1、2012年 12月大学英语四级真题试卷（第 3套）及答案与解析 一、 Part I Writing (30 minutes) 1 For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Education Pays based on the statistics provided in the chart below (Weekly earnings in 2010). Please give a brief description of the chart first and then make co
2、mments on it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Education Pays 二、 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 attached to the passage. For q
3、uestions 1-7, mark： Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage; N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage. 1 Suffering in silence Despite a law designed to protect
4、 them, many people with disabling conditions are unaware of their rights. Carole Concha-Bell tells of her experiences. Being diagnosed with a disabling condition is always a shock. Learning to live without the guarantee of health is like having to unlearn a previous life. The implications for your w
5、orking life may seem intimidating. There is the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), of course. But does it really provide the protection in the workplace that parliament intended? Are employers merely paying lip service to the DDA? Or are they even aware of an employers legal duties and responsibil
6、ities? In my experience, it is the latter. I have received little support from employers to whom I have revealed my condition. This has often left me feeling at a disadvantage and wondering why I bothered doing so in the first place. I had been struggling with illness long before I was diagnosed. In
7、 practical terms the diagnosis did little to aid me. Of course, it enabled me to understand my body, my limitations and set me on a course to stabilise my symptoms. But it brought a new dilemma. Where I had previously struggled to work while ill, ignorant of why my body was misbehaving, I now had a
8、name for my daily struggle: Lupus (狼疮 ). This is a chronic (慢性的 ) auto-immune disorder that can affect virtually any system in the body. It also leaves a huge, dark question hanging over my head when seeking employment: should I tell my employers I have a condition? It is a dilemma that continues to
9、 be a root cause of anxiety both for myself and for thousands of other UK employees. The rocky road to my unfortunate enlightenment about work and disability began just after graduation when Id set my sights on a career in communications and landed my dream job with a respected public relations cons
10、ultancy (咨询公司 ) in Bristol. But while I was learning the art of media relations, my body wasnt quite making it in health terms. I often went to work with swollen limbs and fevers. At my first and last performance review, my boss was amazed that, despite my many capabilities, I hadnt quite taken cont
11、rol of my responsibilities. A few months later, my contract wasnt renewed and I plunged further into new depths of ill health. However, I was determined not to be beaten and returned to the interview trail. My next job was in publishing. But despite a shining performance at the interview, I felt lik
12、e a fraud. How long would it be before I sank into ill health and depression again? The job was to end with a monumental bang when I became so poorly I could no longer function. A few feverish weeks in bed ended in specialist appointment, where I was diagnosed with Lupus and rushed into hospital for
13、 fear that it may have attacked my internal organs. The next 12 months were filled with confusion. I had no idea about benefits, felt alienated (被视为另类 ) by the medical establishment and lived off my savings until I was broke. I realised I needed help from my family and moved to London. As soon as I
14、felt better, I marched into a marketing recruitment consultancy and, within 10 minutes, I had impressed the interviewer enough to be offered a job with the agency. We agreed on a decent salary and I told him I had arthritis (关节炎 ) and would need to work a four-day week. Things went well at the start
15、 but soon the client meetings began to fall on my day off, and I rarely left the office on time. I began to slip both in health and professional terms. The 10-hour days crashed around my head; no amount of make-up could disguise my ill health as I battled against the odds to prove to myself that I c
16、ould still make it in the business world. I often cried on the bus on the way back from work. Not long before my contract was due to be made permanent, I was called to the bosss office and given the “talk“ about how my performance was slipping, how awful I looked. I felt too weak to fight back and a
17、greed to leave. No attempts to offer adjustments to my job, such as being able to work from home, were ever made. I had a case for unfair dismissal under the DDA, but was ignorant of this at the time. An estimated 10 million people in the UK, or 17% of the population, qualify for disability status u
18、nder the DDA. I have encountered a number of them: the liver-diseased boss; the co-worker with a heart condition; and my asthmatic (哮喘的 ) trainee-teacher friend. None had disclosed (透露 ) their conditions to employers, and all were feeling the strain of not doing so. To access your rights under the D
19、DA and to request “ reasonable adjustments“ to your working conditions or your workplace requires disclosure. I had warned my former employer about my condition but it served little purpose. They were ignorant about their obligations to their disabled staff. However, there are plenty of forward-thin
20、king organisations that have inclusive recruitment policies; are more likely to employ a worker with a disability; and are more aware of their legal duties. The public sector out-performs the private, but not always the voluntary, according to studies for the Disabilities Rights Commission. I decide
21、d to give the voluntary sector a go and was surprised to be offered flexible working conditions and other solutions to meet my needs as an employee. But given the choice, I would still prefer a career in the private sector, which for me is more dynamic, has more attractive salaries and offers better
22、 prospects than the voluntary or public sectors. Despite the advances of the DDA, there will always be an army of workers who will soldier on, maybe aware of their rights but choosing to remain silent for personal reasons. It is important, though, to recognise the significance of the act, the protec
23、tion it affords and the obligations that employers have to us as employees and as human beings. 2 What is peoples immediate response when they are first diagnosed with a disabling condition? （ A） They report the situation to their employers. （ B） They come to realise the value of good health. （ C） T
24、hey feel nervous about their work prospects. （ D） They try to seek protection from the DDA. 3 When the author revealed her condition to her employers, they_. （ A） were quite sympathetic toward her （ B） did not give her the support she needed （ C） made adjustments to meet her needs （ D） were annoyed
