英国一大学开设魔法相关专业了！

麦千叶

The University of Exeter， UK， has announced its groundbreaking Master of Arts in Magic and Occult Science， which will start in September 2024. The new program has captured imaginations and sparked heated debates.

According to the university， the major brings together academics from diverse fields such as history， literature， philosophy， archaeology， sociology， psychology， drama， and religion. Together， they will examine the role of magic and the occult in both Western and Eastern cultures， challenging conventional perceptions， and encouraging a deeper understanding of the global influence of magic and the occult on society and science.

Professor Emily Selove， the major leader， emphasized the programs relevance to contemporary society.

“A recent surge in interest in magic and the occult inside and outside of academia lies at the heart of the most urgent questions of our society，” she said in an interview with the BBC. “Decolonization， the exploration of alternative epistemologies（认识论）， feminism and anti-racism are at the core of this program.”

Interestingly， the University of Exeter could boast a magical connection of its own， since the renowned author of the Harry Potter series， J.K. Rowling， had also studied at this institution. However， not everyone is enchanted by the idea. Critics on social media have mocked the degree， describing it as “insane” and a “waste of money”.

But the university stands firm in its commitment to offering a unique educational experience， saying on its official website that graduates of this MA program will be well-equipped for a multitude of careers， from teaching and counseling to heritage preservation， arts organizations， and even the publishing industry.

（材料來自China Daily网站，有删改）

1. What is the function of the first paragraph？

A. To introduce the topic.

B. To capture readers imagination.

C. To inform readers of a debate.

D. To announce a policy.

2. Which of the following statements about the major is true？

A. It can answer most urgent questions of our society.

B. It centers around feminism and anti-racism.

C. It explores alternative epistemologies.

D. It arouse the interest of the young in magic.

3. The University of Exeter sticks to offering the major because _________.

A. many people look forward to its start

B. J.K. Rowling used to study at this institution

C. graduates can play magic like Harry Potter

D. graduates can be well-prepared for various jobs

4. What does the passage focus on？

A. A magical program.B. A social issue.

C. A firm decision.D. A heated debate.

1. A。解析：推理判断题。材料第一段中提到“英国埃克塞特大学宣布设立‘魔法与神秘学硕士学位”，而后文都在介绍这一专业的相关内容，由此可知第一段的作用是引出话题。故选A。

2. C。解析：细节理解题。材料第四段第一句提到“最近学术界内外对魔法和神秘学的兴趣激增，这是我们社会最紧迫问题的核心”，很显然A项“它能回答社会上最急迫的问题”有些断章取义；材料第四段第二句提到“非殖民化、探索另类认识论、女权主义和反种族主义是这个项目的核心”，B项“它以女权主义和反种族主义为中心”这一表述不够全面；C项“它探索另类认识论”与材料第四段第二句中提到的“探索另类认识论”吻合；材料没有提到D项“它引起了年轻人对魔法的兴趣”。故选C。

3. D。解析：细节理解题。材料最后一段中提到“魔法与神秘学硕士专业的毕业生将为多项事业做好准备，从教学和咨询到遗产保护、艺术组织，甚至是出版”。故选D。

4. A。解析：主旨大意题。B项“一个社会议题”概括得太广泛，C项“一个坚定的决定”和D项“一场激烈的辩论”概括得太片面，相较之下，A项“一个神奇的项目”与材料中多次出现的“program”和“magic”等较为吻合。故选A。