2013年12月大学英语六级考试改革样题及答案.doc

PartIWriting(30minutes)注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。PartIIListeningComprehension(30minutes)PartIIIReadingComprehension(40minutes)SectionADirections:Inthissection,thereisapassagewithtenblanks.Youarerequiredtoselectonewordforeachblankfromalistofchoicesgiveninawordbankfollowingthepassage.Readthepassagethroughcarefullybeforemakingyourchoices.Eachchoiceinthebankisidentifiedbyaletter.PleasemarkthecorrespondingletterforeachitemonAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Youmaynotuseanyofthewordsinthebankmorethanonce.Tounderstandwhyweshouldbeconcernedabouthowyoungpeopleread,ithelpstoknowsomethingaboutthewaytheabilitytoreadevolved.Unliketheabilitytounderstandandproducespokenlanguage,theabilitytoreadmustbepainstakingly36byeachindividual.The“readingcircuits”weconstructinthebraincanbe37ortheycanberobust,dependingonhowoftenandhow38weusethem.Thedeepreaderentersastateofhypnotictrance(心醉神迷的状态).Whenreadersareenjoyingtheexperiencethemost,thepaceoftheirreading39slows.Thecombinationoffast,fluentdecodingofwordsandslow,unhurriedprogressonthepagegivesdeepreaderstimetoenrichtheirreadingwithreflectionandanalysis.Itgivesthemtimetoestablishan40relationshipwiththeauthor,thetwoofthem41inalongandwarmconversationlikepeoplefallinginlove.Thisisnotreadingasmanyyoungpeopleknowit.Theirreadingisinstrumental:thedifferencebetweenwhatliterarycriticFrankKermodecalls“carnal(肉体的)reading”and“spiritualreading.”Ifweallowouroffspringtobelievecarnalreadingisallthereisifwedontopenthedoortospiritualreading,throughanearly42ondisciplineandpracticewewillhave43themofanenjoyableexperiencetheywouldnototherwiseencounter.Observingyoungpeoples44todigitaldevices,someprogressiveeducatorstalkabout“meetingkidswheretheyare,”moldinginstructionaroundtheironscreenhabits.Thisismistaken.Weneed,45,toshowthemsomeplacetheyveneverbeen,aplaceonlydeepreadingcantakethem.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。A)acquired B)actuall J)notwithstandingC)attachmentK)petitionD)cheatedL)ratherE)engagedM)scarcelyF)feebleN)swayedG)illicitO)vigorouslyH)insistence I)intimateSectionBIntotheUnknownTheworldhasneverseenpopulationageingbefore.Canitcope?AUntiltheearly1990snobodymuchthoughtaboutwholepopulationsgettingolder.TheUNhadtheforesighttoconvenea“worldassemblyonageing”backin1982,butthatcameandwent.By1994theWorldBankhadnoticedthatsomethingbigwashappening.Inareportentitled“AvertingtheOldAgeCrisis”,itarguedthatpensionarrangementsinmostcountrieswereunsustainable.BForthenexttenyearsasuccessionofbooks,mainlybyAmericans,soundedthealarm.TheyhadtitleslikeYoungvsOld,GrayDawnandTheComingGenerationalStorm,andtheirmessagewasblunt:health-caresystemswereheadingfortherocks,pensionersweretakingyoungpeopletothecleaners,andsoontherewouldbeintergenerationalwarfare.CSincethenthedebatehasbecomelessemotional,notleastbecausealotmoreisknownaboutthesubject.Books,conferencesandresearchpapershavemultiplied.InternationalorganisationssuchastheOECDandtheEUissueregularreports.Populationageingisoneveryagenda,fromG8economicconferencestoNATOsummits.TheWorldEconomicForumplanstoconsiderthefutureofpensionsandhealthcareatitsprestigiousDavosconferenceearlynextyear.Themedia,includingthisnewspaper,aregivingthesubjectextensivecoverage. DWhetherallthatattentionhastranslatedintosufficientactionisanotherquestion.Governmentsinrichcountriesnowacceptthattheirpensionandhealth-carepromiseswillsoonbecomeunaffordable,andmanyofthemhaveembarkedonreforms,butsofaronlytimidly.Thatisnotsurprising:politicianswithaneyeonthenextelectionwillhardlyrushtointroduceunpopularmeasuresthatmaynotbearfruitforyears,perhapsdecades.ETheoutlineofthechangesneededisclear.Toavoidfiscal(财政的)meltdown,publicpensionsandhealth-careprovisionwillhavetobereinedbackseverelyandtaxesmayhavetogoup.Byfarthemosteffectivemethodtorestrainpensionspendingistogivepeopletheopportunitytoworklonger,becauseitincreasestaxrevenuesandreducesspendingonpensionsatthesametime.Itmayevenkeepthemalivelonger.JohnRother,theAARPsheadofpolicyandstrategy,pointstostudiesshowingthatotherthingsbeingequal,peoplewhoremainatworkhavelowerdeathratesthantheirretiredpeers.FYoungerpeopletodaymostlyacceptthattheywillhavetoworkforlongerandthattheirpensionswillbelessgenerous.Employersstillneedtobepersuadedthatolderworkersareworthholdingonto.Thatmaybebecausetheyhavehadplentyofyoungeronestochoosefrom,partlythankstothepost-warbaby-boomandpartlybecauseoverthepastfewdecadesmanymorewomenhaveenteredthelabourforce,increasingemployerschoice.Butthereservoirofwomenableandwillingtotakeuppaidworkisrunninglow,andthebaby-boomersaregoinggrey.GInmanycountriesimmigrantshavebeenfillingsuchgapsinthelabourforceashavealreadyemerged(andrememberthattherealshortageisstillaroundtenyearsoff).Immigrationinthedevelopedworldisthehighestithaseverbeen,anditismakingausefuldifference.Instill-fertileAmericaitcurrentlyaccountsforabout40%oftotalpopulationgrowth,andinfast-ageingwesternEuropeforabout90%.HOnthefaceofit,itseemstheperfectsolution.Manydevelopingcountrieshavelotsofyoungpeopleinneedofjobs;manyrichcountriesneedhelpinghandsthatwillboosttaxrevenuesandkeepupeconomicgrowth.Butoverthenextfewdecadeslabourforcesinrichcountriesaresettoshrinksomuchthatinflowsofimmigrantswouldhavetoincreaseenormouslytocompensate:toatleasttwicetheircurrentsizeinwesternEuropesmostyouthfulcountries,andthreetimesintheolderones.Japanwouldneedalargemultipleofthefewimmigrantsithasatpresent.Publicopinionpollsshowthatpeopleinmostrichcountriesalreadythinkthatimmigrationistoohigh.Furtherbigincreaseswouldbepoliticallyunfeasible.ITotackletheproblemofageingpopulationsatitsroot,“old”countrieswouldhavetorejuvenate(使年轻)themselvesbyhavingmoreoftheirownchildren.Anumberofthemhavetried,somemoresuccessfullythanothers.Butitisnotasimplematterofofferingfinancialincentivesorprovidingmorechildcare.Modernurbanlifeinrichcountriesisnotwelladaptedtolargefamilies.Womenfindithardtocombinefamilyandcareer.Theyoftencompromisebyhavingjustonechild. JAndiffertilityinageingcountriesdoesnotpickup?Itwillnotbetheendoftheworld,atleastnotforquiteawhileyet,buttheworldwillslowlybecomeadifferentplace.Oldersocietiesmaybelessinnovativeandmorestronglydisinclinedtotakerisksthanyoungerones.By2025atthelatest,abouthalfthevotersinAmericaandmostofthoseinwesternEuropeancountrieswillbeover50andolderpeopleturnouttovoteinmuchgreaternumbersthanyoungerones.Academicstudieshavefoundnoevidencesofarthatoldervotershaveusedtheirpowerattheballotboxtopushforpoliciesthatspecificallybenefitthem,thoughifinfuturetherearemanymoreofthemtheymightstartdoingso.KNoristhereanysignoftheintergenerationalwarfarepredictedinthe1990s.Afterall,olderpeoplethemselvesmostlyhavefamilies.Inarecentstudyofparentsandgrown-upchildrenin11Europeancountries,KarstenHankofMannheimUniversityfoundthat85%ofthemlivedwithin25kmofeachotherandthemajorityofthemwereintouchatleastonceaweek.LEvenso,theshiftinthecentreofgravitytoolderagegroupsisboundtohaveaprofoundeffectonsocieties,notjusteconomicallyandpoliticallybutinallsortsofotherwaystoo.RichardJacksonandNeilHoweofAmericasCSIS,inathoughtfulbookcalledTheGrayingoftheGreatPowers,arguethat,amongotherthings,theageingofthedevelopedcountrieswillhaveanumberofserioussecurityimplications.MForexample,theshortageofyoungadultsislikelytomakecountriesmorereluctanttocommitthefewtheyhavetomilitaryservice.Inthedecadesto2050,Americawillfinditselfplayinganever-increasingroleinthedevelopedworldsdefenceeffort.BecauseAmericaspopulationwillstillbegrowingwhenthatofmostotherdevelopedcountriesisshrinking,Americawillbetheonlydevelopedcountrythatstillmattersgeopolitically(地缘政治上).Askmein2020NThereislittlethatcanbedonetostoppopulationageing,sotheworldwillhavetolivewithit.Butsomeoftheconsequencescanbealleviated.Manyexpertsnowbelievethatgiventherightpolicies,theeffects,thoughgrave,neednotbecatastrophic.Mostcountrieshaverecognisedtheneedtodosomethingandarebeginningtoact.OButeventhenthereisnoguaranteethattheireffortswillwork.Whatishappeningnowishistoricallyunprecedented.RonaldLee,directoroftheCentreontheEconomicsandDemographyofAgeingattheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,putsitbrieflyandclearly:“Wedontreallyknowwhatpopulationageingwillbelike,becausenobodyhasdoneityet.”注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。46.Employersshouldrealiseitisimportanttokeepolderworkersintheworkforce.47.ArecentstudyfoundthatmostoldpeopleinsomeEuropeancountrieshadregularweeklycontactwiththeiradultchildren.48.Fewgovernmentsinrichcountrieshavelaunchedboldreformstotackletheproblemofpopulationageing.49.Inareportpublishedsome20yearsago,thesustainabilityofold-agepensionsystemsinmostcountrieswascalledintodoubt.50.Countriesthathaveashortageofyoungadultswillbelesswillingtosendthemtowar.51.One-childfamiliesaremorecommoninageingsocietiesduetothestressofurbanlifeandthedifficultiesofbalancingfamilyandcareer.52.Aseriesofbooks,mostlyauthoredbyAmericans,warnedofconflictsbetweentheolderandyoungergenerations.53.Comparedwithyoungerones,oldersocietiestendtobelessinnovativeandtakefewerrisks.54.Thebestsolutiontothepensioncrisisistopostponetheretirementage.55.Immigrationasameanstoboosttheshrinkinglabourforcemaymeetwithresistanceinsomerichcountries.SectionCFormostofthe20thcentury,Asiaaskeditselfwhatitcouldlearnfromthemodern,innovatingWest.Nowthequestionmustbereversed:whatcantheWestsoverlyindebtedandsluggish(经济滞长的)nationslearnfromaflourishingAsia?Justafewdecadesago,Asiastwogiantswerestagnating(停滞不前)underfaultyeconomicideologies.However,onceChinabeganembracingfree-marketreformsinthe1980s,followedbyIndiainthe1990s,bothcountriesachievedrapidgrowth.Crucially,astheyopeneduptheirmarkets,theybalancedmarketeconomywithsensiblegovernmentdirection.AstheIndianeconomistAmartyaSenhaswiselysaid,“Theinvisiblehandofthemarkethasoftenreliedheavilyonthevisiblehandofgovernment.” ContrastthismiddlepathwithAmericaandEurope,whichhaveeachgoneideologicallyoverboardintheirownways.Sincethe1980s,AmericahasbeenincreasinglyclingingtotheideologyofuncontrolledfreemarketsanddismissingtheroleofgovernmentfollowingRonaldReagansideathat“governmentisnotthesolutiontoourproblem;governmentistheproblem.”Ofcourse,whenthemarketscamecrashingdownin2007,itwasdecisivegovernmentinterventionthatsavedtheday.Despitethisfact,manyAmericansarestillstronglyopposedto“biggovernment.”IfAmericanscouldonlyfreethemselvesfromtheirantigovernmentdoctrine,theywouldbegintoseethatAmericasproblemsarenotinsoluble.Afewsensiblefederalmeasurescouldputthecountrybackontherightpath.Asimpleconsumptiontaxof,say,5%wouldsignificantlyreducethecountryshugegovernmentdeficitwithoutdamagingproductivity.AsmallgasolinetaxwouldhelpfreeAmericafromitsdependenceonoilimportsandcreateincentivesforgreenenergydevelopment.Inthesameway,asignificantreductionofwastefulagriculturalsubsidiescouldalsolowerthedeficit.Butinordertotakeadvantageofthesecommon-sensesolutions,Americanswillhavetoputasidetheirownattachmenttotheideaofsmallergovernmentandlessregulation.AmericanpoliticianswillhavetodevelopthecouragetofollowwhatistaughtinallAmericanpublic-policyschools:thattherearegoodtaxesandbadtaxes.Asiancountrieshaveembracedthiswisdom,andhavebuiltsoundlong-termfiscal(财政的)policiesasaresult.Meanwhile,Europehasfallenpreytoadifferentideologicaltrap:thebeliefthatEuropeangovernmentswouldalwayshaveinfiniteresourcesandcouldcontinueborrowingasiftherewerenotomorrow.UnliketheAmericans,whofeltthatthemarketsknewbest,theEuropeansfailedtoanticipatehowthemarketswouldreacttotheirendlessborrowing.Today,theEuropeanUnioniscreatinga$580billionfundtowardoffsovereigncollapse.ThiswillbuytheEUtime,butitwillnotsolvetheblocslargerproblem.