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Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled What Electives to Choose. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words following the outline given below in Chinese:
1. 各大学开设了各种各样的选修课；
2. 学生因为各种原因选择了不同的选修课；
3. 以你自己为例……
What Electives to Choose
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Part Ⅱ Listening 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) She used to be in poor health. C) She was somewhat overweight.
B) She was popular among boys. D) She didn’t do well at high school.
2. A) At the airport. C) In a booking office.
B) In a restaurant. D) At the hotel reception.
3. A) Teaching her son by herself. C) Asking the teacher for extra help.
B) Having confidence in her son. D) Telling her son not to worry.
4. A) Have a short break. C) Continue her work outdoors.
B) Take two weeks off. D) Go on vacation with the man.
5. A) He is taking care of this twin brother. C) He is worried about Rod’s health.
B) He has been feeling ill all week. D) He has been in perfect condition.
6. A) She sold all her furniture before she moved house.
B) She still keeps some old furniture in her new house.
C) She plans to put all her old furniture in the basement.
D) She brought a new set of furniture from Italy last month.
7. A) The woman wondered why the man didn’t return the book.
B) The woman doesn’t seem to know what the book is about.
C) The woman doesn’t find the book useful any more.
D) The woman forgot lending the book to the man.
8. A) Most of the man’s friends are athletes. C) The man doesn’t look like a sportsman.
B) Few people share the woman’s opinion. D) The woman doubts the man’s athletic ability. Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
9. A) She has packed it in one of her bags. C) She has probably left it in a taxi.
B) She is going to get it at the airport. D) She is afraid that she has lost it.
10. A) It ends in winter, C) It will last one week.
B) It will cost her a lot. D) It depends on the weather.
11. A) The plane is taking off soon. C) There might be a traffic jam.
B) The taxi is waiting for them. D) There is a lot of stuff to pack.
12. A) At home. C) At the airport.
B) In the man’s car. D) By the side of a taxi.
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
13. A) She is thirsty for promotion. C) She is tired of her present work.
B) She wants a much higher salary. D) She wants to save travel expenses.
14. A) Translator. C) Language instructor.
B) Travel agent. D) Environmental engineer.
15. A) Lively personality and inquiring mind. C) Devotion and work efficiency.
B) Communication skills and team spirit. D) Education and experience.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear3 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 1with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.
16. A) They care a lot about children.
B) They need looking after in their old age.
C) They want to enrich their life experience.
D) They want children to keep them company.
17. A) They are usually adopted from distant places.
B) Their birth information is usually kept secret.
C) Their birth parents often try to conceal their birth information.
D) Their adoptive parents don’t want them to know their birth parents.
18. A) They generally hold bad feelings towards their birth parents.
B) They do not want to hurt the feelings of their adoptive parents.
C) They have mixed feelings about finding their natural parents.
D) They are fully aware of the expenses involved in the search.
19. A) Early adoption makes for closer parent-child relationship.
B) Most people prefer to adopt children from overseas.
C) Understanding is the key to successful adoption.
D) Adoption has much to do with love.
Passage Two
Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.
20. A) He suffered from mental illness.
B) He bought The Washington Post.
C) He turned a failing newspaper into a success.
D) He was once a reporter for a major newspaper.
21. A) She was the first woman to lead a big U. S. publishing company.
B) She got her first job as a teacher at the University of Chicago.
C) She committed suicide because of her mental disorder.
D) She took over her father’s position when he died.
22. A) People came to see the role of women in the business world.
B) Katharine played a major part in reshaping Americans’ mind.
C) American media would be quite different without Katharine.
D) Katharine had exerted an important influence on the world.
Passage Three
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just beard.
23. A) It’ll enable them to enjoy the best medical care.
B) It’ll allow them to receive flee medical treatment.
C) It’ll protect them from possible financial crises.
D) It’ll prevent the doctors from overcharging them.
24. A) They can’t immediately get back the money paid for their medical cost.
B) They have to go through very complicated application procedures.
C) They can only visit doctors who speak their native languages.
D) They may not be able to receive timely medical treatment.
25. A) They don’t have to pay for the medical services.
B) They needn’t pay the entire medical bill at once.
C) They must send the receipts to the insurance company promptly.
D) They have to pay a much higher price to get an insurance policy.
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.
