刘俊林2017年大学英语六级三套真题+答案解析

2020年12月16日发(作者：何世尧)
2017 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题(第 1 套)
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: Suppose you are asked to give advice on whether to attend a vocational college or a university,
write an essay to state your opinion. You are required to write at least
150
words but no more
than
200
words.
Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)

Section A
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.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
1. A) He would feel insulted. B) He would feel very sad.
C) He would be embarrassed. D) He would be disappointed.
2. A) They are worthy of a prize. B) They are of little value.
C) They make good reading. D) They need improvement.
3. A) He seldom writes a book straight through.
B) He writes several books simultaneously.
C) He draws on his real- life experiences.
D) He often turns to his wife for help.
4. A) Writing a book is just like watching a football match.
B) Writers actually work every bit as hard as footballers.
C) He likes watching a football match after finishing a book.
D) Unlike a football match, there is no end to writing a book.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
5. A) Achievements of black male athletes in college.
B) Financial assistance to black athletes in college.
C) High college dropout rates among black athletes.
D) Undergraduate enrollments of black athletes.
6. A) They display great talent in every kind of game.
B) They are better at sports than at academic work.
C) They have difficulty finding money to complete their studies.
D) They make money for the college but often fail to earn a degree.
7. A) About 15%. B) Around 40%.
C) Slightly over 50%. D) Approximately 70%.
8. A) Coaches lack the incentive to graduate them.
B) College degrees do not count much to them.
C) They have little interest in academic work.
D) Schools do not deem it a serious problem.

1
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear two 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) and D).
Then mark the corresponding letter on
Answer Sheet 1
with a single line through the
centre.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.

9. A) Marketing strategies.
C) Shopping malls.
10. A) About 50% of holiday shoppers.
B) About 20-30% of holiday shoppers.
C) About 136 million.
D) About 183.8 million.
11. A) They have fewer customers.
B) They find it hard to survive.
C) They are thriving once more.
D) They appeal to elderly customers.
12. A) Better quality of consumer goods.
B) Higher employment and wages.
C) Greater varieties of commodities.
D) People having more leisure time.
B) Holiday shopping.
D) Online stores.
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
13. A) They are new species of big insects.
B) They are overprescribed antibiotics.
C) They are life- threatening diseases.
D) They are antibiotic- resistant bacteria.
14. A) Antibiotics are now in short supply.
B) Many infections are no longer curable.
C) Large amounts of tax money are wasted.
D) Routine operations have become complex.
15. A) Facilities.
B) Expertise.
C) Money.
D) Publicity.
Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four
questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose
the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), CJ and D). Then mark the corresponding
letter on
Answer Sheet 1
with a single line through the centre.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
16. A) It is accessible only to the talented.
B) It improves students’ ability to think.

2
C) It starts a lifelong learning process.
D) It gives birth to many eminent scholars.
17. A) They encourage academic democracy.
B) They promote globalization.
C) They uphold the presidents’ authority.
D) They protect students’ rights.
18. A) His thirst for knowledge.
C) His contempt for authority.
B) His eagerness to find a job.
D) His potential for leadership.

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.
19. A) Few people know how to retrieve information properly.
B) People can enhance their memory with a few tricks.
C) Most people have a rather poor long-term memory.
D) People tend to underestimate their mental powers.
20. A) They present the states in a surprisingly different order.
B) They include more or less the same number of states.
C) They are exactly the same as is shown in the atlas.
D) They contain names of the most familiar states.
21. A) Focusing on what is likely to be tested.
B) Having a good sleep the night before.
C) Reviewing your lessons where the exam is to take place.
D) Making sensible decisions while choosing your answers.
22. A) Discover when you can learn best.
B) Change your time of study daily.
B) Give yourself a double bonus afterwards.
D) Follow the example of a marathon runner.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
23. A) He is a politician. B) He is a businessman.
C) He is a sociologist. D) He is an economist.
24. A) In slums.
B) In Africa.
C) In pre-industrial societies.
D) In developing countries.
25. A) They have no access to health care, let alone entertainment or recreation.
B) Their income is less than 50% of the national average family income.
C) They work extra hours to have their basic needs met.
D) Their children cannot afford to go to private schools.
Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage

3
through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.
Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line
through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.
Let’s all stop judging people who talk to themselves. New research says that those who can’t seem to
keep their inner monologues( 独 白 ) in are actually more likely to stay on task, remain 26 better and
show improved perception capabilities. Not bad, really, for some extra muttering.
According to a series of experiments published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
by professors Gary Lupyan and Daniel Swignley, the act of using verbal clues to 27 mental pictures
helps people function quicker.
In one experiment, they showed pictures of various objects to twenty 28 and asked them to find
just one of those, a banana. Half were 29 to repeat out loud what they were looking for and the other
half kept their lips 30 . Those who talked to themselves found the banana slightly faster than those who
didn’t，the researchers say. In other experiments, Lupyan and Swignley found that 31 the name of a
common product when on the hunt for it helped quicken someone’s pace, but talking about uncommon
items showed no advantage and slowed you down.
Common research has long held that talking themselves through a task helps children learn, although
doing so when you’ve 32 matured is not a great sign of 33 . The two professors hope to refute that
idea, 34 that just as when kids walk themselves through a process, adults can benefit from using
language not just to communicate, but also to help “augment thinking”.
Of course, you are still encouraged to keep the talking at library tones and, whatever you do, keep the
information you share simple, like a grocery list. At any 35 , there’s still such a thing as too much
information.
A) Apparently
B) Arrogance
C) Brilliance
D) Claiming
E) Dedicated
F) Focused
G) Incur
H) Instructed

I) Obscurely
J) Sealed
K) spectators
L) Trigger
M) Uttering
N) Volume
O) Volunteers


Section B
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each
statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from
which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than
paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding
letter on
Answer Sheet 2.
Rich Children and Poor Ones Are Raised Very Differently

[A] The lives of children from rich and poor American families look more different than ever before.
[B] Well-off families are ruled by calendars, with children enrolled in ballet, soccer and after-school
programs, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. There are usually two parents, who spend a lot

4
of time reading to children and worrying about their anxiety levels and hectic schedules.
[C] In poor families, meanwhile, children tend to spend their time at home or with extended family.
They are more likely to grow up in neighborhoods that their parents say aren’t great for raising children,
and their parents worry about them getting shot, beaten up or in trouble with the law.
[D] The class differences in child rearing are growing — a symptom of widening inequality with
far-reaching consequences. Different upbringings set children on different paths and can deepen
socioeconomic divisions, especially because education is strongly linked to earnings. Children grow up
learning the skills to succeed in their socioeconomic stratum (阶层), but not necessarily others.
[E] “Early childhood experiences can be very consequential for children’s long-term social, emotional
and cognitive development,” said Sean Reardon, professor of poverty and inequality in education at
Stanford University. “And because those influence educational success and later earnings, early childhood
experiences cast a lifelong shadow.” The cycle continues: Poorer parents have less time and fewer
resources to invest in their children, which can leave children less prepared for school and work, which
leads to lower earnings.
[F] American parents want similar things for their children, the Pew report and past research have
found: for them to be healthy and happy, honest and ethical, caring and compassionate. There is no best
parenting style or philosophy, researchers say, and across income groups, 92% of parents say they are doing
a good job at raising their children. Yet they are doing it quite differently. Middle-class and higher- income
parents see their children as projects in need of careful cultivation, says Annette Lareau, whose
groundbreaking research on the topic was published in her book Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race and
Family Life. They try to develop their skills through close supervision and organized activities, and teach
children to question authority figures and navigate elite institutions.
[G] Working-class parents, meanwhile, believe their children will naturally thrive, and give them far
greater independence and time for free play. They are taught to be compliant and respectful to adults. There
are benefits to both approaches. Working-class children are happier, more independent, complain less and
are closer with family members, Ms. Lareau found. Higher-income children are more likely to declare
boredom and expect their parents to solve their problems. Yet later on, the more affluent children end up in
college and on the way to the middle class, while working-class children tend to struggle. Children from
higher-income families are likely to have the skills to navigate bureaucracies and succeed in schools and
workplaces, Ms. Lareau said.
[H] “Do all parents want the most success for their children? Absolutely,” she said. “Do some
strategies give children more advantages than others in institutions? Probably they do. Will parents be
damaging children if they have one fewer organized activity? No, I really doubt it.”
[I] Social scientists say the differences arise in part because low-income parents have less money to
spend on music class or preschool, and less flexible schedules to take children to museums or attend school
events. Extracurricular activities reflect the differences in child rearing in the Pew survey, which was of a
nationally representative sample of 1,807 parents. Of families earning more than $$75,000 a year, 84% say
their children have participated in organized sports over the past year, 64% have done volunteer work and
62% have taken lessons in music, dance or art. Of families earning less than $$30,000, 59% of children have
done sports, 37% have volunteered and 41% have taken arts classes.
[J] Especially in affluent families, children start young. Nearly half of high-earning, college-graduate
parents enrolled their children in arts classes before they were 5, compared with one-fifth of low- income,
less- educated parents. Nonetheless, 20% of well-off parents say their children’s schedules are too hectic,
compared with 8% of poorer parents.

5
[K] Another example is reading aloud, which studies have shown gives children bigger vocabularies
and better reading comprehension in school. 71% of parents with a college degree say they do it every day,
compared with 33% of those with a high school diploma or less. White parents are more likely than others
to read to their children daily, as are married parents. Most affluent parents enroll their children in
preschool or day care, while low-income parents are more likely to depend on family members. Discipline
techniques vary by education level: 8% of those with a postgraduate degree say they often beat their
children, compared with 22% of those with a high school degree or less.
[L] The survey also probed attitudes and anxieties. Interestingly, parents’ attitudes toward education do
not seem to reflect their own educational background as much as a belief in the importance of education for
upward mobility. Most American parents say they are not concerned about their children’s grades as long as
they work hard. But 50% of poor parents say it is extremely important to them that their children earn a
college degree, compared with 39% of wealthier parents.
[M] Less-educated parents, and poorer and black and Latino parents are more likely to believe that
there is no such thing as too much involvement in a child’s education. Parents who are white, wealthy or
college- educated say too much involvement can be bad. Parental anxieties reflect their circumstances.
High- earning parents are much more likely to say they live in a good neighborhood for raising children.
While bullying is parents’ greatest concern over all, nearly half of low-income parents worry their child
will get shot, compared with one- fifth of high-income parents. They are more worried about their children
being depressed or anxious.
[N] In the Pew survey, middle- class families earning between $$30,000 and $$75,000 a year fell right
between working-class and high-earning parents on issues like the quality of their neighborhood for raising
children, participation in extracurricular activities and involvement in their children’ s education.
[O] Children were not always raised so differently. The achievement gap between children from high-
and low-income families is 30-40% larger among children born in 2001 than those born 25 years earlier,
according to Mr. Reardon’ s research. People used to live near people of different income levels;
neighborhoods are now more segregated by income. More than a quarter of children live in single-parent
households — a historic high, according to Pew 一 and these children are three times as likely to live in
poverty as those who live with married parents. Meanwhile, growing income inequality has coincided with
the increasing importance of a college degree for earning a middle-class wage.
[P] Yet there are recent signs that the gap could be starting to shrink. In the past decade, even as
income inequality has grown, some of the socioeconomic differences in parenting, like reading to children
and going to libraries, have narrowed.
[Q] Public policies aimed at young children have helped, including public preschool programs and
reading initiatives. Addressing differences in the earliest years, it seems, could reduce inequality in the next
generation.
36. Working-class parents teach their children to be obedient and show respect to adults.
37. American parents, whether rich or poor, have similar expectations of their children despite
different ways of parenting.
38. While rich parents are more concerned with their children’s psychological well-being, poor parents
are more worried about their children’s safety.
39. The increasing differences in child rearing between rich and poor families reflect growing social
inequality.
40. Parenting approaches of working-class and affluent families both have advantages.
41. Higher-income families and working-class families now tend to live in different neighborhoods.

6
42. Physical punishment is used much less by well- educated parents.
43. Ms. Lareau doesn’t believe participating in fewer after-class activities will negatively affect
children’s development.
44. Wealthy parents are concerned about their children’s mental health and busy schedules.
45. Some socioeconomic differences in child rearing have shrunk in the past ten years.
Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or
unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You
should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Tennessee’s technical and community colleges will not outsource(外包) management of their facilities
to a private company, a decision one leader said was bolstered by an analysis of spending at each campus.
In an email sent Monday to college presidents in the Tennessee Board of Regents system, outgoing
Chancellor John Morgan said an internal analysis showed that each campus’ spending on facilities
management fell well below the industry standards identified by the state. Morgan said those findings —
which included data from the system’s 13 community colleges, 27 technical colleges and six universities —
were part of the decision not to move forward with Governor Bill Haslam’s proposal to privatize
management of state buildings in an effort to save money.
“While these numbers are still being validated by the state, we feel any adjustments they might
suggest will be immaterial,” Morgan wrote to the presidents. “System institutions are operating very
efficiently based on this analysis, raising the question of the value of pursuing a broad scale outsourcing
initiative.”
Worker’s advocates have criticized Haslam’s plan, saying it would mean some campus workers would
lose their jobs or benefits. Haslam has said colleges would be free to opt in or out of the out souring plan,
which has not been finalized.
Morgan notified the Haslam administration of his decision to opt out in a letter sent last week. That
letter, which includes several concerns Morgan has with the plan, was originally obtained by The
Commercial Appeal in Memphis.
In an email statement from the state’s Office of Customer Focused Government, which is examining
the possibility of outsourcing, spokeswoman Michelle R. Martin said officials were still working to analyze
the data from the Board of Regents. Data on management expenses at the college system and in other state
departments will be part of a “business justification” the state will use as officials deliberate the specifics of
an outsourcing plan.
“The state’s facilities management project team is still in the process of developing its business
justification and expects to have that completed and available to the public at the end of February,” Martin
said. “At this time there is nothing to take action on since the analysis has yet to be completed.”
Morgan’s comments on outsourcing mark the second time this month that he has come out against one
of Haslam’s plans for higher education in Tennessee. Morgan said last week that he would retire at the end
of January because of the governor’s proposal to split off six universities of the Board of Regents system
and create separate governing boards for each of them. In his resignation letter, Morgan called the
reorganization “unworkable”.
46. What do we learn about the decision of technical and community colleges in Tennessee?

7
A) It is backed by a campus spending analysis.
B) It has been flatly rejected by the governor.
C) It has neglected their faculty’s demands.
D )It will improve their financial situation.
47. What does the campus spending analysis reveal?
A) Private companies play a big role in campus management.
B) Facilities management by colleges is more cost-effective.
C) Facilities management has greatly improved in recent years.
D) Colleges exercise foil control over their own financial affairs.
48. Workers’ supporters argue that Bill Haslam’s proposal would .
A) deprive colleges of the right to manage their facilities
B) make workers less motivated in performing duties
C) render a number of campus workers jobless
D) lead to the privatization of campus facilities
49. What do we learn from the state spokeswoman’s response to John Morgan’s decision?
A) The outsourcing plan is not yet finalized.
B) The outsourcing plan will be implemented.
C) The state officials are confident about the outsourcing plan.
D) The college spending analysis justifies the outsourcing plan.
50. Why did John Morgan decide to resign?
A) He had lost confidence in the Tennessee state government.
B) He disagreed with the governor on higher education policies.
C) He thought the state’s outsourcing proposal was simply unworkable.
D) He opposed the governor’s plan to reconstruct the college board system.
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Beginning in the late sixteenth century, it became fashionable for young aristocrats to visit Paris,
Venice, Florence, and above all, Rome, as the culmination(终极) of their classical education. Thus was
born the idea of the Grand Tour, a practice which introduced Englishmen, Germans, Scandinavians, and
also Americans to the art and culture of France and Italy for the next 300 years. Travel was arduous and
costly throughout the period, possible only for a privileged class—the same that produced gentlemen
scientists, authors, antique experts, and patrons of the arts.

The Grand Tourist was typically a young man with a thorough grounding in Greek and Latin literature
as well as some leisure time, some means, and some interest in art. The German traveler Johann
Winckelmann pioneered the field of art history with his comprehensive study of Greek and Roman
sculpture; he was portrayed by his friend Anton Raphael Mengs at the beginning of his long residence in
Rome. Most Grand Tourists, however, stayed for briefer periods and set out with less scholarly intentions,
accompanied by a teacher or guardian, and expected to return home with souvenirs of their travels as well
as an understanding of art and architecture formed by exposure to great masterpieces.

