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Directions:
Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Betsy Holden was vice-president of strategy and new products at Kraft, a giant food company, when she became pregnant for the second time. “No one has ever done the job with two children,” her male boss worried. “How many children do you have?” Ms. Holden asked. “Two,” he replied.
This double standard is only one of the barriers that female executives face, as recounted in “Power Moms”, a new book by Joann Lublin, a former Wall Street Journal columnist. The author focuses on two waves of female leaders. The first group were the baby-boomers, born between 1946 and 1964. These were often the only women in upper management at their firms. They faced a lot of pressure to be hands-on mothers, had little support from their husbands and were reluctant to ask for reduced schedules for fear of not seeming committed to their jobs.
The second wave of women, born between 1974 and 1985, had female colleagues in upper management, expected (and usually received) support from their spouses, and benefited from employer perks, such as maternity leave and flexible working. This later generation has mastered the “work-life sway” in which they move back and forth between their personal and professional lives in the course of a day, conducting a meeting before taking their children for a check-up and then returning to the office.
A Harvard Business School study shows that adult daughters of employed mothers are more likely to hold supervisory responsibility and earn higher incomes while sons are likely to spend more time caring for family members. And companies are now much more willing to promote women, who make up more than a fifth of senior executive positions in American firms, compared with just 10% in 1996. A few are exceptionally accommodating, for example providing rooms where mothers can express milk, sinks to wash the breast pump and even courier services to deliver the milk when they are away on a business trip.
Despite the advances made by female executives, things are even more difficult for the vast majority of working mothers. Many work in smaller businesses, where maternity benefits and flexible hours are less likely to be available. The author writes that “nothing is more essential to an employed mother’s professional success than reliable high-quality child care”, and for many women who are not executives, this is a constant headache.
It is good news that many more women have climbed the corporate ladder. There needs to be a lot more progress made in helping the vast majority of women to juggle their home and work lives, not least by providing affordable child care.
21. Betsy Holden’s story is cited because __________.
[A] she had a common topic of child care with her boss
[B] she was a brilliant female senior executive at Kraft
[C] she felt totally inadequate as a parent of two kids
[D] it represents the barriers that female leaders encounter
22. The first wave of female leaders is characterized by their __________.
[A] having female colleagues in upper management
[B] husbands sharing household duties with them
[C] willingness to take on their already saturated workload
[D] having a carefree attitude toward life
23. Which of the following is true about the second wave of women?
[A] They had little support from their husbands.
[B] They were the majority of the management.
[C] They can balance the work and life.
[D] They mastered some professional skills.
24. Which of the following is true about adult daughters of employed mothers?
[A] They are more likely to earn an insufficient salary.
[B] They tend to spare more time caring for family members.
[C] They are more possible to undertake supervisory obligations.
[D] There is a great possibility for them to get promoted.
25. The most important thing to an employed mother is __________.
[A] professional training
[B] maternity benefits
[C] flexible hours
[D] children supervision
The biggest success of the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long campaign to push doubt about climate science is that it forced the conversation about the climate crisis to centre on science.
It’s not that we didn’t need scientific research into climate change, or that we don’t need plenty more of it. But at this moment, “believe science” is too high a bar for something that demands urgent action. Believing science requires understanding it in the first place. In the US, the world’s second-biggest carbon polluter, fewer than 40% of the population are college-educated and in many states, schools in the public system don’t have climate science on the curriculum. So where should this belief—strong enough to push for large-scale social and behavioral change—be rooted exactly?
People don’t need to know anything at all about climate science to know that a profound injustice has occurred here that needs to be righted. It’s not a scientific story, it’s a story of fairness: people with more power and money than you used information about climate change to shore up their own prospects and told you not to worry about it. That story is backed up by not only the internal memos of various oil companies, and the discrepancies between those internal communications and what they were telling the public, but also by their patents. For example, in 1973, Exxon secured a patent for an oil tanker that could easily navigate a melting Arctic.
Lori French’s family fish for crab in the coast of California, who signed on to support a lawsuit by their trade association against the 30 largest oil companies in the world for their role in delaying action on climate. They were shown various documents detailing how the fossil fuel industry had been preparing to not just weather climate impacts but continue to profit as the glaciers melted. For French, it didn’t really matter whether climate change was caused by burning fossil fuels or natural planetary force. She sidestepped the origin story of climate change but focused on the injustice inherent in preparing your own business for trouble while telling everyone else not to worry.
Climate crisis is not a scientific or technical problem, it is an issue of justice and political will. Acting on it calls into question not just our energy source, but our power structures, catalyzing widespread social change. The only thing that’s ever really succeeded in doing that are public outcries over blatant injustice and a demand for change. If progressives and climate activists want to have any hope of spurring the kind of movement necessary to shift political and economic interests away from fossil fuels, it’s time to put aside “believe science” and instead embrace a broad fight for justice.
