In ancient times the most important examinations were spoken, not written.In the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, testing usually consisted of saying poetry aloud or giving speeches.
In the European universities of the Middle Ages, students who were working for advanced degrees had to discuss questions in their field of study with people who had made special study of the subject. This custom exists today as part of the process of testing candidates for the doctor degree.
Generally, however, modern examinations are written. The written examination, where all students are tested on the same question, was probably not known until the nineteenth century. Perhaps it came into existence with the great increase in population and the development of modem industry. A room full of candidates for a state examination, timed exactly by electric clocks and carefully watched over by managers, resembles a group of workers at an automobile factory. Generally, during examinations teachers and students are expected to act like machines.
One type of test is sometimes called an "objective" test. It is intended to deal with facts, not personal opinions. To make up an objective test the teacher writes a series of questions, each of which has only one correct answer. Along with each question the teacher writes the correct answer and also three statements that look like correct answers to students who have not learned the material properly.
1.In the Middle Ages students _____.
A.took objective tests
B.specialized in one subject
C.were timed by electric clocks
D.never wrote exams
2.The main idea of paragraph 3 is that _____.
A.workers now take examination
B.the population has grown
C.there are only written exams
D.examinations are now written and timed
3.The kind of exams where students must select answers are _____.
A. personal
B. spoken
C. objective
D. written
4.Modern industry must have developed _____.
A.before the Middle Ages
B.around the 19th century
C.inGreece or Rome
D.machines to take tests
5.It may be concluded that testing _____.
A.should test only opinions
B.should always be written
C.has changed since the Middle Ages
D.is given only in factories
答案及解析
1.【解析】D
细节题。由第一段第一句话"In ancient times the most important examinations were spoken, not written."可知，古代没有笔试。
2.【解析】D
主旨题。第三段一开始就谈到“一般来讲，现在的考试都是笔试”;随后又谈到“所有的考生在一个房间，规定时间，有监考老师。”所以D是正确答案。
3.【解析】C
细节题。答案见最后一段第二句“出客观题的时候，老师先出一系列的问题，每个问题后面都附有一个正确答案和几个相似的答案。学生被要求找出正确答案。”因此：“学生必须选答案的考试是客观考试。”C是正确答案。
4.【解析】B
细节题。文章的第三段提到"The written examination was not known until the nineteenth century. Perhaps it came into existence with the great increase in population and the development of modem industry."因此，笔试是l9世纪才为大家所知，可能是由于人口的增加和现代工业的发展。
5.【解析】C
细节题。因为A、B、D的内容文章中都没有提到。C的意思是“自从中世纪以来，考试发生了变化。”因此C符合文章的内容。