In Britain all children have to go to school between the ages of 5 and 16. In the US children must go to school from the age of 6 to the ages between 14 and 16, depending on the state they live in.

　　In England and Wales the subjects taught in schools are laid down by the National Curriculum, which was introduced in 1988 and sets out in detail the subjects that children should study and the levels of achievement they should reach by the ages of 7, 11, 14, and 16, when they are tested.

　　The National Curriculum does not apply in Scotland, where each school decides what subjects it will teach.

　　In the US the subjects taught are decided by national and local governments.

　　Whereas British schools usually have prayers and religious instructions, American schools are not allowed to include prayers or to teach particular religious beliefs.

　　At 16, students in England and Wales take GCSE examinations. These examinations are taken by students of all levels of ability in any of a range of subjects, and may involve a final examination, an assessment of work done during the two-year course, or both of these things. At 18 some students take A-level examinations. usually in not more than 3 subjects. It is necessary to have A-levels in order to go to a university of polytechnic.

　　In Scotland students take the SCE examinations. A year later, they can take examinations called Highers, after which they can either go straight to a university or spend a further year at school and take the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies. In Scotland the university system is different from that in England and Wales. Courses usually last four years rather than three, and students study a large number of subjects as part of their degree.

(1) According to the passage, children have to go to school between the ages of ________ in both Britain and the US.

[　　]

(2) In which parts of the world are the subjects taught only decided by the nation?

[　　]

(3) As for the A-level examination, it involves ________.

[　　]

(4) Which of the following can be inferred from this passage?

[　　]

A．In the US, only local government can decide the subjects.

B．In Scotland, students can take either the SCE examinations or the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies.

C．In England, Wales and Scotland, students need to study religion.

D．As for a 16-year-old student in England and Wales, he has to take both GCSE examinations and final examination.

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项。

　　College academics are completely different from high school academics. In high school, you are mostly tested on your ability to memorize facts, dates and formulas. In college, you will be required to think critically and to analyze important ideas and theories. Your grades will be based more on your ability to read and understand main ideas and write about them in a critical way.

　　Unless you are absolutely certain of what you would like to study, use your first year as a time to explore courses in a number of areas.

　　As you probably know, Harvard's educational system requires you to take what are called core classes, which are designed to expose all students to areas like literature and arts, the Sciences and history. For many students, these core classes are the most difficult because they require them to take courses in areas that are not their strengths. We advise you not to load up on core classes in your first year. Get familiarized with the way the academic program works at Harvard first, and then deal with the larger part of the core classes.

　　Participate but don't get overwhelmed (淹没). While you are used to participating in multiple activities in high school, it's important to concentrate your time on a couple of key activities in college.

　　Meet as many people as you can. One of the best things about attending Harvard is that you can meet some truly unbelievable people. Your classmates might include a prince, television actresses or a daughter of a US vicepresident.

(1) This passage is most probably written for ________.

[　　]

A．all college students

B．high school students

C．all students at Harvard

D．students newly admitted to Harvard

(2) It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

[　　]

A．college students needn't memorize facts, dates and formulas

B．the first year in college is completely spent in exploring courses

C．many first-year students at Harvard may not take too many core classes

D．Harvard's education system mainly aims at students' weak academic areas

(3) Harvard requires students to ________.

[　　]

A．get acquainted with famous people

B．take core classes in their second year

C．take courses like literature and arts

D．analyze all ideas and theories

(4) ________ is advised in the passage.

[　　]

A．Exploring as many courses as possible

B．Meeting as many people as possible

C．Getting familiar with the ways in Harvard first

D．Joining in all college activities

(5) Which of the following best siunnarizes the passage?

[　　]

A．How to get used to college life at Harvard.

B．How to take the core classes at Harvard.

C．How to take part in college activities at Harvard.

D．How to deal with college academics at Harvard.

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项。

　　How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments mostly for entertainment purposes is fair and respectful?

　　Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain "collections" of interesting "things" rather than protective habitats (栖息地). Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.

　　Zoos claim (声称) to educate people and save endangered species (物种), but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals's natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species' name, diet, and natural range (分布区). The animals' normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don't usually take care of the animals' natural needs.

　　The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.

　　Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding (MrfIM) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to, the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species' dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven't we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?

　　Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals' natural habitats.

(1) How would the author describe the animals' life in zoos?

[　　]

(2) In the state of zoochosis, animals ________.

[　　]

(3) What does the author try to argue in the passage?

