2012年6月英语四级考试真题与答案

Part III Listening Comprehension

Section A

11:

M: As you can see from the drawings, the kitchen has one door into the dining room, another into the family room and a third to the outside.

W: The door into the family room isn’t big enough. Could it be made wider?

Q: What are the speakers doing?

12,

M: I’m thinking about where to go for a bite tonight. Any suggestions, Barbara?

W: Well, how about the French restaurant near the KFC? Frankly 1, I’ve had enough of our canteen food.

Q: What do we learn about the woman?

13,

W: Hey, if you can’t enjoy the music at a sensible volume, why not use earphones? I’m preparing for the speech contest.

M: Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize I’ve being bothering you all this time.

Q: What is the man probably doing?

14,

M: Finally, I’ve got the chance to put on my new suit tonight. I hope to make a good impression on your family.

W: Come on! It’s only a family reunion. So jeans and T-shirts are just fine.

Q: What does the woman mean?

15.

M: Would you like to see those pants in brown and navy blue? These two colors are coming in this season.

W: Oh, actually grey is my favourite color, but I prefer something made from cotton, 100% cotton I mean.

Q: What is the woman looking for?

16.

W: From here, the mountains look as if you could just reach out and touch them.

M: That’s why I chose this lodge 2. It has one of the best views in Switzerland.

Q: What is the man’s chief consideration in choosing the lodge?

17.

M: What do I have to do to apply for a passport?

W: You need proof of citizenship 3, either an old passport or a birth certificate and three photographs. Then you must complete this form and pay a fee.

Q: What is the man most probably going to do?

18.

M: Miss, can I interest you in a pork special with serving tonight? It’s only 799, half the usual price and it’s very tasty.

W: Oh really? I will try it.

Q: What does the man say about the dish?

Conversation 1

W：Good evening, and welcome to this week’s business world, the program for and about business people. Tonight we have Mr. Steven Kayne, who has just taken over and established bicycle shop. Tell us, Mr. Kayne, what made you want to run your own store?

M: Well, I always loved racing 4 bikes and fixing them. When I was working full-time 5 as a salesman for a big company, I seldom had time to enjoy my hobby. I knew then that as soon as I had enough money to get my own business going, I’ll do it. I had my heart set on it and I didn’t let anything stand in my way. When I went down to the bank and got a business loan, I knew I’d love being my own boss. Now my time is my own. I open the store when I want and leave when I want.

W: You mean you don’t keep regular hours?

M: Well, the sign on my store says the hours are ten to six, but if business is slower than usual, I can just lock up and take off early.

W: Have you hired any employees to work with you yet?

M: Yeah, a couple of friends of mine who love biking as much as I do. They help me out a few days a week. It’s great because we play cards or just sit around and talk when there are no customers. 

W: Thank you, Mr. Kayne. We wish you success in your new business.

Question 19-22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

19.What is the woman doing?

20.What did Mr. Kayne do before he took over the bicycle shop?

21.Why did the man take over a bicycle shop?

22.What do we learn about the people working in the shop?

Conversation 2

W: Well, the main activities in the region were historically steel and paper processing, I think.

M: Yes, but I’m not quite sure about the status of those industries now. Could you tell us something about that? 

W: Yes, of course. In fact, they are less significant, but steel-related manufacturing still accounts for 44% of industrial activity. So it’s still very important. In fact, 80% of Spain’s machine tools are from the Basque Country. As for paper processing, there’s still a little. But it’s no longer what it once was in the region. So, is that clear?

M: Yes, thanks.

W: Now, to get back to what I was saying, there’s a lot of unemployment as well as geographical 6 problems in the region.

M: Sorry, Victoria. What do you mean by geographical problems?

W: Well, what I mean is the area is very hilly, mountainous in parts. So there used to be transport problems, now though there are new train links and better roads, but it may be that some smaller towns inland remain not very well connected, is that OK? Does that make sense? When we talk about specific location suggestions for the factory, we’ll see this in more detail, so we’ll come back to this question, OK?

M: OK, right.

W: So I was about to say something about the work force in the region and the level of training and education. In general, it’s very good and improving.

Question 23-25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

23. What does the woman say about the steel-related manufacturing in the region?

24. What problems hinder 7 the region’s development?

25. What will the speakers discuss later?

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 question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

I first met Joe Gumps when we were both 9 years old, which is probably the only reason he is one of my best friends. If I had first met Joe as a freshman 8 in high school, we wouldn’t even have had the chance to get to know each other. Joe is a day student, but I am a boarding student. We haven’t been in the same classes, sports or extra curriculum 9 activities. Nonetheless 10, I spend nearly every weekend at his house, and we talk on the phone every night. This is not to say that we would not have been compatible 11 if we had first met in our freshman year. Rather, we would not have been likely to spend enough time getting to know each other, due to the lack of immediately visible mutual 12 interests.

