2008年6月大学英语六级考试真题及详解(A卷)

2008年6月大学英语六级考试真题及详解(A卷) 2008年6月大学英语六级考试真题(A卷) Part I Writing (30 minutes) Will E-books Replace Traditional Books? 1.随着信息技术的发展，电子图书越来越多; 2.有人认为电子图书将会取代传统图书，理由是„ 3.我的看法。 Part ? Reading Comprehension(Skimming and Scanning)(15 minutes) What Will the World Be Like in Fifty Years? This week some top scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, gave their vision of how the world will look in 2056, from gas-powered cars to extraordinary health advances, John Ingham reports on what the world’s finest minds believe our futures will be. For those of us lucky enough to live that long, 2056 will be a world of almost perpetual youth, where obesity is a remote memory and robots become our companions. We will be rubbing shoulders with aliens and colonising outer space. Better still, our descendants might at last live in a world at peace with itself. The prediction is that we will have found a source of inexhaustible, safe, green energy, and that science will have killed off religion. If they are right we will have removed two of the main causes of war-our dependence on oil and religious prejudice. Will we really, as today’s scientists claim, be able to live for ever or at least cheat the ageing process so that the average person lives to 150? Of course, all these predictions come with a scientific health warning. Harvard professor Steven Pinker says: “This is an invitation to look foolish, as with the predictions of domed cities and nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners that were made 50 year ago.” Living longer Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute in North Carolina, believes failing organs will be repaired by injecting cells into the body. They will naturally go straight to the injury and help heal it. A system of injections without needles could also slow the ageing process by using the same process to “tune” cells. Bruce Lahn, professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago, anticipates the ability to produce “unlimited supplies” of transplantable human organs without the need for human donors. 1 These organs would be grown in animals such as pigs. When a patient needed a new organ, such as a kidney, the surgeon would contact a commercial organ producer, give him the patient’s immunological profile and would then be sent a kidney with the correct tissue type. These organs would be entirely composed of human cells, grown by introducing them into animal hosts, and allowing them to develop into an organ in place of the animal’s own. But Prof. Lahn believes that farmed brains would be “off limits”. He says: “Very few people would want to have their brains replaced by someone else’s and we probably don’t want to put a human brain in an animal body.” Richard Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan, thinks scientist could develop “authentic anti-ageing drugs” by working out how cells in larger animals such as whales and human resist many forms of injuries. He says: “It is now routine, in laboratory mammals, to extend lifespan by about 40%. Turning on the same protective systems in people should, by 2056, create the first class of 100-year-olds who are as vigorous and productive as today’s people in their 60s” Aliens Colin Pillinger, professor of planetary sciences at the Open University, says: I fancy that at least we will be able to show that life did start to evolve on Mars well as Earth.” Within 50years he hopes scientists will prove that alien life came here in Martian meteorites(陨石). Chris McKay, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center. believes that in 50 years we may find evidence of alien life in the ancient permanent frost of Mars or on other planers. He adds: There is even a chance we will find alien life forms here on Earth. It might be as different as English is to Chinese. Princeton professor Freeman Dyson thinks it “likely” that life form outer space will be discovered before 2056 because the tools for finding it, such as optical and radio detection and data processing, are improving. He says: “As soon as the first evidence is found, we will know what to look for and additional discoveries are likely to follow quickly. Such discoveries are likely to have revolutionary consequences for biology, astronomy and philosophy. They may also change the way we look at ourselves and our place in the universe.” Colonies in space Richard Gott, professor of astrophysics at Princeton, hopes man will set up a self-sufficient colony on Mars, which would be a “life insurance policy against whatever catastrophes, natural or otherwise, might occur on Earth. “The real space race is whether we will colonise off Earth on to other worlds before money for the space programme runs out.” 2 Spinal injuries Ellen Heber-Katz, a professor at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, foresees cures for injuries causing paralysis such as the one that afflicted Superman star Christopher Reeve. She says: “I believe that the day is not far off when we will be able to prescribe drugs that cause severed (断裂的) spinal cords to heal, hearts to regenerate and lost limbs to regrow.” “People will come to expect that injured or diseased organs are meant to be repaired from within, in much the same way that we fix an appliance or automobile: by replacing the damaged part with a manufacturer-certified new part.” She predicts that within 5 to 10 years fingers and toes will be regrown and limbs will start to be regrown a few years later. Repairs to the nervous system will start with optic nerves and, in time, the spinal cord.” Within 50 years whole body replacement will be routine,” Prof. Heber-Katz adds. Obesity Sydney Brenner, senior distinguished fellow of the Crick-Jacobs Center in California, won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Medicine and says that if there is a global disaster some humans will survive-and evolution will favour small people with bodies large enough to support the required amount of brain power.” Obesity,” he says.” will have been solved.” Robots Rodney Brooks, professor of robotics at MIT, says the problems of developing artificial intelligence for