考研英語教育類閱讀理解及答案
英語閱讀理解，在考研之中，你有複習過教育型別的嗎?下面是小編給大家整理的，供大家參閱!
：Pass the chalk
Not helpful
BACK in 1922, Thomas Edison predicted that "the motion picture is destined to revolutionize our educational system and...in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks." Well, we all make mistakes. But at least Edison did not squander vast quantities of public money on installing cinema screens in schools around the country.
With computers, the story has been different. Many governments have packed them into schools, convinced that their presence would improve the pace and efficiency of learning. Large numbers of studies, some more academically respectable than others, have purported to show that computers help children to learn. Now, however, a study that compares classes with computers against similar classes without them casts doubt on that view.
In the current Economic Journal, Joshua Angrist of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Victor Lavy of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem look at a scheme which put computers into many of Israel's primary and middle schools in the mid-1990s. Dr Angrist and Dr Lavy compare the test scores for maths and Hebrew achieved by children in the fourth and eighth grades ***ie, aged about nine and 13*** in schools with and without computers. They also asked the classes' teachers how they used various teaching materials, such as Xeroxed worksheets and, of course, computer programs. The researchers found that the Israeli scheme had much less effect on teaching methods in middle schools than in elementary schools. It also found no evidence that the use of computers improved children's test scores. In fact, it found the reverse. In the case of the maths scores of fourth-graders, there was a consistently negative relationship between computer use and test scores.
The authors offer three possible explanations of why this might be. First, the introduction of computers into classrooms might have gobbled up cash that would otherwise have paid for other aspects of education. But that is unlikely in this case since the money for the programme came from the national lottery, and the study found no significant change in teaching resources, methods or training in schools that acquired computers through the scheme.
A second possibility is that the transition to using computers in instruction takes time to have an effect. Maybe, say the authors, but the schools surveyed had been using the scheme's computers for a full school year. That was enough for the new computers to have had a large ***and apparently malign*** influence on fourth-grade maths scores. The third explanation is the simplest: that the use of computers in teaching is no better ***and perhaps worse*** than other teaching methods.
The bottom line, says Dr Angrist, is that "the costs are clear-cut and the benefits are murky." The burden of proof now lies with the promoters of classroom computers. And the only reliable way to make their case is, surely, to conduct a proper study, with children randomly allocated to teachers who use computers and teachers who use other methods, including the cheapest of all: chalk and talk.
Economist; 10/26/2002, Vol. 365 Issue 8296, p74, 2p, 1c
注***1***：本文選自Economist;10/26/2002, p74;
注***2***：本文習題命題模仿物件是1999年真題text4***1, 2, 3, 4***和text1第4題***第5題***;
1.We can learn from the first paragraph that __________________.
[A] motion picture has revolutionized education system
[B] Edison’s prediction has been proved wrong
[C] Edison encouraged schools to install cinema screens
[D] schools are cautious about Edison’s idea
2.Dr. Angrist and Dr. Lavy have done the following except _______________.
[A] comparing the test scores of students in different age groups
[B] interviewing teachers about their teaching methods
[C] launching the computer program in many Israeli schools
[D] explaining students’ school performance
3.According to Dr. Angrist and Dr. Lavy, in the Israeli scheme, students didn’t make
improvement in their test scores because______________.
[A] other aspects of education were affected due to cash shortage
[B] it was not long enough for the program to take effect
[C] there was a negative relationship between computer use and test scores
[D] the use of computer was no better than other teaching methods
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ________________.
[A] there hasn’t been a proper study on this issue yet
[B] school authorities should provide proof to support the computer program
[C] installing computers in schools costs too much, but has little or no effect
[D] chalk and talk work better than computer in teaching
5.The author’s attitude towards governments’ packing computers in schools seems to be
