一、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
1、Question 1 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、It found a pet dog on board a plane to a city in Texas.
B、It had one of its cargo planes land at a wrong airport.
C、It sent two dogs to the wrong destinations.
D、It had two of its domestic flights mixed up.
解析：
听力原文
(1) [United Airlines has apologized for mistakenly shipping an American family’s pet dog thousands of miles in the wrong direction to Japan.]
The dog owner’s beloved 10-year-old dog named Buddy, took an unexpected 16-hour flight to Tokyo following a mix-up by the airline. The dog owner’s family are currently in the process of moving. They were meant to be reunited with the pet in their new home city in Texas. But, when they arrived at the United Airlines cargo facility in the southern US state, they found a stranger’s dog waiting in Buddy’s place. (1) [Both of the dogs had been sent to the wrong destinations on connecting flights from Denver,] with Buddy mistakenly being sent to Japan instead. Buddy was given a physical checkup when he arrived at Tokyo’s International Airport. The dog was then sent back to the US on a private charter jet.
“I’m so glad he’s alive and coming home soon,” said the relieved dog owner. (2) [“An error occurred during the connections in Denver. We have notified our customers that their pets arrived safely. We will arrange to return the pets to them as soon as possible,” a spokesperson of United Airlines said.]
1. What does the news report say about United Airlines?
解析：C。录音开头提到，美国联合航空公司误将一个美国家庭的宠物狗运到日本，在中间又提到，两只（Both）狗在从丹佛转机时被送到了错误的目的地（the wrong destinations）。C项与此表述一致，two是对录音中both的同义替换，the wrong destinations为原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中出现的a pet dog和city in Texas设置干扰，但这些与联合航空无关，属于细节拼凑，故错误。B项利用录音中出现的cargo和wrong设置干扰，但录音里说的是小狗被送往错误的（wrong）目的地，其主人到达美国南部州的联合航空货运中心（cargo facility），并不是说货机降落在错误的机场，故B项错误。D项利用录音中出现的mix-up进行干扰，但录音中是说由于航空公司的失误（a mix-up by the airline），小狗意外飞到了东京，并不是说联合航空将两个国内航班弄混了（mixed up），故D项错误。
2、Question 2 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、Correct their mistake as soon as possible.
B、Give the two pets a physical checkup.
C、Hire a charter jet to bring the pets back.
D、Send another plane to continue the flight.
解析：
听力原文
(1) [United Airlines has apologized for mistakenly shipping an American family’s pet dog thousands of miles in the wrong direction to Japan.]
The dog owner’s beloved 10-year-old dog named Buddy, took an unexpected 16-hour flight to Tokyo following a mix-up by the airline. The dog owner’s family are currently in the process of moving. They were meant to be reunited with the pet in their new home city in Texas. But, when they arrived at the United Airlines cargo facility in the southern US state, they found a stranger’s dog waiting in Buddy’s place. (1) [Both of the dogs had been sent to the wrong destinations on connecting flights from Denver,] with Buddy mistakenly being sent to Japan instead. Buddy was given a physical checkup when he arrived at Tokyo’s International Airport. The dog was then sent back to the US on a private charter jet.
“I’m so glad he’s alive and coming home soon,” said the relieved dog owner. (2) [“An error occurred during the connections in Denver. We have notified our customers that their pets arrived safely. We will arrange to return the pets to them as soon as possible,” a spokesperson of United Airlines said.]
2. What did the spokesperson for United Airlines say they would do after the incident?
解析：A。录音最后提到，联合航空公司的一位发言人表示错误发生在丹佛的转机过程中，他们已经通知宠物狗的主人，宠物会安全到达，会尽快安排将宠物狗送还。A项Correct their mistake对应录音中的arrange to return the pets，其中as soon as possible为原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：B项利用录音中出现的a physical checkup设置干扰，C项利用a charter jet设置干扰，但录音中只是说巴迪到达机场后进行了身体检查，随后被一架私人包机送回美国，并没有说这是联合航空安排的，故排除B项和C项。D项的another plane和continue the flight在录音中无依据，故排除D项。
3、Question 3 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、She weighs 130 kilograms.
B、She has had babies before.
C、She was brought from Africa.
D、She has a big family of six.
解析：
听力原文
Officials at Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, are celebrating the birth of a baby elephant. Zoo officials say the baby was born on Monday. It is a female, and she weighs nearly 130 kilograms. Samba, her mother is a 30-year-old African elephant. The pregnancy lasted 22 months. Officials describe the baby elephant as “healthy, standing and nursing”. The baby hasn’t been given a name yet. (3) [Samba has given birth before.] Zoo officials said during this pregnancy, she was closely monitored through physical exams and blood tests.
Doctor Sue Tygielski is the zoo’s director of zoological operations. (4) [She said the elephant’s birth went smoothly] and, that there were no complications. The new baby expands the zoo’s elephant herd to six. That includes the baby’s parents, a sister, a brother, and an adult female.
3. What do we learn about the mother elephant Samba?
解析：B。录音中间提到，桑巴生产过。B项中的has had babies是对录音中has given birth的同义替换，故为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中说到小象出生时重130公斤，并不是象妈妈桑巴，A项张冠李戴，故A项排除。录音中提到，桑巴是一头30岁的非洲象（African elephant），但这并不等同于她来自非洲（from Africa），故C项排除。D项利用录音中的six进行干扰，但录音中是说动物园的象群（elephant herd）增加到六头，其中还包括一头成年雌象，并不都是桑巴的家庭成员，故排除D项。
4、Question 4 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、It took 22 hours.
B、It had some complications.
C、It was smooth.
D、It was monitored by Dr. Sue Tygielski.
解析：
听力原文
Officials at Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, are celebrating the birth of a baby elephant. Zoo officials say the baby was born on Monday. It is a female, and she weighs nearly 130 kilograms. Samba, her mother is a 30-year-old African elephant. The pregnancy lasted 22 months. Officials describe the baby elephant as “healthy, standing and nursing”. The baby hasn’t been given a name yet. (3) [Samba has given birth before.] Zoo officials said during this pregnancy, she was closely monitored through physical exams and blood tests.
Doctor Sue Tygielski is the zoo’s director of zoological operations. (4) [She said the elephant’s birth went smoothly] and, that there were no complications. The new baby expands the zoo’s elephant herd to six. That includes the baby’s parents, a sister, a brother, and an adult female.
4. What does the report say about the birth of the new baby elephant?
解析：C。录音后半部分提到，大象的生产很顺利，C项的smooth对录音中的smoothly，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的22进行干扰，但录音中是说孕期持续了22个月（22 months），并不是说生产持续了22个小时，故排除A项。录音中说大象的生产很顺利，没有并发症，B项与此内容相悖，故排除。D项利用录音中出现的monitored和Dr. Sue进行干扰，但录音中是说通过身体检查和血液检查对大象进行监护，并没有说这一过程是Dr. Sue进行的，故D项排除。
5、Question 5 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、It enjoyed great popularity.
B、It started business three years ago.
C、It was frequented by newly-weds.
D、It was built above the sea-water.
解析：
听力原文
Three years ago, a couple was enjoying a meal at a beach restaurant. (5) [The restaurant was built on a wooden structure above the sea-water.] During the meal, the man’s wedding ring slipped off his finger. It fell through the wooden floorboards apparently lost forever. (6) [Recently, the restaurant manager Ryan Krivoy decided to replace the wooden deck,] and he found an old gold coin, some $100 bills and a silver wedding ring while replacing the deck. (7) [The restaurant’s waitress, Sasha Formika posted a picture of the ring on Facebook.] The post was shared about 5,000 times. 3 days later, the happy wife called to claim the ring. She even texted pictures of her and her husband eating there in 2017 as proof. The restaurant mailed the ring back to the happy couple. Meanwhile, Krivoy discovered that the gold coin was very rare. It was from 1855 and worth as much as $2,000.
5. What do we learn about the restaurant?
解析：D。录音开头提到，三年前，一对夫妇在一家海滨餐厅用餐，这家餐厅是建在水面木质结构上。D项与此内容相符，其中的above the sea-water原词复现，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音开头的enjoying进行干扰，但录音中是他们在用餐（enjoying a meal），并没有说餐厅很受欢迎（enjoyed great popularity），故A项排除。B项利用录音开头的Three years ago进行干扰，但这是一对夫妇的用餐时间，并非餐厅的营业时间，故B项排除。C项的newly-weds在录音中无依据，故排除。
6、Question 6 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、Expand his business on the beach.
B、Replace the restaurant’s wooden deck.
C、Post a picture of his restaurant online.
D、Celebrate his silver wedding anniversary.
解析：
听力原文
Three years ago, a couple was enjoying a meal at a beach restaurant. (5) [The restaurant was built on a wooden structure above the sea-water.] During the meal, the man’s wedding ring slipped off his finger. It fell through the wooden floorboards apparently lost forever. (6) [Recently, the restaurant manager Ryan Krivoy decided to replace the wooden deck,] and he found an old gold coin, some $100 bills and a silver wedding ring while replacing the deck. (7) [The restaurant’s waitress, Sasha Formika posted a picture of the ring on Facebook.] The post was shared about 5,000 times. 3 days later, the happy wife called to claim the ring. She even texted pictures of her and her husband eating there in 2017 as proof. The restaurant mailed the ring back to the happy couple. Meanwhile, Krivoy discovered that the gold coin was very rare. It was from 1855 and worth as much as $2,000.
6. What did the restaurant manager decide to do recently?
解析：B。录音中提到，最近，餐厅经理决定更换木质甲板，B项与此内容完全一致，Replace和wooden deck为原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的beach进行干扰，但录音中是说海滨餐厅（beach restaurant），并没有说将生意扩张至沙滩，故A项排除。C项利用录音中的post和picture进行拼凑，但录音中说的是服务员将戒指的照片发布到脸书上，并不是经理将餐厅照片发布在网上，故C项排除。D项利用录音中的silver wedding进行干扰，但录音中是说银戒指（silver wedding ring），并不是银婚典礼（silver wedding anniversary），故D项错误。
7、Question 7 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、She sold it for two thousand dollars.
B、She took it to the restaurant manager.
C、She posted its picture on Facebook.
D、She returned it to its owner right away.
