1、大学英语六级模拟试卷 821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 Starting Career in a Big City or Small Town? You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below. 1很多大学生 毕业后去大城市工作 2也有人选择去小城镇工作 3结合实际情况谈谈自己的想法 Starting Ca
2、reer in a Big City or Small Town? 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： Y (for YES) if the statement agrees wit
3、h 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 Plan B: Skip College Whats the key to success in the United States? Other than becoming a reality TV star, the an
4、swer is rather knee-jerk: Earn a college degree. The idea that four years of higher education will translate into a better job, higher earnings and a happier life a refrain sure to be repeated this month at graduation ceremonies across the country has been pounded into the heads of schoolchildren, p
5、arents and educators. But theres an underside to that conventional wisdom. Perhaps no more than half of those who began a four-year bachelors degree program in the fall of 2006 will get that degree within six years, according to the latest estimates from the Department of Education.(The figures dont
6、 include transfer students, who arent tracked.) For college students who ranked among the bottom quarter of their high school classes, the numbers are even more stark: 80 percent will probably never get a bachelors degree or even a two-year associates degree. That can be a lot of tuition to pay, wit
7、hout a degree to show for it. A small but influential group of economists and educators is pushing another pathway: for some students, no college at all. Its time, they say, to develop credible alternatives for students unlikely to be successful pursuing a higher degree, or who may not be ready to d
8、o so. Whether everyone in college needs to be there is not a new question; the subject has been hashed out(仔细地讨论 )in books and theses for years. But the economic crisis has sharpened that focus, as financially struggling states cut aid to higher education. Among those calling for such alternatives a
9、re the economists Richard K. Vedder of Ohio University and Robert I. Lerman of American University, the political scientist Charles Murray, and James E. Rosenbaum, an education professor at Northwestern. They would steer some students toward intensive, short-term vocational and career training, thro
10、ugh expanded high school programs and corporate apprenticeships(见习 ). “It is true that we need more nanosurgeons than we did 10 to 15 years ago,“ said Professor Vedder, founder of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, a research nonprofit in Washington. “But the numbers are still re
11、latively small compared to the numbers of nurses aides were going to need. We will need hundreds of thousands of them over the next decade.“ And much of their training, he added, might be feasible outside the college setting. College degrees are simply not necessary for many jobs. Of the 30 jobs pro
12、jected to grow at the fastest rate over the next decade in the United States, only seven typically require a bachelors degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among the top 10 growing job categories, two require college degrees: accounting(a bachelors)and postsecondary teachers(a doctor
13、ate). But this growth is expected to be dwarfed by the need for registered nurses, home health aides, customer service representatives and store clerks. None of those jobs require a bachelors degree. Professor Vedder likes to ask why 15 percent of mail carriers have bachelors degrees, according to a
14、 1999 federal study. “Some of them could have bought a house for what they spent on their education,“ he said. Professor Lerman, the American University economist, said some high school graduates would be better served by being taught how to behave and communicate in the workplace. Such skills are r
15、anked among the most desired even ahead of educational attainment in many surveys of employers. In one 2008 survey of more than 2,000 businesses in Washington State, employers said entry-level workers appeared to be most deficient(缺乏 )in being able to “solve problems and make decisions“, “resolve co
16、nflict and negotiate“, “cooperate with others“ and “listen actively“. Yet despite the need, vocational programs, which might teach such skills, have been one casualty in the push for national education standards, which has been focused on preparing students for college. While some educators propose
17、a radical renovation(修复 )of the community college system to teach work readiness, Professor Lerman advocates a significant national investment by government and employers in on-the-job apprenticeship training. He spoke with admiration, for example, about a program in the CVS pharmacy chain in which
18、aspiring pharmacists(药剂师 )assistants work as apprentices in hundreds of stores, with many going on to study to become highly qualified pharmacists themselves. “The health field is an obvious case where the manpower situation is less than ideal,“ he said. “I would try to work with some of the major e
19、mployers to develop these kinds of programs to yield mastery in jobs that do demand high expertise.“ While no country has a perfect model for such programs, Professor Lerman pointed to a modest study of a German effort done last summer by an intern(实习生 )from that country. She found that of those who
20、 passed the Abitur, the exam that allows some Germans to attend college for almost no tuition, 40 percent chose to go into apprenticeships in trades, accounting, sales management, and computers. “Some of the people coming out of those apprenticeships are in more demand than college graduates,“ he sa
21、id, “because theyve actually managed things in the workplace.“ Still, by urging that some students be directed away from four-year colleges, academics like Professor Lerman are touching a third rail of the education system. At the very least, they could be accused of lowering expectations for some s
22、tudents. Some critics go further, suggesting that the approach amounts to educational redlining, since many of the students who drop out of college are black or non-white Hispanics. Peggy Williams, a counselor at a high school in suburban New York City with a student body that is mostly black or His
23、panic, understands the argument for erring on the side of(宁可 )pushing more students toward college. “If were telling kids, You cant perform up to expectations, you shouldnt go to college or university, then were shortchanging them from experiencing an environment in which they might grow,“ she said.
