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2014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
2014 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
Part I Writing (30 minutes)
Directions： For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay explaining why it is unwise to jump to
conclusions upon seeing or hearing something. You can give examples to illustrate your point. You should write at least
150 words but no more than 200 words.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
PartⅡ Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)
Section A
Directions： In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each
conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be
spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked
Answer Sheet
A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best, answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on
1
with a single line through the centre.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1. A) College tuition has become a heavy burden for the students.
B) College students are in general politically active nowadays.
C) He is doubtful about the effect of the students5 action.
D) He took part in many protests when he was at college.
2. A) Jay is organizing a party for the retiring dean.
B) Jay is surprised to learn of the party for him.
C) The dean will come to Jay’s birthday party.
D) The class has kept the party a secret from Jay.
3. A) He found his wallet in his briefcase. C) He left his things with his car in the garage
B) He went to the lost-and-found office. D) He told the woman to go and pick up his car
4. A) The show he directed turned out to be a success.
B) He watches only those comedies by famous directors.
C) New comedies are exciting, just like those in the 1960s.
D) TV comedies have not improved much since the 1960s.
5. A) All vegetables should be cooked fresh.
B) The man should try out some new recipes.
C) Overcooked vegetables are often tasteless.
D) The man should stop boiling the vegetables.
6. A) Sort out their tax returns. C) Figure out a way to avoid taxes
B) Help them tidy up the house. D) Help them to decode a message.
7. A) He didn’t expect to complete his work so soon.
B) He has devoted a whole month to his research.
C) The woman is still trying to finish her work.
12014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
D) The woman remains a total mystery to him.
8. A) He would like to major in psychology too.
B) He has failed to register for the course.
C) Developmental psychology is newly offered.
D) There should be more time for registration.
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you
have just heard.
9. A) The brilliant product design. C) The unique craftsmanship
B) The new color combinations. D) The texture of the fabrics.
10. A) Unique tourist attractions. C) Local handicrafts.
B) Traditional Thai silks. D) Fancy products.
11. A) It will be on the following weekend. C) It will last only one day.
B) It will be out into the countryside. D) It will start tomorrow.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
12. A) A good secondary education. C) A happy childhood.
B) A pleasant neighborhood. D) A year of practical training.
13. A) He ought to get good vocational training. C) He is academically gifted.
B) He should be sent to a private school. D) He is good at carpentry.
14. A) Donwell School. C) Carlton on Abbey.
B) Enderby High. D) Enderby Comprehensive.
15. A) Put Keith in a good boarding school.
B) Talk with their children about their decision.
C) Send their children to a better private school.
D) Find out more about the five schools.
Section B
Directions： In this section, you will hear3 shortpassages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions.
Both the passage and the questions will be spokenonly once. After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer
Answer Sheet 1
from the four choices marked A), B)，C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on with a
single line through the centre.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Passage One
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
16. A) It will be brightly lit. C) It will have a large space for storage.
B) It will be well ventilated. - D) It will provide easy access to the disabled.
17. A) On the first floor. C) Opposite to the library.
B) On the ground floor. D) On the same floor as the labs.
18. A) To make the building appear traditional.
B) To match the style of construction on the site.
C) To cut the construction cost to the minimum.
D) To embody the subcommittee’s design concepts.
Passage Two
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard
22014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
19. A) Sell financial software. C) Train clients to use financial software.
B) Write financial software. D) Conduct research on financial software.
20. A) Unsuccessful. C) Tedious.
B) Rewarding. D) Important.
21. A) He offered online tutorials. C) He gave the trainees lecture notes.
B) He held group discussions. D) He provided individual support.
22. A) The employees were a bit slow to follow his instruction.
B) The trainees5 problems had to be dealt with one by one.
C) Nobody is able to solve all the problems in a couple of weeks.
D) The fault might lie in his style of presenting the information.
Passage Three
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
23. A) Their parents tend to overprotect them. C) They have little close contact with adults.
B) Their teachers meet them only in class. D) They rarely read any books about adults.
24. A) Real-life cases are simulated for students to learn law.
B) Writers and lawyers are brought in to talk to students.
C) Opportunities are created for children to become writers.
D) More Teacher and Writer Collaboratives are being set up.
25. A) Sixth-graders can teach first-graders as well as teachers.
B) Children are often the best teachers of other children.
