to the diet industry by the magazines we read and the television programs we watch, almost all of which make us feel anxious about our weight.”[ E] Perhaps the most disturbing is the fact that media images of female beauty are unattainable for all but a very small number of women. Researchers generating a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions, for example, found that her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body, and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea (慢性腹泻)and eventually die from malnutrition. Jill Barad, President of Mattel (which manufactures Barbie), estimated that 99% of girls aged 3 to 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll. Still, the number of real life women and girls who seek a similarly underweight body is epidemic, and they can suffer equally devastating health consequences. In 2006 it was estimated that up to 450, 000 Canadian women were affected by an eating disorder.[F ] Researchers report that women’s magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and art icles promoting weight loss than men’s magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of women’s magazines include at least one message about how to change a woman’s bodily appearance—by diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery. Television and movies reinforce theimportance of a thin body as a measure of a woman’s worth. Canadian researcher Gregory Fouts reports that over three-quarters of the female characters in TV situation comedies are underweight, and only one in twenty are above average in size. Heavier actresses tend to receive negative comments from male characters about their bodies (“How about wearing a sack?，，)，and 80 percent of these negative comments are followed by canned audience laughter.[G] There have been efforts in the magazine industry to buck (才氐制，反抗)the trend. For several years the Quebec magazine Coup de Pouce has consistently included full-sized women in their fashion pages and Chatelaine has pledged not to touch up photos and not to include models less than 25 years of age. In Madr id, one of the world’s biggest fashion capitals, ultra-thin models were banned from the runway in 2006. Furthermore Spain has recently undergone a project with the aim to standardize clothing sizes through using a unique process in which a laser beam is us ed to measure real life women’s bodies in order to find the most true to life measurement.[ H] Another issue is the representation of ethnically diverse women in the media. A 2008 study conducted by Juanita Covert and Travis Dixon titled “A Changing Vie w: Representation and Effects of the Portrayal of Women of Color in Mainstream Women’s Magazines” found that although there was an increase in the representation of women of colour, overall white women were overrepresented in mainstream women’s magazines f rom 1999 to 2004.[I] The barrage of messages about thinness, dieting and beauty tells “ordinary” women that they are always in need of adjustment—and that the female body is an object to be perfected. Jean Kilbourne argues that the overwhelming presence of media images of painfully thin women means that real women’s bodies have become invisible in the mass media. The real tragedy, Kilbourne concludes, is that many women internalize thesestereotypes, and judge themselves by the beauty industry’s standa rds. Women learn to compare themselves toother women, and to compete with them for male attention. This focus on beauty and desirability “effectively destroys any awareness and action that might help to change that climate.”46. A report in Teen magazine showed that 50% to 70% girls with normal weight think that they need to lose weight.47. On the whole, for 6 years white women had been occupying much more space in mainstream women’s magazines since 1999.48. Some negative effects such as depression and unhealthy eating habits in females are related to their being exposed to images of thin and young female bodies.49. The mass media has helped boost the cosmetic and the diet industries.50. It is reported that there is at least one message about the methods for women to change their bodily appearance on more than three-quarters of the covers of women’s magazines.51. Some film and television actresses even faint on the scene due to eating too little.52. Too much concern with appearance makes it impossible to change such abnormal trend.53. Researchers found that a real woman with Barbie-doll proportions would eventually die from malnutrition.54. The Quebec magazine Coup (e Pouce resists the trend by consistently including full-sized women in their fashion pages for several years.5 5. According to some analysts, the fundamental reason of imposing standards of beauty on women is economic profits.PartⅢ Reading ComprehensionSection B46. [D]题干意为，《青少年》杂志上的一项报道称，有50%到70%体重正常的女孩认为自己需要减肥。

英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题练习题

英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题练习题英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题练习题英语四级考试马上就要进入倒计时了，大家准备的怎么样了?以下是yjbys网店铺整理的关于英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题练习题，供大家备考。

Directions: 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.长篇阅读Definitions of ObesityA) How does one define when a person is considered to be obese and not just somewhat overweight? Height-weight tables give an approximate guideline as to whether one is simply overweight or has passed into the obese stage.B) The World Health Organization recommends using a formula that takes into account a person's height and weight. The "Body Mass Index" (BMI) is calculated by dividing the person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters, and is thus given in units of kg/m2. A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is considered to be the healthiest. A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight, while a BMI of over 30 is considered to be obese.C) However, it is recognized that this definition is limited as it does not take into account such variables as age, gender and ethnic origin, the latter being important as different ethnic groups have very different fat distributions. Anothershortcoming is that it is not applicable to certain very muscular people such as athletes and bodybuilders, who can also have artificially high BMIs. Agencies such as the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in the USA and the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) are starting to define obesity in adults simply in terms of waist circumference.Health Effects of ObesityD) Over 2000 years ago, the Greek physician Hippocrates wrote that "persons who are naturally very fat are apt to die earlier than those who are slender". This observation remains very true today. Obesity has a major impact on a person's physical, social and emotional well-being. It increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2 ("mature onset diabetes") and also makes Type 2 diabetes more difficult to control. Thus weight loss improves the levels of blood glucose and blood fats, and reduces blood pressure. The association between obesity and coronary heart disease is also well-known.CancerE) Furthermore, in 2001 medical researchers established a link between being overweight and certain forms of cancer, and estimated that nearly 10,000 Britons per year develop cancer as a result of being overweight. This figure was made up of 5,893 women and 3,220 men, with the strongest associations being with breast and colon cancers. However, it is thought that being overweight may also increase the risk of cancer in the reproductive organs for women and in the prostate gland for men.F) The link between breast cancer and nutritional status is thought to be due to the steroid hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which are produced by the ovaries, and govern awoman's menstrual cycle. Researchers have found that the more a woman eats, or the more sedentary her lifestyle, the higher are the concentrations of progesterone. This link could explain why women from less affluent countries have lower rates of breast cancer. Women from less affluent nations tend to eat less food and to lead lifestyles which involve more daily movement. This lowers their progesterone level, resulting in lower predisposition to breast cancer.G) The Times newspaper, in 2002 reported that obesity was the main avoidable cause of cancer among non-smokers in the Western world!AgingH) Research published by St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK in 2005 showed a correlation between body fat and aging, to the extent that being obese added 8.8 years to a woman's biological age. The effect was exacerbated by smoking, and a non-overweight woman who smokes 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years added 7.4 years to their biological age. The combination of being obese and a smoker added at least ten years to a woman’s biological age, and although the study only involved women, the lead researcher Professor Tim Spector believes the finding would also apply to men.I) The aging effect was determined by measuring the length of telomeres, tiny "caps" on the ends of chromosomes, which help protect the DNA from the ageing process. Indeed, telomeres have been dubbed the "chromosomal clock" because, as an organism ages, they become progressively shorter, and can be used to determine the age of the organism. Beyond a certain point, the telomere becomes so short that it is no longer able to prevent the DNA of the chromosome from falling apart. It isbelieved that excess body fat, and the chemicals present in tobacco smoke release free radicals which trigger inflammation. Inflammation causes the production of white blood cells which increases the rate of erosion of telomeres.DementiaJ) Recent research (2005) conducted in the USA shows that obesity in middle age is linked to an increased risk of dementia, with obese people in their 40s being 74% more likely to develop dementia compared to those of normal weight. For those who are merely overweight, the lifetime risk of dementia risk was 35% higher.K) Scientists from the Aging Research Centre at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have been able to take information such as age, number of years in education, gender, body mass index, blood pressure level, physical activity and genetic factors, assigning each a risk score. They then used this information to devise a predictive test for dementia. This test will enable people at risk, for the first time, to be able to affect lifestyle changes which will reduce their risk of contracting dementia.Other ProblemsL) The world-wide upsurge in obesity, particularly in children, is of major economic concern, liable to drain economies. Of further concern is that research conducted in Australia and published in 2006, shows that up to one third of breech pregnancies were undetected by the traditional "palpation" examination, the danger being greatest for those women who are overweight or obese—a growing proportion of mothers. This means that such women are not getting the treatment required to turn the baby around in time for the birth, and in many cases require an emergency Caesarean section.M) This is a true health-care crisis, far bigger than Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and ultimately, even bigger than AIDS.对应题目：1. You can judge whether one is simply overweight or has passed into the obese stage according to the height-weight table.2. Using the "Body Mass Index" to define a person's weight ideal is limited, because it does not takes into account many variables such as age, gender and ethnic origin.3. A person's emotional well-being would be affected by obesity.4. Obesity has something to do with cancer in the prostate gland for man.5. Women from less affluent nations tend to have much less breast cancer.6. A non-overweight woman who smokes 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years added7.4 years to her biological age.7. The excess body fat, like the chemicals present in tobacco smoke, can lead to inflammation.8. Obese people in middle age run an increased risk of dementia .9. The predictive test for dementia will help people to affect lifestyle changes that will reduce their risk of contracting dementia.10. The world-wide upsurge in obesity, particularly in children, will possibly drain economies.参考答案：1. A2. C3. D4. E5. F6. H7. I8. J9. K10. L。

