2024年12月大学英语四级真题（第2套）及答案解析

U.S. families are looking to the winter with fear as energy costs soar. A number of factors are creating a bad situation: Global energy consumption is up, but supplies have been reduced. The Energy Department projects heating bills will jump 28% this winter for those who rely on natural gas. Natural gas is used by nearly half of U.S. households for heat. Heating oil is projected to be 27% higher and electricity 10% higher. That comes against inflation rates that accelerated last month with consumer prices growing 6.6%. That's the fastest pace in four decades. The pain will be especially acute in parts of the country that heavily rely on heating oil to keep homes warm. It's projected to cost more than $2,300 to heat a typical home with heating oil this winter. Last month, the federal government added $1 billion in funding to Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, bringing the total to $4.8 billion. But that represents a reduction from last year's energy assistance package of over $8 billion. projects heating bills will jump 28% this winter for those who rely on natural gas.

Many Americans think they make healthy food choices, but they may be viewing their diet too optimistically. That's the main finding of a new study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Stoneville, Mississippi. The study aimed to identify disconnects between how healthily Americans think they eat and how they actually do. For the study, the researchers asked participants to rate their diet as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. Folks also completed 24-hour food questionnaires. Then, the researchers compared answers to see how well responses to the two exercises matched up. Of more than 9,700 people, roughly 85 percent were off base when asked to rate the quality of their diet, and almost all overestimated how healthy it was. Those who rated their diet as poor tended to be far more accurate. Their rating matched that of the researchers more than nine times out of ten. too optimistically.

It was a heartwarming moment that dozens of Indian rescuers rallied together to use a crane in order to save an elephant trapped at the bottom of a 20-foot well. The massive rescue effort took place last week close to an army camp. The elephant wandered out of the jungle and fell into the well. The army officers heard a noise coming from the well and realized an elephant was trapped deep inside. The officers then threw in some food for the creature and called the local forest department for help. Video of the rescue operation shows how the team used a crane to lift up the huge animal out of the well and onto the back of a truck. It was then taken to an examining room for evaluation of any injuries. The elephant was kept under close supervision for a few days before it was successfully released back into the wild. in order to save an elephant trapped at the bottom of a 20-foot well.

M: I need to stop at the bank to withdraw some cash. W: Why not just pay with your phone? M: Well, actually, I've stopped using online payments for the past three months now. W: Stopped paying online? Oh, you must be worried that online payments aren't secure. M: No, they are safe. But paying online is too convenient and I spent too much money on things I didn't need. W: Oh, impulse purchases can be an issue for me, too. I've definitely bought clothes and shoes I didn't need because they were on sale, and paying with my phone was so easy. But I've found that if I review my spending every night, that keeps me from spending too much. M: I tried that strategy, but it just didn't work, because I'd be busy studying all day. Then, when I was tired and hungry, I'd use my phone to order food, like burgers and other junk, instead of going to the canteen, where I could get a healthier meal for half the price. W: Well, what do you do now then? It seems like you'd have the same problems with cash. M: I go to the bank once a week, and the rest of the time I keep my bank card at home, so I can't get more cash out. And I also have a notebook where I record my expenses. W: But what prevents you from just going to the bank and getting more money, if you want to buy something? M: The first month I did withdraw extra cash twice, but I felt guilty about it. And after that I refused to spend more than what I had budgeted, and by now it's just a habit. didn't need.

M: Please hear me out. I don't want our son to spend his afternoons doing something he hates, even if it might prepare him for the future. What about getting him to join a sport, like soccer? From all the running and training, he could become quite athletic. Not to mention the great physical benefits from exercising outside every day. W: Um, I don't think he should be doing something so challenging with all his breathing issues. What about playing an indoor sport, like badminton? The environment is easier to control, and he can still get a good workout, in addition to improving his hand-eye coordination. Besides, I could teach him some of the basics from my time as a badminton player. M: Um, I'm thinking team sports should be the way to go. There's nothing like playing as part of a unit to accomplish a goal like winning a game or even a championship. He could try basketball since many of the courts are indoors now and it's a sport that could help him understand team spirit while cooperating with others. Maybe he could even join the school basketball team when he's ready. W: Oh, oh, what about volleyball? It's a team sport and they often have mixed-gender teams so he could socialize with both girls and boys. It's not as popular as some sports, which means he has better odds of possibly getting an athletic scholarship in the future. I also believe you were a beach volleyball athlete yourself not so long ago. M: As I've said many times before, beach volleyball and indoor volleyball are completely different. breathing issues.

