2018年06月英语四级第2套听力原文及题目

2018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
Kelly Swisher, an Arkansas woman, escaped injury and managed to safely stop her car after a 4-foot-long rat snake came out from under her car seat and slid across her feet as she was driving down the highway. Rat snakes aren’t poisonous or a threat to people generally. But the woman says the snake she encountered Thursday terrified her out of her wits. “It was rough, with big scales,” said Swisher, who was on her way to pick up her friend at the airport when it happened. “I don’t know whether I had my hands on the steering wheel or not. I am not the most flexible person in the world, but I can guarantee my knees were up next to my ears.” She said the snake first slid back under the seat, and she hoped it would stay there until she was able to get off the highway and stop. “That didn’t work out,” she said. “Here he comes, and he wound up in my back seat before I could finally get off the road, stop and get out of the car.” She called for help. And Washington County animal control officers came and captured the snake.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 1: How did Kelly Swisher feel when she first came across the rat snake?
Question 2: What does the report say about the snake?

1.
A) Annoyed.
B) Scared.
C) Confused.
D) Offended.

2.
A) It crawled over the woman’s hands.
B) It wound up on the steering wheel.
C) It was killed by the police on the spot.
D) It was covered with large scales.

News Report 2
Fast food it turns out isn’t quite as fast as it used to be. A new study finds that McDonald’s posted its slowest drive-through times since this survey was first conducted fifteen years ago. At McDonald’s, customers will spend on average three minutes and nine seconds from the time they place their orders until they receive their food. That’s about ten seconds more than the industry average—and a lot slower than a decade ago, according to the study, which was commissioned by QSR, an industry trade publication. And McDonald’s wasn’t alone in slowing down. Other chains also saw their drive-through performance slow down. Among the reasons for the slower service, today there are more choices on the menu, and the products themselves are more complex and take longer to prepare. Speed, of course, is essential to the drive-through experience. And drive-throughs are hugely important to chains, such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell. “Usually the drive-through accounts for sixty to seventy percent of all business that goes through a fast-food restaurant,” notes Sam Oches, editor of QSR. Of course, consumers also want their orders prepared correctly and on that score, Oches says, “accuracy is still really high.”
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3: What is the news report mainly about?
Question 4: What has slowed down McDonald’s drive-through service?

3.
A) A study of the fast-food service.
B) Fast food customer satisfaction.
C) McDonald’s new business strategies.
D) Competition in the fast-food industry.

4.
A) Customers’ higher demands.
B) The inefficiency of employees.
C) Increased variety of products.
D) The rising number of customers.

News Report 3
The first private mission outside of Earth’s orbit is closer than many of us think. U. S. government officials are set to approve a mission by privately-held space company Moon Express to travel outside of Earth’s orbit in late 2017. Moon Express’s mission involves plans to land a suitcase-sized package of scientific equipment on the moon for ongoing exploration and commercial development. The decision involved months of lobbying and coordinated conversations between a number of federal agencies. Under international treaties, the U.S. is responsible for the cargo of both public and private spacecraft. This makes commercial space travel a complex legal issue not just domestically, but abroad. A Moon Express representative declined to comment on this story but noted that the company is very optimistic about its proposal. Moon Express is not the only company seeking for the right to travel to outer space. Elon Musk’s Space X aims to send an unmanned aircraft to Mars by 2018.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5: What is the news report mainly about?
Question 6: What is Moon Express planning to do?
Question 7: What does Moon Express think of its mission?

5.
A) International treaties regarding space travel programs.
B) Legal issues involved in commercial space exploration.
C) U.S. government’s approval of private space missions.
D) Competition among public and private space companies.

6.
A) Deliver scientific equipment to the moon.
B) Approve a new mission to travel into outer space.
C) Work with federal agencies on space programs.
D) Launch a manned spacecraft to Mars.

7.
A) It is significant.
B) It is promising.
C) It is unpredictable.
D) It is unprofitable.

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: Hey, Sophia, how are you doing?
W: Hi, Bob, I’m good, thanks. Actually, I’m on holiday with my family in Thailand at the moment, although I wish it were with my friends instead.
M: Really? You never said you were going to Thailand. How I envy you!
W: I’ve only been here a week. But, you know, Thailand is an amazing place. I’m having a great time here. In fact, I am now lying on the beach in Phuket. I’ve been in the sun for around fifteen minutes only and I’m already getting sunburned. Have you been here before?
M: No, I wish I had. What else have you been doing in Thailand besides enjoying the sun?
W: Well, I met a guy from Germany yesterday. He showed me around the orphanage he works at. There, I met many volunteer teachers who are mainly young people from Europe.
M: Ah, that’s interesting.
W: Yes. I also made a new little friend, Sarah. She was so cute. I was so sad when we had to leave at the end of the day. If I ever come back to Thailand, I’d definitely visit this place again as a volunteer.
M: Well, you can tell me all about it when you get back. My phone battery is almost dead now. Remember to get me something from the souvenir shops. I like to collect bits and pieces from different parts of the world. Bye now. Enjoy yourself, Sophia.
W: Bye.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8: What does the woman say she is doing now?
Question 9: What did the woman do yesterday?
Question 10: Why does the man have to end the conversation?
Question 11: Why does the man ask the woman to bring him something from Thailand?

8.
A) Visiting her family in Thailand.
B) Showing friends around Phuket.
C) Swimming around a Thai island.
D) Lying in the sun on a Thai beach.

9.
A) She visited a Thai orphanage.
B) She met a Thai girl’s parents.
C) She learned some Thai words.
D) She sunbathed on a Thai beach.

10.
A) His class will start in a minute.
B) He has got an incoming phone call.
C) Someone is knocking at his door.
D) His phone is running out of power.

11.
A) He is interested in Thai artworks.
B) He is going to open a souvenir shop.
C) He collects things from different countries.
D) He wants to know more about Thai culture.

Conversation 2
W: Hi, David. There’s a new gym opening in town today. Would you like to go with me this afternoon?
M: Yes, more than glad to. I haven’t been to a gym for ages. I need to do some exercise to tone up.
W: Then this is a good chance. They sent me an invitation with a note saying I could take a friend for free on the first day. Also, if we both sign up before Friday, we can get a discount on a six-month membership.
M: Great. Count me in. I really want to lose some of this belly fat and turn it into muscle. But I’m not sure which of the gym equipment would best help.
W: Well, I know expert of that, but I think you can try lifting weights and do at least 200 sit-ups twice a day.
M: I’ve never tried weight-lifting before. Is it dangerous?
W: No, not at all, if you know some of the basics. Don’t worry. I’ll show you the ropes. I used to practice this at another gym before my membership ended. I’ll be your personal trainer.
M: Thank you. What other equipment do they have?
W: Well, like all gyms, they have all sorts of things to help build up muscles in different parts of the body, like applied bicycles, chest stretching machines, and running machines. You could use any of these to suit your purpose. Now the gym opens at noon. So can we meet up in town at 1:30 p.m.?
M: Perfect. See YOU there, coach.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12: What are the speakers talking about?
Question 13: What does the gym offer at its opening?
Question 14: What is the man concerned about?
Question 15: What do we learn about the woman from the conversation?

