2015年12月英语四级考试真题第2套

B)Fromthewanted D)From evisionA)ShefinishedhersecondaryShestudiedinavocationalShegraduatedfromanopenShereceivedfull-timeeducationA)Sheteachesanevening C)SheisaSheworksasatour D)Sheisashorthand-Questions12to15arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustA)ItwasinterruptedforfourIthasbeenoffandonfortenIthelpsenlargehiscustomerItprovideshimwithcareerA)Traditional C)Social D)Home-madeA)Thequalityof C)TheTheowner’s D)TherightA)Itmakesretireesfeel C)ItisaprofitableIthelpsoldpeoplekill D)ItisarathertoughDirections:Inthissection,youwillhear3shortpassages.Attheendofeachpassage,youwillhearsomequestions.Boththepassageandthequestionswillbespokenonlyonce.Afteryouhearaquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).ThenmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet1withasinglelinethroughthecentre.PassageQuestions16to18arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustA)Ithelpstheusertoescape C)Ithurts andthosearoundIt ingincreasingly D)ItgivesrisetoserioussocialA)Theytakedrugstoget C)TheyusedrugsasTheyusedrugsjustfor D)TheykeepdruguseaA)ItisfataltotheItishardtogetridItisthecauseofvarioussocialItisquitecommoninentertainmentPassageQuestions19to22arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustA)Takingupexercisesafter C)GoingonadietuponleavingtheFindingnewwaystocureheartdisease.D)ProducingtastyhealthyfrozenA)ItwascarefullytestedwithItwasdisapprovedbymanydietItwaspromotedbyhealthItwashighlyexpectedbythegeneralA)Competitive C)Low D)UniqueA)IthasapositiveimplicationforIttrickstheeldersintoimpulseItmatchesthefood’sdarkgreenItwassuggestedbythefirm’svice-Questions23to25arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustA)ItwillbeabolishedsoonerorItispracticedinmostoftheIthastobeapprovedbytheSupremeIthasdrawnalotofcriticismfromA)WhateffectitmighthaveonWhattypeofcriminalsshouldreceiveWhetherthereshouldbeaminimumagelimitforWhetherthepracticeshouldbeallowedtocontinueinA)Thecourtsentencedhimtolifeinprisonforkillingtwo ernorchangedhisdeathsentencetolifeinHewasthefirstminortobeexecutedinSouthHewassentencedtodeathforacrimehecommittedasaDirections:Inthissection,youmilhearapassagethreetimes.Whenthepassageisreadforthefirsttime,youshouldlistencarefullyforitsgeneralidea.Whenthepassageisreadforthesecondtime,youarerequiredtofillintheblankswiththeexactwordsyouhavejustheard.Finally,whenthepassageisreadforthethirdtime,youshouldcheckwhatyouhavewritten.Somepeopleborrowmoneyand“forget”topayitLargeloansareseldomtheissue;theyareusuallytreatedasbusiness(26) withthetermsspelledoutonpaper.Butmanywomensuffer(27) overproblemslikeCarol’s.“MyfriendGinnyisalways(28) cash,”shesays.“IhatetorecallhowoftenI’ve‘loaned’heradollarortwoforadrinkoramovie.EachloanissosmallI’dfeelreallycheapmakingabigdealoutofit;still,Ido(29) thefactthatsheneverpaysmeback.”Caroladmitstobeing“too(30) orsomething”todemandrepayment,butshehasresolvedtostoplendingmoneytoGinny.“Thelasttimesheaskedforfivedollarstopayforherdrycleaning,IjusttoldherIcouldn’t(31) Anotherwomansuggestsabolder .“Whensomebodyrefusestorepayaloan,(33)byrequestingonemyself,”shesays.‘“Ilefthomewithoutmywallet,’I’llsay.