Question

    College students constantly hear the praises of education. We have all become used to believing that a college education is always a guarantee of an easier life. I was nine years old when my fourth-grade teacher presented me with a task, to write down all of the things I wanted in my life. I filled my paper with things like: own a big house and have servants; be rich and have a good job. The next day my teacher handed back my paper and in red ink she wrote: “GO TO COLLEGE.” For a long time, I was convinced that once I obtained an education, BAM! Life would be easier.

However, education cannot promise all wishes, dreams, and desires. Society must reject the foolish idea that a college education’s main purpose is to satisfy our desires and secure success. Like most challenging things, education is a gamble (赌博) in which results depend entirely on people’s ability to look past their wants to see the realism and reason behind their wants.

For instance, my first year of college, I took a sociology class. In class, we were taught that Third World countries were poor. We learned that our quality of life would be almost impossible for an average person in those countries. I began to examine my own desire to be rich. To always go after money felt selfish when knowing others had none at all. Learning about other society’s financial situations forced me to look beyond what I wanted.

Through the process of education, everything once desired is tested. Wanting something no longer is enough; it’s more important to examine why we want it and whether we really want it. When my desire for money changed, everything changed. I stopped longing for money-driven careers and stopped valuing the people who had them. I began to examine the things I purchased and my reason for wanting them.

Education is a tool to be used to develop and advance our desires, so we can discover the things that are truly significant in life. Education is a source to expand our society to see beyond the superficial (表面的) appeals and the “quick fixes”, leaving the belief of an effortless life behind in order to desire a meaningful one.

1.The author’s fourth-grade teacher probably agreed that ______.

A.the author was an ambitious student

B.the author should set more realistic goals

C.a college student would lead an easier life

D.a college degree was the key to the author’s dreams

2.Why does the author mention her sociology class?

A.To share her learning experiences with readers.

B.To support her new understanding about education.

C.To express her sympathy for people in Third World.

D.To stress the importance of taking a sociology course.

3.With a college education, the author ______.

A.envied rich people

B.lost interest in career

C.desired more material things

D.stopped always seeking more wealth

4.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A.College education promises an effortless life.

B.College education tests and guides our life desires.

C.College education offers solutions to social problems.

D.College education turns young people into gamblers.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.D

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文。作者在本文中和我们分享了自己对于大学教育的理解，大学教育不仅仅给我提高了美好的生活，更是对我们自身欲望的测试和指导。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段中的I filled my paper with things like: own a big house and have servants; be rich and have a good job. The next day my teacher handed back my paper and in red ink she wrote: “GO TO COLLEGE.” For a long time, I was convinced that once I obtained an education, BAM! Life would be easier.可知，我在纸上写满了这样的东西：有一所大房子，有仆人；要有钱，要有好工作。第二天，老师把我的卷子交了回来，用红墨水写着：“上大学。”有很长一段时间，我确信一旦我接受了教育，砰！生活会更容易。由此推知，这位老师也认为大学学位是实现作者的梦想的关键。故D项正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段中的In class, we were taught that Third World countries were poor. We learned that our quality of life would be almost impossible for an average person in those countries. I began to examine my own desire to be rich. To always go after money felt selfish when knowing others had none at all. Learning about other society’s financial situations forced me to look beyond what I wanted.可知，例如，在我大学的第一年，我上了社会学课。在课上，我们学到的是，第三世界国家的贫困。我们了解到，对于那些国家的普通人来说，我们的生活质量几乎是不可能达到的。我开始审视自己想要变得富有的愿望。总是追求金钱，当知道别人一无所有时，会觉得很自私。了解了其他社会的经济状况后，我不得不把眼光放得更远。由此可知，作者利用这一个例子来证明自己对大学教育的新的理解，接受好的教育不仅仅是为了金钱和财富。故B项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据第五段中的I stopped longing for money-driven careers and stopped valuing the people who had them. I began to examine the things I purchased and my reason for wanting them.可知，我不再渴望金钱驱动的职业，也不再看重拥有这些职业的人。我开始审视我买的东西和我想要它们的理由。由此可知，有了大学教育，作者不再总是追求更多的财富。故D项正确。

4.主旨大意题。根据最后一段中的Education is a tool to be used to develop and advance our desires, so we can discover the things that are truly significant in life.可知，教育是用来发展和提高我们欲望的工具，这样我们才能发现生活中真正有意义的事情。由此可知，作者在本文中主要和我们分享了自己对于大学教育的理解，大学教育不仅仅给我提高了美好的生活，更是对我们自身欲望的测试和指导。故B项正确。