解析：
听力原文
Three years ago, a couple was enjoying a meal at a beach restaurant. (5) [The restaurant was built on a wooden structure above the sea-water.] During the meal, the man’s wedding ring slipped off his finger. It fell through the wooden floorboards apparently lost forever. (6) [Recently, the restaurant manager Ryan Krivoy decided to replace the wooden deck,] and he found an old gold coin, some $100 bills and a silver wedding ring while replacing the deck. (7) [The restaurant’s waitress, Sasha Formika posted a picture of the ring on Facebook.] The post was shared about 5,000 times. 3 days later, the happy wife called to claim the ring. She even texted pictures of her and her husband eating there in 2017 as proof. The restaurant mailed the ring back to the happy couple. Meanwhile, Krivoy discovered that the gold coin was very rare. It was from 1855 and worth as much as $2,000.
7. What did the waitress do about the recovered ring?
解析：C。录音中提到，餐厅服务员萨莎·弗麦加在脸书上发布了这枚戒指的照片。C项与此内容相符，其中posted、picture和Facebook原词复现，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的$2,000进行干扰，但录音中是说旧金币价值2000美元，并不是戒指，故A项排除。录音中并未提及服务员将戒指交给经理，故B项排除。录音中说是妻子打电话认领戒指（claim the ring），并不是服务员直接将戒指交还失主，故D项排除。
8、Question 8 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、The number of ducks has declined sharply in recent years.
B、Climate change has little effect on the lives of wild ducks.
C、Duck meat is not eaten in Australia, Canada and the U.S.
D、Duck hunting remains legal in many parts of the world.
解析：
听力原文
W: (8) [I can’t believe that duck hunting is still legal in so many parts of the world.] The scientific evidence from countries like Australia, Canada, and the USA clearly indicates a decline in the birds’ numbers.
M: But can anyone be sure if the decline is really caused by the hunting or by climate change?
W: It’s caused by both in fact. We see more droughts in countries like Australia. Ducks are birds that feed and breed in areas where there is a lot of water, (9) [but their habitats have been shrinking in recent decades because of the droughts.]
M: And I guess with fewer places to inhabit, they concentrate in greater numbers in few areas, which surely makes them easier targets for the hunters.
W: It does. My grandfather was a duck hunter. He told me hunting ducks and geese began in the 19th century. They were an easily found and plentifully available food source in farming areas, especially for poor immigrants.
M: What do they use for hunting during that period?
W: They use new types of guns, and birds could easily be shot down in flight. And in such great numbers that commercial hunting of ducks and geese became an industry. (10) [Yet, there’s no commercial farming of these birds nowadays. Their meat is hardly eaten in Western countries.]
M: No, duck hunting seemingly exists as the continuation of a tradition.
W: Wild ducks have never been popular with farmers like my grandfather anyway because they sometimes destroy crops. (11) [In fact, farmers used to poison them in large numbers.]
M: That somehow doesn’t surprise me. Nobody places much value on the lives of these poor birds or on their meat.
8. What does the woman find unbelievable?
解析：D。在录音一开头女士就提到，简直不敢相信（can’t believe），世界上那么多地方猎鸭仍然是合法的，D项与此内容相符，其中Duck hunting，legal和many parts of the world为原词复现，因此选D。
错项排除：录音中虽然提到有科学证据表明鸭子数量减少（decline），但这只是女士表达震惊之后陈述的事实，并不是说数量减少让她觉得难以置信，故A项错误。B项利用录音中的climate change进行干扰，C项利用meat、Australia、Canada和the US进行干扰，但这都是录音中的个别词，女士并未对气候变化，西方国家不吃鸭肉等内容表示难以置信，故B、C两项排除。
9、 Question 9 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Droughts.
B、Bushfires.
C、Farming.
D、Hunting.
解析：
听力原文
W: (8) [I can’t believe that duck hunting is still legal in so many parts of the world.] The scientific evidence from countries like Australia, Canada, and the USA clearly indicates a decline in the birds’ numbers.
M: But can anyone be sure if the decline is really caused by the hunting or by climate change?
W: It’s caused by both in fact. We see more droughts in countries like Australia. Ducks are birds that feed and breed in areas where there is a lot of water, (9) [but their habitats have been shrinking in recent decades because of the droughts.]
M: And I guess with fewer places to inhabit, they concentrate in greater numbers in few areas, which surely makes them easier targets for the hunters.
W: It does. My grandfather was a duck hunter. He told me hunting ducks and geese began in the 19th century. They were an easily found and plentifully available food source in farming areas, especially for poor immigrants.
M: What do they use for hunting during that period?
W: They use new types of guns, and birds could easily be shot down in flight. And in such great numbers that commercial hunting of ducks and geese became an industry. (10) [Yet, there’s no commercial farming of these birds nowadays. Their meat is hardly eaten in Western countries.]
M: No, duck hunting seemingly exists as the continuation of a tradition.
W: Wild ducks have never been popular with farmers like my grandfather anyway because they sometimes destroy crops. (11) [In fact, farmers used to poison them in large numbers.]
M: That somehow doesn’t surprise me. Nobody places much value on the lives of these poor birds or on their meat.
9. What does the woman say has caused the shrinking of ducks’ habitats in Australia?
解析：A。录音中女士提到，由于干旱（droughts），鸭子的栖息地在最近几十年不断缩小，因此A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B项的Bushfires在录音中没有依据，故排除。录音中虽然提到了farming，但这里是说在农耕区域（farming area）鸭子是很充足的食物来源，故C项排除。录音中提到捕猎和气候变化对鸭子数量减少都有影响，但并没有说这导致了鸭子栖息地缩小，所以D项排除。
10、Question 10 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、They are not easy to domesticate.
B、Their meat is not that popular.
C、It is not environmentally friendly.
D、It is not considered cost-effective.
解析：
听力原文
W: (8) [I can’t believe that duck hunting is still legal in so many parts of the world.] The scientific evidence from countries like Australia, Canada, and the USA clearly indicates a decline in the birds’ numbers.
M: But can anyone be sure if the decline is really caused by the hunting or by climate change?
W: It’s caused by both in fact. We see more droughts in countries like Australia. Ducks are birds that feed and breed in areas where there is a lot of water, (9) [but their habitats have been shrinking in recent decades because of the droughts.]
M: And I guess with fewer places to inhabit, they concentrate in greater numbers in few areas, which surely makes them easier targets for the hunters.
W: It does. My grandfather was a duck hunter. He told me hunting ducks and geese began in the 19th century. They were an easily found and plentifully available food source in farming areas, especially for poor immigrants.
M: What do they use for hunting during that period?
W: They use new types of guns, and birds could easily be shot down in flight. And in such great numbers that commercial hunting of ducks and geese became an industry. (10) [Yet, there’s no commercial farming of these birds nowadays. Their meat is hardly eaten in Western countries.]
M: No, duck hunting seemingly exists as the continuation of a tradition.
W: Wild ducks have never been popular with farmers like my grandfather anyway because they sometimes destroy crops. (11) [In fact, farmers used to poison them in large numbers.]
M: That somehow doesn’t surprise me. Nobody places much value on the lives of these poor birds or on their meat.
10. Why is there no commercial farming of ducks and geese in Western countries?
解析：B。录音后半部分女士提到，商业猎鸭猎鹅已经成为一项产业，但是并没有形成商业养殖，接着解释说鸭肉和鹅肉在西方国家几乎不吃，由此可知，鸭肉和鹅肉不受欢迎是没有形成商业养殖的原因，因此选B。
错项排除：A项的domesticate，C项的environmentally friendly和D项的cost-effective在录音中皆无依据，故均可排除。
11、Question 11 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、They hunted ducks as a traditional sport.
B、They killed wild ducks and geese for food.
C、They raised ducks and geese for their eggs.
D、They poisoned wild ducks in large numbers.
解析：
听力原文
W: (8) [I can’t believe that duck hunting is still legal in so many parts of the world.] The scientific evidence from countries like Australia, Canada, and the USA clearly indicates a decline in the birds’ numbers.
M: But can anyone be sure if the decline is really caused by the hunting or by climate change?
W: It’s caused by both in fact. We see more droughts in countries like Australia. Ducks are birds that feed and breed in areas where there is a lot of water, (9) [but their habitats have been shrinking in recent decades because of the droughts.]
M: And I guess with fewer places to inhabit, they concentrate in greater numbers in few areas, which surely makes them easier targets for the hunters.
W: It does. My grandfather was a duck hunter. He told me hunting ducks and geese began in the 19th century. They were an easily found and plentifully available food source in farming areas, especially for poor immigrants.
M: What do they use for hunting during that period?
W: They use new types of guns, and birds could easily be shot down in flight. And in such great numbers that commercial hunting of ducks and geese became an industry. (10) [Yet, there’s no commercial farming of these birds nowadays. Their meat is hardly eaten in Western countries.]
M: No, duck hunting seemingly exists as the continuation of a tradition.
W: Wild ducks have never been popular with farmers like my grandfather anyway because they sometimes destroy crops. (11) [In fact, farmers used to poison them in large numbers.]
M: That somehow doesn’t surprise me. Nobody places much value on the lives of these poor birds or on their meat.
11. What does the woman say about farmers in her grandfather’s time?
解析：D。在录音结尾部分女士提到，她祖父时代的农民都不喜欢鸭子，因为鸭子会毁坏庄稼，而农民曾经大量毒杀鸭子（used to poison them in large numbers）。D项内容几乎全部原词复现，符合题意，故为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中男士提到，现在猎鸭似乎是作为一种传统的延续，并不是说女士祖父时代将其作为传统运动，故A项排除。录音中女士明确提到，西方国家几乎不吃鸭肉和鹅肉，故B项排除。C项中的raised ducks和for their eggs在录音中没有依据，故排除。
12、 Question 12 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Have her house repainted.
B、Replace some of her old furniture.
C、Move into a newly-painted house.
D、Calculate the cost of the paint job.
解析：
听力原文
M: Okay, Miss Bright. I’ve finished calculating. I estimate you have between 210 and 240 square meters of walls and ceiling.
W: (12) [So how much would the paint job cost?]
M: That would depend on the quality of paint you choose. We carry two brands—one costs 60 cents every square meter, and the other 90 cents. The second is guaranteed to look great for about 10 years, whereas the cheaper one will start to dull after around 6 or 7 years.
W: In that case, we would prefer the more expensive option.
M: All right, then. So including labor costs, taxes, and everything, this job would come to $3,000.
W: (13) [Emm, to be perfectly honest, that’s more than I expected.]
M: Please bear in mind that the price includes moving all the furniture, and the whole task would take 2 days.
W: Really? Why?
M: Well, we can’t paint the walls without clearing all the furniture first. So every time we paint a room, we first have to move the furniture to another room. So that takes more time. Plus, it requires two people, which works out more expensive.
W: I see. But does that mean I could not live here in my own house during those 2 days?
M: That is correct.
W: Oh well, that changes everything I’m afraid. (14) [I would have to stay with a friend or check into a hotel.] I hadn’t considered any of that. (15) [I’m starting to realize that painting my house is far more troublesome than I had anticipated.]
M: This is usually the case. Most of our clients go through the same realization.
W: I see.
M: You have my number. Please feel free to call me for any further questions.
W: Thank you.
12. What is the woman planning to do?
解析：A。在录音开头男士提到，房顶和墙壁的面积已经算出来了，接着女士问道粉刷费用是多少，由此可知，女士是打算粉刷房子，A项与此内容相符，故为正确答案。
错项排除：B项利用录音中出现的furniture进行干扰，但录音中男士说粉刷房子需要搬动家具，并不是女士要置换旧家具。C项利用录音中出现的move和paint进行拼凑，但录音中是说要搬动家具，粉刷房子，并不是搬到新粉刷的房子，故C项排除。D项利用录音中出现的calculating、cost和the paint job进行干扰，但这是女士问男士粉刷的费用，并非女士计划计算粉刷费用，故D项排除。
13、Question 13 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、How long the work will take.
B、How much the work will cost.
C、How the paint job is to be done.
D、How many workers are needed.
解析：
听力原文
M: Okay, Miss Bright. I’ve finished calculating. I estimate you have between 210 and 240 square meters of walls and ceiling.
W: (12) [So how much would the paint job cost?]
M: That would depend on the quality of paint you choose. We carry two brands—one costs 60 cents every square meter, and the other 90 cents. The second is guaranteed to look great for about 10 years, whereas the cheaper one will start to dull after around 6 or 7 years.
W: In that case, we would prefer the more expensive option.
M: All right, then. So including labor costs, taxes, and everything, this job would come to $3,000.
W: (13) [Emm, to be perfectly honest, that’s more than I expected.]
M: Please bear in mind that the price includes moving all the furniture, and the whole task would take 2 days.
W: Really? Why?
M: Well, we can’t paint the walls without clearing all the furniture first. So every time we paint a room, we first have to move the furniture to another room. So that takes more time. Plus, it requires two people, which works out more expensive.
W: I see. But does that mean I could not live here in my own house during those 2 days?
M: That is correct.
W: Oh well, that changes everything I’m afraid. (14) [I would have to stay with a friend or check into a hotel.] I hadn’t considered any of that. (15) [I’m starting to realize that painting my house is far more troublesome than I had anticipated.]
M: This is usually the case. Most of our clients go through the same realization.
W: I see.
M: You have my number. Please feel free to call me for any further questions.
W: Thank you.
13. What is the woman’s chief concern?
解析：B。录音开头男士提到墙壁和天花板的面积，女士紧接着就问费用，后面女士又提到花费的比她预想的要多，由此可知女士主要关心费用问题，B项符合题意，故为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中男士提到搬动家具需要2天时间，女士接着说这样就不能在家里住了，她表示这个问题之前没考虑到，事情可能会有变化，这主要是住宿问题，而非工期问题，故A项排除。录音中男士提到要先搬动家具再粉刷，这并非女士关心的问题，故C项排除。录音中男士提到搬动家具需要两个人，并没有说粉刷需要多少人手，故D项排除。
14、Question 14 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Cover up her furniture.
B、Ask some friends for help.
C、Stay somewhere else.
D、Oversee the work herself.
解析：
听力原文
M: Okay, Miss Bright. I’ve finished calculating. I estimate you have between 210 and 240 square meters of walls and ceiling.
W: (12) [So how much would the paint job cost?]
M: That would depend on the quality of paint you choose. We carry two brands—one costs 60 cents every square meter, and the other 90 cents. The second is guaranteed to look great for about 10 years, whereas the cheaper one will start to dull after around 6 or 7 years.
W: In that case, we would prefer the more expensive option.
M: All right, then. So including labor costs, taxes, and everything, this job would come to $3,000.
W: (13) [Emm, to be perfectly honest, that’s more than I expected.]
M: Please bear in mind that the price includes moving all the furniture, and the whole task would take 2 days.
W: Really? Why?
M: Well, we can’t paint the walls without clearing all the furniture first. So every time we paint a room, we first have to move the furniture to another room. So that takes more time. Plus, it requires two people, which works out more expensive.
W: I see. But does that mean I could not live here in my own house during those 2 days?
M: That is correct.
W: Oh well, that changes everything I’m afraid. (14) [I would have to stay with a friend or check into a hotel.] I hadn’t considered any of that. (15) [I’m starting to realize that painting my house is far more troublesome than I had anticipated.]
M: This is usually the case. Most of our clients go through the same realization.
W: I see.
M: You have my number. Please feel free to call me for any further questions.
W: Thank you.
14. What does the woman have to do while the paint job is being done?
解析：C。在录音中男士说到，粉刷时需要把家具搬开，也就是女士在此期间不能住在家里，女士说那她就不得不住在朋友家或是住在旅馆。C项与此内容相符，Stay somewhere else对应录音中stay with a friend or check into a hotel，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的furniture进行干扰，但录音中是说需要搬动（move）家具，并不是把家具盖上（Cover up），故A项错误。B项利用录音中的friends进行干扰，但录音中是说可能需要住在朋友家或住旅馆，并不是说向一些朋友求助，B项以偏概全，故排除。D项在录音中没有依据，故排除。
15、Question 15 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、 She could have asked a friend for help with the paint job.
B、Painting a house involves more trouble than she thought.
C、She should have repainted her house much earlier.
D、Moving her furniture is harder than the paint job.
解析：
听力原文
M: Okay, Miss Bright. I’ve finished calculating. I estimate you have between 210 and 240 square meters of walls and ceiling.
W: (12) [So how much would the paint job cost?]
M: That would depend on the quality of paint you choose. We carry two brands—one costs 60 cents every square meter, and the other 90 cents. The second is guaranteed to look great for about 10 years, whereas the cheaper one will start to dull after around 6 or 7 years.
W: In that case, we would prefer the more expensive option.
M: All right, then. So including labor costs, taxes, and everything, this job would come to $3,000.
W: (13) [Emm, to be perfectly honest, that’s more than I expected.]
M: Please bear in mind that the price includes moving all the furniture, and the whole task would take 2 days.
W: Really? Why?
M: Well, we can’t paint the walls without clearing all the furniture first. So every time we paint a room, we first have to move the furniture to another room. So that takes more time. Plus, it requires two people, which works out more expensive.
W: I see. But does that mean I could not live here in my own house during those 2 days?
M: That is correct.
W: Oh well, that changes everything I’m afraid. (14) [I would have to stay with a friend or check into a hotel.] I hadn’t considered any of that. (15) [I’m starting to realize that painting my house is far more troublesome than I had anticipated.]
M: This is usually the case. Most of our clients go through the same realization.
W: I see.
M: You have my number. Please feel free to call me for any further questions.
W: Thank you.
15. What has the woman come to realize at the end of the conversation?
解析：B。在录音结尾部分女士说到，她现在知道了，粉刷房子比原先预料的要麻烦得多，B项中的involves more trouble是对录音中far more troublesome的同义替换，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的friend进行干扰，但录音中是说可能需要住在朋友家，并不是说请朋友帮忙粉刷，故A项排除。录音中女士提到如果不能在房子里住，那一切就需要改变一下，但并没有说她应该早点重新粉刷房子，C项过度推断，故排除。D项利用录音中的moving all the furniture进行干扰，但并没有说搬动家具比粉刷还要难，故D项排除。
16、Question 16 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、To cultivate good habits.
B、To prepare for secondary school.
C、To review what is learned in class.
D、To stimulate interest in learning.
解析：
听力原文
Homework is an important part of schooling, but the purposes of giving children homework will change as they grow older. (16) [At the primary level, the main aim is to cultivate good habits, like learning to plan and exercising self-discipline.] During the secondary school years, extending what is learned at school is positively related to academic achievement. So the content of homework becomes more important.
So how can you help your child do their best? (17) [Creating an ideal working environment will make it easier for them to get down to their assignments quickly.] Make sure it’s free of distractions, and for primary school children, at least, somewhere near you. So you can answer questions and offer encouragement. You probably have to help younger children plan their session, but it’s important that by the end of primary school, it’s second nature.
Get them to tell you everything they have to do, then encourage them to establish an order in which they do work. (18) [When there are several different assignments, make sure they begin with one they enjoy.] So it seems easy to get started. It’s best to take on the most difficult task second, once they’re settled, but before they get tired. If older children have more than an hour of homework, encourage them to schedule a short break to stretch. If you encourage them to tell you what they’ve learned, they'll absorb the information more deeply and remember it more readily.
16. What is the main aim of homework for primary school kids?
解析：A。录音开头说到，随着儿童长大，家庭作业的目的也会发生改变，接着说到在小学阶段（At the primary level），主要目的是培养良好习惯，A项全部原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：B项利用录音中的secondary school进行干扰，但录音中是说中学阶段的家庭作业的目的，并不是说小学生家庭作业是为中学做准备，故B项错误。C项的review what is learned in class利用常识进行干扰，但录音中并无此依据，故排除。D项主观臆断，故排除。
17、Question 17 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Discuss their academic achievements with them.
B、Create an ideal study environment for them.
C、Allow them to learn independently.
D、Check their homework promptly.
解析：
听力原文
Homework is an important part of schooling, but the purposes of giving children homework will change as they grow older. (16) [At the primary level, the main aim is to cultivate good habits, like learning to plan and exercising self-discipline.] During the secondary school years, extending what is learned at school is positively related to academic achievement. So the content of homework becomes more important.
So how can you help your child do their best? (17) [Creating an ideal working environment will make it easier for them to get down to their assignments quickly.] Make sure it’s free of distractions, and for primary school children, at least, somewhere near you. So you can answer questions and offer encouragement. You probably have to help younger children plan their session, but it’s important that by the end of primary school, it’s second nature.
Get them to tell you everything they have to do, then encourage them to establish an order in which they do work. (18) [When there are several different assignments, make sure they begin with one they enjoy.] So it seems easy to get started. It’s best to take on the most difficult task second, once they’re settled, but before they get tired. If older children have more than an hour of homework, encourage them to schedule a short break to stretch. If you encourage them to tell you what they’ve learned, they'll absorb the information more deeply and remember it more readily.
17. What does the passage suggest parents do to help their children?
解析：B。录音中间部分提问到，父母应该怎么帮助孩子做到最好，接着回答是：创造一个理想的学习环境能够让他们更容易迅速展开学习。B项与此内容相符，其中Create和idea为原词复现，study environment对应录音中的working environment，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的academic achievements进行干扰，但录音中是说在中学阶段，扩展在学校学到的知识与学习成绩呈正相关，并不是讨论学习成绩，故A项排除。录音中提到，父母可以回答问题并给予鼓励，可能还需要帮助更小的孩子制定他们的学习进程，C项的learn independently与此相悖，故错误。D项Check their homework在录音中无依据，故排除。
18、Question 18 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Finish them before they get tired.
B、Tackle the most difficult task first.
C、Start with something they enjoy.
D、Focus on the most important ones.
解析：
听力原文
Homework is an important part of schooling, but the purposes of giving children homework will change as they grow older. (16) [At the primary level, the main aim is to cultivate good habits, like learning to plan and exercising self-discipline.] During the secondary school years, extending what is learned at school is positively related to academic achievement. So the content of homework becomes more important.
So how can you help your child do their best? (17) [Creating an ideal working environment will make it easier for them to get down to their assignments quickly.] Make sure it’s free of distractions, and for primary school children, at least, somewhere near you. So you can answer questions and offer encouragement. You probably have to help younger children plan their session, but it’s important that by the end of primary school, it’s second nature.
Get them to tell you everything they have to do, then encourage them to establish an order in which they do work. (18) [When there are several different assignments, make sure they begin with one they enjoy.] So it seems easy to get started. It’s best to take on the most difficult task second, once they’re settled, but before they get tired. If older children have more than an hour of homework, encourage them to schedule a short break to stretch. If you encourage them to tell you what they’ve learned, they'll absorb the information more deeply and remember it more readily.
18. What should children do to deal with multiple assignments?
解析：C。录音中提到，当有好几项不同的作业时（several different assignments），确保孩子从喜欢的开始。C项与此内容相符，其中start是对begin的同义替换，enjoy原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的before they get tired进行干扰，但录音中是说在进行最难任务时，应该在疲累之前开始，并不是处理多项任务，A项张冠李戴，故排除。录音中提到，最难的那项应该放在第二位（second），B项与此相悖，故错误。D项利用录音中的important进行干扰，但录音中对于多项任务，并未提及最重要的几项，故D项排除。
19、Question 19 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Workers who meet its body weight standards.
B、Workers who can lose 30 pounds in a year.
C、Workers who try the hardest to lose weight.
D、Workers who are in the top 10% of the slimmest.
解析：
听力原文
(19) [Workers at Mexican Oil Company will receive a health incentive of almost $300 a year if they meet certain body weight standards. To qualify for the bonus, they must maintain a healthy weight.] For those who are overweight or obese, they can receive the bonus if they reduce their weight by 10% during the year.
Some applaud the policy as fair, because it rewards both individuals who maintain a healthy weight and those who are working towards achieving it. (20) [But critics say the policy contradicts recommendations by many health experts who warned that a person’s weight is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. That means weight can be hard for individuals to control, which makes the bonus unfair.]
Some experts say the policy is inconsistent with the science of what we know about body weight regulation. These experts argue that focusing on weight is the wrong approach. (21) [A more productive method of encouraging health among employees is to promote healthy behaviors.] For example, companies can give workers gym memberships, or encourage participation in lectures on healthy eating and living. They can also reduce sweets and provide healthier snacks in the office and healthier meals at the company canteen. Or they can give employees more time during their lunch break to exercise. These are much better and much more productive ways for companies to move forward on their employees’ well-being.
19. Who will qualify for the bonus in Mexican Oil Company?
解析：A。录音开头提到，墨西哥石油公司的员工如果满足一定的体重标准（meet certain body weight standards），每年将获得近300美元的健康激励。A项中meet和body weight standards原词复现，A项符合题意，故为正确选项。
错项排除：B项中的30 pounds和C项中的try the hardest to lose weight在录音中都无依据，故均排除。D项利用录音中的10%设置干扰，但录音中是说，如果超重员工在一年内体重减少10%（reduce their weight by 10%），就可以获得奖金，并不是最瘦的前10%的员工，故D项错误。
20、Question 20 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Impractical.
B、Inconsistent.
C、Unmanageable.
D、Unfair.
解析：
听力原文
(19) [Workers at Mexican Oil Company will receive a health incentive of almost $300 a year if they meet certain body weight standards. To qualify for the bonus, they must maintain a healthy weight.] For those who are overweight or obese, they can receive the bonus if they reduce their weight by 10% during the year.
Some applaud the policy as fair, because it rewards both individuals who maintain a healthy weight and those who are working towards achieving it. (20) [But critics say the policy contradicts recommendations by many health experts who warned that a person’s weight is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. That means weight can be hard for individuals to control, which makes the bonus unfair.]
Some experts say the policy is inconsistent with the science of what we know about body weight regulation. These experts argue that focusing on weight is the wrong approach. (21) [A more productive method of encouraging health among employees is to promote healthy behaviors.] For example, companies can give workers gym memberships, or encourage participation in lectures on healthy eating and living. They can also reduce sweets and provide healthier snacks in the office and healthier meals at the company canteen. Or they can give employees more time during their lunch break to exercise. These are much better and much more productive ways for companies to move forward on their employees’ well-being.
20. What do critics think of Mexican Oil Company’s bonus policy?
解析：D。录音中提到，批评人士认为，公司的奖金政策与许多健康专家的建议相矛盾，人们很难控制自己的体重，这就使得这项奖金政策不公平，D项Unfair原词复现，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项Impractical和C项Unmanageable在录音中都无依据，故均排除。B项利用录音中的inconsistent设置干扰，但录音中是说，一些专家认为该政策与我们所知道的体重调节科学不一致的（inconsistent），并不是批评人士的观点，B项张冠李戴，故错误。
21、Question 21 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Offer them much fatter bonuses.
B、Improve working environment.
C、Encourage healthy behaviors.
D、Provide free lunch and snacks.
解析：
听力原文
(19) [Workers at Mexican Oil Company will receive a health incentive of almost $300 a year if they meet certain body weight standards. To qualify for the bonus, they must maintain a healthy weight.] For those who are overweight or obese, they can receive the bonus if they reduce their weight by 10% during the year.
Some applaud the policy as fair, because it rewards both individuals who maintain a healthy weight and those who are working towards achieving it. (20) [But critics say the policy contradicts recommendations by many health experts who warned that a person’s weight is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. That means weight can be hard for individuals to control, which makes the bonus unfair.]
Some experts say the policy is inconsistent with the science of what we know about body weight regulation. These experts argue that focusing on weight is the wrong approach. (21) [A more productive method of encouraging health among employees is to promote healthy behaviors.] For example, companies can give workers gym memberships, or encourage participation in lectures on healthy eating and living. They can also reduce sweets and provide healthier snacks in the office and healthier meals at the company canteen. Or they can give employees more time during their lunch break to exercise. These are much better and much more productive ways for companies to move forward on their employees’ well-being.
21. What do experts propose companies do about workers’ well-being?
解析：C。录音中提到，专家认为，关注体重这个方法不对。促进员工健康的一种更有效的方法是促进健康的行为（healthy behaviors）。C项与此内容相符，其中的Encourage是promote的同义替换，healthy behaviors为原词复现，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中提到，专家认为奖金政策是不对的，A项提供更多的补贴与此内容相悖，故排除。B项的working environment在录音中无依据，故排除。D项利用录音中出现的lunch和snacks进行拼凑，但录音中是说可以提供更健康的零食（healthier snacks），在午休时间（lunch break）提供更多的时间进行锻炼，故D项错误。
22、Question 22 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、It has not done enough to help left-handed children.
B、It has treated left-handed children as being disabled.
C、It has not built facilities specially for the left-handed.
D、It has ignored campaigns on behalf of the left-handed.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [Campaigners have warned that the British government is not doing enough to prevent left-handed pupils from falling behind their peers.] They claim that thousands of children are still being penalized for being left-handed. This is due to a lack of action from ministers who failed to take any meaningful action for years. It is feared that a failure to address early year challenges such as poor handwriting, leads to much more serious problems down the line with these pupils facing reduced career prospects.
(23) [Studies in recent years show that left-handed children are more likely to suffer with learning difficulties, and their scores are lower on IQ tests.] Campaigners feel it’s strange that children in British schools are penalized because they happen to be left-handed. They don’t understand why successive governments have failed to act on this. (24) [They want the Department of Education to record which children are left-handed and what their educational attainments are] since they make up some 10% of the population. In early year education, left-handed children are struggling and making a mess of their handwriting. Educators don’t know how to deal with this. In many cases, there’s no active help and a lack of teacher training.
Campaigners point out that a high percentage of the prison population is left-handed. (25) [They say that these prison numbers are unusually high and ask why it is the case.]
22. Why are some people criticizing the British government?
解析：A。录音开头提到，活动人士警告说，在防止左撇子学生落后于同龄人方面，英国政府做得不够。A项与此内容相符，其中的not done enough对应not doing enough，to help left-handed children对应录音中的to prevent left-handed pupils from falling behind their peers，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B项的disabled、C项的built facilities在录音中都无依据，故均排除。D项利用录音中出现的campaigners设置干扰，但录音中只是提到活动人士对政府的警告，并没有提到政府无视代表左撇子的活动，故D项排除。
23、Question 23 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They are as intelligent as other children.
B、They have a distinctive style of handwriting.
C、They sometimes have psychological problems.
D、They tend to have more difficulties in learning.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [Campaigners have warned that the British government is not doing enough to prevent left-handed pupils from falling behind their peers.] They claim that thousands of children are still being penalized for being left-handed. This is due to a lack of action from ministers who failed to take any meaningful action for years. It is feared that a failure to address early year challenges such as poor handwriting, leads to much more serious problems down the line with these pupils facing reduced career prospects.
(23) [Studies in recent years show that left-handed children are more likely to suffer with learning difficulties, and their scores are lower on IQ tests.] Campaigners feel it’s strange that children in British schools are penalized because they happen to be left-handed. They don’t understand why successive governments have failed to act on this. (24) [They want the Department of Education to record which children are left-handed and what their educational attainments are] since they make up some 10% of the population. In early year education, left-handed children are struggling and making a mess of their handwriting. Educators don’t know how to deal with this. In many cases, there’s no active help and a lack of teacher training.
Campaigners point out that a high percentage of the prison population is left-handed. (25) [They say that these prison numbers are unusually high and ask why it is the case.]
23. What do studies in recent years show about left-handed children?
解析：D。录音中提到，近年来的研究表明，左撇子儿童更容易出现学习困难，他们的智商测试分数也较低。D项与此内容相符，其中的have more difficulties in learning是对录音中suffer with learning difficulties的同义替换，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：录音中提到，左撇子儿童的智商测试分数较低，A项与此内容相悖，故排除。录音中虽然提到了handwriting，但说的是左撇子儿童在书写上很吃力（struggling），甚至把字写得一团糟（making a mess），并不是说他们笔迹很特别（distinctive），故B项排除。C项的psychological problems在录音中无依据，故排除。
24、Question 24 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Punish teachers discriminating against left-handed students.
B、Lay more emphasis on improving children’s mental health.
C、Encourage students to develop various professional skills.
D、Keep track of left-handed children’s school performance.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [Campaigners have warned that the British government is not doing enough to prevent left-handed pupils from falling behind their peers.] They claim that thousands of children are still being penalized for being left-handed. This is due to a lack of action from ministers who failed to take any meaningful action for years. It is feared that a failure to address early year challenges such as poor handwriting, leads to much more serious problems down the line with these pupils facing reduced career prospects.
(23) [Studies in recent years show that left-handed children are more likely to suffer with learning difficulties, and their scores are lower on IQ tests.] Campaigners feel it’s strange that children in British schools are penalized because they happen to be left-handed. They don’t understand why successive governments have failed to act on this. (24) [They want the Department of Education to record which children are left-handed and what their educational attainments are] since they make up some 10% of the population. In early year education, left-handed children are struggling and making a mess of their handwriting. Educators don’t know how to deal with this. In many cases, there’s no active help and a lack of teacher training.
Campaigners point out that a high percentage of the prison population is left-handed. (25) [They say that these prison numbers are unusually high and ask why it is the case.]
24. What do the campaigners demand the Department of Education do?
解析：D。录音中提到，活动人士希望教育部记录下哪些孩子是左撇子以及他们的学业表现。D项与此内容相符，其中的Keep track of是对录音中record的近义替换，school performance对应录音中的educational attainments，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中出现的penalized和teacher进行干扰，但录音中的being penalized是表示处于不利地位、被不公正地对待，并不是惩罚的意思，A项细节拼凑，故排除。B项中的mental health、C项中的professional skills在录音中都无依据，故均排除。
25、Question 25 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、How they can be reduced in number.
B、Why their numbers are so high.
C、What percentage they account for.
D、If their percentage keeps increasing.
解析：
听力原文
(22) [Campaigners have warned that the British government is not doing enough to prevent left-handed pupils from falling behind their peers.] They claim that thousands of children are still being penalized for being left-handed. This is due to a lack of action from ministers who failed to take any meaningful action for years. It is feared that a failure to address early year challenges such as poor handwriting, leads to much more serious problems down the line with these pupils facing reduced career prospects.
(23) [Studies in recent years show that left-handed children are more likely to suffer with learning difficulties, and their scores are lower on IQ tests.] Campaigners feel it’s strange that children in British schools are penalized because they happen to be left-handed. They don’t understand why successive governments have failed to act on this. (24) [They want the Department of Education to record which children are left-handed and what their educational attainments are] since they make up some 10% of the population. In early year education, left-handed children are struggling and making a mess of their handwriting. Educators don’t know how to deal with this. In many cases, there’s no active help and a lack of teacher training.
Campaigners point out that a high percentage of the prison population is left-handed. (25) [They say that these prison numbers are unusually high and ask why it is the case.]
25. What do the campaigners want to know about left-handed prisoners?
解析：B。录音结尾提到，活动人士指出囚犯中左撇子比例很大，数量异常高，并追问为什么会这样（why it is the case），其中the case指的就是前面的these prison numbers are unusually high。B项与此内容相符，其中的Why their numbers are so high对应录音中的why it is the case，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用录音中的number进行干扰，但录音中并未出现与reduced相关的内容，故A项排除。录音中提到，活动人士指出监狱中左撇子比例很高（a high percentage），C项的What percentage与此相悖，故排除。录音中并无提到左撇子囚犯比重是降低还是增高，故D项错误。
二、Part III Reading Comprehension
It is commonly believed that the great English dramatist and poet William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on April 23, 1564. But it is impossible to know the (26)_____ day on which he was born. Church records show he was baptized (施洗礼) on April 26, and three days was a customary amount of time to wait before baptizing a newly born baby. Shakespeare’s date of death is (27)_____ known, however: it was April 23, 1616. He was 52 and had retired to Stratford three years before.
Although few plays have been performed or analyzed as extensively as the 38 plays Shakespeare wrote, there are few surviving details about his life. This (28)_____ of biographical information is due primarily to his social (29)_____; he was not a noble, but the son of a leather trader.
Shakespeare (30)_____ attended the grammar school in Stratford, where he would have studied Latin and read (31)_____ literature. He did not go to university and at age 18 married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years his (32)_____. They had four children, including the twins, Hamnet and Judith. Nothing is known of the period between the birth of the twins and Shakespeare’s (33)_____ as a dramatist in London in the early 1590s.In a million words written over 20 years, he (34)_____ the full range of human emotions and conflicts with a (35)_____ that remains sharp today. As his great contemporary the poet and dramatist Ben Jonson said, “He was not of an age, but for all time.”
26、(1)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：
名词
emergence 出现；兴起
particular 细节；详情
position 位置；地方
precision 精确；准确
quality 质量；品质
scarcity 缺乏；不足
senior 较年长的人
动词
captured (-ed) 捕捉；表达，刻画
generated (-ed) 产生；引起
position 安装；安置
separated (-ed) 使分开；分离
形容词
classical 古典的；经典的
exact 精确的；确切的
particular 专指的；独特的
quality 优质的；高质量的
senior 级别高的；资深的
separated 分开的；分居的
副词
conclusively 最后地；确定地
probably 很可能；大概
systematically 系统地；有条理地
26. exact
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为定冠词the，空格后为名词day，因此空格处应填入形容词作day的定语。根据上一句所说人们普遍认为莎士比亚是1564年4月23日出生的，结合空格所在句的But可知，空格所在句要表达的意思与上一句意思是相反的，也就是说不知道莎士比亚是什么时候出生的。形容词备选项中只有exact代入空格符合语义，意为：但想要知道他出生的确切日期却不可能，符合逻辑。
27. conclusively
解析：副词辨析题。空格所在句主干成分完整，空格前为is，空格后为known，因此空格处应填入副词，修饰known。空格所在句前面提到人们不知道莎士比亚确切的出生日期，只是按施洗惯例推测的，空格所在句主要是说莎士比亚的死亡日期，根据however的转折关系可知，莎士比亚的死亡日期应该是人们确切知道的。副词备选项中与“确切”意思相关的只有conclusively，代入空格，表示“但是，莎士比亚的去世日期是人们确认的”，符合题意。
28. scarcity
解析：名词辨析题。空格所在句缺少主语，空格前为This，空格后为of，因此空格处应填入名词，作句子主语。空格前一句说到，关于莎士比亚的生平细节几乎没有，空格前的This即代指前面提到的“生平细节几乎没有”的情况，所以空格应填入与“几乎没有”意思相近的名词，名词备选项中只有scarcity表示“缺乏；不足”，带入空格意为，这种传记信息的缺乏主要是由于他的社会……，符合题意。
29. position
解析：名词辨析题。空格所在部分位于due to之后，空格前为his social，因此空格处应填入名词，作介词to的宾语。空格所在句意为，这种传记信息的缺乏主要是由于他的社会____，接着解释他不是贵族，而是皮革商的儿子，据此可知，这是在说莎士比亚的社会地位、社会阶层，名词备选项中能够表示“社会地位、社会阶层”的只有position，代入空格表示“社会地位”，符合题意。本题有一定干扰性的是quality，带入空格表示“社会性质；社会品质”，但这无法与后面的noble和leather trader形成呼应，故排除。
30. probably
解析：副词辨析题。空格所在句主干成分完整，因此空格处应填入副词作状语。空格所在句意为，莎士比亚____上过斯特拉特福的文法学校，根据后面所说的他在哪里学习了拉丁语可知，空格处应填入表示“可能”的副词，副词备选项中代入空格能构成合理语义的只有probably。本题有一定干扰性的是conclusively和systematically，但是根据前文内容可知，莎士比亚的传记信息非常少，莎士比亚上过文法学校应该是推测，并不是“确定的”或“系统性地”，因此排除conclusively和systematically。
31. classical
解析：形容词辨析题。空格所在句主干成分完整，空格前为read，空格后为literature，因此空格处应填入形容词，修饰literature。根据句意，他在那里学习了拉丁语、阅读____文学。形容词备选项中可以修饰literature构成合理语义的的只有classical，表示“阅读古典文学”。
32. senior
解析：名词辨析题。空格所在句为who引导的定语从句，从句中表语成分不完整，空格前为his，因此空格处应填入名词。根据句意，他没有上大学，18岁时娶了安妮·海瑟薇，她____他八岁，名词备选项中只有senior代入空格符合题意，be...years sb.’s senior为固定搭配，表示“年长某人……岁”。
33. emergence
解析：名词辨析题。空格前为Shakespeare’s，空格后为as a dramatist，因此空格处应填入名词。空格所在句意为，从这对双胞胎出生到16世纪90年代初莎士比亚作为剧作家____在伦敦，这段时间我们不知道发生了什么。名词备选项中只有emergence代入空格符合题意，表示“从这对双胞胎出生到16世纪90年代初莎士比亚作为剧作家在伦敦崭露头角”。
34. captured
解析：动词辨析题。空格所在句缺少谓语，因此空格处应填入动词。空格所在句意为，在20多年的写作生涯中，他写了100多万字，____了人类情感和冲突的方方面面，因此空格中应填入与“描绘，描述”意思相关的词，动词备选项中capture除了表示“捕捉”之外，还有“（用图画、文章、电影等准确地）表达，刻画，描述”的意思，代入空格符合语义，表示“描绘了人类情感和冲突的方方面面”。
35. precision
解析：名词辨析题。空格位于with介词短语中，空格前为a，空格后为that引导的定语从句，因此空格处应填入名词作介词with的宾语。根据句意，莎士比亚用____描绘了人类情感和冲突的方方面面，这在今天依然犀利。名词备选项中填入空格能构成合理语义的只有precision，表示“用精确的笔触描绘了人类情感和冲突的方方面面”，符合题意。
27、(2)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
28、(3)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
29、(4)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
30、(5)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
31、(6)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
32、(7)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
33、(8)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
34、(9)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
35、(10)
A、systematically
B、senior
C、quality
D、separated
E、captured
F、classical
G、precision
H、generated
I、probably
J、particular
K、scarcity
L、conclusively
M、position
N、emergence
O、exact
解析：见上一题！
How to not be boring
【A】Humans are creatures of habit. We love to establish a routine and stick with it. Then we often put ourselves on auto-pilot. Routines can be incredibly useful in helping you get things done. However, too much of a routine can also make you incredibly boring. Nevertheless, many people live lives that are boringly predictable, or live a life where everything is outlined or planned.
【B】To tell the truth, interesting people are more popular among their friends. If you don’t arouse someone’s curiosity or brighten someone’s day, you probably come across as being a little bit dull. But that doesn’t mean your life has ended and you can’t do anything to change it. If you find yourself searching for something to say beyond small talk, try these tactics to find more interesting approaches to conversation.
【C】Recently, I was at a gathering of colleagues when someone turned to me and asked, “So, what’s new with you?” Ordinarily, I think I’m a good conversationalist. After all, it’s literally my job to talk to people and tell their stories or share their advice. And that’s not exactly an unexpected question. Still, the only “new-to-me” topics that came to mind were my daughter’s basketball tournament (锦标赛) and my feelings about that morning’s political headlines—neither amusing nor appropriate topics at that moment.
【D】Oh, no, I thought. Have I become boring? But sharing our experiences in an authentic way to connect with other people is what makes us interesting, says associate professor Michael Pirson. The hesitation I felt in not sharing the ordinary things that were happening in my life, and the wild mental search for something more interesting, may have backfired and made me seem less interesting.
【E】“If someone is making up some conversation that might be interesting, it’s probably not going to land well,” says Pirson, whose expertise includes trust and well-being, mindfulness, and humanistic management. “It’s going to feel like a made-up conversation that people don’t necessarily want to tune in to.”
【F】The most interesting people aren’t those who’ve gone on some Eat, Pray, Love journey to find themselves. Instead, Pirson says, they’re those who examine the ordinary. “Often, the ‘boring things’ may not be boring at all. Maybe they are actually little miracles,” he says. Share your observations about the world around you—interesting stories you heard or things you noticed—and you may be surprised by the universal connection they inspire.
【G】This is essentially how Jessica Hagy starts her day. The author of How to Be Interesting: An Instruction Manual, Hagy spends a lot of time thinking about what’s interesting to her. People who are interesting are persistently curious, she says.
【I】Television veteran Audrey Morrissey, executive producer of NBC’s The Voice, is always looking for what will make a person or story interesting to viewers. It’s usually a matter of individuality. “Having a strong point of view, signature style, or being a super-enthusiast in a particular field makes someone interesting,” she says. That means embracing what is truly interesting or unique about yourself. “Many people are ‘not boring’ in the way that they can carry a conversation or can be good at a social gathering, etc. To be interesting means that you have lived life, taken risks, traveled, sought out experience to learn for yourself and share with others,” she says.
【J】Of course, it’s possible to be a fountain of knowledge and a boring person, says public relations consultant Andrea Pass. Paying attention to the listener is an important part of having a conversation that’s interesting to both parties. Talking on and on about what’s interesting to you isn’t going to make you an interesting person, she says.
【K】“If the listener is not paying attention, it’s your sign to shorten the story or change direction. Make sure to bring the audience into the conversation so that it is not one-sided,” Pass says. Be a better listener yourself, and give others opportunities to participate in the conversation by inviting them with questions or requests to share their own experiences or thoughts (e.g., “Now tell me about your favorite book,” or “Have you ever been to that attraction?”) Questions are a powerful tool, especially when they encourage others to disclose information about themselves. A 2012 study from the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that roughly 40% of the time we are talking, we’re disclosing subjective information about our experience. And when we’re doing so, our brains are more engaged. So one strategy to leave others with the impression that you’re a sparkling conversation partner is to get others to talk about themselves.
【L】Being relatable is also essential, Morrissey says. “The best entertainment and storytelling comes from people who are relatable—those who don’t shy away from opening up but freely share who they are and what they care about. These are the people viewers most relate to and find interesting. Being authentic, honest, and vulnerable is always interesting.”
【M】I have now come to realize that being boring, in actuality, is not only about who you are as a person, but also how you present yourself. No matter what, make sure you are having fun in life. Because when you are enjoying, people around you will begin to enjoy as well. Show some interest in them and they will definitely show some in you. If you are a very reserved person, this could be a little difficult at first. But with a little effort, you can definitely improve.
36、36. Pirson claims that some ordinary things may often prove to be miraculously interesting.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：36. 皮尔森声称，一些普通的事情往往会被证明是奇迹般地有趣。
解析：F。根据题干中的Pirson、ordinary things和miraculously可定位至F段第二至四句。这几句主要是说，皮尔森认为最有趣的人是那些审视普通事物的人，而“无聊的事情”可能一点也不无聊，实际上也许它们是小小的奇迹。题干中的ordinary things是对第二句中the ordinary的同义替换，miraculously对第四句的little miracles，故题干是对F段第二、三、四句的同义概述。
37. 为了使谈话有趣，认真倾听对方的谈话很重要。
解析：J。根据题干中的conversation、interesting、important、listen to和attentively可定位至J段第二句。该句提到，要想让谈话双方都感兴趣，关注听者的感受是很重要的一部分。题干中的conversation、interesting、important原词复现，listen to the other party attentively是对该句的Paying attention to the listener的同义改写，故题干是对J段第二句的同义转述。
38. 一个不能激发别人的好奇心或使他们的生活变得愉快的人可能会显得有些乏味。
解析：B。根据题干中的stimulate others’ curiosity、make their life enjoyable和somewhat boring可定位至B段第二句。该句提到，如果你不能激起某人的好奇心或者为某人的一天增添点儿乐趣，你给人留下的印象可能是有点儿沉闷。题干中的stimulate others curiosity是该句中arouse someone’s curiosity的同义替换，make their life enjoyable对应该句的brighten someone’s day，somewhat boring是该句中a little bit dull的同义替换，题干是对B段第二句的同义改写。
39. 一位电视节目制片人认为，有趣的人通常具有某些独特的品质。
解析：I。根据题干中的Interesting people、certain unique qualities和TV program producer可定位至I段。该段提到，奥黛丽·莫里西是《美国之声》的执行制片人（executive producer），她一直在寻找个人或故事中能够吸引观众的东西，她认为“个性鲜明的观点、标志性的风格，或者对某一特定领域充满热情，都能让人变得有趣（make someone interesting）。”题干中的certain unique qualities是对I段第三句中Having a strong point of view, signature style, or being a super-enthusiast in a particular field的概括，故题干是对I段部分内容的近义概括。本题有一定干扰性的是G段，G段中虽然提到People who are interesting，但本段中提到Jessica Hagy，是一名作家，并不是制片人，故排除G。
40. 对别人感兴趣，别人肯定也会对你感兴趣。
解析：M。根据题干中的Be interested in others和be interested in you可定位至M段倒数第三句。该句提到，对他们表现出兴趣，他们肯定也会对你表现出兴趣。题干中的Be interested in others对应该句中的Show some interest in them，be interested in you对应句中的show some in you，are sure to是句中definitely的同义替换，故题干是对M段倒数第三句的同义转述。
41. 作者认为自己一向善于交谈。
解析：C。根据题干中的The author、himself和good at conducting conversations可定位至C段第二句。该句主要讲到，作者认为自己很健谈（I think I’m a good conversationalist）。题干中的The author即C段的I，good at conducting conversations是第二句的a good conversationalist的同义替换，题干是对原文C段第二句的同义转述。
42. 有趣的人总是充满好奇心。
解析：G。根据题干中的Interesting people和full of curiosity可定位至G段最后一句。该句提到，海格认为对事物感兴趣的人总是充满好奇。题干中Interesting people是该句中People who are interesting的同义替换，full of curiosity对应句中的persistently curious，故题干是对原文G段最后一句的同义转述。
43. 墨守成规会让人变得无趣。
解析：A。根据题干中的routine和an utter bore可定位至A段倒数第二句。该句指出，一成不变的常规也会让你变得非常无趣。题干中的Falling into a routine对应该句中的too much of a routine，an utter bore对应该句的make you incredibly boring，题干是对原文A段倒数第二句的近义转述。
44. 成为一名健谈者的一个策略是激励对方说出他们自己的故事。
解析：K。根据题干中的strategy、a good conversationalist、motivate、partner和tell their own stories可定位至K段最后一句。该句提到，要想让别人觉得你是一个出色的谈话伙伴，一个策略就是让他们谈论自己。题干中的strategy原词复现，a good conversationalist是对该句中a sparkling conversation partner的同义替换，motivate your partner to tell their own stories对应该句中的get others to talk about themselves，故题干是对K段最后一句话的同义转述。
45. 编造的对话开始可能很有趣，但最终可能会变得很无聊。
解析：E。根据题干中的a made-up conversation和turn out to be dull可定位至E段第一句。该句提到，皮尔森认为如果一个人在对话中编造一些事情，可能很有趣，但它最终的效果可能不会那么好。题干中的Interesting as it might appear是该句中that might be interesting的同义改写，made-up对应该句中的making up，turn out to be dull对应该句中的not going to land well，题干是对原文E段第一句部分内容的同义转述。
37、37. To make a conversation interesting, it is important that you listen to the other party attentively.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
38、38. A person who is unable to stimulate others’ curiosity or make their life enjoyable may appear somewhat boring.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
39、39. Interesting people usually possess certain unique qualities, according to a TV program producer.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
40、40. Be interested in others and they are sure to be interested in you.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
41、41. The author considers himself usually good at conducting conversations.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
42、42. Interesting people are always full of curiosity.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
43、43. Falling into a routine can turn a person into an utter bore.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
44、44. One strategy to be a good conversationalist is to motivate your partner to tell their own stories.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
45、45. Interesting as it might appear, a made-up conversation will probably turn out to be dull.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：见上一题！
With obesity now affecting 29% of the population in England, and expected to rise to 35% by 2030, should we now recognise it as a disease? Obesity, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be adversely affected, meets the dictionary definition of disease, argues Professor John Wilding. He points out that more than 200 genes influence weight. “Thus body weight is strongly influenced by biology—it is not an individual’s fault if they develop obesity.” Yet the widespread view is that obesity is self-induced and that it is entirely the individual’s responsibility to do something about it. Recognising obesity as a chronic disease with severe complications rather than a lifestyle choice “should help reduce the stigma (耻辱) and discrimination experienced by many people with obesity,” he adds.