In fact, to be honest, I struggle even now to think of things we have in common, but maybe that’s what makes us enjoy each other’s company so much. When I look at my friendship with Joe, I wonder how many people I’ve known whom I never disliked but simply didn’t take the time to get to know. Thanks to Joe, I have realized how little basis there is, for the social divisions that exist in every community. Since this realization 13, I have begun to make an even more determined 14 effort to find friends in unexpected people and places.

Questions:

26. Why does the speaker say Joe Gumps become one of his best friends?

27. Where does the speaker spend most of his weekends?

28. What has the speaker learned from his friendship with Joe?

Passage 2

It was a bad night for Louis. His research in the neighboring town had taken longer than he expected. It was late and he was very tired when he drove home. He turned into his building’s parking lot, but all the spaces were full. He drove back out onto the street looking for a parking space. The first block was full. The next block was almost empty. Louis didn’t see a no-parking sign, but he suspected that if parking were allowed there, most of the spaces would be filled. Then he saw a small parking lot with two free spaces. He was so glad to see them that he didn’t even think to read the sign by the entrance. He drove in, parked, and hurried home to go to bed. The next morning he went back to the lot to get his car. It was gone. He ran home and telephoned the city police to say that his car had been stolen. It took the police only a minute to tell him what had happened. His car had been on a private lot. It had been taken away by the police. Louis had to take a taxi to the city garage far from the center of town. He had to pay a fee of $40 to get his car back. In addition, he got a parking ticket --- his first one ever in Greenville.

29. Where did Louis intend to park his car when he came back from work one night?

30. What did Louis think had happened to his car the next morning?

31. Where did Louis finally get his car back?

Passage 3

Well, to pick up where we left off last time, I believe we agreed the creativity is a mysterious idea. It's one of those things we all recognized when we see it. But we don't really understand what it is. We seem to feel that some people are naturally creative, but we don't know how they got that way. Is creativity a natural gift like good looks? Or is it something that can be acquired like knowledge? Perhaps if we analyze 15 the creative process carefully, we might get some insight 16 into what it is and how it might work in our lives. The creative process has always been accepted as a source of all important work in the arts. But we should not think the creativity play the role only in the arts. Every major scientific discovery began with someone imagining the world to look differently from the way others saw it. And this is what the creativity is all about. Imagining the world in a new way, and despite what you may believe about the limits of your own creative imaginations, we all have the potential to imagine the world in an absolute new way. 

In fact, you were born with it. It is your birth right as a human being. And what's more, you use it every day almost every moment of your life. Your creative imagination is what you use to make sense of your experiences. It's your creative mind to get the meaning from the chaos 17 of your experiences and brings order to your world.

32: What did the speaker most probably discuss last time?

33: What is a widely accepted idea about the creative process?

34: What leads to major scientific discoveries according to the speaker?

35: What does the speaker imply about the creative process?

Students have been complaining more and more about stolen property. Radios, cell phones, bicycles, pocket calculators and books have all been reported stolen. Are there enough campus police to do the job? There are 20 officers in the campus security division. Their job is to handle crime, accidents, lost and found items, and traffic problems on campus. More than half of their time is spent directing traffic and writing parking tickets. Responding promptly 18 to accidents and other emergencies is important, but it is their smallest job. Dealing 19 with crime takes up the rest of their time. Very rarely did any violent crimes actually occur.

In the last five years there have been no murders, seven robberies, and about sixty other violent attacks, most of these involving fights at parties. On the other hand, there have been hundreds of thefts and cases of deliberate 20 damaging of public property, which usually involves breaking windows or lights, or writing on walls. The thefts are not the carefully planned burglaries that you see in movies. Things get stolen when it is just easy to steal them because they are left lying around unwatched. Do we really need more police？Hiring more campus police would cost money, possibly making our tuition 21 go up again. A better way to solve this problem might be for all of us to be more careful with our things.

