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2024 年 12 月大学英语四级考试真题（第 1 套）
Part I Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: Suppose the business school of your university is conducting a survey to collect
students’ opinions on the express delivery service industry in China. You are to write a response
about its recent development and its impact on people’s lives. You will have 30 minutes to
write the essay. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
PartⅡ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report,
you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1
with a single line through the centre.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
1. A) She is making a special effort to be recognized.
B) She has been living in Fayetteville for 25 years.
C) She has been driving a school bus ever since 2009.
D) She is the longest-serving bus driver in Fayetteville.
2. A) The importance of their service to the city.
B) The number of riders they serve in the city.
C) The new proclamation issued early this week.
D) The significance of the event to take place March 18.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
3. A) Budgeted $56.7 million for the coming school year.
B) Requested to raise teachers’ salaries by 3 percent.
C) Proposed a spending increase by 5.99 percent.
D) Kept raising funds for at least 8 budget cycles.
4. A) Decrease in salaries for school administrators.
B) Reduction in federal and state funding.
C) Firing of less qualified faculty members.
D) Closing down of some less competitive schools.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
5. A) They often take place in the Scottish highlands.
B) They usually happen in the middle of the night.
C) Their damage can be as serious as that of bombs.
D) Their loud claps can be confused with explosions.
6. A) They sent out a message to calm them down.
B) They promised to stop the construction work.C) They told them the military exercise was over.
D) They set off to inspect the site of the plane crash.
7. A) Keep warm. C) Avoid driving.
B) Take caution. D) Use rail service.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each
conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer
Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
8. A) Why the man is so anxious to buy a new phone.
B) How the man could possibly afford a new phone.
C) How the man got into the habit of being wasteful.
D) Why the man is so fond ofusing his credit card.
9. A) It is not in fashion any more. C) It is not as fancy as his colleagues’.
B) It goes out of order frequently. D) It lacks functions office work requires.
10. A) It enables him to buy a new phone at a more favorable price.
B) It is a special offer to recent college graduates working in offices.
C) It is available to office workers who have a good enough credit score.
D) It allows him to borrow money without paying interest for six months.
11. A) She borrowed money to pay her debt. C) She enjoys buying a lot of fancy things.
B) She developed a habit of overspending. D) She regrets ignoring the woman’s advice.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
12. A) Blog writing and natural resources saving.
B) Joint efforts to improve the local community.
C) Audience participation in The Morning Show.
D) Home ownership and environmental protection.
13. A) Not a realistic size for families. C) Only fit for families of four or less.
B) Not welcomed by most Americans. D) Only suitable for renting to the poor.
14. A) It should be changed. C) It will come true sooner or later.
B) It isn’t easy to realize. D) It doesn’t appeal to average families.
15. A) They help to lower housing prices. C) They are a good choice for many people.
B) They help to save up for larger houses. D) They are vital to reducing waste worldwide.
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you
will hear three or four 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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a
single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
16. A) Play outdoors and enjoy themselves. C) Take care of their well-being.
B) Beat challenges and take risks. D) Grow up strong and healthy.
17. A) Enable them to develop their motor skills. C) Reduce their stress and depression.
B) Help them to conceal their frustration. D) Prevent them from feeling lonely.
18. A) It begins early. C) It calls for lifelong efforts.
B) It proves demanding. D) It lies in nature experiences.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
19. A) When companies share their information online.
B) When their job search criteria are met fully.
C) When companies embrace greater diversity.
D) When they find job postings visually attractive.
20. A) Emails in the normal format. C) All companies in the same sector.
B) Major companies in one location. D) Various aspects of a company’s workforce.
21. A) Job security. C) Minimum base salary.
B) Potential pay raises. D) Information about diversity
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
22. A) Positive. C) Important.
B) Original. D) Surprising.
23. A) Dogs match their behavior with kids as much as with adults.
B) Kids and adults alike find in dogs a source of attachment.
C) Kids’ attitude to dogs is influenced by adults.
D) Dogs can help kids in many ways.
24. A) Dogs pay much attention to the kids they live with.
B) Dogs view both adults and kids as social companions.
C) Kids differ from adults in their behavior towards dogs.
D) Kids need to be aware of the risks in playing with dogs.
25. A) Understanding dogs. C) Taking care of dogs.
B) Training dogs. D) Associating with dogs.
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．
When Toni Morrison died in 2019, the world lost one of its most influential authors. But
Morrison was not an early success. Her first novel was not published until she was 39, and her
last appeared when she was 84. And Morrison was not 26 in this regard. Numerouswriters produce masterpieces well into their 70s and beyond. Such 27 accomplishments
highlight an important point. Our capacity to speak, write and learn new vocabulary does not
seem to 28 with age. Our eyesight may dim and our recall may weaken, but, by
comparison, our ability to produce and to 29 language is well preserved into older
adulthood.
Indeed, the latest research that has emerged on language and aging shows that language
mastery is a 30 that we begin as infants and continue on for the rest of our lives. Some
aspects of our language abilities, such as our knowledge of word meanings, 31
improve during middle and late adulthood. One study, for example, found that adults over
sixty had an average vocabulary size of over 21,000 words. The researchers also studied
a 32 of college students and found that their average vocabulary contained 33
16,000 words. In another study, older adults, with an average age of 75, 34 better than
participants in their youth or middle years on tasks that required them to determine the
meaning of words. Thus, language seems to be a skill that, contrary to what many might 35
, does not weaken with age.
A) actually F) deteriorate K) rarely
B) approximately G) equivalent L) sample
C) assume H) journey M) undermined
D) component I) literary N) unique
E) comprehend J) performed O) unit
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
corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Why it’s wrong to look at work-life balance as an achievement
A) Few topics have been so endlessly analysed as work-life balance. The quest to attain this
mysterious state has dominated discussion around careers for years—especially for
working parents. The concept is often presented as something to achieve, or a goal to
reach. And once you’ve reached it, congratulations: you’ve made it; you’re a successful
human being of the 21st century.
