2010年大学英语四级考试模拟试题第2期及答案

2010

年大学英语四级考试模拟试题第

2

期

Part I

Writing

(30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic “Psychological

Problems for College Students”. You should write at least 120 words following the outl

ine given below in

Chinese:

1.

有些大学生存在心理问题；

2.

出现这种现象的原因；

3.

应对措施。

Part II

Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)

(15 minutes)

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly. 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.

Depression

Depression is a common type of mental disorder

—

most people will be affected by depression in their

lives either directly or indirectly. Confusion about depression is commonplace: for example, about what

depression is and what makes it different from just feeling down. There is also confusion surrounding the

many types of depression that people may experience. There have been so many terms used to describe this

set of feelings we’ve all felt at one time or another in our lives, to one degree or another, that it is time to set

the record straight.

1. Types of Depression

Depressive disorders come in different forms, just as other illnesses such as heart disease. This passage

briefly describes three of the most common types of depressive disorders. However, within these types there

are variations in the number of symptoms, their severity, and persistence.

Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work,

study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Such a disabling episode of depression may occur

only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime.

A less severe type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable,

but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major

depressive episodes at some time in their lives.

Another type of depression is bipolar disorder, which is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe

highs (mania) and lows (depression). Sometimes the mood switches are dramatic and rapid, but most often

they are gradual. When in the depressed cycle, an individual can have any or all of the symptoms of a

depressive disorder. When in the manic cycle, the individual may be overactive, over-talkative, and have a

great deal of energy. Mania often affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior in ways that cause serious

problems and embarrassment. For example, the individual in a manic phase may feel elated and full of grand

schemes that might range from unwise business decisions to romantic sprees.

2. Symptoms of Depression

Depression is characterized by a number of common symptoms. Not everyone who is depressed or

manic experiences every symptom. Some people experience a few symptoms, some many. Severity of

symptoms varies with individuals and also varies over time.

●

Persistent sad, anxious, or

“

empty

”

mood

●

Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism

●

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

●

Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed

●

Decreased energy, fatigue, being

“

slowed down

”

●

Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

●

Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

●

Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain

●

Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts

●

Restlessness, irritability

●

Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders

and chronic pain

3. Risk Factors of Depression

While depression can strike anyone at any time, research has identified several factors associated with

an increased risk for depression:

Family History

—

Having an immediate family member with depression increases the risk of

developing depression. Other mental illnesses, such as alcoholism in family members, can also increase the

risk for depression.

Early Childhood Experience

—

Early childhood trauma, such as loss of a parent before adolescence,

child neglect, physical, emotional abuse, and parental divorce are all linked to increased risk for adult

depression.

Stress

—

Negative life events, such as divorce, loss of a loved one or loss of employment are associated

with increased depression. Research shows that chronic stresses (such as illness, lack of social support and

numerous “daily hassles”) are also linked to depression.

Alcohol

—

Depression and alcoholism is often seen in the same patients at the same time. Alcohol is a

depressant drug and its presence in a depressed person has serious implications for treatment outcome.

Residence

—

Depression seems to be higher in urban residents than in rural residents. In fact, one study

found that depression was twice as common among city dwellers as among those who lived in rural areas.

Marital Status

—

Depression is highest among divorced, separated, or co-habitating people. It is lowest

among single and married people. People living alone have higher rates of depression than those living with

others do.

Work Status

—

Research shows that people unemployed for six months or more in the last five years

had a rate of depression three times that of the general population.

Physical Illness

—

Certain physical illnesses are associated with depression, such as thyroid disorder,

hormonal imbalances, chronic viral infections, cancer and heart diseases.

Gender

—

It is estimated that one out of every four women and one out of every ten men experience

some type of depression during their lifetime. While women suffer from depression more often and attempt

suicide more frequently, men are more successful in their suicide attempts. Women also suffer from unique

forms of depression related to their unique biology and life experiences.

Age

—

Most people experience their first episode of depression between the ages of 20 and 40. In fact,

the average age of onset of depression is the mid-20s. Alarmingly, recent research shows that the average age

of onset is decreasing with each generation. Children, adolescents and elderly persons often display unique

symptoms of depression and have specific stressful events that predispose them to depression.

Ethnic and cultural groups

—

The World Health Organization named depression the fourth most

devastating illness in the world today and predicted that it would become the second ranked illness by 2020.

