2014年6月
Section A
Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.
Global warming is a trend toward warmer conditions around the world. Part of the warming is natural; we have experienced a 20,000 -year -long warming as the last ice age ended and the ice 36 away.However, we have already reached temperatures that are in 37 with other minimum-ice periods, so continued warming is likely not natural. We are 38 to a predicted worldwide increase in temperatures 39 between 1℃ and 6℃over the next 100 years. The warming will be more 40 in some areas, less in others, and some places may even cool off. Likewise, the 41 of this warming will be very different depending on where you are—coastal areas must worry about rising sea levels, while Siberia and northern Canada may become more habitable (宜居的)and 42 for humans than these areas are now.
The fact remains, however, that it will likely get warmer, on 43 , everywhere. Scientists are in general agreement that the warmer conditions we have been experiencing are at least in part the result of a human-induced global warming trend. Some scientists 44 that the changes we are seeing fall within the range of random (无规律的) variation—some years are cold, others warm, and we have just had an unremarkable string of warm years 45 —but that is becoming an increasingly rare interpretation in the face of continued and increasing warm conditions.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
A) appealing I) melted
B) average J) persist
C) contributing K) ranging
D) dramatic L)recently
E) frequently M) resolved
F) impact N) sensible
G) line O) shock
H) maintain
SectionB
The End of the Book?
[A] Amazon, by far the largest bookseller in the country, reported on May 19 that it is now selling more book sin its electronic Kindle format than in the old paper-and-ink format. That is rmarkable, considering that the Kindle has only been around for four years.E-books now account for 14 percent of all book sales in the country and are increasing far faster than overall book sales. E-book sales are up 146 percent over last year, while hardback sales increased 6 percent and paperbacks decreased 8 percent.
[B]Does this spell the doom of the physical book? Certainly not immediately, and perhaps not at all. What it does mean is that the book business will go through a transformation in the next decade or so more profound than any it has seen since Gutenberg introduced printing from move able type in the 1450s.
[C]Physical books will surely become much rarer in the marketplace. Mass market paperbacks, which have been declining for years anyway, will probably disappear, as will hardbacks for mysteries, thrillers, ―romance fiction,‖ etc.Such books, which only rarely end up in permanent collections, either private or public, will probably only be available as e-books within a few years.Hardback and trade paperbacks for ―serious‖ nonfiction and fiction will surely last longer. Perhaps it will become the mark of an author to reckon with that the or she is still published in hard copy.
[D]As for children‘s books, who knows? Children‘s books are like dog food in that the purchasers are not the consumers, so the market (and the marketing) is inherently strange.
[E]For clues to the book‘s future, let‘s look at some examples of technological change and see what happened to the old technology.
[F]One technology replaces another only because the new technology is better,cheaper, or both. The greater the difference, the sooner and more thoroughly the new technology replaces the old. Printing with move able type on paper dramatically reduced the cost of producing a book compared with the old-fashioned ones handwritten on vellum, which comes from sheepskin. A Bible—to be sure, a long book—required vellum made from 300 sheepskins and countless man-hours of labor. Before printing arrived, a Bible cost more than amiddle-class house. There were perhaps 50,000 books in all of Europe in 1450.By 1500 there were 10 million.
[G]But while printing quickly caused the hand written book to die out, handwriting lingered on (继续存在) well into the 16th century. Very special books are still occasionally produced on vellum, but they are one-of-a-kind show pieces.
[H]Sometimes a new technology doesn‘t drive the old one out, but only parts of it while forcing the rest to
evolve. The movies were widely predicted to drive live theater out of the marketplace, but they didn‘t, because theater turned out to have qualities movies could not reproduce. Equally, TV was supposed to replace movies but, again, did not.
[I]Movies did, however, fatally impact some parts of live theater. And while TV didn‘t kill movies, it did kill second-rate pictures, shorts, and cartoons.
[J]Nor did TV kill radio. Comedy and drama shows (―Jack Benny,‖ ―Amos and Andy,‖―The Shadow‖) all migrated to television. But because you can‘t drive a car and watch television at the same time, rush hour became radio‘s prime, while music,talk, and news radio greatly enlarged their audiences. Radio is today a very different business than in the late 1940s and a much larger one.
[K]Sometimes old technology lingers for centuries because of its symbolic power.Mounted cavalry (骑兵) replaced the chariot (二轮战车) on the battlefield around 1000 BC. But chariots maintained their place in parades and triumphs right up until the end of the Roman Empire 1,500 years later. These word hasn‘t had a military function for a hundred years, but is still part of an officer‘s full-dress uniform, precisely because a sword always symbolized―an officer and a gentleman.‖
[L]Sometimes new technology is a little cranky(不稳定的)at first. Television repairman was a common occupation in the 1950s, for instance.And so the old technology remains as a backup. Steamships captured the North Atlantic passenger business from sail in the 1840s because of its much greater speed. But steamships didn‘t lose their sails until the 1880s, because early marine engines had a nasty habit of breaking down. Until ships became large enough (and engines small enough) to mount two engines side by side, they needed to keep sails. (The high cost of steam and the lesser need for speed kept the majority of the world‘s ocean freight moving by sail until the early years of the 20th century.)