B) But the problem is that we often tell ourselves: “I’m going to put in eight hours’ worth of
work, and then I’m going to put in eight hours’ worth of ‘me time’, which will include my
family, my hobbies, my workout, my everything,” says Anat Lechner, clinical associate
professor of management at New York University. “I don’t think it’s such a simple
formula.”
C) And, according to new findings, it may not be. Some researchers are now encouraging us
to stop thinking about work-life balance as an achievement that you either hit or don’t.Instead, they suggest it may be more of a lifelong process—a continuous, never-ending
exercise that requires self-awareness and timely adjustments. Researchers Ioana Lupu and
Mayra Ruiz-Castro argue that work-life balance is “a cycle, not an achievement” . In
their 2020 study, the researchers interviewed nearly 80 employees at two London-based
firms— an equal number of men and women between the ages of 30 and 50, all with at
least one dependent child—who worked in middle or senior management roles.
D) Although it sounds like the respondents had a lot in common, here’s what separated them:
about 30% of the men and 50% of the women reported resisting working long hours.
The other respondents, meanwhile, all worked long hours because they thought that’s
what successful professionals should do.
E) Lupu and Ruiz-Castro looked at those who rejected the long hours and they found that
those workers actually had strikingly similar strategies for maintaining their work-life
balance. They had a tendency to reflect and question assumptions in the name of self-
awareness and regularly took steps to adjust the things standing in their way to work-life
balance.
F) Lupu and Ruiz-Castro identified five steps that the respondents in the study who had better
work-life balance used in their jobs. First, they paused and reconsidered beliefs such as
“I’m a professional, so I should work, work, work”, and asked themselves questions like,
“What’s currently causing me stress?” Second, after identifying the cause, they zeroed in
on their resultant emotions. Did they feel angry, sad, energised? Third, they reprioritised,
asking “Is working long hours really worth cutting back on family time?”, for example.
Fourth, they considered their alternatives: is there anything at work that could be changed
to accommodate these new priorities? And finally, they implemented changes, like asking
their supervisor for greater flexibility, or deciding not to take on every project that comes
their way.
G) This five-step process is something anyone can adopt. Going through the steps, and
constantly checking in with yourself, can help you shift and adapt your professional life to
something that will better harmonise with your personal one. “Awareness of your
emotional state is essential in order to determine the changes you want to make in your
work and in your life,” says Lupu.
H) New York University’s Lechner agrees that finding that balance is an ongoing pursuit. It’s
not simply about dividing up the hours in your day between work, the gym, kids and
chores. If the underlying emotional sources of stress are still there, then the time you
actually spend at home may not be enjoyable. “We come home and even though
physically we are there, mentally we still may be processing things that happened at work.
We’re not present,” she says. What we call “work-life balance” is actually just a
substitute to having a sense of fulfillment and contentment.
I) Of course, finding that balance probably shouldn’tbe something you have to do by
yourself. Research by Erin Kelly, professor of work and organisation studies at
MIT, shows companies and managers can play a key role in creating a better
environment for workers. For her book Overload: How Good Jobs Went Bad and What
to Do about It, she and co- author Phyllis Moen split more than 1,000 employees at a
Fortune 500 company into two groups, one that worked under a management redesign
and one that continued working within the existing management structure.J) Under the management redesign, many steps were taken to ensure better work-life balance
and prevent burnout (精疲力竭). Managers were regularly reminded to explicitly support
their employees. Workers were allowed to make changes, like cancelling 9 am meetings.
All of this was done in the name of increasing job satisfaction and giving workers
greater flexibility, and to assure workers that it was something management was
committed to. Unsurprisingly, Kelly and Moen found that employees in the redesign
group reported less stress and less burnout. They were less likely to quit their jobs;
indeed, over the next four years, they were 40% less likely to quit than those who kept
working under the old policies.
K) “Work-life balance is understood to be an individual’s response, so people think ‘it’s up to
me to manage the craziness of my work life’”, says Kelly. But organisations need to
examine the demands they’re placing on employees. “The root problem is not how the two
pieces of work and life come together. It’s that we have unrealistic expectations of what
we’re asked to do on the work side.” If your workplace isn’t an environment where
work- life balance is possible in the first place, any effort you attempt to make toward
it on a personal level will be in vain.
L) That’s a conversation that appears to be gathering pace. The new prevalence of remote
and flexible working models will likely all play important roles in how we balance
our professional and personal lives. And if it seems like finding that perfect balance
remains difficult to achieve, the experts say that keeping some perspective can help. For
millions of people, work is about being able to put food on the table. Talking about work-
life balance “is a very privileged conversation”, says Lechner. “If we’re reflecting,
maybe we should also reflect on that.”
36. According to a management expert, work-life balance is not as simple as giving equal
amounts of time to work and personal life.
37. Research found that those who are given greater flexibility at work are less stressed and
more likely to stay in their jobs.
38. Workers who rejected working long hours tended to make regular adjustments in order to
achieve work-life balance.
39. Talking about work-life balance is said to be a privilege reserved for the better-off, not for
those who barely make a living.
40. Knowing one’s emotional state is of utmost importance in deciding what changes to
make for a better work-life balance.
41. More female professionals reported being reluctant to work overtime than their male
counterparts.
42. Without organisational support, any personal effort to maintain work-life balance will be
unsuccessful.
43. The question of how to achieve work-life balance has long been the main subject of
discussion among workers.
44. You may not actually experience emotional wellbeing at home if you remain occupied
with what happened at work.
45. Some researchers suggest that work-life balance is not a goal to achieve, but a process for
life to be adjusted promptly.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 the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
The weakening of the human connection to nature might be good for economic growth
but is bad for people. A tipping point was reached in 2020 when human-made materials—
such as steel, concrete and plastic—were found to weigh more than all life on Earth.
Continuing to grow concrete forests rather than real ones is shortsighted. Simply being in
the nearest wood has such health benefits that the Woodland Trust successfully lobbied for it
to be prescribed by doctors.
Yet slipping from popular culture is the wonder and beauty of the natural world. For
every three nature-related words in hit songs of the 1950s, researchers found, there was only
slightly more than one 50 years later. It is not a moment too soon that teenagers will be able
to take a natural history test, given that for decades children have been able to name more
video game characters than wildlife species.
