2023年12月英语四级押题密卷（NO.2）

PAGEPAGE12023年12月英语四级押题密卷（NO.2）(NO.2)PartI Writing 30minutesiion:Questions1and2willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.1.Itwillbedisconnectedforrepainting.Ithasbongedformorethan168years.Itwillstopringingforfouryears.Itwillstopringingforfouryears.2.Tokeepthefamoustimepiececlean.Tokeeptheclockworkingforfuturegenerations.Toreplacethebellofthefamoustimepiece.Toreconstructthebuildingandtheclock.Questions3and4arebasedonthenewsreportyouhavejustheard.3.Theymustshowtheirpersonalitiesthroughclothing.Theymustwearalmostallwhite.Theymusthighwhitesocks.Theymustimpressthecrowdwiththeirclothing.4.Herankedthefourthinthetournament.PAGEPAGE2Hewonthetitleinthetournament.Heworeshortwhitesocksinthetournament.Heworeawhiteheadbandwithblackstripes.Questions5to7arebasedonthenewsreportyouhavejustheard.5.Anewlyformedbeach. C)Thereturnofanoldbeach.Therevivedtravelbusiness. D)Thereturnofseaweed.6.ItbeganreturninginApril. C)Itformedafteraseriesofhurricanes.Itwascoarseatfirst. D)Itbeganreturninglastyear.7.Itisthewestern-mostpartofEurope. C)IthassixBlueFlagbeachesalready.ItisapartofIreland. D)Itisrainyallyearround.SectionBQuestions8to11arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.8. Lookforamissingfile. C)Makeacopyofafile.Mark“Confidential”onafile. D)Circulateafiletothestaff.9.Anewchairrange. C)Anewdeskrange.Anewwatchrange. D)Anewcuprange.10.Becausetheyfoundsomeonesuspicious.Becausethemanlostthekeyofthesafe.Becausethewomanlostanewdesign.Becausethemanlostthepaymentofthismorning.11.A)Kind-hearted. B)Terrible. C)Strange. D)Humorous.Questions12to15arebasedontheconversationyouhavejustheard.12.A)Open. B)Polite. C)Creative. D)Selfish.13.SheissickofBritishcustom. C)ShehasbeentoBritainforfouryears.Shelikesdrinkingcoffee. D)Shedoesn'tspeak“please”sooften.14.A)Stupid. B)Friendly. C)Terrible. 15.Theyusemanywordstosaythings. C)Theykeepaslightsmileontheirface.Theyapologizeallthetime. D)Theyputthemselvesinothers'shoes.SectionCQuestions16to18arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.16.Itisbasedonknowledgelevel. C)Itisrandom.Itisbasedoncognitivelevel. D)Itiscontroversial.17.Someteachersworktogethertoteachoneclass.Differentteachersseetomusicandphysicaleducation.Theoldpatternhasbeenreformedtomeetstudents'demand.Oneteacherisprimarilyresponsibleforoneclass.18.Thepreferenceforscience. C)Theteachingsubjects.Theteachingmethods. D)Theteachinggoals.Questions19to21arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.19.Buildingcyclepathsontheroad.Publicizingtheadvantagesofcycling.Providingfacilitiesforcyclists.Raisingfaresofpublictransport.20.Itisquickerandcheaper.Itrequireslesscommitment.Itdoesn'tneedanyeffort.Itenablesonetoloseweightfaster.21.Cyclistshavebiggermuscles.Cyclistssuffernopain.Cyclistsareslimmer.Cyclistshardlycatchacold.Questions22to25arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.22.A)Itissoothing. B)Itisstriking. C)Itisluxurious. D)Itisfortunate.23.Itmakesthemcoolandmysterious.Itissimilartothecolourofthesky.Itgivesasenseofbeingdependable.Itindicateswealthandsecurity.24.Itmakesanenvironmentallyfriendlyimpression.Itattractscustomers'attentiongreatly.Itimpliesgrowthandmovement.Itimitatesthecolouroftrafficlights.25.Itwasdifficulttoproducethedyeinthepast.Itisthechoiceofmanychocolatecompanies.Itwasthecolourusedbyroyalfamiliesonly.Itmakesproductsseemunique.PartⅢ ReadingComprehension 40minutesSectionAQuestions26to35arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Myco-teacherandImetintheparkinglotbeforeschoolandstaredintomycartrunkatthecostumesandpropswehadgatheredovertheweekend.Weweregiddywithexcitementandnervousbecauseneitherofushad26 likethisbefore.Theco-teacher,Alice,hadfoundabookcalledTeachingContentOutrageouslybyStanleyPogrow,whichexplainedhowsecondaryclassroomscanincorporatedramaintoanycontentto27 