1992年1月大学英语四级考试真题

Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)
Section A
Directions:　　In this section, you will hear 10 short conversation s. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the question 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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Example:
You will hear:
You will read:
A) At the office.
B) In the waiting room.
C) At the airport.
D) In a restaurant.
From the conversation we know that the two were talking about some work they had to finish in the evening. This is most likely to have taken place at the office. Therefore, A) “At the office” is the best answer. You should choose [A] on the Answer Sheet and mark it with a single line through the centre.
Sample Answer [A] [B] [C] [D]
1.　　A) Give the woman what she wants.
B) Help the woman in a moment.
C) Tell the woman what he is doing.
D) Stop his work immediately.
2.　　A) He wants the woman to call him again.
B) He will call the woman in two weeks.
C) He wants her to fix the watch within one week.
D) He will fix the woman’s watch.
3.　　A) To see the doctor.
B) To go to a party.
C) To make an appointment.
D) To look after her children.
4.　　A) She is eager to know what the present is.
B) She is not anxious to know what it is.
C) She doesn’t know what she is asked to wait for.
D) She really doesn’t care about the present.
5.　　A) The program was on too late.
B) His TV set was out of order.
C) He doesn’t think much of the President.
D) He had a late class.
6.　　A) The teacher postponed the conference.
B) There won’t be a test this afternoon.
C) The students will be attending the conference.
D) The students took a science test this afternoon.
7.　　A) She thinks his lectures are boring.
B) She thinks his tests are too long.
C) She doesn’t like his choice of test questions.
D) She doesn’t think he prepares his lectures well enough.
8.　　A) She thinks he talks too much.
B) She thinks he is simple-minded.
C) She thinks he is always very frank.
D) She thinks he doesn’t like speaking.
9.　　A) On foot.
B) By bus.
C) By car.
D) By bike.
10.　　A) ￡7.
B) ￡9.
C) ￡11.
D) ￡15.
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 based on the passage you have just heard.
11.　　A) They are in a good temper.
B) They like music.
C) They want to say something.
D) They sing for enjoyment.
12.　　A) They make some signs.
B) They keep from other birds.
C) They keep silent.
D) They hide themselves.
13.　　A) It spreads out its tail.
B) It dances.
C) It uses shells and flowers to make a garden.
D) It flies high in the sky.
Passage Two
Questions 14 to 16 are based on the passage you have just heard.
14.　　A) They hung meat in the sun.
B) They cooked meat with salt.
C) They preserved meat with ice.
D) They kept meat underground.
15.　　A) He began to use chemicals.
B) He preserved food with sugar.
C) He kept food in cans.
D) He sealed food in jars.
16.　　A) Development of the canning industry.
B) Food processing and chemicals.
C) Food industry in different countries.
D) Preserving food-past and present.
Passage Three
Questions 17 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.
17.　　A) In the United states.
B) At Sutter’s Fort.
C) In Sweden.
D) In Switzerland.
18.　　A) He left the farm.
B) He kept it a secret to himself.
C) He told Sutter about it.
D) He tried to find more gold.
19.　　A) Because too many people came there for gold.
B) Because Sutter was not good at farming.
C) Because the army occupied it.
D) Because Sutter gave up farming.
20.　　A) It made him a very rich man.
B) It brought him great misfortune.
C) It had little effect on his life.
D) It cause the death of his wife.

Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Directions:　　There are 4 passages in this part. 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 the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Time was—and not so many years ago, either—when the average citizen took a pretty dim view of banks and Banking. That this was so, it should be said, was to no small extent the fault of banks and bankers themselves. Banks used to be—and a few still are—forbidding structures. Behind the little barred windows were, more often than not, elderly gentlemen whose expression of friendliness reflected the size of the customer’s account, and nothing less than a few hundred thousand in the bank could have inspired the suggestion of a smile.
