2008年12月大学英语六级考试真题及答案(共18页).doc

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1、精选优质文档-倾情为你奉上2008年12月大学英语六级考试真题Part I Writing （30 minutes）Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitled How To Improve Students Mental Health?. You should write at least 150 words following the outline given below.1.大学生的心理健康十分重要2.因此，学校可以3.我们自己应当How To Improve

2、Students Mental Health?_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 Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.

3、 For questions 8 -10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage. Supersize SurpriseAsk anyone why there is an obesity epidemic and they will tell you that its al down to eating too much and burning too few calories. That explanation appeals to common sense and has dominated ef

4、forts to get to the root of the obesity epidemic and reverse it. Yet obesity researchers are increasingly dissatisfied with it. Many now believe that something else must have changed in our environment to precipitate(促成) such dramatic rises in obesity over the past 40 years or so. Nobody is saying t

5、hat the “big two” reduced physical activity and increased availability of food are not important contributors to the epidemic, but they cannot explain it all.Earlier this year a review paper by 20obesity experts set out the 7 most plausible alternative explanations for the epidemic. Here they are.1.

6、Not enough sleep It is widely believed that sleep is for the brain, not the body. Could a shortage of shut-eye also be helping to make us fat?Several large-scale studies suggest there may be a link. People who sleep less than 7 hours a night tend to have a higher body mass index than people who slee

7、p more, according to data gathered by the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Similarly, the US Nurses Health Study, which tracked 68,000 women for 16 years, found that those who slept an average of 5 hours a night gained more weight during the study period than women who slept 6 ho

8、urs, who in turn gained more than whose who slept 7.Its well known that obesity impairs sleep, so perhaps people get fat first and sleep less afterwards. But the nurses study suggests that it can work in the other direction too: sleep loss may precipitate weight gain.Although getting figures is diff

9、icult, it appears that we really are sleeping less. In 1960 people in the US slept an average of 8.5 hours per night. A 2002 poll by the National Sleep Foundation suggests that the average has fallen to under 7 hours, and the decline is mirrored by the increase in obesity.2. Climate controlWe humans

10、, like all warm-blooded animals, can keep our core body temperatures pretty much constant regardless of whats going on in the world around us. We do this by altering our metabolic(新陈代谢的) rate, shivering or sweating. Keeping warm and staying cool take energy unless we are in the “thermo-neutral zone”

11、, which is increasingly where we choose to live and work. There is no denying that ambient temperatures(环境温度) have changed in the past few decades. Between 1970 and 2000, the average British home warmed from a chilly 13C to 18C. In the US, the changes have been at the other end of the thermometer as

12、 the proportion of homes with air conditioning rose from 23% to 47% between 1978 and 1997. In the southern states where obesity rates tend to be highest the number of houses with air conditioning has shot up to 71% from 37% in 1978.Could air conditioning in summer and heating in winter really make a

13、 difference to our weight?Sadly，there is some evidence that it does-at least with regard to heating. Studies show that in comfortable temperatures we use less energy.3. Less smoking Bad news: smokers really do tend to be thinner than the rest of us, and quitting really does pack on the pounds, thoug

14、h no one is sure why. It probably has something to do with the fact that nicotine is an appetite suppressant and appears to up your metabolic rate. Katherine Flegal and colleagues at the US National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, have calculated that people kicking the habit

15、have been responsible for a small but significant portion of the US epidemic of fatness. From data collected around 1991 by the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, they worked out that people who had quit in the previous decade were much more likely to be overweight than smokers and

16、 people who had never smoked .Among men, for example, nearly half of quitters were overweight compared with 37% of non-smokers and only 28%of smokers.4. Genetic effects Yours chances of becoming fat may be set, at least in part, before you were even born. Children of obese mothers are much more like

17、ly to become obese themselves later in life. Offspring of mice fed a high-fat diet during pregnancy are much more likely to become fat than the offspring of identical mice fed a normal diet. Intriguingly, the effect persists for two or three generations. Grandchildren of mice fed a high-fat diet gro

18、w up fat even if their own mother is fed normally-so you fate may have been sealed even before you were conceived.5. A little olderSome groups of people just happen to be fatter than others. Surveys carried out by the US national center for health statistics found that adults aged 40 to 79 were arou

19、nd three times as likely to be obese as younger people. Non-white females also tend to fall at the fatter end of the spectrum: Mexican-American women are 30% more likely than white women to be obsess, and black women have twice the risk. In the US, these groups account for an increasing percentage o

20、f the population. Between 1970 and 2000 the US population aged 35 to 44 grew by43%.the proportion of Hispanic-Americans also grew, from under 5% to 12.5% of the population, while the proportion of black Americans increased from 11% to12.3%.these changes may account in part for the increased prevalen

21、ce of obesity.6. Mature mums Mothers around the world are getting older. in the UK, the mean age for having a first child is 27.3,compared with 23.7 in 1970 .mean age at first birth in the US has also increased, rising from 21.4 in 1970 to 24.9 in 2000. This would be neither here nor there if it wer

22、ent for the observation that having an older mother seems to be an independent risk factor for obesity. Results from the US national heart, lung and blood institutes study found that the odds of a child being obese increase 14% for every five extra years of their mothers age, though why this should

23、be so is not entirely clear.Michael Symonds at the University of Nottingham, UK, found that first-born children have more fat than younger ones. As family size decreases, firstborns account for a greater share of the population. In 1964, British women gave birth to an average of 2.95 children; by 20

