Directions:There are 2 passages in
this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished
statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D.
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
compel 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 and reinforced
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 confrontations." 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. What does Kofi Annan say should be the focus of the Copenhagen
conference
A. How rich and poor regions can share responsibility in curbing global
warming.
B. How human and economic losses from climate change can be reduced.
C. How emissions of heat-trapping gases can be reduced on a global
scale.
D. How rich countries can better help poor regions reduce climate
hazards.