2023年12月英语四级真题和答案(第二套)

2023年12月英语四级【其次套】真题和答案完整版PartI Writing (30minutes)Directions:Forthispart,youareallowed30minutestowriteashortessayonhowtobesthandletherelationshipbetweenparentsandchildren.Youshouldwriteatleast120wordsbutnomorethan180words.低级拿分版Nowadays,therehasbeenaheateddiscussionastotherelationshipbetweenparentsandchildren.Viewsonthetopicvarygreatlyamongpeoplefromdifferentwalksoflife.Somebelievethatparentsshouldspendmoretimewiththeirchildren,butothersconsideritbettertoaskchildrentoshowmoreunderstandingtowardstheirparents.Ononehand,Iagreewiththeideathataschildren,weshouldshowmoreunderstandingandappreciatetheloveandlifeourparentshaveprovideduswith.Therefore,wecouldhelpourparentsathome,say,sharesomeofthehousework,Furthermore,wecouldalsotellthem''Iloveyou"everydaytothankthem.Ontheotherhand,workingparentsarebusyandhavegreatpressure,soitislikelythattheyneglecttheirkids.Hence,toimprovetheirrelationship,parentscouldsitdownandtalkwiththeirchildren,listentotheirproblems,helpthemandrespectthem.However,frommyperspective,thisisnotoneman'sjob.Bothparentsandchildrenshouldworktounderstandeachother.Thus,itiscrucialtohaveeffectivecommunication.Onlyinthiswaycantherelationshipbetweenparentsandchildrenbeimproved!阅读部分PartIIIReadingComprehension(40minutes)SectionADirections:Inthissection,thereisapassagewithtenblanks.Youarerequiredtoselectonewordforeachblankfromalistofchoicesgiveninawordbankfollowingthepassage.Readthepassagethroughcarefullybeforemakingyourchoices.Eachchoiceinthebankisidentifiedbyaletter,PleasemarkthecorrespondingletterforeachitemonAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.Youmaynotuseanyofthewordsinthebankmorethanonce.Weallknowthereexistsagreatvoid(空白)inthepubliceducationalsystemwhenitcomesto26toSTEM(Science,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics)courses.OneeducatornamedDoriRobertsdecidedtodosomethingtochangethissystem.Doritaughthighschoolengineeringfor11years.ShenoticedtherewasarealvoidinqualitySTEMeducationatall27ofthepubliceducationalsystem.Shesaid,''IstartedEngineeringForKids(EFK)afternoticingareallackofmath,scienceandengineeringprogramsto28myownkidsin."Shedecidedtostartanafterschoolprogramwherechildren29inSTEM-basedcompetitions.Theclubgrewquicklyandwhenitreached180membersandthekidsintheprogramwonseveralstate30,shedecidedtodevoteallhertimetocultivatingand31it.TheglobalbusinessEFKwasborn.DoribeganoperatingEFKoutofherVirginiahome,whichshethenexpandedto32recreationcenters.Today,theEFKprogram33over144branchesin32stateswithintheUnitedStatesandin21countries.Saleshavedoubledfrom$5millionin2023to$10millionin2023,with25newbranchesplannedfor2023.TheEFKwebsitestates,''Ournationisnot34enoughengineers.Ourphilosophyistoinspirekidsatayoungagetounderstandthatengineeringisagreat35・"答案：G)exposureL)levelsF)enrollO)participatedC)championshipsE)developingM)localN)operatesJ)graduatingB)careerSectionBDirection:Inthissection,youaregoingtoreadapassagewithtenstatementsattachedtoit.Eachstatementcontainsinformationgiveninoneoftheparagraphs.Identifytheparagraphfromwhichtheinformationisderived.Youmaychooseaparagraphmorethanonce.Eachparagraphismarkedwithaletter.AnswerthequestionsbymarkingthecorrespondingletteronAnswersheet2.Whyaren'tyoucuriousaboutwhathappened?''YoususpendedRayRiceafterourvideo,"areporterfromTMZchallengedNationalFootballLeagueCommissionerRogerGoodelltheotherday.