分类目录大学英语六级

2021年12月英语六级第1套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
W: Hi, David. I haven’t seen you in class for almost two weeks. We thought you had disappeared on holiday early or something.
M: Hi, Sarah. Well, it’s a bit of a long story, I’m afraid. I got a throat infection last week and had to go to the hospital to get some antibiotics as I really wasn’t getting any better.
W: Oh, yeah. There’ve been so many viruses going around this winter. The weather’s been so awful for the last few weeks.
M: And, on the way back from the hospital, I slipped on some ice and fell, and then had to go to the hospital to get an X-ray because I basically thought I broke my wrist. Although thankfully it’s not broken. But I need to be careful with it for the next few weeks.
W: Oh, that’s too bad. How unfortunate!
M: To make things worse, I managed to fall right in front of four girls from the ninth grade. So I was utterly humiliated. Plus, the laptop in my bag was broken too.
W: No, what a complete catastrophe! Is the laptop still under warranty? If it is, then you can easily send it back to the manufacturer, and they’ll send you a brand new one for free, surely.
M: The warranty ran out three days before I broke it. And all my essays are in there, and I need to hand them in before we break for the Christmas holidays.
W: Listen, I have the number of the really good affordable computer repair shop at home. My dad has used this guy before and he can work miracles. Let’s go back to my house and we can call the repair shop, and you could have some tea and cookies too.
M: Wow, thanks, Sarah. That would be great. Let me just call my mom and let her know I’ll be home a little bit later.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What did Sarah think David was doing for the last two weeks?
Question 2: What happened to David on his way back from the hospital?
Question 3: What does Sarah say they should do with the damaged computer?
Question 4: What does Sarah say she is going to do?

1.
A) He was enjoying his holiday.
B) He was recovering in hospital.
C) He was busy writing his essays.
D) He was fighting a throat infection.

2.
A) He broke his wrist.
B) He lost his antibiotics.
C) He slipped on ice and fell.
D) He was laughed at by some girls.

3.
A) Turn to her father for help.
B) Call the repair shop to fix it.
C) Ask the manufacturer for repairs.
D) Replace it with a brand-new one.

4.
A) Help David retrieve his essays.
B) Introduce David to her parents.
C) Offer David some refreshments.
D) Accompany David to his home.

Conversation 2
M: Welcome to this week’s episode of Book Talk. With me today is Heidi Brown, a historian who has written five critically acclaimed books about military history.
W: Thanks for having me, John. I’m so excited to talk about my latest book, which was published last month.
M: So, this book is a novel, your first attempt at that genre. I thought it’s a bit of a departure for you.
W: I’d say it’s a major departure as it’s not just a work of fiction. It’s set 200 years in the future.
M: Right. So how did that happen? You spent three decades writing about the past and focusing on the 18th and 19th centuries. And now you’re speculating about the future.
W: Well, after years of researching soldiers and chronicling their lives during battle, I just started wondering about other facets of their lives, especially their personal lives.
M: I can see that. Your novel is about soldiers, but it focuses on their relationships, especially the bonds between sons and mothers, and men and their wives.
W: Yes. That focus came about when I still intended to write another book of history. I started by researching soldiers’ actual personal lives, studying their letters home.
M: So how did that history book become a novel?
W: Well, I realized that the historical record was incomplete. So I’d either have to leave a lot of gaps or make a lot more assumptions than a historian should.
M: But why write a novel set in the future, when your credentials are perfect for a historical novel? As a historian, any historical novel you write would have a lot of credibility.
W: I felt too constrained working with the past, like what I wrote needed to be fact as opposed to fiction, but writing about the future gave me more freedom to imagine, to invent.
M: Well, having read your book, I’m glad you made that choice to move into fiction.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What does the man say about the woman?
Question 6: What does the woman say about her newly published book?
Question 7: What did the woman do before writing her new book?
Question 8: What does the woman say about her writing history books?

5.
A) She is a critic of works on military affairs.
B) She is an acclaimed hostess of Book Talk.
C) She is a researcher of literary genres.
D) She is a historian of military history.

6.
A) It is about the military history of Europe.
B) It is set in the 18th and 19th centuries.
C) It is her fifth book of military history.
D) It is a war novel set in the future.

7.
A) She visited soldiers’ wives and mothers.
B) She conducted surveys of many soldiers.
C) She met a large number of soldiers in person.
D) She looked into the personal lives of soldiers.

8.
A) She doesn’t have much freedom for imagination.
B) It is not easy to make her readers believe in her.
C) It is difficult to attract young readers.
D) She has to combine fact with fiction.

Section B
Direction: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage 1
Whether it’s in the hands of animated polar bears or Santa Claus, there’s one thing you’ll find in nearly all ads for Coca-Cola: the characteristic glass bottle. Most Americans don’t drink soda out of the glass bottles seen in Coke’s ads anymore. But this week, the company is celebrating a century of the bottle that’s been sold in more than 200 countries. Flash back to 1915, when a bottle of Coca-Cola cost just a nickel. As the soft drink gained in popularity, it faced a growing number of competitors — counterfeits even trying to copy Coke’s logo. So according to Coca-Cola historian Ted Ryan, the company decided to come up with packaging that couldn’t be duplicated. A product request was sent to eight different glass makers. Workers at the Root Glass Company got the request and began flipping through the encyclopedia at the local library, landing on cocoa seed. Though cocoa seed is not an ingredient of the soda, they designed their bottle based on the seed’s shape and large middle. It won over Coke executives in Atlanta and would go on to receive its own trademark, spur collections and earn Coca-Cola an iconic image that made it part of American culture for a century. It was 100 years ago this week that the bottle earned a patent. By World War Ⅱ, Coke bottle sales had ballooned into billions. Americans mostly consume Coke out of aluminum or plastic today, but the glass bottle remains a symbol of America that’s readily recognized around the world.
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What does the passage say appears in almost all ads for Coca-Cola?
Question 10: Why did the Coca-Cola company decide to have special packaging designed?
Question 11: What do we learn about the Coca-Cola bottle designed by the Root Glass Company?

9.
A) Santa Claus.
B) A polar bear.
C) Cocoa seeds.
D) A glass bottle.

10.
A) To attract customers’ attention.
B) To keep up with the times.
C) To combat counterfeits.
D) To promote its sales.

11.
A) It resembles a picture in the encyclopedia.
B) It appears in the shape of a cocoa seed.
C) It has the drink’s logo in the middle.
D) It displays the images of Santa Claus.

Passage 2
Research shows that a few moments of conversation with a stranger create a measurable improvement in mood. But most of us are reluctant to start these conversations because we presume the opposite. In an experiment, commuters who talked to nearby strangers found their commute more enjoyable than those who didn’t. They were asked to predict whether they’d enjoy the commute more if they conversed with other people. Intriguingly, most expected the more solitary experience to be more pleasurable. Why is this? Social anxiety appears to be the problem. People’s reluctance to start conversations with nearby strangers comes partly from underestimating others’ interest in connecting. The sad thing is that people presume that a nearby stranger doesn’t want to converse and don’t start a conversation. Only those who forced themselves to chat because it was required by the experiment found out what a pleasant experience it could be. Human beings are social animals. Those who misunderstand the impact of social interactions may not, in some contexts, be social enough for their own well-being. You should be chatting with the strangers you encounter. You may occasionally have a negative encounter that might stick in your memory. This is because the human brain is biased to dwell on negative events. But starting conversations with strangers is still well worth the risk of rejection. It may surprise you that conversing with strangers will make them happier too. The pleasure of connection seems contagious. People who were talked to had equally positive experiences as those who initiate a conversation.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 12: What does research show about a conversation between strangers?
Question 13: What prevents people from starting a conversation with strangers?
Question 14: Why does a negative encounter with strangers stick in one’s memory?
Question 15: What does the passage say the pleasure of connection seems to be?

12.
A) It often occurs among commuters.
B) It promotes mutual understanding.
C) It improves their mood considerably.
D) It takes a great deal of effort to sustain.

