阅读理解Job Sharing Job sharing refers to a situation in which two people divide the responsibility of one full-time job. The two people willingly act as part-time workers, working enough hours between them to fulfill die duties of a full-time worker. If they each work half the hours of the job, for example, they each receive 50 per cent of the job''s wages, its holidays and its other benefits. Of course, some job sharers take a smaller or larger share of the responsibilities of the position, receiving a lesser or greater share of the benefits. What is Job-sharing? Job sharing differs from conventional part-time work in that it is mainly (although not exclusively) occurring in the more highly skilled and professional areas, which require higher levels of responsibility and employee commitment. Until recently, these characteristics were not generally seen as harmonious with anything less than full-time employment. Thus, the demands of job sharing are rewarded by better pay and conditions and, ideally, more satisfaction than conventional part-time work. Job sharing should not be confused with the term work sharing, which is fit for increasing the number of jobs by reducing the number of each job, thus offering more positions to the growing number of unemployed people. Job sharing, by contrast, is Not designed to address unemployment problems; its focus, rather, is to provide well-paid work for skilled workers and professionals who want more free time for other pursuits. Job-sharers As would be expected, women comprise the bulk of job sharers. A survey carried out in 1988 by Britain''s Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) revealed that 78 per cent of sharers were female, the majority of whom were between the age of 20 and 40 years of age. Subsequent studies have come up with similar results. Many of these women were re-entering the job market after having had children, but they chose not to take up part-time work because it would have meant reduced wages and lower status. Job sharing also offered an acceptable transition back into full-time work after a long absence. Job-sharing Positions Although job sharing is still seen as too radical by many companies, those that have chosen to experiment with it include large businesses with conservative reputations. One of Britain''s major banks, the National Westminster Bank, for example, offers a limited number of shared positions intended to give long-serving employees a break from full-time work. British Telecom, meanwhile, maintains 25 shared posts because, according to its personnel department, "Some of the job sharers might otherwise have left the company and we are now able to remain them." Two wide ranging surveys carried out in the country in 1989 revealed the proportion of large and medium-sized private-sector businesses that allow job sharing to be between 16 and 25 per cent. Some 78 per cent of job sharers, however, work in public-sector jobs. The types of jobs that are shared vary but include positions that involve responsibility for many subordinates (下属). Research into shared senior management positions suggest that even such high-pressure work can be shared between two people with little adjustment, provided the personalities and temperaments (性情) of the sharers are not vastly different from one another. A 1991 study of employees working under supervisory positions shared by two people showed that those who prefer such a situation do so for several reasons. Most popular were those who felt there was less bias in the evaluation of their work because having two assessments provided for a greater degree of fairness. Job-sharing and One-Person Job The necessity of close cooperation and collaboration when sharing a job with another person makes the actual work quite different from conventional one-position, one-person jobs. However, to ensure a greater chance that the partnership will succeed, each person needs to know the strengths, weaknesses and preferences of his or her partner before applying for a position. Moreover, there must be an equitable allocation of both routine tasks and interesting ones. In sum, for a position to be job-shared well, the two individuals must be well matched and must treat each other as equals.

阅读理解Exchange a glance with someone, then look away. Do you realize that you have made a statement? Hold the glance for a second longer, and you have made a different statement. Hold it for 3 seconds, and the meaning has changed again. For every social situation, there is a permissible time that you can hold a person''s gaze without being intimate, rude, or aggressive. If you are on an elevator, what gaze-time are you permitted? To answer this question, consider what you typically do. You very likely give other passengers a quick glance to size them up (lift) and to assure them that you mean no threat. Since being close to another person signals the possibility of interaction. You need to emit a signal telling others you want to be left alone. So you cut off eye contact, what sociologist Erving Goffman (1963) calls " a dimming of the lights". You look down at the floor, at the indicator lights, anywhere but into another passenger''s eyes. Should you break the rule against staring at a stranger on an elevator, you will make the other person exceedingly uncomfortable, and you are likely to feel a bit strange yourself. If you hold eye contact for more than 3 seconds, what are you telling another person? Much depends on the person and the situation. For instance, a man and a woman communicate interest in this manner. They typically gaze at each other for about 3 seconds at a time, then drop their eyes down for 3 seconds, before letting their eyes meet again. But if one man gives another man a 3-second-plus stare, he signals, "I know you ", "I am interested in you," or "You look peculiar and I am curious about you." This type of stare often produces hostile feelings.