Part of remedying this social disease would be for parliament to pass a “right to grow”
law, allowing anyone to turn underused public spaces into vegetable and fruit gardens. The
idea is for people to get back in touch with the soil—while producing food sustainably.
Vegetable planting has a respectable tradition. In April 1649, locals responded to high
prices and food shortages by cultivating vegetables on common land in Southern England. The
practice of throwing seed bombs to turn vacant plots of land green took off in 1970s New
York, and has been revived (使复活) by green-thumbed (有园艺才能的) social media
influencers who defy local US regulations in a war on ugly spots in cities.
Apart from the urgent task of providing more healthy nutrients to those who increasingly
can’t afford them, publicly accessible fruit and vegetable gardens connect what we eat to where
it comes from—the means of production, if you will. They can make unlovely spaces lovely,
and marry use and beauty as well as help promote a sense of community. Plants are also, of
course, our first defence against species loss and climate change. Such planting is a small step
for humanity—in the right direction.
46. What does the author want to emphasise in the first paragraph?
A) The year 2020 was a big turning point in human history.
B) Economic growth benefits people little in the long run.
C) It is unwise to weaken the human connection to nature.
D) It is harmful to mankind to use human-made materials.
47. What did researchers find about popular culture?
A) It is increasingly detached from the natural world.
B) It is filled with all kinds of video game characters.
C) It is especially appealing to the taste of teenagers.D) It is still impacted by the hit songs of the 1950s.
48. What does the author propose people do?
A) Take measures to ensure sustainable food development.
B) Reconnect with nature through the right to grow.
C) Stand by the parliament in fighting social diseases.
D) Cover public spaces with fruit trees and vegetable plants.
49. What do we learn from the passage about vegetable planting?
A) It all started in 1649 in Southern England.
B) It is protected by US government regulations.
C) It has long been used to increase food supply and improve urban landscape.
D) It has been popularised worldwide with the increasing influence of social media.
50. What can publicly accessible fruit and vegetable gardens do apart from their practical
functions?
A) Raise people’s environmental awareness.
B) Add to the great variety of plant species.
C) Act as the first defence against natural disasters.
D) Enhance people’s community spirit.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Engineering in the U.S. has long been a male-dominated profession. Fifty years ago, it
looked like that might change.
In 1970, the percentage of women majoring in engineering was less than 1%. In 1979,
that number was 9%. Many hoped women would continue to enter the field at the same rate.
But that’s not what happened. Today, only 21% of engineering majors are women, a number
largely unchanged since 2000.
I am a historian who, along with my colleagues, surveyed 251 women engineers who
graduated from college in the 1970s. These pioneers reflected on the challenges they faced—
and had advice for women entering the field today.
One survey taker explained, “The greatest challenge for me was continuing to believe in
myself, when all the messages I was getting were that I would never be taken seriously or
promoted or given raises at the same rate as men, who were clearly less qualified and not
as smart as I was.”
A chemical engineer who worked in manufacturing agreed, “You have to prove yourself
just because you are female. And you have to work twice as hard!”
A civil engineer said, “We are ‘women engineers. ’ People don’t refer to a man as a
‘man engineer’—he’s an engineer. We are constantly reminded that we don’t truly belong.”
Another civil engineer stated, “On many levels, you’re never quite one of the groups.”
Women also talked about family caregiving responsibilities. A retired vice president from
a major chemical company stated, “Young women engineers are on an equal footing until theyhave children, then they struggle to balance work and family—and compete with men who
don’t have the same household responsibilities.”
But over the years things have changed a lot. Young women engineers are more accepted
mostly because there are just more of them.
Many women engineers hailed the benefits of their chosen career. A program manager
in manufacturing stated that engineering is the best degree. A mechanical engineer said, “It
will give you the flexibility to do almost anything. It is also satisfying to see the effects of
what you have done.”
51. What does the passage say about the engineering profession in the United States?
A) It has seen a change in attitude towards women engineers since 1979.
B) It witnessed a significant increase in women engineers in the 1970s.
C) It has experienced the gradual weakening of male dominance.
D) It boasted the largest number of engineering majors in 2000.
52. What does one survey taker say was her greatest challenge?
A) Not to feel superior to less qualified male engineers.
B) Not to take seriously all the messages she was getting.
C) Not to think highly of her qualifications when promoted or given a pay raise.
D) Not to lose self-confidence though constantly discouraged or unfairly treated.
53. How do women engineers frequently feel according to the two civil engineers?
A) Disqualified on many levels.
B) Excluded from the group.
C) Overworked by their organizations.
D) Looked down upon by male colleagues.
54. What probably makes young women engineers more accepted nowadays?
A) Their success in gaining an equal footing. C) The change in their responsibilities.
B) Their ability to balance work and family. D) The increase in their number.
55. What can we conclude about many female engineers from the statement of a
mechanical engineer?
A) They take great pride in their chosen career.
B) They have reaped the benefits of being flexible.
C) They enjoy doing engineering to the best degree.
D) They have proved capable of doing almost anything.
Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from
Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
中国政府十分重视环境保护。近年来，中国在减少空气、水和土壤污染上取得了显著成
效。为了不断改善人们的生活环境，中国采取了一系列有效措施，包括大力发展清洁能源，
改善公共交通，推广共享单车，实施垃圾分类。通过这些措施，中国的城市和农村正在绿起
来、美起来。中国还积极参与国际合作，为全球环境保护做出了重要贡献。2024 年 12 月大学英语四级考试真题（第 2 套）
Part I Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for
its coming edition on how to enrich students’ knowledge of traditional Chinese culture. 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 more than 180 words.
PartⅡ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report,
you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1
with a single line through the centre.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
1. A) They will see a 27% higher price to buy natural gas.
B) They will have insufficient heating oil to keep warm.
C) They will have a costly bill to pay to heat their homes.
D) They will experience the coldest winter in four decades.
2. A) Provided additional funding to Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
B) Assured U.S. citizens of an increase in energy supplies by the end of this year.
C) Predicted a 10% jump in heating bills for most U.S. households this winter.
