2010考研英语历年真题——报刊阅读100篇.docx

2010考研英语历年真题——报刊阅读100篇

第一篇：2010考研英语历年真题——报刊阅读100篇2010考研英语历年真题——报刊阅读100篇(5).txtUniversityexpansionBRITAIN’Suniversitiesareinanawfulspin.Topuniversitieswereoverwhelmedbythe24%ofA-levelapplicantssportingindistinguishablestraightAs;neweronesarebeatingthebywaysforbodies.Curiously,bothimagesofeducation—theweepingwillowsofCambridgeandthefuturisticarchitectureofUEL—arecherishedbythegovernment.Ministerswanttoseehalfofallyoungpeopleinuniversitiesby2010(numbershavestalledat42%),withoutrelinquishingtheworldclassqualityofitstopinstitutions.Manyarguethatthetwogoalsareincompatiblewithoutspendingalotmoremoney.Researchersscrabbleforfunds,andstudentscomplainoflargeclassesandreducedteachingtime.Tohelpsolvetheproblem,thegovernmentagreedin2004toletuniversitiesincreasetuitionfees.Thoughlow,thefeeshaveintroducedamarketofsortsintohighereducation.Universitiescanoffercut-pricetuition,althoughmosthavestuckclosetothe$3,000.Otherincentivesaremorepopular.NewcomerstoStMark&StJohn,ahigher-educationcollegelinkedtoExeterUniversity,willreceivefreelaptops.Asuniversitiesenterthethirdweekof“clearing”,themarketinghasbecomeweirder.BradfordUniversityisluringstudentswiththechanceofwinninganMP3playerinaprizedraw.PlymouthUniversitystudentsvisitedCornishseasideresorts,temptingyoungholiday-makerswithsurfboardsandcinemavouchers.Theseofferssuggestthatsupplyhasoutstrippeddemand.Notsothetopuniversitiesthatmakeupthe“Russellgroup”,however.TheirranksincludethelikesofImperialCollegeLondonandBristolUniversityalongwithOxfordandCambridge.Swampedwithapplicants,onlyhalfofferanyplacesthroughclearing.Theyhaveadifferentproblem:theyneedmoneytocompeteforhighcalibrestudentsandacademics,bothBritishandforeign,whocouldbetemptedoverseasbybetterheeledAmericanuniversitiesorfastimprovinginstitutionsindevelopingcountriessuchasIndia.Higherfeesandexcesssupplyarecausingstudentstolookmorecriticallyatjustwhatdifferentuniversitieshavetooffer.Andthecrunchcouldbecomemoreacute.Thenumberof18-year-oldsinBritainwilldroparound2010anddeclineovert