1998年英语专业四级考试听力MP3附试题和答案

TEXT B

     Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more titan two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals and also for malting other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat--eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.

     Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the flint tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to the success of mankind.

     Since 1960 a new kind of tool tins appeared. This is the silicon chip--a little chip of silicon crystal (硅晶体). It is smaller than a finger-nail, but it can store more than a million "bits" of information. It is an electronic brain.

     Every year these chips get cleverer, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less. They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways.

     In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. They will even talk and play games with us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it?

     Human beings used stone chips for more than two million yearn, but human life changed very little in that time. We have used silicon chips for only a few years, but life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?

70. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it__

  [A] was one of the first tools      [B] developed human capabilities

  [C] led to the invention of machines  [D] was crucial to the development of mankind

71. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is __

     [A] disastrous      [B] uNPRedictable     [C] exciting        [D] colorful

TEXT C

     A century ago in the United States, when an individual brought suit against a company, public opinion tended to protect that company. But perhaps this phenomenon was most striking in the case of the railroads. Neatly haft of all negligence( 过失 ) cases decided through 1896 involved railroads. And the railroads usually won.

     Most of the cases were derided in state courts, when the railroads had the climate of the times on their sides. Government supported the railroad industry; the progress railroads represented was not to be slowed down by requiring them often to pay damages to those unlucky enough to be hurt working for them.

     Court decisions always went against railroad workers. A Mr. Farwell, an engineer, lost his right hand when a switchman's negligence ran his engine off the track. The court reasoned, that since Farwell had taken the job of an engineer voluntarily at good pay, he had accepted the risk. Therefore the accident, though avoidable had the switchmen acted carefully, was a "pure accident". In effect a railroad could never be held responsible for injury to one employee caused by the mistake of another.

     In one case where a Pennsylvania Railroad worker had started a fire at a warehouse and the fire had spread several blocks, causing widespread damage, a jury found the company responsible for all the damage. But the court overturned the jury's decision because it argued that the railroad's negligence was the immediate cause of damage only to the nearest buildings. Beyond them the connection was too remote to consider.

     As the century were on, public sentiment began to turn against the railroads--against their economic and political power and high fares as well as against their callousness(无情) toward individuals.

72. Which of the following is NOT tree in Farwell's case?

 [A] Farwell was injured because he negligently ran his engine off the track.

     [B] Farwell would not have been injured ff the switchman had been more careful.

 [C] The court argued that the victim had accepted the risk since he had willingly taken his job.

     [D] The court decided that the railroad should not be held responsible.

73. What must have happened after the fire case was settled in court?

     [A] The railroad compensated for the damage to the immediate buildings.

     [B] The railroad compensated for all the damage by the fire.

     [C] The railroad paid nothing for the damaged building.

     [D] The railroad worker paid for the property damage himself.

 74. The following aroused public resentment EXCEPT

 [A] political power   [B] high fares      [C] economic loss   [D] indifference

 75. What does the passage mainly discuss?

 [A] Railroad oppressing individuals in the US. [B] History of the US railroads.

 [C] Railroad workers' working rights.      [D] Law cases concerning the railroads.

 TEXT D

      Hawaii's native minority is demanding a greater degree of sovereignty over its own affairs. But much of the archipelago's political establishment, which includes the White Americans who dominated until the second world war and people of Japanese, Chinese mint Filipino origin, is opposed to the idea.

      The islands   were annexed by the US in 1898 and since then Hawaii's native people have fared worse than any of its other ethnic groups. They make up over 60 percent of the state's homeless, suffer higher levels of unemployment and their life span is five years less than the average Hawaiians. They are the only major US native group without some degree of autonomy.

      But a sovereignty advisory committee set up by Hawaii's first native governor, John Waihee, has given the natives' cause a major boost by recommending that the Hawaiian natives decide by themselves whether to re-establish a sovereign Hawaiian nation.

      However, the Hawaiian natives are not united in their demands. Some just want greater autonomy within the state--as enjoyed by many American Indian natives over matters such as education. This is a position supported by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), a state agency set up in 1978 to represent the natives' interests and which has now become the moderate face of the native sovereignty movement. More

ambitious is the Ka Lahui group, which declared itself a new nation in 1987 and wants full, official  independence from the US.

      But if Hawaiian natives are given greater autonomy, it is far from dear how many people this will apply to. The state authorities only count as native those people with more than 50 percent Hawaiian blood.

      Native demands are not just based on political grievances, though. They also want their claim on 660,000 hectares of Hawaiian crown land to be accepted. It is on this issue that native groups are facing most opposition from the state authorities. In 1993, the state government paid the OHA US $136 million in back rent on the crown land and many officials say that by accepting this payment the agency has given up its claims to legally own the land. The OHA has vigorously disputed this.

