一、命題特點
四級考試短文聽力的命題特點主要包括：
1. 形似閱讀理解，難度相差懸殊。聽力短文在形式上與閱讀理解基本相同，都是根據材料所包含的信息回答後面提出的問題，但聽力短文材料的難度比閱讀理解小得多，只相當於一般的口語材料。因此考生完全沒有必要被其外在形式嚇倒。
2. 短文播放時間固定，但有彈性時間可利用。雖然短文播放的時間及回答問題的時間是固定的，但播放聽力錄音之前有大約90秒的試音時間，且在播放短文之前要播放本題的指令部分(directions)，這些時間都是可以利用的。
3. 短文體裁較爲固定，爲做出正確判斷提供了語境依據。聽力短文多爲說明文或敘述性小故事，材料較爲通俗易懂，這使提前根據所給選項推斷材料內容成爲可能。
4. 選項已知，可作爲推斷短文內容的依據。雖然材料的內容只播放一遍，但每小題的選項是提前給定的，考生可以根據選項所提供的信息，利用前面提到的彈性時間進行推斷，爲充分獲取短文信息創造更加有利的條件。
5. 各小題類型相對固定，有助於總結答題規律。多年來聽力短文的試題類型是相對固定的，主要包括細節題、推斷題、態度題、數字題、主旨題等。這給我們正確解題提供了啓發和思路。
二、應試技巧
結合聽力短文的命題特點，我們可總結出如下解題步驟：
首先，瀏覽已知選項，推斷問題的內容和短文大意。在播放短文之前，我們可以利用彈性時間瀏覽各小題選項，推斷短文的體裁和大致內容，爲播放短文時充分獲取信息做準備。另外，也可據此推斷問題的類型甚至內容以便聽錄音時更有針對性。
其次，手眼腦並用，記錄關鍵信息。播放短文錄音期間要聽記兼顧，以聽爲主。一篇短文就是一個信息羣，完全靠大腦記憶所有的信息往往是很困難的。因此我們應該把獲取的主要信息有選擇性地記錄下來，特別是有關細節，爲做出正確選擇做準備。需要特別注意的是這時"聽"應該是第一位的，千萬不要因爲記錄前面的信息而漏聽後面的信息。
再次，針對不同題型採取相應的解題技巧。在播放問題時，考生要綜合利用各種解題技巧做出正確選擇。
1. 細節題。細節題出題點無處不在，但這並不是說無規律可循。細節題的答案往往由first， most， because， in any case，as a matter of fact等副詞或副詞短語引出，考生在聽短文時，除了要儘量聽懂所有細節外，一定要更加留意這些詞後面的相關信息。
2. 推斷題。多數推斷題與每段的大意或短文的中心思想有關係，因此在聽短文錄音時我們一定要注意文章中間和結尾總結性的話，特別是每部分的最後一句話。我們對這些話加以分析，往往不難找到正確的答案。
3. 態度題。態度題的選項往往是四個形容詞，所以考生在播放短文錄音之前判斷出有態度題，在聽錄音時就應特別留心fortunately, luckily, unfortunately等這樣的具感情色彩的可以反映出speaker的態度的`詞。speaker對於談論的對象可能有雙向評論，如果聽不出speaker的態度方向，建議同學們選正面態度的，因爲反駁的文章往往更爲複雜。
4. 數字題。數字題一般涉及時間、數量、年代等等。如果事先判斷出有數字題，在聽短文錄音時就要特別留意相關數字並儘可能地記下來。而且對於Section B的解題對策要與Section A完全要反過來，即聽到哪個數字就要選哪個數字，這裏的數字不考運算。
5. 主旨題。對於主旨題，我們可以從三方面來把握：一是從選項入手。選項中出現的多次重複的詞一定是中心詞(key word)。二是從短文入手，要特別注意文章的兩頭，尤其是文章的開頭的兩個句子最重要，很有可能成爲主旨題的考點，具體需要聽的是文章開頭的名詞。選答案時要優先選含有該名詞的選項。三是從短文後面的問題入手，這樣也可以提供中心詞的線索。大多數的考題都問及的詞一定就是此段的中心詞。
最後，認真檢驗覈對，不允許任何由於疏忽造成的失誤。
把握命題特點和解題技巧固然重要，但這些都是"應急"措施，平時掌握紮實的基礎知識，練就基本技能纔是解題之根本。忽略平時的基本功訓練片面追求所謂的解題技巧只能是捨本逐末。
26. A) They want children to keep them company.
B) They want to enrich their life experience.
C) They need looking after in their old age.
D) They care a lot about children.
27. A) Their birth parents often try to conceal their birth information.
B) They are usually adopted from distant places.
C) Their birth information is usually kept secret.
D) Their adoptive parents don't want them to know their birth parents.
28. A) They do not want to hurt the feelings of their adoptive parents.
B) They have mixed feelings about finding their natural parents.
C) They generally hold bad feelings towards their birth parents.
D) They are fully aware of the expenses involved in the search.
29. A) Adoption has much to do with love.
B) Understanding is the key to successful adoption.
C) Most people prefer to adopt children from overseas.
D) Early adoption makes for closer parent-child relationship.
聽力原文
When couples get married, they usually plan to have children. Sometimes, however, a couple cannot have a child of their own. In this case, they may decide to adopt a child. In fact, adoption is very common today. There are about 60,000 adoptions each year in the United States alone. Some people prefer to adopt infants; others adopt older children. Some couples adopt children from their own countries; others adopt children from foreign countries. In any case, they all adopt children for the same reason-they care about children and want to give their adopted child a happy life.
Most adopted children know that they are adopted. Psychologists and child-care experts generally think this is a good idea. However, many adopted children or adoptees have very little information about their biological parents. As a matter of fact, it is often very difficult for adoptees to find out about their birth parents be-cause the birth records of most adoptees are usually sealed. The information is secret so no one can see it. Naturally, adopted children have different feelings about their birth parents. Many adoptees want to search for them, but others do not. The decision to search for birth parents is a difficult one to make. Most adoptees have mixed feelings about finding their biological parents. Even though adoptees do not know about their natural parents, they do know that their adopted parents want them, love them and will care for them.
Questions 26-29 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. According to the speaker, why do some couples adopt children?
27. Why is it difficult for adoptees to find out about their birth parents?
28. Why do many adoptees find it hard to make the decision to search for their birth parents?
29. What can we infer from the passage?
答案&解析
26. D)細節題。答案是由副詞短語"in any case"引出的。錄音中我們可以聽到這句話"In any case, they all adopt children for the same reason-they care about children and want to give their adopted child a happy life."在聽錄音時只要我們留心"in any case"後面的內容就可找到正確答案。
27. C)細節題。答案是由副詞短語"as a matter of fact"引出的。錄音中我們可以聽到"As a matter of fact, it is often very difficult for adoptees to find out about their birth parents because the birth records of most adoptees are usually sealed. The information is secret so no one can see it."在聽短文錄音時我們只要留心副詞短語"as a matter of fact"後面的信息就可以找到正確答案。
28. B)細節題。在短文錄音裏面我們可以聽到這樣的信息"The decision to search for birth parents is a difficult one to make. Most adoptees have mixed feelings about finding their biological parents."這裏只提到了被收養的孩子很難下決心尋找他們生父母的原因是由於對他們的"複雜的感情",並沒有說是什麼感情,因此選B)。
29. A)推斷題。錄音中至少有兩處可作爲推斷的依據:
一處是"In any case, they all adopt children for the same reason-they care about children and want to give their adopted child a happy life.";
另一處是"Even though adoptees do not know about their natural parents, they do know that their adopted parents want them, love them and will care for them."。
