四级模拟试卷二及详解答案

四级考前最新命制试卷

Part I

Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled On Dishonesty of College

Students following the outline given below. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

1. 大学生诚信缺失事件不断发生 2. 大学生诚信缺失的原因 3. 对大学生诚信缺失的对策

On Dishonesty of College Students

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

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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.

Foster Children & Education

How you can create a positive educational experience for foster children

Meet the challenges

It’s hard to overestimate the importance of education in the life of a foster child. The school experience can greatly affect the quality of a child’s day-to-day life – and the quality of her future when she leaves care. While in care, foster children need school as a point of stability in lives that can be battered by change. As adults, with less of a safety net than children from intact families, they need a strong educational foundation in order to support themselves. But when it comes to succeeding in school, foster children face unique challenges and obstacles beyond those faced by even their most economically disadvantaged non-foster peers. And busy child welfare professionals, foster parents, and birth parents may be distracted or overwhelmed, leaving no adult paying attention to a foster child’s educational needs.

Increasingly, researchers have documented these issues, and child welfare professionals have become aware of the need to pay closer attention to the education of children in the child welfare system. But the challenges can seem insurmountable (不可逾越的), requiring solutions so difficult and expensive that nothing can be done. Between 1999 and 2002, the Vera Institute of Justice and the New York City Administration for Children's Services ran a pilot project, in partnership with the New York City Board of Education, to tackle those challenges. The project, Safe and Smart, provides lessons about the special issues foster children face in trying to get an education and suggests which responses designed to improve their outcomes can work – and which might not. We are not suggesting replicating Safe and Smart but rather learning from its experience. Our key finding is that simple and inexpensive supports and tools can go a long way towards helping adults improve the school experience for youth in foster care. Recognizing the Challenge: How Are Foster Children Doing in School? Foster children lag behind their non-foster peers in school. Research over the past three decades has shown that, compared to the general school population, the half million foster children in the United States: ■ have poorer attendance rates, ■ are less likely to perform at grade level,

■ are more likely to have behavior and discipline problems, ■ are more likely to be assigned to special education classes, and ■ are less likely to attend college.

A 2001 study in the American School Board Journal found that foster children often repeat a grade and are twice as likely as the rest of the school population to drop out before graduation. And among all students who drop out of school, fewer foster children eventually earn their GED than non-foster dropouts. Staff at the Vera Institute of Justice found that foster children in New York City not only performed poorly compared to children citywide but also compared to children in their own economically distressed communities.

The old assumption that foster children suffered from the same barriers as other economically disadvantaged children suggested that the only solution was to improve the school experience for all poor children and that there was nothing the child welfare system could do. But this recent research and our own experience in developing Safe

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and Smart suggest that child welfare professionals can address many of the special challenges that foster children face.

Obstacles to Educational Success

No adult in the foster care system wants children to do poorly in school; they often just don’t think about school very much. When we talked with foster children, many told us that the only time their foster parents, caseworkers, judges, or lawyers paid attention to how they were doing in school was when they were misbehaving or failing to attend. And sometimes they did not get noticed by the adults around them even then. School is forgotten or treated as a side issue as the adults worry about protecting children from neglect or abuse, finding them new homes, or transferring them if a placement does not work out. So the first challenge is to pay attention and to look at the special obstacles foster children face in trying to get an education, many of them inadvertently (不经意间) created by the adults.

Lack of Continuity in Education

For children in care, placement – and subsequent changes in their foster care residence – often means a change of school as well. Most research shows that transfers have a harmful effect on educational outcomes. The absence of required school records or other documents can lead to a delay in registering at the new school and a gap of days or weeks in learning. But less recognized is the effect of placement transfers on the child. Each transfer requires the child to adjust to new teachers and peers and to a curriculum that may differ considerably from her previous school. Too many transfers can cause a child to disengage and give up on school. Transfers also play havoc with (破坏) continuity of special services. Many jurisdictions are now making it a priority to keep children in their present school both when they enter care and if they experience multiple placements. Keeping school as a point of stability can help foster children succeed educationally and give them peers and caring adults to help them weather the changes at home.

