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大學英語四級聽力真題附答案
無論是在學校還是在社會中，我們都不可避免地會接觸到真題，真題有助于被考核者了解自己的真實水平。大家知道什么樣的真題才是規范的嗎？下面是小編為大家整理的大學英語四級聽力真題附答案，歡迎閱讀，希望大家能夠喜歡。
大學英語四級聽力真題附答案1
Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)
Section A News Report
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。
Directions: Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
注意：此部分試題請在答題卡1上作答。
Question 1
A) How college students can improve their sleep habits.
B) Why sufficient sleep is important for college students.
C) Why college students are more likely to have stress problems.
D) How college students can handle their psychological problems.
Question 2
A) It is not easy to improve ones sleep habits.
B) It is not good for students to play video games.
C) Students who are better prepared generally get higher scores in examinations.
D) Making last-minute preparations for tests may be less effective than sleeping.
Directions: Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 3
A) Whether more airports should be built around London.
B) Whether adequate investment is being made to improve airport facilities.
C) Whether the British Airports Authority should sell off some of its assets.
D) Whether the Spanish company could offer better service.
Question 4
A) Inefficient management.
B) Poor ownership structure.
C) Lack of innovation and competition.
D) Lack of runway and terminal capacity.
Directions: Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
Question 5
A) Report the nicotine content of their cigarettes.
B) Set a limit to the production of their cigarettes.
C) Take steps to reduce nicotine in their products.
D) Study the effects of nicotine on young smokers.
Question 6
A) The biggest increase in nicotine content tended to be in brands young smokers like.
B) Big tobacco companies were frank with their customers about the hazards of smoking.
C) Brands which contain higher nicotine content were found to be much more popular.
D) Tobacco companies refused to discuss the detailed nicotine content of their products.
Question 7
A) They promised to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes.
B) They have not fully realized the harmful effect of nicotine.
C) They were not prepared to comment on the cigarette study.
D) They will pay more attention to the quality of their products.
Section B Conversation
Directions： In this section， you will hear two long conversations。 At the end of each conversations you will hear four questions。 Both the conversations and the question-s will bespoken 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。
注意：此部分試題請在答題卡1上作答。
Directions: Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 8
A) Indonesia.
B) Holland.
C) Sweden.
D) England.
Question 9
A) Getting a coach who can offer real help.
B) Talking with her boyfriend in Dutch.
C) Learning a language where it is not spoken.
D) Acquiring the necessary ability to socialize.
Question 10
A) Listening to language programs on the radio.
B) Trying to speak it as much as one can.
C) Making friends with native speakers.
D) Practicing reading aloud as often as possible.
Question 11
A) It creates an environment for socializing.
B) It offers various courses with credit points.
C) It trains young peoples leadership abilities.
D) It provides opportunities for language practice.
Directions: Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 12
A) The impact of engine design on road safety.
B) The role policemen play in traffic safety.
C) A sense of freedom driving gives.
D) Rules and regulations for driving.
Question 13
A) Make cars with automatic control.
B) Make cars that have better brakes.
C) Make cars that are less powerful.
D) Make cars with higher standards.
Question 14
A) They tend to drive responsibly.
B) They like to go at high speed.
C) They keep within speed limits.
D) They follow traffic rules closely.
Question 15
A) It is a bad idea.
B) It is not useful.
C) It is as effective as speed bumps.
D) It should be combined with education.
Section C Passage
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 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。
Directions:Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
注意：此部分試題請在答題卡1上作答。
Question 16
A) The card got damaged.
B) The card was found invalid.
C) The card reader failed to do the scanning.
D) The card reader broke down unexpectedly.
Question 17
A) By covering the credit card with a layer of plastic.
B) By calling the credit card company for confirmation.
C) By seeking help from the card reader maker Verifone.
D) By typing the credit card number into the cash register.
Question 18
A) Affect the sales of high-tech appliances.
B) Change the lifestyle of many Americans.
C) Give birth to many new technological inventions.
D) Produce many low-tech fixes for high-tech failures.
Directions: Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 19
A) They are set by the dean of the graduate school.
B) They are determined by the advising board.
C) They leave much room for improvement.
D) They vary among different departments.
Question 20
A) By consulting the examining committee.
B) By reading the Bulletin of Information.
C) By contacting the departmental office.
D) By visiting the universitys website.
Question 21
A) They specify the number of credits students must earn.
B) They are harder to meet than those for undergraduates.
C) They have to be approved by the examining committee.
D) They are the same among various divisions of the university.
Directions: Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 22
A) Students majoring in nutrition.
B) Students in health classes.
C) Ph.D. candidates in dieting.
D) Middle and high school teachers.
Question 23
A) Its overestimate of the effect of dieting.
B) Its mistaken conception of nutrition.
C) Its changing criteria for beauty.
D) Its overemphasis on thinness.
Question 24
A) To illustrate her point that beauty is but skin deep.
B) To demonstrate the magic effect of dieting on women.
C) To explain how computer images can be misleading.
D) To prove that technology has impacted our culture.
