2013 12月四级答案(万分正确一样)

2013年12月英语四级答案

范文一： The modern technology has greatly altered the mode of communication among people. With the help of the Internet, people can easily contact each other anytime anywhere. How ever, the side effect is that many people have become over-dependent on the Internet and neglecte d face-to-face communication.

As far as I'm concerned, electronic communication cannot fully replace the direct contact among p eople. Although it seems to bring everyone together, it actually estranges people and decreases the effectiveness of communication. A typical example is that, traditionally, people working in the sa me office simply walk to others and talk. Today, however, co-workers tend to send e-mails or insta nt messages through the Internet even when they are sitting next to each other. As words can never convey the full message, it usually takes much more time and rounds of conversation than face-to -face communication, in which people can discuss more directly with less loss of information. To conclude, the Internet enables more effective communication in some situations, but over-depe ndence on it actually pulls people apart.

范文二：

It is frequently observed that many people keep looking down at their mobile phones whatever they are doing. It is true that mobile phones have brought great convenience to us as we can send short messages, check e-mails, surf the Internet, or watch videos almost anywhere. Howe ver, the overuse of mobile phones also leads to some serious problems.

The over-dependence on mobile phones can harm the relationship among friends and family. With mobile phones, people do not talk as much as before. For example, sometimes at dinner tables, ins tead of chatting and laughing with each other, many people choose to chat with other friends onlin e. In other words, mobile phones help people contacting friends far away more easily at the expens e of reducing the communication with those who are sitting right next to them.

In conclusion, mobile phone can be a useful tool in modern life, but overusing it damages interper sonal relationship. There is no point to lose our int 点评：

本题漫画探讨手机的广泛使用对人们生活的影响。话题贴近日常生活，难度中等。题目要求简述手机在人们生活中越来越重要的角色，并解释过度使用手机可能带来的后果。

考生主要可以从以下几个角度思考： 1. 对健康的危害； 2. 对人际关系的负面影响； 3. 对个人学习、发展的阻碍 aware that things we do this way, they do that way

四级听力短对话

Question 1

M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration.

W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

Question 2

W: Is everything ready for the conference?

M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a few minutes. Q: What preparations have yet to be made?

Question 3

W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight.

M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go.

Q: What is the woman’s problem?

Question 4

W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here. M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision.

Q: What does the man mean?

Question 5

W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time.

M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time.

Q: What does the man imply about T om?

Question 6

W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.

M: Yes. The hours were convenient. But if he had accepted it, he wouldn’t be able to make ends meet. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

Question 7

M: Could you tell me a bit about the business your company is doing?

W: We mainly deal with large volume buyers from western countries and our products have been well received.

Q: What business is the woman’s company doing?

Question 8

W: Yesterday I made reservations for my trip to Miami next month.

M: You must really be looking forward to it. You haven’t had any time off for at least two years.

Q: What is the woman going to do?

【答案】

1.D The woman is going to major in child education.

2.B The sound equipment has to be set up.

3.A She is exhausted.

4.C The woman should order her food quickly.

5. B He doesn’t keep his promises.

6.C The pay offer by the travel agency is too low.

7.A International trade.

8.D T ake a vacation.

【点评】

本次四级短对话无论从对话内容还是从题目本身来看，整体难度相对简单，和往年该部分相类似，话题覆盖日常生活（生活琐事、看电影、旅游等）、校园生活、商务工作（会议、求职等）。例如，对话2、6、7均涉及商务工作话题；对话3、4、5、8均涉及日常生活话题；对话1则为校园生活话题。主要考查事实细节和推理判断，其中，事实细节题比重相对较大，这对于广大考生来说是有利的。主要难词生词有：solar heater“太阳能热水器”，travel agency“旅行社”，make ends meet“收支相抵”，make reservations for“预订，预约”，what I'm in a mood for“我想吃什么”等，理解好生难单词对整个听力内容的把握大有裨益，所以考生平时应多积累一些词汇和常用表达。

：长对话1

学也可以研究一下考题。希望大家四级考试顺利通过。

【四级听力长对话原文1】

M: Excuse me, I need some information about some of the towns near here.

W: What would you like to know?

M: Well, first, I'd like directions to go to Norwalk. I believe there is an interesting museum there. It isn't far, is it?

W: No, not at all. Norwalk is about eighteen miles east of here on Route 7. And you're right. It's a wonderful little museum.

M: Oh good. Now what about Amitsville? I have some friends. I'd like to visit there and I also want to get to Newton. They are near each other, aren't they?

W: Hmm... well, they are actually in opposite directions. Amitsville is northeast. It's about thirty five miles northeast of here.

M: Huh-uh, thirty five miles northeast. And how about Newton?

W: Well, Newton is in the other direction. It's southwest, so it isn't really very close to Amitsville at all and it's a long drive. It's about fifty five miles southwest from here and the road is not at all straight.

M: Fifty five miles southwest! Well, maybe I won't go there this time.

W: I'd recommend visiting Westfield or Great Town. They are both very close. Westfield is just seven miles west of here and Great T own is about five miles south. They are really pretty little towns with lots of old houses and beautiful tree-lined streets.

M: I see. Seven miles west to Westfield and five miles south to Great Town. Good. Well, I think that's all the information I need for a while. Thank you. You've been very helpful.

W: You're welcome, sir. I hope you enjoy your stay.

Q9: What does the man know about Norwalk?

Q10: What does the woman say about Amitsville and Newton?

Q11: What do we learn about Westfield and Great T own?

【答案】

9. B) It has an interesting museum.

10. A) They are in opposite directions.

11. C) They have lots of old houses.

【点评】

该对话属于比较常见“问路”话题。因此考生在考试中听到开头一两句之后可以在草稿纸上画一个东西南北的方位箭头图，中心点是男士所在的地方。这样听到后面介绍其它景点时，可以立刻在相应方位把地名缩写和距离数字很快记下。避免听到很多不同地名和数字时候头脑一片混乱。

三个问题都是考查事实细节。但没有考查Norwalk，Amitsville and Newton，Westfield and Great Town这几个地方的具体距离及位置，因此题目比较容易。因此该话题备考一方面有意识记下数字和方位以防万一考查具体点，另一方面要注意理解对话的中出现的一些中心句。如“…they are actually in opposite directions.”

【长对话2原文】

M: Err... Sandra, I've finished with Mr. Gartner now. Do you think you could pop through in bringing me up-to-date on their arrangements for the Italian trip?

W: Certainly, Mr. Wilkinson. I'll bring everything with me.

M: Right, take a seat. Now my first meeting is when?

W: Your first meeting is on Monday the 21st at 9a.m. with Dr. Gucci of Bancos en Piedra in Milan.

