Are you stuck in a rut（车辙）and looking for a change? Fed up of seeing hungry, poor faces on your TV screen and want to do something to help? Perhaps you’ve considered volunteering overseas but ruled it out because you thought you were too old, couldn’t commit enough time, or have a family. If so, think again.
“Over the past five years it has become far safer --- and more professionally acceptable --- to take up a job volunteering overseas,” says David Stitt, managing director of Gap Year for Grown Ups, a company catering for volunteers in their late 20s and upwards. “While 10 years ago intrepid souls took financial and personal risks in volunteering abroad, now several organizations exist to make the experience safe and well-organized.
Nowadays, universities and business encourage overseas volunteering among students and employees. Entire families can volunteer abroad, and agencies are employing more disabled and retired people. A prosperous “humanitarian tourism” industry has sprung up; thousands of UK citizens will do some form of overseas volunteering this year.
“Some volunteering jobs are easier to find than others,” explains Kevin Cusack, from a volunteer advice agency. “If you can speak English, it’s not too hard to land a job teaching English, even without a qualification, and those who enjoy working with children should be able to find child care work.” zxxk
Whether your interest is rainforests or women’s rights, you can find a volunteer position to suit you. But be warned: unless you have relevant skills or existing overseas development experience, it’s going to cost. Just how much depends on the location and length of the position, but you should budget for somewhere between £1,500 and £6,000.
“Having to pay to volunteer may sound paradoxical (矛盾的), but it’s the best way to ensure you get a position that benefits the local community while matching your interests and skills,” explains Cusack.  “You can also discuss the time you want to commit to a project --- many positions can fit into a holiday or even a weekend.”
【小题1】The underlined words “intrepid souls” in Paragraph 2 most probably refers to ___________.

Are you stuck in a rut（车辙）and looking for a change? Fed up of seeing hungry, poor faces on your TV screen and want to do something to help? Perhaps you’ve considered volunteering overseas but ruled it out because you thought you were too old, couldn’t commit enough time, or have a family. If so, think again.

“Over the past five years it has become far safer --- and more professionally acceptable --- to take up a job volunteering overseas,” says David Stitt, managing director of Gap Year for Grown Ups, a company catering for volunteers in their late 20s and upwards. “While 10 years ago intrepid souls took financial and personal risks in volunteering abroad, now several organizations exist to make the experience safe and well-organized.

Nowadays, universities and business encourage overseas volunteering among students and employees. Entire families can volunteer abroad, and agencies are employing more disabled and retired people. A prosperous “humanitarian tourism” industry has sprung up; thousands of UK citizens will do some form of overseas volunteering this year.

“Some volunteering jobs are easier to find than others,” explains Kevin Cusack, from a volunteer advice agency. “If you can speak English, it’s not too hard to land a job teaching English, even without a qualification, and those who enjoy working with children should be able to find child care work.” zxxk

Whether your interest is rainforests or women’s rights, you can find a volunteer position to suit you. But be warned: unless you have relevant skills or existing overseas development experience, it’s going to cost. Just how much depends on the location and length of the position, but you should budget for somewhere between £1,500 and £6,000.

“Having to pay to volunteer may sound paradoxical (矛盾的), but it’s the best way to ensure you get a position that benefits the local community while matching your interests and skills,” explains Cusack.  “You can also discuss the time you want to commit to a project --- many positions can fit into a holiday or even a weekend.”

1.The underlined words “intrepid souls” in Paragraph 2 most probably refers to ___________.

A．companies        B．volunteers         C．fighters           D．students

2.In Kevin Cusack’s opinion, paying to volunteer overseas ___________.

A．must be incredible and unrealistic

B．can help volunteers learn more about another culture

C．may benefit both volunteers and the community they work in

D．needs confidence, courage and determination

3.What can we learn from the text?

A．Disabled people can also take up a job volunteering overseas.

B．In the past no one could take up a job volunteering overseas.

C．“Humanitarian tourism” industry is in its beginning stage.

D．Taking up a job volunteering overseas needs at least £1,500.

4.Where can we most probably read this article?

A．In a job guidebook.

B．In a celebrity biography.

