2025年12月大学英语四级真题（第1套）及答案解析

A terrified cat has survived a five-mile round trip under the engine cover of a car on a school run. The black cat was found curled up under the engine cover of David King's car when he decided to do an oil check after dropping his grandson off at school in Kent. Mr King's wife said her husband had come "running in" and was "shouting for me to come have a look". "We weren't even sure it was alive, so I gently pushed it with a stick to check it was breathing and saw it was a terrified little cat. It reversed even further into the engine and was stuck. I tried to reach it, but it was too far down and there wasn't any way I could get it out." Following a rescue by UK charity Cats Protection, the four-year-old cat was later reunited with its owner, Mr King's neighbour. decided to do an oil check after dropping his grandson off at school in Kent.

In less than a month, the Special Olympics Spring Games will make a return to Fayetteville. The Games are coming back for the first time in five years. The event will take place at Methodist University.

A German supermarket has been ordered to destroy its chocolate rabbits after it lost a court battle with a Swiss chocolate manufacturer. The Swiss firm had argued its gold-wrapped chocolate rabbit deserved copyright protection from a similar product sold by the budget supermarket. Switzerland's highest court agreed and overturned a ruling last year by the country's commercial court that had sided with the supermarket. It ordered that all the imitation rabbits be destroyed, but suggested the chocolate needn't be wasted. It could be melted for use in other products. It said even though there are some differences between the two products, there was still the possibility of confusion for consumers. The Swiss manufacturer's rabbit has a red bow and bell, while the German supermarket's has a green bow and bell. The colour of the wrapper is similar, as are the illustrations of the features. The chocolate company has been to court before to protect its popular chocolate treat. Last year, a German federal court said the shade of the gold wrapping was also protected. battle with a Swiss chocolate manufacturer.

M: Can you please hand me that book over there? It has instructions for making a winter bean salad. My sister's boyfriend is coming over for dinner. He's vegetarian, so I need to make a lot of vegetable dishes. W: He only eats vegetables, no meat? That doesn't sound like a very balanced diet. How can he get enough protein? What does he do to strengthen his muscles and all that? M: Apparently that's no problem. He's explained this to me when we first met. He eats a variety of different vegetables and nuts, especially those with high amounts of protein. W: It sounds a bit difficult, but he's done his research I suppose. What's his reasoning for being vegetarian? Is it his religion, health condition, or lifestyle? M: He's an animal activist. He's always been very sensitive and sympathizes with animals. He's even written to his state senator about the torture of dolphins in sea parks. He says that keeping animals in zoos and parks causes them great distress. W: That's a little gloomy, but I can understand that to a point. Not all zoos and animal parks have the most favorable conditions, but without them it just wouldn't be feasible to learn about animals and their environments. Besides, I don't think I could ever give up a good hot dog at a baseball game. M: Honestly, I agree, but just don't let him hear you say that. He's the spokesperson for his local animal rights group. book over there?

W: Did you see that television program on air travel last night? M: Yes. The part about overcoming jetlag was interesting. I was surprised that the expert recommended not eating for the entire journey and avoiding sleeping on the plane. W: I was too, as I read an article on the subject in the past that suggested the opposite. It claimed that it was important not to miss meals and that taking a nap on the plane was the best way to adjust to a new time zone. M: Well, the expert on the show did cite research supporting her recommendations, so I guess I'll give it a try next time I fly a long distance. Jetlag is a big problem for me and has been for the last few years, even though I never suffered from it before. W: Well, she did say that jetlag often becomes more of a problem after 40, so I guess I'm lucky that I can still adjust to different time zones well. My problem is I'm afraid to fly. M: Oh, I didn't know that. Actually, my mother is terrified of airplanes to the point where she can't even fly, so our family vacations were always by car or train. W: I'm not as bad as that. I just get anxious before I fly and feel nervous the whole time we're in the air, which is why I was hoping the television program would cover that topic more than it did. M: Yeah. That segment was too brief, especially as so many people have that problem. She said 20% of people are afraid to fly. W: Actually, it was a quarter of people, so the problem really is widespread and deserves attention. about overcoming jetlag was interesting.

The most common question I'm asked always centers around how to get started in user experience design, to which my response is always that nothing can substitute real-world experience. Building the skills required of a user experience designer takes time, patience, and commitment. Higher education is a great way to equip yourself with some core skills, but it will not prepare you for actual challenges you'll face with clients' work. In other words, being proficient with a design tool and a few methods doesn't make you a user experience designer. There simply isn't a one-size-fits-all process. Being effective requires adaptability — something you don't really learn in school, much less in a 6- month training camp. It's gained through experience on the job and learning what's appropriate given the needs of the project. I found my way to user experience through graphic design and slowly over many different roles and experiences. That led me to become a user experience designer. It took time and commitment to continue to pursue roles within teams that I knew could teach and challenge me. That's not to say that I think my path is the only one. But once again, nothing can substitute real-world experience. You can start anywhere as long as you know your end goal and you commit to actively pursuing opportunities to learn and grow along the way. experience design, to which my response is always that nothing can substitute real- world experience.

When planning for this year, our principal asked what needed to change to engage students more in their learning. I responded in a whisper "flexible seating", thinking about our then-current classroom. It had rows of desks with blue chairs and nameplates reminding each student where they should be sitting. This began a journey to transform our practice and challenge the ways of learning for a group of Year 6 students used to sitting in desks and rows for years. Flexible seating has been defined as movable furniture to create an engaging learning environment. It is a shift in practice from being teacher-focused to student-focused learning. For us, flexible seating has meant removing most of the traditional chairs and desks and introducing a variety of different seating options to promote student engagement. The use of rows and their minimal adaptations to "U" shape were traditionally intended to maximize on-task behavior and reduce distraction from the teacher. Teachers tend to still use this format because of either the need to control students or the belief that the teacher is the most important person in the room. Now our students have a range of different seating options, including a floor desk, couches, stools, bean bags, and the traditional desk-and-chair. From our experience so far, flexible seating enhances student ownership of space and engagement in learning, while reducing rates of student disengagement and disciplinary actions. It is a win for all concerned. more in their learning.

Dozens of British students arriving for their first day of school on Tuesday were sent home over their shoes. About 30 students were turned away from Taverham High School in Norfolk, England. Headteacher, Dr Roger Harris, confirmed that this was due to a change in the school's uniform policy. Harris, who became headteacher this year, said he notified parents of the updated rules in an email in June. The price of school uniforms can spark panic among families struggling with the high cost of living. Nearly all British schools have uniforms. They cost parents an average of £337 per year for each secondary school child. According to the new rules, students of Taverham are required to wear smart black shoes appropriate for the workplace, Harris held that strengthened rules around school uniforms improved student outcomes and behavior. But for some parents, the school's restrictions are an unnecessary burden. As annual inflation climbs over 10%, many households are on tight budgets. Private rental prices in Britain rose 3.2% over the 12 months to July 2022, the largest jump since 2016. Soaring energy bills have made things worse. Lucinda May, mum of a Taverham student, said that she had to ask her parents for £65 to buy her child the correct pair of shoes. May said that the school's uniform policy showed the lack of regard for parents dealing with the high cost of living.