The A-level question Have 22 continuous years of rises in A-level pass rate made the exam worthless? David Miliband, the minister for School Standards, insists the answer is a firm " no". And he said it was wrong that " more will mean worse and more educa??tion for more people will mean lower standards". Figures show that — despite the rise in A-grades to 21. 6 per cent — only 22,000 out of 600,000 18-year-olds gain three A-grade pas??ses. Put another way, that means — in a primary class of 30 pupils — only one will get three A-grades. The center right Bow Group, in a pamphlet published today, however, says nine out of ten scholars believe A-grades have been devalued over the past ten years.

Two inquiries (调查) — both set up by the Government’s exams watchdogs — one of which included in??dependent teaching experts, refused to accept that there had been any " dumping down" of A-level standards. But while they conclude that the exam questions have not become easier, changes in examining methods have almost certainly made it easier to gain top-grade passes.

As a result of the exams shake-up introduced in 2000, students sit six different types of exams to make up an A-level during the course of their two years of study. Only 20 per cent of the marks are set for the end-of-term exam. This makes it easier for teachers to help their pupils with the right answers.

Mr Miliband said yesterday, " My argument is not that to??day ‘s generation of pupils are cleverer than their parents; it is that schools and teachers are getting better at getting the best out of them. "

5. From the writer’s point of view, the rise in A-grades to 21. 6 per cent shows ______.

A. it is generally thought more education means lower standards

B. the rise in the A-level pass rate has made the exam worthless

C. the quality of the 18-year-olds has become lower

D. it is still hard for the general pupils to get three A-grade passes

6. The underlined word " they" in the second paragraph refers to ______.

A. the exams watchdogs               B. the independent teaching experts

C. the A-level standards                D. the two inquiries

7. As a result of the exams shake-up introduced in 2000 ______.

A. the pass rate for A-levels was set to rise continuously

B. the exam became easier than it had been before 2000

C. pupils could have many more choices of test after 2000

D. it soon became popular with teachers and pupils

8. What does this passage mainly discuss?

A. How reliable and effective the A-level grading system is.

B. How the A-level system helps universities select pupils.

C. How the pass rate has been increased in recent years.

D. How the A-level grading system has changed over the years.

　　Fear can be fun. Many young people queue up to ride very fast and scary roller coasters, screaming but enjoying themselves. Other people like to read “goose bumps (鸡皮疙瘩)” books or watch horror movies at night, scared to death but feeling excited. Why do people like being scared?

　　Fear is an ancient way of surviving. Being scared makes animals, including humans escape from danger and save themselves. It is because of fear that we have lived through millions of years of evolution. Those who lacked a strong fear response were more likely to be killed, leaving the more fearful and careful to pass their genes onto the next generation.

　　How do scientists explain why shaking over such scary things is fun? “Some kids will go to a scary movie and love it and laugh over it, others will feel anxious and hide their faces and some won’t even set foot in the cinema,” said Ned Kalin, a US scientist. “Which kind of person you are depends partly on experiences you’ve had and partly on your genes.”

　　What happens in the brain when something frightens you? Nerves that begin at the eyes and ears lead to a part of the brain called the amygdale. When you suddenly see a snake, for example, the amygdale makes you freeze, sweat, have a quickened heartbeat, or run very fast. However, seeing the snake also uses another part of the brain, the cortex. It analyzes the situation, and if it finds that the snake is only made of rubber it tells your heart and the rest of your body to calm down. Think of the amygdale as the engine and the cortex as the brake.

　　Back to the first question: Why do some people like to make themselves scared? “One reason is that we can play games with fear, find ways to reduce the scariness by looking away or thinking of something else,” Kalin said. “To believe we have control over a situation gives us a feeling of power.” “Scary movies or novels are good practice to prepare young people for the real thing. Thrills such as roller coaster rides also go to the brain’s pleasure centre.”

　　And there might be some evolutionary advantage to being able to adjust this system that is there to protect people.

　　72. How many questions are answered in the passage?

　　A. 2. 　　　B. 3. 　　　C. 4.　　　 D. 5.

　　73. Some people like to be scared because______.

　　A. they are afraid that the fear genes will be passed onto their children

　　B. it’s a good practice to get prepared for the real frightening situation

　　C. it can help them show their own personalities

　　D. they will feel powerful after getting rid of fear

　　74. Which of the following is true about the people who are not easily scared?

　　A. Their cortex is better at analyzing the situations.

　　B. They are more likely to suffer from potential danger.

　　C. They are born unaffected by anything horrible.

　　D. They lack a strong response towards threat.

　　75. What is the best title of the passage?

　　A. Ready to scream? 　　　　B. How to be scared?

　　C. Willing to shake?　　　　D. Why to be scared?

A while ago my family and I went sledding(滑雪橇) and as I watched my children climbing up the slope I started thinking.

     Many people are convinced that most of today’s   1problems are because of the “me” generation. Youngsters are just out for themselves and pay no   2to others or their needs. Indeed, a common belief is that today’s youngsters won’t do anything   3there is something in it for them.

    Yet, while sledding, I saw a   4side. I watched my two oldest children (then five and four) take my youngest(then two years old)by the hand to help her up the slippery slope   5they went up. They would have been   6without her, but not once did they try to sneak （溜掉）by her without helping. And when the sled  7my two daughters was aimed toward the edge, it was my five year old son who ran to them to  8them from falling and hurting themselves.

    These children sometimes   9among themselves and, on occasion, behave horribly. But I can  10them shopping and know that they won’t ask for anything, I can talk to them about tsunami or hurricane victims and know that they will offer to  11some of their own money to the cause, and I can ask them to play with those children  12on the sideline(作为旁观者) and know that they will befriend（照顾）them.

    Perhaps, therefore, the “me” generation is to blame   13much of society’s problems—not the youngsters who want everything,   14the adults who have taught them to selfishly   15only of themselves.

    Most adults have been   16at some time or another, sadly, many   17that disappointment down to their children. Then the children learn to put themselves first!

    Most young children want to help. We can  18that feeling by teaching the lesson my children learned while sledding: Life is a slippery slope with  19of bumps(撞伤) and bruises(擦伤), but we can all make it to the  20if we remember to help those who need it.

1.A.social     B.private               C.serious           D.slight

2.A.thought     B.attention         C.permission        D.pleasure

3.A.if              B.as                C.while             D.unless

4.A.same            B.different         C.strange           D.moral

5.A.some time       B.any time          C.each time         D.the time

6.A.faster          B.slower            C.easier                D.lighter

7.A.containing      B.loading           C.driving           D.carrying

8.A.avoid           B.stop              C.help              D.warn

9.A.cry             B.cooperate         C.assist                D.fight

10.A.take          B.drive             C.accompany     D.guide

11.A.lend           B.send              C.collect           D.pay

12.A.forgotten      B.missed            C.left              D.ignored

13.A.of             B.within                C.on                D.for

14.A.and            B.but               C.thus              D.though

15.A.consider       B.speak             C.believe           D.think

16.A.depressed      B.surprised         C.disappointed      D.embarrassed

17.A.extend         B.intend                C.pass              D.spread

18.A.encourage      B.strengthen            C.discourage            D.approach

19.A.opportunities  B.occasions        C.promises          D.fates

20.A.top            B.bottom            C.middle            D.tip