2014年12月英语四级仔细阅读真题(总三套题)及答案

2014

年

12

月四级 真题（第

1

套）

第一套：

Passage One

Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

The rise of the Internet has been one of the most transformative developments in human

history,comparable in impact to the invention of the printing press and the telegraph. Over

two billion people worldwide now have access to vastly more information than ever before,

and

can

communicate

with

each

other

instantly,

often

using

Web-connected

mobile

devices they carry everywhere. But the Internet's tremendous impact has only just begun.

adoption

of

the

Internet

is

driving

one

of

the

most

exciting

social,

cultural,

and

political

transformations

in

history,

and

unlike

earlier

periods

of

change,

this

time

the

effects are fully global,

Schmidt and Cohen write in their new book, The New Digital Age.

Perhaps the most profound changes will come when the five billion people worldwide who

currently lack Internet access get online. The authors do an excellent job of examining the

implications of the Internet revolution for individuals, governments, and institutions like the

news media. But ff the book has one major shortcoming, it's that the authors don't spend

enough time applying a critical eye to the role of Internet businesses in these sweeping

changes.

In

their

book,

the

authors

provide

the

most

authoritative

volume

to

date

that

describes--and

more

importantly

predicts--how

the

Internet

will

shape

our

lives

in

the

coming

decades.

They

paint

a

picture

of

a

world

in

which

individuals,

companies,

institutions, and governments must deal with two realities,one physical, and one virtual.

At the core of the book is the idea that

this concept as a starting point, the authors aim to move beyond the now familiar optimist

vs.

pessimist

dichotomy

(

对立观点

)

that

has

characterized

many

recent

debates

about

whether the rise of the Internet will ultimately be good or bad for society. In an interview

with

TIME

earlier

this

week,

Cohen

said

although

he

and

his

co-author

are

optimistic

about many aspects of the Internet, they're also realistic about the risks and dangers that

lie

ahead

when

the

next

five

billion

people

come

online,

particularly

with

respect

to

personal privacy and state surveillance (

监视

).

注意：此部分试题请在答 题卡

2

上作答。

56. In what way is the rise of the Internet similar to the invention of the printing press and

the telegraph?

A

．

It transforms human history.

B

．

It facilitates daily communication.

C

．

It is adopted by all humanity.

D

．

It revolutionizes people's thinking.

57. How do Schmidt and Cohen describe the effects of the Internet?

A

．

They are immeasurable.

B

．

They are worldwide.

C

．

They are unpredictable.

D

．

They are contaminating.

58. In what respect is the book The New Digital Age considered inadequate?

A

．

It fails to recognize the impact of the Internet technology.

B

．

It fails to look into the social implications of the Internet.

C

．

It lacks an objective evaluation of the role of Internet businesses.

D

．

It does not address the technical aspects of Internet communication.

59. What will the future be like when everybody gets online?

A

．

People will be living in two different realities.

B

．

People will have equal access to information.

C

．

People don't have to travel to see the world.

D

．

People don't have to communicate face to face.

60. What does the passage say about the authors of The New Digital Age?

A

．

They leave many questions unanswered concerning the Internet.

B

．

They are optimistic about the future of the Internet revolution.

C

．

They have explored the unknown territories of the virtual world.

D

．

They don't take sides in analyzing the effects of the Internet.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

In 1950, a young man would have found it much easier than it is today to get and keep a

job

in

the

auto

industry.

And

in

that

year

the

average

autoworker

could

meet

monthly

mortgage

(

抵押贷款

)payments

on

an

average

home

with

just

13.4

percent

of

his

take-home pay. Today a similar mortgage would claim more than twice that share of his

monthly earnings.

Other members of the autoworker's family, however, might be less inclined to trade the

present for the past. His retired parents would certainly have had less economic security

back then. Throughout much of the 1960s, more than a quarter of men and women age 65

and older lived below the poverty level, compared to less than 10 percent in 2010.

In most states, his wife could not have taken out a loan or a credit card in her own name.

In

42

states,

a

homemaker

had

no

legal

claim

on

the

earnings

of

her

husband.

And

nowhere did a wife have legal protection against family violence.

Most black workers would not want to return to a time when, on average, they earned 40

percent

less

than

their

white

counterparts

(

职位相对的人

),

while

racially

restrictive

agreements largely prevented them from buying into the suburban neighborhoods being

built for white working-class families.

Today, new problems have emerged in the process of resolving old ones, but the solution

is not to go back to the past. Some people may long for an era when divorce was still hard

to

come

by.

The

spread

of

no-fault

divorce

has

reduced

the

bargaining

power

of

whichever spouse is more interested in continuing the relationship. And the breakup of

such marriages has caused pain for many families.

