Question

In the spring of 1999, I spoke about China to a group of over eighty American second grade students in the US. The children were curious about so many things: the Great Wall, pandas, martial arts. More than any other subject, however, these young people were interested in the relationship between Chinese children and their parents.

As I described how Chinese parents raise their children, drawing on the experiences of my friends and their kids, it occurred to me that parents in the US and China differ greatly in their approach to parenting. In the US, parents tend to encourage their children to develop their potential(潜能) to the fullest degree-in a word, to dream. Fathers and mothers frequently put in their children both ambition(理想;抱负) and, as importantly, the confidence necessary to work toward their goals. American parents tend to be very positive: they concentrate on what their kids can do, not what they can't. As a result, millions of American boys and girls grow up hoping to become actors and athletes, statesmen and doctors; many even want to become president.

American parents often encourage their children to become involved (参与) in extracurricular(课外的) activities of all types at school, such as student government, sports and music. They believe that only through involvement in these activities can their children become healthy young adults.

Schoolwork is important, to be sure. But parents realize that the social skills their children learn from natural interaction with their peers in non-scholastic settings are more useful to develop the skills they will need in the "real world". What's more important in the office place: a sound knowledge of physics or the ability to communicate effectively?

As a rule, Chinese parents do not help their children to develop the same kind of ambition and confidence Americans put in their children, nor do they encourage the same level of involvement in extracurricular activities. Children are typically told to study hard and pass exams. Too often, time away from schoolbooks is seen as time wasted.

This approach has created so much pressure for Chinese children that leaders in Chinese educational circles have issued calls for less homework at the lower grade levels. Only healthy kids can become healthy adults. More and more Chinese parents recognize this. I am very confident about China's future.

17. The writer's purpose in writing this text is ________ .

A. to show his confidence about China's future

B. to tell the different way of parenting in the USA and China

C. to give a speech about China to a group of American second grade students

D. to describe how American parents raise their children

18. In America, fathers and mothers often put the ideas of ________ in their children's minds.

A. involvement and natural interaction B. involvement and effective communication

C. involvement and ambition D. ambition and confidence

19. The underlined word "peers" in the text probably means ________ .

A. persons of the same age, class, position, etc. as themselves

B. classmates C. friends D. persons elder than themselves

20. What can we infer about the author from the text?

A. He is a Chinese who once visited America in 1999.

B. He is a Chinese who knows a lot about America.

C. He is an American who knows a lot about China.

D. He is an American who taught in an American school in 1999.

 

Answer 1

 17. B。该题为主旨大意题,全文主要谈论了中美两国对孩子的不同教育方式。18. D。第二段即本题答案出处。19. A 20. C