‘Canyoulendmeenoughtocoverlunch?’Then,whenthemoneyissafelyinhand,Iamstruckbyasudden(34).Why,thisisexactlytheamountIloanedyoulastweek!How(35) !Nowyouwon’thavetorepayme!”’Shesaysitworkslikeacharm.PartⅢ ReadingComprehension (40minutes)SectionADirections:Inthissection,thereisapassagewithtenblanks.Youarerequiredtoselectonewordforeachblankfromalistofchoicesgiveninawordbankfollowingthepassage.ReadthePassagethroughcarefullybeforemakingyourchoices.Eachchoiceinthebankisidentifiedbyaletter.PleasemarkthecorrespondingletterforeachitemonAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Youmaynotuseanyofwordsinthebankmorethanonce.Questions36to45arebasedonthefollowingScholarsoftheinformationsocietyaredividedoverwhethersocialinequalitydecreasesorincreaseinaninformation-basedsociety.However,theygenerallyagreewiththeideathatin-equalityintheinformationsocietyis36differentfromthatofanindustrialsociety.Asinformatizationprogressesinsociety,thecauseandstructuralnatureofsocialinequalitychangesasItseemsthattheinformationsociety37thetyofinformationavailabletothemembersofasocietybyrevolutionizingthewaysofusingandexchanginginformation.Butsuchaviewis38ysisbasedonthetyofinformationdbyvariousformsofthemassmedia.Adifferent39ispossiblewhentheactualamountofinformation40bytheuseristakenintoaccount.Infact，themoreinformation41throughouttheentiresociety,thewidertheesbetween“informationhaves”and“informationhave-nots,”leadingtodigitaldivide.Accordingtorecentstudies,digitaldividehasbeencausedbythreemajor42:class,andgeneration.Intermsofclass,digitaldivideexistsamongdifferenttypesofworkersandbetweentheupperandmiddleclassesandthelowerclass.With43to,digitaldivideexistsbetweenmenandwomen.Thegreatestgap,however,isbetweentheNet-generation,44.alcomputersandtheInternet,andtheoldergeneration,45toanindustrialDirections:Inthissection,youaregoingtoreadapassagewithtenstatementsattachedtoit.EachStatementcontainsinformationgiveninoneoftheparagraphsIdentifytheparagraphfromwhichtheinformationisderived.Youmaychooseaparagraphmorethanonce.Eachparagraphismarkedwithaletter.AnswerthequestionsbymarkingthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2.Joy:ASubjectSchoolsingeducatedshouldnotrequiregivingupWhenJonathanSwiftproposed,in1729,thatthepeopleofIrelandeattheirchildren,heinsisteditwouldsolvethreeproblemsatoncefeedthehungrymasses,reducethepopulationduringaseveredepression,andstimulatetherestaurantbusiness.Evenasasatire(讽刺),itseemsdisgustingandshockinginAmericawithitschild-centeredculture.Butactually,thecountryisclosertohisproposalthanyoumightthink.Ifyouspendmuchtimewitheducatorsandmakers,you’llhearalotofthefollowingwords:“standards,”“results,”“skills,”“self-control,”“accountability,”andsoon.Ihavevisitedsomeofthenewersupposedly“effective”schools,wherechildrenshoutslogansinordertolearnself-controlormuststandbehindtheirdeskwhentheycan’tsitstill.Alookatwhatgoesoninmostclassroomsthesedaysmakesitabundantlyclearthatwhenpeoplethinkabouteducation,theyarenotthinkingaboutwhatitfeelsliketobeachild,orwhatmakeschildhoodanimportantandvaluablestageoflifeinitsownright.I’mamotherofthree,ateacher,andadevelopmentalpsychologist.SoI’vewatchedalotofchildren-talking,yingarguing,eating,studying,andbeingyoung,Here’swhatI’vecometounderstand.Thethingthatsetschildrenapartfromadultsisnottheirignorance,nottheirlackofskills.It’stheirenormouscapacityforjoy.Thinkofa3-year-oldlostinthepleasuresoffindingoutwhathecanandcannotsinkinthebathtub,a5-year-oldbesideherselfwiththethrillofputtingtogetherstringsofnonsensicalwordswithherbestfriends,oran11-year-oldcompleyabsorbedinafascinatingcomicstrip.Achild’sabilityto edeeplyabsorbedinsomething,andderiveintensepleasurefromthatabsorption,insomethingadultsspendtherestoftheirlivestryingtoreturnto.Afriendtoldmethefollowingstory.Oneday,whenhewenttogethis7-year-oldsonfromsoccerpractice,hiskidgreetedhimwithadowncastfaceandasadvoice.Thecoachbadcriticizedhimfornotfocusingonhissoccerdrills.Thelittleboywalkedoutoftheschoolwithhisheadandshouldershangingdown.Heseemedwrappedinsadness.Butjustbeforehereachedthecardoorhesuddenlystopped,crouching(蹲伏downtopeeratsomethingontheComehere.ThisisthestrangestbugI’veeverseen.Ithas,like,amillionlegs.Lookatthis.It’samazing.”Helookedupathisfather,hisfeaturesoverflowingwithenergyanddelight.