2012年12月大学英语四级真题(3)
PartⅠ Writing (30 minutes)
注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上，请在答题卡1上作答。
Direction:For this part, you are allowed 30minutes to write a composition entitled Education Pays basedon the statistics provided in the chart below (Weekly earnings of 2010). Pleasewrite at least 120 words but no morethan 180 words.
Education: A WorthyInvestment
Weekly earnings in 2010($)
Source:
Education Pays
PartⅡ ReadingComprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15minutes)
Directions:In this part, you will have 15 minutes to goover the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices markedA), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with theinformation given in the passage.
Suffering in silence
Despite a law designed toprotect them, many people with disabling conditions are unaware of theirrights. Carole Concha-Bell tells of her experiences.
Beingdiagnosed with a disabling condition is always a shock. Learning to livewithout the guarantee of health is like having to unlearn a previous life. Theimplications for your working life may seem intimidating.
Thereis the disability Discrimination Act (DDA), of course. But does it reallyprovide the protection in the workplace that parliament intended? Are employersmerely paying lip service to the DDA? Or are they even aware of an employer’slegal duties and responsibilities?
Inmy experience, it is the latter. I have received little support from employersto whom I have revealed my condition. This has often left me feeling at adisadvantage and wondering why I bothered doing so in the first place.
Ihad been struggling with illness long before I was diagnosed. In practicalterms the diagnosis did little to aid me. Of course, it enabled me tounderstand my body, my limitations and set me on a course to stabilize mysymptoms. But it brought a new dilemma. Where I had previously struggled towork while ill, ignorant of why my body was misbehaving, I now had a name formy daily struggle: Lupus (狼疮). This is a chronic (慢性的), auto-immune disorder that can affect virtually any system in thebody. It also leaves a huge, dark question hanging over my head when seekingemployment: should I tell my employers I have a condition? It is a dilemma thatcontinues to be a root cause of anxiety both for myself and for thousands ofother
Therocky road to my unfortunate enlightenment about work and disability began justafter graduation when I’d set my sights on a career in communications and landedmy dream job with a respected public relations consultancy (咨询公司) in Bristol. But while I was learning the art of media relations,my body wasn’t quite making it in health terms. I often went to work withswollen limbs and fevers. At my first and last performance review, my boss wasamazed that, despite my many capabilities, I hadn’t quite taken control of myresponsibilities. A few months later, my contract wasn’t renewed and I plungedfurther into new depths of ill health.
However,I was determined not to be beaten and returned to the interview trail. My nextjob was in publishing. But despite a shining performance at the interview, Ifelt like a fraud. How long would it be before I sank into ill health anddepression again?
Thejob was to end with a monumental bang when I became so poorly I could no longerfunction. A few feverish weeks in bed ended in a specialist appointment, where Iwas diagnosed with Lupus and rushed into hospital for fear that it may haveattacked my internal organs.
The next 12 months were filled with confusion. I had no idea aboutbenefits, felt alienated (被视为另类) by the medical establishmentand lived off my savings until I was broke. I realized I needed help from myfamily and moved to London.
Assoon as I felt better, I marched into a marketing recruitment consultancy and,within 10 minutes, I had impressed the interviewer enough to be offered a jobwith the agency. We agreed on a decent salary and I told him had arthritis (关节炎) and would need to work afour-day week.
Thingswent well at the start but soon the client meetings began to fall on my dayoff, and I rarely left the office on time. I began to slip both in health andprofessional terms. The 10-hour days crashed around my head; no amount ofmake-up could disguise my ill health as I battled against the odds to prove tomyself that I cold still make it in the business world. I often cried on thebus on the way back from work.
Notlong before my contract was due to be made permanent, I was called to the boss’soffice and given the “talk” abut how my performance was slipping, how awful Ilooked. I felt too weak to fight back and agreed to leave. No attempts to offeradjustments to my job, such as being able to work from home, were ever made. Ihad a case for unfair dismissal under the DDA, but was ignorant of this at thetime.
Anestimated 10 million people in
Toaccess your rights under the DDA and to request “reasonable adjustments” toyour working conditions or your workplace requires disclosure. I had warned myformer employer about my condition but it served little purpose. They wereignorant about their obligations to their disabled staff.
However,there are plenty of forward-thinking organizations that have inclusiverecruitment policies; are more likely to employ a worker with a disability; andare more aware of their legal duties. The public sector out-performs theprivate, but not always the voluntary, according to studies for theDisabilities Rights Commission.
I decided to give the voluntary sector a goand was surprised to be offered flexible working conditions and other solutionsto meet my needs as an employee. But given the choice, I would still prefer acareer in the private sector, which for me is more dynamic, has more attractivesalaries and offers better prospects than the voluntary or public sectors.
