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历年英语四级真题解析

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历年英语四级真题解析

篇1：历年英语四级真题解析

6月英语四级真题试卷

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?

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. Ellis’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.

Many Brazilians cannot read. In , a quarter of those aged 15 and older were functionally illiterate (文盲). Many 36 do not want to. Only one literate adult in three reads books. The 37 Brazilian reads 1.8 non-academic books a year, less than half the figure in Europe and the United States. In a recent survey .of reading habits, Brazilians came 27th out of 30 countries. Argentines, their neighbors, 38 18th.

The government and businesses are all struggling in different ways to change this. On March 13 the government 39 a National Plan for Books and Reading. This seeks to boost reading, by founding libraries and financing publishers among other things.

One discouragement to reading is that books are 40 . Most books have small print-runs, pushing up their price.

But Brazilians' indifference to books has deeper roots. Centuries of slavery meant the counties leaders long 41 education. Primary schooling became universal only in the 1990s.

All this me Brazil’s book market has the biggest growth 42 in the western world.

But reading is a difficult habit to form. Brazilians bought fewer books in , 89 million, including textbooks 43 by the government, than they did in 1991. Last year the director of Brazil's national library 44 . He complained that he had half the librarians he needed and termites (白蚁） had eaten much of the 45 . That ought to be a cause for national shame.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

A)average

B)collection

C)distributed

D)exhibition

E)expensive

F)launched

G)named

H)neglected

I) normal

J) particularly

K) potential

L) quit

M) ranked

N) simply

O) treasured

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 Touch-Screen Generation

A) On a chilly day last spring, a few dozen developers of children’s apps（应用程序）for phones and tablets（平板电脑）gathered at an old beach resort in Monterey, California, to show off their games. The gathering was organized by Warren Buckleitner, a longtime reviewer of interactive children’s media. Buckleitner spent the breaks testing whether his own remote-control helicopter could reach the hall's second story, while various children who had come with their parents looked up in awe（敬畏）and delight. But mostly they looked down, at the iPads and other tablets displayed around the hall like so many open boxes of candy. I walked around and talked with developers, and several quoted a famous saying of Maria Montessori’s, “The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.”

B) What, really, would Maria Montessori have made of this scene? The 30 or so children here were not down at the shore poking（戳）their fingers in the sand or running them along stones or picking seashells. Instead they were all inside, alone or in groups of two or three, their faces a few inches from a screen, their hands doing things Montessori surely did not imagine.

C) In , the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its policy on very young children and media. In , the group had discouraged television viewing for children younger than 2, citing research on brain development that showed this age group’s critical need for “direct interactions with parents and other significant care givers.” The updated report began by acknowledging that things had changed significantly since then. In , 90% of parents said that their children younger than 2 consumed some form of electronic media. Nevertheless, the group took largely the same approach it did in 1999, uniformly discouraging passive media use, on any type of screen, for these kids. (For older children, the academy noted, “high-quality programs” could have “educational benefits.”) The 2011 report mentioned “smart cell phone” and “new screen” technologies, but did not address interactive apps. Nor did it bring up the possibility that has likely occurred to those 90% of American parents that some good mightcome from those little swiping（在电子产品上刷）fingers.

D) I had come to the developers’ conference partly because I hoped that this particular set of parents, enthusiastic as they were about interactive media, might help me out of this problem, that they might offer some guiding principle for American parents who are clearly never going to meet the academy’s ideals, and at some level do not want to. Perhaps this group would be able to express clearly some benefits of the new technology that the more cautious doctors weren’t ready to address.

E) I fell into conversation with a woman who had helped develop Montessori Letter Sounds, an app that teaches preschoolers the Montessori methods of spelling. She was a former Montessori teacher and a mother of four. I myself have three children who are all fans of the touch screen. What games did her kids like to play, I asked, hoping for suggestions I could take home.

“They don’t play all that much.”

Really? Why not?

“Because I don’t allow it. We have a rule of no screen time during the week, unless it’s clearly

educational. ”

No screen time? None at all? That seems at the outer edge of restrictive, even by the standards of

overcontrolling parents.

“On the weekends, they can play. I give them a limit of half an hour and then stop. Enough.”

F) Her answer so surprised me that I decided to ask some of the other developers who were also parents what their domestic ground rules for screen time were. One said only on airplanes and long car rides. Another said Wednesdays and weekends, for half an hour. The most permissive said half an hour a day, which was about my rule at home. At one point I sat with one of the biggest developers of e-book apps for kids, and his family. The small kid was starting to fuss in her high chair, so the mom stuck an iPad in front of her and played a short movie so everyone else could enjoy their lunch. When she saw me watching, she gave me the universal tense look of mothers who feel they are being judged. “At home,” she assured me, “I only let her watch movies in Spanish. ’’

G) By their reactions, these parents made me understand the problem of our age: as technology becomes almost everywhere in our lives. American parents are becoming more, not less, distrustful of what it might be doing to their children. Technological ability has not, for parents, translated into comfort and ease. On the one hand, parents want their children to swim expertly in the digital stream that they will have to navigate（航行）all their lives; on the other hand, they fear that too much digital media, too early, will sink them. Parents end up treating tablets as precision surgical（外科的）instruments, devices that might perform miracles for their child's IQ and help him win some great robotics competition—but only if they are used just so. Otherwise, their child could end up one of those sad, pale creatures who can’t make eye contact and has a girlfriend who lives only in the virtual world.

H) Norman Rockwell, a 20th-century artist, never painted Boy Swiping Finger on Screen, and our own vision of a perfect childhood has never been adjusted to accommodate that now-common scene. Add to that our modern fear that every parenting decision may have lasting consequences - that every minute of enrichment lost or mindless entertainment indulged（放纵的）will add up to some permanent handicap（障碍）in the future—and you have deep guilt and confusion. To date, no body of research has proved that the iPad will make your preschooler smarter or teach her to speak Chinese, or alternatively that it will rust her nervous system the device has been out for only three years, not much more than the time it takes some academics to find funding and gather research subjects. So what is a parent to do?

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

46. The author attended the conference, hoping to find some guiding principles for parenting in the electronic age.

47. American parents are becoming more doubtful about the benefits technology is said to bring to their children.

48. Some experts believe that human intelligence develops by the use of hands.

49. The author found a former Montessori teacher exercising strict control over her kids, screen time.

50. Research shows interaction with people is key to babies’ brain development.

51. So far there has been no scientific proof of the educational benefits of iPads.

52. American parents worry that overuse of tablets will create problems with their kids’ interpersonal relationships.

53. The author expected developers of children's apps to specify the benefits of the new technology.

54. The kids at the gathering were more fascinated by the iPads than by the helicopter.

55. The author permits her children to use the screen for at most half an hour a day.

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 60 are based on the following passage.

When young women were found to make only 82 percent of what their male peers do just one year out of college, many were at a loss to explain it.

All the traditional reasons put forward to interpret the pay gap—that women fall behind when they leave the workforce to raise kids, for example, or that they don’t seek as many management roles—failed to justify this one. These young women didn’t have kids yet. And because they were just one year removed from their undergraduate degrees, few of these women yet had the chance to go after (much less decline) leadership roles.

But there are other reasons why the pay gap remains so persistent. The first is that no matter how many women may be getting college degrees, the university experience is still an unequal one. The second is that our higher education system is not designed to focus on the economic consequences of our students’ years on campus.

Now that women arc the majority of college students and surpass men in both the number of undergraduate and advanced degrees awarded, one might think the college campus is a pretty equal place. It is not. Studies show that while girls do better than boys in high school, they start to trail off during their college years. They enroll in different kinds of classes, tend to major in less rigorous（非常严格的）subjects, and generally head off with less ambitious plans.

As a result, it's not surprising that even the best educated young women enter the workplace with a slight disadvantage. Their college experience leaves them somewhat confused, still stumbling（栽倒）over the dilemmas their grandmothers' generation sought to destroy. Are they supposed to be pretty or smart? Strong or sexy（性感的）? All their lives, today's young women have been pushed to embrace both perfection and passion to pursue science and sports, math and theater and do it all as well as they possibly can. No wonder they are not negotiating for higher salaries as soon as they get out of school. They are too exhausted, and too scared of failing.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

56. Traditionally, it is believed that women earn less than men because_________.

A) they have failed to take as many rigorous courses

B) they do not feel as fit for management roles

C) they feel obliged to take care of their kids at home

D) they do not exhibit the needed leadership qualities

57. What does the author say about America's higher education system?

A) It does not offer specific career counseling to women.

B) It does not consider its economic impact on graduates.

C) It does not take care of women students' special needs.

D) It does not encourage women to take rigorous subjects.

58. What does the author say about today's college experience?

A) It is different for male and female students.

B) It is not the same as that of earlier generations.

C) It is more exhausting than most women expect.

D) It is not so satisfying to many American students.

59. What does the author say about women students in college?

A) They have no idea how to bring out their best.

B) They drop a course when they find it too rigorous.

C) They are not as practical as men in choosing courses.

D) They don't perform as well as they did in high school.

60. How does the author explain the pay gap between men and women fresh from college?

A) Women arc too worn out to be ambitious.

B) Women are not ready to take management roles.

C) Women are caught between career and family.

D) Women are not good at negotiating salaries.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

Reading leadership literature, you’d sometimes think that everyone has the potential to be an effective leader.

I don’t believe that to be true. In fact, I sec way fewer truly effective leaders than I see people stuck in positions of leadership who arc sadly incompetent and seriously misguided about their own abilities.