No ethnic or cultural group is immune. While depression occurs at about the same rate in different groups,

ethnic and cultural differences often impact the ways in which their members express their feelings and their

willingness to seek treatment.

Tobacco

—

Increased tobacco use has been noted in depressed persons and individuals with underlying

or current depressive symptoms are likely to experience mood disturbances when they attempt to quit.

4. Treatments for Depression

Fortunately, there are many effective treatment options for depression. To be most effective, treatment

should be specifically tailored to each individual. That is why a detailed interview by a mental health

professional is extremely valuable. Established treatments for depression may include:

●

antidepressant medications

●

psychotherapy (also known as

“

talk therapy

”

or

counseling

”

)

All of these treatments have been shown to treat depression successfully. The choice of treatment will be

determined by several factors, including the type and severity of depression, by previous treatment history,

and patient preference. A combination of medications and psychotherapy is used to treat most patients,

although mild forms of depression may be treated with psychotherapy alone.

Effective treatment is based on an accurate assessment, which identifies the causes of depression in any

person. Usually depression is a result of biological, psychological and social factors, and an effective

treatment plan is one that identifies all of these and develops strategies to reduce their frequency and

intensity.

1. How will depression affect the majority of people?

A) Directly.

B) Indirectly.

C) Both directly and indirectly.

D) Either directly or indirectly.

2. How many common types of depression are discussed in this passage?

A) Two.

B) Three.

C) Four.

D) Five.

3. Bipolar disorder is characterized by ____________.

A) a combination of symptoms

B) long-term symptoms

C) cycling mood changes

D) serious problems and embarrassment

4. Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment might include _____________.

A) feeling pessimistic

B) failure to concentrate

C) sleeplessness

D) indigestion

5. What kind of people are the least likely to suffer from depression?

A) Married people.

B) Separated people.

C) Co-habitating people.

D

) Divorced people.

6. What percentage of women might suffer from depression during their lifetime?

A) 10%.

B) 25%.

C) 40%.

D) 45%.

7. The World Health Organization predicts that depression will ____________ by 2020.

A) become the fourth most devastating illness

B) rank as one of the top two illnesses

C) spread among all people

D) be cured in some countries

8. While depression occurs at about the same rate in different groups, _________ differences often

impact the ways in which their members express their feelings and their willingness to seek treatment.

9. There are established treatments for depression, including _____________ and psychotherapy.

10. An effective treatment plan for depression should

identify the symptoms and develop strategies to

reduce their ____________.

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.

11. A) The dress is ugly.

B) The dress is cheap.

C) The dress isn’t a real bargain.

D) The dress

doesn’t suit the woman.

12. A) At 11:52.

B) At 11:10.

C) At 11:50.

D) At 11:48.

13. A) She prefers to live in the countryside.

B) She doesn’t like the people in cities.

C) She wants to move to the city.

D) She plans to go to work by car.

14. A) At a drugstore.

B) At a bookstore.

C) At a booking office.

D) At a grocery.

15. A) An architect.

C) A doctor.

B) An accountant.

D) A teacher.

16. A) John’s notes are not complete.

B) John’s handwriting is bad.

C) John’s notes are useless.

D) John’s notes

are full of mistakes.

17. A) The man doesn’t like entertainment.

B) The man lives close to a train station.

C) The woman can’t bear any noise.

D) The woman wants to buy an apartment.

18. A) He doesn’t like dessert very much.

B) He will have some chocolate cake.

C) He will go to visit his doctor.

D) He wants to stay fit.

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

19. A) To talk to Sandra.

B) To cancel her appointment.

C) To make an appointment.

D) To invite Sandra to a party.

20. A) Design her hair by herself.

B) Have her hair done by Betty.

C) Make an appointment with Sandra.

D) Go to another hair salon.

21. A) Have her hair cut.B) Go to visit Sandra.

C) See a gentleman.

22. A) Happy.

D) Attend a party.

B) Worried.

C) Angry.

D) Disappointed.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

23. A) General Electric.

B) General Motors.

C) United Motors.

D) United Electric.

24. A) Her mother taught her.

B) She learned it in college.

C) She learned it from her work.

D) She lived in Japan for three years.

25. A) She wants to earn more money.

B) She wants to learn foreign languages.

C) She wants more opportunities for advancement.

D) She wants to do business in Asia.

■

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).

