1 . 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.

2. What is NOT a problem put forward by the People’s Daily with the cram school market?

A．High fees.	B．Experienced tutors.
C．Improper advertising.	D．Chaotic management.

3. What can we infer about the parents’ attitude towards the new regulations?

A．Supportive.

B．Indifferent.

C．Skeptical.

D．Critical.

4. What is the main idea of this passage?

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.

2 . There’s no doubt that language in all its richness — written,spoken,sung or read aloud — plays a crucial role in our early development. It has become increasingly common to begin teaching children literacy(读写能力)skills at an early age. The thinking often goes that starting early gives children more time to learn and get ahead.

However,many studies show little benefit from an early overly-academic environment. Children who attend academically focused preschools do not have higher academic abilities in later grades than those who did not,several studies now show. Too much academic pressure may even cause problems in the long run. A study published in January 2022 suggested those who attended preschools with a strong academic emphasis,showed lower academic achievements a few years later,compared to those who didn’t.

Anna Cunningham,a senior lecturer in psychology at Nottingham Trent University who studies early literacy,argues that if a setting is too academically focused early on,it can cause the teachers to become stressed over tests and results,which can in turn affect the kids. “Academic requirements early on don’t end up being meaningful. Children end up memorizing rather than understanding context,”adds Anna.

In many countries,formal schooling starts at 4. But not everyone favors an early start. In Finland,often known as the country with one of the best education systems in the world,children begin school at seven. Despite a later start,Finnish students score higher in reading comprehension than students from the UK at age 15. Besides,the Finnish kindergarten years are filled with more play and no formal academic instruction.

Research also found that later readers catch up — even are slightly better than the early readers in comprehension abilities. Learning later allows children to more efficiently match their knowledge of the world to the words they learn. So our craze with early literacy appears to be somewhat unfounded.

1. What might supporters for an early start agree with?

A．Early start gives an advantage.

B．Early reading makes perfect kids.

C．Children are more sensitive to language.

D．Literacy skills are good for early development.

2. What might Anna Cunningham suggest?

A．Memorizing textbooks.

B．Knowing more than the surface.

C．Focusing on test results.

D．Reading aloud in the morning.

3. Why does the author mention the education in Finland in paragraph 4?

A．To praise Finland’s education.

B．To criticize the UK’s education.

C．To show a way to improve reading.

D．To prove the benefit of a later start.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Later readers — Harder to catch up

B．Earlier readers — Not necessarily better

C．No rush — The later to begin,the better

D．Learning to read — The secret to getting ahead

4 . People who possess high self-esteem are able to commit better and produce a greater bond in relationships with others. Dr. Douglas feels that most people do not value themselves, but with love and self-respect anyone can be above normality and grasp success with the family, the office, or others.

We have become too reliant on intelligence, beauty, and money for our own self-esteem. The loss of esteem reduces the will and ability to set and reach goals. In a series of readings Douglas teaches how to avoid negative statements, how to change them into self-facing behavior, and how to take charge of your mental attitude. Where other motivational and self-help works stop with the theoretical plan for success, Douglas takes everyday examples and puts them into his books. From raising children who believe in themselves to using self-esteem to help bridge the gap in the workplace, he gives readers concrete solutions to the problems that might ruin their interpersonal relations.

Self-esteem building comes from filling your thoughts with positive affirmations (肯定) and learning to react to failures with motivation instead of self-destruction. These lessons are valuable for anyone who feels that life is even slightly out of control. People who feel they have adequate esteem can learn to use it to make their success grander, faster, and more beneficial for others. Douglas approaches this process of self-development as a means of more than creating good things for the individual but also for setting up keys for influencing good things for others.

For more than thirty years, Dr. Douglas has addressed more than two million people on topics from time management to speaking effectively to raising drug-free children. He is the author of fifteen books, including How to Make a Habit of Succeeding.

1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?

A．Most people behave well enough.	B．Self-respect means being above normality.
C．Self-esteem matters much.	D．Committing better equals greater success.

2. Why does Douglas put everyday examples into bis books?

A．To be reliant on self-esteem.	B．To set and reach goals.
C．To avoid negative thoughts.	D．To offer concrete solutions.

3. What does the author advise those whose life is slightly out of control to do?

A．Learn to be positive.	B．Face it unmotivatedly.
C．Admit self-destruction.	D．Ask for help.

4. What’s the most important to be self-development?

A．Influencing the individual.	B．Influencing more people.
C．Gaining more benefits.	D．Speaking more effectively.

