1．More students than ever before are taking a gap year（間隔年） before going to university．It used to be the"year off"between school and university．The gap-year phenomenon originated（起源） with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year．
This year，25，310students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year，according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service （UCAS）．
That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year．Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education．"Students who take a well-planned yar out are more likely to be satisfied with，and complete，their chosen course．Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible，"he said．
But not everyone is happy．Owain James，the president of the National Union of Students （NUS），argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship-young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education．"New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to￡15，000in debt．It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree．NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacating periods，"he said．
21．What do we learn about the gap year from the text？B
A．It is flexible in length．
B．It is increasingly popular．
C．It is a time for relaxation．
D．It is required by universities．
22．According to Tony Higgins，students taking a gap yearC．
A．know a lot more about their future job
B．a(chǎn)re more likely to leave university in debt
C．a(chǎn)re better prepared for college studies
D．have a better chance to enter top universities
23．How does Owain James feel about the gap-year phenomenon？D
A．He's annoyed．
B．He's puzzled．
C．He's surprised．
D．He's worried．
分析 本文提到大學的學費高使得很多大學生在上大學學前就要先去掙錢然后再上大學學習．這樣的好處是讓學生更珍惜大學的時光，更成熟有責任感．但是也給人們帶來了思考．
解答 21．B，推理判斷題．由短文第一段More students than ever before are taking a gap year（間隔年） before going to university．可知，過間隔年學生比以前多了，第三段第一句話That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year．可知體驗間隔年數(shù)量上升了14.7%，說明越來越受到歡迎，因此選B．
22．C，細節(jié)理解題．由人名定位到短文第三段．Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with，and complete，their chosen course．Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible，"he said．第三段在說它的優(yōu)點，有間隔年之后再去上大學，會讓人更成熟有責任感，對大學的學習有幫助．故選C．
23．D，細節(jié)理解題．根據(jù)文章最后一段But not everyone is happy．然后提到Owain，Owain James，the president of the National Union of Students （NUS），argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship，這證明學生很難；…more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree．他說越來越多的學生會在gap year期間是要去掙大學的費用．故選D．
點評 解答任務型閱讀理解題，首先對原文材料迅速瀏覽，掌握全文的主旨大意．因為閱讀理解題一般沒有標題，所以，速讀全文，抓住中心主旨很有必要，在速讀的過程中，應盡可能多地捕獲信息材料．其次，細讀題材，各個擊破．掌握全文的大意之后，細細閱讀每篇材料后的問題，弄清每題要求后，帶著問題，再回到原文中去尋找、捕獲有關(guān)信息．最后，要善于抓住每段的主題句，閱讀時，要有較強的針對性．對于捕獲到的信息，要做認真分析，仔細推敲，理解透徹，只有這樣，針對題目要求，才能做到穩(wěn)、準．
