On an airplane, a spacecraft or a man-made satellite, there is usually an installed device called the “black box”. Made of a special kind of material, it would remain unbroken, even if the entire craft were blown to pieces. The box records some important data, which provide clues as to what changes had occurred before the real thing came along and help to discover the causes of the disaster.

The black box, therefore, becomes the last piece of evidence left. More often, it reveals a shocking fact that many aircrafts met their disasters only because of a simple but fatal mistake. Some hadn’t been supplied with sufficient fuel; others crashed due to a bird flying in their paths. In many cases,  the pilot had been tired. In 1986, the famous US space shuttle Challenger exploded soon after launch, because a screw on it was a bit loose!

An idea thus occurs to me: if a human being was equipped with a similar device, tracking all the subtle inner changes that had taken place over time, the results could astonish the world. Newspapers carry no few such stories from day to day-cases of graft or bribe-taking（行贿或受贿）,how an innocent man was robbed and killed, and so on. A fatal error, committed by a criminal at a particular point in his life, may have arisen from a small quarrel or out of envy. The number of those who were born evil and deliberately sent themselves to the “gallows（绞架）”is in fact extremely small. The disappointment towards the last moment of their life is on different from a struggle against an aircraft crash!

Behave properly in small matters and take best care of the soul-this, I insist, is the message from that mysterious box planted deep inside human souls.

1．The first two paragraphs are mainly about      .

      A．the mysterious box inside human souls.

       B．the causes of the disasters.

       C．the fatal mistake of space shuttles.

       D．the function of the black box.

2．The underlined phrase “a similar device” in Paragraph 3 refers to      .

       A．a useful device                                    B．a black box

       C．an installed device                                D．an important instrument

3．According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

       A．Most of us were born kind, but those evil by nature are not in small numbers.

       B．Many crashes should have been avoided if pilots had been careful.

       C．Some small errors can even cause a long-lasting regret.

       D．Even if the plane blows up, the black box can still function.

4．The best title for the text is      .

      A．The Black Box                                     B．The Black Box and Disasters

       C．The Black Box of the Soul                    D．The Black Box and Humans

5．The purpose of the author is to      .

       A．warn us of our safety                           B．tell us to treat others kindly

       C．show us his concerns                          D．remind us of taking good care of our soul

A detailed and thorough research project undertaken by the Open University recently reported that their evidence appears to show that competition between nearby schools does not significantly improve academic standards．Indeed，their report．inclines to the opposite outcome：the exam results may actually decline where competition is fiercest．

    When the further education sector was “privatized” a few years ago，competition between colleges became truly fierce，at least in urban areas where potential students could choose between several of them. Colleges appointed highly paid marketing directors and gave them large budgets；some even “bribed（贿赂）” interested students with promises of hundreds of pounds if they completed certain courses satisfactorily． 

    Fully competitive markets being a philosophical foundation of Britain’s recent governments，it was no surprise to hear claims that many educational developments of the 1990s would move us towards a free market in secondary education--giving youngsters and their parents a free choice of where to study．However，the secondary sector did not become particularly competitive while，admittedly，the consumers have been given more information，which is one aspect of a truly free market．It is very rare that two nearby schools with at least some empty places are similar enough to be comparable yet different enough to be ranked；only where that occurs can there be true competition．

    The Open University research was probably not flawed—but its conclusions are．This is because the team did not really compare areas having true competition（as just defined）with areas that do not．

    But，let us all breathe a sigh of relief．Secondary schools had started late to move in the marketing direction--considering allocating scarce resources of staff and money to persuading the pupils that their schools are the best in the area．No schools could afford to do that properly，so it is a relief to realize this research tells us we don’t have to．

    Competition? We haven’t got time for it! Let’s spend our small budget in teaching and learning，not in competing and marketing．

1．It is indicated in the passage that competition between schools results in            ．

    A．higher enrollment rate

    B．lower academic standard

    C．higher marketing expenses

    D．privatization of further education

2．Real competition can happen only when              .

    A．academic standard is improved

    B．there are comparable schools with different educational qualities

    C．students have different interests

    D．schools of all areas have sufficient budget for their development

3．According to the passage，the free market in secondary education              ．

    A．only provides consumers with more information

    B．is more competitive than the higher education market

    C．means there will be more Intensive competition than in colleges

    D．is a real surprise se to Britain’s recent government

4．The author of the passage feels relieved that                 ．

    A．secondary schools have to market themselves

    B．most secondary schools have scarce resources of staff and money

    C．the research by Open University proves that most secondary schools are the best in its area

    D．schools needn’t prove that they are the best

5．What might be the author’s attitude towards competitions between nearby schools?

