When Harvard was founded in 1636, there were no other colleges in the American colonies, and it would become the model for many of those that followed. When it began requiring applicants to take a test known as the SAT in 1935, Harvard started another trend. Two years ago, after it announced an aggressive new financial-aid policy, it helped push social class to the center of the national debate over higher education and forced two of its main competitors, Stanford and Yale, to follow its lead.
Last week. Harvard began to make another effort to affect higher education in its image, its president, Derek Bok, announced that the college would abandon its early admissions program, which for decades has allowed high school seniors to apply in October and get an answer yes, no or maybe – in December, shortly before the regular deadline for applications.
Harvard officials argue that the program is beneficial to rich students who don't need to compare financial-aid offers from various colleges. After the announcement, many people within education urged other colleges to take a similar step.
"We're thrilled," said Laurie Kobick, a college counselor (顾问) at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va. "I think it's going to make admissions better in so many different ways. It will indeed go a small way toward leveling the field among applicants. Of course, it will also have an effect on colleges, and the biggest winner will almost certainly be Harvard. a fact that may prevent many other colleges – perhaps all of them – from following Hazard this time. Because any college that does so will risk losing some of its best applicants."
1.From the first paragraph we can learn that Harvard ____.
A. was the first college in the American colonies
B. was best known for the SAT
C. was muck better than Stanford and Yale
D. refused to offer financial-aid to applicants
2.By abandoning early admissions program, Harvard wants ____.
A. to attract the public's attention
B. to influence higher education in its own way
C. to save money spent in attracting students
D. to allow its competitors to admit more students
3.Early admissions program is good for rich students because ____.
A. they have more chances to enter college
B. they can enter college with a lower score
C. they have special right to be admitted into college
D. they have no problem in supporting their studies
4.Why does Laurie Kobick think other colleges may not follow Harvard?
A. Because they think the action will harm high education.
B. Because they are afraid that the action is not practical.
C. Because they may attract fewer top students than he[ore,
D. Because they are afraid the action will damage their reputation.
Students who work during term time to support themselves at university are far more likely to graduate with a poor degree, according to a government-funded study published yesterday.
Undergraduates with part-time jobs are a third less likely to get a first or upper second-class degree than other students, harming their career chances. Students from the poorest backgrounds were most likely to take jobs during term because they could not depend on help from their parents.
The report, commissioned (委托) by the Department for Education and Skills, also found a clear relation between fear of debt and employment in non-graduate jobs. Students from poorer backgrounds are known to he more unwilling to be in debt than those from middle class families.
The study of 8,600 people who graduated in 1999 was made by Peter Elias, of Warwick University, and Kate Purcell, from Bristol Business School. They found that twice as many first-class degrees were awarded to students who did not work during term compared with those who did. Between 35 and 38 percent who worked during term achieved a lower second, compared with about 28 percent of those who did not.
Professor Elias said that the increase in school fees next year to ￡3,000 would have to be monitored (监控) carefully for its effect on poorer students. "Higher education is going to be a harder struggle for those who do not come with all the advantages," he said.
He suggested that universities could get in touch with employers to provide work experience on good salaries to choose students during holidays, so that they did not have to work during term.
1.What's the main idea of the passage?
A. Students at university like to take part-time jobs to support themselves,
B. Term-time jobs at university lead to poorer examination results.
C. The school fees are becoming higher and higher at university.
D. Students at university have much difficulty getting first-class degrees.
2.Why did lots of students take term-jobs at university?
A. No one would lend them money to continue their study.
B. They wanted to improve themselves by taking part-time jobs,
C. Their families were poor and couldn't afford the high expense.
D. They thought earning money was more important than studying.
3.Students who took term-jobs at university ____.
A. had no possibility to study better than those who didn't
B. couldn't graduate from school normally in the future
C. might have trouble in finding a job in the future
D. were more independent than those who didn't in the future
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Poor students can't take part-time jobs all the time at university.
B. Employers have the duty to help poor students solve the money problem.
C. First class degrees couldn't be given to the students whose families were poor.
D. High school fees are one of the important reasons why students have to take term-jobs.
Katie always felt there had to be something more to life than just partying, buying clothes and driving a cool car. She finally discovered what she was missing out on when she traveled halfway around the world to help poor kids.