C．In a guidebook to work overseas.

D．In a report on volunteer work.

5.What is the writer’s attitude towards volunteer work?

A．Critical.           B．Unfavorable.       C．Supportive.        D．Disagreeable.

Four in 10 Chinese complain about the great gap between large investments in education and its returns, a recent nationwide survey has showed.

The Horizon Research Consultancy Group polled 3,355 residents aged 16 to 60 in both urban and rural areas, including Beijing and Shanghai.

The survey found that only 16 percent of respondents believed their investments on education gave good returns.

Those with higher education voiced greater disappointment at the quality of education received, the survey showed.

People in the rural areas generally gave more positive feedback（反馈）on the quality of education than those from the cities, the survey found.

"Our education has been focusing on an examination-oriented system," Huo Qingwen, the deputy director of language education testing service center under the Beijing Foreign Studies University, told China Daily yesterday.

"The survey result doesn't surprise me, as I had heard complaints not only from the students, but also from the teachers who have been asked to focus more about the exam-passing rate," Huo said.

"The job market is still hungry for talented staff, but many graduates are not competent(胜任的) because the posts require more practical experience and creative ability of workers," Huo added.

Most university graduates prefer jobs in large cities, causing an imbalance in human resources between urban and rural areas, Hong said.

The graduates would get better job options if they chose to work at the grassroots (基础的) level because of the government's preferential policies, including the waiving of tuition for those willing to work in the country's rural and western regions, he added.

About 580,000 graduates last year found county- or village-level jobs, and more than 550,000 got jobs in the central and western regions, Ministry of Education figures showed.

"Because many graduates focus only on jobs with high salaries and that are directly relevant to their specialties, they miss other good work opportunities," Kong Xiang, a Beijing graduate who works as an English teacher in a college located at a remote area in Yunnan province, said.

The recent survey showed that education costs form one-quarter of an urban family's income, while it forms one-third of a rural family's income.

46．According to the passage, most people think that _______

A. the investments in education gave them good returns.

B. the investments in education don’t bring them good results.

C. college students are satisfied with their the education received.

D. People in the cities are more satisfied with the quality of education than those in the rural areas.

47．Which of the following is NOT mentioned?

A. China’s education has been focusing on an examination-oriented system.

B. Both the teachers and students are asked to pay more attention to the exam-passing rate.

C. The job market now does not lack university graduates.

D. Most university graduates enjoy hunting jobs in large cities.

48. What would happen to the graduates if they chose to work at the grassroots level?

A. They would get higher salaries.

B. They would get lower salaries.

C. Their tuition would be free.

D. They would get better job choices.

49. How much does the education cost according to the survey?

A. One-third of a family's income.

B. one-quarter of a rural family's income.

C. 25% of an urban family's income.

D. Three in ten a rural family's income.

50. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage.

