1、大学英语四级模拟试卷 685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 Should Primary Schools Offer a Foreign Language Course? You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below: 1现在有些小学开设外语课程 2有人认为学习外语越早越好，也有人持反对意见 3我的看法 Sh
2、ould Primary Schools Offer a Foreign Language Course? 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, mark： Y (for YES) if the
3、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 Preparing for More Expensive Degrees in England Balancing a tight budget is one of the most d
4、ifficult aspects of being a student. A recent survey from the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers found that money issues are the most critical concerns for young researchers in Europe, ahead of working conditions, training, and supervision. Starting in 2012, money is like
5、ly to become an even more important concern for students as universities in England are allowed to charge undergraduates up to 9 000 per year in tuition fees as a way of dealing with government funding cuts. Thats a nearly threefold increase from the current fees, which are capped at 3 375. The fund
6、ing cuts are set to affect postgraduate education, too, with most English universities expected to increase postgraduate tuition to cover any remaining shortfall. Just how severe the changes will be for postgraduates is uncertain, but many experts advise caution. “All universities are trying to enco
7、urage students to think more seriously about how theyre going to manage,“ says Sheila King, financial support coordinator at Cardiff University in Wales. So, what do students need to know about the changes? Details and debt The details are complicated. Universities in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and
8、 Wales will be allowed to raise tuition to the same extent as in England, but in those places the new fees will apply only to students coming from the rest of the United Kingdom. For example, Scottish students do not currently pay tuition and will not be expected to do so after 2012 unless they atte
9、nd universities in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. A further inequity is that under EU regulations, universities must charge students from the rest of the European Union the same amount as home students. This means that fees for EU students will be heavily subsidized (补贴 ) by universities in Sc
10、otland, Northern Ireland, and Wales (but not England), while English students in these three countries will pay more than EU students attending the same universities. Whatever the tuition bill, full-time undergraduates in England will have to either pay up front or apply for a loan from the governme
11、nt, which they need not begin paying back until they have completed their degree and are earning more than 21 000 per year. Full-time undergraduates can apply, in addition, for a maintenance loan to contribute to accommodation, food, and travel costs. Part-time students will be able to apply for a t
12、uition loan but not a maintenance loan. The main concern of career advisers and student-support workers is the substantial debt that most students in England will face after graduation. For a standard 3-year degree charged at 9 000 per year science courses are among the most expensive to run the ave
13、rage debt from student loans, including maintenance, is expected to be around 43 000. The British Medical Association estimates that medical students could graduate more than 70 000 in debt. The benefits of part-time work One way of dealing with the new financial burden would be to work part time. A
14、ccording to the 2010 Sodexo University Lifestyle Survey, more than one-quarter of all undergraduate students in the United Kingdom worked part time during their studies that year a percentage that is now expected to rise. For those doing a second undergraduate degree, a job may be the only option, a
15、s they will not be eligible for government loans. Juggling part-time work and studies can be tough but a job or paid internship can have benefits beyond the financial. “There is a recognition and a demand for students to be as employable as possible when they finish their degree, and part of that is
16、 gaining relevant work experience,“ King says. “My internships helped me during my masters as I had already had 3 months of experience using different equipment and writing a lab book,“ says Mike Stock, who began a Ph. D. in geology this year after doing internships with the Atomic Weapons Establish
17、ment, the international oil and natural gas company Petro-Canada, and a research assistantship at the University of Southampton. Planning for postgraduate studies Ongoing uncertainty over the impact of the funding cuts means that many universities havent yet set their postgraduate charges for 2012.
18、According to a recent National Survey of UK Tuition Fees, the average cost of a taught masters degree program across 147 UK higher education institutions rose 24% in just 1 year, from 4 989 in 20102011 to the current 6 184. The fee is expected to increase even more dramatically in 2012. “Ultimately,
19、 the decision on postgraduate fees will depend on calculations about what they need to do to survive as a university,“ says a University of Southampton Student Services representative who prefers not to be named. In the United Kingdom, approximately 19 000 Ph. D. s are partly or fully funded by the
20、research councils. Universities and industry partners also offer funded postgraduate positions and a range of bursaries (助学金 )， scholarships, and awards. However, many universities are now unsure how many positions they will be able to support in 2012. This could leave some Ph. D. students strugglin
21、g for funding, since the government does not provide loans to support postgraduate study. One view held by careers specialists is that an increasingly competitive job market, paired with difficult economic times, might encourage more students to pursue postgraduate degrees. “If there are fewer fundi
22、ng opportunities available for postgraduate study and more applicants, each available position will become very competitive,“ says the Southampton University Student Services representative. This makes it all the more important for aspiring postgraduate students to seek funding early, especially if
23、they have financial commitments such as a mortgage (抵押 ) or a family. One approach is to apply for funding as broadly as possible. “After my undergraduate degree in mathematics, I was awarded a 4 000 scholarship from the Society for Underwater Technology,“ says Graeme MacGilchrist, who began a Maste
24、r of Science in oceanography this year. As UK students brace for tough times, the key message from career advisers and student representatives is that students can ease the situation by starting to plan now. “We cant do anything about the level of fees, but we can do something to help students help