25、not to be informed earlier 4 When the author was diagnosed with Lupus, she was in a dilemma whether she should_. （ A） ask for assistance from her fellow workers （ B） find employment at a different company （ C） ignore her limitations and struggle to work （ D） inform her employers of her disability st
26、atus 5 The author lost her job at the public relations consultancy in Bristol because_. （ A） her boss had found a much better replacement （ B） she was in no mood at all to discharge her duties （ C） her performance was disappointing to her boss （ D） she failed to show up for her performance review 6
27、Why did the author feel like a fraud when she got her second job? （ A） She knew she would fall ill any time again. （ B） She was not as competent as she appeared to be. （ C） She concealed the fact that she had just been fired. （ D） She pretended to be very keen on the job. 7 Why did the author move t
28、o London? （ A） To get help from her family. （ B） To receive better medical care. （ C） To start a consulting business. （ D） To seek a more suitable job. 8 The author worked hard at the marketing recruitment consultancy in order to_. （ A） earn the bosss appreciation and clients recognition （ B） demons
29、trate her strong willpower to conquer illness （ C） provide for herself without protection from the DDA （ D） prove herself capable of success in the business world 9 Although many people qualify for disability status in the UK, they would rather not tell their employers about_. 10 The author was offe
30、red flexible working conditions in the voluntary sector, but if she had a choice, she would still like to work in_. 11 The author stresses that it is important to recognise employers_to their disabled employees. Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long co
31、nversations. 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 spoken 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
32、is the best answer. （ A） He needs another week for the painting. （ B） The painting was completed just in time. （ C） The building wont open until next week. （ D） His artistic work has been well received. （ A） Go camping. （ B） Decorate his house. （ C） Rent a tent. （ D） Organize a party. （ A） She talke
33、d with Mr. Wright on the phone. （ B） She is about to call Mr. Wrights secretary. （ C） She will see Mr. Wright at lunch time. （ D） She failed to reach Mr. Wright. （ A） He is actually very hardworking. （ B） He has difficulty finishing his project. （ C） He needs to spend more time in the lab. （ D） He s
34、eldom tells the truth about himself. （ A） Rules restricting smoking. （ B） Ways to quit smoking. （ C） Smokershealth problems. （ D） Hazards of passive smoking. （ A） He is out of town all morning. （ B） He is tied up in family matters. （ C） He has been writing a report. （ D） He has got meetings to atten
35、d. （ A） He is not easy-going. （ B） He is the speakers boss. （ C） He is not at home this weekend. （ D） He seldom invites people to his home. （ A） Take a break. （ B） Refuel his car. （ C） Ask the way. （ D） Have a cup of coffee. （ A） They are as good as historical films. （ B） They give youngsters a thri
36、ll. （ C） They have greatly improved. （ D） They are better than comics on film. （ A） The effects were very good. （ B） The acting was just so-so. （ C） The plot was too complicated. （ D） The characters were lifelike. （ A） They triumphed ultimately over evil in the battle. （ B） They played the same role
37、 in War of the Worlds. （ C） They are popular figures among young people. （ D） They are two leading characters in the film. （ A） It is scheduled on Thursday night. （ B） It is supposed to last nine weeks. （ C） It takes place once a week. （ D） It usually starts at six. （ A） To make good use of her spar
38、e time in the evening. （ B） To meet the requirements of her in-service training. （ C） To improve her driving skills as quickly as possible. （ D） To get some basic knowledge about car maintenance. （ A） Participate in group discussions. （ B） Take turns to make presentations. （ C） Listen to the teacher
39、s explanation. （ D） Answer the teachers questions. （ A） Most of them are female. （ B） Some have a part-time job. （ C） They plan to buy a new car. （ D） A few of them are old chaps. Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some qu
40、estions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. （ A） Priority of students academic achievements. （ B） Equal education opportunities to all children. （ C） Social equality betwe
41、en teachers and students. （ D） Respect for students individuality. （ A） Efficient. （ B） Complicated. （ C） Lengthy. （ D） Democratic. （ A） To help them acquire hands-on experience. （ B） To try to cut down its operational expenses. （ C） To provide part-time jobs for needy students. （ D） To enable them
42、to learn to take responsibility. （ A） The best way to work through a finger maze. （ B） Individuals doing better in front of an audience. （ C） Researchers having contributed greatly to psychology. （ D） Improvements on the classification of human behavior. （ A） When you feel encouraged by the audience
43、. （ B） When you try to figure out a confusing game. （ C） When you already know how to do something. （ D） When you complete with other people in a group. （ A） Practicing constantly. （ B） Working by oneself. （ C） Learning by doing. （ D） Using proven methods. （ A） She is not good at making friends. （ B
44、） She is not well off. （ C） She enjoys company. （ D） She likes to go to concerts alone. （ A） Their similar social status. （ B） Their interdependence. （ C） Their common interest. （ D） Their identical character. （ A） Invite Pat to a live concert. （ B） Buy some gifts for Pats kids. （ C） Help take care
45、of Pats kids. （ D） Pay for Pats season tickets. （ A） It can develop between people with a big difference in income. （ B） It can be maintained among people of different age groups. （ C） It cannot last long without similar family background. （ D） It cannot be sustained when friends move far apart. Sec
46、tion C Directions: 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 blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you
47、 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 36 Americans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide【 B1】 _of food
48、 available. They have a broader【 B2】 _of nutrition (营养 ), so they buy more fresh fruit and【 B3】 _than ever before. At the same time, Americans【 B4】 _increasing quantities of sweets and sodas. Statistics show that the way people live【 B5】 _the way they eat. American lifestyles have changed. There are
49、 now growing numbers of people who live alone,【 B6】 _parents and children, and double-income families. These changing lifestyles are【 B7】 _for the increasing number of people who must【 B8】_meals or sometimes simply go without them. Many Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food.【 B9】 _. Moreover, Americans eat out nearly four times a week on average. It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that people consume.【 B10】 _
