2013年12月四级听力模拟试题十四

　　English Weekly CET-4 Listening Practice Test 14

　　Part III Listening Comprehension

　　Section A

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end 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 each question there will be a pause.

　　During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the center.

　　11. M: Where should I change and leave my clothes?

　　W: There is a locker room right past the information desk and main exercise room.

　　Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place?

　　12. W: I really dont see why football players get such high salaries.

　　M: Neither do I. After all, how much work do they do? A couple of hours a week?

　　Q: What can you infer from this conversation?

　　13. W: I dont think you quite appreciate the way we do things here. You are, if I may say so, a stranger.

　　M: Thank you, but its by no means my first trip to the Middle East.

　　Q: What have you learned about the man?

　　14. W: Would you prefer to stay in a house or an apartment?

　　M: My wife would rather stay in a house, but actually I prefer an apartment. Then I dont have to worry about looking after a garden.

　　Q: Why does the man prefer an apartment to a house?

　　15. W: While the children are at the movie, I think Ill drop into Drakes Department store and do a little shopping.

　　M: Good idea. While youre there, will you pick up a couple of white shirts for me, and I need some cigarettes, too.

　　Q: What is the woman going to buy for herself?

　　16. M: Since you dont like your boss, why are you still hanging around him?

　　W: Im not. Im going to stop hanging around and quit.

　　Q: What does the woman mean?

　　17. W: Dr. Richards wants you to confirm his appointment on the 28th in the morning.

　　M: Yes, thats OK. Can you wire him?

　　Q: What does the man ask the woman to do?

　　18. W: When I was in Mexico, I was surprised at what real Mexican food is like. It is so different from what the restaurants serve here.

　　M: When I was in Italy, the same thing happened to me, too.

　　Q: What does the man mean?

　　Now youll hear two long conversations.

　　M: Hello, International Airlines, reservations.

　　W: Hello. Im calling to reconfirm my flight to London on Monday.

　　M: Your name, please?

　　W: Lydia Smith.

　　M: One moment, please. Yes, Mrs. Smith, your economy class seat has been reconfirmed.

　　W: And my connecting flight to Paris?

　　M: According to my monitor, that hasnt yet been confirmed on Air Scandia.

　　W: Oh, why is that? I made these reservations last week.

　　M: There have been some computer problems the last few days, but they are being cleared up now.

　　W: Its vital that I make that connection. What do you suggest I do?

　　M: Dont worry, Mrs. Smith. I have your telephone number here. As soon as the information comes through, I will personally call you back.

　　W: Thats very kind of you. Thank you very much.

　　M: Its my pleasure. And thank you for flying International Airlines.

　　Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　19. What is the purpose of the telephone call?

　　20. Which of the womans flights have been reconfirmed?

　　21. What difficulty with the system does the airline clerk mention?

　　22. How does the airline clerk promise to help?

　　Conversation Two

　　M: Good morning, Doctor.

　　W: Good morning, Mr. Smith. What can I do for you?

　　M: I feel theres something wrong with me, but Im not sure.

　　W: Could you explain more?

　　M: I usually get a runny nose, watery eyes, scratchy throat and other symptoms on Monday. It will last for the following five days. And since I am terribly busy with my work, I wont have time to see the doctor. But when I do have time to see the doctor on weekends, the symptoms will disappear all of a sudden!

　　W: And you will get the same symptoms again next Monday?

　　M: Exactly.

　　W: How long have you been like this?

　　M: About one month.

　　W: Did anything special happen during the past four weeks?

　　M: Nothing special. Oh, wait! My company has moved from the old address to the present Mount Plaza.

　　M: That is it. When a new building is just finished, the chemical vapors being given off by glue, paint and other construction materials and moisture cant escape. The building, just like people, cant breathe properly. So it gets sick.

　　W: Well, I see. Thank you, Doctor.

　　M: Good luck.

　　Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　23. How long has the man suffered from the symptoms he described?

　　24. Why didnt he go to see the doctor immediately?

　　25. What happened during the past four months?

　　Section B

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the 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).

　　Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the center.

　　Passage One

　　Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction is a program designed to reduce the impact of natural disasters throughout the world. With support from the United Nations, countries will be encouraged to share information about disaster reduction: for instance, information about how to plan for and cope with hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters. One of the most important things the program plans to do is to remind us of what we can do to protect ourselves. For example, we can pack a suitcase with flashlights, a radio, food, drinking water and some tools. This safety kit may help us survive a disaster until help arrives. Besides, the program will encourage governments to establish building standards, emergency response plans and training programs. These measures can help to limit the destruction by natural disasters. The comparatively mild effects of the northern California earthquake in 1989 are good evidence that we do have the technology to prevent vast destruction. The recent disasters, on the other hand, prove that people will suffer if we dont use that technology. When a highway collapsed in northern California, people were killed in their cars. The highway was not built according to todays strict standards to resist earthquakes. Individuals and governments have to be far-sighted. We should take extra time and spend extra money to build disaster safety into our lives. Although such a program cant hold back the winds or stop earthquakes, they can save peoples lives and homes.