Despitethe advances of the DDA, there will always be an army of workers who willsoldier on, maybe aware of their rights but choosing to remain silent forpersonal reasons. It is important, though, to recognize the significance of theact, the protection it affords and the obligations that employers have to us asemployees and as human beings.
注意: 此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1. What is people’s immediate response whenthey are first diagnosed with a disabling condition?
[A]They report the situation on their employers.
[B]They come to realize the value of good health.
[C]They feel nervous about their work prospects.
[D]They try to seek protection from the DDA.
2. When the author revealed her conditionto her employers, they .
[A]were quite sympathetic toward her
[B]did not give her the support she needed.
[C]made adjustments to meet her needs
[D]were annoyed not to be informed earlier
3. When the author was diagnosed withLupus, she was in a dilemma whether she should .
[A]ask for assistance from her fellow workers
[B]find employment at a different company
[C]ignore her limitations and struggle to work
[D]inform her employers of her disability status
4. The author lost her job at the publicrelations consultancy in Bristolbecause .
[A]her boss had fund a much better replacement
[B]she was in no mood at all to discharge her duties
[C]her performance was disappointing to her boss
[D]she fail to show up for her performance review
5. Why did the author feel like a fraudwhen she got her second job?
[A]She knew she would fall ill any time again.
[B]She was not as competent as she appeared to be.
[C]She concealed the fact that she had just been fired.
[D]She pretended to be very keen on the job.
6. Why did the author move to London?
[A] To get help from her family. [B] To receive better medical care.
[C] To start a consulting business. [D] To seek a more suitablejob.
7. The author worked hard at the marketingrecruitment consultancy in order to .
[A]earn the boss’s appreciation and clients’ recognition
[B]demonstrate her strong willpower to conquer illness
[C]provide for herself without protection from the DDA
[D]prove herself capable of success in the business world
8. Although many people qualify for disability status inthe
9. The author was offered flexible working conditions inthe voluntary sector, but if she had a choice, she would still like to work in .
10. The author stresses that it is important to recognizeemployers’ to their disabled employees.
PartⅢ ListeningComprehension (35 minutes)
SectionA
Directions: Inthis section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. Atthe end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about whatwas said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. Aftereach question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the fourchoices marked A),B),C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then markthe corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the center.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
11. [A] He needs another weekfor the painting. [B] The painting wascompleted just in time.
[C] Thebuilding won’t open until next week. [D] Hisartistic work has been well received.
12. [A] Gocamping. [B] Rent a tent.
[C] Decorate his house. [D] organize a party.
13. [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 toreach Mr. Wright.
14. [A] He is actually veryhardworking. [B] He has difficultyfinishing his project.
[C] He needs to spend more time in the lab. [D] He seldom tells the truthabout himself.
15. [A] Rules restrictingsmoking. [B] Waysto quit smoking.
[C] Smokers’ health problems. [D]Hazards of passive smoking.
16. [A] He is out of town allmorning. [B] Heis tied up in family matters.
[C] He has been writing a report. [D] He has got meetings to attend.
17. [A] He is noteasy-going. [B] He is the speakers’ boss.
[C] He is not at home this weekend. [D] He seldom invites people to his home.
18. [A] Take a break. [B] Refuel his car.
[C] Ask the way. [D] Have a cup of coffee.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passageyou have just heard.
19. [A] They are as good ashistorical films. [B] They give youngsters a thrill .
[C] They have greatly improved. [D] Theyare better than comics on film.
20. [A] The effects were verygood. [B] The acting was justso-so.
[C] The plot was too complicated. [D] The characters werelifelike.
21. [A] They triumphedultimately over evil in the battle.
[B] They played the same role in War of the Worlds.
[C] They are popular figures among youngpeople.
[D] They are two leading characters in thefilm.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passageyou have just heard.
22. [A] It is scheduled onThursday night. [B] It is supposedto last nine weeks.
[C] It takes place once a week. [D] It usually starts at six.
23. [A] To make good use ofher spare time in the evening.
[B] To meet the requirements of her in-servicetraining.
[C] To improve her driving skills as quicklyas possible.
[D] To get some basic knowledge about carmaintenance.
24. [A] Participate in groupdiscussions. [B] Take turns to make presentations.
[C] Listen to the teacher’s explanation. [D] Answer the teacher’s questions.
25. [A] Most of them are female. [B] Some have a part-time job.
[C] They plan to buy a new car. [D] A few of them are old chaps.
