Picking a university is a tense period of asking yourself which institution is most relevant. That's why university rankings play such an important role in students searching for their next academic direction. Rankings are also an inescapable part of the reputation and brand image of universities. "No university website is complete without the claim to be in the top 100 for something or other," reported the BBC. The reason is simple: Rankings help them to attract students, staff and research investment.
Currently there are numbers of university rankings, and each has its own list of criteria. But the main categories are the same: academic reputation, graduates' performance and faculty(全体员工) resources.
However, experts point out the ranking process isn't entirely reliable. Mark Kantrowitz, a US financial aid researcher, said university rankings were mostly just for show. He wrote in The New York Times. "It may give your parents better bragging（吹牛）rights, but that's about it. "
Moreover, it's not difficult to see the limitations of university rankings. Many rankings focus on the number of times research work is cited(引用) by other researchers. It helps British and US universities to dominate(控制) global rankings because English is the favored language of academia, John O'Leary, a member of the QS academic advisory board, told The Gunrdian,. Also, rankings such as QS mainly focus on the qualities of the university rather than its students. "Any university ranking is likely to help students make better decisions about where to study, but the need to balance them with other more human factors is also important," said Phil Moss, an education and admissions consultant. "Advice from graduates or current students can be as valuable in providing a genuine insight into the experience or quality of a particular degree program. It can also add an element that rankings can never convey the actual emotion of a university experience. "
1.Why do universities consider rankings important?
A. Rankings make them more appealing.
B. Rankings are students' only reference.
C. Rankings can increase their academic level.
D. Rankings help them complete their websites.
2. What does the underlined "It" in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. Academic research work.
B. The number of researches.
C. The way of ranking universities.
D. The limitation of university ranking.
3. According to John O'Leary, what helps British and US universities rank well?
A. The wide use of English in academia.
B. Their outstanding qualities.
C. Their graduates' excellent performance.
D. The academia's favor to them.
4. Besides ranking, what does Phil Moss suggest you should refer to if you're picking a university?
A. Investment in education.
B. Guidance from professors.
C. Information on websites.
D. Suggestions from students.
Revenge is one of those things that everyone enjoys. People don’t like to talk about it, though. Just the same, there is nothing more satisfying or more rewarding than revenge. The purpose is not to harm your victims but to let them know that you are upset about something that they are doing to you. Careful planning can provide you with relief from annoying coworkers, gossiping friends or talkative family members.
Coworkers who make comments about the fact that you are always fifteen minutes late for work can be taken care of very simply. All you have to do is get up extra one day. Before the sun comes up, drive to each coworker’s house. Reach under the cover of your coworker’s car and disconnect the center wire that leads to the distributor（配电盘）cap, the car will be unharmed, but it will not start, and your friends at work will all be late for work on the same day. If you’re lucky, your boss might notice that you are the only one there and will give you a raise.
Gossiping friends at school are also perfect targets for a simple act of revenge. A way to trap either male or female friends is to leave false messages on their lockers(柜子). If the friend that you want to get is male, leave a message that a certain girl would like him to stop by her house later that day. With any luck，her boyfriend will be there. The girl won’t know what’s going on, and the victim will be so embarrassed that he probably won’t leave his home for a month.
When Mom and Dad and your sisters and brothers really begin to annoy you, harmless revenge may be just the way it makes them quiet down for a while. The dinner table is a likely place. Just before the meal begins, throw a handful of raisins (葡萄干) into the food. Wait about five minutes and, after everyone has begun to eat, cover your mouth with your hand and begin to make strange noises. When they ask you what the matter is, point to a raisin and yell. “Bugs!” They’ll throw their food in the dustbin, jump into the car, and head for McDonald’s. That night you’ll have your first quiet, peaceful meal in a long time.
A well-planned revenge does not have it hurt anyone. The object is simply to let other people know that they are beginning to bother you.
1. According to the passage, a harmless revenge is ________.
A. to amuse the victim
B. to hurt nobody emotionally
C. to react to those who bother you
D. to prevent one from disturbing others
2.As a harmless revenge, you might come first and get a raise by ________.
A. pleasing your boss
B. destroying your colleagues’ cars
C. making your colleagues come late
D. getting up earlier than your colleagues
3. The family members threw their food in the dustbin because ________.
A. they wanted to eat out
B. they didn’t like the food with raisins
C. they wanted to have a peaceful meal
D. they thought their food had been ruined
4. The topic of the passage is how to ________.
A. make a harmless revenge
B. silence gossiping friends
C. avoid talkative family members
D. deal with annoying coworkers
The 87th Academy Award nominations(提名) were announced on Jan 15, and The Grand Budapest Hotel stood out as a favorite with nine nominations, including Best Picture. Check out some other Best Picture nominees to see if you missed any of last year’s top Hollywood films.