C) Paired Learning cultivates the spirit of cooperation.
D) Children like to form partnerships with each other.
Section C
Directions ： In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should
listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks
with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what
you have written.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Tests may be the most unpopular part of academic life. Students hate them because they produce fear and 26 about
being evaluated, and a focus on grades instead of learning for learning’s sake.
But tests are also valuable. A well-constructed test 27 what you know and what you still need to learn. Tests help you
see how your performance 28 that of others. And knowing that you’ll be tested on 29 material is certainly likely to
30 you to learn the material more thoroughly.
However, there’s another reason you might dislike tests: You may assume that tests have the power to 31 your worth
as a person. If you do badly on a test, you may be tempted to believe that you’ve received some 32 information about
yourself from the professor, information that says you’re a failure in some significant way.
This is a dangerous—and wrong-headed —assumption. If you do badly on a test, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or
stupid. Or that you’ll never do better again, and that your life is 33 If you don’t do well on a test, you’re the same person
you were before you took the test—no better, no worse. You just did badly on a test. That’s it.
34 , tests are not a measure of your value as an individual—they are a measure only of how well and how much you
studied. Tests are tools; they are indirect and 35 measures of what we know.
32014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Directions： In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from
a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your
choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than
once.
Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.
For investors who desire low risk and guaranteed income, US government bonds are a secure investment because these
bonds have the financial backing and full faith and credit of the federal government. Municipal bonds, also secure, are offered
by local governments and often have 36 such as tax-free interest. Some may even be 37 Corporate bonds are a bit more
risky.
Two questions often 38 first-time corporate bond investors. The first is “If I purchase a corporate bond, do I have to
hold it until the maturity date?,” The answer is no. Bonds are bought and sold daily on 39 securities exchanges. However, if
you decide to sell your bond before its maturity date, you’re not guaranteed to get the face value of the bond. For example, if
your bond does not have 40 that make it attractive to other investors, you may be forced to sell your bond at a 41 ,i.e.,
a price less than the bond’s face value. But if your bond is highly valued by other investors, you may be able to sell it at a
premium, i.e., a price above its face value. Bond prices generally 42 inversely(相反地) with current market interest rates.
As interest rates go up, bond prices fall, and versa（反之亦然）. Thus, like all investments, bonds have a degree of risk.
The second question is “ How can I 43 the investment risk of a particular bond issue? ”Standard & Poor’s and
Moody’s Investors Service rate the level of risk of many corporate and government bonds. And 44 , the higher the
market risk of a bond, the higher the interest rate. Investors will invest in a bond considered risky only if the 45 return is
high enough.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
A) advantages F) discount K) insured
B) assess G) embarrass L) major
C) bother H) features M) naturally
D) conserved I) fluctuate N) potential
E) deduction J) indefinite O) simultaneously
Section B
Directions： In this section^ you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains
information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may
choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the
Answer Sheet 2.
corresponding letter on
Lessons From a Feminist Paradise
A) On the surface, Sweden appears to be a feminist paradise. Look at any global survey of gender equality and Sweden will
be near the top. Family-friendly policies are its norm—with 16 months of paid parental leave, special protections for part-
time workers, and state-subsidized preschools where, according to a government website, “gender-awareness education is
increasingly common.” Due to an unofficial quota system, women hold 45 percent of positions in the Swedish parliament.
42014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
They have enjoyed the protection of government agencies with titles like the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality
and the Secretariat of Gender Research. So why are American women so far ahead of their Swedish counterparts in
breaking through the glass ceiling?
B) In a 2012 report, the World Economic Forum found that when it comes to closing the gender gap in “economic
participation and opportunity,” the United States is ahead of not only Sweden but also Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands,
Iceland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Sweden’s rank in the report can largely be explained by its political quota
system. Though the United States has fewer women in the workforce (68 percent compared to Sweden’s 77 percent),
American women who choose to be employed are far more likely to work full-time and to hold high-level jobs as
managers or professionals. They also own more businesses, launch more start-ups(新创办的企业）, and more often
work in traditionally male fields. As for breaking through the glass ceiling in business, American women are well in the
lead.
C) What explains the American advantage? How can it be that societies like Sweden, where gender equality is vigorously
pursued and enforced, have fewer female managers, executives, professionals, and business owners than the laissez-faire
(自由放任的）United States? A new study by Cornell economists Francine Blau and Lawrence Kahn gives an
explanation.
