1、大学英语四级 242 及答案解析(总分：746.55，做题时间：130 分钟)一、Writing (30 minutes)(总题数：1，分数：30.00)1.For this part, you are allowed to write a composition according to the picture. You should write at least 120 words and you should base your composition on the outline. （分数：30.00）_二、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：1，分数：71.00)How
2、 Important Is Knowledge? Knowledge Makes the Difference between Poverty and Wealth Forty years ago, Ghana and the Republic of Korea had about the same income per capita. By 1990, Koreas income was six times higher than Ghanas. While part of the difference is due to more investment and more workers,
3、half of the difference is attributed to Koreas greater success in organizing and using knowledge. Knowledge Makes the Difference between Sickness and Health Knowledge doesnt only mean higher economic growth and higher incomes. It can also mean a better quality of life, such as a cleaner environment
4、and better health. In recent decades, infant mortality rates have declined sharply for people in all income groups. Even very poor families suffer fewer infant deaths today than equally poor families suffered ten years ago. Reason: the advance of knowledge has made possible new drugs and vaccines, b
5、etter sanitation practices, and more effective public health campaigns. What Kind of Knowledge Our report focuses on two types of knowledge that are especially important to development. First, technical knowledge or simply know-how. Examples are nutrition and birth control, engineering and accountin
6、g. Poor countries and poor people have less know-how than others, and these knowledge gaps make it harder for people to escape poverty. Second, knowledge about attributes or characteristics, such as the purity of milk, the diligence of a worker, the solvency (偿付能力) of a firm, and the security of a b
7、ank. When this information is lacking, markets function badly or fail. We call the difficulties arising from lack of this type of knowledge information problems. Information problems are often worse in developing countries and they especially hurt the poor. Knowledge Gaps and Information Problems in
8、 the Green Revolution The Green Revolution illustrates how dealing with both types of problems can improve peoples lives. The first steps in the Green Revolution involved narrowing knowledge gaps research to develop new seed and techniques, and teach the new techniques to farmers. But the potential
9、of the Green Revolution could not be dug up unless poor farmers obtained loans to buy new seeds and fertilizer. As we will see, credit for the poor is a classic information problem. Lack of credit and other information problems turned out to be as important and difficult as the original agricultural
10、 research. One study in India found that for a typical family with a small parcel of land, the loss of potential income over five years from slow adoption and inefficient use of high-yielding varieties was nearly four times its annual income before the introduction of the new seeds. As these problem
11、s were solved, through research, agricultural extension services and later through micro credit, the Green Revolution indeed helped the poor. Incomes of small farmers almost doubled and the incomes of landless laborers the poorest of the poor more than doubled. The two types of problem often overlap
12、 and interact, as in the case of the Green Revolution. To narrow knowledge gaps both between and within countries it is necessary to know how knowledge can be acquired, how it can be absorbed, and how it can be communicated. Acquiring Knowledge Most new knowledge is being created in richer countries
13、, where spending on research and development is the highest. Fortunately, developing countries dont need to re-invent the light bulb, or the computer, or the vaccine for measles. In many cases, tapping global knowledge will be quickest and easiest way to narrow knowledge gaps. How? Foreign direct in
14、vestment, trade, and in an era of strengthened intellectual property rights licensing are all important mechanisms for acquiring knowledge from abroad. And countries should not neglect the knowledge in their own backyard, such as traditional knowledge about ecosystems and medicinal plants. China, Br
15、azil, India and Korea are building their own research capacity, to complement the acquisition of knowledge from abrade. Absorbing Knowledge Education is more important than ever before. In the past 20 years, the share of medium and high-technology goods in world trade has more than doubled, to half
16、of world trade. Basic education remains crucial, but it is no longer enough. To compete globally, a countrys workforce must include people with advanced technical training and higher education. At the household level, too, education is crucial. It is well known that educated women have healthier chi
17、ldren and that farmers with more schooling are quicker to adopt new techniques. Despite great changes, too many poor people especially women remain illiterate. In low-income countries, four out of ten women do not know how to read. Communicating Knowledge Falling communication costs offer new opport