D) Decided on this year’s energy assistance package of $8 billion in total.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
3. A) They care less about their diet now than before.
B) They may lack adequate knowledge of healthy food.
C) They may hold too optimistic a view about their diet.
D) They pay insufficient attention to their choice of food.
4. A) Those who finished 24-hour food questionnaires.
B) Those who fully understood the rating scale.
C) Those who cared about food quality.
D) Those who rated their diet as poor.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
5. A) They experienced a heartbreaking moment.
B) They gathered together to rescue an elephant.
C) They heard a noise from the bottom of a well.
D) They found an elephant wandering around a well.
6. A) To borrow their crane.
B) To ask them for help.C) To report the strange noise.
D) To get food for the elephant.
7. A) The elephant was able to return to the jungle.
B) The army officers were examined for injuries.
C) The army officers were rewarded for their rescue efforts.
D) The elephant was given medical treatment for many days.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each
conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer
Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
8. A) He found it had caused him much inconvenience.
B) It led him to spend more money than necessary.
C) It was much less secure than paying with cash.
D) He wanted to be less dependent on his phone.
9. A) Living beyond her means.
B) Lack of budgeting strategies.
C) Fashion addiction.
D) Impulse purchasing.
10. A) Eat healthier food with less money.
B) Order food like burgers and chips.
C) Avoid getting addicted to junk food.
D) Pay either in cash or with his phone.
11. A) Making a shopping list. C) Withdrawing cash only once a month.
B) Sticking to his budget. D) Thinking twice before buying something.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
12. A) He does not enjoy any ball games.
B) He has to prepare for the future.
C) He has breathing problems.
D) He is not up to anything challenging.
13. A) Soccer. C) Volleyball.
B) Badminton. D) Basketball.
14. A) The possibilities of joining the school sports team.
B) The opportunities of winning some championships.
C) The chances of getting an athletic scholarship later on.
D) The odds of becoming a professional sportsman someday.
15. A) It differs entirely from indoor volleyball.
B) It appeals to both schoolgirls and schoolboys.
C) It is less popular than indoor sports in the country.D) It is completely different from other outdoor games.
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you
will hear three or four 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 mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a
single line through the centre.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
16. A) It usually requires years of preparations.
B) It does a lot of harm to the environment.
C) It often burns over three hundred tonnes of refined fuel.
D) It proves to be the most complicated stage of space missions.
17. A) They are burnt up in outer space. C) They are reused up to 100 times.
B) They are guided back to Earth. D) They are treated as expendable.
18. A) New technologies for bringing back space vehicles for recycling.
B) The technology for meeting the needs of commercial space travel.
C) Many of the technologies to limit the impact of space travel on Earth.
D) The technology for effectively protecting ozone from being destroyed.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
19. A) It can help unskilled readers feel more secure.
B) It can encourage reluctant readers to read aloud.
C) It can strengthen children’s confidence in others.
D) It can boost children’s interest in communication.
20. A) By motivating children to find out about their favourite pets.
B) By taking children to the library to borrow books on animals.
C) By allowing children to surf the internet about pets by themselves.
D) By showing children how to acquire knowledge about healthy pets.
21. A) By learning that raising pets can do much good.
B) By watching how healthy pets are brought up.
C) By hearing about their peers’ passion for pets.
D) By visiting friends who have household pets.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
22. A) Send would-be students a packet of information.
B) Update regularly all information on their websites.
C) Inform prospective students of their yearly enrollment.
D) Answer questions raised by applicants and their parents.
23. A) Oversee private institutions directly. C) Supervise all schools consistently.
B) Follow other states’ example. D) Regulate public institutions by law.
24. A) They are resourceful.
B) They are competitive.
C) They provide the best opportunity to realize one’s dream.D) They appeal most to students from other states in the U.S.
25. A) Some students waste much time surfing the net.
B) Students may need to visit too many websites.
C) Students have to search for the information.
D) Some students may lack adequate access.
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．
Scientists have known that depriving adult mice of vision can increase the sensitivity of
individual neurons (神经元) in the part of the brain devoted to hearing. New research from
biologists at the University of Maryland 26 that sight deprivation also changes the way
brain cells 27 with one another, shifting the mice’s sensitivity to different frequencies.
“This study 28 what we are learning about how manipulating vision can have a
29 effect on the ability of an animal to hear long after the window for auditory (听觉
的) learning was thought to have 30 ,” said Patrick Kanold, senior author of the study.
It was once thought that the sensory regions of the brain were not 31 after a
critical period in childhood. This is why children learn languages much more 32 than
adults. Kanold’s earlier research disproved this idea by showing that depriving adult mice of
vision for a short period increased the sensitivity of individual neurons in the auditory
cortex (皮质), which is devoted to hearing.
Young brains wire themselves according to the sounds they hear frequently, assigning
areas of the auditory cortex to 33 frequencies based on what they are used to hearing.
The researchers found that, in adult mice, a week in the dark also changed the 34 of
space to different frequencies.
“We don’t know why we are seeing these patterns,” Kanold said. “We 35 that it
may have to do with what the mice are paying attention to while they are in the dark.”
A) adaptable F) neutral K) reinforces
B) closed G) permanently L) revealed
C) distribution H) prescribes M) significant
D) interact I) readily N) specific
E) narration J) registered O) speculateSection 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
corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
If we care about plastic waste, why won’t we stop drinking bottled water?
We have all seen the damage plastic waste is doing around the world, but sales of
bottled water have continued to grow.
A) For all the innovation and choice that define the food and drink industries, if you want to
make money, you could do a lot worse than fill a bottle with water and sell it. A litre of
tap water, the stuff we have cleverly piped into our homes, costs less than halfa penny. A
litre of bottled water can cost well over a pound, especially for something fancy that has
been sucked through a mountain.
B) Yet the bottled water market is livelier than ever. It defies our increasing awareness of the
harm plastics do to the environment and a broader, growing sense that something has to
change. Sales in the UK were worth a record £558.4 million this past year, an increase of
7%, according to the latest figures from the market analyst Kantar. Separate data from other
analysts show that last year the British consumed more than 2.2 billion litres of bottled
water, including “take-home” and “on-the-go” products. That’s an annual rise in volume of
8.5%.