D) Generous parental leave policies and readily available part-time options have unintended consequences: instead of
strengthening women’s attachment to the workplace, they appear to weaken it. In addition to a 16-month leave, a Swedish
parent has the right to work six hours a day (for a reduced salary) until his or her child is eight years old. Mothers are far
more likely than fathers to take advantage of this law. But extended leaves and part-time employment are known to be
harmful to careers——for both genders. And with women a second factor comes into play: most seem to enjoy the
flexible-time arrangement (once known as the “mommy track”) and never find their way back to full-time or high-level
employment. In sum; generous family-friendly policies do keep more women in the labor market, but they also tend to
diminish their careers.
E) According to Blau and Kahn, Swedish-style paternal (父亲的）leave policies and flexible-time arrangements pose a
second threat to women’s progress: they make employers cautious about hiring women for full-time positions at all.
Offering a job to a man is the safer bet. He is far less likely to take a year of parental leave and then return on a reduced
work schedule for the next eight years.
F) I became aware of the trials of career-focused European women a few years ago when I met a postdoctoral student from
Germany who was then a visiting fellow at Johns Hopkins. She was astonished by the professional possibilities afforded
to young American women. Her best hope in Germany was a government job—prospects for women in the private sector
were dim. “In Germany，” she told me, “we have all the benefits, but employers don’t want to hire us.
G) Swedish economists Magnus Henrekson and Mikael Stenkula addressed the following question in their 2009 study: why
are there so few female top executives in the European egalitarian(平等主义的）welfare states? Their answer :
“Broad-based welfare-state policies hinder women’s representation in elite competitive positions.”
H) It is tempting to declare the Swedish policies regressive (退步的）and hail the American system as superior. But that
would be shortsighted. The Swedes can certainly take a lesson from the United States and look for ways to clear a path for
their ambitious female careerists. But most women are not committed careerists. When the Pew Research Center recently
asked American parents to identify their “ideal” life arrangement, 47 percent of mothers said they would prefer to work
part-time and 20 percent said they would prefer not to work at all. Fathers answered differently： 75 percent preferred
full-time work. Some version of the Swedish system might work well for a majority of American parents, but the United
States is unlikely to fully embrace the Swedish model. Still, we can learn from their experience.
I) Despite its failure to shatter the glass ceiling, Sweden has one of the most powerful and innovative economies in the
world. In its 2011-2012 survey, the World Economic Forum ranked Sweden as the world’s third most competitive
52014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
economy; the United States came in fifth. Sweden, dubbed the “rockstar of the recovery ” in the Washington Post. also
leads the world in life satisfaction and happiness. It is a society well worth studying, and its efforts to conquer the gender
gap impart a vital lesson—though not the lesson the Swedes had in mind.
J) Sweden has gone farther than any other nation on earth to integrate the sexes and to offer women the same opportunities
and freedoms as men. For decades, these descendants of the Vikings have been trying to show the world that the right mix
of enlightened policy, consciousness raising, and non-sexist child rearing would close the gender divide once and for all.
Yet the divide persists.
K) A 2012 press release from Statistics Sweden bears the title “Gender Equality in Sweden Treading (踩) Water” and notes:
• The total income from employment for all ages is lower for women than for men.
• One in three employed women and one in ten employed men work part-time.
• Women’s working time is influenced by the number and age of their children, but men’s working time is not affected by
these factors.
• Of all employees, only 13 percent of the women and 12 percent of the men have occupations with an even distribution
of the sexes.
L) Confronted with such facts, some Swedish activists and legislators are demanding more extreme and far- reaching
measures, such as replacing male and female pronouns with a neutral alternative and monitoring children more closely to
correct them when they gravitate (被吸引) toward gendered play. When it came to light last year that mothers, far more
than fathers, chose to stay home from work to care for their sick kids, Ulf Kristersson, minister of social security, quickly
commissioned a study to determine the causes of and possible cures for this disturbing state of affairs.
