2012-2014大学英语四级真题12套汇总

目录

第一部分大学英语四级真题

2012年12月大学英语四级考试真题（1） (2)

2012年12月大学英语四级考试真题（2） (11)

2012年12月大学英语四级考试真题（3） (20)

2013年6月大学英语四级考试真题（1）............................................... .29 2013年6月大学英语四级考试真题（2） (39)

2013年6月大学英语四级考试真题（3） (49)

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（1） (58)

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（2） (68)

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（3） (77)

2014年6月大学英语四级考试真题（1） (86)

2014年6月大学英语四级考试真题（2） (95)

2014年6月大学英语四级考试真题（3） (104)

2014年12月大学英语四级考试真题（1） (113)

2015年6月大学英语四级考试真题（1） (122)

第二部分历年真题听力文本 (131)

第三部分历年真题答案 (173)

2012年12月四级真题（第1套）

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Education Pays based on the statistics provided in the chart below (Unemployment rate in 2010).

Please give a brief description of the chart first and then make comments on it. You

should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Education Pays

_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 注意：此部分试题请在答题纸1上作答。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said.

Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question

there will be a pause .During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B),

C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter

on Answer Sheet 2 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) Find a shortcut to the park. B) Buy some roses from the market.

C) Go to the park to enjoy the flowers. D) Plant trees in the east end of town.

2. A) She has been invited to give a talk. B) She cannot attend the presentation.

C) She cannot work because of her toothache. D) She is going to meet the man at 9:30.

3. A) He has changed his business strategy.

B) He is a very successful businessman.

C) He is making plans to expand his operation.

D) He was twenty when he took over the company.

4. A) She is not as bright and diligent as Susan. B) She is a little bit surprised at the news.

C) She has not read the news on the Net. D) She has every confidence in Susan.

5. A) It is not always cheaper going by bus.

B) It is more comfortable and convenient to take a bus.

D) It is worth the money taking a train to Miami

C) It is faster to go to Miami by train.

6. A) Antiques can improve their image. B) They should move into a new office.

C) The old furniture should be replaced. D) Preservation of antiques is important.

7. A) The storm continued until midnight. B) The man got home late due to the storm

C) The man stayed at the lab the whole night. D) All roads were closed because of the flood.

8. A) The woman?s sons might enjoy team sports.

B) The woman's kids can play soccer with his son.

C) Children should play sports at least once a week.

D) Many children feel bored when left alone.

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

9. A) Make phone calls to promote sales. B) Arrange business negotiations.

C) Take orders over the phone. D) Handle complaints from customers.

10. A) Customers? questions could not be answered on the same day.

B) Conflicts between them could not be properly solved.

C) Customers often mistook one for the other.

D) They had different business strategies.

11. A) They are given two weeks each·B) They like to spend it together.

C) They have to take it by turns. D) They each take a week.

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

12. A) At a road crossing. B) Near a school.

C) Outside a police station. D) In front of a kindergarten.

13. A) He did not notice it. B) He drove too fast to read it.

C) It says 45 miles an hour. D) It is not clearly visible.

14. A) It should have been renewed two months ago. B) It actually belongs to somebody else.

C) It is no longer valid. D) It is not genuine.

15. A) He was fined $35. B) He got a ticket.

C) He had his driver's license canceled·D) He had to do two weeks?community service.

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 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. A) They behave as if their memories have failed today.

B) They grab whatever they think is a good bargain.

C) They become excited as if they had never been there.

D) They care more about an item?s price than its use.

17. A) Those with a VIP card. B) Those paying in cash.

C) Those needing assistance D) Those with 15 items or less.

18. A) Change the items they have picked up. B) Go back and pick up more items.

C) Take out some unwanted purchases. D) Calculate the total cost of the groceries.

19. A) It requires tolerance. B) It calls for carefulness.

C) It involves communications skills. D) It needs a good knowledge of math. Passage Two

Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.

20. A) A short presentation clearly delivered.

B) A package of ideas formally presented.

C) A clever use of visual aids in presentations.

D) A natural and spontaneous style of speech.

21. A) The skillful use of gestures and facial expressions.

B) Differences in style between writing and speaking.

C) The importance of preparation.

D) Different preferences of audiences.