24、05 that figure had fallen to 1.79. In the US in1976, 9.6% of woman in their 40s had only one child; in 2004 it was 17.4%. this combination of older mothers and more single children could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.7. Like marrying like Just as people pair off according to looks, so they

25、 do for size. Lean people are more likely to marry lean and fat more likely to marry fat. On its own, like marrying like cannot account for any increase in obesity. But combined with othersparticularly the fact that obesity is partly genetic, and that heavier people have more childrenit amplifies th

26、e increase form other causes.1. What is the passage mainly about?A) Effects of obesity on peoples health B) The link between lifestyle and obesity C) New explanations for the obesity epidemic D) Possible ways to combat the obesity epidemic2. In the US Nurse Health Study, women who slept an average o

27、f 7 hours a night_. A) gained the least weight B) were inclined to eat less C) found their vigor enhanced D) were less susceptible to illness3. The popular belief about obesity is that_.A) it makes us sleepy B) it causes sleep loss C) it increases our appetite D) it results from lack of sleep4. How

28、does indoor heating affect our life?A) it makes us stay indoors more B) it accelerates our metabolic rate C) it makes us feel more energetic D) it contributes to our weight gain5. What does the author say about the effect of nicotine on smokers?A) it threatens their health B) it heightens their spir

29、its C) it suppresses their appetite D) it slows down their metabolism 6. Who are most likely to be overweight according to Katherine Fergals study? A) heavy smokers B) passive smokers C) those who never smoke D) those who quit smoking7. According to the US National Center for Health Statistics, the

30、increased obesity in the US is a result of_.A) the growing number of smokers among young people B) the rising proportion of minorities in its population C) the increasing consumption of high-calorie foods D) the improving living standards of the poor people8. According to the US National Heart, Lung

31、 and Blood Institute, the reason why older mothers children tend to be obese remains _. 9. According to Michael Symonds, one factor contributing to the obesity epidemic is decrease of _. 10. When two heavy people get married, chances of their children getting fat increase, because obesity is _. Part

32、 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. Af

33、ter 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) He is quite easy to recognize B) He is an outstanding

34、 speaker C) He looks like a movie star D) He looks young for his age12. A) consult her dancing teacher B) take a more interesting class C) continue her dancing class D) improve her dancing skills13. A) the man did not believe what the woman said B) the man accompanied the woman to the hospital C) th

35、e woman may be suffering from repetitive strain injury D) the woman may not followed the doctors instructions14. A) they are not in style any more B) they have cost him far too much C) they no longer suit his eyesight D) they should be cleaned regularly15. A) he spilled his drink onto the floor B) h

36、e has just finished wiping the floor C) he was caught in a shower on his way home D) he rushed out of the bath to answer the phone16. A) fixing some furniture B) repairing the toy train C) reading the instructions D) assembling the bookcase17. A) urge Jenny to spend more time on study B) help Jenny

37、to prepare for the coming exams C) act towards Jenny in a more sensible way D) send Jenny to a volleyball training center18. A) The building of the dam needs a large budget B) The proposed site is near the residential area C) The local people feel insecure about the dam D) The dam poses a threat to

38、the local environmentQuestions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. A. It saw the end of its booming years worldwide B. Its production and sales reached record levels. C. It became popular in some foreign countries D. Its domestic market started to shrink rapidly.20. A. The

39、y cost less. C. They were in fashion. B. They tasted better. D. They were widely advertised.21. A. It is sure to fluctuate. C. It will remain basically stable. B. It is bound to revive. D. It will see no more monopoly Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.22. A. Organi

40、sing protests C. Acting as its spokesman. B. Recruiting members D. Saving endangered animals.23. A. Anti-animal-abuse demonstrations B. Anti-nuclear campaigns C. Surveying the Atlantic Ocean floor D. Removing industrial waste.24. A. By harassing them. C. By taking legal action. B. By appealing to th

41、e public D. By resorting to force.25. A. Doubtful C. Indifferent. B. Reserved D. Supportive Section BDirections: 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 qu

42、estion, 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 OneQuestions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. A. The air becomes still. C. The clouds block

43、the sun. B. The air pressure is low. D. The sky appears brighter.27. A. Ancient people were better at foretelling the weather. B. Sailors saying about the weather are unreliable. C. People knew long ago how to predict the weather. D. It was easier to forecast the weather in the old days.28. A. Weath

44、er forecast is getting more accurate today. B. People can predict the weather by their senses C. Who are the real experts in weather forecast. D. Weather changes affect peoples life remarkablyPassage TwoQuestions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.29. A. They often feel insecure a

45、bout their jobs. B. They are unable to decide what to do first. C. They feel burdened with numerous tasks every day. D they feel burdened with numerous tasks every day30. A. Analyze them rationally. C. Turn to others for help. B. Draw a detailed to-do list. D. Handle them one by one.31. A. They have

46、 accomplished little. C. They have worked out a way to relax. B. They feel utterly exhausted. D. They no longer feel any sense of guilt.Passage ThreeQuestions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.32. A. Their performance may improve. B. Their immune system may be reinforced C. Their blood pressure may rise all of a sudden. D. Their physical development may be enhanced.33. A. Improved mental functioning C. Speeding up of blood circulation B. Increased susceptibility to disease D. Reduction of stress-related hormones34. A. Pretend to be in better