英語專業(yè)八級歷年閱讀理解真題（00-09）

英語專業(yè)八級歷年閱讀理解真題（00-09）

2009年閱讀理解

PARTIIREADINGCOMPREHENSION(30MIN)

Inthissectiontherearefourreadingpassagesfollowedbyatotalof20multiple-choice

questions.Readthepassagesandthenmarkyouranswersonyourcolouredanswersheet.

TEXTA

Wehadbeenwantingtoexpandourchildren'shorizonsbytakingthemtoaplacethatwas

unlikeanythingwe'dbeenexposedtoduringourtravelsinEuropeandtheUnitedStates.In

thinkingaboutwhatwaspossiblefromGeneva,wherewearebased,wedecidedonatripto

Istanbul,atwo-hourplaneridefromZurich.

Weenvisionedthetripasapreludetomoreexoticones,perhapstoNewDelhiorBangkok

laterthisyear,butthoughtour11-and13-year-oldsneededafirststepawayfrommanicured

boulevardsandpristinemonuments.

Whatwedidn'tforeseewasthereactionoffriends,whowarnedthatwewereputtingour

children"indanger,"referringvaguely,andmostincorrectly,todisease,terrorismorjustthe

unknown.TohelpusgetacquaintedwiththepeculiaritiesofIstanbulandtogiveourchildrena

chancetochoosewhattheywereparticularlyinterestedinseeing,weboughtanexcellent

guidebookandreaditthoroughlybeforeleaving.

Friendlywarningsdidn'tchangeourplanning,althoughwemighthavemoreprudently

checkedwiththeU.S.StateDepartment'slistoftroublespots.Wedidn'tseealotofchildren

amongtheforeignvisitorsduringoursix-daystayinIstanbul,butwefoundthetouristareasquite

safe,veryinterestingandvariedenougheventosuitourson,whoseoft-repeatedrequestisthatwe

notsee"everysingle"churchandmuseuminagivencity.

Vaccinationsweren'tneededforthecity,butwewereconcernedaboutadaptingtothewater

forashortstay.Soweusedbottledwaterfordrinkingandbrushingourteeth,aprecautionthat

mayseemexcessive,butweallstayedhealthy.

Takingtheadviceofafriend,webookedahotela20-minutewalkfrommostof

Istanbul'smajortouristsites.Thisnotonlygotussomemorningexercise,strollingoverthe

KarakoyBridge,buttookuspastacolorfulassortmentoffishermen,vendorsandshoeshiners.

Fromateenagerandpre-teen'sview,Istanbulstreetlifeisfascinatingsincealmosteverything

canbeboughtoutdoors.Theywereatagoodagetospendtimewanderingthelabyrinthofthe

SpiceBazaar,whereshopsdisplaymoundsofpungentherbsinsacks.Doingthiswithyounger

childrenwouldbehardersimplybecausethestreetsaresopackedwithpeople;itwouldbeeasyto

getlost.

Forourtwo,whosebuyingexperienceconsistedofdepartmentstoresandshoppingmallboutiques,

itwasamazingtodiscoverthatyoucouldbargainoverpriceandperhapsendupwithtwoof

somethingforthepriceofone.TheyalsolearnedtofigureouttherelativevalueoftheTurkishlira,

notasmallmatterwithitsmanyzeros.

BeingexposedtoIslamwasanimportantpartofourtrip.Visitingthemosques,especiallythe

enormousBlueMosque,wasourfirstglimpseintohowthismajorreligionispracticed.Our

children'scuriosityalreadyhadbeenpiquedbythefivedailycallstoprayeroverloudspeakersin

everycornerofthecity,andthescarvescoveringtheheadsofmanywomen.

Navigatingmealscanbetroublesomewithchildren,butakebab,boughtonthestreetorin

restaurants,wasunfailinglypopular.Sincewehaddecidedthistripwasnotforgourmets,kebabs

sparedustheagonyoftryingtofindarestauranteachdaythatwouldsuittheadults*desiretotry

somethingnewamidchildren'sinsistencethatthefoodbeservedimmediately.Gradually,we

branchedouttotrysomeotherTurkishspecialties.

