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2016年12月英语六级第2套听力原文及题目

2016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: Guess what? The worst food I’ve ever had was in France.
W: Really? That’s odd. I thought the French were all good cooks.
M: Yes. That’s right. I suppose it’s really like anywhere else, though. You know, some places are good. Some bad. But it’s really all our own fault.
W: What do you mean?
M: Well, it was the first time I’d been to France. This was years ago when I was at school. I went there with my parents’ friends, from my father’s school. They’d hired a coach to take them to Switzerland.
W: A school trip?
M: Right. Most of them had never been abroad before. We’d crossed the English Channel at night, and we set off through France, and breakfast time arrived, and the coach driver had arranged for us to stop at this little café. There we all were, tired and hungry, and then we made the great discovery.
W: What was that?
M: Bacon and eggs.
W: Fantastic! The real English breakfast.
M: Yes. Anyway, we didn’t know any better — so we had it, and ugh …!
W: What was it like? Disgusting?
M: Oh, it was incredible! They just got a bowl and put some fat in it. And then they put some bacon in the fat, broke an egg over the top and put the whole lot in the oven for about ten minutes.
W: In the oven! You’re joking. You can’t cook bacon and eggs in the oven!
M: Well. They must have done it that way. It was hot, but it wasn’t cooked. There was just this egg floating about in gallons of fat and raw bacon.
W: Did you actually eat it?
M: No! Nobody did. They all wanted to turn round and go home. You know, back to teabags and fish and chips. You can’t blame them really. Anyway, the next night we were all given another foreign speciality.
W: What was that?
M: Snails. That really finished them off. Lovely holiday that was!
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What did the woman think of the French?
Question 2: Who did the man travel with on his first trip to Switzerland?
Question 3: What does the man say about the breakfast at the little French café?
Question 4: What did the man think of his holiday in France?

1.
A. They were all good at cooking.
B. They were particular about food.
C. They were proud of their cuisine.
D. They were fond of bacon and eggs.

2.
A. His parents.
B. His friends.
C. His schoolmates.
D. His parents’ friends.

3.
A. No tea was served with the meal.
B. It was the real English breakfast.
C. No one of the group ate it.
D. It was a little overcooked.

4.
A. It was full of excitement.
B. It was really extraordinary.
C. It was a risky experience.
D. It was rather disappointing.

Conversation 2
M: You say your shop has been doing well. Could you give me some idea of what “doing well” means in facts and figures?
W: Well, “doing well” means averaging £1,200 or more a week for about 7 years, making almost a quarter of a million pounds. And “doing well” means your earnings are rising. Last year, we did slightly over 50,000 and this year, we hope to do more than 60,000. So, that’s good if we continue to rise.
M: Now, that’s gross earnings, I assume. What about your expenses?
W: Yes, that’s gross. The expenses, of course, go up steadily. And since we’ve moved to this new shop, the expenses have increased greatly, because it’s a much bigger shop. So I couldn’t say exactly what our expenses are. They are something in the region of six or seven thousand pounds a year, which is not high. Commercially speaking, it’s fairly low, and we try to keep our expenses as low as we can.
M: And your prices are much lower than the same goods in shops round about. How do the local shopkeepers feel about having a shop doing so well in their midst?
W: Perhaps a lot of them don’t realize how well we are doing, because we don’t make a point of publicizing. That was a lesson we learned very early on. We were very friendly with all local shopkeepers and we happened to mention to a local shopkeeper how much we had made that week. He was very unhappy and never as friendly again. So we make a point of never publicizing the amount of money we make. But we are on very good terms with all the shops. None of them have ever complained that we are putting them out of business or anything like that. I think it’s a nice friendly relationship. Maybe if they did know what we made, perhaps they wouldn’t be so friendly.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What are the speakers mainly talking about?
Question 6: What does the woman say her shop tries to do?
Question 7: What do we learn about the goods sold at the woman’s shop?
Question 8: Why doesn’t the woman want to make known their earnings anymore?

5.
A. The woman’s relationship with other shops.
B. The business success of the woman’s shop.
C. The key to running a shop at a low cost.
D. The woman’s earnings over the years.

6.
A. Improve its customer service.
B. Expand its business scale.
C. Keep down its expenses.
D. Upgrade the goods it sells.

7.
A. They are sold at lower prices than in other shops.
B. They are very-popular with the local residents.
C. They are delivered free of charge.
D. They are in great demand.

8.
A. To follow the custom of the local shopkeepers.
B. To attract more customers in the neighborhood.
C. To avoid being put out of business in competition.
D. To maintain friendly relationships with other shops.

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
Birds are famous for carrying things around. Some, like homing pigeons, can be trained to deliver messages and packages. Other birds unknowingly carry seeds that cling to them for the ride. Canadian scientists have found a worrisome, new example of the power that birds have to spread stuff around. Way up north in the Canadian Arctic, seabirds are picking up dangerous chemicals in the ocean and delivering them to ponds near where the birds live. Some 10,000 pairs of the birds, called fulmars, a kind of Arctic seabird, make their nests on Devon Island, north of the Arctic Circle. The fulmars travel some 400 kilometers over the sea to find food. When they return home, their droppings end up all around their nesting sites, including in nearby ponds. Previously, scientists noticed pollutants arriving in the Arctic with the wind. Salmon also carry dangerous chemicals as the fish migrate between rivers and the sea. The bodies of fish and other meat-eaters can build up high levels of the chemicals. To test the polluting power of fulmars, researchers collected samples of deposit from 11 ponds on Devon Island. In ponds closest to the colony, the results showed there were far more pollutants than in ponds less affected by the birds. The pollutants in the ponds appear to come from fish that fulmars eat when they’re out on the ocean. People who live, hunt, or fish near bird colonies need to be careful, the researchers say. The birds don’t mean to cause harm, but the chemicals they carry can cause major problems.
Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What have Canadian scientists found about some seabirds?
Question 10: What does the speaker say about the seabirds called fulmars?
Question 11: What did scientists previously notice about pollutants in the Arctic?
Question 12: What does the speaker warn about at the end of the talk?

9.
A. They can be used to deliver messages in times of emergency.
B. They deliver pollutants from the ocean to their nesting sites.
C. They carry plant seeds and spread them to faraway places.
D. They are on the verge of extinction because of pollution.

10.
A. They migrate to the Arctic Circle during the summer.
B. They originate from Devon Island in the Arctic area.
C. They travel as far as 400 kilometers in search of food.
D. They have the ability to survive in extreme weathers.

11.
A. They were carried by the wind.
B. They had become more poisonous.
C. They were less than on the continent.
D. They poisoned some of the fulmars.

12.
A. The threats humans pose to Arctic seabirds,
B. The diminishing colonies for Arctic seabirds.
C. The harm Arctic seabirds may cause to humans.
D. The effects of the changing climate on Arctic seabirds.

