PAGEPAGE10大學(xué)英語(yǔ)四級(jí)考試201512PartI Writing (30minutes)Directions:Forthispart,youareallowed30minutestowriteanessaycommentingonthesaying“Learningisadailyexperienceandalifetimemission.”Youcanciteexamplestoillustratetheimportanceoflifelonglearning.Youshouldwriteatleast120wordsbutnomorethan180words.PartII ListeningComprehension (30minutes)SectionADirections:Inthissection,youwillhearthreenewsreports.Attheendofeachnewsreport,youwillheartwoorthreequestions.Boththenewsreportandthequestionswillbespokenonlyonce.Afteryouhearaquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).ThenmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet1withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Questions1and2arebasedonthenewsreportyouhavejustheard.A)Anabnormalwintersnowstorm. C)Thefrequentchokingsmog.ThefirstwarmfrontfromEurope. D)Theunusualwarmwinter.A)FromSaturdayafternoon. C)Inthenextspring.FromthisFriday. D)DuringtheChristmasholiday.Questions3and4arebasedonthenewsreportyouhavejustheard.A)Theprojectoffreedigitaloff-lineresourcesinNigeria.TheprojectoffreevideolessonsinNigeria.ThedigitallibraryinAhmaduBelloUniversity.Thenon-profitorganizationsinAhmaduBelloUniversity.A)Multimediawork. C)Informativewebsites.B)Digitaldocuments. D)Computersoftware.Questions5to7arebasedonthenewsreportyouhavejustheard.A)Ithitanothercar. C)Ithitadrivingbusintheroad.Itwasoverspeed. D)IthitaLexusSUV.A)3kilometersperhour. C)24kilometersperhour.B)6kilometersperhour. D)180kilometersperhour.A)Realitiesofspeedanddistance. C)Wheelandfenderdamage.B)Accidentsintheroad. D)Drivingbusesintheroad.SectionBDirections:Inthissection,youwillheartwolongconversations.Attheendofeachconversation,youwillhearfourquestions.Boththeconversationandthequestionswillbespokenonlyonce.Afteryouhearaquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).ThenmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet1withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Questions8to11arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.A)Fromsomeofherfriends. C)Fromatelephonedirectory.Fromthewantedcolumn. D)Fromatelevisioncommercial.A)Shefinishedhersecondaryschool.B)Shestudiedinavocationalcollege.Shegraduatedfromanopenuniversity.Shereceivedfull-timeeducationabroad.A)Sheteachesaneveningclass. C)Sheisapolicewoman.B)Sheworksasatourguide. D)Sheisashorthand-typist.A)Ajobinatravelagency. C)Ajobasapolicewoman.Ajobinthegovernment. D)Ajobasateacher.Questions12to15arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.A)Itwasinterruptedforfouryears.B)Ithasbeenoffandonfortenyears.Ithelpsenlargehiscustomernetwork.Itprovideshimwithcareeropportunities.A)Traditionalsetting. C)Socialgames.B)Individualizedservice. D)Home-madebeer.A)Thequalityofbeer. C)Theatmosphere.B)Theowner'sattitude.. D)Therightlocation.A)Itmakesretireesfeeluseful. C)Itisaprofitablebusiness.B)Ithelpsoldpeoplekilltime. D)Itisarathertoughjob.SectionCDirections:Inthissection,youwillhear3shortpassages.Attheendofeachpassage,youwillhearthreeorfourquestions.Boththepassageandthequestionswillbespokenonlyonce.Afteryouhearaquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).ThenmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet1withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