5 . An economist, Adam Smith, famously wrote that “it is not from the benevolence (慈善)of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest.” Like Smith, many economists today believe that one’s self-interest is what drives competition and growth in market economies. Yet, in an increasingly interconnected society, it is even more crucial to have collaborative skills. Thus we should encourage cooperation to better prepare children for the future.

Firstly, in the present age marked by the transformative potential of technology to facilitate interactions, cooperation is an especially prized soft skill to have. As a research study proves, soft skills such as good communication and empathy consist of qualitative indicators of outstanding employees as compared to technical skills or knowledge. In contrast, excessively (过分地)competitive and individualistic behaviour may fracture social relations in the community of co-workers and since no man is an island, even the most competent employee will not be able to pursue his goals effectively without the help of others who are able to share a common vision and understanding.

Moreover, encouraging cooperation increase a healthy sense of self-esteem in children that better prepares them for the competitive working world. Many modern societies today are consumed by an obsessive drive for success and the pressure to perform has infiltrated both classrooms and offices alike. The consequences of the fierce competitive culture include higher rates of anxiety and depression among university students and office workers, which are all counterproductive. Teamwork can help a maturing individual realise that each has his or her own unique set of abilities to bring to the table and that another person’s strengths do not in any way diminish (降低)the value of his or her talents. Thus, cooperation can affirm the self-worth of children by correcting the violent insight that winning or paper achievement is an exclusive (唯一)measure of success in life.

However, critics may claim that in a cutthroat world, adapting to competition should be of supreme priority in education and parenting. To achieve one’s deepest ambitions, such as to become a medical student, or to create a tech start-up, one has to adopt competition by actively fighting for opportunities and distinguishing oneself from others. Nevertheless, since passion can already stimulate children to work hard to fulfill their ambitions, the need to encourage competition may be at the end of the day. As much as external competition can drive people to pursue excellence, internal motivation is at least equally or arguably even more essential, and collaboration plays an instrumental role in helping one uncover one’s tendency and motivations.

1. What can be inferred from Adam Smith’s words?

A．Our society is increasingly interconnected.

B．Our dinner is made out of the regards to markets.

C．Self-interest pushes the development of economies.

D．The butcher, the brewer or the baker is not sympathy.

2. What does the underlined word “fracture” mean in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Deepen.

B．Establish.

C．Maintain.

D．Damage.

3. Which of the following might the author agree with?

A．Paper achievement is an exclusive measure of success.

B．Confidence and ambitions can be achieved through cooperation.

C．Actively fighting for distinguishing oneself is a healthy competition.

D．Competition is not essential for people to pursue excellence.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To introduce parents the advantages of cooperation.

B．To inform parents to balance cooperation and competition.

C．To persuade parents to care about their children’s education.

D．To tell parents to encourage their children to learn to cooperate.

6 . School diversity inclusion and representation is significant in education. There are many educational benefits from introducing new thoughts on cultural differences in a classroom. Ethnicity, cultural differences, racial differences, and more are all important to talk about as part of a student’s education.

There are many specific reasons why diversity is key in the classroom and schools, including: Diversity brings new perspectives (角度) into a classroom. Students of different genders, races, backgrounds, etc. bring various thoughts into a classroom. This encourages a classroom discussion and learning opportunities. It can add well-rounded views and enables students to learn more from each other. It will allow students to see things in a new light. From elementary to high school, new perspectives are important to learn at any age.

Research shows that diverse classrooms improve learning results for every student. Schools that are more diverse see no difference in test scores from schools that are less diverse. However, there is also research that shows diverse groups are better able to solve problems and work more effectively. Diverse schools also see students who are more empathetic (富有同情心的), allowing everyone to feel more safe and confident in their learning environment. No matter what age, elementary or high school, introduction to culture and racial differences can have great positive impacts on students.

More classroom diversity prepares students for their future. The world around us is increasingly culturally diverse. It’s extremely likely that students will be working in a field that is incredibly diverse, and classroom diversity can help prepare students for that future. It increases their cultural awareness in a classroom setting, helping set them up for success in their future. Having respect and kindness for culturally unique individuals will help them succeed in a career where it is likely they will interact with those of different races and culture.

1. What mainly accounts for the key role of school diversity according to paragraph 2?

A．It provides chances of cooperation between different genders.

B．It enables students to view things from new perspectives.

C．It offers opportunities of learning about various cultures.

D．It allows students to make more friends at school.