[M]Then there is the fireplace. Central heating was present in every upper-and middle-class home by the second half of the 19th century. But functioning fireplaces remain to this day a powerful selling point in a house or apartment. I suspect the reason is a deep-rooted love of the fire. Fire was one of the earliest major technological advances for humankind, providing heat, protection,and cooked food (which is much easier to cat and digest). Human control of fire goes back far enough (over a million years) that evolution could have produced a genetic leaning towards fire as a central aspect of human life.
[N] Books—especially books the average person could afford—haven‘t been around long enough to
produce evolutionary change in humans. But they have a powerful hold on many people nonetheless, a hold extending far beyond their literary content. At their best, they are works of art and there is a tactile(触觉的)pleasure in books necessarily lost in e-book versions. The ability to quickly thumb through pages is also lost. And a room with books in it induces, at least in some, a feeling not dissimilar to that of a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter‘s night.
[O] For these reasons I think physical books will have a longer existence as a commercial product than some currently predict. Like swords, books have symbolic power. Like fireplaces, they induce a sense of comfort and warmth.And, perhaps, similar to sails, they make a useful back-up for when the lights go out.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
46.Authors still published in printed versions will be considered important ones.
47.Some people are still in favor of printed books because of the sense of touch they can provide.
48.The radio business has changed greatly and now attracts more listeners.
49.Contrary to many people‘s prediction of its death, the film industry survived.
50.Remarkable changes have taken place in the book business.
51.Old technology sometimes continues to exist because of its reliability.
52.The increase of e-book sales will force the book business to make changes not seen for centuries.
53.A new technology is unlikely to take the place of an old one without a clear advantage.
54.Paperbacks of popular literature are more likely to be replaced by e-books.
55.A house with a fireplace has a stronger appeal to buyers.
Section C
Passage One
Questions 56 to 60are based onthe following passage.
The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education isn‘t an either/or proposition(命题)，although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM(science,technology, engineering, maths)-related fields can make it seem that way.
The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training,but also asserts that the study of the humanities(人文学科)and social sciences must remain centr al components of America‘s educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our
democratic society, become innovative(创新的)leaders,and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides.
Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates‘ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under these circumstances, it‘s natural to look for what may appear to be the most―practical‖ way out of the problem ―Major in a subject designed to get you a job‖ seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as ―soft‖ often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily.
Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5thjobs, as there‘s little reason to doubt that people entering the work for ce t o day will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw up on every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
56.What does the latest congressional report suggest?
A)STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society.
B)The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance.
C)The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students‘ spiritual life.
D)Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society.
57.What is the main concern of students when they choose a major?
A)Their interest in relevant subjects.
B)The academic value of the courses.
C)The quality of education to receive.
D)Their chances of getting a good job.
58.What does the author say about the so called soft subjects?
A)The benefit students in their future life.
B)They broaden students‘ range of interests.
C)They improve students‘ communication skills.
D)They are essential to students‘ healthy growth.
59.What kind of job applicants do employers look for?
A)Those who have a strong sense of responsibility.
B)Those who are good at solving practical problems.
C)Those who are likely to become innovative leaders.
D)Those who have received a well-rounded education.
60.What advice does the author give to college students?
A)Seize opportunities to tap their potential.
B)Try to take a variety of practical courses.
C)Prepare themselves for different job options.
D)Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems.
Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based onthe following passage.
Energy independence.It has a nice ring to it. Doesn‘t it? If you think so, you‘re not alone, becauseenergy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, andnever more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shockhas been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.
―Energy independence‖and its rhetorical (修辞的)companion ―energy security‖ are, however, slippery concepts that are rarelythough through. What is it we want independence from, exactly?
Most people wouldprobably say that they want to be independent from imported oil. But there arereasons that we buy all that old from elsewhere.
The first reason isthat we need it to keep our economy running. Yes, there is a trickle(涓涓细流)of biofuel(生物燃料)available, and moremay become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.
Second, Americans havebasically decided that they don‘t really want to produce all their own oil.They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports fromabroad. Vast areas of the United States
are off-limits to oil exploration andproduction in the name of environmental protection. To what extent areAmericans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energyproduction in order to cut back imports?
Third, there arebenefits to trade. It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy thingsfrom places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit. Andalthough you don‘t read about this much, the United States is also a largeexporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum productsper day to about 90 countries.
There is no questionthat the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies onthat steady flow to maintain its economy. When that flow is interrupted, wefeel the pain in short supplies and higher prices, At the same time, we derivemassive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the worldmarket and when we engage in energy trade around the world.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
61.What does the author say about energy independence for America?
A)It sounds very attractive. C) Itwill bring oil prices down.
B)It ensures national security. D) Ithas long been everyone‘s dream.
62.What does the author think of biofuels?
A)They keep America‘s econom y running healthily.
B)They prove to be a good alternative to petroleum.
C)They do not provide a sustainable energy supply.
D)They cause serious damage to the environment.
63.Why does America rely heavily on oil imports?
A)It wants to expand its storage of crude oil.
B)Its own oil reserves are quickly running out.
C)It wants to keep its own environment intact.
D)Its own oil production falls short of demand.
64.What does the author say about oil trade?
A)It proves profitable to both sides. C) It makes for economic prosperity.
B)It improves economic efficiency. D)It saves the cost of oil exploration.