Questions16to18arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.A)Ithelpstheusertoescapereality.Itisbecomingincreasinglypopular.Ithurtsapersonandthosearoundthem.Itgivesrisetoserioussocialinstability.A)Theytakedrugstogethigh. C)Theyusedrugsasmedicine.B)Theyusedrugsjustforfun. D)Theykeepdruguseasecret.A)Itisfataltotheuser.Itishardtogetridof.Itisthecauseofvarioussocialproblems.Itisquitecommoninentertainmentcircles.Questions19to22arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.A)Takingupexercisesafterrecovery.Findingnewwaystocureheartdisease.Goingonadietuponleavingthehospital.Producingtastyhealthyfrozenfood.A)Itwascarefullytestedwithconsumers.Itwasdisapprovedbymanydietexperts.Itwaspromotedbyhealthorganizations.Itwashighlyexpectedbythegeneralpublic.A)Competitiveprice. C)Lowexpectations.B)Vigorouspromotion. D)Uniqueingredients.A)Ithasapositiveimplicationforconsumers.Ittrickstheeldersintoimpulsepurchasing.Itmatchesthefood'sdarkgreenpackaging.Itwassuggestedbythefirm'svice-president.Questions23to25arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.A)Itwillbeabolishedsoonerorlater.Itispracticedinmostofthestates.IthastobeapprovedbytheSupremeCourt.Ithasdrawnalotofcriticismfromoverseas.A)Whateffectitmighthaveonyoungsters.Whattypeofcriminalsshouldreceiveit.Whetherthereshouldbeaminimumagelimitforexecution.Whetherthepracticeshouldbeallowedtocontinueinfuture.A)Thecourtsentencedhimtolifeinprisonforkillingtwofriends.Thegovernorchangedhisdeathsentencetolifeinprison.HewasthefirstminortobeexecutedinSouthCarolina.Hewassentencedtodeathforacrimehecommittedasaminor.PartIII ReadingComprehension (40minutes)SectionADirections:Inthissection,thereisapassagewithtenblanks.Youarerequiredtoselectonewordforeachblankfromalistofchoicesgiveninawordbankfollowingthepassage.Readthepassagethroughcarefullybeforemakingyourchoices.Eachchoiceinthebankisidentifiedbyaletter.PleasemarkthecorrespondingletterforeachitemonAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Youmaynotuseanyofthewordsinthebankmorethanonce.Question26to35arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Childrendonotthinkthewayadultsdo.Formostofthefirstyearoflife,ifsomethingisoutofsight,it’soutofmind.Ifyoucoverababy’s26toywithapieceofcloth,thebabythinksthetoyhasdisappearedandstopslookingforit.A4-year-oldmay27thatasisterhasmorefruitjuicewhenitisonlytheshapesoftheglassesthatdiffer,notthe28ofjuice.Yetchildrenaresmartintheirownway.Likegoodlittlescientists,childrenarealwaystestingtheirchild-sized29abouthowthingswork.Whenyourchildthrowsherspoononthefloorforthesixthtimeasyoutrytofeedher,andyousay,“That’senough!Iwillnotpickupyourspoonagain!”thechildwill30testyourclaim.Areyouserious?Areyouangry?Whatwillhappenifshethrowsthespoonagain?Sheisnotdoingthistodriveyou31;rather,sheislearningthatherdesiresandyourscandiffer,andthatsometimesthose32areimportantandsometimestheyarenot.A)advocateI)ImmediatelyB)amountJ)NaturallyC)confirmedK)ObtainingD)crazyL)PrimarilyE)definiteM)ProtestF)differencesN)RejectedG)favoriteO)theoriesH)happeningHowandwhydoeschildren’sthinkingchange?Inthe1920s,SwisspsychologistA)advocateI)ImmediatelyB)amountJ)NaturallyC)confirmedK)ObtainingD)crazyL)PrimarilyE)definiteM)ProtestF)differencesN)RejectedG)favoriteO)theoriesH)happeningSectionBDirections:Inthissection,youaregoingtoreadapassagewithtenstatementsattachedtoit.Eachstatementcontainsinformationgiveninoneoftheparagraphs.Identifytheparagraphfromwhichtheinformationisderived.Youmaychooseaparagraphmorethanonce.Eachparagraphismarkedwithaletter.AnswerthequestionsbymarkingthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2.ThePerfectEssayLookingbackontoomanyyearsofeducation,Icanidentifyonetrulyimpossibleteacher.Shecaredaboutme,andmyintellectuallife,evenwhenIdidn’t.Herexpectationswerehigh—impossiblyso.ShewasanEnglishteacher.Shewasalsomymother.Whengoodstudentsturninanessay,theydreamoftheirinstructorreturningittotheminexactlythesamecondition,saveforasinglewordaddedinthemarginofthefinalpage:“Flawless”.Thisdreamcametrueformeoneafternoonintheninthgrade.Ofcourse,Ihadheardthatgeniuscouldshowitselfatanearlyage,soIwasonlyslightlytakenabackthatIhadachievedperfectionatthetenderageof14.Obviously,Ididwhatanyprofessionalwriterwoulddo;Ihurriedofftospreadthegoodnews.Ididn’tgetveryfar.ThefirstpersonItoldwasmymother.Mymother,whoisjustshyoffivefeettall,isnormallyincrediblysoft-spoken,butontherareoccasionwhenshegotangry,shewasterrifying.Iamnotsureifshewasmoreupsetbymyhubris(得意忘形)orbythefactthatmyEnglishteacherhadletmyegogetsooutofhand.Inanyevent,mymotherandherredpenshowedmehowdeeplyflawedaflawlessessaycouldbe.Atthetime,Iamsureshethoughtshewasteachingmeaboutmechanics,transitions(過(guò)渡),structure,styleandvoice.ButwhatIlearned,andwhatstuckwithmethroughmytimeteachingwritingatHarvard,wasadeeperlessonaboutthenatureofcreativecriticism.Firstoff,ithurts.Genuinecriticism,thetypethatleavesalastingmarkonyouasawriter,alsoleavesanexistentialimprintonyouasaperson.Ihaveheardpeoplesaythatawritershouldnevertakecriticismpersonally.Isaythatweshouldneverlistentothesepeople.Criticism,atitsbest,isdeeplypersonal,andgetstotheheartofwhywewritethewaywedo.Theintimatenatureofgenuinecriticismimpliessomethingaboutwhoisabletogiveit,namely,someonewhoknowsyouwellenoughtoshowyouhowyourmentallifeisgettinginthewayofgoodwriting.Conveniently,theyarealsothepeoplewhocareenoughtoseeyouthroughthispainfulrealization.Formeittooktheformofmyfirst,andIhopeonly,encounterwithwriter’sblock--Iwasnotabletoproduceanythingforthreeyears.FranzKafkaoncesaid:“Writingisuttersolitude,thedescentintothecoldabyssofoneself.”Mymother’scriticismhadshownmethatKafkaisrightaboutthecoldabyss,andwhenyoumaketheintrospective(內(nèi)省的)descentthatwritingrequiresyouarenotalwayspleasedbywhatyoufind.But,intheyearsthatfollowed,hersustainedtutoringsuggestedthatKafkamightbewrongaboutthesolitude.Iwasluckyenoughtofindacriticandteacherwhowaswillingtomakethejourneyofwritingwithme.“Itisathingofnogreatdifficulty,”accordingtoPlutarch,“toraiseobjectionsagainstanotherman’sspeech,itisaveryeasymatter;buttoproduceabetterinitsplaceisaworkextremelytroublesome.”IamsureIwroteessaysinthelateryearsofhighschoolwithoutmymother'sguidance,butIcan’trecallthem.WhatIremember,however,ishowshetookupthe"extremelytroublesome"workofongoingcriticism.TherearetwowaystointerpretPlutarchwhenhesuggeststhatacriticshouldbeabletoproduce“abetterinitsplace.”Inastraightforwardsense,hecouldmeanthatacriticmustbemoretalentedthantheartistshecritiques(評(píng)論).Mymotherwaswellcoveredonthiscount.ButperhapsPlutarchissuggestingsomethingslightlydifferent,somethingabitclosertoMarcusCicero’sclaimthatoneshould“criticizebycreation,notbyfindingfault.”Genuinecriticismcreatesapreciousopeningforanauthortobecomebetteronhisownterms--aprocessthatisoftenextremelypainful,butalsoalmostalwaysmeaningful.Mymothersaidshewouldhelpmewithmywriting,butfirstIhadtohelpmyself.Foreachassignment,IwastowritethebestessayIcould.Realcriticismisnotmeanttofindobviousmistakes,soifshefoundany--thetypeIcouldhavefoundonmyown--Ihadtostartfromscratch.Fromscratch.Oncetheessaywas“flawless,”shewouldtakeaneveningtowalkmethroughmyerrors.Thatwaswhentruecriticism,thetypethatchangedmeasaperson,began.ShecriticizedmewhenIincludedlittle-knownreferencesandprofessionaljargon(行話(huà)).Shehadnopatienceforbrilliantbutirrelevantfiguresofspeech.“Writerscan’tbluff(虛張聲勢(shì))theirwaythroughignorance.”Thatwasnewstome--Iwouldneedtofreedanotherwaytostructuremydailyexistence.Shetrimmedbackmyflowerylanguage,drewlinesthroughmyexclamationmarksandarguedforthevalueofrestraintinexpression.“John,”shealmostwhispered.Ileanedintohearher:“Ican’thearyouwhenyoushoutatme.”SoIstoppedshoutingandbluffing,andslowlymywritingimproved.SomewherealongthewayIsetasidemyhopesofwritingthatflawlessessay.ButperhapsImissedsomethingimportantinmymother’slessonsaboutcreativityandperfection.Perhapsthepointofwritingtheflawlessessaywasnottogiveup,buttoneverwillinglyfinish.Whitmanrepeatedlyreworked“SongofMyself”between1855and1891repeatedly.Wedoourabsolutebestwithapieceofwriting,andcomeascloseaswecantotheideal.And,forthetimebeing,wesettle.Incritique,however,weareforcedtodepart,togiveuptheperfectionwethoughtwehadachievedforthechanceofbeingevenalittlebitbetter.ThisisthelessonItookfrommymother:Ifperfectionwerepossible,itwouldnotbemotivating?Theauthorwasadvisedagainsttheimproperuseoffiguresofspeech.Theauthor’smothertaughthimavaluablelessonbypointingoutlotsofflawsinhisseeminglyperfectessay.Awritershouldpolishhiswritingrepeatedlysoastogetclosertoperfection.Writersmayexperienceperiodsoftimeintheirlifewhentheyjustcan’tproduceanything.Theauthorwasnotmuchsurprisedwhenhisschoolteachermarkedhisessayas“flawless”.Criticizingsomeone’sspeechissaidtobeeasierthancomingupwithabetterone.Theauthorlooksuponhismotherashismostdemandingandcaringinstructor.Thecriticismtheauthorreceivedfromhismotherchangedhimasaperson.Theauthorgraduallyimprovedhiswritingbyavoidingfancylanguage.Constructivecriticismgivesanauthoragoodstarttoimprovehiswriting.SectionCDirections:Thereare2passagesinthissection.Eachpassageisfollowedbysomequestionsorunfinishedstatements.ForeachofthemtherearefourchoicesmarkedA)，B),C)andD).YoushoulddecideonthebestchoiceandmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.PassageOneQuestions46to50arebasedonthefollowingpassage.CouldyoureproduceSiliconValleyelsewhere,oristheresomethinguniqueaboutit?Itwouldn’tbesurprisingifitwerehardtoreproduceinothercountries,becauseyoucouldn'treproduceitinmostoftheUSeither.WhatdoesittaketomakeaSiliconValley?It’stherightpeople.IfyoucouldgettherighttenthousandpeopletomovefromSiliconValleytoBuffalo,BuffalowouldbecomeSiliconValley.Youonlyneedtwokindsofpeopletocreateatechnologyhub(中心):richpeopleandnerds(癡迷科研的人).Observationbearsthisout.WithintheUS,townshavebecomestar,