2016年12⽉英语四级真题（第⼀套）Part I Writing (30minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you are two options upon graduation: one isto take a job in a company and
the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice betweenthe two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You shouldwrite at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or threequestions. Both the news report and the
questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C). Thenmark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single linethrough the centre.
Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.1. A) It was going to be renovated. C) It was dangerous to live in.B) He could no longer pay the rent. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A storm. C) A forest fire.B) A strike. D) A Terrorist attack.
Questions 3and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.B) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.C) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.D) They were trapped in an underground elevator.4. A) They provided the miner with food and water.B) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.C) They released the details of the accident.D) They tried hard to repair the accident.
Question 5 to7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Raise postage rates. C) Close some of its post offices.B) Improve its services. D) Redesign delivery routes.
6. A) Closing offices on holidays. C) Computerizing mail sorting processes.B) Shortening business hours. D) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.
7.A) A lot of controversy will ariseB) Taxpayers will be very pleasedC) Many people will begin to complainD) Many post office staff will lose their jobsSection B
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions.Both the conversation and the
questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from four choice marked A),B),C) and D).Thenmark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet 1 with a single linethough the centre.
Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)He will lose part of his pay. C)He will be given a warning.
B)He will go through retraining. D)He is go good terms with his workmates.9.A)He is an experienced press operator. C)He is always on time.B)He is trustworthy guy. D）He is go good terms with his workmates.
10.A) She is a trade union representative. C) She is better at handing such matters.B) She is a senior manager of the shop. D) She is in charge of public relation.11.A) He is always trying to stir up trouble.B) He is skilled and experienced.C) He is very close to the manager.
D) He is always complaining about low wages.
Question12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) Open. C) Selfish.B) Reserved. D) Friendly.
13.A) They read a book. C) They stay quiet.
B) They talk about the weather D) They chat with fellow passengers.14.A) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.B) She was never invited to a colleague’s home.C) She was eager to visit an English castle.D) She was always treated as a foreigner.
15. A) House are much more quiet. C) They want a garden of their own.B) They want to have more space. D) Houses provide more privacy.Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions.Both the passage and the questions
will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose thebest answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through thecentre.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They will automatically be given hiring priority.B) They don’t have to go through job interviews.C) They are likely to get much higher pay.D) They don’t have much choice of jobs.
17. A) Visit the school careers services. C) Look at school bulletin boards.B) Ask their professors for help. D) Go through campus newspapers.18. A) Providing students with information about the library.B) Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.C) Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.D) Helping students find the books and journals they need.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It tastes better. C) It is easier to grow.
B) It may be sold at a higher price. D) It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A) It can grow in drier soil. C) It will replace green tea one day.B) It is immune to various diseases. D) It is healthier than green tea.21. A) It does not have a stable market.B) It has made tea farmers’ life easier.
C) It does not bring the promised health benefits.D) It has been well received by many tea drinkers.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) They care more about environment.B) They decorate their homes themselves.C) They prefer unique objects of high quality.D) They need decorations to show their status.23. A) They made great contributions to society.B) They could only try to create at night.C) They were proud of their creations.
D) They focused on the quality of their products.
24. A) Identify fake crafts. C) Design handicrafts themselves.B) Make wise choices. D) Learn the importance of creation.
25. A) To attract foreign investments. C) To arouse public interest in crafts.B) To preserve the traditional culture. D) To boost the local economy.PARTⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list ofchoices given in a word bank
following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before makingyour choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Pleasemark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.
Many men and women have long bought into the idea that there are “male”and “female”brains, believing that explains justabout every difference between the sexes. A new study 26 [谓语动词，与questioning意义⼀致]that belief, questioningwhether brains really can be distinguished by gender.
In the study, Tel Aviv University researchers 27 [谓语动词，与for可以连⽤]for sex differences throughout the entire humanbrain
And what did they find? Not much. Rather than offer evidence for 28 [⾮谓语动词，v-ing,可以与as连⽤]brains as “male”or“female”, research shows that brains fall into a wide range, with most people falling right in the middle.
Daphna Joel, who led the study, said her research found that while there are some gender-based 29 , [前⾯是形容词，后⾯应该填写名词]many different types of brain can’t always be distinguished by gender.
