四级听力考试中的短文听力部分包括三篇短文，一般体裁各不相同，每篇短文提出三到四个问题，共十道题。短文和问题的录音都只放一遍，要求考生从每题的四个选项中选择一个最佳选项。近年来短文的篇幅比过去明显加长了，每篇文章的词数平均都在250词左右。这三篇听力短文的体裁一般有记叙文、说明文和议论文三种。题材十分广泛，包罗万象。
记叙文主要包括资讯、故事、人物传记等，报道一个资讯事件，讲述一个有趣的小故事，或记载一个人的人生经历，如中外历史上杰出的政治家、科学家、艺术家的生平事迹。考生要依据事件发展的顺序或人物的经历，把握住文章的具体细节内容，尤其要注意关键信息，如时间、地点、人物、原因，以及人物传记中对人物有重大意义的事件。此类文章语言相对简单，内容紧凑，但考查的细节题较多。考生应快速浏览选项，推测出短文的大致内容，听录音时把注意力集中在关键信息上。
说明文主要包括文化教育类、社会制度类和科普研究类文章。文化教育类短文主要介绍英语国家的文化习俗、教育制度、风土人情、艺术体育等等;社会制度类短文会介绍西方社会的某种具体制度或机构;而科普研究类短文介绍自然科学领域里的新发现、新发明、新技术，内容涉及信息技术、天文地理、生物医学等各个方面。由于说明文所涉及的内容相当广泛，考生应注意平时多阅读、多积累，扩大自己的知识面，尤其要注意西方文化与本国文化不同的地方，以及科学技术的新发展、新变化。中英文阅读可兼而有之。知识是互相关联的，考生在平时应注意培养自己分析归纳、触类旁通的能力。文化教育类和社会制度类短文虽然题材广泛，但此类文章一般内容通俗易懂，句型结构较简单。考生可通过篇首或篇尾的主题句推测文章内容。科普研究类文章往往是考生比较陌生的话题，句型结构较复杂，也会经常出现生僻词，增加了听力理解的难度。但是此类文章的题目一般都较简单，细节题较多，考生可边听边看题目选项，捕获关键信息，放弃无关紧要的信息和听不明白的词。
议论文主要是社会现象与问题类的文章，例如文化教育、公共交通、能源环境、失业就业、妇女儿童、治安犯罪等等，涵盖了经济、政治、家庭、社会等方面，题材也很广泛。这类短文中所涉及的问题通常是社会所关注的热点问题，通过对这些问题与现象的分析，阐述作者自己的观点和态度。考生在听录音时，应快速浏览选项，预测短文内容。听时注意作者的观点态度以及支撑其观点所列举的事实和数据。在做题时应根据所听到的内容选择最佳选项，千万不能根据自己的主观想法推测。这类文章的主题句一般在段首或段尾，设置的问题多是主旨大意题和造成现象问题的原因类题。考生应集中注意力听清主题句，并预读选项、预测问题，带着问题听录音。
短文听力是四级听力考试中较难的一种题型，考生需要较高的听力理解能力。英语的听、说、读、写、译五个方面密不可分，听力能力的训练应和其他几个方面的训练结合起来进行。了解了短文听力的体裁、题材和选材方向，掌握了正确的方法，加上持之以恒的训练，同学们会打下良好的基础。下面我们来看一下听力短文中的命题特点和解题技巧。
33. A) Itll allow them to receive free medical treatment.
B) Itll prevent the doctors from overcharging them.
C) Itll enable them to enjoy the best medical care.
D) Itll protect them from possible financial crises.
34. A) They may not be able to receive timely medical treatment.
B) They can only visit doctors who speak their native languages.
C) They have to go through very complicated application procedures.
D) They cant immediately get back the money paid for their medical cost.
35. A) They must send the receipts to the insurance company promptly.
B) They have to pay a much higher price to get an insurance policy.
C) They neednt pay the entire medical bill at once.
D) They dont have to pay for the medical services.
听力原文
Obtaining good health insurance is a real necessity while you are studying overseas. It protects you from minor and major medical expenses that can wipe out not only your savings but your dreams of an education abroad. There are often two different types of health insurance you can consider buying, international travel insurance and student insurance in the country where you will be go-ing.
An international travel insurance policy is usually purchased in your home country before you go abroad. It generally covers a wide variety of medical services and you are often given a list of doctors in the area where you will travel who may even speak your native language. The drawback might be that you may not get your money back immediately. In other words, you may have to pay all your medical expenses and then later submit your receipts to the insurance company.
On the other hand, getting student health insurance in the country where you will study might allow you to only pay a certain percentage of the medical cost at the time of service and thus you dont have to have sufficient cash to pay the entire bill at once. Whatever you decide, obtaining some form of health insurance is something you should consider before you go overseas. You shouldnt wait until you are sick with major medical bills to pay off.
Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. Why does the speaker advise the overseas students to buy health insurance?
34. What is the drawback of the students buying international travel insurance?
35. What does the speaker say about students getting health insurance in the country where they will study?
答案 解析
本文是一篇说明文,题材属于文化教育类。作者阐述了留学生上医疗保险的好处,介绍了两种保险的优缺点。快速浏览选项后,从medical, doctors, insurance, pay, receipt 等词可推测这是一篇有关医疗及保险方面的短文,势必会讲到优缺点方面的问题,注意文章的开头和结尾,注意表示转折等的信号词。
33. 细节题。文章第一段提到It protects you from minor and major medical expenses that can wipe out not only your savings but your dreams of an education abroad.这句话意为:医疗保险可以节约你在生病时大大小小的医疗花费,这些花费不仅会花光你的积蓄,而且会使你在国外求学的梦想破灭。可以确定,答案是D)。
34. 细节题。文章第二段提到The drawback might be that you may not get your money back immediately. In other words, you may have to pay all your medical expenses and then later submit your receipts to the insurance company.这句话意为:缺点是你很可能无法立刻拿回你所支付的款项,换句话说,你必须先支付所有的医疗费用,之后再提交所有的收据以获得赔偿。由于事先预测文中会谈到事物的优缺点,所以当文中出现drawback时应特别注意。而且in other words后的是重复信息,是作者所强调的地方,也应注意。本题答案是D)。
35. 细节题。因为之前已经提到一种保险方式,所以考生在听到on the other hand时应立刻想到接下来要介绍另一种保险方式。极端化的表达only更应引起注意。文章第三段提到On the other hand, getting student health insurance in the country where you will study might allow you to only pay a certain percentage of the medical cost at the time of service and thus you dont have to have sufficient cash to pay the entire bill at once.这句话意为:另一方面,在海外学习的地方所购买的医疗保险允许你在使用该服务时只支付部分医疗费用,这样你就不用必须有充裕的现金一次支付全额医疗费用。答案是C)。
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