AlthoughoursonhadstudiedIslambriefly,itisimpossibletobepreparedforeveryawkward

questionthatmightcomeup,suchasduringourvisitstotheTopkapiSarayi,theOttomanSultans'

palace.Noguideswereavailablesoitwasdo-it-yourself,usingourguidebook,whichcheatedus

ofalotofinterestinghistoryandanecdotesthataprofessionalguidecouldprovide.Nexttime,we

resolvedtomakesucharrangementsinadvance.

Onthistrip,wewanderedthroughthemagnificentcomplex,withitsimperialtreasures,its

courtyardsanditsharem.Thelastrequiredabitofexplanationthatwewouldhavehappilyleftto

alearnedthirdparty.

11.ThecouplechoseIstanbulastheirholidaydestinationmainlybecause

A.thecityisnottoofarawayfromwheretheylived.

B.thecityisnotonthelistoftheU.S.StateDepartment.

C.thecityisbetweenthefamiliarandtheexotic.

D.thecityismorefamiliarthanexotic.

12.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisINCORRECT?

A.Thefamilyfoundthecitywasexactlywhattheyhadexpected.

B.Theirfriendswereopposedtotheirholidayplan.

C.Theycouldhavebeenmorecautiousaboutbringingkidsalong.

D.Theywereabitcautiousaboutthequalityofwaterinthecity.

13.Welearnfromthecouple'sshoppingexperiencebackhomethat

A.theywereusedtobargainingoverprice.

B.theypreferredtobuythingsoutdoors.

C.streetmarketsweretheirfavourite.

D.theypreferredfashionandbrandnames.

14.ThelasttwoparagraphssuggestthattovisitplacesofinterestinIstanbul

A.guidebooksareveryuseful.

B.aprofessionalguideisamust.

C.onehastobepreparedforquestions.

D.onehastomakearrangementsinadvance.

15.ThefamilyhaveseenorvisitedallthefollowinginIstanbulEXCEPT

A.religiousprayers.B.historicalbuildings.

C.local-stylemarkets.D.shoppingmallboutiques.

TEXTB

Lastmonththefirstbaby-boomersturned60.Thebulkygenerationbornbetween1946and

1964isheadingtowardsretirement.Thelooming"demographiccliff*willseevastnumbersof

skilledworkersdispatchedfromthelabourforce.

Theworkforceisageingacrosstherichworld.WithintheEUthenumberofworkersaged

between50and64willincreaseby25%overthenexttwodecades,whilethoseaged20-29will

decreaseby20%.InJapanalmost20%ofthepopulationisalreadyover65,thehighestsharein

theworld.AndintheUnitedStatesthenumberofworkersaged55-64willhaveincreasedby

morethanhalfinthisdecade,atthesametimeasthe35-to44-year-oldsdeclineby10%.

Giventhatmostsocietiesaregearedtoretirementataround65,companieshavealooming

problemofknowledgemanagement,ofmakingsurethattheboomersdonotleavebeforethey

havehandedovertheirexpertisealongwiththeofficekeysandtheire-mailaddress.Asurveyof

human-resourcesdirectorsbyIBMlastyearconcluded:"Whenthebaby-boomergenerationretires,

manycompanieswillfindouttoolatethatacareer'sworthofexperiencehaswalkedoutthedoor,

leavinginsufficienttalenttofillinthevoid.'1

Somealsofaceashortageofexpertise.Inaerospaceanddefence,forexample,asmuchas

40%oftheworkforceinsomecompanieswillbeeligibletoretirewithinthenextfiveyears.At

thesametime,thenumberofengineeringgraduatesindevelopedcountriesisinsteepdecline.

Afewcompaniesaresosqueezedthattheyarealreadytakingexceptionalmeasures.Earlier

thisyeartheLosAngelesTimesinterviewedanenterprisingAustralianwhowasstayingin

BeverlyHillswhilehetriedtopersuadelocalstoemigratetoToowoomba,Queensland,towork

forhisengineeringcompanythere.Toowoombatoday;therestofthedevelopedworldtomorrow?

