Upon the creation of the United Sta

Upon the creation of the United State, one of the core concepts on which the hopes for the new democracy were pinned was the ideal that its citizens would be enlightened individuals with clearly articulated rights and the opportunity for individual achievement and education. It was believed that in a free nation where the power belongs to the people, the commitment to education defines the progress of that democracy and is the catalyst for future progress. This core value has not only stood the test of time but has also grown in importance. In this new
Information Era and international economy, education is an increasingly vital commodity, a precursor of potential success and a driving force of chance. It is importance to recognize, however, that we approach education today differently than in the past, partly because the kinds of jobs people had didn’t require the kind of basic education and specialized training that is often required in the workforce today. In the 1950s, for instance, only 20 percent of
American jobs were classified as professional, 20 percent as skilled; and 60 percent as unskilled. Today, our world has changed. The proportion of unskilled jobs has fallen to 20 percent, while jobs now account for at least 60 percent of the workforce. Even more important, almost every job today increasingly requires a combination of academic knowledge and practical skills that require learning throughout a lifetime.
51. Education is defined in this passage as a driving force of chance because _________
A. without education, no changes could have happened in American society so far.
B. the government of the United States wants to drive social changes in their own ways.
C. education has helped to bring about and orient most changes in the American workforce.
D. any American citizen who wants to changes his driving license must be very well-educated.
52. The passage shows the percentage of jobs that require higher training in the US____ between 1950s and now.
A. has remained the same B. has changed dramatically C. has been reversed D. has changed slightly
53. The phrase “enlightened individuals” in the first sentence most likely means “people who _____.”
A. always appear brilliant-looking in public B. have often been well-exposed to light
C. have acquired an adequate level of education D. bring light to anywhere they go
54. In order to become a good American citizen today, in the author’s point of view, any individual must ____
A. know well all his/her rights and be ready to grasp his/her opportunity of success in life
B. study carefully the history of American educational and vocational systems even since their creation
C. understand thoroughly the combination of academic knowledge and practical skills
D. move actively forward in the new Information Era and international economy with a prestigious diploma
55. Which of the following titles would be best for the passage?
A. Education and Jobs in the Past and at Present in the United States.
B. The Significant Role of Education in American Citizens’ Careers
C. Academic Knowledge and Practical Skills in American Professions
D. Recent Changes of Educational and Vocational Systems in America