大学英语四级历年真题
part i listening comprehension (20 minutes)
section a
directions: in this section, you will hear 10 short at the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was both the conversation and the question will be spoken only after each question there will be a during the pause, you must read the four choices marked a), b), c) and d), and decide which is the best then mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the
example: you will hear:
you will read:
a) at the
b) in the waiting
c) at the
d) in a
from the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they had to finish in the this conversation is most likely to have taken place at the therefore, a) "at the office" is the best you should choose [a] on the answer sheet and mark it with a single line through the
sample answer [a] [b] [c] id]
) the man could buy a shirt of a different
b) the size of the shirt is all right for the
c) the size the man wants will arrive
d) the man could come some time
) the woman is watching an exciting film with the
b) the woman can’t take a photo of the
c) the woman is running toward the
d) the woman is filming the
) it’s quiet in the
b) the price is high in the
c) the restaurant serves good
d) the restaurant is too far from their
) at a booking
b) in a hong kong
c) on a busy
d) at an
) the woman has been complaining too
b) the woman’s headache will go away by
c) the woman should have seen the doctor
d) the woman should confirm her appointment with the
) help the woman move the
b) hurry to ’s
c) help move things to ’s
d) put off his appointment with
) the man should not dream of being a
b) the man didn’t practice hard
c) the man should find a new
d) the man should not give
) there is no more
b) it doesn’t appeal to
c) it’s incredibly
d) she has already tasted
) the man is usually the last to hand in his test
b) the man has made a mess of his midterm
c) the man has bad study
d) the man is a diligent
) the man will drive the woman to
b) the man has finished his
c) the man is willing to help the
d) the man is losing patience with the
section b
passage one
questions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just
) the art of saying thank
b) the secret of staying
c) the importance of good
d) the difference between elegance and good
) they were nicer and
b) they paid more attention to their
c) they were willing to spend more money on
d) they were more aware of changes in
) by decorating our
b) by being kind and
c) by wearing fashionable
d) by putting on a little
passage two
questions 14 to 16 are based on the passage you have just
) children don’t get enough education in
b) children are keen on dangerous
c) the playgrounds are in poor
d) the playgrounds are
) they should help maintain the
b) they should keep a watchful eye on their
c) they should stop their children from climbing
d) they should teach their children how to use the
) they tend to stay within shouting or running distance of their
b) they should be aware of the porential risks in the
c) they may panic in front of high playground
d) they can be creative when they feel
passage there
questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just ]
) it takes
b) it pays
c) it’s full-time
d) it’s admired
) a mother with a baby in her
b) a woman whose bag is hanging in [page]
c) a lone female with a handbag at her right
d) an old lady carrying a handbag on the
) the back pocket of his tight
b) the top pocket of his
c) a side pocket of his
d) a side pocket of his
) theater lobbies with uniformed security
b) clothing stores where people are relaxed and off
c) airports where people carry a lot of
d) hotels and restaurants in southeast
part ii reading comprehension (35 minutes)
directions: there are 4 passages in this each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished for each of them there are four choices marked a), b), c) and d). you should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the
passage one
questions 21 to 25 are based on the following
i'm usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years while any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove still, i was struck by a report which concluded that today's children are significantly more anxious than children in the in fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years
why are america's kids so stressed? the report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation -- brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things -- and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous
given that we can't turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation
at the top of the list is nurturing ( 培育 ) a better appreciation of the limits of no child is an strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against
to help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on tvs and your family will thank you they will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more
limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed it's not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local
keep your expectations for your children many highly successful people never attended harvard or
make exercise part of your daily it will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your sometimes anxiety is but it doesn't have to ruin your
the author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people's state of mind
a) surprising b) confusing c) illogical d) questionable
what does the author mean when he says, "we can't turn the clock back" (line 1, 3)?
a) it's impossible to slow down the pace of
b) the social reality children are facing cannot be
c) lessons learned from the past should not be
d) it's impossible to forget the
according to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years
a) were less isolated physically
b) were probably less self-centered
c) probably suffered less from anxiety
d) were considered less individualistic
the first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is
a) to provide them with a safer environment
b) to lower their expectations for them
c) to get them more involved socially
d) to set a good model for them to follow
what conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
a) anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped
b) children's anxiety has been enormously
c) children's anxiety can be eliminated with more parental
d) anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become
passage two
questions 26 to 30 are based on the following [page]
it is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints ( 约束 ) influence wage one thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don't at least ask for men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay consider beth's story:
i did not get what i wanted when i did not ask for we had cubicle ( 小隔间 ) offices and window i sat in the cubicles with several male one by one they were moved into window offices, while i remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to one in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the i guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since i did not voice my opinion either
it would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but "nice" isn't a quality attributed to most if you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you'll probably have to ask for
performance is your best bargaining chip ( 筹码 ) when you are seeking a you must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a timing is also a good bargaining if you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you
use information as a bargaining chip find out what you are worth on the open
what will someone else pay for your services?
