Several recent studies have found that being randomly (随机地) assigned to a roommate of another race can lead to increased tolerance but also to a greater likelihood (可能性) of conflict.
Recent reports found that lodging with a student of a different race may decrease prejudice and force students to engage in more ethnically diverse friendships.
An Ohio State University study also found that black students living with a white roommate saw higher academic success throughout their college careers. Researchers believe this may be caused by social pressure.
In a New York Times article, Sam Boakye – the only black student on his freshman year floor -said that if you're surrounded by whites, you have something to prove.
Researchers also observed problems resulting from pairing interracial students in residences.
According to two recent studies, randomly assigned roommates of different races are more likely to experience conflicts so strained that one roommate will move out.
An Indiana University study found that interracial roommates were three times as likely as two white roommates to no longer live together by the end of the semester.
Grace Kao, a professor at Penn said she was not surprised by the findings. This may be the first time that some of these students have interacted, and lived, with someone of a different race, she said.
At Penn, students are not asked to indicate race when applying for housing.
One of the great things about freshman housing is that, with some exceptions, the process throws you together randomly, said Undergraduate Assembly chairman Alec Webley. This is the definition of integration.
I've experienced roommate conflicts between interracial students that have both broken down stereotypes(模式化形象) and strengthened stereotypes, said one Penn resident advisor (RA). The RA of two years added that while some conflicts provided more multicultural acceptance and melding (融合), there were also jarring cultural resistance.
The RA said that these conflicts have also occurred among roommates of the same race.
Kao said she cautions against forming any generalizations based on any one of the studies, noting that more background characteristics of the students need to be studied and explained.
【小题1】What can we learn from some recent studies?A．Conflicts between students of different races are unavoidable.B．Interracial lodging may have diverse outes.C．Students of different races are prejudiced against each other.D．Interracial lodging does more harm than good.【小题2】What does the Indiana University study show?A．Few white students like sharing a room with a black peer.B．Roommates of different races just don't get along.C．Interracial roommates are more likely to fall out.D．Assigning students' lodging randomly is not a good policy.【小题3】What does Alec Webley consider to be the definition of integration?A．The school randomly assigns roommates without regard to race.B．Students of different races are required to share a room.C．Interracial lodging is arranged by the school for freshmen.D．Lodging is assigned to students of different races without exception.【小题4】What can be inferred from Grace Kao’s saying about interracial lodging?A．Schools should be cautious when making decisions about student lodging.B．Students' racial background should be considered before lodging is assigned.C．Experienced resident advisors should be assigned to handle the problems.D．It is unscientific to make generalizations about it without further study.B
网友回答
(答案→)B
解析：本文介绍了在美国很多的大学在分配宿舍的时候，没有考虑到学生的种族，最后导致了很多的问题。
【小题1】B 推理题。根据文章第一段being randomly (随机地) assigned to a roommate of another race can lead to increased tolerance but also to a greater likelihood (可能性) of conflict.说明这样的行为会有多种结果，故B项正确。
【小题2】C 推理题。根据第四段An Indiana University study found that interracial roommates were three times as likely as two white roommates to no longer live together by the end of the semester.说明这样的安排导致的室友之间的问题很多，所以这样的安排会失败。故C正确。
【小题3】A 推理题。根据One of the great things about freshman housing is that, with some exceptions, the process throws you together randomly,说明他对于这个问题的定义就是很多学生被胡乱地分配好住在一起，不考虑他们的种族。故A项正确。
【小题4】D 推断题。根据This may be the first time that some of these students have interacted, and lived, with someone of a different race, she said.说明很多的人都是第一次遇见这样的情况，所以会出很多问题。故这样的安排不合理。故D正确。