1 . As the latest crop of students pen their undergraduate application form and weigh up their options, it may be worth considering just now the point, purpose and value of a degree has changed and what Generation Z need to consider as they start the third stage of their educational journey.
Millennials were told that if you did well in school, got a decent degree, you would be set up for life. But that promise has been found wanting. As degrees became universal, they became devalued. Education was no longer a secure route of social mobility. Today, 28 percent of graduates in the UK are in non- graduate roles, a percentage which is double the average among OECD countries.
This is not to say that there is no point in getting a degree, but rather stress that a degree is not for everyone, that the switch from classroom to lecture hall is not an inevitable one and that other options are available.
Thankfully, there are signs that this is already happening, with Generation Z seeking to learn from their millennial predecessors (前辈), even if parents and teachers tend to be still set in the degree mindset. Employers have long seen the advantages of hiring school leavers who often prove themselves to be more committed and loyal employees than graduates. Many too are seeing the advantages of cancelling a degree requirement for certain roles.
Regardless, it is unlikely that Generation Z will be done with education at 18 or 21; they will need to be constantly up-skilling throughout their career to stay employable. It has been estimated that this generation, due to the pressures of technology, the wish for personal fulfillment and desire for diversity, will work for 17 different employers over the course of their working life and have five different careers. Education, and not just knowledge gained on campus, will be a core part of Generation Z’s career trajectory (轨道).
Older generations often talk about their degree in the present and personal tense: “I am a geographer” or “I am a classist”. Their sons or daughters would never say such a thing; it’s as if they already know that their degree won’t define them in the same way.
1. The percentage of UK graduates in non-graduate roles reflect __________.| A．the deceasing value of a degree | B．Millennial’s opinions about work |
| C．the desired route of social mobility | D．public dissatisfaction with education |
| A．The employers’ preference for high school leavers. |
| B．A change in parents’ attitudes towards college education. |
| C．A wider variety of choices besides pursuing a degree. |
| D．More emphasis put on lecture hall rather than classroom. |
| A．They will have a limited choice of jobs. |
| B．Education will no longer be a core part in their life. |
| C．They will focus more on personal accomplishment. |
| D．Lifelong learning will determine what they are. |
| A．Pocket money. | B．The value of money. | C．Money saving. |
3 . The weather in Texas may have cooled since the recent extreme heat, but the temperature will be high at the State Board of Education meeting in Austin this month as officials debate how climate change is taught in Texas schools.
Pat Hardy, who agrees with the views of the energy department, is resisting proposed changes to science standards for pre-teen pupils. These would emphasize the significance of human activity in recent climate change and encourage discussion of reduction measures.
Most scientists and experts sharply argue against Hardy’s views. “They casually view the career work of scholars and scientists as just another misguided opinion,” says Dan Quinn, senior communications strategist at the Texas Freedom Network, a non-profit group that monitors public education. Such debates reflect fierce discussions across the US and around the world, as researchers, policymakers, teachers and students step up demands for a greater focus on teaching about the facts of climate change in schools.
A study, looking at how state public schools across the country address climate change in science classes, gave barely half of US states a grade B+ or higher. Among the 10 worst performers were some of the most populous states, including Texas, which was given the lowest grade (F) and has a huge influence because its textbooks are widely sold elsewhere.
Glenn Branch, the center’s deputy director, cautions that setting state-level science standards is only one limited norm in a country that decentralizes (使分权) decisions to local school boards. Even if a state is considered a high performer in its science standards, “that does not mean it will be taught”, he says.
Branch points out that, even if a growing number of official guidelines and textbooks reflect scientific consensus (共识) on climate change, unofficial educational materials that convey more biased (带有偏见的) perspectives are being distributed to teachers. They include materials sponsored by libertarian think-tanks (智库) and energy industry associations.
1. Why is the weather in Texas mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To forecast a policy shift in Texas schools. | B．To stress the consequences of climate change. |
| C．To indicate the atmosphere at the board meeting. | D．To draw the public’s attention to energy shortages. |
| A．Hardy overstates the existing panic. | B．Hardy denies the value of scientific work. |
| C．Hardy shows no concern for pre-teens. | D．Hardy expresses self-contradictory views |
| A．The standards call for regular revision. | B．The standards cater to local needs. |
| C．The standards have limited influence. | D．The standards require urgent application. |
| A．It agrees to major public demands. | B．It reflects teachers’ personal biases. |
| C．It may misrepresent the energy department. | D．It can be impacted by external forces. |
1. How many days do Japanese students go to school each week?
| A．Four days. | B．Five days. | C．Six days. |
| A．Informal. | B．Too serious. | C．Formal. |
| A．Art classes. | B．Sports classes. | C．Discussion classes. |
| A．Japan. | B．America. | C．China. |
5 . A teenager needs to have a sense of independence in their life to feel secure (安全的). To some teenagers independence means a lot to them and I think that some parents don’t allow their teenagers enough independence.
