2012年12月六级考试真题(2)12833.pdf
2012年12月六级考试真题(2)PartIIReading Comprehension(Skimming andScanning)(15minutes)Directions:In thispart,you willhave 15 minutesto go over thepassage quicklyandanswerthequestions on AnswerSheet 1.Forquestions 17,choose the best answerfrom the four choicesmarkedA,B,Cand D.Forquestions 810,completethe sentenceswiththe informationgiven inthepassage.In a Digital Age,Students Still Cling to Paper TextbooksTheytext their friends all daylong.At night,theydo researchfor their term papersonlaptops and commune withtheir parentson Skype.Butas theywalkthe paths of HamiltonCollege,a poster-perfectliberal arts school in this upstate village,studentsare still haulingaroundbulky,old-fashionedtextbooks andloving it.“The screenwont go blank,”saidFaton Begolli,a junior from Boston.“There cant be a virus.Itwouldntbethesamewithout books.Theyvedefined academia(学术)for athousandyears.”Thoughtheworldof printis recedingbefore a tideof digitalbooks,blogsandotherWebsites,agenerationof college studentsgrowingup withtechnology appearsto be holdingfast to traditionaltextbooks.Thatloyaltycomesataprice.Textbooksareexpensive ayearsworth cancost$700 to$900 andstudents frustrationswiththe expense,as wellas the emergenceof newtechnology,have producedaperplexingarray of optionsfor obtainingthem.Internetretailerslike Amazon andT areselling newandused books.They havebeen joined byseveral Web services thatrenttextbooksto studentsbythe semester.Some l,500college bookstoresare also offeringrentalsthis fall,up from 300last year.Hereat Hamilton,studentsthis year have a newway to avoid the middleman:a nonprofit Web site,createdbythecolleges Entrepreneur Club,thatletsthemsell usedbooksdirectly tooneanother.The explosion of outlets andformats includingdigitalbooks,whicharerapidly becomingmoresophisticated hasleft some studentsbewildered.After completingthedifficultjob of courseselection,they are forced to weighcost versus convenience,analyze theirownstudy habitsandguesswhichtextsthey willwant for years tocomeandwhichthey willnotmiss.“It dependson the course,”said VictoriaAdesoba,a studentat New YorkUniversitywhowasstandingoutside that schools bookstore,a powder-bluebook bag slung overher shoulder.“Lastsemester,Irentedfor psychology,anditwascheaper.But for somethinglikeorganicchemistry,Ineedto keep the book.E-textbooksaregood,butits temptingto go on Facebook,andit can strainyoureyes.”Forall the talk that her generationis the most technologically knowledgeablein history,paper-and-inktextbooksdo notseemdestinedtodisappearanytimesoon.AccordingtotheNationalAssociationofCollegeStores,digitalbooksmakeup justunder3%oftextbooksales,althoughtheassociationexpectsthatsharetogrowto10-15%by 2012asmoretitlesaremadeavailablease-books.In tworecentstudies oneby theassociationandanotherby theStudentPublicInterestResearchGroups three-quartersofthestudentssurveyedsaidtheystillpreferreda boundbooktoa digitalversion.Manystudentsarereluctanttogiveup theabilitytoflipquicklybetweenchapters,writeinthemarginsandhighlightpassages,althoughnewsoftwareapplicationsarebeginningtoallowstudentstousee-textbooksthatway.“Studentsgrewup learningfromprintbooks,”saidNicoleAllen,thetextbookscampaigndirectorfortheresearchgroups,“soastheytransitiontohighereducation,itsnotsurprisingthattheyprefera formatthattheyaremostaccustomedto.”Indeed,manyHamiltonstudentsgrowpassionateabouttheweightyvolumestheystillcarryfromdormroomtolecturehalltolibrary,evenastheycompulsively(克制不住地)checktheirsmartphonesfortextmessagesande-mails.“Ibelievethatthecodexisoneof mankindsbestinventions,”saidJonathanPiskor,ajuniorfromNorthCarolina,usingtheLatintermforbook.Thatpassionmaybe onereasonthatBarnes&NobleCollegeBooksellersisworkingsohardtomarketitsnewsoftwareapplication,NOOKstudy,whichallowsstudentstonavigatee-textbooksonMacsandPCs.Thecompany,whichoperates636campusbookstoresnationwide,introducedthefreeapplicationlastsummerinhopesofluringmorestudentstobuyitselectronictextbooks.