(The Guardian):              More UK universities should be profiting from ideas
  A repeated criticism of the UK's university sector is its noticeable weakness in translating new knowledge into new products and services.
  Recently, the UK National Stem Cell Network warned the UK could lose its place among the world leaders in stem cell research unless adequate funding and legislation could be assured, despite an annual £40m spent by the Department of Health on all kinds of research.
  However, we do have to challenge the unthinking complaint that the sector does not do enough in taking ideas to market. The most recent comparative data on the performance of universities and research institutions in Australia, Canada, USA and UK shows that, from a relatively weak starting position, the UK now leads on many indicators of commercialization activity.
  When viewed at the national level, the policy interventions (interference) of the past decade have helped transformed the performances of UK universities. Evidence suggests the UK's position is much stronger than in the recent past and is still showing improvement. But national data masks the very large variation in the performance of individual universities. The evidence shows that a large number of universities have fallen off the back of the pack, a few perform strongly and the rest chase the leaders.
  This type of uneven distribution is not strange to the UK and is mirrored across other economies. In the UK, research is concentrated: less than 25% of universities are receiving 75% of the research funding. These same universities are also the institutions producing the greatest share of PhD graduates, science citations, patents and license income. The effect of policies generating long-term resource concentration has also created a distinctive set of universities which are research-led and commercially active. It seems clear that the concentration of research and commercialization work creates differences between universities.
  The core objective for universities which are research-led must be to maximize the impact of their research efforts. Their purpose is not to generate funds to add to the bottom line of the university or to substitute other income streams. Rather, these universities should be generating the widest range of social, economic and environmental benefits. In return for the scale of investment, they should share their expertise (expert knowledge or skill) in order to build greater confidence in the sector.
  Part of the economic recovery of the UK will be driven by the next generation of research commercialization spilling out of our universities. On the evidence presented in my report, there are three dozen universities in the UK which are actively engaged in advanced research training and commercialization work.
  If there was a greater coordination(协调)of technology transfer offices within regions and a simultaneous (happening at the same time) investment in the scale and functions of our graduate schools, universities could, and should, play a key role in positioning the UK for the next growth cycle.
【小题1】What does the author think of UK universities in terms of commercialization?

A.They have lost their leading position in many ways.
B.They still have a place among the world leaders.
C.They do not regard it as their responsibility.
D.They fail to change knowledge into money.
【小题2】What does the author say about the national data on UK universities’ performance in commercialization?
A.It masks the fatal weaknesses of government policy.
B.It indicates their ineffective use of government resources.
C.It does not rank UK universities in a scientific way.
D.It does not reflect the differences among universities.
【小题3】We can infer from Paragraph 5 that “policy interventions (in Paragraph 4)” refers to _____.
A.concentration of resources in a limited number of universities
B.compulsory cooperation between universities and industries
C.government aid to non-research-oriented universities
D.fair distribution of funding for universities and research institutions
【小题4】What dose the author suggest research-led universities do?
A.Fully use their research to benefit all sectors of society.
B.Generously share their facilities with those short of funds.
C.Advertise their research to win international recognition.
D.Spread their influence among top research institutions.

They are among the 250, 000 people under the age of 25 who are out of work in the Netherlands, a group that makes up 40 percent of the nation’s unemployed.A storm of anger boils up at the government-sponsored (政府资助的) youth center, even among those who are continuing their studies.
“We study for jobs that don’t exist,” Nicollets Steggerda, 23, said.
After thirty years of prosperity, unemployment among 10 member nations of the European Community has reached as much as 11 percent, affecting a total of 12.3 million people, and the number is climbing.
The bitter disappointment long expressed by British youths is spreading across the Continent.The title of a rock song “No Future” can now be seen written on the brick walls of closed factories in Belgium and France.
One form of protest(抗议) tends to put the responsibility for a country’s economic troubles on the large numbers of “guest workers” from Third World nations, people welcomed in Western Europe in the years of prosperity.
Young Europeans, brought up in an extended period of economic success and general stability, seem to be similar to Americans more than they do their own parents.Material enjoyment has given them a sense of expectation, even the right to a standard of living that they see around them.
“And so we pass the days at the discos, or meet people at the café, and sit and stare,” said Isabella Cault."There is usually not much conversation.You look for happiness.Sometimes you even find it.”
【小题1】Unemployment in the Netherlands has affected      

A.about 0.6 million peopleB.250,000 people
C.1ess than half of the populationD.one million people
【小题2】 What Nicollete Steggerda said (para 2) means that      
A.what the students learn is more than necessary
B.the students cannot get work after graduation
C.the students’ aim in study is not clear
D.school education is not sufficient
【小题3】The underlined word ‘‘it” in the last paragraph most probably refers to      
A.material enjoymentB.a sense of expectation
C.a jobD.happiness
【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.British youths have pity on the unemployed on the Continent.
B.British youths care about unemployment in France and Belgium.
C.British youths show their disappointment over joblessness.
D.British youths have confidence to find work on the Continent.

