Question

The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts（文科） in higher education isn’t an either/or proposition（命题），although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM（science, technology, engineering, maths）-related fields can make it seem that way．

The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also states firmly that the study of the humanities and social sciences must remain central components of America’s educational system at all levels．Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become creative leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides．

Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs．Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run．Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily．

Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers．The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible．The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States．

1.What does the latest congressional report suggest?

A．STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society.

B．Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society.

C．The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students’ spiritual life.

D．The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance．

2.What kind of job applicants do employers look for?

A．Those who have a strong sense of responsibility.

B．Those who are good at solving practical problems.

C．Those who are likely to become innovative leaders.

D．Those who have received an all-round education.

3.What advice does the author give to college students?

A．Seize opportunities to explore their potential．

B．Try to take a variety of practical courses．

C．Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems．

D．catch as many chances as possible to change their jobs.

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.C

【解析】

试题分析：

1.根据题干定位词latest congressional report 定位到文章第二段第一句。Acknowledge意为“承认”，引出观点。前半句非常简单，“最近的一次国会报告承认了技术训练的关键性”，后半句以but进行语义转折，意为“但是他们也认为关于人文学科和社会科学的研究都必须在任何等级的美国教育系统中作为核心部分”。之后的both areas are critical to…都是在描述这两门学科对塑造人才的积极影响，选项唯一的难点是STEM在文中是以social science进行同义替换的方式出现的。Should be given equal importance和原文的must remain central components of …对应。故选D。

2.第三段最后一句话，employers have expressed a preference for students who received a broadly-based education that has taught them how to write well, think carefully, research creatively, and communicate easily. 这句话非常直白地告诉我们老板所偏爱的员工是接受过broadly-based education的人，即“全方位教育”，故选D。

3.本段的最后两句话。意思是“能在这种环境下做到最好的一定是那些已经让自己做好随时变通的准备的人。”以及最后作者还评价“能够利用任何可用的工具——不管是来自己于哪个学科，去解决问题，并且利用机会表现自己”的能力会产生很大的帮助。D选项就是对原文的归纳和总结，ABC属于无中生有的干扰项。

考点：考查知识类短文阅读