18、unities to cope with these old problems. Computing power and telephone lines cost only one ten-thousandth of what they cost two decades ago. Yet millions of people remain isolated. In the U.S. there are more than 600 telephone lines for every 1,000 people. But in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, t
19、here are only 20 telephone lines for every 1,000 people. The problem isnt lack of demand. Worldwide about 28 million households and businesses in developing countries are on waiting lists for a telephone line. Many more would gladly pay if only service were available. Breaking up monopolies and intr
20、oducing more competition can help to increase the supply of phones. In Ghana the number of phone lines increased by 25 percent in the first year after the market was opened to competition. Chile used an innovative scheme to award subsidies to companies that install pay phones in remote villages. By
21、the end of this year almost everybody in Chile will have access to a phone. Even if knowledge gaps were closed entirely, with everyone in the world having the same access to know-how as well-educated people in rich countries, people in poorer countries would still face more serious information probl
22、ems. Knowledge about attributes the quality of a product or the solvency of a firm cannot be stored for long. It must be generated on the spot and constantly refreshed. Many of the institutions needed to collect and spread this information are weak or lacking in developing countries. Information pro
23、blems are especially important in three areas: poverty as is discussed above, finance, and environment. Finance The financial crisis in East Asia is clear reminder of the severity of information problems and the need to develop institutions to deal with them. By now the story is familiar. A build-up
24、 of short-term debt inevitably exposes a country to risk. But why was the withdrawal of funds so great? Part of the answer lies with inadequate information: depositors, unable to distinguish good banks from bad ones, withdrew their money from all banks; investors, unable to distinguish good firms fr
25、om bankrupt ones, dumped the shares of all companies. The importance of good accounting standards and the disclosure of information has now been revealed in the worst way possible. Part of the solution then lies in standardized balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, loan loss provi
26、sions, realistic valuation of collateral (抵押品) and so on. Argentina has greatly strengthened its financial sector by adopting a “multiple eyes“ approach that involves as many agents as possible in monitoring bank behavior. Capital adequacy ratios are a stiff 11.5 percent; foreign banks hold 45 perce
27、nt of banking assets, the central bank provides on-line information about companies balance sheets and income statements, and overall supervision of the banks has been greatly strengthened. Environment Information problems underlie many environmental problems, because information about environmental
28、 concerns is often unavailable. Some governments have discovered that by gathering and disclosing this information, they can make unexpected progress on tough issues. In Indonesia, the government created incentives for firms to reduce pollution by rating factories environmental performance, from bla
29、ck for the worst water polluters to gold for the very cleanest. In barely a year, one-third of the firms found to be in violation of environmental lawssome of which had been polluting for years cleaned up enough to earn the blue rating of firms that comply with the law. Why? Partly because investors
30、 care about the environment. A recent World Bank study of stock markets in Argentina, Chile, Mexico and the Philippines found that bad environmental news about a company depressed the price of its shares by about 15 percent, while good news raised its share prices about 20 percent. （分数：71.00）(1).Thi
31、s passage mainly discusses how knowledge can affect human life.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.NG(2).Korea attributes its improved economy to the use of knowledge and more investment and workers.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.NG(3).The skill to operate a computer is categorized as the second type of knowledge.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.N
32、G(4).The Green Revolution has also improved factory workers conditions by narrowing knowledge gaps.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.NG(5).Developing countries had better re-invent some existing products so that they can raise their own research capacity.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.NG(6).Basic education is crucial, so poor cou
33、ntries do not have to develop higher education.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.NG(7).Lack of information can be so severe as to cause a financial crisis.（分数：7.10）A.YB.NC.NG(8).Knowledge not only influences peoples wealth but also_.（分数：7.10）_(9).Communicating knowledge is becoming easier today because of the_.（分数：7
34、.10）_(10).Many environmental problems are caused by the lack of information about_.（分数：7.10）_三、Listening Comprehens(总题数：1，分数：15.00)A.Whether it is necessary for her to write to Mr. Smith.B.Who is going to contact Mr. Smith.C.What they are going to do at the meeting.D.Where they are going to meet Mr.
