2008 年 6 月英语六级真题及答案
Writing
Part I
Directions: Forthispart,youareallowed30minutestowriteashortessayentitledWillE-books
ReplaceTraditionalBooks?Youshouldwriteatleast150wordsfollowingtheoutlinegivenbelow.
1.随着信息技术的发展,电子图书越来越多
2.有人认为电子图书会取代传统图书,理由是……
3.我的看法
(30 minutes)
Will E-books Replace Traditional Books?
Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)
Part II
Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the
questionsonAnswerSheet1.Forquestions1-7,choosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarked
[A], [B], [C] and [D]. For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in
the passage.
(15 minutes)
What will the world be like in fifty years?
This week some top scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, gave their vision of how
the world will look in 2056,fron gas-powered cars to extraordinary health advances, John Ingham
reports on what the world’s finest minds believe our futures will be.
For those of us lucky enough to live that long,2056 will be a world of almost perpetual
youth, where obesity is a remote memory and robots become our companions.
We will be rubbing shoulders with aliens and colonizing outer space. Better still, our
descendants might at last live in a world at peace with itself.
The prediction is that we will have found a source of inexbaustible, safe, green energy,
and that science will have killed off religion. If they are right we will have removed two
of the main causes of war-our dependence on oil and religious prejudice.
Will we really, as today’s scientists claim, be able to live for ever or at least cheat
the ageing process so that the average person lives to 150?
Of course, all these predictions come with a scientific health warning. Harvard professor
Steven Pinker says: “This is an invitation to look foolish, as with the predictions of domed
cities and nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners that were made 50 year ago.”
Living longer
Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute in North Carolina, belives failing
organs will be repaired by injecting cells into the body. They will naturally to straight
to the injury and help heal it. A system of injections without needles could also slow the
ageing process by using the same process to “tune” cells.
Bruce Lahn, professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago, anticipates the
1
ability to produce“unlimited supplies” of transplantable human organs without the needed
a new organ, such as kidney, the surgeon would contact a commercial organ producer, give him
the patient’s immuno-logical profile and would then be sent a kidney with the correct tissue
type.
These organs would be entirely composed of human cells, grown by introducing them into
animal hosts, and alloweing them to deveoop into and organ in place of the animal’s own.
But Prof. Lahn believes that farmed brains would be “off limits”.He says: “Very few people
would want to have their brains replaced by someone else’s and we probably don’t want to
put a human brain ing an animal body.”
Richard Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan, thinks scientist could
develop“an thentic anti-ageing drugs” by working out how cells in larger animals such as
whales and human resist many forms of injuries. He says:“It’s is now routine, in laboratory
mammals, to extend lifespan by about 40%. Turning on the same protective systems in people
should, by 2056, create the first class of 100-year-olds who are as vigorous and productive
as today’s people in their 60s”
Aliens
Conlin Pillinger ,professor of planerary sciences at the Open University,says:”I fancy
that at least we will be able to show that life didi start to evolve on Mars well as
Earth.”Within 50years he hopes scientists will prove that alien life came here in Martian
meteorites(陨石).
Chris McKay,a planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center.believes that in 50
years we may find evidence of alien life in ancient permanent forst of Mars or on other planers.
He adds:”There is even a chance we will find alien life forms here on Earth.It mightbe
as different as English is to Chinese.
Priceton professor Freeman Dyson thinks it “likely” that life form outer space will
be discovered defore 2056 because the tools for finding it, such as optical and radio detection
and data processing,are improving.
He ays:”As soon as the first evidence is found,we will know what to look for and additional
discoveries are likely to follow quickly.Such discoveries are likely to have revolutionary
consequences for biology, astronomy and philosophy. They may change the way we look at
ourselves and our place in the universe.
Colonies in space
Richard Gottprofessor of astrophysics at Princeton,hopes man will set up a self-sufficient
colony on Mars,which would be a “life insurance policy against whatever catastrophes,natural
or otherwise,might occur on Earth.
“The real space race is whether we will colonise off Earth on to other worlds before
money for the space programme runs out.”
Spinal injuries
Ellen Heber-Katz,a professor at the Wistar Institude in Philadelphia,foresees cures for
inijuries causing paralysis such as the one that afflicated Superman star Christopher Reeve.
She says:”I believe that the day is not far off when we will be able to profescribe drugs
that cause severes(断裂的) spinal cords to heal,hearts to regenerate and lost limbs to regrow.
“People will come to expect that injured or diseased organs are meant to be repaired
from within,inmuch the same way that we fix an appliance or automobile:by replancing the
2
damaged part with a manufacturer-certified new part.”She predict that within 5 to 10 years
fingers and toes will be regrown and limbs will start to be regrown a few years later. Reparies
to the nervous system will start with optic nerves and,in time,the spinal cord.”Within 50years
whole body replacement will be routine,”Prof.Heber-Katz adds.
Obesity
Sydney Brenner,senior distinguished fellow of the Crick-Jacobs Center in California,won
the 2002 Noblel Prize for Medicine and says that if there is a global disaster some humans
will survive-and evolition will favour small people with bodies large enough to support the
required amount of brain power.”Obesity,”he says.”will have been solved.”