12.
A) Buying some fitness equipment for the new gym.
B) Opening a gym and becoming personal trainers.
C) Signing up for a weight-loss course.
D) Trying out a new gym in town.

13.
A) Professional personal training.
B) Free exercise for the first week.
C) A discount for a half-year membership.
D) Additional benefits for young couples.

14.
A) The safety of weight-lifting.
B) The high membership fee.
C) The renewal of his membership.
D) The operation of fitness equipment.

15.
A) She wants her invitation renewed.
B) She used to do 200 sit-ups every day.
C) She knows the basics of weight-lifting.
D) She used to be the gym’s personal trainer.

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
In today’s job market, it’s not uncommon for job seekers to submit applications for many positions. That involves lots of time and lots of work to organize. Certainly, you don’t want to waste your precious hours on following the developments in a disorderly fashion and miss important deadlines, confuse interview times, or forget to follow up as a result. Accordingly, managing your job search properly is just as important as identifying job opportunities and submitting your applications. If you are familiar with Microsoft Excel or a similar program, creating a table is a simple and effective way to keep track of your job applications. If Excel isn’t quite your cup of tea, don’t worry. You can create a table in Microsoft Word or a similar word processor. Google is another tool to help you get organized effectively. If you have a Gmail account, you can create, save and send tables in addition to written documents like your cover letter and resume. You can also link up with Google calendar to make sure you stay on top of important dates. Clearly, there are plenty of ways to keep track of your job search and making the effort to simplify your job search will pay off. Nevertheless, you should always focus on quality, not quantity. Only apply for positions you are qualified for, and make each application count, personalizing each cover letter, and updating and editing your resume.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 16: What does the speaker say about today’s job seekers?
Question 17: What can job applicants do with the help of Google?
Question 18: What does the speaker suggest job seekers do?

16.
A) They tend to be nervous during interviews.
B) They often apply for a number of positions.
C) They worry about the results of their applications.
D) They search extensively for employers’ information.

17.
A) Get better organized.
B) Edit their references.
C) Find better-paid jobs.
D) Analyze the searching process.

18.
A) Provide their data in detail.
B) Personalize each application.
C) Make use of better search engines.
D) Apply for more promising positions.

Passage 2
Some people say, if kids didn’t have to go to school, they’d all be out in the streets. My reply is “No, they wouldn’t.” First, even if school stayed just the way they are, children would spend at least some time there, because that’s where they’d be likely to find friends. Second, schools wouldn’t stay the way they are. They’d get better, because we would have to start making them what they ought to be right now. Last, if we stirred up our brains and gave children a little help, those who did not want to go to school could find other things to do—things many children now do during their holidays. There’s something easier we could do. We need to get kids out of the school buildings, give them a chance to learn about the world at first hand. In Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon, plans are being drawn up for public schools that won’t have any school buildings at all. That will take the students out into the city and help them to use it and its people as a resource. In other words, students perhaps in groups, perhaps independently, will go to libraries, museums, exhibitions, courtrooms, radio and TV stations, meetings, businesses, and laboratories to learn about their world and society at first hand. A small private school in Washington is already doing this. It makes sense. We need more of it.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19: What are some people worried about according to the speaker?
Question 20: What does the speaker think we could do for kids who dislike school?
Question 21: What does the speaker say is the easier thing we could do?

19.
A) If kids did not like school, real learning would not take place.
B) If not forced to go to school, kids would be out in the streets.
C) If schools stayed the way they are, parents were sure to protest.
D) If teaching failed to improve, kids would stay away from school.

20.
A) Allow them to play interesting games in class.
B) Try to stir up their interest in lab experiments.
C) Let them stay home and learn from their parents.
D) Design activities they now enjoy doing on holidays.

21.
A) Allow kids to learn at their own pace.
B) Encourage kids to learn from each other.
C) Organize kids into various interest groups.
D) Take kids out of school to learn at first hand.

Passage 3
Before there was the written word, there was the language of dance. Dance expresses love and hate, joy and sorrow, life and death, and everything else in between. Dance in America is everywhere. We dance from Florida to Alaska, from horizon to horizon, and coast to coast. We dance at weddings, birthdays, office parties, or just to fill the time. “I adore dancing,” says Lester Bridges, the owner of a dance studio in a small town in Iowa. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.” Bridges runs dance classes for all ages. “Teaching dance is wonderful. My older students say it makes them feel young. It’s marvelous to watch them.” For many of them, it’s a way of meeting people and having a social life. “So why do we dance? I can tell you about one young couple,” says Bridges. “They arrive at the class in a bad mood, and they leave with a smile. Dancing seems to change their mood completely.” So, do we dance in order to make ourselves feel better, calmer, healthier? Andrea Hillier, a dance teacher says, “Dance, like the rhythm of a beating heart, is life. Even after all these years, I want to get better and better. I keep practicing even when I’m exhausted. I find it hard to stop. Dancing reminds me I’m alive.”
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22: What does the passage say about dance in America?
Question 23: What do we know about Lester Bridges’ dance studio?
Question 24: What happened to the young couple after they attended Lester Bridges’ class?
Question 25: What did Andrea Hillier say about dancing?

22.
A) It is especially popular in Florida and Alaska.
B) It is a major social activity among the young.
C) It is seen almost anywhere and on any occasion.
D) It is even more expressive than the written word.

23.
A) It is located in a big city in Iowa.
B) It is really marvelous to look at.
C) It offers free dance classes to seniors.
D) It offers people a chance to socialize.

24.
A) Their state of mind improved.
B) They became better dancers.
C) They enjoyed better health.
D) Their relationship strengthened.

25.
A) It is fun.
B) It is life.
C) It is exhausting.
D) It is rhythmical.

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2018年12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
A device that weighs less than one kilogram is part of a mission that will allow scientists to deliver fourth generation or 4G mobile coverage to the moon in 2019. If successful, the tiny device will provide the moon with its first ever mobile phone network. The lunar network will support high-definition streaming of video and data between the moon and Earth. The network is part of Mission to the Moon. This is a project with the goal of landing the first privately paid for mission to the moon. The 4G mission is set to launch from Cape Canaveral in the United States on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2019. Mission to the Moon intends to establish and test the first elements of a communications network on the moon. The scientists working on the project opted to build a 4G, rather than a fifth generation or 5G network. This is because fifth generation networks are still in testing and trial phases. This means that a 5G network may not yet be stable enough to work on the moon’s surface.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 1: What are scientists planning to do?
Question 2: Why did scientists choose to set up a 4G network in their mission?

