1、大学英语六级模拟试卷 413及答案与解析 一、 Part I Writing (30 minutes) 1 Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the title: How to Treat Our Aging Population? You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below in Chinese. How to Treat Our Aging Population 1中国已
2、渐渐步入老龄化社会 (65岁以上的老年人已占全国人口的 7%) 2我认为应如何对待老年人群 (社会关爱与福利制度，家庭温暖，社区服务 ) 3我的结论 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 questions 1-4, mark
3、： 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 Organic Food Organic farming was among the fastest growing segments of U
4、.S. agriculture during the 1990s. The value of retail. sales of organic food was estimated to be $16 billion in 2004. According to the Food Marketing Institute, more than half of Americans now buy organic food at least once a month. Why is organic food becoming so popular? What is Organic Food? In D
5、ecember 2000, the National Organic Standards Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established a national standard for the term “organic“. Organic food, defined by how it cannot be made rather than how it can be made, must be produced without the use of sewer-sludge fertilizers, most sy
6、nthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetic engineering (biotechnology), growth hormones, irradiation and antibiotics. A variety of agricultural products can be produced organically, including produce, grains, meat, dairy, eggs, and processed food products. “Organic“ does not mean “natural“. There i
7、s no legal definition as to what constitutes a “natural“ food. However, the food industry uses the term “natural“ to indicate that a food has been minimally processed and is preservative-free. Natural foods can include organic foods, but not all natural foods are organic. Only foods labeled “organic
8、“ have been certified as meeting USDA organic standards. Organic Farming The phrase organic farming first appeared in Lord Northbournes book Look to the Land, published in 1940. But the truth is, organic farming is the oldest form of agriculture. Before the end of World War , farming without the use
9、 of petroleum-based chemicals (synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) was the only option for farmers. Technologies developed during the war were found to be useful for agricultural production. For example, the chemical ammonium nitrate (硝酸铵 ), which was used as munitions (军需品 ), became useful as fer
10、tilizer, and organophosphates (有机磷酸盐 ) used for nerve gas were later used as insecticide. These days, farmers are switching to organic agriculture once again, but now with an ecologically based, systematic approach that includes long-term planning, detailed record keeping and major investment in equ
11、ipment and supplies. Although it is still only a small industry, the number of organic farmers is growing by about 12 percent per year and now stands at more than 12,000 nationwide. Organic Farming in the U.S. Today The USDAs Economic Research Service reports that in 1997, the latest year for which
12、data are available, farmers in 49 states used organic production methods and thirdVparty organic certification services on 1.35 million acres out of a total of 828 million acres of farmland. Approximately two-thirds of the certified U.S. organic farmland was used for crops, and one-third was used as
13、 pasture. Large farms, mostly located in the Midwest and West, produced processed tomatoes, organic wine grapes and other high-value crops on a commercial scale, whereas numerous small farms, concentrated in the Northeast, specialized in mixed vegetable production for direct marketing to consumers a
14、nd restaurants. While organic food can be found throughout the country, California was the leader in production of organic fruits and vegetables in 1997, followed closely by Arizona, Florida, Texas, and Washington in decreasing order of total yield. Farmers and ranchers in 23 states raised a small n
15、umber of certified organic cows, hogs and sheep. New York, Wisconsin and Minnesota were the top producers of organic dairy cows. Production: Organic vs. Conventional As you can imagine, organic agricultural practices are quite distinct from those of “conventional“ fanning. Organic farmers: feed soil
16、 and build soil matter with natural fertilizer to grow their crops use insect predators, mating disruption, traps and barriers to protect crops from pests and disease make use of crop rotation, mechanical tillage and hand-weeding, as well as cover crops, mulches, flame weeding and other management m
17、ethods to control weed growth. As a last resort, organic farmers may apply certain botanical or other non-synthetic pesticides. Conventional farmers:, apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops spray with insecticides to protect crops from pests and disease use synthetic herbicides t
18、o control weed growth. How Do I Know if a Food is Organic? Look for the word “organic“ on vegetables or pieces of fruit, or on the sign above the organic produce display. The word “organic“ may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Foods
19、labeled “100 percent organic“ must contain only organic ingredients. Products containing at least 70 percent organic content can be labeled “made with organic ingredients“. Those foods labeled simply “organic“ must have at least 95 percent organic ingredients, by weight or fluid volume, excluding wa
20、ter and salt. Anyone who knowingly sells or labels a product “organic“ that is not produced and handled in accordance with these regulations can face a civil penalty of up to $10,000. Foods grown and processed according to the federal standards will in most cases bear the seal “USDA Organic“. As its
21、 use is voluntary, companies may choose not to display the seal. Why Should I Care if a Food is Organic? According to the USDA, organic food production allows farmers to lower input costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, capture high-value markets and premium prices, and boost farm inco
22、me. Organic agriculture also has many important environmental, benefits: It promotes sustainability by establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems. In the long run, organic farms tend to conserve energy and protect the environment by maintaining ecological harmony.
