2011年12月17日大学英语四级考试真题(缺仔细阅读原文)
作文
Nothing Scucceeds Without a Strong Willby commenting on the humorous saying, "Quitting smoking is the eaiest thing in the world. I'va done it hundreds of times." You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
快速阅读
What is Integrity?
"Integrity" is defined as "adherence to moral and ethical principles; honesty." The key to integrity is consistency--not only setting high personal standards for oneself (honesty, responsibility, respect for others, fairness) but also living up to those standards each day. One who by and follows moral and ethical standards even when making life's hard choices, choices which may be clouded by stress, pressure to succeed, or temptation.
What happens if we lie, cheat, steal, or violate other ethical standards? We feel disappointed in ourselves and ashamed. But a lapse of integrity also affects our relationships with others. Trust is essential in any important relationship, whether personal or professional. Who can trust someone who is dishonest or unfair? Thus, integrity must be one of our most important goals.
Risky Business
We are each responsible for our own decisions, even if the decision-making process has been undermined by stress or peer pressure. The real test of character is whether we can learn from our mistake, by understanding why we acted as we did, and then exploring ways to avoid similar problems in the future.
Making ethical decisions is a critical part of avoiding future problems. We must learn to recognize risks, because if we can't see the risks we're taking, we can't make responsible choices. To identify risks, we need to know the rules and be aware of the facts. For example, one who doesn't know the rules about plagiarism may accidentally use words or ideas without giving proper credit, or one who fails to keep careful research notes may unintentionally fail to quote and cite sources as required. But the fact that such a violation is "unintentional" does not excuse the misconduct. Ignorance is not a defense.
"But Everybody Does It"
Most people who get in trouble do know the rules and facts, but manage to fool themselves about the risks they're taking by using excuses: "Everyone else does it," "I'm not hurting anyone," or "I really need this grade." Excuses can get very elaborate: "I know I'm looking at another's exam, even though I'm supposed to keep my eyes on my own paper, but that's not cheating because I'm just checking my answers, not copying." We must be honest about our actions, and avoid excuses. If we fool ourselves into believing we're not doing anything wrong, we can't see the real choice we're making--and that leads to bad decisions.
To avoid fooling yourself, watch out for excuses and try this test: Ask how you would feel if your actions were public, and anyone could be watching over your shoulder. Would you feel proud or ashamed of your actions? If you'd rather hide your actions, that's a good indication that you're rationalizing it to yourself.
Evaluating Risks
To decide whether a risk is worth taking, you must examine the consequences, in the future as well as right now, negative as well as positive, and to others as well as to yourself. Those who take risks they later regret usually focus on immediate benefits ("what's in it for me"), and simply haven't considered what might go wrong. The consequences of getting caught are serious, and may include a "0" on a test or assignment; an "F" in the class; Suspension or Dismissal from school; transcript notation; and a tarnished reputation. In fact, when you break a rule or law, you lose control over your life, and give others the power to impose punishment: you have no control over what that punishment might be. This is an extremely precarious and vulnerable position. There may be some matters of life and death, or highest principle, which might justify such a risk, but there aren't many things that fall in this category.
Getting Away With It--Or Not
Those who don't get caught pay an even higher price. A cheater doesn't learn from the test, depriving him/herself of an education. Cheating undermines confidence and independence: the cheater is a fraud, and knows that without dishonesty, he/she would have failed. Cheating destroys self-esteem and integrity, leaving the cheater ashamed, guilty, and afraid of getting caught. Worst of all, a cheater who doesn't get caught the first time usually cheats again, not only because he/she is farther behind, but also because it seems "easier." This slippery slope of eroding ethics and bigger risks leads only to disaster. Eventually, the cheater gets caught, and the later he/she gets caught, the worse the consequences. Students have been dismissed from school because they didn't get this simple message: Honesty is the ONLY policy that works.
Cheating Hurts Others, Too
Cheaters often feel invisible, as if their actions "don't count" and don't really hurt anyone. But individual choices have a profound cumulative effect. Cheating can spread like a disease, and a cheater can encourage others just by being seen from across the room. Recent statistics suggest 30% or more of college students cheat. If a class is graded on a curve, cheating hurts others' grades. Even if there is no curve, cheating "poisons" the classroom, and others may feel pressured to join in. ("If I don't cheat, I can't compete with those who do.") Cheating also has a destructive impact on teachers. The real reward of good teaching is seeing students learn, but a cheater says, "I'm not interested in what you're trying to teach; all I care about is stealing a grade, regardless of the effect on others." The and destructive attack on the quality of your education. Finally, cheating can hurt the reputation of the University, and harm those who worked hard for their degree.
