英语专业四级考试大纲

英语专业四级考试大纲

总则

    2000 年出版的《高等学校英语专业英语教学大纲》 ( 以 下简称《大纲》 ) 规定 , 高等学校英语专业基础阶段的主要教学任务是 " 传授英语基础知识 , 对学生进行全面的、严格的基本技能训练 , 培养学生实际运用语言的能力、良好的学风和正确的学习方法 , 为进入高年级打下扎实的专业基础 " ( 《大纲》 ,200O:2)
同时,《大纲》指出 ,“为了帮助各校和有关部门了解执行本教学大纲的情况,教育部委托全国高校外语专业教学指导委员会英语组在第四学期和第八学期分别实施全国英语专业四级和八级统一考试。四级和八级考试着重检查学生的英语语言的综合运用能力。 "(《大纲》,2000:14)
根据《大纲》中的上述规定 , 英语专业四级考试大纲特作如下规定 :

一、考试目的 :
    本考试的目的是全面检查已完成英语专业基础阶段课程的学生是否达到了《大纲》所规定的各项英语专业技能要求 , 考核学生综合运用各项基本技能的能力以及学生对语法结构和词语用法的掌握程度。
二、考试性质与范围 :
    本考试属于标准参照性教学检查类考试。考试范围包括《大纲》所规定的听、读、写技能以及语法、词汇知识。
三、考试时间、对象与命题 :
    本考试在英语专业第四学期举行,每年一次。考试对象为高校英语专业二年级学生。本考试由教育部高等学校外语专业教学指导委员会英语组组织有关测试专家命题 , 外语专业教学指导委员会办公室负责考试的实施。
四、考试形式 :
    为了有效地考核学生综合运用各项基本技能的能力, 既兼顾考试的科学性、客观性 ,又考虑到考试的可行性以及基础阶段英语水平评估的特点,本考试采用多种试题形式,以保证考试的效度和信度。

五、考试内容 :
本考试共有六个部分 : 听写、听力理解、完型填空、语法与词汇、阅读理解、写作。整个考试需时 130 分钟。

听写 (Part I:Dictation)
1. 测试要求 :
(a) 能在全面理解内容的基础上逐字逐句写出所听材料。
(b) 拼写和标点符号正确无误 ,错误率不超过 8% 。
(c) 考试时间 15 分钟。
2. 测试形式 :
本部分为主观试题。所听材料共念四遍。第一遍用正常速度朗读 , 录音语速为每分钟 120 个单词 , 让学生听懂材料大意。第二、三遍朗读时意群、分句和句子之间留出约 15 秒的空隙 , 让学生书写。第四遍再用正常速度朗读 ,让学生检查。
3. 测试目的 : 测试学生听力理解能力、拼写熟练程度以及正确运用标点符号的能力。
4. 选材原则 :
(a) 题材广泛,体裁多样。
(b) 听写材料难度以不超过《大纲》规定为准。
(c) 听写材料长度约 150 个单词。

Ⅱ.听力理解 (PartⅡ:Listening Comprehension )
1. 测试要求 :
(a) 能听懂英语国家人士关于日常生活和社会生活的谈话 , 以及中等难度 ( 如 TOEFL 中的短文 ) 的听力材料。能理解大意 , 领会说话者的态度、感情和真实意图。
(b) 能听懂相当于 VOA 正常速度和 BBC 新闻节目的主要内容。
(c) 能辨别各种英语变体 ( 如美国英语、英国英语、澳大利亚英语等 ) 。
(d) 考试时间约 15 分钟。
2. 测试形式 :
本部分采用多项选择题 , 分三节 :Section A,Section B 和 Section C, 共 30 题。
Section A:Conversations
本部分含有若干组对话 , 每组约 200 个单词。每组对话后有若干道题。本部分共有 10 题。
Section B:Passages
本部分含有若干篇短文 , 每篇长度约为 200 个单词。每 篇后有若干道题。本部分共有 10 题。
Section CzNews Broadcast
本部分含有若干段 VOA 或 BBC 新闻 , 每段新闻后有若干道题。本部分共有 10 题。
本部分每道题后有约 5 秒的间隙 , 要求学生从所给的四个选项中选出一个最佳答案。录音语速为每分钟约 120 个单词 , 念一遍。
3. 测试目的 :
测试学生获取口头信息的能力。
4. 选材原则 :
(a) 对话和短文部分的内容与日常生活和学习活动相关。
(b)VOA 和 BBC 新闻材料为学生所熟悉的一般新报道、短评或讲话等。
(c) 听力材料中所出现的词语原则上不超出《大纲》规定的范围。

III-完型填空 (Part III:Cloze)
1. 测试要求 :
(a) 能在全面理解所给短文内容的基础上 , 选择一个最佳答案使短文意思和结构恢复完整。
(b) 考试时间 15 分钟。
2. 测试形式 :
4 本部分采用多项选择题。在一篇约 250 个单词、题材熟悉、难度中等的短文中留出 20 个空白。每个空白为一题 ,每题有四个选项。填空的词涉及语法和词汇。
3. 测试目的 :
测试学生的综合语言知识和技能。

IV. 语法与词汇
(Part IV: Grammar and Vocabulary)
1. 测试要求 :
(a) 掌握并能正确运用《大纲》规定的一至四级语法内容容
(b) 掌握《大纲》规定的基础阶段认知词汇 (5500一6000), 并且能正确、熟练地运用其中的 3000- 4000 个单词及其最基本的搭配。
(c) 考试时间 15 分钟。
2. 测试形式 :
本部分采用多项选择题 , 共 30 道题 , 每题有四个选择项。题目中约 50% 为词汇、词组和短语用法题 , 其余为语法结构题。
3. 测试目的 :
测试学生掌握词汇、短语及基本语法概念的熟练程度。

