Passage 4

　　When you’ve finished your studies at school and college, do you feel like a well-earned rest?　If you're about to embark on a course at university, you’ll want recharge your batteries, let your　hair down and have some fun. But how long should you do that for? Now the idea of taking a year off before you move into further education seems to be the thing to do.

　　A year off-also called a gap year-is not a new concept, but there’s now a focus on making　the most of this break from academic life. Long gone are the days of just hanging out on a beach　or backpacking round the world. While that is still an option, a gap year is now more about　gaining skills that will help you in later life. a student called Meg who said: I just always had in　the back of my mind I’d spend a year doing something productive and something that would just　be good fun”.

　　Doing something productive is exactly what students are being. encouraged to do because　doing more purposeful things like work experience or charity work helps them acquire skills to　use when competing for a place at university. It looks good on their CV and ultimately makes　them more employable. Chris Rea is a Higher Education Services Manager from organization,　Prospects. He thinks “the experience of the gap year has become actually much more practical, partly to do with university participation increasing, but also because of the demands on　developing skills, specifically employability skills”.

　　While the benefits of taking a gap year are clear to see, some students worry they can’t　afford it. Another student, Tom, declared that a gap year was an ‘alien concept’, He said “it would　have been far too expensive and it’s not something that I would have been able to rely on my　parents or family members for”. But some experts say that it needn’t bum a hole in your pocket;　you don’t need to travel far and you can even earn money by doing paid work.

　　For those who do have the funds, a combination of working, volunteering and travelling is　undoubtedly an amazing opportunity. It increases confidence and independence, gives you a　chance to learn new crafts, and gives you time to contemplate whether university is right for you.

　　

　　46. Which statement below is not the benefit for taking a gap year? (　　)

　　A. Increases your confidence and independence.

　　B. Properly utilizes your funds.

　　C. Gives you a chance to learn new crafts.

　　D. Gives you time to contemplate whether university is right for you.

　　【答案】B。根据末段 It increases confidence and independence, gives you a chance to learn new crafts, and gives you time to contemplate whether university is right for you.可知 ACD 三个选项原文中都有提及，只有 B 项：合理理财，文中并未提及。故本题正确答案选 B。

　　47. Which sentence below is not true according to this article? (　　)

　　A. You can choose not to go to university after taking a gap year.

　　B. Taking a gap year might not necessarily to cost you a lot of money.

　　C. The experience of the gap year has become actually much more practical.

　　D. Hanging out on a beach or backpacking round the world is not an option for a gap year now.

　　【答案】D。根据 Long gone are the days of just hanging out on a beach or backpacking　round the world. While that is still an option 可知沙滩玩耍和徒步旅行仍然是一个选择，D 项表达错误。根据 gives you time to contemplate whether university is right for you.可知 A 项表述正确;根据 But some experts say that it needn’t bum a hole in your pocket; you don’t need to travel　far and you can even earn money by doing paid work.可知选项 B 表述正确;根据 the experience　of the gap year has become actually much more practical 可知选项 C 表述正确。故本题正确答案选 D。

　　48. Nowadays, what does taking a gap year usually involve having a break from? (　　)

　　A. Working life.

　　B. High school life.

　　C. Leisure life.

　　D. Academic life.

　　【答案】D。根据 A year off-also called a gap year-is not a new concept, but there’s now a　focus on making the most of this break from academic life.可知间隔年是想从学术生活中获得喘息机会。故本题正确答案选 D。

　　49. Why Tom thinks a gap year is an ‘alien concept’? (　　)

　　A. It’s so expensive and can’t ask for supports from family members.

　　B. You can even earn money by doing paid work.

　　C. When taking a gap year, you will travel to different places.

　　D. It’s new concept that has not been widely accepted.

　　【答案】A。根据 Another student, Tom, declared that a gap year was an ‘alien concept’, He　said “it would have been far too expensive and it’s not something that I would have been able to　rely on my parents or family members for ”.可知汤姆认为间隔年是“迥异的观念”。他认为这样做太昂贵，不是依靠父母或者家人就可以完成的事情，A 项表述正确。B 项是接下来老师的观点，排除。选项 CD 句意本身表达无误，但是并非是汤姆解释 alien concept 的内容，排除。故本题正确答案选 A。

　　50. Which option below is not the reason why students are being encouraged to do something productive? (　　)

　　A. Helps them acquire skills to use when competing for a place at university.

　　B. Makes them more employable.

　　C. Helps to enrich the content of their CV.

　　D. Makes their holidays more meaningful.

　　【答案】D。根据 It looks good on their CV and ultimately makes them more employable..but also because of the demands on developing skills, specifically employability skills 可知文中提到学生被鼓励去做一些有意义的事情，提到了间隔年可以提升自身技能、丰富简历，且有助于就业。但是并没有提到选项 D：为了让假期变得更有意义，故本题正确答案选 D。