1、公共英语四级-149 及答案解析(总分：64.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Section Use of Eng(总题数：1，分数：20.00)Standard English is the variety of English which is usually used in print and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers learning the language. It is also the variety which is normally 1 by educated people a
2、nd used in news broadcasts and other 2 situations. The difference between standard and nonstandard, it should be noted, has 3 in principle to do with differences between formal and colloquial 4 ; standard English has colloquial as well as formal variants. 5 , the standard variety of English is based
3、 on the London 6 of English that developed after the Norman Conquest resulted in the removal of the Court from Winchester to London. This dialect became the one 7 by the educated, and it was developed and promoted 8 a model, or norm, for wider and wider segments of society. It was also the 9 that wa
4、s carried overseas, but not one unaffected by such export. Today, 10 English is arranged to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary of English are 11 the same everywhere in the world where English is used; 12 among local standards is realIy quite minor, 13 the Singapore, South Africa, and Irish v
5、arieties are really very 14 different from one another so far as grammar and vocabulary are 15 . Indeed, Standard English is so powerful that it exerts a tremendous 16 on all local varieties, to the extent that many of long-established dialects of England have 17 much of their vigor and there is con
6、siderable pressure on them to be 18 . This latter situation is not unique 19 English: it is also true in other countries where processes of standardization are 20 . But it sometimes creates problems for speakers who try to strike some kind of compromise between local norms and national, even suprana
7、tional (跨国的) ones.（分数：20.00）A.saidB.toldC.talkedD.spokenA.sameB.similarC.equalD.identicalA.anythingB.somethingC.nothingD.everythingA.languageB.vocabularyC.idiomsD.wordsA.SurprisinglyB.HistoricallyC.InterestinglyD.GenerallyA.accentB.pronunciationC.spellingD.dialectA.preferredB.learnedC.praisedD.creat
8、edA.toB.inC.asD.forA.basisB.normC.ruleD.varietyA.formalB.colloquialC.non-standardD.standardA.notB.veryC.muchD.hardlyA.variationB.standardizationC.unificationD.transformationA.thereforeB.butC.so thatD.neverthelessA.greatB.muchC.noD.littleA.talkedB.concernedC.mentionedD.involvedA.pressB.pressureC.powe
9、rD.forceA.lostB.gainedC.missedD.gotA.abandonedB.changedC.standardizedD.reformedA.inB.ofC.forD.toA.in the wayB.under wayC.out of the wayD.all the way二、Section Reading Co(总题数：0，分数：0.00)三、Part A(总题数：0，分数：0.00)四、Passage 1(总题数：1，分数：5.00)For many years, any discussion of reparations to compensate the desc
10、endants of African slaves for 246 years of bondage and another century of legalized discrimination was dismissed. Many whites and blacks alike scoffed at the idea, reasoning that slavery is part of the past that would only unleash new demons if it were resurrected. Opponents contend that the fledgli
11、ng reparations movement overlooks many important facts. First, they assert, reparations usually are paid to direct victims, as was the case when the US government apologized and paid compensation to Japanese-Americans interned during World War . Similarly, Holocaust survivors have received payments
12、from the Germans. In addition, not all blacks were slaves, and an estimated 3, 000 were slave owners. Also, many immigrants not only came to the United States after slavery ended, but they also faced discrimination. Should they be paid reparations, too? Or should they receive them? And regardless of
13、 how much slave labor contributed to the United States“ wealth, opponents contend, blacks benefit from that wealth today. As a group, Afro-Americans are the best-educated, wealthiest blacks on the planet. But that attitude is slowly changing. At least 10 cities, including Chicago, Detroit and Washin
14、gton, have passed resolutions in the past two years urging federal hearings into the impact of slavery. Mainstream civil rights groups such as National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Urban League and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference regularly raise the is
15、sue. The surging interest in reparations parallels a heightened sensitivity to the horrors of slavery, in which as many as 6 million Africans perished in the journey to the Americas alone. There also is growing attention being paid to the huge economic bounty that slavery created for private compani
16、es and the country as a whole. Earliest this year, Aetna Inc. apologized for selling insurance policies that compensated slave owners for financial losses when their slaves died. Last summer, the Hartford Courant in Connecticut printed a front-page apology for the profits it made from running ads fo
17、r the sale of slaves and the capture of runaways. Next month, a new California law will require insurance companies to disclose any slave insurance policies they may have issued. The state also is requiring University of Californian officials to assemble a team of scholars to research the history of