Passage 2
In recent years, the death rate among American centenarians — people who have lived to age 100 or older — has decreased, dropping 14 percent for women and 20 percent for men from 2008 to 2014. The leading causes of death in this age group are also changing. In 2000, the top five causes of death for centenarians were heart disease, stroke, flu, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. But by 2014, the death rate from Alzheimer’s disease for this age group had more than doubled — increasing from 3.8 percent to 8.5 percent — making the progressive brain disease the second leading cause of death for centenarians. One reason for the rise in deaths from Alzheimer’s disease in this group may be that developing this condition remains possible even after people beat the odds of dying from other diseases such as cancer. People physically fit enough to survive over 100 years ultimately give in to diseases such as Alzheimer’s which affects the mind and cognitive function. In other words, it appears that their minds give out before their bodies do. On the other hand, the death rate from flu dropped from 7.4 percent in 2000 to 4.1 percent in 2014. That pushed flu from the third leading cause of death to the fifth. Overall, the total number of centenarians is going up. In 2014, there were 72,197 centenarians, compared to 50,281 in 2000. But because this population is getting larger, the number of deaths in this group is also increasing — 18,434 centenarians died in 2000, whereas 25,914 died in 2014.
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 13: What does the speaker say about the risk of dying for American centenarians in recent years?
Question 14: What does the speaker say about Alzheimer’s disease?
Question 15: What is characteristic of people who live up to 100 years and beyond?

13.
A. It has decreased.
B. It has been exaggerated.
C. It has become better understood.
D. It has remained basically the same.

14.
A. It develops more easily in centenarians not actively engaged.
B. It is now the second leading cause of death for centenarians.
C. It has had no effective cure so far.
D. It calls for more intensive research.

15.
A. They care more about their physical health.
B. Their quality of life deteriorates rapidly.
C. Their minds fall before their bodies do.
D. They cherish their life more than ever.

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
Okay. So let’s get started. And to start things off I think what we need to do is consider a definition. I’m going to define what love is but then most of the experiments I’m going to talk about are really focused more on attraction than love. And I’m going to pick a definition from a former colleague, Robert Sternberg, who is now the dean at Tufts University but was here on our faculty at Yale for nearly thirty years. And he has a theory of love that argues that it’s made up of three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment, or what is sometimes called decision commitment. And these are relatively straightforward. He argued that you don’t have love if you don’t have all three of these elements. Intimacy is the feeling of closeness, of connectedness with someone, of bonding. Operationally, you could think of intimacy as you share secrets, you share information with this person that you don’t share with anybody else. Okay. That’s really what intimacy is, the bond that comes from sharing information that isn’t shared with other people. The second element is passion. Passion is the drive that leads to romance. You can think of it as physical attraction. And Sternberg argues that this is a required component of a love relationship. The third element of love in Sternberg’s theory is what he calls decision commitment, the decision that one is in a love relationship, the willingness to label it as such, and a commitment to maintain that relationship at least for some period of time. Sternberg would argue it’s not love if you don’t call it love and if you don’t have some desire to maintain the relationship. So if you have all three of these, intimacy, passion and commitment, in Sternberg’s theory you have love. Now what’s interesting about the theory is what do you have if you only have one out of three or two out of three. What do you have and how is it different if you have a different two out of three? What’s interesting about this kind of theorizing is it gives rise to many different combinations that can be quite interesting when you break them down and start to look them carefully. So what I’ve done is I’ve taken Sternberg’s three elements of love, intimacy, passion and commitment, and I’ve listed out the different kinds of relationships you would have if you had zero, one, two or three out of the three elements.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: What does the speaker say about most of the experiments mentioned in his talk?
Question 17: What does Robert Sternberg argue about love?
Question 18: What question does the speaker think is interesting about Sternberg’s three elements of love?

16.
A. They are focused more on attraction than love.
B. They were done by his former colleague at Yale.
C. They were carried out over a period of some thirty years.
D. They form the basis on which he builds his theory of love.

17.
A. The relationship cannot last long if no passion is involved.
B. Intimacy is essential but not absolutely indispensable to love.
C. It is not love if you don’t wish to maintain the relationship.
D. Romance is just impossible without mutual understanding.

18.
A. Which of them is considered most important.
B. Whether it is true love without commitment.
C. When the absence of any one doesn’t affect the relationship.
D. How the relationship is to be defined if any one is missing.

Recording 2
Hi! I am Elizabeth Hoffler, Master of Social Work. I am a social worker, a lobbyist, and a special assistant to the executive director at the National Association of Social Workers. Today we are going to be talking about becoming a social worker. Social work is the helping profession. Its primary mission is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. We often deal with complex human needs. Social work is different from other professions, because we focus on the person and environment. We deal with the external factors that impact a person’s situation and outlook. And we create opportunity for assessment and intervention, to help clients and communities cope effectively with their reality and change that reality when necessary. In thousands of ways social workers help other people, people from every age, every background, across the country. Wherever needed, social workers come to help. The most well-known aspect of the profession is that of a social safety net. We help guide people to critical resources and counsel them on life-changing decisions. There are more than 600,000 professional social workers in the country, and we all either have a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a PhD in Social Work. There are more clinically trained social workers than clinically trained psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses combined. Throughout this series you will learn more about the profession, the necessary steps to get a social work degree, the rich history of social work, and the many ways that social workers help others. Later in this series, you will hear from Stacy Collins and Mel Wilson, fellow social workers at the National Association of Social Workers. Stacy is going to walk you through the step-by-step process of becoming a social worker, and Mel will tell you about the range of options you have once you get your social work degree, as well as the high standards of responsibility he social workers must adhere to. The National Association of Social Workers represents nearly 145,000 social workers across the country. Our mission is to promote, protect, and advance the social work profession. We hope you enjoy this series about how you can make a difference by becoming a social worker. Next, we are going to talk about choosing social work.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What does the speaker mainly talk about?
Question 20: What do social workers mainly do?
Question 21: What do professional social workers have in common, according to the speaker?
Question 22: What is Mel Wilson going to talk about in the series?

19.
A. Social work as a profession.
B. The history of social work.
C. Academic degrees required of social work applicants.
D. The aim of the National Association of Social Workers.

20.
A. They try to change people’s social behavior.
B. They help enhance the well-being of the underprivileged.
C. They raise people’s awareness of the environment.
D. They create a lot of opportunities for the unemployed.

21.
A. They have all received strict clinical training.
B. They all have an academic degree in social work.
C. They are all members of the National Association.
D. They have all made a difference through their work.

22.
A. The promotion of social workers’ social status.
B. The importance of training for social workers.
C. Ways for social workers to meet people’s needs.
D. Social workers’ job options and responsibilities.

