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橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
2023 年 12 月大学四级考试真题及解析（第三套）
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for its
coming edition on what in their university impresses them most. You are now to write an essay for
submission. You will have 30 minutes to write the essay.You should write at least 120 words but no
morethan 180words.
Part Ⅱ ListeningComprehension (25 minutes)
本套真题听力与前两套内容相同，只是选项顺序不同，因此在本套真题中不再重复出现。
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
SectionA
Directions: In this section, there is apassage with ten blanks. You arerequired to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage
through carefullybeforemaking your choices. Each choiceinthe bankis identified byaletter.Please
mark the corresponding letter for each item onAnswer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Youmay notuse anyof thewords in thebankmorethanonce.
When people set out to improve their health,they usually take a familiar path:starting a healthy
diet,getting better sleep,and doing regular exercise.Each of these behaviors is important,of course,but
they all. 26 on physical health-and a growing body of research suggests that social health is just as,if
notmore,important to 27 well-being.
One recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE,for example,found that the strength of a
person's social circle was a better 28 of self-reported stress,happiness and well-being levels than
fitness trackerdata onphysical activity,heart rateand sleep.
That finding suggests that the“ 29 self”represented byendless amounts of health data doesn't
tellthe whole 30 .
There's also aqualified self,which iswhoI am,what are myactivities,my social
network,and all oftheseaspects are not 31 in any of these measurements.
This idea is supported by plenty of 32 research.Studies have shown that social support—
whether it comes from friends,family members or a spouse—is 33 associated with better mental
and physical health.A rich social life,these studies suggest,can lower stress levels,improve
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
mood,encourage positive health behaviors and discourage damaging ones,boost heart health and
improveillness 34rates.
Social isolation,meanwhile,is linked to higher rates of physical diseases and mental health
conditions.It's a significant problem, 35 since loneliness is emerging as a widespread public
health problem in many countries.
A)base
B)eagerly
C)especially
D)focus
E)indicator
F)overall
G)preached
H)prior
I)prompt
J)puzzle
K)quantified
L)recovery
M)reflected
N)story
O)strongly
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
withaletter.Answer thequestions by marking thecorresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2.
Teenagers andsocial networking
A)As a parent of two boys at primary school,I worry about the issues associated with teenagers and
social media.Newspapers are constantly filled with frightening accounts of drug addiction and
aggressivebehaviour supposedly caused byviolent videogames. But even when these accounts touch
on real concerns,they do not really reflect the great mass of everyday teenage social behaviour:the
online chat,the texting,the surfing, and the emergence of a new teenage sphere that is conducted
digitally.
B)New technologies always provoke generational panic,which usually has more to do with adult fears
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
than with the lives of teenagers.In the 1930s,parents worried that radio was gaining“an irresistible
hold of their children”.In the 80s,the great danger was the SonyWalkman(随身听).When you look at
today's digital activity,thefacts are muchmorepositivethan you might expect.
C)Indeed,social scientists who study young people have found that their digital use can be inventive and
even beneficial.This is true not just in terms of their social lives,but their education too.So if you use
a ton of social media,do you become unable,or unwilling, to engage in face-to-face contact?The
evidence suggests not.Research by Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Research Centre,a US think
tank,found that the most passionate texters are also the kids most likely to spend time with friends in
person.One form of socialisingdoesn't replace theother.It expands it.
D)“Kids still spend time face to face,”Lenhart says.Indeed,as they get older and are given more
freedom,they often ease uponsocial networking.Early on,theweb istheir“third space”,but bythe
late teens,it's replaced in reaction to greater independence. They have to be on Facebook,to know
what's going on among friends and family,but they are ambivalent (有矛盾心理的)about it,says
Rebecca Eynon,a research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute,who has interviewed about 200
British teenagers over three years.As they gain experience with living online,they begin to adjust their
behaviour,struggling with newcommunication skills,as they doin thereal world.
E)Parents are wrong to worry that kids don't care about privacy.In fact,they spend hours changing
Facebook settings or using quick-delete sharing tools,such as Snapchat,to minimise their traces.Or
they post a photograph on Instagram,have a pleasant conversation with friends and then delete it so
that notraces remain.
F)This is not to say that kids always use good judgment.Like everyone else,they make mistakes—
sometimes serious ones.But working out how to behave online is a new social skill.While there's
plenty of drama and messiness online,it is not,for most teens, a cycle of non-stop abuse:a Pew study
foundonly 15%ofteens said someone had bullied them onlineinthe last12months.
G)But surely all this short-form writing is affecting literacy?Certainly,teachers worry. They say that kids
use overly casual language and text-speak in writing,and don't have as much patience for long reading
and complex arguments.Yet studies of first-year college papers suggest these anxieties may be partly
based onmisguided nostalgia (怀旧).When Stanford University scholarAndrea Lunsford gathered data
on the rates of errors in“freshman composition”papers going back to 1917,she found that they were
virtually identical to today.
