Directions: Read the following passage. Answer the questions according to the information given in the passage.

In Britain and other countries, young people usually take a “gap year”, a year off between high school and college. This idea never gained a big following in the United States. Recent news reports have suggested that interest may be growing, though there are no official numbers.

Charles Deacon, the dean of admissions estimates that in the current first-year class of one thousand six hundred students, only twenty-five percent decided to take a year off. He says this number has not changed much over the years. He says the most common reasons to have a chance to travel, but international students may take a gap year to meet requirements at home for military duty.

Some high school graduates see a year off as a chance to recover after twelve years of required education. But it can also give students a chance to explore their interest.

Many colleges and universities support gap-year projects by permitting students to delay their admission. Experts say students can grow emotionally and intellectually as they work at something they enjoy. The Harvard admissions office has an essay on its Web site called “Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation”. It praises the idea of taking time off to step back, think and enjoy gaining life experience outside the pressure of studies. Of course, a gap year is not for everyone. Students might miss their friends who go on directly to college. And parents might worry that their children will decide not to go to college once they take time off. Another concern is money. A year off, away from home, can be costly.

Holly Bull is the president of the Center for Interim Programs. Her company specializes in helping students plan their gap year. She notes that several books have been written about this subject. And she points out that many gap-year programs cost far less than a year of college.

81. How do many colleges and universities support gap-year projects? (No more than 8 words)

82. According to Charles Deacon, how many students in the current first-year class of his school decided to take a gap year? (No more than 8 words)

83. What is the purpose of some high school students taking a gap year?( No more than 6 words)

84. Why do parents worry about children’s gap year? (No more than 15 words)

Section D

Directions: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.

In today’s world, the most successful companies are the ones who understand how important it is to make contacts around the world. However, doing business in different countries is very rarely simple. It is important to be aware of the local customs and traditions of the people you are dealing with, which is the best way to impress your hosts.

One example that comes to mind is of a German company that recently tried to gain a new contract in South Korea. The German visitors arrived at the Korean company’s office early in the morning and spent the whole day in long meetings. By the evening, the Germans were so tired that they politely declined the Korean’s invitation to go out for dinner and drinks, since they wanted to return to their hotel and get some rest. The Germans did not understand that in South Korea business talks often continue into the evening. The Germans only came to realize that they offended their hosts after they had lost the contract.  

In Europe or the USA, business is rarely discussed into the evening. However, it is important to be on time for a meeting. If you are late, your hosts may think you do not care. In fact, it is better to arrive at least ten minutes before the meeting starts. This way, you can show how keen you are to do business with them, and you will also have time to talk with your hosts before you sit down to discuss business.

However, in many countries meetings may not start on time. There are a number of reasons for this, such as transport difficulties due to poor roads, unusual weather and the cost of cars. Sometimes the time of day is also important. In South America and many countries in southern Europe, people have a short sleep for a couple of hours after lunch. Therefore, if you try to arrange a meeting for the early afternoon, you may find that not many people will attend, or that you hosts will be in a bad mood.

(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TWELVE WORDS.)

81. In Korea, what confuses many western businessmen is _______.

_____________________________________________________________________________

82. In the West, what does a businessman do if he wants to show a keen attitude to the business in

a negotiation?

_____________________________________________________________________________

83. Where is it common for people to have a nap after lunch?

_____________________________________________________________________________

84. According to the passage, it can be concluded that _______ helps a company make good

contacts in different countries.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Section D

Directions: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.

In today’s world, the most successful companies are the ones who understand how important it is to make contacts around the world. However, doing business in different countries is very rarely simple. It is important to be aware of the local customs and traditions of the people you are dealing with, which is the best way to impress your hosts.

One example that comes to mind is of a German company that recently tried to gain a new contract in South Korea. The German visitors arrived at the Korean company’s office early in the morning and spent the whole day in long meetings. By the evening, the Germans were so tired that they politely declined the Korean’s invitation to go out for dinner and drinks, since they wanted to return to their hotel and get some rest. The Germans did not understand that in South Korea business talks often continue into the evening. The Germans only came to realize that they offended their hosts after they had lost the contract.  

