2015年12月四级答案（最新版）

When you look up at the night sky, what do you see? There are other (26) heavenly bodies out there besides the moon and stars. One of the most (27) fascinating of these is a comet.

Comets were formed around the same time the Earth was formed. They are (28) made up of ice and other frozen liquids and gases. (29) Now and then these “dirty snowballs” begin to orbit the sun, just as the planets do.

As a comet gets closer to the sun, some gases in it begin to unfreeze. They (30) combine with dust particles from the comet to form a huge cloud. As the comet gets even nearer to the sun, a solar wind blows the cloud behind the comet, thus forming its tail. The tail and the (31) generally fuzzy atmosphere around a comet are (32) characteristics that can help identify this (33) phenomenon in the night sky.

In any given year, about a dozen known comets come close to the sun in their orbits. The average person can’t see them all, of course. Usually there is only one or two a year bright enough to be seen with the (34) naked eye. Comet Hale-Bopp, discovered in 1995, was an unusually bright comet. Its orbit brought it (35) relatively close to the Earth, within 122 million miles of it. But Hale-Bopp came a long way on its earthly visit. It won’t be back for another four thousand years or so.

 

Part I Writing
【“活到老，学到老”参考范文】
As an old saying goes, “ Learning is a daily experience and a lifetime mission”. Apparently, the meaning of this saying is that if we truly desire to learn something, we are supposed to devote our life to it.
　　There are several reasons accounting for this viewpoint. Firstly, learning itself is an actually complicated and painful matter, and as a result, it is advisable for us to commit much more time even our whole life to it. Additionally, it is exceedingly obvious that we are easy to forget what we learned, and accordingly, the significance of lifetime learning cannot be ignored. For example, memorizing vocabulary is commonly the first step of preparing for an English test.
To sum up, lifelong learning lays a solid foundation to the development of ourselves, and only when we realize the significance of lifetime learning can we understand the essence of learning.

Part II Listening Comprehension

Short conversations
1.
M: Do you remember the wonderful film on space exploration we watched together last month?
W: Sure. It's actually the most impressive one I've seen on that topic.
Q: What do we learn about the speakers?

2.
W: Are you looking for anything in particular?
M: Yes. My son is graduating from high school and I want to get him something special.
Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?

3.
M: Mike told me yesterday that he'd been looking in vain for a job in the art gallery.
W: Really? If I remember right, he had a chance to work there but he turned it down.
Q: What does the woman say about Mike?

4.
W: Would you like to come to Susan's birthday party tomorrow evening?
M: I'm going to give a lecture tomorrow. I wish I could be in two places at the same time.
Q: What does the man mean?

5.
W: Aren't you discouraged by the slow progress your staff is making?
M: Yes. I think I'll give them a deadline and hold them to it.
Q: What is the man probably going to do?

6.
W: Excuse me, could you tell me where the visitor's parking is? I left my car there.
M: Sure. It's in Lot C, over that way.
Q: What does the woman want to know?

7.
W: You look great now that you've taken those fitness classes.
M: Thanks. I've never thought better in my life.
Q: What does the man mean?

8.
W: I really admire the efficiency of your secretaries.
M: Our company selects only the best. They have a heavy workload and we give them a lot of responsibilities.
Q: What are the speakers talking about? 

 

Conversation One

W: Hi, Leo. Why do you say English will become the world language?
M: Well, for one thing, it's so commonly used. The only language that is used by more people is Chinese.
W: Why is English spoken by so many people?
M: It's spoken in many countries of the world because of the British Empire. And now, of course, there's influence of America as well.
W: Many students find English a difficult language to learn.
M: Oh, all languages are difficult to learn. But English does have two great advantages.
W: What are they?
M: Well, first of all, it has a very international vocabulary. It has many German, Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian words in it. So speakers of those languages will find many familiar words in English. In fact, English has words from many other languages as well.
W: Why is that?
M: Well, partly because English speakers have travelled a lot. They bring back words with them, so English really does have an international vocabulary.
W: And what's the other advantage of English?
M: It's that English grammar is really quite easy. For example, it doesn't have dozens of different endings for its nouns, adjectives and verbs, not like Latin, Russian, and German for example.
W: Why is that?
M: Well, it's quite interesting actually. It's because of the French. When the French ruled England, French was the official language and only the common people spoke English. They try to make the language as simple as possible, so they made the grammar easier.

Q9: What does the man say about Chinese?
Q10: What made English a widely used language?
Q11: What is said to be special about English vocabulary?

