Every year students flock to the college bookstore to purchase the different textbooks that they need for their classes. Little do these students realize that, in doing so, they are throwing good money away. It may sound unbelievable but textbooks, in some cases, actually cost as much as, if not more, than college fees.
Many people think that college bookstore are the most convenient source for textbooks. Titles are usually in-stock and students may purchase new textbooks or choose to buy second-hand books and save money . But the money saved by purchasing second-hand textbooks from college bookstores is small compared to the amount they could save by shopping online.
More and more online booksellers have begun selling textbooks at heavily discounted prices. Online second-hand bookstores are another source for college books as they stock a large number of textbooks, which means sizable savings for students. Students should avoid purchasing their textbooks at the first store that they browse online since there are so many ‘virtual’ booksellers on the Net. Price isn't the only factor to consider when making an online purchase. Students should also consider shipping costs and delivery time when making their decision.
Online auctions(拍卖) are another option for students seeking a bargain. This option, however, has its pros and cons. A plus is that students can get incredibly cheap books. One problem is that while online bookstores have a system in place that ensure you receive your order within a reasonable amount of time, with an auction purchase, however, you must depend on the auction seller's timetable.
One way that students can really save is by getting books for free. Project Gutenberg is one resource that English majors will find invaluable. Here students can legally download a huge collection of classic novels. In the past students needing help with their studies would often have to spend a lot of money buying expensive study guides. Today that is no longer the case. Cash-strapped students can now visit the website SparkNotes for free downloadable study guides as well as classics.
56. Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
A. Learning to save money on Textbooks B. Why Buy Textbooks
C. Tips for Buying Secondhand Textbooks D. Online Shopping
57. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a source to obtain textbooks ?
A. Online used bookstores. B. College bookstores.
C. Online auctions. D. Secondhand bookstore centres.
58. The underlined expression ‘pros and cons’(paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to __________.
A. professionals and conservatives B. processes and conditions
C. joy and sadness D. good and bad points
59. According to the passage, Project Gutenberg is probably __________.
A. a project to help poor students get free learning materials
B. a government project aimed at helping English majors
C. a website for English majors to get the guides from language experts
D. a website for students to get free sources for English learning
60. From the passage, we can learn that__________.
A. online auctions are perfect for students seeking text books.
B. students should visit many websites before buying their books.
C. the cost of textbooks in college is low compared to the amount spent on tuition
D. students should consider shopping costs and delivery time above all else when making their buying decision.
Dear Friend,
The recent success of children's books has made the general public aware that there's a huge market out there.
And there's a growing need for new writers trained to create the $3 billion worth of children's books bought each year ... plus stories and articles needed by over 650 publishers of magazines for children and teenagers.
Who are these needed writers? They're ordinary folks like you and me.
But am I good enough?
I was once where you might be now. My thoughts of writing had been pushed down by self-doubt, and I didn't know where to turn for help.
Then, I accepted a free offer from the Institute to test my writing aptitude（潜能）, and it turned out to be the inspiration I needed.
The promise that paid off
The Institute made the same promise to me that they will make to you, if you show basic writing ability:
You will complete at least one manuscript（手稿） suitable to hand in to a publisher by the time you finish our course.
I really didn't expect any publication before I finished the course, but that happened. I sold three stories. And I soon discovered that was not unusual at the Institute.
Since graduation, I have authored 34 nationally published children's books and over 300 stories and articles.
Free test and brochure
We offer a free aptitude test and will send you a copy of our brochure describing our recognized home-study courses on the basis of one-on-one training.
Realize your writing dream today. There's nothing sadder than a dream delayed until it fades forever.
