2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案

2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第一套）。

Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay .Suppose you are two options upon graduation：one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start a business of your own. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report，you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.1. A）It was dangerous to live in.C）He could no longer pay the rent.B）It was going to be renovated. D）He had sold it to the royal family.2. A）A strike. B）A storm. C）A forest fire. 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 trapped in an underground elevator.C）They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D）They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A）They tried hard to repair the accident.B）They released the details of the accident.C）They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D）They provided the miner with food and water.Question5 to7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A）Raise postage rates. C）Redesign delivery routes.B）Improve its services. D）Close some of its post offices.6. A）Shortening business hours. C）Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.B）Closing offices on holidays. D）Computerizing mail sorting processes. 7. A）Many post office staff will lose their jobsB）Many people will begin to complainC）Taxpayers will be very pleasedD）A lot of controversy will ariseSection BDirections：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 must choose the best answer from fourchoice marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）He will be kept from promotion. C）He will be given a warning.B）He will go through retraining. D）He will lose part of his pay.9. A）He is always on time. C）He is an experienced press operator.B）He is trustworthy guy. D）He is on good terms with his workmates. 10. A）She is a trade union representative.C）She is a senior manager of the shop.B）She is in charge of public relation. D）She is better at handing such matters. 11. A）He is skilled and experienced. C）He is always trying to stir up trouble.B）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. B）Friendly. C）Selfish. D）Reserved.13. A）They stay quiet. C）They talk about the weatherB）They read a book. D）They chat with fellow passengers.14. A）She was always treated as a foreigner.B）She was eager to visit an English castle.C）She was never invited to a colleague’s home.D）She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A）House are much more quiet. C）They want to have more space.B）Houses provide more privacy.D）They want a garden of their own.Section CDirections：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 the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A）They don’t have much choice of jobs.B）They are likely to get much higher pay.C）They don’t have to go through job interviews.D）They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A）Ask their professors for help. C）Visit the school careers services.B）Look at school bulletin boards. D）Go through campus newspapers.18. A）Helping students find the books and journals they need.B）Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.C）Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.D）Providing students with information about the library.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A）It tastes better. C）It may be sold at a higher price .B）It is easier to grow. D）It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A）It is healthier than green tea. C）It will replace green tea one day.B）It can grow in drier soil. D）It is immune to various diseases.21. A）It has been well received by many tea drinkers.B）It does not bring the promised health benefits.C）It has made tea farmers’ life easier.D）It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A）They need decorations to show their status.B）They prefer unique objects of high quality.C）They decorate their homes themselves.D）They care more about environment.23. A）They were proud of their creations.B）They could only try to create at night.C）They made great contributions to society.D）They focused on the quality of their products.24. A）Make wise choices. C）Design handicrafts themselves.B）Identify fake crafts. D）Learn the importance of creation.25. A）To boost the local economy. C）To arouse public interest in crafts.B）To attract foreign investments. D）To preserve the traditional culture.PARTⅢReading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense. But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes —animal fighting —things 26 work out that way. Dog fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and “sport,” yet their criminal abusers often receive a 28 sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animal fighters only get probation(缓刑).Some progress has been made in the prosecution(起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judges often rely heavily on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines when they 29penalties, and in the case of animal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30.The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which31these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them, proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6-12 to 21-27 months. This is a step in the right 32, but we’d like to see the U.S. Sentencing Commission make further guidelines.Simultaneous to this effort, we’re working with animal advocates and state and federal lawmakers to 33 anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assist overburdened animal34that care for animal fighting victims. This help is35 important because the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major deterrent to intervening in cruelty cases in the first place.Directions：In this section，you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information 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 marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.When Work Becomes a Game[A]What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. The promise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few. [B]Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what’s come to be known as “gamification:” essentially, turning work into a game. “Gamification is about understanding what it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience in games, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace and education,” explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expe rt who teaches at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States..[C]It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to the winners, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could also mean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies from Google to IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in their workplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that the global gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.[D]The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachers hav e long looked for fun ways to engage people’s reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jacks has been “gamifying” its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, he adds, and the turn-of-the-century steel magnate Charles Schwab is said to have often come into his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factory floor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.[E]But the word “gamification” and the widespread, co nscious application of the concept only began in earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation now entering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. “We’re at a point where in m uch of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playing [video] games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too,” Werbach says.[F]A number of companies have sprung up—GamEffective, Bunchball and Badgeville, to name a few—in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effective turn employees’ ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventurenarrative. “What makes a game game-like is that the player actually ca res about the outcome,” Werbach says. “The principle is understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understanding of psychology.”[G]Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition. Sales people often fall into this category. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their sales pitches into a competition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who’s winning at all times.Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One company Werbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employee morale. When employees log in to their computers, they’re shown a picture of one of their coworkers and asked to guess that person’s name.[H]Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company that gamifies employee trainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed a gamification strategy for a sales training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed “storm chaser teams” and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn various rewards.“Rewards don’t have to be stuff,” Cornetti says. “Rewards can be flextime. Rewards can be extension time.”Another training, thi s one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme. Snow White is public domain, but the dwarfs are still under copyright, so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay roll law principles.[I]Some people don’t take as naturally to gamified work environments, Cornetti says. In her experience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering don’t tend to like the sound of the word.“If we’re designing for engineers, I’m not talking about a ‘game’ at all,” Cornetti says. “I’m talking about a ‘simulation,’ I’m talking about ‘be ing able to solve this problem.”[J]Gamification is “not a magic bullet,” Werbach cautions. A gamification strategy that’s not sufficiently thought through or tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but it won’t motivate in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used with vulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobs yet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbach gives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, California, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another. Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began to skip bathroom breaks, worried that if their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnant employees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the board as a “digital whip.”“It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance,” Werbach says.[K]Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, “as more and more people come into the workforce who are intuitively familiar with the structures and expressions of digital games.” “We are way ahead of the tipping point,” Cornetti agrees. “There’s no reason this will go away.”36.some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying to do the same.37.Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38.To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow works whenstarting their computers.39.The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40.There is a reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41.Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42.When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43.Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44.The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45.It is necessary to use terms other than “gamification” for some professions.Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to " solve" problems-real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired-not to teach but to hold meetings-has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house (信息交流中心)for using technology in classrooms and in online courses. It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems-class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being-might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic (官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. lf we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way-the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally; they should be allowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that people do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.46.What does the author say about present-day universities?A)They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B)They often fail to combine teaching with research.C)They are over-burdened with administrative staff.D)They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47.According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A)Good classroom teachers. C) Talented researchers.B)Efficient administrators. D) Motivated students.48.What does the author imply about the classes at present?A)They facilitate students independent learning.B)They help students form closer relationships.C)They have more older students than before.D)They are much bigger than is desirable.49.What does the author think of teaching ability?A)It requires talent and practice.B)It is closely related to research.C)It is a chief factor affecting students 'learning.D)It can be acquired through persistent practice.50.What is the author’s suggestion for improving university teaching?A)Creating an environment for teachers to share 'their teaching experiences.B)Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C)Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D)Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms. Passage TwoQuestions 51to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago-by McDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards-like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals-stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food items.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion.\One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket（彩票）, with a $ 10, $ 50 or $ 100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting.”says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective. In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard odds included.“One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking than certainty awards," says Reimann. " The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills.' The possibility of receiving an awardalso produces a state of hope一a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding·"In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gambleHow might it’s knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant-and make you eat a little less.51.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A)It may shed light on people’s desire to crack a secret.B)It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.C)It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.D)It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A)Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.B)Most kids and adults don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C)Eating a smaller does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D)Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?A)Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B)Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future awardC)Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D)Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54.How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A)The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B)People now care more about quality than quantity.C)People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D) The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?A)·People should eat much less if they ·wish to stay healthy and happy.B)More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.C)We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D)More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer 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.2016年12月大学英语四级答案（第一套）Part1 writing (30 minutes)破题思路：第一段：话题描述. 第二段：表明观点+阐述原因. 第三段：观点结论.参考范文：(选择就业还是创业)Finding a Job FirstUpon graduation，virtually all college students will confront the problem of the career choice，which is truly a tough choice. Students’ opinions differ greatly on this issue. Some hold that priority should be given to start a business of your own，but others take the attitude that finding a job is the best choice influencing their future.As to myself，I prefer the latter view. An opportunity to start a business exerts a tremendous fascination on a great number of people，with no exception to me. In my view，With the competition in the job market becoming increasingly fierce for college graduates，some ambitious students have tried their hands at launching their own businesses. Over the years，there have been many successful cases of student entrepreneurship and such attempts should be encouraged and promoted by both the universities and the society at large. What’s more ，College students who start businesses are pioneers，among wh om will be born China’s future business leaders. Faced with unknown challenges，they are audacious enough to embark on a perilous journey while most of their peers enjoy stable salaries by working as white-collars at high-end office buildings.All in all，the essential difference between the students who find a job or those students who create their own businesses is that the former are docile followers whereas the latter are aggressive trailblazers. For this reason，business-launching college graduates are more admirable，and thus they command our deep respect.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）【英语四级听力真题解析】听力作为一种考试题型，目的在于考查应试者对英语语言的把握，自从英语四级题型改革后，所选题材侧重新闻稿和演讲稿，比如这次英语四级考试的Section A 部分，主要是关于采盐工人的相关新闻报导，文章稍难，我们在作答之前，一定要快速浏览各题目的选项，先把核心关键词划出来，比如重要的名词，名词性短语等，这样可以帮助我们预知要听的重点，提高捕捉信息的准确度，降低听力材料的难度.在听录音的过程中，快速作标记，锁定正确答案.1.(A)It was dangerous to live in.2.(B)A storm3.(B)They were trapped in an underground elevator.4.(C)They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5.(D)Close some of its post office.6.(C)Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7.(A)Many post office staff will lose their jobs.Section B8.(D)He will lose part of his pay.9.(B)He is a trustworthy guy. 10.(D)She is better at handling such matters.11.(C)He is always trying to stir up trouble. 12.(D)Reserved13.(A)They stay quiet14.(C)She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15.(B)Houses provide more privacySection C16.(D)They will automatically be given hiring priority.17.(C)Visit the school careers service.18.(B)Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19.(C)It may be sold at a higher price. 20.(A)It is healthier than green tee.21.(D)It does not have a stable market.22.(B)They prefer unique objects of high quality.23.(B)They could only try to create at night.24.(A)Make wise choices.25.(A)To boost the local economy.Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was forced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record.Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch. Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New Yo rk’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.。

