Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)

Will E-books Replace Traditional Books?

1.随着信息技术的发展，电子图书越来越多
2.有人认为电子图书会取代传统图书，理由是……
3.我的看法

注意：此部分试题在答题卡1上

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension(Skimming and Scanning)(15 minutes)

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1 For questions 1-7,choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D. For questions 8-10,complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

What will the world be like in fifty years?

This week some top scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, gave their vision of how the world will look in 2056,fron gas-powered cars to extraordinary health advances, John Ingham reports on what the world’s finest minds believe our futures will be.
For those of us lucky enough to live that long,2056 will be a world of almost perpetual youth, where obesity is a remote memory and robots become our companions.
We will be rubbing shoulders with aliens and colonizing outer space. Better still, our descendants might at last live in a world at peace with itself.
The prediction is that we will have found a source of inexbaustible, safe, green energy, and that science will have killed off religion. If they are right we will have removed two of the main causes of war-our dependence on oil and religious prejudice.
Will we really, as today’s scientists claim, be able to live for ever or at least cheat the ageing process so that the average person lives to 150?
Of course, all these predictions come with a scientific health warning. Harvard professor Steven Pinker says: “This is an invitation to look foolish, as with the predictions of domed cities and nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners that were made 50 year ago.”

Living longer

Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute in North Carolina, belives failing organs will be repaired by injecting cells into the body. They will naturally to straight to the injury and help heal it. A system of injections without needles could also slow the ageing process by using the same process to “tune” cells.
Bruce Lahn, professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago, anticipates the ability to produce“unlimited supplies” of transplantable human organs without the needed a new organ, such as kidney, the surgeon would contact a commercial organ producer, give him the patient’s immuno-logical profile and would then be sent a kidney with the correct tissue type.
These organs would be entirely composed of human cells, grown by introducing them into animal hosts, and alloweing them to deveoop into and organ in place of the animal’s own. But Prof. Lahn believes that farmed brains would be “off limits”.He says: “Very few people would want to have their brains replaced by someone else’s and we probably don’t want to put a human brain ing an animal body.”
Richard Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan, thinks scientist could develop“an thentic anti-ageing drugs” by working out how cells in larger animals such as whales and human resist many forms of injuries. He says:“It’s is now routine, in laboratory mammals, to extend lifespan by about 40%. Turning on the same protective systems in people should, by 2056, create the first class of 100-year-olds who are as vigorous and productive as today’s people in their 60s”

Aliens

Conlin Pillinger ,professor of planerary sciences at the Open University,says:”I fancy that at least we will be able to show that life didi start to evolve on Mars well as Earth.”Within 50years he hopes scientists will prove that alien life came here in Martian meteorites(陨石).
Chris McKay,a planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center.believes that in 50 years we may find evidence of alien life in ancient permanent forst of Mars or on other planers.
He adds:”There is even a chance we will find alien life forms here on Earth.It mightbe as different as English is to Chinese.
Priceton professor Freeman Dyson thinks it “likely” that life form outer space will be discovered defore 2056 because the tools for finding it, such as optical and radio detection and data processing,are improving.
He ays:”As soon as the first evidence is found,we will know what to look for and additional discoveries are likely to follow quickly.Such discoveries are likely to have revolutionary consequences for biology, astronomy and philosophy. They may change the way we look at ourselves and our place in the universe.

Colonies in space

Richard Gottprofessor of astrophysics at Princeton,hopes man will set up a self-sufficient colony on Mars,which would be a “life insurance policy against whatever catastrophes,natural or otherwise,might occur on Earth.
“The real space race is whether we will colonise off Earth on to other worlds before money for the space programme runs out.”

Spinal injuries

Ellen Heber-Katz,a professor at the Wistar Institude in Philadelphia,foresees cures for inijuries causing paralysis such as the one that afflicated Superman star Christopher Reeve.
She says:”I believe that the day is not far off when we will be able to profescribe drugs that cause severes(断裂的) spinal cords to heal,hearts to regenerate and lost limbs to regrow.
“People will come to expect that injured or diseased organs are meant to be repaired from within,inmuch the same way that we fix an appliance or automobile:by replancing the damaged part with a manufacturer-certified new part.”She predict that within 5 to 10 years fingers and toes will be regrown and limbs will start to be regrown a few years later. Reparies to the nervous system will start with optic nerves and,in time,the spinal cord.”Within 50years whole body replacement will be routine,”Prof.Heber-Katz adds.

Obesity

Sydney Brenner,senior distinguished fellow of the Crick-Jacobs Center in California,won the 2002 Noblel Prize for Medicine and says that if there is a global disaster some humans will survive-and evolition will favour small people with bodies large enough to support the required amount of brain power.”Obesity,”he says.”will have been solved.”