C) Environmental campaigners are struggling to understand why nations blessed with clean
tap water grow only fonder of the bottle. “It’s very surprising to me,” says Sam Chetan-
Walsh, a political adviser at Greenpeace and campaigner against ocean plastic. “Public
awareness has never been higher, but the message is not quite reaching all the people it
needs to.” Where it is heard, the message is causing concern. Plastic water bottles require
oceans of fossil fuels to make and ship. Additionally, single-use plastics of all types are
polluting our cities and seas. Numerous documentaries have shown how plastic is
ultimately killing wildlife.
D) Moves against various plastics have gathered pace, from shopping bags to straws and
plastic-lined coffee cups. Chetan-Walsh argues that bottled water is different because the
alternatives are so obvious. “If a product that is so nakedly unnecessary can exist, then
the whole system is failing,” he says.
E) Hope is not entirely out of reach. The rate of growth has begun to ease (sales were up
7% in the year, compared with 8% the previous year).
F) But even if large numbers of people are quitting bottled water because of care for the
environment, others are taking it up. The introduction of the “sugar tax” on juices and
soda drinks has pushed more people to bottled water, while health awareness has
boosted its desirability. Tap water consumption is growing at roughly the same pace
(UK consumers still drink almost three times as much tap water as bottled water).
G) So the plastic tide only creeps higher. The industry is quick to point out that all its bottles
are recyclable. “But collection rates are, at the most generous estimates, 56%, so the actual
recycling rate will be lower than that,” Chetan-Walsh says. And while bottles may berecyclable, very few are made of recycled plastic. One water bottle company launched
recycled half-litre “eco” bottles alongside its standard bottles. Another has pledged to use
only recycled plastic across its range by 2025. Chetan-Walsh believes in a ban on single-
use bottles. Bans do exist in some places. Organisers ofa famous music festival announced
that water bottles will not be sold this summer. San Francisco has banned them from city
property and events. Last year, the UK government set out plans to ban single-use plastic
from its estate.
H) Water bottlers, unsurprisingly, don’t support bans. But they raise concerns about health
rather than profit margins. Last month one chief executive of a water bottling company
said that bans would “result in greater consumption of sugary drinks, adding to all the
health dangers of obesity, diabetes and tooth decay” . Kinvara Carey, general
manager of an association of the biggest bottled water manufacturers, cites a survey in
which people were asked what they would do if bottled water were not available. “Forty-
four per cent would buy another drink, which is not great, 14% would go without and
4.5% said they would find a fountain,” she says. “The choice is important.”
I) What if fountains were more numerous, and tap water more clearly available in cafes,
restaurants and elsewhere? Dozens of fountains are being installed in London. There are
similar initiatives elsewhere. Before plastic and the marketing that made people think they
needed bottled water in the first place, fountains were an urban fixture. Greenpeace,
among others, is also pushing for a “deposit return” scheme. This would mean tax on
bottled water would be refunded to customers who returned the plastic for recycling.
J) Even if bottled water sales are growing slightly more slowly, the industry is racing to
adapt to changing concerns and tastes. Flavoured water is booming: sales of the sparkling
variety shot up by 20%, according to the latest analyst data. Meanwhile, international
water brands, as well as a range of new companies, are selling high-end reusable bottles.
And if you must fill them with tap water, why not add flavouring?
K) As the owner of multiple sugary drink brands and bottled water, PepsiCo is facing
challenges on health and environmental fronts. Last year, the company bought SodaStream
(a drinks company that sells machines for making tap water bubbly and then consumers
add flavours) for $3.2 billion. It also launched a range of fancy bottles that work with tap
water and flavour packets. The bottle is reusable. The packets? Not so much, and, yes, they
are made of plastic, although the company invites users to post them back for recycling.
L) As is so often the case, clever marketing can beat reason; awareness is rarely enough.
“There is always this kind of slip between concern, intent and changed behaviour,” says
Giles Quick, an analyst of bottled water. “The best example is five a day, the
recommendation to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Almost
everyone is aware of this, but something like 15% of us achieve it.” Unless a far-
reaching bottle ban does come into force, it will be up to consumers to not only demand
change— but to act themselves.
36. Judging from the slowing rate of sales growth, there is still hope to combat bottled water.
37. Bottled water manufacturers base their arguments against bans of plastic bottles on
health concerns rather than on profits.38. Sales of bottled water in Britain hit a record high last year even though people are
increasingly aware that plastics are environmentally unfriendly.
39. It often happens that people can lack reason when faced with skillful marketing.
40. One city on the west coast of America has banned single-use bottles from its property
and events.
41. Manufacturing and shipping of plastic water bottles consume a tremendous amount of
fossil fuels.
42. One large beverage company has adapted its operations when confronted with challenges
from health and environmental advocates.
43. Bottled water is considerably more expensive than tap water.
44. Fountains could be seen in cities before bottled water became popular.
45. More people have taken to bottled water because of their health awareness.
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 the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
As a university student, I’ve come to realise just how little I know about money. I’ve
come to the brutal realisation that Australia’s youth are being done a great disservice by not
receiving any consistent financial education.
Diving headfirst into the crash course of starting university, I’ve quickly tried to get
myself up to speed with the financial terms of the modern era to help manage my personal
finances.
I’ve read some financial education books, done some online learning, and have spoken to
my nearest and dearest for their pearls of financial wisdom.
There are undoubtedly hundreds of great resources out there for those wishing to
improve their financial literacy, but while I was researching, I still kept wishing that I didn’t
have to play catch-up with the money world. I felt that I was sailing the financial seas with no
skills and no life jacket!
However, after talking to my friends who felt the same, I quickly realised that it wasn’t
my ignorance but the lack of financial education in our schooling system that is leaving high
schoolers seriously behind in the modern world of money.
Let’s compare a theoretical financial education subject to the standard compulsory
English class. On average, English may not be the most popular subject, but it’s
consistently on the schedule throughout high school, with all students graduating fluent in
English.
