It’s high time someone spoke up for today’s college students.  They’re probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated.

   People like the Secretary of Education simply don’t know what they’re talking about when they knock students.  Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards.

   The vast majority of the nation’s 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations.  They are part of the invisible workforce.  Many hold down full-time jobs.  They’re frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables.  The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event.

   The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools.  Why are the traditional courses so unpopular?  Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers?

   Answer: Today’s working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things.  Romance is gone.  The notion of transforming one’s self through study alone has disappeared.  Today’s students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job.

   There are other consequences.  Today’s students don’t have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework.  That’s the secret behind falling academic standards.  Students have become consumers.  They want grades and certifications.  Their professors can’t be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills.

   There’s a lot wrong with this situation.  It’s twisting the definition of education out of shape.  Worse, it’s creating a generation that is totally unpleasant.  The brightest students turn out to be yuppies (雅皮士).  The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates.

   The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study.  What this country needs is someone to stand up and say that being a full-time student during one’s formative years is an honorable calling worthy of support.  If families can’t or won’t give it to their children, then the government should.

1.The author’s purpose in writing this article is to __________.

awaken the whole society to the problems today’s college students face

warn Americans that academic standards are falling

advise college students to study hard

provide a suggestion that only full-time students be enrolled

2.The most suitable word to describe the author’s feelings about today’s college students  is _________.

   A. criticize            B. sympathize                   C. complain                D. urge

3.Which of the following cannot be learned from the passage?

Many students are often absent from classes.

Traditional courses are not popular.

Students commit crimes with computers.

Students don’t devote much time and energy to their homework.

4.By saying “Romance is gone” in paragraph 5, the author means ____________.

today’s students do not believe in love stories any more

today’s students become more practical in dealing with things

students think there is no affection any more and break up with their lovers

today’s students hold matter-of-fact opinions on love

5.Which of the following suggestions will the author not agree with?

We should encourage students to give up full-time jobs.

Families should offer their children more help financially.

We should stand up and say something for today’s college students.

D．We should make more strict regulations to force students to study hard.

It’s high time someone spoke up for today’s college students.  They’re probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated.

People like the Secretary of Education simply don’t know what they’re talking about when they knock students.  Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards.

The vast majority of the nation’s 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations.  They are part of the invisible workforce.  Many hold down full-time jobs.  They’re frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables.  The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event.

The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools.  Why are the traditional courses so unpopular?  Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers?

Answer: Today’s working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things.  Romance is gone.  The notion of transforming one’s self through study alone has disappeared.  Today’s students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job.

There are other consequences.  Today’s students don’t have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework.  That’s the secret behind falling academic standards.  Students have become consumers.  They want grades and certifications.  Their professors can’t be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills.

There’s a lot wrong with this situation.  It’s twisting the definition of education out of shape.  Worse, it’s creating a generation that is totally unpleasant.  The brightest students turn out to be yuppies (雅皮士).  The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates.

The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study.  What this country needs is someone to stand up and say that being a full-time student during one’s formative years is an honorable calling worthy of support.  If families can’t or won’t give it to their children, then the government should.

1.The author’s purpose in writing this article is to __________.

A．awaken the whole society to the problems today’s college students face

B．warn Americans that academic standards are falling

C．advise college students to study hard

D．provide a suggestion that only full-time students be enrolled

2.The most suitable word to describe the author’s feelings about today’s college students  is _________.

A．criticize

B．sympathize

C．complain

D．urge

3.Which of the following cannot be learned from the passage?

A．Many students are often absent from classes.

B．Traditional courses are not popular.

C．Students commit crimes with computers.

D．Students don’t devote much time and energy to their homework.

4.By saying “Romance is gone” in paragraph 5, the author means ____________.

A．today’s students do not believe in love stories any more

B．today’s students become more practical in dealing with things

C．students think there is no affection any more and break up with their lovers

D．today’s students hold matter-of-fact opinions on love

5.Which of the following suggestions will the author not agree with?

A．We should encourage students to give up full-time jobs.

B．Families should offer their children more help financially.

C．We should stand up and say something for today’s college students.

D．We should make more strict regulations to force students to study hard.

