1、公共英语四级-348 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Section Listening (总题数：1，分数：20.00)1.1-20 略（分数：20.00）_二、Section Use of Eng(总题数：1，分数：20.00)With Airbuss giant A380 airliner about in to take to the skies, you might think planes could not get much bigger and you would be right. For a given design, it turns (21)
2、, there comes a point where the wings become too heavy to generate (22) lift to carry their own weight. (23) a new way of designing and making materials could (24) that problem. Two engineers (25) University College London have devised an innovative way to customise and control the (26) of a materia
3、l throughout its three-dimensional structure. In the (27) of a wing, this would make possible a material that is dense, strong and load-bearing at one end, close to the fuselage, (28) the extremities could be made less dense, lighter and more (29) . It is like making bespoke materials, (30) you can
4、customise the physical properties of every cubic millimetre of a structure. The new technique combines existing technologies in a(n) (31) way. It starts by using finite-element-analysis software, of the type commonly used by engineers, (32) a virtual prototype of the object. The software models the
5、stresses and strains that the object will need to (33) throughout its structure. Using this information it is then (34) to calculate the precise forces acting on millions of smaller subsections of the structure. (35) of these subsections is (36) treated as a separate object with its own set of force
6、s acting on it and each subsection (37) for a different microstructure to absorb those local forces. Designing so many microstructures manually (38) be a huge task, so the researchers apply an optimisation program, called a genetic algorithm, (39) This uses a process of randomization and trial-and-e
7、rror to search the vast number of possible microstructures to find the most (40) design for each subsection.（分数：20.00）A.offB.outC.awayD.inA.manyB.muchC.enoughD.necessaryA.ButB.AndC.OrD.YetA.findB.discoverC.get overD.get aroundA.ofB.atC.inD.fromA.propertiesB.natureC.qualitiesD.characteristicsA.sample
8、B.caseC.conditionD.situationA.whileB.whichC.whatD.whereA.easyB.flexibleC.reflectiveD.compatibleA.asB.sinceC.becauseD.so long asA.novelB.strangeC.oddD.peculiarA.createsB.and createsC.creatingD.to createA.standB.sustainC.understandD.withstandA.possibleB.impossibleC.likelyD.unlikelyA.EachB.OneC.EveryD.
9、AllA.nextB.thenC.afterD.sinceA.asksB.callsC.demandsD.requiresA.is toB.shouldC.wouldD.has toA.in orderB.in placeC.in spiteD.insteadA.perfectB.completeC.suitableD.proper三、Section Reading Co(总题数：0，分数：0.00)四、Part A(总题数：0，分数：0.00)五、Text 1(总题数：1，分数：5.00)If the various advocates of the conflicting options
10、are all smart, experienced, and well-informed, why do they disagree so completely? Wouldnt they all have thought the issue through carefully and come to approximately the same “best“ conclusion? The answer to that crucial question lies in the structure of the human brain and the way it processes inf
11、ormation. Most human beings actually decide before they think. When any human being executive, specialized expert, or person in the street encounters a complex issue and forms an opinion, often within a matter of seconds, how thoroughly has he or she explored the implications of the various courses
12、of action? Answer: not very thoroughly. Very few people, no matter how intelligent or experienced, can take inventory of the many branching possibilities, possible outcomes, side effects, and undesired consequences of a policy or a course of action in a matter of seconds. Yet, those who pride themse
13、lves on being decisive often try to do just that. And once their brains lock onto an opinion, most of their thinking thereafter consists of finding support for it. A very serious side effect of argumentative decision making can be a lack of support for the chosen course of action on the part of the
14、“losing“ faction. When one faction wins the meeting and the others see themselves as losing, the battle often doesnt end when the meeting ends. Anger, resentment, and jealousy may lead them to sabotage the decision later, or to reopen the debate at later meetings. There is a better way. As philosoph
15、er Aldous Huxley said, “It isnt who is right, but what is right, that counts. “ The structured-inquiry method offers a better alternative to argumentative decision making by debate. With the help of the Internet and wireless computer technology, the gap between experts and executives is now being dr
16、amatically closed. By actually putting the brakes on the thinking process, slowing it down, and organizing the flow of logic, its possible to create a level of clarity that sheer argumentation can never match. The structured-inquiry process introduces a level of conceptual clarity by organizing the
