Millions of U.S. college students will have to shoulder more of the cost of their education under federal rules imposed late las

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问题     Millions of U.S. college students will have to shoulder more of the cost of their education under federal rules imposed late last month through a bureaucratic adjustment requiring neither Congressional approval nor public comment of any kind. The changes, only a slight alteration in the formula governing financial aid, are expected to diminish the government’s contribution to higher education by hundreds of millions of dollars, starting in the autumn of 2004. But they will also have a ripple effect across almost every level of financial aid, shrinking the pool of students who qualify for federal awards, tightening access to billions of dollars in state and institutional grants, and heightening the reliance on loans to pay for college.
    How much money this may require of students and their parents will vary widely, changing with each family’s set of circumstances. Some families may be expected to pay an extra $100 or less each year, while others may owe well over $1,000 more. While many college administrators characterized the change as a backdoor way to cut education spending, without public discussion, the Department of Education said it was simply executing its responsibilities under federal law.
    Whether furnished by colleges, states or the federal government, the vast majority of the nation’s $90 billion in financial aid is dictated by a single, intricate equation known as the federal need analysis. Its purpose is to make out how much of a family’s income is truly discretionary(自由支配的), and therefore fair game for covering college expenses. Much like the federal income tax, the formula allows families to deduct some of what they pay in state and local taxes. But, this year, the department significantly reduced that amount, in some cases cutting it in half. On paper, at least, that leaves families with more money left over to pay for college, even though state and local taxes have gone up over the last year, not down.
    In the 2004-2005 academic year, when the changes first take effect, parents who earn $50,000 a year may be expected to contribute $700 or so beyond what they are already paying, according to an independent analysis conducted by a consulting firm that helps universities set enrollment and aid. Those earning about $25,000 may owe only an extra $165 or less, while families earning $80,000 could be expected to pay an additional $1,100 or more.

选项 A、chain reaction
B、cumulative effect
C、immediate response
D、long-lasting impact

答案A

解析 ripple effect出现在文章第一段最后一句But they will also have a ripple effect across almost every level of financial aid,shrinking…, tightening…, and heightening…三个分词短语解释了ripple effect,并从every level…也可以判断ripple effect指的是许多的影响,涉及到各个层次,四个选项中最能表达这一含义的是A. chain reaction“连锁反应”。
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