When times get tough, we all look for ways to cut back. When we’re hungry, we eat at home instead of going out. We take buses instead of taxis. And we wear our old designer jeans just a few months longer. With college expenses at all-time highs, high school students are eager to do anything to cut the cost of a university education.
One cost-cutting proposal is to allow college students to get a bachelor’s degree in three years instead of four. Educational institutions have been actively exploring ways to make the learning process more efficient. But there’s a question: Would the quality of undergraduate(本科生)education suffer? Few US universities have formally approved a “three-year degree” model.
I doubt that mainstream North American colleges will carry out a three-year curriculum(课程) any time soon. For one thing, most universities already allow highly qualified students to graduate early by testing out of certain classes and obtaining a number of college credits(学分). In addition, at famous universities, the committee who determine which courses are required and which courses are electives are unlikely to suddenly “throw out” one quarter of the required credits. Professors will resist “diluting(稀释)” the quality of the education they offer.
In my opinion, a quality four-year education is always superior to a quality three-year education. A college education requires sufficient time for a student to become skilled in their major and do coursework in fields outside their major. It is not a good idea to water down education, any more than it’s not a good idea to water down medicine. If we want to help students find their way through university, we should help them understand early on what knowledge and skills they need to have upon graduation. We should allow students to test out of as many courses as possible. We should give them a chance to earn money as interns(实习生)in meaningful part-time jobs that relate to their university studies, such as the five-year co-op program at Northeastern University. The first paragraph serves as a(n)________．
| A．explanation | B．definition | C．introduction | D．comment |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．most American universities are against the “three-year degree” model |
| B．many famous US universities are considering adopting the “three-year degree” model |
| C．professors are willing to accept the “three-year degree” model |
| D．the “three-year degree” model can make college learning more efficient |
In most US universities，________.
| A．college students are offered the co-op program |
| B．electives’ credits make up one quarter of the required credits |
| C．all students are required to finish four-year education before graduation |
| D．some excellent students can graduate ahead of time |
We can infer that________.
| A．the author is a college professor |
| B．the author thinks the cost of a university education is too high for people to afford |
| C．the author considers the university education quality very important |
| D．the author pays special attention to the all-round development of college students |
Which of the following can be the best title?
| A．It’s time to shorten the learning process |
| B．Best learning takes place over time |
| C．University education should be watered down |
| D．College education calls for reform |
Humans have sewn by hand for thousands of years. It was said that the first thread was made from animal muscle and sinew (腱). And the earliest needles were made from bones. Since those early days, many people have been involved in the process of developing a machine that could do the same thing more quickly and with greater efficiency.
Charles Wiesenthal, who was born in Germany, designed and received a patent on a double-pointed needle that eliminated the need to turn the needle around with each stitch (缝合) in England in 1755. Other inventors of that time tried to develop a functional sewing machine, but each design had at least one serious imperfection.
Frenchman Barthelemy Thimonnier finally engineered a machine that really worked. However, he was nearly killed by a group of angry tailors when they burned down his garment factory. They feared that they would lose their jobs to the machine.
American inventor Elias Howe, born on July 9, 1819, was awarded a patent for a method of sewing that used thread from two different sources. Howe’s machine had a needle with an eye at the point, and it used the two threads to make a special stitch called a lockstitch. However, Howe faced difficulty in finding buyers for his machines in America. In frustration, he traveled to England to try to sell his invention there. When he finally returned home, he found that dozens of manufacturers were adapting his discovery for use in their own sewing machines.
Isaac Singer, another American inventor, was also a manufacturer who made improvements to the design of sewing machines. He invented an up-and-down-motion mechanism that replaced the side-to-side machines. He also developed a foot treadle (脚踏板) to power his machine. This improvement left the sewer’s hands free. Undoubtedly, it was a huge improvement of the hand-cranked machine of the past. Soon the Singer sewing machine achieved more fame than the others for it was more practical, it could be adapted to home use and it could be bought on hire-purchase. The Singer sewing machine became the first home appliance, and the Singer company became one of the first American multinationals.
However, Singer used the same method to create a lockstitch that Howe had already patented. As a result, Howe accused him of patent infringement（侵犯）. Of course, Elias Howe won the court case, and Singer was ordered to pay Howe royalties（版税）. In the end, Howe became a millionaire, not by manufacturing the sewing machine, but by receiving royalty payments for his invention.Barthelemy Thimonnier’s garment factory was burned down because _____.
| A．people did not know how to put out the fire |
| B．Elias Howe thought Thimonnier had stolen his invention |
| C．workers who feared the loss of their jobs to a machine set fire |
| D．the sewing machines couldn’t work finally |
Why did the court force Isaac Singer to pay Elisa Howe a lifetime of royalties?
| A．Because the judge was against Singer for his surly attitude. |
| B．Because Howe had already patented the lockstitch used by Singer. |
| C．Because Singer had borrowed money from Howe and never repaid it. |
| D．Because Singer and Howe had both invented the same machine. |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．The Early History of the Sewing Machine |
| B．The Case between Howe and Singer |
| C．Patent Laws on the Sewing Machine |
| D．A Stitch in Time Saves Nine |
It all began with a stop at a red light.
Kevin Salwen was driving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . While waiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and a homeless man begging for food on the other.
“Dad, if that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested. The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable. She pestered（纠缠）her parents about inequity, insisting that she wanted to do something.
“What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”
Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager. Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donating half the proceeds to charity, while using the other half to buy a more modest replacement home.
Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy, impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughter scheduled to be published next month: “The Power of Half.” It’s a book that, frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where my own teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.
