大学英语四级历年考试真题及答案

时间：2024-02-28 06:27:16 梦荧英语四六级

Part I Writing

1.【题干】For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying "Never go out there to see what happens, go out there to makes something happen" You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of being creative rather than mere onlookers in life. You should write at least 120 words, no more than 180 words.

【答案】

【解析】

Part II Listening Comprehension

Section A

2.【题干】Question 1

A.They admire the courage of space explorers.

B.They enjoyed the movie on space exploration.

C.They were going to watch a wonderful movie.

D.They like doing scientific exploration very much.

【答案】B

【解析】M: Do you remember the wonderful film on space exploration we watched together last month?

W: Sure. It's actually the most impressive one I've seen on that topic.

Q: What do we learn about the speakers?

3.【题干】Question 2

A.At a gift shop.

B.At a graduation ceremony.

C.In the office of a travel agency.

D.In a school library.

【答案】A

【解析】W: Are you looking for anything in particular?

M: Yes. My son is graduating from high school and I want to get him something special.

Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?

4.【题干】Question 3

A.He used to work in the art gallery.

B.He does not have a good memory.

C.He declined a job offer form the art gallery.

D.He is not interested in any part-time jobs.

【答案】C

【解析】M: Mike told me yesterday that he'd been looking in vain for a job in the art gallery.

W: Really? If I remember right, he had a chance to work there but he turned it down.

Q: What does the woman say about Mike?

5.【题干】Question 4

A.Susan has been invited to give a lecture tomorrow.

B.He will go to the birthday party after the lecture.

C.The woman should have informed him earlier.

D.He will be unable to attend the birthday party.

【答案】D

【解析】W: Would you like to come to Susan's birthday party tomorrow evening?

M: I'm going to give a lecture tomorrow. I wish I could be in two places at the same time.

Q: What does the man mean?

6.【题干】Question 5

A.Reward those having made good progress.

B.Set a deadline for the staff to meet.

C.Assign more workers to the project.

D.Encourage the staff to work in small groups.

【答案】B

【解析】W: Aren't you discouraged by the slow progress your staff is making?

M: Yes. I think I'll give them a deadline and hold them to it.

Q: What is the man probably going to do?

7.【题干】Question 6

A.The way to the visitor’s parking.

B.The rate for parking in Lot C.

C.How far away the parking lot is.

D.Where she can leave her car.

【答案】A

【解析】W: Excuse me, could you tell me where the visitor's parking is? I left my car there.

M: Sure. It's in Lot C, over that way.

Q: What does the woman want to know?

8.【题干】Question 7

A.He regrets missing the classes.

B.He plans to take the fitness classes.

C.He is looking forward to a better life.

D.He has benefited form exercise.

【答案】D

【解析】W: You look great now that you've taken those fitness classes.

M: Thanks. I've never thought better in my life.

Q: What does the man mean?

9.【题干】Question 8

A.How to work efficiency.

B.How to select secretaries.

C.The responsibilities of secretaries.

D.The secretaries in the man’s company.

【答案】D

【解析】W: I really admire the efficiency of your secretaries.

M: Our company selects only the best. They have a heavy workload and we give them a lot of responsibilities.

Q: What are the speakers talking about?

10.【题干】Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

Question 9

A.It is more difficult to learn than English.

B.It is used by more people than English.

C.It will be as commonly used as English.

D.It will eventually become a world language.

【答案】B

【解析】Q: What does the man say about Chinese?

W: Hi, Leo. Why do you say English will become the world language?

M: Well, for one thing, it's so commonly used. The only language that is used by more people is Chinese.

W: Why is English spoken by so many people?

M: It's spoken in many countries of the world because of the British Empire. And now, of course, there's influence of America as well.

W: Many students find English a difficult language to learn.

M: Oh, all languages are difficult to learn. But English does have two great advantages.

W: What are they?

M: Well, first of all, it has a very international vocabulary. It has many German, Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian words in it. So speakers of those languages will find many familiar words in English. In fact, English has words from many other languages as well.

W: Why is that?

M: Well, partly because English speakers have travelled a lot. They bring back words with them, so English really does have an international vocabulary.

W: And what's the other advantage of English?

M: It's that English grammar is really quite easy. For example, it doesn't have dozens of different endings for its nouns, adjectives and verbs, not like Latin, Russian, and German for example.

W: Why is that?

M: Well, it's quite interesting actually. It's because of the French. When the French ruled England, French was the official language and only the common people spoke English. They try to make the language as simple as possible, so they made the grammar easier.