1.
A) Land a space vehicle on the moon in 2019.
B) Design a new generation of mobile phones.
C) Set up a mobile phone network on the moon.
D) Gather data from the moon with a tiny device.

2.
A) It is stable.
B) It is durable.
C) It is inexpensive.
D) It is sophisticated.

News Report 2
Firefighters responded to a fire Wednesday night at an abandoned mall in Hayward. The fire was reported at 9:26 p.m. at an old shopping center on Mission Avenue near Saint Mary’s church. Six fire engines, two trucks and two chiefs responded to the scene. Crews had the fire under control in about 45 minutes and managed to contain the fire to its point of origin. There were some people inside the building when the fire broke out, but there were no reports of any injuries. Fire investigators have responded to the scene but have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Firefighters will remain on the scene until later this morning to ensure that the fire doesn’t start up again. The shopping mall had not been in use since 2002. In 2014, City Hall developed a plan to knock down the building and replace it with affordable housing. However, the plan was dropped due to lack of funds.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3: What does the news item say about the fire?
Question 4: What had City Hall planned to do?

3.
A) It lasted more than six hours.
B) No injuries were yet reported.
C) Nobody was in the building when it broke out.
D) It had burned for 45 minutes by the time firefighters arrived.

4.
A) Recruit and train more firefighters.
B) Pull down the deserted shopping mall.
C) Turn the shopping mall into an amusement park.
D) Find money to renovate the local neighborhood.

News Report 3
Potato chips in Japan are being sold for 6 times their normal price. This is after the country’s main manufacturer stopped sales due to a potato shortage. Storms and floods in its main potato-growing region last year caused the worst harvest in more than 3 decades. Local media reports suggest Calbee and its main rival Koike-Ya are halting almost 50 products. “We don’t know when we’ll be able to restart,” a company spokesman said. Snack lovers are panic buying, and many supermarket shelves are bare. Japanese laws limit the amount of imported potatoes that can be used in Japanese-made products. Japan says fear of disease is its main reason to block fresh imports. It still only allows potatoes from selected US states. This is only at certain times and on condition that they are processed at factories based near Japanese ports. But global warming has raised the possibility that domestic produce could be seriously affected by rare weather events more often.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5: What problem is Japan facing?
Question 6: Why does Japan limit the import of potatoes?
Question 7: What might affect Japanese domestic produce?

5.
A) Shrinking potato farming.
B) Heavy reliance on import.
C) Widespread plant disease.
D) Insufficient potato supply.

6.
A) It intends to keep its traditional diet.
B) It wants to expand its own farming.
C) It is afraid of the spread of disease.
D) It is worried about unfair competition.

7.
A) Global warming.
B) Ever-rising prices.
C) Government regulation.
D) Diminishing investment.

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: Mr. Brown’s lectures are so boring.
W: Yes, he is not a very exciting speaker. But the subject is interesting.
M: During every one of his lectures, I try to listen. I really ty, but after about ten minutes, my mind begins to wander and I lose concentration. But I see that you seen to be OK. How do you stay focused through the entire hour?
W: Well, what I do is keep my pen moving.
M: What do you mean?
W: It’s a method of active concentration I read about. One of the most effective ways to concentrate is to write things down. But it has to be done by hand, not typing on a keyboard. You see, writing by hand forces you to actually engage with what you are learning in a more physical way.
M: Do you review your notes afterwards then?
W: Sometimes, but that’s not important. My notes may or may not be useful. But the point is that by writing down what Mr. Brown says, I can follow his line of thinking more easily. In fact, sometimes I draw a little too.
M: You draw in class? And that helps you pay attention?
W: Yes, honesty, it works for me. I just draw little lines and nonsense really. It was also in that article I read. It can keep the mind active, prevent getting bored and help to concentrate. Again, the point is to listen hard while keeping the pen moving. If I’m at home and I need to study, what I do is read out loud. It has a similar effect to writing by hand. It helps memorize information in a physical way.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8: What does the man think of Mr. Brown’s lectures?
Question 9: What does the woman do during Mr. Brown’s lectures?
Question 10: Why does the woman draw in class?
Question 11: What does the woman say about reading out loud?

8.
A) Informative.
B) Inspiring.
C) Dull.
D) Shallow.

9.
A) She types on a keyboard.
B) She does recording.
C) She takes photos.
D) She takes notes.

10.
A) It keeps her mind active.
B) It makes her stay awake.
C) It enables her to think hard.
D) It helps her kill time.

11.
A) It enables her to improve her pronunciation.
B) It helps her better remember what she learns.
C) It turns out to be an enjoyable way of learning.
D) It proves to be far more effective than writing.

Conversation 2
M: And where is this?
W: These photos are from the Taj Mahal in India. We went there about ten years ago for our honeymoon.
M: Was it romantic?
W: Yeah, the Taj Mahal was a very romantic place. The guide told us there is a famous love story behind this building that all Indians learn in school. I think it was during the 1600s and the princess at that time died while giving birth to her 14th child. The emperor loved the princess so much and was so sad when she died that he ordered the palace to be built in her honor.
M: Wow, that sounds very romantic. It looks amazing.
W: Yes, it’s gorgeous. It’s also larger in real life than it looks in the photos. The building is very tall and there are gardens and a wall around it all. It’s all built in this white stone. And some walls of the building are decorated with jewels.
M: It must have been very crowded when you were there.
W: Yes, it’s a very famous tourist destination, so there are thousands of visitors every day.
M: Was the rest of India crowded?
W: Yes, very crowded in many cities. It was sometimes so crowded that it was difficult to walk along the streets, especially through busy markets. And there are so many cars. Traffic was terrible. But the people are friendly. The culture is amazing. And we had a great time.
M: What about the food?
W: Indian food is great. There are lots of different dishes to try, and every region has its own special food.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12: For what purpose did the woman go to India?
Question 13: Why was the Taj Mahal built?
Question 14: What does the woman say about the Taj Mahal?
Question 15: What is the woman’s impression of Indian cities?

12.
A) To spend her honeymoon.
B) To try authentic Indian food.
C) To take photos of the Taj Mahal.
D) To trace the origin of a love story.

13.
A) In memory of a princess.
B) In honor of a great emperor.
C) To mark the death of an emperor of the 1600s.
D) To celebrate the birth of a princess’s 14th child.

14.
A) It looks older than expected.
B) It is built of wood and bricks.
C) It stores lots of priceless antiques.
D) It has walls decorated with jewels.

15.
A) Their streets are narrow.
B) They are mostly crowded.
C) Each one has a unique character.
D) Life can be tedious in some places.

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
A Pew Research Center survey of more than 1,000 Americans conducted in April, 2016, finds that Americans continue to express largely positive views about the current state of their local public libraries. For instance, around three quarters say that public libraries provide them with the resources they need. And 66% say the closing of their local public library would have a major impact on their community although notably, just 33% say this would have a major impact on them personally or on their family. A majority of Americans feel libraries are doing a good job of providing a safe place for people to hang out or spend time as well as opening up educational opportunities for people of all ages. And roughly half think that libraries contribute “a lot” to their communities in terms of helping spark creativity among young people and providing a trusted place for people to learn about new technologies. As in past Pew Research Center surveys of library use, the April 2016 survey also measured Americans’ usage of and engagement with libraries. Overall, 53% of Americans, age 16 and older, have had some interaction with a public library in the past year—either through an in-person visit or using a library website. Some 48% of adults specifically visited a library in the past 12 months, a modest increase from the 44% who said that in late 2015.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 16: What do most Americans say about local public libraries?
Question 17: How can local public libraries benefit young people?
Question 18: What does the 2016 survey show about adult library users?

16.
A) They help spread the latest technology.
B) They greatly enrich people’s leisure life.
C) They provide residents with the resources needed.
D) They allow free access to digital books and videos.

17.
A) By helping them find jobs.
B) By inspiring their creativity.
C) By keeping them off the streets.
D) By providing a place of relaxation.

18.
A) Their interaction with teenagers proved fruitful.
B) They used libraries less often than teenagers.
C) They tended to visit libraries regularly.
D) Their number increased modestly.

Passage 2
A Savannah cat is a cross breed between the domestic cat and a medium-sized wild African cat called the Serval. The unusual cross became popular among breeders at the end of the 1990s, and in 2001 the International Cat Association accepted it as a new registered breed. The Savannahs are tall and slim and can weigh up to 9.1 kilograms, making them one of the largest breeds of cats that people can own. They have a spotted coat similar to that of many types of wild cats and their ears are very large. They are also commonly compared to dogs in their loyalty, and can be trained to walk on a lead and to fetch. An often-noted characteristic of the Savannah is its jumping ability. They are known to jump on top of doors and high cabinets. Some can leap about 2.5 meters high from a standing position. Cats are typically known for being very inquisitive and so are the Savannahs. They often learn how to open doors and cupboards. Many Savannah cats do not fear water and will play with or even dive into water. Some owners even shower with their Savannah cats. Presenting a water bowl to a Savannah may also prove a challenge, as some will promptly begin to bat all the water out of the bowl until it is empty using their front paws.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19: What do we learn about the Savannah cat?
Question 20: What is characteristic of Savannah cats?
Question 21: What do some people do with their Savannah cats?

19.
A) It is the cleverest cat in the world.
B) It is the largest cat in Africa.
C) It is an unusual cross breed.
D) It is a large-sized wild cat.

20.
A) They are as loyal as dogs.
B) They have unusually long tails.
C) They are fond of sleeping in cabinets.
D) They know how to please their owners.

21.
A) They shake their front paws.
B) They teach them to dive.
C) They shower with them.
D) They shout at them.

Passage 3
When children start school for the very first time, parents often feel a sense of excitement coupled with a touch of sadness at the end of an era. This is the start of a new adventure for children: playing and interacting with new friends, sharing, taking turns and settling into a new routine. But of course, this is not the start of your child’s education which in fact began at birth. Back then, you would have been your child’s most influential teachers. During this time at home, your child would have learned more than at any other period in their life. During your child’s first year in school, much time will be spent in learning to read and they need to know that this is fun and worthwhile. Your child will naturally copy you, so it is important that you are seen reading and enjoying books, newspapers and magazines rather than just absorbed in screens. Ultimately, an excellent education should be a close partnership between parents and teachers. A child’s year splits fairly neatly into thirds: a third at school, a third asleep and a third awake at home or on holiday. Irrespective of the quality of a school, a child’s home life is of key importance. It is the determining factor of their academic success. Your child may have started on a new journey but your work is far from finished.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22: How do parents feel when their children start going to school?
Question 23: What does the passage say about children’s education?
Question 24: What should parents do for the success of their children’s education?
Question 25: What does the passage say is the key factor of children’s academic success?

22.
A) Anxious and depressed.
B) Contented and relieved.
C) Excited but somewhat sad.
D) Proud but a bit nervous.

23.
A) It is becoming parents biggest concern.
B) It is gaining increasing public attention.
C) It depends on their parents for success.
D) It starts the moment they are born.

24.
A) Set a good example for them to follow.
B) Read books and magazines to them.
C) Help them to learn by themselves.
D) Choose the right school for them.

25.
A) Their intelligence.
B) Their home life.
C) The effort they put in learning.
D) The quality of their school.

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2018年12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
Rescue crews pulled a man to safety after a collapse at a construction site in Brooklyn on Tuesday. The incident happened on the 400 block of Rutland Road just after 12:30 p.m. The Fire Department of New York says the vacant 100-year-old building being pulled down partially collapsed. A man described as a “non-worker civilian” was buried up to his waist in the basement. The man was collecting building materials when the first floor collapsed underneath him. He was trapped under a beam about 10 feet below the surface for nearly an hour and a half. The man was then taken to hospital. Officials said he is in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. The building was reportedly purchased by a neighboring church in 2011. It was the site of a 2006 fire and has remained vacant ever since.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 1: What happened at a construction site in Brooklyn on Tuesday?
Question 2: What does the report say about the “non-worker civilian”?
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.

1.
A) A man was pulled to safety after a building collapse.
B) A beam about ten feet long collapsed to the ground.
C) A rescue worker got trapped in the basement.
D) A deserted 100-year-old building caught fire.

2.
A) He suffered a fatal injury in an accident.
B) He once served in a fire department.
C) He was collecting building materials.
D) He moved into his neighbor’s old house.

News Report 2
Millions of people are struggling to understand their paychecks or calculate money in shops, campaigners have said. Being bad at maths should no longer be seen as a “badge of honor” or down to genetics, according to National Numeracy, a new organization which aims to challenge the nation’s negative view of the subject. Chris Humphries, chairman of the group, said that poor maths skills can affect an individual’s life, leaving them at a higher risk of being excluded from school or out of work. “Figures from a government survey, published last year, show that 17 million adults in England have basic maths skills that are, at best, the same as an 11-year-old,” he said. Speaking at the lounge of National Numeracy, Mr. Humphries said, “That’s a scary figure, because what it means is they often can’t calculate or give change.” Mike Ellicock, chief executive of National Numeracy, said: “We want to challenge this ‘I can’t do maths’ attitude that is prevalent in the UK,” adding that it was vital that all primary school teachers understand key maths concepts, as young children who fail to learn the basics will suffer later on.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3: What does the organization National Numeracy aim to do?
Question 4: What is vital according to the chief executive of National Numeracy?