26. After decades-long efforts, the fossil fuel industry __________.
[A] confirmed its responsibility for climate change
[B] contributed greatly in climate action
[C] shaped the public opinion on climate crisis
[D] made Americans fully aware of climate science
27. The author holds that “believe science” __________.
[A] is totally unnecessary
[B] is not the key issue
[C] should take root
[D] flourishes among students
28. By referring to Exxon, the author intends to show __________.
[A] the injustice in climate crisis
[B] its monopoly in navigating a melting Arctic
[C] the oil companies won’t tell the public the truth
[D] various internal memos are precious
29. According to the author, widespread social change can only be achieved by __________.
[A] public’s belief in government
[B] people’s protest against unfairness
[C] the movement in fossil fuel industry
[D] scientific innovation
30. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[A] Just “Following the Science” Won’t Promote Climate Justice
[B] Americans Are Ignorant about Climate Science
[C] The Belief in Science May Save the Climate Crisis
[D] Oil Companies Are Hiding the Truth
Founded as the London Mechanics’ Institute in 1823, Birkbeck—which since 1920 has been part of the University of London—belongs to a rich tradition of which Britain should be proud. Birkbeck’s mission was to extend the Enlightenment to working people. Dr. George Birkbeck gave lectures to craftspeople, but the new colleges were not limited to technical education. They also taught arts, science and philosophy. Birkbeck admitted women decades before the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
That precious legacy is now in jeopardy. Citing financial pressures, the college’s bosses propose to cut up to a quarter of all teaching staff from departments including English and geography, plus up to a third of administrators. The pattern is being mirrored elsewhere. Universities that were committed to levelling up long have shut or shrunk courses that don’t fit the government’s narrowing agenda.
These colleges are the places with the longest traditions of teaching working-class men and women, often part-time and in the evenings, sometimes as mature students returning to education years after leaving school. Wolverhampton, Roehampton and Aberystwyth are among others with similar roots. At a time when ministers are seemingly committed to redistributing opportunities towards people and areas that have traditionally had fewer, it is unreasonable that these kinds of institutions are suffering. Bloated salaries (Birkbeck’s vice-chancellor, David Latchman, earned £380,000 in 2020) make decisions to impose cuts even less acceptable.
Specifics may vary but, generally, course closures are blamed on deficits combined with falling demand. This followed the decision in 2016 to lift caps on student numbers, which freed the most prestigious universities to recruit more, but meant places elsewhere went unfilled. It was a crude measure designed to increase market pressures on an already fragile sector. As well as ongoing issues with underfunding, universities were hit hard by Brexit, which continues to affect research, admissions and recruitment.
Higher and further education have a vital role to play in addressing chronic skill shortages, particularly in health and care. But universities making cuts too often appear to lack any strategic vision or sense of accountability to staff, students and wider society. Undermining the humanities is not a substitute for workforce planning, or a stimulus to innovation. Given the unquestionable importance of culture and creativity to the economy, it is more likely to dampen growth—while increasing polarisation, as young people from better-off backgrounds hold on to chances that are denied to others.
Dr. Birkbeck and his free-thinking supporters were right. Access to knowledge is a social good. The former mechanics’ institutes should be cherished. That doesn’t mean preserving them unchanged. It does mean making long-term plans that can stand up to scrutiny. Currently, the stewardship by both ministers and managers looks far too messy.
31. According to Paragraph 1, Birkbeck aimed to __________.
[A] help working people get better education
[B] promote equality in technical education
[C] set an example for Britain education system
[D] offer all types of academic discipline
32. Birkbeck’s cherished tradition is now in danger because of __________.
[A] the government’s controversy
[B] the lack of funds
[C] its overstaffed problem
[D] its poor management
33. We can learn from Paragraph 3 that the government measures to improve equality of opportunities are __________.
[A] self-contradictory
[B] practicable
[C] satisfactory
[D] drastic
34. Removing the restriction on student numbers leads to __________.
[A] more students in universities
[B] the unfairness of the market
[C] financial pressure on colleges
[D] higher salaries for staff
35. Universities imposing cuts too often appear to __________.
[A] solve the financial problem
[B] encourage the innovation
[C] refuse to accept their responsibilities
[D] have an efficient management
“Just stick to science.” This is a common admonition that Science receives when we publish commentaries and news stories on policies that readers disagree with. It turns out that “stick to science” is a tired-but-very-much-still-alive political talking point used to suppress scientific advice and expertise. According to a recent issue of The Washington Post , “stick to science” is what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator said in criticizing and silencing its own Scientific Advisory Board, of which two-thirds of the members were appointed by the current administration. The scientific community should not let this cycle continue because facts that have stood up to, in some cases, years of scrutiny are being suppressed in the service of politics.
The latest go-round is one of the most egregious. On New Year’s Eve, the EPA posted four reports from its Scientific Advisory Board commenting on upcoming changes in EPA rules. Three of the four consensus reports from the administration’s own panel are highly critical of upcoming EPA rule changes.
One of the four proposed rules addresses data transparency. The EPA Scientific Advisory Board agreed with the statement that the proposal’s push for transparency would suppress the use of relevant scientific evidence in policy-making. The Board articulated, among other criticisms, that the EPA’s proposed rule was “vague, and as a result, can be interpreted in different ways.”
