2020-9月四级1套真题

2020年9月大学生英语四级考试真题 （第1套） Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on online libraries. You can start your essay ” You should write at least 120 with the sentence “Online libraries are becoming increasingly popular . words but no more than 180 words.

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

Secction A

Directions In this section you will hear three news reports At the end of each news report you will hear two or , ,

three questions. Both the news report 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 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard. 1. A) Warm currents in the ocean. B) Ship traffic in the Atlantic. 2 .A) They need to be taken seriously.

C) Particles emitted by power plants. D) Exhaust from cars in Europe.

C) They may be affecting the worlds climate.

B). They have a huge effect on fishery. D) They might be causing trouble to air flights. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard. 3.A) To appeal for higher wages. B)To demand better health care. B) It would put customers needs first.

C) To dismiss the bad-tempered supervisor. D) To call for a permanent security guard.

C) It had already taken strong action. D) It would take their appeal seriously. C) The road was frozen with snow. D) The road was covered with spilled gas.

4. A) It was seeking help from the police. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard. 5. A) The road was blocked. B) The road was flooded. 6. A) A truck hit a barrier and overturned.

B) The truck driver dozed off while driving. C) The heavy snow made driving very difficult. D) A track plunged into a pool of liquid chocolate. 7. A) It was fortunate that no passenger got injured.

B) It was a hard task to remove the spilled substance. C) It was a long time before the cleanup was finished. D) It was difficult to contact the manufacturer.

Section B

Directions : In this section, you will hear two long conversation. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four

questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question,

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you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked B C and D ). ), A ), ) Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre. Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 8. A) She found it much safer to use cash. B) She could enjoy discounts with cash. 9. A) They derive greater pleasure from buying things. B) They are less aware of the value of their money. C) They find it less difficult to make purchases. D) They can save a lot more time and trouble. 10.A) More valuable items. B) Electronic devices. 11.A) It may lead to excessive spending. C) She wanted to save for a new phone. D) She had been cheated using phone apps.

C) Everyday necessities. D) More non-essential things.

C) It can improve shopping efficiency.

B) It is altering the way of shopping. D) It appeals more to younger people. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) He wanted the furniture store to give him a refund.

B) He had a problem with the furniture delivered. C) He had to change the furniture delivery time. D) He wanted to order some wooden furniture. 13. A) Send the furniture back to the store. C) Collect the furniture he ordered.

B) Buy another brand of furniture. 14. A) Improve their service. B) Apologize to his wife. 15. A) She recommended a new style. B) She offered some gift to the man. D) Describe the furniture he received.

C) Correct their mistake. D) Give the money back.

C) She checked all the items with the man. D) She apologized to the man once more.

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, Section C

, Directions : In this section you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage you will hear three or four

questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question you ) D . )must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A ), B ), C and Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard. 16.A) Tidying up ones home.

C) Donating to charity.

B)Reading books of wisdom. D) Sharing with others.

17. A) Things that occupy little space. C) Things that make one happy.

B)Things that are becoming rare. D) Things that cost a lot of money.

18. A)It did little business because of the unusual cold weather.

B)It received an incredibly large number of donated books.

C) It sold as many as fifty boxes of books. D) It joined the city’s clean-up campaign.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard. 19. A) Give free meals to the homeless. B) Provide shelter for the homeless. 20. A) Promote understanding. B) Strengthen co-operation. 21. A) Spreading news of his deeds. B) Sending him hand-made bags. C) Call for change in the local government. D) Help the vulnerable to cook lunches. C) Follow his example. D) Win national support.

C) Following the example he sets. D) Writing him thank-you notes.

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Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 22. A) To install some audio equipment in a lab. B) To test their eyesight using a phone app. C) To send smartphone messages. D) To solve word search puzzles.

23. A) They could no longer concentrate on their task.

B) They could not go on until the ringing stopped.

C) They grabbed the phone and called back right away. D) They asked their experimenter to hang up the phone. 24. A) A decline in sports activities. C) A decline in academic performance.

B) A rise in emotional problems. 25. A) Ensure they have sufficient sleep every day.

B). Realize the disruptive effects of technology. C).Take effective measures to raise productivity. D).Protect the eyesight of the younger generation.

D) A reduction in the amount of sleep.

Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Secction A

Directions : In this section there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank ,

from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

It can be seen from the cheapest budget airlines to the worlds largest carriers Airlines across the globe :

26 various shades of blue in their cabin seats and it is no 27 . There does appear to be some psychology , behind it. Blue is 28 with the positive qualities of trust efficiency quietness coolness reflection and calm. , , , ,

Nigel Goode is a leading aviation designer who works at a company which has been delivering aircraft interiors for airlines for 30 years. “ Our job as designers is to reinforce the airlines brand and make it more

29 ,” he says. “ But our primary concern is to deliver an interior that 30 comfort to create a pleasant environment. ”

“ Its all about making the traveling experience less 31 and blue is said to induce a feeling of calm. While some of the budget airlines might use brighter, bolder shades, most others go with softened tones. The 32 aim is to create a home-like relaxing feel, so airlines tend to use soft colors that feel domestic, 33 and earthy for that reason. ”

Its also a trend that emerged decades ago and has 34 stuck. “ Blue became the color of choice because its a conservative, agreeable, corporate shade that 35 being trustworthy and safe. Thats why you see it used in all of the older airlines like British Airways,” Nigel Goode added. A) associated B) coincidence C) determined D) drastically E) enormous F) imitate G) indication H) integrate

I) maximizes J) natural K) principal L) recognizable M) simply N) stressful O) symbolizes

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Setion B

, Directions:In this section you are going to read passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

Why Are Asian Americans Missing from Our Textbooks?

A ) I still remember my fourth-grade social studies project. Our class was studying the Gold Rush , something all California fourth-graders learned. I was excited because I had asked to research Chinese immigrants during that era. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area I had always known that San Francisco translated to Gold Mountain in , “ ” “ name had stuck ever since Chinese immigrants arrived on the shores of Northern California in the Chinese. ”The , luck in the gold mines. Now Id have the chance to learn about them. 1850s eager to try their

B ) My excitement was short-lived. I remember heading to the library with my class and asking for help. I remember the

librarians hesitation. She finally led me past row after row of books to a corner of the library where she , pulled an oversized book off the shelf. She checked the index and turned over to a page about early Chinese immigrants in California. That was all there was in my entire school library in San Francisco home of the nations , first Chinatown. That was it.

C ) I finally had the opportunity to learn about Asian Americans like myself and how we became part of the fabric of ,

the United States when I took an introductory class on Asian-American history in college. The class was a revelation. I realized how much had been missing in my textbooks as I grew up. My identity had been shaped by years of never reading hearing , or learning about people who had a similar background as me. Why , seeing , , I wondered werent the stories , , histories , and contributions of Asian Americans taught in K-12 schools , especially

in the elementary schools Why are they still not taught ? ? D Asian Latino African American Native American and ) Our students — , , , , yes , white , stand — to gain from a multicultural curriculum. Students of color are more engaged and earn better grades when they see themselves in their studies. Research has also found that white students benefit by being challenged and exposed to new perspectives.

E activists have called for schools to offer anti-racism or multicultural curricula. Yet a traditional ) For decades ,

American K-12 curriculum continues to be taught from a Eurocentric point of view. Being multicultural often falls back on weaving children of color into photographs , or creating a few supporting characters that happen to be ethnic an improvement but superficial nonetheless. Elementary school classrooms celebrate cultural holidays — — , ! ! ! — ( the challenges and Lunar New Year Red envelopes Lion dancers but theyre quick to gloss over 掩饰) , example learn about the laws that for , injustices that Asian Americans have faced. Most students dont for years excluded Asians from immigrating to the U. S. They dont hear the narratives of how and why Southeast Asian ( 民 )had to re u their lives here. refugees 难

F ) Research into what students learn in school has found just how much is missing in their studies. In an analysis Christine Sleeter a professor in the College of Professional Studies at California State University Monterey Bay , , reviewed Californias history and social studies framework the curriculum determined by state educators that , influences what is taught in K-12 classrooms. Of the nearly 100 Americans recommended to be studied 77% ,

were white 18% African American 4% Native American and 1% Latino. None were Asian American. , , , G ) Worse when Asian Americans do make an appearance in lesson books it is often laced with problems. There , , “ hasnt been much progress says Nicholas Hartlep an assistant professor at Metropolitan State University. His 2016 ,” ,

study of K-12 social studies textbooks and teacher manuals found that Asian Americans were poorly represented at best, and subjected to racist caricatures ( 拙劣的模仿) at worst. The wide diversity of Asian Americans was overlooked; there was very little mention of South Asians or Pacific Islanders, for example. And chances were, in the images, Asian Americans appeared in stereotypical ( 模式化的) roles, such as engineers.