 

Conversation Two

M: Hello. Yes?
W: Hello. Is that the sales department?
M: Yes, it is.
W: Oh, well, my name's Jane Kingsbury of GPF Limited. Hmm, we need some supplies for our design office.
M: Uh, what's sort?
W: Well, first of all, we need one complete new drawing board.
M: A DO44 or DO45?
W: Uh, I don't know. What's the difference?
M: Well, the 45 costs 15 pounds more.
W: Hmm, so what's the total price then?
M: It's 387 pounds.
W: Does that include value added tax?
M: Oh, I'm not sure, most of the prices do. Yes, I think it does.
W: Hmm, what are the boards actually made of?
M: Oh, I don't know. I think it's a sort of plastic stuff these days. It's white anyway.
W: Hmm, and how long does it take to deliver?
M: Oh, I couldn't really say. It depends on how much work we've got and how many other orders there are to send out, you know.
W: Ok. Now we also want some drawing pens, ink and rulers and some drawing paper.
M: Oh, dear, the girl that takes orders for supplies isn't here this morning, so I can't take those orders for you. I only do the equipment, you see.
W: OK. Well, perhaps I'll ring back tomorrow.
M: So do you want the drawing board then?
W: I'll have to think about it. Thanks very much. I'll let you know. Goodbye.
M: Thank you. Goodbye.

Q12: What is the woman's purpose in making the phone call?
Q13: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?
Q14: What does the man say about delivery?
Q15: What does the woman say she will possibly do tomorrow?

 

 

 

Passage One
No one knows for sure just how old kites are. In fact, they have been in use for centuries. 25 centuries ago, kites were well-known in China. These first kites were probably made of wood. They may even have been covered with silk, because silk was used a lot at that time.

Early kites were built for certain uses. In ancient China, they were used to carry ropes across rivers. Once across, the ropes were tied down and wooden bridges were hung from them. Legend tales of one general who flew musical kites over the enemy’s camp. The enemy fled, believing the sounds to be the warning voices of angels. By the 15th centuries, many people flew kites in Europe. Marco Polo may have brought the kite back from his visit to China. The kite has been linked to great names and events. For instance, Benjamin Franklin used the kite to prove that lightening is electricity. He flew the kite in a storm. He did this in order to draw lightening from the clouds. He tied a metal key and a strip of silk to the kite line. The silk ribbon would stop the lightening from passing through his body. Benjamin’s idea was first laughed at, but later on it led to the invention of the lightening rod.

With such grand history, kite flying is sure to remain an entertaining and popular sport.

Q16: What does the speaker say about kites?
Q17: What did ancient Chinese use kites to do?
Q18: Why did Benjamin Franklin fly a kite in a storm?

 

Passage Two

I have learned many languages, but I have not mastered them the way a professional interpreter or translator has. Still, they have opened doors for me. They have allowed me the opportunity to seek jobs in international contexts and help me get those jobs. Like many people who have lived overseas for a while, I simply got crazy about it. I can’t imagine living my professional or social life without international interactions. Since 1977, I have spent much more time abroad than in the United States. I like going to new places, eating new foods and experiencing new cultures. If you can speak the language, it’s easier to get to know the country and its people. If I had the time and money, I would live for a year in as many countries as possible.

Beyond my career, my facility with languages has given me a few rare opportunities. Once just after I returned from my year in Vienna, I was asked to translate for a German judge at an Olympic level horse event. I learned a lot about the sport. In Japan, once when I was in the studio audience of a TV cooking show, I was asked to go up on the stage and taste the beef dish that was being prepared and tell what I thought. They asked, “Was it as good as American beef?” It was very exciting for me to be on Japanese TV speaking in Japanese about how delicious the beef was.

Q19: What does the speaker say about herself?

Q20: What does the speaker say about many people who have lived overseas for a while?

Q21: How does the speaker’s experience of living in Vienna benefit her?

Q22: What was the speaker asked to do in a Japanese studio? 

 

Passage Three

Doctor Ben Carson grew up in a poor single parent household in Detroit. His mother, who had only a third-grade education, worked two jobs cleaning bathrooms. To his classmates and even to his teachers, he was thought of as the dumbest kid in the class, according to his own not so fond memories. He had a terrible temper, and once threatened to kill another child. Doctor Carson was headed down a path of self-destruction until a critical moment in his youth. His mother, convinced that she had to do something dramatic to prevent him from leading a life of failure, laid down some rules. He could not watch television except for two programs a week, could not play with his friends after school until he finished his homework, and had to read two books a week and write book reports about them. His mother’s strategy worked. “Of course, I didn’t know she couldn’t read, so there I was submitting these reports.” He said. “She would put check marks on them like she had been reading them. As I began to read about scientists, economists and philosophers, I started imaging myself in their shoes. As he got in the habit of hard work, his grades began to soar. Ultimately, he received a scholarship to attend Yale University. And later, he was admitted to the University of Michigan Medical School. He is now a leading surgeon at John’s Hopkins Medical School, and he’s also the author of three books.

