2009年12月英语四级考试预测试题及答案(2)

　　Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in you own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written。

　　Americans are proud of the (36)_________achievements made in this country. Medical scientists have found cures and (37)___________for such diseases as polio and tuberculosis. They have learned a great deal about (38)____________and heart disease. Many lives have been saved. American hospitals are the most modern and best (39)___________medical facilities in the world. But this degree of excellence has been expensive。

　　Medical costs in the United States are very high. There is a (40)___________health plan for Americans. But there are many programs (41)_________for this purpose. Many people have health plans at the companies where they work. Under these plans, the company pays a fixed (42)___________of money regularly into a fund. Then when the (43)_________________needs medical help, he can use money from the fund to pay for it。

　　Other people have health insurance. (44)______________________________. In some medical plans, the insurance company is also the medical institution. (45)__________________________________.Then when they need medical treatment, they go to the hospital without paying more money。

　　(46)____________________________________. These programs make medical care available to those without their own health insurance。

　　Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension(Reading in Depth) (25 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 47 to 56 are based on the following passage。

　　There’s no question that the Earth is getting hotter. The real questions are: How much of the warming is our fault, and are we 47 to slow the devastation by controlling our insatiable 48 for fossil fuels?

　　Global warming can seem too 49 to worry about, or too uncertain-something projected by the same computer 50 that often can’t get next week’s weather right. On a raw winter day you might think that a few degrees of warming wouldn’t be such a bad thing anyway. And no doubt about it: Warnings about 51 change can sound like an environmentalist scare tactic, meant to force us out of our cars and restrict our lifestyles。

　　Comforting thoughts, perhaps. Unfortunately, however, the Earth has some discomforting news. From Alaska to the snowy peaks of the Andes the world is heating up right now, and fast. Globally, the 52 is up 1°F over the past century, but some of the coldest, most remote spots have warmed much more. The results aren’t pretty. Ice is 53 , rivers are running dry, and coasts are 54 , threatening communities。

　　The 55 are happening largely out of sight. But they shouldn’t be out of mind, because they are omens of what’s in store for the 56 of the planet。

　　[A]remote[B]techniques[C]consisting[D]rest[E]willing

　　[F]climate[G]skill[H]appetite[I]melting[J]vanishing

　　[K]eroding[L]temperature[M]curiosity[N]changes[O]skillful