大学英语四级考试ModelTestThree

1、大学英语四级考试Model Test ThreePart WritingDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter. You should write at least 120 words following the outline given below in Chinese: 给你的外国朋友写一封信，告诉他(她)你已经被美国的一所大学录取，但你苦恼的是自己的听力和口语水平不够，你想寻求他(她)对于如何提高听和和口语的建议。Part Reading Comprehension (Skimmin

2、g and Scanning)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D. For questions 8-10, complete tile sentences with the information given in

3、 the passage. The EarthPower and Light Compared to the rest of the universe, the Earth is very small. Our planet and eight (or maybe nine) others orbit the Sun, which is only one of about 200 billion stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is part of the universe, which includes millions of

4、other galaxies and their stars and planets. By comparison, the Earth is microscopic. Compared to a person, on the other hand, the Earth is enormous. It has a diameter of 7,926 miles (12,756 kilometers) at the equator, and it has a mass of about 61024 kilograms. The Earth orbits the Sun at a speed of

5、 about 66,638 miles per hour (29.79 kilometers per second). Dont dwell on those numbers too long, though; to a lot of people, the Earth is inconceivably, mind-bogglingly big. And its just a fraction of the size of the Sun. From our perspective on Earth, the Sun looks very small. This is because its

6、about 93 million miles away from us. The Suns diameter at its equator is about 100 times bigger than Earths, and about a million Earths could fit inside the Sun. The Sun is inconceivably, mind-bogglingly bigger. But without the Sun, the Earth could not exist, in a sense, the Earth is a giant machine

7、, full of moving parts and complex systems. All those systems need power, and that power comes from the Sun. The Sun is an enormous nuclear power source-through complex reactions, it transforms hydrogen into helium, releasing light and heat. Because of these reactions, every square meter of our plan

8、ets surface gets about 342 Watts of energy from the Sun every year. This is about 1.71017 Watts total, or as much as 1.7 billion large power plants could generate. You can learn about how the Sun creates energy in How the Sun Works. When this energy reaches the Earth, it provides power for a variety

9、 of reactions, cycles and systems. It drives the circulation of the atmosphere and the oceans. It makes food for plants, which many people and animals eat. Life on Earth could not exist without the Sun, and the planet itself would not have developed without it. To a casual observer, the Suns most vi

10、sible contributions to life are light, heat and weather.Night and Day Some of the Suns biggest impacts on our planet are also its most obvious. As the Earth spins on its axis, parts of the planet are in the Sun while others are in the shade. In other words, the Sun appears to rise and set. The parts

11、 of the world that are in daylight get warmer while the parts that are dark gradually lose the heat they absorbed during the day. You can get a sense of how much the Sun affects the Earths temperature by standing outside on a partly cloudy day. When the Sun is behind a cloud, you fuel noticeably coo

12、ler than when it isnt. The surface of our planet absorbs this heat from the Sun and emits it the same way that pavement continues to give off heat in the summer after the Sun goes down. Our atmosphere does the same things-it absorbs the heat that the ground emits and sends some of it back to the Ear

13、th. The Earths relationship with the Sun also creates seasons. The Earths axis tips a little-about 23.5 degrees. One hemisphere points toward the Sun as the other points away. The hemisphere that points toward the Sun is warmer and gets more light-its summer there, and in the other hemisphere its wi

14、nter. This effect is less dramatic near the equator than at the poles, since the equator receives about the same amount of sunlight all year. The poles, on the other hand, receive no sunlight at all during their winter months, which is part of the reason why theyre frozen. Most people are so used to

15、 the differences between night and day (or summer and winter) that they take them for granted. But these changes in light and temperature have an enormous impact on other systems on our planet. One is the circulation of air through our atmosphere. For example: The Sun shines brightly over the equato

16、r. The air gets very warm because the equator faces the Sun directly and because the ozone layer is thinner there. As the air warms, it begins to rise, creating a low pressure system. The higher it rises, the more the air cools. Water condenses as the air cools, creating clouds and rainfall. The air

17、 dries out as the rain falls. The result is warm, dry air, relatively high in our atmosphere. Because of the lower air pressure, air rushes toward the equator from the north and south. As it warms, it rises, pushing the dry air away to the north and the south. The dry air sinks as it cools, creating

18、 high-pressure areas and deserts to the north and south of the equator. This is just one piece of how the Sun circulates air around the world-ocean currents, weather patterns and other factors also play a part. But in general, air moves from high-pressure to low-pressure areas, much the way that hig