[　　]

A．Zoos are not worth the public support.

B．Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals.

C．Zoos should treat animals as human beings.

D．Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment.

(4) The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by ________.

[　　]

A．pointing out the faults in what zoos do

B．using evidence he has collected at zoos

C．questioning the way animals are protected

D．discussing the advantages of natural habitats

(5) Although he argues against zoos, the author would still agree that ________.

[　　]

A．zoos have to keep animals in small cages

B．most animals in zoos are endangered species

C．some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos

D．it's acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats

　　It's often said that we learn things at the wrong time. University students frequently (经常) do the minimum amount of work because they're crazy for a good social life instead. Children often scream before their piano practice because it's so boring, have to be given gold stars and medals to be persuaded to swim, or have to be bribed (给予奖励) to take exams. But when you're older? Ah, now that's a different story.

　　Over the years, I've done my share of adult learning. At 30 I went to a college and did courses in History and English. It was an amazing experience. For starters, I was paying, so there was no reason to be late---I was the one frowning (皱眉) and drumming my fingers if the teacher was delayed, not the other way round. Indeed, if I could persuade him to linger, it was a prize, not a trouble. I wasn't frightened to ask questions and homework was a pleasure not a pain. When I passed, I had passed for me and me alone, not my parents or my teachers. The satisfaction I got was entirely personal.　　 Some people fear going back to school because they worry that their brains have got show. But the joy is that, although some parts have been dull sometimes, your brain has learnt all kinds of other things since you were young. It's learnt to think independently and flexibly and is much better at relating one thing to another. What you lose in the dull department, you gain in the maturity (成熟) department.

　　In some ways, age is a positive plus. For instance, when you're older, you get more self-controlled. Experience has told you that, if you're calm and simply do something carefully again and again, at last you'll get the hang of it. The confidence you have in other areas---from being able to drive a car, perhaps---means that if you can't, say, build a chair immediately, you don't, like a child, want to destroy your first pitiful attempts (尝试). Maturity tells you that you will, with application, eventually get there.

(1) What surprised the writer when she did her first adult learning course?

[　　]

A．She got on better with her tutor.

B．She was able to learn more quickly.

C．She had a more relaxed attitude to it.

D．She found learning more enjoyable.

(2) The writer says that when you learn later in life, you will find ________.

[　　]

A．it boring to take lessons

B．it hard to remember things easily

C．it hard to give all your attention to study

D．it different to learn from when you were younger

(3) According to the writer, what's the advantage of adult learners?

[　　]

A．They are able to organize themselves better than younger people.

B．They are less worried about succeeding than younger people.

C．They pay more attention to details than younger people.

D．They have more patience than younger people.

(4) What is the writer's main purpose in the article?

[　　]

A．To emphasize the pleasures of adult learning.

B．To point out how easy adult learning can be.

C．To explain her reasons for doing adult learning.

D．To describe the teaching methods used in adult learning.

(5) What does the underlined word linger in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

[　　]

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项。

　　Recently, a professor of a foreign university visited Hong Kong, after a two-month study of African universities. There are some of his observations on the educational situation in Hong Kong. Take them for what they are worth.

　　It seems that education in Hong Kong is too much adapted to the British system. Not that the British system is bad; but is it suited to the needs of Hong Kong, especially in the matter of training students to work and make a living here?

　　What benefit is there in preparing students to get a diploma especially when, by passing the certificate examination, that diploma does not necessarily prepare a person for any special kind of work; and when it simply means that the student has merely learnt information required by the Hong Kong system?

　　In East Africa, by contrast, the emphasis is on training more and more students to take certain jobs after they have graduated. African students are taught that all kinds of work are useful, that the respect of all individuals is the same and that the ideal is not getting into a well-paid job in which one can become rich but in studying subjects that suit his abilities and interests and which prepare him for work that serves all his countrymen.

　　So the East Africans look at the work that has to be done in their countries, especially agricultural work. They train their students for a particular job, with the greatest emphasis on their native languages.

(1) The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 means ________.

[　　]

A．refuse them if you wish

B．make your own judgment

C．accept them if it is worthwhile

D．listen to them without judgment

(2) According to the author, the imperfection of education in Hong Kong lies in that

[　　]

A．the British system itself is too bad

B．it is too similar to the British system

C．it emphasizes examinations too much

D．it fails to equip a person to earn a living

(3) Which of the following is implied in the passage?

[　　]

A．Education in Hong Kong does not prepare students to get a diploma.