Robots
Rodney Brooks,professor of robotice at MIT,says the problems of developing artificial
intelligence for robots will be at least partly overcome.As a result,”the possibilities for
robots working with people will open up immensely”
Energy
Bill Joy,green technology expert in Califomia,says:”The most significant breakthrought
would be to have an inexhaustible source of safe,green energy that is substantially cheaper
than any existing energy source.”
Ideally,such a source would be safe in that it could not be made into weapons and would
not make hazardous or toxic waste or carbon dioxide,the main greenhouse gas blamed for global
warming.
Society
Geoffrey Miller,evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico,says:”The US
will follow the UKin realizing that religion is nor a prerequisite (前提)for ordinary human
decency.
“This,science will kill religion-not by reason challenging faith but by offering a more
practical,uniwersal and rewarding moral frameworkfor human interaction.”
He also predicts that “ahsurdly wasteful”displays of wealth will become umfashionable
while the importance of close-knit communities and families will become clearer.
These there changer,he says,will help make us all”brighe\ter,wiser,happier and kinder”.
注意:此部分试题请在答题卡 1 上作答。
1. What is john lngham’s report about?
A)A solution to the global energy crisis
B)Extraordinary advances in technology.
C)The latest developments of medical science
D)Scientists’vision of the world in halfa century
2. According to Harvard professor Steven Pinker,predictions about the future_____.
A)may invite trouble
B)may not come true
C)will fool the public
D)do more harm than good
3. Professor Bruce Lahn of the University of Chicago predicts that____.
A)humans won’t have to donate organs for transplantation
3
B)more people will donate their organs for transplantation
C)animal organs could be transplanted into human bodies
D)organ transplantation won’t be as scary as it is today
4. According to professor Richard Miller of the University of Michigarr, prople will____.
A)life for as long as they wish
B)be relieved from all sufferings
C) life to 100 and more with vitality
D)be able to live longer than whales
5. Priceton professor Freeman Syson thinks that____.
A)scientists will find alien life similar to ours
B)humans will be able to settle on Mars
C)alien life will likely be discovered
D)life will start to evolve on Mars
6. According to Princeton professor Richard Gott,by setting up a self-sufficient colony on
Mars,
Humans_____.
A)Might survie allcatastrophes on earth
B)Might acquire ample natural resources
C)Will be able to travel to Mars freely
D)Will move there to live a better life
7. Ellen Heber-Katz, professor at the Wistar Institue in Philadelpia,predicts that_____.
A)human organs can bu manufactured like appliances
B)people will be as strong and dymamic as supermen
C) human nerves can be replanced by optic fibers
D)lost fingers and limbs will be able to regrow
development of__artificaial intelligence for robots_____
8. rodney Brooks says that it will be possible for robots to work with humans as a result
or the
9. The most significant breakthrough predicted by Bill joy will be an inexhaustible green
energy source that can’t be used to make__pollutions___________
10. According to Geoffrey Miller, science will offer a more practical, universal and rewarding
moral framework in place of _________religion_______
Part III
Listening Comprehension
Section A
Directions: Inthissection,youwillhear8shortconversationsand2longconversations.Atthe
end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the
conversationandthequestionswillbespokenonlyonce.Aftereachquestiontherewillbeapause.
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 Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through
the centre.
(35 minutes)
4
注意: 此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答
11. A) The man might be able to play in the World Cup.
B) The man’s football career seems to be at an end.
C) The man was operated on a few weeks ago.
D) The man is a fan of world-famous football players.
12. A) Work out a plan to tighten his budget
B) Find out the opening hours of the cafeteria.
C) Apply for a senior position in the restaurant.
D) Solve his problem by doing a part-time job.
13. A) A financial burden.
B) A good companion
C) A real nuisance.
D) A well-trained pet.
14. A) The errors will be corrected soon.
C) The computing system is too complex.
B) The woman was mistaken herself.
D) He has called the woman several times.
15. A) He needs help to retrieve his files.
B) He has to type his paper once more.
C) He needs some time to polish his paper.
D) He will be away for a two-week conference.
16. A) They might have to change their plan.
B) He has got everything set for their trip.
C) He has a heavier workload than the woman.
D) They could stay in the mountains until June 8.
17. A) They have wait a month to apply for a student loan.
B) They can find the application forms in the brochure.
C) They are not eligible for a student loan.
D) They are not late for a loan application.
18. A) New laws are yet to be made to reduce pollutant release.
B) Pollution has attracted little attention from the public.
C) The quality of air will surely change for the better.
D) It’ll take years to bring air pollution under control.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. A) Enormous size of its stores.
C) Its appealing surroundings.
B) Numerous varieties of food.
D) Its rich and colorful history.
20. A) An ancient building.
B) A world of antiques.
C) An Egyptian museum.
D) An Egyptian Memorial.
21. A) Its power bill reaches $9 million a year.
5
B) It sells thousands of light bulbs a day.
C) It supplies power to a nearby town.
D) It generates 70% of the electricity it uses.
22. A) 11,500
B) 30,000
C) 250,000
D) 300,000
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. A) Transferring to another department.