“Therealobstacleisgettingthemtotryit,”saidTraceyWeber,thecompanysexecutivevicepresident.Thecompanyisgivingaway“CollegeKick-StartKits”tostudentswhodownloadNOOKstudyinthefallsemester,witha dozenclassice-bookslikeTheCanterburyTalesandTheScarletLetter.CourseSmartislettingstudentstryanye-textbookfreefortwoweeks.Butnoteverytextbookisavailableindigitalorrentalformat.At Hamilton,forinstance,onlyaboutone-fifthofthetitlesaresoldase-textbooksthisfall.Astrollthroughthecampusstorerevealedthepricedifference.Abookon constitutionallaw,forinstance,was$189.85new,$142.40usedand$85.45forrent.(Typically,an e-textbookischeaperthana usedbook,thoughmoreexpensivethanarental.)Theexpenseofcollegetextbooks,whichisestimatedtohaverisenfourtimestheinflationrateinrecentyears,hasbecomesucha concernthatsomepoliticiansaretakingup thecause.Lastmonth,SenatorCharlesE.SchumerofNewYorkurgedmorecollegestorestorentbooks,aftera surveyof38 campusbookstoresinNewYorkCityandon LongIslandby hisofficefoundthat16 didnotoffertheoption.On Thursday,studentsatmorethan40collegesnationwideareplanninganAffordableTextbooksDayofActiontoencouragefacultymemberstoassigntextsthatarelessexpensive,orofferedfreeonline.Fornow,buyingbookstheold-fashionedway neworused prevails.CharlesSchmidt,thespokesmanfortheNationalAssociationofCollegeStores,saidthatifa campusstoresolda newbookfor$100,itwouldtypicallybuythebookbackfor$50atsemestersendandsellittothenextstudentfor$75.Thebuy-backpriceplunges,however,iftheprofessordropsthebookfromthesyllabusorifthebookstorehasboughtenoughbooksto meetdemand.WhenLouisBoguchwal,majoringineconomicsandmath,triedtosella$100linearalgebra(线性代数)textbookbacktothecollegebookstore,hewasoffered$15.“Itwasinsulting,”hesaid.“Theygiveyounexttonothing.”Thus,thecreationofHamiltonsnewnonprofitWebsite,getmytextbooks.org.So far,traffichasbeenlight:onlyabout70 bookshavebeensoldthisfall.ButJasonMariasis,presidentof theEntrepreneurClub,saidheexpectedsalestopickup aswordspread.Mr.Begolli,a memberoftheclub,recentlysoldthreeGermannovelsfor$17on thesite.“IfIhadsoldthembacktothebookstore,I wouldhavegotten$7 or$8,”he said.“Thebookstoreiskingwhenitcomestotextbooksales.We feltthereshouldbesomethingforstudents,by students.”Yetsomestudentshavetogo italone.RosemaryRocha,an N.Y.U.studentpursuinga degreeinhospitalityandtourismmanagement,addedup herrequiredreadingforthesemester:$600.“Itsharsh,”shesaid.“Imcurrentlycollectingunemployment,sothatsnotgoingtohappen.”Instead,shewaitstoborrowthefewcopiesherprofessorsleaveon reserveatthelibrary,orrelieson thekindnessofclassmates.“Myfriendswillletme borrowtheirbooksinexchangeforcoffeeorasliceofpizza,”shesaid.“Iveryseldombuythetextbooks,butImalwayslikea chickenwithoutahead.”1.Howdo studentsviewpapertextbooksinthisdigitalage?ATheyareindispensabletowritingtermpapers.BTheyplayanirreplaceableroleintheirstudy.CTheyareinferiortoe-booksinmanyways.DTheywillbereplacedby e-bookssomeday.2.Inwhatwayareprintedbooksfrustratingtostudents?ATheyaretooheavytocarry.BTheytakeup toomuchspace.CTheycosttoomuchmoney.DTheyoftengo outofprint.3.Whatcanstudentsdo withthecreationofthenonprofitWebsiteatHamilton?ATheycanrentnewbooksfora nominalfee.BTheycanbuybooks,bothusedandnew,ata lowerprice.CTheycanreadonlineby payinga smallfee.DTheycansellbookstoeachotherwithouta middleman.4.Whatcanwe learnabouttextbooksfromVictoriaAdesobascase?APrintedtextbookswillnotdisappearanytimesoon.BTheircostisstudentschiefconsideration.CE-booksarethefirstchoiceof low-income students.DSciencestudentspreferprintedtextbooks.5.Why domoststudentsstillpreferthetraditional paper-and-inktextbooks?AThey