2002年1月大學英語四級考試試題及答案

part i listening comprehension (20 minutes)

section a

directions: in this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. at the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. both the conversation and the question 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 the answer sheet with a single line through the center.

example: you will hear:

you will read:

a) at the office.

b) in the waiting room.

c) at the airport.

d) in a restaurant.

from the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they will start at 9 o’clock in the morning and have to finish at 2 in the afternoon. therefore, d) “5 hours” is the correct answer. you should choose [d] on the answer sheet and mark it with a single line through the center.

sample answer [a] [b] [c] [d]

1. a) she has to post a letter instead.

b) she has to turn down the man’s request.

c) she’s not sure if the computer is fixed.

d) she can’t send the message right now.

2. a) he didn’t get the book he needed.

b) he had no idea where the book was.

c) the library is closed on weekends.

d) he was not allowed to check out the book.

3. a) play a tape recorder.

b) take a picture.

c) repair a typewriter.

d) start a car.

4. a) the woman rejected the man’s apology.

b) the woman appreciated the man’s offer.

c) the man had forgotten the whole thing.

d) the man had hurt the woman’s feelings.

5. a) the woman is meeting the man at the airport.

b) they are complaining about the poor airport service.

c) they are discussing their plan for christmas.

d) the man is seeing the woman off.

6. a) she plans to go to graduate school.

b) she will drop out of school.

c) she will stop working and concentrate on her studies.

d) she will take a part-time job.

7. a) he needs another job as research assistant.

b) he asked professor williams for assistance.

c) he assists professor williams with his teaching.

d) he is doing research with professor williams.

8. a) she thought there were no tickets left for the show.

b) she thought the seats on the left side were fully occupied.

c) the show was planned a long time ago.

d) the audience were deeply impressed by the show.

9. a) mr. long’s briefing was unnecessarily long.

b) the woman should have been more attentive.

c) mr. long’s briefing was not relevant to the mission.

d) the woman needn’t have attended the briefing.

10. a) in a bank.

b) in a school.

c) in a clothing store.

d) in a barbershop.

section b

directions: in this section, you will hear 3 short passages. at the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. after you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked a), b), c) and d). then mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the center.

passage one

question 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.

11. a) because the bird couldn’t repeat his master’s name.

b) because the bird screamed all day long.

c) because the bird uttered the wrong word.

d) because the bird failed to say the name of the town.

12. a) the cruel master.

b) the man in the kitchen.

c) the pet bird.

d) the fourth chicken.

13. a) the bird bad finally understood his threat.

b) the bird managed to escape from the chicken house.

c) the bird had learned to scream back at him.

d) the bird was living peacefully with the chickens.

passage two

questions 14 to 16 are based on the passage you have just heard.

14. a) they are kept in open prisons.

b) they are allowed out of the prison grounds.

c) they are ordered to do cooking and cleaning.

d) they are a small portion of the prison population.

15. a) some of their prisoners are allowed to study or work outside prisons.

b) most of their prisoners are expected to work.

c) their prisoners are often sent to special centers for skill training.

d) their prisoners are allowed freedom to visit their families.

16. a) they are encouraged to do maintenance for the training centre.

b) most of them get paid for their work.

c) they have to cook their own meals.

d) they can choose to do community work.

passage three

questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.

17. a) because they have a driving license.

b) because they have received special training.

c) because the traffic conditions in london are good.

d) because the traffic system of the city is not very complex.

18. a) two to four months.

b) about three weeks.

c) at least half a year.

d) two years or more.

19. a) government officers are hard to please.

b) the learner has to go through several tough tests.

c) the learner usually fails several times before he passes it.

d) the driving test usually last tow months.