2016年12月英语四级真题及答案第一套Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay .Suppose you are two options upon graduation：one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start a business of your own. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section， you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report， you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.1. A） It was dangerous to live in. C） He could no longer pay the rent.B） It was going to be renovated. D） He had sold it to the royal family. 2. A） A strike. B） A storm. C） A forest fire. 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 trapped in an underground elevator.C） They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D） They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A） They tried hard to repair the accident.B） They released the details of the accident.C） They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D） They provided the miner with food and water.Question5 to7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A） Raise postage rates. C） Redesign delivery routes.B） Improve its services. D） Close some of its post offices.6. A） Shortening business hours. C） Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.B） Closing offices on holidays. D）Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A） Many post office staff will lose their jobsB） Many people will begin to complainC） Taxpayers will be very pleasedD）A lot of controversy will ariseSection BDirections：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 must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1with a single line though the centre.Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）He will be kept from promotion. C）He will be given a warning.B）He will go through retraining. D）He will lose part of his pay.9. A）He is always on time. C）He is an experienced press operator.B）He is trustworthy guy. D）He is on good terms with his workmates. 10. A）She is a trade union representative. C）She is a senior manager of the shop.B）She is in charge of public relation. D）She is better at handing such matters.11. A）He is skilled and experienced. C）He is always trying to stir up trouble.B）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. B）Friendly. C）Selfish. D）Reserved. 13. A）They stay quiet. C）They talk about the weatherB）They read a book. D）They chat with fellow passengers.14. A）She was always treated as a foreigner.B）She was eager to visit an English castle.C）She was never invited to a colleague’s home.D）She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A） House are much more quiet. C） They want to have more space.B） Houses provide more privacy. D） They want a garden of their own.Section CDirections：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 the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C）and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A） They don’t have much choice of jobs.B） They are likely to get much higher pay.C） They don’t have to go through job interviews.D） They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A） Ask their professors for help. C） Visit the school careers services.B） Look at school bulletin boards. D） Go through campus newspapers.18. A） Helping students find the books and journals they need.B） Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.C） Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.D） Providing students with information about the library.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A） It tastes better. C） It may be sold at a higher price .B） It is easier to grow. D） It can better survive extreme weathers. 20. A） It is healthier than green tea. C） It will replace green tea one day.B） It can grow in drier soil. D） It is immune to various diseases. 21. A） It has been well received by many tea drinkers.B） It does not bring the promised health benefits.C） It has made tea farmers’ life easier.D） It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A）They need decorations to show their status.B） They prefer unique objects of high quality.C） They decorate their homes themselves.D） They care more about environment.23. A） They were proud of their creations.B） They could only try to create at night.C） They made great contributions to society.D） They focused on the quality of their products.24. A） Make wise choices. C） Design handicrafts themselves.B） Identify fake crafts. D） Learn the importance of creation.25. A） To boost the local economy. C） To arouse public interest in crafts.B） To attract foreign investments. D） To preserve the traditional culture. PARTⅢ Reading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section，there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense. But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes — animal fighting — things 26 work out that way. Dog fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and “sport,” yet their criminal abusers often receive a 28 sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animal fighters only get probation(缓刑).Some progress has been made in the prosecution(起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judges often rely heavily on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines when they 29penalties, and in the case of animal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30.The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which31these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them,proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6-12 to 21-27 months. This is a step in the right 32, but we’d like to see the U.S. Sentencing Commission make further guidelines.Simultaneous to this effort, we’re working with animal advocates and state and federal lawmakers to 33anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assist overburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is35 important because the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major deterrent to intervening in cruelty cases in the first place.A) convenient B) creates C) critically D) determine E) directionF) hesitate G) inadequate H)inspired I) method J) minimalK) rarely L) shelters M) strengthen N) sufferings O)torturedSection BDirections：In this section，you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information 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 marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.When Work Becomes a Game[A]What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. The promise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.[B]Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what’s come to be known as “gamification:” essentially, turning work into a game. “Gamification is about understanding what it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience in games, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace and education,” explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States..[C]It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to the winners, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could also mean training employees how to do their jobs through video gameplatforms. Companies from Google to IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in their workplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that the global gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.[D]The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachers have long looked for fun ways to engage people’s reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jacks has been “gamifying” its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, he adds, and the turn-of-the-century steel magnate Charles Schwab is said to have often come into his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factory floor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.[E]But the word “gamification” and the widespread, conscious application of the concept only began in earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation now entering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. “We’re at a point where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playing [video] games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too,” Werbach says.[F]A number of companies have sprung up—GamEffective, Bunchball and Badgeville, to name a few—in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effective turn employees’ ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. “What makes a game game-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome,” Werbach says. “The principle is understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understanding of psychology.”[G]Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition. Sales people often fall into this category. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their sales pitches into a competition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who’s winning at all times.Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One company Werbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employee morale. When employees log in to their computers, they’re shown a picture of one of their coworkers and asked to guess that person’s name.[H]Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company that gamifies employee trainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed a gamification strategy for a sales training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed “storm chaser teams” and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn various rewards.“Rewards don’t have to be stuff,” Cornetti says. “Rewards can be flextime. Rewards can be extension time.”Another training, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme. Snow White is public domain, but the dwarfs are still under copyright, so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay roll law principles.[I]Some people don’t take as naturally to gamified work environments, Cornetti says. In her experience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering don’t tend to like the sound of the word.“If we’re designing for engineers, I’m not talking about a ‘game’ at all,” Cornetti says. “I’m talking about a ‘simulation,’ I’m talking about ‘being able to solve this problem.”[J]Gamification is “not a magic bullet,” Werbach cautions. A gamification strategy that’s not sufficiently thought through or tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but it won’t motivate in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used with vulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobs yet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbach gives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, California, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another. Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began to skip bathroom breaks, worried that if their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnant employees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the board as a “digital whip.”“It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance,” Werbach says.[K]Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, “as more and more people come into the workforce who are intuitively familiar with the structures and expressions of digital games.” “We are way ahead of the tipping point,” Cornetti agrees. “There’s no reason this will go away.”36.some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying to do the same.37.Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38.To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow works when starting their computers.39.The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40.There is a reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41.Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42.When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43.Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44.The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45.It is necessary to use terms other than “gamification” for some professions. Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to " solve" problems-real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired-not to teach but to hold meetings-has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house (信息交流中心)for using technology in classrooms and in online courses. It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems-class attendance,educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being-might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic (官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. lf we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way-the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally; they should be allowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that people do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.46.What does the author say about present-day universities?A)They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B)They often fail to combine teaching with research.C)They are over-burdened with administrative staff.D)They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47.According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A)Good classroom teachers. C) Talented researchers.B)Efficient administrators. D) Motivated students.48.What does the author imply about the classes at present?A)They facilitate students independent learning.B)They help students form closer relationships.C)They have more older students than before.D)They are much bigger than is desirable.49.What does the author think of teaching ability?A)It requires talent and practice.B)It is closely related to research.C)It is a chief factor affecting students 'learning.D)It can be acquired through persistent practice.50.What is the author’s suggestion for improving university teaching?A)Creating an environment for teachers to share 'their teaching experiences.B)Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C)Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D)Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms.Passage TwoQuestions 51to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago-by McDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards-like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals-stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food items.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion.\One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket（彩票）, with a $ 10, $ 50 or $ 100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting.”says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective. In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard odds included.“One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking than certainty awards," says Reimann. " The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills.' The possibility of receiving anaward also produces a state of hope一a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding·"In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gamble How might it’s knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant-and make you eat a little less.51.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A)It may shed light on people’s desire to crack a secret.B)It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.C)It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.D)It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A)Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.B)Most kids and adults don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C)Eating a smaller does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D)Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?A)Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B)Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future awardC)Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D)Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54.How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A)The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B)People now care more about quality than quantity.C)People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D) The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?A)·People should eat much less if they ·wish to stay healthy and happy.B)More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.C)We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D)More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer 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.2016年12月大学英语四级答案（第一套）Part1 writing (30 minutes)破题思路：第一段：话题描述. 第二段：表明观点+阐述原因. 第三段：观点结论.参考范文：(选择就业还是创业)Finding a Job FirstUpon graduation，virtually all college students will confront the problem of the career choice，which is truly a tough choice. Students’ opinions differ greatly on this issue. Some hold that priority should be given to start a business of your own， but others take the attitude that finding a job is the best choice influencing their future.As to myself， I prefer the latter view. An opportunity to start a business exerts a tremendous fascination on a great number of people，with no exception to me. In my view，With the competition in the job market becoming increasingly fierce for college graduates，some ambitious students have tried their hands at launching their own businesses. Over the years，there have been many successful cases of student entrepreneurship and such attempts should be encouraged and promoted by both the universities and the society at large. What’s more ，College students who start businesses are pioneers，among whom will be born China’s future business leaders. Faced with unknown challenges，they are audacious enough to embark on a perilous journey while most of their peers enjoy stable salaries by working as white-collars at high-end office buildings.All in all， the essential difference between the students who find a job or those students who create their own businesses is that the former are docile followers whereas the latter are aggressive trailblazers. For this reason， business-launching college graduates are more admirable， and thus they command our deep respect.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）【英语四级听力真题解析】听力作为一种考试题型，目的在于考查应试者对英语语言的把握，自从英语四级题型改革后，所选题材侧重新闻稿和演讲稿，比如这次英语四级考试的Section A 部分，主要是关于采盐工人的相关新闻报导，文章稍难，我们在作答之前，一定要快速浏览各题目的选项，先把核心关键词划出来，比如重要的名词，名词性短语等，这样可以帮助我们预知要听的重点，提高捕捉信息的准确度，降低听力材料的难度.在听录音的过程中，快速作标记，锁定正确答案.1.(A)It was dangerous to live in.2.(B)A storm3.(B)They were trapped in an underground elevator.4.(C)They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5.(D)Close some of its post office.6.(C)Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7.(A)Many post office staff will lose their jobs.Section B8.(D)He will lose part of his pay.9.(B)He is a trustworthy guy. 10.(D)She is better at handling such matters.11.(C)He is always trying to stir up trouble. 12.(D)Reserved13.(A)They stay quiet　14.(C)She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15.(B)Houses provide more privacySection C16.(D)They will automatically be given hiring priority.17.(C)Visit the school careers service.18.(B)Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19.(C)It may be sold at a higher price. 20.(A)It is healthier than green tee.21.(D)It does not have a stable market.22.(B)They prefer unique objects of high quality.23.(B)They could only try to create at night.24.(A)Make wise choices.25.(A)To boost the local economy.Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was forced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record.Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon ofMidmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch. Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director. Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?Q4.What did the rescue team do?Section A - 3The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is one of several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Last week, for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on Saturdays, a move。

