One topic is rarely mentioned in all the talk of improving standards in our schools: the almost complete failure of foreign-language teaching. As a French graduate who has taught for more than twenty-five years, I believe I have some idea of why the failure is so total.  21  the faults already found out in the education system as a whole — such as child-centred learning, the “discovery” method, and the low expectations by teachers of pupils — there have been several serious  22  which have a direct effect on language teaching.

The first is the removal from the curriculum (课程) of the thorough teaching of English  23 . Pupils now do not know a verb from a noun, the subject of a sentence from its object, or the difference between the past, present, or future.

Another important error is mixed-ability teaching, or teaching in ability groups so  24  that the most able groups are  25  and are bored while the least able are lost and  26  bored. Strangely enough, few head teachers seem to be in favour of mixed-ability school football teams.

Progress depends on memory, and pupils start to forget immediately they stop having 27  lessons. This is why many people who attended French lessons at school, even those who got good grades, have  28  it a few years later. Because they never need it, they do not practice it.

Most American schools have accepted what is inevitable and  29  modern languages, even Spanish, from the curriculum. Perhaps it is time for Britain to do the same, and stop  30  resources on a subject which few pupils want or need.

21. A. Due to                 B. In addition to       C. Instead of            D. In spite of

22. A. errors                  B. situations             C. systems               D. methods

23. A. vocabulary           B. culture                C. grammar             D. literature

24. A. wide                    B. similar                C. separate               D. unique

25. A. kept out               B. turned down        C. held back            D. left behind

26. A. surprisingly          B. individually         C. equally                D. hardly

27. A. extra                   B. traditional           C. basic                   D. regular

28. A. needed                 B. forgotten             C. practised             D. left

29. A. restored               B. absorbed             C. prohibited           D. withdrawn

30. A. wasting                B. focusing              C. exploiting            D. sharing

Abby Subark is a mother of two from Boston. “For my kids, I’m nervous. I don’t know if they’ll be able to achieve their American dream.” She may be right. More than hard work or education, the best way to get rich in America is to be born rich.
It is the case that somebody who is in the upper third of income, poor scores, in the bottom on tests when they are in eighth grade, is more likely to go to college and finish college than a poor kid with the top scores. That’s what the working persons’  children are up against.
The Economic Policy Institute finds it would take a poor couple with 2 children 9 or 10 generations to achieve middle class status. That’s about 200 years. The hallmark (特征) of American opportunity has always been the ability to do better than your parents. But compared with similar developed countries, the United States ranks fifth out of six for so-called intergenerational mobility (变动).
If you look at the mechanisms (机制) for upward mobility that were so readily available 50 years ago, they are becoming out of reach, like plentiful factory jobs with good wages and affordable education and health care.
White families are twice as likely as blacks to be upwardly mobile. For most people in America today, where you end up depends on where you start.
If you started in the middle-income class, about 40 to 45 percent of what you are making right now is due to the fact that your parents were in the middle-income class. The rest is up to you.
But for the millions of people who find themselves below the poverty line and the millions more who are the working poor, their starting point for the American dream leaves them painfully far away from the middle class.
【小题1】The main idea of the passage is _______.

A．How the middle class comes about in the U.S.

B．It’s hard to realize the American dream for the poor.

C．Wealth and social status depend on family background.

D．Upward mobility in America is never easy.

【小题2】Which of the statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．People used to have job opportunities and welfare for upward mobility.

B．A great many poor people can hardly realize their American dream.

C．You can make all your dreams come true in America if born rich.

D．Rich kids are more likely to go to college than poor kids.

【小题3】The underlined sentence “where you end up depends on where you start” most probably means _______.

A．Your starting point cannot determine your destination.

B．Only a high goal can ensure success.

C．One’s birth has nothing to do with his fate.

D．One’s family lays solid foundation for his future achievements.

【小题4】Why is Abby Subark nervous?

A．Her kids don’t want to compare with other rich kids in achievements.

B．Her kids don’t want to achieve success at all.

C．Her kids can achieve success through hard work and education.

D．Her kids can’t reach their goal without a rich family.

【小题5】What can we infer after reading the passage?　

A．Poverty causes people much pain.

B．People below the poverty line can never be in the middle class.

C．Lower starting point makes it hard for people to realize their dream.

D．Poor people’s starting point is too low.

