Section Ⅱ Reading Comprehension

　　Part A

　　Directions:

　　Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)

　　Text 1

　　The inclusion of all children and youth is part of a general integrative trend that has accelerated since World War II. It relates to some newer developments as well. Concern for the earth’s endangered environment has become central, emphasizing in both intellectual and social life the need for cooperation rather than competition, the importance of understanding interrelationships of the ecosystem, and the idea that ecology can be used as an organizing concept. In a different vein, the rapid development of microelectronics, particularly the use of computers for multiple functions in education, goes for beyond possibilities of earlier technological advances. Although technology is thought of by some as antagonistic to humanistic concerns, others argue that it makes communication and comprehension available to a wider population and encourages “system thinking,” both ultimately integrative effects.

　　The polarization of opinion on technology’s effects and most other important issues is a problem in educational policy determination. In addition to the difficulties of governing increasingly large and diverse education systems, as well as those of meeting the never-ending demands of expanding education, the chronic lack of consensus makes the system unable to respond satisfactorily to public criticism and unable to plan for substantive long-range development.

　　The political and administrative responses so far have been to attend to short-run efficiency by improving management techniques and to adopt polar responses to accommodate polar criticisms. Thus, community and community schools have been emphasized along with central control and standardization, and institutional alternatives have been opened, while the structure of main institutions has become more articulated. For example, the focus of attention has been placed on the transition stages, which earlier were virtually ignored: from home to school from primary to secondary to upper secondary, from school to work. Tertiary institutions have been reconceived as part of a unified level; testing has become more sophisticated and credentials have become more differentiated either by certificate or by transcript.

　　Alternative teaching strategies have been encouraged in theory, but basic, curriculum uniformity has effectively restricted the practice of new methods. General education is still mainly abstract, and subject matter, though internally more dynamic, still rests on language, mathematics, and science. There has been an increasing reliance on the construction of subject matter to guide the method of teaching. Teachers are entrusted with a greater variety of tasks, but they are less trusted with knowledge, leading political authorities to call for upgrading of teacher training, teacher in�瞫ervice training, and regular assessment of teacher performance.

　　Recent reform efforts have been focused on integrating general and vocational education and on encouraging lifelong or recurrent education to meet changing individual and social needs. Thus, not only has the number of students and institutions increased, as a result of inclusion policies, but the scope of education has also expanded. This tremendous growth, however, has raised new questions about the proper functions of the school and the effectiveness for life, work, or intellectual advancement of present programs and means of instruction.

　　21. The passage is mainly about.

　　[A] major difficulties in education

　　[B] effects of modem technology on education

　　[C] major trends and problems in education

　　[D] the tremendous growth of education

　　22. From the passage we can infer that.

　　[A] the rapid development of modem technology

　　[B] some modem developments relating to the inclusion policies

　　[C] the inclusion policies of education

　　[D] concern for the earth’s endangered environments

　　23. The second passage is mainly about.

　　[A] the polarization of opinion on some important issues about educational policy

　　[B] the rapid development of education

　　[C] the difficulties in meeting the demands of expanding education

　　[D] the political and administrative measures taken to further expand education

　　24. The author uses the example of transition of stage in school to show.

　　[A] school life is important for families in a community

　　[B] schooling is important for students to go to work

　　[C] disciplines are emphasized in community school

　　[D] all levels of schools are unified

　　25. According to this passage, which of the following is FALSE?

　　[A] Various teaching methodologies have not been widely adopted in general education.

　　[B] Focusing on subject matter is still an obvious feature of general education.

　　[C] The transition from school to work has never been overlooked.

　　[D] The professional quality of the major, of teachers has not been considerably enhanced.