英語四級(jí)基礎(chǔ)閱讀訓(xùn)練 Text 2

Text 2

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

Universities Branch Out

As never before in their long history, universities have become instruments of national competition as well as instruments of peace. They are the place of the scientific discoveries that move economies forward, and the primary means of educating the talent required to obtain and maintain competitive advantage. But at the same time, the opening of national borders to the flow of goods, services, information and especially people has made universities a powerful force for global integration, mutual understanding and geopolitical stability.

In response to the same forces that have driven the world economy, universities have become more self consciously global：seeking students from around the world who represent the entire range of cultures and values, sending their own students abroad to prepare them for global careers, offering courses of study that address the challenges of an interconnected world and collaborative（合作的）research programs to advance science for the benefit of all humanity.

Of the forces shaping higher education none is more sweeping than the movement across borders, over the past three decades the number of students leaving home each year to study abroad has grown at an annual rate of 3.9 percent, from 800,000 in 1975 to 2.5 million in 2004. Most travel from one developed nation to another, but the flow from developing to developed countries is growing rapidly. The reverse flow, from developed to developing countries, is on the rise, too. Today foreign students earn 30 percent of the doctoral degrees awarded in the United States and 38 percent of those in the United Kingdom. And the number crossing borders for undergraduate study is growing as well, to 8 percent of the undergraduates at America's best institutions and 10 percent of all undergraduates in the U.K. In the United States, 20 percent of the newly hired professors in science and engineering are foreign-born, and in China many newly hired faculty members at the top research universities received their graduate education abroad.

Universities are also encouraging students to spend some of their undergraduate years in another country. In Europe, more than 140,000 students participate in the Erasmus program each year, taking courses for credit in one of 2,200 participating institutions across the continent. And in the United States, institutions are helping place students in summer internships（實(shí)習(xí)）abroad to prepare them for global careers. Yale and Harvard have led the way, offering every undergraduate at least one international study or internship opportunity—and providing the financial resources to make it possible.

Globalization is also reshaping the way research is done. One new trend involves sourcing portions of a research program to another country. Yale professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Tian Xu directs a research centre focused on the genetics of human disease at Shanghai's Fudan University, in collaboration with faculty colleagues from both schools. The Shanghai centre has 95 employees and graduate students working in a 4,300-square-meter laboratory facility. Yale faculty, postdoctors and graduate students visit regularly and attend videoconference seminars with scientists from both campuses. The arrangement benefits both countries：Xu's Yale lab is more productive, thanks to the lower costs of conducting research in China, and Chinese graduate students, postdoctors and faculty get on-the-job training from a world-class scientist and his U.S. team.

As a result of its strength in science, the United States has consistently led the world in the commercialization of major new technologies, from the mainframe computer and the integrated circuit of the 1960s to the Internet infrastructure（基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施）and applications software of the 1990s. The link between university-based science and industrial application is often indirect but sometimes highly visible：Silicon Valley was intentionally created by Stanford University, and Route 128 outside Boston has long housed companies spun off from MIT and Harvard. Around the world, governments have encouraged copying of this model, perhaps most successfully in Cambridge, England, where Microsoft and scores of other leading software and biotechnology companies have set up shop around the university.

For all its success, the United States remains deeply hesitant about sustaining the research university model. Most politicians recognize the link between investment in science and national economic strength, but support for research funding has been unsteady. The budget of the National Institutes of Health doubled between 1998 and 2003, but has risen more slowly than inflation since then. Support for the physical sciences and engineering barely kept pace with inflation during that same period. The attempt to make up lost ground is welcome, but the nation would be better served by steady, predictable increases in science funding at the rate of long-term GDP growth, which is on the order of inflation plus 3 percent per year.

American politicians have great difficulty recognizing that admitting more foreign students can greatly promote the national interest by increasing international understanding. Adjusted for inflation, public funding for international exchanges and foreign-language study is well below the levels of 40 years ago. In the wake of September 11, changes in the visa process caused a dramatic decline in the number of foreign students seeking admission to U.S. universities, and a corresponding surge in enrollments in Australia, Singapore and the U.K. Objections from American university and business leaders led to improvements in the process and a reversal of the decline, but the United States is still seen by many as unwelcoming to international students.

Most Americans recognize that universities contribute to the nation's well-being through their scientific research, but many fear that foreign students threaten American competitiveness by taking their knowledge and skills back home. They fail to grasp that welcoming foreign students to the United States has two important positive effects：first, the very best of them stay in the States and—like immigrants throughout history—strengthen the nation; and second, foreign students who study in the United States become ambassadors for many of its most cherished（珍視）values when they return home. Or at least they understand them better. In America as elsewhere, few instruments of foreign policy are as effective in promoting peace and stability as welcoming international university students.