20. a) they don’t want their present bosses to know what they’re doing.

b) they want to earn money from both jobs.

c) they cannot earn money as taxi drivers yet.

d) they look forward to further promotion.

part ii reading comprehension (35 minutes)

directions: there are 4 passages in this part. 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 the answer sheet with a single line through the centre.

passage one

questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.

some pessimistic experts feel that the automobile is bound to fall into disuse. they see a day in the not-too-distant future when all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust. other authorities, however, think the auto is here to stay. they hold that the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future.

the motorcar will undoubtedly change significantly over the next 30 years. it should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. the car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.

regardless of its power source, the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion (擁擠). one proposed solution to this problem is the automated highway system.

when the auto enters the highway system, a retractable (可伸縮的) arm will drop from the auto and make contact with a rail, which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically. once attached to the rail, the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the vehicle will pass to a central computer. the computer will then monitor all of the car’s movements.

the driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system. the computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. the driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer (蜂鳴器) that will warn him of his coming exit. it is estimated that an automated highway will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway.

21. one significant improvement in the future car will probably be _____________.

a) its power source c) its monitoring system

b) its driving system d) its seating capacity

22. what is the author’s main concern?

a) how to render automobiles pollution-free.

b) how to make smaller and safer automobiles.

c) how to solve the problem of traffic jams.

d) how to develop an automated subway system.

23. what provides autos with electric power in an automated highway system?

a) a rail. c) a retractable arm.

b) an engine. d) a computer controller.

24. in an automated highway system, all the driver needs to do is _____________.

a) keep in the right lane

b) wait to arrive at his destination

c) keep in constant touch with the computer center

d) inform the system of his destination by phone

25. what is the author’s attitude toward the future of autos?

a) enthusiastic. c) optimistic.

b) pessimistic. d) cautious.

passage two

questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.

foxes and farmers have never got on well. these small dog-like animals have long been accused of killing farm animals. they are officially classified as harmful and farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them.

farmers can also call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population. hunting consists of pursuing a fox across the countryside, with a group of specially trained dogs, followed by men and women riding horses. when the dogs eventually catch the fox they kill it or a hunter shoots it.

people who take part in hunting think of as a sport; they wear a special uniform of red coats and white trousers, and follow strict codes of behavior. but owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy.

it is estimated that up to 100,000 people watch or take part in fox hunting. but over the last couple of decades the number of people opposed to fox hunting, because they think it is brutal (殘酷的), has risen sharply. nowadays it is rare for a hunt to pass off without some kind of confrontation (衝突) between hunters and hunt saboteurs (阻攔者). sometimes these incidents lead to violence, but mostly saboteurs interfere with the hunt by misleading riders and disturbing the trail of the fox’s smell, which the dogs follow.

noisy confrontations between hunters and saboteurs have become so common that they are almost as much a part of hunting as the pursuit of foxes itself. but this year supporters of fox hunting face a much bigger threat to their sport. a labour party member of the parliament, mike foster, is trying to get parliament to approve a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal. if the law is passed, wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in britain.

26. rich people in britain have been hunting foxes ___________.

a) for recreation c) to limit the fox population

b) in the interests of the farmers d) to show off their wealth

27. what is special about fox hunting in britain?

a) it involves the use of a deadly poison.

b) it is a costly event which rarely occurs.

c) the hunters have set rules to follow.

d) the hunters have to go through strict training.

28. fox hunting opponents often interfere in the game _____________.

a) by resorting to violence c) by taking legal action

b) by confusing the fox hunters d) by demonstrating on the scene

29. a new law may be passed by the british parliament to ______________.

a) prohibit farmers from hunting foxes

b) forbid hunting foxes with dogs

c) stop hunting wild animals in the countryside

d) prevent large-scale fox hunting

30. it can be inferred from the passage that ___________.

a) killing foxes with poison is illegal

b) limiting the fox population is unnecessary

c) hunting foxes with dogs is considered cruel and violent

d) fox-hunting often leads to confrontation between the poor and the rich

passage three

questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.

for an increasing number of students at american universities, old is suddenly in. the reason is obvious: the graying of america means jobs. coupled with the aging of the baby-boom (生育高峰) generation, a longer life span means that the nation’s elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. by 2050, 25 percent of all americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. the change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. but it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. “in addition to the doctors, we’re going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,” says professor edward schneider of the university of southern california’s (usc) school of gerontology (老年學).

lawyers can specialize in “elder law,” which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination (歧視). businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. “any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an mba or law degree will have a license to print money,” one professor says.

margarite santos is a 21-year-old senior at usc. she began college as a biology major but found she was “really bored with bacteria.” so she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she lied it. she says, “i did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.”