2016年 12月大学英语四级真题（第一套）Part I Writing (30minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose youhave two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other togo to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay toexplain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no morethan 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each newsreport, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions willbe spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answerfrom the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.C) A forest fire. 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.1. A) It was going to be renovated.B) He could no longer pay the rent.C) It was dangerous to live in. D) He had sold it to the royal family.2. A) A storm.B) A strike.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.Question5 to7 are based on the news report you have just hea . rdC) Close some of its post offices. D) Redesign delivery routes.C) Computerizing mail sorting processes. D) Stopping maildelivery 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 BDirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end of eachconversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1with a single line though 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 hisworkmates.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.5. A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services. 6. A) Closing offices on holidays. B) Shortening business hours. 12. A)Open. B)Reserved. C)Selfish. 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 CDirections: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 the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.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.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passagethrough carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Many men and women have long bought into the idea thatthere are “ male ” and“ female ” brains, believing that explains just about every differebnectweeen the sexes. A new stud (y 26)that belief, questioning whether brains really can be distinguished by gender.In the study, Tel Aviv University researchers (27)for sex differences the entire human brain.And what did they find? Not much. Rather than offer evidenee for( 28) brains as“ male ” or “ female, ” research shows that brains fall in to a wide ran ge, with most people falli ng right in the middle.Daph na Joel, who led the study, said her research found that while there aresome gender-base (29) , many different types of brain can' t always be distinguishedby gen der.While the “average ” male and “average ” female bfOiO S wefi e rent, you could n ' t tell it bydxk 24. A) Identify fake crafts.B) Make wise choices.25. A) To attract foreign investments.B) To preserve the traditional culture.C) Design handicrafts themselves. D) Learn the importance of creation. C) To arouse public interest in crafts. D) To boost the local economy.ing at in dividual brain sca ns. Only a small (31) of people had“ a-male” or -feallale ” characteristics.Larry Cahill, an American neuroscientist (神经科学家),said the study is animporta nt additi on to a grow ing body of research questi oning( 32) beliefs about gen der and brain fun cti on. But he cauti oned aga in st con clud ing from this study that all brains are the same,( 33) of gender.“ There' s a moun tai n of evide((34) the importa nee of sex in flue nces at alllevels of brain fun ctio n, ” he told The Seattle Times.If anything, he said, the stud(35) that gender plays a very important role in the brain “ eve n whe n we are not clear exactly how. ”Directi ons: In this secti on, you are going to read a passage with ten stateme nts attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more tha n on ce. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. An swer the questi ons by marki ng the corresp onding letter on Answer Sheet 2Can 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 opinions about the potential vulnerabilities of popular home-security systems.[B] T he most likely type of burglary （入室盗窃） by far is the unsophisticated crime of opportunity, usually involving a broken window or some forced entry. According to the FBI, crimes like these accounted roughly two-thirds of all household burglaries in the US in 2013.The wide majority of the rest were illegal, unforced entries that resulted from something like a window being left open. The odds of a criminal using technical means to bypass a security system are so small that 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 （入室盗贼） might be able to shut your system down simply by cutting the right cable. With a wireless setup, you stick battery-powered sensors up around your home that keep an eye on windows, doors, motion, and more. If they detect something wrong while the system is armed, they ' ll transmit a wireless alert signal to a base station that will then raise the alarm. That approach will eliminate most cord-cutting concerns—but what about their wireless equivalent, jamming? With the right device tuned to the right frequency, what ' s to stop 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 'nirqeuneottousecuritysystems. Any device that ' s built to receive a wireless signal at a specific frequencycan be overwhelmed by a stronger signal coming in on the same frequency. For comparison, let ' s say you wanted to “jam” a conversation betweeanll two people —you'd need to do is yell in the listener ' s ear.[E] Security devices are required to list the frequencies they broadcast o—nthat means that a potential thief can find what they need to know with minimal Googling. They will, however, need so know what system they ' re looking for. If you have a sign in your yard declaring what setup you use, that ' d point them in the right direction,though at that point, we ' re talking about a highly targe-steodp,hsisetmicai ted attack,and not the sort forced-entry attack that makes up the majority of burglaries. It ' seasier to find and acquire jamming equipment for some frequencies than it is for others.[F] Wireless security providers will often take steps to help combat the threat of jamming attacks.SimpliSafe,winner of our Editor ' s Choice distinction, utilizes aspecial system that ' s capable of separating incidental RF interference from targetedjamming attacks. When the system thinks it ' s being jammed, it ' ll notify you via push alert（推送警报）.From there, it tOyo u pto sound the alarm manu ally.[G] SimpliSafe was singled out in one recent article on jamming, complete witha video showing the entire system being effectively bypassed with handheld jamming equipment. After taking appropriate measures to contain the RF interference to our test lab, we tested the attack out for ourselves, and were able to verify that it possible with the right equipment. However, we also verified that SimpliSafe 's anti-jamming system works. It caught us in the act, sent an alert to my smartphone, and also listed our RF interference on the system 's event log. The team behind the article and video in question make no mention of the system, or whether or not in detected them.[H] We like the unique nature of that software. It means that a thief likely wouldn 't be able to Google how the system works, then figure out a way around it. Even if they could, SimpliSafe claims that its system is always evolving, and that it varies slightly from system to system, which means there wouldn a universal 't be magic formula for cracking 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 theirown jam protection software and claiming that there aren ' tc a sneysd o fcumented successful jam attack since the company began offering wireless security sensors in the 1980s.[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 mtraisnssion. But how probable is it that someone will successfully jam their way into your home and steal your stuff?[J] Let 's imagine that you live in a small home with a wireless security setup thatoffers 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 yoursystem and acquire the specific equipment necessary for jamming your specific setup. Presumably, you keep your doors locked at night and wheil you 're away. So the thief will still need 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 openeddoor 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 so without trippin-jgamthme ianngtisystem,the details of which he almost certainly does now have access to.[K] A t 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 -asimdeadny approach to securing your home, one that includes common sense things like sound locks and proper exterior lighting at night. 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 keeps that worst-case setting as improbable as possible while also offering strong protection in the event of a less-extraordinary attack.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 triggeringthe alarm, both inside and outside the house.39. SimpliSafe provides devices that are able to distinguish incidental radio interference from targetedjamming 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 inaddition to the wireless 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 CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices markedA) ,B),C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.As a person who writes about food and drink for a living. I couldn first thing about Bill Perry or whether the beers he sells are that great. But I can tell servers an actual living wage.I hate tipping.I hate it because it ' s an obligation disguised as an option. I hate it for thepost-dinner math it requires of me. But mostly, I hate tipping because I believe I would be in a better place if pay decisions regarding employees were simply left up to their employers, as is the custom in virtually every other industry.Most of you probably think that you hate tipping, too. Research suggests otherwise. You actually love tipping! You like to feel that you have a voice in how much money your server makes. No matter how the math works out, you persistently view restaurants with voluntary tipping systems as being a better value, which makes it extremely difficult for restaurants and bars to 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 waiters depend on tips, presumably because they see a benefit to successfully veiling their contempt for you. Well, if this were true, we 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 see only a tiny bump in tips when they do an exceptional job compared to a passable one. Waiters, keen observers of humanity that they are, are catching on to this; in one poll, a full 30% said they didn' t believthey did had any impact on the tips they received.So come on, folks: get on board with ditching the outdated tip system. Pay a little more upfront 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?A) He runs a pub that serves excellent beer. t tell you theyou that I like this guy. That use '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 mature to try to save on tips.C) Tips make it more difficult to please customers.D) Tips benefit the boss rather that 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 TwoQuestions 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 toned down, 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 more money in their pockets when thye' re paying less at the pump. They spend that money on other things, which stimulates the economy.The biggest gains go to countries that import most of their oil like China, Japan, and India, But doesn 't the extra money in the pockets of those cocuo n tsriuems ers '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 were high, so when prices fall they will draw on their reserves to support gover nment spe nding and subsidies 占)for their con sumers. ”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 oilp-roducing nations can 't afford toimport 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 the past. One reason is that more countries are big oil producers now, so the nations suffering from the price drop account for a larger share of the global economy.Consumers, in the U.S. at least, are acting cautiously with the savings they getting at the gas pump, as the memory of the recent 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 (30minutes)Directions: For this part,you are allowed 30minutes to transtate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer 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。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Supposeyou have twooptions upon graduation: one is to find a job somewhere and the otherto start abusiness of your own. You are to make a decision. Write an essay to explain the reasonsfor your decision. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are requiredto select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices. Eachchoice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letterfor each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may notuse any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense.But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes--animal fighting--things26work out that way.Dog-fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and "sport,"yet their criminal abusers oftenreceive a28 sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animalfighters only get probation (缓刑). Some p rogress has been made i n the prosecution (起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judgesoften rely heavily on the U. S. Sentencing GuideLines when they29 penalties, and in the case ofanimal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which31 these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them,proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6 - 12 to 21 - 27 months. Thisis a step in the right32, but we'd like to see the U. S. Sentencing Commission make further changes to the guidelines.Along with this effort, we're working with animal advocates and state and federallawmakers to33 anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting lawsand policies that assistoverburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is 35 importantbecause the high cost of caring for animal victims is amajor factor that prevents people from gettinginvolved in cruelty cases in the first place.A. convenientB. createsC. criticallyD. determineE. directionF. hesitateG. inadequateH. inspiredI. methodJ. minimalK. rarelyL. sheltersM. strengthenN. sufferingsO. torturedSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statementsattached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose aparagraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.When Work Becomes a GameA) What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. Thepromise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, fora lucky few.B) Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through whathas come to be knownas "gamification" : essentially, turning work into a game."Gamification is about understandingwhat it is that makes games engaging and whatgame designers do to create a great experience ingames, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace andeducation," explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School ofBusinessat the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.C) It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard andoffering prizes to thewinner, or giving employees digital badges or stars forcompleting certain activities. It could alsomean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies fromGoogle to L'Oréalto IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in theirworkplaces. And moreand more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that theglobalgamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.D) The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies,marketers and teachershave long looked for fun ways to engage people's reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jackshas been "gamifying" its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, headds, and theturn-of-the-century steel magnate (巨头) Charles Schwab is said to have often comeinto his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the pastshift on the factoryfloor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat theprevious one.E) But the word "gamification" and the widespread, conscious application of theconcept only beganin earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in partto video games, the generation nowentering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. "We are at apoint where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playingvideo games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too," Werbachsays.F) A number of companies have sprung up--GamEffective, Bunchbail and Badgeville,to name a few--in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effectiveturn employees' ordinary job tasks into part ofa rich adventure narrative. "What makes a gamegame-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome," Werbach says. "The principle isabout understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understandingof psychology. "G) Some p eople, Werbach says, are motivated by competition.Sales people often fall into thiscategory. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their saies pitches into acompetition with other team members, complete with a digitalleaderboard showing who is winningat all times. Others are more motivated bycollaboration and social experiences. One companyWerbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employees' morale(士气). When employees log in to their computers, they're shown a picture of one of theircoworkers and asked to guess that person's name.H) Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company thatgamifies employeetrainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed agamification strategy for a saies training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed"storm chaser teams" and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn variousrewards. "Rewards do not haveto be stuff," Cornetti says. "Rewards can be flexible workinghours. " Anothertraining, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfstheme."Snow White" is available for everyone to use, but the "dwarfs" are still undercopyright,so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) toillustrate specific pay rolllaw principles.I) Some p eople do not take naturaily to gamified work environments, Cornetti says.In herexperience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineeringdo not tend to like thesound of the word. "If we are designing for engineers, I'mnot talking about a ' game' at all,"Cornetti says. "I'm talking about a ' simulation' (模拟), I'm talking about ' being able to solvethis problem. '"J) Gamification is " not a magic bullet," Werbach warns.A gamification strategythat is notsufficiently thought through or well tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but itwill not motivate people in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used withvulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobsyet know they can beeasily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbachgivesthe example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, Caiifornia, which used largedigital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another.Some employees found the board motivating. To others, itwas the opposite of fun. Some began tostop taking bathroom breaks, worried thatif their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnantemployees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the boardas a "digital whip. ""It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance," Werbachsays.K) Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, "as more andmore people comeinto the workforce who are familiar with the structures and expressions of digitai games. ""We arefar from reaching the peak," Cornetti agrees. "There is no reason this will go away. "36. Some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying todo the same.37. Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negativeresults.38. To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellowworkers when startingtheir computers.39. The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a centuryago.40. There is reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41. Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42. When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes gamesinteresting.43. Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44. The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignmentsinto fun experiences.45. It is necessary to use terms other than "gamification" for some professions.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices markedA, B, C andD . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keepyounger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task itis to "solve"problems--real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actualproblems in educating our young people and olderstudents have deepened, while the number of peoplehired--not to teach but to holdmeetings--has increased significantly. Every new problem creates anew job for anadministrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, thecenter is a clearing house (信息交流中心) for using technology in classroomsand in online courses.It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems--class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being--might be improved by cuttingdown the bureaucratic ( 官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. If we replaced half of ouradministrative staff with classroomteachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actuallyknew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way--the curriculum should beflexible enough sothat they can use their individual talents to achieve the goalsof the course. Additionally, they should beallowed to teach, and be rewarded fordoing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at andconsumed by researchand happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are notexclusive,but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent andpractice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterlyconfusing to me that peopledo not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell thedifference between their best and worstteachers.46. What does the author say about present-day universities?A. They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B. They often fail to combine teaching with research.C. They are over-burdened with admires" trative staff.D. They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47. According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A. Good classroom teachers.B. Efficient administrators.C. Talented researchers.D. Motivated students.48. What does the author imply about the classes at present?A. They facilitate students' independent learning.B. They help students form closer relationships.C. They have more older students than before.D. They are much bigger than is desirable.49. What does the author think of teaching ability?A. It requires talent and practice.B. It is closely related to research.C. It is a chief factor affecting students' learning.D. It can be acquired through persistent practice.50. What is the author's suggestion for improving university teaching?A. Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences.B. Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C. Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D. Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms. Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked yearsago--byMcDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and BrandLab, small non-foodrewards--like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals--stimulate the same reward centers in the brain asfood does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people wouldchoose a smaller meal ff it was paired with a non-food item.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a haft-sized portion when combinedwith a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to makeadults choose thesmaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket ( 彩票), with a $10, $ 50 or $100 payout,and this was as effective as a tangible giftin persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of arelatively small monetary award is interesting," says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes thatmake them effective.In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard oddsincluded."One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionallyprovoking thancertrainty Reimann." The of added attraction andawards,"saysuncertainty winningprovidesdesirability through emotional ' thrills. ' The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state ofhope--astate that is in itself psychologically rewarding. " In other words, there's a reason why peoplelike to gamble.How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Ormaybe t he reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a futuredate. That would get you back in the restaurant--and make you eat a little less.51. What do we learn about McDonald's inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A. It may shed light on people's desire to crack a secret.B. It has proved to be key to McDonald's business success.C. It appeals to kid's curiosity to fred out what is hidden inside.D. It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A. Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald's more.B. Most kids and adults don't actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C. Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D. Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53. What is most interesting in Martin Reimann's fmding?A. Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B. Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.C. Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D. Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54. How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A. The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B. People now care more about quality than quantity.C. People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D. The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55. What can we infer from Martin Reimann's finding?A. People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.B. More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald's example.C. We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D. More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IVTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage fromChinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福。

Part I Writing (30 minutes)【参考范文】Facing the two options, I will choose to take a job in a company. There are mainly two reasons for my choice.On one hand, I am eager to apply what I’ve learned to practice since I have got so many years’ schooling. Moreover, I am somewhat tired of the “ivory tower” life and ready for the “real world” life, for I assume that I can learn more from getting in touch with society. On the other hand, my family needs my financial support, because my parents are getting older and older and making less and less. Though it doesn’t take much to pursue my further study, I cannot support my parents financially if I choose to go to a graduate school.To sum up, to take a job in a company meets my desire of learning from practice and support my parents financially, which is a better choice for me.Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section A1.[A] It was dangerous to live in.2.[B] A storm.3.[B] They were trapped in an underground elevator.4.[C] They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5.[D] Close some of its post office.6.[C] Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7.[A] Many post office staff will lose their jobs.Section B8.[D] He will lose part of his pay.9.[B] He is a trustworthy guy.10.[D] She is better at handling such matters.11.[C] He is always trying to stir up trouble.12.[D] Reserved.13.[A] They stay quiet.14.[C] She was never invited to a colleague’s home.15.[B] Houses provide more privacy.Section C16.[D] They will automatically be given hiring priority.17.[C] Visit the school careers service.18.[B] Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19.[C] It may be sold at a higher price.20.[A] It is healthier than green tee.21.[D] It does not have a stable market.22.[B] They prefer unique objects of high quality.23.[B] They could only try to create at night.24.[A] Make wise choices.25.[A] To boost the local economy.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section A26. E) challenge空前主语为A new study，故此处应选一个动词第三人称单数作谓语，符合的词有E) challenges, M) suggests, 和N) tastes，根据空后questioning，得出该空应填E) challenges 挑战，质疑。

【导语】以下是整理的2016年12⽉英语四级真题及答案解析（三套完整版），希望对⼤家备考有所帮助。

【作⽂】 innovation创新 Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on innovation. Your essay should include the importance of innovation and measures to be taken to encourage innovation/creation/invention. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words. 参考范⽂： In today's highly competitive world, innovation matters enormously to an organization or a country. It is the driving force behind increased competitiveness. Take growing a successful business as an example. In this day and age, social media are gaining popularity among the general public. A company that only relies on traditional media doing its marketing is more likely to get eliminated in the digital era. Put in another way, a company with its focus on social media to boost its brand recognition stands a better chance of standing out from the crowd. Clearly, innovation is a vital contributing factor to business success. What can be done to encourage innovation? To name only a few: Above all, a business or a country should strive to build a corporate culture or a social climate that values innovation. Second, anyone who participates in the innovation process should be rewarded. Third, we are in urgent need of an education system that stresses innovation over mechanical learning. Simply put, innovation is an important force that pushes our society forward. creation创造 Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on creation. Your essay should include the importance of innovation and measures to be taken to encourage innovation/creation/invention. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words. 参考范⽂： It is universally acknowledged that innovation refers to being creative, unique and different. In fact, today it is impossibly difficult for us to image a 21st century without innovation. We should place a high value on innovation firstly because innovative spirit can enable an individual to ameliorate himself, so he can be equipped with capacity to see what others cannot see, be qualified for future career promotion, and be ready for meeting the forthcoming challenges. What’s more, we ought to attach importance to the role played by innovation in economic advancement. Put it another way, in this ever-changing world, innovation to economic growth is what water is to fish. To sum up, if innovation misses our attention in any possible way, we will suffer a great loss beyond imagination. In order to encourage innovation, it is wise for us to take some feasible measures. For example, mass media should greatly publicize the significance of creative spirit and encourage the public to cultivate awareness of innovation. Besides, those who manage to innovate should be awarded generous prize. Though there is a long way ahead to go, I am firmly certain that the shared efforts will be paid off. 【参考译⽂】 众所周知创新意味着有创造⼒，独⼀⽆⼆和不同。

