2014年专业八级考试试题及答案解析(一)

专业八级考试试题及答案解析(一)

一、Listening Comprehension (News Broadcast)（共4小题,共4.0分）In this section, you will hear several news items. Listen to them carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

第1题

According to the news, US consumer confidence ______.

A slipped in five successive months

B slipped in seven successive months

C has dropped to its lowest level in five years

D slipped one more point this month

【正确答案】：A

【本题分数】：1.0分

【答案解析】

[听力原文]

US consumer confidence dropped in November for the fifth straight month to its lowest level in more than seven years (1). The latest survey, a key indicator for the US economy, was released Tuesday by the Conference Board, a private business research group. The latest numbers show Americans are increasingly worried about jobs, as the number of unemployed keeps rising this year. Consumer confidence slipped another few points this month, more than experts were predicting. The figures show consumers are more concerned about the present economic situation than they have been in recent years. Also, persistent fears over terrorism apparently are adding to the people's worries (2). Economists say signs of falling confidence in the US economy could not have come at a worse time. It suggests less robust shopping during the end of the year holiday season. US retailers are already gloomy, as customers worried about their current financial situation seem to be shopping more cautiously. Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of US economic activity.

题目问美国消费者信心下滑的情况。短文开头就直接给出了答案：“US consumer confidence dropped in November for the fifth straight month to its lowest level in more than seven years”，即11月美国的消费者信心连续5个月下跌至七年多来的最低点，所以正确选项是A。

第2题

What resulted in the falling confidence?

A Fear over terrorism.

B Worse financial situation.

C Both A andB.

D Shopping more prudently.

【正确答案】：C

【本题分数】：1.0分

【答案解析】

题目问是何导致了消费者信心的下滑。报道中提到：“the present economic situation”和“persistent fears over terrorism”，即选项A和B，而shopping more prudently则是消费者对财政状况担忧的结果，所以得出正确答案为选项C。第3题

What can be learned about the barrier?

A The barrier was first approved three years ago.

B Construction on the barrier was slow due to legal wrangling.

C The Israeli government is determined to erect the barrier by September 1th.

D The barrier is built to keep suicide bombers out of the West Bank.

【正确答案】：B

【本题分数】：1.0分

【答案解析】

[听力原文]

Israel has approved construction of its controversial security barrier around Jerusalem. The decision has angered Palestinians as we hear from Robert Burger at the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Israel's cabinet decided that construction of the separation barrier around Jerusalem will be accelerated. Israel began erecting the