US universities are among the best in the world. Since World War Ⅱ, American scientists --- mostly working in universties or colleges --- have won more than half of all Nobel Prizes in physics and medicine. Foreign students rush to the United States by the tens of thousands. Last year they earned more than one quarter of the doctoral degrees awarded in the country. Yet while American universities produce the great research and great graduate program, they sometimes pay little attention to the task that lies at their very core: the teaching of undergraduate students.
With the increase in fees, educators feel obliged to improve undergraduate teaching. In speeches and interviews the nation’s higher educators have rediscovered teaching. Robert Rosenzweig, president of the Association of American Universities, said, “Our organization was never very concerned about teaching. In the last 18 months, we have spent more time on undergraduate education than on any other subject.”
Despite such promising efforts, no one doubts that research still outranks teaching at some of the leading universities, not least because it is a surer and faster way to earn status. Some people don’t think it has to be that way. They argue that the reward system for college faculty can be changed, so that professors will be encouraged to devote more time and effort to teaching. They say that they are beginning to believe that the first ten years of the 21st century may come to be remembered as the decade of the undergraduate.
That would bring it full circle. For more than two centuries after the founding of Harvard College in 1636, the instruction of undergraduate students was an essential condition of American higher education.According to the passage, at some of the leading American universities ________.
| A．research is declining in importance | B．teaching now ranks above research |
| C．teaching is a sure way to gain position | D．research still ranks above teaching |
It is implied in the passage that about 200 years ago undergraduate instruction ________.
| A．began to change all of a sudden |
| B．was already threatened by research work |
| C．was the central part of higher education |
| D．began to be neglected in most universities |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．University education in the US | B．University education challenged |
| C．Teaching and research in universities | D．Undergraduate teaching rediscovered |
While success is surely sweeter than failure, it seems failure is a far better teacher, and organizations that fail miserably often flourish (繁荣) more in the long run, according to a new study by Vinit Desai, assistant professor of management at the University of Colorado Denver Business School. Researchers have found that people missing their goals perform much better in the long run. That is because they gain more knowledge from their failures than their successes and the lessons are more likely to stay longer in their minds.
“We found that the knowledge gained from success was often fleeting while knowledge from failure stuck around for years,” said professor Desai, who led the study. “But companies often ignore failure. Managers may fire people or turn over the whole workforce while they should treat the failure as a learning opportunity.”
Prof Desai compared the flights of the space shuttle Atlantis and the Challenger. During the Atlantis flight last year, a piece of insulation (绝缘体) broke off and damaged the left solid rocket booster (助推火箭) but didn’t influence the program. There was little investigation. The Challenger was launched next and another piece of insulation broke off. This time the shuttle and its seven–person crew were destroyed. The disaster led to a major investigation resulting in 29 changes to prevent future disasters.
The difference in response in the two cases came down to this: Atlantis was considered a success and the Challenger a failure.
“Despite crowded skies, airlines are extremely reliable,” he said. “The number of failures is extremely small. And past researches have shown that older airlines, those with more experience in failure, have a lower number of accidents.”
Prof Desai doesn’t recommend finding out failure in order to learn. Instead, he advises organizations to analyze small failures to collect useful information rather than wait for major failures.Why did experts pay little attention to the problem of Atlantis?
| A．Because it worked perfectly. |
| B．Because the right booster was still OK. |
| C．Because nothing serious happened then. |
| D．Because fewer people died in the flight. |
Fewer accidents happen to older airlines in that ________.
| A．their planes couldn’t fly high in the sky |
| B．they gained much from experience in failure |
| C．their planes were often checked by the experts |
| D．they were unpopular among passengers |
The passage is written mainly to ________.
| A．show failure is a better teacher than success |
| B．explain why Challenger failed |
| C．introduce something about Prof Desai |
| D．tell managers how to achieve success |
Which writing strategy is NOT used in developing the passage?
| A．Giving definitions. | B．Making comparisons. |
| C．Analyzing causes. | D．Providing different examples. |
Wanted
Project Management Assistant
Responsibility:
Provide service for the project in Chongqing.
Provide assistance to the project manager for everyday work.
Responsible for file management, customer service for students & parents.
Requirements:
College degree and above.
Good English and computer skill.
Related working experience in an international organization.
Patient, careful, supportive. Have strong team work spirit.
English Teacher
Responsibility:
Conduct English teaching according to British education system.
Requirements:
University degree and above in English major or normal English.
Eager to learn and open-minded with creativity.
With deep understanding for different cultures.
(Warmly welcome the fresh graduates to apply for this position.)
Marketing Assistant
Responsibility:
Responsible for the local management of marketing & sales activities according to the instructions from the head office.
Collect related information to the head office.
Develop relationship with local media and customers.
Requirements:
College degree and above with good English (speaking & writing).
With basic idea of sales and marketing, related experience is preferred.
Working experience in the international organizations is a must.
Good communication and presentation skills
Accountant
Responsibility:
Accountant work for Chongqing office and project.
Perform the finance management locally according to the rules & policy of the company.
Requirements:
College degree and above in finance area.
Good English and good computer skill.
Have sense of finance management.
At least 2 years’ experience as an accountant in an international organization is a must.