Requirements of the Child Welfare System The foster care system makes many demands on those who are part of it, including the children. There are court appearances, sessions with counselors and therapists, and medical appointments that frequently conflict with school. Children in care told researchers at Vera that they missed tests and homework assignments because of scheduling conflicts and, therefore, fell behind in their school work. Judges and caseworkers should make it a priority to schedule appointments after school hours. Lack of Emphasis on Education If the systems responsible for the well-being of foster children– child welfare, education, and the courts – do not place a strong emphasis on the education of foster children and work together to promote success in school, education will fall through the cracks. Education planning should be a part of the initial discussions about placement when a child enters care and whenever that placement changes. In New York City, education plans are discussed at the conferences held within 72 hours of placement and again after 30 days. Education then becomes part of the plan. Low Expectations

All children respond to expectations, and when the adults in their lives expect them to do poorly, they often fulfill those expectations. Too often teachers, guidance counselors, and other school staff do not expect foster children to excel in school. Even foster parents, some of whom may have little formal education themselves, and caseworkers may expect nothing more than passing grades. Few foster children are encouraged to think about college; they are much more likely to be directed to vocational education programs. And few are encouraged to

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participate in the extra-curricular activities that are associated with higher academic achievement. Yet recent studies of older youth in foster care show that they often have high educational aspirations, resent the fact that more is not expected of them, and would benefit from adult encouragement.

1. The school experience is especially important for a foster child because . A) it serves as the only way for the child to live a stable life B) it can greatly influence the quality of the child’s future C) it brings the child into an imaginary and adventurous world D) it can help the child overcome their unique obstacles

2. What is said about the project Safe and Smart?

A) Its experience has been replicated by many children care centers in the US. B) It is a special course that is only oriented towards the needs of foster parents. C) It is a pilot project tackling the challenges in the education of foster children. D) It has raised public awareness about the importance of education for children.

3. Three decades’ research shows that 500 thousand foster children in the US . A) have higher chances to go to college B) perform poorly compared to non-fosters C) seem to have strong self-discipline D) are unlikely to drop out before graduation

4. According to the old assumption, foster children . A) come from economically disadvantaged families B) benefit a great deal from the child welfare system C) often have behavior and discipline problems D) face the same challenges as other poor children

5. Many of the obstacles that foster children face in trying to get an education . A) are neglected by the busy caretakers B) are created accidentally by the adults

6. Many people don’t recognize that placement transfers . A) can lead to a long gap of time in learning B) help children succeed academically C) make children more adaptable in life D) have a harmful effect on children in care

7. What is attributed to their failure to finish homework assignments according to children in care?

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C) are extremely difficult to overcome D) are an inevitable part of the society

A) Scheduling conflicts. B) Physical disabilities.

C) Constant changes in schools. D) Unstable family life.

8. The author believes that the systems responsible for foster children should ___________________________ on the education of foster children.

9. Usually foster parents and caseworkers only expect the foster child to ___________________________ in school.

10. According to recent studies, ___________________________ do good to older foster children who have high educational aspirations.

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) Mike deserves to study in Germany. B) There is no need for Mike to study German. C) Mike should leave home and live independently. D) Mike should decide for himself whether to study German.

12. A) He prefers to live in other big cities. B) He does not like London very much. C) He comes from a place much smaller than London. D) He believes it’s more comfortable to live in London.

13. A) They have bought the brown carpet. B) He doesn’t like the red carpet.

14. A) It is too hard for her to be finished.

15. A) To post notices on bulletin boards.

C) To shop at nearby supermarkets. D) To apply for a job in the newspaper.

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C) They should paint their furniture brown. D) The red carpet matches the brown furniture. C) It will be finished by Tuesday afternoon.

B) She can’t have it done by this Friday night. D) She cannot finish it until later in the week.

B) To place advertisements in newspaper.

16. A) He has difficulty in choosing between two articles. B) He feels it’s hard to calm himself down. C) He thinks both articles are too difficult to read. D) The articles are much longer than he expected.

17. A) It is excellent.

18. A) He is often asked to go and see movies. B) He will go and see the new movie later.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. A) It is a waste of time and energy. B) It damages children’s eye sight.

20. A) He often goes there to practice his oral English. B) He feels shy every time he begins to chat. C) He has made a lot of friends there. D) He spends all his spare time chatting there.

21. A) People should glue to computer as long as they can. B) People should go get refreshed after surfing the net. C) People should always socialize with people online. D) People should keep fit online.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 22. A) He has bought enough Christmas gifts. B) He has made the plans for Christmas celebrations. C) He has prepared some Christmas cards. D) He has done nothing for the Christmas.

23. A) $250. B) $550. C) $750. D) $1,100.

24. A) They don’t have to go to school.

25. A) He will decorate a tree by himself.

C) He will do without a tree for the Christmas. D) He will buy a decorated tree.