1.From the first paragraph we know that present-day universities have become______.

A.more and more research-oriented　　B.in-service training organizations

C.more popularized than ever before　　D.a powerful force for global integration

2.Over the past three decades, the enrollment of overseas students has increased______.

A.by 2.5 million　　　　　　　　B.by 800,000

C.at an annual rate of 3.9 percent　　D.at an annual rate of 8 percent

3.In the United States, how many of the newly hired professors in science and engineering are foreignborn?

A.10%.　　B.20%.　　C.30%.　　D.38%.

4.How do Yale and Harvard prepare their undergraduates for global careers?

A.They organize a series of seminars on world economy.

B.They offer them various courses in international politics.

C.They arrange for them to participate in the Erasmus program.

D.They give them chances for international study or internship.

5.An example illustrating the general trend of universities' globalization is______.

A.Yale's collaboration with Fudan University on genetic research

B.Yale's helping Chinese universities to launch research projects

C.Yale's student exchange program with European institutions

D.Yale's establishing branch campuses throughout the world

6. What do we learn about Silicon Valley from the passage?

A.It houses many companies spun off from MIT and Harvard.

B.It is known to be the birthplace of Microsoft Company.

C.It was intentionally created by Stanford University.

D.It is where the Internet infrastructure was built up.

7. What is said about the U.S. federal funding for research?

A.It has increased by 3 percent.　　B.It has been unsteady for years.

C.It has been more than sufficient.　D.It doubled between 1998 and 2003.

8.The dramatic decline in the enrollment of foreign students in the U.S. after September 11 was caused by______________________.

9.Many Americans fear that American competitiveness may be threatened by foreign students who will______________________.

10.The policy of welcoming foreign students can benefit the U.S. in that the very best of them will stay and______________________.

1.【答案】D

【解析】依據(jù)第一段最后一句“But at the same time, the opening of national borders to the flow of goods, services, information and especially people has made universities a powerful force for global integration, mutual understanding and geopolitical stability.”通過這句話可知，國(guó)界對(duì)商品、服務(wù)、信息尤其是對(duì)人的開放使得大學(xué)成為增進(jìn)世界融合、相互理解和地理政治穩(wěn)定的強(qiáng)有力的工具。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇D。

2.【答案】C

【解析】依據(jù)第三段第二句“...over the past three decades the number of students leaving home each year to study abroad has grown at an annual rate of 3.9 percent, from 800,000 in 1975 to 2.5 million in 2004.”通過對(duì)這句話可知，在過去三十幾年中，到國(guó)外留學(xué)的學(xué)生以每年3.9％的速度增長(zhǎng)。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇C。

3.【答案】B

【解析】依據(jù)第三段最后一句 “...20 percent of the newly hired professors in science and engineering are foreign-born.”通過這句話可知，在美國(guó)，新聘用的科學(xué)工程專業(yè)教授中有20％是在國(guó)外出生。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇B。

4.【答案】D

【解析】依據(jù)第四段最后一句“Yale and Harvard have led the way, offering every undergraduate at least one international study or internship opportunity—and providing the financial resources to make it possible.”通過這句話可知，耶魯大學(xué)與哈佛大學(xué)一馬當(dāng)先，給每位在校生提供至少一項(xiàng)去其他國(guó)家學(xué)習(xí)與實(shí)習(xí)的機(jī)會(huì),并為其提供必要的資金支持。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇D。

5.【答案】A

【解析】依據(jù)第五段的“Yale professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Tian Xu directs a research centre focused on the genetics of human disease at Shanghai's Fudan University, in collaboration with faculty colleagues from both schools.”通過這句話可知，徐甜是耶魯大學(xué)的教授，同時(shí)還是哈佛大學(xué)霍華德·休斯醫(yī)學(xué)研究所的調(diào)查員，她在中國(guó)上海復(fù)旦大學(xué)集合兩個(gè)學(xué)校的人員創(chuàng)建了人類疾病基因研究中心。此事例體現(xiàn)了國(guó)內(nèi)外科研資源共享。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇A。

6.【答案】C

【解析】依據(jù)第六段第二句“The link between university-based science and industrial application is often indirect but sometimes highly visible: Silicon Valley was intentionally created by Stanford University, and Route 128 outside Boston has long housed companies spun off from MIT and Harvard.”通過這句話可知，硅谷開始就是由斯坦福大學(xué)創(chuàng)建的。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇C。

7.【答案】B

【解析】依據(jù)第七段第二句“Most politicians recognize the link between investment in science and national economic strength, but support for research funding has been unsteady.”通過這句話可知，很多政客認(rèn)可科研投資與國(guó)家經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)的聯(lián)系，但是對(duì)科研資金的支持卻反復(fù)無常。據(jù)此判斷，應(yīng)選擇B。