When she was 14, she discovered a club at school called Operation Smile, an organization that supports free operation for facially deformed kids in developing countries. At that time, she joined Operation Smile just to satisfy her school's community service requirement.
After working with Operation Smile for a while, she learned different countries have different deformities (畸形). The more she learned about what affects kids around the world, the more she wanted to go abroad with Operation Smile.
At 15, she was chosen to go abroad. She was so happy – even though she didn't realize what she was getting herself into. Before her trip, she attended a weekend "mission training". That's when she was told she'd be going to the Philippines. Although she was excited, one night during training, she broke down in tears. She didn't know if she was prepared to see all these unfortunate kids. She was put to work three days after her arrival in the Philippines. Her first day was at the hospital, where she met those kids waiting for operation, and they were running around and happy, it seemed normal. Her job was to play with the kids before their operation to help them feel more at ease. She also went to nearby schools to hand out toothbrushes and teach students how to brush their teeth.
When their operation was over, the kids were always overjoyed, but their parents were blown away. Sometimes they couldn't even recognize their kids because their appearances had improved so much. They'd cry and hug the doctors and nurses and give them presents--they were so grateful.
1.Why did the author join the Operation Smile?
A. To help poor kids in developing countries, B. To satisfy her own curiosity.
C. To do what was required by the school. D. To operate on those unfortunate kids.
2.According to the passage, Operation Smile ____.
A. is a club popular with students B. is an organization founded by students
C. helps those unfortunate kids learn how to smile
D. offers operation for those unfortunate kids free of charge
3.Why did the author play with those kids in hospital?
A. To make them happy. B. To learn more shout them.
C. To teach them how to brush their teeth.
D. To make them feel relaxed about the operation.
4.After the operation, parents felt surprised for their kids' had improved so much.
A. health condition B. looks C. smile D. mood
The secret of carrier pigeons' unbelievable ability to find their way home has been discovered by scientists: the feathered navigators follow the roads just like we do.
Scientists now believe the phrase "as the crow (乌鸦) flies" no longer means the shortest most direct route between two points. They say it is likely that crows and other day birds also choose AA-suggested routes, even though it makes their journeys longer.
Scientists at Oxford University spent 10 years studying homing pigeons using global positioning satellite (GPS) and got a surprising result. The birds often don't use the sun to decide their directions.
Instead they fly along motorways, turn at crossing and even go around roundabouts (绕道) , adding miles to their journeys.
"It really has knocked our research team sideways to find that after a decade-long international study, pigeons appear to ignore their inbuilt directional instincts (本能) and follow the road system," said Prof Tim Guilford, reader in animal behavior at Oxford University's Department of Zoology.
Guilford said pigeons use their own navigational system (导航系统) when doing long distance trips or when a bird does a journey for the first time.
"But once homing pigeons have flown a journey more than once, they can fly home on a habitual route, much as we do when we are driving or walking home from work," said Guilford.
"In short, it looks like it is mentally easier for a bird to fly down a road. They are just making their journey as simple as possible."
1.What would be the best title of the passage?
A. How Pigeons Find Their Ways Home? B. Why Pigeons Can Fly long Distance?
C. Birds Follow Roads as We Do. D. Why Crows Fly the Shortest D stance?
2.What does the words "the feathered navigators" refer to?
A. The crows. B. The pigeons. C. Day birds. D. Animals that can fly.
3.Scientists used to think that homing pigeons often find their directions ____.
A. by global positioning satellite B. by the sun
C. by the road system D. by following other birds
4.Why do homing pigeons tend to follow the road system daring the r journey?
A. Because they don't have their inbuilt directional instincts now.
B. Because their own navigational system doesn't work.
C. Because it is too hard to use their own navigational system.
D. Because it is easier to make journey simple by following road system.
We were a very motley (混杂的) crowd of people who took the bus every day many years ago. During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily (昏昏欲睡地) with our collars up to our ears.