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。56.WhathascontributedtotherapideconomicgrowthinChinaandIndia?A)Freemarketplusgovernmentintervention.B)Heavyrelianceonthehandofgovernment.C)Copyingwestern-styleeconomicbehavior.D)Timelyreformofgovernmentatalllevels.57.WhatdoesRonaldReaganmeanbysaying“governmentistheproblem”(Line5,Para.3)?A)Governmentactioniskeytosolvingeconomicproblems.B)Manysocialproblemsarisefromgovernmentinefficiency.C)Manysocialillsarecausedbywronggovernmentpolicies.D)Governmentregulationhinderseconomicdevelopment. 58.WhatstoppedtheAmericaneconomyfromcollapsingin2007?A)Cooperationbetweenthegovernmentandbusinesses.B)Self-regulatoryrepairmechanismsofthefreemarket.C)Effectivemeasuresadoptedbythegovernment.D)Abandonmentofbiggovernmentbythepublic.59.WhatistheauthorssuggestiontotheAmericanpublicinfaceofthegovernmentdeficit?A)Theygiveuptheideaofsmallergovernmentandlessregulation.B)Theyputupwiththeinevitablesharpincreaseofdifferenttaxes.C)Theyurgethegovernmenttoreviseitsexistingpublicpolicies.D)Theydevelopgreenenergytoavoiddependenceonoilimport.60.WhatistheproblemwiththeEuropeanUnion?A)Conservativeideology.C)Lackofresources.B)Excessiveborrowing.D)Shrinkingmarket.PassageTwoQuestions61to65arebasedonthefollowingpassage.PictureatypicalMBAlecturetheatretwentyyearsago.Initthemajorityofstudentswillhaveconformedtothestandardmodelofthetime:male,middleclassandWestern.Walkintoaclasstoday,however,andyoullgetacompletelydifferentimpression.Forastart,youwillnowseeplentymorewomentheUniversityofPennsylvaniasWhartonSchool,forexample,boaststhat40%ofitsnewenrolmentisfemale.Youwillalsoseeawiderangeofethnicgroupsandnationalsofpracticallyeverycountry.Itmightbetempting,therefore,tothinkthattheoldbarriershavebeenbrokendownandequalopportunityachieved.But,increasingly,thisapparentdiversityisbecomingamaskforanewtypeofconformity.Behindthedifferencesinsex,skintonesandmothertongues,therearecommonattitudes,expectationsandambitionswhichriskcreatingasetofclonesamongthebusinessleadersofthefuture.Diversity,itseems,hasnothelpedtoaddressfundamentalweaknessesinbusinessleadership.Sowhatcanbedonetocreatemoreeffectivemanagersofthecommercialworld?AccordingtoValerieGauthier,associatedeanatHECParis,thekeyliesintheprocessbywhichMBAprogrammesrecruittheirstudents.Atthemomentcandidatesareselectedonafairlynarrowsetofcriteriasuchasprioracademicandcareerperformance,andanalyticalandproblemsolvingabilities.Thisisthencoupledtoaschoolspictureofwhatadiverseclassshouldlooklike,withtheresultthatpassport,ethnicoriginandsexcanallbecomeinfluencingfactors.Butschoolsrarelydigdowntofindoutwhatreallymakesanapplicantsucceed,tocreateaclasswhichalsocontainsdiversityofattitudeandapproacharguablytheonlydiversitythat,inabusinesscontext,reallymatters.ProfessorGauthierbelievesschoolsshouldnotjustbeselectingcandidatesfromtraditionalsectorssuchasbanking,consultancyandindustry.Theyshouldalsobeseekingindividualswhohavebackgroundsinareassuchaspoliticalscience,the creativearts,historyorphilosophy,whichwillallowthemtoputbusinessdecisionsintoawidercontext.Indeed,theredoesseemtobeademandforthemoreroundedleaderssuchdiversitymightcreate.AstudybyMannaz,aleadershipdevelopmentcompany,suggeststhat,whilethebully-boychiefexecutiveofoldmaynothavebeeneradicatedcompletely,thereisadefiniteshiftinemphasistowardslesstoughstylesofmanagementatleastinAmericaandEurope.Perhapsmostsignificant,accordingtoMannaz,istheincreasinginterestlargecompani