M) Swedish family policies, by accommodating women’s preferences effectively, are reducing the number of women in elite
competitive positions. The Swedes will find this paradoxical and try to find solutions. Let us hope these do not include
banning gender pronouns, policing children’s play, implementing more gender quotas, or treating women5s special
attachment to home and family as a social injustice. Most mothers do not aspire to (向往）elite, competitive full-time
positions: the Swedish policies have given them the freedom and opportunity to live the lives they prefer. Americans
should look past the gender rhetoric and consider what these Scandinavians have achieved. On their way to creating a
feminist paradise, the Swedes have unintentionally created a haven (避风港）for normal mortals.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
46. Sweden has done more than other nations to close the gender gap, but it continues to exist.
47. Sweden is one of the most competitive economies in the world and its people enjoy the greatest life satisfaction.
48. More American women hold elite job positions in business than Swedish women.
49. Swedish family-friendly policies tend to exert a negative influence on women’s careers.
50. The quota system in Sweden ensures women’s better representation in government.
51. Though the Swedish model appears workable for most American parents, it may not be accepted by them in its entirety.
52. Swedish women are allowed the freedom and opportunity to choose their own way of life.
53. Swedish employers are hesitant about hiring women for full-time positions because of the family-friendly policies.
54. Gender-awareness education is becoming more and more popular in state-subsidized preschools in Sweden.
55. Some lawmakers in Sweden propose that genderless pronouns be used in the Swedish language.
Section C
Directions ： There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished
statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and
Answer Sheet 2
mark the corresponding letter on with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.
62014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
Texting has long been bemoaned (哀叹）as the downfall of the written word, “penmanship for illiterates,” as one critic
called it. To which the proper response is LOL. Texting properly isn’t writing at all. It’s a “spoken” language that is getting
richer and more complex by the year.
First, some historical perspective. Writing was only invented 5 500 years ago, whereas language probably traces back at
least 80 000 years. Thus talking came first; writing is just a craft that came along later. As such, the first writing was based on
the way people talk, with short sentences. However, while talking is largely subconscious and rapid, writing is deliberate and
slow. Over time, writers took advantage of this and started crafting long-winded sentences such as this one: “The whole
engagement lasted above 12 hours, till the gradual retreat of the Persians was changed into a disorderly flight, of which the
shameful example was given by the principal leaders and...”
No one talks like that casually—or should. But it is natural to desire to do so for special occasions. In the old days, we
didn’t much write like talking because there was no mechanism to reproduce the speed of conversation. But texting and instant
messaging do—and a revolution has begun. It involves the crude mechanics of writing, but in its economy, spontaneity and
even vulgarity, texting is actually a new kind of talking, with its own kind of grammar and conventions.
Take LOL. It doesn’t actually mean “laughing out loud” in a literal sense anymore. LOL has evolved into something
much subtler and sophisticated and is used even when nothing is remotely amusing. Jocelyn texts “Where have you been?” and
Annabelle texts back “LOL at the library studying for two hours. ” LOL signals basic empathy(同感）between texters, easing
tension and creating a sense of equality. Instead of having a literal meaning, it does something —conveying an attitude—just
like the ending conveys past tense rather than “meaning” anything. LOL, of all things, is grammar.
Of course no one thinks about that consciously. But then most of communication operates without being noticed. Over
time, the meaning of a word or an expression drifts —meat used to mean any kind of food, silly used to mean, believe it or not,
blessed.
Civilization, then, is fine—people banging away on their smartphones are fluently using a code separate from the one
they use in actual writing, and there is no evidence that texting is ruining composition skills. Worldwide people speak
differently from the way they write, and texting—quick, casual and only intended to be read once—is actually a way of talking
with your fingers.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
56. What do critics say about texting?
A) It is mainly confined to youngsters. C) It will ruin the written language.
B) It competes with traditional writing. D) It is often hard to understand.
57. In what way does the author say writing is different from talking?
A) It is crafted with specific skills. C) It does not have as long a history.
B) It expresses ideas more accurately. D) It is not as easy to comprehend.
58. Why is LOL much used in texting?
A) It brings texters' closer to each other. C) It is a trendy way to communicate.
B) It shows the texter’s sophistication. D) It adds to the humor of the text.
59. Examples like meat and silly are cited to show_______________.
A) the difference between writing and talking
B) how differently words are used in texting
C) why people use the words the way they do
D) the gradual change of word meaning
60. What does the author think of texting?
A) It facilitates exchange of ideas among people.
B) It is a new form of verbal communication.
72014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
C) It deteriorates people’s composition skills.
D) It hastens the decline of the written word.
Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.
