考研英语阅读理解精读100篇unit73
Unit 73
In the past few years, reformers have embraced a disarmingly simple idea for fixing schools: Why not actually flunk those students who don't earn passing grades? Both Democrats and Republicans have begun attacking the practice of "social promotion"--shuttling bad students to the next grade, advancing them with peers even if they are failing. Make F truly mean failure, the movement says.
Last week in Los Angeles, the reformers learned just how ornery the current system can be. According to a plan released Tuesday by the L.A. school district, ending social promotion there will take at least four years, could cost hundreds of millions of dollars--and probably would require flunking about half the district's students. That's a pessimistic assessment, but it's not just bureaucrats' caterwauling. Rather, L.A. school superintendent Ruben Zacarias was an eager convert to the crusade against social promotion. In February he unveiled an ambitious plan to end unwarranted promotions in five grades during the 1999-2000 school year--a full year ahead of the timetable set by a state law.
At the time, Zacarias acknowledged that his goal would be hard to meet. He estimated that as many as 6 of every 10 students would flunk if they had to advance on merit. Zacarias wanted to spend $140 million in the first year alone to help these kids. Why so much? Because a mountain of research shows that ending social promotion doesn't work if it just means more Fs. Kids who are simply forced to repeat grades over and over usually don't improve academically and often drop out. Zacarias wanted more tutoring, summer school and intensive-learning classes. Unqualified students wouldn't rise to the next grade; nor would they be doomed to redo work they already failed. It was a forward-looking plan that Zacarias, 70, didn't have the clout to enact. He wasn't popular enough--the school board recently bought out his contract after a bitter power struggle--but even fellow reformers think his plan was too much, too soon. Says board member David Tokofsky: "You've got the unions who want their say. And, of course, there's the facilities issue: Where do you send all these eighth-graders if you can't send them to high school?" The district now says it will stop advancing low-achieving students only in two grades (second and eighth), and it will begin next year.
Los Angeles isn't the only place that has run into roadblocks while trying to end social promotion. In New York City, some advocates have said in lawsuits that parents weren't notified early enough that their kids were flunking. And in Chicago, which led the nation on the issue, a parents' group has filed civil rights complaints alleging that the promotion crackdown holds back a disproportionate number of black and Latino kids.
Still, the war on social promotion could have one salutary consequence: if every school district takes L.A.'s approach, struggling students will get a lot more teaching help, not just a kick in the rear as they finish another unproductive school year.
注（1）：本文选自Time；12/13/99, p73, 2/3p, 1c
注（2）：本文习题命题模仿对象2001年真题text 2和text 4第4题（本习题第5题）
1. “Social promotion” is ___________.
[A] a simple idea for fixing school
[B] flunking students who don’t earn passing grades
[C] making F more or less meaningless
[D] a political movement
2. Education officials give the reform prospect a pessimistic assessment because_______.
[A] it takes too long time, costs too much and may produce undesirable result
[B] there is no feasible plan yet
[C] it involves too many students
[D] it is not approved by state legislature
3. The writer mentioned the case of Zacarias to show that ______________.
[A] ending social promotion doesn’t work
[B] schools do not have the ability to enact his plan
[C] plans like his are too ambitious
[D] it’s hard to reach agreement on the issue of ending social promotion
4. It seems that the effort at ending social promotion _____________.
[A] is confronting a lot of resistance
[B] has proved fruitless
[C] has little hope of success
[D] does more harm than good
5. Toward the proposal of ending social promotion, the author’s attitude seems to be ________.
[A] pessimistic
[B] optimistic
[C] objective
[D] biased
答案：C A D A B
篇章剖析：
本篇文章围绕教育改革派主张在美国中小学取消“自动升级”的问题展开了讨论，第一段介绍了改革派的主张：取消“自动升级”。第二、三段以洛杉矶教育区为例，说明取消“自动升级”在实施过程中所面临的巨大困难。第四段介绍了这种实践引起的社会反响。最后一段介绍了它可能带来的有益后果。
词汇注释：
disarmingly: [dis5B:miNli] adv. 使人消除警惕性[疑心]地, 使人不紧张的地
flunk: [flQNk] v. 使不及格
social promotion: 自动升级
shuttle: [5FQtl] v. 穿梭运送
peer: [piE] n. 同等的人；同辈
ornery: [5C:nEri] adj. 脾气坏的; 爱争吵的
assessment: [E5sesmEnt] n. 评估，评价
bureaucrat: [5bjuErEukrAt] n. 官僚；官吏
caterwauling: [`kAtE9WR:lIV] n. 哀诉声,抱怨声
superintendent: [7sju:pErin5tendEnt] n. 主管, 负责人, 指挥者, 管理者
convert: [kEn5vE:t] n. （常与to连用）改变信仰或意见的人
crusade: [kru:5seid] n. 讨伐；改革运动；热心于社会除恶的运动
unwarranted: [5Qn5wCrEntid] adj. 无根据的, 未获保证的, 无保证的, 未获承认的
clout: [klaut] n. 影响力
enact: [i5nAkt] v. 制定，制订成法律
roadblock: [`rEJdblCk] n. 障碍, 障碍物
advocate: [5AdvEkit] n. （常与of连用）拥护者；提倡者
notify: [5nEutifai] v. 正式通知（某人）
allege: [E5ledV] v. 〈法〉指控
crackdown: [5krAkdaun] n. 镇压, 打击
disproportionate: [7disprE5pC:FEnit] adj. 不相称的；不成比例的；不匀称的
Latino: [lA5ti:nEu] n. 拉丁美洲人
salutary: [5sAljutEri] adj. 有益的
难句突破
And in Chicago, which led the nation on the issue, a parents' group has filed civil rights complaints alleging that the promotion crackdown holds back a disproportionate number of black and Latino kids.