Why Integrity Matters
If cheating becomes the norm, then we are in big trouble. We must rely on the honesty and good faith of others every day. If not, we couldn't put money in the bank, buy food, clothing, or medicine from others, drive across a bridge, get on a plane, go to the dentist--the list is endless. There are many examples of the vast harm that is caused when individuals forget or ignore the effect their dishonesty can have. The savings and loan scandal, the stock market and junk bond swindles, and, of course, Watergate, have undermined the faith of many Americans in the integrity of political and economic leaders and society as a whole. Such incidents take a tremendous toll on our nation's economy and our individual well-being. For example, but for the savings and loan debacle, there might be funds available to reduce the national debt and pay for education.
In sum, we all have a common stake in our school, our community, and our society. Our actions do matter. It is essential that we act with integrity in order to build the kind of world in which we want to live.
1. A person of integrity not only sets high moral and ethical standards but also _______.
A) sticks to them in their daily life
B) makes them known to others
C) understands their true values
D)sees that others also follow them
2. What role does integrity play in personal and professional relationships?
A) It helps to create team spirit
B) It facilitates communication
C) It is the basis of mutual trust
D) It inspires mutual respect
3. why must we learn to identify the risks we are going to take？
A. To ensure we make responsible choices.
B. To avoid being overwhelmed by stress.
C. so that we don’t break any rules.
D. so that we don’t run into trouble.
4. Violation of a rule is misconduct even if _______?
A. it has caused no harm.
B. it is claimed to be unintentional.
C. it has gone unnoticed.
D. it is committed with good intentions.
5. What should one do if he doesn’t wish to fool himself?
A. Avoid making excuses.
B. Listen to other people’s advice.
C. Make his intensions public.
D. Have others watch over his shoulder.
6. Those who take risks they regret later on _______.
A. will often become more cautious
B. are usually very aggressive
C. value immediate benefits most.
D. may lose everything in the end
7. According to the author, a cheater who doesn’t get caught right away will _______.
A) pay more dearly
B) become more confident
C) be widely admired
D) feel somewhat lucky
8. Cheaters at exam don’t care about their education, all they care about is how to stealing a grade
9. Integrity matters in that all social activities rely on people’s honesty and good faith.
10. Many Americans lost faith in the integrity of their political leaders as a result of the Watergate scandal.
听力
Part III Listening Comprehension
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and2 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), 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.
11.
W: This crazy bus schedule has got me completely confused. I can’t figure out when my bus to Cleveland leaves?
M: Why don’t you just go to the ticket window and ask?
Q: What does the man suggest the woman do?
12.
W: I really enjoyed the TV special about giraffes last night. Did you get home in time to see it?
W: Oh, yes, but I wish I could have stayed a week long enough to see the whole thing.
Q: What does the man mean?
13.W: Airport, please. I’m running a little late. So just take the fastest way even if it’s not the most direct.
M: Sure, but there is a lot of traffic everywhere today because of the football game.
Q: What do we learn about the woman from the conversation?
14.W: May I make a recommendation, sir? Our seafood with this special sauce is very good.
M: Thank you, but I don’t eat shellfish. I’m allergic to it.
Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place?
15. W: now one more question if you don’t mind, what position in the company appeals to you most?
M: Well, I’d like the position of sales manager if that position is still vacant.
Q: What do we learn about the man?
16. M: I don’t think I want to live in the dormitory next year. I need more privacy.
W: I know what you mean. But check out the cost if renting an apartment first. I won’t be surprised if you change your mind.
Q: What does the woman imply?
17. M: You’re on the right track. I just think you need to narrow the topic down.
W: Yeah, you’re right. I always start by choosing two boarder topics when I’m doing a research paper.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
18. W: This picnic should beat the last one we went to, doesn’t it?
M: Oh, yeah, we had to spend the whole time inside. Good thing, the weather was cooperative this time.
What do we learn about the speakers from the conversation?
Long Conversation
Conversation One
M: When I say I live in Sweden, people always want to know about the seasons.
W: The seasons?
M: Yeah, you know how cold it is in winter? What is it like when the days are so short?
W: So what is it like?
