Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
1. A) The man in the car was absent-minded.
B) The test driver made a wrong judgement.
C) The self-driving system was faulty.
D) The car was moving at a fast speed.
【答案】B
【解析】由“our test driver believed the bus was going to slow or stop to allow us to merge into the traffic, and that there would be sufficient space to do that.”可知，答案为B。
2. A) They have done better than conventional cars.
B) They have caused several severe crashes.
C) They have posed a threat to other drivers.
D) They have generally done quite well.
【答案】D
【解析】由“The company's self-driving cars have done well over a million miles across various states in the US, and until now have only reported minor accidents.”可知，答案为D。
听力原文：
One of Google's self-driving cars crashed into a bus in California last month. There were no injuries. It is not the first time one of Google's famed self-driving cars has been involved in a crash, but it may be the first time it has caused one. On February 14th the self-driving car, travelling at 2mph (3km/h), pulled out in front of a public bus going 15mph (24km/h). The man in the Google vehicle reported that he assumed the bus would slow down to let the car out, and so he did not switch to the manual mode.
In a statement, Google said: "We clearly bear some responsibility, because if our car hadn't moved, there wouldn't have been a crash.“ That said, our test driver believed the bus was going to slow or stop to allow us to merge into the traffic, and that there would be sufficient space to do that. “The company's self-driving cars have done well over a million miles across various states in the US, and until now have only reported minor accidents.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
3. A) He works at a national park.
B) He is a queen been specialist.
C) He removed the Beyond from the boot.
D) He drove the bees away from his car.
【答案】A
【解析】由“Tom Moses who works at a nearby national park”可知，答案为A。
4. A) They were looking after the queen.
B) They were making a lot of noise.
C) They were looking for a new box to live in.
D) They were dancing in a unique way.
【答案】B
【解析】由“They were very close together and there was a lot of noise and movements”可知，答案为B。
听力原文：
Thousands of bees left a town after landing on the back of a car when their queen got stuck in its boot. Tom Moses who works at a nearby national park, noticed a “brown patch” on the back of the car after the owner parked it to do some shopping. When he looked closer he realized it was a huge group of bees. Moses said: “I have never seen that many bees in one spot. It was very unusual. They were very close together and there was a lot of noise and movements, it was interesting to see
such a strange sight. But there were a lot of people around and I was a bit worried about the bees and the people stopping to look. I thought that someone might do something stupid. Moses called two local bees specialists who helped removed the bees by attracting them into a box. Moses spent three hours looking after the bees and was stung five times, he said my stings are a bit painful but I am pleased that all worked out and I could help, people need to realize that bees are valuable and they should be looked after.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
5. A) The discovery of a new species of snake.
B) The second trip to a small remote island.
C) The finding of 2 new species of frog.
D) The latest test on a rare animal species.
【答案】A
【解析】由“A new species of snake has been discovered on a remote island in the Bahamas”可知，答案为A。
6. A) A poisonous snake attacked him on his field trip.
B) He discovered a rare fog on a deserted island.
C) A snake crawled onto his head in his sleep.
D) He fell from a tall palm tree by accident.
【答案】C
【解析】由“One of the creatures made a dramatic appearance by moving on to the head of the team leader as he slept.”可知，答案为C。
7. A) From its genes. B) From its length.
C) From its origin. D) From its colour.
【答案】D
【解析】由“because it is metallic colored and the first specimen found was climbing a silver palm”可知，答案为D。
听力原文：
A new species of snake has been discovered on a remote island in the Bahamas. Scientists identified 20 of the one meter-long snakes during two trips to the Caribbean islands. The second trip was made in October last year. One of the creatures made a dramatic appearance by moving on to the head of the team leader as he slept. The snake has been named silver Boa because it is metallic colored and the first specimen found was climbing a silver palm
tree. The team was led by Dr. Graham Reynolds, from Harvard University, the scientist confirmed the snake was a previously unknown species after conducting a genetic analysis of tissue samples.