2019年12月英语四级长篇阅读匹配练习题(6)

2019年12月英语四级长篇阅读匹配练习题(6)Has a tech entrepreneur come up with a product to replaceour meA.s?A.In December of 2012，three young men were living in a claustrophobic(患幽闭恐惧症的)apartment in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district，working on a technology startup．Theyhad received a hundred and seventy thousand dollars from the incubator Y Combinator．but their project—a plan to make inexpensive cell-phone towers——had failed．Down to theirlast seventy thousand dollars．they resolved to keep tryingout new software ideas until they ran out of money．But howto make the funds last?Rent was a sunk cost．Since they were working frantically,they already had no social life．As they examined their budget，one big problem remained：food．B.They had been living mostly on ramen，com dogs，and Costco frozen quesadillas——supplemented by Vitamin C tablets，to stave ofr scurvy(坏血病)——but the grocery bills were still adding up．Rob Rhinehart，one of the entrepreneurs，began to resent the fact that he had to eat at all．“Foodwas such a large burden，”he told me recently．“It was also the time and the hassle．We had a very small kitchen，and no dishwasher．”He tried out his own version of“Super Size Me．”living on McDonald’s dollar meals and five．dollar pizzas from Little Caesars．But after a week．he said,“Ifelt like l was going to die．”Kale was all the rage——and cheap——so next he tried an all．kale diet．But that did not work，either．“I was starving，”he said．C.Rhinehart，who is twenty-five，studied electrical engineering at Georgia Tech，and he began to consider food as an engineering problem．“You need amino acids(氨基酸)and lipids，not milk itself,”h e said．“You needcarbohydrates(碳水化合物)，not bread．”Fruits and vegetables provide essential Vitamins and minerals．but they’re“mostly water．”He began to think that food was an inefficient way：of geRing what he needed to survive．“It iust seemed like a system th at’s too complex and too expensive and too fragile，”he told me．D.What if he went straight to the law chemical components?He took a break from experimenting with software and studied textbooks on nutrifional biochemistry and the Web sites ofthe F.D．A．,the U．S．D．A．，and the Institute of Medicine．Eventually,Rhinehan compiled a list of thirty-five nutrients required for survival．Then，instead of heading to the grocery store，he ordered them ofr the Intemet--mostlyin powder or pill form——and poured everything into ablender'with some water．The result．a slurry of chemicals，looked like gooey lemonade．Then，he told me，“I started living on it．”E.Rhinehart called his potion Soylent，which，for most people，evokes the 1973 science-fiction film“Soylent Green．”starring Ch arlton Heston．The movie is set in a dystopian future where，because ofoverpopulation and pollution，people live on mysterious wafers called Soylent Green．The film ends with the ghastly revelation that Soylent Green is made from human flesh．F.Rhinehart’s r oommates were skeptical．One told me，“It seemed pretty weird．”They kept shopping at Costco．After a month，Rhinehart published the results of his experiment in a blog post，titled“How I Stopped Eating Food．”The post has a“Eureka!”tone．The chemical potion，Rhinehart reported，was“delicious!I felt like l’d just had the best breakfast of my life．”Drinking Soylent was saving him time and money：his food costs had dropped from four hundred and seventy dollars a month to fifty．Andphysically,he wrote，“I feel like the si x million dollar mail．My physique has noticeably improved，my skin is clearer,my teeth whiter,my hair thicker and my dandruff gone．”He concluded．“I haven’t eaten a bite of food in thirty days，and it's changed my lifc．”In a fcw weeks，his blog post was at the top of Hacker News——a water cooler for the tech industry．Reactions were polarized．“RIP Rob，”a comment on Rhinehart’s blog read．But other people asked for his formula，which，in the spirit of the“opensource”movement，he posted online．G.One of Silicon Vall ey’s cultural exports in the past ten years has been the concept of“life hacking”：devising tricks to streamline the obligations of daily life．thereby freeing yourself up for whateveryou’d rather be doing．Rhinehart’s“future food”seemed a clever work．around．Lifehackers everywherebegan to test it out，and then to make their own versions．Soon commenters on Reddit were sparring about the appropriate dose of calcium-magnesium powder．Atier three months，Rhinehart said，he realized that his mixture had the makings of a company：“It provided more value to my life than any app．”He and his roommates put。