studentsinlearning—incorporatingtheelementofsurprise,forexample,ordevelopingrole-playorsimulationexperiencestoteachcontentandstandards.Thebookinspiredustochangehowwetaughtourseventh-gradelanguage-artsstudentsinahigh-povertyschoolthat28 withtestscores,especiallyreadingandmath.Thesenseofurgencyinthebuildingwas29,andthepressureonteacherstoincreasestudentachievementwasoften30.Thedistrictrequiredustoteachacurriculum31alignedwitha15-year-oldreadingtextbookcontainingoutdatedarticlesaboutRickyMartin,icefishing,andcartographyina(n)32thatitwasbothcondescendingand33.Butdistrictpersonnelinsistedthatteachersusethetextbook,citingevidencethatitbroughtuptestscores.The34curriculum,wedecided,wouldneverbeenoughtoencourageourstudentstolovereadingandwriting.Therefore,AliceandIdecidedtotakethe35andapplyPogrow'sadvice.A)attemptF)nonexistentK)rigidlyB)designatedG)obviousL)riskC)engageH)overwhelmingM)struggledD)extentI)persuadeN)triedE)innovativelyJ)placeO)uninterestingSectionBCorporateAmbitions:Amazon,theWorld'sMostRemarkableFirm,IsJustGettingStartedAmazonisanextraordinarycompany.TheformerbookselleraccountsformorethanhalfofeverynewdollarspentonlineinAmerica.Itistheworld'sleadingproviderofcloudcomputing.ThisyearAmazonwillprobablyspendtwiceasmuchontelevisionasHBO,acablechannel.Itsown-brandphysicalproductsincludebatteries,almonds,suitsandspeakerslinkedtoavirtualvoice-activatedassistantthatcancontrol,amongotherthings,yourlampsandsprinkler.YetAmazon'sshareholdersareworkingonthepremisethatitisjustgettingstarted.Sincethebeginningof2015itssharepricehasjumpedby173%,seventimesquickerthaninthetwopreviousyears(and12timesfasterthantheS&P500index).Withamarketcapitalizationofsome$400bnitisthefifth-most-valuablefirmintheworld.Neverbeforehasacompanybeenworthsomuchforsolongwhilemakingsolittlemoney:92ofitsvalueisduetoprofitsexpectedafter2020.Thatisbecauseinvestorsanticipatebothanextraordinaryriseinrevenue,fromsalesof$136bnlastyeartohalfatrillionoverthenextdecade,andajumpinprofits.ThehopesinvestedinitimplythatitwillprobablybecomemoreprofitablethananyotherfirminAmerica.Groundforskepticismdoesnotcomemuchmorefertilethanthis:Amazonwillhavetogrowfasterthanalmostanybigcompanyinmodernhistorytojustifyitsvaluation.Canitpossiblydoso?ItiseasytotickoffsomeofthepitfallsRivalswillnotstandstill.Microsofthascloud-computingambitions;Walmartalreadyhasrevenuesnudging$500bnandisbeefinguponline.IfanythinghappenedtoJeffBezos,Amazon'sfounderandboss,thegapwouldbeexceptionallyhardtofill.Butthestrikingthingaboutthecompanyishowmuchoachanceithasofachievingsuchunprecedentedgoals.Thisislargelyduetothefirm'sunusualapproachtotwodimensionsofcorporatelife.Thefirstoftheseistime.Inanerawhenexecutivesroutinelywhingeaboutpressuretoproduceshort-termresults,Amazonisresolutelyfocusedonthedistanthorizon.Mr.Bezosemphasizescontinualinvestmenttopropel(推动)itstwoprincipalbusinesses,e-commerceandAmazonWebServices(AWSitscloud-computingarm.Ine-commerce,themoreshoppersAmazonlures,themoreretailersandmanufacturerswanttoselltheirgoodsonAmazon.ThatgivesAmazonmorecashfornewservices—suchastwo-hourshippingandmusic—whichenticemoreshoppers.Similarly,themorecustomersuseAWS,themoreAmazoncaninvestinnewservices,whichattractmorecustomers.AthirdvirtuouscircleisstartingtowhirlaroundAlexa,thefirm'svoice-activatedassistant:asdevelopersbuildservicesforAlexa,itbecomesmoreusefultoconsumers,givingdevelopersreasontocreateyetmoreservices.Solongasshareholdersretaintheirfaithinthismodel,Amazon'sheadyvaluationresemblesaself-fulfillingprophecy.Thecompanywillbeabletokeepspending,anditsspendingwillkeepmakingitmorepowerful.TheirfaithissustainedbyAmazon'srecord.Ithashaditsfailures—itsattempttomakeasmartphonewasadebacleButthebusinessisstartingtocrankout(快速大量的)cash.Lastyearcashflow(beforeinvestment)was$16bn,morethanquadruplethelevelfiveyearsago.IfAmazon'sapproachtotime-framesiscompetitorsastooisthesheerbreadthofitsactivities.Thecompany'slistofcurrentandpossiblecompetitors,asdescribedinitsannualfilings,includeslogisticsfirms,searchengines,socialnetworks,foodmanufacturersandproducersof“physical,digitalandinteractivemediaofalltypesAwingspanthislargeismorereminiscentofaconglomeratethanaretailer,whichmakesAmazon'ssharepriceseemevenmorebloated:stockmarketstypicallyapplya“conglomeratediscount”toreflecttheirinefficencies.ManyoftheseservicessupportAmazon'sownexpansionandthatofothercompanies.TheobviousexampleisAWS,whichpowersAmazon'soperationsaswellasthoseofotherfirms.ButAmazonalsorentswarehousespacetoothersellers.ItisbuildingahubinKentucky.Itistestingtechnologyinstorestoletconsumersskipthecashregisteraltogether,andexperimentingwithdronedeliveriestothehome.Suchtoolscouldpresumablyserveothercustomers,too.SomethinkthatAmazoncouldbecomeanewkindofutility:onethatprovidestheinfrastructureofcommerce,fromcomputingpowertopaymentstologistics.AndhereliesrealproblemwiththeexpectationssurroundingAmazon.Ifitgetsanywhereclosetofulfillingthem,itwillattentionofregulators.Fornow,Amazonisunlikelytotriggerantitrustaction.ItisnotyetthebiggestretailerinAmerica,itsmostmaturemarket.America'santitrustenforcerslookmainlyatafirm'seffectonconsumersandpricing.Seenthroughthislensantitrustenforcerslookmainlyatafirm'seffectonconsumersandpricing.Seenthroughthislens,Amazonappearspristine原始状态的).Consumersapplaudit;itisthemostwell-regardedcompanyinAmerica,accordingtoaHarrispollAWSisaboontostartups,too.)Butasitgrows,sowillconcernsaboutitspower.Evenonstandardantitrustgrounds,thatmayposeaproblem:ifitmakesasmuchmoneyasinvestorshope,aroughcalculationsuggestsitsearningscouldbeworththeequivalentof25%ofthecombinedprofitsoflistedWesternretailandmediafirms.Butregulatorsarealsochangingthewaytheythinkabouttechnology.InEurope,Googlestandsaccusedofusingitscloutasasearchenginetoextenditspowertoadjacentbusinesses.Thecomparativeimmunityfromlegalliabilityofdigitalplatforms—forthepostingofinflammatorycontentonFacebook,say,orthevettingofdriversonUber—isbeingchippedaway.Amazon'sbusinessmodelwillalsoencourageregulatorstothinkdifferently.InvestorsvalueAmazon'sgrowthoverprofits;thatmakespredatorypricingmoretempting.Infuture,firmscouldincreasinglydependontoolsprovidedbytheirbiggestrival.IfAmazondoesbecomeautilityforcommerce,thecallswillgrowforittoberegulatedasone.ShareholdersarerighttobelieveinAmazon'spotential.Butsuccesswillbringitintoconflictwithanevenstrongerbeast:government.Amazonhasformedsoundcirclesthatpushitse-commerce,AWSandAlexavoiceserviceforward.ThereislesschanceofAmericangovernmentfilinganantitrustlawsuitagainstAmazonbecauseofitsscaleasaretailerandcustomers'positivecomments.ThetwopotentialperilsfacedbyAmazoncomefromitscompetitorsanditsleaderJeffBezosrespectively.Amazonusedtosellbooksonline,butnowthecompanyhasexpandeditsbusinessscopeintoprovidingcloudcomputingandmanufacturingitsownphysicalproducts.It'sbelievedthatAmazonwillofferinfrastructureofcommercewithitsAWS,rentalwarehousespace,logisticscenterinKentucky,checkout-freeshoppingtechnologyanddronedelivery.ThedevelopmentofAmazonandthechangingattitudeofregulatorstowardstechnologywillpossiblybringAmazonantitrusttroubleinthefuture.Amazon'sexecutiveshaven'texperiencedthesamepressureastheircounterpartsinothercompaniesduetoAmazon'sforward-lookingstrategyaboutcontinuinginvestingine-commerceandAWS.Amazonremainssohighinmarketvalueforsolongbutsosmallinprofitthatnoothercompanyinhistorycanmatchwithit.DespiteAmazon'ssetbackinmakingsmartphones,thisbusinessisnowturningaprofit.Theinvestors'doubleexpectationsforAmazonsuggestthatitislikelytobecomethemostprofitablecompanyinAmerica.SectionCPassageOneQuestions46to50arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Thinktoday'skidswanttobedoctorsorlawyers?NoYouTubestardom(明星)itthenumberonedreamcareerforyoungpeopletoday,atleastaccordingtoawidelypublicizedsurveybyaBritishnewspaper.Theappealisobvious:Some20-somethingsaremakingmillionsbyplayingvideogamesorsharingbeautytipsonline.Butthepressureofhavingtoendlesslyproduceoriginalcontentthatmakesthemlookaccessible,transparent,andauthentichasproventoomuchforsomepeople,includingEssenaO'Neill.Theformersocialmediafigurewentpublicinherpostsaboutexperiencingsymptomsofdepressionandanxietyfromlivinganoverexposedlife.Livingprofessionallyonlinehasalsobeenachallengefor24-year-oldLaurenRiihimaki.SixmillionpeoplefollowherYouTubechannel,LaurDIY,whichcoverstopicsrangingfromhomedecoratingtoheradoptionofalovelylittledog.Mostofthesestarsarebetweentheagesof20and26.Unlikemoviestarsorrockstars,thesevideostarsdomostoftheirworkthemselves.They'reresponsibleforeverythingfromdevelopinganidea,tophysicallyproducingit,tostarringinit,todirectingit,toeditingit,toprogrammingit,topromotingandmarketingAndtokeeptheirhungryaudiencessatisfied,theyshouldbedoingallthatatleasttwiceaweek.That'swhyLaurenRiihimakicameclosenotjusttoburningout,butbreakingdown.ShehasovercomeandpushedtheboundariesofheranxietysoinsanelysinceshestartedYouTube.Sheseesapsychologistandshe'sonmedicationAndthat'sbeenworkingforher.DanaJulian,aLosAngelespsychologist,saysoneofthehardestthingsaboutmanaginglifeasaYouTubestarismakingacareeroutofsomethingthatcanbeanaddiction.AnyonewithaFacebookTwitterorInstagramaccountisfamiliarwiththerushtoshowoffButnowimagineitmagnifiedbymillionsofclickslikesandfollowers.ForYouTubestars,whenthey'reclearlyoverwhelmed,theyshouldbetoldtogetofflineforawhile.Stopbeingabrand.Takesometime,justtobeapersonagain.WhyisYouTubestardomthenumberonedreamcareerforyoungpeople?Theyprefertosharetheirbeautysecretsonline.Theyconsideritthebestwaytomakealiving.Theyareattractedbythewaytomakeafortune.Theywishtobecomewell-knownandwealthy.WhatdoweknowaboutEssenaO'Neill?Shesufferedfromanxietybecauseofherlovelife.Shepretendedtobeauthenticandaccessible.Shewasoverburdenedwithdebtandwork.Shemightnotbeasocialmediastaranymore.WhatcanweconcludeaboutLaurenRiihimaki?Shehasadoptedmorethanonelittledog.Sheisontheedgeofchaosandconfusion.Shehasbecomesensitiveandconfusion.Sheismakingprogresswiththehelpofanexpert.Comparingtomoviestarsorrockstars,videostarsprobably .havemoreskills.worklongerhours.havetobestronger.havefeweraudiences.AccordingtoDanaJulian,youngpeopledreamtobevideostarsbecauseof .A)interest B)vanity C)enlightenment D)curiosityPassageTwo Questions51to55arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Fordecades,biobankinghasbeenheldupasanessentialresearchtool.Whilefewdoubtthescientificvalueofhavingcataloguesofwell-characterizedtissues,cells,andothersamples,theseresearchplatformshavealsogeneratedasignificantamountoflegalandmoralcontroversy,especiallyinthecontextofconsentandthecontrolofresearchsamples.Throughouttheworld,billionsofpublicandprivatedollarshavebeeninvestedinbiobanksandmillionsofindividualshavebeenaskedtodonatebiologicalmaterialandpersonalinformation.But,atthesametime,thereremainsdeepuncertaintyaboutfundamentallegalandmoralnorms.Legalscholarshavearguedthatthemostcommonlyusedformofconsent—thatis,broadoropenconsent—doesnotadheretorelevantlegalnorms,whichwouldseemtorequireamorecomprehensiveandspecificapproachtotheconsentprocess.Becausethedetailsoffutureworkcannotbeknown,thisapproachmeansprovidingresearchparticipantswithfarlessinformationthanistraditionallydisclosed(披露)inthecaseofspecificconsent.Itistruethatmanystudieshaveconsistentlyfoundthat,forthemostpart,thepublicsupportsbiobankinginitiativesandtruststheresearchcommunity.Butthatsupportandtrustarefragile.Therearemanysocialforces,suchastheincreasinginvolvementofindustryinbiobankinginitiatives,whichcoulderodepublicconfidence.Inaddition,thereareanumberofsocialtrendsthatmayheightenpublicinterestinthecontrolofhuman