英语四级考试

英语四级考试 四级模拟题1 Part I Writing (30 minutes) 注意:此部分在答题卡1上。 Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the topic of Spring Festival Gala. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given bellow: Spring Festival Gala 、许多人喜欢在除夕夜观看春节晚会 1 2、但有些人提出取消春节晚会 3、我的看法 Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, mark Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO) if statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage. For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage. Six Secrets of High-Energy People There's an energy crisis in America, and it has nothing to do with fossil fuels. Millions of us get up each morning already weary over the day holds. ―I just can’t get started.‖ People say. But it’s not physical energy that most of us lack. Sure, we could all use extra sleep and a better diet. But in truth, people are healthier today than at any time in history. I can almost guarantee that if you long for more energy, the problem is not with your body. What you’re seeking is not physical energy. It’s emotional energy. Yet, sad to say life sometimes seems designed to exhaust our supply. We work too hard. We have family obligations. We encounter emergencies and personal crises. No wonder so many of us suffer from emotional fatigue, a kind of utter exhaustion of the spirit. And yet we all know people who are filled with joy, despite the unpleasant circumstances of their lives. Even as a child I observed people who were poor or 1 disabled or ill, but who nonetheless faced life with optimism and vigor. Consider Laura Hillenbrand, who despite an extremely weak body wrote the best-seller Seabiscuit. Hillenbrand barely had enough physical energy to drag herself out of be to write. But she was fueled by having a story she wanted to share. It was emotional energy that helped her succeed. Unlike physical energy, which is finite and diminishes with age, emotional energy is unlimited and has nothing to do with genes or upbringing. So how do you get it? You can’t simply tell yourself to be positive. You must take action. Here are six practical strategies that work. 1. Do something new. Very little that’s new occurs in our lives. The impact of this sameness on our emotional energy is gradual, but huge: It's like a tire with a slow leak. You don't notice it at first, but eventually you'll get a flat. It's up to you to plug the leak--even though there are always a dozen reasons to stay stuck in your dull routines of life. That's where Maura, 36, a waitress, found herself a year ago. Fortunately, Maura had a lifeline--a group of women friends who meet regularly to discuss their lives. Their lively discussions spurred Maura to make small but nevertheless life altering changes. She joined a gym in the next town. She changed her look with a short haircut and new black T-shirts. Eventually, Maura gathered the courage to quit her job and start her own business. Here's a challenge: If it's something you wouldn't ordinarily do, do it. Try a dish you've never eaten. Listen to music you'd ordinarily tune out. You'll discover these small things add to your emotional energy. 2. Reclaim life's meaning. So many of my patients tell me that their lives used to have meaning, but that somewhere along the line things went stale. The first step in solving this meaning shortage is to figure out what you really care about, and then do something about it. A case in point is Ivy, 57, a pioneer in investment banking. "I mistakenly believed that all the money I made would mean something." she says. "But I feel lost, like a 22-year-old wondering what to do with her life." Ivy's solution? She started a program that shows Wall Streeters how to donate time and money to poor children. In the process, Ivy filled her life with meaning. 3. Put yourself in the fun zone. Most of us grown-ups are seriously fun-deprived. High-energy people have the same day-to-day work as the rest of us, but they manage to find something enjoyable in every situation. A real estate broker I know keeps herself amused on the job by mentally redecorating the houses she shows to clients. "I love imagining what even the most run-down house could look like withy a little tender loving care," she says. "It's a challenge--and the least desirable properties are usually the most fun." We all define fun differently, of course, but I can guarantee this: If you put just a bit of it into your day, you energy will increase quickly. 4. Bid farewell to guilt and regret. Everyone's past is filled with regrets that still cause pain. But from an emotional 2 energy point of view, they are dead weights that keep us from us from moving forward. While they can't merely be willed away, I do recommend you remind yourself that whatever happened is in the past, and nothing can change that. Holding on to the memory only allows the damage to continue into the present. 5. Make up your mind. Say you’ve been thinking about cutting your hair short. Will it look stylish – or too extreme? You endlessly think it over. Having the decision hanging over your head is a huge energy drain. Every time you can’t decide, you burden yourself with alternatives. Quit thinking that you have to make the right decision; instead, make a choice and don’t look back. 6. Give to get. Emotional energy has a kind of magical quality; the more you give, the more you get back. This is the difference between emotional and physical energy. With the latter, you have to get it to be able to give it. With the former, however, you get it by giving it. Start by asking everyone you meet, ―How are you?‖ as if you really want to know, then listen to the reply. Be the one who hears. Most of us also need to smile more often. If you don’t smile at the person you love first thing in the morning, you’re sucking energy out of your relationship. Finally, help another person—and make the ) to someone you love, or cook her dinner, help real, concrete. Give a massage (按摩 Then, expand the circle to work. Try asking yourself what you’d do if your goal were to be helpful rather than efficient. After all, if it’s true that what goes around comes around, why not make sure that what’s circulating around you is the good stuff? 