2013年12月四级真题及答案(第1套)
2013年12月英语四级真题答案及解析完整版
作文部分：范文一： The modern technology has greatly altered the mode of communication among people. With the help of the Internet, people can easily contact each other anytime anywhere. However, the side effect is that many people have become over-dependent on the Internet and neglected face-to-face communication.As far as I'm concerned, electronic communication cannot fully replace the direct contact among people. Although it seems to bring everyone together, it actually estranges people and decreases the effectiveness of communication. A typical example is that, traditionally, people working in the same office simply walk to others and talk. Today, however, co-workers tend to send e-mails or instant messages through the Internet even when they are sitting next to each other. As words can never convey the full message, it usually takes much more time and rounds of conversation than face-to-face communication, in which people can discuss more directly with less loss of information.To conclude, the Internet enables more effective communication in some situations, but over-dependence on it actually pulls people apart.范文二：It is frequently observed that many people keep looking down at their mobile phones whatever they are doing. It is true that mobile phones have brought great convenience to us as we can send short messages, check e-mails, surf the Internet, or watch videos almost anywhere. However, the overuse of mobile phones also leads to some serious problems.The over-dependence on mobile phones can harm the relationship among friends and family. With mobile phones, people do not talk as much as before. For example, sometimes at dinner tables, instead of chatting and laughing with each other, many people choose to chat with other friends online. In other words, mobile phones help people contacting friends far away more easily at the expense of reducing the communication with those who are sitting right next to them.In conclusion, mobile phone can be a useful tool in modern life, but overusing it damages interpersonal relationship. There is no point to lose our intimacy with friends and family to modern technology.范文三：The impact of the Internet on learningExplain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain informationIn the age of knowledge explosion, the Internet opens a magical portal for leaners to get access to seemingly incessant information. But is information equal to knowledge? “Once I learn how to use google, isn't that all the education I really need?” This question fully embodies the prejudiced opinion that as long as people acquire abundant information, they will get proper education.The rea son why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information is that education is not limited to the hard facts or theories students can learn from their textbooks or the Internet. It relates to a wider scope ranging from the obtainment of practical skills to the development of characters, which are hard for students to learn simply by googling. Consequently, comprehensive learning in schools that includes learning knowledge, conducting experiments and communicating with peers is what true education is.In a word, the Internet does provide valuable information for learners, but people should be fully conscious of the essence of education and learn to tell the right from the wrong.听力部分：1. C. Consult a travel agent.2. A. They are on a long trip by car.3. C. He is unwilling to speak in public.4. B. Purse further education.5. A. He would not be available to start the job in time.6. B. Mechanic.7. D. Ask Laura to put off the cleaning until another week.8. A. A problem caused by the construction.9. C. To place an order for some products.10. A. The person in charge is not in the office.11. B. 0734, 21653 extension 51.12. B. Since he took to heavy smoking.13. A. He is getting too fat.14. D. They dislike doing physical exercise.15. C. To find a girlfriend.16-19音频无。
2013年12月四级真题及答案（第1套）
2013年12月四级真题及答案（第1套）Section BDirections: 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.The Gatais used to frown when they received power bills that routinely topped $200. Last September the couple moved into a 1,500-square-foot home in Premier Gardens, a subdivision of 95 "zero-energy homes"(ZEH)just outside town. Now they're actually eager to see their electricity bills. The grand total over the 10 months they've lived in the three-bedroom house: $ 75. For the past two months they haven't paid a cent.ZEH communities are the leading edge of technologies that might someday create houses that produce as much energy as they consume. Premier Gardens is one of a half-dozen subdivisions in California where every home cuts power consumption by 50% , mostly by using low-power appliances and solar panels.Aside from the panels on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, special windows cut power bills by blocking solar heat in summer and retaining indoor warmth in winter.The rest of the energy savings comes from the solar units. They don't just feed the home they serve. If they generate more power than the home is using, the excess flows into the utility's power grid(电网). The residents are billed by "net metering" : they pay for the amount of power they tap off the grid, less the kilowatts(千瓦)they feed into it. If a home generates more powerthan it uses, the bill is zero.That sounds like a bad deal for the power company, but it's not. Solar homes produce the most power on the hot sunny afternoons when everyone rushes home to turn up the air conditioner. " It helps us lower usage at peak power times," says solar expert Mike Keesee. " That lets us avoid building costly plants or buying expensive power at peak usage time. "What's not to like? Mostly the costs. The special features can add $ 25,000 or more to the purchase price of a house. Tax breaks bring the cost down, especially in California, but in many states ZEHs can be prohibitively expensive. For the consumer, it's a matter of paying now for the hardware to save later on the utilities.58．Why are the Gatais eager to see their electricity bills now?A．They want to see how much they have saved.B．They want to cut down their utility expenses.C．They want to know if they are able to pay.D．They want to avoid being overcharged.59．What is special about the ZEH communities?A．They have created cutting-edge technologies.B．They aim to be self-sufficient in power supply.C．They are subdivided into half a dozen sections.D．They are built in harmony with the environment.60．How are the residents in the ZEH communities billed for electricity use?A．They are only charged for the amount of power they consume on rainy days.B．They needn't pay a single cent for their power consumption on sunny days.C．They only pay for the excess power that flows into theutility's power grid.D．They pay for the electricity from the grid less their home-generated power.61．What does the "net metering" practice mean to the power company?A．More pressure at peak time.B．Less profits in the short term.C．Increased electricity output.D．Reduced operational costs.62．The author believes that buying a house in a ZEH community______.A．is but a dream for average consumersB．gives the owner substantial tax benefitsC．is a worthy investment in the long runD．contributes to environmental protectionRomantic love has clear evolutionary roots but our views about what makes an ideal romantic relationship can be swayed by the society we live in. So says psychologist Maureen O'Sullivan from the University of San Francisco. She suggests that humans have always tried to strengthen the pair-bond to maximise(使最大化)reproductive success.Many societies throughout history and around the world today have cultivated strong pressures to stay married. In those where ties to family and community are strong, lifelong marriages can be promoted by practices such as the cultural prohibition of divorce and arranged marriages that are seen as a contract between two families, not just two individuals. In modern western societies, however, the focus on individuality and independence means that people are less concerned about conforming to(遵守)the dictates of family and culture. In theabsence of societal pressures to maintain pair-bonds, O'Sullivan suggests that romantic love has increasingly come to be seen as the factor that should determine who we stay with and for how long. " That's why historically we see an increase in romantic love as a basis for forming long-term relationships," she says.According to O'Sullivan culture also shapes the sorts of feelings we expect to have, and actually do experience, when in love. Although the negative emotions associated with romantic love—fear of loss, disappointment and jealousy—are fairly consistent across cultures, the positive feelings can vary. " If you ask Japanese students to list the positive attributes they expect in a romantic partner, they rate highly things like loyalty, commitment and devotion," says O'Sullivan. " If you ask American college women, they expect everything under the sun: in addition to being committed, partners have to be amusing, funny and a friend. "We judge a potential partner according to our specific cultural expectations about what romantic love should feel like. If you believe that you have found true romance, and your culture tells you that this is what a long-term relationship should be based on, there is less need to rely on social or family pressures to keep couples together, O'Sullivan argues.63．What does the author say about people's views of an ideal romantic relationship? A．They vary from culture to culture.B．They ensure the reproductive success.C．They reflect the evolutionary process.D．They are influenced by psychologists.64．We can infer from the passage that strong family and community ties______.A．largely rely on marriage contractsB．can contribute to stable marriagesC．often run counter to romantic loveD．make divorces virtually unacceptable65．Without social pressures to keep pair-bonds, romantic love______.A．will be a substitute for marriage in human relationships B．plays a key role in maintaining long-term relationships C．is likely to replace the dictates of family and societyD．is a way to develop individuality and independence66．O'Sullivan believes that when people from different cultures fall in love, ______.A．they expect different things from their partnerB．they tend to exaggerate each other's positive qualitiesC．they often fail to see each other's negative qualitiesD．they lay more emphasis on commitment and devotion 67．We can conclude from the passage that______.A．cultural differences often tear apart a family built on romantic loveB．marriages are hard to sustain without social or family pressuresC．romantic love is becoming increasingly important in family relationshipsD．romantic love tends to yield where family or social pressures are strongPassage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front ofus.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people’s hunger levels were predicted not by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol.“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,”Brunstrom says. “This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought.”These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes tric k our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie (卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and helpus control our appetite, Brunstrom says.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
2023年12月英语四级考试真题及答案第1套
2023年12月四级真题（第1套）注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Part ⅡListening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A．, B．, C． andD．, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1. A． The woman is fussy about the cleanness of the apartment.B． He has not cleaned the apartment since his mother's visit.C． He does not remember when his mother canoe over.D． His mother often helps him to clean the apartment.2. A． The bus stop is only two minutes' walk.B． The nmning made him short of breath.C． They might as well take the next bus.D． The woman is late by a couple of minutes.3. A． She is suffering a pain in her neck.B． She is likely to replace Miss Smith.C． She has to do extra work for a few days. D． She is quite sick of working overtime.4. A． Change her job.B． Buy a dishwasher.C． Open a flower shop.D． Start her own business.5. A． He forgot where he had left the package. B． He slipped on his way to the post office. C． He wanted to deliver the package himself. D． He failed to do what he promised to do.6. A． The speakers do not agree with each other. B． The woman does not like horror films.C． The man pays for the tickets as a rule.D． The speakers happened" to meet in the cinema.7. A． The woman is just as unlucky as the man. B． The woman is more sensitive than the man. C． The speakers share a common view on love.D． The speakers are unhappy with their marriage.8. A． Preparations for a forum.B． Participants in the forum.C． Organizers of a forum.D． Expectations of the forum.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A． France.B． Scandinavia.C． Russia.D． East Europe.10. A． More women will be promoted in the workplace.B． More women will overcome their inadequacies.C． More women will receive higher education.D． More women will work outside the family.11. A． Try hard to protect women's rights.B． Educate men to respect women more.C． Help women acquire more professional skills.D． Spend more time changing women's attitudes.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A． In a restaurant.B． In a hotel lobby.C． At the man's office.D． At the woman's place.13. A． He is the chief designer of the latest bike model.B． He has completed an overseas market survey.C． He is the Managing Director of Jayal Motors.D． He has just come back from a trip to Africa.14. A． To select the right model.B． To get a good import agent.C． To convince the board members.D． To cut down production costs.15. A． His flexibility.B． His vision.C． His intelligence.D． His determination.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hoar 3 short passages. At tho end of each passage, you will hoar some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose tho best answer from tho four choices marked A．, B．, C．andD．. Then mark tho correspondingletter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through tho centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2013年12月cet4听力真题+答案(第一套)
Part III Listening Comprehension(30minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear8shortconversations and2long c onversations.At the endof each conversation,one or more questions will beasked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions wil l be spoken onlyonce.After each question there will be a pause.During the pause,you must read the four choicesmarked A),B),C)and D),and decide which is the best answer,Then mark the corresponding letteron Answer S heet1with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1.A)The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B)The man will soon start a business of his own.C)The man would like to be a high school teacher.D)The woman is going to major in child education.2.A)The furniture has to be rearranged.B)The sound equipment has to be set up.C)The conference room has to be cleaned.D)The video machine has to be checked.3.A)She is exhausted.B)She is near-sighted.C)She cannot finish work in time.D)She cannot go straight home.4.A)The woman is too particular about food.B)He would rather have a meal an hour later.C)The woman should order her food quickly.D)He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches. 5.A)He is not a good mechanic.B)He doesn't keep his promises.C)He spends his spare time doing repairs.D)He is always ready to offer help to others.6.A)Sam has a big family to support.B)Sam is not interested in traveling.C)The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D)The work hours in the travel agency arc too long. 7.A)International trade.B)Product development.C)Financial consulting.D)Domestic retailing.8.A)Go on a business trip.B)Look for a job in Miami.C)Make a ticket reservation.D)Take a vacation.Questions9to11are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9.A)It is located on Route18.B)It has an interesting museum.C)It is a beautiful little town.D)It lies seven miles east of Newton.10.A)They are in opposite directions.B)They are fifty-five miles apart.C)They are quite close to each other.D)They are a long drive from Norwalk.11.A)They are connected by Route7.B)They are crowded with tourists.C)They have lots of old houses.D)They have many rare plants.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B)Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C)Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner.D)Accompany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13.A)About8:30.B)About6:30.C)About5:30.D)About4:15.14.A)Mr Gartner from Milan.B)Gianni Riva at Megastar.C)The company's sales representative.D)Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15.A)Travel agent.B)Business manager.C)Secretary.D)Saleswoman.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear3shortpassages.At the end of ea ch passage,you will hearsome questions.Both the passage and thequestio ns will be spoken only once.After you hear aquestion,you must choose t he best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mar k the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through th e centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2013年12月英语四级真题及答案汇总
以下是2013年12月英语四级真题答案汇总，月英语四级真题答案汇总，由由厦门英语培训小编整理，小编整理，考完试的同学可考完试的同学可以看一下，备考的同学也可以研究一下考题。
备考的同学也可以研究一下考题。
希望大家四级考试顺利通过。
希望大家四级考试顺利通过。
希望大家四级考试顺利通过。
厦门英语培训小厦门英语培训小编第一时间为您更新动态，敬请关注！编第一时间为您更新动态，敬请关注！听力参考答案1-8 CACBA BDA9-11 CAB12-15 DADC16-19 暂无暂无20-22 DAC23-25 ABD26-35 In addition; software; available; individuals; technological;manufacture; In short; By contrast; scientific; quantity选词填空：36-45N siteL rareI honoringF differentD currentC coversJ hopeM realisticH fast长篇阅读：46-55kcebh djclf仔细阅读第一篇第一篇56-60cadcd第二篇第二篇61-65abdbc写作From the cartoon given above, we can observe that there are many people crossing the street. Instead of looking at the way, they are staring at their cell phones and using walking sticks to see. It is obvious that they are fascinated with cell phones while even ignore their security.We learn from the cartoon that cell phones have been increasingly widespread in people’s life. Cell phones are of great benefit to all of us. One of the most obvious advantages is that we can contact with our friends and relatives more conveniently than ever before. However, it is mobile-phones’ advantages that lead some people to overuse or be addicted to them, which tends to exert a negative impact on our life. For example, overusing cellphones will reduce face-to-face communication among people. It seems that most of us enjoy the convenience of contact at the expense of interpersonal relationships. Moreover，entertaining electronic games, magnanimous information and a bewildering variety of social networking tools in mobile phones have occupied much of our time. Information distribution tools and social networking tools, in particular, have attracted all of our attention, which tempts us to keep our eyes on the screen around the corner of every second. Then, do not expect us to talk with the people around us, we don’t have time! This, has resulted in a phenomenon of “alienation between acquaintances and familiarity between strangers”.Science and technology and modern tools should be served as an “angel” to improve our living standard, rather than a devil to disturb our normal life andcommunication. Just imagine, live one day without mobile phone, will you berelaxed? Or anxious? (279words)参考译文：参考译文：如图所示，我们可以看到有很多的人正在过马路，他们没有仔细看路，却都盯着自己的手机并且用一根拐杖代替他们看路。