‘Whydidn'tyouhavethecuriositytogotothecasino(赌场)yourself?”Theimplicationofthequestionisthatamorecuriouscommissionerwouldhavefoundawaytogetthetape.Theaccusationofincuriosityisonethatwehearoften,carryingthesuggestionthatthereissomethingwrongwithnotwantingtosearchoutthetruth.''Ihavebeenbotheredforalongtimeaboutthecuriouslackofcuriosity/*saidaDemocraticmemberoftheNewJerseylegislaturebackinJuly,referringtoaninsufficientlyinquiringattitudeonthepartofanassistanttoNewJerseyGovernorChrisChristiewhochosenottoaskhardquestionsabouttheGeorgeWashingtonBridgetrafficscandal.''Isn'tthemainstreammediatheleastbitcuriousaboutwhathappened?”wroteconservativewriterJenniferRubinearlierthisyear,referringtotheattackonAmericansinBenghazi,Libya.Theimplication,ineachcase,isthatcuriosityisagoodthing,andalackofcuriosityisaproblem,Aresuchaccusationssimplyeffortstoscorepoliticalpointsforone'sparty?Oristheresomethingofparticularvalueaboutcuriosityinandofitself?ThejournalistIanLeslie,inhisnewandenjoyablebookCurious:TheDesiretoKnowandWhyYourFutureDependsonItzinsiststhattheanswertothatlastquestionis''Yes”.Lesliearguesthatcuriosityisamuch-overlookedhumanvirtue,crucialtooursuccess,andthatwearelosingit.Wearesuffering,hewrites,froma''serendipitydeficit./zTheword''serendipity"wascoinedbyHoraceWalpoleinan1854letter,fromataleofthreeprinceswho''werealwaysmakingdiscoveries,byaccident,ofthingstheywerenotinsearchof."LeslieworriesthattheriseoftheInternet,amongothersocialandtechnologicalchanges,hasreducedourappetiteforaimlessadventures.Nolongerhavewetheinclinationtoletourselveswanderthroughfieldsofknowledge,readytobesurprised.Instead,weseekonlytheinformationwewant.Whyisthisaproblem?Becausewithoutcuriositywewilllosethespiritofinnovationandentrepreneurship.Wewillseeunimaginativegovernmentsanddyingcorporationsmakedisastrousdecisions.Wewillloseavitalpartofwhathasmadehumanityasawholesosuccessfulasaspecies.Lesliepresentsconsiderableevidenceforthepropositionthatthesocietyasawholeisgrowinglesscurious.IntheU.S.andEurope,forexample,theriseoftheInternethasledtoadecliningconsumptionofnewsfromoutsidethereader'sborders.Butnoteverythingistobeblamedontechnology.ThedeclineininterestinliteraryfictionisalsooneofthecausesidentifiedbyLeslie.Readingliteraryfiction,hesays,makeusmorecurious.Moreover,inordertobecurious,"youhavetoawareofagapinyourknowledgeinthefirstplace/'AlthoughLeslieperhapspaintsabitbroadlyincontendingthatmostofusareunawareofhowmuchwedon'tknow,he'ssurelyrighttopointoutthattheproblemisgrowing/'Googlecangiveusthepowerfulillusionthatallquestionshavedefiniteanswers/'Indeed,Google,forwhichLeslieexpressesadmiration,isalsohisfrequentwhippingboy(替罪羊).HequotesGoogleco-founderLarryPagetotheeffectthatthe''perfectsearchengine"will''understandexactlywhatImeanandgivemebackexactlywhatIwant."Elsewhereinthebook.Lesliewrites：''Googleaimstosaveyoufromthethirstofcuriosityaltogether/'J) Somewhatnostalgically(怀旧地