大学英语六级改革适用（听力）模拟试卷503

W: What kind of music do you like listening to? M: I like music that has a fast beat and is lively like dance music. You know, I go to a disco almost every week. Sometimes it’s too loud though. You prefer classical music, don’t you? W: Yes, I do. I find it very relaxing. I often listen to Mozart or Bach in the evening after a hard day at work. M: I must admit that I like several pieces of classical music. It’s certainly more sophisticated than modern dance music. W: Classical music is supposed to be good for your brain. Researchers suggest that it makes your brain more active. Students who listen to classical music while studying perform better. M: Really? Perhaps I should listen to classical music often. I heard that listening to classical music is helpful in reducing stress. W: Yes. That’s why I listen to it in the evenings. I usually play it as background music while I’m cooking or doing other housework. M: But what is the origin of classical music? W: Er, classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western culture, including both religious and secular music. Well, a more precise term is also used to refer to the period from 1750 to 1820 which is called the Classical Period. M: I see. I’ve got a few classical music CD’s. I should follow your lead and increase my brain power. W: You can find plenty of recordings on the Internet too. You can listen to samples and then buy them very cheaply if you like them. M: That’s a good idea. You should do the same with some music. You might find something you like. Classical music might make you clever, but dance might make you livelier and happier. W: That’s true. There’s clear evidence that people who listen to lively music are lively people. Music can influence a person’s feeling and character. Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 1. What does the man say about music in the disco? 2. When does the woman usually listen to classical music? 3. What is the origin of classical music? 4. What advice does the woman give the man about buying classical music CD’s? It makes your brain more active. It helps you reduce stress. It is more relaxing than classical music. It is sometimes too loud.

W: Today, this special edition of our show dives into an ocean of plastic, masses of waste accumulating on and around some remote islands in the Pacific. Now we have an environmental expert Dr. John with us. M: Thank you for inviting me. Synthetic plastic, the kind made by people, has been around since 1907, and scientists estimate that almost every piece of it made since then still exists. W: Sounds terrible but why? M: Because it doesn’t break down quickly in the environment. And researchers say that tons of plastic trash around the world find a way to leak into the ocean every year. It might be picked up on the coast and swept out to sea. It might find its way from streets to storm drains, carried by rivers to the ocean. And you’re about to see its impact. W: Before we get into the problem,though, what can be done about this? It’s unlikely and probably unaffordable to take plastics out of the environment altogether. M: Right. On a personal scale, people can reduce the amount of plastics they use. Think water filter bottles or jugs instead of throwaway water bottles. W: How about using reusable fabric shopping bags instead of plastic ones? M: That is a wise decision. And when it comes to the plastic you do use and need to throw away, think recycling every time. This will help keep the materials from slipping into the environment. W: One image that’s hard to forget about how plastic can impact the environment is what you can see in the stomach of a dead bird on a Pacific island. M: Yes. It is sad to see your coffee cup, water bottle, toothbrush... They may all float miles to end up on the shores, inside those birds, the blubber of these seals, and the sand, and invisibly in the waves these dolphins call home. W: And eventually, these plastics may well end up inside us. M: It is quite likely unless we do something right now. Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 5. What are the speakers mainly talking about? 6. What does the man say about synthetic plastic? 7. Where would plastic trash around the world finally end up? 8. What is the unforgettable image the woman mentioned about? Water pollution. Plastic problems. Saving sea animals. Recycling plastic bags.