While the “average” male and “average” female brains were 30 [在be与形容词之间，可能填副词或过去分词构成被动
态]different, you couldn’t tell it by looking at individual brain scans. Only a small 31 [根据意思，small后应该填写名词，“⽐例”或相近的意义]of people
had “all-male” or “all-female” characteristics.
Larry Cahill, an American neuroscientist (神经科学家), said the study is an important addition to a growing body of researchquestioning 32 [动词后，名词前，应该填写形容词，修饰名词]beliefs about gender and brain function. But he cautionedagainst concluding from this study that all brains are the same, 33 [逆接，与of连⽤]of gender.
“There’s a mountain of evidence 34 [⾮谓语动词，后⾯有宾语，应该⽤v-ing,有“证明，证实”等意义]the importance of sexinfluences at all levels of brain function ,” he told The Seattle Times.
If anything, he said, the study 35 [谓语动词]that gender plays a very important role in the brain—“even wh en we are not clearexactly how.”
A) abnormal I) regardlessB) applied J) searchedC) briefly K) similaritiesD) categorizing L) slightlyE) challenges M) suggestsF) figure N) tastes
G) percentage O) traditional、H) provingSection B
Directions: In this section, you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement containsinformation given in one of the
paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is markedwith a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letteron Answer sheet 2.
Can Burglars Jam Your wireless Security System?
[A] Any product that promises to protect your home deserves careful examination. So it isn’t
surprising that you’ll find plenty of strong opinion about the potential vulnerabilities of popular home-security systems.[B] The most likely type of burglary(⼊室盗窃) by far is the unsophisticated crime of
opportunity,[40] usually involving a broken or some forced entry. According to the FBI, crimes like these accounted for
roughly two-thirds of all household burglaries in the US in 2003. The wide majority of the rest were illegal, unforced entriesthat resulted from something like a window being left open. The FBI doesn’t even track those statistics.[C] One of the main theoretical home-security concerns is whether or not a given system is
vulnerable to being blocked from working altogether. With wired setups, the fear is that a burglar(⼊室盗窃）might be able toshut your system down simply by cutting the right cable.
With a wireless setup, you stick battery-powered sensor up around your home that keeps an
eye on windows, doors, motion, and more. If they detect something wrong while the system is armed, they’ll transm it awireless alert signal to a base station that will then raise the alarm.[42] That approach will eliminate most cord-cuttingconcerns-but what about their wireless equivalent, j amming? With the right device tuned to the right frequency, what’s tostop a thief from jamming your setup and blocking that alert signal from ever reaching the base station?[D] Jamming concerns are nothing new, and they’re not unique to security systems. Any device
t hat’s built to receive a wireless signal at a specific can be overwhelmed by a stronger signal coming in on the same
frequency. For comparison, let’s say you wanted to “jam” a conversation between two people-all you’d need to do is yell inthe listener’s ear.[37]
[E] Security devices are required to list the frequencies they broadcast on-that means that a
potential thief can find what they need to know with minimal Googling. They will, however, need to know what system they’are looking for. If you have a sign in your yard declaring what setup you use, that’d point them in the right direction, thought atthat point, we’ are talking about a highly targeted, semi-sophisticated attack, and not the sort of forced-entry attack that makesup the majority of burglaries. It’s easier to find and acquire jamming equipment for some frequencies than it is for others.[45][F] Wireless security providers will often take steps to help combat the threat of jamming attacks.
SimpliSafe, winner of our Editors’ Choice distinction, utilizes a special system that’s capable of separating incidental RFinterference form targeted jamming attacks. When the system thinks it’s being jammed, it’ll notify you via push alert （推送警报）. From there, it’s up to you to sound the alarm manually.[39]
[G] SimpliSafe was singled out in one recent article on jamming, complete with a video showing
the entire system being effectively bypassed with handheld jamming equipment .After taking appropriate measure to containthe RF interference to our test lab, we tested the attack out for ourselves, and were able to verify that it’ is possible with theright equipment. However, we also verified that SimpliSafe’s anti-jamming system words. It caught us in the act, sent an alertto my smartphone, and also listed our RF interference on the system’s event log. The team behind the article and video inquestion make no mention of the system, or whether or not it detected them.[44]
[H] We like the unique nature of that software. It means that a thief likely wouldn’t be able t o
Google how the system words, then figure out a way around it. Even if they could, SimpliSafe claims that its system is alwaysevolving, and that it varies slightly form system to system, which means there wouldn’t be a universal magic formula forcrackin g it. Other systems also seem confident on the subject of jamming. The team at Frontpoint addresses the issue in a
blog on its site, citing their own jam protection software and claiming that there aren’t any documented cases of a successfuljam attack since the company began offering wireless security sensors in the 1980s.[41]
[I] Jamming attacks are absolutely possible. As said before, with the right equipment and the right
know-how, it’s possible to jam any wireless transmission. But how probable is i t that someone will successfully jam theirway into your home and steal your stuff?[36]
[J] Let’s imagine that you live in a small home with a wireless security setup that offers a functional anti-jamming system.First, a thief is going to need to target your home, specifically.
