Question

Since the nineteen nineties, education has been required for all South Africans from age seven to fifteen. Last December, the government announced that seventy percent of students passed their final examination to finish high school. In 2008 the passage rate was about sixty-three percent. There have been increases each year since then.

Professor Shireen Motala at the University of Johannesburg says access to basic education is no longer the problem in South Africa. She says most children stay in school until they are about sixteen. The problem now, she says, is that large numbers of them leave without completing high school. Students take an examination known as the matric in grade twelve, their final or "matriculation" year. Professor Motala notes that less than half the children who started school in 2000 sat for the matric last year.

Educational researchers also point to another problem. They say South African schools do not produce enough students with the skills for higher education in math and science. Many schools are not well - equipped. They do not have libraries at school. Ninety - two percent of the schools do not have libraries.

Also, education specialists say in many cases, teachers and school principals do not have the skills or training to do their jobs. In other cases, they are simply not doing their duty to provide an education. Professor Motala says a number of teachers were poorly trained during the system of apartheid(种族隔离), or racial separation in South Africa. Apartheid ended in 1994.

Secondly, she says, teachers have been confused by the many educational reform efforts in the last fifteen years. And, finally, she thinks language differences in the classroom have not gotten as much attention as they should.

South Africa's minister of basic education promises a number of improvements.

1.How was thepassage rate in 2008?

A. uncertain B. just so-so

C. high D. low

2.What's the Motala's attitude towards the basic education for students in South Africa?

A. Confident. B. Hopeless.

C. Negative. D. Worried.

3.From the passage we know the matric is ________.

A. an examination difficult for students to pass

B. an examination for students in grade twelve

C. the number of students leaving school

D. the number of students taking exams

4.Students in South Africa find it hard to get improved in math and science because ________.

A. they drop out of school without finishing high school

B. teachers don't have the abilities to teach them

C. most schools can not provide enough equipment

D. there aren't such subjects in most schools

Answer 1