单选题
Proper arrangement of classroom space is important to encouraging interaction. Most of us have noticed how important physical setting is to efficiency and comfort in our work. College classroom space should be designed to encourage the activity of critical thinking. We may be approaching the twenty-first century, but step into almost any college classroom and you step back in time at least a hundred years. Desks are normally in straight rows, so students can clearly see the teacher but not all their classmates. The assumption behind such an arrangement is obvious. Everything of importance comes from the teacher. With a little imagination and effort, unless desks are fixed to the floor, the teacher can correct this situation and create space that encourages interchange among students. In small or standard-size classes, chairs, desks, and tables can be arranged in a variety of ways. The primary goal should be for everyone to be able to see everyone else. Larger classes, particularly those held in lecture halls, unfortunately, allow much less flexibility. Arrangement of the classroom should also make it easy to divide students into small groups for discussion or problem-solving exercises. Small classes with movable desks and tables present no problem. Even in large lecture halls, it is possible for students to turn around and form groups of four to six. Breaking a class into small groups provides more opportunities for students to interact with each other, think out loud, and see how other students' thinking processes operate all essential elements in developing new modes of critical thinking. In courses that regularly use a small group format, students might be asked to stay in the same small groups throughout the course. A colleague of mine, John, allows students to move around during the first two weeks, until they find a group they are comfortable with. John then asks them to stay in the same seat, with the same group, from that time on. This not only creates a comfortable setting for interaction but helps him learn students' names and faces.
单选题
The expression "step back in time at least a hundred years" (in Paragraph 1) is intended to convey the idea that ______. A. college classrooms often remind people of their college life B. critical thinking was encouraged even a century ago C. a hundred years ago, desk arrangement in a classroom was quite different D. there is not much change in educational idea over the past hundred years
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】本题是语意理解题。文中第一段第四句指出We may be approaching the twenty-first century, but...at least a hundred years.“我们正在跨进21世纪，但是，如果你走进任何一个大学教室，你就在时间上至少倒退了一百年”。这里，作者用极其形象的语言指出许多大学教育观的落后：所有重要的知识都是老师给的。D选项符合文意，说明现在大学教育观的落后，和一百年前的教育观差不多。
单选题
The primary purpose of desk rearrangement is ______. A. for the teacher to divide students into small groups B. to make it possible for students to interact with each other C. for the teacher to find out how students think D. to give students more opportunities to practice speaking
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题是细节题。文中第二段第三句提到The primary goal should be for everyone to be able to see everyone else.。可以得出，重新安排桌椅的目的是为了让学生面对面坐着，以便于上课时展开讨论、共同解题，并最终为学生间的相互交流提供一个重要的特质环境。所以答案选B“为了使学生彼此之间的相互交流成为可能”。A选项是促进学生交流的一种手段，不是布置桌椅的目的。C和D选项文中没有提到。
单选题
The greatest advantage in allowing each student to find his own group might be that ______. A. the teacher saves the trouble in doing that B. learning is made comfortable in this way C. the teacher can easily remember students' names and faces D. brighter students can help slower ones
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题是细节题。文中最后一段末句提到This not only creates...names and faces.。全文都在讲如何通过布置教室空间促进学生交流，最后一段提到让学生自己找一个组参与交流，其主要的益处(greatest advantage)是：让他感到自由自在，可以充分发表自己的看法，积极参与讨论。这与整个课堂的改革是相一致的，所以B选项是正确答案，“这种方式使学习变得舒适”。C选项不对，它所表达的内容当然也是这一做法的好处之一，但不是主要的目的。A、D选项文中没有提到。
单选题
All the following statements are true according to the passage except that ______. A. new kinds of desks and chairs should be made B. many companies are trying to improve the working settings for their employees C. classroom interaction between students is essential to the training of critical thinking D. a comfortable environment leads to higher working efficiency
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】本题是细节题。重新安排桌椅不等于说要制作新桌椅。用新桌椅但还用旧时摆法(一排排均面朝黑板而排)也对促进学生间的交流无济于事，所以A选项是正确答案。B选项“在大的演讲厅中，让学生形成四到六人的小团体是可能的”，在原文第四段第三句提到过：Even in large lecture halls, it is...of four to six。C选项“学生在教室里进行交流对于训练评论式思维是必要的”，这是全文旨在说明的问题；D选项“合理的物体安置有利于提高工作效率”与原文第一段第二句：Most of us have noticed...in our work所表达的内容相符。
单选题
The author mentioned John in Paragraph 4 in order to ______. A. describe a good seat-arrange mode in courses with small group format B. give an example that students stay in the same seat throughout the course C. create a comfortable setting for interaction D. learn students' names and faces