M: OK, so can I fly out early Monday morning?

W: Well, there is a flight to Lenarty Airport which leaves at six thirty London time and gets in at eight thirty Italian time.

M: Yeah, but that only leaves me thirty minutes to clear customs in getting to the city center and it means I have to check in by five thirty, which means leaving home at about four fifteen.

W: I'm afraid so.

M: Hmm... not so keen on that. What's the program for the rest of that day?

W: It's quite full, I'm afraid. At eleven, you're seeing Gianni Riva at Megastar and then you'll have a lunch engagement with Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce at one.

M: Where's that?

W: You're meeting him at his office and then he's taking you somewhere.

M: Good, that sounds fine. What about the afternoon?

W: Well, at three thirty, you're seeing our sales representative there and then you're free till evening.

M: I see. I seem to remember that I'm having a dinner with someone from Bergamo.

W: That's right. And Mr. Betty from SAP Industries at eight.

Q12: What would the man like the woman to do?

Q13: At what time is Mr. Wilkinson going to leave home for the airport?

Q14: Who is Mr. Wilkinson going to have a lunch with on Monday?

Q15: What is most probably the woman's job?

【答案】

12. B) Inform him of the arrangements for his trip in Italy.

13. D) About 4:15.

14. D) Gavin from the Chamber of Commerce.

15. C) Secretary.

【点评】

该对话属于商务场合老板与秘书间有关“日程安排”常见的对话。抓住这一主题，第一题和第四题的答案就显而易见了。同时对于对话中何时何地与何人的相关日程要多加留意，第二题和第三题分别考查了时间和人物的细节题。因此预测可能出现较多时间和人物的话题，注意可以随手简单记一下。对于人名拼写不要纠结，首字母缩写自己能辨认即可

短文1

Part III Listening Comprehension

Passage 1

Donna Fredrick’s served with the Peace Corps for two years in Brazil. She joined the Peace Corps after she graduated from the college because she wanted to do something to help other people. She had been brought up on a farm, so the Peace Corps assigned her to an agricultural project. Before she went to Brazil, she studied Portuguese for three months. She also learnt a great deal about its history and culture. During her two years with the Peace Corps, Donna lived in a village in northeast Brazil. That part of Brazil is very dry and farming is often difficult there. Donna helped the people of the village to organise an irrigation project, and she also advised them on planting crops that didn’t require much water. When Donna returned to the States, she couldn’t settle down. She tried several jobs, but they seemed very boring to her. She couldn’t get Brazil out of her mind. Finally, one day she got on a plane and went back to Brazil. She wasn’t sure what she’s going to do. She just wanted to be there. After a few weeks, Donna found a job as an English teacher, teaching five classes a day. Like most of the teachers, she doesn’t make much money. She shares a small apartment with another teacher. And she makes a little extra money by sending stories to newspapers in the States. Eventually she wants to quit teaching and work as a full-time journalist.

Question 16

Why did Donna join the Peace Corps after she graduated from college?

Question 17

What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?

Question 18

Why did Donna go back to Brazil once again?

Question 19

How did Donna make extra money to support herself?

答案：

16. A She had a desire to help others.

17. B Work on an agricultural project.

18. D She could not get the country out of her mind.

19. B By writing stories for American newspaper.

【点评】

本篇短文主要讲述了Donna Fredrick的职业发展，大学毕业之后加入和平队（the Peace Corps），参加农业项目，两年的时间她住在巴西的东北部，开展灌溉项目，帮助当地居民种植无需很多水的农作物。回到美国之后尝试了几个工作，但仍心心念念巴西。最终回到巴西任英语老师，同时兼职给美国报纸写文章，来赚取额外的生活费。最后Donna 想辞去教师工作专心做全职记者。

本篇文章基本上没有生僻的词汇，以叙述为主；不知道Peace Corps的意思不会影响做题，只需将其定义为一个组织名，中间涉及的Brazil，Portuguese也都是大家较熟悉的单词。四个题目都是考查考生对事实细节的抓取能力。

Passage 2

Results of a recent Harry’s poll on free time showed that the average work week for many Americans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the household duties, there’s little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free time to relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of study or work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In different countries free time is spent in different ways. The results of a Harry’s poll showed that reading was the most popular spare time activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure time activities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second. In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was

eating out. The second most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popular outdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity for Americans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars ranked eighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoy doing similar things in their free time, there’s evidence to suggest that these interests are changing. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Many more people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends or playing games online.

Question 20

What is the recent Harry's poll about?

Question 21

What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?

Question 22

What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?

答案：

20. C Time spent on leisure activities.

21. A Reading.

22. C Going to the pub.

短文3

以下为2013年12月大学英语四级考试听力短文3答案，由沪江网校提供，考完试的同学可以看一下，备考的同学也可以研究一下考题。希望大家四级考试顺利通过。

On March 13th, while on duty Charles Mclaughlin, a very careless driver employed by the company Lummis was involved in another accident. The accident occurred in Riverside California. Not paying attention to his driving, Mclaughlin turned right on main street and 33rd street and hit Volkswagen rabbit. This caused minor damage to his truck and serious damage to the car. On the basis of the police report, the Lummis accident committee correctly determined that Mclaughlin had been quite careless. As a result of the committee’s conclusion, the branch manager Mr. David Rossi reported that he had talked with Mclaughlin about his extremely poor driving record. Further evidence of Mclaughlin's irresponsibility occurred on May 6th when he was returning from his shift. That day he ran into a roll-up door at the

Lummis facility in Valero, causing significant damage to the door. Damage to the truck, however, was minor. Finally, on June 7th, Mclaughlin once again demonstrated his carelessness by knocking down several mail boxes near the edge of the company’s parking lot. There was damage to the mailboxes and minor damage to the truck. Mr. David Rossi stated that he had spoken with Mclaughlin on several occasions about his driving record. He added that he had warned Mclaughlin that three preventable accidents in one year could lead to his discharge, as indeed it should.

23. What did the Lummis accident committee find out about the accident that occurred on March 13th?

24. What did Mclaughlin do on June 7th near the edge of the company’s parking lot?

25. What is most probably going to happen to Mclaughlin?

23. 答案：D) Mclaughlin's carelessness resulted in the collision.

24. 答案：B) He knocked down several mailboxes.

25. 答案：A) He will lose his job.

