2012年12月英语四级考试真题及答案(第2套)

2012

年

12

月英语 四级考试真题及答案

(

第

2

)

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay. You should start your

essay with a brief account of the increasing use of the mobile phone in people's life and then

explain the consequences of overusing it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than

180 words.

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, choose the best answer from the four choices

marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given

in the passage.

Should Sugar Be Regulated like Alcohol and Tobacco?

Sugar

poses

enough

health

risks

that

it

should

be

considered

a

controlled

substance

just

like

alcohol and tobacco, argue a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco

(UCSF).

In

an

opinion

piece

called

Toxic

(

毒性的

) Truth

About

Sugar

published

Feb. 1

in

Nature,

Robert

Lustig,

Laura

Schmidt

and

Claire

Brindis

argue

that

it's

wrong

to

consider

sugar

just

scientific evidence is showing that fructose (

果糖

) can trigger processes that lead to liver toxicity

and a host of other chronic diseases. A little is not a problem, but a lot kills- slowly.

Almost everyone's heard of-or personally experienced-the well-known sugar high, so perhaps the

comparison between sugar and alcohol or tobacco shouldn't come as a surprise. But it's doubtful

that Americans will look favorably upon regulating their favorite vice. We're a nation that's sweet

on sugar: the average US adult downs 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, according to the American

Heart Association, and surveys have found that teens swallow 34 teaspoons.

To counter our consumption, the authors advocate taxing sugary foods and controlling sales to

kids under 17. Already, 17% of US children and teens are obese (

肥胖的

), and across the world

the sugar intake (

摄入

) has increased three times in the past 50 years. The increase has helped

create

a

global

obesity

plague

that

contributes

to

35

million

annual

deaths

worldwide

from

noninfectious

diseases

including

cancer,

heart

disease

and

diabetes.

Linda

Matzigkeit,

a

senior

vice president at Children's Healthcare, said

is in danger. It's not good if your state has the second-highest obesity rate. Obese children turn

into obese adults.

acids

(

氨基酸

)

and

bad

amino

acids,

Lustig,

director

of

the

Weight

Assessment

for

Teen

and

Child Health program at UCSF, said in a statement.

The food industry tries to imply that

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.

there is something different about sugar,

The UCSF report emphasizes the metabolic (

新陈代谢的

) effects of sugar. Excess sugar can alter

metabolism,

raise

blood

pressure,

affect

the

signaling

of

hormones

and

damage

the

liver- outcomes

that

sound

suspiciously

similar

to

what

can

happen

after

a

person

drinks

too

much alcohol. Schmidt, co-chair of UCSF's Community Engagement and Health Policy program,

noted on CNN:

simply made from sugar. Where does vodka come from? Sugar.

But there are also other areas of impact that researchers have investigated: the effect of sugar on

the brain and how liquid calories are interpreted differently by the body than solids. Research has

suggested

that

sugar

activates

the

same

reward

pathways

in

the

brain

as

traditional

drugs

of

abuse like morphine or heroin. No one is claiming the effect of sugar is quite that strong, but,

says Brownell,

have withdrawal symptoms when they stop eating it.

There's

also

something

particularly

tricky

about

sugary drinks.

calories

come

in

liquids,

the body doesn't feel as full,

before from sugared drinks.

Other countries, including France, Greece and Denmark, impose soda taxes, and the concept is

being

considered

in

at

least

20

US

cities

and

states.

Last

summer,

Philadelphia

came

close

to

passing

a

2-cents-per-ounce

soda

tax. The

Rudd

Center

has

been

a

strong

advocate

of

a more

modest

1-cent-per-ounce

tax.

But

at

least

one

study,

from

2010,

has

raised

doubts

that

soda

taxes would result in significant weight loss: apparently people who are determined to eat- and

drink-unhealthily

will

find

ways

to

do

it.

Teens-no

surprise-are

good

at finding

ways

to

get

the

things they can't have, so state policies banning all sugar-sweetened drinks from public schools

and providing only water, milk or 100% fruit juices haven't had the intended effect of steering

kids

away

from

drinking

sugared

drinks:

the

average

teen

consumes

about

300

calories

per

day-that's nearly 15% of his daily calories-in sweetened drinks, and the food and drink industry is

only too happy to feed this need.

Ultimately, regulating sugar will prove particularly tricky because it goes beyond health concerns;

sugar,

for

so

many

people,

is

love.

A

plate

of

cut-up

vegetables

just

doesn't

pack

the

same

emotional punch as a tin of home-made chocolate chip cookies (

饼干

), which is why I took my

daughter

out

for

a

cupcake

and

not

an

apple

as

an

after- school

treat

today.

We

don't

do

that

regularly-it's the first time this school year, actually-and that's what made it special. As a society,

could

we

ever

reach

the

point

where

we'd

think

apples-not

a

cupcake-are

something

to

get

excited

over?

Says

Brindis,

one

of

the

report's

authors

and

director

of

UCSF's

Philip

R.

Lee

Institute for Health Policy Studies:

of sugar. Changing these patterns is very complicated.

For

inroads

(

进展

)

to

be

made,

say

the

authors

in

their

statement,

people

have

to

be

better

educated about the hazards of sugar and agree that something's got to change:

Many

of

the

interventions

(

干预

)

that

have

reduced

alcohol

and

tobacco

consumption

can

be

models for addressing the sugar problem, such as imposing special sales taxes, controlling access,

and tightening licensing requirements on vending machine (

自动售货机

) and snack-bars that sell

high sugar products in schools and workplaces.

government

into

people's

lives.

