2012年12月英语四级考试全真预测试卷.doc

2011年6月英语四级考试全真预测试卷Part I Writing(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic Choosing an Occupation. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese:1. 选择职业是一个人要面对的众多难题之一。2. 需要花时间去选择职业。3. 选择职业时可以向多人寻求建议和帮助。Choosing an Occupation-【写作思路】本文是一篇关于择业的议论文。短文需要说明慎重择业相当重要，并提出多种指导择业的方法。【参考范文】Choosing an OccupationOne of the most important problems a young person faces is deciding what to do. There are some people, of course, who from the time are six years old “know” that they want to be doctors or pilots or fire fighters, but the majority of us do not get around to making a decision about an occupation or career until somebody or something forces us to face the problem.Choosing an occupation takes time, and there are a lot of things you have to think about as you try to decide what you would like to do. You may find that you will have to take special courses to qualify for a particular kind of work, or you may find out that you will need to get actual work experience to gain enough knowledge to qualify for a particular job.Fortunately, there are a lot of people you can turn to for advice and help in making your decision. At most schools, there are teachers who are professionally qualified to give you detailed information about job qualifications. And you can talk over your ideas with family members and friends who are always ready to listen and to offer suggestions.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 the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7,choose the best answer from the four choices markedA,B,Cand D. For questions 8-10,complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Will We Run Out of Water?Picture a “ghost ship” sinking into the sand, left to rot on dry land by a receding sea. Then imagine dust storms sweeping up toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers from the dry seabed and spewing them across towns and villages.Seem like a scene from a movie about the end of the world? For people living near the Aral Sea in Central Asia, its all too real. Thirty years ago, government planners diverted the rivers that flow into the sea in order to irrigate (provide water for)farmland. As a result, the sea has shrunk to half its original size, stranding ships on dry land. The seawater has tripled in salt content and become polluted, killing all 24 native species of fish.Similar large-scale efforts to redirect water in other parts of the world have also ended in ecological crisis, according to numerous environmental groups. But many countries continue to build massive dams and irrigation systems, even though such projects can create more problems than they fix. Why? People in many parts of the world are desperate for water, and more people will need more water in the next century.“Growing populations will worsen problems with water,” says Peter H. Gleick, an environmental scientist at the Pacific Institute for studies in Development, Environment, and Security, a research organization in California. He fears that by the year 2025, as many as one-third of the worlds projected 8.3 billion people will suffer from water shortages.Where Water GoesOnly 2.5 percent of all water on Earth is freshwater, water suitable for drinking and growing food, says Sandra Postel, director of the Global Water Policy Project in Amherst, Mass. Twothirds of this freshwater is locked in glaciers and ice caps. In fact, only a tiny percentage of freshwater is part of the water cycle, in which water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere, then condenses and falls back to Earth as precipitation(rain or snow).Some precipitation runs off land to lakes and oceans, and some becomes groundwater, water that seeps into the earth. Much of this renewable freshwater ends up in remote places like the Amazon river basin in Brazil, where few people live. In fact, the worlds population has access to only 12,500 cubic kilometers of freshwaterabout the amount of water in Lake Superior. And people use half of this amount already. “If water demand continues to climb rapidly,” says Postel, “there will be severe shortages and damage to the aquatic environment.”Close to HomeWater woes may seem remote to people living in rich countries like the United States. But Americans could face serious water shortages, too especially in areas that rely on groundwater. Groundwater accumulates in aquifers, layers of sand and gravel that lie between soil and bedrock. (For every liter of surface water, more than 90 liters are hidden underground.)Although the United States has large aquifers, farmers, ranchers, and cities are tapping many of them for water faster than nature can replenish it. In northwest Texas, for example, over pumping has shrunk groundwater supplies by 25 percent, according to Postel.Americans may face even more urgent problems from pollution. Drinking water in the United States is generally safe and meets high standards. Nevertheless, one in five Americans every day unknowingly drinks tap water contaminated with bacteria and chemical wastes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In Milwaukee, 400,000 people fell ill in 1993 after drinking tap water tainted with cryptosporidium, a microbe that causes fever, diarrhea and vomiting.The SourceWhere do contaminants