Millions of U.S. college students will have to shoulder more of the cost of their education under federal rules imposed late last month through a bureaucratic (官僚政治的) adjustment requiring neither Congressional approval nor public comment of any kind. The changes, only a slight alteration in the formula governing financial aid, are expected to diminish the government's contribution to higher education by hundreds of millions of dollars, starting in the autumn of 2004. But they will also have a ripple effect across almost every level of financial aid, shrinking the pool of students who qualify for federal awards, tightening access to billions of dollars in state and institutional grants, and heightening the reliance on loans to pay for college.
How much more money this may require of students and their parents will vary widely,changing with each family's set of circumstances. Some families may be expected to pay an extra $100 or less each year, while others may owe well over $1,000 more. While many college administrators characterized the change as a backdoor way to cut education spending, without public discussion, the Department of Education said it was simply executing its responsibilities under federal law.
Whether furnished by colleges, states or the federal government, the vast majority of the nation's $90 billion in financial aid is dictated by a single, intricate equation known as the federal need analysis. Its purpose is to make out how much of a family's income is truly discretionary ( 自由支配的, and therefore fair game for coveting college expenses. Much like the federal income tax, the formula allows families to deduct some of what they pay in state and local taxes. But, this tax, the formula allows families to deduct some of what they pay in state and local taxes. But, this year, the department significantly reduced that amount, in some cases cutting it in half. On paper, at least, that leaves families with more money left over to pay for college, even though state and local taxes have gone up over the last year, not down. In the 2004-2005 academic year, when the changes first take effect, parents who earn $50,000 a year may be expected to contribute $700 or so beyond what they are .already paying, according to an independent analysis conducted by a consulting firm that helps universities set enrollment and aid. Those earning about $25,000 may owe only an extra $165 or less, while families earning $80,000 could be expected to pay an additional $1,100 or more.
52. The expression "tipple effect" ( Line 6, Para. 1 ) most probably means
[A] chain reaction
[B] cumulative effect
[C] immediate response
[D] long-lasting impact
53. According to the passage, some have criticized the changes because they
[A] ignore local and state taxes
[B] were not discussed in public
[C] are not in accordance with federal law
[D] leave many families unable to pay for college
54. According to the passage, the rule changes are likely to
[A] provide $90 billion in financial aid
[B] cost each family an average of $1,000 per year
[C] have a ripple effect across federal income taxes
[D] lower the amount of financial aid provided by the government
55. The purpose of the federal needs analysis is to determine
[A] whether a family is on financial aid
[B] how much of a family's income is discretionary
[C] whether or not a family is below the poverty line
[D] how much families should pay in state and local taxes
56. The author's attitude towards changes in the financial aid to higher education by government is
[A] positive
[B] indifferent
[C] critical
[D] neutral
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