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2012年12月大学英语四级(CET-4)真题试卷（1）
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 30 minutes to write a composition entitled Education Pays
based on the statistics provided in the chart below (Weekly earnings of 2010).
Please write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
Education: A Worthy Investment
Weekly earnings in 2010($)
Doctoral degree 1,550
Master’s degree 1,272
Bachelor’s degree 1,038
Some college, no 712
degree
High school 626
diploma
Less than high school 444
degree
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Education Pays
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15
minutes)
Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on
Answer sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked
A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in
the passage.
Should Sugar Be Regulated like Alcohol and Tobacco?
Sugar poses enough health risks that it should be considered a controlled substance just like alcohol
1and tobacco, argue a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
In an opinion piece 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.”
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 U.S. adult downs 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association,
and surveys have found that teens swallow 34 teaspoons.
To counter our consumption, the authors advocate taxing sugary foods and controlling sales to kids
under 17. Already, 17% of U.S. children and teens are obese (肥胖), 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.”
“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 is a calorie,” says Kelly Brownell,
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.
The UCSF report emphasizes the metabolic (新陈代谢) 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 Health 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.”
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 about 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.”
Other countries, including France, Greece and Denmark, impose soda taxes, and the concept is
being considered in at least 20 U.S. 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-
punce 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
2or 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.
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 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 where 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 sugar. Changing these patterns is very
complicated.”
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 sell high sugar
products in schools and workplaces.
“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 does. 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1上作答。
1. Why do some researchers think sugar should be considered “a controlled substance”?
[A] It contains nothing but empty calories.
[B] It is as harmful as morphine and heroin.
[C] It works the same way as alcohol and tobacco in the human body.
[D] Excessive intake of sugar results in liver toxicity and various diseases.
2. What might be Americans’ attitude towards government regulation of sugar consumption?
[A] Enthusiastic. [B] Indifferent. [C] Disapproving. [D] Supportive.
3. What is a consequence of excessive sugar intake worldwide?
[A] It contributes to35 million noninfectious disease-related deaths a year.
[B] It has increased the death toll nearly three times in the past 50 years.
[C] It contributes to the rise of prices of sugar and sugary foods.
[D] It has increased the global obesity rate to some 17 percent.
4. The food industry tries to relieve the public worry about sugar intake by suggesting that .
[A] sugar is no more than a source of energy
[B] sugar is not harmful like alcohol or tobacco
[C] the hazard of sugar to the body is exaggerated
[D] the consumption of sugar is easily controllable
5. According to Brownell, liquid sugar .
3[A] is especially attractive to young children
[B] is much easier and quicker to absorb than solid sugar
[C] effectively stimulates people’s appetite
[D] increases your calorie intake without your knowing it
6. What does the author think of the practice of imposing sugar taxes?
[A] It will harm the food and drink industry. [B] It is unlikely to yield the intended effect.
[C] It is likely to alter people’s eating habits. [D] It can steer kids away from sugar foods.
7. Regulating sugar will prove tricky because .
[A] people consume sugar in large quantities [B] nothing has been found to replace sugar
[C] sugar may convey a sense of love [D] many foods will become tasteless
8. In order to reduce sugar consumption, education should be conducted to raise people’s awareness of
its .
9. To address the sugar problem, the author suggests that the licensing requirements on vending
machines and snack-bars selling high sugar products be .
10. A gentle way to steer people away from sugar is to make inexpensive, low-sugar foods
.
Part Ⅲ Listening 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 question 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 center.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
11. [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.
12. [A] Go camping. [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 to reach Mr. Wright.
14. [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.
415. [A] Rules restricting smoking. [B] Ways to quit smoking.
[C] Smokers’ health problems. [D] Hazards of passive smoking.
16. [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.
17. [A] He is not easy-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 passage you have just heard.
19. [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 film.
20. [A] The effects were very good. [B] The acting was just so-so.
[C] The plot was too complicated. [D] The characters were lifelike.
21. [A] They triumphed ultimately over evil 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 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
22. [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.
23. [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.
24. [A] Participate in group discussions. [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.
Section B
Direction: 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
5mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Passage One
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. [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.
27. [A] Their similar social status. [B] Their interdependence.
[C] Their common interest. [D] Their identical character.
28. [A] Invite Pat to a live concert. [B] Buy some gifts for Pat’s kids.
[C] Help take care of Pat’s kids. [D] Pay for Pat’s season tickets.
29. [A] It can develop between people with a big different 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 30o 32are based on the passage you have just heard.