阅读理解The scientific method has four steps: 1. Observation and description of a phenomenon or group of phenomena. 2. Formulation of a hypothesis (假设, 假定) to explain the phenomena. 3. Use of the hypothesis to predict the existence of other phenomena, or to predict the results of new observations. 4. Performance of experimental tests of the predictions by several independent and properly performed experimenters. Recognizing that personal and cultural beliefs influence both our perceptions and our interpretations of natural phenomena, we aim through the use of standard procedures and criteria to minimize the influence of bias or prejudice in the experimenter when testing a hypothesis or a theory. When testing a hypothesis or a theory, the scientist may have a preference for one outcome or another. The most fundamental error is to mistake the hypothesis for an explanation of a phenomenon, without performing experimental tests. Sometimes "common sense" and "logic" tempt us into believing that no test is needed. There are numerous examples of this, dating from the Greek philosophers to the present day. Another common mistake is to ignore or rule out data which do not support the hypothesis. Sometimes, a scientist may have a strong belief that the hypothesis is true (or false), or feels internal or external pressure to get a specific result. In that case, there may be a psychological tendency to find "something wrong" with data which do not support the scientist''s expectations. The lesson is that all data must be handled in the same way. In a field where there is active experimentation and open communication among members of the scientific community, the biases of individuals or groups may cancel out, because experimental tests are repeated by different scientists who may have different biases. Over a period spanning a variety of experimental tests (usually at least several years), a consensus (一致同意) develops in the community as to which experimental results have stood the test of time.

阅读理解Within fifteen years Britain and other nations should be well on with the building of huge industrial architectures for the recycling of waste. The word rubbish could lose its meaning because everything which goes into the dumps would be made into something useful. Even the most dangerous and unpleasant wastes would provide energy if nothing else. The latest project is to take a city of around half a million residents and discover exactly what raw materials go into it and what go out. The aim is to find out how much of these raw materials could be provided if a plant for recycling waste were built just outside the city. This plant would recycle not only metal such as steel, lead and copper, but also paper and rubber as well. Another new project is being set up to discover the best ways of sorting and separating the rubbish. When this project is completed, the rubbish will be processed like this: first, it will pass through a powerful fan to separate the lightest elements from the heavy solids; after that grounders and rollers break up everything that can be broken. Finally, the rubbish will pass under magnets (磁铁), which will remove the bits of iron and steel; the rubber and plastic will then be sorted out in the final stage. The first full-scale giant recycling plants are, perhaps, fifteen years away. Indeed, with the growing cost of transporting rubbish to more distant dumps, some big cities will be forced to build their own recycling plants before long.

阅读理解A few months ago, I was down with a terrible cold which ended in a persistent bad cough