2015 年 12 月英语四级考试真题及答案【三套全】Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying "Listening is more important than talking?" You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of paying attention to others' opinions. You should write at least 120words but no more than 180words.注意：此部分试题在答题卡 1 上________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1.A)They admire the courage of space explorers.B)They were going to watch a wonderful movie.C)They enjoyed the movie on space exploration.D)They like doing scientific exploration very much.2.A)In a school library.B)At a gift shop.D)At a graduation ceremony.3.A)He used to work in the art gallery.B)He does not have a good memoiy.C)He is not interested in any part-time jobs.D)He declined a job offer from the art gallery.4.A)He will be unable to attend the birthday party.B)The woman should have informed him earlier.C)He will go to the birthday party after the lecture.D)Susan has been invited to give a lecture tomorrow.5.A)Set a deadline for the staff to meet.B)Assign more workers to the project.C)Reward those having made good progress.D)Encourage the staff to work in small groups.6.A)Where she can leave her car.B)The rate for parking in Lot C.C)How far away the parking lot is.D)The way to the visitor's parking.7.A)He regrets missing the classes.B)He has benefited from exercise.C)He plans to take the fitness classes.D)He is looking forward to a better life.8.A)How to select secretaries.B)How to raise work efficiency.C)The responsibilities of secretaries.D)The secretaries in the man's company.Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.9.A)It is used by more people than English.B)It is more difficult to learn than English.C)It will be as commonly used as English.D)It will eventually become a world language.10.A)Its popularity with the common people.B)The effect of the Industrial Revolution.C)The influence of the British Empire.D)Its loan words from many languages.11.A)It has a growing number of newly coined words.B)It includes a lot of words from other languages.C)It is the largest among all languages in the world.D)It can be easily picked up by overseas travellers.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)To place an order.B)To apply for a job.C)To return some goods.D)To make a complaint.13.A)He works on a part-time basis for the company.B)He has not worked in the sales department for long.C)He is not familiar with the exact details of the goods.D)He has become somewhat impatient with the woman.14.A)It is not his responsibility.B)It win be free for large orders.C)It depends on a number of factors.D)It costs ￡ 15 more for express delivery. 15.A)Make inquiries with some other companies.B)Report the information to her superior.C)Pay a visit to the saleswoman in charge.D)Ring back when she comes to a decision.Passage OneQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.16.A)No one knows for sure when they came into being.B)No one knows exactly where they were first made.C)No one knows for what purpose they were invented.D)No one knows what they will look like in the future.17.A)Measure the speed of wind.B)Give warnings of danger.C)Pass on secret messages.D)Carry ropes across rivers.18.A)To find out the strength of silk for kites.B)To test the effects of the lightning rod.C)To prove that lightning is electricity.D)To protect houses against lightning.Passage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)She was born with a talent for languages.B)She was trained to be an interpreter.C)She can speak several languages.D)She enjoys teaching languages.20.A)They want to learn as many foreign languages as possible.B)They have an intense interest in cross-cultural interactions.C)They acquire an immunity to culture shock.D)They would like to live abroad permanently.21.A)She became an expert in horse racing.B)She learned to appreciate classical music.C)She was able to translate for a German sports judge.D)She got a chance to visit several European countries.22.A)Take part in a cooking competition.B)Taste the beef and give her comment.C)Teach vocabulary for food in English.D)Give cooking lessons on Western food.Passage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.23.A)He had only a third-grade education.B)He once threatened to kill his teacher.C)He often helped his mother do housework.D)He grew up in a poor single-parent family.24.A)Stupid.B)Active.C)Brave.D)Careless.25.A)Watch educational TV programs only.B)Write two book reports a week.C)Help with housework.D)Keep a diary.When you look up at the night sky, what do you see? There are other __26__bodies out there besides the moon and stars. One of the most __27__ of these is acomet (彗星).Comets were formed around the same time the Earth was formed. They are __28__ice and other frozen liquids and gases. __29__ these "dirty snowballs" begin to orbitthe sun, just as the planets do.As a comet gets closer to the sun, some gases in it begin to unfreeze. They __30__dust particles from the comet to form a huge cloud. As the comet gets even nearer tothe sun, a solar wind blows the cloud behind the comet, thus forming its tail.The tail and the __31__ fuzzy ( 模糊的 ) atmosphere around a comet are __32__ that canhelp identify this __33__ 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 twoa year bright enough to be seen with the __34__ eye. Comet Hale-Bopp, discoveredin 1995, was an unusually bright comet. Its orbit brought it __35__ close to theEarth, 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 .【参考答案】26.heavenly27.fascinating28.made up of29.Now and thenbine with31.generally32.characteristics33.phenomenon34.naked35.relativelyPartIII Reading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are requiredto select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a wordbank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully beforemaking your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 witha single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than onceQuestions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.Scholars of the information society are divided over whether social inequalitydecreases or increases in an information-based society. However, they generallyagree with the idea that inequality in the information society is __36__ different from that of an industrial society. As informatization progresses in society, the cause and structural nature ofsocial inequality changes as well.It seems that the information society__37__ the quantity of information availableto the members of a society by revolutionizing the ways of using and exchanginginformation.But such a view is a __38__ analysis based on the quantity of information supplied by various forms of the mass media. A different __39__ is possible whenthe actual amount of information__40__ by the user is taken into account.In fact, the more information__41__ throughout the entire society,the wider the gap becomes between "information haves"and "information have-nots", leading to digital divide.According to recent studies,digital divide has been caused by three major__42__:class, sex, and generation. In terms of class, digital divide exists among different types of workers and between the upper and middle classes and the lower class. With __43__ to sex, digital divide exists between men and women. The greatest gap, however, is between the Net-generation,__44__ with personal computers and the Internet,and the older generation, __45__ to an industrial society.A)accustomedB)acquiredC)assemblyD)attributeE)championsF)elementsG)expandsH)familiarI)flowsJ)fundamentallyK)interpretationL)passiveM)regardN)respectivelyO)superficialJoy: A Subject Schools LackBecoming educated should not require giving up pleasure.A) When Jonathan Swift proposed, in 1729, that the people of Ireland eat theirchildren,he insisted it would solve three problems at once: feed the hungry masses, reduce the population during a severe depression, and stimulate the restaurantbusiness.Even as a satire( 讽刺 ), it seems disgusting and shocking in America with its child-centered culture.But actually,the country is closer to his proposal than you might think.B) If you spend much time with educators and policy makers, you'll hear a lot of"accountability,"and so on. I have visited some of the newer supposedly "effective" schools, where children shout slogans in order to leam self-control or muststand behind their desk when they can't sit still.C)A look at what goes on in most classrooms these days makes it abundantly clearthat when people think about education, they are not thinking about what it feelslike to be a child,or what makes childhood an important and valuable stage of life in its own right.D) I'm a mother of three, a teacher,and a developmental psychologist.So I've watched a lot of children— talking, playing, arguing, eating, studying, and being young.Here's what I've come to understand.The thing that sets children apart from adults is not their ignorance,nor their lack of skills. It's their enormous capacity for joy.Think of a 3-year-old lost in the pleasures of finding out what he can and cannot sink in the bathtub, a 5-year-old beside herself with the thrill of putting together strings of nonsensical words with her best friends, or an 11-year-old completelyabsorbed in a fascinating comic strip. A child's ability to become deeply absorbed in something,and derive intense pleasure from that absorption,is something adults spend the rest of their lives trying to return to.E) A friend told me the following story.One day, when he went to get his 7-year-old son from soccer practice,his kid greeted him with a downcast face and a sad voice. The coach had criticized him for not focusing on his soccer drills. The little boywalked out of the school with his head and shoulders hanging down. He seemed wrapped in sadness.But just before he reached the car door,he suddenly stopped,crouching (蹲伏)down to peer at something on the sidewalk.His face went down lower and lower, and then, with complete joy he called out, "Dad. Come here. This is the strangestbug I've ever seen. It has, like, a million legs. Look at this. It's amazing. " Helooked up at his father, his features overflowing with energy and delight. "Can'twe stay here for just a minute?I want to find out what he does with all those legs. This is the coolest ever. "F) The traditional view of such moments is that they constitute a charming butirrelevant byproduct of youth— something to be pushed aside to make room for more important qualities, like perseverance (坚持不懈 ), obligation, and practicality.Yet moments like this one are just the kind of intense absoiption and pleasure adults spend the rest of their lives seeking. Human lives are governed by the desire toexperience joy.Becoming educated should not require giving up joy but rather lead to finding joy in new kinds of things:reading novels instead of playing with small figures, conductingexperiments instead of sinking cups in the bathtub, and debating serious issuesrather than stringing together nonsense words,for example.In some cases,schools should help children find new, more grown-up ways of doing the same things that are constant sources of joy: making art, making friends, making decisions.G) Building on a child's ability to feel joy,rather than pushing it aside,wouldn't be that hard. It would just require a shift in the education world's mindset (思维模式 ). Instead of trying to get children to work hard, why not focus on gettingthem to take pleasure in meaningful, productive activity, like making things,working with others, exploring ideas, and solving problems? These focuses are notso different from the things in which they delight.H) Before you brush this argument aside as rubbish,or think of joy as an unaffordable luxury in a nation where there is awful poverty,low academic achievement,and high dropout rates, think again. The more horrible the school circumstances, the moreimportant pleasure is to achieving any educational success.I) Many of the assignments and rules teachers come up with, often because they arepressured by their administrators,treat pleasure and joy as the enemies of competence and responsibility. The assumption is that children shouldn't chat inthe classroom because it hinders hard work; instead, they should leain to delaygratification( 快乐 ) so that they can pursue abstract goals,like going to college.J) Not only is this a boring and awful way to treat children, it makes no senseeducationally. Decades of research have shown that in order to acquire skills andreal knowledge in school, kids need to want to learn.You can force a child to stay in his or her seat,fill out a worksheet,or practice division.But you can't force the child to think carefully,er\joy books,digest complex information,or develop a taste for learning.To make that happen, you have to help the child find pleasure inlearning—to see school as a source of joy.K)Adults tend to talk about learning as if it were medicine; unpleasant, butnecessary and good for you. Why not instead think of learning as if it were food— something so valuable to humans that they have evolved to experience it asa pleasure?L) Joy should not be trained out of children or left for after-school programs. The more difficult a child's life circumstances,the more important it is for that child to find joy in his or her classroom. "Pleasure" is not a dirty word. And it doesn't run counter to the goals of public education. It is, in fact, the precondition.46.It will not be difficult to make learning a source of joy if educators changetheir way of thinking.47.What distinguishes children from adults is their strong ability to derive joyfrom what they are doing.48.Children in America are being treated with shocking cruelty.49.It is human nature to seek joy in life.50.Grown-ups are likely to think that learning to children is what medicine isto patients.51.Bad school conditions make it all the more important to turn learning into ajoyful experience.52.Adults do not consider children's feelings when it comes to education.53. Administrators seem to believe that only hard work will lead children to theireducational goals.54.In the so-called "effective" schools, children are taught self-controlunder a set of strict rules.55. To make learning effective,educators have to ensure that children want to leam.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.When it's five o'clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, formany workers,is defined by time.They leave when the clock tells them they're done.These days,the time is everywhere-,not just on clocks or watches,but on cell-phones and computers. That may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research showsthat clock-based work schedules hinder morale (士气 ) and creativity.Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example: ameeting from9 a.m. to10 a. m. ,research from 10 a.m. to noon,etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish.They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all ofus employ a mix of both these types of planning.What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Doesone make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experimentsconducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organizedifferent activities—from project planning,holiday shopping,to yoga— by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under "clock time" vs "task time. " Theyfound clock timers to be more efficient but less happy because they felt littlecontrol Over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but lessproductive.They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up.under-supported in business culture. Smart companies, they believe, will try to bake more task-based planning into their strategies.This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but theresearchers argue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy:work organized by clock time. While most people will still probably need, and be,to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when performing ajob that requires more creativity. It'll make those tasks easier, and the task-doers will be happier.56.What does the author think of time displayed everywhere?A) It makes everybody time-conscious.B) It is a convenience for work and life.C) It may have a negative effect on creative work.D) It clearly indicates the fast pace of modem life.57.How do people usually go about their work according to the author?A) They combine clock-based and task-based planning.B) They give priority to the most urgent task on hand.C) They set a time limit for each specific task.D) They accomplish their tasks one by one.58.What did Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier find in their experiments aboutclock-timers?A)They seize opportunities as they come up.B)They always get their work done in time.C)They have more control over their lives.D)They tend to be more productive.59.What do the researchers say about today's business culture?A) It does not support the strategies adopted by smart companies.B) It does not attach enough importance to task-based practice.C)It places more emphasis on work efficiency than on workers' lives.D)It aims to bring employees' potential and creativity into full play.60. What do the researchers suggest?A)Task-based timing is preferred for doing creative work.B)It is important to keep a balance between work and life.C)Performing creative jobs tends to make workers happier.D)A scientific standard should be adopted in job evaluation.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Martha Stewart was charged, tried and convicted of a crime in 2004. As she nearedthe end of her prison sentence, a well-known columnist wrote that she was " payingher dues," and that " there is simply no reason for anyone to attempt to deny herright to start anew. "Surely, the American ideal of second chances should not be reserved only for therich and powerful. Unfortunately,many federal and state laws impose post-conviction restrictions on a shockingly large number of Americans, who are prevented from ever fully paying their debt to society.At least 65 million people in the United States have a criminal record. This canresult in severe penalties that continue long after punishment is completed.Many of these penalties are imposed regardless of the seriousness of theoffense or the person's individual circumstances. Laws can restrict or ban voting,access to public housing, and professional and business licensing. They canaffect a person's ability to get a job and qualification for benefits.In all,more than45,000 laws and rules serve to exclude vast numbers of people from fully participating in American life.Some laws make sense. No one advocates letting someone convicted of pedophilia(恋童癖 ) work in a school. But too often collateral (附随的 ) consequences bear no relation to public safety.Should a womanwho possessed a small amount of drugs years ago be permanently unable to be licensed as a nurse?These laws are also counterproductive, since they make it harder for people withcriminal records to find housing or land a job, two key factors that reducebacksliding.A recent report makes several recommendations, including the abolition of mostpost-conviction penalties, except for those specifically needed to protect publicsafety. Where the penalties are not a must, they should be imposed only if the facts of a case support it.The point is not to excuse or forget the crime. Rather, it is to recognize that inAmerica's vast criminal justice system, second chances are crucial. It is in no one's interest to keep a large segment of the population on the margins of society.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。

