2020年12月六级考试答案（三套全）对啊网版
2020年12月六级考试结束啦！小编给大家汇总了六级三套全部答案，快来对答案吧！
2020年12月六级考试答案三套全（对啊网版）
六级写作
写作第一套
【Directions】
For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on why students should be encouraged to develop the ability to meet challenges. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
【参考范文】
In an ever-changing world, people are bound to face various challenges. However, challenges mean not only difficulties, but also opportunities. From my perspective, considering that there are many possibilities in our future, we should not be afraid of challenges and encourage students to develop the ability to meet challenges.
There are several factors accounting for my view. In the first place, challenges can cultivate our personality. It is inevitable that we will encounter difficulties and problems. At critical times, one’s positive attitude towards challenges plays a crucial role in turning hardship into good results. In addition, it is challenges that can inspire our potential. Whatever situation we are faced with, people who have the ability of dealing with difficulties have a greater chance of success. Individuals may achieve temporary success by good luck, but only after we go through the adversity on our own can we have the solid foundation of success.
From what I have discussed above, we may safely draw the conclusion that challenges may have positive effects on our life. The earlier we are aware of the optimistic side that challenges provide, the more benefits we will get.
【参考译文】
在瞬息万变的世界里，人们一定会面临各种挑战。然而，挑战不仅意味着困难，而且意味着机遇。在我看来，鉴于我们的未来有很多的可能性,我们不应该害怕挑战并且鼓励学生发展应对挑战的能力。
有一些因素来解释我的观点。首先，挑战可以磨炼我们的品性。我们不可避免的会遇到困难和问题。在关键时刻，一个人对挑战的积极态度对于把困难转化为好结果起着至关重要的作用。另外，挑战可以激发我们的潜能。无论我们面对什么样的情况，有能力处理困难的人成功的机会更大。个人可能凭运气获得暂时的成功，但是只有当我们自己经历逆境后，我们才能有成功的坚实基础。
从上面的探讨中，我们可以得出结论挑战可能对我们的生活有积极的影响。我们越早意识到挑战带来的乐观的面，我们将得到更多的好处。
写作第二套
Why students should be encouraged to develop communication skills
【参考范文】
There are all kinds of students with different personalities in our diverse university. Despite this, it is beneficial for all of us to develop effective communication skills, and there are a few arguments that can justify my opinion.
In the first place, as students, we inevitably face different groups of people: our roommates, our classmates, our professors and many others. Therefore, it is necessary for us to speak properly and avoid offending or hurting others when faced with certain kinds of people, which is the number-one social etiquette. Besides, those who can communicate effectively are often confident, popular, and make more friends. As a result, they tend to gain more respect and support from others when they feel in distress. Last but not least, effective communication with different people can broaden our horizons and cultivate our empathy, both of which are of utmost importance to our future lives.
All in all, it is okay to be either shy or outgoing, but it is worth pondering before socializing with other people, especially people who hold a different personality. Only in this way can we truly integrate with our communities with a sense of belonging.
【参考译文】
我们的大学十分多元，有各种各样性格各异的学生。尽管如此，提升自己的沟通技巧对我们每个人都有益。以下几点可以证明我的观点。
首先，作为学生，我们不可避免地会面对各种各样的人：我们的室友、同学、教授，还有许多其他人。因此，我们能在某类人面前说话得体、避免冒犯或伤害他人的品质十分重要，这是最首要的一点社交礼仪。除此之外，善于沟通的人通常很自信、受欢迎，并且能交到更多朋友，这使得他们更容易赢得尊重，在遇到困境时也可能得到更多帮助。最后但也最重要的是，与不同的人进行有效的沟通可以拓宽我们的事业，培养我们的同理心，这两点对我们将来的生活都至关重要。
总的来说，不管内向还是外向都没问题，但与他人社交时我们还是要再三推敲，尤其是在面对与自己性格不同的人时。只有这样，我们才能真正融入集体，并获得归属感。
写作第三套
【Directions】
For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay on why students should be encouraged to develop creativity. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
【参考范文】
When it comes to the importance of creativity, people often naturally come to a consensus. Ironically, an increasing number of people tend to ignore this capability. From my point of view, students should be encouraged to develop a creative mind, especially in the digital era we are living in.
Firstly, in a time of information explosion when young people are immersed in a sea of messages, what they lack is not the ability to receive data, but the ability to think creatively. Students should learn to sift and organize various kinds of information in a creative way, so that they won’t feel lost oftentimes. Secondly, students need to develop their creativity because it will make them better prepared for their future career. Those who can come up with innovative solutions to the tricky issues they meet will be highly competitive at the workplace.
In summary, the importance of encouraging students to develop their creativity could never be overstated. Their parents and teachers need to realize this and provide the students with more opportunities to cultivate their creativity.
【参考译文】
谈到创造力的重要性，人们往往会自然而然地达成共识。讽刺的是，越来越多的人倾向于忽视这种能力。在我看来，应该鼓励学生培养创造性思维，特别是在我们处在的数字时代。
首先，在信息爆炸的时代，年轻人被浸泡在信息的海洋中，他们缺乏的不是接收数据的能力，而是创造性思考的能力。学生应该学会以创造性的方式筛选和组织各种信息，这样他们就不会经常感到迷茫。其次，学生需要培养他们的创造力，因为这能让他们更好地为未来的职业生涯做好准备。那些能为他们遇到的棘手问题想出创新性解决方案的人，将在工作场所具有很强的竞争力。
总之，鼓励学生发展创造力的重要性怎么强调都不为过。学生家长和老师们需要意识到这一点，并为学生提供更多的机会来培养他们的创造力。
六级阅读
【选词填空1】
开头：The idea of taxing things that are bad for society...
26-30 AEJNG 31-35 MBLHO
26. A) discouraging
27. E) impaired
28. J) instrumental
29. N) pump
30. G) incentives
31. M) probably
32. B) dividend
33. L) predict
34. H) inherently
35. O) swelling
【选词填空2】
Virtually every activity that entails or facilitates...
26.C. cumulative
27.I. scale
28.F. foreseeable
29.J. strangle
30.G. predictions
31.D. disruptions
32.B. credited
33.A. credential
34.M. survive
35.E. federal
【选词填空3】
Social distancing is putting people out of work,…
26.C. driven
27.O. vulnerable
28.H. random
29.N. unique
30.L. thriftier
31.K. temptations
32.A. amazing
33.D. engaged
34.J.spiritually
35.B.closer
【快速阅读1】
The Challenges for Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
36. Farmers will not profit from replanting once they have applied most of the fertilizer and other chemicals to their fields.
37. Agriculture differs from the medical science of the human body in that its environment is not a contained one.
38. The agronomist is sure that he will obtain a near accurate count of plant with his software.
39. The application of artificial intelligence to agriculture is much more challenging than to most other industries.
40. Even the farmers know the data provided by the UAV is not correct.
41. The pressure for quick results leads to product failure, which, in turn, arouses doubts about the applicability of AI technology to agriculture.
42. Remote sensors are aimed to help farmers improve decision-making to increase yields.
43. The farmer expect the software to tell him whether he will have to replant any parts of his farm fields.
44. Agriculture proves very difficult to quantify because of the constantly changing conditions involved.
45. The same seed and fertilizer program may yield completely different outcomes in different places.
【快速阅读2】
Why lifelong learning is the international passport to success?
36. [H] Those projects are then interwoven with past-paced technical modules (模块) learned ‘on -the-fly’ and ‘at will’ depending on the nature of the project.
37. [E] The Bachelor’s degree could be your passport to life-long learning.
38. [B] Why? Because universities and curricula are designed along the three unities of French classical tragedy: time, action, and place.
39. [K] Sound like science fiction?
40. [1] In addition to technical capabilities, the very nature of projects develops social and entrepreneurial skills, such as design thinking,initiative taking,team leading, activity reporting or resource planning.
41. [C] The university model needs to evolve.
42. [J] After the MSc diploma is earned, there would be many more stamps of lifelong learning over the years.
43. [N] Even if time were not an issue, who will pay for life-long learning?
44. [F] Recent advances in computational methods and data science push us into rethinking science and engineering.
45. [M] This could fix the main organisational challenges for the university, but not for the learners,due to lack of time, family obligations or funds.
【快速阅读3】
Slow Hope
36.[E] Some of today’s narratives about the future seem to suggest that we too.like Prometheus,will be saved by a new Hercules.a divine engineer someone who will master- mind.manoeuvre and manipulate our planet.
37.[I] We need an acknowledgement of our present ecological plight but also a language of positive change,visions of a better future.
38.[C] Today we can no longer ignore the ecological curses that we have released in our search for warmth and comfort.
39.[K] The unscrupulous （无所顾忌的）commodification of food and the destruction of foodstuffs will continue to devastate soils,livelihoods and ecologies.
40.[D] Acceleration is the signature of our time.
41.[G] This much is clear:we need to find ways that help us flatten the hockey-stick curves that reflect our ever-faster pace of ecological destruction and social acceleration.
42.[A] Our world is full of -mostly untold-stories of slow hope,driven by the idea that change is possible.
43.[ F ]Yet, if we envisage our salvation to come from a deusex machina(解围之种)，from a divine engineer or a tech solutionist who will miraculously conjure up a new source of energy or another cure-all with revolutionary potency, we might be looking in the wrong place.
44.[ I ]W need an acknowledgement of our present ecological plight but also a language of positive change, visions of a better future.
45. [B] At the beginning of time-so goes the myth-humans suffered, shivering in the cold and dark until the titan（巨人）Prometheus stole fire from the gods.
【仔细阅读1】
passage one
46.B) People's reluctance to be compelled to eat plant-based food.
47.A) Radically change their dietary habits.
48.B) Many people simply do not have access to foods they prefer
49.D) It may worsen the nourishment problem in low income countries.
50.A) It accepts them at the expense of the long-term interests of its people.
passage two
51.C) They constantly dismiss others’ proposals while taking no responsibility for tacklingthe problem.
52.D A distinction should be drawn between responsibility and fault
53.A Stop them from going further by agreeing with them.
54.B) They are prompted to come up with ideas for making possible changes.
55.C Assuming responsibility to free oneself
【仔细阅读2】
Passage one
46.B. The near impossibility of appreciating art in an age of mass tourism.
47. A. It takes time to appreciate a piece of art fully.
48. C. Good management is key to handling large crowds of visitors.
49. B. It is possible to combine entertainment with appreciation of serious art.
50. C. Help us to see the world from a different perspectives.
passage two
51. D) It takes no notice of the potential impact on the environment.
52. D) It can raise students’ environmental awareness through its programs.
53. D) Farming consumes most of our natural resources.
54. C) Its close ties with the agriculture companies.
55. B) Endeavor to ensure the sustainable development of agriculture.
【仔细阅读3】
passage one
46.C)It may make us feel isolated and incompetent
47.A) They do not find all their online friends trustworthy.
48.C) Paint a rosy picture of other people's lives
49.A) They should record the memorable moments in people's lives
50.D) Strengthen ties with real-life friends instead of caring about their online image
passage two
51.A) Ruining their culture.
52.D)Different chimp groups differ in their way of communication.
53.B)Chimp behavior becomes less varied with the increase of human activity.
54 C)Study the unique characteristics of each generation of chimps
55.C)Conserve animal species in a novel and all-round way.
六级翻译
翻译第一套
【原文】
港珠澳大桥( Hong Kong-zhuhai-macau Bridge)全长55公里，是我国一项不同寻常的工程壮举。大桥将三个城市连接起来，是世界上最长的跨海桥粱和隧道系统。大桥将三个城市之间的旅行时间从3小时缩短到30分钟。这座跨度巨大的钢筋混凝土大桥充分证明中国有能力建造创纪录的巨型建筑。它将助推区域一体化，促进经済増长。大桥是中国发展自己的大湾区总体规划的关键。中国希望将大湾区建成在技术创新和经济繁荣上能与旧金山、纽约和东京的湾区相媲美的地区。
【参考译文】
With a total length of 55 kilometers, the Hong Kong-zhuhai-macau Bridge is an extraordinary engineering in our country. As the longest cross-sea bridge and tunnel system in the world, the bridge connects Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau, shortening the traveling time among the three cities from 3 hours to 30 minutes. This reinforced concrete bridge with huge spans fully proves that China has the ability to build record-breaking huge construction. It will enhance regional integration and promote economic growth. The bridge is the key to China’s development of its own master plan for the Great Bay Area. China hopes to build the Great Bay Area into an area comparable to the Bay Areas of San Francisco, New York and Tokyo in terms of technological innovation and economic prosperity.
翻译第二套
【原文】
青藏铁路是世界上最高最长的高原铁路，全场1956公里，其中有960公里在海拔4000多米之上，是连接西藏和中国其他地区的第一条铁路。由于铁路穿越世界上最弱的生态系统，在建设期间和建成后都采取了生态保护措施，以确保其成为一条“绿色铁路”。青藏铁路大大缩短了中国内地与西藏之间的旅行时间。更重要的是，它极大地促进了西藏的经济发展，改善了当地居民的生活。铁路开通后，越来越多的人选择乘火车前往西藏，这样还有机会欣赏沿线的风景。
【参考译文】
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest and longest plateau railway in the world. Its total length is 1,965 kilometers, 960 kilometers of which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level. It is the first train line to join Tibet and other areas of China. The protection measures have been adopted during and after the construction in order to guarantee “a green railway”, because it crosses the the world’s most vulnerable eco-system. Consequently, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway shortens the travelling time greatly between the inland China and Tibet. More importantly, it considerably promotes the development of local economy and improves the living condition of local residents. A growing number of people choose to visit Tibet by train so that they have the opportunity to enjoy the scenery along the way since the railway came into service.
翻译第三套
【原文】
北京大兴国际机场位于天安门广场以南46公里处，于2019年9月30日投入使用。该巨型工程于2014年开工建设，高峰时工地上有4万多工人。航站楼设计紧凑，可以允许最大数量的飞机直接停靠在最靠近航站楼中心的位置，这给乘客提供了极大的方便。航站楼共有82个登机口，但乘客通过安检后，只需不到8分钟就能抵达任何一个登机口。机场的设计可确保每小时300架次起降。机场年客运量2040年将达到1亿人次，有望成为世界上最繁忙的机场。
【参考译文】
Beijing Daxing International Airport, located 46 kilometers south of Tian anmen Square, was put into operation on Sept. 30, 2019. The construction of this giant project began in 2014, with more than 40,000 workers on the site at its peak. The compact design of the terminal allows a maximum number of aircraft to be parked directly at the nearest place at the centre of the terminal, providing great convenience to passengers. It takes passengers less than eight minutes to reach any of the terminal’s 82 gates after passing through security. The airport is designed to ensure 300 takeoffs and landings per hour. The airport will handle 100 million passengers a year by 2040 and is expected to be the busiest airport in the world.
六级听力
听力第一套
Conversation 1
M: Good morning, safe house insurance. My name is Paul. How can I help you today?
W: Morning. I wouldn’t say that it’s good from where I am standing. This is Miss Wilson, and this is the third time I’ve called this week since receiving your letter about our insurance claim. (1)I’m getting a little fed up with my calls about my claim being completely disregarded.
