Question

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 (活动家) 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 of promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.

1.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.

2.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.

3.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.

4.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

5.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.

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.D

4.A

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：文章大意：牛津大学将聘请安德鲁。汉密尔顿，高等教育已成为极具竞争力的商业行为，并且日渐国际化。但是人才的流动主要来自于美国。其主要原因是许多学校并不真地想从国外引进人才。还有筹措资金的能力在很大程度上依靠经验，也是美国校长必须具备的能力。与此同时，很多欧洲大学仍然依靠政府投入。

1.事实细节题。根据题干中the current trend in higher education，定位答案在第二段最后两句。根据这两句话Yet the talent flow isn't universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America. 如今，高等教育已成为极具竞争力的商业行为，并且日渐国际化。但是人才的流动并不是世界性的。高层的管理人员往往来自一个地方：美国。选项A意思与之相近，故选择A。

2.语义理解题。根据题干中the chief consideration，定位答案在第三段第三段。在第三段The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist who is likely to excel at the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising。选项B中的raise funds表示"筹款"。答案为B选项。

3.语义理解题。根据题干European universities，答案可定位在第四段第一、二句。根据第四段第一、二句Many European universities are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number。即很多欧洲大学仍然依靠政府投入。而政府的投入却没能跟上不断扩大的学生规模。因此可知学校的大部分资金来源于政府，故选择D选项。

4.事实细节题。根据题干中的Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor，答案可定位在第五段第二句。根据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"耶鲁大学财政状况良好"。由此可知她有很强的筹措资金的能力，故选A选项。

5.语义理解题。根据题干top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development答案定位在末段末句。该句Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices，告诉读者外国人能够给学校业已成立的体系带来新的活力。此意与C选项的意思相近，故选C选项。

考点：考查教育类短文