65.What is the author‘s purpose in writing the passage?
A)To justify America‘s dependence on oil imports.
B)To arouse Americans‘ aware ness of the energy crisis.
C)To stress the importance of energy conservation.
D)To explain the increase of international oil trade.
Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage fromChinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
为了促进教育公平，中国已投入360亿元，用于改善农村地区教育设施和中强中西部地区农村义务教育(compulsory education)。这些资金用于改善教学设施、购买书籍，使16万多所中小学受益。资金还用于购置音乐和绘画器材。现在农村和山区的儿童可以与沿海城市的儿童一样上音乐和绘画课。一些为接受更好教育而转往城市上学的学生如今又回到了本地农村学校就读。
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Part ⅠWriting
The First Place I WillShow in My Hometown—the Central Avenue
Myhometown is Harbin. The most interesting place which I would like to take myforeign friends to is the Central Avenue, if they come to my hometown. Thereasons for this can be illustrated as below.
Tobegin with, as the symbol of Harbin, the Central Avenue not only has a longhistory, but also a famous food palace. There are a variety of delicious foodsfor you to choose. Just take the ice-cream brick of Ma Dieer as an example. Manyof tourists to the Central Avenue sing their praises for the ice-cream brick ofMa Dieer. In addition, the brilliant historic culture of the Central Avenue canwiden people‘s vision and enhance their knowledge, which lays a solidfoundation for the understanding of this fabulous city—Harbin.
Ibelieve my foreign friends will enjoy themselves in the Central Avenue. Notonly can they appreciate the wonderful landscape of Harbin but also taste authenticnortheast food. No better place can be chosen than the Central Avenue!
Part ⅡListening Comprehension
1-5:BDDCD
6-10:ADBAC
11-15:ACBCA
16-20:DABDC
20-25:BCDAB
26.identical
27. approach
28. back and forth
29. opposite
30. indicates
31. referring to
32. parallel to
33. reserved
34. at the right angle
35. embarrassing
Part III Reading Comprehension
SectionA
36. melted
37. line
38. contributing
39. ranging
40. dramatic
41. impact
42. appealing
43. average
44. maintain
45. recently
Section B
46. C P hysical books will surely become muchrarer in the marketplace….
47. N Books—especially books the average…
48. J Nor did TV kill radio…
49. H Sometimes a new technology doesn‘t…
50. A Amazon, by far the largest…
51. L Sometimes old technology ling ers for…
52. B Does this spell the doom of the ….
53. F One technology replaces another only…
54. C Physical books will surely become muchrather…
55. M Then there is the fireplace…
Section C
56.B The humanities and STEM subjectsshould be given equal importance.
57.D Their chances of getting a good job.
58.A They benefit students in their futurelife.
59.D Those who have received a well-roundededucation.
60.C Prepare themselves for different joboptions.
61.A It sounds very attractive.
62.D They cause serious damage to theenvironment.
63.C It wants to keep its own environmentintact.
64.B It improves economic efficiency.
65.A To justify America's dependence on oilimports.
Part IV Translation
In order to promoteequality in education, China has invested 36 billion Yuan to improve educationalfacilities in rural areas and strengthen rural compulsory education in Midwestareas. These funds are used to improve teaching facilities, and purchase books,benefiting more than 160,000 primary and secondary schools. Funds are used topurchase musical instrument and painting tools as well. Now children in ruraland mountainous areas can have music and painting lessons as children fromcoastal cities do. Some students who has transferred to city schools to receivea better education are now moving back to their local rural schools. 2013年12月
Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.
To get a sense of how women have progressed in science, take a quick tour of the physics department at the University of California, Berkeley. This is a storied place, the ___36___ of some of the most important discoveries in modern science—starting with Ernest Lawrence‘s invention of the cyclotron (回旋加速器) in 1931. A generation ago, female faces were ___37___ and, even today, visitors walking through the first floor of LeConte Hall will see a full corridor of exhibits ___38___ the many distinguished physicists who made history here, ___39___ all of them white males.
But climb up to the third floor and you‘ll see a ___40___ display. There, among the photos of current faculty members and students, are portraits of the ___41___ head of the department, Marjorie Shapiro, and four other women whose research ___42___ everything from the mechanics of the universe to the smallest particles of matter. A sixth woman was hired just two weeks ago. Although they‘re still only about 10 percent of the physics faculty, women are clearly a presence here. And the real ___43___ may be in the smaller photos to the right: graduate and undergraduate students, about 20 percent of them female. Every year Berkeley sends its fresh female physics PhDs to the country‘s top universities. That makes Shapiro optimistic, but also ___44___. ―I believe things are getting better,‖ she says, ―but they‘re not getting better as ___45___ as I would like.‖
A) circumstance I) honoring
B) confidence J) hope
C) covers K) presently
D) current L) rare
E) deals M) realistic
F) different N) site
G) exposing O) virtually
H) fast
Section B
Is College a Worthy Investment?
A) Why are we spending so much money on college? And why are we so unhappy about it? We all seem to agree that a college education is wonderful, and yet strangely we worry when we see families investing so
much in this supposedly essential good. Maybe it‘s time to ask a question that seems almost sacrilegious (大不敬的): is all this investment in college education really worth it?
B) The answer, I fear, is no. For an increasing number of kids, the extra time and money spent pursuing a college diploma will leave them worse off than they were before they set foot on campus.