M: Miss Wilson, thank you for calling back. Can I take some details to help me look at your claim?
W: It’s Miss May Wilson, a 15 south sea road in Cornwall.And the details are that our village was extensively flooded 2 months ago. (2)The entire ground floor of our cottage was submerged in water. And five of us have been living in a caravan ever since. You people are still withholding the money we are entitled to over a bizarre, technical detail. And it’s not acceptable, Paul.
M: Miss Wilson, according to the notes on your account, (3)the bizarre, technical detail that you mentioned refers to the fact that you hadn’t paid house insurance the month before the incident.
W: That money left our account and wow that you should be paying out. You are suddenly saying that you didn’t receive it on time. I’m really skeptical about this claim.
M: The contract does say that any miss payment in a year will affect the terms and conditions of the insurance contract and may affect claims. Of course, I can pass you on to my manager to talk to you more about this.
W: I’ve already spoken to him and you can tell him I’m furious now. And that your company has a lawsuit on its hands.(4) You will be hearing from my lawyer, good bye.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Question 1: What is the woman complaining about?
Question 2: What is the problem the woman’s family encountered?
Question 3: What has caused the so called bizarre, technical detail according to the man?
Question 4: What does the woman say she will do at the end of the conversation?
Conversation 2
W: (5) How do you feel about the future of artificial intelligence? Personally, I feel quite optimistic about it.
M: (5) AI? I’m not so optimistic actually. In fact it's, something we should be concerned about.
W: Well, it will help us humans understand ourselves better and when we have a better understanding of ourselves, we can improve the world.
M: Well, one thing is for sure, technology is evolving faster than our ability to understand it, and in the future AI will make jobs kind of pointless.
W: (6) I think artificial intelligence will actually help create new kinds of jobs, which would require less of our time and allow us to be centered on creative tasks.
M: I doubt that very much. Probably the last job that will be writing AI software and then eventually AI will just write his own software.
W: At that time, we are going to have a lot of jobs which nobody will want to do. So we won’t need artificial intelligence for the robots to take care of the old guys like us.
M: I don't know. (7) There's a risk that human civilization could be replaced by a superior type of digital life. AI will be able to completely simulate a person in every way possible. In fact, some people think we're in a simulation right now.
W: That's impossible. Humans can't even make a mosquito. Computers only have chips, people have brains, and that's where the wisdom comes from.
M: (8) Once it's fully developed, AI will become tired of trying to communicate with humans as we would be much slower thinkers in comparison.
W: I'm not so sure. A computer is a computer and a computer is just a toy.
M: Computers can easily communicate incredibly fast, so the computer will just get impatient talking to humans. It'll be barely getting any information out.
W: Well, I believe there's a benevolent future with AI. I also think you watch too many science fiction films.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
Q5 What do we learn about the speakers from the conversation?
Q6 What will new kinds of jobs be like according to the woman?
Q7 What is the risk the man anticipates?
Q8 What is the man's concern about AI technology?
Passage One
To achieve financial security. How much you save is always more important. Then the amount you earn or how shrewdly you invest.(9) If you're under 30 years old, your goal should be to save 20% of your monthly income after tax deductions. This is irrespective of how much you earn. Approximately 50% should be reserved for essentials, like food and accommodation. The remaining 30% is for recreation and entertainment. But for many young people, it'll be difficult to designate such a large proportion of their income for savings. (10) If you find it hard to save any money at all start by cutting all unnecessary spending, allocate a tiny amount of 1 or 2% for savings, and gradually increase that amount. (11)Always keep that 20% goal in mind, prevent yourself from becoming complacent. It can be challenging to stick to such a strict plan. But if you adopt the right mindset, you should be able to make it work for you. So what should you be doing with the money that you are saving? Some must be kept easily accessible. In case you need some cash in an emergency, the largest proportion should be invested in retirement plans, either for your employer, all privately, you can keep some money for high risk, but potentially lucrative investments. Dividends can be reinvested or used to purchase something you like. By following this plan, you should hopefully be able to enjoy your life now, and still be financially secure in the future.
Questions, 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Q 9. What are people under 30 advised to do to achieve financial security?
Q10. What should people do if they find it difficult to follow the speaker's advice on their financial plan?
Q 11. What does the speaker think is important for achieving financial security?
Passage Two
I work in advertising and I like to keep up with current trends, mainly because I'm aware that we live in an image obsessed world.
(12)However, when I first started my job, occasionally I’d catch a glimpse of myself in the lifts and find myself thinking that I looked a total mess. Was I being held back by my choice of clothing? The short answer is “Yes”, especially when clients are quick to judge you on your style rather than your work.(13) But no one can be unique with her outfit every day. I mean that's why uniforms were invented. So here's what I did. I created my own uniform. To do this, I chose an appropriate outfit. Then I bought multiple items of the same style in different shades.
Now, I never worry about what I'm wearing in the morning. Even if I do get a bit tired of just wearing the same classic pieces. (14)Overall, when it comes to work, you have to ask yourself with looking smarter can enhance my ability to do my job.
For some, this question may not be an issue at all, especially if you work remotely and rarely see your colleagues or clients face to face. But if your job involves interacting with other people, the answer to this is often “yes”. (15) So rather than fighting the system, I think we should just do whatever helps us to achieve our goals at work. If that means playing it safe with your image, then let's face it. It's probably worth it.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Q 12. What do we learn about the speaker when she first started her job?
Q 13. Why were uniforms invented according to the speaker?
Q 14. What does the speakers say about looking smarter?
Q 15. What does the speaker advise people to do in an image obsessed world?
Recording One
Did you know that Americans have approximately 3 times the amount of space we had 50 years ago? Therefore, you'd think would have sufficient room for all of our possessions. On the contrary, the personal storage business is now a growing industry. We've got triple the space, but we've become such enthusiastic consumers that we require even more. (16) This phenomenon has resulted in significant credit card debt, enormous environmental footprints, and perhaps not coincidentally our happiness levels have failed to increase over the same half century.
I'm here to suggest an alternative. They’re having less might actually be a preferable decision. Many of us have experienced at some stage, the pleasure of possessing less. (17) I propose that less stuff and less space can not only help you economize, but also simplify your life. I recently started an innovative project to discover some creative solutions that offered me everything I required. By purchasing an apartment. There was 40 square meters instead of 60. I immediately saved $200,000. Smaller space leads to reduced utility bills and also a smaller carbon footprint, because it's designed around an edited collection of possessions, limited to my favorite stuff. I'm really excited to live there.
How can we live more basically? Firstly, we must briefly cut the unnecessary objects out of our lives to stem consumption. We should think before we buy and ask ourselves: Will it truly make me happier? Obviously, we should possess some great stuff but we want belongings that we’re going to love for years. Secondly, we require space efficiency. We want appliances that are designed for use most of the time, not for occasional use. Why own a six burner when you really use even three burners?
Finally, we need multifunctional spaces and housewares. I combined a movable wall with transforming furniture to get more out of my limited space. Consider my coffee table. It increases in size to accommodate ten. My office is tucked away, easily hidden. My bed simply pops out of the wall. For gas, I can relocate the movable wall and utilize the foldable guest beds I installed. I’m not saying we should all live in tiny apartments, but consider the benefits of an edited life. When you return home and walk through your front door, take a moment to ask yourselves. Could I do with a little life editing? Would that give me more freedom and more time?
Question 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 16. What has prevented American's happiness levels from increasing?
Question 17. What things should we possess according to the speaker?
Question 18. What do we learn about the items in the speaker’s home?
Recording Two
Now, believe it or not, (19) people sometimes lie in order to maintain a good, honest reputation, even if it hurts them to do so. At least, this is what a team of scientists is suggesting with evidence to prove it.