30. [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.
31. [A] Efficient. [B] Complicated.
[C] Lengthy. [D] Democratic.
32. [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 33to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. [A] The best way to work through a finger maze.
[B] Individual doing better in front of an audience.
[C] Researchers having contributed greatly to psychology.
[D] Improvements on the classification of human behavior.
34. [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.
6[D] When you compete with other people in a group.
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 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 numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just
heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For
these blank, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points
in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the 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 eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide (36)
of food available. They have a broader (37) of nutrition (营养), so they buy more fresh
fruit and (38) than ever before. At the same time, Americans (39)
increasing quantities of sweets and sodas.
Statistics show that the way people live (40) the way they eat. American lifestyles have
changed. There are now growing numbers of people who live alone, (41) parents and children,
and double-income families. 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 people consume. (45)
. This information not only
tells us what people eating, but also tells us about the changes in attitudes and tastes. (46)
. Instead, chicken, turkey and fish have become more popular. Sales of these
foods have greatly increased in recent years.
PartⅣ Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25
minutes)
Section A
Direction: In this section, there is a passage with 10 blanks. You are required to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word blank following the passage. Read the passage
through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the blank is identified by a letter.
Please make the corresponding letter for each item on Answer sheet 2 with a single line through
the center. Y ou may not use any of the words in the bank more than once .
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Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.
7When Carly Fiorina became Hewlett-Packard’s first female chief executive officer, the existence of
her househusband, Frank Fiorina, who had retired early from AT&T to support her career, was a mini-
sensation (小轰动); now this arrangement isn’t 4 7 at all. Seven of the 18 women who are 4 8
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CEOs, of Fortune 500 companies — including Xerox’s Ursula Burns and PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi —
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have, or at some point have had, a stay-at-home husband. So do scores of 49 CEOs of smaller
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companies and women in other senior executive jobs.
This role change is 5 0 more and more as women edge past men at work. Women now
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51 a majority of jobs in the U.S., including 51.4 percent of managerial and professional 52 ,
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according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Sme 23 percent of wives now earn more than their husband. And
this earnings trend is more dramatic among younger people. Women 30 and under make more money,
on 5 3 , than their male counterparts (年龄相当的人) in many large cities in the U.S.
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During the recent 54 , three men lost their jobs for every woman. Many unemployed fathers
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have ended up caring for their children full-time while their wives are the 55 wage earners. The
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number of men in the U.S. who 56 care of children under age five increased to 32 percent in
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2010 from 19 percent in 1998, according to Census figures.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
A) appealing I) occupations
B) average J) occurring
C) conflict K) positions
D) currently L) primary
E) elementary M) recession
F) ensure N) regularly
G) female O) unusual
H) fill
Section B
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 57 to 61 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 I 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 until I was working in would shut down within six months and move to
8Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents and 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 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。
57. 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.
58. What does the author say about college students?
[A] They expect too much from the real world.
[B] They have little interest in blue-collar life.
[C] They think too highly of themselves.
[D] They are confident of their future.
59. What, according to the author, is most frustrating for blue-collar workers?
[A] They do not get decent pay. [B] They do not have job security.
[C] They have to work 12-hour shifts. [D] They have to move from place to place.
60. 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.
61. 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 life.
[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 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
Are people suffering form gadget (小器具) overload? Are they exhausted by the consumer
9equivalent 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, 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. Manufacturers in American valued “spend to market” more than in other countries, the
report found.
Sara Greenstein, 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 finding. 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 bit surprising is that to consumers, the inner parts of high-tech devices do
apparently matter. Some 55% of consumers, according to the report, said they are “more” concerned
about 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。
62. 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.
63. What does the author mean by “me-too products”?
[A] Products with on substantial difference. [B] Products tailored to individual users.
[C] Products everyone is eager to possess. [D] Products companies compete a make.
64. What do American businesses give priority to when marketing their products?
[A] The constant updating of their technology.
[B] The speed of putting them on the market.
[C] The quality of their new products.
[D] The pace of product innovation.
65. What is the consumers’ chief concern about high-tech products?
[A] User-friendliness. [B] Product quality.
[C] Place of assembly. [D] Radio emissions.