Robots

Rodney Brooks,professor of robotice at MIT,says the problems of developing artificial intelligence for robots will be at least partly overcome.As a result,”the possibilities for robots working with people will open up immensely”

Energy

Bill Joy,green technology expert in Califomia,says:”The most significant breakthrought would be to have an inexhaustible source of safe,green energy that is substantially cheaper than any existing energy source.”
Ideally,such a source would be safe in that it could not be made into weapons and would not make hazardous or toxic waste or carbon dioxide,the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.

Society

Geoffrey Miller,evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico,says:”The US will follow the UKin realizing that religion is nor a prerequisite (前提)for ordinary human decency.
“This,science will kill religion-not by reason challenging faith but by offering a more practical,uniwersal and rewarding moral frameworkfor human interaction.”
He also predicts that “ahsurdly wasteful”displays of wealth will become umfashionable while the importance of close-knit communities and families will become clearer.
These there changer,he says,will help make us all”brigheter,wiser,happier and kinder”.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

1.What is john lngham’s report about?
A)A solution to the global energy crisis
B)Extraordinary advances in technology.
C)The latest developments of medical science
D)Scientists’vision of the world in halfa century

2. According to Harvard professor Steven Pinker,predictions about the future_____.
A)may invite trouble B)may not come true
C)will fool the public D)do more harm than good

3. Professor Bruce Lahn of the University of Chicago predicts that____.
A)humans won’t have to donate organs for transplantation
B)more people will donate their organs for transplantation
C)animal organs could be transplanted into human bodies
D)organ transplantation won’t be as scary as it is today

4. According to professor Richard Miller of the University of Michigarr, prople will____.
A)life for as long as they wish
B)be relieved from all sufferings
C) life to 100 and more with vitality
D)be able to live longer than whales

5.Priceton professor Freeman Syson thinks that____.
A)scientists will find alien life similar to ours
B)humans will be able to settle on Mars
C)alien life will likely be discovered
D)life will start to evolve on Mars

6.According to Princeton professor Richard Gott,by setting up a self-sufficient colony on Mars,
Humans_____.
A)Might survie allcatastrophes on earth
B)Might acquire ample natural resources
C)Will be able to travel to Mars freely
D)Will move there to live a better life

7.Ellen Heber-Katz, professor at the Wistar Institue in Philadelpia,predicts that_____.
A)human organs can bu manufactured like appliances
B)people will be as strong and dymamic as supermen
C) human nerves can be replanced by optic fibers
D)lost fingers and limbs will be able to regrow

8.rodney Brooks says that it will be possible for robots to work with humans as a result or the development of__artificaial intelligence for robots_____

9. The most significant breakthrough predicted by Bill joy will be an inexhaustible green energy source that can’t be used to make__pollutions___________

10 According to Geoffrey Miller, science will offer a more practical, universal and rewarding moral framework in place of _________religion_______

Part III Listening Comprehension (35minutes)

听力部分试题略

Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write our answers on Answer Sheet 2
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.

if movie trailers(预告片)are supposed to cause a reaction, the preview for "United 93" more than succeeds. Featuring no famous actors, it begins with images of a beautiful morning and passengers boarding an airplane. It takes you a minute to realize what the movie's even about. That’s when a plane hits the World Trade Center. the effect is visceral(震撼心灵的). When the trailer played before "Inside Man" last week at a Hollywood theater, audience members began calling out, "Too soon!" In New York City, the response was even more dramatic. The Loews theater in Manhattan took the rare step of pulling the trailer from its screens after several complaints.
"United 93" is the first feature film to deal explicitly with the events of September 11, 2001, and is certain to ignite an emotional debate. Is it too soon? Should the film have been made at all? More to the point, will anyone want to see it? Other 9/11 projects are on the way as the fifth anniversary of the attacks approaches, most notably Oliver Stone's " World Trade Center." but as the forerunner, "United 93"will take most of the heat, whether it deserves it or not.
The real United 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field after 40 passengers and crew fought back against the terrorists. Writer-director Paul Greengrass has gone to great lengths to be respectful in his depiction of what occurred, proceeding with the film only after securing the approval of every victim's family. "Was I surprised at the agreement? Yes. Very. Usually there’re one or two families who're more reluctant," Greengrass writes in an e-mail. "I was surprised at the extraordinary way the United 93 families have welcomed us into their lives and shared their experiences with us." Carole O'Hare, a family member, says, "They were very open and honest with us, and they made us a part of this whole project." Universal, which is releasing the film, plans to donate 10% of its opening weekend gross to the Flight 93 National Memorial Fund. That hasn't stopped criticism that the studio is exploiting a national tragedy. O'Hare thinks that's unfair. "This story has to be told to honor the passengers and crew for what they did," she says. "But more than that, it raises awareness. Our ports aren't secure. Our borders aren't secure. Our airlines still aren't secure, and this is what happens when you're not secure. That’s the message I want people to hear."

