2021年12月英语四级听力真题及答案

Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D) .Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

News 1：

A 9-year-old girl in New Mexico has raised more than $500 for her little brother who needs heart surgery in Houston Texas this July. Addison Witulski's grandmother Kim Allred said Addison probably overheard a conversation between family members talking about the funds needed to get her little brother to treatment.

" I guess she overheard her grandfather and me talking about how we’re worried about how we’re going to get to Houston, for my grandson’s heart surgery,” said Allred. She decided to go outside and have a lemonade stand and make some drawings and pictures and sell them.”

That’s when Addison and her friends Erika and Emily Borden decided to sell lemonade for 50 cents a cup and sell pictures for 25 cents each.

Before Allred knew it, New Mexico State Police Officers were among the many stopping by helping them reach a total of $568.

The family turned to social media expressing their gratitude saying, “From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to deeply thank each  every person that stopped by!

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.

 Q1: Who did Addison raise money for?

A）Her friend Erika.

B）Her little brother.

C）Her grandfather.

D）Her grandmother.

答案：B) Her little brother.

Q2: How did Addison raise money?

A）By taking pictures for passers-by.

B）By working part time at a hospital.

C）By selling lemonade and pictures.

D）By asking for help on social media.

答案：C) By selling lemonade and pictures.

News 2：

Last week, France announced that the country will pave 621 miles of road with solar panels over the next five years, with the goal of providing cheap, renewable energy to five million people.

Called “the Wattway,” the roads will be built through joint efforts with the French road-building company Colas and the National Institute of Solar Energy. The company spent the last five years developing solar panels that are only about a quarter of an inch thick and are strong enough to stand up to heavy highway traffic without breaking or making the roads more slippery. The panels are also designed so that they can be installed directly on top of existing roadways, making them relatively cheap and easy to install.

France isn’t the first country to kick around the idea of paving its roads with solar panels. In November 2021, the Netherlands completed a 229-foot-long bike path paved with solar panels as a test for future projects. However, this is the first time a panel has been designed to be laid directly on top of existing roads and the first project to install the panels on public highways.

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

Q3: What was France's purpose of constructing the Wattway?

A）Finding cheaper ways of highway construction.

B）Generating electric power for passing vehicles.

C）Providing clean energy to five million people.

D）Testing the efficiency of the new solar panel.

答案：C) Providing clean energy to five million people.

Q4: What is special about the solar panels used in the Wattway?

A）They can stand the wear and tear of natural elements.

B）They can be laid right on top of existing highways.

C）They can only about half an inch thick.

D）They are made from cheap materials.

答案：B) They can be laid right on top of existing highways.

News 3：

Lions have disappeared from much of Africa, but for the past few years scientists have wondered if the big cats were hanging on in remote parts of Sudan and Ethiopia. Continuous fighting in the region has made surveys difficult.

But scientists released a report Monday documenting, with hard evidence, the discovery of "lost lions."

A team with Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, supported by a charity organization, spent two nights in November camping in the National Park in northwest Ethiopia, on the Ethiopia-Sudan border. The researchers set out six camera traps capturing images of lions, and they identified lion tracks.

The scientists concluded that lions are also likely to live in the neighbouring National Park across the border in Sudan. The International Union for Conservation of Nature had previously considered the area a "possible range" for the species, and local people had reported seeing lions in the area, but no one presented convincing evidence.

Questions 5 and 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.

Q5: What has made it difficult to survey lions in remote parts in Sudan and Ethiopia?

A）Endless fighting in the region.

B）The hazards from the desert.

C）Inadequate funding for research.

D）The lack of clues about the species.

答案：A) Endless fighting in the region.

Q6: What was the main purpose of the research?

A）To observe the wildlife in the two national parks.

B）To identify the reasons for the lions’ disappearance.

C）To study the habitat of lions in Sudan and Ethiopia.

D）To find evidence of the existence of the “lost lions”.

答案：D) To find evidence of the existence of the "lost lions".

Q7: What did the researchers find in the National Park?

A) Lions walking.                          C) Some camping facilities.

B) Lion’s tracks.                           D) Traps set by local hunters.

答案：B) Lions' tracks.

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage 1

M: I bet you're looking forward to the end of this month. Are you?

W: Yes, I am. How did you know?

M: David told me you had a special birthday coming up.

W: Oh…yeah that's right. This year will be my golden birthday.

M: What does that mean? I've never heard of a golden birthday.

W: I've actually just learnt this concept myself. Fortunately, just in time to celebrate. A golden or lucky birthday is when one turns the age of their birth date. So, for example, my sister's birthday is December 9th and her golden birthday would have been the year she turned nine years old. Come to think of it, my parents did throw her a surprise party that year.

