英语四级考试试卷真题合集(共十套)

英语四级中国大学生不会陌生的,这是我们必须要过的一关了,而且必须有他才可以毕业的可以这么说。但是当然不容易的,所以大家在平时就是要去多练习,然后找一些真题来做的,所以下面我们就给大家分享一些英语四级的试卷题目给大家,希望可以帮助到大家。

英语四级考试试卷1

2022年12月大学英语四级考试

COLLEGE ENGLISH TEST

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: In this task, you are to write an essay on the role of physical exercise in achieving success at college.You will have 30 minutes for the task. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.

1. A) Part of its dam wall collapsed.

B) It released a lot of harmful gases.

C) It was destroyed by an earthquake.

D) Some miners were trapped underground.

2. A) It posed a safety threat to the miners.

B) It caused damage too heavy to assess.

C) It brought the mine’s operations to a halt.

D) It was followed by two more earthquakes.

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

3. A) It prepared beds for all the six new citizens.

B) It assigned a team of doctors for each expected baby.

C) It made ample preparations for various possibilities.

D) It brought in the most advanced instruments.

4. A) They had to undergo 2-3 physical checkups.

B) They were all of normal size except the sixth.

C) They could go home together with their mother a day later.

D) They needed to stay in the hospital for a couple of months.

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.

5. A) It is owned by the local government.

B) It has been turned into a public park.

C) It has been bought by an American.

D) It is a perfect tourist destination.

6. A) Its seafood.

B) Its unusual coastline.

C) Its unspoiled beaches.

D) Its architecture.

7. A) It has an unmatched location.

B) It is worth over 18 million euros.

C) It has beautiful weather all year round.

D) It is an ideal place to meet famous stars.

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

8. A) She has been attending some group classes.

B) She has registered for two new gym classes.

C) She became a member of the gym two months ago.

D) She is entitled to a discount on all the gym exercises.

9. A) Considering the promotion of its regular classes.

B) Taking measures to expand its exercise programs.

C) Recruiting coaches for hot yoga and advanced spinning.

D) Offering existing members a discount of two new classes.

10. A) She missed the deadline for the 10-week course.

B) She missed out on the gym’s general discount.

C) She didn’t sign up for membership in time.

D) She wasn’t so much interested in hot yoga.

11. A) She doesn’t want to reveal her card details over the phone.

B) She doesn’t think it wise to pay before attending any class.

C) She might have to cancel her registration any minute.

D) She prefers to have the fee added to her monthly bill Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) To make investments.

B) To sign a business contract.

C) To research new markets.

D) To open a new office.

13. A) Dubai.

B) Beijing.

C) Amsterdam.

D) Earl’s Court.

14. A) Rent a bike for him to get around the town.

B) Reserve a meeting room in the head office.

C) Help him prepare his presentation.

D) Send him a map of the hotel area.

15. A) Bring his projector.

B) Keep all his receipts.

C) Submit his claims form.

D) Pay with his credit card.

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. A) Whether a country’s educational level is linked to women’s rights.

B) Whether women’s rights are making good progress around the world.

C) Whether a country’s protection of women’s rights is related to its public health.

D) Whether women’s rights are more often overlooked in less-developed countries.

17. A) Their people still have better health if women’s rights are respected.

B) They must make efforts to increase women’s access to health care.

C) Their people tend to attach importance to women’s rights.

D) They need to invest more in hospital staff and facilities.

18. A) Their link with a country’s public health.

B) Their potential impact on social progress.

C) Their value to a country’s international image.

D) Their positive effect on economic development.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. A) It creates a wonderful setting for dating.

B) It may cause strange physical reactions.

C) It turns parks into picnic sites.

D) It may result in a crowded beach.

20. A) Breathing difficulty.

B) Bad breath.

C) Excessive sweating.

D) High blood pressure.

21. A) It protects people against bacteria.

B) It enables people to build up endurance.

C) It accelerates people’s blood circulation.

D) It provides people with extra energy.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. A) They are more likely to win in combat sports.

B) They are in the minority among the population.

C) They have a higher chance of joining sports teams.

D) They have more disadvantages in getting ahead.

23. A) Their brain is more powerful than that of right-handed people.

B) The left side of their brain is more powerful than its right side.

C) They tend to be a lot more aggressive than right-handed people.

D) Their brain has a stronger connection between its two sides.

24. A) They have a larger brain.

B) It still remains unknown.

C) It is related to their genes.

D) They are better at reasoning.

25. A) Teach them how to perform tasks with their right hand.

B) Help them fully develop their mathematical abilities.

C) Encourage them to play fast-paced interactive sports.

D) Advise them to choose jobs that require quick reactions

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

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.

Parenting brings fathers more joy than it does mothers, according to a new study. The research examined three studies 26 more than 18,000 participants. Across all three, parenthood was 27 with more positive wellbeing outcomes for dads than for mums.

So why are fathers happier than mothers? “Fathers may fare better than mothers in part due to how they spend time with their children,” said lead author Katherine Nelson-Coffey. In one study, the authors 28 that dads were more likely to take “playing” as an 29 activity both when caring for their kids and spending time with their kids. “Playing with their children likely offers parents opportunities to experience positive feelings and 30 closeness with their children,” they say.

Fathers also did better than men without kids, reporting greater happiness, life satisfaction, and fewer 31 symptoms. They also reported greater connectedness and autonomy ( 自主 ). For mums, 32 , compared to women without children, the results weren’t quite as positive. Mums reported greater autonomy, but also “greater trouble” and fewer positive 33 .

Mums reported happier moods while interacting with their kids, compared to other experiences, but not while engaging 34 in childcare. “This difference suggests that how mothers and fathers spend time with their children might have important 35 for their wellbeing,” the authors write. They suspect that mums may be less happy than dads because they’re more likely to have higher expectations about parenthood. As such, they’re more likely to be “let down” by the experience.

A) additional

B) associated

C) composing

D) cultivate

E) depressive

F) directly

G) emotions

H) however

K) involving

L) note

I) implications

J) interfered

M) precisely

N) superficial

O) therefore

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

Learning to say no

A) Not doing something will always be faster than doing it. This philosophy applies in many areas of life. For example, there is no meeting that goes faster than not having a meeting at all. This is not to say you should never attend another meeting, but the truth is that we say “yes” to too many things we don’t actually want to do.

B) How often do people ask you to do something and you just reply, “Sure.” Three days later, you’re overwhelmed by how much is on your to-do list. We become frustrated by our obligations even though we were the ones who said “yes” to them in the first place. Even worse, people will occasionally fight to do things that waste time. You don’t have to do something just because it exists. It’s worth asking if things are necessary. Many of them are not, and a simple “no” will be more productive than whatever work the most efficient person can cope with. But if the benefits of saying “no” are so obvious, then why do we say “yes” so often?

C) We say “yes” to many requests not because we want to do them, but because we don’t want to be seen as rude or unhelpful. Often, we have to consider saying “no” to someone we will interact with again in the future – our co-worker, our spouse, our family and friends. Saying “no” to our superiors at work can be particularly difficult. In these situations, I like the approach recommended in Essentialism by Greg McKeown. He writes, “Remind your superiors what you would be neglecting if you said ‘yes’ and force them to deal with the trade-off. For example, if your manager comes to you and asks you to do X, you can respond with ‘Yes, I’m happy to make this the priority. Which of these other projects should I deprioritize to pay attention to this new project?’”

D) Collaborating with others is an important element of life. The thought of straining the relationship outweighs the commitment of our time and energy. For this reason, it can be helpful to be gracious in your response. Do whatever favors you can, and be warm-hearted and direct when you have to say no. But even after we have accounted for these social considerations, many of us still seem to do a poor job of managing the trade-off between yes and no. We find ourselves over-committed to things that don’t meaningfully improve or support those around us, and certainly don’t improve our own lives.

E) Perhaps one issue is how we think about the meaning of yes and no. The words “yes” and “no” get so often used in comparison with each other that it feels like they carry equal weight in conversation. In reality, they’re not just opposite in meaning, but of entirely different magnitudes in commitment. When you say “no”, you are only saying “no” to one option. When you say “yes”, you are saying “no” to every other option. I like how the economist Tim Harford put it, “Every time we say ‘yes’ to a request, we’re also saying ‘no’ to anything else we might accomplish with the time.” Once you’re committed to something, you’ve already decided how that future block of time will be spent. In other words, saying “no” saves you time in the future. Saying “yes” costs you time in the future. “No” is a form of time credit. You retain the ability to spend your future time however you want. “Yes” is a form of time debt. You have to pay back your commitment at some point.

F) “No” is a decision. “Yes” is a responsibility. Saying “no” is sometimes seen as a luxury that only those in power can afford. And it’s true: turning down opportunities is easier when you can fall back on the safety net provided by power, money, and authority. But it’s also true that saying “no” is not merely a privilege reserved for the successful. It is also a strategy that can help you become successful. Saying “no” is an important skill to develop at any stage of your career because it retains the most important asset in life: your time. As the investor Pedro Sorrentino put it, “If you don’t guard your time, people will steal it from you.” You need to say “no” to whatever isn’t leading you toward your goals.

G) Nobody embodied this idea better than Steve Jobs, who said, “People think focus means saying ‘yes’ to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying ‘no’ to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.” Jobs had another great quote about saying “no”: “I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000

things.”

H) Over time, as you continue to improve and succeed, your strategy needs to change. The opportunity cost of your time increases as you become more successful. At first, you just eliminate the obvious distractions and explore the rest. As your skills improve and you learn to separate what works from what doesn’t, you have to continually increase your threshold for saying “yes.” You still need to say “no” to distractions, but you also need to learn to say “no” to opportunities that were previously good uses of time, so you can make space for better uses of time. It’s a good problem to have, but it can be a tough skill to master.

I) What is true about health is also true about productivity: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. More effort is wasted doing things that don’t matter than is wasted doing things inefficiently. And if that is the case, elimination is a more useful skill than optimization. I’m reminded of the famous Peter Drucker quote,

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”

36. People often grant a request just because they want to appear polite and helpful.

37. It’s no easy job learning to say “no” to opportunities that were once considered worth grasping.

38. When you decline a request, you are saving your future time.

39. People sometimes struggle to do things that are simply a waste of time.

40. Doing efficiently what is not worth doing is the most useless effort.

41. It is especially difficult for people to decline to do what their superiors ask them to do.

42. People agree to do too many things they are in fact unwilling to do.

43. According to one famous entrepreneur, innovation means refusal to do an enormous number of things.

44. It is an essential aspect of life to cooperate with other people.

45. Refusing a request is sometimes seen as a privilege not enjoyed by ordinary people.

Section C

Directions: 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 One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

We are eating more fish than ever these days. At around 20 kilograms per person, global fish consumption is now more than twice what it was in the 1960s. What’s really remarkable, though, is where that fish comes from.

For the first time in human history, most of our aquatic (水产的) food now comes from farming rather than fishing.

People ate around 73 million tonnes of farmed fish – just more than half of the volume of fish that humans consumed – in 2014. That’s out of a total fish supply of 167 million tonnes; the remaining 20 million or so tonnes go into things like animal feed and medical products.

To keep eating fish at the current rate, we’re definitely going to need to keep aquaculture ( 水产养殖 ) developing. That’s because the volume of fish caught in the wild has leveled off since the 1990s.

Back in 1974, only 10% of marine fish stocks had been overfished. Now, more than three-tenths are. Only a tenth of our oceans’ fish stocks could sustain heavier fishing than current levels.

But while catchings at sea have suffered, fish-farming has been growing at a fast rate. A lot of that is coming from China, which produces 60% of the world’s farmed fish. In fact, some 35 countries, including China, now produce more farmed than wild-caught fish.

This shift toward aquaculture isn’t just good for ensuring salmon (三文鱼) on your plate; it’s also crucial to ensuring food security and sustainability. By 2050, the world will need to feed an estimated 9.7 billion people. They’ll have to get their protein somewhere. However, raising cattle, pigs, and other land-based animals requires vast sums of grain and water. For example, pound for pound, beef requires 15 times more feed to raise than carp, a freshwater fish farmed all over Asia. That grain – and the water needed to grow it – could be consumed by people instead.

However, aquaculture is no silver bullet. In some southeast Asian countries, shrimp farming does disastrous damage to marine ecosystems. Despite these problems, however, shrimp continues to be among the most popular seafoods worldwide.

46. What does the author say is remarkable about the fish we eat?

A) They reproduce quickly.

B) They are mostly farmed.

C) They have become as important as grain.

D) They have a longer history than humans.

47. What do we need to do if we keep consuming fish at the current rate?

A) Increase the fishing volume considerably.

B) Develop more advanced fishing technology.

C) Enlarge the marine fish stocks effectively.

D) Expand the scale of fish-farming continuously.

48. What does the author say about China in terms of aquatic food?

A) It places increasing emphasis on fishing now.

B) It boasts of the world’s largest fishing stocks.

C) It raises more fish than caught from the wild.

D) It supplies 60% of the world’s fish products.

49. Why does the author say aquaculture is so important these days?

A) It is a must for feeding the world’s fast-growing population.

B) It proves a reliable source of protein for humans and animals.

C) It is essential to maintaining both mental and physical health.

D) It ensures a balanced healthy diet for people the world over.

50. What does the author imply by saying aquaculture is no silver bullet?

A) Shrimp-farming is a risky business.

B) Fish-farming will not be sustainable.

C) Fish-farming may cause serious problems too.

D) Shrimp-farming can become quite expensive.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

In 2020, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP).

Why a Nobel Prize for the WFP, and why now? In 2019, the WFP assisted nearly 100 million people in 88 countries. It is the safety net for those who fall off the edge of existence. It is a response to solving the problem of food instability. Its Nobel Prize reminds us all of the moral hazard in imagining that the poor and vulnerable are somebody else’s problem.

The WFP has been around since 1961 and has been the global coordinator of nationally based efforts to avoid disasters with food aid. Despite decades of effort to eliminate hunger, the latest estimate is that about 11% of people on the planet (about 820 million people) are suffering daily undernourishment. Progress at reducing undernourishment has stopped despite gains through the 1990s and 2000s.

Developed countries sometimes offer food and aid to developing ones, but at a price. One American philosopher stated that addressing the needs of the poor and vulnerable is about more than money – it is mostly about creating conditions under which prosperity and opportunity can thrive. When aid is offered with heavy conditions attached, like loan repayment or food for resources, it often widens the gap between rich and poor and sustains the old world order. This is why the work of the WFP is so vital.

The scientific community, however, can provide a helping hand to the WFP. By sharing knowledge of agriculture and climate with peers in countries most vulnerable to poverty and hunger, scientists can help reduce these problems. By making its voice heard, science can lead by example. The ability to overcome food shortages that must be built into some of the poorest countries will not come from loans from wealthy countries, which may have food problems of their own, or world economic institutions. This ability will be built upon self-confident people using open and shared scientific knowledge to pull themselves out of their misery.

51. What does the WEP’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize make us realize?

A) More and more people in the world are suffering from starvation.

B) All of us can be affected by food instability one way or another.

C) It is hazardous to leave millions of people poor and vulnerable.

D) It is morally wrong to think helping the poor is not our business.

52. What do we learn about the WEP’s effort to eliminate hunger?

A) It has ensured a sufficient food supply to millions.

B) It is still far from its goal despite the progress made.

C) It has done a good job in combating natural disasters.

D) It is preventing starvation occurring on a global scale.

53. What will happen when food aid is offered at a price?

A) The rich will become richer and the poor poorer.

B) More people will be willing to join in the effort.

C) More food will be made available to the needy.

D) The relief effort will be rendered less sustainable.