V.阅读理解 (Part V:Reading Comprehension)
1. 测试要求 :
(a) 能读懂英美国家出版的中等难度的文章和材料。
(b) 能读懂难度相当于美国 Newsweek 的国际新闻报道。
(c) 能读懂难度相当于 Somand Lovers 的文学原著。
(d) 能掌握所读材料的主旨大意 , 了解说明主旨大意的事实和细节 ; 既理解字面意义 , 又能根据所读材料进行判断和推理 ; 既理解个别句子的意义 , 也理解上下文的逻辑关系。
(e) 能在阅读中根据需要自觉调整阅读速度和阅读技巧。
(f) 考试时间 25 分钟。
2. 测试形式 :
本部分采用多项选择题,由数篇阅读材料组成。阅读材料共长 1800 个单词左右。每篇材料后有若干道题。学生应根据所读材料内容,从每题的四个选择项中选出一个最佳答案。共 20 题。
3. 测试目的 :
本部分测试学生通过阅读获取有关信息的能力 ,考核学生掌握相关阅读策略和技巧的程度。既要求准确性 ,也要求一定的速度。阅读速度为每分钟 120个单词。
4. 选材原则 :
(a) 题材广泛 , 包括社会、科技、文化、经济、日常知识、人物传记等。
(b) 体裁多样 , 包括记叙文、描写文、说明文、议论文、广告、说明书、图表等。
(c) 阅读岁料的语言难度中等 , 关键词汇基本上不超出《大纲》规定的范围。

VI. 写作 (Part VI:Writing)
1. 测试要求 :
(a) 作文 :
能根据所给的作文题目、提纲或图表、数据等 , 写一篇 200个单词左右的作文。能做到内容切题、完整 ,条理清楚 , 结构严谨 , 语法正确 , 语言通顺 , 表达得体。考试时间 35 分钟。
(b) 便条 :
能根据所给提示写50至60个单词的便条、通知、请帖等。能做到格式正确 , 语言得体。考试时间 10 分钟。
2. 测试形式 :
本部分为主观试题 , 分两节:Section A 和 Section B。
Section A：Composition
本节是命题作文 , 文章体裁主要属于说明文、议论文或记叙文的范围。
Section B： Note-writing
本节是写便条。
3. 测试目的：
按照《大纲》的要求测试学生书面表达的能力。

答题和计分

作文和听写做在规定的主观题答题卷上。多项选择题的答案写在客观题答题卷上。凡是写在试题册上的答案一律无效 ,予以作废。
作文及听写用钢笔或圆珠笔书写。答卷内容不要超过装订线 , 超越部分无效。多项选择题每题只能选一个答案 , 多选作废。请用 2B 铅笔。多项选择题只算答对的题数。答错不扣分。多项选择题由计算机读卷。
考试时不得使用词典及其他工具书。
试卷各部分采用记权方式 ,折算成百分制。以 60 分为及格标准。
试卷的题型、题数、计分、比重和时间列表如下 :

各部分考试
序号 题号 题型 题数 计分重 时间
名称
(分钟)
听写 主观题 1 15 15% 15
听力理解 30 15% 15
A对话 客观题 10
II 1-30 客观题
B短文 10
C新闻 客观题 10
III 31-50 完型填空 客观题 20 20 10% 15
IV 51-80 语法与词汇 客观题 30 30 15% 15
V 81-100 阅读理解 客观题 20 20 20% 25
J
写作
VI A作文 主观题 1 15 15% 35

B便条 主观题 1 10 10% 10
合计 100 103 140 100% 130

英语专业四级考试样题

TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS
GRADE FOUR
(SAMPLE TEST)

TIME LIMIT: 130 MIN.

PART I DICTATION 【15 MIN.】

Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be read at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be read at normal speed again and during this
time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more.
Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.

PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION
[15 MIN. ]
In Sections A, Band C you will hear everything once only. Listen care[ully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your answer sheet.

SECTION A CONVERSATIONS

In this section you will hear several conversations. Listen to the conversations carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversa
tion. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the conversation.

1. Which is NOT Mr. Lewis' purpose of the visit?
A. To visit friends.
B. To give concerts.
C. To vacation.
D. To give private lessons.
2. What kind of cello did Mr. Lewis use when he was eight?
A. A full-sized cello.
B. A half-sized cello.
C. two-thirds-sized cello.
D. It is not mentioned.
3. What does the conversation say about Mr. Lewis' cello?
A. He always takes it with him.
B. It was made by his uncle.
C. He borrowed it from his uncle.
D. He got a seat free for his cello.

Questions 4 to 7 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the conversation.

4. What does John think of cricket?
A. It is exciting.
B. There is a lot of fun.
C. It is a hard game.
D. It is a slow game.
5. A batsman in cricket does all the following EXCEPT
A. waiting for the other batsman
B. standing in front of the wicket
C. trying to hit the ball
D. running to change positions
6. What does the bowler do?
A. He runs after the ball.
B. He changes positions.
C. He throws the ball.
D. He tries to hit the ball.
7. What do Mark and John think about cricket and baseball?
A. Both prefer cricket to baseball.
B. Both prefer baseball to cricket.
C. Mark disagrees with John.
D. It is not clear from the conversation.

Questions 8 to 10 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the conversation.

8. What conclusion can we draw about Mike before he went to the camping school?
A. Mike was eager to do the course.
B. Mike had done outdoor activities.
C. Mike enjoyed life in the open.
D. Mike was reluctant and timid.
9. Mike participated in all the following activities EXCEPT
A. hiking
B. canoeing
C. swimming
D. camping
10. Which of the following words is most appropriate to describe Mike after the camping school?
A. Independent.
B. Strong.
C. Determined.
D. Persistent.

