【正文】 ) will meet its end at the hands of humans, leaving our descendants to wonder how a creature so ugly could have won so much affection. 52. We can learn form the first paragraph that_____________. A) human activities have changed the way turtles survive B) efforts have been made to protect turtles from dying out C) government bureaucracy has contributed to turtles’ extinction D) marine biologists are looking for the secret of turtles’ reproduction 53. What does the author mean by “Nature is indifferent to human notions of fairness” (Line1, Para. 2)? A) Nature is quite fair regarding the survival of turtles. B) Turtles are by nature indifferent to human activities. C) The course of nature will not be changed by human interference. D) The turtle population has decreased in spite of human protection. 54. What constitutes a major threat to the survival of turtles according to Elizabeth Griffin? A) Their inadequate food supply. B) Unregulated mercial fishing. C) Their lower reproductive ability. D) Contamination of sea water. 55. How does global warming affect the survival of turtles? A) It threatens the sandy beaches on which they lay eggs. B) The changing climate makes it difficult for their eggs to hatch. C) The rising sea levels make it harder for their hatchlings to grow. D) It takes them longer to adapt to the high beach temperature. 56. The last sentence of the passage is meant to _____________. A) persuade human beings to show more affection for turtles B) stress that even the most ugly species should be protected C) call for effective measures to ensure sea turtles’ survival D) warn our descendants about the extinction of species Passage Two There are few more sobering online activities than entering data into collegetuition calculators and gasping as the Web spits back a sixfigure sum. But economists say families about to go into debt to fund four years of partying, as well as studying, can console themselves with the knowledge that college is an investment that, unlike many bank stocks, should yield hefty dividends. A 2022 study by two Harvard economists notes that the “l(fā)abormarket premium to skill”—or the amount college graduates earned that’ s greater than what highschool graduates earned— decreased for much of the 20th century, but has e back with a vengeance (報復(fù)性地 ) since the 1980s. In 2022, the typical fulltime yearround . worker with a fouryear college degree earned $50,900, 62% more than the $31,500 earned by a worker with only a highschool diploma. There’s no question that going to college is a smart economic choice. But a look at the strange variations in tuition reveals that the choice about which college to attend doesn’t e down merely to dollars and cents. Does going to Columbia University (tuition, room and board $49,260 in 202208) yield a 40% greater return than attending the University of Colorado at Boulder as an outofstate student ($35,542)? Probably not. Does being an outofstate students at the University of Colorado at Boulder yield twice the amount of ine as being an instate student ($) there? Not likely. No, in this consumerist age, most buyers aren’t evaluating college as an investment, but rather as a consumer product—like a car or clothes or a house. And with such purchases, price is only one of many crucial factors to consider. As with automobiles, consumers in today’s college marketplace have vast choices, and people search for the one that gives them the most fort and satisfaction in line with their budgets. This accounts for the willingness of people to pay more for different types of experiences (such as attending a private liberalarts college or going to an outofstage public school that has a great marinebiology program). And just as two auto purchasers might spend an equal amount of money on very different cars, college students (or, more accurately, their parents) often show a willingness to pay essentially the same price for vastly different products. So which is it? Is college an investment product like a stock or a consumer product like a car? In keeping with the automotive world’ s hottest consumer trends, maybe it’ s best to characterize it as a hybrid (混合動力汽車 )： an expensive consumer product that, over time, will pay rich dividends. 57. What’s the opinion of economists about going to college? A) Huge amounts of money is being wasted on campus socializing. B) It doesn’t pay to run into debt to receive a college education. C) College education is rewarding in spite of the startling costs. D) Going to college doesn’t necessarily bring the expected returms. 58. The two Harvard economists note in their study that, for much of the 20th century, ____________. A) enrollment kept decreasing in virtually all American colleges and universities B) the labor market preferred highschool graduates to college graduates C) Competition for university admissions was far more fierce than today D) the gap between the earnings of college and highschool graduates narrowed 59. Students who attend an instate college or university can___________. A) save more on tuition B) receive a better education C) take more liberalarts courses D) avoid traveling long distances 60. In this consumerist age, most parents______________. A) regard college education as a wise investment B) place a premium on the prestige of the college C) think it crucial to send their children to college D) consider college education a consumer product 61. What is the chief consideration when students choose a college today? A) Their employment prospects after graduation. B) A satisfying experience within their budgets. C) Its facilities and learning environment D) Its ranking among similar institutions. Part V Cloze (15 minutes) Some historians say that the most important contribution of Dwight Eisenhowe