B．Education in Hong Kong requires its students to learn much information.

C．The diploma means little if it fails to prepare a person for any special kind of work.

D．Not all the students from Hong Kong universities have to pass the certificate examination.

(4) The African educational system emphasizes ________.

[　　]

A．developing one's interests and hobbies

B．developing students' skills to do certain jobs

C．training students to climb up the social ladder

D．training students to learn many languages well

(5) What is the author's purpose to write this passage?

[　　]

A．To express his attitude to the educational situation in Hong Kong.

B．To offer his advice on how to improve the Hong Kong education system.

C．To report the professor's observations on the educational situation in Hong Kong.

D．To compare the difference between the education system in Hong Kong and that in East Africa.

　　Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir (回忆录) of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.

　　Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.

　　Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.

　　Tyler became well-known nationally in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.

　　Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent (独立的) spirit in their work.

　　Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives (目标) that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools.

(2007·全国Ⅰ)

(1) Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler's memoir?

[　　]

(2) The words "hooked on teaching" underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean ________.

[　　]

(3) Where did Tyler work as the leader of a research center for over 10 years?

[　　]

(4) Tyler is said to have never actually retired because ________.

[　　]

A．he developed a new method of testing

B．he called for free spirit in research

C．he was still active in giving advice

D．he still led the Eight-Year Study

　　"Football is a very short-term career. Football really prepares you for almost nothing. The only thing I got out of football was the ability to work hard," says Gales Sayers. So what do you do after your glory days on the field are over? Here's what one of the top players, Gales Sayers, did after he put down the pigskin.

　　Gales Sayers; 40, Chicago Bears, Running Back.

　　Gales Sayers became famous in 1965. After recovering from a serious knee injury in 1968, Sayers returned to the Bears in 1969 and was awarded the George Halas Award as "the most courageous player in professional football". At the award ceremony, he owed his prize to his friend and teammate Brian Piccolo, who was dying of cancer.

　　Sayers couldn't outrun (escape) the injuries, though, and another blow to his knee put an end to his football career in 1971. His personal life was unfortunate as well, when he and his wife, Linda, separated that year. Shortly after that, Sayers started a new life and career as an assistant athletic director in the University of Kansas. By 1976 he was moving up the ladder at Southern Illinois University, becoming the first African American athletic director at a major university.

　　Sayers, the youngest player to be ever listed into the National Football League's Hall of Fame, started a computer supplies company in 1984 with his second wife, Adie, whom he married in 1973. The couple was looking for a field with a future, and computers seemed to have it all. Seventeen years later, the company that bears his name is a national provider of technology solutions, with 10 locations and over 350 employees across the country. Just like in the old days, the honors started rolling in. Sayers was listed into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 1999.

(1) What does the underlined part "he put down the pigskin" mean in the first paragraph?

[　　]

A．Sayers ended his football career.

B．Sayers was too tired to go on playing.

C．Sayers intended to start a new career.

D．Sayers only wanted to rest for some time.

(2) How many times was Sayers honored in his life?

[　　]

A．Only once as a football star.

B．Only once as a businessman.

C．Altogether twice.

D．We are not quite sure.

(3) Sayers started his new career mainly because of ________.

[　　]

A．the first knee injury in 1968

B．his unfortunate personal life

C．another more serious knee injury

D．a friend's being incurably ill

(4) What can be learned from this passage?

[　　]

A．Football players are not glorious all the time.

B．A successful businessman should be a ball player first.

C．A retired football player can easily make money.

D．Whatever you do, working hard is the most important.

　　I know that it is my job to make sure that everything goes well for the tourists and I feel I work hard for the company. I cannot be blamed for last week. I met the group at the airport and took them to the coach. The coach driver was a bit annoyed because the flight was late. But it wasn't far to the hotel and everyone was looking forward to their dinner. We hadn't used the Hotel Riviera before, but our normal one had a conference in it so it was fully booked. When I announced our arrival at the reception desk, they said they were full. I had booked rooms for the group but the manager said they were cancelled by phone a few days before. He insisted that he recognised my voice and that I had made the phone call. We had a bit of an argument but they obviously didn't have enough rooms. In the end the manager phoned other hotels in the town and found rooms for everyone but in four different hotels. By this time the coach had gone so we had to get taxis and some of the tourists started to get very angry with me. I still don't know who made that phone call but it definitely wasn't me.

(1) What is the writer trying to do?

[　　]

(2) Why weren't any rooms available at the Hotel Riviera?

