2025年06月大学英语四级真题（第2套）及答案解析

A Florida teenager and an Atlanta woman won the overall men's and women's divisions Saturday at the annual 7 Mile Bridge Run. Vaclav Bursa, 15, of Big Pine Key, Florida, finished first overall. He completed the race in 41 minutes and 1 second and claimed the top spot in the men's division. Bursa won third place in the 2022 race. He is a student at Marathon High School. Joanna Stephens, 28, of Atlanta, completed the course in 41 minutes and 12 seconds. She won the women's division title and placed second overall. The race drew competitors from 41 US states. There were also runners from other countries, including Canada, the UK and Switzerland. The run closed the span between the Middle and Lower Keys to traffic for 3 hours Saturday. The April contest is one of the most popular running events in the southeastern United States. The race field filled within minutes after online registration opened in January. Atlanta, completed the course in 41 minutes and 12 seconds.

British astronaut Tim Peake is stepping down permanently from his role as a European astronaut. He's going to take up a full-time position as ambassador for science and space instead—work he's been doing since 2019. The former British Army Air Corps helicopter pilot was selected as a European Space Agency astronaut in 2009. He flew to the space station for a 6-month tour in 2015. The tour saw him control a robot on earth remotely from orbit. He also helped dock two spacecraft. Tim said, "Being an astronaut has been the most extraordinary experience. I've had the privilege of working with an exceptional team of individuals during the past 13 years with the agency. It has been incredibly exciting and rewarding. By assuming the role of an ambassador for human flights to space, I'll continue to support the European and the UK space agencies." astronaut in 2009.

An Asda store in Wales is now home to five cats after they wandered in and made themselves comfortable. The supermarket is known for its loyal customers, but now has a different kind of visitor that has appeared over the last year. Regular shoppers at the supermarket are familiar with the sight of several cats settling down in the shop aisles. The unusual situation started about 12 months ago, when one cat routinely started visiting the store. Local newspapers reported that puzzled customers posted on Facebook groups to try to find out if the cat was lost. But its owner assured the concerned customers it was very much loved and fed at home. It just enjoyed visiting the shop. Staff did their best to discourage the pet from hanging around. But instead of leaving and never coming back, it invited its friends round. There are now at least five different cats who come almost on a daily basis. They visit the store so much that staff have been forced to put up signs, asking their customers not to feed them. in the shop aisles.

W: I've been thinking about moving off campus next semester. M: Hmm... I don't know if that's a good idea as your mother and I would worry about you living all by yourself in an apartment so far from home. And then there's the expense, too. I'm not sure we can afford it. W: Well, I wouldn't be alone, actually. Three of my friends from the dormitory would share the place with me. And with four of us, it wouldn't cost any more than living in the dorm. M: Are you sure about that? Rents in big cities are high, and then there's the cost of electricity and gas. Have you factored those in? W: We've budgeted for those, and for Internet and transportation. And if we move far enough from the city center, the rent is low enough for us to afford all of it. M: What's about the commute to and from campus? It sounds like you'll be wasting several hours every day on the road instead of studying. W: It's about an hour to campus, but there's no reason I can't study on the bus. After all, I did that during high school and my commute was even longer then. M: That's true. But I'm not sure why you want to leave campus and go through all that trouble when the cost is the same. W: For a lot of reasons. We'd have a kitchen, so we could cook ourselves. And we'd each have our own bedroom, where we could study instead of going to the library. We just have more space and privacy. M: I'm not convinced that the benefits are greater than the disadvantages, but I'll discuss this with your mother. moving off campus next semester.

