Question

【題目】 The classic model of education — a burst at the start and company training — is breaking down. One reason is the need for new and constantly updated skill. Manufacturing increasingly calls for brain work rather than manual labor.

Pushing people into ever-higher levels of formal education at the start of their lives is not the way to handle the problem. Just 16% of Americans think that a four-year college degree prepares students very well for a good job. Although a vocational education promises that vital first hire, those with specialized training tend to withdraw from the labor force earlier than those with general education perhaps because they are less adaptable.

At the same time on-the-job training is shrinking. In America and Britain it has fallen by roughly half in the past two decades. Self-employment is spreading, leaving more people to take responsibility for their own skills. Taking time out later in life to pursue a formal qualification is an option, but it costs money and most colleges are meant for youngsters.

The market is innovating to enable workers to learn and earn in new ways. Providers from General Assembly to Pluralsight are building businesses on the promise of improving careers. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have turned away from lectures on Plato or black holes in favor of courses that make their students more employable. At Udacity and Coursera self-improvers pay for cheap, short programs. By offering degrees online, universities are making it easier for professionals to polish their skills. A single master’s program from Georgia Tech could expand the annual output of computer-science master’s degrees in America by close to 10%.

Lifelong learning starts at school. As a rule, education should not be narrowly vocational. The curriculum needs to teach children how to study and think. A focus on “metacognition” (元認(rèn)知) will make them better at picking up skills later in life.

【1】Which is the reason why traditional education is failing?

A.It bursts educators’ bubble in the beginning.B.Companies can’t afford training fees.

C.Old skills can’t meet the present needs.D.It fails to develop one’s brain.

【2】What can we infer from the text?

A.The more knowledgeable one is, the more likely he is to be employed.

B.Most Americans are poor at their studies in the college.

C.More than 80% of Americans have to be self-employed now.

D.Returning to college after working is not considered worthwhile.

【3】What does the underlined word “innovating” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A.Reforming its system.B.Declining little by little.

C.Booming all at once.D.Wasting time and energy.

【4】How do colleges adapt to the present education model?

A.They open online courses.B.They provide easier access to updated skills.

C.They pay for cheap short programs.D.They lower the standard for master’s degree.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】A

【4】B

【解析】

這是一篇說(shuō)明文。文章介紹了美國(guó)如今的教育現(xiàn)狀，和為了使工人能夠以新的方式學(xué)習(xí)和賺錢，市場(chǎng)所產(chǎn)生的一些創(chuàng)新，大學(xué)也通過(guò)提供在線學(xué)位來(lái)讓專業(yè)人士更容易提高他們的技能。文章最后指出終身學(xué)習(xí)從學(xué)校開始。通常，教育不應(yīng)該局限于職業(yè)。課程需要教會(huì)孩子如何學(xué)習(xí)和思考。

【1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段The classic model of education — a burst at the start and company training — is breaking down. One reason is the need for new and constantly updated skill. Manufacturing increasingly calls for brain work rather than manual labor.可知，傳統(tǒng)的教育模式——開始時(shí)的爆發(fā)式增長(zhǎng)和公司培訓(xùn)——正在瓦解。原因之一是需要不斷地更新新的技能。制造業(yè)越來(lái)越需要腦力勞動(dòng)而不是體力勞動(dòng)。由此可知，傳統(tǒng)教育失敗的原因是舊的技能不能滿足現(xiàn)在的需要。故選C。

【2】推理判斷題。根據(jù)第三段中Taking time out later in life to pursue a formal qualification is an option, but it costs money and most colleges are meant for youngsters.可知，在以后的生活中抽出時(shí)間去追求一個(gè)正式的資格證書也是一個(gè)選擇，但是這要花錢，而且大多數(shù)大學(xué)都是為年輕人準(zhǔn)備的。由此可推知，工作后再上大學(xué)被認(rèn)為是不值得的。故選D。

【3】詞句猜測(cè)題。結(jié)合后文to enable workers to learn and earn in new ways.可知，市場(chǎng)的體制正在改革創(chuàng)新，以使工人能夠以新的方式學(xué)習(xí)和賺錢。由此可知，劃線單詞“innovating”意思為“改革體制”。故選A。

【4】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段中By offering degrees online, universities are making it easier for professionals to polish their skills.可知，通過(guò)提供在線學(xué)位，大學(xué)讓專業(yè)人士更容易提高他們的技能。由此可知，大學(xué)通過(guò)提供更容易獲得更新技能的途徑，即在線學(xué)位，來(lái)適應(yīng)當(dāng)前的教育模式。故選B。