SectionB
Direction: In this section, you willhear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear somequestions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. Afteryou hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheetwith a single line throughthe center.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
PassageOne
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passageyou have just heard.
26. [A] She isnot good at making friends. [B] She is not well off.
[C] She enjoys company. [D] She likes to goto concerts alone.
27. [A] Theirsimilar social status. [B]Their interdependence.
[C] Their common interest. [D] Their identicalcharacter.
28. [A] InvitePat to a live concert. [B] Buy some gifts for Pat’skids.
[C] Help take care of Pat’s kids. [D] Pay for Pat’s seasontickets.
29. [A] It candevelop between people with a big different in income.
[B] It can be maintained among people ofdifferent age groups.
[C] It cannot last long without similar familybackground.
[D] It cannot be sustained when friends movefar apart.
PassageTwo
Questions 30o 32are based on the passageyou have just heard.
30. [A]Priority of students’ academic achievements.
[B] Equal education opportunities to allchildren.
[C] Social equality between teachers andstudents.
[D] Respect for students’ individuality.
31. [A]Efficient. [B] Complicated.
[C] Lengthy. [D] Democratic.
32. [A] Tohelp them acquire hands-on experience.
[B] To try to cut down its operationalexpenses.
[C] To provide part-time jobs for needystudents.
[D] To enable them to learn to takeresponsibility.
PassageThree
Questions 33to 35 are based on the passageyou have just heard.
33. [A] Thebest way to work through a finger maze.
[B] Individual doing better in front of anaudience.
[C] Researchers having contributed greatlyto psychology.
[D] Improvements on the classification ofhuman behavior.
34. [A] Whenyou feel encouraged by the audience.
[B] When you try to figure out a confusinggame.
[C] When you already know how to dosomething.
[D] When you compete with other people in agroup.
35. [A]Practicing constantly. [B] Working by oneself.
[B] Learning by doing. [D] Using proven methods.
Section C
Directions:In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passageis read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. Whenthe passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanksnumbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanksnumbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. Forthese blank, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or writedown the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read forthe third time, you should check what you have written.
注意：此部分试题在答题卡2上作答。
American today have different eatinghabits than they had in the past. There is a wide (36)
of food available. They havea broader (37) of nutrition(营养), so theybuy more fresh fruit and (38) than ever before. At the same time, Americans(39)
increasing quantities of sweets and sodas.
Statistics show that theway people live (40) the way they eat. American lifestyles havechanged. There are now growing numbers of people who live alone, (41) parents and children, and double-incomefamilies. These changing lifestyles are (42) for the increasing number of people who must(43) meals or sometimes simply go without them.Many Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food. (44)
. Moreover, Americans eat out nearly four times a week on average.
It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that peopleconsume. (45)
. This information not only tells us what people eating, but alsotells us about the changes in attitudes and tastes. (46)
. Instead,chicken, turkey and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods havegreatly increased in recent years.
PartⅣ Reading Comprehension(Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)
SectionA
Direction: In this section,there is a passage with 10 blanks. You are required to select one word for eachblank from a list of choices given in a word blank following the passage. Readthe passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in theblank is identified by a letter. Please make the corresponding letter for eachitem on Answer sheet 2 with a single line through the center. UUUYou may not use any of the words in the bank more thanonce.
Questions 47 to 56 are basedon the following passage.
Somany people use the cell phone so frequently every day. But 47 little is certain about the health effects ofits use. Manufacturers 48 that cell phones meet government standards forsafe radio-frequency radiation emission, but enough studies are beginning todocument a possible 49 in rate brain tumors (肿瘤), headaches and behavioraldisorders in children to cause concern. So far, the evidence isn’t 50 on whether the use of cell phone 51 to any increased risk of cancer. In a newtrial, researchers asked 47 volunteers to 52 in a project to measure glucose (葡萄糖) consumption in the brain byscanning the brain to see how sells use energy. For both 50-minute scans, thevolunteers had a cell phone 53 toeach ear. During the first scan, the devices were turned off, but for thesecond scan, the phone on the right ear was 54 on and received a recorded-message call,although the volume was muted (消音) so the noise wouldn’t bias theresults. The results of the second scan showed that the 55 of the brain nearest to the device had higherrates of glucose consumption than the rest of the brain. The study shows thatcell phones can change brain activity, and 56 a whole new avenue forscientific inquiry, though it doesn’t say anything about whether cell-phoneradiation can cause cancer.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
A) conclusive
I) mission
B) contributes
J) participate
C) derive
K) particular
D) expresses
L) provides
E) fixed
M) regions
F) immensely
N) surprisingly
G) increase
O) switched
H) maintain
SectionB
Directions:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by somequestions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choicesmarked A),B),C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark thecorresponding letter on Answersheet 2 with a single line through the center.
