Passage1 Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage: The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education isn ’ t an either/or proposition( 命题 ) , although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM(science, technology, engineering, maths)-related fields can make it seem that way. The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also asserts that the study of the humanities ( 人文学科 )and social sciences must remain central components of America ’ s educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative( 创新的 )leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides. Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily. Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States. 1. What does the latest congressional report suggest? A) STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society. B) The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance. C) The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students’ spiritual life. D) Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society. 2. What is the main concern of students when they choose a major? A) Their interest in relevant subjects. B) The academic value of the courses. C) The quality of education to receive. D) Their chances of getting a good job. 3. What does the author say about the so called soft subjects? A) They benefit students in their future life. B) They broaden students’ range of interests. C) They improve students’ communication skills. D) They are essential to students’ healthy growth. 4. What kind of job applicants do employers look for? A) Those who have a strong sense of responsibility. B) Those who are good at solving practical problems. C) Those who are likely to become innovative leaders. D) Those who have received a well-rounded education. 5. What advice does the author give to college students? A) Seize opportunities to tap their potential. B) Try to take a variety of practical courses. C) Prepare themselves for different job options. D) Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems. Passage2 Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage: Does a drink a day keep heart attack away? Over the past twenty years, numerous studies have found that moderate alcohol consumption -- say, one or two glasses of beers, wine or cocktails daily -- helps to pr coronary ( 冠状动脉的 ) heart disease. Last week a report in the “New England Journal of Medicine” added strong new evidence in support of that theory. More importantly, the work provided the first solid indication of how alcohol works to protect the heart. In the study, researchers from Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School compared the drinking habits of 340 men and women who had suffered recent heart attacks with those of healthy people of the same age and . The scientists found that people who sip one to three drinks a day are about half as likely to suffer heart attacks as nondrinkers are. The apparent source of the protection: those who drank alcohol had higher blood levels of high-density lipoproteins, the so-called good cholesterol, which is known to repel heart diseases. As evidence has mounted, some doctors have begun recommending a daily drink for patients of heart diseases. But most physicians are not ready to recommend a regular happy hour for everyone. The risks of no drinking are nothing compared with the ers of too much alcohol, including high blood pressure, strokes and liver troubles -- not to mention violent behavior and traffic accidents. Moreover, some studies suggest that even moderate drinking may increase the incidence of breast and colon cancer. Until there is evidence that the benefits of a daily dose of alcohol outweigh the risks, most people won’t be able to take a doctor’s prescription to the neighborhood bar or liquor store. 6. The medical article quoted in the passage demonstrates ____. A) the way in which alcohol can help the heart B) how a couple of cocktails daily can stop heart problems C) that reports on the advantages of alcohol were misguided D) why alcoholic drinks are erous to one’s health 7. Experiments show that nondrinkers had _________. A) larger amounts of good cholesterol C) higher blood pressure B) smaller amounts of good cholesterol D) lower blood pressure 8. What might be the meaning for the word “consumption” in the first paragraph? A) Product. B) Needs. C) Habit. D) Drinking. 9. According to the passage, moderate drinking _________. A) is recommended by most doctors for heart patients B) is still not medically advisable C) should be allowed on prescription D) is not related to liver problem 10. The main theme of the passage is _______. A) the change in recent drinking habits B) the connection between cancer and alcohol C) whether alcohol may be good for your health D) whether moderate drinkers outlive nondrinkers Passage 3 Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage: One thing the tour books don’t tell you about London is that 2,000 of its residents are foxes. They ran away from the city about two centuries ago after developers and pollution moved in. But now that the environment is cleaner, the foxes have come home. “ The number and variety of wild animals in areas is increasing, ” says Gomer Jones. A survey of the wildlife in New York’s Central Park last year counted 14 species of mammals ( 哺乳动物 ). A similar survey conducted in the 1890s counted only five species. Several changes have brought wild animals to the cities. Foremost is that air and water quality in many cities have improved as a result of the 1970s pollution-control efforts. Meanwhile, rural areas have been built up, leaving many animals on the edges of suburbs. In addition, wildlife refuges ( 庇护所 ) have been created. The Greater London Council last year spent $750,000 to buy land to build 10 permanent wildlife refuges in the city. As a result, many birds are now living in the city. For peregrine falcons ( 游隼 ) cities are actually safer than rural cliff dwellings. By 1970 the birds had died out east of the Mississippi because of the DDT that had made their eggs too thin to support life. That year, scientist Tom Cade of Cornell University began raising the birds for release in cities, for cities afforded plenty of food. Cities can attract wild animals without turning them harmful. The trick is to create habitats where they can be self-sufficient but still be seen and appreciated. Such habitats can even be functional. In San Francisco, the local government is testing different kinds of rainwater control basins to see not only which ones retain the cleanest water but which will attract the most birds. 11. The passage is primarily concerned with _____________. A) wildlife returning to large cities C) wild animals living in zoos B) foxes returning to London D) a survey of wildlife in New York 12. It can be inferred from the passage that ______________. A) Londoners are putting more and more wild animals into their zoos B) Londoners are happy to see wild animals return to their city C) Londoners are trying to move wild animals back to the countryside D) Londoners have welcomed the wild birds, but found foxes a nuisance 13. According to the passage, the number of species of wildlife in New York’s Central Park _ ___________. A) is slowly decreasing B) competes favorably with other cities C) is on the same level as before D) has more than doubled in the twentieth century 14. Which of the following is NOT a reason that wildlife is returning to the cities? A) Air and water quality has improved in the cities. B) Wildlife is appreciated in the cities. C) Food is plentiful in the cities. D) Wildlife refuges have been built in the cities. 15. The word “habitat” (Sentence 2, Paragraph 4) here means ___________. A) a building for keeping wild animals B) a garden for growing plants C) a place for animals to live naturally D) a park where live animals are exhibited