Part of the reason this happens is a lack of honest self-assessment by those who aspire to (追求）leadership in the first place.

We've all met the type of individual who simply must take charge. Whether it's a decision-making session, a basketball game, or a family outing, they can't help grabbing the lead dog position and clinging on to it for dear life. They believe they're natural born leaders.

Truth is, they're nothing of the sort. True leaders don't assume that it's their divine（神圣的）right to take charge every time two or more people get together. Quite the opposite. A great leader will assess each situation on its merits, and will only take charge when their position, the situation, and or the needs of the moment demand it.

Many business executives confuse leadership with action. They believe that constant motion somehow generates leadership as a byproduct. Faced with any situation that can’t be solved by the sheer force of activity, they generate a dust cloud of impatience. Their one leadership tool is volume: if they think you aren't working as hard as they think you should, their demands become increasingly louder and harsher.

True leaders understand the value of action, of course, but it isn’t their only tool. In fact, it isn’t ever their primary tool. Great leaders see more than everyone else: answers, solutions, patterns, problems, opportunities. They know it’s vitally important to do, but they also know that thinking, understanding, reflection and interpretation are equally important.

If you're too concerned with outcomes to the extent that you manipulate and intimidate others to achieve those outcomes, then you aren't leading at all, you're dictating. A true leader is someone who develops his or her team so that they can and do hit their targets and achieve their goals.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2 上作答。

61. What does the author think of the leaders he knows?

A) Many of them are used to taking charge.

B) Few of them are equal to their positions.

C) Many of them fail to fully develop their potential.

D) Few of them are familiar with leadership literature.

62. Why are some people eager to grab leadership positions?

A) They believe they have the natural gift to lead.

B) They believe in what leadership literature says.

C) They have proved competent in many situations.

D They derive great satisfaction from being leaders.

63. What characterizes a great leader according to the author?

A) Being able to take prompt action when chances present themselves.

B) Having a whole-hearted dedication to their divine responsibilities.

C) Having a full understanding of their own merits and weaknesses.

D) Being able to assess the situation carefully before taking charge.

64. How will many business executives respond when their command fails to generate action?

A) They reassess the situation at hand. C) They resort to any tool available.

B) They become impatient and rude. D) They blame their team members.

65. What is the author’s advice to leaders?

A) Concentrate on one specific task at a time.

B) Use different tools to achieve different goals.

C) Build up a strong team to achieve their goals.

D) Show determination when faced with tough tasks.

Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.

中国应进一步发展核能，因为核电目前只占其总发电量的2%。该比例在所有核国家中居第3 0位，几乎是最低的。

3月日本核电站事故后，中国的核能开发停了下来，中止审批新的核电站，并开展全国性的核安全险查。到10月，审批才又谨慎地恢复。

随着技术和安全措施的改进，发生核事故的可能性完全可以降到最低程度。换句话说，核能是可以安全开发和利用的。

部分真题参考答案(完整版)

Part Ⅰ Writing

A Tour to Mount Tai

I am delighted to learn that my foreign friend, Bill, is going to take vacation in my hometown. For the sake of his hospitality I enjoyed in England, I will show him around the landscape, among which Mount Tai unquestion-ably on the top of my list.

Centuries ago, at the summit of the mountain, Confucius exclaimed that the world was small; in modern times, everyone is bound to appreciate its spectacularity and sacredness. Mount Tai is more than a mountain; it is a place which symbolizes hope and auspiciousness, embodying profound culture. Furthermore, Mount Tai is considered to be scared to the point where almost every ancient Chinese emperor came here to make offerings to Heaven and Earth, praying for a prosperous country and a peaceful living environment.

Visiting Mount Tai is more than a mountain climbing excursion, but a hands-on engagement in ancient culture and contemporary prosperity. Thus, I assure you that you will like this wonderful experience.

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension

A. 短对话

1. 参考原文：

W: I can’t seem to reach the tea at the back of the cupboard.

M: Oh… Why don’t you use the ladder? You might strain your shoulder.

Q: What does the man suggest the woman do?

点评：本题考点：计划或者建议。考点在第二个男士的提议。答案选B：Use a ladder to help her reach the tea. strain v.表示拉伸，扭伤 strain your shoulder 拉伤肩膀。

2. 参考原文：

W: Since it’s raining so hard, let’s go and see the new exhibits.

M: That’s a good idea. Mary Johnson is one of my favorite painters.

Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?

点评：本题考点：对话场景题。通过女士提到的“new exhibits”和男士提到的“favorite painters”可推出答案为D：Outside an art gallery.

3. 参考原文：

M: I hear the students gave the new teacher an unfair evaluation.

W: It depends on which student you are talking about.

Q: What does the woman imply?

点评：本题考查语义推断。考点在第二个女士的回应，面对男士的说法，她并没有表示认同，而是婉转表达了质疑。对应选项B. She does not quite agree with what the man said. “unfair evaluation”意思是“不公平的评价”。

4. 参考原文：

W: It must have taken you a long time to fix up all these book shelves.

M: It wasn’t too bad. I got Doris to do some of them.

Q: What does the man mean?

点评：本题考查事实细节。考点在第二个男士的话。对应选项C. Doris fixed up some of the book shelves.原文中男士说的 “do some of them”指的就是修理书架。

5. 参考原文：

W: Rod, I hear you’ll be leaving at the end of this month. Is it true?

M: Yeah. I’ve been offered a much better position with another firm. I’d be a fool to turn it down.

Q: Why is the man quitting his job?

点评：本题考查因果关系。考点在第二个男士所解释的原因。对应D. He has found a better position. “position”即“职位”， “firm”即“公司”。 “quit”即“放弃，辞职”的意思。

6. 参考原文：

W: I honestly don’t want to continue the gardening tomorrow, Tony?

M: Neither do I. But I think we should get it over within this weekend.

Q: What does the man mean?

点评：本题考查转折关系。考点在第二个男士语义转折之后的内容。对应选项A. They should finish the work as soon as possible. 选项 “finish”同义替换原文中的 “get it over”，而 “as soon as possible”则改写了 “within this weekend”.

7. 参考原文：

W: You’ve already furnished your apartment?

M: I found some used furniture that was dirt cheap.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

点评：本题考查事实细节。考点在第二个男士所说的话，习惯用语 “dirt cheap”就是“很便宜，白菜价”的意思。对应答案D. The furniture the man bought is inexpensive. 其中 “inexpensive”同义改写了“dirt cheap”。

8. 参考原文：

W: Has the mechanic called the bus repairers?

M: Not yet .I’ll let you know when he calls.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

点评：本题考查语义推断。考点要结合女士的提问和男士的回答。对应B. The woman is waiting for a call. “mechanic”指“机械工”，“bus repairers”指“公车修理师”。

B.长对话和短文

Conversation one:

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

9. Why couldn’t the woman’s roommate attend the Shakespearean English class that afternoon?

10. What favor is the woman going to do for her roommate?

11. What does the woman want to know at the end of the conversation?

答案：

9. 点评：前2句都是礼节性问答，第3句开始出现新人物 “Janet Holmes”, 即考点预警信号。关键信息就是女士接下来的回答：“It’s just that she submitted a job application yesterday and the company asked her in for an interview today”.对应A选项：She had a job interview to attend.

10. 点评：前文刚刚提到“Janet Holmes”所遇到的问题(因面试不能上课交作业)，接着就提到了解决这一问题的方法，关键听取原文中“I’m calling to see whether it would be OK if I gave you her essay.”对应选项C：Submit her roommate’s assignment.

11. 点评：从四个选项都以特殊疑问词开头的特征可以预判，本题考点是某人的疑问。关键信息是女士在最后所提到的问题：“And Dr. Ellis, one more thing, could you tell me where your office is?”对应选项A. Where Dr. Ellis’s office is located.

【综合点评】：本题完全符合长对话 “问答结构”的惯有出题套路，分别针对problem和solution进行提问，而且并没有出现逆序出题现象为难考生，整体难度一般。

Conversation 2:

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

12. What does the man say about his job?

13. Which train does the man take to work every day?

14. How does the man feel about commuting to work every day now?

15. How does the man spend his time on the morning train?

答案：

12.点评：第一题完全符合“前3句出考点”的套路，考点信息出现在明显的信号词 “But”之后：“But it’s bearable now that I’ m used to it”。 bearable 表示可以忍受的，be used to 表示为习惯做某事。对应选项C：He can handle it quite well.

13. 点评：本题考查时间细节，所听即所选。关键信息是“It was terrible at first, especially getting up before dawn to catch that 6:30 train” 对应选项B：The 6:30 train.

14. 点评：本题考点再次出现在明显信号词But之后：“But now I quite enjoy it.”对应选项C：The time on the train is enjoyable

15. 点评：长对话最后一题往往对应整个对话的结尾部分。女士最后问男士在车上如何消磨时光，男士的回答则是考点信息：“In the morning, I just sit in comfort and read the papers to catch up with the news.”对应选项A：Reading newspapers.

【综合点评】：本题完全符合顺序出题原则，有2道题的答案更是直接出现在信号词But之后，答案直来直往基本不需要进行推断，出题思路中规中矩，整体难度一般。

Passage One

16. What should American college students do to cope with their heavy reading assignments?

17. What suggestion does the speaker give about marking a textbook?

18. How should students prepare for an exam according to the speaker?

答案：

16. 点评：根据短文理解“前3句出考点”原则，如果本文前1、2句的因果关系没有成为考点，考点则顺延到第3句和第4句，关键信息为“They need to extract as much information as possible from the first or second reading.”extract表示提取、选取，对应选项D：Get key information by reading just once or twice.

