Ask a man in the street what education is for, and an immediate response might be “for equipping young people with the skills to get a job”. Well, yes，but is education not about a lot more than that?
Indeed, I would argue that it is because our British education holds a higher ideal (理想)- equipping young people with self-confidence and an understanding of the world around them-that it is booming internationally.
Yet I believe that what makes our education great is being threatened by the ever increasing focus on teaching to the test. The focus has arisen because only by testing children can we know what progress they have made. It's a paradox(自相矛盾)，since the curriculum（课程）changes that are taking effect were designed to widen young people's knowledge of the world around them.
But please do not misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that tests should be withdrawn. I am saying that schools need to have the confidence to aim much higher and wider than teaching to the test. They should put a rich learning experience for students first; the test should be used to validate(证实) learning, not an end in itself.
Teachers count. A good many subject teachers know their departments have been short-changing their students, but they lack the self-confidence and support to move away from teaching to the test. So, what is the secret to getting back on track? What good schools have known all along is that a staffroom full of teachers with a good knowledge of what they are teaching, together with a passion and skill for communicating it, lies at the heart of the best education. Teachers' insistence on putting their love of subjects first will produce more engaged(参与) students. And with more engaged students often come better examination results, greater self- confidence and so on.
Schools should also find the self-confidence to put a focus on inspiring teachers who are keen to broaden what they teach. In this way, I believe educational achievement will improve.
1. Which belongs to the purpose of education according to the author?| A．Helping young people to have a job. |
| B．Preparing students for all kinds of tests. |
| C．Making young people behave confidently. |
| D．Enabling young people to succeed in life. |
| A．Formal and competitive. | B．Necessary but imperfect. |
| C．Standard but worthless. | D．Important and functional |
| A．Arrange interesting classes to students' taste. |
| B．Train students according to new teaching standards. |
| C．Encourage students to express their love of subjects, |
| D．Feel confident to care about more than examinations. |
| A．What is the future of British education? |
| B．What is the true purpose of British education? |
| C．Schools must aim higher than teaching to the test |
| D．Schools should withdraw tests for the sake of students |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity (阳刚) in which students either sink or swim, the absence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to conform (符合) to a stereotype, a US study says. Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their emotional expressiveness, rather than feeling they had to conform to the “boy code” of hiding their emotions to be a “real man”.
The findings of the study go against received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls.
Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, warned that boys were being faded by the British education system because it had become too focused on girls. He criticized teachers for failing to recognize that boys are actually more emotional than girls. The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills.
But in single-sex schools teachers can tailor lessons to boys’ learning style, letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study’s author, Abigail James, of the University of Virginia.
Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing with specifically “boy-focused” approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them. Because boys generally have more acute vision, learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given “hands-on” lessons where they are allowed to walk around. “Boys in mixed schools view classical music as feminine (女性的) and prefer the modern style in which violence and sexism are major themes,” James wrote.
Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to conform to a stereotype that men should be “masterful and in charge” in relationships. “In mixed schools boys feel forced to act like men before they understand themselves well enough to know what that means,” the study reported.
1. What does Tony Little say about the British education system?| A．It makes girls less emotional than boys. |
| B．It fails more boys than girls academically. |
| C．It fails to give boys the attention they need. |
| D．It places more pressure on boys than on girls. |
| A．boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested in |
| B．boys focus more on their lessons without being disturbed |
| C．teaching quality is relatively higher than in mixed schools |
| D．teaching can be designed to suit the characteristics of boys |
| A．Boys have sharper vision. | B．Boys enjoy being in charge. |
| C．Boys like “hands-on” lessons. | D．Boys prefer physical activities. |
| A．Problems boys may have in mixed schools. |
| B．Boys’ physical and mental growth in school. |
| C．Advantages of single-sex education for boys. |
| D．Boys’ disadvantages over girls in mixed schools. |
【推荐2】A recent story in the Wall Street Journal newspaper looked at students who went to celebrated universities such as Columbia and New York University, for advanced degrees in subjects like art, film and even social work. Many of the students said they learned a lot. However, when they graduated, they were deep in debt and did not think they would find work that would let them pay back their loans.
