英國一大學開設魔法相關專業了！

麥千葉

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（認識論）， 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網站，有刪改）

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：推理判斷題。材料第一段中提到“英國埃克塞特大學宣布設立‘魔法與神秘學碩士學位”，而后文都在介紹這一專業的相關內容，由此可知第一段的作用是引出話題。故選A。

2. C。解析：細節理解題。材料第四段第一句提到“最近學術界內外對魔法和神秘學的興趣激增，這是我們社會最緊迫問題的核心”，很顯然A項“它能回答社會上最急迫的問題”有些斷章取義；材料第四段第二句提到“非殖民化、探索另類認識論、女權主義和反種族主義是這個項目的核心”，B項“它以女權主義和反種族主義為中心”這一表述不夠全面；C項“它探索另類認識論”與材料第四段第二句中提到的“探索另類認識論”吻合；材料沒有提到D項“它引起了年輕人對魔法的興趣”。故選C。

3. D。解析：細節理解題。材料最后一段中提到“魔法與神秘學碩士專業的畢業生將為多項事業做好準備，從教學和咨詢到遺產保護、藝術組織，甚至是出版”。故選D。

4. A。解析：主旨大意題。B項“一個社會議題”概括得太廣泛，C項“一個堅定的決定”和D項“一場激烈的辯論”概括得太片面，相較之下，A項“一個神奇的項目”與材料中多次出現的“program”和“magic”等較為吻合。故選A。