[　　]

A．A conference was taking place there.

B．There were more people in the group than expected.

C．Someone had forgotten to book them.

D．Someone had said they were not needed.

(3) Which of the following diaries was written by one of the tourists?

[　　]

A．Someone had made a mistake with our hotel booking and the hotel, had given our rooms to other people.

B．The hotel we were taken to wasn't good enough so we asked to change to a different one.

C．We got to the airport and had to wait for the coach. So it was really late when we got to the hotel.

D．The coach driver took us to the wrong hotel and they knew nothing about us.

(4) Who cancelled the rooms by phone a few days before?

[　　]

　　To become a doctor in the United States, students usually attend four years of medical school after they complete college. Then these young doctors work in hospitals for several years to complete a training program called a residency (住院医生实习期).

　　These medical residents provide hospitals with needed services in return for not much pay. They work under, the supervision (管理) of medical professors and more experienced doctors. Medical residents treat patients. They carry out tests. They perform operations. They complete records. In hospitals with few nurses, residents also do work formerly done by nurses. Some medical residents work one-hundred or more hours in a single week. They often work for more than thirty-six hours at a time before they can rest.

　　Critics (批评家) of this system say medical residents work too long and do not get enough rest. They say these young doctors may be too tired to perform their medical duties effectively. Now, the government will limit the number of hours of work that residents can work. Most doctors in training will be limited to eighty-four hours of work each week. They will have work periods of no more than twenty-four hours at one time. They will have ten hours of rest between work periods.

　　Medical residents will have one day each week when they do not have to work. Any work they accept outside their hospitals will be limited. Experienced doctors and medical professors will closely supervise the residents to make sure they are not too tired to work.

　　Many medical residents welcomed the work limits. Others, however, said the new policy may interfere with patient care and their own medical education.

(1) If a first-year college student in America wants to be a doctor, he has to wait for ________.

[　　]

(2) Medical residents are not responsible for ________.

[　　]

(3) Why does the government limit the number of hours that residents work?

[　　]

A．Medical residents get too much money.

B．Medical residents should go back to school to study.

C．There is not enough work for nurses.

D．Medical residents may make mistakes if they work too long.

(4) The underlined word "Others" in the last paragraph refers to ________.

[　　]

　　Anybody running a company knows that a well planned conference can greatly improve performance of that business. The main reason for this is that it takes your employees away from the daily workplace and offers them somewhere fresh for a short time. However. unless the conference is well thought out it will not have the best results and you will have wasted a great deal of money. Here are some tips for you.

　　The first step is to find the right place. Can your employees easily reach the conference center? Is it near a railway station? Is it close to a good. fast road? Has it plenty of suitable parking space? If you are going to choose a hotel, then perhaps the hotel has cheaper rates at weekends or, if it is in a popular tourist area. midweek rates may be cheaper. Furthermore, you need to think whether there is a bathroom. After a day's meeting. maybe your employees would like to have a hot water bath. Or maybe there arc other needs to satisfy depending on your employees' taste.

　　Another important requirement is food and drink. Breakfast is a time when people can relax before work begins. but you may not want a long break for lunch in the middle of the day. Buffet lunches are very popular for this reason. Then there is dinner, which most employees consider a reward for a day's hard work!

　　Whatever your needs are, it is essential to think ahead if you want a successful conference.

(1) In the text the writer is trying to ________.

[　　]

A．complain about a conference center

B．describe what makes a good conference center

C．give advice on how to choose a suitable place for a conference

D．advise employees where to stay for a conference

(2) Readers read the text in order to ________.

[　　]

A．find out about organizing conferences

B．learn how to reward good employees

C．find out about running a business

D．learn some details about conference centers

(3) What is very important when choosing a conference center?

[　　]

A．Cheap food and drink.

B．Free car parking.

C．Good transport connections.

D．Popular tour areas.

(4) Which center would the writer recommend to an employer?

[　　]

A．

Close to airport and golf course.

Choice of conference rooms.

Swimming pool and sauna.

3 full meals a day included in price.

B．

5 minutes from city center and close to motorway.

Full breakfast, light lunches and exciting dinner menus.

Choice of accommodation to suit your financial needs.

C．

Enjoy beautiful scenery high up in the hills.

Continental breakfast served in bedroom if wished.

Minibus service to nearest town.

D．

Situated in quiet countryside.

Free car park available for guests.

TV and VHS included in your conference costs as well as three buffet style meals a day.