1066. 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 Ⅴ Cloze (15 minutes)
Directions: There are 20 blanks in 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
fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2 with a single
line through the center.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
67. [A] about [B] with
Try to imagine what it is like to live without
[C] as [D] for
electricity. It is boring, 67 one thing — no television, 68. [A] lonely [B] tedious
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on MP3 player, no video games. And you feel 68 and [C] ignored [D] tough
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disconnected as well — no computer, no Internet, no mobile 69. [A] so [B] but
phone. You can read books, of course — 69 at night [C] since [D] if
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you won’t have light, other than the flicker ( 闪 烁 ) of
firewood. And about that firewood — you or someone in
70. [A] transfer [B] select
your family had to 7 0 it during the day, taking you
UUU UUU [C] assemble [D] gather
71. [A] relative [B] massive
away from more 7 1 work or schooling,
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11and in more parts of the world, exposing you 72
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danger. That same firewood is used to [C] productive [D] extensive
72. [A] to [B] of
[C] amid [D] under
cook dinner, 7 3 smoke that can turn the
UUU UUU 73. [A] seeking out [B] giving up
[C] throwing off [D] carrying
air inside your home far more 74 than that breathed in
UUU UUU away
an industrial city. You may lack access to modern drugs 74. [A] harmful [B] aggressive
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75 the nearest [C] visible [D] allergic
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75. [A] although [B] whereas
hospital does not have continuous 76 to keep the
[C] while [D] because
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76. [A]strength [B] power
medicine refrigerated. You
[C] source [D] force
are 7 7 poor
UUU UUU 77. [A] desperately [B] oddly
[C] marvelously [D] vastly
— and the lack of electricity helps to 78 that you’ll
78. [A] engage [B] insist
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stay that way. [C] ensure [D] induce
That is life for the 1.3 billion people around that 79
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who lack access to the 79. [A] continent [B] location
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[C] territory [D] planet
grid (电网). It is a 80 problem of the developing world 80. [A] solemn [B] severe
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[C] compound [D] comparable
and the countryside — more than 95% of 8 1
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Without electricity are either in sub-Saharan Africa or
[C] those [D] ones
developing Asia, and 84% live in rural areas. 82 it
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hasn’t gotten the
82. [A] Unless [B] Though
[C] Until [D] Before
attention that 83 problems like HIV/AIDS and water 83. [A] global [B] fashionable
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shortage have [C] grand [D] famous
8 4 in recent years, lack of power remains 84. [A]commanded [B] withdrawn
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[C] offered [D] received
a major 8 5 to any progress in the world’s development. 85. [A] solution [B] target
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[C] obstacle [D] retreat
“Lacking access to electricity 86 health, well-
UUU UUU 86. [A] interrupts [B] affects
being and income,” says Fatih Birol, the chief economist of
[C] halts [D] suspends
the International Energy Agency. “It’s a problem the world
has to pay attention to.”
12yagekeji.taobao.com 全国英语四级历年真题
Part Ⅵ Translation (5 minutes)
Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in
brackets. Please write your translation 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. David turned away and walked quickly down the street,
(完全无视她的存在).
88. It is man’s intellect (才使他区别于其他高等动物).
89. I read the book last week, but now it is (哪儿也找不到了).
90. Hardly had John finished his introductory remark (他就被听众打
断了).
91. If the reaction were to take place, (巨大的能量就会被
释放出来).
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2012年12月大学英语四级(CET-4)参考答案
作文范文
Education Pay
What is shown in the chart above is that those people with high degree earn more than those with
lower. For example, staff with master’s degree receive a better payment than those with bachelor’s
degree, according to a survey of the payment to the employee. These survey indicates that education
degree does have a relationship with earnings, contrary to the recent theory of useless education.
Recently, there is a heated discussion about the significance of the education. Some people hold a
view that higher education is useless since college education cannot mesh with the social needs.
Some think that higher education is indispensable if you want to go far in both your studies and life.
Now that survey has proved which part is wiser.
As for me, I definitely support the view that education is necessary for people’s life. Reading
can not only make me survive well in this society with fierce competition but also help me make
sense of life. I pursue for it for my whole life.
1-5 DCAAD 6-7 BC 8.hazards 9. tightened 10. comparatively easier to get
11-15 BADAA 16-20 DBBCA 21-25 DCDCA 26-30 BCDAC 31-35
DDBCB
36. selection 37. knowledge 38. vegetables 39. purchase 40. determines
41. single 42. responsible 43. rush
44. Partly as a result of this limited time, over half of all American homes now have
microwave ovens
45. The United States Department of Agriculture and the food industry collect sales
statistics and keep accurate records
46. Red meat, which used to be the most popular choice for dinner ,is no longer an
American favorite.