54. How can scientists help cope with poverty and hunger?

A) By collaborating closely with world economic institutions.

B) By sharing expertise with peers in poverty-stricken nations.

C) By setting up more food research programs in developing countries.

D) By building self-respect in people suffering from undernutrition.

55. What message does the author try to convey at the end of the passage?

A) Wealthy nations should solve their own food problems first.

B) Rich countries should be more generous in providing food aid.

C) Poor nations should enhance their own ability to solve their food shortages.

D) World economic institutions should play a bigger role in fighting hunger.

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.

冬至(Winter Solstice)是全年白昼最短、黑夜最长的一天,标志着一年中最寒冷时节的开始。冬至过后,气温越来越低,人们的户外活动逐渐减少。农民地里活儿不多,主要忙于灌溉系统的维护和农作物的防冻,同时为来年春天播种做准备。

中国人历年来很重视冬至,许多地方都把冬至当作一个节日,庆祝方式各地不尽相同。北方人有冬至吃饺子(jiaozi)的习俗,南方人有冬至吃汤圆(tangyuan)的传统

英语四级考试试卷2

大学英语四级考试

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: In this task, you are to write an essay on the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle among college students. You will have 30 minutes for the task. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.

1. A) A sports competition.

B) A yearly concert.

C) A free car show.

D) A pipe band contest.

2. A) Improve the image of Glasgow city.

B) Enrich the local culture of Glasgow.

C) Contribute a lot to the local economy.

D) Entertain people in local communities.

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

3. A) Surprising rise in global sea levels.

B) Dangerous ice melts in Greenland.

C) Changing weather patterns in summer.

D) Record growth of Greenland’s ice sheets.

4. A) It began in late May.

B) It lasted three months.

C) It started a month earlier than usual.

D) It ended a month earlier than before.

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.

5. A) Bundles of £20 notes kept tuning up.

B) A villager was searching for his lost cash.

C) Local policemen came across bundles of £20 notes.

D) A bundle containing thousands of pounds got stolen.

6. A) They give it to charity.

B) They return it to the finder.

C) They hand it over to the local government.

D) They place a notice in The Northern Echo.

7. A) They cooperated well with the police.

B) They enjoyed a fairly affluent life.

C) They were puzzled by the mystery.

D) They had a strong community spirit.

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

8. A) Excited.

B) Delighted.

C) Indifferent.

D) Strange.

9. A) Search for the meaning of their life.

B) Look back on their years at school.

C) Call on their relatives and friends.

D) Talk about future plans with friends.

10. A) He prefers to have them shown on social media.

B) He loves them but does not want to make a fuss.

C) He enjoys celebrating others’ birthdays rather than his own.

D) He looks forward to receiving presents from his close friends.

11. A) Hold it on a modest scale to remove birthday anxieties.

B) View it as a chance for people to socialize and have fun.

C) Extend invitation to those he trusts most.

D) Make it an occasion to collect donations.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) It was absolutely exhausting.

B) There was a terrible smell.

C) There was too long a delay.

D) She got off at the wrong station.

13. A) She hasn’t saved enough money.

B) She is worried about traffic jams.

C) She hasn’t passed the driving test yet.

D) She is used to taking public transport.

14. A) They are popular.

B) They are dangerous.

C) They are a bit expensive for her.

D) They are environmentally friendly.

15. A) By bus.

B) By Jogging.

C) By renting a bike.

D) By sharing a ride.

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. A) He is a sign language interpreter.

B) He is a deaf person working in IT.

C) He doesn’t like speaking at meetings.

D) He doesn’t use email or text messages.

17. A) Improved communication skills.

B) Speech recognition technology.

C) Big advances in sign language.

D) Transformation in the IT industry.

18. A) He can avoid being mistaken.

B) He can take notes on the spot.

C) He can understand with ease.

D) He can see the speakers’ images.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. A) To find pure white walls shining.

B) To enter a house well looked after.

C) To get a hug from family members.

D) To see cheerful colours all around.

20. A) Choosing a colour because it is fashionable.

B) Painting the interior of their cupboards.

C) Doing the painting job all by themselves.

D) Designing all window frames the same way.

21. A) Fit most of the cupboards into walls.

B) Hang landscape paintings all around.

C) Match the room’s ceiling with all the furniture in colour.

D) Paint the wooden frameworks and walls the same colour.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. A) Children must read at least 3 times a week.

B) Reading is a habit every child can develop.

C) Reading to their children is important.

D) Children should start reading at age 3.

23. A) The number of books they have read by age four.

B) The speed of their brain development in infancy.

C) The number and quality of books parents read to them in infancy.

D) The quality and quantity of time parents spend playing with them.

24. A) Books with specifically labeled images.

B) Books with pictures of dolls and toys.

C) Books describing the lives of animals.

D) Books telling very interesting stories.

25. A) Read as many books as possible to their children.

B) Choose carefully what to read to their children.

C) Share experience with other parents.

D) Create picture books for their children.

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

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.

Phones influence all aspects of teenage life. Ninety-five percent of Americans ages 13 to 17 have a smartphone or have access to one, and nearly half report using the internet “almost 26 .”

But as recent survey data and interviews have suggested, many teens find much of that time to be unsatisfyingly spent. Continuous 27 shouldn’t be mistaken for endless enjoyment. A new 28 representative survey about “screen time and device distractions” from the Pew Research Center indicates that it’s not just parents who think teenagers are worryingly 29 from their phones – many teens themselves do too. Fifty-four percent of the 13-to-17-year-olds surveyed said they spend too much time 30 in their phones.

Vicky Rideout, who runs a research firm that studies children’s interactions with media and technology, was not surprised by this finding. She says it’s hardly 31 to teenagers. “They are dealing with the same challenges that adults are, as far as they are living in the of a tech environment designed to suck as much of their time onto their devices as possible,” Rideout says.

The ways parents interact with technology can 33 the way they interact with their kids. Rideout thus thinks it’s up to parents to model good 34 : Kids tend to take note if their parent put their phone away at dinner or charge it in another room while they sleep. Witnessing habits like that can help them “realize that they can 35 some more control over their devices,” she says.

A) absorbed

B) addicted

C) behavior

D) constantly

E) context

F) exercise

G) inseparable

H) nationally

I) recruited

J) shape

K) solution

L) specific

M) summary

N) usage

O) vaguely

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

Evil Genius

A) A few years ago I found myself teaching a university class on evil. It was for third-year criminology students to help them contextualize theory and research within controversial current topics. It was a huge success. The debates were heated and interesting. I could see people’s views change within the course of a single lecture. Over the past 13 years, as a student, lecturer and researcher, I’ve enjoyed discussing the science of evil with anyone willing to listen. What I like most is destroying the clichés (陈词滥调) of good and evil, and replacing them with scientific insight. We need a more informed way of discussing behavior that at first we cannot, or should not, begin to understand.

B) Without understanding, we risk dehumanizing others, writing off human beings simply because we don’t comprehend them. We must try to understand what we have labelled evil. We tend to think evil is something that other people are. We think of ourselves as “good people”, and even when we do morally wrong things, we understand the context of our decisions. With others, however, it is far easier to write them off. If their actions deviate (偏离) substantially from what we consider acceptable, we may label them evil. We need to be careful with this. Calling someone evil is often similar to saying they cannot change, and perhaps aren’t even a human at all. However, when you actually go monster-hunting, and you look deeply at the people behind shocking behavior, you may be surprised.

C) As a child I used to love the Scooby-Doo cartoons. Arriving in their “Mystery Machine”, the gang would have to find a monster who was terrorizing a neighborhood. They would run around looking for clues and at the end unmask the bad guy. It was always a normal person in a costume. There were no monsters. Like the Scooby crew, we may find ourselves hunting for an easy fix, one word for people who do bad things. But if we take a good look, the word “evil” is insufficient – there are no simple explanations for why humans do bad things: instead there are many, and they are all marvelously different.

D) Evil is typically referred to when there is deviance from social norms: formal deviance is the violation of laws, like theft, murder, and assault, while informal deviance involves violations of social norms, like lying. Evil behavior is typically thought to embrace one or both forms. However, deviance can also describe a behavior that simply differs from the norm.

E) Perhaps this is where we can find the good side of our bad side. Deviating from the norm can make us villains (恶棍), but it can also make us heroes. A child deviates from social pressures when they stand up for another child being bullied in school. A soldier deviates when they choose not to follow orders to kill an innocent civilian. An employee in a big tech company deviates when they expose its wrongdoings.

F) Creativity is also a deviation. Here, too, things are complex. Thinking creatively has given us modern medicine, technology and modern political structures, but it has also given us poison and nuclear weapons. Great benefit and great harm can come from the same human tendency.

G) In a research paper, Evil Genius, published in 2014, the behavioral scientists Francesca Gino and Scott Wiltermuth wanted to examine whether people who behave unethically in one task are more creative than others on a subsequent task, even after controlling for differences in baseline creative skills. The unethical behavior they chose was dishonesty.

H) Over five experiments researchers gave participants tasks in which they could cheat. In one study, they were given matrixes (矩阵) and had to find two numbers that added up to 10. Participants were asked to self-report how well they did at the end of the study: 59% cheated by saying that they solved more matrixes than they

actually had.

I) After each task, the researchers measured participants’ performance on the Remote Associates Test. This shows participants three words at a time that appear to be unrelated, and the person has to think of a fourth word that is associated with all of them. For example, you might get “Fox, Man, Peep”, or “Dust, Cereal, Fish”. In order to find the linking words (“Hole” for the first, “Bowl” for the second) you need to be creative. The more you get right, the more creative you are thought to be because you have come up with uncommon associations.

J) For every one of the five studies, they found the same thing – participants who cheated in the first task did better on the creativity task. Why? Like other forms of unethical behavior, lying means breaking rules. It involves being deviant, going against the social principle that people should tell the truth. Similarly, being creative involves “thinking outside the box”, deviating from expectations. They involve similar thought patterns, so stimulating one stimulates the other. Can we learn from this? Perhaps. To be more creative, we could try lying in controlled environment. Find online logic games and cheat at them, play Scrabble (拼字游戏) with a dictionary, or write a story about something that is untrue? Such tasks can get our brains thinking flexibly, beyond our normal comfort zone. This is not a call to become a compulsive (强迫性的) liar, but a

controlled liar.

K) In addition to benefits for creativity, deviance can be a good thing in other ways. Even Philip Zimbardo, the author of the Stanford prison experiment, who showed how easily we can be led to behave badly, believes that the future of deviance research may lie more in understanding extreme pro-social behavior, such as heroism.

Like evil, we often view heroism as only a possibility for outliers – for people who are abnormal. But Zimbardo asks: “What if the capability to act heroically is also fundamentally ordinary and available to all of us?” Some say we should never meet our heroes, lest they disappoint us when we find out how normal they are. But this should be liberating, not disappointing. We are all capable of behaving like outliers. It’s time for us to understand deviance, and realize its potential for good as well as harm.

36. A behavior that does not conform to social norms may be described as being deviant.

37. Various experiments found that participants who cheated in the initial task performed better in the creativity

test.

38. People may be simply considered evil if their behaviors are morally unacceptable to us.

39. The research published by two scientists was intended to examine the relationship between dishonesty and

creativity,

40. The author’s lectures sparked lively discussions in his class.

41. The researchers tested the participants’ creativity by asking them to play a word game.

42. It is time we realized that deviance may be capable of doing both good and harm to individuals and society.

43. The reasons for people’s evil behaviors can be explained in more ways than one.

44. The math task in one experiment was designed to test participants’ tendency to cheat.

45. Some creative ideas have turned out to do harm to human society.

Section C

Directions: 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 One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

Even though we are living in an age where growing old is thought of as an inevitable misery, this doctor has been changing the game for seniors over the last 25 years.

It all started in 1991 when the Harvard-educated physician was transferred from working in a stressful emergency room to being the medical director of a nursing home in upstate New York. The depressing and regimented (严格管制的) environment got him thinking on what exactly could improve the residents’ conditions.

Even though animals in nursing homes were illegal at the time, Dr. Bill Thomas took a chance. Based on a hunch (直觉), he brought in two dogs, four cats, hens, rabbits, 100 birds, a multitude of plants, a flower garden, and a vegetable patch.

The change was dramatic. There was a 50% drop in medical prescriptions along with a dramatic decrease in death rates – but most importantly, the residents were simply happier.

Dr. Thomas’s approach, named the Eden Alternative, has driven nursing homes to allow a more autonomous (自主的) and creative living space for their elderly. It erases the belief that growing old means growing useless. He encourages residents to think of their age as an enriching new phase of life rather than the end of it.

Thomas, now a speaker and author of several books, also created small, independently-run residences with their own bedrooms and bathrooms, and he has been preaching a singular message that getting old is not a bad thing.

“Within six weeks, they had to send a truck around to pick up all the wheelchairs,” Thomas told the Washington Post. “You know why most people in nursing homes use wheelchairs? Because the buildings are so big.”

The 56-year-old doctor’s methods have been adopted in Australia, Japan, Canada, and America with enormous success. Last year he published Second Wind: Navigating the Passage to a Slower, Deeper, and More Connected Life, a guide on how to shift our perspectives on aging and growth.

He is currently traveling through North America performing with his guitar and his enthusiasm on his Age of Disruption Tour.

46. What has Bill Thomas been doing for a quarter of a century?

A) Transforming people’s lifestyle.

B) Honoring his Harvard education.

C) Changing people’s philosophy of life.

D) Shifting people’s perspective on aging.

47. Why did Bill Thomas try something different in the nursing home?

A) He wanted to make it more pleasant for seniors.

B) He wanted to apply his Harvard training to practice.

C) He felt it his duty to revolutionize its management.

D) He felt disappointed working in the environment.

48. What do we learn about Bill Thomas bringing animals and plants into the nursing home? A) He made a mess of the nursing home.

B) He did something all professionals would do.

C) He won instant support from the state authorities.

D) He acted in violation of the state law.

49. What has Bill Thomas been persistently advocating?

A) Good health is not just a privilege of the young.

B) Nursing homes should be strictly limited in size.

C) Getting old is by no means something miserable.

D) Residences for seniors should be run independently.

50. How will Bill Thomas’s new concept received?

A) It is gaining ground in many countries.

B) It is being heatedly debated worldwide.

C) It is considered revolutionary everywhere.

D) It is winning approval from the government.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Research shows that in developed countries, more affluent and educated people tend to consume higher quality diets – including more fruits and vegetables, fish and whole grains. On the contrary, economically disadvantaged people report diets that are nutrient-poor and energy-dense. They are less likely to have food-purchasing habits that conform to public health recommendations.

These dietary differences are often accompanied by higher rates of obesity and diabetes among lower-income people. This relationship between social class and diet quality and health is extensively documented. However, the research does not explain why this is the case – a question that has significant implications for designing effective policies and initiatives to improve diets and prevent chronic diseases.

Public-health initiatives to promote healthy diets often focus on providing nutrition education and recipes (食谱 ). These approaches, however, often presume less food literacy (i.e. food knowledge and skills) among low-income people. Are unhealthy diets really the result of poor choices, limited food skills and knowledge?

Research suggests that adults in food-insecure households are just as likely as those in food-secure households to adjust recipes to make them more healthy. They are also just as proficient in food preparation and cooking skills. There is no indication that increasing food skills or budgeting skills will reduce food insecurity.

Instead, disadvantaged groups are constrained by their economic, material and social circumstances. For example, low income is the strongest predictor of food insecurity in Canada, where one in eight households experiences insufficient access to nutritious foods.

It’s well-established that food prices are an important determinant of food choice. Low-income households report that they find it difficult to adopt dietary guidelines because food prices are a barrier to improving their diets.