英语阅读段落匹配四级真题及答案

英语阅读段落匹配四级真题及答案英语阅读段落匹配四级真题及答案在平平淡淡的日常中，许多人都接触过一些比较经典的段落吧，段落是文章中最基本的单位。

内容上它具有一个相对完整的意思；在文章中，段具有换行的标。

你知道什么样的段落才能算得上是好的段落吗？以下是店铺精心整理的英语阅读段落匹配四级真题及答案，希望对大家有所帮助。

英语阅读段落匹配四级真题及答案篇1Section 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.Resilience Is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure[A]As constant travelers and parents of a 2-year-old, we sometimes fantasize about how much work we can do when one of us gets on a plane, undistracted by phones, friends, or movies. We race to get all our ground work done: packing, going through security, doing a last-minute work call, calling each other, then boarding the plane. Then, when we try to have that amazing work session in flight, we get nothing done. Even worse, after refreshing our email or reading the same studies over and over, we are too exhausted when we land to soldier on with (继续处理) the emails that have inevitably still piled up.[B] Why should flying deplete us? We’re just sitting there doing nothing. Why can’t we be tougher, more resilient (有复原力的) and determined in our work so we can accomplish all of the goals we set for ourselves? Based on our current research, we have come to realize that the problem is not our hectic schedule or the plane travel itself; the problem comes from a misconception of what it means to be resilient, and the resulting impact of overworking.[C] We often take a milita ristic, “tough” approach to resilience and determination like a Marine pulling himself through the mud, a boxer going one more round, or a football player picking himself up off the ground for one more play. We believe that the longer we tough it out, the tougher we are, and therefore the more successful we will be. However, this entire conception is scientifically inaccurate.[D]The very lack of a recovery period is dramatically holding back our collective ability to be resilient and successful. Research has found that there is a direct correlation between lack of recovery and increased incidence of health and safety problems. And lack of recovery—whether by disrupting sleep with thoughts of work or having continuous cognitive arousal by watching our phones—is costing our companies $62 billion a year in lost productivity.[E] And just because work stops, it doesn’t mean we are recovering. We “stop” work sometimes at 5pm, but then we spend the night wrestling with solutions to work problems, talking about our work over dinner, and falling asleep thinking about how much work we’ll do tomorrow. In a study just released, researchers from Norway found that 7.8% of Norwegians have become workaholics(工作狂). The scientists cite a definition of “workaholism” as “being overly concerned about work, driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, andinvesting so much time and effort in work that it impairs other important life areas.”[F] We believe that the number of people who fit that definition includes the majority of American workers, which prompted us to begin a study of workaholism in the U.S. Our study will use a large corporate dataset from a major medical company to examine how technology extends our working hours and thus interferes with necessary cognitive recovery, resulting in huge health care costs and turnover costs for employers.[G] The misconception of resilience is often bred from an early age. Parents trying to teach their children resilience might celebrate a high school student staying up until 3am to finish a science fair project. What a distortion of resilience! A resilient child is a well-rested one. When an exhausted student goes to school, he risks hurting everyone on the road with his impaired driving; he doesn’t have the cognitive resources to do well on his English test; he has lower self-control with his friends; and at home, he is moody with his parents. Overwork and exhaustion are the opposite of resilience and the bad habits we acquire when we’re young only magnify when we hit the workforce.[H] As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz have written, if you have too much time in the performance zone, you need more time in the recovery zone, otherwise you risk burnout. Gathering your resources to “try hard” requires burning energy in order to overcome your currently low arousal level. It also worsens exhaustion. Thus the more imbalanced we become due to overworking, the more value there is in activities that allow us to return to a state of balance. The value of a recovery period rises in proportion to the amount of work required of us.[I] So how do we recover and build resilience? Most peopleassume that if you stop doing a task like answering emails or writing a paper, your brain will naturally recover, so that when you start again later in the day or the next morning, you’ll have your energy back. But surely everyone reading this has had times when you lie in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep because your brain is thinking about work. If you lie in bed for eight hours, you may have rested, but you can still feel exhausted the next day. That’s because rest and recovery are not the same thing.[J] If you’re trying to build resilience at work, you need adequate internal and external recovery periods. As researchers Zijlstra, Cropley and Rydstedt write in t heir 2014 paper: “Internal recovery refers to the shorter periods of relaxation that take place within the frames of the work day or the work setting in the form of short scheduled or unscheduled breaks, by shifting attention or changing to other work tasks when the mental or physical resources required for the initial task are temporarily depleted or exhausted. External recovery refers to actions that take place outside of work—e.g. in the free time between the work days, and during weekends, holidays or v acations.” If after work you lie around on your bed and get irritated by political commentary on your phone or get stressed thinking about decisions about how to renovate your home, your brain has not received a break from high mental arousal states. Our brains need a rest as much as our bodies do.[K] If you really want to build resilience, you can start by strategically stopping. Give yourself the resources to be tough by creating internal and external recovery periods. Amy Blankson describes how to strategically stop during the day by using technology to control overworking. She suggests downloading the Instant or Moment apps to see how many times you turn onyour phone each day. You can also use apps like Offtime or Unplugged to create tech free zones by strategically scheduling automatic airplane modes. The average person turns on their phone 150 times every day. If every distraction took only 1 minute, that would account for 2.5 hours a day.[L] In addition, you can take a cognitive break every 90 minutes to charge your batteries. Try to not have lunch at your desk, but instead spend time outside or with your friends—not talking about work. Take all of your paid time off, which not only gives you recovery periods, but raises your productivity and likelihood of promotion.[M] As for us, we’ve started using our plane time as a work-free zone, and thus time to dip into the recovery phase. The results have been fantastic. We are usually tired already by the time we get on a plane, and the crowded space and unstable internet connection make work more challenging. Now, instead of swimming upstream, we relax, sleep, watch movies, or listen to music. And when we get off the plane, instead of being depleted, we feel recovered and ready to return to the performance zone.36. It has been found that inadequate recovery often leads to poor health and accidents.37. Mental relaxation is much needed, just as physical relaxation is.38. Adequate rest not only helps one recover, but also increases one’s work efficiency.39. The author always has a hectic time before taking a flight.40. Recovery may not take place even if one seems to have stopped working.41. It is advised that technology be used to prevent people from overworking.42. Contrary to popular belief, rest does not equal recovery.43. The author has come to see that his problem results froma misunderstanding of the meaning of resilience.44. People’s distorted view about resilience may have developed from their upbringing.45. People tend to think the more determined they are, the greater their success will be.36. 答案：D。

