2017年12月四级第二套

2017

年

12

月大学 英语四级考试真题

(

第

2

套

)

Part I

Writing

(30 minutes)

Directions: For this part,you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on how to best handle

the relationship between teachers and students. You should write at least 120 words but no more

than 180 words.

Part II

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) It tries to entertain its audience.

C) It wants to catch people

’

s attention.

B) It tries to look into the distance.

D) It has got one of its limbs injured.

2. A) It was spotted by animal protection officials.

B) It was filmed by a local television reporter.

C) Its videos were posted on social media.

D) Its picture won a photography prize.

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

3. A) The distance travelled

C) The spending on gas.

B) The incidence of road accidents.

D) The number of people travelling.

4. A) Fewer people are commuting.

C) Job growth is slowing down.

B) Gas consumption is soaring.

D) Rush-hour traffic is worsening.

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.

5. A) He told a stranger the sad story about himself.

B) He helped a stranger to carry groceries to his car.

C) He went up to a stranger and pulled at his sleeves.

D) He washed a stranger

’

s car in return for some food.

6. A) He ordered a lot of food for his family.

C) He raised a large sum of money for him.

B) He gave him a job at his own company.

D) He offered him a scholarship for college.

7. A) He works hard to support his family.

C) He is very good at making up stories.

B) He is an excellent student at school.

D) He has been disabled since boyhood.

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) Attended an economics lecture.

C) Had a drink at Queen Victoria.

B) Taken a walk on Charles Street.

D) Had dinner at a new restaurant.

9. A) Treat a college friend to dinner.

C) Attend his brother

’

s birthday party.

B) Make preparations for a seminar.

D) Visit some of his high school friends.

10. A) Gather statistics for his lecture.

B) Throw a surprise birthday party.

C) Meet with Jonathan

’

s friends on the weekend.

D) Join him in his brother

’

s birthday celebration.

11. A) By car.

B) By train.

C) By taxi.

D) By bus.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) Taking a vacation abroad.

C) Saving enough money for a rainy day.

B) Reviewing for his last exam.

D) Finding a better way to earn money.

13. A) Preparing for his final exams.

C) Working part time as a waiter.

B) Negotiating with his boss for a raise.

D) Helping the woman with her courses.

14. A) Finish her term paper.

C) Learn a little bit of Spanish.

B) Save enough money.

D) Ask her parent

’

s permission.

15. A) He has rich sailing experience.

C) He is also eager to go to Spain.

B) He speaks Spanish fluently.

D) He is easy to get along with.

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 mast choose the best answer from the four choices markedA), 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) She went to the same university as her mother.

B) She worked as a nurse in the First World War.

C) She won the Nobel Prize two times.

D) She was also a Nobel Prize winner.

17. A) She fought bravely in a series of military operations.

B) She developed X-ray facilities for military hospitals.

C) She helped to set up several military hospitals.

D) She made donations to save wounded soldiers.

18. A) Both died of blood cancer.

C) Both won military medals.

B) Both fought in World War I.

D) Both married their assistants.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. A) They were the first settlers in Europe.

B) They were the conquerors of Norway.

C) They discovered Iceland in the ninth century.

D) They settled on a small island north of England.

20. A) It was some five hundred miles west of Norway.

B) It was covered with green most time of the year.

C) It was the Vikings

’

most important discovery.

D) It was a rocky mass of land covered with ice.

21. A) The Vikings,ocean explorations.

C) The Vikings

’

everyday life.

B) The making of European nations.

D) The Europeans

’

Arctic discoveries.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. A) Work hard for a better life.

C) Dream about the future.

B) Make mistakes now and then.

D) Save against a rainy day.

23. A) Teach foreign languages for the rest of his life.

B) Change what he has for his past imaginary world.

C) Exchange his two-story house for a beach cottage.

D) Dwell on the dreams he had dreamed when young.

24. A) Criminal law.

C) Oriental architecture.

B) City planning.

D) International business.

25. A) Dream and make plans.

C) Be content with what you have.

B) Take things easy in life,

D) Enjoy whatever you are doing.

Part III

Reading Comprehension

(40 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one

word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the

passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a

letter.

Please

mark

the

corresponding

letter

for

each

item

on

Answer

Sheet

2

with

a

single

line

through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.

Technological

changes

brought

dramatic

new

options

to

Americans

living

in

the

1990s.

During this decade new forms of entertainment, commerce, research, and communication became

commonplace

in

the

U.

S.

The

driving

force

behind

much

of

this

change

was

a(n)

26

popular-ly known as the Internet.

The Internet was developed during the 1970s by the Department of Defense. In the case of an

attack, military advisers suggested the

27of being able to operate one computer from another

terminal. In the early days, the Internet was used mainly by scientists to communicate with other

scientists. The Internet

28under government control until 1984.

