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. Japanese parents pay more attention to preschool education than American parents
B. Japan's economic success is a result of its scientific achievements
C. Japanese preschool education stresses academic instruction
D. Japan's higher education is better than theirs
2. More than three fifths of the American respondents (答卷者) believe that preschools should also attach
importance to _____. [ ]
A. problem solving
B. group experience
C. parental guidance
D. individually oriented development
3. In Japan's preschool education, the focus is on _____. [ ]
A. preparing children academically
B. developing children's artistic interests
C. developing children's potential
D. improving children's personal qualities
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 gain more group experience there.
C. They can be individually oriented when they grow up.
D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.
