I often speak of our district’s performance data with sadness. The situation for our city’s children is terrible. Yet while I acknowledge the seriousness of the work we face, I want to be clear about something: I do not blame teachers for the low achievement levels.
I have talked with too many teachers to believe this is their fault. I have watched them pour their energy into engaging every student. I know they are working furiously in a system that for many years has not appreciated them—sometimes not even paying them on time or providing textbooks. Those who categorically blame teachers for the failures of our system are simply wrong.
Rather, teachers are the solution to the vexing problems facing urban education.
In the coming weeks, we will submit a final proposal for a new teacher contract. Through it and other reforms, we can create, together, the most effective educator force in the country. Our key goals:
A growth model of achievement. Many teachers inherit classes of students who are far behind academically. Yet some teachers, even with minimal support, move their students two to three grade levels ahead in a year. Teachers will not be evaluated on an absolute measure but on how far they take their students.
Protection from arbitrary firings. Some teachers are concerned a principal may want to fire them for reasons unrelated to performance. While principals who do this risk their own jobs (firing effective teachers is a sure way to lower school achievement), we will ensure protections for teachers. We need a fair and transparent process, free from bias and haste, designed with teachers’ input.
Professional development and support. Teachers have told me that many of their hesitations about the contract center on the pressures that teachers face: “What if my school does not support me? What if I am working my tail off and I still have weeks when my patience is thin and things beyond my control are causing problems?”
Our proposal will provide a framework to navigate these questions with strong programs to support and develop teachers as professionals. Neither will we forget the small things that can weigh down great teachers. For example, we want to reimburse those who buy supplies for their classrooms or use their cell phones to call students and families. We want to compensate teachers when they cover classes for others. I was a teacher. I know how these things add up.
21. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
22. The author’s attitude toward the present educational system is ______.
23. By “a growth model of achievement”, the author probably means that ______.
24. Under which condition can a principal fire a teacher?
25. The proposal to be submitted by the author and his colleagues will be focused on ______.
问题1选项
A.Teachers are responsible for the students’ low achievements.
B.The city’s educational system has room for improvement.
C.Children nowadays are becoming more and more naughty.
D.City authorities have blamed teachers in a wrong way.
问题2选项
A.appreciative
B.indifferent
C.ironic
D.critical
问题3选项
A.principals’ support should be taken into consideration
B.students’ achievements should be an absolute measure
C.teachers should be evaluated by their students’ progress
D.the extensiveness of teachers’ knowledge is important
问题4选项
A.If he/she performs poorly.
B.If his/her students have bad achievements.
C.If there is an ample supply of teachers.
D.If he/she risks his/her own job.
问题5选项
A.teachers
B.students
C.payments
D.supports
第1题:B
第2题:D
第3题:C
第4题:D
第5题:A
21.【选项释义】
21. Which of the following statements is true according to the text? 21. 根据文章，下列哪个陈述是正确的？
A. Teachers are responsible for the students’ low achievements. A. 学生成绩不好，老师有责任。
B. The city’s educational system has room for improvement. B. 这个城市的教育系统有改进的空间。
C. Children nowadays are becoming more and more naughty. C. 现在的孩子越来越调皮了。
D. City authorities have blamed teachers in a wrong way. D. 市政当局以错误的方式指责教师。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据第二段最后一句“那些把教育系统的失败归咎于教师的人是完全错误的”，以及第三段“相反，教师是城市教育面临的棘手问题的解决方案”，从中可知，城市教育急需要解决现有问题，故推测城市教育系统还需要改进。因此，该题选择B项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项可以定位到原文第一段第三句“……但我想澄清一点：我并不因为成绩低而责怪教师（I do not blame teachers for the low achievement levels）”以及第二段第一句“我和太多的老师谈过，都不相信这是他们的错”可知A选项和原文相悖，属于反向干扰；
C选项没有提到，属于无中生有；
D选项在文中只是提到有人错误地把教育系统的失败归咎于教师，但并没有说这就是市政当局，属于曲解原文。
22.【选项释义】
22. The author’s attitude toward the present educational system is ______. 22. 作者对现行教育制度的态度是______。
A. appreciative A. 赞赏的
B. indifferent B. 冷漠的
C. ironic C. 讽刺的
D. critical D. 批判的
【考查点】观点态度题。
【解题思路】根据一段第二句“我们城市的孩子们的情况很糟糕（terrible）”，以及第二段倒数第二句“我知道，他们在一个多年来不欣赏他们的体系中拼命工作，有时甚至不按时支付薪水或提供教科书”，从terrible和作者对教育体系的描述可知，作者对现行教育制度是批判的态度。因此，选择D项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项与原文相反，属于反向干扰；
B、C选项不符合原文，属于曲解原文。
23.【选项释义】
23. By “a growth model of achievement”, the author probably means that ______. 23. 作者所说的“成就增长模式”可能是指______。
A. principals’ support should be taken into consideration A. 应考虑校长的支持
B. students’ achievements should be an absolute measure B. 学生的成绩应该是一个绝对的衡量标准
C. teachers should be evaluated by their students’ progress C. 教师应该以学生的进步来评价
D. the extensiveness of teachers’ knowledge is important D. 教师知识的广博是重要的
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干中的信息a growth model of achievement定位至第五段：“许多老师所教的班级里的学生在学业上远远落后。然而，一些老师，即使是最基本的帮助，也能在一年内让他们的学生进步两到三个年级水平。教师的评价将不会以绝对的标准来衡量，而是看他们对学生做了多少（how far they take their students）。”，从中可知，该段讲述的“成就增长模式”是指在衡量一个教师的成就时不应该片面地通过学生的学业成绩，而是要以教师为使学生进步所做的事情为判断标准。C选项符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A、D选项在该段没有提到，属于无中生有；
B选项与原文相反，属于反向干扰。
24.【选项释义】
24. Under which condition can a principal fire a teacher? 24. 校长在什么情况下会解雇一名教师？
A. If he/she performs poorly. A. 如果他/她表现不好。
B. If his/her students have bad achievements. B. 如果他/她的学生成绩不好。
C. If there is an ample supply of teachers. C. 如果有充足的教师供应。
D. If he/she risks his/her own job. D. 如果他/她拿自己的工作冒险。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干中的关键信息fire定位至文章第六段，根据第二句“一些教师担心，校长可能会以与他们的表现无关的理由解雇他们”，以及第三句“虽然校长们这样做是在拿自己的工作冒险，解雇有效率的老师肯定会降低学校的成就，但我们会确保教师的保护”，从中可知，校长会以与教师表现无关的理由解雇他们，这是一种冒险；所以我们推断校长解雇教师，是在拿自己的工作冒险的情况下发生的。因此，该题选择D项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项与原文相反，属于反向干扰；
B、C选项都是校长解雇教师的理由，但是不够全面，属于以偏概全。
25.【选项释义】
25. The proposal to be submitted by the author and his colleagues will be focused on ______. 25. 作者和他的同事提交的提议将集中在______上。
A. teachers A. 老师
B. students B. 学生
C. payments C. 支付方面
D. supports D. 支持方面
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干中的关键词proposal可以定位至文章最后一段，第一句提到“我们的建议将提供一个框架，通过强有力的项目来解决这些问题，以支持和发展教师成为专业人员”，可知，提议的目的就是支持和发展教师成为专业人员，所以将集中在老师方面。因此，该题选择A项正确。
【干扰项排除】B、C、D选项没有提到，属于无中生有。
