1、公共英语四级试题二 2015 年及答案解析(总分：110.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Use of English(总题数：1，分数：40.00)There was a time when parents who wanted an educational present for their children would buy a typewriter, a globe or an encyclopedia set. Now those _ seem hopelessly old _ fashioned: this Christmas, there were a lot of _ com
2、puters under the tree. _ that computers are their key to success, parents are also frantically insisting that children _ taught to use them on school-as early as possible. The problem for schools is that when it _ computers, parents dont always know best. Many schools are _ parental impatience and a
3、re purchasing hardware without _ educational planning so they can say, “OK, weve moved into the computer age.“ Teachers _ themselves caught in the middle of the problem-between parent pressure and _ educational decisions. Educators do not even agree _ how computers should be used. A lot of money is
4、going for computerized educational materials _ research has shown can be taught _ with pencil and paper. Even those who believe that all children should _ to computer warn of potential _ to the very young. The temptation remains strong largely because young children _ so well to computers. First gra
5、ders have been _ willing to work for two hours on math skills. Some have an attention span of 20 minutes. _ school, however, can afford to go into computing, and that creates _ another problem: a division between the haven s and have _ note s. Very few parents ask _ computer instruction in poor scho
6、ol districts, _ there may be barely enough money to pay the reading teacher.（分数：40.00）A.itemsB.toysC.setsD.seriesA.privateB.childrenC.schoolD.personalA.GivenB.ProvidedC.ConvincedD.BelievedA.areB.beC.are beingD.wereA.talks aboutB.comes toC.turns toD.mentionsA.ignorant ofB.blamingC.yielding toD.improv
7、ingA.reasonB.soundC.hardD.someA.relied onB.relaxedC.freedD.foundA.wiseB.cleverC.slowD.enoughA.onB.withC.toD.amongA.howeverB.whereC.whatD.thatA.equallyB.the same wayC.just as wellD.not as wellA.be openB.have accessC.lookD.turnA.approachesB.exposuresC.dangersD.lazinessA.adoptB.keepC.adaptD.devoteA.wat
8、chedB.seenC.toldD.taughtA.HighB.Not everyC.NoD.AnyA.alreadyB.of courseC.in additionD.yetA.forB.againstC.to buyD.to useA.in thatB.in any caseC.althoughD.where二、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：4，分数：40.00)One hundred and thirteen million Americans have at least one bank _ issued credit card. They give their o
9、wners automatic credit in stores, restaurants, and hotels, at home, across the country, and even abroad, and they make many banking services available as well. More and more of these credit cards can be read automatically, making it possible to withdraw or deposit money in scattered locations, wheth
10、er or not the local branch bank is open. For many of us the” cashless society” is not on the horizon-it s already here. B While computers offer these conveniences to consumers, they have many advantages for sellers too. Electronic cash registers can do much more than simply ring up sales. They can k
11、eep a wide range of records, including who sold what, when, and to whom. This information allows businessmen to keep track of their list of goods by showing which items are being sold and how fast they are moving. Decisions to reorder or return goods to suppliers can then be made. At the same time t
12、hese computers record which hours are busiest and which employees are the most efficient, allowing personnel and staffing assignments to be made accordingly. And they also identify preferred customer for promotional campaigns. Computers are relied on by manufacturers for similar reasons. Computer an
13、alyzed marketing reports can help to decide which products to emphasize now, which to develop for the future, and which to drop. Computers keep track of goods in stock, of raw materials on hand, and even of the production process itself. Numerous other commercial enterprises, from theaters to magazi
14、ne publishers, from gas and electric utilities to milk processors, bring better and more efficient services to consumers through the use of computers.（分数：10.00）(1).According to the passage, the credit card enables its owner to .（分数：2.00）A.withdraw as much money from the bank as he wishesB.obtain mor
15、e convenient services than order people doC.enjoy greater trust from the storekeeperD.cash money where he wishes to(2).From the last sentec of the first paragraph we learn that. （分数：2.00）A.in the future all the Americans will use credit cardsB.credit cards are mainly used in the United States todayC
16、.nowadays many Americans did not pay in cashD.it is now more convenient or use credit cards than before(3).The phrase“ring up sales“most probably means .（分数：2.00）A.make an order of goodsB.record sales on a cash registerC.call the sages managerD.keep track of the goods in stock(4).What is this passag
17、e mainly about?（分数：2.00）A.Approaches to the commercial use of computers.B.Conveniences brought about by computers in business.C.Significance of automation in commercial enterprises.D.Advantage of credit cards in business.(5).It can be inferred that（分数：2.00）A.Computers will bring disaster.B.Computer
18、industry will not develop faster.C.Computers will bring about more convenience to people s life.D.None.Studies of the effect that makes many of us slumber or feel sleepy during the queen s Speech on Christmas Day have revealed that changes may be required in Britain s drink drive legislation. Dr Jam