Independence has something to do with freedom. Some kids are not allowed to go anywhere alone, and the only thing their schedule includes is going to school, coming home, going to sleep, and repeating the process the next day. Parents tend to be afraid that their kids can get hurt if they go outside into the world. But if parents control their kids too much, they may never learn to live on their own. The best way for a teenager to lean lesson is through experience. I think it is good for teenagers to have freedom.
Teenagers’ lack of freedom can also stop them from having good friendship at school. Some might say this is a good thing, because it helps them focus more on their school work. I argue that this can only discourage them not to do their school work. Some parents do not allow their children to be around their friends outside the school, thinking that this will get them into trouble. But I don’t think so. Instead, isn’t this a good reason for parents to get their children a cellphone? Cellphones allow teenagers to stay in touch with their parents, and communicate with friends.
Privacy (隐私) is another issue between parents and their teenagers. Teenagers tend to enjoy relaxation by themselves in their own room. This also gives them a sense of independence. It often annoys teenagers when their parents enter their room when they are not home. I know that my mom always goes in my room when I’m not home, and this has brought me to the point where I have asked many times to get a lock on my door.
1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?| A．Kids have a dull schedule every day. | B．Parents allow their kids no freedom. |
| C．Kids know how to live independently. | D．It helps teenagers a lot to have freedom. |
| A．It is unnecessary for a kid to have a cellphone. |
| B．Good friendships between kids harm their school work. |
| C．Parents should make it easy for kids to communicate with their friends. |
| D．Kids should center on the school work without friends outside the school. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Frightened. | C．Angry. | D．Calm. |
| A．To keep her father from reading her dairy. | B．To prevent her mother entering her room. |
| C．To protect herself from any harm. | D．To stop thieves from going in. |
6 . Physical education, or PE, isn’t required for all high school students. In some schools, it isn’t offered for some different reasons. But should high school students have physical education? The answer is certainly “yes”.
Today many people don’t do sports. But as is known to all, doing sports is essential for an adult. Teaching teens the significance of a healthy lifestyle and making fitness plans now can help teens make exercise their priority as an adult.
High school isn’t that easy. Many students are under a lot of stress. Stress can be harmful to a student’s studies and life. Doing sports can help them deal with stress better, helping them live a happier life at school.
The American Heart Association says that 10 million kids and teens suffer from obesity. Teens should get 60 minutes of physical activity per day to control their weight and to help their bones get stronger. The increase in activities that don’t get teens to move around, such as computer games, means many teens don’t get their required exercise. PE classes act as a public health measureto encourage physical activities and help teens have healthy weights.
Not doing sports increases teens’ hazard of developing many diseases. An active lifestyle offers a good way of protection from these health problems. As much as 75 percent of health-care spending goes toward treating medical conditions that can be prevented by lifestyle changes, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
According to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition(PCFSN), students who performed five hours of physical activities each week improved their academic performance. Students from programs with no physical activity, who used the extra time for classroom study, did not perform better on tests than those who gave up some study time in support of physical education.
1. According to Paragraph 2, what does physical education in high school mean?| A．Making teens attach importance to exercise later | B．Removing the stress faced by teens at school |
| C．Getting teens to encourage adults to exercise | D．Helping teens learn to make good plans |
| A．Wellness. | B．Risk. | C．Limit. | D．Influence. |
| A．means making students choose between sports and studies |
| B．helps students make good use of all their time |
| C．means students adjust to their new surroundings better |
| D．helps students do better in their studies |
| A．Why high school students should receive physical education. |
| B．Why some schools consider physical education important. |
| C．How schools can help students love doing sports. |
| D．How high school students can lead a better life. |
7 . My son turned 14 and didn’t have a smartphone. He was the only kid in his class without one. When he asked for a phone, I
“You can choose to do things
The more I research, the more confident I feel in my
But other parents
If teenagers are truly spending about 5 hours on average per day on their devices, as a recent research states, then what are they not doing? Kids
I want my son to have a
Some think my son is missing out or falling behind, but he is not. He does well in school,
If that is his
| A．agreed | B．exclaimed | C．refused | D．apologized |
| A．gently | B．differently | C．desperately | D．slightly |
| A．decision | B．conversation | C．preference | D．memory |
| A．treat | B．link | C．limit | D．solve |
| A．interaction | B．payment | C．business | D．guidance |
| A．present | B．change | C．favor | D．challenge |
| A．delight | B．happiness | C．sadness | D．craziness |
| A．require | B．forbid | C．refuse | D．support |
| A．skilled | B．absorbed | C．hidden | D．specialized |
| A．causal | B．stable | C．dramatic | D．memorable |
| A．breakthroughs | B．balances | C．goals | D．milestones |
| A．hangs out | B．catches up | C．shows off | D．settles down |
| A．silly | B．fine | C．incredible | D．meaningful |
| A．missed | B．appreciated | C．imagined | D．polluted |
| A．commitment | B．aim | C．version | D．promise |
8 . Education in 2080 is distinctive from education in the 2020s. Until about 2035, the main function of education systems was to supply the economy with the next generation of workers. In 2080, the purpose of education is the well-being of society and all its members. To make this a bit more tangible for you, I would like to give an example of what a child’s education looks like in 2080. Her name is Shemsy. Shemsy is 13, and she is confident and loves learning.
