But I wonder:If American education is so poor,why is it that this is still the country of innovation. When I was 12 in Indonesia,I had to memorize the names of all the world's major cities,from Kabul to Karachi.At the same age,my son,who was brought up a Californian,thought that Buenos Aires was Spanish for good food.However,unlike children of his age in Asia and Europe,my son had studied creative geography.When he was only 6,he drew a map of the route that he traveled to get to school,including the streets,the traffic signs and the houses that he passed.
Dissatisfied American parents forget that in this country their children are able to experiment freely with ideas; without this they will not really be able to think or to believe in themselves.
Critics of American education cannot grasp one thing:freedom.America,I think,is the only country that extends even to children the license to freely speak,write and be creative.Our public education certainly is not perfect, but it is a great deal better than any other.I think I have found the answer to my question.
36.From the text we learn that ______.
A.both Americans and immigrants are dissatisfied with the quality of American education
B.the author shares the general idea that American education is worse than education in many othercountries
C.Japanese schools in America require their American teachers to teach mathematics at Japanese levels
D.the author's German friend was a little displeased because the mathematics test for his son was too easy
37.Which of the following is NOT true?
A.The author most probably was an immigrant from Asia and received some school education there.
B.Buenos Aires must be the name of a city,as are Kabul and Karachi.
C.Children in other countries are not likely to learn creative geography.
D.The knowledge of geography of the author's son shows that American education is poor.
38.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A.If children are not allowed to experiment freely with ideas they won't grow up independent and creative.
B.Most Americans think the present American educational system is not as good as it used to be
C.Private schools run by Japanese businessmen maintain a higher level than American public schools.
D.Americans are more innovative than other people in the world.
39.In the last paragraph the author say,“I have found the answer to my question.”What is the question?
A.Is Japanese education better than American education?
B.Why do Japanese businessmen send their children to Japanese-staffed schools?
C.Why was my son not taught enough geographic knowledge?
D.Is American education really worse than education in other countries?
40.What would be the best title for this passage?
A.American education and education in foreign countries
B.Improvement needed for American education
C.Freedom to think-characteristic of American education
D.Education and innovation in America
Don't Take the Fun Out of Youth Sports
When I joined a private football league a few years ago,the sport meant everything to me. My coach said that I had lots of potential,and I became captain of my 36. That was before all the fun was taken out of 37 .At first,everyone on the team got 38playing time. Then the team moved up to the top division after winning all its games,and the 39 started. Some parents,who had paid the coach extra money so their daughters could have 40 one-on-one training,got angry when she didn't give them more playing time in our 41 . The coach was replaced.The new coach,however,took all the fun out of the game:All we did during practice was 42 . I always wished to God that it would rain so we would not have the 43 .Of course,all teams run drills;they are 44 . But we ran so much that,afterwards,we had trouble 45 . Younger people shouldn't be doing exercises 46 for 18-year-olds.I was very thin 47 I started football,but as a member of this team I wouldn't eat much,because I was afraid of being too 48 to run. I feared making mistakes,and the added pressure caused me to make more than my usual 49 .Is all this pressure necessary ?I 50up leaving the football team. Four other girls did the same,and two of them stopped playing football completely. That's 51 ,because they had so much potential. They were just burned-out with all the pressure they 52from the coach or their parents.I continued playing football at school and 53my love for it. I joined a private team coached by my school coach. When I started playing 54 him,he told me I needed to relax because I looked nervous. After I 55 down,I played better. When you enjoy something,it's a lot easier to do it well.
36 A. class B. club C. team D. board
37 A. playing B. living C. learning D. working
38 A. great B. equal C. right D. extra
39 A. business B. struggle C. attempt D. pressure
40 A. free B. private C. good D. basic
41 A. matches B. courses C. lessons D. programs
42 A. jump B. play C. run D. shoot
43 A. duty B. meeting C. operation D. training
44 A. necessary B. boring C. scientific D. practical
45 A. speaking B. moving C. sleeping D. breathing
46 A. used B. intended C. made D. described
47 A. till B. since C. before D. because
48 A. full B. tired C. lazy D. big
49 A. size B. share C. space D. state
50 A. gave B. kept C. ended D. picked
51 A. loud B. fast C. publicly D. calmly
52 A. People B. Nobody C. Somebody D. I
53 A. shock B. wonder C. worry D. pleasure
54 A. if B. for C. while D. although
55 A. excited B. satisfied C. think D. laugh
Five days off work is a harsh penalty for dragging a woman alongside a bus by her arm? Baxa said, "Any time you take money away from someone, it is a harsh punishment. The driver makes $14 an hour. Multiply that by 40 and you can see what he lost. "
Yes, that comes to $560, a tidy sum. But we know that people in the private sector are fired for far less every day. If the people who run the CTA think that the loss of a week's pay is more than enough, I offer them a sporting proposition: Give me a bus. Then have their wives stick their arms in the doorway of the bus, and I'll slam the door shut, stop the gas pedal and take them for a fast one-block jog. And I'll pay $560 to anyone who is bold enough to try it. Any takers? Mr. Baxa? Anybody? I didn't think so.
1.The nurse half-entered one of the buses because____.
A、the bus they wanted didn't stop there
B、she wanted the driver to stop the bus
C、she wanted to get some information from the driver
D、she and her uncle couldn't wait any longer at the corner
2.The reason why the woman trotted alongside the bus was that____.
A、she couldn't get herself away from the bus
B、the driver closed the door before she heard the answer
C、she was dragged by the bus driver
D、she wanted to get the driver's badge number
3.How many blocks was the woman away from the corner where she waited when the bus driver finally let her off? ____
A、Almost one block.
B、Almost two blocks.
C、Probably three blocks.
D、Probably five or six blocks.
4.The bus driver's punishment was____.
A、being dismissed from the CTA
B、being out of work for a week
C、paying a fine of $560
D、working without pay for five days
5.Why did the author offer a sporting proposition? ____
A、Because the CTA paid little attention to the incident.
B、Because the bus driver had not been fired.
C、Because he wanted to threaten the CTA people.
D、Because he thought the penalty was not a harsh on
A.habit
B. possibility
C. privilege
D. occasion