2013年12月英语四级真题（卷一）

2013年12月英语四级答案(卷一)

　　The modern technology has greatly altered the mode of communication among people. With the help of the Internet, people can easily contact each other anytime anywhere. However, the side effect is that many people have become over-dependent on the Internet and neglected face-to-face communication.
　　As far as I'm concerned, electronic communication cannot fully replace the direct contact among people. Although it seems to bring everyone together, it actually estranges people and decreases the effectiveness of communication. A typical example is that, traditionally, people working in the same office simply walk to others and talk. Today, however, co-workers tend to send e-mails or instant messages through the Internet even when they are sitting next to each other. As words can never convey the full message, it usually takes much more time and rounds of conversation than face-to-face communication, in which people can discuss more directly with less loss of information.
　　To conclude, the Internet enables more effective communication in some situations, but over-dependence on it actually pulls people apart.

　　点评：
　　本次四级作文形式仍为漫画题，探讨因特网等现代信息技术对人们交流模式的影响。话题贴近日常生活，难度中等。题目要求简述网络的影响，并解释“电子通讯能否替代面对面的交流”，考生需要明确给出正面或反面的观点。
　　如选择“可以替代”，可考虑从信息技术先进程度、交流方式多样化(文字、语音、视频)等方面举例论述。如选择“不可替代”，则可强调信息技术无法实现的方面，如面对面情感交流、文字信息内容传达的不完整性，或是网络技术的不稳定、不可靠等方面。

　　1. C. Consult a travel agent.
　　2. A. They are on a long trip by car.
　　3. C. He is unwilling to speak in public.
　　4. B. Purse further education.
　　5. A. He would not be available to start the job in time.
　　6. B. Mechanic.
　　7. D. Ask Laura to put off the cleaning until another week.
　　8. A. A problem caused by the construction.
　　9. C. To place an order for some products.
　　10. A. The person in charge is not in the office.
　　11. B. 0734, 21653 extension 51.
　　12. B. Since he took to heavy smoking.
　　13. A. He is getting too fat.
　　14. D. They dislike doing physical exercise.
　　15. C. To find a girlfriend.
　　16-19音频无。
　　20. B. Considerate.
　　21. A. Someone dumped the clothes left in the washer and dryer.
　　22. C. Informing the building manager of the matter.
　　23. A. She is both a popular and a highly respected author.
　　24. B. The Nobel Prize for literature.
　　25. D. She is a black woman.
　　26. In addition
　　27. software
　　28. available
　　29. individuals
　　30. technological
　　31. manufacture
　　32. In short
　　33. By contrast
　　34. scientific
　　35. quantity

　　36. N) site
　　37. L) rare
　　38. I) honoring
　　39. F) virtually
　　40. O) different
　　41. D) current
　　42. C) covers
　　43. J) hope
　　44. M) realistic
　　45. H) fast

　　46. K --- Caplan suggests that kids who don’t love school go to work.
　　47. C ---An increasing number of families spend more money on houses in a good school district.
　　48. E--- Subsidized loans to college students are a huge waste of money, according to one economist.
　　49. B--- More and more kids find they fare worse with a college diploma.
　　50. H --- For those who are not prepared for higher education, going to college is not worth it.
　　51. D --- Over the years the cost of a college education has increased almost by 100%.
　　52. J --- A law passed recently allows many students to pay no more than one tenth of their income for their college loans.
　　53. C --- Middle-class Americans have highly valued a good education.
　　54. L --- More kids should be encouraged to participate in programs where they can learn not only job skills but also social skills.
　　55. F --- Over fifty percent of recent college graduates remain unemployed or unable to find a suitable job.

　　【点评】
　　本文主要针对大学教育是否是一项值得投资的话题进行深入探讨和分析，文章标题Is College a Worthy Investment?已经很明显地暗示了文章的主旨大意内容，考生做题时应多关注标题，这是很重要的解题线索。
　　本文选自Newsweek《新闻周刊》，该话题是考生比较熟悉的教育问题，大学教育是否值得投资，文中指出大学高等教育不是人们获得成功的唯一途径，人们应该选择适合自己的道路，即使上了大学也不一定能找到好工作，同时也指出目前市场和企业需求的变化，人们应该理性选择，提高觉悟，做出正确的选择。
　　文章本身话题和语言难度并不高，大多考查事实细节，考生应掌握一定的同义转换技能。

　　56. C. They love what they do and choose not to retire.
　　57. A. Neither of them is subject to forced retirement.
　　58. D. Working at an advanced age lengthens people's life.
　　59. C. It is a compensation for one's life-long hard work.
　　60. D. They prevent young people from getting ahead.
　　61. A) Many young Americans will never be able to pay off their debts.
　　62. B) They haven't developed a credit history.
　　63. D) It will affect their future spending power.
　　64. B) They may experience a financial crisis in their old age.
　　65. C) Their clients leave their debts unpaid upon death.

　　【原文】
　　“你要茶还是要咖啡?”是用餐人常被问到的题目，许多西方人会选咖啡，而中国人会选茶。相传，中国的一位帝王于五千年前发现了茶，并用来治病。在明清(the Ming and Qing Dynasty)期间，茶馆遍布全国，饮茶在六世纪传到日本，但直到十七、十八世纪才传到欧美。如今，茶是世界上最流行的饮料(beverage)之一，茶是中国的民族饮品，也是中国传统文化的重要组成部分。

　　【译文】
　　"Tea or coffee?", diners are frequently asked this question. Western people may choose coffee, while Chinese may prefer tea. It is said that 5,000 years ago, an emperor in China discovered tea and used it to cure disease. In the Ming and Qing Dynasty, tea houses could be found all over the country. Tea-drinking was introduced to Japan in the sixth century, but was not introduced to Europe and America until the 17th and 18th century. Up to now, tea has become one of the most popular beverages in the world. It is the national drink of China and an important part of Chinese traditional culture.