)，hequoteJohnMaynardKeynes'sjustlyfamouswordsofpraisetothebookstore:/zOneshouldenteritvaguely,almostinadream,andallowwhatistherefreelytoattractandinfluencetheeye.Towalktheroundsofthebookshops,dippinginascuriositydictates,shouldbeanafternoon'sentertainment.z,Ifonly!K) Citingtheworkofpsychologistsandcognitive(认知的)scientists,Lesliecriticizesthereceivedwisdomthatacademicsuccessistheresultofacombinationofintellectualtalentandhardwork,Curiosity,heargues,isthethirdkeyfactor—andadifficultonetopreserve.Ifnotcultivated,itwillnotsurvive：''ChildhoodcuriosityisacollaborationbetweenchildandadultThesurestwaytokillitistoleaveitalone."Schooleducation,hewarns,isoftenconductedinawaythatmakeschildrenincurious.Childrenofeducatedandupper-middle-classparentsturnouttobefarmorecurious,evenatearlyages,thanchildrenofworkingclassandlowerclassfamilies.Thatlackofcuriosityproducesarelativelackofknowledge,andthelackofknowledgeisdifficultifnotimpossibletocompensateforlateron.M) AlthoughLeslie'sbookisn'taboutpolitics,hedoesn'tentirelyshyawayfromtheproblem.Politicalleaders,likeleadersofotherorganizations,shouldbecurious.Theyshouldaskquestionsatcrucialmoments.Thereareseriousconsequences,hewarns,innotwantingtoknow.N) HepresentsasanexamplethefailureoftheGeogreW.Bushadministrationtoprepareproperlyfortheafter-effectsoftheinvasionofIraq.AccordingtoLeslie,thosewhoridiculedformerDefenseSecretaryDonaldRumsfeldforhis2023remarkthatwehavetobewaryofthe''unknownunknowns'*weremistaken.Rumsfeld'sidea,Lesliewrites,''wasn'tabsurd—itwassmart./zHeadds,''Thetragedyisthathedidn'tfollowhisownadvice.wAllofwhichbringsusbacktoGoodellandtheChristiecaseandBenghazi.Eachcriticinthoseexamplesischarging,inadifferentway,thatsomeoneinauthorityisintentionallybeingincurious.Ileaveittothereader'spoliticalpreferencetodecidewhich,ifany,chargesshouldstick.Butlet'sbecarefulaboutdemandingcuriosityabouttheotherside'sweaknessesandremainingdeterminedlyincuriousaboutourown.Weshouldbedelightedtopursueknowledgeforitsownsake―venwhenwhatwefindoutissomethingwedidn'tparticularlywanttoknow.Tobecurious,weneedtorealizefirstofallthattherearemanythingswedon'tknow.AccordingtoLeslie,curiosityisessentialtoone'ssuccess.Weshouldfeelhappywhenwepursueknowledgeforknowledge'ssake.Politicalleaders7lackofcuriositywillresultinbadconsequences.Thereareoftenaccusationsaboutpoliticians7andthemedia'slackofcuriositytofindoutthetruth.Thelesscuriousachildiszthelessknowledgethechildmayturnouttohave.Itiswidelyacceptedthatacademicaccomplishmentliesinbothintelligenceanddiligence.Visitingabookshopascuriosityleadsuscanbeagoodwaytoentertainourselves.BoththeriseoftheInternetandreducedappetiteforliteraryfictioncontributetopeople'sdecliningcuriosity.Mankindwouldn'tbesoinnovativewithoutcuriosity.