主体句式：a parents’ group has filed complaints
结构分析：本句是一个复杂句，在介词in引导的状语中包含了一个which引导的非限定性定语从句，修饰Chicago，在主句中包含一个分词alleging引导的状语，这个状语自己还包含了一个that引导的宾语从句。
句子译文：在芝加哥，一个家长团体提出了民权控诉，宣称取消自动升级使相当比例的黑人和拉丁美洲裔的孩子升不了级。
题目分析：
1. 答案为C, 属事实细节题。从文章第一段破折号后对social promotion的解释来看，它的意思是：就算差生考试不及格，他们照样可以和其他同学一起进入下一年级。在从改革派反对“social promotion”，主张使F真正意味着“不及格”来看，social promotion 显然使F失去了意义。
2. 答案为A，属事实细节题。本文答案可以在that’s a pessimistic assessment前面的部分读到。
3. 答案为D，属推理判断题。文章第三段先介绍了Zacarias的计划，然后说明他的计划为什么难以实施：他在校董事会的权力之争中落败，以及其他改革派对他的计划所持的不同意见。以这样一个例子旨在说明在取消“自动升级”问题上难以达成一致意见。
4. 答案为A，属事实细节题。根据文章第四段所举的例子可知，这一改革方案遭到了较多的抵制。
5. 答案为B，属推理判断题。虽然文章用了较大篇幅介绍取消“自动升级”所面临的困难和计划实施中存在的问题，但作者的态度仍然是积极乐观的。这一点可以从作者评论Zacarias的计划时所用的措辞“forward-looking”以及最后一段作者评论其有益后果看出。
参考译文：
过去几年，改革派一直坚持用一种令人毫无怀疑的简单想法解决学校的问题：对于那些成绩不达标的学生，为什么不让他们留级？民主党和共和党已经开始抨击“自动升级”的做法---按照这种做法，就算差生考试不及格，他们照样可以和其他同学一起进入下一年级。这场运动主张要让“F”这个成绩真的意味着“不及格”。
上周在洛杉矶，改革派领教了当前体制令人不快的一面。根据洛杉矶教育区周二发布的一项计划，取消“自动升级”将需要至少花费四年的时间，耗资成百上千万美元---也许还会使地区一半左右的学生留级。这是悲观的估计，但官员们并非危言耸听。洛杉矶的学校督导员鲁本·扎卡雷斯以前曾积极参与反对“自动升级”的活动。二月份他提出了一项很有挑战性的计划，以期在1999-2000学年在五个年级取消无根据的升级---这比该州法律设定的时间表提前了整整一年。
扎卡雷斯承认他的目标在当时很难实现。他估计如果按照成绩升级的话，十个学生中将有六个过不了关。仅第一年扎卡雷斯就打算花费1.4亿美元来帮助这些孩子。为什么要花这么多钱呢？因为众多研究表明如果取消“自动升级”仅仅意味着有更多学生无法升级的话，那么它就失去了意义。那些被迫一遍又一遍地复读的孩子成绩并没有提高，甚至还经常会退学。扎卡雷斯希望学生们能得到更多的指导，开设更多的夏季班和强化学习班。不合格的学生不会进入下一年级，但也不必把功课重学一遍。他提出的这一计划很有远见，但70高龄的扎卡雷斯本人并没有足够的影响力将其付诸实施---他还不够受欢迎---在一场激烈的权力斗争之后，该校董事会最近买断了他的合同---但就连其他改革派也认为他的计划太宏大，太迫切。另一位董事会成员大卫·托科夫斯基说：“工会想要有发言权。当然，还有设施的问题：如果不能把八年级学生送入中学，那该把他们送往哪里呢？”现在，该教育区宣布它将只在两个年级（二年级和八年级）对成绩较差的学生取消升级，并将从明年起实施。
洛杉矶并不是唯一一个在取消“自动升级”工作中遇到困难的地方。在纽约市，一些辩护律师在诉讼中称家长没有及时被告知他们的孩子会留级。在芝加哥，一个家长团体提出了民权控诉，宣称取消自动升级使相当比例的黑人和拉丁美洲裔的孩子升不了级。
然而，这场关于“自动升级”的战争还是会带来一个有益的结果：如果每个教育区采用洛杉矶的做法，那些学习吃力的学生就会得到学习帮助，而不仅仅是在学完一年毫无收获之外再被踢上一脚。
考研英语阅读理解精读100篇unit74
On this one point George W. Bush and Al Gore would agree: our schools need more Marilyn Whirrys. For 35 years, Whirry has inspired high school students to think deeply about great literature and to use its devices in their writing. She is the kind of teacher that students come back to visit decades later in her classroom in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Last May a national educators' group named her its Teacher of the Year. And with the nation's public schools planning to hire 2.5 million new teachers over the next decade, Whirry is excited that each presidential candidate is pushing ways to recruit, train and reward better teachers. "They're both talking about teacher quality," she says. "We have a real opportunity right now."