SECTION B PASSAGES

In this section, you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the passage.
11. What happened on January 27th, 1967?
A. Three men were injured during a fire.
B. One man died during the fire accident.
C. A fire started inside a spaceship.
D. A spaceship was launched.
12. What happened in 1981?
A. The space programme was suspended.
B. Five men were injured during an accident. C. The accident occurred before the rehearsal. D. No accident happened that year.
13. What does the passage say about accidents? A. Accidents are unavoidable.
B. Accidents can be avoided.
C. Human beings are always careless.
D. There should be more precautions.

Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the passage.

14. BBC's weather forecast is a programme.
A. seldom watched
B. little known
C. new
D. popular
15. Weather observations come from all the sources EXCEPT
A. computers
B. satellites
C. the ground
D. radar
16. What does the passage say about BBC's forecasters?
A. They read from a script.
B. They are professionals.
C. They use a map for presentation.
D. They care about their clothes.
17. What does the passage say ,about British television viewers?
A. They remember what they saw on weather forecasts.
B. They like talking about weather instead of watching.
C. They pay more attention to the style of the presenters.
D. They watch and remember what is necessary.

Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the passage.

18. Which is NOT showing an increase this year?

A. Number of tourists.
B. Holiday travelers.
C. Shopping.
D. Dining and entertainment.
19. What does the passage say about this year's business travelers?
A. There are fewer business travelers.
B. There are more business travelers.
C. The number remains the same as last year's.
D. It is not mentioned in the passage.
20. Which is the largest single visitor expenditure?
A. Hotel accommodation.
B. Meals.
C. Shopping.
D. Entertainment.
SECTION C NEWS BROAOCAST
Questions 21 to 23 are based on the following news.
At the end of the news item, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the news.
21. Who sponsored the conference on population?
A. Cairo.
B. The United Nations.
C. The World Bank.
D. The World Health Organization.
22. The current rate of annual increase in the world population is about
A. 9 million
B. 5. 7 million
C. 90 million
D. 20 million
23. Which of the following concerning the document is NOT true?
A. The document will cover the next two decades.
B. The document will win support from the delegates.
C. The document will serve as a guideline.
D. The document will be completed after the conference.

Questions 24 and 25 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the news.

24. Where did the storms first strike?
A. The eastern US.
B. The Gulf of Mexico.
C. The Canadian border.
D. Some areas in Cuba.
25. The storms have resulted in the following EXCEPT
A. death and damage
B. disruption of air services
C. destruction of crops
D. relocation of people

Question 26 and 27 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question.
Now listen to the news.

26. The Senate bill aims to within the next seven years.
A. end the country's huge public debts
B. cut government spendings on health
C. end the large budget deficit
D. cut some educational programmes
27. Congressional leaders have to work out a compromise because
A. a similar bill has been passed
B. the President might oppose the plan
C. the Senate bill was passed by 57 to 42
D. the White House is facing opposition

Question 28 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question.
Now listen to the news.

28. Australia reacted towards the French test by .
A: recalling her ambassor to Paris
B: describing the test as insignificant
C: expressing her regret
D: expressing disapproval

Question 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question.
Now listen to the news.

29. The space shuttle Discovery completed a mission upon its return to Kennedy Space Centre.
A. l1-day
B. 94-day
C. la-day
D. 49-day
30. When the spacecraft was going to land,

A. it produced a lot of noise
B. there were scattered showers
C. people could see it high in the sky
D. people could neither see nor hear it

PART III CLOZE [15 MIN. ]

Decide which of the choices given below would best complete the passage if inserted in the corresponding blanks. Mark the best choice for each blank on your answer sheet.

People thinking about
the origin of language for
the first time usually arrive
at the conclusion that it developed
gradually as a system of grunts,
hisses and cries and (31) (31) A. must be
a very simple affair in the B. must have been
C. ought to be
D. should be

beginning. (32) , (32) A. however
when we observe the language B. Therefore
C. Probably
D. Undoubtedly
behaviour of (33) (33) A. whose
~ we regard as primitive cultures,we B. that
C: which
D: what

Find it(34) complicated.It (34) A: conspicuously
Was believed that an Eskimo must B: usually
Have at the tip of his tongue a vocabu C: surprisingly
Lary of more than 10000 words (35) D: sufficiently

to get along reasonably well, (35) A: so as
much larger than the active B: so that
vocabulary of an average businessman C: as much
who speaks English. D: as well as
(36) ,these Eskimo words are (36) A: however
B: Moreover
C: though
D. Therefore
(37) more (37) A. too B. far
C.much D.over
highly inflected than (38) (38) A. the others

of any of the B. all others
well-known European lan C. these.
D. those
guages, for a (39) (39）A.. single
noun can be spoken or B. singular
C. plural
. D. compound
Written in (40) (40) A. some
Hundred different forms, B. several
C. various
D. varied
Each (41) a (41) A. getting
Precise meaning different B. causing
From that of any other. C. having
D. owning
The (42) of (42) A. shapes
The verbs are even more B. patterns
C. conventions
D. forms
(43) .the Es- (43) A. endless
Kimo language is, there- B. multiple
Fore, one of the most diffi- C. uncountable
Cult in the world to learn, D. numerous
(44) the result (44) A. with
That almost no traders or B. for
C. owing to
D. as
Explorers have (45) (45) A. still
tried to learn it. B. indeed
C. just
D. ever
(46) , there (46) A..consequently
B.However
C.Moreover
D.nevertheless
(47) grown (47) A. is
Up, in communication be- B. was
Tween Eskimos and whites, C. has
D. have

A jargon (48) (48) A.alike
To the pidgin English used B.similar
In Old China, with a vo- C.related
Cabulary of from 300 to 600 D.relevant
Uninfected words. Most of
Them are derived from Es-
Kimo(49) (49)A. and
Some are derived from B. but
English, Danish, Spanish, C. as well as
Hawaiian and other langua- D. yet
Ges.It is this jargon that is
Usually(50) by (50)A. referred to
Tracellers as “the Eskimo B. talked about
Language”. C. spoken
D. told

