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  3. A detailed and thorough research project undertaken by the Open University recently reported that their evidence appears to show

A detailed and thorough research project undertaken by the Open University recently reported that their evidence appears to show

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问题     A detailed and thorough research project undertaken by the Open University recently reported that their evidence appears to show that competition between nearby schools does not significantly improve academic standards. Indeed, their report inclines to the opposite outcome: the exam results may actually decline where competition is fiercest.
    When the further education sector was "privatized" a few years ago, competition between colleges became truly fierce, at least in urban areas where potential students could choose between several of them. Colleges appointed highly paid marketing directors and gave them large budgets; some even "bribed" interested students with promises of hundreds of pounds if they completed certain courses satisfactorily.
    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.
What might be the author’s attitude towards competitions between nearby schools?
选项 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.
答案D
解析 根据最后一段，特别是最后一句的not in competing and marketing，可知作者对竞争的态度是反对的。
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