2012年12月大学英语六级考试听力真题及答案

　　Section B

　　Passage 1

　　A scientific team is studying the thinking ability of eleven and half month old children. The test is a simple one. The baby watches a sort of show on a small stage. In Act One of the show, a yellow cube is lifted from a blue box, and moved across the stage. Then it is returned to the box. This is repeated 6 times. Act Two is similar except that the yellow cube is smaller. Baby boys do not react at all to the difference and the size of the cube. But girls immediately become excited. The scientists interpret the girls’ excitement as meaning they are trying to understand what they have just seen. They are wondering why Act Two is odd and how it differs from Act One. In other words, the little girls are reasoning. This experiment certainly does not definitely prove that girls start to reason before boys, but it provides a clue that scientists would like to study more carefully. Already it is known that bones, muscles and nerves develop faster in baby girls. Perhaps it is early nerve development that makes some infant girls show more intelligence than infant boys. Scientists have also found that nature seems to give another boost to girls. Baby girls usually talk at an earlier age than boys do. Scientists think that there is a physical reason for this. They believe that the nerve endings in the left side of the brain develop faster in girls than in boys, and it is this side of the brain that strongly influences an individual’s ability to use language and remember things.

　　Q26. What is the difference between Act One and Act Two in the test?

　　Q27. How do the scientists interpret their observation from the experiment?

　　Q28. What does the speaker say about the experiment?

　　Q29. According to scientists, what is another advantage given to girls by nature?

　　Passage 2

　　A super attendant of the city municipal building, Dillia Adorno, was responsible for presenting its new security plan to the public. City employees, citizens and reporters gathered in the hall to hear her describe the plan. After outlining the main points she would cover, she assured the audience that she would be happy to answer questions at the end of her presentation. Dillia realized the plan was expensive and potentially controversial. So she was not surprised to see a number of hands go up as soon as she finished speaking. An employ asked, “Would the new system create long lines to get into the building like the line in the airport security checks?” Dillia had anticipated this question and had an answer ready. After repeating the question, she explained that the sufficient number of security guards would be working at peak hours to speed things along. The next question was more confrontational.”Where was the money come from to pay for all of this?”The journalists who ask the question seem hostile. But Dillia was careful not to adopt the defensive tone. She stated that the money would come from the city’s general budget. “I know these are tide times”, she added, “But everyone agrees on the importance of safe guarding our employees and members of the public who come into the building.” Near the end of the 25 minutes she has said, Dillia said she would take two more questions. When those were finished, she concluded the session with a brief restatement of how the new system will improve security and peace of mind in the municipal building.

　　Question 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　30. What is the focus of Dillia Adorno’s presentation?

　　31. What question had Dillia Adorno anticipated?

　　32. What did the speakers think of the question from the journalist?

　　Passage 3

　　Despite unemployment and the lost of her home, Andrea Clark considers herself a blessed and happy woman. Why the cheerful attitude? Her troubles have brought her closer to her family. Last year, Andrea’s husband, Rick, a miner in Nevada was laid off. Though Andrea kept her job as a school bus driver, she knew that they couldn’t pay their bill and support their youngest of five children, Zack, age nine, on one income. “At first their church helped out, but you can’t keep that up forever”, Andrea says. Then Michal, their eldest of her four adult children suggested they move in with his family. For almost three months, seven Clarks lived under one roof. Andrea, Rick and Zack stayed in the basement department, sharing laundry and single bathroom with Michal, his wife and their two children.

　　The change cut their expenditures in half, but the new living arrangement proved too challenging. When Andrea found a job with a school district closer to her mother’s home in west Jorden, Utah, the family decided to move on. Packing up again with no picnic, Zack had to switch schools for the second time and space is even tighter. Andrea says that the moves themselves are exhausting and Rick is still looking for a job.

　　The recession has certainly come with more problems than Andrea anticipated, but she remains unfailingly optimistic. She is excited to spend more time with her mother. Another plus, rents are lower in Utah than in Nevada. So Andrea thinks they’ll be able to save up and move out in less than 6 months.

　　Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　Q33 What do we learn about Andrea’s husband?

　　Q34 Why did Andrea move to live in her eldest son’s home?

　　Q35 What is Andrea’s attitude toward the hardships brought by the economic recession?

　　参考答案

　　Section B

　　Passage 1

　　Q26. What is the difference between Act One and Act Two in the test?

　　答案：The size of the objects shown.

　　Q27. How do the scientists interpret their observation from the experiment?

　　答案： Girls seem to start reasoning earlier than boys.

　　Q28. What does the speaker say about the experiment?

　　答案： It may simulate scientists to make further studies.

　　Q29. According to scientists, what is another advantage given to girls by nature?

　　答案： They talk at an early age.

　　【点评】

　　本文是一篇关于幼儿思维能力的文章。… but it provides a clue that… 一句前都是具体的实验过程，是一个例子，重点在实验为科学研究提供的线索。实验发现可能是早期的神经发育使女婴比男婴更聪明。科学家们还发现，自然可能还给了女孩另一大优势，那就是女孩通常比男孩早开口说话，而这也是因为神经末梢发育快于男孩。

　　关键词：interpret v. 解释;翻译boost n. 推动，帮助

　　Passage 2

　　Question 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　30. What is the focus of Dillia Adorno’s presentation?

　　答案：The new security plan for the municipal building.

　　31. What question had Dillia Adorno anticipated?

　　答案： Whether the security checks would create long queues at peak hours.

　　32. What did the speakers think of the question from the journalist?

　　答案： Confrontational

　　【点评】

　　本文描写一位政府官员介绍了一项新的安保计划，并回答了在场人员的提问，类似于一场新闻发布会。计划成本较高，而且可能颇具争议。本文详细阐述了两个提问。第一个问题是Dillia预见到的，但第二个记者的提问是有对抗性的，即使confrontational这个词我们听不懂也没关系，可以从下文的其他词汇中推断，如hostile 有敌意的，而针对这个问题，Dillia让自己尽可能不采取defensive的态度，既然要采取防卫的态度，那记者的提问一定是在政府的对立面的，因此从defensive一词也可以判断出记者的态度。

　　关键词：attendant n. 随员 confrontational adj. 对抗性的 hostile，defensive

　　Passage 3

　　Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　Q33 What do we learn about Andrea’s husband?

　　答案：He used to work as a miner in Nevada.

　　Q34 Why did Andrea move to live in her eldest son’s home?

　　答案：To cut their living expenses.

　　Q35 What is Andrea’s attitude toward the hardships brought by the economic recession?

　　答案：Optimistic.

　　【点评】

　　本文描写了Andrea一家在经历失业时依然乐观向上的积极状态。这从文章的首句Despite unemployment and the lost of her home, Andrea Clark considers herself a blessed and happy woman.和最后一段but she remains unfailingly optimistic.都能得到印证。Andrea的丈夫是内华达的矿工，去年失业，为了维持生计，他们先是和大儿子一家住在一起，后来又搬家到犹他州，她的丈夫还在继续找工作。但是经济衰退，并没有让Andrea消极，她觉得自己和家人的关系更紧密了并且相信自己能够度过难关。

　　关键词：lay off 解雇;expenditure n. 支出，花费;optimistic adj. 乐观的