London was a frequent starting point for Grand Tourists, and Paris a compulsory destination; many
traveled to the Netherlands, some to Switzerland and Germany, and a very few adventurers to Spain,
Greece, or Turkey. The essential place to visit, however, was Italy. The British traveler Charles Thompson

8
spoke for many Grand Tourists when in 1744 he described himself as “being impatiently desirous of
viewing a country so famous in history, a country which once gave laws to the world, and which is at
present the greatest school of music and painting, contains the noblest productions of sculpture and
architecture, and is filled with cabinets of rarities, and collections of all kinds of historical relics”. Within
Italy, the great focus was Rome, whose ancient ruins and more recent achievements were shown to every
Grand Tourist. Panini’s Ancient Rome and Modem Rome represent the sights most prized, including
celebrated Greco-Roman statues and views of famous ruins, fountains, and churches. Since there were few
museums anywhere in Europe before the close of the eighteenth century, Grand Tourists often saw
paintings and sculptures by gaining admission to private collections, and many were eager to acquire
examples of Greco-Roman and Italian art for their own collections. In England, where architecture was
increasingly seen as an aristocratic pursuit, noblemen often applied what they learned from the villas of
Palladio in the Veneto and the evocative ( 唤 起 回 忆 的 ) ruins of Rome to their own country houses and
gardens.
51. What is said about the Grand Tour?
A) It was fashionable among young people of the time.
B) It was unaffordable for ordinary people.
C) It produced some famous European artists.
D) It made a compulsory part of college education.
52. What did Grand Tourists have in common?
A) They had much geographic knowledge.
B) They were courageous and venturesome.
C) They were versed in literature and interested in art.
D) They had enough travel and outdoor-life experience.
53. How did Grand Tourists benefit from their travel?
A) They found inspiration in the world’s greatest masterpieces.
B) They got a better understanding of early human civilization.
C) They developed an interest in the origin of modem art forms.
D) They gained some knowledge of classical art and architecture.
54. Why did many Grand Tourists visit the private collections?
A) They could buy unique souvenirs there to take back home.
B) Europe hardly had any museums before the 19th century.
C) They found the antiques there more valuable.
D) Private collections were of greater variety.
55. How did the Grand Tour influence the architecture in England?
A) There appeared more and more Roman-style buildings.
B) Many aristocrats began to move into Roman-style villas.
C)Aristocrats，country houses all had Roman- style gardens.
D) Italian architects were hired to design houses and gardens.


Part IV Translation (30 minutes)


Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into

9
English. You should write your answer on
Answer Sheet 2.

唐朝始于 618 年，终于 907 年，是中国历史上最灿烂的时期。经过近三百年的发展，唐代中国成
为世界上最繁荣 的强国，其首都长安是当时世界上最大的都市。这一时期，经济发达、商业繁荣、社会
秩序稳定，甚至边 境也对外开放。随着城市化和财富的增加，艺术和文学也繁荣起来。李白和 杜甫是
以作品简洁自然而著称的诗人。他们的诗歌打动了学者和普通人的心。即使在今天，他们的 许多诗歌
仍广为儿童及成人阅读背诵。
2017 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题答案与详解
(第 1 套)

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: Suppose you are asked to give advice on whether to attend a vocational
college or a university, write an essay to state your opinion. You are required to write
at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
【参考范文】

Whether to Attend a Vocational College or a University?

It’s an undisputable truth that virtually all high school graduates will encounter
the choices between a vocational college and a university. And when it comes to this question,
students’ ideas are not cut from the same cloth. In point of which to choose and what to
be taken into consideration, my advices are as follow.
In the first place, we should be conscious of the fact that both of the two choices
have its own superiorities. For instance, a vocational college specializes in cultivating
human resources with practical capabilities; while a university serves as the cradle of
academic researchers in different fields. Then it does follow that high school graduates
should have a clear picture of themselves. That is to say, they should know their merits
and demerits and their choices must give play to their strengths whilst circumvent
weaknesses. In addition, interest is the best teacher and it’s also the premise of learning
on one’s own initiative. Thus interest must be taken into account because it can not only
decide how far one can reach academically and professionally but also how happy and fulfilled
one will be.
In brief, all above just goes to show that there really is no one-size-fits-all answer
for the question. The key lies in a clear cognition, accurate self- positioning and the
interest of oneself. Only then can every one find a right path that works best for us.
Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each

10
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

10
four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet
1 with a single line through the centre.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

1. A) He would feel insulted. B) He would feel very sad.

C) He would be embarrassed. D) He would be disappointed.
【答案】A
【解析】题目问如果男士在二手书店中发现了自己写的书，那么男士会感觉怎样。男士说到：
如果他在二手书店发现了自己的书，他会认为这是种侮辱。因此选 A。

2. A) They are worthy of a prize. B) They are of little value.

C) They make good reading. D) They need improvement.
【答案】B
【解析】题目问男士的妻子认为他的书怎么样。男士说到：他最新的一本书是在 2004 年写的，
当时在写的时候给他妻子看了一小部分。妻子认为他写的内容是垃圾。这表明他的妻子认为他写的 书
毫无价值。因此选 B。

3. A) He seldom writes a book straight through.

B) He writes several books simultaneously.

C) He draws on his real-life experiences.

D) He often turns to his wife for help.
【答案】A
【解析】题目问当 男士在写作的时候，他通常会做什么。在对话中，女士问男士他那本《被埋
葬的巨人》 为什么被搁置了 那么久，显然是过了十年才把这本书写好。男士回答：他写书通常都是写
写停停，写到一半就会搁置几年 时间再继续写。男士的言外之意是，他很少会一口气把 一本书写完。
因此选 A。

4. A) Writing a book is just like watching a football match.

B) Writers actually work every bit as hard as footballers.

C) He likes watching a football match after finishing a book.

D) Unlike a football match, there is no end to writing a book.

Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
【答案】D
【解析】题目问男士提到足球比赛是想表达什么。男士在最后说到，足球运动员在结束的哨声

11
吹响的时候，就意味着比赛已经结束了。但是对于作家来说，永远都没有结束的哨声这一说。因此选
D。

5. A) Achievements of black male athletes in college.

12
B) Financial assistance to black athletes in college.

C) High college dropout rates among black athletes.

D) Undergraduate enrollments of black athletes.
【答案】C
【解析】题目问这两个讲话者在谈论什么。女 士在一开始就引出主题：一份研究表明，在大学中
黑人运动员的辍学率特别高。因此选 C。

6. A) They display great talent in every kind of game.

B) They are better at sports than at academic work.

C) They have difficulty finding money to complete their studies.

D) They make money for the college but often fail to earn a degree.
【答案】D
【解析】题目问这份研究对黑人男性运动员有什么新的发现。男士说到：他们是以给学校创造
收 入的工薪阶层的身份存在的，而不是以受教育的学生的身份存在的。就是说，黑人男性运动员只是
学校的 挣钱工具，而学校并没有给他们太多接受学术教育的机会。因此选D。

7. A) About 15%. B) Around 40%.

C) Slightly over 50%. D) Approximately 70%.
【答案】C
【解析】题目问黑人男性运动员的毕业率是多少。女士回答：在 65 所学校中只有勉强一半多
一点儿的黑人能毕业。因此选 C。

8. A) Coaches lack the incentive to graduate them.

B) College degrees do not count much to them.

C) They have little interest in academic work.

D) Schools do not deem it a serious problem.
【答案】A
【解析】题目问根据男士可知，黑人运动员没能取得大学学位的原因是什么。男士在最后说到： 所
有的动机不是要赢得比赛就是不能输掉比赛。教练缺乏让他们毕业的动力。因此选 A。

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two 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

13
marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single
line through the centre.
Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.

14
9. A) Marketing strategies. B) Holiday shopping.

C) Shopping malls. D) Online stores.
【答案】B
【解析】题目问说话者主要说了什么。听力材料一开始就提到“America’s holiday shopping
season starts on Black Friday... It is the busiest shopping day of the year”，因此，不
难推断出该篇听力的主题是关于 holiday shopping，因此本题选 B。

10. A) About 50% of holiday shoppers.

B) About 20-30% of holiday shoppers.

C) About 136 million.

D) About 183.8 million.
【答案】D
【解析】题目问有多少人会在网络星期一那天购物。听力篇章中提及，“About 183.8 million
people will shop on Cyber Monday”，就不难选出本题答案 D。

11. A) They have fewer customers.

B) They find it hard to survive.

C) They are thriving once more.

D) They appeal to elderly customers.
【答案】C
【解析】题目问关于传统购物中心，《财富》是怎么说的。听力篇章中提及“Fortune says the
weakest of the malls have closed. The sector is thriving again”，由此可知，本题答案选
C。

12. A) Better quality of consumer goods.

B) Higher employment and wages.

C) Greater varieties of commodities.

D) People having more leisure time.
【答案】B
【解析】题目是问购物者数量增加的原因是什么。篇章中提到，“…lower unemployment and
rising wages could give Americans more money to spend”，其中 B 选项与这句话完全符合，lower
unemployment 即 higher employment，故本题选 B。

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.


15
13. A) They are new species of big insects.

B)They are overprescribed antibiotics.

16
C)They are life- threatening diseases.
D)They are antibiotic- resistant bacteria.
【答案】D
【解析】题目问关于超级细菌我们知道什么。篇章中提及，“you may have heard about the
new superbugs which are antibiotic- resistant bacteria that have developed as a result of
overprescribed antibiotics.其中 D 选项与这句话完全符合。
14. A) Antibiotics are now in short supply.

B)Many infections are no longer curable.
C)Large amounts of tax money are wasted.
D)Routine operations have become complex.
【答案】D
【解析】题目问抗生素用量过度的后果是什么。篇章中提到“seemingly routine operations...
are now much more hazardous...”，D 选项与此相符合。

15. A) Facilities.

B)Expertise.

C)Money.

D)Publicity.
【答案】C
【 解析】题目问，在说话者看来，为应对严重威胁生命的传染病，什么是最迫切需要的。篇章
最后提及：面 对严重威胁生命的传染病，却只有 1.2%的预算被用于研究上，这与所需的资金相差甚
远。由此可知 C 选项正确。

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks
followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you
hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), CJ
and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through
the centre.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.

16. A) It is accessible only to the talented.

B) It improves students’ ability to think.

C) It starts a lifelong learning process.

D) It gives birth to many eminent scholars.

17
【答案】B

18
【解析】题目问说话者是如何描述大学的。听力材料中提到 “you are here to understand
thinking better and to think better your- self”，B 选项与此相符合。

17. A) They encourage academic democracy.

B) They promote globalization.

C) They uphold the presidents’ authority.

D) They protect students’ rights.
【答案】A
【解析】题目问关于大学，我们可以从说话者的故事中了解到什么。篇章中提到 “But what was
really important about that was the universities stand out as places that really are about
the authority of ideas.，由此可推断出大学鼓励思想交流，鼓励学术民主，A 选项正确。
18. A) His thirst for knowledge. B) His eagerness to find a job.

C) His contempt for authority. D) His potential for leadership.
【答案】A
【解析】题目是问说话者在挑战他论文的年轻人身上看到了什么。听力篇章中提及“a... you
couldn’t debate that young man’s hunger to learn”，由此可判断选 A。

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.

19. A) Few people know how to retrieve information properly.

B)People can enhance their memory with a few tricks.
C)Most people have a rather poor long-term memory.
D)People tend to underestimate their mental powers.
【答案】D
【解析】听力篇章一开始就提及，“Psychological research shows we consistently
underestimate our mental powers. ”，这与 D 选项完全符合。

20. A) They present the states in a surprisingly different order.

B)They include more or less the same number of states.
C)They are exactly the same as is shown in the atlas.
D)They contain names of the most familiar states.
【答案】B
【解析】听力材料中提到，“The two lists will contain roughly the same number of states
but they will not be identical”，由此可知本题答案为 B 选项。

19

21. A) Focusing on what is likely to be tested.

B)Having a good sleep the night before.

20
C)Reviewing your lessons where the exam is to take place.
D)Making sensible decisions while choosing your answers.
【答案】C
【解析】题目问说话者对如何准备和参加考试有何建议。听力篇章中提及“If possible, you
should also try to learn information in the room where it is going to be tested”，这与
C 选项完全符合，故本题选 C。

22. A) Discover when you can learn best.

B) Change your time of study daily.

B) Give yourself a double bonus afterwards.

D) Follow the example of a marathon runner.
【答案】A
【解析】题目问关于学习，说话者给了我们什么建议。听力篇章中曾提及：“When you learn
is also important”，这表明，要找到最适合自己学习的时间，故 A 选项正确。

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.

23. A) He is a politician. B) He is a businessman.

C)He is a sociologist. D) He is an economist.
【答案】C
【解析】题目是问说话者是做什么的。听力篇章中提及“It concerns not only us sociologists
but also economists, politicians and business people.”，答案为 C 选项。

24. A) In slums.

B) In Africa.

C) In pre-industrial societies.

D) In developing countries.
【答案】D
【解析】题目是问说话者说在哪可以发 现极度贫穷的情况。听力篇章中提及：“Where does
extreme poverty occur? Well, you can find it only in developing countries.”，因此本题
答案选 D。

25. A) They have no access to health care, let alone entertainment or recreation.

B)Their income is less than 50% of the national average family income.
C)They work extra hours to have their basic needs met.

21
D)Their children cannot afford to go to private schools.
【答案】B

22
【解析】题目是问家庭相对贫穷的美国人是什么样的。听力篇章中提及：“in the United States a
family can be considered poor if their income is less than 50% of the national average
family income.”，这与 B 选项完全符合。
Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to
select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the
passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the
bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer
Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank
more than once.
Let’s all stop judging people who talk to themselves. New research says that those
who can’t seem to keep their inner monologues(独白) in are actually more likely to stay
on task, remain 26 better and show improved perception capabilities. Not bad, really,
for some extra muttering.
According to a series of experiments published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental
Psychology by professors Gary Lupyan and Daniel Swignley, the act of using verbal clues
to 27 mental pictures helps people function quicker.

In one experiment, they showed pictures of various objects to twenty 28 and asked
them to find just one of those, a banana. Half were 29 to repeat out loud what they
were looking for and the other half kept their lips 30 . Those who talked to themselves
found the banana slightly faster than those who didn’t，the researchers say. In other
experiments, Lupyan and Swignley found that 31 the name of a common product when on
the hunt for it helped quicken someone’s pace, but talking about uncommon items showed
no advantage and slowed you down.
Common research has long held that talking themselves through a task helps children
learn, although doing so when you’ve 32 matured is not a great sign of 33 . The
two professors hope to refute that idea, 34 that just as when kids walk themselves
through a process, adults can benefit from using language not just to communicate, but also
to help “augment thinking”.

