1、大学英语四级模拟试卷 557及答案与解析 一、 Part I Writing (30 minutes) 1 For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition on the topic My Atti tude towards Fighting against Criminals. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese: My Attitude towards Fighting agai
2、nst Criminals 1. 社会上不断发生犯罪案件的严重性 ; 2. 人们对犯罪现象不同的态度和我的态度 ; 3. 我对加强治安、促进社会安定团结的建议。 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 1-7
3、, 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 passage. 1 Highways Early in the 20th century, most of the streets and roads
4、in the U.S. were made of dirt, brick, and cedar wood blocks. Built for horse, carriage, and foot traffic, they were usually poorly cared for and too narrow to accommodate(容纳 )automobiles. With the increase in auto production, private turnpike(收费公路 )companies under local authorities began to spring u
5、p, and by 1921 there were 387,000 miles of paved roads. Many were built using specifications of 19th century Scottish engineers Thomas Telford and John MacAdam(for whom the macadam surface is named), whose specifications stressed the importance of adequate drainage. Beyond that, there were no nation
6、al standards for size, weight restrictions, or commercial signs. During World War I, roads throughout the country were nearly destroyed by the weight of trucks. When General Eisenhower returned from Germany in 1919, after serving in the U. S. Armys first transcontinental motor convoy(车队 ), he noted:
7、 “The old convoy had started me thinking about good, two-lane highways, but Germanys Autobahn or motorway had made me see the wisdom of broader ribbons across the land.“ It would take another war before the federal government would act on a national highway system. During World War II, a tremendous
8、increase in trucks and new roads were required. The war demonstrated how critical highways were to the defense effort. Thirteen per cent of defense plants received all their supplies by truck, and almost all other plants shipped more than half of their products by vehicle. The war also revealed that
9、 local control of highways had led to a confusing variety of design standards. Even federal and state highways did not follow basic standards. Some states allowed trucks up to 36,000 pounds, while others restricted anything over 7,000 pounds. A government study recommended a national highway system
10、of 33,920 miles, and Congress soon passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944, which called for strict, centrally controlled design criteria. The interstate highway system was finally launched in 1956 and has been hailed as one of the greatest public works projects of the century. To build its 44,00
11、0-mile web of highways, bridges, and tunnels, hundreds of unique engineering designs and solutions had to be worked out. Consider the many geographic features of the country: mountains, steep grades, wetlands, rivers, deserts and plains. Variables included the slope of the land, the ability of the p
12、avement to support the load, the intensity of road use, and the nature of the underlying soil. Urban areas were another problem. Innovative designs of roadways, tunnels, bridges, overpasses, and interchanges that could run through or bypass urban areas soon began to weave their way across the countr
13、y, forever altering the face of America. Long-span, segmented-concrete, cable-stayed bridges such as Hale Boggs in Louisiana and the Sunshine Skyway in Florida, and remarkable tunnels like Fort McHenry in Maryland and Mt. Baker in Washington, met many of the nations physical challenges. Traffic cont
14、rol systems and methods of construction developed under the interstate program soon influenced highway construction around the world, and were invaluable in improving the condition of urban streets and traffic patterns. Today, the interstate system links every major city in the U. S. , and the U. S.
15、 with Canada and Mexico. Built with safety in mind, the highways have wide lanes and shoulders, dividing medians or barriers, long entry and exit lanes, curves engineered for safe turns, and limited access. The death rate on highways is half that of all other U. S. roads(0.86 deaths per 100 million
16、passenger miles compared to 1.99 deaths per 100 million on all other roads). By opening the North American continent, highways have enabled consumer goods and services to reach people in remote and rural areas of the country, spurred the growth of suburbs, and provided people with greater options in
17、 terms of jobs, access to cultural programs, health care, and other benefits. Above all, the interstate system provides individuals with what they cherish most: personal freedom of mobility. The interstate system has been an essential element of the nations economic growth in terms of shipping and j
18、ob creation: more than 75 per cent of the nations freight deliveries arrive by truck; and most products that arrive by rail or air use interstates for the last leg of the journey by vehicle. Not only has the highway system affected the American economy by providing shipping routes, it has led to the
19、 growth of spin-off industries like service stations, motels, restaurants, and shopping centers. It has allowed the relocation of manufacturing plants and other industries from urban areas to rural. By the end of the century there was an immense network of paved roads, residential streets, expresswa
20、ys, and freeways built to support millions of vehicles. The highway system was officially renamed for Eisenhower to honor his vision and leadership. The year construction began he said: “Together the united forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the very name
21、we bear-United States. Without them, we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts. 2 National standards for paved roads were in place by 192 （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 3 General Eisenhower felt that the broad German motorways made more sense than the two-lane highways of America. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C）
22、 NG 4 It was in the 190s that the American government finally took action to build a national highway system. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 5 Many of the problems presented by the countrys geographical features found solutions in innovative engineer projects. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 6 In spite of safety consi
23、derations, the death rate on interstate highways is still higher than that of other American roads. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 7 The interstate highways system provides access between major military installations in America. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 8 Service stations, motels and restaurants promoted the de
24、velopment of the interstate highway system. （ A） Y （ B） N （ C） NG 9 The greatest benefit brought about by the interstate system was _. 10 Trucks using the interstate highways deliver more than _. 11 The interstate system was renamed after Eisenhower in recognition of _. Section A Directions: In this
