Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
For thousands of years, people have known that the best way to understand a concept is to explain it to someone else. “While we teach, we learn,” said Roman philosopher Seneca. Now scientists are bringing this ancient wisdom up-to-date. They're documenting why teaching is such a fruitful way to learn, and designing innovative ways for young people to engage in instruction.
Researchers have found that students who sign up to tutor others work harder to understand the material, recall it more accurately and apply it more effectively. Student teachers score higher on tests than pupils who're learning only for their own sake. But how can children, still learning themselves, teach others? One answer: They can tutor younger kids. Some studies have found that first-born children are more intelligent than their later-born siblings (兄弟姐妹). This suggests their higher IQs result from the time they spend teaching their siblings. Now educators are experimenting with ways to apply this model to academic subjects. They engage college undergraduates to teach computer science to high school students, who in turn instruct middle school students on the topic.
But the most cutting-edge tool under development is the “teachable agent”—a computerized character who learns, tries, makes mistakes and asks questions just like a real-world pupil. Computer scientists have created an animated (动画的) figure called Betty's Brain, who has been “taught” about environmental science by hundreds of middle school students. Student teachers are motivated to help Betty master certain materials. While preparing to teach, they organize their knowledge and improve their own understanding. And as they explain the information to it, they identify problems in their own thinking.
Feedback from the teachable agents further enhances the tutors' learning. The agents' questions compel student tutors to think and explain the materials in different ways, and watching the agent solve problems allows them to see their knowledge put into action.
Above all, it's the emotions one experiences in teaching that facilitate learning. Student tutors feel upset when their teachable agents fail, but happy when these virtual pupils succeed as they derive pride and satisfaction from someone else's accomplishment.
46. What are researchers rediscovering through their studies?
's thinking is still applicable today.
learners will become better teachers.
intelligence tends to grow with age.
thinking improves instruction.
47. What do we learn about Betty's Brain?
is a character in a popular animation.
is a teaching tool under development.
is a cutting-edge app in digital games.
is a tutor for computer science students.
48. How does teaching others benefit student tutors?
makes them aware of what they are strong at.
motivates them to try novel ways of teaching.
helps them learn their academic subjects better.
enables them to better understand their teachers.
49. What do students do to teach their teachable agents?
motivate them to think independently.
ask them to design their own questions.
encourage them to give prompt feedback.
use various ways to explain the materials.
50. What is the key factor that eases student tutors' learning?
sense of responsibility.
emotional involvement.
learning strategy acquired.
teaching experience gained.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
A new batch of young women—members of the so-called Millennial (千禧的) generation—has been entering the workforce for the past decade. At the starting line of their careers, they are better educated than their mothers and grandmothers had been—or than their young male counterparts are now. But when they look ahead, they see roadblocks to their success. They believe that women are paid less than men for doing the same job. They think it's easier for men to get top executive jobs than it is for them. And they assume that if and when they have children, it will be even harder for them to advance in their careers.
While the public sees greater workplace equality between men and women now than it did 20-30 years ago, most believe more change is needed. Among Millennial women, 75% say this country needs to continue making changes to achieve gender equality in the workplace, compared with 57% of Millennial men. Even so, relatively few young women (15%) say they have been discriminated against at work because of their gender.
As Millennial women come of age they share many of the same views and values about work as their male counterparts. They want jobs that provide security and flexibility, and they place relatively little importance on high pay. At the same time, however, young working women are less likely than men to aim at top management jobs: 34% say they're not interested in becoming a boss or top manager; only 24% of young men say the same. The gender gap on this question is even wider among working adults in their 30s and 40s, when many women face the trade-offs that go with work and motherhood.
These findings are based on a new Pew Research Center survey of 2,002 adults, including 810 Millennials (ages 18-32), conducted Oct. 7-27, 2013. The survey finds that, in spite of the dramatic gains women have made in educational attainment and labor force participation in recent decades, young women view this as a man's world—just as middle-aged and older women do.
do we learn from the first paragraph about Millennial women starting their careers?
can get ahead only by striving harder.
expect to succeed just like Millennial men.
are generally quite optimistic about their future.
are better educated than their male counterparts.
do most Millennial women feel about their treatment in the workplace?
are the target of discrimination.
find it satisfactory on the whole.
think it needs further improving.
find their complaints ignored.
do Millennial women value most when coming of age?
sense of accomplishment.
stability and flexibility.
and promotions.
derived from work.
are women in their 30s and 40s concerned about?
welfare of their children.
narrowing of the gender gap.
fulfillment of their dreams in life.
balance between work and family.
conclusion can be drawn about Millennial women from the 2013 survey?
still view this world as one dominated by males.
account for half the workforce in the job market.
see the world differently from older generations.
do better in work than their male counterparts.