uphubsifandonlyiftheyhavebothrichpeopleandnerds.FewstartupshappeninMiami,forexample,becausealthoughit’sfullofrichpeople,ithasfewnerds.It'snotthekindofplacenerdslike.WhereasPittsburghhastheoppositeproblem:plentyofnerds,butnorichpeople.ThetopUSComputerSciencedepartmentsaresaidtobeMIT,Stanford,Berkeley,andCarnegie-Mellon.MITyieldedRoute128.StanfordandBerkeleyyieldedSiliconValley.ButwhatdidCarnegie-MellonyieldinPittsburgh?AndwhathappenedinIthaca,homeofCornellUniversity,whichisalsohighonthelist?IgrewupinPittsburghandwenttocollegeatCornell,soIcananswerforboth.Theweatheristerrible,particularlyinwinter,andthere'snointerestingoldcitytomakeupforit,asthereisinBoston.Richpeopledon'twanttoliveinPittsburghorIthaca.Sowhilethere’replentyofhackers(電腦迷)whocouldstartstartups,there’snoonetoinvestinthem.Doyoureallyneedtherichpeople?Wouldn’titworktohavethegovernmentinvestinthenerds?No,itwouldnot.Startupinvestorsareadistincttypeofrichpeople.Theytendtohavealotofexperiencethemselvesinthetechnologybusiness.Thishelpsthempicktherightstartups,andmeanstheycansupplyadviceandconnectionsaswellasmoney.Andthefactthattheyhaveapersonalstakeintheoutcomemakesthemreallypayattention.WhatdowelearnaboutSiliconValleyfromthepassage?Itssuccessishardtocopyanywhereelse.ItisthebiggesttechnologyhubintheUS.Itsfameinhightechnologyisincomparable.Itleadstheworldininformationtechnology.WhatmakesMiamiunfittoproduceaSiliconValley?Lackofincentiveforinvestment.Lackoftherightkindoftalents.Lackofgovernmentsupport.Lackoffamousuniversities.InwhatwayisCarnegie-MellondifferentfromStanford,BerkeleyandMIT?Itslocationisnotasattractivetorichpeople.Itssciencedepartmentsarenotnearlyasgood.Itdoesnotproducecomputerhackersandnerds.Itdoesnotpaymuchattentiontobusinessstartups.WhatdoestheauthorimplyaboutBoston?Ithaspleasantweatherallyearround.Itproduceswealthaswellashigh-tech.Itisnotlikelytoattractlotsofinvestorsandnerds.Itisanoldcitywithmanysitesofhistoricalinterest.Whatdoestheauthorsayaboutstartupinvestors?Theyareespeciallywiseinmakinginvestments.Theyhavegoodconnectionsinthegovernment.Theycandomorethanprovidingmoney.Theyarerichenoughtoinvestinnerds.PassageTwoQuestions51to55arebasedonthefollowingpassage.It’snicetohavepeopleoflikemindaround.Agreeablepeopleboostyourconfidenceandallowyoutorelaxandfeelcomfortable.Unfortunately,thatcomfortcanhindertheverylearningthatcanexpandyourcompanyandyourcareer.It’snicetohavepeopleagree,butyouneedconflictingperspectivestodigoutthetruth.Ifeveryonearoundyouhassimilarviews,yourworkwillsufferfromconfirmationbias(偏頗).Takealookatyourownnetwork.Doyourcontactsshareyourpointofviewonmostsubjects?Ifyes,it’stimetoshakethingsup.Asaleader,itcanbechallengingtocreateanenvironmentinwhichpeoplewillfreelydisagreeandargue,butasthesayinggoes:Fromconfrontationcomesbrilliance.It’snoteasyformostpeopletoactivelyseekconflict.Manyspendtheirlivestryingtoavoidarguments.There’snoneedtogooutandfindpeopleyouhate,butyouneedtodosomeself-assessmenttodeterminewhereyouhavebecomestaleinyourthinking.Youmayneedtostartbyencouragingyourcurrentnetworktohelpyouidentifyyourblindspots.Passionate,energeticdebatedoesnotrequireangerandhardfeelingstobeeffective.Butitdoesrequiremoralstrength.Onceyouhaveworthyopponents,setsomegroundrulessoeveryoneunderstandsresponsibilities