Then, he’s going to need to know the technical details of your system and acquire the specific equipment necessary forjamming your specific setup. Presumably, you keep your doors locked at night and while you’re away, so the thief will stillneed to break in. That means defeating the lock somehow, or breaking a window .He’ll need to be jamming you at this point,as a broken window or opened door would normally release the alarm .So, too, would the motion detectors in your home, so the thief will need to continue jamming once he’s inside and searching for things to steal. However, he’ll need to do sowithout tripping the anti-jamming system, the details of which he almost certainly does not have access to.[38]
[K] At the end of the day, these kinds of systems are primarily designed to protect against the sort of opportunistic smash-and-grab attack that makes up the majority of burglaries. They’re also only a single layer in what should ideally be a many-sidedapproach to securing your home, one that includes common sense things like sound locks and proper exploit lighting atnight.
No system is impenetrable, and none can promise to eliminate the worst case completely.
Every one of them has vulnerabilities that a knowledgeable thief could theoretically exploit. A good system is one that keepsthat worst-case setting as improbable as possible while also offering strong protection in the event of a less-extraordinaryattack.[43]
36. It is possible for burglars to make jamming attacks with the necessary equipment and skill.37. Interfering with a wireless security system is similar to interfering with a conversation.38. A burglar has to continuously jam the wireless security device to avoid triggering the alarm,both inside and outside the house.
39. SimpliSafe provides devices that are able to distinguish incidental radio interference fromtargeted jamming attacks.
40. Only a very small proportion of burglaries are committed by technical means.41. It is difficult to crack SimpliSafe as its system keeps changing.
42. Wireless devices will transmit signals so as to activate the alarm once something wrong isdetected.
43. Different measures should be taken to protect one’s home from burglary in addition to thewireless security system.
44. SimpliSafe’s device can send a warning to the house owner’s cellphone.45.Burglars can easily get a security device’s frequency by Internet search.Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)andD).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
As a person who writers about food and drink for a living, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about Bill Perry or whether the beershe sells are that great. But I can tell you that I like this guy. That’s because he plans to ban tipping in favor of paying hisservers an actual living wage.I hate tipping.
I hate it because it’s an obligation disguised as an option. I hate it for the post-dinner math it requires of me. But mostly, I hatetipping because I believe I would be in a better place if pay decisions regarding employees were simply left up to theiremployers, as is the custom in virtually every other industry.
Most of you probably think that you hate tipping, too. Research suggest otherwise. You actually love tipping! You like to feelthat you have a voice in how much money you server makes. No matter how the math works out, you persistently view
restaurants with voluntary tipping systems as being a letter value, which makes it extremely difficult for restaurants and barsto do away with the tipping system.
One argument that you tend to hear a lot from the pro-tipping crowd seems logical enough: the service is better when waitersdepend on tips, presumably because they see a benefit to successfully veiling their contempt for you .Well, if this were truewe would all be slipping a few 100 dollar bills to our doctors on the way out their doors, too. But as it turns out, waiters seeonly a tiny bump in tips when they do an exceptional job compared to a passable one. Waiters, keen observers of humanitythat they are, are catching on to this; in one poll, a full 30% said they didn’t believe the job they did any impact on the tipsthey received.
So come on, folks: get on board with ditching the outdated tip system. Pay a little more up –front for your beer or burger.Support Bill Perry’s pub, and any other bar or restaurant that doesn’t ask you to do drunken math.46. What can we learn about Bill Perry from the passage?[Pa. 1/ L3]A) He runs a pub that serves excellent beer.B) He intends to get rid of the tipping practice.C) He gives his staff a considerable sum for tips.D) He lives comfortably without getting any tips.
