1997年1月大学英语六级考试试题及参考答案

Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)

Section A
Directions: In this section you will hear 10 short conversations. A t the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was s aid. Both the conversation and the question will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause， you must read the four suggested answers marked A)，B)，C)and D) and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Example:
You will hear:
You will read:
A)2 hours.
B)3 hours.
C)4 hours.
D)5 hours.
From the conversation we know that the two are talking about some work they will start at 9 o'clock in the morning and have to finish at 2 in the afternoon. Therefore, D)"5 hours" is the correct answer. You should choose ［D］ on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single line through the centre.
Sample Answer ［A］［B］［C］［D］

1.
A) Their parents cut back the loan.
B) The woman doesn't want Frank to take another English course
C) They can't pay the rent this month.
D) The woman's boss refused to give her a raise.

2.
A) Ask Dr. Smith to alter his decision.
B) Ask Dr. Smith to call the library.
C) Get the book directly from Dr. Smith.
D) Get Dr. Smith's written permission.

3.
A) $120
B) $108
C) $90
D) $40

4.
A) He feels unsympathetic.
B) He feels it's a pity.
C) He feels it's unfair.
D) He feels glad.

5.
A) Doing business.
B) Taking pictures.
C) Buying cameras.
D) Making movies.

6.
A) Looking for an apartment.
B) Looking for a job.
C) Taking a suburban excursion.
D) Asking the man for his opinions.

7.
A) She'll go to her uncle's.
B) She has an appointment with her friend.
C) She'll have an appointment with her friend.
D) She'll have a visitor.

8.
A) He made a sudden turn.
B) He drove the bus over a bicycle.
C) He tried to avoid hitting the truck.
D) He was driving too fast.

9.
A) He is curious.
B) He is impatient.
C) He is exhausted.
D) He is satisfied.

10.
A) She didn't know how to use the new oven.
B) She wanted her refrigerator to be fixed.
C) There is something wrong with the oven.
D) There is something wrong with the food.

Section B
Directions: In this section， you will hear 3 short passages. At t he end of each passage， you will hear some 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). The mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

Passage One
Questions 11 to l3 are based on the passage you have just heard.
11.
A) Because he led his teams to many championships.
B) Because he set as many as 65 different records.
C) Because he still played the game after he retired.
D) Because he didn't stop playing even when he was seriously injured.

12.
A) He lost the final chance to win a championship.
B) He was knocked out during one contest.
C) He broke a bone in the wrist during a match.
D) He was awarded with a $1.5 million house.

13.
A) To break the previous records.
B) To buy a luxury house.
C) To win one more championship for his team.
D) To play against the New York team once again.

Passage Two
Questions 14 to l6 are based on the passage you have just heard.
14.
A) To enjoy a good story.
B) To see the actors and actresses.
C) To experience an exciting life.
D) To escape their everyday life.

15.
A) They feel that everything on the screen is familiar to them.
B) They are touched by the life?stories of the actors and actresses.
C) They try to turn their dreams into reality.
D) They become so involved that they forget their own problems.

16.
A) Because they are well?made and the stories are interesting.
B) Because the heroes have to cope with many problems and frustrations.
C) Because the characters in the movies are free to do whatever they like.
D) Because good guys in the movies always win in the end.

Passage Three
Questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.
17.
A) Because the bottle was empty and useless.
B) Because he wanted to lighten the load of his small plane.
C) Because the bottle might be useful to the native Africans.
D) Because he wanted to amuse the local tribespeople.

18.
A) A message from the outside world.
B) A warning from the gods.
C) A symbol of misfortune.
D) A gift from the gods.

19.
A) The local Africans are peace?loving people.
B) Soda bottles are very precious in some remote areas.
C) A trivial thing may sometimes bring about undesirable consequences.
D) Caution must be taken in introducing new technology.

20.
A) They thought that the gods were all crazy.
B) They were isolated from the outside world.
C) They enjoyed living in the peaceful desert.
D) They worshipped the gods all the more after the incident.

