When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale, who’ll become Oxford’s vice-chancellor—a position equivalent to university president in America.
Hamilton isn’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc, have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’s gone global. Yet the talent flow isn’t universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America.
The chief reason is that American schools don’t tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university’s budget. “We didn’t do any global consideration,” says Patricia Hayes, the board’s chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist (活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.
Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.
In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen “a major strengthening of Yale’s financial position.”
Of course, fund-raising isn’t the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind of promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage?
| A．Institutions worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S. |
| B．A lot of political activists are being recruited as administrators. |
| C．American universities are enrolling more international students. |
| D．University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising. |
What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators?
| A．The political correctness. |
| B．Their ability to raise funds. |
| C．Their fame in academic circles. |
| D．Their administrative experience. |
What do we learn about European universities from the passage?
| A．The tuitions they charge have been rising considerably. |
| B．Their operation is under strict government supervision. |
| C．They are strengthening their position by globalization. |
| D．Most of their revenues come from the government. |
Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor chiefly because _____.
| A．she was known to be good at raising money |
| B．she could help strengthen its ties with Yale |
| C．she knew how to attract students overseas |
| D．she had boosted Yale’s academic status |
In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development?
| A．They can enhance the university’s image. |
| B．They will bring with them more international faculty. |
| C．They will view a lot of things from a new perspective. |
| D．They can set up new academic disciplines. |
第二部分阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中，选出最佳选项。
Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. "Yes, honey. Of course," she said.
"Can we write him a letter?"
She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, "Yes."
My heart jumped. "How? Does the mailman go there?" I asked.
"No, but I have an idea." Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for.
"Just wait, honey. You'll see." Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Morn was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face.
She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped(缠绕) the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining.
"Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three."
The balloon, carrying my letter, darted(猛冲) upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds.
Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, dart up, and finally transcend(超越) this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary(遗传的). I prayed to be a balloon.
56. When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother ______.
A. felt it hard to answer B. thought her a creative girl
C. believed it easy to do so D. found it easy to lie
57. When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father, she ______.
A. jumped with joy B. became excited
C. started writing immediately D. was worried that it couldn't be delivered
58. In the eyes of the author, what was the rain like?
A. An incurable disease. B. An unforgettable memory.
C. The hard time her father had. D. The failures her father experienced.
59. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The strong red balloon B. An unforgettable experience
C. Fly to paradiseD . A great father
The followingpassage is a healthy prescription (处方) of how we can approachlife. It is not about being famous or being wealthy or aboutourgoodlooks. Truly,it is all about love. There are times when we feel as if we are separated from the rest. This feeling creates a mental prison. Therefore,we should try to work hard tointernally (内在地)liberate ourselvesby widening our circle of pity to accept all living things.
“Open your heart to others andtry to understand,
When someone reaches for you, hold out to them your hand,
Follow your heart,nomatter what otherpeople say,
Do things that make you able to smile throughout your day,
Treat other people, the way you would like them to treat you,
Do what you know is right andto your heart and self stay true,
Remember what life isall about, it is how you make people feel,
What you do, where you go, and making dreams become real,
Helping people through, in hard times of pain and strife,
What you do for others, is what is important in this life.
Look deeper anddon’t judge people by what ison the outside,
It iswhat is inside that counts and what people often hide,
Care, help, love, be honest, and be kind,
Withpurity and goodness within yourself,it ishappiness you willfind.
Do all you can in the time you have, you won’t always be around,
Recapture the joy of little things, that once were easily found,
And if you can do all this and live a life of love,
You willbe helped through life, by all those up above.”
I will leave you with the inspiring words ofour late genius, Albert Einstein:
“There are two ways to live life. One is as though nothing is a miracle (奇迹). The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
60. The passage is mainly about ______.
A. living a life of love B. helping those in need
C. taking back the joy of lifeD. separating ourselves from others
61. According to the passage, which statement is true?
A. Treating others the way others treat you is right for your life.
B. Making your dream become real is selfish in your life.
C. Judging people by what is inside counts.
D. Doing what you can makes yourself happy.
62. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means _________.
