1、公共英语四级(笔试)-60 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Section Listening(总题数：0，分数：0.00)二、Part A(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Information about MississippiWhere does Mississippi rank as a cotton producer? 1 Mississippi sends what she produces far and 2 In any of Mississippi river towns, you can see cargoes of corn and cotton b
2、eing loaded on 3 What woods cover more than half the state? 4 What river banks have been built to keep the rising water from washing away homes and farms 5 （分数：5.00）填空项 1:_三、Part B(总题数：1，分数：5.00)The Spanish explorer came to Kansas in 1 He found the Indian villages were small and the land there was 2
3、 Kansas has been known as the “breadbasket“ because it produces 3 The weather in Kansas is still 4 Before the Civil War began, there were bloody battles over 5 （分数：5.00）填空项 1:_四、Part C(总题数：3，分数：10.00)（分数：4.00）(1).What is the percentage of land in the world?（分数：1.00）A.25%.B.75%.C.14%.D.20%.(2).The la
4、nd on the surface of the earth is usually divided into _.（分数：1.00）A.five partsB.six partsC.eight partsD.seven parts(3).According to the passage, most people in the world are living _.（分数：1.00）A.in ice-covered placesB.in the main farming regionsC.on the plainsD.in the valleys(4).Why is it necessary f
5、or people to learn to make good use of the land?（分数：1.00）A.Because the land is rich in natural resources.B.Because the land can be used to make electricity.C.Because they have to build their homes.D.Because they have to feed more and more people in the world.（分数：3.00）(1).According to the passage, pe
6、ople tried to build the canal because _.（分数：1.00）A.gold was discovered in CaliforniaB.the railway could not be completedC.Panama was rich in goldD.labor was cheap(2).What caused the French to stop the construction was _.（分数：1.00）A.the financial problemB.the junglesC.the loss of machineryD.the diseas
7、es(3).The Americans succeeded in building the canal because _.（分数：1.00）A.their machines were betterB.they were able to control the diseasesC.they had bought the landD.the Spanish were defeated（分数：3.00）(1).According to the guide, what happened in 1869?（分数：1.00）A.Gold was discovered.B.The transcontine
8、ntal railroad was completed.C.The Golden Gate Bridge was constructed.D.Telegraph communications were established.(2).What“s the population of San Francisco today?（分数：1.00）A.Two million.B.Three million.C.Five million.D.Six million.(3).How much did it cost to complete the construction of the Golden Ga
9、te Bridge?（分数：1.00）A.Nineteen million dollars.B.Thirty-two million dollars.C.Thirty-seven million dollars.D.Forty-two million dollars.五、Section Reading(总题数：0，分数：0.00)六、Part A(总题数：1，分数：20.00)An Introduction to US GeographyThe vast expanse of the United States of America stretches from the heavily ind
10、ustrialized, metropolitan Atlantic seaboard across the rich flat farms of the central plains, over the Rocky Mountains to the fertile west coast, then halfway across the Pacific to the balmy island-state of Hawaii. The American scene awes the viewer with both its variety and size. The continental Un
11、ited States (not counting outlying Alaska and Hawaii)measures 4,500 kilometers from its Atlantic to Pacific coasts, 2,575 kilometers from Canada to Mexico. The entire nation (all 50 states) covers an area of 9 million square kilometers and has a population of 220 million people. The sparsely settled
12、, far-northern state of Alaska is the largest of America“s 50 states (in many countries they would be called provinces). It is more than two and a half times the size of Sichuan Province. Texas, in the southern part of the country, is second in size. Texas is half the size of Alaska. A land of heavy
13、 forests (311 million hectares) and barren deserts, of high-peaked mountains and deep canyons, America also enjoys beautiful rivers and lakes. The broad Mississippi River system, famed in song and legend, meanders 6,400 kilometers from Canada to the Gulf of Mexicothe world“s third longest river afte
14、r the Nile and Amazon. A canal in the north joins the Mississippi to the five great lakesthe world“s largest inland water transportation route and the biggest body of fresh water in the world. America“s early settlers were attracted by the fertile land and varied climates it offered for farming. Tod
15、ay, with I21 million hectares under cultivation, American farmers plant spring wheat on the cold western plain; they raise corn and fine beef cattle in the central plains, and rice in the damp heart of Louisiana. Florida and California are famous for their citrus fruits and tropical avocados; the co
16、ol rainy northern states for apples, pears, berries and vegetables. Underground, a wealth of minerals provides a solid base for American industry. History has glamorized the gold rushes to California and Alaska, and the silver finds in Nevada. Yet America“s yearly production of gold and silver is no
17、w valued far less than oil, copper, iron, coal and other minerals it mines. Texas, which is a big oil-producer in the southwest, accounts for one-fifth of the value of all US mineral production. America has long been known as a “melting pot“, for it is a nation of immigrants from all over the world.