canformgoodlearninghabitswithprintedtextbooks.BThey have beenusedtotheirformatever sincechildhood.CThey canprotecttheireyesight usingprintedtextbooks.DThey arepassionateabouttheirphysical presence.6.WhatdoesTraceyWeberthink is thebestway toexpand e-textbooksales?AInvite studentstotry e-bookapplicationsforfree.BOpenmoree-bookstoresonuniversitycampuses.CUpdate e-booksoftwaretomeetstudents needs.DMake thepriceof e-textbooksmoreattractive.7.Tocombatthesoaringpriceof textbooks,SenatorCharlesE.Schumersuggeststhat.ApublishersoffermoretextbooksonlineBprofessorsassignless expensivebooksCcollege storesrentbooks tostudentsDstudentsbuy cheaperusedbooks8.Louis Boguchwal thoughtthemoney hewasofferedforhislinearalgebratextbookwas.9.Despite the light trafficon HamiltonsnonprofitWeb site,Jason Mariasiswas confidentthatitsbook businesswould.10.Livingonunemploymentbenefits,RosemaryRocha cannot but borrow textbooksfrom.Part IVReadingComprehension(ReadinginDepth)(25minutes)Section ADirections:Inthissection,thereis a shortpassagewith5 questions orincompletestatements.Readthepassagecarefully.Then answerthequestions or completethestatementsin thefewestpossiblewords.Pleasewriteyour answersonAnswerSheet2.Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.Americacontinuesto getfatter,accordingtoa newreporton thenations weightcrisis.Statisticsfor 2008-2010show that16statesareexperiencing steep increasesin adultobesity,andnone hasseenanotabledownturninthelastfouryears.Even Coloradans,long thenations slimmestcitizens,aregainingexcess pounds.Withanobesepopulationof 19.8%,it is the only statewith an adultobesity ratebelow 20%.Butin just the lastfouryears,theranks of theobeseeven inColoradohave grown0.7%.Gettingoutof theproblemwill notbe simple,saidJeffreyLevi,executivedirectorof theTrustforAmericas Health.Thereportemphasized the need for a rangeof measures,includingboostingphysicalactivity in schools,encouragingadults to get out and exercise,broadeningaccess toaffordablehealthyfoodsandusing“pricingstrategies”to encourageAmericansto makebetterfoodchoices.“Untilthe governmenttakeson the foodindustry,wellcontinue to see the appallingnumbersinthis report,”saidKellyBrownell,directorof YaleUniversitysRuddCenter forFood PolicyandObesity.“Governmentcouldstartby changingagriculturalsubsidies,by not makingit financiallyattractiveforcompaniesto marketunhealthyfoods,by placingseriousrestrictionson marketingtochildren,and with financialpoliciesthat makehealthyfoodscost lessand unhealthyfoodscostmore.”About30 yearsafterthe United Statesstartedseeingasteeprisein the weightof childrenandadults,the illnessesmost closelylinkedto obesityhavebeguna dramaticupturn.Diabetes(糖尿病)ratesin 12 stateshavejumpedsignificantly,nowaffectingasmanyas12.2%of adultsin Alabamathe statewith the highestobesityrates.Obesityremainsacondition disproportionatelyaffectingthose with poor educationand lowincome,andcloselytied to minoritystatus.Among AfricanAmericanadults,obesitytopped40%in15 states.AmongLatinos,ittopped30%in23 states.In contrast,amongwhite adults,obesityrateswere higherthan30%inonlyfourstates,andinnostatetopped32.1%.Nearlya thirdof highschooldropoutsareobese,comparedwith 21.5%of thosewho graduatedfromcollegeor technicalschool.Forchildren,the picturefromthe reportis slightlybetter,saidDr.FrancineKaufman,an obesityspecialistat ChildrensHospitalLosAngeles.