11.【题干】Question 10

A.It has words from many languages.

B.Its popularity with the common people.

C.The influence of the British Empire.

D.The effect of the Industrial Revolution.

【答案】C

【解析】Q: What made English a widely used language?

W: Hi, Leo. Why do you say English will become the world language?

M: Well, for one thing, it's so commonly used. The only language that is used by more people is Chinese.

W: Why is English spoken by so many people?

M: It's spoken in many countries of the world because of the British Empire. And now, of course, there's influence of America as well.

W: Many students find English a difficult language to learn.

M: Oh, all languages are difficult to learn. But English does have two great advantages.

W: What are they?

W: Why is that?

M: Well, partly because English speakers have travelled a lot. They bring back words with them, so English really does have an international vocabulary.

W: And what's the other advantage of English?

M: It's that English grammar is really quite easy. For example, it doesn't have dozens of different endings for its nouns, adjectives and verbs, not like Latin, Russian, and German for example.

W: Why is that?

12.【题干】Question 11

A.It includes a lot of words form other languages.

B.It has a growing number of newly coined words.

C.It can be easily picked up by overseas travellers.

D.It is the largest among all languages in the world.

【答案】A

【解析】Q: What is said to be special about English vocabulary?

W: Hi, Leo. Why do you say English will become the world language?

M: Well, for one thing, it's so commonly used. The only language that is used by more people is Chinese.

W: Why is English spoken by so many people?

M: It's spoken in many countries of the world because of the British Empire. And now, of course, there's influence of America as well.

W: Many students find English a difficult language to learn.

M: Oh, all languages are difficult to learn. But English does have two great advantages.

W: What are they?

W: Why is that?

M: Well, partly because English speakers have travelled a lot. They bring back words with them, so English really does have an international vocabulary.

W: And what's the other advantage of English?

M: It's that English grammar is really quite easy. For example, it doesn't have dozens of different endings for its nouns, adjectives and verbs, not like Latin, Russian, and German for example.

W: Why is that?

13.【题干】Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

Question 12

A.To return some goods.

B.To apply for a job.

C.To place an order.

D.To make a complaint.

【答案】C

【解析】Q: What is the woman's purpose in making the phone call?

M: Hello. Yes?

W: Hello. Is that the sales department?

M: Yes, it is.

W: Oh, well, my name's Jane Kingsbury of GPF Limited. Hmm, we need some supplies for our design office.

M: Uh, what's sort?

W: Well, first of all, we need one complete new drawing board.

M: A DO44 or DO45?

W: Uh, I don't know. What's the difference?

M: Well, the 45 costs 15 pounds more.

W: Hmm, so what's the total price then?

M: It's 387 pounds.

W: Does that include value added tax?

M: Oh, I'm not sure, most of the prices do. Yes, I think it does.

W: Hmm, what are the boards actually made of?

M: Oh, I don't know. I think it's a sort of plastic stuff these days. It's white anyway.

W: Hmm, and how long does it take to deliver?

M: Oh, I couldn't really say. It depends on how much work we've got and how many other orders there are to send out, you know.

W: Ok. Now we also want some drawing pens, ink and rulers and some drawing paper.

M: Oh, dear, the girl that takes orders for supplies isn't here this morning, so I can't take those orders for you. I only do the equipment, you see.

W: OK. Well, perhaps I'll ring back tomorrow.

M: So do you want the drawing board then?

W: I'll have to think about it. Thanks very much. I'll let you know. Goodbye.

M: Thank you. Goodbye.

14.【题干】Question 13

A.He has become somewhat impatient with the woman.

B.He is not familiar with the exact details of goods.

C.He has not worked in the sales department for long.

D.He works on a part-time basis for the company.

【答案】B

【解析】Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?

M: Hello. Yes?

W: Hello. Is that the sales department?

M: Yes, it is.

W: Oh, well, my name's Jane Kingsbury of GPF Limited. Hmm, we need some supplies for our design office.

M: Uh, what's sort?

W: Well, first of all, we need one complete new drawing board.

M: A DO44 or DO45?

W: Uh, I don't know. What's the difference?

M: Well, the 45 costs 15 pounds more.

W: Hmm, so what's the total price then?

M: It's 387 pounds.

W: Does that include value added tax?

M: Oh, I'm not sure, most of the prices do. Yes, I think it does.

W: Hmm, what are the boards actually made of?