Commenting on the find, snake expert Robert Henderson from the Museum of Natural History, said: “Worldwide new species of frogs are being discovered and described quite regularly. New species of snakes, however, are much rarer.
Section B
Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.
Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
8. A) The security check takes time.
B) He has to check a lot of luggage.
C) His flight is leaving in less than 2 hours.
D) The airport is a long way from the hotel.
【答案】C
【解析】由“My flight leaves in less than 2 hours. So, could you tell me, what's the quickest way to get there”可知，答案为C。
9. A) In cash.
B) By credit card.
C) With a traveler’s check.
D) With his smart phone.
【答案】B
【解析】由“I'll pay with my credit card”可知，答案为B。
10. A) Give him a receipt.
B) Confirm his flight.
C) Look after his luggage.
D) Find a porter for him.
【答案】A
【解析】由“But I'll need a receipt, so I can charge it to my company”可知，答案为A。
11. A) Signing up for membership of S Hotel.
B) Staying in the same hotel next time he comes.
C) Loading her luggage onto the airport shuttle.
D) Posting a comment on the hotel’s webpage.
【答案】D
【解析】由“Would you like to leave a comment on our web page when you have time”可知，答案为D。
听力原文：
W: Did you enjoy your stay with us, Mr. Brown?
M: Yes, very much. I had a wonderful time here. Now I'm going to the airport. My flight leaves in less than 2 hours. So, could you tell me, what's the quickest way to get there?
W: Well, we can call a taxi for you. We also have a free airport shuttle service.
M: That sounds great, but will the shuttle get me to the airport in time?
W: Yes, it should. The next shuttle leaves in 15 minutes.
And it takes some 25 minutes to get to the airport.
M: Fantastic! I'll just wait in the lobby. Will you please let me know when it's leaving?
W: Of course, sir.
M: Now I would like to settle my mini-bar bill. How much is that?
W: Let's see. It comes to $37.50. How would you like to pay for it?
M: I'll pay with my credit card. Thanks. But I'll need a receipt, so I can charge it to my company.
W: Absolutely! Here you are, sir. If you like, I can leave your bags with the porter. And he can load them onto the shuttle for you when it arrives.
M: That would be great. Thank you.
W: Would you like to leave a comment on our web page when you have time?
M: Sure. I had a really good stay here, and I'd like to recommend your hotel to my friends and colleagues.
W: That’s very kind of you. Thank you again for staying at Sheraton Hotel.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
12.A) He is the only boy in his family.
B) He becomes tearful in wind.
C) He has stopped making terrible faces.
D) He is his teacher’s favorite student.
【答案】C
【解析】由“You know, Ben’s given up making those terrible faces he used to make.”可知，答案为C。
13. A) Tell him to play in her backyard.
B) Do something funny to amuse him.
C) Give him some cherry stones to play with.
D) Warn him of danger by making up a story.
【答案】D
【解析】由“I remember my aunt Mary used to say if you swallow a cherrystone, a tree would grow out of your mouth. And I’m still terrified today, sort of subconsciously.”可知，答案为D。
14. A) They could break pp’s legs.
B) They could sometimes terrify adults.
C) They could fly against a strong wind.
D) They could knock pp unconscious.
【答案】A
【解析】由“The one that used to get me was that swans could break your leg when they blow of the wing. ”可知，答案为A。
15. A) One would get a spot on their tongues if they told a lie deliberately.
B) One would have to shave their head to remove a bat in their hair.
C) One would go to prison if they put a stamp on upside down.
D) One would have curly hair if they ate too much stale bread.
【答案】B
【解析】由“She said her grandmother reckoned you had to shave your head to get it out. My wife was really terrified.”可知，答案为B。
听力原文：
M: You know, Ben’s given up making those terrible faces he used to make. The other day, he came home from school almost in tears. His teacher said if he went on like that, his face would get stuck when the winds changed.