PART IV
GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY
[15 MIN. ]
There are thirty sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Choose one word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
Mark your answers on your answer sheet.
51. He did his work the manager had instructed.
A. as B. until
C. when D. though

52. of the twins was arrested, because I saw both at a party last night.
A. None B. Both
C. Neither D. All
53. For some time now, world leaders out the necessity for agreement on arms reduction.
A. had been pointing B. have been pointing
C. were pointing D. pointed
54. Have you ever been in a situation you know the other person is right yet you cannot agree with him?
A. by which B. that
C. in where D. there
55. We've just installed two air-conditioners in our apartment, should make great differ
ences in our life next summer.
A. which B. what
C. that D. they
56. AIDS is said the number-one killer of both men and women over the past few years in that region.
A. being B. to be
C. to have been D. having been
57. She managed to save she could out of her wages to help her brother.
A. how little money B. so little money
C. such little money D. what little money
58. Fool Jane is, she could not have done such a thing.
A. who B. as
C. that D. like
59. The experiment requires more money than .
A. have been put in B. being put in
C. has been put in D. to be put in
60. for the fact that she broke her leg, she might have passed the exam.

A. Had it not been B. Hadn't it been
C. Was it not D. Were it not
61. "What courses are you going to do next semester?"
"I don't know. But it's about time on something. "
A. I'd decide B. I decided
C. I decide D. I'm deciding
62. When you have finished with that video tape, don't forget to put it in my drawer, ?
A. do you B. will you
C. don't you D. won't you
63. He left orders that nothing touched until the police arrived here.
A. should be B. ought to be
C. must be D. would be
64. Mr. White works with a chemicals import & export company, but he for this industrial
fair, since he is on leave.
A. has worked B. works
C. has been working D. is working
65. The team can handle whatever .
A. that needs handling B. which needs handling
C. it needs handling D. needs to be handled
66. Obviously, the Chairman's remarks at the conference were and not planned.
ence were and not planned.
A. substantial B. spontaneous
C. simultaneous D. synthetic
67. For the success of the project, the company should the most of the opportunities at hand.
A. obtain B. grasp
C. catch D. make
68. Failure to follow the club rules him from the volleyball team.
A. disfavoured B. dispelled
C. disqualified D. dismissed
69. The discovery of new oil-fields in various parts of the country filled the government with
hope.
A. eternal B. infinite
C. ceaseless D. everlasting
70. At first the company refused to purchase the equipment, but this decision was revised.
A. subsequently B. successively
C. predominantly D. preliminarily
71. The local police are authorized to anyone's movements as they think fit.
A. pause B. halt
C. repel D. keep
72. Have you ever received of what has happened to her?
A. the word B. words
C. word D. the words

73. Twelve is to three four is to one.
A. what B. as
C. that D. like
74. Things went well for her during her early life but in her middle age her seemed to change.
A. affair B. luck
C. event D. chance
75. Although I spoke to her about the matter several times, she took little of what I said.
A. remark B. warning
C. notice D. attention
76. The scheme was when it was discovered it would be very costly.
A. resigned B. surrendered
C. released D. abandoned
77. The Olympic Games in 776 B.C. in Olympia, a small town in Greece.
A. originated B. stemmed
C. derived D. descended
78. We should always bear in mind that decisions often result in serious consequences.
A. urgent B. instant
C. prompt D. hasty
79. The chairman of the company said that new techniques had improved their production
efficiency.
A. violently B. severely
C. extremely D. radically
80. The local authorities realized the need to make for elderly people in their housing programmes.
A. preparation C. specification
B. requirement D. provision

PART V READING COMPREHENSION

[25 MIN. ]
In this section there are several reading passages followed by twenty questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D.
Choose the one that you think is the best answer.
Mark your answers on your answer sheet.

TEXT A
The train clattered o~er points and passed through a station.
Then it began suddenly to slow down, presumably in obedience to a signal. For some minutes it crawled along, then stopped; presently it began to move forward again. Another up-train passed them, though with less vehemence than the first one. The train gathered speed again. At that moment another train.,also on a downline. swerved inwards towards them. for a moment with almost alarming effect. For a time the two trains ran parallel. now one gaining a little. now the other. Mrs. McGillicuddy looked from her window through the windows of the parallel carriages. Most of the blinds were down. but occasionally the occupants of the carriages were visible. The other train was not very full and there were many empty carriages.
At the moment when the two trains gave the illusion of being stationary. a blind in one of the carriages flew up with a snap. Mrs. McGillicuddy looked into the lighted first-class carriage that was only a few feet away.
Then she drew her breath in with a gasp and half. rose to her feet.
Standing with his back to the window and to her was a man. His hands were round the throat of a woman who faced him. and he was slowly. remorselessly. strangling her. Her eyes were starting from their sockets. her face was purple. As Mrs. McGillicuddy watched, fascinated ,the end came; the body went limp and crumpled in the man's hands.
At the same moment,Mrs. McGillicuddy's train slowed down again and the other began to gain speed. It passed forward and a moment or two later it had vanished from sight.
Almost automatically Mrs. McGillicuddy's hand went up to the communication cord. then paused, irresolute. After all.,what use would it be ringing the cord of the train in which she was travelling? The horror of what she had seen at such close quarters, and the unusual circumstances, made her feel paralysed. Some immediate action was necessary ——but what?
The door of her compartment was drawn back and a ticket collector said. "Ticket. please."
81. When Mrs. McGuillicuddy's train passed through a station.，it .
A. gained speed suddenly
B. kept its usual speed
C. changed its speed
D. stopped immediately
82. Mrs. McGuillicuddy seems to be a (an) person.
A. observant
B. interested
C. nosy
D. nervous
83. What she saw in the parallel train made her feel .
A. excited
B. anxious
C. worried
D. horrified
84. She didn't ring the communication cord immediately because .
A. she was very much afraid
B. there was no point of doing so
C. she was too shocked to move
D. the ticket collector came in