“Can’twestayhereforjustaminute?Iwanttofindoutwhathisdoeswithallthoselegs.Thisisthecoolestever.”Thetraditionalviewofsuchmomentsisthattheyconstituteacharmingbutirrelevantbyproductofyouth-somethingtobepushedasidetomakeroomforimportantqualities,likeperseverance(坚持不懈),obligation,andpracticality.Yetmomentslikethisonearejustthekindofintenseabsorptionandpleasureadultsspendtherestoftheirlivesseeking.Humanlivesareernedbythedesiretoexperiencejoy. ingeducatedshouldnotrequiregivingupjoybutratherleadtofindingjoyinnewkindsofthings:readingnovelsinsteadofyingwithsmallfigures,conductingexperimentsinsteadofsinkingcupsinthebathtub,anddebatingseriousissuesratherthanstringingtogethernonsensewords,forexample.Insomecases,schoolsshouldhelpchildrenfindnew,moregrown-upwaysofngthesamethingsthatareconstantsourcesofjoy:makingart,makingfriends,makingdecisions.Buildingonachild’sabilitytofeeljoy,ratherthanpushingitaside,wouldn’tbethathard.Itwouldjustrequireashiftintheeducationworld’smindset(思维模式Insteadoftryingtogetchildrentoworkhard,whynotfocusongettingthemtotakepleasureinmeaningful,productivefocusesarenotsodifferentfromthethingsinwhichtheydelight.Beforeyoubrushthisargumentasideasrubbish,orthinkofjoyasanunaffordableluxuryinanationwherethereisawfulpoverty,lowacademicachievement,andhighdropoutrates,thinkagain.Themorehorribletheschoolcircumstance,themoreimportantpleasureidtoachievinganyeducationalsuccess.Manyoftheassignmentsandrulesteacherscomeupwith,oftenbecausetheyarepressuredbytheiradministrators,treatpleasureandjoyastheenemiesofcompetenceandresponsibility.Theassumptionisthatchildrenshouldn’tchatintheclassroombecauseithindershardwork;instead,theyshouldlearntodelaygratification(快乐)sothattheycanpursue likegoingtocollege.Notonlyisthisaboringandawfulwaytotreatchildren,itmakesnosenseeducationally.Decadesofresearchhaveshownthatinordertoacquireskillsandrealknowledgeinschool,kidsneedtowanttolearn.Youcanachildtostayinhisorherseat,filloutaworksheet,orpracticedivision.Butyoucan’tthechildtothinkcarefully,enjoybooks,digestcomplexinformation,ordevelopatasteforlearning.Tomakethathappen,youhavetohelpthechildfindpleasureinlearning-toseeschoolasasourceofjoy.Adultstendtotalkaboutlearningasifitweremedicine;unpleasant,butnecessaryandgoodforyou.Whynotinsteadthinkoflearningasifitwerefood—somethingsovaluabletohumansthattheyhaveevolvedtoexperienceitasapleasure?Joyshouldnotbetrainedoutofchildrenorleftforafter-schoolprograms.Themoredifficultachild’slifecircumstances,themoreimportantitisforthatchildtofindjoyinhisorherclassroom.“Pleasure”isnotadirtword.Anditdoesn’truncountertothegoalsofpubliceducation.Itis,infact,theprecondition.WhatdistinguisheschildrenfromadultsistheirstrongabilitytoderivejoyfromwhattheyareChildreninAmericaarebeingtreatedwithshockingItishumannaturetoseekjoyinGrown-upsarelikelytothinkthatlearningtochildreniswhatmedicineistoBadschoolconditionsmakeitallthemoreimportanttoturnlearningintoajoyfulAdultsdonotconsiderchildren’sfeelingswhenitcomestoAdministratorsseemtobelievethatonlyhardworkwillleadchildrentotheireducationalIntheso-called“effective”schools,childrenaretaughtself-controlunderasetofstrictTomakelearningeffective,educatorshavetoensurethatchildrenwanttoDirections:Thereare2passagesinthissection.Eachpassageisfollowedbysomequestionsorunfinishedstatements.ForeachofthemtherearefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).YoushoulddecideonthebestchoiceandmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.PassageQuestionss6to60arebasedonthefollowingWhenit’sfiveo’clock,peopleleavetheiroffice.Thelengthoftheworkday,formanyworkersisdefinedbytime.Theyleavewhentheclocklsthemthey’redone.Thesedays,thetimeiseverywhere:notjustonclocksorwatches,butoncell-phonesandcomputers.Thatmaybeabadthing,particularlyatwork.Newresearchshowsthatclock-basedworkscheduleshindermorale(士气)andcreativity.Clock-timersorganizetheirdaybyblocksofminutesandhours.Forexample:afrom9a.m.to10a.m.,researchfrom10a.m.tonoon,etc.Ontheotherhand,task-timershavealistofthingstheywantto