18、 The first to arrivefrom Siberia, more than 10,000 years ago, it is believedwere the American Indians. Today they number nearly 850,000. Half of them live on land set aside for them in 31 states; the rest have “melted“ in with the rest of America“s nearly 220 million population. Europe, the major so
19、urce of immigration, began sending colonists to America in the early 17th century. Tens of millions flooded to America“s shores from Europe between 1880 and the First World War. The next largest group of Americans trace their ancestry to Africa. Black people now constitute over 11 percent of the pop
20、ulation. The melting pot has also absorbed nearly 600,000 Japanese, half a million Chinese and 340,000 Filipinos. Many live in Hawaii, more than two-thirds of whose people boast an Asian or Polynesian heritage. Once a nation of farmers, the United States has become increasingly urban since the turn
21、of the century. Today, three out of four Americans live in towns, cities or suburbs. Two-thirds of all families live in separate households, and 65 percent own their homes. Americans are always on the move. Each year, one in every five Americans leaves homes and jobs to find new ones somewhere else.
22、 The population is shifting ever westward. California recently passed New York as the most populous state, although New York City and Chicago are still larger than California“s largest City, Los Angeles. The nation“s capital, Washington, is ninth in size, with a population of over 700,000. Laid out
23、by the French architect Pierre L“Enfant in the late 18th century, it is the world“s first city especially planned as a center of government. Here, the elected representatives of the American people make the decisions that reflect the course Americans want their nation to take.（分数：20.00）(1).How many
24、continental states are there in the United States of America?（分数：4.00）A.Two.B.Forty-seven.C.Forty-eight.D.Fifty.(2).Which of the following is true?（分数：4.00）A.Alaska is a densely settled state.B.Alaska is the southernmost state in America.C.Alaska is as big as Texas.D.Alaska is the largest of America
25、“s 50 states.(3).Spring wheat is planted _.（分数：4.00）A.on the cold western plainB.on the central plains of USAC.in the cool rainy northeastern statesD.in Florida and California(4).From the text we know that _.（分数：4.00）A.25 percent Americans live in towns, cities or suburbsB.75 percent Americans live
26、in towns, cities or suburbsC.Two-thirds Americans live in towns, cities or suburbsD.65 percent Americans live in towns, cities or suburbs(5).“Americans are always on the move“ means that Americans（分数：4.00）A.are very active in political movementsB.are easily movedC.don“t like to work hardD.like chang
27、ing their homes and jobs七、Part B(总题数：1，分数：15.00)A. Refuse Gimmicks B. Be Wary of Price Levels C. Say No to Useless Things D. Never Pay List Price E. Stand up to Temptations F. Switchor Threaten to G. Don“t Buy on Impulse In recent years the basic market principles of competition and choice have expa
28、nded into new aspects of American life. Consumers now face a bewildering array of options for air travel, phone service, medical care, even postal service. Car buyers can shop on the Internet for the best price at any dealership in their area. In some parts of the country, homeowners can purchase el
29、ectricity from a menu of companies. All this choice translates into unprecedented consumer power. One of the persistent myths of capitalist culture is that business people love competition. They don“t. They spend their waking hours plotting ways to avoid it, and keep prices high. These days they use
30、 information technologies that give them intricate data on individual shoppers, and then present multiple prices to get each consumer to cough up the maximum he is willing to pay. The airlines have mastered this game, offering many levels of fares. So how can you make the most of your new power as a
31、 consumer? Here are rules to help you find your way. 1 In the New Economy, competition is so strong that fewer stores and services are immune to price pressure, so sharpen your bargaining skills. Ask retailers to match prices you“ve seen on the Internet. Ask at the checkout counter if there are any
32、coupons or discounts you can use. Ask hotel clerks if there are better rates available. You“ll be surprised how often the answer is yes. 2 As competition heats up and pushes prices down, businesses scramble to boost their profits by heaping on extras: rust proofing your car, service contracts on you
33、r appliance, prepaid gasoline for your rental car. These stunts are devised to make you pay more at the last minute and probably aren“t a good deal. 3 The information highway is a two-way street. As a consumer, you can get more data. But while you are roaming the Web, businesses are studying your ha
34、bits and vulnerabilities. Have a weakness for chocolates? Don“t be surprised if Amazon. com offers to sell you a box while you“re browsing for books. They“re using a wrinkle on the last-minute marketing pitch perfected by McDonald“s: “Would you like fries with that?“ The ploy works remarkably well.
