文档内容
2013 年 1 2 月四级考试真题（第二套）
PartI Writing
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture
below.Youshouldstartyouressaywith abriefaccountofthe increasinguseofthe mobilephone
inpeople’slife andexplainthe Consequence ofoverusingit.Youshouldwriteatleast120words
butnomorethan180words.
Peoplearecrossingthestreetlookingattheircellphonesandusingwalkingsticksinordertosee.
PartII ListeningComprehension
SectionA
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
conversationandthequestionswillbespokenonlyonce.Aftereachquestiontherewillbeapause.
During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is
the bestanswer.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through
thecentre.
1. A)gotoaplacehehasvisited
B)makeherownarrangements
C)consultatravelagent
D)joininapackagetour
2. A)Theyareonalongtripbycar B)theyarestuckinatrafficjam
C)Theyareusedtogettingupearly D)theyaretiredofeatingoutatnight
3. A)Heisapersondifficulttodealwith B)Hedislikesanyformalgathering
C)Heisunwillingtospeakinpublic D)Heoftenkeepsadistancefromothers
4. A)Recruitgraduatestudents. B)Pursuefurthereducation
C)Workinanotherdepartment D)Takeanadministrativejob
5. A)Hewouldnotbeavailabletostartthejobintime.
B)Hewouldliketoleavesomemoretimeforhimselfofferheldtoothers.
第 1 页 共 10 页C)Heisnotqualifiedfortheartdirectorposition
D)HewillgethisapplicationletterreadyforbeforeMay.1.
6. A)Porter B)Mechanic
C)Salesman D)Cleaner
7. A)GetLauratocleantheapartmentherselfthistime
B)HelpLaurawithhistermpaperduethisweekend
C)Requestoneoftheroommatestodothecleaning
D)AskLauratoputoffthecleaninguntilanotherweek
8. A)Aproblemcausedbytheconstruction B)Anaccidentthatoccurredonthebridge
C)Thepublictransportationconditions D)Thebuildingprospecttheyareworkingon
Questions9t011arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.
9. A)Tolookforajobasasalesperson. B)TohaveatalkwithMissThompson.
C)Toplaceanorderforsomeproducts. D)Tocomplainaboutafaultyappliance.
10. A)Thepersoninchargeisnotintheoffice.
B)Thesuppliesareoutofstockforthemoment..
C)Theyfailedtoreachanagreementontheprice.
D)Thecompanyinre-catalogingtheitems.
11. A)0743,12536extension15. B)0734,21653extension51.
C)0734,38750extension15. D)0743,62135extension51.
Questions12t015arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.
12. A)Sincehefoundagirlfriend.
B)Sincehebegantoexerciseregularly.
C)Sincehestartedtoliveonhisown.
D)Sincehetooktoheavysmoking.
13. A)Heisgettingtoofat. B)Hedoesn’teatvegetables.
C)Hesmokestoomuch. D)Hedoesn’tlookwellatall.
14. A)Theyareoverweightfortheirage. B)Theyarestillintheirearlytwenties.
C)Theyarerespectfultotheirparents. D)Theydislikedoingphysicalexercise.
15. A)Toquitsmoking. B)Toreducehisweight.
C)Tofindagirlfriend. D)Tofollowheradvice.
SectionB
Directions: In this section you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will
hearsome questions. Both the passageandthe questions will be spokenonly once.After youhear
aquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).Then
markthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.
PassageOne
Questions16t019arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.
16. A)Theyhavedestroyedseveralsmalltowns. B)TheywillsoonspreadtoSanFrancisco.
C)Theyhaveinjuredmanyresidents. D)Theyareburningoutofcontrol
17. A)Theyhavebeenhospitalized. B)Theyhavegotskinproblems.
第 2 页 共 10 页C)Theywerechockedbythethicksmoke.
D)Theywerepoisonedbytheburningchemicals.
18. A)Itfailedbecauseofasuddenrocketexplosion.
B)Ithasbeenre-scheduledforamiddaytakeoff.
C)Ithasbeencanceledduetotechnicalproblems.
D)Itwasdelayedforelevenhoursandthirtyminutes.
19. A)Theymadefrequentlong-distancecallstoeachother.
B)TheyillegallyusedgovernmentcomputerinNewJersey.
