2017年12月英语四级真题和答案解析(第二套).doc

1、2017 年 12 月大学英语四级考试真题(第 2 套)Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on how to best handle the relationship between teachers and students. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25

2、 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices mar

3、ked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) It tries to entertain its audience. C) It wants to catch peoples attention.B) It tries to look into the distance.

4、 D) It has got one of its limbs injured.2. A) It was spotted by animal protection officials.B) It was filmed by a local television reporter.C) Its videos were posted on social media.D) Its picture won a photography prize.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) The di

5、stance travelled C) The spending on gas.B) The incidence of road accidents. D) The number of people travelling.4. A) Fewer people are commuting. C) Job growth is slowing down.B) Gas consumption is soaring. D) Rush-hour traffic is worsening.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just

6、heard.5. A) He told a stranger the sad story about himself.B) He helped a stranger to carry groceries to his car.C) He went up to a stranger and pulled at his sleeves.D) He washed a strangers car in return for some food.6. A) He ordered a lot of food for his family. C) He raised a large sum of money

7、 for him.B) He gave him a job at his own company. D) He offered him a scholarship for college.7. A) He works hard to support his family. C) He is very good at making up stories.B) He is an excellent student at school. D) He has been disabled since boyhood. Section BDirections: In this section, you w

8、ill hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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). Then mark the corresponding let

9、ter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) Attended an economics lecture. C) Had a drink at Queen Victoria.B) Taken a walk on Charles Street. D) Had dinner at a new restaurant.9. A) Treat a college friend to d

10、inner. C) Attend his brothers birthday party.B) Make preparations for a seminar. D) Visit some of his high school friends.10. A) Gather statistics for his lecture.B) Throw a surprise birthday party.C) Meet with Jonathans friends on the weekend.D) Join him in his brothers birthday celebration.11. A)

11、By car. B) By train. C) By taxi. D) By bus.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Taking a vacation abroad. C) Saving enough money for a rainy day.B) Reviewing for his last exam. D) Finding a better way to earn money.13. A) Preparing for his final exams. C) Worki

12、ng part time as a waiter.B) Negotiating with his boss for a raise. D) Helping the woman with her courses.14. A) Finish her term paper. C) Learn a little bit of Spanish.B) Save enough money. D) Ask her parents permission.15. A) He has rich sailing experience. C) He is also eager to go to Spain.B) He

13、speaks Spanish fluently. D) He is easy to get along with.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mast choose the

14、best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) She went to the same university as her mother.B) She worked as a nurse in the

15、First World War.C) She won the Nobel Prize two times.D) She was also a Nobel Prize winner.17. A) She fought bravely in a series of military operations.B) She developed X-ray facilities for military hospitals.C) She helped to set up several military hospitals.D) She made donations to save wounded sol

16、diers.18. A) Both died of blood cancer. C) Both won military medals.B) Both fought in World War I. D) Both married their assistants.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) They were the first settlers in Europe.B) They were the conquerors of Norway.C) They discovered I

17、celand in the ninth century.D) They settled on a small island north of England.20. A) It was some five hundred miles west of Norway.B) It was covered with green most time of the year.C) It was the Vikings most important discovery.D) It was a rocky mass of land covered with ice.21. A) The Vikings, oc

18、ean explorations. C) The Vikings everyday life.B) The making of European nations. D) The Europeans Arctic discoveries.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) Work hard for a better life. C) Dream about the future.B) Make mistakes now and then. D) Save against a rainy d

19、ay.23. A) Teach foreign languages for the rest of his life.B) Change what he has for his past imaginary world.C) Exchange his two-story house for a beach cottage.D) Dwell on the dreams he had dreamed when young.24. A) Criminal law. C) Oriental architecture.B) City planning. D) International business

20、.25. A) Dream and make plans. C) Be content with what you have.B) Take things easy in life, D) Enjoy whatever you are doing.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a l

21、ist 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. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any

22、 of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.Technological changes brought dramatic new options to Americans living in the 1990s. During this decade new forms of entertainment, commerce, research, and communication became commonplace in the U. S. The

23、 driving force behind much of this change was a (n) 26 popularly known as the Internet.The Internet was developed during the 1970s by the Department of Defense. In the case of an attack, military advisers suggested the 27 of being able to operate one computer from another terminal. In the early days

24、, the Internet was used mainly by scientists to communicate with other scientists. The Internet 28 under government control until 1984.One early problem faced by Internet users was speed. Phone lines could only transmit information at a 29 rate. The development of fiber-optic (光纤)cables allowed for

25、billions of bits of information to be received every minute. Companies like Intel developed faster microprocessors, so personal computers could process the 30 signals at a more rapid rate.In the early 1990s, the World Wide Web was developed, in large part, for 31 purposes. Corporations created home

26、pages where they could place text and graphics to sell products. Soon airline tickets, hotel 32 , and even cars and homes could be purchased online. Universities 33 research data on the Internet, so students could find 34 information without leaving their dormitories. Companies soon discovered that

27、work could be done at home and 35 online, so a whole new class of telecommuters began to earn a living from home offices unshaven and wearing pajamas (睡衣).A) advantage I) maintainedB) commercial J) occupationsC) conservation K) postedD) equipped L) remainedE) incoming M) reservationsF) innovation N)

28、 submittedG) limited O) valuableH) localSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragra

29、ph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Health Benefits of KnittingA) About 15 years ago, I was invited to join a knitting group. I agreed to give it a try.B) My mother had taught me to knit at 15, and

30、I knitted in class throughout college and for a few years thereafter. Then decades passed without my touching a knitting needle. But within two Mondays in the group, I was hooked, not only on knitting but also on crocheting (钩织), and I was on my way to becoming a highly productive crafter.C) Ive mad

31、e countless baby blankets, sweaters, scarves, hats, caps for newborns. I take a knitting project with me everywhere, especially when I have to sit still and listen. As I discovered in college, when my hands are busy, my mind stays focused on the here and now.D) It seems, too, that Im part of a natio

32、nal renewal of interest in needle and other handicrafts (手工艺 ).The Craft Yam Council reports that a third of women ages 25-35 now knit or crochet. Even men and schoolchildren are swelling the ranks, among them my Mends three small grandsons. Last April, the council created a Stitch Away Stress” camp

33、aign in honor of National Stress Awareness Month. Dr. Herbert Benson, a pioneer in mind/body medicine and author of The Relaxation Response, says that the repetitive action of needlework can induce a relaxed state like that associated with meditation (沉思) and yoga. Once you get beyond the initial le

34、arning curve, knitting and crocheting can lower heart rate and blood pressure.E) But unlike meditation, craft activities result in tangible and often useful products that can enhance self-esteem. I keep photos of my singular accomplishments on my cellphone to boost my spirits when needed.F) Since th

35、e 1990s, the council has surveyed hundreds of thousands of knitters and crocheters, who routinely list stress relief and creative fulfillment as the activities main benefits. Among them is the father of a prematurely born daughter who reported that during the babys five weeks in the intensive care u

36、nit, “learning how to knit infant hats gave me a sense of purpose during a time that I felt very helpless. Its a hobby that Ive stuck with, and it continues to help me cope with stress at work, provide a sense of order in hectic (忙乱的) days, and allow my brain time to solve problems.”G) A recent emai

37、l from the yam (纺纱) company Red Heart titled “Health Benefits of Crocheting and Knitting” prompted me to explore what else might be known about the health value of activities like knitting. My research revealed that the rewards go well beyond replacing stress and anxiety with the satisfaction of cre

38、ation.H) For example, Karen Hayes, a life coach in Toronto, conducts knitting therapy programs, including Knit to Quit to help smokers give up the habit, and Knit to Heal for people coping with health crises, like a cancer diagnosis or serious illness of a family member. Schools and prisons with cra

39、ft programs report that they have a calming effect and enhance social skills. And having to follow instructions on complex craft projects can improve childrens math skills.I) Some people find that craftwork helps them control their weight. Just as its challenging to smoke while knitting, when hands

40、are holding needles and hooks, theres less snacking and mindless eating out of boredom.J) Ive found that my handiwork with yam has helped my arthritic (患关节炎的)fingers remain more dexterous (灵巧的) as I age. A woman encouraged to try knitting and crocheting after developing an autoimmune disease that ca

41、used a lot of hand pain reported on the Craft Yam Council site that her hands are now less stiff and painful.K) A 2009 University of British Columbia study of 38 women with an eating disorder who were taught to knit found that learning the craft led to significant improvements. Seventy-four percent

42、of the women said the activity lessened their fears and kept them from thinking about their problem.L) Betsan Corkhill, a wellness coach in Bath, England, and author of the book Knit for Health migrants are often not much better off than they were in the countryside. Why?The immediate problem is pov

43、erty. Most of Africa is urbanising at a lower level of income than other regions of the world did. That means theres little money around for investment that would make cities liveable and more productive. Without upgrades and new capacity, bridges, roads and power systems are unable to cope with exp

44、anding populations. With the exception of South Africa, the only light rail metro system in sub-Saharan Africa is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Traffic jam leads to expense and unpredictability, things that keep investors away.In other parts of the world, increasing agricultural productivity and industr

45、ialization went together. More productive farmers meant there was a surplus that could feed cities; in turn, that created a pool of labour for factories. But African cities are different. They are too often built around consuming natural resources. Government is concentrated in capitals, so is the m

46、oney. Most urban Africans work for a small minority of the rich, who tend to be involved in either cronyish (有裙带关系的)businesses or politics. Since African agriculture is still broadly unproductive, food is imported, consuming a portion of revenue.So what can be done? Though African countries are poor

47、, not all African cities are. In Lagos, foreign oil workers can pay as much as $65,000 per year in rent for a modest apartment in a safe part of town. If that income were better taxed, it might provide the revenue for better infrastructure. If city leaders were more accountable to their residents, t

48、hey might favour projects designed to help them more. Yet even as new roads are built, new people arrive. When a citys population grows by 5% a year, it is difficult to keep up.46. What do we learn from the passage about cities in sub-Saharan Africa?A) They have more slums than other cities in the w

49、orld.B) They are growing fast without becoming richer.C) They are as modernised as many cities elsewhere.D) They attract migrants who want to be better off.47. What does the author imply about urbanisation in other parts of the world?A) It benefited from the contribution of immigrants.B) It started when peoples income was relatively high.C) It benefited from the accelerated rise in productivity.D) It started with the improvement of peo