1999年6月大学英语四级考试试题及参考答案
Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Example:
You will hear:
You will read:
A) At the office.
B) In the waiting room.
C) At the airport.
D) In a restaurant.
From the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they had to finish in the evening. This is most likely to have taken place at the office.Therefore, A) "At the office" is the best answer. You should choose [A] on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single line through the centre.
Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]
1.
A) The woman feels sorry for the man.
B) The man is a member of the staff.
C) The area is for passengers only.
D) The woman is asking the man to leave.
2.
A) Clean her house while she is away.
B) Buy her some plants and take care of them.
C) Water her plants while she is away.
D) Water her plants when he is not at work.
3.
A) He will only be available in the afternoon.
B) It s not his office hour.
C) He doesn t have time.
D) He is too tired after class.
4.
A) The woman insists on going out.
B) The woman doesn t like watching TV.
C) The man promised her a gift on her birthday.
D) The man is too tired to go out.
5.
A) There are too many courses offered to students.
B) The woman should take fewer courses next term.
C) The man will take four courses next semester.
D) It is wiser to take more than four courses.
6.
A) Ask Tom to send an invitation.
B) Get the Johnsons address.
C) Invite Tom to the party.
D) Tell Tom to pick up the Johnsons.
7.
A) Jane is looking for a summer job.
B) Jane is packing for the summer vacation.
C) Jane is on her way home.
D) Jane is eager to go home for the vacation.
8.
A) Spending more time on sightseeing.
B) Visiting the city with a group.
C) Touring the city on a fine day.
D) Taking the man with her on the tour.
9.
A) The woman is driving too fast.
B) The woman is driving at a slow speed.
C) The woman has broken a traffic rule.
D) The woman has parked her car in a wrong place.
10.
A) She can tell Joan when she sees her at noon.
B) She should tell Joan s brother about the reception.
C) She must call on Joan after the reception.
D) She may see Joan s brother at lunch.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some 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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.
11.
A) To protect persons and property.
B) To collect taxes.
C) To teach and train citizens.
D) To save natural resources for future use.
12.
A) By selling services that make life comfortable.
B) By selling land containing oil.
C) By selling public lands.
D) By selling coal and other natural products.
13.
A) Environmental pollution and protection.
B) Taxes and services for the public.
C) Police efforts to protect people.
D) People s attitude toward taxes.
Passage Two
Questions 14 to 17 are based on the passage you have just heard.
14.
A) He didn t like physics any more.
B) His eyesight was too poor.
C) Physics was too hard for him.
D) He had to work to support himself.
15.
A) He was not happy with the new director.
B) He was not qualified to be an engineer.
C) He wanted to travel.
D) He found his job boring.
16.
A) He wanted to work with his friend.
B) He enjoyed travelling around the world.
C) He wanted to go to Spain.
D) He was rejected by the engineering firm.
17.
A) He enjoyed teaching English.
B) He wanted to earn more to support his family.
C) The owner of the school promised him a good position.
D) He could earn more as a teacher than as a travel agent.
Passage Three
Questions 18 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.
18.
A) It can be cooked in many ways.
B) It is delicious but inexpensive.
C) It gives higher yields than other grain crops.
D) It grows easily in various conditions.
19.
A) Fried potatoes.
B) Tomato juice.
C) Sweet corn.
D) Chocolate beans.
20.
A) They led to the discovery of America.
B) They made native American foods popular.
C) They brought great wealth to Spain.
D) They made native American life styles well-known.
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Directions:There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
The biggest safety threat facing airlines today may not be a terrorist with a gun, but the man with the portable computer in business class. In the last 15 years, pilots have reported well over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic interference. The source of this interference remains unconfirmed, but increasingly, experts are pointing the blame at portable electronic devices such as portable computers, radio and cassette players and mobile telephones.
RTCA, an organization which advises the aviation (航空) industry, has recommended that all airlines ban (禁止) such devices from being used during "critical" stages of flight, particularly take-off and landing. Some experts have gone further, calling for a total ban during all flights. Currently, rules on using these devices are left up to individual airlines. And although some airlines prohibit passengers from using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are reluctant to enforce a total ban, given that many passengers want to work during flights.
The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an aircraft s computers. Experts know that portable devices emit radiation which affects those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation and communication. But, because they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory, they have no way of knowing whether the interference might be dangerous or not.
The fact that aircraft may be vulnerable (易受损的) to interference raises the risk that terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation equipment. As worrying, though, is the passenger who can t hear the instructions to turn off his radio because the music s too loud.
21. The passage is mainly about ________.
A) a new regulation for all airlines
B) the defects of electronic devices
C) a possiblecause of aircraft crashes
D) effective safety measures for air flight
22. What is said about the over 100 aircraft incidents in the past 15 years?
A) They may have been caused by the damage to the radio systems.