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答

47. The trailer for "United 93" succeeded in causing a reaction when it played in the theaters in Hollywood and New York City.
48. The movie "United 93" is sure to give rise to an emotional debate.
49. What did writer-director Paul Greengrass obtain before he proceeded with the movie?
the approval of every victim’s family
50. Universal, which is releasing "United 93", has been criticized for exploiting a national tragedy.
51. Carole O’Hare thinks that besides honoring the passengers and crew for what they did, the purpose of telling the story is to raise the awareness about security.

Section B
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line thought the centre.

Passage One
Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.

Imagine waking up and finding the value of your assets has been halved. No, you’re not an investor in one of those hedge funds that failed completely. With the dollar slumping to a 26-year low against the pound, already-expensive London has become quite unaffordable. A coffee at Starbucks, just as unavoidable in England as it is in the United States, runs about $8.
The once all-powerful dollar isn’t doing a Titanic against just the pound. It is sitting at a record low against the euro and at a 30-year low against the Canadian dollar. Even the Argentine peso and Brazilian real are thriving against the dollar.
The weak dollar is a source of humiliation, for a nation’s self-esteem rests in part on the strength of its currency. It’s also a potential economic problem, since a declining dollar makes imported food more expensive and exerts upward pressure on interest rates. And yet there are substantial sectors of the vast U.S. economy-from giant companies like Coca-Cola to mom-and-pop restaurant operators in Miami-for which the weak dollar is most excellent news.
Many Europeans may view the U.S. as an arrogant superpower that has become hostile to foreigners. But nothing makes people think more warmly of the U.S. than a weak dollar. Through April, the total number of visitors from abroad was up 6.8 percent from last year. Should the trend continue, the number of tourists this year will finally top the 2000 peak? Many Europeans now apparently view the U.S. the way many Americans view Mexico-as a cheap place to vacation, shop and party, all while ignoring the fact that the poorer locals can’t afford to join the merrymaking.
The money tourists spend helps decrease our chronic trade deficit. So do exports, which thanks in part to the weak dollar, soared 11 percent between May 2006 and May 2007. For first five months of 2007, the trade deficit actually fell 7 percent from 2006.

If you own shares in large American corporations, you’re a winner in the weak-dollar gamble. Last week Coca-Cola’s stick bubbled to a five-year high after it reported a fantastic quarter. Foreign sales accounted for 65 percent of Coke’s beverage business. Other American companies profiting from this trend include McDonald’s and IBM.
American tourists, however, shouldn’t expect any relief soon. The dollar lost strength the way many marriages break up- slowly, and then all at once. And currencies don’t turn on a dime. So if you want to avoid the pain inflicted by the increasingly pathetic dollar, cancel that summer vacation to England and look to New England. There, the dollar is still treated with a little respect.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

52. Why do Americans feel humiliated?
A) Their economy is plunging B) They can’t afford trips to Europe
C) Their currency has slumped D) They have lost half of their assets.

53.How does the current dollar affect the life of ordinary Americans?
They have to cancel their vacations in New England.
They find it unaffordable to dine in mom-and-pop restaurants.
They have to spend more money when buying imported goods.
They might lose their jobs due to potential economic problems.

54 How do many Europeans feel about the U.S with the devalued dollar?
They feel contemptuous of it
They are sympathetic with it.
They regard it as a superpower on the decline.
They think of it as a good tourist destination.

55 what is the author’s advice to Americans?
They treat the dollar with a little respect
They try to win in the weak-dollar gamble
They vacation at home rather than abroad
They treasure their marriages all the more.

56 What does the author imply by saying “currencies don’t turn on a dime” (Line 2,Para 7)?
The dollar’s value will not increase in the short term.
The value of a dollar will not be reduced to a dime
The dollar’s value will drop, but within a small margin.
Few Americans will change dollars into other currencies.