It’s possible to admire Oprah Winfrey and still wish Harvard hadn’t awarded her an honorary doctor of law degree and
the commencement(毕业典礼)speaker spot at yesterday’s graduation. There’s no question Oprah’s achievements place her in
the temple of American success stories. Talent, charm, and an exceptional work ethic have rarely hurled anyone as far as they
have this former abused teenage mother from rural Mississippi who became one of the worlds most successful entertainment
icons and the first African-American female billionaire.
Honorary degrees are often conferred on non-academic leaders in the arts, business, and politics. Harvard’s list in recent
years has included Kofi Annan, Bill Gates, Meryl Streep, and David Souter. But Oprah’s particular brand of celebrity is not a
good fit for the values of a university whose motto (座右铭）, Veritas, means truth. Oprah’s passionate advocacy extends,
unfortunately, to a hearty embrace of fake science. Most notoriously, Oprah’s validation of Jenny McCarthy’s claim that
vaccines cause autism (自闭症) has no doubt contributed to much harm through the foolish avoidance of vaccines.
Famous people are entitled to a few failings, like the rest of us, and the choice of commencement speakers often reflects
a balance of institutional priorities and aspirations. Judging from our conversations with many students, Oprah was a widely
popular choice.
But this vote of confidence in Oprah sends a troubling message at precisely the time when American universities need to
do more to advance the cause of reason. As former Dean of Harvard College, Harry Lewis，noted in a blog post about his
objections, “It seems very odd for Harvard to honor such a high profile popularizer of the irrational... at a time when political
and religious nonsense so jeopardize the rule of reason in this allegedly enlightened democracy and around the world.
As America’s oldest and most visible university, Harvard has a special opportunity to convey its respect for science not
only through its research and teaching programs but also in its public affirmation of evidence-based inquiry.
Unfortunately, many American universities seem awfully busy protecting their brand name and not nearly busy enough
protecting the pursuit of knowledge. A recent article in The Harvard Crimson noted the shocking growth of Harvard’s public
relations arm in the last five years and it questioned whether a focus on risk management and avoiding controversy was really
the best outward-looking face of this great institution.
As American research universities begin to resemble profit centers and entertainment complexes, it’s easy to lose sight of
their primary mission： to produce and spread knowledge. This mission depends on traditions of rational discourse and
vigorous defense of the scientific method. Oprah Winfrey’s honorary doctorate was a step in the wrong direction.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
61. What do we learn about Oprah Winfrey from the passage?
A) She was a distinguished graduate of Harvard School of Law.
B) She worked her way to success in the entertainment industry.
C) She used to abuse her children when she was a young mother.
D) She achieved her fame through persistent advocacy of fake science.
62. Why does the author deem it inappropriate for Harvard to confer an honorary degree on Oprah Winfrey?
A) She did not specialize in the study of law.
B) She was known as s supporter of fake science.
C) She was an icon of the entertainment industry.
D) She had not distinguished herself academically.
63. How did Harry Lewis react to Harvard’s decision in his blog post?
A) He was strongly against it.
82014年6月大学英语六级考试真题(一)
B) He considered it unpopular.
C) He thought it would help enhance Harvard’s reputation.
D) He thought it represented the will of the Harvard community.
64. What is the author’s regret about many American universities?
A) They show inadequate respect for evidence-based inquiry.
B) They fall short of expectations in teaching and research.
C) They attach too much importance to public relations.
D) They are tolerant of political and religious nonsense.
65. What does the author think a prestigious university like Harvard should focus on?
A) Cultivation of student creativity. C) Liberation of the human mind.
B) Defense of the scientific method. D) Pursuit of knowledge and truth.
Part F Translation (30 minutes)
Directions： For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should
Answer Sheet 2.
write your answer on
北京计划未来三年投资7 600亿元治理污染，从减少PM2.5排放入手。这一新公布的计划旨在减少四种主要污
染源，包括500多万辆机动车的尾气(exhaust)排放、周边地区燃煤、来自北方的沙尘暴和本地的建筑灰尘。另 850
亿元用于新建或升级城市垃圾处理和污水（sewage)处理设施，加上300亿元投资未来三年的丝树造林（forestation)。
市政府还计划建造一批水循环利用工厂，并制止违章建筑，以改善环境。另外，北京还将更严厉地处罚违反限排
规定的行为。
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
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