17. 点评：从第二段开始，marking skill被反复提到，无疑是重要考点。就做标记的技巧，作者一共提了3个建议，其中 “Third, decide on your own system for marking”几乎完整地被选项A照搬下来：Choose one's own system of marking.根据所听基本即所选原则，答案就是A。

18. 点评：最后一题考察了转折结构，考点信息出现在明显的信号词 ‘Instead”之后：“Instead, you just need to review your marks and you can save a lot of time.”对应选项B：By reviewing only the marked parts.

Passage Two

19. What is taken for granted by most people?

20. What do doctors think of Al Herpin's case?

21. What could have accounted for Al Herpin's sleeplessness?

答案：

19. 点评：答案出现在明显的信号词 “But”之后，即：“But everyone needs some rest to stay alive.”对应选项D：Everybody needs some sleep for survival.

20. 点评：答案出现在明显的信号词 “But”之后，即：“But a man named Al Herpin turned out to be a rare exception”对应选项C：It is a rare exception. rare表示稀有的，少见的。

21. 点评：根据顺序出题原则，本题对应文章结尾部分。文章最后提到医生对Al Herpin不用睡觉感到困惑，紧接着就解释了原因。 “clue”(表示线索)是本题的考点信号词，随后就是考点信息:“He remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he had been born.” 对应选项B：His mother's injury just before his birth.

22. What do we learn about Hetty Green as a child?

23. How did Hetty Green become rich overnight?

24. Why was Hetty Green much hated?

25. What do we learn about Hetty's daughter?

答案：

22. 点评：本题略有难度。考点即没有出现在前3句话，也没有出现在明显的信号词之后，但是只要提前划记好了本题关键词，根据“所听基本即所选”原则还是可以找到答案C：She developed a strong interest in finance. 该选项对应原文信息 “At the age of six she started reading the daily financial newspapers and opened her own bank account.”

23. 点评：本题略有难度。考点紧跟在上一题考点句之后，即 “Her father died when she was 21 and she inherited 7.5 million dollars.”对应选项D. She inherited a big fortune from her father.

24. 点评：本题难度较大。错误选项中的细节有较强干扰性，但如果考生对最后一段的整体结构有所把握，就会发现在第一句提到了Hetty的 “meanness”(吝啬，小气) 之后，后文 “always argued about prices” “buy broken biscuits” “refused to pay for a doctor”这些细节都属于次要信息，是对“meanness”的例证。对应选项A. She was extremely mean with her money.

25. 点评：本题考点就是本文最后一句话 “her daughter built a hospital with her money”对应选项B. She built a hospital with her mother's money.

Part III Reading Comprehension

Section A

选词填空

题目一：

本文选自5月16日的经济学人

www.economist.com/node/5636369

参考原文

A nation of non-readers: A strange and costly disregard for books

MANY Brazilians cannot read. In 2000, a quarter of those aged 15 and older were functionally illiterate. Many simply do not want to. Only one literate adult in three reads books. The averageBrazilian reads 1.8 non-academic books a year—less than half the figure in Europe and the United States. In a recent survey of reading habits, Brazilians came 27th out of 30 countries, spending 5.2 hours a week with a book. Argentines, their neighbours, ranked 18th.

In rare accord, government, businesses and NGOs are all striving in different ways to change this. On March 13th the government launched a National Plan for Books and Reading. This seeks to boost reading, by founding libraries and financing publishers among other things. The Brazil Reader Institute, an NGO, brings books to people: it has installed lending libraries in two S?o Paulo metro stations, and is planning one in a Carnival samba school. It is starting to be common to see characters in television soap operas shown reading. Cynics note that Globo, the biggest broadcaster, is also a big publisher of books, newspapers and magazines.

One discouragement to reading is that books are expensive. At S?o Paulo's book fair this week, “O Código Da Vinci” was on sale for 32 reais—more than a tenth of the official minimum monthly wage. Most other books have small print-runs, pushing up their price.

But Brazilians' indifference to books has deeper roots. Centuries of slavery meant the country's leaders long neglected education. Primary schooling became universal only in the 1990s. Radio was ubiquitous by the 1930s; libraries and bookshops have still not caught up. “The electronic experience came before the written experience,” says Marino Lobello, of the Brazilian Chamber of Books, an industry body.

All this means that Brazil's book market has the biggest growth potential in the western world, reckons Mr Lobello. That notion has attracted foreign publishers, such as Spain's Prisa-Santillana, which bought a local house last year. American evangelical publishers are eyeing the market for religious books, which outsell fiction in Brazil.

But reading is a difficult habit to form. Brazilians bought fewer books in 2004—289m, including textbooks distributed by the government—than they did in 1991. Last year the director of Brazil's national library quit after a controversial tenure. He complained that he had half the librarians he needed and termites had eaten much of the collection. Along with crime and high interest rates, that ought to be a cause for national shame.

答案及解析

36. N. simply

本空所在句不缺其它成分，该空应为副词。备选副词J) particularly(专门地、特别地)与N) simply(简单地、仅仅)中，simply符合句意“许多人仅仅是不想学着识字。”

37. A. average

本空修饰名词Brazilian，需要形容词。备选形容词A) average(平均的、普通的)E) expensive(昂贵的)K) potential(潜在的)中，average符合句意“普通的巴西人每年读1.8本非学术书目”。且reads 1.8 non-academic books a year也在提示这里是在描述平均值。

38. M. ranked

本空是该句谓语，缺动词。且与前句并列，而前句用的过去式，因此本空需动词过去式。备选的有C) distributed(分发、散布)、F) launched(发射、发动)、G) named(取名、提名)、H) neglected(忽视)、L) quit(退出、辞职)、M) ranked(排名)和O) treasured(珍惜)。能与空后的18th构成合理搭配的只有ranked，表示“排在第18位”。另外前句描述的也是巴西的排名。

39. F. launched

本空是该句谓语，缺动词。由于描述的是过去的日子，需要过去式。备选的有C) distributed(分发、散布)、F) launched(发射、发动)、G) named(取名、提名)、H) neglected(忽视)、L) quit(退出、辞职)和O) treasured(珍惜)。本空后的专有概念National Plan for Books and Reading明显是个活动或计划之类，能与之构成合理搭配的只有launched，表示“发起了此计划”。

40. E. expensive

本空做表语，主语是books，形容词、动词分词可能性较大。注意到后句提到push up their price，因此这里描述的应该是书的价格，expensive符合话题。

41. H. neglected

本空是所在从句的谓语，且描述的是过去、主句也为过去式，因此这里需要过去式。备选的有C) distributed(分发、散布)、G) named(取名、提名)、H) neglected(忽视)和L) quit(退出、辞职)O) treasured(珍惜)。注意前句引出的话题是巴西对书籍的漠视，本句提到的也是巴西长期奴隶制的影响，因此本空应选择neglected，表示巴西“长期忽视教育”。distributed意思不合理，treasured则与这里想表示的意思相反。

42. K. potential

本空一种可能是副词，但备选副词只剩particularly，而其意思在这里并不合适，这里也没有构成其所表示的递进关系的条件。因此只能考虑本空另一种可能：名词。备选的有B) collection(收集)、D) exhibition(展览)和K) potential(潜力)。potential是唯一意思合理的，表示巴西的图市场“有着最大的增长潜力”。

43. C. distributed

本空位于名词后，应为后置定语，需要动词分词;by提示了这里需要过去分词。备选的有C) distributed(分发、散布)、G) named(取名、提名)和L) quit(退出、辞职)O) treasured(珍惜)。这里意思合理的只有distributed，表示“被政府分发的书籍”。

44. L. quit

本空是该句谓语，其描述的是过去，需要过去式，备选的有G) named(取名、提名)、L) quit(退出、辞职)、和O) treasured(珍惜)。同时该空后无宾语，因此必须是不及物动词，符合此要求的只有quit，表示国家图书馆负责人辞职。

45. B. collection

空前的定冠词提示本空需要名词，备选的有B) collection(收集)和D) exhibition(展览)。这里意思较合理的是collection，它可以表示图书馆的馆藏书籍。意思是“白蚁吃掉了大部分馆藏书籍”。

Section B

46. D

47. G

48. A

49. E

50. C

51. H

52. G

53. D

54. A

55. F

Section C

56. C

57. B

58. A

59. D

60. A

61. B

62. A

63. D

64. B

65. C

Part IV Translation

China should further develop nuclear energy because currently，nuclear power accounts for only 2% of its total generating capacity . Such proportion ranks the thirtieth in all the countries possessing nuclear power, which is almost the last.

After Japan’s nuclear power accident in March 2011, nuclear power development in China was suspended, so was the approval of new nuclear power plants. Also, the national safety check for the nuclear power was carried out. IT was not until October that the approval was prudently resumed.

With the improvement of technology and safety measures, there is little possibility for nuclear accidents to happen. In other words, there won’t be any trouble to develop and exploit the nuclear power.

这篇略难，恭喜人品。第一二句，注意逻辑;第三句，注意“排”这个字要用主动;

第二段主要注意时态：过去时。

最后一段，伴随状语和句子间的逻辑。

详解：

第一句，考察词汇进一步，占据，以及句子逻辑关系的判断。

第二句注意使用非限制性定语从句。

第三句话是全文最长的一句话，注意几个简单句的合并(so was B以及用逻辑词);考察词汇停止，开展。

第四句，考察“直到。。。才”(not until)句型。

第五句，简单句，无难度，考察with表伴随。

最后一句，简单句，考察短语换句话说, 以及词汇开发利用。

篇2：历年四级真题解析

历年四级真题解析

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the importance of speaking ability and how to develop it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

________________________________________________________________________

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.