19、h-pressure air rushes from the mouth of an inflated balloon when you let go. Heat also generally moves from the warmer equator to the cooler poles. Imagine a warm drink sitting on your desk-the air around the drink gets warmer as the drink gets colder. This happens on Earth on an enormous scale. The

20、 Coriolis Effect, a product of the Earths rotation, affects this system as well. It causes large weather systems, like hurricanes, to rotate. It helps create westward-running trade winds near the equator and eastward-running jet streams in the northern and southern hemispheres. These wind patterns m

21、ove moisture and air from one place to another, creating weather patterns. (The Coriolis Effect works on a large scale-it doesnt really affect the water draining from the sink like some people suppose.)The Sun gets much of the credit for creating both wind and rain. When the Sun warms air in a speci

22、fic location, that air rises, creating an area of low pressure. More air rushes in from surrounding areas to fill the void, creating wind. Without the Sun, there wouldnt be wind. There also might not be breathable air at all.Water and Fire The Sun has a huge effect on our water. It warms the oceans

23、around the tropics, and its absence cools the water around the poles. Because of this, ocean currents move large amounts of warm and cold water, drastically affecting the weather and climate around the world. The Sun also drives the water cycle, which moves about 18,757 cubic miles (495,000 cubic ki

24、lometers) of water vapor through the atmosphere every year. If youve ever gotten out of a swimming pool on a hot day and realized a few minutes later that you were dry again, you have firsthand experience with evaporation. If youve seen water form on the side of a cold drink, youve seen condensation

25、 in action. These are primary components of the water cycle, also called the hydrologic cycle, which exchanges moisture between bodies of water and land masses. The water cycle is responsible for clouds and rain as well as our supply of drinking water.1. How many Earths could fit inside the Sun? A O

26、ne million. B 93 million. C Two million. D 100 million.2. Earth would not have developed without _ . A water B fertilizer C soil D the Sun3. What does our atmosphere do? A It absorbs the heat from the ground and sends it to the Sun. B It absorbs the heat from the Sun and emits it back to the Earth.

27、C It absorbs the heat from the Sun and emits it the same way.D It absorbs the heat the ground emits and sends some of it back to the Earth.4. _ receives about the same amount of sunlight all year. A The poles B The equator C The north temperate zone D The south temperate zone5. Air rushes toward the

28、 equator from the north and south _ . A because of the dry air B because of the cool air C because of the lower air pressure D because of the higher air pressure6. What doesnt the Coriolis Effect cause? A Westward-running trade winds. B Hurricanes. C The water draining from the sink. D Eastward-runn

29、ing jet streams.7. The Sun has closely relation to create _ . A wind B the air C soil D fire8. The Sun has a huge effect on _ .9. If youve seen water form on the side of a cold drink, youve seen _ .10. The water cycle is responsible for clouds, rain and _ .Part Listening ComprehensionSection ADirect

30、ions: 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

31、, 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 2 with a single line through the centre.Questions 11 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.11. A At the department store. B At the office.

32、C In the restaurant. D In the drug store.12. A The man shouldnt expect her to go along. B She doesnt think she has enough money. C Shell go even though the movie is bad. D The man should count the number of people going;13. A She wasnt really studying. B She hadnt finished writing her articles. C Sh

33、e had furnished her house. D She could write beautifully.14. A The problem may have been a very complicated one. B No one can do it. C The woman thinks that the problem is too easy. D The man can solve the problem himself.15. A The janitor is too busy to do his work. B The sanitary conditions of an

34、apartment. C The relationship between the janitor and the two speakers. D The architecture of a building.16. A He cant tear either piece of cloth. B He wants part of each piece of cloth. C The pieces of cloth are made by a secret process. D The pieces of cloth seem identical to him.17. A Tuesday. B

35、Wednesday. C Thursday. D Friday.18. A A photographers camera. B A television camera. C A movie camera. D The mans own camera.Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A Memories of a recent storm. B How strong winds develop into a hurricane. C Weather patterns that can

36、 affect Florida. D Planning a summer vacation.20. A Late summer is sunny season. B Late summer is hurricane season. C Late summer is rainy season. D Late summer is cloudy season.21. A Wind speed. B Rainfall. C Water temperature. D Direction of approach.22. A By name. B By number. C By location. D By

