Questions 1-4
Complete the flow chart below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
练习二
Literacy in Freedonia's prisons
In 1993, the Government of Freedonia's National Prisons Directorate (NPD) carried out a research project to investigate the extent of literacy in Freedonia's prison population.
The notion that prisoners are poor readers and writers seems to be questioned very little by the public despite the lack of hard evidence to support such a view . The media, in particular, continue to portray prisoners as illiterate and generally poorly educated. Freedonia's leading daily newspaper, The Freedonian, for example, frequently makes such statements as “Freedonia's jails are full of people who can't read!” (4 May, 1992). But the media are not the only ones who are critical. Research into attitudes of prison officials shows that they, too, hold that prisoners are poor readers (McDonnell, 1989). Overseas studies have also been influential in strengthening this view. For example, a survey of Canadian prisoners by Kohl in 1987 revealed a literacy rate ranging from 15% to 55%, while an Australian study of the same year showed similar results. To add to the general criticism, Freedonia's criminologists are beginning to suggest that crime is a product of illiteracy (Bass, 1988; Katz & Wallport, 1989). The NPD commissioned its study to compare prisoner literacy with that of the general public to see how Freedonian prisoners actually conform to these perceptions.
The study, carried out by the Literacy Institute of the Freedonian National University, took as samples 200 male prisoners from Yaxchilan Men's Correctional Institute and 150 female prisoners from Monambak Women's Prison. The prisoners were each made to work through a series of activities designed to assess performance in three separate literacy areas. The three areas included what the study termed “X-literacy”, which is the ability to correctly fill out forms or follow written directions; “Y-literacy”, the comprehension of reading passages; and “Z- literacy”, which calls for correct interpretation of text that is primarily number-based. This latter skill often includes some calculation. All activities were identical to those used in a national adult literacy survey carried out in 1990.
It was found that the prison population did, in fact, have a lower rate of X-literacy than the general population, but that the overall difference was slight. In an activity which had the prisoners complete mock job applications, for example, just 62% of female and 60% of male prisoners could correctly fill out the applications compared with 66% in the national adult sample (see figure 1). Similar differences were found between general and prison populations in completing insurance applications, although it should be mentioned that individual differences in this task were great.
There were activities in which prisoners did more noticeably worse, however. In one activity, the proportion of male prisoners who could correctly identify the main and secondary points of newspaper articles was 54%, compared with 64% of the general public. Interestingly, female prisoners, with 61%, were much closer to the national average for this activity. Prisoners, again more noticeably males, also did significantly worse in keeping a running total of a bank account, a quantitative task of relative complexity.
But, importantly, both male and female prisoners outperformed the national adult sample in other activities; in one, far fewer general adults than prisoners could correctly interpret train timetables, while in identifying directions on medical prescriptions, both male and female prisoners were marginally better than their counterparts on the other side of the prison fence.
Figure 1:Percentage correct on assorted literacy tasks
The results show that prisoners and the general adult population, seen from an overall perspective, are on an equivalent literacy level. Certainly, prisoners appear to display weaknesses in particular literacy areas, but if the results accurately reflect the prison population as a whole, it would be inaccurate and hencinappropriate to conclude that prisoners are the worse readers and writers. Th e study should not be taken to suggest that there are no literacy problemsamong prisoners, however, because while prisoners may be no worse off than the genera l adult public, the general adult public cannot be said to perform very well in any of the literacy tasks. Indeed, in commenting on the results of the NPD study , Wallport (1994) wrote, “It seems our initial assessment of literacy among prisoners was not incorrect. Where we were mistaken was in how we viewed the skill levels of the general public.”
literacy: the ability to read and write
mock: not real
Questions 1-3
The author of Reading Passage 2 mentions several influences on how prisoner literacy is generally viewed. One of these influences is “Freedonia's criminologist s”. Identify THREE other influences.Using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer, write the three influences separately in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet.
Questions 4-8
Below is a list of the materials used in assessing the three
literacy areas in the NPD study. Complete the list. Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the passage for answer. Write your answers in boxes 4-8 on your answer sheet.
MATERIALS USED IN:
X-literacy activities
... (4) ...
... (5) ...
Example
medical prescriptions
Y-literacy activities
... (6) ...
Z-literacy activities
... (7) ...
