You see them in the halls, going toward their classes in a hurry. Their faces are pale with tiredness; their bodies are bent under the weight of a dozen textbooks. They are the ones struggling to hold back a yawn during class. They are the chosen few. They are the Advanced Placement(AP,大学预修课程)students.
The truth is, honors students are no longer a select few. Over half of university-bound students take AP classes, and of these, most take at least two. The AP system drills it into us that our college success depends on taking as many advanced courses as possible, but is it really worth it? “On average, I spend three to four hours each day on homework,” says one senior who is taking five AP classes. “With the number I’m taking, I really doubt whether I will be confidently going into each test.”
With increasing pressure to attend AP courses, not only for college credits but also for the weighted GPA(平均成绩), it is no wonder that students often find their grades suffering and their stress increasing. In reality, AP courses have become mere rewards, adding little to a competitive college application.
One of the major disadvantages in the AP system is that every class is fitted into a standardized test. The result is that comprehensive learning is sacrificed for test preparation, with teachers spending the most time on topics likely to appear on the AP exam.
And that a student receives a high grade on the AP test does not mean he or she will receive the college credit. Many universities now don’t consider an AP class in high school to be the same as an actual undergraduate college-level class, which is usually a three-hour, lecture-based course with varying degrees of homework.
1.What can we learn about AP students?
A.They are exhausted from AP classes.
B.They are the select few top students.
C.They take two AP classes at most each term.
D.They will gain confidence by taking more AP classes.
2.What does the AP system bring about?
A.More focus on stress relief. B.Less comprehensive learning.
C.Great chances of college admission. D.Decline of academic competitiveness.
3.What is the author’s attitude to students’ attending AP courses?
A.Positive. B.Objective. C.Negative. D.Supportive.
In 1985, the BMX bike craze was at its height. Every kid in our community was doing tricks on their BMX Raleigh Burner. Every kid apart from two: me and Martin Ogley. Martin was the owner of a purple Raleigh Chopper, and to be seen riding it in 1985 was embarrassing. The kids would knock into Martin mercilessly at every opportunity. And although I didn’t own any kind of bike, I would join in. I knew that by keeping the focus on Martin, I was less likely to be a target.
When other kids asked where my bike was, I would say my BMX was so top-of-the-range that I didn’t ride it on the street. While I knew it would not hold up forever, I wasn’t too worried. The New Year was coming and, after months of complaining to my dad, I was confident that a BMX would appear.
On the New Year, I was disappointed to see Martin playing at the end of our street on what was clearly a brand-new BMX. As we entered the house, my eyes were drawn to where my presents were piled up. There was a bike. A purple Raleigh Chopper. You see, in the week before the New Year, my dad just happened to be drinking in the local working men’s club with Martin’s dad, who was eager to sell an old bike after buying his son a new one.
It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that we were in that same working men’s club and I reminded my dad of that year, the year of Martin Ogley’s Chopper. I thought he wouldn’t remember the whole thing, but he did. And so I asked him the question: How the hell did I end up with Martin Ogle’s Chopper? And my dad smiled and said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, “Well, because you were mean to Martin.”
1.Why did the writer join the kids in treating Martin badly?
A.To protect Martin. B.To be friends with them.
C.To get Martin’s bike. D.To avoid being the focus.
2.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined words “hold up”?
A.Work. B.Stop. C.Fail. D.Stay.
3.How did the writer’s father get the purple bike?
A.He bought it from the market. B.He got it from Martin’s father.
C.He asked Martin to give it away. D.He exchanged it with his friend.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How did the speaker feel before his first interview?
A.Very confident. B.Very nervous. C.Very impatient.
2.Where did the speaker take up his first part-time job?
A.In middle school. B.In high school. C.In college.
3.What made the speaker want to be an engineer?
A.Helping at McDonald’s.
B.Serving at a coffee shop.
C.Working at a building company.
4.What is the speaker’s secret to success?
A.He met lots of people.
B.He had work experience.
C.He developed good study habits.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What will the woman do first when summer starts?
A.Go on a trip. B.Work. C.Buy a car.
2.How long will the man stay at college?
A.One year. B.Two years. C.Three years.
3.What can the woman enjoy in July?
A.A comedy show. B.A sports match. C.A concert.
4.Where did the woman get her tickets?
A.From a radio show. B.From the ticket office. C.From a friend.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How does the woman feel about going back to school?
A.Nervous. B.Happy. C.Excited.
2.What does the new school have?
A.Two huge computer rooms. B.An outdoor swimming pool.
C.A playground with artificial grass.
3.What course will the woman probably choose?
A.Drawing. B.Dancing. C.Acting.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How long will their holiday probably last?
A.Four days. B.Five days. C.Nine days.
2.What is the woman especially interested in about Thailand?
A.The national park. B.The climate. C.The food.