2. The students from diverse schools tend to ________ .

A．put themselves in others’ position

B．achieve higher test scores in subjects

C．feel proud of their learning achievements

D．perform poorly in settling a tough problem

3. Why does classroom diversity prepare students for future?

A．It increases their awareness of success in a career.

B．It inspires them to interact with those of different cultures.

C．It helps them adapt to a world of growing cultural diversity.

D．It enriches their working experience in a field of diverse culture.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．The Possible Reasons for Success in a Career

B．A Recent Research on Learning Environment

C．A Worldwide Phenomenon of School Diversity

D．The Educational Benefits from School Diversity

7 . I’d like to talk about my first teaching experience. It was in the fall of 2010—I had to teach integral calculus (积分学). I had taught before but it was always 2-3 students at a time. I had no experience of classroom teaching. So I had butterflies in my stomach.

Anyway, the appointed hour came and I had no choice but to go on. I introduced myself, asked each one of them to do a brief introduction and got down to business. Fortunately, it was a worksheet session, so I didn’t have to do much. The students were well prepared—most of them had done AP calculus. The first day was a success.

As the quarter went by, I found the work more and more easygoing. So I was lax and stopped preparing the homework problems beforehand. How wrong I was!

One day we were doing surfaces of revolution. I used to do them in a more different way than it was taught in the text. I tried to do the first problem but it wasn’t just a piece of cake—I had to step back and think for five minutes before the solution came to me. To the credit of my students, no one showed any sign of impatience in the meantime. I was feeling doubly uncomfortable because it was a day of observation by the school leaders.

The next class I tried to give some additional resources on advanced materials, especially to students who would stay after the class or come to my office hours.

My evaluations were mixed. Two major complaints were about my accent and my handwriting on the board.

I learned a lot about teaching after this course. In my view, teaching is like a performing art. No amount of reading or attending workshops will prepare you for the challenge. You only get better with practice.

1. What made the author feel uneasy at first?

A．Teaching a difficult subject.	B．Lack of teaching experience.
C．Missing the appointed hour.	D．Failure of choosing a topic.

2. What does the underlined word “lax” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Careless.

B．Tense.

C．Annoyed.

D．Amused.

3. Why did the author feel slightly embarrassed?

A．Because he delayed doing surfaces of revolution.

B．Because the students showed no sign of interaction.

C．Because he was stuck in his class watched by leaders.

D．Because the leaders blamed him for his performance.

4. What does the passage imply?

A．Do as the Romans do.	B．Well begun is half done.
C．It never rains, but it pours.	D．Practice holds the key to progress.

8 . At some point in our lives, most of us have attended a school or university lecture. These learning sessions give us some insightful and valuable knowledge or can be something we yawn through, trying to keep awake. Whatever our experience, lectures have been and still are the most common teaching method in education. But will they exist in the future?

With the growth of the Internet and so much information at our fingertips, you may think there is no need to gather together at a fixed location holding a handful of textbooks. BBC journalist Matt Pickles says, “Research has shown that students remember as little as 10 percent of their lectures just days afterwards.”

Professor Carl Wieman, who campaigns against the traditional lecture, felt talking at students and expecting them to absorb knowledge was not that effective so he introduced “active learning” that encourages problem solving in small groups. He listens to them and guides their discussions. The result has improved exam results. Other new alternatives to the lecture have included peer-to-peer learning and project-based learning that enable students to link up and work cooperatively on projects such as building a computer game.

But new learning methods can come at a high financial cost compared to the relatively cheap way of being taught face to face by an academic. The real issue according to Professor Dan Butin, founding dean of the school of education and social policy at Merrimack College in Massachusetts, is that “Academics put thousands of hours of work into their books and much less time into thinking about the effectiveness of their teaching style.” But he says, “The lecture has survived because research, not teaching, determines the success of a university and its academics.”

So if research quality is a measure of a university’s success and money is tight, then the lecture could be here for a little longer.

1. What may Matt Pickles agree with?

A．Students have a poor memory.

B．Students don’t work hard enough.

C．Lectures are not so effective as expected.

D．The Internet offers far more information than lectures.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Teaching projects.	B．Learning strategies.
C．Alternatives to lectures.	D．Ways of communication.

3. Why will lectures still exist in the future according to Professor Dan Butin?

A．They promote active learning.	B．They call for the least memory work.
C．They determine the success of a university.	D．They contribute to academic achievements.

4. How does the author develop the passage?

A．By analyzing data.	B．By listing opinions.
C．By making comparison.	D．By concluding general rules.