完美WORD 格式2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第一套）。

Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay .Suppose you are two options upon graduation：one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start a business of your own. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section， you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report， you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.1. A） It was dangerous to live in.C） He could no longer pay the rent.B） It was going to be renovated. D）He had sold it to the royal family.2. A） A strike. B） A storm. C） A forest fire. D） A Terroristattack.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 trapped in an underground elevator.C） They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D） They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A） They tried hard to repair the accident.B） They released the details of the accident.C） They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D） They provided the miner with food and water.Question5 to7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A） Raise postage rates. C） Redesign delivery routes.B） Improve its services. D） Close some of its post offices.6. A） Shortening business hours. C）Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.B） Closing offices on holidays. D） Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A） Many post office staff will lose their jobsB） Many people will begin to complainC） Taxpayers will be very pleasedD）A lot of controversy will ariseSection BDirections：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 must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C） and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1with a single line though the centre. Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）He will be kept from promotion. C）He will be given a warning.B）He will go through retraining. D）He will lose part of his pay.9. A）He is always on time. C）He is an experienced press operator.B）He is trustworthy guy. D）He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A）She is a trade union representative.C）She is a senior manager of the shop.B）She is in charge of public relation. D）She is better at handing such matters.11. A）He is skilled and experienced. C）He is always trying to stir up trouble.B）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. B）Friendly. C）Selfish. D）Reserved.13. A）They stay quiet. C）They talk about the weatherB）They read a book. D）They chat with fellow passengers. 14. A）She was always treated as a foreigner.B）She was eager to visit an English castle.C）She was never invited to a colleague’s home.D）She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A） House are much more quiet. C） They want to have more space.B） Houses provide more privacy.D） They want a garden of their own. Section CDirections：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 the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C） and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A） They don’t have much choice of jobs.B） They are likely to get much higher pay.C） They don’t have to go through job interviews.D） They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A） Ask their professors for help. C）Visit the school careers services.B） Look at school bulletin boards. D） Go through campus newspapers.18. A） Helping students find the books and journals they need.B） Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.C） Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.D） Providing students with information about the library.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A） It tastes better. C） It may be sold at a higher price .B） It is easier to grow. D）It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A） It is healthier than green tea. C） It will replace green tea one day.B） It can grow in drier soil. D） It is immune to various diseases.21. A） It has been well received by many tea drinkers.B） It does not bring the promised health benefits.C）It has made tea farmers’ life easier.D） It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A）They need decorations to show their status.B） They prefer unique objects of high quality.C） They decorate their homes themselves.D） They care more about environment.23. A） They were proud of their creations.B） They could only try to create at night.C） They made great contributions to society.D） They focused on the quality of their products.24. A） Make wise choices. C） Design handicrafts themselves.B） Identify fake crafts. D） Learn the importance of creation. 25. A） To boost the local economy. C） To arouse public interest in crafts.B） To attract foreign investments. D）To preserve the traditional culture.PARTⅢ Reading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections： In this section， there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense. But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes —animal fighting —things 26 work out that way. Dog fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and “sport,” yet their criminal abuse rs often receive a 28sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animal fighters only get probation(缓刑).Some progress has been made in the prosecution(起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judges often rely heavily on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines whenthey 29penalties, and in the case of animal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30.The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which 31these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them, proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6-12 to 21-27 months. This is a step in the right 32, but we’d like to see the U.S. Sentencing Commission make further guidelines.Simultaneous to this effort, we’re working with animal advocates and state and federal lawmakers to 33 anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assist overburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is35 important because the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major deterrent to intervening in cruelty cases in the first place.Section BDirections：In this section， you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. Youmay choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.When Work Becomes a Game[A]What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. The promise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.[B]Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what’s come to be known as “gamification:” essentially, turning work into a game. “Gamification is about under standing what it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience in games, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace and education,” explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expe rt who teaches at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States..[C]It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to the winners, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could also mean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies from Google to IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in their workplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that the global gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.[D]The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachers hav e long looked for fun ways to engage people’s reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jacks has been “gamifying” its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, he adds, and the turn-of-the-century steel magnate Charles Schwab is said to have often come into his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factory floor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.[E]But the word “gamification” and the widespread, co nscious application of the concept only began in earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation now entering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. “We’re at a point where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playing [video] games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too,” Werbach says.[F]A number of companies have sprung up—GamEffective, Bunchball and Badgeville, to name a few—in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effective turn employees’ ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. “What makes a game game-like is that the player actually ca res about the outcome,” Werbach says. “The principle is understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understanding of psychology.”[G]Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition. Sales people often fall into this category. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their sales pitches into a competition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who’s winning at all times.Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One company Werbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employee morale. When employees log in to their computers, they’re shown a picture of one of their coworkers and asked to guess that person’s name.[H]Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company that gamifies employee trainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed a gamification strategy for a sales training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed “storm chaser teams” and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn various rewards.“Rewards don’t have to be stuff,” Cornetti says. “Rewards can be flextime. Rewards can be extension time.”Another training, thi s one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme. Snow White is public domain, but the dwarfs are still under copyright, so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay roll law principles.[I]Some people don’t take as naturally to gamified work environments, Cornetti says. In her experience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering don’t tend to like the sound of the word.“If we’re designing forengineers, I’m not talking about a ‘game’ at all,” Cornetti says. “I’m talking about a ‘simulation,’ I’m talking about ‘be ing able to solve this problem.”[J]Gamification is “not a magic bullet,” Werbach cautions. A gamification strategy that’s not sufficiently thought through or tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but it won’t motivate in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used with vulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobs yet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbach gives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, California, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another. Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began to skip bathroom breaks, worried that if their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnant employees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the board as a “digital whip.”“It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance,” Werbach says.[K]Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, “as more and more people come into the workforce who are intuitively familiar with the structures and expressions of digital games.” “We are way ahead of the tipping point,” Cornetti agrees. “There’s no reason this will go away.”36.some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying todo the same.37.Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38.To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow works when starting their computers.39.The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40.There is a reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41.Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42.When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43.Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44.The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45.It is necessary to use terms other than “gamification”for some professions. Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre. Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to " solve" problems-real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired-not to teach but to hold meetings-has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house (信息交流中心)for using technology in classrooms and in online courses. It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems-class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being-might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic (官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. lf we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way-the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally; they should be allowed to teach, and berewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that people do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.46.What does the author say about present-day universities?A)They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B)They often fail to combine teaching with research.C)They are over-burdened with administrative staff.D)They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47.According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A)Good classroom teachers. C) Talented researchers.B)Efficient administrators. D) Motivated students.48.What does the author imply about the classes at present?A)They facilitate students independent learning.B)They help students form closer relationships.C)They have more older students than before.D)They are much bigger than is desirable.49.What does the author think of teaching ability?A)It requires talent and practice.B)It is closely related to research.C)It is a chief factor affecting students 'learning.D)It can be acquired through persistent practice.50.What is the author’s suggestion for improving university teaching?A)Creating an environment for teachers to share 'their teaching experiences.B)Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C)Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D)Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms.Passage TwoQuestions 51to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago-by McDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards-like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals-stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food items.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion.\One of the prizes used was a lotteryticket（彩票）, with a $ 10, $ 50 or $ 100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting.”says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective. In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard odds included.“One explana tion for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking than certainty awards," says Reimann. " The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills.' The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state of hope 一a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding·"In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gambleHow might it’s knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant-and make you eat a little less.51.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A)It may shed light on people’s desire to crack a secret.B)It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.C)It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.D)It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A)Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.B)Most kids and adults don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C)Eating a smaller does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D)Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?A)Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B)Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future awardC)Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D)Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54.How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A)The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B)People now care more about quality than quantity.C)People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D) The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?A)·People should eat much less if they ·wish to stay healthy and happy.B)More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.C)We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D)More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions： For this part， you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer 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.2016年12月大学英语四级答案（第一套）Part1 writing (30 minutes)破题思路：第一段：话题描述. 第二段：表明观点+阐述原因. 第三段：观点结论.参考范文：(选择就业还是创业)Finding a Job FirstUpon graduation， virtually all college students will confront the problem of the career choice，which is truly a tough choice. Students’ opinions differ greatly on this issue. Some hold that priority should be given to start a business of your own， but others take the attitude that finding a job is the best choice influencing their future.As to myself， I prefer the latter view. An opportunity to start a business exerts a tremendous fascination on a great number of people， with no exception to me. In my view， With the competition in the job market becoming increasingly fierce for college graduates， some ambitious students have tried their hands at launching their own businesses. Over the years，there have been many successful cases of student entrepreneurship and such attempts should be encouraged and promoted by both the universities and the society at large. What’s more ，College students who start businesses are pioneers，among whom will be born China’s future business leaders. Faced with unknown challenges， they are audacious enough to embark on a perilous journey while most of their peers enjoy stable salaries by working as white-collars at high-end office buildings.All in all， the essential difference between the students who find a jobor those students who create their own businesses is that the former are docile followers whereas the latter are aggressive trailblazers. For this reason，business-launching college graduates are more admirable， and thus they command our deep respect.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）【英语四级听力真题解析】听力作为一种考试题型，目的在于考查应试者对英语语言的把握，自从英语四级题型改革后，所选题材侧重新闻稿和演讲稿，比如这次英语四级考试的Section A 部分，主要是关于采盐工人的相关新闻报导，文章稍难，我们在作答之前，一定要快速浏览各题目的选项，先把核心关键词划出来，比如重要的名词，名词性短语等，这样可以帮助我们预知要听的重点，提高捕捉信息的准确度，降低听力材料的难度.在听录音的过程中，快速作标记，锁定正确答案.1.(A)It was dangerous to live in.2.(B)A storm3.(B)They were trapped in an underground elevator.4.(C)They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5.(D)Close some of its post office.6.(C)Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7.(A)Many post office staff will lose their jobs.Section B8.(D)He will lose part of his pay.9.(B)He is a trustworthy guy. 10.(D)She is better at handling such matters.11.(C)He is always trying to stir up trouble. 12.(D)Reserved13.(A)They stay quiet 14.(C)She was never invited to a colleague’s home. 15.(B)Houses provide more privacySection C16.(D)They will automatically be given hiring priority.17.(C)Visit the school careers service.18.(B)Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19.(C)It may be sold at a higher price. 20.(A)It is healthier than green tee.21.(D)It does not have a stable market.22.(B)They prefer unique objects of high quality.23.(B)They could only try to create at night.24.(A)Make wise choices.25.(A)To boost the local economy.Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was forced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royalfamily between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New Yo rk’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated。

