2003 年 1 月英语四级真题及答案
Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)
Section A
Directions: Inthissection,youwillhear10shortconversations.Attheendofeach
conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the
conversationandthequestionwillbespokenonlyonce.Aftereachquestion
therewillbeapause.Duringthepause,youmustreadthefourchoicesmarked
A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the
corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the
center.
Example:
You will hear:
You will read:
A) At the office.
B) In the waiting room.
C) At the airport.
D) In a restaurant.
From the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they will
start at 9 o’clock in the morning and have to finish at 2 in the afternoon. Therefore,
A) “At the office” is the correct answer. You should choose [A] on the Answer Sheet
and mark it with a single line through the center.
Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]
1.
A) They are both anxious to try Italian food.
B) They are likely to have dinner together.
C) The man will treat the woman to dinner tonight.
D) The woman refused to have dinner with the man.
2.
A) It’s only for rent, not for sale.
B) It’s not as good as advertised.
C) It’s being redecorated.
D) It’s no longer available.
3.
A) Colleagues.
B) Husband and wife.
C) Employer and employee.
D) Mother and son.
4.
A) She contacts her parents occasionally.
B) She phones her parents regularly at weekends.
C) She visits her parents at weekends when the fares are down.
D) She often call her parents regardless of the rates.
5.
A) The next bus is coming soon.
B) The bus will wait a few minutes at the stop.
C) There are only two or three passengers waiting for the bus.
D) They can catch this bus without running.
6.
A) The assignment looks easy but actually it’s quite difficult.
B) The assignment is too difficult for them to complete on time.
C) They cannot finish the assignment until Thursday.
D) They have plenty of time to work on the assignment.
7.
A) The man will go to meet the woman this evening.
B) The man and the woman have an appointment at 7 o’clock.
C) The woman can’t finish making the jam before 7 o’clock.
D) The woman won’t be able to see the man this evening.
8.
A) She’s learned a lot from the literature class.
B) She’s written some books about world classics.
C) She’s met some of the world’s best writers.
D) She’s just back from a trip round the world.
9.
A) The exam was easier than the previous one.
B) Joe is sure that he will do better in the next exam.
C) Joe probably failed in the exam.
D) The oral part of the exam was easier than the written part.
10. A) She is tired of driving in heavy traffic.
B) She doesn’t mind it as the road conditions are good.
C) She is unhappy to have to drive such a long way every day.
D) She enjoys it because she’s good at driving.
Section B Compound Dictation
Directions: Inthissection,youwillhearapassagethreetimes.Whenthepassageis
readforthefirsttime,youshouldlistencarefullyforitsgeneralidea.
When thepassage is read forthe second time, you are requiredto fill in
theblanksnumberedfromS1toS7withtheexactwordsyouhavejustheard.
ForblanksnumberedfromS8toS10youarerequiredtofillinthemissing
information.Youcaneitherusetheexactwordsyouhavejustheardorwrite
downthemainpoints inyourown words.Finally,when thepassageisread
for the third time, you should check what you have written.
It’s difficult to imagine the sea ever running out of fish. It’s so vast, so deep,
so (S1) ________. Unfortunately, it’s not bottomless. Over-fishing, (S2) ________ with
destructive fishing practices, is killing off the fish and (S3) ________ their
environment.
Destroy the fish, and you destroy the fishermen’s means of living. At least 60
(S4) ________ of the world’s commercially important fish (S5) ________ are already
over-fished, or fished to the limit. As a result, governments have had to close down
some areas of sea to commercial fishing.
Big, high-tech fleets (S6) ________ that everything in their path is pulled out
of water. Anything too small, or the wrong thing, is thrown back either dead or dying.
That’s an (S7) ________ of more than 20 million metric tons every year. (S8) ________.
In some parts of the world, for every kilogram of prawns (对虾) caught, up to 15
kilograms of unsuspecting fish and other marine wildlife die, simply for being in the
wrong place at the wrong time.
True, (S9) ________, then catch them in a way that doesn’t kill other innocent
sea life.
Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some
questionsorunfinishedstatements.Foreachofthemtherearefourchoices
markedA),B),C)andD).Youshoulddecideonthebestchoiceandmarkthe
corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the
center.
Passage One
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point,
however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to
ask: What is a hero?
Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share
a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell
and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage
transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can
be used by ordinary people.
The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero
experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes
is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer
or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but
not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans
find life more abundant?
Heroes are catalysts(催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop.
They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities.
Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks
and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated(隔离的) buses, restaurants,
and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with
magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain,
and the committee meetings endless.
11. Although heroes may come from different cultures, they ________.
A) generally possess certain inspiring characteristics
B) probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C) are often influenced by previous generations
D) all unknowingly attract a large number of fans
12. According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that
________.
A) they have a vision from the mountaintop
B) they have warm feelings and emotions
C) they can serve as concrete examples of noble principles
D) they can make people feel stronger and more confident
13. Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because ________.
A) they are popular only among certain groups of people
B) their performances do not improve their fans morally
C) their primary concern is their own financial interests
D) they are not clear about the principles they should follow
14. Gandhi and Martin Luther King are typical examples of outstanding leaders who
________.
A) are good at demonstrating their charming characters
B) can move the masses with their forceful speeches
C) are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
D) can provide an answer to the problems of their people
15. The author concludes that historical changes would ________.
A) be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
B) not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
C) take place ff there were heroes to lead the people
D) produce leaders with attractive personalities
Passage Two
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
According to a survey, which was based on the responses of over 188,000 students,
today’s traditional-age college freshmen are “more materialistic and less altruistic
(利他主义的)” than at any time in the 17 years of the poll.