35、 Smith.A.The tape was missing.B.Paul brought the tape to the party.C.The tape had been returned to Jack.D.Paul lent his tape to Jack.A.At 1:00.B.At 2:00.C.Around 3:00.D.Around 5:00.A.The man is about to board the plane to Los Angeles.B.The man is going to take the next direct flight to San Francisco
36、.C.The man wants to take a non-stop flight to San Francisco.D.The man wants to go to Los Angeles.A.The woman has trouble getting along with the professor.B.The woman regrets having taken up much of the professors time.C.The woman knows the professor has been busy.D.The woman knows the professor has
37、run into trouble.A.Because she doesnt want to.B.Because she has to work in a restaurant.C.Because she has to go to another party.D.Because she has dated with her boyfriend.A.She is trying to find a good chair.B.She doesnt know where the chair is now.C.She thinks the chair is actually comfortable.D.S
38、hes never sat in that chair before.A.The rose gardens are on the opposite side of the park.B.The roses in the gardens are not the best.C.The rose gardens are on the west side of the park.D.The roses grow outside the park, not inside it.四、Section B(总题数：2，分数：10.00)A.The election for senator.B.The elec
39、tion for treasurer.C.The election for secretary.D.The election for president.A.Theyre competing against each other in an election.B.The man is writing the womans speech.C.The man is interviewing the woman.D.The woman is planning the mans campaign.A.Junior class treasurer.B.President.C.Senior class t
40、reasurer.D.Vice president.A.Make posters.B.Write a speech.C.Answer questions.D.Study chemistry.A.In spring.B.In summer.C.In autumn.D.In winter.A.Drive them out.B.Request them not to speak their language.C.Request them not to speak so loudly.D.Request them to sleep earlier.A.The food was delicious.B.
41、There were all kinds of food in the restaurant.C.The waiters were very helpful.D.The service is far from satisfactory.A.To explain why recycling is important.B.To describe the recycling program.C.To discuss whether or not recycling should be mandatory.D.To explain how to find the recycling facilitie
42、s.A.Because all the trash cans are the same color.B.Because not enough people volunteer to collect the trash.C.Because most people dont like to sort their trash.D.Because collections are not made on a regular basis.A.Pink.B.Green.C.Brown.D.White.A.To paint the trash cans.B.To pick up and sort the tr
43、ash.C.To pick up and deliver the trash.D.To work in the recycling center.A.A basket.B.A cup.C.An egg.D.An oven.A.To let in the sunshine.B.To serve as its door.C.To keep the nest cool.D.For the bird to lay eggs.A.Branches.B.Grasses.C.Mud.D.Straw.A.Some birds do not build nests at all.B.All nests are
44、sewed with grasses.C.Most of nests are made of mud.D.The tailor bird uses a needle to sew its nest.A.The causes are familiar.B.The causes are not well understood.C.The causes are obvious.D.The causes are very complicated.A.Improved highway design.B.Better public transportation.C.Regular driver train
45、ing.D.Stricter traffic regulations.A.Highway crime.B.Drivers errors.C.Poor traffic control.D.Confusing road signs.A.Increasing peoples awareness of traffic problems.B.Enhancing drivers sense of responsibility.C.Building more highways.D.Designing better cars.六、Section C(总题数：1，分数：10.00)The chief of op
46、erations for all of Asia, Joe Hatfield has been with Wal-Mart for 31 years, 11 of them in Shenzhen, China, he typically works 12-to 14-hour a day. In this city of seven million people just across the border from Hong Kong, Wal-Mart operates 11 (36) 1 stores. They are the large big-box buildings (37)
47、 2 of Wal-Mart stores worldwide. Mr. Hatfield is (38) 3over a major expansion. With 47 stores in China, Wal-Mart is in the process of doubling its China operations. Its work force of 25,000 is (39) 4 expected to double during the next two years. China is (40) 5 US-based Wal-Mart is expanding fastest
48、. But Mr. Hatfield says there is no shortage of American companies that, like Wal-Mart, see fast-growing, (41) 6 China as a tremendous opportunity. “I mean Pizza Huts are in cities that I would have never thought about here in China today,“ he said. “That I would have never dreamed of, in these (42) 7cities. And (43) 8 it does is increase shareholder wealth. And many of those shareholders are based in the U. S. “ (44) 9. In America (45) 10. In Hong Kong,