Students said they spoke with Columbia about the high cost of advanced arts degrees but never received a reasonable answer. Education experts say the school is very wealthy, with large funds. The University, however, prefers to ask the students to pay the full cost.
Kevin Carey is a higher education expert for New America, a public policy research center. He called master’s degrees “a scam” in a conversation. “Charging people a ton of money to go into any artistic career is often super problematic,” he said.
Castillo is an actor in New York City. He earned an MFA from The Actors Studio in New York City. Was his MFA worth the cost? “I do think it was worth it. I don’t put a price tag on my education or my experience. I think it’s sort of unfortunate that so many people take education for granted.” Castillo said students who are thinking about an advanced degree in art should be sure they are doing it because they value the education, not because they want money or to be famous.
Plazinska is a filmmaker in New York City. She attended graduate school both at Baylor University in Texas and at the University of low a. Arts graduate programs can help students meet and make friends with fellow artists with whom they can work throughout their careers. For school to be of value, students need to remember why they started making art in the beginning. “It’s just for the pure pleasure of creating and fulfilling myself this way.”
1. What’s the problem for students in famous universities for art advanced degrees?| A．They can’t take loans. | B．They can’t find any work. |
| C．They may be heavily in debt. | D．They may drop out of university. |
| A．Strategy. | B．Trick. | C．Dilemma. | D．Challenge. |
| A．He thinks highly of it. | B．It’s money consuming. |
| C．He takes it for granted. | D．It brings him fame and money. |
| A．Arts graduate programs ensure a promising future. |
| B．Students had better consider whether they can afford the fee. |
| C．Students should stick to their original objectives while learning. |
| D．Arts graduate programs introduce celebrity artists to their students. |
【推荐3】Many scholarships require that you write an essay in order to be considered for the prize money. However, if you are the sort of person that has a headache whenever you have to complete a writing assignment, this may not be the best news. Luckily for you, there is no reason to fear the scholarship essay. The following tips could help you conquer this not-so-easy aspect of the scholarship application process.
You should always outline your essays. This does not just apply to the scholarship essays, either. An outline helps lend focus to your thoughts and helps you create a picture of the “whole” that the essay will become. Judges cannot to stand when your writing is loose, lacks coherence(连贯性)or when you fail to connect your main points together. They want to see that you can support your argument well with clear and brief examples and that these examples do, in fact, relate to the topic at hand.
If you have a choice in the topic you get to write about, always try to select something you are personally interested in. Don't write what you think the judges want to hear. This will only amount in an essay that reads like someone else’s, which is not a great way to make yourself stand out.
If you feel bored with the topic, then your essay will be boring as well. Make sure your idea follow a clear and a logical path. This means they are connected well and the transitions(过渡) easily flow from one idea to the next. Likewise, try to stay away from the obvious or the sad story. Yes, college will be a life-changing experience, but can you think of an interesting reason why this is so? And yes, it is terrible that you lost a family member at a young age, but what does it have to do with winning this scholarship? Judges can smell sad stories from a mile away, so only pull at the heartstrings(动人心弦) if you have a proper reason for doing so.
1. When writing a scholarship essay, an outline is necessary because it helps you_____.| A．focus on the details of the essay |
| B．think more about the scholarship |
| C．make a picture of the whole essay |
| D．support your argument well |
| A．turns out to be loose |
| B．is short of coherence |
| C．is unable to connect to the main points |
| D．supports your argument with brief examples |
| A．The essay should include the obvious or the sad story. |
| B．You must keep your mind clear and logical. |
| C．You had better try to put an interesting story in it. |
| D．Try to say as much as you can about your family. |
| A．college students | B．judges in colleges |
| C．essay readers | D．company leaders |
【推荐1】As new technology is introduced, there are many who worry about its influence on our current and future lifestyles－particularly when it comes to jobs. It is a current belief that with the rise of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), many people’s jobs, and therefore their livelihoods, are likely to be lost.
