The high school diploma (文凭) is losing its value quickly, as a growing number of students

The high school diploma (文凭) is losing its value quickly, as a growing number of students graduate (毕业) from school without the math and reading skills that colleges and companies require, according to a new report.
The high school graduation exams that most states (州) require students to pass before they graduate remain far too easy. Most of the exams generally test eighth-or ninth-grade level work.
Today, even high school graduates who are going to have blue-collar (蓝领) jobs need to study the math, research and writing courses. But in high school, only students who are going to college are now required to take these courses.
“If you want a good job with a good pay, it’s a high-skill job,” said Michael Cohen, a leading member of the America Diploma Project.
The project suggests that all graduates master a wide range (范围) of skills. “A high school diploma should mean something to a company and university,” said Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, who is Achieve’s co-chairman.
In Taft’s state, about 30% students who go directly to college from high school have to take remedial classes of English or math, he said. It’s easy to see that the present high-school graduating standards are not preparing students for college education.
And with high-skilled jobs increasingly headed overseas to places like India and Ireland, states need to act, he said.
To prove why math and reading skills matter, the report includes real-life examples of problems students meet in college and that workers must solve each day on the job. ?
Some states are taking actions to upgrade the high school diploma. In Texas, all high school students, starting with the 2008 graduating class, will have to take the college-prep curriculum (大学预备课程) - unless a parent agrees to an easier course load. Other states are planning similar moves.
The report includes examples of reading and math skills that high-school students should have. Project leaders say they hope parents will use those examples to judge (评定) the coursework at their kids’ high schools.
【小题1】Why is the high school diploma losing its value quickly?A．Because the number of high school students is growing fast.B．Because high school students fail to reach the standards.C．Because the graduation tests are easier than it should be.D．Because difficult courses are not required in high schools.【小题2】Remedial classes in Paragraph 6 mean classes .A．for good learners to study quickly and betterB．for slower learners weak in the subjectC．for learners to be taught one by oneD．for learners to reach a higher standard【小题3】What can we learn from the passage?A．Colleges require higher math and reading skills than companies.B．It is easier for companies to find high-skilled workers in India.C．Math and reading skills help little for workers to solve daily problems.D．Parents ask high schools to offer college-prep curriculum in Texas.【小题4】What can be the best title for the passage?A．High School Diploma Means LittleB．Give Students More High-skill JobsC．Math and Reading Skills Really MatterD．Judge Coursework at High SchoolsC

(答案→)C 解析：这篇文章主要讲的是随着高中毕业人数的增加，而毕业考试又太容易，如今高中文凭贬值非常快。【小题1】细节题。根据文章The high school graduation exams that most states (州) require students to pass before they graduate remain far too easy.可知，因为毕业考试比它应该的要容易的多。所以，高中文凭贬值很快。故选C【小题2】推断题。根据文章In Taft’s state, about 30% students who go directly to college from high school have to take remedial classes of English or math,可知，remedial classes的意思是为那些学习薄弱的学生开设的课程。故选B【小题3】根据文章And with high-skilled jobs increasingly headed overseas to places like India and Ireland, states need to act可知，在印度，公司很容易找到一个高技能工人。故选B【小题4】主旨题。这篇文章主要讲的是如今高中文凭几乎没有什么价值。故选A

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