Not surprising in these hard times, the student’s major objective “is to be
financially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy
of life.” It follows then that today the most popular course is not literature or
history but accounting.
Interest in teaching, social service and the “altruistic” fields is at a low.
On the other hand, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science
is way up.
That’s no surprise either. A friend of mine (a sales representative for a chemical
company) was making twice the salary of her college instructors her first year on the
job—even before she completed her two-year associate degree.
While it’s true that we all need a career, it is equally true that our civilization
has accumulated an incredible amount of knowledge in fields far removed from our own
and that we are better for our understanding of these other contributions—be they
scientific or artistic. It is equally true that, in studying the diverse wisdom of others,
we learn how to think. More important, perhaps, education teaches us to see the
connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs.
Weekly we read of unions who went on strike for higher wages, only to drive their
employer out of business. No company; no job. How shortsighted in the long run!
But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the
accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently
which shows a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table;
one of them is talking on the intercom(对讲机): “Miss Baxter,” he says, “could you
please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?”
From the long-term point of view, that’s what education really ought to be about.
16. According to the author’s observation, college students ________.
A) have never been so materialistic as today
B) have never been so interested in the arts
C) have never been so financially well off as today
D) have never attached so much importance to moral sense
17. The students’ criteria for selecting majors today have much to do with ________.
A) the influences of their instructors
B) the financial goals they seek in life
C) their own interpretations of the courses
D) their understanding of the contributions of others
18. By saying “While it’s true that... be they scientific or artistic” (Lines 1-3,
Para. 5), the author means that ________.
A) business management should be included in educational programs
B) human wisdom has accumulated at an extraordinarily high speed
C) human intellectual development has reached new heights
D) the importance of a broad education should not be overlooked
19. Studying the diverse wisdom of others can ________.
A) create varying artistic interests
B) help people see things in their right perspective
C) help improve connections among people
D) regulate the behavior of modern people
20. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A) Businessmen absorbed in their career are narrow-minded.
B) Managers often find it hard to tell right from wrong.
C) People engaged in technical jobs lead a more rewarding life.
D) Career seekers should not focus on immediate interests only.
Passage Three
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It’s now
a “global village” where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite
link. And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech communications
equipment is greatly enhanced by foreign language skills.
Deeply involved with this new technology is a breed of modern businesspeople who
have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets,
success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts.
Overseas assignments are becoming increasingly important to advancement within
executive ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being
“out of sight and out of mind.” He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is
central to the company’s plan for success, and that promotions often follow or
accompany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment
overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to cope back
in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues
are becoming more and more prevalent (普遍的).
Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communications devices with business
applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into
international markets.
English is still the international language of business. But there is an
ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn’t
generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate
the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal
The employee posted abroad who speaks the country’s principal language has an
opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and cam have the cultural insight
to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can
communicate well with foreign clients over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious
asset to the firm.
21. What is the author’s attitude toward high-tech communications equipment?
A) Critical.
B) Prejudiced.
C) Indifferent.
D) Positive.
22. With the increased use of high-tech communications equipment, businesspeople
________.
A) have to get familiar with modern technology
B) are gaining more economic benefits from domestic operations
C) are attaching more importance to their overseas business
D) are eager to work overseas
23. In this passage, “out of sight and out of mind” (Lines 2-3, Para. 3) probably
means ________.
A) being unable to think properly for lack of insight
B) being totally out of touch with business at home
C) missing opportunities for promotion when abroad
D) leaving all care and worry behind
24. According to the passage, what is an important consideration of international
corporations in employing people today?
A) Connections with businesses overseas.
B) Ability to speak the client’s language.
C) Technical know-how.
D) Business experience.
25. The advantage of employees having foreign language skills is that they can ________.
A) better control the whole negotiation process
B) easily find new approaches to meet market needs
C) fast-forward their proposals to headquarters
D) easily make friends with businesspeople abroad
Passage Four
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
In recent years, Israeli consumers have grown more demanding as they’ve become
wealthier and more worldly-wise. Foreign travel is a national passion; this summer alone,
one in 10 citizens will go abroad. Exposed to higher standards of service elsewhere,
Israelis are returning home expecting the same. American firms have also begun arriving
in large numbers. Chains such as KFC, McDonald’s and Pizza Hut are setting a new
standard of customer service, using strict employee training and constant monitoring
to ensure the friendliness of frontline staff. Even the American habit of telling
departing customers to “Have a nice day” has caught on all over Israel. “Nobody wakes
up in the morning and says, ‘Let’s be nicer,’” says Itsik Cohen, director of a
consulting firm. “Nothing happens without competition.”
Privatization, or the threat of it, is a motivation as well. Monopolies (垄断者)
that until recently have been free to take their customers for granted now fear what
Michael Perry, a marketing professor, calls “the revengeful(报复的) consumer.” When
the government opened up competition with Bezaq, the phone company, its international
branch lost 40% of its market share, even while offering competitive rates. Says Perry,
“People wanted revenge for all the years of bad service.” The electric company, whose
monopoly may be short-lived, has suddenly mopped requiring users to wait half a day
for a repairman. Now, appointments are scheduled to the half-hour. The graceless El
Al Airlines, which is already at auction (拍 卖 ), has retrained its employees to
emphasize service and is boasting about the results in an ad campaign with the slogan,
“You can feel the change in the air.” For the first time, praise outnumbers complaints
on customer survey sheets.
26. It may be inferred from the passage that ________.
A) customer service in Israel is now improving
B) wealthy Israeli customers are hard to please