3.
A) Improve the maths skills of high school teachers.
B) Change British people’s negative view of maths.
C) Help British people understand their paychecks.
D) Launch a campaign to promote maths teaching.

4.
A) Children take maths courses at an earlier age.
B) The public sees the value of maths in their life.
C) British people know how to do elementary calculations.
D) Primary school teachers understand basic maths concepts.

News Report 3
The Dutch king has revealed that for more than two decades, he has held down a part-time second job alongside his royal duties. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands said that he recently ended his role as a regular “guest pilot” after 21 years with the national airline’s fleet of now-outdated aircraft. As a guest flier, the king worked about twice a month, always as co-pilot. He will now retrain to fly the bigger Boeing 737s as the old planes are being phased out of service. The 50-year-old father of three and king to 17 million Dutch citizens calls flying a “hobby”. It lets him leave his royal duties on the ground and fully focus on something else. “You have an aircraft, passengers and crew. You have responsibility for them,” the king said. “You can’t take your problems from the ground into the skies. You can completely change focus and concentrate on something else. That, for me, is the most relaxing part of flying.” Willem-Alexander said he is rarely recognised by passengers. Very few people pay attention to him as he walks through the airport in his airline uniform and cap.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5: What does the report say about the Dutch king?
Question 6: Why does the king say he likes flying?
Question 7: What does the king say about passengers at the airport?

5.
A) He owns a fleet of aircraft.
B) He is learning to be a pilot.
C) He regards his royal duties as a burden.
D) He held a part-time job for over 20 years.

6.
A) He can demonstrate his superior piloting skills.
B) He can change his focus of attention and relax.
C) He can show his difference from other royalty.
D) He can come into closer contact with his people.

7.
A) They enjoyed his company.
B) They liked him in his uniform.
C) They rarely recognised him.
D) They were surprised to see him.

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: Morning, Miss Semenov. Welcome to our studio.
W: Thanks. My pleasure.
M: OK then. Let me start by asking you how old your company is.
W: My grandparents started the company in 1955.
M: Why did they decide to open a furniture plant in Bucharest?
W: At that time there was a construction boom. There was a great need for furniture and my grandparents saw a business opportunity. Their aim was to provide quality yet affordable wooden furniture. And this goal has never changed.
M: Do you still only work with wood?
W: That’s right. It’s what we know and what we do best. If we started trying different materials, our quality would probably suffer.
M: And all the wood is local?
W: Correct. A hundred percent of our raw material comes from Romania.
M: Could you please outline how the company has grown over time? What have been the main challenges and opportunities that you have faced?
W: Well, back in the 50s and 60s, Romania was a lot poorer than it is today. My grandfather and father did not have much capital, and our customers didn’t have much money either. So that limited growth. The big change was in 2007 when Romania joined the European Union. Suddenly, our market exploded in size and we could now sell our products all across the continent. There was also more financial investment. And, as a result, we went from having 20 employees to 200.
M: Which countries are your biggest market?
W: Besides Romania, our biggest market is Germany. There is strong demand there for our traditional style of furniture.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8: Why did Semenov’s grandparents start a furniture plant in Bucharest?
Question 9: What was Semenov’s grandfather trying to do?
Question 10: What does Semenov say about her company’s raw materials?
Question 11: Where does Semenov’s company sell their products?

8.
A) They were skilled carpenters themselves.
B) It didn’t need much capital to start with.
C) Wood supply was plentiful in Romania.
D) They saw a business opportunity there.

9.
A) Provide quality furniture at affordable prices.
B) Attract foreign investment to expand business.
C) Enlarge their company by hiring more workers.
D) Open some more branch companies in Germany.

10.
A) They are from her hometown.
B) They are imported from Germany.
C) They all come from Romania.
D) They come from all over the continent.

11.
A) All across Europe.
B) Throughout the world.
C) Mostly in Bucharest.
D) In Romania only.

Conversation 2
M: Have you heard about the new restaurant, the Pearl? Susan and I are going to try it out this weekend. We have a reservation on Saturday at 7 o’clock. I can call to add two more to the table if you’d like.
W: That sounds great We’d love to join you. You always seem to know the best places to go. Where do you hear about these things?
M: I have a habit of reading 614 Magazine. It has all the information on local events within the 614 column code area.
W: That was a clever name for the magazine then. Does it only focus on new restaurant openings?
M: They have other information too. Things like concerts, festivals and small shops. I think the restaurant information and reviews are the most exciting though. Each year they also sponsor a local event called Restaurant Week.
W: Restaurant Week? What’s that?
M: Oh, it’s wonderful. All the stylish restaurants participate. They have special set menus for the week, usually in spring, at a number of different price points. Susan and I go to at least three different places during the event. It’s a great opportunity to try some of the more expensive restaurants at a discounted price and try something new. That’s how we found the Pearl, actually.
W: Wow, that’s an event I would be interested in. When will it be happening this year?
M: You are in luck. Restaurant Week starts in just a few days, the first Sunday in May. Let’s make sure they set a double date during the event. Just let me know what type of food you would like to try.
W: Okay, I will.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12: What does the man invite the woman to do this weekend?
Question 13: What does the man say about 614 Magazine?
Question 14: What does the man usually do with Susan during Restaurant Week?
Question 15: Why does the man say the woman is in luck?

12.
A) Go to a concert with him and his girlfriend.
B) Try out a new restaurant together in town.
C) Go with him to choose a pearl for Susan.
D) Attend the opening of a local restaurant.

13.
A) It is sponsored by local restaurants.
B) It specializes in food advertizing.
C) It is especially popular with the young.
D) It provides information on local events.

14.
A) They design a special set of menus for themselves.
B) They treat themselves to various entertainments.
C) They go to eat at different stylish restaurants.
D) They participate in a variety of social events.

15.
A) More restaurants will join Restaurant Week.
B) This year’s Restaurant Week will start soon.
C) Bigger discounts will be offered this Restaurant Week.
D) More types of food will be served this Restaurant Week.

