Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
We all know there exists a great void (空白) in the public educational system when it comes to ___26___ to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses. One educator named Dori Roberts decided to do something to change this system. Dori taught high school engineering for 11 years. She noticed there was a real void in quality STEM education at all __27__ of the public educational system. She said, “I started Engineering For Kids (EFK) after noticing a real lack of math, science and engineering programs to _ _28_ my own kids in.”
She decided to start an afterschool program where children ___29___ in STEM-based competitions. The club grew quickly and when it reached 180 members and the kids in the program won several state ___30___, she decided to devote all her time to cultivating and ___31___it. The global business EFK was born.
Dori began operating EFK out of her Virginia home, which she then expanded to ___32___ recreation centers. Today, the EFK program ___33___over 144 branches in 32 states within the United States and in 21 countries. Sales have doubled from $5 million in 2014 to $10 million in 2015, with 25 new branches planned for 2016. The EFK website states, “Our nation is not ___34___ enough engineers. Our philosophy is to inspire kids at a young age to understand that engineering is a great ___35___.”
A) attracted
B) career
C) championships
D) degrees
E) developing
F) enroll
G) exposure
H) feasible
I) feeding
J) graduating
K) interest
L) levels
M) local
N) operates
O) participated
参考答案: M,L,G,O,N,B,C,E,F,J