W: Good morning. I'm looking for a present for my nephew, Lawrence. M: Hi. Do you have anything in mind? W: I'm not sure. No. Do you know what boys aged around ten typically like? M: For that age group, our biggest seller this year has been this action figure. It's called Bobo Man, and it's incredibly popular. W: Does it do anything? M: Not by itself. It has no batteries, if that's what you mean. There's a Bobo Man cartoon popular amongst young children, you see. And this toy is the lead character from the show. W: Oh, I understand now. I've never heard of it, but I do know little Lawrence loves cartoons. Do you have any other popular toys? Perhaps something educational. M: Yes, of course. Right over here, we have dozens of puzzles for children of all ages. They are fun, great for exercising the mind and can be played either alone or in groups. W: I like this sort of idea. Lawrence has a sister who is slightly older, so maybe a game that they can play together would be good. M: What do you think of Battleships, then? It's a total classic. It has been around since the 1930s. W: Oh, yeah. We had one of those when growing up. M: Of course you did. Everyone did. And kids enjoy it just as much today as you and I did when we were young. Some games just never get old. W: I suppose you are right. I have fond memories playing Battleships when it was raining outside and we had to stay indoors. That's decided then. How much? M: 19 pounds and 90 pence, please. W: There you are. Have a nice day. M: Thank you. You too.

We assume that if we offer our customers more choices, then they'll be more likely to buy our products. But here's the paradox of choice: if a person is presented with too many choices, they are actually less likely to buy. In 2012, psychologists published a study about jams. On a regular day at a local food market, people would find a display table with 24 different kinds of jams. Then on another day, at that same food market, people were given only 6 different types of jam choices. Guess which display table led to more sales? The study found that while the bigger display table created more interest, people were almost 10 times less likely to purchase a jar of jam than in the case of the smaller display. Customer satisfaction takes a hit as well. In the study, the bigger display of jams leads to lower customer satisfaction than the smaller display. In an extensive study published in 2015, researchers analyzed a total of 99 choice studies and specifically looked at those cases in which reducing choices helped to boost sales. They found four rules that motivate consumers to buy: when people want to make a quick and easy choice, when the product is complex, when it's difficult to compare alternatives, and when consumers don't have clear preferences. So as you can see, when it comes to choices, less is more. actually less likely to buy.

The New Year has come and gone, and many may have already forgotten what they had resolved to do on January 1st. But if that resolution was to volunteer more, now is the best time to start. Volunteering can drop after the holiday season, and by February, some organizations lack the volunteers they had in surplus just a month ago. According to one survey, only 26% of Americans volunteered, despite reports that many Americans view volunteering as worthwhile. Why such a disconnect? Most people cite time and conflicting work schedules as major barriers, but employees and employers would actually benefit if companies made employee volunteering part of the job. Researchers have found donating our time and talent to others can lower blood pressure, boost happiness and improve mental and physical health. Studies have also linked employee volunteer programs with more productive employees. With so much emphasis on employee wellness these days, company volunteer programs could be the perfect 2025 resolution. But for volunteering to benefit employees and the workplace, the entire organization needs to be involved. By allowing employees to donate their time during work hours, the workplace becomes an outlet for personal fulfillment without affecting personal time. In one survey, 89% of employees perceived companies that sponsored volunteer activities as creating a better working environment, and 75% said volunteering was critical to their well-being. Americans view volunteering as worthwhile.

The vast majority of the UK's 200,000 tonnes of retail sector's annual food waste comes from supermarkets. But it's a problem that impacts independent luxury food suppliers too. The scale is small. It's estimated at less than one per cent of the UK's food waste total. But the quality from these suppliers is high. Everything from specialist cheeses to sought-after coffee beans gets thrown away every day in the current food system. This is where French entrepreneur Sophie André comes in. In 2016 she moved to London and began by setting up a business delivering luxury hand-made food across the city. "Food delivery seems to be a big thing here," she says. "So I started delivering products by bicycle. Talking with local producers I learned that a small part of the production is sometimes wasted due to problems with size or shape, but the quality of the products remains unchanged." Unlike many food waste projects that have sprung up in recent years, the idea is not simply to redistribute waste food, but to provide a high-quality product. André's company Elysia offers breakfasts and snacks specifically aimed at business meetings and events. Once sourced, Elysia uses waste products to create "simple, natural, straightforward" meals and snacks. Perhaps unlike other waste food, the supply is regular. Suppliers will always have a certain amount of surplus. So the menus remain regular too. André believes this benefits both her business and her customers. from supermarkets.