One

early

problem

faced

by

Internet

users

was

speed.

Phone

lines

could

only

transmit

information

at

a

29rate.

The

development

of

fiber-optic

(

光纤

)cables

allowed

for

billions

of

bits

of

information

to

be

received

every

minute.

Companies

like

Intel

developed

faster

microprocessors, sopersonal computers could process the

30signals at a more rapid rate.

In

the

early

1990s,

the

World

Wide

Web

was

developed,

in

large

part,

for

31purposes.

Corporations created home pages where they could place text and graphics to sell products. Soon

airline tickets, hotel32, and even cars and homes could be purchased online. Universities

33research

data

on

the

Internet,

so

students

could

find

34

information

without

leaving

their

dormitories.

Companies

soon

discovered

that

work

could

be

done

at

home

and35online,

so

a

whole new class of telecommuters began to earn a living from home offices unshaven and wearing

pajamas (

睡衣

).

A) advantage

B) commercial

C) conservation

D) equipped

E) incoming

F) innovation

G) limited

H) local

Section B

I) maintained

J) occupations

K) posted

L) remained

M) reservations

N) submitted

O) valuable

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.

The Health Benefits of Knitting

A) About 15 years ago,I was invited to join a knitting group. I agreed to give it a try.

B) My mother had taught me to knit at 15, and I knitted in class throughout college and for a

few years thereafter. Then decades passed without my touching a knitting needle. But within two

Mondays in the group, I was hooked, not only on knitting but also on crocheting (

钩织

),and I was

on my way to becoming a highly productive crafter.

C)

I

’

ve

made

countless

baby

blankets,

sweaters,

scarves,

hats,

caps

for

newborns. I

take

a

knitting project with me everywhere,especially when I have to sit still and listen. As I discovered

in college,when my hands are busy,my mind stays focused on the here and now.

D) It seems,too,that I

’

m part of a national renewal of interest in needle and other handicrafts

(

手工艺

).The Craft Yam Council reports that a third of women ages 25-35 now knit or crochet.

Even

men

and

schoolchildren

are

swelling

the

ranks,

among

them

my

Mend

’

s

three

small

grandsons.

Last April, the council created a Stitch Away Stress” campaign in honor of National

Stress Awareness Month. Dr. Herbert Benson,a pioneer in mind/body medicine and author of The

Relaxation Response,says that the repetitive action of needlework can induce a relaxed state like

that associated with meditation (

沉思

)and yoga. Once you get beyond the initial learning curve,

knitting and crocheting can lower heart rate and blood pressure.

E) But unlike meditation,craft activities result in tangible and often useful products that can

enhance self-esteem. I keep photos of my singular accomplishments on my cellphone to boost my

spiritswhen needed.

F) Since the 1990s, the council has surveyed hundreds of thousands of knitters and crocheters,

who

routinely

list

stress

relief

and

creative

fulfillment

as

the

activities

’

main

benefits.

Among

them is the father of a prematurely born daughter who reported that during the baby

’

s five weeks

in the intensive care unit,

“

learning how to knit infant hats gave me a sense of purpose during a

time that I felt very helpless. It

’

s a hobby that I

’

ve stuck with, and it continues to help me cope

with stress at work,provide a sense of order in hectic (

忙乱的

)days, and allow my brain time to

solve problems.

”

G)

A

recent

email

from

the

yam

(

纺纱

)com

pan y

Red

Heart

titled

“Health

Benefits

of

Crocheting

and

Knitting”

prompted

me

to

explore

what

else

might

be

known

about

the

health

value of activities like knitting. My research revealed that the rewards go well beyond replacing

stress and anxiety with the satisfaction of creation.

H) For example, Karen Hayes, a life coach in Toronto, conducts knitting therapy programs,

including Knit to Quit to help smokers give up the habit, and Knit to Heal for people coping with

health crises,like a cancer diagnosis or serious illness of a family

member. Schools and prisons

with craft programs report that they have a calming effect and enhance social skills. And having to

follow instructions on complex craft projects can improve children

’

s math skills.

I) Some people find that craftwork helps them control their weight. Just as it

’

s challenging to

smoke

while

knitting,

when

hands

are

holding

needles

and

hooks,

there

’

s

less

snacking

and

mindless eating out of boredom.

J)

I

’

ve

found

that

my

handiwork

with

yam

has

helped

my

arthritic

(

患关节炎的

)fingers

remain more dexterous (

灵巧的

)as I age. A woman encouraged to try knitting and crocheting after

developing

an

autoimmune

disease

that

caused

a

lot

of

hand

pain

reported

on

the

Craft

Yam

Council site that her hands are now less stiff and painful.

