2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

Part Ⅰ Listening Comprehension   (20 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear 10 short conversations. At the end of each conversation,

a question will be asked about what war said. Both the conversation and the question will be

spoken only once: After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you maxi read the

four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is, the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

1. A. The foggy weather has affected Mary's mood.

B. They are puzzled about Mary's low spirits.

C. MaiT is dissatisfied with her promotion.

D. Mary cares too much about her looks.

2. A. Go to an art exhibition. B. Dine out with an old friend.

C. Attend the opening night of a play. D. See his paintings on display.

3. A. Her mother was quite outstanding in academic work.

B. She was not particularly interested in going to school.

C. Her parents laid great emphasis on academic excellence.

D. She helped upgrade the educational level of inanigrants.

4. A. The machines there were iii maintained. B. Tickets for its members were cheaper.

C. It was filled with people all the time. D. It had a reputation for good service.

5. A. Both Sarah and Tom have been awarded doctoral degrees.

B. Tom has arranged to meet his bride Sarah in Hawaii.

C. Tom was more excited than Sarah at the wedding.

D. A double blessing has descended upon Tom.

6. A. There were too many questions in the examination.

B. The examination was well beyond the course content.

C. The examination questions were somewhat too difficult.

D. The course prepared him adequately for the examination.

7. A. It's less time-consuming. B. His wife is tired of cooking.

C. It's part of his job. D. He is sick of home-cooked meals.

8. A. He has .just started to teach piano lessons. B. He seldom takes things seriously.

C. He is very proud of his piano skills. D. He usually understates his achievements.

9. A. It's tedious. B. It's absurd. C. It's justifiable. D. It's understandable.

10. A. Arrange accommodation fbr her. B. Explain the cause of' the cancellation.

C. Compensate her for the inconvenience. D. Allow her to take another flight that night.

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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

Questions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard.

11. A. Producing legendary paintings, B. Making a fortune from decorative arts.

C. Manufacturing quality furniture. D. Setting up a special museum.

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

12. A. To show his fascination with Asian culture.

B. To tell the story of the American Revolution.

C. To promote interest in American decorative arts.

D. To increase the popularity of the DuPont Company.

13. A. By theme or period. B. By style or design.

C: By manufacturer or origin. D. By function or purpose.

Passage Two

Questions 14 to 16 are based on the passage you have just heard.

14. A. People may use two or more languages.

B. People will choose Chinese rat}mr than English.

C. The percentage of native speakers of English will increase.

D. The number of people relying on their mother tongue will drop.

15. A. The number of' Spanish speakers is far greater than that of Arabic. speakers.

B. Arabic spoken in one Arab country may not be understood in another.

C. Arabic spoken in Egypt differs from Arabic spoken in. Morocco in origin.

D. The number of Arabic speakers is declining because of the invasion of English.

16. A. It is impossible for Arab countries to standardize their language.

B. Most people in the worm will learn to speak Chinese in the future. D. Spanish is very likely to become the top language of the world by 2050.

Passage Three

Questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.

17. A. Because they believe blind students prefer to mix with students who can see.

B. Because it would cost lots of money to build such special colleges.

C. Because it would constitute discrimination against blind students.

D. Because they think blind people should learn to live among sighted people.

18. A. By encouraging them to be mole self-reliant.

B. By showing them proper care and respect.

C. By offering them more financial assistance.

D. By providing them with free medical service.

19. A. Financial aid from the American government. B. Modern technology.

C. Professional support. D. Help from the National Federation of the Blind.

20. A. Ask American professors to write recommendations on their behalf.

B. Obtain American citizenship before they reach the age of 30.

C. Turn to special institutions in their own country for assistance.

D. Apply to the National Federation of the Blind tbr scholarships.

Part ⅡReading Comprehension  (35 minutes)

Directions: There are 4 passages in this part, Each passage is followed by some questions at

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 the Answer Sheet with a

single line through the centre.

Passage One

Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.

Each summer, no matter how pressing my work schedule, I take off one day exclusively for

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

my son. We call it dad-son day. This year our third stop was the amusement park, where he

discovered that he was tall enough to ride one of the fastest roller coasters(过山车) in the world.

We blasted through face-stretching turns and loops for ninety seconds. Then, as we stepped off the

ride, he shrugged and, in a distressingly calm voice, remarked that it was not as exciting as other

rides he'd been on. As I listened, I began to sense something seriously out of balance.

Throughout the season, I noticed similar events all around me. Parents seemed hard pressed

to find new thrills for indifferent kids. Surrounded by ever-greater stimulation, their young laces

were looking disappointed and bored.