17、contributions of the experts, then brings the experts and the decision makers closer together. Although it isnt possible or necessary for a president or prime minister to listen in on every intelligence analysis meeting, its possible to organize the experts information to give the decision maker muc
18、h greater insight as to its meaning. This process may somewhat resemble a marketing focus group; its a simple, remarkably clever way to bring decision makers closer to the source of the expert information and opinions on which they must base their decisions.（分数：5.00）(1).From the first 3 paragraphs w
19、e can learn that _.（分数：1.00）A.executive, specialized expert, are no more clever than person in the street.B.very few people decide before they think.C.those who pride themselves on being decisive often fail to do soD.people tend to consider carefully before making decisions(2).Judging from the conte
20、xt, what does the word “them“ (Line 4, Paragraph 4) refer to?（分数：1.00）A.Decision makers.B.The “losing“ faction.C.Anger, resentment, and jealousy.D.Other people.(3).Aldous Huxleys remark (Para. 5) implies that _.（分数：1.00）A.there is a subtle difference between right and wrongB.we cannot tell who is ri
21、ght and what is wrongC.what is right is more important than who is rightD.what is right accounts for the question who is right(4).According to the author, the function of the structured-inquiry method is _.（分数：1.00）A.to make decisions by debateB.to apply the Internet and wireless computer technology
22、C.to brake on the thinking process, slowing it downD.to create a level of conceptual clarity(5).The structured-inquiry process can be useful for _.（分数：1.00）A.decision makersB.intelligence analysis meetingC.the experts informationD.marketing focus groups六、Text 2(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Every spring migrating s
23、almon return to British Columbias rivers to spawn. And every spring new reports detail fresh disasters that befall them. This year is no different. The fisheries committee of Canada s House of Commons and a former chief justice of British Columbia, Bryan Williams, have just examined separately why 1
24、. 3 m sockeye salmon mysteriously “disappeared“ from the famed Fraser river fishery in 2004. Their conclusions point to a politically explosive conflict between the survival of salmon and the rights of First Nations, as Canadians call Indians. In 2004, only about 524,000 salmon are thought to have r
25、eturned to the spawning grounds, barely more than a quarter the number who made it four years earlier. High water temperatures may have killed many. The House of Commons also lambasted the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for poor scientific data, and for failing to enforce catch lev
26、els. Four similar reports since 1992 have called for the departments reform. In vain. its senior officials are “in denial“ about its failings, said the committee. Mr Williams report added a more shocking twist. He concluded that illegal fishing on the Fraser river is “rampant and out of control“, wi
27、th “no-go“ zones where fisheries of ricers are told not to confront Indian poachers for fear of violence. The judge complained that the DFO withheld a report by one of its investigators which detailed extensive poaching and sale of salmon by members of the Cheam First Nation, some of whom were armed
28、. Some First Nations claim an unrestricted right to fish and sell their catch. Canadas constitution acknowledges the aboriginal right to fish for food and for social and ceremonial needs, but not a general commercial right. On the Fraser, however, the DFO has granted Indians a special commercial fis
29、hery. To some Indians, even that is not enough. Both reports called for more funds for the DFO, to improve data collection and enforcement. They also recommended returning to a single legal regime for commercial fishing applying to all Canadians. On April 14th, Geoff Regan, the federal fisheries min
30、ister, responded to two previous reports from a year ago. One, from a First Nations group, suggested giving natives a rising share of the catch. The other proposed a new quota system for fishing licenses, and the conclusion of long-standing talks on treaties, including fishing rights, with First Nat
31、ions. Mr Regan said his department would spend this year consulting “stakeholders“ (natives, commercial and sport fishermen). It will also launch pilot projects aimed at improving conservation, enforcement and First Nations access to fisheries.（分数：5.00）(1).The “explosive conflict“ in Para 1 refers t
32、o _.（分数：1.00）A.salmons return to spawn and its survivalB.The fisheries committee of Canadas House of Commons and Bryan WilliamsC.the struggle between sockeye salmon and human beingsD.the collision between salmons survival and human fishery(2).The number of salmon every spring in British Columbias ri
33、vers four years earlier is _.（分数：1.00）A.1.3 millionB.about 524,000C.about 1,824,000D.above 2,000,000(3).Which of the following is NOT the reason for the decrease of salmon according to Mr Williams?（分数：1.00）A.High water temperatures.B.Shocking twist.C.Illegal fishing.D.Officials failings.(4).Geoff Re