PassageOne
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
It’sno secret that some of the resolutions that many of us vowed to pursue in thenew year— eat healthy,lose weight, quit smoking, save more money — have already fallen by the wayside.
Manyof them are likely the same resolutions that we abandoned last January. And it’sa good thing for whose who sell health club memberships, quit-smoking programsand other products that help us think we can improve our lives.
Manygyms see new memberships double in January, making up for the third of theirmembers who do not renew each year.
Andmany who sign up in January will be no-shows by February.
“IfI try one quick fix and it doesn’t work, I may be more likely to try the nextquick fix,” Lisa Lahey, who coaches executives how to sustain behavior change,told The Times.
TheBiggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge doesn’t offer any quick fixes, just a12-hour schedule full of exercise, a 1,200-calories-a-day diet and a fee of $2,000 a week. The resort teaches itsclients that “weight management” is a combination of fitness, diet andemotional health.
“Givenmy recent weight gain, and the fact that I was turning 50,” Jennifer Conlinwrote in The Time, “ I wanted tostart a program that would make 2012 the year I finally got in shape.”
“Foryears, the advice to eh overweight people has been that we simply need to eatless ad exercise more,” Tara Parker-Pope wrote. “While there is truth to thisguidance, it fails to take into account that the human body continues to fightagainst weight loss long after dieting has stopped. This translates into a sobering (令人清醒的) reality: once we become fat,most of us, despite out best efforts, will probably stay fat.”
Ofcourse this revelation (揭示), if proven true by furtherstudy, is not good news for the weight-loss industry. But chances are it won’thave much impact on the human tendency to resolve to get to the gym more andavoid chocolate cake when the clock strikes midnight on December 31.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57. What do we learn from the firstparagraph about new year resolutions?
[A] They are hard to sustain. [B] They test one’s strength.
[C] They help shed bad habits. [D] They promise a good year.
58. Who do new year resolutions eventuallybenefit?
[A] Society in general. [B]Business executives.
[C] Health club members. [D] Health industries.
59. What is special about the Biggest LoserResort’s weight management program?
[A] It gives top priority to emotionalhealth. [B] It does not resort to any quick fixes.
[C] It focuses on one’s behaviorchange. [D] It is not cheap but extremely effective.
60. What happens when people stop dieting?
[A] They regain their appetite. [B] They usually stay inshape.
[C] They weight bounces back. [D] Their health is likely tofail.
61. What do people tend to do about newyear resolutions?
[A] They keep making them year after year.
[B] They abandon them once progress is made.
[C] They keep trying until they finally succeed.
[D] They make them for the sake of making them.
PassageTwo
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
WhenUniversity of California-Berkeley released a study this month showingalarmingly high teacher turnover (人员流动) rates at Los Angeles charterschools, I wasn’t surprised.
That’s not a slam at local charter schools. It’s just that the studyechoed something I’d observed many times, starting with my niece.
Brightand cheerful, my niece longed to teach high-needs children. She started out inthe San Franciscopublic schools, where she was assigned to the district’s toughest elementaryschool. Fifth-graders threw chairs across the room — and at her. Parents refused toshow up for conferences.
Shewasn’t willing to deal with this level of indifference and teacher abuse, soshe switched to a highly regarded charger elementary school in the Bay Areawhere she poured her energy into her job and it showed. Her students’ testscores were high as those in a nearby wealthy school district, despite theobstacles these children faced.
Yetby her fourth year, my niece was worn out, depleted(耗尽) of theenergy it took to work with a classroom of sweet but deeply needy children whopleaded to stay in her classroom when it was time to leave. The principal’soffer of a $10,000 raise couldn’t stop her from giving notice. She went to workat that wealthy school district next door — for less money.
Overthe years, I’ve met many impassioned(充满激情的)teachers at charter schools, only to call them the next year and find they’veleft. The authors of the Berkeleystudy theorize that the teachers leave because of the extraordinary demands:long hours, intense involvement in students’ complicated lives, continualsearches for new ways to raise scores. Even the strongest supporters of thereform movement concede that the task of raising achievement among disadvantagedstudents is hard work.
It’sunlikely that we can build large-scale school reform on a platform of continualnew demands on teachers — more time, more energy, more devotion, more responsibility — even if schools find ways to paythem better. This is the bigger challenge facing schools. We need a more usefulanswer to the Berkeleystudy than “Yea, its really hard work.”
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
62. Why wasn’t the author surprised at the high teacherturnover rates at Los Angles charter schools?
[A] She hadparticipated in the Berkeleystudy.