You probably have noticed that people express similar ideas in different ways 26 the situation they are in. This is very natural. All languages have two general levels of usage: a formal level and an informal level. English is no 27 . The difference in these two levels is the situation in which you use a 28 level. Formal language is the kind of language you find in text books,. 29 books and in business letters. You would also use formal English in 30 and essays that you write in school. Informal language is used in conversation with 31 , family members and friends, and when we write personal notes or letters to close friends.
Formal language is different from informal language in several ways. First, formal language 32 be more polite. What we may find interesting is that it usually takes more words to be polite. For example, I might say to a friend or a family member, "Close the door, please," but to a 33 , I probably would say "Would you mind closing the door?"
Another difference between formal and informal language is some of the 34 . There are bound to be some words and phrases that belong in formal language and others that are informal. Let’s say that I really like soccer. If I am talking to my friend, I might say "I am just 35 soccer!" But if I were talking to my boss, I would probably say "I really enjoy soccer. "
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section 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 choice. Each choice in 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.
Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.
As war spreads to many comers of the globe, children sadly have been drawn into the center of conflicts. In Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Colombia, however, groups of children have been taking part in peace education 36 . The children, after learning to resolve conflicts, took on the 37 of peacemakers. The Children’s Movement for Peace in Colombia was even nominated (提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998. Groups of children 38 as peacemakers studied human rights and poverty issues in Colombia, eventually forming a group with five other schools in Bogotá known as The Schools of Peace.
The classroom 39 opportunities for children to replace angry, violent behaviors with 40 ，peaceful ones. It is in the classroom that caring and respect for each person empowers children to take a step 41 toward becoming peacemakers. Fortunately, educators have access to many online resources that are 42 useful when helping children along the path to peace. The Young Peacemakers Club, started in 1992，provides a Website with resources for teachers and 43 on starting a Kindness Campaign. The World Centers of Compassion for Children International call attention to children’s rights and how to help the 44 of war. Starting a Peacemakers’ Club is a praiseworthy venture for a class and one that could spread to other classrooms and ideally affect the culture of the 45 school.
A) acting I) information
B) assuming J) offers
C) comprehensive K) projects
D) cooperative L) respectively
E) entire M) role
F) especially N) technology
G) forward O) victims
H) images
Section B
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a 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.
How to Make Peace with Your Workload
A) Swamped (忙碌的)，under the gun, just struggling to stay above water. . . ; whatever office cliché you employ to depict it, we’ve all been in that situation where we feel like we might be swallowed up by our workload. Nonetheless many a way may be used to manage your to-do list to prevent feeling overwhelmed. How to make peace with your workload once and for all goes as follows.
B) Get organized. "Clear the deadwood out of your desk and keep your office in shape, which enhances your capability to handle other tasks and raises the probability that you’ll retrieve the items you do need in a faster and easier fashion, " says Jeff Davidson who works as a work/life expert and writer of more than 50 books on workplace issues. "When something can be disposed, let it go, given in reality most of what you retain is replaceable. " Joel Rudy, vitae president of operations for Photographic Solutions, with better than thirty years of business management experience, believes that keeping organized is a must. "Messy work areas are nonproductive in some measure. Provided that you can’t locate a document or report easily because it’s lost in a pile of mess, then you have a problematic situation, " he says. "Thereby you are supposed to take the time to tidy up your work areas and keep your important files, manuals and reports in an accessible location, which will maximize your efficiencies. "
C) Make a to-do list, then cover it up. It may sound weird, but it works, says Jessica Carlson, an account executive at Bluefish Design Studio which is an advertising consulting firm. Carlson urges her team to utilize to-do lists to stay on track and highlight items that are a priority. "Cover up the list, with the exception of one high-priority task at one time, " she suggests. "This will allow you to focus better on the task at hand; otherwise, it will be easy to get overwhelmed if you’re reading through a to-do list that spans an entire page. Concentrating on a single item will make your tasks appear like they are more doable, " Carlson says.
D) Stop multitasking. Despite what you may consider multitasking, it’s counterproductive. Unless you’re drinking coffee while scanning your morning e-mails, you’re not saving any time by attempting to do ten things at once. "If you find yourself getting tangled in too many things, it may be of much necessity of you to re-evaluate your involvement, " Rudy says. "Your mind will wander from one topic to another and you may end up never accomplishing a thing. " Rudy recommends the best way to stop multitasking is to create priority lists with deadlines. "When applicable, complete one project before you move further on to the next one, " he says.