M: Oh, I don't know. I think it's a sort of plastic stuff these days. It's white anyway.

W: Hmm, and how long does it take to deliver?

M: Oh, I couldn't really say. It depends on how much work we've got and how many other orders there are to send out, you know.

W: Ok. Now we also want some drawing pens, ink and rulers and some drawing paper.

M: Oh, dear, the girl that takes orders for supplies isn't here this morning, so I can't take those orders for you. I only do the equipment, you see.

W: OK. Well, perhaps I'll ring back tomorrow.

M: So do you want the drawing board then?

W: I'll have to think about it. Thanks very much. I'll let you know. Goodbye.

M: Thank you. Goodbye.

15.【题干】Question 14

A.It is not his responsibility.

B.It will be free for large orders.

C.It costs 15 more for express delivery.

D.It depends on a number of factors.

【答案】D

【解析】Q: What does the man say about delivery?

M: Hello. Yes?

W: Hello. Is that the sales department?

M: Yes, it is.

W: Oh, well, my name's Jane Kingsbury of GPF Limited. Hmm, we need some supplies for our design office.

M: Uh, what's sort?

W: Well, first of all, we need one complete new drawing board.

M: A DO44 or DO45?

W: Uh, I don't know. What's the difference?

M: Well, the 45 costs 15 pounds more.

W: Hmm, so what's the total price then?

M: It's 387 pounds.

W: Does that include value added tax?

M: Oh, I'm not sure, most of the prices do. Yes, I think it does.

W: Hmm, what are the boards actually made of?

M: Oh, I don't know. I think it's a sort of plastic stuff these days. It's white anyway.

W: Hmm, and how long does it take to deliver?

M: Oh, I couldn't really say. It depends on how much work we've got and how many other orders there are to send out, you know.

W: Ok. Now we also want some drawing pens, ink and rulers and some drawing paper.

M: Oh, dear, the girl that takes orders for supplies isn't here this morning, so I can't take those orders for you. I only do the equipment, you see.

W: OK. Well, perhaps I'll ring back tomorrow.

M: So do you want the drawing board then?

W: I'll have to think about it. Thanks very much. I'll let you know. Goodbye.

M: Thank you. Goodbye.

16.【题干】Question 15

A.Report the information to her superior.

B.Pay a visit to the saleswoman in charge.

C.Ring back when she comes to a decision.

D.Make inquiries with some other companies.

【答案】C

【解析】Q: What does the woman say she will possibly do tomorrow?

M: Hello. Yes?

W: Hello. Is that the sales department?

M: Yes, it is.

W: Oh, well, my name's Jane Kingsbury of GPF Limited. Hmm, we need some supplies for our design office.

M: Uh, what's sort?

W: Well, first of all, we need one complete new drawing board.

M: A DO44 or DO45?

W: Uh, I don't know. What's the difference?

M: Well, the 45 costs 15 pounds more.

W: Hmm, so what's the total price then?

M: It's 387 pounds.

W: Does that include value added tax?

M: Oh, I'm not sure, most of the prices do. Yes, I think it does.

W: Hmm, what are the boards actually made of?

M: Oh, I don't know. I think it's a sort of plastic stuff these days. It's white anyway.

W: Hmm, and how long does it take to deliver?

M: Oh, I couldn't really say. It depends on how much work we've got and how many other orders there are to send out, you know.

W: Ok. Now we also want some drawing pens, ink and rulers and some drawing paper.

M: Oh, dear, the girl that takes orders for supplies isn't here this morning, so I can't take those orders for you. I only do the equipment, you see.

W: OK. Well, perhaps I'll ring back tomorrow.

M: So do you want the drawing board then?

W: I'll have to think about it. Thanks very much. I'll let you know. Goodbye.

M: Thank you. Goodbye.

Section B

17.【题干】Passage One

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

Question 16

A.No one knows exactly where they were.

B.No one knows for sure when they came into being.

C.No one knows for what purpose they were.

D.No one knows what they will.

【答案】B

【解析】Q: What does the speaker say about kites?

No one knows for sure just how old kites are. In fact, they have been in use for centuries. 25 centuries ago, kites were well-known in China. These first kites were probably made of wood. They may even have been covered with silk, because silk was used a lot at that time.