C) For my entire adult life, a good education has been the most important thing for middle-class households. My parents spent more educating my sister and me than they spent on their house, and they‘re not the only ones... and, of course, for an increasing number of families, most of the cost of their house is actually the cost of living in a good school district. Questioning the value of a college education seems a bit like questioning the value of happiness, or fun.
D) The average price of all goods and services has risen about 50 percent. But the price of a college education has nearly doubled in that time. Is the education that today‘s students are getting twice as good? Are new workers twice as smart? Have they become somehow massively more expensive to educate?
E) Perhaps a bit. Richard Vedder, an Ohio University economics professor, says, ―I look at the data, and I see college costs rising faster than inflation up to the mid-1980s by 1 percent a year. Now I see them rising 3 to 4 percent a year over inflation. What has happened? The federal government has started dropping money out of airplane s.‖ Aid has increased, subsidized (补贴的) loans have become available, and ―the universities have gotten the money.‖ Economist Bryan Caplan, who is writing a book about education, agrees: ―It‘s a giant waste of resources that will continue as long as the sub sidies continue.‖
F) Promotional literature for colleges and student loans often speaks of debt as an ―investment in yourself.‖ But an investment is supposed to generate income to pay off the loans. More than half of all recent graduates are unemployed or in jobs that do not require a degree, and the amount of student-loan debt carried by households has increased more than five times since 1999. These graduates were told that a diploma was all they needed to succeed, but it won‘t even get them out of the spare bedroom at Mom and Dad‘s. For many, the most visible result of their four years is the loan payments, which now average hundreds of dollars a month on loan balances in the tens of thousands.
G) It‘s true about the money—sort of. College graduates now make 80 percent more than people who have only a high-school diploma, and though there are no precise estimates, the wage premium (高出的部分) for an outstanding school seems to be even higher. But that‘s not true of every student. It‘s very easy to spend fo ur
years majoring in English literature and come out no more employable than you were before you went in. Conversely, chemical engineers straight out of school can easily make almost four times the wages of an entry-level high-school graduate.
H) James Heckman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, has examined how the returns on education break down for individuals with different backgrounds and levels of ability. ―Even with these high prices, you‘re still finding a high return for individuals who are bright and motivated,‖ he says. On the other hand, ―if you‘re not college ready, then the answer is no, it‘s not worth it.‖ Experts tend to agree that for the average student, college is still worth it today, but they also agree that the rapid increase in price is eating up more and more of the potential return. For borderline students, tuition (学费) rise can push those returns into negative territory.
I) Everyone seems to agree that the government, and parents, should be rethinking how we invest in higher education—and that employers need to rethink the increasing use of college degrees as crude screening tools for jobs that don‘t really require college skills. ―Employers seeing a surplus of college graduates and looking to fill jobs are just adding that requir ement,‖ says Vedder. ―In fact, a college degree becomes a job requirement for becoming a bar-tender.‖
J) We have started to see some change on the finance side. A law passed in 2007 allows many students to cap their loan payment at 10 percent of their income and forgives any balance after 25 years. But of course, that doesn‘t control the cost of education; it just shifts it to taxpayers. It also encourages graduates to choose lower-paying careers, which reduces the financial return to education still furt her. ―You‘re subsidizing people to become priests and poets and so forth,‖ says Heckman. ―You may think that‘s a good thing, or you may not.‖ Either way it will be expensive for the government.
K) What might be a lot cheaper is putting more kids to work. Caplan notes that work also builds valuable skills—probably more valuable for kids who don‘t naturally love sitting in a classroom. Heckman agrees wholeheartedly: ―People are different, and those abilities can be shaped. That‘s what we‘ve learned, and pub lic policy should recognize that.‖
L) Heckman would like to see more apprenticeship-style (学徒式) programs, where kids can learn in the workplace—learn not just specific job skills, but the kind of ―soft skills,‖ like getting to work on time and getting al ong with a team, that are crucial for career success. ―It‘s about having mentors (指导者) and having
workplace-based education,‖ he says. ―Time and again I‘ve seen examples of this kind of program working.‖M) Ah, but how do we get there from here? With better public policy, hopefully, but also by making better individual decisions.‖Historically markets have been able to handle these things,‖ says Vedder, ―and I think eventually markets will handle this one. If it doesn‘t improve soon, people are going to wake up and ask,?Why am I going to college?‘‖
46. Caplan suggests that kids who don‘t love school go to work.
47. An increasing number of families spend more money on houses in a good school district.
48. Subsidized loans to college students are a huge waste of money, according to one economist.
49. More and more kids find they fare worse with a college diploma.
50. For those who are not prepared for higher education, going to college is not worth it.
51. Over the years the cost of a college education has increased almost by 100%.
52. A law passed recently allows many students to pay no more than one tenth of their income for their college loans.
53. Middle-class Americans have highly valued a good education.
54. More kids should be encouraged to participate in programs where they can learn not only job skills but also social skills.
55. Over fifty percent of recent college graduates remain unemployed or unable to find a suitable job.
Section C
Passage One
Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.