答案：H)36.Tobecurious,weneedtorealizefirstofallthattherearemanythingswedon'tknow.D)37.AccordingtoLeslie,curiosityisessentialtoone'ssuccess.0)38.Weshouldfeelhappywhenwepursueknowledgeforknowledge'ssake.M)39.Politicalleaders'lackofcuriositywillresultinbadconsequences.B)40.Thereareoftenaccusationsaboutpoliticians'andthemedia'slackofcuriositytofindoutthetruth.L)41.Thelesscuriousachild\s,thelessknowledgethechildmayturnouttohave.K)42.Itiswidelyacceptedthatacademicaccomplishmentliesinbothintelligenceanddiligence.J)43.Visitingabookshopascuriosityleadsuscanbeagoodwaytoentertainourselves.G)44.BoththeriseoftheInternetandreducedappetiteforliteraryfictioncontributetopeople'sdecliningcuriosity.F)45.Mankindwouldn'tbesoinnovativewithoutcuriosity.SectionCDirections:Thereare2passagesinthissection.Eachpassageisfollowedbysomequestionsorunfinishedstatement.ForeachofthemtherearefourchoicesmarkedA),B)zC)andD).YoushoulddecideonthebestchoiceandmarkthecorrespondingletteronAnswerSheet2withasinglelinethroughthecentre.PassageOneQuestions46and50arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Aginghappenstoallofus,andisgenerallythoughtofasanaturalpartoflife.Itwouldseemsillytocallsuchathinga''disease."Ontheotherhand,scientistsareincreasinglylearningthatagingandbiologicalagearetwodifferentthings,andthattheformerisakeyriskfactorforconditionssuchasheartdisease,cancerandmanymore.Inthatlight,agingitselfmightbeseenassomethingtreatable,thewayyouwouldtreathighbloodpressureoravitamindeficiency.BiophysicistAlexZhavoronkovbelievesthatagingshouldbeconsideredadisease.Hesaidthatdescribingagingasadiseasecreatesincentivestodeveloptreatments.''Ituntiesthehandsofthepharmaceutical（制药的）industrysothattheycanbegintreatingthediseaseandnotjustthesideeffects/*hesaid.''Rightnow,peoplethinkofagingasnaturalandsomethingyoucan'tcontrol/'hesaid.''INacademiccircles,peopletakeagingresearchasjustaninterestareawheretheycantrytodevelopinterventions.Themedicalcommunityalsotakesagingforgranted,andcandonothingaboutitexceptkeeppeoplewithinacertainhealthrange."Butifagingwererecognizedasadisease,hesaid,''Itwouldattractfundingandchangethewaywedohealthcare.Whatmattersisunderstandthatagingiscurable/'''Itwasalwaysknownthatthebodyaccumulatesdamage,"headded.'Theonlywaytocureagingistofindwaystorepairthatdamage.Ithinkofitaspreventivemedicineforage-relatedconditions/'LeonardHayflick,aprofessorattheUniversityofCalifornia,SanFrancisco,saidtheideathatagingcanbecuredimpliesthehumanlifespancanbeincreased,whichsomeresearcherssuggestispossible.Hayflickisnotamongthem.''There'remanypeoplewhorecoverfromcancer,stroke,orheartdisease.Buttheycontinuetoage,becauseagingisseparatefromtheirdisease/'Hayflicksaid.''Evenifthosecausesofdeathwereeliminated,lifeexpectancywouldstillnotgomuchbeyond92years."Whatdopeoplegenerallybelieveaboutaging?Itshouldcausenotalarmwhatsoever.Theyjustcannotdoanythingaboutit.Itshouldberegardedasakindofdisease.Theycandelayitwithadvancesinscience.Howdomanyscientistsviewagingnow?Itmightbepreventedandtreated.C)Itresultsfromavitamindeficiency.Itcanbeasriskyasheartdisease.D)Itisanirreversiblebiolcgicalprocess.WhatdoesAlexZhavoronkovthinkof"describingagingasadisease"?Itwillpromptpeopletotakeagingmoreseriously.Itwillgreatlyhelpreducethesideeffectsofaging.Itwillfreepharmacistsfromtheconventionalbeliefsaboutaging.Itwillmotivatedoctorsandpharmaciststofindwaystotreataging.Whatdowelearnaboutthemedicalcommunity?Theynowhaveastronginterestinresearchonaging.Theydifferfromtheacademiccirclesintheirviewonaging.Theycancontributetopeople'shealthonlytoalimitedextent.Theyhavewaystointerveneinpeople'sagingprocess.WhatdoesProfessorLeonardHayflickbelieve?Thehumanlifespancannotheprolonged.Agingishardlyseparablefromdisease.Fewpeoplecanliveuptotheageof92.Heartdiseaseisthemajorcauseofaging.