1、国家公共英语（四级）笔试模拟试卷 172及答案与解析 PART A Directions: For Questions 1-5, you will hear a conversation. While you listen, fill out the table with the information you have heard. Some of the information has been given to you in the table. Write only 1 word in each numbered box. You will hear the recording twi
2、ce. You now have 25 seconds to read the table below. 1 PART B Directions: For Questions 6-10, you will hear a passage. Use not more than 3 words for each answer. You will hear the recording twice. You now have 25 seconds to read the sentences and the questions below. 6 PART C Directions: You will he
3、ar three dialogues or monologues. Before listening to each one, you will have 5 seconds to read each of the questions which accompany it. While listening, answer each question by choosing A, B, C or D. After listening, you will have 10 seconds to check your answer to each question. You will hear eac
4、h piece ONLY ONCE. 11 What is the conversation mainly about? （ A） A standard unit for measuring weight. （ B） How to care for precious metals. （ C） The value of precious metals. （ D） Using the metric system. 12 How is the weight used? （ A） To measure amounts of rainfall. （ B） To check the accuracy of
5、 scales. （ C） To observe changes in the atmosphere. （ D） To calculate the density of other metals. 13 What does Doctor Thomas probably think about the cost of the new weight? （ A） It is too high for such a light weight. （ B） It is difficult to judge the value of such an object. （ C） It is a small am
6、ount to pay for so much precious metal. （ D） It is reasonable for an object with such an important function. Questions 14 Why does a newborn baby have to spend the first year of his life learning to listen? （ A） Because he likes learning. （ B） Because his hearing center is still immature. （ C） Becau
7、se his ears are immature. （ D） Because he wants to know how to use his ears. 15 What s a newborn baby s reaction to a loud noise near him? （ A） Get angry. （ B） Look away. （ C） Begin crying. （ D） Ignore it. 16 When does a baby begin to use more vowels and consonants? （ A） When he is pleased. （ B） As
8、he grows. （ C） When he gets angry. （ D） When he hears other baby crying. 17 What hasnt Devorah Day involved in? （ A） Madrigals. （ B） Folk. （ C） Rock. （ D） Opera. 18 What is Devorah Day going to sing in future? （ A） Continue to sing jazz. （ B） Transfer to opera. （ C） Whatever songs she is offered. （
9、D） She is not sure. 19 How is her family? （ A） It doesnt have any musical background. （ B） It has many musicians. （ C） They pay much attention to Day s work. （ D） They didnt care about Day at all. 20 Which statement is true about Devorah Day? （ A） She starts singing as a jazz singer. （ B） The sessio
10、ns for the album was done in 1999. （ C） Her family supports her work very much. （ D） She has faith in herself despite opposition of people around. 一、 Section II Use of English (15 minutes) Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSW
11、ER SHEET 1. 20 Generally speaking, a British is widely regarded as a quiet, shy and conservative person who is【 21】 only among those with whom he is acquainted. When a stranger is at present, he often seems nervous, 【 22】 embarrassed. You have to take a commuter train any morning or evening to【 23】
12、the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or dozing in a corner; hardly anybody talks, since to do so would be considered quite offensive. 【 24】 , there is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, 【 25】broken, makes the offender immediat
13、ely the object of【 26】 . It has been known as a fact that a British has a【 27】 for the discussion of their weather and that, if given a chance, he will talk about it【 28】 . Some people argue that it is because the British weather seldom【 29】 forecast and hence becomes a source of interest and【 30】 t
14、o everyone. This may be so.【 31】 a British cannot have much【 32】 in the weathermen, who, after promising fine, sunny weather for the following day, are often proved wrong【 33】 a cloud over the Atlantic brings rainy weather to all districts! The man in the street seems to be as accurate or as inaccur
15、ate as the weathermen in his【 34】 . Foreigners may be surprised at the number of references【 35】 weather that the British make to each other in the course of a single day. Very often conversational greetings are【 36】 by comments on the weather. “Nice day, isnt it?“ “Beautiful day I“ may well be hear
16、d instead of “Good morning, how are you?“【 37】 the foreigner may consider this exaggerated and comic, it is worthwhile pointing out that it could be used to his advantage.【 38】 he wants to start a conversation with a British but is【 39】 to know where to begin, he could do well to mention the state o