22. A) The key to becoming a good speaker.

B) The increasing importance of public speaking.

C) The significance of cross-cultural communication.

D) The differences between American and Asian culture.

Passage Three

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

23. A) By being given constant praise.

B) By observing what their teachers do.

C) By being repeatedly corrected by adults.

D) By comparing his performance with others?.

24. A) All children should have equal opportunities.

B) It is only natural for children to make errors.

C) Children cannot detect their own mistakes.

D) The best students are usually smart by nature.

25. A) It is unhelpful to students? learning.

B) It is unhealthy to students? upbringing.

C) It is beneficial to independent children.

D) It is favorable to knowledge accumulation.

Section C

Directions: In this 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。

Time is, for the average American, of utmost importance. To the foreign visitor, Americans seem to be more __26__ concerned with getting things accomplished on time (according to a predetermined schedule) than they are with developing deep __27__ relations. Schedules, for the American, are meant to be planned and then followed in the smallest __28__.

It may seem to you that most Americans are completely controlled by the little machines they wear on their __29__, cutting their discussions off abruptly to make it to their next appointment on time.

Americans?language __30__ references to time, giving a clear __31__ of how much it is valued. Time is something t o be “on,” to be “kept,” “filled,” “saved,” “wasted,” “gained,” “planned,” “given,” “made the most of,” even “killed.”

The international visitor soon learns that it?s considered very __32__ to be late—even by 10 minutes—for an appointment in America.

Time is so valued in America, because by considering time to be important one can clearly achieve more than if one “wastes” time and doesn?t keep busy. This __33__ has proven its worth.

It has enabled Americans to be __34__ productive, and productivity itself is highly valued in America. Many American proverbs (谚语) stress the value of guarding time, using it wisely, and setting and working toward specific goals. Americans __35__ spending their time and energy today so that the fruits of their labor may be enjoyed at a later time.

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 center. You may not use any of the words in the

bank more than once.

Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.

French fries, washed down with a pint of soda, are a favorite part of fast-food lunches and dinners for millions of American youngsters. But __36__ a cue from health experts, a group of 19 restaurant companies are pledging to offer more-healthful menu options for children at a time when __37__ is growing over the role of fast food in childhood obesity (肥胖症).

Burger King, the nation?s second-largest fast food chain, for instance, will __38__ automatically including French fries and soda in its kids? meals starting this month, although they will still be __39__. Instead, the company said Tuesday, its employees will ask parents whether they __40__ such options as milk or sliced apples before assembling the meals. “We?re asking the customers to __41__ what they want,” said Craig Prusher, the chain?s vice president of government relations. Other participating chains, with a __42__ of menu options, including Denny?s, Chili?s, Friendly?s and Chevy?s.

As part of the Kids Live Well campaign-expected to be announced __43__ Wednesday—participating restaurants must promise to offer at least one children?s meal that ha s fewer than 600 calories (卡路里), no soft drinks and at least two __44__ from the following food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins or low-fat dairy. Among other requirements, they must offer a side dish that meets similar __45__, with fewer than 200 calories and less than

35% of its calories from sugar.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.

Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the

paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more

than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking

the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

The Magician

The revolution that Steve Jobs led is only just beginning

A) When it came to putting on a show, nobody else in the computer industry, or any other industry

for that matter, could match Steve Jobs. His product launches, at which he would stand alone on a black stage and produce as if by magic an “incredible” new electronic gadget (小器具) in front of an amazed crowd, were the performances of a master showman. All computers do is fetch and work with numbers, he once explained, but do it fast enough and “the results appear to be magic”. Mr Jobs, who died recently aged 56, spent his life packaging that magic into elegantly designed, easy-to-use products.

B) The reaction to his death, with people leaving candles and flowers outside Apple stores and

politicians singing praises on the internet, is proof that Mr Jobs had become something much more significant than just a clever money-maker. He stood out in three ways-as a technologist, as a corporate (公司的) leader and as somebody who was able to make people love what had previously been impersonal, functional gadgets. Strangely, it is this last quality that may have the deepest effect on the way people live. The era of personal technology is in many ways just beginning.