come from? In developing countries, people dump raw sewage into the same streams and rivers from which they draw water for drinking and cooking; about 250 million people a year get sick from water borne diseases.In developed countries, manufacturers use 100,000 chemical compounds to make a wide range of products. Toxic chemicals pollute water when released untreated into rivers and lakes. (Certain compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, have been banned in the United States.)But almost everyone contributes to water pollution. People often pour household cleaners, car antifreeze, and paint thinners down the drain; all of these contain hazardous chemicals. Scientists studying water in the San Francisco Bay reported in 1996 that 70 percent of the pollutants could be traced to household waste.Farmers have been criticized for overusing herbicides and pesticides, chemicals that kill weeds and insects but that pollute water as well. Farmers also use nitrates, nitrogenrich fertilizer that help plants grow but that can wreak havoc on the environment. Nitrates are swept away by surface runoff to lakes and seas. Too many nitrates “over enrich” these bodies of water, encouraging the buildup of algae, or microscopic plants that live on the surface of the water. Algae deprive the water of oxygen that fish need to survive, at times choking off life in an entire body of water.Whats the Solution?Water expert Gleick advocates conservation and local solutions to water-related problems; governments, for instance, would be better off building small-scale dams rather than huge and disruptive projects like the one that ruined the Aral Sea.“More than 1 billion people worldwide dont have access to basic clean drinking water,” says Gleick. “There has to be a strong push on the part of everyonegovernments and ordinary peopleto make sure we have a resource so fundamental to life.”1.What caused the Aral Sea to shrink?AThe rivers flowing into it have been diverted.BFarmers used its water to irrigate their farmland.CGovernment planners overpumped its water.DHigh temperature made its water badly evaporate.2.The construction of massive dams and irrigation projects .Adoes more good than harmBsolves more problems than what they createdCdoes more harm than goodDbrings more water to people than expected3.The chief causes of water shortage include .Apopulation growth and water wasteBwater pollution and dry weatherCwater waste and pollutionDpopulation growth and water pollution4.Americans could suffer from greatly serious water shortages?Aliving in rich areasBliving in big cities but poor conditionCdepending on groundwaterDbearing high standards of safe drinking water in mind5.What is the main pollutant in developed countries?AUntreated toxic chemicals from manufacturers.BRaw sewage into rivers and streams.CHerbicides and pesticides used by farmers.DHousehold cleaners poured down the drain.6.How does algae make threats to life of a body of water?ABy covering the whole surface of the water.BBy competitively using oxygen life in water needs.CBy living more rapidly than other life in water .DBy releasing hazardous chemicals into water.7.According to Gleick, who should be responsible for solving water-related problems?Agovernment and housewives.Bfarmers and manufacturers.Cordinary people and manufacturers.Dgovernment and every person.8. According to Peter H. Gleick, by the year 2025, as many as of the worlds people will suffer from water shortages.9.Two thirds of the freshwater on Earth is locked in .10.In developed countries, before toxic chemicals are released into rivers and lakes, they should be treated in order to avoid . Part III 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 each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A,B,CandD, and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.11.AWait for the sale to start.BGet further information about the sale.CCall the TV station to be sure if the ad is true.DBuy a new suit.12.AHe doesnt think that John is ill.BHe thinks that perhaps John is not in very good health.CHe is aware that John is ill.DHe doesnt think that John has a very good knowledge of physics.13.ABefore six.BAt six.CAfter six.DAfter seven.14.AIt is bigger.BIt has a prettier color.CIt has a larger yard.DIt is brighter.15.AAustralian and American.BGuest and host.CHusband and wife.DProfessor and student.16.A130.B1100.C930.D1000.17.AHe prefers staying at home because the bus is too late.BHe prefers staying at home because he doesnt like to travel.CHe prefers taking a bus because the plane makes him nervous.DHe prefers traveling with the woman.18.AHe thinks she should visit her cousin.BHer cousin doesnt visit very often.CHer cousin is feeling a lot better today.DHe doesnt think her cousin has been at home today.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19.ATwo different types of bones in the human body.BHow bones help the body move.CHow bones continuously repair themselves.DThe chemical composition of human bones.20.AThey defend the bone against viruses.BThey prevent oxygen from entering the bone.CThey break down bone tissue.DThey connect the bone to muscle tissue.21.AThey have difficulty identifying these cells.BThey arent sure how these cells work.CTheyve learned how to reproduce these cells.DTheyve found similar cells in other species.22.ATo learn how to prevent a bone disease.BTo understand differences between bone tissue and other tissue.CTo find out how specialized bone cells have evolved.DTo create artificial bone tissue.