Recording 3
Today, I’d like to talk about what happens when celebrity role models get behind healthy habits, but at the same time, promote junk food. Currently, there’s mounting criticism of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign, which fights childhood obesity by encouraging youngsters to become more physically active, and has signed on singer Beyoncé and basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, both of whom also endorse sodas, which are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Now there’s a lot more evidence of how powerful a celebrity — especially a professional athlete — can be in influencing children’s behavior. In a report published by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, researchers studied 100 professional athletes and their endorsement contracts. The team focused on athletes since they are theoretically the best role models for active, healthy lifestyles for children. After sorting the deals by category, they determined that among the 512 brands associated with the athletes, most involved sporting goods, followed closely by food and beverage brands. Sports drinks, which are often high in sugar and calories made up most of the food and drink deals, with soft drinks and fast food filling out the remainder. Of the 46 beverages endorsed by professional athletes, 93% relied exclusively on sugar for all of their calories. It’s no surprise that high-profile athletes can influence children’s eating behaviors, but the scientists were able to quantify how prevalent these endorsements are in the children’s environment. Advertisements featuring professional athletes and their endorsed products tend to get impressive exposure on TV, radio, in print and online. And in 2010, the researchers reported that children ages 12 to 17 saw more athlete-endorsed food and beverage brand commercials than adults. One reason any campaign wants a popular celebrity spokesperson is because kids are attracted to them no matter what they are doing. We can’t expect kids to turn off that admiration when the same person is selling sugar. At best, kids might be confused. At worst, they’ll think the messages about soda are the same as the messages about water, but those two beverages aren’t the same. If children are turning to athletes as role models, it’s in their best interest if their idols are consistent. Consistent messaging of positive behaviors will show healthier lifestyles for kids to follow.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 23: What is the aim of Michelle Obama’s campaign?
Question 24: What does research find about advertisements featuring professional athletes?
Question 25: What does the speaker think kids’ idols should do?

23.
A. To fight childhood obesity.
B. To help disadvantaged kids.
C. To encourage kids to play more sports.
D. To urge kids to follow their role models.

24.
A. They best boost product sales when put online.
B. They are most effective when appearing on TV.
C. They are becoming more and more prevalent.
D. They impress kids more than they do adults.

25.
A. Always place kids’ interest first.
B. Do what they advocate in public.
C. Message positive behaviors at all times.
D. Pay attention to their image before children.

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2016年06月英语四级第1套听力原文及题目

2016年06月英语四级第1套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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.

News Report 1
The International Labour Organization says the number of people without jobs is increasing. In its latest update on Global Employment Trends, the agency says projections of the number of unemployed people this year range from 210 million to nearly 240 million people. The report warns that 200 million poor workers are at risk of joining the ranks of people living on less than 2 dollars per day in the past three years. The director general of the International Labour Organization, Juan Somavia, notes that some countries have taken measures to address the effects of the global crisis. However, he points out that many countries have not done so. And based on past experiences, it takes four to five years after economic recovery for unemployment to return to pre-crisis levels. Mr. Somavia says the International Labour Organization is proposing a global jobs’ agreement to deal with unemployment. “Its key objective is to place the center of recovery efforts, measures that would generate higher levels of employment and provide basic social protection for the most vulnerable.”
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 1: What is the news report mainly about?
Question 2: What does, Juan Somavia, director general of the International Labour Organization, say?

1.
A) The International Labor Organization’s key objective.
B) The basic social protection for the most vulnerable.
C) Rising unemployment worldwide.
D) Global economic recovery.

2.
A) Many countries have not taken measures to create enough jobs.
B) Few countries know how to address the current economic crisis.
C) Few countries have realized the seriousness of the current crisis.
D) Many countries need support to improve their people’s livelihood.

News Report 2
Big fast-food chains in New York City have started to obey a first-of-its-kind rule requiring them to post calorie counts right on the menu. Cathy Nonas is with the New York City Department of Health. “We wanted to give people an opportunity to actually see the calories before they purchase the food and make a decision, an informed decision, that if they want to make the healthier choice, if they want to eat fewer calories, they can. And we expect this will have a huge impact on obesity. And of course, if it has an impact on obesity, it will have an impact on diabetes, and heart disease, and high blood pressure.” The new rules were introduced as part of an anti-obesity campaign that also includes a recent citywide ban on artificial trans-fats in restaurant food. The menu rule only applies to restaurants that serve standardized portion sizes and have 15 or more locations nationwide. Starting last Saturday, chains big enough to fall under the rule will face penalties of up to 2000 dollars for not showing calorie information in a prominent spot on their menus, preferably next to the price.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3: What are big fast food chains in New York City required to do according to the new rule?
Question 4: What will happen to big restaurant chains that violate the new rule?

3.
A) Serve standardized food nationwide.
B) Put calorie information on the menu.
C) Increase protein content in the food.
D) Offer convenient food to customers.

4.
A) They will be fined.
B) They will be closed.
C) They will get a warning.
D) They will lose customers.

News Report 3
Almost all companies recognize the importance of innovation today. But not many are able to integrate innovation into their business. A commentary in the Shanghai Daily points out that innovation doesn’t mean piles of documents. It is something more practical. The article says many people tend to assume that innovation just means creating something new, but actually it’s more than that. It’s an attitude of doing things. A company should find ways to innovate not just in products but also in functions, business models and processes. The article cites the global giant Procter & Gamble as an example, saying a real innovative company should develop an innovation culture and use it as a primary tool for success. Procter & Gamble has a “Corporate Innovation Fund” which offers big rewards for high-risk ideas that succeed. It also has a special innovation facility for its employees. Sometimes its employees are released from their daily jobs for weeks and spend their time interacting in the innovation facility instead. In conclusion, the article says innovative ideas alone do not ensure success. It’s pointless unless there is repeatable process in place to turn inspiration into financial performance.
Questions 5 and 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5: What is the problem with many companies according to the news report?
Question 6: What do many people tend to think of innovation?
Question 7: What does the company Procter & Gamble owe its success to?

5.
A) Inability to implement their business plans.
B) Inability to keep turning out novel products.
C) Lack of a successful business model of their own.
D) Failure to integrate innovation into their business.

6.
A) It is the secret to business success.
B) It is the creation of something new.
C) It is a magic tool to bring big rewards.
D) It is an essential part of business culture.

7.
A) Its hardworking employees.
B) Its flexible promotion strategy.
C) Its innovation culture.
D) Its willingness to make investments.

