1、2012-2013 学年第二学期期末考试大学英语四级试题 普通班 A 卷（2011 级）（答案必须写在答题纸上，写在试题纸上不得分）Paper One注意 !！ 请先做听力部分。I. Skimming and Scanning (1*10= points)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the c
2、orresponding letter on Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.A Few Aspects of American LifeTravelIts summertime. For many Americans, this is the season to travel. Why? Because school is over and the weather is great. And most of all, they believe they deserve a break. When Americans tak
3、e a break, they often head for their favorite vacation spot.Throughout their history, Americans have been people on the move. The early immigrants had to travel to get to the New World. Once they arrived, the settled along the East Coast. But they werent content to stay here. Explorers and traders j
4、ourneyed to the unknown western territories. Later, settlers moved west to develop new areas. As a result of this west movement, Americans eventually occupied the whole continentfrom the Atlantic to the Pacific. Even today, Americans seem unable to stay put. Research says that average American moves
5、 every five years.Americans are used to traveling. Some people make long-distance commuting to work daily. Their jobs may even require them to take frequent business trips. Most companies provide an annual vacation for their employees, and people often use that time to travel. Some people just visit
6、 friend or relatives in distant states. Some go on low-budget weekend trips and stay in economy motels. Those with more expensive tastes choose luxurious hotels. Camping out in the great outdoors appeals to adventurous types. Some travel in recreational vehicles to camp out in comfort, while others
7、“rough it” by sleeping in tents. Families often plan their trips with the kids in mind. More and more “family friendly” hotels offer special programs for children.PetAmericans love pets. Many pet owners treat their pets as a part of the family. You might say Americans treat their pets like they trea
8、t their childrensometimes even better.In America, there are more households with pets than those with children. At least 43 percent of US homes have pets of some sort. Usual creatures, such as monkeys, snakes and even wolves, find a home with some Americans. More common pets include fish, mice and b
9、irds. But the all-time favorites are cats and dogs, even at the White House. Americans sometimes have strong feelings about whether dogs or cats make better pets. “Dog people” and “cat people” often enjoy friendly competition.Many grocery stores in America sell pet foods. Pets can even accompany the
10、ir owners on vacation. Fancy hotels are beginning to accommodate both man and animal. Animal guests at Four Seasons Hotels can enjoy delicious meals served on fine china and sleep in soft beds.The average American enjoys having pets around, and for good reason. Researchers have discovered that inter
11、acting with animals lowers a persons blood pressure. Dogs can offer protection from robbers and unwelcome visitors. Cats can help rid the home of unwanted mice. Little creatures of all shapes and sizes can provide friendship and love. In many cases, having a pet prepares a young couple for the respo
12、nsibilities of parenthood. Pets even encourage social relationships: they give their owners an appearance of friendliness, and they provide a good subject of conversation.Pets are as basic to American culture as hot dogs or apple pie. To Americans, pets are not just property, but a part of the famil
13、y.Marriage“I do.” To Americans, these two words carry great meaning. They can even change your life, especially if you say them at your own wedding. Making wedding promises is like signing a contract. Now Americans dont really think marriage is a business deal. But marriage is a serious business.It
14、all begins with engagement (婚约). Traditionally, a young man asks the father of his sweetheart for permission to marry her. If the father agrees, the man later proposes to her. Often he tries to surprise her by asking her to marry him in a romantic way.Sometimes the couple just decides together that
15、the time is right to get married. They may be engaged for weeks, months or even years. As the big approaches, bridal (新娘的) showers and bachelors parties provide many gifts. Today many couples also receive counseling during engagement. This prepares them for the challenges of married life.At last its
16、 time for the wedding. Although most weddings follow long-held traditions, theres still room for individualism. For example, the usual place for a wedding is in a church. But some people get married outdoors. A few even have the ceremony while skydiving or riding on horseback! The couple may invite