Early kites were built for certain uses. In ancient China, they were used to carry ropes across rivers. Once across, the ropes were tied down and wooden bridges were hung from them. Legend tales of one general who flew musical kites over the enemy’s camp. The enemy fled, believing the sounds to be the warning voices of angels. By the 15th centuries, many people flew kites in Europe. Marco Polo may have brought the kite back from his visit to China. The kite has been linked to great names and events. For instance, Benjamin Franklin used the kite to prove that lightening is electricity. He flew the kite in a storm. He did this in order to draw lightening from the clouds. He tied a metal key and a strip of silk to the kite line. The silk ribbon would stop the lightening from passing through his body. Benjamin’s idea was first laughed at, but later on it led to the invention of the lightening rod.

With such grand history, kite flying is sure to remain an entertaining and popular sport.

18.【题干】Question 17

A.Carry ropes across rivers.

B.Measure the speed of wind.

C.Pass on secret messages.

D.Give warnings of danger.

【答案】A

【解析】Q: What did ancient Chinese use kites to do?

With such grand history, kite flying is sure to remain an entertaining and popular sport.

19.【题干】Question 18

A.To protect houses against lightning.

B.To test the effects of the lightning rod.

C.To find out the strength of silk for kites.

D.To prove that lightning is electricity.

【答案】D

【解析】Q: Why did Benjamin Franklin fly a kite in a storm?

With such grand history, kite flying is sure to remain an entertaining and popular sport.

20.【题干】Passage Two

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Question 19

A.She enjoys teaching languages.

B.She can speak several languages.

C.She was trained to be an interpreter.

D.She was born with a talent for languages.

【答案】B

【解析】Q: What does the speaker say about herself?

I have learned many languages, but I have not mastered them the way a professional interpreter or translator has. Still, they have opened doors for me. They have allowed me the opportunity to seek jobs in international contexts and help me get those jobs. Like many people who have lived overseas for a while, I simply got crazy about it. I can’t imagine living my professional or social life without international interactions. Since 1977, I have spent much more time abroad than in the United States. I like going to new places, eating new foods and experiencing new cultures. If you can speak the language, it’s easier to get to know the country and its people. If I had the time and money, I would live for a year in as many countries as possible.

Beyond my career, my facility with languages has given me a few rare opportunities. Once just after I returned from my year in Vienna, I was asked to translate for a German judge at an Olympic level horse event. I learned a lot about the sport. In Japan, once when I was in the studio audience of a TV cooking show, I was asked to go up on the stage and taste the beef dish that was being prepared and tell what I thought. They asked, “Was it as good as American beef?” It was very exciting for me to be on Japanese TV speaking in Japanese about how delicious the beef was.

21.【题干】Question 20

A.They acquire an immunity to culture shock.

B.They would like to live abroad permanently.

C.They want to learn as many foreign languages as possible.

D.They have an intense interest in cross-cultural interactions.

【答案】D

【解析】Q: What does the speaker say about many people who have lived overseas for a while?

22.【题干】Question 21

A.She became an expert in horse racing.

B.She got a chance to visit several European countries.

C.She was able to translate for a German sports judge.

D.She learned to appreciate classical music.

【答案】C

【解析】Q: How does the speaker’s experience of living in Vienna benefit her?

23.【题干】Question 22

A.Taste the beef and give her comment.

B.Take part in a cooking competition.

C.Teach vocabulary for food in.

D.Give cooking lessons on.

【答案】A

【解析】Q: What was the speaker asked to do in a Japanese studio?

24.【题干】Passage Three

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

Question 23

A.He had only a third-grade education.

B.He once threatened to kill his teacher.

C.He grew up in a poor single-parent household.

D.He often helped his.

【答案】B

【解析】Q: What do we learn about Ben Carson?

Doctor Ben Carson grew up in a poor single parent household in Detroit. His mother, who had only a third-grade education, worked two jobs cleaning bathrooms. To his classmates and even to his teachers, he was thought of as the dumbest kid in the class, according to his own not so fond memories. He had a terrible temper, and once threatened to kill another child. Doctor Carson was headed down a path of self-destruction until a critical moment in his youth. His mother, convinced that she had to do something dramatic to prevent him from leading a life of failure, laid down some rules. He could not watch television except for two programs a week, could not play with his friends after school until he finished his homework, and had to read two books a week and write book reports about them. His mother’s strategy worked. “Of course, I didn’t know she couldn’t read, so there I was submitting these reports.” He said. “She would put check marks on them like she had been reading them. As I began to read about scientists, economists and philosophers, I started imaging myself in their shoes. As he got in the habit of hard work, his grades began to soar. Ultimately, he received a scholarship to attend Yale University. And later, he was admitted to the University of Michigan Medical School. He is now a leading surgeon at John’s Hopkins Medical School, and he’s also the author of three books.

