题目内容
Further education is officially described as the“post-secondary stage of education， comprising all vocational(职业的) and non-vocational provision made for young people who have left school， or for adults”. Further education thus embraces the vast range of university， technical， commercial， and art education and the wide field of adult education. It is this sector of education， which is concerned with education beyond the normal school-leaving ages of 16 or 18， that has experienced the most astonishing growth in the number of students.
In the 19th century the dominance(统治地位) of Oxford and Cambridge was challenged by the rise of the civic(城市的) universities， such as London， Manchester， and Birmingham. Following the lead of the 18th century German universities and responding to a public demand for increased opportunity for higher education， Britain’s new civic universities quickly acquired recognition—not only in technological fields but also in the fine and liberal arts.
Many new post-school technical colleges were founded in the early 20th century. The Fisher Act of 1918 empowered the local authorities to levy(征收) a rate (tax) to finance such colleges. The universities， on the other hand， received funds from the central government through the University Grants Committee， established in 1911 and recognized in 1920， after World War I.
A new type of technical college was established in the 1960s—the polytechnic， which provides mainly technological courses of university level as well as courses of a general kind in the arts and sciences. Polytechnics are chartered to award degrees validated(使有效) by a Council for National Academic Awards.
Thus， the third level in the United Kingdom is made up of colleges of further education， technical colleges， polytechnics， and universities. The colleges offer full-time and part-time courses beyond compulsory-school level. Polytechnics and universities are mainly responsible for degrees and research. The innovative Open University， with its flexible admission policy and study arrangements， opened in 1971. It uses various media to provide highly accessible and flexible higher education for working adults and other part-time students. It serves as an organizational model and provides course-materials for similar institutions in other countries.
Changes in British education in the second half of the 20th century have， without changing the basic values in the system， extended education by population， level， and content. New areas for expansion include immigrant cultural groups and multicultural content， the accommodation of special needs， and the development of tools and content in the expanding fields of microelectronics.
【小题1】The first paragraph is written to explain of further education.
| A．the development | B．the history |
| C．the definition | D．the prospects(前景) |
| A．replaced the dominance of Oxford and Cambridge |
| B．provided further education for all the people who need it |
| C．met the increased demand of the public for higher education |
| D．immediately followed the establishment of polytechnic colleges |
| A．were completely free of charge |
| B．were usually financed by local taxes |
| C．depended mainly on students’ tuition(学费) |
| D．received funds from the central government |
| A．only for adult students |
| B．part-time rather than full-time |
| C．non-vocational rather than vocational |
| D．created for both young people and adults |
| A．British Further Education |
| B．Changes in British Education |
| C．Polytechnics and Universities in Britain |
| D．Less Opportunity for Higher Education |
【小题1】C
【小题1】C
【小题1】B
【小题1】D
【小题1】A
解析
Scientists have long understood the key role that oceans play in controlling the Earth’s climate. Oceans cover 70 per cent of the surface of the globe and store a thousand times more heat than the atmosphere does. What’s newer is the understanding of how this key component(组成部分) of our climate system responds to global warming.
A brake on global warming—for now
One of the oceans’ most important climate functions is absorbing heat and carbon dioxide(CO2), one of the gases that causes global warming. Acting as something absorbing heat, the oceans have absorbed huge amounts of heat and CO2 in the last forty years.
Fujita explains, “the oceans are saving us from faster climate change—they are putting a brake on the climate system.”
“That’s the good news,” he adds. “The bad news is that the oceans only slow the atmospheric warming. Once the oceans come to balance with a greenhouse-gas warmed earth, the extreme heat will remain in the atmosphere and things will get much hotter.” But where and how the oceans release this slowly increased heat is uncertain. And as the ocean stores heat, fragile(脆弱的) underwater ecosystems are struggling.
The most recent scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) also notes with concern that the ocean is acidifying(酸化) because of increased absorption of atmospheric CO2. and thus causing a threat to shell-forming species. Sharp increase in CO2 levels will cause further acidification of the ocean.
Currents distributing heat
Another important role the oceans play is that of distributor(散布者). Oceans deliver heat and life-sustaining nutrition around the globe. Just as blood tube bring oxygen and nutrition to cells in the human body, the ocean’s currents carry oxygen, nutrients and heat throughout the Earth. The ocean distributes 25 to 50 per cent of energy the planet receives from the sun. For example, the Gulf Stream carries heat across the Atlantic. This warm current gives northwestern European a milder climate that it would normally have so far north. A change to the ocean’s circulation patterns could throw Europe into a colder period, even as the rest of the world is experiencing warmer temperatures.
【小题1】 We can infer from the passage that _______.
| A．the oceans cause global warming | B．the oceans stop global warming |
| C．the oceans release nutrients and heat | D．the ocean ecosystems face more dangers |
- produce oxygen and nutrients around
- absorb 25-50% of the energy from the sun
- distribute the atmosphere hotter
【小题3】 Which of the following are the results of the ocean absorbing heat and CO2?
a. It causes further acidification.
b. It makes the atmosphere hotter.
c. It balances the oceans with a green-house gas.
d. It affects shell-forming species.
e. It makes the oceans act as a heat sponge.
f. It controls the Earth’s climate.
| A．a-c-f | B．a-d-f | C．b-d-e | D．b-c-e |
| A．Asia would suffer a hotter climate. |
| B．Europe would become hotter |
| C．the rest of the world would become warmer. |
| D．the climate of Europe would become colder. |
least able to make jokes about each other. Here's one:What's the best thing about Britain's relationship with France? The English Channel. E
When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?
【小题1】We can infer from the first paragraph that .
| A．Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was |
| B．getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens |
| C．16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license |
| D．teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes |
| A．Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens. |
| B．Getting a license costs much more than ever before. |
| C．Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens. |
| D．American teens are becoming more responsible than ever. |
| A．why American teens are crazy about digital social life |
| B．what social networking websites are bringing to American teens |
| C．to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture |
| D．what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license |
| A．the Internet h as a bad effect on the teen’s social life |
| B．teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle |
| C．actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line |
| D．face-to-face friendship is always the best choice |
least able to make
jokes about each other. Here's one:What's the best thing about Britain's
relationship with France? The English Channel.