阅读理解Homeschooling When you learn reading, math, and other stuff taught in school from your parents or tutors who come to your house, it''s called homeschooling. A kid may be the only one, or he or she may be taught with brothers, sisters, or kids from the neighborhood. Parents choose to homeschool their children for many different reasons. Sometimes a kid is sick and can''t go to regular school. But more often, kids are homeschooled because their parents feel they can give their child a better education than the local school can. Parents also may choose homeschooling because they want their child''s education to include religious instruction (learning about God), which isn''t offered at public schools. If you don''t like school, homeschooling might seem like the perfect solution. But it''s better for everyone if homeschooling isn''t chosen just as an escape from school or problems there, such as bullying. Finding solutions to the problem should be the first step. Your school counselor and other school officials, such as the principal, often can help. Don''t Kids Have to Go to School? You might wonder if kids have to go to school. It''s true that kids must be educated, but it''s legal to be schooled at home. In fact, more than 1 million students do it. These kids can learn just as they do in a regular school, but their parents are in charge of their education. Homeschool parents must make sure that their kids get the instruction and the experiences they need. The parents also may have to file paperwork with the sate to explain who''s teaching the kid and which subjects are being covered. What Are Some Advantages? Kids who are homeschooled may benefit from the one-on-one attention. For instance, if you don''t understand something in math, the whole class won''t be moving on without you. You might be the whole class! It''s also possible that you might learn more than you would in a regular classroom, because if you really excel at something, you can keep learning more at your own pace. Kids who are homeschooled also may get out in their communities more than other kids. They may get to experience hands-on education at museums, libraries, businesses, and other community resources. They also might volunteer or participate in "service learning" where they take on local projects. What Are the Disadvantages? People disagree about how much formal education a person needs to be a good teacher. Not all parents and homeschool tutors have gone to school to learn to teach or to learn the subject they are teaching. If a parent is well educated, he or she may understand some subjects really well but others not as well. For instance, a kid''s mom may be great at chemistry but not as good at English. To be fair, not all schoolteachers are experts in their fields either. And tutors may be used for subjects the parent isn''t skilled in. If a homeschool parent or tutor doesn''t know something or can''t fully explain it, the instructor and student can always research the issue together. A local library, university, community college, or the Internet may have the answers. A kid who''s homeschooled doesn''t have the convenience of school facilities, such as a gymnasium, science lab, or art studio. The child may be taught at the kitchen table or at a "school" area in the home. He or she might do science experiments in the kitchen or go outside to work on an art project. Effects on social life can be another possible disadvantage for homeschooled kids. All kids need to have friends and be around other children. Some homeschoolers may feel cut off from kids of their age or feel like they spend too much time with their families. Parents who homeschool their kids often make efforts to ensure their son or daughter has a social life. For instance, groups of homeschooled children may get together for field trips and other events. And just like any child, they may be on sports teams, in dance classes, or take part in other activities outside of school. Can Homeschoolers Get a Good Education? No matter where a child goes to school, the key to learning is listening to the teacher and asking for help when you need it. A homeschooled child might feel more comfortable with his or her teacher (a parent), but the child still needs to pay attention and cooperate. Just like in a traditional school, teachers (parents) and students need to work together to achieve goals in the classroom. Homeschooled kids can take advantage of the control they have over their education. If something really interests them, they can ask to pursue it further — maybe by going on a field trip or talking to experts. This can be done in traditional schools, too, but field trips are often scheduled well in advance and such personal attention isn''t always possible. You may have heard about kids who were homeschooled and then went on to attend a top college. It does happen, but just like with regular schools, this kind of achievement takes a lot of planning and hard work. Colleges do recognize homeschooling as a legitimate education. But it''s important to remember that colleges often require certain subjects, and sometimes tests like the SATs. Kids and parents need to plan to be sure that the homeschooling experience is preparing the child to pursue the college or career he or she has in mind. Are Homeschooled Kids Different? If you''re a homeschooled kid, you know you aren''t any different from boys or girls who go to a traditional school. Kids who learn at home can grow up to go to college and follow their dreams, just like kids who graduate from a regular high school. But homeschooled kids may have special concerns. For instance, you may be worried about transitions you will need to make if you plan on going to a traditional high school, or if you see college in your future. Talk with your parents about these concerns, if you have them. Also talk with your parents if you''d like more chances to mix with other children. Maybe you can join a sports team or youth group, or take part in group activities for homeschooled kids in your area. And when you can''t see your friends in person, keep in touch through email and phone calls. You might not go to a traditional school every day, but you still need to check in with your friends about all that important kid stuff!

阅读理解Kitchen duties may have traditionally been viewed as women''s work, but not at the White House. Until now: Cristeta Comerford has been named executive chef (厨师). After an (47) six-month search, first lady Laura Bush announced Sunday that Comerford was chosen from hundreds of (48) to head the executive kitchen. A naturalized U.S. citizen from the Philippines, she will be the first woman and first (49) to hold the post. The 42-year-old Comerford has been an assistant chef at the White House for 10 years. She worked under former executive chef Walter Scheib Ⅲ who (50) in February. Scheib said Sunday that Comerford was (51) the best assistant he had in his 30-year career and is a wonderful choice to take over. He said she is a great cook with an artistic eye and a calm manner that can (52) the pressure cooker (高压锅) in the White House kitchen. Comerford has a bachelor'' s degree in Food Technology from the University of the Philip pines. She has worked at Le Ciel in Vienna, Austria and at restaurants in two Washington hotels. While being executive chef at the White House is honorable, the job also can be (53) Comerford will be in charge of everything from state dinners for world leaders to dessert for the commander in chief, his family and guests. The head chef is (54) for designing and executing menus for state dinners, social events, holiday functions, receptions and official luncheons (午宴) (55) by the president and first lady. The job pays (56) $ 80,000-- $ 100,000 a year. WORD BANK A) responsible I) resigned B) minority J) convince C) challenge K) applicants D) extensive L) exhausting E) approximately M) skillfully F) undoubtedly N) regained G) identical O) hosted H) handle