13.
A) Social anxiety.
B) Excessive caution.
C) Lack of social skills.
D) Preference for solitude.

14.
A) People usually regard it as an unforgettable lesson.
B) Human brains tend to dwell on negative events.
C) Negative events often hurt people deeply.
D) People generally resent being rejected.

15.
A) Contagious.
B) Temporary.
C) Unpredictable.
D) Measurable.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Recording 1
The Caribbean islands are divided into two worlds, a rich one and a poor one. This tropical region’s economy is based mainly on farming. Farmers are of two types. One is the plantation owner who may have hundreds of thousands of acres. In contrast, the small cultivator is working only a few acres of land. Most visitors to the Caribbean are rich, like the plantation owner. They do not realize or do not want to realize that many farm families barely manage to get by on what they grow. The Caribbean produces many things. Sugar is the main product. Other export crops are tobacco, coffee, bananas, spices and citrus fruits, such as orange, lemon or grapefruit. From the West Indies also come oil, mineral pitch and many forest products. Jamaica’s aluminum ore supplies are the world’s largest. Oil comes from Trinidad, Aruba and Curacao. But for many of the smaller islands, sugar is the only export. Rum, a strong alcoholic drink, which is distilled from sugar cane, is also an export. The world’s best rum comes from this area. Local kinds vary from the light rums of Puerto Rico to the heavier, darker rums of Barbados and Jamaica. American tourists enjoy stocking up on inexpensive high quality Caribbean rum while they’re on vacation. In Curacao, the well-known liquor of that name is made from the thick outer skin of a native orange. Ever since America’s colonial days, the Caribbean islands have been favorite places to visit. Since World War Ⅱ, tourism has increased rapidly. Because great numbers of people go there, the islanders have built elaborate resorts, developed harbors and airfields, improved beaches and have expanded sea and air routes. Everything is at the resort — hotel, beach, shopping and recreation. The vacationer never has any reason to explore the island. As in most places, those who have money live well indeed. Those who don’t have money live at various levels of poverty. But here the poor greatly outnumber the wealthy. A visitor will find rich people living in apartments or Spanish houses at the seaside or in the countryside. Their service might include a cook, a maid and a nurse for the children. Most of the people live well below the poverty level. In towns, they live crowded together in tiny houses. Islanders make the best they can of what they have. Their homes are quite shabby. Sadly, most tourists never see this side of the Caribbean.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: What does the speaker say about the economy of the Caribbean islands?
Question 17: What is the main product of the Caribbean islands?
Question 18: What do we learn about the majority of people in the Caribbean islands?

16.
A) It depends heavily on tourism.
B) It is flourishing in foreign trade.
C) It is mainly based on agriculture.
D) It relies chiefly on mineral export.

17.
A) Tobacco.
B) Bananas.
C) Coffee.
D) Sugar.

18.
A) They toil on farms.
B) They live a poor life.
C) They live in Spanish-style houses.
D) They hire people to do housework.

Recording 2
Talk to anyone who is a generation or two older, and they would most likely comment that children are more spoiled these days. No one wants to have or be around demanding, selfish and spoiled children, those who get bad-tempered or silently brute when they’re not given everything they want immediately. Paradoxically, the parents of such children encourage this demanding behavior in the mistaken belief that by giving their children everything they can, their children will be happy. In the short term, perhaps they are right. But in the longer term, such children end up lonely, dependent, chronically dissatisfied and resentful of the parents who try so hard to please them. Undoubtedly parents want to raise happy children who are confident, capable and likable rather than spoiled and miserable. One factor hindering this is that parents can’t or don’t spend enough quality time with their kids and substitute this deficit with toys, games, gadgets and the like. Rather than getting material things, children need parents’ devoted attention. The quantity of time spent together is less important than the content of that time. Instead of instantly satisfying their wishes, parents should help them work out a plan to earn things they’d like to have. This teaches them to value the effort as well as what it achieves. Allow them to enjoy anticipation. Numerous psychological studies have demonstrated that children who learn to wait for things they desire are more likely to succeed in a number of ways later in life. One famous experiment in the 1960s involved 3- to 6-year-old children. They were given a choice between receiving a small reward, such as a cookie, immediately, or if they waited 15 minutes, they could have two. Follow-up studies have found that those who chose to delay satisfaction are now more academically successful, have greater self-worth, and even tend to be healthier. If they fail, children should be encouraged to keep trying rather than to give up, if they really want the desired result. This teaches them how to handle and recover from disappointment, which is associated with greater success and satisfaction academically, financially, and in personal relationships. And lastly, parents should encourage their children to look at life from other points of view as well as their own. This teaches them to be understanding of and sympathetic towards others — qualities sure to take them a long way in life.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What will happen to children if they always get immediate satisfaction?
Question 20: What may prevent parents from raising confident and capable children?
Question 21: Why should children be encouraged to keep trying when they fail?

19.
A) They will be more demanding of their next generation.
B) They will end up lonely, dependent and dissatisfied.
C) They will experience more setbacks than successes.
D) They will find it difficult to get along with others.

20.
A) Failure to pay due attention to their behavior.
B) Unwillingness to allow them to play with toys.
C) Unwillingness to satisfy their wishes immediately.
D) Failure to spend sufficient quality time with them.

21.
A) It will enable them to learn from mistakes.
B) It will help them to handle disappointment.
C) It will do much good to their mental health.
D) It will build their ability to endure hardships.

Recording 3
It’s not hard to mess up an interview. Most people feel nervous sting across from a hiring manager, answering questions that effectively open themselves up for judgment. And your chances of being more carefully considered for the job can quickly go downhill just by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. The most obvious thing not to do is complain. Employers want to hire positive people. Talking about a previous job negatively raises concerns that you might be difficult to manage, or you might be someone that blames management for your own poor performance. Don’t say that you’ve moved around in jobs because you haven’t found the right fit or feel that you were not challenged enough. Statements like these will make you sound aimless and lost. And interviewer may well think why would this role be any different for you. You will probably leave here in six months. It also begs the question of what type of relationship you had with your manager. It doesn’t sound like you had open communication with him or her. Managers usually love people who can self-sustain and enable growth through taking initiative, who are strong at following through their work, and who bring ideas and solutions to the table. If you were in a management or leadership position when discussing your current role, never take all the credit for accomplishments or achievements. Emphasize your team and how through their talents, your vision was realized. Most successful leaders know that they are only as good as their team. And acknowledging this in an interview will go a long way towards suggesting that you might be the right person for the position you are applying for. Lastly, have a good idea of what your role would be. And try and convey the idea that you’re flexible. Asking what your role would be suggests you will limit yourself purely to what is expected of you. In reality, your role is whatever you make of it. This is especially true in small companies, where the ability to adapt and take on new responsibilities is highly valued. And this is equally important, if you’re just starting out. Entry-level interviewees would do well to demonstrate a broad set of skills in most interviews. It’s important to have a wide skill set, as many startups and small companies are moving really fast. Employers are looking for candidates that are intelligent and can quickly adapt and excel in a growing company.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 22: What does the speaker say can easily prevent an interviewee from getting a job?
Question 23: What should the interviewee avoid doing in an interview?
Question 24: What kind of employees do companies like to recruit?
Question 25: What is especially important for those working in a small company?

22.
A) Failure to make sufficient preparations.
B) Looking away from the hiring manager.
C) Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
D) Making a wrong judgment of the interview.

23.
A) Complaining about their previous job.
B) Inquiring about their salary to be paid.
C) Exaggerating their academic background.
D) Understanding their previous achievements.

24.
A) Those who have both skills and experience.
B) Those who get along well with colleagues.
C) Those who take initiative in their work.
D) Those who are loyal to their managers.

25.
A) Ability to shoulder new responsibilities.
B) Experience of performing multiple roles.
C) Readiness to work to flexible schedules.
D) Skills to communicate with colleagues.

