When times get tough, we all look for ways to cut back. When we’re hungry, we eat at home instead of going out. We take buses instead of taxis. And we wear our old designer jeans just a few months longer. With college expenses at all-time highs, high school students are eager to do anything to cut the cost of a university education.
One cost-cutting proposal is to allow college students to get a bachelor’s degree in three years instead of four. Educational institutions have been actively exploring ways to make the learning process more efficient. But there’s a question: Would the quality of undergraduate education suffer? Few US universities have formally approved a “three-year degree” model.
I doubt that mainstream North American colleges will carry out a three-year curriculum any time soon. For one thing, most universities already allow highly qualified students to graduate early by testing out of certain classes and obtaining a number of college credits. In addition, at famous universities, the committee who determine which courses are required and which courses are electives are unlikely to suddenly “throw out” one quarter of the required credits. Professors will resist “diluting(稀释)”the quality of the education they offer.
In my opinion, a quality four-year education is always superior to a quality three-year education. A college education requires sufficient time for a student to become skilled in their major and do coursework in fields outside their major. It is not a good idea to water down education, any more than it’s not a good idea to water down medicine. If we want to help students find their way through university, we should help them understand early on what knowledge and skills they need to have upon graduation. We should allow students to test out of as many courses as possible. We should give them a chance to earn money as interns(实习生)in meaningful part-time jobs that relate to their university studies, such as the five-year co-op program at Northeastern University.
1.Which of the following can be the best title?
A. It’s time to shorten the learning process
B. Best learning takes place over time
C. University education should be watered down
D. College education calls for reform
2.In most US universities, ________ .
A. some excellent students can graduate ahead of time
B. college students are offered the co-op program
C. electives’ credits make up one quarter of the required credits
D. all students are required to finish four-year education before graduation
3.We can infer that ________ .
A. the author is a college professor
B. the author considers the university education quality very important
C. the author thinks the cost of a university education is too high for people to afford
D. the author pays special attention to the all-round development of college students
4.The first paragraph serves as a(n) ________ .
A. explanation B. Definition C. Comment D. introduction
Dear Santa Claus,
My name is Amy. I am 9 years old. I have a problem at school. Can you help me, Santa? Kids laugh at me because of the way I walk and run and talk. I have cerebral palsy. I just want one day when no one laughs at me or makes fun of me.
Love,
Amy
At radio station WJLT in Fort Wayne, Indiana, letters poured in for the Christmas Wish Contest. When Amy’s letter arrived at the radio station, manager Lee Tobin read it carefully. He thought it would be good for the people in Fort Wayne to hear about this special third grader and her unusual wish. Mr. Tobin called up the local newspaper.
The next day, a picture of Amy and her letter to Santa made the front page of the “News Sentinel”. The story spread quickly. All across the country, newspapers and radio and television stations reported the story of the little girl in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who asked for such a simple, yet remarkable, Christmas gift—just one day without teasing.
Suddenly the postman was a regular at the Hagadorn house. Envelopes of all sizes addressed to Amy arrived daily from children and adults all across the nation. They came filled with holiday greetings and words of encouragement. Some of the writers had disabilities; some had been teased as children. Each writer had a special message for Amy. Through the cards and letters from strangers, Amy glimpsed a world full of people who truly cared about each other.
Many people thanked Amy for being brave enough to speak up. Others encouraged her to ignore teasing and to carry her head high.
Amy did get her wish of a special day without teasing at South Wayne High School. Teachers and students talked together about how bad teasing can make others feel.
That year, the Fort Wayne mayor officially proclaimed December 21st as Amy Jo Hagadorn Day throughout the city. The mayor explained that by daring to make such a simple wish, Amy taught a universal lesson. “Everyone, ”said the mayor, “wants and deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and warmth. ”
1.Amy’s letter showed that ________ .
A. her school wasn’t a good place for students like her
B. her schoolmates cannot understand her disability
C. she wanted to win Christmas Wish Contest
D. she was often ignored in and out of class
2.The postman was a regular at the Hagadorn house because ________ .
A. he had to send letters to Amy daily
B. he was quite curious about Amy
C. he went to encourage Amy frequently
D. he was moved by Amy’s story
3.We may infer from Amy’s story that ________ .
A. people are easy to turn their eyes to the disabled
B. Amy will still be made fun of by others
C. the news media played an important role in helping Amy
D. there are few disabled people in Amy’s country
4.The Fort Wayne mayor officially proclaimed Amy Jo Hagadorn Day ________ .
A. to tell how bad teasing can make others feel
B. to encourage people to carry their heads high
C. to call on the public to treat everyone properly
D. to explain how brave Amy was by making her wish
完形填空
请阅读下面短文, 从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中, 选出最佳选项。
I will always remember my first day at the University of Lagos. On arrival at the campus, I was expecting to be met by some tired students(as was practiced in my secondary school), ______ every student around was new like myself. I asked the way to the multi-purpose hall but no one could tell me. I asked a number of questions about issues that ______ me, such as where and how to pay my fees, the way to the dining hall and so on, but no ______ was offered. “So in the midst of so many people I am all ______ . ”I thought to myself. The prospect was not ______ at all and all the delight I had felt at gaining ______ into a famous university at seventeen began to disappear.
Then as if ______ by an unknown force, I walked a little bit down the corridor in the direction of a notice board at which some boys and girls were ______ . Because of ______ of something to do, I decided to stop and look at the notice board. Yes! I happened on the ______ to all riddles that had _____ me since I set foot on the campus that morning. On the board there was a big campus ______ , on which I was able to______ the multi-purpose hall and all the other places. There were ______ details of various activities for freshmen and a comprehensive list of those offered admission into various courses.
How enjoyable it was to see the light of knowledge, having been wandering in the darkness of______ . Even then I was not able to ______ the thought that though I could not be sure how much of the responsibility was mine, the fact that not paying attention to the notice board had ______ contributed to my initial problems. I learnt from that incident an unforgettable______ which was very useful to me throughout my stay in the university, namely the ______ of reading notice board and handbooks if one is to be well ______ about places and events in the university.
1.A. but B. and C. so D. for
2.A. interested B. bothered C. excited D. surprised
3.A. view B. advice C. method D. help
4.A. available B. accessible C. alone D. afraid
5.A. helpful B. cheerful C. respectful D. thoughtful
6.A. entry B. insight C. popularity D. welcome
7.A. persuaded B. reviewed C. offered D. driven
8.A. knocking B. throwing C. gazing D. shouting
9.A. lack B. dream C. rest D. desire
10.A. way B. key C. place D. door
11.A. inspired B. encouraged C. puzzled D. frightened
12.A. notice B. message C. signal D. map
13.A. list B. locate C. land D. load
14.A. also B. always C. only D. just
15.A. disbelief B. ignorance C. appreciation D. difference
16.A. describe B. explain C. escape D. control
17.A. clearly B. nearly C. naturally D. relevantly
18.A. secret B. knowledge C. experience D. lesson
19.A. cause B. importance C. advantage D. example
20.A. educated B. warned C. concerned D. informed
It’s an either-or situation—we can buy a new car this year or we can go on holiday but we can’t do ______.
A. others B. either C. another D. both
—Can I have a look at your iPhone 6?
— ________ .
A. No, you can’t B. Sorry, it’s expensive
C. Of course, it looks good D. Yes, go ahead
The only way to succeed at the highest level is to have total belief _______ you are better than anyone else on the sports field.
A. how B. that C. which D. whether