At a time of enormous needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when so many Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from text messages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came together to make a difference — for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a column a week ago, it described neurological （神经生物学的）evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights up parts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. The Salwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures of selflessness.
Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always assumed that their kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized, there was much less space to retreat to, so the family members spent more time around each other. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendly house.What does the underlined word “inequity” most probably mean in Paragraph 3?
| A．Unfairness. | B．Satisfaction. |
| C．Reasonable statement | D．Personal attitude. |
What does the underlined sentence “Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager.” means? ______
| A．Don’t respond to a child's demands firmly without consideration. |
| B．Unless a child is realistic, never give an answer immediately. |
| C．Give an answer if the child is reasonable. |
| D．Never give a quick answer to an idealistic teenager. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．The Salwens regretted selling their house. |
| B．The relationship between the family members of the Salwens is much closer. |
| C．Small houses can bring happiness. |
| D．The Salwens intend to buy another big house. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Mercedes Coupe is only an ordinary car which is quite cheap. |
| B．Unselfishness has nothing to do with people’s primary satisfaction. |
| C．Hannah asked her parents to do something charitable and they sold their house. |
| D．The writer’s children asked him to sell their house. |
Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt.
In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out.
Though the belief in the merit of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War Ⅱ. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea: clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far?
Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease. On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist(免疫学家)，encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground.The kings of France and England in the 16th century closed bath houses because.
| A．they lived healthily in a dirty environment. |
| B．they believed disease could be spread in public baths |
| C．they thought bath houses were too dirty to stay in |
| D．they considered bathing as the cause of skin disease |
Which of the following best describes Henry IV’s attitude to bathing?
| A．Uninterested. | B．Curious. |
| C．Approving. | D．Afraid. |
How does the passage mainly develop?
| A．By following the order of time. |
| B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By providing examples. |
| D．By following the order of importance. |
What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To stress the role of dirt. |
| B．To introduce the history of dirt. |
| C．To present the change of views on dirt. |
| D．To call attention to the danger of dirt. |
Miscioscio, 60, a marketing consultant in Pearl River, N.Y., says she's addicted to her Sony e-reader. She buys or borrows a print book only when it's not available digitally. Miscioscio says most of her friends and relatives have also switched to e-books for the convenience and lower prices. Last winter, she notes, she vacationed in Costa Rica and says “at least 75% of those reading were reading electronically. I was shocked to see people taking their e-readers onto the loungers (躺椅) in the pool.”
Meier, 43, a marketing director in Beaver Falls, prefers her books on paper, not screens. After working on a computer all day, she says, “I want a book in my hand. Turning over its pages is my way of knowing it's time to relax and slow down.” Meier, who's sticking with physical books, doesn't consider herself any kind of digital “resister.” “I'm comfortable with all forms of technology,” she says. “However, when it comes to books, I suppose I'm a traditionalist. My preference will always be the real thing.”
To her, part of the joy of reading is the book itself: “pulling it from the shelf, inspecting the cover, letting it fall open to a random page.”
Both have lots of company. Statistics show that e-book sales grew 43% last year, but that's a slowdown compared with the triple-digit increases in recent years. E-books remain the fastest-growing part of the book market but account for only about 20% of all sales, reported by publishers.
Miscioscio and Meier are at opposite ends of a book business in transition. Even though e-book sales have grown more than 4,000% since 2008, it's unlikely that physical books will disappear the way records did in the music industry.Miscioscio will ______ when a book is not available digitally.
| A．give up reading such kind of books |
| B．switch to the book of lower price |
| C．buy the book on paper |
| D．take an e-reader onto the loungers |
According to Meier, her “preference” refers to ______.
| A．paper book | B．part of joy |
| C．a random page | D．an e-book |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．Records are unlikely to disappear in the music industry. |
| B．Miscioscio and Meier are two opponents in book business. |
| C．The market share of e-books is bigger than that of paper books. |
| D．Physical books will remain to be accepted to some people. |
What is the passage mainly concerned with?
| A．E-books will dominate the book industry eventually. |
| B．Readers go their own way in choosing books. |
| C．New technology brings more benefits for readers. |
| D．Physical books will disappear gradually in the future. |
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●The offer includes a room for the night and a breakfast the next morning.
● The offer is valid for a basic twin or double room only.
● The stay must be booked directly with the chosen B&Bs before 28/04/2015.
● Each voucher can only be used by the holder to book one room for one night.
●The offer is ￡20 per room, per night. If voucher holders book additional services such as lunch, evening meal or activities, an extra charge is required. Please check directly with your chosen B&Bs to see what extra services are available.
● Vouchers must be presented on arrival. If no vouchers are presented, the B&Bs may reserve the right to charge at full price for every night of stay.
● Vouchers may not be used together with any other offer.
● The voucher holders must pay for the stay in full at the time of booking. Meanwhile, additional ￡10 has to be paid to confirm the booking and will be returned on arrival.
● The B&Bs reserve the right to refuse voucher holders’ bookings for people under the age of 18.How much should be paid for a two-night stay when you book a room with vouchers?
| A．￡75. | B．￡35. | C．￡50. | D．￡55. |
What right do the B&Bs reserve?
| A．To request extra charges as tips. |
| B．To refuse bookings for guests under the age of 18. |
| C．To charge at full price for stays not confirmed. |
| D．To charge extra￡10 for bookings with no vouchers. |
According to the passage, the voucher holders can ________.
| A．book the stays through B&B Daily |
| B．use the B&B offer together with other offers |
| C．book either a basic twin or double room at the chosen B&Bs |
| D．have lunch or evening meal without paying any extra money |