A small grey man took the bus to the center for senior citizens every morning. No one ever paid very much attention to him. Then one July morning he said good morning to the driver before he sat down. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.
The next day, the old man boarded the bus energetically, smiled and said in a loud voice: "And a very good morning to you all!" Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured "Good morning!" in reply.
The following weeks we were more surprised. Our friend was now dressed in a nice old suit and a wide out-of-date tie. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.
One morning he had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. The driver turned around smilingly and asked: "Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?" The man nodded shyly and said yes. Every morning after that Charlie always brought a flower.
The summer went by when one morning Charlie wasn't waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn't there the new day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or – hopefully – on holiday somewhere, Later we were told one of his very close friends had died at the weekend. How silent we were the rest of the way to work. The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, a little bit more grey. Inside the bus was a silence similar to that in a church. Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.
1.From the first paragraph we can inter that the passengers ____.
A. had a cheerful trip every morning B. didn't know each other
C. seldom talked to each other D. talked and laughed on the way
2. Why were some of the passengers amazed when the old man greeted them?
A. Because he looked energetic. B. Because he spoke in a loud voice.
C. Because he was holding some flowers. D. Because they hardly greeted each other.
3.How did the passengers feel when Charlie was not there the next day?
A. Concerned. B. Pleased. C. Surprised. D. Disappointed.
4. The underlined word "it" in the last paragraph most probably refers to ____.
A. the reach for his not taking the bus B. the death of one of his very close friends
C. the reach for his looking more grey D. the silence on the bus
Growing up, I always dreamed of being a professional figure skater. After years of hard work, I am living proof that dreams can come true.
When I was born, my parents immediately noticed something 36 and the doctor said I couldn't skate. I, however, 37 trying skating in an ice rink (溜冰场), where local skaters 38 perform ice shows. I started taking group skating lessons, and performing on ice came naturally, but I have always been 39 to speak in group settings. One thing I've never been afraid of is 40 , though. I get nervous, but never 41 . For me, skating has been about being my personal best 42 beating others on the ice. 1 progressed through various 43 rapidly and gave my first ice performance at seven. Soon I started winning local and regional competitions. That's 44 being on the ice has always been the one place where I can 45 express my own emotions. The ice is like home.
When I was nine years old I began training 46 . I would wake up at four o'clock in the morning six days a week and skate for five hours. Then I'd go to school. Since 47 has always been important in my family, I had no 48 but to find creative ways to fit in school studies throughout my 49 career.
After graduating from high school, I moved to Canada and set out to train full-time to give my dreams a chance at reality. In 1992 I went to compete in the Olympic Games. 50 , not my coach or even my family, ever talked to me about winning a gold medal. In fact, I wouldn't even 51 myself to think about it. I thought that would disturb me. 52 , I went with the attitude that I wanted to enjoy the Olympic spirit. 53 the expectation of all the people, I won the gold medal and words couldn't describe the overwhelming mixture of emotions I felt. Then I truly understood what 54 most in achieving a dream is nor to 55 it when you 1ace difficulties, but strive to make it come true.
1.A. unique B. wrong C. unbelievable D. attractive
2.A. directed to B. led to C. insisted on D. fixed on
3.A. could B. should C. might D. would
4.A. doubtful B. brave C. shy D. disabled
5.A. competition B. expression C. exchange D. display
6. A. annoyed B. disappointed C. sad D. fearful
7. A. rather than B. other than C. except for D. as for
8. A. positions B. levels C. points D. ways
9.A. where B. why C. when D. because
10.A, easily B. immediately C. truly D. slowly
11.A. freely B. comfortably C. seriously D. quickly
12.A. education B. wealth C. reputation D. health
13.A. chance B. choice C. goal D. freedom
14.A. boring B. aimless C. amateur D. normal
15. A. Somebody B. Everybody C. Anybody D. Nobody
16.A. allow B. promise C. force D. discourage
17. A. However B. Therefore C. Besides D. Naturally
18. A. Beyond B. Within C. Despite D. Without
19.A. stresses B. applies C. matters D. acts
20.A. ruin B. ignore C. change D. abandon