A new study has found that the number of American teenagers using Facebook is dropping. Many turn instead to YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat. The study by the US-based Pew Research Centre found that 51% of American teens between the ages of 13 to 17 said they currently use Facebook. This was a large drop from 2015, when 71% of teens in that age group reported using the social media service. The study found that YouTube is now the most popular Internet service for teens, with 85% saying they currently use it. The second-most popular is Instagram, at 72%. Facebook owns Instagram. In March, another Pew study found that 68% of adults said they were Facebook users. Of those, 74% said they used the social media service daily. About half of the adults reported using Facebook several times a day. Results of the latest study were based on interviews with 743 teens and more than 1,000 parents during March and April 2018. The study also found that 95% of teens reported they either owned a smartphone or had a way of using one. This marked a 22% increase over a similar study from 2015. When asked which services they use most often, 35%of teens identified Snapchat. About 32% said they use YouTube the most, while 15% said they use Instagram more than other services. The Pew study found that, in general, teens from different economic and racial backgrounds liked the same services. However, the researchers did find some differences. Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard. 9. What is the speaker mainly talking about? 10. What did the Pew study in March find? 11. What is the conclusion of the Pew study? US adults turn to Facebook for socializing. US teens show no preference for Facebook. US adults are keen on using social media services. US teens drop Facebook for other social media services.

Miss Helen is a 40-centimeter-long gray horn shark. She spends her time in a touch tank at the San Antonio Aquarium, where visitors are permitted to touch sea creatures. On Saturday afternoon, a group of thieves took Helen out of the tank. Then, they put the animal in a wheeled baby carrier and walked out of the aquarium before anyone noticed Miss Helen was missing. The “great shark heist,” as people are calling it, was captured on surveillance video. On Monday night, police found Miss Helen in a home filled with fish tanks and other ocean wildlife. She has been safely returned to the aquarium and appears to be in good health. Experts at the aquarium will be closely examining Miss Helen’s health and behaviour over the next few days before returning her to the tank. Local police chief Joseph Salvaggio said two men have admitted to taking the shark. Investigators also plan to talk with the woman seen in the video. Salvaggio told the San Antonio television station KSAT that one of the men was very knowledgeable about marine life. He likely went to the aquarium especially to take Miss Helen. The man told police he had had a horn shark of his own, but the animal died. Texas law enforcement officials are speaking with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to see whether any federal charges can be filed, Salvaggio said. Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard. 12. How did the thieves take the horn shark away? 13. How many people admitted to being involved in the shark stealing? 14. What did the local police chief say about the thieves? 15. Why did the man take Miss Helen away? Pretending to be aquarium workers. Pretending to be researchers. Using a wheeled baby carrier. Using a fish tank.

Researchers have discovered the remains of an up until now unknown dinosaur in Egypt’s western desert. The researchers say the long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur was about the size of a city bus. A group of scientists from Mansoura University in Egypt’s Nile Delta area found the remains of the creature. They believe it lived about 100 million years ago. The group says the find is important because it is one of the few dinosaurs from that period in Earth’s history ever found in Africa. The recently discovered dinosaur is being called “Mansourasaurus Shahinae.” It was named after the university and a founder of its paleontology department. Hesham Sallam, the team’s leader, worked with four Egyptian and five American researchers. They wrote a report on the discovery. It was published January 29 in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Sallam said, now that his team has found a plant-eating dinosaur, it makes sense that they should try to find a meat-eating dinosaur. “As in any ecosystem, if we went to the jungle, we’ll find a lion and a giraffe. So we found the giraffe, where’s the lion?” he asked. Experts say the discovery could help scientists better understand a period in Africa that they know little about. That period is called the Mesozoic Era. Earlier theories suggested that African dinosaurs developed independently from ones in Europe. But the researchers say the fossilized skeleton of Mansourasaurus appears to be very similar to European dinosaurs of the same time period. They say this suggests there may have been a land bridge between Africa and Europe at the time. Mansourasaurus is believed to have been the size of an African elephant and, including its tail, was about 10 meters. The find was the result of hard work and long searches. The group looked around the western desert for five years before finding the partial skeleton in 2013. Sallam said he and a group of graduate students were travelling to a local university when they saw a good place to hunt for bones. They later returned to the place and searched an area covering several kilometers. Then, one of the students made a discovery. Now there are hopes that the discovery will bring more financial support for paleontology research in Egypt. Sallam added that he is pleased that the find can help make science real to people who may not think about it often. “I mean, we’ve made the average Egyptian man, or the Arab man, talk about dinosaurs,” he said. Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard. 16. What can we learn about the newly found dinosaur? 17. What is the significance of the discovery? 18. What does the speaker say about the find? It fed on plants. It was a predator. It had a short neck. It looked like an elephant.