go into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the
according to the passage, before taking a job, a person should
a) demonstrate his capability b) give his boss a good impression
c) ask for as much money as he can d) ask for the salary he hopes to get
what can be inferred from beth's story?
a) prejudice against women still exists in some
b) if people want what they deserve, they have to ask for
c) people should not be content with what they have
d) people should be careful when negotiating for a
we can learn from the passage that
a) unfairness exists in salary increases
b) most people are overworked and underpaid
c) one should avoid overstating one's performance
d) most organizations give their staff automatic pay raises
to get a pay raise, a person
a) advertise himself on the job market
b) persuade his boss to sign a long-term contract
c) try to get inside information about the organization
d) do something to impress his boss just before merit pay decisions
to be successful in negotiations, one
a) meet his boss at the appropriate time
b) arrive at the negotiation table punctually
c) be good at influencing the outcome of the interaction
d) be familiar with what the boss likes and dislikes
passage three
questions 31 to 35 are based on the following
when families gather for christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to grandma's their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be
but in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware ( 粗陶) -and-stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-friday for hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and for makers of fine china in britain, it
spells economic hard
last week royal doulton, the largest employer in stoke-on-trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000jobs -- one-fifth of its total that brings to more than 4,000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts
although a strong pound and weak markets in asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in stoke have their roots in earthshaking social a spokesman for royal doulton admitted that the company "has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend" toward casual families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television; [page]
even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone in a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it's better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a "real" dinner too often, the perfect moment never iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? forget polish the silver? who has time?
yet the loss of formality has its down the fine points of etiquette ( 礼节 ) that children might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents ("chew with your mouth " "keep your elbows off the ") must be picked up some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be competent professionally but clueless
the trend toward casual dining has resulted
a) bankruptcy of fine china manufacturers
b) shrinking of the pottery industry
c) restructuring of large enterprises
d) economic recession in great britain
which of the following may be the best reason for casual dining?
a) family members need more time to
b) busy schedules leave people no time for
c) people want to practice economy in times of
d) young people won't follow the etiquette of the older
it can be learned from the passage that royal doulton
a) a retailer of stainless steel tableware b) a dealer in stoneware
c) a pottery chain store d) a producer of fine china
the main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry
a) the increased value of the pound
b) the economic recession in asia
c) the change in people's way of life
d) the fierce competition at home and abroad
refined table manners, though less popular than before in current social
a) are still a must on certain occasions
b) axe bound to return sooner or later
c) are still being taught by parents at home
d) can help improve personal relationships
passage four
questions 36 to 40 are based on the following
some houses are designed to be others have smart an example of the second type of house won an award of excellence from the american institute of
located on the shore of sullivan's island off the coast of south carolina, the award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by hurricane ( 飓风 ) hugo 10 years in september 1989, hugo struck south carolina, killing 18 people and damaging or destroying 36,000 homes in the
before hugo, many new houses built along south carolina's shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement of building codes wasn't strict, according to architect ray huff, who created the cleverly-designed beach in hugo's wake, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced the new beach house on sullivan's island should be able to withstand a category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per
at first sight, the house on sullivan's island looks anything but its redwood shell makes it resemble "a large party lantern ( 灯笼 )" at night, according to one but looks can be the house's wooden frame is reinforced with long steel rods to give it extra
to further protect the house from hurricane damage, huff raised it meters off the ground on timber pilings -- long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the they also elevate the house above storm the pilings allow the surges to run under the house instead of running into "these swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings," said
huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house's ground-to-roof "the shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn't look like it's standing with its pant legs pulled up," said in the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect [page]
after the tragedy caused by hurricane hugo, new houses built along south carolina's shore line are
a) to be easily reinforced b) to look smarter in design
c) to meet stricter building standards d) to be designed in the shape of cubes
the award-winning beach house is quite strong
a) it is strengthened by steel rods b) it is made of redwood
c) it is in the shape of a shell d) it is built with timber and concrete
huff raised the house meters off the ground on timber pilings in order to
a) withstand peak winds of about 200 km/hr
b) anchor stronger pilings deep in the sand
c) break huge sea waves into smaller ones
d) prevent water from rushing into the house
the main function of the shell is
a) to strengthen the pilings of the house
b) to give the house a better appearance
c)to protect the wooden frame of the house
d) to slow down the speed of the swelling water