25.【题干】Question 24

A.Careless.

B.Stupid.

C.Brave.

D.Active.

【答案】B

【解析】Q: What did Ben Carson classmates and teachers think about him when he was first in school?

26.【题干】Question 25

A.Write two book reports a week.

B.Keep a diary.

C.Help with housework.

D.Watch education.

【答案】A

【解析】Q: What does Ben Carson mother tell him to do when he was a school boy?

Section C

When you look up at the night sky, what do you see? There are other(27)_____bodies out there besides the moon and stars. One of the most(28)_____of these is a comet.

Comets were formed around the same time the Earth was formed. They are(29)_____ice and other frozen liquids and gases.(30)_____these “dirty snowballs” begin to orbit the sun, just as the planets do.

As a comet gets closer to the sun, some gases in it begin to unfreeze. They(31)_____dust particles from the comet to form a huge cloud. As the comet gets even nearer to the sun, a solar wind blows the cloud behind the comet, thus forming its tail. The tail and the(32)_____fuzzy atmosphere around a comet are(33)_____that can help identify this(34)_____in the night sky.

In any given year, about a dozen known comets come close to the sun in their orbits. The average person can’t see them all, of course. Usually there is only one or two a year bright enough to be seen with the(35)_____eye. Comet Hale-Bopp, discovered in 1995, was an unusually bright comet. Its orbit brought it(36)_____close to the Earth, within 122 million miles of it. But Hale-Bopp came a long way on its earthly visit. It won’t be back for another four thousand years or so.

27.【题干】_____

【答案】heavenly

28.【题干】_____

【答案】fascinating

29.【题干】_____

【答案】made up of

30.【题干】_____

【答案】Now and then

31.【题干】_____

【答案】combine with

32.【题干】_____

【答案】generally

33.【题干】_____

【答案】characteristics

34.【题干】_____

【答案】phenomenon

35.【题干】_____

【答案】naked

36.【题干】_____

【答案】relatively

Part III Reading

Section A

Questions 37 to 46 are based on the following passage.

Children do not think the way adults do. For most of the first year of life, if something is out of sight, it's out of mind. If you cover a baby's_____(37)toy with a piece of cloth, the baby thinks the toy has disappeared and stops looking for it. A 4-year-old may_____(38)that a sister has more fruit juice when it is only the shapes of the glasses that differ, not the_____(39)of juice.

Yet children are smart in their own way. Like good little scientists, children are always testing their child-sized_____(40)about how things work. When your child throws her spoon on the floor for the sixth time as you try to feed her, and you say, "That's enough! I will not pick up your spoon again!" the child will_____(41)test your claim. Are you serious? Are you angry? What will happen if she throws the spoon again? She is not doing this to drive you_____(42); rather, she is learning that her desires and yours can differ, and that sometimes those_____(43)are important and sometimes they are not.

How and why does children's thinking change? In the 1920s, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget proposed that children's cognitive(认知的)abilities unfold_____(44), like the blooming of a flower, almost in dependent of what else is_____(45)in their lives. Although many of this specific conclusions have been_____(46)or modified over the years, his ideas inspired thousands of studies by investigators all over the world.

37.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】G

38.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】M

39.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】B

40.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】O

41.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】I

42.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】D

43.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】F

44.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】J

45.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】H

46.【题干】_____

A.advocate

B.amount

C.confirmed

D.crazy

E.definite

F.differences

G.favorite

H.happening

I.immediately

J.naturally

K.obtaining

L.primarily

M.protest

N.rejected

O.theories

【答案】N

Passage Two

Section B

The Perfect Essay

A)Looking back on too many years of education, I can identify one truly impossible teacher. She cared about me, and my intellectual life, even when I didn't. Her expectations were high—impossibly so. She was an English teacher. She was also my mother.

B)When good students turn in an essay, they dream of their instructor returning it to them in exactly the same condition, save for a single word added in the margin of the final page; "Flawless." This dream came true for me one afternoon in the ninth grade. Of course, I had heard that genius could show itself at an early age, so I was only slightly taken aback that I had achieved perfection at the tender age of 14. Obviously, I did what any professional writer would do; I hurried off to spread the good news. I didn't get very far. The first person I told was my mother.