... (8) ...
Questions 9-11
Complete the partial summary below. Choose your answers H-F from the list below the summary and write them in boxes 9-11 on your answer sheet.
NB: There are more phrases than spaces so you will not use them all. You may use any of the phrases more than once.
In comparing the NPD study's findings with that of a similar study of the general adult population in 1990. It was shown that the general adult population was most proficient at correctly ...E... (Example).The largest percentage-point difference between female prisoners and male prisoners was found in ...(9)... Male prisoners scored higher than their female counterparts in ... (10)... and ranked between female prisoners and the general public in ...(11)...
A completing an employment application
B completing an insurance application
C following medical prescription directions
D comprehending newspaper articles
E balancing bank accounts
F using train timetables
Questions 12-13
In analysing the results of the study. The Literacy Institute determined that, due to the sample sizes, differences in scores of 3 percentage points or lower could not be considered significant.
12. How many of the literacy activities in the NPD study showed a difference between male and female prisoners that was significant?
13. How many of the literacy activities showed a difference between female prisoners in the NPD study and the general adult public in the national adult study that was NOT significant?
Write the correct NUMBERS in boxes 12 and 13 on your answer sheet.
Questions 14-15
Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write them in boxes 24-25 on your answer sheet.
14. In setting up its study. the NPD wished to ...
A. see if prisoner illiteracy matched public perceptions.
B. show that prisoner literacy levels are not lower than those of t he general adult public.
C. identify areas in which prisoners need literacy training.
D. show that popular perceptions of prisoner literacy are not correct.
15. The NPD study suggests that ...
A. it is inaccurate to say prisoners have a low literacy level.
B. prisoners compare favourably with the general adult population.
C. neither prisoner literacy nor general adult literacy is very satisfactory.
D. prisoners are worse readers and writers than general adults.
专项练习六LONGER PASSAGES
练习一
The New Ice Age
Antarctica's long dark winter evokes visions of early explorers barely surviving in huts, their huskies and sleds snowbound outside in the harshest conditions imaginable. But times have changed.
Although expeditioners like Mawson, Scott and Amundsen explored and wintered on the continent in the early years of the century, the notion of operating permanent year-round bases in Antarctica was relatively new until the 1950s and 1960s. Even after the Second World War, Antarctica was still being opened up and there were many blank spots on the map. Mawson station, opened in 1954, and Davis in 1957 are Australia's two oldest, continually operated bases on the continent.
In the past, life at these bases was hardly luxurious. It meant caping in cramped zincalun sheds. Listening to katabatic winds scream in the long winter night. Communication with the outside world was restricted to just a few telegraphed lines. Expeditioners heading south were issued with pamphlets listing five-letter codes covering almost every conceivable situation so they could communicate with their families and still keep within strict “word limits” during their year o n base. Humour boosted morale and was an important element of life there. For in stance, “YIKLA” was code for “This is the life!”
Today, living year-round in Antarctica is considerably easier. The weather hasn't changed of course, but you can pick up a telephone and dial direct anywhere in the world. The cost is very modest and is subsidised at 90 cents a minute. All that individuals need to do is to collect the bill at the end of the year.
Because the summer-time work of scientists tends to capture the public's imagination, with revelations about the ozone hole or whale numbers, people tend to overlook the efforts of the 20 or so winterers at each base—mostly tradespeople—who keep the bases going long after “the boffins” (research scientists) have migrated to warmer climates. In doing so, they also keep alive claims to sovereignty of sections of the continent and maintain their environmental interest in this sensitive part of the planet. Aside from its wealth of marine resources, Antarctica controls much of the southern hemisphere's climate. As the only other wholly southern hemisphere continent, Australia, more than any other large nation, h as the most at stake in what happens here.
So what is life like down there? Over the past year, wintering on an Antarctic base has become positively civilised. The conclusion last summer of a 10-year building program has seen the historic zinc-alum shacks and even older wooden sheds built at an early Antarctic base, on Heard Island in 1947, supplanted by vast, bright-coloured buildings with baywindow views and ski-lodge decor. There are video lounges, gymnasiums, bars and libraries. The workshops are comparable to any thing in modern industrialized countries. The food is plentiful. There are even field huts that double as weekenders for those who feel the need to get away from it all. The money's good and eveything from beer to socks is supplied free. No t everyone is pleased with the new luxury. Nowhere were the changes felt more keenly than at Mawson, where the old quarters, with their rugged outpost atmosphere, were shut and the last team of huskies removed. To many old Antarctic hands, it marked the end of the great “Intrepid Age” in Antarctica.