Question 25
A) To persuade girls to stop dieting.
B) To promote her own concept of beauty.
C) To establish an emotional connection with students.
D) To help students rid themselves of bad living habits.
參考答案
Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
1-7：BDCDAAC
8-11：BCBD
12-15：DCAB
16-18：CAD
19-21：DCA
22-25：BDCA
大學英語四級聽力真題附答案2
Part I Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay titled “Are people becoming addicted to technology?”. The statement given below is for your reference. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
Numerous studies claim that addiction to technology is real and it has the same effect on the brain as drug addition.
【參考范文】
Are people becoming addicted to technology?
With technology advancing daily, there has been an increase in the number of people who become addicted to technological inventions, such as computers and cellphones. From my point of view, this trend can harmfully influence individuals in many ways.
The negative consequences of technology addiction can be illustrated from two aspects. For one thing, being indulged in technological gadgets is detrimental to students’ academic performance. For example, many university students stay up all night to play video games and thus feel drowsy and distracted in class. In addition, many psychological researchers found that the excessive use of technological devices can have an adverse effect on individuals’ mental well-being and interpersonal relationship. For instance, modern people, especially youngsters, are reluctant to interact face to face with their friends and families because of the indulgence in online social media platforms or computer games.
In conclusion, it is of utmost importance to take actions to counteract the negative effects mentioned above. Perhaps the first step is that students should be educated to use technological devices in a rational way.
【解析】
本次四級作文考查的是現象影響類的論說文。題目給出的是一個負面的現象——人們沉迷于科技產品。采用三段式：開頭段引出負面現象并發表自己的看法;第二段，即主體段論述該現象帶來的負面影響;結尾段給出針對性的建議。
Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)
1.
A)Enrol him ina Newcastle football club.
B)Send him to an after-school art class.
C)Forbid him to draw in his workbook
D)Help him post his drawings onlinc.
2.
A)Contacted Joe to decorate its dining-room.
B)Hired Joe to paint all the walls of its buildings.
C)Renovated its kitchen and all the dining-rooms.
D)Asked Joe for permission to use his online drawings
3.
A) Get her pet dog back.
B)Beg for help from the police.
C) Identify the suspect on the security video.
D) Post pictures of her pet dog on social media.
4.
A)It is suffering a great deal from the incident.
B) It is helping the police with the investigation.
C) It is bringing the case to the local district court.
D) It is offering a big reward to anyone who helps.
5.
A)Provide free meals to the local poor.
B)Help people connect with each other.
C)Help eliminate class difference in his area.
D)Provide customers with first-class service
6.
A)It does not supervise its employees.
B)It donates regularly to a local charity.
C)It does not use volunteers.
D)It is open round the clock.
7.
A)They will realise the importance of communication
B) They will come to the cafe even more frequently.
C) They will care less about their own background
D)They will ind they have something in common.
8.
A)A surprise party for Pauls birthday.
B)Travel plans for the coming weekend.
C)Preparations for Saturdays get-together.
D)The new market on the other side of town
9.
A)It makes the hostesss job a whole lot easier.
B) It enables guests to walk around and chat freely.
C) It saves considerable time and labor.
D)It requires fewer tables and chairs.
10.
A)It offers some big discounts.
B)It is quite close to her house.
C) It is more spacious and less crowded
D)It ells local wines and soft drinks.
11.
A)Cook a dish for the party.
B)Arrive 10 minutes earlier.
C)Prepare a few opening remarks.
D)Bring his computer and speakers.
12.
A)For commuting to work
B)For long-distance travel.
C)For getting around in Miami.
D)For convenience at weekends
13.
A)They are reliable.
B) They are compact.
C) They are spacious.
D)They are easy to drive.
14.
A)Buy a second-hand car.
B)Trust her own judgment.
C)Seek advice from his friend.
D)Look around before deciding
15.
A)He sells new cars.
B)He can be trusted.
C)He is starting a business.
D)He is a successful car dealer.
6 .
A)Many escaped from farms and became wild.
B) They were actually native to North America.
C) Many got killed in the wild when searching for food.
D) They were hunted by Spanish and Russian explorers.
17.
A) They often make sudden attacks on people.
B)They break up natures food supply chain.
C) They cause much environmental pollution.
D) They carry a great many diseases.
18.
A) They lived peacefully with wild pigs.
B)They ran out of food completely.
C)They fell victim to eagles.
D) They reproduced quickly.
19.
A) Taste coffee while in outer space.
B) Roast coffee beans in outer space.
C) Develop a new strain of coffee bean.
D)Use a pressurised tank to brew coffee.
20.
A) They can easily get burned.
B) They float around in the oven.
C) They have to be heated to 360°C.
D) They receive evenly distributed heat.
21.
A)They charged a high price for their space-roasted coffee beans.
B) They set up a branch in Dubai to manufacture coffee roaster.
C) They collaborated on building the fist space coffee machine.
D) They abandoned the attempt to roast coffee beans in space.
22.
A)It is the best time for sightseeing
B)A race passes through it annually.
