2011年12月英语四级考试真题

Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)
注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上．
For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Nothing Succeeds Without a Strong Will by commenting on the humorous saying, "Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I’ve done it hundreds of times." You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

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 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 sentence with the information given in the passage.
Why Integrity Matters
What Is Integrity?
The key to integrity is consistency- not only setting high personal standards for oneself (honesty, responsibility, respect for others, fairness) but also living up to those standards each and every day. One who has integrity is bound by and follows moral and ethical (道德上的) standards even when making life’s hard choices, choices which may be clouded by stress, pressure to succeed, or temptation.
What happens if we lie, cheat, steal, or violate other ethical standards? We feel disappointed in ourselves and ashamed. But a lapse (缺失) of integrity also affects our relationships with others. Trust is essential in any important relationship, whether personal or professional. Who can trust someone who is dishonest or unfair? Thus integrity must be one of our most important goals.
Risky Business
We are each responsible for our own decisions, even if the decision, making process has been undermined by stress or peer pressure. The real test of character is whether we can learn from our mistake, by understanding why we acted as we did and then exploring ways to avoid similar problems in the future.
Making ethical decisions is a critical part of avoiding future problems. We must learn to recognize risks, because if we can’t see the risks we’re taking, we can’t make responsible choices. To identify risks, we need to know the rules and be aware of the facts. For example, one who doesn’t know the rules a about plagiarism (剽窃) may accidentally use words or ideas without giving proper credit or one who fails to keep careful research notes may unintentionally fail to quote and cite sources as required. But the fact that such a violation is "unintentional" does not excuse the misconduct, Ignorance is not a defense.
"But Everybody Does It"
Most people who get in trouble do know the rules and facts but manage to fool themselves about the risks they’re taking by using excuses: "Everyone else does it." "I’m not hurting anyone", or "I really need this grade." Excuses can get very elaborate: "I know I’m look at another’s exam, even though I’m supposed to keep my eyes on my own paper, but that’s not cheating because I’m just checking my answers, not copying." We must be honest about our actions and avoid excuses, if we fool ourselves into believing we’re not doing anything wrong, we can’t see the real choice we’re making - and that leads to bad decisions.
To avoid fooling yourself, watch out for excuses and try this test: Ask how you would feel if your actions were public and anyone could be watching over yore shoulder. If you’d rather hide your actions, that’s an indication that you’re taking a risk and rationalizing it to yourself.
Evaluating Risks
To decide whether a risk is worth taking, you must examine the consequences, in the future as well as right now, negative as well as positive, and to others as well as to yourself. Those who take risks they later regret usually focus on immolate benefits and simply haven’t considered what might go wrong. The consequences of getting caught are serious and may include a "O" on a test or assignment, an "F" in the class, suspension (暂令停学) or dismissal from school and a ruined reputation. In fact, when you break a role or law, you lose control over your life and give others the power to impose punishment that you have no control over. This is an extremely vulnerable (脆弱的) position. There may be some matters of life and death or highest principle, which might justify such a risk, but there aren’t many things that fall in this category.
 Getting Away with it - Or Not
Those who don’t get caught pay an even higher price. A cheater doesn’t learn from the test, which deprives (剥夺) him her of an education. Cheating undermines confidence and independence: the cheater is a fraud, and knows that without dishonesty, he/she would have failed. Cheating destroys self-respect and integrity, leaving the cheater ashamed, guilty and afraid of getting caught.
Worst of all, a cheater who doesn’t get caught the first time usually cheats again, not only because he/she is farther behind, but also because it seems "easier." This slippery slope of eroding ethics and bigger risks leads only to disaster. Eventually, the cheater gets caught, and the later he/she gets caught, the worse the consequences.
Cheating Hurts Other, Too
Cheaters often feel invisible, as if their actions "don’t count" and don’t really hurt anyone. But individual choices have an intense cumulative (累积的) effect. Cheating can spread like a disease. Recent statistics suggest 30％ or more of college students cheat. If a class is graded on a curve, cheating hurts others’ grades. Even if there is no curve, cheating "poisons" the classroom, and others may feel pressured to join in. ("If I don’t cheat I can’t compete with those who do") Cheating also has a destructive impact on teachers. The real reward of goof teaching is seeing students learn. But a cheater says. "I’m not interested in what you’re trying to teach, all I care about is stealing a grade, regardless of the effect on others." The end result is a destructive attack on the quality of your education. Finally, cheating can hurt the reputation of the university and harm those who worked hard for their degree.
Why Integrity Marten
If cheating becomes the norm, then we are in big trouble. We must rely on the honesty and good faith of others, if not, we couldn’t put money in the bank, buy food, clothing, or medicine from others, drive across a bridge, get on a plane, go to the dentist--the list is endless. There are many examples of the vast harm that is caused when individuals forget or ignore the effect their dishonesty can have. The savings and loan scandal, the stock market and junk bond swindles, and, of course, Watergate, have undermined the faith of many Americans in the integrity of political and economic leaders and society as a whole. Such incidents take a tremendous toll on our nation’s economy and our individual well-being. For example, but for the savings and loan debacle, there might be funds available to reduce the national debt and pay for education.
In sum, we all have a common stake in our school, our community, and our society. Our actions do matter. It is essential that we act with integrity in order to build the kind of world in which we want to live.
1. A person of integrity not only sets high moral and ethical standards but also _______.（A）
　　A) sticks to them in their daily life
　　B) makes them known to others
　　C) understands their true values
　　D) sees that others also follow them
2. What role does integrity play in personal and professional relationships?（C）
　　A) It helps to create team spirit
　　B) It facilitates communication
　　C) It is the basis of mutual trust
　　D) It inspires mutual respect
3. why must we learn to identify the risks we are going to take？（A）
　　A. To ensure we make responsible choices.
　　B. To avoid being overwhelmed by stress.
　　C. so that we don’t break any rules.
　　D. so that we don’t run into trouble.
4. Violation of a rule is misconduct even if _______?（B）
　　A. it has caused no harm.
　　B. it is claimed to be unintentional.
　　C. it has gone unnoticed.
　　D. it is committed with good intentions.
5. What should one do if he doesn’t wish to fool himself? （A）
　　A. Avoid making excuses.
　　B. Listen to other people’s advice.
　　C. Make his intensions public.
　　D. Have others watch over his shoulder.
6. Those who take risks they regret later on _______.（C）
　　A. will often become more cautious
　　B. are usually very aggressive
　　C. value immediate benefits most.
　　D. may lose everything in the end
7. According to the author, a cheater who doesn’t get caught right away will _______.（A）
　　A) pay more dearly
　　B) become more confident
　　C) be widely admired
　　D) feel somewhat lucky
8. Cheaters at exam don’t care about their education, all they care about is how to stealing a grade
9. Integrity matters in that all social activities rely on people’s honesty and good faith.
10. Many Americans lost faith in the integrity of their political leaders as a result of the Watergate scandal.