47. What is the main reason why the author hates tipping?A) It sets a bad example for other industries.B) It adds to the burden of ordinary customers.C) It forces the customer to compensate the waiter.D) It poses a great challenge for customers to do math.48. Why do many people love tipping according to the author?A) They help improve the quality of the restaurants they dine in.B) They believe waiters deserve such rewards for good service.C) They want to preserve a wonderful tradition of the industry.D) They can have some say in how much their servers earn.49. What have some waiters come to realize according to a survey?A) Service quality has little effect on tip size.B) It is in human nature to try to save on tips.C) Tips make it more difficult to please customers.D) Tips benefit the boss rather than the employees.50. What does the author argue for in the passage?
A) Restaurants should calculate the tips for customers.B) Customers should pay more tips to help improve service.C) Waiters deserve better than just relying on tips for a living.D) Waiters should be paid by employers instead of customers.Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
In the past, falling oil prices have given a boost to the world economy, but recent forecasts for global growth have been toneddown, even as oil prices sink lower and lower. Does that mean the link between lower oil prices and growth has weakened?Some experts say there are still good reasons to believe cheap oil should heat up the world economy.Consumers have moremoney in their pockets when they’re paying less at the pump. They spend that money on other things, which stimulates theeconomy.
The biggest gains go to countries that import most of their oil like China, Japan, and India. But doesn’t the extra money in thepockets of those countries’ consumers mean an equal loss in oil-producing countries, cancelling out the gains? Not
necessarily, says economic researcher Sara Johnson. “Many oil producers built up huge reserve funds when prices werehigh, so when prices fall they will draw on their reserves to support spend and subsidies(补贴）for their consumers.”But not all oil producers have big reserves. In Venezuela, collapsing oil prices have sent its economy into free-fall.
Economist Carl Weinberg believes the negative effects of plunging oil prices are overwhelming the positive effects of
cheaper oil. The implication is a sharp decline in global trade, which has plunged partly because oil-producing nations can’tafford to import as much as they used to.
Sara Johnson acknowledges that the global economic benefit from a fall in oil prices today is likely lower than it was in thepast. One reason is that more countries are big oil producers now, so the nations suffering from the prices drop account for alarger share of the global economy.
Consumers, in the U.S. at least, acting cautiously with the savings they’re getting at the gas pump, as the memory of therecent great recession is still fresh in their mind. And a number of oil-producing countries are trimming their gasolinesubsidies and raising taxes, so the net savings for global consumers is not as big as the oil price plunge might suggest.51. What does the author mainly discuss in the passage?A)The reasons behind the plunge of oil prices.B)Possible ways to stimulate the global economy.C)The impact of cheap oil on global economic growth.D)The effect of falling oil prices on consumer spending.
52. Why do some experts believe cheap oil will stimulate the global economy?A) Manufacturers can produce consumer goods at a much lower cost.B) Lower oil prices have always given a big boost to the global economy.C) Oil prices may rise or fall but economic laws are not subject to change.D) Consumers will spend their saving from cheap oil on other commodities.53. What happens in many oil-exporting countries when oil prices go down?A) They suspend import of necessities from overseas.B) They reduce production drastically to boost oil prices.C) They use their money reserves to back up consumption.D) They try to stop their economy from going into free-fall.
54. How does Carl Weinberg view the current oil price plunge?A) It is one that has seen no parallel in economic history.B) Its negative effects more than cancel out its positive effects.C) It still has a chance to give rise to a boom in the global economy.D) Its effects on the global economy go against existing economic laws.
55. Why haven’t falling oil prices boosted the global economy as they did before?A) People are not spending all the money they save on gas.B) The global economy is likely to undergo another recession.C) Oil importers account for a larger portion of the global economy.D) People the world over are afraid of a further plunge in oil prices.Part IV Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write youranswer on Answer Sheet 2.
在中国⽂化中，红⾊通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福。在春节和其他喜庆场合，红⾊到处可见。⼈们把现⾦作为礼物送给家⼈或亲密朋友时，通常放在红⾊信封⾥。红⾊在中国流⾏的另⼀个原因是⼈们把它与中国⾰命和共产党相联系。然⽽，红⾊并不总是代表好运和快乐。因为从死前者名字通常⽤红⾊书写，⽤红墨⽔书写中国⼈名被看成是⼀种冒犯⾏为。
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