There are some things about life in Antarctica, however, that even central heating and watching a live-via-satellite sports broadcast cannot change. The Antarctic Territory is still one of the most exotic places on Earth. Few people will ever get there. There are no flights which land there—you have to travel as the early explorers did, almost a century ago, by sea. Going to Mawson, for example, means a two-week voyage on an icebreaker such as Aurora Australia,across 500 0 kilometres of the Southern Ocean, one of the roughest stretches of water on Earth. Waves can exceed 15 metres, the ship can pitch 40 degrees and, if you're no t a good sailor, even the industrial strength Avomine prescribed by Antarctic Division doctors won't keep breakfast down. Most often though, tourist ships sail from South American ports, which offer the easiest access to the spectacular coastal scenery of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Once there, after the short shipping season has ended, some time in February when the ice closes in, there is no changing your mind and heading home. You are there for the duration, at least until the pack ice breaks up the following November. Like the early explorers, you are confronted with the challenge of getting along with a small, isolated group of people through the long winter night. Learning to put up with their foibles the way they have to put up with yours. Which is why everyone applying for a job in Antarctica is interviewed by a psychologist before being accepted. As one veteran diesel mechanic at Davis put it: “If you make an ass of yourself down here, there's no place you can go.”
Questions 1-5
The paragraph below summarises information from the Passage. Select ONE word from the reading passage to fill each gap. Write your answers in the spaces numbered 1-5 on the answer sheet.
Antarctica in the 1950s was a very different place from the Antarctica of the 1990s. In those early days, 1. was limited but today, with advancements in telecommunications, 2. calls are not only convenient, they are quite cheap. But however much life in Antarctica improves to become more 3. in terms of facilities, accommodation and food, the 4. never changes. Because of this, scientists, tradespeople, or tourists cannot travel out of Antarctica until at least 5.
Questions 6-9
Write the appropriate letter A, B, C or D in the spaces numbered 6-9 on the answer sheet.
6. The early Antarctic explorers:
A. travelled to the continent during winter.
B. first explored Antarctica in the 1950s.
C. opened permanent bases in Antarctica.
D. were isolated by heavy snow falls.
7. Those currently employed in Antarctica:
A. work only in summer.
B. maintain permanent all season bases.
C. are all publicly acknowledged.
D. are all scientists studying the environment.
8. Recreational opportunities include:
A. staying in short term holiday huts.
B. working in modern workshops.
C. relaxing in ski lodges.
D. sailing to South America.
9. The closure of Mawson base:
A. caused many explorers to leave Antarctica.
B. occurred in 1995.
C. symbolised the change to modern working conditions.
D. was welcomed by experienced Antarctic explorers.
Questions 10-13
Five sentences have been left out of the Passage. Each sentence is divided into Beginning of Sentence and End of Sentence. Complete questions 10-13 by adding a phrase from A-E. Write your answers in the spaces numbered 10-13 on the answer sheet.
Example:All workers...
Answer:B
Beginning of Sentence
10. A major problem is to ...
11. Expeditioners learn ...
12. The pre-departure programs ...
13. Long-term Antarctic residents learn ...
End of Sentence
A... concentrate on the vital aspects of living in a small, isolated community.
B... undertake intensive training before going to Antarctica.
C... stay through winter with no physical contact with the outside world.
D... to survive in freezing conditions, emergency rescue procedures, mountain climbing, radio communications and vehicle use and care.
E... to wait until summer for mail from home.
Questions 14-16
In the Passage a number of difficulties and their solutions are mentioned. Answer questions 14-16 by listing solution for each difficulty. Use ONE word for each solution. All the words you use will come from Reading Passage 3. Write your solutions in the spaces numbered 14-16 on the answer sheet.
14. low spirits of the early expeditioners
15. seasickness
16. how to check the personality of an Antarctic job-seeker
练习二
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage below.
In Praise of Amateurs
Despite the specialisation of scientific research, amateurs still have an important role to play.
