Passage 1 When young women were found to make only 82 percent of what their male peers do just one year out of college, many were at a loss to explain it. All the traditional reasons put forward to interpret the pay gap — that women fall behind when they leave the workforce to raise kids, for example, or that they don’t seek as many management roles — failed to justify this one. These young women didn’t have kids yet. And because they were just one year removed from their undergraduate degrees, few of these women yet had the chance to go after (much less decline) leadership roles. But there are other reasons why the pay gap remains so persistent. The first is that no matter how many women may be getting college degrees, the university experience is still an unequal one. The second is that our higher education system is not designed to focus on the economic consequences of our students’ years on campus. Now that women are the majority of college students and surpass men in both the number of undergraduate and advanced degrees awarded, one might think the college campus is a pretty equal place. It is not. Studies show that while girls do better than boys in high school, they start to trail off during their college years. They enroll in different kinds of classes, tend to major in less rigorous ( 非常严格的 ) subjects, and generally head off with less ambitious plans. As a result, it’s not surprising that even the best educated young women enter the workplace with a slight disadvantage. Their college experience leaves them somewhat confused, still stumbling ( 栽倒 ) over the dilemmas their grandmothers’ generation sought to destroy. Are they supposed to be pretty or smart? Strong or sexy ( 性感的 )? All their lives, today’s young women have been pushed to embrace both perfection and passion — to pursue science and sports, math and theater — and do it all as well as they possibly can. No wonder they’re not negotiating for higher salaries as soon as they get out of school. They are too exhausted, and too scared of failing. 1. Traditionally, it is believed that women earn less than men because ___________. A) they have failed to take as many rigorous courses B) they do not feel as fit for management roles C) they feel obliged to take care of their kids at home D) they do not exhibit the needed leadership qualities 2. What does the author say about America’s higher education system? A) It does not offer specific career counseling to women. B) It does not consider its economic impact on graduates. C) It does not take care of women students’ special needs. D) It does not encourage women to take rigorous subjects. 3. What does the author say about today’s college experience? A) It is different for male and female students. B) It is not the same as that of earlier generations. C) It is more exhausting than most women expect. D) It is not so satisfying to many American students. 4. What does the author say about women students in college? A) They have no idea how to bring out their best. B) They drop a course when they find it too rigorous. C) They are not as practical as men in choosing courses. D) They don’t perform as well as they did in high school. 5. How does the author explain the pay gap between men and women fresh from college? A) Women are too worn out to be ambitious. B) Women are not ready to take management roles. C) Women are caught between career and family. D) Women are not good at negotiating salaries.