Section B
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 1 with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
M: So, Lyndsay, do you like to text message on your cell phone?
W: Yeah, I text message a lot.
M: I don’t do it so much. I prefer to make a call if I’m in a hurry.
W: Yeah, I go both ways. Sometimes I don’t really want to talk to the person. I just want to ask them one question, so it’s much easier for me just to text message. If I call them, I’ll have to have a long conversation.
M: Yeah, I can see what you mean. But I get off the phone pretty quickly when I call. I’m not a big talker.
W: Yeah, that’s true. You don’t talk a lot.
M: So are you fast at writing the messages with your thumb?
W: Well, when I first got a cell phone, I was so slow. I thought I would never text message. But then people kept text messaging me, so I felt obliged to learn how to text message. So now I’m pretty fast. What about you?
M: Actually I have the opposite problem. When I first got my cell phone, I thought it was so cool to text message all my friends who have one, and I was pretty fast with my thumb then. But it seems like now I don’t use it so much, I’ve got slower actually.
W: Yeah, I think text messaging actually sort of has to do with your age. For example, people in high school, they text message a lot. But I ask my father if he text messages, and guess what he said?
M: What?
W: He said he never text messaged. He thinks it’s very childish and unprofessional to text message.
M: Yeah, I can see what he means. It’s considered pretty informal to text message someone.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8: What does the man say about himself?
Question 9: What does the woman tend to do while she is on the phone?
Question 10: Why did the man text message all his friends when he first got his cell phone?
Question 11: What does the Woman’s father think of text messaging?

8.
A) He’s got addicted to technology.
B) He is not very good at socializing.
C) He is crazy about text-messaging.
D) He does not talk long on the phone.

9.
A) Talk big.
B) Talk at length.
C) Gossip a lot.
D) Forget herself.

10.
A) He thought it was cool.
B) He needed the practice.
C) He wanted to stay connected with them.
D) He had an urgent message to send.

11.
A) It poses a challenge to seniors.
B) It saves both time and money.
C) It is childish and unprofessional.
D) It is cool and convenient.

Conversation 2
W: Good morning, Mr. Johnson. How can I help you?
M: Well, I’d like to talk to you about Tim Bond, the department manager.
W: What seems to be the problem?
M: Well, ever since Sandra left the department, I feel like I’ve been targeted to do all her work as well as mine. I’m expected to attend too many meetings and I seem to be spending a lot of my time doing unnecessary paperwork.
W: I’m sorry to hear that.
M: And, on top of that, I’d specifically asked if I could leave early last Friday as I’d done a lot of overtime during the week. But that afternoon, even though I’d finished my assigned work, I was told to help other colleagues finish their work, too.
W: But surely that’s a positive sign showing that Mr. Bond has a lot of trust in you.
M: Yes, but other colleagues get to leave early, and they don’t have such a lot of work to do.
W: So you feel he’s been making unrealistic demands on you?
M: Yes, absolutely.
W: Have you approached Mr. Bond about this particular problem?
M: I’ve tried, but it seems like he just has no time for me.
W: Well, at this stage, it would be better if you approached him directly. If nothing else showing that you’ve tried to solve the problem yourself, before you take it farther, makes it clear that you’re not just a complainer. Why don’t you send an email requesting a meeting with him in private?
M: Hmm, I’ve been a bit worried about his reaction. But anyway I’ll send him an email to request a meeting, and I’ll see what happens from there. Thanks for your advice.
W: Good luck and let us know the outcome.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?
Question 13: What is the man’s chief complaint?
Question 14: How does the woman interpret the fact that the man was asked to help his colleagues with their work?
Question 15: What did the woman advise the man to do?

12.
A) He wants to change his job assignment.
B) He is unhappy with his department manager.
C) He thinks he deserves extra pay for overtime.
D) He is often singled out for criticism by his boss.

13.
A) His workload was much too heavy.
B) His immediate boss did not trust him.
C) His colleagues often refused to cooperate.
D) His salary was too low for his responsibility.

14.
A) He never knows how to refuse.
B) He is always ready to help others.
C) His boss has a lot of trust in him.
D) His boss has no sense of fairness.

15.
A) Put all his complaints in writing.
B) Wait and see what happens next.
C) Learn to say no when necessary.
D) Talk to his boss in person first.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three 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 massive decline in sleep happened so slowly and quietly that few seemed to notice the trend. Was it because of the growing attraction of the Internet, video games and endless TV channels? Never disconnecting from work? No matter how it happened, millions of Americans are putting their health, quality of life and even length of life in danger. New evidence shows why getting enough sleep is a top priority. Some 40 percent of Americans get less than seven hours of shut-eye on weeknights. “The link between sleep and health, and bad sleep and disease, is becoming clearer and clearer,” says Lawrence Epstein, a sleep expert at Harvard University. For example, sleep duration has declined from some eight hours in the 1950s to seven in recent years. At the same time, high blood pressure has become an increasing problem. Blood pressure and heart rate are typically at their lowest levels during sleep; people who sleep less tend to have higher blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, weight gain and other problems. Sleeping better may help fight off illness. “When people are sleep-deprived, there are higher levels of stress hormones in their bodies, which can decrease immune function,” says Dr. Phyllis Zee of Northwestern University in Chicago. A University of Chicago study shows people who sleep well live longer. So say good night sooner, and it may help you stay active and vital to a ripe old age.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 16: What is the speaker mainly talking about?
Question 17: What do we learn from the talk about today’s Americans?
Question 18: What does the speaker say will happen to people who lack sleep?

16.
A) The importance of sleep to a healthy life.
B) Reasons for Americans’ decline in sleep.
C) Some tips to improve the quality of sleep.
D) Diseases associated with lack of sleep.

17.
A) They are more health-conscious.
B) They are changing their living habits.
C) They get less and less sleep.
D) They know the dangers of lack of sleep.

18.
A) Their weight will go down.
B) Their mind function will deteriorate.
C) Their work efficiency will decrease.
D) Their blood pressure will rise.

Passage 2
Parents and teachers will tell you not to worry when applying for a place at university. But in the same breath will remind you that it is the most important decision of your life. The first decision is your choice of course. It will depend on what you want to get out of university, what you are good at and what you enjoy. The next decision is where to apply. Aim high but within reason. Do you have the right combination of subjects and are your expected grades likely to meet entry requirements? The deadline is January 15th. But it is best to submit your application early because universities begin work as soon as forms start rolling in. The most important part of the application is the much feared personal statement. This is your chance to convey boundless enthusiasm for the subject. So economy of expression is foremost. Omit dull and ineffective generalities and make sure you give concrete examples. Admissions officers read every personal statement that arrives. It is not convincing if you say you have chosen the subject because you enjoy it. You have to get across what it is about a particular area that has inspired you. They will look for evidence that you have reflected and thought about the subject. Applicants should be honest. There is no point saying you run marathons, if you are going to be out of breath arriving at the interview on the second floor.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19: What is the first decision you should make in preparing to apply for a place at university?
Question 20: What is the most important part of the application?
Question 21: What must applicants do in their personal statements?

19.
A) How much you can afford to pay.
B) What course you are going to choose.
C) Which university you are going to apply to.
D) When you are going to submit your application.

20.
A) The list of courses studied.
B) The full record of scores.
C) The references from teachers.
D) The personal statement.

21.
A) Specify what they would like to do after graduation.
B) Describe in detail how much they would enjoy studying.
C) Indicate they have reflected and thought about the subject.
D) Emphasize that they admire the professors in the university.

