BEIJING — China's education authority will tighten the widely criticized policy of “extra credits” for the national college entrance examination to ensure a fairer chance for all exam-takers.
Under the policy, high school students who win awards in national Olympic competitions could get ‘‘extra credits’, up to 20 points for the national college entrance exam. Students with talent in sports and students who are from ethnic groups can also benefit from this policy. The extra credits have increased these students' chances of being admitted by famous universities. Some parents were found to have helped their children fabricate(伪造)award experiences or falsify qualifications to get extra credits.
“It has harmed education equality，” the ministry said.
Xiong Bingqi, vice-chief of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said the policy is designed to help students who have special talents but may be weak in academic performance to have a chance to receive higher education. It will still be needed but it is time to make the rules fairer," he said.
The ministry said it will reduce the range of competitions whose winners can get extra credits, and limit the winners, privileges.
The new policy will apply to students who begin high school in 2011, it said.
Chen Lei, a mother of a 10-year-old girl, said she welcomed the ministry's policy adjustment as she does not want her daughter to become an Olympic competition geek.
But not all the Chinese parents welcomed the new policy. “It is like a thunderbolt for me. My 13-year-old son has spent so much time studying Olympic math, and participated in so many technological competitions during vacations. It is useless now,” said Dong Wen, a 43-year-old mother.
A student said, “Many students have changed the current study plan, and they can abandon the competition. I will be interested in learning the courses which can improve my abilities.”
Yuan Guiren, minister of education, told China Daily that the reform is an attempt to consider the overall quality of an applicant. “But the country will not stop the national college entrance examination as it is still the most objective way to evaluate talent in China,” he said.
1.It can be inferred from the passage that_____.
A. high school students with talent in sports are weak in academic performance
B. students who win awards in Olympic competitions can't get extra credits in 2011
C. the number of competitions whose winners can be awarded extra credits will be smaller
D. he extra credits have reduced students' chances of being admitted by famous colleges
2.What does the underlined word “geek” probably mean?
A. a winner B. a smart learner
C. a competitor D. a dull student
3.Which person in the passage was strongly against the new policy?
A. Xiong Bingqi B. Chen Lei C. Dong Wen D. Yuan Guiren
4.What might be the best title for the text?
A. “Extra credits” policy in China to be adjusted
B. Promotion of national Olympic competitions
C. Advice on the national college entrance exam
D. Chinese government to push education reform
On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley saved me.
The previous afternoon, I played with my six-year-old peers in Heather Peters’ backyard. I was enjoying my cake, when Heather asked me where my sleeping bag was. Only then did I know this party was a sleepover. The word “sleep-over” to a six-year-old bed-wetter is like what “cancer” means to an adult. But what if I told them I was a bed-wetter? At least with cancer, people gather at your bedside instead of running from it.
I thought of a way to escape. I would explain that I needed my mother's permission to spend the nights. But as I called my Mom, Heather stood beside me to listen. She granted permission! Then I would be sleeping in the same living room as the other girls. I didn't bring my own pajamas (睡衣)，so Mrs. Peters offered me Heather's pajamas.
As the other girls drifted into their sweet dreams, I tried to stay awake. “Do I need to go again? I'll stay up to go one more time.. .”.Of course , I finally fell asleep.
The next morning , I was the first to wake up. I was warm! I lay in panic for what seemed like hours before the other girls started to wake up. I did the only thing I could do — I pretended that the bed-wetting didn't happen. I got up, took off Heather's pajamas and changed into my clothes like the other girls.
Mrs. Peters walked into the room, and before she could say anything, she stepped right onto the pile of my wet pajamas. My heart stopped as I watched her face burn red. “WHO DID THIS?” She screamed, with a look so frightening. Should I answer? And that was when it happened — Mr. Peters came in and grabbed his wife , ‘‘Elvis Presley died!”
The news of the King's death overtook Mrs. Peters, and I ,was spared. I got home without the other girls knowing what had happened.
1.The author had to spend the night at Peters' because ________.
A. she enjoyed her cake there
B. the famous singer Elvis Presley died that night
C. her mother allowed her to do so
D. It was a routine of the party
2.Mrs. Peters got angry because ________.
A. she found the wet pajamas
B. Elvis Presley passed away
C. her husband was rude to her
D. all the girls slept at her house
3.From the story, we know Mrs. Peters was ________.
A. a bad-tempered woman
B. a fan of Elvis Presley
C. a woman for perfection
D. a woman who hated to wash pajamas
4.The passage is mainly about ________.
A. an embarrassing childhood incident
B. a fan-purchasing experience
C. the shocking death of a famous singer
D. an unfriendly hostess
书面表达
假设你是李华，你的好友王琳代表你们班参加市里举行的中学生英语口语竞赛并获得了一等奖。请你用英语给她写一封电子邮件，内容要包括以下几点：
1.对她的成功表示祝贺；
2.说明她取得成功的原因；
3.请她告诉你学习英语的经验。
注意：1.词数不少于100；邮件开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总数；
2.适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Wang Lin,
I’m just so glad to hear that you have won the–first prize in the Oral English Competition
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Yours,
Li Hua
好句提升
1.Many teenagers spend too much time playing games.
It is harmful to their health. (用which引导的非限制性定语从句连接两个句子)
____________________________________________________________________________
2.We can make progress in English only if we work hard. (用倒装句改写本句)
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单词拼写
1.They were discussing something in a(n)________(低语).
2.It is out of question that he will be ________(任命) Chief Engineer of the railway.
3.It is _________(非法）to people to harm the environment.
4.I had i_________ to catch the early train, but I didn’t get up in time.
5.We ought to take part in various after-school a________ to improve ourselves.
6.As a r________ for his bravery, the soldier was given a gold medal.
阅读表达
阅读下面的短文，请根据短文后的要求答题。
Years of expecting this time has finally arrived; there were times when I thought we would never get here. We are having three graduations in one family. My daughter is graduating from 4-year College in nursing, and my son is graduating from a high school, and I also just graduated last week. The dream was planted many years ago. I had always dreamt of going back to school, but it was too worrying and too hard.
Three years ago, I lost one of my dear friends. She died suddenly someday. All those thoughts of “someday” seemed to take on different meanings. So, I decided to take a course, then I took two. I finally took 4 courses. When I was in the second week of school, my family was in a terrible car accident. My husband, my two children and I were on our way to visit my another daughter at work in another city for her twenty-third birthday, and we were hit by a truck a half mile from our house. My husband was seriously hurt, and I was told by doctors many times it was a miracle(奇迹) that he had survived a serious head injury.
The three of us were barely passing after that time period. I had a broken arm and could not write. However, none of us had cold feet. As one of the top ten students in the college, my daughter graduated from college and got her Bachelor’s Degree. My son was admitted to a famous university after his graduation. I am proud of them.
As my password, I called myself “mountain climber.” The journey was difficult and every hill seemed higher to climb. Last week, the highlight of my life was walking across that platform and getting my degree six months before I turn fifty. I am proud of myself, too.
1.What was the author’s dream? (no more than 8 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
2.What does the miracle refer to? (no more than 8 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
3.How do you understand the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3? (no more than 6 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
4.Why is the author proud of herself? (no more than 13 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
5.Do you agree with the author’s view on life? Give reasons in your own words (no more than 20 words)
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