2016大学英语四级听力改革样题解析

　　Section A由原来的8个短对话变为3篇新闻听力，每篇新闻之后2-3题不等。新闻听力这个题型，是曾经英语专业四级(TEM-4)考试中的一种题型，现在出现在大学英语四级的考试中，可见难度会有很大幅度的提高。

　　样题中给出的三段新闻全部来源于BBC新闻，其中第三段新闻由于原文中个别用词超过四级考试范围，故有部分删改和替换。那么如此专业的国外新闻材料给同学们带来的难点主要在于：

　　1. 语速快，口音陌生。很多同学平时听英语新闻的难点之一就在于新闻的语速相对于普通四级听力语速较快。BBC新闻的正常语速为1分钟150-180词，而大学英语四级考试听力部分的语速是每分钟130-150个单词。目前官方并没有给出听力的音频，所以如果考试中的录音仍由四级听力录音员来读，在语速上将会一定程度的减小新闻听力的难度，并且一英一美的转换换，会让同学们在口音上相对熟悉。如果直接用新闻原音频，不仅语速快，同时英音也将对平时接触美音较多的同学造成影响。

　　2. 词汇难度大。第一，绝大多数同学听听力的时候都是在听词，那么新闻中会出现很多地名等专有名词(如Kenyan, Nairobi, the Ugandan capital Kampala, the Somali group al-Shabab,Will Ross等)，虽然同学们在看听力原文的时候也知道这些词不重要，但是在听的时候可能只会把它们归为“不认识的生词”从而影响其他信息的获取;第二，新闻中会有很多专业术语和新闻常用语(如blast, rebel等)，相对于之前短对话题型的场景词来说，难度有一定程度的提升，所以这将是同学们的难点所在。

　　3. 语言表达过于专业。曾经的短对话题型，句型及表达较口语化，相比而言，专业的新闻中的句型句式在语法结构上会更加严谨和复杂。例如：“Manyof its 800 stores are likely to close following the company’s decision to callin administrators after an attempt to sell the business for a token £1 failed.”以及 “Known for low-priced generalgoods, Woolworths has struggled in the face of competition from supermarketsexpanding beyond groceries and a new generation of internet retailers.” 这样长难句的出现，大大增加了同学们听力的难度。

　　接下来我们就对这三段新闻听力做一详细解析：

　　Questions 1 and2 will be based on the following news item.

　　1. A) Christmas-time attacks madeby Somali rebels.

　　B) An explosion at a bus station in centralNairobi.

　　C) The killing of more than 70 Ugandans inKampala.

　　D) Blasts set off by a Somali group inUganda’s capital.

　　(选项预判：考察发生了什么事儿。)

　　2. A) On Christmas Eve.

　　B) Just before midnight.

　　C) During a security check.

　　D) In the small hours of the morning.

　　(选项预判：考察地点)

　　原文：

　　Kenyan police say one person was killed and 26 injured in an explosionat a bus station in central Nairobi. The blast hit a bus about to set off forthe Ugandan capital Kampala. Last July, the Somali group al-Shabab said it wasbehind the blasts in the Ugandan capital which killed more than 70 people. WillRoss reports from the Kenyan capital.

　　The explosion happened beside a bus whichwas about to set off for an overnight journey from Nairobi to the Ugandancapital Kampala. Some eyewitnesses report that a bag was about to be loaded onboard, but it exploded during a security check. Windows of the red bus wereleft smashed, and blood could be seen on the ground beside the vehicle. Justhours earlier, Uganda’s police chief had warned of possible Christmas-timeattacks by Somali rebels.

　　问题：

　　1.What is the news report mainly about?

　　解析：根据“Kenyanpolice say one person was killed and 26 injured in an explosion at a busstation in central Nairobi.” 得出答案B) An explosion at a bus station in centralNairobi.

　　2.When did the incident occur?

　　解析：根据“butit exploded during a security check.” 得出答案C) During a security check.

　　Questions 3 and 4 will be based on the following newsitem.

　　3. A)It is likely to close many of its stores.

　　B) It is known for the quality of its goods.

　　C) It remains competitive in the recession.

　　D) It will expand its online retail business.

　　(选项预判：根据close, stores, quality of goods, competitive,retail business判断和公司发展经营相关。)

　　4. A)Expand its business beyond groceries.

　　B) Fire 25,000 of its current employees.

　　C) Cut its DVD publishing business.

　　D) Sell the business for one pound.

　　(选项预判：动作考察题)

　　原文：

　　Woolworths is one of the best known nameson the British High Street. It’s been in business nearly a century. Many of its800 stores are likely to close following the company’s decision to call inadministrators after an attempt to sell the business for a token £1 failed.

　　The company has huge debts. The immediatecause for the collapse has been Britain’s slide toward recession, which has cutinto consumer spending. However, the business had been in trouble for years.

　　Known for low-priced general goods,Woolworths has struggled in the face of competition from supermarkets expandingbeyond groceries and a new generation of internet retailers.

　　Many of the store group’s 25,000 employeesare likely to lose their jobs. Some profitable areas such as the DVD publishingbusiness will survive.

　　问题：

　　3.What do we learn about Woolworths from the news report?

　　4.What did Woolworths attempt to do recently?

　　解析：根据“Woolworths is one of the best known names on theBritish High Street. It’s been in business nearly a century. Many of its 800stores are likely to close following the company’s decision to call inadministrators after an attempt to sell the business for a token £1 failed.” 可得出第3题答案A) It is likely to close manyof its stores. 以及第4题答案D) Sell the business for one pound. 但是其余选项中部分信息也有读到，同学们在听时应留心细节。