When researchers estimate the cost of diets people actually eat, higher-quality diets are typically more costly.

While this may be so, it does not, in itself, prove that healthy diets are necessarily more expensive or cost-prohibitive. After all, not all socioeconomically disadvantaged people consume poor diets.

We can easily think of a number of foods and recipes that are both inexpensive and nutritious. The internet is full of recipes for “eating well on a budget.”

51. What can we learn from research on diets in developed countries?

A) Dietary recommendations are not fit for underprivileged people.

B) People from different social groups vary in their dietary habits.

C) People’s choice of food depends on their individual taste.

D) There is no consensus on what high-quality diets are.

52. What does the author say is important in formulating policies to improve diets and health?

A) A better understanding of the relationship between social class and health.

B) A greater emphasis on studying the cause of obesity and chronic diseases.

C) Prioritizing the provision of better nutrition for lower classes.

D) Designing education programs and initiatives on public health.

53. What does research reveal about adults in food-insecure households?

A) Their eating habits need to be changed.

B) Their food literacy has been improving.

C) They do not pay much attention to their food recipes.

D) They do not lack food knowledge or budgeting skills.

54. What would help improve food security among the disadvantaged groups in Canada?

A) Teaching them budgeting skills.

B) Increasing their food choices.

C) Enabling them to have more access to nutritious foods.

D) Taking more effective measures to increase food supplies.

55. What does the author suggest disadvantaged people do to improve their health?

A) Adopt a positive attitude towards dietary guidelines.

B) Choose diets that are both healthy and affordable.

C) Make sure to purchase healthy foods on the internet.

D) Change their eating habits and consumption patterns.

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.

在中国农历中,立秋(Start of Autumn)意味着夏天的结束和秋天的开始。立秋带来的首先是天气的变化,气温逐渐下降。人们看到树叶开始变黄飘落时,知道秋天已经来临。这就是所谓的“一叶知秋”。但此时酷热的天气并未完全结束,高温通常还会持续一段时间,被称为“秋老虎”。立秋对农民意义重大,这时各种秋季作物迅速生长、开始成熟,收获的季节即将到来。

英语四级考试试卷3

COLLEGE ENGLISH TEST

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: In this task, you are to write an essay on the necessity of developing social skills for college students.You will have 30 minutes for the task. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

说明:每次全国四级考试一般只考两套听力,第三套为重复题目,只是选项顺序不同,故不再重复。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

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.

Researchers, writing in the journal Heart, pooled data from 23 studies and found that social isolation or feelings of loneliness were tied to an increased risk for coronary heart disease (冠心病) and strokes.

The studies included data from 181,006 men and women 18 and older. There were 4,628 coronary events and 3,002 strokes in follow-up periods 26 from three to 21 years. Three of the papers 27 loneliness, 18 looked at social isolation and two included both. Social isolation and loneliness were determined with questionnaires; the researchers depended on medical records and death 28 for determining coronary events and strokes.

The scientists found that loneliness and social isolation increased the 29 risk of having a heart attack or a death from heart disease by 29 percent, and the risk of stroke by 32 percent. There were no 30 between men and women.

“People have tended to focus from a policy point of view on 31 lonely people to make them more 32 ,” said the lead author, Nicole K. Valtorta, a research fellow at the University of York in England. “Our study 33 that if this is a risk factor, then we should be trying to prevent the risk factor in the first place.”

The authors 34 that this was a review of observational studies and did not 35 cause and effect.

A) acknowledge

B) certificates

C) connected

D) demonstrates

E) differences

F) establish

G) formats

H) measured

I) narrow

J) permanent

K) produces

L) ranging

M) relative

N) submitting

O) targeting

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

The hidden costs colleges don’t want you to know about

A) This fall, thousands of college students from across the country will begin their undergraduate studies at colleges around the nation. They will inevitably pack too much to fit in their tiny dorm rooms. They will also carry with them a huge student loan debt, in addition to countless “hidden” out-of-pocket costs paid for by their bank accounts and the bank accounts of their families.

B) At my well-respected, private, four-year university in Washington, D.C., which boasts a yearly tuition of $44,046 not including room and board, I receive over $57,000 yearly in financial aid. As a student from a family that is struggling to make ends meet, my financial aid package is a combination of federal grants and federal work study, university merit scholarships and financial aid awards, and about $8,000 yearly in federally subsidized (有补贴的) and unsubsidized loans. On paper, my expenses and my financial aid just about even out.

Off-paper, they don’t.

C) Universities today are in the business of making money, and mine is no exception. They hit me right out of gate with a $160 fee to attend my freshman orientation, a price which does not include the cost of travel to and from the District. Almost every class has an associated fee not included in the cost of tuition, most between $40 and $100. Fees for lab science classes are the highest, and all students at my university are required to take at least one lab before they graduate. Buying a laptop proved a necessity and, thankfully, a relative bought me one as a gift. Renting a mini-fridge for my dorm room costs my roommates and me about $140 a year.

D) Schools will charge you whatever they can. The costs of any damage to the dorm, including elevators, bathrooms, and common areas, are billed to every person on a dorm floor, or even the entire building if they do not know who caused the damage. After I fell out of my bed twice during my freshman year, the university installed a railing – for $20, billed to my student account. My financial aid did not anticipate any of these costs, and so it did not cover them.

E) An Internet search of “hidden costs” of college turns up a host of articles on parent-centered websites on the college application process. These articles are almost always geared towards upper- and middle-class families. For students already struggling to pay tuition, these costs may be the least of their worries.

F) So what hidden costs should low-income students really be paying attention to? My college experience offers a few examples.

G) If you are low-income student who will be attending school out-of-state, make sure you know if you can use your state benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. It wasn’t until after I had accepted admission to an out-of-state school that I learned that I could not use my Ohio Medicaid on campus for anything other than emergency care. My benefits became invalid the second I moved out of Ohio. After my freshman year, I had to opt for the school’s insurance plan, which costs around $2,000 a year. Even if your school offers a flat-rate fee for a doctor’s appointment at the student health center (mine is $20 a visit), these fees often do not include extra fees for lab tests or prescription medications (药物).

H) If you plan on paying off bills in your student account with a credit card, be aware of any additional costs. My school charges an additional fee for the use of a credit card to settle outstanding charges, which can add upwards of 3% of the balance to your bill.

I) There is another depressing reality hidden within even the largest financial aid packages: Colleges often offer the most generous packages during freshman year as a way to attract new students. My family was careful to ask about the chances of financial aid being taken away after my freshman year. We were assured that, except for low grades or a raise in family income, no money would be taken away. We did not know to ask – and the school did not readily point out – that even if tuition rises, my financial aid package will stay the same. So when my university voted to raise tuition costs 3% at the end of my freshman year, my financial aid package remained the same and I was suddenly responsible for an additional $1,200 for the next year. The university administration will likely vote to raise costs at least once more before my graduation.

J) Yes, I chose to attend an expensive university far from my hometown. Yes, there were cheaper options. But there are promising students from struggling families across the nation who should not rule out their dream schools entirely. All things considered, I am paying significantly less than the ticket price of my university, and having an educational experience in Washington, D.C., that I would not have had anywhere else. As a low-income student from a down-and-out Rust Belt community, these educational experiences have enormous potential to brighten my future – and my family’s future.

K) The key is to make sure that students and their families understand that hidden costs exist, and that they may prove problematic. Fill out a more comprehensive checklist, and be wary of listed prices that seem too low. Understand just how complicated the financial aid process is.

L) Students and families must also understand their ability to self-advocate. They should not pay student bills or excess fees blindly. If something does not look right, ask about it. If it still doesn’t look right, negotiate it. In cases where parents are working multiple jobs, are less knowledgeable about college bureaucracies, have limited English language skills, or are not contributing financially to their child’s education, the burden of self-advocacy will fall on the student. I understand the difficulty, and the embarrassment. But it is necessary.

M) In the grand scheme of things, however, colleges also must come to understand that the hidden fees they ask for may prove unmanageable for the very kinds of low-income or first-generation students they are trying

desperately to attract.

36. Students’ financial aid remains unchanged even when tuition rises.

37. Students may not be able to enjoy their state benefits when they go to college out of the state.

38. The financial aid the author receives is supposed to cover all her college expenses.

39. When the person who damages dorm facilities is not identified, students are required to share the cost.

40. Though it is difficult and embarrassing, students should make inquiries about what fees they have to pay and why.

41. Today, many Americans have to go to college on student loans.

42. Receiving education in a private university in the nation’s capital may change the author’s future life and that of her family’s.

43. Students may no longer be qualified for financial aid if they perform poorly in school or if their family income has increased.

44. In addition to tuition, college students have to pay extra fees for the courses they take.

45. Some schools charge students a fee to their student accounts for using credit card to pay bills.

Section C

Directions: 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 One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

To write his 2010 book, The 5-Factor World Diet, nutritionist Harley Pasternak traveled to the healthiest countries around the world to learn more about what made their meals extra nourishing.

He noted that Japanese people eat a wonderful variety of seaweeds, and that Chinese people tried to include at least five different colors in every meal. Pasternak also came away with some valuable observations about how different the North American way of life was, compared with many other countries.

For starters, Americans eat much bigger portions than people in other countries. “We don’t prioritize eating seasonally or locally, and we also add lots of salt, sugar and thickening agents to our foods,” explained Pasternak. Contrast that to the healthy Mediterranean, Nordic and Okinawan diets listed in Pasternak’s book. They all seem to stick to an ethos (特质) of regional, seasonal produce.

For example, a traditional Mediterranean diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and olive oil was the main components of nutritional intake. Fish, chicken and red wine make moderate appearances, while red meat, salt and sugar are used much less often. The benefits of a traditional Mediterranean diet have been studied since the 1970s, and researchers have found that living that olive oil life can help people lose weight, lower their heart disease risk and reverse diabetes.

Most other healthy eating cultures also make meals an event – say, multiple courses around the family table, or a glass or two of red wine at a long lunch – as opposed to hastily wolfing down handfuls of cereal above the kitchen sink and calling it dinner.

Each of the healthy eating cultures has its own unique features. But Pasternak did take note of one unifying factor in all of the healthy societies he observed. “The only overlapping feature in most of these healthy countries is that they all walk way more than the average American,” said Pasternak. “So really, regardless of what you’re eating, if someone’s walking four miles more than you each day, they’re going to be a lot thinner and live a lot longer than you.”

46. What characterizes Japanese and Chinese foods?

A) Variety.

B) Flavor.

C) Color.

D) Naturalness.

47. What is typical of Americans in the way of eating?

A) They emphasize nutrition.

B) They tend to eat quite a lot.

C) They prioritize convenience.

D) They care about flavors.

48. What features in Mediterranean, Nordic and Okinawan diets?

A) Fruits and vegetables.

B) Olive oil and red wine.

C) Seasonal local produce.

D) Unprocessed ingredients.

49. What do people in most healthy eating cultures have in common?

A) They get the whole family to eat at a table.

B) They eat their meals regularly and punctually.

C) They consume plenty of cereal for breakfast.

D) They attach great importance to their meals.

50. Compared with the average American, people in healthy societies ______.

A) walk at least 4 miles a day

B) do considerably more walking

C) pay more attention to body shape

D) consume a lot more organic food

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Recognizing when a friend or colleague feels sad, angry or surprised is key to getting along with others. But a new study suggests that being sensitive to people’s feelings may sometimes come with an extra dose of stress. This and other research challenge the prevailing view that emotional intelligence is uniformly beneficial to its bearer.

In a study, psychologists Myriam Bechtoldt of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management in Germany asked 166 male university students a series of questions to measure their emotional intelligence. For example, they showed the students photographs of people’s faces and asked them to what extent feelings such as happiness or disgust were being expressed. The students then had to give job talks in front of judges who displayed serious facial expressions. The scientists measured concentrations of the stress hormones in the students’ saliva (唾液) before and after the talk.

In students who were rated more emotionally intelligent, the stress measures increased more during the experiment and took longer to go back to baseline. The findings suggest that some people may be too emotionally clever for their own good, says Bechtoldt. “Sometimes you can be so good at something that it causes trouble,” she notes.

Indeed, the study adds to previous research hinting at a dark side of emotional intelligence. A study published in 2002 in Personality and Individual Differences suggested that emotionally perceptive people might be particularly influenced by feelings of depression and hopelessness. Furthermore, several studies have implied that emotional intelligence can be used to manipulate others for personal gains.

More research is needed to see how exactly the relation between emotional intelligence and stress would play out in women and in people of different ages and education levels. Nevertheless, emotional intelligence is a useful skill to have, as long as you learn to also properly cope with emotions – both others’ and your own, says Bechtoldt. For example, some sensitive individuals may assume responsibility for other people’s sadness or anger, which ultimately stresses them out. Remember, as Bechtoldt says, “you are not responsible for how other people feel.”

51. What is the finding of the new study?

A) Emotional intelligence helps people get along with others.

B) Emotional intelligence is generally beneficial to its bearer.

C) People who are aware of others’ feelings may experience more stress.

D) People who are emotionally stressed may have trouble making friends.

52. What was the purpose of psychologist Myriam Bechtoldt’s experiment?

A) To define different types of human feelings.

B) To assess the impacts of being emotionally clever.

C) To demonstrate how to distinguish different feelings.

D) To identify gender differences in emotional intelligence.

53. What does the finding of Myriam Bechtoldt’s study indicate?

A) Greater emotional cleverness means less trouble in one’s life.

B) Emotional intelligence helps people succeed in job interviews.

C) People’s psychological wellbeing is related to various factors.

D) People may suffer from having a high emotional intelligence.

54. What do we learn about emotional intelligence from a number of studies?

A) People suffering from depression are emotionally immature.

B) People who look at the dark side of life often feel depressed.

C) Some people may take advantage of it and benefit themselves.

D) Some people may lack it and are easily manipulated by others.

55. What does the author suggest sensitive individuals do?

A) Avoid burdening themselves with others’ feelings.

B) Rid themselves of worries over worldly affairs.

C) Learn to cope with people’s negative feelings.

D) Help people to deal with their troubles in life.

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.

立春(Start of Spring)在中国农历中表示春天的开始。立春之后,白天变得更长,天气也愈发温暖;万物开始复苏,大地充满生机。人们常说“一年之计在于春”,农民在这个时节开始播种,为全年的丰收打下基础。中国人早在三千年前就已开始在立春这一天举行庆祝活动。数百年来,迎春一直是民间的重要习俗。在春暖花开的日子里,人们常常外出游玩,欣赏春天的美景。

四级英语真题试卷4

Section I: 听力理解 (30%)

(16) a) The company is planning to expand its operations.

b) The company is struggling to meet its financial goals.

c) The company has decided to cut costs and lay off employees.

d) The company has started a new marketing campaign.

(17) a) They can help us to save time and effort.

b) They can help us to improve our productivity.

c) They can help us to reduce costs and save money.

d) They can help us to innovate and create new products.

(18) a) He is a doctor.

b) He is a teacher.

c) He is a lawyer.

d) He is a police officer.

(19) a) He was too tired to go on.

b) He had to leave his hometown.

c) He got lost on the way.

d) He was late for the meeting.

Section II: 阅读理解 (35%)

(20) a) They help us to understand the world better.

b) They help us to solve practical problems.

c) They help us to develop critical thinking skills.

d) They help us to appreciate different cultures.

(21) a) by plane

b) by train

c) by car

d) by boat

Section III: 词汇与语法 (10%)

(22) The children were ____ by the ____ stories their grandfather told.

a. amused; delighted

b. delighted; amusing

c. amusing; delighted

d. delighted; amused

Section IV: 翻译 (25%)

(23) 请将以下中文句子翻译成英文:

“这本书很有趣,我读了三遍。”

“This book is so interesting that I have read it three times.”