W: And he believed her?
M: Yeah, he’s only a little boy. Don’t you remember all those things we used to believe when we were little? I remember my aunt Mary used to say if you swallow a cherrystone, a tree would grow out of your mouth. And I’m still terrified today, sort of subconsciously. You know,
if I swallow one by mistake…
W: Yeah, I suppose you're right. The one that used to get me was that swans could break your leg when they blow of the wing.
M: They can, can’t they? I always thought they could.
W: No, they are not that strong. But there’s another one even more terrifying. That is, if you put a post stamp on upside down, you will go to prison.
M: No, never heard of that. But my grandmother was a terror for that kind of thing. For example, she would say,
you will get a spot on your tongue if you tell a lie. If you eat stale bread, your hair will curl. And here’s one more. We went on a campaign trip once in Italy, and my wife spent the whole time worrying about bats getting into her hair. She said her grandmother reckoned you had to shave your head to get it out. My wife was really terrified.
W: Silly, isn’t it? But that’s how some parents try to keep their kids from doing the wrong thing or getting into trouble.
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) 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 passage you have just heard.
16. A) Everything seemed to be changing.
B) Meeting people.
C) People were excited to go traveling overseas.
D) Trying new foods.
【答案】A
【解析】由“I was in my twenties, and everything was being renewed”可知，答案为A。
17. A) Watching TV at home.
B) He was able to make a lot of money.
C) Drinking coffee.
D) He was a man full of imagination.
【答案】B
【解析】由“Meeting people was the thing”可知。答案为B。
18. A) He was interested in stylish dresses.
C) He was a young student in the 1960s.
B) People were formal and disciplined.
D) Things from the Victorian era came back alive.
【答案】C
【解析】由“of course, I was a student – or sitting around at home very much”可知，答案为C。
听力原文：
If I could go back in history and live when I liked, I wouldn't go back very far. In fact, I'd like to relive a period I've already lived – the 1960s.
I was in my twenties, and everything was being renewed. l and almost Victorian attitude, and you really felt anything was possible. Meeting people was the thing, and you went to coffee bars where you met friends and spent the evening. The cinema, the theater, all that was every exciting with new things coming out. In fact, we seemed to be out, all
the time! I don't really remember working – of course, I was a student – or sitting around at home very much. That just wasn't where the scene was, even eating! It was the first time, ordinary people started going out to eat. We were beginning to be adventurous about food, but we were more interested in meeting people than in eating or drinking. And dress, yes, that was the revolution. I mean, girls went around in really short skirts, and wore flowers in their hair. And men were in jeans, and could wear their hair long too. It was a wonderful
period. It was like living in an age you could never have imagined, and that never has come back. We didn't have much money, but it didn't matter. And there was plenty of opportunity to do whatever you felt like doing.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.
19. A) They avoid looking at them.
B) It turns away to avoid conflict.
C) They show anger on their faces.
D) It focuses its eyes on their mouths.
【答案】A
【解析】由“they look away. New research shows that dogs limit their eye contact with angry humans. 可知，答案为A。
20. A) It turns to its owner for help.
B) They run away immediately.
C) It looks away and gets angry too.
D) They make threatening sounds.
【答案】D
【解析】由“When dogs looked at expressions of angry dogs, their eyes rested more on the mouth, perhaps to interpret the threatening expressions.”可知，答案为D。
21. A) By observing their facial features carefully.
B) By focusing on a particular body movement.
C) By taking in their facial expressions as a whole.
D) By interpreting different emotions in different ways.
【答案】C
【解析】由“The researchers also note that dogs scan faces as a whole to sense how people are feeling, instead of focusing on a given feature. They suggest this indicates that dogs aren't sensing emotions from a single feature, but piecing together information from all facial features just as humans do. 可知，答案为C。
听力原文：
Dogs, man's best friends, have a clear strategy for dealing with angry owners—they look away.