2013年12月英语四级真题及答案完整版
2013年12月英语四级真题及答案完整版作文一：For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below.You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on the way people communicate and then explain whether electronic communication can replace face-to-face contact.You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.“Dear Andy-How are you? Your mother and I are fine.We both miss you and hope you are doing well.We look forward to seeing you again the nest time your computer crashes and you come down-stairs for something to eat,Love,Mom and Dad.”作文二：For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below.You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain whydoesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.“Once I learn how to use Google,isn’t that all the education I really need?”作文三：For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below.You should start your essay with a brief account of the increasin,use of the mobile phone in people’s life and explain theConsequence of overusing it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.People are crossing the street looking at their cell phones and using walking sticks in order to see.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations.At the end of each conversation,one or more questions will be asked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After each question there will be apause.During the pause,you must read the four choices marked A),B),C)and D),and decide which is the best answer,Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2023年12月英语四级真题及答案(第1套)
Part2023年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案（第1套）I Writing(30minutes)Directions:Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for its coming edition on what in their university impresses them most.You are now to write an essay for submission.You will have30 minutes to write the essay.You should write at least120words but no more than180words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear three news reports.At the end of each news report,you will hear two or three questions.Both the news report 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 Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions1and2are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A.He noticed the driver was too young to drive.B.He found there was no one sitting at the wheel.C.He thought something must be wrong with the driver.D.He saw the driver changing lanes much too frequently.2. A.Buy a sports car.B.Drive across town.C.Leave CaliforniaD.Visit his sister.Questions3and4are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A.How they change the way we shop.B.How they alter human skeletons.C.How they cause increased headaches.D.How they affect our communication.4. A.It loosens.B.It brightens.C.It hardens.D.It softens.Questions5to7are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A.Create Internet pages for him.B.Ask a local pet shop to adopt him. an orange tree after him.D.Hold a birthday party for him.6. A.He is a bold and aggressive pet.B.He pays regular visits to village shops.C.He once bit a doctor’s receptionist.D.He likes to sit on the hairdresser’s chair.7. A.He is fond of luxury cat food.B.He likes to stay in villagers’houses.C.He knows everybody in the village.D.He often seeks food around her pub.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 Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions8to11are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A.Who to order the food.B.Whether to have sandwiches.C.When to go for their meal.D.Where to have their lunch. 第１页，共９页9. A.In the shopping center nearby.B.In the expensive Italian style diner.C.At the sandwich place on Camden Street.D.At the American restaurant they frequent.10.A.There is to be a conference call.B.She has to meet with her boss then.C.There will be crowds of people waiting for her.D.She will have a photo taken with Brigette Clark.11.A.She doesn’t deem homemade soup tasty.B.She doesn’t think his wife cooks well.C.She feels Jeremy would rather dine out.D.She has found the soup smells terrible.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A.A landlady.B.A waitress.C.A receptionist.D.A saleswoman.13.A.He was involved in a terrible car accident last April.B.He has much difficulty getting up and down stairs.C.He is expected to undergo a knee operation.D.He prefers to stay next door to the children.14.A.To please his parents-in-law.B.To find the best trip for his kids.C.To satisfy his curiosity.D.To compare prices.15.A.Visit a local art gallery.B.Go on a boat trip.C.Take some photos of the islands.D.Try her hand-made clothing.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 Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions16to18are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A.They are more intelligent than many of us.B.They have already become our new friends.C.They have begun to affect our social behavior.D.They play increasingly more important roles.17.A.Whether it might have any effect on the way we negotiate.B.Whether it might actually outperform human negotiators.C.Whether it can facilitate business transactions.D.Whether it can speed up legal procedures.18.A.Choose to be tough.B.Sympathize with their opponent.e deceptive strategies.D.Appear to be pleasant.Questions19to21are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A.They were perceived differently by some academics.B.They still existed six months after the course ended.C.They varied greatly among the course participants.D.They were only measurable within seven weeks.20.A.They can be easily seen among participants in a healthy weight range.B.They should be attributed to participants’change in diet behaviors.C.They are linked to cooking confidence and cooking satisfaction.D.They actually result from eating more fruits and vegetables.第２页，共９页21.A.Gender.B.Confidence.C.Health.D.Practice.Questions22to25are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A.It keeps others away.B.It causes discomfort.C.It remains visible.D.It varies in size.23.A.It makes us feel uncomfortable.B.It renders the acquaintance a stranger.C.It brings the acquaintance closer to us.D.It causes the bubble around us to vanish.24.A.In personal space.B.In social space.C.Within a distance of18inches.D.Over2feet away from one another.25.A.When we begin to feel fear.B.When we develop a sense of space.C.When we are3or4years old.D.When we enter our teens.Part III Reading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the passage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Exercising for just10minutes a week is linked to a longer life,according to a new study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine.Several recent studies have found that even low-intensity exercise,done for a short amount of time,can have a meaningful26 on health.Still,the idea that exercising for just10minutes a week may be enough to increase your lifespan is novel.It’s also somewhat27 ,since the federal physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least75minutes of vigorous exercise or150minutes of28 exercise each week.The study was based on data from more than88,000U.S.adults who29 in the National Health Interview Survey between1997and2008.Contrary to some research that has found an30 limit to the amount of exercise that is healthy,the researchers found that there was31 no limit to the longevity(长寿)benefits of exercise.Even the small group of people who got10times the amount of exercise recommended by the federal government had a46% lower32 of death than the least active group.Still,observational studies like this one cannot prove cause and effect;they can only find33 .The researchers also were not able to34 for certain lifestyle factors that could affect lifespan,including dietary habits and changes in physical activity over time.Despite these35 ,the study’s results are yet another indication第３页，共９页Section BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.How Climate Change Will Affect What You EatA.Earlier this year,scientists warned that one in six animal species could go extinct(灭绝的)due to climatechange.Could the same thing happen to our crops and other foodstuffs too?B.It’s clear that farmers in many parts of the world are going to find things harder in the coming decades.Last week,BBC Future explored one scientist’s efforts to help crops cope with the increased probability of droughts.By using the genes from resurrection(复活)plants,Jill Farrant of the University of Cape Town is exploring whether she can design crops to survive for much longer periods without water.C.But if we can’t find ways to protect other foods,will they survive climate change?Fortunately,there issome good news on this front.Despite alarmist headlines about“foods that are going extinct,”there is no evidence that major food types like beans,chocolate,wine,corn or wheat will cease to exist.D.But that doesn’t mean it’s all good news for future food.We will probably have to change where we growcertain crops,as some regions get too hot.The disadvantage,obviously,is that local farmers will suffer under this situation.And some people may struggle to get the same access to certain foods.“Even if overall food production may be unaffected,food security can still be impacted,”says Margaret Walsh,a scientist at the U.S.Department of Agriculture’s Climate Change Program Office.In other words,even if a certain food is still grown on some corner of the Earth,it doesn’t mean that everyone will continue to have the same degree of access as today.E.Overall,the yields of many foods,from staples to life-enhancing extras such as coffee and chocolate,willlikely be impacted by climate change too.How those decreases will be felt will depend on the degree of warming and the crop in question,but in general,“anything over about30°C is very bad for crops,”says Wolfram Schlenker,an associate professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University.For example,statistical studies that he and a colleague built of corn and soybean(大豆)production in the U.S.show a steep decline after crossing the30°C temperature threshold(临界点).F.In the U.S.—the world’s largest producer of corn and soybeans—farms can move north to some degree,Schlenker says.But eventually,yields will likely suffer because the soil north of Iowa declines in quality —a legacy of glacial(冰川的)expansion.Other studies,including studies of wheat in India and corn in Africa,also found that there is a threshold above which yields sharply decline:crops can adapt and move, but only to a point.“What’s common to all studies is the finding that extreme heat is damaging to crop growth,although exact cutoffs vary by crop,”Schlenker says.“If predictions for the end of the century are true,though,I think a lot of agricultural areas in the U.S.will see significant hits.”G.Under current conditions,about4%of the world’s croplands experience drought in any given year,but bythe end of the century those conditions are forecasted to jump to about18%per year.Some studies indicate that horticulture crops—generally,everything besides staples—may be impacted most severely, largely because they tend to be confined to a smaller geographic area.Researcher Andrew Jarvis and his colleagues found that80%of coffee-growing zones in Central America and Brazil could become unsuitable by2050,for example,while climate change will likely have“great impacts”on cocoa(可可粉) production in West Africa.“High quality chocolate will be less available in the future,and if you want it, you’ll have to pay a lot more for it,”Jarvis says.第４页，共９页H.This means that,for those who can afford it,some foods will simply cost them more in the future.But forpoorer people,those same price jumps will likely cause certain foods to go extinct from their diets.“The more you reduce,the shorter the supply,and the higher the price will jump,”Schlenker says.I.Another potential climate change-induced problem is our dependence on commodity crops—wheat,soybeans,corn and rice—which currently provide humanity with75%of its calories,either directly or indirectly through the animals we raise on those crops.Jarvis and his colleagues also found that,over the past five decades,the world has seen an increasing standardisation of diets;the foods we eat globally today are36%more similar than they were in1961.While this can be good news for the world’s poorest people who now consume more calories,protein and fat than in the past,homogeneity(同一性)and over-dependence on a handful of staples leaves us vulnerable to threats such as drought,disease and pests—all of which are predicted to worsen in many parts of the world as a result of climate change.J.There are ways we could soften the coming blow to the global food supply,however.Like Farrant’s work with resurrection crops,a number of companies,organisations and researchers are aiming to create drought-and temperature-resistant crops through genetic engineering and conventional breeding.For now, the jury is still out as to how successful those endeavours will be.“The people at Monsanto who I’ve talked to are much more optimistic that they’ll be able to engineer heat-tolerant crops,”Schlenker says.“On the other hand,scientists at the USDA who I’ve spoken with are much more cautious.”K.Until genetic engineering comes to fruition,other strategies might also help in some places,including applying more fertiliser,implementing better irrigation,using machinery that gets crops out of the field faster or installing storage facilities to delay spoilage.“Many places could benefit a great deal just by using technologies that already exist,”Walsh says.“General farm management can go a long way toward easing changes.”L.Finally,diversifying our diet away from heat-sensitive wheat,corn,rice and other crops could also help.“We’ve seen profound changes in the last decades in what we eat largely as a result of international trade, and I think that trend toward more diversification will continue,”Jarvis says.“Depending on a greater number of plant species creates a more vigorous and less risky food system—and one that provides a broader range of nutritional requirements.”36.One consequence of climate change is that some people may not have adequate access to certain foods.37.People around the world are eating foods more similar than what they used to eat.38.A recent news report talked about scientific efforts to help crops survive droughts through geneticengineering.39.It is predicted that climate change will affect the availability and price of quality chocolate.40.People wonder if certain crops and foodstuffs could disappear like some animal species due to climatechange.41.Although farms in the U.S.can move a bit northward,crop yields may decrease.42.One possible solution to the food security problem is diversification of diet.43.It remains unsettled whether the global food supply problem can be solved by creating heat-tolerant cropsthrough genetic engineering.44.Poor people may have to give up eating certain foods because of their high prices.45.A number of existing farming technologies could be used to reduce the negative effect of climate changeon food production.第５页，共９页。
2013年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)
2013年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
PartⅡListening Comprehension(30 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause.During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decidewhich is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
2023年12月英语四级真题及答案(共三套)
2023年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions:Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for its coming edition on a campus event that has impressed them most. You are now to write an essay forsubmission. You will have 30 minutes to write the essay. You should write at least 120 wordsbut no more than 180 words._____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single linethrough the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A. Their brains work in harmony. B. They are generally the same age.C. Their interests are quite similar.D. They have the same ethnic background.2. A. It can be touching. B. It is hard to predict.C. It can work both ways.D. It resembles family ties.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A. Search for their half-brothers. B. Identify their biological fathers.C. Find out more about their ancestry.D. See whether they are actually related.4. A. They were both given up for adoption. B. They were born to the same mother.C. They flew 737 airplanes as pilots.D. They were both 60 years of age.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A. One of his friends was caught littering.B. Other tourists refused to join in the cleanup.C. The beautiful beach was spoiled with lots of trash.D. The kilometer-long beach was practically deserted.6. A. A passerby. B. A local woman.C. The beach authorities.D. One of the five tourists.7. A. The tourists’ good deed was not noticed by the locals.B. Some natives were selling poor-quality food to tourists.C. The number of tourists to the beach is on a steady decline.D. It was tourists not natives who were cleaning up the beach.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 1with a single linethrough the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A. He has to play football with workmates. B. He has got some books to read.C. He is going to visit a friend.D. He is physically unfit for it.9. A. To teach kids about animal protection. B. To learn how popular zoos could be.C. To see some rare animals in cages.D. To give her little nephew a treat.10. A. He enjoys excellent health. B. He is keen on extreme sports.C. He coaches tennis players every week.D. He spends most of his time in the gym.11. A. Tending to his swollen ankle. B. Concentrating on reading.C. Writing three book reports.D. Planning Christmas celebrations.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. It is being debated by hundreds of retirees. B. It is attracting many people’s attention.C. It partly records his own experience.D. It argues for postponing retirement.13. A. One should foresee a financial crisis. B. One should trust financial planners’ figures.C. One should have one million dollars to retire.D. One should start saving as early as possible.14. A. It doesn’t need to be permanent. B. It shouldn’t be considered risky.C. It helps to reduce travel expenses.D. It is the way to quit a job one hates.15. A. By keeping close contact with one’s employers.B. By retiring when one reaches sixty years old.C. By investing half of one’s monthly income.D. By following the counsel of financial planners.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 youhear 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 thecentre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A. They tended to be easily anticipated by those belonging to their own race.B. They tended to be arbitrarily judged by individuals of opposing groups.C. They were readily shared among members of the same social or racial group.D. They were influenced by the presence of someone from an outsider group.17. A. When they tried to make a positive impression on the researchers.B. When an unknown student from another university was present.C. When an experimenter from the research team took notice.D. When they were offered both candy and fruit as a snack.18. A. By advertising its social benefits. B. By teaching consumers diet strategies.C. By supporting struggling consumers.D. By maintaining its positive image. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A. The academic and learning issues struggling students encounter.B. The risk students face due to a history of mental health problems.C. The effect of interacting with therapy dogs on students under pressure.D. The work universities are doing to help students succeed academically.20. A. Their communicative skills. B. Their executive functioning.C. Their academic networking.D. Their leadership capacities.21. A. Rid students of their anxiety. B. Add to some students’ stress.C. Contribute little to typical students’ success.D. Help students with mental issues pull through. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A. Work hard and plan carefully. B. Attempt to succeed at any cost.C. Aim high and expect great results.D. Remain optimistic even in difficult.23. A. Regarding failure as something inevitable. B. Trying out innovative marketing strategies.C. Venturing into sectors never explored before.D. Being willing to experiment with novel ideas.24. A. Expect future success so as to move forward. B. Learn from our failure and forge ahead.C. Distinguish between good and bad risks.D. Examine our strategies and find out weaknesses.25. A. Fresher offers. B. Safer operation.C. More challenges.D. Less competition.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identifiedby a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with asingle 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.Exercising for just 10 minutes a week is linked to a longer life, according to a new study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine.Several recent studies have found that even low-intensity exercise, done for a short amount of time, can have a meaningful 26 on health. Still, the idea that exercising for just 10 minutes a week may be enough to increase your lifespan is novel. It’s also somewhat 27 , since the federal physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of 28 exercise each week.The study was based on data from more than 88,000 U.S. adults who 29 in the National Health Interview Survey between 1997 and 2008.Contrary to some research that has found an 30 limit to the amount of exercise that is healthy, the researchers found that there was 31 no limit to the longevity (长寿) benefits of exercise. Even the small group of people who got 10 times the amount of exercise recommended by the federal government had a 46% lower 32 of death than the least active group.Still, observational studies like this one cannot prove cause and effect; they can only find 33 . The researchers also were not able to 34 for certain lifestyle factors that could affect lifespan, including dietary habits and changes in physical activity over time. Despite these 35 , the study’s results are yet another indication of the power of physical activity, even in small amounts.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph fromwhich the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Eachparagraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letteron Answer Sheet 2.How Climate Change Will Affect What You EatA) Earlier this year, scientists warmed that one in six animal species could go extinct (灭绝的) due toclimate change. Could the same thing happen to our crops and other foodstuffs too?B) It’s clear that farmers in many parts of the world are going to find things harder in the comingdecades. Last week, BBC Future explored one scientist’s efforts to help crops cope with the increased probability of droughts. By using the genes from resurrection (复活) plants, Jill Farrant of the University of Cape Town is exploring whether she can design crops to survive for much longer periods without water.C) But if we can’t find ways to protect other foods, will they survive climate change? Fortunately, thereis some good news on this front. Despite alarmist headlines about “foods that are going extinct,” there is no evidence that major food types like beans, chocolate, wine, corn or wheat will cease to exist.D) But that doesn’t mean it’s all good news for future food. We will probably have to change where wegrow certain crops, as some regions get too hot. The disadvantage, obviously, is that local farmers will suffer under this situation. And some people may struggle to get the same access to certain foods. “Even if overall food production may be unaffected, food security can still be impacted,” says Margaret Walsh, a scientist at the US Department of Agriculture’s Climate Change Program Office. In other words, even if a certain food is still grown on some corner of the Earth, it doesn’t mean that everyone will continue to have the same degree of access as today.E) Overall, the yields of many foods, from staples to life-enhancing extras such as coffee and chocolate,will likely be impacted by climate change too. How those decreases will be felt will depend on the degree of warming and the crop in question, but in general, “anything over about 30°C is very bad for crops,” says Wolfram Schlenker, an associate professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University. For example, statistical studies that he and a colleague built of corn and soybean (大豆) production in the US show a steep decline after crossing the 30°C temperature threshold (临界点).F) In the US —the world’s largest producer of corn and soybeans—farms can move north to somedegree, Schlenker says. But eventually, yields will likely suffer because the soil north ofIowadeclines in quality-a legacy of glacial (冰川的) expansion. Other studies, including studies of wheat in India and corm in Africa, also found that there is a threshold above which yields sharply decline: crops can adapt and move, but only to a point. “What’s common to all studies is the finding that extreme heat is damaging to crop growth, although exact cutoffs vary by crop,” Schlenker says. “If predictions for the end of the century are true, though, I think a lot of agricultural areas in the US will see significant hits.”G) Under current conditions, about 4% of the world’s croplands experience drought in any given year,but by the end of the century those conditions are forecasted to jump to about 18% per year. Some studies indicate that horticulture crops—generally, everything besides staples—may be impacted most severely, largely because they tend to be confined to a smaller geographic area. Researcher Andrew Jarvis and his colleagues found that 80% of coffee-growing zones in Central America and Brazil could become unsuitable by 2050, for example, while climate change will likely have “great impacts” on cocoa (可可粉) production in West Africa. “High quality chocolate will be less available in the future, and if you want it, you’ll have to pay a lot more for it,” Jarvis says.H) This means that for those who can afford it, some foods will simply cost them more in the future. Butfor poorer people, those same price jumps will likely cause certain foods to go extinct from their diets.“The more you reduce, the shorter the supply, and the higher the price will jump,” Schlenker says.I) Another potential climate change induced problem is our dependence on commodity crops—wheat,soybeans, corn and rice—which currently provide humanity with 75% of its calories, either directly or indirectly through the animals we raise on those crops. Jarvis and his colleagues also found that, over the past five decades, the world has seen an increasing standardisation of diets; the foods we eat globally today are 36% more similar than they were in 1961. While this can be good news for the world’s poorest people who now consume more calories, protein and fat than in the past, homogeneity (同一性) and over-dependence on a handful of staples leaves us vulnerable to threats such as drought, disease and pests- all of which are predicted to worsen in many parts of the world asa result of climate change.J) There are ways we could soften the coming blow to the global food supply, however. Like Farrant’s work with resurrection crops, a number of companies, organisations and researchers are aiming to create drought-and temperature-resistant crops through genetic engineering and conventional breeding. For now, the jury is still out as to how successful those endeavours will be. “The people at Monsanto who I’ve talked to are much more optimistic that they’ll be able to engineer heat-tolerant crops,” Schlenker says. “On the other hand, scientists at the USDA who I’ve spoken with are much more cautious.”K) Until genetic engineering comes to fruition, other strategies might also help in some places, including applying more fertiliser, implementing better irrigation, using machinery that gets crops out of the field faster or installing storage facilities to delay spoilage. “Many places could benefit a great deal just by using technologies that already exist,” Walsh says. “General farm management can go a long way toward easing changes.”L) Finally, diversifying our diet away from heat-sensitive wheat, corn, rice and other crops could also help. “We’ve seen profound changes in the last decades in what we eat largely as a result of international trade, and I think that trend toward more diversification will continue,” Jarvis says.“Depending on a greater number of plant species creates a more vigorous and less risky food system—and one that provides a broader range of nutritional requirements.”36. O ne consequence of climate change is that some people may not have adequate access to certainfoods.37. P eople around the world are eating foods more similar than what they used to eat.38. A recent news report talked about scientific efforts to help crops survive droughts through geneticengineering.39. I t is predicted that climate change will affect the availability and price of quality chocolate.40. P eople wonder if certain crops and foodstuffs could disappear like some animal species due toclimate change.41. A lthough farms in the US can move a bit northward, crop yields may decrease.42. O ne possible solution to the food security problem is diversification of diet.43. I t remains unsettled whether the global food supply problem can be solved by creating heat-tolerantcrops through genetic engineering.44. P oor people may have to give up eating certain foods because of their high prices.45. A number of existing farming technologies could be used to reduce the negative effect of climatechange on food production.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). Youshould decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 witha single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.One of my bad habits is saying “busy” when people ask me how I’m doing. Sometimes it’s because I actually am busy, but other times it’s because that’s what I think I’m supposed to say. That’s what important people say. That’s what people who get promoted say. But working long hours doesn’t drive better results. Never taking a vacation won’t lead to a promotion. So why are we so proud to talk about how busy we are all the time?In 2016, researchers from Columbia, Harvard, and Georgetown conducted a study to figure it out. They found busy people are perceived to be of high status, and interestingly, these status attributions are heavily influenced by our own beliefs about social mobility. In other words, the more we believe that one has the opportunity for success based on hard work, the more we tend to think that people who skip leisure and work all the time are of higher standing.That’s why we feel like we have to appear busy, and there’s a real perception that if someone is knee-deep in meetings, emails, and stress, then they’re probably a big deal. This culture of busyness is making it hard for employees to find work-life balance. According to a recent study, one in five highly engaged employees is at risk of burnout (精疲力竭).Personally, I’m going to stop saying “busy” when people ask me how 1 am. It sounds self-righteous (自以为是的) and sets the wrong tone. Phrases like “I have limited access to email” and “I’ll respond as soon as I get back” sound like you’re being held against your will from working as opposed to making the most of your time off.That’s why we recently launched the Out of Office Email Generator, a free tool you can use before your next long weekend or trip. You can share loud and proud that you won’t be checking email until you’re back. Managers need to think twice about emailing their teams on the weekend and talking abouthow busy they are. Leaders should take time off themselves and encourage employees to do the same.46. What is a reason for the author to be in the habit of saying “busy” when asked how he is doing?A. He just follows successful people’s example.B. He is actually proud to be fully occupied.C. He thinks everyone should be devoted to work.D. He believes busyness ensures accomplishments.47. Why do we tend to think that busy people are of high status?A. Our status can be attributed to our social mobility.B. We hold the belief that hard work leads to success.C. Our own opportunity for success never comes easily.D. We find few people of high status have time for leisure.48. What do we learn about the culture of busyness from a recent study?A. It places employees in endless meetings, emails and stress.B. It compels some 20% of employees to appear always busy.C. It distorts many employees’ belief of what a satisfying life is.D. It does much harm to many busy employees’ well-being.49. What do such utterances as “I have limited access to email” sound like according to the author?A. One is too busy to check all emails in time.B. One is opposed to the prevailing work culture.C. One is forced by circumstances to stop working.D. One is simply enjoying their time off work.50. Why did the author and his colleagues launch the Out of office Email Generator?A. To enable busy employees to spend less time checking emails.B. To ensure employees as well as employers truly have time off.C. To stop managers from talking about how busy their teams usually are.D. To encourage both employers and employees to answer emails promptly.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Female employees consistently pay lower airfares than men do for the same flights because they tend to book earlier.We compared the airfare paid by employees in the same position within a company for the same class of travel and used a common statistical technique to account for other factors that might affect differences in airfares. We found that women paid on average $18 less per ticket than their male colleagues. Further investigation allowed us to conclude that this gap is largely explained by the fact that women tended to book earlier than men, 1.8 days on average.We wanted to determine what was causing these gender differences in booking business trips so we tested a variety of possible explanations, such as women choosing to plan ahead or male frequent travelers being inclined to book late. None of these explained away the gender gap, so we applied data collected from surveys that express consumer preferences that play a central role in economic decisions, such as patience and risk avoidance.We found that only the concept of “negative reciprocity”—in which an employee who feels unfairly treated engages in negative behaviors, such as spending their company’s money less carefully—explains these differences. The surveys showed men tend to exhibit more of these negative behaviors than women. This isn’t to say that all men engage in these behaviors—or that booking relatively late is a sign of abnormal behavior. It only means that the gender gap disappears when we plug in the negative reciprocityvariable.Prior research on negative reciprocity among workers found that it can result in lower employee motivation, business performance and workplace morale (士气) and culture.Our results show another way these negative behaviors can manifest themselves, like in airline bookings, and add to evidence that women are less likely to engage in them.Companies spend significant sums of money on business travel. While that $18 difference per ticket may seem small, it adds up. Our analysis suggests early booking by women can translate into savings of $1 million a year for a large multinational company with 20,000 regular travelers.51. What did the author’s team conclude about the gender difference in airfares from their furtherinvestigation?A. It is largely attributed to women booking earlier than men.B. It is largely explained by women’s choosing cheaper fights.C. It is mainly accounted for by male employees’ readiness to pay more.D. It is due to the fact that women care more about their company’s money.52. What did the researchers want to determine by testing a variety of possible explanations?A. What made male frequent travelers book air tickets late.B. What caused women to plan ahead in booking business trips.C. What motivated women to book cheaper flights.D. What accounted for the gender gap in airfares.53. What happened when the negative reciprocity variable was taken into account?A. Both men and women were found to engage in negative behaviors.B. Neither men nor women viewed booking late as a bad behavior.C. The gender difference in airfare expenses no longer existed.D. The gender gap tended to narrow to a significant degree.54. What did prior research on negative reciprocity among workers find?A. It can do more harm to the workplace than to employees.B. It contributes to the male-female divide in the workplace.C. It proves to be counterproductive in a number of ways.D. It can result in increasing labor-management conflicts.55. What does the author emphasize about their analysis in the last paragraph?A. It can help companies increase their savings significantly.B. It can duly contribute to companies’ business performance.C. It can translate women’s booking practice into men’s behavior.D. It can enhance large multinational companies’ competitiveness.Part IV Translation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国政府十分重视人民的健康饮食(diet)。
大学英语四级考试2023年12月真题(第一套)【可复制可检索】
