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 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 granted 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, a consultant 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 tough. 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．Australia widens window of opportunity for international students. |
| B．Australia is a most attractive place for students in China. |
| C．Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia. |
| D．More students will work in Australia after their graduation. |
Which of the following is NOT the content of the new regulations?
| A．The student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified. |
| B．Language requirements for overseas students have been more difficult. |
| C．The deposit required to study in Australia has been reduced. |
| D．After graduation, some overseas students can get a working visa in Australia. |
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．more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia |
| D．the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students |
How much can Li's parents save according to the new regulations?
| A．550,000 yuan | B．86,850 yuan | C．410,000 yuan | D．140,000 yuan |
Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation?
| A．They can earn more money in Australia. |
| B．The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness. |
| C．Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever. |
| D．They have to do so according to the new regulations. |
Lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relaxation from hot weather．But water also can be dangerous for kids if you don't take great care．Nearly 1,000 kids die each year by drowning．Here are some tips to keep your kids safe in the water:
At the Lake or Pond
●Don't let little kids swim alone without adult supervision— lakes or ponds may be shallow near the bank and are suddenly deep sharply further out from shore．
●Ponds and lakes may hide sharp rocks, broken glass, or rubbish．
●Make sure kids wear foot protection; even in the water, they should wear socks or water shoes．
●Watch out for weeds and grass in the water that could trap a leg or arm．
●Most boating accidents, particularly among teenagers, are related to alcohol．Be sure teens know about the dangers of alcohol, on and off the water．
At the Beach
●Teach kids to always swim when and where a lifeguard is on duty．Unlike the calm waters of a swimming pool, the beach has special dangers like currents and tides．Check with the lifeguard when you arrive to find out about the water conditions．
●Tell kids never to stand with their back to the water because a sudden wave can easily knock a child over．
●Teach kids that if they're caught in a dangerous wave, they should swim to the shore or should tread water and call for a lifeguard's help．
Whether at the lake or at the beach, teach your child to get out of the water during bad weather, especially lightning．Which is the right behavior when swimming at the beach? ________
| A．Go off the water without a lifeguard on duty. |
| B．Go on swimming in a heavy rain. |
| C．Call for help if caught in a dangerous wave. |
| D．Go off the water before checking the water conditions. |
Swimming at a beach is more dangerous than in a pool because ________.
| A．there are currents and tides at a beach |
| B．there are no lifeguards at a beach |
| C．the waters of a beach are more calm |
| D．the waters of a pool are warmer |
The passage is probably written for ________.
| A．students at school |
| B．parents with little children |
| C．kids who want to learn swimming |
| D．coaches who teach kids to swim |
In which column of a magazine can you find this passage? ________
| A．Sports | B．Science |
| C．Entertainment | D．Education |
Every morning Grandpa got up early sitting at the table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?” The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead. The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”
The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless !”“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.
“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”What puzzled the grandson most was ________.
| A．what kind of book he could understand |
| B．whether it was useful to read books |
| C．why he forgot what he read soon |
| D．how he could read books like his grandpa |
Why did Grandpa ask his grandson to fetch a basket of water? _______
| A．To punish him for not reading carefully. |
| B．To train him to run faster. |
| C．To get him to realize the use of reading books. |
| D．To clean the dirty basket in the river. |
What lesson can we learn from the story? ________
| A．It is foolish to carry water with a basket. |
| B．The old are always wiser than the young. |
| C．Reading books can change a person gradually. |
| D．You can’t expect to remember whatever you read. |
What can be the best title for the text? _______
| A．Grandpa and grandson | B．Carrying water in a basket |
| C．Baskets and books | D．Reading for total changing |
Recently, China UnionPay did an experiment in a subway station in Beijing—Are you willing to offer a hand to a stranger who needs help?
The leading role of the experiment was an old man. With a small bag in one hand and a large case in the other， the old man appeared in a cold winter morning in the bustling（繁忙的） subway station. He was so old that he couldn’t carry the heavy case up the stairs. Standing in front of the steps, he looked helpless.
Something good happened finally. At 9 o’clock, a kind man showed up, he offered to carry the case for the old man and walked up the stairs with him, at 9：25, another man helped …
Within six hours，the old man walked up the stairs for 25 times，among which he was helped for 23 times.
What’s more，two ladies tried to help the old man—one in the front and the other in the back. They carried the case up the stairs for him. The most noteworthy thing was that another old man tried to help too.
When these kind people were asked why they helped the stranger，they all said “ It’s just the right thing to do,” “I always help people as long as I can” ,or “it’s not a big thing, and I just want to help”.
We often see negative news about fake falling and blackmailing or scheming (阴谋)and cunning. But this experiment brought sheer warmth into our heart.Why did China UnionPay carry out the experiment?
| A．To find out whether strangers need help when they are in trouble. |
| B．To find out whether someone can help those who want to help others. |
| C．To find out whether strangers can be helped when they are in danger. |
| D．To find out whether someone can help strangers who are in need of help. |
What do we know about the old man?
| A．He lived a hard and miserable life. |
| B．He helped to do the experiment. |
| C．He was too weak to carry the case upstairs. |
| D．He left after being helped by another old man. |
The most moving scene is that______________ .
| A．most of the passers-by helped the old man |
| B．even a disabled girl helped the old man |
| C．another old man also helped the old man |
| D．one lady carried the old man on her back |
What message does the experiment express?
| A．What warms us most is that helping others is grateful in our society. |
| B．What people gain is that they will be rewarded for helping others in China. |
| C．What strikes us is that China UnionPay really did a successful experiment. |
| D．What impresses us is that most people help others really by nature. |
If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how “foolish” the Finnish people are.
Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare of two US dollars a kilometer. You can go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to(料理), and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least sign of anxiety.
The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diners. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration card(住宿登记卡) to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friends to dine free of charge.
The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss on the rate(价钱). From then on, they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly(相应地).
With so many loopholes(漏洞) in everyday life, surely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take “petty advantages”. But the strange thing is, all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fare after they have attended to their business; not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers always give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As the Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone into a real “gentleman”.
In a society of such high moral practice, what need is there for people to be on guard against others? While taking a taxi in Finland, _____.
| A．a passenger can go anywhere without having to pay the driver |
| B．a passenger pays two US dollars for a taxi ride |
| C．a passenger can never be refused by the taxi driver wherever he wants to go |
| D．a passenger needs to provide good faith demonstration (证明) before leaving without paying |
We know from the passage that big hotels in Finland ________.
| A．are mostly poorly managed |
| B．provide meals for any diners |
| C．provide free wine and charge for food |
| D．provide meal for only those who live in the hotels |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The workers in Finland are paid by the hour. |
| B．The workers are always honest with their working hours. |
| C．The workers and their bosses will make an agreement in advance about the pay. |
| D．The bosses in Finland are too busy to check the working hours of their employees. |
The word “those” in the last but one paragraph probably refers to _____.
| A．people who are dishonest |
| B．people who often have meals in big hotels |
| C．people who often take taxis |
| D．people who are worthy of trust |
Learning English well is a great challenge, but with the help from technology（技术） it can be as easy as a piece of cake.
As well as the classroom, teachers and textbooks, the Internet, TV and radio programs can play an active role in helping learn English. The Internet is full of rich and up-to-date information. English learners might wish to try http://www.in2english.com.cn. It provides cultural information about Britain.
Another useful website for middle school students and teachers is: Besides reading 21st Century School Edition online, students are also invited to put their views on different topics up on the website.
Compared with the Internet, TV programs have their own advantages（优点）: one does not have to sit at a computer and one can hear and watch the programs much better.
One popular English-learning program is called "Modern English". This focuses on spoken English in practical situations such as taking photos and shopping.
If you watch Beijing Television Channel 8, you might see a program titled "Study Abroad". Cartoons are used to explain how to use the word in daily life. Listening to the radio may not be a new way to learn English but it is easy.
China Radio International airs a program called "Studio Classroom" at 6:30 a.m. every day. This 25-minute program is aimed at middle school students and covers subjects from current news to travel and history, all in simple language.The author wants the readers to know that learning English __________.
| A．is very difficult for us |
| B．is very easy for us |
| C．is neither easy nor difficult |
| D．can be much easier with the help of technology |
One can practise spoken English in everyday situations in ___________.
| A．Studio Classroom | B．21st Century School Edition |
| C．Study Abroad | D．Modern English |
According to the author, TV programs are better than programs on the Internet because they __________.
| A．can let you hear and watch the programs much better |
| B．cost you nothing |
| C．have more English passages |
| D．have English courses whenever you need them |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．It introduces some websites of learning English |
| B．It introduces some TV and radio programs of learning English |
| C．It gives suggestions on learning English in modern ways |
| D．It explains different English courses |