transitional2016年度12月英语四级听力原文

2021年1月8日发(作者：康沫狂)

2016年12月英语四级听力原文（沪江网校版）
2016年12月17日全国 大学英语四级考试已结束，本次考试为多题多卷，
本站第一时间收集整理不同版本试题，供考生参考：
Section A
A 16th century castle in Scotland is close to collapsing after lumps of soils were
washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.
On Sunday, the castle’s owner John Gordon, 76, was forced to move out his
property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle
dangerous close to the river. According to the Scottish Daily Record.
Abergeldie castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was built by Sir Alexander
Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.
The castle which is located on 11,700 acres was leased to members of the royal
family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood
warnings covering several regions, as Scotland continues to clean up the after Storm
Frank hit the country last Wednesday.
“This means that rivers will rise more slowly, but then stay high for much longer.”
the environmental agency said.
Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?
Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?
Section A - 2
Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an
elevator below ground at a Cargill rock salt mine near Lansing, New York, according
to Marcia Lynch.
Public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department,
emergency workers have made contact with the miners via a radio. And they all
appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant
director.
Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they
can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said. Details about what led to
the workers’ being trapped in the elevator went immediately available. The mine,
along New York’s Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces
about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the
northeastern United States, the rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill
with the other two in Louisiana and Ohio.
Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?
did the rescue team do?
Section A - 3
The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700
post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.
Facing an $$8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post officers is one of several
proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs. Last week, for

example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on
Saturdays, a move he says could save $$3 billion annually.
“We are losing revenue as we speak,” Donahoe said. “We do not want taxpayer
money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business you have to make
choices.”
Dean Granholm the vice president for delivery and post office operations said the
first waves of closings would begin this fall. He estimated that about 3,000
postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postal clerks could
lose their jobs.
is the U.S. Postal Service planning to do?
measure has been planned to save costs?
will happen when the proposed measure come into effect?
Conversation 1
A: Mrs. Hampton, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.
B: Oh dear. What about?
A: One of the press operators arrived an hour and a half late.
B: But that's a straightforward affair. He will simply lose part of his pay. That's why we
have a clock-in system.
A: But the point is the man was clocked-in at 8 o'clock. We have John standing by the
time clock, and he swears he saw nothing irregular.
B: Is John reliable?
A: Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.
B: Have you spoken to the man who was late?
A: Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first. He's a difficult man, and I think
there's been some trouble on the shop floor. I've got a feeling that trade union
representative is behind this. The manager told me that Jack Green's been very
active around the shop the last few days.
B: Well, what do you want me to do?
A: I was wondering if you'd see Smith, the man who was late, because you are so
much better at handling things like this.
B: Oh, alright. I'll see him. I must say I agree with you about there being bad feelings
in the works. I've had the idea for some time that Jack Green's been busy stirring
things up in connection with the latest wage claim. He's always trying to make
trouble. Well, I'll get the manager to send Smith up here.
Q8. What will happen to the press operator who was late for the work according to
the woman?
Q9. What does the man say about John who stands by the time clock?
Q10. Why does the man suggest the woman see the worker who was late?
Q11. What does the woman say about Jack Green?
Conversation 2
A: Our topic today is about somethings that foreigners nearly always say when they
visit Britain. It's 'Why are the British so cold?' And they're talking about the British
personality – the famous British 'reserve'. It means that we aren't very friendly, we
aren't very open.

B: So do you think it's true?
A: It's a difficult one. So many people who visit Britain say it's difficult to make friends
with British people. They say we're cold, reserved, unfriendly...
B: I think it's true. Look at Americans or Australians. They speak the same language,
but they're much more open. And you see it when you travel, people - I mean
strangers - speak to you on the street or on the train. British people seldom speak on
the train. Or the bus. Not in London, anyway.
A: 'Not in London'. That's it. Capital cities are full of tourists and are never very
friendly. People are different in other parts of the country.
B: Not completely. I met a woman once, an Italian. She's been working in Manchester
for two years,
and no one - not one of her colleagues - had ever invited her to their home. They
were friendly to her at work, but nothing else. She couldn't believe it. She said that
would never happen in Italy.
A: You know what they say – 'an Englishman's home is his castle'. It’s really difficult to
get inside.
B: Yeah. It's about being private. You go home to your house and your garden and
you close the door. It's your place.
A: That's why the British don't like flats. They prefer to live in houses.
B: That’s true.
Q12. What do foreigners generally think of British people according to the woman?
Q13. What may British people typically do one the train according to the man?
Q14. What does the man say about the Italian woman working in Manchester?
Q15. Why do British people prefer houses to flats?
Passage One
In college, time is scarce, and consequently, very precious. At the same time,
expenses in college pile up surprisingly quickly. A part time job is a good way to
balance costs while ensuring there is enough time left over for both academic
subjects and after-class activities.
If you are a college student looking for a part time job, the best place to start your
job search is right on campus. There are tons of on-campus job opportunities, and as
a student, you’ll automatically be given hiring priority. Plus, on- campus jobs
eliminate commuting time, and could be a great way to connect with academic and
professional resources at your university. Check with your school’s career service or
employment office for help to find a campus job. Of course, there are opportunities
for part-time work off-campus, too. If you spend a little time digging for the right
part time jobs, you’ll save yourself time when you find a job that leaves you with
enough time to get your school work done, too. If you are a college student looking
for work but worry you won’t have enough time to devote to academic subjects,
consider working as a study hall or a library monitor. Responsibilities generally
include supervising study spaces to ensure that a quiet atmosphere is maintained.
It’s a pretty easy job, but one with lots of downtime-which means you will have
plenty of time to catch up on reading, do homework or study for an exam.
Q16: What does the speaker say about college students applying for on-campus jobs?