獨立金融研究機構(gòu)英國財政研究所（ The Institute for Fiscal Studies ）通過研究得出了這一結(jié)論：當前教育政策的目的是給參加 GCSE 、 A-Level 考試和上大學的貧困學生及家庭條件困難的學生們提供更多的教育資助。這個結(jié)論與上幾代富裕家庭的孩子從教育資助中獲益更多形成了鮮明對比。

文字稿

Independent researchers say that poorer children taking their GCSEs in 2010 had almost ten thousand pounds more spent on their school years than wealthier children.

獨立研究人員們說，在2010年參加普通中等教育證書考試（GCSE）的相對貧困的孩子們上學期間得到的資助要比更富裕的孩子們多出將近一萬英鎊。

The study says this represents a complete turnaround from previous generations when richer families took the lion's share of education budgets.

這項調(diào)查稱，這意味著和前幾代人相比，情況發(fā)生了徹底的變化：此前，相對富裕的家庭得到了大部分的教育預算。

The change is a consequence of policy since the early 2000s targeting money at disadvantaged children, and also because many poorer youngsters are now staying on for A-levels and university and so benefiting longer from education funding.

之所以發(fā)生這一轉(zhuǎn)變，是因為自2000年以來，政府實施了針對資助家庭條件困難兒童的的政策，同時還由于有很多貧窮的年輕人現(xiàn)在會留在學校參加 A-level 考試或決定上大學進修，所以他們會從教育資金中獲益更久。

The researchers say this has been a remarkable shift in the shape of public-service spending.

這些研究者說，這是影響公共服務(wù)開支形勢的一個驚人的變化。

1. 詞匯表

turnaround 徹底的改變
the lion's share 大部分
education budget 教育預算
disadvantaged 貧困的，生活條件差的
youngster 年輕人
funding 資助，資金
shift 轉(zhuǎn)變
public-service spending 公共服務(wù)開支

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題 。 

1. True or False? The government has funded both rich and poor students equally.

2. How does the study describe the findings in relation to groups of students that came before?

3. Apart from policy changes, why have many poorer students benefited more from education funding?

4. How much less funding was spent on richer children than poorer children in 2010?

3. 答案

1. True or False? The government has funded both rich and poor students equally.
False. In the past, more money from education funding was spent on children from wealthier families. Now, more money is being spent on poorer children.

2. How does the study describe the findings in relation to groups of students that came before?
The study says the findings represent a complete turnaround from previous generations.

3. Apart from policy changes, why have many poorer students benefited more from education funding?
Apart from policy changes, many poorer youngsters are now staying on for A-levels and university and benefit longer from education funding.

4. How much less funding was spent on richer children's school years than poorer children's in 2010?
Wealthier children in 2010 had almost ten thousand pounds less spent on their school years.