Facing their children's complaints of "nothing to do", parents were shelling out large

numbers of dollars for various forms of entertainment. In many cases the money seemed to do

little more than buy transient relief from the terrible moans of their bored children. This set me

pondering the obvious question: "How can it be so hard for kids to find something to do when

there's never been such a range of stimulating entertainment available to them?"

What really worries me is the intensity of the stimulation. I watch my little daughter's face

as she absorbs the powerful onslaught(冲击) of arousing visuals and bloody special effects in

movies.

Why do children immersed in this much excitement seem starved for more? That was, I

realized, the point. I discovered during my own reckless adolescence that what creates excitement

is not going fast, but going faster. Thrills have less to do with speed than changes in speed.

I'm concerned about the cumulative effect of years at these levels of feverish activity. It is

no mystery to me why many teenagers appear apathetic(麻木的) and burned out, with a "been

there, done that" air of indifference toward much of life. As increasing numbers of friends'

children are prescribed medications--stimulants to deal with inattentiveness at school or

anti-depressants to help with the loss of interest and joy in their lives--I question the role of kids'

boredom in some of the diagnoses.

My own work is focused on the chemical imbalances and biological factors related to

behavioral and emotional disorders. These are complex problems. Yet I've been reflecting more

and more on how the pace of life and the intensity of stimulation may be contributing to the rising

rates of psychiatric problems among children and adolescents in our society.

21. The author felt surprised in the amusement park at the fact that

A. his son was not as thrilled by the roller coaster ride as expected

B. his son blasted through the turns and loops with his face stretched

C. his son appeared distressed but calm while riding the roller coaster

D. his son could keep his balance so well on the fast-moving roller coaster

22. According to the author, children are bored

A. unless their parents can find new thrills for them

B. when they don't have any access to stimulating fun games

C. when they are left alone at weekends by their working parents

D. even if they are exposed to more and more kinds of entertainment

23. From his own experience, the author came to the conclusion that children seem to expect

A. a much wider variety of sports facilities

B. activities that require sophisticated skills

C. ever-changing thrilling forms of recreation

D. physical exercises that are more challenging

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

24. In Para. 6, the author expresses his doubt about the effectiveness of trying to change children's

indifference toward much of life by

A. diverting their interest from electronic visual games

B. prescribing medications for their temporary relief

C. creating more stimulating activities for them

D. spending more money on their entertainment

25. In order to alleviate children's boredom, the author would probably suggest

A. adjusting the pace of life and intensity of stimulation

B. promoting the practice of dad-son days

C. consulting a specialist in child psychology

D. balancing school work with extracurricular activities

Passage Two

Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.

It used to be that people were proud to work for the same company for the whole of their

working lives. They'd get a gold watch at the end of their productive years and a dinner featuring

speeches by their bosses praising their loyalty. But today's rich capitalists have regressed(倒退)

to the "survival of the fittest" ideas and their loyalty extends not to their workers or even to their

stockholders but only to themselves. Instead of giving out gold watches worth a hundred or so

dollars for forty or so years of work, they grab tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars as

they sell for their own profit the company they may have been with for only a few years.

The new rich selfishly act on their own to unfairly grab the wealth that the country as a whole

has produced. The top 1 percent of the population now has wealth equal to the whole bottom 95

percent and they want more. Their selfishness is most shamelessly expressed in downsizing and

outsourcing (将产品包给外公司做) because these business maneuvers don't act to create new

jobs as the founders of' new industries used to do, but only to cut out jobs while keeping the

money value of what those jobs produced for themselves.

To keep the money machine working smoothly the rich have bought all the politicians from

the top down. The president himself is constantly leaving Washington and the business of the

nation because he is summoned to "fundraising dinners" where fat cats pay a thousand or so

dollars a plate to worm their way into government not through service but through donations of

vast amounts of money. Once on the inside they have both political parties busily tearing up all the

regulations that protect the rest of us from the greed of the rich.

The middle class used to be loyal to the free enterprise system. In the past, the people of the

middle class mostly thought they'd be rich themselves someday or have a good shot at becoming

rich. But nowadays income is being distributed more and more unevenly and corporate loyalty is a

thing of the past. The middle class may also wake up to forget its loyalty to the so-called free

enterprise system altogether and the government which governs only the rest of us while letting

the corporations do what they please with our jobs. As things stand, if somebody doesn't wake up,

the middle class is on a path to being downsized all the way to the bottom of society.

26. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that people used to place a high value on ______.

