2013届高三英语专题复习训练：完形填空18.docVIP

1.Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. German universities, known for their excellence throughout the world in the early part of the 20th century, are in a state of decline, according to Michael Burda, an American economics professor at Berlin’s Humholdt University． Burda claims that Germany’s 300 schools of 50 learning are being hurt by “a long-time shortage of general 51 ． “No statistic（统计数字） makes this more evident than a low proportion of young Germans actually 52 university-level degrees,” he says． Only 22 per cent of German students aged 24-34 53 complete their university studies．That’s compared to 31 percent in the UK, and 39 percent in the US, 54 the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development （OECD）． One reason for the decline is that Germany spends barely 1．1 per cent of its gross 55 product （GDP） on higher education, compared to 2．6 percent in the US． “ A central reason why so few Germans 56 university degrees here is the deterioration （下降/退化） in the 57 of education．This certainly comes from the rise in the number of students per teacher．Those who have the will and the means often study 58 ,” he said． Since the 1960s, more than 90 percent of German higher education has been publicly supported．Famous universities are still public institutions, 59 by federal and regional governments． Private funding of universities is 60 in Germany．This comes from the country’s lack of a donating tradition and rules limiting the amounts of tax-free donations． But now there signs that 61 may be changing． Professor Dieter Lenzen, president of Berlin’s Free University, agrees that 62 money has to be spent on higher education．But he disputes Burda’s claim that German universities are in 63 ． “A decade ago that may have been the 64 , but that was a result of the unsteady