18、 slavery and report how current California businesses benefited. Proponents of reparations argue that, even for nearly a century after emancipation in 1865, blacks legally were still excluded from the opportunities that became the cornerstones for the white middle-class.（分数：5.00）(1).The reasons put
19、forward by opponents of reparations include all the following EXCEPT that _.（分数：1.00）A.compensations usually go to direct victimsB.blacks who came after slavery ended should not receive compensationsC.blacks now are enjoying the wealth they created under slaveryD.some blacks were slave owners instea
20、d of slaves(2).“Immigrants“ in paragraph 3 refers to _.（分数：1.00）A.Afro-AmericansB.non-white immigrantsC.Japanese-AmericansD.holocaust survivors(3).That the reparations movement is winning support in America is shown in the fact that _.（分数：1.00）A.federal hearings were held to investigate the impact o
21、f slaveryB.even mainstream civil rights groups were persuadedC.growing attention is being paid to the wealth of the blacksD.there was more public awareness of the frightening experience of slavery(4).The two private companies that made public apology had _.（分数：1.00）A.compensated slave owners for fin
22、ancial lossesB.sold slaves and captured runawaysC.operated insurance and advertisement businessesD.depended on slavery for their existence(5).Which of the following is true according to the passage?（分数：1.00）A.US government killed Japanese-Americans during World War .B.A new Californian law disclosed
23、 slave-insurance policies.C.National Urban League is one of the civil rights groups.D.Blacks faced no discrimination after liberation in 1865.五、Passage 2(总题数：1，分数：4.00)Biologically, there is only one quality which distinguishes us from animals: the ability to laugh. In a universe which appears to be
24、 utterly devoid of humor, we enjoy this supreme luxury. And it is a luxury, for unlike any other bodily process, laughter does not seem to serve a biologically useful purpose. In a divided world, laughter is a unifying force. Human beings oppose each other on a great many issues. Nations may disagre
25、e about systems of government and human relations may be plagued by ideological factions and political camps, but we all share the ability to laugh. And laughter, in turn, depends on that most complex and subtle of all human qualities: a sense of humor. Certain comic stereotypes have a universal app
26、eal. This can best be seen from the world-wide popularity of Charlie Chaplin“s early films. The little man at odds with society never fails to amuse no matter which country we come from. As that great commentator on human affairs, Dr. Samuel Johnson, once remarked, “Men have been wise in very differ
27、ent modes; but they have always laughed in the same way.“ A sense of humor may take various forms and laughter may be anything from a relined tinkle to an earth quaking roar, but the effect is always the same. Humor helps us to maintain a correct sense of values. It is the one quality which politica
28、l fanatics appear to lack. If we can see the funny side, we never make the mistake of taking ourselves too seriously. We are always reminded that tragedy is not really far removed from comedy, so we never get a lopsided view of things. This is one of the chief functions of satire and irony. Human pa
29、in and suffering are so grim; we hover so often on the brink of war; political realities are usually enough to plunge us into total despair. In such circumstances, cartoons and satirical accounts of somber political e vents redress the balance. They take the wind out of pompous and arrogant politici
30、ans who have lost their sense of proportion. They enable us to see that many of our most profound actions are merely comic or absurd. We laugh when a great satirist like Swift writes about war in Gulliver“s Travels. The Lilliputians and their neighbors attack each other because they can“t agree whic
31、h end to break an egg. We laugh because we are meant to laugh; but we are meant to weep too. It is no wonder that in totalitarian regimes any satire against the establishment is wholly banned. It is too powerful a weapon to be allowed to flourish in totalitarian regimes. The sense of humor must be s
32、ingled out as man“s most important quality because it is associated with laughter. And laughter, in turn, is associated with happiness. Courage, determination, initiative-these are qualities we share with other forms of life. But the sense of humor is uniquely human. If happiness is one of the great
33、 goals of life, then it is the sense of humor that provides the key.（分数：4.00）(1).The most important of all human qualities is_.（分数：0.80）A.a sense of humorB.a sense of satireC.a sense of laughterD.a sense of history(2).The author mentions about Charlie Chaplin“s early films because_.（分数：0.80）A.they c
