单选题
CORNELL'S SUICIDE PROBLEM. That's the description that broadcasted across the bottom of CNN during this morning's segment about the university installing fences to prevent people from jumping into the gap. Actually, CNN, it's not a suicide problem so much as a media problem—a problem stemming from outlets like yours that are quick to spread the myth that Cornell is the "suicide school". The New York Times is guilty, too. After the third Cornell suicide in less than a month, the Times ran a front-page story that said the university was on "high alert about the mental health of its students" and that the recent deaths "have cast a golly atmosphere over the university and renewed talk of Cornell's reputation—unsup-ported, say officials—as a high-stress 'suicide school'". But it's not until deep into the jump, on April 25th, that the article addresses the actual statistics, which indicate that Cornell's rate of suicides is no higher than the national average for a university of that size (about two a year). Other high-pressure colleges have more troubling numbers to contend with. MIT's suicide rate since 1964, when the university started keeping track, is about 14.6 per 100,000 students, according to an article in MIT's student newspaper, The Tech, compared to about 4.3 per 100,000 over the same time period at Cornell. And although the recent concentration of Cornell suicides is tragic and remarkable, it comes on the heels of four years without a single one. But the suicide-free years don't make headlines; jumpers do. Granted, I'm a proud Cornell alumna, so I'm particularly sensitive about these misconceptions. But I like to think I'm relatively objective about my alma mater. Cornell suicides, when they occur, tend to be dramatic. They get national media attention with frightening images like the ones CNN was flashing today of guys in uniforms watching the campus bridges. The idea of a stressed-out undergraduate throwing himself into a deep gap—it's frightening, and it stays with you. So much so that you probably remember it as more exaggerated a problem than it actually is. Individuals can't be faulted for that—our brains do funny things with unreliable evidence. But media outlets are different, and should be found at fault when they fan these misconceptions.
单选题
According to the first paragraph, the suicide problem in Cornell University is ______. A. a psychological problem of the students B. a management problem of the university C. a social problem caused by the government D. a man-made problem exaggerated by the media
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[考点] 事实细节题 由题干提示定位到第一段。根据第一段第三句Actually, CNN, it's not a suicide problem so much as a media problem可知，实际上，与其说这是一个自杀问题，不如说是一个媒体问题。故D“一个媒体夸大的人为问题”与文意相符。
单选题
It can be inferred from the passage that ______. A. there was also a suicide case in The New York Times recently B. there were at least three suicides in Cornell within a month C. The New York Times tried to cover the truth by giving fake data D. The New York Times criticized CNN for its false report
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[考点] 推理判断题 根据第二段第二句After the third Cornell suicide in less than a month (在康奈尔一个月之内三起自杀事件之后……)可以推断B“康奈尔大学一个月内至少发生了三起自杀事件”符合文意。另外，由第二段第一句The New York Times is guilty, too可知，《纽约时报》也难咎其责，而非《纽约时报》也出现自杀事件，故排除A，也可以排除D“《纽约时报》批评了美国有线新闻网的错误报道”；根据第二段第三句But it's not until deep into the jump, on April 25th, that the article addresses the actual statistics. 但在4月25号这一跳楼事件还没平息下来，这篇文章又公布了实际数据。可知C“《纽约时报》通过发布假数据来掩盖真相”不符合文章。
单选题
Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph? A. There is no accurate data published on the suicide issue. B. Cornell's suicide rate is below the national standard. C. Cornell's suicide rate is just a little higher than that of MIT. D. The media has always been focusing on Cornell during recent years.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[考点] 事实细节题 由题干提示定位到第二段。根据该段第三句中的the article addresses the actual statistics, which indicate that Cornell's rate of suicides is no higher than the national average for a university of that size可知，文章用确切的数据说明对于像康奈尔这样规模的学校来说，其自杀率并没有全国平均水平高，B“康奈尔的自杀率低于全国平均水平”与之一致，故为答案。而A“没有有关自杀事件的确切数据被发表”与the article addresses the actual statistics不一致；通过对比文章中谈到的麻省理工14.6人／10万人和康奈尔4.3人／10万人的自杀率，可以排除C“康奈尔的自杀率略高于麻省理工学院”；D“媒体最近几年一直都在关注康奈尔”与本段最后一句the suicide-free years don't make headlines(那些没有自杀事件的几年并没有媒体报道)相悖，故也排除。
单选题
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______. A. the writer was once a student studying in Cornell B. some plays will be made according to the suicides C. it's hard for people to remember the suicides long D. the media are free to make comments on social issues
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[考点] 事实细节题 由题干提示定位到最后一段。根据本段第一句中的I'm a proud Cornell alumna(我是一名自豪的康奈尔校友)和第二句中的I'm relatively objective about my alma mater(我对自己的母校相对还是比较客观公正)可知，A作者曾经在康奈尔就读”符合文意，故为答案。
单选题
The attitude of the author towards the media is one of ______. A. supportive B. neutral C. admiring D. critical