New research shows that dogs limit their eye contact with angry humans. The scientists suggest this may be an attempt to calm humans down. This behavior may have evolved as dogs gradually learned they could benefit from avoiding conflicts with humans.
To conduct the tests, the University of Helsinki researchers trained 31 dogs to rest in front of a video screen. Facial photos of dogs and humans were
displayed on the screen for 1.5 seconds. They showed threatening, pleasant and neutral expressions. Nearby cameras tracked the dogs' eye movements.
Dogs in the study looked most at the eyes of humans and other dogs to sense their emotions. When dogs looked at expressions of angry dogs, their eyes rested more on the mouth, perhaps to interpret the threatening expressions. And when looking at angry humans, they tended to turn away their gaze.
Dogs may have learned to detect threat signs from
humans and respond by trying to make peace, according to researcher Sanni Somppi. Avoiding conflicts may have helped dogs develop better bonds with humans.
The researchers also note that dogs scan faces as a whole to sense how people are feeling, instead of focusing on a given feature. They suggest this indicates that dogs aren't sensing emotions from a single feature, but piecing together information from all facial features just as humans do.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
22. A) They have to look for food and shelter underground.
B) They take little notice of the changes in temperature.
C) They resort to different means to survive the bitter cold.
D) They have difficulty adapting to the changed environment.
【答案】C
【解析】由“There are three main ways that animals survive the cold in winter: sleep, adapt or migrate. 可知，答案为C。
23. A) They have their weight reduced to the minimum.
B) They consume energy stored before the long sleep.
C) They can maintain their heart beat at the normal rate.
D) They can keep their body temperature warm and stable.
【答案】B
【解析】由“To prepare for this before winter, these animals eat extra food to become fat, which gives them the energy they need while they sleep”可知，答案为B。
24. A) By staying in hiding places and eating very little.
B) By seeking food and shelter in people’s houses.
C) By growing thicker hair to stay warm.
D) By storing enough food beforehand.
【答案】D
【解析】由“So some animals, such as mice, collect extra food before winter, and hide it.”可知，答案为D。
25. A) To stay safe. B) To save energy.
C) To keep company. D) To protect the young.
【答案】A
【解析】由“Some birds fly in groups for safety”可知，答案为A。
听力原文：
Winter in many places is very cold. There is lots of snow around, and the ground freezes, which can make life difficult for animals. People in cold places live in warm houses and have learned to adapt. What do animals do? There are three main ways that animals survive the cold in winter: sleep, adapt or migrate.
Some animals, such as bears, frogs and snakes, sleep all winter. They sleep very deeply and need little or no food. While sleeping, their body temperature drops, and their heart beat slows down. To prepare for this before
winter, these animals eat extra food to become fat, which gives them the energy they need while they sleep.
Other animals adapt. For example, by staying active in winter. It is often hard for them to find food. So some animals, such as mice, collect extra food before winter, and hide it. When winter comes, they return to their hiding places to eat the food. Some animals grow thicker fur, or live in tree holes or underground to stay warm. Some birds migrate by flying to a warmer place for the winter, where they can find more food.
Some fly very long distances, including one kind of bird that flies from the remote north of the world, all the way to the distant south. Some birds fly in groups for safety, while others fly alone.
Part III Reading Comprehension
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.