Professor Wilding disagrees that labelling a high proportion of the population as having a disease removes personal responsibility or may overwhelm health services, pointing out that other common diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, require people to take action to manage their condition. He suggests that most people with obesity will eventually develop complications. “But unless we accept that obesity is a disease, we are not going to be able to tackle it,” he concludes.
But Dr. Richard Pile, a physician with a special interest in diabetes, argues that adopting this approach “could actually result in worse outcomes for individuals and society.” He believes that the dictionary definition of disease “is so vague that we can classify almost anything as a disease” and says the question is not whether we can, but whether we should, and to what end.
If labelling obesity as a disease was harmless then it wouldn’t really matter, he writes. But labelling obesity as a disease “risks reducing autonomy, disempowering and robbing people of the intrinsic (内在的) motivation that is such an important enabler of change.” What’s more, making obesity a disease “may not benefit patients, but it will benefit healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical (制药的) industry when health insurance and clinical guidelines promote treatment with drugs and surgery,” he warns.
46、46. What does Professor John Wilding argue about obesity?
A、Its impact on society is expected to rise.
B、It is now too widespread to be neglected.
C、It should be regarded as a genetic disease.
D、Its dictionary definition should be updated.
解析：
解析：C。根据题干中的Professor John Wilding可定位至文章第一、二段。第一段第二句中提到，肥胖是指体内多余的脂肪积累到对健康造成不利影响的程度，怀尔丁教授称这符合字典中对疾病的定义（meets the dictionary definition of disease），也就是说他认为肥胖是一种疾病，第三句中他又指出，影响体重的基因（genes）超过200个，体重受到生理因素的严重影响（strongly influenced by biology）。C项中a genetic disease是对第一段二、三句内容的概括总结，故为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用文章第一段中的affecting和expected to rise进行干扰，但文章是说肥胖影响了英国29%的人口，预计到2030年这一人口比重将上升到35%，并不是说对社会的影响会上升，故排除A项。B项利用第一段第四句中的widespread进行干扰，但原文中说的是普遍的观点（widespread view）是肥胖是自己造成的，这并不是怀尔丁教授的观点，故B项错误。D项利用第一段第二句中的dictionary definition进行干扰，但文中并未提到字典中对肥胖的定义应该更新，故D项错误。
47、47. What is the popular view of obesity?
A、It is difficult to define.
B、It is a modern disease.
C、It has much to do with one’s genes.
D、It results from a lack of self-control.
解析：
解析：D。根据题干中的popular view和obesity可定位至文章第一段第四句，其中popular view是对该句中widespread view的同义替换。该句提到，然而，普遍的观点认为，肥胖是自己造成的（self-induced），完全应该自己对此负责或者做些什么。D项与此内容相符，其中的a lack of self-control对应该句中的self-induced，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：文章中虽然多次提到字典中对疾病的定义，但并没有提到肥胖很难定义，故A项排除。B项中的modern disease在文章中无依据，故排除。文章中怀尔丁教授认为影响体重的主要是基因和生物学因素，这并不是大众的普遍看法，故C项错误。
48、48. Why are some people opposed to labelling obesity as a disease?
A、Obese people would not feel responsible to take any action.
B、Obese people would not be able to afford the medical costs.
C、Obese people would be overwhelmed with anxiety.
D、Obese people would be discriminated against.
解析：
解析：A。根据题干中的opposed to labelling obesity as a disease可定位至原文第二段。根据第一段可知，怀尔丁教授赞成将肥胖列为疾病，接着第二段提到怀尔丁教授不同意的即反对者的观点：将大部分人贴上疾病标签会使消除个人的责任，或者可能使医疗服务不堪重负。由此可知，人们反对将肥胖列为疾病是因为担心这样会消除个人的责任或者医疗服务不堪重负。A项与此内容相符，其中的would not feel responsible to take any action对应第二段第一句中的removes personal responsibility，故B项为正确答案。需要注意本题并没有直接提出有人opposed to labelling obesity as a disease，需要结合怀尔丁教授的观点推断出人们反对将肥胖列为疾病的原因。
错项排除：文章中虽然提到医疗服务（health services）不堪重负，医疗服务机构（healthcare providers）会受益，但并没有提到肥胖症可能负担不起费用，故B项排除。C项利用第二段第一句中的overwhelm进行干扰，但文章是说医疗服务不堪重负（overwhelm），并不是肥胖者会被焦虑压垮，故C项排除。D项利用第一段最后一句中的discrimination进行干扰，但文章说的是怀尔丁教授的观点：将肥胖列为疾病可以减少歧视，并不是造成歧视，故D项错误。
49、49. What does Dr. Richard Pile think of the dictionary definition of disease?
A、It is of no use in understanding obesity.
B、It is too inclusive and thus lacks clarity.
C、It helps little to solve patients’ problems.
D、It matters little to the debate over obesity.
解析：
解析：B。根据题干中的Dr. Richard Pile和 the dictionary definition of disease可定位至原文第三段第二句。该句提到，派尔博士认为字典上对疾病的定义过于模糊，以至于几乎可以将任何事物都归类为疾病。B项与此内容相符，其中too inclusive是对该句中classify almost anything as a disease的近义概括，lacks clarity是so vague的同义替换，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：文章开始提到，肥胖符合字典中疾病的定义，但这是怀尔丁教授的观点，派尔博士虽然不赞同怀尔丁教授的观点，但并没有说字典中疾病的定义对理解肥胖没有用，故A项排除。C项的patients’ problems和D项的debate over obesity在原文中都无依据，故均排除。
50、50. What is Dr. Richard Pile’s concern about classifying obesity as a disease?
A、It may affect obese people’s quality of life.
B、It may accelerate the spread of obesity.
C、It may cause a shortage of doctors.
D、It may do little good to patients.
解析：
解析：D。根据题干中的Dr. Richard Pile’s concern和classifying obesity as a disease可定位至原文最后一段。该段承接上段派尔博士的观点，第二句提到，给肥胖贴上疾病的标签可能会降低人们的自主权、使人感到无力、剥夺人们的内在动力，而这种内在动力是推动变革的重要因素。接着又说将肥胖疾病化可能不会使病人受益，而使医疗服务机构和制药行业受益。D项是对此内容的概括总结，其中的do little good to patients是对原文最后一段中may not benefit patients的同义替换，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用原文最后一段中的disempowering and robbing people of the intrinsic (内在的) motivation进行干扰，但文章是说给肥胖贴上疾病的标签可能使人感到无力、剥夺人们的内在动力，这是指对心理的影响，并不是指生活质量（quality of life），故A项错误。B项的spread of obesity在原文中无依据，故排除。C项利用a shortage of doctors与原文第二段中overwhelm health services的相关性进行干扰，但这是大众担心，并非派尔博士的担心，故C项排除。
Nationwide, only about three percent of early childhood teachers are male in the U.S. Experts say this can have an impact on young children whose understanding of gender roles and identity are rapidly forming. Research has found that having access to diverse teachers is beneficial for children. For the youngest learners, it means they are more likely to get exposed to different varieties of play and communication. It also helps them develop healthy ideas around gender.
“In our world and our society, we have very specific stereotypes (模式化形象) of gender roles,” said Mindi Reich-Shapiro, an assistant professor in the teacher education department of the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and one of the authors of a recent study. “It’s important for children to see other possibilities and other paths they can take.”
Despite mostly feeling supported by colleagues and family members, many of the male educators surveyed in the study reported facing social or cultural resistance in their careers as early education teachers. Some also reported that there were parents surprised or concerned that their child had a male teacher. And they had been advised by colleagues or other staff not to hug children.
Reich-Shapiro and fellow researchers made several recommendations to increase male representation in the field. Low pay has long been acknowledged as a major issue in the early childhood field. Over 70% of male educators who said they intended to stay in the early education workforce noted an increased salary was a major motivating factor for them to commit to the career long-term. The report suggests paying all early childhood educators the way elementary school teachers are paid.
Cities and programs should establish support groups for male early childhood educators and provide mentoring and professional development advice for male educators and their program leaders.
The authors also suggest that traditional recruitment approaches for early childhood educators “do not address the gender gap in the field.” They recommend providing young men opportunities to work with children through training and volunteer programs, targeting groups of men who are considering a career change, such as fathers.
51、51. What do we learn from the first paragraph about early childhood education in the U.S.?
A、It helps raise children’s awareness of gender roles.
B、It exposes children to different ways of interaction.
C、It is negatively impacted by a lack of male teachers.
D、It clearly aims to form children’s identity through play.