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2021年12月英语六级第2套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
M: Good morning and welcome to People in the News! With me today is Megan Brown, an environmental activist whose controversial new book Beyond Recycling is making headlines.
W: Hi, Bryan! Thanks for having me today. I’m excited to explain to the audience what my book is really about.
M: Critics of your book assert that you’re trying to force radical changes on the entire country. Some claim that you want to force everyone to eat a vegetarian diet and make private transport illegal.
W: I’m aware of those claims, but they simply aren’t true. People who haven’t read the book are making assumptions about my arguments. They know I am a vegetarian, that I don’t wear leather or fur, and that I always use public transportation. So, they are depicting me as a radical animal rights activist and an environmentalist determined to force my beliefs on others.
M: But don’t you want others to adopt your practices? You’ve campaigned for animal rights and environment for decades.
W: I’d love it if people chose to live as I do. But my life choices are based on my personal convictions. They aren’t my recommendations for others who don’t share those convictions.
M: Well, in this excerpt from your book, you argue that meat consumption and private transport are devastating the environment, and that the best choices for the planet are vegetarian diets and public transport.
W: I did write that. But those are examples of what I call best practices, not what I’m actually suggesting. In my guidelines for saving the environment, I suggest modest changes, like eating vegetarian meals two days a week.
M: You also endorse high taxes on meat and other animal products, and increase taxes on gasoline. Those taxes could force poor people to adopt your life choices.
W: But the taxes I suggest aren’t that high, less than 3% only. Plus, the money generated would be allocated to environmental protection which benefits everyone.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What do we learn about the woman’s new book?
Question 2: What do some critics say about the author of the book?
Question 3: What does the woman claim about the diet changes she suggested?
Question 4: What does the woman say about her suggested tax increase?

1.
A) It has given rise to much controversy.
B) It has been very favorably received.
C) It was primarily written for vegetarians.
D) It offends many environmentalists.

2.
A) She neglects people’s efforts in animal protection.
B) She tries to force people to accept her radical ideas.
C) She ignores the various benefits of public transport.
D) She insists vegetarians are harming the environment.

3.
A) They are significant.
B) They are revolutionary.
C) They are rational.
D) They are modest.

4.
A) It would help to protect the environment.
B) It would generate money for public health.
C) It would need support from the general public.
D) It would force poor people to change their diet.

Conversation 2
M: With me in the studio today is Ms. Jane Logan, author of a new book Secrets to Success. She claims to have uncovered how people achieve success. So Ms. Logan, in your book, you claim that successful people have many things in common. For instance, they know their strengths when pursuing a goal.
W: That’s right. They also tend to be motivated by a negative or positive life event. They credit their success to having someone in their life who believes in them.
M: You also write that there are a number of different factors related to success. And while successful people are driven to achieve their goals, the ultra successful have even greater ambition.
W: Yes, greater ambition, as well as a burning desire to be the best of the best, is also a common characteristic.
M: Right. So those who are determined don’t see obstacles as something that prevents success, but mere inconveniences that need to be overcome.
W: Absolutely. Successful people are also optimistic, as it is important to stay positive while being aware of obstacles that can deter us from achieving our goals.
M: That’s a good point. All too often, people give up at the first hurdle. Would you say then that most successful people make it all by themselves?
W: Not exactly. They are usually good at cooperating with people and understanding the needs of others.
M: So people would be willing to help them, I guess.
W: That’s correct. And this often leads to a great deal of mutual respect, whether it’s with a colleague, an assistant or even a receptionist.
M: Most successful people, I know, are very passionate about their work. Would you say that passion is the single biggest key to success?
W: Not entirely. There’s a prerequisite, that is, you have to work in an environment that nurtures passion. If that exists, success will follow.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What has the woman revealed in her book?
Question 6: What do successful people attribute their achievements to?
Question 7: What do successful people do when faced with difficulties?
Question 8: What is one prerequisite for passionate work according to the woman?

5.
A) Where successful people’s strengths come from.
B) Why many people fight so hard for success.
C) How she achieved her life’s goal.
D) What makes people successful.

6.
A) Having someone who has confidence in them.
B) Having someone who is ready to help them.
C) Having a firm belief in their own ability.
D) Having a realistic attitude towards life.

7.
A) They adjust their goals accordingly.
B) They try hard to appear optimistic.
C) They stay positive.
D) They remain calm.

8.
A) An understanding leadership.
B) A nurturing environment.
C) Mutual respect among colleagues.
D) Highly cooperative teammates.

Section B
Direction: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage 1
The saying “blind as a bat” simply isn’t correct. The truth is that all 1,100 bat species can see and often their vision is pretty good, although not as excellent as other night-hunting animals. There are two main groups of bats, which are believed to have evolved independently of each other, but both from a common ancestor. The first group, known as “mega bats”, are mostly medium-sized or large bats who eat fruits, flowers, and sometimes small animals or fish. These species have distinctive visual centers and big eyes. They use senses of vision and smell to capture their prey. For example, Flying Foxes not only see well during daylight, but can also distinguish colors. They actually rely on their daylight vision and cannot fly during the night with no moonlight. The second group, called “micro bats”, are smaller in size and mostly eat insets. These species use echo location to find their way and identify food. Scientists have proven that despite their poorly developed small eyes, these bats still can see during the day. When we consider the nightly lifestyle of these bats, we will see they have to be sensitive to the changing light levels because this is how they sense when to start hunting. Moreover, vision is used by micro bats to travel over long distances beyond the range of echo location. So the truth is, there are no bats which are naturally blind. Some species use their sense of hearing more than their eyes as a matter of adaptation to a particular lifestyle, but their eyes are still functional.
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What do we learn about mega bats?
Question 10: How do micro bats find their way and identify food?
Question 11: Why do some species of bats use their sense of hearing more than their eyes?

9.
A) They use their sense of hearing to capture their prey.
B) Their food mainly consists of small animals and fish.
C) They have big eyes and distinctive visual centers.
D) Their ancestor is different from that of micro bats.

10.
A) With the help of moonlight.
B) By means of echolocation.
C) With the aid of daylight vision.
D) By means of vision and smell.

11.
A) To make up for their natural absence of vision.
B) To adapt themselves to a particular lifestyle.
C) To facilitate their travel over long distances.
D) To survive in the ever-changing weather.

Passage 2
A study has found that educational TV shows come with an added lesson that influences a child’s behavior. Children spending more time watching educational programs increase their emotional aggression toward other children. This shows that children can learn the educational lesson that was intended. However, they’re also learning other things along the way. This unintended impact has to do with the portrayal of conflict in media and how preschool-age children comprehend that conflict. TV and movie producers often incorporate an element of bad behavior. This is to teach children a lesson at the end of the program. Educational shows have pro-education and pro-social goals. However, conflict between characters is often depicted with characters being unkind to each other, or they may use emotionally aggressive tactics with each other. Preschool children really don’t get the moral of the story. That’s because it requires that they understand how all the parts of the show fit together. You need pretty complicated cognitive sills and memory sills to be able to do that. These are still developing in young children. However, parents shouldn’t completely constrain children’s viewing. Parents should instead watch with their kids and help them to understand the plot. Parents can comment along the way and then explain the message in the end. They should explain how certain types of behavior were not appropriate. This will help children interpret and get the message and help them learn to watch the show for those messages.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 12: What does the passage say about children watching educational programs?
Question 13: Why can’t preschool children get the moral conveyed in the TV programs?
Question 14: What does the passage suggest parents do?
Question 15: What should parents do right after watching the TV program?

12.
A) They acquire knowledge not found in books.
B) They learn how to interact with their peers.
C) They become more emotionally aggressive.
D) They get much better prepared for school.

13.
A) They are far from emotionally prepared.
B) They tend to be more attracted by images.
C) They can’t follow the conflicts in the show.
D) They lack the cognitive and memory skills.

14.
A) Choose appropriate programs for their children.
B) Help their children understand the program’s plot.
C) Outline the program’s plot for their children first.
D) Monitor their children’s watching of TV programs.