37、 month.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. A Her professor did not like her story. B She had trouble finishing her assignment. C She did not like the topic she had chosen for her paper. D She was taking too many courses.24. A Take some extra time. B Do a writing

38、exercise. C Do some work for another course. D Write the story ending first.25. A To go shopping. B To do research for her story. C To meet with her professor. D To take a break from her work.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will h

39、ear 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 2 with a single line through the center.Passage OneQuestions 26 t

40、o 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A Given by the local government. B Born by a large number of bitches. C Bought from different cities and villages. D Captured over grassland.27. A 11-week course for control duty. B 11-week course for patrol duty. C 9-week course for control duty

41、. D 9-week course for patrol duty.28. A Catching runaway criminals. B Scratching the hidden bombs. C Patrolling the dangerous town. D Drug-sniffing or bomb-sniffing.Passage TwoQuestions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.29. A Gold was discovered. B The transcontinental railroad w

42、as completed. C The Golden Gate Bridge was constructed. D Telegraph communications were established with the East.30. A About two million. B About three million. C About five million. D About six million.31. A 19 million dollars. B 32 million dollars. C 37 million dollars. D 42 million dollars.Passa

43、ge ThreeQuestions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.32. A Computers have become part of our daily lives. B Computers have advantages as well as disadvantages. C People have different attitudes to computers. D More and more families will own computers.33. A Computers can bring fin

44、ancial problems. B Computers can bring unemployment. C Computers can be very useful in families. D Computerized robots can take over some unpleasant jobs.34. A Computers may change the life they have been accustomed to. B Spending too much time on computers may spoil peoples relationship. C Buying c

45、omputers may cost a lot of money. D Computers may take over human beings altogether.35. A Affectionate. B Disapproving. C Approving. D Neutral.Section CDirections: 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 g

46、eneral idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blank, you can either use the exact word

47、s you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. Development banks are international lending groups. They lend money to developing countries to help fuel economic growth and social (36

48、) . They are not part of the World Bank, the International (37) Fund or the United Nations. The money comes from member countries and borrowing on world markets. Development banks provide long-term loans at market (38) . They provide even longer-term loans at below-market interest rates. These banks

49、 also provide technical (39) and (40) . There are four main ones. The oldest is the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C. It began in 1959. President Juscelino Kubitschek of Brazil had (41) a bank to aid economic growth in the Americas. The (42) of American States agreed. Today the ban

50、k is worth over 100,000 million dollars. It holds only 4 percent of that. The other money is (43) by its members. (44) . 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean borrow from the bank. The African Development Bank has its roots in an agreement signed in Sudan in 1963. It is based in Abidjan, I

51、vory Coast. (45) . The country with the most votes in the bank is Nigeria, followed as of July by the United States, Japan and Egypt. The Asian Development Bank started in 1966. It is based in Manila, in the Philippines. There are 63 members, mostly in Asia. (46) .Part Reading Comprehension (Reading

52、 in Depth)Section ADirections: 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 bank is identified b

53、y a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the center. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once. A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you (47) the two to do something for your local (

54、48) ? It may well be possible. When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to (49) it in the garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower. (50) , a biodegradable (生物可降解的) mobile phone was introduced by scientists. It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage (51) to re

55、cycle. Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years. It looks like any other (52) and can be hard or soft, and able to change shape. Overtime it can also break down into the soil without giving out any toxic (53) . British researchers used the new material to develop a phone

56、cover that contains a sunflower seed. When this new type of cover turns into waste, it (54) nitrates (硝酸盐). These feed the seed and help the flower grow. Engineers have designed a small (55) window to hold the seed. They have made sure it only grows when the phone is thrown away. Weve only put sunfl

57、ower seeds into the covers so far. But we are working with plant (56) to find out which flowers would perform best. Maybe we could put roses in next time, said one scientist.A Recently I expertsB consumers J formsC chemicals K buryD environment L paperE combine M scholarF transparent N plasticG buy

58、O UsuallyH companionSection BDirections: 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 w

59、ith a single line through the center.Passage One It is difficult to imagine what life would be like without memory. The meanings of thousands of everyday perceptions, the basis for the decisions we make, and the roots of our habits and skills are to be found in our past experiences, which are brough

60、t into the present by memory. Memory can be defined as the capacity to keep information available for later use. It not only includes remembering things like arithmetic or historical facts, but also involves any change in the way an animal typically behaves. Memory is involved when a rat gives up ea