答案：B)Theyjustcannotdoanythingaboutit.A)Itmightbepreventedandtreated.D)Itwillmotivatedoctorsandpharmaciststofindwaystotreataging.C)Theycancontributetopeople'shealthonlytoalimitedextent.A)Thehumanlifespancannotheprolonged.PassageTwoQuestion51to55arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Femaleapplicantstopostdoctoralpositionsingeoscienceswerenearlyhalfaslikelytoreceiveexcellentlettersofrecommendation,comparedwiththeirmalecounterparts.ChristopherIntagliatareports.Asinmanyotherfields,genderbiasiswidespreadinthesciences.Menscorehigherstartingsalaries.Havemorementoring(指导)，andhavebetteroddsofbeinghired.Studiesshowthey'realsoperceivedasmorecompetentthanwomeninSTEM(Science,Technology,Engineering,andMathematics)fields.Andnewresearchrevealsthatmenaremorelikelytoreceiveexcellentlettersofrecommendation,too.''Say,youknow,thisisthebeststudentI'veeverhad,"saysKuheliDuttzasocialscientistanddiversityofficeratColumbiaUniversity'sLamontcampus.''Comparethoseexcellentletterswithamerelygoadletter:'Thecandidatewasproductive,orintelligent,orasolidscientistorsomethingthat'sclearlysolidpraise/butnothingthatsinglesoutthecandidateasexceptionaloroneofakind."Duttandhercolleaguesstudiedmorethanlz200lettersofrecommendationforpostdoctoralpositionsingeoscience.Theywerealleditedforgenderandotheridentifyinginformation,soDuttandherteamcouldassignthemascorewithoutknowingthegenderofthestudent.Theyfoundthatfemaleapplicantswereonlyhalfaslikelytogetoutstandingletters,comparedwiththeirmalecounterparts.Thatincludeslettersofrecommendationsfromallovertheworld,andwrittenby,yes,menandwomen.ThefindingsareinthejournalNatureGeoscience.Duttsaystheywerenotabletoevaluatetheactualscientificqualificationsoftheapplicantsusingthedatainthefiles.Butshesaystheresultsstillsuggestwomeningeoscienceareatapotentialdisadvantagefromtheverybeginningoftheircareersstartingwiththoselessthanoutstandinglettersofrecommendation.''We'renottryingtoassignblameorcriticizeanyoneorcallanyoneconsciouslysexist.Rather,thepointistousetheresultsofthisstudytoopenupmeaningfuldialoguesonimplicitgenderbias,beitatadepartmentalleveloraninstitutionallevelorevenadisciplinelevel."Whichmayleadtosomerecommendationsfortheletterwriterthemselves.Whatdowelearnaboutapplicantstopostdoctoralpositionsingeosciences?Therearemanymoremenapplyingthanwomen.Chancesforwomentogetthepositionsarescarce.Moremalesthanfemalesarelikelytogetoutstandinglettersofrecommendation.Maleapplicantshavemoreinterestinthesepositionsthantheirfemalecounterparts.Whatdostudiesaboutmenandwomeninscientificresearchshow?Womenengagedinpostdoctoralworkarequicklycatchingup.Fewerwomenareapplyingforpostdoctoralpositionsduetogenderbias.MenarebelievedtobebetterabletoexcelinSTEMdisciplines.WomenwhoarekeenlyinterestedinSTEMfieldsareoftenexceptional.Whatdothestudiesfindabouttherecommendationletterforwomenapplicants?Theyarehardlyeversupportedbyconcrete