Of course, you are still encouraged to keep the talking at library tones and, whatever
you do, keep the information you share simple, like a grocery list. At any 35 , there’
s still such a thing as too much information.
26. 【解析】F。空格前的 remain 为系动词，因此空格处需要填入一个形容词；根据前面的句意
“……更有可能坚持做一件事”，可知 focused 最为符合，表示“保持全神贯注”，因此本题选
F。
27. 【解析】L。根据空格前的 to 可判断空格处应填入动词原形，根据句意，“使用口头提示
来记忆图像”，可知选项 L 符合。

23
28. 【解析】0。空格前是量词 twenty，因此空格处需填入一个名词复数；再由前边的“In one
experiment”可知这是一个实验，所以这里选择 volunteers （志愿者）最为合适，故本题选 0。
29. 【解析】H。空格前后分别为 be 动词 were 和介词 to，因此空格处需要填入一个动词的被
动语态；根据句意，“一半人被 要大声地重复他们要找的东西，”可知 instructed （通知，
指导）最为合适，因此本题答案选 H。
30. 【解析】J。根据句子结构可判断空格处需要填入一个形容词。再由 the other half 对应
的是前边的 Half， 可知这里的情况和前边的不同，前边说 repeat out loud （大声地重复），后
边自然就是要表达“不说话” 的意思，keep one’s lips sealed 即“闭上嘴巴、不说话”的意思，
故本题选 J。
31. 【解析】M。空格前的 that 引导的是宾语从句，空格与后面的名词词组 the name of a common
product 共同充当宾语从句的主语，因此空格处应填入动词的-ing 形式，根据句意可判断 uttering
更为合适，故本题选 M。
32. 【解析】A。空格所在句是一个现在完成时态，空格前后组成谓语动词 have matured，因
此空格处实际上并不缺成分，只可能填入一个副词来修饰动词 matured，根据单词意思，这里应选
apparently。
33. 【解析】C。根据空格前边的 a great sign of 可知，空格处缺少一个名词；再根据句意，
“当你足够成熟时，自言自语并不能显示出你的
本题选 C。
34. 【解析】 D。空格前边是一句完整的话，空格后是 that 从句，由此判断空格处 填入动词
的-ing 形式，作为前边句子的伴随状语，并引导后面的宾语从句；分析选项，动词的-ing 形式只
剩下 claiming 这一个词，故本题选 D。
35. 【解析】N。空格处需要填入一个名词，与前边的 At any 构成介词词组；结合整篇文章的
大意，此处填入 volume 最为合适，故本题选 N。

_”，可知这里填入 brilliance 更为合适。故
Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements
attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify
the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than
once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the
corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Rich Children and Poor Ones Are Raised Very Differently

[A] The lives of children from rich and poor American families look more different
than ever before.
[B] Well-off families are ruled by calendars, with children enrolled in ballet, soccer

24
and after-school programs, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. There are usually
two parents, who spend a lot of time reading to children and worrying about their anxiety
levels and hectic schedules.
[C] In poor families, meanwhile, children tend to spend their time at home or with
extended family. They are more likely to grow up in neighborhoods that their parents say

25
aren’t great for raising children, and their parents worry about them getting shot, beaten
up or in trouble with the law.
[D] The class differences in child rearing are growing — a symptom of widening
inequality with far-reaching consequences. Different upbringings set children on different
paths and can deepen socioeconomic divisions, especially because education is strongly
linked to earnings. Children grow up learning the skills to succeed in their socioeconomic
stratum (阶层), but not necessarily others.
[E] “Early childhood experiences can be very consequential for children’s long-term
social, emotional and cognitive development,” said Sean Reardon, professor of poverty and
inequality in education at Stanford University. “And because those influence educational
success and later earnings, early childhood experiences cast a lifelong shadow.” The cycle
continues: Poorer parents have less time and fewer resources to invest in their children,
which can leave children less prepared for school and work, which leads to lower earnings.
[F] American parents want similar things for their children, the Pew report and past
research have found: for them to be healthy and happy, honest and ethical, caring and
compassionate. There is no best parenting style or philosophy, researchers say, and across
income groups, 92% of parents say they are doing a good job at raising their children. Yet
they are doing it quite differently. Middle-class and higher- income parents see their
children as projects in need of careful cultivation, says Annette Lareau, whose
groundbreaking research on the topic was published in her book Unequal Childhoods: Class,
Race and Family Life. They try to develop their skills through close supervision and
organized activities, and teach children to question authority figures and navigate elite
institutions.
[G] Working-class parents, meanwhile, believe their children will naturally thrive,
and give them far greater independence and time for free play. They are taught to be compliant
and respectful to adults. There are benefits to both approaches. Working-class children
are happier, more independent, complain less and are closer with family members, Ms. Lareau
found. Higher-income children are more likely to declare boredom and expect their parents
to solve their problems. Yet later on, the more affluent children end up in college and
on the way to the middle class, while working- class children tend to struggle. Children
from higher-income families are likely to have the skills to navigate bureaucracies and
succeed in schools and workplaces, Ms. Lareau said.
[H] “Do all parents want the most success for their children? Absolutely,” she said.
“Do some strategies give children more advantages than others in institutions? Probably
they do. Will parents be damaging children if they have one fewer organized activity? No,
I really doubt it.”
[I] Social scientists say the differences arise in part because low-income parents
have less money to spend on music class or preschool, and less flexible schedules to take
children to museums or attend school events. Extracurricular activities reflect the
differences in child rearing in the Pew survey, which was of a nationally representative
sample of 1,807 parents. Of families earning more than $$75,000 a year, 84% say their children

26
have participated in organized sports over the past year, 64% have done volunteer work and
62% have taken lessons in music, dance or art. Of families earning less than $$30,000, 59%
of children have done sports, 37% have volunteered and 41% have taken arts classes.
[J] Especially in affluent families, children start young. Nearly half of high-earning,
college-graduate parents enrolled their children in arts classes before they were 5,
compared with one-fifth of low-income, less- educated parents. Nonetheless, 20% of well-off
parents say their children’s schedules are too hectic, compared with 8% of poorer parents.
[K] Another example is reading aloud, which studies have shown gives children bigger
vocabularies and better reading comprehension in school. 71% of parents with a college
degree say they do it every day, compared with 33% of those with a high school diploma or
less. White parents are more likely than others to read to their children daily, as are
married parents. Most affluent parents enroll their children in preschool or day care, while
low-income parents are more likely to depend on family members. Discipline techniques vary
by education level: 8% of those with a postgraduate degree say they often beat their children,
compared with 22% of those with a high school degree or less.
[L] The survey also probed attitudes and anxieties. Interestingly, parents’ attitudes
toward education do not seem to reflect their own educational background as much as a belief
in the importance of education for upward mobility. Most American parents say they are not
concerned about their children’s grades as long as they work hard. But 50% of poor parents
say it is extremely important to them that their children earn a college degree, compared
with 39% of wealthier parents.
[M] Less- educated parents, and poorer and black and Latino parents are more likely
to believe that there is no such thing as too much involvement in a child’s education.
Parents who are white, wealthy or college- educated say too much involvement can be bad.
Parental anxieties reflect their circumstances. High- earning parents are much more likely
to say they live in a good neighborhood for raising children. While bullying is parents’
greatest concern over all, nearly half of low-income parents worry their child will get
shot, compared with one-fifth of high-income parents. They are more worried about their
children being depressed or anxious.
[N] In the Pew survey, middle-class families earning between $$30,000 and $$75,000 a
year fell right between working-class and high-earning parents on issues like the quality
of their neighborhood for raising children, participation in extracurricular activities
and involvement in their children’ s education.
[O] Children were not always raised so differently. The achievement gap between
children from high- and low-income families is 30-40% larger among children born in 2001
than those born 25 years earlier, according to Mr. Reardon’ s research. People used to
live near people of different income levels; neighborhoods are now more segregated by income.
More than a quarter of children live in single-parent households — a historic high,
according to Pew 一 and these children are three times as likely to live in poverty as those
who live with married parents. Meanwhile, growing income inequality has coincided with the
increasing importance of a college degree for earning a middle-class wage.

20
[P] Yet there are recent signs that the gap could be starting to shrink. In the past
decade, even as income inequality has grown, some of the socioeconomic differences in
parenting, like reading to children and going to libraries, have narrowed.
[Q] Public policies aimed at young children have helped, including public preschool
programs and reading initiatives. Addressing differences in the earliest years, it seems,
could reduce inequality in the next generation.
36. Working-class parents teach their children to be obedient and show respect to
adults.
37. American parents, whether rich or poor, have similar expectations of their children
despite different ways of parenting.
38. While rich parents are more concerned with their children’s psychological
well-being, poor parents are more worried about their children’s safety.
39. The increasing differences in child rearing between rich and poor families reflect
growing social inequality.
40. Parenting approaches of working-class and affluent families both have advantages.

41. Higher-income families and working-class families now tend to live in different
neighborhoods.
42. Physical punishment is used much less by well- educated parents.

43. Ms. Lareau doesn’t believe participating in fewer after-class activities will
negatively affect children’s development.
44. Wealthy parents are concerned about their children’s mental health and busy
schedules.
45. Some socioeconomic differences in child rearing have shrunk in the past ten years.
36.【解析】G。根据题干中的关键词 working- class parents, respect to adults 可定位至
[G]段。
37.【解析】F。根据题干中的关键词 American parents 和 different ways of parenting 可
定位至[F]段。
38.【解析】M。根据题干中的关键词 psychological well-being 和 children's safety 可定
位至[M]段。
39.【解析】 D。根据题干中的关键词 differences in child rearing 和 inequality 可定位
至[D]段。
40.【解析】 G。根据题干中的关键词 proaches 和approaches 可定位至[G]段。
41.【解析】O。根据题干中的关键词 neighborhoods 可定位至[0]段。
42.【解析】K。根椐题干中的关键 physical punishment 和 well- educated parents 可定位

21
至[K]段。

22
43.【解析】H。根据题干中的关键词 Ms. Lareau 和 fewer after-class activities 可定位
至[H]段。
44.【解析】 B。根据题干中的关键词 mental health 和 busy schedules 可定位至[B]段。
45.【解析】 P。根据题干中的关键词 socioeconomic differences, shrunk 和 in the past ten
years 可定位至[P]段。

Section C

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some
questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B),
C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer
Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Tennessee’s technical and community colleges will not outsource(外包) management of
their facilities to a private company, a decision one leader said was bolstered by an
analysis of spending at each campus.
In an email sent Monday to college presidents in the Tennessee Board of Regents system,
outgoing Chancellor John Morgan said an internal analysis showed that each campus’ spending
on facilities management fell well below the industry standards identified by the state.
Morgan said those findings — which included data from the system’s 13 community colleges,
27 technical colleges and six universities — were part of the decision not to move forward
with Governor Bill Haslam’s proposal to privatize management of state buildings in an effort
to save money.
“While these numbers are still being validated by the state, we feel any adjustments
they might suggest will be immaterial,” Morgan wrote to the presidents. “System
institutions are operating very efficiently based on this analysis, raising the question
of the value of pursuing a broad scale outsourcing initiative.”
Worker’s advocates have criticized Haslam’s plan, saying it would mean some campus
workers would lose their jobs or benefits. Haslam has said colleges would be free to opt
in or out of the out souring plan, which has not been finalized.
Morgan notified the Haslam administration of his decision to opt out in a letter sent
last week. That letter, which includes several concerns Morgan has with the plan, was
originally obtained by The Commercial Appeal in Memphis.
In an email statement from the state’s Office of Customer Focused Government, which
is examining the possibility of outsourcing, spokeswoman Michelle R. Martin said officials
were still working to analyze the data from the Board of Regents. Data on management expenses
at the college system and in other state departments will be part of a “business
justification” the state will use as officials deliberate the specifics of an outsourcing

23
plan.

24
“The state’s facilities management project team is still in the process of developing
its business justification and expects to have that completed and available to the public
at the end of February,” Martin said. “At this time there is nothing to take action on
since the analysis has yet to be completed.”

Morgan’s comments on outsourcing mark the second time this month that he has come
out against one of Haslam’s plans for higher education in Tennessee. Morgan said last week
that he would retire at the end of January because of the governor’s proposal to split
off six universities of the Board of Regents system and create separate governing boards
for each of them. In his resignation letter, Morgan called the reorganization “unworkable”.

46. What do we learn about the decision of technical and community colleges in
Tennessee?
A) It is backed by a campus spending analysis.

B) It has been flatly rejected by the governor.
C)It has neglected their faculty’s demands.
D)It will improve their financial situation.
【答案】A
【解析】由题干中的关键词 decision，technical and community colleges, Tennessee 可定
位至第一段。A 选项中的backed 与原文中的 bolstered 同义，因此选 A。

47. What does the campus spending analysis reveal?

A) Private companies play a big role in campus management.

B)Facilities management by colleges is more cost-effective.
C)Facilities management has greatly improved in recent years.
D)Colleges exercise foil control over their own financial affairs.
【答案】B
【解析】由题干中的关键词 campus spending analysis, reveal 可 以定位至原文的第二段。
题干中的 reveal 对应原文中的 showed。因此选 B。

48. Workers’ supporters argue that Bill Haslam’s proposal would

.
A) deprive colleges of the right to manage their facilities
B)make workers less motivated in performing duties
C)render a number of campus workers jobless
D)lead to the privatization of campus facilities
【答案】C

25
48.【解析】由题干中的关键词 Workers’ supporters, Bill Haslam’s proposal 可以定位
至第四段。该段的第一句指出，工人拥护者 已经批判了哈斯拉姆的计划，他们表示这将意味着一些
校园工人可能会失去他们的工作或利益。因此选 C。

49. What do we learn from the state spokeswoman’s response to John Morgan’s decision?

A) The outsourcing plan is not yet finalized.

B)The outsourcing plan will be implemented.

C)The state officials are confident about the outsourcing plan.
D)The college spending analysis justifies the outsourcing plan.
【答案】A
49.【解析】由题干中的关键词 spokeswoman 可定位至第六段。该段指出，发言人 Michelle R.
Martin 表示官员们还在分析评议委员会的数据。大学体系和其他州相关部门的管理费用数据将会是
“商业理由”的一部分，田纳西州会用此来研讨外包计划的细节。这说明，外包计划还在讨论中，
尚未成定论，因此选 A。

50. Why did John Morgan decide to resign?

A) He had lost confidence in the Tennessee state government.

B)He disagreed with the governor on higher education policies.

C)He thought the state’s outsourcing proposal was simply unworkable.
D)He opposed the governor’s plan to reconstruct the college board system.
【答案】D
【解析】由题干中的关键词 John Morgan, resign 可定位至最后一段。该段的最后一句指出，
在他的辞职信中，摩根表示这一重组计划“不切实际”。言外之意就是反对州长重组大学董事会的 计
划。因此选 D。

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Beginning in the late sixteenth century, it became fashionable for young aristocrats
to visit Paris, Venice, Florence, and above all, Rome, as the culmination(终极) of their
classical education. Thus was born the idea of the Grand Tour, a practice which introduced
Englishmen, Germans, Scandinavians, and also Americans to the art and culture of France
and Italy for the next 300 years. Travel was arduous and costly throughout the period,
possible only for a privileged class—the same that produced gentlemen scientists, authors,
antique experts, and patrons of the arts.
The Grand Tourist was typically a young man with a thorough grounding in Greek and
Latin literature as well as some leisure time, some means, and some interest in art. The

26
German traveler Johann Winckelmann pioneered the field of art history with his comprehensive
study of Greek and Roman sculpture; he was portrayed by his friend Anton Raphael Mengs at
the beginning of his long residence in Rome. Most Grand Tourists, however, stayed for briefer

27
periods and set out with less scholarly intentions, accompanied by a teacher or guardian,
and expected to return home with souvenirs of their travels as well as an understanding
of art and architecture formed by exposure to great masterpieces.
London was a frequent starting point for Grand Tourists, and Paris a compulsory
destination; many traveled to the Netherlands, some to Switzerland and Germany, and a very
few adventurers to Spain, Greece, or Turkey. The essential place to visit, however, was
Italy. The British traveler Charles Thompson spoke for many Grand Tourists when in 1744
he described himself as “being impatiently desirous of viewing a country so famous in
history, a country which once gave laws to the world, and which is at present the greatest
school of music and painting, contains the noblest productions of sculpture and architecture,
and is filled with cabinets of rarities, and collections of all kinds of historical relics”.
Within Italy, the great focus was Rome, whose ancient ruins and more recent achievements
were shown to every Grand Tourist. Panini’s Ancient Rome and Modem Rome represent the sights
most prized, including celebrated Greco-Roman statues and views of famous ruins, fountains,
and churches. Since there were few museums anywhere in Europe before the close of the
eighteenth century, Grand Tourists often saw paintings and sculptures by gaining admission
to private collections, and many were eager to acquire examples of Greco-Roman and Italian
art for their own collections. In England, where architecture was increasingly seen as an
aristocratic pursuit, noblemen often applied what they learned from the villas of Palladio
in the Veneto and the evocative (唤起回忆的) ruins of Rome to their own country houses and
gardens.
51. What is said about the Grand Tour?

A) It was fashionable among young people of the time.

B) It was unaffordable for ordinary people.
C)It produced some famous European artists.
D)It made a compulsory part of college education.
【答案】B
【解析】由题干中的关键词 the Grand Tour 定位至第一段第二句。由此可知，大旅行对 于一
般人来说是负担不起的。故选 B。

52. What did Grand Tourists have in common?

A) They had much geographic knowledge.

B)They were courageous and venturesome.

C)They were versed in literature and interested in art.
D)They had enough travel and outdoor-life experience.
【答案】C
【解析】由题干中的关键词 Grand Tourists 定位至第二段第一句。选项 C 是对原文 的同义表

28
述，其中 were versed in 对应原文中的 a thorough grounding in。故选 C。

29
53. How did Grand Tourists benefit from their travel?