Passage Two
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

In the college-admissions wars, we parents are the true fights. We are pushing our kids to get good grades, take SAT preparatory courses and build resumes so they can get into the college of our first choice. I’ve twice been to the wars, and as I survey the battlefield, something different is happening. We see our kids’ college background as e prize demonstrating how well we’ve raised them. But we can’t acknowledge that our obsession(痴迷) is more about us than them. So we’ve contrived various justifications that turn out to be half-truths, prejudices or myths. It actually doesn’t matter much whether Aaron and Nicole go to Stanford.
We have a full-blown prestige panic; we worry that there won’t be enough prizes to go around. Fearful parents urge their children to apply to more schools than ever. Underlying the hysteria(歇斯底里) is the belief that scarce elite degrees must be highly valuable. Their graduates must enjoy more success because they get a better education and develop better contacts. All that is plausible——and mostly wrong. We haven’t found any convincing evidence that selectivity or prestige matters. Selective schools don’t systematically employ better instructional approaches than less selective schools. On two measures——professors’ feedback and the number of essay exams——selective schools do slightly worse.
By some studies, selective schools do enhance their graduates’ lifetime earnings. The gain is reckoned at 2-4% for every 100-poinnt increase in a school’s average SAT scores. But even this advantage is probably a statistical fluke(偶然). A well-known study examined students who got into highly selective schools and then went elsewhere. They earned just as much as graduates from higher-status schools.
Kids count more than their colleges.Getting into yale may signify intellgence,talent and Ambition. But it’s not the only indicator and,paradoxically,its significance is declining.The reason:so many similar people go elsewhere.Getting into college is not life only competiton.Old-boy networks are breaking down.princeton economist Alan Krueger studied admissions to one top Ph.D.program.High scores on the GRE helpd explain who got in;degrees of prestigious universities didn’t.
So,parents,lighten up.the stakes have been vastly exaggerated.up to a point,we can rationalize our pushiness.America is a competitive society;our kids need to adjust to that.but too much pushiness can be destructive.the very ambition we impose on our children may get some into Harvard but may also set them up for disappointment.one study found that,other things being equal,graduates of highly selective schools experienced more job dissatisfaction.They may have been so conditioned to deing on top that anything less disappoints.

注意 此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

57.Why dose the author say that parengs are the true fighters in the college-admissions wars?
A.They have the final say in which university their children are to attend.
B.They know best which universities are most suitable for their children.
C.they have to carry out intensive surveys of colleges before children make an application.
D.they care more about which college their children go to than the children themselves.

58.Why do parents urge their children to apply to more school than ever?
A.they want to increase their children chances of entering a prestigious college.
B.they hope their children can enter a university that offers attractive scholarships.
C.Their children eill have have a wider choice of which college to go to.
D.Elite universities now enroll fewer syudent than they used to.

59.What does the author mean by kids count more than their college(Line1,para.4?
A.Continuing education is more important to a person success.
B.A person happiness should be valued more than their education.
C.Kids actual abilities are more importang than their college background.
D.What kids learn at college cannot keep up with job market requirements.

60.What does Krueger study tell us?
A.GETting into Ph.d.programs may be more competitive than getting into college.
B.Degrees of prestigious universities do not guarantee entry to graduate programs.
C.Graduates from prestigious universities do not care much about their GRE scores.
D.Connections built in prestigious universities may be sustained long after graduation.

61.One possible result of pushing children into elite universities is that______
A.they earb less than their peers from other institutions
B.they turn out to be less competitive in the job market
C.they experience more job dissatisfaction after graduation
D.they overemphasize their qualifications in job application

Part V Cloze
Directions: there are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A),B),C), and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Seven years ago, when I was visiting Germany, I Met with an official who explained to me that the country had a perfect solution to its economic problems. Watching the U.S. economy ___62___ during the ‘90s, the Germans had decided that they, too, needed to go the high-technology ___63___. But how? In the late ‘90s, the answer schemed obvious. Indians. ___64___ all, Indian entrepreneurs accounted for one of every three Silicon Valley start-ups. So the German government decided that it would ___65___ Indians to Term any just as America does by ___66___ green cards. Officials created something called the German Green Card and ___67___ that they would issue 20,000 in the first year. ___68___, the Germans expected that tens of thousands more Indians would soon be begging to come, and perhaps the ___69___ would have to be increased. But the program was a failure. A year later ___70___ half of the 20,000 cards had been issued. After a few extensions, the program was ___71___.
I told the German official at the time that I was sure the ___72___ would fail. It’s not that I had any particular expertise in immigration policy, ___73___ I understood something about green cards, because I had one (the American ___74___). The German Green
Card was mismand,I argued,__75__it never,under any circumtances,translated into German citizenship.The U.S.green card,by contrast,is an almost__76__path to becoming American (after five years and a clean record).The official__77__my objection,saying that there was no way Germany was going to offer these peoplecitizenship.”we need young tach workers,”he said.”that’s what this pro-gram is all __78__.”so Germany was asking bright young__79__to leavetheir country,culture and families,move thousands of miles away,learn a new language and work in a strange land—but without any__80__of ever being part of their new home.Germany was senging a signal, one that was ___81___ received in India and other countries, and also by Germany’s own immigrant community.