34、an amuse peopleB.human beings are different from animalsC.they show that certain comic stereotypes have a universal appealD.they show that people have the same ability to laugh(3).One of the chief functions of irony and satire is_.（分数：0.80）A.to show absurdity of actionsB.to redress balanceC.to take
35、the wind out of politiciansD.to show too much grimness in the world(4).What do we learn from the sentence “it is too powerful a weapon to be allowed to flourish in totalitarian regimes?“（分数：0.80）A.It can reveal the truth of political events with satire.B.It can arouse people to riot.C.It shows that
36、tragedy and comedy are related.D.It can make people laugh.(5).Who is Swift?（分数：0.80）A.A novelist.B.A poet.C.A dramatist.D.An essayist.六、Passage 3(总题数：1，分数：5.00)In a democratic society citizens are encouraged to form their own opinions on candidates for public offices, taxes, constitutional amendment
37、s, environmental concerns, foreign policy, and other issues, The opinions held by any population are shaped and manipulated by several factors: individual circumstances, the mass media, special-interest groups, and opinion leaders. Wealthy people tend to think differently on social issues from poor
38、people. Factory workers probably do not share the same views as white-collar workers, non-union workers. Women employed outside their homes sometimes have perspectives different from those of full-time homemakers. In these and other ways individual status shapes one“s view of current events. The mas
39、s media, especially television, are powerful influences on the way people think and act. Government officials note how mail from the public tends to “ follow the headlines “. Whatever is featured in news- papers and magazines and on television attracts enough attention that people begin to inform th
40、emselves and to express opinions. The mass media have also created larger audiences for government and a wider range of public issues than existed before. Prior to television and the national editions of newspapers, issues and candidates tended to re- main localized. In Great Britain and West German
41、y, for example, elections to the national legislatures were usually viewed by voters as local contests. Today“s elections are seen as struggles between party leaders and programs In the United States radio and television have been beneficial to the presidency. Since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt
42、 and his “fireside chats“, presidents have appealed directly to a national audience over the heads of Congress to advocate their programs. Special-interest groups spend vast sums annually trying to influence public opinion. Public utilities, for instance, tried to sway public opinion in favor of nuc
43、lear power plants. Opposed to them were citizens“ organizations successful advertising campaign designed to prevent the passage of medicare. Opinion leaders are usually such prominent public figures as politicians, some business personalities, and celebrity athletes. The opinions of these individual
44、s, whether informed and intelligent or not, carry weight with some segments of the population. Some individuals, such as Nobel Prize winners, are suddenly thrust into public view by the media. By quickly reaching a large audience, their views gain a hearing and ere perhaps influential in shaping vie
45、ws on complex issues.（分数：5.00）(1).How many factors could shape public opinion, as mentioned in the text?（分数：1.00）A.2.B.3.C.4.D.5.(2).The second paragraph is mainly about _.（分数：1.00）A.the influence of gender on people“s viewB.the influence of people“s status on their viewC.the influence of living sta
46、ndard on people“s viewD.the influence of different jobs on people“s view(3).The expression “follow the headlines“ (in Para. 3) shows _.（分数：1.00）A.people seldom have time to read newspaper articlesB.people think the headlines contain the most important informationC.people often get their opinions fro
47、m newspapers or televisionD.most people look on newspapers or TV as misleading(4).Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?（分数：1.00）A.TV programs have a strong influence on governmental policy.B.Chats on televisions are chief means of running for presidency.C.More and more people show
48、 interest in politics because of TV.D.Before the use of TV, people showed little interest in politics.(5).It is obvious that the opinion of famous people _.（分数：1.00）A.is often ignored by the publicB.is seldom expressed to the pointC.is often imposed on the publicD.has a strong influence on people七、P
49、assage 4(总题数：1，分数：5.00)The decision of the New York Philharmonic to hire Alan Gilbert as its next music director has been the talk of the classical-music world ever since the sudden announcement of his appointment in 2009. For the most part, the response has been favorable, to say the least. “Ooray! Last!“ wrote Anthony Tommasini, a sober-sided classical-music critic. One of the reasons why the appointment came as such a surprise, however, is that Gilbert is comparatively little known. Even Tommasini, who had advocated Gilbert“s appointm