    A．The author Is in favor obvious kinds of competition．

    B．The author doesn't care about any competition and its result．

    C．The author is not certain of the effect of competitions．

    D．The author is against the competitions among the universities

One often hears that children should arrive at school “ready to learn.” For most children, the acquisition of reading and math skills starts in the first grade. In states where kindergarten is compulsory, it begins even earlier.
Many parents, teachers, and politicians maintain that preschool is the best way to prepare children to learn. There is no real consensus, however, about how this preparation should be achieved.
For some, early childhood education relates to the development of the whole child. They think that preschool should encourage exploration and discovery. Group activities teach positive social behaviors such as sharing, kindness, and patience. Time spent alone encourages independence. Learning letters and counting is important only for children who show an interest in them. Advocates of this approach stress that each child is unique and should learn at his or her own pace.
Other people refer to research showing that children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4. They claim that early introduction to letters and numbers lays the foundation for later academic excellence. Since the 1980s, many people have stressed the value of preschool and point to the success of programs -such as Head Start - that target low-income children.
Is there proof that an academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success? Studies have not been conclusive. In the short term, evidence suggests that middle-class children who attend preschool are ahead of their peers in maths and language skills as well as in social skills, when they enter school. However, the same studies show that the gap narrows considerably by the time children reach age 8.
Children living in poverty are a different matter. Those enrolled in programs such as Head Start seem to do better than impoverished children who do not attend a preschool. For instance, youngsters in one group enrolled in the program, tracked until the age of 21, earned higher scores on intelligence tests, were more likely to graduate from high school, and demonstrated more interest in higher education.
The idea of public preschool raises many issues. Providing Head Start for all children would be a financial burden on communities that already struggle to fund current school programs. Also, where would a sufficient number of teachers trained in early childhood development be found?
【小题1】
Advocates of the development of the whole child believe school readiness is______ .

One often hears that children should arrive at school “ready to learn.” For most children, the acquisition of reading and math skills starts in the first grade. In states where kindergarten is compulsory, it begins even earlier.

Many parents, teachers, and politicians maintain that preschool is the best way to prepare children to learn. There is no real consensus, however, about how this preparation should be achieved.

For some, early childhood education relates to the development of the whole child. They think that preschool should encourage exploration and discovery. Group activities teach positive social behaviors such as sharing, kindness, and patience. Time spent alone encourages independence. Learning letters and counting is important only for children who show an interest in them. Advocates of this approach stress that each child is unique and should learn at his or her own pace.

Other people refer to research showing that children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4. They claim that early introduction to letters and numbers lays the foundation for later academic excellence. Since the 1980s, many people have stressed the value of preschool and point to the success of programs -such as Head Start - that target low-income children.

Is there proof that an academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success? Studies have not been conclusive. In the short term, evidence suggests that middle-class children who attend preschool are ahead of their peers in maths and language skills as well as in social skills, when they enter school. However, the same studies show that the gap narrows considerably by the time children reach age 8.

Children living in poverty are a different matter. Those enrolled in programs such as Head Start seem to do better than impoverished children who do not attend a preschool. For instance, youngsters in one group enrolled in the program, tracked until the age of 21, earned higher scores on intelligence tests, were more likely to graduate from high school, and demonstrated more interest in higher education.

The idea of public preschool raises many issues. Providing Head Start for all children would be a financial burden on communities that already struggle to fund current school programs. Also, where would a sufficient number of teachers trained in early childhood development be found?

1.

 Advocates of the development of the whole child believe school readiness is______ .

A. showing eagerness in exploration and discovery

B. learning basic skills, such as knowing letters and counting

C. showing great interest in basic academic concepts

D. demonstration of intellectual , social and emotional skills

2.

 According to the passage, Head Start is most probably______ .

A. a preschool program that supports disabled children

B. a program that helps impoverished children attend a school

C. an organization that aims to improve current school programs

D. a program that helps design the academic curriculum in preschool

3.

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Preschool benefits middle-class children more than poor children.

B. Most children start school with similar language and social skills.

C. Providing Head Start for all children has encountered great difficulties.

D. All children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4.

4.

Which of the following may best summarize the main idea of the passage?

A. An academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success.

B. Preshool is helpful, despite the disagreement about what it should offer.

C. Children enrolled in preschool demonstrate more interest in learning.

D. Preschool education shouldn't be a financial burden on communities.