研究生英文课文passage A 4篇.doc

Leisure Activities in the UK Leisure activities in earlier centuries were largely conditioned by the rural and agricultural nature of British life.Village communities were isolated and transport was either poor or non-existent.People were consequently restricted to their villages and obliged to create their own entertainments.Some of the activities were home-based while others were enjoyed by the whole village.These might be added to by itinerant players,who traveled the countryside and provide a range of alternative spectator entertainments.Improved transportation and road conditions from the eighteen century onwards enabled the rural population to travel to neighbouring towns where they took advantage of avariety of amusements.Spectator activities increased with the industrialization of the nineteenth century,as theatres,music halls and sports developed and became available to more people.The establishment of railway systems and the formation of bus companies initiated the pattern of cheap one-day trips around the country and to the seaside,which were to grow into the mass charter and package tour of contemporary Britain.The arrival of radio,film and television in the twentieth century resulted in a further huge professional entertainment industry.In all these changes,the mixture of participatory.spectator and home-based leisure activities has continued.Many contemporary,pursuits have their roots in the cultural and social behavior of the past,such as boxing,wresting,cricket,football,and a wide range of athletic sports.Dancing,amateur theatre and musical events were essential parts of rural life,and were often associated with the changing agricultural seasons.The traditions of hunting,shooting and fishing have long been practiced in British country life,in addition to a number of blood sports, such as dog and cock fighting and bear baiting,which are now illegal.There is a wide varity of sports in Britain today,which cater for large numbers of spectators and participators.Some of these are minority sports,while others appeal to majority tastes.Amateur and professional football/soccer is played throughout most of the year,and also in the international level.The professional game has developed into a large family-oriented spectator sport,but has suffered in recent years from hooligansim,declining attendances and financial crises.Rugby football is a popular winter pastime,and is divided into two types.Rugby Union is confined to amateur clubs,while Rugby league is played by professional teams mainly in the northf of England.Both types of rugby are also played internationally.Cricket is a summer sport in Britain.but the England team also plays in the winter months in the commonwealth countries.It is both an amateur and professional sport.The senior game is now mainly professional and is largely confined to the English and Welsh countrysides which play in the country championships.There are many other sports which reflect the diversity of interest in British life.Among these aregolf,horse,racing,hunting,riding,fishing,shooting,tennis,hockey,bowls,darts,snooker,athletics,swimming,sailing,mountaineering,walking,ice sports,motor-car and motor-cycle racing,and rally driving.American football and basketball are increasingly popular due to television exposure.The sporting notion of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” has long been a principle of British education.All schools are supposed to provide physical recreation,and a reasonable range of sports is usually available to school children.Schools may paly soccer,rugby,hockey or netball during the summer.Some schools may be better provided with sporting facilities tha others,and offer a wider range of sports.However,there have been recent complaints from parents that team games and competitive sports are declining in state schools,School reorganization and the creation of large comprehensives have reduced the amount of inter-school competition,which used to be a feature of education;some left-wing councils are apparently opposed to competitive expression;there is a short of playing fields;and a lack of equal equipment.The position is particularly acute in the inner city areas,and is of concern to those parents who feel that their children are being prevented from expressing their normal physical natures.They maintain that the state school system is failing to provide sporting provision for children,and some parents turn to the independent sector,which is usually well-provided with sports facilities.The ”arts” once had a somewhat precious and exclusive image associated with notions of high culture,which were usually the province of the middle and upper classes.The growth of mass and popular culture has increased the potential audience for a wider range of cultural activities,and the availability and scope of the arts has spread to greater numbers of people.Pop concerts,folk and ethnic music,and youth culture pastimes occupy a considerable amount of young peoples leisure time,as well as contributing to trade,exports and British image nationally and internationally.These activities may be amateur or professional and continue the mixture of participatory,spectator and hame-based entertainment.There is a wide range of museums and art galleries in Britain.Which provide for a variety of tastes.In the past,entry to most of the public museums was free of charge,but in recent years entrance fees have been charged by some institutions.This development has led to less accessibility to national educational and cultural heritage,which should be available to all without charge.But museums and art galleries are also finding it difficult to operate with limited funds,and are dependent on local government grants and Arts Council subsidies.In addition to these cultural and sporting pastimes,the British enjoy a variety of other leisure activities.More people have more free time,which results from a 35-40 hours