19、es Horne, director of the Sleep Research Laboratory at Loughborough University, is investigating pose _ lunch sleepiness.“We humans are designed to sleep twice a day, once at night and a short nap after lunch, but in this part of the world we tend to repress that.“ It is a remnant of the same primev
20、al programming that makes all animals in the bush rest in the hot afternoon sun to conserve energy. “Hot environments make it worse and many cultures living near the equator“, says Dr Horne,“have conceded to the inevitable, where the afternoon siesta is the way of life.“ In this studies Dr Horne has
21、 been investigating the role of alcohol.“The theory is that if you are more sleepy after lunch then it figures that alcohol will be more potent after lunch. One would figure then that a pint of beer at lunchtime has more effect than in the evening, when people are more alert. Indeed, we find that it
22、 has about twice the effect.“ This has more sinister implications.“If people take alcohol up to the legal driving limit, their performance is seriously impaired after lunch.“ He said. It seems that alcohol interacts with the circadian rhythm of sleep to cause afternoon sleepiness, so that one pint a
23、t lunch _ time is equivalent, in effect, to a quart in the evening. “For this reason, most drivers ought not to drink at all at lunchtime and the legal blood alcohol limit is no guide to safe driving here,“said Dr Horne. For those who wish to enjoy the Queen s speech, Dr Horne recommends mild exerci
24、se, a splash of cold air or cold water on the face, or a cup of coffee. Otherwise, take a cat nap. But this should be less than 15 minutes,“otherwise, sleep really sets in and one can wake up feeling very groggy and far sleepier than to ? be in with.“（分数：10.00）(1).It is implied that British people （
25、分数：2.00）A.like to take a short nap after lunch.B.dont take a short nap after lunch.C.dont feel sleepy after lunch.D.like to sleep twice a day.(2).take a rest in the hot afternoon sun. （分数：2.00）A.All animals in the bushB.The remnant of the same primeval programmingC.The same primeval programmingD.All
26、 animals in the world(3).Most drivers ought not to drink at all at lunch time because （分数：2.00）A.alcohol will be less potent after lunch.B.a pint of beer at lunchtime is equivalent to a quart in the evening, it cause afternoon sleepiness.C.people are more alert at lunchtime.D.it is not legal to drin
27、k at lunchtime.(4).According to the passage, if you sleep more than 15 minutes after lunch（分数：2.00）A.you will be refreshed.B.you will be waken up.C.you will feel far sleepier.D.you will take a cat nap.(5).It can be inferred that （分数：2.00）A.People are not allowed to drive after they drink one quarter
28、 in the evening.B.People are still allowed to drive after they drink one quarter in the evening.C.People are still allowed to drive after they drink out pint at lunch time.D.NoneSociety was fascinated by science and things scientific in the nineteenth century. Great breakthroughs in engineering, the
29、 use of steam power, and electricity were there for all to see, enjoy, and suffer. Science was fashionable and to it is not surprising that, during this great period of industrial development, scientific methods should be applied to the activities of man, particularly to those involved in the proces
30、ses of production. Towards the end of the nineteenth century international competition began to make itself felt. The three industrial giants of the day, Germany, America, and Great Britain, began to find that there was a limit to the purchasing power of the previously apparently inexhaustible marke
31、ts. Science and competition therefore provided the means and the need to improve industrial efficiency. Frederick Winslow Taylor is generally acknowledged as being the father of the scientific management approach, as a result of the publication of his book. The Principles of Scientific Management, p
32、ublished in 1911. However, numerous other academics and practitioners had been actively applying such approaches since the beginning of the century. Charles Babbage, and English academic, well _ known for his invention of the mechanical computer (with the aid of a government grant as long as 1820) a
33、pplied himself to the costing of processes, using scientific methods, and indeed might well be recognized as one of the fathers of cost accounting. Taylor was of well _ to _ do background and received an excellent education but, partly owing to troubles with his eyesight, decided to become an engine
34、ering apprentice. He spent some twenty _ five years in the tough, sometimes brutal, environment of the US steel industry and carefully studied methods of work when he eventually attained supervisory status. He made various significant innovations in the area of steel processing, but his claim to fam
35、e is through his application of methods of science to methods of work, and his personal efforts that proved they could succeed in a hostile environment. In 1901, Taylor left the steel industry and spent the rest of his life trying to promote the principles of managing scientifically and emphasizing
36、the human aspects of the method, over the slave _ driving methods common in his day. He died in 1915, leaving a huge school of followers to promote his approach worldwide.（分数：10.00）(1).According to the passage, what was badly needed to improve industrial efficiency? （分数：2.00）A.Great breakthroughs.B.
