The A-level question Have 22 continuous years of rises in A-level pass rate made the exam worthless? David Miliband, the minister for School Standards, insists the answer is a firm " no". And he said it was wrong that " more will mean worse and more educa??tion for more people will mean lower standards". Figures show that — despite the rise in A-grades to 21. 6 per cent — only 22,000 out of 600,000 18-year-olds gain three A-grade pas??ses. Put another way, that means — in a primary class of 30 pupils — only one will get three A-grades. The center right Bow Group, in a pamphlet published today, however, says nine out of ten scholars believe A-grades have been devalued over the past ten years.

Two inquiries (調(diào)查) — both set up by the Government’s exams watchdogs — one of which included in??dependent teaching experts, refused to accept that there had been any " dumping down" of A-level standards. But while they conclude that the exam questions have not become easier, changes in examining methods have almost certainly made it easier to gain top-grade passes.

As a result of the exams shake-up introduced in 2000, students sit six different types of exams to make up an A-level during the course of their two years of study. Only 20 per cent of the marks are set for the end-of-term exam. This makes it easier for teachers to help their pupils with the right answers.

Mr Miliband said yesterday, " My argument is not that to??day ‘s generation of pupils are cleverer than their parents; it is that schools and teachers are getting better at getting the best out of them. "

5. From the writer’s point of view, the rise in A-grades to 21. 6 per cent shows ______.

A. it is generally thought more education means lower standards

B. the rise in the A-level pass rate has made the exam worthless

C. the quality of the 18-year-olds has become lower

D. it is still hard for the general pupils to get three A-grade passes

6. The underlined word " they" in the second paragraph refers to ______.

A. the exams watchdogs               B. the independent teaching experts

C. the A-level standards                D. the two inquiries

7. As a result of the exams shake-up introduced in 2000 ______.

A. the pass rate for A-levels was set to rise continuously

B. the exam became easier than it had been before 2000

C. pupils could have many more choices of test after 2000

D. it soon became popular with teachers and pupils

8. What does this passage mainly discuss?

A. How reliable and effective the A-level grading system is.

B. How the A-level system helps universities select pupils.

C. How the pass rate has been increased in recent years.

D. How the A-level grading system has changed over the years.

Holiday News

Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome.

  Reduced prices for low season.

The Snowdonia Center

The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain 1068.The beginners’ costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost.

You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of lifetime of mountain climbing adventure.

The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime

Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another.

On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home.

During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play.

You will visit all the places most people only dream about – from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong.

For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours.

What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?

       A．Choose the holiday in Devon.

       B．Go to the Snowdonia Centre

       C．Join the World Sea Trip of 2008

       D．Visit Acapulco and Hawaii

In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?

       A．It provides chances of family gatherings.

       B．It provides customers with good food.

       C．It offers a sport lesson.

       D．It offers comfortable room.

What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?

       A．You can have free meals on deck every day.

       B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places.

       C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play.

       D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking.

How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage?

       A．5.     B．6.      C．7.      D．8.

Which of the following is the correct order to describe Fitzgerald’s life according to the pas sage?

       a. He became addicted to drinking.     

       b. He studied at St. Paul Academy.

       c. He published his first novel This Side of Paradise.

       d. The Great Gatsby won high praise.

       e. He failed to reorder his life.

       f. He joined the army and met Zelda.

       A．f-c-e-a-b-d       B．b-e-a-f-c-d       C．f-d-e-c-b-a       D．b-f-c-d-e-a

We can infer from the passage that Fitzgerald            . 

      A．had made some money when he met Zelda in Alabama.

       B．was well educated and well off before he served in the army

       C．would have completed more works if his wife hadn’t broken down

       D．helped his friend get rid of drinking while his wife was in hospital

passage is probably followed by a concluding paragraph about          . 

       A．Zelda’s personal life

       B．Zelda’s illness and treatment

       C．Fitzgerald’s friendship with Graham

       D．Fitzgerald’s contributions to the literary world

Pulling heavy suitcases all day in the summer is hard work, especially when you’re a thin 14-year-old. That was me in 1940—the youngest and smallest baggage boy at New York City’s Pennsyl­vania Railway Station．

After just a few days on the job, I began noticing that the other fellows were overcharging pas­sengers．I’d like to join them, thinking, “Everyone else is doing it．”

When I got home that night, I told my dad what I wanted to do．“You give an honest day’s work,” he said, looking at me straight in the eye．“They’re paying you．If they want to do that, you let them do that．”

I followed my dad's advice for the rest of that summer and have lived by his words ever since．

Of all the jobs I've had, it was my experience at Pennsylvania Railway Station that has stuck with me．Now I teach my players to have respect for other people and their possessions．Being a member of a team is a totally shared experience．If one person steals, it destroys trust and hurts everyone．I can put up with many things, but not with people who steal．If one of my players were caught stealing, he'd be gone．

Whether you’re on a sports team, in an office or a member of a family, if you can’t trust one another, there’s going to be trouble．

1.What can be inferred about the baggage boys?

       A．They could earn much, but they had to work hard．

       B．Many of them earned money in a dishonest way．

       C．They were all from poor families．

       D．They were all thin, young boys．

2.What does the father's advice imply?

       A．It is wrong to give more pay to the passengers．

       B．Don’t believe them if they are paying you more．

       C．Don’t follow others to overcharge the passengers．

       D．It is difficult to work hard and live as an honest boy．

3.The writer can't put up with stealing because he thinks that ______．

       A．it is a totally shared experience          B．it is considered as the most dangerous

       C．it does great harm to human relationship       D．it may lead to the loss of his sports team

4.It can be concluded from the text that ______．

       A．his father's advice helped him to decide which job to take up

       B．working in the sports team was his most important experience

       C．he learnt much from his shared experience with his team members

       D．his experience as a baggage boy had a great influence on his later life

Holiday News
Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome.
Reduced prices for low season.
The Snowdonia Center
The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain 1068.The beginners’ costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost.
You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of lifetime of mountain climbing adventure.
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime
Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another.
On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home.
During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play.
You will visit all the places most people only dream about – from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong.
For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours.
【小題1】What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?