17、f the weather. It is a safe subject which will【 40】 an answer from even the most reserved of the British. （ A） relaxed （ B） frustrated （ C） amused （ D） exhausted （ A） yet （ B） otherwise （ C） even （ D） so （ A） experience （ B） witness （ C） watch （ D） undergo （ A） Deliberately （ B） Consequently （ C） Fr
18、equently （ D） Apparently （ A） unless （ B） once （ C） while （ D） as （ A） suspicion （ B） opposition （ C） criticism （ D） praise （ A） emotion （ B） fancy （ C） likelihood （ D） judgement （ A） at length （ B） to a great extent （ C） from his heart （ D） by all means （ A） follows （ B） predicts （ C） defies （ D） s
19、upports （ A） dedication （ B） compassion （ C） contemplation （ D） speculation （ A） Still （ B） Also （ C） Certainly （ D） Fundamentally （ A） faith （ B） reliance （ C） honor （ D） credit （ A） if （ B） once （ C） when （ D） whereas （ A） propositions （ B） predictions （ C） approval （ D） defiance （ A） about （ B） o
20、n （ C） in （ D） to （ A） started （ B） conducted （ C） replaced （ D） proposed （ A） Since （ B） Although （ C） However （ D） Only if （ A） Even if （ B） Because （ C） If （ D） For （ A） at a loss （ B） at last （ C） in group （ D） on the occasion （ A） stimulate （ B） constitute （ C） furnish （ D） provoke Part B Direc
21、tions: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D . Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. 40 Parents now have a popular belief that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever ignored spelling or considered it uni
22、mportant as a basic skill. There are, however, greatly different ideas about how to teach it or how much priority (优先 )it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is that how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without hol
23、ding him back with the complexities of spelling. If spelling becomes the only focal point of his teachers interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to “play safe“. He will be prone to write only words within his spelling range, choosing to a-void adventurous language. Thats why teachers often
24、encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability. I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience; “This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling errors and your writing is illegible (难以辨认
25、的 ). “It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupils technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad reflection on the teacher who had omitted to read the essay, which included some beautiful expressions of the childs deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the errors,
26、but if his priorities had centred on the childs ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more motivation (动力 ) to seek improvement. 41 Teachers are different in their opinions about （ A） the difficulties in teaching spelling. （ B） the role of spelli
27、ng in general language development. （ C） the complexities of the basic writing skills. （ D） the necessity of teaching spelling. 42 The expression“ play safe“ probably means （ A） to write carefully. （ B） to do as teachers say. （ C） to use dictionaries frequently. （ D） to avoid using words one is not
28、sure of. 43 Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that （ A） students will be able to express their ideas more freely. （ B） students will have more confidence in writing. （ C） teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes. （ D） students will learn to be independent of teachers. 44 Th
29、e writer seems to think that the teachers judgement on that sensitive piece of writing is （ A） unfair. （ B） reasonable. （ C） foolish. （ D） careless. 45 The major point discussed in the passage is （ A） the importance of developing writing skills. （ B） the complexities of spelling. （ C） the correct wa
30、y of marking compositions. （ D） the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition. 45 In the 1960s the West Coast became an important center for rock music. Los Angeles and Southern California are famous for sunshine and surfing. There, a quieter kind of rock called surf rock became
31、 famous. The Beach Boys sang songs like “Surf in U. S. A. “ , “California Girls“ and “Fun, Fun, Fun“. These songs made people dream about the good life in California. San Francisco was a center for young people and rock music in the late 1960s. This was the time of the Vietnam War, student protest,
32、hippies, and drugs. Hippies talked about love and peace. They wore brightly colored clothes and had long hair. They listened to rock and folk-rock music. Drugs were a serious problem during that time. The deaths of three young rock stars, Janis Jopling, Jim Morrison and the great guitar player Jimi
33、Hendrix were all related to drugs. Not all of the rock musicians came from California or the U. S. A That was the time of the great British rock groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. British rock musicians had a very important place in the rock music of the 1960s in America. Another kind o