2019年12月四级深度阅读真题详解

2019年12月四级深度阅读真题详解第一套Passage OneQuestion 56 to 60 are based on the following passage. 56-60 ACBDBChildre n are a delight(=hapiness/joy). They are our future. (56)But sadly, hiri ng some one to take care of them while you go to work is gett ing more expe nsive by the year.Earlier this mon th, it was reported that the cost of en rolli ng an infant or small kid at a childcare cen ter rose 3% in 2012, faster than the overall cost of living. There are now large strip s(狭长地带)of the country where daycare for an infant(57)This is not necessarily a new trend,but it is a somewhat puzzling one. The price of professional childcare has been rising since the 1980s. Yet duri ng that time, pay for professi onal childcare workers has stood still. Actually( =in fact) caregivers make less today, in real terms(扣除物价因素；按实质计算),than they did in 1990. Considering that labor costs are resp on sible for up to 80% of a daycare cen ter's expe nses, one would expect flat wages to have meant flat prices.So who's to blame for higher childcare costs?Childcare is a carefully regulated in dustry. States lay dow n rules about how many childre n each employee is allowed to watch over, the space care cen ters n eed per child, and other minute details(58) And the stricter the regulation s, the higher the costs. If it(保育中心)has to hire a caregiver for every two children, it can't really achieve any economics of scale on labor to save money 通过压缩劳动力成本来省钱)when other expenses go up. (59) In Massachusetts, where childcare centers must hire one teacher for every three infant s, the price of care averaged more tha n $16,000 per year. I n Mississippi, where cen ters must hire one teacher for every five infant s, the price of care averaged less than $5,000.Unfortunately, I don't have all the daycare-center regulations handy. ( 60)elaborate, prices have risen. The trade off(交换(60)But certa inly, it does n't seem to be an accide nt that some of the cheapest daycare available is in the leastregulate d(=rule/ma nage) South.56. What problem do pare nts of small kids have to face?A) The ever-rising childcare prices. B) The budgeti ng of family expe nses.C) The bala nee betwee n work and family. D) The select ion of a good daycare cen ter.57. What does the author feel puzzled about?A) Why the prices of childcare vary greatly from state to state.B) Why in creased childcare prices have n ot led to better service.C) Why childcare workers' pay has not increased with the rising childcare costs.D) Why there is a severe shortage of childcare professi on als in a nu mber of states.58. What preve nts childcare centers from saving money?A) Steady in crease in labor costs. B) Strict government regulations.C) Lack of support from the state. D) High adm ini strative expe nses.【解析】infant ['?if?nt]n.baby/child 婴/幼儿；未成年人59. Why is the average cost of childcare in Mississippi much lower than in Massachusetts?A) The overall quality of service is n ot as good. B) Payme nts for caregivers there are n ot as high.D) Each teacher is allowed to care for more kids.60. What is the author view 'ns daycare service?A) Caregivers should receive regular professional training. B) Less elaborate rules about children might lower costs.C) It is crucial to strike a balance between quality and costs. D) It is better for different states to learn from each other.【解析】elaborate[?l?b ?r?t]adj. cdetailed /full精心制作/复杂/详尽/煞费苦心的Passage TwoQuestions 61-65 are based on the following passage. 61-65DDCBC(61) A lex Pang's amusing new book The Distraction Addiction (分心成瘾)addresses(v向…讲话).And that, he claims,is pretty much all of us. When we're not on li ne, where we spe nd four mon ths annu ally, we're en gaged in the stressful work of trying to get on li ne.(62) The Distraction Addiction is not framed as a self-help book(并非励志类图书)overdose (过度使用)and a historicaloverview(历史性概述)of how technological advances 科技进步)change consciousness 意识).A “ professional futurist ” , Pang urges an approach which he cattstemplative (沉思的 ” He asks that you pay full attention to “”(63) Pang's first job is to free you from the (常见的错误认识 )that doing two things at once allows you to get moredone (同时做两件事效率更高) .multitasking!多重任务)is, in fact, switch-tasking, and its harmful effects onproductivity are well documented(有据可查的).Pang does n't advocate returning to a pre-I nternet world. In stead, he asks you to t ake a more ecological (生态的)view of your relatio nships with tech no logies and look for ways devices or media may be making specific tasks easier or faster but at the same time making your work and life har der. ”The Distracti on Addictio n is particularly fasci nat ing on how tech no logies have cha nged certa in fields of labor — ofte nfor the worse. (64) “ Architecture is first and foremost about thinking...and drawing is a more productive way of thinking .Somewhat less amusing are Pang's solutions for kicking the Internet habit. (65) usual behavior-modification approaches(常见的行为矫正法 )Keep logs to (己录下上网日志)study your online profile(上网概况)and decide what you can knock out (剔除 ), download a program like Freedom that locks you out of your browser, or take a digital Sabbath (安息日)” : “ Uni ess you're a reporter or emergedepartme nt doctor, you'll discover that your world does n't fall apart whe nyou go offline. ”61. Alex Pang's new book is aimed for readers who ________ .A) find their work on li ne too stressful B) go on li ne main ly for en terta inmentD) can hardly tear themselves away from the Internet(很难让自己远离互联网 )【解析】tear oneself away from: reluctant to leave ([r?l?kt?nt])舍不得离开，爱不释手【解析】restrain /r?@tre?n/vt. restrict/control/stop/prevent 抑/控制；约束；制止 first and foremost /?f???m??t/ 首先；首要地/的是65. What is Ales Pang's for Internet users ?A) They use the Internet as little as possible.C) They exercise self-control over their time online.【解析】keep logs to 保存日志/聊天记录第二套Passage oneQuestions 56 to 60are based on the following passage.(1) New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more pedaling ( 骑车)passengers on those blazing blue Citi Bikes. But what about local bike shops? Is Citi Bike rolling up(increase) riders at their expense(在损害他们的禾口益 /情况下)？62. What does Alex Pang try to do in his new book ? A)Offer advice on how to use the Internet effectively.C) Predict the trend of future tech no logical development.63. What is the on multitasking ?A) It en ables people to work more efficie ntly.C) It makes people's work and life even harder. 64. What does the author thi nk of ?A) It con siderably cuts dow n the cost of buildi ng design. B) Warn people of the possible dan gers of internet use. D) Examine the influence of technology on the human mindB) It is a way quite similar to switch-task ing. D) It distracts people's atte nti on from useful work. B) It somewhat restrains architects' productive thinking. D) It can free architects from laborious drawing. productive thinking 有成效的思维方式D) They en terta in themselves on li ne on off-days only.(2) At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca, a man ager W. Ben said the shop has see n an in crease in its overall sales(总销售额) dueto(=as a result of) the bike-share program. "It's getting more people on the road" he said. (5)James Ryan, an employee at Danny's Cycles in Gramercy also said Citi Bike is a good option(=choice) for people to ease into biking in a city famed for its traffic jams and and aggressive好斗的)driversRen tals are not a big part of the bus in ess at either Gotham Bikes or Danny's Cycles.(3) But for Fran k's Bike Shop, a small busin ess on Grand St., the bike-share program has bee n bad n ews. Owner Frank Arroyo said his ren tai bus in ess has decreased by 90% since the Citi Bikes were rolled out last mon th. Arroyo's main rental customers are Europea n tourists, who have since been drawn away by Citi Bikes.However,(5) Ben said the bike-share is good for bike sales at his shop. "People have used the bike-share and realized how great it is to bike in the city, the n decide that they want somethi ng nicer for themselves," he no ted.(5) Christian Farrell of Waterfront Bicycle Shop, on West St. just north of Christopher St., said initially(=at first) he was concerned about(=worried about )bike-share, though, he admitted, "I was happy to see people on bikes."(5) Farrell's early concerns were echoed (随声附和，认同)_by An drew Crooks, owner of NYC Velo, at 64 Sec ond Ave.(4)"lt seemed like a great idea, but one that would be difficult to implement," Crooks said of Citi Bike. He said he worried about (be concerned about)inexperieneed riders' lack of awareness(知道：认识)of biking rules and backlash(强烈反对)from non-cyclists. However, he said, it's still too early to tell if his bus in ess has bee n impact ed(=in flue nee).While it's possible bike-share will cause a drop in bus in ess, Crooks allowed that the idea is a positive step forward for New York City.56 . What is the author's chief concern about the increasing use of Citi Bikes in New York ?A How non-cyclists will resp ond to it.B Whether local bike shops will suffer.C Whether local bike bus in esses will oppose it.D How the safety of bike riders can be en sured.57 . What happened to Gotham Bikes as a result of (due to)the bike-share program?A It found its bike sales un affected.B It shifted its bus in ess to ren tals.C It saw its bike sales on the rise.D It ren ted more bikes to tourists.58 . Why is the bike-share program bad news for Frank's Bike Shop ?A It cannot meet the dema nd of the bike —share program.B Its customers have been drawn away by (被吸引走了)CitiBikes.C Its bike prices have to be lowered again and again.59. Why did Andrew Crooks th ink that the bike—share program would be difficult to execute(=implement) ?A inexperienced riders might break biking rules.B Conflicts might arise among bike rental shops.C Traffic con diti ons might worse n in the down tow n area.