Unit 1
A篇
In ancient times, the most important examinations were spoken, not written. In the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, testing usually consisted of saying poetry aloud or giving speeches.
In the European universities of the Middle Ages, students who were working for the advanced degrees had to discuss questions in their field of study with people who had made a special study of the subject. This custom exists today as part of the process of testing candidates for the doctor’s degree.
Generally, however, modern examinations are written. The written examination, where all students are tested on the same questions, was probably not known until the 19th century. Perhaps it came into existence with the great increa in population and the development of modern industry. A room full of candidates for a state examination, timed exactly by electr
ic clocks and carefully watched over by managers, rembles a group of workers at an automobile factory. Certainly, during examinations, teachers and students are expected to act like machines.
One type of test is sometimes called an objective test. It is intended to deal with facts, not personal opinions. To make up an objective test, the teacher writes a ries of questions, each of which has only one correct answer. Along with each question, the teacher writes the correct answer and also three statements that look like answers to students who have not learned the material properly.
New words
ancient: a. 古老的
field: n. 领域
candidate: n. 攻读学位者；候选人
remble: v. 像，与…相似
properly: ad. 正确地；完全地
Activity 1:
Choo the best answer to each question according to the passage.
1. In ancient times, students _______.
A. were tested in written forms B. were tested in spoken forms
C. only specialized in one subject D. were timed by electric clocks
2. Paragraph 3 is mainly about ______.
A. workers now take exams
B. the industry has developed quickly
C. there are only written exams today
D. exams are now written and timed
3. The kind of exams where students must lect the only one correct answer is _____.
A. subjective B. spoken C. objective D. written
4. Modern industry must have developed ________.
A. around the 19th century
B. in Greece or Rome
C. before the Middle Ages
D. machines to take tests and time them
5. To test students objectively, testing _______.
A. should test only personal opinions
B. should always be only one correct answer
C. has changed since ages ago
D. will never change again
Activity 2
Take turns to ask and answer the following questions.
1.What did testing consist of in ancient Greece?
2.In what occasion does discussing questions in the field of study be ud today?
3.What’s the general type of modern examination?
4.What’s the probable reason of written examination coming into being?
5.Is the objective test dealt with facts or personal opinions?
Activity 3
Read the passage carefully and fill in the blanks with the proper words or phras. Then try to recite it. (No more than three words)
In ancient times the most important 1 were spoken, not written. In the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, testing usually consisted of 2 aloud or giving speeches. In the European universities of the Middle Ages, students who were working for the 3 had to discuss questions in their field of study with people who had made a special study of the 4 . This 5 exists today as part of the process of testing candidates for the doctor’s degree.
Answers
Activity 1
1. B 2. D 3. C 4. A 5. B
Activity 2
1.Testing consisted of saying poetry aloud or giving speeches.
2.Discussing questions can be ud as part of the process of testing candidates for the doctor’s degree.
3.Written examination.
4.It came into existence as the result of the increa in population and the development of modern industry.
5.It is dealt with facts.
Activity 3
1. examinations
2. saying poetry
3. advanced degrees
4. subject
5. custom
B篇
Most of us grow up taking certain things for granted. We tend to assume that experts and religious leaders tell us “the truth”. We tend to believe that things advertid on television or in newspapers can't be bad for us.
However, encouragement of critical thinking in students is one of the goals of most colleges and universities. Few professors require students to share the professors' own beliefs. In general, professors are more concerned that students learn to question and critically examine the arguments of others, including some of their own beliefs or values. This does not mean that professors insist that you change your beliefs, either. If does mean, however, professors will usually ask you to support the views you express in class or in your writing.
