In China, in order to ease the pressure on parents’ wallets, education is free until children reach the age of about 15. So why is it that more than half of a typical family’s spending goes on education? The answer is cramming classes: a financial burden so great that it is often said to discourage couples from having children at all. Now officials are doing their part. It appears to relieve the pressure on people’s wallets.
But parents are not sure whether it will work. As many of them see it, cramming is not optional. Exams for entry to senior high schools are fiercely competitive. Then comes the dreaded Gaokao: the university-entrance exam on which a child’s future depends. No wonder the industry’s growth has been rapid. One firm, Zuoyebang (“help with homework”) says it offers live-streaming classes to more than 170m active users each month.
But officials are worried about its social impact. The birth rate is the lowest in decades and China is ageing fast. They also say that school children are overstressed. Urban pupils attend cramming classes for more than 10 hours a week, according to Deloitte, an accountancy firm.
While as the People’s Daily, an official newspaper, reported this month, the market for such services is in “endless chaos”. It listed problems ranging from misleading advertising to high prices and the use of unqualified teachers.
Government’s new regulations of clamping down on cram schools sent shivers through the industry. New Oriental, one of China’s biggest cramming companies, saw its share price on the New York Stock Exchange drop below $8, from a high of more than $19 in February. On June 9th the education ministry said a new government department would be set up to oversee such businesses, including both online courses and lessons in the classroom. There is also a widespread speculation, including in state media, that the new rules will impose limits on when firms can offer classes. They may, for example, prohibit classes after a certain time in the evening, during the summer holidays or at weekends.
Some analysts think the government may have another motive. Many of the companies belong to China’s tech giants, including Alibaba and Tencent, which have already attracted government’s attention for dominating markets and expanding into finance and other areas. Targeting the cramming business could be another way of breaking their wings. Parents wonder whether they will benefit. Some are concerned that the new rules will leave them with no choice but to use private tutors, which could prove even more costly.
1. Why do cramming schools enjoy great popularity among Chinese students?| A．The exams are so demanding that they have no choice. |
| B．The live-streaming classes offered are really appealing. |
| C．Entering senior high schools makes them less competitive. |
| D．Government officials are worried about their performance. |
| A．High fees. | B．Experienced tutors. |
| C．Improper advertising. | D．Chaotic management. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Skeptical. | D．Critical. |
| A．China’s tech giants control the market. |
| B．China says no to the cramming business. |
| C．Gaokao imposes too much burden to students. |
| D．New Oriental is the biggest cramming company. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】“Live uptown but work downtown” has been a popular lifestyle choice for many young Beijingers. However, a recent survey shows that some of them have moved or are planning to move back to the city's downtown area. What are their reasons?
Mr. Tian has recently been busy decorating his newlybought secondhand apartment in downtown Beijing's Dongzhimen area. Three years ago, he bought a flat in suburban Tongzhou that cost him 7，000 yuan per square meter. Tian talks about his reasons for moving back into the city. “My workplace is near the China International Exhibition Center. It took me over two hours commuting from Tongzhou to my workplace, and I found the daily commuting wasted too much of my time and energy.”
But if he lives downtown, it will save him much of the energy and money that was spent on daily travel, so that he can spend more time with his friends. That is why two of his friends who bought homes in the city's outskirts (郊区) are considering moving, too.
Actually, Mr. Tian and his friends are not exceptional. A recent survey shows that 40 percent of Beijingers who own a home in the suburbs are planning to move back into the city. Xu Yi, a consultant from a Real Estate, analyzes their mentality. “Some people buy homes back in the city for their children's education. As most good schools are located downtown, it'll be easier for parents to drop off and pick up their kids if they live nearby. Others move back so that their aging parents will have easier access to good hospitals.”
Now as their income is increasing, they are capable of buying a home in the downtown area. And secondhand housing is usually what most of these buyers are looking for. Compared to brandnew real estate properties, secondhand housing generally occupies better locations and low price. According to the latest industry report, 30 percent of secondhand houses located close to Beijing's second and third ring roads are being purchased by suburban homeowners.
1. Which of the following is NOT the reason why so many people now want to buy flats in downtown?| A．It can save much of the energy and money spent on daily travel. |
| B．They want their aging parents well taken care of. |
| C．Their increasing income makes it possible for them to buy a home in downtown. |
| D．They want to make a fortune and keep up with Beijingers' lifestyle. |
| A．better locations |
| B．peaceful and quiet environment |
| C．convenience |
| D．low price |
| A．living downtown and working downtown has been a trend in Beijing |
| B．brandnew apartments will gain more market than secondhand houses in future |
| C．no suburban homeowners can afford to buy Beijing’s downtown apartments |
| D．most of secondhand houses are being purchased by suburban homeowners |
In the early 17thcentury, the idea of the “Grand Tour” was born. Rich young English people sailed across the English Channel（英吉利海峡）. They visited the most beautiful and important European cities of the time, including Paris in France, and Rome and Venice in Italy. Their tours lasted for two to four years, and the tourists stayed a few weeks or months in each city. The “Grand Tour” was an important part of young people’s education—but only for the rich.
