单选题 One of the strongest arguments for the raising of the school leaving age ( often referred to by its initials , ROSLA ) has been that it will bring us some way nearer to the ideal of "equality of opportunity."
Many people like to think of our present system of schooling as providing plenty of steps up the ladder of success for clever children. It would be good to think that noone who is really bright can be missed out when the state system is apparently so thorough. It is obvious, for instance, that many children from less wealthy homes reach university or do well in other ways.
Unfortunately we now have plenty of evidence that many children of every level of ability do much less well than they could. For in- stance, during the years of national military service it was possible to test the intelligence of all malelS-20 year olds. Half of those soldiers who were placed in the two highest ability group had left school at 15.
It has also been shown that the percentage of working class children going to university is almost the same now as it was in 1939. One
study of 5 000 children from birth to 21 years old indicated that up to half the bright pupils from working class homes left school when they reached 16 years old. Moreover, there is no difference in intelligence between the sexes, but far more boys than girls stay in education after 16.
It is clear from this and much other evidence that many children are still leaving school too early to benefit from the prizes—money, social respectability, and interesting jobs—which higher education gives. It is clear too that the reasons why such children leave have much to do with their social circumstances. Their parents often need the extra money, another wage-earner would bring in; they do not value education for itself because their own was probably dull and unhappy. It is not so much that they force their sons and daughters to leave school, rather that they tend to say, "It's up to you./

单选题 It is hoped that ROSLA will give all children ______.
A. a more enjoyable time at school
B. the same chance in society
C. higher scores in intelligence tests
D. the right to go to better schools

单选题 People would like to think that ______.
A. those with the least money get the best education
B. intelligent children are always selected by the system
C. equal numbers of poor and wealthy children reach university
D. only really clever children do well

单选题 Working class children are felt to be at a disadvantage because______.
A. more than half leave school when they are 16
B. fewer go to university than ever before
C. many of the clever ones leave school early
D. fewer boys than girls stay at school after 16

单选题 Many children leave school early because ______.
A. they have to contribute something to their family's income
B. their social circumstances make them unhappy
C. their school is a dull and unhappy place
D. Their parents don't allow them to make their own decisions