76. Hawaii's native minority refers to

     [A] Hawaii's ethnic groups            [B] people of Filipino origin

     [C] the Ka Lahui group                 [D] people with 50% Hawaiian blood

77. Which of the following statements is tree of the Hawaiian natives?

     [A] Sixty percent of them are homeless or unemployed.

     [B] Their life span is 5 years shorter than average Americans.

     [C] Their life is worse than that of other ethnic groups in Hawaii.

     [D] They are the only native group without sovereignty.

78. Which of the following is NOT true of John Waihee?

     [A] He is Hawaii's flint native govemor.

     [B] He has set up a sovereignty advisory committee.

     [C] He suggested the native people decide for themselves.

     [D] He is leading the local independence movement.

79. Which of the following groups holds a less radical attitude on the matter of sovereignty?.

     [A] American Indian natives.                 [B] Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

     [C] The Ka Lahui group.                     [D] The Hawaiian natives.

80. Various native Hawaiians demand all the following EXCEPT

   [A] a greater autonomy within the state       [B] more back rent on the crown land

   [C] a claim on the Hawaiian crown land      [D] full independence from the US

SECTION B                 SKIMMING & SCANNING

      In this section there are six passages with a total of ten multiple choice questions. Skim or scan them as required and then mark your answers on your answer sheet.

TEXT E

      First read the following question.

81. The passage is mainly about __ of outdoor advertising.

     [A] problems      [B] features        [C] attraction      [D] location

      Now, read TEXT E quickly and mark your answer an your answer sheet.

      Outdoor advertising provides the advertiser with the largest colorful display of his product, package, trade mark, and slogan. It embraces the most spectacular use of light and animation in order to attract a passer-by and deliver a message. It provides visual continuity to a campaign that may also be appearing in other media.

      Outdoor advertising has a high degree of geographic flexibility. An advertiser can use it nationally, by region, by markets, and even by specific locations within those markets.

      Outdoor advertising can be memorable. During an interview eight people out of ten revealed that they remembered specific outdoor posters.

      A problem in using outdoor advertising is that of getting reliable data on the number of people who actually see an advertising. It may also take time to negotiate for the space for a specific outdoor advertising location, to print the posters, or to paint the board.

TEXT F

      First read the following question.

82. The passage focuses on Oxford's

     [A] past and present                      [B] modem development

     [C] present and future                    [D] traditional structure

      Now, read TEXT F quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.

      For centuries Oxford has been at Britain's intellectual heart, perhaps the most prestigious among Europe's many ancient universities. Oxford has attracted students and scholars from all over the world who have gone on to achieve the highest positions in their countries. Alumni includes numerous famous scientists, literary figures, and overseas politicians.

     As a place of learning Oxford's beginnings go back to the Middle Ages. Legend has it that Alfred laid its foundations at the end of the ninth century. Certainly by the 12th century scholars were teaching in the town and their fame had spread to the Continent, particularly to the Sorbonnes in Paris, then Europe's greatest center of learning. A group of English scholars left the French capital in 1167 to settle in Oxford and the place became a magnet for students and teachers from all over Britain. Today Oxford is a large, busy city, but the ancient university buildings in the center have remained largely untouched by the urban expansion.

     While most old universities have modernized radically to accommodate their growing populations, Oxford has managed to expand while still preserving its traditional structure. The 36 existing colleges are independent, self-governing institutions operating under the umbrella of the University of Oxford.

TEXT G

     First read the following question.

83. The figures in the second paragraph are used for the following purposes EXCEPT

   [A] prediction     [B] contrast       [C] definition       [D] explanation

     Now, read TEXT G quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.

     The industrial societies have been extremely productive during the last two centuries. The economic advance has been remarkable. During this relatively short period of time, greater changes in people's living conditions have occurred than in the thousands of years which preceded.

     During the past 200 years the world population has increased 6 times, the annual world output has increased 80 times, and the distance a person can travel has gone up 1,000 times. There has also been much recent progress in art, culture, learning and science. Such changes have led to a high rate of production and growth of the economy.

     Economists fear that within the next 100 to 150 yearn, the earth's resources will become very scarce. Their feats are partly justified, but we should not be afraid. Industrial civilization adapts to new knowledge. By advancing knowledge, we do not only create new forms of resources, but we also find ways to economize their use. Advanced modem knowledge can feed the hungry people of the world and improve their standard of living.

TEXT H

      First read the following questions.

84. The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide information on

     [A] how to open a bank account              [B] how to apply for a course

     [C] who can go to universities                [D] who is eligible for a grant

85. Who can get the grant?

     [A] A foreign student who has been there for 11 months.

     [B] A British pupil in a secondary school.

     [C] A British student who studies in the university.

     [D] A university graduate who wants to continue his studies.

86. A 31-year-old nurse wishes to study medicine at a university. She has worked since she was 25. How much extra money will she get a year?.

     [A]l00 pounds      [B]155 pounds      [C]615 pounds      [D]715 pounds

      Now, read TEXT H quickly and mark your answers on your answer sheet.