2012年6月英语四级考试模拟试题及答案
2012-05-31 11:50阅读：
Writing (30
minutes)
Directions: For this
part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the
topic “Vocational
Choices”. You should
write at least 120 words following the outline given below in
Chinese:
1.
就业选择;
2.
就业选择与所学专业的关系;
3.
谈谈你的看法。
SPAN>
Part II Reading
Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15
minutes)
Directions: In this
part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly. For
questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked
A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with
the information given in the passage.
Online
Degrees
Today, you can earn a
degree from a major university without ever having sat in one of
their classrooms. Many colleges and universities are jumping on the
distance learning bandwagon and offering online courses and degree
programs.
In this article
we’ll look at how online
degrees work, what you should look for if you are pursuing a degree
via the online option, and what employers think of online
degrees.
Online Learning
Programs
With a computer, an
Internet connection and a little self-discipline, you can earn a
degree from home, work, or anywhere else for that matter. Online
degree programs follow much the same routines as traditional
learning, with a few twists. There are lectures, but they won’t be
in person. There are assignments, but you won’t hand them to your
instructor. There are exams, but you won’t be able to look at your
neighbor’s paper. There may be a set time that “class” begins, but
you don’t have to be there then. In most situations, you are free
to “go to class” when it fits your schedule. If you get a phone
call during class, you don’t have to miss anything. If you get
sick, you don’t have to ask for someone’s notes, and you just visit
the lecture later.
You’ll communicate with your instructor by
e-mail, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and instant messaging. Your
classroom will live in a special software program that uses text
chat and bulletin boards, as well as streaming audio or recorded
lectures. You may be put into a virtual workgroup with other
students and be required to solve a problem. You may have to work
through interactive puzzles and quizzes. Contrary to popular
belief, you will have contact with other students and the
instructor.
Depending on the program and
institution, distance learning may consist of synchronous (live)
sessions or asynchronous (non-live) sessions. Transcripts and notes
from lectures are archived, so you can always go back if you missed
something. If there are live sessions with discussions among
students, you can go back to those as well. Assignments may even be
returned with audio clips so your instructors can convey their tone
of voice along with their comments.
Printed documents may
be sent to you through the mail, or you may have the options of
printing them yourself or reading them online.
Some schools require an
initial “boot
camp” held at the campus
(if there is one), where you will meet the other students,
instructors and support personnel. You’ll learn how to use the technology, learn about
the library and reference systems, and begin your
coursework.
Evaluating the
Program
So once you know the
school is accredited, is the decision easy? Not necessarily. There
are still a lot of questions to ask before you make your selection,
such as:
★How is the course
presented?
Investigate the method
by which the instructor gives lectures. Does the instructor simply
put the lecture online as text? Are there accompanying slides? Is
there any interaction? Is there video or audio? Are exams given?
How are assignments turned in? The format of the course is
sometimes as important as the content. Great content is more easily
absorbed if it’s done in a dynamic and innovative manner that
involves interaction between the student and instructor as well as
interaction with the content itself. Online learning technology
provides many opportunities for innovation. Find a school that
takes advantage of it.
★How do students
interact with each other?
Is there an established
method for interaction and congregating? Online programs can use
chat rooms, instant messaging, teleconferencing, and video
conferencing to communicate. The key is to find a program that has
this interaction built into it and even requires it. How the online
community functions should be very important to both the instructor
and the educational institution.
★Are the instructors
qualified?
Check out the
credentials and degrees the instructors hold, as well as their
knowledge of online learning and its differences from classroom
learning. What kind of support do the instructors get for their
online courses? If technical problems arise, is there someone to
turn to? A school that is dedicated to its online programs will
have the development staff and the support staff to make it
successful. Instructors (and students) have to be able to adapt to
changing technology.
★What kind of
reputation does the school have?
It may seem
simple — a good school
will have a good online program. That may be true, but it is also
probable that its online program is still too new to judge, so
you’re left with nothing
but the reputation of the school’s traditional programs. This reputation, however,
may not be as straightforward as you think. You can look at the
overall quality of the school and make a judgment, but there may be
weaknesses in the program in which you are interested. It’s not
uncommon for a great school to have a weak program or
two.