Passage 3
It is usually agreed that a German, Carl Benz, built the first motor car in 1885. It was actually a tricycle with a petrol motor at the rear. Soon, members of the Royal family and other wealthy people took up motoring as a sport. Many of the early cars had 2 seats. There were no petrol pumps and few garages, so every driver had to be his own engineer for the frequent breakdowns. By 1905, cars began to look like cars of today, with headlamps, windscreen, rubber tyres and number plates. Henry Ford’s “Model T”, introduced in America in 1909, was cheaper because it was made on the assembly line. It brought cars closer towards the reach of “ordinary people”. With the popularity of the car, registration became a must in 1903 with the Motor Car Act. Competency tests were introduced in 1935. Today, the legal driving age for a car in the UK is seventeen. You are not allowed to drive a car unsupervised until you have passed a driving test. In 1958, Britain celebrated the opening of its first motorway—the Preston bypass. Until then, no one really understood what a motorway was, not even the labourers who were building it. The bypass hailed a new era in motor travel and was greeted with excitement and optimism. Service stations came with the motorway and the legend of the transport cafe was born. Of course, the service station has diversified greatly. But whether it’s an English cooked breakfast or a coffee and sandwich, one thing has remained the same: the prices.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22: What does the speaker say about the first motor car?
Question 23: What was the problem with the early cars in Britain?
Question 24: Why did Henry Ford’s “Model T” cars cost less?
Question 25: What do we learn about the Preston bypass?

22.
A) It was equipped with rubber tyres.
B) It was built in the late 19th century.
C) It was purchased by the Royal family.
D) It was designed by an English engineer.

23.
A) They consumed lots of petrol.
B) They took two passengers only.
C) They were difficult to drive.
D) They often broke down.

24.
A) They were produced on the assembly line.
B) They were built with less costly materials.
C) They were modeled after British cars.
D) They were made for ordinary use.

25.
A) It made news all over the world.
B) It was built for the Royal family.
C) It marked a new era in motor travel.
D) It attracted large numbers of motorists.

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2016年06月英语四级第2套听力原文及题目

2016年06月英语四级第2套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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.

News Report 1
You probably think college students are experts at sleeping. But parties, preparations for tests, personal problems and general stress can wreck a student’s sleep habits, which can be bad for the body and the mind. Texas Tech University is even offering a class called “Improving Your Sleep Habits”. People suffering from sleep loss are adding increased risk from obesity, psychological problems and car crashes. Students who don’t get enough sleep have poorer attendance and lower grades. On top of all that, a new study published in the journal Learning & Memory finds you are probably better off sleeping than making last-minute preparations for a test. Two hundred college kids were taught to play some unfamiliar video games. Subjects who learned the games in the morning lost some skills when they played again 12 hours later, but they did much better after getting a good night sleep. So, if you really want to do your job well, don’t forget to get some sleep.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 1: What is the news report mainly about?
Question 2: What is the finding of the new study published in the journal Learning & Memory?

1.
A) How college students can improve their sleep habits.
B) Why sufficient sleep is important for college students.
C) Why college students are more likely to have stress problems.
D) How college students can handle their psychological problems.

2.
A) It is not easy to improve one’s sleep habits.
B) It is not good for students to play video games.
C) Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations.
D) Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping.

News Report 2
Long queues, delayed flights and overcrowding at airports have become almost as much a topic for conversation in Britain as the traditional complaining about the weather. Meanwhile, there are complaints that poor service at London’s major airports is discouraging foreigners from doing business in Britain. Much of the criticism is directed at the British Airports Authority, which runs seven major airports, including the three main ones serving London. The Competition Commission is now to investigate whether the British Airports Authority needs to sell off some of its assets. The idea is that competition between rival operators would lead to better service at airports. The British Airports Authority, recently bought by a Spanish company, says the root cause of the problem is not the ownership structure but a lack of runway and terminal capacity, which it is addressing through a program of heavy investment.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3: What is the Competition Commission going to investigate?
Question 4: What is the root cause of the poor service at British airports according to the British Airports Authority?

3.
A) Whether more airports should be built around London.
B) Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities.
C) Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets.
D) Whether the Spanish company could offer better service.

4.
A) Inefficient management.
B) Poor ownership structure.
C) Lack of innovation and competition.
D) Lack of runway and terminal capacity.

News Report 3
Under the law in Massachusetts, tobacco companies have to measure the nicotine content of every type of cigarette and report the results. The Department of Public Health in Boston gathers and carefully examines the figures and then draws its conclusion. A hundred and sixteen brands were looked at for the study. Ninety two were found to have higher nicotine yields than they did six years previously. The biggest increases tended to be in brands that were popular with young smokers. That worries the department because of the addictive nature of nicotine. Stand Glance, a professor of medicine in San Francisco, explains why: “The amount of nicotine that is delivered in every cigarette is ten percent higher than it was six year ago, which means that is easier to get hooked and harder to quit. The big tobacco companies have always insisted that they are frank with their customers about the dangers of smoking and provide them with enough detail to make an informed decision. However, none of them were prepared to comment on this study or discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.”
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5: What do tobacco companies have to do under the law in Massachusetts?
Question 6: What do we learn from the study by the Department of Public Health in Boston?
Question 7: What do we learn from the news report about the big tobacco companies?

5.
A) Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes.
B) Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes.
C) Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products.
D) Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers.

6.
A) The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.
B) Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking.
C) Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.
D) Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.

7.
A) They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes.
B) They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine.
C) They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study.
D) They will pay more attention to the quality of their products.

Section B
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 1 with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
M: And you know one thing that I wanted to ask you. It is great that you have had this experience of teaching in Indonesia and following up on what you just mentioned, what would you recommend for students who do not live in an English-speaking country? And, you know, they want to learn. I don’t know about perfecting but they want at least to be able to communicate decently. How can they go about this?
W: Yeah, it is really hard. That’s the real struggle because right now I do live in Holland but I really don’t socialize much with Dutch people. And my boyfriend’s English is so good that we just basically speak English all the time. So I have to make a real effort to practice. There’s as much listening exposure as I want. All I have to do is turn on the TV.
M: And reading also, right?
W: Yeah, reading. There’s plenty I can get to read and listen to. But for speaking, there really is no substitute for trying to speak and use the language in a relaxed atmosphere. So I think that is really the challenge for people who live in a country where their target language isn’t spoken. And for that, gosh, what would I do? If I didn’t have people here, probably try to find a club? In Sweden, they have a really cool system called study circles where not…It’s like a course, but really you just have a course leader, who is there, sort of, as a coaching guide and to help out. And you don’t get grade, and you go just because you want to learn.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8: Where does the woman live right now?
Question 9: What does the woman say is the real challenge?
Question 10: What does the woman suggest doing to learn to speak a foreign language?
Question 11: What does the woman say about the study circles in Sweden?

