GCSEs not fit for purpose
GCSEs （General Certificate of Secondary Education，普通中等教育证书）encourage "teaching to the test" and may be past their sell-by date, according to Britain's leading business organization. The Confederation of British Industry（CBI） warns that the qualification is stopping teachers delivering an "inspirational classroom experience" and should be replaced.
John Cridland, the CBI director general, said industry faced a shortage of key skills, particularly in science and maths. The CBI（英国工业联合会）, which represents more than 240,000 companies, is also concerned about the 40% of young people who fail to achieve the benchmark of five good GCSE passes including English and maths. The percentage of pupils who reach this standard is the main measure of school success.
Speaking at the launch of a CBI inquiry into education, Cridland argued that abandoning GCSEs could help deliver a full education. "There's something about this GCSE limitation which produces a form of learning ------ teaching for the test.’’
"It frustrates teachers because it stops them delivering that inspirational classroom experience."
The CBI head suggested that raising the school leaving age to 18 – a change that comes into effect in 2015 – is an opportunity to reform the system. "It seems to me that we've raised the participation age to 18 and we're left with an education system that focuses on 16," said Cridland. More than 600,000 children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to take GCSEs this summer.
Many other countries do without a public exam at 16. Finland, the highest performing school system in Europe, has just one public exam, at 18, though children are regularly tested at younger ages.
1.What does the author intend to tell us in paragragh1？
A.“Teaching to the test” should be encouraged.
B. We should stop teachers delivering “inspirational experience”.
C. The current qualification is out of date and should be replaced.
D. The Confederation of British Industry should be replaced.
2.What’s the main idea of the passage？
A. The British GCSEs are no longer practical and should be reformed.
B. In the GCSEs system , teachers don’t have freedom.
C. Five good GCSEs is hard to achieve.
D. The British Education Department will reform education system.
3.The meaning of the underlined word “benchmark” in paragraph 2 may be ______.
A. success B. target C. standard D. excellent grades
4.Where can we find this article?
A．TV series B. radio news
C. newspaper education section D. government report
Bicycle lights may not exactly be a problem that needs solving, but the following can be said about most of them ---- they’re easily stolen if left on an unattended bike. People riding at dusk can forget to turn them on, and those same people can forget to turn them off when they reach their destination. Well, the makers of the Blink/ Steady Bike Light have set out to address all of those shortcomings.
The waterproof(防水的) Blink/ Steady is so far only available as a tail light, although a head light is on the way. It’s fixed onto the bike’s seat post. A built- in photosensor(感光器) tells when it’s become dark enough for the light to be required, and allows it to come on once you begin the riding. According to the producers, it isn’t fooled by things such as headlights or streetlights. The light also contains an accelerometer, also known as a motion sensor, which can tell when the bike is in motion.
Between the two sensors, this means the light will come on only once it’s dark enough, and the bike is moving. Even when stopped at red lights, the small movements of the rider will reportedly be enough to keep the light activated---- it’ll go out after 30 seconds of complete inactivity. While this does mean that the two sensors are continuously powered up, they go into a very low---- power sleep pattern when the bike is sitting, unused.
Light is provided by two5- watt LEDs, seeable over a range of 180 degrees. And power comes from two AAA batteries, which provided up to 200 hours of continuous run time. The designers and engineers behind the Blink/ Steady are now raising money for its commercial production. About US $95 will get you one if they become available.
1.The first paragraph is mainly to mean that______.
A. bicycle lights are worth a research
B. bicycle lights are not a problem at all
C. bicycle lights are easy to deal with
D. bicycle lights are difficult to turn off
2.According to the text, the Blink/Steady Bike Light is sensitive to______.
A. the weather B. streetlights C. headlights D. natural light
3.Why is there an accelerometer in the Blink/ Steady Bike Light?
A. To protect the bike against water.
B. To tell if the bike is moving.
C. To make the bike easy to ride.
D. To judge the speed of the bike.
4.What can be inferred about the Blink/ Steady Bike Light?
A. It will be turned off immediately if the bike stops.
B. The traffic lights have no effect on the light.
C. It won’t use any power if the bike is unused.
D. It must meet two requirements if it comes on.
Poor weather. Technical difficulties. These are some of the typical causes of cancelled trains and planes. But sometimes, the excuse can be a lot more trivial.