B) They may have taken place during take-off and landing.
C) They were proved to have been caused by the passengers portable computers.
D) They were suspected to have resulted from electromagnetic interference.
23. Few airlines want to impose a total ban on their passengers using electronic devices because ________.
A) they don t believe there is such a danger as radio interference
B) the harmful effect of electromagnetic interference is yet to be proved
C) most passengers refuse to take a plane which bans the use of radio and cassette players
D) they have other effective safety measures to fall back on
24. Why is it difficult to predict the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on an airplane s computers?
A) Because it is extremely dangerous to conduct such research on an airplane.
B) Because it remains a mystery what wavelengths are liable to be interfered with.
C) Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in labs.
D) Because experts lack adequate equipment to do such research.
25. It can be inferred from the passage that the author ________.
A) is in favor of prohibiting passengers use of electronic devices completely
B) has overestimated the danger of electromagnetic interference
C) hasn t formed his own opinion on this problem
D) regards it as unreasonable to exercise a total ban during flight
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:
The rise of multinational corporations (跨国公司), global marketing, new communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR.
Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, the U.S. leadership in public relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries. Ten years ago, for example, the world s top five public relations agencies were American-owned. In 1991, only one was. The British in particular are becoming more sophisticated and creative. A recent survey found that more than half of all British companies include PR as part of their corporate (公司的) planning activities, compared to about one-third of U.S. companies. It may not be long before London replaces New York as the capital of PR.
Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? First, Americans as a whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs. Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country. Secondly, Americans lag behind their European and Asian counterparts (相对应的人) in knowing a second language. Less than 5 percent of Burson-Marshall s U.S. employees know two languages. Ogilvy and Mather has about the same percentage. Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a second language. Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on international affairs. In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the Wall Street Journal. Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this country.
Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN (Cable News Network). Turner recently announced that the word "foreign" would no longer be used on CNN news broadcasts. According to Turner, global communications have made the nations of the world so interdependant that there is no longer any such thing as foreign.
26. According to the passage, U.S. leadership in public relations is being threatened because of ________.
A) an unparalleled increase in the number of public relations companies
B) shrinking cultural differences and new communications technologies
C) the decreasing number of multinational corporations in the U.S.
D) increased efforts of other countries in public relations
27. London could soon replace New York as the center of PR because ________.
A) British companies are more ambitious than U.S. companies
B) British companies place more importance on PR than U.S. companies
C) British companies are heavily involved in planning activities
D) four of the world s top public relations agencies are British-owned
28. The word "provincial" (Line 2, Para. 3) most probably means " ________ ".
A) limited in outlook
B) like people from the provinces
C) rigid in thinking
D) interested in world financial affairs
29. We learn from the third paragraph that employees in the American PR industry ________.
A) speak at least one foreign language fluently
B) are ignorant about world geography
C) are not as sophisticated as their European counterparts
D) enjoy reading a great variety of English business publications
30. What lesson might the PR industry take from Ted Turner of CNN?
A) American PR companies should be more internationally-minded.
B) The American PR industry should develop global communications technologies.
C) People working in PR should be more fluent in foreign languages.
D) People involved in PR should avoid using the word "foreign".
Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:
Brazil has become one of the developing world s great successes at reducing population growth - but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard. Brazil s population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.
Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧) and instalment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world s biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil s most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.
"Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values - not many children, different attitudes towards sex, women working," says Martine. "They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people conscious of other patterns of behaviour and other values, which were put into a very attractive package."
Meanwhile, the instalment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers. "This led to an enormous change in consumption patterns and consumption was incompatible (不相容的) with unlimited reproduction," says Martine.
31. According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth ________.
A) by educating its citizens
B) by careful family planning
C) by developing TV programmes
D) by chance
32. According to the passage, many Third World countries ________.
A) haven t attached much importance to birth control
B) would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rate
C) haven t yet found an effective measure to control their population
D) neglected the role of TV plays in family planning
33. The phrase "puts it down to" (Line 1, Para. 3) is closest in meaning to " ________".
A) attributes it to
B) finds it a reason for
C) sums it up as
D) compares it to
34. Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil s birth rate because ________.
A) they keep people sitting long hours watching TV
B) they have gradually changed people s way of life
C) people are drawn to their attractive package
D) they popularize birth control measures
35. What is Martine s conclusion about Brazil s population growth?
A) The increase in birth rate will promote consumption.
B) The desire for consumption helps to reduce birth rate.
C) Consumption patterns and reproduction patterns are contradictory.
D) A country s production is limited by its population growth.
Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers. This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic (北极的) peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent (进步). The progress from a rattle (拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials.
36. The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that ________.
A) their social roles are rigidly determined
B) most boys would like to follow their fathers professions
C) boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers
D) they like challenging activities
37. One aspect of "the universality of toys" lies in the fact that ________.
A) technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toys
B) the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of universities
C) the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toys
D) the basic characteristics of toys are the same the world over
38. Which of the following is the author s view on the historical development of toys?
A) The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged.
B) Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries.
C) The toy industry has witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years.
D) Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child s character.
39. Regarded as a kind of art form, toys ________.
A) follow a direct line of ascent
B) also appeal greatly to adults
C) are not characterized by technological progress
D) reflect the pace of social progress
40. The author uses the example of a rattle to show that ________.
A) in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials
B) even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology
C) it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making
D) even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time
Part Ⅲ Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)
Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
41. He came back late, _______ which time all the guests had already left.
A) after
B) by
C) at
D) during
42. I m very sorry to have _______ you with so many questions on such an occasion.
A) interfered
B) offended
C) impressed
D) bothered
43. If the whole operation _______ beforehand, a great deal of time and money would have been lost.
A) was not planned
B) has not been planned
C) had not been planned
D) were not planned
44. The price of beer _______ from 50 cents to $ 4 per liter during the summer season.
A) altered
B) ranged
C) separated
D) differed
45. His remarks left me _______ about his real purpose.
A) wondered
B) wonder
C) to wonder
D) wondering
46. I have heard both teachers and students _______ well of him.
A) to speak
B) spoken
C) to have spoken
D) speak
47. Our son doesn t know what to _______ at the university; he can t make up his mind about his future.
A) take in
B) take up
C) take over
D) take after
48. The house was very quiet, _______ as it was on the side of a mountain.
A) isolated
B) isolating
C) being isolated
D) having been isolated
49. Although they plant trees in this area every year, the tops of some hills are still _______.
A) blank
B) hollow
C) vacant
D) bare
50. Being a pop star can be quite a hard life, with a lot of travelling _______ heavy schedules.
A) with regard to
B) as to
C) in relation to
D) owing to
51. Tony is very disappointed _______ the results of the exam.
A) with
B) for
C) toward
D) on
52. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, _______ defended the right of every citizen to freedom of choice in religion.
A) peculiarly
B) indifferently
C) vigorously
D) inevitably
53. I hope all the precautions against air pollution, _______ suggested by the local government, will be seriously considered here.
A) while
B) since
C) after
D) as
54. When people become unemployed, it is _______ which is often worse than lack of wages.
A) laziness
B) poverty
C) idleness
D) inability
55. I ve never been to Beijing, but it s the place _______.
A) where I d like to visit
B) I most want to visit
C) in which I d like to visit
D) that I want to visit it most
56. _______ his sister, Jack is quiet and does not easily make friends with others.
A) Dislike
B) Unlike
C) Alike
D) Liking
57. This crop has similar qualities to the previous one, ________ both wind-resistant and adapted to the same type of soil.
A) being
B) been
C) to be
D) having been
58. _______ you are leaving tomorrow, we can eat dinner together tonight.
A) For
B) Since
C) Before
D) While
59. Some people would like to do shopping on Sundays since they expect to pick up wonderful _______ in the market.
A) batteries
B) bargains
C) baskets
D) barrels
60. We have been told that under no circumstances _______ the telephone in the office for personal affairs.
A) may we use
B) we may use
C) we could use
D) did we use
61. In previous times, when fresh meat was in short _______, pigeons were kept by many households as a source of food.
A) store
B) provision
C) reserve
D) supply
62. As Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, I have directed that all measures _______ for our defense.
A) had been taken
B) would be taken
C) be taken
D) to be taken
63. A thief who broke into a church was caught because traces of wax, found on his clothes, _______ from the sort of candles used only in churches.
A) had come
B) coming
C) come
D) that came
64. After the guests left, she spent half an hour _______ the sitting-room.
A) ordering
B) arranging
C) tidying up
D) clearing away
65. I was _______ the point of telephoning him when his letter arrived.
A) to
B) on
C) at
D) in
66. In no country _______ Britain, it has been said, can one experience four seasons in the course of a single day.
A) other than
B) more than
C) better than
D) rather than
67. A lorry _______ Jane s cat and sped away.
A) ran over
B) ran into
C) ran through
D) ran down
68. The project, _______ by the end of 2000, will expand the city s telephone network to cover 1,000,000 users.
A) accomplished
B) being accomplished
C) to be accomplished
D) having been accomplished
69. _______ evidence that language-acquiring ability must be stimulated.
