1、大学英语六级模拟试卷 491及答案与解析 一、 Part I Writing (30 minutes) 1 1. 国际上正在提倡低能耗、低排放的低碳生活 (featuring low energy demand and carbon dioxide output) 2为什么要提倡低碳生活 3我们如何贯彻这一理念 二、 Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes) Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage
2、 quickly and answer the questions attached to the passage. For questions 1-4, 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 p
3、assage. 2 Madagascar There are at least 8 million unique species of life on the planet, if net far more, and you could be forgiven for believing that all of them can be found in Andasibe. Walking through this rain forest in Madagascar is like stepping into the library of life. Sunlight seeps through
4、 the silky fringes of the Ravenea louvelii, an endangered palm (棕榈树 ) found, like so much else on this African island, nowhere else. Madagascar which separated from India 80 million to 100 million years ago before eventually settling off the southeastern coast of Africa, is in many ways an Earth apa
5、rt. All that time in geographic isolation made Madagascar a Darwinian playground, its animals and plants evolving into forms utterly original. Some 90% of the islands plants and about 70% of its animals arc endemic, meaning that they arc found only in Madagascar. But what makes life on the island un
6、ique also makes it uniquely vuhnerable, which means if we lose these animals on Madagascar, theyre gone forever. That loss seems likelier than ever because the animals are under threat as never before. Once lushly forested, Madagascar has seen more than 80% of its original vegetation cut down or bur
7、ned since humans arrived at least 1500 years ago, fragmenting habitats and leaving animals effectively homeless. Unchecked hunting wiped out a number of large species, and today mining, logging and energy exploration threaten those that remain. It has an area the size of New Jersey in Madagascar tha
8、t is still under forest, and all this incredible diversity is crammed into it. Madagascar is a conservation hot spot a term for a region that is very biodiverse and particularly threatened-and while that makes the island special, it is hardly alone. Conservationists estimate that extinctions worldwi
9、de are occurring at a pace that is up to 1 000 times as great as historys background rate before human beings began scattering. Worse, that die-off could be accelerating. Price of Extinction There have been five extinction waves in the planets history including the Permian (二叠纪的 ) extinction 250 mil
10、lion years ago, when an estimated 70% of all terrestrial animals and 96 % of all marine creatures vanished, and, most recently, the Cretaceous (白垩纪的 ) event 65 million ),ears ago, which ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Though scientists have directly assessed the viability of fewer than 3% of the w
11、orlds described species, the sample polling of animal populations so far suggests that we may have entered what will be the planets sixth great extinction wave. And this time the cause isnt an unsteady planet or volcanoes. Its us. Through our growing numbers, our thirst for natural resources and, mo
12、st of all, climate change- which, by one reckoning, could help carry off 20% to 30% of all species before the end of the century- were shaping an Earth that will be biologically exhausted. A 2008 assessment by the: International Union for Conservation of Nature found that nearly 1 in 4 mammals world
13、wide were at risk for extinction, including endangered species. Over fishing and acidification of the oceans are threatening marine species as diverse as the corals. Scary for conservationists, yes. but the question arises: Why should it matter to the rest of us? After all, nearly all the species th
14、at were ever alive in the past are gone today. Evolution demands extinction. When were using the term extinction to talk about the fate of the US auto industry, does it really matter if we lose species like the Yangtze River dolphin and the golden toad, all of which have effectively disappeared in r
15、ecent years? What docs the loss of a few species among millions matter? For one thing, were animals too, dependent on this planet like every other form of life. The more species living in an ecosystem, the healthier and more productive it is, which matters for us-a recent study by the World Wildlife
16、 Fund (WWF) estimates the economic value of the Amazon rain forests ecosystem services to be up to $100 per hectare (about 2.5 acres). When we pollute and deforest and make a mess of the ecological web, were taking out mortgages on the Earth that we cant pay back-and those loans will come due. Then
17、there are the undiscovered organisms and animals that could serve as the basis of needed medicines as the original ingredients of aspirin were derived from the herb meadowsweet unless we unwittingly destroy them first. Forests razed can grow back., polluted air and water can be cleaned, but extincti
