2012年12月大学英语四级考试真题（版本一）

　　Part I Writing (30 minutes)

　　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 marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

　　The Magician

　　The revolution that Steve Jobs led is only just beginning

　　When it came to putting on a show, nobody else in the computer industry, or any other industry for that matter, could match Steve Jobs. His product launches, at which he would stand alone on a black stage and produce as if by magic an “incredible” new electronic gadget (小器具)in front of an amazed crowd, were the performances of a master showman. All computers do is fetch and work with numbers, he once explained, but do it fast enough and “the results appear to be magic”. Mr Jobs, who died recently aged 56, spent his life packaging that magic into elegantly designed, easy-to-use products.

　　The reaction to his death, with people leaving candles and flowers outside Apple stores and politicians singing praises on the internet, is proof that Mr Jobs had become something much more significant than just a clever money-maker. He stood out in three ways-as a technologist, as a corporate (公司的)leader and as somebody who was able to make people love what had previously been impersonal, functional gadgets. Strangely, it is this last quality that may have the deepest effect on the way people live. The era of personal technology is in many ways just beginning.

　　As a technologist, Mr Jobs was different because he was not an engineer-and that was his great strength. Instead he was keenly interested in product design and aesthetics (美学), and in making advanced technology simple to use. He repeatedly took an existing but half-formed idea-the mouse-driven computer, the digital music player, the smartphone, the tablet computer(平板电脑)-and showed the rest of the industry how to do it properly. Rival firms competed with each other to follow where he led. In the process he brought about great changes in computing, music, telecoms and the news business that were painful for existing firms but welcomed by millions of consumers.

　　Within the wider business world, a man who liked to see himself as a hippy (嬉皮士), permanently in revolt against big companies, ended up being hailed by many of those corporate giants as one of the greatest chief executives of his time. That was partly due to his talents: showmanship, strategic vision, an astonishing attention to detail and a dictatorial management style which many bosses must have envied. But most of all it was the extraordinary trajectory (轨迹)of his life. His fall from grace in the 1980s, followed by his return to Apple in 1996 after a period in the wilderness, is an inspiration to any businessperson whose career has taken a turn for the worse. The way in which Mr Jobs revived the failing company he had co-founded and turned it into the world’s biggest tech firm (bigger even than Bill Gates’s Microsoft, the company that had outsmarted Apple so dramatically in the 1980s), sounds like something from a Hollywood movie.

　　But what was perhaps most astonishing about Mr Jobs was the absolute loyalty he managed to inspire in customers. Many Apple users feel themselves to be part of a community, with Mr Jobs as its leader. And there was indeed a personal link. Apple’s products were designed to accord with the boss’s tastes and to meet his extremely high standards. Every iPhone or MacBook has his fingerprints all over it. His great achievement was to combine an emotional spark with computer technology, and make the resulting product feel personal. And that is what put Mr Jobs on the right side of history, as technological innovation (创新)has moved into consumer electronics over the past decade.

　　As our special report in this issue (printed before Mr Jobs’s death) explains, innovation used to spill over from military and corporate laboratories to the consumer market, but lately this process has gone into reverse. Many people’s homes now have more powerful, and more flexible, devices than their offices do; consumer gadgets and online services are smarter and easier to use than most companies’ systems. Familiar consumer products are being adopted by businesses, government and the armed forces. Companies are employing in-house versions of Facebook and creating their own “app stores” to deliver software to employees. Doctors use tablet computers for their work in hospitals. Meanwhile, the number of consumers hungry for such gadgets continues to swell. Apple’s products are now being snapped up in Delhi and Dalian just as in Dublin and Dallas.

　　Mr Jobs had a reputation as a control freak (怪人), and his critics complained that the products and systems he designed were closed and inflexible, in the name of greater ease of use. Yet he also empowered millions of people by giving them access to cutting-edge technology. His insistence on putting users first, and focusing on elegance and simplicity, has become deep-rooted in his own company, and is spreading to rival firms too. It is no longer just at Apple that designers ask: “What would Steve Jobs do?”

　　The gap between Apple and other tech firms is now likely to narrow. This week’s announcement of a new iPhone by a management team led by Tim Cook, who replaced Mr Jobs as chief executive in August, was generally regarded as competent but uninspiring. Without Mr Jobs to shower his star dust on the event, it felt like just another product launch from just another technology firm. At the recent unveiling of a tablet computer by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, whose company is doing the best job of following Apple’s lead in combining hardware, software, content and services in an easy-to-use bundle, there were several attacks at Apple. But by doing his best to imitate Mr Jobs, Mr Bezos also flattered (抬举)him. With Mr Jobs gone, Apple is just one of many technology firms trying to arouse his uncontrollable spirit in new products.