62. A) soar C) amplify B) hover D) intensify
63. A) circuit C) trait B) strategy D) route
64. A) Of C) In B) After D) At
65. A) import C) convey B) kidnap D) lure
66. A) offering C) evacuating B) installing D) formulating
67. A) conferred C) announced B) inferred D) verified
68. A) Specially C) Particularly B) Naturally D) Consistently
69. A) quotas C) measures B) digits D) scales
70. A) invariably C) barely B) literally D) solely
71. A) repelled C) combated B) deleted D) abolished
72. A) adventure C) initiative B) response D) impulse
73. A) and C) so B) but D) or
74. A) heritage C) notion B) revision D) version
75 A)because B)unless C)if D)while
76 A)aggressive B)automatic C)vulnerable D)voluntary
77 A)overtook B)fascinated C)submitted D)dismissed
78 A)towards B)round C)about D)over
79 A)dwellers B)citizens C)professionals D)amateurs
80 A)prospect B)suspicion C)outcome D)destination
81 A)partially B)clearly C)brightly D)vividly

Part VI Translation
Directions: Complete the sentences by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets.
Please write your translation on Answer Sheet 2

注意:此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答,只需写出译文部分

82. We can say a lot of things about those who have spent their whole lives on poems (毕生致力于诗歌的人): they are passionate, impulsive, and unique.
83. Mary couldn’t have received my letter, or she should have replied to me last week (否则她上周就该回信了).
84. Nancy is supposed to have finished her chemistry experiments (做完化学实验) at least two weeks ago.
85. Never once has the old couple quarreled with each other (老两口互相争吵) since they were married 40 years ago.
86. The prosperity of a nation is largely dependent upon (一个国家未来的繁荣在很大程度上有赖于) the quality of education of its people

2008年6月英语六级A卷完整答案

Part 1 Writing
范文一
Recent decades have seen the rapid development of information technology, and thereby E-books have wound their way into our daily life. Because of the wide and quick popularity of E-books, there has been an increasing controversy over the question of whether E-books will replace traditional books or not.
Many people hold the idea that it will not take long for E-books to replace traditional books because E-books have quite a few advantages over traditional ones. First, E-books are more accessible to readers, because the readers just need to log onto the internet and read online. Second, thanks to the advanced technology, the cost of E-books is much lower, so it takes readers far less money to buy E-books. Last but not the least, reading E-books has developed into part of our daily life, which is particularly appealing to young users, who are the body part of the users of electronic products.
As far as I’m concerned, it is not likely for E-books to replace traditional books for lots of reasons. For example, long time of reading E-books will do more harm to our eyes, and readers will find themselves more accessible to printed materials because computers and the internet haven’t yet been popularized to every corner of our life.

范文二
E-books, or electronic books, have the same information and need the same reading experience as the traditional books, which you actually hold in your hands. E-books have so many benefits that they will replace traditional books.
E-books can be created on a shoestring budget while the authors of traditional books will have to overcome a tough sales target before they even consider making a profit on the book. E-books are quicker to create because they could be written and published in as little as a week while the time span between starting a traditional book and writing it could take around a year or two. E-books are easier to target a wide market because they may be sold on the Internet to anyone with a credit card and an Internet connection in any place in the world, while with a traditional book it may be difficult to expand to new markets, since it will involve further significant costs on distribution and marketing.
To conclude, E-books are a very valuable tool that could be used as a profit centre, as a publishing tool or as a marketing tool. They have many advantages over the traditional books. E-books will replace traditional books.

Part 2 Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)
1. D) Scientists’ vision of the world in half a century.
2. B) may not come true
3. A) humans won’t have to donate organs for transplantation
4. C) live to 100 and more with vitality
5. C) alien life will likely be discovered
6. A ) might survive all catastrophes on earth
7. D) lost fingers and limbs will be able to regrow
8. artificial intelligence
9. weapons
10. religion

Part 3 Listening Comprehension
Section A
11. D) The man is a fan of world-famous football players.
12. D) Solve his problem by doing a part-time job.
13. C) A real nuisance.
14. A) The errors will be corrected soon.
15. B) He has to type his paper once more.
16. A) They might have to change their plan.
17. D) They are not late for a loan application.
18. C) The quality of air will surely change for the better.
19. B) Numerous varieties of food.
20. B) A world of antiques.
21. D) It generates 70% of the electricity it uses.
22. B) 30,000
23. C) Thinking about doing a different job.
24. A) She has finally got a promotion and a pay raise.
25. B) He changed his mind about marriage unexpectedly.

Section B

Passage 1
26. D) They are getting more popular as a means of water recreation.
27. A) Water scooter operators lack of experience.
28. B) They produce too much noise.
29. D) Enforce necessary regulations.

