2013年12月大学英语四级样题及答案

Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One
Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

Global warming is causing more than 300,000 deaths and about $125 billion in economic losses each year, according to a report by the Global Humanitarian Forum, an organization led by Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary general.

The report, to be released Friday, analyzed data and existing studies of health, disaster, population and economic trends. It found that human-influenced climate change was raising the global death rates from illnesses including malnutrition (营养 不良) and heat-related health problems.

But even before its release, the report drew criticism from some experts on climate and risk, who questioned its methods and conclusions.

Along with the deaths, the report said that the lives of 325 million people, primarily in poor countries, were being seriously affected by climate change. It projected that the number would double by 2030.

Roger Pielke Jr., a political scientist at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who studies disaster trends, said the Forum’s report was “a methodological embarrassment” because there was no way to distinguish deaths or economic losses related to human-driven global warming amid the much larger losses resulting from the growth in populations and economic development in vulnerable (易受伤害的) regions. Dr. Pielke said that “climate change is an important problem requiring our utmost attention.” But the report, he said, “will harm the cause for action on both climate change and disasters because it is so deeply flawed (有瑕疵的).”

However, Soren Andreasen, a social scientist at Dalberg Global Development Partners who supervised the writing of the report, defended it, saying that it was clear that the numbers were rough estimates. He said the report was aimed at world leaders, who will meet in Copenhagen in December to negotiate a new international climate treaty.

In a press release describing the report, Mr. Annan stressed the need for the negotiations to focus on increasing the flow of money from rich to poor regions to help reduce their vulnerability to climate hazards while still curbing the emissions of the heat-trapping gases. More than 90% of the human and economic losses from climate change are occurring in poor countries, according to the report.

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。

56. What is the finding of the Global Humanitarian Forum?
A) Rates of death from illnesses have risen due to global warming. B) Global temperatures affect the rate of economic development.
C) Malnutrition has caused serious health problems in poor countries. D) Economic trends have to do with population and natural disasters.

57. What do we learn about the Forum’s report from the passage?
A) It caused a big stir in developing countries.
B) It was warmly received by environmentalists.
C) It aroused a lot of interest in the scientific circles.
D) It was challenged by some climate and risk experts.

58. What does Dr. Pielke say about the Forum’s report?
A) Its statistics look embarrassing.
B) It deserves our closest attention.
C) It is invalid in terms of methodology.
D) Its conclusion is purposely exaggerated.

59. What is Soren Andreasen’s view of the report?
A) Its conclusions are based on carefully collected data.
B) It is vulnerable to criticism if the statistics are closely examined.
C) It will give rise to heated discussions at the Copenhagen conference. D) Its rough estimates are meant to draw the attention of world leaders.

60. What does Kofi Annan say should be the focus of the Copenhagen conference?
A) How human and economic losses from climate change can be reduced.
B) How rich countries can better help poor regions reduce climate hazards.
C) How emissions of heat-trapping gases can be reduced on a global scale.
D) How rich and poor regions can share responsibility in curbing global warming.

Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

It’s an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My partner says no because the boiler could go, or the roof fall off, and we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what’s the point if you can’t go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next year – we just won’t go.

Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday. A YouGov poll of 2,000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. What’s less clear is whether divorce and separation rates rise in a recession – financial pressures mean couples argue more but make splitting up less affordable. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Disputes were characterised by intense verbal (言语上的) aggression, tended to be repeated and not resolved, and made men, more than women, extremely angry.

Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolises, which may be different things to men and women. “People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it’s for,” he explains. “They’ll say it’s to save, to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them.” He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they’ve achieved something.

“The biggest problem is that couples assume each other knows what’s going on with their finances, but they don’t. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you’re doing, who’s paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don’t have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it.”

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。

61. What does the author say about vacationing?
A) People enjoy it all the more during a recession.
B) Few people can afford it without working hard.
C) It is the chief cause of family disputes.
D) It makes all the hard work worthwhile.

62. What does the author mean by saying “money is known ... to bring a relationship to its knees” (Lines 1-2, Para. 2)?

A) Money is considered to be the root of all evils.
B) Disputes over money may ruin a relationship.
C) Few people can resist the temptation of money.
D) Some people sacrifice their dignity for money.

63. The YouGov poll of 2,000 people indicates that in a recession ________.
A) couples show more concern for each other
B) it is more expensive for couples to split up
C) conflicts between couples tend to rise
D) divorce and separation rates increase

64. What does Kim Stephenson believe?
A) Men and women view money in different ways.
B) Money is often a symbol of a person’s status.
C) Men and women spend money on different things.
D) Money means a great deal to both men and women.

65. The author suggests at the end of the passage that couples should ________.
A) put their money together instead of keeping it separately
B) discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationship
C) make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgets
D) avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic

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.

剪纸(paper cutting)是中国最为流行的传统民间艺术形式之一。中国剪纸 有一千五百多年的历史,在明朝和清朝时期(the Ming and Qing Dynasties)特别 流行。人们常用剪纸美化居家环境。特别是在春节和婚庆期间,剪纸被用来装饰 门窗和房间,以增加喜庆的气氛。剪纸最常用的颜色是红色,象征健康和兴旺。 中国剪纸在世界各地很受欢迎,经常被用作馈赠外国友人的礼物。

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。