A financial education subject should do just the same. It shouldn’t bejust a one-day event
but a course integrated throughout the whole of high school that would allow students to
gradually expand their financial literacy, and would prevent the need for a ‘catch up’ phase
once we’re out on our own after graduation.In the same way that learning a language or new skills takes time, building financial skills
requires practice and years to gradually accumulate bits and pieces of knowledge.
Giving young people the opportunity to become familiar with the world of money
would provide them with a great advantage to enter adulthood with confidence and security
so that they are able to manage their own money and look after themselves.
46. What has the author come to realise since entering university?
A) He needs a crash course on financial terms.
B) He is very much lacking in financial literacy.
C) It requires consistent education to be financially independent.
D) It is unrealistic to give all Australian youth a financial education.
47. How did the author feel in today’s money world?
A) Badly equipped to survive.
B) Ignorant of financial literature.
C) Barely capable of moving ahead.
D) Overwhelmed by the resources online.
48. What did the author realise after talking to his friends?
A) They were as keen as he was on financial matters.
B) The schooling system was to blame for his trouble.
C) High schoolers knew nothing about the modern financial world.
D) Financial courses were as unpopular as compulsory English classes.
49. What is the author’s idea of a financial education course?
A) It should foresee students’ needs after graduation.
B) It should provide students with some basic knowledge.
C) It should be taught the same way as English is taught.
D) It should be integrated into high school education.
50. What would financial literacy do to young people?
A) Allow them to enter adulthood with financial security.
B) Enable them to look after themselves without worrying about money.
C) Render them confident and secure in terms of money management.
D) Help them become familiar with the world of money.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Chocolates save us from many things, especially emotional distress. They comfort us in
times of trouble, calming down a racing heart by channelling happy calories inside us. We
all have faith in chocolates to delight us in an instant!
Recently, chocolate lovers were heartbroken as scientists claimed that they can become
extinct by 2050! But hey, we have some happy news for you. Scientists can still help
save chocolates from dying out! If you are not aware as to why scientists made the statement
about the death of this wonderful thing, let us tell you the facts. Chocolate trees, whose seeds
are usedto make chocolate, grow in the tropical plant world and require very specific weather
conditions to prosper.
Now, fifty percent of the world’s cocoa (可可) beans come from two countries in West
Africa: Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Scientists believe that both of these countries will
experience a 3.8°F temperature increase by 2050 due to global warming, endangering the
cacao (可可树) farms in the rainforests. These farms will then have to be shifted to cooler
mountainous areas, which are the natural habitat of wildlife. This will lead to some tough
decisions: whether to grow chocolate or save wildlife.
Unfortunately, the crisis of global warming has already had a serious negative impact on
cacao farms’ yields, leading to the prices of chocolates skyrocketing.
Scientists, however, are trying to find a long-term and eco-friendly solution to this
problem! They are trying to modify the species with a gene-editing technology, which will
transform the seedlings into a species that survives even in a drier and warmer climate.
According to a report by The Business Insider, in the University of California’s new bio-
sciences building, tiny green cacao seedlings are lined up in refrigerated greenhouses for a new
experiment by using a technology called CRISPR. By manipulating the DNA of plants, this
technology is already being used across the world to make plants tougher and cheaper.
Similarly, in this unconventional experiment, scientists will make tiny, precise changes to the
DNA of the seedlings to make the cocoa crops survive in warmer and drier climates.
51. What do people believe chocolates can do?
A) Cheer them up instantly.
B) Create happy calories.
C) Conceal emotional distress.
D) Relieve them of heart trouble.
52. What was scientists’ recent assertion about chocolates?
A) They could become a rare treat in the near future.
B) They could calm people down a bit in times of crisis.
C) They could prevent people from getting heartbroken.
D) They could become unavailable in less than 30 years.
53. What would happen if the cacao farms were shifted to cooler mountainous areas?
A) The natural habitat of wildlife there would be ruined.
B) The cacao farmers would have a tough time to adapt.
C) The rainforests would be shrinking dramatically.
D) The quality of cocoa beans would suffer greatly.
54. What do we learn about the cacao farms in the crisis of global warming?
A) They try to seek help from gene-editing scientists.
B) They decide to move to cooler mountainous areas.
C) They have suffered a lot due to a decrease in produce.
D) They have benefited by raising prices of cocoa beans.
55. What are scientists trying to do in the University of California’s new bio-sciences building?
A) Build rows of refrigerated greenhouses for research on cacao seedlings.
B) Gene-edit cacao seedlings for them to withstand a drier, warmer climate.
C) Produce chocolates with the latest gene-editing technology.D) Transplant the genes of tougher plants to cacao seedlings.
Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from
Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
近年来，中国新能源汽车产业发展迅速。目前，中国新能源汽车年产量已高达近千万辆，
占全球市场份额超过 60％，出口量不断创出新高。中国政府通过加大资金投入和政策引
导， 鼓励新能源汽车企业进行技术创新，不断提高产品在市场上的竞争力。中国新能源汽
车产业 的发展不仅有力推动了国内经济发展，也为全球新能源利用和环境保护做出了积极
贡献。2024 年 12 月大学英语四级考试真题（第 3 套）
Part I Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: Suppose the university newspaper is inviting submissions from the students for
its coming edition on how the students can contribute to a green campus. 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 more than 180 words.
PartⅡ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)
特殊说明：由于多题多卷，官方第三套真题的听力试题与第二套真题的一致，只是选
项顺序不同，因此，本套试卷不再提供听力部分。
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．
Super realistic masks are made from flexible materials such as silicone and are designed
to imitate real human face—down to every last detail.
In a study by the Universities of York and Kyoto, researchers asked participants to look
at pairs of photographs and decide which showed a 26 face and which showed a
person wearing a mask.
Surprisingly, participants made the wrong call in one-in-five cases.
The 20% error rate 27 in the study likely underestimates the extent to which people
would struggle to tell an 28 face from the real thing outside of the lab.
The researchers collected data from participants from both the UK and Japan to 29
any differences according to race. When trial participants were asked to choose between
photographs of faces of a different race from theirs, response times were slower and
selections were 5% less 30 .
There are now dozens of criminal cases in which offenders have 31 themselves off
as people of a different age, race or gender, sending police investigations down the wrong path.