Just recently, passengers waiting for a train to Peterborough heard the following announcement, “For reasons beyond our control, we regret to inform passengers that the 13:46 Train to Peterborough has been cancelled. The next train will be arriving on Platform in approximately 36 minutes.”
Oh, well, another delayed train, thought most passengers. But a couple of them decided to enquire further. Incredibly, they were informed that the real reason for the non-arrival of the train was that the driver refused to do his job because his seat was wet.
“A wet seat? That’s got to be a joke,” said one passenger angrily. “I wouldn’t normally complain if the train is just a bit delayed, but this was unbelievable, ” he added. “What really made me angry is that this driver refused to get in the train,” said another passenger. “He probably went off for a cup of tea after that!” she added.
A spokesperson for the rail company apologized for the incident, but said the driver couldn’t sit on the damp seat, and wouldn’t be able to drive the train standing up. The spokesperson went on to explain that the seat had become wet after water entered through an open window when the train was being cleaned in a “train wash”
In another transport-related incident, a flight from Chicago to Frankfurt made an emergency landing in Canada after the pilot spilled his coffee. Apparently, the spilt liquid caused the plane’s radio to send out “transponder code 7500”, which is used to inform ground control that there’s been a hi-jacking (劫机). After landing in Toronto, the 255 passengers crew members were put up in a hotel for the night, then flown on to Frankfurt the following afternoon. “What a disgusting trip!” said one tired passenger after the painful experience had ended.
So, does your job have the potential to cause such disorder?
1.Why did the driver of the train refused to do his job?
A. His seat was damp. B. His pay was low
C. The weather was terrible D. His coffee was spilled
2.The underlined word “trivial” in Paragraph 1 means “____”.
A. damp B. unimportant C. emergent D. convincing
3.The flight made an emergency landing in Canada because “_______”.
A. the plane was hijacked
B. the plane engines went wrong
C. the pilot ran out of coffee
D. the plane’s radio sent out a wrong signal
4.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A. Wet seat, Canceled Train!
B. Spilled Coffee, Emergency Landing!
C. Small Incident, Big Disruptions!
D. Innocent Driver, Angry Passengers!
ANIMALS have always been used to represent certain human characteristics. Countries also use animals as symbols. From eagles to lions, many countries use an animal to show its national spirit and character.
The image of an eagle is on the US President’s flag, and on the one-dollar bill. The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term “bald” does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from the old word piebald, that menas, “marked with white”.
The US declared that the eagle was its national bird in 1782. It was chosen because of “its long life, great strength, and noble looks”.
A few eagles have even become American heroes. An eagle named “Old Abe”, the mascot of a Wisconsin troop of soldiers during the Civil War, traveled 14,000 miles with its men. He was often shot at by the enemy, but survived 42 battles.
But, one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin didn’t agree with the choice. “The bald eagle … is a bird of bad moral character, like those among men who live by robbing, he is generally poor, and often very messy,” he argued. Franklin wanted the turkey as the country’s national bird.
If Americans chose their national symbol deliberately, the symbol of England arose out of history.
King Herry Ⅰ(1068-1135) was a brave warrior but also wise. His appreciation for the rule of law earned him the nickname the Lion of Justice. He was the first English King to use a lion as a royal symbol, which is popularly known as the “king of the jungle”. By the year Richard Ⅰ, known as “The Lionheart” for his bravery, came to the throne in 1189, the famous Three Lions badge had been formed. Now it can be seen on the shirts of England’s sports teams.
Although people might not think of lions when they think of England, everyone knows about the Australian kangaroo. Legend has it that the kangaroo gets its name from an early meeting between local aborigines and white settlers. When asked by the Europeans what these strange-looking animals were, a native replied “kangaroo”, meaning “I don’t understand you.”
The kangaroo is an individualistic animal. Although it does gather in groups, the kangaroo is not a herd animal. If a group is attacked, individuals run off in different directions. Australians think the kangaroo represents positive values, such as individual responsibility and pride.
1.The general idea of this passage should probably be __________ .
A. animals are friends of human beings
B. nearly all the countries have an animal as their national animal
C. animals’ good values are always used to show a country’s national spirit and character
D. certain human characteristics are the same as some animals, so some countries love animals
2.Which is NOT true about the animal of the “bald eagle”?