Section V: 写作 (15%)

(24) 题目:如何保持健康的生活方式

内容要求:描述你认为如何才能保持健康的生活方式,包括饮食、运动、睡眠等方面,并给出具体的建议和理由。

四级英语真题试卷5

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: In this task, you are to write an essay on the necessity of developing social skills for college students.You will have 30 minutes for the task. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

说明:每次全国四级考试一般只考两套听力,第三套为重复题目,只是选项顺序不同,故不再重复。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

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.

Researchers, writing in the journal Heart, pooled data from 23 studies and found that social isolation or feelings of loneliness were tied to an increased risk for coronary heart disease (冠心病) and strokes.

The studies included data from 181,006 men and women 18 and older. There were 4,628 coronary events and 3,002 strokes in follow-up periods 26 from three to 21 years. Three of the papers 27 loneliness, 18 looked at social isolation and two included both. Social isolation and loneliness were determined with questionnaires; the researchers depended on medical records and death 28 for determining coronary events and strokes.

The scientists found that loneliness and social isolation increased the 29 risk of having a heart attack or a death from heart disease by 29 percent, and the risk of stroke by 32 percent. There were no 30 between men and women.

“People have tended to focus from a policy point of view on 31 lonely people to make them more 32 ,” said the lead author, Nicole K. Valtorta, a research fellow at the University of York in England. “Our study 33 that if this is a risk factor, then we should be trying to prevent the risk factor in the first place.”

The authors 34 that this was a review of observational studies and did not 35 cause and effect.

A) acknowledge

B) certificates

C) connected

D) demonstrates

E) differences

F) establish

G) formats

H) measured

I) narrow

J) permanent

K) produces

L) ranging

M) relative

N) submitting

O) targeting

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

The hidden costs colleges don’t want you to know about

A) This fall, thousands of college students from across the country will begin their undergraduate studies at colleges around the nation. They will inevitably pack too much to fit in their tiny dorm rooms. They will also carry with them a huge student loan debt, in addition to countless “hidden” out-of-pocket costs paid for by their bank accounts and the bank accounts of their families.

B) At my well-respected, private, four-year university in Washington, D.C., which boasts a yearly tuition of $44,046 not including room and board, I receive over $57,000 yearly in financial aid. As a student from a family that is struggling to make ends meet, my financial aid package is a combination of federal grants and federal work study, university merit scholarships and financial aid awards, and about $8,000 yearly in federally subsidized (有补贴的) and unsubsidized loans. On paper, my expenses and my financial aid just about even out.

Off-paper, they don’t.

C) Universities today are in the business of making money, and mine is no exception. They hit me right out of gate with a $160 fee to attend my freshman orientation, a price which does not include the cost of travel to and from the District. Almost every class has an associated fee not included in the cost of tuition, most between $40 and $100. Fees for lab science classes are the highest, and all students at my university are required to take at least one lab before they graduate. Buying a laptop proved a necessity and, thankfully, a relative bought me one as a gift. Renting a mini-fridge for my dorm room costs my roommates and me about $140 a year.

D) Schools will charge you whatever they can. The costs of any damage to the dorm, including elevators, bathrooms, and common areas, are billed to every person on a dorm floor, or even the entire building if they do not know who caused the damage. After I fell out of my bed twice during my freshman year, the university installed a railing – for $20, billed to my student account. My financial aid did not anticipate any of these costs, and so it did not cover them.

E) An Internet search of “hidden costs” of college turns up a host of articles on parent-centered websites on the college application process. These articles are almost always geared towards upper- and middle-class families. For students already struggling to pay tuition, these costs may be the least of their worries.

F) So what hidden costs should low-income students really be paying attention to? My college experience offers a few examples.

G) If you are low-income student who will be attending school out-of-state, make sure you know if you can use your state benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. It wasn’t until after I had accepted admission to an out-of-state school that I learned that I could not use my Ohio Medicaid on campus for anything other than emergency care. My benefits became invalid the second I moved out of Ohio. After my freshman year, I had to opt for the school’s insurance plan, which costs around $2,000 a year. Even if your school offers a flat-rate fee for a doctor’s appointment at the student health center (mine is $20 a visit), these fees often do not include extra fees for lab tests or prescription medications (药物).

H) If you plan on paying off bills in your student account with a credit card, be aware of any additional costs. My school charges an additional fee for the use of a credit card to settle outstanding charges, which can add upwards of 3% of the balance to your bill.

I) There is another depressing reality hidden within even the largest financial aid packages: Colleges often offer the most generous packages during freshman year as a way to attract new students. My family was careful to ask about the chances of financial aid being taken away after my freshman year. We were assured that, except for low grades or a raise in family income, no money would be taken away. We did not know to ask – and the school did not readily point out – that even if tuition rises, my financial aid package will stay the same. So when my university voted to raise tuition costs 3% at the end of my freshman year, my financial aid package remained the same and I was suddenly responsible for an additional $1,200 for the next year. The university administration will likely vote to raise costs at least once more before my graduation.

J) Yes, I chose to attend an expensive university far from my hometown. Yes, there were cheaper options. But there are promising students from struggling families across the nation who should not rule out their dream schools entirely. All things considered, I am paying significantly less than the ticket price of my university, and having an educational experience in Washington, D.C., that I would not have had anywhere else. As a low-income student from a down-and-out Rust Belt community, these educational experiences have enormous potential to brighten my future – and my family’s future.

K) The key is to make sure that students and their families understand that hidden costs exist, and that they may prove problematic. Fill out a more comprehensive checklist, and be wary of listed prices that seem too low. Understand just how complicated the financial aid process is.

L) Students and families must also understand their ability to self-advocate. They should not pay student bills or excess fees blindly. If something does not look right, ask about it. If it still doesn’t look right, negotiate it. In cases where parents are working multiple jobs, are less knowledgeable about college bureaucracies, have limited English language skills, or are not contributing financially to their child’s education, the burden of self-advocacy will fall on the student. I understand the difficulty, and the embarrassment. But it is necessary.

M) In the grand scheme of things, however, colleges also must come to understand that the hidden fees they ask for may prove unmanageable for the very kinds of low-income or first-generation students they are trying

desperately to attract.

36. Students’ financial aid remains unchanged even when tuition rises.

37. Students may not be able to enjoy their state benefits when they go to college out of the state.

38. The financial aid the author receives is supposed to cover all her college expenses.

39. When the person who damages dorm facilities is not identified, students are required to share the cost.

40. Though it is difficult and embarrassing, students should make inquiries about what fees they have to pay and why.

41. Today, many Americans have to go to college on student loans.

42. Receiving education in a private university in the nation’s capital may change the author’s future life and that of her family’s.

43. Students may no longer be qualified for financial aid if they perform poorly in school or if their family income has increased.

44. In addition to tuition, college students have to pay extra fees for the courses they take.

45. Some schools charge students a fee to their student accounts for using credit card to pay bills.

Section C

Directions: 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 One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

To write his 2010 book, The 5-Factor World Diet, nutritionist Harley Pasternak traveled to the healthiest countries around the world to learn more about what made their meals extra nourishing.

He noted that Japanese people eat a wonderful variety of seaweeds, and that Chinese people tried to include at least five different colors in every meal. Pasternak also came away with some valuable observations about how different the North American way of life was, compared with many other countries.

For starters, Americans eat much bigger portions than people in other countries. “We don’t prioritize eating seasonally or locally, and we also add lots of salt, sugar and thickening agents to our foods,” explained Pasternak. Contrast that to the healthy Mediterranean, Nordic and Okinawan diets listed in Pasternak’s book. They all seem to stick to an ethos (特质) of regional, seasonal produce.

For example, a traditional Mediterranean diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and olive oil was the main components of nutritional intake. Fish, chicken and red wine make moderate appearances, while red meat, salt and sugar are used much less often. The benefits of a traditional Mediterranean diet have been studied since the 1970s, and researchers have found that living that olive oil life can help people lose weight, lower their heart disease risk and reverse diabetes.

Most other healthy eating cultures also make meals an event – say, multiple courses around the family table, or a glass or two of red wine at a long lunch – as opposed to hastily wolfing down handfuls of cereal above the kitchen sink and calling it dinner.

Each of the healthy eating cultures has its own unique features. But Pasternak did take note of one unifying factor in all of the healthy societies he observed. “The only overlapping feature in most of these healthy countries is that they all walk way more than the average American,” said Pasternak. “So really, regardless of what you’re eating, if someone’s walking four miles more than you each day, they’re going to be a lot thinner and live a lot longer than you.”

46. What characterizes Japanese and Chinese foods?

A) Variety.

B) Flavor.

C) Color.

D) Naturalness.

47. What is typical of Americans in the way of eating?

A) They emphasize nutrition.

B) They tend to eat quite a lot.

C) They prioritize convenience.

D) They care about flavors.

48. What features in Mediterranean, Nordic and Okinawan diets?

A) Fruits and vegetables.

B) Olive oil and red wine.

C) Seasonal local produce.

D) Unprocessed ingredients.

49. What do people in most healthy eating cultures have in common?

A) They get the whole family to eat at a table.

B) They eat their meals regularly and punctually.

C) They consume plenty of cereal for breakfast.

D) They attach great importance to their meals.

50. Compared with the average American, people in healthy societies ______.

A) walk at least 4 miles a day

B) do considerably more walking

C) pay more attention to body shape

D) consume a lot more organic food

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Recognizing when a friend or colleague feels sad, angry or surprised is key to getting along with others. But a new study suggests that being sensitive to people’s feelings may sometimes come with an extra dose of stress. This and other research challenge the prevailing view that emotional intelligence is uniformly beneficial to its bearer.

In a study, psychologists Myriam Bechtoldt of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management in Germany asked 166 male university students a series of questions to measure their emotional intelligence. For example, they showed the students photographs of people’s faces and asked them to what extent feelings such as happiness or disgust were being expressed. The students then had to give job talks in front of judges who displayed serious facial expressions. The scientists measured concentrations of the stress hormones in the students’ saliva (唾液) before and after the talk.

In students who were rated more emotionally intelligent, the stress measures increased more during the experiment and took longer to go back to baseline. The findings suggest that some people may be too emotionally clever for their own good, says Bechtoldt. “Sometimes you can be so good at something that it causes trouble,” she notes.

Indeed, the study adds to previous research hinting at a dark side of emotional intelligence. A study published in 2002 in Personality and Individual Differences suggested that emotionally perceptive people might be particularly influenced by feelings of depression and hopelessness. Furthermore, several studies have implied that emotional intelligence can be used to manipulate others for personal gains.

More research is needed to see how exactly the relation between emotional intelligence and stress would play out in women and in people of different ages and education levels. Nevertheless, emotional intelligence is a useful skill to have, as long as you learn to also properly cope with emotions – both others’ and your own, says Bechtoldt. For example, some sensitive individuals may assume responsibility for other people’s sadness or anger, which ultimately stresses them out. Remember, as Bechtoldt says, “you are not responsible for how other people feel.”

51. What is the finding of the new study?

A) Emotional intelligence helps people get along with others.

B) Emotional intelligence is generally beneficial to its bearer.

C) People who are aware of others’ feelings may experience more stress.

D) People who are emotionally stressed may have trouble making friends.

52. What was the purpose of psychologist Myriam Bechtoldt’s experiment?

A) To define different types of human feelings.

B) To assess the impacts of being emotionally clever.

C) To demonstrate how to distinguish different feelings.

D) To identify gender differences in emotional intelligence.

53. What does the finding of Myriam Bechtoldt’s study indicate?

A) Greater emotional cleverness means less trouble in one’s life.

B) Emotional intelligence helps people succeed in job interviews.

C) People’s psychological wellbeing is related to various factors.

D) People may suffer from having a high emotional intelligence.

54. What do we learn about emotional intelligence from a number of studies?

A) People suffering from depression are emotionally immature.

B) People who look at the dark side of life often feel depressed.

C) Some people may take advantage of it and benefit themselves.

D) Some people may lack it and are easily manipulated by others.

55. What does the author suggest sensitive individuals do?

A) Avoid burdening themselves with others’ feelings.

B) Rid themselves of worries over worldly affairs.

C) Learn to cope with people’s negative feelings.

D) Help people to deal with their troubles in life.

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.

立春(Start of Spring)在中国农历中表示春天的开始。立春之后,白天变得更长,天气也愈发温暖;万物开始复苏,大地充满生机。人们常说“一年之计在于春”,农民在这个时节开始播种,为全年的丰收打下基础。中国人早在三千年前就已开始在立春这一天举行庆祝活动。数百年来,迎春一直是民间的重要习俗。在春暖花开的日子里,人们常常外出游玩,欣赏春天的美景。

四级英语真题试卷6

Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.

1. A) It studied the effects of exercise on sleep.

B) Its participants came from various walks of life.

C) Its findings confirmed those of previous studies.

D) It ran for as long as some thirty years.

2. A) Eating more vegetables instead of meats.

B) Drinking water instead of beverages with added sugar.

C) Consuming more energy drinks and sports drinks.

D) Forming the habit of exercising regularly.

【答案+原文】 D B

A new study finds that beverages containing added sugar might be harmful. In the study, researchers analyzed information from over eighty thousand women and thirty-seven thousand men. Participants worked in the health profession. 1) They were followed for approximately three decades. They completed surveys about their diet every four years. They also answered questions about sleep and exercise and health every two years. The more beverages containing added sugar that people drink, the greater their risk of death was during the study period. These beverages included soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks. Beverages like pure fruit juice, which are sweet but do not contain added sugar were not part of the study. The findings held even after the researchers considered other factors that could affect people’s health. These factors included lack of exercise and not eating enough vegetables. They also included consuming too much meat. 2) The scientists say that their results support limiting beverages with added sugar. They argue we should replace them with other drinks, with water being the best choice. However, the researchers admit this is simply their recommendation. The study found only an association. It did not prove that drinks with added sugar cause early death.

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.

1. What do we learn about the new study from the news report?

2. What is the scientists’ recommendation?

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

3. A) He asked them about his lost paintings.

B) He knew the owner of two missing paintings.

C) He left his paintings at a highway rest stop.

D) He found two 17th-century oil paintings.

4. A) They are imitations.

B) They are originals.

C) They were stolen by an Italian boy.

D) They came from the same artist.

【答案+原文】 D B

https://www.nbcnews.com

German police appealed Friday for information on about the possible owners of two 17th-century oil paintings. 3) Police said a 64-year-old man found the paintings in a garbage pile at a highway rest stop last month. He later handed them in to the Cologne police. 4) An initial assessment by an art expert concluded the two framed paintings were originals, police said. One is a landscape painted by the Italian artist Pietro Belloti, dating to 1665. The other is a painting of a boy by the 17th-century Dutch artist Samuel van Hoogstraten, date unknown. Their combined worth is estimated to be around one million euros. Authorities have not yet confirmed what will happen if the rightful owner is not found. Nevertheless, it is speculated that they could either be handed over to the National Art Museum of Cologne or sold to the public by the local government.

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

3. What did German police say about a 64-year-old man?

4. What is the art expert’s conclusion about the two framed paintings?

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.

5. A) Look after her grandfather.

B) Leave the remote cold region.

C) Save her sick grandmother.

D) Flee from the threat of bears.

6. A) She has to face a criminal charge.

B) She was found lying motionless in the snow.

C) She searched for her daughter in freezing cold.

D) She works in childcare services.

7. A) She was found in a forest after three days.

B) She lay totally unconscious for three days.

C) She suffered from the effects of severe cold.

D) She was finally rescued by her relatives.