★How are students
evaluated?
Earning a degree should
mean just that — earning
it. If students aren’t
assessed properly and degrees are handed out with little or no
verification that any knowledge has been transferred from the
instructor to the student, then how can the program be rated?
Students, particularly adult students, learn more by doing than by
simply listening. For this reason, it is important to ensure that
part of the program involves applying what has been
learned.
The
Employer’s
View
The big question in
everyone’s mind
is, “Is an online degree
from an accredited college or university seen by potential
employers as a lesser degree?” Vault.com, a career network Website, did a survey of 239 HR
professionals. According to the results, 77 percent of respondents
believe that an online degree earned at an accredited institution
like Duke or Stanford is more credible than one earned at an
Internet-only institution.
Other sources, such as
Thomas L. Russell of North Carolina State University, did studies
that revealed that there is little if any difference in the quality
of education received through online distance learning versus
traditional classrooms. John Losak at Nova Southeastern University
in Fort Lauderdale found similar results in his own study. He
analyzed graduation rates, time to graduation, and knowledge, as
well as other elements. He found the students performed as well or
better in online courses.
As more and more people
get online degrees and use them in the workforce, HR managers and
hiring managers will begin to feel more secure about the quality of
education these people have. If the studies that were done by
Thomas L. Russell and John Losak — showing the quality of online education to be as
good as or better than that of traditional education — hold up on a
larger scale, then the future of getting jobs and advancements
based on online degrees will be bright.
Until then, choose
schools carefully, and check for accreditation and strong programs.
When you’ve completed
the degree, go to job interviews armed with information to counter
any questions about the quality or validity of your degree. Make
sure the interviewer knows how you achieved the degree, how you
worked it into a busy schedule, how you overcame any obstacles. It
will show a self-motivation and discipline that may be just the
qualities the company is looking for.
1. Which of the
following is the unique characteristic of online education that
traditional education doesn’t have?
A) There are lectures,
but they won’t be in
person.
B) There are
assignments, and you must hand them to your
instructor.
C) If you get sick, you
have to ask for someone’s notes.
D) If you get a phone
call during class, you will miss something.
2. What can you do in
some schools’ initial “boot
camp”?
A) To meet the other
students and instructors. B) To read books in the
library.
C) To attend class in
person. D) To hand your paper to your
instructor.
3. What is the best
type of online lecture?
A) One with no
accompanying slides. B) One that is simply put online as
text.
C) One without video or
audio. D) One with interaction during the
lecture.
4. Great content is
more easily absorbed if it’s done in a ________ manner.
A) static and
innovative B) traditional and obsolete
C) dynamic and
innovative D) simple and active
5. What is the most important
part of online communication?
A) To use chat rooms
and instant messaging to communicate.
B) To find a program
that has interaction built into it.
C) To find an
established method for interaction.
D) To use video
conferencing to communicate.
6. What will be
employers’ view about
online degrees as more are used in the
workforce?
A) They will feel
doubtful about the quality of online education.
B) They will feel more
secure about the quality of online education.
C) They will not be
quite sure about the quality of online
education.
D) They will fully
trust the quality of online education.
7. What may be the
qualities that some companies are looking for according to the
passage?
A) Quality of your
degree. B) Validity of your degree.
C) Self-motivation and
discipline. D) Ability to overcome obstacles.
8. A school that is
dedicated to its online programs will have the _______ and the
support staff to make it successful.
9. The reputation of
the school, however, may not be as __________ as you
think.
10. Students,
particularly __________, learn more by doing than by simply
listening.
(Reading in Depth) (25
minutes)
■ 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 identified
by a letter. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than
once.
Questions 11 to 20 are based on
the following passage.
The anthropologist
(人类学家) Clifford Geertz
defines culture as a “historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in
symbols ... by 11 of which men can communicate, perpetuate and
develop their own knowledge about and attitudes towards
life.”
