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1、2020年12月大学英语六级真题及答案解析Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay entitledThe Way to Successby commenting on Abraham Lincolns famous remark, Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend, the first four sharpening the axe. You shoul
2、d write at least150words but no more than200words.The Way to Success注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)(15 minutes)Directions:In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer thequestions onAnswer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, choose t
3、he best answer fromthe four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Googles Plan for Worlds Biggest Online Library: Philanthropy Or Act of Piracy?In recent years, teams of workers dispatched by Google have been working ha
4、rd to makedigital copies of books. So far, Google has scanned more than 10 million titles from libraries inAmerica and Europe-including half a million volumes held by the Bodleian in Oxford. The exactmethod it uses is unclear; the company does not allow outsiders to observe the process.Why is Google
5、 undertaking such a venture? Why is it even interested in all those out-of-printlibrary books, most of which have been gathering dust on forgotten shelves for decades? Thecompany claims its motives are essentially public-spirited. Its overall mission, after all, is to organisethe worlds information,
6、 so it would be odd if that information did not include books.The company likes to present itself as having lofty aspirations. This really isnt about making money. We are doing this for the good of society. As Santiago de la Mora, head of Google Books for Europe, puts it: By making it possible to se
7、arch the millions of books that exist today, we hopeto expand the frontiers of human knowledge.Dan Clancy, the chief architect of Google Books, does seem genuine in his conviction that this is primarily aphilanthropic(慈善的) exercise. Googles core business is search and find, so obviously what helps i
8、mprove Googles search engine is good for Google, he says. But we have never built aspreadsheet(电子数据表) outlining the financial benefits of this, and I have never had to justify the amount I am spending to the companys founders.It is easy, talking to Clancy and his colleagues, to be swept along by the
9、ir missionary passion.But Googles book-scanning project is proving controversial. Several opponents have recentlyemerged, ranging from rival tech giants such as Microsoft and Amazon to small bodies representing authors and publishers across the world. In broad terms, these opponents have levelled tw
10、o setsof criticisms at Google.First, they have questioned whether the primary responsibility for digitally archiving the worldsbooks should be allowed to fall to a commercial company. In a recent essay in theNew York Review of Books,Robert Darnton, the head of Harvard Universitys library, argued tha
11、t because such books are a common resource the possession of us all only public, not-for-profit bodies should be given the power to control them.The second related criticism is that Googles scanning of books is actually illegal. This allegation has led to Google becomingmired in(陷入) a legal battle w
12、hose scope and complexity makesthe Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Charles DickensBleak Houselook straightforward.At its centre, however, is one simple issue: that of copyright. The inconvenient fact about mostbooks, to which Google has arguably paid insufficient attention, is that they are protected
13、bycopyright. Copyright laws differ from country to country, but in general protection extends for theduration of an authors life and for a substantial period afterwards, thus allowing the authors heirs to benefit. (In Britain and America, this post-death period is 70 years.) This means, of course, t
14、hatalmost all of the books published in the 20th century are still under copyrightand the last centurysaw more books published than in all previous centuries combined. Of the roughly 40 millionbooks in US libraries, for example, an estimated 32 million are in copyright. Of these, some 27million are
15、out of print.Outside the US, Google has made sure only to scan books that are out of copyright and thus in the public domain (works such as the Bodleians first edition ofMiddlemarch,which anyone can read for free on Google Books Search).But, within the US, the company has scanned both in-copyright a
16、nd out-of-copyright works. In its defence, Google points out that it displays only small segments of books that are in copyrightarguing that such displays are fair use. But critics allege that by making electronic copies ofthese books without first seeking the permission of copyright holders, Google
17、 has committed piracy.The key principle of copyright law has always been that works can be copied only onceauthors have expressly given their permission, says Piers Blofeld, of the Sheil Land literary agencyin London. Google has reversed this it has simply copied all these works without bothering to
18、ask.In 2005, the Authors Guild of America, together with a group of US publishers, launched a class action suit(集团诉讼) against Google that, after more than two years of negotiation, ended with an announcement last October that Google and the claimants had reached an out-of-court settlement. The full
19、details are complicated - the text alone runs to 385 pagesand trying to sum arise it is no easy task. Part of the problem is that it is basically incomprehensible, says Blofeld, one of the settlements most vocal British critics.Broadly, the deal provides a mechanism for Google to compensate authors
20、and publisherswhose rights it has breached (including giving them a share of any future revenue it generates from their works). In exchange for this, the rights holders agree not to sue Google in future.This settlement hands Google the power - but only with the agreement of individual rights holders
21、to exploit its database of out-of-print books. It can include them in subscription dealssold to libraries or sell them individually under a consumer licence. It is these commercial provisions that are proving the settlements most controversial aspect.Critics point out that, by giving Google the righ
22、t to commercially exploit its database, the settlement paves the way for a subtle shift in the companys role from provider of information to seller. Googles business model has always been to provide information for free, and sell advertising on the basis of the traffic this generates, points out Jam
23、es Grimmelmann, associate professor at New York Law School. Now, he says, because of the settlements provisions, Google couldbecome a significant force in bookselling.Interest in this aspect of the settlement has focused on orphan works, where there is noknown copyright holderthese make up an estima
24、ted 5-10% of the books Google has scanned.Under the settlement, when no rights holders come forward and register their interest in a work, commercial control automatically reverts to Google. Google will be able to display up to 20% of orphan works for free, include them in its subscription deals to
25、libraries and sell them to individualbuyers under the consumer licence.It is by no means certain that the settlement will beenacted(执行)it is the subject of a fairness hearing in the US courts. But if it is enacted, Google will in effect be off the hook as far ascopyright violations in the US are con
26、cerned. Many people are seriously concerned by this - and the company is likely to face challenges in other courts around the world.No one knows the precise use Google will make of the intellectual property it has gained by scanning the worlds library books, and the truth, as Gleick, an American sci
27、ence writer and member of the Authors Guild, points out, is that the company probably doesnt even know itself. Butwhat is certain is that, in some way or other, Googles entrance into digital bookselling will have asignificant impact on the book world in the years to come.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。1.Google c
28、laims its plan for the worlds biggest online library is _.A)to serve the interest of the general publicB)to encourage reading around the worldC)to save out-of-print books in librariesD)to promote its core business of searching2.According to Santiago de la Mora, Googles book-scanning project will _.A
29、)broaden humanitys intellectual horizonsB)help the broad masses of readersC)revolutionise the entire book industryD)make full use of the power of its search engine3.Opponents of Google Books believe that digitally archiving the worlds books should be controlled by _.A)non-profit organisationsC) mult
30、inational companiesB)the worlds leading librariesD) the worlds tech giants4.Google has involved itself in a legal battle as it ignored _.A)the copyright of authors of out-of-print booksB)the copyright of the books it scannedC)the interest of traditional booksellersD)the differences of in-print and o
31、ut-of-print books5.Google defends its scanning in-copyright books by saying that _.A)it displays only a small part of their contentB)it is willing to compensate the copyright holdersC)making electronic copies of books is not a violation of copyrightD)the online display of in-copyright books is not f
32、or commercial use6.What do we learn about the class action suit against Google?A)It ended in a victory for the Authors Guild of America.B)It was settled after more than two years of negotiation.C)It failed to protect the interests of American publishers.D)It could lead to more out-of-court settlemen
33、ts of such disputes.7.What remained controversial after the class action suit ended?A)The compensation for copyright holders.B)The change in Googles business model.C)Googles further exploitation of its database.D)The commercial provisions of the settlement.8. While _, Google makes money by selling a
34、dvertising.9. Books whose copyright holders are not known are called _.10. Googles entrance into digital bookselling will tremendously _ in the future.Part III Listening Comprehension(35 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the
35、 end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best ans
36、wer. Then mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。11.A) Cancel the trip to prepare for the test.B)Review his notes once he arrives in Chicago.C)Listen to the recorded notes while driving.D)Prepare for the test after the wedding.12.A) The
37、woman will help the man remember the lines.B)The man lacks confidence in playing the part.C)The man hopes to change his role in the play.D)The woman will prompt the man during the show.13. A) Preparations for an operation.C) Arranging a bed for a patient.B) A complicated surgical case.D) Rescuing th
38、e womans uncle.14. A) He is interested in improving his editing skills.B)He is eager to be nominated the new editor.C)He is sure to do a better job than Simon.D)He is too busy to accept more responsibility.15.A) He has left his position in the government.B)He has already reached the retirement age.C
39、)He made a stupid decision at the cabinet meeting.D)He has been successfully elected Prime Minister.16.A) This years shuttle mission is a big step in space exploration.B)The man is well informed about the space shuttle missions.C)The shuttle flight will be broadcast live worldwide.D)The man is excit
40、ed at the news of the shuttle flight.17.A) At an auto rescue center.C) At a suburban garage.B) At a car renting company.D) At a mountain camp.18.A) He got his speakers fixed.C) He listened to some serious musicB) He went shopping with the woman.D) He bought a stereo system.Questions 19 to 21 are bas
41、ed on the conversation you have just heard.19.A) Providing aid to the disabled.B)Printing labels for manufactured goods.C)Promoting products for manufacturers.D)Selling products made for left-handers.20.A) Most of them are specially made for his shop.B)All of them are manufactured in his own plant.C
42、)The kitchenware in his shop is of unique design.D)About half of them are unavailable on the market.21.A) They specialise in one product only.C) They run chain stores in central London.B) They have outlets throughout Britain.D) They sell by mail order only.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the convers
43、ation you have just heard.22. A) It publishes magazines.C) It runs sales promotion campaigns.B) It sponsors trade fairs. D) It is engaged in product design.23. A) The ad specifications had not been given in detail.B)The womans company made last-minute changes.C)The womans company failed to make paym
44、ents in time.D)Organising the promotion was really time-consuming.24. A) Extend the campaign to next year.C) Run another four-week campaign.B) Cut the fee by half for this year.D) Give her a 10 percent discount.25. A) Stop negotiating for the time being.C) Reflect on their respective mistakesB) Calm
45、 down and make peace.D) Improve their promotion plans.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer
46、from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。Passage OneQuestions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.26.A) They look spotlessly clean throughout their lives.B)They are looked after by animal-care organizations.C)They sacrifice their lives for the benefit of humans.D)They are labeled pet animals by the researchers.27.A) They may affect the results of experiments.B)They may behave abnormally.C)They may breed out of contro