2018年12月英语六级第1套听力原文及题目
2018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
M: Hey, I just read a great book about physics. I think you’d like it. It’s called The Physics of the World. It’s written by a scientist named Sylvia Mendez.
W: Oh, I read that book. It was great. The writer is a warm and competent guide to the mysteries of physics. I think it promises enrichment for any reader, from those who know little about science to the career physicist.
M: And it’s refreshing to see a strong, curious, clever woman adding her voice to the scientific discourse in a field that has been traditionally dominated by men. I think she is to be commended for making an effort to include anecdotes about little-known female scientists. You know, they were often victims of “a generation firmly convinced that the woman’s place was in the home.”
W: I like how the book is clearly written with each chapter brought to life by pieces of fascinating knowledge. For example, in one chapter she exposes a myth that I’ve heard taught by university physics professors. I’ve often heard that medieval glass windows are thicker at the bottom because glass “flows” like a fluid. This, she shows, is not true. The distortion is actually thanks to a peculiarity of the glassmaker’s process.
M: Yeah. I like how she cultivates scientific engagement by providing a host of do-it-yourself experiments that bring the same foundational principles of classical physics that govern everything from the solar system to your kitchen table. From using complex laws of physics to test whether a spinning egg is cooked to measuring atmospheric pressure by lifting a piece of cardboard, her hands-on examples make her book a truly interactive read.
W: Yes. I must say this equation-free book is an ideal read for scientists of all stripes, anyone teaching science and even people who dislike physics.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What does the woman say about the book the man recommended?
Question 2: What can we find in the book the man recommended?
Question 3: How does the author bring her book to life?
Question 4: How does the book cultivate readers’ interest in physics?
1.
A) It can benefit professionals and non-professionals alike.
B) It lists the various challenges physicists arc confronting.
C) It describes how some mysteries of physics were solved.
D) It is one of the most fascinating physics books ever written.
2.
A) physicists’ contribution to humanity.
B) Stories about some female physicists.
C) Historical evolution of modern physics.
D) Women’s changing attitudes to physics.
3.
A) By exposing a lot of myths in physics.
B) By describing her own life experiences.
C) By including lots of fascinating knowledge.
D) By telling anecdotes about famous professors.
4.
A) It avoids detailing abstract concepts of physics.
B) It contains a lot of thought-provoking questions.
C) It demonstrates how they can become physicists.
D) It provides experiments they can do themselves.
Conversation 2
M: Hi, professor. I was hoping I could have a moment of your time if you’re not too busy. I’m having some problems getting started on my dissertation, and I was hoping you could give me some advice on how to begin.
W: Sure. I have quite a few students, though. So can you remind me what your topic is?
M: The general topic I chose is aesthetics, but that’s as far as I’ve got. I don’t really know where to go from there.
W: Yeah. That’s much too large a topic. You really need to narrow it down in order to make it more accessible. Otherwise, you’ll be writing a book.
M: Exactly. That’s what I wanted to ask you about. I was hoping it would be possible for me to change topics. I’m really more interested in nature than beauty.
W: I’m afraid you have to adhere to the assigned topic. Still, if you’re interested in nature, then that certainly can be worked into your dissertation. We’ve talked about Hume before in class, right?
M: Oh, yeah. He’s the philosopher who wrote about where our ideas of beauty come from.
W: Exactly. I suggest you go to the library and get a copy of his biography. Start from there, but remember to stick to the parameters of the assignment. This paper is a large part of your cumulative grade, so make sure to follow the instructions. If you take a look at his biography, you can get a good idea of how his life experiences manifest themselves in his theories of beauty, specifically the way he looked towards nature as the origin of what we find beautiful.
M: Great. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, professor. I’ll let you get back to class now.
W: If there’s anything else you need, please come see me in my office anytime.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What is the man’s problem?
Question 6: What does the professor think of the man’s topic?
Question 7: What is the man really more interested in?
Question 8: What does the professor say the man has to do?
5.
A) He is too busy to finish his assignment in time.
