1、国家公共英语（四级）笔试模拟试卷 236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 Which university did historian Patrice Higonnet graduate from? （ A） Stanford University （ B） Harvard University （ C） Massachusetts Institute of Technology （ D） University of Michigan 12 What is Higonnets attitude towards the fact that the two sides of the “myth“ complemented ea
5、ch other? （ A） Appreciation （ B） Dislike （ C） Indifference （ D） Anger 13 The so-called Parisian Golden Age ran roughly from the French Revolution to_. （ A） 1925 （ B） 1935 （ C） 1945 （ D） 1955 14 How many flu deaths a year in the 1990s? （ A） 20,000 （ B） 26,000 （ C） 30,000 （ D） 36,000 15 Dr. Fukuda and
6、 his colleagues reported that the virus was especially deadly in people over （ A） 55 （ B） 65 （ C） 75 （ D） 85 16 According to the report, which of the following sentences is true? （ A） The only method of preventing the disease is to get flu vaccines. （ B） Dr. Morens was optimistic about the immediate
7、 future. （ C） As many as 87 percent of the 11,000 people who died from R. S. V. each year were 65 and older. （ D） The vaccine, which is made from a killed virus, can give people the flu. 17 What is Canon Digital PowerShot s230 cameras size? （ A） Similar to a credit card （ B） Similar to a necklace （
8、C） Similar to a cigarette box （ D） Similar to a dressing case 18 What are the target consumers of Digital PowerShot s230 camera? （ A） Young white-collar men （ B） Middle-aged white-collar men （ C） Young white-collar women （ D） Middle-aged white-collar women 19 There is an ad that shows a photo of a f
9、ashionable blonde sheathed in a clingy black dress, an ATM-card-size camera suspended like a necklace. Which Company takes this ad? （ A） Canon （ B） Sony （ C） Nokia （ D） Casio 20 According to the report, which of the following sentences is NOT true? （ A） Now manufacturers are seeking a combination of
10、 high-tech features and “cool“ design （ B） Those young white-collar women have not been the primary buyers of digital cameras （ C） Digital technology is still a novelty nowadays. （ D） The Canon Digital PowerShot s230 camera is introduced in September, 2002. 一、 Section II Use of English (15 minutes)
11、Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. 20 Standard English is the variety of English which is usually used in print and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers learning the language. It is also
12、 the variety which is normally 21 by educated people and used in news broadcasts and other 22 situations. The difference between standard and nonstandard, it should be noted, has 23 in principle to do with differences between formal and colloquial 24; standard English has colloquial as well as forma
13、l variants. 25 , the standard variety of English is based on the London 26 of English that developed after the Norman Conquest resulted in the removal of the Court from Winchester to London. This dialect became the one 27 by the educated, and it was developed and promoted 28 a model, or norm, for wi
14、der and wider segments of society. It was also the 29 that was carried overseas, but not one unaffected by such export. Today, 30 English is arranged to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary of English are 31 the same everywhere in the world where English is used; 32 among local standards is re
15、ally quite minor, 33 the Singapore, South Africa, and Irish varieties are really very 34 different from one another so far as grammar and vocabulary are 35 . Indeed, Standard English is so powerful that it exerts a tremendous 36 on all local varieties, to the extent that many of long-established dia
16、lects of England have 37 much of their vigor and there is considerable pressure on them to be 38 . This latter situation is not unique 39 English; it is also true in other countries where processes of standardization are 40 . But it sometimes creates problems for speakers who try to strike some kind
17、 of compromise between local norms and national, even supranational (跨国的 ) ones. （ A） said （ B） told （ C） talked （ D） spoken （ A） same （ B） similar （ C） equal （ D） identical （ A） anything （ B） something （ C） nothing （ D） everything （ A） language （ B） vocabulary （ C） idioms （ D） words （ A） Surprising
18、ly （ B） Historically （ C） Interestingly （ D） Generally （ A） accent （ B） pronunciation （ C） spelling （ D） dialect （ A） preferred （ B） learned （ C） praised （ D） created （ A） to （ B） in （ C） as （ D） for （ A） basis （ B） norm （ C） rule （ D） variety （ A） formal （ B） colloquial （ C） non-standard （ D） stand
19、ard （ A） not （ B） very （ C） much （ D） hardly （ A） variation （ B） standardization （ C） unification （ D） transformation （ A） therefore （ B） but （ C） so that （ D） nevertheless （ A） great （ B） much （ C） no （ D） little （ A） talked （ B） concerned （ C） mentioned （ D） involved （ A） press （ B） pressure （ C）
