阅读周周练
Passage 1
Americans today don’t place a very high value on intellect. Our heroes are athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs, not scholars. Even our schools are where we send our children to get a practical education —— not to pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Symptoms of pervasive anti-intellectualism in our schools aren’t difficult to find.
“Schools have always been in a society where practical is more important than intellectual,” says education writer Diane Ravitch. “Schools could be a counterbalance.” Razitch’s latest bock, Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms traces the roots of anti-intellectualism in our schools, concluding they are anything but a counterbalance to the American distaste for intellectual pursuits.
But they could and should be. Encouraging kids to reject the life of the mind leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and control. Without the ability to think critically, to defend their ideas and understand the ideas of others, they cannot fully participate in our democracy. Continuing along this path, says writer Earl Shorris, “We will become a second-rate country. We will have a less civil society.”
“Intellect is resented as a form of power or privilege,” writes historian and Professor Richard Hofstadter in Anti-Intellectualism in American life, a Pulitzer Prize winning book on the roots of anti-intellectualism in US politics, religion, and education. From the beginning of our history, says Hofstadter, our democratic and populist urges have driven us to reject anything that smells of elitism. Practicality, common sense, and native intelligence have been considered more noble qualities than anything you could learn from a book.
Ralph Waldo Emerson and other Transcendentalist philosophers thought schooling and rigorous book learning put unnatural restraints on children: “We are shut up in schools and college recitation rooms for 10 or 15 years and come out at last with a bellyful of words and do not know a thing.” Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn exemplified American anti-intellectualism. Its hero avoids being civilized —— going to school and learning to read —— so he can preserve his innate goodness.
Intellect, according to Hofstadter, is different from native intelligence, a quality we reluctantly admire. Intellect is the critical, creative, and contemplative side of the mind. Intelligence seeks to grasp, manipulate, re-order, and adjust, while intellect examines, ponders, wonders, theorizes, criticizes and imagines.
School remains a place where intellect is mistrusted. Hofstadter says our country’s educational system is in the grips of people who “joyfully and militantly proclaim their hostility to intellect and their eagerness to identify with children who show the least intellectual promise.”
1. What do American parents expect their children to acquire in school?
A. The habit of thinking independently. B. Profound knowledge of the world.
C. Practical abilities for future career. D. The confidence in intellectual pursuits.
2. We can learn from the text that Americans have a history of
A. undervaluing intellect. B. favoring intellectualism.
C. supporting school reform. D. suppressing native intelligence.
3. The views of Ravish and Emerson on schooling are
A. identical. B . similar. C. complementary. D. opposite.
4. Emerson, according to the text, is probably
A. a pioneer of education reform. B. an opponent of intellectualism.
C. a scholar in favor of intellect. D. an advocate of regular schooling.
5. What does the author think of intellect?
A. It is second to intelligence. B. It evolves from common sense.
C. It is to be pursued. D. It underlies power.
Passage 2
In a time of low academic achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents (答问卷者)listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The vast majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.
In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of the more individually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.
Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools.
Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children's chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.
6. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe
A. Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents
B. Japan's economic success is a result of its scientific achievements
C. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction
D. Japan's higher education is superior to theirs
7. Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools should also attach importance to
A. problem solving B. group experience
C. parental guidance D. individually-oriented development
8. In Japan's preschool education, the focus is on
A. preparing children academically B. developing children's artistic interests
C. tapping children's potential D. shaping children's character
9. Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to
A. broaden children's horizon B. cultivate children's creativity
C. lighten children's study load D. enrich children's knowledge
10. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university: based kindergartens?
A. They can do better in their future studies.
B. They can accumulate more group experience there.
C. They can be individually oriented when they grow up.
D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.
Passage 3
To say that the child learns by imitation and that the way to teach is to set a good example oversimplifies. No child imitates every action he sees. Sometimes, the example the parent wants him to follow is ignored while he takes over contrary patterns from some other example. Therefore we must turn to a more subtle theory than “Monkey see, monkey do.”
Look at it from the child's point of view. Here he is in a new situation, lacking a ready response. He is seeking a response which will gain certain ends. If he lacks a ready response for the situation, and cannot reason out what to do, he observes a model who seems able to get the right result. The child looks for an authority or expert who can show what to do.
There is a second element at work in this situation. The child may be able to attain his immediate goal only to find that his method brings criticism from people who observe him. When shouting across the house achieves his immediate end of delivering a message, he is told emphatically that such a racket(叫嚷) is unpleasant, that he should walk into the next room and say his say quietly. Thus, the desire to solve any objective situation is overlaid with the desire to solve it properly. One of the early things the child learns is that he gets more affection and approval when his parents like his response. Then other adults reward some actions and criticize others. If one is to maintain the support of others and his own self-respect, he must adopt responses his social group approves.