K) A 2009 University of British Columbia study of 38 women with an eating disorder who

were

taught

to

knit

found

that

learning

the

craft

led

to

significant

improvements.

Seventy-four

percent of the women said the activity lessened their fears and kept them from thinking about their

problem.

L)

Betsan

Corkhill,

a

wellness

coach

in

Bath,

England,

and

author

of

the

book

Knit

for

Health

&

Wellness,established

a

website,

Stitchlinks,

to

explore

the

value

of

what

she

calls

therapeutic knitting. Among her respondents, 54 percent of those who were clinically depressed

said that knitting made them feel happy or very happy. In a study of 60 self-selected people with

persistent pain, Ms. Corkhill and colleagues reported that knitting enabled them to redirect their

focus, reducing their awareness of pain. She suggested that the brain can process just so much at

once, and that activities like knitting and crocheting make it harder for the brain to register pain

signals. Perhaps most exciting is research that suggests that crafts like knitting and crocheting may

help to keep off a decline in brain function with age. In a 2011 study, researchers led by Dr. Yonas

Geda at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester interviewed a random (

随机的

)sample of 1,321 people ages

70-89,

most

of

whom

were

cognitively

(

在认知方 面

)normal,about

the

cognitive

activities

they

engaged

in

late

in

life.

The

study,

published

in

the

Journal

of

Neuropsychiatry

&

Clinical

Neurosciences,

found

that

those

who

engaged

in

crafts

like

knitting

and

crocheting

had

a

diminished chance of developing mild cognitive disorder and memory loss.

M) Although it is possible that only people who are cognitively healthy would pursue such

activities, those who read newspapers or magazines or played music did not show similar benefits.

Theresearchers speculate that craft activities promote the development of nerve pathways in the

brain that help to maintain cognitive health.

N) In support of that suggestion, a 2014 study by Denise C. Park of the University of Texas at

Dallas

and

colleagues

demonstrated

that

learning

to

knit

or

do

digital

photography

enhanced

memory

function

in

older

adults.

Those

who

engaged

in

activities

that

were

not

intellectually

challenging, either in a social group or alone, did not show such improvements.

O) Given that sustained social contacts have been shown to support health and a long life,

those

wishing

to

maximize

the

health

value

of

crafts

might

consider

joining

a

group

of

like-minded folks.

I for one try not to miss a single weekly meeting of my knitting group.

36. When the author was a college student, she found that knitting helped her concentrate.

37. Knitting can help people stay away from tobacco.

38. Even men and children are now joining the army of knitters.

39. Being a member of a crafts group enhances one

’

s health and prolongs one

’

s life.

40. Knitting diverts people

’

s attention from their pain.

41. The author learnt to knit as a teenager, but it was not until she was much older that she became

keenly interested.

42. When people are knitting, they tend to eat fewer snacks.

43. Survey findings show that knitting can help people relieve stress.

44. According to a study,knitters and crocheters are less likely to suffer mild cognitive damage.

45. The products of knitting can increase one

’

s sense of self-respect.

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)

andD).

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.

Nobody really knows how big Lagos is. What

’

s indisputable is that it

’

s growing very quickly.

Between

now

and

2050,the

urban

population

of

Africa

could

triple.

Yet

cities

in

sub- Saharan

Africa are not getting richer the way cities in the rest of the world have. Most urban Africans live

in slums (

贫民窟

); migrants are often not much better off than they were in the countryside. Why?

The immediate problem is poverty. Most of Africa is urbanising at a lower level of income

than other regions of the world did. That means there

’

s little money around for investment that

would

make

cities

liveable

and

more

productive.

Without

upgrades

and

new

capacity,

bridges,

roads and power systems are unable to cope with expanding populations. With the exception of

South Africa,the only light rail metro system in sub-Saharan Africa is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Traffic jam leads to expense and unpredictability,things that keep investors away.

In

other

parts

of

the

world,

increasing

agricultural

productivity

and

industrialization

went

together. More productive farmers meant there was a surplus that could feed cities; in turn, that

created

a

pool

of

labour

for

factories.

But

African

cities

are

different.

They

are

too

often

built

around

consuming

natural

resources.

Government

is

concentrated

in

capitals,so

is

the

money.

Most

urban

Africans

work

for

a

small

minority

of

the

rich,

who

tend

to

be

involved

in

either

cronyish

(

有裙带关系的

)businesses

or

politics.

Since

African

agriculture

is

still

broadly

unproductive, food is imported, consuming a portion of revenue.

So what can be done? Though African countries are poor, not all African cities are. In Lagos,

foreign oil workers can pay as much as $$65,000 per year in rent for a modest apartment in a safe

part of town. If that income were better taxed, it might provide the revenue for better infrastructure.

