阅读理解 Passage One Questions 56 to 60are based on the following passage. The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education isn’t an either/or proposition(命题)，although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM（science, technology, engineering, maths）-related fields can make it seem that way. The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also asserts that the study of the humanities (人文学科)and social sciences must remain central components of America’s educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative（创新的)leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides. Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily. Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States.

单选题 What does the latest congressional report suggest?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】第2段提到，最新的国会报告不仅承认技术训练至关重要，还肯定了人文学科和社会科学在美国各阶段教育中不可或缺的地位，二者对培养人才都十分关键，故答案为B)，其中的STEM subjects是对文中technical training的同义转述。国会报告中没有提到STEM科目对就业的影响，故排除A)。文中提到大学文理科对丰富精神生活都十分关键，故排除C)。国会报告表明文理科对塑造人才同等重要，提倡全面的教育，D)与此矛盾。

单选题 What is the main concern of students when they choose a major?

单选题 What does the author say about the so called soft subjects?

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】第3段第2句提到，许多人文科学的科目常被描绘成“软技能”，实际上，这些科目从长远来看会带来就业和成功，故答案为A)，其中的benefit students in their future life是对文中lead to employment and success in the long run的同义转述。文中没有提到学生的兴趣范围，故排除B)。第3段末句提到雇主希望在求职者身上看到的素质包括communicate easily，C)是据此设置的干扰项，事实上是这种特质是a broadly-based education带来的，并不是学习soft subjects的结果。D)项在全文中均未提到。

单选题 What kind of job applicants do employers look for?

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】第3段末句提到，雇主们偏爱受到过更广泛教育的学生，故答案为D)，其中who have received a well-rounded education是对文中who have received a broadly-based education的同义转述。A)和B)均为臆造的选项，文中在描述雇主的偏好时没有提及。C)是针对第2段中的innovative leaders设置的干扰项，第2段提到大学文理科对培养人成为innovative leaders很重要，而这与雇主的选择无关。

单选题 What advice does the author give to college students?

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】末段提到，学生不但应为第一份工作做隹备，还应为第四、第五份工作做准备，因为他们在职业生涯中会被要求扮演许多不同的角色，故答案为C)。A)在文中没有提及。作者的观点是大学生应该接受全面的文理科教育，B)与作者观点不符。D)是针对flexible设置的干扰项，文中提到的flexible指的是经过大学里的全面教育而形成的对多种工作的灵活适应性，而非D)中所说的解决问题的灵活方式。