As if you needed another reason to hate the gym, it now turns out that exercise can exhaust not only your muscles, but also your eyes. Fear not, however, for coffee can stimulate them again. During 26 exercise, our muscles tire as they run out of fuel and build up waste products. Muscle performance can also be affected by a __27__ called “central fatigue”,in which an imbalance in the body’s chemical messengers prevents the central nervous system from directing muscle movements __28__ . It was not known, however, whether central fatigue might also affect motor systems not directly __29__ in the exercise itself, such as those that move the eyes. To find out, researchers gave 11 volunteer cyclists a carbohydrate (碳水化合物) __30__ either with a moderate dose of caffeine (咖徘因),which is known to stimulate the central nervous system, or as a placebo (安慰剂)without, during 3 hours of __31 __ . After exercising, the scientists tested the cyclists with eye-tracking cameras to see how well their brains could still __32__ their visual system. The team found that exercise reduced the speed of rapid eye movements by about 8%, __33__ their ability to capture new visual information. The caffeine, the equivalent of two strong cups of coffee, was __34__ to reverse this effect, with some cyclists even displaying __35__ eye movement speeds. So it might be a good idea to get someone else to drive you home after that marathon.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
A) cautiously B) commit C) control D) cycling E) effectively
F) increased G) involved H) limited I) phenomenon
J) preventing K) sensitive L) slowing M) solution
N) sufficient O) vigorous
26.【答案】O
【解析】“vigorous exercise”意思为“精力充沛的练习”。
27.【答案】I
【解析】“a phenomenon called”意思为“一种现象被称为”。
28.【答案】E
【解析】出现了“问题”，就不可能那么“有效”。
29.【答案】G
【解析】“involve in”意思为“参与”。
30.【答案】M
【解析】“carbohydrate solution”意思为“碳水化合物溶液”。
31.【答案】D
【解析】由“cyclists”可知，可得出答案。
32.【答案】C
【解析】could后面需要加动词原型。
33.【答案】J
【解析】“preventing”现在分词作伴随状语。阻止了能力。
34.【答案】N
【解析】sufficient to意思为“足够于”。
35. 【答案】F
【解析】“increased eye movement speeds”意思为“增加眼球转速”。
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 question by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
[A] At some point, almost all of us will experience a period of radical professional change. Some of us will seek it out: for others it will feel like an unwelcome intrusion into otherwise stable careers. Either way, we have choices about how we respond to it when it comes.
[B] We recently caught up with yoga entrepreneur Leah Zaccaria, who put herself through the fire of change to completely reinvent herself. In her search to live a life of purpose, Leah left her high-paying accounting job, her husband, and her home. In the process, she built a radically new life and career. Since then, she has founded two yoga studios, met a new life partner, and formed a new community of people. Even if your personal reinvention is less drastic, we think there are lessons from her experience that apply.
[C] Where do the seeds of change come from? The Native American Indians have a saying: “Pay attention to the whispers so you won’t have to hear the screams.” Often the best ideas for big changes come from unexpected places — it’s just a matter of tuning in. Great leaders recognize the weak signals or slight signs that point to big changes to come. Leah reflects on a time she listened to the whispers: “About the time my daughter was five years old. I started having a sense that ‘this isn’t right’.” She then realized that her life no longer matched her vision for it.
[D] Up until that point, Leah had followed traditional measures of success. After graduating with a degree in business and accounting, she joined a public accounting firm, married, bought a house, put lots of stuff in it, and had a baby. “I did what everybody else thought looked successful, she says. Leah easily could have fallen into a trap of feeling content, instead, her energy sparked a period of experimentation and renewal.
[E] Feeling the need to change, Leah started playing with future possibilities by exploring her interests and developing new capabilities. First trying physical exercise and dieting. She lost some weight and discovered an inner strength. “ I felt powerful because I broke through my own limitations” , she recalls.
[F] However, it was another interest that led Leah to radically reinvent herself. “ I remember sitting on a bench with my aunt at a yoga studio, ” she said, “ and having a moment of clarity right then and there. Yoga is saving my life. Yoga is waking me up. I,m not happy and I want to change and I,m done with this.” In that moment of clarity Leah made an important leap, conquering her inner resistance to change and making a firm commitment to take bigger steps.
[G] Creating the future you want is a lot easier if you are ready to exploit the opportunities that come your way. When Leah made the commitment to change, she primed herself to new opportunities she may otherwise have overlooked. She recalls:
[H] One day a man I worked with, Ryan, who had his office next to mine, said, “Leah, let’s go look at this space on Queen Anne.” He knew my love for yoga and had seen a space close to where he lived that he thought might be good to serve as a yoga studio. As soon as I saw the location, I knew this was it. Of course I was scared, yet I had this strong sense of “I have to do this.” Only a few months later Leah opened her first yoga studio, but success was not instant.
