单选题
When next year's crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they'll be joined by a new face: Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale, who'll become Oxford's vice-chancellor—a position equivalent to university president in America. Hamilton isn't the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc. have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it's gone global. Yet the talent flow isn't universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America. The chief reason is that American schools don't tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university's budget. "We didn't do any global consideration," says Patricia Hayes, the board's chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity. Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans. In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen "a major strengthening of Yale's financial position. " Of course, fund-raising isn't the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind to promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.
单选题
What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage? A. Institutions worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S. B. A lot of political activists are being recruited as administrators. C. American universities are enrolling more international students. D. University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 主旨题。根据题干中的discussed in the passage可知,本题考查文章的主旨,故将本题答案出处定位到全文。文章前两段通过英国牛津大学、法国等事例说明世界上的许多大学倾向于从美国招聘校长,接下来的段落分析这种趋势产生的原因。由此不难看出,本文主要讨论的是世界范围内的许多大学都从美国招聘校长,故A项为正确答案。
单选题
What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators? A. The political correctness. B. Their ability to raise funds. C. Their fame in academic circles. D. Their administrative experience.
单选题
What do we learn about European universities from the passage? A. The tuitions they charge have been rising considerably. B. Their operation is under strict government supervision. C. They are strengthening their position by globalization. D. Most of their revenues come from the government.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据题干中的European universities定位在第四段首句:Many European universities,meanwhile,are still mostly dependent on government funding,即很多欧洲大学仍然主要依靠政府投入。因此可知学校的大部分资金来源于政府,故D项为正确答案。
单选题
Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor chiefly because______. A. she was known to be good at raising money B. she could help strengthen its ties with Yale C. she knew how to attract students overseas D. she had boosted Yale's academic status
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据题干中的Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor定位在第五段第二句: the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen" a major strengthening of Yale's financial position",学校公开强调艾莉森之前的工作确保了“耶鲁大学的财政地位得到显著加强”。由此可知她有很强的筹措资金的能力,故A项为正确答案。
单选题
In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development? A. They can enhance the university's image. B. They will bring with them more international faculty. C. They will view a lot of things from a new perspective. D. They can set up new academic disciplines.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据题干中的top-1evel administrators from abroad contribute to university development定位在末段末句:Foreigners can offer a flesh perspective on established practices,该句告诉读者外国人能够给学校业已形成的体系带来新的视角。此意与C项的意思相近,故C项为正确答案。