8.【答案】changes in the visa process

【解析】依據(jù)第八段第三句“In the wake of September 11, changes in the visa process caused a dramatic decline in the number of foreign students seeking admission to U.S. universities.”通過這句話可知，9月11日之后，簽證程序的更改使得美國(guó)海外學(xué)生的入學(xué)人數(shù)大大減少。據(jù)此判斷，答案是changes in the visa process。

9.【答案】take their knowledge and skills back home

【解析】依據(jù)第九段首句“...but many fear that foreign students threaten American competitiveness by taking their knowledge and skills back home.”通過這句話可知，但是很多人擔(dān)心海外學(xué)生畢業(yè)后把知識(shí)和技術(shù)帶回國(guó)，無形當(dāng)中威脅到美國(guó)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力。據(jù)此判斷，答案是take their knowledge and skills back home。

10.【答案】strengthen the nation

【解析】依據(jù)第九段第二句“...first, the very best of them stay in the States and—like immigrants throughout history—strengthen the nation; and second, foreign students who study in the United States become ambassadors for many of its most cherished（珍視）values when they return home.”通過這句話可知，首先，就像歷史上的移民一樣，他們中的精英會(huì)留在美國(guó)，為富強(qiáng)美國(guó)作出貢獻(xiàn)。答案為strengthen the nation。

參考譯文

大學(xué)在全球開枝散葉

如今，大學(xué)已成為推進(jìn)國(guó)家和平和增強(qiáng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的工具，這在其歷史上是前所未有的。大學(xué)是科學(xué)發(fā)現(xiàn)的發(fā)源地，這些發(fā)現(xiàn)推動(dòng)著經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展，同時(shí)，大學(xué)教育也是培養(yǎng)人才的主要手段，這些人才是獲得并維持國(guó)家競(jìng)爭(zhēng)優(yōu)勢(shì)所必需的。另外，國(guó)界對(duì)商品、服務(wù)、信息尤其是對(duì)人的開放使得大學(xué)成為增進(jìn)世界融合、相互理解和地理政治穩(wěn)定的強(qiáng)有力的工具。

推動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展的強(qiáng)大動(dòng)力使大學(xué)也自覺趨向全球化：從全球范圍內(nèi)招收代表各種文化價(jià)值的學(xué)生，把自己的學(xué)生送往他國(guó)為全球性職業(yè)做準(zhǔn)備：為了全人類的利益進(jìn)行科學(xué)研究，推動(dòng)科學(xué)發(fā)展，并開設(shè)相關(guān)的課程，以迎接聯(lián)系密切的世界和合作研究項(xiàng)目帶來的挑戰(zhàn)。

在塑造高等教育的所有力量當(dāng)中，沒有哪個(gè)能夠像穿越國(guó)界這樣具有如此強(qiáng)大的力量。在過去三十幾年中，離家到海外求學(xué)的學(xué)生數(shù)量以每年3.9％的速度增長(zhǎng)，由1975年的80萬人增長(zhǎng)到2004年的250萬人。他們大部分從一個(gè)發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家去往另一個(gè)發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家，但是近年來由發(fā)展中國(guó)家去往發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家的人數(shù)增長(zhǎng)迅速。同樣，由發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家去往發(fā)展中國(guó)家的人數(shù)也在上升。目前，獲得博士學(xué)位的外籍學(xué)生占了美國(guó)博士總數(shù)的30％，在英國(guó)這個(gè)數(shù)字達(dá)到38％。同時(shí)，到海外讀本科的學(xué)生人數(shù)也在增加。外籍本科生占了美國(guó)重點(diǎn)大學(xué)的8％，占了英國(guó)所有本科生的10％。在美國(guó)，新聘用的科學(xué)工程專業(yè)教授中有20％是在國(guó)外出生的，在中國(guó)重點(diǎn)學(xué)府許多新聘用的教師都曾在國(guó)外接受研究生教育。

大學(xué)也鼓勵(lì)在校本科生出國(guó)學(xué)習(xí)幾年。在歐洲，每年有超過14萬的學(xué)生參與伊拉斯莫高等教育項(xiàng)目，在全球參與此活動(dòng)的2200個(gè)大學(xué)中獲得學(xué)分制學(xué)習(xí)。在美國(guó)，大學(xué)幫助在校生到國(guó)外進(jìn)行暑期實(shí)習(xí)，為全球性職業(yè)做準(zhǔn)備。其中耶魯大學(xué)和哈佛大學(xué)一馬當(dāng)先，給每位在校生提供至少一項(xiàng)去其他國(guó)家學(xué)習(xí)與實(shí)習(xí)的機(jī)會(huì)并為其提供必要的資金支持。

