Since the 1990s, education has been required for all South Africans from age seven to fifteen. Last December, the government announced that 70% of students passed their final examination to finish high school. In 2008, the pass rate was about 63%. There have been increases each year since then.

Professor Shireen Motala says basic education is no longer a problem in South Africa. Most children stay in school until they are about sixteen. The problem is that large numbers of them leave without completing high school.

Students take an examination known as the “matric”(高考) in Grade Twelve. Professor Motala says, “Less than half of the children who started school in 2000 sat for the matric last year. Many dropped out of school, so only around 45% took the matric. And the worry is where those students actually go.” Those who drop out have to compete with better educated people for jobs.

Educational researchers also point to another problem. South African schools do not produce enough students with the skills for higher education in maths and science. Many schools are not well-equipped. Children do not see laboratories, and, as a result, their science marks are not very good. They do not have libraries at school. Also, many teachers do not have the skills or training to do their jobs.

In South Africa, a number of teachers were poorly trained before. Secondly, teachers have been confused by the many educational reform efforts in the last fifteen years. Finally, language differences in the classroom have not got as much attention as they should, which is a huge problem. Subjects such as maths and science are taught in English starting at about the age of ten. But South Africa has eleven official languages.

South Africa’s minister of basic education promises a number of improvements. Angie Motshega says teacher development efforts will focus on subject and content knowledge, making sure that the correct teachers are in the correct jobs.

1.From the first paragraph we can learn that ______.

A．South Africans are badly in need of education

B．South African teenagers do very well at school

C．the South African government takes education seriously

D．South African teenagers have become more clever

2.What is the real concern of Shireen Motala?

A．Something is wrong with the country’s basic education system.

B．Most children have to find a job at an early age.

C．The final exam is too difficult for most children.

D．Most children cannot complete high school until they are 16.

3.South African students perform poorly in science for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT ______.

A．they don’t work hard enough

B．their schools do not have laboratories

C．they cannot get help from libraries

D．there are not enough skilled teachers

4.With which of the following would Shireen Motala most probably agree?

A．Schools should focus more on maths and science than any other subject.

B．More educational reforms should be carried out in South African schools.

C．The more teachers teach maths and science, the better marks students may get.

D．More attention should be paid to language differences in maths and science classes.

Since the 1990s, education has been required for all South Africans from age seven to fifteen. Last December, the government announced that 70% of students passed their final examination to finish high school. In 2008, the pass rate was about 63%. There have been increases each year since then.
Professor Shireen Motala says basic education is no longer a problem in South Africa. Most children stay in school until they are about sixteen. The problem is that large numbers of them leave without completing high school.
Students take an examination known as the “matric”(高考) in Grade Twelve. Professor Motala says, “Less than half of the children who started school in 2000 sat for the matric last year. Many dropped out of school, so only around 45% took the matric. And the worry is where those students actually go.” Those who drop out have to compete with better educated people for jobs.
Educational researchers also point to another problem. South African schools do not produce enough students with the skills for higher education in maths and science. Many schools are not well-equipped. Children do not see laboratories, and, as a result, their science marks are not very good. They do not have libraries at school. Also, many teachers do not have the skills or training to do their jobs.
In South Africa, a number of teachers were poorly trained before. Secondly, teachers have been confused by the many educational reform efforts in the last fifteen years. Finally, language differences in the classroom have not got as much attention as they should, which is a huge problem. Subjects such as maths and science are taught in English starting at about the age of ten. But South Africa has eleven official languages.
South Africa’s minister of basic education promises a number of improvements. Angie Motshega says teacher development efforts will focus on subject and content knowledge, making sure that the correct teachers are in the correct jobs.
【小题1】From the first paragraph we can learn that ______.

Since the 1990s, education has been required for all South Africans from age seven to fifteen. Last December, the government announced that 70% of students passed their final examination to finish high school. In 2008, the pass rate was about 63%. There have been increases each year since then.
Professor Shireen Motala says basic education is no longer a problem in South Africa. Most children stay in school until they are about sixteen. The problem is that large numbers of them leave without completing high school.
Students take an examination known as the “matric”(高考) in Grade Twelve. Professor Motala says, “Less than half of the children who started school in 2000 sat for the matric last year. Many dropped out of school, so only around 45% took the matric. And the worry is where those students actually go.” Those who drop out have to compete with better educated people for jobs.
Educational researchers also point to another problem. South African schools do not produce enough students with the skills for higher education in maths and science. Many schools are not well-equipped. Children do not see laboratories, and, as a result, their science marks are not very good. They do not have libraries at school. Also, many teachers do not have the skills or training to do their jobs.
In South Africa, a number of teachers were poorly trained before. Secondly, teachers have been confused by the many educational reform efforts in the last fifteen years. Finally, language differences in the classroom have not got as much attention as they should, which is a huge problem. Subjects such as maths and science are taught in English starting at about the age of ten. But South Africa has eleven official languages.
South Africa’s minister of basic education promises a number of improvements. Angie Motshega says teacher development efforts will focus on subject and content knowledge, making sure that the correct teachers are in the correct jobs

1. 1.