it can be inferred from the passage that the shell should
a) fancy-looking b) waterproof c) easily breakable d) extremely strong
part iii vocabulary (20 minutes)
directions: there are 30 incomplete sentences in this for each sentence there are four choices marked a), b), c) and d). choose the one answer that best completes the then mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the
he asked us to _____ them in carrying through their
a) provide c) assist
b) arouse d) persist
a good many proposals were raised by the delegates, _____ was to be
a) that c) so
b) what d) as
he was such a _____ speaker that he held our attention every minute of the three-hour
a) specific c) heroic
b) dynamic d) diplomatic
arriving home, the boy told his parents about all the _____ which occurred in his
a) occasions c) incidents
b) matters d) issues
the opening between the rocks was very narrow, but the boys managed to _____
a) press c) stretch
b) squeeze d) leap
they are trying to _____ the waste discharged by the factory for
a) expose c) exhibit
b) exhaust d) exploit
the manager urged his staff not to _____ the splendid
a) drop c) escape
b) miss d) slide
_____ i admire david as a poet, i do not like him as a
a) much as c) if only
b) only if d) as much
because of a _____ engagement, lora couldn't attend my birthday party last
a) pioneer c) prior
b) premature d) past
the continuous rain _____ the harvesting of the wheat crop by two
a) set back c) set out
b) set off d) set aside
not having a good command of english can be a serious _____ preventing you from achieving your
a) obstacle c) offense
b) fault d) distress
it's very _____ of you not to talk aloud while the baby is
a) concerned c) considerable
b) careful d) considerate
many a player who had been highly thought of has _____ from the tennis
a) disposed c) discouraged
b) disappeared d) discarded
she's throw some water on her face and she'll
a) come round c) come on
b) come along d) come out
all their attempts to _____ the child from the burning building were in
a) regain c) rescue
b) recover d) reserve
computer technology will _____ a revolution in business
a) bring around c) bring out
b) bring about d) bring up
the university has launched a research center to develop new ways of _____ bacteria which have become resistant to drug
a) regulating c) interrupting
b) halting d) combating
the _____ goal of the book is to help bridge the gap between research and teaching, particularly the gap between researchers and
a) joint c) overall
b) intensive d) decisive
the rapid development of communications technology is transforming the _____ in which people communicate across time and
a) route c) vision
b) transmission d) manner
when i go out in the evening i use the bike _____ the car if i [page]
a) rather than c) in spite of
b) regardless of d) other than
there is no _____ evidence that people can control their dreams, at least in experimental situations in a
a) rigid c) smooth
b) solid d) harsh
every culture has developed _____ for certain kinds of food and drink, and equally strong negative attitudes toward
a) preferences c) fantasies
b) expectations d) fashions
it is reported that uruguay understands and _____ china on human rights
a) grants c) abandons
b) changes d) backs
only a few people have _____ to the full facts of the
a) access c) contact
b) resort d) path
his trousers _____ when he tried to jump over the
a) cracked c) broke
b) split d) burst
so far, _____ winds and currents have kept the thick patch of oil southeast of the atlantic
a) governing c) prevailing
b) blowing d) ruling
the author was required to submit an _____ of about 200 words together with his research
a) edition c) article
b) editorial d) abstract
as the old empires were broken up and new states were formed, new official tongues began to _____ at an increasing
a) bring up c) spring up
b) build up d) strike up
many patients insist on having watches with them in hospital, _____ they have no schedules to
a) even though c) as if
b) for d) since
some plants are very _____ to light; they prefer the
a) sensible c) objective
b) flexible d) sensitive
part iv cloze (15 minutes)
directions: there are 20 blanks in the following for each blank there are four choices marked a), b), c) and d) on the right side of the paper, you should choose the one that best fits into the then mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the
it's an annual back-to-school one morning you wave goodbye, and that 71 evening you're burning the late-night oil in in the race to improve educational standards, 72 are throwing the books at 73 elementary school students are complaining of homework 74 . what's a well-meaning parent to do?
as hard as 75 may be, sit back and chill, experts though you've got to get them to do it, 76 helping too much, or even examining 77 too carefully, you may keep them 78 doing it by "i wouldn't advise a parent to check every 79 assignment," says psychologist john rosemond, author of ending the tough "there's a 80 of appreciation for trial and let your children 81 the grade they "
many experts believe parents should gently look over the work of younger children and ask them to rethink their 82 . but "you don't want them to feel it has to be 83 ," she
that's not to say parents should 84 homework -- first, they should monitor how much homework their kids 85 . thirty minutes a day in the early elementary years and an hour in 86 four, five, and six is standard, says for junior-high students it should be " 87 mom than an hour and a half," and two for high-school if your child 88 has mom homework than this, you may want to check 89 other parents and then talk to the teacher about 90 assignment
a) very c) right
b) exact d) usual
a) officials c) experts
b) parents d) schools
a) also c) then
b) even d) however
a) fatigue c) duty
b) confusion d) puzzle
a) there c) they
b) we d) it
a) via c) by
b) under d) for
a) questions c) standards
b) answers' d) rules
a) off c) beyond
b) without d) from
a) single c) page
b) piece d) other
a) drop c) cut
b) short d) lack
a) acquire c) gather
b) earn d) reach
a) exercises c) mistakes
b) defects d) tests
a) perfect c) unusual
b) better d) complete
a) forget c) miss
b) refuse d) ignore
a) have c) make
b) prepare d) perform
a) classes c) grades
b) groups d) terms
a) about c) much
b) no d) few
a) previously c) merely
b) rarely d) consistently
a) with c) out
b) in d) up
a) finishing c) reducing [page]
b) lowering d) declining
part v writing (30 minutes)
directions: for this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter in reply to a friend's inquiry about applying for admission to your college or you should write at least 120 words according to the outline given below in chinese:
