2013年12月大学英语四级考试阅读真题及答案

　　Section C Passage Two

　　Questions61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

　　As a society we might want to rethink thetime and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit agreater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and collegescan prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that arelikely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way ofpreparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currentlyoffer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to goon to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense ofpurpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in theworld.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offerbetter training, as well as the development of a work ethic (勤奋工作的美德) andthe intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. Irecommend Harvard’s 2011 “Pathways toProsperity” report for more attention to the “forgotten half” (those whodo not go on to college) and ideas about how to address thisissue.Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In aknowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many collegestudents are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill setneeded is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning toexpress ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information,and knowing how to do research are all solid background skills for a widevariety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular majorin a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation inthinking skills that will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn towork independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path toadulthood appears exacerbated (恶化) by parental involvement in the college years. Given the risinginvestment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, butlearning where and when to intervene (干预) will helpstudents take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costlyeducations.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

　　61. What kind of education does the authorthink is ideal?

　　A) It benefits the great majority of thegeneral population.

　　B) It prepares students to meet the futureneeds of society.

　　C) It encourages students to learnthroughout their lives.

　　D) It ensures that students’ expectations are successfully fulfilled.

　　62. What does the author say is the problemwith present high school education?

　　A) Ignoring the needs of those who don’t go to college.

　　B) Teaching skills to be used right aftergraduation only.

　　C) Giving little attention to those havingdifficulty learning.

　　D) Creating the highest dropout rate in thedeveloped world.

　　63. What characterizes a knowledge economyaccording to the passage?

　　A) People have to receive higher educationto qualify for a professional position.

　　B) Students majoring in liberal artsusually have difficulty securing a job.

　　C) New positions are constantly createdthat require people to keep learning.

　　D) Colleges find it hard to teach studentshow to cope with the changing economy.

　　64. What does the author think a liberalarts college should focus on?

　　A) Solid background knowledge in aparticular field.

　　B) Practical skills urgently needed incurrent society.

　　C) Basic skills needed for change andlifelong learning.

　　D) Useful thinking skills for advancedacademic research.

　　65. What suggestion does the author offerto parents?

　　A) Rethinking the value of highereducation.

　　B) Investing wisely in their children’s education.

　　C) Helping their children to bring theirtalent into full play.

　　D) Avoiding too much intervention in theirchildren’s education.

　　参考答案

　　61~65 BDCCD