C) As a technologist, Mr Jobs was different because he was not an engineer-and that was his great

strength. Instead he was keenly interested in product design and aesthetics (美学), and in making advanced technology simple to use. He repeatedly took an existing but half-formed idea-the mouse-driven computer, the digital music player, the smartphone, the tablet computer (平板电脑)-and showed the rest of the industry how to do it properly. Rival firms competed with each other to follow where he led. In the process he brought about great changes in computing, music, telecoms and the news business that were painful for existing firms but welcomed by millions of consumers.

D) Within the wider business world, a man who liked to see himself as a hippy (嬉皮士),

permanently in revolt against big companies, ended up being hailed by many of those corporate giants as one of the greatest chief executives of his time. That was partly due to his talents: showmanship, strategic vision, an astonishing attention to detail and a dictatorial management style which many bosses must have envied. But most of all it was the extraordinary trajectory (轨迹) of his life. His fall from grace in the 1980s, followed by his

return to Apple in 1996 after a period in the wilderness, is an inspiration to any businessperson whose career has taken a turn for the worse. The way in which Mr Jobs revived the failing company he had co-founded and turned it into the world?s biggest tech firm (bigger even than Bill Gates?s Microsoft, the company that had outsmarted Apple so dramatically in the 1980s), sounds like something from a Hollywood movie.

E) But what was perhaps most astonishing about Mr Jobs was the absolute loyalty he managed to

inspire in customers. Many Apple users feel themselves to be part of a community, with Mr Jobs as its leader. And there was indeed a personal link. Apple?s products were designed to accord with the boss?s tastes and to meet his extremely high standards. Every iPhone or MacBook has his fingerprints all over it. His great achievement was to combine an emotional spark with computer technology, and make the resulting product feel personal. And that is what put Mr Jobs on the right side of history, as technological innovation (创新) has moved into consumer electronics over the past decade.

F) As our special report in this issue (printed before Mr Jobs?s death) explains, innovation used to

spill over from military and corporate laboratories to the consumer market, but lately this process has gone into reverse. Many people?s homes now have more powerful, and more flexible, devices than their offices do; consumer gadgets and online services are smarter and easier to use than most companies? systems. Familiar consumer products are bein g adopted by businesses, government and the armed forces. Companies are employing in-house versions of Facebook and creating their own “app stores” to deliver software to employees. Doctors use tablet computers for their work in hospitals. Meanwhile, the number of consumers hungry for such gadgets continues to swell. Apple?s products are now being snapped up in Delhi and Dalian just as in Dublin and Dallas.

G) Mr Jobs had a reputation as a control freak (怪人), and his critics complained that the products

and systems he designed were closed and inflexible, in the name of greater ease of use. Yet he also empowered millions of people by giving them access to cutting-edge technology. His insistence on putting users first, and focusing on elegance and simplicity, has become deep-rooted in his own company, and is spreading to rival firms too. It is no longer just at Apple that designers ask: “What would Steve Jobs do?”

H) The gap between Apple and other tech firms is now likely to narrow. This week?s

announcement of a new iPhone by a management team led by Tim Cook, who replaced Mr Jobs as chief executive in August, was generally regarded as competent but uninspiring.

Without Mr Jobs to shower his star dust on the event, it felt like just another product launch from just another technology firm. At the recent unveiling of a tablet computer by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, whose company is doing the best job of following Apple?s lead in combining hardware, software, content and services in an easy-to-use bundle, there were several attacks at Apple. But by doing his best to imitate Mr Jobs, Mr Bezos also flattered (抬举) him. With Mr Jobs gone, Apple is just one of many technology firms trying to arouse his uncontrollable spirit in new products.

I) Mr Jobs was said by an engineer in the early years of Apple to emit a “reality distortion (扭曲)

field”, such were his powers of persuasion. But in the end he created a reality of his own, channeling the magic of computing into products that reshaped entire industries. The man who said in his youth that he wanted to “put a ding in the universe” did just that.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

46. For those who have suffered failures in business, Steve Job?s life experience serves as an

inspiration.

47. Mr. Job?s great strength lies in his keen interest in designing elegant and user-friendly gadgets.

48. In recent years, innovation tends to spill over from consumer market to military and corporate

and corporate laboratories.

49. In spite of the user-friendliness of Apple products, critics complained that they were closed

and inflexible.

