1 . There was a time, not that long ago, when women were considered smart if they played dumb to get a man, and women who went to college were more interested in getting a “Mrs. Degree” than a bachelor’s. Even today, it's not unusual for a woman to get whispered and unrequested counsel from her grandmother that an advanced degree could hurt her in the marriage market.

“There were so many misperceptions out there about education and marriage that I decided to sort out the facts,” said economist Betsey Stevenson, an assistant professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. So along with Wharton colleague Adam Isen, Stevenson calculated national marriage data from 1950 to 2008 and found that the marriage penalty women once paid for being well educated has largely disappeared.

“In other words, the difference in marriage rates between those with college degrees and those without is very small,” said Stephanie Coontz, a family historian at Evergreen State College. The new analysis also found that while high-school dropouts had the highest marriage rates in the 1950s, today college-educated women are more likely to marry than those who don’t finish high school.

Of course, expectations have changed dramatically in the last half century. “In the 1950s, a lot of women thought they needed to marry right away,” Coontz said. “Real wages were rising so quickly that men in their 20s could afford to marry early. But they didn’t want a woman who was their equal. Men needed and wanted someone who knew less.” In fact, she said, research published in 1946 documented that 40 percent of college women admitted to playing dumb on dates. “These days, few women feel the need to play down their intelligence or achievements,” Coontz said.

The new research has more good news for college grads. Stevenson said the data indicate that modern college-educated women are more likely to be married before age 40, are less likely to divorce, and are more likely to describe their marriages as “happy.” The marriages of well-educated women tend to be more stable because the brides are usually older as well as wiser, Stevenson said.

1. Not long ago, it was believed that women went to college in order to ________.

A．find a husband

B．get smart in the marriage market

C．learn to be a good wife

D．marry someone with a bachelor’s degree

2. According to the first paragraph, what grandmother whispers to her granddaughter is usually ________.

A．taken as a warning	B．regarded as out-of-date
C．given voluntarily	D．accepted unwillingly

3. What did Betsey Stevenson find about well-educated women in the past?

A．Their marriage rate was higher than at present.

B．Their marriage rate was lower than at present.

C．Their divorce rate was higher than at present.

D．Their divorce rate was lower than at present.

4. The effect of education on marriage has been found to be ________.

A．favorable	B．insignificant
C．long-lasting	D．extensive

2 . Directions: Read the passage carefully. Then write an English summary within 60 words in your own words according to the passage given below.

Hitting the right button

It has been found that in some countries, achievement in some subjects at school is not always good for boys as it is girls. It is possible that using computers may be a way to solve this problem.

Many boys seem to have a natural liking for computers, but it can often be hard to leave the screen and concentrate on the work the teacher wants them to do.

As computers are becoming more and more important in the world of education today, it is natural to assume that computers can help greatly with boys who do not do too well at school and need to raise their general educational standards. Many boys appear to be more confident than girls in using it, and they need to use computers more frequently, especially at home.

Researchers at universities now think that it could be a really good way of re-engaging under-achieving boys in the learning process, and teachers have indicated that it does work. They have found that, although lots of boys do not seem to like writing in the classroom, when they use a computer, they are more willing to compose longer pieces of writing and use different styles. The issue of unintelligible handwriting is no longer a problem, either, as the neatness and presentation standards rise when boys use a computer to print out their work.

Many boys welcome the “hands on” approach of computer. However, researchers and teachers need to be careful that boys don’t just “cut and paste” things that they have found on the internet, but haven’t read, and hand it in as a completed assignment. Some boys overestimate how good they are and think they can do things without any effort. They need to develop proper research skills and make their written work more structured. Other boys take short cuts, or look at internet sites they haven’t been asked to look at. They may not plan or think carefully about their work, or they may try to finish their work quickly. This tendency is not going to be completely cured by using computers. One way to get boys to concentrate properly on the work they have been asked to do may be to encourage them to use their computers at home. However, they also need to be set tasks that are interesting and relevant to them.

As in all things, the interaction between the pupil, the teacher and the computer is crucial.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . During my freshman year at Babson College, I was trying to discover how to get educational resources to the most faraway areas of Yemen, the war-stricken country. Soon I learned that I couldn’t send _______ or even deliver online courses because Yemen's access to the Internet is extremely _______ .

After months of hard thinking, I realized that the best way to _______ education would be through _______ , which are accessible to users and help to _______ concepts into bite-size pieces.