15.
A) Explain its message to their children.
B) Check if their children have enjoyed it.
C) Encourage their children to retell the story.
D) Ask their children to describe its characters.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Recording 1
While it has long been a practice in Asian countries, many people in Western countries have yet to embrace that no shoes in the house rule. For many in those countries, wiping their shoes before going inside is recorded as sufficient. After all, they may think a little dirt doesn’t hurt anyone. But I can give you several good reasons why people should remove their shoes before going inside their homes. Bacteria are everywhere. They collect on your shoes when you walk along sidewalks, public toilet floors and even office carpets. In one study conducted at an American university, researchers collected microscopic germs from footwear. They found that up to 421,000 units of bacteria can collect on the outside of a single shoe. And it only takes a little bit of dirt to damage your timber floors. The more dirt you track in, the more it scratches and the more often you have to clean. The extra scrubbing will harm your floors over time. Shoes can also leave marks and scratches on floors, especially high heels or shoes with pointy or hard parts. These can dent and scratch your floor. And if you live in an apartment building, removing your noisy shoes is the polite thing to do out of consideration for your downstairs neighbors. Walking around with bare feet is actually better for your feet. It strengthens the muscles in your feet. Though many people are accustomed to wearing shoes during all their waking hours, the more time you spend wearing shoes, the more likely you are to incur foot injuries as a result. And if people aren’t yet convinced by my arguments, I can give one final reason. The dust and toxic chemicals you bring into your house via your shoes can deteriorate the air quality in your home. Toxic chemicals are everywhere in our lives — insect killing chemicals used on public grass areas, cleaning chemicals on the floors of public areas. By kicking off your shoes before you enter the home, you are denying entry to these harmful chemicals. Given the amount of time we spend in classrooms and the number of shoes that pass through them every day, you may well understand me if I were to propose a NO SHOES in the classroom rule.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: Why don’t many westerners take off shoes before entering a house?
Question 17: What is the finding of one study by researchers at an American university?
Question 18: What is the final reason the speaker gives for removing shoes before entering a house?

16.
A) They are afraid of injuring their feet.
B) They have never developed the habit.
C) They believe a little dirt harms no one.
D) They find it rather troublesome to do so.

17.
A) Different types of bacteria existed on public-toilet floors.
B) There were more bacteria on sidewalks than in the home.
C) Office carpets collected more bacteria than elsewhere.
D) A large number of bacteria collected on a single shoe.

l8.
A) The chemicals on shoes can deteriorate air quality.
B) Shoes can upset family members with their noise.
C) The marks left by shoes are hard to erase.
D) Shoes can leave scratches on the floor.

Recording 2
Emotions are an essential and inseparable part of our consciousness. They are part of a built-in mechanism which allows us to cope with the ups and downs of our lives both physically and mentally. When we hide our emotions and our true feelings, we stop being genuine, spontaneous and authentic in our relationships. When we put on cultivated and polished faces in the company of others, we stop being true to ourselves. Socially, it may be a good tactic to hide our true emotions, but morally, it is also a breach of faith and trust. Although humans are more advanced and intelligent, animals are more genuine and authentic in their behavior and responses than human beings. The more educated we are, the less transparent and reliable we become. We are drawn to our pets because pets do not lie. One of the first steps in dealing with emotions such as anger or fear is to acknowledge them as normal and human. There is nothing sinful or immoral about being emotional unless your emotions make you inhuman, insensitive, and cruel to others. Feelings of guilt associated with emotions are more devastating and damaging than the experience of emotion itself. So when you deal with the problem of emotions, you should learn not only how to control them, but also how to accept them and manage the guilt and anguish arising from them. Our brains are made up of a primitive inner core and a more evolved and rational outer core. Most of the time, the rational part of the mind controls the information coming from the primitive core and makes its own decisions as to what to do and how to respond. However, during critical situations, especially when a threat is perceived, the outer core loses control and fails to regulate the impulses and instinctive responses coming from the primitive brain. As a result, we let disturbing thoughts and emotions arise in our consciousness and surrender to our primitive behavior. In times of emotional turmoil, remember that emotions arise because your senses are wired to the primitive part of your mind, which is self-regulated, autonomous and spontaneous. Your rational mind does not always deal with the messages coming from it effectively. These messages are part of your survival mechanism and should not be stifled simply because emotions are unhealthy and betray your weaknesses. When emotions arise, instead of stifling them, pay attention to them and try to understand the messages they are trying to deliver. This way you make use of your emotions without losing your balance and inner stability.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What does the speaker say about hiding one’s emotions?
Question 20: What should we do first in dealing with emotions?
Question 21: What are we advised to do when emotions arise?

19.
A) It is sinful and immoral.
B) lt is deemed uncivilized.
C) lt is an uncontrollable behavior.
D) lt is a violation of faith and trust.

20.
A) Assess their consequences.
B) Guard against their harm.
C) Accept them as normal.
D) Find out their causes.

21.
A) Try to understand what messages they convey.
B) Pay attention to their possible consequences.
C) Consider them from different perspectives.
D) Make sure they are brought under control.

Recording 3
Good morning, class. My topic today is how to feed a hungry world. The world’s population is expected to grow from 6.8 billion today to 9.1 billion by 2050. Meanwhile, the world’s population more than doubled from 3 billion between 1961 and 2007. Simultaneously, food production has been constrained by a lack of scientific research. Still, the task of feeding the world’s population in 2050 seems “easily possible”. What is needed is a second green revolution. This is an approach that is described as the sustainable growth of global agriculture. Such a revolution will require a wholesale shift of priorities in agricultural research. There is an urgent need for new crop varieties. They must offer higher yields, but use less water, nitrogen-rich fertilizers or other inputs. These new crops must also be more resistant to drought, heat and pests. Equally crucial is lower-tech research into basics such as crop rotation and mixed farming of animals and plants on small farms. Developing nations could score substantial gains in productivity by making better use of modern technologies and practices. But that requires money. It is estimated that to meet the 2050 challenge, investment must double to 83 billion US dollars a year. Most of that money needs to go towards improving agricultural infrastructure. Everything from production to storage and processing must improve. However, research agendas need to be focused on the needs of the poorest and most resource-limited countries. It is there that most of the world’s population lives, and it is there that population growth over the next decades will be the greatest. To their credit, the world’s agricultural scientist are embracing such a broad view. In March, for example, they came together at the first Global Conference on Agricultural Research to begin working out how to change research agendas to help meet the needs of farmers in poorer nations. But these plans will not bear fruit unless they get considerably more support from policy makers. The growth in public agricultural research spending peaked in the 1970s and has been shrinking ever since. The big exception is China, where spending has far surpassed other countries over the past decade. China seems set to transition to become the key supplier of relevant science and technology to poorer countries. But developed countries have a humanitarian responsibility, too. Calls by scientists for large increases in the appropriation of funds for public spending on agricultural research are more than justified.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 22: What is an urgent need for feeding the world’s population in 2050 according to the speaker?
Question 23: Where should most of the money be invested to feed the ever-growing population?
Question 24: Why does the speaker give credit to the world’s agricultural scientists?
Question 25: What makes China exceptional in comparison with the rest of the world?

22.
A) Cultivation of new varieties of crops.
B) Measures to cope with climate change.
C) Development of more effective pesticides.
D) Application of more nitrogen-rich fertilizers.

23.
A) The expansion of farmland in developing countries.
B) The research on crop rotation in developing countries.
C) The cooperation of the world’s agricultural scientists.
D) The improvement of agricultural infrastructure.

24.
A) For encouraging farmers to embrace new farming techniques.
B) For aligning their research with advances in farming technology.
C) For turning their focus to the needs of farmers in poorer countries.
D) For cooperating closely with policymakers in developing countries.

25.
A) Rapid transition to become a food exporter.
B) Substantial funding in agricultural research.
C) Quick rise to become a leading grain producer.
D) Assumption of humanitarian responsibilities.