A. It was Benjamin Franklin who made the bald eagle as the national animal of the USA.
B. The term “bald” means “marked with white”.
C. The bald eagle can show American national spirit and character.
D. “Old Abe” was even an American hero.
3.The reason why the lion was made as the national animal of the United Kingdom was that ______ .
A. it could always be used to represent certain human characteristics of England
B. the Kings of England loved lions
C. there are many lions in England
D. lions are “king of the jungle”
4.What good values can the kangaroo show as national spirits?
A. Group. B. Respect of others.
C. Not understanding D. Positive values.
I remember the first time that I was extremely happy, I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns to play various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some of the BASIC code. I just gave myself a limitless number of lives in the game, so I could continue playing it forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra, and I didn’t even know it at the time. This was a decisive moment in my life. I was quite excited because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I was enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them too.
I’ve noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic about what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and content in life too. It may also lead to success, wealth and achievements.
Success, wealth or achievements can also bring some people happiness, yet I know plenty of rich people who are unhappy. I know many people with successful businesses that are not happy with what they are doing. I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys, such as cars, computers, and televisions, yet never seem content for too long. Please remember, happiness is the journey of life, not the destination.
1.What can we know from Paragraph 1?
A. The author has a great talent for algebra.
B. Creative thinking is necessary for every child.
C. The BASIC code of the computer is not difficult.
D. The author’s experience in his childhood changed his life.
2.The author wants to tell us through the first paragraph that____.
A. interest is the best teacher
B. children are the hope of the future
C. young people are fearless
D. where there’s a will , there’s a way
3.What is the secret of happiness in the author’s opinion?
A. Success and wealth.
B. Gifts and self-confidence.
C. Enthusiasm and good health.
D. Knowledge and achievements.
4.We can infer from the last paragraph that ______.
A. rich people generally feel unhappy
B. wealth can’t bring people any happiness
C. one will feel unhappy once he has gained all the things he wants
D. being enthusiastic about what you are doing is more important than wealth
A flock of wild ducks were flying in formation, heading south for the winter. They formed a beautiful V in the sky, and were admired by everyone who saw them from below.
One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted something on the ground. It was a barnyard with a flock of _ ducks who lived on the farm. They were waddling around on the ground, quacking merrily and eating _ that was thrown on the ground for them every day. Wally liked what he saw. "It sure would be nice to have some of that corn," he thought to himself. "And all this flying is very tiring. I'd like to just __ around for a while."
So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of wild ducks, made a sharp __ , and for the barnyard. He landed _ the tame ducks, and began to waddle around and quack . He also started eating corn. The formation of wild ducks continued their journey South, but Wally didn't care. "I'll __ them when they come back North in a few months," he said to himself.
Several months went by and __ enough, Wally looked up and spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the . It was muddy and he waddled, there was nothing but duck doo. "It's time to leave." said Wally.
So Wally _ his wings furiously and tried to get airborne. But he had gained some from all his corn-eating, and he hadn't exercised his wings much either. He finally the ground, but he was flying too _ and slammed into the side of the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud and said to himself, "Oh, well, I'll just wait until they fly __ in a few months. Then I'll rejoin them and become a wild duck again."
When the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to himself out of the barnyard. But he simply didn't have the strength. Every winter and every spring, he saw his wild duck friends flying overhead, and they would to him. But his attempts to leave were all .
Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had , become a barnyard duck.
1.A. tame B. ugly C. beautiful D. wild
2.A. food B. grain C. corn D. vegetable
3.A. rest B. waddle C. walk D. fly
4.A. turn B. dive C. land D. circle
5.A. hurried B. looked C. left D. headed
6.A. between B. among C. behind D. within
7.A. loudly B. sadly C. merrily D. eagerly
8.A. see B. recognize C. leave D. rejoin
9.A. strange B. lucky C. sure D. natural
10.A. barnyard B. corn C. waddling D. quacking
11.A. every day B. every time C. everywhere D. nowhere
12.A. flapped B. spread C. removed D. opened
13.A. strength B. skills C. friends D. weight
14.A. got off B. got to C. got up D. got back
15.A. slowly B. fast C. high D. low
16.A. back B. south C. north D. overhead
17.A. lift B. fly C. struggle D. rise
18.A. call out B. come back C. come over D. call back
19.A. in return B. in need C. in vain D. in place
20.A. after all B. above all C. therefore D. however