8.
A) Indonesia.
B) Holland.
C) Sweden.
D) England.

9.
A) Getting a coach who can offer real help.
B) Talking with her boyfriend in Dutch.
C) Learning a language where it is not spoken.
D) Acquiring the necessary ability to socialize.

10.
A) Listening to language programs on the radio.
B) Trying to speak it as much as one can.
C) Making friends with native speakers.
D) Practicing reading aloud as often as possible.

11.
A) It creates an environment for socializing.
B) It offers various courses with credit points.
C) It trains young people’s leadership abilities.
D) It provides opportunities for language practice.

Conversation 2
W: OK, Nathan. So we are talking about driving and are there any rules or regulations that you’d like to change?
M: I’m not sure I want to change rules. But I’d like the police to be stricter on the rules. Like if people jump the traffic lights, I don’t know why there isn’t a camera at the traffic lights to stop people doing that. Or like speeding. It is very easy to put speed cameras in certain places.
W: Maybe car manufacturers should have some responsibility in limiting the power of their engines. What’s the point in producing an engine that is big and powerful enough to go like 200 km/h when the speed limit is only 100?
M: Right. But do you know there are no speed limits in Germany?
W: People there do drive responsibly, though. Often, people break laws simply because the laws are there. If the law isn’t there, people will drive within their ability range. When you’ve got speed limit, this creates situation that actually presents dangers on the road.
M: Do you think Germans have better education about personal responsibility when driving?
W: Possibly. They also have very good cars.
M: Right.
W: If you’ve got a good car that can go at high speed, then it’s really nice to do that.
M: But still with care.
W: So I think it is the restriction that creates the dangers sometimes.
M: OK.
W: Obviously, when driving through a residential area or where there is a school, you’ve got to have speed policeman.
M: Speed bumps.
W: Yes, speed bumps, those speed bumps that force you to slow down. I think they’re good idea.
M: So you don’t think fining people is useful?
W: Not really, because the police don’t have time to police every single driver.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12: What are the speakers mainly talking about?
Question 13: What does the woman think car manufacturers could do?
Question 14: What can we learn about people driving in Germany?
Question 15: What does the woman think of the police fining drivers?

12.
A) The impact of engine design on road safety.
B) The role policemen play in traffic safety.
C) A sense of freedom driving gives.
D) Rules and regulations for driving.

13.
A) Make cars with automatic control.
B) Make cars that have better brakes.
C) Make cars that are less powerful.
D) Make cars with higher standards.

14.
A) They tend to drive responsibly.
B) They like to go at high speed.
C) They keep within speed limits.
D) They follow traffic rules closely.

15.
A) It is a bad idea.
B) It is not useful.
C) It is as effective as speed bumps.
D) It should be combined with education.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three 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
Behind the cash register at a store in downtown San Francisco, Sam Azar swiped his credit card to pay for a pack of cigarettes. The store’s card reader failed to scan the card’s magnetic strip. Azar tried again and again. No luck. As customers began to queue, Mr. Azar reached beneath the counter for a black plastic bag. He wrapped one layer of the plastic around the card and tried again. Success. The sale was completed. “I don’t know how it works. It just does.” said Mr. Azar who learned the trick from another clerk. Verifone, the company that makes the store’s card reader, would not confirm or deny that the plastic bag trick worked. But it’s one of many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures that people without engineering degrees have discovered often out of desperation, and shared. Today’s shaky economy is likely to produce many more such tricks. “In post-war Japan, the economy wasn’t doing so great so you couldn’t get everyday-use items like household cleaners,” says Lisa Katayama, author of Urawaza, a book named after the Japanese term for clever lifestyle tips and tricks. “So people looked for ways to do with what they had.” Today, Americans are finding their own tips and tricks for fixing malfunctioning devices with supplies as simple as paper and glue. Some, like Mr. Azar’s plastic bag, are open to argument as to how they work or whether they really work at all. But many tech home remedies can be explained by a little science.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 16: What happened when Sam Azar swiped his credit card to pay for his purchase?
Question 17: How did Sam Azar manage to complete the sale?
Question 18: What is today’s shaky economy likely to do?

16.
A) The card got damaged.
B) The card was found invalid.
C) The card reader failed to do the scanning.
D) The card reader broke down unexpectedly.

17.
A) By covering the credit card with a layer of plastic.
B) By calling the credit card company for confirmation.
C) By seeking help from the card reader maker Verifone.
D) By typing the credit card number into the cash register.

18.
A) Affect the sales of high-tech appliances.
B) Change the lifestyle of many Americans.
C) Give birth to many new technological inventions.
D) Produce many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures.

Passage 2
If you are a graduate student, you may depend on your adviser for many things, including help with improving grades, acquiring financial support, forming an examining committee and getting letters of recommendation. If you are a graduate teaching assistant, your adviser also may be your “boss”. Academic departments vary in their procedures for assigning academic advisers to graduate students. In some departments, either the chairman or the director of graduate studies serves for at least the first semester as a new student adviser. Then students select an adviser, based on shared academic interests. In other departments, a new student is assigned a faculty adviser based on some system of distribution of the department’s “advising load”. Later, students may have the opportunity of selecting the adviser that they prefer. In any case, new graduate students can learn who their advisers or temporary advisers are by visiting or emailing the departmental office and asking for the information. Graduation requirements specify the number of credits you must earn, the minimum grade point average you must achieve and the distribution of credits you must have from among differing departments or fields of study. In addition, it is necessary to apply for graduation when you near that time that you will be completing your graduation requirements. Since graduation requirements vary among divisions of the university, you should consult the Bulletin of Information. You should also direct your questions to your departmental office or academic adviser.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19: What does the speaker say about the procedures for assigning academic advisers?
Question 20: How can new graduate students learn who their advisers are?
Question 21: What does the speaker say about graduation requirements?

19.
A) They are set by the dean of the graduate school.
B) They are determined by the advising board.
C) They leave much room for improvement.
D) They vary among different departments.

20.
A) By consulting the examining committee.
B) By reading the Bulletin of Information.
C) By contacting the departmental office.
D) By visiting the university’s website.

21.
A) They specify the number of credits students must earn.
B) They are harder to meet than those for undergraduates.
C) They have to be approved by the examining committee.
D) They are the same among various divisions of the university.

Passage 3
Jody Hubbard is a diet and nutrition expert who travels around the state to speak in middle and high schools. She primarily speaks to students in health classes, but sometimes the school will arrange for her to speak to several different groups of girls. Her biggest concern is the emphasis American culture places on thinness and the negative way that affects girls today. Jody has a Ph.D. in nutrition, but, more important, she has personal experience. Her mother taught her to diet when she was only 8 years old. Jody has created several different presentations, which she gives to different types of audiences and she tries to establish an emotional connection with the students so that they will feel comfortable asking questions or talking to her privately. She shows them pictures and images from popular culture of beautiful women and explains how computers are used to make the women look even more thin and “beautiful” than they are in real life. She describes how the definition of beauty has changed over the years and even from culture to culture. She then talks about health issues and the physical damage that can occur as a result of dieting. Finally, she addresses self-respect and the notion that a person’s sense of beauty must include more than how much a person weighs. Sometimes Jody feels that she succeeds in persuading some students to stop dieting, other times she feels that she fails.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22: Who does Jody Hubbard primarily speak to?
Question 23: What is Jody Hubbard’s biggest concern about American culture?
Question 24: Why does Jody Hubbard show pictures of beautiful women to her audiences?
Question 25: What is Jody Hubbard’s main purpose in giving her speeches?