H) Teachers with a multicultural background or training could perhaps overcome such curriculum challenges, but

theyre few and far between. In California, 65% of K-12 teachers are white, compared with a student population

that is 75% students of color. Nationwide, the gap is even greater. It isnt a requirement that teachers share the

, ,

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same racial or ethnic background as their students , but the imbalance poses challenges , from the potential for unconscious bias to a lack of knowledge or comfort in discussing race and culture.

I) How race and ethnicity is taught is crucial, says Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, an Asian-American studies professor at San Francisco State University. She added that its not so much about the teachers background, but about training. “ You can have a great curriculum but if you dont have teachers dedicated ( 专注于) to teaching it well,” she says, “ it wont work as well as you want it to. ”

J) Some teachers are finding ways to expose students to Asian-American issues—if not during school hours, then outside of them. This summer, Wilson Wong will lead a class of rising fifth-graders at a day camp dedicated to Chinese culture and the Chinese-American community in Oakland, California. His students, for instance, will learn about how Chinese immigrants built the railroads in California, and even have a chance to “ experience” it themselves: They will race each other to build a railroad model on the playground, with some students being forced to “ work” longer and faster and at cheaper wages. Wong, a middle school teacher during the school year, hopes hes exposing the students to how Chinese Americans contributed to the U. S. , something that he didnt get as a student growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area. “ I planted the seeds early,” he says. “ Thats what Im hoping for. ”

K) And, despite setbacks, the tide may finally be turning. California legislators passed a bill last year that will bring ethnic studies to all its public high schools. Some school districts, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, already offer ethnic studies at its high schools. High schools in Portland, Chicago, and elsewhere have either implemented or will soon introduce ethnic studies classes. And, as more high schools begin teaching it, the door could crack open for middle schools, and, perhaps inevitably, elementary schools, to incorporate a truly more multicultural curriculum. Doing so will send an important message to the nations youngest citizens: Whatever your race or ethnicity, you matter. Your history matters. Your stor matters.

, 36. While cultural holidays are celebrated the injustices experienced by Asian Americans are not exposed in elementary school classrooms.

37. Little information can be found about Chinese immigrants in the authors school library.

38. A middle school teacher is making a great effort to help students learn about the contributions made by Chinese immigrants to America.

39. No Asian Americans were included in the list of historical figures recommended for study in K-12 classrooms.

40. There is an obvious lack of teachers with a multicultural perspective to meet the curriculum challenges in America. 41. Students of ethnic backgrounds learn better from a multicultural curriculum.

42. Now more and more high schools in America are including ethnic studies in their curriculums. 43. A study of some K-12 textbooks and teacher manuals showed that Asian Americans were inadequately and improperly represented in them.

44. When taking a class in college the author realized that a lot of information about Asian Americans was left out of ,

the textbooks he studied.

45. An Asian-American studies professor placed greater emphasis on teacher training than on teachers background.

Section C

Directions There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished

statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A B C and D . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. ), ), ) )

Passage One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

When is cleaning walls a crime? When you’re doing it to create art, obviously. A number of street artists around the world have started expressing themselves through a practice known as reverse graffiti ( 涂 鸦 ). They find dirty surfaces and paint them with images or messages using cleaning brushes or pressure hoses ( 高压水管). Either way, its the same principle, the image is made by cleaning away the dirt. Each artist has their own individual style but all

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artists share a common aim to : draw attention to the pollution in our cities. The UK’s Paul Curtis better known as , Moose around Leeds and London and has been commissioned by a number of companies to make reverse ,operates graffiti advertisements.

Brazilian artist Alexandre Orion turned one of Sao Paulos transport tunnels into an amazing wall painting in , , ), 2006 by getting rid of the dirt. Made up of a series of white skulls 颅( 骨 the painting reminds drivers of the effect their

“ , pollution is having on the planet. Every motorist sits in the comfort of their car but they don’t give any consideration to the price their comfort has for the environment and consequently for themselves says Orion., ” The anti-pollution message of the reverse graffiti artists confuses city authorities since the main argument against graffiti is that it spoils the appearance of both types of property public and private. This was what Leeds City Council : said about Mooses work : “ Leeds residents want to live in clean and attractive neighbourhoods. We view this kind of advertising as environmental damage and will take strong action against it. ” Moose was ordered to clean up his act. “ ” How was he supposed to do this by making all property he had cleaned dirty again: ?

