这里是VOA特别英语教育报道。
美国一份新的大学指引对七门课程的教学要求进行了比较。包括数学，科学，写作，美国历史或政府。其他科目分别是经济，外语和文学。
这份免费的在线指引来自美国受托人与校友委员会(the American Council of Trustees and Alumni)。该委员会是非营利组织，支持人文科学教育。
该委员会主席Anne Neal表示，为了在二十一世纪的社会和联系越来越紧密的世界中获得成功，这些领域的知识是必须的。然而她告诉VOA的Faiza Elmasry，以“薄弱教育”毕业的学生数量相当惊人。
42%接受调查的学校获得最低分。这意味着他们只要求七门课程中的两门或更少。有5所学校对六门课程做了要求，获得了最高分。分别是纽约布鲁克林大学，德克萨斯A&M大学，得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校，西点军校和阿肯色大学。
Robert Costrell是阿肯色大学教育改革和经济方面的教授。他说，许多美国比较好的学院曾经设有核心课程——要求所有学生学习的一套课程。
但是多年来，许多学校放弃了这些要求，或者将要求“稀释”成为分配要求。该体系允许学生从一系列不同的课程中选择，以满足学校要求。
Robert Costrell：“许多情况下，这些课程只是一些严肃课题的皮毛知识，学生通过学习这些课程来满足要求。”
Robert Costrell教授表示，学校不应该只是简单地重新测试他们教过的知识，还应该衡量学生们学到了什么——例如，可以通过一些形式的测验或论文。
本周，来自大学委员会(College Board)的一份新的报告表明，大学学费价格继续上升。但是美国受托人与校友委员会的Anne Neal说，更高的价格并不能保证更好的综合教育。实际上，该组织发现，学费越高，学生自己发展综合教育的可能性越大。
这份大学指引发表在whatwilltheylearn.com上。Anne Neal表示，该组织正在对更多的大学进行调查，希望发现大学毕业生真正学到了那些东西，他们有没有准备好在全球市场中进行竞争。
1.core n. 核心,果心,争论的核心
例句：She hated the cheat to the core.
她对那个骗子恨之入骨。
The core of our appeal is freedom of speech.
我们呼吁的中心是要言论自由。
2.curriculum n.总课程，（学校等的）全部课程
例句：Is German on your school's curriculum?
你们学校有德语课吗?
3.satisfy vt.vi.使满意; 满足
例句：Nothing can always satisfy.
没有任何东西能永远使人满足。
Her father tried his best to satisfy her demands.
她的父亲想尽一切办法来满足她的要求。
4.fluffy a.毛绒绒的,蓬松的,愚蠢的
例句：Cream the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.
把黃油和糖粉放在一起搅成轻软的糊状。
5.guarantee vt.保证; 担保
例句：We can't guarantee our workers' regular employment.
我们不能保证我们的工人定期受雇。
6.marketplace n.市场;集市
例句：The marketplace was where commerce was traditionally carried on.
这个集市是传统的贸易场所。
The company found it hard to survive in a changing marketplace.
这家公司难以在不断变化的市场中生存。
1.Yet she told VOA's Faiza Elmasry it was surprising how many students can graduate with, in her words, a "thin education."
in her words插入语
大体而言,插入语可以分为以下几类:
1). 用简短的句子结构作插入语。这类短语有:I think, I hope, I guess, I believe, I suppose, I wonder, I tell you, I say, I'm afraid, I'm sure, you see, you know, as you know, that is, that is to say, what's more等等,它们可以置于句中或句尾。如:
I suggest you choose someone who you think is kind and friendly.
This diet, I think, will do good to your health.
It won't be raining long, I hope.
You will have to work harder, you know, if you want to succeed.
2). 副词或副词短语用作插入语,这类插入语一般放在句首或句尾。如:
Happily for him, his father's second wife was kind to him too.
You'll be able to pass the coming exam, surely.
Luckily for him, he didn't hurt in the accident.
Honestly, I don't need it at the moment.
3). 介词或介词短语作插入语,这类插入语一般放在句首,有时也可放在句中。如:
Like most of my schoolmates, I have neither brothers nor sisters-in other words, I'm an only child.
By the way, Bob sends his best wishes.
On the other hand, I didn't know you were there.
In short, things have begun to improve since schools were called on to reduce learning load.
4). 分词短语作插入语。如:
Judging from your accent, you must be from England.
Generally speaking, he is the best student in our class.
Compared with China, the USA is smaller.
5). 不定式短语作插入语。如:
To put it mildly, he was not up to the mark.
To tell you the truth, I don't want to see her.
To be sure, Jim is a faster skater, but he is not good at doing figures.
To conclude, it was a great success.
2.He says many, if not all, of the top American colleges once had a core curriculum -- a set of courses required for all students.
many,if not all许多，即使不是全部。这种说法常常用到，另外一个类似的就是：most,if not all，即使不是全部，大部分也……
3.Or they have "watered them down," Professor Costrell says, into what became known as distribution requirements.
water down稀释，降低
例句：You have to water down the medicine before drinking it.
你得把这种药加水稀释后再服用。
4. They should also measure what students have learned -- for example, through some form of examinations or papers.
what引导宾语从句。
what引导从句的五种用法：
1). 表示“……的东西或事情”：
They’ve done what they can to help her. 他们已经尽力帮助了她。
He saves what he earns. 他赚多少，积蓄多少。
What Mary is is the secretary. 玛丽的职务是秘书。
2). 表示“……的人或的样子”：
He is no longer what he was. 他已经不是以前的那个样子。
He is what is generally called a traitor. 他就是人们通常所说的叛徒。
Who is it that has made Fred what he is now? 是谁把弗雷德培养成现在这个样子的？
3). 表示“……的数量或数目”：
Our income is now double what it was ten years ago. 我们现在的收入是10年前的两倍。
The number of the students in our school is ten times what it was before liberation. 现在我校学生的数量是解放前的10倍。
4). 表示“……的时间”：
After what seemed like hours he came out with a bitter smile. 似乎过了几个小时他才苦笑着出来。
The young girl was too frightened to speak, standing there for what seemed like hours. 小女孩吓得不敢说话，在那儿站了几个小时。
5). 表示“……的地方”：
This is what they call Salt Lake City. 这就是他们称为盐湖城的地方。
In 1492, Columbus reached what is now called America. 1492年哥伦布到达了现在所称的美洲大陆。