C)They come to clean the lditarod Trail.
D)It is when the villagers choose a qucen.
23.
A)Its childrens baking skills.
B)Its unique winter scenery.
C) Its tasty fruit pies.
D) Its great food variety.
24.
A)The contestants.
B)The entire village.
C) Jan Newton and her friends.
D) People from the state of Idaho.
25.
A)She owned a restaurant in Idaho.
B)She married her husband in 1972.
C) She went to Alaska to compete in a race.
D)She helped the village to become famous.
聽力原文和答案：
Section 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.
NEWS Report 1
And finally in tonight’s news, a nine-year-old boy named Joe told not to draw in class wins a job decorating a restaurant with his drawings rather than shutting down the habit of drawing in his school’s workbook.
Joe’s parents decided to encourage his creativity by sending their son to an after-school art class. His teacher recognized Joe’s talent and posted all his work online, which led to something pretty wonderful. A restaurant named Number 4 in Newcastle contacted Joe’s teachers to ask if the nine-year-old could come and decorated the dining room with his drawings. Every day after school, Joes dad drives him to the restaurant, so he can put his ideas straight on the wall.
Once hes all done, the work will remain there permanently. Joe’s dad says, Joe is a really talented little boy. He’s excellent at school. Hes great at football, but drawing is definitely what he is most passionate about.
Q1. What did Joe’s parents decide to do?
1. B) Send him to an after-school art class.
Q2. What did the restaurant, Number 4, do?
2. A) Contacted Joe to decorate its dining-room.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
NEWS Report 2
Christine Marshall, a 34-year-old mum of one posted a tearful video on social media, Wednesday, begging for the safe return of her beloved pet dog. After combing through the security video outside a global’s shop, Christine has now posted an image of a man suspected of stealing the dog. The image appears to show a man carrying the dog in his arms.
Christine also believes the video obtained from the shop shows the dog being stolen by a man before driving off in a car, which had been waiting nearby. The family is now offering a 5,000 pound reward for the safe return of the dog after launching a social media campaign to find the thief. The dog is six and a half years old and was last seen wearing a red collar.
Christine said “We will pay that to anyone who brings him home, as long as they are not responsible for his disappearance. Please on investigating the incident”.
Q3. What is Christine Marshall trying to do?
3. A) Get her pet dog back.
Q4. What does the news report say about Christine Marshall’s family?
4. D) It is offering a big reward to anyone who helps.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
NEWS Report 3
London’s eggs and bread cafe offers boiled eggs, toast, jam, and bacon, as well as tea, coffee, and orange juice. But at the end of the meal, customers don’t have to worry about the bill. Hungry customers can pay whatever amount they can afford to eat at the cafe or nothing at all. Owner Guy Wilson says his cafe aims to build community rather than profits. He wants to provide a bridge for people to connect in an area that has been divided by class and wealth, by providing affordable breakfast. The cafe is open in the mornings every day of the year, and has two members of staff or supervisors on shift every day. The cafe doesn’t use volunteers, but pays its staff to ensure consistency in its service. It doesnt take donations and doesn’t want to be seen as a charity. Mr. Wilson says when people start to know other people around them, they realize they’re not that different and whatever their financial background or their educational background, most people will have something in common with each other. He says it’s important that his cafe can offer his customers security and permanence.
Q5. What does Guy Wilson say his cafe aims to do?
5. B) Help people connect with each other.
Q6. What does the news report say about eggs and bread cafe?
6. C) It does not use volunteers.
Q7. What happens when people start to know each other according to Guy Wilson?
7. D) They will find they have something in common.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. 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, 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 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
CONVERSATION 1
M: So what time do you think we should have the party on Saturday?
W: How about inviting people to come at 6:00 PM, then well have the afternoon to prepare food and drink and stuff like that?
M: Yes. I was thinking that around six would be good too. What food should we provide?
W: Well, I had thought about baking a cake and some biscuits, and now I think we should prepare some sandwiches and snacks and some other kinds of food so that people can just help themselves rather than getting everyone to sit down at the table to eat a meal. I think that’s a bit too formal. Its better to let people walk around and talk to each other or sit where they like.
M: Yes, that sounds good. I’ll go to the supermarket to get some drinks. I think I might try that big new supermarket on the other side of town, see what they have. I’ve not been there before. I think we should get some beer and wine and some fruit juice and other soft drinks. What do you think?
W: Sounds great. I think those drinks will be enough. And I heard that the new supermarket offers some big discounts to attract customers, so going there should be a great idea. What should we do about music?
M：Maybe we should also ask Pual to bring his computer and speakers so that we can play some music. He has a great collection of different stuff. Yes. All right.
Q8. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
8. C) Preparations for Saturday’s get-together.
Q9. Why does the woman say it is a good idea to serve foods that guests can help themselves too?
9. B) It enables guests to walk around and chat freely.
Q10. What does the woman say about the new supermarket?
10. A) It offers some big discounts.
11. D) Bring his computer and speakers.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
CONVERSATION 2
W: I’m thinking of buying a car. I wouldn’t need to use it every day, but I think it would be very convenient to have one for the weekends.
