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 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 emphasis is put on academic instruction.In one investigation, 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 respondents (答问卷者) listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices.Toprepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond,Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

　　In the recent comparison of Japanese and American pre??school education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for asociety to have preschools. 62 percent of the more individually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An em??phasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary 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 (潜力) development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary 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 eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.

　　25. 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 emphasizes academic in??struction
　　D. Japan's higher education is better than theirs

　　26. Most American respondents believe that preschools should also attach importance to ________.
　　A. problem solving               B. group experience
　　C. parental guidance             D. individually oriented development

　　27. In Japan's preschool education, the focus is on ________.
　　A. preparing children academically       B. developing children's artistic interests
　　C. tapping children's potential         D. shaping children's character

　　28. 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 edu??cation.

　　答案与详解：

　　25. C 推断题。从第一段的第一、二句我们可以看出因为美国孩子的学术成就缓慢，很多美国家长到日本取经，然而他们看到的不是他们所预料的，由此我们知道，很多美国人认为日本非常重视孩子的学术教育。

　　26. B 细节题。从第二段我们知道，62％的美国人把group experience作为他们的三个最重要的选择之一。

　　27. D 细节题。从第一段的To prepare children for successful careers…and the ability to function as a member of a group可知。

　　28. D 细节题。从最后—段的第一句可知。

　　本文讲述的是当前世界的热门话题——人口问题。