A) They found inspiration in the world’s greatest masterpieces.

B)They got a better understanding of early human civilization.
C)They developed an interest in the origin of modem art forms.
D)They gained some knowledge of classical art and architecture.
【答案】D
【解析】由题干中的关键词 benefit from their travel 定位至第二段最后一句。选项 D 是对
原文的同义改写，其中 knowledge 对应原文中的 understanding。故选 D。

54. Why did many Grand Tourists visit the private collections?

A) They could buy unique souvenirs there to take back home.

B)Europe hardly had any museums before the 19th century.
C)They found the antiques there more valuable.
D)Private collections were of greater variety.
【答案】B
【解析】由题干中的关键词 the private collections 定位至第三段倒数第二句。选项中的
hardly 和 before the 19th century 分别对应原文中的 few 和 before the close of the
eighteenth century。故选 B。

55. How did the Grand Tour influence the architecture in England?

A) There appeared more and more Roman-style buildings.

B)Many aristocrats began to move into Roman-style villas.
C)Aristocrats，country houses all had Roman- style gardens.
D)Italian architects were hired to design houses and gardens.
【答案】A
【解析】由题干中的关键词 influence the architecture in England 定位至第三段最后一句。
由此可知，在英国会有越来越多的罗马风格的建筑，选项 A 是对原文的延展推理。故选 A。

Part IV Translation (30 minutes)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from
Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
唐朝始于 618 年，终于 907 年， 是中国历史上最灿烂的时期。经过近三百年的发展，唐代中国
成为世界上最繁荣的强国，其首都长安是当 时世界上最大的都市。这一时期，经济发达、商业繁荣、社

30
会秩序稳定，甚至边境也对外开放。随着城市化和财富的增加，艺术和文学也繁荣起来。李白和 杜甫
是以作品简洁自然而著称的诗人。他们的诗歌打动了学者和普通人的心。即使在今天，他们的 许多诗
歌仍广为儿童及成人阅读背诵。

31
【答案】The Tang Dynasty, which dated from 618 and ended in 907, was the most prosperous
period in Chinese history. After nearly three hundred years of development, it had become
the most flourishing power around the world, with its capital Chang’ an as the largest
metropolis in the world. China during that period was embodied in the booming economy,
thriving commerce, stable social order and even the open borders. As urbanization gained
its momentum and wealth accumulated, art and literature also flourished. Li Bai and Du Fu
were poets distinguished for their concise and natural writing style. Their poetry struck
a chord with scholars as well as ordinary people. Even today, many of their poems are still
widely read and recited by children and adults.

32
2017 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题(第 2 套)
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: Directions: Suppose you are asked to give advice on whether to major in science or humanities
at college, write an essay to state your opinion. You are required to write at least
150
words
but no more than
200
words.
Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)

Section A
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.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
1. A) Doing enjoyable work. B) Having friendly colleagues.
C) Earning a competitive salary. D) Working for supportive bosses.
2. A) 31%. B) 20%.
C) 25%. D) 73%.
3. A) Those of a small size. B) Those run by women.
C) Those that are well managed. D) Those full of skilled workers.
4. A) They can hop from job to job easily.
B) They can win recognition of their work.
C) They can better balance work and life.
D) They can take on more than one job.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
5. A) It is a book of European history. B) It is an introduction to music.
C) It is about the city of Bruges. D) It is a collection of photos.
6. A) When painting the concert hall of Bruges.
B) When vacationing in an Italian coastal city.
C) When taking pictures for a concert catalogue.
D) When writing about Belgium’s coastal regions.
7. A) The entire European coastline will be submerged.
B) The rich heritage of Europe will be lost completely.
C) The seawater of Europe will be seriously polluted.
D) The major European scenic spots will disappear.
8. A) Its waterways are being increasingly polluted.
B )People cannot get around without using boats.
C) It attracts large numbers of tourists from home and abroad.
D) Tourists use wooden paths to reach their hotels in the morning.

1
Section B

2
Directions: In this section, you will hear two 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) and D).
Then mark the corresponding letter on
Answer Sheet 1
with a single line through the
centre.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.
9. A) They make careful preparation beforehand.
B) They take too many irrelevant factors into account.
C) They spend too much time anticipating their defeat.
D) They try hard to avoid getting off on the wrong foot.
10. A) A person’s nervous system is more complicated than imagined.
B) Golfers usually have positive mental images of themselves.
C) Mental images often interfere with athletes’ performance.
D) Thinking has the same effect on the nervous system as doing.
11. A) Anticipate possible problems.
B) Make a list of do’s and don’ts.
C) Picture themselves succeeding.
D) Try to appear more professional.
12. A) She wore a designer dress. B) She won her first jury trial.
C) She did not speak loud enough. D) She presented moving pictures.
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
13. A) Its long-term effects are yet to be proved.
B) Its health benefits have been overestimated.
C) It helps people to avoid developing breast cancer.
D) It enables patients with diabetes to recover sooner.
14. A) It focused on their ways of life during young adulthood.
B) It tracked their change in food preferences for 20 years.
C) It focused on their difference from men in fiber intake.
D) It tracked their eating habits since their adolescence.
15. A) Fiber may help to reduce hormones in the body.
B) Fiber may bring more benefits to women than men.
C) Fiber may improve the function of heart muscles.
D) Fiber may make blood circulation more smooth.
Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four
questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose
the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), CJ and D). Then mark the corresponding
letter on
Answer Sheet 1
with a single line through the centre.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
16. A) Observing the changes in marketing.
B) Conducting research on consumer behavior.

3
C)Studying the hazards of young people drinking.

4
D) Investigating the impact of media on government.
17. A) It is the cause of many street riots.
B) It is getting worse year by year.
C) It is a chief concern of parents.
D) It is an act of socialising.
18. A) They spent a week studying their own purchasing behavior.
B) They researched the impact of mobile phones on young people.
C) They analysed their family budgets over the years.
D) They conducted a thorough research on advertising.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.
19. A) It is helping its banks to improve efficiency.
B) It is trying hard to do away with dirty money.
C) It is the first country to use credit cards in the world.
D) It is likely to give up paper money in the near future.
20. A) Whether it is possible to travel without carrying any physical currency.
B) Whether it is possible to predict how much money one is going to spend.
C) Whether the absence of physical currency causes a person to spend more.
D) Whether the absence of physical currency is going to affect everyday life.
21. A) There was no food service on the train.
B) The service on the train was not good.
C) The restaurant car accepted cash only.
D) The cash in her handbag was missing.
22. A) By putting money into envelopes.
B) By drawing money week by week.
C) By limiting their day-to-day spending.
D) By refusing to buy anything on credit.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
23. A) Population explosion.
B) Chronic hunger.
C) Extinction of rare species.
D) Environmental deterioration.
24. A) They contribute to overpopulation.
B) About half of them are unintended.
C) They have been brought under control.
D) The majority of them tend to end halfway.
25. A) It is essential to the wellbeing of all species on earth.
B) It is becoming a subject of interdisciplinary research.
C) It is neglected in many of the developing countries.
D) It is beginning to attract postgraduates’ attention.
Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage
through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.
Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line

5
through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.
After becoming president of Purdue University in 2013, Mitch Daniels asked the faculty to prove that
their students have actually achieved one of higher education’s most important goals: critical thinking skills.
Two years before, a nationwide study of college graduates had shown that more than a third had made no
26 gains in such mental abilities during their school years. Mr. Daniels needed to 27 the high cost
of attending Purdue to its students and their families. After all, the percentage of Americans who say a
college degree is “very important” has fallen 28 in the last 5-6 years.
Purdue now has a pilot test to assess students’ critical thinking skills. Yet like many college teachers
around the U.S., the faculty remain 29 that their work as educators can be measured by a “learning
30 ” such as a graduate’s ability to investigate and reason. However, the professors need not worry so
much. The results of a recent experiment showed that professors can use 31 metrics to measure how
well students do in three key areas: critical thinking, written communication, and quantitative literacy.
Despite the success of the experiment, the actual results are worrisome, and mostly 32 earlier
studies. The organizers of the experiment concluded that far fewer students were achieving at high levels on
critical thinking than they were doing for written communication or quantitative literacy. And that
conclusion is based only on students nearing graduation.
American universities, despite their global 33 for excellence in teaching, have only begun to
demonstrate what they can produce in real- world learning. Knowledge-based degrees are still important,
but employers are 34 advanced thinking skills from college graduates. If the intellectual worth of a
college degree can be 35 measured, more people will seek higher education---and come out better thinkers.

A) accurately
B) confirm
C) demanding
D) doubtful
E) drastically
F) justify
G) monopolized
H) outcome
I) predominance
J) presuming
K) reputation
L) significant
M) signify
N) simultaneously
O) standardized
Section B
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each
statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from
which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than
paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding
letter on
Answer Sheet 2.
The Price of Oil and the Price of Carbon
[A] Fossil fuel prices are likely to stay “low for long”. Notwithstanding important recent progress in
developing renewable fuel sources, low fossil fuel prices could discourage further innovation in, and
adoption of, cleaner energy technologies. The result would be higher emissions of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases.

6
[B] Policymakers should not allow low energy prices to derail the clean energy transition. Action to
restore appropriate price incentives, notably through corrective carbon pricing, is urgently needed to lower
the risk of irreversible and potentially devastating effects of climate change. That approach also offers
fiscal benefits.
[C] Oil prices have dropped by over 60% since June 2014. A commonly held view in the oil industry is
that “the best cure for low oil prices is low oil prices”. The reasoning behind this saying is that low oil
prices discourage investment in new production capacity, eventually shifting the oil supply curve backward
and bringing prices back up as existing oil fields--- which can be tapped at relatively low marginal
cost----are depleted. In fact, in line with past experience, capital expenditure in the oil sector has dropped
sharply in many producing countries, including the United States. The dynamic adjustment to low oil prices
may, however, be different this time around.
[D] Oil prices are expected to remain lower for longer. The advent of new technologies has added about
4.2 million barrels per day to the crude oil market, contributing to a global over-supply. In addition, other
factors are putting downward pressure on oil prices: change in the strategic behavior of the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries, the projected increase in Iranian exports, the scaling-down of global
demand (especially from emerging markets), the long-term drop in petroleum consumption in the United
States, and some displacement of oil by substitutes. These likely persistent forces, like the growth of
shale(页岩) oil, point to a “low for long” scenario. Futures markets, which show only a modest recovery of
prices to around $$60 a barrel by 2019, support this view.
[E] Natural gas and coal—also fossil fuels—have similarly seen price declines that look to be
long-lived. Coal and natural gas are mainly used for electricity generation, whereas oil is used mostly to
power transportation, yet the prices of all these energy sources are linked. The North American shale gas
boom has resulted in record low prices there. The recent discovery of the giant Zohr gas field off the
Egyptian coast will eventually have impact on pricing in the Mediterranean region and Europe, and there is
significant development potential in many other places, notably Argentina. Coal prices also are low, owing
to over- supply and the scaling-down of demand, especially from China, which bums half of the world’s
coal.
[F] Technological innovations have unleashed the power of renewables such as wind, hydro, solar, and
geothermal( 地 热 ). Even Africa and the Middle East, home to economies that are heavily dependent on
fossil fuel exports, have enormous potential to develop renewables. For example, the United Arab Emirates
has endorsed an ambitious target to draw 24% of its primary energy consumption from renewable sources
by 2021.
[G] Progress in the development of renewables could be fragile, however, if fossil fuel prices remain
low for long. Renewables account for only a small share of global primary energy consumption, which is
still dominated by fossil fuels—30% each for coal and oil, 25% for natural gas. But renewable energy will
have to displace fossil fuels to a much greater extent in the future to avoid unacceptable climate risks.
[H] Unfortunately, the current low prices for oil, gas, and coal may provide little incentive for research to
find even cheaper substitutes for those fuels. There is strong evidence that both innovation and adoption of
cleaner technology are strongly encouraged by higher fossil fuel prices. The same is true for new
technologies for alleviating fossil fuel emissions.
[I] The current low fossil fuel price environment will thus certainly delay the energy transition from
fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Unless renewables become cheap enough that substantial carbon
deposits are left underground for a very long time, if not forever, the planet will likely be exposed to
potentially catastrophic climate risks.

7
[J] Some climate impacts may already be discernible. For example, the United Nations Children’s Fund
estimates that some 11 million children in Africa face hunger, disease, and water shortages as a result of the
strongest El Nino(厄尔尼诺) weather phenomenon in decades. Many scientists believe that El Nino events,
caused by warming in the Pacific, are becoming more intense as a result of climate change.
[K] Nations from around the world have gathered in Paris for the United Nations Climate Change
Conference, COP 21, with the goal of a universal and potentially legally-binding agreement on reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. We need very broad participation to fully address the global tragedy that results
when countries fail to take into account the negative impact of their carbon emissions on the rest of the
world. Moreover, non-participation by nations, if sufficiently widespread, can undermine the political will
of participating countries to act.
[L] The nations participating at COP 21 are focusing on quantitative emissions-reduction commitments.
Economic reasoning shows that the least expensive way for each country is to put a price on carbon
emissions. The reason is that when carbon is priced, those emissions reductions that are least costly to
implement will happen first. The International Monetary Fund calculates that countries can generate
substantial fiscal revenues by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and levying carbon charges that capture the
domestic damage caused by emissions. A tax on upstream carbon sources is one easy way to put a price on
carbon emissions, although some countries may wish to use other methods, such as emissions trading
schemes. In order to maximize global welfare, every country’s carbon pricing should reflect not only the
purely domestic damage from emissions, but also the damage to foreign countries.
[M] Setting the right carbon price will therefore efficiently align the costs paid by carbon users with the
true social opportunity cost of using carbon. By raising relative demand for clean energy sources, a carbon
price would also help align the market return to clean-energy innovation with its social return, spurring the
refinement of existing technologies and the development of new ones. And it would raise the demand for
technologies such as carbon capture and storage, spurring their further development. If not corrected by the
appropriate carbon price, low fossil fuel prices are not accurately signaling to markets the true social
profitability of clean energy. While alternative estimates of the damage from carbon emissions differ, and
it’s especially hard to reckon the likely costs of possible catastrophic climate events, most estimates suggest
substantial negative effects.
[N] Direct subsidies to research and development have been adopted by some governments but are a
poor substitute for a carbon price: they do only part of the job, leaving in place market incentives to
over-use fossil fuels and thereby add to the stock of atmospheric greenhouse gases without regard to the
collateral(附带的) costs.
[O] The hope is that the success of COP 21 opens the door to future international agreement on carbon
prices. Agreement on an international carbon- price floor would be a good starting point in that process.
Failure to address comprehensively the problem of greenhouse gas emissions, however, exposes all
generations, present and future, to incalculable risks.
36. A number of factors are driving down the global oil prices not just for now but in the foreseeable future.
37. Pricing carbon proves the most economical way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
38. It is estimated that extreme weather conditions have endangered the lives of millions of African
children.
39. The prices of coal are low as a result of over-supply and decreasing demand.
40. Higher fossil fuel prices prove to be conducive to innovation and application of cleaner technology.
41. If fossil fuel prices remain low for a long time, it may lead to higher emissions of greenhouse gases.
42. Fossil fuels remain the major source of primary energy consumption in today’s world.