Sincerely,
Kristi Holly, Instructor
Institute of Children's LiteratureFrom the first three paragraphs, we learn that_____.
| A．children’s books are usually bestsellers |
| B．publishers are making $3 billion each year |
| C．magazines for teenagers have drawn public attention |
| D．there is a growing need for writers of children's books |
When finishing the course, you are promised to_____.
| A．be a successful publisher |
| B．become a confident editor |
| C．finish one work for publication |
| D．get one story or article published |
Kristi Holly mentions her experience mainly to_____.
| A．prove she is a good instructor |
| B．promote the writing program |
| C．give her advice on course preparation |
| D．show she sold more stories than article |
Somali pirates(海盗) robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l，200 Miles off the Somali coast，the farthest-off-shore attack to date，an officer said Tuesday.
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols(巡逻)by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force，said a spokesman．
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”.
“Once they start attacking that far out，you’re not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia,” said an officer，Roger Middleton. “Once you’re that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean，and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia，from Asia to South Africa.”
"This is the farthest robbing to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India,” said another officer.
The three ships--the MV Prantalay 11，12，and l 4—had 77 members on board in total．All of them are Thai, the spokesman said. Before the Sunday robbing，pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors.
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes。f catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships，the success rate(率)has gone down，though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year. The pirate attack reported in the text happened .
| A．far out in the Indian Ocean |
| B．in the normal patrol area |
| C．near the Somali, coast |
| D．in the south of Africa |
According to the text, which can best describe the situation of the pirate problems?
| A．More goods on board are lost. |
| B．Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now. |
| C．The number of attacks has stayed the same these years. |
| D．Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast. |
Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text?
| A．The patrols are of little effect. |
| B．The patrols are more difficult. |
| C．More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia. |
| D．The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas. |
. How many sailors were held by the pirates up to the time of the report?
| A．228. | B．77. | C．383. | D．305. |
Educators are seriously concerned about the high rate of dropouts among the doctor of philosophy candidates and the consequent loss of talent to a nation in need of Ph. D. s. Some have placed the dropouts loss as high as 50 percent. The extent of the loss was, however, largely a matter of expert guessing. Last week a well-rounded study was published. It was published. It was based on 22,000 questionnaires sent to former graduate students who were enrolled in 24 universities and it seemed to show many past fears to be groundless.
The dropouts rate was found to be 31 per cent, and in most cases the dropouts, while not completing the Ph. D. requirement, went on to productive work. They are not only doing well financially, but, according to the report, are not far below the income levels of those who went on to complete their doctorates.
Discussing the study last week, Dr. Tucker said the project was initiated ‘because of the concern frequently expressed by graduate faculties and administrators that some of the individuals who dropped out of Ph. D. programs were capable of competing the requirement for the degree. Attrition at the Ph. D. level is also thought to be a waste of precious faculty time and a drain on university resources already being used to capacity. Some people expressed the opinion that the shortage of highly trained specialists and college teachers could be reduced by persuading the dropouts to return to graduate schools to complete the Ph. D.’
“The results of our research” Dr. Tucker concluded, “did not support these opinions.”
Lack of motivation was the principal reason for dropping out.
Most dropouts went as far in their doctoral program as was consistent with their levels of ability or their specialities.
Most dropouts are now engaged in work consistent with their education and motivation.
Nearly 75 per cent of the dropouts said there was no academic reason for their decision, but those who mentioned academic reason cited failure to pass the qualifying examination, uncompleted research and failure to pass language exams. Among the single most important personal reasons identified by dropouts for non-completion of their Ph. D. program, lack of finances was marked by 19 per cent.
As an indication of how well the dropouts were doing, a chart showed 2% in humanities were receiving $ 20,000 and more annually while none of the Ph. D. ‘s with that background reached this figure. The Ph. D. ‘s shone in the $ 7,500 to $ 15,000 bracket with 78% at that level against 50% for the dropouts. This may also be an indication of the fact that top salaries in the academic fields, where Ph. D. ‘s tend to rise to the highest salaries, are still lagging behind other fields.
As to the possibility of getting dropouts back on campus, the outlook was glum. The main condition which would have to prevail for at least 25 % of the dropouts who might consider returning to graduate school would be to guarantee that they would retain their present level of income and in some cases their present job.The author states that many educators feel that
[A] steps should be taken to get the dropouts back to campus.
the fropouts should return to a lower quality school to continue their study.
