Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C),and D ). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.
One hundred years ago, "Colored" was the typical way of referring to Americans of African descent. Twenty years later, it was purposefully dropped to make way for "Negro. " By the late 1960s,that term was overtaken by "Black. " And then, at a press conference in Chicago in 1988, Jesse Jackson declared that "African American" was the term to embrace. This one was chosen because it echoed the labels of groups, such as "Italian Americans" and "Irish Americans," that had already been
freed of widespread discrimination.
A century's worth of calculated name changes point to the fact that naming any group is a politically freighted exercise. A 2001 study cataloged all the ways in which the term "Black" carried connotations (涵义) that were more negative than those of "African American. "
But if it was known that "Black" people were viewed differently from "African Americans,"researchers, until now, hadn't identified what that gap in perception was derived from. A recent study, conducted by Emory University's Erika Hall, found that "Black" people are viewed more negatively.than "African Americans" because of a perceived difference in socioeconomic status. As a result,"Black" people are thought of as less competent and as having colder personalities.
The study's most striking findings shed light on the racial biases permeating the professional world.Even seemingly harmless details on a resume, it appears, can tap into recruiters' biases. A job application might mention affiliations with groups such as the "Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers" or the "National Black Employees Association," the names of which apparently have consequences, and are also beyond their members' control.
In one of the study's experiments, subjects were given a brief description of a man from Chicago with the last name Williams. To one group, he was identified as "African-American," and another was told he was "Black. " With little else to go on, they were asked to estimate Mr. Williams's salary,professional standing, and educational background.
The "African-American" group estimated that he earned about $ 37,000 a year and had a two-year college degree. The "Black" group, on the other hand, put his salary at about $ 29,000, and guessed that he had only "some" college experience. Nearly three-quarters of the first group guessed that Mr.Williams worked at a managerial level, while only 38.5 percent of the second group thought so.
Hall's findings suggest there's an argument to be made for electing to use "African American,"though one can't help but get the sense that it's a decision that papers over the urgency of continued progress. Perhaps a new phrase is needed, one that can bring everyone one big step closer to realizing Du Bois's original, idealistic hope: "It's not the name-it's the Thing that counts. "
56.Why did Jesse Jackson embrace the term "African American" for people of African descent?
57. A.It is free from racial biases.
B.It represents social progress.
C.It is in the interest of common Americans.
D.It follows the standard naming practice.
57. What does the author say about the naming of an ethnic group ?
A.It advances with the times.
B.It is based on racial roots.
C.It merits intensive study.
D.It is politically sensitive.
58.What do Erika Hall's findings indicate?
A.Racial biases are widespread in the professional world.
B.Many applicants don't attend to details on their resumes.
C.Job seekers should all be careful- about their affiliations.
D.Most recruiters are unable to control their racial biases.
59. What does Erika Hall find in her experiment about a man with the last name Williams?
A.African Americans fare better than many other ethnic groups.
B.Black people's socioeconomic status in America remains low.
C.People's conception of a person has much to do with the way he or she is labeled.
D.One's professional standing and income are related to their educational background.
60. What is Dr. Du Bois's ideal?
A.All Americans enjoy equal rights.
B.A person is judged by their worth.
C.A new term is created to address African Americans.
D.All ethnic groups share the nation's continued progress.
Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.
Across the board, American colleges and universities are not doing a very good job of preparing their students for the workplace or their post-graduation lives. This was made clear by the work of two sociologists, Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa.In 2011 they released a landmark study titled"Academically Adrift," which documented the lack of intellectual growth experienced by many people enrolled in college. In particular, Arum and Roksa found, college students were not developing the critical thinking, analytic reasoning and other higher-level skills that are necessary to thrive in today's knowledge-based economy and to lead our nation in a time of complex challenges and dynamic change.
Arum and Roksa placed the blame for students' lack of learning on a watered-down college curriculum and lowered undergraduate work standards. Although going to college is supposed to be a Full-time job, students spent, on average, only 12 to 14 hours a week studying and many were skating through their semesters without doing a significant amount of reading and writing. Students who take more challenging classes and spend more time studying do learn more. But the priorities of many undergraduates are with extracurricular activities, playing sports, and partying and socializing.
Laura Hamilton, the author of a study on parents who pay for college, will argue in a forthcoming book that college administrations are overly concerned with the social and athletic activities of their students. In Paying for the Party, Hamilton describes what she calls the “arty pathway," which eases many students through college, helped-along by various clubs that send students into the party scene and a host of easier majors.By sanctioning this watered-down version of college, universities are"catering to the social and educational needs of wealthy students at the expense of others" who won't enjoy the financial backing or social connections of richer students once they graduate.
These students need to build skills and knowledge during college if they are to use their degrees as a stepping-stone to middle-class mobility. But more privileged students must not waste this opportunity either. As recent graduates can testify, the job market isn't kind to candidates who can't demonstrate genuine competence, along with a well-cultivated willingness to work hard. Nor is the global economy forgiving of an American workforce with increasingly weak literacy, math and science abilities. College graduates will still fare better than those with only a high school education, of course. But a university degree unaccompanied by a gain in knowledge or skills is an empty achievement indeed. For students who have been coasting through college, and for American universities that have been demanding less work, offering more attractions and charging higher tuition, the party may soon be over.
61. What is Arum and Roksa's finding about higher education in America?
A.It aims at stimulating the intellectual curiosity of college students.
B.It fails to prepare students to face the challenges of modern times.
C.It has experienced dramatic changes in recent years.
D.It has tried hard to satisfy students' various needs.
62. What is responsible for the students' lack of higher-level skills?
A.The diluted college curriculum.
B.The boring classroom activities.
C.The absence of rigorous discipline.
D.The outdated educational approach.
63. What does Laura Hamilton say about college administrations?
A.They fail to give adequate help to the needy students.
B.They tend to offer too many less challenging courses.
C.They seem to be out of touch with society.
D.They prioritize non-academic activities.
64. What can be learned about the socially and financially privileged students?
A.They tend to have a sense of superiority over their peers.
B.They can afford to choose easier majors in order to enjoy themselves.
C.They spend a lot of time building strong connections with businesses.
D.They can climb the social ladder even without a degree.
65. What does the author suggest in the last paragraph?
A.American higher education has lost its global competitiveness.
B.People should not expect too much from American higher education.
C. The current situation in American higher education may not last long.
D.It will take a long time to change the current trend in higher education.
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