单选题 Education is compulsory, and free for every child in the United States. Most children start school by the age of six.
They attend eight years of elementary school and four years of high school (or secondary school). The money for free public school comes from taxes, and each state is responsible for its own education system. State legislatures set the educational requirements but leave the management of the school in the hands of the local communities. Most states require their children to go to school until a certain age. This age varies from 16 to 18 years according to the law of the individual states. The Federal government contributes funds to the states for additional schools and school services.
After graduation from high school, a student can start his higher education in a two-year college, a four-year college, a university, or a specialized professional school—either public or private. Most colleges admit students on the basis of their high school records. The cost of a college is expensive in private universities, but it is much less in those supported by states and cities. Many students receive scholarships from the schools, the government, or private foundations and organizations. More than 50 percent of the college students work to help pay their college expenses.
Only 2 percent of the population of the country cannot read and write.

单选题 According to the passage, at what age do most children begin studying at school?
A. 18 years old. B. 16 years old.
C. 6 years old. D. 4 years old.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】细节题，见第一段。大多数美国儿童都是六岁开始接受教育的。A)和B)分别是不同州的义务教育的年限，不是开始时间；D)四岁过于年幼。

单选题 Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Children study 12 years before they can start their higher education.
B. Free public school has to pay taxes.
C. Each state manages their schools.
D. All the states require their children to go to school until the age of 18.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】是非题，要找出正确的选项。根据第二段开头所述，美国义务教育包括八年小学教育和四年中学学习，共十二年。错误选项说明：B)文中没有提到公立学校要缴税；C)各州只负责教育系统，学校的管理交给当地社区或团体；D)义务教育年限在不同的州都不一样，可能是18岁，也可能是16岁。

单选题 In the last sentence of the second paragraph, the word "funds" means ______.
A. foundation B. function
C. money D. debts

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】语义题。根据该词前后内容可推断联邦政府给各个州拨款用于新建学校以及学校服务设施的配置。“money”符合题意。A)意思为“基础”；B)意思为“功能”；D)意思是“债务”。

单选题 How do most students pay for their college expenses?
A. With scholarships they received from the school.
B. With the money given by the government.
C. Some private foundations or organizations pay for them.
D. With the money they earn from their part -time work.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】推断题。第三段告诉读者一半以上的美国大学生靠兼职打工挣学费；A)只有部分学生能拿奖学金；B)和C)政府和一些私人机构或团体只提供奖学金。

单选题 According to the passage, how many Americans have little or no education?
A. Two percent of the people in the country.
B. Children under the age of 16.
C. The students who have to work.
D. One third of the population.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】语义题。最后一段显示全国有2%的人口不能读、写，符合题目“have little or no education”。B)16岁以下的孩子可以接受义务教育不可能成文盲；C)“the student”与题意相悖；D)三分之一的比率远大于文章提到的数字。