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2020年07月英语六级第1套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
M: Tonight, we have a very special guest. Mrs. Anna Sanchez is a three time Olympic champion and author of the new book To the Edge. Mrs Sanchez, thank you for joining us.
W: Thank you for having me.
M: Let’s start with your book. What does the title To the Edge mean? What are you referring to?
W: The book is about how science and technology has helped push humans to the edge of their physical abilities. I argue that in the past 20 years we have had the best athletes the world has ever seen.
M: But is this a fair comparison? How do you know, how, say, a football player from 50 years ago would compare to one today?
W: Well, you are right. That comparison would be perhaps impossible to make. But the point is more about our knowledge today of human biochemistry, nutrition and mechanics. I believe that while our bodies have not changed in thousands of years, what has changed is the scientific knowledge. This has allowed athletes to push the limits of what was previously thought possible.
M: That’s interesting. Please tell us more about these perceived limits.
W: The world has seen sports records being broken that could only be broken with the aid of technology, whether this be the speed of a tennis serve or the fastest time in 100 meter dash or 200 meter swimming race.
M: Is there any concern that technology is giving some athletes an unfair advantage over others?
W: That is an interesting question and one that has to be considered very carefully. Skis, for example, went from being made of wood to a metal alloy, which allows for better control and faster speed. There is no stopping technological progress. But, as I said, each situation should be considered carefully on a case by case basis.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What do we learn about Anna Sanchez?
Question 2: What is the woman’s book mainly about?
Question 3: What has changed in the past thousands of years?
Question 4: What is the man’s concern about the use of technology in sports competitions?

1.
A) She is a great athlete.
B) She is a famed speaker.
C) She is a famous scientist.
D) She is a noted inventor.

2.
A) How knowledge of human biochemistry has been evolving.
B) How nutrition helps athletes’ performance in competitions.
C) How scientific training enables athletes to set new records.
D) How technology has helped athletes to scale new heights.

3.
A) Our physical structures.
B) Our scientific knowledge.
C) Our biochemical process.
D) Our concept of nutrition.

4.
A) It may increase the expenses of sports competitions.
B) It may lead to athletes’ over reliance on equipment.
C) It may give an unfair advantage to some athletes.
D) It may change the nature of sports competitions.

Conversation 2
W: I’ve worked in international trade all my life. My father did so too before me. So I guess you could say it runs in the family.
M: What products have you worked with?
W: All sorts, really. I’ve imported textiles, machinery, toys, solar panels, all kinds of things over the years. Trends and demand come and go. So one needs to be very flexible to succeed in this industry.
M: I see. What goods are you trading now?
W: I now import furniture from China into Italy and foods from Italy into China. I even use the same container. It’s a very efficient way of conducting trade.
M: The same container? You mean you own a 40-foot cargo container?
W: Yeah, that’s right. I have a warehouse in Genoa, Italy and another in Shanghai. I source mid-century modern furniture from different factories in China. It’s very good value for money. I collect it all in my warehouse and then dispatch it to my other warehouse in Italy. Over there I do the same, but with Italian foods instead of furniture, things like pasta, cheese, wine, chocolates. And I send all that to my warehouse in China in the same freight container I use for the furniture.
M: So I presume you sell both lines of products wholesale in each respective country.
W: Of course. I possess a network of clients and partners in both countries. That’s the main benefit of having done this for so long. I’ve made great business contacts over time.
M: How many times do you ship?
W: I did 12 shipments last year, 18 this year, and I hope to grow to around 25 next year. That’s both ways, there and back again. Demand for authentic Italian food in China is growing rapidly. And similarly, sales of affordable, yet stylish wooden furniture are also increasing in Italy. Furniture is marginally more profitable, mostly because it enjoys lower customs duties.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What does the woman think is required to be successful in international trade?
Question 6: What does the woman say is special about her way of doing trade?
Question 7: What does the woman have in both Italy and China?
Question 8: What does the woman say makes furniture marginally more profitable?

5.
A) Experience.
B) Flexibility.
C) Family background.
D) Business connections.

6.
A) Buying directly from factories.
B) Shipping goods in bulk by sea.
C) Having partners in many parts of the world.
D) Using the same container back and forth.

7.
A) Warehouses.
B) Factories.
C) Investors.
D) Retailers.

8.
A) Trendy style.
B) Unique design.
C) Lower import duties.
D) Lower shipping costs.

Section B
Direction: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage 1
“Too many people view their jobs as a five day prison from which they are paroled every Friday,” says Joel Goodman, founder of the Humour Project, a humour consulting group in Sara Togher Springs, New York. Humour unlocks the office prison because it lets adults bring some of their childlike spirit to the job. According to Howard Pollio, professor of psychology at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, an office with humour breaks is an office with satisfied and productive employees. Pollio conducted a study that proved humour can help workers excel at routine production tasks. Employees performed better when they have fun. In large corporations with a hierarchy of power, there is often no outlet for stress. “Every company needs underground ways of poking fun at the organisation,” says Lynn Mark, a speaker on workplace humour for St. Mary’s Health Centre in St. Louis. Kodak’s Rochester New York branch discovered a way for its 20000 employees to uncork that bottled up resentments. There are 1000 square foot humouring features a toy store. Among the rooms, many stress reducing gadgets. The main attraction is a boss doll with detachable arms and legs. Employees can take the doll apart as long as they put its arms and legs back in place. Sandy Cohan, owner of a graphic print production business, created “the quote board” to document the bizarre phrase people say when under strict deadlines. “When you’re under stress, you say stupid things,” says Cohen, “now we just look at each other and say that’s one for the quote board.”
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What does the passage say about humour in the workplace?
Question 10: What does the study by Howard Pollio show?
Question 11: What can Kodak’s employees do in the Humour Room?

9.
A) It helps employees to reduce their stress.
B) It prevents employees from feeling bored.
C) It strengthens harmony among employees.
D) It helps employees to view things positively.

10.
A) Weekends are conducive to reducing stress.
B) Humor is vital to interpersonal relationships.
C) All workers experience some emotional stress.
D) Humor can help workers excel at routine tasks.

11.
A) Smash the toys to release their bottled-up resentments.
B) Take the boss doll apart as long as they reassemble it.
C) Design and install stress-reducing gadgets.
D) Strike at the boss doll as hard as they like.

Passage 2
Public interest was aroused by the latest discovery of a changed gene in obese mice. The news was made known by Rockefeller University geneticist Jeffrey Friedman. The researchers believe this gene influences development of a hormone that tells the organism how fat or full it is. Those with the change gene may not sense when they have eaten enough or if they have sufficient fatty tissue and thus can’t tell when to stop eating. The researchers also reported finding a gene nearly identical to the mouse obesity gene in humans. The operation of this gene in humans has not yet been demonstrated, however. Still, professionals like University of Vermont psychologist Esther Roth Blume reacted enthusiastically. This research indicates that people really are born with a tendency to have a certain weight, just as they are to have a particular skin color or height. Actually, behavioral geneticists believe that less than half of the total weight variation is programed in the genes, while height is almost entirely genetically determined. Whatever role genes play, Americans are getting fatter. A survey by the Center for Disease Control found that obesity has increased greatly over the last 10 years. Such rapid change underlines the role of environmental factors like the abundance of rich foods in Americans over eating. The Center for Disease Control has also found that teens are far less physically active than they were even a decade ago. Excepting that weight is predetermined can relieve guilt for overweight people, but people’s belief that they cannot control their weight can itself contribute to obesity.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 12: What does the speaker say has aroused public interest?
Question 13: What do we learn about the changed gene?
Question 14: What does University of Vermont psychologist Esther Roth Blume say?
Question 15: What accounts for Americans’ obesity according to a survey by the Center for Disease Control?

12.
A) The recent finding of a changed gene in obese mice.
B) A breakthrough in understanding gene modification.
C) A newly discovered way for people to lose weight.
D) The self-repairing ability of a gene in obese mice.