C)Theywerefoundtobesmarterthancomputerspecialists.
D)Theywerearrestedforstealinggovernmentinformation.
PassageTwo
Questions20t022arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.
20. A)Peaceful. B)Considerate.
C) Generous. D)Cooperative.
21. A)Someonedumpedtheclothesleftinthewateranddryer.
B)Someonebrokethewasheranddryerbyoverloadingthem.
C)MindyLance’slaundryblockedthewaytothelaundryroom.
D)MindyLancethreatenedtotakerevengeonherneighbors.
22. A)Askingtheneighborhoodcommitteeforhelp.
B)Limitingtheamountoflaundryforeachwash.
C)Informingthebuildingmanagerofthematter.
D)Installingafewmorewashersanddryers.
PassageThree
Questions23t025arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard,
23. A)Sheisbothapopularandahighlyrespectedauthor.
B)SheisthemostlovedAfricannovelistofalltimes.
C)Sheisthemostinfluentialauthorsincethe1930’s.
D)Sheisthefirstwritertofocusonthefateofslaves.
24. A)TheBookCriticsCircleAward.
B)TheNobelprizeforliterature.
C)ThePulitzerprizeforfiction.
D)TheNationalBookAward.
25. A)SheisarelativeofMorrison's. B)SheisaslavefromAfrica.
C)Sheisaskilledstoryteller. D)Sheisablackwoman.
SectionC
Directions:Inthissection,youwillhearapassagethreetimes. Whenthepassageisreadforthe
first time, you shouldlisten carefully for its generalidea.When the passageis readfor the second
time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally,
Whenthepassageisreadforthethirdtime,youshouldcheckwhatyouhavewritten.
Many college students today owe personal computers that cost anywhere from $1,000 to
第 3 页 共 10 页perhaps $5,000 or more.(26)_________,at is not uncommon for them to
purchase(27)_________costing another several hundred dollars. Twenty years ago, computers
were(28)_________, but they were very large and extremely expensive. Few, if
any,(29)_________purchasedcomputersforhomeuse.Overtheyears,thepriceofthe “gats”of
acomputer-its memory-has declinedtoless thanathousandth ofthepriceper unitofmemory that
prevailed twenty years ago. This is the main reason why computers cost so much less today than
they used to. Moreover, (30)_________improvements have made it possible to
(31)_________memory circuitry that is small enough to fit into the portable personal computers
thatmanyofusownanduse.(32)_________,asthepriceofcomputationhasdeclinedtheaverage
consumerandbusinesshavespentmoreonpurchasingcomputers.
(33)_________, improved agricultural technology, hybrid( 杂 交 )
seeds,(34)_________animal breeding, and so on have vastly increased the amount of output a
typical farmer can produce. The prices of goods such as meats and grains have fallen sharply
relative to the prices of most other goods and services. As agricultural prices have fallen, many
households have decreased their total expenses on food. Even though the(35)_________of a
productpurchasedgenerallyincreaseswhenitspricefalls,totalexpensesonitmaydecline.
PartIII ReadingComprehension
SectionA
Directions: In this section, thereis a passage with ten blanks. You arerequired to select one word
foreachblankfromalistofchoicesgiveninawordbankfollowingthepassage.Readthepassage
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
thecentre. Youmaynotuseanyofthewordsinthebankmorethanonce.
Questions36to45arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
What does it take to be a well-trained nurse? The answer used to be two-year associate’s or
four-year bachelor’s degree programs. But as the nursing shortage 36. ______, a growing number
of schools and hospitals are establishing “fast-track programs” that enable college graduates with
nonursing37.______tobecomeregisterednurseswithonlyayearorsoof38.______training.
In 1991, there were only 40 fast-track curricula; now there are more than 200. Typical is
Columbia University’s Entry to Practice program. Students earn their bachelor of science in
nursing in a year.Those who stay on for an 39. ______ two years can earn a master’s degree that
40.______ themasnursepractitioners（执业护士）orclinicalnursespecialists.
Manystudentsarerecent41.______;othersarecareerswitchers.RudyGuardron,32,a2004
graduate of Columbia’s program, was a premedical student in college and then worked for a
pharmaceutical（药物的） research company. At Columbia, he was 42. ______ as a nurse
practitioner, “I saw that nurses were in high 43. ______ and it looked like a really good
opportunity,”hesays.“Also,Ididn’twanttobeinschoolforthatlong.”
The fast-track trend fills a need, but it’s also creating some 44. ______ between newcomers
and veterans. “Nurses that are still at the bedside 45. ______ these kids with suspicion,” says
Linda Pellico, who has taught nursing at Yale University for 18 years, “They wonder, how can
theydoitquicker?”Theansweristheydon’t,
第 4 页 共 10 页A)additional I)promote
B)applied J)qualifies
C)demand K)specialized
D)excessive L)tension
E)experience M)trained
F)explores N)view
G)graduates O)worsens
H)operations
SectionB
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.
Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the Paragraph from
which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph
is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer
Sheet2.
Theriseofthesharingeconomy
A) LAST night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms
in 30,000cities in 192countries.Theychosetheir rooms andpaid for everything online. Buttheir
beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were
matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4m
peoplehaveusedit—2.5millionofthemin2012alone.Itisthemostprominentexampleofahuge
new“sharingeconomy”,inwhichpeoplerentbeds,cars,boatsandotherassetsdirectlyfromeach
other,co-ordinatedviatheinternet.
B) Youmightthinkthisisnodifferentfromrunningabed-and-breakfast（家庭旅店）,owninga
timeshare（分时度假房） orparticipating in a carpool.But technology has reducedtransaction
costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much
larger scale.The bigchange isthe availability ofmoredataaboutpeopleandthings, whichallows
physical assets to be disaggregated and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a
surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more
trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb, RelayRides and SnapGoods match up
ownersandrenters;smartphoneswith GPS letpeopleseewhere thenearestrentablecaris parked;
socialnetworks provide a way to check up onpeople and build trust; and onlinepayment systems
handlethebilling.
What’smineisyours,forafee
C) Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites let
individualsactasanadhoc（临时的） taxiservice,car-hirefirmorboutiquehotel（精品酒店）
as and when it suits them. Just go online ordownload an app.The model works for items that are
expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms
andcarsarethemostobviousexamples,butyoucanalsorentcampingspacesinSweden,fieldsin
第 5 页 共 10 页Australia and washing machines in France. As proponents of the sharing economy like to put it,
accesstrumps（胜过） ownership.
D) Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rental
market alone is worth $26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to-
peer lending (though cash is hardly a spare fixed asset) or putting a solar panel on your roof and
selling power back to the grid (电网). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for
companies torentoutspareoffices andidlemachines,too.But thecoreofthe sharingeconomy is
peoplerentingthingsfromeachother.
E) Such “collaborative（合作的） consumption” is a good thing for several reasons. Owners
make money from underused assets.Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes
do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to
othersusingRelayRidesmakeanaverageof$250amonth;somemakemorethan$1,000.Renters,
meanwhile, payless than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional
provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. (It is not surprising that many sharing firms got going
duringthefinancialcrisis.)Andthereareenvironmentalbenefits,too:rentingacarwhenyouneed
it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to
makingthem.
F) For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm.
Curmudgeons（倔脾气的人） who imagine that every renter is Norman Bates can still stay at
conventionalhotels.Forothers,thewebfosterstrust.Aswellasthebackgroundcheckscarriedout
by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each
transaction, which makes it easy to spot lousy drivers, bathrobe-pilferers and surfboard-wreckers.
By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify
friends (or friends of friends) in common.AnAirbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But
theremarkablethingishowwellthesystemusuallyworks.Peeringintothefuture
Peeringintothefuture
G) The sharing economy is a little like online shopping, which started inAmerica 15 years ago.
At first, people were worried about security. But having made a successful purchase from, say,
Amazon, they felt safe buying elsewhere. Similarly,usingAirbnb ora car-hire service for the first
time encourages people to try other offerings. Next, consider eBay. Having started out as a
peer-to-peer marketplace, it is now dominated by professional “power sellers” (many of whom
started out as ordinary eBay users). The same may happen with the sharing economy, which also
provides new opportunities for enterprise. Some people have bought cars solely to rent them out,
forexample.