robots will be at least partly overcome. As a result, “the possibilities for robots working with people will open up immensely” Energy Bill Joy, green technology expert in California, says:” The most significant breakthrough would be to have an inexhaustible source of safe, green energy that is substantially cheaper than any existing energy source.” Ideally, such a source would be safe in that it could not be made into weapons and would not make hazardous or toxic waste or carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. Society Geoffrey Miller, evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico, says: The US will follow the UK in realizing that religion is not a prerequisite (前提)for ordinary human decency. “This, science will kill religion-not by reason challenging faith but by offering a more practical, universal and rewarding moral framework for human interaction.” He also predicts that “absurdly wasteful” displays of wealth will become unfashionable while the importance of close-knit communities and families will become clearer. 3 These three changer, he says, will help make us all” brighter, wiser, happier and kinder”. 1.What is john lngham’s report about? A) A solution to the global energy crisis B) Extraordinary advances in technology. C) The latest developments of medical science D) Scientists’ vision of the world in half a century 2. According to Harvard professor Steven Pinker, predictions about the future_____. A) may invite trouble B) may not come true C) will fool the public D) do more harm than good 3. Professor Bruce Lahn of the University of Chicago predicts that____. A) humans won’t have to donate organs for transplantation B) more people will donate their organs for transplantation C) animal organs could be transplanted into human bodies D) organ transplantation won’t be as scary as it is today 4. According to professor Richard Miller of the University of Michigan, people will____. A) life for as long as they wish B) be relieved from all sufferings C) live to 100 and more with vitality D) be able to live longer than whales 5.Priceton professor Freeman Dyson thinks that____. A) scientists will find alien life similar to ours B) humans will be able to settle on Mars C) alien life will likely be discovered D) life will start to evolve on Mars 6.According to Princeton professor Richard Gott, by setting up a self-sufficient colony on Mars, Humans_____. A) might survive all catastrophes on earth B) might acquire ample natural resources C) Will be able to travel to Mars freely D)Will move there to live a better life 7.Ellen Heber-Katz, professor at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, predicts that_____. 4 A) human organs can be manufactured like appliances B) people will be as strong and dynamic as supermen C) human nerves can be replaced by optic fibers D) lost fingers and limbs will be able to regrow 8. Rodney Brooks says that it will be possible for robots to work with humans as a result of the development of _____ 9. The most significant breakthrough predicted by Bill Joy will be an inexhaustible green energy source that can’t be used to make__. 10. According to Geoffrey Miller, science will offer a more practical, universal and rewarding moral framework in place of_______. Part III Listening Comprehension (35minutes) Section A 11. A) The man might be able to play in the World Cup. B) The man’s football career seems to be at an end. C) The man was operated on a few weeks ago. D) The man is a fan of world-famous football players. 12. A) Work out a plan to tighten his budget B) Find out the opening hours of the cafeteria. C) Apply for a senior position in the restaurant. D) Solve his problem by doing a part-time job. 13. A) A financial burden. B) A good companion C) A real nuisance. D) A well-trained pet. 14. A) The errors will be corrected soon. B) The woman was mistaken herself. C) The computing system is too complex. D) He has called the woman several times. 15. A) He needs help to retrieve his files. B) He has to type his paper once more. C) He needs some time to polish his paper. D) He will be away for a two-week conference. 5 16. A) They might have to change their plan. B) He has got everything set for their trip. C) He has a heavier workload than the woman. D) They could stay in the mountains until June 8. 17. A) They have to wait a month to apply for a student loan. B) They can find the application forms in the brochure. C) They are not eligible for a student loan. D) They are not late for a loan application. 18. A) New laws are yet to be made to reduce pollutant release. B) Pollution has attracted little attention from the public. C) The quality of air will surely change for the better. D) It’ll take years to bring air pollution under control. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. A) Enormous size of its stores. B) Numerous varieties of food. C) Its appealing surroundings. D) Its rich and colorful history. 20. A) An ancient building. B) A world of antiques. C) An Egyptian museum. D) An Egyptian Memorial. 21. A) Its power bill reaches ?9 million a year. B) It sells thousands of light bulbs a day. C) It supplies power to a nearby town. D) It generates 70% of the electricity it uses. 22. A) 11,500 B) 30,000 C) 250,000 D) 300,000 Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 23. A) Transferring to another department. B) Studying accounting at a university C) Thinking about doing a different job. D) Making preparations for her wedding. 24. A) She has finally got a promotion and a pay raise. B) She has got a satisfactory job in another company. 6 C) She could at last leave the accounting department. D) She managed to keep her position in the company. 25. A) He and Andrea have proved to be a perfect match. B) He changed his mind about marriage unexpectedly. C) He declared that he would remain single all his life. D) He would marry Andrea even without meeting her. Section B Passage One Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26.A) They are motorcycles designated for water sports. B) They are speedy boats restricted in narrow waterways. C) They are becoming an efficient form of water transportation. D) They are getting more popular as a means or water recreation. 27.A) Water scooter operators’ lack of experience. B) Vacationers’ disregard of water safety rules. C) Overloading of small boats and other craft. D) Carelessness of people boating along the shore. 28.A) They scare whales to death. B) They produce too much noise. C) They discharge toxic emissions. D) They endanger lots of water life. 29.A)Expand operating areas. B) Restrict operating hours. C) Limit the use of water scooters. D) Enforce necessary regulations. Passage Two Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 30.A) They are stable. B) They are close. C) They are strained. D) They are changing. 31.A) They are fully occupied with their own business. B) Not many of them stay in the 7 same place for long. C) Not many of them can win trust from their neighbors. D) They attach less importance to interpersonal relations. 32.A) Count on each other for help. B) Give each other a cold shoulder. C) Keep a friendly distance. D) Build a fence between them. Passage Three Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 33.A) It may produce an increasing number of idle youngsters. B) It may affect the quality of higher education in America. C) It may cause many schools to go out of operation. D) It may lead to a lack of properly educated workers. 34. A)It is less serious in cities than in rural areas. B) It affects both junior and senior high schools. C) It results from a worsening economic climate. D) It is a new challenge facing American educators. 35. A) Allowing them to choose their favorite teachers. B) Creating a more relaxed learning environment. C) Rewarding excellent academic performance. D) Helping them to develop better study habits. Section C I'm interested in the criminal justice system of our country. It seems to me that something has to be done if we’re to (36) ___ as a country. I certainly don't know what the answers to our problems are. Things certainly get (37) ____in a hurry when you get into them. But I wonder if something couldn't be done to deal with some of these problems. One thing I'm concerned about is our practice of putting (38) _____ in jail who haven't harmed anyone. Why not work out some system (39) _____ they can pay back the debts they owe society instead of (40) ___ another debt by going to prison, and of course, coming under the (41) ____of hardened criminals? I'm also concerned about the short prison sentences people are (42) ______ for serious crimes. Of course, one alternative to this is to (43) ______ capital punishment, but I'm not sure I would be for that. I'm not sure it's right to take an eye for eye. (44) _____. I also think we must do something about the insanity plea. In my opinion, anyone who takes another person’s life intentionally is insane; however, (45) _____. It’s sad, of course, that a person may have to spend the rest of his life, or (46) 8 ______. Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes) Section A Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage. If movie trailers(预告片)are supposed to cause a reaction, the preview for "United 93" more than succeeds. Featuring no famous actors, it begins with images of a beautiful morning and passengers boarding an airplane. It takes you a minute to realize what the movie’s even about. That’s when a plane hits the World Trade Center. the effect is visceral(震撼心灵的). When the trailer played before "Inside Man" last week at a Hollywood theater, audience members began calling out, "Too soon!" In New York City, the response was even more dramatic. The Loews theater in Manhattan took the rare step of pulling the trailer from its screens after several complaints. “United 93” is the first feature film to deal explicitly with the events of September 11, 2001, and is certain to ignite an emotional debate. Is it too soon? Should the film have been made at all? More to the point, will anyone want to see it? Other 9/11 projects are on the way as the fifth anniversary of the attacks approaches, most notably Oliver Stone's " World Trade Center." but as the forerunner, “United 93” will take most of the heat, whether it deserves it or not. The real United 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field after 40 passengers and crew fought back against the terrorists. Writer-director Paul Greengrass has gone to great lengths to be respectful in his depiction of what occurred, proceeding with the film only after securing the approval of every victim's family. "Was I surprised at the agreement? Yes. Very. Usually there’re one or two families who're more reluctant," Greengrass writes in an e-mail. "I was surprised at the extraordinary way the United 93 families have welcomed us into their lives and shared their experiences with us." Carole O'Hare, a family member, says, “They were very open and honest with us, and they made us a part of this whole project.” Universal, which is releasing the film, plans to donate 10% of its opening weekend gross to the Flight 93 National Memorial Fund. That hasn't stopped criticism that the studio is exploiting a national tragedy. O’Hare thinks that’s unfair. “This story has to be told to honor the passengers and crew for what they did,” she says. “But more than that, it raises awareness. Our ports aren’t secure. Our borders aren’t secure. Our airlines still aren’t secure, and this is what happens when you’re not secure. That’s the message I want people to hear.” 47. The trailer for “United 93” succeeded in ________ when it played in the theaters in Hollywood and New York City. 48. The movie “United 93” is sure to give rise to _______________. 49. What did writer-director Paul Greengrass obtain before he proceeded with the movie? 50. Universal, which is releasing “United 93”, has been criticized for _________. 9 51. Carole O’Hare thinks that besides honoring the passengers and crew for what they did, the purpose of telling the story is to _________ about security. Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes) Section A Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage. If movie trailers(预告片)are supposed to cause a reaction, the preview for "United 93" more than succeeds. Featuring no famous actors, it begins with images of a beautiful morning and passengers boarding an airplane. It takes you a minute to realize what the movie’s even about. That’s when a plane hits the World Trade Center. the effect is visceral(震撼心灵的). When the trailer played before "Inside Man" last week at a Hollywood theater, audience members began calling out, "Too soon!" In New York City, the response was even more dramatic. The Loews theater in Manhattan took the rare step of pulling the trailer from its screens after several complaints. “United 93” is the first feature film to deal explicitly with the events of September 11, 2001, and is certain to ignite an emotional debate. Is it too soon? Should the film have been made at all? More to the point, will anyone want to see it? Other 9/11 projects are on the way as the fifth anniversary of the attacks approaches, most notably Oliver Stone's " World Trade Center." but as the forerunner, “United 93” will take most of the heat, whether it deserves it or not. The real United 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field after 40 passengers and crew fought back against the terrorists. Writer-director Paul Greengrass has gone to great lengths to be respectful in his depiction of what occurred, proceeding with the film only after securing the approval of every victim's family. "Was I surprised at the agreement? Yes. Very. Usually there’re one or two families who're more reluctant," Greengrass writes in an e-mail. "I was surprised at the extraordinary way the United 93 families have welcomed us into their lives and shared their experiences with us." Carole O'Hare, a family member, says, “They were very open and honest with us, and they made us a part of this whole project.” Universal, which is releasing the film, plans to donate 10% of its opening weekend gross to the Flight 93 National Memorial Fund. That hasn't stopped criticism that the studio is exploiting a national tragedy. O’Hare thinks that’s unfair. “This story has to be told to honor the passengers and crew for what they did,” she says. “But more than that, it raises awareness. Our ports aren’t secure. Our borders aren’t secure. Our airlines still aren’t secure, and this is what happens when you’re not secure. That’s the message I want people to hear.” 47. The trailer for “United 93” succeeded in ________ when it played in the theaters in Hollywood and New York City. 48. The movie “United 93” is sure to give rise to _______________. 49. What did writer-director Paul Greengrass obtain before he proceeded with the movie? 10 50. Universal, which is releasing “United 93”, has been criticized for _________. 51. Carole O’Hare thinks that besides honoring the passengers and crew for what they did, the purpose of telling the story is to _________ about security. Section B Passage One Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage. Imagine waking up and finding the value of your assets has been halved. No, you’re not an investor in one of those hedge funds that failed completely. With the dollar slumping to a 26-year low against the pound, already-expensive London has become quite unaffordable. A coffee at Starbucks, just as unavoidable in England as it is in the United States, runs about $8. The once all-powerful dollar isn’t doing a Titanic against just the pound. It is sitting at a record low against the euro and at a 30-year low against the Canadian dollar. Even the Argentine peso and Brazilian real are thriving against the dollar. The weak dollar is a source of humiliation, (屈辱)，for a nation’s self-esteem rests in part on the strength of its currency. It’s also a potential economic problem, since a declining dollar makes imported food more expensive and exerts upward pressure on interest rates. And yet there are substantial sectors of the vast U.S. economy-from giant companies like Coca-Cola to mom-and-pop restaurant operators in Miami-for which the weak dollar is most excellent news. Many Europeans may view the U.S. as an arrogant superpower that has become hostile to foreigners. But nothing makes people think more warmly of the U.S. than a weak dollar. Through April, the total number of visitors from abroad was up 6.8 percent from last year. Should the trend continue, the number of tourists this year will finally top the 2000 peak? Many Europeans now apparently view the U.S. the way many Americans view Mexico-as a cheap place to vacation, shop and party, all while ignoring the fact that the poorer locals can’t afford to join the merrymaking. The money tourists spend helps decrease our chronic trade deficit. So do exports, which thanks in part to the weak dollar, soared 11 percent between May 2006 and May 2007. For first five months of 2007, the trade deficit actually fell 7 percent from 2006. If you own shares in large American corporations, you’re a winner in the weak-dollar gamble. Last week Coca-Cola’s stick bubbled to a five-year high after it reported a fantastic quarter. Foreign sales accounted for 65 percent of Coke’s beverage (饮料)business. Other American companies profiting from this trend include McDonald’s and IBM. 11 American tourists, however, shouldn’t expect any relief soon. The dollar lost strength the way many marriages break up-slowly, and then all at once. And currencies don’t turn on a dime. So if you want to avoid the pain inflicted by the increasingly pathetic dollar, cancel that summer vacation to England and look to New England. There, the dollar is still treated with a little respect. 52. Why do Americans feel humiliated? A) Their economy is plunging B) Their currency has slumped C) They can’t afford trips to Europe D) They have lost half of their assets. 53.How does the current dollar affect the life of ordinary Americans? A) They have to cancel their vacations in New England. B) They find it unaffordable to dine in mom-and-pop restaurants. C) They have to spend more money when buying imported goods. D) They might lose their jobs due to potential economic problems. 54. How do many Europeans feel about the U.S with the devalued dollar? A) They feel contemptuous of it B) They are sympathetic with it. C) They regard it as a superpower on the decline. D) They think of it as a good tourist destination. 