Passage one
Passage two
Section C
Directions: in this section,you will hear a paasage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is reaf for the third time, you should check what you have written.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
My favorite TV. show? “The Twilight Zone. ” I 26____like the episode called “The Printer's Devil. ” It's about a newspaper editor who's being 27____out of business by a big newspaper syndicate--you know, a group of papers 28____by the same people. He's about to 29____when he's interrupted by an old man who says his name is Smith. The editor is not only offered $ 5,000 to pay off his newspaper's 30____, but this Smith character also offers his services for free. It turns out that the guy operates the printing machine with amazing speed, and soon he's turning out newspapers with 31____. The small paper is successful again. The editor is 32____ a thow quickly Smith gets his stories--only minutes after they happen--but soon he's presented with a contract to sign. Mr. Smith, it seems, is really the devil! The editor is frightened by this news, but he is more frightened by the idea of losing his newspaper, so he agrees to sign. But soon Smith is 33____the news even before it happens--and it's all terrible--one disaster after another. Anyway, there is a little more to tell, but I don't want to 34____the story for you. I really like these old episodes of “The Twilight Zone” because the stories are fascinating. They are not realistic. But then again, in a way they are, because they deal with 35____。
四级听力原文 Section A
From Learning English, this is In the News.
Nouri al-Maliki said Thursday that he would leave his position as prime minister of Iraq. His decision opened the way for Haider Jawad al-Abadi to take Mr. Malikis place.
Former colleagues describe Mr. Abadi as a good speaker and a direct person who is open to the ideas of others. He will need strong qualities. Among the issues facing the new prime minister are extremist militancy, religious division and political disputes.
The man now responsible for leading Iraq out of crisis was born in Baghdad. But he has lived much of his life outside the country. For example, he worked in Britain as an advisor in the engineering industry until the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.
His family suffered under the rule of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Saddams government arrested two of Mr. Abadis brothers in 1980 for their association with the Dawa Party and executed them two years later. In 1981, the government arrested a third brother for the same reason. That brother survived. But he spent 10 years in prison.
Mr. Abadi also was involved in the Dawa Party while in London. He served as an active party leader in exile.
He returned home to enter politics after Saddam was ousted from leadership. As communications minister, rebuilt telephone systems that had been destroyed by war. He also brought the first mobile and Internet communications services into the country.
Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
There are many American expressions about insects -- like bees, for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They always appear to be busy, moving around in their homes, or hives. So you might say you were as busy as a bee if you spent your weekend cleaning your house.
In fact, you might say your house was a beehive of activity if your whole family was helping you clean. You also might say you made a beeline for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always makes a beeline for the place where they sell popcorn.
Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the nineteen twenties. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was the bees knees. Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!
If your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has a bee in her bonnet. If someone asks you a personal question, you might say that is none of your beeswax. This means none of your business.
Speaking of personal questions, there is an expression people sometimes use when their children ask, where do babies come from? Parents who discuss sex and reproduction say this is talking about the birds and the bees.
One was throwing up; the other had diarrhea. We were all irritable and exhausted, and we hada three-hour trip ahead of us to get back to Florence, where we were staying. Somewhere onthe plains of Perugia we stopped at a little trattoria to have dinner. Embarrassed at ourbedraggled state and our smelly, noisy children, we sheepishly tried to sneak into the diningroom, hoping we could silence the children long enough to order before they threw us out. Theproprietor took one look at us, muttered, “You wait — a — here,” and went back to the kitchen.
We thought perhaps we should leave right then, but before we could decide what to do, hereappeared with his wife and teenage daughter. Beaming as they crossed the dining room, thetwo women threw out their arms, cried, “Oh, babies!” and took the children from our arms, motioning us to sit at a quiet corner table. For the duration of a long and hospitable dinner, they walked the babies back and forth in the back of the dining room, cooing, laughing andsinging them to sleep in gentle, musical Italian. The proprietor even insisted we stay and havean extra glass of wine after the babies were asleep! Any parent who has reached the end of hisor her rope with an infant will appreciate that God had indeed sent us angels that day.
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 marketed A), B),C) and D). Then marked the correspond letter on Answer sheet I with a single line through the centre.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
Passage One
Questions 16 to 19 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
. It is lined with tall trees.
B. It was widened recently.
C. It has high buildings on both sides.
D. It used to be dirty and disorderly.
. They repaved it with rocks.