【答案+原文】 C A C

5) A four-year-old girl has walked eight kilometres through a snowy forest to seek help for her sick grandmother, who later died of a heart attack. The young girl braved the threats of bears, wolves and temperatures far below freezing. She made the journey through a remote region in Siberia after waking up to find her grandmother motionless. Named locally as Carla, she lives alone with her elderly grandmother and her blind grandfather. 6) As a result, the girl’s mother is facing a criminal case. She stands accused of leaving a minor in danger in the care of the elderly. She also faces investigation from childcare services, who will also be asking why Carla was left alone with her vulnerable relatives.

The journey took place in February, when temperatures average -26°C. Russian reports on social media suggest the forest may have been as cold as -34°C. The journey was only recently confirmed by authorities.

7) But though she was suffering from the effects of extreme cold, the child reportedly suffered no life-threatening effects. Last year, a three-year-old boy survived alone for three days in a remote forest in the same region.

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.

5. What did the four-year-old girl attempt to do?

6. What do we learn from the news report about the girl’s mother?

7. What happened to the little girl according the news report?

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

8. A) She shows a real passion for taking photos.

B) She has just returned from her hometown.

C) She comes from the city of Cape Town.

D) She has a truly amazing appearance.

9. A) It is as famous as Cape Town.

B) It has a flat surface at the top.

C) It is green and free from pollution.

D) It was named by European settlers.

10. A) She has British ancestors.

B) She is of mixed blood.

C) She grew up in India.

D) She speaks several languages.

11. A) It is an extremely violent sport.

B) It is becoming a national sport.

C) It is originated in New Zealand.

D) It is more popular than football.

【答案+原文】 C B A D

W: I’ve made a new friend recently. Her name is Susan and she’s from South Africa. M: How did you meet her?

W: We met over Wechat. She has very cool photos on her social media. The photos of her hometown look amazing.

M: 8) What’s her hometown called?

W: It’s called Cape Town. It’s in the southwest of South Africa. She says it’s very green and windy.

The city was built by European settlers and there’s a big mountain that overlooks the city. 9) The mountain is called Table Mountain because it’s flat at the top.

M: That sounds interesting. What are the people there like?

W: Well, Susan says South Africa is very mixed. There are black people and white people and Indian people. 10) Susan is white. She says her ancestors were from Britain. Many languages are spoken in South Africa, but she only speaks English.

M: Didn’t South Africa host the Football World Cup a few years ago? They must play football a lot then, right?

W: 11) I think they play football but it’s not as popular as rugby.

M: Rugby? What’s rugby?

W: Rugby is a sport with two teams and the players carry the ball in their arms and throw it at each other. The ball is not round and the players push each other. I don’t really understand the rules. I think it’s very complicated.

M: That sounds like a very strange sport indeed. Is it only South Africa that plays it?

W: No. It’s also popular in Britain and in other former British colonies like Australia and New Zealand.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

8. What does the woman say about her new friend Susan?

9. What does the woman say about Table Mountain?

10. Why do we learn from the conversation about the woman’s friend Susan?

11. What does the woman say about rugby in South Africa?

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) Prepare a study guide.

B) Consult his advisors.

C) Go over his notes regularly.

D) Take stress-relief sessions.

13. A) His worksheets are terribly messy.

B) He finds the workload too heavy.

C) His study folder is badly disorganized.

D) He has difficulty taking notes quickly.

14. A) A visual learner.

B) An emotional learner.

C) An organized learner.

D) A logical learner.

15. A) Arrange them using color and pictures.

B) Restructure them in a logical way.

C) Commit them to memory after class.

D) Organize them into a well-connected story.

【答案+原文】 A C B A

M: Hi, Jennifer. I am really struggling with this semester’s workload. Do you have any advice?

W: 12) Have you considered making a study guide? It’s a tool you can make yourself to take the stress out of studying. I’ve been using one since the start of last semester, and it has really helped relieve lot of study pressure.

M: Sounds like just what I need. 13) My main problem is that my study folder is full of notes and

worksheets, and is badly disorganized. I don’t know where to start.

W: OK, well, the main thing is to have everything in the right place. Whatever you’re reviewing, it’s important that it’s arranged for your particular needs of that subject, and in the most user-friendly way you can. What kind of learner are you?

M: Um. I’m not sure.

W: Well, visual learners prefer using images, pictures, colors, and maps to organize information. Logical learners have a linear mind and would rather use logic, reasoning and systems. 14) I’m an emotional learner, which means I need to connect to information emotionally to understand it.

M: Oh, I’m very much dependent on vision as a way of taking in information.

W: Well, I suggest reorganizing your notes using color-coded sections in your study guides, or using idea mapping to lay out the information and make it more quickly accessible.

M: 15) So you think I should arrange my notes using color and pictures in places of text?

W: Yes. You’ll probably start to grasp information a lot quicker that way. As an emotional learner, I organize my notes into a story that I can connect to and recite to myself. M: That’s amazing. I didn’t know there were so many different ways to learn. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. What does the woman advise the man do?

13. What is the biggest problem the man has with his studies?

14. What kind of learner does the woman say she is?

15. What does the woman think the man can do with his notes?

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. A) It is mainly based on a society’s religion.

B) It is interpreted differently in different times.

C) It is a code of conduct based on laws and ethics.

D) It is a moral principle to guide people’s behavior.

17. A) It may lead to misunderstanding despite good intentions.

B) It assumes that human beings are all good-natured.

C) It may sometimes produce undesirable outcomes.

D) It fails to consider the complexity of human relationships.

18. A) The golden rule is often in conflict with certain laws and ethical principles.

B) The golden rule must sometimes give way to more important principles.

C) Failure to follow the golden rule may lead to violation of laws and ethics.

D) Observing the golden rule is the first step to becoming a responsible citizen.

【答案+原文】 D C B

16) The golden rule is a moral principle which states that you should treat others the way you

want to be treated yourself. For example, if you want people to treat you with respect, you should

treat them with respect. Different people tend to be exposed to different forms of the golden rule based on factors such as the religion in their society. However, all forms of the golden rule revolve around the same concept. Namely, they help you treat others better by using the way you yourself would want to be treated as a guide of how to behave. 17) A notable criticism of the golden rule is that its application can lead to undesirable outcomes when it conflicts with laws and ethical principles. For example, if someone breaks the law, the golden rule would suggest that we should let them go because we would not want to be punished ourselves. However, this issue with the golden rule can be dealt with in a general manner by viewing this principle as one of several principles that we use to guide our behavior as individuals and as a society. Specifically, in the example described above, most individuals and societies choose to place laws and ethical principles above the golden rule. 18) This means that they strive to implement the golden rule whenever possible as long as it doesn’t clash with a more important concept.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. What do we learn from the passage about the golden rule?

17. What is a notable criticism of the golden rule?

18. What does the example of someone breaking the law serve to show?

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. A) Many of them find it rather difficult to manage.

B) They have not seen as much diversity as desired.

C) Many of them have an increasingly diversified staff.

D) They have not quite grasped the concept of diversity.

20. A) Initiatives to achieve diversity in large corporations.

B) Advantages and disadvantages of a diversified team.

C) People’s attitudes towards diversity at the workplace.

D) Innovative ideas and solutions resulting from diversity.

21. A) People prefer to work with team members similar to themselves.

B) Employers attach great importance to their corporations’ diversity.

C) Employers differ from employees in their perspectives on diversity.

D) Doubts about the practicability of diversity are gradually disappearing.

【答案+原文】 B C A

Today many large corporations stress the importance of diversity on their websites. 19) But current statistics show that the typical manager in America still tends to be white and male. Obviously, the desire to bring about diversity has not translated into corporate reality. Why is this? 20) A team of researchers from the University of Basel published their new study about people’s attitudes towards diversity at work. They found that people have a wide range of opinions concerning diversity. On the one hand, many see value in diversity, which can contribute a variety of perspectives, encourage new ideas, and generate innovative solutions. On the other hand, they assume that it might be difficult to work with someone who has completely different views, speaks a different language or has a different style of work. The actual value they attribute to diversity depends on the decision-making perspective. Doubts about the practicability of diversity have a greater weight. 21) If a person is directly affected, in other words, when a person’s own workgroup is involved, they tend to prefer team members who are similar to themselves. But when people make decisions for others, they typically put together a more diverse team. These findings could help organizations become more diverse. Companies need to pay attention to who makes hiring and team decisions. These decisions should not only be made by those directly affected. People who are not directly in volved in the group’s daily work should also take part.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. What do we learn from the current statistics about diversity in large corporations?

20. What is the newly published study focused on?

21. What do the findings of the new study show?

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. A) Choosing the best time for signing a business contract.

B) Changing one’s form of communication from time to time.

C) Laying equal stress on written and spoken communication.

D) Using different forms of communication appropriately.

23. A) They are regarded as seriously binding.

B) They are seldom honored by business partners.

C) They are taken as memos of understanding.

D) They are to be confirmed in written form.

24. A) It has reached the highest level of evolution.

B) It places a high value on written contracts.

C) It regards written contracts as unalterable.

D) It has seen a decline in verbal agreements.

25. A) Its details cannot be renegotiated.

B) It has to be carried out to the letter.

C) It strengthens business partnerships.

D) Its terms may not be strictly binding.

【答案+原文】 D A B D

Communication can essentially be divided into two categories: the written and the spoken. How the balance is struck between these two forms of communication? The point at which one needs to be exchanged for another really depends on individual cultures. 22) Understanding when it’s appropriate to exchange one form for another can be a major key to success in international business. Many cultures place a much greater value on the spoken word than the American working culture does. 23) In parts of the Middle East, you’ll find spoken word agreements are seen as seriously binding. A person’s word is linked to their honor, so verbal agreements are seen as important, whereas written contracts are taken as memos of understanding. 24) Western working culture tends to place a high value on the written word, and this reaches its highest level of intensity when it comes to contracts. In the U.S., France and Germany, written contracts tend to be seen as something that must be strictly carried out. By contrast, other cultures may not see written contracts as quite so binding. It can prove a challenge to Western businesses if your business partner wants to renegotiate terms that you thought were already agreed on. 25) For example, a Japanese firm may have signed a contract, but they may not feel bound by every detail of it, particularly if circumstances later change. Such differences in value that different working cultures place on the written word tend to cause many problems when it comes to business relationships.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. What is a major key to success in the international business according to the passage?

23. What does the passage say about spoken word agreements in some Middle East countries?

24. What do we learn about the Western working culture?

25. How does a Japanese firm tend to view a written contract?

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

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.

You might think of your teeth as tools, like built-in knives and forks. But if they are mere tools, why do teeth feel pain and wouldn’t it be better if they could just chew under any conditions? In spite of our dental discomfort, it turns out there’s a good reason our teeth are so sensitive.

Tooth pain is a defense mechanism that ensures when a tooth is being damaged. We’ll notice and do something about it.

If you eat something too hot or too cold, or if the tooth is worn down enough where the tissue underneath is exposed, all of those things cause pain, and then the pain causes the person not to use that tooth to try to protect it a little bit more. So it’s really a protective mechanism more than anything else. If teeth didn’t feel pain, we might continue to use them in situations that damage them. And for humans, damaging adult teeth is a problem because, unlike crocodiles, we can’t replace them.

Teeth have three layers, only one of which — the innermost layer of the tooth hurt, as that layer of the tooth contains both blood vessels and nerves. Pain is the only feeling to which the nerves in that layer respond. Whereas people with tooth sensitivity may complain, for example, of tooth pain triggered by heat or cold, the nerves in the inner layer don’t sense temperature. Rather, they feel pain, which may be associated with, say, drinking something very cold.

A) adult B) associated C) chew D) contains E) continue F) defense G) dental H) downward

I) emotional J) implies K) mammal L) replace M) swallow N) triggered O) underneath

【参考答案】 CGFOE ALDNB

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

How to determine if a company is a good fit for you

A) 39) On paper, the job seemed perfect for me: The position was completely in line with my degree, the duties and responsibilities were compatible with my interests and the office maintained a well-stocked kitchen that would satisfy my every snack desire.

B) Sounds like my dream job, right? There was only one small problem: I simply didn’t get along with the company culture. They favored a more rigid, closed-door, corporate atmosphere, when I would have preferred something more collaborative and open. They were complete clock watchers, when I would have liked a more flexible schedule. To put it plainly, we just weren’t on the same page.

C) When it comes to looking for a new job, you already know that a big part of the interview process involves the company evaluating whether or not you’re a good fit for their open role. But, it’s important to keep in mind that the employer isn’t the only one who needs to identify a good match – you should be looking for that same exact thing. 44) Company culture can have a big impact on how you feel about your work, so you want to make sure you sign an offer letter with an organization you’re truly excited about.

D) 37) However, figuring out what a company is like before you actually work there can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to determine whether or not a company is a good fit for you – before you ever sign your name on that dotted line.

E) 42) First of all, know what you want. It’s hard to make any decisions when you don’t really know what you’re looking for. So before you can determine whether you and a specific company would be compatible together, it’s important to have a solid handle on what exactly you want from your employer. Many of us have an easier time identifying the things that we absolutely don’t want. If those are the only things you can think of, don’t worry! That’s still a good place to start.

F) 40) Start by writing down the things you didn’t like about previous employers, as well as the parts you really valued. There’s no wrong answer here – so from big things to small details, write it all down on your list. This will help you immediately identify what you’re looking for in an organization, as well as the things you’re trying to stay far, far away from.

G) Do your research. Now comes the part when you put on your detective hat and do a little digging. The Internet will be your best friend when you’re trying to familiarize yourself with a company’s culture before ever walking through their office doors. 36) And where exactly should you look for these culture clues? Start with the most obvious place first: the company’s website. Read through their copy and blog. Do they use formal, direct language? Or is it casual, conversational, and maybe even a little humorous? This can be a big indicator of what sort of atmosphere a workplace is trying to cultivate.

H) Next, turn your attention toward their social media outlets. Are they sharing photos of their team’s Thursday afternoon chili cook-off or Halloween costume contest on Instagram? Or are their social media accounts strictly reserved for company related announcements and product launches?

I) A site like Glassdoor is another spot to check in order to find some insider information about what you can expect about a company. 43) However, remember to take the reviews you read with a grain of salt – many of them are written by scorned employees.

J) Finally, you can never fail with personal connections. 45) Send a quick message to a current or previous company employee on Twitter or LinkedIn and ask if he or she would be willing to have a quick conversation with you about the organization in general. If you get a yes to your request for a chat? You’ll be armed with some pretty powerful and helpful information heading into your interview!

K) Ask questions. 41) You know that part at the end of a job interview when the hiring manager asks if you have any questions, and you just stare across the table blankly with your mouth hanging open? That’s the perfect opportunity to speak up and get your burning company culture questions answered! So yes, you can definitely ask your interviewer about what it’s like to work for that particular organization. Simple questions like, “What three words would you use to describe the culture here?” or “What’s your favorite part about working for this company?” can reveal a lot about what it’s really like behind closed doors. Still not sure what to ask? Try this article for help.

L) Prioritize your values. What does my dream company culture look like? Well, I could come and go as I please, as long as I was getting the work done. My boss would genuinely listen to and value all of my ideas and suggestions. My co-workers would all be friendly with one another, without ever falling into the office gossip trap. The kitchen would have endless options of pizza and cookies. Oh, and they’d give me two months of paid vacation with an very generous salary.

M) What are my chances of finding all of those things with one employer? Slim to none – believe me, I’ve looked. This is why it’s so important to know which aspects of a company’s culture you value most. Is it an open communication style or a flexible schedule? Focus on the top spots on your priority list, and ensure a potential employer at least checks those boxes. 38) Unfortunately, this is reality, you can’t have everything you want but a few are certainly achievable.