A recent global survey of 2,000 high-net-worth individuals found that 60% were not planning on a traditional retirement. Among U.S. participants, 75% expected to continue working in some capacity even after stepping away from full-time jobs. ―Many of these people made their wealth by doing something they‘re passionate (有激情的) about,‖ says Daniel Egan, head of behavioral finance for Barclays Wealth Americas. ―Given the choice, they prefer to continue working.‖ Barclays calls these people ―nevertirees.‖Unlike many Americans compelled into early retirement by company restrictions, the average nevertiree often has no one forcing his hand. If 106-year-old investor Irving Kahn, head of his own family firm, wants to
keep coming to w ork every day, who‘s going to stop him? Seventy-eight-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg‘s job security is guaranteed in the Constitution.
It may seem that these elderly people are trying to cheat death. In fact, they are. And it‘s workin g. Howard Friedman, a professor at UC Riverside, found in his research that those who work hardest and are successful in their careers often live the longest lives. ―People are generally being given bad advice to slow down, take it easy, stop worrying, and retire to Florida,‖ he says. He described one study participant, still working at the age of 100, who was recently disappointed to see his son retire.
―We‘re beginning to see a change in how people view retirement,‖ says George Leeson, co-director of the Institute of Population Ageing at Oxford. Where once retirement was seen as a brief reward after a long struggle through some miserable job, it is now akin (近似) to being cast aside. What Leeson terms ―the Warren Buffett effect‖ is becoming more broadly appealing as individuals come to ―view retirement as not simply being linked to economic productivity but also about contribution.‖
Observers are split on whether this is a wholly good thing. On the one hand, companies and financial firms can benefit from the wisdom of a resilient (坚韧的) chief. On the other, the new generation can find it more difficult to advance—an argument that typically holds little sway to a nevertiree.
56. What do we learn about the so-called‖nevertirees‖?
A) They are passionate about making a fortune.
B) They have no choice but to continue working.
C) They love what they do and choose not to retire.
D) They will not retire unless they are compelled to.
57. What do Irving Kahn and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have in common?
A) Neither of them is subject to forced retirement.
B) Neither of them desires reward for their work.
C) Both cling to their positions despite opposition.
D) Both are capable of coping with heavy workloads.
58. What is the finding of Howard Friedman‘s r esearch?
A) The harder you work, the bigger your fortune will be.
B) The earlier you retire, the healthier you will be.
C) Elderly people have to slow down to live longer.
D) Working at an advanced age lengthens people‘s life.
59. What is the traditional view of retirement according to the passage?
A) It means a burden to the younger generation.
B) It is a symbol of a mature and civilized society.
C) It is a compensation for one‘s life-long hard work.
D) It helps increase a nation‘s econom ic productivity.
60. What do critics say about ―nevertirees‖?
A) They are an obstacle to a company‘s development.
B) They lack the creativity of the younger generation.
C) They cannot work as efficiently as they used to.
D) They prevent young people from getting ahead.
Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.
When we talk about Americans barely into adulthood who are saddled with unbearable levels of debt, the conversation is almost always about student loan debt. B ut there‘s a growing body of evidence suggesting that today‘s young adults are also drowning in credit-card debt—and that many of them will take this debt to their graves.
More than 20% overspent their income by more than $100 every single month. Since t hey haven‘t built up their credit histories yet, it‘s a safe bet that these young adults are paying relatively high interest rates on the resulting credit card debt.
Although many young people blame ―socializing‖ as a barrier to saving money, most of them aren‘t knocking back $20 drinks in trendy (时尚的) lounges. They‘re struggling with much more daily financial demands.
To a disturbingly large extent, the young and the broke are relying on credit cards to make it until their next payday. This obviously i sn‘t sustainable in the long run, and it‘s going to put a huge drag on their spending power even after they reach their peak earning years, because they‘ll still be paying interest on that bottle of orange juice or box of spaghetti (意式面条) they bought a decade earlier.
A new study out of Ohio State University found that young adults are accumulating credit card debt at a more rapid rate than other age groups, and that they‘re slower at paying it off. ―If what we found continues to hold true, we may have mo re elderly people with substantial financial problems in the future,‖ warns Lucia Dunn, professor of economics at Ohio State. ―If our findings persist, we may be faced with a financial crisis among elderly people who can‘t pay off their credit cards.‖
Du nn says a lot of these young people are never going to get out from under their credit card debt. ―Many people are borrowing on credit cards so heavily that payoff rates at these levels are not sufficient to recover their credit card debt by the end of their life, which could have loss implications for the credit card issuing banks.‖
61. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A) Many young Americans will never be able to pay off their debts.
B) Credit cards play an increasingly important role in college life.
C) Credit cards are doing more harm than student loans.
D) The American credit card system is under criticism.
62. Why do young people have to pay a higher interest on their credit card debt?
A) They tend to forget about the deadlines.
B) They haven‘t developed a credit history.
C) They are often unable to pay back in time.
D) They are inexperienced in managing money.
63. What is said to be the consequence of young adults relying on credit cards to make ends meet?
A) It will place an unnecessary burden on society.
B) It will give them no motivation to work hard.
C) It will exert psychological pressure on them.
D) It will affect their future spending power.
64. What will happen to young adults if their credit card debt keeps accumulating according to Lucia Dunn?
A) They will have to pay an increasingly higher interest rate.
B) They may experience a financial crisis in their old age.
C) Their quality of life will be affected.