47. O 48. D 49. G 50. J 51. H 52. K 53. B 54. M 55. L 56. N
57-61 BCBDA 62-66 CABBC
67-71 DABDC 72-76 ACADB 77-81 ACDBC 82-86 BADCB
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87. completely ignoring her presence
88. that separate him from other higher animals
89. nowhere to find
90. when he was interrupted by the audience
91. a tremendous amount of energy would be released
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听力原文
Part III Listening Comprehension
Section A Conversations
Short Conversations
11.- W:Have you finished that painting for the new student center?
M: Just this morning, I’ve been working extra hours all week, you know the building opens tomorrow.
Q: What does the man mean?
12. M: Do you sell camping gear?
W: Yes, we have tents, sleeping bags, just about everything you might need, including stoves.
Q: What is the man probably going to do?
13. M: Hi Jenny have you talked to Mr Wright about the new sports program?
W: well, I contacted his office half an hour ago, and his secretary said he was out for lunch until 2:00.
Q: What does the woman mean?
14.M：Bill says he’s not working so hard on his biology project.
W: But he spends a lot of time in the lab, doesn’t he?
Q: What does the woman imply about Bill?
15.M: I have to say i find the new smoking regulations too strict.
W: Well, they are for everyone’s health. I have no complaints.
Q: What are the speakers talking about?
16.W: Jack asked me to drop off this report. He’s tight up in meetings all morning.
M: I was hoping he brings it in himself, I need to talk with him about it.
Q: Why can’t Jack come in person?
17.M: Should we invite Mr.Smith to join us for dinner this weekend,he has just come back from England.
W: You can have a try, but as far as i know,he seldom accepts invitations from his employees
Q: What can we infer about Mr.Smith?
18.W: This place doesn’t look familiar at all, we must be lost.
M：Yes，it seems so. Let’s pull in here, while i’m filling in the tank,you go ask the way and get me
something to drink please.
Q: What does the man going to do first?
Long Conversation 1
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M: Well ,did you enjoy it?
W: Yes, I enjoy it much more that I thought I would.
M: Really?
W: Yes, I don’t usually go to science fiction films.I don’t think they are much better than comics on film, if
you know what I mean.
M : Yes, sure.And a few years ago,they were certainly like that. But they’ve got a lot better now.
W: Yes, and historical films, that’s what I really like. I never miss a good film set in middle ages. Oh, and
love stories, I never miss one on TV.
M: Fondly enough, I don’t like those kinds of films at all. But to come back to this one, I personally didn’t
think it was very good . It certainly wasn’t as good as other science fiction films I’ve ever seen.
W: Wasn’t it?
M: No, not at all. Oh, the effects were very good.
W: Yes, I thought they were marvelous. Especially the battle in space, incredable.
M: Yes, but I was going to say I thought the acting was terrible.
W: Yes. I suppose Jason was too good to be true. And what was the name of the Baddy?
M: Cargon?
W: Yeah. Cargon was really evil, wasn’t he? But I suppose that’s what these films are all about—good
triumphing over evil. And the characters have to be black and white.
M: Well ,yes, but not always. Worth the well wasn’t like for example. Anyway, you enjoy the film. That’s
the most important.
W: Yes, I did. Thanks for taking me.
Q:
19. What does the man say about the science fiction films?
20. What opinion did the speakers share about the film they just seen?
21. What to be learned about Jason and Cargon?
Long Conversation 2
M: Can I ask you about your evening class? What class do you go to?
W: Car maintance.
M: What night of the week it on?
W: Wednesday night.
M: And how long does it last?
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M: Well, it supposed to start at 6, but that’s a bit of problem because people have difficulty getting through
the traffic. So we start at 6: 30 and then it goes on until the 9 o’clock.
M: And what was your reason for wanting to do the class?
W: Well, I just bought my first car and I don’t know anything about cars. So I thought it was a good
opportunity to learn. I guess most of the peole in the class are in the same situation.
M: Um, and what do you actually do? Do you bring the car along to the class?
W: Yes, we do. And in the first part of the lesson, the first half hour, the man who runs the class will go
though some particular part of the car, and we’ll learn about it. And then we spend the rest of the time, actually
working on my own cars, the same problem.
M: And how many people are there in the class?
W: Mm, I think 16, but 3 quarters of them are women. It’s quite interesing because the man is obiously used
to teaching man. And he always starts his sentence by saying, ” Wow, your chops were slow.” And then he stops
and says “Oh, any woman, you ladies, but...ur..”
M: Mm..sounds funny.
Q:
22. What does the woman say about her evening class?
23. Why did the wman want to attend to the class?
24.What do the people who attend the class do in the first part of the lesson?
