Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.
The new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.
As a result, the student visa(签证) application process for overseas students has been simplified, and the deposit(押金) required to study in Australia has been reduced. Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.
Also, overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be given a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation, as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.
“This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas,” says Wang Lan, an expert from Education International Cooperation Group(EIC), a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.
However, in the past few years, many of Wang's student clients(客户) could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements, visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were difficult. The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia, Wang says.
A 22-year-old female student surnamed Li, in Beijing, who is planning to do her postgraduate studies in Australia, learned about the policy change several weeks ago.
“According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa, my family was required to put down 550,000 yuan($86,850). Now we only need to prepare 410,000 yuan. This is a relief for my parents,” Li says.
She also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.
“I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China,” she says.
Gaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad, according to the report by EIC.What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia. |
| B．Australia is a most attractive place for students in China. |
| C．Australia widens window of opportunity for international students. |
| D．More students will work in Australia after their graduation. |
After the new regulations are passed, .
| A．more students will come to Australia to work |
| B．more Chinese students will choose to live in Australia |
| C．the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students |
| D．more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia |
How much can Li’s parents save according to the new regulations?
| A．550,000 yuan. | B．140,000 yuan. | C．410,000 yuan. | D．86,850 yuan. |
Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation?
| A．The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness. |
| B．They can earn more money in Australia. |
| C．Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever. |
| D．They have to do so according to the new regulations. |
As I was leaving to meet Lynne，my roommate told me that I’d better take some money，but I didn’t listen to him. I thought that Lynne would pay because she had invited me.
I arrived at the restaurant exactly on time. I’d been told that Americans expect you to be on time. Lynne and I sat at a table in the corner of the restaurant and a waitress came and took our order. The dinner was a great success. I talked a lot about Saudi Arabia and Lynne told me all about herself. After two hours the waitress finally came and asked if we wanted one check or two. Lynne said two. We went to the cashier and Lynne paid her check. I was embarrassed (尴尬) when the cashier gave me my bill. I had no money to pay for my meal. Then I had an idea. I pretended to look for something in my pockets and said，“Oh！I forgot my money! Can I call my roommate，please？” The cashier showed me where the phone was and I quickly called my roommate.
In a few minutes he arrived with some money，but he couldn’t hide how he felt. He laughed all the way home.
Now，I think it’s funny too. But at the time I was terribly embarrassed. I thought that an invitation to have dinner meant the same thing in the United States as in my country. I guess you have to understand that your customs（习俗） are only your customs. When you visit a foreign country，you have to learn about their customs，too.Customs can be ________in different countries according to this passage.
| A．close to each other | B．entirely different |
| C．quite the same | D．very similar |
The writer’s roommate advised the writer to take some money with him to________.
| A．invite Lynne to dinner | B．pay for the table |
| C．share the cost of the meal | D．pay for the restaurant |
The writer and Lynne________.
| A．shared a successful dinner |
| B．had a talk for three hours |
| C．traveled to Saudi Arabia together |
| D．enjoyed their meal without talking |
Why didn’t Lynne pay the check for the writer?
| A．Because she thought it was natural for people to pay their own check. |
| B．Because she didn’t have the meal. |
| C．Because she wanted to embarrass the writer. |
| D．Because she didn’t have enough money with her. |
The roommate laughed all the way home because the writer________.
| A．was embarrassed when he couldn’t pay his breakfast |
| B．would not listen to him when he left the house |
| C．telephoned him to bring some books to him |
| D．hadn’t told Lynne the truth |
Dear Mr. Barton,
I am writing for the residents’ association (业主协会) to inform you of our feelings about your act. We’ve really had enough of you. Although we have tried to speak to you politely on several occasions, you have always answered with a stream of verbal abuse(辱骂).
Ever since you moved in three months ago, you have shown very little consideration for the other residents of this building, though many residents expressed their unhappiness with you. For the past six weekends, you have held very noisy parties, which have not finished until early the next morning. As you know, most of the people here are elderly or have very young children, and the noise keeps them awake all night. You don’t have to be so noisy, do you? Last weekend the situation deteriorated when two of your friends fought with each other on the first floor. The fighting was so bad that the police had to be called. What’s more, your friends left the stairs in a terrible state --- they even broke two windows on their way out! We feel that we can’t bear this type of act.
We strongly demand that you pay for this damage to the window soon. If you don’t and you carry on being a nuisance(令人讨厌的人或物). We will kick you out! Legal steps will be taken if necessary.
Yours sincerely What does the writer feel?
| A．Excited | B．surprised | C．Angry | D．Happy |
What does the word “deteriorated” mean?
| A．Changed | B．Improved | C．Moved | D．Worsened |
What is the main purpose of the letter?
| A．To ask Mr. Barton to leave the building for the peace. |
| B．To inform Mr. Barton of the noise he made. |
| C．To talk about what Mr. Barton did. |
| D．To give a warning to Mr. Barton. |
Why were the police called?
| A．Because Mr. Barton broke two windows. |
| B．Because Mr. Barton made too much noise. |
| C．Because Mr. Barton’s friends fought. |
| D．Because Mr. Barton beat a child and an old man. |
What is true according to the letter?
| A．Mr. Barton paid no attention to the others’ unhappiness. |
| B．Mr. Barton never replied to the others’ unhappiness |
| C．Mr. Barton always said sorry to those unhappy with him. |
| D．Mr. Barton never apologized to the other residents. |
There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education, as they are responsible for what they do in life. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules. For students who worry about these things a lot, it is a good idea to be in an open classroom.