2016年12月大学英语四级真题（第一套）Part I Writing (30minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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 1 with a single line through 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.Question5 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 BDirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end of eachconversation,you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from four choice marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1 with a single line though 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 CDirections: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 the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.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 extremeweathers.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.Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Many men and women have long bought into the idea that there are “male” and “female” brains, believing that explains just about every differencebetween the sexes. A new study（26）that belief, questioning whether brains really can be distinguished by gender.In the study, Tel Aviv University researchers（27）for sex differences the entire human brain.And what did they find? Not much. Rather than offer evidence for（28）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）, many different types of brain can’t always be distinguished by gender.While the “average” male and “average” female brains were（30）different, you couldn’t tell it by loo king at individual brain scans. Only a small （31）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 research questioning（32）beliefs about gender and brain function. But he cautioned against concluding from this study that all brains are the same,（33）of gender.“There’s a mountain of evidence（34）the importance of sex influences at all levels of brain function,” he told The Seattle Times.If anything, he said, the study（35）that gender plays a very important role in the brain “even when we are not clear exactly how.”Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information 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 marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on 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 opinions 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, usually involving a broken window or some forced entry. According to the FBI, crimes like these accounted roughly two-thirds of all household burglaries in the US in 2013.The wide majority of the rest were illegal, unforced entries that resulted from something like a window being left open. The odds of a criminal using technical means to bypass a security system are so small that 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 (入室盗贼) might be able to shut your system down simply by cutting the right cable. With a wireless setup, you stick battery-powered sensors up around your home that keep an eye on windows, doors, motion, and more. If they detect something wrong while the system is armed, they’ll transmit a wireless alert signal to a base station that will then raise the alarm. That approach will eliminate most cord-cutting concerns—but what about their wireless equivalent, jamming? With the right device tuned to the right frequency, what’s to stop 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 that’s built to receive a wireless signal at aspecific frequency can be overwhelmed by a stronger signal coming in on the same f requency. For comparison, let’s say you wanted to “jam” a conversation between two people—all you’d need to do is yell in the listener’s ear.[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 so know what system they’re looking for. If you have a sign in your yard declaring what setup you use, that’d point them in the right direction, though at that point, we’re talki ng about a highly targeted, semi-sophisticated attack, and not the sort forced-entry attack that makes up the majority of burglaries. It’s easier to find and acquire jamming equipment for some frequencies than it is for others.[F] Wireless security providers will often take steps to help combat the threat of jamming attacks. SimpliSafe, winner of our Editor’s Choice distinction, utilizes a special system that’s capable of separating incidental RF interference from targeted jamming attacks. When the syste m 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.[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 measures to contain the RF interference to our test lab, we tested the attack out forourselves, and were able to verify that it’s possible with the right equipment. However, we also verifie d that SimpliSafe’s anti-jamming system works. It caught us in the act, sent an alert to my smartphone, and also listed our RF interference on the system’s event log. The team behind the article and video in question make no mention of the system, or whether or not in detected them.[H]We like the unique nature of that software. It means that a thief likely wouldn’t be able to Google how the system works, then figure out a way around it. Even if they could, SimpliSafe claims that its system is always evolving, and that it varies slightly from system to system, which means there wouldn’t be a universal magic formula for cracking 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 successful jam attack since the company began offering wireless security sensors in the 1980s.[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 it that someone will successfully jam their way into your home and steal your stuff?[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 toneed 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 for jamming your specific setup. Presumably, you keep your doors locked at night and while you’re away. So the thief will still need 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 so without tripping theanti-jamming system, the details of which he almost certainly does now have access to.[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-sided approach to securing your home, one that includes common sense things like sound locks and proper exterior lighting at night. 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 keeps that worst-case setting as improbable as possible while also offering strong protection in the event of a less-extraordinary attack.36. It is possible for burglars to make jamming attacks with the necessaryequipment and skill.37. Interfering with a wireless security system is similar to interfering with aconversation.38. A burglar has to continuously jam the wireless security device to avoidtriggering the alarm, both inside and outside the house.39. SimpliSafe provides devices that are able to distinguish incidental radiointerference from targeted 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 oncesomething wrong is detected.43. Different measur es should be taken to protect one’s home from burglaryin addition to the wireless 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 CDirections:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.As a person who writes about food and drink for a living. I couldn’t tell you the first thing about Bill Perry or whether the beers he 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 his servers 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 hate tipping because I believe I would be in a better place if pay decisions regarding employees were simply left up to their employers, as is the custom in virtually every other industry.Most of you probably think that you hate tipping, too. Research suggests otherwise. You actually love tipping! You like to feel that you have a voice in how much money your server makes. No matter how the math works out,you persistently view restaurants with voluntary tipping systems as being a better value, which makes it extremely difficult for restaurants and bars to 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 waiters depend on tips, presumably because they see a benefit to successfully veiling their contempt for you. Well, if this were true, we 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 see only a tiny bump in tips when they do an exceptional job compared to a passable one. Waiters, keen observers of humanity that they are, are catching on to this; in one poll, a full 30% said they didn’t believe the job they did had any impact on the tips they received.So come on, folks: get on board with ditching the outdated tip system. Pay a little more upfront 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?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 mature to try to save on tips.C) Tips make it more difficult to please customers.D) Tips benefit the boss rather that 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 TwoQuestions 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 toned down, 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 more money in their pockets when they’re paying less at the pump. They spend that money on other things, which stimulates the economy.The biggest gains go to countries that import most of their oil like China, Japan, and India, But doesn’t the extra money in the pockets 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 u p huge reserve funds when prices werehigh, so when prices fall they will draw on their reserves to support government spending 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 becauseoil-pro ducing nations can’t afford 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 the past. One reason is that more countries are big oil producers now, so the nations suffering from the price drop account for a larger share of the global economy.Consumers, in the U.S. at least, are acting cautiously with the savings they’re getting at the gas pump, as the memory of the recent great recession is still fresh in their mind. And a number of oil-producing countries are trimming their gasoline subsidies 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 (30minutes)Directions: For this part,you are allowed 30minutes to transtate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer 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。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have twooptions upon graduation: one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start abusiness of your own. You are to make a decision. Write an essay to explain the reasonsfor your decision. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension( 25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each newsreport, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and thequestions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you mustchoose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single linethrough the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A. It was dangerous to live in.B. It was going to be renovated.C. He could no longer pay the rent.D. He had sold it to the royal family.2. A. A strike.B. A storm.C. A forest fire.D. A terrorist attack.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A. They lost contact with the emergency department.B. They were trapped in an underground elevator.C. They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D. They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A. They tried hard to repair the elevator.B. They released the details of the accident.C. They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D. They provided the miners with food and water.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A. Raise postage rates.B. Improve its services.C. Redesign delivery routes.D. Close some of its post offices.6. A. Shortening business hours.B. Closing offices on holidays.C. Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.D. Computerizing mall sorting processes.7. A. Many post office staff will lose their jobs.B. Many people will begin to complain.C. Taxpayers will be very pleased.D. A lot of controversy will arise.Section BDirections: 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 onlyonce. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choicesmarked A, B, C and D . Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A. He will be kept from promotion.B. He will go through retraining.C. He will be given a warning.D. He will lose part of his pay.9. A. He is always on time.B. He is a trustworthy guy.C. He is an experienced press operator.D. He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A. She is a trade union representative.B. She is in charge of public relations.C. She is a senior manager of the shop.D. She is better at handling such matters.11. A. He is skilled and experienced.B. He is very close to the manager.C. He is always trying to stir up trouble.D. He is always complaining about low wages.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A. Open.B. Friendly.C. Selfish.D. Reserved.13. A. They stay quiet.B. They read a book.C. They talk about the weather.D. They chat with fellow passengers.14. A. She was always treated as a foreigner.B. She was eager to visit an English castle.C. She was never invited to a colleague's home.D. She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A. Houses are much more quiet.B. Houses provide more privacy.C. They want to have more space.D. They want a garden of their own.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hearthree or four 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 markedA, B, C and D . Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with asingle line through the centre. Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A. They don't have much choice of jobs.B. They are likely to get much higher pay.C. They don't have to go through job interviews.D. They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A. Ask their professors for help.B. Look at school bulletin boards.C. Visit the school careers service.D. Go through campus newspapers.18. A. Helping students find the books and journals they need.B. Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.C. Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.D. Providing students with information about the library.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A. It tastes better.B. It is easier to grow.C. It may be sold at a higher price.D. It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A. It is healthier than green tea.B. It can grow in drier soil.C. It will replace green tea one day.D. It is immune to various diseases.21. A. It has been well received by many tea drinkers.B. It does not bring the promised health benefits.C. It has made tea farmers' life easier.D. It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A. They need decorations to show their status.B. They prefer unique objects of high quality.C. They decorate their homes themselves.D. They care more about environment.23. A. They were proud of their creations.B. They could only try to create at night.C. They made great contributions to society.D. They focused on the quality of their products.24. A. Make wise choices.B. Identify fake crafts.C. Design handicrafts themselves.D. Learn the importance of creation.25. A. To boost the local economy.B. To attract foreign investments.C. To arouse public interest in crafts.D. To preserve the traditional culture.Part ⅢReading Comprehension(40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one wordfor each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in thebank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense.But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes--animal fighting--things26 work out that way.Dog-fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and "sport," yet their criminal abusers oftenreceive a28 sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animalfighters only get probation (缓刑).Some progress has been made in the prosecution (起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judgesoften rely heavily on the U. S. Sentencing GuideLines when they29 penalties, and in the case ofanimal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which31 these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them,proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6 - 12 to 21 - 27 months. This is a step in the right32, but we'd like to see the U. S. Sentencing Commission make further changes to the guidelines.Along with this effort, we're working with animal advocates and state and federal lawmakers to33 anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assistoverburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is 35 importantbecause the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major factor that prevents people from gettinginvolved in cruelty cases in the first place.A. convenientB. createsC. criticallyD. determineE. directionF. hesitateG. inadequateH. inspiredI. methodJ. minimalK. rarelyL. sheltersM. strengthenN. sufferingsO. torturedSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.When Work Becomes a GameA) What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. Thepromise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.B) Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what has come to be knownas "gamification" : essentially, turning work into a game. "Gamification is about understandingwhat it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience ingames, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace andeducation," explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School ofBusiness at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.C) It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to thewinner, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could alsomean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies fromGoogle to L'Oréalto IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in theirworkplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that theglobal gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.D) The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachershave long looked for fun ways to engage people's reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jackshas been "gamifying" its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, headds, and the turn-of-the-century steel magnate (巨头) Charles Schwab is said to have often comeinto his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factoryfloor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.E) But the word "gamification" and the widespread, conscious application of the concept only beganin earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation nowentering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. "We are at apoint where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playingvideo games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too," Werbachsays.F) A number of companies have sprung up--GamEffective, Bunchbail and Badgeville, to name a few--in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effectiveturn employees' ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. "What makes a gamegame-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome," Werbach says. "The principle isabout understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understandingof psychology. "G) Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition.Sales people often fall into thiscategory. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their saies pitches into acompetition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who iswinningat all times. Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One companyWerbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employees' morale(士气). When employees log in to their computers, they're shown a picture of one of theircoworkers and asked to guess that person's name.H) Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company that gamifies employeetrainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed agamification strategy for a saies training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed"storm chaser teams" and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn variousrewards. "Rewards do not have to be stuff," Cornetti says. "Rewards can be flexible workinghours. " Another training, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfstheme. "Snow White" is available for everyone to use, but the "dwarfs" are still under copyright,so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay rolllaw principles.I) Some people do not take naturaily to gamified work environments, Cornetti says.In herexperience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering do not tend to like thesound of the word. "If we are designing for engineers, I'm not talking about a ' game' at all,"Cornetti says. "I'm talking about a ' simulation' (模拟), I'm talking about ' being able to solvethis problem. '"J) Gamification is " not a magic bullet," Werbach warns.A gamification strategy that is notsufficiently thought through or well tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but itwill not motivate people in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used withvulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobsyet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbachgives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, Caiifornia, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another.Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began tostop taking bathroom breaks, worried that if their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnantemployees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the boardas a "digital whip. ""It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance," Werbachsays.K) Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, "as more and more people comeinto the workforce who are familiar with the structures and expressions of digitai games. ""We arefar from reaching the peak," Cornetti agrees. "There is no reason this will go away. "36. Some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying to do the same.37. Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38. To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow workers when startingtheir computers.39. The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40. There is reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41. Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42. When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43. Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44. The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into funexperiences.45. It is necessary to use terms other than "gamification" for some professions.Section CDirections: 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 AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keepyounger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to "solve"problems--real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actualproblems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of peoplehired--not to teach but to hold meetings--has increased significantly. Every new problem creates anew job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, thecenter is a clearing house (信息交流中心) for using technology in classrooms and in online courses.It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems--class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being--might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic ( 官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. If we replaced half of ouradministrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actuallyknew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way--the curriculum should be flexible enough sothat they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally, they should beallowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at andconsumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are notexclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent andpractice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that peopledo not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell thedifference between their best and worst teachers.46. What does the author say about present-day universities?A. They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B. They often fail to combine teaching with research.C. They are over-burdened with admires" trative staff.D. They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47. According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A. Good classroom teachers.B. Efficient administrators.C. Talented researchers.D. Motivated students.48. What does the author imply about the classes at present?A. They facilitate students' independent learning.B. They help students form closer relationships.C. They have more older students than before.D. They are much bigger than is desirable.49. What does the author think of teaching ability?A. It requires talent and practice.B. It is closely related to research.C. It is a chief factor affecting students' learning.D. It can be acquired through persistent practice.50. What is the author's suggestion for improving university teaching?A. Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences.B. Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C. Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D. Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago--byMcDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, small non-foodrewards--like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals--stimulate the same reward centers in the brain asfood does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people wouldchoose a smaller meal ff it was paired with a non-food item.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a haft-sized portion when combinedwith a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose thesmaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket ( 彩票), with a $10, $ 50 or $100 payout,and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of arelatively small monetary award is interesting," says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective.In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard oddsincluded."One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking thancertrainty Reimann." The of added attraction andawards,"saysuncertainty winningprovidesdesirability through emotional ' thrills. ' The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state ofhope--a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding. " In other words, there's a reason why peoplelike to gamble.How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Ormaybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a futuredate. That would get you back in the restaurant--and make you eat a little less.51. What do we learn about McDonald's inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A. It may shed light on people's desire to crack a secret.B. It has proved to be key to McDonald's business success.C. It appeals to kid's curiosity to fred out what is hidden inside.D. It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A. Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald's more.B. Most kids and adults don't actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C. Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D. Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53. What is most interesting in Martin Reimann's fmding?A. Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B. Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.C. Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D. Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54. How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A. The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B. People now care more about quality than quantity.C. People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D. The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55. What can we infer from Martin Reimann's finding?A. People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.B. More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald's example.C. We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D. More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IVTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第1套)PartⅠWriting(30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have twooptions upon graduation: one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start abusiness of your own. You are to make a decision. Write an essay to explain the reasonsfor your decision. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.toisand policies that assistoverburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is 35 importantbecause the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major factor that prevents people from gettinginvolved in cruelty cases in the first place.A. convenientB. createsC. criticallyD. determineE. directionF. hesitateG. inadequateH. inspiredI. methodJ. minimalK. rarelyL. sheltersM. strengthenN. sufferingsO. torturedSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Eachstatement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraphfrom which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.When Work Becomes a GameA) What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. Thepromise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.B) Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what has come to be knownas "gamification" : essentially, turning work into a game. "Gamification is about understandingwhat it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience ingames, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace andeducation," explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School ofBusiness at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.C) It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to thewinner, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could alsomean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies fromGoogle to L'Oréalto IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in theirworkplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that theglobal gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.D) The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, marketers and teachershave long looked for fun ways to engage people's reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jackshas been "gamifying" its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, headds, and the turn-of-the-century steel magnate (巨头) Charles Schwab is said to have often comeinto his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factoryfloor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.E) But the word "gamification" and the widespread, conscious application of the concept only beganin earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in partto video games, the generation nowentering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. "We are at apoint where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playingvideo games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too," Werbachsays.F) A number of companies have sprung up--GamEffective, Bunchbail and Badgeville, to name a few--in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effectiveturn employees' ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. "What makes a gamegame-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome," Werbach says. "The principle isabout understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understandingof psychology. "G) Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition.Sales people often fall into thiscategory. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their saies pitches into acompetition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who is winningat all times. Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One companyWerbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employees' morale(士气). When employees log in to their computers, they're shown a picture of one of theircoworkers and asked to guess that person's name.H) Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company that gamifies employeetrainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed agamification strategy for a saies training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed"storm chaser teams" and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn variousrewards. "Rewards do not have to be stuff," Cornetti says. "Rewards can be flexible workinghours. " Another training, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfstheme. "Snow White" is available for everyone to use, but the "dwarfs" are still under copyright,so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay rolllaw principles.I) Some people do not take naturaily to gamified work environments, Cornetti says.In herexperience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering do not tend to like thesound of the word. "If we are designing for engineers, I'm not talking about a ' game' at all,"Cornetti says. "I'm talking about a ' simulation' (模拟), I'm talking about ' being able to solvethis problem. '"J) Gamification is " not a magic bullet," Werbach warns.A gamification strategy that is notsufficiently thought through or well tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but itwill not motivate people in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used withvulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobsyet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbachgives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, Caiifornia, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another.Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began tostop taking bathroom breaks, worried thatif their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnantemployees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the boardas a "digital whip. ""It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance," Werbachsays.K) Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, "as more and more people comeinto the workforce who are familiar with the structures and expressions of digitai games. ""We arefar from reaching the peak," Cornetti agrees. "There is no reason this will go away. "36. Some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying to do the same.37. Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38. To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow workers when startingtheir computers.39. The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40. There is reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41. Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42. When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43. Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44. The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45. It is necessary to use terms other than "gamification" for some professions. Section CDirections: 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 AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keepyounger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to "solve"problems--real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actualproblems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of peoplehired--not to teach but to hold meetings--has increased significantly. Every new problem creates anew job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, thecenter is a clearing house (信息交流中心) for using technology in classrooms and in online courses.It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems--class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being--might be improved by cuttingdown the bureaucratic ( 官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. If we replaced half of ouradministrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actuallyknew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way--the curriculum should be flexible enough sothat they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally, they should beallowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at andconsumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are notexclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent andpractice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that peopledo not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell thedifference between their best and worst teachers.46. What does the author say about present-day universities?A. They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B. They often fail to combine teaching with research.C. They are over-burdened with admires" trative staff.D. They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47. According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A. Good classroom teachers.B. Efficient administrators.C. Talented researchers.D. Motivated students.48. What does the author imply about the classes at present?A. They facilitate students' independent learning.B. They help students form closer relationships.C. They have more older students than before.D. They are much bigger than is desirable.49. What does the author think of teaching ability?A. It requires talent and practice.B. It is closely related to research.C. It is a chief factor affecting students' learning.D. It can be acquired through persistent practice.50. What is the author's suggestion for improving university teaching?A. Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences.B. Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C. Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D. Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms. Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago--byMcDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and BrandLab, small non-foodrewards--like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals--stimulate the same reward centers in the brain asfood does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people wouldchoose a smaller meal ff it was paired with a non-food item. They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a haft-sized portion when combinedwith a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose thesmaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket ( 彩票), with a $10, $ 50 or $100 payout,and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of arelatively small monetary award is interesting," says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective.In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard oddsincluded."One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking thancertrainty Reimann." The of added attraction andawards,"saysuncertainty winningprovidesdesirability through emotional ' thrills. ' The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state ofhope--a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding. " In other words, there's a reason why peoplelike to gamble.How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Ormaybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a futuredate. That would get you back in the restaurant--and make you eat a little less.51. What do we learn about McDonald's inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A. It may shed light on people's desire to crack a secret.B. It has proved to be key to McDonald's business success.C. It appeals to kid's curiosity to fred out what is hidden inside.D. It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A. Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald's more.B. Most kids and adults don't actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C. Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D. Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53. What is most interesting in Martin Reimann's fmding?A. Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B. Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.C. Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D. Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54. How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A. The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B. People now care more about quality than quantity.C. People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D. The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55. What can we infer from Martin Reimann's finding?A. People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.B. More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald's example.C. We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D. More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IVTranslation( 30 minutes )Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese intoEnglish. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福。