M: Well, it is cold ,very cold in winter. Sometimes it is cold as 26 degrees below centigrade. And of course when you go out, you’ll wrap up warm. But inside in the houses it’s always very warm, much warmer than at home. Swedish people always complain that when they visit England, the houses are cold even in the good winter.
W: And what about the darkness?
M: Well, yeah, around Christmas time there’s only one hour of daylight, so you really looks forward to the spring. It is sometimes a bit depressing. But you see the summers are amazing, from May to July in the North of Sweden the sun never sets. It’s still light in the midnight. You can walk in the mountains and read a newspaper.
W: Oh, yeah, the land of the midnight sun.
M: Yeah, that’s right, but it’s wonderful. You won’t stay up all night. And the Swedes makes most of it often they started work earlier in summer and then leave at about 2 or 3 in the afternoon, so that they can really enjoy the long summer evenings. They’d like to work hard, but play hard, too. I think Londoners work longer hours, but I’m not sure this is a good thing.
Q19: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?
Q20: What do Swedish people complain about when they visit England in winter?
Q21: How does the man describe the short hour of daylight around Christmas in Sweden?
Q21: What does the man say about the Swedish people?
Conversation Two
W: What kind of training does one need to go into this type of job?
M: That’s a very good question. I don’t think there is any, specifically.
W: For example, in your case, what was your educational background?
M: Well, I did a degree in French at Nottingham. After that, I did careers work in secondary schools like the careers guidance people. Here is in the university. Then I went into local government because I found I was more interested in the administrative side. Then progressed on to universities. So there wasn’t any plan and there was no specific training. There are plenty of training courses in management techniques and committee work which you can attend now.
W: But in the first place, you did a French degree.
M: In my time, there wasn’t a degree you could do for administration. I think most of the administrators I’ve come across have degrees and all sorts of things.
W: Well, I know in my case, I did an English literature degree and I didn’t really expect to end up doing what I am doing now.
M: Quite.
W: But you are local to Nottingham, actually? Is there any reason why you went to Nottingham University?
M: No, no, I come from the north of England, from west Yorkshire. Nottingham was one of the universities I put on my list. And I like the look of it. The campus is just beautiful.
W: Yes, indeed. Let’s see. Were you from the industrial part of Yorkshire?
M: Yes, from the Woolen District.
Q23. What was the man’s major at university?
Q24: What was the man’s job in secondary schools?
Q25: What attracted the man to Nottingham University?
Section B
Passage One
While Gail Obcamp, an American artist was giving a speech on the art of Japanese brush painting to an audience that included visitors from Japan, she was confused to see that many of her Japanese listeners have their eyes closed. Were they tuned off because an American had the nerve to instruct Japanese in their own art form or they deliberately tried to signal their rejection of her? Obcamp later found out that her listeners were not being disrespectful. Japanese listeners sometimes closed their eyes to enhance concentration. Her listeners were showing their respect for her by chewing on her words. Some day you may be either a speaker or a listener in a situation involving people from other countries or members of minority group in North America. Learning how different cultures signal respect can help you avoid misunderstandings. Here are some examples. In the deaf culture of North America, many listeners show applause not by clapping their hands but by waving them in the air. In some cultures, both overseas and in some minority groups in North America, listeners are considered disrespectful if they look directly at the speaker. Respect is shown by looking in the general direction but avoiding direct eye contact. In some countries, whistling by listeners is a sign of approval while in other courtiers it is a form of insult.
Questions:
26, What did Obcamp’s speech focus on?
27, Why do Japanese listeners sometimes close their eyes while listening to a speech?
28, What does the speaker try to explain?
Passage Two
Chris is in charge of purchasing and maintaining equipment in his Division at Taxlong Company. He is soon going to have an evaluation interview with his supervisor and the personnel director to discuss the work he has done in the past year. Salary, promotion and plans for the coming year will also be discussed at the meeting. Chris has made several changes for his Division in the past year. First, he bought new equipment for one of the departments. He has been particularly happy about the new equipment because many of the employees have told him how much it has helped them. Along with improving the equipment, Chris began a program to train employees to use equipment better and do simple maintenance themselves. The training saved time for the employees and money for the company. Unfortunately, one serious problem developed during the year. Two employees the Chris hired were stealing, and he had to fire them. Chris knows that a new job for a purchasing and maintenance manager for the whole company will be open in a few months, and he would like to be promoted to the job. Chris knows, however, that someone else wants that new job, too. Kim is in charge of purchasing and maintenance in another Division of the company. She has also made several changes over the year. Chris knows that his boss likes Kim’s work, and he expects that his work will be compared with hers.
