The high school diploma (文凭) is losing its value quickly, as a growing number of students graduate (毕业) from school without the math and reading skills that colleges and companies require, according to a new report.
The high school graduation exams that most states (州) require students to pass before they graduate remain far too easy. Most of the exams generally test eighth-or ninth-grade level work.
Today, even high school graduates who are going to have blue-collar (蓝领) jobs need to study the math, research and writing courses. But in high school, only students who are going to college are now required to take these courses.
“If you want a good job with a good pay, it’s a high-skill job,” said Michael Cohen, a leading member of the America Diploma Project.
The project suggests that all graduates master a wide range (范围) of skills. “A high school diploma should mean something to a company and university,” said Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, who is Achieve’s co-chairman.
In Taft’s state, about 30% students who go directly to college from high school have to take remedial classes of English or math, he said. It’s easy to see that the present high-school graduating standards are not preparing students for college education.
And with high-skilled jobs increasingly headed overseas to places like India and Ireland, states need to act, he said.
To prove why math and reading skills matter, the report includes real-life examples of problems students meet in college and that workers must solve each day on the job. ?
Some states are taking actions to upgrade the high school diploma. In Texas, all high school students, starting with the 2008 graduating class, will have to take the college-prep curriculum (大学预备课程) - unless a parent agrees to an easier course load. Other states are planning similar moves.
The report includes examples of reading and math skills that high-school students should have. Project leaders say they hope parents will use those examples to judge (评定) the coursework at their kids’ high schools.
【小题1】Why is the high school diploma losing its value quickly?

A．Because the number of high school students is growing fast.

B．Because high school students fail to reach the standards.

C．Because the graduation tests are easier than it should be.

D．Because difficult courses are not required in high schools.

【小题2】Remedial classes in Paragraph 6 mean classes____.

A．for good learners to study quickly and better

B．for slower learners weak in the subject

C．for learners to be taught one by one

D．for learners to reach a higher standard

【小题3】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Colleges require higher math and reading skills than companies.

B．It is easier for companies to find high-skilled workers in India.

C．Math and reading skills help little for workers to solve daily problems.

D．Parents ask high schools to offer college-prep curriculum in Texas.

【小题4】What can be the best title for the passage?

A．High School Diploma Means Little

B．Give Students More High-skill Jobs

C．Math and Reading Skills Really Matter

D．Judge Coursework at High Schools

“Sixteen,” I said. I have forgotten the math question my second-grade teacher, Joyce Cooper asked that day, but I will never forget my _1_ . As soon as the number left my mouth, the whole class started _2_ . I felt like the silliest person in the world.
Mrs. Cooper fixed them with a firm (严格的) look. Then she said: “We’re all here to _3_ .”
Another time, Mrs. Cooper asked us to write a _4_ about what we hoped to do with our lives. I wrote: “I want to be a _5_ like Mrs. Cooper.”
She wrote on my report, “You would make an outstanding(杰出的) teacher _6_ you are determined(坚定的) and you try hard.” I was to carry those _7_ in my heart for the next 27 years.
After I graduated from high school, I got married and had children.
We needed every penny just to get by. College – and teaching – was out of the question.
Then one day I thought of my _8_ of how I wanted to help children. I talked it over with my family and _9_ to attend college classes in the mornings before work. And when I got home from work, I would _10_ . Finally after seven years, my dream had been realized and I became a teacher.
Not long after I started _11_ , something happened that brought the _12_ rushing back to me. I had written a sentence with grammatical(语法的) mistakes on the blackboard. Then I asked students to come and _13_ the mistakes.
One girl got halfway through, became confused(迷乱的) and stopped. As the other children laughed, _14_ rolled down her face. I gave her a hug and told her to get a drink of water. Then, remembering Mrs. Cooper, I fixed _15_ of the class with a firm look. “We’re all here to learn,” I said.

【小题1】

A．question B．answer C．result D．reaction

【小题2】

A．talking B．shouting C．discussing D．laughing

【小题3】

A．work B．learn C．play D．watch

【小题4】

A．letter B．song C．report D．story

【小题5】

A．teacher B．friend C．reporter D．parent

【小题6】

A．because B．unless C．until D．before

【小题7】

A．reports B．words C．teachers D．classmates

【小题8】

A．plan B．work C．dream D．idea

【小题9】

A．supposed B．promised C．decided D．agreed

【小题10】

A．sleep B．study C．rest D．play

【小题11】

A．studying B．writing C．thinking D．teaching

【小题12】

A．teacher B．life C．past D．feeling

【小题13】

A．correct B．prove C．check D．read

【小题14】

A．water B．tears C．sweat D．smiles

【小题15】

A．half B．most C．the whole D．the rest

根据中文提示词，用词组的适当形式填空，每空一词。（每小题1分，共5分）

1.My father has __________ __________(放弃) smoking already.

2.Nancy got A in the math exam. Her teacher is __________ __________(对…满意) her.

3.Would you mind __________ the rubbish __________(带走)?

4.Chatting on line                     (占据) too much of her time every day.

5.My home is ___________ ___________(离……远) the supermarket.

 

Jane Scott is fourteen and the year before last she began to study in a middle school. She likes dancing and singing and spends a lot of time on them. But she hates math and does not work hard at it. She thinks it difficult to learn. She falls behind her classmates and once failed the math exam. She decides to drop it. Her father is angry with her when he knows about it.

It was Sunday. Mr Scott gave a call to his sister, who teaches math in another school. He hoped she would come and tell his daughter how to learn math. The woman came quickly and said. “You’re a clever girl, Jane. I’m sure you’ll soon do well in math if you work hard at it.”

“I’m afraid I can’t, Aunt,” said Jane, “Girls can’t be good at math.”

“I don’t think so,” said the woman. “I was good at it when was a girl. You must do more exercises and practice a math problem again and again until you master it. Remember: Practice makes perfect. Well, it’s a math problem. Think about it and practice it again, and you’ll work it out.”

“OK,” said the girl, “Let me try.”

About an hour later, Jane took the exercise book to her aunt and said, “I’ve done the problem ten times.”

“Well done!” her aunt said happily, “What result did you get?”

“Ten answers.”

1.Jane has difficulty in learning ______.

A．dancing

B．math

C．singing

D．English

2.Jane Why does Jane fall behind classmates in math?

A．Because it’s too difficult to learn.

B．Because she isn’t clever.

C．Because she spends much time on any other lesson.

D．Because she doesn’t study it hard.

3. Mr Scott wanted her sister to help with her because______.

A．She was a math teacher

B．Jane loved her very much.

C．Jane was afraid of her.

D．He knew nobody except her.

4.The woman told her _______.

A．it is not difficult to learn math

B．to work hard at math

C．math is important

D．She was clever at math

5.Which of the following is true?

A．Jane has learned math.

B．Jane agreed with her aunt.

C．The woman is pleased with Jane’s answers

D．Jane hasn’t worked out the math problem at all.

 

 —Tina failed in the math test. She looks very sad.

    —Let’s come to cheer her ________.

   A. up                  B. in                  C. out                          D. at