C)My mother, who is just shy of five feet tall, is normally incredibly soft-spoken, but on the rare occasion when she got angry, she was terrifying. I am not sure if she was more upset by my hubris(得意忘形)or by the fact that my English teacher had let my ego get so out of hand. In any event, my mother and her red pen showed me how deeply flawed a flawless essay could be. At the time, I am sure she thought she was teaching me about mechanics, transitions(过渡), structure, style and voice. But what I learned, and what shuck with me through my time teaching writing at Harvard, was a deeper lesson about the nature of creative criticism.

D)First off, it hurts. Genuine criticism, the type that leaves a lasting mark on you as a writer, also leaves an existential imprint(印记)on you as a person. I have heard people say that a writer should never take criticism personally. I say that we should never listen to these people.

E)Criticism, at its best, is deeply personal, and gets to the heart of why we write the way we do. The intimate nature of genuine criticism implies something about who is able to give it, namely someone who knows you well enough to show you how your mental life is getting in the way of good writing. Conveniently they are also the people who care enough to see you thought this painful realization. For me it took the form of my first, and I hope only, encounter with writer's block—I was not able to produce anything for three years.

F)Franz Kafka once said: "Writing is utter solitude(独处), the descent into the cold abyss(深渊)of oneself." My mother's criticism had shown me that Kafka is right about the cold abyss, and when you make the introspective(内省的)descent that writing requires you are not always pleased by what you find. But, in the years that followed, her sustained tutoring suggested that Kafka might be wrong about the solitude. I was lucky enough to find a critic and teacher who was willing to make the journey of writing with me. "It is a thing of no great difficulty," according to Plutarch, "to raise objections against another man's speech, it is a very easy matter; but to produce a better in its place is a work extremely troublesome." I am sure I wrote essays in the later years of high school without my mother's guidance, but I can't recall them. What I remember, however, is how she took up the "extremely troublesome" work of ongoing criticism.

G)There are two ways to interpret Plutarch when he suggests that a critic should be able to produce "a better in its place." In a straightforward sense, he could mean that a critic must be more talented than the artist she critiques(评论). My mother was well covered on this count. But perhaps Plutarch is suggesting something slightly different, something a bit closer to Marcus Cicero's claim that one should "criticize by creation, not by finding fault." Genuine criticism creates a precious opening for an author to become better on his own terms—a process that is often extremely painful, but also almost always meaningful.

H)My mother said she would help me with my writing, but first I had to help myself. For each assignment, I was to write the best essay I could. Real criticism is not meant to find obvious mistakes, so if she found any—the type I could have found on my own—I had to start from scratch. From scratch. Once the essay was "flawless," she would take an evening to walk me through my errors. That was when true criticism, the type that changed me as a person, began.

I)She criticized me when I included little-known references and professional jargon(行话). She had no patience for brilliant but irrelevant figures of speech. "Writers can't bluff(虚张声势)their way through ignorance." That was news to me—I would need to find another way to structure my daily existence.

J)She trimmed back my flowery language, drew lines through my exclamation marks and argued for the value of restraint in expression. "John," she almost whispered. I leaned in to hear her: "I can't hear you when you shout at me." So I stopped shouting and bluffing, and slowly my writing improved.

K)Somewhere along the way I set aside my hopes of writing that flawless essay. But perhaps I missed something important in my mother's lessons about creativity and perfection. Perhaps the point of writing the flawless essay was not to give up, but to never willingly finish. Whitman repeatedly reworked "Song of Myself" between 1855 and 1891. Repeatedly. We do our absolute best with a piece of writing, and come as close as we can to the ideal. And, for the time being, we settle. In critique, however, we are forced to depart, to give up the perfection we thought we had achieved for the chance of being even a little bit better. This is the lesson I took from my mother: If perfection were possible, it would not be motivating.

47.【题干】The author was advised against the improper use of figures of speech.

【答案】I

48.【题干】The author's mother taught him a valuable lesson by pointing out lots of flaws in his seemingly perfect essay.

【答案】H

49.【题干】A writer should polish his writing repeatedly so as to get closer to perfection.

【答案】K

50.【题干】Writers may experience periods of time in their life when they just can't produce anything.

【答案】E

51.【题干】The author was not much surprised when his school teacher marked his essay as "flawless".

【答案】B

52.【题干】Criticizing someone's speech is said to be easier than coming up with a better one.

【答案】F

53.【题干】The author looks upon his mother as his most demanding and caring instructor.

【答案】A

54.【题干】The criticism the author received from his mother changed him as a person.