短对话：

11. D. Discussing a house plan.

12. D. She is tired of the food in the canteen.

13. C. Listening to some loud music.

14. C. The man can dress casually 22 for the occasion.

15. A. 100% cotton pants in dark blue.

16. C. Its location.

17. C. Travel overseas.

18. A. It is a fair bargain.

今年的听力短对话从提问方式来看，仍旧沿袭过去惯例，考查了信息细节题、暗示题和推断题，其中，信息细节题考查最多，例：短对话的1、5、6、8均为信息细节题。需要同学在听的能够较快速的捕捉关键词，并将其组合，从而又快又准确的锁定答案。

从对话内容来看，今年的内容确实同预测的一致：日常化、生活化。短对话在包括了传统的餐厅、旅游、职业内容的询问以外，还加入了如第1题的装修、第14题的家庭聚会、第16题的购物等更贴近日常生活的话题内容。

总体来说，今年的四级听力难度适中。如果有较好的细节抓取能力，完全能得到满意的分数。

长对话：

19. D Hosting an evening TV program

20. A He worked as a salesman

21. B He wanted to be his own boss

22. A They are all the man’s friends

23. B It remains 23 a major of industrial activity

24. C Transport problem

25. D Measures to create job opportunities.

听力长对话1

点评：第一篇长对话是一期访谈节目，主题是对一位自主创业人士的一次访谈，难度一般，要拿满分应该不难。主持人问及男士是如何想到要自己创业的，自己的自行车行是否有固定营业时间，以及是否雇佣了一些员工。男士则顺着主持人的问话，谈及了自己的创业历程，店里的营业时间与方式等。考生在听的过程中，需要理解这些短语的意思，如have one’s heart on it，意思是“决心，一定要”，stand in the way，意思是“阻碍，挡道”。一般四级考生，这些短语在平常的学习中应该是有所积累的，不是难题。

听力长对话2

点评：这篇长对话围绕该地区的主要经济活动钢铁和纸张加工产业展开。男士对该地区这两大产业的现状不是很熟悉，所以女士为其做解答，介绍了钢铁产业在这一地区所占的重要地位，以及阻碍这一地区发展的主要因素，如地处山区，内地的小城镇依然交通不便。接着，二人则转向了下一个话题，即该地区的劳动力和培训与教育水平。女士这里简单地进行了一个概括，认为整体情况不错并且在不断进步。

这篇长对话难度适中，考生可以先浏览一遍问题，推测出主题，然后带着问题去听，这样做起来就容易多了。这里有一个生单词，可能考生在听的时候会被这样一个单词难倒，Basque country，是指“法国西南端，西班牙北部地区”。不过这个表达不影响做题，考生即使没听懂，也不要在这里纠结，因为浏览过题目就知道，这个不是考察点，所以要继续集中精力往下听。这也是听力的一个技巧，带着问题去听，只抓主要信息以及与问题相关的信息，不重要的疑难点要及时忽略。

短文：

26． B. They had known each other since childhood.

27． B. At Joe’s houses.

28． A. Social divisions will break down if people get to know each other.

29. A. In his building’s parking lot.

30. A. It had been stolen by someone.

31. B. In the city garage.

32. D. The mysteriousness of creativity.

33. A. It is the source of all artistic 24 work.

34. D. Creative imagination.

35. A. It is part of everyday life.

Passage One

本篇短文主要讲述了作者和好朋友Joe之前的友谊。他们二人在9岁的时候就认识了，随着时间的变化，两个人的友谊也越来越牢固。作者在文章中反思，他之所以能和Joe有如此深厚的友谊是因为他们能够有较长的时间相处，能够充分了解彼此。而在现代社会，人们则很少有时间去了解他人。了解到问题所在，也让作者更有决心去了解和结识更多的朋友。

这篇文章基本上没有生僻的词汇，以叙述为主。但是其中有几个短语需要关注：day student：走读学生；boarding student：寄宿学生；curriculum：课程；mutual：相互的；nevertheless：然而； thanks to：多亏了….。理解了这些词，对听力的整体理解会有提升。

Passage Two    本篇文章是一本有趣的小故事。Louis很晚开车回家，发现自己小区和附近路边的停车位都满了，所以他只能开车到隔壁的一个街区去停车。但是因为时间太晚，Louis都没有仔细观察停车位入口旁的标识。第二天早上，Louis发现车子不见了。他以为车辆被盗所以报警。最后才发现，自己的车停到了别人私人车位上，被警察拖走了。Louis不得不开车到很远的地方取车，而且还交了罚单。

这篇文章也很简单，没有出现太难的生词。整个内容就是一篇简短的小故事，只要能抓住时间线索，整篇文章的结构就很清楚了。

Passage Three

本篇文章讲述了人类的创造力。大家都知道有创造力的存在，但是却不知道创造力确切的是什么。文章中提出问题，创造力是与生俱来的还是后天习得的？最后文章得出结论，创造力是每个人都有的。它不仅仅在艺术领域有卓越的贡献，其实在很多重要的科学发现中也扮演了重要角色。创造力可以帮助人们从一个全新的角度认知世界，认识自我。

这篇文章生词不多，但是所谈论的内容比较抽象。而且文章的第一句话，实际上是在提醒，这篇文章是接着前面的某个内容进行深入。pick up在这里表示“重新开始”，第一句话就是说，接着上次的内容继续讲。这一点是需要格外注意的。