【点评】

本篇短文主要讲了Charles Mclaughlin一年之内因粗心大意所发生的三次交通事故。

第一次：时间：3月13日；经过：Mclaughlin驾驶货车在主大街第33大街向右拐弯撞上一辆小轿车。原因：Mclaughlin 粗心大意；造成的后果：卡车轻微受损，小轿车严重损坏；

第二次：时间：5月6日；经过：Mclaughlin在换班的时候驾驶货车撞到一个卷帘门；原因：Mclaughlin不负责任，粗心；造成的后果：卷帘门严重损坏，卡车受损；

第三次：时间：6月7日；经过：Mclaughlin驾驶货车在公司停车场附近撞翻了几个邮筒；原因：Mclaughlin粗心大意；造成的后果：邮筒严重受损，卡车轻微受损。

本篇文章是听力第三篇短文，难度不大。文章虽然出现了一些人名和地名，但是同学们不需要知道它们是什么意思，人名地名不会作为考察点放在题目中，同学们需要重点分辨的是这三次事故发生的时间，题目重点考察同学对短文信息细节的抓取能力。但是其中有几个短语和单词需要关注一下：pay attention to 注意；重视；run into 撞上；撞到；roll-up door 卷帘门；knock down 撞翻；parking lot 停车场；mailbox 邮箱，邮筒；preventable 可预防的；as的用法。理解了这些词的意思，对本篇听力的整体理解基本就没有什么障碍了。

听力填空

When Captain Cook asked the chiefs in Tahiti why they always ate (26)apart and alone, they repl

ied, "Because it is right." If we ask Americans why they eat with knives and forks, or why their men wear pants (27)instead of skirts or why they may be married to only one person at a time, w e are likely to get (28)similar and very uninformative answers: "Because it's right." "Because that 's the way it's done." "Because it's the(29) custom." Or even "I don't know." The reason for these and countless other patterns of social behavior is that they are(30) controlled by social norms –shared rules or guidelines which prescribe the behavior that is appropriate in a given situation. N orms (31)define how people "ought to" behave under particular circumstances in a particular soci ety.We conform (遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they (32)exist. In fact we are much more likely t o notice (33)departuresfrom norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stra nger tried to shake hands when you were introduced, but you might be a little (34)startled if they bowed, started to stroke you or kissed you on both (35)cheeks. Yet each of these other forms of g reeting is appropriate in other parts of the world. When we visit another society whose norms are different, we quickly become

36. N) site

37. L) rare

38. I) honoring

39. F) virtually

40. O) different

41. D) current

42. C) covers

43. J) hope

44. M) realistic

45. H) fast

Why are we spending so much money on college?

. And why are we so unhappy about it? We all seem to agree that a college education is wonderful, and yet strangely we worry when we see families investing so much in this supposedly essential good. Maybe it’s time to ask a question that seems almost sacrilegious: is all this investment in college education really worth it?

B.The answer, I fear, is that it’s not. For an increasing number of kids, the extra time and money spent pursuing a college diploma will leave them worse off than they were before they set foot on campus.

C. For my entire adult life, an education has been the most important thing for middle-class households.

My parents spent more educating my sister and me than they spent on their house, and they’re not the only ones ... and, of course, for an increasing number of families, most of the cost of their house is actually the cost of living in a good school district. Questioning the value of a college education seems a bit like questioning the value of happiness, or fun.

Donald Marron, a private-equity investor whose portfolio companies have included a student-loan firm and an educational-technology startup, says, “If you’re in a position to be able to pay for education, it’s a bargain.” Those who can afford a degree from an elite institution are still in an enviable position. “You’ve got that with you for your whole life,” Marron pointed out. “It’s a real imprimatur that’s with you, as well as access to all these relationships.”

That’s true. I have certainly benefited greatly from the education my parents sacrificed to give me. On the other hand, that kind of education has gotten a whole lot more expensive since I was in school, and jobs seem to be getting scarcer, not more plentiful. These days an increasing number of commentators are nervously noting the uncomfortable similarities to the housing bubble, which started with parents telling their children that “renting is throwing your money away,” and ended in mass foreclosures.

An education can’t be repossessed, of course, but neither can the debt that financed it be shed, not even, in most cases, in bankruptcy. And it’s hard to ignore the similarities: the rapid run-up in prices, at rates much higher than inflation; the increasingly frenetic recruitment of new buyers, borrowing increasingly hefty sums; the sense that you are somehow saving for the future while enjoying an enhanced lifestyle right now, and of course, the mountain of debt.

The price of a McDonald’s hamburger has risen from 85 cents in 1995 to about a dollar today.

D. The average price of all goods and services has risen about 50 percent. But the price of a college education has nearly doubled in that time. Is the education that today’s students are getting twice as good? Are new workers twice as smart? Have they become somehow massively more expensive to educate?

E. Perhaps a bit. Richard Vedder, an Ohio University economics professor who heads the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, notes that while we may have replaced millions of filing clerks and payroll assistants with computers, it still takes one professor to teach a class. But he also notes that “we’ve been slow to adopt new technology because we don’t want to. We like getting up in front of 25 people. It’s more fun, but it’s also damnably expensive.”

Vedder adds, “I look at the data, and I see college costs rising faster than inflation up to the mid-1980s by 1 percent a year. Now I see them rising 3 to 4 percent a year over inflation. What has happened? The federal government has started dropping money out of airplanes.” Aid has increased, subsidized loans have become available, and “the universities have gotten the money.” Economist Bryan Caplan, who is writing a book about education, agrees: “It’s a giant waste of resources that will continue as long as the subsidies continue.”

F.Promotional literature for colleges and student loans often speaks of debt as an “investment in yourself.” But an investment is supposed to generate income to pay off the loans. More than half of all recent graduates are unemployed or in jobs that do not require a degree, and the amount of student-loan debt carried by households has more than quintupled since 1999. These graduates were told that a

diploma was all they needed to succeed, but it won’t even get them out of the spare bedroom at Mom and Dad’s. For many, the most tangible result of their four years is the loan payments, which now average hundreds of dollars a month on loan balances in the tens of thousands.

A lot of ink has been spilled over the terrifying plight of students with $100,000 in loans and a job that will not cover their $900-a-month payment. Usually these stories treat this massive debt as an unfortunate side effect of spiraling college costs. But in another view, the spiraling college costs are themselves an unfortunate side effect of all that debt. When my parents went to college, it was an entirely reasonable proposition to “work your way through” a four-year, full-time college program, especially at a state school, where tuition was often purely nominal. By the time I matriculated, in 1990, that was already a stretch. But now it’s virtually impossible to conceive of high-school students making enough with summer jobs and part-time jobs during the school year to put themselves through a four-year school. Nor are their financially shaky parents necessarily in a position to pick up the tab, which is why somewhere between one half and two thirds of undergrads now come out of school with debt.

In a normal market, prices would be constrained by the disposable income available to pay them. But we’ve bypassed those constraints by making subsidized student loans widely available. No, not only making them available: telling college students that those loans are “good debt” that will enable them to make much more money later.