【答案】H

【解析】最后一句话

55.【题干】The author gradually improved his writing by avoiding fancy language.

【答案】J

56.【题干】Constructive criticism gives an author a good start to improve his writing.

【答案】E

Section C

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passge.

Could you reproduce silicon valley elsewhere, or is there something unique about it?

It wouldn't be surprising if it were hard to reproduce in other countries, because you couldn't reproduce it in most of the US either. What does it take to make a Silicon Valley?

It's the right people. If you could get the right ten thousand people to move from Silicon Valley to Buffalo, Buffalo would become Silicon Valley.

You only need two kinds of people to create a technology hub(中心); rich people and nerds(痴迷科研的人).

Observation bears this out. Within the US, towns have become startup hubs if and only if they have both rich people and nerds. Few startups happen in Miami, for example, because although it's full of rich people, it has few nerds. It's not the kind of place nerds like.

Whereas Pittsburgh has said to be MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and Carnegie-Mellon yield in Pittsburgh? And what happened in Ithaca, home of Cornell University, which is also high on the list?

I grew up in Pittsburgh and went to college at Cornell, so I can answer for both. The weather is terrible, particularly in winter, and there's no interesting old city to make up for it, as there is in Boston. Rich people don't want to live in Pittsburgh or Ithaca. So while there're plenty of hackers(电脑迷)who could start startups, there's no one to invest in them.

Do you really need the rich people? Wouldn't it work to have the government invest in the nerds? No, it would not. Startups investor are a distinct type of the people. they tend to have a lot of experience themselves in the technology business. This helps them pick the right startups, and mean they can supply advice and connections as well as money. And the fact that they have a personal stake in the outcome makes them really pay attention.

57.【题干】What do we learn about Silicon Valley from the passage?

A.Its success is hard to copy anywhere else.

B.It is the biggest technology hub in the US.

C.Its fame in high technology is incomparable.

D.It leads the world in information technology.

【答案】A

58.【题干】What makes Miami unfit produce a Silicon Valley?

A.Lack of incentive for investment.

B.Lack of government support.

C.Lack of the right kind of talents.

D.Lack of famous universities.

【答案】C

【解析】第三段

59.【题干】In what way is Carnegie-Mellon different from Stanford, Berkeley and MIT?

A.Its location is not as attractive to rich people.

B.Its science departments are not nearly as good.

C.It does not produce computer hackers and nerds.

D.It does not pay much attention to business startups.

【答案】D

60.【题干】What does the author imply about Boston?

A.It has pleasant weather all year round.

B.It produces wealth as well as high-tech.

C.It is not likely to attract lots of investors and nerds.

D.It is an old city with many sites of historical interest.

【答案】C

61.【题干】What does the author say about startup investors?

A.They are especially wise in marking investments.

B.They have good connections in the government.

C.They can do more than providing money.

D.They are rich enough to invest in nerds.

【答案】C

【解析】由startup investors定位到最后一段。Startup investors不仅富有，他们一般都经验丰富，而且能给提供一些建议，所以答案选C——They can do more than providing money.

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

It's nice to have people of like mind around. Agreeable people boost your confidence and allow you to relax and feel comfortable. Unfortunately, that comfort can hinder the very learning that can expand your company and your career.

It's nice to have people agree, but you need conflicting perspectives to dig out the truth. If everyone around you has similar views, your work will suffer from confirmation bias(偏颇).

Take a look at your own network. Do your contacts share your point of view on most subjects? If yes, it's time to shake things up. As a leader, it can be challenging to create an environment in which people will freely disagree and argue, but as the saying goes: From confrontation comes brilliance.

It's not easy for most people to actively seek conflict. Many spend their lives trying to avoid arguments. There's no need to go out and find people you hate, but you need to do some self-assessment to determine where you have become stale in your thinking. You may need to start by encouraging your current network to help you identify your blind spots.

Passionate, energetic debate does not require anger and hard feelings to be effective. But it does require moral strength. Once you have worthy opponents, set some ground rules so everyone understands responsibilities and boundaries. The objective of this debating game is not to win but to get to the truth that will allow you to move faster, farther, and better.

Fierce debating can hurt feelings, particularly when strong personalities are involved. Make sure you check in with your opponents so that they are not carrying the emotion of the battles beyond the battlefield. Break the tension with smiles and humor to reinforce the ideas that this is friendly discourse and that all are working toward a common goal.

Reward all those involved in the debate sufficiently when the goals are reached. Let your sparring partners(拳击陪练)know how much you appreciate their contribution. The more they feel appreciated, the more they'll be willing to get into the ring next time.