   From the first paragraph we can learn that ______

   1. A.
      South Africans are badly in need of education
   2. B.
      South African teenagers do very well at school
   3. C.
      the South African government takes education seriously
   4. D.
      South African teenagers have become more clever
2. 2.

   What is the real concern of Shireen Motala?

   1. A.
      Something is wrong with the country’s basic education system
   2. B.
      Most children have to find a job at an early age
   3. C.
      The final exam is too difficult for most children
   4. D.
      Most children cannot complete high school until they are 16
3. 3.

   South African students perform poorly in science for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT ______

   1. A.
      they don’t work hard enough
   2. B.
      their schools do not have laboratories
   3. C.
      they cannot get help from libraries
   4. D.
      there are not enough skilled teachers
4. 4.

   With which of the following would Shireen Motala most probably agree?

   1. A.
      Schools should focus more on maths and science than any other subject
   2. B.
      More educational reforms should be carried out in South African schools
   3. C.
      The more teachers teach maths and science, the better marks students may get
   4. D.
      More attention should be paid to language differences in maths and science classes

Northern Europeans spend a lot of time in their cold and cloudy winters planning their summer holidays. They are proud of their healthy color when they return home after the holiday. But they also know that a certain amount of sunshine is good for their bodies and general health.

In ancient Greece people knew about the healing(治疗) powers of the sun, but this knowledge was lost. At the end of the nineteenth century a Danish doctor, Niels Finsen, began to study the effect of sunlight on certain diseases, especially diseases of the skin. He was interested not only in natural sunlight but also in artificially (人造地) produced rays. Sunlight began to play a more important part in curing sick people.

A Swiss doctor, Auguste Rollier, made full use of the sun in his hospital at Lysine. Lysine is a small village high up in the Alps. The position is important: the rays of the sun with the greatest healing power are the infra-red (红外线的) and ultra-violet (紫外线的) rays; but ultra-violet rays are too easily lost in fog and the polluted air near industrial towns. Dr. Roller found that sunlight, fresh air and good food cure a great many diseases. He was particularly successful in curing certain forms of tuberculosis with his “sun-cure”.

There were a large number of children in Dr. Roller’s hospital. He decided to start a school where sick children could be cured and at the same time continue to learn. It was not long before his school was full.

In winter, wearing only shorts, socks and boots, the children put on their skis after breakfast and left the hospital. They carried small desks and chairs as well as their school books. Their teacher led them over the snow until they reached a slope which faced the sun and was free from cold winds. There they set out their desks and chairs, and school began.

Although they wore hardly any clothes, Roller’s pupils were very seldom cold. That was because their bodies were full of energy which they got from the sun. But the doctor knew that sunshine can also be dangerous. If, for example, tuberculosis is attacking the lungs, unwise sunbathing may do great harm.

Today there is not just one school in the sun. There are several in Switzerland, and since Switzerland is not the only country which has the right conditions, there are similar schools in other places.

1. According to the passage, when did sunlight begin to play a more important part in the treatment of disease?

A. From ancient times.        B. At the end of the nineteenth century.

C. Not until this century.              D. Only very recently.

2. Why are a Danish doctor and a Swiss doctor mentioned in the second and third paragraphs?

A. Because they both made use of sunlight to treat illness.

B. Because they were the first people who used sunlight for treatment.

C. Because they were both famous European doctors.

D. Because they used sunlight in very different ways.

3. Dr Roller set up a “sun-cure” school probably for the reason that _______.

A. most children could stay in his hospital

B. children could study while being treated

C. the school was expected to be full of pupils

D. the school was high up in the mountains

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph of the passage?

A. “Sun-cure” schools are becoming popular everywhere.

B. Switzerland is the only country where “sun-cure” schools are popular.

C. Proper conditions are necessary for the running of a “sun-cure” school.

D. “Sun-cure” schools are found in countries where there is a lot of sunshine.