A decade ago, secondary and higher education was listed above all else. Apprenticeships(学徒工作) were considered as a choice for dropouts(辍学者) rather than a brave career choice. Some young men and women didn’t fit into the school system, but preferred to find new starts, so they were allowed to leave school to focus their attention on making a living in the business world.

Now there’re no birds of this year in last year’s nests. Young people are being encouraged to think carefully about whether what they are learning in school is right for them—this trend has been caused by rising university fees and a global shortage of many skills that were ignored in schools in recent years, ranging from web development to sales.

Young people are required to stay in education or training until they are 18, but now learning takes place in different forms. The Government also has its own way to help interested youths find an apprenticeship that suits their skills and ambitions.

Tom Hartley now owns a large business in Derbyshire, who founded his first company at just 12 years old. “I had no school education,” he says. “Running business was how I learned everything. I call it the Hartley University of Life.

His business, 43 years on, turns over £ 200 million, and sells cars to customers all over the world. Many years ago, Hartley was asked to explain why he had chosen to be self-educated and why he had supported his son’s decision to leave school and join the family business.

“I got heavy suspect at the time,” he explains. “you can’t teach gut feelings(直觉) on a blackboard. School is fine if you want to be a doctor or fly a rocket to the moon, but it is not true about experience in business.”

1.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. Education is no more important nowadays.

B. The situation above has changed.

C. Things change for the worse for dropouts.

D. University fees are becoming higher and higher.

2.What does the author say about Tom Hartley?

A. He attaches more value to experience than to education.

B. He was supported in founding his first company.

C. He is well-educated and far-sighted.

D. He is brave and open-minded.

3.How does the author prove his view?

A. By giving an example. B. By making a comparison.

C. By analyzing causes. D. By listing figures.

4.Which statement may the author agree with?

A. Education is the only way to success.

B. Education systems vary from country to country.

C. School dropouts could be future business stars.

D. School dropouts were common among youngsters.

China has announced its abolishing its one-child policy.What difference has it made,statistically speaking?

400 million births prevented

The one-child policy,officially in place since 1979,has prevented 400 million births.Parents have faced fines and other punishments for having more children.

The majority of the decrease in China's fertility rate happened in the 1970s.It dropped from 5.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.7 in 1978.Despite the one-child policy the rate had only fallen to 1.7 by 2013.

21:28-baby deaths rate

Since the one-child policy was introduced,baby girls have become more likely to die than boys.

In the 1970s,according to the United Nations,60 males per 1,000 live births died under the age of one.For girls the figure was 53.In the 1980s,after the one-child policy became official,the rate for both was 36.By the 1990s,26 males per 1,000 live births died before the age of one-and 33 girls.The 2000s saw 21 boys per 1,000 live births dying and 28 girls.

1.16 boys born for every girl

Sexually selective abortions have been considered as a major cause of China's unusual imbalance.

Gietel-Basten,associate professor in social policy at Oxford University,says the births of many girls are not registered if parents have broken the rule by having two children,adding officials often turn a blind eye.It's estimated there are now 33 million more men than women in China.

4:2:1 families

With the ageing of China's population and the continuation of the one-child policy,a "4:2:1" home is the description given to households in which there are four grandparent,cared for by two working age parents,who themselves have one child.

By 2050,it's predicted that a quarter of China's population will be 65 or order.The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.

1.When was the baby deaths rate for both boys and girls equal?

A. In the 1970s. B. In the 1980s.

C. In the 1990s. D. In the 2000s.

2.What makes the one-child policy abolished accoring to the passage?

A. The decline of birth rate. B. The rise of baby deaths rate.

C. The change of family structure. D. The decline of working age people.

3.The passage sums up the one child policy by .

A. number B. example

C. contrast D. analysis

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her three-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new baby. They found out that it was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael _______ to his sister in Mommy’s tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed _______ for Karen. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes ... every minute. But something serious _______ during delivery. Finally, Michael’s little sister was born. But she was in serious _______. With siren (警报) howling in the night, the ambulance _______ the infant (婴儿)to the Intensive Care Unit at St Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee.

_______ inched by. The little girl got worse. The doctors told the parents, “There is very little hope.” Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery (墓地)about a burial plot. They had _______ a special room in their home for the new baby — now they planned a funeral.

After two weeks in ICU, it looked as if a funeral would come _______ the week was over. Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. “I want to sing to her,” he said. Kids were never _______ in ICU. But Karen made up her mind to take Michael ________ they liked it or not. If he didn’t see his sister now, he may never see her alive.

She ________ him in an oversized suit and ________ him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse ________ him as a child, “Get that kid out of here now!” The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually ________ lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse’s face, saying in a ________ tone of voice, “He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!” Karen towed Michael to his sister’s bedside. He gazed at the tiny baby ________ the battle to live. And he began to sing. ________ the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray...” ________ the baby girl responded. The pulse rate began to ________ down and became steady.

“Keep on singing, Michael,” encouraged Karen. “You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away...”As Michael sang to his sister, the baby’s breath became as smooth as a kitten’s purr.

“Keep on singing, Michael.”“The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping…” Michael’s little sister relaxed as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

Funeral plans were ________. The next day — the very next day — the little girl was well enough to go home!

The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!

1.A. talked B. sang C. played D. whispered

2.A. quietly B. peacefully C. hopefully D. normally

3.A. arose B. raised C. rose D. aroused

4.A. situation B. place C. condition D. position

5.A. took B. sent C. carried D. rushed

6.A. The years B. The months C. The weeks D. The days

7.A. fixed up B. made up C. built up D. set up

8.A. until B. before C. after D. when

9.A. asked B. allowed C. admitted D. acquired

10.A. no matter B. even if C. whether D. as if

11.A. put B. dressed C. wore D. fit

12.A. marched B. forced C. hid D. followed

13.A. required B. replied C. recognized D. regarded

14.A. warm-hearted B. well-managed C. mild-mannered D. cold-blooded

15.A. firm B. strong C. hard D. tough

16.A. losing B. withdrawing C. quitting D. exiting

17.A. In B. On C. At D. Under

18.A. Finally B. Instantly C. Patiently D. Interestingly

19.A. calm B. quiet C. slow D. die

20.A. delayed B. banned C. abandoned D. abolished

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