1、大学英语四级模拟试卷 301及答案与解析 一、 Part I Writing (30 minutes) 1 For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write A Letter of Congratulations on your friends graduation from university and getting a good job. You should write at least 120 words and pay attention to the form of the letter. Your letter should
2、include the following contents: 1. 表示祝贺 2相信并鼓励他在未来的工作中能做得更好 3送上祝福 二、 Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions attached to the passage. For questions 1-7, mark： Y (for
3、YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage. 1 Harsh Reality of the American Dream by Humphrey Hawksley (BBC News, United States
4、) It was a brilliant, hot day on the Seattle waterfront, with unspoilt views across the bay to outlying islands. Just beyond a stretch of grass where people lay with books and lovers, came the melody of live unaccompanied singing. It turned out to be four men outside a cafe singing a love song about
5、 Cupid, each with different voice ranges, and a deep, swaying crowd, clapping along. The Starbucks logo of the cafe struck me as a little old-fashioned until someone mentioned that this was the first Starbucks ever opened anywhere in the world. I had come to Seattle because of a recent survey by the
6、 Centre for Economic Performance in London, on how easy or difficult it was to get rich in different parts of the world or if not rich, at least move out of poverty. “If you are born into poverty in the US,“ said one of its authors, “you are actually more likely to remain in poverty than in other co
7、untries in Europe, the Nordic countries, even Canada, which you would think would not be that different.“ Possibilities The Study, together with general anti-American sentiment (情绪 ) which has become more prevalent since the Iraq war, raised for me a question about the American dream the idea that t
8、he United States is a place where anything is possible. I had chosen Seattle not only because Starbucks was created there, but also because Microsoft and Amazon Books and Boeing airliners all come from this small city. Dreams, if you want, which began small but are now global brands. “Great day, isn
9、t it?“ I turned to see the lined, and drawn face of a man I will call Dave. “Are you getting what you want?“ We had met a couple of days earlier when he was having breakfast at a charity for the broke and homeless, and I had asked him if he believed in the American dream. “The American dream.“ Dave
10、said, eating a muffin and wiping his lips with a paper napkin. “Well, it comes and goes. It will come again.“ Winners and losers In a low-ceilinged eating hall, maybe 100 men sat side by side along trestle tables. They had queued up since five, registered in case there was any work, then ate while s
11、ecurity guards watched over them in case there was trouble. In Europe or just across the border in Canada, they would be more likely to get social security, but this was America, where society is harshly divided into winners and losers. Strangely, though, there seemed to be little resentment or blam
12、e of government. American culture is about self-reliance and the individual fighting a way through. “The American dream,“ said one of the men, his eyes dartingly alive, his nose so skewed it must have been broken many times in different fights. “I guess you are talking about a home, wife, children a
13、nd all that.“ “Do you have it?“ I said. “No. No. I dont. I had my opportunities, but I lost.“ Control Just up the road in a small print shop, a fit, thoughtful former air force officer, Bobby Ray Forbes, was slotting calendars into envelopes. His life collapsed when his marriage went wrong. He had e
14、nded up on the street, but recently had managed to get a job and keep it. “Oh sure, I have had the house, picket fence, two cars.“ he said. “But I put myself in a position where the government could take control. Right now I am happy just being back in control.You see, what a lot of people do not kn
15、ow is that the key is not getting the American dream. It is holding onto it.“ In Europe, the government is entwined with a lot of what we do, yet in America, I felt a sentiment that the more say the government has over you, the more you carry a sense of failure. Yet millions still yearn to come and
16、take up the challenge. A million a year settle to start the process of becoming American citizens. Half a million actually take the oath. Flag waving At the landscaped Seattle centre, using cards and newspapers to shield themselves from the sun, rows and rows of immigrants at a naturalisation (入籍 )
17、ceremony listened to local officials speak about various aspects of the American dream. They came from everywhere: Britain, France, Iran, Iraq the name of every country read out, to cheers, as if we were at the Oscars and, of course, the waving of American flags. “Why do you want to live here and no
18、t in Europe?“ I asked a young woman from Ethiopia, who tipped back her Seattle Mariners baseball cap and looked at me as if I were completely mad. “Europe.“ she said disdainfully (轻蔑地 ). “What do they ever hope for in Europe? Here they have a law that you can dream to be happy.“ 2 Recently Humphrey
19、Hawksley, a BBC news reporter, came to Seattle to carry out a survey, enquiring whether that once universal idea of the American dream still exists. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 3 According to an American author, if one is born into poverty in the United States, it is even more difficult for him or her to
20、get out of poverty than in some European countries. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 4 Since the Iraq war, many an American has come to realize that it is almost impossible for him or her to strike it rich no matter how hard he or she works. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 5 The reporter chose Seattle as the site for th
21、e survey because it is a newly emerging big city more or less characterized by the spirit of “American Dream.“ （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 6 There is much bitter feeling among those who, deprived of their social security benefits, queued at an eating hall and registered for jobs available. （ A） Y （ B） N （
22、 C） NG 7 According to the former air force officer, people who have little control over their own life would inevitably feel like a failure. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 8 Many people have immigrated to America rather than elsewhere because they think in the United States there is a law to ensure their hap
23、piness. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 9 Judging from the American values, those who have been down and out in the battle of life should _. 10 From this report we learn that each year there are about _ people immigrating into the US and about _ people may become American citizens. 11 British reporter Humphre