62.【题干】What happens when you have like-minded people around you all the while?

A.It will help you company expand more rapidly.

B.It will create a harmonious working atmosphere.

C.It may prevent your business and career from advancing.

D.It may make you feel uncertain about your own decisions.

【答案】D

【解析】第二段最后一句

63.【题干】What does the author suggest leaders do?

A.Avoid arguments with business partners.

B.Encourage people to disagree and argue.

C.Build a wide and strong business network.

D.Seek advice from their worthy competitors

【答案】B

【解析】第三段

64.【题干】What is the purpose of holding a debate?

A.To find out the truth about an issue.

B.To build up people's moral strength.

C.To remove misunderstandings.

D.To look for worthy opponents.

【答案】A

65.【题干】What advice does the author give to people engaged in a fierce debate?

A.They listen carefully to their opponents' views.

B.They show due respect for each other's beliefs.

C.They present their views clearly and explicitly.

D.They take care not to hurt each other's feelings.

【答案】B

66.【题干】How should we treat our rivals after a successful debate?

A.Try to make peace with them.

B.Try to make up the differences.

C.Invite them to the ring next time.

D.Acknowledge their contribution.

【答案】D

Part IV Translation

67.【题干】中国父母往往过于关注孩子的学习，以至于不要他们帮忙做家务。他们对孩子的首要要求就是努力学习。考的好，能上名牌大学。他们想相信这是为孩子好，因为在中国这样竞争激励的社会里。只有成绩好才能保证前途光明。中国父母还认为，如果孩子能在社会上取得大的成就，父母就会受到尊重。因此，他们愿意牺牲自己的时间、爱好和兴趣，为孩子提供更还的条件。

【答案】The ancient town of Lijiang in Yunnan province is one of the famous tourist destinations. Its living rhythm is slower than that of most other Chinese cities. Lijiang is full of natural beautiful sceneries, where numerous minority nationalities provide rich and varied cultures in order to give tourists a different experience. Historically, Lijiang was also known as "the city of love". Plenty of stories about living for love and dying for love have been spread among the natives. Nowadays, the old town equals the paradise of love and romance in the eyes of Chinese and foreign tourists.

英语四级考试流程

1、英语四级考试8:45考生进入考场

所有考生一律携带身份证、学生证和准考证进入考场。证件不全者,不得参加考试。考生进入考场后，调试耳机。

2、英语四级考试9:00迟到考生不得入场，监考员发答题卡1和卡2

考生用且只能用黑色字迹签字笔在答题卡上填写姓名、准考证号，用2B铅笔涂黑相应的信息点;暂不填写答题卡2上试卷代号一栏;考生不得提前答题，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。

3、英语四级考试9:10考试正式开始，开始做试题第一部分

考生做试题第一部分“写作”，务必用黑色字迹签字笔答题。

4、英语四级考试9:35监考员发试题册

考生不得提前翻阅或改变试卷位置，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。

5、英语四级考试9:40开始做试题的第二部分

英语四级写作部分考试结束;考生打开试题册，开始做试题的第二部分“快速阅读理解”。

6、英语四级考试9:55收答题卡1

收卷期间考生不得答题，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。

7、英语四级考试10:00听力考试正式开始。

8、英语四级听力考试结束后，开始做试题的第四部分

英语四级听力考试结束后，请立即摘下耳机，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理;考生开始做试题的第四部分。

9、英语四级11:20考试结束

英语四级考试结束，考生立即停止答题，不离开座位，待监考教师收齐试卷、清点考试材料无误并同意考生离场后，考生方可退场。

英语四级考试答题注意事项

请考生在正式开始作答前，按要求正确填写(涂)答题卡1和答题卡2上的准考证号、姓名等信息后，还应将试题册背面的条形码粘贴条揭下后粘贴至答题卡1左上角的条形码粘贴框内，并正确填写试题册背面的准考证号和姓名。

不正确填写(涂)个人信息，错贴、漏贴条形码将按违规处理。

考试正式开始后考生方可开始作答，所有题目必须在答题卡上作答，且应在规定时间内依次完成作文、听力、阅读、翻译部分试题，作文题内容印在试题册背面，作答作文期间考生不得翻阅该试题册。

听力录音播放完毕后，考生应停止作答，监考员将回收答题卡1，考生得到监考员指令后方可继续作答。选择题均为单选题，错选、不选或多选将不得分。