Directions: There are 3 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D).
Passage one
Women are also underrepresented in the administration and this is because there are so few women full professors. In 1985, Regent Beryl Milburn produced a report blasting the University of Texas System administration for not encouraging women. The University was rated among the lowest for the system. In a 1987 update, Milburn commended the progress that was made and called for even more improvement.
One of the positive results from her study was a System-wide program to inform women of available administrative jobs.
College of Communication Associate Dean Patricia Witherspoon said it is important that woman be flexible when it comes to relocating if they want to rise in the ranks. Although a woman may face a chilly climate on campus, many times in order for her to succeed, she must rise above the problems around her and concentrate on her work.
Until women make up a greater percentage of the senior positions in the University and all academia, inequities will exist.
“Women need to spend their energies and time doing scholarly activities that are important here at the University.” Spirduso said. “If they do that, they will be successful in this system. If they spend their time in little groups mourning the sexual discrimination that they think exists here, they are wasting valuable study time.”
6. According to Spirduso, women need to ____.
A. produce a report on sexual discrimination
B. call for further improvement in their working conditions
C. spend their energies and time fighting against sexual discrimination
D. spend more time and energy doing scholarly activities
7. From this passage, we know that _____.
A. there are many women full professors in the University of Texas
B. women play an important part in administrating the University
C. the weather on the campus is chilly
D. women make up a small percentage of the senior positions in the University
8. Which of the following statements is true?
A. the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was greater than that of 1985
B. the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was smaller than that of 1985
C. the number of women professors was the same as that of 1985
D. more and more women professors thought that sexual discrimination did exit in the University
9. One of the positive results from Milburn's study was that _____.
A. women were told to concentrate on their work
B. women were given information about available administrative jobs
C. women were encouraged to take on all the administrative jobs in the University.
D. women were encouraged to do more scholarly activities.
10. The title for this passage should be _______.
A. The University of Texas
B. Milburn's Report
C. Women Professors
D. Sexual Discrimination in Academia
Passage Two
As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is a natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.
11. People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.
A. they do not know how to enjoy themselves
B. they do not believe that relaxation is important for health
C. they are travelling fast all the time
D. they are becoming busier with their work
12. According to the writer, the most important character for a good manager is his ________.
A. not fearing stress
B. knowing the art of relaxation
C. high sense of responsibility
D. having control over performance
13. Which of the following statements is true?
A. We can find some ways to avoid stress.
B. Stress is always harmful to people.
C. It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work.
D. Different people can withstand different amounts of stress
14. In Paragraph 3, “such a reaction” refers back to_______.
A. “making a choice between ‘flight’ or ‘fight’”
B. “reaction to stress both chemically and physically”
C. “responding to crises quickly”
D. “losing heart at the signs difficulties”
15. In the last sentence of the passage, “do so” refers to ______.
A. expose ourselves to stress
B. find ways to deal with stress
C. remove stress from our lives
D. established links between diseases and stress
Passage Three
Anne Whitney, a sophomore at Colorado State University, first had a problem taking tests when she began college. "I was always well prepared for my tests. Sometimes I studied for weeks before a test. Yet I would go in to take the test, only to find I could not answer the questions correctly. I would blank out because of nervousness and fear. I couldn't think of the answer. My low grades on the tests did not show what I knew to the teacher." Another student in microbiology had similar experiences. He said, “My first chemistry test was very difficult .Then, on the second test, I sat down to take it, and I was so nervous that I was shaking. My hands were moving up and down so quickly that it was hard to hold my pencil. I knew the material and I knew the answers. Yet I couldn't have even written them down!”
These two young students were experiencing something called test anxiety. Because a student worries and it uneasy about a test, his or her mind does not work as well as it usually does. The student can't write or think clearly because of the extreme tension and nervousness. Although poor grades are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety causes the low grades. Recently, test anxiety had been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students.
Special university counseling courses try to help students. In these courses, counselors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the tests show their anxiety is high, the students can take short courses to help them deal with their tension. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. Students are trained to become calm in very tense situations. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease .Learned information then comes out without difficulty on a test.
An expert at the University of California explains. “With almost all students, relaxation and less stress are felt after taking out program. Most of then experience better control during their tests. Almost all have some improvement. With some, the improvement is very great.”
16. To “blank out” is probably______.
A. to be like a blanket
B. to be sure of an answer
C. to be unable to think clearly
D. to show knowledge to the teacher
17. Poor grades are usually the result of _______.
A. poor hygienic habits
B. laziness
C. lack of sleep
D. inability to form good study habits
18. Test anxiety has been recognized as _______.
A. an excuse for laziness
B. the result of poor habits
C. a real problem
D. something that can't be changed
19. To deal with this problem, students say they want to ______.
A. take a short course on anxiety
B. read about anxiety
C. be able to manage or understand their anxiety
D. take test to prove they are not anxiety
20. A University of California counselor said_______.
A. all students could overcome the anxiety after taking a special test anxiety program
B. almost all students felt less stress after taking a University of California counseling course
C. students found it difficult to improve even though they had taken a special test anxiety course
D. students found it easy to relax as soon as they entered a University of California counseling course