(The Guardian): More UK universities should be profiting from ideas A repeated criticism of the UK's university sector is its noticeable weakness in translating new knowledge into new products and services. Recently, the UK National Stem Cell Network warned the UK could lose its place among the world leaders in stem cell research unless adequate funding and legislation could be assured, despite an annual PS40m spent by the Department of Health on all kinds of research. However, we do have to challenge the unthinking complaint that the sector does not do enough in taking ideas to market. The most recent comparative data on the performance of universities and research institutions in Australia, Canada, USA and UK shows that, from a relatively weak starting position, the UK now leads on many indicators of commercialization activity. When viewed at the national level, the _ (interference) of the past decade have helped transformed the performances of UK universities. Evidence suggests the UK's position is much stronger than in the recent past and is still showing improvement. But national data masks the very large variation in the performance of individual universities. The evidence shows that a large number of universities have fallen off the back of the pack, a few perform strongly and the rest chase the leaders. This type of uneven distribution is not strange to the UK and is mirrored across other economies. In the UK, research is concentrated: less than 25% of universities are receiving 75% of the research funding. These same universities are also the institutions producing the greatest share of PhD graduates, science citations, patents and license income. The effect of policies generating long-term resource concentration has also created a distinctive set of universities which are research-led and commercially active. It seems clear that the concentration of research and commercialization work creates differences between universities. The core objective for universities which are research-led... What dose the author suggest research-led universities do? A) Fully use their research to benefit all sectors of society. B) Generously share their facilities with those short of funds. C) Advertise their research to win international recognition. D) Spread their influence among top research institutions.
A
China Earthquake Leaves 5,000 Homeless Beijing--An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale left 5,000 people homeless, killed at least one person and injured 39 others in southwest China on Thursday, with more accidents expected. By late Thursday, 4,900 people were declared homeless after the quake destroyed their homes in a mountainous area lying on the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. The dawn quake left one dead and 39 injured, destroyed 268 houses and damaged 1,132 other buildings so seriously that they were considered uninhabitable . Another 2,400 houses suffered less serious damage. The center of the earthquake was near the scenic Lugu Lake, a tourist place, where the local school was badly damaged. In the beginning people thought that the economic losses would add up to about 180 million yuan (22 million dollars). Governments in Yanyuan and the neighboring Yunnan country of Ninglang have joined forces in the rescue efforts and tents, clothes and medicine are badly in need of for the earthquake victims. The mountainous place, heavy rain and several aftershocks all prevented rescue efforts on Thursday. The rain could cause more badly damaged homes to fall down. More dead and injured are expected" as rescuers have yet to reach many faraway areas". It is very hard for rescue workers because most houses are scattered around the mountains, which are inhabited by Yi and other ethnic minority groups . The quake hit the area at 5:10 a.m. Beijing time (2,110 Wednesday GMT).Earthquakes regularly affect _ , with two quakes measuring 5.0 and 6.2 on the Richter scale killing at least three people and injuring more than 1,500 in Ninglang in November 1998. The area is about 100 kilometers from the historic Yunnan town of Lijiang, which was struck in 1996 by an earthquake that killed more than 250 people and injured 14,000. (Reports from China Daily,May 25,2001) The earthquake took place _ . A) in the early morning B) at noon C) in the afternoon D) at night
A
Q: The world shares him and London claims him, but Stratford-on-Avon intends to spend 2016 celebrating Shakespeare as their man: the bard of Avon, who was born there in 1564, and died there 400 years ago. Stratford remained hugely important throughout Shakespeare's life, argues Paul Edmondson, the head of learning and research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. "People have seen Shakespeare as a Dick Whittington figure, who turns his back on Stratford and his family, goes to London to earn his fortune and only comes back to die," he said. "But Stratford is where he bought land and property, where he kept his library, where he lived and read and thought. We are going to spend the year re-emphasizing the importance of Shakespeare, the man of Stratford." The anniversary of the death of the most famous and the most performed playwright in the world will be marked across Britain and the globe. Macbeth is about to open in Singapore, Romeo and Juliet in Brussels. Shakespeare's Globe is completing the first world tour, in which it has taken Hamlet to almost every country. North Korea is still holding out, though. The Globe director recently jokily claimed Shakespeare as a true Londoner. Stratford, however, will be insisting that the town made and educated Shakespeare. "His old school room in Stratford-on-Avon where Shakespeare learned 'small Latin and less Greek' --as kindly laughed at by his friend Ben Johnson--will open its doors, scarred by centuries of naughty schoolboys, to mark 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death," said Paul Edmondson. Shakespeare bought the splendid New Place, the second best house in the town, when he had made his fortune on the London stage. "You don't buy a house like New Place and not live there," Paul said. He believes that after Shakespeare bought it, all his thinking time was spent there, and that the late plays, including The Tempest, were at least planned in his library and probably written there. What can be a suitable title for the text? A) Bard of London B) Man of Stratford C) Life of Shakespeare D) Plays of Shakespeare
A: B
Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children's careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sportsmen and sportswomen? For many children it means starting schoolwork very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It's very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing. Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and sportswomen. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child's development and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. All can be very expensive. Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may he damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training when young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training. _ can become the best players after many years of training. A) Most people B) Many people C) merely a few people D) No people
C