TEXT B
The men and women of Anglo-Saxon England normally bore one name only. Distinguishing epithets were rarely added. These might be patronymic ,descriptive or occupational. They were ,however, hardly surnames. Heritable names gradually became general in the three centuries following the Norman Conquest in 1066.It was not until the 13th and 14th centuries that surmans became fixed, although for many years after that, the degree of stability in family names varied considerably in different parts of the country.
British surnames fall mainly into four broad categories: patronymic ,Occupational, descriptive and local. A few names, it is true, will remain puzziling: foreign names,perhaps,crudely translated, adapted or abbreviated; or artificial names.
In fact, over fifty per cent of genuine British surnames derive from place names of different kinds, and so they belong to the last of our four main categories.Even such a name as Simpson may belong to this last group, and not to the first, had the family once had its home in the ancient village of that name. Otherwise, Simpson means" the son of Simon", as might be expected.
Hundreds of occupational surnames are at once familiar to us, or at least recognisable after a little thought: Archer, Carter, Fisher, Mason, Thatcher,Taylor, to name but a few. Hundreds of others are more obscure in their meanings and testify to the amazing specialization in medieval arts, crafts and functions. Such are "Day", (Old English for breadmaker) and "Walker"(a fuller whose job it was to clean and thicken newly made cloth) .
All these vocational names carry with them a certain gravity and dignity, which descriptive names often lack.Some, it is true, like "Long", "Short" or "Little", are simple. They may be taken quite literally. Others require more thinking: their meanings are slightly different from the modern ones. "Black" and "White" implied dark and fair respectively. "Sharp" meant genuinely discerning, alert, acute rather than quick-witted or clever.

Place-names have a lasting interest since there is hardly a town or village in all England that has not at some time given its name to a family. They may be picturesque, even poetical; or they may be pedestrian, even trivial. Among the commoner names which survive with relatively little change from old-English times are "Milton" (middle enclosure) and" Hilton" (enclosure on a
hill) .
85. Surnames are said to be in Anglo-Saxon England.
A. common
B. vocational
C. unusual
D. descriptive
86. We learn from the first paragraph that for many years after the 13th and 14th centuries.
A. family names became descriptive and occupational
B. people in some areas still had no surnames
C. some people kept changing their surnames
D. all family names became fixed in England
87. "Patronymic" in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to “formed from “
A. the name of one's father
B. the family occupation
C. one's family home
D. one's family history
88. Which of the following sentences is an opinion rather than a fact?
A. Hundreds of occupational names are at once familiar to us.
B. "Black" and "White" implied "dark" and "fair" respectively.
C. Vocational names carry with them a certain gravity and dignity.
D. Every place in England has given its name to a family.

TEXT C

How we look and how we appear to others probably worry us more when we are in our teens or early twenties than at any other time in our life. Few of us are content to accept ourselves as we are, and few are brave enough to ignore the trends of fashion.
Most fashion magazines or TV advertisements try to persuade us that we should dress in a certain way or behave in a certain manner. If we do, they tell us, we will be able to meet new people with confidence and deal with every situation confidently and without embarrassment. Changing fashion, of course, does not apply just to dress. A barber today does not cut a boy's hair in the same way as he used to, and girls do not make up in the same way as their mothers and grandmothers did. The advertisers show us the latest fashionable styles and we are constantly under pressure to follow the fashion in case our friends think we are odd or dull.
What causes fashions to change? Sometimes convenience or practical necessity or just the fancy of an influential person can establish a fashion. Take hats, for example. In cold climates, early buildings were cold inside, so people wore hats indoors as well as outside. In recent times, the late President Kennedy caused a depression in the American hat industry by not wearing hats: more American men followed his example.
There is also a cyclical pattern in fashion. In the1920s in Europe and America, short skirts became fashionable. After World War Two, they dropped to ankle length. Then they got shorter and shorter until the miniskirt was in fashion. After a few more years, skirts became longer again.
Today, society is much freer and easier than it used to be. It is no longer necessary to dress like everyone else. Within reason, you can dress as you like or do your hair the way you like instead of the way you should because it is the fashion. The popularity of jeans and the
"untidy" look seems to be a reaction against the increasingly expensive fashions of the top fashion houses.
At the same time, appearance is still important in certain circumstances and then we must choose our clothes carefully. It would be foolish to go to an interview for a job in a law firm wearing jeans and a sweater; and it would be discourteous to visit some distinguished scholar looking as if we were going to the beach or a night club. However, you need never feel depressed if you don't look like the latest fashion photo. Look around you and you'll see that no one else does either!
89. The author thinks that people are .
A. satisfied with their appearance
B. concerned about appearance in old age
C. far from neglecting what is in fashion
D. reluctant to follow the trends in fashion
90. Fashion magazines and TV advertisements seem to link fashion to
A. confidence in life
B. personal dress
C. individual hair style
D. personal future
91. Causes of fashions are .
A. uniform
B. varied
C. unknown
D. inexplicable
92. Present-day society is much freer and easier because it emphasizes .
A. uniformity
B. formality
C. informality
D. individuality
93. Which is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Care about appearance in formal situations.
B. Fashion in formal and informal situations.
C. Ignoring appearance in informal situations.
D. Ignoring appearance in all situations.