___________________.
[A] biased
[B] indifferent
[C] disapproving
[D] puzzling
答案：BCDAC
篇章剖析：
本文為說明文，採用新聞報道體，在第一段以愛迪生所作的錯誤預測開始，將其與第二段中學校期望通過將電腦引入課堂來改進教學的想法進行對照，引入話題，指出學校的上述想法未必正確。第三段敘述了兩位研究人員對以色列在1990年代中期將電腦引入中小學課堂所帶來的教學效果的研究，以此說明電腦未必如人們所期望的那樣促進課堂學習。第四段，第五段，第六段分別引述了研究人員的解釋，並逐一進行分析，最後得出結論：要證明電腦有助於教學，必須進行正確的研究。
詞彙註釋：
supplant[sE5plB:nt] v. 取代，代替***另一個***
squander[5skwRndE***r***] v. 揮霍或浪費;放蕩地花掉
purport[pE5pC:t] v. 聲稱
Hebrew [5hi:bru:]n. 以色列語;希伯來人
Xerox v. 影印
reverse [rI5v\:s]n. 相反，顛倒：相反的事物或相反的方面
gobble [5^Rb***E***l]v. 吞併;貪婪地攫取
transition [trAn5sIF***E***n, trB:-]n. 轉變, 轉換
malign [mE5laIn] adj. 有害的：具不良影響的;有害的
the bottom line 要點或關鍵之處;結果，結局：最後結果或宣告
randomly adv. 任意地, 隨便地,
allocate [5AlEkeIt]v. 分派, 分配
難句突破
1.First, the introduction of computers into classrooms might have gobbled up cash that would otherwise have paid for other aspects of education.
主體句式：the introduction might have gobbled up cash
結構分析：本句是一個主從複合句，主句中的might have gobbled up表示對過去事實的猜測，that引導一個定語從句，限定修飾cash，其中從句中的otherwise常常用來引出虛擬語氣，表示“要不然;在另一種情況下”。例如：Otherwise I might have helped you. 要不然我就幫你了。
句子譯文：第一，將電腦引入課堂可能會佔用本應用於其它教育方面的資金。
2.And the only reliable way to make their case is, surely, to conduct a proper study, with children randomly allocated to teachers who use computers and teachers who use other methods, including the cheapest of all: chalk and talk.
主體句式：the way is to conduct a study
結構分析：本句是一個複雜長句，不但涉及主從句，還涉及不定式，分詞和介詞短語。第一個不定式to make their case作定語修飾way，第二個不定式作表語;with引導的介詞短語往往可以是“介詞+複合賓語”的形式，其中複合賓語可以由現在分詞或者過去分詞來充當，由它和介詞賓語之間的邏輯關係決定，例如：with her hair flying in the wind;with the paper tucked under his arm等;who引導的定語從句修飾教師，分詞including 引導的短語限定修飾methods。
句子譯文：而他們所能採用的唯一可靠方法當然就是進行適當的研究，學生應該是隨機分配給使用電腦教學的教師和使用其他方法教學的教師，包括最廉價的方法：粉筆和談話。
題目分析：
1.答案是B，屬事實細節題。文中第一段提到“we all make mistakes”，說明愛迪生的預言
是錯誤的。
2.答案是C，屬事實細節題。文中第三段和第四段分別提到兩位研究人員compare test
scores;ask the classes’ teachers和offer explanations，但launch the computer program則是由以色列政府所為。
3.答案是D，屬事實細節題。從文中第四段，第五段裡兩位研究人員所給出的解釋以及
相應的分析可以看出，學生成績沒有提高主要是因為在教學中使用電腦並不比採用其他方法教學更好。
4.答案是A，屬推理判斷題。作者在本文第二段中指出，許多學術文章都宣稱使用電腦
有助於課堂教學，但新的研究對這一說法提出了懷疑。在最後一段中，作者說要證明使用電腦有助於教學，就必須進行正確的研究。可見，作者對以前的研究方法提出了質疑。
5.答案是C，屬推理判斷題。對政府在學校安裝電腦一事，作者雖然沒有明確提出反對，
但字裡行間都透出不贊成的態度。在第一段，作者以愛迪生的預言為例，說愛迪生至少沒有浪費公共資金，言下之意就是當前發生的情況算得上是浪費公共資金的舉動。在最後一段，作者引用研究人員的觀點說明在學校安裝電腦是成本清楚但收效模糊的事。並提出讓支援使用電腦的人採用正確的方法對學校應不應該在教室安裝電腦進行論證。可見作者對這一類問題持否定的態度。
參考譯文：
1922年的時候，托馬斯·愛迪生曾經預測說“電影必將革新我們的教育制度，…要不了幾年，它就能取代大部分***即便不是全部的***教科書。”當然，人都會有出錯的時候。不過至少在給全國各地的學校安裝電影螢幕這件事上，愛迪生並沒有浪費大筆公共資金。
有了電腦，情況又不一樣了。許多政府已經把電腦裝進了學校，並深信電腦會提高學習的速度和效率。大量的研究，其中還包括一些學術性更強的研究，都試圖說明電腦有助於兒童的學習。不過，現在有一項對用電腦教學和不用電腦教學的課堂的比較研究對這一觀點提出了懷疑。
