A、The state government. B、The local communities. C、The federal government. D、The city government. B细节题。浏览选项可知，选项讲到各个政府，考查人物。文中提到

Education is compulsory and free for every child in the United States. There are four stages of its education system: pre-school education, elementary education, secondary education and higher education. 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 schools comes from taxes, and each state is responsible for its own educational system. State governments set the educational requirements by leaving the management of the schools 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 according to the laws of individual states. The American government gives money 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 college education 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 for their college expenses.
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. How many years do the children spend on elementary and high school education in America?
34. Who manages the schools?
35. In what kind of universities is the cost of education less expensive?