Bush's plan combines most existing federal funds for professional development and class-size reduction into a flexible new fund for teacher training and recruitment, and he adds $400 million a year in new money. Bush would allow states to spend the funds as they see fit--so long as they establish teacher-accountability systems. This is similar to what Ronald Reagan did in the 1980s. But then, says Emily Feistritzer, president of the Center for Education Information, "the money disappeared." Under Bush's plan, she says, "I worry that the money won't go where it's intended to once it reaches the states."
Bush would expand funding from $2.4 million to $30 million for the Troops to Teachers program, which places veterans who want to teach in public schools. The program makes use of people like Arthur Moore, who retired in 1994 after 21 years in the Army and knew he wanted to teach. "There are a lot of people who would make excellent teachers but are discouraged by the bureaucracy of the certification process," says Moore, 45, who began teaching fourth grade in Baltimore and now tests students for special education. "Troops to Teachers is an excellent way to tap their potential by lowering the barriers." Bush would also expand loan forgiveness for math and science majors who teach in needy schools.
Gore's plan, endorsed by the teachers' unions, would spend $8 billion over 10 years to help recruit 1 million new teachers, with provisions for college aid, loan forgiveness and signing bonuses. Gore would spend an additional $8 billion to provide raises of as much as $5,000 each to teachers in poor districts that have adopted aggressive plans to improve teacher quality, plus as much as $10,000 each to teachers certified by a national board. Gore would also require states to ensure that all new teachers pass rigorous assessments. Says Feistritzer: "Gore's proposal might be a little excessive in the number of teachers he wants to recruit, but his teacher testing is exactly what we need."
注（1）：本文选自Time；11/06/2000, p88, 2/3p, 1c
注（2）：本文习题命题模仿对象2005年真题text 1第一题（1），2001年真题text 4第2题（2）和第3题（4），text 3第1题（5）和第2题（3）
1. In the opening paragraph, the author introduces his topic by________.
[A] quoting the Teach of the Year
[B] citing an example
[C] making an assumption
[D] posing a contrast
2. According to Emily Feistritzer, Bush’s plan might_________.
[A] be handicapped by the states
[B] give the states too much freedom
[C] help states recruit more teachers
[D] be too flexible
3. The basic problem many veterans encounter when they seek the teaching profession is _____.
[A] their lack of training and experience
[B] their background
[C] that they do not have the making of a teacher
[D] the barriers in the certification process
4. From paragraph 4 we can infer that__________.
[A] Gore’s plan is better than Bush’s plan
[B] poor districts will receive more funding from Gore’s plan
[C] Gore’s plan focuses on the number of teachers while Bush’s plan on the accountability
[D] Gore’s plan gives qualified teacher generous paycheck
5. What is the passage mainly about?
[A] The competition between Bush and Gore.
[B] Two presidential candidates’ plans of teacher training, recruitment and rewarding.
[C] The increasing importance of the teaching profession.
[D] The differences between Bush’s plan and that of Gore’s.