在本期經濟專刊中，來自麻省理工學院的喬舒亞·安格里斯特和耶路撒冷希伯萊大學的維克多·拉維對九十年代中期開始在許多以色列中小學安裝電腦的計劃進行了研究。安格里斯特博士和拉維博士比較了有電腦和沒有電腦的四年級和八年級***也就是年齡在9到13歲之間***的兒童在數學和希伯萊語兩個科目的考試成績。他們還訪問了課堂教師，詢問他們是如何使用各種教學材料，例如影印紙，電腦裝置等。兩位研究者發現，這個以色列計劃在改進中學教學方法方面的效果比小學的效果遜色得多。研究還發現，沒有證據證明使用電腦能夠提高兒童的考試成績。實際上，情況正好相反。從四年級學生的數學成績來看，使用電腦和考試成績的關係一直成反比。
兩位作者對這種情況提出了三種可能的解釋。第一，將電腦引入課堂可能會佔用本應用於其它教育方面的資金。但在這個例子當中，這種情況不太可能發生，因為該計劃的資金來自國家彩票。研究發現，在按照該計劃添置電腦的學校中，教學資源，教學方法或者培訓並沒有顯著變化。
第二種可能性就是用電腦授課的這種變化要一段時間才能見效。兩位作者說的只是一種可能性，但被調查的學校使用計劃中的電腦已經有整整一學年了。新電腦在這段時間裡足以對四年級的數學成績產生較大的***但顯然是不利的***影響。第三種解釋也最簡單：在教學中使用電腦並不比其他教學方法更好***也許還更糟***。
最後，安格里斯特博士說：“成本很清楚，但收效卻很模糊。”求證效果的擔子現在就落在那些提倡在課堂使用電腦的人身上了。而他們所能採用的唯一可靠方法當然就是進行適當的研究，學生應該是隨機分配給使用電腦教學的教師和使用其他方法教學的教師，包括最廉價的方法：粉筆和談話。
：Saturday Smartoons
A superhero blood cell stars in a clever TV hit
Sal Monella is a poisonous gangster hell bent on infection, and a pimple is a power-mad oil gland. That's life--and a quirky twist on salmonella and acne-
-in the animated world of Ozzy & Drix, part of the WB network's Saturday-morning lineup. This was the first season for what might be called a "smartoon." It was in the top programs among kids ages 2 to 11. And it's coming back this fall.
Instead of battling mystical monsters, Ozzy & Drix cleverly personifies body parts--a muscle cell is a police chief--to teach kids about their bodies. Rather than lecture kids about smoking, Ozzy & Drix turns nicotine into Nick O'Teen, a smarmy villain with long claws that hook into brains and cause addictions. Bad guys like Nick are taken down by the title stars: Osmosis "Ozzy" Jones, a street-smart white blood cell, and Drix, an uptight but intelligent cold pill with a chest full of medicine. White blood cells help fight infection, and Drix is a medicine chest. Get it?
Ozzy & Drix makes a point of tackling "issues that are very real to the day-to-day lives of kids," says David Foster, a Harvard University internist who helps develop story lines for the show. "We hope they take an interest in what is going on inside them." That's why all the action occurs within 13-year-old Hector, who contracts diseases, encounters peer pressure, and even drinks spoiled milk. "This poor kid has been through a lot," says Producer Alan Burnett.
Pun fun. The slap-your-knee, ba-dum-dum humor takes many forms. Ozzy and Drix set up a detective firm behind Hector's cornea--they're "private eyes"--to ensure him a safe adolescence. Blood cells race like cars through Hector's arteries and past a "roadside" billboard reading "Peace for the Middle Ear." There's a rock concert at the Diaphragm Club featuring the band Metabolica. Ozzy and Drix drive a Cel Camino.