20、power （ D） force （ A） lost （ B） gained （ C） missed （ D） got （ A） abandoned （ B） changed （ C） standardized （ D） reformed （ A） in （ B） of （ C） for （ D） to （ A） in the way （ B） under way （ C） out of the way （ D） all the way Part B Directions: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below ea
21、ch text by choosing A, B, C or D . Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. 40 Humour, which ought to give rise to only the most light-hearted and gay feelings, can often stir up vehemence and animosity. Evidently it is dearer to us than we realize. Men will take almost any kind of criticism except the
22、observation that they have no sense of humour. A man will admit to being a coward or a liar or a thief or a poor mechanic or a bad swimmer, but tell him he has a dreadful sense of humour and you might as well have slandered his mother. Even if he is civilized enough to pretend to make light of your
23、statement, he will still secretly believe that he has not only a good sense of humour but is superior to most. He has, in other words, a completely blind spot on the subject. This is all the more surprising when you consider that not one man in ten million can give you any kind of intelligent answer
24、 as to what humour is or why he laughs. One day when I was about twelve years old, it occurred to me to wonder about the phenomenon of laughter. At first I thought it is easy enough to see what I laugh at and why I am amused, but why at such times do I open my mouth and exhale in jerking gasps and w
25、rinkle up my eyes and throw back my head and halloo like an animal? Why do I not instead rap four times on the top of my head or whistle or whirl about? That was over twenty years ago and I am still wondering, except that I now no longer even take my first assumption for granted, I no longer clearly
26、 understand why I laugh at what amuses me nor why things are amusing. I have illustrious company in my confusion, of course. Many of the great minds of history have brought their power of concentration to bear on the mystery of humour, and, to date, their conclusions are so contradictory and ephemer
27、al that they cannot possibly be classified as scientific. Many definitions of the comic are incomplete and many are simply rewording of things we already know. Aristotle, for example, defined the ridiculous as that which is incongruous but represents neither danger nor pain. But that seems to me to
28、be a most inadequate sort of observation, for of at this minute I insert here the word rutabagas, I have introduced something in congruous, something not funny. Of course, it must be admitted that Aristotle did not claim that every painless in congruity is ridiculous but as soon as we have gone as f
29、ar as this admission, we begin to see that we have come to grips with a ghost when we think have it pinned, it suddenly appears behind us, mocking us. An all-embracing definition of humour has been attempted by many philosophers, but no definition, no formula had ever been devised that is entirely s
30、atisfactory. Aristotles definition has come to be known loosely as the “disappointment“ theory, or the “frustrated expectation“, but he also, discussed another theory borrowed in part from Plato which states that the pleasure we derive in laughing is an enjoyment of the misfortune of others, due to
31、a momentary feeling of superiority or gratified vanity in appreciation of the fact that we ourselves are not in the observed predicament. 41 Which of the following can be inferred from the first paragraph? _ （ A） People dont like to be considered as one with no sense of humour. （ B） People will give
32、 you a satisfactory answer to what humour is. （ C） People would like to be a liar or a coward. （ D） People can make light of others comment on their sense of humour. 42 The purpose of two questions in the second paragraph is to_. （ A） demonstrate why people are amused （ B） display what people laugh
33、at （ C） bring to light the phenomenon of laughter （ D） accent what a phenomenon laughter really is 43 The writer feels that the answer to the mystery of humour given by the great minds of history is_. （ A） dispassionate （ B） unsatisfactory （ C） satisfactory （ D） intelligent 44 The word “rutabagas“ i
34、s inserted in Para. 4 to_. （ A） support the writers opinion on Aristotles explanation of humour （ B） show his agreement with Aristotles definition （ C） explain Aristotles definition of the ridiculous （ D） prove that the ridiculous is that which is incongruous but represents neither danger nor pain 4