Surfing the Internet for fun will make you a better employee, according to an Australian study.
The University of Melbourne study shows that people who use the Internet for their own reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive than those who do not. Study author Brent Coker said, “Surfing the Internet at times helps increase an employee’s attention.”
“People need to relax for a bit to get back their attention,” Coker said on the university’s website. “Having a short break, such as a quick surfing of the Internet, helps the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total Internet attention for a day’s work, and as a result, increases productivity(生产效率),”he said.
According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work surf the Internet for their own reasons during office hours. Among the most popular surfing activities are searching for information about products, reading online news, playing online games and watching videos. “Firms spend a lot of money on software to block their employees from watching video, using social networking sites or shopping online,” said Coker. “That’s not always a good idea.”
However, Coker said the study looked at people who surfed the Internet in moderation (适度), or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office. “Those who spend too much time surfing the Internet will have a lower productivity than those without,” he said.
【小题1】 What does the University of Melbourne study mainly show?

A.People who surf the Internet are good employees.
B.Not everyone surfs the Internet for fun during office hours.
C.Surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.
D.The Internet is becoming more and more important in people’s life.
【小题2】According to Paragraph 3, Brent Coker would most probably agree that______.
A.the longer a person’s mind rests ,the better attention he will have
B.surfing the Internet is the best way to increase productivity
C.workers should have a long break during office hours
D.Workers should let their minds rest now and then
【小题3】 Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as one of the most popular surfing activities?
A.Watching videos.B.Reading online news.
C.Reading online novelsD.Playing online games.
【小题4】The underlined word “block” in Paragrap4 means “_____”.
A.preventB.cycleC.burstD.breathe
【小题5】What can we infer form the last paragraph?
A.Spending too much time surfing the Internet reduces productivity.
B.Those who never surf the Internet have the lowest productivity.
C.Most people don’t surf the Internet in moderation during office hours.
D.People should spend as little time as possible surfing the Internet.

The State Council declared Wednesday it would restart China's nuclear power program, ending the hiatus(中断)in nuclear construction since Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster last year.

    China has been the most courageous country in building nuclear power, with the largest number of plants currently under construction. Nuclear power is facing a tough time in developed countries. The Japanese public is demanding the closure of all the country's nuclear power plants. China is at the forefront of nuclear power development. But it has been forced into this position.

    Rapid economic development coupled with improvements in people's life both demand more electricity. It is impossible to exploit fossil resources forever as the supply of coal, oil and natural gas is limited. China has no choice but to develop nuclear power.

    China must be the safest user of nuclear power. It should become a leading country in developing nuclear power technologies and increasing the world's knowledge of nuclear power. 

    It needs to do at least two things. First, it needs to promote safety in nuclear power plants, based on the technologies of the West. The former Soviet Union, the US and Japan all had severe nuclear accidents, proving there are risks. China should try to remove these risks.

    Second, China should establish effective communication mechanisms(机制)between the government, power plants and the public. It's wrong to think the government can control every aspect of nuclear power plant construction.

    The opposition to nuclear power program in developed countries has prevented them from building new plants, but they already have many. These governments are reluctant to close these plants despite strong opposition, because they cannot find better substitutes. 

    Nuclear power only occupies 1.8 percent of China's current electricity grid(输电网), much lower than the proportion in many developed countries. China's nuclear power plan should introduce the advantages of the technologies of other countries and also be creative in providing security. Its space technology is not the most advanced, but its launch safety measures have proven to be among the best.

    China's high-profile high-speed railway development has drawn a lot of controversy, as will the active attitude towards developing nuclear power. But China cannot just copy what the developed countries have done. The development of nuclear power must be unique to China and it must be a ground-breaking success. But now, the real test lies ahead.

1.In the third paragraph the writer focuses on ______.

A. the reason why China is to develop nuclear power

B. the difficulty China has in developing nuclear power

C. the measures China will take to develop nuclear power

D. the benefits China will have by developing nuclear power

2.What attitude do people in developed countries have towards nuclear power program?

A. Supportive.           B. Opposed.     C. Indifferent.                      D. Objective.

3.. If the Chinese government is to develop nuclear power, it needs to ______.

A. copy exactly what the developed countries have done

B. depend entirely on domestic scientists and technologies

C. avoid people’s involvement in nuclear power plant construction

D. do everything in its power to guarantee safety in nuclear power plants

4.What is the future of China’s nuclear power program according to the text?

A. It will be unique but can hardly pass too many tests.

B. It will be full of controversy but carried out firmly.

C. It will be on a smooth way to a ground-breaking success.

D. It will receive much opposition from developed countries.

 

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