We're

talking

about

gentle

ways

to

make

sugar

consumption

slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want

is

to

actually

increase

people's

choices

by

making

foods

that

aren't

loaded

with

sugar

comparatively easier and cheaper to get.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡

1

上作答。

1. Why do some researchers think sugar should be considered

A) It contains nothing but empty calories.

B) It is as harmful as morphine and heroin.

C) It works the same way as alcohol and tobacco in the human body.

D) Excessive intake of sugar results in liver toxicity and various diseases.

2. What might be Americans' attitude towards government regulation of sugar consumption?

A) Enthusiastic. B) Indifferent. C) Disapproving. D) Supportive.

3. What is a consequence of excessive sugar intake worldwide?

A) It contributes to 35 million noninfectious disease- related deaths a year.

B) It has increased the death toll nearly three times in the past 50 years.

C) It contributes to the rise of prices of sugar and sugary foods.

D) It has increased the global obesity rate to some 17 percent.

4.

The

food

industry

tries

to

relieve

the

public

worry

about

sugar

intake

by

suggesting

that

_____________.

A) sugar is no more than a source of energy

B) sugar is not harmful like alcohol or tobacco

C) the hazard of sugar to the body is exaggerated

D) the consumption of sugar is easily controllable

5. According to Brownell, liquid sugar _____________.

A) is especially attractive to young children

B) is much easier and quicker to absorb than solid sugar

C) effectively stimulates people's appetite

D) increases your calorie intake without your knowing it

6. What does the author think of the practice of imposing sugar taxes?

A) It will harm the food and drink industry.

B) It is unlikely to yield the intended effect.

C) It is likely to alter people's eating habits.

D) It can steer kids away from sugary foods.

7. Regulating sugar will prove tricky because _____________.

A) people consume sugar in large quantities

B) nothing has been found to replace sugar

C) sugar may convey a sense of love

D) many foods will become tasteless

8.

In

order

to

reduce

sugar

consumption,

education

should

be

conducted

to

raise

people's

awareness of its _____________.

9. To address the sugar problem, the author suggests that the licensing requirements on vending

machine and snack-bars selling high sugar products be _____________.

10.

A

gentle

way

to

steer

people

away

from

sugar

is

to

make

inexpensive,

low-sugar

foods

_____________.

Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)

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：此部分试题请在答题卡

2

上作答。

11. A) Find a shortcut to the park.

B) Buy some roses from the market.

C) Plant trees in the east end of town.

D) Go to the park to enjoy the flowers.

12. A) She has been invited to give a talk.

B) She is going to meet the man at 9:30.

C) She cannot attend the presentation.

D) She cannot work because of her toothache.

13. A) He is a very successful businessman.

B) He has changed his business strategy.

C) He is making plans to expand his operation.

D) He was twenty when he took over the company.

14. A) She has every confidence in Susan.

B) She has not read the news on the Net.

C) She is a little bit surprised at the news.

D) She is not as bright and diligent as Susan.

15. A) It is more comfortable and convenient to take a bus.

B) It is worth the money taking a train to Miami.

C) It is not always cheaper going by bus.

D) It is faster to go to Miami by train.

16. A) Antiques can improve their image.

B) Preservation of antiques is important.

C) The old furniture should be replaced.

D) They should move into a new office.

17. A) All roads were closed because of the flood.

B) The man stayed at the lab the whole night.

C) The man got home late due to the storm.

D) The storm continued until midnight.

18. A) Many children feel bored when left alone.

B) The woman's sons might enjoy team sports.

C) The woman's kids can play soccer with his son.

D) Children should play sports at least once a week.

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

19. A) Make phone calls to promote sales.

B) Arrange business negotiations.

C) Handle complaints from customers.

D) Take orders over the phone.

20. A) They had different business strategies.

B) Customers often mistook one for the other.

C) Conflicts between them could not be properly solved.

D) Customers' questions could not be answered on the same day.

21. A) They each take a week.

B) They like to spend it together.

C) They have to take it by turns.

D) They are given two weeks each.

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

22. A) At a road crossing.

B) Outside a police station.

C) Near a school.

D) In front of a kindergarten.

23. A) He drove too fast to read it.

B) He did not notice it.

C) It says 45 miles an hour.

D) It is not clearly visible.

24. A) It should have been renewed two months ago.

B) It actually belongs to somebody else.

C) It is no longer valid.

D) It is not genuine.

25. A) He got a ticket.

B) He was fined $$35.

C) He had his driver's license canceled.

D) He had to do two weeks' community service.

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 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。

Passage One

Questions 26 to 29 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

26. A) They care more about an item's price than its use.

B) They grab whatever they think is a good bargain.

C) They become excited as if they had never been there.

D) They behave as if their memories have failed totally.

27. A) Those with a VIP card. C) Those needing assistance.

B) Those with 15 items or less. D) Those paying in cash.

28. A) Go back and pick up more items. C) Change the items they have picked up.

B) Take out some unwanted purchases. D) Calculate the total cost of the groceries.

29. A) It calls for carefulness. C) It needs a good knowledge of math.

B) It requires tolerance. D) It involves communication skills.

Passage Two

Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.

30. A) A package of ideas formally presented.

B) A short presentation clearly delivered.

C) A natural and spontaneous style ot speech.

D) A clever use of visual aids in presentation.

31. A) The skillful use of gestures and facial expressions.

B) Differences in style between writing and speaking.

C) Different preferences of audiences.

D) The importance of preparation.

32. A) The differences between American and Asian cultures.

B) The significance of cross-cultural communication.

C) The increasing importance of public speaking.

D) The key to becoming a good speaker.

Passage Three

Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

33. A) By comparing his performance with others'.

B) By being repeatedly corrected by adults.

C) By observing what their teachers do.