25. What do we learn about participants in the class?
Section B Passages
Passage 1
We don’t choose friends on the basis of how much money they have, of course, but lots of differences can be
disturbing to both sides. Aaron, for example,was single, and earns a very good salary. Her friend, Pat, the
divorced mother of three, is struggling to make ends meet. “We are both frequent theater-goers,” Aaron explains,
“ and I’ll gladly pay for two tickets, just to have pass company it plays in concerts , but she won’t go anywhere
unless she can pay herown way. I hate to go alone, so we both stay home. It all seems so silly.” Pat sees the
situation differently. After her unhappy marrige to a man who was trying to control her without considering her
wishes and feelings ,she says, “ it’s very important to me to carry my own weight. I’m not comfortable in any
relationship where all I do is take. ”
The difficult situation finally changed when Aaron moved recently. Pat’s children were with their father, so
she took a picnik lunch to her friends new plays, then spend the day helping her unpack and get settled. “ I was so
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grateful, ” Aarons says, “ but I persuaded Pat to let me return the favour in my own way with season tickets to our
little theater group. I think she’s beginning to recognize that she contributes as much to our friendship, but I do”
26. What do we learn about Pat?
27. What draws Aaron and Pat together?
28. What does Aaron do to return Pat’s favor?
29. What do we learn friendship from the passage?
Passage 2
Sun School in the town of Ashbert in England is a day school for children age 10 to 18.It is based on the
value of social equality between students and stuff, and has few rules.Sun School believes that the healthy growth
of the child is more important than academic success. It offers a variety of lessons and activities for students to
choose from. In free time for children to follow their own interests.Classes are small,and based on the individual
needs of each child. The timetable is fixed.But democratically decided and students are expected to attend.The
weekly school meeting is at the center of the way sun school is orgnized.It mix all the decisions that affect
theschool,including rules, the timetable and accepting or rejecting new students and teachers.Participating in
thease meetings gives children an understand of democratic decision making and helps them develops their skills
of argument and persuasion.The most import advantage of the school meeting is that it shows the children that the
school is really their’s.They have the right to decide on changes. And the school’s success or failure depends on
their decisions and their behavior.Sun School employs no cooking or cleaning stuff,these jobs are done by
students and teachers.Decorating and simple repairs are also done by students, it is believed that school truly
belongs to who use it, they must take responsibility for its maintenance.
30. what value is Sun School based on?
31. what is characteristic of the school decision making processur program?
32. why does sun school ask the students to do the maintainance?
Passage 3
Well, to continue, as i mentioned earlier, there is also research that demonstrates that individuals perform
worse, not better on tasks when other people are there. R.W.Harburt did an interesting experiment. He had his
sujects learn a finger maze. This is a game in which you indicate with your finger the way through a complex
system of passages or paths.The subjects who had an audience did worse than the subjects who did alone.
Now how can we explain these very different results? It seemed very confusing for a long time. Social
psychologist, John Roberts, finally cleared up the confusion about why people sometimes perform better and
sometimes worse in front of an audience. Roberts found that the presence of an audience facilitates what you
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already know how to do. That is, if you know what you are doing, having an audience helps you do it better.But if
you don’t already know how to do something, you will probably make some mistakes and you will make mistakes
for a longer time if you have an audience. That’s exactly what happened to the subjects who were learning the
finger maze.
So, if you were doing well, having an audience increases the chances that you will continue to do well. If you
were doing badly, having an audience increases the chances that you will continue to do badly. Roberts cleverly
pointed out that when you are first learning something, you are better off working alone than practicing with other
people.
33. What did the speaker probably discuss before coming to this part of the talk?
34. When does the presence of an audience facilitate your performance according to Roberts?
35. What does Roberts think as a better way to learn new things?
Section C Compound Dictation
Americans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide selection of food
available. They have a broader knowledge of nutrition, so they buy more fresh fruit and vegetables than ever
before. At the same time, Americans purchase increasing quantities of sweets and sodas.
Statistics show that the way people live determines the way they eat. American life-styles have changed.
There are now growing numbers of people who live alone, single parents and children, and double-income
families. These changing life styles are responsible for the incresing number of people who must rush meals or
sometimes simply go without them. Many Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food.
Partly 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 on average. It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of
food that people consume. The United States Department of Agriculture and the food industry collect sales
statistics and keep accurate 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 used to be the most popular choice for dinner, is no
longer an American favorite. Instead, chicken, turkey, and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods
have greatly increased in recent years.
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