阅读理解Global warming is a trend toward warmer conditions around the world

阅读理解Exercise is one of the few factors with a positive role in long-term maintenance of body weight. Unfortunately, that message has not gotten through to the average American, who would rather try switching to "light" beer and low-calorie bread than increase physical exertion. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, found that fewer than one-fourth of overweight adults who were trying to shed pounds said they were combining exercise with their diet. In rejecting exercise, some people may be discouraged too much by caloric-expenditure charts: for example, one would have to briskly walk three miles just to work off the 275 calories in one delicious Danish pastry (小甜饼). Even exercise professionals concede half a point here. "Exercise by itself is a very tough way to lose weight," says York Onnen, program director of the President''s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Still, exercise''s supporting role in weight reduction is vital. A study at the Boston University Medical Center of overweight police officers and other public employees confirmed that those who dieted without exercise regained almost all their old weight, while those who worked exercise into their daily routine maintained their new weight. If you have been sedentary (极少活动的) and decide to start walking one mile a day, the added exercise could bum an extra 100 calories daily. In a year''s time, assuming no increase in food intake, you could lose ten pounds. By increasing the distance of your walks gradually and making other dietary adjustments, you may lose even more weight.

阅读理解The Most Effective "Vaccine" China began work related to the research, prevention and control of AIDS after the first AIDS patient was diagnosed in 1985: In 1986, the State Commission on AIDS Control was founded. In 1987, the State formulated the program on the prevention and control of AIDS. In 1990, the Ministry of Health worked out a medium-term plan on the prevention and control of AIDS, which was composed of a state general plan and 13 provincial-level plans. In December 1994, at the world anti-AIDS summit, the Chinese Government signed the Paris Declaration on the control of AIDS, making its own commitment to support global AIDS prevention and control work. In 1995, the Ministry of Health put forth several key measures on the prevention of AIDS and the focal points for future AIDS prevention and control work. In 1996, the State treasury began to appropriate special funds for AIDS prevention and control, which was then followed by 15 provinces, and 18 provinces began to set aside budgets for the prevention and control of AIDS in their annual public hygiene and epidemic prevention funds. In October, the Government decided to include the prevention and control of AIDS in the Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) and the long-term program for socioeconomic development through the 21st century. Meanwhile, relevant ministries and commissions under the State Council, together with concerned organizations, divided work and responsibilities for the prevention and control of AIDS, and 19 provinces established AIDS prevention commissions or coordination groups. In 1997, the State Council established the AIDS prevention and control coordination meeting system. In 1998, related departments formulated the program for the current AIDS prevention and control work— The Long and Medium-Term Plan for the Prevention and Control of AIDS in China (1998-2000). Tremendous efforts are still being made to monitor, prevent and control the spread of AIDS. Persistent efforts have been devoted worldwide to research on AIDS and HIV vaccines, and progress has been made in this regard. However, this virus, originating from chimpanzees in Central and West Africa, imposes unprecedented difficulties and challenges to mankind. First, many of the medicines that have been developed so far are unable to thoroughly kill the virus, and the few medicines that do have a high treatment value are limited in use due to their toxicity, side effects and unaffordable prices. Second, efforts to develop an HIV vaccine have yet to make substantial progress. The virus'' genetic information in chromosomes can act as "time bombs" for the creation of new viruses, and variants of HIV may develop resistance against newly developed treatments, which add difficulties to the already challenging treatment process. Certain types of viruses may even not produce antigens, enabling them to escape from traditional testing methods and making them hard to diagnose. " Under the current circumstances, with no effective medicines or bio-vaccines available, extensive publicity and education concerning the prevention and control of AIDS is the most important prevention and control method, and is also the most effective vaccine at present," said Liu Kangmai. In recent years, the Ministry of Health joined efforts with relevant departments to formulate the Principles on the Publicity and Education in the Prevention and Control of AIDS and STDs. The document requires all quarters to intensify the publicity and education of regulations and laws concerning the prevention and control of infectious diseases, management over blood products and medical institutions, blood donation and the Criminal Law, in cooperation with education in the fight against drug abuse and prostitution , and in the