南废九品中正，设进士、明经二科取士，唐承隋制，并增设明法、明字、明算诸科，而以进士、明经二科为主。进土科重文辞，明经科重经术。唐高宗、武则天以后，进士科最为社会所重，参加进士科考试被认为是致身通显的重要途径。进士科以考诗赋为主，此外还考时务策等。

    唐代取士由地方举送中央考试，称为乡贡。被举送应试的人通称为举人。唐人常说“举进士”，例如韩愈《讳辩》说“愈与李贺书，劝贺举进士”，意思是应举参加进士科的考试，这种人在唐代也被称为进士。韩愈《送孟秀才序》说“京师之进士以千数，其人靡所不有”，就是指当时应举参加进土科考试的人说的。唐初设有秀才科，不久即废，但是唐人后来仍通称应进士科考试的人为秀才。

    唐代中央主持科举考试的机关是礼部，考官通常由礼部侍郎担任，称为知贡举。唐人进士及第第一名称为状头或状元。同榜的人在长安慈恩寺雁塔题名，称为题名会。宴会于曲江边的亭子内，称为曲江会。又遍游名园，以同榜少年二人为“探花使”探采名花。唐人进士及第后尚未授官称为前进士，还要参加吏部“博学宏词”或“拔萃”的考选，取中后才授予官职。韩愈《柳子厚墓志铭》说，柳宗元“虽少年，已自成人，能取进士第”，“其后以博学宏辞，授集贤殿正字”。白居易进土及第后，因为取中“拔萃”，所以授秘书省校书郎。韩愈虽然进士及第，但是由于应吏部考选未中，未能得官。为此，韩愈以“前乡贡进士”的名义三次上书宰相求仕。

    以上所说的进士、明经等科通常每年都举行考试。此外唐代还有所谓制举，这是由皇帝特诏举行的考试，据说是要选拔特殊的人才。无论取中进士、明经等科与否，都可以应制举。考期不固定，科目由皇帝临时决定，有贤良方正能直言极谏科，才识兼茂明于体用科，文辞秀逸科，风雅古调科等等，前后达百十种。这些称为制料。唐代博学宏词科本来也是制科，开元十九年（公元731年）以后改为吏部选人的科目，每年举行考试。宋代制举恢复博学宏词科。

    宋代最初也以进士、明经等科取士。宋神宗时王安石建议废明明经等科，只保留进士科。进士科不考诗赋而改试经义，此外仍考论策（后来也间或兼考诗赋）。礼部考试合格后，再由皇帝殿试复审，然后分五甲（五等）放榜，授予官职。

（选自王力《中国古代文化常识》，有删改）

    WIRES is short for Wildlife Information and Rescue Service. It is an Australian  organization, established(成立) in 1985 to care for injured and orphaned(失去母兽的) native wildlife. WIRES has a network of hundreds of volunteers who rescue and care for native animals until they are well enough to be released (释放)into the wild. Volunteers look after rescued animals in their own homes and are trained in the special needs of native wild animals.
    When Australians find a native animal in trouble, they often call WIRES for help. WIRES may be asked to look after a possum that has been attacked by a cat, rescue a large lizard that has got its head caught in a drink can, or care for a baby animal who has lost its mother. People call WIRES when they want to move a dangerous snake away from their garden or when they find a seabird that has swallowed(吞下) a fishing line or an owl with a broken wing. Sometimes kangaroos jumped onto the road in front of cars and are run over. Australians are encouraged to check the pouch(育儿袋)of dead kangaroos in case there is a baby in it. WIRES volunteers find themselves caring for many babies orphaned in this way.
Each year, in the summer, parts of Australia suffer from(受苦) huge bush fires. These fires not only destroy human homes and put people in danger, but they also destroy animal habitats(栖息地)and endanger the animals living in the bush. After a big fire, WIRES and other organizations go into the district to pick up surviving animals. They are treated for burns, shock, smoke and other problems and then cared for until new location can be found for them.
    WIRES is also involved in educating people in the importance of caring for wildlife and wildlife habitats. Volunteers visit schools and other public places to talk about native animals. Sometimes they bring a bat or some other interesting animals with them to show to people who may never have seen one up close before.