And yet the average bank for many year was, to the average citizen, a fearful, if necessary, instrument for dealing with business—usually big business. But somewhere in the past quarter century, banks Began to grow human, even pleasant, and started to attract the little man. It is possible that this movement began in medium-sized towns, or in small towns where people know each other by their first names, and spread to big towns. At any rate, the results have been remarkable.
The movement to “humanize” hanks, of course, received a big push during the war, when more and more women were employed to do work previously performed by men. Also more and more “little” people found themselves in need of personal loans, as taxes became heavier and as the practice of installment (分期付款) buying broke down the previously long—held concept that there was something almost morally wrong about being in debt. All sorts of people began to discover that the intelligent use of credit (信贷) could be extremely helpful.
21.　　The author believes that the unfriendly atmosphere in banks many years ago was chiefly due to ________.
A) the outer appearance of bank buildings
B) unfriendliness of customers toward banks
C) economic pressure of the time
D) the attitude of hankers
22.　　The banks of many years ago showed interest only in ________.
A) regular visitors
B) rich customers
C) friendly businessmen
D) elderly gentlemen
23.　　When did banks begin to grow human?
A) Sometime before the war.
B) A few years ago.
C) During the war.
D) In the last century.
24.　　What helped to push the “humanization” of banks?
A) More and more “little” people became customers of banks.
B) The elderly gentlemen in banks were replaced by women.
C) More banks were set up in small and medium-sized towns.
D) The size of the customer’s account was greatly increased.
25.　　Average People seldom borrowed money from bank in the bank because ________.
A) the bank buildings looked forbidding
B) they were comparatively rich before the war
C) they thought it was not proper to be in debt
D) they rarely spent more than they could earn
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Last summer, Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole announced a new rule: Unless states representing two-thirds of the country’s population pass compulsory (强制性的) seat-belt-use laws by April 1989, all new vehicles will have to be fitted with air bags or automatic seat belts.
The rule wouldn’t have been necessary but for one simple fact. Even though seat belts could prevent nearly half of the deaths in fatal car accidents, 85 percent of the population simply won’t wear them.
Why not? Behavioral engineers have found that there are all sorts of reasons—usually unstated. These are some of the most popular. It’s safer to be thrown from a car man trapped. According to E. Scott Geller, that’s a faulty argument. “In fact”, he says, “being thrown from a car is twenty-five times more dangerous than being trapped”.
It won’t happen to me; I’m a good driver. But what about the other person who may be a terrible driver? The data show that the average incidence (发生率) for all accidents in one per driver every 10 years.
My car will end up underwater or on fire, and I won’t be able to get out. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), only 0.5 percent of all injury-producing accidents occur under these conditions. “If you’re wearing a belt, you’ve got a better chance of being conscious and not having your legs broken—distinct advantages in getting out of a dangerous situation”.
I’m only going a few blocks. Yet 80 percent of accidents happen at speeds or less that 25 miles per hour, 75 percent happen within 25 miles of home.
26.　　Before 1989, in the United States ________.
A) the use of seat belts was not compulsory for the majority of the population
B) a new law requiring the use of seat belts had just been passed
C) people had to choose between the use of seat belts or the use of air bags
D) almost fifty percent of the people involved in car accidents were saved by seat Belts
27.　　The word “trapped” (Para. 3, Line 3) means to be ________.
A) held up in a traffic jam
B) confined in the car
C) caught in an accident
D) pulled into a car
28.　　One of the reasons why many drivers refuse to wear seat belts is because ________.
A) they don’t think that it is comfortable to wear seat belts
B) they don’t believe that an accident involving a terrible driver is highly probable
C) they believe that no danger is involved in just driving a few blocks
D) they think that few drivers are willing to wear seat belts
29.　　It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A) seat belts should be replaced by air bags
B) eighty-five percent of all drivers are likely to Break traffic rules
C) all drivers, whether good or bad, are liable to have an accident at one time or another
D) wearing seat belts will get drivers out of dangerous situations
30.　　The purpose of the writer in writing this passage is ________.
A) to urge the government to pass the law sooner
B) to tell how dangerous car-driving can be
C) to criticise those who refuse to use seat belts
D) to prove the necessity of the new rule
Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.
