Question

Is it worth it to go to college? This has been questioned a lot recently in America. According to a new survey released by the Pew Research Center, only 40 percent of Americans felt that colleges provided a good value for the cost. At the same time, 86 percent of college graduates still felt it was good for them.

There are a number of reasons for such dissatisfaction with college. First, there are plenty of problems with higher education — poor quality and out-of-control costs are two of the biggest. Second, it is true that college is not for everyone. Plenty of rewarding and important careers do not require college. And due to the slow economy, there may in fact be more graduates than the current job market needs. Besides, anti-college feelings are nothing new. Today, Microsoft’s Bill Gates or Apple’s Steve Jobs — both college dropouts — is often held up as evidence of why all that time sitting in class is better spent elsewhere.

However, getting a college education is still a good idea. College graduates earn more, and are more likely to have a job in the first place. According to the statistics last year, the average weekly earnings for someone with some college education but no degrees were $712, compared to $1,038 for a college graduate. That is almost $17,000 over the course of a year and there is an even bigger divide for those with less education. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate was 9.2 percent for those with only some college education and more than 10 percent for those with just a middle school degree, but it was 5.4 percent for college graduates. The economic gaps between college completers and those with less education are getting larger.

Although most Americans surveyed by Pew feel doubtful about the value of a college degree, an overwhelming majority of parents Pew surveyed still expect their children to go to college. “It can be inferred that the increased doubt has not significantly influenced decision making.” Pew’s Taylor says, “Despite the concern about rising costs and other problems, college remains a universal desire in this country.”

46. Recently many Americans question __________.

A. the value of receiving college education　 　 B. the ability of college graduates

C. the quality of college education　　　　 　 D. the high cost of a college degree

47. According to the passage, Bill Gates was __________.

A. a self-taught college student　　　　　 　　　　　 B. a hardworking undergraduate

C. a successful college dropout　　 　　　　　　　　 D. a unsuccessful college graduate

48. The writer seems to agree that __________.

A. there is no need to go to college

B. anti-college feelings are a new thing

C. college cannot guarantee employment

D. college education remains a wise choice

49. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. The slow economy might result in more unemployment.

B. Most college graduates feel it necessary to receive college education

C. People’s earnings depend on their educational background to some extent.

D. As doubts about college education arise, people’s desire to go to college weakens.

50. What’s the main idea of this passage?

A. Poor quality and high costs make college less popular among the Americans nowadays.

B. Despite the dissatisfactions with college, most Americans still favor college education

C. People with a college degree earn better money in America than those who don’t

D. American students are getting tired of college education.

Answer 1

 ACDDB