18、on is forever. And were not talking about losing just a few species. In fact, conservationists quietly acknowledge that weve entered an age of triage (挑选 ), when we might have to decide which species can truly be saved. The worst-case plot of habitat loss and climate change and thats the pathway we
19、seem to be on-show the planet losing hundreds of thousands to millions of species, many of which we havent even discovered yet. The result could be a virtual extinction of much of the animal world and an irreversible poverty of our planet. Hmnans would survive, but we would have doomed ourselves to
20、what naturalist E.O. Wilson calls the Eremozoic Era the Age of Loneliness. So if you care about tigers and rhinos, if you believe Earth is more than just a home for 6.7 billion human beings and counting, then you should be scared. But fear shouldnt leave us paralyzed. Environmental groups worldwide
21、are responding with new methods to new threats to wildlife. In hot spots like Madagascar and Brazil. conservationists are working with locals on the ground, ensuring that the protection of endangered species is tied to the welfare of the people who live closest to them. A strategy known as avoided d
22、eforestation goes further, incentivizing environmental protection by putting a price on the carbon locked in rain forests and allowing countries to trade credits in an international market, provided that the carbon stays in the trees and is not cut or burned. And as global warming forces animals to
23、migrate in order to escape changing climates, conservationists are looking to create protected corridors that would give the species room to roam. Its uncertain that any of this will stop the sixth extinction wave, let alone preserve the biodiversity we still enjoy, but we have no, choice but to try
24、. We have a window of opportunity, but its slamming shut. To Save the Species, Save the People Madagascar, which is called the “hottest of the hot spots“, is where all the new strategies can be road tested. In 2003, after decades when conservation was barely on the governments agenda, then-President
25、 Marc Ravalomanana announced that the government would triple Madagascars protected areas over the following five years. That decision helped under funded parks like Andasibes, which protects some of the last untouched forest on the is land. “You cant save a species without saving the habitat where
26、it lives,“ says WWFs Roberts. Do that right, and you can even turn a profit in the process. In Madagascar, half the revenues from national parks are meant to go leo the surrounding communities. The reserves in turn help sustain an industry for local guides. In a country as poor as Madagascar, where
27、61% of the people live on less than $1 a day, it makes sense to give locals an economic stake in preserving wildlife rather than destroying it. The corridors created by CIs Andasibe tree-planting program show how a small tweak can reduce the species killing effects of climate change-but also how lon
28、ger-term fixes are needed. Fragmented habitats are problematic because many endangered species wind up trapped in green oases surrounded by degraded land. As global warming changes the climate, species will try to migrate, often right into the path of development and extinction. What good is a natur
29、e reserve-fought for, paid for and protected-if global warming renders it unlivable? Climate change could undermine the conservation work of whole generations. It turns out you cant save species without saving the sky. That will mean reducing carbon emissions as fast as possible. In the US, the CBD
30、has made an art out of using the Endangered Species Act, which mandates that the government prevent the extinction of listed species, to force Washington to act on global warming. The CBDs Siegel led a successful campaign to get the Bush Administration to list the polar bear as threatened by climate
31、 change, and we expect more species to follow. 2 What can we find in Andasibe? （ A） At least 8 million unique species of life. （ B） More than 8 million unique species of life. （ C） A library of life on the planet. （ D） A kind of palm which can be found nowhere. 3 Why do we call Madagascar a Darwinia
32、n playground? （ A） Because of its geographic isolation. （ B） Because its nature is still in original form. （ C） Because most of its plants are endemic. （ D） Because most of its animals are endemic. 4 What made a lot of large animals disappear in the past? （ A） Original vegetation cut down or burned.
33、 （ B） Habitats fragmenting and animals homeless. （ C） Hunting unchecked and without supervision. （ D） Mining, logging ,and energy exploration. 5 What is causing the sixth great extinction according to the polling? （ A） Five extinction waves in the history. （ B） The Permian and the Cretaceous event.