Ifyoulookhardenough,youcanfindcompaniesthathavebeguntoadapttheworkplacetoolder

workers.TheAARP,anAmericanassociationfortheover-50s,producesanannuallistofthebest

employersofitsmembers.Health-carefirmsinvariablycomenearthetopbecausetheyareoneof

theindustriesmostinneedofskilledlabour.Othersectorssimilarlyaffected,saystheConference

Board,includeoil,gas,energyandgovernment.

NearthetopoftheAARP'slatestlistcomesDeere&Company,ano-nonsense

industrial-equipmentmanufacturerbasedinIllinois;about35%ofDeere's46,000employeesare

over50andanumberofthemareintheir70s.Thetoolsitusestoachievethat-flexibleworking,

telecommuting,andsoforth-alsocoincidentallyhelpolderworkerstoextendtheirworkinglives.

Thecompanyspendsualotoftime"ontheergonomicsofitsfactories,makingjobsthereless

tiring,whichenablesolderworkerstostayatthemforlonger.

Likewise,formorethanadecade,Toyota,arguablytheworld'smostadvancedmanufacturer,

hasadapteditsworkstationstoolderworkers.Theshortageofskilledlabouravailabletothe

automotiveindustryhasmadeitunusuallykeentorecruitolderworkers.BMWrecentlysetupa

factoryinLeipzigthatexpresslysetouttoemploypeopleovertheageof45.Needsmustwhen

thedevildrives.

Otherfirmsarepolishingtheiralumninetworks.IBMusesitsnetworktorecruitretired

peopleforparticularprojects.Ernst&Young,aprofessional-servicesfirm,hasabout30,000

registeredalumni,andabout25%ofits"experienced*'newrecruitsareformeremployeeswho

returnafteranabsence.

Butsuchexamplesareunusual.AsurveyinAmericalastmonthbyErnst&Youngfoundthat

“althoughcorporateAmericaforeseesasignificantworkforceshortageasboomersretire,itisnot

dealingwiththeissue.uAlmostthree-quartersofthe1,400globalcompaniesquestionedby

Deloittelastyearsaidtheyexpectedashortageofsalariedstaffoverthenextthreetofiveyears.

Yetfewofthemarelookingtoolderworkerstofillthatshortage;andevenfewerarelookingto

themtofillanothergapthathasalreadyappeared.ManyfirmsinEuropeandAmericacomplain

thattheystruggletofindqualifieddirectorsfortheirboards-thiswhenthepoolofretiredtalent

fromthoseverysamefirmsisgrowingbyleapsandbounds.

Whyarefirmsnotworkinghardertokeepoldemployees?Partofthereasonisthatthe

crunchhasbeenbeyondthehorizonofmostmanagers.Norishangingontoolderworkersthe

onlywaytocopewithafallingsupplyoflabour.Theparticipationofdevelopingcountriesinthe

worldeconomyhasincreasedtheoverallsupply-whateverthelocaleffectofdemographicsin

therichcountries.AvastamountofworkisbeingsentoffshoretosuchplacesasChinaandIndia

andmorewillgoinfuture.Somecountries,suchasAustralia,arerelaxingtheirimmigration

policiestoallowmuchneededskillstocomeinfromabroad.Otherswillavoidtheneedfor

workersbyspendingmoneyonmachineryandautomation.

16.Accordingtothepassage,themostseriousconsequenceofbaby-boomersapproaching

retirementwouldbe

A.alossofknowledgeandexperiencetomanycompanies.

B.adecreaseinthenumberof35-to44-year-olds.

C.acontinuousincreaseinthenumberof50-to64-year-olds.

D.itsimpactonthedevelopedworldwhoseworkforceisageing.

17.Thefollowingareallthemeasuresthatcompanieshaveadoptedtocopewiththeageing

workforceEXCEPT

A.makingplacesofworkaccommodatetheneedsofolderworkers.

B.usingalumninetworkstohireretiredformeremployees.

C.encouragingformeremployeestoworkoverseas.

D.grantingmoreconvenienceinworkinghourstoolderworkers.