"This is a very interesting direction for broadcasters to take," says Sandra Calvert, a psychologist and director of the Children's Digital Media Center at Georgetown University. "We rarely see someone go after the health area." Kids go for the slapstick and drama while adults are drawn to the puns and parodies, and the dual enjoyment sparks questions and conversation, she says.
Consider an upcoming episode in which Hector eats bad sausage containing parasitic worms. A spoof of jaws begins as his stomach becomes a sea of acid dotted with boats. On one, Ozzy teams up with grizzled Captain Quinine--recalling movie shark hunter Quint and the fact that quinine was once used to treat parasites. Ozzy and the Cap'n blow up the monsters with bicarbonate of soda. A soothing end, not for the worms, but for Hector's upset stomach.
~~~~~~~~
By Samantha Levine U.S. News & World Report; 7/28/2003-8/4/2003, Vol. 135 Issue 3, p40, 2p, 1c
注***1***：本文選自U.S. News & World Report;7/28/2003-8/4/2003, p40, 2p, 1c;
注***2***：本文習題命題模仿物件2002年真題text4和text2第5題;
1.From the first three paragraphs, we learn that ___________.
[A] Ozzy & Drix is a cartoon about good-guy fighting bad guy.
[B] the target audience of Ozzy & Drix are children.
[C] smartoon is a new type of cartoon
[D] the purpose of Ozzy & Drix is to help children fight against diseases
2.Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
[A] Ozzy in the cartoon lacks experiences.
[B] Hector’s friends show sympathy to him when he contracts disease.
[C] A new season of Ozzy & Drix will be on show this fall.
[D] Ozzy & Drix mainly deals with battling frightening creatures。
3.According to Sandra Calvert, broadcasters may learn from Ozzy & Drix_________.
[A] how to create humorous effect
[B] that health area is worth exploring
[C] that dual enjoyment of both kids and adults is the key to Ozzy & Drix’s success
[D] that kids and adults alike take great fun in Ozzy & Drix
4.Which of the following best defines the word “slapstick”?
[A] humorous acting
[B] serious theme
[C] interesting plot
[D] instructive stories
5.The author uses the episode in which Hector eats bad sausage containing parasitic worms to show _____________.
[A] how the cartoon is plotted
[B] how children feel when they fall ill
[C] the pun and humor in the cartoon
[D] the way children can be educated
答案：B C B A C
篇章剖析：
本篇為說明文，通過點面結合來說明一檔流行的電視節目《奧茲和德里克斯》的內容，特點，引人之處等。第一段是對熱門電視系列劇《奧茲和德里克斯》的簡要介紹，突出了其“出奇”和“熱門”兩大特色，第二段，第三段說明了這個電視劇的主要內容，即以賦予身體各部分人性化的特點幫助孩子們瞭解自己的身體以及發生在日常生活中的問題;第四段，第五段介紹了該劇輕鬆幽默，老少咸宜的特點;第六段以一段劇情結束全文，讓人更加深刻的體會這部劇作。
詞彙註釋：
salmonella [sAlmE5nelE]n. 沙門氏菌
pimple [5pImp***E***l]n. 丘疹, 面泡, 疙瘩
gland [^lAnd]n. 腺
quirky [ `kw\:kI ] adj. 詭詐的, 離奇的
acne [5AknI]n. 痤瘡, 粉刺
lineup [`laInQp] n. 系列節目
personify [p\:5sRnIfaI]vt. 賦與...以人性, 使人格化
nicotine [5nIkEti:n]n. 菸鹼，尼古丁
smarmy [5smB:mI]adj. 令人厭煩的, 愛說奉承話的, 虛情假意的
osmosis [Cz`mEJsIs, Cs-]n. 滲透***作用***, 滲透性
street-smart: adj. 經驗老到的
uptight [5QptaIt, Qp5taIt]adj. 過分拘謹的;***行為，觀點和品味***極端保守的
internist [5Int\:nIst]n. <美>內科醫師
contract [kEn5trAkt]v. 感染
cornea [5kC:nIE]n. [醫]角膜
artery [5B:terI]n. 動脈
slapstick [5slApstIk] n. 鬧劇;滑稽劇
parody: [5pArEdi] n. 模仿滑稽作品
spoof [spu:f] n. 胡說;戲弄;哄騙
grizzled [5^rizld] adj. 灰色的, 頭髮斑白的
難句突破
Rather than lecture kids about smoking, Ozzy & Drix turns nicotine into Nick O'Teen, a smarmy villain with long claws that hook into brains and cause addictions.