31. “…old is suddenly in” (line 1, para. 1) most probably means “______________”.

a) america has suddenly become a nation of old people

b) gerontology has suddenly become popular

c) more elderly professors are found on american campuses

d) american colleges have realized the need of enrolling older students

32. with the aging of america, lawyers can benefit _________________.

a) from the adoption of the “elder law”

b) from rendering special services to the elderly

c) by enriching their professional knowledge

d) by winning the trust of the elderly to promote their own interests

33. why can businessmen make money in the emerging elder market?

a) retirees are more generous in spending money.

b) they can employ more gerontologists.

c) the elderly possess an enormous purchasing power.

d) there are more elderly people working than before.

34. who can make big money in the new century according to the passage?

a) retirees who are business-minded.

b) the volunteer workers in retirement homes.

c) college graduates with an mba or law degree.

d) professionals with a good knowledge of gerontology.

35. it can be seen from the passage that the expansion of america’s elderly population ________.

a) will provide good job opportunities in many areas

b) will impose an unbearable burden on society

c) may lead to nursing home abuse and age discrimination

d) will create new fields of study in universities

passage four

questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.

the decline in moral standards - which has long concerned social analysts - has at last captured the attention of average americans. and jean bethke elshtain, for one, is glad.

the fact the ordinary citizens are now starting to think seriously about the nation’s moral climate, says this ethics (倫理學) professor at the university of chicago, is reason to hope that new ideas will come forward to improve it.

but the challenge is not to be underestimated. materialism and individualism in american society are the biggest obstacles. “the thought that ‘i’m in it for me’ has become deeply rooted in the national consciousness,” ms. elshtain says.

some of this can be attributed to the disintegration of traditional communities, in which neighbors looked out for one another, she says. with today’s greater mobility and with so many couples working, those bonds have been weakened, replaced by a greater emphasis on self.

in a 1996 poll of americans, loss of morality topped the list of the biggest problems facing the u.s. and elshtain says the public is correct to sense that: data show that americans are struggling with problems unheard of in the 1950s, such as classroom violence and a high rate of births to unmarried mothers.

the desire for a higher moral standard is not a lament (輓歌) for some nonexistent “golden age,” elshtain says, nor is it a wishful (一廂情願的) longing for a time that denied opportunities to women and minorities. most people, in fact, favor the lessening of prejudice.

moral decline will not be reversed until people find ways to counter the materialism in society, she says. “slowly, you recognize that the things that matter are those that cant’ be bought.”

36. professor elshtain is pleased to see that americans _____________.

a) have adapted to a new set of moral standards

b) are longing for the return of the good old days

c) have realized the importance of material things

d) are awakening to the lowering of their moral standards

37. the moral decline of american society is caused manly by ________________.

a) its growing wealth

b) the self-centeredness of individuals

c) underestimating the impact of social changes

d) the prejudice against women and minorities

38. which of the following characterizes the traditional communities?

a) great mobility. c) emphasis on individual effort.

b) concern for one’s neighbors. d) ever-weakening social bonds.

39. in the 1950s, classroom violence _______________.

a) was something unheard of c) attracted a lot of pubic attention

b) was by no means a rare occurrence d) began to appear in alalysts’ data

40. according to elshtain, the current moral decline may be reversed _________________.

a) if people can return to the “golden age”

b) when women and mean enjoy equal rights

c) when people rid themselves of prejudice

d) if less emphasis is laid on material things

part iii vocabulary and structure (20 minutes)

directions: there are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. for each sentence there are four choices marked a), b), c) and d). choose the one that best completes the sentence. then mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the center.