50. By channeling the magic of computing into products, Steve Jobs had succeeded in putting a

ding in the universe.

51. Many corporate giants saw Steve Jobs as one of the greatest chief executives of his time.

52. Nobody in the computer industry could match Steve Jobs in showmanship.

53. That Steve Jobs made people love gadgets that used to be impersonal most deeply affected

people?s way of life.

54. Perhaps the most astonishing part of Mr. Jobs?s success was that he commanded absolute

loyalty from Apple users.

55. Amazon, by having hardware, software, content and services combined in an easy-to-use

bundle, did the best job in following Apple?s lead.

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 center.

Passage One

Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn?t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That?s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn?t matter to you nearly as much as you think.

That?s because job growth numbers don?t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover (人员更替) data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations (解雇), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!

And as it turns out, even today—with job growth near zero—over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.

I don?t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn?t have an impact on one?s ability to land

a job. It?s true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it?s true that there are currently more people applying for each available jo

b opening, regardless of whether it?s a new one or not.

But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don?t is their ability to stay motivated. They?re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep

going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn?t looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.

So don?t let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

56. The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate ______.

A) deprives many people of job opportunities

B) prevents many people from changing careers

C) should not stop people from looking for a job

D) does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening

57. Where do most job openings come from?

A) Job growth. B) Job turnover. C) Improved economy. D)Business expansion.

58. What does the author say about overall job growth?

A) It doesn?t have much effect on individual job seekers.

B) It increases people?s confidence in the economy.

C) It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.

D) It doesn?t mean greater job security for the employed.

59. What is the key to landing a job according to the author?

A) Education. B) Intelligence. C) Persistence. D) Experience.

60. What do we learn from the passage about the unemployment figures in the U.S.?

A) They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.

B) They provide the public with the latest information.

C) They warn of the structural problems in the economy.

D) They exclude those who have stopped looking for a job.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors—or doesn?t it?

While such vigilant (警觉的) tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it?s important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing.

In many cases, screening can lead to surgeries to remove cancer, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients? remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so deep-rooted that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups.

It?s hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy (预

期寿命).

A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening-especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population.

It?s not an easy calculation to make, but one that makes sense for all patients. Dr. Otis Brawley said, “Many doctors are ordering screening tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care.”

That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

61. Why do doctors recommend routine cancer screening for elderly people?

A) It is believed to contribute to long life.

B) It is part of their health care package.

C) The elderly are more sensitive about their health.

D) The elderly are in greater danger of tumor growth.

62. How do some researchers now look at routine cancer screening for the elderly?

A) It adds too much to their medical bills.

B) It helps increase their life expectancy.

C) They are doubtful about its necessity.

D) They think it does more harm than good.

63. What is the conventional view about women screening for breast cancer?

A) It applies to women over 50. B) It is a must for adult women.

C) It is optional for young women. D) It doesn?t apply to women over 74.

64. Why do many doctors prescribe routine screening for cancer?

A) They want to protect themselves against medical disputes.

B) They want to take advantage of the medical care system.

C) They want data for medical research.

D) They want their patients to suffer less.

65. What does the author say is the general view about health care?

A) The more, the better. B) Prevention is better than cure.

C) Better early than late. D) Better care, longer life.

Part IV Translation (30 minutes)

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

乒乓球(table tennis)是中国的国球，是一种世界流行的体育项目。20世纪60年代以来，中国选手赢得了世界乒乓球比赛的大部分冠军，因此中国在该项运动中占有统治性的地位。乒乓球的起源有许多不同的说法，最流行、最被广泛认可的一种说法就是乒乓球在1900年起源于英国。在英语中，它也被称为“Ping Pong”,因为在打击时会发出“Ping Pong”的声音。在1988年的奥运会上，它被列为正式的比赛项目。

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

2012年12月四级真题（第2套）

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Education Pays based on the statistics provided in the chart below (Unemployment rate in 2010).

Please give a brief description of the chart first and then make comments on it. You

should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Education Pays

_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 注意：此部分试题请在答题纸1上作答。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said.

Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question

there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B),

C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter

on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

1. A) He needs another week for the painting. B) The painting was completed just in time.

C) The building won?t open until next week. D) His artistic work has been well received.

