Aimlessness has hardly been typical of the postwar Japan whose productivity and social harmony are the envy of the United States and Europe. But increasingly the Japanese are seeing a decline of the traditional work-moral values. Ten years ago young people were hardworking and saw their jobs as their primary reason for being, but now Japan has largely fulfilled its economic needs, and young people don't know where they should go next.

The coming of age of the postwar baby boom and an entry of women into the male-dominated job market have limited the opportunities of teenagers who are already questioning the heavy personal sacrifices involved in climbing Japans rigid social ladder to good schools and jobs. In a recent survey, it was found that only 24.5 percent of Japanese students were fully satisfied with school life, compared with 67.2 percent of students in the United States. In addition, far more Japanese workers expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs than their counterparts did in the ten other countries surveyed.

While often praised by foreigners for its emphasis on the basics, Japanese education tends to stress test taking and mechanical learning over creativity and self-expression." Those things that do not show up in the test scores, personality, ability, courage or humanity are completely ignored," says Toshiki Kaifu, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's education committee." Frustration against this kind of thing leads kids to drop out and run wild." Last year Japan experienced 2,125 incidents of school violence, including 929 assaults on teachers. Amid the outcry, many conservative leaders are seeking a return to the prewar emphasis on moral education. Last year Mitsuo Setoyama, who was then education minister, raised eyebrows when he argued that liberal reforms introduced by the American occupation authorities after World WarⅡ had weakened the "Japanese morality of respect for parents."

But that may have more to do with Japanese life-styles." In Japan," says educator Yoko Muro, "it’s never a question of whether you enjoy your job and your life, but only how much you can endure." With economic growth becoming centralization, fully 76 percent of Japans, 119 million citizens live in cities where community and the extended family have been abandoned in favor of isolated, two generation households. Urban Japanese have long endured lengthy commutes (travels to and from work) and crowded living conditions, but as the old group and family values weaken, the discomfort is beginning to tell. In the past decade, the Japanese divorce rate, while still well below that of the United States, has increased by more than 50 percent, and suicides have increased by nearly one-quarter.

1. In the Westerners eyes, the postwar Japan was_____ .

　A. under aimless development          B. a positive example

　C. a rival to the West                    D. on the decline

2.According to the author, what may chiefly be responsible for the moral decline of Japanese society?

　A. Women's participation in social activities is limited.

　B. More workers are dissatisfied with their jobs.

　C. Excessive emphasis has been placed on the basics.

　D. The life-style has been influenced by Western values.

3.Which of the following is true according to the author?

　A. Japanese education is praised for helping the young climb the social ladder.

　B. Japanese education is characterized by mechanical learning as well as creativity.　　　　

　C. More stress should be placed on the cultivation of creativity.

　D. Dropping out leads to frustration against test taking.

4. The change in Japanese life-style is revealed in the fact that____.

　A. the young are less tolerant of discomforts

　B. the divorce rate in Japan exceeds that in the U.S.

　C. the Japanese endure more than ever before

　D. the Japanese appreciate their present life

Aimlessness has hardly been typical of the postwar Japan whose productivity and social harmony are the envy of the United States and Europe. But increasingly the Japanese are seeing a decline of the traditional work-moral values. Ten years ago young people were hardworking and saw their jobs as their primary reason for being, but now Japan has largely fulfilled its economic needs, and young people don't know where they should go next.
The coming of age of the postwar baby boom and an entry of women into the male-dominated job market have limited the opportunities of teenagers who are already questioning the heavy personal sacrifices involved in climbing Japans rigid social ladder to good schools and jobs. In a recent survey, it was found that only 24.5 percent of Japanese students were fully satisfied with school life, compared with 67.2 percent of students in the United States. In addition, far more Japanese workers expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs than their counterparts did in the ten other countries surveyed.
While often praised by foreigners for its emphasis on the basics, Japanese education tends to stress test taking and mechanical learning over creativity and self-expression." Those things that do not show up in the test scores, personality, ability, courage or humanity are completely ignored," says Toshiki Kaifu, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's education committee." Frustration against this kind of thing leads kids to drop out and run wild." Last year Japan experienced 2,125 incidents of school violence, including 929 assaults on teachers. Amid the outcry, many conservative leaders are seeking a return to the prewar emphasis on moral education. Last year Mitsuo Setoyama, who was then education minister, raised eyebrows when he argued that liberal reforms introduced by the American occupation authorities after World WarⅡ had weakened the "Japanese morality of respect for parents."
But that may have more to do with Japanese life-styles." In Japan," says educator Yoko Muro, "it’s never a question of whether you enjoy your job and your life, but only how much you can endure." With economic growth becoming centralization, fully 76 percent of Japans, 119 million citizens live in cities where community and the extended family have been abandoned in favor of isolated, two generation households. Urban Japanese have long endured lengthy commutes (travels to and from work) and crowded living conditions, but as the old group and family values weaken, the discomfort is beginning to tell. In the past decade, the Japanese divorce rate, while still well below that of the United States, has increased by more than 50 percent, and suicides have increased by nearly one-quarter.
【小题1】 In the Westerners eyes, the postwar Japan was_____ .

A．Japanese education is praised for helping the young climb the social ladder.

B．Japanese education is characterized by mechanical learning as well as creativity.

C．More stress should be placed on the cultivation of creativity.

D．Dropping out leads to frustration against test taking.

Sixteen-year-old Karlos Dearmans’s future is looking much brighter than be might have imagined. “I’ve always been into bikes, but never thought I’d end up working with them,” he says. “This scheme has changed my life.”

Karlos is learning to refurbish(翻新) old bicycles in the workshop of ReCycle Bikes, a local community(社区) charity in Sheffied, which has a contract with the city council to provide training opportunities for young people aged 14 to 16, particularly those dropping out of school.

“It’s about engaging youngsters with education and you thtraining by teaching them work and life skills,” explains Des Pearce, workshop training manager. “These young people have so much potential, but often don’t realize it.”

Established in 2001, ReCycle Bikes repairs bicycles donated by the public, which, once restored, are sold for ￡20. Abandoned bikes supplied by the council ensure a steady flow of bikes, but a recently formed partnership with Sheffield University should improve further the prospects of the young mechanics.

　　“The student population presents a large and ready market,” says Pearce. “So we approached the university last year and offered to host bike sales on the campus. They thought it was a great idea, and agreed to supplement our council funding. This means we can train youngsters to repair extra 500 bikes over three years.”

　　Having set up ReCycle Bikes on his own, Pearce now has the staff and resources to track the career development of those who have passed through his workshop. “However, in the past we depended on the evidence of personal accounts from the schools because of lack of human and material resources,” he says.

　　That most of the teenagers enjoy the work is, according to Pearce, easily explained. “Most kids have ridden a bike and know how to oil a chain or mend a puncture. As low-cost transport, cycling gives the young and old a sense of freedom and independence, and the impact on their well-being is immense. Add to that a growing concern for the environment, and it’s no surprise that bike sales are on the increase.”

72．What do we know about ReCycle Bikes?

A．It is a popular brand of bikes which are sold in Sheffield．

B．It is a local community charity that provides training opportunities for reenagers．

C．It is a contract signed between a local community charity and the city council．

D．It is a training program offered by the city council to those excluded from school．

73．How did ReCycle Bikes run at the beginning?

A．By repairing bicycles donated by the public and selling them．

B．By donations from the public and Sheffield University．

C．By selling bicycles supplied by the city council．

D．By tuition fees from kids aged between 14 and 16．

74．ReCycle Bikes has formed a partnership with Sheffield University because ____________．

A．students at Sheffield University assure a large and ready market

B．Sheffield University offers many mechanical teachers to ReCycle Bikes

C．Sheffield University donates a lot of money to ReCycle Bikes

D．teenagers at ReCycle Bikes can study at Sheffield University

75．ReCycle Bikes depended on information from the schools in the past because     .

A．the schools could give accurate information to improve its service

B．students disliked telling the truth when asked about their personal ideas

C．ReCycle Bikes didn’t have the ability to track students’ career development．

D．most of the training organizations did it this way at that moment

The thief _____ the papers all over the room while he was ______.
　　 A. abandoned ;searched　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. vanished; searched for
　　 C. scattered ; searching　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. deserted;searching for