“Childrenareforthe most partholdingsteady,”shesaid.Kaufmanaddedthat thereportsclearmessage that obesitytakesitsgreatesttollinlow-incomeand minoritycommunities underscoresthat“assistanceprogramsare definitelyrequired”tohelpthosepopulations.47.Comparedwith peoplein other states,Coloradanshavelong beenconsideredrelatively_.48.Thenew reportadvisesencouragingAmericansto buy healthyfoodsby adopting_.49.To curbthe increasingobesityrate,the governmentshouldfirstofalladjustits_.50.Whathashappenedin theU.S.showsthatthereis _between diabetesandobesity.51.Who aremost affectedby obesityinthe United StatesaccordingtoFrancineKaufman?Section BDirections:There are 2 passages in this section.Eachpassage is followedby somequestions orunfinishedstatements.Foreach of themthereare fourchoicesmarked A,B,CandD.Youshoulddecideonthebestchoiceandmark thecorresponding letteronAnswer Sheet 2 witha singlelinethroughthecentre.Passage OneQuestions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.Is 20th-centurycapitalismfailing21st-centurysociety?Members of theglobalelite debatedthatunusualquestion attheannualWorldEconomic Forum.It is encouragingthatmorethanthreeyears since theglobalfinancialcrisis,abelated(迟到的)processof soul-searching hasbeguninsearchof therightlessonstolearnfromit.There isagreat difference,however,between beingwillingtotalk about anissueandbeingready toact.It is a differencebetweenthose who still believe thatall governments can do is get out of theway andthosewho believe thereis a realroleforgovernments in firstrevivingoureconomies,andthensettingtherightrulesforfuturesuccess.If we learnedanything fromthe1930s,itwas thatgovernments cannotshrugtheirshouldersandwatchastheirownpeoplearebeinglaidoff.Norshould we forget the causes of the currentgrowthand debt crisis as we seekto put oureconomiesonamoresustainablefooting.BoththeUnitedStates andBritain sufferedbecausetheireconomieswere overly relianton thefinancial sectors artificialprofits;livingstandardsfor the many worsened while the economicrewardswenttothetopl percent;a capitalistmodelencouragedshort-termdecision-makingorientedtowardquarterlyprofits ratherthan long-term health;and interestgroups likegiant banks weredeemedtoobigtofailortoopowerfultochallenge.We needtorecognize thatthetrickle-downpromise(benefits given totherichwill eventuallybepassedon to the poor)of conservativetheoristshas turnedinto a gravity-defyingreality in whichwealthhas flowed upwarddisproportionately and,too often,undeservedly.Toaddresstheproblemrequires freshthinking fromgovernments abouthow peopletrainfortheirworking lives andwhataliving wageshouldbe.Governmentscanset better notnecessarily more rulesto encourageproductive businessesthatmake andsell realproductsandservices.We needrulesthatdiscouragethepredatory(掠夺的)behavior of thoseseeking thefastbuck throughhostiletakeoversandasset-strippingthatdonothavetheinterestsof theshareholders,theemployees ortheeconomy atheart.Andgovernments mustremember they areelectedto serve thepeople,notthepowerfullobbieswhocanpay foraccessorinfluence.Toooftentherealenemiesof market capitalism aresomeof theleadingbeneficiariesof thecurrentmodel,whichfavors bigmonopoliesandconsumer exploitation.I believe thatchangingtherulesof capitalismwill require a changein whatcitizens expect andask of politics.Thequestion is notso muchwhether20th-centurycapitalismis failing 21st-centurysocietybutwhetherpolitics can risetothechallenge of changing aflawedeconomicmodel.52.Whatimportant lessoncould bedrawnfromthe1930s?AThegovernment shouldplay aroleinrevivingtheeconomy.BThegovernment shouldprovide subsidiesfortheunemployed.CThegovernment shouldnotignoretheroleof economists inthenations economy.DThegovernment shouldnotbrushasideideasfromtheWorldEconomicForum.53.Whatis oneof thefactors contributingtotherecent financial crisis intheUnited States andBritain?ATheirbusinessgiants neglect of attendingtolong-termplanning.BTheirgovernmentsunnecessaryintervention ineconomicaffairs.CTheirgovernments failingtoprovide assistance forthepoorandneedy.DTheireconomies relying heavilyontheoperationsof thefinancial sector.54.Whatdoestheauthorsay abouttheso-calledtrickle-do