C) Thinking about doing a different job.
B) Studying accounting at a university
D) Making preparation for her wedding.
24. A) She has finally got a promotion and a pay raise.
B) She has got a satisfactory job in another company.
C) She could at last leave the accounting department.
D) She managed to keep her position in the company.
25. A) He and Andrea have proved to be a perfect match.
B) He changed his mind about marriage unexpectedly.
C) He declared that he would remain single all his life.
D) He would marry Andrea even without meeting her.
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 Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26.A) They are motorcycles designated for water sports.
B) They are speedy boats restricted in narrow waterways.
C) They are becoming an efficient form of water transportation.
D) They are getting more popular as a means or water recreation.
27.A)
B)
C)
D)
Waterscooter operators’ lack of experience.
Vacationers’ disregard of water safety rules.
Overloading of small boats and other craft.
Carelessness of people boating along the shore.
28.A) They scare whales to death.
B)They produce too much noise.
C) They discharge toxic emissions.
D) They endanger lots of water life.
29.A) Expand operating areas.
B) Restrict operating hours.
C) Limit the use of waterscooters.
D) Enforce necessary regulations.
6
Passage Two
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
30.A) They are stable.
C) They are strained.
D) They are changing.
C) They are close.
31.A) They are fully occupied with their own business.
B) Not many of them stay in the same place for long.
C) Not many of them can win trust from their neighbors.
D) They attach less importance to interpersonal relations.
32.A) Count on each other for help.
C) Keep a friendly distance.
B) Give each other a cold shoulder.
D) Build a fence between them.
Passage Three
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33.A) It may produce an increasing number of idle youngsters.
B) It may affect the quality of higher education in America.
C) It may cause many schools to go out of operation.
D) It may lead to a lack of properly educated workers.
34.A)It is less serious in cities than in rural areas.
B)It affects both junior and senior high schools.
C)It results from a worsening economic climate.
D)It is a new challenge facing American educators.
35. A)Allowing them to choose their favorite teachers.
B)Creating a more relaxed learning environment.
C)Rewarding excellent academic performance.
D)Helping them to develop better study habits.
Section C
Directions: 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 general idea. When the passage is read for
thesecondtime,youarerequiredtofillintheblanksnumberedfrom36to43withtheexactwords
you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing
information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write
downthemainpointsinyourownwords.Finally,whenthepassageisreadforthethirdtime,you
should check what you have written.
注意:此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。
Compound Dictation
7
I'm interested in the criminal justice system of our country. It seems to me that something
as a country. I certainly don't know what the answers
has to be done if we are to (36)
to our problems are. Things certainly get (37)
in a hurry when you get into them. But
I wonder if something couldn't be done to deal with some of these problems. One thing I'm
concerned about is our practice of putting (38)
in jail who haven't harmed anyone. Why
they can pay back the debts they owe society instead of
not work out some system (39)
(40)
of
hardened criminals? I'm also concerned about the short prison sentences people are (42)
for serious crimes. Of course, one alternative to this is to (43)
capital punishment,
but I'm not sure I would be for that. I'm not sure it's right to take an eye for an eye.
(44)
. I also think we must do something about the insanity plea. In my
opinion, anyone who takes another person’s life intentionally is insane; however (45)
It’s sad, of course, that a person may have to spend the rest of his life, or
(46)
another debt by going to prison, and of course, coming under the (41)
.
Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth)
Part IV
Section A
Directions: In this section, there isa short passagewith5 questions or incomplete statements.
Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest
possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2.
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
(25 minutes)
if movie trailers(预告片)are supposed to cause a reaction, the preview for "United 93"
more than succeeds. Featuring no famous actors, it begins with images of a beautiful morning
and passengers boarding an airplane. It takes you a minute to realize what the movie's even
about. That’s when a plane hits the World Trade Center. the effect is visceral(震撼心灵
的). When the trailer played before "Inside Man" last week at a Hollywood theater, audience
members began calling out, "Too soon!" In New York City, the response was even more dramatic.
The Loews theater in Manhattan took the rare step of pulling the trailer from its screens
after several complaints.
"United 93" is the first feature film to deal explicitly with the events of September
11, 2001, and is certain to ignite an emotional debate. Is it too soon? Should the film have
been made at all? More to the point, will anyone want to see it? Other 9/11 projects are on
the way as the fifth anniversary of the attacks approaches, most notably Oliver Stone's "
World Trade Center." but as the forerunner, "United 93"will take most of the heat, whether
it deserves it or not.
The real United 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field after 40 passengers and crew fought
back against the terrorists. Writer-director Paul Greengrass has gone to great lengths to
be respectful in his depiction of what occurred, proceeding with the film only after securing
the approval of every victim's family. "Was I surprised at the agreement? Yes. Very. Usually
there’re one or two families who're more reluctant," Greengrass writes in an e-mail. "I was
surprised at the extraordinary way the United 93 families have welcomed us into their lives
and shared their experiences with us." Carole O'Hare, a family member, says, "They were very
open and honest with us, and they made us a part of this whole project." Universal, which
is releasing the film, plans to donate 10% of its opening weekend gross to the Flight 93 National
8