TEXT D

Massive changes in all of the world’s deeply cherished sporting habits are underway. Whether it’s one of London’s parks full of people playing softball, and Russians taking up rugby, or the Superbowl rivaling the British Football Cup Final as a televised spectator event in Britian,the patterns of players and spectators are changing beyond recognition. We are witnessing a globalization of our sporting culture.
That annual bicycle race, the Tour de France, much loved by the French is a good case in point. Just a few years back it was a strictly continental affair with France, Belgium and Holland, Spain and Italy taking part. But in recent years it has been dominated by Colombian mountain climbers, and American and Irish riders.
The people who really matter welcome the shift toward globalization. Peugeot, Michelin and Panasonic are multi-national corporations that want worldwide returns for the millions they invest in teams. So it does them literally a world of good to see this unofficial world championship become just that.
This is undoubtedly an economic-based revolution we are witnessing here, one made possible by communications technology, but made to happen because of marketing considerations. Sell the game and you can sell Coca Cola or Budweiser as well.
The skilful way in which American football has been sold to Europe is a good example of how all sports will develop. The aim of course is not really to spread the sport for its own sake, but to increase the number of people interested in the major money-making events.
The economics of the Superbowl are already astronomical. With seats at US $ 125, gate receipts alone were a staggering $ 10000000. The most important statistic of the day, however, was the $ 100000000 in TV advertising fees. Imagine how much that becomes when the eyes of the world are watching.
So it came as a terrible shock, but not really as a surprise, to learn that some people are now suggesting that soccer change from being a game of two 45-minute halves, to one of four 25-minute quarters. The idea is unashamedly to capture more advertising revenue, without giving any thought for the integrity of a sport which relies for its essence on the flowing nature of the action.
Moreover, as sports expand into world markets, and as our choice of sports as consumers also grows, so we will demand to see them played at a higher and higher level. In boxing we have already seen numerous, dubious world title categories because people will not pay to see anything less than a "World Title" fight, and this means that the title fights have to be held in different countries around the world!
94. Globalization of sporting culture means that
A. more people are taking up sports
B. traditional sports are getting popular
C. many local sports are becoming international
D. foreigners are more interested in local sports
95. Which of the following is NOT related to the massive changes?
A. Good economic returns
B. Revival of sports.
C. Communication technology
D. Marketing strategies
96. What is the author's attitude towards the suggestion to change soccer into one of four 25-minute quarters?
A. Favourable.
B. Unclear.
C. Reserved.
D. Critical.
97. People want to see higher-level sports competitions mainly because .
A. they become more professional than ever
B. they regard sports as consumer goods
C. there exist few world-class championships
D. sports events are exciting and stimulating

TEXT E

There are superstitions attached to numbers; even those ancient Greeks believed that all numbers and their multiples had some mystical significance.
Those numbers between 1 and 13 were in particular to have a powerful influence over the affairs of men.
For example, it is commonly said that luck, good or bad, comes in thre~s; if an accident happens, two more of the same kind may be expected soon afterwards. The arrival of a letter will be followed by two others within a certain period.
Another belief involving the number three has it that it is unlucky to light three cigarettes from the one match. If this happens ,the bad luck that goes with the deed falls upon the person whose cigarette was the last to be lit. the ill-omen linked to the lighting of three things from one match or candle goes back to at least the 17th century and probably earlier. It was believed that three candles alight at the same time would be sure to bring bad luck; one, two, or four, were permissible, but never just three.
Seven was another significant number, usually regarded as a bringer of good luck. The ancient astrologers believed that the universe was governed by seven planets; students of Shakespeare will recall that the life of man was divided into seven ages. Seven horseshoes nailed to a house will protect it from all evil.
Nine is usually thought of as a lucky number because it is the product of three times three. It was much used by the Anglo Saxons in their charms for healing.
Another belief was that great changes occurred every 7th and 9th of a man's life. Consequently, the age of 63 (the product of nine and seven) was thought to be a very perilous time for him. If he survived his 63rd year he might hope to live to a ripe old age.
Thirteen. as we well know, is regarded with great awe and fear.
The common belief is that this derives from the fact that there were 13 people at Christ's Last Supper. This being the eve of his betrayal, it is not difficult to understand the significance given to the number by the early Christians.
In more modem times 13 is an especially unlucky number of a dinner party, for example. Hotels will avoid numbering a floor the 13th; the progression is from 12 to 14, and no room is given the number 13. Many home owners will use 12 1/2 instead of 13 as their house number.
Yet oddly enough, to be born on the 13th of the month is not regarded with any fear at all, which just shows how irrational we are in our superstitious beliefs.

98. According to the passage, which of the following groups of numbers will certainly bring good luck to people?
A. 3 and 7.
B: 3 and 9.
C. 7 and 9.
D. 3 and 13.
99. The ill luck associated with 13 is supposed to have its origin in .
A. legend
B. religion
C. popular belief
D. certain customs
100. What is the author's attitude towards people's superstitious beliefs?
A. He is mildly critical.
B. He is strongly critical.
C. He is in favour of them.
D. His attitude is not clear.

PART VI WRITING [45 MIN.]

SECTION A COMPOSITION [35 MIN. ]
Nowadays people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of health. And they have different ways to stay healthy. For example, some exercise every day; others try to keep a balanced diet. What do you think is the best way to stay healthy?
Write on .ANSWER SHEET TWO a composition of about 200 words on the following topic:

The best Way to Stay Healthy
You are to write in three parts:
In the first part, state what you think is the best way.
In the second part, support your view with one or two reasons.
In the last part, bring what you have written to a natural conclusion or a summary.
Marks will be awarded for content, organization, grammer and appropriacy. Failure to follow the instructions may result in a loss of marks.
SECTION B NOTE-WRITING [10 MIN.]
Write on ANSWER SHEET TWO a note of about 50-60 words based on the following situation:
You are Peter/Mary .you had a party at your home recently ,but you unintentionally neglected to invite a close friend of yours-Victoria. Write her a note apologizing for this and explaining how the mistake came about.
Marks will be awarded for content ,organization, grammer and appropriateness.
-THE END-