24、y Hawksley is somewhat _ about the availability of the so-called American Dream. Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and th
25、e questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A, B, C and D, and decide which is the best answer. （ A） Seven-thirty. （ B） Eight oclock. （ C） Seven oclock. （ D） Six-thirty. （ A） Go out with Francesca. （ B） Have
26、 some coffee with the woman. （ C） Stay at home. （ D） Do his work. （ A） Go fishing. （ B） Eat in a restaurant. （ C） Go shopping. （ D） Buy some fish. （ A） At a store. （ B） At a bank. （ C） At a post office. （ D） At an airport. （ A） He thinks Tom has made a good decision. （ B） He thinks Tom has too much
27、time to spare. （ C） Hes very upset. （ D） He is somewhat surprised. （ A） On the last page. （ B） On a page close to the end. （ C） In the middle of the book. （ D） On the front page. （ A） He isnt interested in the news. （ B） Hes surprised that the woman knows. （ C） He was also going to look for a job. （
28、 D） He thinks that the woman made a mistake. （ A） The mans business trip was successful. （ B） His train was delayed. （ C） His journey back from Scotland took him four hours. （ D） He had little sleep last night. （ A） Defendant and lawyer. （ B） Lawyer and witness. （ C） Witness and judge. （ D） Witness
29、and defendant. （ A） A blue car ran into a white Ford. （ B） A white Ford suddenly pulled out in front of him. （ C） A white Ford and a blue car crashed head-on. （ D） A blue car and a white Ford collided on a side road. （ A） The driver of the blue car. （ B） The driver of the white Ford. （ C） Neither th
30、e driver of the blue car nor the driver of the white Ford. （ D） Both the drivers of the blue car and the white Ford. （ A） He was looking at his speedometer. （ B） He was following the blue car. （ C） He saw a traffic sign for speed limit by the side of the road. （ D） He never ran faster than the speed
31、 limit on that road. Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A
32、, B, C and D. （ A） They learned the English way of swimming. （ B） They beat an English team easily in a competition. （ C） They introduced breast stroke to England. （ D） They failed in the competition. （ A） An Australian family. （ B） An American family. （ C） An English family who moved to Australia.
33、（ D） An Australian family who moved to England. Section C Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the bla
34、nks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the 25 Most of us are burdened by the past and anxious ab
35、out the future, making it difficult to enjoy the present. People skilled at enjoying the present are often【 B1】_as “living in the moment. “,There are two ways of being in the moment, says Jay Koch, a social worker and counselor. “One is to【 B2】 _out all thoughts and concentrate on an【 B3】 _task, lik
36、e, say, hitting a golf ball. Another is to【 B4】_oneself from ones thoughts especially【 B5】 _ thoughts in order to achieve a state of【 B6】 _. The key to more fully experiencing the moment youre in is the ability to relax. Which isnt necessarily easy in our complex, 【 B7】 _ lifestyles.“ Koch says sett
37、ing aside 10 minutes a day to spend alone, in silence, is the first step. “Then just sit and breathe, and each time you【 B8】 _, focus your attention on your exhaling breath. 【 B9】 _“Observe your thoughts, but dont allow them to stay with you. When you feel yourself focusing on a specific thought or
38、feeling, return your attention to your breathing.“ Koch says studies have shown that【 B10】 _. “This, in turn, helps create the state of mind that allows you tn more fully experience the moment,“ he says.【 B11】 _“. 26 【 B1】 27 【 B2】 28 【 B3】 29 【 B4】 30 【 B5】 31 【 B6】 32 【 B7】 33 【 B8】 34 【 B9】 35 【
39、B10】 36 【 B11】 Section A Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is id
40、entified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item with a single line through the center. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once. 36 There are many points of view on the present condition of the world we live in and its future. One very strong attitude is t
41、hat【 S1】 _are causing problems for themselves and for the rest of the【 S2】 _and animal world. In this view, unless we all change our way of living, the future will be either unpleasant or impossible. There will be too many people trying to live off too few resources in an atmosphere and an environme
42、nt that is unhealthy and unendurable. This, the【 S3】 _view, looks at how a small【 S4】 _of the people on the earth now use most of its energy and resources, while the rest of the people produce too many children. All of us are using up and killing what is good and creating mostly problems for the fut
43、ure. There is an【 S5】 _opinion, which holds that this is the best time humanity has ever experienced and that whatever made us【 S6】 _in the past will only continue to improve our condition in the future. In this, the【 S7】 _view, problems of not enough food and resources are seen as challenges that n
44、eed to overcome with our intelligence and technology, just as we always have.【 S8】 _between people are not important, however, because even the poorest of people alive today are healthier, and have more opportunities than any who has ever lived before. There are no easy answers to the questions thes
45、e two sides raise. Neither side, however, can【 S9】 _that modern societies have created problems that, because of the size and power of modern technology, threaten to make our【 S10】 _lives much less pleasant than our own. Whether or not this happens depends on how serious the problems become and how
46、effective our solutions are. A) optimistic B) realistic C) well-off D) humans E) deny F) descendants G) privilege H) opposite I) physical J) futurists K) mankind L) percentage M) pessimistic N) opponent O) inequality 37 【 S1】 38 【 S2】 39 【 S3】 40 【 S4】 41 【 S5】 42 【 S6】 43 【 S7】 44 【 S8】 45 【 S9】 46
47、 【 S10】 Section B Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. 46 It is common for older people to forget things. Now an Ameri
48、can study has found that memory starts to fail when we are young adults. People younger than thirty years of age usually do not know that they are starting to forget information. But scientists from the University of Michigan say the loss of memory usually has already started. Researchers say people
49、 do not observe this slow reduction in mental ability until the loss affects their everyday activities. Denise Park led the new study. She directs the Center for Aging and Cognition at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Her team studied more than 350 men and women between the ages of twenty and ninety years. The study identified peo