解析：
解析：C。根据first paragraph可定位至原文第一段。该段开头提到，在全美范围内，只有大约3%的幼儿教师是男性，专家表示，这可能会对幼儿产生影响。后面又提到接触不同类型的老师对孩子是有益的，也就是说男性幼儿教师数量太少对幼儿产生的影响是不利的，C项与此内容相符，其中的a lack of male teachers对应第一段第一句中only about three percent of early childhood teachers are male，故C项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项利用第一段第二句中的gender roles进行干扰，但原文中是说幼儿这一时期对性别角色和认同的理解会迅速形成，并没有说能提高儿童的性别角色意识，故A项排除。B项利用第一段第三句中的exposed和different进行拼凑，但原文是说接触不同类型的老师对孩子来说，意味着他们更有可能接触到各种各样的游戏和交流方式，并不是早期教育使孩子们接触到不同的互动方式，故B项错误。D项利用第一段中的identity和play进行拼凑，但通过玩耍形成孩子的身份认同这一内容在原文中无依据，故排除。
52、52. What does Mindi Reich-Shapiro emphasize in her comment on childhood education?
A、The importance of broadening children’s horizons.
B、The responsibilities of fathers for children’s growth.
C、The urgency of creating teacher education programs.
D、The role of teachers in motivating children to learn.
解析：
解析：A。根据题干中的Mindi Reich-Shapiro可定位至原文第二段。第二段中，明迪·赖希-夏皮罗提到，我们所在的世界、社会中，对性别角色有着非常具体的刻板印象。让孩子看到其他的可能性和其他可以选择的道路是很重要的。A项与此内容相符，其中的importance对应第二段最后一句的important，broadening children’s horizons是对该句中的other possibilities and other paths的近义概括，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B项分别利用原文最后一段中的fathers进行干扰，但此处是说建议通过培训和志愿者项目为年轻男性提供与孩子一起工作的机会，目标人群是那些考虑跳槽的男性群体，比如父亲，并没有提及与父亲的责任（responsibilities of fathers）相关的内容，故B项排除。C项利用第二段中的teacher education和最后两段中的programs进行拼凑，但urgency在文章无依据，故排除。D项利用文章中多次出现的teacher和第四段中的motivating进行拼凑，但原文中并没有关于教师激励儿童的相关内容，故D项错误。
53、53.What do we learn about male teachers from their responses in the study?
A、Some of them find it awkward when hugging children.
B、They feel pressured to keep up with female colleagues.
C、They find it hard to meet the expectations of kids’ parents.
D、Many of them feel prejudiced against socially and culturally.
解析：
解析：D。根据题干中的male teachers和responses in the study可定位至原文第三段第一句。该句指出，许多接受调查的男性教育工作者表示，尽管他们大部分人都感觉得到了同事和家人的支持，但作为早教教师，他们在职业生涯中还是面临着社会或文化方面的阻力。D项与此内容相符，其中的feel prejudiced against socially and culturally对应该句中的social or cultural resistance，故D项为正确答案。
错项排除：第三段最后一句中提到，男性教师的同事和其他工作人员建议他们不要拥抱孩子，并不是说他们觉得拥抱孩子尴尬，故排除A项。B项中的female colleagues在原文中无依据，故排除。原文中虽然提到，有些家长看到自己孩子的老师是男性，会感到惊讶或担心，但文中并未提到有关孩子父母的期望，故C项排除。
54、54. What is needed for men to commit to early childhood education?
A、Higher pay.
B、Job security.
C、Social recognition.
D、Better working conditions.
解析：
解析：A。根据题干中的men和commit to early childhood education可定位至原文第四段第三句，该句的intended to stay in the early education workforce对应题干中的commit to early childhood education。该句提到，打算留在早教行业的男性教育工作者中，超过70%的表示加薪是激励他们长期从事这一职业的主要因素。也就是说，想要男性投身早教行业，需要提高薪资水平。A项与此内容相符，Higher pay是对该句中increased salary的同义替换，故A项为正确答案。
错项排除：B项和D项的security和working condition在文章中都无依据，故均可排除。文章第三段中虽然提到男性早教工作者会遇到社会和文化方面的阻力，但并没有说男性工作者需要社会认可就能投身早教行业，故C项排除。
55、55. What do the authors of the study recommend to bridge the gender gap in early childhood education?
A、Recruiting young men who have a passion for educating young children.
B、Taking measures to attract prospective male teachers to work in the field.
C、Persuading prospective fathers to consider a change in their career.
D、Providing male teachers with more opportunities for advancement.
解析：
解析：B。根据题干中的the gender gap in early childhood education可定位至原文最后一段。该段指出，传统的幼儿教育工作者招聘方法“无法解决该领域的性别差距（the gender gap in the field）”。他们建议通过培训和志愿者项目为年轻男性提供与孩子一起工作的机会，目标人群是那些考虑跳槽的男性群体，比如父亲。B项与此内容相符，其中的 Taking measures是对最后一段最后一句中providing young men opportunities to work with children through training and volunteer programs的概括总结，prospective male teachers对应该句中的men who are considering a career change，故B项为正确答案。
错项排除：A项中的 a passion for educating young children在原文中无依据，故排除。C项利用最后一句中的considering a career change和fathers进行干扰，但原文是说目标人群是那些考虑跳槽的比如父亲之类的男性群体，并不是说服准爸爸跳槽，C项曲解文意，故排除。D项利用最后一段中的opportunities进行干扰，但原文说的是为年轻男性提供与孩子一起工作的机会，并非晋升机会，故D项排除。
三、Part IV Translation
56、 大运河（Grand Canal）是世界上最长的人工河，北起北京，南至杭州。它是中国历史上最宏伟的工程之一。大运河始建于公元前4世纪，公元13世纪末建成。修建之初是为了运输粮食，后来也用于运输其他商品。大运河沿线区域逐渐发展成为中国的工商业中心。长久以来，大运河对中国的经济发展发挥了重要作用，有力地促进了南北地区之间的人员往来和文化交流。
参考答案：
参考译文
The Grand Canal is the longest man-made river in the world, starting from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south. It is one of the most magnificent projects in Chinese history. The Grand Canal was built in the 4th century BC and was completed at the end of the 13th century. It was built to transport grain at the beginning, and later it was also used to transport other commodities. The areas along the Grand Canal have gradually developed into China’s industrial and commercial centers. For a long time, the Grand Canal has played an important role in China’s economic development, and has effectively promoted personnel exchanges and cultural communication between the North and the South.
解析：
词汇难点
人工河 man-made/artificial river
宏伟 magnificent; marvelous
运输 transport; ship
粮食 grain; food
商品 commodity; goods
沿线区域 the areas along...
工商业中心 industrial and commercial centers
长久以来 for a long time促进 promote; facilitate
南北地区 the North and the South
人员往来 personnel exchanges
文化交流 cultural communication/exchange
表达难点
第一句：本句中有三个动词“是”“（北）起”和“（南）至”。翻译时可将“是”作为句子谓语，“（北）起”和“（南）至”是说明大运河的起止位置，可处理为伴随状语用分词短语starting from...to...来表示。
第二句：本句较为简单，直译即可。“最……之一”可用one of the most...来表示。
第三句：本句主语为大运河，两个动词“（始）建”和“建成”翻译时可处理为并列谓语。需要注意“大运河”和“建”是被动关系，说的是以前的情况，所以需要用过去式的被动语态。
第四句：本句汉语中省略了主语“大运河”，翻译时需添加主语，可用代词It表示。因为表示修建之初和后来两种情况，翻译时可以处理为and连接的两个并列句，“修建”和“也用于”可分别作为句子谓语，“运输粮食”和“运输其他商品”可处理为不定式短语作目的状语。
第五句：本句主语为“大运河沿线区域”，由于大运河北起北京，南至杭州，所以主语可用复数表示。动词“逐渐发展成为”可作为谓语，由于其对现在仍有影响，需用现在完成时，翻译为have gradually developed into。
第六句：本句主语为“大运河”，有两个动词“发挥了重要作用”和“促进”，可处理为并列谓语，“长久以来”表示一直延续到现在，所以翻译时需用现在完成时。
四、Part I Writing
57、Directions: Suppose your university student union is planning to hold a speech contest. You are now to write a proposal for organizing the contest. The proposal may include the topic, aim, procedure and selection of contestants. You will have 30 minutes to write the proposal. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.
参考答案：
参考范文
A Proposal for a Speech Contest
I am so glad to hear that a speech contest with the purpose of enriching college students’ life would be held in our school next month. As a member of Student Union, I would like to give some advice to make the activity go more smoothly.
Firstly, we could choose a suitable speech subject, such as the employment prospect, the management of free time or something related to students’ life, because it may contribute to the attraction of more students. Secondly, the contest could last for about 2-3 hours and we could invite Professor Zhang as the judge to give comments to each contestant. Lastly, as for the selection of contestants, I suppose every student in our school could submit an application but we should have an interview in the first round and choose the final 10 competitors.
I hope the suggestions above would be useful and practical for you. For any question on the proposal, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
参考译文
关于演讲比赛的提案
听闻下个月我们学校将举办一场旨在丰富大学生生活的演讲比赛，我很高兴。作为学生会的一员，我想为活动的顺利举行提供一些建议。
首先，我们可以选择一个合适的演讲主题，如就业前景、自由时间的管理或一些与学生生活相关的话题，因为它可能有助于吸引更多的学生。第二，比赛将持续约2-3小时，我们可以邀请张教授担任评委，对每位参赛者进行点评。最后，至于参赛者的选拔，我想我们学校的每个学生都可以提交申请，但我们应该进行第一轮面试，确定最后10名参赛者。
我希望以上建议对您有用且实用。如对该提案有任何疑问，请随时联系我。
解析：
写作指南
从题干内容可以看出，本次四级考试的作文要求考生写一份计划书，内容主要是关于学生会组织的演讲比赛。要求考生在计划书中说明演讲比赛的主题、目的、流程和参赛者的选拔。考生可以采用“三段式”结构，第一段引出话题，指出比赛目的，第二段描述比赛细节，包括主题、流程等，第三段总结。
文章大纲
第一段：引出话题，表明演讲比赛的目的。
第二段：提出比赛主题，描述比赛流程和参赛者的选拔规则。
第三段：进行总结。
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