The growing diversity of family life comes with new possibilities as well as new challenges.

Accord-ing to a recent poll, more than 80 percent of Americans believe that their current

family is as close as the one in which they grew up, or closer. Finding ways to improve the

lives of the remaining 20 percent seems more realistic than trying to restore an imaginary

golden age.

注意：此部分 试题请在答题卡

2

上作答

61. What do we learn about American autoworkers in 1950?

A

．

They had less job security than they do today.

B

．

It was not too difficult for them to buy a house.

C

．

Their earnings were worth twice as much as today.

D

．

They were better off than workers in other industries.

62. What does the author say about retired people today?

A

．

They invariably long to return to the golden past.

B

．

They do not depend so much on social welfare.

C

．

They feel more secure economically than in the past.

D

．

They are usually unwilling to live with their children.

63. Why couldn't black workers buy a house in a white suburban neighborhood?

A

．

They lacked the means of transportation.

B

．

They were subjected to racial inequality.

C

．

They were afraid to break the law.

D

．

They were too poor to afford it.

64. What is the result of no-fault divorce?

A

．

Divorce is easier to obtain.

B

．

Domestic violence is lessened.

C

．

It causes little pain to either side.

D

．

It contributes to social unrest.

65. What does the author suggest society do?

A

．

Get prepared to face any new challenges.

B

．

Try to better the current social security net.

C

．

Narrow the gap between blacks and whites.

D

．

Improve the lives of families with problems.

第二套：

Passage One

Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more pedaling (

骑车的

) passengers on those

shining blue Citi Bikes. But what about local bike shops? Is Citi Bike rolling up riders at

their expense?

At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca, manager W. Ben said the shop has seen an increase in its

overall sales due to the bike-share program.

James Ryan, an employee at Danny's Cycles in Gramercy also said Citi Bike is a good

option

for

people

to

ease

into

biking

in

a

city

famed

for its

traffic jams

and

aggressive

drivers.

Rentals are not a big part of the business at either Gotham Bikes or Danny's Cycles. But

for Frank's Bike Shop, a small business on Grand St., the bike- share program has been

bad news. Owner Frank Arroyo said his rental business has decreased by 90

％

since Citi

Bike was rolled out last month.

Arroyo's main rental customers are European tourists, who have since been drawn away

by Citi Bikes.

However, Ben said the bike-share is good for bike sales at his shop.

the bike- share and realized how great it is to bike in the city, then decide that they want

something nicer for themselves,

Christian Farrell of Waterfront Bicycle

Shop, on West St. just north

of Christopher St.,

said initially he was concerned about bike-share, though, he admitted,

people on bikes.

Farrell's

early

concerns

were

echoed

by

Andrew

Crooks,

owner

of

NYC

Velo,

at

64

Second Ave.

Crooks said of Citi Bike. He saidhe worried about inexperienced riders' lack of awareness

of bildng rules and strong negative reaction from non- cyclists. However, he said, it's still

too early to tell ff his business has been impacted.

While it's possible bike-share will cause a drop in business, Crooks allowed that the idea

is a positive step forward for New York City.

注意：此部分试 题请在答题卡

2

上作答。

56. What is the author's chief concern about the increasing use of Citi Bikes in New York?

A

．

How non-cyclists will respond to it.

B

．

Whether local bike shops will suffer.

C

．

Whether local bike businesses will oppose it.

D

．

How the safety of bike riders can be ensured.

57. What happened to Gotham Bikes as a result of the bike-share program?

A

．

It found its bike sales unaffected.

B

．

It shifted its business to rentals.

C

．

It saw its bike sales on the rise.

D

．

It rented more bikes to tourists.

58. Why is the bike-share program bad news for Frank's Bike Shop?

A

．

It cannot meet the demand of the bike- share program.

B

．

Its customers have been drawn away by Citi Bikes.

C

．

Its bike prices have to be lowered again and again.

D

．

It has to compete with the city's bike rental shops.

59.

Why

did

Andrew

Crooks

think

that

the

bike-share

program

would

be

difficult

to

execute?

A

．

Inexperienced riders might break biking rules.

B

．

Conflicts might arise among bike rental shops.

C

．

Traffic conditions might worsen in the downtown area.

D

．

There are not enough lanes to accommodate the bikes.

60. What is the general attitude of local bike shops towards Citi Bike?

A

．

Wait-and-see.

B

．

Negative.

C

．

Indifferent.

D

．

Approving.

Passage Two

Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

Various

studies

have

shown

that

increased

spending

on

education

has

not

led

to

measurable improvements in learning. Between 1980 and 2008, staff and teachers at U.S.

public schools grew roughly twice as fast as students. Yet students showed no additional

learning in achievement tests.