B. They built public restrooms on it.
C. They beautified it with plants.
D. They set up cooking facilities near it.
. What makes life enjoyable.
B. How to work with tools.
C. What a community means.
D. How to improve health.
19. A. They were obliged to fulfill the signed contract.
B. They were encouraged by the city officials' praise.
C. They wanted to prove they were as capable as boys.
D. They derived happiness from the constructive work.
Passage Two
Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.
20. A. The majority of them think it less important than computers:
B. Many of them consider it boring and old-fashioned.
C. The majority of them find it interesting.
D. Few of them read more than ten books a year.
. Novels and stories.
B. Mysteries and detective stories.
C. History and science books.
D. Books on culture and tradition.
. Watching TV.
B. Listening to music.
C. Reading magazines.
D. Playing computer games.
Passage Three
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
23. A. Advice on the purchase of cars.
B. Information about the new green-fuel vehicles.
C. Trends for the development of the motor car.
D. Solutions to global fuel shortage.
. Limited driving range.
B. Huge recharging expenses.
C. The short life of batteries.
D. The Stafford high price.
25. A. They need to be further improved.
B. They can easily switch to natural gas.
C. They are more cost-effective than vehicles powered by solar energy.
D. They can match conventional motor cars in performance and safety.
The other thing to be avoided is clinging to youth in the hope of sucking vigour from itsvitality. When your children are grown up they want to live their own lives, and if you continueto be as interested in them as you were when they were young, you are likely to become aburden to them, unless they are unusually callous. I do not mean that one should be withoutinterest in them, but one's interest should be contemplative and, if possible, philanthropic, butnot unduly emotional. Animals become indifferent to their young as soon as their young canlook after themselves, but human beings, owing to the length of infancy, find this difficult.
I thing that a successful old age is easiest for those who have strong impersonal interestsinvolving appropriate activities. It is in this sphere that long experience is really fruitful, andit is in this sphere that the wisdom born of experience can be exercised without beingoppressive. It is no use telling grownup children not to make mistakes, both because they willnot believe you, and because mistakes are an essential part of education. But if you are one ofthose who are incapable of impersonal interests, you may find that your life will be emptyunless you concern yourself with your children and grandchildren. In that case you must realisethat while you can still render them material services, you must not expect that they will enjoyyour company.
From Learning English, this is Science in the News. Im Faith Lapidus.
And Im Mario Ritter. Today we tell about herbs and spices, and some of their many uses.
People have been using herbs and spices for thousands of years. Generally, herbs come from the green leaves of plants or vegetables. S from other parts of plants and trees.
Some herbs and spices are valued for their taste. They help to sharpen the taste of many foods. Others are chosen for their smell. Still others were used traditionally for health reasons.
When people think of improving their diet, they often talk about eating more fruits and vegetables. Others want to eat more fish and less red meat, in addition to reducing the amount of food they eat. But, they can improve their diets even more with just a simple addition.
American researchers have found that a diet rich in spices can help reduce the harmful effects of eating high fat meals. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University reported the findings.
Penn State Associate Professor Sheila West led an investigation of the health effects of a spice-rich diet. Her team knew that a high-fat meal produces high levels of triglycerides, a kind of fat, in the blood.
She said, If this happens too frequently, or if triglyceride levels are raised too much, your risk of heart disease is increased. We found that adding spices to a high-fat meal reduced triglyceride response by about 30 percent, compared to a similar meal with no spices added.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Popping food into the microwave for a couple of minutes may seem utterly harmless, and Europe's stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7million cars, a new study has found, and the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchen appliances becoming “status” users, owners are throwing many microwave after an average of eight years. This is pushing sales of new microwave which are expected to reach 135 million annually in the EU by the end of the decade.
A study by the University of Manchester worked out the emissions of carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change -- at every stage of microwaves, from manufacture to waste disposal. “It is electricity consumption by microwaves that has the biggest impact on the environment,” say the authors, who also calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same as those from a car. According to the same study, efforts to reduce consumption should focus on improving consumer awareness and behaviour to use appliances more efficiently. For example, electricity consumption by microwaves can be reduced by adjusting the time of cooking to the type of food.“
However, David Reay, professor of carbon management argues that, although microwaves use a great deal of enery, their emissions are minor compared to those from cars. In the UK alone and these emit way more than all the emissions from microwaves in the EU. Backing this up, recent data show that passenger cars in the UK emitted 69m tonnes of CO2 in . This is 10 times the amount this new microwave oven study estimates for annual emissions for all the microwave ovens in the whole of the EU.” further, the energy used by microwaves is lower than any other form of cooking. Among common kitchen appliances used for cooking, microwaves are the most energy efficient, followed by a stove and finally a standard oven. Thus, rising microwave sales could be seen as a positive thing.