主體句式：Ozzy & Drix turns nicotine into Nick O'Teen
結構分析：這是一個複雜句，主句為Ozzy & Drix turns nicotine into Nick O'Teen，Nick O’Teen後面有個較長的同位語，其中還含有定語從句。Rather than作為連線詞引導從句，通常表示否定意義，意為：“而不是”，用於和另外一種可以肯定的情況作比較。比如，Rather than sit in a cozy room, he works out in the cold air. 他沒有在舒適的房間裡安坐，而是冒著嚴寒在室外工作。
句子譯文：對於吸菸，《奧茲和德里克斯》也沒有采用對孩子們說教的方式，而是把尼古丁變成了一個名叫尼克·丁的口蜜腹劍的惡棍，它長著長長的爪子，並用它來鉤住人的大腦，使人上癮。
題目分析：
1. 答案為B，屬事實細節題。文中第一段最後說這部卡通片“深受2-11歲孩子的歡迎。”第二段說要通過卡通片教孩子們認識自己的身體，第三段都講卡通片涉及的是孩子們日常生活中面臨的真實問題。由此可見，答案為B：卡通片的目標人群為兒童。C項中的smartoon只是用來說明該卡通構思巧妙，並不是新型卡通。
2. 答案為C，屬事實細節題。從文章第一段末it’s coming back this fall可知新一季的Ozzy& Drix即將在秋季上映。文中第二段提到Ozzy是street-smart，這個詞的意思是“閱歷豐富的，經驗老到的”。文中第三段提到Hector患病後遭遇了peer pressure，即同伴的壓力，可見同伴們都不喜歡患病的他。第二段特意提到了instead of battling mystical monsters，也就是說這部卡通一改和怪物鬥爭的模式，所以只有答案C是正確的。
3. 答案為B，屬推理判斷題。文章第五段一開頭就引用Sandra Calvert的話說，這是廣播公司可以發展的一個非常有趣的方向，接著又說，以前很少見到涉足保健領域的話題。可見，她的意思是廣播公司在保健領域大有可為。
4. 答案為A，屬猜詞題。文章第四段開頭說“The slap-your-knee, ba-dum-dum humor takes many forms.”接下來舉例說明，並在第五段說孩子們喜歡這種slapstick，根據上下文判斷，“幽默的表演”應該是最佳選項。
5. 答案為C，屬推理判斷題。從第三段可知雙關和幽默是該劇最大的特點，在最後一段的劇情裡，作者說奎寧船長的名字讓人想起獵鯊專家奎恩特以及奎寧曾用於治療寄生蟲病的事情，可見作者是以此舉例說明這部卡通劇作的雙關和幽默。
參考譯文
沙門氏是一夥惡毒的，會傳染疾病的壞蛋，而一個粉刺則是一個迷戀權利的油脂腺。這就是在《奧茲和德里克斯》這檔華納電視網週六早晨節目中展現的生活---而且是對於沙門氏菌和粉刺最離奇的一次改編。而這僅是這部堪稱 “聰明卡通”的系列片的第一季。在2至11歲的孩子中，它是最受歡迎的一檔節目。今年秋季，它又將上演。
《奧茲和德里克斯》中並沒有和神祕怪獸作鬥爭的內容，而是將人體的某些部位賦予了人性化的特徵——一個肌肉細胞擔任了警察局長——目的是教孩子們瞭解自己的身體。對於吸菸，《奧茲和德里克斯》也沒有采用對孩子們說教的方式，而是把尼古丁變成了一個名叫尼克·丁的口蜜腹劍的惡棍，它長著長長的爪子，並用它來鉤住人的大腦，使人上癮。像尼克這樣的壞蛋都被卡通片名裡的明星們治服了：善於滲透的“奧茲”瓊斯是一個經驗老到的白血球;拘謹聰明的德里克斯則是一粒肚子裡裝滿藥的感冒藥丸。白血球們幫助抗擊感染，而德里克斯則是個藥箱子。這下明白了吧?
