Not everyone goes off to university after high school graduation. Some work, others join the
military (注) and an increasing number, worldwide, are emulating (注) the Brits, taking a “gap
year” (注) to travel or do community service, here or abroad. They’re studying sharks off the
Australian coast, building schools in Mexico and learning Spanish or Italian.
The concept of a gap year may not be new, but the recent surge (注) of interest most
certainly is, says California’s Campolindo High School college counselor Gwenly Carrel. Some
students are deferring (注) their admissions. Others, who didn’t get into the college of their choice,
are taking a year to explore new frontiers before reapplying.
“Students are choosing to take a breather, instead of just stepping onto the treadmill (注),”
Carrel says. “Kids are thinking, ‘I’m not sure what I’m going to do.’ They’re going and
exploring some of their interests. They’re getting an experience they can take to the school they
ultimately (注) go to.”
It’s an idea actively encouraged by college administrators. Princeton University just launched a
“bridge year” initiative (注) that will send 10 percent of its incoming class to do volunteer work
abroad, starting in 2009. Princeton president Shirley Tilghman described it as “cleansing (注) the
palate (注) of high school, giving them a year to regroup.”
And Harvard not only offers deferments, but its admissions department has spent the last 30
years urging incoming students to take a gap year.
“Many speak of their year away as a ‘life-altering’ (注) experience or a ‘turning
point,’
” says Harvard admissions director Marlyn McGrath Lewis. “Many come to college with
new visions (注) of their academic plans, their extracurricular (注) pursuits and the career
possibilities they observed in their year away.”
Some 50 to 70 Harvard freshmen take the gap option each year. Those numbers are likely
to shoot upward, as Princeton’s ideas sweep through the Ivy League and tap into (注) an already
fast-growing phenomenon.
第二篇
By day he is just a normal cat but when the lights go out he glows (注) in the dark.
Scientists have genetically modified (注) a cat as part of an experiment that could lead to
treatments for diseases.
Named Mr Green Genes, he looks likes a six-month-old cat but, under ultraviolet (注) light, his
eyes, gums (注) and tongue glow green. That is the result of a genetic experiment at the Audubon
Center for Research of Endangered Species in New Orleans.
Mr Green Genes is the first fluorescent (注) cat in the United States and probably the world, said
Betsy Dresser, the center’s director.
The researchers made him so they could learn whether a gene could be introduced harmlessly into
a cat’s genetic sequence (注).
If so, it would be the first step in a process that could lead to the development of ways to treat
diseases via gene therapy (注).
The gene, which was added to Mr Green Genes’ DNA, has no effect on his health, Ms Dresser
said.
Cats are ideal for this project because their genetic makeup is similar to that of humans, said Dr
Martha Gomez, a scientist at the center.
To show that the gene went where it was supposed to go, the researchers settled on one that would
glow.
The gene “is just a marker,” said Leslie Lyons, an assistant professor at the University of
California, Davis, who is familiar with the Audubon center’s work.
“The glowing part is the fun part,” she said.
Glowing creatures made international news earlier this month when the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
was awarded to three scientists who had discovered the gene through their work with jellyfish
(注).
第一篇
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Princeton University has launched a “bridge year” initiative.
B. Many high school graduates like studying sharks off the coast.
C. The concept of a gap year is popular with high school graduates.
D. Nowadays, most high school graduates don’t like go to colleges.
2. Who will most probably be interested in the passage except ___________?
A. primary school teachers
B. parents of high school graduates
C. high school graduates
D. college administrators
3. Which of the following isn’t the reason why some high school graduates want to take a year
away before going to colleges?
A. They want to get some experience of their interests.
B. They want to get enough money to go to colleges.
C. They want to explore new fields they are interested in.
D. They are not sure what their future careers might be.
4. Which of the following is True according to the passage?
A. The concept of a gap year doesn’t exist until now.
B. College administrators support the idea of a gap year.
C. Mr. Carrel is one counselor of Princeton University.
D. All freshmen in Harvard take the gap option each year.
参考答案:
1、 C 主旨大意题，本文主要介绍了一种流行在高中毕业生中的现象：很多高中毕业生推迟
一年上大学，其目的是去审视自己的爱好和兴趣，为将来的大学生涯准备一些经验。
2、A 推理分析题，根据全文，可得知此种现象与小学教师并无多在关系，故选 A。
3、B 细节题，文章中并未提及高中毕业生是为了赚取学费而推迟一年上大学的。
4、C 细节理解题，根据文章第二段可得知答案。
第二篇
1. Which of the following might be the best title to the passage?
A. A Glowing Cat
B. Mr. Green Genes
C. One Cat’s Story
D. An experiment on cats
2. What can we conclude from the passage?
A. Fortunately, scientists have found ways to treat diseases via gene therapy.
B. Scientists think cats’ genetic makeup is the same as that of human beings.
C. 3 scientists who had discovered the gene were given Nobel Prize in Physics.
D. Scientists have managed to introduce a gene into a cat’s genetic sequence.
3. What does ‘settled on’ most probably mean in the last but three paragraphs?
A. chosen B. killed C. took D. raised
4. Which of the following is True about Mr. Green Genes according to the passage?
A. Mr. Green Genes was made by researchers to treat diseases.
B. The cat named Mr. Green Genes can glow when it is dark.
C. Mr. Green Genes is the first fluorescent cat in the world.
D. Mr. Green Genes is a cat of seven months old up to now.
5. Which of the following is Wrong according to the passage?
A. The gene added to Mr. Green Genes’ DNA doesn’t affect its health at all.
B. Leslie Lyons is a professor who works at the University of California.
C. Earlier this month glowing creatures became news all through the world.
D. Scientists had discovered the gene from the jellyfish they worked with.
6. Which part of a newspaper does the passage belong to?
A. Entertainment Pioneer
B. Pets world
C. Approaching Science
D. Inventions and Creations
参考答案:
1、A 标题题，本文主要讲述了科学家利用基因使得猫能够在没有灯光的时候可以发光。使
用 A 选项不但反映了文章的中心思想，而且能引起读者的兴趣。
2、D 细节理解题，根据文章第五、七段可知答案。
3、A 词义理解题，根据文章倒数第四段可得知答案：为了证明基因到了它该去的地方，研
究者们选择了一只会发光的猫。
4、B 细节理解题，根据文章第一段可得知答案。
5、B 细节理解题，根据文章倒数第三段可得知答案。
6、C 细节推论题，文章所论述的内容属科学范畴，所以选 C。