注意:此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。 R1. The energy crisis in America discussed here mainly refers to a shortage of fossil fuels. R2. People these days tend to lack physical energy. R3. Laura Hillenbrand is an example cited to show how emotional energy can contribute to one’s success in life. R4. The author believes emotional energy is inherited and genetically determined. R5. Even small changes people make in their lives can help increase their emotional energy. R6. They filled her life with meaning by launching a program to help poor children. R7. The real-estate broker the author knows is talented in home redecoration. R8. People holding on to sad memories of the past will find it difficult to__________. R9. When it comes to decision-making. One should make a quick choice without _____________. R10. Emotional energy is in a way different from physical energy in that the more you give, ____________. Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes) 3 Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer, then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. 注意:此部分答题在答题卡2上作答。 1. A) Plan his budget carefully Give her more information. B) C) Ask someone else for advice. D) Buy a gift for his girlfriend. 2. A) She’ll have some chocolate cake. B) She’ll take a look at the menu. She’ll go without dessert. C) D) She’ll prepare the dinner. 3. A) The man can speak a foreign language. B) The woman hopes to improve her English. C) The woman knows many different languages. D) The man wishes to visit many more countries. 4. A) Go to the library. B) Meet the woman. C) See Professor Smith. D) Have a drink in the bar. 5. A) She isn’t sure when Professor Bloom will be back B) The man shouldn’t be late for his class. C) The man can come back sometime later. D) She can pass on the message for the man. 6. A) He has a strange personality. B) He’s got emotional problems. C) His illness is beyond cure. D) His behavior is hard to explain. 7. A) The tickets are more expensive than expected. B) The tickets are sold in advance at half price. C) It’s difficult to buy the tickets on the spot. D) It’s better to the tickets beforehand. 8. A) He turned suddenly and ran into a tree. B) He was hit by a fallen box from a truck. C) He drove too fast and crashed into a truck. D) He was trying to overtake the truck ahead of him. 4 Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. A) To go boating on the St. Lawrence River B) To go sightseeing in Quebec Province C) To call on a friend in Quebec City D) To attend a wedding in Montreal 10. A) Study the map of Quebec Province B) Find more about Quebec Province C) Brush up on her French D) Learn more about the local customs 11. A) It’s most beautiful in summer B) It has many historical buildings. C) It was greatly expanded in the 18th century. D) It’s the only French-speaking city in Canada. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 12. A) It was about a little animal. B) It took her six years to write. C) It was adapted from a fairy tale. D) It was about a little girl and her pet. 13. A) She knows how to write best-selling novels. B) She can earn a lot of money by writing for adults. C) She is able to win enough support from publishers. D) She can make a living by doing what she likes. 14. A) The characters. B) Her ideas. C) The readers. D) Her life experiences. 15. A) She doesn’t really know where they originated B) She mainly drew on stories of ancient saints. C) They popped out of her childhood dreams. D) They grew out of her long hours of thinking. Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage One Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard. Passage One 16. A) Monitor students’ sleep patterns. B) Help students concentrate in class. 5 C) Record students’ weekly performance. D) Ask students to complete a sleep report. 17. A) Declining health. B) Lack of attention. C) Loss of motivation. D) Improper behavior. 18. A) They should make sure their children are always punctual for school. B) They should ensure their children grow up in a healthy environment. C) They should help their children accomplish high-quality work. D) They should see to it that their children have adequate sleep. Passage Two Questions 29 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 9. A) She stopped being a homemaker. 1 B) She became a famous educator. C) She became a public figure. D) She quit driving altogether. 0. A) A motorist’s speeding. 2 B) Her running a stop sign. C) Her lack of driving experience. D) A motorist’s failure to concentrate. 21. A) Nervous and unsure of herself. Calm and confident of herself. B) C) Courageous and forceful. D) Distracted and reluctant. 22. A) More strict training of women drivers. B) Restrictions on cell phone use while driving. C) Improved traffic conditions in cities. D) New regulations to ensure children’s safety. Passage Three Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. A) They haven’t devoted as much energy to medicine as to space travel. B) Three are too many kinds of cold viruses for them to identify. C) It is not economical to find a cure for each for each type of cold. D) They believe people can recover without treatment. 24. A) They reveal the seriousness of the problem. B) They indicate how fast the virus spreads. C) They tell us what kind of medicine to take. D) They show our body is fighting the virus. 25. A) It actually does more harm than good. B) It causes damage to some organs of our body C) It works better when combined with other remedies. D) It helps us to recover much sooner. 