考研英语阅读理解精读练习题.docx

考研英语阅读理解精读练习题

TEXTONEOnceuponatime—whentheU.S.dollarwasking—Americanstudentsblithelyflockedoverseastonibbleonaffordablesconesandcroissantsbetweenclasses.Howtimeshavechanged.Asthedollardipstoall-timelows,collegestudentsarefeelingthepinch.EspeciallyintheUnitedKingdomandcountriesthatusetheeuro—whichcurrentlyisat68centstothedollar—thecostoflivinghasskyrocketed."Yearsagowecouldsaystudyingabroadwasthesamepriceasstayingoncampus,"saysDaeyaMalboeuf,anassociatedirectoratSyracuseUniversity."There'snowaywecansaythatanymore."Yetthisunfavorableeconomicenvironmenthasn'tstoppedstudentsfromscramblingoverseas.AccordingtotheInstituteofInternationalEducation,study-abroadprogramshavegrown144percentinthepastdecadeandcontinuetoincreasearound8percenteachyear.Consideringtherisingcosts,"it'ssurprisinghowlittlethestudentshaven'tbeendeterred,"saysNatalieBartush,whohandlesthestudy-abroadprogramattheUniversityofTexas.Wheretherealchangeappearstobehappeningasaresultofrisingpricesisinthelengthandlocationofstudents'foreignstudychoices.Thenumberofparticipantsinshort-termsummerprogramshasswelled,ashastheinterestincoursesatmoreexoticlocales.ForMiddleburyCollegestudents,forexample,ayearinFlorencecostsaround$37,000;atSantiago,Chile,it's$27,000.SuchpricedifferenceshavecontributedtomodestorflatgrowthattraditionallypopularprogramsinwesternEuropeandAustralia,whereasschoolsinChile,Argentina,SouthAfrica,andChina(particularlyHongKong)areaggressivelyexpandingtomeetrisingdemand.Programdirectorsarequicktopointoutthattheshiftisnotjustaboutmoney."Youcan'tunderstandtheUnitedStatestodaywithoutunderstandingwhat'sgoingonoutsideourborders,andthat'snotjustEuropeanymore,"saysRebeccaHovey,deanofthestudy-abroadprogramattheSchoolforInternationalTraining.Interestinnontraditionallocalesspikedevenbeforethedollarbegandropping,andforeigncountriesaremarketingthemselvestoAmericanstudents.AsurgeofsupportfromeducationnonprofitsandtheStateDepartmentalsohasfueledthetrend.Study-abroadcostsalsovarywildlybasedonthewaycollegesstructurethei