8
43. Even major fossil exporting countries have great potential to develop renewable energies.
44. Greenhouse gas emissions, if not properly dealt with, will pose endless risks for mankind.
45. It is urgent for governments to increase the cost of using fossil fuels to an appropriate level to lessen the
catastrophic effects of climate change.
Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or
unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You
should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Open data sharers are still in the minority in many fields. Although many researchers broadly agree
that public access to raw data would accelerate science, most are reluctant to post the results of their own
labors online.
Some communities have agreed to share online—geneticists, for example, post DNA sequences at the
GenBank repository(库), and astronomers are accustomed to accessing images of galaxies and stars from,
say, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a telescope that has observed some 500 million objects---but these
remain the exception, not the rule. Historically, scientists have objected to sharing for many reasons: it is a
lot of work; until recently, good databases did not exist; grant funders were not pushing for sharing; it has
been difficult to agree on standards for formatting data; and there is no agreed way to assign credit for data.
But the barriers are disappearing, in part because journals and funding agencies worldwide are
encouraging scientists to make their data public. Last year, the Royal Society in London said in its report
that scientists need to “shift away from a research culture where data is viewed as a private preserve”.
Funding agencies note that data paid for with public money should be public information, and the scientific
community is recognizing that data can now be shared digitally in ways that were not possible before. To
match the growing demand, services are springing up to make it easier to publish research products online
and enable other researchers to discover and cite them.
Although calls to share data often concentrate on the moral advantages of sharing, the practice is not
purely altruistic( 利 他 的 ). Researchers who share get plenty of personal benefits, including more
connections with colleagues, improved visibility and increased citations. The most successful sharers 一
those whose data are downloaded and cited the most often---get noticed, and their work gets used. For
example, one of the most popular data sets on multidisciplinary repository Dryad is about wood density
around the world; it has been downloaded 5,700 times. Co- author Amy Zanne thinks that users probably
range from climate-change researchers wanting to estimate how much carbon is stored in biomass, to
foresters looking for information on different grades of timber. “I’d much prefer to have my data used by
the maximum number of people to ask their own questions,” she says. “It’s important to allow readers and
reviewers to see exactly how you arrive at your results. Publishing data and code allows your science to be
reproducible.”
Even people whose data are less popular can benefit. By making the effort to organize and label files
so others can understand them, scientists become more organized and better disciplined themselves, thus
avoiding confusion later on.
46. What do many researchers generally accept?
A) It is imperative to protect scientists’ patents.
B)Repositories are essential to scientific research.

9
C) Open data sharing is most important to medical science.
D) Open data sharing is conducive to scientific advancement.
47. What is the attitude of most researchers towards making their own data public?
A) Opposed. B) Ambiguous. C) Liberal. D) Neutral
48. According to the passage, what might hinder open data sharing?
A) The fear of massive copying.
B) The lack of a research culture.
C) The belief that research data is private intellectual property.
D) The concern that certain agencies may make a profit out of it.
49. What helps lift some of the barriers to open data sharing?
A) The ever-growing demand for big data.
B) The advancement of digital technology.
C) The changing attitude of journals and funders.
D) The trend of social and economic development.
50. Dryad serves as an example to show how open data sharing .
A) is becoming increasingly popular
B) benefits sharers and users alike
C) makes researchers successful
D) saves both money and labor
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Macy’s reported its sales plunged 5.2% in November and December at stores open more than a year, a
disappointing holiday season performance that capped a difficult year for a department store chain facing
wide- ranging challenges. Its flagship stores in major U.S. cities depend heavily on international tourist
spending, which shrank at many retailers due to a strong dollar. Meanwhile, Macy’s has simply struggled to
lure consumers who are more interested in spending on travel or dining out than on new clothes or
accessories.
The company blamed much of the poor performance in November and December on unseasonably
warm weather. “About 80% of our company’s year-over-year declines in comparable sales can be
attributed to shortfalls(短缺) in cold-weather goods,” said chief executive Teny Lundgren in a press
release. This prompted the company to cut its forecasts for the full fourth quarter.
However, it’s clear that Macy’s believes its troubles run deeper than a temporary aberration ( 偏 离 )
off the thermometer. The retail giant said the poor financial performance this year has pushed it to begin
implementing $$400 million in cost-cutting measures. The company pledged to cut 600 back-office positions,
though some 150 workers in those roles would be reassigned to other jobs. It also plans to offer “voluntary
separation” packages to 165 senior executives. It will slash staffing at its fleet of 770 stores, a move
affecting some 3,000 employees.
The retailer also announced the locations of 36 stores it will close in early 2016. The company had
previously announced the planned closures, but had not said which locations would be affected. None of
the chain’s stores in the Washington metropolitan area are to be closed.
Macy’s has been moving aggressively to try to remake itself for a new era of shopping. It has plans to
open more locations of Macy’s Backstage, a newly-developed off-price concept which might help it better
compete with ambitious T. J. Maxx. It’s also pushing ahead in 2016 with an expansion of Bluemercury, the
beauty chain it bought last year. At a time when young beauty shoppers are often turning to Sephora or Ulta

1
0
instead of department store beauty counters, Macy’s hopes Bluemercury will help strengthen its position in
the category.
One relative bright spot for Macy’s during the holiday season was the online channel, where it rang up
“double-digit” increases in sales and a 25% increase in the number of orders it filled. That relative strength
would be consistent with what was seen in the wilder retail industry during the early part of the holiday
season. While Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday all saw record spending online, in-store sales
plunged over the holiday weekend.
51. What does the author say about the shrinking spending of international tourists in the U.S.?
A) It is attributable to the rising value of the U.S. dollar.
B) It is a direct result of the global economic recession.
C) It reflects a shift of their interest in consumer goods.
D) It poses a potential threat to the retail business in the U.S.
52. What does Macy’s believe about its problems?
A) They can be solved with better management.
B) They cannot be attributed to weather only.
C) They are not as serious in its online stores.
D) They call for increased investments.
53. In order to cut costs, Macy’s decided to .
A) cut the salary of senior executives
B) relocate some of its chain stores
C) adjust its promotion strategies
D) reduce the size of its staff
54. Why does Macy’s plan to expand Bluemercury in 2016?
A) To experiment on its new business concept. B) To focus more on beauty products than clothing.
C) To promote sales of its products by lowering prices. D) To be more competitive in sales of beauty
products.
55. What can we learn about Macy’s during the holiday season?
A) Sales dropped sharply in its physical stores.
B) Its retail sales exceeded those of T. J. Maxx.
C) It helped Bluemercury establish its position worldwide.
D) It filled its stores with abundant supply of merchandise.


Part IV Translation (30 minutes)


Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into
English. You should write your answer on
Answer Sheet 2.

宋朝始于 960 年，一直延续到 1279 年。这一时期，中国经济大幅增长，成为世界上最先进 的经
济体，科学、技术、哲学和数学蓬勃发展。宋代中国是世界历史上首先发行纸币的国家。宋朝还最早
使用火药并发明了活字（movable-type）印刷。人口增长迅速，越来越多的人住进城市，那 里有热闹的
娱乐场所。社会生活多种多样。人们聚集在一起观看和交易珍贵艺术品。宋朝的政府体制在当 时也是

1
1
先进的。政府官员均通过竞争性考试选拔任用。

1
2
2017 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题答案与详解
(第 2 套)
Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: Suppose you are asked to give advice on whether to major in science or humanities at
college, write an essay to state your opinion. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than
200 words.

【参考范文】

Whether to Major in Science or Humanities at College?

Nowadays, as the whole society place increasingly considerable value on education, the question of
whether to major in science or humanities at college is not only a concern for students, but also a focal
point for parents. Some believe that to dig into science is a better choice because it promises us a brighter
future; others may hold the opposite view that humanity knowledge is the foundation of humanity quality.

As for me, both arguments are justified. However, I believe that the important thing is not about which
subject is better, what matters most is people who will have to make the decision. In other words, we
should not lay one-sided emphasis on the advantages of either subject; on the contrary, the students
themselves, their interests and preferences, pros and cons are supposed to be taken into consideration. For
example, if a student is more adept at humanity and that’s where his real interests lie, then he should
dedicate to the study on humanity.

Whether to major in science or humanities is a critical choice for every student because its result has a
profound influence on personal career development and life style. Thus we should figure out what we really
care about so as not to put the cart before the horse.

Part II Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you
mil 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.

Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

1. A) Doing enjoyable work. B) Having friendly colleagues.

C)Earning a competitive salary. D) Working for supportive bosses.

10

【答案】B

【解析】对话中关于第一个调查，男士说有十大因素影响着人们在工作 中的幸福感。并提及对
接受调查的大多数人来说，最重要的因素就是拥有友好、 给予支持的同事。事实上，接受调查的人中
有 73%的人把与同事的关系作为促成工作幸福感的关键因素，这是一个很高的比例。由此可知， 友
好的同事是让员工感到幸福的第一因素。故选B。

2. A) 31%. B) 20%.

C)25%. D) 73%.

【答案】B

【解析】对话中女士问男士调查中还有没有发现其他的信息。男士在回答中提及“However, 20% of
employees described themselves as being unhappy”，故选 B。

3. A) Those of a small size. B) Those run by women.

C)Those that are well managed. D) Those full of skilled workers.

【答案】A

【解析】对话中男士说从调查中还得出 了一些更有趣的结论：首先小公司很好，人们更明确地
倾向于在不超过 100 人的较小的机构或公司中工作。由此可知，小规模的公司在员工中更受欢迎。
故选A。

4. A) They can hop from job to job easily.

B) They can win recognition of their work.

C)They can better balance work and life.

D) They can take on more than one job.

【答案】C

【解析】对话中男士说一天只工作 4、5 个小时的兼职合同工比那些全职的人更快乐。随后提及，
从调查中得出的结论是，这一现象可能是由于兼职合同工能更好地平衡工作和生活。故选C。

11

Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

5. A) It is a book of European history. B) It is an introduction to music.

12
C)It is about the city of Bruges. D) It is a collection of photos.

【答案】D

【解析】对话开篇女士问男士一开始是怎么对这一主题感兴趣的。男士在回答时提到，对逼近 的
危险的恐惧成为了这一大型拍摄项目的主题。由此可推断出，《洪水将至》是一本摄影集。故选 D。

6. A) When painting the concert hall of Bruges.

B) When vacationing in an Italian coastal city.

C) When taking pictures for a concert catalogue.

D) When writing about Belgium’s coastal regions.

【答案】C

【解析】男士在回答女士的问题（一开始是怎么对这一主题感兴趣的）时提及，“2006 年，布鲁
日城的音乐厅让我为一个新的音乐节的目录拍一些关于水的主题的照片”。由此可知，男士是在 为 音乐
节目录拍照时想出了这一作品的主题。故选C。

7. A) The entire European coastline will be submerged.

B)The rich heritage of Europe will be lost completely.
C)The seawater of Europe will be seriously polluted.
D)The major European scenic spots will disappear.
【答案】A

【解析】男士在对话中提及，传媒报导中有大量警惕性文章是关于即将发生的气候突变。并且 对
话中女士问男士，关于书中的原话“我不想拍摄灾难，我想拍摄即将发生的灾难”能否说些什么。男士
在回答，整个欧洲的海岸线被淹没只是时间问题，这一点现在非常清楚。由此可知，气候突变 发生时，
整个欧洲的海岸线将被淹没。故选A。

8. A) Its waterways are being increasingly polluted.

B)People cannot get around without using boats.

C)It attracts large numbers of tourists from home and abroad.

13
D)Tourists use wooden paths to reach their hotels in the morning.

14
【答案】D

【解析】对话中男士在回答女士的问题（关于历史在这个项目中的作用）时提及，威尼斯是一
座 一直受到海水威胁的城市，在那里每天早上会建起接木桥让游客通往旅馆。故选 D。

Section B

Directions: In this section, you will hear two 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) and D). Then mark the
corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.

9. A) They make careful preparation beforehand.

B) They take too many irrelevant factors into account.

C) They spend too much time anticipating their defeat.

D) They try hard to avoid getting off on the wrong foot.

【答案】C

9.【 解析】题目是问一些人在面临新情况时是如何表现的。听力材料开头提到，一些人面对新情
况时，常常花 费太多的时间预期最坏的结果来预演他们的失败。其中 C 选项中的 their defeat 即听力
材料中的 the worst。故选 C。

10. A) A person’s nervous system is more complicated than imagined.

B)Golfers usually have positive mental images of themselves.
C)Mental images often interfere with athletes’ performance.
D)Thinking has the same effect on the nervous system as doing.
【答案】D

【解析】听力材料中提到，在斯 坦福大学做的研究表明，心理影像对神经系统的刺激方式和行
动对神经系统的刺激方式是一样的。并且在 后文给出了一个高尔夫球手的例子来说明这一点。故选
D。

15

11. A) Anticipate possible problems.

16
B) Make a list of do’s and don’ts.

C) Picture themselves succeeding.

D) Try to appear more professional.

【答案】C

【解析】听力材料中提到了一位女律师，她在开始她的第一个陪审团审案之前非常紧张。说话
人给她的建议是：让她创造一个画面想象自己自信是什么样子的。对她而言这意味着，在法庭上自
信地走动，用有说服力的肢体语言和突出自己的声音以便让临近后门的法官席上的人能够听见。她
同样 也想象了一个巧妙的结辩陈词和一个胜利的审判。由此可以推断出，说话人给处于压力情况下
的人的建议 是想象自己成功的样子。故选 C。

12. A) She wore a designer dress. B) She won her first jury trial.

C)She did not speak loud enough. D) She presented moving pictures.

【答案】B

【解析】题目问及女律师在法庭上的表现。听力材料结尾提到，年轻的女律师在自信的预演几
周之后， 确实赢了第一个陪审团审案。故选B。

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.

13. A) Its long-term effects are yet to be proved.

B) Its health benefits have been overestimated.

C) It helps people to avoid developing breast cancer.
D)It enables patients with diabetes to recover sooner.
【答案】C

【解析】听力材料中提到，研究现在表明，把纤维添加到青少年的饮食 中能帮助降低患乳腺癌
的风险。并且在后文中也提到，饮食专家克里斯蒂?金发现很难使青少年病人关注 健康的饮食，他告诉
青少年病人多吃高纤维食物可以降低在中年之前患乳腺癌的风险。由此可知，把纤维 放到青少年饮食
中能够帮助人们避免患乳腺癌。故选 C。

14. A) It focused on their ways of life during young adulthood.

17

B) It tracked their change in food preferences for 20 years.

18
C) It focused on their difference from men in fiber intake.
D)It tracked their eating habits since their adolescence.
【答案】D

【解析】听力材料中提到，有一项基于对 44000 名女性研究的新发现。该研究调查了她们高中
时期的饮食，还追踪了她们 20 年来的饮食习惯。由此可知，这项对 44000 名女性的研究追踪了她们
自青春期以来的饮食习惯。故选 D。

15. A) Fiber may help to reduce hormones in the body.

B)Fiber may bring more benefits to women than men.
C)Fiber may improve the function of heart muscles.
D)Fiber may make blood circulation more smooth.
【答案】A

【解析】文章中提到，对 44000 名女性的研究表明了长期以来的证据，即纤维能够降低雌性激< br>素的循环水平，这一点能够解释纤维为什么能够降低患乳腺癌的风险。其本质内容就是你吃的纤维
越多，你身体中的激素水平可能越低，因此，患乳腺癌的风险也就越低。故选 A。

Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four
questions. The recordings will be played 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.

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

16. A) Observing the changes in marketing.

B) Conducting research on consumer behavior.

C)Studying the hazards of young people drinking.

D) Investigating the impact of media on government.

【答案】B

19

【解析】听力材料开头就提到，说话者目前的研究实际上是关于消费者行为。其中，文章中提

20
到的市场变化、年轻人喝酒都是在用案例论证要从消费者的角度看问题。媒体对政府的影 响并未提
及。故选B。

17. A) It is the cause of many street riots.

B) It is getting worse year by year.

C) It is a chief concern of parents.

D) It is an act of socialising.

【答案】D

【解析】听力材料中提到，在年轻人喝酒的案例中，能够确定的其中一件事情是对于 18-24 岁< br>的年轻人来说，喝酒与参与社会活动有关。文章中还提到年轻人喝酒目前备受政府而不是父母的关
切。故选D。

18. A) They spent a week studying their own purchasing behavior.

B)They researched the impact of mobile phones on young people.
C)They analysed their family budgets over the years.
D)They conducted a thorough research on advertising.

【答案】A

【 解析】听力材料中提到，说话者的学生去年花了一周的时间研究他们自己的购买行为，并且
对从商店到他 们与零售银行和手机提供商之间的关系做了详细的分析。故选A。

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.

19. A) It is helping its banks to improve efficiency.

B) It is trying hard to do away with dirty money.

C) It is the first country to use credit cards in the world.
D)It is likely to give up paper money in the near future.
【答案】D


21
【解析】题目 是问从听力中我们对瑞典有何了解。听力材料开头提到，瑞典是第一个印刷和使
用纸币的欧洲国家，但是 它可能很快将不再使用纸币。D 选项符合题意。故选 D。

22
20. A) Whether it is possible to travel without carrying any physical currency.

B)Whether it is possible to predict how much money one is going to spend.
C)Whether the absence of physical currency causes a person to spend more.
D)Whether the absence of physical currency is going to affect everyday life.
【答案】C

【解析】听力材料中提到，克莱尔?贝瑞塔想查明没有纸币是否确实会导致一个人花更多的钱，
因此她几个月前决定做一项实验。故选C。

21. A) There was no food service on the train.

B) The service on the train was not good.

