2012年12月英語四級考試真題及答案(第2套)

1、2012年12月英語四級考試真題及答案（第2套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay. You should start your essay with a brief account of the increasing use of the mobile phone in people's life and then explain the consequences of overusing it. You shou

2、ld write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.EJacHtion; A Wjrihy Invtstnicnt IJirrmptnjiiiipni rat# tir 101。(%注意，此部分試題在答題卡1上ElfjJCil tlOH P理Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly an

3、d answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. 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.Should Sugar Be Regulated like Alcohol and Tobacco?Sugar poses enough health risks

4、that it should be considered a controlled substance just like alcohol and tobacco, argue a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).In an opinion piece called "The Toxic (毒性的)Truth About Sugar" published Feb. 1 in Nature, Robert Lustig, Laura Schmidt and

5、Claire Brindis argue that it's wrong to consider sugar just "empty calories." They write: "There is nothing empty about these calories. A growing body of scientific evidence is showing that fructose ( 果糖)can trigger processes that lead to liver toxicity and a host of other chronic

6、 diseases. A little is not a problem, but a lot kills-slowly."Almost everyone's heard of-or personally experienced-the well-known sugar high, so perhaps the comparison between sugar and alcohol or tobacco shouldn't come as a surprise. But it's doubtful that Americans will look favor

7、ably upon regulating their favorite vice. We're a nation that's sweet on sugar: the average US adult downs 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association, and surveys have found that teens swallow 34 teaspoons.To counter our consumption, the authors advocate taxing

8、sugary foods and controlling sales to kids under 17. Already, 17% of US children and teens are obese （ 肥胖的 ）, and across the world the sugar intake （ 攝入 ） has increased three times in the past 50 years. The increase has helped create a global obesity plague that contributes to 35 million annual deat

9、hs worldwide from noninfectious diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Linda Matzigkeit, a senior vice president at Children's Healthcare, said "We have to do something about this or our country is in danger. It's not good if your state has the second-highest obesity rat

10、e. Obese children turn into obese adults. ""There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids （氨基酸） and bad amino acids," Lustig, director of the Weight Assessment for Teen andChild Health program at UCSF, said in a statement. "B

11、ut sugar is toxic beyond its calories."The food industry tries to imply that "a calorie is a calorie," says Kelly Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. "But this and other research suggests there is something different about sugar,&

12、quot; says Brownell.The UCSF report emphasizes the metabolic （ 新陳代謝的 ） effects of sugar. Excess sugar can alter metabolism, raise blood pressure, affect the signaling of hormones and damage the liver-outcomes that sound suspiciously similar to what can happen after a person drinks too much alcohol.

13、Schmidt, co-chair of UCSF's Community Engagement and Health Policy program, noted on CNN: "When you think about it, this actually makes a lot of sense. Alcohol, after all, is simply made from sugar. Where does vodka come from? Sugar. "But there are also other areas of impact that resea

14、rchers have investigated: the effect of sugar on the brain and how liquid calories are interpreted differently by the body than solids. Research has suggested that sugar activates the same reward pathways in the brain as traditional drugs of abuse like morphine or heroin. No one is claiming the effe

15、ct of sugar is quite that strong, but, says Brownell, "it helps confirm what people tell you sometimes, that they hunger for sugar and have withdrawal symptoms when they stop eating it."There's also something particularly tricky about sugary drinks. "When calories come in liquids,

16、 the body doesn't feel as full," says Brownell. "People are getting more of their calories than ever before from sugared drinks."Other countries, including France, Greece and Denmark, impose soda taxes, and the concept is being considered in at least 20 US cities and states. Last

17、summer, Philadelphia came close to passing a 2-cents-per-ounce soda tax. The Rudd Center has been a strong advocate of a more modest 1-cent-per-ounce tax. But at least one study, from 2010, has raised doubts that soda taxes would result in significant weight loss: apparently people who are determine

18、d to eat- anddrink-unhealthily will find ways to do it. Teens-no surprise-are good at finding ways to get the things they can't have, so state policies banning all sugar-sweetened drinks from public schools and providing only water, milk or 100% fruit juices haven't had the intended effect o

19、f steering kids away from drinking sugared drinks: the average teen consumes about 300 calories per day-that's nearly 15% of his daily calories-in sweetened drinks, and the food and drink industry is only too happy to feed this need.Ultimately, regulating sugar will prove particularly tricky bec

20、ause it goes beyond health concerns; sugar, for so many people, is love. A plate of cut-up vegetables just doesn't pack the same emotional punch as a tin of home-made chocolate chip cookies ( 餅干 ), which is why I took my daughter out for a cupcake and not an apple as an after-school treat today.

