一、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
1、Question 1 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、The majority of drivers prefer to drive and park themselves.
B、Human drivers become easily distracted or tired while driving.
C、Most drivers feel uncertain about the safety of self-driving cars.
D、Most drivers have test driven cars with automatic braking features.
解析：
听力原文：
Automakers and tech companies are working hard to offer the first true self-driving car. （1）But 75% of drivers say they wouldn’t feel safe in such a vehicle. Still, 60% drivers would like to get some kind of self-driving feature, such as automatic braking or self-parking, the next time they buy a new car. The attitudes are published in a new AAA survey of 1,800 drivers.
Advocates of self-driving cars argue they would be safer than cars driven by humans because they can’t get distracted or drive when tired.
But those surveyed by AAA say they trust their own driving skills. Many feel the technology is too new and unproven.
（2）John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of automotive engineering and repair, said tests suggest drivers may be overestimating their own abilities. He also believes they will be more likely to trust self-driving cars as they become more familiar with features such as automatic braking or parking.
He estimated that the “comfort level” will increase considerably in five to ten years.
1. What is the finding of the AAA survey?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：AAA调查所发现的结果是什么？出题位置在转折处。根据原文“But 75% of drivers say they wouldn’t feel safe in such a vehicle.”，可见然而有75%的司机说他们在这样的车里驾驶感觉不安全。选项C）Most drivers feel uncertain about the safety of all-driving cars（大部分司机对自动驾驶汽车的安全性不确定），与原文信息完全一致。
2、Question 2 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、Their drivers would feel safe after getting used to the automatic features.
B、They would be unpopular with drivers who only trust their own skills.
C、Their increased comfort levels have boosted their sales.
D、They are not actually as safe as automakers advertise.
解析：
听力原文：
Automakers and tech companies are working hard to offer the first true self-driving car. （1）But 75% of drivers say they wouldn’t feel safe in such a vehicle. Still, 60% drivers would like to get some kind of self-driving feature, such as automatic braking or self-parking, the next time they buy a new car. The attitudes are published in a new AAA survey of 1,800 drivers.
Advocates of self-driving cars argue they would be safer than cars driven by humans because they can’t get distracted or drive when tired.
But those surveyed by AAA say they trust their own driving skills. Many feel the technology is too new and unproven.
（2）John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of automotive engineering and repair, said tests suggest drivers may be overestimating their own abilities. He also believes they will be more likely to trust self-driving cars as they become more familiar with features such as automatic braking or parking.
He estimated that the “comfort level” will increase considerably in five to ten years.
2. What dose John Nielsen say about self-driving cars?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：John Nielsen说了关于自动驾驶汽车的哪些内容？出题点位置在比较级处。根据原文“He also believes they will be more likely to trust self-driving cars as they become more familiar with features such as automatic braking or parking.”，Nielsen同时认为司机们随着对汽车性能越发熟悉，如自动刹车和自动停车，他们会对自动驾驶更加信任。选项A) Their drivers would feel safe after getting used to the automatic devices（在适应了这些自动驾驶设备以后，他们的司机会感觉到自动驾驶汽车更安全），与原文信息一致。
3、Question 3 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、Thefts of snowmobile dogs in Alaska.
B、A series of injuries to snowmobile drivers.
C、Attacks on some Iditarod Race competitors.
D、A serious accident in the Alaska sports event.
解析：
听力原文：
（3）One dog has been killed and multiple dogs have been injured by a snowmobile driver in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors in the Iditarod Race in Alaska.
Aliy Zirkle was the first to report an attack. A snowmobile driver had repeatedly attempted to harm her and her team, and one of Zirkle’s dogs had received a non-life-threatening injury. Zirkle reported the attack when she arrived in Nulato, Alaska, in the early hours of morning. （4） Then Jeff King, a four-time champion, reported a similar attack. His team was hit by a snowmobile driver, injuring several dogs and killing a 3-year-old male dog.
Reporter Zachariah Hughes says that neither King nor Zirkle was injured. Although this incident very much alters the race of the two participants competing for a win, both are going to continue on their way toward the finishing line. Alaska State Troopers released a statement saying they’ve arrested Arnold Demoski, 26. He faces trial on several charges.
3. What is the news report mainly about?
解析：C。本题目为主旨题。问题为：这篇新闻报道主要是关于什么的？出题点位置为首段首句。根据原文“One dog has been killed and multiple dogs have been injured by a snowmobile driver in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors in the Iditarod Race in Alaska.”，可知在阿拉斯加的狗拉雪橇赛中，一雪橇车司机制造了一场故意袭击事件，造成了雪橇犬一死多伤。选项C）Attacks on some Iditarod race competitors（袭击了一些雪橇犬竞赛的竞争者），与原文信息一致。
4、Question 4 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、He stayed behind to look after his injured dogs.
B、He has won the Alaska Iditarod Race four times.
C、He received a minor injury in the Iditarod Race.
D、He has quit the competition in Alaska for good.
解析：
听力原文：
（3）One dog has been killed and multiple dogs have been injured by a snowmobile driver in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors in the Iditarod Race in Alaska.
Aliy Zirkle was the first to report an attack. A snowmobile driver had repeatedly attempted to harm her and her team, and one of Zirkle’s dogs had received a non-life-threatening injury. Zirkle reported the attack when she arrived in Nulato, Alaska, in the early hours of morning. （4） Then Jeff King, a four-time champion, reported a similar attack. His team was hit by a snowmobile driver, injuring several dogs and killing a 3-year-old male dog.
Reporter Zachariah Hughes says that neither King nor Zirkle was injured. Although this incident very much alters the race of the two participants competing for a win, both are going to continue on their way toward the finishing line. Alaska State Troopers released a statement saying they’ve arrested Arnold Demoski, 26. He faces trial on several charges.
4. What do we learn about Jeff King?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：我们可以了解到关于Jeff King的什么信息？根据原文“Then Jeff King, a four-time champion, reported a similar attack. ”，可知获得四次冠军的Jeff King报告了一件类似的袭击事件。故正确答案为B）He has won the Alaska Iditarod Race four times（他是夺冠四次的冠军）。
5、Question 5 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、It sank into the sea due to overloading.
B、It ran into Nicaragua’s Big Corn Island.
C、It disappeared between two large islands.
D、It turned over because of strong winds.
解析：
听力原文：
（5）A tour boat turned over off the coast of Nicaragua, killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing, officials said.
（6）The boat was carrying 32 people—25 Costa Ricans, four Americans and three Nicaraguans. The 13 dead were all Costa Rican, the Foreign Ministry said. The boat, traveling between Nicaragua’s Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island, turned over Saturday near the larger island. Some passengers remain missing, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said, but did not specify how many. A local radio said an unspecified number of people were rescued, including the tour boat’s owner, Hilario Blandon.
（5）Nicaraguan naval authorities had banned sea travel in the area because of bad weather and strong winds, but the tour boat proceeded anyway. （7）Blandon, the boat’s owner, has been arrested by Nicaraguan authorities, the state-run news agency said. Both he and a crew member are being investigated for unintentional murder and exposing people to danger, according to police.
5. What happened to the tour boat sailing off the Nicaraguan coast?
解析： D。本题为细节题。问题为：船只驶离尼加拉瓜海岸时发生了什么？根据原文“A tour boat turned over off the coast of Nicaragua, killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing, officials said.”，可知官方表示一艘游船在尼加拉瓜海岸附近发生了翻船事件，造成13人死亡，多名乘客失踪。故正确答案为D）It turned over because of strong winds（由于强风，发生翻船事件）。
6、Question 6 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、13.
B、25.
C、30.
D、32.
解析：
听力原文：
（5）A tour boat turned over off the coast of Nicaragua, killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing, officials said.
（6）The boat was carrying 32 people—25 Costa Ricans, four Americans and three Nicaraguans. The 13 dead were all Costa Rican, the Foreign Ministry said. The boat, traveling between Nicaragua’s Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island, turned over Saturday near the larger island. Some passengers remain missing, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said, but did not specify how many. A local radio said an unspecified number of people were rescued, including the tour boat’s owner, Hilario Blandon.
（5）Nicaraguan naval authorities had banned sea travel in the area because of bad weather and strong winds, but the tour boat proceeded anyway. （7）Blandon, the boat’s owner, has been arrested by Nicaraguan authorities, the state-run news agency said. Both he and a crew member are being investigated for unintentional murder and exposing people to danger, according to police.
6. How many people was the boat carrying?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：这艘船上有多少乘客？根据原文“The boat was carrying 32 people—25 Costa Ricans, four Americans and three Nicaraguans.”，可见船上当时载有32人，包括25名哥斯达黎加人，4名美国人和3名尼加拉瓜人。正确答案为D。
7、Question 7 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、He has helped with the rescue effort.
B、He is being investigated by the police.
C、He was drowned with the passengers.
D、He is among those people missing.
解析：
听力原文：
（5）A tour boat turned over off the coast of Nicaragua, killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing, officials said.
（6）The boat was carrying 32 people—25 Costa Ricans, four Americans and three Nicaraguans. The 13 dead were all Costa Rican, the Foreign Ministry said. The boat, traveling between Nicaragua’s Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island, turned over Saturday near the larger island. Some passengers remain missing, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said, but did not specify how many. A local radio said an unspecified number of people were rescued, including the tour boat’s owner, Hilario Blandon.
（5）Nicaraguan naval authorities had banned sea travel in the area because of bad weather and strong winds, but the tour boat proceeded anyway. （7）Blandon, the boat’s owner, has been arrested by Nicaraguan authorities, the state-run news agency said. Both he and a crew member are being investigated for unintentional murder and exposing people to danger, according to police.
7. What do we know about the owner of the boat?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：我们可以了解到关于船主的什么信息？根据原文“Blandon, the boat’s owner, has been arrested by Nicaraguan authorities, the state-run news agency said. Both he and a crew member are being investigated for unintentional murder and exposing people to danger, according to police.”，国家新闻机构报道称，船主Blandon被尼加拉瓜当局逮捕，警方则称，Blandon及他的一名船员因非故意杀人和造成他人面临危险在接受调查。故正确答案为B）He is being investigated by the police（他正在被警察调查）。
8、Question 8 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、At a shopping centre.
B、At a community college.
C、At an accountancy firm.
D、At an IT company.
解析：
听力原文：
M: Hi, Susan, you’re looking very smart today.
W: I always look smart, James. Actually, I’m on my way to a job interview.
M: What job? Oh, you mean, for the summer holidays?
W: Yeah. There’s only two weeks to go.（8） I’ve got a second interview with that big foreign accountancy firm in the city center. You know the one.
M: That’s fantastic.
W:（9）The work is just helping out with data input, you know, but the pay isn’t too bad. It might suit you too. I know they have at least two temporary positions available. And I don’t think they have anyone else yet.
M: Hmm... If they take you on, tell them you know a friend who’d be really good too. （10） I really need money and the experience would look good on my resume. Maybe we’ll be working together. The dream team.
W: OK. We’ll do. If the boss likes me, I’ll mention it. It’ll be good to have someone around who I know. I’ll phone you afterwards. But perhaps you should put in an application anyway.
M: Thanks, Susan. That’s great. Listen, do you want a lift to the city? I have my dad’s car today, and nothing else to do this morning.
W: Sure. Thanks, James.
M: Let’s go then. The car’s over there.
W: By the way, how’s your knowledge of accountancy? The interviewer may ask you about it.
M: No problem. I think I can survive.（11）I might just have to review a few accountancy terms. Maybe you can give me a practice interview first.
W: Of course. Let’s go then. Don’t want to be late.
8. Where will Susan probably get a job?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：Susan可能在哪里得到一份工作？根据原文“I’ve got a second interview with that big foreign accountancy firm in the city center.”，可知她接到了一家在市中心的大型外资会计公司的二面邀请。故正确答案为C）At an accountancy firm（在一家会计公司）。
9、Question 9 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Helping out with data input.
B、Arranging interviews.
C、Sorting application forms.
D、Making phone calls.
解析：
听力原文：
M: Hi, Susan, you’re looking very smart today.
W: I always look smart, James. Actually, I’m on my way to a job interview.
M: What job? Oh, you mean, for the summer holidays?
W: Yeah. There’s only two weeks to go.（8） I’ve got a second interview with that big foreign accountancy firm in the city center. You know the one.
M: That’s fantastic.
W:（9）The work is just helping out with data input, you know, but the pay isn’t too bad. It might suit you too. I know they have at least two temporary positions available. And I don’t think they have anyone else yet.
M: Hmm... If they take you on, tell them you know a friend who’d be really good too. （10） I really need money and the experience would look good on my resume. Maybe we’ll be working together. The dream team.
W: OK. We’ll do. If the boss likes me, I’ll mention it. It’ll be good to have someone around who I know. I’ll phone you afterwards. But perhaps you should put in an application anyway.
M: Thanks, Susan. That’s great. Listen, do you want a lift to the city? I have my dad’s car today, and nothing else to do this morning.
W: Sure. Thanks, James.
M: Let’s go then. The car’s over there.
W: By the way, how’s your knowledge of accountancy? The interviewer may ask you about it.
M: No problem. I think I can survive.（11）I might just have to review a few accountancy terms. Maybe you can give me a practice interview first.
W: Of course. Let’s go then. Don’t want to be late.
9. What will Susan’s future job involve?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：Susan未来的工作大概会包含什么内容？根据原文所在句“The work is just helping out with data input, you know, but the pay isn’t too bad. ”，可知该工作的内容是协助输入数据，工资很好。故正确答案为A）Helping out with data input（协助输入数据）。
10、Question 10 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、He enjoys using computers.
B、He needs the money badly.
C、He wants to work in the city centre.
D、He has relevant working experience.
解析：
听力原文：
M: Hi, Susan, you’re looking very smart today.
W: I always look smart, James. Actually, I’m on my way to a job interview.
M: What job? Oh, you mean, for the summer holidays?
W: Yeah. There’s only two weeks to go.（8） I’ve got a second interview with that big foreign accountancy firm in the city center. You know the one.
M: That’s fantastic.
W:（9）The work is just helping out with data input, you know, but the pay isn’t too bad. It might suit you too. I know they have at least two temporary positions available. And I don’t think they have anyone else yet.
M: Hmm... If they take you on, tell them you know a friend who’d be really good too. （10） I really need money and the experience would look good on my resume. Maybe we’ll be working together. The dream team.
W: OK. We’ll do. If the boss likes me, I’ll mention it. It’ll be good to have someone around who I know. I’ll phone you afterwards. But perhaps you should put in an application anyway.
M: Thanks, Susan. That’s great. Listen, do you want a lift to the city? I have my dad’s car today, and nothing else to do this morning.
W: Sure. Thanks, James.
M: Let’s go then. The car’s over there.
W: By the way, how’s your knowledge of accountancy? The interviewer may ask you about it.
M: No problem. I think I can survive.（11）I might just have to review a few accountancy terms. Maybe you can give me a practice interview first.
W: Of course. Let’s go then. Don’t want to be late.
10. Why does James want the job in that company?
解析：B。问题为：为什么James想得到那个公司的这份工作？根据原文“I really need money and the experience would look good on my resume.”，可知他需要钱，并且他的简历上要是有这样的工作经历会很好。故正确答案为B）He needs money badly（他非常需要钱）。本题其他选项干扰性较弱。
11、Question 11 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Purchase some business suits.
B、Learn some computer language.
C、Improve his programming skills.
D、Review some accountancy terms.
解析：
听力原文：
M: Hi, Susan, you’re looking very smart today.
W: I always look smart, James. Actually, I’m on my way to a job interview.
M: What job? Oh, you mean, for the summer holidays?
W: Yeah. There’s only two weeks to go.（8） I’ve got a second interview with that big foreign accountancy firm in the city center. You know the one.
M: That’s fantastic.
W:（9）The work is just helping out with data input, you know, but the pay isn’t too bad. It might suit you too. I know they have at least two temporary positions available. And I don’t think they have anyone else yet.
M: Hmm... If they take you on, tell them you know a friend who’d be really good too. （10） I really need money and the experience would look good on my resume. Maybe we’ll be working together. The dream team.
W: OK. We’ll do. If the boss likes me, I’ll mention it. It’ll be good to have someone around who I know. I’ll phone you afterwards. But perhaps you should put in an application anyway.
M: Thanks, Susan. That’s great. Listen, do you want a lift to the city? I have my dad’s car today, and nothing else to do this morning.
W: Sure. Thanks, James.
M: Let’s go then. The car’s over there.
W: By the way, how’s your knowledge of accountancy? The interviewer may ask you about it.
M: No problem. I think I can survive.（11）I might just have to review a few accountancy terms. Maybe you can give me a practice interview first.
W: Of course. Let’s go then. Don’t want to be late.
11. What does James say he will have to do to prepare for the interview?
解析：D。问题为：James说，为了面试他可能得做什么准备？根据原文“I might just have to review a few accountancy terms.”，可知他得复习一些关于会计的术语。故正确答案为D）Review some accountancy terms（复习一些会计术语）。
12、Question 12 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、They are keen on high technology.
B、They are poor at technology skills.
C、They often listen to National Public Radio.
D、They feel superior in science and technology.
解析：
听力原文：
W: There’s new data out today that confirms that many Americans are not good at math, and when it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries. Here’s Gabrielle Emanuel of National Public Radio.
M:（12）Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.
W: No country scored below the U.S.?
M: Only one country. Poland performed as poorly as we did.（13）Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland. If you look at data about reading and math, you’ll notice something interesting. Younger adults who went to college or graduate school were doing pretty well.（14）In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.
W: So that’s a bit of good news.
M: （15）But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’ high school students. We have a lot of work to do. That is especially true when it comes to math. You go to the store and there’s a sale. Buy one, get the second one half off. You decide to buy two. How much do you pay?
W: You mean high school graduates can’t do this task in general?
M: You’re right. What does that tell us about our education system? Well, it tells us that we need to think about the preparedness of our students as they leaving high school.
W: Right. And schools, employers. In fact we all need to do something about it. Thank you, Gabrielle.
12. What does the man say about Americans?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于美国人，男士说了什么？根据原文“Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.”，可知对话从一些关于美国人的负面信息开始，男士表示美国人在科学技术、使用邮件、命名电脑中的文件、使用网络连接，甚至在给某人发短信方面都比较弱。选项B）They are poor at technology skills（他们运用科技技能较差），与原文信息完全一致。
13、Question 13 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Japanese.
B、Germans.
C、Poles.
D、Americans.
解析：
听力原文：
W: There’s new data out today that confirms that many Americans are not good at math, and when it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries. Here’s Gabrielle Emanuel of National Public Radio.
M:（12）Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.
W: No country scored below the U.S.?
M: Only one country. Poland performed as poorly as we did.（13）Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland. If you look at data about reading and math, you’ll notice something interesting. Younger adults who went to college or graduate school were doing pretty well.（14）In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.
W: So that’s a bit of good news.
M: （15）But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’ high school students. We have a lot of work to do. That is especially true when it comes to math. You go to the store and there’s a sale. Buy one, get the second one half off. You decide to buy two. How much do you pay?
W: You mean high school graduates can’t do this task in general?
M: You’re right. What does that tell us about our education system? Well, it tells us that we need to think about the preparedness of our students as they leaving high school.
W: Right. And schools, employers. In fact we all need to do something about it. Thank you, Gabrielle.
13. Who performed the best in technology skills according to the man?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：根据男士的观点谁在运用科技技能方面表现最好？出题点位置为最高级。根据原文“Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland.”，可知日本是表现最好的，其次是芬兰。故正确答案为A）Japanese。
14、Question 14 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Emailing.
B、Texting.
C、Science.
D、Literary.
解析：
听力原文：
W: There’s new data out today that confirms that many Americans are not good at math, and when it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries. Here’s Gabrielle Emanuel of National Public Radio.
M:（12）Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.
W: No country scored below the U.S.?
M: Only one country. Poland performed as poorly as we did.（13）Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland. If you look at data about reading and math, you’ll notice something interesting. Younger adults who went to college or graduate school were doing pretty well.（14）In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.
W: So that’s a bit of good news.
M: （15）But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’ high school students. We have a lot of work to do. That is especially true when it comes to math. You go to the store and there’s a sale. Buy one, get the second one half off. You decide to buy two. How much do you pay?
W: You mean high school graduates can’t do this task in general?
M: You’re right. What does that tell us about our education system? Well, it tells us that we need to think about the preparedness of our students as they leaving high school.
W: Right. And schools, employers. In fact we all need to do something about it. Thank you, Gabrielle.
14. In what aspect did American college students perform well?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：美国大学生在哪些方面做得比较好？出题点位置为比较级。根据原文“In literary, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.”，可见在文学方面，美国大学生确实要比其他国家的同龄人做得好。选项D）Literacy与原文信息完全一致。
15、Question 15 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、It is undergoing a drastic reform.
B、It lays emphasis on creative thinking.
C、It has much room for improvement.
D、It prioritizes training of practical skills.
解析：
听力原文：
W: There’s new data out today that confirms that many Americans are not good at math, and when it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries. Here’s Gabrielle Emanuel of National Public Radio.
M:（12）Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.
W: No country scored below the U.S.?
M: Only one country. Poland performed as poorly as we did.（13）Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland. If you look at data about reading and math, you’ll notice something interesting. Younger adults who went to college or graduate school were doing pretty well.（14）In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.
W: So that’s a bit of good news.
M: （15）But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’ high school students. We have a lot of work to do. That is especially true when it comes to math. You go to the store and there’s a sale. Buy one, get the second one half off. You decide to buy two. How much do you pay?
W: You mean high school graduates can’t do this task in general?
M: You’re right. What does that tell us about our education system? Well, it tells us that we need to think about the preparedness of our students as they leaving high school.
W: Right. And schools, employers. In fact we all need to do something about it. Thank you, Gabrielle.
15. What do we learn from the conversation about American high school education?
解析：C。本题目为推理题。问题为：从对话中我们可知美国高中教育如何？出题点位置在转折处。根据原文“But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’ high school students. We have a lot of work to do.”，可知那些有高中证书的美国学生，他们看起来和其他国家高中生一样，但美国教育工作仍需努力。选项C）It has much room for improvement（还有很多可以提升的空间），与原文表达的内涵一致。此题目较难，需要在理解对话的基础上才能选出。
16、Question 16 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They have small roots.
B、They grow white flowers.
C、They taste like apples.
D、They come from Central Africa.
解析：
听力原文：
Wild carrots probably evolved with the other flowering plants, about 360 million years ago. Like apples, carrots are native to Central Asia. That’s why horses, which come from Central Asia, like both apples and carrots so much.
（16）With wild carrots, the roots are white, small and skinny, so you’d have to pick a lot of wild carrots to get enough to eat. Doctors used carrot seeds and roots as medicine, on the theory that foods that taste bad must be good for you.
Around 800 AD, people in Central Asia managed to develop a new kind of carrot—a purple carrot—that attracted more interest from international traders.（17）Then in the late 1500s, food scientists in the Netherlands cultivated large, straight, sweet, red carrots like the ones we eat today. But people still mostly fed carrots to horses, donkeys and pigs, and didn’t eat them themselves. In the 1600s, people in China used carrots as medicine, but they also ate carrots boiled in soup. The red color was popular for Chinese New Year celebrations.（18）But carrots got their biggest boost during the two world wars, when food shortages forced people to eat them, and government told everyone how healthy carrots were. Today, cooler countries grow most of the world’s carrots. Machines do most of the planting and picking, and carrots are easy to store and ship, so carrots are cheap almost everywhere.
16. What do we learn from the talk about wild carrots?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：从文章中我们可得到关于野生胡萝卜的什么信息？根据原文“With wild carrots, the roots are white, small and skinny...”，可见野生胡萝卜的根部是白色的，小小的。故正确答案为A）They have small roots（它们根部较小）。
17、Question 17 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They turned from white to purple in color.
B、They became popular on the world market.
C、They became an important food for humans.
D、They began to look like modern-day carrots.
解析：
听力原文：
Wild carrots probably evolved with the other flowering plants, about 360 million years ago. Like apples, carrots are native to Central Asia. That’s why horses, which come from Central Asia, like both apples and carrots so much.
（16）With wild carrots, the roots are white, small and skinny, so you’d have to pick a lot of wild carrots to get enough to eat. Doctors used carrot seeds and roots as medicine, on the theory that foods that taste bad must be good for you.
Around 800 AD, people in Central Asia managed to develop a new kind of carrot—a purple carrot—that attracted more interest from international traders.（17）Then in the late 1500s, food scientists in the Netherlands cultivated large, straight, sweet, red carrots like the ones we eat today. But people still mostly fed carrots to horses, donkeys and pigs, and didn’t eat them themselves. In the 1600s, people in China used carrots as medicine, but they also ate carrots boiled in soup. The red color was popular for Chinese New Year celebrations.（18）But carrots got their biggest boost during the two world wars, when food shortages forced people to eat them, and government told everyone how healthy carrots were. Today, cooler countries grow most of the world’s carrots. Machines do most of the planting and picking, and carrots are easy to store and ship, so carrots are cheap almost everywhere.
17. What does the speaker say about carrots in the late 1500s?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：讲话人讲了胡萝卜在16世纪末的什么信息？根据原文“Then in the late 1500s, food scientists in the Netherlands cultivated large, straight, sweet red carrots, like the ones we eat today.”，可知在16世纪末，荷兰的食品科学家培育出了又大又甜，长得笔直的红胡萝卜，就像我们今天吃的一样。故正确答案为D) They began to look like modern-day carrots（它们开始像我们当今吃的胡萝卜）。
18、Question 18 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They were found quite nutritious.
B、There were serious food shortages.
C、People discovered their medical value.
D、Farm machines helped lower their prices.
解析：
听力原文：
Wild carrots probably evolved with the other flowering plants, about 360 million years ago. Like apples, carrots are native to Central Asia. That’s why horses, which come from Central Asia, like both apples and carrots so much.
（16）With wild carrots, the roots are white, small and skinny, so you’d have to pick a lot of wild carrots to get enough to eat. Doctors used carrot seeds and roots as medicine, on the theory that foods that taste bad must be good for you.
Around 800 AD, people in Central Asia managed to develop a new kind of carrot—a purple carrot—that attracted more interest from international traders.（17）Then in the late 1500s, food scientists in the Netherlands cultivated large, straight, sweet, red carrots like the ones we eat today. But people still mostly fed carrots to horses, donkeys and pigs, and didn’t eat them themselves. In the 1600s, people in China used carrots as medicine, but they also ate carrots boiled in soup. The red color was popular for Chinese New Year celebrations.（18）But carrots got their biggest boost during the two world wars, when food shortages forced people to eat them, and government told everyone how healthy carrots were. Today, cooler countries grow most of the world’s carrots. Machines do most of the planting and picking, and carrots are easy to store and ship, so carrots are cheap almost everywhere.
18. Why did people turn to carrots for food during the two world wars?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：在两次世界大战期间，为什么人们开始把胡萝卜当成食物？出题点位置在转折处。根据原文“But carrots got their biggest boost during the two world wars, when food shortages forced people to eat them, and government told everyone how healthy carrots were.”，可见两次世界大战极大地促进了人们食用胡萝卜，那时候食物短缺，并且政府告诉人们胡萝卜是很健康的。故正确答案为B）Food shortages.（食物短缺）。
19、Question 19 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、She could update her family any time she liked.
B、She could call up her family whenever she liked.
C、She could locate her friends wherever they were.
D、She could download as many pictures as she liked.
解析：
听力原文：
Katherine loved Facebook. With Facebook she could stay connected with her family no matter how far away they were. She could see their photos and read their status updates. With Facebook, she could keep her relatives up-to-date on what she was doing.（19）Another thing Katherine loved about Facebook was that she didn’t have to think about time zones when updating family. Whenever she called her parents or other relatives, she always had to think about the time difference so that she wouldn’t wake someone up or call when she knew they were at church. Facebook was so convenient.
When Katherine joined Facebook, some of her classmates at high school started to add her as a friend. At first, this didn’t bother her.（20）She loved learning about the success of people she knew when she was just a teenager. She loved finding out people were getting married, having babies, and traveling.
（21）Soon however, Katherine found herself comparing herself with the people she was reading about on Facebook. It began to make her feel bad that some people seemed to be doing so much better than she was. She was also spending a lot of time on Facebook. It took a lot of time and energy to keep up with everyone’s status updates.
Katherine started to think. She looked at the list of over 500 friends she had on Facebook and realized some of them were not really friends at all.
19. What was one particular convenience Katherine loved about Facebook?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于 Facebook，Katherine 最喜欢的特别的便捷的一点是什么？原文讲述了Facebook的众多便捷之处。“Another thing Katherine loved about Facebook was that she didn’t have to think about time zones when updating family. She can stay connected with her family no matter how far away they were. ”，可见Katherine爱上Facebook的另外一个原因是当她和家人联络时，她不用考虑时区（差异）。无论相距多远，她都可以和家人保持联系。故正确答案为A）She could update her family any time she liked（在任何时候，她都可以和家人了解彼此的最新消息）。
20、Question 20 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、She liked to inform her friends about her success.
B、She enjoyed reading her friends’ status updates.
C、She felt quite popular among them.
D、She felt she was a teenager again.
解析：
听力原文：
Katherine loved Facebook. With Facebook she could stay connected with her family no matter how far away they were. She could see their photos and read their status updates. With Facebook, she could keep her relatives up-to-date on what she was doing.（19）Another thing Katherine loved about Facebook was that she didn’t have to think about time zones when updating family. Whenever she called her parents or other relatives, she always had to think about the time difference so that she wouldn’t wake someone up or call when she knew they were at church. Facebook was so convenient.
When Katherine joined Facebook, some of her classmates at high school started to add her as a friend. At first, this didn’t bother her.（20）She loved learning about the success of people she knew when she was just a teenager. She loved finding out people were getting married, having babies, and traveling.
（21）Soon however, Katherine found herself comparing herself with the people she was reading about on Facebook. It began to make her feel bad that some people seemed to be doing so much better than she was. She was also spending a lot of time on Facebook. It took a lot of time and energy to keep up with everyone’s status updates.
Katherine started to think. She looked at the list of over 500 friends she had on Facebook and realized some of them were not really friends at all.
20. How did Katherine feel when her classmates added her as a Facebook friend?
解析：B。本题目为推理题。问题为： 当有人在 Facebook上加她的时候，Katherine感觉是怎样的？根据原文“At first this didn’t bother her, she love to learning about the success of people she knew when she was just a teenager.”，可见当她还是青少年时，她最初并没有产生烦恼，她喜欢了解别人取得的成功。故正确答案为B）She enjoyed reading her friends’ status updates（她喜欢阅读朋友发布的最新状态）。本题需要基于理解做出选择，联系语境，此处status update是指“在SNS上更新状态”。
21、Question 21 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、She could barely respond to all her 500 Facebook friends.
B、She spent more time updating her friends than her family.
C、She could barely balance Facebook updates and her work.
D、She didn’t seem to be doing as well as her Facebook friends.
解析：
听力原文：
Katherine loved Facebook. With Facebook she could stay connected with her family no matter how far away they were. She could see their photos and read their status updates. With Facebook, she could keep her relatives up-to-date on what she was doing.（19）Another thing Katherine loved about Facebook was that she didn’t have to think about time zones when updating family. Whenever she called her parents or other relatives, she always had to think about the time difference so that she wouldn’t wake someone up or call when she knew they were at church. Facebook was so convenient.
When Katherine joined Facebook, some of her classmates at high school started to add her as a friend. At first, this didn’t bother her.（20）She loved learning about the success of people she knew when she was just a teenager. She loved finding out people were getting married, having babies, and traveling.
（21）Soon however, Katherine found herself comparing herself with the people she was reading about on Facebook. It began to make her feel bad that some people seemed to be doing so much better than she was. She was also spending a lot of time on Facebook. It took a lot of time and energy to keep up with everyone’s status updates.
Katherine started to think. She looked at the list of over 500 friends she had on Facebook and realized some of them were not really friends at all.
21. What made Katherine feel bad about herself later on?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：什么使得Katherine随后对自己的感觉很不好？出题点位置为转折处。根据原文“It began to make her feel bad that some people seemed to be doing so much better than she was.”，可见她开始感觉不好，是因为其他人看起来做得要比她好。故正确答案为D）She didn’t seem to be doing as well as her Facebook friends（她感觉自己没有和其他朋友做得一样好）。
22、Question 22 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They have strong muscles.
B、They live a longer life than horses.
C、They eat much less in winter.
D、They can work longer than donkeys.
解析：
听力原文：
Do you know where a mule comes from? It is the child of a donkey and a horse. （22）Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.
George Washington was the first person in the United States to own mules. He had heard that mules made good farm animals and he contacted the U.S. ambassador in Spain to ask about them.（23）In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift. That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the U.S.
Every April, Maury County holds a Mule Day celebration. Held in Columbia, Tennessee,（24）Mule Day had its beginnings as “Breeder’s Day” in the 1840s. Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade. This was an important business before the days of tractors, when many families made a living from farming and mules were used as work animals.（25）Eventually, tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.
A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people. Over the years other activities have been added, and today more than 200,000 people show up each year to watch and participate. If you visit during Mule Day celebrations, you might see a mule-driving contests, a square dances, horse shows or even tree-cutting competitions.
22. What does the speaker say about mules?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于骡子，讲话人说了什么？根据原文“Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.”，可知骡子的肌肉像马一样强壮，但是它们吃得更少，工作得更久，同时像驴一样，更加温和。故正确答案为A）They have strong muscles（它们肌肉强壮）。
23、Question 23 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、It was a pet of a Spanish king.
B、It was bought by George Washington.
C、It was brought over from Spain.
D、It was donated by a U.S. Ambassador.
解析：
听力原文：
Do you know where a mule comes from? It is the child of a donkey and a horse. （22）Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.
George Washington was the first person in the United States to own mules. He had heard that mules made good farm animals and he contacted the U.S. ambassador in Spain to ask about them.（23）In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift. That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the U.S.
Every April, Maury County holds a Mule Day celebration. Held in Columbia, Tennessee,（24）Mule Day had its beginnings as “Breeder’s Day” in the 1840s. Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade. This was an important business before the days of tractors, when many families made a living from farming and mules were used as work animals.（25）Eventually, tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.
A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people. Over the years other activities have been added, and today more than 200,000 people show up each year to watch and participate. If you visit during Mule Day celebrations, you might see a mule-driving contests, a square dances, horse shows or even tree-cutting competitions.
23. What do we learn about the donkey which is said to be the father of the U.S. mule industry?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于作为美国骡子产业之父的驴，我们能得出什么？根据原文“In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift. That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the U.S.”，可知在1785年，西班牙国王查尔斯三世送给华盛顿一头驴子作为礼物。这头公驴成为了美国骡子产业之父。故正确答案为C） It was brought over from Spain（来源于西班牙）。
24、Question 24 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They met and exchanged ideas on animal breeding.
B、They participated in a mule-driving competition.
C、They showed and traded animals in the market.
D、They fed mules with the best food they could find.
解析：
听力原文：
Do you know where a mule comes from? It is the child of a donkey and a horse. （22）Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.
George Washington was the first person in the United States to own mules. He had heard that mules made good farm animals and he contacted the U.S. ambassador in Spain to ask about them.（23）In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift. That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the U.S.
Every April, Maury County holds a Mule Day celebration. Held in Columbia, Tennessee,（24）Mule Day had its beginnings as “Breeder’s Day” in the 1840s. Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade. This was an important business before the days of tractors, when many families made a living from farming and mules were used as work animals.（25）Eventually, tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.
A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people. Over the years other activities have been added, and today more than 200,000 people show up each year to watch and participate. If you visit during Mule Day celebrations, you might see a mule-driving contests, a square dances, horse shows or even tree-cutting competitions.
24. What did famers usually do on Mule Day in the 1840s?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：在19世纪40年代，农民会让骡子做什么？根据原文“Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade.”，可知农民和农场动物饲养员会将他们的动物带到市场上展示、买卖和交易。故正确答案为C）They showed and traded animals in the market（他们展示和交易这些动物）。
25、Question 25 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、The wider use of horses.
B、The arrival of tractors.
C、A shrinking animal trade.
D、A growing donkey population.
解析：
听力原文：
Do you know where a mule comes from? It is the child of a donkey and a horse. （22）Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.
George Washington was the first person in the United States to own mules. He had heard that mules made good farm animals and he contacted the U.S. ambassador in Spain to ask about them.（23）In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift. That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the U.S.
Every April, Maury County holds a Mule Day celebration. Held in Columbia, Tennessee,（24）Mule Day had its beginnings as “Breeder’s Day” in the 1840s. Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade. This was an important business before the days of tractors, when many families made a living from farming and mules were used as work animals.（25）Eventually, tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.
A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people. Over the years other activities have been added, and today more than 200,000 people show up each year to watch and participate. If you visit during Mule Day celebrations, you might see a mule-driving contests, a square dances, horse shows or even tree-cutting competitions.
25. What made mule less in demand in America?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：什么使得美国队骡子的需求量下降？根据原文“Eventually, tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.”，可知最终拖拉机开始代替骡子，这使得骡子的需求量减少。故正确答案为B）The arrival of tractors（拖拉机的出现）。
二、Part III Reading Comprehension
The method for making beer has changed over time. Hops (啤酒花), for example, which give many a modern beer its bitter flavor, are a (26) _____ recent addition to the beverage. This was first mentioned in reference to brewing in the ninth century. Now, researchers have found a (27)_____ingredient in residue (残留物) from 5000-year-old beer brewing equipment. While excavating two pits at a site in the central plains of China, scientists discovered fragments from pots and vessels. The different shapes of the containers (28)_____they were used to brew, filter, and store beer. They may be ancient “beer-making tools,” and the earliest (29)_____evidence of beer brewing in China, the researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To (30)_____ that theory, the team examined the yellowish, dried (31)_____ inside the vessels. The majority of the grains, about 80%, were from cereal crops like barley (大麦), and about 10% were bits of roots, (32)_____ lily, which would have made the beer sweeter, the scientists say. Barley was an unexpected find: the crop was domesticated in Western Eurasia and didn’t become a (33)_____food in central China until about 2000 years ago, according to the researchers. Based on that timing, they indicate barley may have (34)_____in the region not as food, but as (35)_____ material for beer brewing.
26、(1)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：
名词：remains残骸，剩余物；resources（-s）资源； staple主要产品； test 测验，考验
动词： arrived（-ed）到达，到来； consuming（-ing）消费； direct 指导，导演；including（-ing）包括，包含； inform 通知；reached（-ed）到达；remains（-s） 保留，保持；suggest 建议，表明； test 测试，检测
形容词：direct直接的；raw生的，未加工的；staple 最基本的，最重要的； surprising 令人惊讶的
副词：exclusively 唯一地，专门地；relatively 相对地，比较地
26. relatively 解析：副词辨析题。空格前是不定冠词a，空格后是形容词recent修饰的名词addition，空格处缺少一个副词以修饰形容词recent。备选项有 exclusively（唯一地、专门地）， relatively（相对地、比较地）。exclusively是“排除一切、专一地”，很明显用在这里不合适，因此应填入relatively，表示“相对较新的”。
27. surprising解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是不定冠词a，空格后是名词ingredient，空格处应填入形容词，来修饰ingredient。备选项有 direct（直接的）， raw（生的、未加工的）， staple（最基本的、最重要的）， surprising（令人惊讶的）。此时，应注意空格位于now开头的句子中，有一种转折的意味，故应填入 surprising。
28. suggest解析：动词辨析题。空格前是“A of B”结构，主语是the shapes，空格后是一个被动句作主句的宾语成分，空格处应填入一个及物动词作谓语，同时根据主语是shapes，可填入的备选项有 direct（指导、导演），inform（通知）， reached（到达）， suggest（建议、表明）， test（测试、检测）。最后根据句意，前面说的是容器的不同形状，后面是说它们被用来酿造、过滤和储存啤酒，因此应填入suggest，表示形状的不同表明了它们的功能不同。
29. direct 解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是最高级the earliest，空格后是名词evidence，空格处应填入一个形容词与the earliest一起并列修饰evidence。备选项有 direct（直接的）， raw（生的、未加工的）， staple（最基本的、最重要的）。修饰evidence，应填入direct，表示“最早的直观的证据”。
30. test
解析：动词辨析题。空格前是to，空格后是that theory，因此应填入动词原形，与to一起构成不定式作目的状语。备选项有 inform（通知）， test（测试、检测）。根据下文中出现的examined，可知此处应填入 test，表示为了验证这个理论。
31.remains解析：名词辨析题。空格前是形容词dried，空格后是介词短语inside the vessels，空格处应填入名词，备选项有 remains（残骸、剩余物）， resources（资源）， staple（主要产品）。根据语义，此处表达去检测仪器当中残留的东西。因此应填入 remains。
32. including解析：动词辨析题。空格前是bits of roots，空格后是lily，这里应填入一个动词，而句子原本已经存在were作句子谓语动词，那么此时应填入一个非谓语动词。备选项有 consuming（消费）， including（包括、包含）。根据语义，此处应理解为植物的根包括百合花的，因此应填入 including。
33.staple解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是冠词a，空格后是名词food，此时应填入形容词修饰food。备选项有 raw（生的、未加工的）， staple（最基本的、最重要的）。根据语义，应填入staple，表示主食。
34. arrived解析：动词辨析题，考查固定搭配。空格前是barley may have，空格后是介词in，优先考虑填入动词的过去分词，并且同时可以跟介词in搭配，参考动词备选项，应填入 arrived（到达、到来）。
35. raw解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是不定冠词a，空格后是名词material，空格处应填入一个形容词修饰material，同时该空位于but之后的转折句中，跟前文形成对比，前文提到了food，那么该空修饰材料应该与food形成对比，因此填入raw，表示“未加工的材料”。
27、(2)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
28、(3)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
29、(4)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
30、(5)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
31、(6)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
32、(7)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
33、(8)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
34、(9)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
35、(10)
A、exclusively
B、remains
C、staple
D、inform
E、test
F、reached
G、suggest
H、surprising
I、resources
J、including
K、direct
L、arrived
M、relatively
N、consuming
O、raw
解析：见上一题！
Team Spirit
【A】Teams have become the basic building blocks of organisations. Recruitment advertisements routinely call for “team players”. Business schools grade their students in part on their performance in group projects. Office managers knock down walls to encourage team building. Teams are as old as civilisation, of course: even Jesus had 12 co-workers. But a new report by Deloitte, “Global Human Capital Trends”, based on a survey of more than 7,000 executive in over 130 countries, suggests that the fashion for teamwork has reached a new high. Almost half of those surveyed said their companies were either in the middle of restructuring or about to embark on (开始) it; and for the most part , restructuring meant putting more emphasis on teams.
【B】 Companies are abandoning conventional functional departments and organising employees into cross-disciplinary teams that focus on particular products, problems or customers. These teams are gaining more power to run their own affairs. They are also spending more time working with each other rather than reporting upwards. Deloitte argues that a new organizational form is on the rise: a network of teams is replacing the conventional hierarchy (等级体制).
【C】 The fashion for teams is driven by a sense that the old way of organising people is too rigid for both the modern marketplace and the expectations of employees. Technological innovation places greater value on agility (灵活性). John Chambers, chairman of Cisco System Inc., a worldwide leader in electronics products, says that “we compete against market transitions (过渡), not competitors. Product transitions used to take five or seven years; now they take one or two.” Digital technology also makes it easier for people to co-ordinate their activities without resorting to hierarchy. The “millennials” (千禧一代) who will soon make up half the workforce in rich countries were raised from nursery school onwards to work in groups.
【D】The fashion for teams is also spreading from the usual corporate suspects (such as GE and IBM) to some more unusual ones. The Cleveland Clinic, a hospital operator, has reorganised its medical staff into teams to focus on particular treatment areas: consultants, nurses and others collaborate closely instead of being separated by specialty (专业的) and rank. The US Army has gone the same way. In his book, Team of Teams, General Stanley McChrystal describes how the army’s hierarchical structure hindered its operations during the early stages of Iraq war. His solution was to learn something from the rebels it was fighting: decentralizing authority to self-organising teams.
【E】 A good rule of thumb is that as soon as generals and hospital administrators jump on a management bandwagon（追随一种管理潮流）, it is time to ask questions. Leigh Thompson of Kellogg School of Management in Illinois warns that, “Teams are not always the answer—teams may provide insight, creativity and knowledge in a way that a person working independently cannot; but teamwork may also lead to confusion, delay and poor decision-making.” The late Richard Hackman of Harvard University once argued, “I have no question that when you have a team, the possibility exists that it will generate magic, producing something extraordinary… But don’t count on it.”
【F】 Hackman（who died in 2013）noted that teams are hindered by problems of co-ordination and motivation that chip away at the benefits of collaboration. High-flyers（能干的人）who are forced to work in teams may be undervalued and free-riders empowered. Group-think may be unavoidable. In a study of 120 teams of senior executives, he discovered that less than 10% of their supposed members agreed on who exactly was on the team. If it is hard enough to define a team’s membership, agreeing on its purpose is harder still.
【G】 Profound changes in the workforce are making teams trickier to manage. Teams work best if their members have a strong common culture. This is hard to achieve when, as is now the case in many big firms, a large proportion of staff are temporary contractors. Teamwork improves with time: America’s National Transportation Safety Board found that 73% of the incidents in its civil-aviation database occurred on a crew’s first day of flying together. However, as Amy Edmondson of Harvard points out, organisations increasingly use “team” as a verb rather than a noun: they form teams for specific purposes and then quickly disband them.
【H】 The least that can be concluded from this research is that companies need to think harder about managing teams. They need to rid their minds of sentimentalism（感情用事）: the most successful teams have leaders who are able to set an overall direction and take immediate action. They need to keep teams small and focused: giving in to pressure to be more “inclusive” is a guarantee of dysfunction. Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s boss, says that “If I see more than two pizzas for lunch, the team is too big.” They need to immunise teams against group-think: Hackman argued that the best ones contain “deviant”（离经叛道者）who are willing to do something that may be upsetting to others.
【I】 A new study of 12,000 workers in 17 countries by Steelcase, a furniture-maker which also does consulting, finds that the best way to ensure employees are “engaged” is to give them more control over where and how they do their work—which may mean liberating them from having to do everything in collaboration with others.
【J】 However, organisations need to learn something bigger than how to manage teams better: they need to be in the habit of asking themselves whether teams are the best tools for the job. Team-building skills are in short supply: Deloitte reports that only 12% of the executives they contacted feel they understand the way people work together in the networks and only 21% feel confident in their ability to build cross-functional teams. Loosely managed teams can become hotbeds of distraction—employees routinely complain that they can’t get their work done because they are forced to spend too much time in meetings or compelled to work in noisy offices. Even in the age of open-plan offices and social networks some work is best left to the individual.
36、36. Successful team leaders know exactly where the team should go and are able to take prompt action.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
解析：36. Successful team leaders know exactly where the team should go and are able to take prompt action.
