2. 外语
  3. The number of scientists and engineers going to America to study and work is dropping precipitously. An important reason is the

The number of scientists and engineers going to America to study and work is dropping precipitously. An important reason is the

admin2010-02-20  55
问题    The number of scientists and engineers going to America to study and work is dropping precipitously. An important reason is the length of time it now takes to get a visa. This is both deterring would-be visitors from coming, and hindering some of those who try.  Not only may this lead to a decline in America’s scientific strength, it is also an undeserved obstacle for many students.
   Things are getting a little better--delays in visa processing, according to both America’s State Department and academic observers, are shorter than a year ago. And only a small percentage of student-visa applications are held up for extremely long periods. Nonetheless, since the summer of 2003, applicants for student visas have been required to appear at an American consulate for an interview. Because consular staffs have not been expanded, this has led to delays of several weeks in order to sit for an interview that often lasts only a few minutes. Such a blanket requirement puts undue stress on both students and consulates, without yielding tangible security benefits. A more focused system makes more sense.
   The current mess could prove costly to America. Its economic and military prowess owes a great deal to emigrating scientists and engineers. They were key members of the team which built its first atomic bomb in 1945, and they have played an important role ever since. In 2001, 35% of science and engineering doctorates a- warded by American universities went to foreign students, and foreigners comprise a similar proportion of America’s scientific and engineering workforce.
   Furthermore, several requirements have exacerbated delays, with little benefit to security. For example, checks on scientists working in areas that might relate to national security (exactly which areas are secret) are currently valid only for a year. Since such checks take on average two months to complete, and cannot be applied for within America, it thus becomes difficult to complete a course of study lasting five or six years. Visas should be granted for the duration of a course of study--if someone is not deemed a security risk today, it is un- likely he will be so a year from now. Legitimate visa holders should be allowed to enter and leave the country, and to apply for a renewal of their visas while still in America.
   There are also problems at home. The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, which are jointly responsible for visas, are struggling to respond to the concerns of scientists but they are woefully ill- equipped--files are exchanged twice weekly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on computer disks, while the FBI takes up to three days to reply that a person has not appeared on its database. Furthermore, the State Department keeps inadequate data about visa delays and applications. This is inexcusable. All manners of businesses use software today to segment and understand their customers’ behavior. The government’s failure to use the same technology is leading to both inefficiency and a decrease in security.
   A more logical visa regime would make America safer, and those wishing to study or work there happier. Other countries are currently benefiting from the shortcomings in America’s system. But change would, in the long term, serve even their interests. A return to honest global competition for scientists and engineers would be healthier and more productive.
The author implies all of the following EXCEPT ______.
选项 A、the US relies heavily on foreign professionals.
B、visa system may be useless, or even harmful
C、the US government has not put high technology to good use
D、the more efficient the government, the safer the country
答案B
解析 推理判断题。本题要用排除法。第三段说这种局面使美国付出代价，是因为美国owes a great deal to emigrating scientists and engineers，证明A是正确的。第五段谈论美国国内的问题，作者指出FBI工作效率太低，所以使签证制度不能有效保护国家安全，证明D是对的。作者接着指出造成效率低下的原因是the government’s failure to use the same technology，所以C是正确的。
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