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The Rapid Development of Advanced Placement Course in the American University is Very Worrying A survey of

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问题             The Rapid Development of Advanced Placement Course
                in the American University is Very Worrying
    A survey of teachers of Advanced Placement courses in American high schools has found that more than half are concerned that the program’s effectiveness is being threatened as districts loosen restrictions on who can take AP courses and as students flock to them to polish their resumes.
    The study, by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, noted the sharp growth in the AP program’s popularity. The number of high school students who took at least one college-level AP course increased by 45 percent, from 2004 to 2008.
    The number of AP exams those students took—with hopes, in part, of gaining exemption from some college class work, depending on how well they scored— increased by 50 percent.
    The study found that the teachers were generally satisfied with the program’s quality. But when they were asked to explain the growing attraction of AP classes and tests, 90 percent attributed it largely to more students who want their college applications to look better. Only 32 percent attribute AP growth to more students who want to be challenged at a higher academic level.
    And according to the study, it is not just the students who are motivated in that way. The researchers also noted teachers’ concerns about high schools’ seeking " to enhance their reputation by showcasing AP". For example, the study found that 75 percent of teachers believed that school administrators were expanding AP courses " to improve their school’s ranking and reputation".
    That the democratization of the AP curriculum has sometimes come at a price was evident in the response of teachers when they were asked if their students were ready and able to handle the work in such courses. More than half said they believed that "too many students overestimate their abilities and are in over their heads". Even more teachers said that "parents push their children into AP classes when they really don’t belong there".
    Fifty-two percent said such courses should be open only to students who could demonstrate that they could handle the work.
    Michael J. Petrilli, a vice President at the Fordham Institute, said he detected a tension within the results, given teachers’ hopes that a generally good program would not be weakened by making it too accessible. In that respect, the findings support Fordham’s general position that the nation’s current focus on raising basic skills sometimes neglects a need for the continued growth and challenging of high-achieving students.
    Trevor Packer, a vice president of the College Board, said he welcomed the report as a means of further illuminating the push pull between "equity and excellence". "We certainly see situations in which AP is provided in classrooms where students haven’t received adequate preparation and got low scores on the exams," Mr. Packer said. "In other situations, though, we see schools providing double the number of seats in AP classrooms they did several years ago, and the average exam scores have increased."
What did teachers say about the students who take AP courses?
选项 A、Many of them were not capable enough to handle such courses.
B、They were highly motivated.
C、They were not academically ambitious.
D、They enrolled in the courses against their own will.
答案A
解析 事实细节题。由题干问句定位到第六段第二句可知，接受调查的教师认为很多学生高估了自己的能力，AP课程对他们而言太难无法应对。[A]与这一内容相符。[B]“他们有很高的积极性”文中没有提到，故排除；[C]“他们对学习没有很高的志向”与第四段末句的内容不相符，由第四段末句可知虽然很多学生是出于实用主义的目的修AP课程的，但仍有一些学生在学习上有更高的要求；[D]“他们报名参加AP课程并非本意”不完全是事实，根据第六段末句可知，一半以上的教师说一些家长在孩子不能适应AP课程的情况下强迫他们来上课，但这只是一种现象而非事实全部，故排除。
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