Directions: Read the following passage. Complete the diagram by using the information from the passage. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Happy birthday! Do birthdays really make people happy? Of course they do. By birthday we mean celebrating the day when we were born. Besides, that extra candle on the cake suggest another year of growth and maturity(成熟)--- or so we hope. We all like to imagine that we are getting wiser and not just older. Most of us enjoy seeing the wonder of growth in others as well. For instance, our children’s developing and learning new things makes us feel proud. For Americans, growing up is a wonderful process. But growing old? That is a different story.
Growing old is not exactly for people in youth-oriented(以年轻人为中心)American culture. Most Americans like to look young, act young and feel young. As the old saying goes, “You’re young as you feel.” People in some countries value the aged as a source of experience and wisdom. But Americans seem to favor those that are young, or at least “young at heart”, and for them, growing old means feeling lonely in this youth-oriented culture .
Many older Americans find the “golden years” to be anything but golden. Economically, retirement at the age of 65 brings a sharp decrease in personal income. Social security benefits usually cannot make up the difference. Older people may suffer from poor nutrition, medical care and housing. Some even experience age discrimination (歧视). American sociologist Pat Moore once dressed up like an older person and wandered city streets. She was often treated rudely--even cheated and robbed. However, dressed as a young person, she received much more respect.
What should we do to improve this situation? The young should care for and respect the old since everyone will grow old. The government should continue the social security benefits.
Title: Different Opinions About Growing Old
71._________ | Descriptions / Details | |
General idea | Growing older, being mature and wiser | |
72.___________ | 73.________ | A wonderful process: children 74.__________ new things, enjoying another birthday party |
About the old | Being respected by the young | |
75._______ as a source of experience and wisdom | ||
Living happily in the golden years | ||
Negative attitudes | Never being young again | |
Feeling 76._________ in a youth-oriented culture | ||
77._________ problem: personal income decreasing sharply | ||
78._________ problem: suffering from poor nutrition and other diseases | ||
Housing problems: poor and simple | ||
Social problems: being ill-treated—experiencing 79.___________, cheating and robbery | ||
80.__________ | Improving social security benefits | |
The young caring for and respecting the old |
71. Items 72. Positive attitude 73. About the young
74. developing and learning 75. Being valued / Valuing the aged
76. lonely 77. Economical 78. Health
79. age discrimination 80. Solution /Measures
In a society, such as the United States or Canada, which has many national, religious and cultural differences, people highly value individualism--the difference among people. Teachers place a lot of importance on the qualities that make each student special. The educational systems in these countries show these values. Students don't memorize information. Instead, they work individually and find answers themselves. There is often discussion in the classroom. At an early age, students learn to form their own ideas and opinions.
In most Asian societies, by contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture. Perhaps for this reason, the educational system in much of Asia reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea often work together and help one another in assignments. In the classroom, the teaching methods are often very formal. The teacher lectures, and the students listen. There is not much discussion. Instead, the students recite rules of information that they have memorized.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these systems of education. For example, one advantage to the system in Japan is that there much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. They also study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The system is difficult, but it prepares students for a society that values discipline and self-control. There is, however, a disadvantage. Memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students say that after an exam, they forget much of the information that they have memorized.
The advantage of the educational system in North American, on the other hand, is that students learn to think for themselves. The system prepares them for a society that values creative ideas. There is, however, a disadvantage. When students graduate from high school, they haven’t memorized as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.
Title: 76 of Educational System between North America and Asia
Students in the US and 77 | Students in China, Japan and Korea | |
What do they 78 | Individualism | 79 goals and purposes |
Different 80 of study | Working individually | Listening to the teachers |
Forming their own ideas and opinions | Reciting rules and memorizing information | |
A lot of discussion in the classroom | Not much discussion | |
81 | Learning to think for themselves | Learning much more math and science |
Studying more hours each day and more days each year | ||
Good for a society that values 82 | Good for a society valuing 83 and self-control | |
Disadvantages | Students haven’t memorized many basic rules and facts before 84___ | Information is 85 easily. |
Directions: Read the following passage. Complete the diagram by using the information from the passage. Write NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS for each answer.
American public education has changed in recent years. One change is that increasing numbers of American parents and teachers are starting independent public schools called charter schools.
In 1991, there were no charter schools in the Unite States. Today, more than 2300 charter schools operate in 34 states and the District of Columbia. 575. 000 students attend these schools. The students are from 5 years of age through 18 or older.
A charter school is created by groups of parents, teachers and community members. It is similar in some ways to a traditional public school. It receives tax money to operate a number of students. The charter school must prove to local or state governments that its students are learning. These governments provide the school with the agreement, or charter that permits it to operate.
Unlike a traditional public school, however, the charter school does not have to obey most laws governing public schools. Local, state or federal governments cannot tell it what to teach.
Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach those goals. Class sizes are usually smaller than in many traditional public schools. Many students and parents say teachers in charter schools can be more creative.
However, state education agencies, local education-governing committees and unions often oppose charter schools. They say these schools may receive money badly needed by traditional public schools. Experts say some charter schools are doing well while others are struggling.
Congress provided 200 million dollars for establishing charter schools in the 2006 federal budget. But, often the schools say they lack enough money for programs. Many also lack needed space, District officials say they have provided 14 former school buildings for charter education. Yet charter school supporters say officials should try harder to find more space.
Title: 71.
72 ________ | Independent public school | ||
Similarities between charter schools and traditional schools | ●73 ________ to operate U number of students ●Having to prove the students are learning ●Getting 74 ________ to operate from government | ||
75 __________ between charter schools and traditional schools | ●Not having to obey most laws for public schools ●Being free to decide the 76 ________ ●Being free to choose the goals and decide 77 ________ them ●There usually being 78 ________ students in charter schools’classes ●Having teachers who are more creative | ||
Charter school's problems | Opinions from education departments | These schools receiving money badly needed by 79 ________ Not all doing well | |
Opinions from charter schools | Lacking enough money Lacking 80._________ |