Q23. What do we learn about Ben Carson?

Q24. What did Ben Carson classmates and teachers think about him when he was first in school? 

Q25. What does Ben Carson mother tell him to do when he was a school boy? 

 

Part Ш Reading Comprehension
Section A
【选词填空】
36. G favorite
37 M protest
38. B amount
39. D theories
40. I immediately
41. D crazy
42. F difference
43. J naturally
44. H happening
45. C confirmed

Section B
【快速阅读】
46. I She criticized me when I included little-known...
47. C My mother, who is just shy of five feet tall...
48. K Somewhere along the way i set aside my hopes...
49. E Criticism, at its best, is deeply personal,and gets to the ....
50. B When good students turn in an essay, they dream of ....
51. E Criticism, at its best, is deeply personal,and gets to the ....
52. F Franz Kafka once said: “writing is utter solitude...
53. H My mother said she would help me with my writing...
54. I She criticized me when I included little-known references...
55. H My mother said she would help me with my writing...
【仔细阅读】
56 . Its success is hard to copy anywhere else
57. Lack of the right kind of talents.
58. Its location is not as attractive to rich people
59. It is an old city...
60. They can do more than...
61. It may prevent your business and career from advancing.
62. Encourage people to disagree and argue.
63. To find out ...
64. They take care ...
65. Acknowledge ...

Section C
Part IV Translation
【原文】
云南省的丽江古镇是中国著名的旅游目的地之一。那里的生活节奏比大多数中国的城市都要缓慢。丽江到处都是美丽的自然风光，众多的少数民族同胞提供了各式各样，丰富多彩的文化让游客体验。历史上，丽江还以“爱之城”而闻名。当地人中流传着许多关于人生，为爱而死的故事。如今，在中外游客眼中，这个古镇被视为爱情和浪漫的天堂。（paradise）

【参考译文】
　Lijiang, an ancient town in Yunan province, is one of the famous tourist attractions in China. The life tempo there is slower than that of majority of cities in China. There is natural scenery everywhere in Lijiang. A substantial number of minority peoples provide various and colorful cultures for tourists to experience. Lijiang has also been known as the “City of Love” in history. Plenty of legends about people born for love and died for love circulate among the local people. Currently, this ancient town is regarded as the paradise of love and romance in the eyes of both Chinese and foreign visitors.

 

 

四级翻译

第一套

The annual Chinese language speech competition was held in Changsha this year. This contest has been proved to be a good way to promote cultural communication between China and the rest of the world. It provided a better chance to understand China for young people around the world. A total of 126 contestants from 87.

countries gathered in the capital of Hunan Province and participated in the semi-final and final from July 6th to August 5th. The competition was not the only activity. Contestants also had the opportunity to visit well-known scenic spots and historical sites in other parts of China.

 

第二套

中国父母往往过于关注孩子的学习，以至于不要他们帮忙做家务。他们对孩子的首要要求就是努力学习，考得好，能上名牌大学。他们相信这是为孩子好，因为在中国这样竞争激烈的社会里，只有成绩好才能保证前途光明。中国父母还认为，如果孩子能在社会上取得大的成就，父母就会受到尊敬。因此，他们愿意牺牲自己的时间、爱好和兴趣，为孩子提供更好的条件。

Chinese parents are often too concerned about their children's learning, so that their children do not need to help with housework. These parents' primary requirement for children is to study hard, do well in exams, and get admitted to famous universities. They believe this is good for their children, because in such competitive society as China, only good grades can guarantee a promising future. Chinese parents also hold the belief that if their children could achieve great success in society, the parents themselves would be respected. Therefore, they are willing to sacrifice their time, hobbies and interests to provide their children with better conditions.

点评

1. 词汇：

本篇四级翻译考查的是考生熟悉的社会和教育问题，没有超纲难词，词汇考查部难度不高。

家务 housework

竞争激烈的 competitive

成绩好 good grades

牺牲 sacrifice

2. 语法：

除了基础语法的主谓一致、名词单复数、被动语态等语法点之外，这篇四级翻译还侧重考查逻辑联系，如并列关系（努力学习，考得好，能上名牌大学）、因果关系（他们相信这是为孩子好，因为在中国这样竞争激烈的社会里，只有成绩好才能保证前途光明）。此外，还将条件状语从句和虚拟语气叠加考查（中国父母还认为，如果孩子能在社会上取得大的成就，父母就会受到尊敬），整篇翻译还是有一定难度的。

 

第一篇

参考答案及解析

61题，定位到第一段最后一句“varies byculture”，所以答案选A——They areculture-related.