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
All parents know it is difficult to get children to eat their vegetables. Some of them offer rewards or treats for children finishing their share. But researchers have discovered that youngsters who are not praised for trying vegetables are more likely to eat them eventually. The study found that the best way to get children to eat food they do not like is simply to give them repeated exposure to it. Psychologists from Ghent University in Belgium studied 98 children. They gave them five kinds of vegetables to eat-mushrooms, peas, eggplants, carrots and cabbages. The taste tests revealed that carrots were the least-liked vegetable among youngsters. The children were then given a bowl of boiled carrots and told to choose how much to eat. After 8 minutes, they were asked to rate the dish as “delicious,” “just OK” or “disgusting.” The trial went on twice a week for a month, with a follow-up taste test after 8 weeks. Children were split into three groups, with one group asked to try the bowl of carrots repeatedly with no further encouragement. The other two groups were given rewards of a toy or verbal praise. After the trial, 81% of children who simply tried the carrots consistently liked them. This is in contrast to 68% for the group given a toy and 75% for the group given verbal praise.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 16: What is the best way to get children to eat vegetables according to a recent study?
Question 17: What did the researchers find about carrots?
Question 18: What does the result of this research show?

16.
A) Rewarding them for eating vegetables.
B) Exposing them to vegetables repeatedly.
C) Improving the taste of vegetable dishes for them.
D) Explaining the benefits of eating vegetables to them.

17.
A) They were disliked most by children.
B) They were considered most nutritious.
C) They were least used in Belgian cooking.
D) They were essential to children’s health.

18.
A) Vegetables differ in their nutritional value.
B) Children’s eating habits can be changed.
C) Parents watch closely what children eat.
D) Children’s choices of food vary greatly.

Passage 2
One thing about the moon many people don’t know is that it has a lot of garbage on its surface, leftover from human space exploration. But how much garbage exactly have humans left on the moon? It’s hard to be accurate, but the trash likely weighs more than 181,000 kilograms on Earth. Much of it was left by American astronauts who landed on the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972 during NASA’s Apollo missions. The other rubbish comes from missions that did not have human crews. These missions were conducted by various space exploring agencies, including those from the US, Russia, Japan, India, and Europe. Many of the older pieces are equipment sent to learn about the moon. The equipment stayed there after its missions ended. The moon is also home to lunar orbiters that mapped the moon before they crashed into its surface, adding to the garbage heap. The objects left by the Apollo astronauts included equipment that was no longer needed. Bringing back unneeded equipment would have used up precious resources such as fuel. But, as the saying goes, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. Researchers can study the garbage left on the moon to see how its materials weathered the radiation and vacuum of space over time. Moreover, some of the objects on the moon are still being used, including a laser-range reflector left by the Apollo 11 crew.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19: What does the passage say may be unknown to many people?
Question 20: Why has a lot of equipment been left on the moon?
Question 21: What can researchers do with the garbage on the moon?

19.
A) Space exploration has serious consequences.
B) India has many space exploration programs.
C) There is quite a lot to learn about the moon.
D) A lot of garbage has been left on the moon.

20.
A) It is costly to bring back.
B) It is risky to destroy.
C) It is of no use on Earth.
D) It is damaged by radiation.

21.
A) Record details of space exploration.
B) Monitor the change of lunar weather.
C) Study the effect of radiation and vacuum on its materials.
D) Explore the possibility of human settlement on the moon.

Passage 3
In my line of work, I receive a lot of emails. I also send a lot of emails. Though social media and messaging apps have taken over some of the roles from email as a form of communication, email is likely to retain an important role for business communication in the future. Surprisingly, though, a lot of companies and organizations lack formal guidelines for emailing. As most of you will soon be entering the workforce, I would like to share with you my own rules for emailing. If someone sends you an email, reply to them acknowledging the email. A simple “thank you” let the sender know that their email has arrived safely, that it has not been lost among what could be 50 other emails that have arrived in your email inbox that day. It’s not necessary to reply to a mass email sent to numerous recipients. These emails are often informative rather than personalized correspondence requiring a response or action. But it’s common politeness to respond to a personal message, preferably within 24 hours of receiving it. It’s also important to use proper English. Just because emails are a quick form of communication, doesn’t mean emails, especially business emails, should be written using informal shortened forms of words. Think of an email as a letter. Spelling, grammar and punctuation should not be overlooked. And never use capitals to emphasize a word or words in an email. It’s the same as yelling.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22: What does the passage say about email?
Question 23: What should one do upon receiving a personalized email?
Question 24: What does the passage say about a mass email?
Question 25: What should one do when writing a business email?

22.
A) It is likely to remain a means of business communication.
B) It is likely to be a competitor of various messaging apps.
C) It will gradually be replaced by social media.
D) It will have to be governed by specific rules.

23.
A) Save the message in their file.
B) Make a timely response.
C) Examine the information carefully.
D) See if any action needs to be taken.

24.
A) It is to be passed on.
B) It is mostly junk.
C) It requires no reply.
D) It causes no concern.

25.
A) Make it as short as possible.
B) Use simple and clear language.
C) Adopt an informal style of writing.
D) Avoid using capitals for emphasis.

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2017年06月英语六级第1套听力原文及题目

Section A
Direction: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.

Conversation 1
W: Welcome to Workplace. And in today’s program, we’re looking at the results of two recently published surveys, which both deal with the same topic—happiness at work. John, tell us about the first survey.
M: Well, this was done by a human resources consultancy, who interviewed more than 1,000 workers, and established a top ten of the factors, which make people happy at work. The most important factor for the majority of the people interviewed was having friendly, supportive colleagues. In fact, 73% of people interviewed put their relationship with colleagues as the key factor contributing to happiness at work, which is a very high percentage. The second most important factor was having work that is enjoyable. The two least important factors were having one’s achievements recognized, and rather surprisingly, earning a competitive salary.
W: So, we are not mainly motivated by money?
M: Apparently not.
W: Any other interesting information in the survey?
M: Yes. For example, 25% of the working people interviewed described themselves as ‘very happy’ at work. However, 20% of employees described themselves as being unhappy.
W: That’s quite a lot of unhappy people at work every day.
M: It is, isn’t it? And there were several more interesting conclusions revealed by the survey. First of all, small is beautiful: people definitely prefer working for smaller organizations or companies with less than 100 staff. We also find out that, generally speaking, women were happier in their work than men.
W: Yes, we are, aren’t we?
M: And workers on part-time contracts, who only work 4 or 5 hours a day, are happier than those who work full-time. The researchers concluded that this is probably due to a better work-life balance.
W: Are bosses happier than their employees?
M: Yes, perhaps not surprisingly, the higher people go in a company, the happier they are. So senior managers enjoy their jobs more than people working under them.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What is the No. 1 factor that made employees happy according to the survey?
Question 2: What is the percentage of the people surveyed who felt unhappy at work?
Question 3: What kind of companies are popular with employees?
Question 4: What is the possible reason for people on part-time contracts to be happier?

1.
A) Doing enjoyable work.
B) Having friendly colleagues.
C) Earning a competitive salary.
D) Working for supportive bosses.