2016年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第一套）Part I Writing (30 minutes) (请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Much controversy has been aroused about whether the students should find a job or start their own business after graduation. Taking a look around, we can find that some graduates bustle around job markets, while others choose to run a shop on TMall. However, I prefer the former choice.From my perspective, there are good reasons to find a job in the first several years after their graduation. First and foremost, if a graduate intends to accumulate working experience and learn from the seniors, it is advisable for him to find a job. It is an undeniable fact that the theoretical knowledge will provide the graduates with the ability to consider things comprehensively, however, only under the integration with practice can the rigid knowledge be useful for their future development. Inevitably, doing something small is the premise of undertaking something great. Take Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba and taobao, for example. He also finds some jobs before establishing his own career, laying a solid foundation for his later success.Consequently, it is of great necessity to find a job after graduation. I firmly believe that it will continue to bring about more returns to our life and future.Part II Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) It was going to be renovated.B) He could no longer pay the rent.C) It was dangerous to live in.D) He had sold it to the royal family.【答案】C2. A) A storm.B) A strike.C) A forest fire.D) A terrorist attack.【答案】AQuestions 3 and 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.【答案】D4.A) They provided the miners 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 elevator.【答案】BQuestions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A) Raise postage rates.B) Improve its services.C) Close some of its post offices.D) Redesign delivery routes.【答案】C6.A) Closing offices on holidays.B) Shortening business hours.C) Computerizing mail sorting processes.D) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.【答案】D7.A) A lot of controversy will arise.B)Taxpayers will be very pleased.C) Many people will begin to complain.D) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.【答案】DSection BDirections: 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 must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B)y C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A) He will lose part of his pay.B) He will go through retraining.C) He will be given a warning.D) He will be kept from promotion.【答案】A9.A) He is an experienced press operator.B) He is a trustworthy guy.C) He is always on time.D) He is on good terms with his workmates.【答案】B10.A) She is a trade union representative.B) She is a senior manager of the shop.C) She is better at handling such matters.D) She is in charge of public relations.【答案】C11.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.【答案】AQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A) Open.B) Reserved.C) Selfish.D) Friendly.【答案】B13.A) They read a book.B) They talk about the weather.C) They stay quiet.D) They chat with fellow passengers.【答案】C14.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.【答案】B15.A) Houses are much more quiet.B) They want to have more space.C) They want a garden of their own.D) Houses provide more privacy.【答案】DSection CDirections: 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 the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.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.【答案】A17.A) Visit the school careers service.B) Ask their professors for help.C) Look at school bulletin boards.D) Go through campus newspapers.【答案】A18. 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.【答案】CQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A) It tastes better.B) It may be sold at a higher price.C) It is easier to grow.D) It can better survive extreme weathers.【答案】B20. A) It can grow in drier soil.B) It is immune to various diseases.C) It will replace green tea one day.D) It is healthier than green tea.【答案】D21. 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.【答案】AQuestions 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.【答案】C23. 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.【答案】B24.A) Identify fake crafts.B)Make wise choices.C)To arouse public interest in crafts.D)To boost the local economy.【答案】B25.A) To attract foreign investments.B)To preserve the traditional culture.C)Design handicrafts themselves.D)Learn the importance of creation.【答案】DPart III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Many men and women have long bought into the idea that there are “male” and “female” brains, believing that explains just about every difference between the sexes. A new study __26__ that belief, questioning whether brains really can be distinguished by gender.In the study, Tel Aviv University researchers __27__ for sex differences throughout the entire human brain.27._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditionalAnd what did they find? Not much. Rather than offer evidence for __28__ brains as “male” or “female,” research shows that brains fall into a wide range, with most people falling right in the middle.28._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditionalDaphna Joel, who led the study, said her research found that while there are some gender-based —__29__ , many different types of brain can’t always be distinguished by gender.29._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditionalWhile the “average” male and “average” female brains were __30__ different, you couldn’t tell it by looking at individual brain scans. Only a small __31__ of people had “all-male” or “all-female” characteristics.30._____31._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditionalLarry Cahill, an American neuroscientist (神经科学家), said the study is an important addition to a growing body of research questioning __32__ beliefs aboutgender and brain function. But he cautioned against concluding from this study that all brains are the same, __33__ of gender.32._____33._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditional“There’s a mountain of evidence __34__ the importance of sex influences at all levels of brain function, M he told The Seattle Times.34._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditionalIf anything, he said, the study __35__ that gender plays a very important role in the brain—“even when we are not clear exactly how.”35._____A) abnormalB) appliedC) brieflyD) categorizingE) challengesF) figureG) percentageH) provingI) regardlessJ) searchedK) similaritiesL) slightlyM) suggestsN) tastesO) traditionalSection BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose aparagraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on 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 opinions 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, usually involving a broken window or some forced entry. According to the FBI, crimes like these accounted for roughly two-thirds of all household burglaries in the US in 2013. The wide majority of the rest were illegal, unforced entries that resulted from something like a window being left open. The odds of criminal using technical means to bypass a security system are so small that 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(入室盗贼)might be able to shut your system down simply by cutting the right cable. With a wireless setup, you stick battery-powered sensors up around your home that keep an eye on windows, doors, motion, and more. If they detect something wrong while the system is armed, they’ll transmit a wireless alert signal to a base station that will then raise the alarm. That approach will eliminate most cord-cutting concerns—but what about their wireless equivalent, jamming? With the right device tuned to the right frequency, what’s to stop 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 that’s built to receive a wireless signal at a specific frequency 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 in the listener’s ear.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 minimalGoogling. They will, however, need to know what system they’re looking for. If you have a sign in your yard declaring what setup you use, that’d point them in the right direction, though at that point, we’re talking about a highly targeted, semi-sophisticated attack, and not the sort of forced-entry attack that makes up the majority of burglaries. It’s easier to find and acquire jamming equipment for some frequencies than it is for others.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 RF interference from 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.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 contain the RF interference to our test lab, we tested the attack out for ourselves, and were able to verify that it is possible with the right equipment. However, we also verified that SimpliSafe’s anti-jamming system works. It caught us in the act, sent an alert to my smartphone, and also listed our RF interference on the system’s event log. The team behind the article and video in question make no mention of the system, or whether or not it detected them.H) We like the unique nature of that software. It means that a thief likely wouldn’t be able to Google how the system works, then figure out a way around it Even if they could, SimpliSafe claims that its system is always evolving, and that it varies slightly from system to system, which means there wouldn’t be a universal magic formula for cracking 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 successful jam attack since the company began offering wireless security sensors in the 1980s.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 it that someone will successfully jam their way into your home and steal your stuff?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 for jamming your specific setup. Presumably, you keep your doors locked at night and while you're away, so the thief will still need 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 so without tripping the anti-jamming system, the details of which he almost certainly does not have access to.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-sided approach to securing your home, one that includes common sense things like sound locks and proper exterior lighting at night. 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 keeps that worst-case setting as improbable as possible while also offering strong protection in the event of a less-extraordinary attack.36.It is possible for burglars to make jamming attacks with the necessary equipment and skill.【答案】I37.Interfering with a wireless security system is similar to interfering witha conversation.【答案】D38.A burglar has to continuously jam the wireless security device to avoid triggering the alarm, both inside and outside the house.【答案】J39.SimpliSafe provides devices that are able to distinguish incidental radio interference from targeted jamming attacks.【答案】F40.Only a very small proportion of burglaries are committed by technical means.【答案】B41.It is difficult to crack SimpliSafe as its system keeps changing.【答案】H42.Wireless devices will transmit signals so as to activate the alarm once something wrong is detected.【答案】C43.Different measures should be taken to protect one’s home from burglary in addition to the wireless security system.【答案】K44.SimpliSafe’s device can send a warning to the house owner’s cellphone.【答案】G45.Burglars can easily get a security device’s frequency by Internet search.【答案】ESection CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B) , C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.As a person who writes about food and drink for a living, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about Bill Perry or whether the beers he sells are that great. ButI can tell you that I like this guy. That’s because he plans to ban tipping in favor of paying his servers 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 hate tipping because I believe I would be in a better place if pay decisions regarding employees were simply left up to their employers, as is the custom in virtually every other industry.Most of you probably think that you hate tipping, too. Research suggests otherwise. You actually love tipping! You like to feel that you have a voice in how much money your server makes. No matter how the math works out, you persistently view restaurants with voluntary tipping systems as being a better value, which makes it extremely difficult for restaurants and bars to 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 waiters depend on tips, presumably because they see a benefit to successfully veiling their contempt for you. Well, if this were true, we 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 see only a tiny bump in tips when they do an exceptional job compared to a passable one. Waiters, keen observers of humanity that they are, are catching on to this; in one poll, a full 30% said they didn’t believe the job they did had any impact on the tips they 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?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.【答案】B47.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.【答案】C48.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.【答案】D49.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.【答案】A50.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.【答案】DPassage TwoQuestions 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 toned down, 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 more money in their pockets when they’re paying less at the pump. They spend that money on other things, which stimulates the economy.The biggest gains go to countries that import most of their oil like China, Japan, and India. But doesn’t the extra money in the pockets 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 were high, so when prices fall they will draw on their reserves to support government spending 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’t afford 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 the past. One reason is that more countries are big oil producers now, so the nations suffering from the prices drop account for a larger share of the global economy.Consumers, in the U.S. at least, are acting cautiously with the savings they’re getting at the gas pump, as the memory of the recent great recession is still fresh in their mind. And a number of oil-producing countries are trimming their gasoline subsidies 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.【答案】C52.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 savings from cheap oil on other commodities.【答案】D53.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.【答案】C54.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.【答案】B55.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.【答案】APart IV Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.在中国文化中，红色通常象征着好运、长寿和幸福。

