Passage B
Warm-up Activity
1.How much do you know about community colleges?
2.What are the advantages for international students to go to community colleges?
Develop Your Understanding
U.S.Community Colleges—A Gate to U.S.Higher Education for International Students
Community colleges provide the first two years of a university education in the United States, enabling students to transfer to a four-year college or university to earn a bachelor’s degree.Nowadays, community colleges account for nearly half of the entire U.S.higher education system serving more than 8 million students.More than 50% of all U.S.undergraduates attended community colleges at some point after completing high school.
The attraction of U.S.community colleges has increased over the years, both abroad and in the United States.Each year, thousands of international students realize that U.S.community colleges are an excellent way to begin their“postsecondary” education and enroll in these colleges.
*community / kə'mjuːnətɪ / n.社区；社会
*enable / ɪ'neɪbI / v.使能够；使成为可能
*transfer / træns'fзː(r) / v.转学；（使）调动
★bachelor / 'bætʃəIə(r) / n.学士
◆undergraduate / ,ʌndə'grædʒuət / n.大学生，本科生
◆attraction / ə'trækʃn / n.吸引；有吸引力的人或物
◆postsecondary / pəʊst'sekəndərɪ / a.中学毕业后的Most of these students plan to transfer the course credits they earn to a four-year college or university degree course.
U.S.community colleges offer international students numerous benef its and opportunities:
● Lower cost.
● Easy transfer to a university.
● A wide variety of programs.
● A supportive learning environment.
● Hands-on access to U.S.culture.
● Distinguished alumni.
For international students, community colleges can be “a gate to higher education in the United States” and thus an opportunity to begin their U.S.higher education experience.Community colleges are of a high quality, they offer a supportive learning environment with opportunities to build on and enhance one’s English skills as well as the chance to connect with a U.S.community and its culture.
★numerous / 'njuːmərəs /a.众多的，许多的
*benefit / benɪfɪt /n.利益；好处； v.（from）得益于
*variety / və'raɪətɪ /n.不同种类，多种式样
◆supportive / sə'pɔːtɪv /a.支持的，鼓励的
◆hands-on / 'hændz'ɒn /a.亲身实践的
★access / 'ækses / n.通道；入口；进入
◆distinguished / dɪ'stɪŋgwɪʃt /a.卓越的；杰出的
◆alumni / ə'Iʌmnaɪ /n.校友，毕业生
account for （数量上、比例上）占……
as well as 既……又……，也
connect with 与……有关系
Check Your Study
Activity 1
Read the passage quickly and f ill in the blanks.
U.S.Community Colleges
Length of education:1）_______________.
Numbers:
They account for nearly 2）_______________ of the entire U.S.higher education system.
Attraction for students both at home and abroad:
A） An excellent way to begin 3）_______________;
B） Numerous 4）_______________;
C） An opportunity to begin U.S.5）____________.
Activity 2
Read the passage carefully and complete the following sentences.
1.How many years are required to complete the U.S.community college education?
It requires __________.
2.Nowadays, how many undergraduates attended community colleges?
About __________.
3.How many students do the U.S.community colleges enroll every year?
They enroll __________.
4.Why are so many international students attracted to attend U.S.community colleges?
Because U.S.community colleges are __________ to higher education.
5.What can U.S.community colleges offer the international students?
A supportive learning environment, as well as the chance to __________ a U.S.community.
Further Your Skills
Exercise 1
Fill in each blank with the proper form of the word given in brackets.
1.For years, China has been working on bidding for the Intangible Cultural Heritage that can be (transfer) _____________ to the younger generations.
2.I drew a map to（able） _____________ him to find the house.
3.Chongqing, known as the Mountain City, attracts visitors from home and abroad for its cultural heritage and tourist (attract) _____________.
4.There is a wide（various） _____________ of dishes to choose from.
5.As we know, Premier Zhou is a（distinguish）_____________ politician.
6.She is a first-year（graduate）_____________ majoring in Business English.
7.She was very（support）_____________ while I was ill in bed.
8.In college, you can join some student（community）_____________ you are interested in.
Exercise 2
Complete the sentences by translating the given Chinese into English.
1.There was nothing to _____________（把她与……联系起来）a thief.
2.I’d like to _____________（利用这个机会）to thank everyone for their hard work.
3.The girls in our college _____________（占……比例）one fourth of all students.
4.After four years’ hard work, he finally graduated with a _____________（学士学位）.
5.Teaching competition is a good way to _____________（提高教学技巧）of teachers.
Exercise 3
Let’s sort out the vocabularies in this unit and then build your dictionary.