During the scientific revolution of the 17th century, scientists were largely men of private means who pursued their interest in natural philosophy for their own edification. Only in the past century or two has it become possible to make a living from investigating the workings of nature. Modern science was, in other words, built on the work of amateurs. Today, science is an increasingly specialised and compartmentalised subject, the domain of experts who know more and more a bout less and less. Perhaps surprisingly, however, amateurs—even those without private means—are still important.
A recent poll carried out at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science by astronomer Dr Richard Fienberg found that, in addition to his field of astronomy, amateurs are actively involved in such fields as acoustics, horticulture, ornithology, meteorology, hydrology and palaeontology. Far from being crackpots, amateur scientists are often in close touch with professionals, some of whom rely heavily on their co-operation.
Admittedly, some fields are more open to amateurs than others. Anything that reuquires expensive equipment is clearly a no-go area. And some kinds of research an be dangerous; most amateur chemists, jokes Dr Fienberg, are either locked up or have blown themselves to bits. But amateurs can make valuable contributions in fields from rocketry to palaeontology and the rise of the Internet has made it easier than ever before to collect data and distribute results.
Exactly which field of study has benefited most from the contributions of amateurs is a matter of some dispute. Dr Fienberg makes a strong case for astronomy. There is, he points out, a long tradition of collaboration between amateur and professional sky watchers. Numerous comets, asteroids and even the planet Uranus were discovered by amateurs. Today, in addition to comet and asteroid spotting, amateurs continue to do valuable work observing the brightness of variable stars and detecting novae—"new" stars in the Milky Way and supernovae in other galaxies. Amateur observers are helpful, says Dr Fienberg, because there are so many of them (they far outnumber professionals) and because they are distributed all over the world. This makes special kinds of observations possible: if several observers around the world accurately record the time when a star is eclipsed by an asteroid, for example, it is possible to derive useful information about the asteroid's shape.
Another field in which amateurs have traditionally played an important role is palaeontology. Adrian Hunt, a palaeontologist at Mesa Technical College in New Mexcio, insists that this is the field in which amateurs have made the biggest conribution. Despite the development of high-tech equipment, he says, the best sensors for finding fossils are human eyes—lots of them. Finding volunteers to look for fossils is not difficult, he says, because of the near-universal interest in anything to do with dinosaurs. As well as helping with this research, volunteers earn about science, a process he calls "recreational education".
Rick Bonney of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, contends that amateurs have contributed the most in his field. There are, he notes, thought to be as many as 60 million birdwatchers in America alone. Given their huge numbers and the wide geographical coverage they provide, Mr Bonney has enlisted thousands of amateurs in a number of research projects. Over the past few years their observations have uncovered previously unknown trends and cycles in bird migrations and revealed declines in the breeding populations of several species of migratory birds, prompting a habitat conservation programme.
Despite the successes and whatever the field of study, collaboration between amateurs and professionals is not without its difficulties. Not everyone, for example is happy with the term "amateur". Mr Bonney has coined the term "citizens cientist" because he felt that other words, such as "volunteer" sounded disparaging. A more serious problem is the question of how professionals can best ack nowledge the contributions made by amateurs. Dr Fienberg says that some amateur astronomers are happy to provide their observations but grumble about not being reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Others feel let down when their observations are used in scientific papers, but they are not listed as co-authors. Dr Hun t says some amateur palaeontologists are disappointed when told that they cannot take finds home with them.
These are legitimate concerns but none seems insurmountable. Provided amateurs and professionals agree the terms on which they will work together beforehand, there is no reason why co-operation between the two groups should not flourish. Last year Dr S. Carlson, founder of the Society for Amateur Scientists won an award worth $290,000 for his work in promoting such co-operation. He says that one o f the main benefits of the prize is the endorsement it has given to the contributions of amateur scientists, which has done much to silence critics among those professionals who believe science should remain their exclusive preserve.
At the moment, says Dr Carlson, the society is involved in several schemes including an innovative rocket-design project and the setting up of a network of observers who will search for evidence of a link between low-frequency radiation and earthquakes. The amateurs, he says, provide enthusiasm and talent, while the professionals provide guidance "so that anything they do discover will be takens eriously". Having laid the foundations of science, amateurs will have much to contribute to its ever-expanding edifice.