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)

Directions: There are 4 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them the re are four choices marked A)，B)，C) and D). you should dicide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
More and more, the operations of our businesses, governments, and financial insitutions are controlled by information that exists only inside computer memories. Anyone clever enough to modify this information for his own purposes can reap substanitial rewards. Even worse, a number of people who have done this and been caught at it have managed to get away without punishment.
It's easy for computer crimes to go undetected if no one checks up on what the computer is doing. But even if the crime is detected, the criminal may walk away not only unpunished but with a glowing recommendation from his former employers.
Of course, we have no statistics on crimes that go undetected. But it's disturbing to note how many of the crimes we do know about were detected by accident, no t by systematic inspections or other security procedures. The computer criminals who have been caught may been the victims of uncommonly bad luck.
For example, a certain keypunch(键盘打孔) operator complained of having to stay overtime to punch extra cards. Investigation revealed that the extra cards s he was being asked to punch were for dishonest transactions. In another case, dissatisfied employees of the thief tipped off(向……透露) the company that was being robbed.
Unlike other lawbreakers, who must leave the country, commit suicide, or go to jail, computer criminals sometimes escape punishment, demanding not only that they not be charged but that they be given good recommendations and perhaps other benefits. All too often, their demands have been met.
Why? Because company executives are afraid of the bad publicity that would result if the public found out that their computer had been misused. They hesitate at the thought of a criminal boasting in open court of how he juggled(耍弄 ) the most confidential records right under the noses of the company's executives, a ccountants , and security staff. And so another computer criminal departs with just the recommendations he needs to continue his crimes elsewhere.

21. It can be concluded from the passage that __________.
A) it is still impossible to detect computer crimes today
B) computer crimes are the most serious problem in the operation of financial in stitutions
C) computer criminals can escape punishment because they can't be detected
D) people commit computer crimes at the request their company

22. It is implied in the third paragraph that __________.
A) many more computer crimes go undetected than are discovered
B) the rapid increase of computer crimes is a troublesome problem
C) most computer criminals are smart enough to cover up their crimes
D) most computer criminals are smart enough to cover up their bad luck

23. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
A) A strict law against computer crimes must be enforced.
B) Companies need to impose restrictions on confidential information.
C) Companies will guard against computer crimes to protect their reputation
D) Companies usually hesitate to uncover computer crimes.

24. What may happen to computer criminals once they are caught?
A) With a bad reputation they can hardly find another job.
B) They will be denied access to confidential records.
C) They may walk away and easily find another job.
D) They must leave the country or go to jail.

25. The passage is mainly about __________.
A) why computer crimes are difficult to detect by systematic inspections.
B) why computer criminals are often able to escape punishment
C) how computer criminals manage to get good recommendation from their former employers
D) why computer crimes can't be eliminated

Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:
It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. W e live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover, an increase in industrial production is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumes an abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible and economical source of power and that it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power, except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relatively few technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti?nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties.
Furthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have, for example, been very costly accidents in America , in Britain and, of course, in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium(铀) in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could p rice nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive, we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spite of the case against nuclear energy outlined above, nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue. Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power.

26. The writer's attitude toward nuclear energy is __________.
A) indifferent
B) favorable
C) tolerant
D) negative

27. According to the opponents of nuclear energy, which of the following is true of nuclear energy?
A) Primitive
B) Exhaustible
C) Cheap
D) Unsafe

28. Some people claim that nuclear energy is essential because __________ .
A) it provides a perfect solution to mass unemployment
B) it represents an enormous step forward in our scientific evolution
C) it can meet the growing demand of an industrially developing society
D) nuclear power stations can be run and maintained by relatively few technical and administrative staff

29. Which of the following statements does the writer support?
A) The demand for commercial products will not necessarily keep increasing.
B) Nuclear energy is something we cannot do without.
C) Uranium is a good source of energy for economic and ecological reasons.
D) Greater safety provisions can bring about the expansion of nuclear energy programmes.

30. The function of the last sentence is to __________.
A) advance the final argument.
B) reflect the writer's attitude.
C) reverse previously expressed thoughts.
D) show the disadvantages of nuclear power.

Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:
Clothes play a critical part in the conclusions we reach by providing clues to who people are, who they are not, and who they would like to be. They tell us a good deal about the wearer's background, personality, status, mood, and social outlook.
Since clothes are such an important source of social information, we can use them to manipulate people's impression of us. Our appearance assumes particular significance in the initial phases of interaction that is likely to occur. An elderly middle?class man or woman may be alienated(疏远……) by a young adult who is dressed in an unconventional manner, regardless of the person's education, background, or interests.
People tend to agree on what certain types of clothes mean. Adolescent girls can easily agree on the lifestyles of girls who wear certain outfits(套装), including the number of boyfriends they likely have had and whether they smoke or d rink. Newscasters, or the announcers who read the news on TV, are considered to be more convincing, honest, and competent when they are dressed conservatively. And collage students who view themselves as taking an active role in their inter personal relationships say they are concerned about the costumes they must wear to play these roles successfully. Moreover, many of us can relate instances in which the clothing we wore changed the way we felt about ourselves and how we act ed. Perhaps you have used clothing to gain confidence when you anticipated a stressful situation, such as a job interview, or a court appearance.
In the workplace, men have long had well?defined precedents and role models for achieving success. It has been otherwise for women. A good many women in the business world are uncertain about the appropriate mixture of "masculine" an d "feminine" attributes they should convey by their professional clothing. The variety of clothing alternatives to women has also been greater than that avail able for men. Male administrators tend to judge women more favorably for managerial positions when the women display less "feminine" grooming(打扮)-shorter hair, moderate use of make?up, and plain tailored clothing. As one male administrator confessed, "An attractive woman is definitely going to get a longer interview, but she won't get a job."