18."Thecompanyspends*alotoftime1ontheergonomicsofitsfactories"(ParagraphSeven)

meansthat

A.thecompanyattachesgreatimportancetothelayoutofitsfactories.

B.thecompanyimprovestheworkingconditionsinitsfactories.

C.thecompanyattemptstoreduceproductioncostsofitsfactories.

D.thecompanyintendstorenovateitsfactoriesandupdateequipment.

19.Intheauthor'sopinionAmericanfirmsarenotdoinganythingtodealwiththeissueofthe

ageingworkforcemainlybecause

A.theyhavenotbeenawareoftheproblem.

B.theyarereluctanttohireolderworkers.

C.theyarenotsureofwhattheyshoulddo.

D.theyhaveotheroptionstoconsider.

20.Whichofthefollowingbestdescribestheauthor'sdevelopmentofargument?

A.introducingtheissue—citingwaystodealwiththeissue->describingtheactual

statusfofferingreasons.

B.describingtheactualstatus-*introducingtheissue-citingwaystodealwiththe

issue—offeringreasons.

C.citingwaystodealwiththeissue-*introducingtheissue-*describingtheactual

statusofferingreasons.

D.describingtheactualstatusofferingreasons-*introducingtheissue—citingwaysto

dealwiththeissue.

TEXTC

(1)Theotherproblemthatarisesfromtheemploymentofwomenisthatoftheworkingwife.

Ithastwoaspects:thatofthewifewhoismoreofasuccessthanherhusbandandthatofthewife

whomustrelyheavilyonherhusbandforhelpwithdomestictasks.Therearevariouswaysin

whichtheimpactofthefirstdifficultycanbereduced.Providedthathusbandandwifearenotin

thesameordirectlycomparablelinesofwork,theharshfactofhergreatersuccesscanbe

obscuredbyagenialconspiracytorejectapurelymonetarymeasureofachievementasintolerably

crude.Wherethereareranks,itisbestifthecoupleworkindifferentfieldssothatthehusband

canfindsomespecialreasonforthesuperiorityofthelowestfigureinhistothemostelevatedin

hiswife's.

(2)Aproblemthataffectsamuchlargernumberofworkingwivesistheneedtore-allocate

domestictasksiftherearechildren.InTheRoadtoWiganPierGeorgeOrwellwroteofthe

unemployedoftheLancashirecoalfields:"Practicallynever...inaworking-classhome,willyou

seethemandoingastrokeofthehousework.Unemploymenthasnotchangedthisconvention,

whichonthefaceofitseemsalittleunfair.Themanisidlefrommorningtonightbutthewoman

isasbusyasever-moreso,indeed,becauseshehastomanagewithlessmoney.Yetsofarasmy

experiencegoesthewomendonotprotest.Theyfeelthatamanwouldlosehismanhoodif,

merelybecausehewasoutofwork,hedevelopedina'MaryAnn'.”

(3)Itisoverthecareofyoungchildrenthatthisre-allocationofdutiesbecomesreally

significant.Forthis,unlikethecookingoffishfingersorthemakingofbeds,isaninescapably

time-consumingoccupation,andtimeiswhatthefullyemployedwifehasnomoretospareof

thanherhusband.

(4)Themaleinitiativeincourtshipisaprettyindiscriminateaffair,somethingthatistriedon

withanyremotelyplausiblewomanwhocomeswithinrangeand,ofcourse,withalldegreesof

tentativeness.Whatdecidestheissueofwhetheragenuinecourtshipisgoingtogetunderwayis

thewoman'sresponse.Ifsheshowsinteresttheenginesofpersuasionaresetinmovement.The

truthisthatincourtshipsocietygiveswomentherealpowerwhilepretendingtogiveittomen.

(5)Whatdoesseemclearisthatthemoremenandwomenaretogether,atworkandaway

fromit,themorethecomprehensiveamorousnessofmentowardswomenwillhavetogo,despite

allitspastevolutionaryservices.Foritisthisthatmakesinferiorityatworkabrasiveand,more

indirectly,makesdomesticworkseemunmanly,ifthereistobeanequalizingredistributionof

economicanddomestictasksbetweenmenandwomentheremustbeacompensating

redistributionoftheeroticinitiative.Ifwomenwillnolongerletusbeatthemtheymustallowus

tojointhemastheblushingrecipientsofflowersandchocolates.