完美WORD 格式2016年12月大学英语四级试题（第一套）。

Part I Writing （30minutes）（请于正式开考后半小时内完成该部分，之后将进行听力考试）Directions：For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay .Suppose you are two options upon graduation：one is to find a job somewhere and the other to start a business of your own. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）Section ADirections：In this section， you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report， you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report 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）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions 1and 2 are based on the news report you have just the heard.1. A） It was dangerous to live in.C） He could no longer pay the rent.B） It was going to be renovated. D）He had sold it to the royal family.2. A） A strike. B） A storm. C） A forest fire. D） A Terroristattack.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 trapped in an underground elevator.C） They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.D） They sent calls for help via a portable radio.4. A） They tried hard to repair the accident.B） They released the details of the accident.C） They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.D） They provided the miner with food and water.Question5 to7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A） Raise postage rates. C） Redesign delivery routes.B） Improve its services. D） Close some of its post offices.6. A） Shortening business hours. C）Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.B） Closing offices on holidays. D） Computerizing mail sorting processes.7. A） Many post office staff will lose their jobsB） Many people will begin to complainC） Taxpayers will be very pleasedD）A lot of controversy will ariseSection BDirections：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 must choose the best answer from four choice marked A），B），C） and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter an Answer sheet1with a single line though the centre. Question8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）He will be kept from promotion. C）He will be given a warning.B）He will go through retraining. D）He will lose part of his pay.9. A）He is always on time. C）He is an experienced press operator.B）He is trustworthy guy. D）He is on good terms with his workmates.10. A）She is a trade union representative.C）She is a senior manager of the shop.B）She is in charge of public relation. D）She is better at handing such matters.11. A）He is skilled and experienced. C）He is always trying to stir up trouble.B）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. B）Friendly. C）Selfish. D）Reserved.13. A）They stay quiet. C）They talk about the weatherB）They read a book. D）They chat with fellow passengers. 14. A）She was always treated as a foreigner.B）She was eager to visit an English castle.C）She was never invited to a colleague’s home.D）She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.15. A） House are much more quiet. C） They want to have more space.B） Houses provide more privacy.D） They want a garden of their own. Section CDirections：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 the best answer from the four choices marked A），B），C） and D）.Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A） They don’t have much choice of jobs.B） They are likely to get much higher pay.C） They don’t have to go through job interviews.D） They will automatically be given hiring priority.17. A） Ask their professors for help. C）Visit the school careers services.B） Look at school bulletin boards. D） Go through campus newspapers.18. A） Helping students find the books and journals they need.B） Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.C） Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.D） Providing students with information about the library.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A） It tastes better. C） It may be sold at a higher price .B） It is easier to grow. D）It can better survive extreme weathers.20. A） It is healthier than green tea. C） It will replace green tea one day.B） It can grow in drier soil. D） It is immune to various diseases.21. A） It has been well received by many tea drinkers.B） It does not bring the promised health benefits.C）It has made tea farmers’ life easi er.D） It does not have a stable market.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A）They need decorations to show their status.B） They prefer unique objects of high quality.C） They decorate their homes themselves.D） They care more about environment.23. A） They were proud of their creations.B） They could only try to create at night.C） They made great contributions to society.D） They focused on the quality of their products.24. A） Make wise choices. C） Design handicrafts themselves.B） Identify fake crafts. D） Learn the importance of creation. 25. A） To boost the local economy. C） To arouse public interest in crafts.B） To attract foreign investments. D）To preserve the traditional culture.PARTⅢ Reading Comprehension （40 minutes）Section ADirections： In this section， there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.When someone commits a criminal act, we always hope the punishment will match the offense. But when it comes to one of the cruelest crimes —animal fighting —things 26 work out that way. Dog fighting victims are 27 and killed for profit and “sport,” yet t heir criminal abusers often receive a 28sentence for causing a lifetime of pain. Roughly half of all federally-convicted animal fighters only get probation(缓刑).Some progress has been made in the prosecution(起诉) of animal fighters. But federal judges often rely heavily on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines whenthey 29penalties, and in the case of animal fighting, those guidelines are outdated and extremely30.The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which 31these sentencing guidelines, is revisiting them, proposing to raise the minimum sentence from 6-12 to 21-27 months. This is a step in the right 32, but we’d like to see the U.S. Sentencing Commission make further guidelines.Simultaneous to this effort, we’re working with animal advocates and state and federal lawmakers to 33 anti-cruelty laws across the country, as well as supporting laws and policies that assist overburdened animal 34 that care for animal fighting victims. This help is35 important because the high cost of caring for animal victims is a major deterrent to intervening in cruelty cases in the first place.Section BDirections：In this section， you are gonging to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. Youmay choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.When Work Becomes a Game[A]What motivates employees to do their jobs well? Competition with coworkers, for some. The promise of rewards, for others. Pure enjoyment of problem-solving, for a lucky few.[B]Increasingly, companies are tapping into these desires directly through what’s come to be known as “gamification:” essentially, turning work into a game. “Gamifica tion is about understanding what it is that makes games engaging and what game designers do to create a great experience in games, and taking those learnings and applying them to other contexts such as the workplace and education,” explains Kevin Werbach, a gamification expert who teaches at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States..[C]It might mean monitoring employee productivity on a digital leaderboard and offering prizes to the winners, or giving employees digital badges or stars for completing certain activities. It could also mean training employees how to do their jobs through video game platforms. Companies from Google to IBM to Wells Fargo are known to use some degree of gamification in their workplaces. And more and more companies are joining them. A recent report suggests that the global gamification market will grow from $1.65 billion in 2015 to $11.1 billion by 2020.[D]The concept of gamification is not entirely new, Werbach says. Companies, markete rs and teachers have long looked for fun ways to engage people’s reward-seeking or competitive spirits. Cracker Jacks has been “gamifying” its snack food by putting a small prize inside for more than 100 years, he adds, and the turn-of-the-century steel magnate Charles Schwab is said to have often come into his factory and written the number of tons of steel produced on the past shift on the factory floor, thus motivating the next shift of workers to beat the previous one.[E]But the word “gamification” and the widespread, conscious application of the concept only began in earnest about five years ago, Werbach says. Thanks in part to video games, the generation now entering the workforce is especially open to the idea of having their work gamified. “We’re at a point where in much of the developed world the vast majority of young people grew up playing [video] games, and an increasingly high percentage of adults play these video games too,” Werbach says.[F]A number of companies have sprung up—GamEffective, Bunchball and Badgeville, to name a few—in recent years offering gamification platforms for businesses. The platforms that are most effective turn employees’ ordinary job tasks into part of a rich adventure narrative. “What makes a game game-like is that the player actually cares about the outcome,” Werbach says. “The principle is understanding what is motivating to this group of players, which requires some understanding of psychology.”[G]Some people, Werbach says, are motivated by competition. Sales people often fall into this category. For them, the right kind of gamification might be turning their sales pitches into a competition with other team members, complete with a digital leaderboard showing who’s winning at all times.Others are more motivated by collaboration and social experiences. One company Werbach has studied uses gamification to create a sense of community and boost employee morale. When employees log in to their computers, they’re shown a picture of one of their coworkers and asked to guess t hat person’s name.[H]Gamification does not have to be digital. Monica Cornetti runs a company that gamifies employee trainings. Sometimes this involves technology, but often it does not. She recently designed a gamification strategy for a sales training company with a storm-chasing theme. Employees formed “storm chaser teams” and competed in storm-themed educational exercises to earn various rewards.“Rewards don’t have to be stuff,” Cornetti says. “Rewards can be flextime. Rewards can be extension time.”An other training, this one for pay roll law, used a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs theme. Snow White is public domain, but the dwarfs are still under copyright, so Cornetti invented sound-alike characters (Grumpy Gus, Dopey Dan) to illustrate specific pay roll law principles.[I]Some people don’t take as naturally to gamified work environments, Cornetti says. In her experience, people in positions of power or people in finance or engineering don’t tend to like the sound of the word.“If we’re designing foren gineers, I’m not talking about a ‘game’ at all,” Cornetti says. “I’m talking about a ‘simulation,’ I’m talking about ‘be ing able to solve this problem.”[J]Gamification is “not a magic bullet,” Werbach cautions. A gamification strategy that’s not sufficien tly thought through or tailored to its players may engage people for a little while, but it won’t motivate in the long term. It can also be exploitative, especially when used with vulnerable populations. For workers, especially low-paid workers, who desperately need their jobs yet know they can be easily replaced, gamification may feel more like the Hunger Games. Werbach gives the example of several Disneyland hotels in Anaheim, California, which used large digital leaderboards to display how efficiently laundry workers were working compared to one another. Some employees found the board motivating. To others, it was the opposite of fun. Some began to skip bathroom breaks, worried that if their productivity fell they would be fired. Pregnant employees struggled to keep up. In a Los Angeles Times article, one employee referred to the board as a “digital whip.”“It actually had a very negative effect on morale and performance,” Werbach says.[K]Still, gamification only stands to become more popular, he says, “as more and more people come into the workforce who are intuitively familiar with the structures and expressions of digital games.” “We are way ahead of the tipping point,” Cornetti agrees. “There’s no reason this will go away.”36.some famous companies are already using gamification and more are trying todo the same.37.Gamification is not a miracle cure for all workplaces as it may have negative results.38.To enhance morale, one company asks its employees to identify their fellow works when starting their computers.39.The idea of gamification was practiced by some businesses more than a century ago.40.There is a reason to believe that gamification will be here to stay.41.Video games contributed in some ways to the wide application of gamification.42.When turning work into a game, it is necessary to understand what makes games interesting.43.Gamification in employee training does not always need technology.44.The most successful gamification platforms transform daily work assignments into fun experiences.45.It is necessary to use terms other than “gamification”for some professions. Section CDirections：There are 2 passages in this section .Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices maked A），B），C）and D）.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2 with a single line through the centre. Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to retain students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere.It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task it is to " solve" problems-real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired-not to teach but to hold meetings-has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house (信息交流中心)for using technology in classrooms and in online courses. It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.I offer a simple proposition in response: Many of our problems-class attendance, educationalsuccess, student happiness and well-being-might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic (官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and instead hiring an army of good teachers. lf we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other.The teachers must be free to teach in their own way-the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course. Additionally; they should be allowed to teach, and berewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that people do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.46.What does the author say about present-day universities?A)They are effectively tackling real or imagined problems.B)They often fail to combine teaching with research.C)They are over-burdened with administrative staff.D)They lack talent to fix their deepening problems.47.According to the author, what kind of people do universities lack most?A)Good classroom teachers. C) Talented researchers.B)Efficient administrators. D) Motivated students.48.What does the author imply about the classes at present?A)They facilitate students independent learning.B)They help students form closer relationships.C)They have more older students than before.D)They are much bigger than is desirable.49.What does the author think of teaching ability?A)It requires talent and practice.B)It is closely related to research.C)It is a chief factor affecting students 'learning.D)It can be acquired through persistent practice.50.What is the author’s suggestion for improving university teaching?A)Creating an environment for teachers to share 'their teaching experiences.B)Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way.C)Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of information.D)Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms.Passage TwoQuestions 51to 55 are based on the following passage.The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been cracked years ago-by McDonald's. According to a new study from Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards-like the toys in McDonald's Happy Meals-stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food items.They found that the majority of both kids and adults opted for a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion.\One of the prizes used was a lotteryticket（彩票）, with a $ 10, $ 50 or $ 100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less."The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting.”says Reimann.He theorizes that it is the emotional component of these intangible prizes that make them effective. In fact, vaguely-stated possibilities of winning a prize were more effective than options with hard odds included.“One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally provoking than certainty awards," says Reimann. " The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills.' The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state of hope 一a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding·"In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gambleHow might it’s knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?One possibility is a healthy that offers the chance to win a spa (温泉疗养) weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant-and make you eat a little less.51.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?A)It may shed light on people’s desire to crack a secret.B)It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.C)It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.D)It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.52. What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?A)Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.B)Most kids and adults don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.C)Eating a smaller does good to the health of kids and adults alike.D)Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.53.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?A)Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.B)Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future awardC)Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.D)Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.54.How does Martin Reimann interpret his finding?A)The emotional component of the prizes is at work.B)People now care more about quality than quantity.C)People prefer certainty awards to possible awards.D) The desire for a future reward is overwhelming.55.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?A)·People should eat much less if they ·wish to stay healthy and happy.B)More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.C)We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.D)More studies are needed to find out the impact of emotion on behavior.Part IV Translation （30 minutes）Directions： For this part， you are allowed 30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English .You should write your answer 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.2016年12月大学英语四级答案（第一套）Part1 writing (30 minutes)破题思路：第一段：话题描述. 第二段：表明观点+阐述原因. 第三段：观点结论.参考范文：(选择就业还是创业)Finding a Job FirstUpon graduation， virtually all college students will confront the problem of the career choice，which is truly a tough choice. Students’ opinions differ greatly on this issue. Some hold that priority should be given to start a business of your own， but others take the attitude that finding a job is the best choice influencing their future.As to myself， I prefer the latter view. An opportunity to start a business exerts a tremendous fascination on a great number of people， with no exception to me. In my view， With the competition in the job market becoming increasingly fierce for college graduates， some ambitious students have tried their hands at launching their own businesses. Over the years，there have been many successful cases of student entrepreneurship and such attempts should be encouraged and promoted by both the universities and the society at large. What’s more ，College students who start businesses are pioneers，among whom will be born China’s future business leaders. Faced with unknown challenges， they are audacious enough to embark on a perilous journey while most of their peers enjoy stable salaries by working as white-collars at high-end office buildings.All in all， the essential difference between the students who find a jobor those students who create their own businesses is that the former are docile followers whereas the latter are aggressive trailblazers. For this reason，business-launching college graduates are more admirable， and thus they command our deep respect.Part II Listening Comprehension （25 minutes）【英语四级听力真题解析】听力作为一种考试题型，目的在于考查应试者对英语语言的把握，自从英语四级题型改革后，所选题材侧重新闻稿和演讲稿，比如这次英语四级考试的Section A 部分，主要是关于采盐工人的相关新闻报导，文章稍难，我们在作答之前，一定要快速浏览各题目的选项，先把核心关键词划出来，比如重要的名词，名词性短语等，这样可以帮助我们预知要听的重点，提高捕捉信息的准确度，降低听力材料的难度.在听录音的过程中，快速作标记，锁定正确答案.1.(A)It was dangerous to live in.2.(B)A storm3.(B)They were trapped in an underground elevator.4.(C)They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.5.(D)Close some of its post office.6.(C)Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.7.(A)Many post office staff will lose their jobs.Section B8.(D)He will lose part of his pay.9.(B)He is a trustworthy guy. 10.(D)She is better at handling such matters.11.(C)He is always trying to stir up trouble. 12.(D)Reserved13.(A)They stay quiet 14.(C)She was never invited to a colleague’s home. 15.(B)Houses provide more privacySection C16.(D)They will automatically be given hiring priority.17.(C)Visit the school careers service.18.(B)Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.19.(C)It may be sold at a higher price. 20.(A)It is healthier than green tee.21.(D)It does not have a stable market.22.(B)They prefer unique objects of high quality.23.(B)They could only try to create at night.24.(A)Make wise choices.25.(A)To boost the local economy.Section AA 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was forced to move out his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record. Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royalfamily between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.” the environmental agency said.Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?Section A - 2Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according to Marcia Lynch.Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department, emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director.Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine, along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated。

2016 年年12 月大学英语四级考试真题及答案（第1 套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: 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.” Youcan cite examples to illustrate the important of being participants rather than mereonlookers in life. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答。

Part ⅡListening Comprehension (30 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At theend of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After eachquestion there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choicesmarked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then markthecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答。