If

city

leaders

were

more

accountable

to

their

residents,

they

might

favour

projects

designed

to

help

them

more.

Yet

even

as

new

roads

are

built,

new

people

arrive.

When

a

city

’

s

population

grows by 5% a year, it is difficult to keep up.

46. What do we learn from the passage about cities in sub-Saharan Africa?

A) They have more slums than other cities in the world.

B) They are growing fast without becoming richer.

C) They are as modernised as many cities elsewhere.

D) They attract migrants who want to be better off.

47. What does the author imply about urbanisation in other parts of the world?

A) It benefited from the contribution of immigrants.

B) It started when people

’

s income was relatively high.

C) It benefited from the accelerated rise in productivity.

D) It started with the improvement of people

’

s livelihood.

48. Why is sub-Saharan Africa unappealing to investors?

A) It lacks adequate transport facilities.

B) The living expenses there are too high.

C) It is on the whole too densely populated.

D) The local governments are corrupted.

49. In what way does the author say African cities are different?

A) They have attracted huge numbers of farm labourers.

B) They still rely heavily on agricultural productivity.

C) They have developed at the expense of nature.

D) They depend far more on foreign investment.

50. What might be a solution to the problems facing African cities?

A) Lowering of apartment rent.

C) More rational overall planning.

B) Better education for residents.

D) A more responsible government.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

For the past several decades, it seems there

’

s been a general consensus on how to get ahead in

America: Get a college education, find a reliable job,and buy your own home. But do Americans

still believe in that path, and if they do, is it attainable?

The most recent National Journal poll asked respondents about the American dream,what it

takes to achieve their goals,and whether or not they felt a significant amount of control over their

ability

to

be

successful. Overwhelmingly,

the

results

show

that

today,

the

idea

of

the American

dream

—

and what it takes to achieve it

—

looks quite different than it did in the late 20th century.

By

and

large,people

felt

that

their

actions

and

hard

work

—

not

outside

forces

—

were

the

deciding factor in how their lives turned out. But respondents had decidedly mixed feelings about

what actions make for a better life in the current economy.

In the last seven years,Americans have grown more pessimistic about the power of education

to lead to success. Even though they see going to college as a fairly achievable goal, a majority

—

52

percent

—

think

that

young

people

do

not

need

a

four-year

college

education

in

order

to

be

successful.

Miguel Maeda, 42, who has a master

’

s degree and works in public health,was the first in his

family to go to college,which has allowed him to achieve a sense of financial stability his parents

and grandparents never did.

While some, like Maeda, emphasized the value of the degree rather than the education itself,

others still see college as a way to gain new perspectives and life experiences.

Sixty-year-old Will Fendley, who had a successful career in the military and never earned a

college

degree,

thinks

“personal

drive”

is

far

more

important

than

just

going

to

college.

To

Fendley, a sense of drive and purpose,as well as an effective high-school education,and basic life

skills,like balancing a checkbook, are the necessary ingredients for a successful life in America.

51. It used to be commonly acknowledged that to succeed in America, one had to have ______.

A) an advanced academic degree

C) a firm belief in their dream

B) an ambition to get ahead

D) a sense of drive and purpose

52. What is the finding of the latest National Journal poll concerning the American dream?

A) More and more Americans are finding it hard to realize.

B) It remains alive among the majority of American people.

C) Americans

’

idea of it has changed over the past few decades.

D) An increasing number of young Americans are abandoning it.

53. What do Americans now think of the role of college education in achieving success?

A) It still remains open to debate.

B) It has proved to be beyond doubt.

C) It is no longer as important as it used to be.

D) It is much better understood now than ever.

54. How do some people view college education these days?

A) It promotes gender equality.

C) It adds to cultural diversity.

B) It needs to be strengthened.

D) It helps broaden their minds.

55. What is one factor essential to success in America, according to Will Fendley?

A) A desire to learn and to adapt.

C) A willingness to commit oneself.

B) A strong sense of responsibility.

D) A clear aim and high motivation.

Part IV

Translation

(30 minutes)

Directions:

For

this

part,you

are

allowed

SO

minutes

to

translate

a

passage

from

Chinese

into

English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.

华山位于华阴市，距西安

120

公里。华山是秦岭的一部分，秦岭不仅分隔陕南与陕北，

也分隔华南与华北。

与从前人们常去朝拜的泰山不同，

华山 过去很少有人光临，

因为上山的

道路极其危险。

然而，希望长寿的人却经常上山，

因为山上生长着许多药草，特别是一些稀

有的药草。自上世纪

90

年代安装缆车以来 ，参观人数大大增加。