Questions 1-8
Complete the summary below. Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write you answers in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.
Summary
Prior to the 19th century, professional ...1... did not exist and scientific research was largely carried out by amateurs. However, while ...2... today is mostly the domain of professionals, a recent US survey highlighted the fact that amateurs play an important role in at least seven ...3... and indeed many professionals are reliant on their ...4.... In areas such as astronomy, amateurs can be in valuable when making specific ...5... on a global basis. Similarly in the area of palaeontology their involvement is invaluable and helpers are easy to recruit because of the popularity of ...6.... Amateur birdwatchers also play an active role and their work has led to the establishment of a ...7....
Occasionally the term "amateur" has been the source of disagreement and alternative names have been suggested but generally speaking, as long as the professional scientists ...8... the work of the non-professionals, the two groups can work productively together.
Questions 9-13
The Passage contains a number of opinions provided by four different scientists. Match each opinion Questions 9-13 with the scientists A-D.NB You may use any of the scientists A-D more than once.
9. Amateur involvement can also be an instructive pastime.
10. Amateur scientists are prone to accidents.
11. Science does not belong to professional scientists alone.
12. In certain areas of my work, people are a more valuable resource than technology.
13. It is important to give amateurs a name which reflects the value of their work.
A. Dr Fienberg
B. Adrian Hunt
C. Rick Bonney
D. Dr Carlson
练习三
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage below.
Indoor Pollution
Since the early eighties we have been only too aware of the devastating effects of large-scale environmental pollution. Such pollution is generally the result of poor government planning in many developing nations or the short-sighted, selfish policies of the already industrialized countries which encourage a minority of the world's population to squander the majority of its natural resources.
While events such as the deforestation of the Amazon jungle or the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl continue to receive high media exposure, as do acts of environmental sabotage, it must be remembered that not all pollution is on this grand scale. A large proportion of the world's pollution has its source much closer to home. The recent spillage of crude oil from an oil tanker accidentally discharging its cargo straight into Sydney Harbour not only caused serious damage to the harbour foreshores but also created severely toxic fumes which hung over the suburbs for days and left the angry residents wondering how such a disaster could have been allowed to happen.
Avoiding pollution can be a full time job. Try not to inhale traffic fumes; keep away from chemical plants and building-sites; wear a mask when cycling. It is enough to make you want to stay at home. But that, according to a growing body of scientific evidence, would also be a bad idea. Research shows that levels of pollutants such as hazardous gases, particulate matter and other chemical "nasties" are usually higher indoors than out, even in the most polluted cities. Since the average American spends 18 hours indoors for every hour outside, it looks as though many environmentalists may be attacking the wrong target.
The latest study, conducted by two environmental engineers, Richard Corsi and Cynthia Howard-Reed, of the University of Texas in Austin, and published in Environmental Science and Technology, suggests that it is the process of keeping clean that may be making indoor pollution worse. The researchers found that baths, showers, dishwashers and washing machines can all be significant sources of in door pollution, because they extract trace amounts of chemicals from the water that they use and transfer them to the air.
Nearly all public water supplies contain very low concentrations of toxic chemicals, most of them left over from the otherwise beneficial process of chlorination. Dr Corsi wondered whether they stay there when water is used, or whether they end up in the air that people breathe. The team conducted a series of experiments in which known quantities of five such chemicals were mixed with water and passed through a dishwashers, a washing machine, a shower head inside a shower stall or a tap in a bath, all inside a specially designed chamber. The levels of chemicals in the effluent water and in the air extracted from the chamber were then measured to see how much of each chemical had been transferred from the water into the air.
The degree to which the most volatile elements could be removed from the water, a process known as chemical stripping, depended on a wide range of factors, including the volatility of the chemical, the temperature of the water and the surface area available for transfer. Dishwashers were found to be particularly effective: the high-temperature spray, splashing against the crockery and cutlery, results in a nasty plume of toxic chemicals that escapes when the door is opened at the end of the cycle.
In fact, in many cases, the degree of exposure to toxic chemicals in tap water by inhalation is comparable to the exposure that would result from drinking the stuff. This is significant because many people are so concerned about water-borne pollutants that they drink only bottled water, worldwide sales of which are forecast to reach $72 billion by next year. Dr Corsi's results suggest that they are being exposed to such pollutants anyway simply by breathing at home.