As for the Brazilian artists work the , authorities were annoyed but could find nothing to charge him with. They had no other option but to clean the tunnel —but only the parts Alexandre had already cleaned. The artist merely continued his campaign on the other side. The city officials then decided to take drastic action. They not only cleaned the whole tunnel but every tunnel in Sao Paulo.

46. What do we learn from the passage about reverse graffiti?

A) It uses paint to create anti-pollution images. B) It creates a lot of trouble for local residents. C) It causes lots of distraction to drivers. D) It turns dirty walls into artistic works. 47. What do reverse graffiti artists try to do?

A) Publicise their artistic pursuit. B) Beautify the city environment.

C) Raise public awareness of environmental pollution. D) Express their dissatisfaction with local governments. 48. What do we learn about Brazilian artist Alexandre Orion?

A) He was good at painting white skulls. B) He chose tunnels to do his graffiti art. A) It is simply absurd. B) It is well-informed. C) He suggested banning all polluting cars. D) He was fond of doing creative artworks. C) It is rather unexpected. D) It is quite sensible.

49. What does the author imply about Leeds City Councils decision?

50. How did Sao Paulo city officials handle Alexandre Orions reverse graffiti?

A) They made him clean all the tunnels in Sao Paulo. B) They took drastic action to ban all reverse graffiti. C) They charged him with polluting tunnels in the city. D) They made it impossible for him to practice his art.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

The practice of paying children an allowance became popular in America about 100 years ago. Nowadays , American kids on average receive about $ 800 per year in allowance. But the vast majority of American parents who pay allowance tie it to the completion of housework. Although many parents believe that paying an allowance for completing chores benefits their children, a range of experts expressed concern that tying allowance very closely to chores may not be ideal. In fact, the way chores work in many households worldwide points to another way. Suniya Luthar, a psychologist, is against paying kids for chores. Luthar is not opposed to giving allowances, but she thinks its important to establish that chores are done not because they will lead to payment, but because they keep the household running. Luthars suggested approach to allowance is compatible with that of writer Ron Lieber, who advises that allowances be used as a means of showing children how to save, give, and spend on things they care about. “ Kids should do chores,” he writes, “ for the same reason adults do, because the chores need to be done, and

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not with the expectation of compensation. ”

This argument has its critics but considering the way chores are undertaken around the world , may change peoples thinking. Professor David Lancy of Utah State University has studied how families around the world handle chores. At about 18 months of age Lancy says most children become eager to help their parents and in many, , , cultures they begin helping with housework at that age. They begin with very simple tasks but their responsibilities gradually , ,

increase. And they do these tasks without payment. Lancy contrasts this with what happens in America. We deny our childrens bids to help until they are 6 or 7 years old “ ,” Lancy says , “ when many have lost the desire to help and then try to motivate them with payment. The solution to this problem is not to try to use money as an incentive to do housework, but to get children involved in housework much earlier, when they actually want to do it. ” 51. What do some experts think about paying children for doing chores? A) It may benefit children in more ways than one. B) It may help children learn the worth of labor. C) It may not turn out to be the best thing to do. D) It may not be accepted by low-income parents.

52. According to Suniya Luthar, doing chores will help children learn to A) share family responsibilities B) appreciate the value of work .

C) cultivate the spirit of independence D) manage domestic affairs themselves

53. What does Ron Lieber think should be the goal of giving children allowances?

A) To help to strengthen family ties.

B) To teach them how to manage money. C) To motivate them to do more housework. D) To show parents appreciation of their help.

54. What does David Lancy say about 18-month-olds?

A) They have a natural instinct to help around the house. B) They are too young to request money for what they do. C) They should learn to understand family responsibilities. D) They need a little incentive to get involved in housework. 55. What does David Lancy advise American parents to do?

A) Set a good example for children in doing housework. B) Make children do housework without compensation. C) Teach children how to do housework. D) Accept childrens early bids to help.

Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)

Directions For this part you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should ,

write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.

茅台 ( Moutai) 是中国最有名的白酒, 在新中国成立前夕, 被选为国宴用酒。 据说赤水沿岸的村民四千年前就开始酿造茅台。 在西汉时期, 那里的人们生产出了高质量的茅台, 并把它贡给皇帝。 自唐朝开始, 这种地方酒通过海上丝绸之路运往海外。 茅台味道柔和, 有一种特殊的香味; 适量饮用可以帮助缓解疲劳, 有镇静作用, 因而广受国内外消费者的喜爱。

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