Neon (霓虹) is to Hong Kong as red phone booths are to London and fog is to San Francisco. When night falls, red and blue and other colors 26 a hazy (雾蒙蒙的) glow over a city lit up by tens of thousands of neon signs. But many of them are going dark, 27 by more practical, but less romantic, LEDs (发光二极管).

Changing building codes, evolving tastes, and the high cost of maintaining those wonderful old signs have businesses embracing LEDs, which are energy 28 , but still carry great cost. “To me, neon represents memories of the past,” says photographer Sharon Blance, whose series Hong Kong Neon celebrates the city's famous signs. “Looking at the signs now I get a feeling of amazement, mixed with sadness.”

Building a neon sign is an art practiced by 29 trained on the job to mold glass tubes into 30 shapes and letters. They fill these tubes with gases that glow when 31 . Neon makes orange, while other gases make yellow or blue. It takes many hours to craft a single sign.

Blance spent a week in Hong Kong and 32 more than 60 signs; 22 of them appear in the series that capture the signs lighting up lonely streets—an 33 that makes it easy to admire their colors and craftsmanship. “I love the beautiful, handcrafted, old-fashioned 34 of neon,” says Blance. The signs do nothing more than 35 a restaurant, theater, or other business, but do so in the most striking way possible.

A) alternative B) approach C) cast D) challenging E) decorative F) efficient G) electrified H) identify I) photographed J) professionals K) quality L) replaced M) stimulate N) symbolizes O) volunteers

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.

New Jersey School District Eases Pressure on Students—Baring an Ethnic Divide

A) This fall, David Aderhold, the chief of a high-achieving school district near Princeton, New Jersey, sent parents an alarming 16-page letter. The school district, he said, was facing a crisis. Its students were overburdened and stressed out, having to cope with too much work and too many demands. In the previous school year, 120 middle and high school students were recommended for mental health assessments and 40 were hospitalized. And on a survey administered by the district, students wrote things like, “I hate going to school,” and “Coming out of 12 years in this district, I have learned one thing: that a grade, a percentage or even a point is to be valued over anything else.”

B) With his letter, Aderhold inserted West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District into a national discussion about the intense focus on achievement at elite schools, and whether it has gone too far. At follow-up meetings, he urged parents to join him in advocating a “whole child” approach to schooling that respects “social-emotional development” and “deep and meaningful learning” over academics alone. The alternative, he suggested, was to face the prospect of becoming another Palo Alto, California, where outsize stress on teenage students is believed to have contributed to a number of suicides in the last six years.

C) But instead of bringing families together, Aderhold's letter revealed a divide in the district, which has 9,700 students, and one that broke down roughly along racial lines. On one side are white parents like Catherine Foley, a former president of the Parent-Teacher-Student Association at her daughter's middle school, who has come to see the district's increasingly pressured atmosphere as opposed to learning. “My son was in fourth grade and told me, 'I'm not going to amount to anything because I have nothing to put on my resume,'” she said. On the other side are parents like Mike Jia, one of the thousands of Asian-American professionals who have moved to the district in the past decade, who said Aderhold's reforms would amount to a “dumbing down” of his children's education. “What is happening here reflects a national anti-intellectual trend that will not prepare our children for the future,” Jia said.

D) About 10 minutes from Princeton and an hour and a half from New York City, West Windsor and Plainsboro have become popular bedroom communities for technology entrepreneurs, researchers and engineers, drawn in large part by the public schools. From the last three graduating classes, 16 seniors were admitted to MIT. It produces Science Olympiad winners, classically trained musicians and students with perfect SAT scores.

E) The district has become increasingly popular with immigrant families from China, India and Korea. This year, 65 percent of its students are Asian-American, compared with 44 percent in . Many of them are the first in their families born in the United States. They have had a growing influence on the district. Asian-American parents are enthusiastic supporters of the competitive instrumental music program. They have been huge supporters of the district's advanced mathematics program, which once began in the fourth grade but will now start in the sixth. The change to the program, in which 90 percent of the participating students are Asian-American, is one of Aderhold's reforms.

F) Asian-American students have been eager participants in a state program that permits them to take summer classes off campus for high school credit, allowing them to maximize the number of honors and Advanced Placement classes they can take, another practice that Aderhold is limiting this school year. With many Asian-American children attending supplementary instructional programs, there is a perception among some white families that the elementary school curriculum is being sped up to accommodate them.

G) Both Asian-American and white families say the tension between the two groups has grown steadily over the past few years, as the number of Asian families has risen. But the division has become more obvious in recent months as Aderhold has made changes, including no-homework nights, an end to high school midterms and finals, and an initiative that made it easier to participate in the music program.

H) Jennifer Lee, professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine, and an author of the Asian American Achievement Paradox, says misunderstanding between first-generation Asian-American parents and those who have been in this country longer are common. What white middle-class parents do not always understand, she said, is how much pressure recent immigrants feel to boost their children into the middle class. “They don't have the same chances to get their children internships (实习职位) or jobs at law firms,” Lee said. “So what they believe is that their children must excel and beat their white peers in academic settings so they have the same chances to excel later. ”

I) The issue of the stresses felt by students in elite school districts has gained attention in recent years as schools in places like Newton, Massachusetts, and Palo Alto have reported a number of suicides. West Windsor-Plainsboro has not had a teenage suicide in recent years, but Aderhold, who has worked in the district for seven years and been chief for the last three years, said he had seen troubling signs. In a recent art assignments, a middle school student depicted (描绘) an overburdened child who was being scolded for earning an A, rather than an A+ , on a math exam. In the image, the mother scolds the student with the words, “Shame on you!” Further, he said, the New Jersey Education Department has flagged at least two pieces of writing on state English language assessments in which students expressed suicidal thoughts.

J) The survey commissioned by the district found that 68 percent of high school honor and Advanced Placement students reported feeling stressed about school “always or most of the time.” “We need to bring back some balance,” Aderhold said. “You don't want to wait until it's too late to do something. ”

K) Not all public opinion has fallen along racial lines. Karen Sue, the Chinese-American mother of a fifth-grader and an eighth-grader, believes the competition within the district has gotten out of control. Sue, who was born in the United States to immigrant parents, wants her peers to dial it back. “It's become an arms race, an educational arms race,” she said. “We all want our kids to achieve and be successful. The question is, at what cost?”

36. Aderhold is limiting the extra classes that students are allowed to take off campus.

37. White and Asian-American parents responded differently to Aderhold's appeal.

38. Suicidal thoughts have appeared in some students' writings.

39. Aderhold's reform of the advanced mathematics program will affect Asian-American students most.

40. Aderhold appealed for parents' support in promoting an all-round development of children, instead of focusing only on their academic performance.

41. One Chinese-American parent thinks the competition in the district has gone too far.

42. Immigrant parents believe that academic excellence will allow their children equal chances to succeed in the future.

43. Many businessmen and professionals have moved to West Windsor and Plainsboro because of the public schools there.

44. A number of students in Aderhold's school district were found to have stress-induced mental health problems.

45. The tension between Asian-American and white families has increased in recent years.

Section C

Passage One

Questions 46 and 50 are based on the following passage.

For thousands of years, people have known that the best way to understand a concept is to explain it to someone else. “While we teach, we learn,” said Roman philosopher Seneca. Now scientists are bringing this ancient wisdom up-to-date. They're documenting why teaching is such a fruitful way to learn, and designing innovative ways for young people to engage in instruction.

Researchers have found that students who sign up to tutor others work harder to understand the material, recall it more accurately and apply it more effectively. Student teachers score higher on tests than pupils who're learning only for their own sake. But how can children, still learning themselves, teach others? One answer: They can tutor younger kids. Some studies have found that first-born children are more intelligent than their later-born siblings (兄弟姐妹). This suggests their higher IQs result from the time they spend teaching their siblings. Now educators are experimenting with ways to apply this model to academic subjects. They engage college undergraduates to teach computer science to high school students, who in turn instruct middle school students on the topic.

But the most cutting-edge tool under development is the “teachable agent”—a computerized character who learns, tries, makes mistakes and asks questions just like a real-world pupil. Computer scientists have created an animated (动画的) figure called Betty's Brain, who has been “taught” about environmental science by hundreds of middle school students. Student teachers are motivated to help Betty master certain materials. While preparing to teach, they organize their knowledge and improve their own understanding. And as they explain the information to it, they identify problems in their own thinking.

Feedback from the teachable agents further enhances the tutors' learning. The agents' questions compel student tutors to think and explain the materials in different ways, and watching the agent solve problems allows them to see their knowledge put into action.

Above all, it's the emotions one experiences in teaching that facilitate learning. Student tutors feel upset when their teachable agents fail, but happy when these virtual pupils succeed as they derive pride and satisfaction from someone else's accomplishment.

46. What are researchers rediscovering through their studies?

A) Seneca's thinking is still applicable today.

B) Better learners will become better teachers.

C) Human intelligence tends to grow with age.

D) Philosophical thinking improves instruction.

47. What do we learn about Betty's Brain?

A) It is a character in a popular animation.

B) It is a teaching tool under development.

C) It is a cutting-edge app in digital games.

D) It is a tutor for computer science students.