A) It being
B) It is
C) There is
D) There being
70. Those gifts of rare books that were given to us were deeply _______.
A) appreciated
B) approved
C) appealed
D) applied
Part IV Short Answer Questions (15 minutes)
Directions:In this part there is a short passage with five questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words (not exceeding 10 words.)
For many women choosing whether to work or not to work outside their home is a luxury: they must work to survive. Others face a hard decision.
Perhaps the easiest choice has to do with economics. One husband said, “Marge and I decided after careful consideration that for her to go back to work at this moment was an extravagance (奢侈) we couldn’t afford.” With two preschool children, it soon became clear in their figuring that with babysitters (临时照看小孩的人), transportation, and increased taxes, rather than having more money, they might actually end up with less.
Economic factors are usually the first to be considered, but they are not the most important. The most important aspects of the decision have to do with the emotional needs of each member of the family. It is in this area that husbands and wives find themselves having to face many confusing and conflicting feelings.
There are many women who find that homemaking is boring or who feel imprisoned (被囚禁) if they have to stay home with a young child or several children. On the other hand, there are women who think that homemaking gives them the deepest satisfaction.
From my own experience. I would like to suggest that sometime the decision to go back to work is made in too much haste. There are few decisions that I now regret more. I wasn’t mature enough to see how much I could have gained at home. I regret my impatience to get on with my career. I wish I had allowed myself the luxury of watching the world through my little girl’s eyes.
Questions: (注意：答题尽量简短，超过10个词要扣分。每条横线限写一个英语单词，标点符号不占格。)
S1. Which word in the first tow paragraphs best explains why many women have to work?
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________.
S2. Why did Marge and her husband think it an extravagance for Marge to go back to work?
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________.
S3. What are the two major considerations in deciding whether women should go out to work?
____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________.
S4. Some women would rather do housework and take care of their children than pursue a career because they feel _____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________.
S5. If given a second chance, the writer would probably choose to ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________.
Part V Writing (30 minutes)
Directions:For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition on the topic Reading Selectively Or Extensively? You should write at least 100 words, and base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below:
1. 有人认为读书要有选择
2. 有人认为应当博览群书
3. 我的看法
Reading Selectively Or Extensively
1999年6月大学英语四级考试参考答案
Part I Listening Comprehension
Section A
1. D) The woman is asking the man to leave
2. C) Water her plants while she is away
3. C) He doesn t have time
4. A) The woman insists on going out
5. B) The woman should take fewer courses next term
6. B) Get the Johnsons address
7. D) Jane is eager to go home for the vacation
8. A) Spending more time on sightseeing
9. C) The woman has broken a traffic rule
10. A) She can tell Joan when she sees her at noon
Section B
11. A) To protect persons and property
12. C) By selling public lands
13. B) Taxes and services for the public
14. D) He had to work to support himself
15. A) He was not happy with the new director
16. C) He wanted to go to Spain
17. B) He wanted to earn more to support his family
18. D) It grows easily in various conditions
19. D) Chocolate beans
20. B) They made native American foods popular
Part II Reading Comprehension
21. C) a possiblecause of aircraft crashes
22. D) They were suspected to have resulted from electromagnetic interference
23. B) the harmful effect of electromagnetic interference is yet to be proved
24. C) Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in labs
25. A) is in favor of prohibiting passengers use of electronic devices completely
26. D) increased efforts of other countries in public relations
27. B) British companies place more importance on PR than U.S. companies
28. A) limited in outlook
29. C) are not as sophisticated as their European counterparts
30. A) American PR companies should be more internationally-minded
31. D) by chance
32. C) haven t yet found an effective measure to control their population
33. A) attributes it to
34. B) they have gradually changed people s way of life
35. B) The desire for consumption helps to reduce birth rate
36. A) their social roles are rigidly determined
37. D) the basic characteristics of toys are the same the world over
38. B) Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries
39. C) are not characterized by technological progress
Part III Vocabulary
40. D) even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time
41. B) by
42. D) bothered
43. C) had not been planned
44. B) ranged
45. D) wondering
46. D) speak
47. B) take up
48. A) isolated
49. D) bare
50. D) owing to
51. A) with
52. C) vigorously
53. D) as
54. C) idleness
55. B) I most want to visit
56. B) Unlike
57. A) being
58. B) Since
59. B) bargains
60. A) may we use
61. D) supply
62. C) be taken
63. A) had come
64. C) tidying up
65. B) on
66. A) other than
67. A) ran over
68. C) to be accomplished
69. C) There is
70. A) appreciated
Part IV Short Answer Questions
S1. Economics.
S2. Because the increased cost will be more than Marge’s income.
S3. Economic factors and emotional needs.
S4. that homemaking gives them the deepest satisfaction.
S5. stay home.
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