working week,and more and more diversified opportunities are now available.Do-it-yourself hobbies,such as house painting,decorating and gardening,are very popular,as are going out for meals and visiting the pub.The pub,as an institution,has changed groups and tastes.The licensing hours,which apply to open times for the sale of alcohol,have been liberalized by the government to bring England and wales into line with Scotland.But in recent years,the establishment of wine wars,various forms of clubs,discotheques and dance halls has meant a considerable amount of competition for the traditional pubs.Holidays and where to spend them have become an important part of British life.accompanied by more leisure time and money for the majority of the people.Many people prefer to organize their own holidays and make use of the good air and sea communications between Britain and the continent.In British itself exist different forms of holiday,from the traditional “Bed&Breakfast” at a seaside boarding house,to hotels,caravan sites and camping.Increased car ownership has allowed greater travel possibilities.Today,more than three-fifths of households have the use of at least one car,and 16 percent have two or more.A public opinion poll in 1990 showed that Britains cultural life was thriving,and that a large number of people participated in a variety of available pastimes.we can report that the nation is in no telly=induced trance.Its tastes mix watching and doing,”high” and “low” cultures,with a richness that contradicts the stereotypes of the British as divided between mindless larger louts and equally money-grubbing consumers.The mix we have found will not please everybody.Not enough football for some,not enough opera for others.But that is what we should expect in the culture of a whole nation. “The Apprentice ” a Good Lesson in How to Land Job You Want“The Apprentice”,the NBC reality program headlined by Donald Trump,is more than mere entertainment.Its a lesson in high-stakes,cut-throat job interviewing-for potential employees and employers.The program is compelling collaboration with “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett in which Trump supervises 16 young go-getters competing in a series of business endeavors.The winner will head one of Trumps companies for a year at a healthy six-figure salary.Here are some lessons gleaned from the program so far:1. Dont rely on generalities.when asked why you should be hired or not fired,back up statements with quantifiable evidence.When asked why they should be retained,jessie and her other team members provided generalities about their leadership skills and character but none offered concrete examples of specific accomplishments.2. Dont say bad things about your boss or employees/co-workers.In week 6,both Troy and Kwame kept their comment about the project manager,the soon-to-be fired jessie,very positive.But other team members,Heidi,Jessie and Omarosa,laced their comments with very negative statements about each other and excuses for their own shortcomings.While only Jessie was fired,in the real world all three of the women might have found themselves “out of the suite”,as Trump would say.Certainly,Tammy Lees negative and seemingly disloyal statements accelerated her demise in Week 7,the apartment-makeover episode.3. Likability counts.in a real world interview/performance review.the personal connection established with the interviewer/performance/supervisor (i.e.does he or she like you) could be the overriding factor in determining your employment fate.In an interview,this personal/connection is often established within the first five minutes of the interview,and while a positive connection will not necessary result in a job offer,a negative connection will almost always result in rejection.The lack of likability was a major reason behind the firing of Tammy Lee,who was not to make a positive impression on her teammates,Donald Trump on his advisers.At the other end of the spectrum the positive impressions establishment by Amy Henry have set her far ahead of the other competitors.She seems to be adored by everyone.4. Dress for success.At first,the women in particular looked more like they were competing for positions with an escort service with a major real estate company.However,they quickly came around and learned that in order to be considered professional one has to dress in professional attire.5. Rein in emotions.Interviews and performance reviews can be intense.While most interviews are not confrontational in nature,such as those in Trumps boardroom,performance review certainly can be.Those reviewed are asked to explain their actions,decisions,etc.Its important in both situations for the one in the spotlight to keep emotional responses in check.Ereka,the project manager leading the losing team in Week 8,the Trump Ice episode,let her emotions get in the way during the project,and in the boardroom with Trump.It was the major reason leading to the decision to fire her.6. Employer come first.While most employers know and understand that candidates and employees have other priorities in their lives outside of work,they do not want to hear about them or see evidence of those other priorities interfering with work.Despite the situation with Heidis mother(the revelation that she was diagnosed with colon cancer),Heidi demonstrated and reiterated in the boardroom to Trump(Week 7) that her commitment to her team would not be lessened by her obvious concern for her mother,which she displays outwardly after the days business is done.Omarosa,on the other hand,let a minor bump on the head derail her productivity,which sends a strong massage that the employer will take a back seat even if small issues arise. 7.More than one.You are never interviewed by just one person.Everyone you meet will determine your employment fate.Trump relied on two trusted associates to work with the candidates,and form their own opinions of each.Those opinions were critical in determining wether one candidate had indeed acted unethically as his competitors charged. 