Passage One

Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

26. A) It can change the earth of the grassland.

B) It can cut down the growth rate of weeds.

C) It can offer natural fertilizers to the grass.

D) It can keep the grassland in good condition.

27. A) When the grass is less than five centimeters high.

B) When the grass is about ten centimeters high.

C) When the grass is more than fifteen centimeters high.

D) When the grass is less than fifteen centimeters high.

28. A) They need electric fences and watering places.

B) They need paddocks and special grazing areas.

C) They need water supplies and strong fences.

D) They need stronger fences and guard animals.

Passage Two

Questions 29 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.

29. A) Her daughter.

B) Harold “Matt” Matson.

C) Her husband.

D) A German doll.

30. A) About three hundred dollars.

B) More than twenty-seven thousand dollars.

C) No more than ten thousand dollars.

D) About twenty thousand dollars.

31. A) He thinks Barbies are harmful to people’s health.

B) He thinks Barbies make girls pay less attention to their studies.

C) He thinks Saudi Arabia is a good example.

D) He thinks Barbies make girls care about their appearance too much.

32. A) Supportive.

B) Opposed.

C) Indifferent.

D) Neutral.

Passage Three

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

33. A) The student gets three points.

B) The student gets one point.

C) The student gets four points.

D) The student fails in the course.

34. A) It gives students detailed evaluations instead of letter grades.

B) It is a private four-year college established in 1967.

C) It has a large number of students but no overseas students now.

D) It adopts the evaluations written by the professors only.

35. A) She thinks they are a good way to evaluate students.

B) She doesn’t think they provide good direction for students.

C) She thinks they will be replaced by a new evaluation system.

D) She thinks they will be changed by the American university system.

■

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.

Many people want to know if there is a state religion in the United States. The answer is no and the

reason goes back to the early days of America’s history.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many (36) _______ moved to colonial America in part to (37) _________

religious oppression. Thomas Jefferson and other early American leaders (38) ________ designed a national

government that had no (39) ______ religion. They wanted to build a country that included many religions,

where citizens were free to follow their own (40) __________.

The First Amendment of the Constitution supports religious (41) ________ and places religion outside

the reach of the government. This idea is often described as “the (42) ________ of church and state”.

How the First Amendment (43) __________ to life in America has often been disputed. There is deep

opposition between people (44)_______________________________ ____________________________.

The church and state debate is still going on today. For some people, polic

ies about stem-cell

research, same-sex marriage and abortion rights threaten religious beliefs. (45) < /p>

________________________________________ ___.

Even though there is no state religion in America, there is a large, beautiful religious center in the

nation’s capital called the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. But an official says the church

calls itself the Washington National Cathedral because (46)_____________________

_____________ _______________.

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 the bank is identified by a letter. You may not use any

of the words in the bank more than once.

Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.

Data from the Chandrayaan-1 (

印度

“月球初航

1

号”

) spacecraft suggests water is still being formed on

its surface. It is believed that the water is

47

at the poles and possibly formed by the solar wind. The

finding was made after researchers examined data from three separate

48

to the moon. The reports

show that the water may be moving around, forming and reforming as particles become

49

up in the

dust on the surface of the moon.

Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, the mission’s project director at the Indian Space Research Organisation in

Bangalore, told The Times, “It’s very

50

. This was one of

the main objectives of Chandrayaan-1, to find

evidence of water on the moon.” The unmanned craft was

51

with NASA

’

s Moon Mineralogy Mapper

(

美国航天局设计的月球矿物绘图仪，简称

M3), designed

52

to search for water by picking up the

electromagnetic radiation sent out by minerals. The M3 was designed to search for water by

53

the

electromagnetic radiation given off by different minerals on and just below the surface of the moon. Unlike

previous equipment, it was

54

enough to detect the existence of small amounts of water.

Carle Pieters of Brown University in Rhode Island and his colleagues

55

data from

Chandrayaan-1 and found spectrographic (

光谱的

) evidence of water. The water seems thicker closer to the

poles, they reported.

“

When we say

‘

water on the moon

’

, we are not talking about lakes or oceans. Water

on the moon means molecules of water and hydroxyl (hydrogen and oxygen) that

56

with molecules of

rock and dust specifically in the top millimeters of the moon’s surface,” Pieters said in a statement. Scientists

said the breakthrough would change the face of lunar exploration.