【解析】execute vt. carry out/put into practice/ implement 实/执行；处死/决60 . What is the general attitude(总体态度)of local bike shops towards Citi Bike?A Wait-and-see(等待并观望).B Negative(消极否定的).C Indifferent(漠不关心的).D Approving(认可的). Passage TwoQuestions 61to 65 are based on the following passage. 61-65 CBCAD(61)Various studies have shown that increased spending on education has not led to measurable improvements(带来显著提高)in learning. Between 1980 and 2008,staff and teachers at U.S. public schools grew roughly twice as fast as stude nts. Yet stude nts showed no additi on al lear ning in achieveme nt tests.Uni versities show similar trends of in creased adm ini strati on pers onnel and costs without greater lear ning, as docume nted in Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa's recent book Academically Adrift Limited Lear ning on College Campuses.A survey shows that 63% of employers say that recent college graduates don't have the skills they n eed to succeed and 25% of employers say that entry-level writing skills are lacking.（62）S ome simplistically attribute the decline in our public education system to the drain of the skilled students by private schools, but far more significant events were at work.Public schools worked well until about the 1970s. In fact, until that time, public schools provided far better education than private ones. It was the under performing students who were threw out of public schools and went to private ones.（63）A prominent reason public schools did well was that many highly qualified women had few options for working outside the house other than being teachers or nurses. They accepted relatively low pay, difficult working conditions, and gave their very best.Having such a large supply of tale nted wome n teachers meant that society could pay less for their services. （64） Women's liberation opened up new professional职业I专门的）opportunities for women, and, over time, some of the best left teaching as a career option, bringing about a gradual decline（逐渐下降）in the quality of schooling.（65）Also around that time, regulations, government, and unions came to dictate pay（规定工资）,prevent adjustments, and introduce bureaucratic（ /?bj??r?永r?t ?/官僚的）standard for advancement. Large education bureaucracies and unions came to domin ate（=rule/c on trol） the Ian dscape, confusing activity with achieveme nt. Bureaucrats regularly rewrite curriculums, talk nonsense about the theories of education, and require ever more administrators. The end result had been that, after all the spending, students have worse math and reading skills than both their foreign peer s（同龄人）and earlier generations spe nding far less on educatio n—as all the accumulati ng evide nee now docume nts.61. What do we learn from various studies on America's public education?A Achieveme nt tests have failed to truly reflect the quality of teach ing.with private schools .C Little improvement in education has resulted from increased spending .D The nu mber of stude nts has in creased much faster tha n that of teachers62. How do some people explain the decline in public education?A Government in vestme nt does not meet schools' n eeds.B Skilled students are moving to private schoolsC Qualified teachers are far from adequately paidD Training of students' basic skills is neglected .【解析】attribute …to •（•[?'tr?bju?t=due to）把... 归因于...drain/dre?i/ n. flow out/consume/use up（资源/资金的）外流;消耗63. What was a significant contributor（重大的贡献/重要因素）to the past glory of public schools?A Well-behaved stude nts.B Efficie nt adm ini strati on.C Talented women teachers.D Gen erous pay for teachers.【解析】prominent['pr ?m?n?nt]adj. obvious/excellent /remarkable /brilliant/outstanding/marked 突出/显著/杰出/卓越的64. Why did some of the best women teachers leave teaching?A New career opportunities were made available to them by women's liberation.B Higher academic requirements made it difficult for them to stay in their jobs.C They were un happy with the bureaucratic admi nistrati on in their schools.D The heavy teach ing loads left them little time and en ergy for family life.65. What does the author think is one of the results of government involvement in education ?A In creas ing emphasis on theories of educatio n.B Highly sta ndardized teachi ng methods.C Stude nts' improved academic performa nee.D An ever-growing number of administration（管理;监管）.【解析】dictate vt.rule/set;规定，命令；指示；口述；听写第三套56—60BBCAD 61 —65 BCBADPassage one56. The rise of the Internet has been one of the most transformative developments s tremendous impacts has only just begu n.“ Mass adoption of the Internet is drivingone of the most exciting social, cultural, and political transformations in history,57. and unlike earlier periods of change, this time the effects are fully global, Schmidt and Cohen write in their new book. The New Digital Age.58t' s that authors dbnpend' enough time applying a critical eye to the role of Internet businesses in these weeping changes.In their book, the authors provide the most authoritative volume to date that describes — and more importa ntly predicts—59.and governments must deal with two realities, one physical, and one virtual.At the core of the book is the idea that “ tech no logy is n eutral, but people aren ' t. ” By using t 60. t he authors aim to move beyond the now familiar optimist vs. pessimist dichotom对立观点）that has characterized many recent debates about whether the rise of the Internet will ultimately be good or bad for society. In an interview with TIME earlier this week, Cohen said although he and his co-author are optimistic about many aspects of the Internet,they 监视）.56、In what way is the rise of the Internet similar to the invention of the printing press and the telegraph?A. lt tran sforms huma n history.C. It is adopted by all huma ni ty.D.It revoluti oni zes people's thinking.【解析】transformative developments[tr?ns'f ?:m?tiv]革命性的发展57、How do Schmidt and Cohe n describe the effects of the In ternet?A.They are immeasurable.B.They are worldwide.C.They are un predictable.D.They are con tam in ati ng.58、In what respect is the book The New Digital Age con sidered in adequate?A. It fails to recog nize the impact of the Internet tech no logy.B. It fails to look into the social implications of the Internet.C」t lacks an objective evaluation of the role of Internet businesses.59、What will the future be like when everybody gets online?A. People will be living in two different realities.B. People will have equal access to in formati on.C. People don ' t have to travel to see the world.D. People don '60、What does the passage say about the authors of The New Digital Age?A. They leave many questi ons unan swered concerning the Intern et.B. They are optimistic about the future of the Internet revolution.C. They have explored the unknown territories of the virtual world.D. They don ' t take sides in analyzing the effects of the Internet.Passage two61. In 1950, a young man would have found it much easier than it is today to get and keep a job in the auto industry. Andin that year the average autoworker could meet monthly mortgag抵（押贷款）payments on an average home with just 13.4 percent of his take-home pay. Today a similar mortgage would claim more than twice that share of his monthly earnings.62. Other members of the autoworker ' s family, howebe itemghtelined to tried the present for the pastIn most stales, his wife could not have take n out a loa n or a card in her own n ame. In 42 states, a homemaker had no legal claim on the earnings of her husba nd. And no where did a wife have legal protectio n aga inst family viole nee.63. Most black workers would not want to return to a time when, on average they earned 40 percent less than their white counterparts职位相当的人）,white racially restrictive agreements largely prevented them from buying into the suburban neighborhoods being built for white working-class families.Today, new problems have emerged in the process of resolvi ng old on es, but the solutio n is not to go back to the past.64spouse is more interested in continuing the relationship. And the breakup of such marriages has caused pain for many families.6561、What do we learn about American autoworkers in 1950?A.They had less job security tha n they do today.B」t was not too difficult for them to buy a house.C. Their earnings were worth twice as much as today.D. They were better off tha n workers in other in dustries.62、What does the author about retired people today?A. They in variably long to return to the golde n past.B. They do not depe nd so much on social welfare.C. They feel more secure economically than in the past.D. They are usually un willi ng to live with their childre n.【解析】be less inclined to不倾向于，就不会那么想，更不想however might be less inclined to tried the present for the past.但是可能更倾向于尝试现在而不是过去。

2019年12月英语四级阅读段落信息匹配训练及答案(4)

2019年12月英语四级阅读段落信息匹配训练及答案(4)段落信息匹配题是四六级改革之后的新题型，很多同学还不是很熟悉，以下是小编为同学们整理的英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题练习，希望对各位有所协助。

A Grassroots RemedyA) Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world. To this end, we walk the dog, play golf, go fishing, sit in the garden, drink outside rather than inside the pub, have a picnic, live in the suburbs, go to the seaside, buy a weekend place in the country. The most popular leisure activity in Britain is going for a walk. And when joggers (慢跑者) jog, they don't run the streets. Every one of the minstinctively heads to the park or the river. It is my profound belief that not only do we all need nature, but we all seek nature, whether we know we are doing so or not.B) But despite this, our children are growing up nature-deprived ( 丧失) , I spent my boyhood climbing trees on Stratham Common, south London. These days, children are robbed of these an cientfreedoms, due to problems like crime, traffic, the loss of the open spaces and odd new perceptions about what is best for children, that is to say, things that can be bought, rather than things that can be found.C) The truth is to be found elsewhere. A study in the U.S. families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD -- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( 多动症) .Those whose accommodation had morenatural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.D) A study in Sweden indicated that kindergartenchildren who could play in a natural environment had less illness and greater physical ability than children used only to a normal playground. A U.S. study suggested that when a school gave children access to a natural environment, academic levels were raised across the entire school.E) Another study found that children play differently in a natural environment. In playgrounds, children create a hierarchy (等级) based on physical abilities, with the tough ones taking the lead. But when a grassy area was planted with bushes, the children got much more into fantasy play, and the social hierarchy was now based on imagination and creativity.F) Most bullying (持枪凌弱) is found in schools where there is a tarmac (柏油碎石) play ground; the least bullying is in a natural area that the children are encouraged to explore. This reminds mean pleasantly of Sunny hill School in Stratham, with its harsh tarmac, where I used to hang about incomers fantasizing about wildlife. The children are frequently discouraged from involvement with natural spaces, for health and safety reasons, for fear that they might get dirty or that they might cause damage. So, instead, the damage is done to the children themselves： not to their bodies but to their souls.G) One of the great problems of modem childhood is ADHD, now increasingly and expensively treated with drugs. Yet one study after another indicates that contact with nature giveshuge benefits to ADHD children. However, we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.H) The life of old people is measurably better when they have access to nature. The increasing emphasis for thegrowing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years. And study after study finds that a gardenis the single most important thing in finding that quality.I) In wider and more difficult areas of life, there is evidence to indicate that natural surroundingsim prove all kinds of things. Even problems with crime and aggressive behavior are reduced when there is contact with the natural world. Dr. William Bird, researcher from the Royal Societyfor the Protection of birds, states in his study, "A natural environment can reduce violent behavior because itsrestorative process helps reduce anger and impulsive behavior." Wild places need encouraging for this reason, no matter how small their contribution.J) We tend to look on nature conservation as some kindof favor that human beings are granting to the natural world. The error here is far too deep： not only do humans neednature for themselves, but the very idea that humanity andthe natural world are separable things is profoundly damaging. Human beings are a species of mammals (哺乳动物) . For seven million years they lived on the planet as part of nature. Our ancestral selves miss the natural world and long for contact with nonhuman life. Anyone who has patted a dog, stoked a cat, sat under a tree with a pint of beer, given or received a bunch of flowers or chosen to walk through the park on a nice day, understands that. We need the wild world. It isessential to our well-being, our health, our happiness.Without the wild world we are not more but less civilized. Without other living things around us we are less than human.K) Five Ways to Find Harmony with the Natural World Walk：Break the rhythm of permanently being under a roof. Get off a stop earlier, make a circuit of the park at lunchtime, walkthe child to and from school, get a dog, feel yourself moving in moving air, look, listen, absorb.Sit： Take a moment, every now and then, to be still inan open space. In the garden, anywhere that's not in the office, anywhere out of the house, away from the routine. Sit under a tree, look at water, feel refreshed, ever so slightly renewed.Drink： The best way to enjoy the natural world is by oneself; the second best way is in company. Take a drink outside with a good person, a good gathering： talk with the sun and the wind with bird-song for background.Learn： Expand your boundaries. Leam five species of bird, five butterflies, five trees, five bird songs. That way, you see and hear more： and your mind responds gratefully to the greater amount of wildness in your life.Travel： The places you always wanted to visit： by the seaside, in the country, in the hills. Take a week-end break, a day-trip, get out these and do it： for the scenery, forthe way through the woods, for the birds, for the bees. Go somewhere special and bring specialness home. It lasts forever, after all.46. The study in Sweden shows that more access to nature makes children less likely to fall ill.47. The author's profound belief is that people instinctively seek nature in different ways.48. It can be very helpful to provide more green spaces for children with ADHD.49. Elderly people will enjoy a life of better quality when they contact more with nature.50. Nowadays, people think things that can be bought are best for children, rather than things that can be found.51. Dr. William Bird suggests in his study that access to nature contributes to the reduction of violence.52. According to a study in the U. S. Children with ADHD whose accommodation had more natural views showed much better improvement.53. Children who have chances to explore natural areas are less likely to be involved in bullying.54. We can find harmony with the natural world in various ways, among which there are walking, sitting, drinking, learning and traveling.55. It is extremely harmful to think that humanity and the natural world can be separated.大自然疗法A)【47】我们中的绝大部分人都套花时间寻求与大自然亲近。

2019年12月英语四级试卷及答案

2019年12月四级考试真题及答案第-套Part Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, уоu are allowed 30 minutes to write а letter to а foreignfriend who wants to teach English in China. Please recommend а cityto him. You should write at least 120 words but по more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section A、Directions:In this section, уou will hear three news reports. At the end of each newsreport, уоu will hear two or three questions. Both the news report andthen questions will be spoken only once. After уоu hear a question, уоumust choose the best answer. from the four choices markedA), В), C) andD). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet lwith а singleline 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.В) 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 hear d.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 а wildlife photo contest.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Pick up trash.В) 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 eachconversation, 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 l with a single linethrough 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.SectionCDirections: 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 questionswіll bе ѕроkеn оnlу оnсе. Аftеr уоu hеаr аquеѕtіоn, уои muѕt сhооѕе thеbest answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then markthe corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through thecentre.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 teachingB) Provide a variety of optionalC) 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 llI Reading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required 1oselect one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bankfollowving the passage. Read the passage through carefuly before makingyour choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter: Pleasemark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank 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 yourchances with tap water' Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or_ 26the ruins of Angkor. It's hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. It's thesafe, sane thing to do, right The bottle is_ 27, and the label says“pure water”but maybe what's inside is not you still be drinking it if you knewthat more than 90percent of all bottled water sold around the world_29microplasticsThat's the conclusion of a recently__ 30_study, which analyzed 259 bottlesfrom ll brands sold in nine countries,-31an average of 325 plastic particles per liter of water. These microplastics included a__ 32commonly 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, ajournalism organization. About a million bottles are bought every minute, not only bythirsty tourists but also by many of the billion worldwide who live with unsafedrinking water.Confronted with this__ 34 several bottled-water manufacturers includingNestle and Coco-Cola undertook their own studies using the same studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than thOrb study suggested. Regardless, the World Health Organization has now launched a review into the__ 35health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.A) adequateB) admiringC) containsD) defending%E) evidenceF) instantG) liquidH) modifiedI) naturalJ) potentialK) releasedL) revealing(M) sealedN) solvesO) substance :Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statementsattached to each statement contains information given in one of theparagraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is markedwith a letter: Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letteron 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 colderthan Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zeroin Park Rapids, Minnesota, and 45 degreesbelow zero in Buffalo, North Dakota,according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businessesclosed, and more than l ,000 flights have been canceled.【[B] Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail deliverytemporarily. "Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPSemployees," USPS announced Wednesday morning, the Postal Service is suspendingdelivery Jan. 30 in the following 3-digit ZIP Code locations." Twelve regions werelisted as unsafe on Wednesday; on Thursday, eight remained.[C] As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extremeweather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and othernatural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague VannNewkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destructionand resource scarcity from 2017's Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters can wreck acommunity'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 dronecaught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith, driving through burned homes in thatfamiliar white van, collecting mail in an affected area. The video is striking: Theoperation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to RaeAnn Haight, the program manager for thenational-preparedness office at USPS,Smith was fulfilling a request made by some of the home owners to pick up any mailthat was left untouched. For Smith, this was just another day on the job. I followedmy route like I normally do," Smith told a reporter. As I'd come across a box thatwas up but with no house, I checked, and there was mail- -outgoing mail- -in it. Andso we picked those up and carried on.'[E] USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across thcountry, 285 emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control. These teamsare trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps: people, property,product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agency 's top priority is ensuringthat employees are safe. Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure, such as theroads that mail carriers drive on. Finally, it decides when and how to re-openoperations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sentelsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming NewOrleans mail to existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed inNew Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected fromwater damage.[F] As soon as it's safe enough to be outside,' couriers start distributingaccumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standingaddresses to file change-of- address forms with their new location. After HurricaneKatrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of other locations across thecountry in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.[G] Every day, USPS processes, on average, million pieces ofmail -anything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeoplefrom both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can beextremely sensitive and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still relyon delivery services to be completed.[H]It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such asSocial Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitivematerial. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make surethat Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion. After HurricaneFlorence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local electionboards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.^[I] Mail companies are logistics companies, which puts them in a special positionto help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized itsmassive infrastructure as a unique federal asset" to be called upon in a disaster orterrorist attack. I think we're unique as a federal agency," USPS official MikeSwigart told me, because we're in literally every community in this countryWe' re obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.'[J]Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use theirexpertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than adecade, FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergencysupplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012,the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groupsin California, and donated space for million pounds of charitable shipping October, the company pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support forHurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS's charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, usesthe company 's logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild. We realize that as acompany with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role," saidEduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs it:trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke toMartinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael inFlorida with the American Red Cross. Wehave an obligation to make sure ourcommunities are thriving, prosperous," he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disastermay still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some smallroutines- -mail delivery being one of them- -may help residents remember that theircommunities are still their communities. When they see that carrier back out on thestreet," Swigart said, that's the first sign to them that life is starting to return tonormal."36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees' safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach tccommunities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ still responsible for the completion of almost half ofpayments.！40. The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becomingnormal again.41. After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery, temporary mail servicepoints were set up.42. Postal service in some regions in the . was suspended due to extreme coldweather.43. Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributingurgent supplies.44. A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite ofextreme 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 fourchoices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choiceand 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 intelligentteaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in theonline class, Knowledge Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a corerequirement of Georgia Tech's online Master of Science in Computer Scienceprogram. Professor Goelalready had 8 teaching assistants, but that wasn t enough todeal with the overwhelming number of questions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that gounanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to dosomething to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistantnamed Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill W atson before releasing herto the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasnt too great. But Goel and histeam sourced the online discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had everbeen asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill the questionsand answers. After some adjustment and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer thestudents questions correctly 97% of the time. The L virtual assistant became soadvanced and realistic that the students didn t know she was a computer. The students,who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with artificial intelligenceand couldn't tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn 't inform them about Jill'strue identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about theexperience.The goal of Professor Goel's virtual assistant next year is to take over answering40% 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 muchrosier outlook on the future of AI than say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gatesor 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 withA) His students were unsatisfied with the assistants.B) His course was too difficult for the students.C) Students questions were too many to handle.】D) Too many students dropped out of his course.48. What do we learn about Jill WatsonA) She turned out to be a great success.B) She got along pretty well with students.C) She was unwelcome to students at first.D) She was released online as an experiment.10/23149. How did the students feel about Jill W atson）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 W atsonA) Launch different versions of her online.B) Feed her with new questions and answers.c) Assign her to answer more of students questions.&D) Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Thinking small, being engaging, and having a sense of humor don' t hurt. Thoseare a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from arecent study that examined nearly 400 campaigns. But having a large network andsome promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding, raising money for a project through online appeals, has taken offin recent years for everything from making movies to building water-saving have tried to tap Internet donors, too, with mixed success. Some raisedmore than twice their goal, but others have fallen short of reaching more modesttargets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures, ateam led by science communications scholar Mike Schäfer of the University of Zurichin Switzerland examined the content of the WebPages for 371 recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals, the researchers report inPublic Understanding of Science. For one, they use a crowdfunding platform thatspecializes in raising money for science, and not just any kind of project. Althoughsites like Kickstarter take all comers, platforms such as Experiment. com,, and Petridish. org only present scientific projects. For another, theypresent the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humorimproved success. Most of them engage with potential donors since projects thatanswered questions from interested donors and posted lab notes fared better. And theytarget a small amount of money. The projects included in the study raised $4000 onaverage, with 30% of projects receiving less than $ 1000. The more money a projectsought, 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 muchresearcher promotes a project on his or her own. Those two factors are by far morecritical than the content on the page. Crowdfunding can be part of researchers effortsto reach the public, and people givebecause they feel a connection to the person"who is doing the fundraising- -not necessarily to the science."11/3151. What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for theirprojectsA) 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 Schafer's research of recent crowdfundingcampaignsA) To create attractive content for science websites.^B) To identify reasons for their different outcomes.C) To help scientists to launch innovative projects.D) To separate science projects from general ones.53. What trait contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaignA) The potential benefit to future generations.为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 crowdfundingprojectsA) They should be small to be successful.B) They should be based on actual needs.C) They should be assessed with great care.D) They should be ambitious to gain notice.55. What motivates people to donate in a crowdfunding campaignA) The ease of access to the content of the webpage.：B) Their desire to contribute to the cause of science.C) The significance and influence of the project itself.D) Their feeling of connection to the scientists themselves.Part IV Translation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you cre allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from( 'hinese 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英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题及答案解析(6)