M: Thats exciting. Would this be your first car?
W: Nope.
M: I actually owned a car for a little while when I lived in Miami. You see, in America, many cities dont have good public transport. So most people need their own car to get around.
W: I see.
M: So have you got your mindset on a specific model?
W: No, not really. Ive heard that German cars are very reliable, but I haven’t decided on a specific model yet. I’d also like it to be small so that its easy to drive in the city.
M: I have a friend who sells second-hand cars. In fact, I think his family owns the business. He’s a really nice guy and he knows a lot about cars. I could give you his phone number if you want, and you could call him and ask him questions.
W: Hmm. That’s nice of you, but I don’t want to feel obliged to buy one of his car.
M: Oh no. He’s not like that. He’s a good friend of mine and he would never try to pressure you.
W: Well, if you trust him, then I guess it should be okay. To be honest, I could use some help in deciding what type of vehicle would best suit my needs. Speaking to an expert would be a good idea.
M: Exactly. You have nothing to worry about. He’s a lovely guy and hell be happy to help.
12. D) For convenience at weekends.
Q13. What does the woman say about German cars?
13. A) They are reliable.
Q14. What does the man recommend the woman do?
14. C) Seek advice from his friend.
Q15. What do we learn about the Loinbos friend from the conversation?
15. B) He can be trusted.
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 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 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
PASSAGE 1
Pigs are not native to North America. They were first introduced to California by Spanish and Russian explorers and settlers many centuries ago. In the early times, pigs were allowed to wander freely and search of food. This practice also allowed many pigs to escape from farms and live in the wild, which became a problem.
In fact, as one of the most damaging invasive species on the continent, wild pigs caused millions of dollars in crop damage yearly. They also harbored dozens of diseases that threaten both humans and farm animals. Forest patches with wild pigs have been found to have considerably reduced plant and animal diversity.
In addition to either eating other animals or their food supply, wild pigs damaged native habitats by reaching up crosses and rubbing on trees. Their activities may also create opportunities for invasive plants to colonize these areas. Wild pigs will eat almost anything containing calories. Mice, deer, birds, snakes and frogs are among their victims.
They can also harm other wild species through indirect competition rather than eating them or shrinking their food supply. On one particular United States island, wild pigs themselves became an attractive food source for a species of mainland eagle. Eagles began breeding on the island and also feeding on a species of native fox. The foxes were almost wiped out completely.
Q16. What do we learn about early pigs in North America?
16. A) Many escaped from farms and became wild.
Q17. Why are wild pigs a threat to humans?
17. D) They carry a great many diseases.
Q18. What does the passage say about the native foxes on a U.S. island?
18. C) They fell victim to eagles.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
PASSAGE 2
A pair of entrepreneurs are planning to build and launch a spacecraft that would carry and roast coffee beans in outer space. The craft will use the heat of re-entry to roast coffee beans, as they float inside it in a pressurized tank. The effect would be to roast the beans all over and produce perfect coffee. The businessmen say that on earth, beans can easily break apart and get burned in the roaster. But if gravity is removed, the beans float around and in a heated oven, receiving 360 degrees of evenly distributed heat and roasting to near perfection. The spacecraft will reach a height of around 200 kilometers. The beans would then be roasted and the heat generated by the crafts 20 minute re-entry into earths atmosphere. Temperatures and the pressurized tank will be kept to around 200 degrees Celsius. Once back on earth, the planet’s first space roasted beans would be used to make coffee that would be sold for the first time in Dubai. This is where the pair’s company is based. It is not clear how much they would charge for a cup. Surprisingly, the Space Roaster concept-should it go ahead-will not be the first attempt to take coffee into space. In 2015, two Italian companies collaborated on the construction of a similar type of spacecraft, which was the first coffee machine designed for use in space.
Q19. What are a pair of entrepreneurs planning to do?
19. B) Roast coffee beans in outer space.
Q20. What does the passage say about coffee beans roasted on earth?
20. A) They can easily get burned.
Q21. What did the two Italian companies do in 2015?
21. C) They collaborated on building the first space coffee machine.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
PASSAGE 3
In cold and snowy Alaska, there’s a village called Takotna. It has a population of mere 49 adults. Each March, this tiny village swells up in numbers because it is located in the middle of a race that takes place every year. It is a seven-day race called “The Iditarod Trail”. And participants stop at Takotna for the obligatory 24 hour rest.
Lucky for them, Takotna is famous for its delicious fruit pies. Weeks before the competitors arrive, the residents of Takotna start preparing what is without question their biggest event of the year. The whole village chips in to help, including the kids, who end up developing their baking skills at an early age. Exhausted and hungry racers are greeted with delightful pies of all kinds, such as apple, orange, lemon, or banana.
They consume the pies and a stomach warming race fuel. The toughness of the race allows for racers to eat pretty much whatever they want. The more calories, the better. Takotna has gained a reputation for its dessert-based hospitality since the 1970s. It started with one person, Jane Newton. Jane moved from Iditarod with her husband in 1972 and opened a restaurant. A rich and filling fruit pies quickly got the races attention, and the village gained some fame as a result. Proud residents then started to refer to Jane as queen of Takotna.
