President Obama's plan to improve former president George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind program is an improvement on a good thing. But it doesn't go far enough.

     Obama outlined a goal that by 2020, all grade school and high school students are on a path toward college.

     However, what we need is a practical plan that not only requires all high school graduates to take at least two years of college but also makes it financially possible for them to do so. We've provided a free public education through the 12th grade. If we're going to keep up—or catch up——with some other countries (like China) in preparing young people for careers, a 12-year education programme no longer is enough.

     About 3 million students across the US will graduate from high school this spring. But only 2 million will go on to college, according to a survey by the National Centre for Education Statistics (NCFES). For the more than 1 million who won't go on, money is a main reason. If tuition(学费) were free, about half of them could make up other costs from family or part-time jobs.

     Critics (批评家) of free college tuition will say we can't afford it because of the federal deficit (联邦赤字) and other rising costs. Let's see some government spending in detail:

     In the last nearly 10 years, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost us $ 1,000 billion. Federal money which was spent on public primary and secondary education in the last year for which figures are available was $ 47 billion. If we end costly and unnecessary wars and nation-building efforts abroad, the federal government could provide more money on public education, for which state and governments now carry most of the burden.

What's the program No Child Left Behind about this year?

All children being taken good care of by the government.

All grade school and high school students receiving college education.

No child being left alone at home.

All children having good jobs in the future.

The author probably agrees that President Obama's plan ________.

has nothing to do with George W. Bush's program.

will surely succeed in ten years

is about 12-year education for all the children

doesn't contain practical measures(措施) to achieve its goal

If tuition were not paid for, about ________ American students could afford college education.

A. 3 million

B. 2.5 million

C. 2 million

D. 1 million

What can we learn from the passage?

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were necessary.

The federal government has enough money for the plan.

Critics of free tuition think highly of the plan.

Obama's plan might be difficult to carry out.


(C)
Most American students said goodbye to expensive fruits these days. In school canteens across the country, cheaper fruits like apples and oranges heave replaced them. “People are afraid to spend now” said Linda Morrow, who owns a shoe and handbag store. “They basically don’t know what the future will bring and keep waiting till after the Presidential Election.”
The current financial crisis(金融危机), during which several of the country’s biggest banks have been forced to sell or close, has made lots of Americans unwilling to buy expensive goods.
Samira Martino, a restaurant owner in Miami, found everyone is ordering water instead of juice and more people are sharing meals. In more than two dozen interviews with the Associated Press across the country last month, American talked about their concerns, from worries about small businesses to doubts about simply making ends meet.
The crisis began last year. Experts blame it on U.S. banks lending money too easily. A lot of people and companies, who borrowed money, have found themselves unable to pay it back. This left the banks, as well as the people who put their money in the banks, without money. Since the banks borrowed money between themselves and even across borders, the whole world’s financial markets were involved.
This month the U.S. government agreed on a $ 700 billion plan to try to save the financial market. But a turn-around(转机) is not sure. President George W. Bush has warned it will take some time for the full effects of the plan to take hold in an economy that has had a world of trouble.
Last week top finance officials from 20 major economies promised to work together to find a way out of the money trouble. They believe the current crisis is the worst since the Great Depression in 1929. And they all think international cooperation is the key to solve it.
51. From the first paragraph, we can infer that______
A. apples and oranges become more expensive
B. people are worrying about the Election
C. people are expecting a turn-around after the Election
D. expensive fruits are in short supply in American markets
52. Samira Martino’s restaurant is mentioned in the passage in order to ______
A. show that people cut down their expenses.
B. attract more people to come to his restaurant
C. show how hard he is trying to run his business
D. encourage people to start businesses like him
53. What is the cause of the current financial crisis of America?
A. The Presidential Election
B. U.S. banks lending money too easily.
C. The decreasing economy.
D. America’s rapid development.
54. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Many students can not eat expensive fruits in school canteens.
B. Americans are very worried about their lives.
C. The international cooperation is most needed.
D. The current financial crisis is the worst in American history.
55. This passage mainly talks about______
A. the terrible life of Americans
B. the situation of the financial crisis
C. the way to go through the crisis
D. the world financial market

(C)

Most American students said goodbye to expensive fruits these days. In school canteens across the country, cheaper fruits like apples and oranges heave replaced them. “People are afraid to spend now” said Linda Morrow, who owns a shoe and handbag store. “They basically don’t know what the future will bring and keep waiting till after the Presidential Election.”

The current financial crisis(金融危机), during which several of the country’s biggest banks have been forced to sell or close, has made lots of Americans unwilling to buy expensive goods.

Samira Martino, a restaurant owner in Miami, found everyone is ordering water instead of juice and more people are sharing meals. In more than two dozen interviews with the Associated Press across the country last month, American talked about their concerns, from worries about small businesses to doubts about simply making ends meet.

The crisis began last year. Experts blame it on U.S. banks lending money too easily. A lot of people and companies, who borrowed money, have found themselves unable to pay it back. This left the banks, as well as the people who put their money in the banks, without money. Since the banks borrowed money between themselves and even across borders, the whole world’s financial markets were involved.

This month the U.S. government agreed on a $ 700 billion plan to try to save the financial market. But a turn-around(转机) is not sure. President George W. Bush has warned it will take some time for the full effects of the plan to take hold in an economy that has had a world of trouble.

Last week top finance officials from 20 major economies promised to work together to find a way out of the money trouble. They believe the current crisis is the worst since the Great Depression in 1929. And they all think international cooperation is the key to solve it.

51. From the first paragraph, we can infer that______

A. apples and oranges become more expensive

B. people are worrying about the Election

C. people are expecting a turn-around after the Election

D. expensive fruits are in short supply in American markets

52. Samira Martino’s restaurant is mentioned in the passage in order to ______

A. show that people cut down their expenses.

B. attract more people to come to his restaurant

C. show how hard he is trying to run his business

D. encourage people to start businesses like him

53. What is the cause of the current financial crisis of America?

A. The Presidential Election

B. U.S. banks lending money too easily.

C. The decreasing economy.

D. America’s rapid development.

54. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. Many students can not eat expensive fruits in school canteens.

B. Americans are very worried about their lives.

C. The international cooperation is most needed.

D. The current financial crisis is the worst in American history.

55. This passage mainly talks about______

A. the terrible life of Americans

B. the situation of the financial crisis

C. the way to go through the crisis

D. the world financial market

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网