Shemsy does not go to school in the morning because schools as you know them no longer exist. The institution was abolished as it was widely thought of as more like a prison or a factory than a creative learning environment. Schools have been replaced with “Learning Hubs” that are not restricted to certain ages. They are where intergenerational learning happens, in line with the belief that learning is a lifelong pursuit.
Every year, Shemsy designs her learning journey for the year with a highly attentive “teacher-citizen”. Shemsy is actively engaged in designing her education and has to propose projects she would like to be involved in to contribute to and serve her community. She also spends lots of time playing as the role of play in learning has finally been recognized as essential and core to our humanity. Shemsy works a lot collaboratively. Access to education is universal, and higher education institutions no longer differentiate themselves by how many people they reject yearly. Variability between students is expected and leveraged (利用) as young people teach one another and use their differences as a source of strength. Shemsy naturally explores what she is curious about at a pace she sets. She still has some classes to take that are mandatory for children globally: Being Human and the History of Humanity.
We invite you to think about your vision for education in the year 2080, what does it look like, who does it serve,and how does it transform our societies?
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us?| A．There are different types of education. |
| B．The present education needs improvements. |
| C．Education and economy are closely associated. |
| D．The goal of future education is fundamentally different. |
| A．It accepts students of all ages. | B．It promotes competition. |
| C．It discourages individualized learning. | D．It is all about play-based learning. |
| A．Tough. | B．Satisfactory. | C．Optional. | D．Required. |
| A．An Example to All | B．A Vision for Education |
| C．A Challenge for Education | D．A Journey into the Future |
9 . Teachers at an Atlanta elementary school hold a mirror up while students shout positive affirmations (肯定) to themselves. “We live in a tough neighborhood in Atlanta. It’s good to plant those seeds (种子) here,” a teacher said.
In a video that recently went viral (迅速传开), fourth-graders at Gideons Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia lined up to shout positive affirmations to themselves in a mirror while their teachers cheered them on. “I am smart!” “I am a good person!”
“The idea came from something I practice with my 5-year-old daughter,” said Neffiteria Acker, the teacher seen in the video holding the mirror.“ When we’re on our way to school, I have her repeat affirmations to me, starting with, ‘I am.’ Usually, I just ask her to tell me something good about herself. She’ll say, ‘I’m a fast eater,’ or, ‘I’m a fast runner.’ Then I’ll add to it, ‘You’re also really brave.’”
“It lifts her confidence. So I thought, ‘Why not bring that to the classroom? ’ ” she added.
Cierra Levay Broadway, the teacher who filmed the video, said she was moved while watching the students shout their affirmations. “It was an amazing moment,” she said. “I was really astonished when I saw the kids and heard what they were saying. For a lot of them, it was the first time they’d ever done that.”
The teachers understand the importance of building self-confidence at a young age, especially for students who do not have such an opportunity at home.
“In our neighborhood the kids hear a lot of negative things about themselves. So a seed of self-love is the best seed to plant, and all Broadway and I have to do is water it,” Acker said.
1. Why did the teachers try to help their students?| A．The students dislike studying. |
| B．The students laugh at the gardeners. |
| C．The students are affected by their environment. |
| D．The students have difficulty getting on with each other. |
| A．Plan for their futures. | B．Cheer up their schoolmates. |
| C．Find other students’ strengths. | D．Say positive words about themselves. |
| A．Her daughter’s suggestions to her. | B．Her conversations with her daughter. |
| C．A video of a small girl. | D．A mirror in her school. |
“Education” is generally defined as the process of learning and acquiring information. Formal learning in schools or universities
Most people associate education with schools and classrooms
Exposing students to new ideas and essential facts is only part of most educational goals. Also, students