The Imitation Game
This historical thriller is about British computer scientist, Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the father of artificial intelligence. At the start of World War II, Turing was asked to join a select team of mathematical geniuses to decode（解码） the system the Nazis used to send military messages. Besides the actual breaking of the code, Cumberbatch’s portrayal（扮演）of Turing’s personality, a mixture of decency（正派）and shyness, is also a highlight of the movie.
Birdman
This dark comedy film is about how Riggan Thomson, a faded star once famous for his superhero roles, struggles to regain fame. American actor Michael Keaton, 63, who has a similar experience to Thomson’s, plays the leading role.
Selma
A stellar cast(主要演员) including talk show queen Oprah Winfrey may be one reason to see Selma. But that the film focuses on Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle for civil rights also makes it worth viewing. Based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches, the film is a chronicle(编年史) of King’s (David Oyelowo) campaign for political rights for African-American people.
The Theory of Everything
We know English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking for his significant scientific discoveries, especially his black hole theories. This biographical film reveals the scientist’s (played by Eddie Redmayne) secret romantic relationship with Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones), whom he meets and falls in love with at Cambridge and who later becomes his first wife.
Boyhood
American Director Richard Linklater did an experiment in this film, using the same cast for 12 years to record a boy’s growth. In two and a half hours, we see Mason, a Texas boy from a divorced family, grow from 6-year-old boy to a freshman in college.
1. How many Best Picture nominees are mentioned in the text?
A. Five B. Six C. Eight D. Nine
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A. Michael Keaton became famous overnight after starring in the movie Birdman.
B. Alan Turing is a talented and outgoing man in The Imitation Game.
C. Selma is the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for voting rights for African-Americans.
D. The Theory of Everything is about how Stephen Hawking discovered his black hole theories.
3.What is Boyhood mainly about?
A. How Richard Linklater did his decade-long experiment.
B. The wonderful life of Mason.
C. The growth of a young boy.
D. How Mason spent his college years.
4. What is the main purpose of the text?
A. To analyze why these films were nominated for the 87th Academy Awards.
B. To give a brief introduction to the 87th Academy Award nominees.
C. To list some of the best nominees in the Academy Awards’ history.
D. To prove that the Academy Award nominees cover a broad range of topics.
Because I will be away for a few days after Spring Break, I am writing this during the actual holiday, when I can use time to catch up on a number of purely administrative (管理的) items.
First of all, you should have received the letter I sent out on April 2 advising of the transition (过渡) arrangements to new leadership at ISM (International School of Moscow). In that letter I pointed out that Dr. Paul Malone will be arriving in Moscow on Monday, May 4th, and that I will work with him during that week to ensure smooth transition. My last day at ISM will be Friday, May 8th.
Several people have asked me why I required Dr. Malone to come early. There are many problems facing ISM at the moment which have major implications (影响) for the future, and it makes sense for the new director to come aboard before the end of the school year. This will give him the chance to play a major role in the planning process for 2014—2015 and beyond. The fact that Paul Malone is able to arrive in early May is good for the school. I have been working closely with him, and will do everything possible to see that he can move in easily when I leave. From here I will go to Hong Kong for a couple of weeks to spend time in my new situation, and then I will return to the United States for a few weeks’ vacation.
In the most recent edition of the Compass(a kind of paper of ISM), I wrote briefly what I consider to be the major challenge for ISM in the future. I am sure that the new leadership of the school will be able to face those challenges in an active manner, which will ensure a strong future for the school. I shall certainly watch the progress of the school with interest. The results of the school for the past few years have been quite outstanding, and I fully expect that level of performance to continue.
1. We can infer from the text that the writer was the ________ of ISM.
A. director B. employee
C. teacher D. student
2. Why should Dr. Malone come to ISM early?
A. To work closely with the author.
B. To do everything possible for the school.
C. To move in easily when the author returns.
D. To work with the author for a few days and make a future plan.
3. From the text, we learn that ________.
A. Paul Malone is a capable man
B. the writer is a best friend of Paul Malone’s
C. Paul Malone will work with the writer for several years
D. the writer will do his best to help Paul Malone to work well at ISM
It is the superior intelligence and the use of language that distinguish man______ the other animals.
A. with B. among C. between D. from
Nowhere else, as Tim’s sister said, ______ except the small garden in the backyard after school.
A. would he go B. he did go
C. had he gone D. he has gone