　　Mr Jobs was said by an engineer in the early years of Apple to emit a “reality distortion (扭曲)field”, such were his powers of persuasion. But in the end he created a reality of his own, channeling the magic of computing into products that reshaped entire industries. The man who said in his youth that he wanted to “put a ding in the universe” did just that.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

　　1. We learn from the first paragraph that nobody could match Steve Jobs in .

　　A) intelligence C) magic power

　　B) showmanship D) persuasion skills

　　2. What did Steve Jobs do that most deeply affected people’s way of life?

　　A) He invented lots of functional gadgets.

　　B) He kept improving computer technology.

　　C) He started the era of personal technology.

　　D) He established a new style of leadership.

　　3. Where did Mr Jobs’s great strength lie?

　　A) His profound insight about consumers’ needs in general.

　　B) His keen interest in designing elegant and user-friendly gadgets.

　　C) His firm determination to win in the competition against his rivals.

　　D) His rich knowledge as a computer scientist and electronic engineer.

　　4. Many corporate giants saw Steve Jobs as .

　　A) one of the greatest chief executives of his time

　　B) a dictator in the contemporary business world

　　C) an unbeatable rival in the computer industry

　　D) the most admirable hippy in today’s world

　　5. For those who have suffered failures in business, Steve Jobs’s life experience serves as .

　　A) a symbol C) an ideal

　　B) a standard D) an inspiration

　　6. What was the most astonishing part of Mr Jobs’s success?

　　A) He turned a failing company into a profitable business.

　　B) He set up personal links with many of his customers.

　　C) He commanded absolute loyalty from Apple users.

　　D) He left his fingerprints all over Apple products.

　　7. What is mentioned in this issue’s special report about innovation nowadays?

　　A) It benefits civilians more than the military.

　　B) New products are first used in the military.

　　C) Many new ideas first appear on the internet.

　　D) It originates in the consumer market.

　　8. In spite of the user-friendliness of Apple products, critics complained that they were .

　　9. Amazon, by having hardware, software, content and services in an easy-to-use bundle, did the best job in following Apple’s lead.

　　10. By channelling the magic of computing into products, Steve Jobs had succeeded in .

　　Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)

　　Section A

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more

　　11. A) He needs another week for the painting.

　　B) The painting was completed just in time.

　　C) The building won’t open until next week.

　　D) His artistic work has been well received.

　　12. A) Go camping. B) Decorate his house.

　　C) Rent a tent. D) Organize a party.

　　13. A) She talked with Mr. Wright on the phone.

　　B) She is about to call Mr. Wright’s secretary.

　　C) She will see Mr. Wright at lunch time.

　　D) She failed to reach Mr. Wright.

　　14. A) He is actually very hardworking.

　　B) He has difficulty finishing his project.

　　C) He needs to spend more time in the lab.

　　D) He seldom tells the truth about himself.

　　15. A) Rules restricting smoking.

　　B) Ways to quit smoking.

　　C) Smokers’ health problems.

　　D) Hazards of passive smoking.

　　16. A) He is out of town all morning.

　　B) He is tied up in family matters.

　　C) He has been writing a report.

　　D) He has got meetings to attend.

　　17. A) He is not easy-going.

　　B) He is the speakers’ boss.

　　C) He is not at home this weekend.

　　D) He seldom invites people to his home.

　　18. A) Take a break.

　　B) Refuel his car.

　　C) Ask the way.

　　D) Have a cup of coffee.

　　Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　19. A) They are as good as historical films.

　　B) They give youngsters a thrill.

　　C) They have greatly improved.

　　D) They are better than comics on film.

　　20. A) The effects were very good.

　　B) The acting was just so-so.

　　C) The plot was too complicated.

　　D) The characters were lifelike.

　　21. A) They triumphed ultimately over evil in the battle.

　　B) They played the same role in War of the Worlds.

　　C) They are popular figures among young people.

　　D) They are two leading characters in the film.

　　Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　22. A) It is scheduled on Thursday night.

　　B) It is supposed to last nine weeks.

　　C) It takes place once a week.

　　D) It usually starts at six.

　　23. A) To make good use of her spare time in the evening.

　　B) To meet the requirements of her in-service training.

　　C) To improve her driving skills as quickly as possible.

　　D) To get some basic knowledge about car maintenance.

　　24. A) Participate in group discussions.

　　B) Take turns to make presentations.

　　C) Listen to the teacher’s explanation.

　　D) Answer the teacher’s questions.

　　25. A) Most of them are female.

　　B) Some have a part-time job.

　　C) They plan to buy a new car.

　　D) A few of them are old chaps.

　　Section B

　　Passage One

　　Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　26. A) She is not good at making friends.

　　B) She is not well off.

　　C) She enjoys company.

　　D) She likes to go to concerts alone.

　　27. A) Their similar social status.

　　B) Their interdependence.