B) He does not know what kind of topic to write on.
C) He does not understand the professor’s instructions.
D) He has no idea how to proceed with his dissertation.
6.
A) It is too broad.
B) It is a bit outdated.
C) It is challenging.
D) It is interesting.
7.
A) Biography.
B) Nature.
C) Philosophy.
D) Beauty.
8.
A) Improve his cumulative grade.
B) Develop his reading ability.
C) Stick to the topic assigned.
D) List the parameters first.
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
During the Arctic winter from October to March, the average temperature in the frozen north typically hovers around minus 20 degrees Celsius. But this year, the Arctic is experiencing much higher temperatures. On February 20, the temperature in Greenland climbed above freezing or zero degrees Celsius and it stayed there for over 24 hours. Then on February 24, the temperature on Greenland’s northern tip reached six degrees Celsius. Climate scientists described the phenomenon as “stunning.” Weather conditions that drive this bizarre temperature surge have visited the Arctic before. They typically appear about once in a decade. However, the last such increase in temperature took place two years ago. This is troubling as climbing Arctic temperatures combined with rapid sea-ice loss are creating a new type of climate feedback loop which could accelerate Arctic warming. Indeed, sea-ice cover in the Arctic is melting faster than expected. Without those masses of cooling sea ice, warm air brought to the Arctic can penetrate further inland than it ever did before. The air can stay warmer longer, too. This drives additional melting. Overall, Earth is warming at a rapid pace—2014 through 2017 rank as the hottest years on record—and the Arctic is warming twice as fast as anyplace else on Earth. This raises unique challenges for Arctic wildlife and indigenous people who depend on Arctic ecosystems to survive. Previously, climate forecasts predicted that Arctic summer ice would disappear entirely by around 2060. But based on what scientists are seeing now, the Arctic may be facing summers without ice within 20 years.
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What did climate scientists describe as “stunning”?
Question 10: What does the passage say about the temperature surge in the Arctic?
Question 11: What may occur in 20 years according to scientists’ recent observations?
9.
A) The unprecedented high temperature in Greenland.
B) The collapse of ice on the northern tip of Greenland.
C) The unusual cold spell in the Arctic area in October.
D) The rapid change of Arctic temperature within a day.
10.
A) It has created a totally new climate pattern.
B) It will pose a serious threat to many species.
C) It typically appears about once every ten years.
D) It has puzzled the climate scientists for decades.
11.
A) Extinction of Arctic wildlife.
B) Iceless summers in the Arctic.
C) Emigration of indigenous people.
D) Better understanding of ecosystems.
Passage 2
A good dose of willpower is often necessary to see any task through, whether it’s sticking to a spending plan or finishing a great novel. And if you want to increase that willpower, a new study suggests you just simply have to believe you have it. According to the study, what matters most is what we think about our willpower. If we believe it’s a finite resource, we act that way. We feel exhausted and need-breaks between demanding mental tasks. However, people who view their willpower as a limitless resource get energized instead. The researchers used a psychological assessment tool to test the validity of the study. They asked 1,100 Americans and 1,600 Europeans to grade different statements such as “After a challenging mental activity, my energy is depleted, and I must rest to get it refueled again.” or “I can focus on a mental task for long periods without feeling tired.” Although there was little difference between men and women overall, Americans were more likely to admit to needing breaks after completing mentally challenging tasks. European participants, on the other hand, claimed they were able to keep going. Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that the key to boosting your willpower is to believe that you have an abundant supply of it. “Your feelings about your willpower affect the way you behave. But these feelings are changeable,” they said. “Changing your beliefs about the nature of your self-control can have positive effects on character development. This leads to healthier behaviors and perceptions of other people.”
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 12: What is often necessary for carrying through a task?
Question 13: What is the finding of the new study?
Question 14: What do we learn about European participants as compared with their American counterparts?
Question 15: What do the researchers say concerning people’s feelings about willpower?
12.
A) A good start.
B) A detailed plan.
C) A strong determination.
D) A scientific approach.
