和谐英语

2011年12月大学英语四级考试真题下载(word版)

2012-06-06来源:和谐英语
PartⅣ 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 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 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.
  With the world’s population estimated to grow from six to nine billion by 2050, researchers. businesses and governments are already dealing with the impact this increase will have on everything from food and water to infrastructure (基础设施) and jobs. Underling all this 47 will be the demand for energy, which is expected to double over the next 40 years.
  Finding the resources to meet this demand in a 48 . sustainable way is the cornerstone (基石) of our nation’s energy security, and will be one of the major 49 of the 21st century. Alternative forms of energy- bio-fuels, wind and solar, to name a few are 50 being funded and developed, and will play a growing 51 in the world’s energy supply. But experts say that even when 52 , alternative energy sources will likely meet only about 30% of the world’s energy needs by 2050.
  For example, even with 53 investments, such as the $93 million for wind energy development 54 in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, important alternative energy sources such as wind and bio-fuels 55 only about 1% of the market today.
  Energy and sustainability experts say the answer to our future energy needs will likely come from a lot of 56 both traditional and alternative.
  注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
  A)stable I)exactly
  B)solutions J)consist
  C)significant K)comprise
  D)role L)competitions
  E)progress M)combined
  F)marvelous N)challenges
  G)included O)certainly
  H)growth
  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 chokes 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
  Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
  Boys’ schools are the perfect place to teach young men to express their emotions and involve them in activities such as art, dance and music.
  Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity (阳刚), the absence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to conform to a stereotype. a US study says.
  Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their emotional expressiveness, rather than feeling they had to conform to the "boy code" of hiding their emotions to be a "real man".
  The findings of the study so against received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls.
  Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, warned that boys were being faded by the British education system because it had become too focused on girls. He criticized teachers for failing to recognize that boys are actually more emotional than girls.
  The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills.
  But in single-sex schools teachers can tailor lessons to boys’ learning style, letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study’s author, Abigail James, of the University of Virginia.
  Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing with "boy-focused" approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them. Because boys generally have more acute vision learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given "hands-on" lessons where they are allowed to walk around. "Boys in mixed schools view classical music as feminine (女性的) and prefer the modem genre (类型) in which violence and sexism are major themes, "James wrote.
  Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to conform to a stereotype that men should be "masterful and in charge" in relationships. "In mixed schools boys feel compelled to act like men before they understand themselves well enough to know what that means, " the study reported.
  注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
  57. The author believes that a single-sex school would ____ .
  A) force boys to hide their emotions to be "real men"
  B) help to cultivate masculine aggressiveness in boys
  C) encourage boys to express their emotions more freely
  D) naturally reinforce in boys the traditional image of a man
  58. It is commonly believed that in a mixed school boys _____ .
  A) Perform relatively better C) behave more responsibly
  B) grow up more healthily D) receive a better education
  59. What does Tony Little say about the British education system?
  A) It fails more boys than girls academically.
  B) It focuses more on mixed school education.
  C) It fails to give boys the attention they need.
  D) It places more pressure on boys than on girls.
  60. According to Abigail James, one of the advantages of single-sex schools is ______.
  A) teaching can be tailored to suit the characteristics of boys
  B) boys can focus on their lessons without being distracted
  C) boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested in
  D) teaching can be designed to promote boys’ team spirit
  61. Which of the following is characteristic of boys according to Abigail James’ report?
  A) They enjoy being in charge. C) They have sharper vision.
  B) They conform to stereotypes. D) They are violent and sexist.
  Passage Two
  Questions 62 to 66 are bated on the following passage.
  It’s an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My partner says no because the boiler could go, or the roof fall off and we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what’s the point if you can’t go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next year - we just won’t go.
  Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday A YouGov poll of 2, 000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. What’s less clear is whether divorce and separation rates rise in a recession - financial pressures mean couples argue more but make splitting up less affordable. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Disputes were characterized by intense verbal ( 言语上的) aggression, tended to be repeated and not resolved and made men, more than women, extremely angry.
  Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolizes, which may be different things to men and women. "People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it’s for." he explains. "They’ll say it’s to save to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them." He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they’ve achieved something.
  "The biggest problem is that couples assume each other know what’s going on with their finances, but they don’t. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you’re doing, who’s paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don’t have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it."
  注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答:
  62. What does the author say about vacationing?
  A) People enjoy it all the more during a recession.
  B) Few people can afford it without working hard.
  C) It makes all the hard work worthwhile.
  D) It is the chief cause of family disputes.
  63. What does the author mean by saying "money is known ... to bring a relationship to its knees"(Line 1, Para. 2)?
  A) Money is considered to be the root of all evils.
  B) Some people sacrifice their dignity for money.
  C) Few people can resist the temptation of money.
  D) Disputes over money may rain a relationship.
  64. The YouGov poll of 2, 000 people indicates that in a recession ______ .
  A) conflicts between couples tend to rise
  B) it is more expensive for couples to split up
  C) couples show more concern for each other
  D) divorce and separation rates increase
  65. What does Kim Stephenson believe?
  A) Money is often a symbol of a person’s status.
  B) Money means a great deal to both and women.
  C) Men and women spend money on different things.
  D) Men and women view money in different ways.
  66. The author suggests at the end of the passage that couples should ______ .
  A) put their money together instead of keeping it separately
  B) make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgets
  C) discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationship
  D) avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic