Section A
Grammar and Vocabulary
Universities Show “ Red Card” to English Majors
An increasing number of Chinese universities are showing English the “red card” and sending it off the academic playing field. Just last month, five more universities announced that they would no longer offer English as a major, _____1_____ CET-4 (大學英語四級考試) will still be required for graduation.
At first sight, it may appear that these universities are downgrading the importance of learning English. In actual fact, they are responding to the economic reality _____2_____English majors do not have good job prospects after graduation. And the same holds true for graduates in other Arts majors.
According to MyCOS, the Beijing-based education research group, English graduates, along with those in history, literature and law, have _____3_____(low) starting salaries and lowest employment rate. Engineering, economics and science graduates have better job prospects and make twice as much money, with IT graduates ____4____ (make) the most.
In _____5_____ 1980s, the Chinese government made the study of English a priority as part of its reform and opening-up policy. English majors were in high demand in business and in government because people with good English-language skills were so rare. Today, about 350 million Chinese have studied, or are studying, English. Ten million of them _____6_____ (consider) functionally bilingual. So, when an employer looks at a graduate’s résumé , it is assumed that he or she has good English skills.
However, for those of you who truly love English, you should not be discouraged. The demand for English teachers is still high at all levels of education, _____7_____in public schools and in private institutions.
Zhang Lu is probably familiar to most of you as the elegant young woman _____8_____ (see) standing or sitting slightly behind top government officials when they meet leaders from English-speaking countries. Zhang is a translator. In 2015, she made 54 overseas trips accompanying various leaders such as Li Keqiang. Over the years, she has been the official Chinese/English translator _____9_____major international conferences.
Zhang studied English and law at university. She ______10______(plan) to be a teacher, but her skills attracted the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . They offered her a job in the diplomatic service . It is not the career she had planned, but her abilities enabled her to grasp the opportunity.
So, if English is really your passion, let Zhang be your model and just choose a university that has not shown it the “red card.”
【答案】1. though
2. that 3. the lowest
4. making 5. the
6. are considered
7. both 8. seen
9. at 10. had planned
【解析】
【分析】
這是一篇說明文。文章主要說明了越來越多的中國大學向英語亮起了“紅牌”，并把它趕出了學術領域。事實上，他們是在回應經(jīng)濟現(xiàn)實，即英語專業(yè)學生畢業(yè)后沒有良好的就業(yè)前景。文章說明了英語專業(yè)就業(yè)現(xiàn)狀，并舉了外交部翻譯張璐的例子。
【1題詳解】
考查連接詞。句意：就在上個月，又有五所大學宣布不再開設英語專業(yè)，盡管大學英語四級考試仍然是畢業(yè)的必修課。此處為讓步狀語從句，位于句中表示“雖然”應用though引導。故填though。
【2題詳解】
考查連接詞。句意：事實上，他們是在回應英語專業(yè)學生畢業(yè)后就業(yè)前景不佳的經(jīng)濟現(xiàn)實。此處為同位語修飾先行詞reality，且從句中不缺少成分，故應用that。故填that。
【3題詳解】
考查最高級。句意：根據(jù)北京教育研究機構MyCOS的數(shù)據(jù)，英語專業(yè)畢業(yè)生以及歷史、文學和法律專業(yè)畢業(yè)生的起薪最低，就業(yè)率最低。結合句意可知表示“最低”應用形容詞最高級。故填the lowest。
【4題詳解】
考查非謂語動詞。句意：工程、經(jīng)濟和科學專業(yè)的畢業(yè)生就業(yè)前景更好，收入也翻了一番，其中IT專業(yè)的畢業(yè)生收入最高。此處為with的復合結構，且make與IT graduates構成主動關系，故用現(xiàn)在分詞。故填making。
【5題詳解】
考查冠詞。句意：20世紀80年代，中國政府將英語學習作為改革開放政策的一部分。根據(jù)短語in the 1980s表示“20世紀80年代”，中間需要定冠詞。故填the。
【6題詳解】
考查動詞時態(tài)語態(tài)。句意：他們中有1000萬人被認為具有雙語功能。本句中主語與謂語動詞構成被動關系，且時態(tài)為一般現(xiàn)在時，主語為Ten million of them，故謂語動詞用復數(shù)形式。故填are considered。
【7題詳解】
考查代詞。句意：無論是公立學校還是私立學校，各級教育都對英語教師的需求仍然很高。根據(jù)短語both…and…表示“兩者都……”。故填both。
【8題詳解】
考查非謂語動詞。句意：大家可能都很熟悉張璐，她是一位優(yōu)雅的年輕女性，當政府高級官員會見英語國家領導人時，她或站或坐在他們身后。分析句子結構可知see在句中作非謂語動詞，與邏輯主語woman構成被動關系，故用過去分詞。故填seen。
【9題詳解】
考查介詞。句意：多年來，她一直是主要國際會議 官方中文/英文翻譯。此處表示“在重要的國際會議上”應用介詞at。故填at。
【10題詳解】
考查動詞時態(tài)。句意：她原計劃當一名教師，但她的技能引起了外交部的注意。此處plan發(fā)生在attract之前，即“過去的過去”應用過去完成時。故填had planned。
【點睛】當分詞做狀語的時候，如果構成分詞的動詞與句子的主語構成主動關系，就使用現(xiàn)在分詞做狀語；當二者構成被動關系，使用過去分詞做狀語。如果分詞的動作發(fā)生在謂語動詞之前，就使用分詞的完成式。如果分詞與句子的主語沒有關系，可以使用狀語從句或者獨立主格結構。如第八小題，句意：大家可能都很熟悉張璐，她是一位優(yōu)雅的年輕女性，當政府高級官員會見英語國家領導人時，她或站或坐在他們身后。分析句子結構可知see在句中作非謂語動詞，與邏輯主語woman構成被動關系，故用過去分詞。故填seen。