In one recent case, an international gang used an 32 realistic mask to pose as a
French minister, 33 business executives out of millions of pounds.
Dr. Jet Sanders, who worked on the study while a PhD student at the University of York,
said: “Failure to detect synthetic faces may have important implications for security and crime
prevention as super realistic masks may 34 the key characteristics of a person’s
appearance to be 35 identified.”A) accurate F) establish K) observed
B) allow G) extremely L) passed
C) artificial H) immediately M) reminding
D) cheating I) incorrectly N) reparable
E) deserted J) normal O) resolve
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
corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Stop thinking and start doing
A) Most people have a dream in life, a vision of who or what they’d like to be in the future.
At a minimum, everyone has interests and values that determine what they want out of
their lives. Even so, trying to set achievable goals that you’ll work for over the course of
many years can be extremely challenging. It can be hard to know where to even begin,
and the things you hope to achieve may seem impossible. But, if you’re well prepared
you may be able to set goals for your life that are just as fulfilling to work toward as to
achieve.
B) We all have goals that we want to achieve in our lives. These goals may include learning a
new language, eating healthier and losing weight, becoming a better parent, saving more
money, and so on. It can be easy to assume that the gap between where you are now and
where you want to be in the future is caused by a lack of knowledge. This is why we buy
courses on how to start a business or how to lose weight fast or how to learn a new
language in three months. We assume that if we knew about a better strategy, then we
would get better results. We believe that a new result requires new knowledge.
C) What I’m starting to realize, however, is that new knowledge does not necessarily drive
new results. In fact, learning something new can actually be a waste of time if your goal
is to make progress and not simply gain additional knowledge.
D) It all comes down to the difference between learning and practicing. Thomas Sterner, in his
book The Practicing Mind, explains the key difference between practicing and learning.
He says: “When we practice something, we are involved in the deliberate repetition
of a process with the intention of reaching a specific goal.” Here the words “deliberate”
and “intention” are key, because they define the difference between actively
practicing something and passively learning it.
E) Learning something new and practicing something new may seem very similar, but these
two methods can have profoundly different results. Here are some additional ways to think
about the difference. Let’s say your goal is to get stronger and more fit. You can research
the best instructions on weight lifting technique, but the only way to build strength is to
practice lifting weights. Let’s say your goal is to grow your startup. You can learn aboutthe best way to make a sales pitch, but the only way to actually land customers is to
practice making sales calls. Let’s say your goal is to write a book. You can talk to a
best-selling author about writing, but the only way to become a better writer is to
practice publishing consistently
F) Passive learning creates knowledge. Active practice creates skill. Let’s consider a couple
more reasons to prioritize active practice over passive learning. First, passive learning can
be a stick that supports inaction. In many cases, learning is actually a way to avoid taking
action on the goals and interests that we say are important to us. For example, let’s say you
want to learn a foreign language. Reading a book on how to learn a foreign language
quickly allows you to feel like you are making progress (“Hey, I’m figuring out the best
way to do this!”). Of course, you’re not actually practicing the action that would deliver
your desired outcome (speaking the foreign language).
G) In situations like this one, we often claim that we are preparing or researching the best
method, but these rationalizations allow us to feel like we are moving forward when we are
merely spinning our wheels. We make the mistake of being in motion rather than taking
action. Learning is valuable until it becomes a form of procrastination (拖延).
H) Another point to consider is that practice is learning, but learning is not practice. Passive
learning is not a form of practice because although you gain new knowledge, you are not
discovering how to apply that knowledge. Active practice, meanwhile, is one of the
greatest forms of learning because the mistakes you make while practicing reveal
important insights.
I) Even more importantly, practice is the only way to make a meaningful contribution with
your knowledge. You can watch an online course about how to build a business or read an
article about a terrible disaster in a developing nation, but that knowledge is unproductive
unless you actually launch your business or donate to those in need. Learning by itself
can be valuable for you, but if you want to be valuable to others, then you have to express
your knowledge in some way.
J) The last important point to consider is that practice focuses your energy on the process.
Thomas Sterner once said, “Progress is a natural result of staying focused on the process
of doing anything.” The state of your life right now is a result of the habits and beliefs
that you have been practicing each day. When you realize this and begin to direct your
focus toward practicing better habits day-in and day-out, continual progress will be the
logical outcome. It is not the things we learn nor the dreams we visualize that determine
our results, but rather the habits that we practice each day. Fall in love with boredom and
focus your energy on the process, not the product.
K) What does this all mean? Is passive learning useless? Of course not. In many cases,
learning for the sake of learning can be a beautiful thing. Not to mention that soaking
up new information can help you make more informed decisions when you do decide to
take action. That said, the main point of this article is that learning by itself does not lead
to progress. We often hide behind information and use learning as an excuse to delay the
more difficult and more important choice of actually doing something. Spend less time
passively learning and more time actively practicing. Stop thinking and start doing.
36. Acquisition of new knowledge may not guarantee the progress that you aim to make.
37. Your current situation in life is built on the beliefs and habits you have been practicing
daily.38. Knowing the best way to learn a foreign language will not enable you to speak it without
actual practice.
39. People may find it demanding to create a goal which will take a long time to achieve.
40. Learning and practicing seem to be very much alike, but the two processes can lead to quite
different outcomes.
41. Absorbing new information is helpful in making better decisions prior to action.
42. Sometimes we may feel like we are making progress by doing some research or making
preparations, but actually we are staying at the starting point.
43. We are inclined to think that a lack of knowledge prevents us from advancing to a better
future.
44. Learning can benefit you by itself, but only practice can turn what you learn into
meaningful contributions.
45. Practice involves repeating a process intentionally to attain a particular objective.
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 the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Research in human-vehicle interaction has shown even systems designed to automate
driving are far from being error-proof. Recent evidence points to drivers’ limited
understanding of what these systems can and cannot do as a contributing factor to system
misuse. A recent study tackles the issue of over-trusting drivers and the resulting system
misuse from a legal viewpoint. It looks at what the manufacturers of self-driving cars should
legally do to ensure that drivers understand how to use the vehicles appropriately.
