第二节　　　 完形填空(共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分)

Many young people in the United States never finish high school. Exactly how many drop out is another issue. Recent studies of 　36 　rate have had conflicting results.

For one thing, schools define and measure their dropout rates 　37 . Some researchers say about 15 to 20 percent of public school students do not 　38 　their education on time. 　39 　　many other experts and policymakers believe that for the past 20 years, the dropout rate has been around 30 percent. For Latino and black students, the 　40 　are even larger. Researchers say almost half of them 　41 　school. At the same time, almost half of the states let students leave school 　42 　the age of 18 without informing their parents.

Finding a good job 　43 　a high school education is becoming more and more difficult. A Northeastern University 　44 　in 2002 found that almost half of all dropouts aged 16 to 24 did not have a job. The 　45 　of a high school education can also 　46 　other problems. It is estimated that two-thirds of prisoners in the United States dropped out of high school.

Recent studies have 　47 　that the majority of students who drop out do it because they are failing. Many are 　48 　with their classes or feel disconnected from their school and teachers. Some students feel that educators place low 　49 　on them.

During the past 20 years, there have been efforts to 　50 　graduation rate through education reforms. Some communities are working on dropout 　51 　programs. These include some alternative (其它的) high schools to meet special 　52 .

Experts think “early warning systems” can help 　53 　young schoolchildren at the risk of dropping out of high school. They say schools also need to get 　54 　more involved, especially if their children are 　55 　school often.

36. A. research　　 　　B. finishing　　　　　 C. dropout　　　　　 D. completing

37. A. personally　 　　B. individually　　　　 C. differently　　　 D. similarly

38. A. complete　 　　　 　　B. reach　　　　　　　 C. practise　　　　　 D. operate

39. A. And　　　 　　B. Besides　　　　　　 C. Instead　　　　　 D. But

40. A. people　　 　　B. students　　　　　　 C. dropouts　　　　 D. numbers

41. A. approach　 　　B. leave　　　　　　　 C. stay　　　　　　 D. enter

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

43. A. without　　 　　B. together with　　　　 C. out of　　　　　 D. off

44. A. project　　　 　　B. design　　　　　　　 C. sketch　　　　　 D. study

45. A. importance　 　　B. lack　　　　　　　　 C. need　　　　　　 D. requirement

46. A. lead to　　 　　B. result　　　　　　　 C. conclude　　　　 D. include

47. A. noticed　　 　　B. watched　　　　　　 C. shown　　　　　 D. inspected

48. A. bored　　 　　B. interested　　　　　　 C. indifferent　　　　 D. unconcerned

49. A. outlook　 　　B. prediction　　　　 C. remark　　　　 D. expectations

50. A. decrease　 　　B. reduce　　　　　 C. increase　　　　 D. unite

51. A. prevention　　 B. conservation　　　 C. permission　　　 D. admittance

52. A. needs　 　　B. ways　　　　　　　 C. advantages　　　 D. means

53. A. receive　 　　B. accept　　　　　　 C. get　　　　　　 D. identify

54. A. mates　　 　　B. teachers　　　　　 C. parents　　　　 D. neighbors

55. A. missing　 　　B. staying　　　　　　 C. leaving　　　 D. studying

35. It is _____that he has been addicted to the drugs and has difficulty quitting it.

A. obviously 　　B. apparently　　　 C. possibly　　　　 D. likely

34. That was the first time I _______ there and I was impressed by the friendly people very much.

A. go　　 B. was going　 C. had gone　　 D. have gone

33. To qualify yourself for this kind of new job, I recommend that you ________ some online courses.

A. to take　　 B. taking　　 C. take　 D. would take

32. I ______ my university professor in the supermarket near my house, which was out of my expectation.

A. came out　 B. came across　 C. came about　 D. came along

31. In 1942,Columbus and his crew arrived ____was then called the New World by the westerners.

A. what　　 B. in what　　 C. where　　 D. in which

30. He feels it dangerous for a girl to be out late at night so he won’t have his daughter_____ home late.

A. arrive 　　 B. arrived　　　 C. to arrive　　　 D. arriving

29. With no one to ______ in such a frightening situation, she felt very helpless.

A. turn on　　 B. turn off　　 C. turn around　　 D. turn to

28. Preparations are being made for the Olympic Games __________in Beijing in 2008.

A. to be held　　 B. held　　 C. holding　 D. to hold