1、2011年 12月大学英语六级真题及答案Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled The Way to Success by commenting on Abraham Lincolns famous remark, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend, the first four sharpening the axe.“ You s
2、hould write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.The Way to Success注 意 ： 此 部 分 试 题 请 在 答 题 卡 1上 作 答 。Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer thequestions on Answer Sheet 1.
3、 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.Googles Plan for Worlds Biggest Online Library: Philanthropy Or Act of Piracy?In recent years, teams of workers dispatched b
4、y Google have been working hard to make digital copies of books. So far, Google has scanned more than 10 million titles from libraries in America and Europe - including half a million volumes held by the Bodleian in Oxford. The exact method it uses is unclear; the company does not allow outsiders to
5、 observe the process.Why is Google undertaking such a venture? Why is it even interested in all those out-of-printlibrary books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? Thecompany claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, after all, is
6、to “organise the worlds information“, so it would be odd if that information did not include books.The company likes to present itself as having lofty aspirations. “This really isnt about making money. We are doing this for the good of society.“ As Santiago de la Mora, head of Google Books for Europ
7、e, puts it: “By making it possible to search the millions of books that exist today, we hope to expand the frontiers of human knowledge.“Dan Clancy, the chief architect of Google Books, does seem genuine in his conviction that thisis primarily a philanthropic (慈 善 的 ) exercise. “Googles core busines
8、s is search and find, soobviously what helps improve Googles search engine is good for Google,“ he says. “But we havenever built a spreadsheet (电 子 数 据 表 ) outlining the financial benefits of this, and I have neverhad to justify the amount I am spending to the companys founders.“It is easy, talking
9、to Clancy and his colleagues, to be swept along by their missionary passion. But Googles book-scanning project is proving controversial. Several opponents have recently emerged, ranging from rival tech giants such as Microsoft and Amazon to small bodies representing authors and publishers across the
10、 world. In broad terms, these opponents have levelled two sets of criticisms at Google.First, they have questioned whether the primary responsibility for digitally archiving the worlds books should be allowed to fall to a commercial company. In a recent essay in the New YorkReview of Books, Robert D
11、arnton, the head of Harvard Universitys library, argued that because such books are a common resource the possession of us all only public, not-for-profit bodiesshould be given the power to control them.The second related criticism is that Googles scanning of books is actually illegal. This allegati
12、on has led to Google becoming mired in (陷 入 ) a legal battle whose scope and complexity makes the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Charles Dickens Bleak House look straightforward.At its centre, however, is one simple issue: that of copyright. The inconvenient fact about most books, to which Google has
13、 arguably paid insufficient attention, is that they are protected by copyright. Copyright laws differ from country to country, but in general protection extends for the duration of an authors life and for a substantial period afterwards, thus allowing the authors heirs to benefit. (In Britain and Am
14、erica, this post-death period is 70 years.) This means, of course, that almost all of the books published in the 20th century are still under copyright and the last century saw more books published than in all previous centuries combined. Of the roughly 40 million books in US libraries, for example,
15、 an estimated 32 million are in copyright. Of these, some 27 million are out of print.Outside the US, Google has made sure only to scan books that are out of copyright and thus in the “public domain“ (works such as the Bodleians first edition of Middlemarch, which anyone canread for free on Google B
16、ooks Search).But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright and out-of-copyright works. Inits defence, Google points out that it displays only small segments of books that are in copyright arguing that such displays are “fair use“. But critics allege that by making electronic copies o
17、f these books without first seeking the permission of copyright holders, Google has committed piracy.“The key principle of copyright law has always been that works can be copied only once authors have expressly given their permission,“ says Piers Blofeld, of the Sheil Land literary agency in London.
18、 “Google has reversed this it has simply copied all these works without bothering toask.“In 2005, the Authors Guild of America, together with a group of US publishers, launched aclass action suit (集 团 诉 讼 ) against Google that, after more than two years of negotiation, endedwith an announcement last
19、 October that Google and the claimants had reached an out-of-courtsettlement. The full details are complicated - the text alone runs to 385 pages and trying tosummarise it is no easy task. “Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible,“ saysBlofeld, one of the settlements most vocal
20、British critics.Broadly, the deal provides a mechanism for Google to compensate authors and publishers whose rights it has breached (including giving them a share of any future revenue it generates fromtheir works). In exchange for this, the rights holders agree not to sue Google in future.This sett
21、lement hands Google the power - but only with the agreement of individual rights holders to exploit its database of out-of-print books. It can include them in subscription deals sold to libraries or sell them individually under a consumer licence. It is these commercial provisions that are proving t
22、he settlements most controversial aspect.Critics point out that, by giving Google the right to commercially exploit its database, thesettlement paves the way for a subtle shift in the companys role from provider of information to seller. “Googles business model has always been to provide information
23、 for free, and sell advertising on the basis of the traffic this generates,“ points out James Grimmelmann, associate professor at New York Law School. Now, he says, because of the settlements provisions, Google could become a significant force in bookselling.Interest in this aspect of the settlement
24、 has focused on “orphan“ works, where there is noknown copyright holder these make up an estimated 5-10% of the books Google has scanned. Under the settlement, when no rights holders come forward and register their interest in a work, commercial control automatically reverts to Google. Google will b