A. job security B. bosses' praise C. corporate loyalty D. retirement benefits

27. The author is strongly critical of today's rich capitalists for __________.

A. not giving necessary assistance to laid-off workers

B. maximizing their profits at tile expense of' workers

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

C. not setting up long-term goals for their companies

D. rewarding only those who are considered the fittest

28. The immediate consequence of the new capitalists' practice is

A. loss of corporate reputation B. lower pay for the employees

C. a higher rate of unemployment D. a decline in business transactions

29. The rich try to sway the policy of the government by

A. occupying important positions in both political parties

B. making monetary contributions to decision-makers

C. pleasing the public with generous donations

D. coustantly hosting fundraising dinners

30. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?

A. To call on the middle class to remain loyal to the free enterprise system.

B. To warn the government of the shrinking of the American middle class.

C. To persuade the government to change its cmTent economic policies.

D. To urge the middle class to wake up and protect their own interests.

Passage Three

Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.

Intel chairman Andy Grove has decided to cut the Gordian knot of controversy surrounding

stem cell research by simply writing a check.

The check, which he pledged last week, could be for as much as $ 5 million, depending on

how many donors make gifts of between $ 50,000 and $ 500,000, which he has promised to match. It will be made out to the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF).

Thanks in part to such private donations l university research into uses for human stem

cells--the cells at the earliest stages of development that can form any body part--will continue in

California. With private financial support, the state will be less likely to lose talented scientists

who would be tempted to leave the field or even leave the country as research dependent on

federal money slows to a glacial(极其缓慢的) pace.

Hindered by limits President Bush placed on stein cell research a year ago, scientists are

turning to laboratories that can carry out work without using federal money. This is awkward for

universities, which must spend extra money building separate labs and keeping rigorous records

proving no federal funds were involved. Grove's donation, a first step toward a $ 20 million target

at UCSF, will ease the burden.

The president's decision a year ago to allow research on already existing stem cell lines was

portrayed as a reasonable compromise between scientists' needs for cells to work with, and

concerns that this kind of research could lead to wholesale creation and destruction of human

embryos( 胚胎 ) , cloned infants and a general contempt for human life.

But Bush's effort to please both sides ended up pleasing neither. And it certainly didn't

provide the basis for cutting edge research. Of the 78 existing stem cell lines which Bush said are

all that science would ever need, only one is in this country( at the University of Wisconsin), and

only five are ready for distribution to researchers. All were grown in conjunction with mouse cells,

making future therapeutic (治疗的) uses unlikely.

The Bush administration seems bent on satisfying the small but vocal group of Americans

who oppose stem cell research under any conditions. Fortunately, Grove and others are more

interested in advancing scientific research that could benefit the large number of Americans who

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

suffer from Parkinson's disease, nerve injuries, heart diseases and many other problems.

31. When Andy Grove decided to cut the Gordian knot, he meant to ____.

A. put an end to stem cell research

B. end Intel's relations with Gordian

C. settle the dispute on stem cell research quickly

D. expel Gordian from stern cell research for good

32. For UCSF to carry on stem cell research, new funds have to come from

A. interested businesses and individuals

B. the United States federal government

C. a foundation set up by the Intel Company

D. executives of leading American companies

33. As a result of the limits Bush placed on stem cell research, American universities will

A. conduct the research in laboratories overseas

B. abandon the research altogether in the near future

C. have to carry out the research secretly

D. have to raise money to build separate labs

34. We may infer from the passage that future therapeutic uses of stem cells will be unlikely

unless

A. human stem cells are used in the research

B. a lot more private donations can be secured

C. more federal money is used for the research

D. talented scientists are involved in the research

35. The reason lying behind President Bush's placing limits on stem cell research is that __.

A. his administration is financially pinched

B. he did not want to offend its opponents

C. it amounts to a contempt for human life

D. D. it did not promise any therapeutic value

Passage Four

Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.

This looks like the year that hard-pressed tenants in California will get relief--not just in the

marketplace, where rents have eased, but from the state capital Sacramento.

Two significant tenant reforms stand a good chance of passage. One bill, which will give

more time to tenants being evicted( 逐出) ,will soon be heading to the governor's desk. The other,

protecting security deposits, faces a vote in the Senate on Monday.

For more than a century, landlords in California have been able to force tenants out with

only 30 day's notice. That will now double under SB 1403, which got through the Assembly

recently. The new protection will apply only to renters who have been in an apartment for at least

a year.

Even 60 days in a tight housing market won't be long enough for some families to find an

apartment near where their kids go to school. But it will be an improvement in cities like San Jose,

where renters rights groups charge that unscrupulous (不择手段的) landlords have kicked out

tenants on short notice to put up rents.