G. It’s true about the money—sort of. College graduates now make 80 percent more than people who have only a high-school diploma, and though there are no precise estimates, the wage premium for an elite school seems to be even higher. But that’s not true of every student. It’s very easy to spend four years majoring in English literature and beer pong and come out no more employable than you were before you went in. Conversely, chemical engineers straight out of school can easily make triple or quadruple the wages of an entry-level high-school graduate.

H. James Heckman, the Nobel Prize–winning economist, has examined how the returns on education break down for individuals with different backgrounds and levels of ability. “Even with these high prices, you’re still finding a high return for individuals who are bright and motivated,” he says. On the other hand, “if you’re not college ready, then the answer is no, it’s not worth it.” Experts tend to agree that for the average student, college is still worth it today, but they also agree that the rapid increase in price is eating up more and more of the potential return. For borderline students, tuition hikes can push those returns into negative territory.

Effectively, we’ve treated the average wage premium as if it were a guarantee—and then we’ve encouraged college students to borrow against it. The result will be no surprise to anyone who has made the mistake of setting his or her teenager loose in a shopping mall with a credit card and no spending limit. Eighteen-year-olds demand amenities—high-speed Internet, well-upholstered classrooms, world-class fitness facilities—and in order to stay competitive, college administrators happily provide them. Then they raise the tuition for which the 18-year-olds are obediently borrowing the money.

“We have an academic arms race going on,” says Vedder. “Salaries have done pretty well. Look at the president of Yale. Compare his salary now with his salary in 2000.”In 2000, Richard Levin earned $561,709. By 2009, it was $1.63 million. “A typical university today has as many administrators as faculty.”

Vedder also notes the decrease in teaching loads by tenured faculty, and the vast increase in nonacademic amenities like plush dorms and intercollegiate athletics. “Every campus has its climbing wall,” he notes drily. “You cannot have a campus without a climbing wall.”

Just as homeowners took out equity loans to buy themselves spa bathrooms and chef’s kitchens and told themselves that they were really building value with every borrowed dollar, today’s college students can buy themselves a four-year vacation in an increasingly well-upholstered resort, and everyone congratulates them for investing in themselves.

Unsurprisingly those 18-year-olds often don’t look quite so hard at the education they’re getting. In Academically Adrift, their recent study of undergraduate learning, Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa find that at least a third of students gain no measurable skills during their four years in college. For the remainder who do, the gains are usually minimal. For many students, college is less about providing an education than a credential—a certificate testifying that they are smart enough to get into college, conformist enough to go, and compliant enough to stay there for four years.

When I was a senior, one of my professors asked wonderingly, “Why is it that you guys spend so much time trying to get as little as possible for your money?” The answer, Caplan says, is that they’re mostly there for a credential, not learning. “Why does cheating work?” he points out. If you were really just in college to learn skills, it would be totally counterproductive. “If you don’t learn the material, then you will have less human capital and the market will punish you—there’s no reason for us to do it.” But since they think the credential matters more than the education, they look for ways to get the credential as painlessly as possible.

There has, of course, always been a fair amount of credentialism in education. Ten years ago, when I entered business school at the University of Chicago, the career-services person who came to talk to our class said frankly, “We could put you on a cruise ship for the next two years and it wouldn’t matter.”

But how much, exactly, does credentialism matter? For years there’s been a fierce debate among economists over how much of the value of a degree is credentials and how much the education. Heckman thinks the credentialism argument—what economists call “signaling”—is “way overstated.” His work does show that a lot depends on outside factors like cognitive ability and early childhood health. But he says flatly that “no one thinks that schooling has no effect on ability.”

That debate matters a lot, because while the value of an education can be very high, the value of a credential is strictly limited. If students are gaining real, valuable skills in school, then putting more students into college will increase the productive capacity of firms and the economy—a net gain for everyone. Credentials, meanwhile, are a zero-sum game. They don’t create value; they just reallocate it, in the same way that rising home values serve to ration slots in good public schools. If employers have mostly been using college degrees to weed out the inept and the unmotivated, then getting more people into college simply means more competition for a limited number of well-paying jobs. And in the current environment, that means a lot of people borrowing money for jobs they won’t get.

But we keep buying because after two decades prudent Americans who want a little financial security don’t have much left. Lifetime employment, and the pensions that went with it, have now joined outhouses, hitching posts, and rotary-dial telephones as something that wide-eyed children may hear about from their grandparents but will never see for themselves. The fabulous stock-market returns that

promised an alternative form of protection proved even less durable. At least we have the house, weary Americans told each other, and the luckier ones still do, as they are reminded every time their shaking hand writes out another check for a mortgage that’s worth more than the home that secures it. What’s left is ... investing in ourselves. Even if we’re not such a good bet.

Between 1992 and 2008, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded rose almost 50 percent, from around 1.1 million to more than 1.6 million. According to Vedder, 60 percent of those additional students ended up in jobs that have not historically required a degree—waitress, electrician, secretary, mail carrier. That’s one reason the past few decades have witnessed such an explosion in graduate and professional degrees, as kids who previously would have stopped at college look for ways to stand out in the job market.

It is in that market that students may first, finally, have begun to revolt. For decades, when former English majors wondered how to get out of their dead-end jobs, the answer was “go to law school”—an effect that was particularly pronounced in economic downturns. In 2010 in the Los Angeles Times, Mark Greenbaum warned prospective lawyers that “the number of new positions is likely to be fewer than 30,000 per year. That is far fewer than what’s needed to accommodate the 45,000 juris doctors graduating from U.S. law schools each year.”

That was the year that LSAT taking peaked, with 170,000 prospective lawyers signing up for the test. But then students apparently started heeding Greenbaum’s warning. Two years later that figure dropped to just 130,000, lower than it had been in more than a decade. Law-school applications also dropped, from 88,000 to 67,000.

That’s a heartening sign for those of us who believe that we’ve been graduating too many unemployable lawyers. But as we saw with the housing and dotcom booms, what comes after a bubble is not usually a return to a nice, sustainable equilibrium; it’s chaos. Of course, the first thing to do when you’re in a hole is stop digging. But that still leaves you in a pretty big hole.

I. Everyone seems to agree that the government, and parents, should be rethinking how we invest in higher education—and that employers need to rethink the increasing use of college degrees as crude screening tools for jobs that don’t really require college skills. “Employers seeing a surplus of college graduates and looking to fill jobs are just tacking on that requirement,” says Vedder. “De facto, a college degree becomes a job requirement for becoming a bartender.”

