四级真题2021年6月第一套 Passage One
四级真题2021年6月第一套 Passage One


①　Educators and business leaders have more in common than it may seem. Teachers want to prepare students for a successful future. Technology companies have an interest in developing a workforce with the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills needed to grow the company and advance the industry. How can they work together to achieve these goals? Play may be the answer.

②　Focusing on STEM skills is important, but the reality is that STEM skills are enhanced and more relevant when combined with traditional, hands-on creative activities. This combination is proving to be the best way to prepare today’s children to be the makers and builders of tomorrow. That is why technology companies are partnering with educators to bring back good, old-fashioned play.
③　In fact many experts argue that the most important 21st-century skills aren’t related to specific technologies or subject matter, but to creativity; skills like imagination, problem-finding and problem-solving, teamwork, optimism, patience and the ability to experiment and take risks. These are skills acquired when kids tinker(鼓捣小玩意). High-tech industries such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have found that their best overall problem solvers were master tinkerers in their youth.
④　There are cognitive(认知的）benefits of doing things the way we did as children—building something, tearing it down, then building it up again. Research shows that given 15 minutes of free play, four- and five-year-olds will spend a third of this time engaged in spatial, mathematical, and architectural activities. This type of play—especially with building blocks—helps children discover and develop key principles in math and geometry.
⑤　If play and building are critical to 21st-century skill development, that’s really good news for two reasons: Children are born builders, makers, and creators, so fostering (培养)21st-century skills may be as simple as giving kids room to play, tinker and try things out, even as they grow older. Secondly, it doesn’t take 21st-century technology to foster 21st-century skills. This is especially important for under-resourced schools and communities. Taking whatever materials are handy and tinkering with them is a simple way to engage those important “maker” skills. And anyone, anywhere, can do it.

1.1. What does the author say about educators?

A They seek advice from technology companies to achieve teaching goals.

B They have been successful in preparing the workforce for companies.

C They help students acquire the skills needed for their future success.

D They partner with technology companies to enhance teaching efficiency.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。由题干中的 educators定位到首段前两句。定位句指出,教育工作者和商界领袖的共同点比看起来要多。教师希望为学生成功的未来做好准备。Teachers“教师”指的就是 educators“教育工作者”,由此可见,教育工作者帮助学生为成功的未来做好准备,即帮助学生获得未来成功所需的技能,故答案为 C。

2.2. How can educators better develop students’ STEM skills, according to the author?

A By blending them with traditional, stimulating activities.

B By inviting business leaders to help design curriculums.

C By enhancing students’ ability to think in a critical way.

D By showing students the best way to learn is through play.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。由题干中的 better develop students’ STEM skills 定位到第二段第一、二句。定位句提到,专注于STEM技能很重要,但当STEM 技能与传统的动手创造性活动相结合时,这些技能会增强。事实证明,这种结合是让今天的孩子成为明天的创造者和建设者的最佳方式。换言之,通过将培养STEM 技能与传统的、趣味盎然的活动相结合,能够更好地培养学生的 STEM 技能,故答案为 A。

3.3. How do children acquire the skills needed for the 21st century?

A By engaging in activities involving specific technologies.

B By playing with things to solve problems on their own.

C By familiarizing themselves with high-tech gadgets.

D By mastering basic principles through teamwork.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。由题干中的 children acquire the skills needed for the 2lst century 定位到第三段第一、二句。定位句指出，许多专家认为21 世纪最重要的技能与特定的技术或主题无关而是与创造力有关;如想象力、发现问题和解决问题的能力、团队合作、乐观、耐心以及做实验和冒险的能力。这些都是孩子们鼓捣小玩意时获得的技能。由此可见，孩子们可以通过摆弄东西来自已解决问题,从而获得 21世纪所需的技能,故答案为 B。

4.4.What can we do to help children learn the basics of math and geometry?

A Stimulate their interest as early as possible.

B Spend more time playing games with them.

C Encourage them to make things with hands.

D Allow them to tinker freely with calculators.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。由题干中的 basics of math and geometry定位到第四段最后一句。定位句提到,这种类型的游戏--特别是搭积木--帮助孩子们发现和掌握数学和几何学的关键原理。由此可见,鼓励孩子们动手做东西可以帮助孩子们学习数学和几何的基础知识,故答案为C。

5.5. What does the author advise disadvantaged schools and communities to do?

A Train students to be makers to meet future market demands.

B Develop students’ creative skills with the resources available.

C Engage students with challenging tasks to foster their creativity.

D Work together with companies to improve their teaching facilities.

解析：选B。B推理判断题。由题干中的 disadvantaged schools andcommunities定位到文章最后一段最后三句。定位句指出,这一点对于资源不足的学校和社区尤其重要。利用手边的任何材料,让孩子们去鼓捣小玩意,这是运用那些重要的“制造者”技能的一个简单方法。任何人在任何地方都能做到。换言之,资源不足的学校和社区应尽可能地利用现有资源,故答案为 B。