1、大学英语四级-193 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：5，分数：100.00)Boys“ schools are the perfect place to teach young men to express their emotions and involve them in activities such as art, dance and music. Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity (阳刚), the a
2、bsence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to conform to a stereotype, a U.S. study says. Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their emotional expressiveness, rather than feeling they had
3、 to conform to the “boy code“ of hiding their emotions to be a “real man“. The findings of the study go against received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls. Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, warned that boys were being failed by the British education system because it had become t
4、oo focused on girls. He criticized teachers for failing to recognise that boys are actually more emotional than girls. The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills. But in s
5、ingle-sex schools teachers can tailor lessons to boys“ learning style, letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study“s author, Abigail James, of the University of Virginia. Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing wi
6、th “ boy-focused“ approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them. Because boys generally have more acute vision, learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given “hands-on“ lessons where they are allowed to walk around. “Boys in mixed schools view classic
7、al music as feminine (女性的) and prefer the modern genre (类型) in which violence and sexism are major themes,“ James wrote. Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to conform to a stereotype that men should be “masterful and in charge“ in relationships. “In mixed sch
8、ools, boys feel compelled to act like men before they understand themselves well enough to know what that means,“ the study reported.（分数：20.00）(1).The author believes that a single-sex school would _.（分数：4.00）A.force boys to hide their emotions to be “real men“B.help to cultivate masculine aggressiv
9、eness in boysC.encourage boys to express their emotions more freelyD.naturally reinforce in boys the traditional image of a man(2).It is commonly believed that in a mixed school boys _.（分数：4.00）A.perform relatively betterB.grow up more healthilyC.behave more responsiblyD.receive a better education(3
10、).What does Tony Little say about the British education system?（分数：4.00）A.It fails more boys than girls academically.B.It focuses more on mixed school education.C.It fails to give boys the attention they need.D.It places more pressure on boys than on girls.(4).According to Abigail James, one of the
11、advantages of single-sex schools is _.（分数：4.00）A.teaching can be tailored to suit the characteristics of boysB.boys can focus on their lessons without being distractedC.boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested inD.teaching can be designed to promote boys“ team spirit(5).Which of the fol
12、lowing is characteristic of boys according to Abigail James“ report?（分数：4.00）A.They enjoy being in charge.B.They conform to stereotypes.C.They have sharper vision.D.They are violent and sexist.It“s an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My partner says no because the boiler could go,
13、or the roof fall off, and we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what“s the point if you can“t go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next yearwe just won“t go. Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to
14、its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday. A YouGov poll of 2,000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. What“s less clear is whether divorce and separation rates rise in a recess
15、ionfinancial pressures mean couples argue more but make splitting up less affordable. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Disputes were characterized by intense verbal (言语上的) aggression, tended to be repeated and not resolved, and made men, more than wo
16、men, extremely angry. Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolises, which may be different things to men and women. “People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it“s for,“ he explains. “They“ll say it“s
17、to save, to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them.“ He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they“ve achieved something. “The biggest problem is that couples assume each other knows what“s going on with their finan
18、ces, but they don“t. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you“re doing, who“s paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don“t have to agree about money, but you have
19、 to talk about it.“（分数：20.00）(1).What does the author say about vacationing?（分数：4.00）A.People enjoy it all the more during a recession.B.Few people can afford it without working hard.C.It makes all the hard work worthwhile.D.It is the chief cause of family disputes.(2).What does the author mean by s
20、aying “money is known.to bring a relationship to its knees“ (Line 1, Para. 2)?（分数：4.00）A.Money is considered to be the root of all evils.B.Some people sacrifice their dignity for money.C.Few people can resist the temptation of money.D.Disputes over money may ruin a relationship.(3).The YouGov poll o
21、f 2,000 people indicates that in a recession _.（分数：4.00）A.conflicts between couples tend to riseB.it is more expensive for couples to split upC.couples show more concern for each otherD.divorce and separation rates increase(4).What does Kim Stephenson believe?（分数：4.00）A.Money is often a symbol of a
22、person“s status.B.Money means a great deal to both men and women.C.Men and women spend money on different things.D.Men and women view money in different ways.(5).The author suggests at the end of the passage that couples should _.（分数：4.00）A.put their money together instead of keeping it separatelyB.