大学英语四级考试2023年12月真题(第一套)PartI Writing (30 minutes) Directions: Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for is coming edition on a campus event that has impressed them most.You are now to write an essay for submission.You will have 30 minutes to write the essay.You should write at least 120words but no more than180wordsPartⅡListening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section,you will hear three news reports.At the end of each news report,you will hear two or three questions.Both the news report and the questions will bespoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)Their brains work in harmony.B)They are generally the same age.2.A)It can be touching.B)It is hard to predict. C)Their interests are quite similar.D)They have the same ethnic background.C)It can work both ways.D)It resembles family ties.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)Search for their half-brothers.B)Identify their biological fathers.4.A)They were both given up for adoption.B)They were born to the same mother. C)Find out more about their ancestry.D)See whether they are actually related.C)They flew 737 airplanes as pilots.D)They were both 60 years of age.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)One of his friends was caught littering. C)The beautiful beach was spoiled with lots of trash.B)Other tourists refused to join in the cleanup.D)The kilometer-long beach was practically deserted.6.A)A passerby C)The beach authorities.B)A local woman. D)One of the five tourists.7.A)The tourists'good deed was not noticed by the locals.B)Some natives were selling poor-quality food to tourists.C)The number of tourists to the beach is on a steady decline.D)It was tourists not natives who were cleaning up the beach.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 bespoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.1·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)He has to play football with workmates.B)He has got some books to read.9.A)To teach kids about animal protection.B)To learn how popular zoos could be.10.A)He enjoys excellent health.B)He is keen on extreme sports.11.A)Tending to his swollen ankle.B)Concentrating on reading. C)He is going to visit a friend.D)He is physically unfit for it.C)To see some rare animals in cages.D)To give her little nephew a treat.C)He coaches tennis players every week.D)He spends most of his time in the gym.C)Writing three book reports.D)Planning Christmas celebrations.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)It is being debated by hundreds of retirees.B)It is attracting many people's attention.13.A)One should foresee a financial crisis.B)One should trust financial planners'figures.14.A)It doesn't need to be permanent.B)It shouldn't be considered risky.15.A)By keeping close contact with one's employers.B)By retiring when one reaches sixty years old. C)It partly records his own experience.D)It argues for postponing retirement.C)One should have one million dollars to retire.D)One should start saving as early as possible.C)It helps to reduce travel expenses.D)It is the way to quit a job one hates.C)By investing half of one's monthly income.D)By following the counsel of financial planners.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 I with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)They tended to be easily anticipated by those belonging to their own race.B)They tended to be arbitrarily judged by individuals of opposing groups.C)They were readily shared among members of the same social or racial group.D)They were influenced by the presence of someone from an outsider group.17.A)When they tried to make a positive impression on the researchers.B)When an unknown student from another university was present.C)When an experimenter from the research team took notice.D)When they were offered both candy and fruit as a snack.18.A)By advertising its social benefits. C)By supporting struggling consumers.B)By teaching consumers diet strategies. D)By maintaining its positive image.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)The academic and learning issues struggling students encounter.B)The risk students face due to a history of mental health problems.·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·2C)The effect of interacting with therapy dogs on students under pressure.D)The work universities are doing to help students succeed academically.20.A)Their communicative skills.B)Their executive functioning.21.A)Rid students of their anxiety.B)Add to some students'stress. C)Their academic networking.D)Their leadership capacities.C)Contribute little to typical students'success.D)Help students with mental issues pull through.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A)Work hard and plan carefully.B)Attempt to succeed at any cost.23.A)Regarding failure as something inevitable.B)Trying out innovative marketing strategies.24.A)Expect future success so as to move forward.B)Learn from our failure and forge ahead.25.A)Fresher offers.B)Safcr opcration. C)Aim high and expect great results.D)Remain optimistic even in difficulty.C)Venturing into sectors never explored before.D)Being willing to experiment with novel ideas.C)Distinguish between good and bad risks.D)Examine our strategies and find out weaknesses.C)More challengesD)Less competition.Part ⅢSection AReading Comprehension(40 minutes) Directions: 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.Exercising for just 10 minutes a week is linked to a longer life,according to a new study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine.Several recent studies have found that even low-intensity exercise,done for a short amount of time,can have a meaningful 26 on health.Still,the idea that exercising for just 10 minutes a week may be enough to increase your lifespan is novel.It's also somewhat 27 _,since the federal physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of28 exercise each week.The study was based on data from more than 88,000 U.S.adults who 29in the National Health Interview Survey between 1997 and 2008.Contrary to some research that has found an 30 limit to the amount of exercise that is healthy,the researchers found that there was 31 no limit to the longevity(长寿)benefits of exercise.Even the small group of people who got 10 times the amount of exercise recommended by the federal government had a 46%lower 32 of death than the least active group.Still,observational studies like this one cannot prove cause and effect;they can only find 33 .The researchers also were not able to 34 for certain lifestyle factors that could affect lifespan,including3·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·dietary habits and changes in physical activity over time.Despite these - 35 ,the study's results are yet another indication of the power of physical activity,even in small amounts.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 Climate Change Will Affect What You EatA)Earlier this year,scientists warned that one in six animal species could go extinct(灭绝的)due to climatechange.Could the same thing happen to our crops and other foodstuffs too?B)It's clear that farmers in many parts of the world are going to find things harder in the coming decades.Last week,BBC Future explored one scientist's efforts to help crops cope with the increased probability of droughts.By using the genes from resurrection(复活)plants,Jill Farrant of the University of Cape Town is exploring whether she can design crops to survive for much longer periods without water.C)But if we can't find ways to protect other foods,will they survive climate change?Fortunately,there is somegood news on this front.Despite alarmist headlines about "foods that are going extinct,"there is no evidence that major food types like beans,chocolate,wine,corn or wheat will cease to exist.D)But that doesn't mean it's all good news for future food.We will probably have to change where we growcertain crops,as some regions get too hot.The disadvantage,obviously,is that local farmers will suffer under this situation.And some people may struggle to get the same access to certain foods.“Even if overall food production may be unaffected,food security can still be impacted,"says Margaret Walsh,a scientist at the US Department of Agriculture's Climate Change Program Office.In other words,even if a certain food is still grown on some corner of the Earth,it doesn't mean that everyone will continue to have the same degree of access as today.E)Overall,the yields of many foods,from staples to life-enhancing extras such as coffee and chocolate,will likely be impacted by climate change too.How those decreases will be felt will depend on the degree of .warming and the crop in question,but in general,“anything over about 30°C is very bad for crops,”says Wolfram Schlenker,an associate professor of intermnational and public affairs at Columbia University.For·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·4example,statistical studies that he and a colleague built of corm and soybean(大豆)production in the US show a steep decline after crossing the 30°C temperature threshold(临界点).F)In the US—the world's largest producer of corm and soybeans-farms can move north to some degree,Schlenker says.But eventually,yields will likely suffer because the soil north of lowa deelines in quality-a legacy of glacial (冰川的)expansion.Other studies,including studies of wheat in India and corn in Africa,also found that there is a threshold above which yields sharply decline:crops can adapt and move,but only toa point “What's common to all studies is the finding that extreme heat is damaging to crop growth,althoughexact cutofts vary by crop,"Schlenker says."“If predictions for the end of the century are true,though,I thinka lot of agricultural areas in the US will see significant hits.”G)Under current conditions,about 4%of the world's croplands experience drought in any given year,but by theend of the century those conditions are forecasted to jump to about 18%per year.Some studies indicate that horticulture crops—generally,everything besides staples-may be impacted most severely,largely because they tend to be confined to a smaller geographic area.Researcher Andrew Jarvis and his colleagues found that 80%of coffee-growing zones in Central America and Brazil could become unsuitable by 2050,for example, while climate change will likely have "great impacts”on cocoa (可可粉)production in West Afica.“High quality chocolate will be less available in the future,and if you want it,you'l have to pay a lot more for it,”Jarvis saysH)This means that,for those who can afford it,some foods will simply cost them more in the future.But forpoorer people,those same price jumps will likely cause certain foods to go extinct from their diets.“The more you reduce,the shorter the supply,and the higher the price will jump,"Schlenker says.I)Another potential climate change-induced problem is our dependence on commodity crops-wheat,soybeans,corn and rice—which curently provide humanity with 75%of its calories,either directly or indirectly through the animals we raise on those crops.Jarvis and his colleagues also found that,over the past five decades,the world has seen an increasing standardisation of diets;the foods we eat globally today arc 36%more similar than they were in 1961.While this can be good news for the world's poorest people who now consume more calories,protein and fat than in the past,homogeneity (同一性)and over-dependence on a handful of staples leaves us vulnerable to threats such as drought,disease and pests-all of which are predicted to worsen in many parts of the world as a result of climate change.J)There are ways we could soften the coming blow to the global food supply,however.Like Farrant's work with resurrection crops,a number of companies,organisations and researchers are aiming to create drought- and temperature-resistant crops through genetic engineering and conventional breeding.For now,the jury is still out as to how successful those endeavours will be.“Th e people at Monsanto who I've talked to are much more optimistic that they'll be able to engineer heat-tolerant crops,”Schlenker says.“On the other hand, scientists at the USDA who I've spoken with are much more cautious.”K)Until genetic engineering comes to fruition,other strategies might also help in some places,including applying more fertiliser,implementing better irrigation,using machinery that gets crops out of the field faster or installing storage facilties to delay spoilage.“Many places could benefit a great deal just by using technologies that already exist,”Walsh says.“General farm management can go a long way toward easing changes.”5 ·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·L)Finally,diversifying our diet away from heat-sensitive wheat,corn,rice and other crops could also help.“We've seen profound changes in the last decades in what we eat largely as a result of international trade,andI think that trend toward more diversification will continue,”Jarvis says.“Depending on a greater number ofplant species creates a more vigorous and less risky food system—and one that provides a broader range of nutritional requirements.”36.One consequence of climate change is that some people may not have adequate access to certain foods.37.People around the world are eating foods more similar than what they used to eat.38.A recent news report talked about scientific efforts to help crops survive droughts through geneticengineering39.It is predicted that climate change will affect the availability and price of quality chocolate.40.People wonder if certain crops and foodstuffs could disappear like some animal species due to climatechange41.Although farms in the US can move a bit northward,crop yields may decrease.42.One possible solution to the food security problem is diversification of diet.43.It remains unsettled whether the global food supply problem can be solved by creating heat-tolerant cropsthrough genetic engineering.44.Poor people may have to give up eating certain foods because of their high prices.45.A number of existing farming technologies could be used to reduce the negative effect of climate change onfood productionSection 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.One of my bad habits is saying"busy"when people ask me how I'm doing.Sometimes it's because I actually am busy,but other times it's because that's what I think I'm supposed to say.That's what important people say.That's what people who get promoted say.But working long hours doesn't drive better results. Never taking a vacation won't lead to a promotion.So why are we so proud to talk about how busy we are all the time?In 2016,researchers from Columbia,Harvard,and Georgetown conducted a study to figure it out.They found busy people are perceived to be of high status,and interestingly,these status attributions are heavily influenced by our own beliefs about social mobility.In other words,the more we believe that one has the opportunity for success based on hard work,the more we tend to think that people who skip leisure and work all the time are of higher standing.That's why we feel like we have to appear busy,and there's a real perception that if someone is knee-deep in meetings,emails,and stress,then they're probably a big deal.This culture of busyness is making it hard for ·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·6employees to find work-life balance.According to a recent study,one in five highly engaged employees is at risk of burnout (精疲力竭).Personally,I'm going to stop saying "busy"when people ask me how I am.It sounds selfrighteous(自以为是的)and scts the wrong tone.Phrases like “T have limited access to emaif”and "T'l respond as soon as I get back”sound like you're being held against your will from working as opposed to making the most of your time off.That's why we recently launched the Out of Office Email Generator,a free tool you can use before your next long weekend or trip.You can share loud and proud that you won't be checking email until you're back. Managers need to think twice about emailing their teams on the weekend and talking about how busy they are. Leaders should take time off themselves and encourage employees to do the same.46.What is a reason for the author to be in the habit of saying "busy"when asked how he is doing?A)He just follows successful people's example. C)He thinks everyone should be devoted to work.B)He is actually proud to be fully occupied.D)He believes busyness ensures accomplishments.47.Why do we tend to think that busy people are of high status?A)Our status can be attributed to our social mobility.B)We hold the belief that hard work leads to success.C)Our own opportunity for success never comes easily.D)We find few people of high status have time for leisure.48.What do we learn about the culture of busyness from a recent study?A)It places employees in endless meetings,emails and stress.B)It compels some 20%of employees to appear always busy.C)It distorts many employees'belief of what a satisfying life is.D)It does much harm to many busy employees'well-being.49.What do such utterances as “I have limited access to email”sound like according to the author?A)One is too busy to check all emails in time. C)One is forced by circumstances to stop working.B)One is opposed to the prevailing work culture. D)One is simply enjoying their time off work.50.Why did the author and his colleagues launch the Out of Office Email Generator?A)To enable busy employees to spend less time checking emails.B)To ensure employees as well as employers truly have time off.C)To stop managers from talking about how busy their teams usually are.D)To encourage both employers and employees to answer emails promptly.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Female employees consistently pay lower airfares than men do for the same flights because they tend to book earlier.We compared the airfare paid by employees in the same position within a company for the same class of travel and used a common statistical technique to account for other factors that might affect differences in airfares.We found that women paid on average $18 less per ticket than their male colleagues.Further7 ·2023年12月四级真题(第一套) ·investigation allowed us to conclude that this gap is largely explained by the fact that women tended to book earlier than men,1.8 days on average.We wanted to determine what was causing these gender differences in booking business trips so we tested a variety of possible explanations,such as women choosing to plan ahead or male frequent travelers being inclined to book late.None of these explained away the gender gap,so we applied data collected from surveys that express consumer preferences that play a central role in economic decisions,such as patience and risk avoidance.We found that only the concept of "negative reciprocity"-in which an employee who feels unfairly treated engages in negative behaviors,such as spending their company's money less carefully-explains these differences.The surveys showed men tend to exhibit more of these negative behaviors than women.This isn't to say that all men engage in these behaviors—or that booking relatively late is a sign of abnormal behavior.It only means that the gender gap disappears when we plug in the negative reciprocity variable.Prior research on negative reciprocity among workers found that it can result in lower employee motivation, business performance and workplace morale(士气)and culture.Our results show another way these negative behaviors can manifest themselves,like in airline bookings, and add to evidence that women are less likely to engage in them.Companies spend significant sums of money on business travel.While that $18 difference per ticket may seem small,it adds up.Our analysis suggests early booking by women can translate into savings of $1 million a year for a large multinational company with 20,000 regular travelers.51.What did the author's team conclude about the gender difference in airfares from their further investigation?A)It is largely attributed to women booking earlier than men.B)It is largely explained by women's choosing cheaper flights.C)It is mainly accounted for by male employees'readiness to pay more.D)It is due to the fact that women care more about their company's money.52.What did the researchers want to determine by testing a variety of possible explanations?A)What made male frequent travelers book air tickets late.B)What caused women to plan ahead in booking business trips.C)What motivated women to book cheaper flights.D)What accounted for the gender gap in airfares.53.What happened when the negative reciprocity variable was taken into account?A)Both men and women were found to engage in negative behaviors.B)Neither men nor women viewed booking late as a bad behavior.C)The gender differcnce in airfare expenses no longer existed.D)The gender gap tended to narrow to a significant degree.54.What did prior research on negative reciprocity among workers find?A)It can do more harm to the workplace than to employees.B)It contributes to the male-female divide in the workplace.C)It proves to be counterproductive in a number of ways.D)It can result in increasing labor-management conflicts.·2023年12月四级真题(第一套)·855.What does the author emphasize about their analysis in the last paragraph?A)It can help companies increase their savings significantly.B)It can duly contribute to companies'business performance.C)It can translate women's booking practice into men's behavior.D)It can enhance large multinational companies'competitiveness.Part IV Translation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国政府十分重视人民的健康饮食(diet)。
