第二部分 阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分，满分40分)

阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

A

For many students in the UK today, deciding whether or not to go to university can be as much about affordability as it is about ambition and aspiration (抱负).

In times gone by, students in the UK could apply to a university or college safe in the knowledge that even if they came from a low income family, their tuition fees and some of their living costs would be covered by a local authority grant (拨款). A university education was, in a financial sense, open to all and the number of students attending university grew year on year.

Sadly, it seems those days are long gone. The turning point came in 1998, when the Labour Government introduced tuition fees of ￡1,000 a year and, instead of giving students a grant, asked them to cover their own living expenses with a repayable student loan. Only students on the lowest incomes were entitled to a grant.

The flood gates had been opened. As time passed, the ceiling on tuition fees rose, and although applicants from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales still qualified for varying levels of subsidy (资助), by 2009/10 students in England often found themselves facing tuition fees in excess of ￡3,000 a year.

But the biggest change was still to come. In 2011 the Government announced that from 2012 universities could charge fees of up to ￡9,000 a year. Although the Government sweetened the pill by stating that postgraduates did not have to begin repaying their student loans until they were earning more than ￡21,000 a year, the news created outrage. Many students argued that it was unfair that students should have to begin their work life saddled with (承担起) huge debt, while others complained that the changes would bring back a class divide to university education. These views were reflected in the number of students applying for a university place, which by January 2012 fell by more than 22,000. The Universities Minister, David Willetts, stood by the decision to increase tuition fees, saying that they would not “put universities’ finance on a sustainable footing” and facilitate “a stronger focus on high quality teaching”.

31. From the first paragraph, we know today in the UK _______.

A. students are ambitious

B. students want to go to college

C. many students find it difficult to afford a college education

D. the college students’ financial stress has been greatly relieved

32. In the past, _______ in the UK.

A. students weren’t bothered about the college tuition fees

B. students used to carefully consider whether to go to college or not

C. students were unwilling to apply to a college or a university

D. students needn’t pay any tuition fees or living costs by themselves

33. The Labor Government’s policy on tuition fees didn’t include _______.

A. asking students to cover living expenses with loans

B. covering part of living costs for students

C. asking students to pay tuition fees

D. giving students on the lowest incomes grants

34. According to David Willetts, increasing tuition fees would _______.

A. relieve the government’s financial burden

B. attract more talented applicants

C. help improve the teaching quality of universities

D. cause a class divide for university education

B

Every athlete, from Tiger Woods (a golf player) to a high school quarterback (橄榄球赛中指挥反攻的四分卫), uses a form of self-hypnosis (自我催眠) to move their game to the next level. Use the Olympics to learn how to use the amazing power of your subconscious (潜在意识) to do the same with your sport.

Here are some examples of how to best use the power of the mind:

During the 2004 Olympics, one of the swimmers told of how she would fall asleep each night with the picture of a clock in her mind. It was the timer’s clock she would see at the end of her Olympic swim and it always had her world-record-breaking time on it.

In his pre-shot routine, Tiger Woods never varies the number of practice swings or intensity of his concentration. The pre-shot routine is always the same so that the stroke will always be the same.

Michael Phelps, American Swimming Gold Medalist, always stretches out his back and arms by swinging both arms three times before his event. Not 2, not 4: always 3. He is anchoring (固定) in his winning state of mind and state of body as well as stretching.

In athletics, an anchor is a gesture or series of gestures that put you into the frame of mind (and body) you want to be in to win. Repetition is what makes it work. That means practice, practice, practice — with your body as well as your mind.

Begin right now creating a ritual (固定程序) before you exercise. Visualize yourself doing whatever you do faster, longer, higher — whatever adverb works best for your particular activity. Then begin to mentally rehearse it. See or imagine yourself — with your ideal body — doing your activity better, faster, longer, etc. Using both the power of your brain and the activity of your body, soon you will be better and fitter as you use the Olympics to help you create a happier and healthier you.

35. From the third paragraph, we know 　　　.

A. the swimmer has already broken the world record once

B. the swimmer was using her mind power to build up confidence

C. the swimmer was too nervous to go to sleep before the Games

D. the swimmer has a problem in counting

36. The example of Tiger Woods shows that 　　　.

A. golf players always do the same pre-shots before events

B. Tiger Woods attaches great importance to mind power

C. Tiger Woods doesn’t want to give away his skills before events

D. golf players never change their habits

37. Why does Michael Phelps always take the same warming-up activities before his events?

A. Because back and arms are the most important parts for a swimmer.

B. Because this is the best stretching for any swimmer.

C. Because this is the best way to adjust his state.

D. Because he wants to confuse his opponents.

38. From the sixth paragraph, we know that 　　　.

A. an anchor is the state of mind and body you want to win

B. you can make an anchor work by constant practice

C. the anchor is mainly related to the practice of the body in athletics

D. an anchor can make sure that you will do well in sports