N) When you’re hunting for a new job, you already know that the employer is trying to decide whether or not you’re a good fit for the position. But you should also look at the process through a similar lens. You may not be the one conducting the actual interview, but you’re still trying to determine whether or not company is a good fit for you.

O) Keep these tips in mind to figure out whether you and a potential employer are a perfect match or just a recipe (方案) for disaster. After all, it’s a good thing to know before actually accepting an offer.

36. Clues about the culture of a company can be found on its website.

37. It can be difficult to know the real situation in a company until you become part of it.

38. It is impossible for a job applicant to have every expectation met.

39. Simply by reading its description, the author found the job offered ideal.

40. Job applicants are advised to make a written list of their likes and dislikes in their previous employment.

41. At the end of an interview, a job applicant should seize the opportunity to get answers to their urgent questions.

42. To begin with, job applicants should be clear what they expect from their future employer.

43. Job applicants should read with a critical eye what is written about a company on the website.

44. Job satisfaction has a lot to do with company culture.

45. A chat with an insider of a company can give job applicants very useful information when they prepare for an interview.

【参考答案】 GDMAF KEICJ

Section C

Directions: 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 One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage. https://thedailyaztec.com

Online classes began to be popularized just a few decades ago. They are advertised as a way for adults to finish their education and students to learn the material at their own pace – it is far more compatible for people with busy schedules.

But after being enrolled in an online course last fall semester, I came to realize online classes were merely a means to fulfill course requirements.

46) First of all, students lack the desire to learn and they simply complete their assignments to receive credit for a passing grade rather than genuinely engage with the course material.

As online courses tend to have more than 100 students, most of the assignments are short and simple. 47) They are not designed for students to interact with the material in depth but designed to be graded easily to accommodate such a large number of students.

48) Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of taking an online class is the absence of face-to-face interaction between the teacher and their students. Live sessions are infrequent and are often scheduled during the middle of the day when students have to attend other classes or work. The office hours of the professor may also be during inconvenient times for many students as well. Most interaction with the professor has to be through email which is often impersonal. It is nearly impossible for students to build a relationship with their professor.

There is also little interaction amongst students. It can be harder for students to create study groups and form relationships with their peers.

49) Online classes also require either a computer or laptop and a reliable internet connection. Not all students have access to these types of resources, whether it is for financial or other reasons, and some students can be put at a disadvantage.

Offering online classes certainly helps students who would otherwise not be able to attend classroom sessions. 50) However, they fail to provide a genuine education with an emphasis on

convenience rather than critical thinking. We need restructured online classes in which students can have a learning experience that will actually provide quality education.

46. What does the author say about students enrolled in online classes?

A) They can access course materials easily.

B) They are unmotivated to learn.

C) They can learn at their own pace.

D) They rarely fulfil the course requirements.

47. What does the author think of online course assignments?

A) They are made convenient to mark.

B) They are meant to facilitate interaction.

C) They are based on easily accessible material.

D) They are given to accommodate students’ needs.

48. What does the author say is one disadvantage of online classes?

A) They are frequently scheduled at irregular times.

B) They make professors’ offices much less accessible.

C) They tend to increase professors’ burden of responding to students’ emails.

D) They provide little chance for students to build relationships with each other.

49. What problem may arise if classes go online?

A) More students may find it easy to be absent from them.

B) Teachers will worry about poor internet connections.

C) Some students may have difficulty attending them.

D) Schools with limited resources will be at a disadvantage.

50. What does the author think constitutes a key part of genuine education?

A) Acquisition of useful knowledge.

B) Training of real-life skills on campus.

C) Development of students’ personalities.

D) Cultivation of analytical thinking ability.

【参考答案】 B A D C D

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage. https://www.science.org

In the age of the internet, there’s no such thing as a private debate. But is that bad for science? Some scientists have had concerns. 51) When debates in any sector move beyond the halls of universities and government agencies, there is potential for information to be used incorrect leading to public confusion: yet, open debate can also promote communication between scientific community and the public. Recent open debates on scientific research, health, and policy have aroused greater public attention and encouraged more diverse voices. If this trend spurs scientists to agree more quickly about the best solutions to our problems – and at the same time helps the public observe the process of scientific discourse more clearly – then this is good for everyone, including scientists.

A recent debate published in The New York Times discussed the question of how quickly medicine should be developed and produced. Issues such as safety of the product and perception of the public were examined and considered. 52) But some experts worried that such public speculation might lead people to believe that disagreement about the details meant a lack of adequate scientific consensus over the safety and efficiency of modern-day vaccine.

The anxiety seems misplaced. Gone are the days of going to a conference and debating about scientific issues, and that’s good because those gatherings were not diverse enough and excluded many important voices. 53) These days, the public can access debates about science regardless of where they take place.

54) For many scientists, public debate is a new frontier and it may feel like a place with few restrains or rules, but rather than avoiding such conversations, let the debates be transparent and vigorous, wherever they take place. 55) If the public is to understand that science is an honorably self-correcting process, the idea that science is a fixed set of facts in a textbook needs to be dismissed. With the validity of science coming under attack, there’s a need for scientific debates to be perceived as open and true to life. Let everyone see the noisy, messy deliberations that advance science and lead to decisions that benefit us all.

51. What does the author think open debate can do?

A) Help the public to better understand science.

B) Clear up confusion in the scientific community.

C) Settle disputes between universities and government agencies.

D) Prevent information from being used incorrectly by the public.

52. Why did a recent debate published in The New York Times arouse concerns among experts?

A) It might hinder the progress in medical research.

B) It might breed public distrust in modern medicine.

C) It might add to the difficulty of getting research funds.

D) It might prevent medical scientists reaching consensus.

53. Why does the author say some experts’ anxiety seems misplaced?

A) Debating scientific issues at a conference is now old-fashioned.

B) Diverse topics can be debated by both scientists and the public.

C) Debates about science are accessible to the public anyway.

D) Scientists can voice their opinions whatever way they like.

54. What does the author suggest scientists do about public debate?

A) Have more discussions about it.

B) Embrace it with open arms.

C) Formulate new rules for it.

D) Restrain it to a rational degree.

55. What does the author say about science in the last paragraph?

A) It is transmitted through textbooks.

B) It is what proves valid and true to life.

C) It is a dynamic and self-improving process.

D) It is a collection of facts and established rules.

【参考答案】 A B C B C

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.

从前有个人养了一群羊。一天早上他准备出去放羊,发现少了一只。他仔细一看,

看到羊栏上有个窟窿。显然,夜间有狼钻进羊圈叼走了羊。邻居劝他修羊栏,可是他不听。

第二天,他发现狼又通过窟窿叼走一只羊。他想起邻居的话,就赶快 上窟窿,把羊栏补好。此后,他的羊再也没有被狼叼走。

故事告诉我们:出了问题及时补救,可以防止蒙受更大损失。

There was once a man who raised a flock of sheep. One morning, when he was ready to graze the sheep/let the sheep out to pasture, he discovered/noticed that one of his sheep was missing. He looked closer and found that there was a hole in the fold. Obviously, during the night, a wolf entered through that hole and brought the sheep away/carried away the sheep in its mouth.

His neighbor advised him to fix/repair the sheepfold, but he wouldn’t listen/ignored.

The next/following day, he discovered that a wolf brought the sheep away/carried away a sheep in its mouth again. The man remembered what his neighbor said and covered/blocked the hole up right away/immediately. From then on, no more sheep was carried away by a wolf.

The story tells us: Remedy a problem promptly when it has developed would avoid/prevent us from suffering greater losses.

Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions: Suppose you are going to write a proposal to your school clinic for improving its service. You are to write about its current problems and possible solutions to these problems. You

will have 30 minutes to write the proposal. You should write at least 120 words but no more than

180 words.

Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

四级英语真题试卷7

Part Ⅰ Writing

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on the use of translation apps. You can start your essay with the sentence “The use of translation apps is becoming increasingly popular.” You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

【参考范文】

The use of translation apps is becoming increasingly popular. Consequently, people are getting more opportunities to speak or meet another language but their own mother tongue with the development of the economy. Undoubtedly, an app of translation is crucial for people who cannot handle the language perfectly. But the viewpoints are split one whether this kind of apps are wholly a good thing.

Where there is a light, there is a shadow. Some people argue that a translation app will bridge them with the native speakers adequately no matter who will be a traveler or a businessman. It will pose a huge threat for people who cannot understand what they say. Fortunately, everyone will interact richly with the apps like this. On the other hand, some people think that the translations app cannot fully create and convey the feelings on the authentic language. As a result, it will bring more misunderstandings. Besides, the opponents take the point of view that people will be more over-reliant on the mobile-phones and Internet.

Form where I stand, I would take the translation on this kind of apps as a reference rather than a kind of dependence. The most effective and beneficial way to express yourself and communicate with a foreigner is to improve one’s ability to exert this unfamiliar language. As an old saying goes is Practice makes perfect.

【参考译文】

在经济飞速发展的当下,人们有越来越多的机会使用外语。所以对那些外语说的没有那么好的人来说,一款翻译软件就至关重要。可是人们对这款软件却有不同的看法。

凡事皆有两面,有些人觉得这样的软件可以很好地沟通人们,不管你是旅行或者和一个外国人谈生意。如果语言不通会造成很大困扰,但有了这样的软件,大家的交流会更顺畅从而提高效率。但是另一方面,有些人会觉得这种软件有时候不能准确地表情达意从而造成误会,再者,这会使人过分依赖手机和网络。

于我而言, 我觉得更好的是把这些软件里的翻译当作一种参考,而不应过度相信和使用。最有效和有用的提高个人表达自己和与外国人沟通能力的方式就是学会去掌握这门陌生语言。所谓熟能生巧。

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

News Report 1

… parts of Scotland covered by the orange alert to avoid travel on Wednesday, ‘ this is what he said to us. The orange warning may be raised to red in some areas. That is a warning for snow that has never been seen since the modern system came into place in Scotland. The orange warning has been extended until 6 p.m. on Thursday. Trains, planes and ferries are also likely to be affected, with wind chill that could see parts of Britain feeling as cold as -15℃. The head of road policing said, ‘I would urge drivers to take extra care on the roads for their journeys. Drivers should make sure they are prepared for their journey with warm clothing, food and drink, sufficient fuel and a charged mobile phone. There could be significant traffic delays, so please start to plan your journey now to consider if you really need to travel on conditions of this …

Questions 1 to 2 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question 1: What were people at parts of Scotland advised to do?

Question 2: What did the head of road policing urge drivers to do?

News Report 2

Romania’s wetlands are coming back to life, thanks to help from local communities, the World Wildlife Fund and funding from the European Union. Roughly 2,224 acres of the picturesque Danube Delta – home to 300 species of birds – have filled with wildlife. The land has been connected to the network of lakes and streams in the area. ‘A lot of birds have migrated to the area and one doesn’t need to travel long hours anymore or go to other lakes to watch the birds, ‘ says Ion Meuta, Deputy Mayor of Mahmudia. The area around Mahmudia, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the third-most biodiverse in the world, after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands. Groups used earth-moving equipment to restore the waterways. Government officials proposed to protect the area’s endangered wild fish by issuing a fishing ban over the next decade.

Questions 3 to 4 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question3: What is the news report mainly about?

Question4: What did government’s officials propose to do to protect the endangered fish?

News Report 3

Scott Dunn, recently awoke from a medically-induced sleep he’d been in after a car accident. He was heartbroken after realizing he’d missed his high school graduation. His classmates decided to give him a second chance. It was just a month ago that East Juniata High School seniors met in the school’s auditorium for graduation. And last week, they did it again. Scott’s car accident was on May 22nd, just 3 days before the ceremony. “I remember waking up in the hospital and asking mom, ‘What day it was’, she told me it was the 28th.” He said, “I looked at her and said, ‘I missed my graduation.” The school’s principal, Mr. Fausey, called Scott’s mom Karen and said that everybody wants to do something special for him. Students wore their caps and gowns and sat in the front of the auditorium. Scott’s parents, Karen and Scott Senior, sat front and center. After brief speeches, Scott’s name was called, only Scott’s name. He walked across the stage as the audience cheered. A graduation for one. “I’m speechless,” Scott said. “I don’t know how to even explain it. I’m speechless to know that so many people are behind me.”

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question5: What happened to Scot a month ago?

Question6: What did Scot ask about when he regained consciousness?

Question7: Why was Scot speechless at the graduation ceremony?

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear some 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 line through the centre.

Conversation One

M:How do you like your new flexible work in arrangement? Do you enjoy working from home?

W:Yes and no, I find an isolation challenging at times, apart from my mother, not too many people I know, have time for phone chat during working hour. I tried the library but found I wasn’t really keen on working there.

M:No, neither would I. I find the library a bit too quiet. I’d lack inspiration or stimulation, which would be counter-productive to getting a lot of work done.

W:I found the same thing. So, lately, I’ve been going out to Cafes occasionally, I love the noise, the people, the busyness of a Café, the sense of being out in the world.

M: Coffee shops seem to have affectively become off spaces for so many people in this digital age. Though I’m not sure how Café owners feel about it – having so many people who go to that places to work rather than drink and eat.

W:Yes, some people seem to spend a lot of time there and not order much. The most annoying one for Café owners must truly be those, usually only two of them, who occupy a table for six with their laptops and paperwork.

M:They should sit at a table for two, not the table for six. Some obviously stay so long, they need to plug the laptops into a power adapter. I nearly tripped over someone’s computer electrical lead the other day in my local café.

W:It’s a double-edged sword, no doubt about that, for a Café owner. While remote workers help to keep the café full in quiet times, they can take up valuable table space and busy period.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question8. What does the woman say is the disadvantage of working from home?

Question9. What does the man say is counter-productive to getting work done in the library?

Question10. What does the woman like about doing one’s work in a café?

Question11. What is most annoying for café owners according to the woman?

Conversation Two

W: I’m going to start working for another job. I can’t see myself getting an opportunity to progress on my company anytime in the near future. And I really think my skills and abilities deserve a higher salary.

M: You are not going to quit, are you?

W: I’m thinking I might as well. Then I can devote more time and energy to find me a better position at another company.

M: But you’ve been in your present company less than two years, haven’t you? This would be the third time you’ve left your job in the last five years. If you do several jobs in a relatively short span of time, perspective employers might see that you lack loyalty. That could make them worry and reluctant to employ you.

W: Unfortunately, loyalty doesn’t pay. Even if I get a promotion at my company, it’s likely to be less sizeable than if I were to get a job elsewhere. And even if I get a promotion, I’m not guaranteed to get a raise. I had that experience at another company I worked up.

M: They want you to take on more work and responsibility but for the same amount of money?

W: More or less, yes. The way I see it, through having different jobs, I’ve got a lot of experience, and different jobs and in different industries.

M: But potential employers might worry about that experience is not deep, or thorough enough.

W: Perhaps, but I feel pretty confident that I can sell myself. You know what they say, fortune favors the brave.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question12: What makes the woman think about changing her job?

Question13: What does the man say about people who keep changing their jobs?

Question14: What does the woman say would happen even if she got promoted in her current company?

Question15: What benefit has the woman gain from changing her jobs frequently?

