| 阅读理解。 |
| In a time of low academic (学术的) achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic (经济上的) 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 stress is put on academic instruction. In one study, 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 listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In comparison, over half the Americans 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 function as a member of a group. In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese chose group experience as one of their top three reasons while 62 percent of the more individually oriented (强调 个性发展的) Americans chose it. A stress on the importance of the group continues into Japanese primary school education 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 development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have primary 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 finally being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. |
| 1. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe _____. |
| A. Japan's higher education is better than theirs B. Japan's economic success is a result of its scientific achievements C. Japanese preschool education stresses academic instruction D. Japanese parents pay more attention to preschool education than American parents |
| 2. Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools should also attach importance to ________. |
| A. guidance of parents B. problem solving C. group experience D. individually oriented development |
| 3. Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to _______. |
| A. enrich children's knowledge B. develop children' s creativity C. broaden children's horizon D. lighten children's study load |
| 4. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens? |
| A. They can do better in their future studies. B. They can be individually oriented when they grow up. C. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education. D. They can gain more group experience there. |