For well over 2000 years the world’s great religions have taught the virtues of a trusting heart. Now there is another reason to merit the wisdom of the ages: scientific evidence indicates that those with trusting hearts will live longer, healthier lives.
As a result of the work published in the 1970s by two pioneering heart specialists, Meyer Friedman and Ray H. Rosenman, nearly every American is aware that blood Type. A people are impatient, and easily moved to hostility and anger. Many have come to believe that Type As are at a much higher risk of suffering heart attack or dying of heart disease than others.
The driving force behind hostility is a cynical (愤世嫉俗) mistrust of others. If we expect others to mistreat us, we are seldom disappointed. This generates anger and leads us to respond with hostility.
The most characteristic attitude of a cynic is being suspicious of the motives of people he doesn’t know. Imagine you are waiting for an elevator and it stops two floors above for longer than usual. How inconsiderate (不替别人着想的) You think. In a few seconds, you have drawn hostile conclusions about unseen people and their motives.
Meanwhile, your cynical mistrust is leading to noticeable physical consequences. Your voice rises. The rate and depth of your breathing increases. Your heart is beating faster and harder, and the muscles of your arms and legs become tight. You feel “charged up”, ready for action.
If you frequently experience these feelings, you may be at increased risk of developing serious health problems. Anger can add to the risk of heart and other diseases.
31.　　According to the author, people with trusting hearts are ________.
A) usually intelligent and wise
B) usually very religious
C) less likely to get heart diseases
D) not likely to be mistreated by others
32.　　The book by Meyer Friedman and Ray H. Rosenman most probably discusses ________.
A) friendliness and hostility
B) trust and mistrust of people
C) heart diseases and death rate
D) people’s characters and their blood types
33.　　According to the passage, if you have a fixed idea in mind that people will mistreat you, you will always find it ________.
A) to be disappointing
B) to be pleasing
C) to be wrong
D) to be so
34.　　A cynic, in the passage, is a person ________.
A) who is always ready to fight
B) who usually has doubts about the people around him
C) whose behaviour usually leads to serious health problems
D) whose behaviour usually seems strange to the people he knows
35.　　The author’s intention in writing the passage is to ________.
A) advise people to be patient
B) analyze the danger of heart diseases
C) persuade people to be trustful
D) praise the wisdom of the old people
Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.
“Time is a problem for kids,” states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries “learn time slowly” because “they don’t wear watches” and “parents don’t really know how to teach them time”. The kids grow up with this handicap and become adults—and then can’t get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? of course—it’s the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
The Flik Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach kids how to tell time, of course it merely “captures their imagination” by presenting the “hour” hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the “minute” hand as a tall blue boy named Flik. Flik points to corresponding “blue“ minutes on the dial, while Flak points to red hour numbers. The characters and the colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.
The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band. Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it Kidproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine.” The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing for kids to tell time; it’s quite another for them to be on time.
36.　　From the news report we know that ________.
A) parents are patient when teaching children time
B) parents have little idea of how to teach children time
C) children tend to learn time quickly
D) children enjoy wearing the Flik Flak watch
37.　　The author doesn’t seem to believe ________.
A) children will be on time if they have learnt how to tell time
B) a Flik Flak can help parents teach their children how to tell time
C) the Flik Flak can capture children’s imagination
D) children usually have trouble telling time if they don’t wear watches
38.　　The word “handicap” (Para. 1, Line 4) means ________.
A) displeasure
B) discouragement
C) disappointment
D) disadvantage
39.　　Flik and Flak in the passage stand for ________.
A) a tall boy and a beautiful girl
B) the minute hand and the hour hand
C) the Swiss watch company
D) the designers of the watch
40.　　The United States sales manager calls the new watch kidproof because ________.
A) it is designed to teach children to be on time
B) it proves to be effective in teaching children time
C) it is made so as not to be easily damaged by children
D) it is the children’s favourite watch

Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)
Directions:　　There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A)，B)，C), and D). Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
41.　　I can’t understand how you ________ these unpleasant surroundings.
A) put out
B) put down
C) put up with
D) put forward
42.　　________ you decide to take up you should try to make it a success.
