单选题 The earliest evidence of standardized testing based on merit comes from China during the Han dynasty. The concept of a state ruled by men of ability and virtue was an outgrowth of Confucian philosophy. Standardized testing has not traditionally been a part of European pedagogy. Based on the skeptical and open-ended tradition of debate inherited from Ancient Greece, Western academia favored the essay. The use of standardized testing in the United States is a 20th century phenomenon with its origins in World War I.
One of the main advantages of standardized testing is that the results can be empirically documented ; therefore the test scores can be shown to have a relative degree of validity and reliability, as well as results which are generalizable and replicable. This is often contrasted with grades on a school transcript, which are assigned by individual teachers. Another advantage is aggregation. A well designed standardized test provides an assessment of an individual's mastery of a domain of knowledge or skill which at some level of aggregation will provide useful information.
Though many educators recognize that standardized tests have a place in tools used to assess student achievement, critics feel that overuse and misuse of these tests is having serious negative consequences on teaching and learning. The temptation is to use the tests to define curriculum and focus instruction. What is not tested is not taught, and how the subject is tested becomes a model for how to teach the subject. Moreover, standardized test scores are problematic tools for school accountability because the examinee scores are influenced by three things: what kids learn in school, what kids learn outside of school, and innate intelligence. Critics believe this is not possible. While it is possible to use a standardized test and not let its limits control curriculum and instruction, this can result in a school putting itself at risk for producing lower test scores, with negative political consequences.
Some critics say that some children do not do well on standardized tests, despite mastery of the material, due to testing anxiety or lack of time management or test-taking skills. This reflects the fact that tests cannot directly measure student knowledge, only the ability of students to apply knowledge in a stressful situation.
Some parents are willing to pay thousands of dollars to prepare their children for tests, a financial barrier that may give children of more wealthy parents an advantage compared to less affluent families. However this criticism would probably apply even more to testing alternatives such as portfolios or essays. Many studies also show that test coaching has little effect on scores on well-buih tests. The ability of wealthy families to pay for higher-quality education is not specifically related to standardized testing.

单选题 Which one of the regions does NOT have a long history of standardized testing?
[A] China. [B] Europe.
[C] United States. [D] Africa.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题；在原文的第一段我们可以看到相关信息，A选项在原文是作为“standardized testing”的起源来介绍的，当然有很长的历史，不符合题目的要求。C选项在原文中也作为很早就使用“standardized testing”的例子出现，不能选。D选项则是原文没有明确提到的，属于无关选项。而B选项所涉及的欧洲在原文中是这样表述的，“Standardized testing has not traditionally been a part of European pedagogy”，也就是说B选项是正确答案。

单选题 The standardized testing is advantageous mainly because it is______.
[A] effective and dependable [B] flexible and general
[C] repetitive and responsive [D] skeptical and open-ended

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题；题目中的advantageous帮助我们确定在原文的第二段寻找相关信息。第二段列举了“standardized testing”的诸多优势，对比4个选项，A选项的两个特点原文是通过“validity and reliability”来表达的。B选项在原文找不到相应信息。C选项的“repetitive”在原文中有“replicable”来支持，但是“responsive”找不到相关信息。D选项的表述符合第一段里欧洲的传统，所以是和标准化测试相反的特点，自然不能入选。

单选题 Which one of the following is a statement about the disadvantages of standardized testing?
[A] It will not improve the innate intelligence of the students.
[B] What is not tested is neglected by our education.
[C] It will cause negative political consequences for all schools.
[D] Testing can not control curriculum and instruction.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题；题目中的定位信息是disadvantages，在原文的第三段我们可以找到“critics feel that”这样的信息，A选项的表述在原文中是“the examinee scores are influenced by...innate intelligence”，但批评者是否把这种影响关系反过来推导是原文没有涉及的信息。B选项和原文中“What is not tested is not taught”表达的意思是一致的，为正确选项。C选项的“cause negative political consequences”来自原文，但是“for all schools”这一点在原文中是没有办法论证的。D选项把原文的“While it is possible to use a standardized test and not let its limits control curriculum and instruction”这样的一种让步作为实际情况来写，本来就有偏颇，而且这也不属于题目要求的“disadvantage”的范畴，应该排除。

单选题 Which one of the following factors influencing test scores is NOT criticized by some critics?
[A] A good job in mastering what is tested.
[B] The feeling of anxiety during tests.
[C] Failure to have a good time arrangement.
[D] Skills to get a high score in tests.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题；在原文的第四段，我们可以看到“Some critics say that some children do not do well on standardized tests，despite mastery of the material，due to testing anxiety or lack of time management or test-taking skills”这样的表达，也就是说有些批评标准化测试的人认为有些成绩不好的考生是由于除了A选项所说的对于学习内容的掌握之外，还受到B、C和D选项所提到的这些其他因素的干扰，所以作者要批评的是这些其他的因素，而非对知识的掌握本身。按照反向选择的要求，A选项就是这个题目的正确答案。

单选题 What is the main idea of paragraph 5 ?
[A] We should have more testing alternatives other than standardized ones.
[B] The effectiveness of test coaching varies from student to student.
[C] The wealthy families have the right for better education.
[D] The growing influence of test preparation is also a concern for some.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 段落大意题；第五段提到了家长对于孩子的备考舍得花费大笔的资金，这样导致了备考过程中的不公平等一系列问题以及作者对于一些批评声音的个人观点和态度。比较4个选项，D选项的表述和原文讨论的问题最贴切。A选项不符合原文中“this criticism would probably apply even mote to testing alternatives”这样的观点。B选项所论述的内容在原文中并没有出现，属于无关选项。C选项来自原文“The ability of wealthy families to pay for higher-quality education is not specifically related to standardized testing”这样的表达，但是原文是在就事论事地指出优越的家庭条件导致的对更高质量的教育的追求并不能归咎于标准化测试，而C选项则是主观的态度，认为这些家庭就是有享受更好的教育的权利。