 

It’s high time someone spoke up for today’s college students.  They’re probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated.
People like the Secretary of Education simply don’t know what they’re talking about when they knock students.  Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards.
The vast majority of the nation’s 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations.  They are part of the invisible workforce.  Many hold down full-time jobs.  They’re frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables.  The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event.
The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools.  Why are the traditional courses so unpopular?  Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers?
Answer: Today’s working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things.  Romance is gone.  The notion of transforming one’s self through study alone has disappeared.  Today’s students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job.
There are other consequences.  Today’s students don’t have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework.  That’s the secret behind falling academic standards.  Students have become consumers.  They want grades and certifications.  Their professors can’t be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills.
There’s a lot wrong with this situation.  It’s twisting the definition of education out of shape.  Worse, it’s creating a generation that is totally unpleasant.  The brightest students turn out to be yuppies (雅皮士).  The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates.
The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study.  What this country needs is someone to stand up and say that being a full-time student during one’s formative years is an honorable calling worthy of support.  If families can’t or won’t give it to their children, then the government should.
【小题1】The author’s purpose in writing this article is to __________.

A．awaken the whole society to the problems today’s college students face

B．warn Americans that academic standards are falling

C．advise college students to study hard

D．provide a suggestion that only full-time students be enrolled

【小题2】The most suitable word to describe the author’s feelings about today’s college students  is _________.

A．criticize

B．sympathize

C．complain

D．urge

【小题3】Which of the following cannot be learned from the passage?

A．Many students are often absent from classes.

B．Traditional courses are not popular.

C．Students commit crimes with computers.

D．Students don’t devote much time and energy to their homework.

【小题4】By saying “Romance is gone” in paragraph 5, the author means ____________.

A．today’s students do not believe in love stories any more

B．today’s students become more practical in dealing with things

C．students think there is no affection any more and break up with their lovers

D．today’s students hold matter-of-fact opinions on love

【小题5】Which of the following suggestions will the author not agree with?

A．We should encourage students to give up full-time jobs.

B．Families should offer their children more help financially.

C．We should stand up and say something for today’s college students.

D．We should make more strict regulations to force students to study hard.

    Fear filled the eyes of the silent farmhand as he took a second glance skyward. He had not been mistaken. There it was growing larger and larger in all of its black ugliness. Like a giant funnel(漏斗) made of billowing cloth that could not hold its shape, it loomed(隐约出现) larger and larger. The man no longer could control his panic as he rushed toward the house. If he could only have enough time to warn the others of the awful danger bearing down on them. His plan of action was clear. He would first awaken the others, and then he would rush to the ban and lead the animals to the comparative safety of the storm cedar(地窖). His breath was coming in sobs now as he bent down and grabbed a large stone that he hurled at the upper story window. He shouted, “Hurry ! Get up ! ” as he stumbled against the door and pushed it open. “Hurry, if you want to live, hurry! A twister! ”(龙卷风)

1．The other people were mostly likely in ________.

A．the kitchen

B．the barn

C．the bedroom

D．the cellar

2．The man was ________.

A．a coward because he cried

B．a coward because he ran away

C．brave because he tried to run to the cellar

D．brave because he tried to save others

 

    Fear filled the eyes of the silent farmhand as he took a second glance skyward. He had not been mistaken. There it was growing larger and larger in all of its black ugliness. Like a giant funnel(漏斗) made of billowing cloth that could not hold its shape, it loomed(隐约出现) larger and larger. The man no longer could control his panic as he rushed toward the house. If he could only have enough time to warn the others of the awful danger bearing down on them. His plan of action was clear. He would first awaken the others, and then he would rush to the ban and lead the animals to the comparative safety of the storm cedar(地窖). His breath was coming in sobs now as he bent down and grabbed a large stone that he hurled at the upper story window. He shouted, “Hurry ! Get up ! ” as he stumbled against the door and pushed it open. “Hurry, if you want to live, hurry! A twister! ”(龙卷风)

1．The other people were mostly likely in ________.

A．the kitchen

B．the barn

C．the bedroom

D．the cellar

2．The man was ________.

A．a coward because he cried

B．a coward because he ran away

C．brave because he tried to run to the cellar

D．brave because he tried to save others