But many students will not do well in an open classroom. For some students, there are too few rules. These students will do little and will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Many teachers do not believe in open education. Teachers who want to have an open classroom may come across many problems at their schools.
You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want some structure in their classes. They want and need to have rules. In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.Open education allows the students to ______.
| A．grow as the educated | B．be responsible for their future |
| C．develop their own interests | D．discover subjects outside class |
Open education may be a good idea for the students who ______.
| A．don't enjoy learning | B．worry about grades |
| C．do well in a traditional classroom | D．are responsible for what they do in life. |
Some students will do little in an open classroom because _____.
| A．there are too few rules | B．they hate activities |
| C．open education is similar to the traditional education | D．they worry about the rules |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Some traditional teachers do not like it. |
| B．Many teachers do not believe in open education. |
| C．Teachers may have problems in open classrooms. |
| D．The teacher’s feelings and attitudes are important to the students. |
Which of the following best summarizes the passage?
| A．Open education is a really complex idea. |
| B．Open education is better than traditional education. |
| C．Teachers dislike open education. |
| D．The writer thinks that open education is a good idea in practice. |
No one doubts that students should study languages, maths and science in high school, but some may object to the idea that they should study art and music as well. To them, these subjects are useless for students’ future and are not worth the time and effort. In my opinion, however, it is necessary for middle school students to study art and music.
Art and music are a precious culture legacy（遗产）, which bring us pleasure and enjoyment. Have you ever been deeply moved by Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony（第五交响曲）? Have you ever been fascinated by the colorful starry night produced by Vincent Van Gogh in his paint? Have you ever longed for the moving love between the Butterfly Lovers when you hear this well-known Chinese melody（曲调）? Art and music are not only images and sounds, but something beyond them. They are the products of passion and human wisdom（智慧）.
Art and music help make students more creative. Artists and musicians are considered the most creative people in the world. It is because art and music sharpen their senses and provide a different perspective (视角) for them to see the world. Many great scientists benefited from art and music. Einstein, the greatest physicist in the 20th century, as well as an excellent violin player, is a good example.
Enjoying art and music is also a good way to relax. Middle school students, who typically carry heavy burdens of study, will definitely（明确地）benefit from it.
To sum up, art and music should absolutely be included in the middle school courses, for they can bring students pleasure and relaxation.According to the author, people who think art and music are useless for middle school students __________.
| A．don’t understand the value of art and music |
| B．don’t know the history of art and music at all |
| C．never benefit from artists and musicians |
| D．know little about the trend of future education |
In paragraph 2, the author tries to argue that __________.
| A．Beethoven is one of the greatest musicians |
| B．art and music help express people’s emotions |
| C．art and music are precious pictures and sounds |
| D．art and music bring people joy and quality life |
The example of Einstein is used to __________.
| A．show the importance of creativity |
| B．prove that scientists are creative |
| C．encourage students to study art and music |
| D．provide students with a new way to see the world |
Which of the following is an effective way for middle school students to study?
| A． Relaxing themselves regularly while studying. |
| B． Attending concerts during holidays or after school. |
| C． Avoiding too much homework by studying art and music. |
| D． Listening to music while studying language, maths or other subjects. |
Which of the following is used to support the writer’s opinion?
| A．Art and music help people become scientists. |
| B．Art and music provide people with more opportunities. |
| C．Art and music are beneficial to students in other subjects. |
| D．Art and music are helpful to make students creative learners. |
Now some women are spending a weekend at Mother’s Camp（营地）. There, husbands and children are not allowed. Why would a woman want to take a vacation without her family? Some women say they need time to be alone.
At Mother’s Camp a woman has room to herself. She can sleep, read or watch TV, and no one will bother her. No children will ask,“Mom, what’s for dinner?” No husband will say, “Oh, dear, I can’t find any clean socks.”In fact almost 50% of women in the United States work outside the home. Many of them work full-time and then come home to a second job-taking care of their homes and families. These working women say one of their biggest problems is housework.
In the United States, working wives do about 75% of the housework. Many of their husbands say they want to help. But then they burn the rice or they can’t find the pans. They ask so many questions that their wives decide it is easier to do the job themselves.
Some women go to Mother’s Camp just to get a break from housework. For two days they don’t cook, they don’t clean, they don’t look after their children and husbands. What do they do? They enjoy warm, sunny weather, walking, swimming or boating in a clear blue lake and sing songs around the campfire. They relax away from home. They have a really wonderful vacation at Mother’s Camp.From this passage we can see in the United States.
| A．women want to work outside the home |
| B．working wives do most of the housework |
| C．husbands do as much housework as their wives |
| D．women do not like to stay at home with their families |
At Mother’s Camp, women can’t .
| A．watch TV | B．read newspapers |
| C．swim in the lake | D．bring their husbands and children |
Why would some mothers like to be alone? Because .
| A．they don’t like their husbands and children | B．they have to work full-time |
| C．they are too busy to relax themselves | D．they want a new life |
______________ is one of the biggest troubles for working wives in the United States.
| A．Housework | B．Working outside the home |
| C．When to take a vacation | D．Looking after their children |
What’s the best title（标题）for this passage?
| A．Busy Working Mothers | B．The US family |
| C．Mothers Relax Away from Home | D．Mothers in the US |