22.
A) Students majoring in nutrition.
B) Students in health classes.
C) Ph.D. candidates in dieting.
D) Middle and high school teachers.

23.
A) Its overestimate of the effect of dieting.
B) Its mistaken conception of nutrition.
C) Its changing criteria for beauty.
D) Its overemphasis on thinness.

24.
A) To illustrate her point that beauty is but skin deep.
B) To demonstrate the magic effect of dieting on women.
C) To explain how computer images can be misleading.
D) To prove that technology has impacted our culture.

25.
A) To persuade girls to stop dieting.
B) To promote her own concept of beauty.
C) To establish an emotional connection with students.
D) To help students rid themselves of bad living habits.

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2016年06月英语四级第3套听力原文及题目

2016年06月英语四级第3套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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.

News Report 1
Officials in Thailand found 40 dead tiger cubs at a Buddhist temple accused of animal abuse. The dead cubs were discovered Wednesday in a freezer at the temple, west of Bangkok. Authorities found them while removing dozens of mostly full-grown live tigers from the temple grounds. Officials said the cubs appeared to be about a week old. It was not known why they were in the freezer, where temple staff kept food. Monks have been operating an unsanctioned zoo, called Tiger Temple. Tourists paid money to view and take pictures with the tigers and other exotic animals. Thai authorities plan to file charges against the temple for illegally possessing endangered species.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 1: What do we learn from the news report?
Question 2: How old were the tiger cubs?

1.
A) This incident occurred in Tibet.
B) The dead cubs were found in the front of a temple.
C) Some tiger cubs were dead because of abuse.
D) The reason why they were in the freezer was clear.

2.
A) About 2 weeks.
B) About 7 days.
C) About 1 year.
D) About 40 days.

News Report 2
Switzerland has opened the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel, 17 years after starting work on the project. The Gotthard Railway Tunnel is 57 kilometers long. Trains passing through it will be about 2.3 kilometers underground at the deepest point. The tunnel cost $12 billion to build under the Alps of central Switzerland. The tunnel will reduce the time it takes trains to travel between northern and southern Europe. It is also expected to lower the number of vehicles on roads, and move cargo between north and south. The two-way tunnel opens for commercial service in December. When that happens, up to 260 freight trains and 65 passenger trains will be able to pass through it every day.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3: How many kilometers is the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel?
Question 4: What advantages can the tunnel bring to Europe?

3.
A) 17.
B) 2.3.
C) 57.
D) 12.

4.
A) It can reduce the time to travel.
B) It can reduce the vehicles on roads.
C) It can move cargo between north and south.
D) All of A、B and C.

News Report 3
A Japanese boy named Yamato Tanooka remains missing four days after his parents abandoned him as a punishment, police said. Japan’s military joined the search Wednesday for the 7-year-old boy missing in a forest in northern Japan. But on Wednesday night, the boy still had not been found. About 275 soldiers, police and volunteers searched for him Wednesday. The boy has been missing since Saturday, when his parents made him get out of their car to punish him for throwing rocks at cars and people, according to police. Kyodo News Service said police are looking into whether the parents should be charged with child abandonment. Child psychiatrists said even a threat of leaving a child behind is child abuse because of the stress it creates. Police said the boy’s father, Takayuki Tanooka, returned to the area to look for his son a few minutes later, but could not find him. Tanooka first told police his son disappeared while the family was picking vegetables. He later said that he and his wife had punished their son for bad behavior.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5: How was the boy missing?
Question 6: Who searched for the boy four days after his parents abandoned him?
Question 7: When was the boy missing?

5.
A) He was abandoned by his parents.
B) He got lost in the forest.
C) He went far to drink water.
D) It wasn’t mentioned.

6.
A) The boy’s father.
B) Soldiers, police and volunteers.
C) Japan’s military.
D) Child psychiatrists.

7.
A) On Wednesday night.
B) A few minutes later.
C) Wednesday.
D) Since Saturday.

Section B
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 1 with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
W: Hello, Parkson College. May I help you?
M: Yes. I’m looking for information on courses in computer programming. I would need it for the fall semester.
W: Do you want a day or evening course?
M: Well, it would have to be an evening course since I work during the day.
W: Aha. Have you taken any courses in data processing?
M: No.
W: Oh. Well, data processing is a course you have to take before you can take computer programming.
M: Oh, I see. Well, when is it given? I hope it’s not on Thursdays.
W: Well, there’s a class that meets on Monday evenings at seven.
M: Just once a week?
W: Yes. But that’s almost three hours from seven to nine forty-five.
M: Oh. Well, that’s alright. I could manage that. How many weeks does the course last?
W: Mmmm, let me see. Twelve weeks. You start the first week in September, and finish, oh, just before Christmas. December 21st.
M: And how much is the course?
W: That’s three hundred dollars including the necessary computer time.
M: Aha. Okay. Ah, where do I go to register?
W: Registration is on the second and third of September, between 6:00 and 9:00 in Frost Hall.
M: Is that the round building behind the parking lot?
W: Yes. That’s the one.
M: Oh, I know how to get there. Is there anything that I should bring with me?
W: No, just your checkbook.
M: Well, thank you so much.
W: You are very welcome. Bye!
M: Bye!
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8: Why does the man choose to take an evening course?
Question 9: What does the man have to do before taking the course of computer programming?
Question 10: What do we learn about the schedule of the evening course?
Question 11: What does the man want to know at the end of the conversation?

8.
A) He prefers the smaller evening classes.
B) He has signed up for a day course.
C) He has to work during the day.
D) He finds the evening course cheaper.

9.
A) Learn a computer language.
B) Learn data processing.
C) Buy some computer software.
D) Buy a few coursebooks.

10.
A) Thursday evening, from 7:00 to 9:45.
B) From September 1 to New Year’s eve.
C) Every Monday, lasting for 12 weeks.
D) Three hours a week, 45 hours in total.

11.
A) What to bring for registration.
B) Where to attend the class.
C) How he can get to Frost Hall.
D) Whether he can use a check.