In finding trial responses, the learner does not choose models at random. He imitates the person who seems a good person to be like, rather than a person whose social status he wishes to avoid. If the pupil wants to be a good violinist, he will observe and try to copy the techniques of capable players; while some other person may most influence his approach to books.
Admiration of one quality often leads us to admire a person as a whole, and he becomes an identifying figure. We use some people as models over a wide range of situations, imitating much that they do. We learn that they are dependable and rewarding models because imitating them leads to success.
11. The statement that children learn by imitation is incomplete because______ .
A. they only imitate authorities and experts
B. they are not willing to copy their parents
C. the process of identification has been ignored
D. the nature of their imitation as a form of behavior has been neglected
12. For a child the first element in his learning by imitation is .
A. the need to find an authority
B. the need to find a way to achieve the desired result
C. the need for more affection from his parents
D. the desire to meet the standards of his social group
13. Apart from achieving his desired results, a child should also learn to_____ .
A. behave properly C. show his affection for his parents
B. attain his goal as soon as possible D. talk quietly
14. Children tend to imitate their models______ .
A. who do not criticize them B. who bring them unexpected rewards
C. whom they want to be like D. whose social status is high
15. “An identifying figure”(Line 2, Para. 5. )refers to a person_____ .
A. who serves as a model for others B. who is always successful
C. who can be depended upon D. who has been rewarded for his success
Passage 4
American live in a style-conscious culture even elementary school children know the difference between Air Jordans and the cheaper imitations. By the time they enter junior high school，most American adolescents are already highly skilled at distinguishing between brand names.The real lesson young Americans learn is that they live in a world where it matters what brand of clothes or furniture or car they buy. It matters what style of music they listen to，how they wear their hair，whether they're tattooed or pierced，and what kind of food they like to eat. Even everyday use-objects from staplers to toothbrushes to laptop computers matter too.
In many ways，it seems that such a concern for personal style and the appearance of objects is shallow and trivial. After all，what does it really matter whether or not someone's clothes or music or computer is at the cutting edge of style？Why should anyone care？One reason is that style is a guide to economic and social class in America. Style identifies. Whether consciously or unconsciously，we make judgments about people based on their appearance and their style. Simply by growing up in American culture，we acquire a sense of the style appropriate to different walks of life-how，for example，a high school teacher，a business executive，a truck driver，or a rock star ought to look.
Style communicates messages about economic and social class precisely because we share with others cultural codes that define what's normal and expected. For example，we expect wealthy professionals in metropolitan areas to be museum members，go to the opera，and enjoy gourmet food and fine wine. On the other hand，we are likely to expect that working-class men in the Midwest drink beer，listen to classic rock or country＆western，and support their local pro-football team. This doesn't mean that everyone in a particular social group conforms to these cultural codes. What it does indicate，however，is that style carries cultural meanings that go far beyond individual likes and dislikes. Style，in other words，is linked to the way of life that identifies groups of people，cultures，and subcultures. If the styles we adopt seem to be freely taken personal choices，they are contained nonetheless in a larger system of cultural codes that organize the way we think about identity，social status，prestige，good(and bad)taste，tradition，and innovation.
Fashion designers，graphic designers，and product designers understand this intimate connection between style and identity. They design everything from corporate logos and brand trademarks to the latest style of jeans and athletic shoes to computers and cars. Their job is to match styles to people's identities and，at the same time，to create styles that offer people new identities.
16. Why should young Americans learn to distinguish between brand names？
A. The differences of various brands make a difference in their life.
B. It's the result of manufacturers' marketing and promotion.
C. Consumerism is prevalent in America.
D. Brand names send message of the owner's identity.
17. In the author's opinion，style-conscious young Americans are＿•
A.following the trend B. snobbish
C. shallow D. conscious about themselves
18. Which of the following is NOT true，according to the author?
A. People in a particular social group should conform to the group's shared value system.
B. Style carries deeper meanings than personal likes and dislikes.
C. Style is contained in the larger system of culture.
D. Most people don't make judgments about someone just based on his appearance and style.
19. One's style sends out message about his economic and social status because
A. we live in a society where the richer a person is，the more expensive clothing he will choose
B. we are consciously or subconsciously influenced by cultural codes which can connect a style with certain strata in the society
C. we share with others a common tradition
D. we all have some stereotypes about social classes
20. A fashion designer who＿is a bad one.
A. matches styles to people's identity
B. makes innovation and creates styles
C. understands the connection between style and identity
D. disregards customer's identity
参考答案
1-5 C A D B C 6-10 C B D C D
11-15 D B A C A 16-20 D D D B D
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