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Once upon a time—when the U.S. dollar was king—American students blithely flocked overseas to nibble on affordable scones and croissants between classes. How times have changed.As the dollar dips to all-time lows, college students are feeling the pinch. Especially in the United Kingdom and countries that use the euro—which currently is at 68 cents to the dollar—the cost of living has skyrocketed. "Years ago we could say studying abroad was the same price as staying on campus," says Daeya Malboeuf, an associate director at Syracuse University. "There's no way we can say that anymore."
Yet this unfavorable economic environment hasn't stopped students from scrambling overseas. According to the Institute of International Education, study-abroad programs have grown 144 percent in the past decade and continue to increase around 8 percent each year. Considering the rising costs, "it's surprising how little the students haven't been deterred," says Natalie Bartush, who handles the study-abroad program at the University of Texas.
Where the real change appears to be happening as a result of rising prices is in the length and location of students' foreign study choices. The number of participants in short-term summer programs has swelled, as has the interest in courses at more exotic locales. For Middlebury College students, for example, a year in Florence costs around $37,000; at Santiago, Chile, it's $27,000. Such price differences have contributed to modest or flat growth at traditionally popular programs in western Europe and Australia, whereas schools in Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and China (particularly Hong Kong) are aggressively expanding to meet rising demand.
Program directors are quick to point out that the shift is not just about money. "You can't understand the United States today without understanding what's going on outside our borders, and that's not just Europe anymore," says Rebecca Hovey, dean of the study-abroad program at the School for International Training. Interest in nontraditional locales spiked even before the dollar began dropping, and foreign countries are marketing themselves to American students. A surge of support from education nonprofits and the State Department also has fueled the trend.
Study-abroad costs also vary wildly based on the way colleges structure their programs. Schools that effectively swap students with a foreign college are less affected by the falling dollar, but American schools that operate their own student centers often end up paying more for rent, utilities, and faculty salaries as the U.S. currency falters. The dollar's slide also means that trying to set student fees in advance is a tiresome guessing game for college officials. Most of these educators' energy, however, is spent scrounging up extra financial aid for needy travelers. Students already getting help can usually transfer their aid to tuition and fees abroad, but basics like housing and food are often at the mercy of the fluctuating dollar. Airfare, which can exceed $1,000 round trip, is not generally included in school fees, and whirlwind trips across continents are rarely cheap.
The emphasis on student financial responsibility is especially evident at private schools like Syracuse, which charges the same pricey tuition abroad as at home. Even at more affordable public universities and private colleges like Middlebury—which charges U.S. students the often cheaper tuition of the international host schools—counselors are quick to peddle the virtue of thrift, a lesson no longer lost between those on safety and culture shock.
1. The fact that American students blithely flocked overseas to nibble on affordable sconesa and croissants implies that_____
[A] studying abroad cost almost the same as staying in U.S. for higher education.
[B] American students were encouraged to study overseas to enrich their experience.
[C] the cost of living at abroad was moderate for American students.
[D] the U.S. dollar was the strongest currency in the world.
2. The changes of study-abroad caused by the dollar’s depreciation are the following ones except_____
[A] students’ enthusiasm of studying abroad in short period does not disappear but vice versa.
[B] students become hesitant when considering long-term overseas programs.
[C] programmes in western Europe and Australia suffer declining popularity.
[D] students who chose to study at certain continents are at a rapid growth.
3. Rebecca Hover’s statement implies that_____
[A] the United States are now more readily influenced by the other countries than before.
[B] shift in the mainland may also be caused by factors outside of America.
[C] Europe can no longer influnece the United States as before.
[D] the United States are extending its influence beyond its boraders.
4. Who are probably most affected by the dollar’s dip?
[A] The international exchange students.
[B] The students who have got scholarships.
[C] The students at costly private schools.
[D] The students at public universities.
5. The best title for this passage is_____
[A] Impact of the Dollar’s Devaluation.
[B] American Students at Abroad.
[C] Study-abroad Costs for American Students.
[D] Shift of American Students’ Foreign Study.
文章剖析：
这篇文章主要讲述美元贬值后对于美国学生留学的影响。第一段讲述美元波动引起的留学学生生活成本的增加;第二段讲述即便如此，海外留学数量有增无减;第三段讲述生活成本增加后引起的留学变化;第四段讲述留学的变化也有其他因素的影响;第五段、第六段讲述因学校不同，受美元贬值影响也不同。
词汇注释：
blithely adv. 愉快地、高兴地 nibble v. 小口快吃
scone n. 烤饼 croissant n. 羊角面包
skyrocket v. 暴涨 spike v. 增强...的效果, 使增添生气
scrounge v. 搜寻, 搜集
难句突破：
(1) Such price differences have contributed to modest or flat growth at traditionally popular programs in western Europe and Australia, whereas schools in Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and China (particularly Hong Kong) are aggressively expanding to meet rising demand.