[I] Creating the future takes time. That’s why leaders continue to manage the present while building toward the big nonlinear changes of the future. When it’s time to make the leap, they take action and decisively drop what’s no longer serving their purpose. Initially Leah stayed with her accounting job while starting up the yoga studio to make it all work. “I was working 60 hours a week and running a studio, so I wasn’t getting very much sleep, but it was good for me,” she says. Soon after, she knew she had to make a bold move to fully commit to her new future. Within two years, Leah shed the safety of her accounting job and made the switch complete. Such drastic change is not easy.
[J] “Be yourself”, Leah says. “Quit being the person people think you’re supposed to be. Find a way to dig deep into your courageous self to be who you are. Whatever that means as far as exploring your emotions, your identity, your profession, find one version of you that you are always and everywhere.” It was this sense of purpose that would carry Leah through the storms of change.
[K] Steering through change and facing obstacles brings us face to face with our fears. Leah reflects on one incident that triggered her fears, when her investors threatened to shut her down: “I was probably up against the most fear I’ve ever had,” she says. “I had spent two years cultivating this community, and it had become successful very fast, but within six months I was facing the prospect of losing it all.”
[L] She connected with her sense of purpose and dug deep, cultivating a tremendous sense of strength. “I was feeling so intentional and strong that I wasn’t going to let fear just take over. I was thinking, ‘OK, guys, if you want to try to shut me down, shut me down.’ And I knew it was a negotiation scheme, so I was able to say to myself, ‘This is not real.’” By naming her fears.
36. Readiness to take advantage of new opportunities will make it easier to create one’s desired future.
【答案】G
【解析】根据题干中的关键词take advantage of new opportunities 和 create one’s desired future 可定位至G段。
37. By conventional standards, Leah was a typical successful woman before she changed her career.
【答案】D
【解析】根据题干中的关键词conventional standards 和 a typical successful woman 可定位至D段。
38. Leah gained confidence by laying out her fears and confronting them directly.
【答案】L
【解析】根据题干中的关键词laying out her fears和confronting them directly可定位至L段。
39. In search of a meaningful life, Leah gave up what she had and set up her own yoga studios.
【答案】B
【解析】根据题干中的关键词gave up what she had和set up her own yoga studios可定位至B段。
40. Leah’s interest in yoga promoted her to make a firm decision to reshape her life.
【答案】F
【解析】根据题干中的关键词interest、make a firm decision和 reshape her life可定位至F段。
41. Small signs may indicate great changes to come and therefore merit attention.
【答案】C
【解析】根据题干中的关键词Small signs和indicate great changes可定位至C段。
42. Leah’s first yoga studio was by no means an immediate success.
【答案】H
【解析】根据题干中的关键词first yoga studio 和 by no means an immediate success 可定位至 H 段。
43. Some people regard professional change as an unpleasant experience that disturbs their career.
【答案】A
【解析】根据题干中的关键词professional change和an unpleasant experience可定位至A段。
44. The worst fear that Leah ever had was the prospect of losing her yoga business.
【答案】K
【解析】根据题干中的关键词worst fear和losing her yoga business可定位至K段。
45. As she explored new interests and developed new potentials, Leah felt powerful internally.
【答案】E
【解析】根据题干中的关键词explored new interests and developed new potentials和powerful internally 可定位至E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.
Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money, research has shown.
Penny-pinching UK consumers choose cheaper products from discounters such as Aldi and Lidl rather than luxury alternatives.
This has wiped 6% off the value of the soft tissue paper market in the UK. It has shrunk from £1.19 billion in 2011 to £1.12 billion in 2015, according to a new report from market research company Mintel. Furthermore, the future of the market looks far from rosy, with sales expected to fall further to £1.11 billion in 2016.