英语专业四级考试样题答案
KEY TO THE SAMPLE TEST

PART Ⅱ LISTENING COMPREHENSION

SECTION A
1. B 2.C 3.A 4.D 5.A
6. B 7.B 8.D 9.C 10.A

SECTION B
11. C 12. B 13. A 14. D 15. A
16. B 17. D 18. C 19. B 20. C

SECTION C
21. B 22. C 23. D 24. B 25. D
26. C 27. B 28. D 29. C 30. A

PART Ⅲ CLOZE
31. B 32. A 33.D 34.C 35.A
36. B 37.B 38. D 39.A 40.B
41. C 42.D 43. D 44. A 45. D
46. A 47. C 48.B 49.B 50.A
PART IV GRAMMER & VOCABULARY
51 A 52 C 53 B 54 D 55 A
56 C 57 D 58 B 59 C 60 A
61 B 62 D 63 A 64 D 65 D
66 B 67 D 68 C 69 B 70 A
71 B 72 C 73 A 74 B 75 C
76 D 77 A 78 D 79 D 80 D

PART V READING COMPREHENSION
81.C 82.A 83.D 84 B 85 C
86.B 87.A 88.C 89.C 90.A
91.B 92.D 93.A 94.C 95.B
96.D 97.B 98.C 99.B 100.A

英语专业四级考试样题听写部分
录音材料文字稿

TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJIORS
GRADE FOUR
(SAMPLE TEST)
TAPESCRIPT OF DICTATION

PART 1 DICTATION

Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be read at normal speed, listen and try to
understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be read at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more.

Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.

Now listen to the passage.

THE RAILWAYS IN BRITAIN
The success of early railways, such as the lines between big cities,/ led to a great increase in railway building in Victorian times. / Between 1835 and 1865 about 25000 kilometres of track were built,/ and over 100 railway companies were created. /
Railway travel transformed people's lives. / Trains were first designed to carry goods. / However, a law in the 19th century forced railway companies to run one cheap train a day / which stopped at every station and cost only a penny a mile. / Soon working class passengers found they could afford to travel by rail. / Cheap day excursion trains became popular and seaside resorts grew rapidly. /
The railways also provided thousands of new jobs:/ building carriages, running the railways and repairing the tracks. /
Railways even changed the time. / The need to run the railways on time meant that local time was abolished/ and clocks showed the same time all over the country. /
The second and third readings. You should begin writing now.
The last reading. Now ,you have two minutes to check through your work.

(a 2-minute interval)

This is the end of the Dictation.

英语专业四级考试样题听力理解部分
录音材料文字稿
TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS
GRADE FOUR
(SAMPLE TEST)
TAPESCRIPT OF LISTENING
COMPREHENSION

PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION
In Sections A, Band C you will hear everything once only. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your answer sheet.

SECTION A CONVERSATIONS
In this section you will hear several conversations. Listen to the conversations carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
Questions 4 to 7 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation. you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the conversation.
Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the conversation.

I: Welcome to visit our city, Mr~ Lewis - but, of course, you have been here before, haven't you?
L:Yes, I have, what a good memory you have! I was here for the Arts Festival last year.
I:And what will you be doing on this visit?
L:Oh, I came here primarily for a holiday and to see some friends. But I will also be giving some private cello lessons as well.
I:I believe that your cello is rather special. Is that true?
L；Oh, yes. It was made for my uncle by a very expert German cello maker called Schuster. When I began cello lessons at the age of eight, he said that when I grew big enough to handle a full-sized cello, he would give it to me.
I:So when a child begins to play the cello, he or she starts on a smaller instrument?
L:Of course, or he would be very uncomfortable. Many children begin with a half-sized cello, but as I was big for my age, I began with a two-thirds-sized cello.
I:Are you going to other places on this trip and will you take your cello with you?
LYes, very definitely.
I:But, isn't it difficult taking a cello around with you?
L:Not really. I just reserve two seats when I'm traveling anywhere, one for me and one for my cello. It's such a precious instrument to me that it hardly ever leaves my side.

Hello, Mark. Have you ever played cricket? No, never. Have you, John?
No, but I once watched a game at the Cricket Club.
Did you enjoy it?
No, not much, though everybody else seemed to. I found it very slow. Nothing much seemed to happen. Perhaps that was because I didn't really understand what was going on.
It's a bit like baseball, isn't it?
Well, not really. In baseball there is only one man with a bat but in cricket there are two.
Both at the same time?
No. They take turns. They each stand at one end of the pitch in front of some sticks called "stumps" or the "wicket". A member of the other team, the" bowler", throws the ball at the stumps. The batsman tries to protect the wicket and hit the ball as far as he can.
What happens when he hits the ball?
The batsmen run to change positions. That's called a "run". They do it as many times as they can.
What does the other team do?
One of them runs after the ball and throws it at the wicket. If he hits it while the batsmen are still running, one of them is out.
That sounds a little like baseball.
Not really. I think baseball is more exciting.
Yes, so do 1.
Questions 8 to 10 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the conversation.
My brother Mike has just done a course at the Green Park Camping School.
Really! What made him decide to do that?
Well, for one thing, some boys in his class decided to do it and they dared him to go with them!
You mean he didn't really want to go?
I think he wanted to go but I think he was also a little frightened. Of course, now that he's done it, he's very pleased with himself and he's always talking about it.
So he enjoyed it, didn't he?
Not exactly. I think he's enjoying the feeling of having done it more than he enjoyed actually doing it!
What sort of things did he do?
Oh, all sorts of open-air activities: hiking, camping, canoeing. One thing he had to do was to capsize a canoe and then right it again without getting out. He said the water was very cold but that he hardly noticed it at the time.
Why not?
He was too busy righting the canoe!
That doesn't sound very comfortable at this time of the year.
That's what I said when he told me. On another occasion he had to spend a day and a night by
himself in the open country.
Was he frightened?
He was at first, apparently, but then he got used to it.
It seems to me that the course did him a lot of good. I expect it's made him more self-reliant. That's what he says - and now he wants me to go!