　　C) Their common interest.

　　D) Their identical character.

　　28. A) Invite Pat to a live concert.

　　B) Buy some gifts for Pat’s kids.

　　C) Help take care of Pat’s kids.

　　D) Pay for Pat’s season tickets.

　　29. A) It can develop between people with a big difference in income.

　　B) It can be maintained among people of different age groups.

　　C) It cannot last long without similar family background.

　　D) It cannot be sustained when friends move far apart.

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　30. A) Priority of students’ academic achievements.

　　B) Equal education opportunities to all children.

　　C) Social equality between teachers and students.

　　D) Respect for students’ individuality.

　　31. A) Efficient.

　　B) Complicated.

　　C) Lengthy.

　　D) Democratic.

　　32. A) To help them acquire hands-on experience.

　　B) To try to cut down its operational expenses.

　　C) To provide part-time jobs for needy students.

　　D) To enable them to learn to take responsibility.

　　Passage Three

　　Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　33. A) The best way to work through a finger maze.

　　B) Individuals doing better in front of an audience.

　　C) Researchers having contributed greatly to psychology.

　　D) Improvements on the classification of human behavior.

　　34. A) When you feel encouraged by the audience.

　　B) When you try to figure out a confusing game.

　　C) When you already know how to do something.

　　D) When you complete with other people in a group.

　　35. A) Practicing constantly.

　　B) Working by oneself.

　　C) Learning by doing.

　　D) Using proven methods.

　　Section C

　　Americans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide (36) ______ of food available. They have a broader (37) ______ of nutrition (营养), so they buy more fresh fruit and (38) _______ than ever before. At the same time, Americans (39)______ increasing quantities of sweets and sodas.

　　Statistics show that the way people live (40) ______ the way they eat. American lifestyles have changed. There are now growing numbers of people who live alone, (41) ______ parents and children, and double-income families. These changing lifestyles are (42) ______ for the increasing number of people who must (43) ______ meals or sometimes simply go without them. Many Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food. (44) ______________

　　_______________________________________. Moreover, Americans eat out nearly four times a week on average.

　　It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that people consume. (45) _____________

　　________________________________________________________. This information not only tells us what people are eating, but also tells us about the changes in attitudes and tastes. (46) __

　　___________________________________________________________. Instead, chicken, turkey and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods have greatly increased in recent years.

　　Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.

　　French fries, washed down with a pint of soda, are a favorite part of fast-food lunches and dinners for millions of American youngsters. But 47 a cue from health experts, a group of 19 restaurant companies are pledging to offer more-healthful menu options for children at a time when 48 is growing over the role of fast food in childhood obesity(肥胖症).

　　Burger King, the nation’s second-largest fast food chain, for instance, will 49 automatically including French fries and soda in its kids’ meals starting this month, although they will still be 50. Instead, the company said Tuesday, its employees will ask parents whether they 51 such options as milk or sliced apples before assembling the meals.“We’re asking the customers to 52 what they want,” said Craig Prusher, the chain’s vice president of government relations. Other participating chains, with a 53 of menu options, including Denny’s, Chili’s, Friendly’s and Chevy’s.

　　As part of the Kids Live Well campaign-expected to be announced 54 Wednesday—participating restaurants must promise to offer at least one children’s meal that has fewer than 600 calories(卡路里), no soft drinks and at least two 55 from the following food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins or low-fat dairy. Among other requirements, they must offer a side dish that meets similar 56, with fewer than 200 calories and less than 35%of its calories from sugar.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

A) adapt I) prefer B) available J) recommending C) begin K) species D) concern L) specify E) criteria M) stop F) items N) taking G) nationwide O) variety H) possible

　　Section B

　　Passage One

　　Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

　　As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think.

　　That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover (人员更替) data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations(解雇), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!

　　And as it turns out, even today — with job growth near zero — over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.

　　I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it’s true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.

　　But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.

　　So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.

　　57. The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate ______.

　　A) deprives many people of job opportunities

　　B) prevents many people from changing careers

　　C) should not stop people from looking for a job

　　D) does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening

　　58. Where do most job openings come from?

　　A) Job growth. C) Improved economy.

　　B) Job turnover. D)Business expansion.

　　59. What does the author say about overall job growth?

　　A) It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers.

　　B) It increases people’s confidence in the economy.

　　C) It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.

　　D) It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed.

　　60. What is the key to landing a job according to the author?

　　A) Education. C) Persistence.

　　B) Intelligence. D) Experience.

　　61. What do we learn from the passage about the unemployment figures in the U.S.?

　　A) They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.

　　B) They provide the public with the latest information.

　　C) They warn of the structural problems in the economy.

　　D) They exclude those who have stopped looking for a job.

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

　　Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors — or doesn’t it?