In the last year alone, despite an increase in the UK population and a subsequent rise in the number of households, sales of toilet paper fell by 2%, with the average household reducing their toilet roll spending from £43 in 2014 to £41 in 2015.
Overall, almost three in five people say they try to limit their usage of paper including facial tissue and kitchen roll—to save money. “Strength, softness and thickness remain the leading indicators of toilet paper quality, with just a small proportion of consumers preferring more luxurious alternatives, such as those with flower patterns or perfume, said Mintel analyst Jack Duckett. “These extra features are deemed unnecessary by the majority of shoppers, which probably reflects how these types of products are typically more expensive than regular toilet paper, even when on special offer.”
While consumers are spending less on toilet paper, they remain fussy in theory at least when it comes to paper quality. Top of Britons,toilet paper wish list is softness (57%) followed by strength (45%) and thickness (36%).
One in 10 buyers rank toilet rolls made from recycled paper among their top considerations, highlighting how overall the environment is much less of a consideration for shoppers than product quality. In a challenge for manufacturers, 81% of paper product users said they would consider buying recycled toilet tissue if it were comparable in quality to standard paper.
46. The market sales of toilet paper have decreased because_____.
A) Britons have cut their spending on it
B) its prices have gone up over the years
C)its quality has seen marked improvement
D)Britons have developed the habit of saving
【答案】A
【解析】由“Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money, research has shown.”可知，答案为A。
47. What does the author think of the future of the tissue paper market in the UK?
A)It will expand in time.
B) It will remain gloomy.
C)It will experience ups and downs.
D) It will recover as population grows.
【答案】B
【解析】由“Furthermore, the future of the market looks far from rosy, with sales expected to fall further to £1.11 billion in 2016.”可知，答案为B。
48. What does Jack Duckett say about toilet paper?
A)Special offers would promote its sales.
B)Consumers are loyal to certain brands.
C)Luxurious features add much to the price.
D)Consumers have a variety to choose from.
【答案】C
【解析】由“with just a small proportion of consumers preferring more luxurious alternatives, such as those with flower patterns or perfume, said Mintel analyst Jack Duckett”可知，答案为C。
49. What do we learn about Britons concerning toilet paper?
A)They are particular about the quality of toilet paper.
B)They emphasize the strength of toilet paper the most.
C)They prefer cheap toilet paper to recycled toilet paper.
D)They reject using toilet paper with unnecessary features.
【答案】A
【解析】由“While consumers are spending less on toilet paper, they remain fussy in theory at least when it comes to paper quality.”可知，答案为A。
50. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A)More and more Britons buy recycled toilet paper to protect the environment.
B)Toilet paper manufacturers are facing a great challenge in promoting its sales.
C)Toilet paper manufacturers compete with one another to improve product quality.
D)Environmental protection is not much of a concern when Britons buy toilet paper.
【答案】D
【解析】由“One in 10 buyers rank toilet rolls made from recycled paper among their top considerations, highlighting how overall the environment is much less of a consideration for shoppers than product quality. 可知，答案为D。
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
“One of the reasons I find this topic very interesting is because my mom was a smoker when I was younger,” says Lindson-Hawley, who studies tobacco and health at the University of Oxford.
By studying about 700 adult smokers, she found out that her mom quit the right way—by stopping abruptly and completely.
In her study, participants were randomly (随机地)assigned to two groups. One had to quit abruptly on a given day, going from about a pack a day to zero. The other cut down gradually over the course of two weeks. People in both groups used nicotine(尼古丁)patches before they quit, in addition to a second form of nicotine replacement, like gum or spray. They also had talk therapy with a nurse before and after quit day.
Six months out, more people who had quit abruptly had stuck with it—more than one-fifth of them, compared to about one-seventh in the other group. Although these numbers appear low, it is much higher than if people try without support.
