Passage 4
We are all interested in equality, but while some people try to protect the school examination system in the name of equality, others, still in the name of equality, want only to destroy it.
Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils. The standards may be changed—no examination is perfect—but to have no tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards. There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in examinations or in any controls in school or on teachers. This would mean everything would depend on luck since every pupil would depend on the values and the purpose of each teacher.
Without examinations, employers will look for employees from the highly respected schools and from families known to them—a form of favoritism will replace equality. At the moment, the bright child from an ill-respected school can show certificates to prove he is suitable for a job, while the lack of a certificate indicates the unsuitability of a dull child attending a well-respected school. This defense of excellence and opportunity would disappear if examinations were taken away, and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his school’s reputation, unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored school.
The opponents of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils. According to these people, there must be no special, different academic class. They have even suggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area: all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection. The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computer.
1. The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to ______.
A. equality
B. the society
C. the school
D. the examination system
2. Those who support examinations believe that without examinations, ______.
A. there will be no equality nor standards
B. the bright child will have no opportunity
C. the employers will favor the dull child
D. schools for bright children would lose their reputation
3. The word “favoritism” in paragraph 3 is used to describe the phenomenon that ______.
A. bright children usually get better jobs
B. poor children with certificates are favored in job markets
C. children attending ordinary schools achieve great success
D. children from well-respected schools will have good jobs
4. Those who are against the examination system will agree that ______.
A. pupils shouldn’t be divided into “the bright” and “the dull”
B. special classes are necessary to keep the school standards
C. school reputation is important in the job market
D. family background is important in the job market
5. The passage mainly focuses on ______.
A. schools and certificates
B. examinations and equality
C. opportunity and employment
D. standards and reputation
1.【答案】D
【解析】根据第一段We are all interested in equality, but while some people try to protect the school examination system in the name of equality, others, still in the name of equality, want only to destroy it. 我们都对平等感兴趣，但是当一些人试图以平等的名义保护学校考试制度时，另一些人，仍然以平等的名义，只想破坏它。有些人赞成考试制度的, 相反, 另外一些人反对考试制度。此处省略的是前文提到的考试制度.
2.【答案】A
【解析】根据第二段第二句The standards may be changed-no examination is perfect-but to have no tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards.标准可能会改变—没有考试是完美的—但是没有考试就意味着平等和标准的终结。可知,没有了考试制度却会宣告了平等和标准的死亡.
3.【答案】D
【解析】根据第三段大意和第三段末句the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his school’s reputation, unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored school.来自贫困家庭的聪明孩子就会沦为学校声誉的囚徒，无法与来自受青睐学校的孩子竞争就业机会。可知, 如果没有了考试制度, 差学校的好学生会被学校的声誉所影响.也就是雇主会依靠学校的好坏来决定是否雇佣。
4.【答案】A
【解析】根据第四段首句The opponents of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils.考试制度的反对者认为考试是一种邪恶的力量，因为考试显示了学生之间的差异。可知, 反对者认为考试制度会将学生分为不同等级。
5.【答案】B
【解析】从第一段和最后一段就能看出，中心词是考试制度，文章大意讲的是考试制度的利弊与平等的关系。
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