35、5 The paragraph following will most likely discuss_. （ A） the writers intelligent definition of humour （ B） more theories about the mystery of laughter （ C） why there is humour （ D） the mystery of humour 45 Specialisation can be seen as a response to the problem of an increasing accumulation of scie
36、ntific knowledge. By splitting up the subject matter into smaller units, one man could continue to handle the information and use it as the basis for further research. But specialisation was only one of a series of related developments in science affecting the process of communication. Another was t
37、he growing professionalisation of scientific activity. No clear-cut distinction can be drawn between professionals and amateurs in science: exceptions can be found to any rule. Nevertheless, the word “amateur“ does carry a connotation that the person concerned is not fully integrated into the scient
38、ific community and, in particular, may not fully share its values. The growth of specialisation in nineteenth century, with its consequent requirement of a longer, more complex training, implied greater problems for amateur participation in science. The trend was naturally most obvious in those area
39、s of science based especially on a mathematical or laboratory training, and can be illustrated in terms of the development of geology in the United Kingdom. A comparison of British geological publications over the last century and a half reveals not simply an increasing emphasis on the primacy of re
40、search, but also a changing definition of what constitutes an acceptable research paper. Thus, in the nineteenth century, local geological studies represented worthwhile research in their own right; but, in the twentieth century, local studies have increasingly become acceptable to professionals onl
41、y if they incorporate, and reflect on, the wider geological picture. Amateurs, on the other hand, have continued to pursue local studies in the old way. The overall result has been to make entrance to professional geological journals harder for amateurs, a result that has been reinforced by the wide
42、spread introduction of refereeing, first by national journals in the nineteenth century and then by several local geological journals in the twentieth century. As a logical consequence of this development, separate journals have now appeared aimed mainly towards either professional or amateur reader
43、ship. A rather similar process of differentiation has led to professional geologists coming together nationally within one or two specific societies, whereas the amateurs have tended either to remain in local societies or to come together nationally in a different way. Although the process of profes
44、sionalisation and specialisation was already well under way in British geology during the nineteenth century, its full consequences were thus delayed until the twentieth century. In science generally, however, the nineteenth century must be reckoned as the crucial period for this change in the struc
45、ture of science. 46 The growth of specialisation in the 19th century might be more clearly seen in sciences such as_. （ A） society and chemistry （ B） physics and psychology （ C） sociology and psychology （ D） physics and chemistry 47 We can infer from the passage that_. （ A） there is little distincti
46、on between specialisation and professionalisation （ B） amateurs can compete with professionals in some areas of science （ C） professionals tend to welcome amateurs into the scientific community （ D） amateurs have national academic societies but no local ones 48 The author writes of the development o
47、f geology to demonstrate_. （ A） the process of specialisation and professionalisation （ B） the hardship of amateurs in scientific study （ C） the change of policies in scientific publications （ D） the discrimination of professionals against amateurs 49 The direct reason for specialisation is_. （ A） t
48、he development in communication （ B） the growth of professionalisation （ C） the expansion of scientific knowledge （ D） the splitting of academic societies 49 The Supreme Courts decisions on physician-assisted suicide carry important implications for how medicine seeks to relieve dying patients of pa
49、in and suffering. Although it ruled that there is no constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide, the Court in effect supported the medical principle of “double effect“, a centuries-old moral principle holding that an action having two effectsa good one that is intended and a harmful one that is foreseenis permissible if the actor intends only the good effect. Doctors have used that principle in recent years to justify using high doses of morphine to control terminally ill patients pain, even though increasing d
