2012年12月大学英语四级考试真题

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PartIWriting(30minutes)PartIIReadingComprehension(SkimmingandScanning)(15minutes)Directions:Inthispart,youwillhave15minutestogooverthepassagequicklyandanswerthequestionsonAnswerSheet1.Forquestions1-7,choosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA),B),C)andD).Forquestions8-10,completethesentenceswiththeinformationgiveninthepassage.TheMagicianTherevolutionthatSteveJobsledisonlyjustbeginningWhenitcametoputtingonashow,nobodyelseinthecomputerindustry,oranyotherindustryforthatmatter,couldmatchSteveJobs.Hisproductlaunches,atwhichhewouldstandaloneonablackstageandproduceasifbymagican“incredible”newelectronicgadget(小器具)infrontofanamazedcrowd,weretheperformancesofamastershowman.Allcomputersdoisfetchandworkwithnumbers,heonceexplained,butdoitfastenoughand“theresultsappeartobemagic”.MrJobs,whodiedrecentlyaged56,spenthislifepackagingthatmagicintoelegantlydesigned,easy-to-useproducts.Thereactiontohisdeath,withpeopleleavingcandlesandflowersoutsideApplestoresandpoliticianssingingpraisesontheinternet,isproofthatMrJobshadbecomesomethingmuchmoresignificantthanjustaclevermoney-maker.Hestoodoutinthreeways-asatechnologist,asacorporate(公司的)leaderandassomebodywhowasabletomakepeoplelovewhathadpreviouslybeenimpersonal,functionalgadgets.Strangely,itisthislastqualitythatmayhavethedeepesteffectonthewaypeoplelive.Theeraofpersonaltechnologyisinmanywaysjustbeginning.Asatechnologist,MrJobswasdifferentbecausehewasnotanengineer-andthatwashisgreatstrength.Insteadhewaskeenlyinterestedinproductdesignandaesthetics(美学),andinmakingadvancedtechnologysimpletouse.Herepeatedlytookanexistingbuthalf-formedidea-themouse-drivencomputer,thedigitalmusicplayer,thesmartphone,thetabletcomputer(平板电脑)-andshowedtherestoftheindustryhowtodoitproperly.Rivalfirmscompetedwitheachothertofollowwhereheled.Intheprocesshebroughtaboutgreatchangesincomputing,music,telecomsandthenewsbusinessthatwerepainfulforexistingfirmsbutwelcomedbymillionsofconsumers.Withinthewiderbusinessworld,amanwholikedtoseehimselfasahippy(嬉皮士),permanentlyinrevoltagainstbigcompanies,endedupbeinghailedbymanyofthosecorporategiantsasoneofthegreatestchiefexecutivesofhistime.Thatwaspartlyduetohistalents:showmanship,strategicvision,anastonishingattentiontodetailandadictatorialmanagementstylewhichmanybossesmusthaveenvied.Butmostofallitwastheextraordinarytrajectory(轨迹)ofhislife.Hisfallfromgraceinthe1980s,followedbyhisreturntoApplein1996afteraperiodinthewilderness,isaninspirationtoanybusinesspersonwhosecareerhastakenaturnfortheworse.ThewayinwhichMrJobsrevivedthefailingcompanyhehadco-foundedandturneditintotheworld’sbiggesttechfirm(biggereventhanBillGates’sMicrosoft,thecompanythathadoutsmartedApplesodramaticallyinthe1980s),soundslikesomethingfromaHollywoodmovie.ButwhatwasperhapsmostastonishingaboutMrJobswastheabsoluteloyaltyhemanagedtoinspireincustomers.ManyAppleusersfeelthemselvestobepartofacommunity,withMrJobsasitsleader.Andtherewasindeedapersonallink.Apple’sproductsweredesignedtoaccordwiththeboss’stastesandtomeethisextremelyhighstandards.EveryiPhoneorMacBookhashisfingerprintsalloverit.Hisgreatachievementwastocombineanemotionalsparkwithcomputertechnology,andmaketheresultingproductfeelpersonal.AndthatiswhatputMrJobsontherightsideofhistory,astechnologicalinnovation(创新)hasmovedintoconsumerelectronicsoverthepastdecade.Asourspecialreportinthisissue(printedbeforeMrJobs’sdeath)explains,innovationusedtospilloverfrommilitaryandcorporatelaboratoriestotheconsumermarket,butlatelythisprocesshasgoneintoreverse.Manypeople’shomesnowhavemorepowerful,andmoreflexible,devicesthantheirofficesdo;consumergadgetsandonlineservicesaresmarterandeasiertousethanmostcompanies’systems.Familiarconsumerproductsarebeingadoptedbybusinesses,governmentandthearmedforces.Companiesareemployingin-houseversionsofFacebookandcreatingtheirown“appstores”todeliversoftwaretoemployees.Doctorsusetabletcomputersfortheirworkinhospitals.Meanwhile,thenumberofconsumershungryforsuchgadgetscontinuestoswell.Apple’sproductsarenowbeingsnappedupinDelhiandDalianjustasinDublinandDallas.MrJobshadareputationasacontrolfreak(怪人),andhiscriticscomplainedthattheproductsandsystemshedesignedwereclosedandinflexible,inthenameofgreatereaseofuse.Yethealsoempoweredmillionsofpeoplebygivingthemaccesstocutting-edgetechnology.Hisinsistenceonputtingusersfirst,andfocusingoneleganceandsimplicity,hasbecomedeep-rootedinhisowncompany,andisspreadingtorivalfirmstoo.ItisnolongerjustatApplethatdesignersask:“WhatwouldSteveJobsdo?”ThegapbetweenAppleandothertechfirmsisnowlikelytonarrow.Thisweek’sannouncementofanewiPhonebyamanagementteamledbyTimCook,whoreplacedMrJobsaschiefexecutiveinAugust,wasgenerallyregardedascompetentbutuninspiring.WithoutMrJobstoshowerhisstardustontheevent,itfeltlikejustanotherproductlaunchfromjustanothertechnologyfirm.AttherecentunveilingofatabletcomputerbyJeffBezosofAmazon,whosecompanyisdoingthebestjoboffollowingApple’sleadincombininghardware,software,contentandservicesinaneasy-to-usebundle,therewereseveralattacksatApple.ButbydoinghisbesttoimitateMrJobs,MrBezosalsoflattered(抬举)him.Wit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