Question

【题目】Many Americans are turning to Japan, they think, a country of high academic(学术的) 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 survey, 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 determination, concentration, and the ability to work as a member of a group. The huge majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

Like in America, there is diversity(多样性) in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential(潜力的) 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.

【1】We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ________.

A. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction

B. Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents

C. Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

D. Japan’s higher education is superior to theirs

【2】In Japan’s preschool education, the focus is on ________.

A. preparing children academically

B. shaping children’s character

C. teaching children mathematics

D. developing children’s artistic interests

【3】Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?

A. They can do better in their future studies.

B. They can make more group experience grow there.

C. They can be individually oriented when they grow up.

D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.

【4】Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to ________.

A. broaden children’s knowledge

B. train children’s creativity

C. lighten children’s study load

D. enrich children’s experience

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】B

【3】D

【4】C

【解析】

【1】根据文章第一段中的surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction，可知很多美国的家长都认为日本人是很重视幼儿学龄前的知识教育，但事实上却不是这样。可知选项A正确。

【2】根据文章第一段中的Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as determination, concentration, and the ability to work as a member of a group，可知日本的学校主要在学生小的时候训练他们的品格，故可知B选项正确。

【3】根据文章最后一段中的it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities，可知D选项正确。

【4】根据对文章的最后一句Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens的理解，可知日本的幼儿园上演话剧是为了让学生从紧张的学业中释放出来。故选C。