34、gan, the federal fisheries minister is most probably going to _.（分数：1.00）A.responding to two previous reportsB.proposing a new quota system for fishing licensesC.consulting natives, commercial and sport fishermenD.keeping a balance between conservation, enforcement and fisheries(5).The best title fo
35、r the passage may be _.（分数：1.00）A.Where have the salmon goneB.How to protect the salmonC.Environment and fisheryD.The survival of salmon and the rights of First Nations七、Text 3(总题数：1，分数：5.00)People in business can use foresight to identify new products and services, as well as markets for those prod
36、ucts and services. An increase in minority populations in a neighborhood would prompt a grocer with foresight to stock more foods linked to ethnic tastes. An art museum director with foresight might follow trends in computer graphics to make exhibits more appealing to younger visitors. Foresight may
37、 reveal potential threats that we can prepare to deal with before they become crises. For instance, a corporate manager with foresight might see an alarming rise in local housing prices that could affect the availability of skilled workers in the region. The publics changing values and priorities, a
38、s well as emerging technologies, demographic shifts, economic constraints (or opportunities), and environmental and resource concerns are all parts of the increasingly complex world system in which leaders must lead. People in government also need foresight to keep systems running smoothly, to plan
39、budgets, and to prevent wars. Government leaders today must deal with a host of new problems emerging from rapid advances in technology. Even at the community level, foresight is critical: School officials, for example, need foresight to assess numbers of students to accommodate, numbers of teachers
40、 to hire, new educational technologies to deploy, and new skills for students (and their teachers) to develop. Many of the best-known techniques for foresight were developed by government planners, especially in the military, when the post-World War atomic age made it critical to “think about the un
41、thinkable“ and prepare for it. Pioneering futurists at the RAND Corporation (the first “think tank“) began seriously considering what new technologies might emerge in the future and how these might affect U.S. security. These pioneering futurists at RAND, along with others elsewhere, refined a varie
42、ty of new ways for thinking about the future. The futurists recognized that the future world is continuous with the present world, so we can learn a great deal about what may happen in the future by looking systematically at what is happening now. The key thing to watch is not events (sudden develop
43、ments or one-day occurrences) but trends (long-term ongoing shifts in such things as population. land use, technology, and governmental systems). Using these techniques and many others, futurists now can tell us many things that may happen in the future. Some are nearly certain to happen, such as th
44、e continuing expansion in the worlds population. Other events are viewed as far less likely, but could be extremely important if they do occur, such as an asteroid colliding with the planet.（分数：5.00）(1).Correctly exercising foresight is shown in the case of _.（分数：1.00）A.new products and servicesB.an
45、 increase in minority populationsC.stocking more foods with ethnic tastesD.the appealing art museum director(2).Which of the following may be regarded as potential crises?（分数：1.00）A.An alarming rise in local housing pricesB.The availability of skilled workers in the regionC.The lack of skilled worke
46、rs in the regionD.The publics changing values and priorities(3).All the following are cited as examples of the importance of exercising foresight EXCEPT _.（分数：1.00）A.government administratorsB.school officialsC.school students and teachersD.government planners(4).According to the text, the most impo
47、rtant for the futurists to grasp is _.（分数：1.00）A.the future worldB.the present worldC.what is happening nowD.the world trends(5).The best title for the passage may be _.（分数：1.00）A.The Use of ForesightB.How to exercise ForesightC.Foresight in Business and GovernmentD.The best-known techniques for for
48、esight八、Text 4(总题数：1，分数：5.00)When they were children, Terri Schiavos brother Bobby accidentally locked her in a suitcase. She tried so hard to get out of the suitcase that she jumped up and down and screamed. The scene predicted, horribly, how she would end, though by that stage she had neither walk
49、ed nor talked for more than 15 years. By the time she finally died on March 31st, her body had become a box out of which she could not escape. More than that, it had become a box out of which the United States government, Congress, the president, the governor of Florida and an army of evangelical protestors and bloggers would not let her escape. Her life, whatever its quality, became the property not merely