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three 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 ques- tion, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D) . Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

There is a saying that goes something along the lines of ‘You must love yourself first before you can love someone else.’ Similarly, I personally believe that you must be comfortable and happy in your own company before you can truly be yourself in the company of others. There is a massive difference between being lonely and being alone. Loneliness is a horrible feeling. However, you don’t have to actually be alone to feel that way. Many times, I’ve felt lonely when surrounded by a big group of people. In contrast, being alone can actually be a blessing, particularly, when you’ve actively chosen it. In my experience, being bored and alone is dangerous and can easily lead to the feeling of loneliness. The trick is to be active. Get outside, stretch your legs, do something cultural, buy yourself something tasty to eat or something pretty to wear. You don’t have to take anyone else into consideration and can do whatever you please. Spending time alone also allows you to more efficiently take care of problems. And then, when it’s time to be social and meet up with your friends, you will be fully there, because you won’t have too much other stuff floating around in your mind. Having been alone for a bit, you will also appreciate your friends’ company more and chances are your time spent together will be more worthwhile.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question 16: What does the speaker say about being alone?

Question 17: What does the speaker say how to reduce one’s feeling of loneliness?

Question 18: What is an advantage of spending one’s time alone?

Passage Two

When I turned twelve, I worked summers at my father’s small brick cleaning business. I remember the harsh acid smell of the cleaning solution, and the scraping sound of stiff iron brushes against rough brick. It was tempting to have your job just finish. But anybody who worked for Thomas Kahoon had to meet his standards, and that include of me. If I messed up, he made me stay late until I got it right.

My father wasn’t been me. He demanded the same at himself. Every brick he cleaned on the house stood out like a red jewel in a white setting. It was his signature.

In 1970, when I was twenty, I got married. I moved out my parent’s modest place into a housing project.

Drugs and gang violent were just beginning to plague the projects.

Some of my friend went to jail. Some were killed. My wife Verllen, was 18, and nobody gave our marriage a chance. But we believed in each other. And our faith made us strong.

When we married, I worked as a stock clerk at Southwest Super Food. It was hard, tedious work. Each Friday night a truck came, with cases of food that had to be unloaded, priced and placed on shelves.

Most of stock clerks try to get Friday night off. But I was always ready to work. By Saturday morning, all the kinds and drawers in my aisle would place with a label facing smartly out, like a line of soldiers on review. That was my signature. I took pride in a job nobody wanted.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question 19. What do we learn about the speaker’s father?

Question 20. What does the speak say about the housing project?

Question 21. What do we learn about the speaker as a stock clerk?

Passage Three

Watching more than 3 hours of television a day doubles memory loss in older people, a new study of more than 3,000 adults suggests. Scientist at University College London used memory and fluency tests on the same group of people 6 years apart. They found that those who watched on average less than 3 hours television a day showed a decline ever round 4 to 5 percent, while those who tended to watch more than 3 hours a day declined by an average of 8 to 10 percent. The research team say they believe the alert but passive nature of television watching maybe creating stress on the mind, which contributes to memory decline.

Older people who watch more television are also less likely to undertake activities knowing to preserve mental functioning, such as reading or interactive screen base pursuits, such as using the internet or playing video games. The researchers say that television viewing maybe a risk factor for all Alzheimer’s disease, but more researches needed to establish a link.

While watching television may have educational benefits and relaxation benefits, the researchers advise that adults over the age of 50 should try and ensure that television viewing is balanced with other contrasting activities. If you’re concerned that the amount of television you’re watching could have a negative impact on your health, you should eliminate the amount of TV watch each day and undertake some healthy hobbies.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question22. By what means does scientist at University College London measure memory lost?

Question23. What contributed to memory decline in the participants?

Question24. What did the researchers say about their finding concerning the link between TV viewing and xxx this disease?

Question25. What do the researchers suggest older people do?

Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

选词填空

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.

Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.

“Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated.” Those were the words uttered by pioneering British scientist Rosalind Franklin, who firmly believed that the pursuit of science should be (26) to all.

As a woman working in the first half of the 20th century, Franklin’s contributions to some of the greatest scientific discoveries of our time – including the structure of DNA – were sadly (27) in her lifetime. One of my proudest moments in my role as universities and science minister was being able to go some way to redress this injustice last month, by unveiling the new Mars rover named after this brilliant British scientist.

Today, on International Women’ s Day, it is only right that we recognize the important work of female scientists like Franklin and seek to honour her memory by inspiring more women and girls to follow in her footsteps.

More than 60 years after Franklin’ s death, we are (28) living in a different world, where women play an important part in every echelon of our society-not least in science, innovation, higher education and research.

UK universities are world leaders when it comes to advancing and (29) gender equality. The Athena SWAN charter, initially established to improve the representation of women in scientific disciplines in higher education, now has 145 members. It has also expanded to promote gender equality in multiple disciplines-including the arts, social sciences, humanities, business and law.

In the past decade, we have seen a (30) increase in England in the number of women accepted on to full-time undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem subjects). And in the last academic year, women (31) for more than half of all Stem postgraduates at UK universities. The government is taking further steps to improve women’ s representation in science and has today awarded nine inspiring women £50,000 to develop inventions to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities we face as a society. From new materials to cut down on plastics pollution to special devices to improve posture and comfort for wheelchair users, these women are at the forefront of creating the new technology for tomorrow.

This is significant progress, but access to higher education is only half of the equation. To have real equality in the sector, we need to ensure talented women are able to progress into the academic and leadership roles they desire, and get the remuneration they deserve.

Data shows us the (32) to success gets harder for women to climb the further up they go.

Although women make up the majority of undergraduates in our universities, just under half of academic staff are female. At (33) levels, only a quarter of professors are women, and black women make up less than 2% of all female academic staff.

I welcome the introduction of pro-active strategies like the new initiative at the University of Leicester, which I am visiting today, to increase the number of female professors by 1.5% each year, with the overall goal of having 30% professorships held by women by 2020.

There are also stark differences in pay across grades. The gender pay gap based on median salaries across the sector in 2016-17 was 13.7%, (34) there is still some way to go to ensure women are rising through the ranks to higher grade positions and being paid (35) .

【参考答案】

26. A) accessible

27. J) overlooked

28. O) thankfully

29. K) promoting

30. E) considerable

31. B) accounted

32. G) ladder

33. L) senior

34. N) suggesting

35. D) appropriately

【答案解析】

26. 答案: A) accessible 可接近的,可达到的,容易理解的

解析:首先知道,本段第一句就说到科学对于生活的重要性。然后看一下空格前后的内容,判断此题在句子中充当的成分,should be 后边要么是分词,要么是形容词。她认为追求科学是大家都应该能做到的。accessible意思完全符合。

27. 答案: J)overlooked 被忽视的

解析:看到空前单词sadly,说明此处应该是一个负面的词,句子主干是说,她的贡献很遗憾被____,被动语态,overlooked完全吻合。

28. 答案: O)thankfully 感激地,高兴地

解析:看空格所在句子是一个完整的句子,所以应该是填写副词,而后where说明了我们生活的世界女性重要,所以,空格词是正向的。thankfully符合句意。

29. 答案:K) promoting 促进

解析:此空内容与and前的“advancing前进的”并列,所以是一个同性的词,并且是正向的,意思一致的,只有promoting合适。

30. 答案: E)considerable 相当大的,重要的

解析:根据29题前的内容,说英国大学在推动性别平等方面是世界性领导者,而此处说,在过去的十几年里,我们看到了在英格拉看到了____的增加在女性的进步方面。肯定是巨大的,大幅度的,才符合。所以选considerable。

31. 答案:B) accounted 认为;account for 占…比例;对…负责

解析:这个选项比较好选,妇女___了一半以上的人数,肯定是占了多少人数。与for搭配,比较选项只有account for合适,然后看时态,过去时,符合语法规则。

32. 答案: G)ladder 梯子,阶梯

解析:分析空格的内容,发现句子缺少主语名词,而主语主修饰的词是“成功”,后边女性要攀爬,女性攀爬成功的_____越来越难,又是名词,只能选ladder。

33. 答案: L)senior 高级的,年迈的,有经验的

解析:分析空格,应该是形容词。后边说,虽然学校里女性多,但是只有四分之一的女性教授,表明女性攀爬成功的阶梯越来越难。对比选项,只有L最合适。因此,选senior。

34. 答案:N) suggesting 表明,暗示

解析:看下段首句,降到工资不平等问题。后边说确保女性工资增长还有一段路要走,前后衔接,对比剩下的选项,suggesting表明,意味着,符合句意。

35. 答案:D) appropriately 适当的,合适的

解析:空前说,女性需要提升更高级别的地位,并且被___的付工资。争取平等,争取合理保障,工资合理。appropriately 最符合句意。

四级英语真题试卷8

Section I: 听力理解 (30%)

(25) a) He is a professional athlete.

b) He is a full-time student.

c) He is a part-time salesperson.

d) He is a full-time employee.

(26) a) The book is very interesting.

b) The book is very difficult.

c) The book is not exciting enough.

d) The book is too long.

(27) a) He prefers to stay at home rather than go out.

b) He enjoys going to the gym three times a week.

c) He is always too tired to exercise.

d) He never exercises because he dislikes it.

Section II: 阅读理解 (35%)

(28) a) They provide necessary vitamins and minerals for the body.

b) They help control the amount of fat in the body.

c) They are essential for maintaining good health.

d) They help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

(29) a) They are not as effective as taking medication.

b) They may cause side effects in some people.

c) They are only useful for treating minor injuries.

d) They are not recommended for people with allergies.

Section III: 词汇与语法 (10%)

(30) “I’m sorry, but I can’t _____ to finish this project in a week.”

a. promise

b. agree

c. afford

d. plan

Section IV: 翻译 (25%)

(31) 请将以下中文句子翻译成英文:

“他是一个出色的演讲者,能够吸引听众的注意力。”

“He is an excellent speaker who can captivate the audience’s attention.”

Section V: 写作 (15%)

(32) 题目:我的理想家庭生活

内容要求:描述你理想中的家庭生活,包括家庭成员、居住环境、日常活动等,并解释为什么这是你理想中的家庭生活。

四级英语真题试卷9

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following topic. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Suppose a foreign friend of yours is coming to visit your hometown, what is the most interesting place you would like to take him/her to see and why?

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)

Section A

Directions: 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) See a doctor about her strained shoulder.

B) Use a ladder to help her reach the tea.

C) Replace the cupboard with a new one.

D) Place the tea on a lower shelf next time.

2. A) At Mary Johnson’s. C) In an exhibition hall.

B) At a painter’s studio. D) Outside an art gallery.

3. A) The teacher evaluated lacks teaching experience.

B) She does not quite agree with what the man said.

C) The man had better talk with the students himself.

D) New students usually cannot offer a fair evaluation.

4. A) He helped Doris build up the furniture.

B) Doris helped him arrange the furniture.

C) Doris fixed up some of the bookshelves.

D) He was good at assembling bookshelves.

5. A) He doesn’t get on with the others. C) He has been taken for a fool.

B) He doesn’t feel at ease in the firm. D) He has found a better position.

6. A) They should finish the work as soon as possible.

B) He will continue to work in the garden himself.

C) He is tired of doing gardening on weekends.

D) They can hire a gardener to do the work.

7. A) The man has to get rid of the used furniture.

B) The man’s apartment is ready for rent.

C) The furniture is covered with lots of dust.

D) The furniture the man bought is inexpensive.

8. A) The man will give the mechanic a call.

B) The woman is waiting for a call.

C) The woman is doing some repairs.

D) The man knows the mechanic very well.

Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

9. A) She had a job interview to attend.

B) She was busy finishing her project.

C) She had to attend an important meeting.

D) She was in the middle of writing an essay.

10. A) Accompany her roommate to the classroom.

B) Hand in her roommate’s application form.

C) Submit her roommate’s assignment.

D) Help her roommate with her report.

11. A) Where Dr. El(房源)lis’s office is located. C) Directions to the classroom building.

B) When Dr. Ellis leaves his office. D) Dr. Ellis’s schedule for the afternoon.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) He finds it rather stressful. C) He can handle it quite well.

B) He is thinking of quitting it. D) He has to work extra hours.

13. A) The 6:00 one. C) The 7:00 one.

B) The 6:30 one. D) The 7:30 one.

14. A) It is an awful waste of time.

B) He finds it rather unbearable.

C) The time on the train is enjoyable.

D) It is something difficult to get used to.

15. A) Reading newspapers. C) Listening to the daily news.

B) Chatting with friends. D) Planning the day’s work.

Section B

Directions: 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 One

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

16. A) Ignore small details while reading.

B) Read at least several chapters at one sitting.

C) Develop a habit of reading critically.

D) Get key information by reading just once or twice.

17. A) Choose one’s own system of marking.

B) Underline the key words and phrases.

C) Make as few marks as possible.

D) Highlight details in a red color.

18. A) By reading the textbooks carefully again.

B) By reviewing only the marked parts.

C) By focusing on the notes in the margins.

D) By comparing notes with their classmates.

Passage Two

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

19. A) The sleep a person needs varies from day to day.

B) The amount of sleep for each person is similar.

C) One can get by with a couple of hours of sleep.

D) Everybody needs some sleep for survival.

20. A) It is a made-up story. C) It is a rare exception.

B) It is beyond cure. D) It is due to an accident.

21. A) His extraordinary physical condition.

B) His mother’s injury just before his birth.

C) The unique surroundings of his living place.

D) The rest he got from sitting in a rocking chair.

Passage Three

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

22. A) She invested in stocks and shares on Wall Street.

B) She learned to write for financial newspapers.

C) She developed a strong interest in finance.

D) She tenderly looked after her sick mother.

23. A) She made a wise investment in real estate.

B) She sold the restaurant with a substantial profit.

C) She got 1.5 million dollars from her ex-husband.

D) She inherited a big fortune from her father.

24. A) She was extremely mean with her money.

B) She was dishonest in business dealings.

C) She frequently ill-treated her employees.

D) She abused animals including her pet dog.

25. A) She made a big fortune from wise investment.

B) She built a hospital with her mother’s money.

C) She made huge donations to charities.

D) She carried on her family’s tradition.

Section C

Direction: In the 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。

Among the kinds of social gestures most significant for second-language teachers are those which are (26)______ in form but different in meaning in the two cultures. For example, a Colombian who wants someone to (27)______ him often signals with a hand movement in which all the fingers of one hand, cupped, point downward as they move rapidly (28)_______. Speakers or English have a similar gesture through the hand may not be cupped and the fingers may be held more loosely, but for them the gesture means goodbye or go away, quite the (29)______ of the Colombian gesture. Again, in Colombian, a speaker of English would have to know that when he (30)________ height he most choose between different gestures depending on whether he is (31)_______ a human being or an animal. If he keeps the palm of the hand (32)_________ the floor, as he would in his own culture when making known the height of a child, for example, he will very likely be greeted by laughter, in Colombia this gesture is (33)_________ for the description of animals. In order to describe human beings he should keep the palm of his hand (34)_________ to the floor. Substitutions of one gesture for the other often create not only humorous but also (35)________ moment. In both of the examples above, speakers from two different cultures have the same gesture, physically, but its meaning differs sharply.

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

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 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.

Global warming is a trend toward warmer conditions around the world. Part of the warming is natural; we have experienced a 20,000 -year -long warming as the last ice age ended and the ice 36 away. However, we have already reached temperatures that are in 37 with other minimum-ice periods, so continued warming is likely not natural. We are 38 to a predicted worldwide increase in temperatures 39 between 1 and 6 over the next 100 years. The warming will be more 40 in some areas, less in others, and some places may even cool off. Likewise, the 41 of this warming will be very different depending on where you are—coastal areas must worry about rising sea levels, while Siberia and northern Canada may become more habitable (宜居的) and 42 for humans than these areas are now.

The fact remains, however, that it will likely get warmer, on 43 , everywhere. Scientists are in general agreement that the warmer conditions we have been experiencing are at least in part the result of a human-induced global warming trend. Some scientists 44 that the changes we are seeing fall within the range of random (无规律的) variation—some years are cold, others warm, and we have just had an unremarkable string of warm years 45 —but that is becoming an increasingly rare interpretation in the face of continued and increasing warm conditions.