One solution suggested in the study involves requiring buyers to sign end-user license
agreements (EULAs), similar to the terms and conditions that require agreement when using
new software products. But this is far from ideal. The agreement may not provide enough
information to the driver, leading to confusion about the nature of the requests for agreement
and their implications. Further, most end users don’t read EULAs. A 2017 study shows 91
percent of people agree to them without reading. Among young people, 97 percent agree
without reviewing the terms.
The issue is that, unlike using a smartphone app, operating a car has serious safety risks,
whether the driver is human or software. And human drivers need to consent to take
responsibility for the outcomes of the software and hardware.
“Warning fatigue” and distracted driving are also causes for concern. For example, a
driver, annoyed after receiving continuous warnings, could decide to just ignore the message.
Or, if the message is presented while the vehicle is in motion, it could represent a distraction.
Given these limitations and concerns, even if this mode of obtaining consent is to move
forward, itlikely won’t fully protect automakers from their legal liability should the system malfunction
(发生故障) or an accident occur.
Driver training for self-driving vehicles can help ensure that drivers fully understand
system capabilities and limitations. This needs to occur beyond the vehicle purchase. Recent
evidence shows even relying on the information provided by the seller is not going to answer
many questions. All of this considered, the road forward for self-driving cars is not going to
be a smooth ride after all.
46. What do we learn from research in human-vehicle interaction?
A) Automatic driving systems are by no means immune to errors.
B) Driverless vehicles are likely to be misused by some people.
C) Self-driving car manufacturers are not aware of the legal matters involved.
D) There is a long way to go before humans can interact with driverless vehicles.
47. What is the problem with requiring buyers to sign end-user license agreements?
A) End users, young and old alike, find the terms complex to interpret.
B) Most end users sign them without bothering to read the terms.
C) Many people are often confused by the wording of the terms.
D) Most end users do not understand the terms after reading them through.
48. What would drivers do when they suffer from “warning fatigue”?
A) Waste no time keeping the car moving.
B) Rest a while to avoid fatigue driving.
C) Take no action despite repeated warnings.
D) Take note of the message though fatigued.
49. What does the author think of continuing to ask buyers to sign end-user license
agreements?
A) It will probably not guarantee the safety of drivers in case of accidents.
B) It likely won’t ensure that the automatic driving system functions properly.
C) It likely won’t fully protect automakers against accusations of deliberate cheating.
D) It will probably not provide manufacturers adequate protection from legal responsibilities.
50. What should be done to help drivers fully understand system capabilities and limitations?
A) Training them to be experts in vehicle automation.
B) Familiarizing them with the systems through training.
C) Broadening their knowledge of accident-prevention mechanisms.
D) Facilitating their access to the information provided by the seller.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Do you ever blend up a protein drink for breakfast, or grab a protein bar following an
afternoon workout? If so, you are likely among the millions of people in search of more
protein- rich diets.
Protein-enriched products are found everywhere. But contrary to all the publicity that
everyone needs more protein, most Americans get twice as much as they need.Many of us living in the most developed countries are buying into a myth of protein
deficiency created by food companies and self-identified health experts. Global retail sales of
protein supplement products reached an astonishing US$18.9 billion in 2020.
But are we really in need of more protein? Physicians in the U.S. have never actually
examined a patient with protein deficiency because simply by eating an adequate number of
daily calories we are also most likely getting enough protein.
In fact, Americans currently consume almost twice the National Academy of Medicine’s
recommended daily intake of protein although the most desirable protein intake may vary
depending on age and activity level.
For example, if you’re a dedicated athlete you might need to consume higher quantities
of protein. Generally, though, a 140-pound person should not exceed 120 grams of protein per
day, particularly because a high protein diet can strain kidney and liver function and increase
risks of developing heart disease and cancer.
While fats and sugar have taken the beating in turns since over a century ago, protein has
managed to remain our red-hot favorite.
In the 1970s through the 1990s, protein products remained visible but moved back
somewhat with the dietary spotlight firmly fixed on low-calorie, low-fat, sugar-free snack
foods and beverages following the publication of studies linking sugar and saturated (饱和
的) fat consumption to heart disease.
Later research in 2003, however, suggested high-protein diets could aid in weight loss,
and protein quickly regained its former nutrient-superstar status.
Now most people living in high-income nations are consuming enough protein. When we
replace meals with a protein bar or drink, we also risk missing out on the rich sources of
antioxidants (抗氧化剂), vitamins and many other benefits of real food.
51. What do we learn about publicity over protein in America?
A) It has helped to create the myth of protein deficiency.
B) It has helped Americans in search of protein-rich diets.
C) It has raised a lot of health concerns among the public.
D) It has been funded by food companies and health experts.
52. Why have physicians in the U.S. never actually examined a patient with protein deficiency?
A) Americans can purchase many kinds of protein-rich foods everywhere.
B) Americans can absorb the number of calories recommended by food experts.
C) Americans can get sufficient protein just by eating adequate foods daily.
D) Americans can rely on food supplements to prevent protein deficiency.
53. What should people take into consideration in deciding on the most preferable protein
intake?
A) How healthy they are and what food they eat.
B) How old they are and what activities they do.
C) How much protein they consume and what their body weight is.
D) How serious their protein deficiency is and what remedies they use.
54. What foods have been largely out of favor for more than a century?
A) Sugar-free snacks.
B) Protein-rich foods.
C) Both red and white meats.D) Sugary and fatty foods.
55. What does the author imply people in developed countries should do to keep healthy?
A) Enjoy natural food.
B) Eat vegetarian diets.
C) Consume enough protein daily.
D) Replace meals with protein bars.
Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from
Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
敦煌莫高窟（Mogao Grottoes）数字展示中心于 2014 年开放启用，是莫高窟保护
利用工程的重要组成部分。展示中心采用数字技术和多媒体展示手段，使游客进入洞窟
参观之前就能了解莫高窟的历史文化，鉴赏莫高窟的艺术经典。这将减少开放洞窟的数
量，缩短游客在洞窟内的逗留时间，减轻参观对莫高窟造成的影响，以使这一世界文化
遗产得到妥善保护、长久利用。