2. A) Go camping. B) Decorate his house. C) Rent a tent. D) Organize a party.

3. A) She talked with Mr.Wright on the phone.

B) She is about to call Mr.Wright?s secretary.

C) She will see Mr.Wright at lunch time.

D) She failed to reach Mr.Wright.

4. A) He is actually very hardworking. B) He has difficulty finishing his project.

C) He needs to spend more time in the lab. D) He seldom tells the truth about himself.

5. A) Rules restricting smoking. B) Ways to quit smoking.

C) Smokers? health problems. D) Hazards of passive smoking.

6. A) He is out of town all morning. B) He is tied up in family matters.

C) He has been writing a report. D) He has got meetings to attend.

7. A) He is not easy- going. B) HE is the speaker?s boss.

C) He is not at home this weekend. D) He seldom invites people to his home.

8. A) Take a break. B) Refuel his car. C) Ask the way. D) Have a cup of coffee. Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

9. A) They are as good as historical films. B) They give youngsters a thrill.

C) They have greatly improved. D) They are better than comics on films.

10. A) The effects were very good. B) The acting was just so-so.

C) The plot was too complicated. D) The characters were lifelike.

11. A) They triumphed ultimately over in the battle.

B) They played the same role in War of the Worlds.

C) They are popular figures among young people.

D) They are two leading characters in the film.

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

12. A) It is scheduled on Thursday night. B) It is supposed to last nine weeks.

C) It takes place once a week. D) It usually starts at six.

13. A) To make good use of her spare time in the evening.

B) To meet the requirements of her in-service training.

C) To improve her driving skills as quickly as possible.

D) To get some basic knowledge about car maintenance.

14. A) Participate in group discussions. B) Take turns to make presentations.

C) Listen to the te acher?s explanation. D) Answer the teacher?s questions.

15. A) Most of them are female. B) Some have part-time job.

C) They plan to buy a new car. D) A few of them are old chaps.

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 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. A) She is not good at making friends. B) She is not well off.

C) She enjoys company. D) She likes to go to concerts alone.

17. A) Their similar social status. B) Their interdependence.

C) Their common interest. D) Their identical character.

18. A) Invite Pat to a live concert. B) Buy some g ifts for Pat?s kids.

C) Help take care of Pat?s kids. D) Pay for Pat?s season tickets.

19. A) It can develop between people with a big difference in income.

B) It can be maintained among people of different age groups.

C) It cannot last long without similar family background.

D) It cannot be sustained when friends move far apart.

Passage Two

Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.

20. A) Priority of students? academic achievements.

B) Equal education opportunities to all children.

C) Social equality between teachers and students.

D) Respect for students? individuality.

21. A) Efficient. B) Complicated. C) Lengthy. D) Democratic.

22. A) To help them acquire hands-on experience.

B) To try to cut down its operational expenses.

C) To provide part-time jobs for needy students.

D) To enable them to learn to take responsibility.

Passage Three

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

23. A) The best way to work through a finger maze.

B) Individuals doing better in front of an audience.

C) Researchers having contributed greatly to psychology.

D) Improvements on the classification of human behavior.

24. A) When you feel encouraged by the audience.

B) When you try to figure out a confusing game.

C) When you already know how to do something.

D) When you compete with other people in a group .

25. A) Practicing constantly. B) Working by oneself.

C) Learning by doing. D) Using proven methods.

Section C

Directions: In this 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。

Americans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide __26__ of food available. They have a broader knowledge of nutrition, so they buy more fresh fruit and __27__ than ever before. At the same time, Americans __28__ increasing quantities of sweets and sodas.

Statistics show that the way people live __29__ the way they eat. American lifestyles have changed. There are now growing numbers of people who live alone, single parents and children, and double-income families. These changing lifestyles are responsible for the increasing number of people who must rush meals or sometimes simply __30__ them. Many Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food. __31__ as a consequence of this limited time, over half of all American homes now have microwave ovens. Moreover, Americans eat out nearly four

times a week __32__.

It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that people __33__. The United States Department of Agriculture and the food industry collect sales statistics and keep __34__ records. This information not only tells us what people are eating, but also tells us about the changes in attitudes and tastes. Red meat, which __35__ be the most popular choice of dinner, is no longer an American favorite. Instead, turkey and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods have greatly increased in recent years.