PartⅣ Reading Comprehension (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 letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.
With the world’s population estimated to grow from six to nine billion by 2050, researchers. businesses and governments are already dealing with the impact this increase will have on everything from food and water to infrastructure (基础设施) and jobs. Underling all this 47 will be the demand for energy, which is expected to double over the next 40 years.
Finding the resources to meet this demand in a 48 . sustainable way is the cornerstone (基石) of our nation’s energy security, and will be one of the major 49 of the 21st century. Alternative forms of energy- bio-fuels, wind and solar, to name a few are 50 being funded and developed, and will play a growing 51 in the world’s energy supply. But experts say that even when 52 , alternative energy sources will likely meet only about 30% of the world’s energy needs by 2050.
For example, even with 53 investments, such as the $93 million for wind energy development 54 in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, important alternative energy sources such as wind and bio-fuels 55 only about 1% of the market today.
Energy and sustainability experts say the answer to our future energy needs will likely come from a lot of 56 both traditional and alternative.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
　　A)stable I)exactly
　　B)solutions J)consist
　　C)significant K)comprise
　　D)role L)competitions
　　E)progress M)combined
　　F)marvelous N)challenges
　　G)included O)certainly
　　H)growth
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 chokes marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
Boys’ schools are the perfect place to teach young men to express their emotions and involve them in activities such as art, dance and music.
Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity (阳刚), the absence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to conform to a stereotype. a US study says.
Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their emotional expressiveness, rather than feeling they had to conform to the "boy code" of hiding their emotions to be a "real man".
The findings of the study so against received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls.
Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, warned that boys were being faded by the British education system because it had become too focused on girls. He criticized teachers for failing to recognize that boys are actually more emotional than girls.
The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills.
But in single-sex schools teachers can tailor lessons to boys’ learning style, letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study’s author, Abigail James, of the University of Virginia.
Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing with "boy-focused" approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them. Because boys generally have more acute vision learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given "hands-on" lessons where they are allowed to walk around. "Boys in mixed schools view classical music as feminine (女性的) and prefer the modem genre (类型) in which violence and sexism are major themes, "James wrote.
Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to conform to a stereotype that men should be "masterful and in charge" in relationships. "In mixed schools boys feel compelled to act like men before they understand themselves well enough to know what that means, " the study reported.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57. The author believes that a single-sex school would ____ .
　　A) force boys to hide their emotions to be "real men"
　　B) help to cultivate masculine aggressiveness in boys
　　C) encourage boys to express their emotions more freely
　　D) naturally reinforce in boys the traditional image of a man
58. It is commonly believed that in a mixed school boys _____ .
　　A) Perform relatively better C) behave more responsibly
　　B) grow up more healthily D) receive a better education
59. What does Tony Little say about the British education system?
　　A) It fails more boys than girls academically.
　　B) It focuses more on mixed school education.
　　C) It fails to give boys the attention they need.
　　D) It places more pressure on boys than on girls.
60. According to Abigail James, one of the advantages of single-sex schools is ______.
　　A) teaching can be tailored to suit the characteristics of boys
　　B) boys can focus on their lessons without being distracted
　　C) boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested in
　　D) teaching can be designed to promote boys’ team spirit
61. Which of the following is characteristic of boys according to Abigail James’ report?
　　A) They enjoy being in charge. C) They have sharper vision.
　　B) They conform to stereotypes. D) They are violent and sexist.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are bated on the following passage.
It’s an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My partner says no because the boiler could go, or the roof fall off and we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what’s the point if you can’t go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next year - we just won’t go.
Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday A YouGov poll of 2, 000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. What’s less clear is whether divorce and separation rates rise in a recession - financial pressures mean couples argue more but make splitting up less affordable. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Disputes were characterized by intense verbal ( 言语上的) aggression, tended to be repeated and not resolved and made men, more than women, extremely angry.
Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolizes, which may be different things to men and women. "People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it’s for." he explains. "They’ll say it’s to save to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them." He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they’ve achieved something.
"The biggest problem is that couples assume each other know what’s going on with their finances, but they don’t. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you’re doing, who’s paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don’t have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it."
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答：
62. What does the author say about vacationing?
　　A) People enjoy it all the more during a recession.
　　B) Few people can afford it without working hard.
　　C) It makes all the hard work worthwhile.
　　D) It is the chief cause of family disputes.
63. What does the author mean by saying "money is known ... to bring a relationship to its knees"(Line 1, Para. 2)?
　　A) Money is considered to be the root of all evils.
　　B) Some people sacrifice their dignity for money.
　　C) Few people can resist the temptation of money.
　　D) Disputes over money may rain a relationship.
64. The YouGov poll of 2, 000 people indicates that in a recession ______ .
　　A) conflicts between couples tend to rise
　　B) it is more expensive for couples to split up
　　C) couples show more concern for each other
　　D) divorce and separation rates increase
65. What does Kim Stephenson believe?
　　A) Money is often a symbol of a person’s status.
　　B) Money means a great deal to both and women.
　　C) Men and women spend money on different things.
　　D) Men and women view money in different ways.
66. The author suggests at the end of the passage that couples should ______ .
　　A) put their money together instead of keeping it separately
　　B) make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgets
　　C) discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationship
　　D) avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic

Part Ⅴ Cloze (15 minutes)
Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each bland 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 passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Employers fear they will be unable to recruit students with the skills they need as the economic recovery kicks in, a new survey 67 .
Nearly half of the organizations told researchers they were already struggling to find 68 with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). 69 even more companies expect to experience 70 of employees with STEM skills in the next three years.
The Confederation of British Industry 71 694 businesses and organizations across the public and 72 sectors, which together employ 2.4 million people.
Half are 73 they will not be able to fill graduate posts in the coming years, while a third said they would not be able to 74 enough employees with the right A-level skills.
" 75 we move further role recovery and businesses plan 76 growth, the demand for people with high-quality skills and qualifications will
77 ." said Richard Lambert, Director General, CBI. "Firms say it is already hard to find people with the right 78 or engineering skills. The new government must make it a top 79 to encourage more young people to study science-related 80 ."
The survey found that young people would improve their job prospects 81 they studied business, maths, English and physics or chemistry at A-level. The A-levels that employers 82 least are psychology and sociology. And while many employers don’t insist on a 83 degree subject. A third prefer to hire those with a STEM-related subject.
The research 84 worries about the lack of progress in improving basic skills in the UK 85 . Half of the employer expressed worries about employees’ basic literacy and numeracy（计算)skills, while the biggest problem is with IT skills, 86 two-thirds reported concerns.
　　67. A) submits C) launches
　　B) reveals D) generates
　　68. A) audience C) partners
　　B) officials D) staff
　　69. A) while C) for
　　B) because D) although
　　70. A) exits C) absences
　　B) shortages D) departures
　　71. A) surveyed C) exposed
　　B) searched D) exploited
　　72. A) collective C) personal
　　B) private D) civil
　　73. A) confronted C) concerned
　　B) conformed D) confused
　　74. A) bind C) transfer
　　B) attain D) recruit
　　75. A) Lest C) Before
　　B) Unless D) As
　　76. A) with C) on
　　B) for D) by
　　77. A) dominate C) enforce
　　B) stretch D) intensify
　　78. A) creative C) narrative
　　B) technical D) physical
　　79. A) priority C) challenge
　　B) option D) judgment
　　80. A) procedures C) thoughts
　　B) academics D) subjects
　　81. A) until C) whereas
　　B) since D) if
　　82. A) rate C) order
　　B) discuss D) observe
　　83. A) typical C) positive
　　B particular D) general
　　84. A) highlighted C) focused
　　B) prescribed D) touched
　　85. A) masses C) faculty
　　B) workforce D) communities
　　86. A) what C) where
　　B) whom D) why

Part Ⅳ Translation (5 minutes)

Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets Please write your translation on Answer Sheer 2
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答，只需写出译文部分。
87．Charity groups organized various activities to ________________(为地震幸存者筹款)。
88．Linda_______________(不可能收到我的电子邮件）：otherwise, she would have replied．
89．It’s my mother________________(一直在鼓励我不要灰心)when I have difficulties in my studies．
90．The publishing house has to ______________（考虑这部小说的受欢迎程度)。
91．It is absolutely wrong to ________________（仅仅以金钱来定义幸福）。