2013年12月英语四级真题及答案(第一套)
2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below．You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least l20 words but n0．more than l80 words．Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.C) The conference room has to be cleaned.D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted.B) She is near-sighted.C) She cannot finish work in time.D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.C) The woman should order her food quickly.D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic.B) He doesn't keep his promises.C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International trade.B) Product development.C) Financial consulting.D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip.B) Look for a job in Miami.C) Make a ticket reservation.D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18.B) It has an interesting museum.C) It is a beautiful little town,D). It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions.B) They are fifty-five miles apart.C) They are quite close to each other.D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7.B) They are crowded with tourists.C) They have lots of old houses.D) They have many rarr plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner,D) Accompany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30.B) About 6:30.C) About 5:30.D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr Gartner from Milan.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar.C) The company's sales representative.D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce,15. A) Travel agent.B) Business manager.C) Secretary.D) Saleswoman,Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once, After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D ). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others.B) She wanted to find out more about it.C) She needed some overseas experience.D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program.B) Work on an agricultural project.C) Learn Portuguese.D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising.B) Time spent working.C) Time spent on leisure activities.D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading.B) Surfing the Web.C) Eating out.D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving.B) Gardening.C) Going to the pub.D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident,C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin's carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there.B) He knocked down several mailboxes.C) He tore down the company's main gate.D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job.B) He will have to pay damages.C) He will be fined heavily.D) He will receive retraining.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read.for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always are 26 , they replied, "Because it is right. " If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants 27skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get 28 and very uninformative answers: "Because it's right. " "Because that's the way it's done. " "Because it's the 29 " Or even ,I don't know. " The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are __30 by social norms--shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms 31 how people " ought" to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform ( 遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they 32 . In fact, we are much more likely to notice 33 from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little 34 if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both 35 . Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.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 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate's or four-year bachelor's degree programs. But as the nursing shortage 36 , a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing "fast-track programs" that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training.In 1991, there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200. Typical is Columbia University's Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year. Those who stay on for an 39 two years can earn a master's degree that 40 them as nurse practitioners (执业护士) or clinical nurse specialists.Many students are recent 41 ; others are career switchers. Rudy Guardron, 32, a 2004 graduate of Columbia's program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a pharmaceutical (药物的) research company. At Columbia, he was __42__ as a nurse practitioner. "I saw that nurses were in high 43 and it looked like a really good opportunity," he says. "Also, I didn't want to be in school for that long. "The fast-track trend fills a need, but it's also creating some 44 between newcomers and veterans. "Nurses that are still at the bedside 45 these kids with suspicion," says Linda Pellico, who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years. "They wonder, how can they do it quicker?" The answer is they don't.A) additionalB) appliedC) demandD) excessiveE) experienceF) expores G) graduatesH) operationsI) promoteJ) qualifiesK) specializedL) tensionM) trainedN) viewO) worsensSection 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 ltter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The rise of the sharing economyA) Last night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms in 30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it—2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new "sharing economy", in which people rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet.B) You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast (家庭旅店). owning a timeshare (分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb. RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online payment systems handle the billing.What's mine is yours, for a feeC) Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites let individuals act as an ad hoc ( 临时的) taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店) as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, butyou can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps ( 胜过) ownership.D) Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $ 26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the gr/d ( 电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E) Such "collaborative (合作的) consumption" is a good thing for several reasons. Owners make money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $ 9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000. Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. And there are environmental benefits, too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F) For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm. Curmudgeons (倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends ( or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works.Peering into the futureG) The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started in America 15 years ago. At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successfal purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay, Having started out as a peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional "power sellers" ( many of whom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise, Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H) Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire fn'm, has a share in a sharing rival. So do GM and Dalmler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office.space) on peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.i) The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, for example? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax, of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and-breakfasts are more than adequate.J) The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet's value to consumers. This emerging model isnow big and disruptive (颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb's success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48, The ma~or concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it. 49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel, rentdls, etc. 52, Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactions online.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made full use of. 55, Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.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 corrvsponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV ( or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and fighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they'd eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them in other words, how much they remembered eating..This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal. says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the Univerity of Bristol."Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,'" Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relation_ship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought. ""These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body's response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie(卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake's label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less. the new fmdings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractious and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat.B) what ingredients the food contains.C) When we eat our meals.D) How fast we eat our meals.57. what would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body's response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one's consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less.B) Choose food with fewer calories.C) Concentrate on food while eating.D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B ) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to goon to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic ( 勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 "Pathways to Prosperity" report for more attention to the "forgotten half" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue. Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a know.ledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positio~_s that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation inthinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (干预) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position. B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges fmd it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. what suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children's education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children's education.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.许多人喜欢中餐。
2013年12月英语四级真题答案及解析完整版
作文部分：范文一： The modern technology has greatly altered the mode of communication among people. With the help of the Internet, people can easily contact each other anytime anywhere. However, the side effect is that many people have become over-dependent on the Internet and neglected face-to-face communication.As far as I'm concerned, electronic communication cannot fully replace the direct contact among people. Although it seems to bring everyone together, it actually estranges people and decreases the effectiveness of communication. A typical example is that, traditionally, people working in the same office simply walk to others and talk. Today, however, co-workers tend to send e-mails or instant messages through the Internet even when they are sitting next to each other. As words can never convey the full message, it usually takes much more time and rounds of conversation than face-to-face communication, in which people can discuss more directly with less loss of information.To conclude, the Internet enables more effective communication in some situations, but over-dependence on it actually pulls people apart.范文二：It is frequently observed that many people keep looking down at their mobile phones whatever they are doing. It is true that mobile phones have brought great convenience to us as we can send short messages, check e-mails, surf the Internet, or watch videos almost anywhere. However, the overuse of mobile phones also leads to some serious problems.The over-dependence on mobile phones can harm the relationship among friends and family. With mobile phones, people do not talk as much as before. For example, sometimes at dinner tables, instead of chatting and laughing with each other, many people choose to chat with other friends online. In other words, mobile phones help people contacting friends far away more easily at the expense of reducing the communication with those who are sitting right next to them.In conclusion, mobile phone can be a useful tool in modern life, but overusing it damages interpersonal relationship. There is no point to lose our intimacy with friends and family to modern technology.范文三：The impact of the Internet on learningExplain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain informationIn the age of knowledge explosion, the Internet opens a magical portal for leaners to get access to seemingly incessant information. But is information equal to knowledge? “Once I learn how to use google, isn't that all the education I really need?” This question fully embodies the prejudiced opinion that as long as people acquire abundant information, they will get proper education.The rea son why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information is that education is not limited to the hard facts or theories students can learn from their textbooks or the Internet. It relates to a wider scope ranging from the obtainment of practical skills to the development of characters, which are hard for students to learn simply by googling. Consequently, comprehensive learning in schools that includes learning knowledge, conducting experiments and communicating with peers is what true education is.In a word, the Internet does provide valuable information for learners, but people should be fully conscious of the essence of education and learn to tell the right from the wrong.听力部分：1. C. Consult a travel agent.2. A. They are on a long trip by car.3. C. He is unwilling to speak in public.4. B. Purse further education.5. A. He would not be available to start the job in time.6. B. Mechanic.7. D. Ask Laura to put off the cleaning until another week.8. A. A problem caused by the construction.9. C. To place an order for some products.10. A. The person in charge is not in the office.11. B. 0734, 21653 extension 51.12. B. Since he took to heavy smoking.13. A. He is getting too fat.14. D. They dislike doing physical exercise.15. C. To find a girlfriend.16-19音频无。
2013年12月大学英语四级真题答案解析第一套
一、作文【作文(一)】The Impact of the Mobile Phone in People’s LifeThe thought-provoking drawing mirrors a common phenomenon in contemporary society that there is the negative influence of mobile phone. As is subtly shown in the picture，so many people are too much addicted to cell phones that they use walking sticks to see the road. What a meaningful cartoon!It is to me that indulging in mobile phones produces native influences on body and mind. First and foremost, overusing mobile phones is detrimental to physical health for watching mobiles for a long stretch definitely impairs one’s eyesight. Suppose that a man is addicted in cell phones in whatever situation, it will be very disadvantageous for him to concentrate on his work, learning, or daily life and is very likely to hurt him. Furthermore, overusing cell phones adversely affects state of mind. An addict may stay inside his bubble instead of pursuing other endeavors, which eventually prevents the growth of think skills.It is high time that we took effective measures to curb this trend. I cherish a belief that cell phones themselves are not good or bad and we can benefit a lot from it as long as we take a good control over them.【作文(二)】The Impact of the Internet on the Way People Communicate网络对人们沟通产生的影响Internet does exert such a profound effect on our life that it revolutionizes the way of people’s living and thinking. As is subtly revealed in the portrayal，there are two parents sitting in the front of computer，who are chatting with their child on the internet. What a meaningful picture!From my perspective, the electronic contact cannot replace face to face communication owing to the following factors. To begin with, over-reliance on electronic contact will damage the interpersonal relationship, for the cold machine never replaces a warm-hearted greeting face to face. For example, the aged parents would like their only son who works far away home to come back home more often rather than to talk with him on th e internet occasionally. What’s more, face to face communication is preferable because it is beneficial to build a harmonious society, for it attaches more importance on human affection and feelings instead of convenience and speed.Hence, it is necessary for us to use Internet in a reasonable way. After all, Internet is invented to connect you and me, and to bring conveniences to our life rather than set a barrier to keep people beyond reach. If we want to keep our interpersonal relationship more effectively, weshould spend more time with them face to face in real life. Only in this way can we not only make full use of the communication tool on the net but also make our relationship tighter.二、听力测试（原文）2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文：听力短对话Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a few minutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here.M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision.Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products have been well received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least two years.Q: What is the woman going to do?【四级听力长对话原文1】M: Excuse me, I need some information about some of the towns near here.W: What would you like to know?M: Well, first, I'd like directions to go to Norwalk. I believe there is an interesting museum there. It isn't far, is it?W: No, not at all. Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. And you're right. It's a wonderful little museum.M: Oh good. Now what about Amitsville? I have some friends. I'd like to visit there and I also want to get to Newton. They are near each other, aren't they?W: Hmm... well, they are actually in opposite directions. Amitsville is northeast. It's about thirty five miles northeast of here.M: Huh-uh, thirty five miles northeast. And how about Newton?W: Well, Newton is in the other direction. It's southwest, so it isn't really very close to Amitsville at all and it's a long drive. It's about fifty five miles southwest from here and the road is not at all straight.M: Fifty five miles southwest! Well, maybe I won't go there this time.W: I'd recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town. They are both very close. Westfield is just seven miles west of here and Great Town is about five miles south. They are really pretty little towns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield and five miles south to Great Town. Good. Well, I think that's all the information I need for a while. Thank you. You've been very helpful.W: You're welcome, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay.Q9: What does the man know about Norwalk?Q10: What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton?Q11: What do we learn about Westfield and Great Town?