Automation in the workplace is nothing new. Machines have been performing dull tasks on our behalf for years, allowing us to escape many repetitive jobs. A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute states that nearly two thirds of all jobs could have at least 30% of their activities automated by 2030. However, McKinsey also believes that this new technology will also ‘create new occupations that do not exist today, much as technologies in the past have done.’ As the horse gave way to the car, hostlers (马夫) became mechanics and mechanised fields drove up wages and created more long-term roles than it destroyed.
“It’s an evolution of work,” says Ian Barkin, a robotic process automation specialist. As low-skilled jobs are taken on by AI, people will need to learn new skills. “This calls on us to focus on up-skilling. Technology can lead to job reductions but it doesn’t have to,” says Barkin.
Whether or not robots and AI will leave us all jobless remains to be seen. Current views on the subject are mixed. Increased automation could indeed lead to a loss of some jobs, but at the same time is likely to create many more as new skills are required. Will they balance out?
1. How do many people feel about the influence of AI?| A．Quite delighted. | B．Quite surprised. |
| C．A sense of fear. | D．A sense of pride. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Negative. |
| C．Critical. | D．Approving. |
| A．Taking risks. | B．Improving ourselves. |
| C．Adapting to the world. | D．Thinking positively. |
| A．Every coin has two sides. |
| B．Where there is life, there is hope. |
| C．It’s better to do well than to say well. |
| D．A bad workman quarrels with his tools. |
【推荐2】One of the major problems in our economy is inflation, a situation in which prices are going up faster than wages. Thus, a person has to work more hours to pay for the same items.
For example, let's say that this year a loaf of bread costs S1. 00 and the average salary in the United States is $10. 00 per hour. That means a person could earn enough money to buy a loaf of bread in one-tenth of an hour, or six minutes. Then, halfway through the year, the price of the bread goes up to $1.25, while wages stay the same.
That means that a person now has to work one-eighth of an hour-seven and a half minutes-to buy the same loaf of bread.
Now let's say that at the end of the year, wages go up to $11. 00 per hour, but the price of bread goes up to $1.50. Now a person has to work more than one-seventh of an hour-over eight minutes -to buy the same loaf of bread. As you can see, if more and more work time is spent earning money to buy loaves of bread, employees will have less money left over to buy other things. Inflation means that the same money buys fewer things, and everybody's standard of living goes down, even if salaries are going up.
Some kinds of inflation are worse than others. Moderate inflation does not distort relative prices or incomes severely. Galloping inflation happens rapidly, say at a rate of 100 percent or more within a year. And then there is hyperinflation-inflation so severe that people try to get rid of their currency before prices rise further and render the money worthless. Times of hyperinflation are usually characterized by social and political disorder.
1. What is the main purpose of the article?| A．To list major economic problems. |
| B．To discuss some effects of inflation. |
| C．To explain why bread prices increase. |
| D．To classify the types of inflation. |
| A．To complain about the rising price of bread. |
| B．To illustrate the effect of price changes. |
| C．To compare bread with other foods. |
| D．To explain the cause of social and political disorder. |
| A．The government will regulate the economy. |
| B．People will save money rather than spend it. |
| C．Workers might lose their jobs if they complain. |
| D．People must work longer to buy the same things. |
【推荐3】Modern buildings are set up on a large scale in the city. Should they be allowed to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. All historical buildings are not attractive. However, there may be other reasons — for example, economic reasons — why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to be the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my hometown where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old ones too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative （保守的）and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people's feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward. If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.
1. What is the author's view of historical buildings in Paragraph 1?| A．Some of them are unattractive. |
| B．Many of them are too old to preserve. |
| C．They don't offer the historic feel of an area. |
| D．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings shouldn't fit in with their surroundings. |
| C．Some old buildings have reduced the interest of the area they are in. |
| D．No one knows why people are against new buildings. |
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．put things in a different place |
| C．respect people's feelings |
| D．choose new architectural style |
| A．To explain why people dislike change. |
| B．To warn that we could end up living in caves. |
| C．To answer the questions people show great interest in. |
| D．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