B) He will borrow a tree from his neighbors.

C) They don’t have to cook the big dinner.

B) They don’t have to worry about the shopping. D) They don’t have to do their homework.

C) Children may get bad impact from it. D) Children may learn new things from it. C) He went to see the movie last month. D) He doesn’t want to see the movie.

C) It is much too long. D) It is too complicated.

B) It is a disappointment.

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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 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 28 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26. A) They are patient and finish what they start. B) They are moody and become annoyed easily. C) They are stubborn and impulsive.

D) They are conservative and stick to convention.

27. A) People of blood type A. B) People of blood type B.

28. A) In 1911.

Passage Two

Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard. 29. A) The color represents truth, peace and humanitarian. B) The color represents truth, love and coordination. C) The color represents peace, truth and coordination. D) The color represents peace, cooperation and truth.

30. A) It can reduce the risk of heart disease. B) It can increase blood pressure.

31. A) Dull.

Passage Three Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 32. A) Snap his finger and wave to the bar staff. B) Ring the bell hanging behind the counter. C) Show an expectant face with an empty glass. D) Hold a glass or some money and wave them around.

33. A) It is very popular with British people. B) It takes a relatively long time before it is ready.

B) Horrible.

C) Tranquil.

D) Cool.

C) It can make a room look larger. D) It can balance other sharp colors.

B) In 1913.

C) In 1930.

D) In 1931

C) People of blood type O. D) People of blood type AB. 7

C) Very few people can get accustomed to its taste. D) Whoever orders it should stand at the end of the queue.

34. A) To treat them a glass of drink.

35. A) Funny stories in a British pub. B) Various etiquettes in British pubs.

C) Considerations of running a pub in Britain. D) Ways of making friends in a pub.

C) To offer them some cash. D) To help them promote their bar.

B) To order one more glass of beer.

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.

Many experts say the first years of a child’s life are important for all later development. An American study shows how mothers can strongly (36) _______ social development and language skills in their children. The study involved more than 1,200 mothers and children. Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. They (37) _______ the mothers playing with their children four times during this period. The researchers attempted to (38) _______ the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their child’s (39) _______ and did not interfere (40) _______. They tested the children for (41) _______ and language development when they were three years old.

The children of depressed women did not do as well on tests as the children of women who did not (42) _______ from depression. The children of depressed women did (43) _______ on tests of language skills and understanding what

they

hear.

Also,

(44)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________. Another study suggests that babies who are bigger at birth generally are more intelligent later in life. (45) _____________________________________________________________________________________________. Study

organizers say

this

is

probably

because

(46)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________.

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

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank

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from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

Questions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.

Researchers have identified 1.4 million animal species so far — and millions remain to be discovered, named, and scientifically described. So how much would it 47 cost to identify every animal on Earth? A pair of Brazilian scientists has crunched (详细计算) the numbers and come up with a(n) 48 : $263 billion. That’s more than the $5 billion that famed Harvard University biologist Edward O. Wilson 49 back in 2000 — and that was for every species on Earth, not just animals. But even $263 billion would be a 50 price to pay to understand the creatures that enable such essentials as agriculture, fisheries, new drugs, and energy 51 , says ornithologist (鸟类学家) Joel Cracraft of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. ―Literally, the world economy runs on biodiversity.‖ he says. ―People don’t understand really deeply how much we depend on biodiversity.‖ Most biologists agree that with extinction rates soaring and climate change looming (即将来临), the 52 to document the planet’s biodiversity — or biota (生物区) — is urgent, 53 considering the essential role these life forms play in crop pollination (传授花粉), clean air, and other 54 of human well-being. ―We are losing species by extinction 55 than we are describing new species,‖ according to some estimates, says biologist Antonio Marques, who coauthored the new paper with Fernando Carbayo, both at the University of St. Paulo in Brazil. ―We have to know the biota to preserve and conserve the biota.‖ he says. Besides the money, another huge 56 to a complete understanding of the animal kingdom is a global shortage of taxonomists (分类学家), experts say. A) obstacle B) faster C) especially D) effort E) actually F) aspects G) slower H) answer

I) small J) exact K) sources L) evaluated N) estimated O) question M) expense

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 through the centre.

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Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

Drinking wastewater? The idea may sound distasteful, but new federally funded research says more Americans are doing so — whether they know or not — and this reuse will be increasingly necessary as the U.S. population expands.