25、 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 question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must re
26、ad the four choices marked A, B, C and D, and decide which is the best answer. （ A） The man could come some time later. （ B） The size the man wants will arrive soon. （ C） The size of the shirt is all right for the man. （ D） The man could buy a shirt of a different color. （ A） The woman is filming th
27、e lake. （ B） The woman is running toward the lake. （ C） The woman cant take a photo of the man. （ D） The woman is watching an exciting film with the man. （ A） Its quiet in the restaurant. （ B） The restaurant is too far from their school. （ C） The price is high in the restaurant. （ D） The restaurant
28、serves good food. （ A） On a busy street. （ B） In a Hong Kong hotel. （ C） At an airport. （ D） At a booking office. （ A） The woman should confirm her appointment with the doctor. （ B） The woman should have seen the doctor earlier. （ C） The womans headache will go away by itself. （ D） The woman has bee
29、n complaining too much. （ A） Put off his appointment with Mr. Johnson. （ B） Help move things to Mr. Johnsons office. （ C） Help the woman move the items. （ D） Hurry to Mr. Johnsons office. （ A） The man didnt practice hard enough. （ B） The man should find a new partner. （ C） The man should not give up
30、. （ D） The man should not dream of being a superstar. （ A） It doesnt appeal to her. （ B） Its incredibly delicious. （ C） She has already tasted it. （ D） There is no more left. （ A） A taxi driver. （ B） A bus driver. （ C） A truck driver. （ D） An ambulance driver. （ A） She is having a heart attack. （ B）
31、 She was hurt in an accident. （ C） She is having a baby. （ D） She has lost consciousness. （ A） To help the woman breath easier. （ B） To keep the woman calm and warm. （ C） To get ready for the coming of the ambulance. （ D） To put something soft under the womans head. （ A） Because they have seen it on
32、 TV. （ B） Because it has too much violence. （ C） Because they want to see A Room with a View. （ D） Because they havent got enough time to get to the cinema. （ A） Raw Deal （ B） A Room with a View. （ C） Crocodile Dundee （ D） Crocodile Dundee （ A） By bus. （ B） By taxi. （ C） By the womans car. （ D） On f
33、oot. （ A） He has broken his leg. （ B） He is ill and unable to talk. （ C） He has lost his job as a teaching assistant. （ D） He has arranged a class for Janet Hill that afternoon. Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some ques
34、tions. Both the passage and 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） Beauty （ B） Loyalty （ C） Luck （ D） Durability （ A） He wanted to follow the tradition of his country. （ B） He believed that i
35、t symbolized an everlasting marriage. （ C） It was thought a blood vessel in that finger led directly to the heart. （ D） It was supposed that the diamond on that finger would bring good luck. （ A） The two people can learn about each others likes and dislikes. （ B） The two people can have time to deci
36、de if they are a good match. （ C） The two people can have time to shop for their new home. （ D） The two people can earn enough money for their wedding. （ A） Avoid eating any food. （ B） Prepare the right type of pie to eat. （ C） Wash his hands thoroughly. （ D） Practice eating a pie quickly. （ A） On t
37、he table. （ B） Behind his back. （ C） Under his bottom. （ D） On his lap. （ A） Looking sideways to see how fast your neighbor eats. （ B） Eating from the outside toward the middle. （ C） Swallowing the pie with water. （ D） Holding the pie in the right position. （ A） They wanted to follow his example. （
38、B） They fully supported his undertaking. （ C） They were puzzled by his decision. （ D） They were afraid he wasnt fully prepared. （ A） It is more exciting than space travel. （ B） It is much cheaper than space travel. （ C） It is much safer than space travel. （ D） It is less time-consuming than space tr
39、avel. （ A） They both attract scientists attention. （ B） They can both be quite challenging. （ C） They are both thought-provoking. （ D） They may lead to surprising findings. （ A） To show how simple the mechanical aids for diving can be. （ B） To provide an excuse for his changeable character （ C） To e
40、xplore the philosophical issues of space travel. （ D） To explain why he took up underwater exploration. Section C Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read
41、for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down t
42、he 36 Looking to improve your language skills, but you dont have the time to go overseas to attend school? More and more universities around the world are【 B1】_opportunities for students to obtain degrees online from the comfort of their own homes, and many of these【 B2】 _are accredited, meaning tha
43、t they have met【 B3】 _standards of excellence. If you decide to take language courses online, be sure to【 B4】 _the benefits of studying online【 B5】 _going abroad. The advantages of studying online are that the costs are usually lower, you can study at your own pace, and you have【 B6】_to the material
44、s 24-hours-a-day from almost any computer in the world. However, you wont get the【 B7】 _interaction of meeting people face to face like you would if you were【 B8】 _attending a school overseas. On the other hand, the advantages of going overseas may include day-to-day opportunities to learn a new cul
45、ture,【 B9】 _, and chances to see different parts of the world. However, there may be a number of disadvantages for some including expense, time away from ones school, family, or work life, and【 B10】 _. Whatever you do, consider a distance education program that meets your educational needs, is withi
46、n your budget, and equally important,【 B11】 _. 37 【 B1】 38 【 B2】 39 【 B3】 40 【 B4】 41 【 B5】 42 【 B6】 43 【 B7】 44 【 B8】 45 【 B9】 46 【 B10】 47 【 B11】 Section A Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the q
47、uestions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. 47 Low speed bicycle crashes can badly injure or even kill children if they fall onto the ends of the handlebars. So a team of engineers is redesigning the humble handlebar in a bid to make it safer. Kristy Arbogast, a bioengineer at
48、the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, began the project with her colleagues after a study of serious abdominal injuries in children in the past 30 years showed that more than a third were caused by bicycle a accidents. “The task was to identify how the in juries occurred and come u
49、p with some countermeasures,“ she says. By interviewing the children and their parents, Arbogast and her team were able to reconstruct many of the accidents and identified a common mechanism responsible for serious injuries. They discovered that most occur when children hit an obstacle at slow speed, causing them to topple over. To maintain their balance they turn the handlebars through 90 degrees but their momentum forces them into the end of the handleba
