Question

Part A: Cloze Test15%
Competition for admission to the country’s top private schools has always been tough. This is spreading from Manhattan to the rest of the country. Precise2 data on private schools are unavailable, but interviews with representatives of independent and religious schools all told the same 53: too many applicants, higher rejection rates. Surveys indicate that Americans’ No.4 52 is education.5 the long economic boom(繁荣) has given parents more income, many are turning to private schools, even at price tags of well over $60,000 a year. “We’re getting applicants from a broader area, 54, than we ever have in the past,” said Besty Haugh of the Latin School of Chicago, which experienced a7 percent increase in8 this year.
The problem is that while demand has increased, supply has not. “Every year, there are a few children who do not find places, but this year, for the first time that I know of, there are a(n)9 number of children who don’t have places,” said Krents, who also heads a private-school admissions group in New York.
So what can parents do to give their 4-year-old a(n) 57? Schools know there is no simple way to pick a class when children are so young. Many schools give preference to boys or girls or alumni(校友) children. Some use lotteries. But most rely on a10 of subjective and objective measures: tests that at best11 developmental maturity and learning potential, interviews with parents and observation of applicants in classroom settings. They also want a diverse mix. Children may end up on a waiting list simply because their birthdays12 at the wrong time year, or because too many applicants were boys.
The worst thing a parent can do is to pressure preschoolers to perform --- 613, by pushing them to read or do math exercises14 they’re ready. Instead, the experts say, parents should take a breath and look for 63. Another year in preschool may be all that’s needed. Parents, meanwhile, may need a more15 mind about relatively unknown private schools --- or about magnet(具有吸引力的)schools in the public system. There’s no sign of the private-school boom letting up.

1. 1.
   1. A.
      traditional
   2. B.
      current
   3. C.
      processed
   4. D.
      average
2. 2.
   1. A.
      story
   2. B.
      advice
   3. C.
      context
   4. D.
      promise
3. 3.
   1. A.
      venture
   2. B.
      concern
   3. C.
      occupation
   4. D.
      interest
4. 4.
   1. A.
      For that
   2. B.
      So that
   3. C.
      Now that
   4. D.
      After that
5. 5.
   1. A.
      intellectually
   2. B.
      psychologically
   3. C.
      commercially
   4. D.
      geographically
6. 6.
   1. A.
      applications
   2. B.
      locations
   3. C.
      schools
   4. D.
      admissions
7. 7.
   1. A.
      considerate
   2. B.
      inadequate
   3. C.
      significant
   4. D.
      moderate
8. 8.
   1. A.
      advantage
   2. B.
      skill
   3. C.
      place
   4. D.
      school
9. 9.
   1. A.
      choice
   2. B.
      mix
   3. C.
      preference
   4. D.
      base
10. 10.
    1. A.
       identify
    2. B.
       exploit
    3. C.
       employ
    4. D.
       confirm
11. 11.
    1. A.
       set
    2. B.
       fix
    3. C.
       date
    4. D.
       fall
12. 12.
    1. A.
       in a word
    2. B.
       to a great extent
    3. C.
       in any case
    4. D.
       for example
13. 13.
    1. A.
       when
    2. B.
       since
    3. C.
       before
    4. D.
       until
14. 14.
    1. A.
       occasions
    2. B.
       competitions
    3. C.
       alternatives
    4. D.
       pressures
15. 15.
    1. A.
       open
    2. B.
       closed
    3. C.
       active
    4. D.
       secret

Answer 1

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