M: Interesting. Too bad I missed mine. My golden birthday would've been four years ago. I assume you got big plans then.

W: Actually yes. My husband is planning a surprise holiday for the two of us next week. I have no idea what he's got in mind, but I'm excited to find out. Has he mentioned anything to you?

M: He might have.

W: Anything you'd like to share? I'm dying to know what kind of trip he has planned on where we're going.

M: You know nothing at all?

W: Not a clue. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Though I must say I think he's been having even more fun keeping the secret from me in the past few weeks.

M: I'm sure both of you will have a fantastic time. Happy golden birthday! I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

Q8. What is the woman looking forward to?

A) Her ‘lucky birthday’                   C) Her wedding anniversary.

B) A call from her dad.                       D) A special gift from the man.

答案：A) Her 'lucky birthday'.

Q9. What did the woman's parents do on her sister's lucky birthday?

A) Gave her a big model plane.                C) Took her on a trip overseas.

B) Bought her a gold necklace.                D) Threw her a surprise party.

答案：D) Threw her a surprise party.

Q10. What is the woman eager to find out about?

A) The gift her husband has bought.

B) The trip her husband has planned.

C) What has been troubling her husband.

D) What her husband and the man are up to.

答案：B) The trip her husband has planned.

Q11. What does the man say at the end of the conversation?

A) He will be glad to be a guide for the couple’s holiday trip.

B) He will tell the woman the secret if her husband agrees.

C) He is eager to learn how the couple’s holiday turns out.

D) He wants to find out about the couple’s holiday plan.

答案： C) He is eager to learn how the couple's holiday turns out.

Passage 2

W: Mr. Green, what do you think makes a successful negotiator?

M: Well, that’s hard to define. But I think successful negotiators have several things in common. They are always polite and rational people. They are firm but flexible. They can recognize power and know how to use it. They are sensitive to the dynamics of the negotiation. The way of rises and falls and how it may change direction. They project the image of confidence, and perhaps most importantly, they know when to stop.

W: And, what about an unsuccessful negotiator?

M: Well, this is probably all of us when we start out. We are probably immature and over-trusting. Too emotional or aggressive. We are unsure of ourselves and we want to be liked by everyone. Good negotiators learn fast. Poor negotiators remain like that and go on losing negotiations.

W: In your opinion, can the skills of negotiation be taught?

M: Well, you can teach someone how to prepare for a negotiation. There are perhaps six stages in every negotiation. Get to know the other side. State your goals. Start the process. Clarify areas of disagreement or conflict. Reassess your position. Making acceptable compromises. And finally, reach some agreement in principle. These stages can be studied. And strategies to be used in each can be planned beforehand. But I think, the really successful negotiator is probably born with six sense about responding appropriately to the situation at hand.

W: The artistic sense you’ve just described?

M: Yes. That’s right.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

Q12: What does the man say about good negotiators?

A) They are sensitive to the dynamics of a negotiation.

B) They see the importance of making compromises.

C) They know when to adopt a tough attitude.

D) They take the rival’s attitude into account.

答案：A) They are sensitive to the dynamics of a negotiation.

Q13: What does the man say may be the most important thing to a successful negotiator?

A) They know how to adapt.

B) They know when to stop. 

C) They know when to make compromises.

D) They know how to control their emotion.

答案：B) They know when to stop.

Q14: How is a good negotiator different from a poor one?

A) They are patient.

B) They are good at expression.

C) They learn quickly.  

D) They uphold their principles.

答案： C) They learn quickly.

Q15: What is the first stage of negotiation according to the man?

A) Make clear one’s intentions.

B) Clarify items of negotiation.

C) Formulate one’s strategy.   

D) Get to know the other side.

答案：D) Get to know the other side.

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four 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 marked A), B), C), D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage 1

Some people wonder why countries spend millions of dollars on space projects. They want to know how space research helps people on Earth. Actually space technology helps people on Earth every day. This is called "spin-off technology."

Spin-off technology is space technology that is now used on Earth.

In early space programs, such as the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, and in the Space Shuttle missions today, scientists developed objects for the astronauts to use on the moon and in space. We now use some of these objects every day.

For example, we have Quartz crystal clocks and watches accurate to within one minute a year. We purify the water we drink with a water filter designed for the astronauts' use in space.

The cordless, hand-held tools we use in our homes, such as vacuum cleaners, flashlights, drills and saws came from the technology of these early space programs.

On cold winter days we can stay warm with battery-operated gloves and socks, and specially made coats and jackets. All of these clothes are similar to the spacesuit designs that kept astronauts comfortable in the temperatures of the moon, and are spin-offs from space technology.