Q22. Why do a lot of people come to the village of Takotna every March?
22. B) A race passes through it annually.
Q23. What is the village of Takotna famous for?
23. C) Its tasty fruit pies.
Q24. Who comes to help with the event of the year?
24. B) The entire village.
Q25. What does the passage say about Jane Newton?
25. D) She helped the village to become famous.
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 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.
Most animals seek shade when temperatures in the Sahara soar to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Saharan silver ants seek lunch, skittering from underground lairs into the sun’s brutal rays to scavenge animal carcasses. In 2015 they were joined by scientists from two Belgian universities, who spent a sweltering month tracking the ants and digging out their nests. The goal: to discover how the species adapted to the kind of heat that can melt shoes.
Back in Belgium, the scientists looked at the ants under an electron microscope and found that their dense, triangular hair reflects light like a prism, giving them a metallic glint and shielding them from the sun’s heat. When Ph.D. student Quentin Willot shaved an ant with a tiny scalpel and put it under a heat lamp, its temperature jumped. He says the ants’ method of staying cool is unique among animals. Could this reflective type of hair protect people? Willot says companies are interested in reproducing it.
A) adaptingE) extremeI) M) thick
B) F) huntJ) removedN) tiny
C) crawlingG) literallyK) speciesO) unique
D) H)L)
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.
What happens when a language has no words for numbers?
Numbers do not exist in all cultures. There are numberless hunter-gatherers embedded deep in Amazonia, living along branches of the world’s largest river tree. Instead of using words for precise quantities, these people rely exclusively on terms analogous to “a few” or “some.”
In contrast, our own lives are governed by numbers. As you read this, you are likely aware of what time it is, how old you are, your checking account balance, your weight and so on. The exact (and exacting) numbers we think with impact everything from our schedules to our self-esteem.
But, in a historical sense, numerically fixated people like us are the unusual ones. For the bulk of our species’ approximately 200,000-year lifespan, we had no means of precisely representing quantities. What’s more, the 7,000 or so languages that exist today vary dramatically in how they utilize numbers.
Speakers of anumeric, or numberless, languages offer a window into how the invention of numbers reshaped the human experience. In a new book, I explored the ways in which humans invented numbers, and how numbers subsequently played a critical role in other milestones, from the advent of agriculture to the genesis of writing.
Cultures without numbers, or with only one or two precise numbers, include the Munduruku and Pirah in Amazonia. Researchers have also studied some adults in Nicaragua who were never taught number words.
Without numbers, healthy human adults struggle to precisely differentiate and recall quantities as low as four. In an experiment, a researcher will place nuts into a can one at a time, then remove them one by one. The person watching is asked to signal when all the nuts have been removed. Responses suggest that anumeric people have some trouble keeping track of how many nuts remain in the can, even if there are only four or five in total.
This and many other experiments have converged upon a simple conclusion: When people do not have number words, they struggle to make quantitative distinctions that probably seem natural to someone like you or me. While only a small portion of the world’s languages are anumeric or nearly anumeric, they demonstrate that number words are not a human universal.
It is worth stressing that these anumeric people are cognitively normal, well-adapted to the environs they have dominated for centuries. As the child of missionaries, I spent some of my youth living with anumeric indigenous people, the aforementioned Pirah who live along the sinuous banks of the black Maici River. Like other outsiders, I was continually impressed by their superior understanding of the riverine ecology we shared.
Yet numberless people struggle with tasks that require precise discrimination between quantities. Perhaps this should be unsurprising. After all, without counting, how can someone tell whether there are, say, seven or eight coconuts in a tree? Such seemingly straightforward distinctions become blurry through numberless eyes.
This conclusion is echoed by work with anumeric children in industrialized societies.
Prior to being spoon-fed number words, children can only approximately discriminate quantities beyond three. We must be handed the cognitive tools of numbers before we can consistently and easily recognize higher quantities.
In fact, acquiring the exact meaning of number words is a painstaking process that takes children years. Initially, kids learn numbers much like they learn letters. They recognize that numbers are organized sequentially, but have little awareness of what each individual number means. With time, they start to understand that a given number represents a quantity greater by one than the preceding number. This "successor principle" is part of the foundation of our numerical cognition, but requires extensive practice to understand.
None of us, then, is really a “numbers person.” We are not predisposed to handle quantitative distinctions adroitly. In the absence of the cultural traditions that infuse our lives with numbers from infancy, we would all struggle with even basic quantitative distinctions.
Number words and written numerals transform our quantitative reasoning as they are coaxed into our cognitive experience by our parents, peers and school teachers. The process seems so normal that we sometimes think of it as a natural part of growing up, but it is not. Human brains come equipped with certain quantitative instincts that are refined with age, but these instincts are very limited. For instance, even at birth we are capable of distinguishing between two markedly different quantities — for instance, eight from 16 things.