[B] She hadnoticed the phenomenon repeatedly.
[C] She hadbeen involved in the local school reform.
[D] She hadbeen informed of the problem by her niece.
63. What do we learn about the students in the publicschool the author’s niece taught?
[A] They were undisciplined. [B] They were toughand strong.
[C] Many ofthem enjoyed less parental care. [D] Many of hem dropped out of school halfway.
64. What does the author say about her niece’s work inthe charter elementary school?
[A] It won highpraise from her school and colleagues.
[B] It wascited by the Berkeleystudy as an example.
[C] Itcontributed to the success of the school reform.
[D] It was wellreceived by the disadvantaged children.
65. Why were the teacher turnover rates so highaccording to the Berkeleystudy?
[A] Thestudents were indifferent to learning.
[B] Teachers’salary was not high enough.
[C] Teachers’work was too demanding.
[D] Jobselsewhere were too meaningful.
66. What is the author’s comment on the current schoolreform movement?
[A] It willgive rise to more problems.
[B] It is notlikely to be successful.
[C] It willhave a positive impact on education.
[D] It demandsthe local authorities’ support.
PartⅤ Cloze (15 minutes)
Directions:There are 20 blanksin the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fitsinto the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2with a single line through the center.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Likemany of the protesters at Occupy Wall Street in New York, Amanda Vodola is young,underemployed and loaded with student debt. She spends her days running around,helping 67 the movement, and her evenings waiting tablesat a restaurant in Brooklyn. Last spring, shegraduated from Fordham University 68 a degree in English. “I grew upwith this narrative that to get a good job I need to go to school,” she says. Butthe job she has “is not enough to pay the bills.” And the bills she’s 69 most about are the ones tied to that
67. [A] organize
[B] establish
[C] integrate
[D] assemble
68. [A] under
[B] on
[C] over
[D] with
69. [A] puzzled
[B] interrupted
narrative: the $30,000 she 70 in college loans.
InNovember, when their six-month grace period runs 71 ,Vodola and millions of other students who graduated in May have to start 72 their loans. Repayment requirements forprivate loans kick in regardless of whether 73 have found jobs. Since employment rates forrecent college graduates have 74 in the past
two years, as have starting salaries, the 75 of a sharp rise in student-loan delinquencies (到期未付) has led some economists to 76 that this could be the next financial crisis, rippling (波及) into the wider economy. Total
78 $1,000billion this year. That’s a
nearly 8% 79 over last year.
But neither these 80 nor the voices of
students, 81 bydebt, at protests in cities
and on campuses 82 the nation are likely to keep the families ofhigh school seniors 83 seeing a brand-name
education as a 84 toa better life. They’ve long been told that higher education is an 85 in the future — even as the cost of
college has 86 538% over the past 30 year.
[C] worried
[D] distracted
70. [A] collects
[B]owes
[C] costs
[D] accounts
71. [A] down
[B] up
[C] off
[D] out
72. [A] raising
[B] repaying
[C] rearranging
[D] rating
73. [A] lenders
[B] owners
[C] borrowers
[D] holders
74. [A] dropped
[B] reversed
[C] collapsed
[D] slimmed
75. [A] possibility
[B] stability
[C] publicity
[D] security
76. [A] command
[B] predict
[C] appreciate
[D] instruct
77. [A] in
[B] to
[C] of
[D] for
78. [A] blow
[B] knock
[C] hit
[D] pound
79. [A] advance
[B] increase
[C] transfer
[D] progress
80. [A] statistics
[B] graphs
[C] diagrams
[D] abstracts
81. [A] rejected
[B] cleared
[C] revealed
[D] burdened
82. [A] among
[B] amid
[C] throughout
[D] beyond
83. [A] towards
[B] from
[C] against
[D] into
84. [A] sign
[B] label
[C] brick
[D] ticket
85. [A] investment
[B] instrument
[C] indication
[D] inspiration
86. [A] intensified
[B] flown
[C] soared
[D] broken
PartⅥ Translation (5 minutes)
Directions: Complete the sentences bytranslating into English the Chinese given in brackets. Please write yourtranslation on Answer Sheet 2.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答，只需写出译文部分。
87. Only when you have passedthe tests required (你才能申请驾驶执照).
88. Working mothers today feelit is difficult to (保持事业和家庭之间的平衡).
89. We (本来可以避免犯这个愚蠢的错误), but we didn’t follow his advice.
90. He is well into histhirties. It’s about time he (安顿下来，开始创业).
91. If you (发现自己在排长队等候) at a supermarket checkout counter, are you likely to getimpatient?
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