A) Whatever
B) Unless
C) Whenever
D) If only
43.　　If Harry did not attend the conference last night, he ________ too much work to do.
A) must have had
B) must have
C) had had
D) had to have had
44.　　John often attends public lectures at the University of Oxford, chiefly ________ his English.
A) to improve
B) improving
C) to have improved
D) improved
45.　　It was suggested at the meeting that effective measures ________ to solve the problem.
A) were taken
B) be taken
C) must be taken
D) take
46.　　I am ________ of your stupid conversation.
A) annoyed
B) worried
C) angry
D) tired
47.　　They are building the dam in ________ with another firm.
A) comparison
B) association
C) touch
D) tune
48.　　Most parents encourage their children to take an active part in social events, ________ those events do not interfere with their studies.
A) lest
B) though
C) unless
D) provided
49.　　Orlando, a city in Florida, ________ for its main attraction, Magic Kingdom.
A) which is well known
B) is well known
C) well known
D) being well known
50.　　He is ________ a writer as a reporter.
A) more
B) rather
C) not so much
D) not much
51.　　Jim is sorry ________ so impolite to your guest last Saturday.
A) to be
B) having been
C) being
D) to have been
52.　　I suppose that when I come back in ten years’ time all these old houses ________ down.
A) will have been pulled
B) will have pulled
C) will be pulling
D) will be pulled
53.　　To be sure, some insects can build complex societies ________ different types of individuals performing different tasks.
A) taken from
B) made of
C) composed of
D) developed from
54.　　The students will put off the outing until next week, ________ they won’t be so busy.
A) when
B) as
C) since
D) while
55.　　I have not found my book yet; in fact, I am not sure ________ I could have done with it.
A) whether
B) why
C) what
D) when
56.　　If you do not fasten your safety belt, your chances of being ________ will be greater.
A) beaten
B) hurt
C) damaged
D) stricken
57.　　“ ________” for many years, the writer suddenly became famous.
