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2014年12月大学英语四级考试真题及答案(第一套)
Passage One
Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.
The rise of the Internet has been one of the most transformative developments in human history, comparable in impact to the invention of the printing press and the telegraph. Over two billion people worldwide now have access to vastly more information than ever before, and can communicate with each other instantly , often using Web-connected mobile devices they carry everywhere. But the Internet's tremendous impact has only just begun.
\transformations in history, and unlike earlier periods of change, this time the effects are fully global,\
Perhaps the most profound changes will come when the five billion people worldwide who currently lack Internet access get online. The authors do an excellent job of examining the implications of the Internet revolution for individuals, governments, and institutions like the news media. But if the book has one major shortcoming, it's that authors don't spend enough time applying a critical eye to the role of Internet businesses in these weeping changes.
In their book, the authors provide the most authoritative volume to date that describes—and more importantly predicts—how the Internet will shape our lives in the coming decades. They paint a picture of a world in which individuals, companies, institutions, and governments must deal with two realities, one physical, and one virtual.
At the core of the book is the idea that \this concept as a starting point, the authors aim to move beyond the now familiar optimist vs. pessimist dichotomy (对立观点) that has characterized many recent debates about whether the rise of the Internet will ultimately be good or bad for society. In an interview with TIME earlier this week, Cohen said although he and his co-author are optimistic about many aspects of the Internet, they're also realistic about the risks and dangers that lie ahead when the next five billion people come online, particularly with respect to personal privacy and state surveillance (监视).
56. In what way is the rise of the Internet similar to the invention of the printing press and the telegraph?
A) It transforms human history.
B) It facilitates daily communication. C) It is adopted by all humanity.
D) It revolutionizes people's thinking.
57. How do Schmidt and Cohen describe the effects of the Internet? A) They are immeasurable. B) They are worldwide. C) They are unpredictable. D) They are contaminating.
58. In what respect is the book The New Digital Age considered inadequate? A) It fails to recognize the impact of the Internet technology. B) It fails to look into the social implications of the Internet.
C) It lacks an objective evaluation of the role of Internet businesses.
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D) It does not address the technical aspects of Internet communication. 59. What will the future be like when everybody gets online? A) People will be living in two different realities. B) People will have equal access to information. C) People don't have to travel to see the world
D) People don't have to communicate face to face.
60. What does the passage say about the authors of The New Digital Age? A) They leave many questions unanswered concerning the Internet. B) They are optimistic about the future of the Internet revolution. C) They have explored the unknown territories of the virtual world. D) They don't take sides in analyzing the effects of the Internet.
Passage Two
In 1950, a young man would have found it much easier than it is today to get and keep a job in the auto industry. And in that year die average autoworker could meet monthly mortgage (抵押贷款) payments on an average home with just 13.4 percent of his take-home pay. Today a similar mortgage would claim more than twice that share of his monthly earnings.
Other members of the autoworker's family, however might be less inclined to tried the present for the past. His retired parents would certainly have had less economic, security back then. Throughout much of the 1960s, more than a quarter of men and women and women age 65 and older lived below the poverty level, compared to less than 10 percent in 2010.
In most states, his wife could not have taken out a loan or a card in her own name. In 42 states, a homemaker had no legal claim on the earnings of her husband. And nowhere did a wife have legal protection against family violence.
Most black workers would not want to return to a time when, on average they earned 40 percent less than their white counterparts (职位相当的人), white racially restrictive agreements largely prevented them from buying into the suburban neighborhoods being built for white working-class families.
Today, new problems have emerged in the process of resolving old ones, but the solution is not to go back to the past. Some people may long for an era when divorce was still hard to come by. The spread of no -fault divorce has reduced the bargaining power of whichever spouse is more interested in continuing the relationship. And the breakup of such marriages has caused pain for many families.
The growing diversity of family life comes with new possibilities as well as new challenges. According to a recent poll, more than 80 percent of Americans believe that their current family is as close as the one in which they grew up, or closer. Finding ways to improve the life of the remaining 20 percent seems more realistic than trying to restore an imaginary golden age. 注意：此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。
61. What do we learn about American autoworkers in 1950? A) They had less job security than they do today. B) It was not too difficult for them to buy a house. C) Their earnings were worth twice as much as today. D) They were better off than workers in other industries. 62. What does the author about retired people today? A) They invariably long to return to the golden past.
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B) They do not depend so much on social welfare.
C) They feel more secure economically than in the past. D) They are usually unwilling to live with their children.
63. Why couldn't black workers buy a house in a white suburban neighborhood? A) They lacked the means of transportation. B) They were subjected to racial inequality. C) They were afraid to break the law. D) They were too poor to afford it.
64 What is the result of no-fault divorce? A) Divorce is easier to obtain. B) Domestic violence is lessened. C) It causes little pain to either side D) It contributes to social unrest.
65. What does the author suggest society do? A) Get prepared to face any new challenges. B) Try to better the current social security. C) Narrow the gap between blacks and whites. D) Improve the lives of families with problems.
Translation
越多的中国年轻人正对旅游产生兴趣，这是近年来的新趋势。年轻游客数量 的不断增加，可以归因于他们迅速提高的收入和探索外部世界的好奇心。随着旅 行多了，年轻人在大城市和著名景点花的时间少了，他们反而更为偏远的地方所 吸引，有些人甚至选择长途背包旅行。最近调查显示，很多年轻人想要通过旅行 体验不同的文化、丰富知识、拓宽视野。
In Hard Economy for All Ages, Older Isn't Better... It's Brutal
[A] Young graduates are in debt, out of work and on their parents' couches. People in their 30s and 40s can't afford to buy homes or have children. Retirees are earning near-zero interest on their savings.
[B] In the current listless (缺乏活力的) economy, every generation has a claim to having been most injured. But the Labor Department's latest jobs reports and other recent data present a strong case for crowning baby boomers (二战后生育高峰期出生的人) A) as the greatest victims of the recession and its dreadful consequences.
[C] These Americans in their 50s and early 60s — those near retirement age who do not yet have access to Medicare and Social Security — have lost the most earnings power of any age group, with their household incomes 10 percent below what they made when the recovery began three years ago, according to Sentier Research, a data analysis company. Their retirement savings and home values fell sharply at the worst possible time: just before they needed to cash out. They are supporting both aged parents and unemployed young-adult children, earning them the unlucky nickname \
[D] New research suggests that they may die sooner, because their health, income security and mental well-being were battered (重创) by recession at a crucial time in their lives. A recent study by economists at Wellesley College found that people who lost their jobs in the few years before becoming qualified for Social Security lost up to three years from their life expectancy (预期寿命), largely because they no longer had access to affordable health care.