13.
A) It renders an organism unable to fight diseases.
B) It prevents the mice’s fatty tissues from growing.
C) It helps organisms adapt to environmental changes.
D) It renders mice unable to sense when to stop eating.

14.
A) Human beings have more obesity genes than most mice do.
B) Half of a person’s total weight variation can be controlled.
C) People are born with a tendency to have a certain weight.
D) The function of the obesity genes is yet to be explored.

15.
A) The worsening of natural environment.
B) The abundant provision of rich foods.
C) The accelerated pace of present-day life.
D) The adverse impact of the food industry.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Recording 1
Qualities of a relationship such as openness, compassion and mental stimulation are of concern to most of us regardless of sex. But judging from the questionnaire response, they are more important to women than to men. Asked to consider the ingredients of close friendship, women rated these qualities above all others. Men assigned a lower priority to them in favor of similarity in interests, selected by 77% of men, and responsiveness in a crisis, chosen by 61% of male respondents. Mental stimulation, ranked third in popularity by men as well as women, was the only area of over-lap. Among men, only 28% named openness as an important quality, caring was picked by just 23%. It is evident by their selections that when women speak of close friendships, they are referring to emotional factors, while men emphasize the pleasure they find in a friend’s company. That is, when a man speaks of ‘a friend’, he is likely to be taking about someone he does things with, a teammate, a fellow hobbyist, a drinking buddy. These activities are the fabric of the friendship, it is a ‘doing’ relationship in which similarity in interests is the key bond. This factor was a consideration of less than 11% of women. Women opt for a warm emotional atmosphere where communication flows freely, activity is mere background. Lastly, men, as we have seen, have serious questions about each other’s loyalty. Perhaps this is why they placed such strong emphasis on responsiveness in a crisis — someone I can call on for help. Women, as their testimonies indicate, are generally more secure with each other and consequently are more likely to treat this issue lightly. In follow-up interviews this was confirmed numerous times, as woman after woman indicated that — being there when needed was taken for granted. As for the hazards of friendship, more than a few relationships have been shattered because of cutthroat competition and feelings of betrayal. This applies to both men and women, but unequally. In comparison, nearly twice as many men complained about these issues as women. Further, while competition and betrayal are the main thorns to female relationship, men are plagued in almost equal amounts by two additional issues: lack of frankness and a fear of appearing unmanly. Obviously, for a man, a good friendship is hard to find.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: What quality do men value most concerning friendship according to a questionnaire response?
Question 17: What do women refer to when speaking of close friendships?
Question 18: What may threaten a friendship for both men and women?

16.
A) Similarity in interests.
B) Mental stimulation.
C) Openness.
D) Compassion.

17.
A) The willingness to offer timely help.
B) The joy found in each other’s company.
C) Personal bonds.
D) Emotional factors.

18.
A) Failure to keep a promise.
B) Lack of frankness.
C) Feelings of betrayal.
D) Loss of contact.

Recording 2
The partial skeletons of more than 20 dinosaurs and the scattered bones of about 300 more have been discovered in Utah and Colorado at what is now the Dinosaur National Monument. Many of the best specimens may be seen today at museums of natural history in the larger cities of the United States and Canada. This dinosaur pit is the largest and best preserved deposit of dinosaurs known today. Many people get the idea from the massive bones and the pit wall that some disaster, such as a volcanic explosion or a sudden flood, killed a whole herd of dinosaurs in this area. This could have happened, but it probably did not. The main reasons for thinking otherwise are the scattered bones and the thickness of the deposit. In other deposits where the animals were thought to have died together, the skeletons were usually complete and often all the bones were in their proper places. Rounded pieces of fossil bones have been found here. These fragments got their smooth round shape by rolling along the stream bottom. In a mass killing, the bones would have been left on the stream or lake bottom together at the same level. But in this deposit, the bones occur throughout a zone of sandstone about 12 feet thick. The mixture of swamp dwellers and dry land types also seems to indicate that the deposit is a mixture from different places. The pit area is a large dinosaur graveyard, not a place where they died. Most of the remains probably floated down on eastward flowing river until they were left on a shallow sandbar. Some of them may have come from far away dry land areas to the west. Perhaps they drowned trying to cross a small stream or washed away during floods. Some of the swamp dwellers may have got stuck in the very sandbar that became their grave. Others may have floated for miles before being stranded. Even today, similar events take place. When floods come in the spring, sheep, cattle, deer are often trapped by rising waters and often drown. Their dead bodies float downstream until the flood recedes, and leaves them stranded on a bar or shore where they lie half buried in the sand until they decay. Early travelers on the Missouri River reported that shores and bars were often lined with the decaying bodies of buffalo that had died during spring floods.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: Where can many of the best dinosaur specimens be found in North America?
Question 20: What occurs to many people when they see the massive bones in the pit wall?
Question 21: What does the speaker suggest about the large number of dinosaur bones found in the pit?

19.
A) Along the low-lying Colorado River.
B) At the Dinosaur National Monument.
C) Along the border of the U.S. and Canada.
D) At museums of natural history in large cities.

20.
A) Volcanic explosions could bring whole animal species to extinction.
B) Some natural disaster killed a whole herd of dinosaurs in the area.
C) The pit should be carefully preserved for the study of dinosaurs.
D) The whole region must have been struck by a devastating flood.

21.
A) They floated down an eastward flowing river.
B) They lay buried deep in the sand for millions of years.
C) They were skeletons of dinosaurs inhabiting the locality.
D) They were remains of dinosaurs killed in a volcanic explosion.

Recording 3
I would like particularly to talk about the need to develop a new style of aging in our own society. Young people in this country have been accused of not caring for their parents the way they would have in the old country. And this is true. But it is also true that old people have been influenced by an American ideal of independence and autonomy. So we live alone, perhaps on the verge of starvation in time without friends. But we are independent. This standard American style has been forced on every ethnic group, although there are many groups for whom the ideal is not practical. It is a poor ideal in pursuing it does a great deal of harm. This ideal of independence also contains a tremendous amount of unselfishness. In talking to today’s young mothers, I have asked them what kind of grandmothers they think they are going to be. I hear devoted, loving mothers say that when they are through raising their children, they have no intention of becoming grandmothers. They were astonished to hear that in most of the world, throughout most of its history, families have been three or four generation families living under the same roof. We have overemphasized the small family unit, father, mother, small children. We think it is wonderful if grandma and grandpa, if they’re still alive, can live alone. We have reached the point where we think the only thing we can do for our children is to stay out of their way. And the only thing we can do for our daughter in law is to see as little of her as possible. Old peoples’ nursing homes, even the best run are filled with older people who believe the only thing they can do for their children is to look cheerful when they come to visit. So in the end, older people have to devote all their energies to not being a burden. We are beginning to see what a tremendous price we’ve paid for our emphasis on independence and autonomy. We’ve isolated old people and we’ve cut off the children from their grandparents. One of the reasons we have as bad a generation gap today as we do is that grandparents have stepped out. Young people are being deprived of the things they need most: perspective to know why their parents behave so peculiarly and why their grandparents say the things they do.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 22: What have young Americans been accused of?
Question 23: What does the speaker say about old people in the United States?
Question 24: What is astonishing to the young mothers interviewed by the speaker?
Question 25: What does the speaker say older people try their best to do?

22.
A) Indulging in seeking leisure and material comfort.
B) Attaching too much importance to independence.
C) Failing to care for parents in the traditional way.
D) Leaving their parents on the verge of starvation.

23.
A) They have great difficulty living by themselves.
B) They have little hope of getting any family care.
C) They have fond memories of their good old days.
D) They have a sense of independence and autonomy.

24.
A) People in many parts of the world preferred small-sized families.
B) There have been extended families in most parts of the world.
C) Many elderly people were unwilling to take care of their grandchildren.
D) So many young Americans refused to live together with their parents.

25.
A) Leave their younger generations alone.
B) Avoid being a burden to their children.
C) Stay healthy by engaging in joyful activities.
D) View things from their children’s perspective.