Why is it important
that you 12 about other cultures? There are a number of reasons.
Some may do it 13 because they find fascinating the different ways
that people think, speak, act, evaluate, and communicate. But let
me assume that you are a more pragmatic sort of person, and are 14
in the “cash value” of a course like this — apart, that is, from
the grade you will receive at the end of it. What is a class like
this good for? Let me make a couple of suggestions on how what you
learn in this class may prove 15 to you in the
future:
Business: Geert
Hofstede’s excellent
book on culture is 16 not primarily out of academic theory, but out
of his study of the practical problems faced by one particular
modern corporation (IBM), which exists across national and cultural
17 . In the world we live in, understanding 18 in general and also
specific individual cultures in particular can make the difference
between success and failure in the global market and
economy.
Politics and Diplomacy:
If your career goal involves anything that relates to international
politics and diplomacy, then understanding other cultures is 19
.
Neighbors: If none of
these previous factors 20 you, then you can just look at this class
as a lesson in good neighborliness in the global
village.
A) learn I)
boundaries
B) written J)
ways
C) means K)
motivates
D) simply L)
important
E) exactly M)
disturbs
F) interested N)
read
G) culture O)
useless
H)
useful
■ Section
B
Directions: There are 2
passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some
questions or unfinished sentences. For each of them there are four
choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best
choice.
Passage
One
Questions 21 to 25 are
based on the following passage.
As concern about swine
flu sweeps the globe, the best way to protect yourself from
contracting it or other infectious diseases is with a dose of
common sense: Wash your hands frequently, cover your coughs and
sneezes and stay home from work or school if you feel
ill.
These guidelines may
seem basic, but they’re
effective in warding off the spread of infections. Richard Besser,
acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), said, “Control of an outbreak of infectious disease is a shared
responsibility. It’s important that individuals realize they have a
key role to play in reducing their own likelihood of getting
infected.”
Specifically, people
are wise to wash their hands often with soap and warm water for 15
to 20 seconds at a time or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if
water isn’t accessible.
The CDC also recommends avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
to prevent the spread of germs.
Symptoms of swine flu
are similar to those of regular seasonal influenza. People with
swine flu often get a fever, headache, cough, sore throat, body
aches, chills and fatigue. Some also have gastrointestinal symptoms
such as diarrhea or vomiting.
Swine flu is a virus
that usually affects pigs but appears to have acquired the ability
to pass from person to person, though it’s unclear how easily it can be transmitted this
way.
If you become sick,
stay home for the period of infection, which is typically seven
days, although children may be contagious for longer. Once on the
mend, don’t return to
work or school until at least a day after symptoms have
disappeared, Besser said.
“Wearing a face mask
when out in public isn’t
warranted in most cases,” he said. “I know
some people feel more comfortable having a mask, and there are
certain circumstances where that may be of value, but I would
rather people really focus on hand-washing, as well as covering
coughs and sneezes.”
Other social practices
may need to be adjusted, such as the salutary kiss
that’s customary in some
regions.
“If
you’re in an affected
area or you have the swine flu, it’s probably best not to give a kiss,”
Besser said.
“But we’re not recommending the end of affection
during the period.”
21. To protect yourself from
swine flu, it is a good idea to __________.
A) have baths
frequently B) cover your coughs and sneezes
C) stay home from work
or school if you feel tired D) eat an apple every
day
22. The underlined
phrase “warding
off” in the second
paragraph can be replaced by “_______”.
A) investigating B)
increasing C) preventing D) decreasing
23. What does Richard
Besser mean by saying “Control of ... getting infected.”?
A) It is the
government’s
responsibility to fight against infectious
diseases.
B) It is the
patients’ responsibility
to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
C) It is
everybody’s
responsibility to control the outbreak of infectious
diseases.
D) It is
doctors’ and
experts’ responsibility
to fight against infectious diseases.
24. According to the
passage, what do we know about swine flu?
A) Swine flu can be
transmitted easily among pigs but not among
people.
