2022-6-1

Passage One

Selective colleges and universities in the U. S.are under fire for being too elite and too expensive, and for not training graduates for the world of work.

Such charges ignore the fact that these institutions continue to prepare students for success in their work,for thoughtful engagement in civic life,for lifelong learning,and for understanding the world and those with whom they live.

be under fire 遭到炮火袭击;受到攻击（或批评、责难等）

the world of work 职场

for being too elite ...., and for not training graduates ....   因为

Such  charges 指责

the fact that... + 同位语从句

prepare ... for 

graduates 毕业生 

thoughtful engagement in sth. 

civic  公民的

46. What fact does the author emphasize concerning selective colleges and universities?
A) They have been ignoring the training of graduates for the world of work.
B) They have been doing well in ensuring their students a successful future.
C) They have been constantly attacked for being too elite and too expensive.
D) They have been actively engaged in civic life beyond the school campus.

These colleges and universities must be doing something right. Applications are at
record highs,and their financial aid programs make them more accessible than ever. This
model of education has long played a central role in creating opportunity, driving economic

growth,and spurring innovation.

These colleges and universities must be doing something right.    right是后置定语

Applications  申请;请求; 应用，运用;  涂抹;敷用;施用

at record highs 创纪录新高

accessible  可接近的;可进入的; 可使用的;   容易理解的;

financial aid  (高等院校的)助学金，助学贷款

47. What does the author say in arguing for为... 辩护 the model of education in the U. S.?
A) It has contributed substantially巨大地 to the nation's overall development.
B) It has succeeded in maintaining sustainable financial aid programs.
C) It has given priority to innovative programs for graduate studies.
D) It has played a central role in attracting international applicants.

Yet,there is growing skepticism about the value of this model, The recent tax reform
bill is a wake-up call that our strongest colleges and universities are under assault by some
in government. The initial proposals would have made education unaffordable for many by
taxing tuition waivers for graduate students and ending deductions for student loan interest.
Thankfully,these provisions were ultimately stripped from the bill,but lawmakers let stand
a new tax on the investment income of some colleges and universities.

bill 法案

wake-up call 警钟 

assault 猛烈攻击，袭击

tuition waivers 学费减免

waiver 弃权;弃权声明

graduate students 研究生

deductions 推理;    扣除(额)

stripped from 从中剥离

let stand 使...维持不变

The initial proposals would have made education unaffordable for many

by taxing tuition waivers for graduate students and ending终止 deductions for student loan interest.

would have done 我本想做……但由于一些原因，没有做成

While these attacks are motivated by misguided ideas,we need to do a better job of
explaining why these claims are false and why what we do is valuable. We cannot take for
granted that any of this is obvious.

take for granted  认为理所当然

48. What do we learn about the initial proposals concerning the recent tax reform bill?
A) They would have stripped many students of life's chances.
B) They would have deducted graduate student loan interest.
C) They would have added to many students' financial burden.
D) They would have increased the number of tuition waivers.

It is often said that elite colleges and universities do not train students,particularly
those who study the liberal arts,for the workforce. But this can be refuted by scholarly
research. The data are clear:a liberal arts education is great career preparation,both for
excellent lifetime earmings and for satisfaction with the work. This education develops the
skills of critical thinking,rigorous analysis of data and facts,communication with the
written and spoken word,understanding of cultural differences and issues,and the ability to
keep learning. In fact,liberal arts graduates do extremely well in every imaginable field.

It is often said that 人们常说 

liberal arts 文科

refuted 被反驳的 

critical thinking 批判性思维

rigorous analysis 严格分析

written and spoken word   书面和口头文字

49. What do the data show about elite colleges and universities?
A) Their graduates lack the rigor required for doing statistical analysis.
B) Their students prove to be inadequately prepared for their future careers.
C) Their focus on research is conducive to developing students'critical thinking.
D) Their liberal arts education enables graduates to excel in whatever field they are in.

is conducive to 有利于

conducive  有利于;使容易(或有可能)发生的

the rigor required 所需的严格性

rigor 

Access to an education at selective colleges and universities is now more available
than ever to low-and middle-income families. We have built endowments from donations
by alumni(校友）and parents who understand and appreciate our mission to provide access
and opportunity,and a significant portion of the returns from these endowments is used to
fund financial aid.

Access to an education at selective colleges and universities  

to an education at selective colleges and universities  是access的后置定语

access to 接近，去…的通路，使用…的机会（权利）

endowments 捐赠

donations 捐赠 

a significant portion of ...  

Ironically,the new tax on endowments drains financial aid funds from the very schools
most able to offer opportunity to those who have earned a spot but cannot otherwise afford
this education. Beyond the virtue of access to those who have earned a place at these
schools,the diversity of economic backgrounds enhances the education and experience of
all of our students.

drains 

 earned a spot = earned a place 被录取，赢得一席之地

 otherwise 在其他方面;另;

the new tax on endowments drains financial aid funds from the very schools
most able to offer opportunity to those who have earned a spot but cannot otherwise afford
this education.

able to offer opportunity ... 形容词短语做后置定语 

Beyond the virtue of access to those who have earned a place

Beyond 除了

50. What is an advantage of providing financial aid for students?
A) Every student can choose the institution they wish to attend.
B) All students can benefit from a diversified student population.

the diversity of economic backgrounds enhances the education and experience of
all of our students.
C) All students will be able to earn a place on university campus.
D) Less privileged students will be more competitive at elite schools.

