英语四级虽然考察的知识点比较简单，但是对于即将参加英语四级考试的同学来说，也千万不可以掉以轻心，因为考试的因素有很多，只要大家做好充足的准备才可以完美应对考试。像要顺利通过考试，就要把历年真题复习到位，自己认真做过一遍吧之后，然后参照答案，就回有很好的效果。下面，沪江小编就为大家总结出2016年12月英语四级考试真题。

Part I Writing (30 minutes)

Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. Suppose you have two options upon graduation: one is to take a job in a company and the other to go to a graduate school. You are to make a choice between the two. Write an essay to explain the reasons for your choice. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25minutes)

Section A

Directions:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 1 to 2 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

1. A) It was dangerous to live in. C) He could no longer pay the rent.

B) It was going to be renovated. D) He had sold it to the royal family.

2. A) A strike. C) A forest fire.

B) A storm. D) A terrorist attack.

Questions 3 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

3. A) They lost contact with the emergency department.

B) They were trapped in an underground elevator.

C) They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.

D) They sent calls for help via a portable radio.

4. A) They tried hard to repair the elevator.

B) They released the details of the accident.

C) They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.

D) They provided the miners with food and water.

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

5. A) Raise postage rates.

B) Improve its services.

C) Redesign delivery routes.

D) Close some of its post offices.

6. A) Shortening business hours.

B) Closing offices on holidays.

C) Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.

D) Computerizing mail sorting processes.

7. A) Many post office staff will lose their jobs.

B) Many people will begin to complain.

C) Taxpayers will be very pleased.

D) A lot of controversy will arise.

Section B

Directions:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation you will hear four questions. Both the conversations and the question-s will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

8. A) He will be kept from promotion.

B) He will go through retraining.

C) He will be given a warning.

D) He will lose part of his pay.

9. A) He is always on time.

B) He is a trustworthy guy.

C) He is an experienced press operator.

D) He is on good terms with his workmates.

10. A) She is a trade union representative.

B) She is in charge of public relations.

C) She is a senior manager of the shop.

D) She is better at handling such matters.

11. A) He is skilled and experienced.

B) He is very close to the manager.

C) He is always trying to stir up trouble.

D) He is always complaining about low wages.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. A) Open.

B) Selfish.

C) Friendly.

D) Reserved.

13. A) They stay quiet.

B) They read a book.

C) They talk about the weather.

D) They chat with fellow passengers.

14. A) She was always treated as a foreigner.

B) She was eager to visit an English castle.

C) She was never invited to a colleague’s home.

D) She was unwilling to make friends with workmates.

15. A) Houses are much more quiet.

B) Houses provide more privacy.

C) They want to have more space.

D) They want a garden of their own.

Section C

Directions:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).Then mark the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

16. A) They don’t have much choice of jobs.

B) They are likely to get much higher pay.

C) They don’t have to go through job interviews.

D) They will automatically be given hiring priority.

17. A) Ask their professors for help.

B) Look at school bulletin boards.

C) Visit the school careers service.

D) Go through campus newspapers.

18. A) Helping students find the books and journals they need.

B) Supervising study spaces to ensure a quiet atmosphere.

C) Helping students arrange appointments with librarians.

D) Providing students with information about the library.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

19. A) It tastes better.

B) It is easier to grow.

C) It may be sold at a higher price.

D) It can better survive extreme weathers.

20. A) It is healthier than green tea.

B) It can grow in drier soil.

C) It will replace green tea one day.

D) It is immune to various diseases.

21. A) It has been well received by many tea drinkers.

B) It does not bring the promised health benefits.

C) It has made tea farmers’ life easier.

D) It does not have a stable market.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

22. A) They need decorations to show their status.

B) They prefer unique objects of high quality.

C) They decorate their homes themselves.

D) They care more about environment.

23. A) They were proud of their creations.

B) They could only try to create at night.

C) They made great contributions to society.

D) They focused on the quality of their products.

24. A) Make wise choices.

B) Identify fake crafts.

C) Design handicrafts themselves.

D) Learn the importance of creation.

25. A) To boost the local economy.

B) To attract foreign investments.

C) To arouse public interest in crafts.

D) To preserve the traditional culture.

Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)

Section A

Directions:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item onAnswer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

Many men and women have long bought into the idea that there are male and female brains, believing that explains just about every difference between the sexes. A new study 26 that belief, questioning whether brains really can be distinguished by gender.

In the study, Tel Aviv University researchers 27 for sex differences the entire human brain.

And what did they find? Not much. Rather than offer evidence for 28 brains as male r female, research shows that brains fall into a wide range, with most people falling right in the middle.

Daphna Joel, who led the study, said her research found that while there are some gender-based 29 , many different types of brain can’t always be distinguished by gender.

While the average male and average female brains were 30 different, you couldn’t tell it by looking at individual brain scans. Only a small 31 of people had all-male or all-female haracteristics.

Larry Cahill, an American neuroscientist (神经科学家),said the study is an important addition to a growing body of research questioning 32 beliefs about gender and brain function. But he cautioned against concluding from this study that all brains are the same, 33 of gender.

There’s a mountain of evidence 34 the importance of sex influences at all levels of brain function, he told The Seattle Times.

If anything, he said, the study 35 that gender plays a very important role in the brain even when we are not clear exactly how.

A) abnormal I) regardless

B) applied J) searched

C) briefly K) similarities

D) categorizing L) slightly

E) challenges M) suggests

F) figure N) tastes

G) percentage O) traditional

H) proving