Section I Reading Comprehension(40 points) 囚 Read the passage.Then answer the questions that follow.(5 points each) A Even though education is compulsory for children in the United States.it is not compulsory for them to go to a conventional school to get that education.In every one of the 50 states,it is legal for parents to educate their children at home,or to"home school"their children.Although no state requires parents to have special training to home school their children,the regulations parents must follow vary widely from state to state.New Jersey,for example,imposes virtually no requirements.In contrast,New York requires home schoolers to notify their school districts,file instructional plans and frequent reports,and submit the results of tests or other forms of assessment for each child. B Increasing numbers of American families have been opting for home schooling. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics,about 1.1 million children were being home schooled in the spring of 2003.This represents an increase from the 850,000 who were being home schooled in the spring of 1999.In addition,the home-schooling rate-the percentage of the school-age population that was being home schooled-increased from 1.7 percent in 1999 to 2.2 percent in 2003. A survey conducted in 2003 asked parents to give their most important reasons for home schooling their children.Thirty-one percent cited concerns about the environment in conventional schools,including safety,drugs,or negative peer pressure.Thirty percent said that the most important reason was to provide religious or moral instruction.Sixteen percent said that the most important reason was dissatisfaction with academic instruction at conventional schools.Parents gave other reasons,too;for instance,many said that they wanted to strengthen family bonds or allow their children more freedom. 1356Section 1 Reading Comprehension (40 points) Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow. (5 points each) A Even though education is compulsory for children in the United States. it is not compulsory for them to go to a conventional school to get that education. In every one of the 50 states,it is legal for parents to educate their children at home , or to"home school"their chilaren. Although no state requires parents to have special training to home school their children , the regulations parents must follow vary widely from state to state. New J ersey , for example ,imposes virtually no requirements. In contrast ,New York requires home schoolers to notify their school districts, file instructional plans and frequent reports, and submit the results of tests or other forms of assessment for each child. B Increasing numbers of American families have been opting for home schooling. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, about 1. 1 million children were being home schooled in the spring of 2003. This represents an increase from the 850 ,000 who were being home schooled in the spring of 1999. In addition , the home-schooling rate-the percentage of the school-age population that was being home schooled increased from 1. 7 percent in 1999 to 2.2 percent in 2003. C A survey conducted in 2003 asked parents to give their most important reasons for home schooling their children. Thirty-one percent cited concerns about the environment in conventional schools, incIuding safety , drugs, or negative peer pressure. Thirty percent said that the most important reason was to provide religious or moral instruction. Sixteen percent said that the most important reason was dissatisfaction with academic instruction at conventional schools. Parents gave other reasons, too; for instance , many said that they wanted to strengthen family bonds or allow their children more freedom. 1356