The scientific community needs to step out of its labs and support evidence-based decision-making in a much more public way. The good news is that over the past few years, scientists have increasingly engaged with the public and policy-makers on all levels, from participating in local science cafes, to contacting local representatives and protesting in the international March for Science in 2017 and 2018. Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science will continue to advocate for science and its objective application to policy in the United States and around the world, but we too must do more.
Scientists must speak up. In June 2019, Patrick Gonzalez, the principal climate change scientist, testified to Congress on the risks of climate change even after he was sent a cease-and-desist letter by the administration. That’s the kind of courage that deserves the attention of the greater scientific community. There are many more examples of folks leading federal agencies and working on science throughout the government. When their roles in promoting science to support decision-making are diminished, the scientific community needs to raise its voice in loud objection.
The upcoming EPA public conference is an excellent opportunity for the scientific community to mobilize. All who value evidence and inductive reasoning should support the conclusions of the Scientific Advisory Board through feedback to the EPA, local representatives, scientific societies, and other science advocacy organizations. Because we need to make the science stick.
36. According to the first paragraph, the wording of “Just stick to science” _________.
[A] advances more policies to support scientific research
[B] makes great contribution to the development of science
[C] stops scientists proposing useful ideas on policy-making
[D] becomes a political tool to restrain the professional advice
37. The reports of EPA on New Year’s Eve are mainly about _________.
[A] the upcoming EPA public conference
[B] the strategic point of EPA rules
[C] the possible changes of EPA rules
[D] data collection and scrutiny
38. To support decision-making based on facts, scientific community should _________.
[A] reach agreement with local authorities
[B] take part in public activities on all sides
[C] participate in protests against the government
[D] engage the attention of local policy-makers
39. Patrick Gonzalez is mentioned in Paragraph 5 to show that _________.
[A] scientists have a duty to stick to the science
[B] politicians often sacrifice evidence for profits
[C] objections to changes in EPA rules are ignored
[D] science is on the decline in decision-making
40. According to the last paragraph, the author argued that _________.
[A] it is a perfect timing for scientists to take action
[B] it is EPA’s responsibility to collect all feedback
[C] the public should cultivate the inductive reasoning ability
[D] the public should form their own scientific conclusions
Directions:
Read the following text and answer the questions by choosing the most suitable subheading from the list A-G for each numbered paragraph (41-45). There are two extra subheadings which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
[A] Work for your dream
[B] A penny saved is a penny earned
[C] Don’t compare yourself to others
[D] Be true to yourself
[E] Follow your passion
[F] Embrace competition in life
[G] Money is everything
Here is my contradiction to the worst advice: my counter-advice.
41. ____________________
Actually, don’t. A huge part of life comes down to acting. You change your accent as you move up socially. You pretend confidence when you feel none. Once you make it, you do the inverse: pretend shyness and self-doubt to avoid upsetting people. None of this makes you “inauthentic”. Or if it does, then authenticity does not warrant the overstatement that has grown up around it. Lying is corrosive. But a certain amount of hiding is hard to avoid.
42. ____________________
This is a good way of preventing insecurity. It is also a good way of underachieving. Competition is a spur to performance. Even people who are not work-focused engage in competitive parenting or competitive socializing. And if you try to avoid invidious comparisons, your brain will resist. The research on “inequality aversion” suggests that people think in relative rather than absolute terms. We would rather have less overall if it means that our neighbors do not have comparatively more. “It is not enough to succeed,” said Gore Vidal, my life coach. “Others must fail.”
43. ____________________
This is wrong on two counts. First, many passions are hard to monetize. This was true of music and novel-writing even before the straitened economics of those industries set in. Creative pursuits favor downwardly mobile rich kids, hence the oversupply of contemporary fiction by authors who “live in New Haven and Jakarta”, starring characters who fly a lot and feel a bit sad.
Second, if you do make a career out of your passion, some of the passion goes. Bar songwriting or filling that troublesome regista slot for Arsenal, there is nothing I would rather do than write columns for the FT. But because I do, it is a job. I don’t get to stroll over to the laptop when the ghost of inspiration possesses me. I have deadlines. Any activity, even Alba truffle-eating, becomes less fun once your ego and livelihood depend on it.
44. ____________________
Up to a point. But there is no linear relationship between effort and success. And while hard work never killed anyone, it has drained them of their happiness. I keep wanting to press this case through a set of self-help books ( Lean Out, The Seven Habits of Highly Rested People, The Fierce Urgency of Tomorrow ) but it seems like a lot of work.
45. ____________________
An old one, this, and it shows. Many asset classes have risen faster than incomes throughout your lives. It will take some heroic saving to buy the house you want. The modern world often disincentivizes you—all but mocks you—for thrift.
The memories you acquire in your twenties will sustain you later. Make sure those memories are of something better than contribution to your retirement savings. Reduce costs in your thirties, if you must, or just marry into money. Economists will be angry. But they undervalue what they cannot quantify, and they cannot quantify raw human pleasure in the moment. The best things in life are not always free, even if this advice is.