Passage 2
30. D) They are changing.
31. B) Not many of them stay in the same place for long.
32. C) Keep a friendly distance.

Passage 3

33. D) It may lead to a lack of properly educated workers.
34. B) It affects both junior and senior high schools.
35. C) Rewarding excellent academic performance.

Section C


36. survive
37. complicated
38. offenders
39. whereby
40. incurring
41. influence
42. serving
43. restore

44. The alternative to capital punishment is longer sentences. But they would certainly cost the tax payers much money.
45. that does not mean that person isn't guilty of the crime, or that he shouldn't pay society the debt he owes.
46. a large part of it in prison for acts that he committed while not in full control of his mind.

Part 4 Reading in Depth
Section A
47. causing a reaction
48. an emotional debate
49. The approval of every victim’s family
50. exploiting a national tragedy
51. raise awareness
Section B
Passage 1
52. B) Their currency has slumped.
53. C) They have to spend more money when buying imported goods.
54. D) They think of it as a good tourist destination.
55. C) They vacation at home rather than abroad.
56. A) The dollar’s value will not increase in the short term.

Passage 2
57. D) They care more about which college their children go to than the children themselves.
58. A) They want to increase their children’s chances of entering a prestigious college.
59. C) Kid’s actual abilities are more important than their college backgrounds.
60. B) Degrees of prestigious universities do not guarantee entry to graduate programs.
61. C) they experience more job dissatisfaction after graduation

Part 5 Cloze

62. A) soar
63. D) route
64. A) Of
65. A) import
66. A) offering
67. C) announced
68. D) Consistently
69. A) quotas
70. C) barely
71. D) abolished
72. C) initiative
73. B) but
74. D) version
75. A) because
76. B) automatic
77. D) dismissed
78. C) about
79. C) professionals
80. A) prospect
81. B) clearly


Part 6 Translation
82. We can say a lot of things about those who are devoted to poems in their whole lives (毕生致力于诗歌的人): they are passionate, impulsive and unique.
83. Mary couldn’t have received my letter, or she should have made a reply last week. (否则她上周就该回信了).
84. Nancy is supposed to have finished her chemistry experiment(做完化学实验) at least two weeks ago.
85. Never once has the old couple quarreled with each other (老两口相互争吵)since they were married 40 years ago.
86. The prosperity of a nation depends largely on (一个国家未来的繁荣在很大程度上有赖于) the quality of education.