establishment of healthy and positive concepts of love, marriage, family and sex. Despite these efforts, however, publicity and education still lack effective methods when compared with the development of the epidemic situation. The number of people receiving publicity and education is still quite limited. According to Liu Kangmai, there is a large gap between urban and rural residents in knowledge regarding AIDS. Two small-scale sample surveys conducted by the Beijing AIDS Prevention and Control Center among urban residents found that 80 percent of the participants had some knowledge on AIDS. The rate among the rural and floating population is much lower. Liu once made an investigation among long-distance truck drivers in Inner Mongolia and found that half of them were ignorant of AIDS. Two surveys conducted by the AIDS Prevention and Control Center under the Ministry of Health in 1995 and 1997 showed that 63. 7 percent and 60. 92 percent of the respective participants knew about AIDS, with 95 percent of the informed groups obtaining their information on AIDS through the media. Research conducted by the China STDs and AIDS Prevention and Control Society since 1991 found that the high risk groups lack knowledge about AIDS. The investigation was conducted through question-aires, group discussions, on-the-spot observations and interviews among prostitutes, long-distance truck drivers, workers returning from service abroad and people who engage in promiscuous activities. Of the 410 female attendants who worked in roadside service establishments in the suburbs of three cities in Guangxi, 42 percent admitted that they had had multiple sex partners, with only 1.6 percent u-sing condoms. Of the 119 female attendants who worked in roadside service establishments in the suburbs of two cities in Shandong, 64 percent admitted they had offered sexual services, with less than 7 percent of them using condoms each time. All of the 221 female attendants working in roadside establishments in Hainan, averaging an age of 19, supported themselves with prostitution. Of them, 34 percent had never heard of AIDS, 35 percent were ignorant of STDs, 62 percent did not realize that STD is a kind of infectious disease, and only 28 percent thought they might have contracted STDs. The 267 inmates in the women''s reformatories in Beijing, Dalian, Xi''an and Nanjing, who were confined for prostitution, knew little about the channels for the spread of AIDS. Research conducted among 364 Guangxi and 160 Shandong long-distance truck drivers found that 43 percent and 23 percent of the respective groups had had multiple sex partners, and that less than 2 percent of them used condoms each time. A survey of 260 workers just about to go abroad for labor service showed that 20 percent had had more than two sex partners, and that 5-7 percent said they would seek prostitutes abroad to satisfy their sexual needs. Prof. Liao Susu, who was involved in this research, said that since personal behavior is affected by numerous factors, such as society, economy, culture, politics, personal understanding, consciousness and feelings, it is hard to change. She suggested taking an insensitive attitude toward the sensitive issue of AIDS. Some people believe that those with high risk lifestyles and those who have contracted HIV are bad elements or morally degenerate people, which is untrue, said Prof. Liao. Their problems should be resolved the same way as those of ordinary people, Liao argued. Some researchers boldly proposed masturbation to meet sexual needs, saying that it is a healthy form of sexual satisfaction and sexual release, and is much safer than promiscuity. Experts explain that while extensively applying legal means and carrying out moral education, health education should be conducted among both ordinary and high risk population groups. This will help promote safe sex and effectively prevent and control the spread of AIDS.

阅读理解Are you aware that you actually (47)______ six senses? The sixth is a muscular sense responsible for directing your muscles intelligently to the exact (48)______ necessary for each action you perform. For example, when you reach for an object, the sensory nerves linking the muscles to the brain stop your hand at the (49)______ spot. This (50)______ perception of the position of your muscles in (51)______ to the object is your muscular sense in action. Muscles are stringy bundles of fibers (52)______ from one five thousandth of an inch to about three inches. They have three (53)______ characteristics: they can become shorter and thicker; they can stretch; and they can retract to their (54)______ position. Under a high-powered microscope, muscle tissue is seen as long, slender cells with a grainy texture like wood. More than half of a person''s body is (55)______ of muscle fibers, most of which are involuntary, in other words, work without conscious direction. The voluntary muscles, those that we move consciously to perform (56)______ actions, number more than five hundred. Women have only 60 to 70 percent as much muscle as men for their body mass. That is why an average woman can''t lift as much, throw as far, or hit as hard as an average man. WORD BANK A) charge B) unique C) composed D) possess E) relation F) automatic G) original H) extent I) acquired J) correct K) accurately L) represent M) particular N) contains O) varying

阅读理解How did the author feel about working in the library?