2.
A) 31%.
B) 20%.
C) 25%.
D) 73%.

3.
A) Those of a small size.
B) Those run by women.
C) Those that are well managed.
D) Those full of skilled workers.

4.
A) They can hop from job to job easily.
B) They can win recognition of their work.
C) They can better balance work and life.
D) They can take on more than one job.

Conversation 2
W: Mr. De Keyzer, I’m a great lover of your book Moments Before the Flood. Can you tell us how you first became interested in this subject matter?
M: In 2006, when the concert hall of the city of Bruges asked me to take some pictures for a catalogue for a new concert season around the theme of water, I found myself working along the Belgian coastline. As there had been numerous alarming articles in the press about a climate catastrophe waiting to happen, I started looking at the sea and the beach very differently, a place where I spent so many perfect days as a child. This fear of a looming danger became the subject of a large-scale photo project.
W: You wrote in the book: “I don’t want to photograph the disaster, I want to photograph the disaster waiting to happen.” Can you talk a bit about that?
M: It is clear now that it is a matter of time before the entire European coastline disappears under water. The same goes for numerous big cities around the world. My idea was to photograph this beautiful and very unique coastline, rich in history, before it’s too late—as a last witness.
W: Can you talk a bit about how history plays a role in this project?
M: Sure. The project is also about the history of Europe looking at the sea and wondering when the next enemy would appear. In the images, you see all kinds of possible defense constructions to hold back the Romans, Germans, Vikings, and now nature as enemy number one. For example, there is the image of the bridge into the sea taken at the Normandy D-Day landing site. Also, Venice, the city eternally threatened by the sea, where every morning wooden pathways have to be set up to allow tourists to reach their hotels.
W: Thank you, Mr. De Keyzer. It was a pleasure to have you with us today.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 5: What does the man say about the book Moments Before the Flood?
Question 6: When did the man get his idea for the work?
Question 7: What will happen when the climate catastrophe occurs?
Question 8: What does the man say about Venice?

5.
A) It is a book of European history.
B) It is an introduction to music.
C) It is about the city of Bruges.
D) It is a collection of photos.

6.
A) When painting the concert hall of Bruges.
B) When vacationing in an Italian coastal city.
C) When taking pictures for a concert catalogue.
D) When writing about Belgium’s coastal regions.

7.
A) The entire European coastline will be submerged.
B) The rich heritage of Europe will be lost completely.
C) The seawater of Europe will be seriously polluted.
D) The major European scenic spots will disappear.

8.
A) Its waterways are being increasingly polluted.
B) People cannot get around without using boats.
C) It attracts large numbers of tourists from home and abroad.
D) Tourists use wooden paths to reach their hotels in the morning.

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
When facing a new situation, some people tend to rehearse their defeat by spending too much time anticipating the worst. I remember talking with a young lawyer who was about to begin her first jury trial. She was very nervous. I asked what impression she wanted to make on the jury. She replied: “I don’t want to look too inexperienced, I don’t want them to suspect this is my first trial.” This lawyer had fallen victims to the “don’ts” syndrome—a form of negative goal setting. The “don’ts” can be self-fulfilling because your mind response to pictures. Research conducted at Stanford University shows a mental image fires the nerve system the same way as actually doing something. That means when a golfer tells himself: “Don’t hit the ball into the water.” His mind sees the image of the ball flying into the water. So guess where the ball will go? Consequently, before going into any stressful situation, focus only on what you want to have happen. I asked the lawyer again how she wanted to appear at her first trial. And this time she said: “I want to look professional and self-assured.” I told her to create a picture of what self-assured would look like. To her, it meant moving confidently around the court room, using convincing body language and projecting her voice, so it could be heard from the judge’s bench to the back door. She also imagined a skillful closing argument and a winning trial. A few weeks after this positive stress rehearsal, the young lawyer did win.
Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 9: What do some people do when they face a new situation?
Question 10: What does the research conducted at Stanford University show?
Question 11: What advice does the speaker give to people in a stressful situation?
Question 12: What do we learn about the lawyer in the court?

9.
A) They make careful preparation beforehand.
B) They take too many irrelevant factors into account.
C) They spend too much time anticipating their defeat.
D) They try hard to avoid getting off on the wrong foot.

10.
A) A person’s nervous system is more complicated than imagined.
B) Golfers usually have positive mental images of themselves.
C) Mental images often interfere with athletes’ performance.
D) Thinking has the same effect on the nervous system as doing.

11.
A) Anticipate possible problems.
B) Make a list of do’s and don’ts.
C) Picture themselves succeeding.
D) Try to appear more professional.

12.
A) She wore a designer dress.
B) She won her first jury trial.
C) She did not speak loud enough.
D) She presented moving pictures.

Passage 2
Most Americans don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables or whole grains. Research now says adding fiber to the teen diet may help lower the risk of breast cancer. Conversations about the benefits of fiber are probably more common in nursing homes than high schools. But along comes a new study that could change that. Kristi King, a diet specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital, finds it hard to get teenage patients’ attention about healthy eating. By telling them they are eating lots of high-fiber foods could reduce the risk of breast cancer before middle age. That’s a powerful message. The new finding is based on a study of 44,000 women. They were surveyed about their diets during high school and their eating habits were tracked for two decades. It turns out that those who consumed the highest levels of fiber during adolescents had a lower risk of developing breast cancer, compared to women who ate the least fiber. This important study demonstrates that the more fiber you eat during your high school years, the lower your risk is in developing breast cancer in later life. The finding points to long-standing evidence that fiber may reduce circulating female hormone levels, which could explain the reduced risk. The bottom line here is the more fiber you eat, perhaps, a lower level of hormone in your body, and therefore, a lower lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. High-fiber diets are also linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. That’s why women are told to eat 25 grams of fiber a day—man even more.
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 13: What does the new study tell about adding fiber to the teen diet?
Question 14: What do we learn about the survey of the 44,000 women?
Question 15: What explanation does the speaker offer for the research finding?

13.
A) Its long-term effects are yet to be proved.
B) Its health benefits have been overestimated.
C) It helps people to avoid developing breast cancer.
D) It enables patients with diabetes to recover sooner.

14.
A) It focused on their ways of life during young adulthood.
B) It tracked their change in food preferences for 20 years.
C) It focused on their difference from men in fiber intake.
D) It tracked their eating habits since their adolescence.

15.
A) Fiber may help to reduce hormones in the body.
B) Fiber may bring more benefits to women than men.
C) Fiber may improve the function of heart muscles.
D) Fiber may make blood circulation more smooth.

