Question

Teaching is challenging and teaching college is often a mixed bag.Sometimes my class feels more like a cafeteria，where students come and go，______ in the middle of my lectures.Mostly these students have entered college right out of high school.College seems to them like ______ a continuation of high school，______ the sense of newness that often drives curiosity and achievement.

But there is a category of students that gives everyone reasons for ______.They are the so called “nontraditional students”：those who，for one reason or ______，didn’t go to college when they were 18，but many years later.Some years back in my teaching，while calling out names from the name list on the first day，I noticed a gray haired woman of about 70.She was wandering in the doorway，______ her new books like a schoolgirl.

“I’m not on the name list，” she volunteered.“But I was ______ if I could sit in for the first class，to see what marine(海洋) biology is about.” This woman’s eagerness ______ me，so I invited her to have a seat.I began the class with questions to get a(n) ______ of how much knowledge they were bringing to the course.As I questioned them about the difference between fishes and seagoing mammals，most of my new students remained ______.But Natalie，the older woman，was on the edge of her seat，______ answers.At the end of the class，she came up to me and apologized for being the “extra” student.She said，“Will you ______ me another chance？” ______ at losing her，I acted quickly to remove her ______.“I’ll see you next class，”I said.Natalie turned out to be a vital and ______ student.She commuted 50 miles each day to get to school，often in the severe winter，and never missed a class.______ this，she was enthusiastic about helping my younger students.Apparently these older students have the ______ over them.It lies in the breadth and depth of their path of life.After having ______ numerous personal and professional barriers，they have an expansive world view.______ a return to school may，at first，be frightening for them，they tend to make it because they are ______ great trouble to put their studies into an already full life.

1.A. often    B. seldom    C. never    D. hardly

2.A. more than    B. other than    C. rather than    D. no more than

3.A. creating    B. lacking    C. involving    D. inspiring

4.A. anger    B. desperation    C. hope    D. pity

5.A. another    B. others    C. the other    D. none

6.A. bringing    B. buying    C. holding    D. fetching

7.A. hoping    B. wondering    C. thinking    D. expecting

8.A. impressed    B. embarrassed    C. puzzled    D. amused

9.A. plan    B. sense    C. concept    D. idea

10.A. enthusiastic    B. silent    C. interested    D. calm

11.A. asking    B. repeating    C. rejecting    D. volunteering

12.A. offer    B. make    C. learn    D. introduce

13.A. Relieved    B. Relaxed    C. Alarmed    D. Annoyed

14.A. concern    B. curiosity    C. attention    D. concentration

15.A. diligent    B. humorous    C. intelligent    D. open­minded

16.A. Regardless of    B. But for    C. Except    D. Apart from

17.A. ability    B. experience    C. advantage    D. belief

18.A. got over    B. got across    C. got away from    D. got through

19.A. Unless    B. Until    C. When    D. While

20.A. demanding    B. taking    C. sparing    D. escaping

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.C

5.A

6.C

7.B

8.A

9.D

10.B

11.D

12.A

13.C

14.A

15.A

16.D

17.C

18.A

19.D

20.B

【解析】本文属于夹叙夹议文。作者是一名大学老师，他发现很多大学生对学习没有热情。而他遇到的一个老太太反而回到学校，勤奋地学习，这让作者很感慨。

1.考查副词。A. often 经常； B. seldom 很少； C. never从来没有； D. hardly几乎不。句意为：有时候，我的课堂像一个咖啡馆，在我上课期间，学生经常来了又走。often经常。故选A。

2.根据上文“Mostly these students have entered college right out of high school.”可知，很多学生都刚刚从高中出来，所以对他们来说大学只是(no more than)高中生活的延续。故选D。

3.考查动词。A. creating 创造； B. lacking 缺乏； C. involving涉及； D. inspiring鼓舞。句意为：大学缺乏可以让他们好奇和努力的新鲜感。lack缺少。故选B。

4.考查名词。A. anger生气； B. desperation 绝望； C. hope 希望； D. pity同情。根据下文“They are the so called ‘nontraditional students’”可知，有一些学生给每个人希望的理由。hope希望。故选C。

5.句意为：他们因为一个原因或另外一个原因在18岁的时候没有上学。one...or another为固定搭配，意为“一个……另一个”。故选A。

6.考查动词。A. bringing 拿来； B. buying 买； C. holding 握住； D. fetching去取。句意为：她在门口徘徊，向女学生一样抱着新书。 hold抱，拿着。故选C。

7.考查动词。A. hoping 希望； B. wondering想知道； C. thinking 认为； D. expecting期盼。句意为：我想知道我第一节课是否可以坐在这里，看看海洋生物学是关于什么的。wonder想知道。故选B。

8.考查动词。A. impressed 留下印象； B. embarrassed 尴尬； C. puzzled 困惑；D. amused使娱乐。根据下文“so I invited her to have a seat”可知，此处指她给我留下了深刻印象(impress)。故选A。

9.句意为：我在上课前提出了一些问题，来了解他们对课程知道多少。get an idea of了解。故选D。

10.根据下文“But Natalie，the older woman，was on the edge of her seat， answers.”可知，大部分学生保持了沉默(silent)。故选B。

11.句意为：但是Natalie，那个老太太自愿回答问题。volunteer自愿。故选D。

12.根据下文“I’ll see you next class.”可知，此处应指Natalie请求作者再给她提供(offer)一次机会，让她可以听课。故选A。

13.根据下文“I acted quickly...‘I’ll see you next class，’I said.”可知，作者害怕(alarmed)失去她。故选C。

14.根据上文中Natalie向作者道歉可知，作者是为了消除她的担心(concern)。故选A。

15.根据下文“She commuted 50 miles each day to get to school”可知，Natalie是个勤奋的(diligent)学生。故选A。

16.句意为：除此之外，她还很热心地帮助年轻的学生。apart from 除了。故选D。

17.根据下一句“It lies in the breadth and depth of their path of life.”可知，年老的学生比年轻的学生有优势(advantage)。故选C。

18.句意为：在克服很多个人和专业的障碍之后，他们有更豁达的世界观。get over克服。故选A。

19.句意为：虽然回到学校一开始会让他们害怕，但是他们往往会成功。while然而。故选D。

20.考查动词。A. demanding 要求； B. taking 拿走； C. sparing 抽出； D. escaping逃跑。句意为：因为他们会不辞辛劳地将学习放在已经充实的生活中，他们往往会成功。take great trouble to do...不辞辛劳地做……。故选B。