Treated wastewater poses no greater health risks than existing water supplies and, in some cases, may be even safer to drink, according to a report released by the National Research Council. ―We believe water reuse is an option to deal with growing water scarcity, especially in coastal areas,‖ says Jorg Drewes, an engineering professor at the Colorado School of Mines. ―This can be done reliably without putting the public at risk,‖ he says, citing technological advances. He says it’s a waste not to reuse the nation’s wastewater, because almost all of it is treated before discharge. This water includes storm runoff (径流) as well as used water from homes, businesses and factories.

In many places, the report says, the public does not realize it’s drinking water that was treated after being discharged as wastewater somewhere upstream. For example, wastewater discharged into the Trinity River from Dallas/Fort Worth flows south into Lake Livingston, the source for Houston’s drinking water.

Despite the growing importance of this reuse, the report says there’s been no systemic analysis of its extent nationwide since a 1980 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Alan Roberson of the American Water Works Association says wastewater reuse is common, so the council’s report is important but not surprising. Roberson expects this recycling will continue to increase, especially for irrigation and industrial needs. He says it will take longer to establish potable (适于饮用的) uses because of public nervousness about drinking wastewater, however treated.

―We have to do something to address water scarcity‖, says Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group. ―Less than 10 of potable water is used for drinking, cooking, showering or dishwashing. We flush it down the toilet, literally.‖ Technologies exist to safely treat the water, she says, although some are expensive.

The report says water reuse projects tend to cost more, than most water conservation options but less than seawater desalination (脱盐) and other supply alternatives. It calls on the EPA to develop rules that set safe national standards.

57. As can be learned from Paragraph 1, drinking wastewater ______. A) has become the dominant option B) is to become a growing necessity

58. Which of the following statements about water reuse would Jorg Drewes agree to? A) It is preferable to wasting water. B) It may eventually put the public at risk. C) It is far from a solution to water shortage.

C) has caused heated public debates D) is well received by the Americans

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45. It found that the intelligence of a child at seven years of age is directly linked to his or her weight at birth 46. heavier babies received more nutrition during important periods of brain development before they were born

Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth)

47. E) 48. H) 49. N) 50. I) 51. K) 52. D) 53. C) 54. F) 55. B) 56. A) 57. B) 58. A) 59. C) 60. D) 61. B) 62. A) 63. C) 64. D) 65. B) 66. C)

Part V Cloze

67. C) 68. B) 69. A) 70. C) 71. D) 72. A) 73. C) 74. D) 75. B) 76. A) 77. D) 78. D) 79. A)

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80. C) 81. B) 82. B) 83. A) 84. C) 85. D) 86. B)

Part VI Translation

87. do remember to consider the consequence 88. (should) hand in our research report

89. makes no / doesn’t make full preparations before taking an exam 90. there would be no more reason 91. decide not to go to college

录音文本

Part III Listening Comprehension Section A

11. M: Do you think we should urge Mike to study German? W: He is already eighteen. I think we’d better leave that decision up to him. Q: What does the woman mean?

12. W: Do you really like London? It must be very different from where you live. M: Well, yes, it is. My hometown is much smaller than London. Q: What can we learn about the man from the conversation?

13. W: The red carpet is a good buy. It matches the furniture well, doesn’t it? M: But I still wish we’d bought the brown one. Q: What does the man mean?

14. M: Do you think you can have that assignment finished by Tuesday afternoon? W: There is no possible way I could have it done that soon. Friday night would be the absolute earliest time. Q: What does the woman mean about the assignment?

15. W: Hey, Mark, have you been able to sell your old piano yet?

M: Just posting notices on bulletin boards at a couple of supermarkets wasn’t enough. I think I’ll have to place an

advertisement in the local newspaper. Q: What does the man want to do?

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16. M: I can’t decide which of these two articles would be more useful to read.

W: As far as I’m concerned, you should calm down and have a deep thought about it. Q: What is the man’s problem?

17. W: I’m afraid I did quite a lot of skipping with the novel Red Baby. And with over five hundred pages it was a bit

of a disappointment really. M: I must admit that it was rather long. Q: What does the man think of Red Baby?

18. W: Would you like to go and see the new movie with us? M: That’s the last thing in the world I would ever want to do. Q: What does the man mean?

Now you will hear the two long conversations.

Conversation One

W: Hi, John, what do you usually do on weekends? I feel so bored on the weekend. M: Why don’t you surf the net? There are so many fun things to do!

W: Well, my mom won’t let me get online. She said that there are so many traps on the Internet. She is afraid that I might get bad influence.