Then, I worked with a few professors to _______ the first text message course. Every morning, students were texted about two pieces of screen-length _______ explaining a certain concept or case study _______ , normally ending with a test. Our team began to build Artist, the first text message learning app, to make something greater out the idea.

Our team members were totally _______ for the first seven months of the company. The ________ part was staying on the same page when we're apart all day and making sure everyone was ________ everything well. It’s important to ________ from time to time and have very clear roles and responsibilities. When we first created our app, our email system ________ and we couldn’t get emails for two weeks. It was a ________ .

________ , we didn’t give up and realized that putting confidence in the team and task was the only way we were able to deal with ________ . We trusted each other and had the same ________ . Actually, if you like the people you’re creating something with and believe in where you’re going, everything else can be easily ________ .

After several months, summer came and our team finally got our business back ________ . We received very ________ reviews, with most of students liking text message learning more than any other form of digital learning.

1.

A．magazines

B．papers

C．textbooks

D．exercises

2.

A．poor

B．advanced

C．flexible

D．adequate

3.

A．receive

B．promote

C．deliver

D．further

4.

A．dialogue

B．conversation

C．argument

D．text messages

5.

A．break out

B．break down

C．break in

D．break through

6.

A．develop

B．teach

C．accumulate

D．accelerate

7.

A．essays

B．content

C．exercises

D．poems

8.

A．in surprise

B．in relief

C．in depth

D．in large

9.

A．lost

B．confused

C．satisfied

D．apart

10.

A．hardest

B．most amazing

C．most meaningful

D．highest

11.

A．creating

B．balancing

C．recommending

D．commenting

12.

A．prohibit

B．clarify

C．dominate

D．communicate

13.

A．disappeared

B．crashed

C．affected

D．escaped

14.

A．success

B．failure

C．disaster

D．opportunity

15.

A．Besides

B．Therefore

C．Furthermore

D．However

16.

A．difficulties

B．courses

C．education

D．complaints

17.

A．pace

B．page

C．belief

D．method

18.

A．attached

B．solved

C．recognized

D．engaged

19.

A．on track

B．in line

C．in sight

D．on purpose

20.

A．instructive

B．reasonable

C．indifferent

D．positive

4 . Does Chinese philosophy influence your parenting? It is the question I am most often asked. Chinese philosophy contains many lessons that are useful, accessible and timely when applied to the challenges of parenting. Confucianism and Daoism suggest ways to guide your children toward meaning and fulfilment rather than wealth and fame.

Parenting is tough, especially because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Different kids need different things. How do we stay focused on what matters most? How do we navigate difficult times with our kids and support them when they struggle? All of us want our children to be successful, partly because we love them and want them to be happy. But it is easy to mistake “success” with certain kinds of academic or athletic achievements.

Of course, one can define success in this way. But ancient Chinese philosophers believed that real success is not measured by fame, money or power. A successful life is one in which a person flourishes: they are happy, fulfilled, and they find meaning in what they do and who they are. This type of fulfilment comes from loving and being loved by others within the context of meaningful, lasting relationships; giving generously of what you have to others; caring for and having a genuine love of nature; and shouldering your responsibility.

Most of us know that having an Ivy League degree and a high-paying job is not going to make our children happy and fulfilled in life. Yet we worry about how they will find things they love to do and that they are good at. Philosophers from the two most influential ancient Chinese traditions — Confucianism and Daoism — talk more about human flourishing, virtue, happiness and fulfilment than about “success”.

Chinese philosophers argued that we genuinely flourish — are happiest and most fulfilled — when we develop these virtues. This can never be measured in terms such as earning power, entering famous schools or getting jobs. Instead, it is measured in how we treat people — how one loves and is loved by one’s family and friends — and in what one does to make the world a kinder, gentler, more humane and beautiful place. They encourage us to help our children learn more about the world around them.

The Confucians and Daoists were a little like yin and yang: Confucians have a lot of active, hands-on ways to help children grow, such as participating in traditions, while the Daoists recommend simpler activities, such as exploring the beauty of nature. Their diverse views on living a good life are precisely what makes Chinese philosophy such a great resource for parents.

Parenting is messy. It is not simple or straightforward but complex and difficult. There are no magic solutions that make things easy or smooth. Most of us will need to piece together different approaches in order to find something that works well and feels right in different situations, for different children, and at different times in a child’s life.

1. According to the author, parenting is challenging because________.

A．Parents don’t know what success refers to

B．Children don’t believe in Chinese philosophy

C．There are many theories of parenting to choose

D．One can’t find a standard approach to suit every child

2. What is the opinion of ancient Chinese philosophers?

A．People who flourish can feel successful because they live a meaningful life.