H) Existing rental businesses are getting involved too. Avis, a car-hire firm, has a share in a
sharing rival. So do GM and Daimler, two carmakers. In future, companies may develop hybrid
（混合的） models, listing excess capacity (whether vehicles, equipment or office space) on
peer-to-peer rental sites. In the past, new ways of doing things online have not displaced the old
第 6 页 共 10 页ways entirely. But they have often changed them. Just as internet shopping forced Walmart and
Tescotoadapt,soonlinesharingwillshakeuptransport,tourism,equipment-hireandmore.
I) The main worry is regulatory uncertainty (see Technology Quarterly article). Will
room-renters be subject to hotel taxes, for example? In Amsterdam officials are using Airbnb
listings to track down unlicensed hotels. In someAmerican cities, peer-to-peer taxi services have
been banned after lobbying by traditional taxi firms. The danger is that although some rules need
to beupdatedto protectconsumers from harm, incumbents will try to destroycompetition. People
whorentoutrooms shouldpaytax, ofcourse,buttheyshouldnotberegulated like aRitz-Carlton
hotel.Thelighterrulesthattypicallygovernbed-and-breakfastsaremorethanadequate.
J) The sharing economy is the latest example of the internet„s value to consumers. This
emergingmodelisnowbiganddisruptive（颠覆性的） enough forregulatorsandcompaniesto
havewokenuptoit.Thatisasignofitsimmensepotential.Itistimetostartcaringaboutsharing.
46.Sharingitemssuchascarsdoesgoodtotheenvironment.
47.Airbnb’ssuccessclearlyillustratestheemergenceofahugesharingeconomy.
48.Themajorconcernaboutthesharingeconomyishowthegovernmentregulatesit.
49.Themostfrequentlyshareditemsarethoseexpensivetobuybutnotfullyused.
50.Thesharingeconomyhasapromisingfuture.
51.Onlinesharingwillchangethewaybusinessisdoneintransportation,travel,rentals,etc.
52.Airbnbisawebsitethatenablesownersandrenterstocompletetransactionsonline.
53.Thesharingeconomyislikelytogothewayofonlineshopping.
54. One advantage of sharing is that owners earn money from renting out items not made full use
of.
55.Sharingappealstothesociableinthattheycanmeetnewpeople.
SectionC
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
singlelinethroughthecentre.
PassageOne
Questions56t060arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are
influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our
eatingenvironmentandourperceptionofthefoodinfrontofus.
Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can
increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size
andlighting,havebeenshowntoaffectportionsizeandconsumption.
Anew study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several
hoursafterameal, people’shunger levelswere predictednotbyhowmuchthey’deatenbutrather
第 7 页 共 10 页by how much food they’d seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered
eating.
Thisdisparity(差异)suggeststhememory ofourpreviousmealmayhaveabigger influence
on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of
experimentalpsychologyattheUniversityofBristol.
“Hunger isn’t controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have
identified an independent role for memory for that meal,” Brunstrom says. “This shows that the
relationshipbetweenhungerandfoodintakeismorecomplexthanwethought.”
Thesefindings echoearlierresearch thatsuggests ourperceptionoffoodcan sometimes trick
our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011study, for instance, people who drank the same
380-calorie ( 卡 路 里 ) milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of
hunger-related hormones (荷尔蒙), depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620
or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they’d
consumedahigher-calorieshake.
What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick
ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and
avoidingTVandmultitaskingwhileeating.
Theso-calledmindful-eatingstrategiescanfight distractionsandhelpuscontrolourappetite,
Brunstromsays.
56.Whatissaidtobeafactoraffectingourappetiteandfoodintake?
A)Howweperceivethefoodweeat. B)Whatingredientsthefoodcontains.
C)Whenweeatourmeals. D)Howfastweeatourmeals.
57.Whatwouldhappenatmealtimeifyourememberedeatingalotinthepreviousmeal?
A)Youwouldprobablybemorepickyaboutfood.
B)Youwouldnotfeellikeeatingthesamefood.
C)Youwouldhaveagoodappetite.
D)Youwouldnotfeelsohungry.
58.Whatdowelearnfromthe2011study?
A)Foodlabelsmaymisleadconsumersintheirpurchases.
