Should universities focus on training workers for the next decade or curing diseases for the next century? A group of governors, educators, and CEOs weighed in on the best way universities can prepare for the future. They debated how the U.S. can take the responsibility for research while still preparing students for real jobs.
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said that the first thing she thinks about as governor is educating Oklahoma students and strengthening the workforce. So she’s carrying out a program called “America Works: Education and Training for Tomorrow’s Jobs” that aims to “reorganize our education system with the current needs of our employers”.
The state governor added that this new educational approach doesn’t just benefit students and companies, but also improves the state economy. “We’ve been able to attract new companies to our state because of what we’re doing with our universities, because our students are a pipeline for the workforce,” she said, “General Electric Company (one of the world’s biggest companies) is coming to Oklahoma.”
Other group members were more focused on the long-term goals of a research university. Amy Gutmann pointed out that “basic research is the foundation for everything else that happens at a university. And if we don’t do it, nobody else will.”
“And if nobody does that research, we’ll pay the price in health care bills,” argued Vagelos, who is a former CEO of Merck & Co., Inc, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. And a specific drug for a cold is reported to be produced by the company. “The jobs of universities are basic research, which is what is needed for attacks on disease,” he said. “There has been a reduction in coronary heart disease (冠心病) by 60% in the last forty years because of this research, and that reduces health care costs.”
James Hunt, former North Carolina governor, argued for a happy medium. Effective communication, he said, would help the public see that the research conducted at universities actually serves a practical purpose.
Eli Broad, founder of the Broad Foundations, agreed. “We have to show the public what research has achieved,” he said, “We have to show how it actually goes from basic research to something they can understand.”
1.Why does Oklahoma appeal to General Electric Company?
A. University graduates in the state are well trained.
B. There’s much support from the local government.
C. Many students in the state hope to be workers.
D. The state economy has been growing rapidly.
2.What is Gutmann’s attitude toward Fallin’s program?
A. Curious. B. Tolerant. C. Disapproving. D. Sympathetic.
3.The underlined words “pharmaceutical companies” in Paragraph 5 refer to _____.
A. companies selling drugs and medicines
B. companies doing researching on drugs and medicines
C. companies making drugs and medicines
D. companies advertising drugs and medicines
4.Which of the following can be the best title of this text?
A. Universities or colleges? B. Workers or researchers?
C. Basic or further research? D. Education or development?
As an Asian country, Singapore has a reputation for being highly westernized, with English among the country’s four official languages, but a couple of signs found on local buses that have recently become a hit online may say otherwise.
Quite different from English we know, the signs read, for example, “Here cannot go in” instead of “No entry”, and “Here can charge phone” instead of “Charge phone here.” This language that resembles English is called Singaporean English or Singlish.
The New York Times calls Singlish “patchwork” because Singapore consists of migrants(移民) from several countries including China, India and Malaysia, and they all speak their own versions of “English”. “Everyone who speaks it shapes it,” wrote the newspaper.
For example, in Singlish, you can easily recognize influences from Chinese, including vocabulary such as “ Mee Siam” and “da bao”. Sentence structures like “ toilet where” instead of “where’s the toilet” also come from Chinese.
Interesting and diverse as it may seem, the trend for Singlish is worrying Singapore’s government. It is concerned that the dialect is lowering the country’s English standard and may affect its relationship with visitors. It even started the Speak Good English Movement.
Unfortunately, the problem was not solved. Instead, Singlish has boomed, especially among young people who think of it as a sign of being cool and a way of identifying themselves as Singaporean.
But this does not mean that standard English is being abandoned by young people. In fact, they are much more capable than the government gives credit—they can speak both.
“We are a nation good at code switching—we know that the way we speak to friends or drivers must be different from how we act at work or school,” wrote Cheryl, a Singaporean author, in Time magazine, “To actively urge us to give up a language that speaks to the very heart of who we are, that’s so beautifully represents the melting pot of Chinese, Indians, Malaysians and Eurasians that we are, is shortsighted, surely.”
1.Why does Singapore have many different versions of English?
A. It is highly westernized. B. It is made up of migrants.
C. It is influenced by Chinese. D. It is affected by official languages.
2.What is the purpose of starting the Speak Good English Movement?
A. To stop the new trend. B. To better the relationship.
C. To keep the English standard. D. To give the government credit.
3.What do the young people think of Singlish?
A. It’s their identity. B. It’s interesting.
C. It’s a sign of status. D. It’s a way of code-switching.
4.What can we learn from what Cheryl said?
A. Different people speak different styles of Singlish.
B. Singlish is a more beautiful language than others.
C. People speaks Singlish only to friends and drivers.
D. People can use Singlish to express themselves well.
Larry Ritsema was out for an early morning jog around his neighborhood on one weekend. On a quiet street, he began to feel weak. Suddenly, everything went black. Larry fell to the ground.
Less than a minute later, Tom Alguire passed by on his bicycle. He caught sight of a man lying on the roadside, so he jumped off his bike and ran over. He recognized Larry immediately, because he had been Larry’s doctor for nearly 20 years.