21、 We don't do that regularly-it's the first time this school year, actually-and that's what made it special. As a society, could we ever reach the point where we'd think apples-not a cupcake-are something to get excited over? Says Brindis, one of the report's authors and director

22、of UCSF's Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies: "We recognize that there are cultural and celebratory aspects of sugar. Changing these patterns is very complicated."For inroads (進(jìn)展 ) to be made, say the authors in their statement, people have to be better educated about th

23、e hazards of sugar and agree that something's got to change:Many of the interventions (干預(yù) ) that have reduced alcohol and tobacco consumption can be models for addressing the sugar problem, such as imposing special sales taxes, controlling access, and tightening licensing requirements on vending

24、 machine ( 自動售貨機(jī)) and snack-bars that sellhigh sugar products in schools and workplaces."We're not talking prohibition," Schmidt said. "We're not advocating a major imposition of the government into people's lives. We're talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumpt

25、ion slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people's choices by making foods that aren't loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get."注意：此部分試題請在答題卡1 上作答。1. Why do some researchers think sugar sho

26、uld be considered "a controlled substance"?A) It contains nothing but empty calories.B) It is as harmful as morphine and heroin.C) It works the same way as alcohol and tobacco in the human body.D) Excessive intake of sugar results in liver toxicity and various diseases.2. What might be Ame

27、ricans' attitude towards government regulation of sugar consumption?A) Enthusiastic. B) Indifferent. C) Disapproving. D) Supportive.3. What is a consequence of excessive sugar intake worldwide?A) It contributes to 35 million noninfectious disease-related deaths a year.B) It has increased the dea

28、th toll nearly three times in the past 50 years.C) It contributes to the rise of prices of sugar and sugary foods.D) It has increased the global obesity rate to some 17 percent.4. The food industry tries to relieve the public worry about sugar intake by suggesting that .A) sugar is no more than a so

29、urce of energyB) sugar is not harmful like alcohol or tobaccoC) the hazard of sugar to the body is exaggeratedD) the consumption of sugar is easily controllable5. According to Brownell, liquid sugar .A) is especially attractive to young childrenB) is much easier and quicker to absorb than solid suga

30、rC) effectively stimulates people's appetiteD) increases your calorie intake without your knowing it6. What does the author think of the practice of imposing sugar taxes?A) It will harm the food and drink industry.B) It is unlikely to yield the intended effect.C) It is likely to alter people'

31、;s eating habits.D) It can steer kids away from sugary foods.7. Regulating sugar will prove tricky because .A) people consume sugar in large quantitiesB) nothing has been found to replace sugarC) sugar may convey a sense of loveD) many foods will become tasteless8. In order to reduce sugar consumpti

32、on, education should be conducted to raise people's awareness of its .9. To address the sugar problem, the author suggests that the licensing requirements on vending machine and snack-bars selling high sugar products be .10. A gentle way to steer people away from sugar is to make inexpensive, lo

33、w-sugar foodsPart III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)Section ADirections: 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 the questions will be spok

34、en 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. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分試題請在答題卡2 上作答。11. A) Find a shortcu

35、t to the park.B) Buy some roses from the market.C) Plant trees in the east end of town.D) Go to the park to enjoy the flowers.12. A) She has been invited to give a talk.B) She is going to meet the man at 9:30.C) She cannot attend the presentation.D) She cannot work because of her toothache.13. A) He

36、 is a very successful businessman.B) He has changed his business strategy.C) He is making plans to expand his operation.D) He was twenty when he took over the company.14. A) She has every confidence in Susan.B) She has not read the news on the Net.C) She is a little bit surprised at the news.D) She

37、is not as bright and diligent as Susan.15. A) It is more comfortable and convenient to take a bus.B) It is worth the money taking a train to Miami.C) It is not always cheaper going by bus.D) It is faster to go to Miami by train.16. A) Antiques can improve their image.B) Preservation of antiques is i

38、mportant.C) The old furniture should be replaced.D) They should move into a new office.17. A) All roads were closed because of the flood.B) The man stayed at the lab the whole night.C) The man got home late due to the storm.D) The storm continued until midnight.18. A) Many children feel bored when l