　　While such vigilant(警觉的)tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it’s important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing.

　　In many cases, screening can lead to surgeries to remove cancer, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients’ remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so deep-rooted that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups.

　　It’s hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy(预期寿命).

　　A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population.

　　It’s not an easy calculation to make, but one that makes sense for all patients. Dr. Otis Brawley said, “Many doctors are ordering screening tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care.”

　　That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

　　62. Why do doctors recommend routine cancer screening for elderly people?

　　A) It is believed to contribute to long life.

　　B) It is part of their health care package.

　　C) The elderly are more sensitive about their health.

　　D) The elderly are in greater danger of tumor growth.

　　63. How do some researchers now look at routine cancer screening for the elderly?

　　A) It adds too much to their medical bills.

　　B) It helps increase their life expectancy.

　　C) They are doubtful about its necessity.

　　D) They think it does more harm than good.

　　64. What is the conventional view about women screening for breast cancer?

　　A) It applies to women over 50. C) It is optional for young women.

　　B) It is a must for adult women. D) It doesn’t apply to women over 74.

　　65. Why do many doctors prescribe routine screening for cancer?

　　A) They want to protect themselves against medical disputes.

　　B) They want to take advantage of the medical care system.

　　C) They want data for medical research.

　　D) They want their patients to suffer less.

　　66. What does the author say is the general view about health care?

　　A) The more, the better. C) Better early than late.

　　B) Prevention is better than cure. D) Better care, longer life.

　　Part V Cloze (15 minutes)

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答

　　Strong emotional bonds between mothers and infants increase children’s willingness to explore the world—an effect that has been observed 67 the animal kingdom, in people, monkeys and even spiders. The more secure we are in our 68 to Mom, the more likely we are to try new things and take risks. Now researchers are discovering that this effect continues into adulthood. A 69 reminder of Mom’s touch or the sound of her voice on the phone is 70 to change people’s minds and moods, 71 their decision making in measurable ways.

　　In a study 72 online in April in Psychological Science, undergraduate business students had to choose between safe bets and risky gambles—a bond with a guaranteed 4 percent yearly 73 or a riskier stock option, for example. In half the cases, the experimenters patted the students 74 on the back of the shoulder for about one second 75 providing verba l(口头的) instructions about the study. Both male and female students who were touched by a female experimenter were 76 more likely to choose the risky alternative 77 were those who had not been touched or were patted by male experimenters. The reassuring(宽慰的)touch of a woman may have induced early associations, 78 the same openness to exploration that is observed in young children of 79 mothers, explains Jonathan Levav, a business professor at Columbia University and lead author of the study.

　　To further 80 that a woman’s touch links feelings of security 81 risk taking, the researchers asked a 82 group of undergraduates to make financial decisions after a writing exercise. Half of them wrote about a time they felt secure and supported, whereas the 83 half wrote about feeling insecure and alone. Evoking (唤起) a 84 of insecurity made students in the latter group 85 receptive to the gentle shoulder pats from female experimenters and much more willing to take a risk—just as a child leaving for a field trip might steal one last reassuring hug 86 Mom before stepping on the bus.

　　67. A) by B) up C) above D) across

　　68. A) concern B) attachment C) treatment D) appeal

　　69. A) bare B) unique C) mere D) just

　　70. A) enough B) ready C) easy D) quick

　　71. A) generating B) regulating C) affecting D) refining

　　72. A) exhibited B) published C) appeared D) advertised

　　73. A) return B) expense C) cost D) prize

　　74. A) seemingly B) strongly C) partly D) lightly

　　75. A) if B) so C) while D) whereas

　　76. A) rather B) far C) further D) pretty

　　77. A) than B) as C) which D) that

　　78. A) intending B) inferring C) inspiring D) instructing

　　79. A) supportive B) lively C) strict D) respectful

　　80. A) enable B) ensure C) consent D) confirm

　　81. A) beyond B) with C) for D) along

　　82. A) relative B) competitive C) different D) successive

　　83. A) next B) other C) minor D) opposite

　　84. A) hint B) clue C) chain D) sense

　　85. A) especially B) specially C) securely D) entirely

　　86. A) toward B) into C) of D) from

　　PartVI Translation (5minutes)

　　注意：此部分题请在答题卡2上作答，只需写出疑问部分。

　　87. I finally got the job I dreamed about. Never before in my life___________

　　(我感到如此激动)!

　　88. Yesterday Jane left the meeting early. Otherwise, she____________________

　　(可能会说一些后来会懊悔的话).

　　89. With the noise going on outside the classroom, I had great difficulty________

　　(集中注意力复习功课).

　　90.This is the first time I_______________________(听到他们用法语交流).

　　91. All the information you need to apply for your visa is___________________

　　(可以免费获取).