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

The End of the Book?

[A] Amazon, by far the largest bookseller in the country, reported on May 19 that it is now selling more books in its electronic Kindle format than in the old paper-and-ink format. That is remarkable, considering that the Kindle has only been around for four years. E-books now account for 14 percent of all book sales in the country and are increasing far faster than overall book sales. E-book sales are up 146 percent over last year, while hardback sales increased 6 percent and paperbacks decreased 8 percent.

[B] Does this spell the doom of the physical book? Certainly not immediately, and perhaps not at all. What it does mean is that the book business will go through a transformation in the next decade or so more profound than any it has seen since Gutenberg introduced printing from moveable type in the 1450s.

[C] Physical books will surely become much rarer in the marketplace. Mass market paperbacks, which have been declining for years anyway, will probably disappear, as will hardbacks for mysteries, thrillers, “romance fiction,” etc. Such books, which only rarely end up in permanent collections, either private or public, will probably only be available as e-books within a few years. Hardback and trade paperbacks for “serious” nonfiction and fiction will surely last longer. Perhaps it will become the mark of an author to reckon with that he or she is still published in hard copy.

[D] As for children’s books, who knows? Children’s books are like dog food in that the purchasers are not the consumers, so the market (and the marketing) is inherently strange.

[E] For clues to the book’s future, let’s look at some examples of technological change and see what happened to the old technology.

[F] One technology replaces another only because the new technology is better, cheaper, or both. The greater the difference, the sooner and more thoroughly the new technology replaces the old. Printing with moveable type on paper dramatically reduced the cost of producing a book compared with the old-fashioned ones handwritten on vellum, which comes from sheepskin. A Bible—to be sure, a long book—required vellum made from 300 sheepskins and countless man-hours of labor. Before printing arrived, a Bible cost more than a middle-class house. There were perhaps 50,000 books in all of Europe in 1450. By 1500 there were 10 million.

[G] But while printing quickly caused the hand written book to die out, handwriting lingered on (继续存在) well into the 16th century. Very special books are still occasionally produced on vellum, but they are one-of-a-kind show pieces.

[H]Sometimes a new technology doesn’t drive the old one out, but only parts of it while forcing the rest to evolve. The movies were widely predicted to drive live theater out of the marketplace, but they didn’t, because theater turned out to have qualities movies could not reproduce. Equally, TV was supposed to replace movies but, again, did not.

[I] Movies did, however, fatally impact some parts of live theater. And while TV didn’t kill movies, it did kill second-rate pictures, shorts, and cartoons.

[J] Nor did TV kill radio. Comedy and drama shows (“Jack Benny,” “Amos and Andy,” “The Shadow”) all migrated to television. But because you can’t drive a car and watch television at the same time, rush hour became radio’s prime, while music, talk, and news radio greatly enlarged their audiences. Radio is today a very different business than in the late 1940s and a much larger one.

[K] Sometimes old technology lingers for centuries because of its symbolic power. Mounted cavalry (骑兵) replaced the chariot (二轮战车) on the battlefield around 1000 BC. But chariots maintained their place in parades and triumphs right up until the end of the Roman Empire 1,500 years later. The sword hasn’t had a military function for a hundred years, but is still part of an officer’s full-dress uniform, precisely because a sword always symbolized “an officer and a gentleman.”

[L] Sometimes new technology is a little cranky (不稳定的) at first. Television repairman was a common occupation in the 1950s, for instance. And so the old technology remains as a backup. Steamships captured the North Atlantic passenger business from sail in the 1840s because of its much greater speed. But steamships didn’t lose their sails until the 1880s, because early marine engines had a nasty habit of breaking down. Until ships became large enough (and engines small enough) to mount two engines side by side, they needed to keep sails. (The high cost of steam and the lesser need for speed kept the majority of the world’s ocean freight moving by sail until the early years of the 20th century.)

[M] Then there is the fireplace. Central heating was present in every upper-and middle-class home by the second half of the 19th century. But functioning fireplaces remain to this day a powerful selling point in a house or apartment. I suspect the reason is a deep-rooted love of the fire. Fire was one of the earliest major technological advances for humankind, providing heat, protection, and cooked food (which is much easier to cat and digest). Human control of fire goes back far enough (over a million years) that evolution could have produced a genetic leaning towards fire as a central aspect of human life.

[N] Books—especially books the average person could afford—haven’t been around long enough to produce evolutionary change in humans. But they have a powerful hold on many people nonetheless, a hold extending far beyond their literary content. At their best, they are works of art and there is a tactile(触觉的)pleasure in books necessarily lost in e-book versions. The ability to quickly thumb through pages is also lost. And a room with books in it induces, at least in some, a feeling not dissimilar to that of a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter’s night.

[O] For these reasons I think physical books will have a longer existence as a commercial product than some currently predict. Like swords, books have symbolic power. Like fireplaces, they induce a sense of comfort and warmth. And, perhaps, similar to sails, they make a useful back-up for when the lights go out.

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

46. Authors still published in printed versions will be considered important ones.

47. Some people are still in favor of printed books because of the sense of touch they can provide.

48. The radio business has changed greatly and now attracts more listeners.

49. Contrary to many people’s prediction of its death, the film industry survived.

50. Remarkable changes have taken place in the book business.

51. Old technology sometimes continues to exist because of its reliability.

52. The increase of e-book sales will force the book business to make changes not seen for centuries.

53. A new technology is unlikely to take the place of an old one without a clear advantage.

54. Paperbacks of popular literature are more likely to be replaced by e-books.

55. A house with a fireplace has a stronger appeal to buyers.

Section C

Directions: 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 One

Questions 56 to 60are based on the following passage.

The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education isn’t an either/or proposition(命题),although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM(science, technology, engineering, maths)-related fields can make it seem that way.

The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also asserts that the study of the humanities (人文学科)and social sciences must remain central components of America’s educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative(创新的)leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides.

Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily.

Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States.

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

56. What does the latest congressional report suggest?

A) STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society.

B) The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance.

C) The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students’ spiritual life.

D) Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society.

57. What is the main concern of students when they choose a major?

A) Their interest in relevant subjects.

B) The academic value of the courses.

C) The quality of education to receive.

D) Their chances of getting a good job.

58. What does the author say about the so called soft subjects?

A) The benefit students in their future life.

B) They broaden students’ range of interests.

C) They improve students’ communication skills.

D) They are essential to students’ healthy growth.

59. What kind of job applicants do employers look for?

A) Those who have a strong sense of responsibility.

B) Those who are good at solving practical problems.

C) Those who are likely to become innovative leaders.

D) Those who have received a well-rounded education.

60. What advice does the author give to college students?

A) Seize opportunities to tap their potential.

B) Try to take a variety of practical courses.

C) Prepare themselves for different job options.

D) Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

Energy independence. It has a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it? If you think so, you’re not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.

“Energy independence” and its rhetorical (修辞的) companion “energy security” are, however, slippery concepts that are rarely though through. What is it we want independence from, exactly?

Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil. But there are reasons that we buy all that old from elsewhere.

The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running. Yes, there is a trickle(涓涓细流)of biofuel(生物燃料)available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.

Second, Americans have basically decided that they don’t really want to produce all their own oil. They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad. Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection. To what extent are Americans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports?

Third, there are benefits to trade. It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit. And although you don’t read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries.

There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to maintain its economy. When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices, At the same time, we derive massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world.

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

61. What does the author say about energy independence for America?

A) It sounds very attractive. C) It will bring oil prices down.

B) It ensures national security. D) It has long been everyone’s dream.

62. What does the author think of biofuels?

A) They keep America’s economy running healthily.

B) They prove to be a good alternative to petroleum.

C) They do not provide a sustainable energy supply.

D) They cause serious damage to the environment.

63. Why does America rely heavily on oil imports?

A) It wants to expand its storage of crude oil.

B) Its own oil reserves are quickly running out.

C) It wants to keep its own environment intact.

D) Its own oil production falls short of demand.

64. What does the author say about oil trade?

A) It proves profitable to both sides. C) It makes for economic prosperity.

B) It improves economic efficiency. D) It saves the cost of oil exploration.

65. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A) To justify America’s dependence on oil imports.

B) To arouse Americans’ awareness of the energy crisis.

C) To stress the importance of energy conservation.

D) To explain the increase of international oil trade.

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.

为了促进教育公平,中国已投入360亿元,用于改善农村地区教育设施和中强中西部地区农村义务教育(compulsory education)。这些资金用于改善教学设施、购买书籍,使16万多所中小学受益。资金还用于购置音乐和绘画器材。现在农村和山区的儿童可以与沿海城市的儿童一样上音乐和绘画课。一些为接受更好教育而转往城市上学的学生如今又回到了本地农村学校就读。

四级英语真题试卷10

Part Ⅰ Writing

The First Place I Will Show in My Hometown—the Central Avenue

My hometown is Harbin. The most interesting place which I would like to take my foreign friends to is the Central Avenue, if they come to my hometown. The reasons for this can be illustrated as below.

To begin with, as the symbol of Harbin, the Central Avenue not only has a long history, but also a famous food palace. There are a variety of delicious foods for you to choose. Just take the ice-cream brick of Ma Dieer as an example. Many of tourists to the Central Avenue sing their praises for the ice-cream brick of Ma Dieer. In addition, the brilliant historic culture of the Central Avenue can widen people’s vision and enhance their knowledge, which lays a solid foundation for the understanding of this fabulous city—Harbin.

I believe my foreign friends will enjoy themselves in the Central Avenue. Not only can they appreciate the wonderful landscape of Harbin but also taste authentic northeast food. No better place can be chosen than the Central Avenue!

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension

1-5: BDDCD

6-10: ADBAC

11-15: ACBCA

16-20: DABDC

20-25: BCDAB

26. identical

27. approach

28. back and forth

29. opposite

30. indicates

31. referring to

32. parallel to

33. reserved

34. at the right angle

35. embarrassing

Part III Reading Comprehension

Section A

36. melted

37. line

38. contributing

39. ranging

40. dramatic

41. impact

42. appealing

43. average

44. maintain

45. recently

Section B

46. C Physical books will surely become much rarer in the marketplace….

47. N Books—especially books the average…

48. J Nor did TV kill radio…

49. H Sometimes a new technology doesn’t…

50. A Amazon, by far the largest…

51. L Sometimes old technology lingers for…

52. B Does this spell the doom of the ….

53. F One technology replaces another only…

54. C Physical books will surely become much rather…

55. M Then there is the fireplace…

Section C

56. B The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance.

57. D Their chances of getting a good job.

58. A They benefit students in their future life.

59. D Those who have received a well-rounded education.

60. C Prepare themselves for different job options.

61. A It sounds very attractive.

62. D They cause serious damage to the environment.

63. C It wants to keep its own environment intact.

64. B It improves economic efficiency.

65. A To justify America’s dependence on oil imports.

Part IV Translation

In order to promote equality in education, China has invested 36 billion Yuan to improve educational facilities in rural areas and strengthen rural compulsory education in Midwest areas. These funds are used to improve teaching facilities, and purchase books, benefiting more than 160,000 primary and secondary schools. Funds are used to purchase musical instrument and painting tools as well. Now children in rural and mountainous areas can have music and painting lessons as children from coastal cities do. Some students who has transferred to city schools to receive a better education are now moving back to their local rural schools.

英语四级考试完型填空试题

Here is another program in the series, “Famous Personalities (个性).” This afternoon I am going to talk (1)____ the famous film director, Daniel Z. Sloman. Dan Sloman doesn’t need any introduction from me. He has directed “Goodbye to Boston”, “Pacific Story” and many other famous films. “Tell me, Dan, have you ever directed a film in England?”

“Why, yes, Peter. I directed ’Green Years’ here.”

“Oh course. How long (2)____ was that, Dan?”

“That was five years ago. That film was about life in an English village.”

“What can you remember about this (3)____, Dan?”

“Lots of things, Peter. When we were filming in the open, it usually (4)____ to rain!”

“You rebuilt half the village, I believe, Dan.”

“That’s right, Peter. We built a (5)____ over the river. We put a few buildings. (6)____ our men were working, half the (7)____ watched us.”

“Were the villagers against the film?”

“Oh, no. Many villagers (8)____ a lot of money. Thousands of tourists came to the village. The place (9)____ famous.”

“Have you ever been back to the village since then?”

“I can’t say I have, Peter. But I remember it well.”

“What else do you remember about the film, ’Green Years’, Dan?”

“Well, I remember the actors, of course. In one scene we (10)____ a thousand ’extras’.”

“And you used the villagers.”

“That’s right, Peter. There were 2000 men, women and children in the village and we used a thousand of them. Every man has his price. We paid each villager fifty pence to take part in the film.”

“What about the villagers that weren’t in the film?”

“They came to watch.”

“What happened then?”

“It was very funny, Peter. We couldn’t keep them out of it. We paid half the villagers fifty pence each to act in the film. And we paid the other half of the villagers five pounds each not to join in the film! But it was a great scene. I’ll never forget it.”

“Thank you, Dan.”

1. A. to B. about C. for D. into

2. A. before B. ago C. after D. since

3. A. life B. village C. year D. film

4. A. begins B. began C. had started D. beginning

5. A. road B. way C. village D. bridge

6. A. As soon as B. After C. Before D. While

7. A. town B. city C. village D. country

8. A. made B. took C. carried D. brought

9. A. is B. gets C. became D. get

10. A. asked B. dismissed C. needed D. told

答案:1. A 2. B 3. D 4. B 5. D 6. D7. C 8. A 9. C 10. C

英语四级考试词汇语法练习题

1. The mother sat by the window____the hole in her coat.

A. healing B. resuming C. mingling D. patching

2. The owner of the auto plant refused to raise the workers’ wages, saying that it would ____the profit.

A. cut off B. cut short C. cut into D. cut up

3. Her ____ to executive manager is an acknowledgement of her hard work and unusual talent.

A. profession B. occupation C. resignation D. promotion

4. We had to learn to work with others and many of our own ideas had to be____for the good of the whole.

A. thrown away B. compensated C. brushed aside D. neglected

5. The old couple were not rich themselves, but they hated to turn away anyone who were____ food and shelter.

A. at the mercy of B. on the point of C. with the exception of D. in need of

6. The clumsy movement of the giant panda amused all the____.

A. visitors B. witnesses C. watchers D. spectators

7. He wanted very much to run for a second term, but owing to poor health, he was ____to give it up.

A. driven B. permitted C. rebuked D. compelled

8. You can ____different kinds of people, dictionaries or encyclopedia to find out what you wish to know.

A. contact B. contain C. consult D. convert

9. Part of the lake has been polluted. You can see the water is covered with ____oil.

A. a coat of B. a story of C. a film of D. a pad of

0. Applications have poured in____assignments to remote regions of the country.

A. requiring B. begging C. requesting D. awaiting

1. In his____to further his knowledge of the universe, man has now begun to explore space.

A. endeavor B. expedition C. trail D. chase

2. After a careful examination, the doctor____a new medical and a two-day rest for the patient.

A. described B. inscribed C. prescribed D. transcribed

3. The little girl wore a very thin coat. A sudden gust of cold wind made her ____.

A. shake B. sweat C. shiver D. swing

4. The groom’s hand____the soft mane of the horse.

A. struck B. provoked C. fondled D. remarked

5. If the right kind of extracurricular activities is organized, those children who have a(an)____of energy will have a chance to develop their talents much more quickly.

A. consumption B. exploration C. exhaustion D. excess

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