In the 18thcentury, tourism began to change. For example, people in the UK started to visit some towns, such as Bath to “take the waters”. They believed that the water there was good for their health. So large and expensive hotels were built in these towns.
In the 19th century, travel became much more popular and faster. When the first railways were built in the 1820s, it was easier for people to travel towns, so they started to go for holidays by the sea. And some started to have holidays in the countryside as cities became larger, noisier and dirtier.
Traveling by sea also became faster and safer when the first steamships were built. People began to travel more to faraway countries.
The 20th century saw cars become more and more popular among ordinary people. Planes were made larger, so ticket prices dropped and more people used them.
Thus tourism grew. In 1949, Russian journalist Vladimir Raitz started a company called Horizon Holidays. The company organizes everything—plane tickets, hotel rooms, even food—and tourists pay for it all before they leave home. The package tour and modern tourist industry was born.
The first travel agency in China was set up as early as 1949. But tourism did not take off until 1978. In 2002, the industry was 500 billion yuan and became an important part of China’s social development.
1. In the early times, the travelers ________.
| A．all came from Roman | B．were very young and strong |
| C．had lots of money | D．traveled by boat |
| A．It was a long journey. | B．The young men learned a lot from it. |
| C．Those who took the tour weren’t rich. | D．Most of its destinations were in Europe. |
| A．Education | B．Money | C．Transportation | D．People’s ideas |
| A．in 1949 | B．in Roman times | C．in the early 17thcentury | D．in the early 19thcentury |
| A．a plane rising into the air | B．develop very fast |
| C．remove hats and clothes | D．bring down the prices |
【推荐3】Did you make financial decisions last New Year’s Eve? Did they fall by the wayside? If so, you are not alone.
▲Make a smart budget
Did you plan to make a budget and fail to do so? This is a perfect time to start, as you are heading into the new year. You may be able to stop yourself from overspending if you realize how overextended you are. If you’ve taken no other financial steps this year, start by setting a realistic budget.
▲Control your spending
Even if you had a budget, were you able to stick to it?
▲
You had a savings goal, didn’t you? If you didn’t have a specific goal, it may be why your savings effort failed. Set a smaller savings goal now, and use that to build a larger savings goal for the upcoming year. Make sure that you equate（使等同）your savings with a specific goal.
▲Reduce your debt
Debt reduction is an important goal, especially in the case of high-interest debt such as credit cards. It’s easy to get into an unrecoverable increase of debt if you have no plan to keep debt in check. It is a longer-term goal, but one you need to start right away.
| A．Increase your savings |
| B．Have a clear goal for your debt |
| C．You will go on with your new decisions |
| D．Most other financial improvements will follow |
| E．Start small by setting a spending budget for your shopping |
| F．But this year, you can make some progress on your financial goals |
| G．Attack the debt with the highest interest rate, and control your spending |
【推荐1】Professional rock climber Emil Harrington has made history after successfully free climbing Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan last Wednesday.
Harrington, 34, became the fourth person—and the first woman – to ever scale the 3,000-foot El Capitan without the help of a rope or other equipment. “The people before me who have achieved this are kind of like some of my heroes in rock climbing,” she said, “so it feels pretty special to join that group.”
But Harrington’s climb was not without injury—at one point, she slid and was left with a serious wound on her forehead that required her to take a break. “I took a fall and I couldn’t get my feet out and my head actually hit the wall,” she recalled. “I got this would on my forehead. I rested a little bit longer, bandaged it up, and then tried again,” Harrington said, adding that although she “kind of didnt really want to try again,” she powered through because “I felt like I should try again.”
After 21 hours and 13 minutes, Harrington scaled all of El Capitan, achieving a feat(壮举) she failed to finish twice last year. “That was my life dream. I achieved it,” she said.
Harrington previously scaled Mt. Qomolangma, the tallest mountain in the world. As a former member of the USA climbing team, Harrington has competed in five US sport climbing championships and two North American championships.
