2012年12月大学英语四级考试真题与答案(汇总版)

Section B

Passage 1

Since I started working part-time at a grocery store, I have learned that a customer is more than someone who buy something. To me, a customer is a person whose memory fails entirely once he or she starts to push a shopping card. One of the first things customers forget is how to count. There is no other way to explain how so many people get in their express line, which is clearly marked 15 items or less, with 20, 25 or even a cart load of items. Customers also forget why they came to the store in the first place. Just as I finish ringing up an order, a customer will say, “Oops, I forgot to pick up a fresh loaf of bread. I hope you don’t mind waiting while I go get it.” Five minutes later, he’s back with the bread, a bottle of milk, and three rolls of paper towels. Strange is that seems customers also seem to forget that they have to pay for their groceries. Instead of writing a check or looking for a credit card while I am ringing up the groceries, my customers will wait until I announce the total. Then, in surprise, she says, “Oh no, what did I do with my check book?” After 5 minutes of digging through her purse, she borrows my pen because she’s forgotten hers. But I have to be tolerant of customers because they pay my salary, and that’s something I can’t afford to forget.  

Q26. What does the speaker say about customers’ entering the grocery store?

答案：A. They behave as if their memories have failed totally.

Q27. Which customers are supposed to be in the express line?

答案： D. Those with 15 items or less.

Q28. What does the speaker say some customers do when they arrive at the check-out counter?

答案：B. Go back and pick up more items.

Q29. What does the speaker say about his job at the end of the talk?

答案： A. It requires tolerance.

点评：本篇短文主要讲述了作者在一家杂货店兼职工作的经历和感受，并深刻地体会到顾客不仅仅是来商店买东西的人。作者认为，当顾客推起一辆购物车时，所有的事情就抛之脑后了。他们不会算计一件商品值多少钱，他们忘了自己来商店要买什么，他们甚至忘记要为商品付钱，他们不知道东西买够没有就去收银台排队结账，当收银员开始扫顾客的商品时，顾客又会跑回去拿很多商品回来，更需要收银员提醒付钱，但这都是作者作为收银员所应忍受的，因为“顾客是上帝”，这是作者不敢忘记也是从这次经历中学到的事情。

这篇文章基本上没有生僻的词汇，以叙述为主。但是其中有几个短语需要关注：grocery store意为“杂货店”；ring up意为“用收银机记录收入的钱，收银机扫条形码”；credit card意为“信用卡”。理解了这些词，对听力的整体理解会有提升。