J. We have started to see some change on the finance side. A law passed in 2007 allows many students to cap their loan payment at 10 percent of their income and forgives any balance after 25 years. But of course, that doesn’t control the cost of education; it just shifts it to taxpayers. It also encourages graduates to choose lower-paying careers, which diminishes the financial return to education still further. “You’re subsidizing people to become priests and poets and so forth,” says Heckman. “You may think that’s a good thing, or you may not.” Either way it will be expensive for the government.

K. What might be a lot cheaper is putting more kids to work: not necessarily as burger flippers but as part of an educational effort. Caplan notes that work also builds valuable skills—probably more valuable for kids who don’t naturally love sitting in a classroom. Heckman agrees wholeheartedly: “People are different, and those abilities can be shaped. That’s what we’ve learned, and public policy should recognize that.”

L. Heckman would like to see more apprenticeship-style programs, where kids can learn in the workplace—learn not just specific job skills, but the kind of “soft skills,” like getting to work on time and getting along with a team, that are crucial for career success. “It’s about having mentors and having workplace-based education,” he says. “Time and again I’ve seen examples of this kind of program working.”

M. Ah, but how do we get there from here? With better public policy, hopefully, but also by making better individual decisions. “Historically markets have been able to handle these things,” says Vedder, “and I think eventually markets will handle this one. If it doesn’t improve soon, people are going to wake up and ask, ‘Why am I going to college?’?”

一下考题。希望大家四级考试顺利通过。

46. K --- Caplan suggests that kids who don’t love school go to work.

47. C ---An increasing number of families spend more money on houses in a good school district.

48.E--- Subsidized loans to college students are a huge waste of money, according to one economist.

49. B--- More and more kids find they fare worse with a college diploma.

50. H --- For those who are not prepared for higher education, going to college is not worth it.

51. D --- Over the years the cost of a college education has increased almost by 100%.

52. J --- A law passed recently allows many students to pay no more than one tenth of their income for their college loans.

53. C --- Middle-class Americans have highly valued a good education.

54. L --- More kids should be encouraged to participate in programs where they can learn not only job skills but also social skills.

55. F --- Over fifty percent of recent college graduates remain unemployed or unable to find a suitable job.

四级阅读仔细阅读1（第二版）答案

56. C. They love what they do and choose not to retire.

57. A. Neither of them is subject to forced retirement.

58. D. Working at an advanced age lengthens people's life.

59. C. It is a compensation for one's life-long hard work.

60. D. They prevent young people from getting ahead.

【点评】

本文出自Newsweek的文章‘Nevertirees’: Elderly Americans Who Refuse to Retire。Newsweek是美国知名媒体，历年四六级考试中，不少阅读文章选自于此。建议考生平时经常浏览这类外国主流网站，熟悉英语国家人士的行文表达习惯，以便做阅读时胸有成竹。

本篇阅读涉及的是美国的新兴社会现象——老年人不愿退休。文章谈论了一群老人，他们年富力强时在事业上成就斐然，甚至到了古稀之年，对工作依旧热情不减。这种现象一方面体现出人们对待退休的态度有所转变; 另一方面，该现象也遭来了批判之声：老年人占着工作岗位，给年轻一代职业生涯设下了障碍。

文章本身话题比较新颖，词汇及语篇理解方面的难度不大。但不少答案定位点都需要考生具有较强的英文理解力。五道题目中，只有第三题考查的是细节推断，其余四题均考查细节归纳。由此可见，该篇阅读重点考查获取目标信息的能力。考生必须在有限的时间内，迅速过滤掉无关信息，定位于目标信息（即考题答案所在位置），结合上下文，作出正确判断。总的来说，考生须在平时多读英语原版文章，熟悉英语文章的构架、表达，才能在考场游刃有余。

61. A) Many young Americans will never be able to pay off their debts.

62. B) They haven't developed a credit history.

63. D) It will affect their future spending power.

64. B) They may experience a financial crisis in their old age.

65. C) Their clients leave their debts unpaid upon death.

【点评】

本文出自Time的Business & Money板块，原文标题为T oday’s Young Adults Will Never Pay Off Their Credit Card Debts。可以说这篇阅读一出，再一次印证了Time以及经济类文章一直是四级出题老师的宠儿。

该篇的话题并不为考生所陌生，全文围绕“现今的年轻人或许永远无法偿还清信用卡借款”展开，用一个个事实为大家陈述了这个猜测的理由。例如年轻人依赖信用卡，长此以往下去，即使到了他们赚钱能力最强的年纪，也会成为扯人口消费力后腿的人群。而且据Lucia Dunn教授称，这些年轻人在老年将会面临经济危机。

从考题来看，除了61题为段落的主旨大意题外，其余都是常见的事实细节题。同学在做题时可以根据问题中的关键词定位到原文的段落，如63题的relying on，64题的Lucia Dunn等都可以直接帮助考生快速找到答案所在的段落。另外，由于我们说经济类文章几乎年年出现在四级试卷中，考生不妨多多接触此类题材，并积累相关的词汇，为自己的阅读得分做好充足的准备

翻译原文：

中国结（the Chinese knot)最初是由手工艺人发明的。经过数百年不断的改造，已经成为一种优雅多彩的艺术和工艺。在古代，人们用它来记录事件，但现在主要用于装饰的目的。“结”在中文里意味着爱情，婚姻和团聚。中国结常常作为礼物交换或用作饰品祈求好运和避邪。这种形式的手工艺（handcraft)代代相传，现在已经在中国和世界各地越来越受欢迎。译文：

The Chinese knot is originally invented by the handicraftsman.After several hundred years’innov ation,it has evolved into an elegant and colorful art and craft.In ancient times,it was used for r ecording events,while now it is mainly a decorative handicraft art.In Chinese,"Knot"means love

,marriage and reunion.The Chinese knot is often used as a gift to express good wishes or a tali sman to ward off evil spirits.The handcraft has passed on for generations and become more and more popular in China and the world.【点评】

原文与样题“神似”，不管是题材、句式、用词以及难度都与样题“剪纸”如出一辙，相信按照样题模式进行练习，面对考题一定得心应手。同时文章中还出现了一些翻译中的高频词汇，如“由……发明”、“代代相传”、“意味着”、“世界各地”等等，以及用“while”表示对比等常见句式，充分说明只要语法词汇双管齐下，翻译准确率定能大大提升。

[四六级] 不得不看：英语四级考试快速阅读解题步骤

[四六级] 不得不看：英语四级考试快速阅读 解题步骤 作者：潇如风 我这篇帖子，同学们照着一步一步做就是了，老师们照着一步一步教就是了。 首先要明白：快速阅读的文章虽长（1200字，仔细阅读平均每篇330个字），但是从内容上说，大都是通俗易懂的说明文，没有学术色彩和思想深度；从语言上来说，遣词造句都比较简单。所以，根本没必要害怕。个人以为，快速阅读应该比仔细阅读更容易拿分。 具体答题步骤如下： 第一步：浏览Skim ( 0。5分钟–2分钟) 1．分析大标题（Brainstorm the Title）（5 –10秒）目的：调动脑细胞，主动预测文章内容。 官方样题Landfills 的分析思路：land + fill = 土地填埋，加了s, 可能指多处填埋场地。在不认识这个单词的情况下（汉译：垃圾填筑地），能想到这一层就算漂亮。 2006年12月真题Six Secrets of High-Energy People的分析思路：secrets：多数人不知道，一定新颖有趣；high-energy people 只能是指精力充沛的人，不可能是X战警。文章要告诉我们，那些人

为什么精力充沛，希望我们学习他们的秘诀。 2006年6月真题Highways的分析思路：为什么要修建公路？怎么修建？公路有哪些功能？存在哪些问题？一般说明文的写作结构都是如此：计划–成形–功能–问题。例如：联合国的起因–联合国的成立–联合国的运作–联合国的问题。 2．分析小标题(Tidy the Subtitles）(20 –25秒) 目的：了解文章内容，把握总体结构。 官方样题： Sub 1：How Much Trash Is Generated? 一看该段字数少，忽视 Sub 2：How Is Trash Disposed of? 关键字：处理 Sub 3：What Is a Landfill? 引进主题，字数增加，进入重点。推理：landfill 肯定是上面提到的一种垃圾处理方法 Sub 4：Proposing the Landfill Landfill由新信息变成已知信息。关键字：Proposing 计划、建议 Sub 5：Building the Landfill 关键字：Building 修建 注意：前一段讲计划，这一段讲修建，联系紧密，可以合并 Sub 6：What happens to Trash in a Landfill? 关键字：What happens；字数少，忽视 Sub 7：How Is a Landfill Operated? 关键字：Operated 如何

2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题(附原文及答案解析)

2013年12月大学英语四级听力真题 PartⅡListening Comprehension(30 minutes) 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 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. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. 1. A) The woman is now working in a kindergarten. B) The man will soon start a business of his own. C) The man would like to be a high school teacher. D) The woman is going to major in child education. 2. A) The furniture has to be rearranged. B) The sound equipment has to be set up. C) The conference room has to be cleaned. D) The video machine has to be checked. 3. A) She is exhausted. B) She is near-sighted. C) She cannot finish work in time. D) She cannot go straight home. 4. A) The woman is too particular about food. B) He would rather have a meal an hour later. C) The woman should order her food quickly. D) He usually prefers ice-cream to sandwiches. 5. A) He is not a good mechanic. B) He doesn't keep his promises. C) He spends his spare time doing repairs. D) He is always ready to offer help to others. 6. A) Sam has a big family to support. B) Sam is not interested in traveling. C) The pay offered by the travel agency is too low. D) The work hours in the travel agency arc too long 7. A) International trade.

[英语四六级]全国大学英语四级考试流程及考生注意事项

全国大学英语四级考试流程及考生注意事项为了保证大学英语四级考试安全、顺利的进行，请各位考生熟悉以下流程和注意事项： 1、英语四级考试8：45考生进入考场 所有考生一律携带身份证、学生证和准考证进入考场。证件不全者，不得参加考试。考生进入考场后，调试耳机。 2、英语四级考试9：00迟到考生不得入场，监考员发答题卡1和卡2 考生用且只能用黑色字迹签字笔在答题卡上填写姓名、准考证号，用2B铅笔涂黑相应的信息点;暂不填写答题卡2上试卷代号一栏;考生不得提前答题，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。 3、英语四级考试9：10考试正式开始，开始做试题第一部分 考生做试题第一部分“写作”，务必用黑色字迹签字笔答题。 4、英语四级考试9：35监考员发试题册 考生不得提前翻阅或改变试卷位置，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。 5、英语四级考试9：40开始做试题的第二部分 英语四级写作部分考试结束;考生打开试题册，开始做试题的第二部分“快速阅读理解”。 6、英语四级考试9：55收答题卡1 收卷期间考生不得答题，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。 7、英语四级考试10：00听力考试正式开始。 8、英语四级听力考试结束后，开始做试题的第四部分 英语四级听力考试结束后，请立即摘下耳机，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理;考生开始做试题的第四部分。 9、英语四级11：20考试结束 英语四级考试结束，考生立即停止答题，不离开座位，待监考教师收齐试卷、清点考试材料无误并同意考生离场后，考生方可退场。

10、考生不得提前退场和交卷 英语四级考试过程中，考生不得提前退场，包括提前交卷，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。 11、考生进入考场需携带2B铅笔和黑色签字笔，不得携带其它材料 考生进入考场不得携带的材料如书本、纸张、书包、录音器材、电子记事本和通讯工具(含BP机、对讲机和手机等)均不得带入考场，否则按违规违纪处理，并报省教育考试院处理。 12、本次考试的题型分为六部分，第一部分作文的题目在答题卡1上，其余五部分的题目在试题册上;考试材料包括：试题册、答题卡1和答题卡2;考试分A、B卷。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案(第三套)

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第三套） Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay based on the picture below. You should start your essay with a brief account of the increasing use of the mobile phone in people’s life and then explain the consequences of overusing it. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Part II Listenin g Compre hension （30 minutes ） 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 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. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. 1. A）He has proved to be a better reader than the woman. B）He has difficulty understanding the book. C）He cannot get access to the assigned book. D）He cannot finish his assignment before the deadline. 2. A）She will drive the man to the supermarket. B）The man should buy a car of his own. C）The man needn’t go shopping every week. D）She can pick the man up at the grocery store. 3. A）Get more food and drinks. C）Tidy up the place. B）Ask his friend to come over. D）Hold a party. 4. A）The talks can be held any day except this Friday. B）He could change his schedule to meet John Smith. C）The first-round talks should start as soon as possible. D）The woman should contact John Smith first. 5. A）He understands the woman’s feelings. B）He has gone through a similar experience. C）The woman should have gone on the field trip.

2013年12月大学英语四级真题及答案解析

2013年12月份全国大学英语四级考试
试卷一：中餐
【真题原文】许多人喜欢中餐，在中国，烹饪不仅被视为一种技能，而且也被视为一 种艺术。精心准备的中餐既可口又好看，烹饪技艺和配料在中国各地差别很大。但好的烹 饪都有一个共同点，总是要考虑到颜色、味道、口感和营养(nutrition)。由于食物对健康至 关重要，好的厨师总是努力在谷物、肉类和蔬菜之间取得平衡，所以中餐既味美又健康。 【翻译答案】Most people like Chinese food. In China, cooking is considered as not only a skill but also an art. The well-prepared Chinese food is both delicious and good-looking. Although cooking methods and food ingredient vary wildly in different places of China, it is common for good cuisine to take color, flavor, taste and nutrition into account. Since food is crucial to health, a good chef is insistently trying to seek balance between cereal, meat and vegetable, and accordingly Chinese food is delicious as well as healthy.
试卷二：信息技术
【真题原文】信息技术(Information Technology)，正在飞速发展，中国公民也越来越 重视信息技术，有些学校甚至将信息技术作为必修课程，对这一现象大家持不同观点。一 部分人认为这是没有必要的，学生就应该学习传统的课程。另一部分人认为这是应该的， 中国就应该与时俱进。不管怎样，信息技术引起广大人民的重视是一件好事。 【翻译答案】As China citizens attaching great importance to the rapidly development of Information Technology, some college even set it as a compulsory course. Regarding to this phenomenon, people holding different views. Some people think it is not necessary, for students should learn the traditional curriculum. Another part of people think it is a need, because China should keep pace with the times. Anyway, it is a good thing that Information Technology aroused public concern.
试卷三：茶文化
【真题原文】"你要茶还是咖啡?"是用餐人常被问到的问题，许多西方人会选咖啡，而 中国人则会选茶， 相传， 中国的一位帝王于五千年前发现了茶， 并用来治病， 在明清(the qing dynasties)期间，茶馆遍布全国，饮茶在六世纪传到日本，但直到18世纪才传到欧美，如今， 茶是世界上最流行的饮料(beverage)之一，茶是中国的瑰宝。也是中国传统和文化的重要组 成部分。 【翻译答案】"Would you like tea or coffee?" That’s a question people often asked when having meal. Most westerners will choose coffee, while the Chinese would like to choose tea. According to legend, tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor five thousand years ago, and then was used to cure disease. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, tea houses were all over the country. Tea drinking spread to Japan in the 6th century, but it was not until the 18th century does it spread to Europe and America. Nowadays, tea is one of the most popular beverage in the world, and it is not only the treasure of China but also an important part of Chinese tradition and culture.
试卷四：中国结
1

2013年12月大学英语四级阅读理解冲刺试卷（二）

Psychologists take opposing views of how external rewards, from warm praise to old cash, affect motivation and creativity. Behaviorists, who study the relation between actions and, argue that rewards can improve performance at work and school. Some other researchers who study various aspects of mental life, maintain those rewards often destroy creativity byencouraging dependence on approval and gifts from others. The latter view has gained many supporters, especially among educators. But the careful use of small monetary rewards sparks in grade-school children suggesting that properly presented inducements indeed aid inventiveness, according to a study in the June Journal Personality and Social Psychology. “If they know they're working for a reward and can focus on a relatively challenging task, they show the most creativity,”says Robert Esenberger of the University of Delaware in Newark. “But it's easy to kill creativity by giving rewards for poor performance or creating too much anticipation for rewards.” A teacher who continually draws attention to rewards or who hands out high grades for ordinary achievement ends up with uninspired students, Esenberger holds. As an example of the latter point, he notes growing efforts at major universities to tighten grading standards and restore falling grades. In earlier grades, the use of so-called token economics, in which students handle challenging problems and receive performance-based points toward valued rewards, shows promise in raising effort and creativity, the Delaware psychologist claims. 1. Psychologists are divided with regard to their attitudes toward ____. A) the choice between spiritual encouragement and monetary rewards B) the appropriate amount of external rewards C) the study of relationship between actions and D) the effects of external rewards on students' performance 2. What is the view held by many educators concerning external rewards for students? A) They approve of external rewards. B) They don't think external rewards. C) They have doubts about external rewards. D) They believe external rewards can motivate small children, but not college students. 3. According to the result of the study mentioned in the passage, what should educators do to stimulate motivation and creativity? A) Give rewards for performances which deserve them. B) Always promise rewards. C) Assign tasks which are not very challenging. D) Be more lenient to students when mistakes are made. 4. It can be inferred from the passage that major universities are trying to tighten their grading standards because they believe ____. A) rewarding poor performance may kill the creativity of students’ B) punishment is more effective than rewarding C) failing uninspired students helps improve their overall academic standards D) discouraging the students anticipation for easy rewards is matter of urgency 5．Which of the following facts about “token economics”is not correct? A) Students are assigned challenging tasks.

2013年12月英语四级听力文本及答案解析

Question 1 M: After high school, I’d like to go to college and major in business administration. W: But I’d rather spend my college days finding out how children learn. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? Question 2 W: Is everything ready for the conference? M: The only thing left to do is set up the microphones and speakers. They'll be here in a few minutes. Q: What preparations have yet to be made? Question 3 W: Is it almost time to go home now? I'm so tired. I can hardly see straight. M: Just a few more minutes, then we can go. Q: What is the woman’s problem? Question 4 W: I'm not sure what I’m in a mood for. Ice-cream or sandwiches? They are both really good here. M: The movie starts in an hour. And we still have to get there and park. So just make a decision. Q: What does the man mean? Question 5 W: Tom said he would come to repair our solar heater when he has time. M: He often says he is willing to help, but he never seems to have time. Q: What does the man imply about Tom? Question 6 W: So you know that Sam turns down the job offered by the travel agency.

X-学习资料大全：英语四级考试时间安排

X-学习资料大全：英语四级考试时间安排(总6页) -CAL-FENGHAI.-(YICAI)-Company One1 -CAL-本页仅作为文档封面，使用请直接删除