Questions 29 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
29. What is Chris’s main responsibility at Taxlong Company?
30. What problem did Chris encounter in his Division?
31. What does Chris hope for in the near future?
32. What do we learn about Kim from the passage?
Passage Three
Proverbs, sometimes called sayings, are examples of folk wisdom. They are little lessons which older people of a culture pass down to the younger people to teach them about life. Many proverbs remind people of the values that are important in the culture. Values teach people how to act, what is right, and what is wrong. Because the values of each culture are different, understanding the values of another culture helps explain how people think and act. Understanding your own culture values is important too. If you can accept that people from other cultures act according to their values, not yours, getting along with them will be much easier. Many proverbs are very old. So some of the values they teach may not be as important in the culture as they once were. For example, Americans today do not pay much attention to the proverb “Haste makes waste”, because patience is not important to them. But if you know about past values, it helps you to understand the present and many of the older values are still strong today. Benjamin Franklin, a famous American diplomat, writer and scientist, died in 1790, but his proverb “Time is money” is taken more seriously by Americans of today than ever before. A study of proverbs from around the world shows that some values are shared by many cultures. In many cases though, the same idea is expressed differently.
Questions 33- 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. Why are proverbs so important?
34. According to the speaker what happens to some proverbs with the passage of time?
35 What do we learn from the study of proverbs from around the world?
Section C
Compound Dictation
Our lives are woven together. As much as I enjoy my own company, I no longer imagine I can get through a single day much less all my life completely on my own. Even if I am on vacation in the mountains, I am eating food someone else has grown, living in a house someone else has built, wearing clothes someone else has sewn from cloth woven by others, using electricity someone else is distributing to my house. Evidence of interdependence is everywhere; we are on this journey together.
As I was growing up, I remember being carefully taught that independence not interdependence was everything. “Make your own way”,” Stand on your own two feet” or my mother’s favorite remark when I was face-to-face with consequences of some action: Now that you’ve made your bed, lie on it.
Total independence is a dominant thing in our culture. I imagine that what my parents were trying to teach me was to take responsibilities for my actions and my choices. But the teaching was shaped by our cultural imagines. And instead, I grew up believing that I was supposed to be totally independent and consequently became very reluctant to ask for help. I would do almost anything not to be a burden, and not require any help from anybody.
深度阅读
Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in depth)
Section A
47 growth
48 stable
49 challenges
50 certainly
51 role
52 combined
53 significant
54 included
55 comprise
56 solutions
Section B
Passage One
57, C encourage boys to express their emotions freely
58, A perform relatively better
59, C It fails to give boys the attention they need
60, A teaching can be tailored to suit the characteristics of boys
61, C They have sharper vision
完形填空
Skills shortage is getting worse, bosses warn
Employers fear they will be unable recruit students with the skills they need as the economic recovery kicks in, a new survey reveals.
Nearly half of organisations told researchers they were already struggling to find staff with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem), while even more companies expect to experience shortages of employees with Stem skills in the next three years.
The Confederation of British Industry and the vocational qualifications body EDI surveyed 694 organisations across the public and private sectors, which together employ 2.4 million people.
Half are concerned they will not be able to fill graduate posts in the coming years, while a third said they would not be able to recruit enough employees with the right A-level skills.
"As we move further into recovery and businesses plan for growth, the demand for people with high-quality skills and qualifications will intensify," said , director general, CBI.
"In the future, people with qualifications in science and maths will be particularly sought after, and firms say it is already hard to find people with the right technical or engineering skills. The new government must make encouraging more young people to study science-related subjects a top priority."
Two-thirds of respondents want the new government to do more to promote science and maths in schools, half said funding for Stem subjects in higher education should be protected, and 42% want capable pupils to study all three science subjects as separate GCSEs.
Asked what their top prioritywas, the majority of respondents said they wanted the government to ensure all young people leave university and school with the skills they need to succeed at work.
翻译
87. Charity groups organized various activities to ________（为地震幸存者筹款）.
88. Linda_______（不可能收到我的电子邮件）；otherwise, she would have replied.
89. It's my mother________(一直在鼓励我不要灰心)when I have difficulties in my studies.
90. The publishing house has to ________（考虑这部小说的受欢迎程度）.
91. It is absolutely wrong to _________(仅仅以金钱来定义幸福).