C)The restaurant car accepted cash only.

D) The cash in her handbag was missing.

【答案】C

【解析】听力材料中提到，克莱尔?贝瑞塔在实验期间坐了一次火车。在途中，有一项通告告 诉人
们餐车目前不接受信用卡支付。因为很多乘客旅行中没有带现金， 所以火车上有很多抱怨。由此可知，
火车上的餐车只接受现金支付。故选C。

22. A) By putting money into envelopes.

B)By drawing money week by week.
C)By limiting their day-to-day spending.
D)By refusing to buy anything on credit.
【答案】A

【解析】听力材料中提到，贝瑞塔说她的父母年轻的时候常把钱放进信封里来做预算。当他们
拿 到工资后，他们便立马把现金分为几份放进信封，这样他们就能知道每周有多少钱。故选 A。

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.

23

23. A) Population explosion.

24
B)Chronic hunger.
C)Extinction of rare species.
D)Environmental deterioration.
【答案】B

【解析】听力材料中提到，说话者想要告诉我们人类人口的过去、现在和将来，并且用几个问
题 作为开场。第一个问题就是：现在有十亿人长期处于饥饿状态，这意味着他们醒来后感觉俄，一
整天都感 觉饿，睡觉的时候也感觉饿。故选B。

24. A) They contribute to overpopulation.

B)About half of them are unintended.
C)They have been brought under control.
D)The majority of them tend to end halfway.
【答案】B

【解析】听力材料中提到，有 2000—2500 万不识字的女人在生育上没有得到她们想要的控制。
这一问题不只在发展中国家有 ，全球有近五成的怀孕是出于意外。故选 B。

25. A) It is essential to the wellbeing of all species on earth.

B)It is becoming a subject of interdisciplinary research.
C)It is neglected in many of the developing countries.
D)It is beginning to attract postgraduates’ attention.
【答案】A

【解析】听力材料中提到，人口统计学不仅关乎人类的种群，也关乎于 非人类种群，还包括无
生命的对象。它是一种干预真实世界更明智、更有效的方法。它不仅能够提高你自 己的福祉，同样
重要的是，它还能够提高你自己和周围的人以及与我们共享地球的其 他物种的福祉。由此可知，人口
统计学对地球上所有物种来说都是必要的。故选A。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

25
Section A

26
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through
carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the
corresponding letter for each item on Answer sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use
any of the words in the bank more than once.

After becoming president of Purdue University in 2013, Mitch Daniels asked the faculty to prove that
their students have actually achieved one of higher education’s most important goals: critical thinking skills.
Two years before, a nationwide study of college graduates had shown that more than a third had made no
26 gains in such mental abilities during their school years. Mr. Daniels needed to 27 the high cost
of attending Purdue to its students and their families. After all, the percentage of Americans who say a
college degree is “very important” has fallen 28 in the last 5-6 years.

Purdue now has a pilot test to assess students’ critical thinking skills. Yet like many college teachers
around the U.S., the faculty remain 29 that their work as educators can be measured by a “learning
30 ” such as a graduate’s ability to investigate and reason. However, the professors need not worry so
much. The results of a recent experiment showed that professors can use 31 metrics to measure how
well students do in three key areas: critical thinking, written communication, and quantitative literacy.

Despite the success of the experiment, the actual results are worrisome, and mostly 32 earlier
studies. The organizers of the experiment concluded that far fewer students were achieving at high levels on
critical thinking than they were doing for written communication or quantitative literacy. And that
conclusion is based only on students nearing graduation.

American universities, despite their global 33 for excellence in teaching, have only begun to
demonstrate what they can produce in real- world learning. Knowledge-based degrees are still important,
but employers are 34 advanced thinking skills from college graduates. If the intellectual worth of a
college degree can be 35 measured, more people will seek higher education---and come out better
thinkers.

A) accurately B) confirm C) demanding D) doubtful E) drastically

F) justify G) monopolized H) outcome I) predominance J) presuming

K) reputation L) significant M) signify N) simultaneously O) standardized

26.【解析】L。空格前是形容词 no,空格后是名词gains，所以此空应该填入一个形容词。根据
句意，选项中只有 significant 符合句意。have made no significant gains 意为“未能取得显著提升”。
故选 L。

27.【解析】F。空格前是不定式 to，空格后是名词词组 the high cost,所以此空应该填入一个动词
原形。根据句意，动词原形中只有 justify 符合句意。故选 F。

27
28.【解析】E。空格前是 has fallen，空格后是时间状语 in the last 5-6 years，本句是现在完成时且
不缺句子成分，所以此空应该填入一个副词。根据句意，选项中只有 drastically 符合句意。故选 E。

29.【解析】D。空格前是动词 remain，空格后是 that 引导的表语从句，所以此空应该填入一个
形容词。根据句意，选项中只有 doubtful 符合句意。故选 D。

30【. 解析】H。双引号前是不定冠词 a，所以此空应填入一个名词。根据句意，选项中只有 outcome
符合句意。故选 H。

31.【解析】O。空格前是动词 use，空格后是名词 metrics，所以此空应该填入一个形容词或名
词。根据句意，选项中只有 standardized 符合句意。故选 O。

32.【解析】B。空格前是副词 mostly，空格后是名词词组 earlier studies，由空格所在小分句开
头的 and 以及本句主语 the actual results 可知，此空应该填入一个动词原形。根据句意，选项中只有
confirm 符合句意。故选 B。

33.【解析】K。空格前是形容词 global，空格后是介词调组 for excellence in teaching，所以此空
应该填入一个名词。根据句意，选项中只有 reputation 符合句意。故选 K。

34.【解析】C。空格前是系动词 are,空格后是名词词组 advanced thinking skills,所以此空应该填
入 一个动词，构成现在进行时。根据句意，“基于知识的学位仍然很重要，但雇主要求大学毕业生具备
较强 的思维能力。” 选项中只有 demanding (要求；查问）符合句意。demand from 为固定搭配，
意为“向 要求”。故选 C。

35.【解析】A。空格前是系动词 be，空格后是动词的被动语态 measured，所以此空应该填入一
个副词，以修饰 measured。根据句意，选项中只有 accurately 符合句意。故选A。

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each
statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the
information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a
letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer sheet 2.

The Price of Oil and the Price of Carbon

[A] Fossil fuel prices are likely to stay “low for long”. Notwithstanding important recent progress in
developing renewable fuel sources, low fossil fuel prices could discourage further innovation in, and

20
adoption of, cleaner energy technologies. The result would be higher emissions of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases.

[B] Policymakers should not allow low energy prices to derail the clean energy transition. Action to
restore appropriate price incentives, notably through corrective carbon pricing, is urgently needed to lower
the risk of irreversible and potentially devastating effects of climate change. That approach also offers

20
fiscal benefits.

[C] Oil prices have dropped by over 60% since June 2014. A commonly held view in the oil industry
is that “the best cure for low oil prices is low oil prices”. The reasoning behind this saying is that low oil
prices discourage investment in new production capacity, eventually shifting the oil supply curve backward
and bringing prices back up as existing oil fields---which can be tapped at relatively low marginal
cost----are depleted. In fact, in line with past experience, capital expenditure in the oil sector has dropped
sharply in many producing countries, including the United States. The dynamic adjustment to low oil prices
may, however, be different this time around.

[D] Oil prices are expected to remain lower for longer. The advent of new technologies has added
about 4.2 million barrels per day to the crude oil market, contributing to a global over- supply. In addition,
other factors are putting downward pressure on oil prices: change in the strategic behavior of the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the projected increase in Iranian exports, the scaling-down
of global demand (especially from emerging markets), the long-term drop in petroleum consumption in the
United States, and some displacement of oil by substitutes. These likely persistent forces, like the growth of
shale( 页 岩 ) oil, point to a “low for long” scenario. Futures markets, which show only a modest recovery
of prices to around $$60 a barrel by 2019, support this view.

[E] Natural gas and coal—also fossil fuels—have similarly seen price declines that look to be
long-lived. Coal and natural gas are mainly used for electricity generation, whereas oil is used mostly to
power transportation, yet the prices of all these energy sources are linked. The North American shale gas
boom has resulted in record low prices there. The recent discovery of the giant Zohr gas field off the
Egyptian coast will eventually have impact on pricing in the Mediterranean region and Europe, and there is
significant development potential in many other places, notably Argentina. Coal prices also are low, owing
to over- supply and the scaling-down of demand, especially from China, which bums half of the world’s
coal.

[F] Technological innovations have unleashed the power of renewables such as wind, hydro, solar, and
geothermal( 地 热 ). Even Africa and the Middle East, home to economies that are heavily dependent on
fossil fuel exports, have enormous potential to develop renewables. For example, the United Arab Emirates
has endorsed an ambitious target to draw 24% of its primary energy consumption from renewable sources
by 2021.

[G] Progress in the development of renewables could be fragile, however, if fossil fuel prices remain
low for long. Renewables account for only a small share of global primary energy consumption, which is
still dominated by fossil fuels—30% each for coal and oil, 25% for natural gas. But renewable energy will
have to displace fossil fuels to a much greater extent in the future to avoid unacceptable climate risks.

[H] Unfortunately, the current low prices for oil, gas, and coal may provide little incentive for research
to find even cheaper substitutes for those fuels. There is strong evidence that both innovation and adoption
of cleaner technology are strongly encouraged by higher fossil fuel prices. The same is true for new
technologies for alleviating fossil fuel emissions.

21
[I] The current low fossil fuel price environment will thus certainly delay the energy transition from
fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Unless renewables become cheap enough that substantial carbon
deposits are left underground for a very long time, if not forever, the planet will likely be exposed to
potentially catastrophic climate risks.

[J] Some climate impacts may already be discernible. For example, the United Nations Children’s
Fund estimates that some 11 million children in Africa face hunger, disease, and water shortages as a result
of the strongest El Nino(厄尔尼诺) weather phenomenon in decades. Many scientists believe that El Nino
events, caused by warming in the Pacific, are becoming more intense as a result of climate change.

[K] Nations from around the world have gathered in Paris for the United Nations Climate Change
Conference, COP 21, with the goal of a universal and potentially legally-binding agreement on reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. We need very broad participation to fully address the global tragedy that results
when countries fail to take into account the negative impact of their carbon emissions on the rest of the
world. Moreover, non-participation by nations, if sufficiently widespread, can undermine the political will
of participating countries to act.

[L] The nations participating at COP 21 are focusing on quantitative emissions-reduction
commitments. Economic reasoning shows that the least expensive way for each country is to put a price on
carbon emissions. The reason is that when carbon is priced, those emissions reductions that are least costly
to implement will happen first. The International Monetary Fund calculates that countries can generate
substantial fiscal revenues by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and levying carbon charges that capture the
domestic damage caused by emissions. A tax on upstream carbon sources is one easy way to put a price on
carbon emissions, although some countries may wish to use other methods, such as emissions trading
schemes. In order to maximize global welfare, every country’s carbon pricing should reflect not only the
purely domestic damage from emissions, but also the damage to foreign countries.

[M] Setting the right carbon price will therefore efficiently align the costs paid by carbon users with
the true social opportunity cost of using carbon. By raising relative demand for clean energy sources, a
carbon price would also help align the market return to clean-energy innovation with its social return,
spurring the refinement of existing technologies and the development of new ones. And it would raise the
demand for technologies such as carbon capture and storage, spurring their further development. If not
corrected by the appropriate carbon price, low fossil fuel prices are not accurately signaling to markets the
true social profitability of clean energy. While alternative estimates of the damage from carbon emissions
differ, and it’s especially hard to reckon the likely costs of possible catastrophic climate events, most
estimates suggest substantial negative effects.

[N] Direct subsidies to research and development have been adopted by some governments but are a
poor substitute for a carbon price: they do only part of the job, leaving in place market incentives to
over-use fossil fuels and thereby add to the stock of atmospheric greenhouse gases without regard to the
collateral(附带的) costs.

[O] The hope is that the success of COP 21 opens the door to future international agreement on carbon
prices. Agreement on an international carbon- price floor would be a good starting point in that process.

22
Failure to address comprehensively the problem of greenhouse gas emissions, however, exposes all
generations, present and future, to incalculable risks.

36. A number of factors are driving down the global oil prices not just for now but in the foreseeable
future.

37. Pricing carbon proves the most economical way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

38. It is estimated that extreme weather conditions have endangered the lives of millions of African
children.

39. The prices of coal are low as a result of over-supply and decreasing demand.

40. Higher fossil fuel prices prove to be conducive to innovation and application of cleaner
technology.

41. If fossil fuel prices remain low for a long time, it may lead to higher emissions of greenhouse
gases.

42. Fossil fuels remain the major source of primary energy consumption in today’s world.

43. Even major fossil exporting countries have great potential to develop renewable energies.

44. Greenhouse gas emissions, if not properly dealt with, will pose endless risks for mankind.

45. It is urgent for governments to increase the cost of using fossil fuels to an appropriate level to
lessen the catastrophic effects of climate change.

36.【解析】[D]。根据题干中的关键词 A number of factors 和 driving down the global oil prices 可
定位至[D]段第三、四句。

37.【解析】[L]。根据题干中的关键词 Pricing carbon 和 the most economical way 可定位至[L]
段第 二句。

38.【解析】[J]。根据题干中的关键词 African children 可定位至[J]段第二句。

39.【解析】[E]。根据题干中的关键词 over-supply and decreasing demand 可定位至[E]段最后一
句。

40.【解析】[H]。根据题干中的关键词 higher fossil fuel prices 以及 innovation and application of
cleaner technology 可定位至[H]段第二句。

23

41【. 解析】[A]。根据题干中的关键词 remain low for a long time 和 higher emissions of greenhouse
gases 可定位至[A]段第一、三句。

24

42.【解析】[G]。根据题干中的关键词 primary energy consumption 可定位至[G]段第二句。

43【. 解析】[F]。根据题干中的关键词 major fossil exporting countries 和 develop renewable energies
可定位至[F]段第二句。

44【. 解析】[O]。根据题干中的关鍵词 not properly dealt with 和 pose endless risks 可定位至[O] 段
最后一句。

45【. 解析】 [B]。细节题。根据题干中的关键词 urgent for governments, increase the cost 和 lessen
the catastrophic effects 可定位至[B]段第二句。

Section C

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or
unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should
decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through
the centre.

Passage One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

Open data sharers are still in the minority in many fields. Although many researchers broadly agree
that public access to raw data would accelerate science, most are reluctant to post the results of their own
labors online.

Some communities have agreed to share online—geneticists, for example, post DNA sequences at the
GenBank repository(库), and astronomers are accustomed to accessing images of galaxies and stars from,
say, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a telescope that has observed some 500 million objects---but these
remain the exception, not the rule. Historically, scientists have objected to sharing for many reasons: it is a
lot of work; until recently, good databases did not exist; grant funders were not pushing for sharing; it has
been difficult to agree on standards for formatting data; and there is no agreed way to assign credit for data.

But the barriers are disappearing, in part because journals and funding agencies worldwide are
encouraging scientists to make their data public. Last year, the Royal Society in London said in its report
that scientists need to “shift away from a research culture where data is viewed as a private preserve”.
Funding agencies note that data paid for with public money should be public information, and the scientific
community is recognizing that data can now be shared digitally in ways that were not possible before. To
match the growing demand, services are springing up to make it easier to publish research products online
and enable other researchers to discover and cite them.


25
Although calls to share data often concentrate on the moral advantages of sharing, the practice is not
purely altruistic(利他的). Researchers who share get plenty of personal benefits, including more

26
connections with colleagues, improved visibility and increased citations. The most successful sharers 一
those whose data are downloaded and cited the most often---get noticed, and their work gets used. For
example, one of the most popular data sets on multidisciplinary repository Dryad is about wood density
around the world; it has been downloaded 5,700 times. Co- author Amy Zanne thinks that users probably
range from climate-change researchers wanting to estimate how much carbon is stored in biomass, to
foresters looking for information on different grades of timber. “I’d much prefer to have my data used by
the maximum number of people to ask their own questions,” she says. “It’s important to allow readers and
reviewers to see exactly how you arrive at your results. Publishing data and code allows your science to be
reproducible.”

Even people whose data are less popular can benefit. By making the effort to organize and label files
so others can understand them, scientists become more organized and better disciplined themselves, thus
avoiding confusion later on.