California has become the first US state to approve plans to require newly-built homes to include solar equipment. The state’s Energy Commission voted 5-0 to approve the new rules, which are to take effect in 2020. The rules will cover most newly-built residential buildings up to three stories high. The move is California’s latest step aimed at reaching renewable energy targets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. California has set a goal of filling half of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030. Officials said they had reached 30% by the end of 2017. The Energy Commission said the cost of adding solar equipment to a single-family home would be about $9,500. But, the group added that homeowners would save at least $19,000 in energy costs over 30 years. The rules were approved after getting widespread support from builders, utility companies and solar equipment manufacturers. Robert Raymer is the technical director for the California Building Industry Association. He says the action marks a step forward for the wider use of solar power in the US. Solar companies praised the new requirements, which officials have said will likely raise demand for solar equipment in California by 10-15%. Tom Werner is head of California-based solar company SunPower. He told Reuters the decision was another example of California environmental policy, becoming a model for other states to follow. The Solar Energy Industries Association called it a historic decision for the state and the US. It estimated the action would produce huge economic and environmental benefits, including bringing tens of billions of dollars into California. California is already the nation’s number one market for solar equipment sales. At least 5 million homes in the state are estimated to currently use solar power. But some individuals and groups criticized the new rules. Some legislative and community leaders argued that Californians cannot afford to pay any more for housing in what is already an extremely high-priced market. Severin Borenstein is an energy economist at the University of California, in Berkeley. He sent an email to the head of California’s Energy Commission to urge the state to reconsider its decision. He expressed his belief that it is a mistake for California to approve such a policy instead of paying more attention to efforts to develop large solar farms to produce renewable energy. He said these farms would cost much less to operate. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard. 19. What is the talk mainly about? 20. When will the new rules take effect? 21. What can we learn about California? 22. What is Severin Borenstein’s attitude towards the new rules? California has a serious shortage of electricity. California requires that new houses be equipped with solar power. California signs a contract concerning renewable energy. California decides to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For most college students, the main goal of higher education is earning a degree that will lead to a successful and satisfying career. But Jennifer Simons argues that there are many valuable things people can learn before they even attend their first college class. Simons is the director of undergraduate admissions and recruitment at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Simons says the college application process can teach young people a lot about supporting themselves and making connections with others. In the United States, the process starts in the final two years of high school, when students are about 16 or 17 years old. This is the time when young people are forced to consider what happens after they leave high school. They face questions like, “Where do you want to go to college?” and “What will you study?” There are so many choices available to students that these questions can seem very difficult to answer, Simons says. So she suggests that young people try to get a better understanding of themselves before making any decisions. Simons says that young people should start keeping a journal, or written record, of their ideas well before they start thinking about college. They should ask themselves questions, like “Who am I?” “What do I want out of life?” and “What are my strengths and weaknesses?” Students should then try to write down answers to these and other questions once a day, or even weekly. The answers to these general questions, she says, will likely give students a better understanding of how to answer more specific questions. They will have a better idea about where they might want to spend four years of their lives while working toward a college degree, for example. It can also give young people ideas of what to talk about in writing samples that most college applications require. In addition, she says, students who know their own strengths will better understand how to ask people they know to write letters of recommendation for them. Simons says the more young people know about themselves, the more likely they are to make decisions that will make them happy. This includes more than just decisions about college. Something else students can take from the application process, Simons notes, relates to how busy the process makes them. High schoolers already have their studies, personal relationships and possibly jobs to worry about. The application process requires them to find schools that interest them, find out how to request admission and prepare application materials. Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard. 23. What is the main goal of higher education for most college students? 24. What can young people learn from college application process? 25. What does Simons suggest young people do before making decisions? Gaining more knowledge. Earning a degree. Pursuing their dreams. Expanding their horizons.