A. Different ways of life lead to completely different results
B. Life is not always full of miracles
C. There are two kinds of miracles in life
D. Looking for miracles in life helps people find happiness
Tess still stood hesitating like a swimmer about to make his dive, hardly knowing whether to return or move forward, when a figure came out from the dark door of the tent. It was a tall young man, smoking.
He had an almost black face, though red and smooth. His moustache was black with curled points, though he could not be more than twenty-three or-four. There was all unusual force in his face, and in his daring rolling eyes.
“Well, my beauty, what can I do for you?” said he, coming forward. And seeing that she was quite at a loss: “Never mind me, I am Mr. d’Urbervilles. Have you come to see me or my mother”
This differed greatly from what Tess had expected. She had dreamed of an aged and dignified face. She tried to keep calm and answered-“I came to see your mother, sir.”
“I am afraid you cannot see her-she is ill in bed,” replied the representative of the house; for this was Mr. Alec, the only son of the noble family. “What is the business you wish to see her about?”
“It isn’t business-it is-I can hardly say what.”
“Pleasure”
“Oh no. Why, sir, if I tell you, it will seem…”
Tess’s sense of a certain ridicule was now so strong that despite her general discomfort at being here, her rosy lips curved（弯曲）towards a smile, much to the attraction of the young man.
“It is so foolish,” she stammered（结结巴巴地说）; “I fear I can’t tell you”
“Never mind; I like foolish things. Try again, my dear,” said he kindly.
“Mother asked me to come,” Tess continued, “and, indeed, I was in the mind to do so myself. But I did not think it would be like this. I came, sir, to tell you that we are of the same family as you.”
“Ho! Poor relations!”
“Yes.”
“Stokes”
“No; d’Urbervilles.”
“Ay, ay; I mean d’Urbervilles.”
“Our names are worn away to Durbeyfield; but we have several proofs that we are d’Urbervilles. The local scholars hold the view that we are, …and…and we have an old seal（印章）and a silver spoon marked with the same castle as yours. So mother said we ought to make ourselves known to you, as we’ve lost our horse by a bad accident; we can hardly make a living.”
“Very kind of your mother, I’m sure.” Alec looked at Tess as he spoke, in a way that made her uneasy. ”And so, my pretty girl, you’ve come on a friendly visit to us, as relations.”
“I suppose I have,” looking less confident and uncomfortable again.
“Well—there’s no harm in it. Where do you live? What are you?”
—Tess of the d’Urbervilles By Thomas Hardy
67. How does Tess feel in the whole course of the meeting with Alec？
A. Excited and hopeful B. Nervous and uncomfortable
C. Surprised but comfortable D. Pleased but embarrassed
68. In the eyes of Tess, Alec is ________.
A. forceful and daring B. unfriendly and talkative
C. a gentle and reliable man D. older than she had expected
69. Why does Tess pay the visit to the d’Urbervilles？
A. To see Alec himself.
B. To see Alec’s mother.
C. To confirm that they are of the same family.
D. To make known their relationship and seek help.
70. Alec appears quite friendly to Tess mainly because ________.
A. Tess is his distant relationB. Tess looks polite to him
C. Tess is a pretty girl D. Tess looks ridiculous
Wind is the movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. In fact, wind exists because the sun unequally heats the surface of the Earth. As hot air rises, cooler air moves in to fill the gap. As long as the sun shines, the wind will blow. And as long as the wind blows, people will manage it to power their lives.
Ancient sailors used sails to capture the wind and explore the world. Farmers once used windmills to grind their grains and pump water. Today, more and more people are using wind turbines to make electricity from the breeze. Over the past decade, wind turbine use has increased at more than 25 percent a year. Still, it only provides a small part of the world's energy.
Most wind energy comes from turbines that can be as tall as a 20-story building and have three 200-foot-long (60-meter-long) blades. These devices look like giant airplane propellers(螺桨)on a stick. The wind spins the blades, which turn a shaft connected to a generator.