48. How does teaching others benefit student tutors?

A) It makes them aware of what they are strong at.

B) It motivates them to try novel ways of teaching.

C) It helps them learn their academic subjects better.

D) It enables them to better understand their teachers.

49. What do students do to teach their teachable agents?

A) They motivate them to think independently.

B) They ask them to design their own questions.

C) They encourage them to give prompt feedback.

D) They use various ways to explain the materials.

50. What is the key factor that eases student tutors' learning?

A) Their sense of responsibility.

B) Their emotional involvement.

C) The learning strategy acquired.

D) The teaching experience gained.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

A new batch of young women—members of the so-called Millennial (千禧的) generation—has been entering the workforce for the past decade. At the starting line of their careers, they are better educated than their mothers and grandmothers had been—or than their young male counterparts are now. But when they look ahead, they see roadblocks to their success. They believe that women are paid less than men for doing the same job. They think it's easier for men to get top executive jobs than it is for them. And they assume that if and when they have children, it will be even harder for them to advance in their careers.

While the public sees greater workplace equality between men and women now than it did 20-30 years ago, most believe more change is needed. Among Millennial women, 75% say this country needs to continue making changes to achieve gender equality in the workplace, compared with 57% of Millennial men. Even so, relatively few young women (15%) say they have been discriminated against at work because of their gender.

As Millennial women come of age they share many of the same views and values about work as their male counterparts. They want jobs that provide security and flexibility, and they place relatively little importance on high pay. At the same time, however, young working women are less likely than men to aim at top management jobs: 34% say they're not interested in becoming a boss or top manager; only 24% of young men say the same. The gender gap on this question is even wider among working adults in their 30s and 40s, when many women face the trade-offs that go with work and motherhood.

These findings are based on a new Pew Research Center survey of 2,002 adults, including 810 Millennials (ages 18-32), conducted Oct. 7-27, . The survey finds that, in spite of the dramatic gains women have made in educational attainment and labor force participation in recent decades, young women view this as a man's world—just as middle-aged and older women do.

51. What do we learn from the first paragraph about Millennial women starting their careers?

A) They can get ahead only by striving harder.

B) They expect to succeed just like Millennial men.

C) They are generally quite optimistic about their future.

D) They are better educated than their male counterparts.

52. How do most Millennial women feel about their treatment in the workplace?

A) They are the target of discrimination.

B) They find it satisfactory on the whole.

C) They think it needs further improving.

D) They find their complaints ignored.

53. What do Millennial women value most when coming of age?

A) A sense of accomplishment.

B) Job stability and flexibility.

C) Rewards and promotions.

D) Joy derived from work.

54. What are women in their 30s and 40s concerned about?

A) The welfare of their children.

B) The narrowing of the gender gap.

C) The fulfillment of their dreams in life.

D) The balance between work and family.

55. What conclusion can be drawn about Millennial women from the 2013 survey?

A) They still view this world as one dominated by males.

B) They account for half the workforce in the job market.

C) They see the world differently from older generations.

D) They do better in work than their male counterparts.

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.

近年来，中国有越来越多的城市开始建设地铁。发展地铁有助于减少城市的交通拥堵和空气污染。地铁具有安全、快捷和舒适的优点。越来越多的人选择地铁作为每天上班或上学的主要交通工具。如今，在中国乘坐地铁正变得越来越方便。在有些城市里，乘客只需用卡或手机就可以乘坐地铁。许多当地老年市民还可以免费乘坐地铁。

四级部分真题参考答案(完整版)

Part Ⅰ Writing

The Importance of Speaking Ability and How to Develop It

As we all know, proficiency in speaking is necessary for us to become well-rounded communicators. However, the capacity to put words together in a meaningful way to reflect thoughts, opinions, and feelings is not something we're born with but needs some techniques and practice.

Firstly, build confidence and concentrate on getting our message across, which help us gain the attention of the audience return. Secondly, experiment with the things we know well instead of challenging ourselves with difficult words since fluency appears more important during oral communication. Lastly, create some opportunities to practice like narrating our daily life to ourselves or maintaining a regular chat with friends.

To sum up, only by being confident enough and using efficient methods can we enhance our speaking ability. Follow the steps to improve our speaking skills in order to achieve a higher standard in communication.

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension

说明：由于6月四级考试全国共考了两套听力, 本套真题听力与前两套内容相同, 只是选项顺序不同, 因此在本套真题中不再重复出现。

Part III Reading Comprehension

26-35: CLFJE GIBKH

36-45: FCIEB KHDAG

46-55: ABCDB DCBDA

Part IV Translation

In recent years, more and more cities in China have begun to build subways. The development of subways can help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in cities. The subway has the advantages of safety, speed and comfort. More and more people choose the subway as the main means of transportation to work or school every day. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more convenient to take the subway in China. In some cities, passengers can use a card or a mobile phone to take the subway. Many local elderly citizens can also take the subway for free.

篇3：英语四级历年真题参考

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Popping food into the microwave for a couple of minutes may seem utterly harmless, and Europe's stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7million cars, a new study has found, and the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchen appliances becoming “status” users, owners are throwing many microwave after an average of eight years. This is pushing sales of new microwave which are expected to reach 135 million annually in the EU by the end of the decade.

A study by the University of Manchester worked out the emissions of carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change -- at every stage of microwaves, from manufacture to waste disposal. “It is electricity consumption by microwaves that has the biggest impact on the environment,” say the authors, who also calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same as those from a car. According to the same study, efforts to reduce consumption should focus on improving consumer awareness and behaviour to use appliances more efficiently. For example, electricity consumption by microwaves can be reduced by adjusting the time of cooking to the type of food.“

However, David Reay, professor of carbon management argues that, although microwaves use a great deal of enery, their emissions are minor compared to those from cars. In the UK alone and these emit way more than all the emissions from microwaves in the EU. Backing this up, recent data show that passenger cars in the UK emitted 69m tonnes of CO2 in . This is 10 times the amount this new microwave oven study estimates for annual emissions for all the microwave ovens in the whole of the EU.” further, the energy used by microwaves is lower than any other form of cooking. Among common kitchen appliances used for cooking, microwaves are the most energy efficient, followed by a stove and finally a standard oven. Thus, rising microwave sales could be seen as a positive thing.

51. What is the finding of the new study?

A) Quick-cooking microwave ovens have become more popular.

B) The frequent use of microwaves may do harm to our health.

C) CO2 emissions constitute a major threat to the environment.

D) The use of microwaves emits more CO2 than people think.

52. Why are the sales of microwaves expected to rise?

A) They are becoming more afrdabla.

B) They have a shorter life cycle than other appliances.

C) They are gtting much easier to operate.

D) They take less tine to cook than other ppliaces.

53. What recommendation does the study by the University of Manchester make?

A) Cooking food of dfferent varieties.

B) Improving microwave users' habits.

C) Eating less to cut energy consumption.

D) Using microwave ovens less frequently.

54. What does Professor David Reay try to argue?

A) There are far more emissions from cars than from microwaves.

B) People should be persuaded into using passenger cars less often.

C) The UK produces less CO2 than many other countries in the EU.

D) More data are needed to show whether microwaves are harmful.

55. What does Professor David Reay think of the use of microwaves?

A) It will become less popular in the coming decades.

B) It makes everyday cooking much more convenient.

C) It plays a positive role in envronmental protection.

D) It consumes more power than conventional cooking.

Passage one

46.B

47.C

48.D

49.B

50.A

Passage two

51.D

52.A

53.B

54.A

55.C

篇4：英语四级历年真题参考

Passage One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

46. What are researchers rediscovering through their studies?

A.Seneca's thinking is still applicable today.

B.Better learners will become better teachers.

C.Human intelligence tends to grow with age.

D.Philosophical thinking improves instruction.

47. What do we learn about Betty's Brain?

A.It is a character in a popular animation.

B.It is a teaching tool under development.

C.It is a cutting-edge app in digital games.

D.It is a tutor for computer science students.

48. How does teaching others benefit student tutors?

A.It makes them aware of what they are strong at.

B.It motivates them to try novel ways of teaching.

C.It helps them learn their academic subjects better.

D.It enables them to better understand their teachers.

49. What do students do to teach their teachable agents?

A.They motivate them to think independently.

B.They ask them to design their own questions.

C.They encourage them to give prompt feedback.

D.They use various ways to explain the materials.

50. What is the key factor that eases student tutors' learning?

A.Their sense of responsibility.

B.Their emotional involvement.

C.The learning strategy acquired.

D.The teaching experience gained.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

51.What do we learn from the first paragraph about Millennial women starting their careers?

A.They can get ahead only by striving harder.

B.They expect to succeed just like Millennial men.

C.They are generally quite optimistic about their future.

D.They are better educated than their male counterparts.

52.How do most Millennial women feel about their treatment in the workplace?

A.They are the target of discrimination.

B.They find it satisfactory on the whole.

C.They think it needs further improving.

D.They find their complaints ignored.

53.What do Millennial women value most when coming of age?

A.A sense of accomplishment.

B.Job stability and flexibility.

C.Rewards and promotions.

D.Joy derived from work.

54.What are women in their 30s and 40s concerned about?

A.The welfare of their children.

B.The narrowing of the gender gap.

C.The fulfillment of their dreams in life.

D.The balance between work and family.

55.What conclusion can be drawn about Millennial women from the 2013 survey?

A.They still view this world as one dominated by males.

B.They account for half the workforce in the job market.

C.They see the world differently from older generations.

D.They do better in work than their male counterparts.

