大学英语四级听力教程SectionA讲解与分析

Section A

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 questions will be spoken only once. After you hear questions, 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.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。

【听力原文】

Automakers and tech companies are working hard to offer the first true self-driving car, 【1】but 75% of drivers say they wouldn’t feel safe in such a vehicle. Still. 60% of drivers would like to get some kind of self-driving feature, such as automatic braking or self-parking, the next time they buy a new car. The attitudes are published in a new AAA (Triple A) survey of 1,800 drivers.

Advocates of self-driving cars argue they would be safer than cars driven by humans because they wouldn’t get distracted or drive when tired. But those surveyed by AAA say they trust their own driving skills. Many feel the technology is too new and unproven.

John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of automotive engineering and repair, 【2】said tests suggest drivers may be overestimating their own abilities. He also believes they will be more likely to trust self-driving cars as they become more familiar with features such as automatic braking or parking. He estimated that the “comfort level” will increase considerably in five to ten years.

【杀掉拦路虎】

1. Automaker [ˈɔ:təʊmeɪkə(r)]

n.美 汽车制造商

2. Triple [ˈtrɪpl]

adj.三倍的，三方的，三部分的

vt.& vi.（使）增至三倍

n.三倍的数[量]；三个一组；[棒]三垒安打

3. Advocate [ˈædvəkeit]

vt. 提倡;拥护;鼓吹;为…辩护;

n. （辩护）律师;提倡者;支持者

4. automotive engineering [ˌɔ:təˈməutiv ˌendʒiˈniəriŋ]

汽车工程，汽车技术

5. overestimate [ˌəʊvəˈestəˌmeɪt]

vt. 对（数量）估计过高，对…作过高的评价;，对…估计过高;

n. 过高的估计;过分的评价;

vi. 估计过高;评价过高

6. estimated ['estɪmetɪd]

adj.估计的；预计的；估算的

v.估计，评价，评估( estimate的过去式和过去分词 )；（粗略）估计（…的距离、价值、数目、大小、重量、费用等），估量，预算

7. considerably [kənˈsɪdərəbli]

adv.相当，非常，颇

Questions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

What is the finding of the AAA survey?

1. A) The majority of drivers prefer to drive and park themselves.

   B) Human drivers become easily distracted or tired while driving.

   C) Most drivers feel uncertain about the safety of self-driving cars.

   D) Most drivers have test driven cars with automatic braking features.

【答案】C
【解析】本题为细节题， 由【1】but 75% of drivers say they wouldn’t feel safe in such a vehicle. Still. 60% of drivers would like to get some kind of self-driving feature, such as automatic braking or self-parking, the next time they buy a new car. 可知：75%的司机感觉在这种自动驾驶车里面安全，也就是说大多数司机对自动驾驶车的安全性持怀疑态度，因此正确答案为C选项。

What does John Nielsen say about self-driving cars?

2. A) Their drivers would feel safe after getting used to the automatic devices.

   B) They would be unpopular with drivers who only trust their own skills.

   C) Their increased comfort levels have boosted their sales.

   D) They are not actually as safe as automakers advertise.

【答案】A
【解析】本题为细节题， 由【2】said tests suggest drivers may be overestimating their own abilities. He also believes they will be more likely to trust self-driving cars as they become more familiar with features such as automatic braking or parking. He estimated that the “comfort level” will increase considerably in five to ten years.可知：John Nielsen 说，司机们可能过高的高估了他们自己的驾驶能力，他也相信当司机熟悉了自动驾驶车的功能，像自动刹车或自动停车等，他们就会更加相信自动驾驶车，因此正确答案为A选项。

Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

【听力原文】

【3】One dog has been killed and multiple dogs have been injured by a snowmobile driver in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors in the Iditarod Race in Alaska.

Aliy Zirkle was the first to report an attack. A snowmobile driver had repeatedly attempted to harm her and her team, and one of Zirkle’s dogs had received a non-life-threatening injury. Zirkle reported the attack when she arrived in Nulato, Alaska, in the early hours of the morning. 【4】Then Jeff King，a four-time champion， reported a similar attack. His team was hit by a snowmobile driver，injuring several dogs and killing a 3-year- old male dog. Reporter Zachariah Hughes says that neither King nor Zirkle was injured. Although this incident very much alters the race of the two participants competing for a win, both are going to continue on their way toward the finishing line.

Alaska State Troopers released a statement saying they’ve arrested Arnold Demoski. He faces a trial on several charges.

What is the news report mainly about?

3. A) Thefts of snowmobile dogs in Alaska.

   B) A series of injuries to snowmobile drivers.

   C) Attacks on some Iditarod Race competitors.

   D) A serious accident in the Alaska sports event.

【答案】C
【解析】本题为主旨题， 由【3】One dog has been killed and multiple dogs have been injured by a snowmobile driver in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors in the Iditarod Race in Alaska.可知：在阿拉斯加雪橇比赛中，一只狗被杀，多条狗受伤是因为竞争对手恶意攻击所致,也就是说在这场比赛中竞争对手的蓄意攻击。因此正确答案为C选项。

What do we learn about Jeff King?

4. A) He stayed behind to look after his injured dogs.

   B) He has won the Alaska Iditarod Race four times.

   C) He received a minor injury in the Iditarod Race.

   D) He has quit the competition in Alaska for good.

【答案】B
【解析】本题为细节题， 由【4】Then Jeff King，a four-time champion， reported a similar attack. 可知：他在Alaska Iditarod Race 中赢得了四次比赛。因此正确答案为B选项。

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

【听力原文】

【5】A tour boat turned over off the coast of Nicaragua，killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing，officials said.

【6】The boat was carrying 32 people — 25 Costa Ricans, four Americans and three Nicaraguans. The 13 dead were all Costa Rican, the foreign ministry said. The boat, traveling between Nicaragua’s Big Com Island and Little Com Island, turned over Saturday near the larger island. Some passengers remain missing, the Costa Rican foreign ministry said, but did not specify how many. A local radio said an unspecified number of people were rescued, including the tour boat’s owner, Hilario Blandon. 【5】Nicaraguan naval authorities had banned sea travel in the area because of bad weather and strong winds，but the tour boat proceeded anyway.

【7】Blandon, the boat’s owner, has been arrested by Nicaraguan authorities, the state-run news agency said. Both he and a crew member，are being investigated for unintentional murder and exposing people to danger，according to police.

【杀掉拦路虎】

1. specify [ˈspesifai]

vt. 指定;详述;提出…的条件;使具有特性;

vi. 明确提出，详细说明

2. news agency [nju:z ˈeidʒənsi]

n.通讯社；新闻机构

3. investigate [inˈvestiɡeit]

vt. 调查;审查;研究;

vi. 作调查

4. unintentional [ˌʌnɪnˈtenʃənl]

adj.不是故意的；无意的，无心的；无意识的