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
Well, my current research is really about consumer behavior. So recently, I’ve looked at young people’s drinking and it’s obviously a major concern to Government at the moment. I’ve also looked at how older people are represented in the media; again, it’s of major current interest with older people becoming a much larger proportion of UK and indeed, world society. I’m also interested in how consumers operate online, and how that online behavior might be different from how they operate offline when they go to the shops. Well, I think that the important thing here is to actually understand what’s happening from the consumer’s perspective. One of the things that businesses and indeed Government organizations often fail to do is to really see what is happening from the consumer’s perspective. For example, in the case of young people’s drinking, one of the things that I’ve identified is that drinking for people say between the ages of 18 and 24 is all about the social activity. A lot of the Government advertising has been about individual responsibility, but actually understanding that drinking is very much about the social activity and finding ways to help young people get home safely, and not end up in hospital is one of the things that we’ve tried to present there. The key thing about consumer behavior is that it’s very much about how consumers change. Markets always change faster than marketing; so we have to look at what consumers are doing. Currently I teach consumer behavior to undergraduates in their second year and we look at all kinds of things in consumer behavior and particularly how consumers are presented in advertising. So they get involved by looking at advertising and really critically assessing the consumer behavior aspects of it and getting involved sometimes, doing primary research. For example, last year my students spent a week looking at their own purchasing and analyzed it in detail from shopping to the relationship that they have with their retail banks and their mobile phone providers. I think they found it very useful and it also helped them identify just what kind of budgets they had too. The fact of the matter is that there’s a whole range of interesting research out there and I think as the years go on, there’s going to be much more for us to consider and certainly much more for students to become involved in.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16: What is the speaker currently doing?
Question 17: What has the speaker found about young people’s drinking?
Question 18: What does the speaker say that his students did last year?

16.
A) Observing the changes in marketing.
B) Conducting research on consumer behavior.
C) Studying the hazards of young people drinking.
D) Investigating the impact of media on government.

17.
A) It is the cause of many street riots.
B) It is getting worse year by year.
C) It is a chief concern of parents.
D) It is an act of socialising.

18.
A) They spent a week studying their own purchasing behavior.
B) They researched the impact of mobile phones on young people.
C) They analysed their family budgets over the years.
D) They conducted a thorough research on advertising.

Recording 2
Sweden was the first European country to print and use paper money, but it may soon do away with physical currencies. Banks can save a lot of money and avoid regulatory headaches by moving to a cash-free system, and they can also avoid bank robberies, theft, and dirty money. Claer Barrett, the editor of Financial Times Money, says the Western world is headed toward a world without physical currency. Andy Holder—the chief economist at The Bank of England—suggested that the UK move towards a government-backed digital currency. But does a cashless society really make good economic sense? “The fact that cash is being drawn out of society, is less a feature of our everyday lives, and the ease of electronic payments—is this actually making us spend more money without realizing it?” Barrett wanted to find out if the absence of physical currency does indeed cause a person to spend more, so she decided to conduct an experiment a few months ago. She decided that she was going to try to just use cash for two weeks to make all of her essential purchases and see what that would do to her spending. She found she did spend a lot less money because it is incredibly hard to predict how much cash one is going to need—she was forever drawing money out of cash points. Months later, she was still finding cash stuffed in her trouser pockets and the pockets of her handbags. During the experiment, Barrett took a train ride. On the way, there was an announcement that the restaurant car was not currently accepting credit cards. The train cars were filled with groans because many of the passengers were traveling without cash. “It underlines just how much things have changed in the last generation,” Barrett says. “My parents, when they were younger, used to budget by putting money into envelopes—they’d get paid and they’d immediately separate the cash into piles and put them in envelopes, so they knew what they had to spend week by week. It was a very effective way for them to keep track of their spending. Nowadays, we’re all on credit cards, we’re doing online purchases, and money is kind of becoming a less physical and more imaginary type of thing that we can’t get our hands around.”
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What do we learn about Sweden?
Question 20: What did Claer Barrett want to find out with her experiment?
Question 21: What did Claer Barrett find on her train ride?
Question 22: How did people of the last generation budget their spending?

19.
A) It is helping its banks to improve efficiency.
B) It is trying hard to do away with dirty money.
C) It is the first country to use credit cards in the world.
D) It is likely to give up paper money in the near future.

20.
A) Whether it is possible to travel without carrying any physical currency.
B) Whether it is possible to predict how much money one is going to spend.
C) Whether the absence of physical currency causes a person to spend more.
D) Whether the absence of physical currency is going to affect everyday life.

21.
A) There was no food service on the train.
B) The service on the train was not good.
C) The restaurant car accepted cash only.
D) The cash in her handbag was missing.

22.
A) By putting money into envelopes.
B) By drawing money week by week.
C) By limiting their day-to-day spending.
D) By refusing to buy anything on credit.

Recording 3
Why should you consider taking a course in demography in college? You’ll be growing up in a generation where the baby boomers are going into retirement and dying. You will face the problems in the aging of the population that have never been faced before. You will hear more and more about migration between countries and between rural areas and cities. You need to understand as a citizen and as a tax payer and as a voter what’s really behind the arguments. I want to tell you about the past, present and future of the human population. So let’s start with a few problems. Right now, a billion people are chronically hungry. That means they wake up hungry, they are hungry all day, and they go to sleep hungry. A billion people are living in slums, not the same billion people, but there is some overlap. Living in slums means they don’t have infrastructure to take the garbage away, they don’t have secure water supplies to drink. Nearly a billion people are illiterate. Try to imagine your life being illiterate. You can’t read the labels on the bottles in the supermarket, if you can get to a supermarket. Two-thirds of those people who are illiterate are women and about 200 to 215 million women don’t have access to birth control they want, so that they can control their own fertility. This is not only a problem in developing countries. About half of all pregnancies globally are unintended. So those are examples of population problems. Demography gives you the tools to understand and to address these problems. It’s not only the study of human population, but the populations of non-human species, including viruses like influenza, the bacteria in your gut, plants that you eat, animals that you enjoy or that provide you with meat. Demography also includes the study of non-living objects like light bulbs and taxi cabs, and buildings because these are also populations. It studies these populations, in the past, present and future, using quantitative data and mathematical models as tools of analysis. I see demography as a central subject related to economics. It is the means to intervene more wisely, and more effectively in the real world, to improve the well-being, not only of yourself—important as that may be—but of people around you and of other species with whom we share the planet.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 23: What is one of the problems the speaker mentions in his talk?
Question 24: What does the speaker say about pregnancies?
Question 25: How does the speaker view the study of populations?

23.
A) Population explosion.
B) Chronic hunger.
C) Extinction of rare species.
D) Environmental deterioration.

24.
A) They contribute to overpopulation.
B) About half of them are unintended.
C) They have been brought under control.
D) The majority of them tend to end halfway.

25.
A) It is essential to the wellbeing of all species on earth.
B) It is becoming a subject of interdisciplinary research.
C) It is neglected in many of the developing countries.
D) It is beginning to attract postgraduates’ attention.

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