In a time of low academic 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 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. 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 persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The vast majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of the more individually oriented Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.

Like in America, there is diversity 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 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.

1. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ______.

A. Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents

　 B. Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

　 C. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction

　 D. Japan’s higher education is superior to theirs

2. Most Americans surveyed 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. tapping children’s potential

　 D. shaping children’s character

4. Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to ______.

A. broaden children’s horizon

　 B. cultivate children’s creativity

　 C. lighten children’s study load

　 D. enrich children’s knowledge

5. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?

　 A. They can do better in their future studies.

　 B. They can accumulate 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.

参考答案：C B D C D

译文：

一段时期内，美国学校水平较低，一些美国人转向日本寻找可能的答案，日本是一个教育和经济都非常成功的国家．然而，日本学龄前学校所提供的答案并不是美国人预料想找到的．在大多数日本学龄前学校，出人意料的是, 他们一般不强调理学业指导．在对300名日本和210名美国学龄前的老师, 儿童发育专家和他们的父母的一项调查中, 当被问到儿童早期教育的不同方面时, 仅有2%的回答问卷者将＂给孩子一个好的学业教育启蒙＂列入开办学前班的三个首要原因之一．相反，超过一半的美国回答问卷者将这一因素列入开办学前班的三个首要原因之一．为了让孩子为了成功的职业生涯做好准备，日本的学校在一年级及随后几年并不教他们阅读，写作和数学，但却很注重技能方面的培养，诸如：坚持（韧性）、集中精力和团队精神。大部分年纪较小的日本儿童在家中由他们的父母们来教读书。
近年来日本和美国的学前教育对比显示，91%的日本回答问卷者将让孩子们有团队经历列为开办学前班的三个首要因素之一。62%的更强调个性发展的美国人将团队经历列入三个首要因素之一.在日本, 对团队经历重要性的重视从学前教育延续到日后的初等教育。
像在美国一样，日本儿童教育也是具有多样性的. 一些日本的幼儿园有具体的教学目标，像早期的音乐训练潜能的开发。在大城市里，有些幼儿园附属于某些大学, 这些大学设有小学和中学. 一些日本的父母们相信如果孩子们加入了大学里的所谓的基础教育流程中，就会增大孩子门被一流中小学和大学录取的可能性. 不乏一些更进步的教学计划引进了儿童自由玩耍来减轻沉重的学习压力的教学体系。