阅读理解
Is early childhood education really necessary?Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning
through playing to develop the child's physical, sensory, communicational and social development.Early
childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally
trained before they are old enough for kindergarten.
There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education.Studies have shown
that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed
causing failure in school, and even in life.Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head
Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are
less likely to receive public help or go to prison.
There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early.Time Magazine online explains that "the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with firstgrade work." I have
personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become
frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school.Yet parents have been sure that the
earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier.
Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary
years, studies also show that this head start is really a "false start", as the gains are lost in middle and high
school years.It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life's success than early education.Head Start
programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school
children.Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap.
1. The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________.
A. to develop the children's communication
B. to give orphaned children good care and education
C. to get the children prepared for the kindergarten
D. to train the children formally and regularly
2. According to the studies, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Children with good early education may have a rich life.
B. The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life.
C. Children without early education can do well at school.
D. Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children.
3. "the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with firstgrade work." suggests that ______.
A. the early childhood education is helpless to the child's grade
B. it is good for the young children to receive early education
C. the early education can help the children follow the grade
D. the younger the children are, the cleverer they will be
4. The author's attitude toward the early childhood education is ________.
A. puzzling
B. negative
C. indifferent
D. proving
5. The main idea of the last passage is that ________.
A. the early childhood education is very necessary
B. Head Start programs have helped the children a lot
C. environment is the most important to life's success
D. better ways should be found to help the poor children