The California Landlords Association argued that landlords shouldn't have to wait 60 days

to get rid of problem tenants.But the bill gained support when a Japanese real estate investor sent

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

out 30-day eviction notices to 550 families renting homes in Sacramento and Santa Rosa. The

landlords lobby eventually dropped its opposition and instead turned its forces against AB 2330,

regarding security deposits.

Sponsored by Assembly woman Carole Migden of San Francisco, the bill would establish a

procedure and a timetable for tenants to get back security deposits.

Some landlords view security deposits as a free mouth's rent, theirs for the taking. In most

cases, though, there are honest disputes over damages---what constitutes ordinary wear and tear.

AB 2330 would give a tenant the right to request a walk-through with the landlord and to

make the repairs before moving out; reputable landlords already do this. It would increase the

penalty for failing to return a deposit.

The original bill would have required the landlord to pay interest on the deposit. The

landlords lobby protested that it would involve too much paperwork over too little money--less

than $ 10 a year on a $1,000 deposit, at current rates. On Wednesday, the sponsor dropped the

interest section to increase the chance of passage.

Even in its amended form, AB 2330 is, like SB 1403, vitally important for tenants and

should be made state law.

36. We learn from the passage that SB 1403 will benefit __________.

A. long-term real estate investors B. short-term tenants in Sacramento

C. landlords in the State of California D. tenants renting a house over a year

37. A 60-day notice before eviction may not be early enough for renters because _________.

A. moving house is something difficult to arrange

B. appropriate housing may not be readily available

C. more time is needed for their kids' school registration

D. the furnishing of the new house often takes a long time

38. Very often landlords don't return tenants' deposits on the pretext that __

A. their rent has not been paid in time B. there has been ordinary wear and tear

C. tenants have done damage to the house D. the 30-day notice for moving out is over

39. Why did the sponsor of the AB 2330 Mil finally give in on the interest section?

A. To put an end to a lengthy argument.

B. To urge landlords to lobby for its passage.

C. To cut down the heavy paperwork for its easy passage.

D. To make it easier for the State Assembly to pass the bill.

40. It can be learned from the passage that __

A. both bills are likely to be made state laws

B. neither bill will pass through the Assembly

C. AB 2330 stands a better chance of passage

D. Sacramento and San Jose support SB 1403

Part Ⅲ  Vocabulary (20 minutes)

Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences it: this part. For each sentence there are four

choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose cite ONE answer that best completes the sentence.

Then mark the Corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

41. Grey whales have long been _____ in the north Atlantic and hunting was an important cause

for that.

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

A. extinct B. extinguished C. detained D. deprived

42. He was given major responsibility for operating the remote manipulator to _______ the newly

launched satellite.

A. retreat B. retrieve C. embody D. embrace

43. Foreign students are facing unprecedented delays, as visa applications receive closer _______ than ever.

A. appraisal B. scanning C. retention D. scrutiny

44. If you are late for the appointment, you might ______ the interviewer and lose your chance of

being accepted.

A. irrigate B. intrigue C. irritate D. intimidate

45. Children's idea of a magic kingdom is often dancers in animal _______ as they have often

seen in Disneyland.

A. cushions B. costumes C. skeletons D. ornaments

46. Ever since the first nuclear power stations were built, doubts have ________ about their safety.

A. preserved B. survived C. suspended D. lingered

47. This clearly shows that crops and weeds have quite a number of _______ in common.

A. traits B. traces C. tracks D. trails

48. From science to Shakespeare, excellent television and video programs are available _________ to teachers.

A. in stock B. in store C. in operation D. in abundance

49. When the Italian poet Dante was _______ from his home in Florence, he decided to walk from

Italy to Paris to search for the real meaning of life.

A. exerted B. expired C. exiled D. exempted

50. Habits acquired in youth--notably smoking and drinking--may increase the risk of _________

diseases in a person's later life.

A. consecutive B. chronic C. critical D. cyclical

51. F.W. Woolworth was the first businessman to erect a true skyscraper to ______ himself, and in

1929, A1 Smith, a former governor of New York, sought to outreach him.

A. portray B. proclaim C. exaggerate D. commemorate

52. To label their produce as organic, farmers have to obtain a certificate showing that no ________ chemicals have been used to kill pests on the farm for two years.

A. toxic B. tragic C. nominal D. notorious

53. Ancient Greek gymnastics training programs were considered to be an ________ part of the

children's education.

A. intact B. integral C. inclusive D. infinite

54. Researchers have found that happiness doesn't appear to be anyone's _______; the capacity

for joy is a talent you develop largely for yourself.