D) Their credit cards may be cancelled.
65. What does Lucia Dunn think might be a risk for the credit card issuing banks?
A) They go bankrupt as a result of over-lending.
B) They lose large numbers of their regular clients.
C) Their clients leave their debts unpaid upon death.
D) Their interest rates have to be reduced now and then.
Part IV Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
许多人喜欢中餐。在中国，烹饪不仅被视为一种技能，而且也被视为一种艺术。精心准备的中餐既可口又好看。烹饪技艺和配料在中国各地差别很大。但好的烹饪都有一个共同点，总是要考虑到颜色、味道、口感和营养(nutrition)。由于食物对健康至关重要，好的厨师总是努力在谷物、肉类和蔬菜之间取得平衡，所以中餐既味美又健康。
2013年6月份
Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.
Walking, if you do it vigorously enough, is the overall best exercise for regular physical activity. It requires no equipment, everyone knows how to do it and it carries the ___36___ risk of injury. The human body is designed to walk. You can walk in parks or along a river or in your neighborhood. To get ___37___ benefit from walking, aim for 45 minutes a day, an average of five days a week.
Strength training is another important ___38___ of physical activity. Its purpose is to build and ___39___ bone and muscle mass, both of which shrink with age. In general, you will want to do strength training two or three days a week, ___40___ recovery days between sessions.
Finally, flexibility and balance training are ___41___ important as the body ages. Aches and pains are high on the list of complaints in old age. The result of constant muscle tension and stiffness of joints, many of them are ___42___, and simple flexibility training can ___43___ these by making muscles stronger and
keeping joints lubricated(润滑). Some of this you do whenever you stretch. If you watch dogs and cats, you‘ll get an idea of how natural it is. The general ___44___ is simple: whenever the body has been in one position for a while, it is good to ___45___ stretch it in an opposite position.
A) allowing I) maintain
B) avoidable J) maximum
C) briefly K) prevent
D) component L) principle
E) determined M) provoke
F) helping N) seriously
G) increasingly O) topic
H) lowest
Section B
Seven Steps to a More Fulfilling Job
A) Many people today find themselves in unfulfilling work situations. In fact, one in four workers is dissatisfied with their current job, according to the recent ―Plans for 2004‖ survey. Their career path may be financially rewarding, but it d oesn‘t meet their emotional, social or creative needs. They‘re stuck, unhappy, and have no idea what to do about it, except move to another job.
B) Mary Lyn Miller, veteran career consultant and founder of the Life and Career Clinic, says that when most people are unhappy about their work, their first thought is to get a different job. Instead, Miller suggests looking at the possibility of a different life. Through her book, 8 Myths of Making a Living, as well as workshops, seminars and personal coaching and consulting, she has helped thousands of dissatisfied workers reassess life and work.
C) Like the way of Zen, which includes understanding of oneself as one really is, Miller encourages job seekers and those dissatisfied work or life to examine their beliefs about work and recognize that ―in many cases your beliefs are what brought you to where you are today.‖ You may have been raised to think that women were best at nurturing and caring and, therefore, should be teachers and nurses. So that‘s what you did. Or, perhaps you were brought up to believe that you should do what your father did, so you have taken over the family business, or become a dentist ―just like dad‖. If this sounds familiar, it‘s probably time to look at the
new possibilities for your future.
D) Miller developed a 7-step process to help potential job seekers assess their current situation and beliefs, identify their real passion, and start on a journey that allows them to pursue their passion through work.
E) Step 1: Willingness to do something different. Breaking the cycle of doing what you have always done is one of the most difficult tasks for job seekers. Many find it difficult to steer(行驶) away from a career path or make a change, even if it doesn‘t feel right. Miller urges job seekers to open their minds to other possibilities beyond what they are currently doing.
F) Step 2: Commitment to being who you are, not who or what someone wants you to be. Look at the gifts and talents you have and make a commitment to pursue those things that you love most. If you love the social aspects of your job, but are stuck inside an office or ―chained to your desk‖ most of the time, vow to follow your instinct and investigate alternative careers and work that allow you more time to interact with others. Dawn worked as a manager for a large retail clothing store for several years. Though she had advanced within the company, she felt frustrated and longed to be involved with nature and the outdoors. She decided to go to school nights and weekends to pursue her true passion by earning her master‘s degree in forestry(林业学). She now works in the biotech forestry division of a major paper company.
G) Step 3: Self-definition. Miller suggests that once job seekers know who they are, they need to know h ow to sell themselves. ―In the job market, you are a product. And just like a product, you must know the features and benefits that you have to offer a potential client, or employer.‖ Examine the skills and knowledge that you have and identify how they can apply to your desired occupation. Your qualities will exhibit to employers why they should hire you over other candidates.
H) Step 4: Attain a level of self-honoring. Self-honoring or self-love may seem like an odd step for job hunters, but being able to accept yourself, without judgment, helps eliminate insecurities and will make you more self-assured. By accepting who you are—all your emotions, hopes and dreams, your personality, and your unique way of being—you‘ll project more confidence when networki ng(沟通) and talking with potential employers. The power of self-honoring can help to break all the falsehoods you were programmed to believe—those that made you feel that you were not good enough, or strong enough, or intelligent enough to do what you truly desire.