________ people are concerned about now is the Shanghai World Expo, which ________ start on May 1st.

A. What; is due to         B. Which; is going to    

C. That; is to          D. What; is about to

Abby Subark is a mother of two from Boston. “For my kids, I’m nervous. I don’t know if they’ll be able to achieve their American dream.” She may be right. More than hard work or education, the best way to get rich in America is to be born rich.

It is the case that somebody who is in the upper third of income, poor scores, in the bottom on tests when they are in eighth grade, is more likely to go to college and finish college than a poor kid with the top scores. That’s what the working persons’  children are up against.

The Economic Policy Institute finds it would take a poor couple with 2 children 9 or 10 generations to achieve middle class status. That’s about 200 years. The hallmark (特征) of American opportunity has always been the ability to do better than your parents. But compared with similar developed countries, the United States ranks fifth out of six for so-called intergenerational mobility (变动).

If you look at the mechanisms (机制) for upward mobility that were so readily available 50 years ago, they are becoming out of reach, like plentiful factory jobs with good wages and affordable education and health care.

White families are twice as likely as blacks to be upwardly mobile. For most people in America today, where you end up depends on where you start.

If you started in the middle-income class, about 40 to 45 percent of what you are making right now is due to the fact that your parents were in the middle-income class. The rest is up to you.

But for the millions of people who find themselves below the poverty line and the millions more who are the working poor, their starting point for the American dream leaves them painfully far away from the middle class.

The main idea of the passage is _______.

A. How the middle class comes about in the U.S.

B. It’s hard to realize the American dream for the poor.

C. Wealth and social status depend on family background.

D. Upward mobility in America is never easy.

Which of the statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. People used to have job opportunities and welfare for upward mobility.

B. A great many poor people can hardly realize their American dream.

C. You can make all your dreams come true in America if born rich.

D. Rich kids are more likely to go to college than poor kids.

The underlined sentence “where you end up depends on where you start” most probably means _______.

A. Your starting point cannot determine your destination.

B. Only a high goal can ensure success.

C. One’s birth has nothing to do with his fate.

D. One’s family lays solid foundation for his future achievements.

Why is Abby Subark nervous?

A. Her kids don’t want to compare with other rich kids in achievements.

B. Her kids don’t want to achieve success at all.

C. Her kids can achieve success through hard work and education.

D. Her kids can’t reach their goal without a rich family.

What can we infer after reading the passage?　

A. Poverty causes people much pain.

B. People below the poverty line can never be in the middle class.

C. Lower starting point makes it hard for people to realize their dream.

D. Poor people’s starting point is too low.

One topic is rarely mentioned in all the talk of improving standards in our schools: the almost complete failure of foreign-language teaching. As a French graduate who has taught for more than twenty-five years, I believe I have some idea of why the failure is so total.  21  the faults already found out in the education system as a whole — such as child-centred learning, the “discovery” method, and the low expectations by teachers of pupils — there have been several serious  22  which have a direct effect on language teaching.

The first is the removal from the curriculum (课程) of the thorough teaching of English  23 . Pupils now do not know a verb from a noun, the subject of a sentence from its object, or the difference between the past, present, or future.

Another important error is mixed-ability teaching, or teaching in ability groups so  24  that the most able groups are  25  and are bored while the least able are lost and  26  bored. Strangely enough, few head teachers seem to be in favour of mixed-ability school football teams.

Progress depends on memory, and pupils start to forget immediately they stop having 27  lessons. This is why many people who attended French lessons at school, even those who got good grades, have  28  it a few years later. Because they never need it, they do not practice it.

Most American schools have accepted what is inevitable and  29  modern languages, even Spanish, from the curriculum. Perhaps it is time for Britain to do the same, and stop  30  resources on a subject which few pupils want or need.

21. A. Due to           B. In addition to      C. Instead of           D. In spite of

22. A. errors            B. situations         C. systems           D. methods

23. A. vocabulary        B. culture            C. grammar            D. literature

24. A. wide              B. similar            C. separate                 D. unique

25. A. kept out                B. turned down       C. held back           D. left behind

26. A. surprisingly       B. individually        C. equally           D. hardly

27. A. extra             B. traditional        C. basic               D. regular

28. A. needed           B. forgotten         C. practised            D. left

29. A. restored                B. absorbed          C. prohibited          D. withdrawn

30. A. wasting          B. focusing          C. exploiting          D. sharing