B．Only when people make contribution to society can they feel successful.

C．A successful life can be measured by reputation and wealth.

D．Success just means one should be friendly to nature.

3. What can we infer from this passage?

A．Confucians think graduating from famous university can make children intelligent and fulfilled.

B．Daoists are more influential than Confucians because of their simpler activities.

C．Confucians and Daoists together can provide parents abundant resources.

D．It is enough for parents to just learn Chinese Philosophy well.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards adopting Chinese Philosophy to parenting?

A．Critical .	B．Objective.
C．Indifferent.	D．Suspicious.

5 . This Is How Scandinavia Got Great

Almost everybody admires the Nordic model. Countries like Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland have high economic productivity, high social equality, high social trust and high levels of personal happiness.

Nordic nations were ethnically homogeneous(同质的) in 1800, when they were dirt poor. Their economic growth took off just after 1870, way before their welfare states were established.     1    

The 19th-century Nordic elites did something we haven’t been able to do in our country recently. They realized that if their countries were to prosper they had to create truly successful “folk schools” for the least educated among them. They realized that they were going to have to make lifelong learning a part of the natural fabric of society.

    2     The German word they used to describe their approach, bildung, doesn’t even have an English equivalent. It means the complete moral, emotional, intellectual and civic transformation of the person. It was based on the idea that if people were going to be able to handle and contribute to an emerging industrial society, they would need more complex inner lives.

Today, Americans often think of schooling as the transmission of specialized skill sets — the student can read, do math and recite the facts of biology.     3     It is devised to help them understand complex systems and see the relations between things — between self and society, between a community of relationships in a family and a town.

The Nordic educators worked hard to cultivate each student’s sense of connection to the nation. Before the 19th century, most Europeans identified themselves in local and not national terms.     4     The idea was to create in the mind of the student a sense of wider circles of belonging — from family to town to nation — and an eagerness to assume shared responsibility for the whole.

That educational push seems to have had a lasting influence on the culture. Whether in Stockholm or Minneapolis, Scandinavians have a tendency to joke about the way their sense of responsibility is always nagging at them. They have the lowest rates of corruption in the world. They have a distinctive sense of the relationship between personal freedom and communal responsibility.

A．Bildung is the way that the individual matures and takes upon him or herself ever bigger academic responsibility.

B．What really launched the Nordic nations was generations of phenomenal educational policy.

C．Bildung is designed to change the way students see the world.

D．But the Nordic curriculum conveyed to students a pride in, say, their Danish history, folklore and heritage.

E．They look at education differently than we do.

F．The Nordic educators also worked hard to develop the student’s internal awareness.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

Since there seems to be an app for everything, it may come as no surprise that there is an app for cheating. But it isn't just one app. It's hundreds of companies and apps that can be used to complete students' homework, and even exams

But what surprised me most as an educator playing this cat-and-mouse game for decades is that cheating is now spreading internationally and powered by billion-dollar companies.

Some companies offer monthly subscription formats, in which students pay $15 a month for round-the-clock access to resources including exam questions and homework "help". They also get on-demand access to many experts with advanced degrees in math, science and other subjects. These experts, available online 24/7, are the source of step-by-step answers.

As an unintended consequence of technology allowing remote learning and exams, students are finding more and more online venues allowing them to earn grades and diplomas(文凭) by cheating.

How do we limit this global supply chain of cheating?

The answer depends on the motivation behind the decision to cheat. Some students don't think of it as cheating, as they are paying a legit(合法的) company for the service; many feel pressured to get the grades and so justify the means. Many students who are cheating avoid academic consequences, as there are few technology solutions to capture original answers provided by experts, and plagiarism-catching software can't detect original work bought by these students.

However, in 2020, lawmakers in some countries made it illegal to arrange or advertise for sale certain cheating services such as paid essay writing. Did it have an effect? According to a study, many of the biggest and best-known essay mills are ending operations. But even then, fear of getting caught is probably not enough motivation to stop all cheating students. Thus, tackling this cheating requires a collective effort by educational institutions.

1. Why did the author feel shocked?
2. How do you understand the underlined part in Para. 6?
3. Decide which part of the following statement is wrong. Underline it and explain why.
•Students' academic pressure makes online cheating widespread and some measures have been taken to fight it.
4. As a student, what do you think of online cheating?(In about 40 words)

7 . In American culture, I am noticing a lack of respect, especially among children. This should be treated _________ since disrespectful children will become disrespectful teenagers, and then disrespectful adults. American culture is _________ the ways of teaching respect, while other cultures have methods that Americans could learn from.

