Cambodia’s Grade 12 students took their final test in August 2014. Only 26% of them passed. The new Minister of Education had ordered extra security around the testing places.

Students could not bring cell phones or calculators into the rooms. Teachers did not have the chance to tell students the answers to the exam questions. The government employed monitors to watch the test-takers carefully. Why was last year different from earlier years?

Hang Chuon Naron entered office as Education Minister in 2014. He wants to end corruption in Cambodia’s schools. He thinks that education reform is necessary for Cambodia’s economic development.

“So the most important factor is that there is a skills mismatch in Cambodia. And it becomes an obstacle to economic development, to growth, to attract foreign direct investment. So we have investors coming in; they look for a skilled labor force - we don’t have enough. But at the supply side we have many graduates that cannot find jobs. And this is a problem that many countries are facing - the skills mismatch.”

Hang Chuon Naron, Cambodia's Minster of Education

Students taking the test in 2015 know they will have to study hard in order to do well on the test. Final year student Rattana says he and his classmates know they will not be able to cheat on their exams. To pass secondary school and enter university, they will have to change their behavior, he says.

New training will help educators better teach critical thinking and problem solving skills. Cambodia’s education reforms need support from everyone. Students, parents, government, and businesses will all need to help improve schools. Both the tests and the economy will show the results.

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1.Why most students failed in the final test in August 2014?

A There was extra security around the testing places.

B They couldn’t bring anything into the rooms.

C The new Minister of Education watched them carefully.

D They weren’t able to cheat.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第2段前两句可知学生不能带手机、计算器进入考场，老师也没机会给他们传答案，说明是因为没有作弊的机会，故选D。

2.What does the new Education Minister want to stop in schools?

A Corruption.

B Mismatch.

C Security.

D Economy.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第3段He wants to end corruption in Cambodia’s schools一句，可知他想终止柬埔寨校园的腐败，故选A。

3.What does the underlined word “obstacle” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A Object.

B Limitation.

C Matter.

D Article.

解析：选B。B 词义猜测题。该词所在句子的主语指代前句的skills mismatch，由此可推断这种技能的不匹配会成为经济发展等的障碍， 故选B。

4.Why will students taking the 2015 test have to study hard?

A Because nobody else can help them.

B Because they will not be able to cheat on their exams.

C Because they have to pass secondary school to enter university.

D All of the above.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。由文章第5段可知，严格的监考使他们无法再作弊，也得不到他人的帮助，他们必须通过考试进入大学，故选D。

5.What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A Education reforms will improve the development of economy.

B The teachers are the only key to success in the education reforms.

C Only the businessmen can make the education reforms come true.

D It just depends on the students whether the education reforms will succeed.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。由education reform is necessary for Cambodia's economic development，以及Both the tests and the economy will show the results两句，可知教育改革对柬埔寨的经济发展是必要的，教育改革的成效会通过学生的考试成绩以及经济的发展来呈现，故选A。