《奧茲和德里克斯》涉及的都是“孩子們日常生活中面對的真實問題”，參與該電視劇劇情編寫的哈佛大學內科醫生大衛·福斯特說道。“我們希望孩子們對發生在自己體內的事情感興趣。”所以所有的故事都發生在13歲的赫克托爾體內。這個孩子染病在身，感受到了來自同伴的壓力，甚至還喝下了變質的牛奶。“這個可憐的小傢伙受了不少罪，”製片人艾倫·伯內特說道。
片中的雙關語非常有趣。拍膝蓋，打拍子這一類的幽默都通過很多形式表現出來。奧茲和德里克斯在赫克托爾的角膜後面成立了一家偵探事務所---他們是“私人的眼睛”---為的是確保他安全度過青春期。血細胞經過赫克托爾的動脈時好像汽車一樣飛馳而過，經過一個“路邊”廣告牌，上面寫著“中耳需要安寧。”“橫隔膜俱樂部”正在舉辦一場“新陳代謝樂隊”的專場搖滾音樂會。奧茲和德里克斯開的是一輛卡米諾牌細胞汽車。
“對於廣播公司來說，這是一種非常有趣的發展方向，”喬治敦大學兒童數字媒體中心主任，心理學家桑德拉·卡爾弗特說道。“我們很少見到有人在健康領域做文章。”孩子們喜歡有趣刺激的情節，而大人們也被片中的雙關語和滑稽的模仿所吸引，這種老少皆宜的片子能引發思考和討論。
以接下來的一幕中赫克托爾吃了含有寄生蟲的變質香腸為例。危險的情況被以一種輕鬆搞笑的方式演繹了出來。他的胃變成一片酸性物質的海洋，上面漂著幾頁扁舟。其中一艘小船上坐著奧茲和頭髮花白的奎寧船長，他們同舟共濟---這讓人想起了電影中的獵鯊專家奎恩特，以及奎寧曾被用來對付寄生蟲的事。奧茲和船長用碳酸水中的重碳酸鹽把那些怪物統統炸死了。對蟲子們來說，這是滅頂之災，但對赫克托爾翻江倒海的胃來說，結局令人寬慰。
：SLOWING DOWN A QUICK FIX
Ending "social promotion" sounds great. But L.A. discovers it could mean flunking half its students
In the past few years, reformers have embraced a disarmingly simple idea f
or fixing schools: Why not actually flunk those students who don't earn passing grades? Both Democrats and Republicans have begun attacking the practice of "social promotion"--shuttling bad students to the next grade, advancing them with peers even if they are failing. Make F truly mean failure, the movement says.
Last week in Los Angeles, the reformers learned just how ornery the current system can be. According to a plan released Tuesday by the L.A. school district, ending social promotion there will take at least four years, could cost hundreds of millions of dollars--and probably would require flunking about half the district's students. That's a pessimistic assessment, but it's not just bureaucrats' caterwauling. Rather, L.A. school superintendent Ruben Zacarias was an eager convert to the crusade against social promotion. In February he unveiled an ambitious plan to end unwarranted promotions in five grades during the 1999-2000 school year--a full year ahead of the timetable set by a state law.
At the time, Zacarias acknowledged that his goal would be hard to meet. He estimated that as many as 6 of every 10 students would flunk if they had to advance on merit. Zacarias wanted to spend $140 million in the first year alone to help these kids. Why so much? Because a mountain of research shows that ending social promotion doesn't work if it just means more Fs. Kids who are simply forced to repeat grades over and over usually don't improve academically and often drop out. Zacarias wanted more tutoring, summer school and intensive-learning classes. Unqualified students wouldn't rise to the next grade; nor would they be doomed to redo work they already failed. It was a forward-looking plan that Zacarias, 70, didn't have the clout to enact. He wasn't popular enough--the school board recently bought out his contract after a bitter power struggle--but even fellow reformers think his plan was too much, too soon. Says board member David Tokofsky: "You've got the unions who want their say. And, of course, there's the facilities issue: Where do you send all these eighth-graders if you can't send them to high school?" The district now says it will stop advancing low-achieving students only in two grades ***second and eighth***, and it will begin next year.