41 by the time you get to new york, i ________ for london.

a) would be leaving b) am leaving

c) have already left d) shall have left

42 the article suggests that when a person ________ under unusual stress he should be especially careful to have a well-balanced diet.

a) is b) were

c) be d) was

43 the lawyer advised him to drop the ________, since he stands little chance to win.

a) event b) incident

c) case d) affair

44 sometimes children have trouble ________ fact from fiction and may believe that such things actually exist.

a) to separate b) separating

c) for separating d) of separating

45 he is quite sure that it’s ________ impossible for him to fulfill the task within two days.

a) absolutely b) exclusively

c) fully d) roughly

46 there was a big hole in the road which ________ the traffic.

a) set back b) stood back

c) held up d) kept down

47 many a delegate was in favor of his proposal that a special committee ________ to investigate the incident.

a) were set up b) was set up

c) be set up d) set up

48 in the chinese household, grandparents and other relatives play ________ roles in raising children.

a) incapable b) indispensable

c) insensible d) infinite

49 eye contact is important because wrong contact may create a communication ________.

a) tragedy b) vacuum

c) question d) barrier

50 there was such a long line at the exhibition _____ we had to wait for about half an hour.

a) as b) that

c) so d) hence

51 there is no ________ to there house from the main road.

a) access b) avenue

c) exposure d) edge

52 ________ energy under the earth must be released in one form or another, for example, an earthquake.

a) accumulated b) gathered

c) assembled d) collected

53 he wasn’t appointed chairman of the committee, ________ not very popular with all its members.

a) to be considered b) considering

c) being considered d) having considered

54 the twentieth century has witnessed an enormous worldwide political, economic and cultural ________.

a) tradition b) transportation

c) transmission d) transformation

55 the ________ stuck on the envelope says “by air”.

a) diagram b) label

c) signal d) mark

56 mobile telecommunications ________ is expected to double in shanghai this year as a result of a contract signed between the two companies.

a) capacity b) potential

c) possession d) impact

57 reading ________ the lines, i would say that the government are more worried than they will admit.

a) behind b) between

c) along d) among

58 my brother’s plans are very ________; he wants to master english, french and spanish before he is sixteen.

a) arbitrary b) aggressive

c) ambitious d) abundant

59 things might have been much worse if the mother ______ on her right to keep the baby.

a) has been insisting b) had insisted

c) would insist d) insisted

60 the statistical figures in that report are not ________. you should not refer to them.

a) accurate b) fixed

c) delicate d) rigid

61 contrast may make something appear more beautiful than it is when ________ alone.

a) seen b) is seen

c) to be seen d) having been seen

62 the football game comes to you ________ from new york.

a) lively b) alive

c) live d) living

63 none of us expected the chairman to ________ at the party. we thought he was still in hospital.

a) turn in b) turn over

c) turn up d) turn down

64 the mother didn’t know who ________ for the broken glass.

a) blamed b) be blamed

c) to blame d) would blame

65 he ________ to his customers and halved the price.

a) leaked b) drew

c) quoted d) yielded

66 tryon was extremely angry, but cool-headed enough to ________ storming into the boss’s office.

a) prevent b) prohibit

c) turn d) avoid

67 all flights ________ because of the terrible weather, they had to go there by train.

a) having been canceled b) had been canceled

c) having canceled d) were canceled

68 the author of the report is well ________ with the problems in the hospital because he has been working there for many years.

a) informed b) acquainted

c) enlightened d) acknowledged

69 the boy spent as much time watching tv as he ________ studying.

a) does b) had

c) was d) did

70 the ships’ generator broke down, and the pumps had to be operated ________ instead of mechanically.