天才是百分之九十九的勤奋加百分之一的灵感 新英语四级考试考试时间流程安排 具体考试流程如下： 8：50---9：00试音寻台时间 9：00---9：10播放考场指令，发放作文考卷 9：10取下耳机，开始作文考试 9：35发放含有快速阅读的试题册(但9：40才允许开始做) 9：40---9：55做快速阅读 9：55---10：00收答题卡一(即作文和快速阅读) 9：55---10：00重新戴上耳机，试音寻台，准备听力考试 10：00开始听力考试，电台开始放音 听力结束后完成剩余考项 11：20全部考试结束 大学英语四级考试大纲 Syllabus for College English Test —Band Four(CET-4)— 总则 国家教委在印发理工科本科和文理科本科用的两种《大学英语教学大纲》的通知中指出，大纲执行两年后，开始对结束四、六级学习的学生进行统一的标准化测试。大学英语四级考试(CET-4)就是根据这一规定而设计的。考试的目的在于全面考核已修完大学英语四级的 学生是否达到教学大纲所确定的各项目标。这种考试属于尺度相关常模参照性考试(criterion-related norm-referenced test)。 教学大纲指出：大学英语教学的目的是培养学生具有较强的阅读能力、一定的听的能力(理工科适用的大纲还规定一定的译的能力)以及初步的写和说的能力，使学生能以英语为工具，获取专业所需要的信息，并为进一步提高英语水平打下较好的基础。为此，本考试主要考核学生运用语言的能力，同时也考核学生对语法结构和词语用法的掌握程度。 本考试是一种标准化考试。由于目前尚不具备口试的条件，暂时只进行笔试。考试范围主要是教学大纲所规定的一级至四级的全部内容(说与译的内容除外)。为保证试卷的信度，除短文写作是主观性试题外，其余试题都采用客观性的多项选择题形式。短文写作部分旨在较好地考核学生运用语言的能力，从而提高试卷的效度。 本考试于每学期结束前后举行，由大学英语四、六级标准考试设计组负责和实施。每年举行两次。 考试内容 本考试包括五个部分：听力理解、阅读理解、词语用法与语法结构、完形填空、短文写作。全部题目按顺序统一编号。 第一部分：听力理解(Part 1：Listening Comprehension)：共20题，考试时间20分钟

大学英语四级考试一些注意技巧4页

四级考试 既然要考试这个需要了解考试。大学英语四级考试流程。 8：50——9：00试音时间（这个需要注意提前 ．．三十分钟到场，晚了就不好了。） 9：00——9：10播放考场指令，发放作文考卷 9：10取下耳机，开始作文考试。（这点提醒你下，作文要尽快 ．．写完。）9：35发放含有快速阅读的试题册（但9：40才允许开始做） 9：40——9：55做快速阅读（哎考四级就没做完开始收卷了，那个郁 闷啊!这题简单可是没做完，无语极了。所以那要抓紧时间 ．．．．，尽快做完平． 时做题时就要注意 ．．．．．．．．。） 9：55——10：00收答题卡一（即作文和快速阅读,考试两张答题卡，注意早些涂完老师不等你的。做完没涂完那更气人。） 9：55——10：00重新戴上耳机，试音寻台，准备听力考试。（听力考试对我来说好难啊就像天书，可是··35%啊）。 10：00开始听力考试，电台开始放音 听力结束后完成剩余考项。 （剩下的是，一个选词填空，两篇阅读，一个完形填空，五个句子翻译。） （这时候注意时间 ．．可能会不够用 ．．．．．．，先．做句子 ．． ．．．，其实可以放弃完形填空 翻译 ．．，因为句子翻译一句一分，完形填空20空才十分，另外这20个答案可以蒙。嘿嘿这个看自己当时情况。）

11：20全部考试结束。 英语四级考试题型：听力理解35% 阅读理解35% 完型填空10% 写作和翻译20%。 下面开始讲一些技巧吧.知道的也不多，参考下呗。按照四级卷子的顺序吧。首先是作文。 作文与高中差不多，要求不是很高，平时背些四级真题的作文，记一 些里面的词语搭配，或者固定句式。四级作文最近向图表，看图 ．．．．．的类型了。自己做好心理准备，多背些作文足以应付了，这主要看高中英语底子了。 接下来是快速阅读，快速阅读占10%，所以也很重要，这个主要时间把握好。做快速阅读时： 一、先看题干，然后找出信号词（就是比较明显 ．．的词容易在文中找到）， 也注意是否有小标题，有小标题时小标题 ．．．．．。 ．．．很重要。快速阅读不需要读懂 只是考查查找信息 ．．．．的能力。 二、按段阅读，按段做题，快速找出题的句子，并理解句子意思。（一 般情况下一段话就一道题，特别注意首句 ．．．，读句子抓主谓宾 ．．．。） ．．和转折句 三、回到题目，挑出正确答案。 注释：快速阅读共十道题 ．．．．．．。补全句子不． ．．．．．，三道补全句子 ．．．，七道选择题 超过五个词 ．．．．．。 接下来就是听力了，听力这个重在平时。关于听力有个方法。

2013年12月大学英语四级考试长篇阅读原文

2013年12月大学英语四级考试长篇阅读原文 Peer-to-peer rental: The rise of the sharing economy LAST night 40,000 people rented accommodation from a service that offers 250,000 rooms in 30,000 cities in 192 countries. They chose their rooms and paid for everything online. But their beds were provided by private individuals, rather than a hotel chain. Hosts and guests were matched up by Airbnb, a firm based in San Francisco. Since its launch in 2008 more than 4m people have used it—2.5m of them in 2012 alone. It is the most prominent example of a huge new “sharing economy”, in which people rent beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, co-ordinated via the internet. You might think this is no different from running a bed-and-breakfast, owning a timeshare or participating in a car pool. But technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever—and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be disaggregated and consumed as services. Before the internet, renting a surfboard, a power tool or a parking space from someone else was feasible, but was usually more trouble than it was worth. Now websites such as Airbnb, RelayRides and SnapGoods match up owners and renters; smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and build trust; and online payment systems handle the billing. What…s mine is yo urs, for a fee Just as peer-to-peer businesses like eBay allow anyone to become a retailer, sharing sites let individuals act as an ad hoc taxi service, car-hire firm or boutique hotel as and when it suits them. Just go online or download an app. The model works for items that are expensive to buy and are widely owned by people who do not make full use of them. Bedrooms and cars are the most obvious examples, but you can also rent camping spaces in Sweden, fields in Australia and washing machines in France. As proponents of the sharing economy like to put it, access trumps ownership. Rachel Botsman, the author of a book on the subject, says the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $26 billion. Broader definitions of the sharing economy include peer-to- peer lending (though cash is hardly a spare fixed asset) or putting a solar panel on your roof and selling power back to the grid (though that looks a bit like becoming a utility). And it is not just individuals: the web makes it easier for companies to rent out spare offices and idle machines, too. But the core of the sharing economy is people renting things from each other. Such “collaborative consumption” is a good thing for several reasons. Owners make money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000. Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. (It is not surprising that many sharing firms got going during the financial crisis.) And there are environmental benefits, too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them. For sociable souls, meeting new people by staying in their homes is part of the charm. Curmudgeons who imagine that every renter is Norman Bates can still stay at conventional hotels. For others, the web fosters trust. As well as the background checks carried out by platform owners, online reviews and ratings are usually posted by both parties to each transaction, which makes it easy to spot lousy drivers, bathrobe-pilferers and surfboard-wreckers. By using Facebook and other social networks, participants can check each other out and identify friends (or friends of friends) in common. An Airbnb user had her apartment trashed in 2011. But the remarkable thing is how well the system usually works. Peering into the future