【四级听力长对话原文2】M: Err... Sandra, I've finished with Mr. Gordon now. Do you think you could pop through in bringing me up-to-date on their arrangements for the Italian trip?W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson. I'll bring everything with me.M: Right, take a seat. Now my first meeting is when?W: Your first meeting is on Monday the 21st at 9a.m. with Dr. Gucci of Bancos en Piedra in Milan.M: OK, so can I fly out early Monday morning?W: Well, there is a flight to Lenarty Airport which leaves at six thirty London time and gets in at eight thirty Italian time.M: Yeah, but that only leaves me thirty minutes to clear customs in getting to the city center and it means I have to check in by five thirty, which means leaving home at about four fifteen.W: I'm afraid so.M: Hmm... not so keen on that. What's the program for the rest of that day?W: It's quite full, I'm afraid. At eleven, you're seeing Jeana Rivard at Meg Star and then you'll have a lunch engagement with Gaven from the Chamber of Commerce at one.M: Where's that?W: You're meeting him at his office and then he's taking you somewhere.M: Good, that sounds fine. What about the afternoon?W: Well, at three thirty, you're seeing our sales representative there and then you're free till evening.M: I see. I seem to remember that I'm having a dinner with someone from Bergamo.W: That's right. And Mr. Betty from SAP Industries at eight.Q12: What would the man like the woman to do?Q13: At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?Q14: Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have a lunch with on Monday?Q15: What is most probably the woman's job?【听力短文】Listening Passage 1Donna Fredrick’s served with the Peace Corps for two years in Brazil. She joined the Peace Corps after she graduated from the college because she wanted to do something to help other people. She had been brought up on a farm, so the Peace Corps assigned her to a agricultural project. Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese for three months. She also learnt a great deal about its history and culture. During her two years with the Peace Corps, Donna lived in a village in northeast Brazil. That part of Brazil is very dry and farming is often difficult there. Donna helped the people of the village to organise an arrigation project, and she also advised themon planting corps. They didn’t require much water. When Donna returned to the States, shecould n’t settle down. She tried several jobs, but they seemed very boring to her. She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one day she got on an plane and went back to Brazil. She wasn’t sure what she’s going to do. She just wanted to be there. After a few weeks, Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching five classes a day. Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. She shares a small apartment with another teacher. And she makes a little extra money by sending stories to newspapers in the States. Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-time journalist.Question 16Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?Question 17What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?Question 18Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?Question 19How did Donna make extra money to support herself?Listening Passage 2Results of a recent Harry’s pool on free time showed that the average work week for many Americans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the household duties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free time to relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of study or work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In many countries free time is spent in different ways. The results of a Harry’s pool showed that reading was the most popular spare time activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure time activities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second. In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was eating out. The second most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popular outdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity for Americans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars ranked eighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoy doing similar things in their free time, there’s evidence to suggest that these interests are changing. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Many more people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends or playing games online.Question 20What is the recent Harry Pole about?Question 21What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?Question 22What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?Listening Passage 3On March 13th, while on duty Charles Mclaughlin, a very careless driver employed by the company Lummis was involved in another accident. The accident occurred in Riverside California. Not paying attention to his driving, Mclaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd street and hit Volkswagen rabbit. This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car. On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined that Mclaughlin had been quite careless. As a result of the committee’s conclusion, the branch manager Mr. David Rossi reported that he had talked with Mclaughlin about his extremely poor driving record. Further evidence of Mclaughlin's irresponsibility occurred on May 6th when he was returning from his shift. That day he ran into a roll-up door at the Lummis facility in Valero, causing significant damage to the door. Damage to the truck, however, was minor. Finally, on June 7th, Mclaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mail boxes near the edge of the company’s pa rking lot. There was damage to the mailboxes and minor damage to the truck. Mr. David Rossi stated that he had spoken with Mclaughlin on several occasions about his driving record. He added that he had warned Mclaughlin that three preventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurred on March 13th?24. What did Mclaughlin do on June 7th near the edge of the company’s parking lot?25. What is most probably going to happen to Mclaughlin?【听力填空】：When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate apart and alone, they replied, “Because it is right.” If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants instead of skirts or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers because it’s right, because that’s the way it’s done, because it’s the custom or even I don’t know. The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are controlled by social norms shared rules or guide lines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms define how people ought to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist. In fact we are much more likely to notice departures from norms than conformity to them. You will not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake handswhen you were introduced, but you might be a little startled if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both cheeks. Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other partsof the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.【四级长对话】9. B) It has an interesting museum.10. A) They are in opposite directions.11. C) They have lots of old houses.点评：显然长对话第一篇属于比较常见的“问路”话题。
2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)
2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第1套）Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact ofthe internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply meanlearning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no morethan 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what wassaid. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After eachquestion there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choicesmarked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacherD) The woman is going to major in child education2.A) The furniture has to be rearranged.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.C) The conference room has to be cleaned.D) The video machine has to be checked.3.A) She is exhausted.B) She is near-sighted.C) She cannot finish work in time.D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.C) The woman should order her food quicklyD) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic.B) He doesn't keep his promises.C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.D) He is always ready to offer help to others6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7.A) International trade.B) Product development.C) Financial consulting.D) Domestic retailing.8.A) Go on a business trip.B) Look for a job in Miami.C) Make a ticket reservation.D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18.B) It has an interesting museum.C) It is a beautiful little town.D) It lies seven miles east of Newton.10.A) They are in opposite directions.B) They are fifty-five miles apart.C) They are quite close to each other.D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7.B) They are crowded with tourists.C) They have lots of old houses.D) They have many rare plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr. Gartner.D) Accompany Mr. Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30.B) About 6:30.C) About 5:30.D) About 4:15.14.A) Mr. Gartner from Milan.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar.C) The company's sales representative.D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15. A) Travel agent.B) Business manager.C) Secretary.D) Saleswoman.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end o( each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions wilt be spoken onlyonce. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the fourchoices marked A ), B ), C) and D ). Then mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A) They have destroyed several small towns.B) They will soon spread to San Francisco.C) They have injured many residents.D) They are burning out of control.17. A) They have been hospitalized.B) They have got skin problems.C) They were choked by the thick smoke.D) They were poisoned by the burning chemicals.18. A)It failed because of a sudden rocket explosion.B) It has been re-scheduled for a midday takeoff.C) It has been canceled due to technical problems.D) It was delayed for eleven hours and thirty minutes.19. A)They made frequent long-distance calls to each other.B) They illegally used government computers in New Jersey.C) They were found to be smarter than computer specialists.D) They were arrested for stealing government information.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A)PeacefulB)ConsiderateC)GenerousD)Cooperative21. A)Someone dumped the clothes left in the washer and dryer.B)Someone broke the washer and dryer by overloading them.C)Mindy Lance's laundry blocked the way to the laundry room.D)Mindy Lance's threatened to take revenge on her neighbors.22. A)Asking the neighborhood committee for help.B)Limiting the amount of laundry for each wash.C)Informing the building manager of the matter.D)Installing a few more washers and dryers.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) She is both a popular and a highly respected author.B) She is the most loved African novelist of all times.C) She is the most influential author since the 1930's.D) She is the first writer to focus on the fate of slaves.24. A) The Book Critics Circle Award.B) The Nobel Prize for literature.C) The Pulitzer Prize for fictionD) The National Book Award.25. A)She is a relative of Morrison's.B) She is a slave from Africa.C) She is a skilled storyteller.D) She is a black womanSection CDirections:In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read forthe first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage isread for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exactwords you have just heard. Finally. when the passage is read for the third time.you should check what you have written.When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate 26 , they replied. "Because it is right." If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants 27 skirts, or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get 28 and very uninformative answers: "'Because it's right. " "'Because that's the way it's done. " "Because it's the 29 ." Or even "'I don't know." The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are 30 by social norms --shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms 31 how people "ought" to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform (遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they 32 . In fact, we are much more likely to notice 33 from norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little 34 if they bowed, started to stroke you, or kissed you on both 35 . Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.Part III Reading comprehension (40 minutes) Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following thepassage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Eachchoice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letterfor each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You maynot use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate's or four-year bachelor's degree programs. But as the nursing short age 36 a growing number of schools and hospitals are establishing “fast-track programs” that enable college graduates with no nursing 37 to become registered nurses with only a year or so of 38 training.In 1991.there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200.typical is Columbia university’s entry to practice program .students earn their bachelor of science in nursing in a year .those who stay on for an 39 two years can a master’s degree that 40 them as nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists.Many students are recent 41 ; others are career switchers. Rudy Guardron, 32, a 2004 graduate of Columbia's program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for apharmaceutical (药物的) research company. At Columbia, he was 42 as a nurse practitioner. "I saw that nurses were in high. 43 and it looked like a really good opportunity," he says. "Also, 1 didn't want to be in school for that long."The fast-track trend fills a need, but it's also creating some 44 between newcomers and veterans. "Nurses that are still at the bedside 45 these kids with suspicion," says Linda Pellico. who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years. "They wonder, how can they do it quicker?" The answer is they don't.A) additional F) experience K) specializedB) applied G) graduates L) tensionC) demand H) operations M) trainedD) excessive I) promote N) viewE) experience J) qualities O) worsensSection 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. Identifyingthe paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose aparagraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. answer thequestions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The rise of the sharing economyA) Last night 40 000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250 000 roomsin 30 000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online.But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4 million people have used it -2.5 million of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new "sharing economy", in which people rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet.B) You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast {家庭旅店),owning a timeshare(分时度假房) or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever--and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be divided and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb, Relay Rides and Snap Goods match up owners and renters: smart phones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online paymentsystems handle the billing.What's mine is yours, for a feeC) Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing siteslet individuals act as an ad hoc (临时的) taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel (精品酒店) as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, but you can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As advocates of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps (胜任) ownership.D) Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peerrental market alone is worth $ 26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-peer lending or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the grid (电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other.E) Such "collaborative (合作的) consumption" is a good thing for several reasons. Ownersmake money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $ 9 300. Relay Rides make an average of $ 250 a month; Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using some make more than $1 000. Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm.And there are environmental benefits, too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.F) For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm.Curmudgeons (倔脾气的人) who imagine that every renter is a murderer can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot bad drivers, bathrobe-thieves and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends (or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works.Peering into the futureG) The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started in America 15 yearsago. At first. people were worried about security. But having made a successful purchase from, say, Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly, using Airbnb or a car-hire service for the first time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, considereBay. Having started out as a peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional "power sellers" (many of whom started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also provides new opportunities for enterprise. Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out, for example.H) Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire firm, has a share in asharing rival. So do GM and Daimler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid (混合的) models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office space) on peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Wal-mart and Tesco to adapt, so online sharing will shake up transport, tourism, equipment-hire and more.I) The main worry is regulatory uncertainty. Will room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, forexample? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In some American cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need to be updated to protect consumers from harm, existing rental businesses will try to destroy competition. People who rent out rooms should pay tax. of course, but they should not be regulated like a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The lighter rules that typically govern bed-and- breakfasts are more than adequate.J) The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet's value to consumers. ]his emerging model is now big and disruptive (颠覆性的) enough for regulators and companies to have woken up to it. That is a sign of its immense potential. It is time to start caring about sharing.46. Sharing items such as cars does good to the environment.47. Airbnb's success clearly illustrates the emergence of a huge sharing economy.48. The major concern about the sharing economy is how the government regulates it.49. The most frequently shared items are those expensive to buy but not fully used.50. The sharing economy has a promising future.51. Online sharing will change the way business is done in transportation, travel, rentals, etc.52. Airbnb is a website that enables owners and renters to complete transactions onlinc.53. The sharing economy is likely to go the way of online shopping.54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made fulluse of.55. Sharing appeals to the sociable in that they can meet new people.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questionsor 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 correspondingletter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factor~ besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues. like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they'd eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal. says Jeffrey M. Brun strom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol."Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal," Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought. "These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body's response to the food itself, in a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie卡路里milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake's label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat.B) What ingredients the food contains.C) When we eat our meals.D) How fast we eat our meals.57. What would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2{)11 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body's response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one's consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite~.tA) Trick ourselves into eating less.B) Choose food with fewer calories.C) Concentrate on food while eating.D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing rolcs that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether- they are prepared or not. or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 "Pathways to Prosperity" report for more attention to the "forgotten half" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. in a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (干预) will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position.B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges find it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. What suggestion does the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children's education.C) Helping their children to bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children's education.Part IV Translation (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into english. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.许多人喜欢中餐。