39、eft alone.B) The woman's sons might enjoy team sports.C) The woman's kids can play soccer with his son.D) Children should play sports at least once a week.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A) Make phone calls to promote sales.B) Arrange business negotia

40、tions.C) Handle complaints from customers.D) Take orders over the phone.20. A) They had different business strategies.B) Customers often mistook one for the other.C) Conflicts between them could not be properly solved.D) Customers' questions could not be answered on the same day.21. A) They each

41、 take a week.B) They like to spend it together.C) They have to take it by turns.D) They are given two weeks each.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.22. A) At a road crossing.B) Outside a police station.C) Near a school.D) In front of a kindergarten.23. A) He drove t

42、oo fast to read it.B) He did not notice it.C) It says 45 miles an hour.D) It is not clearly visible.24. A) It should have been renewed two months ago.B) It actually belongs to somebody else.C) It is no longer valid.D) It is not genuine.25. A) He got a ticket.B) He was fined $35.C) He had his driver&

43、#39;s license canceled.D) He had to do two weeks' community service.Section BDirections: 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 cho

44、ose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分試題請在答題卡2 上作答。Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the conversation you have just heard.26. A) They care more about an item's

45、price than its use.B) They grab whatever they think is a good bargain.C) They become excited as if they had never been there.D) They behave as if their memories have failed totally.27. A) Those with a VIP card. C) Those needing assistance.8) Those with 15 items or less. D) Those paying in cash.28. A

46、) Go back and pick up more items. C) Change the items they have picked up.8) Take out some unwanted purchases. D) Calculate the total cost of the groceries.29. A) It calls for carefulness. C) It needs a good knowledge of math.8) It requires tolerance. D) It involves communication skills.Passage TwoQ

47、uestions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.30. A) A package of ideas formally presented.B) A short presentation clearly delivered.C) A natural and spontaneous style ot speech.D) A clever use of visual aids in presentation.31. A) The skillful use of gestures and facial expressions

48、.B) Differences in style between writing and speaking.C) Different preferences of audiences.D) The importance of preparation.32. A) The differences between American and Asian cultures.B) The significance of cross-cultural communication.C) The increasing importance of public speaking.D) The key to be

49、coming a good speaker.Passage ThreeQuestions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. A) By comparing his performance with others'.B) By being repeatedly corrected by adults.C) By observing what their teachers do.D) By being given constant praise.34. A) The best students are usu

50、ally smart by nature.B) It is only natural for children to make errors.C) Children cannot detect their own mistakes.D) All children should have equal opportunities.35. A) It is favorable to knowledge accumulation.B) It is beneficial to independent children.C) It is unhealthy to students' upbring

51、ing.D) It is unhelpful to students' learning.Section CDirections: 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

52、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 main points in your own words. Finally, when the pass

53、age is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.注意：此部分試題請在答題卡2 上作答。Time is, for the average American, of utmost importance. To the (36) visitor, Americansseem to be more concerned with getting things (37)on time (according to a predeterminedschedule) than they are with develop

54、ing deep (38)relations. Schedules, for the American,are meant to be planned and then followed in the smallest (39).It may seem to you that most Americans are completely (40)by the little machines theywear on their wrists, cutting their discussions off (41)to make it to their next appointmenton time.

55、Americans' language is filled with (42)to time, giving a clear (43)of how much it isvalued. Time is something to be "on," to be "kept," "filled," "saved," "wasted," "gained," "planned," "given," "made the most o

56、f," even "killed."The international visitor soon learns that (44).Time is so valued in America, because by considering time to be important one can clearly achieve more than if one "wastes" time and doesn't keep busy. This philosophy has proven its worth. (45). Many Amer

57、ican proverbs( 諺語 ) stress thevalue of guarding time, using it wisely, and setting and working toward specific goals. (46).Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes) Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for e

58、ach 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.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Yo

59、u may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.When Carly Fiorina became Hewlett-Packard's first female chief executive officer, the existence of her househusband, Frank Fiorina, who had retired early from AT&T to support her c

60、areer, was a mini-sensation (小轟動) ; now this arrangement isn't - 47 - at all. Seven of the 18 women who are - 48 - CEOs of Fortune 500 companies-including Xerox's Ursula Burns and PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi-have, or at some point have had, a stay-at-home husband. So do scores of - 49 - CEOs of smaller companies and w