Lift-off is usually the most environmentally harmful stage of any space mission, with vast quantities of fuel burnt up in a matter of minutes. For instance, SpaceX's Falcon 9 gets through 112 tonnes of refined fuel, emitting about 336 tonnes of CO2. This is the equivalent produced by your average car driving almost 70 times around the world. As well as greenhouse gases, rocket engines emit particles that destroy ozone. These issues are growing more pressing with the emergence of commercial spaceflight. There were 114 space launches in 2020, but there may be up to 1,000 per year in future. Sustainable fuels are the top priority to enable greener space travel. Current spacecraft use a variety of fuels, but most are based on fossil fuels. One potentially greener option is liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can be obtained sustainably by using solar power to break water down into oxygen and hydrogen. Reusable rockets can cut down on some of the waste associated with spaceflight. Traditionally, boosters, fuel tanks and other components are treated as expendable. But guiding them back to Earth in a controlled manner opens new possibilities — most components from the Falcon 9 can be reused up to 100 times. 100 Truly environmentally friendly space travel is still some way off. But we already have many of the technologies needed to start limiting its impact on our planet. quantities of fuel burnt up in a matter of minutes. C) It often burns over three hundred tonnes of refined fuel.

Helping to look after a pet can facilitate numerous aspects of a child's emotional development. Research shows that reading to a loyal and nonjudgmental companion, such as a dog or cat, can encourage reluctant readers to read aloud, which will in turn boost their self-confidence. Having a companion to talk to about their feelings can also help children feel secure and develop communication skills. A household pet can also cultivate a child's sense of responsibility as their parent explains the necessary processes of keeping their pet happy and healthy. As a child matures, they can then take on more of the daily responsibilities, boosting their sense of independence. Pets also provide a fantastic subject for research and learning. Parents can encourage their child to research their favourite pets at the library or during a supervised internet search. Taking children along to the pet shop to buy food and supplies will support their cognitive development as their passion for learning flourishes. A child's physical development can benefit greatly from taking pets for walks in the fresh air. Even their fine-motor skills can be utilised in taking care of a beloved animal. When responsibilities are well paced and communicated, a child can benefit greatly from involvement in bringing up a happy and healthy pet. And of course, if a child doesn't have a pet in their own household, they can still benefit from all of the above when visiting a friend who does. can encourage reluctant readers to read aloud, which will in turn boost their self-confidence.

A new bill in the Ohio legislature would require state public colleges and universities to send prospective students a packet of information. This would include costs of college, grants and scholarships. It would also include expected monthly loan payments and projected salary after college. State Representative Adam Mathews is one of the two legislators who proposed the bill. He said it would give prospective students more information about what to expect once they graduate. "Putting that information in front of them will give them the best opportunity to match their skills and their dreams to what our schools can provide," said Mathews. He notes that the state can only regulate public institutions in this way, but he hopes private institutions in Ohio follow the lead of the state and post similar information. He believes giving out this information will help Ohio's colleges and universities to be more competitive. The information will highlight what a great value they have for their very reasonable cost. Ohio's schools are already competitive. The state attracts more undergraduate students than it sends to colleges out of state. Many colleges and universities currently provide similar information on their websites. This includes tuition, fees, graduation rates and more. But students need to search for the information. This bill would require the universities and colleges to send a packet directly to students. prospective students a packet of information. Ohio legislature would require state public colleges and universities to send prospective students a packet of information,require...