These products are only a few examples of the many ways space technology helps us in our everyday lives. No one knows how new spin-off technology from the International Space Station will help us in the future.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Q16: What do some people want to know about space exploration?

A) When America’s earliest space program started.

B) When the International Space Station was built.

C) How many space shuttle missions there will be.

D) How space research benefits people on Earth.

答案： D) How space research benefits people on Earth.

Q17: What did scientists do for the space shuttle missions?

A) They accurately calculated the speed of the orbiting shuttles.

B) They developed objects for astronauts to use in outer space.

C) They tried to meet astronauts’ specific requirements.

D) They tried to make best use of the latest technology.

答案：B) They developed objects for astronauts to use in outer space.

Q18: What does the speaker say about Quartz crystal clocks and watches?

A) They are extremely accurate.   

B) They are expensive to make.   

C) They were first made in space.

D) They were invented in the 1970s.

答案：A) They are extremely accurate.

Passage 2

Well, if I could go back in history and live, I'd like to go back to the 18th century and perhaps in colonial America in Yankee, New England, where one of my ancestors lived, because it was the beginning of something.

By the 18th century, there was a feeling of community that had grown. My ancestor was a preacher, traveling around the countryside. People lived in small communities. There were fishermen and farmers who provided fresh food that tasted and looked like food, unlike that in today's supermarkets, and there were small towns, and New York wasn't that far away. I'm deeply attached to the Puritan tradition, not in a religious sense, but they believed in working for something, working for goals, and I like that.

They worked hard at whatever they did, but they had a sense of achievement. They believed in goodness in community and helping one another. I love the colonial fabrics, all the silver work, the furnishings, the combination of elegance and simplicity. I love it. The printing, the books, I'm very attached to all that kind of thing that may not all be very entertaining in the modern sense of the world. But I would have enjoyed spending my evenings in that environment, discussing new ideas, building a new world. And I can see myself sitting on a small chair by the fire doing needlework.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Q19: Why does the speaker say she would like to go back and live in the 18th century America?

A) It was when her ancestors came to America.

B) People had plenty of land to cultivate then.

C) It marked the beginning of something new.

D) Everything was natural and genuine then.

答案：C) It marked the beginning of something new.

Q20: What does the speaker say about the Puritans?

A) They believed in working for goals.

B) They enjoyed living a life of ease.

C) They had all kinds of entertainment.

D) They were known to be creative.

20. A) They believed working for goals.

答案：What would the speaker like doing if she could go back to the past?

21.What would the speaker like doing if she could go back to the past?

A）Chatting with her ancestors.

B）Furnishing her country house.

C）Polishing all the silver work.

D）Doing needlework by the fire.

答案：D) Doing needlework by the fire.

Passage 3

If you are lost in the woods, a little knowledge can turn what some people call a hardship into an enjoyable stay away from the troubles of modern society. When you think you are lost, sit down on a log, or a rock, or lean against a tree, and recite something that you have memorized, to bring you mind to a point where it’s under control. Don’t run blindly. If you must move, don’t follow a stream unless you know it, and in that case, you are not lost. Streams, normally flow through wetland before they reach a lake or a river. Though there are more eatable plants, there may also be wild animals, poisonous snakes, and other hazards. Many experts feel that it’s wisest to walk uphill. At the top of most hills and mountains, are trails leading back to civilization. If there are no trails, you are much easier to be seen on top of a hill, and you may even spot a highway, or a railroad from this point. Nowadays, the first way someone will search for you is by air. In a wetland, or in dense growth, you are very hard to spot. Anytime you go into the woods, somebody should know where you are going, and when you expect to return. Also, when someone comes looking, you should be able to signal to them.

Questions 22-25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. What does the speaker advise you to do first if you are lost in the woods?

A）Use a map to identify your location.

B）Call your family or friends for help.

C）Sit down and try to calm yourself.

D）Try to follow your footprints back.

答案：C) Sit down and try to calm yourself

23. What will happen if you follow an unknown stream in the woods?

A）You may find a way out without your knowing it.

B）You may expose yourself to unexpected dangers.

C）You may get drowned in a sudden flood.

D）You may end up entering a wonderland.

答案: B)You may expose yourself to unexpected dangers.

24. What do many experts think is the wisest thing to do if you are lost in the woods?

A）Look for food.

B）Wait patiently.

C）Start a fire.

D）Walk uphill.

答案：D)Walk uphill.

25. What should you do before you go into the woods?

A）Inform somebody of your plan.

B）Prepare enough food and drink.

C）Check the local weather.

D）Find a map and a compass.

答案：A) Inform somebody of your plan.