阅读理解Section A PartⅢ Reading Section A Since the 1940s, southern California has had a reputation for smog

阅读理解Spring is usually prime food time for some 1,200 polar bears along Canada''s Hudson Bay. Each year they plunder the bay''s ice floes, smash open the snow caves of seals, and stuff themselves on seal pups. But in recent years the bears'' feast has turned into slimmer pickings. Why? Temperatures at Hudson Bay have risen by one half degree Fahrenheit every decade since 1950. Winter ice on the bay melts three weeks earlier than it did just 25 years ago, which means three fewer weeks of polar bear mealtime. Result: Polar bears are 10 percent thinner and produce 10 percent fewer cubs than they did 20 years ago. And though climatologists hotly debate the causes behind Earth''s Arctic meltdown, "these changes are startling and unexpected, " says James McCarthy, co-leader of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The plight of polar bears is just the tip to the iceberg when it comes to mounting evidence of global warming. "There''s definitely a stark contrast with the way things were at the start of the 20th century," says atmospheric scientist Leonard Druyan, of Columbia University. Recent data show the volume of Arctic sea ice has shrunk 20 percent since the 1950s; glaciers around the world are melting at rapidly increasing rates. Rivers and lakes in North America, Asia, and Europe now freeze about nine days later and thaw 10 days earlier than they did a century ago. Most scientists believe the only effective strategy to halt global warming is to drastically reduce emissions of powerful air pollutants like carbon dioxide, which accounts for two-thirds of all greenhouse gases. In the last 150 years, the surging use of fossil fuels coal, oil, and natural gas -- has released 270 billion tons of carbon into the air in the form of carbon dioxide. Fortunately, oceans, plants, and soils absorb more than half of all atmospheric carbon dioxide -- without them world temperatures might have already soared at an alarming rate.

阅读理解What does the author suggest to reduce melanoma rates?

阅读理解It is possible to stop most drug addiction in the United States within a very short time. Simply make all drugs available and sell them at cost. Label each drug with a precise description of what effect—good and bad—the drug will have on the taker. This will require heroic honesty. For the record, I have tried—once—almost every drug and like none, disproving the popular theory that taking a single smoke of opium will enslave the mind. Nevertheless many drugs are bad for certain people to take and they should be told why in a sensible way. Along with advice and warning? it might be good for our citizens to recall that the United States was the creation men who believed that each man has the right to do what he wants with his own life as long as he does not interfere with his neighbor''s pursuit of happiness. Now one can hear the warning; If everyone is allowed to take drugs, everyone will, and the gross national product will decrease and we shall end up a race of fools. Alarming thought. Yet it seems most likely that any reasonably healthy-minded person will become a drug addict if he knows in advance what addiction is going to be like. Is everyone reasonably sensible? No. Some people will always become drug addicts just as some people will always become drunk, and it is just too bad. Every man, however, has the power to kill himself if he chooses. But since most men don''t, they won''t be the majority, either. Nevertheless, forbidding people things they like or things they might enjoy only makes them want those things all the more. This psychological insight is, for some mysterious reason, denied by our governors.

阅读理解On 10 September 2001, Charles Ingram, an officer in the British army, became a millionaire — but only for a few hours. That night, he appeared on the UK''s "Who wants to be a Millionaire" quiz show. Contestants on this show must answer 15 questions correctly, getting larger sums of money each time. If they answer all the questions, they walk away with 1 million. Charles Ingram won his million. But then the program makers decided he had cheated. Contestants have to choose one correct answer from four given to every question. Playing back the tape of the show, they heard loud coughs coming from the audience whenever the correct answer was mentioned. Charles Ingram would then choose that answer. The coughs came from another contestant, Tecwen Whittock, who was a friend of Charles Ingram''s wife, Diana. The three were soon arrested and on April 7 this year, they were all found guilty in court by trying to cheat the programme makers of their money. However, Charles Ingram still protests that he is innocent. To the public in the UK, "The millionaire trial", as it was called, was a major source of public entertainment It was more than just a trial. It was a modern morality tale, a story of media, money and greed. TV quiz shows have always been accused of causing corruption. In the early days, producers would give the right answers to contestants who seemed to be popular with the audience to increase viewing figures. For many years, prizes on game shows were limited to discouraging cheating. Viewers are supposed to watch just for the pleasure of seeing people get questions right. But program makers eventually argued successfully that competing for large amounts of money made the shows more exciting. From then on, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with an idea like "who wants to be a millionaire?" It proved a success. Though only three people have won the top prize, many more have walked away with smaller but still large amounts money. Despite this, the show makes a big profit. It is supported by advertisers and sponsors. The format has been sold on to 106 countries. Also, people who want to go on the show—just to test their knowledge of course — have to apply using a special premium rate telephone line. Each phone call costs them more man one pound — and many make over 1000 calls before getting the chance to go on the show. It seems that many contestants treat the show as a serious business. Read a few encyclopedias, invest some money in phone calls and the returns could be great. Diana Ingram, Charles'' wife, had already appeared on the show a few months before her husband. So had her two brothers. Critics of the show argue that it undermines moral values. Charles Ingram may have tried to cheat, but the show and its makers have a wider responsibility for greed by promoting a "something for nothing culture," they say. Perhaps because of this argument, Charles Ingram, his wife, and Tecwen Whittock were not sent to prison, despite the seriousness of their crime.