23、It enhances biodiversity, or the presence of multiple plant and animal species. Having a highly diverse genetic pool becomes useful in the future when beneficial characteristics can be tapped. Because organic agriculture utilizes practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associatio
24、ns, cover crops and minimum tillage, the length of time that the soil is exposed to erosive forces is decreased, which minimizes nutrient losses and boosts soil productivity. By not using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, organic agriculture-reduces pollution of groundwater. Organic agriculture
25、helps to minimize the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to keep carbon in the soil. Why is Organic Food So Expensive? Prices tend to be higher for organic titan conventional products. As stated on the Web site of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nation
26、s (UN), certified organic products are generally, more expensive than their conventional counterparts because: The organic food supply is limited as compared to demand. Production costs for organic foods are typically higher because of greater labor input and because farmers dont produce enough of a
27、 single product to lower the overall cost. Post-harvest handling of relatively small quantities of organic foods results in higher costs because organic and conventional 0roduce must be separated for processing and transportation. Marketing and the distribution chain for organic products are relativ
28、ely inefficient, and costs are higher because of relatively small volumes. The FAO also notes that as the demand for organic food and products increases, technological innovations and economies of scale should reduce costs of production, processing, distribution and marketing for organic produce. Is
29、 Organic Food Better than Conventional Food? Organic and conventional food must meet the same quality and safety standards. Organic food differs from conventionally produced food simply in the way it is grown, handled, and processed. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that it is more nutriti
30、ous or safer than conventional food. A recently published report indicates that organic food is less likely to contain pesticide residues than conventional food. Yet, according to the National Research Council, the traces of pesticides left on conventionally grown products are unlikely to cause an i
31、ncreased cancer risk. Also, if fruits and vegetables are properly washed, most of the chemicals can be removed. As for taste, thats up to you to decide what you like best. In general, people tend to find that the fresher a food is, the better it tastes, regardless of how it was produced. 2 The passa
32、ge is mainly about the differences between conventional and organic fanning. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 3 Organic agriculture has become a big industry as more and more farmers are switching to it. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 4 Organic food is not necessarily better than conventional food in temps of nutrition
33、, safety or taste. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 5 According to the FAO, as the demand for organic food and products increases, prices will be lower for organic products than conventional products. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 6 Organic agriculture contributes to slowing down the global temperature increase throug
34、h its ability to _ . 7 Most of the foods grown and processed according to the federal standards will bear the seal _ . 8 _ are applied in conventional farming for weed control. 9 According to the USDA, _ tend to be reduced in organic food production. 10 The first use of the term organic farming is u
35、sually credited to _ in his 1940 book, Look to the Land. 11 Different from large organic farms, small organic farms were mainly, engaged in _ . Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions
36、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 is the best answer. （ A） Camp in the mountains. （ B） Stay at his own
37、 house. （ C） Write to his girlfriend. （ D） Hold his uncles mails. （ A） He doesnt understand his staff. （ B） His computer doesnt work properly. （ C） He doesnt know how to apply computer theory. （ D） He is trouble to add the figures. （ A） Cowardly. （ B） Anxious. （ C） Lazy. （ D） Courageous. （ A） She ma
38、de a reservation for the 9:00 flight. （ B） She changed the reservation. （ C） She found they were late for the 8:00 flight. （ D） She misunderstood the man. （ A） He couldnt make any sense out of his course. （ B） He hasnt taken more than one philosophy course. （ C） He is a philosophy major. （ D） He has
39、pt taken any philosophy course in that department. （ A） A dentist. （ B） A cook. （ C） A dietician. （ D） A twirler. （ A） Go for a swim. （ B） Make better use of time. （ C） Follow the official procedure. （ D） Watch television. （ A） She doubts he makes much money now. （ B） Shes surprised that he chose th
40、at company. （ C） She doesnt know when her classes started. （ D） She wonders why hes kept his job. （ A） It plans to send a probe to explore the moon. （ B） Its NASAs most expensive project so far. （ C） Its an ambitious project. （ D） Its involved in the construction of the American space station. （ A）
41、The construction of the American space station. （ B） Budget problems. （ C） Delays. （ D） Technical difficulties. （ A） Building relationship with outer space. （ B） Making profits. （ C） Creating a stepping-stone to scientific research. （ D） Fostering international scientific cooperation. （ A） Common ca
42、uses of anger. （ B） Judging peoples behavior. （ C） Changing peoples attitudes. （ D） The effects of negative behavior. （ A） When theyre unable to control the persons behavior. （ B） When the causes of the behavior are obvious. （ C） When the consequences of the behavior are unpleasant. （ D） When the be
43、havior is expected. （ A） Its not always clear why people behave in certain ways. （ B） People usually blame others for their mistakes. （ C） Certain conditions cause drivers to behave strangely. （ D） The reason for some behavior is obvious. （ A） They usually accept responsibility. （ B） They blame fact
44、ors beyond their control. （ C） They complain about their personal problems. （ D） They compare their behavior to others. Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken o
45、nly once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. （ A） The meaning of facial expressions depends on situations. （ B） Facial expressions can cause misunderstanding across culture. （ C） People from one culture may lack facial expressions b
46、ecause they experience less emotion. （ D） Facial expressions may disguise true feelings. （ A） They smile to cover embarrassment. （ B） It is an unusual and even suspicious behavior. （ C） They smile to show politeness. （ D） It is an expression of pleasure. （ A） We shouldnt judge people by reading thei
47、r faces. （ B） We shouldnt smile in the wrong place. （ C） We shouldnt cover our true feelings. （ D） We shouldnt express our emotions too openly. （ A） In 1938. （ B） In 1946. （ C） In 1955. （ D） During World War . （ A） It reflects commercial interests. （ B） It is a fashionable professional event. （ C） I
48、t is an essential affair for international cinema. （ D） It is more concerned with the art of film than with financial interests. （ A） It is awarded to the best film of the festival. （ B） It was introduced in 1959. （ C） It was introduced by a commercial organization. （ D） Only American directors have
49、 received this award. （ A） Listening to different styles of conversations. （ B） Listening to the content of different conversations. （ C） Listening to how salesmen talk to different people. （ D） Listening to conversations in public. （ A） Word games about states and their capitals. （ B） Language games. （ C） Games concerning history. （ D） Guessing games. （ A） Books they had read. （ B） Places they had been to. （ C） Histories and things they remembered. （ D） The fun they got fro