Passage one

46.A

47.B

48.C

49.D

50.B

Passage two

51.D

52.C

53.B

54.D

55.A

篇5：英语四级历年真题参考

Passage One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

According to the majority of Americans, women are every bit as capable of being good political leaders as men. The same can be said of their ability to dominate the corporate boardroom. And according to a new Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans find women indistinguishable from men on key leadership traits such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they're stronger than men in terms of being passionate and organized leaders.

So why, then, are women in short supply at the top of government and business in the United States? According to the public, at least, it's not that they lack toughness, management talent or proper skill sets.

It’s also not all about work-life balance. Although economic research and previous survey findings have shown that career interruptions related to motherhood may make it harder for women to advance in their careers and compete for top executive jobs, relatively few adults in the recent survey point to this as a key barrier for women seeking leadership roles. Only about one-in-five say women's family responsibilities are a major reason why there aren't more females in top leadership positions in business and politics.

Instead, topping the list of reasons, about four-in-ten Americans point to a double standard for women seeking to climb to the highest levels of either politics or business, where they have to do more than their male counterparts to prove themselves. Similar shares say the electorate （选民）and corporate America are just not ready to put more women in top leadership positions.

As a result, the public is divided about whether the imbalance in corporate America will change in the foreseeable future, even though women have made major advances in the workplace. While 53% believe men will continue to hold more top executive positions in business in the future, 44% say it's only a matter of time before as many women are in top executive positions as men. Americans are less doubtful when it comes to politics: 73% expect to see a female president in their lifetime.

46.What do most Americans think of women leaders according to a new Pew Research Center survey?

A) They have to do more to distinguish themselves.

B) They have to strive harder to win their positions.

C) They are stronger than men in terms of willpower.

D) They are just as intelligent and innovative as men.

47.What do we learn from previous survey findings about women seeking leadership roles?

A) They have unconquerable difficulties on their way to success.

B) They are lacking in confidence when competing with men.

C) Their failures may have something to do with family duties.

D) Relatively few are hindered in their career advancement.

48.What is the primary factor keeping women from taking top leadership positions according to the recent survey?

A) Personality traits.

B) Gender bias.

C) Family responsibilities.

D) Lack of vacancies.

49.What does the passage say about corporate America in the near future?

A) More and more women will sit in the boardroom.

B) Gender imbalance in leadership is likely to change.

C) The public is undecided about whether women will make good leaders.

D) People have opposing opinions as to whether it will have more women leaders.

50.What do most Americans expect to see soon on America's political stage?

A) A woman in the highest position of government.

B) More and more women actively engaged in politics.

C) A majority of women voting for a female president.

D) As many women in top government positions as men.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

People have grown taller over the last century, with South Korean women shooting up by more than 20cm on average, and Iranian men gaining 16.5cm. A global study looked at the average height of 18-year-olds in 200 countries between 1914 and .

The results reveal that while Swedes were the tallest people in the world in 1914, Dutch men have risen from 12th place to claim top spot with an average height of 182.5cm. Latvian women, meanwhile, rose from 28th place in 1914 to become the tallest in the world a century later, with an average height of 169.8cm.

James Bentham, a co-author of the research from Imperial College, London, says the global trend is likely to be due primarily to improvements in nutrition and healthcare. “An individual's genetics has a big influence on their height, but once you average over whole populations, genetics plays e less key role,” he added.

A little extra height brings a number of advantages, says Elio Riboli of Imperial College. “Being taller is associated with longer life expectancy,” he said. “This is largely due to a lower risk of dying of cardiovascular (心血管的）disease among taller people.”

But while height has increased around the world, the trend in many countries of north and sub-Saharan Africa causes concern, says Riboli. While height increased in Uganda and Niger during the early 20th century, the trend has reversed in recent years, with height decreasing among 18-year-olds.

“One reason for these decreases in height is the economic situation in the 1980s,” said Alexander Moradi of the University of Sussex. The nutritional and health crises that followed the policy of structural adjustment, he says, led to many children and teenagers failing to reach their full potential in terms of height.

Bentham believes the global trend of increasing height has important implications. “How tall we are now is strongly influenced by the environment we grew up in,” he said. “If we give children the best possible start in life now, they will be healthier and more productive for decades to come.”

51.What does the global study tell us about people's height in the last hundred years?

A) There is a remarkable difference across continents.

B) There has been a marked increase in most countries.

C) The increase in people's height has been quickening.

D) The increase in women's height is bigger than in men's.

52.What does James Bentham say about genetics in the increase of people's height?

A) It counts less than generally thought.

B) It outweighs nutrition and healthcare.

C) It impacts more on an individual than on a population.

D) It plays a more significant role in females than in males.

53.What does Elio Riboli say about taller people?

A) They tend to live longer.

B) They enjoy an easier life.

C) They generally risk fewer fatal diseases.

D) They have greater expectations in life.

54.What do we learn about 18-year-olds in Uganda and Niger?

A) They grow up slower than their peers in other countries.

B) They are actually shorter than their earlier generations.

C) They find it hard to bring their potential into full play.

D) They have experienced many changes of government.

55.What does James Bentham suggest we do?

A) Watch closely the global trend in children's development.

B) Make sure that our children grow up to their full height.

C) Try every means possible to improve our environment.

D) Ensure our children grow up in an ideal environment.

Passage one

46.D

47.C

48.B

49.D

50.A

Passage two

51.B

52.C

53.A

54.B

55.D

篇6：英语四级历年真题试卷

12月大学英语四级真题试卷一阅读答案及解析

Part III Reading Comprehension

Section A

26. [C] essential

27. [M] suspicion

28. [G] miserable

29. [A] constantly

30. [O] watching

31. [J] records

32. [K] removed

33. [F] load

34. [I] properly

35. [H] pressure

解析：

26题根据上下文得知，此处应该是说人与人之间信任的重要性。很明显答案C. essential符合条件，B选项有可信的意思，看到此选项可能下意识地会选这个答案，但翻译成“信任是可信的”，和主旨无关，此处还是讨论信任的重要性。

29题容易选一个名词比如records和”mistakes”并列，但是后面的选项并没有双引号，后面是一个动词reminding，可以推测前面需要填入副词来修饰reminding，根据语义“要求你做这做那”，可以推出是不断要求，而不是properly恰当地，排除完可以得出constantly.

31题，此处判断应填名词，有同学可能会和pressure弄混淆，但此处并不能得出公司要施加压力。公司出于自我保护和信任问题，对于任何交易记录都会留有根据和存根，这些都是记录，所以答案应该是records,

Section B

36. [G] The Chetty data shows that neighborhoods and places mattered for children born in the San Jose area of the 1980s.

37. [D] The reasons kids in San Jose performed so well might seem obvious.

38. [K] The idea that those at the bottom can rise to the top is central to America's ideas about itself.

39. [B] Indeed, data suggests that this is one of the best places to grow up poor in America.

40. [J] But in today's America-a land of rising inequality

41. [I] Leaders in San Jose are determined to make sure that the city regains its status as a place where even poor kids can access the resources to succeed.

42. [E] Indeed, the streets of San Jose seem, in some ways, to embody the best of America.

43. [C] By contrast, just 4.4 percent of poor kids in Charlotte moved up to the top

44. [H] Some San Jose residents say that as inequality has grown in recent years

45. [F] But researchers aren 't sure exactly why poor kids in San Jose did so well.

解析：

38题干主旨表达的是如果该市的问题不解决将会动摇美国的根本信仰，对应K项中的America's ideas about itself.和foundational belief.可以进行匹配。

41题干第一句该市的官员，可以定位到[I]选项第一句Leaders in San Jose, 且该句直接表明了目的，就是为了提升贫困孩子触达成功的机会。

42题中的manifest词汇较为生僻，但后面的some of the best features可以理解说的是关于美国最好的几点特质，对应到[E]选项to embody the best of America.

44 题干关键信息是 increases in housing prices，快速浏览后可以定位到[H]项多次提到如Rent，homelessness problem, housing prices等与住房相关的信息

Section C

Passage One

46. [D] They lack the necessary resources to address pupils’ mental problems.

47. [A] They have deteriorated due to budget cuts.

48. [B] At school.

49. [C] Students are more comfortable seeking counselling in school.

50. [D] A change in the conception of what schools are.

解析：

46题A和B选项属于无中生有，C选项说的是学校在实施干预方面举措不利，但是根据原文第二段第二句，how ill-equipped they feel 可以看出主体是老师自己而不是学校，此处是一个偷换概念的陷阱，还是要基于文章的意思判断。

47题的C选项与原文第三段最后一句意义相反;B和D选项也是无中生有，A选项中出现了一个生词，但最后出现的budgets cuts还是可以帮助我们定位到第三段第二句。

49. A和B均属无中生有，D选项则偷换了概念，原文是指学生们更愿意在校内进行心理辅导而不是外面的心理咨询，D选项则替换成了校外活动。

Passage Two

51. [A] To illustrate people’s peculiar shopping behavior.

52. [D] To make customers believe they are getting a bargain.

53. [B] The E conomist’s promotional strategy works.

54. [C] To trap customers into buying the more pricey item.

55. [B] By comparing it with other choices.