全球化亦改變著科研方法，其中一個(gè)趨勢(shì)是國(guó)內(nèi)外科研資源共享。徐甜是耶魯大學(xué)的教授，同時(shí)還是哈佛大學(xué)霍華德·休斯醫(yī)學(xué)研究所的調(diào)查員，她在中國(guó)上海復(fù)旦大學(xué)集合兩個(gè)學(xué)校的人員創(chuàng)建了人類疾病基因研究中心。目前該中心95名研究員和部分研究生在這個(gè)4300平方米的上海實(shí)驗(yàn)中心共事。耶魯教授、博士后及研究生頻繁往來于該中心，與兩校的科學(xué)家一起參加視頻研討會(huì)。這對(duì)兩國(guó)都是有益的：借助中國(guó)科研的低成本，徐甜在耶魯?shù)难芯渴页晒劾?，而中?guó)的研究生、博士后與科研人員通過與世界一流的科學(xué)家和其團(tuán)隊(duì)的合作獲得了職業(yè)訓(xùn)練。

從20世紀(jì)60年代的大型計(jì)算機(jī)到90年代的網(wǎng)絡(luò)設(shè)施和軟件應(yīng)用，美國(guó)借助其強(qiáng)大的科技力量，一直在科技的商業(yè)化方面處于世界領(lǐng)先地位。大學(xué)研究與它在市場(chǎng)中的應(yīng)用聯(lián)系不是很直接，但有的時(shí)候卻非常明顯，比如硅谷開始就是斯坦福大學(xué)成立的，波士頓著名的128號(hào)公路兩側(cè)布滿了 MIT和哈佛大學(xué)的公司。放眼整個(gè)世界，政府鼓勵(lì)此種發(fā)展模式，最成功的要數(shù)英國(guó)的劍橋大學(xué)，學(xué)校周圍微軟和幾十家處于領(lǐng)先地位的軟件和生物技術(shù)公司鱗次櫛比。

即使如此，在支持科研型大學(xué)模式上，美國(guó)政府的態(tài)度仍不明朗。很多政客認(rèn)可科技投資與國(guó)家經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)的聯(lián)系，但是對(duì)科研的資金支持卻反復(fù)無常。美國(guó)國(guó)立衛(wèi)生研究院的預(yù)算在1998至2003年間多了一倍，但是此后的增長(zhǎng)速度卻比不上通脹率的速度，同一期間物理科學(xué)和工程學(xué)的資金增長(zhǎng)速度甚至趕不上通脹率。彌補(bǔ)措施當(dāng)然是大受歡迎的，但是如果政府在長(zhǎng)期GDP增長(zhǎng)速度基礎(chǔ)上增長(zhǎng)科學(xué)基金，即在每年通脹率基礎(chǔ)上增加3％，國(guó)家將會(huì)受益更多。

美國(guó)政客看不到吸收更多海外學(xué)生能夠增進(jìn)國(guó)際交流，進(jìn)而大大推進(jìn)國(guó)家利益。由于通脹率調(diào)整，大學(xué)國(guó)際交流與外語研究的資金大大低于40年前的水平。9月11日之后，簽證程序的更改使得美國(guó)海外學(xué)生的入學(xué)人數(shù)大大減少，與此同時(shí)，澳大利亞、新加坡和英國(guó)海外學(xué)生的入學(xué)人數(shù)卻相應(yīng)瘋漲。美國(guó)大學(xué)及商業(yè)主導(dǎo)者們對(duì)此提出反對(duì)意見，因此簽證程序有所改善，人數(shù)下降現(xiàn)象有所回落，但是仍有很多人認(rèn)為美國(guó)對(duì)海外學(xué)生并不歡迎。

大部分美國(guó)人承認(rèn)大學(xué)的科學(xué)研究促進(jìn)了國(guó)家的發(fā)展，但是很多人擔(dān)心海外學(xué)生畢業(yè)后把知識(shí)和技術(shù)帶回國(guó)，無形當(dāng)中威脅到美國(guó)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力。他們沒有看到海外學(xué)生留學(xué)美國(guó)有兩個(gè)重要的積極作用：首先，就像歷史上的移民一樣，他們中的精英會(huì)留在美國(guó)，為富強(qiáng)美國(guó)作出貢獻(xiàn)；其次，有些學(xué)生學(xué)成回國(guó)后成為美國(guó)最珍視的價(jià)值觀的傳播者。至少他們自己能夠更好地理解這種價(jià)值觀。像其他地區(qū)一樣，沒有什么外交手段能夠像歡迎海外學(xué)生那樣有效地推動(dòng)和平與穩(wěn)定。