You see them in the halls, in a daze, walking toward their classes. Their faces are pale with tiredness；their backs are bent under the weight of a dozen textbooks. They are the ones struggling to hold back a yawn during class, the ones crazily rereading their notes on the nature of light.
They are the few, the chosen. They are the AP(Advanced Placement) students. The truth is that honors students are no longer a select few. Over half of students hoping to enter colleges will take AP classes, and of these, most take at least two. The AP system makes them believe that their college success depends on taking as many advanced courses as possible, but is it really worth it? “On average, I spend three to four hours each day on homework，” says one high school student, who is taking five AP classes.
With increasing pressure to apply for AP courses, not only for college credit but also for the weighted GPA(Grade Point Average), it is no wonder that students often find their grades suffering and their stress levels increasing. In reality, AP courses have become mere trophies(奖杯), adding little to the competitive college application.
One of the major disadvantages in the AP system is that every class is shaped for a standardized test. The result is that comprehensive learning is replaced by test preparation, with teachers spending the most time on topics likely to appear on the AP exam. “It would be nice to sit back and learn for the sake of learning, not just to get a five on the test in May.” says one high school student.
And just because a student receives a high grade on the AP test does not mean he or she will receive college credit. Many universities now don’t consider an AP class in high school can replace an actual undergraduate collegelevel class, which is usually a threehour, lecturebased course with changing degrees of homework. Perhaps more high schools should consider offering their students the opportunity to take actual college courses through the local university.
【解题导语】 许多高中学生在进入大学前为了能够在成绩上获得优势会选修大学先修课程。但是这种课程真的能够帮助学生学到知识吗？
1．Who are more likely to take AP classes?
A．College students.
B．Employees who want to improve themselves.
C．Teachers who intend to guide their students.
D．High school students who want to apply for universities.
D 解析：细节理解题。根据第二段的Over half of students hoping to enter colleges will take AP classes, and of these, most take at least two.以及下文内容可知，选修AP课程的多数为报考大学的高中生。
2．What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A．Students who take AP courses are poor in study.
B．It is very difficult for students to apply for AP courses.
C．The role of AP courses in applying for colleges is small.
D．Students take AP courses only to win more trophies.
C 解析：推理判断题。根据第三段的AP courses have become mere trophies(奖杯), adding little to the competitive college application.可知，AP课程在竞争激烈的大学申请中起到的作用很小。
3．What is the author’s concern about AP system?
A．It would add more homework to students.
B．It is too expensive for students to afford it.
C．It aims for the tests but not for a wideranging knowledge.
D．It would increase the competition of applying for colleges.
C 解析：细节理解题。根据第四段的One of the major disadvantages in the AP system is that every class is shaped for a standardized test. The result is that comprehensive learning is replaced by test preparation...可知，作者对于AP系统的忧虑是：它只是为考试做准备的，而不是以教给学生更多的知识为目的。
4．What is the most colleges’ attitude to the AP system?
A．Supportive. B．Negative.
C．Uninterested. D．Worried.
B 解析：观点态度题。根据最后一段的Many universities now don’t consider an AP class in high school can replace an actual undergraduate collegelevel class...可知，现在许多大学认为AP课程无法替代大学阶段的课程，因而可以看出，许多大学对AP课程的态度是消极的。