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 center. You may not use any of the words in the

bank more than once.

Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.

So many people use the cell phone so frequently every day. But __36__ little is certain about the health effects of its use. Manufactures __37__ that cell phones meet government standards for safe radio-frequency radiation emission, but enough studies are beginning to document a possible __38__ in rare brain tumors(肿瘤), headaches and behavioral disorders in children to cause concern. So far, the evidence isn?t __39__ on whether the use of cell phones __40__ to any increased risk of cancer. In a new trial, researchers asked 47 volunteers to __41__ in a project to measure glucose (葡萄糖) consumption in the brain by scanning the brain to see how cells use energy. For both 50-minute scans, the volunteers had a cell phone __42__ to each ear. During the first scan, the devices were turned off, but for the second scan, the phone on the right ear was __43__ on and received a recorded-message call, although the volume was muted (消音) so the noise wouldn?t bias the results. The resu lts of the second scan showed that the __44__ of the brain nearest to the device had higher rates of glucose consumption than the rest of the brain. The study shows that cell phones can change brain activity, and __45__ a whole new avenue for scientific in quiry, though it doesn?t say anything about whether cell-phone radiation can cause cancer.

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.

Should Sugar Be Regulated like Alcohol and Tobacco?

A) Sugar poses enough health risks that it should be considered a controlled substance just like

alcohol and tobacco, argue a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In an opinion p iece called “The Toxic(毒性的) Truth About Sugar”

published Feb. 1 in Nature, Robert Lustig, Laura Schmidt and Claire Brindis argue that it?s wrong to consider sugar just “empty calories.” They write: “There is nothing empty about these calories. A growing body of scientific evidence is showing that fructose (果糖) can trigger processes that lead to liver toxicity and a host of other chronic diseases. A little is not a problem, but a lot kills—slowly.”

B) Almost everyone?s heard of—or personally experienced—the well-known sugar high, so

perhaps the comparison between sugar and alcohol or tobacco shouldn?t come as a surprise.

But it?s doubtful that Americans will look favorably upon regulating their favorite vice. We?re

a nation that?s sweet on sugar: the average US adult downs 22 teaspoons of sugar a day,

according to the American Heart Association, and surveys have found that teens swallow 34 teaspoons.

C) To counter our consumption, the authors advocate taxing sugary foods and controlling sales to

kids under 17. Already, 17% of US children and teens are obese (肥胖的), and across the world the sugar intake (摄入) has increased three times in the past 50 years. The increase has helped create a global obesity plague that contributes to 35 million annual deaths worldwide from noninfectious diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Linda Matzigkeit, a senior vice president at Children?s Healthcare, said “We have to do something about this or our country is in danger. It?s not good if your state has the second-highest obesity rate. Obese children turn into obese adults.”

D) “There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino

acids (氨基酸) and bad amino acids,” Lustig, director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health program at UCSF, said in a statement. “But sugar is toxic beyond its calories.”

The food industry tries to imply that “a calorie is a calorie,” says Kelly Browne ll, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. “But this and other research suggests there is something different about sugar,” says Brownell.

E) The UCSF report emphasizes the metabolic (新陈代谢的) effects of sugar. Excess sugar can

alter metabolism, raise blood pressure, affect the signaling of hormones and damage the liver-outcomes that sound suspiciously similar to what can happen after a person drinks too much alcohol. Schmidt, co-chair of UCSF?s Community Engagement and He alth Policy program, noted on CNN: “When you think about it, this actually makes a lot of sense. Alcohol, after all, is simply made from sugar. Where does vodka come from? Sugar.”

F) But there are also other areas of impact that researchers have investigated: the effect of sugar on

the brain and how liquid calories are interpreted differently by the body than solids. Research has suggested that sugar activates the same reward pathways in the brain as traditional drugs of abuse like morphine or heroin. No one is claiming the effect of sugar is quite that strong, but, says Brownell, “it helps confirm what people tell you sometimes, that they hunger for sugar and have withdrawal symptoms when they stop eating it.” There?s also something particularly tricky abou t sugary drinks. “When calories come in liquids, the body doesn?t feel as full,” says Brownell. “People are getting more of their calories than ever before from

sugared drinks.”