17、hundreds of people or just a few close friends. They choose their own style of colors, decorations and music during the ceremony. But some things rarely change. The bride usually wears a beautiful, long white wedding dress. She traditionally wears “something old, something new, something borrowed an
18、d something blue”. The groom (新郎) wears a formal suit. Relatives and close friends participate in the ceremony.As the ceremony begins, the groom stands with the minister, facing the audience. Music signals the entrance of the beautiful bride. Nervously, the young couple repeats their promises. Tradi
19、tionally, they promise to love each other “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health”. But sometimes the couple composes their own promises. They give each other a gold ring as a symbol of their marriage promise. Finally the minister announces the big moment: “I now pr
20、onounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride!”1. What is the top reason Americans travel in the summertime?A) School is over.B) They think they deserve a rest.C) Summer is the season to travel.D) The weather is great.2. Every year, most companies _.A) require a business tripB) insist that worke
21、rs commuteC) have employees travel togetherD) provide a vacation for workers3. Many Americans treat their pets as _.A) very usual thingsB) very common thingsC) their own propertyD) their family members4. According to the passage, some fancy hotels could provide for your pets the following except _.A
22、) good accommodationB) some well-served foodC) a soft bedD) delicious Chinese meals5. Its discovered that interaction with pet animals is good for health as they can help to _.A) guard against unwelcome visitorsB) catch unwanted miceC) lower blood pressureD) keep company6. Pet can encourage social r
23、elationship by _.A) acting as basic element to American cultureB) providing a subject for chattingC) becoming members for the familyD) having a friendly appearance7. Traditionally, if a young man wants to get married to his girlfriend he is supposed to _.A) propose to his friend at the right timeB)
24、ask his girlfriend to marry him in a romantic wayC) get the permission of his girlfriends motherD) get the permission of his girlfriends father8. The counseling during engagement can prepare a couple for _.A) the knowledge of married lifeB) the information about each otherC) the challenges of marrie
25、d lifeD) the ceremony of their marriage 9. During the ceremony the bride usually wears a beautiful, long white wedding while the groom wears_.A) a formal suitB) a black suitC) a dark jacketD) a nice shirt10. When the bride and groom begin to exchange their rings, it is a symbol of their _.A) beginni
26、ng of new lifeB) big moment of the ceremony C) marriage promiseD) ending of the ceremonyII. Listening Comprehension (25 points)Section A (1*5=5 points )Directions: In this section, youll hear five short conversations. After each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The convers
27、ation and question will be read only once. Listen carefully and choose the best answer to each question.11.A. She contacts her parents occasionally. B. She phones her parents regularly at weekends.C. She visits her parents at weekends when the fares are down. D. She often calls her parents regardles
28、s of the rates.12.A. The woman is meeting the man at the airport.B. They are complaining about the poor airport service.C. They are discussing their plan for Christmas.D. The man is seeing the woman off. 13.A. She wants to take the most direct way.B. She may be late for the football game.C. She is w
29、orried about missing her flight.D. She is currently caught in a traffic jam. 14.A. He is an experienced sales manager.B. He is being interviewed for a job.C. He is a close friend of the woman.D. He is good at answering tricky questions.15.A. The man should consider his privacy first.B. The man will
30、choose a low-rent apartment.C. The man is not certain if he can find a quieter place.D. The man is unlikely to move out of the dormitory.Section B (1*5=5points )Directions: In this section, youll hear a long conversation. The conversation will be read only once. At the end of the conversation, youll
31、 hear five questions about what was said. Listen carefully and choose the best answer to each question.16. A. A notice by the electricity board.B. Ads promoting electric appliances.C. The description of a thief in disguise.D. A new policy on pensioners welfare.17. A. Speaking with a proper accent.B.