51. What is the finding of the new study?
A) Quick-cooking microwave ovens have become more popular.
B) The frequent use of microwaves may do harm to our health.
C) CO2 emissions constitute a major threat to the environment.
D) The use of microwaves emits more CO2 than people think.
52. Why are the sales of microwaves expected to rise?
A) They are becoming more afrdabla.
B) They have a shorter life cycle than other appliances.
C) They are gtting much easier to operate.
D) They take less tine to cook than other ppliaces.
53. What recommendation does the study by the University of Manchester make?
A) Cooking food of dfferent varieties.
B) Improving microwave users' habits.
C) Eating less to cut energy consumption.
D) Using microwave ovens less frequently.
54. What does Professor David Reay try to argue?
A) There are far more emissions from cars than from microwaves.
B) People should be persuaded into using passenger cars less often.
C) The UK produces less CO2 than many other countries in the EU.
D) More data are needed to show whether microwaves are harmful.
55. What does Professor David Reay think of the use of microwaves?
A) It will become less popular in the coming decades.
B) It makes everyday cooking much more convenient.
C) It plays a positive role in envronmental protection.
D) It consumes more power than conventional cooking.
Passage one
Passage two
From Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
There are increasing calls for lawmakers to reconsider copyright laws that protect the owners of 3-D printing designs. But there is also concern that extensive laws could suppress new ideas. 3-D printers have spread from scientific labs to industrial workshops to private homes. And prices of 3-D printers continue to drop.
Designers demonstrate a large number of different machines at 3-D print shows. There are models that can produce complex copies of human organs. There are less costly 3-D printers that make toys for children or parts for home electrical devices.
One German automaker recently demonstrated an example of a car structure printed in one piece. And a Chinese manufacturer advertised a house created in a 3-D printer.
With the help of computer, almost anyone can print exact copies of many kinds of objects. But they also violate the law in doing so.
Julie Samuels is a lawyer with the civil liberties group, Electronic Frontier Foundation. She says people should be careful about what they create when using 3-D printers.
If a certain design that you want to print is covered by copyright, then if you print that you are infringing, arguably, someones copyright, said Julie Samuels.
But 3-D companies are concerned about passing more restrictive copyright protection laws. They think these laws could place bans on the rights of citizens. They also believe restrictive copyright laws could suppress technological invention.
How Did Thanksgiving Turkey Get its Name?
感恩节“火鸡”是如何得名？
The . Thanksgiving holiday is symbolized by its traditional food, a large bird we call a turkey. But turkey is certainly not from Turkey.
In fact, its English name is based on one big mistake. We could say it is a case of mistaken identity.
Let’s set the record straight.
The word “Turkey” has meant “the land of the Turks” since ancient times. The word “turkey” as it refers to the bird first appeared in the English language in the mid-1500s.
The misunderstanding over the word happened because of two similar-looking kinds of birds.
There is an African bird called the guinea fowl. It has dark feathers with white spots and a patch of brown on the back of its neck. Portuguese traders brought the guinea fowl to Europe through North Africa.
This foreign bird came to Europe through Turkish lands. So, the English thought of the bird as a “Turkish chicken.”
When Europeans came to North America, they saw a bird that looked like the guinea fowl. This bird was native to the North American continent.
Orin Hargraves is a lexicographer, someone who writes dictionaries. Hargraves explains what happened.
“Some Europeans saw an American turkey, thought that it was the guinea fowl, which at that time was called the ‘turkey cock,’ and so gave it the same name._
Hundreds of years later, we continue to call this North American bird “turkey,” even though it has no connection at all with the country Turkey, or even with Europe.
But English is not the only language with interesting -- and even questionable -- names for this North American bird.
The Turkish, for their part, call turkey “hindi,” the Turkish name for India. The reference to India probably comes from the old, wrong idea that the New World was in Eastern Asia.
The French call it “dinde,” a name that also connects the bird to India. “D’Inde” means “from India” in the French language. “Turkey” has similar names in several other languages.
So, what do they call this North American bird in India? Well, in the Hindi language, “turkey” is “tarki.”
But wait, there’s more. In Portuguese, the same bird is called “Peru,” after the South American nation.
Thanks to our VOA Learning English Facebook friends, we have a few more names for “turkey” to share with you.
The Vietnamese word for the bird is “gà ty” or western chicken. Our Facebook friend Nguyen Duc explains that “local chicken is smaller than western chicken.”