2013年12月四级真题及答案(第1套)-推荐下载
Section BDirections: 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.The Gatais used to frown when they received power bills that routinely topped $200. Last September the couple moved into a 1,500-square-foot home in Premier Gardens, a subdivision of 95 "zero-energy homes"(ZEH)just outside town. Now they're actually eager to see their electricity bills. The grand total over the 10 months they've lived in the three-bedroom house: $ 75. For the past two months they haven't paid a cent.ZEH communities are the leading edge of technologies that might someday create houses that produce as much energy as they consume. Premier Gardens is one of a half-dozen subdivisions in California where every home cuts power consumption by 50% , mostly by using low-power appliances and solar panels.Aside from the panels on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, special windows cut power bills by blocking solar heat in summer and retaining indoor warmth in winter.The rest of the energy savings comes from the solar units. They don't just feed the home they serve. If they generate more power than the home is using, the excess flows into the utility's power grid(电网). The residents are billed by "net metering" : they pay for the amount of power they tap off the grid, less the kilowatts(千瓦)they feed into it. If a home generates more power than it uses, the bill is zero.That sounds like a bad deal for the power company, but it's not. Solar homes produce the most power on the hot sunny afternoons when everyone rushes home to turn up the air conditioner. " It helps us lower usage at peak power times," says solar expert Mike Keesee. " That lets us avoid building costly plants or buying expensive power at peak usage time. "What's not to like? Mostly the costs. The special features can add $ 25,000 or more to the purchase price of a house. Tax breaks bring the cost down, especially in California, but in many states ZEHs can be prohibitively expensive. For the consumer, it's a matter of paying now for the hardware to save later on the utilities.58．Why are the Gatais eager to see their electricity bills now?A．They want to see how much they have saved.B．They want to cut down their utility expenses.C．They want to know if they are able to pay.D．They want to avoid being overcharged.59．What is special about the ZEH communities?A．They have created cutting-edge technologies.B．They aim to be self-sufficient in power supply.C．They are subdivided into half a dozen sections.D．They are built in harmony with the environment.60．How are the residents in the ZEH communities billed for electricity use?A．They are only charged for the amount of power they consume on rainy days.B．They needn't pay a single cent for their power consumption on sunny days.C．They only pay for the excess power that flows into the utility's power grid.D．They pay for the electricity from the grid less their home-generated power.61．What does the "net metering" practice mean to the power company?A．More pressure at peak time.B．Less profits in the short term.C．Increased electricity output.D．Reduced operational costs.62．The author believes that buying a house in a ZEH community______.A．is but a dream for average consumersB．gives the owner substantial tax benefitsC．is a worthy investment in the long runD．contributes to environmental protectionRomantic love has clear evolutionary roots but our views about what makes an idealromantic relationship can be swayed by the society we live in. So says psychologist Maureen O'Sullivan from the University of San Francisco. She suggests that humans have always tried to strengthen the pair-bond to maximise(使最大化)reproductive success.Many societies throughout history and around the world today have cultivated strong pressures to stay married. In those where ties to family and community are strong, lifelong marriages can be promoted by practices such as the cultural prohibition of divorce and arranged marriages that are seen as a contract between two families, not just two individuals. In modern western societies, however, the focus on individuality and independence means that people are less concerned about conforming to(遵守)the dictates of family and culture. In the absence of societal pressures to maintain pair-bonds, O'Sullivan suggests that romantic love has increasingly come to be seen as the factor that should determine who we stay with and for how long. " That's why historically we see an increase in romantic love as a basis for forming long-term relationships," she says.According to O'Sullivan culture also shapes the sorts of feelings we expect to have, and actually do experience, when in love. Although the negative emotions associated with romantic love—fear of loss, disappointment and jealousy—are fairly consistent across cultures, the positive feelings can vary. " If you ask Japanese students to list the positive attributes they expect in a romantic partner, they rate highly things like loyalty, commitment and devotion," says O'Sullivan. " If you ask American college women, they expect everything under the sun: in addition to being committed, partners have to be amusing, funny and a friend. "We judge a potential partner according to our specific cultural expectations about what romantic love should feel like. If you believe that you have found true romance, and your culture tells you that this is what a long-term relationship should be based on, there is less need to rely on social or family pressures to keep couples together, O'Sullivan argues.63．What does the author say about people's views of an ideal romantic relationship?A．They vary from culture to culture.B．They ensure the reproductive success.C．They reflect the evolutionary process.D．They are influenced by psychologists.64．We can infer from the passage that strong family and community ties______.A．largely rely on marriage contractsB．can contribute to stable marriagesC．often run counter to romantic loveD．make divorces virtually unacceptable65．Without social pressures to keep pair-bonds, romantic love______.A．will be a substitute for marriage in human relationshipsB．plays a key role in maintaining long-term relationshipsC．is likely to replace the dictates of family and societyD．is a way to develop individuality and independence66．O'Sullivan believes that when people from different cultures fall in love, ______. A．they expect different things from their partnerB．they tend to exaggerate each other's positive qualitiesC．they often fail to see each other's negative qualitiesD．they lay more emphasis on commitment and devotion67．We can conclude from the passage that______.A．cultural differences often tear apart a family built on romantic loveB．marriages are hard to sustain without social or family pressuresC．romantic love is becoming increasingly important in family relationshipsD．romantic love tends to yield where family or social pressures are strongPassage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people’s hunger levels were predictednot by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol.“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,” Brunstrom says. “This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought.”These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie (卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文及答案解析第一套
2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题原文：听力短对话Question 1M: After high school, I’d like to go to college andmajor in business administration.W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding outhow children learn.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 2W: Is everything ready for the conference?M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a fewminutes.Q: What preparations have yet to be made?Question 3W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.Q: What is the woman’s problem?Question 4W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really goodhere.M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make adecision.Q: What does the man mean?Question 5W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.Q: What does the man imply about Tom?Question 6W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to makeends meet.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?Question 7M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products havebeen well received.Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?Question 8W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least twoyears.Q: What is the woman going to do?听力长对话原文1Conversation OneM: Excuse me, I need some information about someof the towns near here.W: What would you like to know?M: Well, first, I'd like directions to go to Norwalk. I believe there is an interesting museum there.It isn't far, is it?W: No, not at all. Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. And you're right.It's a wonderful little museum.M: Oh good. Now what about Amitsville? I have some friends. I'd like to visit there and I alsowant to get to Newton. They are near each other, aren't they?W: Hmm... well, they are actually in opposite directions. Amitsville is northeast. It's about thirtyfive miles northeast of here.M: Huh-uh, thirty five miles northeast. And how about Newton?W: Well, Newton is in the other direction. It's southwest, so it isn't really very close toAmitsville at all and it's a long drive. It's about fifty five miles southwest from here and the roadis not at all straight.M: Fifty five miles southwest! Well, maybe I won't go there this time.W: I'd recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town. They are both very close. Westfield is justseven miles west of here and Great Town is about five miles south. They are really pretty littletowns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield and five miles south to Great Town. Good. Well, I thinkthat's all the information I need for a while. Thank you. You've been very helpful.W: You're welcome, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay.Q9: What does the man know about Norwalk?Q10: What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton?Q11: What do we learn about Westfield and Great Town?听力长对话原文2Conversation TwoM: Err... Sandra, I've finished with Mr. Gordon now. Do you think you could pop through inbringing me up-to-date on their arrangements for the Italian trip?W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson. I'll bring everything with me.M: Right, take a seat. Now my first meeting is when?W: Your first meeting is on Monday the 21st at 9a.m. with Dr. Gucci of Bancos en Piedra inMilan.M: OK, so can I fly out early Monday morning?W: Well, there is a flight to Lenarty Airport which leaves at six thirty London time and gets inat eight thirty Italian time.M: Yeah, but that only leaves me thirty minutes to clear customs in getting to the city centerand it means I have to check in by five thirty, which means leaving home at about four fifteen.W: I'm afraid so.M: Hmm... not so keen on that. What's the program for the rest of that day?W: It's quite full, I'm afraid. At eleven, you're seeing Jeana Rivard at Meg Star and then you'llhave a lunch engagement with Gaven from the Chamber of Commerce at one.M: Where's that?W: You're meeting him at his office and then he's taking you somewhere.M: Good, that sounds fine. What about the afternoon?W: Well, at three thirty, you're seeing our sales representative there and then you're free tillevening.M: I see. I seem to remember that I'm having a dinner with someone from Bergamo.W: That's right. And Mr. Betty from SAP Industries at eight.Q12: What would the man like the woman to do?Q13: At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?Q14: Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have a lunch with on Monday?Q15: What is most probably the woman's job?听力短文原文Passage 1Donna Fredrick’s served with the Peace Corps fortwo years in Brazil. She joined the Peace Corps aftershe graduated from the college because she wantedto do something to help other people. She had been brought up on a farm, so the Peace Corpsassigned her to a agricultural project. Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese forthree months. She also learnt a great deal about its history and culture. During her two yearswith the Peace Corps, Donna lived in a village in northeast Brazil. That part of Brazil is very dryand farming is often difficult there. Donna helped the people of the village to organise anarrigation project, and she also advised them on planting corps. They didn’t require muchwater. When Donna returned to the States, she couldn’t settle down. She tried several jobs,but they seemed very boring to her. She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one dayshe got on an plane and went back to Brazil. She wasn’t sure what she’s going to do. She justwanted to be there. After a few weeks, Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching fiveclasses a day. Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. She shares a smallapartment with another teacher. And she makes a little extra money by sending stories tonewspapers in the States. Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-timejournalist.Question 16Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?Question 17What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?Question 18Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?Question 19How did Donna make extra money to support herself?Passage 2Results of a recent Harry’s pool on free time showed that the average work week for manyAmericans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the householdduties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free timeto relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of studyor work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In many countries free time is spent indifferent ways. The results of a Harry’s pool showed that reading was the most popular sparetime activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure timeactivities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second.In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was eating out. Thesecond most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popularoutdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity forAmericans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars rankedeighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoydoing similar things in their free time, there’s evidence to suggest that these interests arechanging. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Manymore people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends orplaying games online.Question 20What is the recent Harry Pole about?Question 21What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?Question 22What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?Passage 3On March 13th, while on duty Charles Mclaughlin, a very careless driver employed by thecompany Lummis was involved in another accident. The accident occurred in Riverside California.Not paying attention to his driving, Mclaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd street andhit Volkswagen rabbit. This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car.On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined thatMclaughlin had been quite careless. As a result of the committee’s conclusion, the branchmanager Mr. David Rossi reported that he had talked with Mclaughlin about his extremely poordriving record. Further evidence of Mclaughlin's irresponsibility occurred on May 6th when hewas returning from his shift. That day he ran into a roll-up door at the Lummis facility in Valero,causing significant damage to the door. Damage tothe truck, however, was minor. Finally, onJune 7th, Mclaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mailboxes near the edge of the company’s parking lot. There was damage to the mailboxes andminor damage to the truck. Mr. David Rossi stated that he had spoken with Mclaughlin onseveral occasions about his driving record. He added that he had warned Mclaughlin that threepreventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurredon March 13th?24. What did Mclaughlin do on June 7th near the edge of the company’s parking lot?25. What is most probably going to happen to Mclaughlin?听力填空When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate apart and alone, they replied, “Because it is right.”If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants instead of skirts or why they may be married to only one person at a time, we are likely to get similar and very uninformative answers because it’s right, because that’s the way it’s done, because it’s the custom or even I don’t know. The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are controlled by social norms shared rules or guide lines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. Norms define how people ought to behave under particular circumstances in a particular society. We conform to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they exist. In fact we are much more likely to notice departures from norms than conformity to them. You will not be surprised if a stranger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little startled if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both cheeks. Yet each of these other forms of greeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become aware that things we do this way, they do that way.【四级长对话】9. B) It has an interesting museum.10. A) They are in opposite directions.11. C) They have lots of old houses.点评：显然长对话第一篇属于比较常见的“问路”话题。