Conversation 2
W: So why exactly does your job have a reputation for being stressful?
M: Stress is generally driven by the feeling of being out of control of a situation and the feeling of a situation controlling you. Trading in financial markets combines both.
W: How do you relax in the evening?
M: I very rarely do anything work-related so it’s easy to escape “The Markets”. I generally go to the gym or go for a run, especially if I’ve had a bad day. I always cook a meal rather than have a take-away to do something my brain would regard as creative.
W: Do you think what you do to relax is an effective way to beat stress?
M: I don’t think there’s a specific rule about how to beat stress. I generally find that what I do is effective for me.
W: Would you consider changing your job because of the high stress factor?
M: I have considered leaving my job due to stress-related factors. However, I do think that an element of stress is a good thing, and if used the right way, can actually be a positive thing.
W: What do you enjoy about the stressful aspects of your job?
M: Having said all that, I do actually enjoy an element of uncertainty. I enjoy a mental challenge. Trading generates a wide range of emotions second by second. How you deal with and manage those emotions, dictates short, medium and long term trading performance and success.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12: What is the man’s job?
Question 13: Why does the man prefer to cook a meal rather than have a take-away?
Question 14: What does the man say about an element of stress in his job?
Question 15: What does the man enjoy about the stressful parts of his job?

12.
A) A training coach.
B) A trading adviser.
C) A professional manager.
D) A financial trader.

13.
A) He can save on living expenses.
B) He considers cooking creative.
C) He can enjoy healthier food.
D) He thinks take-away is tasteless.

14.
A) It is something inevitable.
B) It is frustrating sometimes.
C) It takes patience to manage.
D) It can be a good thing.

15.
A ) The element of uncertainty and the mental challenge.
B ) The element of certainty and physical challenge.
C) The way he deals with all kinds of emotions.
D) The success that his stressful job brings about.

Section C
Direction: In this section, you will hear three 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
Since early times, people have been fascinated with the idea of life existing somewhere else besides earth. Until recently, scientists believed that life on other planets was just a hopeful dream. But now they are beginning to locate places where life could form. In 1997, they saw evidence of planets near other stars like the sun. But scientists now think that life could be even nearer in our own solar system. One place scientists are studying very closely is Europa, a moon of Jupiter. Space probes have provided evidence that Europa has a large ocean under its surface. The probes have also made scientists think that under its surface Europa has a rocky core giving off volcanic heat. Water and heat from volcanic activity are two basic conditions needed for life to form. A third is certain basic chemicals such as carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. Scientists believe there might be such chemicals lying at the bottom of Europa’s ocean. They may have already created life, or may be about to. You may wonder if light is also needed for life to form. Until recently, scientists thought that light was essential. But now, places have been found on earth that are in total blackness, such as caves several miles beneath the surface, and bacteria, primitive forms of life, have been seen there. So the lack of light in Europa’s subsurface ocean doesn’t automatically rule out life forming.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 16: What did scientists once believe according to the passage?
Question 17: What have scientists found about Europa, a moon of Jupiter?
Question 18: What scientists come to know recently about the formation of life?

16.
A) There were no planets without moons.
B) There was no air or water on Jupiter.
C) Life was not possible in outer space.
D) The mystery of life could not be resolved.

17.
A) It has a number of active volcanoes.
B) It has an atmosphere like the earth’s.
C) It has a large ocean under its surface.
D) It has deep caves several miles long.

18.
A) Light is not an essential element to it.
B) Life can form in very hot temperatures.
C) Every form of life undergoes evolution.
D) Oxygen is not needed for some life forms.

Passage 2
In her early days as an emergency room physician, Dr. Joanna Meyer treated a child who had suffered a second degree burn. After the child had been treated, and was being prepared for discharge, Dr. Meyer talked to the parents about how they should care for the child at home. Also listening to her were a half dozen other family members. A few hours later, when she came to say goodbye, the family asked her to settle an argument they’ve been having over exactly what advice she had given. “As I talked to them, I was amazed,” she said. “All of them had heard the simple instructions I had given just a few hours before. But they had three or four different versions. The most basic details were unclear and confusing. I was surprised, because these were intelligent people.” This episode gave Dr. Meyer her first clue to something every doctor learns sooner or later — most people just don’t listen very well. Nowadays, she says, she repeats her instructions, and even conducts a reality check with some patients: she asks them to tell her what they think they’re supposed to do. She also provides take-home sheets, which are computer printouts tailored to the patients’ situation. Dr. Meyer’s listeners are not unusual. When new or difficult material is presented, almost all listeners are faced with a challenge because human speech lacks the stability and permanence of the printed word. Oral communication is fast-moving and impermanent.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19: What did the child’s family members argue about in the hospital?
Question 20: What does Dr. Meyer do to ensure her patients understand her instructions?
Question 21: What does the speaker say about human speech?

19.
A) Whether they should take the child home.
B) What Dr. Meyer’s instructions exactly were.
C) Who should take care of the child at home.
D) When the child would completely recover.

20.
A) She encourages them to ask questions when in doubt.
B) She makes them write down all her instructions.
C) She has them act out what they are to do at home.
D) She asks them to repeat what they are supposed to do.

21.
A) It lacks the stability of the printed word.
B) It contains many grammatical errors.
C) It is heavily dependent on the context.
D) It facilitates interpersonal communication.

Passage 3
It is logical to suppose that things like good labour relations, good working conditions, good wages and benefits, and job security motivate workers. But one expert, Frederick Herzberg argued that such conditions do not motivate workers. They are merely “satisfiers”. “Motivators”, in contrast, include things such as having a challenging and interesting job, recognition and responsibility. However, even with the development of computers and robotics, there are always plenty of boring, repetitive and mechanical jobs, and lots of unskilled people who have to do them. So how do managers motivate people in such jobs? One solution is to give them some responsibilities, not as individuals but as part of a team. For example, some supermarkets combine office staff, the people who fill the shelves, and the people who work at the checkout into a team, and let them decide what product lines to stock, how to display them, and so on. Many people now talk about the importance of a company’s shared values or culture, with which all the staff can identify: for example, being the best hotel chain, or making the best, the most user-friendly or the most reliable products in a particular field. Such values are more likely to motivate workers than financial targets, which ultimately only concern a few people. Unfortunately, there is only a limited number of such goals to go round, and by definition, not all the competing companies in an industry can seriously claim to be the best.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22: What can actually motivate workers according to Frederick Herzberg?
Question 23: What does the speaker say about jobs in the computer era?
Question 24: What do some supermarkets do to motivate their employees?
Question 25: Why does the speaker say financial targets are less likely to motivate workers?

22.
A) Job security.
B) Good labour relations.
C) Challenging work.
D) Attractive wages and benefits.

23.
A) Many tedious jobs continue to be done manually.
B) More and more unskilled workers will lose jobs.
C) Computers will change the nature of many jobs.
D) Boring jobs will gradually be made enjoyable.

24.
A) Offer them chances of promotion.
B) Improve their working conditions.
C) Encourage them to compete with each other.
D) Give them responsibilities as part of a team.

25.
A) They will not bring real benefits to the staff.
B) They concern a small number of people only.
C) They are arbitrarily set by the administrators.
D) They are beyond the control of ordinary workers.

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