四、閱讀測驗【請依照段落上下文意,選出最適當的答案】
Steeped in history, cloaked in prestige, and not rarely subjected to allegations of elitism, the University of
Oxford is famous around the world. Whether a student desperately desires to win admission to this
esteemed institution, or whether he dismisses it as outdated and pretentious, the university is the “crème de
la crème” of higher education.
Oxford is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world, dating back at least as far as the
11th century. It consists of 38 colleges, which were gradually united under the umbrella of Oxford University.
These colleges are run independently, but they all function on the basis of tutorials, supported by lectures
and individual faculty facilities such as libraries, lodgings, and common rooms. Oxford’s long and successful history
has, of course, produced numerous notable graduates, from Nobel prize winners and economists to world leaders
and actors. But the university is known for more than just its distinguished alumni. The mystique of Oxford is
recurrent in popular culture, too.
It is a combination of Oxford’s rich past, excellent reputation, and beautiful architecture that inspires its
prominent position in our hearts and minds. We recognize the university’s Bodleian Library—the second-largest in
Britain—from the Harry Potter films: it becomes Hogwarts’ hospital wing. A James Bond film, An Education,
and the hit TV series Lost have also featured the campus. Perhaps Oxford’s most famous association with
popular culture stems from Lewis Carroll—who spent most of his life as a student and teacher there—and his novels,
Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Alice Liddell, daughter of an Oxford dean at the time,
was the girl on whom Carroll based the world-famous character, and some scenes from his stories are set in
and around the Oxford campus.
The University of Oxford is much more than academia and bookishness. It is also a place where magic
happens.
【題組】49. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
(A) Oxford has many outdated and pretentious academics.
(B) Oxford encourages its students to engage in creative writing.
(C) Not all students choose to go to Oxford.
(D) Oxford cultivates numerous well-known filmmakers.