And the quit rates were particularly convincing given that before the study started, most of the people had said they’d rather cut down gradually before quitting. “If you’re training for a marathon, you wouldn’t expect to turn up and just be able to run it. And I think people see that for smoking as well. They think, ‘ Well, if I gradually reduce, it’s like practice,’” says Lindson-Hawley. But that wasn’t the case. Instead of giving people practice, the gradual reduction likely gave them cravings (痛)and withdrawal symptoms before they even reached quit day, which could be why fewer people in that group actually made it to that point. “Regardless of your stated preference, if you’re ready to quit, quitting abruptly is more effective,” says Dr. Gabriela Ferreira. “When you can quote a specific number like a fifth of the patients were able to quit, that’s compelling. It gives them the encouragement, I think, to really go for it,” Ferreira says.
People rarely manage to quit the first time they try. But at least, she says, they can maximize the odds of success.
51. What does Lindson-Hawley say about her mother?
A)She quit smoking with her daughter’s help.
B)She succeeded in quitting smoking abruptly.
C)She was also a researcher of tobacco and health.
D)She studied the smoking patterns of adult smokers.
【答案】B
【解析】由“By studying about 700 adult smokers, she found out that her mom quit the right way—by stopping abruptly and completely. 可知，答案为B。
52. What kind of support did smokers receive to quit smoking in Lindson-Hawley’s study?
A)They were given physical training.
B)They were looked after by physicians.
C)They were encouraged by psychologists.
D)They were offered nicotine replacements.
【答案】D
【解析】由“People in both groups used nicotine patches before they quit, in addition to a second form of nicotine replacement, like gum or spray.”可知。答案为D。
53. How does Dr. Gabriela Ferreira view the result of Lindson-Hawley’s experiment?
A)It is idealized. B) It is unexpected.
C) It is encouraging. D) It is misleading.
【答案】C
【解析】由“When you can quote a specific number like a fifth of the patients were able to quit, that’s compelling. It gives them the encouragement, I think, to really go for it, Ferreira says.
”可知，答案为C。
54. The idea of “a marathon” (Line 2, Para.5) illustrates the popular belief that quitting smoking _____.
A)is something few can accomplish
B) needs some practice first
C)requires a lot of patience
D) is a challenge at the beginning
【答案】C
【解析】由“If you’re training for a marathon, you wouldn’t expect to turn up and just be able to run it. And I think people see that for smoking as well”可知，答案为C。
55. What happens when people try to quit smoking gradually?
A) They find it even more difficult.
B) They are simply unable to make it.
C) They show fewer withdrawal symptoms.
D) They feel much less pain in the process.
【答案】A
【解析】由“Regardless of your stated preference, if you’re ready to quit, quitting abruptly is more effective”可知，答案为A。
Part IV Translation
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.
长江是亚洲最长、世界上第三长的河流。长江流经多种不同的生态系统，是诸多濒危物种的栖息地，灌溉了中国五分之一的土地。长江流域居住着中国三分之一的人口。长江在中国历史、文化和经济上起着很大的作用。长江三角洲产出多达20%的中国国民生产总值。几千年来,长江一直被用于供水、运输和工业生产。长江上还坐落着世界最大的水电站。
【参考译文】
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world. It flows through a
wide array of ecosystems and is habitat to several endemic and endangered species. The Yangtze River irrigates one-fifth of the land area of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Yangtze river basin is home to one-third of the country's population. The Yangtze plays a large role in the
history, culture and economy of China. The Yangtze River Delta generates as much as 20% of the PRC’s GNP. For thousands of years, the Yangtze River has been used for water supply, transportation and industrial production. The largest hydro-electric power station in the world is also located in the River.
【解析】“流经”翻译为“flow through”；“栖息地”翻译为“habitat”；“生态系统”翻译为“ecosystem”；“灌溉”翻译为“irrigate”；“水电站”翻译为“hydro-electric power station”。返回搜狐，查看