The aim of such research is not, however, to encourage the use of gas masks when unloading the washing. Instead, it is to bring a sense of perspective to the debate about pollution. According to Dr Corsi, disproportionate effort is wasted campaigning against certain forms of outdoor pollution, when there is as much or more cause for concern indoors, right under people's noses.
Using gas cookers or burning candles, for example, both result in indoor levels of carbon monoxide and particulate matter that are just as high as those to be found outside, amid heavy traffic. Overcrowded classrooms whose ventilation systems were designed for smaller numbers of children frequently contain levels of carbon dioxide that would be regarded as unacceptable on board a submarine. "New car smell" is the result of high levels of toxic chemicals, not cleanliness. Laser printers, computers, carpets and paints all contribute to the noxious indoor mix.
The implications of indoor pollution for health are unclear. But before worrying about the problems caused by large-scale industry, it makes sense to consider the small-scale industry, it makes sense to consider the small-scale pollution at home and welcome international debate about this. Scientists investigating indoor pollution will gather next month in Edinburgh at the Indoor Air conference to discuss the problem. Perhaps unwisely, the meeting is being held indoors.
Questions 1-6
Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
1. In the first paragraph, the writer argues that pollution
A. has increased since the eighties.
B. is at its worst in industrialised countries.
C. results from poor relations between nations.
D. is caused by human self-interest.
2. The Sydney Harbour oil spill was the result of a
A. ship refuelling in the harbour.
B. tanker pumping oil into the sea.
C. collision between two oil tankers.
D. deliberate act of sabotage.
3. In the 3rd paragraph the writer suggests that
A. people should avoid working in cities.
B. Americans spend too little time outdoors.
C. hazardous gases are concentrated in industrial suburbs.
D. there are several ways to avoid city pollution.
4. The Corsi research team hypothesised that
A. toxic chemcials can pass from air to water.
B. pollution is caused by dishwashers and baths.
C. city water contains insufficient chlorine.
D. household appliances are poorly designed.
5. As a result of their experiments, Dr Corsi's team found that
A. dishwashers are very efficient machines.
B. tap water is as polluted as bottled water.
C. indoor pollution rivals outdoor pollution.
D. gas masks are a useful protective device.
6. Regarding the dangers of pollution, the writer believes that
A. there is a need for rational discussion.
B. indoor pollution is a recent phenomenon.
C. people should worry most about their work environment.
D. industrial pollution causes specific diseases.
Questions 7-13
The Passage describes a number of cause and effect relationships. Match each Cause Questions 7-13 in List A with its Effect A-J in List B. Write the appropriate letters A-J in boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet.
List A: CAUSES List B: EFFECTS
7. Industrialized nations used a lot of energy.
8. Oil spills into the sea.
9. The researchers publish their findings.
10. Water is brought to a high temperature.
11. People fear pollutants in tap water.
12. Air conditioning system are inadequate.
13. Toxic chemicals are abundant in new cars.
A. The focus of pollution moves to the home.
B. The levels of carbon monoxide rise.
C. The world's natural resources are unequally shared.
D. People demand an explanation.
E. Environmentalists look elsewhere for an explanation.
F. Chemicals are effectively stripped from the water.
G. A clean odour is produced.
H. Sales of bottled water increase.
I. The levels of carbon dioxide rise.
J. The chlorine content of drinking water increased.
练习四
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-14 which are based on Reading Passage below.
GETTING GIRLS ON LINE
When Nancy Leveson, now a computer science profess or at the University of Washington, was teaching math at a California high school, her best student also happened to be one of the prettiest and most popular girls around. And when the girl got the highest score on a test, Leveson thought nothing of announcing the achievement while handing back the papers. As soon as t he class ended, though, the distraught student approached. She begged her teacher never, ever to embarrass her like that again.
The incident happened nearly 20 years ago, but Leveson notes that little has changed. Now, as then, too many teenage girls feel uncomfortable and even unwelcome in the realms of math, science and computing. Research shows that girls who are gifted in these subjects in elementary school begin to shy away from them by the seventh grade. Eventually, they convince themselves that these are male domains. "By saying only men are good at these things, you make the women who are good at them seem like freaks," says Leveson.