1. What do we learn about Harringtons conquering El Capitan?| A．She took no tools to help her |
| B．She climbed up the mountain freely |
| C．She was the first person to climb El Capitan |
| D．She got the fourth place in the competition |
| A．Remove | B．Mount | C．Measure | D．Weigh |
| A．The risk of the climbing | B．Harrington’s determination |
| C．The meaning of failure | D．Harrington’s expert skills |
| A．Harrington’s achievements | B．US sport climbing events |
| C．The climbing team’s arrangements | D．The secret to Harrington’s success |
【推荐2】Legend has it that centuries ago, manatees (海牛) used to be mistaken for mermaids, so a sight last week at one Florida state park would have put ancient sailors in shock.
Blue Spring State Park is home to one of the largest winter gathering sites for manatees in Florida, and recently, the park reached a new record when the number of manatees spotted in one group was nearly 1,000.
Manatees typically flock to the park during the winter months. According to a Facebook post from the non-profit Save the Manatee Club, January 21 was one of the coldest mornings of the Florida winter season so far. The temperature of the St. Johns River, which Blue Spring sits on, was recorded at 14.9 ℃.
To survive the cold winter weather, manatees will seek out water that is typically warmer than 20 ℃. This is because despite their thick-looking bodies, the blubbery animal affectionately known as the sea cow only has “about an inch of fat and a very slow metabolism (新陈代谢), meaning they cannot easily stay warm,” says the state park.
Since their spring water remains at a constant 22.2 ℃, and is protected from human recreational activity, Blue Spring makes the perfect manatee shelter during the colder months. “What’s more, many manatees rely on artificial warm water sources from power plants, and these might be going off line in the near future. So having some of these manatees come to these natural warm water sites and finding them is really encouraging,” says Cora Berchem, a research associate and the director of multimedia at Save the Manatee Club.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are anywhere between about 7,000 to 11,000 manatees in Florida, which represents a large increase over the past 25 years.
1. What does the underlined phrase “flock to” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Escape from. | B．Drop into. | C．Depart from. | D．Flood into. |
| A．It serves as a recreation center. | B．The temperature remains at 22.2 ℃. |
| C．It is a well-preserved state park. | D．Power plants heat the shelter there. |
| A．Importance of protecting manatees. | B．Why manatees’ population grows. |
| C．Unique living habits of manatees. | D．How manatees fight against cold. |
| A．A Club Taking Measures to Rescue Manatees |
| B．A Record Number of Manatees Spotted in Florida |
| C．Florida: the Largest Winter Shelter for Manatees |
| D．Manatees: an Animal Resistant to Cold Weather |
【推荐3】Imagine a world where you move around in front of a personal computer in your own sound space. You listen to your favorite songs, play loud computer games or watch a movie — all without other people hearing the sound.
That is the possibility presented by “sound beaming,” a new technology from Noveto Systems, an Israeli company. On Friday, the company debuted a desktop device (设备) that sends sound directly to a listener without the need for headphones or a special receiver. Noveto Systems gave the Associated Press (AP) a chance to test its Sound Beamer 1.0 before its debut. The AP’s Louise Dixon writes that listening to the device is like something from a science fiction movie. The sound seems so close that it feels like it is inside your ears while also in front. above and behind them.
Because the device does not use headphones, it is possible to hear other sounds in the room clearly. The device uses a 3-D technology that finds and follows the ear position of the listener. It sends ultrasonic waves to create sound pockets by the user’s ears. Sound can be heard in stereo or 3-D. The 3-D method creates sound on all sides of the listener, the company said.
SoundBeamer Product Manager Ayana Wallwater enjoys watching the reactions of people trying the technology for the first time. “Most people just say, ‘Wow, I really don’t believe it,’” she said. “You don’t believe it because it sounds like a speaker, but no one else can hear it…it’s supporting you and you’re in the middle of everything. It’s happening around you” By changing a setting, the sound can follow a listener around when they move their head. “You don’t need to tell the device where you are. It’s not streaming to one exact place,” Wallwater said.
While the idea of sound beaming is not new, Noveto was the first to launch the technology. Its chief executive officer Christophe Ramstein said a “smaller” version of the device will be ready for release to consumers next year.
1. What is special about the device?| A．It has a variety of functions. |
| B．There is no need for receiving tools. |
| C．Both the idea and technology are unique. |
| D．People cannot hear what you are listening to. |
| A．She did not state clearly. | B．She thought it was amazing. |
| C．She thought it was unreal. | D．She did not think it user-friendly. |
| A．How the device works. | B．Why the device is created. |
| C．What features the device has. | D．Who the device is intended for. |
| A．Enjoy Your Music Alone | B．Headphones Are No Longer Needed |
| C．New Device Puts Music in Your Head | D．3-D Technology Works Wonder Again |
【推荐1】According to a new national survey of parents of school-age children, teachers and adults, Americans generally consider math the subject most in need of updating.