2019英语四级长篇阅读段落信息匹配题及答案解析(6) Section BDirections：In this section，you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.How to Use a LibraryA)You’re driving your car home from work or sch001.And something goes wron9.The engine stalls out at lights，holds back as you go to pass.It needs a tune up and soon.Where do you go? The library.You can take out an auto repair manual that tells step by step how to tune up your make and model.Or your tennis game has fallen off.You’ve lost your touch atthe net.Where do you go? The library for a few books on improving your tennis form.B)“The library!”you say.“That’s where my teacher sends me to dough homework."Unfortunately, I’ve foundthat’s exactly the way many people feel.If you’re among them.you’re den ying yourself the easiest way to improve yourself, enjoy yourself and even cope with life.My first suggestion for making the most of your library is to do what I did，read and read and read.For pleasure——and for understanding.C)If it’s TV that keeps you from cultivating this delicious habit，I can offer a sure remedy.Take home from the library a stack of books that might look interestin9.Pile them on the TV set.Next time you are tempted to turn on a program you really don’t want to see，reach for a book instead.D)Over the years，people collect a mental list of books they mean to read.If you don’t have such a list，here is the suggestion.Take from the library some of the books you might have enjoyed dramatized on TV, like Remargue’s All Quiet on the Western Front，Clavell’s Shegun，Tolkien’s The Hobbit，or Victor Hugo’s Les Mise Rables.If you like what you read、you can follow up with other satisfying books by the same authors.E)Some people in their reading limit themselves to current talked—about best sellers.Oh，what they miss! The library is full of yesterday’s best sellers;and they still make compelling reading today. Some that I've enjoyed：A.B.Guthrie’s The Big Sky，Carl Van Doren’s Benjamin Franklin，Mari Sandoz’s.Old Jules，and Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead.F) How do you find these or any other books you’re looking for? It’s easy—with the card catalog. Every time I go to the library——and I go more than once a week——I invariably make a beeline to the card catalog before anything else.It’s the n ucleus of any public library.The card catalog lists every book in the library by：1.author;2.title;3.subject.Let’s pick an interesting subject to look up.I have always been fascinated by astronomy.You’llbe surprised at the wealth of material you will find under “a strong my” to draw upon.And the absorbing books you didn’t know existed on it.CAUTION：Always have a pencil and paper when you use the card catal09.G) Once you jot down the numbers of the books you are interested in，you are ready to find them on theshelves.Libraries call the shelves “the stacks”.In many smaller libraries，which you’ll be using，the stacks will be open for you to browse.To me there is a special thrill in tracking down the books I want in the stacks !Forinvariably,I find books about which I knew nothin9，and these often turn out to be the very ones l need.You will find the same thing happening to you when you start to browse in the stacks.“A learned mind is the end product of browsing.”CAUTION：If you take a book from the stack s to your work desk，do not try to return it to its properplace.That’s work for the experts.If you replace it incorrectly, the next seeker won’t be able to find it.H)Some of the brightest and rmed men and women in America are the librarians who specialize in providing reference help.Introduce yourself State your problem.And be amazed at how much he p you will receive.CAUTION：Don’t waste the time of this expert by asking silly questions you ought to solve yourself.Save the reference librarian for the really big ones.I) You shot：ld also learn to use the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.This green—bound index is me of themost useful items in any library.It indexes all the articlesin the major magazines，including newspaper magazine supplements.Thus it provides a guide to the very latestexpert information of any subject that interests you.So ifyou want to do a really first—class job，find out which magazines your library subscribes to，then consult theReader's Guide and track down recent articles on yoursubject.When you use this wonderful tool effectively, youshow the mark of a real scholar.J) Since you can take most books home，but not magazines，take full notes when using the latter. Many libraries today provide a reprographic machine that can quickly copy pagesyou need from magazines and books.Ask about it：If you are working on a project of some size which will require repeated library visits，keep a small notebook in which you record the identification numbers of the books you will be using frequently.This will save you valuable time，because youwon’t have to consult the card catalog or search aimlessly through the stacks each time you visit for material youseek.Sol fie of the very best books in any library are the reference books，which may not be taken home.Learn whattopics they cover and how best to use them，for these booksare wonderful repositories (储藏室、资料库)of human knowledge.K) Your library can give you help on any subject.It can even be your business and legal advisor.How many times have you scratched your head over how to get a tax rebate(折扣)on your summer job? You，11 find guides to that.Want to defend yourself in traffic coup? Find out how in legal books at the library.L) Library Projects Can Be Fun and Rewardin9.Here are a few ideas：1.What are your roots? Trace your ancestors.Manylibraries specialize in genealogy.2.Did George Washington sleep nearby? Or Billy the Kid? Your library’s collection of local history books can put you on the trail.3.Cook a Polynesian feast.Or an ancient Romanbanquet.Read how in the library’s cook books.4.Take up photography.Check the library for consumer reviews of cameras before you buy.Take out books on lightin9，composition，or darkroom techniques or—you name it!M)If you haven，t detected by now my enthusiasm for libraries，let me offer two personal notes.I'm particularly pleased that in recent years two beautiful libraries havebeen named after me：a small community library in Quakertown，Pennsylvania，and the huge research library located at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.And I likelibraries so much that I married a librarian.46.The nucleus of any public library is the car，d catalog.47.Yesterday’s best sellers are still good for readin9，which sho uldn’t be overlooked.48.The author suggests that people should go to thelibrary for answers when things go wrong49.The Reader，s Guide is a green—bound index which provides a guide to very latest expert information of any subject that interests readers.50.The sure remedy to kick the TV habit is to take home from the library interesting books to read.51.There are various kinds of fun and rewarding projects available in different libraries.52.A notebook will help readers to record theidentification numbers of the frequently used books which can’t be taken home.53.Readers should not try to return the book taken from the stacks to their desk to its proper place.54.When asking for help，readers are suggested notasking the reference librarians silly questions they ought to solve themselves.55.When asking for help，readers are suggested notasking the reference librarians silly questions they ought to solve themselves.46.The nucleus of any public library is the card catalog.任何公共图书馆的核心都是卡片目录。

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月英语四级阅读理解备考练习及答案(六)

2019年12月英语四级阅读理解备考练习及答案(六)The motor vehicle has killed and disabled more people in its brief history than any bomb or weapon ever invented. Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others. So the massacre on the road may be regarded as a social problem.In fact, the enemies of society on wheels are rather harmless people or ordinary people acting carelessly, you might say. But it is a principle both of law and common morality that carelessness is no excuse when one's actions could bring death or damage to others. A minority of the killers go even beyond carelessness to total negligence.Researchers have estimated that as many as 80 per cent of all automobile accidents can be attributed to the psychological condition of the driver. Emotional upsets can distort drivers' reactions, slow their judgment, and blind them to dangers that might otherwise be evident. The experts warn that it is vital for every driver to make a conscious effort to keep one's emotions under control.Yet the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers. Street walkers regularly violate traffic regulations; they are at fault in most vehicle walker accidents. And many cyclists even believe that they are not subject to the basic rules of the road.Significant legal advances have been made towards safer driving in the past few years. Safety standards for vehicle have been raised both at the point of manufacture and throughperiodic road-worthiness inspections. In addition, speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures, the accident rate has decreased. But the accident experts still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave. The only real and lasting solution, say the experts, is to convince people that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and concentration. Those who fail to do all these things pose a threat to those with whom they share the road.62. The word “massacre” in line 3 paragraph one means _____A) mass-killing.B) disaster.C) tragedy.D) accident.63. What is the author's main purpose in writing the passage?A) To show that the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention.B) To promote understanding between careless drivers and street walkers.C) To discuss traffic problems and propose possible solutions.D) To warn drivers of the importance of safe driving.64. According to the passage, traffic accidents may be regarded as a social problem because _____.A) autos have become most destructive to mankindB) people usually pay little attention to law and moralityC) civilization brings much harm to peopleD) the lack of virtue is becoming more severe65. Why does the author mention the psychological condition of the driver in Paragraph Three?A) To give an example of the various reasons for road accidents.B) To show how important it is for drivers to be emotionally healthy.C) To show some of the inaccurate estimations by researchers.D) To illustrate the hidden tensions in the course of driving.66. Who are NOT mentioned as being responsible for the road accidents?A) Careless bicycle-riders.B) Mindless people walking in the street.C) Irresponsible drivers.D) Irresponsible manufactures of automobiles.答案解析：62-66：ACBBD。