23、make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgetsC.discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationshipD.avoid arguing about money matters to remain romanticJunk food is everywhere. We“re eating way too much of it. Most of us know what we“re doing and yet we do it anyway. So here“s a sugge
24、stion offered by two researchers at the Rand Corporation: Why not take a lesson from alcohol control policies and apply them to where food is sold and how it“s displayed? “Many policy measures to control obesity (肥胖症) assume that people consciously and rationally choose what and how much they eat an
25、d therefore focus on providing information and more access to healthier foods“, note the two researchers. “In contrast,“ the researchers continue, “many regulations that don“t assume people make rational choices have been successfully applied to control alcohol, a substancelike foodof which immodera
26、te consumption leads to serious health problems.“ The research references studies of people“s behavior with food and alcohol and results of alcohol restrictions, and then lists five regulations that the researchers think might be promising if applied to junk foods. Among them: Density restrictions:
27、licenses to sell alcohol aren“t handed out unplanned to all comers but are allotted (分配) based on the number of places in an area that already sell alcohol. These make alcohol less easy to get and reduce the number of psychological cues to drink. Similarly, the researchers say, being presented with
28、junk food stimulates our desire to eat it. So why not limit the density of food outlets, particularly ones that sell food rich in empty calories? And why not limit sale of food in places that aren“t primarily food stores? Display and sales restrictions: California has a rule prohibiting alcohol disp
29、lays near the cash registers in gas stations, and in most places you can“t buy alcohol at drive-through facilities. At supermarkets, food companies pay to have their wares in places where they“re easily seen. One could remove junk food to the back of the store and ban them from the shelves at checko
30、ut lines. The other measures include restricting portion sizes, taxing and prohibiting special price deals for junk foods, and placing warning labels on the products.（分数：20.00）(1).What does the author say about junk food?（分数：4.00）A.People should be educated not to eat too much.B.It is widely consume
31、d despite its ill reputation.C.Its temptation is too strong for people to resist.D.It causes more harm than is generally realized.(2).What do the Rand researchers think of ninny of the policy measures to control obesity?（分数：4.00）A.They should be implemented effectively.B.They provide misleading info
32、rmation.C.They are based on wrong assumptions.D.They help people make rational choices.(3).Why do policymakers of alcohol control place density restrictions?（分数：4.00）A.Few people are able to resist alcohol“s temptations.B.There are already too many stores selling alcohol.C.Drinking strong alcohol ca
33、n cause social problems.D.Easy access leads to customers“ over-consumption.(4).What is the purpose of California“s rule about alcohol display in gas stations?（分数：4.00）A.To effectively limit the density of alcohol outlets.B.To help drivers to give up the habit of drinking.C.To prevent possible traffi
34、c jams in nearby areas.D.To get alcohol out of drivers“ immediate sight.(5).What is the general guideline the Rand researchers suggest about junk food control?（分数：4.00）A.Guiding people to make rational choices about food.B.Enhancing people“s awareness of their own health.C.Borrowing ideas from alcoh
35、ol control measures.D.Resorting to economic, legal and psychological means.Kodak“s decision to file for bankruptcy (破产) protection is a sad, though not unexpected, turning point for a leading American corporation that pioneered consumer photography and dominated the film market for decades, but ulti
36、mately failed to adapt to the digital revolution. Although many attribute Kodak“s downfall to “ complacency (自满)“, that explanation doesn“t acknowledge the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself. Decades ago, Kodak anticipated that digital photography would overtake filmand in fact, Ko
37、dak invented the first digital camera in 1975but in a fateful decision, the company chose to shelf its new discovery to focus on its traditional film business. It wasn“t that Kodak was blind to the future, said Rebecca Henderson, a professor at Harvard Business School, but rather that it failed to e
38、xecute on a strategy to confront it. By the time the company realized its mistake, it was too late. Kodak is an example of a firm that was very much aware that they had to adapt, and spent a lot of money trying to do so, but uhimately failed. Large companies have a difficult time switching to new ma
39、rkets because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses. Although Kodak anticipated the inevitable rise of digital photography, its corporate (企业的) culture was too rooted in the successes of the past for it to make the clean break necessary to fully embrace the future. The
40、y were a company stuck in time. Their history was so important to them. Now their history has become a liability. Kodak“s downfall over the last several decades was dramatic. In 1976, the company commanded 90% of the market for photographic film and 85% of the market for cameras. But the 1980s broug
41、ht new competition from Japanese film company Fuji Photo, which undermined Kodak by offering lower prices for film and photo supplies. Kodak“s decision not to pursue the role of official film for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was a major miscalculation. The bid went instead to Fuji, which exploited
42、its sponsorship to win a permanent foothold in the marketplace.（分数：20.00）(1).What do we learn about Kodak?（分数：4.00）A.It went bankrupt all of a sudden.B.It is approaching its downfall.C.It initiated the digital revolution in the film industry.D.It is playing the dominant role in the film market.(2).W
43、hy does the author mention Kodak“s invention of the first digital camera?（分数：4.00）A.To show its early attempt to reinveut itself.B.To show its effort to overcome complacency.C.To show its quick adaptation to the digital revolution.D.To show its will to compete with Japan“s Fuji Photo.(3).Why do larg
44、e companies have difficulty switching to new markets?（分数：4.00）A.They find it costly to give up their existing assets.B.They tend to be slow in confronting new challenges.C.They are unwilling to invest in new technology.D.They are deeply stuck in their glorious past.(4).What does the author say Kodak
45、“s history has become?（分数：4.00）A.A burden.B.A mirror.C.A joke.D.A challenge.(5).What was Kodak“s fatal mistake?（分数：4.00）A.Its blind faith in traditional photography.B.Its failure to see Fuji Photo“s emergence.C.Its refusal to sponsor the 1984 Olympics.D.Its overconfidence in its corporate culture.As
46、 you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn“t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That“s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers righ
47、t now. But it actually shouldn“t matter to you nearly as much as you think. That“s because job growth numbers don“t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover (人员更替) data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations (解雇), and retirements. (Yes, people
48、are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million! And as it turns out, even todaywith job growth near ze
49、roover 4 million job hunters are being hired every month. I don“t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn“t have an impact on one“s ability to land a job. It“s true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it“s true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it“s a new one or not. But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don“t is their ability to stay motivated. They“re willing to do the hard work of identi