SECTION B PASSAGES
In this section, you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the passage.

Although it is impossible to eliminate all risks from such a complex and experimental project as the American space programme, every precaution is taken to reduce the possibility of injury. Nevertheless, accidents do happen. The first major casualties occurred when, despite every precaution, fire broke out on the Apollo 5 capsule on January 27, 1967. In spite of every effort to save them. three men died in this terrible accident.
The programme continued without pause, however, and there were no more serious injuries until 1981.Then, the engines having been successfully tested on an earlier occasion, a rehearsal for the actual launching was held. Not knowing that an engine-chamber was full of nitrogen gas, used to clean the motor, six technicians entered for routine work after the final rehearsal had been declared successful. They collapsed as soon as the gas entered their lungs. One man died and the others were very ill.
Though everyone involved was shocked and grieved by this apparently unnecessary accident, preparations continued for the actual launching later that year. How-" ever hard we try, accidents are bound to happen whenever a new and challenging project is undertaken. It seems to be the price of progress.

Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the passage.

In Britain, just after the main television news programmes, audience figures rise. It's weather forecast time. The BBC broadcasts forty-four live forecasts a day, 433 hours of weather a year, using forecasters from the Meteorological Office. The Met. Office makes predictions about the weather seven days in advance. These are based on observations from the ground, from satellites and from radar. The observations are stored in computers that can do up to 4 000 million calculations a second.
In Britain the weather is news. A television weather forecast often begins with an interesting fact - the town with the top temperature of the day or the place with the most rain. "The public like that kind of information," says senior forecaster Bill Giles. The BBC forecasters are professional meteorologists, but they do not have an easy job. They are the only presenter, , , s on television who do not use a script, and they cannot see the map that they are describing. Viewers are o, ften critical, especially of female presenters. One woman left her job after rude letters and press reports about her clothes.
The British talk about the weather more than almost any other subject, so it is a surprise to discover that seventy per cent of television viewers cannot remember what they saw on the weather forecast. "What happens is that people like watching and hearing the forecasts, but they probably only take real notice when they need to," says one forecaster. "Or, of course, when we make mistakes! "
Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the passage.
A record number of tourists visited the city this year, and tourist spending appears to have increased. Hotel occupancy rates are likely to exceed the world average.
The latest issue of the Tourist Association's Travel
Bulletin says that last year's record arrivals figure of 2.5 million was passed last month. During the month, traditionally the peak tourist period of the year, hotels were reporting an 87 per cent plus occupancy rate.
The Bulletin notes an increased tendency this year for people to vi "it the city on holiday. Last year, 65 per cent of the visitors cam,e for holidays while 21 per cent were on business. "This year's figures so far are showing a swing in favour of more vacation travelers plus an increase in the arrivals for meetings and conferences," the Bulletin reports.
Total tourist expenditure was running about 10 per cent higher earlier this year over the same period last year. Visitors spent 11 million yuan last year, a substantial increase over the previous year. Money spent on shopping, however - the largest single visitor expenditure - dropped slightly in the first half of the year, but spending on items such as tours, dining and entertainment increased. Nevertheless, money spent by tourists in shops still accounted for 60 per cent of total tourist expenditure. The rest was spent mainly on hotel accommodation and meals.

SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
Questions 21 to 23 are based on the following news.
At the end of the news item, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the news.

A 20-year action plan for cutting the rate of world population growth is expected to win wide approval today in Cairo. Delegates at the UN-sponsored conference on population completed final talks on the plan Monday.The document is non-binding, but it will serve as a guideline for countries and donor states that fund health care and family planning programmes. The world population of 5.7 billion currently is growing at more than 90 million a year.
Questions 24 and 25 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item you ,will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
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About 100 people are now known to have died in what have been described as the worst storms ever to hit the eastern US this century. The hurricane-force winds first struck the Gulf of Mexico, and have now spread across the Canadian border, continuing to bring record snowfalls, severe flooding and causing millions of dollars of damage. All major airports have now reopened and airlines are beginning to cope with the backlog of thousands of stranded passengers. The storms also par.alyzed areas of Cuba where several people were killed and property and crops destroyed.
Questions 26 and 27 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, YOlk will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the news.
US Senate has passed a landmark bill aimed at ending the country's huge budget deficits within the next seven years. It would cut government spending by more than 900 000 million dollars. Health, education and hundreds of other programmes will be hit. The bill was passed last week by the- House of Representatives. And congressional leaders now have to work out a compromise. A BBC Washington correspondent says the stage is now set for a confrontation with the White House. President Clinton has threatened to veto the Republican plans.
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Question 28 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 5 seconds to answer the question.
Now listen to the news.
France has carried out the first of a planned series of nuclear tests in the south Pacific despite strong international opposition. The French Defence Ministry said the device exploded at an underground site beneath Mururoa Atoll yielded less than 20 kilotons. Australian scientists described it as fairly small compared with previous tests. There's been swift reaction from several countries. New Zealand and Chile have recalled their ambassadors to Paris in protest. Australia condemned the test <l;nd the US expressed its regret. Before the nuclear device was exploded, the French President Jacques Chirac said his country might carry out fewer than the eight tests originally planned.
Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds
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The space shuttle Discovery made a rare njght landing at the Kennedy Space Centre early on Thursday. The night landing, the 11th in the Centre's 94 shuttle missions, ended a 10-day mission to outfit the orbiting International Space Station.
Although the spacecraft created a sonic boom that could be heard along much of Florida's eastern seaboard, witnesses on the ground could not see the orbiter until it was directly over the runway lights.
Scattered showers off the Florida coast had threatened to postpone the shuttle's return, but forecasters gave the green lig~t when they decided no rain would fall within 48 kilometres of the space centre.
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