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2020年09月英语六级第1套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
M: You are a professor of physics at the university of Oxford. You’re a senior advisor at the European Organization for Nuclear Research. You also seem to tour the globe tirelessly giving talks. And In addition, you have your own weekly TV show on science. Where do you get the energy?
W: Oh, well, I just love what I do. I’m extremely fortunate to have this life, doing what I love doing.
M: Professor, what exactly is your goal? Why do you do all of this?
W: Well, as you said, I do have different things going on. But these, I think, can be divided into two groups: the education of science and the further understanding of science.
M: Don’t these two things get in the way of each other? What I mean is, doesn’t giving lectures take time away from the lab?
W: Not really, no, I love teaching, and I don’t mind spending more time doing that now than in the past. Also what I will say is that teaching a subject helps me comprehend it better myself. I find that it furthers my own knowledge when I have to explain something clearly, when I have to aid others in understanding it, and when I have to answer questions about it. Teaching at a high level can be very stimulating for anyne, no matter how much expertise they may already have in the field they are instructing.
M: Are there any scientific breakthroughs that you see on the near horizon, a significant discovery on venture we can expect soon?
W: The world is always conducting science and there are constantly new things being discovered. In fact, right now we have too much data sitting in computers. For example, we have thousands of photos of planet Mars taken by telescopes that nobody has ever seen. We have them, yet nobody has had time to look at them with their own eyes, let alone analyze them.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: Why does the woman say she can be so energetic?
Question 2: What has the woman been engaged in?
Question 3: What does the woman say about the benefit teaching brings to her?
Question 4: How does the woman say new scientific breakthroughs can be made possible?

1.
A) She can devote all her life to pursuing her passion.
B) Her accumulated expertise helps her to achieve her goals.
C) She can spread her academic ideas on a weekly TV show.
D) Her research findings are widely acclaimed in the world.

2.
A) Provision of guidance for nuclear labs in Europe.
B) Touring the globe to attend science TV shows.
C) Overseeing two research groups at Oxford.
D) Science education and scientific research.

3.
A) A better understanding of a subject.
B) A stronger will to meet challenges.
C) A broader knowledge of related fields.
D) A closer relationship with young people.

4.
A) By applying the latest research methods.
B) By making full use of the existing data.
C) By building upon previous discoveries.
D) By utilizing more powerful computers.

Conversation 2
M: Do you think dreams have special meanings?
W: No, I don’t think they do.
M: I don’t, either. But some people do. I would say people who believe that dreams have special meanings are superstitious, especially nowadays. In the past, during the times of ancient Egypt, Greece or China, people used to believe that dreams could foresee the future. But today, with all the scientific knowledge that we have, I think it’s much harder to believe in these sorts of things.
W: My grandmother is superstitious, and she thinks dreams can predict the future. Once she dreamed that the flight she was due to take the following day crashed. Can you guess what she did? She didn’t take that flight. She didn’t even bother to go to the airport the following day. Instead she took the same flight but a week later. And everything was fine of course. No plane ever crashed.
M: How funny! Did you know that flying is actually safer than any other mode of transport? It’s been statistically proven. People can be so irrational sometimes.
W: Yes, absolutely. But even if we think they are ridiculous, emotions can be just as powerful as rational thinking.
M: Exactly. People do all sorts of crazy things because of their irrational feelings. But in fact, some psychologists believe that our dreams are the result of our emotions and memories from that day. I think it was Sigmund Freud who said that children’s dreams were usually simple representations of their wishes, things they wished would happen. But in adults, dreams are much more complicated reflections of their more sophisticated sentiments.
W: Isn’t it interesting how psychologists try to understand using the scientific method something as bizarre as dreams? Psychology is like the rational study of irrational feelings.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What do both speakers think of dreams?
Question 6: Why didn’t the woman’s grandmother take her scheduled flight?
Question 7: What does the woman say about people’s emotions?
Question 8: What did psychologist Sigmund Freud say about adults dreams?

5.
A) They can predict future events.
B) They have no special meanings.
C) They have cultural connotations.
D) They cannot be easily explained.

6.
A) It was canceled due to bad weather.
B) She overslept and missed the flight.
C) She dreamed of a plane crash.
D) It was postponed to the following day.

7.
A) They can be affected by people’s childhood experiences.
B) They may sometimes seem ridiculous to a rational mind.
C) They usually result from people’s unpleasant memories.
D) They can have an impact as great as rational thinking.

8.
A) They call for scientific methods to interpret.
B) They mirror their long-cherished wishes.
C) They reflect their complicated emotions.
D) They are often related to irrational feelings.

Section B
Direction: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four 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), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage 1
While some scientists explore the surface of Antarctica, others are learning more about a giant body of water four kilometres beneath the ice pack. Scientists first discovered Lake Vostok in the 1970s by using radio waves that penetrate the ice. Since then, they have used sound waves and even satellites to map this massive body of water. How does the water in Lake Vostok remain liquid beneath an ice sheet? “The thick glacier above acts like insulating blanket and keeps the water from freezing,” said Martin Siegert, a glaciologist from the University of Wales. In addition, geothermal heat from deep within the earth may warm the hidden lake. The scientists suspect that micro-organisms may be living in Lake Vostok closed off from the outside world for more than 2 million years. “Anything found there will be totally alien to what’s on the surface of the earth”, said Siegert. Scientists are trying to find a way to drill into the ice and draw water samples without causing contamination. Again, robots might be the solution. If all goes as planned, a drill-shaped robot will through the surface ice. When it reaches the lake, it will release another robot that can swim in the lake, take pictures, and look for signs of life. The scientists hope their discoveries will shed light on life in outer space, which might exist in similar dark and airless conditions. Recently, close up pictures of Jupiter’s moon Europa shows signs of water beneath its icy surface. Once tested in Antarctica, robots could be sent to Europa to search for life there too.
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What did the scientists first use to discover Lake Vostok in the 1970s?
Question 10: What do scientists think about Lake Vostok?
Question 11: What do the scientists hope their discoveries will do?

9.
A) Radio waves.
B) Sound waves.
C) Robots.
D) Satellites.

10.
A) It may be freezing fast beneath the glacier.
B) It may have micro-organisms living in it.
C) It may have certain rare minerals in it.
D) It may be as deep as four kilometers.

11.
A) Help understand life in freezing conditions.
B) Help find new sources of fresh water.
C) Provide information about other planets.
D) Shed light on possible life in outer space.

Passage 2
The idea to study the American Indian tribe – Tarahumaras, came to James Copeland in 1984 when he discovered that very little research had been done on their language. He contacted the tribe member through a social worker who worked with the tribes in Mexico. At first, the tribe member named Gonzalez was very reluctant to cooperate. He told Copeland that no amount of money could buy his language. But after Copeland explained to him what he intended to do with his research and how it would benefit the Tarahumaras, Gonzalez agreed to help. He took Copeland to his village and served as an intermediary. Copeland says, “Thanks to him, the Tarahumaras understood what our mission was and started trusting us.” Entering the world of Tarahumaras has been a laborious project for Copeland. To reach their homeland, he must drive two and half days from Huston Taxes. He loads up his vehicle with goods that the tribe’s men can’t easily get and gives the goods to them as a gesture of friendship. The Tarahumaras, who don’t believe in accumulating wealth, take the food and share among themselves. For Copeland, the experience has not only been academically satisfying, but also has enriched his life in several ways. “I see people rejecting technology and living a very hard, traditional life, which offers me another notion about the meaning of progress in the western tradition,” he says. “I experienced the simplicity of living in nature that I would otherwise only be able to read about. I see a lot of beauty and their sense of sharing and concern for each other.”
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 12: Why did James Copeland want to study the American Indian tribe – Tarahumaras?
Question 13: How did Gonzalez help James Copeland?
Question 14: What does the speaker say about James Copeland’s trip to the Tarahumaras village?
Question 15: What impressed James Copeland about the Tarahumaras tribe?