35、4 Versioning is a tactic used by businesses to separate status-conscious consumers from the bargain hungry onessince the former mean bigger profit margins. “Deluxe“ and “platinum“ are code words used to entice status seekers to open their wallets. Add a third price level and the purses of even barga
36、in-hungry shoppers can be pried open. Research shows that many consumers who might pick the lower-priced option when given just two choices will choose the medium-priced alternative if given three. “Consumers try to avoid extreme options,“ write Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian in their book Informati
37、on Rules. 5 Consumers in the New Economy face more demands on their time and attention than ever before, so they“re inclined to make the most familiar choice. Consider this: it had been a decade and a half since the breakup of AT they raise corn and fine beef cattle in the central plains, and rice i
38、n the damp heart of Louisiana. Florida and California are famous for their citrus fruits and tropical avocados; the cool rainy northern states for apples, pears, berries and vegetables. Underground, a wealth of minerals provides a solid base for American industry. History has glamorized the gold rus
39、hes to California and Alaska, and the silver finds in Nevada. Yet America“s yearly production of gold and silver is now valued far less than oil, copper, iron, coal and other minerals it mines. Texas, which is a big oil-producer in the southwest, accounts for one-fifth of the value of all US mineral
40、 production. America has long been known as a “melting pot“, for it is a nation of immigrants from all over the world. The first to arrivefrom Siberia, more than 10,000 years ago, it is believedwere the American Indians. Today they number nearly 850,000. Half of them live on land set aside for them
41、in 31 states; the rest have “melted“ in with the rest of America“s nearly 220 million population. Europe, the major source of immigration, began sending colonists to America in the early 17th century. Tens of millions flooded to America“s shores from Europe between 1880 and the First World War. The
42、next largest group of Americans trace their ancestry to Africa. Black people now constitute over 11 percent of the population. The melting pot has also absorbed nearly 600,000 Japanese, half a million Chinese and 340,000 Filipinos. Many live in Hawaii, more than two-thirds of whose people boast an A
43、sian or Polynesian heritage. Once a nation of farmers, the United States has become increasingly urban since the turn of the century. Today, three out of four Americans live in towns, cities or suburbs. Two-thirds of all families live in separate households, and 65 percent own their homes. Americans
44、 are always on the move. Each year, one in every five Americans leaves homes and jobs to find new ones somewhere else. The population is shifting ever westward. California recently passed New York as the most populous state, although New York City and Chicago are still larger than California“s large
45、st City, Los Angeles. The nation“s capital, Washington, is ninth in size, with a population of over 700,000. Laid out by the French architect Pierre L“Enfant in the late 18th century, it is the world“s first city especially planned as a center of government. Here, the elected representatives of the
46、American people make the decisions that reflect the course Americans want their nation to take.（分数：20.00）(1).How many continental states are there in the United States of America?（分数：4.00）A.Two.B.Forty-seven.C.Forty-eight. D.Fifty.解析：(2).Which of the following is true?（分数：4.00）A.Alaska is a densely
47、settled state.B.Alaska is the southernmost state in America.C.Alaska is as big as Texas.D.Alaska is the largest of America“s 50 states. 解析：(3).Spring wheat is planted _.（分数：4.00）A.on the cold western plain B.on the central plains of USAC.in the cool rainy northeastern statesD.in Florida and Californ
48、ia解析：(4).From the text we know that _.（分数：4.00）A.25 percent Americans live in towns, cities or suburbsB.75 percent Americans live in towns, cities or suburbs C.Two-thirds Americans live in towns, cities or suburbsD.65 percent Americans live in towns, cities or suburbs解析：(5).“Americans are always on
49、the move“ means that Americans（分数：4.00）A.are very active in political movementsB.are easily movedC.don“t like to work hardD.like changing their homes and jobs 解析：七、Part B(总题数：1，分数：15.00)A. Refuse Gimmicks B. Be Wary of Price Levels C. Say No to Useless Things D. Never Pay List Price E. Stand up to Temptations F. Switchor Threaten to G. Don“t Buy on Impulse In recent years the basic market principles of competition and choice have expanded into new aspects of American life. Consumers now face a bewi