25、themselves,“ King says. 2 University students in England will be probably charged higher tuition fees to_. （ A） handle the reduced government funding （ B） cover the rising living expenses （ C） improve their learning environment （ D） gain more internship opportunities 3 What are students encouraged t
26、o do in face of postgraduate tuition changes according to Sheila King? （ A） To find a job immediately after graduating from college. （ B） To ponder over dealing with the likely rise in tuition fees. （ C） To put off the pursuit of postgraduate education. （ D） To have a rather clear picture of the fut
27、ure career. 4 If a Scottish student wants to attend a university in Wales, he will probably pay_. （ A） no tuition fees before 2012 （ B） the same tuition tees as in Scotland （ C） more tuition fees than in Scotland （ D） fewer tuition fees than in Scotland 5 Who can apply for a maintenance loan as well
28、 as a tuition loan? （ A） Full-time postgraduates. （ B） Part-time postgraduates. （ C） Full-time undergraduates. （ D） Part-time undergraduates. 6 What do career advisers and student-support workers mainly concern? （ A） Students find it hard to afford the high costs of living. （ B） Students have great
29、difficulty in completing their masters degree. （ C） Students may be offered low salary in their first job. （ D） Students will have to bear the huge debt after graduation. 7 The undergraduates who want to pursue a second degree_. （ A） dont have to work part-time （ B） cant apply for government loans （
30、 C） will have a hard time paying back the loans （ D） are qualified for a maintenance loan 8 What does King say to those who have just finished their degree? （ A） They should land a job as soon as possible. （ B） They need to be careful in getting employed. （ C） They should make learning a lifelong ex
31、perience. （ D） They need to pay back the loans as soon as possible. 9 The Southampton University Student Services representative thinks that postgraduate fees will be based on calculations to maintain_. 10 Without loans from the government to postgraduate study, some Ph.D. students have to_ 11 Caree
32、r advisers and student representatives imply that students can start to plan now in order to_. 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 conve
33、rsation 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） He did not mean to see it. （ B） He thought that the movie was good. （ C） He did not want to
34、see the movie again. （ D） He wanted to stay at home. （ A） Give Bob a phone call. （ B） Go and pick Bob up. （ C） Go and look for Bob. （ D） Wait for Bob. （ A） Prof. Brown has got into trouble. （ B） The man regrets taking up much of Prof. Browns time. （ C） Prof. Brown has difficulty in sleeping. （ D） Th
35、e man knows Prof. Brown has been busy. （ A） He met his boss in Beijing. （ B） He arrived at the station on time. （ C） He missed the meeting with his boss. （ D） He called his boss. （ A） Buy a new house. （ B） Find a new house right now. （ C） Sold the house. （ D） Live with another student. （ A） Toms sis
36、ter and her husband were leaving for Boston. （ B） Toms sister was leaving for New York. （ C） Toms sister was going to Boston. （ D） Toms sister was going to New York. （ A） He wants to choose presents for Jane. （ B） He wants the woman to buy presents by herself. （ C） He doesnt want to give Jane any pr
37、esent. （ D） Hell go shopping with the woman. （ A） She will not buy that dress. （ B） She has decided to buy that dress. （ C） She will buy the dress in the supermarket. （ D） She wants to sell the dress in the supermarket. （ A） The mans problems in moving into a new house. （ B） The mans problems with h
38、is kitchen. （ C） The mans problems in fixing things in his house. （ D） The mans problems with his landlord. （ A） He will be evicted from the house soon. （ B） The problems in his house havent been fixed. （ C） He has made things difficult for his landlord. （ D） He has just bought a hot water system th
39、at doesnt work. （ A） Breaking his promise. （ B） Ending the lease. （ C） Increasing the rent. （ D） Driving the man out. （ A） Walk the dog. （ B） Clean the house. （ C） Go to the doctors. （ D） Finish her assignment. （ A） 12:30 p.m. （ B） 2:00 p.m. （ C） 4:30 p.m. （ D） 5:30 p.m. （ A） Excited. （ B） Grateful.
40、 （ C） Disappointed. （ D） Exhausted. （ A） They cant decide which movie to watch. （ B） Susans mother is going to use it. （ C） Susans mother is going to ask her to do something else. （ D） The video machine doesnt work. Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of
41、 each passage, you will hear some questions. 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） You need a large hard disk if you want to download all the mails. （ B） You need to spe
42、nd much money in purchasing the e-mail applications. （ C） You need to input a user name, a password, and the mail-service addresses. （ D） You need to keep your e-mail account active all the time. （ A） Desktop mail programs. （ B） Internet providers. （ C） Mail servers. （ D） Social networks. （ A） The e
43、-mail services are developing very fast. （ B） The Web mail and e-mail applications both have advantages and disadvantages. （ C） The e-mail applications are not as good as Web mail services. （ D） The mail software developers and Internet providers cant cooperate with each other. （ A） He found the pai
44、nting hung in Moscow when he went there. （ B） He read a book in which the present location of the painting is mentioned. （ C） He received a letter informing him where his painting is now. （ D） He originally hung the painting in his living room but later found it gone. （ A） 85 years ago. （ B） During
45、the Vietnam War. （ C） Immediately after the Vietnam War. （ D） In the 1980s. （ A） He doesnt mind that there are so many reproductions. （ B） He believes its a good idea to sell the reproductions. （ C） He knows clearly the art market will be improved soon. （ D） He thinks some measures should be taken t
46、o identify the originals from the copies. （ A） A writer of books for children. （ B） A poet of poems for children. （ C） A composer for childrens music. （ D） An artist for childrens drawings. （ A） Children. （ B） Adults. （ C） Old people. （ D） People of all ages. （ A） A boy and a lion. （ B） A boy and a
47、tree. （ C） A hunter and a lion. （ D） A lion and a tree. （ A） It was published in 1963. （ B） It contains over 100 drawings. （ C） It has sold more than five million copies. （ D） It has creative and funny content. Section C Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the pass
48、age is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read 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 mi
49、ssing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the 36 Do you know what position you regularly take up in bed when you drop off to sleep? According to Dr. Samuel Dunkell, the position you choose in bed each night【 B1】 _ the way you deal with your daytime waking hours. A highly private matter, choice of sleep position, as the theory goes, gives insight not only into sleep【 B2】 _, sleep history, and sleep dif
