This year,25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year，according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service(UCAS).

　　That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year.Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education.“Students who take a well­planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with，and complete，their chosen course.Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible，”he said.

　　But not everyone is happy.Owain James，the president of the National Union of Students(NUS)，argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship—young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education.“New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to ￡15,000 in debt.It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree.NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods，”he said.

　　文章大意：本文講述了在美國，越來越多的高中畢業生通過休學一年的方式(gap year)來積累經驗，為未來的大學生活做準備，但是也有人認為，在這一年里很多學生不得不被迫打工賺取上學的費用。

　　5.What do we learn about the gap year from the text?

　　A.It is flexible in length.

　　B.It is a time for relaxation.

　　C.It is increasingly popular.

　　D.It is required by universities.

　　答案：C　細節理解題。由第一段第一句More students than ever before are taking a gap­year (間隔年)before going to university.及第三段第一句That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year.可知，間隔年越來越受到歡迎，故選C項。

　　6.According to Tony Higgins，students taking a gap year______.

　　A.are better prepared for college studies

　　B.know a lot more about their future jobs

　　C.are more likely to leave university in debt

　　D.have a better chance to enter top universities

　　答案：A　推理判斷題。由題干中的人名Tony Higgins定位到文章第三段，根據他所說的話“Students who take a well­planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with，and complete，their chosen course.Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible，”可知，他認為，花費一年時間計劃的學生更成熟和有責任感，由此可以推斷出他認為他們能更好地為大學學習做準備，故選A項。

　　7.How does Owain James feel about the gap­year phenomenon?

　　A.He's puzzled. B.He's worried.

　　C.He's surprised. D.He's annoyed.

　　答案：B　推理判斷題。由題干中的Owain James定位到文章最后一段，根據第二句...young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education.可知，越來越多的學生會在結束學業之前被迫去掙錢，他對此是擔憂的，故選B項。

　　8.What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics?

　　A.Attend additional courses.

　　B.Make plans for the new term.

　　C.Earn money for their education.

　　D.Prepare for their graduate studies.

　　答案：C　細節理解題。根據文章最后一句NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods...可知此處應選C項。

　　高考英語閱讀理解模擬訓練2：

　　Conflict is on the menu tonight at the cafe La Chope.This evening，as on every Thursday night，psychologist Maud Lehanne is leading two of France's favorite pastimes，coffee drinking and the “talking cure”.Here they are learning to get in touch with their true feelings.It isn't always easy.The customers—some thirty Parisians who pay just under $2 (plus drinks) per session—are quick to intellectualize (高談闊論)，slow to open up and connect.“You are forbidden to say ‘one feels，’ or ‘people think’，”Lehanne told them.“Say ‘I think，’ ‘Think me’.”

　　A cafe society where no intellectualizing is allowed? It couldn't seem more un­French.But Lehanne's psychology cafe is about more than knowing oneself: It's trying to help the city's troubled neighborhood cafes.Over the years，Parisian cafes have fallen victim to changes in the French lifestyle—longer working hours，a fast­food boom and a younger generation's desire to spend more time at home.Dozens of new theme cafes appear to change the situation.Cafes focused around psychology，history，and engineering are catching on，filling tables well into the evening.

　　The city's “psychology cafes”，which offer great comfort，are among the most popular places.Middle­aged homemakers，retirees，and the unemployed come to such cafes to talk about love，anger，and dreams with a psychologist.And they come to Lehanne's group just to learn to say what they feel.“There's a strong need in Paris for communication，”says Maurice Frisch，a cafe La Chope regular who works as a religious instructor in a nearby church.“People have few real friends.And they need to open up.”Lehanne says she'd like to see psychology cafes all over France.“If people had normal lives，these cafes wouldn't exist，”she says.“If life weren't a battle，people wouldn't need a special place just to speak.”But then，it wouldn't be France.

　　文章大意：本文主要講述了在法國“精神咖啡館”的社會意義和特色功能。

　　1.What are people encouraged to do at the cafe La Chope?

　　A.Learn a new subject.

　　B.Keep in touch with friends.

　　C.Show off their knowledge.

　　D.Express their true feelings.

　　答案：D　細節理解題。根據文章第一段第三句Here they are learning to get in touch with their true feelings。可知，喬普咖啡館鼓勵人們表達他們真正的情感。故選D項。

　　2.How are cafes affected by French lifestyle changes?

　　A.They are less frequently visited.

　　B.They stay open for longer hours.

　　C.They have bigger night crowds.

　　D.They start to serve fast food.

　　答案：A　推理判斷題。根據文章第二段第四句Over the years，Parisian cafes have fallen victim to changes in the French lifestyle—longer working hours，a fast­food boom and a younger generation's desire to spend more time at home.可知，多年來，巴黎的咖啡館成了法國生活方式改變的受害者，句中破折號后面的內容指的就是現在的法國生活方式，即更長的工作時間、快餐的興起和年輕人喜歡花更多的時間呆在家里，這些生活方式的改變都導致了人們不經常去咖啡館，故選A項。

　　3.What are theme cafes expected to do?

　　A.Create more jobs.

　　B.Supply better drinks.

　　C.Save the cafe business.

　　D.Serve the neighborhood.

　　答案：C　細節理解題。根據文章第二段第五句Dozens of new theme cafes appear to change the situation.可知，很多新主題咖啡館的出現似乎改變了現狀，也就是拯救了咖啡業，故選C項。

　　4.Why are psychology cafes becoming popular in Paris?

　　A.They bring people true friendship.

　　B.They give people spiritual support.

　　C.They help people realize their dreams.

　　D.They offer a platform for business links.

　　答案：B　推理判斷題。根據文章最后一段第一句The city's“psychology cafes”，which offer great comfort，are among the most popular places.可知，精神咖啡館在巴黎成為最受歡迎的地方之一，是因為它們給予人們很大的安慰，即給予了人們精神上的支持，故選B項。