46. What do many researchers generally accept?

A) It is imperative to protect scientists’ patents.

B)Repositories are essential to scientific research.

C)Open data sharing is most important to medical science.
D)Open data sharing is conducive to scientific advancement.
【答案】D

【解析】由题干中的关键词 many researchers, generally accept 可定位至原文的第一段。D 项中的
is conducive to scientific advancement 对应原文的 accelerate science。因此选 D。

47. What is the attitude of most researchers towards making their own data public?

A) Opposed. B) Ambiguous. C) Liberal. D) Neutral.

【答案】A

【解析】本题定位至原文第一段的最后：但是大部分研究人员仍不愿意将自己的劳动成果放在
网上。此外，第二段的第二句说到， 科学家曾经给出许多反对共享的原因……。这充分说明大部分研
究人员反对公开他们的数据。因此选A。

48. According to the passage, what might hinder open data sharing?

A) The fear of massive copying.


27
B)The lack of a research culture.

28
C)The belief that research data is private intellectual property.
D)The concern that certain agencies may make a profit out of it.
【答案】C

【解析】本题定位至原文的第三段。其中原文中的“将数据视为私人所有的研究文化”也就是
“认为研究数据是 private intellectual property 的观点”，因此选 C。

49. What helps lift some of the barriers to open data sharing?

A)The ever-growing demand for big data.

B) The advancement of digital technology.

C)The changing attitude of journals and funders.

D) The trend of social and economic development.

【答案】C

【解析】由题干中的关键词 barriers 可定位至原文的第三段。该段指出，障碍正在消失，部分原
因是全世界的杂志和资金 资助机构正在鼓励科学家们将数据公开。……资金资助机构表明使用公共
资金赞助的数据应该成为公共信 息。这表明杂志和资助方的态度已经开始接受共享数据的观念，其
态度发生了改变，因此选 C。

50. Dryad serves as an example to show how open data sharing .

A) is becoming increasingly popular

B) benefits sharers and users alike
C)makes researchers successful
D)saves both money and labor
【答案】B

【解析】由题干中的关键词 Dryad 可定位至倒数第二段。原文意思是使用者对公开的数据有疑< br>问的，还可对这些数据提出问题，这样可以使分享者进一步完善数据。这说明，公开数据分享无论
对于数据的分享者还是使用者，他们都能从中受益。因此选B。

29

Passage Two

30
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Macy’s reported its sales plunged 5.2% in November and December at stores open more than a year, a
disappointing holiday season performance that capped a difficult year for a department store chain facing
wide-ranging challenges. Its flagship stores in major U.S. cities depend heavily on international tourist
spending, which shrank at many retailers due to a strong dollar. Meanwhile, Macy’s has simply struggled to
lure consumers who are more interested in spending on travel or dining out than on new clothes or
accessories.

The company blamed much of the poor performance in November and December on unseasonably
warm weather. “About 80% of our company’s year-over-year declines in comparable sales can be
attributed to shortfalls(短缺) in cold-weather goods,” said chief executive Teny Lundgren in a press
release. This prompted the company to cut its forecasts for the full fourth quarter.

However, it’s clear that Macy’s believes its troubles run deeper than a temporary aberration ( 偏 离 )
off the thermometer. The retail giant said the poor financial performance this year has pushed it to begin
implementing $$400 million in cost-cutting measures. The company pledged to cut 600 back-office positions,
though some 150 workers in those roles would be reassigned to other jobs. It also plans to offer “voluntary
separation” packages to 165 senior executives. It will slash staffing at its fleet of 770 stores, a move
affecting some 3,000 employees.

The retailer also announced the locations of 36 stores it will close in early 2016. The company had
previously announced the planned closures, but had not said which locations would be affected. None of
the chain’s stores in the Washington metropolitan area are to be closed.

Macy’s has been moving aggressively to try to remake itself for a new era of shopping. It has plans to
open more locations of Macy’s Backstage, a newly-developed off-price concept which might help it better
compete with ambitious T. J. Maxx. It’s also pushing ahead in 2016 with an expansion of Bluemercury, the
beauty chain it bought last year. At a time when young beauty shoppers are often turning to Sephora or Ulta
instead of department store beauty counters, Macy’s hopes Bluemercury will help strengthen its position in
the category.

One relative bright spot for Macy’s during the holiday season was the online channel, where it rang up
“double- digit” increases in sales and a 25% increase in the number of orders it filled. That relative strength
would be consistent with what was seen in the wilder retail industry during the early part of the holiday
season. While Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday all saw record spending online, in-store sales
plunged over the holiday weekend.

51. What does the author say about the shrinking spending of international tourists in the U.S.?

A)It is attributable to the rising value of the U.S. dollar.
B)It is a direct result of the global economic recession.

31
C) It reflects a shift of their interest in consumer goods.

D) It poses a potential threat to the retail business in the U.S.

【答案】A

【解析】根据题干中的关键调 shrinking, spending, international tourists 可定位至第一段的第二
句，因此选 A。

52. What does Macy’s believe about its problems?

A) They can be solved with better management.

B) They cannot be attributed to weather only.

C) They are not as serious in its online stores.

D) They call for increased investments.

【答案】B

52.【解析】本题定位于第二段的第一句，因此选 B。

53. In order to cut costs, Macy’s decided to .

A) cut the salary of senior executives

B) relocate some of its chain stores

C) adjust its promotion strategies

D) reduce the size of its staff

【答案】D

【解析】根据题干中的关键词 cut costs 可定位于第三段的第二句至该段的最后一句，因此选 D。

54. Why does Macy’s plan to expand Bluemercury in 2016?

A) To experiment on its new business concept. B) To focus more on beauty products than clothing.


32
C) To promote sales of its products by lowering prices. D) To be more competitive in sales of beauty
products.

33

【答案】D

【解析】根据题干中的关键词 expand，Bluemercury, in 2016 可定位至第五段的第三、四句，因
此选D。

55. What can we learn about Macy’s during the holiday season?

A) Sales dropped sharply in its physical stores.

B) Its retail sales exceeded those of T. J. Maxx.

C) It helped Bluemercury establish its position worldwide.
D)It filled its stores with abundant supply of merchandise.
【答案】D

【解析】根据题干中的关键词 holiday season 可定位至最后一段。因此选 D。
Part IV Translation (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.
You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.

宋朝始于 960 年，一直延续到 1279 年。这一时期，中国经济大幅增长，成为世界上最先进的经
济体， 科学、技术、哲学和数学蓬勃发展。宋代中国是世界历史上首先发行纸币的国家。宋朝还最早
使用火药并 发明了活字（movable-type）印刷。人口增长迅速，越来越多的人住进城市，那里有热闹的
娱乐场所。社会生活多种多样。人们聚集在一起观看和交易珍贵艺术品。宋朝的政府体制在当时也是
先进 的。政府官员均通过竞争性考试选拔任用。

【答案】The Song Dynasty started from 960 and lasted until 1279. During that period, China had
witnessed a dramatic economic growth, making it the most advanced economy in the world. In the
meantime, science, technology, philosophy and mathematics also experienced vigorous development.
China back then was the first country to issue the paper money and also the earliest to use gunpowder and
invent movable-type printing around the world. With burgeoning population, an increasing number of
people flocked to cities where there were bustling entertainment outlets. People at that time enjoyed rich
social life, gathering together to appreciate and trade precious artworks. The government system in Song
Dynasty was also advanced, with all government officials selected and appointed through competitive
examination.
34

2017 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题(第 3 套)
Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: Directions: Suppose you are asked to give advice on whether to major in science or humanities
at college, write an essay to state your opinion. You are required to write at least
150
words
but no more than
200
words.
Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (30 minutes)
说明：2017 年 6 月大学英语六级 真题全国共考了两套听力。本套（即第三套）的听力材料
与第一套完全一样，只是选项的顺序不同而已， 故本套不再重复给出。
Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage
through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.
Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line
through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.
Half of your brain stays alert and prepared for danger when you sleep in a new place, a study has
revealed. This phenomenon is often 26 to as the “first-night-effect”. Researchers from Brown
University found that a network in the left hemisphere of the brain “remained more active” than the
network in the right side of the brain. Playing sounds into the right ears (stimulating the left hemisphere) of
27 was more likely to wake them up than if the noises were played into their left ear.
It was 28 observed that the left side of the brain was more active during deep sleep. When the
researchers repeated the laboratory experiment on the second and third nights they found the left
hemisphere could not be stimulated in the same way during deep sleep. The researchers explained that the
study demonstrated when we are in a 29 environment the brain partly remains alert so that humans can
defend themselves against any 30 danger.
The researchers believe this is the first time that the “first-night-effect” of different brain states has
been 31 in humans. It isn’t, however, the first time it has ever been seen. Some animal 32 also
display this phenomenon. For example, dolphins, as well as other 33 animals, shut down one
hemisphere of the brain when they go to sleep. A previous study noted that dolphins always 34 control
their breathing. Without keeping the brain active while sleeping, they would probably drown. But, as the
human study suggest, another reason for dolphins keeping their eyes open during sleep is that they can look
out for 35 while asleep. It also keeps their physiological processes working.

1
A) classified
B) consciously
C) dramatically
D) exotic
E) identified
F) inherent
G) marine
H) novel

I) potential
J) predators
K) referred
L) species
M) specifically
N) varieties
O) volunteers


Section B
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each
statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from
which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than
paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding
letter on
Answer Sheet 2.

Elite Math Competitions Struggle to Diversify Their Talent Pool
[A] Interest in elite high school math competitions has grown in recent years, and in light of last
summer’s U.S. win at the International Math Olympiad (IMO)---the first for an American team in more
than two decades—the trend is likely to continue.
[B] But will such contests, which are overwhelmingly dominated by Asian and white students from
middle-class and affluent families, become any more diverse? Many social and cultural factors play roles in
determining which promising students get on the path toward international math recognition. But efforts are
in place to expose more black, Hispanic, and low-income students to advanced math, in the hope that the
demographic pool of high-level contenders will eventually begin to shift and become less exclusive.
[C] “The challenge is if certain types of people are doing something, it’s difficult for other people to
break into it,” said Po-Shen Loh, the head coach of last year’s winning U.S. Math Olympiad team.
Participation grows through friends and networks and if “you realize that’s how they’re growing, you can
start to take action” and bring in other students, he said.
[D] Most of the training for advanced-math competitions happens outside the confines of the normal
school day. Students attend after-school clubs, summer camps, online forums and classes, and
university-based “math circles”, to prepare for the competitions.
[E] One of the largest feeders for high school math competitions—including those that eventually lead
to the IMO—is a middle school program called Math Counts. About 100,000 students around the country
participate in the program’s competition series, which culminates in a national game-show-style contest
held each May. The most recent one took place last week in Washington, D.C. Students join a team through
their schools, which provide a volunteer coach and pay a nominal fee to send students to regional and state
competitions. The 224 students who make it to the national competition get an all- expenses- paid trip.
[F] Nearly all members of last year’s winning U.S. IMO team took part in Math Counts as middle
school students, as did Loh, the coach. “Middle school is an important age because students have enough
math capability to solve advanced problems, but they haven’t really decided what they want to do with their
lives,” said Loh. “They often get hooked then.”

2
[G] Another influential feeder for advanced-math students is an online school called Art of Problem
Solving, which began about 13 years ago and now has 15,000 users. Students use forums to chat, play
games, and solve problems together at no cost, or they can pay a few hundred dollars to take courses with
trained teachers. According to Richard Rusczyk, the company founder, the six U.S. team members who
competed at the IMO last year collectively took more than 40 courses on the site. Parents of advanced-
math students and Math Counts coaches say the children are on the website constantly.
[H] There are also dozens of summer camps—many attached to universities—that aim to prepare elite
math students. Some are pricey---a three-week intensive program can cost $$4,500 or more—but most offer
scholarships. The Math Olympiad Summer Training Program is a three-week math camp held by the
Mathematical Association of America that leads straight to the international championship and is free for
those who make it. Only about 50 students are invited based on their performance on written tests and at
the USA Math Olympiad.
[I] Students in university towns may also have access to another lever for involvement in accelerated
math: math circles. In these groups, which came out of an Eastern European tradition of developing young
talent, professors teach promising K-12 students advanced mathematics for several hours after school or on
weekends. The Los Angeles Math Circle, held at the University of California, Los Angeles, began in 2007
with 20 students and now has more than 250. “These math circles cost nothing, or they’re very cheap for
students to get involved in, but you have to know about them,” said Rusczyk. “Most people would love to
get students from more underserved populations, but they just can’t get them in the door. Part of it is
communication; part of it is transportation.”
[J] It’s no secret in the advanced-math community that diversity is a problem. According to Mark Saul,
the director of competitions for the Mathematical Association of America, not a single African-American or
Hispanic student---and only a handful of girls ---has ever made it to the Math Olympiad team in its 50 years
of existence. Many schools simply don’t prioritize academic competitions. “Do you know who we have to
beat?” asked Saul. “The football team, the basketball team---that’s our competition for resources, student
time, attention, school dollars, parent efforts, school enthusiasm.”
[K] Teachers in low-income urban and rural areas with no history of participating in math competitions
may not know about advanced-math opportunities like Math Counts—and those who do may not have
support or feel trained to lead them.
[L] But there are initiatives in place to try to get more underrepresented students involved in accelerated
math. A New York City-based nonprofit called Bridge to Enter Mathematics runs a residential summer
program aimed at getting underserved students，mostly black and Hispanic, working toward math and
science careers. The summer after 7th grade, students spend three weeks on a college campus studying
advanced math for seven hours a day. Over the next five years, the group helps the students get into other
elite summer math programs, high-performing high schools, and eventually college. About 250 students so
far have gone through the program, which receives funding from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
[M] “If you look at a lot of low-income communities in the United States, there are programs that are
serving them, but they’ re primarily centered around ‘Let’s get these kids’ grades up’, and not around ‘Let’s
get these kids access to the same kinds of opportunities as more-affluent kids,’” said Daniel Zaharopol, the
founder and executive director of the program. “We’re trying to create that pathway.” Students apply to the
program directly through their schools. “We want to reach parents who are not plugged into the system,”
said Zaharopol.
[N] In the past few years, Math Counts added two new middle school programs to try to diversify its
participant pool---the National Math Club and the Math Video Challenge. Schools or teachers who sign up

3
for the National Math Club receive a kit full of activities and resources, but there’s no special teacher
training and no competition attached.
[O] The Math Video Challenge is a competition, but a collaborative one. Teams of four students make a
video illustrating a math problem and its real-world application. After the high-pressure Countdown round
at this year’s national Math Counts competition, in which the top 12 students went head to head solving
complex problems in rapid fire, the finalists for the Math Video Challenge took the stage to show their
videos. The demographics of that group looked quite different from those in the competition round---of the
16 video finalists, 13 were girls and eight were African-American students. The video challenge does not
put individual students on the hot seat---so it’s less intimidating by design. It also adds the element of
artistic creativity to attract a new pool of students who may not see themselves as “math people”.
36. Middle school is a crucial period when students may become keenly interested in advanced
mathematics.
37. Elite high school math competitions are attracting more interest throughout the United States.
38. Math circles provide students with access to advanced-math training by university professors.
39. Students may take advantage of online resources to learn to solve math problems.
40. The summer program run by a nonprofit organization has helped many underserved students learn
advanced math.
41. Winners of local contests will participate in the national math competition for free.
42. Many schools don’t place academic competitions at the top of their priority list.
43. Contestants of elite high school math competitions are mostly Asian and white students from well-off
families.
44. Some math training programs primarily focus on raising students’ math scores.
45. Some intensive summer programs are very expensive but most of them provide scholarships.
Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or
unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You
should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on
Answer Sheet 2
with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

We live today indebted to McCardell, Cashin, Hawes, Wilkins, and Maxwell, and other women who
liberated American fashion from the confines of Parisian design. Independence came in tying, wrapping,
storing, harmonizing, and rationalizing that wardrobe. These designers established the modem dress code,
letting playsuits and other active wear outfits suffice for casual clothing, allowing pants to enter the
wardrobe, and prizing rationalism and versatility in dress, in contradiction to dressing for an occasion or
allotment of the day. Fashion in America was logical and answerable to the will of the women who wore it.
Implicitly or explicitly, American fashion addressed a democracy, whereas traditional Paris-based fashion
was prescriptive and imposed on women, willing or not.
In an earlier time, American fashion had also followed the dictates of Paris, or even copied and
pirated specific French designs. Designer sportswear was not modeled on that of Europe, as “modem art”
would later be; it was genuinely invented and developed in America. Its designers were not high-end with
supplementary lines. The design objective and the business commitment were to sportswear, and the
distinctive traits were problem-solving ingenuity and realistic lifestyle applications. Ease of care was most

4
important: summer dresses and outfits, in particular, were chiefly cotton, readily capable of being washed
and pressed at home. Closings were simple, practical, and accessible, as the modem woman depended on
no personal maid to dress her. American designers prized resourcefulness and the freedom of women who
wore the clothing.
Many have argued that the women designers of this time were able to project their own clothing
values into a new style. Of course, much of this argument in the 1930s-40s was advanced because there
was little or no experience in justifying apparel( 服 装 ) on the basis of utility. If Paris was cast aside, the
tradition of beauty was also to some degree slighted. Designer sportswear would have to be verified by a
standard other than that of pure beauty; the emulation of a designer’s life in designer sportswear was a
crude version of this relationship. The consumer was ultimately to be mentioned as well, especially by the
likes of Dorothy Shaver, who could point to the sales figures at Lord & Taylor.
Could utility alone justify the new ideas of the American designers? Fashion is often regarded as a
pursuit of beauty, and some cherished fashion’s trivial relationship to the fine arts. What the designers of
the American sportswear proved was that fashion is a genuine design art, answering to the demanding
needs of service. Of course these practical, insightful designers have determined the course of late
twentieth- century fashion. They were the pioneers of gender equity, in their useful, adaptable clothing,
which was both made for the masses and capable of self-expression.
46. What contribution did the women designers make to American fashion?