25、e able to display up to 20% oforphan works for free, include them in its subscription deals to libraries and sell them to individual buyers under the consumer licence.It is by no means certain that the settlement will be enacted (执 行 ) it is the subject of afairness hearing in the US courts. But if
26、it is enacted, Google will in effect be off the hook as far as copyright violations in the US are concerned. Many people are seriously concerned by this - and the company is likely to face challenges in other courts around the world.No one knows the precise use Google will make of the intellectual p
27、roperty it has gained byscanning the worlds library books, and the truth, as Gleick, an American science writer and member of the Authors Guild, points out, is that the company probably doesnt even know itself. But what is certain is that, in some way or other, Googles entrance into digital booksell
28、ing will have a significant impact on the book world in the years to come.注意：此部分试题请在答 题 卡 1上作答。1. Google claims its plan for the worlds biggest online library is _.A) to serve the interest of the general publicB) to encourage reading around the worldC) to save out-of-print books in librariesD) to pr
29、omote its core business of searching2. According to Santiago de la Mora, Googles book-scanning project will _.A) broaden humanitys intellectual horizonsB) help the broad masses of readersC) revolutionise the entire book industryD) make full use of the power of its search engine3. Opponents of Google
30、 Books believe that digitally archiving the worlds books should be controlled by _.A) non-profit organisations C) multinational companiesB) the worlds leading libraries D) the worlds tech giants4. Google has involved itself in a legal battle as it ignored _.A) the copyright of authors of out-of-prin
31、t booksB) the copyright of the books it scannedC) the interest of traditional booksellersD) the differences of in-print and out-of-print books5. Google defends its scanning in-copyright books by saying that _.A) it displays only a small part of their contentB) it is willing to compensate the copyrig
32、ht holdersC) making electronic copies of books is not a violation of copyrightD) the online display of in-copyright books is not for commercial use6. What do we learn about the class action suit against Google?A) It ended in a victory for the Authors Guild of America.B) It was settled after more tha
33、n two years of negotiation.C) It failed to protect the interests of American publishers.D) It could lead to more out-of-court settlements of such disputes.7. What remained controversial after the class action suit ended?A) The compensation for copyright holders.B) The change in Googles business mode
34、l.C) Googles further exploitation of its database.D) The commercial provisions of the settlement.8. While _, Google makes money by selling advertising.9. Books whose copyright holders are not known are called _.10. Googles entrance into digital bookselling will tremendously _ in the future.Part III
35、Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)Section ADirections: 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 ea
36、ch 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. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.注 意 ： 此 部 分 试 题 请 在 答 题 卡 2上 作 答 。11. A) Cancel the trip to pr
37、epare for the test.B) Review his notes once he arrives in Chicago.C) Listen to the recorded notes while driving.D) Prepare for the test after the wedding.12. A) The woman will help the man remember the lines.B) The man lacks confidence in playing the part.C) The man hopes to change his role in the p
38、lay.D) The woman will prompt the man during the show.13. A) Preparations for an operation. C) Arranging a bed for a patient.B) A complicated surgical case. D) Rescuing the womans uncle.14. A) He is interested in improving his editing skills.B) He is eager to be nominated the new editor.C) He is sure
39、 to do a better job than Simon.D) He is too busy to accept more responsibility.15. A) He has left his position in the government.B) He has already reached the retirement age.C) He made a stupid decision at the cabinet meeting.D) He has been successfully elected Prime Minister.16. A) This years shutt
40、le mission is a big step in space exploration.B) The man is well informed about the space shuttle missions.C) The shuttle flight will be broadcast live worldwide.D) The man is excited at the news of the shuttle flight.17. A) At an auto rescue center. C) At a suburban garage.B) At a car renting compa
41、ny. D) At a mountain camp.18. A) He got his speakers fixed. C) He listened to some serious musicB) He went shopping with the woman. D) He bought a stereo system.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) Providing aid to the disabled.B) Printing labels for manufactur
42、ed goods.C) Promoting products for manufacturers.D) Selling products made for left-handers.20. A) Most of them are specially made for his shop.B) All of them are manufactured in his own plant.C) The kitchenware in his shop is of unique design.D) About half of them are unavailable on the market.21. A
43、) They specialise in one product only. C) They run chain stores in central London.B) They have outlets throughout Britain. D) They sell by mail order only.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.22. A) It publishes magazines. C) It runs sales promotion campaigns.B) It sp
44、onsors trade fairs. D) It is engaged in product design.23. A) The ad specifications had not been given in detail.B) The womans company made last-minute changes.C) The womans company failed to make payments in time.D) Organising the promotion was really time-consuming.24. A) Extend the campaign to ne
45、xt year. C) Run another four-week campaign.B) Cut the fee by half for this year. D) Give her a 10 percent discount.25. A) Stop negotiating for the time being. C) Reflect on their respective mistakesB) Calm down and make peace. D) Improve their promotion plans.Section BDirections: In this section, yo
46、u will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you willhear 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). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer
47、Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.注 意 ： 此 部 分 试 题 请 在 答 题 卡 2上 作 答 。Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A) They look spotlessly clean throughout their lives.B) They are looked after by animal-care organizations.C) They sacrifice their lives for
48、the benefit of humans.D) They are labeled pet animals by the researchers.27. A) They may affect the results of experiments.B) They may behave abnormally.C) They may breed out of control.D) They may cause damage to the environment.28. A) When they become escapees. C) When they get too old.B) When they are no longer useful.