8.Limit what you say and never interrupt.Trump quickly upbraided Bill when Bill interrupted him to argue a point with him.Trump told him to stop talking,telling Bill that he would hire no young candidate who did not understand the importance of yielding to his authority.Figure out what the interviewer is seeking and you can answer any type of question. 9.No two interviews are alike in questions asked,but the objectives are always the same :finding someone who is not only qualitied but fits the company culture and will work well with the interviewer and his or her co-workers.Trump does not ask a set of stock interview questions.However,he made it very clear,by his comments to his trusted associates and in his direct comments to the interviewees,exactly the kind of candidate he wants:a sale-driven,hard-nosed,aggressive,smooth,polished executive with a killer instinct.Regardless of the question or test,the candidates must deliver with those expectations in mind. 10.Ask for the job.One of the biggest mistakes many job seekers make is ruining an otherwise successful interview by not actually asking for the job.It might seem unnecessary.After all, the job seeker would not have applied if he or she did not want the job.However,by asking for the job in the interview,the job seeker is sending a strong message to the employer that he or she is interested in the job and is enthusiastic about the opportunity.In the art gallery episode,Nick,the winning project manager,was granted a unique 10-minute,face-to-face meeting with Trump,which Nick rightfully treated as an interview.Nicks statement at the end, ”My main goal is to be working for you,” demonstrates the type of interest and enthusiasm that any employer would like to hear from a candidate. 11.Take responsibilities for your decisions.In a performance review and even in some job interviews,particularly for upper management positions,a candidate is often asked to explain or defined actions and decisions.The employer,before investing money in a new employee,wants to make sure that you recognize problems or failures and,most importantly,that you learned something that will make you a better employee and the company more profitable.When a project leader makes excuses or blames others on the team,it dose not enhance the individuals image and it does not tell the employer that anything was learned.Even though he wae the losing project manager in the art gallery episode,Kwame definitely enhanced his image by taking responsibility for going with the riskier artist.Heidi and Omarosa spent their time in the boardroom blaming each other for the teams poor performance.Saying he was tired of her excuses Trump fired Omarosa,but Heidi certainly did not make a favorable impression on those who will decide her fate.Most job seekers will not go through an interview process like “The Apprentice”,but the fundamentals are universal:making a personal connection with the interviewer,demonstrating what qualities you will bring to the position,and setting yourself apart from the competition,hopefully in a positive way.By watching the program,job seekers can learn a lot about the dynamic between the interviewer and interviewee.Hiring authorities can also learn ways to judge candidates.Clearly,part of Donald Trumps success is his ability to surround himself with smart and highly driven individuals. Higher Education in Developing CountriesHigher education institutions clearly need well-designed academic programs and a clear mission.Most important to their success,however,are high-quality faculty,committed and well-prepared students,and sufficient resources.Despite notable exceptions,most higher education institutions in developing countries suffer severe deficiences in each of these areas.As a result,few perform to a consistently high standard.Faculty QualityA well-qualified and highly motivated faculty is critical to the quality of higher education institutions.Unfortunately,even at flagship universities in developing countries,many faculty members have little,if any graduate level training.This limits the level of knowledge imparted to students and restricts studentsability to access existing knowledge and generate new ideas.Teaching methods are often outmoded.Rote learning is common,with instructors doing little more in the classroom than copying their notes onto a blackboard.The students,who are frequently unable to afford atextbook,must then transcribe the notes into a notebook,and those students who regurgitate a credible portion of their notes from memory achieve exam success.These passive approaches to teaching have little value in a world where creativity and flexibility are at a premium.A more enlightened view of learning urgently needed,emphasizing active intellectual engagement,participation,and discovery,rather than the passive absorption of facts.Improving the quality of factually is made more difficult by the ill-conceived incentive structures found in many developing countries.Faculty pay is generally very low in relation to that offered by alternative professional occupations.Pay increases are governed by bureaucratic personnel systems that reward long service rather than success in teaching or research.Market forces,which attempt to reward good performance,are seldom used to determine pay in the higher education sector.While pay disparities make it difficult to attract talented individuals,recruitment procedures are often found to hinder intellectual growth.Some developing countries have been slow in developing traditions of academic freedom and independent scholarship.Bureaucracy and corruption are common,affecting the selection and treatment of both students and faculty.Favoritism and patronage contribute to academic inbreeding that denies universities the benefit of intellectual cross-fertilization.These problems arise most comm