But what is teacher quality? How can one measure it reliably?

An analysis is issued on a sample of data from a Texas school district. Experts argue convincingly that teacher effectiveness should be measured by students’ gains on standardized tests: Mr. Smith is probably a better teacher than Ms. Brown if his students consistently improve their test scores more than hers do.

Though this approach is appealing, there are tricky issues. For example, what if Ms. Brown teaches in a school where students score so high there is little room for improvement?

The authors try to correct for this problem, as well as other sorts of measurement issues, to generate a measurement of teacher effectiveness. The paper is primarily concerned with how this measure is related to other observable characteristics.

The first finding is that there is a large variation in teacher effectiveness: some teachers consistently have a larger impact on their students’ achievement than others.

Second, easily observable characteristics like having a master’s degree or a passing score on the teacher certification exam are not correlated关联 with teacher effectiveness.

Then what does matter? The most important single influence is experience: first-year teachers are much less effective than others. The second year is significantly better, and by the fourth year, most teachers hit their stride.

It is not entirely clear whether this experience effect is learning by doing (the more you teach, the more effective you become) or survival of the fittest (those who are not good at teaching tend to drop out early.)

From my reading of the paper, both effects appear important and there is no simple answer. The data do suggest, however, that teacher effectiveness is pretty clear by the end of the second year, so the information to make an informed decision is available at that time.

The authors also investigate the contentious 有争议的issue of racial matching of students and teachers. Here they find strong evidence that minority teachers tend to be more effective with minority students. Again, it is unclear whether this is because of a role model effect (students respond better to a teacher of their own race) or an empathy effect 移情效应(teachers empathize better with students of their own race) or something else entirely.

The authors also look at teacher mobility. There is some evidence that teachers who quit teaching or switch schools tend to be below average in effectiveness. This is consistent with the survival-of-the-fittest model.

1.The schoolmaster could decide wisely whether to further employ the teacher by the end of the ______.

A. the first year          B. the second year             C. the third year        D. the fourth year

2.The phrase “hit their stride” most probably means “______”.

A. reach their normal level                                    B. become confident

C. walk with long steps                                            D. get bored

3.The author of this passage holds the view that ______.

A. teachers will perform better with time passing

B. ineffective teachers should leave earlier rather than later

C. teacher’s effectiveness is apparent after a couple of years

D. a master’s degree will improve teacher’s effectiveness

4.Why do black teachers tend to be more effective with black students?

A. Students fell secure, so they respond better.

B. Teachers sympathize with students of their own race.

C. There are entirely some other identified reasons.

D. The reasons are far from clear and definite.

5.Which of the following may serve as the best title?

A. The Quality of Teaching

B. Impact of Teacher Quality on Student Learning

C. Different Sorts of Measurement Issues

D. Survival-of-the-fittest Model vs. Learning-by-doing Model

The amount of usable water has always been of great interest in the world. ___36___ springs and streams sometimes means control,  particularly in the ___37___ areas like the desert. The control is possible even without possession of large areas of ___38___ land. In the early days of the American West,  gun fights were not ___39___ for the water resources (资源). And laws had to be ___40___ to protect the water rights of the ___41___ and the use of the water resources accordingly.

42___ is known to us all,  there is not ___43___ water in all places for everyone to use as much as he likes. Deciding on the ___44___ of water that will be used in any particular period

45___ careful planning,  so that people can manage and use water more ___46___. Farmers have to change their use of or demand for water ___47___ the water supply forecast (预报).

The ___48___ water supply forecast is based more on the water from the ___49___ than from the below. Interest is ___50___ in the ways to increase rainfall by man-made methods,  and to get water from the winter snow on mountain ___51___. With special equipment,  some scientists are studying the ways in which the mountain snow can be ___52___,  and with the help of a repeater station,  they send the ___53___ data (数据) to the base station. The operator at the base station can get the data at any time by ___54___ a button. In the near future,  the forecast and use of water ___55___ probably depend on the advance knowledge of snow on mountains,  not of water underground.

36. A. Using   B. Holding     C. Owning      D. Finding

37. A. dry       B. distant C. deserted     D. wild

38. A. fine      B. beautiful    C. rich    D. farming

39. A. unlawful      B. unacceptable      C. unpopular   D. uncommon

40. A. made    B. designed     C. signed D. written

41. A. winners       B. settlers       C. fighters      D. supporters

42. A. That     B. It C. What  D. As

43. A. plentiful      B. enough       C. any     D. much

44. A. type     B. quality       C. amount      D. level

45. A. requests       B. requires      C. means D. suggests

46. A. effectively   B. easily  C. conveniently      D. actively

47. A. leading to    B. due to C. owing to    D. according to

48. A. correct  B. further       C. average      D. early

49. A. clouds  B. sky     C. air      D. above

50. A. raising  B. rising  C. building     D. lasting

51. A. rocks    B. tips     C. cops    D. trees

52. A. taken care of       B. made use of       C. piled up     D. saved up

53. A. picked  B. produced    C. used    D. gathered

54. A. touching      B. knocking    C. pressing     D. turning

55. A. might   B. can     C. will    D. should

The amount of usable water has always been of great interest in the world． 36 springs and streams sometimes means control，particularly in the 37 areas like the desert．The control is possible even without possession of large areas of 38 land. In the early days of the American West，gun fights were not 39 for the water resources，and laws bad to be  40  to protect the water rights of the  41  and the use of the water resources accordingly.

42 is known to us all, there is not 43 water in all places for everyone to use as much as he likes. Deciding on the 44 of water that will be used in any particular period 45 careful planning, so that people can manage and use water more 46. Farmers have to change their use of or demand for water 47 the water supply forecast.

The 48 water supply forecast is based more on the water from the 49 than from the below. Interest is 50 in the ways to increase rainfall by man-made methods, and to get water from the winter snow on mountain 51. With special equipment, some scientists are studying the ways in which the mountain snow can be 52, and with the help of a repeater station, they send the 53 data(数据)to the base station. The operator at the base station can get the data at any time by   54 a button. In the near future, the forecast and use of water 55 probably depend on the advance knowledge of snow on mountains, not of water underground.

36. A. Using          B. Holding             C. Owning           D. Finding

37. A. dry                 B. distant          C. deserted          D. wild

38. A. fine                    B. beautiful     C. rich                 D. farming

39. A. unlawful      B. unacceptable      C. unpopular   D. uncommon

40. A. made           B. designed            C. signed               D. written

41. A. winners              B. settlers                 C. fighters           D. supporters

42. A. That            B. It                      C. What                D. As

43. A. plentiful       B. enough                 C. any                        D. much

44. A. type                   B. quality           C. amount           D. level

45. A. requests              B. requires                C. means                 D. suggests

46. A. effectively           B. easily  C. conveniently      D. actively

47. A. leading to            B. due to        C. owing to    D. according to

48. A. correct               B. further                 C. average           D. early

49. A. clouds                B. sky                      C. air                  D. above

50. A. raising                B. rising                C. building             D. lasting

51. A. rocks        B. tips                  C. tops                       D. trees

52. A. taken care of   B. made use of   C. piled up  D. saved up

53. A. picked         B. produced          C. used                 D. gathered

54. A. touching    B. knocking         C. pressing            D. turning

55. A. might        B. can                  C. will                      D. should