III. Reading Comprehension
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A,B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Nothing can better illustrate the failure of education in this country than the contrast between millions of college graduates finding it hard to get a proper job every year and the lack of workers in the more industrialized regions.
According to news from Dongguan (东莞), one of the __50__ manufacturing centers in the Pearl River Delta (珠江三角洲) region in South China, “over 90 percent” factories have said they are finding __51__ difficult to employ people from the second half of 2009, when the __52__ began picking up and overseas orders restarted pouring in. Running to full capacity seems a dream that the factories had__53__.
An awkward reality is that only few, __54__, of the new college graduates could really fill the vacancies because the trainings they have received are entirely __55__ from the demands of the jobs. Nor will Chinese cities have enough workforce if they pursue a development model other than export-based manufacturing.
The __56__ for that is simple: The knowledge about management graduates gather is totally out of step with reality, __57__ of them can hardly express themselves in English or compose an email message properly, and __58__ handle even paper work in a law service with the legal knowledge they have.
I __59__ some college teachers, whom I went to college with, that the amount of time an average college student spends on studies today is less than half of what we __60__ in the late 1970s when proper college education was recovered after the “cultural revolution” (1966-76).
“They (the administrations) have enrolled so many students just to __61__ from their parents (tuition and other charges)”, one of the teachers said embarrassedly. “It's a nationwide phenomenon, you know.”
It is hard to believe that a country should not __62__ education so seriously when there are no longer as many young people as before and view its opportunities only in terms of immediate financial gains, which greatly affects the quality of education. __63__, vocational education faces a double threat: frequent ups and downs in the business cycle and that of a flooding of cheap college certificates.
It is __64__ in a country with rapid development in many fields to see little reform and progress in its education system. When colleges are reduced to money-making machines, they cannot help a society create enough workers, thinkers and leaders.
50. A. necessary B. key C. new D. remote
51. A. this B. that C. it D. as
52. A. economy B. country C. city D. industry
53. A. in the near future B. at present time C. from time to time D. in the long past
54. A. and some B. but none C. if any D. because such
55. A. different B. same C. opposite D. similar
56. A. result B. method C. reason D. expectation
57. A. some B. most C. few D. all
58. A. can B. must C. can’t D. mustn’t
59. A. took from B. picked out C. caught sight of D. learned from
60. A. spent B. cost C. wasted D. detected
61. A. cost money B. make money C. create money D. deal with
62. A. put B. set C. make D. take
63. A. Although B. Besides C. However D. Therefore
64. A. common B. likely C. worthwhile D. surprising
Temperature changes during the day or night can be great 6small. This depends partly 7how many clouds are in the sky.8there are many clouds during the night, they act like tile covers on your bed. They blanket the earth and keep the air from losing much of 9heat. The temperature usually does not drop much during such a night. When there are many clouds during 10day, some of the sun's energy will not reach the earth. The temperature usually does not rise much on such a day.
When you read a story in English, do you read it for the storyforthe English? This is a question
is not so
(fool) as it mayseem, for I find that many students of English pay far more attention to the story thanto the English. For instance, they care for how the mystery in the story
(solve), but do not remember a single sentence in the story and cannot tell what preposition is used before a certain word in the speech of a certain character.
Of course, if you want to know the story only, you need not(bother)about the language. But a student of English is different
a student ofstories or
is called the general reader. As you may also have learned fromthe above, you ought to read not only very carefully but also aloud
you learn the passage by heart and can recite it as if it
(be)your own. On
hand, this will teach you m any useful words and phrases; on the other hand.it will help you to avoid many errors and faults in expression.
Of course, if you want to know the story only, you need not 5 (bother) about the language. But a student of English is different 6a student of stories or 7is called the general reader. As you may also have learnedfrom the above, you ought to read not only very carefully but also aloud 8you learn the passage by heart and can reciteit as if it 9 (be) your own. On 10hand, this will teach you many usefulwords and phrases; on the other hand, it will help you to avoid many errors and faults in expression.
We high school students do have some growing pains, but we can get rid of themcorrectly and wisely., some of us are upset
their bodystylesand looks. It7s unnecessary and it"s not important at all. We needn't care about it.It is one's inner beauty
matters. Second, we sometimes seem to bemisunderstood
our teachers, parents and classmates.
(face) with this, we can find a proper time to have a heart-to-heart talk with them,trying to remove the
(understand). Some of us have fewer friends.I think being open-minded and friendly will do you good. Third, we may fall behind others,
makes usstressed. Actually we can encourage
to work efficiently, full of
(determine). At last, some of us don,t havemuch pocket money, so they feel unhappy. Isn,t it strange? So long as we have some.that7s enough. And we can learn
to spend money.
Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich 5soil. It was on the eastern coast of Australia and America that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west. However, this westward 6(move) took place 7because the English were searching for better land than the population was increasing. Settlements of the west part of both countries developed quickly after gold 8(discover) in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later.
Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some 9(strike) differences as well. The United States gained its independence from England by revolution while Australia won its independence without having to go to war. Australia, 10(like) the United States, was firstly turned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising. By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States. Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world.