Ⅰ.阅读理解
In most developed countries the government provides free education for children because it realizes that educated citizens are useful to the country in their later life. Most countries also have private (私立的) education. This means that parents can pay to send their children to certain schools. People who agree with this system say that it gives parents a larger choice of schools. Other people think that private schools give the children who go to them an unfair advantage over other children.
At the age of three, many children go to nursery school. Two or three years later, they enter a primary school. At the age of 11 they go to a secondary school. Then they may have a chance of continuing their studies at a university or college.
Universities and colleges are places where some young people go to continue their education after leaving school. Most university students study one main subject, though they may also study a number of others. Teaching is usually by lectures, or by discussions between a lecturer and students.
Most students stay at university for three or four years. At the end of that, they take an examination. If they pass, they receive their Bachelor's degree, usually a BA, which is short for Bachelor of Arts, or a BS for Bachelor of Science. Some students study for several more years in order to get higher degree, such as a MA or a PhD.
Most university courses don't train students to do a certain job. Colleges, on the other hand, usually teach skills which enable students to follow a career (职业), such as clothing design, or business studies.
语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了发达国家教育方面的信息。
1．The passage mainly tells us ________.
A．something about the private schools in developed countries
B．how developed countries pay attention to education
C．some general information about education in developed countries
D．why education is important
解析：选C 主旨大意题。文章主要介绍了发达国家教育方面的信息。选C。
2．Why do most developed countries provide free education to children?
A．Because the children don't have money to go to school.
B．Because the government want their citizens to be useful to the country.
C．Because education doesn't cost the country too much money.
D．Because there are not enough private schools.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第一段第一句“In most developed countries ... educated citizens are useful to the country in their later life.”可知选B。
3．In the first paragraph the underlined word “citizens” refer to ________.
A．the cities
B．members of a country
C．the children
D．people who lives in cities
解析：选B 词义猜测题。根据语境可知：受过教育的“公民”以后对国家有利。选B。
4．Which of the following statement is true according to the passage?
A．All the university students study one subject.
B．After studying at the university for three or four years, all the students can get a Bachelor's degree.
C．Students usually receive a master's degree before receiving a Bachelor's degree.
D．Unlike university, colleges usually teach students some useful skills for a career.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据最后一段第二句“Colleges, on the other hand ... or business studies.”可知，学院交给学生一些技能。选D。