The biggest wind turbines generate enough electricity to supply about 600 U.S. homes. Wind farms have tens and sometimes hundreds of these turbines lined up together in particularly windy spots, like along a ridge. Smaller turbines set up in a backyard can produce enough electricity for a single home or small business.
Wind is a clean source of renewable energy that produces no air or water pollution. And since the wind is free, operational costs are nearly zero once a turbine is erected. Mass production and technology advances are making turbines cheaper, and many governments decrease tax to encourage wind-energy development.
Some people think wind turbines are ugly and complain about the noise the machines make. The slowly rotating blades(螺旋风片) can also kill birds and bats, but not nearly as many as cars, power lines, and high-rise buildings do. The wind is also changeable: If it's not blowing, there's no electricity generated.
Nevertheless, the wind energy industry is increasing sharply. Globally, generation more than quadrupled(四倍) between 2000 and 2006. At the end of last year, global capacity was more than 70,000 megawatts. In the energy-hungry United States, a single megawatt is enough electricity to power about 250 homes. Germany has the most installed wind energy capacity, followed by Spain, the United States, India, and Denmark. Development is also fast growing in France and China.
Industry experts predict that if this pace of growth continues, by 2050 the answer to one third of the world's electricity needs will be found blowing in the wind
63. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A. The rotating blades can kill as many birds as high-rise buildings do
B. Single families are not encouraged to build turbines.
C. The USA produces more wind power than any other country in the world.
D. The noise the turbines make may discourage people from building them.
64. The underlined word “generator” in the third paragraph probably means_______.
A. 电动机 B. 发电机 C. 机翼 D. 飞机引擎
65. If the USA wants to build wind turbines in an area with 30,000 homes, how many
should they build at least?
A. 50. B. 150. C. 250. D. 200.
66. All the following are the advantages of wind energy EXCEPT that_________.
A. it is environmentally friendly B. it is free to build and operate
C. the government supports it D. the energy is clean and renewable
The United States will introduce a new and comprehensive(综合的) exam for students who seek to study in American and other English-speaking countries, Xinhua News Agency reported from New York.
The exam, which stands for a great change from the current English level test, was disclosed by Theresa Chang Wei Jen, associate director of the International Service of the US College Board, America’s leading educational organization.
The Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL) will be offered for the first time throughout the world, said Jen.
However, the APIEL is a strange title to most Chinese students, and it is unlikely to soon gain the similarity of other already existing exams, such as the TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language), the GRE(Graduate Record Examination), or the IELTS(International English Language Testing System).
“I have never heard of such a test and I would prefer the IELTS if I need another exam,” said Xu Jingyan, a graduating student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who wants to study in England and has already taken the TOEFL.
Most of Xu’s classmates have never heard of the APIEL. “The APIEL is designed for international students who wish to get university studies in English-speaking countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia.” said Jen.
The APIEL has been adopted, said Jen, because the TOEFL can no longer accurately reflect the abilities of students of using the English language comprehensively in an academic environment. Xinhua reported that a fairly large number of foreign students who earned high scores in TOEFL exam turned out to be very ordinary educational performers after admission.
Compared with the TOEFL, the APIEL measures a student’s ability to read, write, speak and understand English through testing his or her skills in listening comprehension, speaking with accuracy(精确) and resourcefulness, and writing with clarity and fluency(流畅), Jen said.
60. The United States will introduce a new exam because _______.
A. it will bring the US government quite a lot of money
B. the Chinese people pay special attention to English studies
C. the already existing exam systems seem to be far from perfect
D. more and more students want to get further education in the USA
61. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the selection？
A. The TOEFL is more popular with the Chinese than the IELTS.
B. It will take quite a period of time for people to accept the APIEL.
C. Chinese students will prefer the IELTS rather than the APIEL even in the future.
D. A student will have to take the APIEL if he or she wants to study in English-speaking
countries.
62. The best title for this news report is_____.
A. New Exam Designed for Students B. The Key to Improving Your English
C. TOEFL, IELTS and GRE to be Out of Date D. The Four Skills in Learning English