A) specifically

B) detecting

C) occasionally

D) decisions

E) missions

F) interact

I) concentrated

J) sensitive

K) reviewed

L) satisfying

M) divided

N) equipped

O) mixed

G) disappointing

H) sensible

■

Section B

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or

unfinished sentences. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide

on the best choice.

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

Feeding 30 million schoolchildren is a difficult task. As a result, many of today’s school cafeteria

offerings end up as appealing as a tray of lukewarm airplane food. And if there’s one point of agreement on

the

state of school lunches, it’s that local school districts and the federal government are over

-tasked. The

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP) helps feed millions of American

schoolchildren. Critics charge that the program is under-funded and misspends money on meals that are

overly processed, too rich in fat and not nutritious. The challenge is how to change this on a national and

local level.

Help has historically trickled in courtesy of local entrepreneurs and nearby natural-food advocates who

supplied some schools with organic and farm-fresh foods. Now, a new campaign supported by national

corporations hopes to make more sweeping changes across the country. Whole Foods and a loose coalition of

organic- food manufacturers and advocates say that creating a healthier national food policy is the start. Last

August, Whole Foods launched a fund-

raising campaign to reform the country’s school lunch programs and

has so far raised more than $$440,000 that will support an online effort to help school districts create healthy

and affordable meal options. According to the supermarket chain’s chief operating officer Walter Robb, some

of that money will also help raise awareness about the Child Nutrition Act (CAN).

CAN determines school food policy and financial resources as well as funds the NSLP. Advocates for

healthier lunches say that the Nutrition Act will be reauthorized by the president and Congress. School lunch

programs now get $$9.3 billion in federal funding, or about $$2.68 for each eligible child. Subtract labor and

other administrative costs and some child-

nutrition advocates estimate that only $$1 goes toward food. That’s

not enough, said Robb. “It’s a Sisyphean situation. We’re at a tipping point. We need to raise exposure and

do something right now.”

For Ann Cooper, the former director of nutrition services for California’s Berkley Unified School

District, help from either the public or private sector is much needed. Cooper, a chef and author, created

, funded b

y Whole Foods. The site’s mission is “to help your community transition step by

step to a school program that will improve the health and well-

being of our children”. It features recipes for

schools, information about food safety, and promotes community ac

tivism. “I hope we’re building a trend,”

Cooper said of her partnership with Whole Foods. “More companies are doing this. Maybe it’s part altruistic,

part capitalistic. But if a company can make money feeding kids and make them healthier, that’s the bottom

line.”

57. From the first paragraph, what can we learn about today’s school cafeteria offerings?

A) They are good but not adequate.

B) They are not healthy enough.

C) They are rich in fat and protein.

D) They are the same as those on airplanes.

58. The u

nderlined word “coalition” in the second paragraph means “_________”.

A) a union of two political parties

B) a combination of different parts

C) a group of people who join together

D) a kind of movement

59. The money raised by Whole Foods will be primarily used to ____________.

A) carry out school food policies

B) make people better aware of CAN

C) launch a campaign about healthy food

D) help school districts provide better food

60. What does the underlined sentence “It’s a Sisyphean situation.” in the th

ird paragraph mean?

A) A situation that is satisfactory and should be maintained.

B) A situation that hasn’t been changed much.

C) A situation that is stable and should be improved gradually.

D) A situation that is worse than before and cannot be changed.

61. Which of the following descriptions of Ann Cooper is correct?

A) She is a teacher at the Children’s Nutrition School.

B) She has many recipes for delicious food.

C) She created a website to help school lunch programs.

D) She is a community volunteer helping children.

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

The UN has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. In October, scientists and politicians

will meet in Japan to assess progress towards the targets under The Convention on Biological Diversity,

confirmed at the 2002 Johannesburg summit in South Africa. The bad news is that the chances of meeting

those targets are extremely low. Most indicators suggest that the rate of biodiversity loss is increasing, not

slowing. It is clear that we need to redouble our efforts.

This has to be done in two ways: by improving scientific understanding of what is happening to the

world’s biodiversity, and by ensuring that this understanding is conveyed to as wide an audience as pos

sible.

Both are difficult but essential

—

and fortunately both are doable.

On the first front, we need to know in as much detail as possible what has happened to biodiversity over

the recent past (the 300 or so years since the revolutions in industrializat

ion and agriculture had a major

impact on the world) so we can better measure current rates of biodiversity loss. Only when we have a

validated rate of past decline can we assess the effects of conservation efforts.

We also need to be creative about where we look for that evidence. Monitoring programs show evidence

of changes in one place over a few years or decades, but they are already being made more difficult by the

impact climate change is having on the distribution of organisms

—

and thus on biodiversity

—

at any

particular place on the planet.

When it comes to longer-term changes, monitoring clearly cannot help. This is where scientific

collections such as those in natural history museums and herbaria can make a unique contribution. These

vast, painstakingly assembled collections of animals and plants are more than mere relics: they offer

snapshots of past biodiversity. The collections held in institutions like the Natural History Museum in

London can make an important contribution by providing data that will help us all to assess long-term

changes in biodiversity.

But assessing the changes is clearly not enough on its own. Action to foster biodiversity is urgently

needed, and that requires politicians

—

and thus the wider public

—

to understand the significance of the

changes taking place. This can be a complex message to communicate. The issue is not whether it is worth

conserving a charismatic mammal or whether it matters if a few nematodes become extinct: it needs to be far

more widely understood that declines in individual species herald the decline of diversity in whole

ecosystems, which, in turn, has implications for human survival.

62. The conference to be held in Japan aims to _________.

A) evaluate whether there has been any progress in protecting biodiversity

B) set up targets for biological diversity all over the world

C) increase biodiversity through various efforts in South Africa

D) call people’s attention to the rate of biodiversity loss

63. What greatly affected biological diversity over the recent past?

A) Climate change.

B) Man’s damage to the earth.

C) The industrial and agricultural revolutions.

D) Scientific research and progress.

64. The scientific collections of animals and plants provide _________.

A) great relics for visitors to appreciate

B) snapshots to show historical events

C) useful data to understand changes in biodiversity

D) rare evidence to prove their previous existence

65. Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?

A) The International Year of Biodiversity focuses our attention on the study of biodiversity.

B) Scientific ways should be used to slow down the rate of biodiversity loss.

C) Changes in biodiversity may endanger the existence of human beings.

D) The public should know more about the importance of biodiversity.

66. What is implied in the passage?

A) More efforts should be made to conserve biodiversity.

B) Monitoring programs have proved to be ineffective.

C) It is high time that we made efforts to foster biodiversity.

D) Building museums is an important way to save biodiversity.

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). You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage.

Where did all the jobs go? It has been a rough year for

67

all over the globe, but the outlook right now is

68

better in some countries than in others.

The employment services firm Manpower’s

69

Global Employment Outlook Survey finds that in so

me

places

70

more businesses expect to be hiring than firing

—

71

in every single country the

outlook is

72

optimistic than a year ago. To conduct the survey, Manpower polled human resources

73

at 72,000 companies in 35 countries.

It

74

what percentage of them expected to be hiring in the

75

, between October and December of 2009, what percentage expected to be firing, and then tallied

up the

76

as “net employment outlook”.

The big winners: India and Brazil

—

sort of. India has the best net employment outlook of all.

Seasonally adjusted, it comes to +25%. However, that’s a(n)

77

from +39% in the fourth quarter of

2008. That’s a clear

78

that even in the strongest growth areas

79

isn’t back in full force. This

was Ma

npower’s first look at Brazil, but the country made a strong first

80

. The net employment

outlook there came in at +21%. If you want the best shot at a job in Brazil, go for a services job

81

around Rio de Janeiro. The strongest

82

is services, and Rio is the most optimistic region.

Using seasonally adjusted data that was

83

, only two countries kept exactly even with their

employment outlook from the fourth quarter of 2008: Italy and the U.K. Both expected and

84

to

expect more firing than hiring. Italy is among the five countries with the most

85

outlooks. The five

most optimistic countries,

86

the survey reveals, are all in Asia and Latin America. The five most

pessimistic are all in Europe

—

except for Japan.

67. A) employment

C) cooperation

68. A) fortunate

C) definite

69. A) late

C) latter

B) graduation

D) competition

B) fortunately

D) definitely

B) later

D) latest

B) considerably

D) consistently

B) unless

D) as if

70. A) considerately

C) constantly

71. A) until

C) even though

72. A) more

C) most

B) less

D) least

73. A) professors

C) amateurs

74. A) measured

C) confirmed

75. A) month

C) quarter

76. A) result

C) similarity

B) professionals

D) employees

B) checked

D) doubted

B) season

D) year

B) addition

D) difference