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 __________.

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

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

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

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

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 __________.

This week in our Foreign Student Series，we discuss rules about geeing a job while studying in the United States．

International students are permitted to work for the college or university they attend or for a business at the school．But the business must directly provide a service to students．You could work at the bookstore，for example，but not for a construction company that is building something on campus（校园）．Also，a foreign student cannot displace an American citizen in a job．

International students can work twenty hours a week while attending classes；more during school breaks．You can work until you complete your studies．

Foreign students normally cannot take a job that has no connection to their school．But the government may give permission if students arc suddenly faced with a situation that is out of their control．Examples include large medical bills，the loss of financial aid or an unexpected change in the financial condition of their source of support．Students must also meet other conditions．They must have attended their American school for at least one year．Government approval is given on a case-by-case basis．Students must re-apply after a year if they want to continue an off-campus job．

Foreign students who will be attending graduate school（研究生院）can apply for some jobs before they come to the United States．A good example is a university job like a teaching or research assistantship．Some schools pay their assistants．Others provide free education in return．Many do both．Graduate assistants might teach，give tests，grade work，assist professors with research and hold office hours．Many universities now provide language training to foreign teaching assistants to help them improve their English．Some schools require foreign students to pass an English speaking test before they are permitted to teach．

International student offices at schools have to provide information on students each term to the Department of Homeland Security．Students who violate the terms of their visa -- for example，by working off-campus without permission -- could be sent home．

1．This passage is probably from _________．

A．a magazine                             B．a radio program

C．a text book                             D．a newspaper

2．This passage is mainly about _________．

A．what are the regulations of getting a job while studying in the US

B．how international students can find a pad-time job

C．how international students can get financed by the government

D．what kind of jobs are offered for foreign students

3．In general，the international students are permitted to _________．

A．work in a bookstore near the college campus

B．work for three years altogether at most

C．work for 20 hours a week during school days

D．take the place of an American citizen for a certain job

4．Who might not be given the permission to work off campus?

A．Mary，whose family is now in debt．

B．Bill，whose uncle failed to continued to support his education．

C．Ben，who lost his financial support soon after entering a college．

D．Don，who is in deep debt because of a medical operation．

5．Why can't a foreign student work for a construction company that is building something on campus?

A．Because the work has no connection to his（or her）study．

B．Because the work doesn't serve the student direct）．

C．Because the work may displace an American．

D．Because the work may take more than twenty hours a week．

6．It can be inferred from the passage that Graduate assistants who assist professors _________．

A．should be trained in language                        B．should pass an English speaking test

C．may be paid more                                       D．may get free education