62题，由题干的大写名词Russian定位到第二段和第三段。第二段的“Russian, for example, began towake up about a half-hour later each day”这一句是干扰句，起得晚不一定睡得早，所以答案推不出“他们比其他地方的人睡得更久”。然后看到第三段“Russia’sother late nights and early mornings generally coincided withpublic holidays”，所以答案为C——They don’t sleep much onholidays。

63题，题干问的是欧洲人缺乏睡眠的major cause主要原因是什么，由题干的大写名词Europeans’loss定位到倒数第二段的“comparedto Germans, Italians, and the French, who stayed up around an hourand a half later on various days throughout the summer to watch theCup”，原文的Germans, Italians, and theFrench就是题干中“Europeans”的同义改写，而他们stayed up就是为了to watch theCup，所以说他们缺乏睡眠的原因便是C选项——The World Cup。

64题，问的是富有的人使用设备来记录他们的睡眠模式的原因。由rich people以及device定位到最后一段第一句，定位句只说到了记录的事实，而非其原因。按照四级阅读金三句原则看到定位句的下一句“And people who elect to track their sleep may try to get more sleep than the average person”，记录睡眠的人是想要得到比普通人更多的睡眠，所以答案是B——Theywant to get sufficient sleep.

65题，问的是作者在最后一段所表达的观点，定位到最后一句If the most healthconscious among us have such deep swings in our shuteye levels throughout the year, how much sleep are the rest of us losing? 作者提到了health-conscious，人们对健康的意识是缺乏的，对健康是视而不见的，所以答案选B——Fewpeople really know the importance of sleep.

 

作文一：

Writing

For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying “Never go  out there to see what happens, go out there to  make something happen” You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of being creative rather than mere onlookers in life. You should write at least 120 words, no more than 180 words.

作文二：

For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying “Never go out there to see what happens, go out there to make things happen.” You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of being participants rather than mere onlookers in life. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

破题思路:

第一段: 解释引言内容. 提出文章的主旨: “不要只出去看，而要做”

第二段: 分析原因 此处可以结合例子.

第三段: 得出结论

参考范文：

There is an old saying “Never go out there to see what happens, go out there to make things happen”. It’s the experience of our forefathers，however，it is correct in many cases even today.

Only when you participate more can you make things perfect. Participation has been more and more important in the society. Students are asked to enter society and get some ideas of it. Surely participation has many advantages. Firstly, it can offer students a chance to contact society and meet different kinds of people. In this way people can gain some valuable social experience, which will be useful to their future life. Secondly, as college students, we can apply what they have learned in class to practical work, thus knowing themselves more clearly. Take the study of oral English for example, participation in any chances of communications with others in English, which enables us to become fluent in speaking.

In summary, participation is the key factor in our daily life no matter who you are, no matter what you are doing. We should put their studies in the first place and see participation just as a useful supplement, so they ought to try to strike a balance between them.

作文三：

Listening Is More Important Than Talking
As research shows, 70% to 80% of our lifetime is spent on certain kinds of communication, such as writing, speaking and listening. Among these, listening is actually the most important technique.
Then why is it that listening is more important than talking? Firstly, when we make acquaintance of someone, listening helps us understand others better and thus winning friendship. Secondly, knowing the art of listening can facilitate communication and avoid conflict with people on intimate terms, such as our parents and spouse. Last but not least, if we obey the principle of listening in the workplace, we are more likely to do the right thing and avoid detours.
Therefore, it is safe to say that listening from the bottom of our hearts can bring us a lot of benefits. I would like to quote the legend John Rockefeller's words, which I can't agree more, to end my essay: "A little practice in listening can produce amazing results."

 

 

2015年12月英语四级作文题目之一是go out there to see what happens, go out there to make something happen （ 做一个行动派）。该话题属于个人成长类话题，下面给大家提供本次作文的参考范文。

While we often hear some people say that they have great plans and fantastic dreams, they seldom put their plans into reality. These people are the talker not the actor. However, it is the actor not the talker who can achieve the goal.

Rome was not built in one day. We should realize our dream step by step. Although one day’s improvement is little, it can finally become tremendous, so we should not look down upon the trival things. Take study for example, those who stand out in the class are often not the smart ones who ignore everyday actions but the ones who are deligent and devide their dreams into everyday’s action. 

Therefore, go out there to see what happens, and go out there to make something happen. Only when you go out to act everyday can you make your dreams come true