阅读理解What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?

阅读理解1997 Freshman Survey: UNLV Responses Prepared by Rebecca Mills, Ed. D., Special Assistant to the President for Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research March 10, 1998 Introduction Since Fall 1966, the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) has conducted a longitudinal study of the American higher education system sponsored by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Graduate School of Education and Information Services at the University of California, Los Angeles. One project in the comprehensive study looks at the characteristics of students attending American colleges and universities as first-time, full-time freshmen. Better known as the "Freshman Survey," the project seeks to "provide a normative profile of the American freshman population for use by individuals engaged in policy analysis, human resource planning, campus administration, educational research, and guidance and counseling." Results from the freshman survey often are included in the mainstream press as well as the Chronicle of Higher Education. The 1997 national norms are based on the responses of 252,082 students at 464 of the nation''s two- and four-year colleges and universities. As a part of an institutional assessment plan, UNLV participates in the national survey of freshmen. Respondents 1,489 of UNLV''s 3229 freshmen responded to the 1997 Freshman Survey. Of the respondents, 45.5% were male, and 54.5% were female; 71% of the respondents were 20 years of age or younger. More than half of the respondents were first-time, full-time freshmen; most others were transfer students, and a few were part time freshmen. When looked at as a group, 56% of the freshmen were 1997 high school graduates; 27% graduated from high school before 1995. The majority of the respondents (67%) were white; 6% were black, 5% Native American, 9% Hispanic, and 21% Asian. (The percentages add to more than 100 because some students selected more than one response). One of the more interesting findings from the survey results was that 16% of the students reported that they were not native speakers of English; obviously, this has implications for faculty and for student services personnel. Despite some assumptions that UNLV''s students are overwhelmingly local residents, fully a quarter of the students indicate that their permanent residence is more than 500 miles from UNLV. However, 41% report that their permanent home is fewer than eleven miles from UNLV, and another 27% live between eleven and fifty miles from UNLV. Fully two-thirds of the students expect to remain in Las Vegas once they complete their education. We know that students whose parents did not attend college face significant barriers to attaining a postsecondary education. These students tend to be less informed about postsecondary education and its processes and are significantly more likely to delay enrollment, a factor shown to inhibit attaining a bachelor''s degree. Among UNLV''s freshmen, 54% of the students'' fathers and 38% of their mothers have earned at least a bachelor''s degree. The national norms for four-year public colleges are 45% of fathers and 41% for mothers. In addition, a 1988 study found that educational attainment was lower for children of divorced parents or from single-parent families than for children of still-married parents. Almost two-thirds of UNLV''s freshmen indicated that their parents were living together. Students'' Views of UNLV and University Life Most UNLV freshmen chose deliberately to attend UNLV. Seventy percent of the students indicated that UNLV was their first choice in a college, and another 20% said that UNLV was their second choice. Fifty-six percent did not even apply to another school, but 74% indicated that they were accepted at another college. The respondents come to UNLV with the full intent of earning a degree (80%), expecting to be satisfied with their college experience (43%), and feeling they fit in (91%). Although sixteen percent of the respondents expect to need extra time in attaining a degree, the freshmen have high expectations for themselves. Two-thirds of the students indicate that they plan to earn a graduate degree during their lifetime; in fact, a third of them plan to earn a graduate degree at UNLV. Perhaps because the majority (76%) earned high school grades of B or higher, 53% expect to earn a B average in college, and 17% expect to graduate with honors. Interestingly, though, more than half of the respondents think that there is at least some chance that they will need a tutor. Despite the fact that an overwhelming majority (approximately 93%) of UNLV''s undergraduates live off-campus, 90% of these freshmen expect to spend out-of-class hours on campus. Many plan to participate in intramural or club sports (56%), attend on-campus fine arts evening activities (83%), and/or attend intercollegiate athletic competitions (72%). These expectations, which may surprise some faculty and staff, have implications for student life activities planners and contradict the notion that UNLV, at least for students who enter as freshmen, is a "typical commuter school." Student Concerns about Financing their Education Many of the students (65%) have at least some concern about financing college; in fact, 17% said that it was a major concern. They expect to receive the majority of their expenses from "parental or family aid"; however, almost a third of the students'' parents have incomes of less than $40,000. In addition, 60% of the parents are supporting three or more dependents. Fifty-six percent of the students expect to work while attending college; in fact, almost a quarter of them indicate they plan to work full-time while in college. Twenty percent of the students expect to borrow $1,500 or more to cover the first year''s educational expenses; this proportion is directly in line with national averages for other four-year, public institutions and supports increasing concern about the rising amount of student loan debt. Students'' Intended Majors and Careers Survey respondents were asked to select their major field of study. The results were as follows: Business 38% Engineering 7% Health Sciences 8% Sciences 9%. Other 2% Education 9% Fine Arts 7% Liberal Arts 8% Urban Affairs 6% Undecided 5% It is important to note that the survey does not include a choice for a hotel major, however, 220 freshmen enrolled in hotel courses during fall 1997 participated in the survey as a special breakout group. A detailed analysis of their responses will be prepared by Dr. Thomas Jones from the College of Hotel Administration. In addition, responses that make up the 38% in business include 18% who marked "other business"; many of these likely are hotel majors. Ten percent of the respondents were undecided about their probable career. However 28% indicated that they intend to work in business related careers, and 11% plan to pursue careers in education. All other options were selected by fewer than 5% of the students. Assessment Information The Freshman Survey is but one of several assessment projects currently underway at UNLV. The Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research currently is analyzing the Freshman Survey data, coordinating a major survey of alumni, and examining performance of UNLV students on the Graduate Record Exam and on several licensing examinations. The Office of the Provost is working with the faculty to design college-level assessment plans that focus on assessing student learning in light of identified program-level educational outcomes. In addition, major assessment is planned or underway in Continuing Education, University and Community Relations, and Student Affairs. The University Assessment Committee plans to share findings from major assessment activities with the campus through a flyer (小册子) called University Assessment Facts.