A. disposal B. domain C. heritage D. hostage

55. We want our children to have more than job skills; we want their lives to be _______ and their

perspectives to be broadened.

A. envisaged B. excelled C. exceeded D. enriched

56. Online schools, which __ the needs of different people, have emerged as an increasingly

popular education alternative.

A. stir up B. switch on C. eater to D. consent to

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

57. This kind of songbird sleeps much less during its annual ___________, but that doesn't seem to affect its flying.

A. migration B. emigration C. conveyance D. transference

58. The developing nations want rich countries to help shoulder the cost of _______ forests.

A. updating B. upgrading C. conserving D. constructing

59. In the study, researchers succeeded in determining how coffee _______ different areas of the brain in 15 volunteers.

A. integrated B. motivated C. illuminated D. activated

60. They are trying to ________ the risk as much as they can by making a more thorough investigation of the market.

A. minimize B. harmonize C. summarize D. jeopardize

61. The cycles of the sun and moon arc simple but _______ forces which have shaped human lives since the beginning.

A. frantic B. gigantic C. sensational D. maximum

62. An effort was launched recently to create tire first computer __ of the entire human brain.

A. repetition B. repression C. saturation D. simulation

63. In the face of the disaster, the world has united to aid millions of' __ people trying to piece their lives back together.

A. fragile B. primitive C. vulnerable D. susceptible

64. AIDS is a global problem that demands a unified, worldwide solution, which is not only the responsibility of nations in which AIDS is most _________.

A. relevant B. prevalent C. vigorous D. rigorous

65. After the earthquake, a world divided by ______ and religious disputes suddenly faced its common humanity in this shocking disaster.

A. ethnic B. epidemic C. strategic D. pathetic

66. Psychologists suggest that children who are shy are more ________ to develop depression and anxiety later in life.

A. eligible B. engaged C. prone D. prospective

67. Initially, the scientists and engineers seemed _________ by the variety of responses people can make to a poem.

A. reinforced B. embarrassed C. depressed D. bewildered

68. Is it possible to stop drug _______ in the country within a very short time ?

A. adoption B. addiction C. contemplation D. compulsion

69. The parents of Lindsay, 13, an _________ tennis player who spends eight hours a day on the court, admit that a regular school is not an option for their daughter.

A. exotic B. equivalent C. elite D. esthetic

70. Our research confirmed the _________ that when children have many different caregivers important aspects of their development are liable to be overlooked.

A. hypothesis B. hierarchy C. synthesis D. syndrome

Part Ⅳ Error Correction (15 minutes)

Directions: This part consists of a short passage. In this passage, there are altogether 10 mistakes, one in each numbered line. You may have to change a word, add a word o delete a word, Mark out

2006年12月大学英语六级考试试题

the mistakes and put the corrections in the blanks provided, If you change a word, cross it out and write the correct word in the corresponding blank, If you add a word, put an insertion mark (^) in the right place and write the missing word in the blank. If you delete a word, cross it out and put a slash (/ ) in the blank.

Example:

Television is rapidly becoming the literature of our periods. Many of the arguments having used for the study of literature as a school subject are valid for ^ study of television. 3.__the_____

The most important starting point for improving the

understanding of science is undoubtedly an adequate

scientific education at school. Public attitudes towards

science owe much the way science is taught in these S1. ________ institutions. Today, school is what most people come into S2. ________ contact with a formal instruction and explanation of science

for the first time, at least in a systematic way. It is at this

point which the foundations are ]aid for an interest in science. S3. _________ What is taught( and how) in this first encounter will largely

determine individual's view of the subject in adult life.

Understanding the original of the negative attitudes S4. _________ towards science may help us to modify them. Most education

system neglect exploration, understanding and reflection. S5. __________ Teachers in schools tend to present science as a collection of

facts, often by more detail than necessary. As a result, S6. __________ children memorize processes such as mathematical formulas

or the periodic table, only to forget it shortly afterwards. The S7. __________ task of learning facts and concepts, one at a time, makes

learning laborious, boring and efficient. Such a purely S8. __________ empirical approach, which consists of observation and

description, is also, in a sense, unscientific or incomplete.

There is therefore a need for resources and methods of

teaching that facilitates a deep understanding of science in S9. __________ an enjoyable way. Science should not only be 'fun' in the

same way as playing a video game, but 'hard fun'--a deep

feeling of connection made possibly only by imaginative S10. __________ engagement.

Part V Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled The Celebration of Western Festivals. You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.

1．现在国内有不少人喜欢过西方的某些节日

2．产生这种现象的原因

3．这种现象可能带来的影响

The Celebration of Western Festivals

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