21.ParagraphOneadvisestheworkingwifewhoismoresuccessfulthanherhusbandto

A.workinthesamesortofjobasherhusband.

B.playdownhersuccess,makingitsoundunimportant.

C.stresshowmuchthefamilygainsfromherhighsalary.

D.introducemorelabour-savingmachineryintothehome.

22.Orwell'spictureofrelationsbetweenmanandwifeinWiganPier(ParagraphTwo)describesa

relationshipwhichtheauthorofthepassage

A.thinksisthenaturalone.

B.wishestoseepreserved.

C.believesisfair.

D.issuremustchange.

23.Whichofthefollowingwordsisusedliterally,NOTmetaphorically?

A.Abrasive(ParagraphFive).

B.Engines(ParagraphFour).

C.Convention(ParagraphTwo).

D.Heavily(ParagraphOne).

24.Thelastparagraphstressesthatifwomenaretoholdimportantjobs,thentheymust

A.sometimesmakethefirstadvancesinlove.

B.allowmentoflirtwithmanywomen.

C.stopacceptingpresentsofflowersandchocolates.

D.avoidmakingtheirhusbandslooklike“MaryAnns',.

25.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisINCORRECTaboutthepresentformofcourtship?

A.Menareequallyseriousaboutcourtship.

B.Eachman"makespasses"atmanywomen.

C.Thewoman'sreactiondecidesthefateofcourtship.

D.Themanleaveshimselftheopportunitytogiveupthechasequickly.

TEXTD

FromNamcheBazaar,theSherpacapitalat12,000feet,thelonglinethreadedsouth,

dropping2,000feettothevalleyfloor,thentrudgeddownthehugeSola-Khumbucanyonuntilit

openedouttothelushbutstilldauntingfoothillsofCentralNepal.

ItwashereatNamchethatonemanbrokerankandleanednorth,slowlyandarduously

climbingthesteepwallsofthenaturalamphitheaterbehindthescatterofstonehuts,thenpast

KundeandKhumjong.

Despitewearingabalaclavaonhishead,hehadbeenfrequentlyrecognizedbytheTibetans,

andtreatedwiththegravestdeferenceandrespect.Evenamongthosewhoknewnothingabout

him,expressionsofsurpriselituptheirdark,liquideyes.Hewasamannotexpectedtobethere.

NotonlywashisstaturesubstantiallygreaterthanthatofthediminutiveTibetans,butit

wasalsoobviousfromhisbearing-andhisnewbroadcloak,whichcoveredamuch-too-tight

armyuniform-thathecamefromamarkedlyloftierstationinlifethandidtheaverageTibetan.

Amongapeoplevirtuallybereftofpossessions,hehadfewerstill,consistingsolelyofarounded

bundleaboutafootindiameterslungsecurelybyacordoverhisshoulder.Thematerialthe

bundlewaswrappedinwasofaroughTibetanweave,whichdidnotaugurthatthecontentwas

ofanygreatervalue-exceptfortheimportanceheseemedtoascribetoit,neverforamoment

releasinghisgrip.

Hisobjectivewasatinyhuddleofbuildingsperchedhalfwayupanenormousvalleywall

acrossfromhim,atopagreatwoodedspurjuttingoutfromthelowerlapofthe22,493-footAma

Dablum,oneofthemostmajesticmountainsonearth.TherewassituatedTengboche,themost

famousBuddhistmonasteryintheHimalayas,itssettingunsurpassedformagnificence

anywhereontheplanet.

Fromthetopofthespur,one'seyessweep12milesupthestupendousDudhKosicanyon

tothesix-mile-longgranitewallofcliffofNuptseatitshead.IfAmaDablumisthe

Gatekeeper,thenthesheercliffofNuptse,neverlessthanfourmileshigh,istheFinalProtectorof

thehighestandmightiestofthemall:Chomolongma,theMotherGoddessoftheWorld,tothe

Tibetans;Sagarmatha,theHeadoftheSeas,totheNepalese;andEveresttotherestofus.And

overthegreatbarrierofNuptseShedemurelypeaks.

Itwaslateintheafternoon-whenthegreatshadowscastbythecolossalmountainswere

descendingintothedeepvalleyfloors-beforehereachedthecrestofthespurandshuffledtoa

stopjustpastTengboche'sentrancegompa.Hischestheavingintherarefiedair,heremovedhis

handfromthebundle-thefirsttimehehaddoneso-andwipedgrimyrivuletsofsweatfrom

aroundhiseyeswiththefingersofhismittedhand.

Hisnarrowedeyestookintheopensweepofthequietgrounds,thepagoda-likemonastery

itself,andthestonebuildingsthattumbleddownarounditlikeaprotectiveskirt.Inthedistance

themagiclightofthemagichourlituptheplumeflyingoffChomolongma's29,029-foot-high

crestlikeabright,welcomingbanner.

Hisbreathingcalmed,heslowly,stifflystruggledforwardanduptheroughstonestepsto

themonasteryentrance.Therehewasgreetedwitharespectfulnameste-HIrecognizethedivine

inyou'1-fromatall,slimmonkofabout35years,whohastilysetasideatwigbroomhehad

beenusingtosweeptheflagstonesoftheinnercourtyard.Whilehedidso,thevisitornoticed

thatthemonkwasmissingthesmallfingeronhislefthand.Thestrangerspokeafewformal

wordsinTibetan,andthenthetwodisappearedinside.

Earlythenextmorningtheemissary-lightenedofhisload-appearedatthemonastery

entrance,accompaniedbythesamemonkandtheelderlyabbot.Afterabowofhishead,which

wasreturnedmuchmoredeeplybythetwoocher-robedresidents,hetookhisleave.Thetwo

solemnmonkswatched,motionless,untilhedippedovertheridgeonwhichthemonasterysat,

andoutofsight.

Then,withoutaword,theyturnedandwentbackinsidethemonastery.

26.WhichofthefollowingwordsinParagraphOneimpliesdifficultyinwalking?

A.“threaded”.B.“dropping”.C.“trudged”.D."daunting1'.

27.InthepassagethecontrastbetweentheTibetansandthemanisindicatedinallthefollowing

aspectsEXCEPT

A.clothing.B.height.C.socialstatus.D.personalbelongings.

28.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatonecangetoftheregionfromthe

monastery.

A.anarrowviewB.ahazyview

C.adistantviewD.apanoramicview

29.Whichofthefollowingdetailsshowsthatthemanbecamerelaxedafterhereachedthe

monastery?

A."...hereachedthecrestofthespurandshuffledtoastop..."

B."...heremovedhishandfromthebundle...1'

C.”Hisnarrowedeyestookintheopensweepofthequietgrounds...*'

D."...heslowly,stifflystruggledforwardanduptheroughstonesteps...1'

30.Fromhowitisdescribedinthepassagethemonasteryseemstoevoke

A.asenseofawe.

B.asenseofpiety.

C.asenseoffear.

D.asenseofmystery.

2008年閱讀理解

PARTIIREADINGCOMPREHENSION(30MIN)

Inthissectiontherearefourreadingpassagesfollowedbyatotalof20multiple-choicequestions.

Readthepassagesandthenmarkyouranswersonyourcolouredanswersheet

TEXTA

Attheageof16,LeeHyukJoon'slifeisalivinghell.TheSouthKorean10thgradergetsup

at6inthemorningtogotoschool,andstudiesmostofthedayuntilreturninghomeat6p.m.

Afterdinner,it'stimetohitthebooksagain-atoneofSeoufsmanyso-calledcramschools.Lee

getsbackhomeat1inthemorning,sleepslessthanfivehours,thenrepeatstheroutine—fivedays

aweek.It'sagruelingschedule,butLeeworriesthatitmaynotbegoodenoughtogethimintoa

topuniversity.Someofhisclassmatesstudyevenharder.

SouthKorea'seducationsystemhaslongbeenhighlycompetitive.ButforLeeandtheother

700,000high-schoolsophomoresinthecountry,high-schoolstudieshavegottenevenmore

intense.That'sbecauseSouthKoreahasconceivedanewcollege-entrancesystem,whichwillbe

implementedin2008.Thisyear's10thgraderswillbethefirstgroupevaluatedbythenew

admissionsstandard,whichplacesmoreemphasisongradesinthethreeyearsofhighschooland

lessonnationwideSAT-styleandotherselectiontests,whichhavetraditionallydeterminedwhich

studentsgototheelitecolleges.

Thechangewasmademostlytoreducewhatthegovernmentsaysisagrowingeducationgap

inthecountry:wealthystudentsgotothebestcollegesandgetthebestjobs,keepingthechildren

ofpoorerfamiliesonthesocialmargins.Theaimistoreducetheimportanceofcostlytutorsand

cramschools,partlytohelpstudentsenjoyamorenormalhigh-schoollife.Butthenewsystem

hashadtheoppositeeffect.Before,studentsdidn'tworrytoomuchabouttheirgrade-point

averages;thebigchallengewasbeatingthestandardizedtestsashigh-schoolseniors.Now

studentsarecompetingagainstoneanotheroverathree-yearperiod,andeverymidtermandfinal

testiscrucial.Fretfulparentsarerelyingevenmoreheavilyontutorsandcramschoolstohelp

theirchildrensucceed.

ParentsandkidshavesentthousandsofangryonlineletterstotheEducationMinistry

complainingthatthenewadmissionsstandardissettingstudentsagainsteachother."Onecan

succeedonlywhenothersfail,“asoneparentsaid.

EducationexpertssaythatSouthKorea'spublicsecondary-schoolsystemisfoundering,

whileprivateeducationisthriving.Accordingtocritics,thecountry*shighschoolsarealmost

uniformlymediocre—theresultofanegalitariangovernmenteducationpolicy.Withthenumber

ofeliteschoolsstrictlycontrolledbythegovernment,eventhebrighteststudentstypicallyhaveto

settleforordinaryschoolsintheirneighbourhoods,wherethecurriculumiscentredonaverage

students.Tomakeupforthemediocrity,zealousparentssendtheirkidstotheexpensivecram

schools.

StudentsinaffluentsouthernSeoulneighbourhoodscomplainthatthenewsystemwillhurt

themthemost.NearlyallKoreanhighschoolswillbeweightedequallyinthecollege-entrance

process,andrelativelyweakstudentsinprovincialschools,whomaynotscorewellon

standardizedtests,oftencompilegoodgrade-pointaverages.

Someuniversities,particularlyprestigiousones,openlycomplainthattheycannotselectthe

beststudentsunderthenewsystembecauseiteliminatesdifferencesamonghighschools.They've

askedformorediscretioninpickingstudentsbygivingmoreweighttosuchscreeningtoolsas

essaywritingorinterviews.

PresidentRohMooHyundoesn*tlikehowsomecollegesaretryingtocircumventthenew

system.Herecentlycriticized"greedy"universitiesthatfocusmoreonfindingthebeststudents

thanfayingto''nurturegoodstudents'1.Butamidthecrossfirebetweenthegovernmentand

universities,thecountry's10thgradersarefeelingthestress.Ononlineprotestsites,someare

callingthemselvesa“cursedgeneration,,and“miceinalabexperiment,\Itallseemsatouch

melodramatic,butthat'stheSouthKoreanschoolsystem.

11.Accordingtothepassage,thenewcollege-entrancesystemisdesignedto

A.requirestudentstositformorecollege-entrancetests.

B.reducetheweightofcollege-entrancetests.

C.selectstudentsontheirhighschoolgradesonly.

D.reducethenumberofprospectivecollegeapplicants.

12.Whatseemstobetheeffectofintroducingthenewsystem?

A.Thesystemhasgivenequalopportunitiestostudents.

B.Thesystemhasreducedthenumberofcramschools.

C.Thesystemhasintensifiedcompetitionamongschools.

D.Thesystemhasincreasedstudents*studyload.

13.Accordingtocritics,thepopularityofpriv