答案：C A D D B
篇章剖析：
本篇文章是说明文，介绍了两位总统候选人布什和戈尔各自的教师招募和培训计划。第一段提出了两位候选人的一个共同之处：想方设法招募，培训和奖励优秀教师。第二段介绍了布什的新基金计划；第三段介绍了布什的“军人当教师”计划；第四段介绍了戈尔的教师招募和评估方案。
词汇注释：
candidate: [5kAndidit] n. 候选人
recruit: [ri5kru:t] v. 吸收（新成员）；招募
accountability: [E7kauntE5biliti] n. 有责任, 有义务
bureaucracy: [bjJ5rRkrEsI] n. 官僚, 官僚作风, 官僚机构
certification: [sE:tIfI5keIF(E)n] n. 证明，证明书；合格证
tap: [tAp] v. 开发；利用
endorse: [in5dC:s] v. 支持，核准批准或给予支持，尤以公开声明形式；核准
forgiveness: [fE5^IvnIs] n. 免除(债务等)
bonus: [5bEunEs] n. 红利；奖金；额外津贴
rigorous: [5ri^ErEs] adj. 严格的, 严厉的
excessive: [ik5sesiv] adj. 过多的, 过分的
难句突破
Gore would spend an additional $8 billion to provide raises of as much as $5,000 each to teachers in poor districts that have adopted aggressive plans to improve teacher quality, plus as much as $10,000 each to teachers certified by a national board
主体句式：Gore would spend an additional $8 billion.
结构分析：本句是一个复杂句，不定式to provide raises ….作整个句子的目的状语，其中包含了一个that引导的定语从句，修饰districts，介词plus引导了一个伴随状语，修饰这个目的状语。
句子译文：此外，戈尔计划再花80亿美元给采取积极策略提高教师质量的贫困地区每位教师增加5000美元工资，再加上给每位获得国家教育委员会证书的教师10000美元。
题目分析：
1. 答案为C，属推理判断题。可以从第一句话would agree看出。would是一种虚拟用法，表明这是作者的一种假想。
2. 答案为A，属事实细节题。根据上下文，布什的计划类似于里根的计划，当时钱拨到了各州，但最后都不知去向。Emily Feistritzer担心如果各州可以按照自己认为适合的方式动用这笔资金的话，这笔钱将不被用于最初的目的。也就是说布什的计划会在州里执行不力。
3. 答案为D，属事实细节题。这一题的答案在文中第三段，退伍老兵Moore说许多本来可成为优秀教师的退伍军人却因为the bureaucracy of the certification process而受阻。
4. 答案为D，属推理判断题。这可以从获得全国教育委员会认证的教师每人还可以得到1万美元的提议中看出。
5. 答案为B，属推理判断题。判断文章的主旨。文章第一段借用Whirry之口来说明两位总统候选人都在积极推动对教师的招募，培训和奖励政策。接着在第二段和第三段介绍了布什的两个计划，第四段介绍了戈尔的计划，这些计划都与招募，培训，奖励政策有关。所以应该是B。
参考译文：
乔治·W·布什和阿尔·戈尔也许会一致同意这样一种说法：我们的学校需要更多像玛丽莲·威尔瑞斯这样的老师。在过去35年中，威尔瑞斯一直鼓励中学生深入思考伟大文学作品的意义并在自己的写作中运用其中的一些创作手法。她是那种学生几十年后依旧会回到她在加州曼哈顿海滩的教室来拜访她的老师。去年五月，一个全国教师组织将她评为“年度教师”。现在全国公立学校计划在未来十年招聘250万新教师，威尔瑞斯对于每位总统候选人都想方设法招募，培训和奖励优秀教师的做法感到非常鼓舞。“他们两人都谈到了教师素质的问题”，她说。“现在正是我们的大好时机。”
布什计划把大部分用于职业培训和缩小课堂规模的现有联邦基金和一个用于教师培训和招募的新基金合在一起，再给这比新资金每年追加4亿美元。布什允许各州根据自己认为合适的情况支配这笔基金---前提是他们必须建立教师责任制制度。这与罗纳德·里根在1980年代所做的类似。不过那时，教育信息中心主席埃米莉·费斯特里泽说到：“钱都不知去向。”对于布什的的计划，她说：“我担心资金到了州里会被挪作他用。”
布什打算将用于“军人当教师”计划的资金投入从240万美元增加到3000万美元。该计划把那些想教书的退伍军人安置在公立学校，并任用像阿瑟·摩尔这样的人。阿瑟·摩尔在军中服役21年后于1994年退役。他知道自己想教书。“很多人本来可以成为出色的教师，但由于认证过程中的官僚主义而受阻。”现年45岁的摩尔说道。他最初在巴尔的摩教四年级学生，现在负责给接受特殊教育的学生做测试工作。“‘军人当教师’计划可以降低门槛，激发退役军人的潜能，是非常好的计划。”布什还计划增加数学和理科专业出身，在贫困学校教书的退伍军人的贷款免除额。
戈尔的方案得到了教师工会的支持。该方案计划在10年内斥资80亿美元帮助招募100万新教师，并拨款为大学提供资助，实行贷款免除以及发放奖金。此外，戈尔计划再花80亿美元给采取积极策略提高教师质量的贫困地区每位教师增加5000美元工资，再加上给每位获得国家教育委员会证书的教师10000美元。戈尔还要求各州确保所有的新教师都能通过严格的评估。费斯特里泽说：“戈尔的计划招募的教师人数也许有点多，但他的教师测试提案正是我们所需要的。”