plish.Theyworkdownthelist,eachtaskstartswhentheprevioustaskiscompleted.Itissaidthatallofusemployamixofboththesetypesofnning.What,then,aretheeffectsofthinkingabouttimeinthesedifferentways?Doesonemakeusmoreproductive?Betteratthetasksathand?Happier?InexperimentsconductedbyTamarAvnetandAnne-LaureSellier,theyhadparticipantsorganizedifferentactivities—fromprojectnning,holidayshop,toyoga—bytimeorto-dolisttomeasurehowtheyperformedunder“clocktime”vs“tasktime.”Theyfoundclocktimerstobemoreefficientbutlesshappybecausetheyfeltlittlecontrolovertheirlives.Tasktimersarehappierandmorecreative,butlessproductive.Theytendtoenjoythemomentwhensomethinggoodishappening,andseizeopportunitiesthatcomeup.Theresearchersarguethattask-basedorganizingtendstobeundervaluedandsupportedinbusinessculture.Smartcompanies,theybelieve,willtrytobakemoretask-basednningintotheirstrategies.Thismightbeasmallchangetothewayweviewworkandtheoffice,buttheresearchersarguethatitchallengesawidespreadcharacteristicoftheeconomy:workorganizedbyclocktime.Whilemostpeoplewillstillprobablyneed,andbe,tosomeextent,clock-timers,task-basedtimingshouldbeusedwhenperformingajobthatrequiresmorecreativity.It’llmakethosetaskseasier,andthetask-doerswillbehappier.WhatdoestheauthorthinkoftimedisyedItmakeseverybodytime-ItisaconvenienceforworkandItmayhaveanegativeeffectoncreativeItclearlyindicatesthefastpaceofmodernHowdopeopleusuallygoabouttheirworkaccordingtotheTheycombineclock-basedandtask-basedTheygiveprioritytothemosturgenttaskonTheysetatimelimitforeachspecific plishtheirtasksonebyWhatdidTamarAvnetandAnne-LaureSellierfindintheirexperimentsaboutclock-TheyseizeopportunitiesastheycomeTheyalwaysgettheirworkdoneinTheyhavemorecontrolovertheirTheytendtobemoreWhatdotheresearcherssayabouttoday’sbusinessItdoesnotsupportthestrategiesadoptedbysmartItdoesnotattachenoughimportancetotask-basedItcesmoreemphasisonworkefficiencythanonworkers’Itaimstobringemployees’potentialandcreativityintofullWhatdotheresearchersTask-AbasedtimingispreferredforngcreativeItisimportanttokeepabalancebetweenworkandPerformingcreativejobstendstomakeworkersAscientificstandardshouldbeadoptedinjobPassageQuestions61to65arebasedonthefollowingMarthaStewartwascharged,triedandconvictedofacrimein2004.Asshenearedtheendofherprisonsentence,awell-knowncolumnistwrotethatshewas“payingherdues,”andthat“thereissimplynoreasonforanyonetoattempttodenyherrighttostartanew.”Surely,theAmericanidealofsecondchancesshouldnotbe onlyfortherichandpowerful.Unfortunay,manyfederalandstatelawsimposepost-convictionrestrictionsonashockinglylargenumberofAmericans,whoarepreventedfromeverfullypayingtheirdebttoAtleast65millionpeopleintheUnitedStateshaveacriminalrecord.Thiscanresultinseverepenaltiesthatcontinuelongafterpunishmentiscompleted.Manyofthesepenaltiesareimposedregardlessoftheseriousnessoftheoffenseorthe individualcircumstances.Lawscanrestrictorbanvoting,accesstopublichousing,andprofessionalandbusinesslicensing.Theycanaffect ’sabilitytogetajobandqualificationforInall,morethan45,000lawsandrulesservetoexcludevastnumbersofpeoplefromfullyparticipatinginAmericanlife.Somelawsmakesense.Nooneadvocateslettingsomeoneconvictedofpedophilia(癖)workinaschool.Buttoooftencollal(附随的consequencesbearnorelationtopublicsafety.