阅读理解Teaching children to read well from the start is the most important task of elementary schools. But relying on educators to approach this task correctly can be a great mistake. Many schools continue to employ instructional methods that have been proven ineffective. The staying power of the "look-say" or "whole-word" method of teaching beginning reading is perhaps the most flagrant (臭名远扬的) example of this failure to instruct effectively. The whole-word approach to reading stresses the meaning of words over the meaning of letters, thinking over decoding, developing a sight vocabulary of familiar words over developing the ability to unlock the pronunciation of unfamiliar words. It fits in with the self-directed, "learning how to learn" activities recommended by advocates (倡导者) of "open" classrooms and with the concept that children have to be developmentally ready to begin reading. Before 1963, no major publisher put out anything but these "Run-Spot-Run" readers. However, in 1955, Rudolf Flesch touched off what has been called "the great debate" in beginning reading. In his best-seller Why Johnny Can''t Read, Flesch indicted (控诉) the nation''s public schools for miseducating students by using the look-say method. He said — and more scholarly studies by Jeane Chall and Rovert Dykstra later confirmed — that another approach to beginning reading, founded on phonics (语言学), is far superior. Systematic phonics first teaches children to associate letters and letter combinations with sounds; it then teaches them how to blend these sounds together to make words. Rather than building up a relatively limited vocabulary of memorized words, it imparts (给予；传授) a code by which the pronunciations of the vast majority of the most common words in the English language can be learned. Phonics does not devalue the importance of thinking about the meaning of words and sentences; it simply recognizes that decoding is the logical and necessary first step.