[主体句式] Such price differences have contributed to…whereas schools are expanding…
[结构分析] 这是一个并列句。前面分句中，at traditionally popular programs in …是状语。
[句子译文] 价格的悬殊使得在西欧和澳大利亚较受欢迎的传统项目增长平平，而智利、阿根廷、南非和中国(尤其是香港)的学校却因需求急剧增加，也飞速扩大。
(2) Schools that effectively swap students with a foreign college are less affected by the falling dollar, but American schools that operate their own student centers often end up paying more for rent, utilities, and faculty salaries as the U.S. currency falters.
[主体句式] Schools are less affected…, but American schools often end up…
[结构分析]这是一个并列句。前面分句中，schools后面是以that引导的定语从句;后面分句中，schools后面也有that引导的定语从句;as引导的时间状语从句是后面分句的状语。
[句子译文] 而那些与外国大学进行学生交换的学校因美元贬值受到的影响也较小。但是自己运营学生中心的美国学校却因为美元的波动，要在房租、设备、人员工资方面支付更多费用。而美元的贬值也意味着提前设定学费对于大学行政人员来说是个麻烦的估算工作。
题目分析：
1. The fact that American students blithely flocked overseas to nibble on affordable scones and croissants implies that_____1. 美国学生高兴地大堆跑到其他国家，在课间品尝着价格合适的烤饼和羊角面包，这个事实暗示者_____
[A] studying abroad cost almost the same as staying in the U.S. for higher education.[A] 在国外接受高等教育和在美国国内所需费用几乎差不多。
[B] American students were encouraged to study overseas to enrich their experience.[B]美国学生受到鼓励去过国外学习，以使得他们的经历更加丰富。
[C] the cost of living at abroad was moderate for American students.[C] 国外的生活成本对于美国学生来说是比较低廉的。
[D] the U.S. dollar was the strongest currency in the world. [D] 美元是世界上最坚挺的货币。
[答案]C
[难度系数] ☆
[分析]推理题。根据第一段，题干中的情况是美元坚挺时候的情况。而现在美元贬值了，学生就感受到了生活成本提高了的压力。因此，那时的情况和目前的是个对比，而用吃烤饼和羊角面包很便宜的事例反映了当时整体的情况，暗示当时的生活成本比较低。A选项描述的是现在的情况，而不是题干中描述的过去的时代。此外，B和D选项与本题无关，而且D选项本身的表述就是错误的。因此正确答案为C选项。
2. The changes of study-abroad caused by the dollar’s depreciation are the following ones except_____2. 因为美元贬值而引起的在国外留学方面的变化是以下除了_____外的其余原因。
[A] students’ enthusiasm of studying abroad in short period does not disappear but vice versa.[A] 学生们去国外短期学习的热情不仅没有消失，反而更加上涨
[B] students become hesitant when considering long-term overseas programs.[B] 学生们在考虑长期的海外留学项目时开始变得犹豫不决
[C] programmes in western Europe and Australia suffer declining popularity.[C] 西欧和澳大利亚的项目没有以前那么受欢迎了
[D] students who chose to study at certain continents are at a rapid growth.[D] 选择在某些大洲学习的学生迅速增加
[答案]B
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析]细节题。文章第三段提到，生活成本的增加(也就是美元的贬值)引起的真正的变化是在国外留学的时间和留学地方选择的变化，时间趋于短期，国家趋于那些和自己文化相差很大的国家，而欧洲和澳大利亚的留学项目没有明显增长。可见，A、C、D都是由美元贬值引起的变化。B在文章第二段提到，但这说的是虽然美元贬值了，但在这个方面没有引起变化，因此正确答案为B选项。
3. Rebecca Hover’s statement implies that_____3. Rebecca Hover的话暗示者_____
[A] the United States are now more readily influenced by the other countries than before.[A]美国现在比从前更容易受到其他国家的影响。
[B] shift in the mainland may also be caused by factors outside of America.[B]美国本土的变化可能就是由美国之外的因素引起的。
[C] Europe can no longer influnece the United States as before.[C] 欧洲不再像从前那样影响美国了。
[D] the United States are extending its influence beyond its boraders.[D]美国将自己的影响延伸到了自己的国境之外。
[答案] B
[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆
[分析]推理题。RebeccaHover说的话是：“现在如果你不知道我们美国之外的地方的情况，就不能说你了解美国。美国之外的地方现在也不仅仅指欧洲了。” 根据第四段上下文的意思，本段主要讲述发生的变化不仅仅是因为美元贬值的原因，另外的原因就是其他国家也发生了一定的变化。结合这个意思，可以推导出，这个陈述主要就是为了说明其他国家的变化也会引起美国发生变化，选项中B最为符合题意。
4. Who are probably most affected by the dollar’s dip?4. 谁受美元贬值的影响最大?
[A] The international exchange students.[A] 国际交换学生。
[B] The students who have got scholarships.[B] 已经获得奖学金的学生。
[C] The students at costly private schools.[C] 在昂贵的私立学校学习的学生。
[D] The students at public universities.[D] 在公立学校学习的学生。
[答案]C
[难度系数] ☆☆
[分析]推理题。第五段提到，那些与外国学院交换学生的学校受美元贬值影响不大，但对自己运作学生中心的美国学校影响大，第六段提到在向锡拉库扎这样的私立学校，特别强调学生自己负担费用;而公立学校和普通私立学校也倡导节约。由此对比可见，昂贵的私立学校学生受的影响可能最大。因此，答案为C选项。
5. The best title for this passage is_____5. 这篇文章最好的题目为_____
[A] Impact of the Dollar’s Devaluation.[A] 美元贬值的影响。
[B] American Students at Abroad.[B] 美国学生在国外。
[C] Study-abroad Costs for American Students.[C] 美国学生国外花费。
[D] Shift of American Students’ Foreign Study.[D] 美国学生留学的变化。
[答案]D
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析]主旨题。这篇文章主要讲述了美元贬值后，美国学生海外留学的一些变化及其原因。选项中D最为符合这一主题，为正确答案。
参考译文：
当美元还是老大的时候，美国学生都高高兴兴地成群跑到海外上学，课间可以品尝价格合适的烤饼和羊角面包。可是时代变化的真快啊。美元突然跌到空前的低点，学生们都感到了压力。特别是在英国和使用欧元的国家里(目前欧元对美元的汇率为68欧分兑1美元)，生活的成本陡然增加。“几年前，我们可以说在国外学习和在国内大学学习花费差不多，”锡拉库扎大学的副院长Daeya Malboeuf这样说，“但我们现在可不能这么说了。”
但即使在这么不好的经济环境下，学生们还是争先恐后到海外去。国际教育学院认为，在过去十年内，海外学习项目增长了144%，而且还以每年4%的速度在继续增长。考虑到上升的成本问题，德克萨斯大学海外教育项目负责人Natalie Bartush说，“奇怪的是有很少学生因此而不去上学的。”
因为价格升高真正出现的变化是学生对于国外学习的时间长短和学习地点的选择。参加短期暑假学习项目的学生数量急剧增加，此外他们更有兴趣到那些和自己文化相异颇大的地方学习。比如，Middlebury学院的学生在佛罗伦萨一年的消费要3万7千美元;而在圣地亚哥和智利只要2万7千美元。价格的悬殊使得在西欧和澳大利亚较受欢迎的传统项目增长平平，而智利、阿根廷、南非和中国(尤其是香港)的学校却因需求急剧增加，也飞速扩大。
项目主任指出这种变化不仅仅是因为费用。“现在如果你不知道美国之外其他地方的情况，就不能说你了解美国。美国之外的地方现在也不仅仅指欧洲了。” 国家教育学校海外教育项目主任Rebecca Hovey说道。在美元贬值前学生们对非传统地区的兴趣就已经开始增加了，而外国学校也在向美国学生宣传自己。而教育非盈利和美国国务院增加的扶持也推动了这种趋势。
海外教育费用也因学校组织项目方式的不同方式而有很大差异。而那些与外国大学进行学生交换的学校因美元贬值受到的影响也较小。但是自己运营学生中心的美国学校却因为美元的波动，要在房租、设备、人员工资方面支付更多费用。而美元的贬值也意味着提前设定学费对于大学行政人员来说是个麻烦的估算工作。但是，大多数教育者的精力却花费在给那些贫困的旅客寻找额外的经济援助上面。已经获得援助的学生可以支付在国外学习的学费，但是其它的必需花费，如租房、伙食费就会受到美元波动的影响。超过1000美元的往返机票也一般不包括在学校费用中，而跨洲航班很少有便宜的。
在像锡拉库扎这样的私立学校，学生需要自己负担经济费用的现象更是突出，这些私立学校对国内国外学生都收取同样昂贵的学费。公立大学或是像Middlebury这样的私立学院一般向美国学生收取的学费要比国际寄宿学校收取得少，相对比较便宜，但现在法律顾问也在提倡节约，这是安全与文化冲击之间不再会失去的一个教训。
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