34、f softer rock music was created by the singers. Singers like Joni Mitchell and James Taylor wrote their own lyrics and their own music. Their songs were about love and friendship , good and bad times. In the 1960s big rock concerts were very welcomed by everyone. The most famous concert was Woodstoc
35、k. In 1969 in New York State, a million young people came together to hear the rock stars. This peaceful Woodstock concert was the most important musical event of the 1960s. After World War II a great number of black people moved from the South to the big industrial cities like New York, Detroit, an
36、d Philadelphia. Many black people lived in poor parts of the city such as Harlem in New York. Musicians wrote and sang about life in the big cities. Life was difficult but music and dancing made it a little easier. Popular black music had a strong beat for dancing. At first this music was called rhy
37、thm and blues. The 1960s called it soul. In Detroit, a black musician named Berry Gordy set up an all black record company. It was called Motown. Motown or motor town is another name for Detroit, where cars are made. Most of the famous soul musicians like the Supremes, the Temptations, and the Jacks
38、on Five recorded with Motown. 46 Where in the United States did pop music first emerge? （ A） The West. （ B） New York. （ C） The South. （ D） San Francisco. 47 What was the war affair in late 1960s that made many American young people love to take up pop music? （ A） The Korean War. （ B） The Word War II
39、. （ C） The Vietnam War. （ D） The Gulf War. 48 The term “Hippies“ refers to （ A） three young rock stars. （ B） four Liverpool boys. （ C） the rock group of the Rolling Stones. （ D） the lost generation. 49 American rock music of the 1960s was greatly influenced by （ A） American country music. （ B） Briti
40、sh rock music. （ C） Hollywood film music. （ D） the Hippies. 50 How did the black people feel about the pop music in the 1960s? （ A） Terrible. （ B） Humiliating. （ C） Enjoyable. （ D） Holy. 50 No company likes to be told it is contributing to the moral decline of a nation. “ Is this what you like to ac
41、complish with your careers?“ an American senator asked Time Warner executives recently. “You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?“ At Time Warner, however, such questions are simply the latest manifestation of the soul-searching that has involved t
42、he company ever since the company was born in 1990. Its a self-examination that has, at different times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line. At the core of this debate is chairman Gerald Levin, 56, who took over from the late Steve Ross in the early 199
43、0s. On the financial front, Levin is under pressure to raise the stock price and reduce the companys mountainous debt, which will increase to $ 17.3 billion after two new cable deals close. He has promised to sell off some of the property and restructure the company, but investors are waiting impati
44、ently. The flap over rap is not making life any easier for him. Levin has consistently defended the companys rap music on the grounds of expression. In 1992, when Time Warner was under fire for releasing Ice-Ts violent rap song Cop Killer, Levin described rap as a lawful expression of street culture
45、, which deserves an outlet. “ The test of any democratic society, “ he wrote in a Wall Street Journal column, “ lies not in how well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may some
46、times be. We wont retreat when we face any threats. “ Levin would not comment on the debate last week, but there were signs that the chairman was backing off his hard-line stand, at least to some extent. During the discussion of rock singing verses at last months stockholders meeting, Levin asserted
47、 that “music is not the cause of societys ills“ and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students. But he talked as well about the “balanced struggle “between creative freedom and social responsibility, and he proclaimed that the company would launch
48、 a drive to develop standards for distribution and labeling of potentially objectionable music. The 15-member Time Warner board is generally supportive of Levin and his corporate strategy. But insiders say some of them have shown their concerns in this matter. “ Some of us have known for many, many
49、years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited , “ says Luce. “ I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this. “ 51 An American senator criticized Time Warner for （ A） its raising of the corporate stock price. （ B） its self-examination of the soul. （ C） its neglect of social responsibility. （ D） its emphasis on creative freedom. 52 The word “ flap“ (Para. 3) here means （ A） controversy. （ B） fear. （ C） disaster. （ D） solution. 53 In 1992, Time Warner caused publi
