Students who work during term time to support themselves at university are far more likely to graduate with a poor degree, according to a government-funded study published yesterday. Undergraduates with part-time jobs are a third less likely to get a first or upper second-class degree than other students, harming their career chances. Students from the poorest backgrounds were most likely to take jobs during term because they could not depend on help from their parents. The report, commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills, also found a clear relation between fear of debt and employment in non-graduate jobs. Students from poorer backgrounds are known to be more unwilling to be in debt than those from middle class families. The study of 8,600 people who graduated in 1999 was made by Peter Elias, of Warwick University, and Kate Purcell, from Bristol Business School. They found that twice as many first-class degrees were awarded to students who did not work during term compared with those who did. Between 35 and 38 percent who worked during term achieved a lower second, compared with about 28 percent of those who did not. Professor Elias said that the increase in school fees next year to PS3,000 would have to be monitored carefully for its effect on poorer students. "Higher education is going to be a harder struggle for those who do not come with all the advantages," he said. He suggested that universities could get in touch with employers to provide work experience on good salaries to choose students during holidays, so that they did not have to work during term. Students who took term-jobs at university _ . A) had no possibility to study better than those who didn't B) couldn't graduate from school normally in the future C) might have trouble in finding a job in the future D) were more independent than those who didn't in the future
C
(Question)
South Asia heatwave kills nearly 100 DHAKA - A heat wave sweeping India, Bangladesh and Nepal has killed nearly 100 people over the past two weeks, officials said on June 3, 2005. A third of the people died in northern Bangladesh, mostly women and children from dehydration , heat stroke and diarrhoea . "We are getting reports of several deaths due to heat wave and related diseases almost every day," an official said, as temperatures touched 43degC . The weather office in Dhaka said the hot weather will persist for another week until the monsoon rains which are normally due by the middle of June. Severe heat conditions in the southern Indian have killed at least 55 people, officials in the two states said. While temperatures have fallen from a high of 45degC in Andhra Pradesh to around 40degC, giving a respite to people, they are still on the rise in Orissa with Talcher town registering 48.5deg C, a weather official said. At least five people have died in prefix = st1 /Nepalfrom extreme heat, the government said. When the monsoon rains come, the temperature will _ . A) remain the same B) go on to rise sharply C) begin to drop obviously D) rise a little
(Answer)
C
Ques: I had five hours in the company of First Great Western(FGW) last weekend, on a train full of passengers, all the way from Cornwall to London. I got to know some of my fellow passengers rather well. Not through talking to them, you understand. There was the youth who was explaining to his friend exactly how he enjoyed a party with his friends last night. Opposite him was a young woman who was very excited to be going to Lanzarote for her summer holiday. And then there was the man who I took to be a car mechanic ; so detailed and technical was his conversation about a second-hand Audi. Everyone had a different, noisy ringtone, and none of the mobile phone conversations I was forced to hear was interesting. By the end of the journey, I was silently complaining about the modern world, and feeling mad with FGW who, at the very moment when our carriage fell silent, would make an announcement about the buffet car (a carriage where food and drinks are sold) either opening or closing. FGW seems to be campaigning against peace and quietness, having removed quiet carriage spaces where passengers were requested not to use mobiles so that their trains could carry more passengers. How so? I cannot understand why FGW takes no notice of passengers like me, who have suffered a lot from hearing endless telephone conversations. I have no interest in the smallest details of others' lives. Making people listen to boring mobile phone conversations should be regarded as a rude act." Every train carriage should, in theory, be quiet. Why can't that be the standard? It is possible to change public custom and practice. It was not so long ago that sidewalks were littered with dog waste:now it's a general rule that dog owners clean it up after their pets. And once we restore peace and quietness to trains, we can then move on and stop people bringing fast food onto them, too. The author mentioned the rule of cleaning up dog mess to show _ . A) dog mess has become a serious problem B) quiet carriages can become the standard C) noise in carriages is as troubling as dog mess D) changing public custom and practice is difficult
Ans: B
Many of us are used to hearing stories of people being pickpocketed in busy places. But most of us are aware of the dangers, so we are safe - at least, we think we are. According to a BBC report, a growing number of thieves are trying to "hack our mind's weaknesses" to get their hands on our possessions. "In fact, the key requirement for a successful pickpocket isn't having quick fingers," said the report. By using psychology, some pickpockets are taking advantage of the loopholes in our brains. Our lack of ability to multitask is one of the most important loopholes used by pickpockets, the report explains. While this can often be a good trait , allowing us to focus on the most important details in our surroundings, "a good trickster can use it against you, " said neuroscientist Auzana Martinez-Conde. "It's all about directing people's attention toward something else," said James Brown, who studies the tricks of pickpocketing. Confidence, the power of suggestion, and certain hand movements such as moving your hands in an arc are all said to be things that fool us. Groups of pickpockets use a common trick designed to create a scene and confuse victims. The first gang member, a "blocker", walks in front of the victim and suddenly bumps into them. A second member of the gang then bumps into both of them from behind and stages an argument with the "blocker". In the confusion, both men steal what they can and pass it to a third thief who quickly runs off with the stolen goods. Some thieves go even further to exploit our psychology by hanging out near signs reading "beware of pickpockets". Since this is one of the last places people expect to be robbed, many check where their valuables are, giving away their location to thieves. But according to Brown, as long as we don't daydream in public, we shouldn't be worried. "A street thief will avoid like the plague " people who are demonstrating a very open awareness of their environment," he said. When groups of pickpockets use their common trick, _ . A) it is the third thief's task to steal what they can from the victim B) the victim usually doesn't dare to argue with them C) the victim usually gets confused and lets down his or her guard D) two members bump into the victim from different directions at the same time
C