M: She only looks at the negative side of the Internet. Actually there are far more positive impacts. W: Could you give me some examples, please? M: Simply by clicking a button, you can get information about all kinds of topics. Even if you want to have very specific information, you will find it in a short time. W: Really?

M: There are also some social communities on the Internet, such as English Chat Room. I often go there to practice my oral English. I don’t feel shy there as I normally do. Now I find that I’ve made great progress in my oral and written English due to the Internet. W: That’s great. I’ve been looking for a place to practice my English for a long time.

M: Another big advantage of the Internet is the easy access to information and it’s very cheap. There are many websites that offer free stuff. W: I enjoy reading novels, especially those adventures. But my mom said that a lot of children get sick after playing on the computer all day long. M: She is right. We can’t get stuck to it all day. We need to go out to breathe fresh air. We need to keep fit in the park. And we also need to socialize with real people. W: Yeah, I see.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. What does the girl’s mom think of the Internet? 20. What does the man say about the English Chat Room?

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21. What can we know from the conversation?

Conversation Two

W: Are you all ready for Christmas?

M: Are you kidding? I haven’t even started. I’ve done zero shopping. W: Well, you’d better get going; Christmas is only a week away.

M: I have to tell you that I’m one of those people who really get stressed out by the Christmas rush. W: Oh, I’m not. I love the holidays. I love the crowd, the shopping, the lights, the music, the food, the parties, all the presents.

M: That’s just the beginning. My wife always spends too much money on Christmas. The average Christmas expense for US families is about $550. But somehow I always spend about twice that much. It takes me till April to pay off all our Christmas bills.

W: But didn’t you use to love Christmas when you were a kid? M: I guess so.

W: I know you did. You were the most exited kid in the whole class I remember. Maybe Christmas is for kids, but you can still enjoy it through the eyes of your children.

M: well, kids enjoy it because they don’t have to do all the shopping and pay all the bills.

W: Maybe that’s true. But for me, Christmas is about what’s in your heart and how you can make others happy. M: You’re right, Mary. I’m going to try hard to keep the true spirit of Christmas in my heart. W: I’m glad to hear that John. By the way, do you have your tree up?

M: Oh, I hate all the needles that get all over your living room floor. I mean, we’re going to get a decorated tree today.

W: That’s OK. Just enjoy your holiday. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 22. What did the man do to prepare for the Christmas? 23. How much does the man always spend for Christmas?

24. What does the man say about the reason why kids enjoy Christmas? 25. What is the man’s plan for the Christmas tree?

Section B Passage One

Jill Wesson is hiring staff for her company’s new office in Taipei. She’s started going through a pile of applications, taking note of work experience, and skills in computers and foreign languages. But one bit of information keeps turning up, and she can’t make heads or tails of it. ―Why are all of these people telling me what their blood type is?‖ She asks. ―What difference could that make? It’s an office, not a coal mine — nobody’s going to need a blood transfusion.‖ East Asia’s obsession with blood types comes from the work of Furukawa Takeji, a Japanese doctor who nearly a century ago was sure that personality was caused by blood type. According to his theory, each blood type had a distinctive, corresponding personality type: Type A people are conservative and passive, and are concerned with appearances. Although type A people are superficial and have a touch of mental instability,

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they are very patient and finish what they start. Type B people get along well with others because they are straightforward, and are noted for their creativity. But type B people are also moody and become bored and annoyed easily. Type O people are stubborn and impulsive. Their redeeming quality is that they are loyal to their friends. Type AB people are indecisive and picky. They tend to be demanding and impatient, and they have trouble seeing things through.

Despite any real evidence to support these ideas, Takeji’s theory quickly caught on. In 1930, standard job application forms included a blank for blood type, and today market researchers use it to predict buying habits, and ordinary people use it to choose friends and romantic partners. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26. What can we know about people of blood type B?

27. Which of the following types of people feature loyalty to their friends? 28. When did blood type first appear in standard job application forms?

Passage Two

Blue is the world’s favorite color. It is also the color most often associated with intellect and authority. Most uniforms are blue. In Greek and Roman mythology, blue is the color of sky gods. In the Old Testament, God is represented by deep blue. Blue is the dominant color in the mosques of the world. Blue symbolizes truth, peace and cooperation. And that’s why it is the color of the flags of the United Nations and of Europe. As in the sky and water that surround us, blue is seen as a peaceful and refreshing color. Blue light has seen to lower blood pressure by calming the nervous system hence relaxing the body and mind. Blue creates large airy spaces. It makes rooms bigger. Blue bedrooms are restful. Blue bathrooms are appropriately watery. Blue acquires depth with greens and reds. Light and soft blue makes us feel quiet and protected from the bustle and activity of the day. Dark blue represents the night making us calm. Its apparently calming effect makes it the perfect tone for the quieter zones of your living space. The wrong shade of blue can be uncomfortable. It can also be cold and sterile unless balanced with warmer colors. Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard. 29. Why does the United Nations use blue as the main color of its flag? 30. What effect does the color blue have, according to the passage? 31. Without warmer colors, what impression would blue color leave?