E) Set time limits. Deborah Chaddock-Brown, a work-at-home single parent, says she’s frequently overwhelmed by the demands of maintaining order in her residence and running her own business. Still, she manages to "do it all" by setting a time limit for each task. "I have the type of personality that flits (轻轻地掠过) from thing to thing because I do have so much on my plate, " Brown says. "As a consequence I assign time slots: For the next 15 minutes I will participate in social media for the purpose of marketing my business (not sending photos or playing Farmville) and that is the only thing I am about to do for the next 15 minutes. When the time is up, I move on to the next task. That way, at night I don’t end up with a pile of tasks to accomplish even though I felt busy all day. "
F) Talk to your manager. "Quite often, people are working on things that are no longer a top priority, but someone forgot to tell them (that they’re no longer important). There are usually clear priorities in the manager’s head; he or she has just not done a great job communicating those with the employee, " says Holly Green, CEO of The Human Factor. Green’s suggestion unfolds in this manner: "If you find yourself confronted with too many responsibilities, sit down, note the significant things you are in charge of, and go to your manager to have a conversation to discuss priorities, trade-offs, time commitments and interdependencies required to do each thing well, and then ask what you should stop working on or work on less so you can get the right things done. " Green says managers should be willing to help sort out priorities, so long as employees have a can-do approach and aren’t just complaining about their workload.
G) Eliminate time wasters. "If interruptions are keeping you from your responsibilities, learn how to deal with them accordingly, " says Eileen Roth, author of Organizing for Dummies. Roth proposes the following suggestions to combat disruptions: "Use voice mail to cut down on telephone interruptions, turn off the alert that says ‘You’ve got an e-mail’ and give staff members a set time to visit you. " Justin Gramm, president of Globella Buyers Realty, exemplifies Roth’s point. "E-mail had been a big time waster for me in the past because it was a constant interruption, causing me to lose focus on the task at hand, " he says. Since determined to check his e-mails only twice a day, Gramm says he has become much more efficient. "If people want to get more work done, they need to stop checking e-mails and get down to business, " he says.
H) Assess your workload before taking on new tasks. "The paradox of today’s work environment is that the more you do, the more that’s expected of you, " Davidson says. In order to better assess your workload, Davidson suggests asking yourself the following questions before agreeing to undertake new responsibilities: Is the task aligned (使一致) with your priorities and goals; Are you likely to be as prone to saying yes to such a request tomorrow or next week; What else could you do that would be more rewarding; What other pressing tasks and responsibilities are you likely to face; Does the other party have options other than you; Will he or she be crushed if you say no?
I) Want to know more? Most of our experts recommended books for additional tips on how to maximize efficiency, but one book was mentioned time and again. Check out The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
46. "The more you do, the more you are expected to do" has been a paradox in today’s work environment.
47. As long as employees have a can-do attitude and do not just complain about their workload, the managers would like to help them decide what to do first.
48. As a single parent, Deborah Chaddock-Brown finds it difficult to make a balance between business and housework.
49. There are many useful methods of preventing people from feeling overwhelmed by workload.
50. Messy work areas are nonproductive to some extent, so you are supposed to keep your work areas tidy and important files at hand.
51. To know more about how to maximize efficiency, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is recommended.
52. In Organizing for Dummies, using voice mail to cut down on telephone interruptions and turning off the e-mail notice are suggested in combating interruptions.
53. According to Rudy, the best way to stop multitasking is to make a list of priorities and set deadlines for each task.
54. Focusing on a single matter will make your tasks appear more possible to be done.
55. In fact, most of what people retain is substitutable, so dispose the things that are disposable.
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 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.
By almost any measure, there is a boom in Internet-based instruction. In just a few years, 34 percent of American universities have begun offering some form of distance learning (DL)，and among the larger schools, it’s closer to 90 percent. If you doubt the popularity of the trend, you probably haven’t heard of the University of Phoenix. It grants degrees entirely on the basis of online instruction. It enrolls 90，000 students, a statistic used to support its claim to be the largest private university in the country.
While the kinds of instruction offered in these programs will differ, DL usually signifies a course in which the instructors post syllabi(课程大纲)，reading assignments, and schedules on Websites, and students send in their assignments by e-mail. Generally speaking, face-to-face communication with an instructor is minimized or eliminated altogether.