Parents and teachers want a more attractive set of math courses with up-to-date lessons that are relevant and applicable to the real world. And most parents agree the changes will help their kids succeed, including preparing them for careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
The results of the nationwide survey of more than 1,500 adults, 730 teachers and 800 parents and corresponding research showed that many people see a disconnect between the K12 math education they believe young people need to develop well in life and the one student’s are actually getting.
At the same time, most people agree that children who excel at math “are more likely to succeed later in life”, as some research showed. From the earliest grades, students are divided into math people and non math people, and that’s tragic. All students can succeed in math, and when students fail it, they’re more likely to drop out and not graduate from school.
Some districts already are trying out new math courses this year. However, many schools are trying to catch students up from math achievement lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, let alone make important course changes. Yet some education experts have argued that while schools are toying with ways to catch students up in math and reading, now is the best time to act. The teachers surveyed said they know they need to better attract students with better math lessons, but they’re struggling to do so in part because they have to put a large number of courses into the school year. Course development and educator training and flexibility are also a few of the barriers preventing immediate changes.
1. What is the public’s attitude to school math courses?| A．Doubtful. | B．Unsatisfied. | C．Approving. | D．Unclear. |
| A．They are unnecessary and useless. | B．They are too difficult and complex. |
| C．They are secondary and irrelevant. | D．They are uninteresting and impractical. |
| A．Be expert. | B．Be impatient. | C．Be interested. | D．Be concerned. |
| A．Fair treatment of students. | B．Educator training and flexibility. |
| C．Criticism of math courses. | D．Development of school courses. |
【推荐2】There’s a new trend at children’s birthday parties these days. Some parents are banning balloons. That’s not because they’re a potential choking risk. That’s not because kids will breathe the poisonous gas.
Trying to remove all harm before it has a chance to happen or smoothing what lies ahead to keep children from facing discomfort even in things as insignificant as a balloon is what is known as lawnmower (割草机) parenting. “
Lawnmower parenting refers to parents who “clear”a path for their children so those obstacles in the road, everything from exploding balloons to failing grades, are remove fixed.
| A．Helicopter parenting is well worth trying |
| B．She says kids need to have lots of balloons burst |
| C．Their thinking is that they need to pave a clear path |
| D．When kids are able to bravely face discomfort and harm |
| E．Don’t confuse this parenting style with helicopter parenting |
| F．And even that’s not because they’re bad for the environment |
| G．While it seems as if saving kids from heartbreak is a kinder parenting way |
【推荐3】One morning, my four-year-old daughter and I were getting ready to leave the house when she suddenly yelled “Idiot!” right at me. As I processed the word, I noticed she was upset. Tears streamed down her face as she half whispered and half yelled “you are an IDIOT Mama.” Total silence followed as we looked at each other. We were staring at each other for so long, and I nearly forgot to breathe out and in again. Idiot. How could my daughter call me an idiot?
There are many behaviors that really push parents’ buttons. Disrespectful, rude words tend to top the list. The wrong response to such rude remarks is often a serious warning. But I didn’t offer any serious remarks.
I realized that my daughter’s intention wasn’t to disrespect me. She was expressing the disconnection (疏离). And punishment doesn’t solve disconnection. It creates more of it. Her choice of word said it all. She was annoyed. She sensed the stress. I needed to hear her. I was being careless. I was the one being rude to her.
So, why punish our children when they need guidance? We must know that the words we use matter, and become our children’s words too. The words include those we use to handle emotional overload. Idiot is a word I regretfully must admit to using when I’m extremely annoyed. Not at my children, but yes, they have heard me say it. So, instead of punishing my daughter for misbehavior, I chose to focus on her real message: Idiot means that “Mom, you are stressing me out!”.
No blame. No criticizing her choice of words. Just focus on our relationship. I admitted my ignoring her, and we hugged and kissed each other. I walked into her play school with interest and was ready to see all her current projects.
Don’t be afraid to look beyond misbehavior, find the true message, trust the power of connection, and show kindness and forgiveness.
1. After hearing her daughter’s words, the author ________.| A．couldn’t believe it | B．gave her a warning |
| C．lost her temper | D．had a talk with her |
| A．You are an idiot. | B．You are ignoring me. |
| C．You always punish me. | D．You teach me the rude words. |
| A．bad-tempered | B．brave |
| C．sensitive | D．wise |
| A．To settle conflicts between parents and children. |
| B．To explain why children disrespect their parents. |
| C．To suggest a positive response to children’s misbehavior. |
| D．To encourage readers to express their true feelings. |