B)Foodlabelsmayinfluenceourbody’sresponsetofood.
C)Hungerlevelsdependonone’sconsumptionofcalories.
D)Peopletendtotakeinalotmorecaloriesthannecessary.
59.WhatdoesBrunstromsuggestwedotocontrolourappetite?
A)Trickourselvesintoeatingless. B)Choosefoodwithfewercalories.
C)Concentrateonfoodwhileeating. D)Pickdishesoftherightsize.
60.Whatisthemainideaofthepassage?
A)Eatingdistractionsoftenaffectourfooddigestion.
B)Psychologicalfactorsinfluenceourhungerlevels.
C)Ourfoodintakeisdeterminedbyourbiologicalneeds.
D)Goodeatinghabitswillcontributetoourhealth.
PassageTwo
Questions61to65arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
第 8 页 共 10 页As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these
resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and
collegescanprepareindividualsfortheever-changingrolesthatarelikelytobeexpectedofthem.
High schooldegreesofferfarlessinthewayofpreparationforworkthantheymight, orthan
many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage
students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or
interest,andnowhavethehighestcollegedropoutrateintheworld.
Wemight look to other countries for models of how high schoolscan offer better training, as
well as the development of a work ethic (勤奋工作的美德) and the intellectual skills needed for
continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard’s 2011 “Pathways to Prosperity”
report for more attention to the “forgotten half” (those who do not go on to college) and ideas
abouthowtoaddressthisissue.
Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy
whereprofessionalroleschange rapidlyandmanycollege studentsarepreparingforpositionsthat
may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued
learning.
Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information,
and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and
such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to
continuetovaluebroadpreparationinthinkingskillsthatwillserveforalifetime.
Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The
lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college
years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but
learning where and when to intervene (干预) will help students take more ownership of the
outcomesoftheseincreasinglycostlyeducations.
61.Whatkindofeducationdoestheauthorthinkisideal?
A)Itbenefitsthegreatmajorityofthegeneralpopulation.
B)Itpreparesstudentstomeetthefutureneedsofsociety.
C)Itencouragesstudentstolearnthroughouttheirlives.
D)Itensuresthatstudents’expectationsaresuccessfullyfulfilled.
62.Whatdoestheauthorsayistheproblemwithpresenthighschooleducation?
A)Ignoringtheneedsofthosewhodon’tgotocollege.
B)Teachingskillstobeusedrightaftergraduationonly.
C)Givinglittleattentiontothosehavingdifficultylearning.
D)Creatingthehighestdropoutrateinthedevelopedworld.
63.Whatcharacterizesaknowledgeeconomyaccordingtothepassage?
A)Peoplehavetoreceivehighereducationtoqualifyforaprofessionalposition.
B)Studentsmajoringinliberalartsusuallyhavedifficultysecuringajob.
C)Newpositionsareconstantlycreatedthatrequirepeopletokeeplearning.
D)Collegesfindithardtoteachstudentshowtocopewiththechangingeconomy.
64.Whatdoestheauthorthinkaliberalartscollegeshouldfocuson?
A)Solidbackgroundknowledgeinaparticularfield.
B)Practicalskillsurgentlyneededincurrentsociety.
第 9 页 共 10 页C)Basicskillsneededforchangeandlifelonglearning.
D)Usefulthinkingskillsforadvancedacademicresearch.
65.Whatsuggestiondoestheauthoroffertoparents?
A)Rethinkingthevalueofhighereducation.
B)Investingwiselyintheirchildren’seducation.
C)Helpingtheirchildrentobringtheirtalentintofullplay.
D)Avoidingtoomuchinterventionintheirchildren’seducation.
PartIVTranslation
Directions : For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into
English.YoushouldwriteyouransweronAnswerSheet2.
中国结（theChineseknot）最初是由手工艺人发明的，经过数百年不断的改进，已经成为一
种优雅多彩的艺 术和工艺。在古代，人们用它来记录事件，但现在主要是用于装饰的目的。
“结”在中文里意味这爱情、姻和团聚，中国结常常作为礼物交换或作用饰品祈求好运 和辟
邪。这种形式的手工艺（handicraft）代代相传，现在已经在中国和世界各地越来越受欢迎。
第 10 页 共 10 页
