Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 30 to 34.
Perhaps it was his own lack of adequate schooling that inspired Horace Mann to work so hard for the important reforms in education that he accomplished. While he was still a boy, his father and older brother died, and he became responsible for supporting his family. Like most of the children in his town, he attended school only two or three months a year. Later, with the help of several teachers, he was able to study law and became a member of the Massachusetts bar, but he never forgot those early struggles.
While serving in Massachusetts legislature, he signed a historic education bill that set up a state board of education. Without regret, he gave up his successful legal practice and political career to become the first secretary of the board. There he exercised an enormous influence during the critical period of reconstruction that brought into existence the American graded elementary school as substitute for the older distinct school system. Under his leadership, the curriculum was restructured, the school year was increased to a minimum of six months, and mandatory schooling was extended to age sixteen. Other important reforms included the establishment of state normal schools for teacher training, institutes for in-service teacher education, and lyceums for adult education. He was also instrument in improving salaries for teachers and creating school libraries.
Mann’s ideas about school reform were developed and distributed in twelve annual reports to the state of Massachusetts that he wrote during his tenure as secretary of education. Considered quite radical at the time, the Massachusetts reforms later served as a model for the nation. Mann was recognized as the farther of public education.
The word “struggles” in line 5 could best be replaced by _______.
A. valuable experiences
B. happy situations
C. influential people
D. difficult times
Đáp án D
Kiến thức: Đọc hiểu
Giải thích:
struggle (n): khó khăn thử thách
A. những kinh nghiệm đáng giá
B. những tình huống vui vẻ
C. những con người có sức ảnh hưởng
D. những thời điểm khó khăn
=> struggles = difficult times
Thông tin: Later, with the help of several teachers, he was able to study law and became a member of the Massachusetts bar, but he never forgot those early struggles.
Tạm dịch: Sau này, được một số thầy cô giáo giúp đỡ, ông có điều kiện học luật và trở thành một thành viên của tòa án bang Massachusetts, nhưng ông không bao giờ quên được những khó khăn thời nhỏ.