6 Section C Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. 注意:此部分试题在答题卡2上;请在答题卡2上作答。 You probably have noticed that people express similar ideas in different ways depending on the situation they are in. This is very (C1) ________. All languages have two general levels of (C2) ________: a formal level and an informal level. English is no (C3) ________. The difference in these two levels is the situation in which you use a (C4) ________ level. Formal language is the kind of language you find in textbooks, (C5) ________ books and in business letters. You would also use formal English in compositions and (C6) ________ that you write in school. Informal language is used in conversation with (C7) ________, family members and friends, and when we write (C8) ________ notes or letters to close friends. Formal language is different from informal language in several ways. First, formal language tends to be more polite. (C9) ________________________________.For example, I might say to a friend or a family member ―Close the door, please,‖ (C10) ________________________________. Another difference between formal and informal language is some of the vocabulary. (C11) ________________________________. Let’s say that I really like soccer. If I am talking to my friend I might say ―I am just crazy about soccer!‖ But if I were talking to my boss, I would probably say ―I really enjoy soccer.‖ Part IV Reading Comprehension (reading in depth) (25 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 bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once. Questions R11 to R20 are based on the following passage. The flood of women into the job market boosted economic growth and changed 7 U.S. society in many ways. Many in-home jobs that used to be done__R11___ by women----ranging from family shopping to preparing meals to doing __R12___ work-----still need to be done by someone .Husbands and children now do some of these jobs, a __R13___ that has changed the target market for many products. Or a working woman may face a crushing ―poverty of time ― and look for help elsewhere , creating opportunities for producers of frozen meals, child care centers, dry cleaners, financial services, and the like. Although there is still a big wage __R14___ between men and women, the income working women ____R15____ gives them new independence and buying power. For example, women now __R16___ about half of all cars. Not long ago, many cars dealers ___R17___ women shoppers by ignoring them or suggesting that they come back with their husbands. Now car companies have realized that women are ___R18___ customers. It’s interesting that some leading Japanese car dealers were the first to ___R19____ pay attention to women customers. In Japan, fewer women have jobs or buy cars ---- the Japanese society is still very much male—oriented. Perhaps it was the __R20___ contrast with Japanese society that prompted American firms to pay more attention to women buyers. 注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答 A) scale I) potential B) retailed J) gap C) generate K) voluntary D) extreme L) excessive E) technically M) insulted F) affordable N) purchase G) situation O) primarily H) really Section B Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage One Unless we spend money to spot and prevent asteroids (小行星) now, one might crash into Earth and destroy life as we know it, say some scientists. Asteroids are bigger versions of the meteoroids (流星) that race across the night sky. Most orbit the sun far from Earth and don’t threaten us. But there are also thousands of asteroids whose orbits put them on a collision course with Earth. Buy $50 million worth of new telescopes right now. Then spend $10 million a year for the next 25 years to locate most of the space rocks. By the time we spot a fatal one, the scientists say, we’ll have a way to change its course. 8 Some scientists favor pushing asteroids off course with nuclear weapons. But the cost wouldn’t be cheap. Is it worth it? Two things experts consider when judging any risk re: 1) How likely the event is; and 2) How bad the consequences if the event occurs. Experts think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might strike Earth once every 500,000 years. Sounds pretty rare—but if one did fall, it would be the end of the world. ―If we don’t take care of these big asteroids, they’ll take care of us,‖ says one scientist. ―It’s that simple.‖ The cure, though, might be worse than the disease. Do we really want fleets of nuclear weapons sitting around on Earth? “The world has less to fear from doomsday (毁灭性的) rocks than from a great nuclear fleet set against them,” said a New York Times article. hat does the passage say about asteroids and meteoroids? 26. W A) They are heavenly bodies different in composition. B) They are heavenly bodies similar in nature. C) There are more asteroids than meteoroids. D) Asteroids are more mysterious than meteoroids. 27. What do scientists say about the collision of an asteroid with Earth? A) It is very unlikely but the danger exists. B) Such a collision might occur once every 25 years. C) Collisions of smaller asteroids with Earth occur more often than expected. D) It’s still too early to say whether such a collision might occur. 28. What do people think of the suggestion of using nuclear weapons to alter the courses of asteroids? A) It sounds practical but it may not solve the problem. B) It may create more problems than it might solve. C) It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very unlikely. D) Further research should be done before it is proved applicable. 29. We can conclude from the passage that ________. A) while pushing asteroids off course nuclear weapons would destroy the world B) asteroids racing across the night sky are likely to hit Earth in the near future C) the worry about asteroids can be left to future generations since it is unlikely to happen in our lifetime D) workable solutions still have to be found to prevent a collision of asteroids with Earth 30. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in this passage? A) Optimistic. B) Critical. C) Objective. D) Arbitrary. Passage Two Believe it or not, optical illusion (错觉) can cut highway crashes. 9 Japan is a case in point. It has reduced automobile crashes on some roads by nearly 75 percent using a simple optical illusion. Bent stripes, called chevrons (人字 形), painted on the roads make drivers think that they are driving faster than they really are, and thus drivers slow down. Now the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety in Washington D.C. is planning to repeat Japan’s success. Starting next year, the foundation will paint chevrons and other patterns of stripes on selected roads around the country to test how well the patterns reduce highway crashes. Excessive speed plays a major role in as much as one fifth of all fatal traffic accidents, according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation will conduct its tests in areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest—curves, exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges. Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars. Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are driving faster than they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The result is a longer lasting reduction in highway sped and the number of traffic accidents. 31. The passage mainly discusses ________. A) a new way of highway speed control B) a new pattern for painting highways C) a new approach to training drivers D) a new type of optical illusion 32. On roads painted with chevrons, drivers tend to feel that ________. A) they should avoid speed-related hazards B) they are driving in the wrong lane C) they should slow down their speed D) they are approaching the speed limit 33. The advantage of chevrons over straight, horizontal bars is that the former ________. A) can keep drivers awake B) can cut road accidents in half C) will have a longer effect on drivers D) will look more attractive 34. The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety plans to ________. A) try out the Japanese method in certain areas B) change the road signs across the country C) replace straight, horizontal bars with chevrons D) repeat the Japanese road patterns 35. What does the author say about straight, horizontal bars painted across roads? A) They are falling out of use in the United States. B) They tend to be ignored by drivers in a short period of time. C) They are applicable only on broad roads. 10 D) They cannot be applied successfully to traffic circles. Part V Cloze (15 minutes) Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. 注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。 Language is the most astonishing behavior in the animal kingdom. It is the __ from all other animals. species-typical behavior that sets humans completely __36 Language is a means of communication, __37__ it is much more than that. Many animals can __38__. The dance of the honeybee communicates the location of flowers __39__ other members of the hive (蜂群). But human language permits communication about anything, __40__ things like unicorn (独角兽) that have never __ existed. The key __41__ in the fact that the units of meaning, words, can be __42together in different ways, according to __43__, to communicate different meanings. Language is the most important learning we do. Nothing __44__ humans so much as __ about the universe, the mind, our ability to communicate abstract thoughts, __45 love, dreams, or ordering a drink. It is an immensely complex __46__ that we take for granted. Indeed, we are not aware of most __47__ of our speech and understanding. Consider what happens when one person is speaking to __48__. The speaker has to translate thoughts into __49__ language. Brain imaging studies suggest that the time from thoughts to the __50__ of speech is extremely fast, only 0.04 seconds! The listener must hear the sounds to __51__ out what the speaker means. He must use the sounds of speech to __52__ the words spoken, understand the pattern of __53__ of the words (sentences), and finally __54__ the meaning. This takes somewhat longer, a minimum of about 0.5 seconds. But __55__ started, it is of course a continuous process. 36. A) apart B) off C) up D) down 37. A) so B) but C) or D) for 38. A) transfer B) transmit C) convey D) communicate 39 A) to B) from C) over D) on 40. A) only B) almost C) even D) just 41. A) stays B) situates C) hides D) lies 42. A) stuck B) strung C) rung D) consisted 43. A) rules B) scales C) laws D) standards 44. A) combines B) contains C) defines D) declares 45. A) what B) whether C) while D) if 46. A) prospect B) progress C) process D) produce 47. A) aspects B) abstracts C) angles D) assumptions 48. A) anybody B) another C) other D) everybody 11 49. A) body B) gesture C) written D) spoken 50. A) growing B) fixing C) beginning D) building 51. A) put B) take C) draw D) figure 52. A) identify B) locate C) reveal D) discover 53. A) performance B) organization C) design D) layout 54. A) prescribe B) justify C) utter D) interpret 55. A) since B) after C) once D) until Part VI Translation (5 minutes) Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets. Please write you translation on Answer Sheet 2. 注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答，只需写出译文部分。 Specialists in intercultural studies says that it is not easy to _______________(适T1. 应不同文化中的生活) T2. Since my childhood I have fond that _____________________(没有什么比读 对我更有吸引力) T3. The victim _______________________(本来会有机会活下来)if he had been taken to hospital in time T4. Some psychologists claim that people___________________(出门在外时可能会 感到孤独) T5. The nation’s population continues to rise __________________(以每年1200万 人的速度) 12