2009年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled Should Parents Send Their Kids to Art Classes? You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.
1. 现在有不少家长送孩子参加各种艺术班
2. 对这种做法有人表示支持，也有人并不赞成
3. 我认为……
Should Parents Send Their Kids to Art Classes?
Part ⅡReading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)
Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.
Bosses Say “Yes” to Home Work
Rising costs of office space, time lost to stressful commuting, and a slow recognition that workers have lives beyond the office—all are strong arguments for letting staff work from home.
For the small business, there are additional benefits too—staff are more productive, and happier, enabling firms to keep their headcounts (员工数) and their recruitment costs to a minimum. It can also provide competitive advantage, especially when small businesses want to attract new staff but don’t have the budget to offer huge salaries.
While company managers have known about the benefits for a long time, many have done little about it, sceptical of whether they could trust their employees to work to full capacity without supervision, or concerned about the additional expenses teleworking policies might incur as staff start charging their home phone bills to the business.
Yet this is now changing. When communications provider Inter-Tel researched the use of remote working solutions among small-and-medium-sized UK businesses in April this year, it found that 28% more companies claimed to have introduced flexible working practices than a year ago.
The UK network of Business Links confirms that it too has seen a growing interest in remote working solutions from small businesses seeking its advice, and claims that as many as 60-70% of the businesses that come through its doors now offer some form of remote working support to their workforces.
Technology advances, including the widespread availability of broadband, are making the introduction of remote working a piece of cake.
“If systems are set up properly, staff can have access to all the resources they have in the office wherever they have an internet connection,” says Andy Poulton, e-business advisor at Business Link for Berkshire and Wiltshire. “There are some very exciting developments which have enabled this.”
One is the availability of broadband everywhere, which now covers almost all of the country (BT claims that, by July, 99.8% of its exchanges will be broadband enabled, with alternative plans in place for even the most remote exchanges). “This is the enabler,” Poulton says.
Yet while broadband has come down in price too, those service providers targeting the business market warn against consumer services masquerading (伪装) as business-friendly broadband.
“Broadband is available for as little as ￡15 a month, but many businesses fail to appreciate the hidden costs of such a service,” says Neil Stephenson, sales and marketing director at Onyx Internet, an internet service provider based in the north-east of England. “Providers offering broadband for rock-bottom prices are notorious for poor service, with regular breakdowns and heavily congested (拥堵的) networks. It is always advisable for businesses to look beyond the price tag and look for a business-only provider that can offer more reliability, with good support.” Such services don’t cost too much—quality services can be found for upwards of ￡30 a month.
The benefits of broadband to the occasional home worker are that they can access email in real time, and take full advantage of services such as internet-based backup or even internet-based phone services.
Internet-based telecoms, or VoIP (Voice over IP) to give it its technical title, is an interesting tool to any business supporting remote working. Not necessarily because of the promise of free or reduced price phone calls (which experts point out is misleading for the average business), but because of the sophisticated voice services that can be exploited by the remote worker—facilities such as voicemail and call forwarding, which provide a continuity of the company image for customers and business partners.
By law, companies must “consider seriously” requests to work flexibly made by a parent with a child under the age of six, or a disabled child under 18. It was the need to accommodate employees with young children that motivated accountancy firm Wright Vigar to begin promoting teleworking recently. The company, which needed to upgrade its IT infrastructure (基础设施) to provide connectivity with a new, second office, decided to introduce support for remote working at the same time.
Marketing director Jack O’Hern explains that the company has a relatively young workforce, many of whom are parents: “One of the triggers was when one of our tax managers returned from maternity leave. She was intending to work part time, but could only manage one day a week in the office due to childcare. By offering her the ability to work from home, we have doubled her capacity—now she works a day a week from home, and a day in the office. This is great for her, and for us as we retain someone highly qualified.”
For Wright Vigar, which has now equipped all of its fee-earners to be able to work at maximum productivity when away from the offices (whether that’s from home, or while on the road), this strategy is not just about saving on commute time or cutting them loose from the office, but enabling them to work more flexible hours that fit around their home life.
O’Hern says: “Although most of our work is client-based and must fit around this, we can’t see any reason why a parent can’t be on hand to deal with something important at home, if they have the ability to complete a project later in the day.”
Supporting this new way of working came with a price, though. Although the firm was updating its systems anyway, the company spent 10-15% more per user to equip them with a laptop rather than a PC, and about the same to upgrade to a server that would enable remote staff to connect to the company networks and access all their usual resources.
Although Wright Vigar hasn’t yet quantified the business benefits, it claims that, in addition to being able to retain key staff with young families, it is able to save fee-earners a substantial amount of “dead” time in their working days.
That staff can do this without needing a fixed telephone line provides even more efficiency savings. “With Wi-Fi (fast, wireless internet connections) popping up all over the place, even on trains, our fee-earners can be productive as they travel, and between meetings, instead of having to kill time at the shops,” he adds.
The company will also be able to avoid the expense of having to relocate staff to temporary offices for several weeks when it begins disruptive office renovations soon.
Financial recruitment specialist Lynne Hargreaves knows exactly how much her firm has saved by adopting a teleworking strategy, which has involved handing her company’s data management over to a remote hosting company, Datanet, so it can be accessible by all the company’s consultants over broadband internet connections.
