5.7阅读测试

Q1:姓名

:Text1 Today, widespread social pressure to immediately go to college in conjunction with increasingly high expectations in a fast-moving world often causes students tocompletely overlook the possibility of taking a gap year. After all, if everyone youknow is going to college in the fall, it seems silly to stay back a year, doesnt it? Andafter going to school for 12 years, it doesnt feel natural to spend a year doingsomething that isnt academic. But while this may be true, its not a good enough reason to condemn gap years. Theres always a constant fear of falling behind everyone else on the sociallyperpetuated race to the finish line, whether that be toward graduate school,medical school or a lucrative career. But despite common misconceptions, a gap yeardoes not hinder the success of academic pursuits - in fact, it probably enhances it. Studies from the United States and Australia show that students who take a gap year are generally better prepared for and perform better in college than thosewho do not. Rather than pulling students back, a gap year pushes them ahead bypreparing them for independence, new responsibilities and environmental changes —all things that first-year students often struggle with the most. Gap year experiences can lessen the blow when it comes to adjusting to college and beingthrown into a brand new environment, making it easier to focus on academics andactivities rather than acclimation blunders. If youre not convinced of the inherent value in taking a year off to explore interests, then consider its financial impact on future academic choices. According tothe National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 80 percent of college students endup changing their majors at least once. This isnt surprising, considering the basicmandatory high school curriculum leaves students with a poor understanding of thevast academic possibilities that await them in college. Many students find themselveslisting one major on their college applications, but switching to another after takingcollege classes. Its not necessarily a bad thing, but depending on the school, it can be costly to make up credits after switching too late in the game. At Boston College, forexample, you would have to complete an extra year were you to switch to the nursingschool from another department. Taking a gap year to figure things out initially canhelp prevent stress and save money later on.

Q2:31. One of the reasons for high-school graduates not taking a gap year is that .

Q3:32. Studies from the US and Australia imply that taking a gap year helps .

Q4:33. The word acclimation (Para. 3) is closest in meaning to .

Q5:34. A gap year may save money for students by helping them .

Q6:35. The most suitable title for this text would be .

:Text2 Though often viewed as a problem for western states, the growing frequency of wildfires is a national concern because of its impact on federal tax dollars, saysProfessor Max Moritz, a specialist in fire ecology and management. In 20 15, the US Forest Service for the first time spent more than half of its $5.5 billion annual budget fighting fires - nearly double the percentage it spent on suchefforts 20 years ago. In effect, fewer federal funds today are going towards theagencys other work - such as forest conservation, watershed and cultural resources management, and infrastructure upkeep—that affect the lives of all Americans. Another nationwide concern is whether public funds from other agencies are going into construction in fire-prone districts. As Moritz puts it, how often arefederal dollars building homes that are likely to be lost to a wildfire? Its already a huge problem from a public expenditure perspective for the whole country,he says. We need to take a magnifying glass to that. Like,Wait a minute, is this OK? Do we want instead to redirect those funds to concentrate onlower-hazard parts of the landscape? Such a view would require a corresponding shift in the way US society today views fire, researchers say. For one thing, conversations about wildfires need to be more inclusive. Over the past decade, the focus has been on climate change — how the warming of theEarth from greenhouse gases is leading to conditions that worsen fires. While climate is a key element, Moritz says, it shouldnt come at the expense of the rest of the equation. The human systems and the landscapes we live on are linked, and the interactions go both ways, he says. Failing to recognize that, he notes, leads to anoverly simplified view of what the solutions might be. Our perception of theproblem and of what the solution is becomes very limited. At the same time, people continue to treat fire as an event that needs to be wholly controlled and unleashed only out of necessity, says Professor Balch at theUniversity of Colorado. But acknowledging fires inevitable presence in human lifeis an attitude crucial to developing the laws, policies, and practices that make it assafe as possible, she says. Weve disconnected ourselves from living with fire, Balch says. It is really important to understand and try and tease out what is the human connection withfire today.

Q7:3 6. More frequent wildfires have become a national concern because in 2015 they .

Q8:37. Moritz calls for the use of a magnifying glass to .

Q9:38. While admitting that climate is a key element, Moritz notes that .

Q10:39. The overly simplified view Moritz mentions is a result of failing to .

Q11:40. Professor Balch points out that fire is something man should .