I) Step 5: Vision. Miller suggests that job seekers develop a vision that embraces the answer to ―What do I
2009年6月英语四级考试真题与答案真题： Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions: F or this part, you are allowed 30 minute to write a short essay on the topic of students selecting their lectures. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given bellow: 1. 越来越多的博物馆免费对外开放的目的是什么？ 2. 也会带来一些问题 3. 你的看法？ Free admission to museums Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the
sentences with the information given in the passage. How Do You See Diversity? As a manager, Tiffany is responsible for interviewing applicants for some of the positions with her company .During one interview, she noticed that the candidate never made direct eye contact. She was puzzled and somewhat disappointed because she liked the individual otherwise. He had a perfect resume and gave good responses to her questions, but the fact that he never looked her in the eye said “untrustworthy,” so she decided to offer the job to her second choice. “It wasn’t until I attended a diversity workshop that I realized the person we passed over was the perfect person,” Tiffany confesses. What she hadn’t known at the time of the interview was that the candidate’s “different” behavior was simply a cultural misunde rstanding . He was an Asian-American raised in a household where respect for those in authority was shown by averting(避开) your eyes. “I was just thrown off by the lack of ye contact; not realizing it was cultural,” Tiffany says. “I missed out ,but will not miss that opportunity again.” Many of us have had similar encounters with behaviors we perceive
2017年12月大学英语四级真题及答案(第三套) Part I Writing (25 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay onhow to best handle the relationshop between teachers and students. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard. 1. A) Her friend Erika. C) Her grandfather.
目录 2018年6月大学英语四级真题试题二(完整版) (1) 答案 (16) 2018年6月大学英语四级真题试题二(完整版) Part I Writing(30minutes) (请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to write an a short easy on the importance of speaking ability and how to develop it.You should write at least120words but no more than180words. Part II Listening Comprehension(25minutes) Section A Directions:In this section,you will hear three news reports.At the end of each news report,you will hear two or three questions.Both the news report and questions will be spoken only once.After you hear questions,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre. 注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。 Questions1to2are based on the new report you have just heard. 1.A)Annoyed.C)Confused. B)Scared.D)Offended. 2.A)It crawled over the woman’s hands. B)It wound up on the steering wheel. C)It was killed by the police on the spot. D)It was covered with large scales.
英语四级真题及答案卷 三 SANY标准化小组 #QS8QHH-HHGX8Q8-GNHHJ8-HHMHGN#
2017年12月英语四级真题 Part I Writing(25 minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on how to best handle the relationship between parents and should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Part II Listening Comprehension(25 minutes) Section A Directions:In this section,you will hear three news the end of each news report,you will hear two or three the news report and the questions will be spoken only 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.
大学英语四级考试真题及答案(绝对完整） Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minute to write a short essay on the topic of students selecting their lectures. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given bellow: 1. 越来越多的博物馆免费对外开放的目的是什么？ 2. 也会带来一些问题 3. 你的看法？ Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage. How Do You See Diversity? As a manager, Tiffany is responsible for interviewing applicants for some of the positions with her company .During one interview, she noticed that the candidate never made direct eye contact. She was puzzled and somewhat disappointed because she liked the individual otherwise. He had a perfect resume and gave good responses to her questions, but the fact that he never looked her in the eye said “untrustworthy,” so she decided to offer the job to her second choice. “It wasn’t until I attended a diversity workshop that I realized the person we passed over was the perfect person,” Tiffany confesses. What she hadn’t known at the time of the interview was that the candidate’s “different” behavior was simply a cultural misunderstanding . He was an Asian-American raised in a household where respect for those in authority was shown by averting(避开) your eyes. “I was just thrown off by the lack of ye contact; not realizing it was cultural,” Tiffany says. “I missed out ,but will not miss that opportunity again.” Many of us have had similar encounters with behaviors we perceive as different. As the world becomes smaller and our workplaces more diverse, it is becoming essential to expand our under-standing of others and to reexamine some of our false assumptions . Hire Advantage At a time when hiring qualified people is becoming more difficult ,employers who can eliminate invalid biases(偏爱) from the process have a distinct advantage .My company, Mindsets LLC ,helps organizations and individuals see their own blind spots . A real estate recruiter we worked with illustrates the positive difference such training can make .