H)But even as error rates stayed stable,student essays have blossomed in size and complexity.They are
nowsix timeslonger and,unlikeolde“r what Ididthissummer”essays,they offer arguments supported
byevidence.Why?Computers have vastly increased theability of studentsto gather information,sample
different points ofview and writemore fluidly.
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
I)When linguist Naomi Baron studied students,instant messaging even there she found surprisingly rare
usage of short forms such as“u”for“you”,and as students got older, they began to write in more
grammatical sentences.That is because they want to appear more adult,and they know how adults are
expected to write.Clearly,teaching teens formal writing is still crucial,but texting probably isn't
destroying theirability tolearn it.
J)It is probably true that fewer kids are heavy readers compared with two generations ago, when cheap
paperbacks boosted rates of reading.But even back then,a minority of people-perhaps 20%-were
lifelong heavy readers,and it was cable TV,not the internet, that struck a blow at that culture in the
1980s.Still,15%or more of kids are found to be deeply bookish.In fact,the online world offers kids
remarkable opportunities to become literate and creative because young people can now publish ideas
not just to their friends,but to the world.And it turns out that when they write for strangers,their sense
of“authenticaudience“makes them work harder,push themselves further,and createpowerful new
communicativeforms.
K)Few would deny that too much time online can be harmful.Some of the dangers are emotional:hurting
someone from a distance is not the same as hurting them face to face.If we're lucky,the legal
environment will change to make teenagers' online lives less likely to haunt them later on.Just last
week,California passed a law allowing minors to demand that internet firms erase their digital past
and theEU has considered similarlegislation.
L)Distraction is also a serious issue.When kids switch from chat to music to homework, they are indeed
likely to have trouble doing each task well.And studies show that pupils don't fact-check information
online—“smart searching”is askillschools need to teach urgently.It's also truethat too much social
networking and game playing can cut into schoolwork and sleep.This is precisely why parents still
need toset firm boundaries around it,as withany otherdistraction.
M)So what's the best way to cope?The same boring old advice that applies to everything in
parenting:moderation.Rebecca Eynon argues that it's key to model good behaviour. Parents who stare
non-stop at their phones and don't read books are likely to breed kids who will do the same.As ever,we
ought to be careful about ourown behaviour.
36.Research has found the use of digital technology benefits not only teenagers' social lives but also their
studies.
37.It isurgent that schools teach kids howto verify onlineinformation.
38.Students now write longer and more complex essays than their counterparts in previous decades while
theerror rates remain unchanged.
39.Newspaper reports ofteenagers give a falsepicture of theirbehaviour.
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
40.Parents are advised to mindtheirown digital behaviour and set a good examplefortheirkids.
41.Contrary toparents' belief,kids try hard to leave as few traces as possibleontheweb.
42.Students'ability tolearn formal writing isunlikely tobeaffected bytexting.
43.Historically,newtechnologies have always caused great fears among parents.
44.Thereading culture was seriously affected bycabletelevision somefour decades ago.
45.Teachers say that kids,writingis too casual,usinglanguage characteristicof textmessages.
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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line
through thecentre.
PassageOne
Questions46to 50arebased onthe followingpassage.
In the history of horse racing,few horses have captured the affection of the British public like
Red Rum.Today,three decades after his retirement,he is still one of the best-known and most beloved
racehorses ofall time.
Red Rum was passed around to several owners before being purchased for Noel Le Mar.The
agent who madethepurchasewas thenow-legendary horse trainerDonald “Ginger”McCain.
It wasn't apparent at the time,but Red Rum had a serious bone disease in his foot.For many
horses (and many trainers)this would mean the end of a racing career before it even began.For
Gingerand RedRum,though,it was just an obstacle togreatness that had to beovercome.
Red Rum's true talent came out in steeplechases(障碍赛马).His power,speed and jumping
ability carried him to his first Grand National title in 1973.The very next year, Red Rum returned to
take his second title.He was the first horse to take successive firsts since Reynoldstown
in1935-1936.Red Rum's spirit and grace had already begun to charm the leagues of Grand National
fans.
In the following two years,Red Rum lost out on the title,coming in second both times. When he
returned in 1977 to try again,he was largely regarded as past his prime.He was 12 years old and not
expected to place highly.He surprised sporting fans around the world when he came in a
remarkable 25 lengths ahead of the nearest horse,taking his third Grand National win.Tothis day,Red
Rum's third win is known as one ofthegreatest moments inhorse racing history.
Red Rum was headed for theGrand National once again in 1978 but suffered an injury in one of
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
his heels shortly before the race.He was retired soon after,but his public life and fame by no means
decreased with the end of his career.Red Rum traveled all over the country for various
engagements.He often led pre-race parades atAintree Racecourse and was a popular guest at charity
benefitsand publicevents.
46.Whatdowe learn from thepassage about Red Rumtheracehorse?
A)He captured publicaffection longbefore hewon national titles.
B)Hewon enormous fame and love from British people.
C)Hebecame amyth three decades after his retirement.
D)He owedhis great success toseveral well-known horsetrainers.
47.Whatdid theserious bonedisease inRed Rum's foot mean tohimselfand his trainer?
A)It was simplya hindrance they had to get over to excel.
B)It was surely adisadvantage though not considered fatal.
C)It was actually theend ofaracing career that had just begun.
D)It was really amajorobstacle hard to overcome ontheirown.
48.What does the authorsayRed Rumdid with hispower,speed and jumpingability?
A)He won his first Grand National titleat 12.
B)Hetook two firsts successively in 1935-1936.
C)Hesurprised sporting fans worldwide in1973.
D)He took three Grand National winsin the1970s.
49.What did peoplegenerally think ofRed Rum whenhereturned to theracecourse in 1977?
A)He had already passed thepeak ofhis racing life.
B)Hewould have norival in Grand National steeplechases.
C)Hehad losthis charm with theleagues ofGrand National fans.
D)He could beexpected to repeat hisglory inthe primeofhis career.
50.Whatbecame ofRed Rumafter hiscareer ended?
A)He suffered from severe pain ina heel.
B)Hespent almost all his timetraveling.
C)Helived onvarious charity benefits.
D)He remained famous and popular.
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
PassageTwo
Questions51to 55arebased onthe followingpassage.
People in business often make decisions based on their own personal feelings or instincts.It is
quite horrifying to see people being guided by some unknown force.But how wise is it,really,to let
your instinctsdrive your decisions?
In the decision-making process,relying on instincts only makes sense when you have a vast
experience to support you.Simply "feeling"that something is right or should be done is highly
subjectiveand candrown you.
On the other hand,there is a more rational approach to making decisions.Data and analysis
have long been associated with informed decisions.These reduce the likelihoodof errors and increase
thechances ofsuccess.Big,systematic data is mostly the foundation of most of our decisions,personal
and business alike.But with its extreme usability comes a complication:what do you do if you
strongly feel something should not bedone,even ifthedata insiststhat it should?
This seemingly easy question is what drives the need to understand the relationship between
instincts and data in the decision-making process.Without making things complicated,the solution to
thisdilemmais usingdata andinstincts in conjunction to arriveat thebest possibledecisions.
Instinctive decisions are always backed by previous experiences or information,which
acknowledges that instinctive decisions have worked in the past.Decisions are not about making the
choice and braving the consequences because you want to blindly trust your instincts.They are about
combiningyour innerwisdom with theknowledge ofsystematic
datato make thebest decisions.
Sometimes,rational analysis and data are impractical to be employed in certain
situations.Absence of definitive criteria,and time and resource constraints,and novel situations are
instances which limitthepracticality of data.The only feasibleoption is torely onwhat your instincts
tellyou.In thesesituations,instincts can help you makeeffective and quick decisions.
Combining instinctive and rational analysis produces well-rounded decisions.It reduces the
chances of making mistakes,and has increasingly become a favorite approach to decision-making
among leaders oftoday.
51.Whatdoes theauthorsay business peopleoften do?
A)Striveto makesense ofsome unknown forces.
B)Avoidbeing driven bytheirown feelings.
C)Draw onavast wealth ofpast experience.
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
D)Rely oninstinctsin decision-making.
52.Whatshouldwe takeinto account in order tomake informed decisions?
A)The likelihoodof errors.
B)Systematic dataand analysis.
C)Thecomplexity ofcircumstances
D)Personal feelings and business strategies.
53.Whatshouldpeople doina decision-making process ifinstinctsdisagree with data?
A)Resolvethe dilemmawithprevious experience.
B)Figure out which ofthetwo is more reliable.
C)Combinethe two together.
D)Prioritizeinstincts overdata.
54.What shouldwe dowhen facing various factors that limit thepracticality ofdata?
A)Make arational and systematicanalysis.
B)Explorethemost feasible options.
C)Resort to ourinnerwisdom.
D)Apply definitivecriteria.
55.Whatdoes ittake fordecisions tobecome thebest according to theauthor?
A)Applying instinctsand datain conjunction.
B)Assessing all factors whenmaking a choice.
C)Recalling what has actually worked in thepast.
D)Refraining from trusting instinctsarbitrarily.
Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into
English.You shouldwriteyour answer onAnswer Sheet 2.
改革开放以来,中国人民生活水平不断提高,这在人们的饮食(diet)变化上得到充分体现。如
今,人们不再满足于吃得饱,而是追求吃得更加安全、更更加营养、更加健康,食物也愈来愈丰富
多样,不再限于本地的农产品。物流业(logistics induistry)的发展使人们很容易品尝到全国各地的
特产。毫无疑问,食品质量与饮食结构的改善为增进人们健康提供了有力的保障。
改变就橙啦橙啦，大学生学习成长平台
2023 年 12 月大学英语四级考试真题答案速查表（第三套）
Part Ⅰ Writing
（见真题解析）
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension
SectionA
26. D 27.F 28.E 29.K 30.N 31.M 32.H 33.O 34.L
35.C
Section B
36. C 37.L 38.H 39.A 40.M 41.E 42.I 43.B 44.J
45.G
Section C
46. B 47.A 48.D 49.A 50.D 51.D 52.B 53.C 54.C
55.A
Part Ⅳ Translation
（见真题解析）
改变就橙啦