13.
A) Most people get energized after a sufficient rest.
B) Most people tend to have a finite source of energy.
C) It is vital to take breaks between demanding mental tasks.
D) It is most important to have confidence in one’s willpower.
14.
A) They could keep on working longer.
B) They could do more challenging tasks.
C) They found it easier to focus on work at hand.
D) They held more positive attitudes toward life.
15.
A) They are part of their nature.
B) They are subject to change.
C) They are related to culture.
D) They are beyond control.
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
Here is my baby niece Sarah. Her mom is a doctor and her dad is a lawyer. By the time Sarah goes to college, the jobs her parents do are going to look dramatically different. In 2013, researchers at Oxford University did a study on the future of work. They concluded that almost one in every two jobs has a high risk of being automated by machines. Machine learning is the technology that’s responsible for most of this disruption. It’s the most powerful branch of artificial intelligence. It allows machines to learn from data and copy some of the things that humans can do. My company, Kaggle, operates on the cutting edge of machine learning. We bring together hundreds of thousands of experts to solve important problems for industry and academia. This gives us a unique perspective on what machines can do, what they can’t do and what jobs they might automate or threaten. Machine learning started making its way into industry in the early’90s. It started with relatively simple tasks. It started with things like assessing credit risk from loan applications, sorting the mail by reading handwritten zip codes. Over the past few years, we have made dramatic breakthroughs. Machine learning is now capable of far, far more complex tasks. In 2012, Kaggle challenged its community to build a program that could grade high-school essays. The winning programs were able to match the grades given by human teachers. Now, given the right data, machines are going to outperform humans at tasks like this. A teacher might read 10,000 essays over a 40-year career. A machine can read millions of essays within minutes. We have no chance of competing against machines on frequent, high-volume tasks. But there are things we can do that machines cannot. Where machines have made very little progress is in tackling novel situations. Machines can’t handle things they haven’t seen many times before. The fundamental limitation of machine learning is that it needs to learn from large volumes of past data. But humans don’t. We have the ability to connect seemingly different threads to solve problems we’ve never seen before.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: What do the researchers at Oxford University conclude?
Question 17: What do we learn about Kaggle company’s winning programs?
Question 18: What is the fundamental limitation of machine learning?
16.
A) About half of current jobs might be automated.
B) The jobs of doctors and lawyers would be threatened.
C) The job market is becoming somewhat unpredictable.
D) Machine learning would prove disruptive by 2013.
17.
A) They are widely applicable for massive open online courses.
B) They are now being used by numerous high school teachers.
C) They could read as many as 10,000 essays in a single minute.
D) They could grade high-school essays just like human teachers.
18.
A) It needs instructions throughout the process.
B) It does poorly on frequent, high-volume tasks.
C) It has to rely on huge amounts of previous data.
D) It is slow when it comes to tracking novel things.
Recording 2
We’ve talked recently about the importance of sustainable energy. We’ve also talked about the different theories on how that can be done. So far, our discussions have all been theoretical. Now I have a practical question for you all. Can you run a 140,000 kilogram train on just the steam generated by solar power? Well, one engineer, Tim Castleman, believes it’s possible. And his home city of Sacramento, California should see the technology’s first test. As part of the upgrading of its rail yard, Castleman, who is an inventor and self-proclaimed steam visionary, is campaigning for a new steam train that runs without any fire and could run on an existing ten-kilometre line, drawing tourists and perhaps offering city commuters a green alternative to their cars. Castleman wants to build an array of solar magnifying mirrors at one end of the line to collect and focus heat onto water-filled tubes. This would generate steam that could be used to fill tanks on a small steam train without the use of fire. “Supplying power to trains in this way would offer the shortest distance from well to wheels,” he says, “with the least amount of energy lost.” According to Harry Valentine, a Canadian engineer who is researching modern steam technology, a special tank measuring 2 by 10 metres could store over 750 kilowatt hours of energy as high-pressure steam, enough to pull a 2-car train for an hour or so. Energy to drive a steam locomotive can be stored in other materials besides water. For example, a team at Tohoko University in Japan has studied materials that can store large amounts of heat. When heated, these materials turned from a solid into a liquid absorbing energy as they change phase. The liquid is maintained above its melting point until steam is required, at which point the liquid is allowed to turn back into a solid, releasing its stored energy. Another team at Nagoya University in Japan has tested calcium compound as an energy storage material. Heating this chemical compound drives off carbon dioxide gas, leaving calcium oxide. The gas can be stored under pressure in a tank. To recover the energy, the gas is fed back over the calcium oxide. “In theory,” says Valentine, “this can create a high enough temperature to generate superheated steam.”