Los Angeles isn't the only place that has run into roadblocks while trying to end social promotion. In New York City, some advocates have said in lawsuits that parents weren't notified early enough that their kids were flunking. And in Chicago, which led the nation on the issue, a parents' group has filed civil rights complaints alleging that the promotion crackdown holds back a disproportionate number of black and Latino kids.
Still, the war on social promotion could have one salutary consequence: if every school district takes L.A.'s approach, struggling students will get a lot more teaching help, not just a kick in the rear as they finish another unproductive school year.
By John Cloud Time; 12/13/99, Vol. 154 Issue 24, p73, 2/3p, 1c
注***1***：本文選自Time;12/13/99, p73, 2/3p, 1c
注***2***：本文習題命題模仿物件2001年真題text 2和text 4第4題***本習題第5題***
1.“Social promotion” is ___________.
[A] a simple idea for fixing school
[B] flunking students who don’t earn passing grades
[C] making F more or less meaningless
[D] a political movement
2.Education officials give the reform prospect a pessimistic assessment because_______.
[A] it takes too long time, costs too much and may produce undesirable result
[B] there is no feasible plan yet
[C] it involves too many students
[D] it is not approved by state legislature
3.The writer mentioned the case of Zacarias to show that ______________.
[A] ending social promotion doesn’t work
[B] schools do not have the ability to enact his plan
[C] plans like his are too ambitious
[D] it’s hard to reach agreement on the issue of ending social promotion
4.It seems that the effort at ending social promotion _____________.
[A] is confronting a lot of resistance
[B] has proved fruitless
[C] has little hope of success
[D] does more harm than good
5.Toward the proposal of ending social promotion, the author’s attitude seems to be ________.
[A] pessimistic
[B] optimistic
[C] objective
[D] biased
答案：C A D A B
篇章剖析：
本篇文章圍繞教育改革派主張在美國中小學取消“自動升級”的問題展開了討論，第一段介紹了改革派的主張：取消“自動升級”。第二、三段以洛杉磯教育區為例，說明取消“自動升級”在實施過程中所面臨的巨大困難。第四段介紹了這種實踐引起的社會反響。最後一段介紹了它可能帶來的有益後果。
詞彙註釋：
disarmingly: [] adv. 使人消除警惕性[疑心]地, 使人不緊張的地
flunk: [flQNk] v. 使不及格
social promotion: 自動升級
shuttle: [5FQtl] v. 穿梭運送
peer: [piE] n. 同等的人;同輩
ornery: [5C:nEri] adj. 脾氣壞的; 愛爭吵的
assessment: [E5sesmEnt] n. 評估，評價
bureaucrat: [5bjuErEukrAt] n. 官僚;官吏
caterwauling: [`] n. 哀訴聲,抱怨聲
superintendent: [7sju:pErin5tendEnt] n. 主管, 負責人, 指揮者, 管理者
convert: [kEn5vE:t] n. ***常與to連用***改變信仰或意見的人
crusade: [] n. 討伐;改革運動;熱心於社會除惡的運動
unwarranted: [5Qn5wCrEntid] adj. 無根據的, 未獲保證的, 無保證的, 未獲承認的
clout: [klaut] n. 影響力
enact: [i5nAkt] v. 制定，制訂成法律
roadblock: [`rEJdblCk] n. 障礙, 障礙物
advocate: [5AdvEkit] n. ***常與of連用***擁護者;提倡者
notify: [5nEutifai] v. 正式通知***某人***
allege: [E5ledV] v. 〈法〉指控
crackdown: [5krAkdaun] n. 鎮壓, 打擊
disproportionate: [7disprE5pC:FEnit] adj. 不相稱的;不成比例的;不勻稱的
Latino: [] n. 拉丁美洲人
salutary: [5sAljutEri] adj. 有益的
難句突破
And in Chicago, which led the nation on the issue, a parents' group has filed civil rights complaints alleging that the promotion crackdown holds back a disproportionate number of black and Latino kids.