12月四级真题及谜底第1套
Section BDirections: 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.The Gatais used to frown when they received power bills that routinely topped $200. Last September the couple moved into a 1,500-square-foot home in Premier Gardens, a subdivision of 95 "zero-energy homes"(ZEH)just outside town. Now they're actually eager to see their electricity bills. The grand total over the 10 months they've lived in the three-bedroom house: $ 75. For the past two months they haven't paid a cent.ZEH communities are the leading edge of technologies that might someday create houses that produce as much energy as they consume. Premier Gardens is one of a half-dozen subdivisions in California where every home cuts power consumption by 50% , mostly by using low-power appliances and solar panels.Aside from the panels on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, special windows cut power bills by blocking solar heat in summer and retaining indoor warmth in winter.The rest of the energy savings comes from the solar units. They don't just feed the home they serve. If they generate more power than the home is using, the excess flows into the utility's power grid(电网). The residents are billed by "net metering" : they pay for the amount of power they tap off the grid, less the kilowatts(千瓦)they feed into it. If a home generates more power than it uses, the bill is zero.That sounds like a bad deal for the power company, but it's not. Solar homes produce the most power on the hot sunny afternoons when everyone rushes home to turn up the air conditioner. " It helps us lower usage at peak power times," says solar expert Mike Keesee. " That lets us avoid building costly plants or buying expensive power at peak usage time. "What's not to like? Mostly the costs. The special features can add $ 25,000 or more to the purchase price of a house. Tax breaks bring the cost down, especially in California, but in many states ZEHs can be prohibitively expensive. For the consumer, it's a matter of paying now for the hardware to save later on the utilities.58．Why are the Gatais eager to see their electricity bills now?A．They want to see how much they have saved.B．They want to cut down their utility expenses.C．They want to know if they are able to pay.D．They want to avoid being overcharged.59．What is special about the ZEH communities?A．They have created cutting-edge technologies.B．They aim to be self-sufficient in power supply.C．They are subdivided into half a dozen sections.D．They are built in harmony with the environment.60．How are the residents in the ZEH communities billed for electricity use?A．They are only charged for the amount of power they consume on rainy days.B．They needn't pay a single cent for their power consumption on sunny days.C．They only pay for the excess power that flows into the utility's power grid.D．They pay for the electricity from the grid less their home-generated power.61．What does the "net metering" practice mean to the power company?A．More pressure at peak time.B．Less profits in the short term.C．Increased electricity output.D．Reduced operational costs.62．The author believes that buying a house in a ZEH community______.A．is but a dream for average consumersB．gives the owner substantial tax benefitsC．is a worthy investment in the long runD．contributes to environmental protectionRomantic love has clear evolutionary roots but our views about what makes an idealromantic relationship can be swayed by the society we live in. So says psychologist Maureen O'Sullivan from the University of San Francisco. She suggests that humans have always tried to strengthen the pair-bond to maximise(使最大化)reproductive success.Many societies throughout history and around the world today have cultivated strong pressures to stay married. In those where ties to family and community are strong, lifelong marriages can be promoted by practices such as the cultural prohibition of divorce and arranged marriages that are seen as a contract between two families, not just two individuals. In modern western societies, however, the focus on individuality and independence means that people are less concerned about conforming to(遵守)the dictates of family and culture. In the absence of societal pressures to maintain pair-bonds, O'Sullivan suggests that romantic love has increasingly come to be seen as the factor that should determine who we stay with and for how long. " That's why historically we see an increase in romantic love as a basis for forming long-term relationships," she says.According to O'Sullivan culture also shapes the sorts of feelings we expect to have, and actually do experience, when in love. Although the negative emotions associated with romantic love—fear of loss, disappointment and jealousy—are fairly consistent across cultures, the positive feelings can vary. " If you ask Japanese students to list the positive attributes they expect in a romantic partner, they rate highly things like loyalty, commitment and devotion," says O'Sullivan. " If you ask American college women, they expect everything under the sun: in addition to being committed, partners have to be amusing, funny and a friend. "We judge a potential partner according to our specific cultural expectations about what romantic love should feel like. If you believe that you have found true romance, and your culture tells you that this is what a long-term relationship should be based on, there is less need to rely on social or family pressures to keep couples together, O'Sullivan argues.63．What does the author say about people's views of an ideal romantic relationship?A．They vary from culture to culture.B．They ensure the reproductive success.C．They reflect the evolutionary process.D．They are influenced by psychologists.64．We can infer from the passage that strong family and community ties______.A．largely rely on marriage contractsB．can contribute to stable marriagesC．often run counter to romantic loveD．make divorces virtually unacceptable65．Without social pressures to keep pair-bonds, romantic love______.A．will be a substitute for marriage in human relationshipsB．plays a key role in maintaining long-term relationshipsC．is likely to replace the dictates of family and societyD．is a way to develop individuality and independence66．O'Sullivan believes that when people from different cultures fall in love, ______. A．they expect different things from their partnerB．they tend to exaggerate each other's positive qualitiesC．they often fail to see each other's negative qualitiesD．they lay more emphasis on commitment and devotion67．We can conclude from the passage that______.A．cultural differences often tear apart a family built on romantic loveB．marriages are hard to sustain without social or family pressuresC．romantic love is becoming increasingly important in family relationshipsD．romantic love tends to yield where family or social pressures are strongPassage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people’s hunger levels were predictednot by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (差异) suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol.“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal,” Brunstrom says. “This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought.”These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 380-calorie (卡路里) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
[全]2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案（汇总共三套）--第三套
![[全]2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案（汇总共三套）--第三套](https://img.taocdn.com/s3/m/e8f848ed05a1b0717fd5360cba1aa81144318f76.png)
[全]2013年12⽉⼤学英语四级考试真题及答案（汇总共三套）--第三套2013年12⽉⼤学英语四级考试真题(第3套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on the way people communicate and then explain whether electronic communication can replace face-to-face contract. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Boththe conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question therewill be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) andD), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 1 with a single line through the centre.1. A) Go to a place he has visited. C) Consult a travel agent.B) Make her own arrangements. D) Join in a package tour.2. A) They are on a long trip by car. C) They are used to getting up early.B) They are stuck in a traffic jam. D) They are tired of eating out at night.3. A) He is a person difficult to deal with. C) He is unwilling to speak in public.B) He dislikes any formal gathering. D) He often keeps a distance from others.4. A) Work in another department. C) Recruit graduate students.B) Pursue further education. D) Take an administrative job.5. A) He would not be available to start the job in time.B) He is not quite qualified for the art director position.C) He would like to leave some more time for himself.D) He will get his application letter ready before May 1.6. A) Cleaner. B) Mechanic. C) Porter. D) Salesman.7. A) Request one or two roommates to do the cleaning.B) Help Laura with her term paper due this weekend.C) Get Laura to clean the department herself this time.D) Ask Laura to put off the cleaning until another week.8. A) A problem caused by the construction. C) The building project they are working on.B) An accident that occurred on the bridge. D) The public transportation conditions.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) To look a job as a salesperson. C) To place an order for some products.B) To have a talk with Miss Thompson. D) To complain about a faulty appliance.10. A) The person in charge is not in the office. C) They failed to reach an agreement on the price.B) The supplies are out of stock for the moment. D) The company is re-cataloguing the items.11. A) 0743, 12536 extension 15. C) 0734, 38750 extension 15.B) 0734, 21653 extension 51. D) 0743, 62135 extension 51.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Since he found a girlfriend. C) Since he began to exercise regularly.B) Since he took to heavy smoking. D) Since he started to live on his own.13. A) He is getting to fat. C) He doesn’t eat vegetables.B) He smokes too much. D) He doesn’t look well at all.14. A) They are overweight for their age. C) They are still in their early twenties.B) They are respectful to their parents. D) They dislike doing physical exercise.15. A) To quit smoking. C) To find a girlfriend.B) To reduce his weight. D) To follow her advice.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. Afteryou 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 linethrough the centre.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They have destroyed several small towns. C) They have injured many residents.B) They will soon spread to San Francisco. D) They are burning out of control.17. A) They have been hospitalized. C) They were choked by the thick smoke.B) They have got skin problems. D) They were poisoned by the burning chemicals.18. A) It failed because of a sudden rocket explosion.B) It has been re-scheduled for a midday takeoff.C) It has been canceled due to technical problems.D) It was delayed for eleven hours and thirty minutes.19. A) They made frequent long-distance calls to each other.B) They illegally used government computers in New Jersey.C) They were found to be smarter than computer specialists.D) They were arrested for stealing government information.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Peaceful. B) Considerate. C) Generous. D) Cooperative.21. A) Someone dumped the clothes left in the washer and dryer.B) Someone broke the washer and dryer by overloading them.C) Mindy Lance’s laundry blocked the way to the la undry room.D) Mindy Lance threatened to take revenge on her neighbors.22. A) Asking the neighborhood committee for help.B) Limiting the amount of laundry for each wash.C) Informing the building manager of the matter.D) Installing a few more washers and dryers.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) She is both a popular and a highly respected author.B) She is the most loved African novelist all times.C) She is the most influential author since the 1930’s.D) She is the first writer to focus on the fate of the slaves.24. A) The Book Critics Circle Award. C) The Pulitzer Prize for fiction.B) The Nobel Prize for literature. D) The National Book Award.25. A) She is a relative of Morrison’s. C) She is a skilled storyteller.B) She is a slave from Africa. D) She is a black woman.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage isread for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact wordsyou have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you shouldcheck what you have written.Many college students today own personal computers that cost anywhere from $1,000 to perhaps $5,000 or more. (26)________, it is not uncommon for them to purchase (27) ________ costing another several hundred dollars. Twenty years ago, computers were (28) ________, but they were very large and extremely expensive. Few, if any, (29) ________ purchased computers for home use. Over the years, the price of the “guts” of a computer—its memory —has declined to less than a thousandth of the price per unit of memory that prevailed twenty years ago. This is the main reason why computers cost so much less today than they used to. Moreover, (30) ________ improvements have made it possible to (31) ________ memory circuitry that is small enough to fit into the portable personal computers that many of us own and use. (32) ________, as the price of computation has declined the average consumer and business have spent more on purchasing computers. (33) ________, improved agricultural technology, hybrid (杂交) seed, (34) ________ animal breeding, and so on have vastly increased the amount of output a typical farmer can produce. The prices of goods such as meats and grains have fallen sharply relative to the prices of most other goods and services. As agricultural prices have fallen, many households have decreased their total expense on food. Even though the (35) ________ of a product purchased generally increases when its price falls, total expenses on it may decline.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blankfrom 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 thecorresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You maynot use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.To get a sense of how women have progressed in science, take a quick tour of the physics department at the University of California, Berkeley. This is a storied place, the 36 of some of the most important discoveries in modern science —starting with Ernest Lawrence’s invention of the cyclotron(回旋加速器) in 1931. A generation ago, female faces were 37 and, even today, visitors walking through the first floor of LeConte Hall will see a full corridor of exhibits 38 the many distinguished physicists who made history here, 39 all of them white males.But clime up to the third floor and you’ll see a 40 display. There, among the photos of current faculty members and students, are portraits of the 41 head of the department, Marjorie Shapiro, and four other women whose research 42 everything from the mechanics of the universe。
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2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第1套）Part ⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why education doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Part ⅡListening Comprehension(30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten.B) The man will soon start a business of his own.C) The man would like to be a high school teacher.D) The woman is going to major in child education.2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged.C) The conference room has to be cleaned.B) The sound equipment has to be set up.D) The video machine has to be checked.3. A) She is exhausted.C) She cannot finish work in time.B) She is near-sighted.D) She cannot go straight home.4. A) The woman is too particular about food.C) The woman should order her food quickly.B) He would rather have a meal an hour later.D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches.5. A) He is not a good mechanic.C) He spends his spare time doing repairs.B) He doesn’t keep his promises.D) He is always ready to offer help to others.6. A) Sam has a big family to support.B) Sam is not interested in traveling.C) The pay offered by the travel agency is too low.D) The work hours in the travel agency are too long.7. A) International trade.C) Financial consulting.B) Product development.D) Domestic retailing.8. A) Go on a business trip.C) Make a ticket reservation.B) Look for a job in Miami.D) Take a vacation.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9. A) It is located on Route 18.C) It is a beautiful little town.B) It has an interesting museum.D) It lies seven miles east of Newton.10. A) They are in opposite directions.C) They are quite close to each other.B) They are fifty-five miles apart.D) They are a long drive from Norwalk.11. A) They are connected by Route 7.C) They have lots of old houses.B) They are crowded with tourists.D) They have many rare plants.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Bring him up to date on the current situation in Milan.B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.C) Fetch the documents signed by Mr Gartner.D) Accompany Mr Gartner to the Linate airport.13. A) About 8:30.C) About 5:30.B) About 6:30.D) About 4:15.14. A) Mr Gartner from Milan.C) The company’s sales representative.B) Gianni Riva at Megastar.D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.15. A) Travel agent.C) Secretary.B) Business manager.D) Saleswoman.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Passage OneQuestions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She had a desire to help others.C) She needed some overseas experience.B) She wanted to find out more about it.D) She was interested in farming.17. A) Carry out a cultural exchange program.C) Learn Portuguese.B) Work on an agricultural project.D) Teach English.18. A) She found it difficult to secure a job in her own country.B) She wanted to renew her contact with the Peace Corps.C) She was invited to work as an English teacher.D) She could not get the country out of her mind.19. A) By teaching additional English classes.B) By writing stories for American newspapers.C) By working part time for the Peace Corps.D) By doing odd jobs for local institutions.Passage TwoQuestions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.20. A) Time spent exercising.C) Time spent on leisure activities.B) Time spent working.D) Time spent with friends and family.21. A) Reading.C) Eating out.B) Surfing the Web.D) Watching TV.22. A) Driving.C) Going to the pub.B) Gardening.D) Visiting friends.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23. A) The car driver was trying to avoid hitting a rabbit.B) The car driver was partly responsible for the accident.C) McLaughlin was talking to his manager while driving.D) McLaughlin’s carelessness resulted in the collision.24. A) He crashed into a car parked there.C) He tore down the company’s main gate.B) He knocked down several mailboxes.D) He did serious damage to a loaded truck.25. A) He will lose his job.C) He will be fined heavily.B) He will have to pay damages.D) He will receive retraining.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。