In Europe or the USA, business is rarely discussed into the evening. However, it is important to be on time for a meeting. If you are late, your hosts may think you do not care. In fact, it is better to arrive at least ten minutes before the meeting starts. This way, you can show how keen you are to do business with them, and you will also have time to talk with your hosts before you sit down to discuss business.

However, in many countries meetings may not start on time. There are a number of reasons for this, such as transport difficulties due to poor roads, unusual weather and the cost of cars. Sometimes the time of day is also important. In South America and many countries in southern Europe, people have a short sleep for a couple of hours after lunch. Therefore, if you try to arrange a meeting for the early afternoon, you may find that not many people will attend, or that you hosts will be in a bad mood.

(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TWELVE WORDS.)

81. In Korea, what confuses many western businessmen is _______.

_____________________________________________________________________________

82. In the West, what does a businessman do if he wants to show a keen attitude to the business in

a negotiation?

_____________________________________________________________________________

83. Where is it common for people to have a nap after lunch?

_____________________________________________________________________________

84. According to the passage, it can be concluded that _______ helps a company make good

contacts in different countries.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Celebrating sleep
World Sleep Day, observed on 21 March, was created to bring attention to the growing number of sleep problems worldwide. Sleep is a natural part of human life, but many people in the modern world ignore its importance. As a result, sleep problems are increasingly common.
In 2002, scientists at the University of Athens in Greece conducted a survey of over 35,000 people in 10 countries around the world, including China, Belgium and South Africa. Of the people that responded to the survey, 24 percent said that they did not sleep well, and based on their responses, 31.6 percent were diagnosed (诊断)with insomnia（失眠）and another 17.5 percent were diagnosed with borderline insomnia. In addition, 30.7 percent of survey respondents reported visiting a doctor for help with sleep problems and 11.6 percent said that they felt very sleepy during the day.
Overall, the survey found that ninny people suffer the effects of poor quality sleep, some examples of which are being unable to fall asleep and waking up in the middle of the night. The main factors causing these problems are pressure from school or work and a fast pace of life, but noise pollution and light pollution also interfere with sleep and contribute to poor quality sleep. The survey’s findings are particularly troubling because large numbers of people were found to have difficulty sleeping at night. The short-term effects of this are tiredness and trouble concentrating. If this happens for a long time, the risk of putting on weight and having a heart attack may increase.
There are many things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep. First, you should have regular sleep habits. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. You also need to make your bedroom a cool, dark, quiet place to sleep so that heat, light and noise do not disturb you. At night, you should also avoid things that contain caffeine, such as chocolate, coffee, tea and many soft drinks, as caffeine may keep you from sleeping.
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for everyone. By following the advice above, you can rest better at night and work better during the day.
Title: Celebrating Sleep

Celebrating sleep

World Sleep Day, observed on 21 March, was created to bring attention to the growing number of sleep problems worldwide. Sleep is a natural part of human life, but many people in the modern world ignore its importance. As a result, sleep problems are increasingly common.

In 2002, scientists at the University of Athens in Greece conducted a survey of over 35,000 people in 10 countries around the world, including China, Belgium and South Africa. Of the people that responded to the survey, 24 percent said that they did not sleep well, and based on their responses, 31.6 percent were diagnosed (诊断)with insomnia（失眠）and another 17.5 percent were diagnosed with borderline insomnia. In addition, 30.7 percent of survey respondents reported visiting a doctor for help with sleep problems and 11.6 percent said that they felt very sleepy during the day.

Overall, the survey found that ninny people suffer the effects of poor quality sleep, some examples of which are being unable to fall asleep and waking up in the middle of the night. The main factors causing these problems are pressure from school or work and a fast pace of life, but noise pollution and light pollution also interfere with sleep and contribute to poor quality sleep. The survey’s findings are particularly troubling because large numbers of people were found to have difficulty sleeping at night. The short-term effects of this are tiredness and trouble concentrating. If this happens for a long time, the risk of putting on weight and having a heart attack may increase.

There are many things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep. First, you should have regular sleep habits. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. You also need to make your bedroom a cool, dark, quiet place to sleep so that heat, light and noise do not disturb you. At night, you should also avoid things that contain caffeine, such as chocolate, coffee, tea and many soft drinks, as caffeine may keep you from sleeping.

     Getting a good night's sleep is important for everyone. By following the advice above, you can rest better at night and work better during the day.

                     Title: Celebrating Sleep