To a comparative educationalist many questions about the selection

and training of doctors and lawyers in different countries are questions

almost without meaning. Asking whether European schools are better

than schools in the US are like asking a comparative anatomist whether a 【M1】________

whale is a better mammal than an elephant.

The comparative anatomist is interested in examining the similarities

and differences to be found in animal or plant organs which carry on the 【M2】________

same function; he is very cautious, therefore, about proclaiming the 【M3】________

virtues of a device found in one particular species over a device for a

similar purpose found in other. Of course, the anatomist knows that 【M4】________

mammals are modified only slowly by changes in environment; like 【M5】________

schools or colleges, the functioning organism he is examining will not be

radically changed by man-made decisions.

Some will argue that this damages my analogy; they may claim that

the essence of human organizations lies in the fact conscious acts of men 【M6】________

and women can change them- and as history shows, overnight if need

be. “But wait a moment”, the student of the comparative anatomy of

schools will say, “not overnight surely, except at the point of a bayonet

or in our time under the shadow of armored vehicles and tanks.” And

such changes, he will argue, are the equivalents to pathological 【M7】_________

alterations.

History shows that, except in conditions of threat brought about by 【M8】_________

external forces, schools and colleges have developed gradually in

different parts of the world in response to variety of different 【M9】_________

conditions. They are a product of the society they serve for and they also 【M10】_________

influence the future of this society.

The Slug Queens sum up the spirit of Eugene. Every year the

Oregon town hosts an alternative beauty pageant—coinciding with, but

independent of, the annual Eugene Celebration. The winners are

marked out by a combination of anarchic creation, wry humor and 【M1】________

passionate commitment to his environment: the same qualities that make 【M2】__________

this place so unique.

Two hours the south of Portland, Eugene isn’t as urbane as that 【M3】__________

famously trendy city. This is a town of parks, trees and waterways, a

hiking mecca that melds swift into the nearby mountains. It also feels 【M4】_________

slightly scruffy: a former hotbed of hippies and anarchists which radical 【M5】__________

edge lives on in its environmental agenda. The single most important

climate change case in the US law courts originates here, and the

University of Oregon attracts social activists from across the country.

A short walk from campus is a revitalizing downtown, with a 【M6】_________

2,500-seat performing arts venue—the Hult Center—a modern theatre

and three independent cinemas. “A few years ago, not many people

came and hung downtown,” says Gino Franco, production manager at 【M7】_________

the Oregon Contemporary Theatre, which expanded into its current

space in 2012. “Therefore thanks to the growing arts scene, and some 【M8】_________

new restaurants, it’s become a lot more friendly. “

A 10-minute walk away, in the gentrifying Whiteaker neighborhood—

referred to as the Whit—Eugene’s hippie culture can still be found, and

Oregon’s legalization of recreational drug use may help keep that spirit lively. 【M9】_________

There are still invisible social issues to be addressed, homelessness in 【M10】________.

particular. But Franco says: “There are a lot of great services here for

people who are going through life transitions, and I’m so glad I live in a

community that’s open to this and willing to embrace people who are

struggling.”

The Daily Mirror has an illustrious history of campaigning, most

recently helping to persuade ministers to enact an opt-out system for

organ donation in England, as already existed in Scotland and Wales.

But I’m afraid their latest crusade is mistake. 【M1】_________

Backing by. among others, trade unions and Jeremy Corbyn—for 【M2】_________

whom it is official Labour policy, the paper seeks the abolition of all

parking charges at NHS hospitals in England, for patients, visitors and

staff.

It is generally popular, and billed as an obvious and fair reform,

which would benefit those most in need. Unfortunately, it’s a lot more

complicated than that.

The first point to stress is what I’m not arguing against reforms to 【M3】_________

the way hospital parking is currently administered and charged. Which is 【M4】_________

regularly documented, too many systems are unwieldy and over-

complex, with many only admitting cash payments, or forcing visitors to 【M5】_________

pay in advance when they might have much idea how long they will stay. 【M6】_________

Charges can sometimes also seem unreasonably high, and there

could be an argument for imposing a cap, or perhaps systems

whereby regular visitors such as relatives of long-term patients could

avoid the fees racking on. 【M7】_________

But opening up all NHS hospital car parks to free parking at any

time, for any duration, to anyone who works there or has reason to

visit? That’s a different matter together. 【M8】_________

The first error is that it won’t necessarily make parking any easy, 【M9】_________

just hard in a different way. There are something close to 600,000 staff

at hospitals in England, and about 40,000 inpatient admissions a day.

That’s a lot of people seeking a free resource.

The other key point is that free parking is fundamental regressive, a 【M10】________

subsidy to people who tend to be richer than average. The fact is that

the poorer you are, the less likely you are to drive. It is therefore better-

off patients and visitors who are more likely to take advantage of

hospital parking.