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23.AA new fuel for buses.BThe causes of air pollution.CA way to improve fuel efficiency in buses.DCareers in environmental engineering.24.AHer car is being repaired.BShe wants to help reduce pollution.CParking is difficult in the city.DThe cost of fuel has increased.25.AA fuel that burns cleanly.BAn oil additive that helps cool engines.CA material from which filters are made.DAn insulating material sprayed on engine parts.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear 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, Cand D.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.26.AFrom three to five months.BThree months.CFive months.DFour months.27.AWatch traffic.BObey commands.CCross streets safely.DGuard the door.28.AThree weeks. BTwo weeks.CFour weeks. DFive weeks.Passage TwoQuestions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.29.ATwo to four times.BFour to six times.CFour to eight times.DSix to ten times.30.ASleeping pills made people go into REM sleep quickly.BPeople had more dreams after they took sleeping pills.CPeople became angry easily because they didnt take sleeping pills.DSleeping pills prevented people from going into REM sleep.31.APeople dream so as to sleep better.BPeople dream in order not to go into REM sleep.CBecause they may run into difficult problems in their dreams.DBecause in their dreams they may find the answers to their problems.Passage ThreeQuestions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.32.AA sales representative.BA store manager.CA committee chairperson.DA class president.33.ATo determine who will graduate this year.BTo discuss the seating arrangement.CTo choose the chairperson of the ceremonies.DTo begin planning the graduation ceremonies.34.ATheir names, phone numbers and job preference.BThe names and addresses of their guests.CThe names of the committee they worked on last year.DTheir dormitory name, address and phone number.35.AIn an hour.BNext week.CIn one month.DNext year. Part III Listening ComprehensionSection A11.W I just saw an ad. on television that said mens suits were on sales today and tomorrow at Conrads Mens Wear.MGreat! Thats just what Ive been waiting for.QWhat will the man probably do?【解析】D男士说男士套装的特价销售正是他一直等待着的。所以从他的态度可判断，他要去买件男装。12.W:Is John really ill?M:Its hard to say. I doubt theres anything wrong with him physically.Q: What does the man mean?【解析】A从男士的话“我怀疑约翰的身体没有任何问题”中可看出答案。13.M:Do you know if the book shop is still open?W:Yes, its open till six.Q:When do you think this conversation took place?【解析】A女士说书店现在还开着，一直开到六点呢，说明现在的时间是在六点之前。14.M:Of the two houses we saw today, which do you prefer?W:I think the white one is prettier, but the brick one has a bigger yard, so I like it better.Q:Why does the woman like the brick house better than the white house?【解析】C女士明确指出 the brick one has a bigger yard, so I like it better。15. M:Honey, well have a guest from Australia, a friend of mine. Hell stay in California for two weeks.W:Yes. Your friend Andy. He was your classmate at London University, wasnt he?Q:What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?【解析】C男士称女士为 honey, 证明两人关系亲密，由此可判断两人关系为夫妻。16.M: When will the meeting begin?W:According to the schedule it should be at 9:30. It will last for an hour and a half.Q:When will the meeting be closed?【解析】B根据女士所说的话，根据时刻表会议930开始，持续一个半小时，那么即11：00结束。17. W:If I were you, I would take a plane instead of a bus. It will take you forever to go there.M:But flying makes me so nervous.Q: What does the man prefer to do?【解析】C 女士建议男士乘飞机，男士回答说飞行让他精神紧张，说明男士还是愿意乘坐公共汽车。18. W:Ive been thinking about my cousin a lot today.M:Why not go over for a visit?Q:What does the man mean?【解析】A男士说的 Why not go over for a visit 即是在建议女士去看望她的堂兄。Now youll hear two long conversations.Conversation OneW:OK, last night you were supposed to read an article about human bones. Are there any comments about it?M:Well, to begin with, I was surprised to find out there was so much going on in bones. I always assumed they were pretty lifeless.W:Well, thats an assumption many people make. But the fact is bones are made of dynamic living tissue that requires continuous maintenance and repair.M:Right. Thats one of the things I found so fascinating about the article the way the bones repair themselves.W:OK. So can you tell us how the bones repair themselves?M:Sure. See, there are two groups of different types of specialized cells in the bone that work together to do it. The first group goes to an area of the bone that needs repair. This group of cells produces the chemical that actually breaks down the bone tissue, and leaves a hole in it. After that the second group of specialized cells comes and produces the new tissue that fills in the hole that was made by the first group.W:Very good. This is a very complex process. In fact, the scientists who study human bones dont completely understand it yet. They are still trying to find out how it all actually works. Specifically, because sometimes after the first group of cells leaves a hole in the bone tissue, for some reason,