题目内容

American Style of Education?

On the first day of school,Johnny had a hard time getting out of bed.“Johnny,get up! You’re going to be late for school!”warned his mother.“Mom,do I have to go to school?”Johnny complained.“Yes,son,summer is over,and the new school year is starting.You must go to school.And besides,”reasoned Johnny’s mother,“you’re a teacher!”?

This old American joke does have a ring of truth to it.American teachers and students alike enjoy their summer vacation,but don’t let the humor fool you：Education is a major part of American culture.Schools do more than just fill students’ heads with knowledge.They pass on culture,traditions and values.?

American children start their education in elementary school.Most youngsters enter first grade at around six years of age.Children can prepare for this step by attending preschool and kindergarten from ages three to five.Young learners finish elementary school in fifth or sixth grade.From there,students go on to junior high school until eighth or ninth grade.Americans complete their required education in high school.They graduate and receive a diploma（毕业证） after twelfth grade.?

Beyond high school,Americans have many chances for further education.In contrast to other countries,the U.S.has no national college entrance exam.Instead,private companies give exams to students.Universities decide which tests students must take.In addition to test scores,university officials also consider applicants’ high school grades and other activities.Universities give scholarships and financial aid to help many who cannot afford the high tuition costs.Students with less academic（学术的）goals may enroll in vocational schools（职业学校）or community colleges.

The American style of education,compared to that of other countries,is quite informal.In fact,the casual class atmosphere often amazes international students.American teachers encourage students to think for themselves.Instead of grading students only on test scores,teachers evaluate（评价） papers,group projects and class participation as well.Students often have to think creatively to solve problems—not just memorize facts.Students also learn how to do research by using resource materials to find their own answers.In this way,classrooms illustrate（阐明）the American emphasis on individual responsibility.?

Freedom of choice is another American value not absent from school life.In addition to their required courses,high school and college students may choose elective courses.These electives allow students to study subjects that interest them.The menu of choices might include typing,band and home economics,as well as special academic classes.Other activities occupy students’ time after school hours.Most schools have sports teams,clubs and publications that give students valuable experience.?

The American system of education is far from perfect.Teachers in America fight to control cheating and plagiarism（剽窃）.Drugs,violence,sex and peer pressure interfere（干扰） with students’ education.Test scores are declining.So American teachers have to work hard,instilling（灌输） cultural and moral values,as well as knowledge,in young American citizens.“Wake up,Johnny!You’ve got work to do!”?

Judge the following statements true（T）or false（F）according to the passage：?

1.Americans must complete their education of twelfth grade.?

2.In the U.S.a high school graduate needn’t take the college entrance exam to go to a university.?

3.The American style of education is not so formal as that of other countries.?

4.Special academic classes,typing,band,home economics,sports teams,clubs and publications are all elective courses from which American students can choose.?

5.Considering the problems in American education,American teachers have an important and challenging job.??

 

1.T　2.F　3.T　4.F　5.T

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China is having such a huge influence on the United States that many Americans are struggling to learn the Chinese language in a bid to keep competitive.
"Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown quickly in the past five years," said Vivien Stewart, vice president at the Asia Society. China's quick rise to near-superpower and its effects politically, economically and culturally are driving the American's interest to learn the language, experts say. From kindergartens to high schools, studies by the Asia Society show, there is a "rapid rise" in interest among pupils to study the Chinese language.
"The Chinese rich cultural traditions and blossoming economy mean that it is now important for all of our students to be better prepared," said Michael Levine, Asia Society's executive director of education. A survey found that 2,400 high students—an unbelievable high number—would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement(AP) courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2006.
China, the world's most populous nation, is important to the United States because it is a leading trader, consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the world. It has replaced the United States as the world's largest consumer and could become the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, in the next two to three decades.
Even though the US State Department has described the Chinese language "critical" to national prosperity and security, "the current facilities to support recruitment (招募)of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is terribly not enough," an Asia Society study says. The Society has set an aim of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015.
"Millions of Chinese are learning English, but only 24,000 Americans are learning Chinese," said Andrew Corcoran of the San Francisco-based Chinese American International School. The most popular languages after English in US schools at present are Spanish and French while Japanese is the most popular Asian language.
53. The underlined word blossoming (Para. 3) means _________.
A. developed               B. developing           C. old                   D. weak
54. Why do more and more Americans begin to learn the Chinese language?
A. To keep competitive.                    B. To gain advantage in trade.
C. Because they are always interested in it.  
D. To be a bridge between the two big countries.
55. What problem is the US faced with when it comes to learning Chinese?
A. Too many Chinese are learning English.
B. Not many people want to learn foreign languages.
C. The language is rather difficult compared with English.
D. A lack in current facilities to support recruitment of students and teachers and programs.
56. What is the best title for this passage?
A. Danger from China               
B. Foreign Language Learning
C. The Chinese Language gets More Popular  
D. Difficulties in Learning the Chinese Language

In Daniel Gilbert’s 2006 book "Stumbling(跌撞) on Happiness," the Harvard professor of psychology looks at several studies and concludes that marital(婚姻的) satisfaction decreases after the birth of the first child and increases only when the last child has left home. He also declares that parents are happier grocery shopping and even sleeping than spending time with their kids.
The most recent comprehensive study on the emotional state of those with kids shows us that the term "bundle of joy" may not be the most accurate way to describe our kids. "Parents experience lower levels of emotional well-being, less frequent positive emotions and more frequent negative emotions than their childless peers," says Florida State University’s Robin Simon, a sociology professor.
Simon received plenty of hate mail in response to her research，which isn’t surprising. Her findings shake the very foundation of what we’ve been raised to believe is true. In a recent NEWSWEEK Poll, 50 percent of Americans said that adding new children to the family tends to increase happiness levels. But which parent is willing to admit that the greatest gift life has to offer has in fact made his or her life less enjoyable?
Is it possible that American parents have always been this disillusioned(有幻觉的)? In pre-industrial America, parents certainly loved their children, but their kids also served a purpose—to work the farm, contribute to the household. Today, we have kids more for emotional reasons, but an increasingly complicated work and social environment has made finding satisfaction far more difficult. Raising children has not only become more complicated, it has become more expensive as well. The National Marriage Project’s 2006 report says that parents have significantly lower marital satisfaction than nonparents because they experienced more single and child-free years than previous generations.
As for those of us with kids, all the news isn’t bad. Parents still report feeling a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives than those who’ve never had kids. And there are other rewarding aspects of parenting that are impossible to quantify.
【小题1】.
What’s the main idea of the book Stumbling on Happiness?

A．Parents are happier shopping than looking after their children.
B．Once they have children, the couples can never be as happy as before.
C．Compared with their childless peers, parents are leading a sad life.
D．The adding of children at home brings down marital satisfaction.
【小题2】.
. What can we infer from Para.3?
A．The Newsweek Poll shows that people think Prof. Simon’s finding is right.
B．Many people can’t accept the fact that they are not happy with their children.
C．It isn’t surprising that Professor Simon’s controversial research made her famous.
D．Simon’s findings are based on the belief passed down from generation to generation.
【小题3】.
What can we learn about American’s families in the past?
A．People had very good parents-children relationship in the family.
B．Having children could be partly out of some practical purposes.
C．Parents loved their children but they still asked them to work a lot.
D．Children had to work very hard to make their parents love them.
【小题4】.
What’s the author’s opinion about having children?
A．The author doesn’t think having children is a good thing to the family.
B．The author feels children make the life of a family happy.
C．The author thinks parenting can still be rewarding in a certain way.
D．The author believes that parents sacrifice a lot for having children.

In countries around the world, food has been used to celebrate at our holidays, our rituals and our family gatherings. The food eaten at holiday time has made the deepest impact on our culture and memories. Different holidays bring different types of food. Much of the food we eat during the holidays comes from old traditions handed down for hundreds of years.

New Year's Eve always brings parties and get-togethers, but where you live in the world may determine what food graces your table. In the southern US, partiers eat black eyed peas, which are thought to bring good luck and prosperity(繁荣). The Japanese also eat food for good luck on New Year's, but their choice is red snapper, the color red being considered good luck in Japan. The Jewish celebrate New Year by eating apples dipped in honey and in Madrid, Spain the last minutes of the New Year are counted down with the popping of grapes into the mouth. A pet is a cake prepared by the Greek with a coin baked into it. The person who gets the slice of cake with the coin in it should have good luck in the upcoming year.  

In the United States, a typical Christmas feast can contain a variety of foods ranging from turkey to chicken, from ham to goose, but other countries celebrate this holiday differently. Perhaps these choices have been taken from the traditions of our heritage(遗产). In Denmark, a traditional Christmas meal is roast goose, Greece, leg of lamb. Traditionally, Italians keep their Christmas Eve meal meatless. The traditional Christmas dinner in New Zealand is a picnic eaten on the beach.  

Though holidays around the world are celebrated in different ways, it is food, feast and family that bring us together.

1.According to the passage, in different holidays people usually ______.

A. have different kinds of food to eat

B. recall the interesting life when they were young

C. have a wide variety of parties.

D. get together to play games.

2.All the following can bring people good luck except_____.

A. a cake with a coin

B. red snapper

C. black eyed peas

D. apples dipped in honey.

3.We can know from the third paragraph that ______.

A. roast goose is American’s favorite food during Christmas

B. people in Denmark and Greece share the same food during Christmas

C. Italians don’t have meat during Christmas

D. people in New Zealand like playing games on the beach 

4.Which of the following can be the main idea of the passage?

A. Holiday foods vary from culture to culture.

B. Different countries have different cultures.

C. People have a good appetite during holiday.

D. Different foods are served during Christmas.

 

E

It is often difficult for visitors to understand Americans lack of desire for privacy(隐私) . They are not a nation of walled gardens and closed gates. Their yards normally run into one another without fences, they often visit one another’s homes without being invited or telephoning first, they leave their office doors open while they work.

Their lack of desire for privacy probable results from their history as a nation. America is a big country. There have never been walled cities in the United States, nor was there the need for Americans to protect themselves from neighboring states. During the early years, America had so few settlers that neighbors were very important, they were not to be shut out by doors and fences. Neighbors offered protection and helped in the hard work of settling the land. They depended upon each other.

From the nation’s early history has come the desire for openness rather than privacy. Visitors will notice this desire in a number of small ways, there may be rooms in American homes that do not have doors or that have glass walls. If you notice that people forget to close your door when they leave your room, do not think that this is rude, help them to learn that you would like it to be closed, or else become used to new ways. In either case, be patient with the differences.

72. According to the passage, visitors to America sometimes have difficultyunderstanding _____.

A .Americans’ openness                              B. American’s lack of desire for privacy

C. Americans’ way of home                     D. American’s style of life

73. During the early years, people were never shut out by doors because _________.

A. they were neighbors                              B. they were friends

C. they depended on each other            D. they got used to that

74. Visitors will notice American’s desire for openness in a way ___________.

A .they walled their houses with glass 

B. they leave the office doors open while working

C. they never have fence                          

D. they depended upon each other

75. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A .No Walled Cities.                                       B. The Early Settlers

C. Americans’ Lack of Desire for Privacy          D. be Patient with Differences

 

After moving to the United States , immigrant groups trying to fit in tend to choose high calorie fatty foods in an attempt to appear more American , a new study finds . That’s one reason why immigrants approach US levels of obesity within 15 years of moving to America.

The researchers also did an experiment that measured whether or not the threat of appearing un-American influenced respondents’ food choices . After being questioned about their ability to speak English , 75 percent of Asian-Americans identified a typical American food as their favorite. Only 25 percent of Asian-Americans who had not been asked if they spoke English did the same.

When their American identiy was called into question during a follow-up study, Asian-American participants also tended to choose typical American dishes , such as hamburgers and cheese sand wiches In that experiment , 55 Asian-Americans were asked to choose a meal from a local Asian or American restaurant . Some participants were told that only Americans could participate in the study. Those who chose the more typical American fare ended up consuming an extra 182 calories , including 12grams of fat and 7 grams of saturated fat(饱和脂肪).

“People who feel like they need to prove they belong to a culture will change their habits in an attempt to fit in , ”said Sauna Cheryan ,an anthor of the study and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington.” If immigrants and their children choose unhealthy American foods over healthier traditional foods across their lives , this process of fitting in could lead to poorer health .Cheryan added.

Social pressures , the study concluded , are at the heart of the problem. “In American society today , being American is associated with being white . Americans , who don’t fit this image even if they were born here and speak English , feel that pressure to prove that they’re American,” said Cheryan.

1.The author wants to show that       .

A.more and more Asians enjoy high-calorie snacks

B.immigrants tend to eat American junk food to fit in

C.most Americans are at the risk of heart disease

D.all the American people have a bad eating habit

2.According to the survey,       .

A.Asian-Americans care less about their health

B.25 percent of Americans like junk food

C.choosing food is related to Asian-American’s situation

D.immigrants are forced to eat junk food

3.The underlined word “fare” in Paragraph 4 most probably means “       ”.

A.food offered as a meal            B.a person taking a taxi

C.money spent on food           D.an arranged thing to do

4.According to Sauna Cheryan,        .

A.what immigrants have done is ridiculous

B.American traditional foods are healthier

C.immigrants risk their health in order to fit in

D.American culture affects immigrants deeply

5.Which of the following should take the blame for the bad eating habit?

A.The situation of employment.          B.The traditional culture.

C.The American government.              D.The pressures from society.

 

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