An increase in students applying to study economics at university is being attributed to （归因于）the global economic crisis awakening a public thirst for knowledge about how the financial system works.
Applications for degree courses beginning this autumn were up by 15% this January, according to UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. A spokesman for the Royal Economic Society said applications to do economics at A-level were also up.
Professor john Beath, the president of the society and a leading lecture at St Andrews University, said his first-year lectures—which are open to students from all departments—were drawing crowds of 400, rather than the usual 250.
“There are a large number of students who are not economics majors, who would like to learn something about it. One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events in a way that one hasn’t traditionally done. ” He added.
University applications rose 7% last year. But there were rises above average in several subjects. Nursing saw a 15% jump, with people’s renewed interest in careers in the pubic sector（部门）, which are seen as more secure in economic crisis.
A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters, and almost half said their children had asked them what was going on, although a minority of parents felt they did not understand it themselves well enough to explain.
Zack Hocking, the head of Child Trust Funds, said: “It’s possible that one good thing to arise from the downturn will be a generation that’s financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty.”
【小题1】 Professor John Beath’s lectures are .A．given in a traditional wayB．connected with the present situation C．open to both students and their parentsD．warmly received by economics【小题2】Careers in the public sector are more attractive because of their .A．better reputationB．higher pay C．fewer applicationsD．greater stability【小题3】In the opinion of most parents, .A．economics should be the focus of school teaching B．more students should be admitted to universities C．the teaching of financial matters should be strengthenedD．children should solve financial problems themselves【小题4】According to Hocking, the global economic crisis might make the youngsters . A．get jobs in Child Trust FundsB．have access to better equipmentC．confident about their future careers D．wiser in money management【小题5】What’s the main idea of the text? A．Universities have received more applications.B．Economics is attracting an increasing number of students.C．College students benefit a lot from economic uncertaintyD．Parents are concerned with children’s subject selection.B
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(答案→)B
解析：本文主要讲述了金融危机下学生们开始更多地选择与经济有关的专业这一现象。申请到大学中学习经济专业的学生的增加归因于全球性的经济危机激起了民众对于金融系统运作知识的渴望。
【小题1】细节理解题。根据从第四段第二句话可知他把教学与当前的一些重大事件紧密相连，即贴近现实生活，故B(与当前的形势相联系)为正确答案。
【小题2】细节理解题。根据从第五段最后可知在当前金融危机下这些公共部门的工作以其安全性和稳定性吸引了求职者，故D(极大的稳定性)为正确答案。
【小题3】细节理解题。根据由倒数第二段的内容可知应该“加强关于经济问题方面的教学”，答案为C。
【小题4】推理判断题。根据Hocking认为经济下滑带来的一个好处就是让年轻人学会了更明智地处理金钱方面的问题，在经济不稳定时期更好地理财。故选D。
【小题5】主旨大意题。根据第一段提到全球性的金融危机使公众想更多地了解有关经济体系方面的一些问题，所以更多的学生申请经济学专业，本文正是对此展开的论述，故答案为B。