主體句式：a parents’ group has filed complaints
結構分析：本句是一個複雜句，在介詞in引導的狀語中包含了一個which引導的非限定性定語從句，修飾Chicago，在主句中包含一個分詞alleging引導的狀語，這個狀語自己還包含了一個that引導的賓語從句。
句子譯文：在芝加哥，一個家長團體提出了民權控訴，宣稱取消自動升級使相當比例的黑人和拉丁美洲裔的孩子升不了級。
題目分析：
1. 答案為C, 屬事實細節題。從文章第一段破折號後對social promotion的解釋來看，它的意思是：就算差生考試不及格，他們照樣可以和其他同學一起進入下一年級。在從改革派反對“social promotion”，主張使F真正意味著“不及格”來看，social promotion 顯然使F失去了意義。
2. 答案為A，屬事實細節題。本文答案可以在that’s a pessimistic assessment前面的部分讀到。
3. 答案為D，屬推理判斷題。文章第三段先介紹了Zacarias的計劃，然後說明他的計劃為什麼難以實施：他在校董事會的權力之爭中落敗，以及其他改革派對他的計劃所持的不同意見。以這樣一個例子旨在說明在取消“自動升級”問題上難以達成一致意見。
4. 答案為A，屬事實細節題。根據文章第四段所舉的例子可知，這一改革方案遭到了較多的抵制。
5. 答案為B，屬推理判斷題。雖然文章用了較大篇幅介紹取消“自動升級”所面臨的困難和計劃實施中存在的問題，但作者的態度仍然是積極樂觀的。這一點可以從作者評論Zacarias的計劃時所用的措辭“forward-looking”以及最後一段作者評論其有益後果看出。
參考譯文：
過去幾年，改革派一直堅持用一種令人毫無懷疑的簡單想法解決學校的問題：對於那些成績不達標的學生，為什麼不讓他們留級?民主黨和共和黨已經開始抨擊“自動升級”的做法---按照這種做法，就算差生考試不及格，他們照樣可以和其他同學一起進入下一年級。這場運動主張要讓“F”這個成績真的意味著“不及格”。
上週在洛杉磯，改革派領教了當前體制令人不快的一面。根據洛杉磯教育區週二釋出的一項計劃，取消“自動升級”將需要至少花費四年的時間，耗資成百上千萬美元---也許還會使地區一半左右的學生留級。這是悲觀的估計，但官員們並非危言聳聽。洛杉磯的學校督導員魯本·扎卡雷斯以前曾積極參與反對“自動升級”的活動。二月份他提出了一項很有挑戰性的計劃，以期在1999-2000學年在五個年級取消無根據的升級---這比該州法律設定的時間表提前了整整一年。
扎卡雷斯承認他的目標在當時很難實現。他估計如果按照成績升級的話，十個學生有六個過不了關。僅第一年扎卡雷斯就打算花費1.4億美元來幫助這些孩子。為什麼要花這麼多錢呢?因為眾多研究表明如果取消“自動升級”僅僅意味著有更多學生無法升級的話，那麼它就失去了意義。那些被迫一遍又一遍地復讀的孩子成績並沒有提高，甚至還經常會退學。扎卡雷斯希望學生們能得到更多的指導，開設更多的夏季班和強化學習班。不合格的學生不會進入下一年級，但也不必把功課重學一遍。他提出的這一計劃很有遠見，但70高齡的扎卡雷斯本人並沒有足夠的影響力將其付諸實施---他還不夠受歡迎---在一場激烈的權力鬥爭之後，該校董事會最近買斷了他的合同---但就連其他改革派也認為他的計劃太巨集大，太迫切。另一位董事會成員大衛·託科夫斯基說：“工會想要有發言權。當然，還有設施的問題：如果不能把八年級學生送入中學，那該把他們送往哪裡呢?”現在，該教育區宣佈它將只在兩個年級***二年級和八年級***對成績較差的學生取消升級，並將從明年起實施。
洛杉磯並不是唯一一個在取消“自動升級”工作中遇到困難的地方。在紐約市，一些辯護律師在訴訟中稱家長沒有及時被告知他們的孩子會留級。在芝加哥，一個家長團體提出了民權控訴，宣稱取消自動升級使相當比例的黑人和拉丁美洲裔的孩子升不了級。
然而，這場關於“自動升級”的戰爭還是會帶來一個有益的結果：如果每個教育區採用洛杉磯的做法，那些學習吃力的學生就會得到學習幫助，而不僅僅是在學完一年毫無收穫之外再被踢上一腳。
看過的人還：