A. The gap between investments in education and its returns

B. Education and university graduates

C. China’s higher education

D. Education costs

Four in 10 Chinese complain about the great gap between large investments in education and its returns, a recent nationwide survey has showed.
The Horizon Research Consultancy Group polled 3,355 residents aged 16 to 60 in both urban and rural areas, including Beijing and Shanghai.
The survey found that only 16 percent of respondents believed their investments on education gave good returns.
Those with higher education voiced greater disappointment at the quality of education received, the survey showed.
People in the rural areas generally gave more positive feedback（反馈）on the quality of education than those from the cities, the survey found.
"Our education has been focusing on an examination-oriented system," Huo Qingwen, the deputy director of language education testing service center under the Beijing Foreign Studies University, told China Daily yesterday.
"The survey result doesn't surprise me, as I had heard complaints not only from the students, but also from the teachers who have been asked to focus more about the exam-passing rate," Huo said.
"The job market is still hungry for talented staff, but many graduates are not competent(胜任的) because the posts require more practical experience and creative ability of workers," Huo added.
Most university graduates prefer jobs in large cities, causing an imbalance in human resources between urban and rural areas, Hong said.
The graduates would get better job options if they chose to work at the grassroots (基础的) level because of the government's preferential policies, including the waiving of tuition for those willing to work in the country's rural and western regions, he added.
About 580,000 graduates last year found county- or village-level jobs, and more than 550,000 got jobs in the central and western regions, Ministry of Education figures showed.
"Because many graduates focus only on jobs with high salaries and that are directly relevant to their specialties, they miss other good work opportunities," Kong Xiang, a Beijing graduate who works as an English teacher in a college located at a remote area in Yunnan province, said.
The recent survey showed that education costs form one-quarter of an urban family's income, while it forms one-third of a rural family's income.
46．According to the passage, most people think that _______
A. the investments in education gave them good returns.
B. the investments in education don’t bring them good results.
C. college students are satisfied with their the education received.
D. People in the cities are more satisfied with the quality of education than those in the rural areas.
47．Which of the following is NOT mentioned?
A. China’s education has been focusing on an examination-oriented system .
B. Both the teachers and students are asked to pay more attention to the exam-passing rate.
C. The job market now does not lack university graduates.
D. Most university graduates enjoy hunting jobs in large cities.
48. What would happen to the graduates if they chose to work at the grassroots level?
A. They would get higher salaries.                        B. They would get lower salaries.
C. Their tuition would be free.                           D. They would get better job choices.
49. How much does the education cost according to the survey ?
A. One-third of a family's income.
B. one-quarter of a rural family's income.
C. 25% of an urban family's income.
D. Three in ten a rural family's income.
50. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage.
A. The gap between investments in education and its returns
B. Education and university graduates
C. China’s higher education
D. Education costs

Four in 10 Chinese complain about the great gap between large investments in education and its returns, a recent nationwide survey has showed.

The Horizon Research Consultancy Group polled 3,355 residents aged 16 to 60 in both urban and rural areas, including Beijing and Shanghai.

The survey found that only 16 percent of respondents believed their investments on education gave good returns.

Those with higher education voiced greater disappointment at the quality of education received, the survey showed.

People in the rural areas generally gave more positive feedback（反馈）on the quality of education than those from the cities, the survey found.

"Our education has been focusing on an examination-oriented system," Huo Qingwen, the deputy director of language education testing service center under the Beijing Foreign Studies University, told China Daily yesterday.

"The survey result doesn't surprise me, as I had heard complaints not only from the students, but also from the teachers who have been asked to focus more about the exam-passing rate," Huo said.

"The job market is still hungry for talented staff, but many graduates are not competent(胜任的) because the posts require more practical experience and creative ability of workers," Huo added.

Most university graduates prefer jobs in large cities, causing an imbalance in human resources between urban and rural areas, Hong said.

The graduates would get better job options if they chose to work at the grassroots (基础的) level because of the government's preferential policies, including the waiving of tuition for those willing to work in the country's rural and western regions, he added.

About 580,000 graduates last year found county- or village-level jobs, and more than 550,000 got jobs in the central and western regions, Ministry of Education figures showed.

"Because many graduates focus only on jobs with high salaries and that are directly relevant to their specialties, they miss other good work opportunities," Kong Xiang, a Beijing graduate who works as an English teacher in a college located at a remote area in Yunnan province, said.

The recent survey showed that education costs form one-quarter of an urban family's income, while it forms one-third of a rural family's income.

46．According to the passage, most people think that _______

A. the investments in education gave them good returns.

B. the investments in education don’t bring them good results.

C. college students are satisfied with their the education received.

D. People in the cities are more satisfied with the quality of education than those in the rural areas.

47．Which of the following is NOT mentioned?

A. China’s education has been focusing on an examination-oriented system .

B. Both the teachers and students are asked to pay more attention to the exam-passing rate.

C. The job market now does not lack university graduates.

D. Most university graduates enjoy hunting jobs in large cities.

48. What would happen to the graduates if they chose to work at the grassroots level?

A. They would get higher salaries.                        B. They would get lower salaries.

C. Their tuition would be free.                           D. They would get better job choices.

49. How much does the education cost according to the survey ?

A. One-third of a family's income.

B. one-quarter of a rural family's income.

C. 25% of an urban family's income.

D. Three in ten a rural family's income.

50. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage.

A. The gap between investments in education and its returns

B. Education and university graduates

C. China’s higher education

D. Education costs