In 1995, I spent a couple of months in Kenya where I lived with a pastor’s family. This pastor was a part of the Maasai tribes that have some unique customs. One of them is the _________ that the children give the adults. When an adult approaches a Maasai child, the child will _________ and tilt their head slightly saying “Suppa”. The adult responses by saying “Ippa” touching the top of their heads. This simple act shows respect for the adult. The children _________ that they are their elder and that the adult deserves respect.

In my early 20’s, I worked at a children’s home in South Carolina where the children from 4 to 19 years old were taught to respect their elders. They _________ me as “Mr. Vince” and every adult worker there with a “Mr, Mrs, or Ms.”. However, as I counsel and talk to teachers and other professionals who work with children now, there seems to be a _________ in such as friendly behavior that children give adults. Fewer students treat teachers with respect: Children frequently talk back to their teachers, parents or seniors, interrupt conversations, and disregard their _________. Children casually speak with other adults like waiters, store clerks, postmen, cashiers, etc. in the way as if they are children’s _________.

Immanuel Kant expressed two __________ attitudes in Europe that are still dominant today. One is that only humans are persons because they have autonomy—they freely choose to act on principles by __________ laws on themselves, and not on desires. It is this mind based on __________ that gives humans special status. Second, to learn to follow principles instead of desires, a human child needs to learn __________ to the laws of adults. They must practice __________ regulation before they are able to practice autonomy. Kant said that “act in the way you want others to act in the situation, taking other people as persons, not __________ you use for your own goals”. Only in this way can you become a real person with intrinsic values.

1.

A．passionately

B．steadily

C．publicly

D．alarmingly

2.

A．challenging

B．faking

C．piloting

D．abandoning

3.

A．assistance

B．greeting

C．blessing

D．guarantee

4.

A．come forward

B．drop by

C．show off

D．fall down

5.

A．pretend

B．suspect

C．determine

D．acknowledge

6.

A．located

B．ranked

C．addressed

D．defied

7.

A．delight

B．delay

C．decline

D．distress

8.

A．gesture

B．secret

C．behavior

D．authority

9.

A．peers

B．enemies

C．guards

D．owners

10.

A．controversial

B．accepted

C．foreign

D．equivalent

11.

A．twisting

B．imposing

C．banning

D．sparing

12.

A．reason

B．solution

C．harmony

D．consciousness

13.

A．similarity

B．response

C．obedience

D．approach

14.

A．environmental

B．external

C．voluntary

D．flexible

15.

A．luxuries

B．glories

C．instruments

D．models

8 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box.   Each word can only be used once.   Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. thread   B. illustrate   C. breaks   D. films   E. engage     F. second G. favored   H. constantly   I. embracing   J. considerably     K. certified

Learning for a Distracted Generation

Today's students have a problem, and it is not the one written on the board. They were born into a world where algorithms (算法) keep them clicking, scrolling and swiping at a rapid pace. Technology, smartphones, social media, and immediate access to the internet are hurting their ability to focus and changing the way they think.

Now teachers have a problem too. They find it particularly exhausting to ask students to read complex or long texts without taking regular     1    . Smartphones have clearly affected the younger generation, but how education should evolve for digital-native students was not something that was covered when they were getting     2     .   

A common     3     among teachers is that short is good. When students can't seem to pay attention to long lectures, many teachers simply hack lessons into smaller chunks (模块). In fact, students need time to     4     with a topic once the teacher introduces it before moving on. Switching between small lessons too quickly could rob them of valuable comprehension.

A 2018 study from educational publisher Pearson found that students aged between 10 and 24 tend to stay away from physical books. They prefer video as a source of information     5     only to teachers. Therefore, some tech-forward teachers choose to “meet kids where they are" on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. Asha Choksi, vice president of global research at Pearson, gives the example of a teacher who     6     himself performing a science experiment and posts it to YouTube. When it is time for class, he uses the video to     7     materials in the textbook, which can seem boring to students.

Still, while those educators are     8     technology in the classroom to meet students’ needs, they are also finding value in traditional methods, and so suggest a blended (混合的) learning approach. Diregt instruction from them will never be replaced in their classes. Technology will be     9     only when it improves a lesson in ways that are impossible offline.