Self-management, hardworking, independent and able to deal with pressure.
You can go to http:// www. 51job.com for more information.
Please mail or fax your resume (both in English & Chinese), diploma, training certificates and expected salary to the following address within two weeks. No personal visit or telephone call before that. Your materials will be kept in ACE files.
Add: Room 1806 Plaza Building Yuzhong District Chongqing 40010
Fax No: 023- 63728428
Email: acercq @ cta.cq.cnIf you have just graduated from a university, you should apply for the position as _______.
| A．a project management assistant | B．an accountant |
| C．a marketing assistant | D．an English teacher |
If you want to get the position as the project management assistant, in your resume you’d better say ___________.
| A．you always have new ideas and can’t wait to see them realized |
| B．you can decide everything for yourself and have your plan carried out |
| C．you are good at persuading others to follow you and becoming a good leader |
| D．you are always ready to listen and help carry out good decisions |
If you want to apply for a position, you can _________.
| A．go to the company or make a telephone call at any time |
| B．tell the company how much money you want for your position |
| C．go to acercq @ cta.cq.cn for the information about the employment |
| D．write about yourself either in English or in Chinese |
The sun is shining when I get on No. 151 bus. We passengers sit jammed together in heavy clothes. No one speaks. That’s one of the unwritten rules of Chicago commuting. Although we see the same faces every day, we prefer to hide behind our newspapers. The phenomenon is striking: people who sit so close together are using those thin sheets of newsprint to keep their distance.
As the bus approaches the Magnificent Mile, a voice suddenly rings out: “Attention! Attention!” Papers rattle (发出细小声). Necks crane (伸长). “This is your driver speaking.”
We look at the back of the driver’s head. His voice has authority.
“All of you put your papers down.”
The papers come down, an inch at a time. The driver waits. The papers are folded and placed on our laps.
“Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go ahead.”
Amazingly, we all do it. Still, no one smiles.
I face an older woman, her head wrapped tightly in a red scarf. I see her nearly every day. Our eyes meet. We wait, unblinking, for the next order from the driver.
“Now, repeat after me…” It is a command, delivered in the tones of a drill sergeant (操练军士). “Good morning, neighbor!”
Our voices are weak and timid. For many of us, these are the first words we have spoken today. But we say them at the same time, like schoolchildren, to the strangers beside us.
We smile and can’t help it. We have said it; the barrier has been broken. Good morning, neighbor. It is not so hard after all. Some of us repeat it. Others shake hands. Many laugh.
The bus driver says nothing more. He doesn’t need to. Not a single newspaper goes back up. I hear laughter, a warm sound I have never heard before on bus No. 151. This day is starting off better than most.On hearing the sudden utterance of “Attention!”, the passengers ___________.
| A．stopped reading and put down their newspapers immediately |
| B．looked up from the newspapers to see who was speaking |
| C．sat still without response |
| D．were frightened |
The underlined word “commuting” in Paragraph 1 most probably means ___________.
| A．daily traveling between home and work |
| B．long-distance ride |
| C．communication technology |
| D．behavior patterns |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The passengers on the crowded bus were so absorbed in reading their newspapers that no one spoke. |
| B．The passengers were physically close together but mentally they kept each other at a terrible distance. |
| C．The passengers didn’t follow the driver’s instruction at first. |
| D．When the bus driver said nothing more, the passengers picked up and read their newspapers again. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The Warmth of Communication | B．The Exchange of Information |
| C．The Power of Observation | D．The Attitude to Loneliness |
INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF PANLAND
Considering all imports and exports, what statement can be made about Panland’s trade?
| A．Panland imports food and exports raw materials（原材料）. |
| B．Panland imports manufactured goods（加工品） and exports food. |
| C．Panland imports manufactured goods and exports raw materials. |
| D．Panland imports raw materials and exports manufactured goods. |
With which of the following does Panland carry on the most trade?
| A．Asia. | B．Africa. | C．Middle East. | D．United States. |
What is probably Panland’s largest import from the Middle East?
| A．oil | B．food | C．wood | D．cotton |
Judging from its economy, it could be concluded that most of Panland’s working people are _____
| A．farmers | B．fishing people | C．unskilled laborers | D．skilled factory workers |
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| A．rent a beautiful flat of her own in Happy Valley |
| B．find another lady to share the cost to rent a flat |
| C．share her room in a flat with whoever has no pet |
| D．find a maid to look after herself |
According to the advertisements, you may _______.
| A．buy an old picture for $150 |
| B．call 25720836 to see a beautiful park |
| C．buy two armchairs for $400 |
| D．hire a maid（女仆）by paying $6,800 |
If you want to buy some old furniture, you should ______.
| A．get in touch with NOVA ELECTRONICS |
| B．call 2524-5867 any day except Monday |
| C．do it before you move to another place |
| D．call either 2524-5867 on Monday or 2521-6011 onSaturday |
Once you get a part-time job in NOVA ELECTRONICS, _______.
| A．you will be given 14 days off each year besides weekends |
| B．you will get $6,598 each month no matter how experienced you are |
| C．your have to work at least 4 hours a day |
| D．you should write a letter of application to Mrs. G Chan |