Fully competitive markets being a philosophical foundation of Britain's recent governments, it was no surprise to hear claims that many educational developments of the 1990s would move us towards a free market in secondary education---giving youngsters and their parents a free choice of where to study. However, the secondary sector did not become particularly competitive while, admittedly, the consumers have been given more information, which is one aspect of a truly free market. It is very rare that two nearby schools with at least some empty places are similar enough to be comparable yet different enough to be rankable; only where that occurs can there be true competition.

The Open University research was probably not flawed---but its conclusions are. This is because the team did not really compare areas having true competition (as just defined) with areas that do not.

But, let us all breathe a sigh of relief. Secondary schools had started of late to move in the marketing direction----considering allocating scarce resources of staff and money to persuading the pupils that their schools are the best in the area. No schools could afford to do that properly, so it is a relief to realize this research tells us we don't have to.

Competition? We haven't got time for it! Let's spend our small budget in teaching and learning, not in competing and marketing.

57. It is indicated in the passage that competition between schools results in .

A) higher enrollment rate

B) lower academic standard

C) higher marketing expenses

D) privatization of further education

58. Real competition can happen only when .

A) academic standard is improved

B) there are comparable schools with different educational qualities

C) students have different interests

D) schools of all areas have sufficient budget for their development

59. According to the passage, the free market in secondary education .

A) only provides consumers with more information

B) is more competitive than the higher education market

C) means there will be more intensive competition than in colleges

D) is a real surprise to Britain's recent government

60. The author of the passage feels relieved that .

A) secondary schools have to market themselves

B) most secondary schools have scarce resources of staff and money

C) the research by Open University proves that most secondary schools are the best in its area

D) schools needn't prove that they are the best

61. What might be the author's attitude towards competitions between nearby schools?

A) The author is in favor of various kinds of competition.

B) The author is indifferent to any competition and its result.

C) The author is not certain of the effect of competitions.

D) The author is against inter-collegiate competitions.

Passage 2

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

Going online is a favorite recreation for millions of American children. Almost10 million (14 percent) of America's 69 million children are online. The Internet both entertains and educates children, however, there are some possible negative consequences for children who access kid-based Web sites. Advertising on kid-based Web sites has become both a rapidly growing market for consumer companies and a concern for parents. With a click on an icon, children can link to advertisers and be granted tremendous spending power. Children are an important target group for consumer companies. Children under age 12 spent $14 billion, teenagers another $67 billion, and together they influenced $160 billion of their parents' income.