A Facebook friend in Myanmar explained that the Burmese word for “turkey” is “kyat sin.” The name translates to “elephant chicken” in English.
“That animal looks like a big chicken,” Zaw Myo Win explained.
The Dari language name for the bird, _fel murgh_ also translates to “elephant chicken.”
Abdulla Kawer explained to us that “here in Afghanistan this name represents the size of this delicious meal.” He adds that he thinks the descriptive name “elephant chicken” is “better than a country name.”
I’m Ashley Thompson.
_______________________________________________________
Words in This Story
symbolize - v. to represent or express a particular idea or quality
translate - v. to change words from one language into another language
A Free Dress Every Week
The temptation to steal is greater than ever before especially in large shops and people are not so honest as they once were.
A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who always went into a large store on Monday mornings. One Monday, there were fewer people in the shop than usual when the woman came in, so it was easier for the detective to watch her. The woman first bought a few small articles. After a little time, she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible. The woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying. When she was arrested, the detective found out that the shop assistant was her daughter. Believe it or not, the girl _gave_ her mother a free dress every week! (148 words)
Useful Words and Expressions:
temptation n.诱惑，诱惑物
the temptations of a big city大城市的种种诱惑
resist temptation抵制诱惑，不受诱惑
a strong temptation to sb对某人十分强烈的诱惑
article n.物品，商品
an important article of food一种主要食品
article mix 商品组合
articles of daily use日用品
wrap vi.包起来
wrap sth. Up 把…包起来
arrest vt.逮捕，拘留 n.逮捕，拘留
the arrest of a criminal suspect拘捕一个犯罪嫌疑犯。
a criminal under arrest 一个在押的'罪犯
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators announced Tuesday that they have agreed to an extended ceasefire after seven weeks of deadly fighting in Gaza.
The ceasefire took effect at 7 . local time 。 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced the truce from his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Egypt organized the truce. It calls for Israel to ease its blockade of Gaza. The agreement will permit shipments of humanitarian aid and building materials for repair and reconstruction in Gaza. The two sides will continue talks about Israels demand that Hamas militants surrender their weapons.
The United States said it strongly supports the truce.
Over 2,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and more than 60 Israelis were killed in the almost two month long conflict.
Belarus Meeting Fails to End Fighting in Ukraine
Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko and Russias President Vladimir Putin met in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, Tuesday. They failed to reach agreement about the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Mr. Poroshenko said the conflict would end with a secure border for Ukraine. He said there must be a block to transports of arms from Russia to the rebels.
Mr. Putin demanded that Russia be permitted to meet with the rebels and supply humanitarian aid.
Cambodian Opposition Gets Parliamentary Commissions
From Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
Climate researchers met recently in Cameroon to talk about threats to Africas land and animals. They said they believe the continent may lose as much as 30 percent of its animal and plant species by the end of this century. They blame the expected losses on the warming of earth, population growth and unrestricted development.
The researchers represent 20 African, American and European universities. They say countries south of the Saharan desert are losing forest faster than any place on earth. Wood companies are cutting down trees to meet growing demand from China, Europe and the United States.
The population is growing at 3 percent per year. There are now homes, factories and farms on land that once was forest. Many African animals and plants no longer have a place to live as result. Climate change also continues to threaten species.
Thomas Smith is the director of the Center for Tropical Research at the University of California.
With a degree rise in global temperature, Africa may lose 30 percent of its animals and plants. And unfortunately with the increase in CO2 that has been now estimated to be up to three degrees in terms of rising global temperatures -- that means we may lose 40 percent of all mammal species in Africa by the end of the century, said Smith.
The African chimpanzee is one such animal at risk. Mary Katherine Gonder is a professor in the Department of Biology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
From Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
International economists say they are hopeful about Africas economy. They say economic growth on the continent will increase by as much as five or six percent over the next two years. That would be the continents highest growth rate since the worldwide economic recession in .
Economic experts say the growth is partly because governments have established policies inviting to foreign investors. They say increased trade among African nations is also growing the continents economy. And the experts say the growth is widespread. They made the observations in the African Economic Outlook report.
The African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the OECD Development Center produced the report together. Angela Lusigi is a U. N. Development Program economist and policy adviser for Africa.
A lot of people think growth in Africa, they think the only driven by mineral wealth or oil-exporting countries, but we find now the report that even countries that are not resource rich are still growing effectively. This is mainly because of their agricultural sector but also growth in services [including tourism] and a little in manufacturing, said Lusigi.
The report says Africas top foreign trade partner is Europe. About 40 percent of African trade is with European nations. 25 percent is with Asian countries and about 12 percent is with North America.
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