12.
A) He found there had been little research on their language.
B) He was trying to preserve the languages of the Indian tribes.
C) His contact with a social worker had greatly aroused his interest in the tribe.
D) His meeting with Gonzalez had made him eager to learn more about the tribe.

13.
A) He taught Copeland to speak the Tarahumaras language.
B) He persuaded the Tarahumaras to accept Copeland’s gifts.
C) He recommended one of his best friends as an interpreter.
D) He acted as an intermediary between Copeland and the villagers.

14.
A) Unpredictable.
B) Unjustifiable.
C) Laborious.
D) Tedious.

15.
A) Their appreciation of help from the outsiders.
B) Their sense of sharing and caring.
C) Their readiness to adapt to technology.
D) Their belief in creating wealth for themselves.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Recording 1
What is a radical? It seems today that people are terrified of the term, particularly of having the label attached to them. Accusing individuals or groups of being radical often serves to silence them into submission, thereby maintaining the existing state of affairs, and more important, preserving the power of a select minority who are mostly wealthy white males in western society. Feminism is a perfect example of this phenomenon. The women’s movement has been plagued by stereotypes, misrepresentations by the media, and accusations of man-hating and radicalism. When the basic foundation of feminism is simply that women deserve equal rights in all facets of life, when faced with a threat of being labeled radical, women back down from their worthy cause and consequently participate in their own oppression. It has gotten to the point that many women are afraid to call themselves feminists because of the stigma attached to the word. If people refuse to be controlled and intimidated by stigmas, the stigmas lose all their power. Without fear on which they feed, such stigma as can only die. To me, a radical is simply someone who rebels against the norm or advocates a change in the existing state of affairs. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that the norm is constantly envolving and therefore is not a constant entity. So why then is deviation from the present situation such a threat when the state of affairs itself is unstable and subject to relentless transformation? It all goes back to maintaining the power of those who have it and preventing the rise of those who don’t. In fact, when we look at the word radical in a historical context, nearly every figure we now hold up as a hero was considered a radical in his or her time. Radicals are people who affect change. They are the people about whom history is written. Abolitionists were radicals, civil rights activists were radicals, even the founders of our country in their fight to win independence from England were radicals. Their presence in history has changed the way our society functions, mainly by shifting the balance of power that previously existed. Of course there are some radicals who have made a negative impact on humanity. But undeniably, there would simply be no progress without radicals. That being said, next time someone calls me a radical, I will accept that label with pride.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: What usually happens when people are accused of being radical?
Question 17: What is the speaker’s definition of a radical?
Question 18: What does the speaker think of most radicals in the American history?

16.
A) They tend to be silenced into submission.
B) They find it hard to defend themselves.
C) They will feel proud of being pioneers.
D) They will feel somewhat encouraged.

17.
A) One who advocates violence in effecting change.
B) One who craves for relentless transformations.
C) One who acts in the interests of the oppressed.
D) One who rebels against the existing social order.

18.
A) They tried to effect social change by force.
B) They disrupted the nation’s social stability.
C) They served as a driving force for progress.
D) They did more harm than good to humanity.

Recording 2
We are very susceptible to the influence of the p eople around us. For instance, you may have known somebody who has gone overseas for a year or so, and has returned with an accent perhaps. We become part of our immediate environment. None of us are immune to the influences of our own world and let us not kid ourselves that we are untouched by the things and the people in our life. Fred goes off to his new job at a factory. Fred takes his 10-minute coffee break, but the other workers take a half an hour. Fred says, “What’s the matter with you guys?” Two weeks later, Fred is taking 20-minute breaks. A month later, Fred takes his half hour. Fred is saying, “If you can’t beat them, join them. Why should I work any harder than the next guy?” The fascinating thing about being human is that generally we are unaware that there are changes taking place in our mentality. It is like returning to the city smog after some weeks in the fresh air. Only then do we realize that we have become accustomed to the nasty smells. Mix with critical people, and we learn to criticize. Mixed with happy people, and we learn about happiness. What this means is that we need to decide what we want from life and then choose our company accordingly. You may well say, “That is going to take some effort. It may not be comfortable. I may offend some of my present company.” Right, but it is your life. Fred may say, “I’m always broke, frequently depressed. I’m going nowhere and I never do anything exciting.” Then we discover that Fred’s best friends are always broke, frequently depressed, going nowhere and wishing that life was more exciting. This is not coincidence, nor is it our business to stand in judgment of Fred. However, if Fred ever wants to improve his quality of life, the first thing he’ll need to do is recognize what has been going on all these years. It’s no surprise that doctors as a profession suffer a lot of ill health because they spend their lives around sick people. Psychiatrists have a higher incidence of suicide in their profession for related reasons. Traditionally, nine out of ten children whose parents smoke, smoke themselves. Obesity is in part an environmental problem. Successful people have successful friends. And so the story goes on.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What does the speaker say about us as human beings?
Question 20: What does the speaker say Fred should do first to improve his quality of life?
Question 21: What does the speaker say about psychiatrists?

19.
A) Few of us can ignore changes in our immediate environment.
B) It is impossible for us to be immune from outside influence.
C) Few of us can remain unaware of what happens around us.
D) It is important for us to keep in touch with our own world.

20.
A) Make up his mind to start all over again.
B) Stop making unfair judgements of others.
C) Try to find a more exciting job somewhere else.
D) Recognise the negative impact of his coworkers.

21.
A) They are quite susceptible to suicide.
B) They improve people’s quality of life.
C) They suffer a great deal from ill health.
D) They help people solve mental problems.

Recording 3
Virtually every American can recognize a dollar bill at a mere glance. Many can identify it by its sound or texture. But few people indeed can accurately describe the world’s most powerful, important currency. The American dollar bill is colored with black ink on one side and green on the other. The exact composition of the paper and ink is a closely guarded government secret. Despite its weighty importance, the dollar bill actually weighs little. It requires nearly 500 bills to tip the scales at a pound. Not only is the dollar bill lightweight, but it also has a brief lifespan. Few dollar bills survive longer than 18 months. The word “dollar” is taken from the German word “taler,” the name for the world’s most important currency in the 16th century. The taler was a silver coin first minted in 1518 under the reign of Charles the 5th, emperor of Germany. The concept of paper money is a relatively recent innovation in the history of American currency. When the constitution was signed, people had little regard for paper money because of its steadily decreasing value during the colonial era. Because of this lack of faith, the new American government minted only coins for common currency. Interest-bearing bank notes were issued at the same time, but their purpose was limited to providing money for urgent government crises, such as American involvement in the war of 1812. The first noninterest-bearing paper currency was authorized by congress in 1862, at the height of the civil war. At this point, citizens’ old fears of devalued paper currency had calmed, and the dollar bill was born. The new green colored paper money quickly earned the nickname “greenback.” Today, the American dollar bill is a product of the Federal Reserve, and is issued from the 12 federal reserve banks around the United States. The government keeps a steady supply of approximately 2 billion bills in circulation at all times. Controversy continues to surround the true value of the dollar bill. American history has seen generations of politicians argue in favor of a gold standard for American currency. However, for the present, the American dollar bill holds the value that is printed on it and little more. The only other guarantee on the bill is a Federal Reserve pledge as a confirmation in the form of government securities.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 22: What does the speaker say about the American dollar bill?
Question 23: What does the speaker say about the exact composition of the American dollar bill?
Question 24: Why did the new American government mint only coins for common currency?
Question 25: What have generations of American politicians argued for?

22.
A) Few people can identify its texture.
B) Few people can describe it precisely.
C) Its real value is open to interpretation.
D) Its importance is often over-estimated.

23.
A) It has never seen any change.
B) It has much to do with color.
C) It is a well-protected government secret.
D) It is a subject of study by many forgers.

24.
A) People had little faith in paper money.
B) They could last longer in circulation.
C) It predicted their value would increase.
D) They were more difficult to counterfeit.

25.
A) The stabilization of the dollar value.
B) The issuing of government securities.
C) A gold standard for American currency.
D) A steady appreciation of the U. S. dollar.

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