But we are not the only species capable of such abstractions. Compared to chimps and other primates, our numerical instincts are not as remarkable as many presume. We even share some basic instinctual quantitative reasoning with distant nonmammalian relatives like birds. Indeed, work with some other species, including parrots, suggests they too can refine their quantitative thought if they are introduced to the cognitive power tools we call numbers.
So, how did we ever invent "unnatural" numbers in the first place?
The answer is, literally, at your fingertips. The bulk of the world’s languages use base-10, base-20 or base-5 number systems. That is, these smaller numbers are the basis of larger numbers. English is a base-10 or decimal language, as evidenced by words like 14 (“four” + “10”) and 31 (“three” x “10” + “one”).
We speak a decimal language because an ancestral tongue, proto-Indo-European, was decimally based. Proto-Indo-European was decimally oriented because, as in so many cultures, our linguistic ancestors’ hands served as the gateway to realizations like “five fingers on this hand is the same as five fingers on that hand.” Such transient thoughts were manifested into words and passed down across generations. This is why the word “five” in many languages is derived from the word for “hand.”
Most number systems, then, are the by-product of two key factors: the human capacity for language and our propensity for focusing on our hands and fingers. This manual fixation — an indirect by-product of walking upright on two legs — has helped yield numbers in most cultures, but not all.
Cultures without numbers also offer insight into the cognitive influence of particular numeric traditions. Consider what time it is. Your day is ruled by minutes and seconds, but these entities are not real in any physical sense and are nonexistent to numberless people. Minutes and seconds are the verbal and written vestiges of an uncommon base-60 number system used in Mesopotamia millennia ago. They reside in our minds, numerical artifacts that not all humans inherit conceptually.
Research on the language of numbers shows, more and more, that one of our species’ key characteristics is tremendous linguistic and cognitive diversity. While there are undoubtedly cognitive commonalities across all human populations, our radically varied cultures foster profoundly different cognitive experiences. If we are to truly understand how much our cognitive lives differ cross-culturally, we must continually sound the depths of our species’ linguistic diversity.
36. [E] It is worth stressing that these anumeric people are cognitively (在認知方面)normal, well-adapted to the surroundings they have dominated for centuries.
37. [H] Compared with other mammals, our numerical instincts are not as remarkable as many assume.
38. [E] It is worth stressing that these anumeric people are cognitively(在認知方面)normal, well-adapted to the surroundings they have dominated for centuries.
39. [B] But, in a historical sense, number-conscious people like us are the unusual ones.
40. [K] Research on the language of numbers shows, more and more, that one of our species’ key characteristics is tremendous linguistic(語言的) and cognitive diversity.
41. [D] This and many other experiments have led to a simple conclusion: When people do not have number words, they struggle to make quantitative distinctions that probably seem natural to someone like you or me.
42. [G] None of us, then, is really a “numbers person.” We are not born to handle quantitative distinctions skillfully.
43. [A] Numbers do not exist in all cultures.
44. [I] So, how did we ever invent “unnatural” numbers in the first place? The answer is, literally, at your fingertips.
45. [F] This conclusion is echoed by work with anumeric children in industrialized societies.
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.
Educators and business leaders have more in common than it may seem. Teachers want to prepare students for a successful future. Technology companies, like AT&T, have a vested interest in developing a workforce with the STEM skills needed to grow the company and advance the industry. How can they work together to achieve these goals? Play may the answer.
We’ve assumed that focusing on STEM skills, like robotics or coding, are important, but the reality is that STEM skills are enhanced and more relevant when combined with traditional, hands-on creative activities. This combination is proving to be the best way to prepare today’s children to be the makers and builders of tomorrow. That is why technology companies are partnering with educators to bring back good, old fashion play. Some examples include Google’s new Making & Science initiative, Time Warner Cable’s Earth Day Cardboard Challenge, and AT&T’s and Imagination Foundation’s Inventors Challenge.
In fact many experts argue that the most important 21st century skills aren’t related to specific technologies or subject matter, but to creativity; skills like imagination, problem-finding and problem-solving, teamwork, optimism, patience and the ability to experiment and take risks. These are skills acquired when kids tinker. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of National Institute for Play, “High-tech industries such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have found that their best overall problem solvers were master tinkerers in their youth.”
In the United States (as well as in numerous other countries), schools struggle to teach these skills and may often contradict them. In fact, researchers often point to the “fourth grade slump,” a time when children are expected to go from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” as the time to observe a child’s creative decline. And we face another challenge; its the flip side to the benefits of the digital age — an overreliance on technology and a shift away from old-fashioned play.
There are cognitive benefits of doing things the way we did as children — building something, tearing it down, then building it up again. According to research, nothing activates a childs brain like play. And, if given the opportunity, children will gravitate toward play that builds STEM skills. Research shows that given 15 minutes of free play, four- and five-year-olds will spend a third of this time engaged in spatial, mathematical, and architectural activities. This type of play — especially with building blocks — helps children discover and develop key principles in math and geometry.