32、 Wearing an official uniform.C. Making friends with them.D. Showing them his ID.18. A. To be on the alert when being followed.B. Not to leave senior citizens alone at home.C. Not to let anyone in without an appointment.D. To watch out for those from the electricity board.19. A. She was robbed near t
33、he parking lot.B. All her money in the bank disappeared.C. The pension she had just drawn was stolen.D. She was knocked down in the post office.20. A. In his twenties.B. In his thirties.C. In his forties.D. In his fifties. Section C (1*5=5points )Directions: In this section, youll hear a short passa
34、ge. The passage will be read only once. At the end of the passage, youll hear five questions about what was said. Listen carefully and choose the best answer to each question.21.A. Because both have a limited supply of air, water, and other resources.B. Because the Earth moves around the sun as fast
35、 as a spaceship.C. Because we can travel to outer space.D. Because the Earth never stops moving.22.A. More than 60 million.B. More than 60 billion.C. More than 6 million.D. More than 6 billion. 23.A. About 80 miles per second. B. About 70 miles per second. C. About 18 miles per second. D. About 17 m
36、iles per second.24.A. Because the Earth is heavily polluted. B. Because nature cannot recycle its resources.C. Because there are more and more people living on the earth.D. Because no more resources can be added.25.A. Nature has changed our environment over the years.B. We must avoid wasting resourc
37、es and polluting our environment.C. Our resources are nearly used up.D. Trips to other planets will help eliminate pollution.Section D ( 0.5*8+2*3=10 points)Directions: In this section, youll hear a passage three times. Listen carefully during the first reading. When the passage is read for the seco
38、nd time, you should fill in the blanks numbered from S1 to S8 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from S9 to S11 you are required to write down the main points about what was said. Check your answers when the passage is read for the third time.The Romans built great “aquedu
39、cts” to carry fresh water from the mountains to the cities. Many of these aqueducts are still standing today. The Roman (S1) _ even set up a government health service. They built the first great public (S2) _ in Europe, and they paid doctors to look after poor people.When the Roman Empire fell to pi
40、eces, these (S3) _ methods of treatment (S4 )_ from most of Europe, for more than a thousand years. People went back to the old ways. They lived in dirty (S5) _, which helped to cause diseases; and they asked God to cure the (S6) _. They shut up (S7 ) _ sick people in prisons. Or they burnt them ali
41、ve because they were supposed to have (S8) _ powers. But the work of the Greek and Roman doctors was not lost.Over a thousand years ago, the Arabs moved into many of the Mediterranean countries. (S9) _. They translated the Greek and Roman medical books into Arabic. Arab doctors themselves made many
42、new discoveries.(S10)_. Slowly, European doctors discovered again the things that the Greeks and Romans had known so long ago. (S11) _.III. Reading Comprehension (2*15=30 points)Directions: In this section there are three passages. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements
43、with four choices marked A), B), C), and D). You are supposed to read the passage and make the best choice to complete each question or unfinished statement. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage
44、:Culture is one of the most challenging elements of the international marketplace. This system of learned behavior patterns characteristic of the members of a given society is constantly shaped by a set of dynamic variables: language, religion, values and attitudes, manners and customs, aesthetics,
45、technology, education, and social institutions. To cope with this system, an international manager needs both factual and interpretive knowledge of culture. To some extent, the factual knowledge can be learned; its interpretation comes only through experience.The most complicated problems in dealing
46、 with the cultural environment stem from the fact that one cannot learn cultureone has to live it. Two schools of thought exist in the business world on how to deal with cultural diversity. One is that business is business the world around, following the model of Pepsi and McDonalds. In some cases,
47、globalization is a fact of life; however, cultural differences are still far from converging.The other school proposes that companies must tailor business approaches to individual cultures. Setting up policies and procedures in each country has been compared to an organ transplant; the critical ques
48、tion centers around acceptance or rejection. The major challenge to the international manager is to make sure that rejection is not a result of cultural myopia or even blindness.Fortune examined the international performance of a dozen large companies that earn 20 percent or more of their revenue ov
49、erseas. The internationally successful companies all share an important quality: patience. They have not rushed into situations but rather built their operations carefully by following the most basic business principles. These principles are to know your adversary, know your audience, and know your customer. 26.According to th
