20．Less than 60percent of students now entering four-year American colleges are likely to graduate．The completion rate is lower for almost any other wealthy country，and worst for poor and minority students．
On Tuesday President Obama gave a nationally broadcast speech to students about the importance of staying in school．He spoke on the first day of classes at a high school in Virginia．He talked about personal responsibility，and used himself as an example of someone who overcame difficulties．
"My father left my family when I was two years old，and I was raised by a single mother who had to work and struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give me things other kids had．There were times when I missed having a father in my life．There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn't fit in，"said President Obama．
But he told students that problems in their own lives should not stop them from learning．"There's no excuse for talking back to your teacher，or cutting class or dropping out of school．There's no excuse for not trying．"
This was not the first presidential speech to students．Ronald Reagan spoke from the White House in 1998and George H．W．Bush spoke from a school in Washington in 1991．
But many conservatives criticized plans for the speech．Some called it"socialized education"or federal interference in local schools．Others feared it would be too political．Some schools decided not to show the speech．But the White House released the text on Monday，and that calmed a lot of critics．
On Sunday，on the CBS program"Face the Nation"，Education Secretary Arne Duncan said，"30percent of students do not graduate from our school"．He called the dropout rate"staggering"（惊人的）．It represents more than a million students every year who entered ninth grade but did not complete 12th grade．
29．President Obama gave a nationally broadcast speech on Tuesday toD．
A．encourage students to drop out when they dislike studies
B．criticize the students who talked back to their parents
C．tell the students how he struggled to go to school in his childhood
D．persuade students to stick to schooling even if they have problems
30．Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？C
A．Obama's mother left him when he was two years old．
B．George H． W．Bush spoke to students i 1998．
C．Some people considered Obama's speech to be too political．
D．The White House decided not to release the text on Monday．
31．It can be inferred from the passage thatB．
A．there is 40percent of dropout in high school
B．not all the people support the president's speech
C．the dropout rate of American schools is low
D．only one million students can finish 12th grade each year
32．The best title of the passage can be"A"．
A．Obama Encourages Students to Carry on Studies
B．Amazing Dropout Rate of the US
C．Obama's Speech Met Criticism
D．Obama's Hard Childhood．
分析 本文属于说明文阅读，作者通过这篇文章主要向我们描述了奥巴马总统周二的讲话是要劝说学生们即使生活中出现了问题，也不应该放弃学习．
解答 29．D．细节理解题．根据第二段第一句On Tuesday President Obama gave a nationally broadcast speech to students about the importance of staying in school以及第四段第一句可知，奥巴马总统周二的讲话是要劝说学生们即使生活中出现了问题，也不应该放弃学习；故选D．
30．C．细节理解题．根据倒数第二段第三句He talked about personal responsibility，and used himself as an example of someone who overcame difficulties可知有些人认为奥巴马的讲话过于政治化；故选C．
31．B．推理判断题．根据倒数第二段保守派的批评言论But many conservatives criticized plans for the speech．Some called it"socialized education"or federal interference in local schools可推断出，不是所有的人都支持总统的讲话；故选B．
32．A．主旨大意题．文章是围绕周二奥巴马的讲话展开的，首先排除A、D两项；文章用大量的篇幅介绍了奥巴马的讲话内容，即鼓励学生学习．故答案选A．
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