31. According to the passage, the way we dress __________.
A) provides clues for people who are critical of us
B) indicates our likes and dislikes in choosing a career
C) has a direct influence on the way people regard us
D) is of particular importance when we get on in age

32. From the third paragraph of the passage, we can conclude that young adults tend to believe that certain types of clothing can __________.
A) change people's conservative attitudes toward their lifestyle
B) help young people make friends with the opposite sex
C) make them competitive in the job market
D) help them achieve success in their interpersonal relationships

33. The word "precedent" (Line 1, Para.4) probably refers to __________ . A) early acts for men to follow as examples
B) particular places for men to occupy especially because of their importance
C) things that men should agree upon
D) men's beliefs that everything in the world has already been decided

34. According to the passage, many career women find themselves in difficult situations because __________.
A) the variety of professional clothing is too wide for them to choose
B) women are generally thought to be only good at being fashion models
C) men are more favorably judged for managerial positions
D) they are not sure to what extent they should display their feminine qualities through clothing

35. What is the passage mainly about?
A) Dressing for effect.
B) How to dress appropriately.
C) Managerial positions and clothing.
D) Dressing for the occasion.

Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
The more women and minorities make their way into the ranks of management, t he more they seem to want to talk about things formerly judged to be best left unsaid. The newcomers also tend to see office matters with a fresh eye, in the process sometimes coming up with critical analyses of the forces that shape everyones experience in the organization.
Consider the novel views of Harvey Coleman of Atlanta on the subject of getting ahead. Coleman is black. He spent 11 years with IBM, half of them working in management development, and now serves as a consultant to the likes of AT&T, Co ca?Cola, Prudential, and Merch. Coleman says that based on what he's seen at bi g companies, he weighs the different elements that make for long?term career success as follows: performance counts a mere 10%, image, 30%; and exposure, a full 60%. Coleman concludes that excellent job performance is so common these days that while doing your work well may win you pay increases, it won't secure you the big promotion. He finds that advancement more often depends on how many people know you and your work, and how high up they are.
Ridiculous beliefs? Not to many people, especially many women and members of minority races who, like Coleman, feel that the scales(障眼物) have dropped fro m their eyes. "Women and blacks in organizations work under false beliefs," says Kaleel Jamison, a New York?based management consultant who helps corporation s deal with these issues. "They think that if you work hard, you'll get ahead-t hat someone in authority will reach down and give you a promotion." She adds, "Most women and blacks are so frightened that people will think they've gotten ahead because of their sex or color that they play down(使不突出) their visibility." Her advice to those folks: learn the ways that white males have traditionally used to find their way into the spotlight.

36. According to the passage, "things formerly judged to be best left un said" (Line 2, Para.1) probably refers to "__________".
A) criticisms that shape everyone's experience
B) the opinions which contradict the established beliefs
C) the tendencies that help the newcomers to see office matters with a fresh eye
D) the ideas which usually come up with usually come up with new ways of management in the organization

37. To achieve success in your career, the most important factor, accordi ng to the passage, is to __________.
A) let your superiors know how good you are
B) project a favorable image to the people around you
C) work as a consultant to your superiors
D) perform well your tasks given by your superiors

38. The reason why women and blacks play down their visibility is that th ey __________.
A) know that someone in authority will reach down and give them a promotion
B) want to give people the impression that they work under false beliefs
C) don't want people to think that their promotions were due to sex or color
D) believe they can get promoted by reason of their sex or color

39. The author is of the opinion that Coleman's beliefs are __________ .
A) biased
B) popular
C) insightful
D) superficial

40. The best title for this passage would be __________.
A) Role of Women and Minorities in Management
B) The Importance of Being Visible
C) Job Performance and Advancement
D) Sex and Career Success

Part Ⅲ Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)

Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A)，B)，C) and D). Choose the ONE that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer She et with a single line through the centre.
41. As a _____ actor, he can perform, sing, dance and play several kinds of musical
instruments.
A) flexible
B) versatile
C) sophisticated
D) productive

42. There are not many teachers who are strong ______ of traditional methods in English
teaching.
A) sponsors
B) contributors
C) advocates
D) performers

43. We managed to reach the top of the mountain, and half an hour later we began to ___.
A) ascend
B) descend
C) decline
D) plunge

44. Competition, they believe, __________ the national character than corrupt it.
A) enforces
B) confirms
C) intensifies
D) strengthens

45. The accident __________ him of his sight and the use of hi s legs.
A) excluded
B) disabled
C) deprived
D) gripped

46. On weekends my grandma usually __________ a glass of wine.
A) subscribes to
B) engages in
C) hangs on
D) indulges in

47. The people living in these apartments have free _______ to that swimming pool.
A) access
B) excess
C) excursion
D) recreation

48. At the party we found that shy girl __________ her mother all the time.
A) depending on
B) coinciding with
C) adhering to
D) clinging to

49. When a psychologist does a general experiment about the human mind, h e selects
people __________ and ask them questions.
A) at length
B) at random
C) in essence
D) in bulk

50. I think she hurt my feelings __________ rather than by accident as she claimed.
A) virtually
B) deliberately
C) literally
D) appropriately

51. Even though he was guilty, the __________ judge did not send him to prison.
A) merciful
B) impartial
C) conscientious
D) conspicuous

52. The education ______ for the coming year is about $4 billion, which is much more
than what people expected.
A) allowance
B) reservation
C) budget
D) finance

53. They had fierce __________ as to whether their company should restore the trade
relationship which was broken year ago.
A) debate
B) clash
C) disagreement
D) context

54. They tossed your thoughts back and forth for over an hour, but still could not make
__________ of them.
A) impression
B) comprehension
C) meaning
D) sense

55. The politician says he will __________ the welfare of the people.
A) prey on
B) take on
C) get at
D) see to

56. If you __________ the bottle and cigarettes, you'll be much healthier.
A) take off
B) keep off
C) get off
D) set off

57. He was __________ to steal the money when he saw it lying on the table.
A) dragged
B) tempted
C) elicited
D) attracted

58. Beijing somewhat short?sighted, she had the habit of __________ at people.
A) glancing
B) peering
C) gazing
D) scanning

59. Of the thousands of known volcanoes in the world, the _______ majority are inactive.
A) tremendous
B) demanding
C) intensive
D) overwhelming

60. In general, matters which lie entirely within state borders are the______ concern
of state governments.
A) extinct
B) excluding
C) excessive
D) exclusive

61. The poetry of Ezra Pound is sometimes difficult to understand because it contains
so many __________ references.
A) obscure
B) acute
C) notable
D) objective

62. The mayor was asked to __________ his speech in order to allow his audience to
raise questions.
A) constrain
B) conduct
C) condense
D) converge

63. The morning news says a school bus __________ with a train at the junction and a
group of policemen were sent there immediately.
A) bumped
B) collided
C) crashed
D) struck

64. Sometimes patients suffering from severe pain can be helped by "drug s" that aren't
really drugs at all ________ sugar pills that contain no a ctive chemical elements.
A) or rather
B) rather than
C) but rather
D) other than

65. We are writing to the manager ____ the repairs recently carried out at the above
address.
A) with the exception of
B) with the purpose of
C) with reference to
D) with a view to

66. When I said goodbye to her, she __________ the door.
A) saw me at
B) set me off
C) sent me to
D) showed me to

67. In the meantime,the question facing business is whether such research is _____ the
costs.
A) worth
B) worth of
C) worthy
D) worthwhile

68. During the nineteen years of his career, France Batiste has won the ____ of a wide
audience outside Italy.
A) enjoyment
B) appreciation
C) evaluation
D) reputation

69. Although most dreams apparently happen __________, dream activity may be provoked
by external influences.
A) spontaneously
B) simultaneously
C) homogeneously
D) instantaneously

70. He is holding a ______ position in the company and expects to be promoted soon.
A) subordinate
B) succeeding
C) successive
D) subsequent

Part IV Cloze (15 min utes)