A) Having ignored him
B) To be ignored
C) To have been ignored
D) Having been ignored
58.　　This bird’s large wings ________ it to fly very fast.
A) able
B) enable
C) unsure
D) cause
59.　　The picture exhibition bored me to death. I wish I ________ to it.
A) have not gone
B) did not go
C) had not gone
D) should not have gone
60.　　I don’t swim not, but I ________ when I was a kid.
A) used to it
B) used to doing it
C) used to
D) used to do
61.　　I found my daughter sitting in the kitchen, crying ________.
A) strongly
B) bitterly
C) heavily
D) deeply
62.　　You are getting too old for football. You’d better ________ tennis instead.
A) take in
B) take up
C) take for
D) take over
63.　　When the two young people were married, the ceremony was anything ________ up to data.
A) but
B) beside
C) except
D) apart from
64.　　He didn’t mention anything about the party, ________ the date.
A) either even
B) even nor
C) even neither
D) not even
65.　　After being rescued from the air crash, the people agreed that they had much to ________.
A) thank
B) be thanked
C) be thankful
D) be thankful for
66.　　This new method not only saves time but also saves energy ________ operating on two batteries instead to four.
A) in
B) on
C) by
D) for
67.　　What ________ to him is whether the job allows him to pursue his studies.
A) matters
B) refers
C) happens
D) applies
68.　　He said that very clearly so that nobody was in any ________ about what was meant.
A) doubt
B) wonder
C) question
D) consideration
69.　　It is predicted that heavy rains are ________ to flood the area in a few days.
A) frightening
B) threatening
C) scattering
D) warning
70.　　In most of the United States, the morning newspaper is ________ by school age children.
A) directed
B) discharged
C) derived
D) delivered

Close (15 minutes)
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, the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
When television first began to expand, very few of the people who had become famous as __71__ announcers were able to be equally effective __72__ television. Some of the difficulties they experienced when they were trying to __73__ themselves to the new medium were technical. When __74__ on radio, for example, they had become __75__ to seeing on behalf of the listener. This art of seeing for others __76__ that the announcer has to be very good __77__ talking. Above all, he has to be able to __78__ a continuous sequence (序列) of visual (视觉的) images which add meaning __79__ the round the listener hears. In the __80__ of television, however, the announcer sees __81__ with the viewer. His duty, __82__, is completely different. He is there to make __83__ that the viewer does not __84__ any point of interest, to help him focus __85__ particular things, and to help him __86__ the images on the television screen. __87__ his radio colleague, he must know the __88__ of silence and how to use it at those __89__ when the pictures speak for __90__.
71.　　A) television
B) advertisement
C) radio
D) newspaper
72.　　A) of
B) in
C) at
D) on
73.　　A) adopt
B) adjust
C) alter
D) adapt
74.　　A) working
B) listening
C) appearing
D) showing
75.　　A) practised
B) experienced
C) determined
D) used
76.　　A) guarantees
B) means
C) convinces
D) warns
77.　　A) at
B) with
C) in
D) of
78.　　A) reflect
B) create
C) cause
D) affect
79.　　A) to
B) in
C) on
D) about
80.　　A) occasion
B) matter
C) example
D) case
81.　　A) something
B) everything
C) nothing
D) anything
82.　　A) moreover
B) therefore
C) furthermore
D) nevertheless
83.　　A) clear
B) definite
C) sure
D) easy
84.　　A) miss
B) ignore
C) drop
D) catch
85.　　A) to
B) at
C) in
D) on
86.　　A) reveal
B) expose
C) understand
D) translate
87.　　A) Unlike
B) Besides
C) Like
D) As
88.　　A) price
B) cost
C) value
D) worth
89.　　A) minutes
B) periods
C) times
D) moments
90.　　A) them
B) him
C) themselves
D) himself

Writing (30 minutes)
Directions:　　For this part you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition in no less than 100 words, on the topic: Is Failure a Bad Thing? Your composition should be based on the following outline (give in Chinese)
1.　　失败是常有的事?
2.　　人们对失败有各种不同的态度。
3.　　我对失败的态度。
You should write your composition in three paragraphs. Remember to write your composition in readable handwriting on the right side of this sheet.
Is Failure a Bad Thing?

Part I

1.　　B　　2.　　D　　3.　　A　　4.　　A　　5.　　D
6.　　B　　7.　　C　　8.　　C　　9.　　B　　10.　　B
11.　　C　　12.　　A　　13.　　C　　14.　　A　　15.　　D
16.　　D　　17.　　D　　18.　　C　　19.　　A　　20.　　B
Part II
21.　　D　　22.　　B　　23.　　A　　24.　　B　　25.　　C
26.　　A　　27.　　B　　28.　　C　　29.　　C　　30.　　D
31.　　C　　32.　　D　　33.　　D　　34.　　C　　35.　　C
36.　　B　　37.　　A　　38.　　D　　39.　　B　　40.　　C
Part III
41.　　C　　42.　　A　　43.　　A　　44.　　A　　45.　　B
46.　　D　　47.　　B　　48.　　D　　49.　　B　　50.　　C
51.　　D　　52.　　A　　53.　　C　　54.　　A　　55.　　C
56.　　B　　57.　　D　　58.　　B　　59.　　C　　60.　　C
61.　　B　　62.　　B　　63.　　A　　64.　　D　　65.　　D
66.　　C　　67.　　A　　68.　　A　　69.　　B　　70.　　D
Part IV

71.　　C　　72.　　D　　73.　　B　　74.　　A　　75.　　D
76.　　B　　77.　　A　　78.　　B　　79.　　A　　80.　　D
81.　　B　　82.　　B　　83.　　C　　84.　　A　　85.　　D
86.　　C　　87.　　A　　88.　　C　　89.　　D　　90.　　C