A) They made some improvements on the traditional Parisian design.

B) They formulated a dress code with distinctive American features.

C) They came up with a brand new set of design procedures.

D) They made originality a top priority in their fashion design.

47. What do we learn about American designer sportswear?

A) It imitated the European model.

B) It laid emphasis on women’s beauty.

C) It represented genuine American art.

D) It was a completely new invention.

48. What characterized American designer sportswear?

A) Pursuit of beauty.

B) Decorative closings.
D) Fabric quality. C) Ease of care.


49. What occurred in the design of women’s apparel in America during the 1930s-40s?
A) A shift of emphasis from beauty to utility.

B) The emulation of traditional Parisian design.

C) A search for balance between tradition and novelty.

D) The involvement of more women in fashion design.

5
50. What do we learn about designers of American sportswear?

A) They catered to the taste of the younger generation.

B) They radically changed people’s concept of beauty.

C) They advocated equity between men and women.

D) They became rivals of their Parisian counterparts.

Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Massive rubbish dumps and sprawling landfills constitute one of the more uncomfortable impacts that
humans have on wildlife. They have led some birds to give up on migration. Instead of flying thousands of
miles in search of food, they make the waste sites their winter feeding grounds.
Researchers in Germany used miniature GPS tags to track the migrations of 70 white storks (鹳) from
different sites across Europe and Asia during the first five months of their lives. While many birds travelled
along well-known routes to warmer climates, others stopped short and spent the winter on landfills, feeding
on food waste, and the multitudes of insects that thrive on the dumps.
In the short-term, the birds seem to benefit from overwintering( 过 冬 ) on rubbish dumps. Andrea
Flack of the Max Planck Institute found that birds following traditional migration routes were more likely
to die than German storks that flew only as far as northern Morocco, and spent the winter there on rubbish
dumps. “For the birds it’s a very convenient way to get food. There are huge clusters of organic waste they
can feed on,” said Flack. The meals are not particularly appetising, or even safe. Much of the waste is
discarded rotten meat, mixed in with other human debris such as plastic bags and old toys.
“It’s very risky. The birds can easily eat pieces of plastic or rubber bands and they can die,” said
Flack. “And we don’t know about the long-term consequences. They might eat something toxic and
damage their health. We cannot estimate that yet.”
The scientists tracked white storks from different colonies in Europe and Africa. The Russian, Greek
and Polish storks flew as far as South Africa, while those from Spain, Tunisia and Germany flew only as
far as the Sahel.
Landfill sites on the Iberian peninsula have long attracted local white storks, but all of the Spanish
birds tagged in the study flew across the Sahara desert to the western Sahel. Writing in the journal, the
scientists describe how the storks from Germany were clearly affected by the presence of waste sites, with
four out of six birds that survived for at least five months overwintering on rubbish dumps in northern
Morocco, instead of migrating to the Sahel.
Flack said it was too early to know whether the benefits of plentiful food outweighed the risks of
feeding on landfills. But that’s not the only uncertainty. Migrating birds affect ecosystems both at home
and at their winter destinations, and disrupting the traditional routes could have unexpected side effects.
White storks feed on locusts (蝗虫) and other insects that can become pests if their numbers get out of hand.
“They provide a useful service,” said Flack.

51. What is the impact of rubbish dumps on wildlife?

A) They have forced white storks to search for safer winter shelters.

6
B) They have seriously polluted the places where birds spend winter.

C) They have accelerated the reproduction of some harmful insects.

D) They have changed the previous migration habits of certain birds.

52. What do we learn about birds following the traditional migration routes?

A) They can multiply at an accelerating rate.

B) They can better pull through the winter.

C) They help humans kill harmful insects.

D) They are more likely to be at risk of dying.

53. What does Andrea Flack say about the birds overwintering on rubbish dumps?

A) They may end up staying there permanently.

B) They may eat something harmful.

C) They may evolve new feeding habits.

D) They may have trouble getting adequate food.

54. What can be inferred about the Spanish birds tagged in the study?

A) They gradually lose the habit of migrating in winter.

B) They prefer rubbish dumps far away to those at home.

C) They are not attracted to the rubbish dumps on their migration routes.

D) They join the storks from Germany on rubbish dumps in Morocco.

55. What is scientists’ other concern about white storks feeding on landfills?

A) The potential harm to the ecosystem.

B) The genetic change in the stork species.

C) The spread of epidemics to their homeland.

D) The damaging effect on bio-diversity.

7
Part IV Translation (30 minutes)


Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into
English. You should write your answer on
Answer Sheet 2.

明朝统治中国 276 年，被人们描绘成人类历史上治理有序、社会稳定的最伟大的时代之一。这一
时期，手工业的发展促进了 市场经济和城市化。大量商品，包括酒和丝绸，都在市场销售。同时， 还进
口许多外国商品，如时钟和 烟草。北京、南京扬州、苏州这样的大商业中心相继形成。也是在明代，
由郑和率领的船队曾到印度洋进 行了七次大规模探险航行。还值得一提的是，中国文学的四大经典名
著中有三部写于明代。

8
2017 年 6 月大学英语六级考试真题答案与详解
(第 3 套)

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions: Suppose you are asked to give advice on whether to attend college at home or abroad,
write an essay to state your opinion. You are required to write at least 150 words but no more than 200
words.
【参考范文】

Whether to Attend College at Home or Abroad?

Currently, with studying abroad gains mounting popularity among people, there is a heated debate
about whether to attend college at home or abroad. Opinions on this topic vary from person to person.
Some see more benefits in studying at home while others claim that studying abroad is a more ideal choice
as it’s more challenging.
Personally, I am a strong favorer of the latter view. Listed below are the reasons for my advice. First
of all, attending college abroad provides an opportunity to broaden one’s experience and mind. You can
acquire cross-cultural experiences and gain new perspectives on your chosen field of study. In addition,
studying abroad helps you to polish your social skills; you can make friends with different people with
different background. Thirdly, overseas studying is conducive to the formation of an independent,
autonomous and tenacious personality, which will ultimately benefit the achievement of our life goals.
Just as an old saying goes: “It is better to travel thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.”
Then studying abroad can not only enable us to reap in our books, but also in our trips. And this is why
attending college abroad is a preferable selection for me.
Part II Listening Comprehension
说明：2017 年 6 月大学英语 六级真题 全国共考了两套听力。本套（即第三套）的听力材料与
第一套完全一样，只是选项的顺序不同 而已，故本套不再重复给出。

Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for
each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through
carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the
corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not
use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Half of your brain stays alert and prepared for danger when you sleep in a new place, a study has
revealed. This phenomenon is often 26 to as the “first-night-effect”. Researchers from Brown
University found that a network in the left hemisphere of the brain “remained more active” than the
network in the right side of the brain. Playing sounds into the right ears (stimulating the left hemisphere) of

9
27 was more likely to wake them up than if the noises were played into their left ear.

1
0
It was 28 observed that the left side of the brain was more active during deep sleep. When the
researchers repeated the laboratory experiment on the second and third nights they found the left
hemisphere could not be stimulated in the same way during deep sleep. The researchers explained that the
study demonstrated when we are in a 29 environment the brain partly remains alert so that humans can
defend themselves against any 30 danger.
The researchers believe this is the first time that the “first-night-effect” of different brain states has
been 31 in humans. It isn’t, however, the first time it has ever been seen. Some animal 32 also
display this phenomenon. For example, dolphins, as well as other 33 animals, shut down one
hemisphere of the brain when they go to sleep. A previous study noted that dolphins always 34 control
their breathing. Without keeping the brain active while sleeping, they would probably drown. But, as the
human study suggest, another reason for dolphins keeping their eyes open during sleep is that they can look
out for 35 while asleep. It also keeps their physiological processes working.
A) classified B) consciously C) dramatically D) exotic E) identified

F) inherent G) marine H) novel I) potential J) predators

K) referred L) species M) specifically N) varieties O) volunteers
26.【解析】K。空格前是系动词 is 和副词 often，空格后是不定式 to，所以此空应该填入一个
形容词或者动词的-ed 形式。选项 referred 符合句意。be referred to as 为固定搭配，意为“被称为”。
故选 K。
27.【解析】O。空格前是名词词组 the right ears 和介词 of ，空格后是系动词 was，所以此空应
该填入一个表示人的名词，表示所属关系。选项 volunteers 符合句意。故选 O。
28.【解析】M。空格前是系动词 was，空格后是动词的-ed 形式observed，所以此空应该填入一
个副词，修饰 observed。选项 specifically
符合。故选 M。
29.【解析】H。空格前是不定冠词 a；空格后是名词 environment，所以此空应该填入一个形容
词。选项 novel 符合句意。故选 H。
30.【解析】I。空格前是代词 any ，空格后是名词 danger，所以此空应该填入一个形容词。选
项 potential 符合句意。故选 I。
31.【解析】E。空格前是现在完成时的标志词 has been ，空格后是介词词组 in humans，所以
此空应该填入一个动词的-ed 形式。选项 identified 符合句意。故选 E。
32.【解析】L。空格前是名词 animal，空格后是副词 also 和动词 display,谓语和宾语完整，所以
此空应该填入一个名词，与 some animal 构成名词词组，作主语。选项 species 符合句意。故选 L。
33.【解析】G。空格前是代词 other，空格后是名词 animals，所以此空应该填入一个形容词。
选项 marine 符合句意。故选 G。

10
34.【解析】B。空格前是宾语从句的主语 dolphins 和副词 always，空格后是谓语动词 control，
所以此空应该填入一个副词，修饰 control。
选项 consciously 符合句意。故选 B。

10
35.【解析】J。空格前是谓语动词 look out for，空格后是时间状语从句 while asleep，所以此空
应该填入一个名词，作表语从句的谓语。
选项 predators 符合句意。故选 J。

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each
statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the
information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a
letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Elite Math Competitions Struggle to Diversify Their Talent Pool

[A] Interest in elite high school math competitions has grown in recent years, and in light of last
summer’s U.S. win at the International Math Olympiad (IMO)---the first for an American team in more
than two decades—the trend is likely to continue.
[B] But will such contests, which are overwhelmingly dominated by Asian and white students from
middle-class and affluent families, become any more diverse? Many social and cultural factors play roles in
determining which promising students get on the path toward international math recognition. But efforts are
in place to expose more black, Hispanic, and low-income students to advanced math, in the hope that the
demographic pool of high-level contenders will eventually begin to shift and become less exclusive.
[C] “The challenge is if certain types of people are doing something, it’s difficult for other people to
break into it,” said Po-Shen Loh, the head coach of last year’s winning U.S. Math Olympiad team.
Participation grows through friends and networks and if “you realize that’s how they’re growing, you can
start to take action” and bring in other students, he said.
[D] Most of the training for advanced-math competitions happens outside the confines of the normal
school day. Students attend after-school clubs, summer camps, online forums and classes, and
university-based “math circles”, to prepare for the competitions.

[E] One of the largest feeders for high school math competitions—including those that eventually
lead to the IMO—is a middle school program called Math Counts. About 100,000 students around the
country participate in the program’s competition series, which culminates in a national game-show-style
contest held each May. The most recent one took place last week in Washington, D.C. Students join a team
through their schools, which provide a volunteer coach and pay a nominal fee to send students to regional
and state competitions. The 224 students who make it to the national competition get an all- expenses- paid
trip.
[F] Nearly all members of last year’s winning U.S. IMO team took part in Math Counts as middle
school students, as did Loh, the coach. “Middle school is an important age because students have enough
math capability to solve advanced problems, but they haven’t really decided what they want to do with
their lives,” said Loh. “They often get hooked then.”
[G] Another influential feeder for advanced-math students is an online school called Art of Problem
Solving, which began about 13 years ago and now has 15,000 users. Students use forums to chat, play
games, and solve problems together at no cost, or they can pay a few hundred dollars to take courses with
trained teachers. According to Richard Rusczyk, the company founder, the six U.S. team members who

11
competed at the IMO last year collectively took more than 40 courses on the site. Parents of advanced-
math students and Math Counts coaches say the children are on the website constantly.
[H] There are also dozens of summer camps—many attached to universities—that aim to prepare elite
math students. Some are pricey---a three-week intensive program can cost $$4,500 or more—but most offer
scholarships. The Math Olympiad Summer Training Program is a three-week math camp held by the
Mathematical Association of America that leads straight to the international championship and is free for
those who make it. Only about 50 students are invited based on their performance on written tests and at
the USA Math Olympiad.
[I] Students in university towns may also have access to another lever for involvement in accelerated
math: math circles. In these groups, which came out of an Eastern European tradition of developing young
talent, professors teach promising K-12 students advanced mathematics for several hours after school or on
weekends. The Los Angeles Math Circle, held at the University of California, Los Angeles, began in 2007
with 20 students and now has more than 250. “These math circles cost nothing, or they’re very cheap for
students to get involved in, but you have to know about them,” said Rusczyk. “Most people would love to
get students from more underserved populations, but they just can’t get them in the door. Part of it is
communication; part of it is transportation.”
[J] It’s no secret in the advanced-math community that diversity is a problem. According to Mark
Saul, the director of competitions for the Mathematical Association of America, not a single
African-American or Hispanic student--- and only a handful of girls---has ever made it to the Math
Olympiad team in its 50 years of existence. Many schools simply don’t prioritize academic competitions.
“Do you know who we have to beat?” asked Saul. “The football team, the basketball team---that’s our
competition for resources, student time, attention, school dollars, parent efforts, school enthusiasm.”
[K] Teachers in low-income urban and rural areas with no history of participating in math
competitions may not know about advanced-math opportunities like Math Counts—and those who do may
not have support or feel trained to lead them.
[L] But there are initiatives in place to try to get more underrepresented students involved in
accelerated math. A New York City- based nonprofit called Bridge to Enter Mathematics runs a residential
summer program aimed at getting underserved students，mostly black and Hispanic, working toward math
and science careers. The summer after 7th grade, students spend three weeks on a college campus studying
advanced math for seven hours a day. Over the next five years, the group helps the students get into other
elite summer math programs, high- performing high schools, and eventually college. About 250 students so
far have gone through the program, which receives funding from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
[M] “If you look at a lot of low-income communities in the United States, there are programs that are
serving them, but they’ re primarily centered around ‘Let’s get these kids’ grades up’, and not around ‘Let’s
get these kids access to the same kinds of opportunities as more-affluent kids,’” said Daniel Zaharopol, the
founder and executive director of the program. “We’re trying to create that pathway.” Students apply to the
program directly through their schools. “We want to reach parents who are not plugged into the system,”
said Zaharopol.
[N] In the past few years, Math Counts added two new middle school programs to try to diversify its
participant pool---the National Math Club and the Math Video Challenge. Schools or teachers who sign up

12