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More than one-third of foreign students graduating from Australian universities, mainly

Asians, have such poor English skills they should never have been admitted, research showed. A

study by demographer Bob Birrell found that more than 5 percent of !outh "orean and #hai

students did not have sufficient English to work professionally in Australia, along with more than

$% percent of &hinese graduates. !ome '( percent of students from !ingapore and )ndia, where

English is more widely spoken also failed to reach the re*uired level. +verall, %$ percent of the

graduating foreign students offered permanent residence visas in did not have competent

English.

  Birrell of Melbournes Monash /niversity, said almost all the ', graduates tested for

the survey were from Asia because these students are the most likely to apply for permanent

residency on completing their studies.

0owever, he said that he believed the study to be representative of all foreign students,

 partly because Asia was a ma1or source of fee-paying overseas students for Australian

universities. 2)t does raise *uestions about university standards,3 Birrell told A4. #ertiary

institutions are reliant on international students because they provide '5 percent of funding,

leading to suggestions that academic standards are sacrificed in favor of financial rewards.  Education Minister 6ulie Bishop described the survey as 7an e8traordinary attack by

rofessor Birrell on our universities.7 2)nternational students must meet international

 benchmarks in language in order to get a place in a university in Australia,3 she said. #he study

found all graduates tested had enough command of the language  to cope in most situations. 2But

 people who have reached this standard are still not capable of conducting a sophisticated

discourse at the professional level,3 it said.

  )n his report, Birrell said there was a 7mountain of anecdotal material7 that many

overseas students struggle to meet their course re*uirements and that universities cope by

lowering the English demands of the courses. 2#here is widening recognition of the English

 problem,3 he said. 2But universities were hesitant to make students take e8tra language courses because this would make them more e8pensive and therefore less attractive than rival

institutions,3 he said. 0owever, rofessor 9erard !utton, the president of the Australian :ice-

&hancellors &ommittee, said most foreign students would be proficient in reading, writing and

listening to English. 2;hat ) think has been highlighted is a deficiency in spoken language,3 he

told A4, adding that a deficiency in this area would not prevent them from completing a

university course.

(Taken From : SOAL SPMB 2007 Regional I Kode Naska !"#$ 

'. #he respondents of the survey were

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A. a demographic report for the Australian Ministry of Education

B. a handbook for foreign university students in Australia

&. an article in the education column of a newspaper 

=. a brochure about tertiary education in Australia

E. a popular lifestyle maga>ine for young people

%.;hich of the following statements is 4A?!E about Asian students studying in Australian

universities@

A. Most of these students do not meet the re*uirements for Australian universities.

B. !tudents from !ingapore and )ndia are better in their English than those from &hina.

&. #hey pay the highest fees for their education compared to other foreign students.

=. #here is no problem for graduating foreign students to get permanent resident visas.

E. Australian universities consider Asian students as the ma1or source of their income.

$. 4rom the te8t we can infer that Australian universities