Dr. Tom felt for a pulse (脉搏) at first. Finding none, he began to give Larry first aid. It wouldn’t restart Larry’s heart, but it would keep the blood flowing until someone else arrived. Tom could only hope someone would come by soon, around six o’clock in the morning on a holiday weekend. Tom couldn’t stop pressing Larry’s chest to run for help — Larry’s brain cells would die without the blood. And Tom didn’t have a cell phone with him.
Soon, a car did drive by. But the driver ignored Tom’s appeal for help. What was he going to do? Tom was very worried. Finally, another car came down the road, driven by Michael Saliot, a U.S. Coast Guard Officer. Michael wasn’t one to pass up a chance to help a person in need. He quickly dialed 911.
Doctors then found that Larry had suffered a heart attack and there were severe blockages in two of Larry’s major arteries (动脉). Only the timely arrival of Dr. Tom saved his life.
How did Dr. Tom happen to be bicycling that morning, down that quiet street? It turned out that as Tom rode, his bike chain fell off. He spent about eight minutes fitting it back; otherwise, he would have seen nothing of Larry’s problem.
1.Doctor Tom gave Larry first aid in order to _____.
A. wake up Larry B. keep Larry’s blood flowing
C. restart Larry’s pulse D. stop Larry from bleeding
2.Why didn’t Tom call 911 for help?
A. He couldn’t stop pressing Larry’s chest.
B. He was waiting for someone else for help.
C. He was so nervous that he forgot to do it.
D. He didn’t take a cell phone with him.
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
A. Tom Alguire saw Larry when Larry fell to the ground.
B. Larry Ritsema went to work early on foot that morning.
C. Tom fitted his bike chain back after Larry was sent to hospital.
D. Michael Saliot was a man always ready to help others.
Nia fitness class
A unique combination of yoga, dance and martial arts techniques, Nia is a new form of fitness designed for people of all fitness levels to open up their body and relax.
When: Every Wednesday 5-6 pm
Cost: 100 yuan for one class, 500 yuan for six
Contact: 135-2299-3724
Where: D-1F Jinxiuyuan Apartment, Xing Fu Cun Zhong Lu, Chaoyang District
The Red Detachment of Women
Part of the closing ceremony for the 11th “Meet in Beijing” Arts Festival, the China National Ballet will be performing The Red Detachment of Women, one of the most successful full-length Chinese ballets.
When: May 25, 7:30 pm
Cost: 80-1,080 yuan
Contact: 6417-7845, ponypiaoen@hotmail.com
Where: Poly Plaza, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District
Student rock
College bands Las Vegas, Strange July, Wet Sand, Poshangcun and Ganrao Diantai will take the stage at D-22 to show some of the best talent.
With many of Beijing’s best underground bands getting their start at D-22, it’s a place to experience new sounds, faces and performances inspired by the city’s youngest talent.
When: May 27, 8:30 pm
Cost: 20 yuan
Contact: 6265-3177
Where: D-22, 242 Chengfu Lu, Haidian District
Speed dating “on wheels”
The speed dating industry is not new in China. All speed dating is the same: small tables, pleasant environment, nervous people.
Speed dating “on wheels” is a new form of speed dating. The details: Chinese rickshaws (人力车) will drive you around the romantic places at Houhai Lake, stopping to make a change.
This traditional atmosphere will bring more romance to the old, boring speed dating.
When: June 5, 2-4 pm
Cost: 150 yuan (rickshaws and bar included)
Where: Houhai Lake
1.If a couple want to attend two Nia fitness classes, they need to pay _____.
A. 100 yuan B. 200 yuan C. 300 yuan D. 400 yuan
2.Which of the following activities can you attend if you are available on the evening of May 27?
A. Student rock. B. The Red Detachment of Women.
C. Nia fitness class. D. Speed dating “on wheels”.
3.Which of the following about the speed dating “on wheels” is TRUE?
A. It is not new in China. B. It lasts a whole day on June 5.
C. It is suitable for nervous people and old people. D. It will not cost people extra money to take rickshaws.
4.If you want to enjoy the ballet performance, you should go to _____.
A. D-1F Jinxiuyuan Apartment B. Houhai Lake
C. Poly Plaza D. D-22
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How many people were injured?
A. Two. B. Three. C. Six.
2.What emergency service arrived first on the scene?
A. An ambulance. B. The fire department. C. The police.
3.When will more news be updated?
A. At noon. B. At night. C. Next morning.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How often did the man’s last roommate smoke?
A. Never. B. Sometimes. C. Frequently.
2.Who is the cleanest in the house?
A. Rob. B. The man. C. Mary.
3.What does the man usually eat for dinner?
A. Salads that he makes. B. Food that Mary prepares. C. Food from restaurants.
4.What will the man do this afternoon?
A. Talk to his roommates. B. Make a phone call to Mary. C. Help the woman move in.