B) Symptoms of swine
flu are different from those of regular seasonal
influenza.
C) People with swine
flu often get a stomachache, headache and
toothache.
D) Swine flu is a virus
that has acquired the ability to pass from person to
person.
25. What does Richard
Besser think of wearing a face mask?
A) It can protect
people from getting infected.
B) It can make people
feel comfortable and is affordable.
C) It
isn’t as effective as
hand-washing and covering your mouth when you cough or
sneeze.
D) It is more effective
than hand-washing and covering coughs and
sneezes.
Passage
Two
Questions 26 to 30 are
based on the following passage.
Sixteen-year-old Karlos
Dearman’s future is
looking much brighter than he might previously have
imagined. “I’ve always been
into bikes, but never thought I’d end up working with them,” he says. “This scheme has changed my life.”
Karlos is learning to
refurbish (翻新) old
bicycles in the workshop of ReCycle Bikes, a local community
charity in Sheffield, which has a contract with the city council to
provide training opportunities for young people aged 14 to 16,
particularly those struggling in mainstream education or excluded
from school.
“It’s about engaging youngsters with education
and youth training by teaching them work and life skills,”
explains Des Pearce, workshop
training manager. “These
young people have so much potential, but often
don’t realize
it.”
Established in 2001,
ReCycle Bikes repairs bicycles donated by the public, which, once
restored, are sold for ￡20. Abandoned bikes supplied by the council ensure a steady
flow of bikes, but a recently formed partnership with Sheffield
University should improve further the prospects of the young
mechanics.
“The student population
presents a large and ready market,” says Pearce. “So we approached the university last year and offered to
host bike sales on the campus. They thought it was a great idea,
and agreed to supplement our council funding. This means we can
train youngsters to repair extra 500 bikes over three years, and
fund Karlos’s apprenticeship.”
Having set up ReCycle
Bikes on his own, Pearce now has the staff and resources to track
the career development of those who have passed through his
workshop.
“At the moment we
depend on anecdotal evidence from the schools,” he says. “But we are planning exit interviews with the young
people to ascertain what they plan to do, and these will allow us
to check on their progress.”
That most of the
teenagers enjoy the work is, according to Pearce, easily
explained. “Most kids
have ridden a bike and know how to oil a chain or mend a puncture.
As low-cost transport, cycling gives the young and old a sense of
freedom and independence, and the impact on their well-being is
immense. Add to that a growing concern for the environment, and
it’s no surprise that bike sales are on the
increase.”
26. What do we know about
ReCycle Bikes?
A) It is a popular
brand of bikes which are sold in Sheffield.
B) It is a local
community charity that provides training opportunities for young
people.
C) It is a contract
signed between a local community charity and the city
council.
D) It is a training
program offered by the city council to those excluded from
school.
27. How did ReCycle
Bikes run at the beginning?
A) By repairing
bicycles donated by the public and selling
them.
B) By donations from
the public and Sheffield University.
C) By selling bicycles
supplied by the city council.
D) By tuition fees from
kids aged between 14 and 16.
28. ReCycle Bikes has
formed a partnership with Sheffield University because
____________.
A) students at
Sheffield University assure a large and ready
market
B) Sheffield University
offers many mechanical teachers to ReCycle
Bikes
C) Sheffield University
donates a lot of money to ReCycle Bikes
D) teenagers at ReCycle
Bikes can study at Sheffield University in the
future
29. Why does ReCycle
Bikes depend on information from the schools?
A) The schools give
accurate information.
B) Students dislike
telling the truth in interviews.
C) ReCycle Bikes
doesn’t have the ability
to track students’ career development.
D) All the training
organizations do it this way.
30. According to Pearce, why do
most of the teenagers enjoy the work?
A) Most kids want to
learn how to repair bikes.
B) Teenagers
don’t have enough money
to buy cars.
C) Youngsters care more
about bikes than adults.
D) Teenagers are familiar with
bikes and they have a passion for them.