Increasingly, however, educators are trying to reverse the process by retraining teachers and redirecting students. Funded with more than $1 million by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and seven corporations, Computer Equity Expert Project (CEEP) showed 200 math and computer-science teachers how to recognize and eliminate gender bias in their classrooms. CEEP urged teachers to bring more girls into the world of computers by setting up mentoring programs with older students and having girls-only days at the school computer labs.
Both public and private schools are trying to close the technology gap. Because girls tend to do better in the sciences without the distraction of boys, three California schools have started girls-only math classes over the last two years, with promising results. Other schools are hooking up with colleges for help and inspiration.
But however wonderful the subject looks in high school, interest often diminishes in college, where women earned only 30% of the undergraduate degrees awarded in computer science in 1991, and 16% in engineering in 1993, as opposed to medical school, where women make up 36% of total enrolment. The proportion shrinks still more at the doctoral level, where women receive only 15% of computer science PhDs and under 10% of engineering PhDs.
Many college women are turned off by the macho swagger of technojocks at schools like MIT, where staying awake for three days to perfect a piece of software is seen as a test of virility. That kind of attitude "sets cultural parameters not just for MIT but for the intense nature of the computer culture everywhere," says Steven Levy, author of Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.
As a result, it's hard to find female role models in computer science.
To keep women interested in the field, Nancy Leveson and a colleague from the University of British Columbia spearheaded a program that will match 20 female undergraduates with faculty mentors around the country this summer, thanks to a $240000 grant from the NSF.
In Rochester, NY, the Rochester Institute of Technology's Women in Science, Engineering and Math mentoring program aims to spark high school girls' career interests by linking 140 girls and professional women in a computer network. Coordinators, who hope to extend the four-month program to three years, note the intense interest shown by girls and women. "I can't keep the mentors away," says Caro lO' Leary, who helped set the program up. "I was looking for 40, and I have 6 7. Women are anxious to give of themselves."
Eventualy, these computer educators would like to make gender-specific programs obsolete, but that will happen only when computer-science education becomes more creative, according to Paula Rayman, director of Pathways for Women in the Sciences, a research program at Wellesley College. By way of example, Rayman points to her 9-year-old daughter, Lily, whose fourth-grade class at the Bowman Elementary School in Lexington, Mass., is learning several sciences under the guise of bicycle repair. The kids aren't just fixing bikes but ingesting knowledge about mechanics, scientific history and the physics of motion. They're also using their computers to generate charts, graphs and databases. Children of both sexes are eager to work with computers because the machines are revealed as both enter taining and useful, not just as a source of boring drills or violent games, which girls usually find unappealing.
"When it comes to girls and computers," says Rayman, "we've found that there are three ingredients for user-friendliness: hands-on experience, teamwork and relevance." These ingredients, of course, would increase anyone's mastery of computers, as well as the usefulness of the machines. By trying to do a better job of teaching girls, computer scientists may learn quite a lot themselves.
Questions 1-4
Choose the appropriate letters A-D for each question and write them in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
1.Nancy Leveson is.
A. the girl who got the highest score on a test.
B. a university professor.
C. a high school teacher of math.
D. one of the prettiest girls in school.
2.Females generally do best at math and science
A. up to seventh grade.
B. when they feel comfortable and welcome in the course.
C. when they are teenagers.
D. when they can compete with males.
3.CEEP is
A. providing funds for teacher training.
B. redirecting students.
C. banning boys from the computer labs.
D. helping more girls study computers.
4. Which of the following is true about women studying in university?
A. 10% studying engineering got PhDs.
B. 36% of total enrolments are in medical school.
C. 16% of undergraduate engineering degrees were awarded to women.
D. 30% studying computer science in 1991 got degrees.
Questions 5-8
Four individuals are mentioned in the Passage. For whom are the following statements true?
Write the appropriate letters in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
NL Nancy Leveson SL Steve Levy
PR Paula Rayman CO Carol O'Leary
Example Answer
Use to teach mathematics NL
5. has a daughter
6. helped organize the mentor program
7. wrote a book
8. is head of mentor program
Questions 9-14
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage?
In boxes 9-14 on your answer sheet write:
YES if the statement agrees with the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer
