Question

Hockerill’s Suggestion

Caught between the rising cost of university tuition in England and the falling percentage of applicants offered places, one British school is giving its students some surprising advice.

By any measure HockerilI is one of the most successful schools in Britain. Named last month as one of the government’s flagship academies, its students regularly come at or near the top of exam results for the entire country, outperforming such famous names as Eton or Harrow. But unlike those private schools, where fees can exceed ￡28, 000 or ￡45, 000 a year, Hockerill, in the Hertfordshire town, is a state comprehensive, which charges no tuition fees and is forbidden from selecting its students on the basis of academic ability. And while a third of Hockerill’s 830 students are boarders, they are chosen on the basis of need rather than ability to pay.

So when the school’s principal heard of government plans to raise university tuition fees in England to ￡9, 000 a year, he decided to make use of the school’s international focus. urging his students to apply to universities abroad and hiring a counselor（顾问） to help the students who want to apply to universities in countries whose fees are cheaper. “If you can get into a university in France and pay about ￡180 a year for an education at one of the best institutions in the world, why would you pay ￡9, 000 a year in Britain?” the principal asked.

Pupils at Hockerill are offered a choice of seven foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese or Mandarin. History and geography classes are taught exclusively in French or German. But with English rapidly becoming the international language of education, even less linguistically flexible students soon find that going abroad can save them money while enhancing the quality of their education.

“Our students can get to Maastricht in Holland by train more quickly than they can get to Lees from London,” the principal said. Just over the border from Germany and Belgium, Maastricht University offers a highly regarded undergraduate program taught in English. Tuition fees are about ￡1, 430, a year. Germany and France offer even greater savings.

1.What is Hockerill’s suggestion to its students?

A. Learning foreign languages.

B. Picking courses on their basic needs.

C. Applying for less famous universities.

D. Receiving further education outside of UK.

2.We can learn from the passage that Hockerill __________.

A. admits students based on their academic performance

B. provides dormitories to the students in need

C. collects less money than private schools

D. hires counselors for every student

3.What’s Hockerill’s principle’s attitude towards government’s tuition plan?

A. Neutral. B. Supportive.

C. Indifferent. D. Negative.

4.Students choosing Maastricht in Holland will benefit from the followings EXCEPT_________.

A. education quality

B. convenient location

C. flexible program plans

D. lessons taught in English

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：文章主要讲的是英国的教育。HockerilI是英国最成功的学校之一，得知英国政府计划提高大学教育的费用时，该学校的校长建议学生们申请国外的大学。这样既可以节省费用，又能接受良好的高等教育。

1.urging his students to apply to universities abroad and hiring a counselor（顾问） to help the students who want to apply to universities in countries whose fees are cheaper.”可知，Hockerill鼓励学生申请海外的大学，并且聘用顾问来帮助想要留学的学生，故选D。

2.is forbidden from selecting its students on the basis of academic ability”排除A；根据第二段“where fees can exceed ￡28, 000 or ￡45, 000 a year”排除B；根据第三段“hiring a counselor（顾问） to help the students”排除D，故选B。

3.he decided to make use of the school’s international focus...why would you pay ￡9, 000 a year in Britain”可知，Hockerill的校长得知政府的教育计划之后，他把焦点转向了国外，他建议学生报考国外的大学，说明他对政府的涨价计划是不支持的，故选D。

4.Our students can get to Maastricht in Holland by train more quickly than...Maastricht University offers a highly regarded undergraduate program taught in English”可知，荷兰的Maastricht的地理位置优越，Maastricht大学提供高质量的教育项目，并且使用英语教学，故选C。

考点：教育类短文阅读