G) Other countries, including France, Greece and Denmark, impose soda taxes, and the concept is

being considered in at least 20 US cities and states. Last summer, Philadelphia came close to passing a 2-cents-per-ounce soda tax. The Rudd Center has been a strong advocate of a more modest 1-cent-per-ounce tax. But at least one study, from 2010, has raised doubts that soda taxes would result in significant weight loss: apparently people who are determined to eat—and drink—unhealthily will find ways to do it. Teens—no surprise—are good at finding ways to get the things they can?t have, so state policies banning all sugar-sweetened drinks from public schools and providing only water, milk or 100% fruit juices haven?t had the intended effect of steering kids away from drinking sugared drinks: the average teen consumes about 300 calories per day—that?s nearly 15% of his daily calories—in sweetened drinks, and the food and drink industry is only too happy to feed this need.

H) Ultimately, regulating sugar will prove particularly tricky because it goes beyond health

concerns; sugar, for so many people, is love. A plate of cut-up vegetables just doesn?t pack the same emotional punch as a tin of home-made chocolate chip cookies (饼干), which is why I took my daughter out for a cupcake and not an apple as an after-school treat today. We don?t do that regularly—it?s the first time this school year, actually—and that?s what made it special.

As a society, could we ever reach the point w here we?d think apples—not a cupcake—are something to get excited over? Says Brindis, one of the report?s authors and director of UCSF?s Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies: “We recognize that there are cultural and celebratory aspects of sug ar. Changing these patterns is very complicated.”

I) For inroads (进展) to be made, say the authors in their statement, people have to be better

educated about the hazards of sugar and agree that something?s got to change: Many of the interventions (干预) that have reduced alcohol and tobacco consumption can be models for addressing the sugar problem, such as imposing special sales taxes, controlling access, and tightening licensing requirements on vending machines (自动售货机) and snack-bars that sell high sugar products in schools and workplaces.

J) “We?re not talking prohibition,” Schmidt said. “We?re not advocating a major imposition of the government into people?s lives. We?re talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people?s choices by making foods that aren?t loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get.”

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

46. The food industry tries to relieve the public worry about sugar intake by suggesting that sugar

is no more than a source of energy.

47. Regulating sugar will prove tricky because sugar may convey a sense of love.

48. A gentle way to steer people away from sugar is to make inexpensive, low-sugar foods

comparatively easier to get.

49. Some researchers think sugar should be considered “a controlled substance” as excessive

intake of sugar results in liver toxicity and various diseases.

50. It is suggested that the licensing requirements on vending machines and snack-bars selling

high sugar products be tightened.

51. Excessive sugar intake worldwide contributes to 35 million noninfectious disease-related

deaths a year.

52. Liquid sugar usually increases your calorie intake without your knowing it because the body

doesn?t feel as full.

53. The practice of imposing sugar taxes is unlikely to yield the intended effect.

54. In order to reduce sugar consumption, education should be conduc ted to raise people?s

awareness of its hazards.

55. Most Americans may feel disapproving towards government regulation of sugar consumption.

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 center.

Passage One

Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

I?ve worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition(转变) between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o?clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation

There?re few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine 1 ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.

The most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing (裁员) and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the unit I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents an hour.

After working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become only too clear. When I?m back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.

These lessons I?m learning, however valuable, are always tinged (带有) with a sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. “This job pays well, but it?s hell on the body,” said one co-worker. “Study hard and keep reading,” she added.

My experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答

56. How did the author look back on his summer days while at college?

A) They brought him nothing but torture.

B) They were no holiday for him at all.

C) They were a relief from his hard work at school.

D) They offered him a chance to know more people.

57. What does the author say about college students?

A) They expect too much from the real world. C) They think too highly of themselves.

B) They have little interest in blue-collar life. D) They are confident of their future.

58. What, according to the author, is most frustrating for blue-collar workers?

A) They do not get decent pay. C) They have to work 12-hour shifts.

B) They do not have job security. D) They have to move from place to place.

59. In what important way has the author's work experience changed him?

A) He learned to be more practical.

B) He acquired a sense of urgency.

C) He came to respect blue-collar workers.