Digital natives will continue to eagerly adopt new media. Teachers have no choice but to adapt. They are making an effort not only to ensure that students take advantage of new technologies, but to teach students valuable skills that can help them succeed in a world     10     trying to distract them. Think of the Zuckerbergs, the Gates, the Jobs and all those pioneers in the tech world. They became successful not because they could code; it was because they could think.

9 . A good teacher is more than just someone who can pass on knowledge. As the Times Education Supplement has found, the qualities that make a great educator are being intelligent, concerned and maverick.

Earlier this year, the UK magazine did a survey of 1,200 educators across the globe to find education's favorite 50 fictional teachers. As it turned out, Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series, finished at the top of the poll.

The secret to Dumbledore's greatness came from the fact that he “was never proud or vain; he could find something to value in anyone, however unimportant they seemed”. Elphias Doge, a Ministry of Magic jurist in Harry Potter, said of the professor after his death. He added that there was "no doubt that he was the most inspiring and the best loved of all Hogwarts headmasters."

Another beloved teacher who made the list is John Keating in the film Dead Poets Society, who inspired students through poetry. “Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are necessary to sustain life,” he told students. “But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” He also encouraged his students to look at things differently when they thought they knew something. “Even though it may seem silly, or wrong, you must try,” he advised.

As Mark Goldberg, the author of Keep Good Teachers, said, the key characteristics of these great fictional teachers are qualities of "willingness to put in the necessary time, a love for the age group they teach, and an in-depth wisdom."

1. Which of the following is TRUE about Dumbledore?

A．He was proud, vain and maverick.	B．He could inspire his students to go on.
C．He was unimportant and unique.	D．He only loved the intelligent ones.

2. What did John Keating try to teach his students?

A．Think twice before doing something silly.	B．Poetry is necessary to sustain life.
C．They should find value in themselves.	D．They should have something spiritual to go after.

3. What are the key characteristics of these great fictional teachers, according to Mark Goldberg?

A．Devoted and wise.	B．Loving and humorous.
C．Determined and strict.	D．Trustworthy and caring.

4. Which is the main idea of the passage?

A．The secrets to Dumbledore's greatness.	B．John Keating makes a beloved teacher.
C．The qualities of a great teacher.	D．The author of Keep Good Teachers.

10 . It's no secret that homework is stressful. But in recent decades, researchers have begun to wonder whether the anxiety it produces outweighs its benefits. One study in particular, from Stanford University, found too much homework not only leads to stress but causes difficulty sleeping, and other physical problems such as headaches.

Given this research, it was only a matter of time before schools began experimenting with a solution: removing homework altogether . The first to make news of trying this was an elementary school in Montreal, where the principal（校长）said he wanted his young students to be "playing" after school instead of working.

But now a school in Sweden has taken it a step further: banning not only homework but tests. The high school, located in a small town called Boden, reportedly informed its students of the new policy, aimed to reduce stress, in February. "It was my idea," Petronella Sirkka, principal of the Sturenskolan School said." The students express that they are relieved, since they were under a lot of pressure during our school year."

Sturenskolan’s homework and test ban has met mixed reviews in the town. But that hasn’t stopped Sirkka from pushing onward. Sirkka said that the curriculum（课程）her students study “is complex” and “places extremely high demands” on them individually. The anxiety that Sirkka’s solution is aimed at dealing with isn't unique to Sweden. Research shows that young Americans are more anxious than ever.

Although there are many contributing factors to the increasing anxiety among teens, the burden of homework is real. The research found that too much homework, along with adding stress, leads to decreasing socialization with friends and family.

1. What effect does homework have on students according to the study?

A．Homework has no benefits for children at all.

B．Children's health has been affected by homework.

C．Children with much homework suffer from headaches.

D．Students' physical problems are mostly related to homework.

2. What measure does the school in Sweden take?

A．Ask people for advice on homework.

B．Ask students to do difficult homework in class.

C．Forbid all the homework and tests formally.

D．Have students express themselves to reduce stress.

3. What did Sirkka tell us in the passage?

A．The students in the Sturenskolan School will feel relieved in class.

B．The students in the Sturenskolan School will be under greater pressure.

C．Her solution to dealing with anxiety is unique to all the Sweden.

D．Courses in the Sturenskolan School are complex and demanding.

4. What does the author mainly talk about in the passage ?

A．Some schools ban homework to reduce stress.

B．Homework and tests have put children in trouble.

C．Teachers and parents should care for their children.

D．Stress is a big problem for most children at school.