2017年6月大学英语四级考试（第2套） Part I Writing (30 minutes) Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an advertisement on your campus website to sell some of the course books you used at college. Your advertisement may include a brief description of their content, their condition and price, and your contact information. You should write at least 11.Q words but no more than垃Q words. Partll Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just beard. 1.A) The majority of drivers prefer to drive and park themselves. B)Human drivers become easily distracted or tired while driving. C)Most drivers feel uncertain about the safety of self driving cars. D)Most drivers have test driven cars with automatic braking features. 2.A) Their drivers would, feel safe after getting used to the automatic devices. B)They would be unpopular with drivers who only trust their own skills. C)Their increased comfort levels have boosted their sales. D)They are not actually as safe as automakers advertise. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just beard. 3.A) Thefts of snowmobile dogs in Alaska. B)A series of injuries to snowmobile drivers. C)Attacks on some lditarod Race competitors. D)A serious accident in the Alaska sports event. 4.A) He stayed behind to look after his injured dogs. B)He has won the Alaska Iditarod Race four times. C)He received a minor injury in the Iditarod Race. D)He has quit the competition in Alaska for good. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard. 5.A) It sank into the sea due to overloading. B)It ran into Nicaragua's Big Com Island. C)It disappeared between two large islands. D)It turned over because of strong winds. 6.A) 13.B)25. C)30.D)32. 7.A) He has helped with the rescue effort. < 2017-6（第2套）－l>
2017年6月英语四级真题 作文一： For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on the way people communicate and then explain whether electronic communication can replace face-to-face contact.You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. “Dear Andy-How are you? Your mother and I are fine.We both miss you and hope you are doing well.We look forward to seeing you again the nest time your computer crashes and you come down-stairs for something to eat,Love,Mom and Dad.” 作文二： For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the impact of the Internet on learning and then explain why doesn’t simply mean learning to obtain information. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
2014-2019历年大学英语四级真题及答案 2014年6月大学英语四级考试真题 Part I Writing （30 minutes） Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following question. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Suppose a foreign friend of yours is coming to visit China, what is the first 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. 1. A）The man should visit the museums. B）She can’t stand the hot weather. C）The beach resort is a good choice. D）She enjoys staying in Washington. 2. A）Her new responsibilities in the company. B）What her job prospects are. C）What the customers’ feedbac k is. D）The director’s opinion of her work. 3. A）Combine her training with dieting. B）Repeat the training every three days. C）Avoid excessive physical training. D）Include weightlifting in the program. 4. A）When she will return home. B）Whether she can go by herself. C）Whether she can travel by air. D）When she will completely recover. 5. A）The woman knows how to deal with the police. B）The woman had been fined many times before. C）The woman had violated traffic regulations. D）The woman is good at finding excuses. 6. A）Switch off the refrigerator for a while. B）Have someone repair the refrigerator. C）Ask the man to fix the refrigerator. D）Buy a refrigerator of better quality. 7. A）He owns a piece of land in the downtown area. B）He has got enough money to buy a house. C）He can finally do what he has dreamed of. D）He is moving into a bigger apartment. 8. A）She is black and blue all over. B）She has to go to see a doctor. C）She stayed away from work for a few days. D）She got hurt in an accident yesterday.
2018年6月大学英语四级真题试卷一及答案(完整版) Part I Writing (30 minutes) (请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an a short easy on the importance of speaking ability and how to develop should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section A Directions:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and questions will be spoken only once. After you hear questions, 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。 Questions 1 to 2 are based on the new report you have just heard.
2018年6月大学英语四级真题（第1套) Part I Writing （30 minutes） Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30minutes to write a short essay on the importance of reading ability and how to develop it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes) Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard. 1.A) The return of a bottled message to its owner's daughter. B) A New Hampshire man's joke with friends on his wife. C) A father's message for his daughter. D) The history of a century-old motel. 2. A) She wanted to show gratitude for his kindness. B) She wanted to honor her father's promise. C) She had been asked by her father to do so. D) She was excited to see her father's handwriting. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard. 3. A) People were concerned about the number of bees. B) Several cases of Zika disease had been identified. C) Two million bees were infected with disease. D) Zika virus had destroyed some bee farms. 4. A) It apologized to its customers. B) It was forced to kill its bees. C) It lost a huge stock of bees. D) It lost 2.5 million dollars. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard. 5. A) It stayed in the air for about two hours. B) It took off and landed on a football field. C) It proved to be of high commercial value. D) It made a series of sharp turns in the sky. 6. A) Engineering problems. B) The air pollution it produced.
大学英语四级真题及答案( 多套题及翻译） CET4 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. 目一：Suppose a foreign friend of yours is coming to visit your campus, what is the most interesting place you would like to take him/her to see and why? 假你的一位外国朋友来参你的校园，你最感趣的地方想他/ 她去看 ?什么 ? 目二：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? 假你的一位外国朋友来参你的家，你最感趣的地方想他/ 她去看 ?什么 ? 目三：Suppose a foreign friend of yours is coming to visit China, what is the most interesting place you would like to take him/her to see and why? 假你的一位外国朋友来参中国，你最感趣的地方想他/ 她去看 ?什么 ? 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：此部分在答卡 1 上作答。 1.A. See a doctor about her strained shoulder a ladder to help her reach the tea. the cupboard with a new one. the tea on a lower shelf next time. 1. 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? 2. A. At Mary Johnson’s B. In an exhibition hall C. At a painter’s studio. D. Outside an art gallery. 2. 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?
Part II Listening Comprehension(25 minutes) Section A Directions:In this section,you will hear three news the end of each news report,you will hear two or three the news report and the questions will be spoken only you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard. 1. A) Her friend Erika. C) Her grandfather. B) Her little brother. D) Her grandmother. 2. A)By taking pictures for passers-by. C)By selling lemonade and pictures. B)By working part time at a hospital. D)By asking for help on social media. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard. 3. A) Finding cheaper ways of highway construction. B) Generating electric power for passing vehicles. C) Providing clean energy to five million people. D) Testing the efficiency of the new solar panel. 4. A)They can stand the wear and tear of natural elements. B)They can be laid right on top of existing highways. C)They are only about half an inch thick. D)They are made from cheap materials. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard. 5. A) Endless fighting in the region. C) Inadequate funding for research.