For some people, the prospect of starting college, especially going away to school, is scary. It’s probably the first time that you’ll be totally responsible for your own schedule. What if you intend to go to college but just don’t feel ready to start yet-for whatever reason-and you don’t want to take on a full-time job after graduation? You might want to take a year off to pause and regroup. This practice is common in some countries, like the United Kingdom, where it’s called a “
gapyear”.
Taking time off doesn’t mean you should ignore the idea of applying to college. In fact, you may want to consider making your college plans before you become involved in other things, especially if you’ll be travelling. Apply to schools and make your choice, then ask for a deferred admission. Rachel took a year off and worked in New York City between college and medical school. She says that she had to be extremely well organized about planning for medical school so she didn’t miss any of her deadlines. “Not only did I have to apply to schools and make plans to take my MCAT exams, I also had to make all my living arrangements and other plans for my year off!”
Even if you decide not to apply to college, it can be a great idea to take a year to do something you may not have an opportunity to do again. Lots of volunteer organizations would welcome your time and energy and would provide you with a wonderful learning experience. If you take a year off you will learn some great life skills-like living on a tight budget! If you take a year off you’ll pay your way while you are traveling or doing volunteer work.
小题1:What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Taking Time Off |
| B．Disadvantages of a “Gap Year” |
| C．Plans after Graduation |
| D．How to Apply to College |
小题2:Going on a “gap year” means _____.
| A．asking for a year’s leave to rest at home |
| B．taking a year off to pause and regroup |
| C．ignoring the idea of applying to college |
| D．travelling around the world before going to college |
小题3:The author takes Rachel for example in the second paragraph in order to show _____.
| A．it’s not easy to take a year off |
| B．it’s interesting to take a “gap year” |
| C．what taking time off is like |
| D．how to apply to schools |
小题4:Which of the following is NOT the benefit of taking a year off?
| A．You’ll learn some great life skills. |
| B．You’ll make full preparation for starting college. |
| C．You’ll earn much money by taking on a full-time job. |
| D．You’ll gain a wonderful learning experience by joining in a volunteer organization. |