It has enabled the company to dispense with its business premises altogether, following the realisation that it just didn’t need them any more. “The main motivation behind adopting home working was to increase my own productivity, as a single mum to an 11-year-old,” says Hargreaves. “But I soon realised that, as most of our business is done on the phone, email and at off-site meetings, we didn’t need our offices at all. We’re now saving ￡16,000 a year on rent, plus the cost of utilities, not to mention what would have been spent on commuting.”
1. What is the main topic of this passage?
A) How business managers view hi-tech.
B) Relations between employers and employees.
C) How to cut down the costs of small businesses.
D) Benefits of the practice of teleworking.
2. From the research conducted by the communications provider Inter-Tel, we learn that .
A) more employees work to full capacity at home
B) employees show a growing interest in small businesses
C) more businesses have adopted remote working solutions
D) attitudes toward IT technology have changed
3. What development has made flexible working practices possible according to Andy Poulton?
A) Reduced cost of telecommunications.
B) Improved reliability of internet service.
C) Availability of the VoIP service.
D) Access to broadband everywhere.
4. What is Neil Stephenson’s advice to firms contracting internet services?
A) They look for reliable business-only providers.
B) They contact providers located nearest to them.
C) They carefully examine the contract.
D) They contract the cheapest provider.
5. Internet-based telecoms facilitates remote working by __________.
A) offering sophisticated voice services
B) giving access to emailing in real time
C) helping clients discuss business at home
D) providing calls completely free of charge
6. The accountancy firm Wright Vigar promoted teleworking initially in order to __________.
A) present a positive image to prospective customers
B) support its employees with children to take care of
C) attract young people with IT expertise to work for it
D) reduce operational expenses of a second office
7. According to marketing director Jack O’Hern, teleworking enabled the company to __________.
A) enhance its market image
B) reduce recruitment costs
C) keep highly qualified staff
D) minimise its office space
8. Wright Vigar’s practice of allowing for more flexible working hours not only benefits the company but helps improve employees’ .
9. With fast, wireless internet connections, employees can still be __________ while traveling.
10. Single mother Lynne Hargreaves decided to work at home mainly to __________.
Part Ⅲ Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
11. A) They would rather travel around than stay at home.
B) They prefer to carry cash when traveling abroad.
C) They usually carry many things around with them.
D) They don’t like to spend much money on traveling.
12. A) The selection process was a little unfair.
B) He had long dreamed of the dean’s position.
C) Rod was eliminated in the selection process.
D) Rod was in charge of the admissions office.
13. A) Applause encourages the singer.
B) She regrets paying for the concert.
C) Almost everyone loves pop music.
D) The concert is very impressive.
14. A) They have known each other since their schooldays.
B) They were both chairpersons of the Students’ Union.
C) They have been in close touch by email.
D) They are going to hold a reunion party.
15. A) Cook their dinner.
B) Rest for a while.
C) Get their car fixed.
D) Stop for the night.
16. A) Newly-launched products.
B) Consumer preferences.
C) Survey results.
D) Survey methods.
17. A) He would rather the woman didn’t buy the blouse.
B) The woman needs blouses in the colors of a rainbow.
C) The information in the catalog is not always reliable.
D) He thinks the blue blouse is better than the red one.
18. A) The course is open to all next semester.
B) The notice may not be reliable.
C) The woman has not told the truth.
D) He will drop his course in marketing.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. A) A director of a sales department.
B) A manager at a computer store.
C) A sales clerk at a shopping center.
D) An accountant of a computer firm.
20. A) Handling customer complaints.
B) Recruiting and training new staff.
C) Dispatching ordered goods on time.
D) Developing computer programs.
21. A) She likes something more challenging.
B) She likes to be nearer to her parents.
C) She wants to have a better-paid job.
D) She wants to be with her husband.
22. A) Right away.
B) In two months.
C) Early next month.
D) In a couple of days.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. A) It will face challenges unprecedented in its history.
B) It is a resolute advocate of the anti-global movement.
C) It is bound to regain its full glory of a hundred years ago.
D) It will be a major economic power by the mid-21st century.
24. A) The lack of overall urban planning.
B) The huge gap between the haves and have-nots.
C) The inadequate supply of water and electricity.
D) The shortage of hi-tech personnel.
25. A) They attach great importance to education.
B) They are able to grasp growth opportunities.
C) They are good at learning from other nations.
D) They have made use of advanced technologies.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. A) She taught chemistry and microbiology courses in a college.
B) She gave lectures on how to become a public speaker.
C) She helped families move away from industrial polluters.
D) She engaged in field research on environmental pollution.
27. A) The job restricted her from revealing her findings.
B) The job posed a potential threat to her health.
C) She found the working conditions frustrating.
D) She was offered a better job in a minority community.
28. A) Some giant industrial polluters have gone out of business.
B) More environmental organizations have appeared.
C) Many toxic sites in America have been cleaned up.
D) More branches of her company have been set up.
29. A) Her widespread influence among members of Congress.
B) Her ability to communicate through public speaking.
C) Her rigorous training in delivering eloquent speeches.
D) Her lifelong commitment to domestic and global issues.
Passage Two
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
30. A) The fierce competition in the market.
B) The growing necessity of staff training.
C) The accelerated pace of globalisation.
D) The urgent need of a diverse workforce.
31. A) Gain a deep understanding of their own culture.
B) Take courses of foreign languages and cultures.
C) Share the experiences of people from other cultures.
D) Participate in international exchange programmes.
32. A) Reflective thinking is becoming critical.
B) Labor market is getting globalised.
C) Knowing a foreign language is essential.
D) Globalisation will eliminate many jobs.
Passage Three
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. A) Red-haired women were regarded as more reliable.
B) Brown-haired women were rated as more capable.
C) Golden-haired women were considered attractive.
D) Black-haired women were judged to be intelligent.
34. A) They are smart and eloquent.
B) They are ambitious and arrogant.
C) They are shrewd and dishonest.
D) They are wealthy and industrious.
35. A) They force people to follow the cultural mainstream.
B) They exaggerate the roles of certain groups of people.
C) They emphasize diversity at the expense of uniformity.
D) They hinder our perception of individual differences.
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.
The ancient Greeks developed basic memory systems called mnemonics. The name is