The school year has fallen by nearly six weeks, from 197 days in 1964 to 156days in 1994,   1   the National Association of Scholars.   2  , most American kindergarten, elementary (初等的) and high school students are   3  to spend 180 days a year in their schools. The   4  of the average class period also has   5   , from more than 57minutes to less than 54,the Association reports.

    “The   6  has to be that students are simply   7  less,” said the director of the Association. “If you count the actual    8  of contact hours, you'll find they are   9   four years in college getting an education that would have taken about    10  years in 1964.”

The universities argue (认为) that they are simply teaching more  11　　 “The traditional idea that learning   12  in the classroom and   13  reading and writing   14  based on seat time is out of date,” said a spokesman for the American Council on Education. “  15  than attending lectures, students now   16  their professors on their computers or use other types of   17  technology, allowing for a shorter school year,” he said. It is very   18  .that, in many schools, they are going to spend   19  time   20  than they used to.

1. A. according to　　  　　  B. by the accordance of  　　 C. following  　　     D. followed

2. A. By comparison  　　　　  B. In particular 　　　　    　　C. Strangely enough  D. As a result

3. A. intended   　　　　  　　B. required 　　　　   　　　　C. requested   　　  D. inquired

4. A. long    　　　　　　　　　　 　　B. length　　　　 　　   　　C. time   　　  　　  D. period

5. A. fallen   　　    　　　　B. declined 　　　　   　　　　C. oppressed   　　  D. lowered

6. A. reason　　 　　　　 　　B. cause    　　　　 　　　　C. conclusion 　　   　　  D. condition

7. A. playing   　　　　    　　B. learning  　　　　  　　　　C. working　　 　　  D. paying

8. A. number　　 　　　　B. times  　　  　　　　　　C. need  　　　　　　    D. arrangement

9. A. spending      　　　　B. given  　　  　　　　　　C. living  　　　　  D. asked

10. A. five　　    　　  　　B. two   　　  　　　　　　C. three 　　   　　  D. six

11. A. quickly   　　　　  　　B. thoroughly  　　　　　　　　   C. wisely   　　　　    D. efficiently

12. A. came　　   　　  　　B. took place　　　　  　　    C. started 　　  　　  D. appeared

13. A. through    　　    　　B. across   　　　　  　　　　C. by the way of     D. with

14. A. questions        　　B. books   　　　　  　　　　C. assignments       D. texts

15. A. Rather  　　  　　　　B. More　　  　　  　　　　C. Less   　　 　　  D. Easier

16. A. chat with    　　 　　B. argue with  　　　　　　 　　C. speak       　　  D. tell

17. A. knowledge  　　   　　B. information   　　　　  　　C. message  　　      D. intelligence

18. A. possibly     　　　　B. probably  　　    　　　　C. lovely      　　  D. likely

19. A. less　　     　　　　B. little　　 　　　　  　　　　C. more　　 　　      D. much more

20. A. at home　　　　    B. in the laboratory 　　　　     C. in the classroom  D. on computer

　　College and university graduations in the United States are arriving earlier each year as the average length of school year gets shorter.

    The school year has fallen by nearly six weeks, from 197 days in 1964 to 156days in 1994,   1   the National Association of Scholars.   2  , most American kindergarten, elementary (初等的) and high school students are   3  to spend 180 days a year in their schools. The   4  of the average class period also has   5   , from more than 57minutes to less than 54,the Association reports.

    “The   6  has to be that students are simply   7  less,” said the director of the Association. “If you count the actual    8  of contact hours, you'll find they are   9   four years in college getting an education that would have taken about    10  years in 1964.”

The universities argue (认为) that they are simply teaching more  11　　 “The traditional idea that learning   12  in the classroom and   13  reading and writing   14  based on seat time is out of date,” said a spokesman for the American Council on Education. “  15  than attending lectures, students now   16  their professors on their computers or use other types of   17  technology, allowing for a shorter school year,” he said. It is very   18  .that, in many schools, they are going to spend   19  time   20  than they used to.

1. A. according to　　  　　  B. by the accordance of  　　 C. following  　　     D. followed

2. A. By comparison  　　　　  B. In particular 　　　　    　　C. Strangely enough  D. As a result

3. A. intended   　　　　  　　B. required 　　　　   　　　　C. requested   　　  D. inquired

4. A. long    　　　　　　　　　　 　　B. length　　　　 　　   　　C. time   　　  　　  D. period

5. A. fallen   　　    　　　　B. declined 　　　　   　　　　C. oppressed   　　  D. lowered

6. A. reason　　 　　　　 　　B. cause    　　　　 　　　　C. conclusion 　　   　　  D. condition

7. A. playing   　　　　    　　B. learning  　　　　  　　　　C. working　　 　　  D. paying

8. A. number　　 　　　　B. times  　　  　　　　　　C. need  　　　　　　    D. arrangement

9. A. spending      　　　　B. given  　　  　　　　　　C. living  　　　　  D. asked

10. A. five　　    　　  　　B. two   　　  　　　　　　C. three 　　   　　  D. six

11. A. quickly   　　　　  　　B. thoroughly  　　　　　　　　   C. wisely   　　　　    D. efficiently

12. A. came　　   　　  　　B. took place　　　　  　　    C. started 　　  　　  D. appeared

13. A. through    　　    　　B. across   　　　　  　　　　C. by the way of     D. with

14. A. questions        　　B. books   　　　　  　　　　C. assignments       D. texts

15. A. Rather  　　  　　　　B. More　　  　　  　　　　C. Less   　　 　　  D. Easier

16. A. chat with    　　 　　B. argue with  　　　　　　 　　C. speak       　　  D. tell

17. A. knowledge  　　   　　B. information   　　　　  　　C. message  　　      D. intelligence

18. A. possibly     　　　　B. probably  　　    　　　　C. lovely      　　  D. likely

19. A. less　　     　　　　B. little　　 　　　　  　　　　C. more　　 　　      D. much more

20. A. at home　　　　    B. in the laboratory 　　　　     C. in the classroom  D. on computer