Question

Educators across the US are calling for major changes to the admissions process in higher education. The Harvard school of Greduate Education, along with 80 other schools and organizations, released a report called "Turning the Tide Making Caring Common” in January, 2016. The report argues that the process schools use to choose students causes major problems.

David Hawkins is the Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy at the National Association for College Admissions Counseling. Hawkins told Voice of America that most colleges and universities require many  things from students when they apply. Schools usually ask for an essay describing a student's interests or why they want to study at that school. The schools also ask for letters from teachers or other responsible adults describing why a student is a good candidate. But, Hawkins says, the area that schools are most concerned about is a student's high school grades and standardized test results.

The report suggests that paying attention to academic success over other qualities works well for some students but hurts others. In addition, academic success is not the most important quality a student should have. More attention should be paid to showing whether or not a student wants to do well in the world, according to the report.

The report goes on to state that the best way to change the admissions process is by changing college applications. It suggests that schools should ask for evidence that students care about other people. But the report does have its critics. Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director for the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, said that every few years, someone makes the same argument for changes, but no real change has happed yet. Even many of the schools that agree with the report still make no changes.

Lloyd Thacker, Executive Director of the Education Conservancy, said that until a majority of schools agree to make the changes, there will still be problems. However, he said, the admissions process was better in the past. If bad changes can affect the process, so can good ones.

1.What is the problems of the admissions process according to the report?

A. The schools ask too many things from the applying students.

B. The schools attach too much importance to students’ academic records

C. The number of students getting admitted is too small

D. Admissions officers consider too many unimportant factors

2.What is usually missing in an essay?

A. The reasons to attend the school

B. A description of interests

C. Recommendation letters from adults

D. Evidence that students care about others

3.Bob Schaeffer argues that _________.

A. not all changes are good

B. the largest schools are expected to make changes first

C. no schools currently agree with the report

D. some schools don’t make changes even if they agree

4.What’s Lloyd Thacker’s attitude toward the possible change in the admissions process?

A. Confident    B. Negative

C. Doubtful    D. Unclear

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.D

4.A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。美国高等教育的招生过程中存在问题，教育工作者呼吁对此进行改变。

1.推理判断题。根据第三段第一句The report suggests that paying attention to academic success over other qualities works well for some students but hurts others.可知，报告指出，与其他素质相比更注重学业成绩对某些学生来说效果不错，但却伤害了其他学生。由此可知录取的过程中出现的问题就是注重了学生的学业成绩。分析选项可知B项符合题意。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段中It suggests that schools should ask for evidence that students care about other people.可知，报告还指出，学校应该要求学生关心他人的证据。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据第四段中said that every few years, someone makes the same argument for changes, but no real change has happed yet. Even many of the schools that agree with the report still make no changes.可知，Bob Schaeffer认为，有些学校即使同意，也不会做出改变。故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据全文可知，作者只是对于录取过程中的问题进行了描述，没有进行自己的评论，因此是中立的。分析选项可知A项是正确的。故选A。