41. A. soar B. change C. cease D. disappear
42. A. netizens B. administrators C. candidates D. employees 43. A. make up B. quality for C. count on D. refer to 44. A. change B. power C. duty D. variety
45. A. lay in B. resulted from C. focused on D. contributed to 46. A. analysis B. vacancy C. flexibility D. responsibility 47. A. applied B. combined C. compared D. remembered 48. A. benefited B. improved C. changed D. produced 49. A. approve of B. account for C. take pride in D. get used to 50. A. good B. easy C. impossible D. interesting 51. A. profit B. honesty C. creativity D. loyalty 52. A. turns B. runs C. advantages D. skips 53. A. However B. Otherwise C. Besides D. Instead 54. A. lower B. fair C. regular D. similar
55. A. obviously B. frankly C. fortunately D. similarly Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
In the world of higher education in the United States, competition seems more common than schools working together. Every college and university competes for students, as well as the best teachers and money for research programs.
But one thing almost every school has in common is the difficulty they face in serving low-income students. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that low-income college students are less likely to complete their study programs than other students.
It was only natural that the leaders of Michigan State University and ten other universities discussed this issue when they met in 2014. The 11 schools are spread across the United Sates and serve different populations and needs. But their leaders all saw improving graduation rates for all students as the biggest problem facing American higher education.
So the group created an organization called the University Innovation Alliance or UIA for sharing information related to this problem. Its main goal is to get 68,000 more students at the member schools to graduate by 2025, with at least half of those students being low-income. The
11 schools now say their number of graduates has increased by over 7,200 in just three years. This includes an almost 25 percent increase in the number of low-income graduates.
How were they able to make this happen? It began with each university looking at its own situation and finding out what it had been doing right and what it had been doing wrong.
For example, before joining the UIA, academic advising at Michigan State mostly involved reacting to problems students faced after the problems had already arisen. Then school officials heard about a computer program that fellow UIA member Georgia State University was using. This computer program follows decisions students make about their classes and the progress they are making in their studies. It then sends academic advisors messages whenever a student shows signs that they are making mistakes or facing difficulties. Hat way the advisors can try to help students before the problems become too serious. Michigan State began using the computer program and it has meant a world of difference. Michigan States has not only received useful information from its parents. It has also shared helpful information of its own.
Bridget Burns, the executive director for the UIA, says efforts like this have never been as successful. “There are rankings that measure all kinds of things,” Burns said. “But how well you do for low-income students has not historically been highlighted.” 56. What led to the setting up of the UIA?
A. The low graduation rates B. The great need of low-income students. C. The inefficiency of learning D. The severe competition between schools 57. The UIA functions in such a way as the member universities ____. A. find out their own graduation rates B. share and follow each other’s good practice C. make joint efforts to aid students financially D. popularize computer programs among students
58. By “it has meant a world of difference” in paragraph 6, the author means Michigan State__________.
A. has found the computer program quite different from theirs B. has discovered the computer program is very difficult to use C. has helped students successfully with the computer program D. has involved more academic advisors in the computer program 59. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A. Universities Highlighting Their Efforts for Low-Incomes B. Universities Computing for Better Students and Teachers C. Universities Working Together to Help Poor Students
D. Universities Creating the UIA to Share Information
(B)
60. The above webpage mainly aims to _________.
A. raise funds from readers B. inform readers of quality journalism C. attract more readers D. guarantee readers a secure future 61. Which of the following is a difficulty the Guardian is facing?
A. It’s losing its editorial independence B. It’s becoming increasingly reliant on its owner C. It’s profiting much less from advertising D. It’s operating in a challenging political climate 62. What can be inferred from the webpage? A. Some billionaire owners are the Guardian’s editors B. The Guardian is independent financially and politically C. Shareholders can interfere with the Guardian’s journalism D. Guardian Supporters can put ads on the mobile app for free
(C)
A new kind of production was underway on the set of the NBC comedy Superstore. Social media stars were crafting 30-second videos to post on their social media channels ahead of the comedy’s second-season return. Each made sure to mention Superstore and its first public show. As networks and studios struggle to reach young audiences in an increasingly fragmented(碎片化的)media marketplace, many have turned to so-called influencers—online stars whose is measured by the size of their Internet followings—as a means of generating awareness. Advertisers are seizing on the strategy in an age of commercial-skipping and ad-blockers. Word of mouth in the digital age means messages travel faster by way of social media. The majority of consumers worldwide trust online recommendations from stars. And when Superstore gave its first public show, it did so to higher ratings than the last show of Season 1.
Studio and network executives say they work with influencers to build brand awareness and reputation in a more friendly way through the friend-like connections consumers feel toward the online personalities they follow. At the upper level, influencers typically have thousands of followers on social media and online content platforms and count many millions of people who tune in daily to watch them. Some do something that makes themselves look stupid in their daily routine, sharing videos of their trips to the grocery store or dinner dates. Others have built careers on performances—making comedy videos, reviewing video games, performing magic tricks and teaching cooking lessons, among other pursuits.
When in the employ of studios, their efforts can be as simple as publicizing a film or more involved attempts like the marketing push for Superstore. Entertainment companies declined to discuss how much they pay influencers. But several experts said their pay ranges from a few thousand dollars to several million. Some simply receive gift baskets instead of pay.
Over the last year or so, some entertainment companies have begun to cast influencers in their TV and film projects. The strategy is a bit of gamble: It’s a new business model, and questions remain about the effectiveness of using these personalities to improve a show’s
ratings—or help open a movie. Just how much influence the influencers have is hard to measure. TV ratings and box-office returns do not reveal what caused a viewer to tune in.
What is clear is that these personalities aren’t necessarily getting the work because of their acting skills, but often because of their Internet followings. Yet as social media stars consider whether to take on jobs promoting movies and TV shows, there’s an important consideration for both parties: the credibility of a campaign. “Fans are definitely award when they’re being tempted with promotional posts,” said Zach King, a social media star who performs magic tricks. “It has to be something that is natural and fits with the image of the creator.”
63. Why did social media stars post short videos on their channels before Superstore’s second season?
A. To attract more influencers B. To draw audience’s attention
C. To put on better performances D. To increase the channels’ popularity 64. Advertisers like the influencer marketing strategy because ________. A. audiences believe in whatever online stars recommend B. influencers are quite award of the impact of the digital age C. ordinary advertisements are often ignored by young people D. social media platforms are the cheapest place to spread messages 65. What is implied in the passage?
A. The influencer marketing strategy help build connections between executives B. Most influencers get paid from gift baskets instead of from their companies C. Most influencers take on marketing jobs regardless of their reliability D. The influencer marketing strategy may not really work well 66. The passage mainly wants to tell us that __________. A. most young people like following influencers B. studios are relying more on social media stars C. influencers are gradually replacing movie stars D. social media are filming videos for Superstore Section C
Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. A. Age really should be treated as just a number B. Felt age might play a role in more than just how you feel C. Feeling young is about maintaining vitality as you get older.