A recent study in the Journal of Play concluded that “children’s individual play experiences with Euclidean play objects [e.g. blocks] is at the forefront of what is important to both STEM education, professional expertise in the sciences, and applied science fields like architecture and engineering.”
If play and building are critical to 21st century skill development, then that’s really good news for two reasons: Children are born builders, makers, and creators, so fostering 21st century skills may be as simple as giving kids room to play, tinker and try things out, even as they grow older; and the second piece of good news is that it doesn’t take 21st century technology to foster 21st century skills. This is especially important for under-resourced schools and communities. Taking whatever materials are handy and tinkering with them is a simple way to engage those important “maker” skills. And anyone, anywhere, can do it.
So, how can educators make sure children are getting that critical hands-on, tinkering that 21st century jobs require? Here are a few ideas:
1. Build with whatever you have, from Popsicle sticks, to cardboard, to recyclables. Remember, it doesn’t require future tech to get kids future ready. 3D printers are awesome tools, but if your school doesn’t have one, don’t let that hold you back.
2. Let student interest lead the way. Be careful not to overly script build activities; children will fill the gap with their own creativity. This should be a relief to parents and teachers! Sometimes the best thing adults can do is get out of the way. Look to the Genius Hour movement as inspiration here.
Want to turbo charge your activity? Assign constraints and make it a challenge: a paper airplane that stays in the air the longest, a house or cards that supports the weight of a shoe, build a collection of games out of cardboard, recyclables and imagination and have kids run their own arcade!
To ensure the future success of our students and our workforce, we must start by understanding that old fashioned play and modern technology can be intricately connected. Understanding how the most advanced technologies and machinery work by literally tinkering with them, taking them apart and putting them back together again.
46. B)They turned public attention away from the health risks of sugar to fat.
47. D) Nearly all of them serve the purpose of the funders.
48. A) Exercise is more important to good health than diet.
49. C) It rarely results in objective findings.
50. D)Think twice about new nutrition research findings.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
A recent study revealed the sugar industry’s efforts 50 years ago to shape medical opinion on how sugar affects health. But today, scores of companies continue to fund food and nutrition studies.
That describes the reaction of many Americans this week following revelations that, 50 years ago, the sugar industry paid Harvard scientists for research that shifted the focus away from sugar’s role in heart disease — and put the spotlight squarely on dietary fat.
What might surprise consumers is just how many present-day nutrition studies are still funded by the food industry.
Nutrition scholar Marion Nestle of New York University spent a year informally tracking industry-funded studies on food. “Roughly 90% of nearly 170 studies favored the sponsor’s interest,” Nestle tells us via email. Other, systematic reviews support her conclusions.
For instance, studies funded by Welch Foods — the brand behind Welch’s 100% Grape Juice — found that drinking Concord grape juice daily may boost brain function. Another, funded by Quaker Oats, concluded, as a Daily Mail story put it, that “hot oatmeal breakfast keeps you full for longer.”
While these examples might induce chuckles, the past year has seen several exposes that have raised serious concerns about the extent of industry’s influence on food and nutrition research outcomes.
Last year, The New York Times revealed how Coca-Cola was funding high-profile scientists and organizations promoting a message that, in the battle against weight gain, people should pay more attention to exercise and less to what they eat and drink. In the aftermath of that investigation, Coca-Cola released data detailing its funding of several medical institutions and associations between 2010 and 2015, from the Academy of Family Physicians to the American Academy of Pediatrics. All told, Coca-Cola says it gave $132.8 million toward scientific research and partnerships.
And earlier this summer, the Associated Press released an investigation that looked at research funded by the National Confectioners Association, a trade group whose members include the makers of Tootsie Rolls, Hershey’s kisses and Snickers bars. One study the group funded concluded that kids who eat candy tend to weigh less than those who don’t. In an email to her co-author, the AP reported, one of the scientists behind that study wrote that the finding was “thin and clearly padded.” Nonetheless, the paper was published in a journal called Food & Nutrition Research.
“It’s definitely a problem that so much research in nutrition and health is funded by industry,” says Bonnie Liebman, director of nutrition at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit advocacy group. “When the food industry pays for research, it often gets what it pays for.” And what it pays for is often a pro-industry finding.
Michael Moss is an investigative journalist who focuses on the food industry and author of the expose Salt, Sugar, Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us. He says a lot of times, food firms are funding research that they know is going to go their way — a finding they can tout on their packaging to sway consumers to buy their products. The problem is, the findings that get published may be incomplete, highlighting positive outcomes while leaving out negative ones. And then, there are studies that are simply poorly designed.
As a researcher, notes Moss, one can tweak the experimental design “in subtle ways that can lead to a desired conclusion — whether you’re taking money from industry or you yourself have a passion or conclusion you want” to see, he says. “There’s just a lot of bad research out there.”
And yet, as we’ve reported before, this junk nutrition science frequently gets touted in press releases written to drum up interest, then picked up and disseminated by journalists who lack the wherewithal to spot the bad research methodology. In May 2015, science journalist John Bohannon highlighted exactly how this process plays out: He conducted a real — but really poorly designed — study that concluded eating chocolate can help you lose weight, then watched as media outlets ran with the study.