34、（ C） An errant asteroid and some volcanoes. （ D） The human beings. 6 The mention of the extinction of the US auto industry is used to show （ A） Extinction is very important to all the human beings （ B） All the species lived in the past have died off today （ C） Evolution will inevitably cause species
35、 to disappear （ D） The loss of a few species among millions affects nothing 7 According to the passage, what will cause humans to live in the Eremozoic Era? （ A） Forests razed can grow back. （ B） We are losing just a few species. （ C） Habitat loss and climate change. （ D） Humans would survive on the
36、 earth. 8 Why are conservationists cooperating with local people in Madagascar and Brazil? （ A） Because they care about tigers and rhinos. （ B） Because they are scared by the fact and want to give up. （ C） Because they want to associate the protection with welfare of the locals. （ D） Because they wa
37、nt to avoid deforestation. 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 will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each quest
38、ion 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） She isnt going to change her major. （ B） She plans to major in tax law. （ C） She studies in the same school as her brother. （ D） She isnt going to work in her b
39、rothers firm. （ A） She will do her best if the job is worth doing. （ B） She prefers a life of continued exploration. （ C） She will stick to the job if the pay is good. （ D） She doesnt think much of job-hopping. （ A） Stop thinking about the matter. （ B） Talk the drug user out of the habit. （ C） Be mo
40、re friendly to his schoolmate. （ D） Keep his distance from drug addicts. （ A） The son. （ B） The father. （ C） The mother. （ D） Aunt Louise. （ A） Stay away for a couple of weeks. （ B） Check the locks every two weeks. （ C） Look after the Johnsons house. （ D） Move to another place. （ A） He didnt want to
41、 warm up for the game. （ B） He didnt want to be held up in traffic. （ C） He wanted to make sure they got tickets. （ D） He wanted to catch as many birds as possible. （ A） It will reduce government revenues. （ B） It will stimulate business activities. （ C） It will mainly benefit the wealthy. （ D） It w
42、ill cut the stockholders dividends. （ A） The man should phone the hotel for direction. （ B） The man can ask the department store for help. （ C） She doesnt have the hotels phone number. （ D） The hotel is just around the corner. （ A） A more economical diesel run. （ B） Characteristics of a new type of
43、run. （ C） Where a new energy source is located. （ D） How to develop alternative energy sources. （ A） Hes studying for a test. （ B） He lost his notes. （ C） He missed the class. （ D） Hes doing research on alternative. （ A） To help him explain information to his roommate. （ B） To help him write a paper
44、. （ C） To prepare for a test. （ D） To tell her if notes are accurate. （ A） They are everywhere and tasty. （ B） Food is not tasty because of them. （ C） They spoil the food in Britain. （ D） They make food taste bad. （ A） The womans country. （ B） The mans motherland. （ C） The United Kingdom. （ D） They
45、are the same. （ A） British spend more time preparing meals. （ B） British just prepare for breakfast and lunch snack. （ C） British people have three meals a day. （ D） British people have two big meals a day. （ A） There are so many restaurants in London. （ B） There are so many delicious foods in Londo
46、n. （ C） The life in London is diverse and colorful. （ D） The people here are very friendly. 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 only once. After you hear a q
47、uestion, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. （ A） They may feel exhausted. （ B） They may feel very nervous. （ C） They may have heartache. （ D） They may suffer a cold. （ A） The building method the builders use to save energy. （ B） The limit of the flow of air b
48、etween inside and outside. （ C） The use of man-made building materials. （ D） The limit of air-flow and the man-made materials. （ A） To let out clean gas. （ B） To take in harmful gas. （ C） To use various plants. （ D） To let the air flow freely. （ A） The plane cant fly without air. （ B） The plane need
49、s air for its refueling. （ C） It meets the passengers needs. （ D） It meets the pilots needs. （ A） The plane flies at high altitudes. （ B） The plane is filled with air. （ C） The metal structure of the plane is very strong. （ D） A small part of the plane cracks. （ A） To find out exactly what happens. （ B） To save fuel to fly longer. （ C） To find out where the big stone is. （ D） To fly even more slowly. （ A） Rising fuel costs to limit the use of it. （ B） Saving energy and use other sources. （ C