37、Unlimited purchasing power.C.Science and competition.D.International competition.(2).Taylor is most famous for. （分数：2.00）A.his application of scientific methods to workB.his book “The Principles of Scientific Management“C.his various innovations in steel processingD.The spreading of his scientific m
38、anagement method(3).Charles Babbage, an English academic,. （分数：2.00）A.tried to use computers in production processesB.first used computers in the area of cost accountingC.was the father of modern computersD.tried a scientific management approach(4).Taylor s scientific management method was described
39、 as . （分数：2.00）A.scientific and humanB.efficient but slave _ drivingC.academic but practicableD.brutal but highly successful(5).When he died in 1905, Taylor （分数：2.00）A.purchased a steel mill.B.sold a steel mill.C.started to protect environment.D.left a huge school of followers.This is the weather Sc
40、obie loves. Lying in bed he touches his telescope lovingly, turning a wistful eye on the blank wall of rotting mud _ bricks which shuts off his view of the sea. Scobie is getting on for seventy and still afraid to die; his one fear is that he will awake one morning and find himself dead-Lieutenant _
41、 Commander Scobie, O.B.E. Consequently it gives him a severe shock every morning when the water _ carriers shriek under his window before dawn, waking him up. For a moment, he says, he dares not open his eyes. Keeping them fast shut (for fear they might open on the heavenly host) he gropes along the
42、 cake _ stand beside his bed and grabs his pipe. It is always loaded from the night before and an open matchbox stands beside it. The first whiff of tobacco restores both his composure and his eyesight. He breathes deeply, grateful for reassurance. He smiles. He gloats. Then, drawing the heavy sheep
43、skin which serves him as a bed _ cover up to his ears, he sings a little triumphal song to the morning. Taking stock of himself he discovers that he has the inevitable headache. His tongue is raw from last night s brandy. But against these trifling discomforts the prospect of another day in life wei
44、ghs heavily. He pauses to slip in his false teeth. He places his wrinkled fingers to his chest and is comforted by the sound of his heart at work. He is rather proud of his heart. If you ever visit him when he is in bed he is almost sure to grasp your hand in his and ask you to feel it. Swallowing a
45、 little, you shove your hand inside his cheap night _ jacket to experience those sad, blunt, far _ away humps-like those of an unborn baby. He buttons up his pajamas with touching pride and give his imitation roar of animal health-“Bounding from my bed like a lion“-that is another of his phrases. Yo
46、u have not experienced the full charm of the man unless you have actually seen him, bent double with rheumatism, crawling out from between his coarse cotton sheets like a ruin. Only in the warmest months of the year do his bones thaw out sufficiently to enable him to stand erect. In the summer after
47、noons he walks in the park, his little head glowing like a minor sun, his jaw set in a violent expression of health. His tiny nautical pension is hardly enough to pay for one cockroach _ infested room; he ekes it out with an equally small salary from the Egyptian government, which carries with it th
48、e proud title of Bimbashi in the Police Force. Origins he has none. His past spreads over a dozen continents like a true subject of myth. And his presence is so rich with imaginary health that he needs nothing more-except perhaps an occasional trip to Cairo during Ramadhan, when his office is closed
49、 and presumably all crime comes to a standstill because of the past.（分数：10.00）(1). Scobie liked to have his telescope in bed because （分数：2.00）A.he enjoyed looking at the passers _ by, even if he could see the sea.B.he refused touching it and looking through it at the wall.C.he refused to accept the fact that he could not see the sea.D.he enjoyed looking at he passers _ by, even if he coul