 

Passage Two
When a group of Australians was asked why they believed climate change was not
happening,about 36% said it was "common sense",according to a report published last
year by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. This was the
most popular reason for their opinion,with only 11% saying their belief that climate change
was not happening was based on scientific research.

the Commonwealth 英联邦

But what do we mean by an appeal to common sense? Presumably it's an appeal to
rationality of some sort that forms the basis of more complex reasoning. The appeal to
common sense,however,is usually nothing more than an appeal to thinking that just feels
right,but what feels right to one person may not feel right to another. Whether it feels right
is usually a reflection of the world view and ideologies we have internalised,and that
frames how we interact with new ideas. When new ideas are in accord with what we
already believe,they are more readily accepted. When they are not,they,and the arguments
that lead to them,are more readily rejected.

of some sort 某种

nothing more than 只不过;  仅仅

in accord with （与…）一致;（与…）相符

reflection  反射;反映

internalised 内部化的

frame v. 塑造，给... 设框

readily 便利地;快捷地;轻而易举地;欣然地;乐意地 

51. What does the author intend to show by citing the findings from the report published
last year?
A) People seldom appeal to rationality in their thinking.
B) It is often the case that truth lies in the hands of a few.
C) Common sense and science are the two sides of a coin.
D) Few people know if climate change is really happening.

52. What is the appeal to common sense according to the author?
A) It is the basis for the internalisation of individuals' ideologies.
B) It is a series of conceptions formulated from complex reasoning.
C) It is collective wisdom that helps people interact with new ideas.
D) It is something subjective based on what one perceives to be right.

We often mistake this automatic compatibility testing of new ideas with existing beliefs
as an application of common sense,but,in reality,it is more about judging than thinking.
As Nobelist Daniel Kahneman notes in Thinking, Fast and Slow,when we arrive at
conclusions in this way,the outcomes also feel true,regardless of whether they are. We are
not psychologically well equipped to judge our own thinking.

mistake ... as  将... 误认为

automatic  自动的;无意识的

compatibility 兼容性

compatible 兼容的;  合得来的; 可嫁接的

new ideas with existing beliefs    带有旧观点的新观点   belief 观点

arrive at 到达，来到;达成，获得

be equipped to 有能力做某事

53. What does Daniel Kahneman think is the problem of testing new ideas with existing beliefs?
A) It may lead to incorrect judgment.
B) It makes no use of common sense.
C) It fails to correct mistakes through serious reasoning.
D) It can produce psychologically unacceptable outcomes.

correct mistakes 纠正错误  

serious reasoning 认真推理

makes no use of 不使用

We are also highly susceptible to a range of cognitive biases such as giving preference
to the first things that come to mind when making decisions or giving weight to evidence.

One way we can check our intemal biases and inconsistencies is through the social
verification of knowledge,in which we test our ideas in a rigorous and systematic way to
see if they make sense not just to us,but to other people. The outstanding example of this
socially shared cognition is science.

That does not mean that individuals are not capable of excellent thinking,nor does it
mean no individual is rational. But the extent to which individuals can do this on their own
is a function of how well integrated they are with communities of systematic inquiry in the
first place. You can't lean to think well by yourself.

In matters of science at least,those who value their common sense over methodological.
collaborative investigation imagine themnselves to be more free in their thinking,unbound

by involvement with the group,but in reality they are tightly bound by their capabilities and
perspectives. We are smarter together than we are individually, and perhaps that's just
common sense.

54. What can we do to be less susceptible to cognitive biases?
A) Give equal weight to evidence of both sides in a conflict.
B) Provide convincing examples in developing an argument.
C) Establish socially shared cognition via scientific methods.
D) Avoid inconsistencies when addressing controversial issues.

55. What message does the author try to convey at the end of the passage?
A) Multiple perspectives stimulate people's interest in exploring the unknown.
B) Individuals can enhance their overall capabilities by interacting with others.
C) Individuals should think freely to break from the restrictions of common sense.
D) Collaborative efforts can overcome individuals limitations in scientific inquiry.

卢内桥位于天安门广场西南15公里处，横跨永定河，是北京现存最古老的多拱石桥。
卢沟桥最初建成于1192年，1698年重建，由281根柱子支撑。每根柱子上都有一头石狮。
这些石狮的头、背、腹部或爪子上都藏着更多的狮子。这些石狮生动過真、千姿百态，是
卢沟桥石刻艺水的精品。桥上的石狮不计其数，国而北京地区流传着“卢沟桥上的石狮子－
数不清”的说法。
卢沟桥不仅以其美学特征闻名于世，还被公认为石桥建筑史上的一座半碑。