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What has the speaker previously talked about?
Question 20: What is Tim Castleman trying to do in Sacramento?
Question 21: What has a Japanese research team tried to do?
19.
A) The engineering problems with solar power.
B) The generation of steam with the latest technology.
C) The importance of exploring new energy sources.
D) The theoretical aspects of sustainable energy.
20.
A) Drive trains with solar energy.
B) Upgrade the city’s train facilities.
C) Build a new ten-kilometre railway line.
D) Cut down the city’s energy consumption.
21.
A) Build a tank for keeping calcium oxide.
B) Find a new material for storing energy.
C) Recover super-heated steam.
D) Collect carbon dioxide gas.
Recording 3
Today’s crisis in care for older people in England has two main causes. First, people are living longer with a lot more complex needs. Second, they rely on a system that has long been marked by a poor relation between national health and social care services. Current services originate in two key measures. They are the National Health Service and the 1948 National Assistance Act. This required local governments to provide residential accommodation for older people and supervise care homes run by independent organizations. They also provided home and community services, including meals, day centres and home helpers and other subsidized services. The National Health Service was free and wholly publicly provided. It delivered the best health care for all. No such vision guided residential and community care though. The care was substantially provided by voluntary services which worked together with local authorities as they long had, with eligibility based on income. Today, life expectancy has risen from 66 for a male at best in 1948 to around 80 now. In addition, there is better overall health and improved medical knowledge in care. This means an unprecedented number of people are surviving longer in conditions requiring experts’ support. Families provide at least as much care as they ever did. Even so, they can rarely, without subsidized support, address serious personal needs. Care for older people faced persistent criticism as these trends became apparent. From the early 1960s, local authorities were required to plan health and welfare services. The aim was to enable older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. But this increased concern about the lack of coordination between free health and paid-for social care. Through the 1970s, a number of measures sought to improve matters. However, at a time of financial crisis, funding diminished and little changed. In the 1980s, the government cut spending. Meanwhile, preference for private over public services made management even more difficult. Simultaneously, the number of sick older people grew. Governments emphasized the need to improve services. They did so, though, while doing little to stop the erosion of available aid. Services were irregular across authorities. Unless you were prepared to pay, they were increasingly difficult to obtain for any but the most severely disabled. Why has 60 years of criticism produced so little change? Discrimination against older people has a long history. Additionally, those affected by inadequate health and social care are too vulnerable to launch the protests that have addressed other forms of discrimination.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 22: What is one cause of the current crisis in care for the elderly in England?
Question 23: What does the speaker say about residential and community care?
Question 24: What made management of care for the elderly more difficult in the 1980s?
Question 25: What does the speaker say about older people in England?
22.
A) The lack of supervision by both the national and local governments.
B) The impact of the current economic crisis at home and abroad.
C) The poor management of day centres and home help services.
D) The poor relation between national health and social care services.
23.
A) It was mainly provided by voluntary services.
B) It mainly caters to the needs of the privileged.
C) It called for a sufficient number of volunteers.
D) It has deteriorated over the past sixty years.
24.
A) Their longer lifespans.
B) Fewer home helpers available.
C) Their preference for private services.
D) More of them suffering serious illnesses.
25.
A) They are unable to pay for health services.
B) They have long been discriminated against.
C) They are vulnerable to illnesses and diseases.
D) They have contributed a great deal to society.
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