55. what is the author’s advice to Americans? A) They treat the dollar with a little respect B) They try to win in the weak-dollar gamble C) They vacation at home rather than abroad D) They treasure their marriages all the more. 56. What does the author imply by saying “currencies don’t turn on a dime” (Line 2,Para 7)? A) The dollar’s value will not increase in the short term. B) The value of a dollar will not be reduced to a dime C) The dollar’s value will drop, but within a small margin. D) Few Americans will change dollars into other currencies. 12 Passage Two Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage. In the college-admissions wars, we parents are the true fights. We’re pushing our kids to get good grades, take SAT preparatory courses and build resumes so they can get into the college of our first choice. I’ve twice been to the wars, and as I survey the battlefield, something different is happening. We see our kids’ college background as a prize demonstrating how well we’ve raised them. But we can’t acknowledge that our obsession(痴迷) is more about us than them. So we’ve contrived various justifications that turn out to be half-truths, prejudices or myths. It actually doesn’t matter much whether Aaron and Nicole go to Stanford. We have a full-blown prestige panic; we worry that there won’t be enough prizes to go around. Fearful parents urge their children to apply to more schools than ever. Underlying the hysteria(歇斯底里) is the belief that scarce elite degrees must be highly valuable. Their graduates must enjoy more success because they get a better education and develop better contacts. All that is plausible—and mostly wrong. We haven’t found any convincing evidence that selectivity or prestige matters. Selective schools don’t systematically employ better instructional approaches than less selective schools. On two measures—professors’ feedback and the number of essay exams selective schools do slightly worse. By some studies, selective schools do enhance their graduates’ lifetime earnings. The gain is reckoned at 2-4% for every 100-poinnt increase in a school’s average SAT scores. But even this advantage is probably a statistical fluke(偶然). A well-known study examined students who got into highly selective schools and then went elsewhere. They earned just as much as graduates from higher-status schools. Kids count more than their colleges. Getting into Yale may signify intelligence, talent and ambition. But it’s not the only indicator and, paradoxically, its significance is declining. The reason: so many similar people go elsewhere. Getting into college is not life’s only competition. In the next competition—the job market and graduate school—the results may change. Old-boy networks are breaking down. princeton economist Alan Krueger studied admissions to one top Ph.D. program. High scores on the GRE helped explain who got in; degrees of prestigious universities didn’t. So, parents, lighten up. The stakes have been vastly exaggerated. Up to a point, we can rationalize our pushiness. America is a competitive society; our kids need to adjust to that. But too much pushiness can be destructive. The very ambition we impose on our children may get some into Harvard but may also set them up for disappointment. One study found that, other things being equal, graduates of highly selective schools experienced more job dissatisfaction. They may have been so conditioned to being on top that anything less disappoints. 57.Why dose the author say that parents are the true fighters in the college-admissions wars? 13 A) They have the final say in which university their children are to attend. B) They know best which universities are most suitable for their children. C) They have to carry out intensive surveys of colleges before children make an application. D) They care more about which college their children go to than the children themselves. 58.Why do parents urge their children to apply to more schools than ever? A) They want to increase their children’s chances of entering a prestigious college. B)They hope their children can enter a university that offers attractive scholarships. C) Their children will have a wider choice of which college to go to. D) Elite universities now enroll fewer student than they used to. 59.What does the author mean by “kids count more than their colleges”Line1, para.4? A) Continuing education is more important to a person’s success. B) A person’s happiness should be valued more than their education. C) Kids’ actual abilities are more important than their college background. D) What kids learn at college cannot keep up with job market requirements. 60.What does Krueger’s study tell us? A) Getting into Ph.D. programs may be more competitive than getting into college. B) Degrees of prestigious universities do not guarantee entry to graduate programs. C) Graduates from prestigious universities do not care much about their GRE scores. D) Connections built in prestigious universities may be sustained long after graduation. 61.One possible result of pushing children into elite universities is that______ A) they earn less than their peers from other institutions B) they turn out to be less competitive in the job market 14 C) they experience more job dissatisfaction after graduation D) they overemphasize their qualifications in job application Part V Cloze Seven years ago, when I was visiting Germany, I met with an official who explained to me that the country had a perfect solution to its economic problems. Watching the U.S. economy 62 during the’ 90s, the Germans had decided that they, too, needed to go the high-technology _63_. But how? In the late’ 90s, the answer schemed obvious: Indians. _64_ all, Indian entrepreneurs accounted for one of every three Silicon Valley start-ups. So the German government decided that it would _65_ Indians to Germany just as America does: by _66_ green cards. Officials created something called the German Green Card and _67_ that they would issue 20,000 in the first year. _68_, the Germans expected that tens of thousands more Indians would soon