Picture this scenario—you often drive for work and can be compensated for up to 400 miles per month. Most people at your company drive about 300 miles each month. But this month you drove 400 miles. How many miles do you think you’d claim in your expense report? The scientists asked this exact question as part of the study we’re discussing today. With surprising results, they found that 12% of respondents reported the distance they drove as less than the actual figure, giving an average answer of 384 miles. In other words, they lied about the number of miles, even though they would forfeit money they were owed. The researchers believe this was to seem honest with the assumption being that others would be suspicious of a high expense claim.
But why would people fabricate numbers to their own detriment? (20) The researchers explained that many people care a great deal about their reputation and how they’ll be judged by others. If they care enough, they’re concerned about appearing honest and not losing the respect of others—maybe greater than their desire to actually be honest. The researchers assert that the findings suggest that when people obtain very favorable outcomes, they anticipate other people’s suspicious reactions and prefer lying and appearing honest to telling the truth and appearing as selfish liars.
So why is this research important? Well, experts generally agree there are two main types of lie—selfish lies and lies that are meant to benefit others. The first, as you may predict, is for selfish gain, such as submitting a fraudulent claim to an insurance company, while the second involves lying to help others or not offend others. For example, telling a friend whose outfit you don’t like that they look great. But the researchers are suggesting a third type of lying: lying to maintain a good reputation.
Now this hypothesis is new, and some skeptics argue that this isn’t a whole new category of lie. (21) But the findings seem intuitive to me. After all, one of the main motivations for lying is to increase our worth in the eyes of others. So it seems highly likely that people will lie to seem honest.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 19: What did a team of scientists find in their study?
Question 20: why would people fabricate numbers to their own detriment according to the researchers?
Question 21: What does the speaker think of the researchers findings?
Recording Three
(22) Why do old people dislike new music? As I’ve grown older, I often hear people my age say things like, “They just don’t make good music like they used to.” (22) Why does this happen? Luckily, psychology can give us some insights into this puzzle. Musical taste begins crystallized as early as age 13 or 14. By the time we’re in our early 20s, these tastes get locked into place pretty firmly.
(23) In fact, studies have found that by the time we turn 33, most of us have stopped listening to new music. Meanwhile, popular songs released when you in the early teens are likely to remain quite popular among your age group for the rest of your life. There could be a biological explanation for this. As there’s evidence that the brain’s ability to make subtle distinctions between different chords, rhythms, and melodies deteriorate rates with age, so to older people, newer, less familiar songs might all sound the same.
But there may be some simpler reasons for older people’s aversion to new music. (24) One of the most researched laws of social psychology is something called the “mere exposure effect”, which, in essence, means that the more we’re exposed to something, the more we tend to like it. This happens with people we know, the advertisements we see, and the songs we listen to.
When you’re in your early teens, you probably spend a fair amount of time listening to music or watching music videos. Your favorite songs and artists become familiar, comforting parts of your routine. For many people over 30, job and family obligations increase. So there’s less time to spend discovering new music. Instead, many will simply listen to old familiar favorites from that period of their lives when they had more free time.
Of course, those teen years weren’t necessarily carefree. They’re famously confusing, which is why so many TV shows and movies revolve around high school turmoil. Psychology research has shown that (25) the emotions that we experience as teens seem more intense than those that come later. And we also know that intense emotions are associated with stronger memories and preferences. Both of these might explain why the songs we listen to during this period become so memorable and beloved. So there’s nothing wrong with your parents because they don’t like your music. Rather, it’s all part of the natural order of things.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
Question 22. What does the speaker mainly discuss in this talk?
Question 23. What have studies found about most people by the time they turn 33?
Question 24. What do we learn from one of the most researched laws of social psychology?
Question 25. What might explain the fact that songs people listen to in their teen years are memorable and beloved?
第二套听力答案暂缺