D) He came to appreciate his college education

60. Why does the author feel somewhat guilty?

A) He realizes there is a great divide between his life and that of blue-collar workers.

B) He looks down upon the mechanical work at the assembly line.

C) He has not done much to help his co-workers at the factory.

D) He has stayed at school just for the purpose of escaping from the real world.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

Are people suffering from gadget (小器具) overload? Are they exhausted by the consumer equivalent of the brain fatigue—information overload—that is caused by constant updates of devices and online media?

Underwriters Laboratories issued a report last week that found 48% of consumers “feel high-tech manufacturers bring new products to market faster than people need them.”

There are two possible explanations. The first, obvious one is that the pace of innovation (创新) is too fast for consumers. The second less obvious one is that, in fact, innovation is too slow. That is, the new offerings companies are pushing out the door every six months or so are me-too products or ones with just a couple of new features. Marketing schedules, not product innovation, are driving the corporate(公司的) train. Manuf acturers in America valued “speed to market” more than in other countries, the report found.

Sara Greenstejn, Underwriters Laboratories? chief strategy officer, offered her interpretation of the survey results. “Innovation is too fast only if corners are cut.”

For the high-tech sector, there are a few other interesting findings. Consumers are less concerned about safety in high-tech products than categories like fresh and processed food. But their top safety concerns are emissions and wireless radio waves. Many people, it seems, are uneasy living in a thickening cloud of radio waves from mobile phone towers and the gadgets they communicate with.

A finding that was a hit surprising is that to consumers, the inner parts of high-tech devices do apparently matte r. Some 55% of consumers, according to the report, said they are “more concerned about where high-tech components come from than where the product was assembled.”

The report doesn?t really say how that information would affect consumer buying decisions. It could be complicated. Manufacturing companies on average rely on more than 35 contract suppliers around the world to create a single product. That number would be higher for a smartphone or laptop.

But maybe some sort of supply-chain labeling showing where parts come from in a product?

“We?re working on it,” Ms. Greenstein said.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

61. What is the finding in Underwriters Laboratories? report about many consumers?

A) They are exhausted by the information overload.

B) They are tired of the constant updating of devices.

C) They feel products are updated faster than needed.

D) They have difficulty following high-tech innovations.

62. What does the author mean by “me-too products”?

A) Products with no substantial difference. C) Products everyone is eager to possess.

B) Products tailored to individual users. D) Products companies compete to make.

63. What do American businesses give priority to when marketing their products?

A) The constant updating of their technology. C) The quality of their new products.

B) The speed of putting them on the market. D) The pace of product innovation.

64. What is the consumers? chief concern about high-tech products?

A) User-friendliness. C) Place of assembly.

B) Product quality. D) Radio emissions.

65. Why does the author suggest supply-chain labeling?

A) It guarantees the safe shipping of products.

B) It promotes the competitiveness of the supplier.

C) Consumers care about where components are made.

D) Consumers tend to buy products they are familiar with.

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.

剪纸(paper cutting) 是中国最为流行的传统民间艺术形式之一。中国剪纸有一千五百多年的历史，在明朝和清朝时期(the Ming and Qing Dynasties) 特别流行。人们常用剪纸美化居家环境。特别是在春节和婚庆期间，剪纸被用来装饰门窗和房间，以增加喜庆的气氛。剪纸最常用的颜色是红色，象征健康和兴旺。中国剪纸在世界各地很受欢迎，经常被用作馈赠外国友人的礼物。

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

2012年12月四级真题（第3套）

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Education Pays based on the statistics provided in the chart below (Unemployment rate in 2010).

Please give a brief description of the chart first and then make comments on it. You

should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Education Pays

_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 注意：此部分试题请在答题纸1上作答。

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)

Part ⅢListening Comprehension (35 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 2 with a single line through the centre.

1. A) Get some small change. B) Find a shopping center.

C) Cash a check at a bank. D) Find a parking meter.

2. A) Shopping with his son. B) Buying a gift for a child.

C) Promoting a new product. D) Bargaining with a salesgirl.

3. A) Taking photographs. B) Enhancing images.

C) Mending cameras. D) Painting pictures.

4. A) He moved to Baltimore when he was young.

B) He can provide little useful information.

C) He will show the woman around Baltimore.