[C] the Ph. D. holder is generally a better adjusted person than the dropout.
[D] The high dropouts rate is largely attributable to the lack of stimulation on the part of faculty members.Research has shown that
[A] Dropouts are substantially below Ph. D. ‘s in financial attainment.
the incentive factor is a minor one in regard to pursuing Ph. D. studies.
[C] The Ph. D. candidate is likely to change his field of specialization if he drops out.
[D] about one-third of those who start Ph. D. work do not complete the work to earn the degree.Meeting foreign language requirements for the Ph. D.
[A] is the most frequent reason for dropping out.
is more difficult for the science candidate than for the humanities candidate.
[C] is an essential part of many Ph. D. programs.
[D] does not vary in difficulty among universities.After reading the article, one would refrain from concluding that
[A] optimism reigns in regard to getting Ph. D. dropouts to return to their pursuit of the degree.
a Ph. D. dropout, by and large, does not have what it takes to learn the degree.
[C] colleges and universities employ a substantial number of Ph. D. dropouts.
[D] Ph. D. ‘s are not earning what they deserve in nonacademic positions.It can be inferred that the high rate of dropouts lies in
[A] salary for Ph. D. too low.
academic requirement too high.
[C] salary for dropouts too high.
[D] 1000 positions.
Vocabulary
dropout 辍学者，中途退学
well-rounded 全面的
attrition 缩/减员，磨损
drain 枯竭
bracket 一类人，（尤指按收入分类的）阶层
lagging behind other fields 落后于其它领域
glum 阴郁的
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A． From her relatives. | B． From her mother. |
| C． From books and pictures. | D． From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt_______.
| A．confused | B．excited |
| C．worried | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A．often lost her way | B．did not think about her future |
| C．studied in three different schools | D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
A. She worked as a translator.
B. She attended a lot of job interviews.
C. She paid telephone bills for her family.
D She helped her family with her English.The author believes that______.
| A．her future will be free from troubles |
| B．it is difficult to learn to become patient |
| C．there are more good things than bad things |
| D．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
Alex London Research Laboratory (ALRL) is part of Alex Co., Ltd., a major Australian medicine-making company. Opened in 1992, ALRL specializes in the development of new medicines for the treatment of heart diseases．
A position is now open for a Research Operations Manager(ROM) to support our growing research team at the new laboratories in Hatfield，due to open in the autumn of 2010．
Reporting to the Director，you will help set up and run the technical and scientific support services of our new laboratories now under construction．You will be expected to provide expert knowledge about and be in charge of all areas of ALRL’S Health and Safety，and to communicate (沟通)with support employees at ALRL’S laboratories based at University College London．Working closely with scientists and other operations and technical employees，you will manage a small number of research support employees providing services to help with the research activities to be carried out at the new laboratories．
Candidates(申请人) will have experience of both management and research support／technical services．Knowledge of research operations and excellent communication skills are necessary. Education to degree level is also desirable．
If you are interested in this position，please send your CV(简历)to Alex London Research
Laboratory，University College London，Hatfield，London，W1E 6B7 or by email to ALRL@alex.co.uk．
For more Information．please visit www.alex.co.uk． What can be learnt about the new laboratories from the text?
| A．They have not yet been set up． |
| B．They are in Hatfield，Australia． |
| C．They belong to University College London． |
| D．They are new workplaces for Australian researchers only． |
What are the duties of a ROM，according to the text?
| A．a，b，c． | B．a，b，d． |
| C．b，c，d． | D．a，c，d． |
. What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about?
| A．The technical skills of a would—be ROM． |
| B．The practical experience of a would—be ROM． |
| C．The personal information of a would—be ROM． |
| D．The necessary requirements for a would—be ROM． |
What is the purpose of the text?
| A．To describe the job of a ROM． |
| B．To provide information about ALRL． |
| C．To announce an open position at ALRL． |
| D．To make known the opening of the new laboratories． |
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