The attraction for students might at first seem obvious. Primarily, there’s the convenience promised by courses on the Net: you can do the work, as they say, in your pajamas (睡衣). But figures indicate that the reduced effort results in a reduced commitment to the course. While dropout rates for all freshmen at American universities is around 20 percent, the rate for online students is 35 percent. Students themselves seem to understand the weaknesses inherent in the setup. In a survey conducted for eCornell, the DL division of Cornell University, less than a third of the respondents expected the quality of the online course to be as good as the classroom course.
Clearly, from the schools’ perspective, there’s a lot of money to be saved. Although some of the more ambitious programs require new investments in servers and networks to support collaborative software, most DL courses can run on existing or minimally upgraded(升级) systems. The more students who enroll in a course but don’t come to campus, the more the school saves on keeping the lights on in the classrooms, paying doorkeepers, and maintaining parking lots. And there’s evidence that instructors must work harder to run a DL course for a variety of reasons, they won’t be paid any more, and might well be paid less.
56. What is the most striking feature of the University of Phoenix?
A) All its courses are offered online.
B) Its online courses are of the best quality.
C) It boasts the largest number of students on campus.
D) Anyone taking its online courses is sure to get a degree.
57. According to the passage, distance learning is basically characterized by ________ .
A) a considerable flexibility in its academic requirements
B) the great diversity of students’ academic backgrounds
C) a minimum or total absence of face-to-face instruction
D) the casual relationship between students and professors
58. Many students take Interact-based courses mainly because they can ________ .
A) earn their academic degrees With much less effort
B) save a great deal on traveling and boarding expenses
C) select courses from various colleges and universities
D) work on the required courses whenever and wherever
59. What accounts for the high dropout rates for online students?
A) There is no strict control over the academic standards of the courses.
B) The evaluation system used by online universities is inherently weak.
C) There is no mechanism to ensure that they make the required effort.
D) Lack of classroom interaction reduces the effectiveness of instruction.
60. According to the passage, universities show great enthusiasm for DL programs for the purpose of ________ .
A) building up their reputation C) upgrading their teaching facilities
B) cutting down on their expenses D) providing convenience for students
Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.
In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stores. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.
As a writer I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.
A revelation(启示) came last week when I asked her, "Don’t you Want to win again?" "No, " she replied, "I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade. "
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously (自由地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly "guided" by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was coopting (借用) my daughter’s experience.
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.
61. What do we learn from the first paragraph?
A) Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities.
B) Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy her leisure time.
C) Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing.
D) A lot of distractions compete for children’s time nowadays.
62. What did the author say about her own writing experience?
A) She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer.
B) Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations.
C) She was constantly under pressure of writing more.
D) Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers.
63. Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?
A) She believed she possessed real talent for writing.
B) She was sure of winning with her mother’s help.
C) She wanted to share her stories with readers.
D) She had won a prize in the previous contest.
64. The author took great pains to refine her daughter’s stories because ________ .
A) she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance
B) she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so much
C) she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dream of becoming a writer
D) she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing
65. What’s the author’s advice for parents?
A) A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue.
B) Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience.
C) Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in.
D) Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions.
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.
如今，越来越多的大学生抱怨很难找到好工作。造成这一现象的原因如下：首先，大学生把在校的大多数时间都用在了专业学科学习上，只有当他们开始找工作的时候，才意识到自己缺乏必要的职业培训。其次，大学生之间的竞争也越来越激烈，这导致任何一名大学生找到工作的机会都变小了。因此，强烈建议大学生在课余时间做一些兼职工作，以积累相关的工作经验。
2013年12月英语四级答案
范文：
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. However, 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, instead of chatting and laughing with each other, many people choose to chat with other friends online. In other words, mobile phones help people contacting friends far away more easily at the expense 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 interpersonal 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 Tom?
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 Take 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 Town 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 Town?
【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 replied, "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, we 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. Norms (31)define how people "ought to" behave under particular circumstances in a particular society.We conform (遵守) to norms so readily that we are hardly aware they (32)exist. In fact we are much more likely to notice (33)departuresfrom norms than conformity to them. You would not be surprised if a stranger 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 greeting 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
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Today’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’ innovation, it has evolved into an elegant and colorful art and craft. In ancient times, it was used for recording 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 talisman 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。
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