单选题 Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.
The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that were aired during the show in 2004.
Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it"s something I believe in." The top Democrat on the House Education Committee, Rep. George Miller of California, called the contract "a very questionable use of taxpayers"money" that is "probably illegal".
The contract, detailed in documents obtained by USA TODAY through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows that the Education Department, through the Ketchum public relations firm, arranged with Williams to use contacts with America"s Black Forum, a group of black broadcast journalists, "to encourage the producers to periodically address" NCLB. He persuaded radio and TV personality Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice. Harvey"s manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances.

单选题 We know from this passage that Mr. Armstrong Williams was, at the time when the story went public, all the following EXCEPT ______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查事实细节。根据文章第二段...commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that were aired during the show in 2004.中可以看出Armstrong Williams和政府的关系是合同关系，他并不担任任何政府官职。

单选题 From the context, the word "pundit" underlined in Paragraph 1 is probably similar to all the following terms EXCEPT ______.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查词义辨析。pundit“博学者，评论员”；bandit“强盗”；journalist“新闻记者”；anchorman“新闻节目主播”；commentator“评论员，讲解员”。由此可以看出，答案是A。

单选题 A "nationally syndicated television show" underlined in Paragraph 1 is most possibly a TV show that ______.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查短语辨析。根据文章第一段“...the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.”可知，B项和nationally syndicated television show的意思最接近。所以，答案是B。

单选题 As mentioned in the passage, Rod Paige was certainly ______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查词义辨析。将解题点定位于第二段最后一句“...Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that were aired during the show in 2004.”，Secretary首字母大写表官职，表示“部长，大臣”。所以，答案是D。

单选题 Obviously, the word "arrangement" underlined in Paragraph 3 refers to the fact that ______.

单选题 "The top Democrat on the House Education Committee, Rep. George Miller of California" means that Mr. George Miller is ______.

A、 from the State of California, a representative of his state at the House of Representatives, and a Republican Party member, and he sits on the Education Committee of the House of Representatives of the United States of America
B、 a Republican representative from the State of California, a representative of the House of Representatives of the USA to the State of California, and the top Democrat on the Education Committee of the House of Representatives
C、 a representative of the State of California to the House of Representatives of the United States of America, a member of the Democratic Party, and a member on the Education Committee of the House of Representatives
D、 a top Democrat representing George Miller from the State of California, a Republican Party member at the House of Representatives, and a member of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives of the United States of America

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查事实细节。通过题干中的Democrat一词可知，George Miller属于民主党，四个选项中只有C项提到民主党，故C项正确；又A、B、D项都提到共和党，故均可排除。所以，答案是C。

单选题 According to the passage, "No Child Left Behind (NCLB)" was most possibly a new ______.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查事实细节。根据文章第一段“Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.”和第二段第一句“The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind...”可以推出，NCLB和the law是指的同一个事情，所以，NCLB指的是法律。故答案是A。

单选题 The "contract" appearing in Paragraph 4 is quite likely referring to ______.

A、 an arrangement between USA TODAY and the "Freedom of Information Act"
B、 a commercial agreement between the Bush administration and Mr. Armstrong Williams
C、 an arrangement between the Education Department and the Ketchum public relations company ______.
D、 a volunteer agreement between Mr. Armstrong Williams and the No Child Left Behind effort

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查事实细节。根据文章第一段“...the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit...”可知，the Bush administration和a prominent black pundit之间有一个协议。通过分析可知，pundit指的是Mr. Armstrong Williams。由此推断，contract指的是the Bush administration和Mr. Armstrong Williams之间的协议。所以，答案是B。

单选题 The reason that this story was made known to the public was the fact that ______.

A、 USA TODAY requested Freedom of Information Act to act on its behalf
B、 Freedom of Information Act requested USA TODAY to act on its behalf
C、 USA TODAY managed to obtain copies of the documents that contained the contract
D、 Freedom of Information Act so stated that USA TODAY was able to obtain the documents

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查推理判断。根据文章第四段第一句“The contract, detailed in documents obtained by USA TODAY through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows that...”可知，协议是《今日美国》通过《自由情报法》请求获得。所以，答案是D。

单选题 The "appearances" at the end of the passage refer to ______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查推理判断。根据文章最后两句“He persuaded radio and TV personality Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice. Harvey"s manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances.”可知，appearances指的是上文中出现的“Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice”这件事。所以，答案是C。