a) manually b) artificially

c) automatically d) synthetically

part iv cloze (15 minutes)

directions: there are 20 blanks in the following passage. for each blank there are four choices marked a), b), c) and d) on the right side of the paper. you should choose the one that best fits into the passage. then mark the corresponding letter on the answer sheet with a single line through the centre.

one summer night, on my way home from work i decided to see a movie. i knew the theatre would be air-conditioned and i couldn’t face my __71__ apartment.

sitting in the theatre i had to look through the __72__ between the two tall heads in front of me. i had to keep changing the __73__ every time she learned over to talk to him, __74__ he leaned over to kiss her. why do americans display such __75__ in a public place?

i thought the movie would be good for my english, but __76__ it turned out, it was an italian move. __77__ about an hour i decided to give up on the movie and __78__ on my popcorn (爆玉米花). i’ve never understood why they give you so much popcorn! it tasted pretty good, __79__. after a while i heard __80__ more of the romantic-sounding italians. i just heard the __81__ of the popcorn crunching (咀嚼) between my teeth. my thought stated to __82__. i remembered when i was is south korea (韓國), i __83__ to watch kojak on tv frequently. he spoke perfect korean - i was really amazed. he seemed like a good friend to me, __84__ i saw him again in new york speaking __85__ english instead of perfect korean. he didn’t even have a korean accent and i __86__ like i had been betrayed.

when our family moved to the united states six years ago, none of us spoke any english. __87__ we had begun to learn a few words, my mother suggested that we all should speak english at home. everyone agreed, but our house became very __88__ and we all seemed to avoid each other. we sat at the dinner table in silence, preferring that to __89__ in a difficult language. mother tried to say something in english but it __90__ out all wrong and we all burst into laughter and decided to forget it! we’ve been speaking korean at home ever since.

71. a) warm b) hot c) heated d) cool

72. a) crack b) blank c) break d) opening

73. a) aspect b) view c) space d) angle

74. a) while b) whenever c) or d) and

75. a) attraction b) attention c) affection d) motion

76. a) since b) when c) what d) as

77. a) within b) after c) for d) over

78. a) concentrate b) chew c) fix d) taste

79. a) too b) still c) though d) certainly

80. a) much b) any c) no d) few

81. a) voice b) sound c) rhythm d) tone

82. a) wonder b) wander c) imagine d) depart

83. a) enjoyed b) happened c) turned d) used

84. a) until b) because c) then d) therefore

85. a) artificial b) informal c) perfect d) practical

86. a)felt b) looked c) seemed d) appeared

87. a) while b) if c) before d) once

88. a) empty b) quiet c) stiff d) calm

89. a) telling b) uttering c) saying d) speaking

90. a) worked b) got c) came d) made

part v writing (30 minutes)

directions: for this part, you are allowed thirty minutes to write a composition on the topic: a letter to the university president about the canteen service on campus you should write at least 100 words, and base your composition on the outline given in chinese below:

假設你是李明,請你就本校食堂的狀況給校長寫一封信,內容應涉及食堂的飯菜質量、價格、環境、服務等,可以是表揚,可以是批評建議,也可以兼有而有之。

january 12th, 2002

dear mr. president,

答案

1. d 2. a 3. a 4. d 5. d 6. c 7. c 8. a 9. b 10. a

11. d 12. c 13. a 14. d 15. a 16. b 17. b 18. d 19. b 20. c

21. a 22. c 23. a 24. d 25. c 26. a 27. c 28 b 29. b 30. c

31. b 32. b 33. c 34. d 35. a 36. d 37. b 38. b 39. a 40. d

41. d 42. a 43. c 44. b 45. a 46. c 47. c 48. b 49. d 50. b

51. a 52. a 53. c 54. d 55. b 56. a 57. b 58. c 59. b 60. a

61. a 62. c 63. c 64. c 65. d 66. d 67. a 68. b 69. d 70. a

71. b 72. d 73. d 74. c 75. c 76. d 77. b 78. a 79. c 80. c

81. b 82. b 83. d 84. a 85. c 86. a 87. d 88. b 89. d 90. c