Cloze (15
minutes)
Directions: There are
20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four
choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should choose the ONE that
best fits into the passage.
Barack Obama was born
to a white American mother, Ann Dunham, and a black Kenyan father,
Barack Obama, Sr., who were 31 young college students at the
University of Hawaii. When his 32 left for Harvard, Barack and his
mother stayed behind, and his father 33 returned alone to Kenya,
where he worked as a government economist. Barack’s mother 34 an
Indonesian oil manager and moved to Jakarta when Barack was six. He
later 35 Indonesia as simultaneously lush and a harrowing 36 to
tropical poverty. He returned to Hawaii, where he was 37 up largely
by his grandparents. The family lived in a small apartment — his
grandfather was a furniture salesman and an unsuccessful insurance
agent and his grandmother 38 in a bank — but Barack managed to get
into Punahou School, Hawaii’s top prep 39 . His father wrote to him
regularly but, though he traveled around the world on official 40
for Kenya, he visited only once, when Barack was
ten.
Obama attended Columbia
University, but found New York’s racial tension 41 . He became a community organizer for a
small Chicago church-based group for three years, helping poor
South Side residents 42 with a wave of plant closings. He then
attended Harvard Law School, and in 1990 became the first 43
-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. He turned down a 44
judicial clerkship, choosing instead to practice civil-rights law
back in Chicago, 45 victims of housing and employment 46 and
working on voting-rights legislation. He also began teaching at the
University of Chicago Law School. Eventually he 47 as a Democrat
for the state senate seat from his district, which included both
Hyde Park and some of the poorest ghettos on the South Side, and
won.
In 2004 Obama was 48 to
the U.S. Senate as a Democrat, representing Illinois, and gained
national attention by giving a rousing and 49 keynote speech at the
Democratic National Convention in Boston. In 2008 he ran 50
president as a democrat and won. He is set to become the 44th
president of the Unites States and the first African-American ever
elected to that position.
31. A) both B) either
C) neither D) each
32. A) son B) father C)
daughter D) mother
33. A) only B)
ultimately C) simply D) initially
34. A) remarried B)
taught C) remained D) acted
35. A) took B)
suspected C) recounted D) figured
36. A) exposition B)
exposure C) expectation D) exhibition
37. A) brought B) given
C) turned D) cheered
38. A) died B) worked
C) educated D) lived
39. A) army B)
allocation C) academy D) association
40. A) apprentice B)
market C) sale D) business
41. A) important B)
impossible C) inescapable D) indispensable
42. A) match B) agree
C) cope D) connect
43. A) African B) Asian
C) European D) Latin
44. A) profound B)
perfect C) possible D) prestigious
45. A) saving B)
commenting C) calling D) representing
46. A) dispute B)
discrimination C) difference D) disposal
47. A) ran B) jogged C)
competed D) formed
48. A) gone B) elected
C) moved D) suggested
49. A) massive B)
well-received C) dull D) tedious
50. A) for B) as C) in
D) with
Part V Translation (5
minutes)
Directions: Complete
the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in
brackets.
51. He never
____________________ (后悔做过的事情).
52. The students
__________________ (表现出极大兴趣) learning math.
53. ________________
(令他失望的是), she did not
show up in the show.
54. These phrases are
very useful, and are ____________ (值得写下来).
55. Experts tell us
that it is difficult to _______________ (适应文化差异).
Part I
Writing
One possible
version:
Vocational
Choices
Vocational choices mean
what kind of positions you want to take after graduation. Different
people hold totally different attitudes towards vocational
choices.
Some people want to
take positions that are related to their majors, some not.
Personally, I would prefer to work in an area that is closely
related to my specialized knowledge. Why? Because applying what I
have learned to practice gives me a sense of
achievement.
There is no doubt that
this sense of achievement could also be achieved through success in
other areas, but in terms of vocational choices, a greater sense of
achievement can be got in your own major. Whatever your view on
vocational choices is, the first priority should be placed on
comprehension of professional knowledge.
来源：新东方英语四级（http://edu.21cn.com/kcnet1820/）