24、 But Ms. Williams said she would be more willing to counsel some students away from the pre-college track if her school, Mount Vernon High School, had a better vocational education alternative. Over the last decade, she said, courses in culinary arts, nursing, dentistry and heating and ventilation s
25、ystem repair were eliminated. Perhaps 1 percent of this years graduates will complete a concentration in vocational courses, she said, compared with 40 percent a decade ago. There is another reply to the case against college: People with college and graduate degrees generally earn more than those wi
26、thout them, and face lower risks of unemployment, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even those who experience a few years of college earn more money, on average, with less risk of unemployment, than those who merely graduate from high school, said Morton Schapiro, an economis
27、t who is the president of Northwestern University. “You get some return even if you dont get the diploma,“ Mr. Schapiro said. He warned against overlooking the intangible(无形的 )benefits of a college experience even an incomplete experience for those who might not apply what they learned directly to t
28、heir chosen work. “Its not just about the economic return,“ he said. “Some college, whether you complete it or not, contributes to aesthetic appreciation, better health and better voting behavior.“ Nonetheless, Professor Rosenbaum said, high school counselors and teachers are not doing enough to ale
29、rt students unlikely to earn a college degree to the dangerous road ahead. “Im not saying dont get the B.A,“ he said. “Im saying, lets get them some intervening credentials, some intervening milestones. Then, if they want to go further in their education, they can.“ 2 According to conventional wisdo
30、m in America,_. （ A） people with a bachelors degree will make more money （ B） prestigious college graduates tend to land better jobs （ C） higher education doesnt relate to ones happiness （ D） many people entering college wont graduate with a degree 3 What do some influential economists and educators
31、 suggest? （ A） Every student should get some college education. （ B） College degrees are not necessary for some students. （ C） Most high school graduates are not ready for college. （ D） Its not difficult for low graders to get a college degree. 4 The question of whether every student needs to go to
32、college_. （ A） is a new issue arising from the financial crisis （ B） has never been discussed thoroughly before （ C） is highlighted by the current economic crisis （ D） shouldnt be the focus of peoples attention 5 Statistics of the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that in the US_. （ A） many fast-gro
33、wing jobs dont demand higher degrees （ B） there has been a severe shortage of experienced nurses （ C） jobs requiring bachelors degrees enjoy the fastest growth （ D） accountants will outgrow store clerks in the next decade 6 What skills do employers desire most from school leavers according to many s
34、urveys? （ A） Ability to serve customers. （ B） Educational attainment. （ C） Basic skills of managing an office. （ D） Communication skills. 7 What do national education standards in the US focus on now? （ A） Teaching students how to behave. （ B） Making students ready for college. （ C） Improving studen
35、ts social statues. （ D） Giving students professional training. 8 To prepare students for work, Professor Lerman advocates_. （ A） reforming the community college system （ B） investing heavily in corporate apprenticeships （ C） sending students to international companies （ D） expanding the four-year co
36、llege education 9 Academics who steer some students away from colleges are criticized for_ for these students. 10 According to Morton Schapiro, even though their experience in the college is not complete, students still get some_from it. 11 Professor Rosenbaum suggested some students be_to the possi
37、bility that they may not earn the degree if they go to college. 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
38、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） Her computer doesnt work well. （ B） She isnt getting along with her staff. （ C） She didnt register for a proper course. （ D
39、） She cant apply the theory to her program. （ A） They are at Michaels. （ B） They will treat Michael. （ C） They are going to Michaels. （ D） They will go home by subway. （ A） The woman likes the plot best. （ B） The man doesnt take to the movie. （ C） Both speakers are fond of the movie. （ D） The man li
40、kes the music of the movie. （ A） She will get married with the man. （ B） She has been married for about six months. （ C） She has decided to marry in June. （ D） She will get married this winter. （ A） He was born in Spain. （ B） He grew up in England. （ C） He spent his teen years in London. （ D） He wen
41、t to a college in the USA. （ A） Annoying and mean. （ B） Kind and friendly. （ C） Intelligent but mean. （ D） Intelligent but annoying. （ A） He will take a coffee break. （ B） He will keep on working. （ C） He will go for a walk. （ D） He will begin with the report. （ A） At teatime this afternoon. （ B） At
42、 lunch next Tuesday. （ C） At lunch on Wednesday. （ D） At teatime on Wednesday. （ A） The choice of Barings Factory is better. （ B） The choice of the hospital is better. （ C） There is no need to change the topic. （ D） The choice of the university is better. （ A） The introduction of the draft. （ B） The
43、 first part of the draft. （ C） The headings of the draft. （ D） The middle part of the draft. （ A） It is not clear and needs to be revised. （ B） It provides too little information. （ C） It makes the draft appear too simplistic. （ D） It is not relevant to the approach the woman has taken. （ A） Spendin
44、g more hours on the Internet. （ B） Spending fewer hours on the Internet. （ C） The state of being on the Internet. （ D） Their brighter expectations not being met. （ A） The Net is healthier than TV. （ B） The Net is not healthy for people. （ C） The Net does not help with peoples communication. （ D） The
45、 Net does no good to peoples psychological well-being. （ A） They stay at home longer than before. （ B） They have more friends on the Internet. （ C） They give too much time to the Internet. （ D） They have less face-to-face conversations than before. （ A） The fast-developing technology. （ B） The peopl
46、e who design different applications. （ C） The way how people make use of the Internet. （ D） The increasing information and communication via the Net. 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
47、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） They cant afford them. （ B） They prefer apartments. （ C） Big houses are usually built in the countryside. （ D） They think small houses are more comforta
48、ble to live in. （ A） Many people have quit their old houses to build new ones. （ B） Many older people sell their houses after their children leave. （ C） Many old houses in the bad part of the town are not inhabited. （ D） Many young people have moved into comfortable apartments. （ A） They have to fur
49、nish their own houses. （ B） They have to do their own maintenance. （ C） They will find it difficult to make the rest of the payment. （ D） They will find it difficult to dispose of their old-style furniture. （ A） She has always lived in America. （ B） She visited America three years ago. （ C） She has been in America for three years. （ D） She has come to America to do research on advertising. （ A） The advertisements there were well designed. （ B） The advertisement