Directions: In this part there is a short passage with five questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.
Joe Templer should have known better: after all, he works for a large auto? insurance company. It won't hurt to leave the key in the truck this once, he thought, as he filled his gas tank at a self?service gas station. But moments latte r as he was paying the money he saw the truck being driven away.
In 1987,1.6 million motor vehicles were stolen in the United States-one every 20 seconds. If current trends continue, experts predict annual vehicle thefts could exceed two million by the end of the decade.
Vehicle theft is a common phenomenon, which has a direct impact on over four million victims a year. The cost is astonishing.
Many police officials blame professional thieves for the high volume of thefts. It is a major money?maker for organized crime. Typically, stolen cars are taken to pieces and the parts sold to individuals. But as many as 200,000 cars a re smuggled out of the country every year. Most go to Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.
Only about 15 percent car thefts result in an arrest, because few police departments routinely conduct in?depth auto?investigations. When thieves are arrested, judges will often sentence them to probation(缓刑), not immediately put them in prison because the prisons are overcrowded with violent criminals.
One exception is a Michigan program that assigns 92 police officers to work full?time on the state's 65,000 car theft cases a year. Since 1986, when the effort began, the state's auto?theft rate has fallen from second in the nation to ninth.
How can you protect your car? If you live in a high?theft area or drive an expensive model, consider a security system. It may cost anywhere from $25 to $1, 000. Some systems engage automatically?simply removing the key disables the fuel pump and the starter. When cars are equipped with such systems, t hefts may drop by one?third. In some states, you may be able to use a device that transmits radio signals, allowing stolen cars to be tracked by police.

Questions:
71. What is the passage mainly about?
_______________________________________________.

72. What does the author think Joe Templer should be blamed for?
_______________________________________________.

73. How serious did the author predict the annual vehicle theft could in the United States in 1989?
_______________________________________________.

74. What are the two ways thieves sell the stolen cars?
_______________________________________________.

75. What type of security system can help the police track down a stolen car?
_______________________________________________.

Part Ⅴ Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed thirty minutes t o write a composition on the topic Haste Makes Waste. You should write at least 120 words and you should base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below:
1. 为什么说"欲速则不达"。

2. 试举例说明。

1997年1月大学英语六级考试参考答案

Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension

Section A
1.C) They can't pay the rent this month
2.D) Get Dr. Smith's written permission
3.B) $108
4.A) He feels unsympathetic
5.D) Making movies
6.A) Looking for an apartment
7.D) She'll have a visitor
8.A) He made a sudden turn
9.B) He is impatient
10.C) There is something wrong with the oven

Section B
11.B) Because he set as many as 65 different records
12.C) He broke a bone in the wrist during a match
13.C) To win one more championship for his team
14.D) To escape their everyday life
15.D) They become so involved that they forget their own problems
16.A) Because they are well?made and the stories are interesting
17.A) Because the bottle was empty and useless
18.D) A gift from the gods
19.C) A trivial thing may sometimes bring about undesirable consequences
20.B) They were isolated from the outside world

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension

21.C) computer criminals can escape punishment because they can't be
detected
22.A) many more computer crimes go undetected than are discovered
23.D) Companies usually hesitate to uncover computer crimes
24.C) They may walk away and easily find another job
25.C) how computer criminals manage to get good recommendation from their
former employers
26.D) negative
27.D) Unsafe
28.C) it can meet the growing demand of an industrially developing society
29.A) The demand for commercial products will not necessarily keep
increasing
30.B) reflect the writer's attitude
31.C) has a direct influence on the way people regard us
32.D) help them achieve success in their interpersonal relationships
33.A) early acts for men to follow as examples
34.D) they are not sure to what extent they should display their feminine
qualities through clothing
35.A) Dressing for effect
36.B) the opinions which contradict the established beliefs
37.A) let your superiors know how good you are
38.C) don't want people to think that their promotions were due to sex or
color
39.B) popular
40.B) The Importance of Being Visible

Part Ⅲ Vocabulary Structure

41.B) versatile
42.C) advocates
43.B) descend
44.D) strengthens
45.C) deprived
46.D) indulges in
47.A) access
48.D) clinging to
49.B) at random
50.D) appropriately
51.A) merciful
52.C) budget
53.A) debate
54.D) sense
55.D) see to
56.B) keep off
57.B) tempted
58.C) gazing
59.D) overwhelming
60.D) exclusive
61.A) obscure
62.C) condense
63.B) collided
64.C) but rather
65.C) with reference to
66.D) showed me to
67.A) worth
68.B) appreciation
69.A) spontaneously
70.A) subordinate

Part Ⅳ Short Answer Questions

S1.Vehicle theft and security system in U.S.
S2.Having left his key in the truck.
S3.Over 2 million vehicles will be stolen.
S4.Selling by parts and smuggling into other countries.
S5.The type transmitting radio signals.

Part Ⅴ Writing(略)