Passage Three

Amazingly for the British, who love queues, there is no formal lineup — the bar staff are skilled at knowing whose turn it is. Do not call out, tap coins on the counter, snap your finger or wave like a drowning swimmer. Do not scowl or sigh or roll your eyes. And whatever you do, do not ring the bell hanging behind the counter — this is used by the landlord to signal closing time. The key thing is to catch the bar worker’s eyes. You could also hold an empty glass or some money, but do not wave them about. Do adopt an expectant, hopeful, even slightly anxious facial expression. If you look too contented and complacent, the bar staff may assume you are already being served. Always say ―please‖ and try to remember what some of the British bar staffs hate. They do not like people to keep others waiting while they make up their minds. They don’t like people standing idly against the bar when there are a lot of customers waiting for service. And they do not like people who wait until the end of the order before asking for such drinks as Guinness stout which take considerably longer to pour than other drinks. One Dutch tourist who spent

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six months visiting 800 of Britain’s 61,000 pubs and interviewing 50 publicans and bar workers and more than 1,000 customers said: ―1 cannot understand how the British ever manage to buy themselves a drink.‖ But they do, and if you follow these tips you should be able to do so, too. Speaking of tips, you should never offer the bar staff a cash gratuity. The correct behavior is to offer them a drink. Pubs pride themselves on their equalitarian atmosphere. A tip in cash would be a reminder of their service role, whereas the offer of a drink is a friendly gesture. Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

32. What is the correct way of letting the bar staff know a customer’s demand for drinking? 33. Which of the following is true about Guinness stout? 34. What is suggested as tips, according to the passage? 35. What is the passage mainly about? Section C Many experts say the first years of a child’s life are important for all later development. An American study shows how mothers can strongly influence social development and language skills in their children. The study involved more than 1,200 mothers and children. Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. They observed the mothers playing with their children four times during this period. The researchers attempted to measure the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their child’s activities and did not interfere unnecessarily. They tested the children for thinking and language development when they were three years old. The children of depressed women did not do as well on tests as the children of women who did not suffer from depression. The children of depressed women did poorly on tests of language skills and understanding what they hear. Also, these children were less cooperative and had more problems dealing with other people. Another study suggests that babies who are bigger at birth generally are more intelligent later in life. It found that the intelligence of a child at seven years of age is directly linked to his or her weight at birth. Study organizers say this is probably because heavier babies received more nutrition during important periods of brain development before they were born. 21

six months visiting 800 of Britain’s 61,000 pubs and interviewing 50 publicans and bar workers and more than 1,000 customers said: ―1 cannot understand how the British ever manage to buy themselves a drink.‖ But they do, and if you follow these tips you should be able to do so, too. Speaking of tips, you should never offer the bar staff a cash gratuity. The correct behavior is to offer them a drink. Pubs pride themselves on their equalitarian atmosphere. A tip in cash would be a reminder of their service role, whereas the offer of a drink is a friendly gesture. Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

32. What is the correct way of letting the bar staff know a customer’s demand for drinking? 33. Which of the following is true about Guinness stout? 34. What is suggested as tips, according to the passage? 35. What is the passage mainly about? Section C Many experts say the first years of a child’s life are important for all later development. An American study shows how mothers can strongly influence social development and language skills in their children. The study involved more than 1,200 mothers and children. Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. They observed the mothers playing with their children four times during this period. The researchers attempted to measure the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their child’s activities and did not interfere unnecessarily. They tested the children for thinking and language development when they were three years old. The children of depressed women did not do as well on tests as the children of women who did not suffer from depression. The children of depressed women did poorly on tests of language skills and understanding what they hear. Also, these children were less cooperative and had more problems dealing with other people. Another study suggests that babies who are bigger at birth generally are more intelligent later in life. It found that the intelligence of a child at seven years of age is directly linked to his or her weight at birth. Study organizers say this is probably because heavier babies received more nutrition during important periods of brain development before they were born. 21

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