9．High school students and families are increasingly questioning the value of higher education．Is investing（投資） in a college or university education still worth it？The short answer is"yes．"There is no doubt that college pays off financially．A wide range of statistics shows that economic advantage of a four-year college education．Over a lifetime，students who graduate from college can expect to make about 60% more than those who do not．College graduates also tend to lead more active lives．They vote more often，volunteer more often and are more likely to own a home．Education encourages people to engage as citizens and live healthier and longer lives．
But what about the benefits of college that are more difficult to measure？They are even more significant and add up to a lot of value over the course of a lifetime．
College takes students to places they've never been before．College is a passport to different places，different times，and different ways of thinking．It gives students a chance to understand themselves differently，seeing how their lives are both like and unlike those who lived in other ages and other lands．
College introduces students to people they've never met before．One of the most important ways in which students learn，at college and universities everywhere，is by interacting with people who are different from themselves both inside and outside of the classroom．
College teaches students the importance of slowing down．No one denies（否認） the value of speed，but"thinking"is a word that is too often forgotten．College teaches students to slow down，to transform information to insight and knowing to understanding．It develops critical engagement，enlightened skepticism，and an endless desire to self-educate，preparing students for a lifetime of considering information and growing in knowledge and in wisdom．
In these ways and in so many others，college helps students see themselves differently，giving them the room and license to imagine new possibilities．Yes，it opens opportunities reflected in earning and employment statistics．But，perhaps even more valuable，it opens minds and worlds in ways that cannot be measured．The value of higher education is embodied（體現(xiàn)）by people who dream bigger and achieve more，who create their own futures and shape their own fate．
49．According to the passage，a more important benefit of higher education is thatA
A．the benefits are hard to measure
B．graduates can be healthier
C．they get economic reward
D．graduates can know more places
50．What is the attitude of the author towards higher education？C
A．Doubtful
B．Indifferent
C．Positive
D．Negative
51．According to the passage，it is good to slow down because we canD
A．have less stress
B．transform information
C．work more efficiently
D．have time to think and reflect
52．The main purpose of the passage is toB
A．compare and evaluate
B．a(chǎn)rgue and discuss
C．examine and assess
D．inform and explain
53．Which is the best title for the passage？D
A．The Reason for Getting Education
B．Better Education Ensures Better Life
C．The Way of Making Higher Education Worthy
D．College Helps Students Dream of More Than a Salary．
分析 本文通過描述人們對高等教育的質(zhì)疑，表明了大學四年教育帶給人們的有益之處，指出人們通過高等教育創(chuàng)造自己的未來和塑造自己命運，并且塑造自己正確的價值觀與人格．
解答 49．A；主旨大意題；由文中最后一段的The value of higher education is embodied by people who dream bigger and achieve more，who create their own futures and shape their own fate．可知高等教育的意義是人們所無法估計的，也是巨大的，所以說高等教育的意義是很難測量的，故選A．
50．C；細節(jié)理解題；由文中第一段的The short answer is"yes．"There is no doubt that college pays off financially．可知簡短的回答是"是的"，毫無疑問，大學在經(jīng)濟上是有回報的．作者承認高等教育對人是有好處的，所以作者面對高等教育的態(tài)度是積極的，故選C．
51．D；細節(jié)理解題；由文中第二段的College teaches students to slow down，to transform information to insight and knowing to understanding．可知大學教學生慢下來，把信息轉(zhuǎn)化為洞察力，并懂得理解．所以說我們要學會慢下來是因為要有時間去思考和反應(yīng)，故選D．
52．B；主旨大意題；通讀全文可知本文是在人們質(zhì)疑大學教育的情況下對高等教育的意義進行討論，使得人們承認高等教育存在的必要性，所以本文主要是為了爭辯和討論，故選B．
53．D；主旨大意題；由文中第一段的investing in a college or university education still worth 可知本文講述的是大學教育的投資是值得的，由文中最后一段的The value of higher education is embodied by people who dream bigger and achieve more，who create their own futures and shape their own fate可知大學幫助學生實現(xiàn)夢想的意義大于拿到更多的薪水，故選D．
點評 本文考察學生的細節(jié)理解和概括能力以及細心程度，只要抓住文章的關(guān)鍵詞，采用尋讀的方法查找細節(jié)，就能找到正確答案．