解析：

51题的BD选项都属于捏造的信息，C选项具有一定迷惑性，但描述的是表面的信息，并不是作者举例的真实目的，此处挑选饮料本质是想要阐述一种特定购物行为。

52题讨论的是中罐苏打水定价的理由，A选项吸引更多人去买很明显不对，因为中罐苏打水重量减半价格却很贵，同理B项也不符合，C项本文并未提及，属于生造的信息。所以中罐苏打是为了让顾客以同样价格买到更大罐的饮料从而觉得占到便宜。

53 题A选项看似符合常理，但并不是Dan的研究成果内容，属于张冠李戴;C项文中并没有提及是卖的最好的; 最后的D项也偷换了概念，很有迷惑性，研究结果的意思是如果没有纸质加电子版这个选项的话，大部分人还是会选择更便宜的电子版，但和纸质版对比，同样的价格还可以获得电子版，所以人们会更倾向选择print plus digital，而不是digital

篇7：历年英语四级真题练习

Part I Writing(minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay based on the picture below.You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and then comment on the kid's understanding of going to school.You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

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 ofeach conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said.Both theconversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After each question there will bea 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 AnswerSheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

1.A.He will give the woman some tips on the game.

B.The woman has good reason to quit the game.

C.He is willing to play chess with the woman.

D.The woman should go on playing chess.

2.A.The man can forward the mail to Mary.

B.She can call Mary to take care of the mail.

C.Mary probably knows Sally's new address.

D.She would like to resume contact with Sally.

3.A.His handwriting has a unique style.

B.His notes are not easy to read.

C.He did not attend today's class.

D.He is very pleased to be able to help.

4.A.The man had better choose another restaurant.

B.The new restaurant is a perfect place for dating.

C.The new restaurant caught her fancy immediately.

D.The man has good taste in choosing the restaurant.

5.A.He has been looking forward to spring.

B.He has been waiting for the winter sale.

C.He will clean the woman's boots for spring.

D.He will help the woman put things away.

6.A.The woman is rather forgetful.

B.The man appreciates the woman's help.

C.The man often lends books to the woman.

D.The woman often works overtime at weekends.

7.A.Go to work on foot.

B.Take a sightseeing trip.

C.Start work earlier than usual.

D.Take a walk when the weather is nice.

8.A.The plane is going to land at another airport.

B.All flights have been delayed due to bad weather.

C.Temporary closing has disturbed the airport's operation.

D.The airport's management is in real need of improvement.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

9.A.It specializes in safety from leaks.

B.It is headquartered in London.

C.It has a partnership with LCP.

D.It has a chemical processing plant.

10.A.He is Mr.Grand's friend.

B.He is a safety inspector.

C.He is a salesman.

D.He is a chemist.

11.A.Director of the safety department.

B.Mr.Grand's personal assistant.

C.Head of the personnel department.

D.The public relations officer.

12. A.Walt for Mr.Grand to call back.

B.Leave a message for Mr.Grand.

C.Provide details of their products and services.

D.Send a comprehensive description of their work.

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

13.A.She learned playing the violin from a famous French musician.

B.She dreamed of working and living in a European country.

C.She read a lot about European musicians and their music.

D.She listened to recordings of many European orchestras.

14.A.She began taking violin lessons as a small child.

B.She was a pupil of a famous European violinist.

C.She gave her first performance with her father.

D.She became a professional violinist at fifteen.

15.A.It gave her a chance to explore the city.

B.It was the chance of a lifetime.

C.It was a great challenge to her.

D.It helped her learn classical French music.

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages.At the end of each passage, you will hearsome questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After youhear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A., B),C.and D ).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single linethrough the centre.

Passage One

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

16.A.There are mysterious stories behind his works.

B.There are many misunderstandings about him.

C.His works have no match worldwide.

D.His personal history is little known.

17.A.He moved to Stratford-on-Avon in his childhood.

B.He failed to go beyond grammar school.

C.He was a member of the town council.

D.He once worked in a well-known acting company.

18. A.Writers of his time had no means to protect their works.

B.Possible sources of clues about him were lost in a fire.

C.His works were adapted beyond recognition.

D.People of his time had little interest in him.

Passage Two

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

19. A.Theft.

B.Cheating.

C.Air crash.

D.Road accidents.

20. A.Learn the local customs.

B.Make hotel reservations.

C.Book tickets well in advance.

D.Have the right documents.

21.A.Contact your agent.

B.Get a lift if possible.

C.Use official transport.

D.Have a friend meet you.

Passage Three

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

22.A.Cut down production cost.

B.Sell inexpensive products.

C.Specialise in gold ornaments.

D.Refine the taste of his goods.

23.A.At a national press conference.

B.During a live television interview.

C.During a local sales promotion campaign.

D.At a meeting of top British businesspeople.

24.A.Insulted.

B.Puzzled.

C.Distressed.

D.Discouraged.

25.A.The words of some businesspeople are just rubbish.

B.He who never learns from the past is bound to fail.

C.There should be a limit to one's sense of humour.

D.He is not laughed at, that laughs at himself first.

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times.When the passage is read for the firsttime, you should listen carefully for its general idea.When the passage is read for thesecond time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have justheard.Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what youhave written.

Looking at the basic biological systems, the world is not doing very well.Yet economic indicators show the world is 26 Despite a slow start at the beginning of the eighties, global economic output increased by more than a fifth during the 27 The economy grew, trade increased, and millions of new jobs were created.How can biological indicators show the 28 of economic indicators?

The answer is that the economic indicators have a basic fault: they show no difference between resource uses that 29 progress and those uses that will hurt it.The main measure of economic progress is the gross national product (GNP). 30 , this totals the value of all goods and services produced and subtracts loss in value of factories and equipment.Developed a half-century ago, GNP helped 31 a common way among countries of measuring change in economic output.For some time, this seemed to work 32 well, but serious weaknesses are now appearing.As indicated earlier, GNP includes loss in value of factories and equipment, but it does not 33 the loss of natural resources, including nonrenewable resources such as oil or renewable resources such as forests.

This basic fault can produce a 34 sense of national economic health.According to GNP, for example, countries that overcut forests actually do better than those that preserve their forests.The trees cut down are counted as income but no subtraction is made for 35 the forests.

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 Sheet2 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.

The U.S.Department of Education is making efforts to ensure that all students have equal access to a quality education.Today it is 36 the launch of the Excellent Educators for All Initiative.The initiative will help states and school districts support great educators for the students who need them most.

“All children are 37 to a high-quality education regardless of their race, zip code or family income.It is 38 important that we provide teachers and principals the support they need to help students reach their full 39 ,” U.S.Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said.“ Despite the excellent work and deep 40 of our nation's teachers and principals, students in high-poverty, high- minority schools are unfairly treated across our country.We have to do better.Local leaders and educators will 41 their own creative solutions, but we must work together to 42 our focus on how to better recruit, support and 43 effective teachers and principals for all students, especially the kids who need them most.”

Today's announcement is another important step forward in improving access to a quality education, a 44 of President Obama's year of action.Later today, Secretary Duncan will lead a roundtable discussion with principals and school teachers from across the country about the 45 of working in high-need schools and how to adopt promising practices for supporting great educators in these schools.

A.Announcing

B.beneficial

C.challenges

D.commitment

E.component

F.contests

G.critically

H.develop

I.distributing

J.enhance

K.entitled

L.potential

M.properly

N.qualified

O.retain

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph 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 thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

The Changes Facing Fast Food

A.Fast-food firms have to be a thick-skinned bunch.Health experts regularly criticise them severelyfor selling food that makes people fat.Critics even complain that McDonald's, whose logosymbolises calorie excess, should not have been allowed to sponsor the World Cup.These arethings fast-food firms have learnt to cope with.But not perhaps for much longer.The burgerbusiness faces more pressure from regulators at a time when it is already adapting strategies inresponse to shifts in the global economy.

B)Fast food was once thought to be recession-proof.When consumers need to cut spending, the logicgoes, cheap meals like Big Macs and Whoppers become even more attractive.Such “trading down”proved true for much of the latest recession, when fast-food companies picked up customers who could no longer afford to eat at casual restaurants.Traffic was boosted in America, the home of fast food, with discounts and promotions, such as $1 menus and cheap combination meals.

C)As a result, fast-food chains have weathered the recession better than their more expensive competitors.In 2009 sales at full-service restaurants in America fell by more than 6% , but total sales remained about the same at fast-food chains.In some markets, such as Japan, France and Britain, total spending on fast food increased.Same-store sales in America at McDonald's, the world's largest fast-food company, did not decline throughout the downturn.Panera Bread, an American fast-food chain known for its fresh ingredients, performed well, too, because it offers higher-quality food at lower prices than restaurants.

D)But not all fast-food companies have been as fortunate.Many, such as Burger King, have seen sales fall.In a severe recession, while some people trade down to fast food, many others eat at home more frequently to save money.David Palmer, an analyst at UBS, a bank, says smaller fast- food chains in America, such as Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr., have been hit particularly hard in this downturn because they are competing with the global giant McDonald's, which increased spending on advertising by more than 7% last year as others cut back.

E.Some fast-food companies also sacrificed their own profits by trying to give customers better value.During the recession companies set prices low, hoping that once they had tempted customers through the door they would be persuaded to order more expensive items.But in many cases that strategy did not work.Last year Burger King franchisees (特许经营人)sued (起诉)the company over its double-cheeseburger promotion, claiming it was unfair for them to be repuired to sell these for $1 when they cost$1.10 to make.In May a judge ruled in favour of Burger King.Nevertheless, the company may still be cursing its decision to promote cheap choices over more expensive ones because items on its “value menu” now account for around 20% of all sales, upfrom 12% last October.

F.Analysts expect the fast-food industry to grow modestly this year.But the downturn is makingcompanies rethink their strategies.Many are now introducing higher-priced items to entice (引诱)consumers away from $1 specials.KFC, a division of Yum! Brands, which also owns Taco Belland Pizza Hut, has launched a chicken sandwich that costs around $5.And in May Burger Kingintroduced barbecue (烧烤)pork ribs at $7 for eight.

G.Companies are also trying to get customers to buy new and more items, including drinks.McDonald's started selling better coffee as a challenge to Starbucks.Its “ McCafe” line nowaccounts for an estimated 6% of sales in America.Starbucks has sold rights to its Seattle's Bestcoffee brand to Burger King, which will start selling it later this year.

H.As fast-food companies shift from “super size” to “more buys”, they need to keep customer traffichigh throughout the day.Many see breakfast as a big opporttmity, and not just for fatty food.McDonald's will start selling porridge (粥)in America next year.Breakfast has the potential to bevery profitable, says Sara Senatore of Bernstein, a research firm, because the margins can be high.Fast-food companies are also adding midday and late-night snacks, such as blended drinks andwraps.The idea is that by having agreater range of things on the menu, “we can sell to consumersproducts they want all day,” says Rick Carucci., the .chief financial officer of Yum ! Brands.

I.But what about those growing waistlines? So far, fast-food firms have cleverly avoided governmentregulation.By providing healthy options, like salads and low-calorie sandwiches, they have at leastgiven the impression of doing something about helping to fight obesity (肥胖症).These offeringsare not necessarily loss-leaders, as they broaden the appeal of outlets to groups of diners thatinclude some people who don't want to eat a burger.But customers cannot be forced to ordersalads instead of fries.

J.In the future, simply offering a healthy option may not be good enough.“Every packaged-food and restaurant company I know is concerned about regulation right now,” says Mr.Palmer of UBS.America's health-reform bill, which Congress passed this year, requires restaurant chains with 20 ormore outlets to put the calorie-content of items they serve on the menu.A study by the NationalBureau of Economic Research, which tracked the effects on Starbucks of a similar calorie-postinglaw in New York City in 2007, found that the average calorie-count per transaction fell 6% andrevenue increased 3% at Starbucks stores where a Dunldn Donuts outlet was nearby--a sign, it issaid, that menu-labelling could favour chains that have more healthy offerings.

K.In order to avoid other legislation in America and elsewhere, fast-food companies will have tocontinue innovating (创新).Walt Riker of McDonald's claims the change it has made in its menumeans it offers more healthy items than it did a few years ago.“We probably sell more vegetables,more milk, more salads, more apples than any restaurant business in the world,” he says.But therecent proposal by a county in California to ban McDonald's from including toys in its high-calorie“Happy Meals”, because legislators believe it attracts children to unhealthy food, suggests there isa lot more left to do.

46.Some people propose laws be made to stop McDonald's from attaching toys to its food specials for children.

47.Fast-food finns may not be able to cope with pressures from food regulation in the near future.

48.Burger King will start to sell Seattle's Best coffee to increase sales.

49.Some fast-food firms provide healthy food to give the impression they are helping to tackle the obesity problem.

50.During the recession, many customers turned to fast food to save money.

51.Many people eat out less often to save money in times of recession.

52.During the recession, Burger King's promotional strategy of offering low-priced items often proved ineffective.

53.Fast-food restaurants can make a lot of money by selling breakfast.

54.Many fast-food companies now expect to increase their revenue by introducing higher-priced items.

55.A newly-passed law asks big fast-food chains to specify the calorie count of what they serve on the menu.

Section C

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A., B), C.andD ).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

If you think a high-factor sunscreen (防晒霜)keeps you safe from harmful rays, you may be wrong.Research in this week's Nature shows that while factor 50 reduces the number of melanomas(黑瘤)and delays their occurrence, it can't prevent them.Melanomas are the most aggressive skin cancers.You have a higher risk if you have red or blond hair, fair skin, blue or green eyes, or sunburn easily, or if a close relative has had one.Melanomas are more common if you have periodic intense exposure to the sun.Other skin cancers are increasingly likely with long-term exposure.

There is continuing debate as to how effective sunscreen is in reducing melanomas the evidence is weaker than it is for preventing other types of skin cancer.A 2011 Australian study of 1,621 people found that people randomly selected to apply sunscreen daily had half the rate of melanomas of people who used cream as needed.A second study, comparing 1,167 people with melanomas to 1,101 who didn't have the cancer, found that using sunscreen routinely, alongside other protection such as hats,long sleeves or staying in the shade, did give some protection.This study said other forms of sun protection not sunscreen seemed most beneficial.The study relied on people remembering what they had done over each decade of their lives, so it's not entirely reliable.But it seems reasonable to think sunscreen gives people a false sense of security in the sun.

Many people also don't use sunscreen properly applying insufficient amounts, failing to reapply after a couple of hours and staying in the sun too long.It is sunburn that is most worrying recent research shows five episodes of sunburn in the teenage years increases the risk of all skin cancers.

The good news is that a combination of sunscreen and covering up can reduce melanoma rates, as shown by Australian figures from their slip-slop-slap campaign.So if there is a heat wave this summer, it would be best for us, too, to slip on a shirt, slop on (抹上)sunscreen and slap on a hat.

56.What is people's common expectation of a high-factor sunscreen?

A.It will delay the occurrence of skin cancer.

B.It will protect them from sunburn.

C.It will keep their skin smooth and fair.

D.It will work for people of any skin color.

57.What does the research in Nature say about a high-factor sunscreen?

A.It is ineffective in preventing melanomas.

B.It is ineffective in case of intense sunlight.

C.It is ineffective with long-term exposure.

D.It is ineffective for people with fair skin.

58.What do we learn from the 2011 Australian study of 1,621 people?

A.Sunscreen should be applied alongside other protection measures.

B.High-risk people benefit the most from the application of sunscreen.

C.Irregular application of sunscreen does women more harm than good.

D.Daily application of sunscreen helps reduce the incidence of melanomas.

59.What does the author say about the second Australian study?

A.It misleads people to rely on sunscreen for protection.

B.It helps people to select the most effective sunscreen.

C.It is not based on direct observation of the subjects.

D.It confirms the results of the first Australian study.

60.What does the author suggest to reduce melanoma rates?

A.Using both covering up and sunscreen.

B.Staying in the shade whenever possible.

C.Using covering up instead of sunscreen.

D.Applying the right amount of sunscreen.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

Across the rich world, well-educated people increasingly work longer than the less-skilled.Some65% of American men aged 62 -74 with a professional degree are in the workforce, compared with32% of men with only a high-school certificate.This gap is part of a deepening divide between the well-educated well-off and the unskilled poor.Rapid technological advance has raised the incomes of the highly skilled while squeezing those of the unskilled.The consequences, for individuals and society, are profound.

The world is facing an astonishing rise in the number of old people, and they will live longer than ever before.Over the next 20 years the global population of those aged 65 or more will almost double, from 600 million to 1.1 billion.The experience of the 20th century, when greater longevity (长寿)translated into more years in retirement rather than more years at work, has persuaded many observers that this shift will lead to slower economic growth, while the swelling ranks of pensioners will create government budget problems.

But the notion of a sharp division between the working young and the idle old misses a new trend, the growing gap between the skilled and the unskilled.Employment rates are falling among younger unskilled people, whereas older skilled folk are working longer.The divide is most extreme in America, where well-educated baby-boomers (二战后生育高峰期出生的美国人)are putting off retirement while many less-skilled younger people have dropped out of the workforce.

Policy is partly responsible.Many European governments have abandoned policies that used to encourage people to retire early.Rising life expectancy (预期寿命), combined with the replacement of generous defmed-benefit pension plans with less generous defined-contribution ones, means that even the better-off must work longer to have a comfortable retirement.But the changing nature of work also plays a big role.Pay has risen sharply for the highly educated, and those people continue to reap rich rewards into old age because these days the educated elderly are more productive than the preceding generation.Technological change may well reinforce that shift: the skills that complement computers, from management knowhow to creativity, do not necessarily decline with age.

61.What is happening in the workforce in rich countries?

A.Younger people are replacing the elderly.

B.Well-educated people tend to work longer.

C.Unemployment rates are rising year after year.

D.People with no college degree do not easily find work.

62.What has helped deepen the divide between the well-off and the poor?

A.Longer life expectancies.

B.A rapid technological advance.

C.Profound changes in the workforce.

D.A growing number of the well-educated.

63.What do many observers predict in view of the experience of the 20th century?

A.Economic growth will slow down.

B.Government budgets will increase.

C.More people will try to pursue higher education.

D.There will be more competition in the job market.

64.What is the result of policy changes in European countries?

A.Unskilled workers may choose to retire early.

B.More people have to receive in-service training.

C.Even wealthy people must work longer to live comfortably in retirement.

D.People may be able to enjoy generous defined-benefits from pension plans.

65.What is characteristic of work in the 21st century?

A.Computers will do more complicated work.

B.More will be taken by the educated young.

C.Most jobs to be done will be the creative ones.

D.Skills are highly valued regardless of age.

Part Ⅳ Translation ( 30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.

中国是世界上最古老的文明之一。构成现代世界基础的许多元素都起源于中国。中国现在拥有世界上发展最快的经济，并正经历着一次新的工业革命。中国还启动了雄心勃勃的太空探索计划，其中包括到2020年建成一个太空站。目前，中国是世界最大的出口国之一，并正在吸引大量外国投资。同时，它也在海外投资数十亿美元。2011年，中国超越日本成为世界第二大经济体。

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