Every summer, Chinese students take the zhongkao, the high school entrance exam. This year, one story surprised many people. A girl in Shanghai named Wang Siyu scored 692.5 points out of 750, high enough to enter a top high school. But she made a different choice. She chose a vocational school that offers a “3+4” program: three years of vocational study, then four years of college. In seven years, she can get a bachelor’s degree without taking the gaokao.
Many people once called this choice “strange” or “a waste of a good score.” In the past, only students who failed the exam went to vocational schools. But this year, the situation has changed. Many high-scoring students chose vocational schools. In Shanghai, the highest score in this program reached 707. More and more families now think about the “certainty” of the future: a direct path to college, no stressful exam, and practical skills that match real jobs.
Why do these students give up famous high schools? First, the program avoids the fierce competition of the gaokao. Second, it connects study with real work. Students learn useful skills early, and their job prospects are often good. Wang’s parents, both college graduates, supported her choice. They believed that education should fit the child, not the other way around.
Of course, not everyone agrees. Some experts warn that blindly following this trend may create new pressure, and choosing a major at age 15 is a big decision. But one thing is clear: education is becoming more colorful. There is no single “right” path. The best choice is the one that suits you.
Words to know:
- entrance (n.) 入学；入口
- vocational (adj.) 职业的
- degree (n.) 学位
- certain (adj.) 确定的
- fierce (adj.) 激烈的
- prospect (n.) 前景
- trend (n.) 趋势
- suit (v.) 适合
长难句拆解 · 不定式作目的与 not the other way around
① In seven years, she can get a bachelor’s degree without taking the gaokao. 主干是 she can get a bachelor’s degree（她能拿到学士学位）。句首 In seven years 是时间状语，介词 without 后接动名词 taking，表示「无需做某事」，without + doing 是雅思阅读里表达「免除条件」的常用结构；注意 the gaokao 是专有名词化的拼音词，前面要加 the。
② They believed that education should fit the child, not the other way around. 主干是 They believed that…（他们相信……）。that 引导的宾语从句里，主干为 education should fit the child；从句末尾的 not the other way around 是省略形式，完整说法是 not the child should fit education，用「反过来」回击「让孩子迁就教育」的旧观念，语气简洁有力，是议论文的经典收尾。
同义替换 · 雅思阅读利器
题干与原文之间隔着一层「同义变装」。先抓信号词，再回原文找替身，定位更快更稳。本文可迁移的替换组：
- made a different choice → chose an unusual path
- a waste of a good score → a squandering of a high mark
- the situation has changed → the picture has shifted
- a direct path to college → a straight route into higher education
- avoids the fierce competition → sidesteps the cut-throat competition
- their job prospects are often good → their career prospects are usually promising
- the one that suits you → the one that fits you best
阅读自测 · 3 题
- 判断（T / F / NG） — Wang Siyu scored 692.5 points out of 750.
- 简答（不超过 6 个词） — What is the highest score in this program in Shanghai?
- 判断（T / F / NG） — Wang Siyu’s parents opposed her choice of vocational school.
参考答案与解析
- T — 首段原文「scored 692.5 points out of 750」，分数与满分一一对应，属原文直述。
- 707 points. — 原文「In Shanghai, the highest score in this program reached 707」，注意不要错答成 692.5（那是王思雨本人的分数）。
- F — 原文「Wang’s parents, both college graduates, supported her choice」，题目说父母反对，与原文相反，属典型的「偷换态度」式干扰项。
中文译文
每年夏天，中国学生都要参加中考，也就是高中入学考试。今年，有一个故事让许多人感到意外。上海一名叫王思雨的女生考了750分中的692.5分，足以进入顶尖高中。但她做了一个不同的选择：她选了一所提供「3+4」模式的中职学校——三年中职学习，再读四年大学。七年后，她无需参加高考就能拿到学士学位。
许多人曾把这种选择称作「奇怪」或「浪费好分数」。过去，只有考不上普高的学生才去职校。但今年情况变了，许多高分考生选择了中职学校。在上海，这一模式的最高分达到了707分。如今越来越多的家庭开始看重未来的「确定性」：一条直通大学的路、没有高压的考试，以及贴合实际工作需要的实用技能。
这些学生为何放弃名牌高中？首先，这一模式避开了高考的激烈竞争。其次，它把学习与实际工作联系起来。学生早早掌握实用技能，就业前景往往不错。王思雨的父母都是大学毕业生，他们支持女儿的选择，认为教育应当适合孩子，而不是让孩子去迁就教育。
当然，并非所有人都认同。一些专家提醒，盲目跟风可能带来新的压力，而15岁就选定专业是个重大决定。但有件事是清楚的：教育正变得愈发多元，并不存在唯一「正确」的路径。最适合你的，才是最好的选择。