While Bohannon’s study was a deliberate hoax designed to expose the flaws in nutrition science journalism, similarly bad studies get reported on all the time. As Gary Schwitzer of Health News Review, a watchdog group for the media’s coverage of health, told us last year, the problem is extensive. “We have examples of journalists reporting on a study that was never done,” he told us in 2015. “We have news releases from medical journals, academic institutions and industry that mislead journalists, who then mislead the public.”
Given this environment, where bad science on what to eat or drink is pervasive, what’s a consumer to do? Be skeptical when reading about the latest finding in nutrition science, says Moss.
Ignore the latest study that pops up on your news feed, adds Liebman. “Rely on health experts who’ve reviewed all the evidence,” she says. She points to the official government Dietary Guidelines, which are based on reviews of dozens or hundreds of studies. “Experts are able to sift through the evidence and separate the good from bad,” she says.
And that expert advice remains pretty simple, says Nestle. “We know what healthy diets are — lots of vegetables, not too much junk food, balanced calories. Everything else is really difficult to do experimentally.”
51. C) How people viewed success in his fathers time.
52. B) It was a way to advance in their career.
53. A) They are often regarded as most treasured talents.
54. C)What kind of people can contribute more to them.
55. D) It will bring about radical economic and social changes.
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.
鐵觀音(Tieguanyin)是中國最受歡迎的茶之一，原產自福建省安溪縣西坪鎮，如今安溪全縣普遍種植，但該縣不同地區生產的鐵觀音又各具風味。鐵觀音一年四季均可采摘，尤以春秋兩季采摘的茶葉品質最佳。鐵觀音加工非常復雜，需要專門的技術和豐富的經驗。鐵觀音含有多種維生素，喝起來口感獨特。常飲鐵觀音有助于預防心臟病、降低血壓、增強記憶力。
【參考譯文】
Tieguanyin is one of the most popular types of tea in China. It was originally produced in Xiping Town, Anxi County, Fujian Province. Nowadays, Tieguanyin is widely grown in Anxi County, but Tieguanyin, produced in different regions of the county, has its own flavor. The tea leaves of Tieguanyin can be picked in all seasons, but those picked in spring and autumn have the best quality. The processing of Tieguanyin is very complicated and requires expertise as well as rich experience. Tieguanyin contains a variety of vitamins and possesses a unique texture. Drinking Tieguanyin regularly helps prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure and improve memory.
【解析】
鐵觀音(Tieguanyin)是中國最受歡迎的茶之一，原產自福建省安溪縣西坪鎮，如今安溪全縣普遍種植，但該縣不同地區生產的鐵觀音又各具風味。
解析：原句較長，可以在前兩個逗號處切分，使其變成三個短句，然后分別進行翻譯。第一部分中，“最受歡迎的”可以翻譯為the most popular;第二部分中，“原產”可以翻譯為被動語態was originally produced，也可以翻譯為動詞originated，需要用一般過去時，地點需要從小到大描述，即Xiping Town, Anxi County, Fujian Province;第三部分中，兩個分句之間存在轉折關系，需要運用表示轉折的連詞，“各具風味”可以翻譯為has its own flavor。
Tieguanyin is one of the most popular types of tea in China. It was originally produced in Xiping Town, Anxi County, Fujian Province. Nowadays, Tieguanyin is widely grown in Anxi County, but Tieguanyin, produced in different regions of the county, has its own flavor.
鐵觀音一年四季均可采摘，尤以春秋兩季采摘的茶葉品質最佳。
解析：主語可補充為The tea leaves of Tieguanyin，下半句中再次出現“茶葉”，可以用those進行替換，避免重復。“一年四季”可以直接翻譯為in all seasons，“采摘”可以翻譯為被動的(be) picked，“春秋兩季采摘的茶葉”可以翻譯為those picked in spring and autumn。
The tea leaves of Tieguanyin can be picked in all seasons, but those picked in spring and autumn have the best quality.
鐵觀音加工非常復雜，需要專門的技術和豐富的經驗。
解析：“加工”可以翻譯為progressing，“復雜”可以翻譯為形容詞complicated，“專門的技術”可以翻譯為一個詞expertise，也可以翻譯為一個詞組specialized skills。
The processing of Tieguanyin is very complicated and requires expertise as well as rich experience.
鐵觀音含有多種維生素，喝起來口感獨特。
解析：兩個小分句中間可以用and并列連接起來。“維生素”的英文是vitamin;“口感”可以翻譯為texture或者taste。
Tieguanyin contains a variety of vitamin and possesses a unique texture.
常飲鐵觀音有助于預防心臟病、降低血壓、增強記憶力。
解析：“預防心臟病”可以翻譯為prevent heart disease;“降低血壓”可以翻譯為lower blood pressure;“增強記憶力”可以翻譯為improve/enhance memory。
Drinking Tieguanyin regularly helps prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure and improve memory.
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