　　Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　26. What is the purpose of the program mentioned in this passage?

　　27. What can we learn from the northern California earthquake in 1989?

　　28. Why did the highway in northern California collapse?

　　Passage Two

　　As a result of pollution, Lake Erie, on the border of the U. S. A. and Canada, is now without any living things.

　　Pollution in water is not simply a matter of poisons killing large numbers of fish overnight. Very often the effects of pollution are not noticed for many months or years. The first organisms to be affected are plants or plankton---the food of fish, birds, and other creatures. When their source of food disappears, the fish and birds die too. In this way, a whole food chain can be wiped out, and it is not until dead fish and water birds are seen at the rivers edge or on the seashore that people realize what is happening.

　　Where do the substances that pollute the water come from? There are two main sources, sewage and industrial waste. As more detergents are used in the home, so more of it is eventually put into our rivers, lakes and seas. Detergents harm water birds by dissolving the natural substances that keep their feathers waterproof. Sewage itself, if it is not properly treated, makes the water dirty and prevents all forms of life in rivers and the sea from receiving the oxygen they need. Industrial waste is even more harmful since there are many highly poisonous substances in it, such as copper and lead.

　　So, if we want to stop this pollution, the answer is simple: sewage and industrial waste must be made clean before flowing into the water. It may already be too late to save some rivers and lakes, but others can still be saved if the correct action is taken at once.

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　29. What are the main sources of water pollution?

　　30. Which of the following is harmful according to the passage?

　　31. What correct action should be taken to stop water pollution?

　　Passage Three

　　I dont often lose things and Im especially careful with money, so I was quite surprised when I reached for my wallet and it wasnt there. At first, I thought it was possible that I could have left it at home. Then I remembered taking it out to pay for the taxi, so I knew I had it with me just before I walked into the restaurant. I wondered if it was possible that it could have slipped out of my pocket while I was eating dinner. Thinking about that possibility, I turned and walked back to the table where I had been sitting. Unfortunately, there were several people sitting at the table at the time, so I called a waiter and explained to him that my wallet had fallen out of my pocket while I was sitting at the table a few minutes earlier. I had the waiter go over to the table to see if my wallet was on the floor.

　　While the waiter was looking for it, the manager of the restaurant came up to me and asked me if anything was wrong. I didnt want to get a lot of people involved in the problem, but I knew I had to get the wallet back. I told the manager what had happened. He had me describe the wallet to him, and then he insisted that I report the missing wallet to the police. I told him that I didnt particularly want to get the police involved in it; besides, I was in a hurry because I had an appointment with my doctor in just a few minutes. I explained to him that my biggest worry at the moment was how I was going to pay the check. He told me not to worry about that. He had me write down my name and address and he said he would send me a bill.

　　Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　32. Why was the writer so sure he had brought his wallet with him?

　　33. According to the passage, when did the writer most probably lose his wallet?

　　34. Why did the writer walk back to the table where he had been sitting?

　　35. Why did the manager have the writer write down his name and address?

　　Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the

　　first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second

　　time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have

　　just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information.

　　For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main

　　points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check

　　what you have written.

　　On Sept.11, the nations aviation system quickly and safely landed almost 4,500 planes that were in the air when the terrorist attacks took place. How was this accomplished? What was it like inside air traffic control centers and at airline headquarters? How was the decision made to land all the planes? And how did controllers execute it?

　　Some USA TODAY reporters spent seven months interviewing more than 100 people involved in key decisions that day. The reporters traveled to New York, Washington, Chicago, Texas and Atlanta.

　　The scenes, thoughts and quotes in the stories are based on interviews with participants or with sources who had access to tape recordings. Accounts of the days events were verified. Reporters and editors also scrutinized hundreds of pages of records, including transcripts of radio calls with the four hijacked jets and a log kept by the Federal Aviation Administration.

　　USA TODAY compiled and analyzed data from several sources. A key source was the FAA radar data from the Traffic Situation Display. The system tracks all aircraft in the United States and Canada that have filed flight plans: commercial jets, private planes, cargo jets and military aircraft. It also estimates the location of planes over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans flying to and from North America.