be begging to come, and perhaps the _69_ would have to be increased. But the program was a failure. A year later _70_ half of the 20,000 cards had been issued. After a few extensions, the program was _71_. I told the German official at the time that I was sure the _72_ would fail. It’s not that I had any particular expertise in immigration policy, _73_ I understood something about green cards, because I had one (the American _74_). The German Green Card was misnamed, I argued, _75_ it never, under any circumstances, translated into German citizenship. The U.S. green card, by contrast, is an almost _76_ path to becoming American (after five years and a clean record). The official _77_ my objection, saying that there was no way Germany was going to offer these people citizenship. “We need young tech workers,” he said. “That’s what this program is all _78_.” So Germany was asking bright young _79_ to leave their country, culture and families, move thousands of miles away, learn a new language and work in a strange land—but without any _80_ of ever being part of their new home. Germany was sending a signal, one that was _81_ received in India and other countries, and also by Germany’s own immigrant community. 62. A) soar B) hover C) amplify D) intensify 63. A) circuit B) strategy C) trait D) route 64. A) Of B) After C) In D) At 65. A) import B) kidnap C) convey D) lure 66. A) offering B) installing C) evacuating D) formulating 67. A) conferred B) inferred C) announced D) verified 68. A) Specially B) Naturally C) Particularly D) Consistently 69. A) quotas B) digits C) measures D) scales 15 70. A) invariably B) literally C) barely D) solely 71. A) repelled B) deleted C) combated D) abolished 72. A) adventure B) response C) initiative D) impulse 73. A) and B) but C) so D) or 74. A) heritage B) revision C) notion D) version 75. A) because B) unless C) if D) while 76. A) aggressive B) automatic C) vulnerable D) voluntary 77. A) overtook B) fascinated C) submitted D) dismissed 78. A) towards B) round C) about D) over 79. A) dwellers B) citizens C) professionals D) amateurs 80. A) prospect B) suspicion C) outcome D) destination 81. A) partially B) clearly C) brightly D) vividly Part VI Translation 82. We can say a lot of things about those ________________(毕生致力于诗歌的人): they are passionate, impulsive, and unique. 83. Mary couldn’t have received my letter, ___________ (否则她上周就该回信了). 84. Nancy is supposed to ____________________ (做完化学实验) at least two weeks ago. 85. Never once ___________________ (老两口互相争吵) since they were married 40 years ago. 86. ________________________ (一个国家未来的繁荣在很大程度上有赖于) the quality of education of its people 16 2008年6月大学英语六级考试真题详解(A卷) Part ? Writing 范文: Will E-books Replace Traditional Books? Recent decades have seen the rapid development of information technology. As a result, many electric inventions, including E-books, have found their way into our everyday life and have gained increasing popularity among common people. It’s no wonder that some people hold the idea that E-books will replace traditional books sooner or later because E-books have various advantages over the traditional ones. To start with, all the E-books can be downloaded from the internet directly, most of which are free of charge, while the traditional books in bookstores are much more expensive. What’s more, E-books can be stored more easily in our computers and are more convenient for people to carry around. Last but not the least, reading E-books has become a fashion in our life, which is particularly appealing to our young people. As far as I am concerned, nowadays traditional books are still the leading means of reading. ?However, with the further development of information technology and with the popularity of computer and internet, E-books will surely take the place of traditional books in the near future. Part ? Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) 1. D)。 2. B)。 3. A)。 4. C)。 5. C)。 6. A)。 7. D)。 8. artificial intelligence 9. weapons 10. religion Part ? Listening Comprehension Section A 11. M: Good news! I am not going to have surgery after all. The doctor says I can start working out again soon and maybe play football like before in a few weeks. W: That’s terrific. It will be great if you could get back in shape in time for the World’s Cup. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? A)。 12. M: I really need to make some extra money. You know, I’ve practically spent my entire budget for this semester. W: Why not check out the new cafeteria at Market Street? I think there are still a few opening suitable for seniors like you. W: What does the woman suggest the man do? D)。 13. M: I hear John left his cat in your care while he’s on vacation abroad. How are you getting along with it? W: Well, it never comes when I call it. It spills its food and sheds all over the place. I can’t wait till John gets back. Q: How does the woman find the cat? C)。 17 14. W: Hello, Professor White, I got my grade in the mail this morning, but I think there might be a mistake in my mark. M: Yeah, I’ve got several calls, just like yours, there must be a problem with the computing system. It should be straightened out in a couple of hours. Q: What does the man mean? A)。 15. M: Professor Johnson, last night when I was putting the finishing touches on my paper, a computer failure completely wiped out my files. Do you think I could have another day to retype it? W: I’m sorry Rod. I’m leaving for a conference tomorrow and I’ll be away two weeks. I suppose you could send me an e-copy. Q: Why does the man say he can’t submit his assignment on time? B)。 16. W: I just called the travel agency. It’s all set. On June 1st, we are heading for the mountains, and we’ll be camping there for a whole week. M: Have you checked the academic calendar? My classes aren’t over until the 8th. Q: What does the man imply? A)。 17. W: I thought there were still time for me to apply for a student loan, but someone just told me that the closing date was last Tuesday. M: Are you sure? I thought we still had another month. Wait. I got a brochure right here. Last Tuesday was the opening date. Q: What does the man imply? D)。 18. W: Look at all the pollutants going into the air from those factories. Do you think they’ll ever get that under control? M: Now with the new laws in effect and social awareness increasing, we are sure to turn things around. Q: What does the man mean? C)。 Conversation One W: Tell me, Peter, what makes Harold’s so famous? M: Well, it’s the biggest department store in the UK, and its food hall and Egyptian hall are very famous. People come to Harold’s just to see them. W: (19) What is special about the food hall? M: (19) It sells many different kinds of food. For example, it has two hundred and fifty kinds of cheese from all over the world, and more than 180 kinds of bread. Customers also love all the different kinds of chocolate. They buy a hundred tons every year. W: That’s amazing, and (20) why is the Egyptian hall so famous? M: Well, (20) when people see it they feel they’re in another world. It looks like an Egyptian building from 4000 years ago, and it sells beautiful objects. They are not 4000 years old, of course. W: (21) Is it true that Harold’s produces its own electricity? M: (21) Yes, it does. 70%, enough for a small town. To light the outside of the building we use 18 11,500 light bulbs. W: Really, tell me, (22) how many customers do you have on an average day? And how much do they spend? M: (22) About 30,000 people come on an average day. But during the sales, the number increases to 300,000 customers a day. How much do they spend? Well, on average, customers spend about 1.5 million pounds a day. The record for one day is 9 million pounds. W: 9 million pounds in one day? M: Yes, on the first day of the January sales. W: Harold’s says it sells everything to everybody everywhere, is that really true? M: Oh, yes, of course. Absolutely everything. 19. What is the food hall of Harold’s noted for? B)。 20. What does the Egyptian hall seem like to the customers? A)。 21. What may customers find surprising about Harold’s? D)。 22. About how many customers come to Harold’s on an average day? B)。 Conversation Two W: Hi, Kevin. M: HI, Lora, long time no see. What have you been up to lately? W: Not much I can assure you. And you? M: Much the same except I do have some big news. W: Come on, the suspense is killing me. M: Not really, what have you been doing these past few weeks? (23) The last time I saw you, you were looking for a new job. W: Well, (23) that’s not exactly true. I was thinking about changing jobs. Luckily, they offered me a new position in the accounting department. M: A step up in the big business world. W: I wouldn’t exaggerate, but I’m pleased. (24) I had been hoping to get promotion for a while, so when it finally came through I was relieved. Actually, that’s why I was looking for a new job. I just didn’t want to work there anymore if they weren’t going to recognize my efforts. M: Right, sometimes you can do your best and it seems like the others don’t know you exist. I hope the money is better. W: I got a reasonable raise. Now, enough about me. I’m dying to hear your news. M: (25) I’m getting married. W: (25) No, you said you’d never get married. M: That was then, and this is now. You’ve got to meet Andrea. She is great. W: This is all news to me. I didn’t even know you were dating. M: We weren’t. We’ve just been dating for two weeks now. W: And you are getting married? M: I know. I can’t help it. I just know she is the one. 19 W: Well, congratulations. That’s fantastic. M: Thanks, I’m glad to hear you feel that way. 23. What was the woman doing when the man last saw her? C)。 24. Why does the woman say she was relieved? A)。 25. Why is the woman surprised at the man’s news? B)。 Section B Passage One Water scooters are water vehicles that look very much like motorcycles. (26) Nowadays speedy colorful water scooters are gaining in popularity. They can travel anywhere a small boat can and are typically popular with young people. The rising popularity of the craft has raised a question of water scooter regulation. In this case, the argument for strict regulation is compelling. (26) Water scooters are a particularly deadly form of water recreation. For example, two women were vacationing in Longboat Key. While they were floating on a rubber boat along the shore, a water scooter crashed into them and killed them. Also, water scooter operators have been killed and seriously injured in collisions with other watercraft. Others have been stranded at sea when their scooters either failed or sank far from shore. (27) Many water scooter operators are inexperienced and ignorant of navigational rules, which increases the potential for accidents. The increasing popularity of the scooter has aggravated the problem, providing more water vehicles to compete for the same space. Crowded water ways are simply an open invitation to disaster. In addition to the inherent operational hazards of water scooters, (28) they are proving to be an environmental nuisance. Beach residents complain of the noise of the scooters. The Pacific Whale Foundation on the west coast expressed the concern that (28) the scooters are frightening away an endangered species of whale that migrates to Hawaii for breeding. (29) Regulations, such as minimum operating age, restricted operating areas, and compulsory classes in water safety, are essential. Without such regulations, tragedies involving water scooters are sure to multiply, which makes many beaches unsafe for recreation. 26. What does the speaker say about water scooters? D)。 27. What is mentioned as one of the causes of water accidents? A)。 28. In what way are water scooters said to be an environmental nuisance? B)。 29. What does the speaker propose to ensure the safety of beaches for recreation? D)。 Passage Two It seems to me that neighbors are going out of style in America. The friend next door from whom you borrowed four eggs or a ladder has moved and the people in there now are strangers. 20 Some of the traditional stories of neighborliness are impractical or silly, and it may be just as well that (30) our relations with our neighbors are changing. The saying in the Bible "Love Thy Neighbor" was probably a poor translation of what must have originally been "Respect Thy Neighbor." Love can’t be called up on order. (31) Fewer than half the people in the United States live in the same house they lived in five years ago, so there’s no reason to love the people who live next door to you just because they happened to wander into a real estate office that listed the place next door to yours. The only thing neighbors have in common, to begin with, is proximity, and unless something more develops, that isn’t reason enough to be best friends. It sometimes happens naturally, but the chances are very small that your neighbors will be you choice as friends. Or that you will be theirs, either. (32) The best relationship with neighbors is one of friendly distance. You say hello, you small-talk if you see them in the yard, you discuss problems as they arise and you help each other in an emergency. The driveway or the fence between you is not really a cold shoulder, but a clear boundary. We all like clearly-defined boundaries for ourselves. 30. What does the speaker say about the relations among neighbors nowadays? D)。 31. Why does the speaker say it may be difficult for people to love their neighbors? B)。 32. What should neighbors do in the speaker’s opinion? C)。 Passage Three Articles in magazines and newspapers and special reports on radio and television reflect the concern of many Americans about the increasing dropout rate in our junior and senior high schools. (33) Coupled with this fact is the warning that soon we will no longer have workforce to fill the many jobs that require properly-educated personnel. The highest student dropout rate is not a recent development. Ten years ago, many urban schools were reporting dropout rates between 35 and 50 percent. Some administrators maintain that dropouts remain the single greatest problem in their schools. Consequently, much effort has been spent on identifying students with problems in order to give them more attention before they become failures. (34) Since the dropout problem doesn’t start in senior high school, special programs in junior high school focus on students who show promise but have a record of truancy, that is, staying away from school without permission. Under the guidance of counselors, these students are placed in classes with teachers who have had success in working with similar young people. (35) Strategies to motivate students in high school include rewarding academic excellence by designating scholars of the month, or by issuing articles of clothing, such as school letter jackets formally given only to athletes. No one working with these students claims to know how to keep all students in school. Counselors, teachers, and administrators are in the frontlines of what seems at times to be a losing battle. Actually, this problem should be everyone’s concern, since uneducated, unemployed citizens affect us all. 33. Why are many Americans concerned with the increasing dropout rate in school? D)。 34. What do we learn about the student dropout problem in America? 21 B)。 35. What is mentioned as one of the strategies used to motivate students? C)。 Section C 36. survive 37. complicated 38. offenders 39. whereby 40. incurring 41. influence 42. serving 43. restore 44. The alternative to capital punishment is longer sentences, but they would certainly cost the tax payers’ much money. 45. that does not mean that the person isn't guilty of the crime, or that he shouldn't pay society the debt he owes. 46. a large part of it in prison for acts that he committed while not in full control of his mind. Part ? Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) Section A 47. causing a reaction 48. an emotional debate 49. The approval of every victim’s family 50. exploiting a national tragedy 51. raise awareness Section B Passage One 52. B) 。[精解] 语义题。本题提问美国人感到屈辱的原因。第三段第1句指出，弱势美元 是屈辱之源，因为货币是否坚挺在一定程度上体现了一个民族的自尊。由此可以得出，美国 人感到屈辱是因为他们的货币——美元——持续走弱。 53. C) 。[精解] 语义题。原文中很明显地提到了美元的走弱造成的影响:进口物品的价格 上涨，对利率的压力也不断增大。对普通民众影响较大的是前者，也就意味着民众在购买进 口食品时需要花费更多资金，选项C)是对原文的同义转述。 54. D) 。[精解] 推断题。墨西哥一直是美国人比较喜爱的旅游目的地，文章中指出，现在 的许多欧洲人眼中的美国显然就像美国人心中的墨西哥一样，这说明欧洲人认为美国是他们 的比较理想的旅游目的地，所以选项D)正确。 55. C) 。[精解] 推断题。面对美元贬值给美国人带来的民族自尊上的困扰，文章末尾给美 国人提出建议:如果想避免伤痛，最好取消去英国的旅行，转而前往新英格兰旅行，换句话 说，就是取消去国外的旅行，转而在国内进行旅行。 56. A) 。[精解] 语义题。本题主要考查对短语on a dime的理解，其意思为“短时间内，立 即”，全句的意思是“美元不会在短期内发生转变”，也就是说，美元现在的这种持续走弱的形势不会在短期内发生转变，不会立即走强，选项,)是对这一句的意思的正确解析。 Passage Two 57. D)。[精解]推断题。题干中的内容与原文首句几乎无异。但是题干由why 提问，考察原 因，从第一段的信息词 our first choice，a prize demonstrating how well we raised them 等，可 以看出孩子要上我们首选的大学，并且大学情况如何将表明我们对孩子的教育的优劣。处处 体现出家长的攀比心理。最后三句表明家长虽然不承认他们比孩子在上大学问题上更痴迷更 在意，但是他们却承认在此基础上所设计的种种理由都是不真实，有偏见和虚幻不切实际的。 22 最后一句更能体现作者的态度，对于他的孩子Aaron 和 Nicole而言，是否能上斯坦福大学并不重要。由此可见，更在乎的是父母而不是孩子，即D)所述内容。 58. A)。[精解]推断题。本题还是对原文的一种现象提问原因，原文并未直接提及，但是我们可以从字里行间看出答案。第二段第一句说家长还是存在一种名牌大学的恐慌，即担心孩子无法进入名牌大学。由此萌生让学生多申请的想法。第三句紧接着提出名校毕业生的种种优势，如能够接受更好的教育，更有可能成功等等。由此推断，家长们让孩子向更多的大学提出申请是为了保障孩子有更多的机会迈入名校门槛的。 59.C)。[精解]语义题。题干中的count意为“很重要”，同C)中的are important是同义转述。两句中都用了比较级。题干中的kids指孩子本身，除学习以外的各种技能能力，同义与C)中的kid’s actual abilities。宾语their colleges也和C)中的college backgrounds属同一范畴。 60(B)。[精解]细节题。第四段的最后两句话介绍了普林斯顿经济学家Alan Krueger的研究结果:能够有机会被这个顶端博士项目录取的是能够在GRE考试中有优异成绩的，而不是拥有名牌大学学位的人，进一步的来证明前面提出的观点，上大学不是人生的唯一竞争，能上名牌大学并不一定就代表在以后的人生路上就处处优越于别人。 61.C)。[精解]细节题。文章最后一段提到我们把上名校和孩子的未来之间的利害关系过于夸大，我们的这种行为too much pushiness 会是毁灭性的。其结果是名校毕业生会在未来的工作中有更多的不满。 Part ?Cloze 62. A)。 63. D)。 64. A)。 65. D)。 66. A)。 67. C)。 68. B)。 69. A)。 70. C)。 71. D)。 72. D)。 73. B)。 74. D)。 75. A)。 76. B)。 77. D)。 78. C)。 79. C)。 80. A)。 81. B)。 Part ? Translation 82. who devote/dedicate their whole lives to poems [考点]?定语从句:先行词为those，实际上指后面的they，所以连接词使用who;?“致力于”用devote/dedicate…to…表达。 83. or/otherwise she would have replied / made a reply to me last week [考点]?“早就该”的表达方式;?“否则”可以用or或者otherwise来表示。 84. have finished her/the chemical experiment [考点]?完成时态;?chemical experiment表示“化学实验”。 85. has the old couple quarreled with each other [考点]?倒装结构:否定词never置于句首，句子需要采用倒装形式;?现在完成时态:从句是since引导的过去时的句子，所以主句需要采用现在完成时态。 86. The future prosperity of a nation depends largely on/ To a great extent, the future prosperity of a nation relies on [考点]?“在很大程度上”可以用to a great extent或largely表示;?“有赖于”可以用depend on或rely on表示;?“繁荣”的对应词为prosperity。 23