单选题 The question of what children learn, and how they should learn it, is continually being debated and re-debated. Nobody dares any longer to defend the old system, the leaming of lessons parrot-fashion, the grammar-with-a-whip system, which was good enough for our grandparents. The theories of modem psychology have stepped into argue that we must understand the needs of children. Children are not just small adults, they are children who must be respected as such.
Well, you may say, this is as it should be a good idea. But think further, what happens? "Education" becomes the responsibility not of teachers but of psychologists. What happens then? Teachers worry too much about the psychological implications of their lessons, and forget about the subjects themselves. If a child dislikes a lesson, the teacher feels that it is his fault, not the child"s. So teachers worry whether history is relevant to modem young children. And do they dare to recount stories about violent battles? Or will this make the children themselves violent? Can they tell their classes about children of different races, or will this encourage racial hatred? Why teaching children to write grammatical sentences? Verbal expression is better sums? Arithmetic? No. Real-life mathematical situations are more understandable.
You see, you can go too far. Influenced by educational theories, who have nothing better to do than write book about their ideas, teachers leave their teacher-training colleges filled with grand, psychological ideas about children and their needs. They make elaborate, sophisticated preparations and try out their modem standard on the long-suffering children. Since one modem method rapidly replaces another, the floor kids will have had a good bellyful by the time they leave school. Frequently the modem methods are so sophisticated that they fail to be understood by the teachers, let alone the children.

单选题 It can be inferred from the passage that the author ______.

A、 hasn"t formed his own opinion on the problem
B、 defend the old system which was good enough for our grandparents
C、 think that we should treat the modern methods calmly and not overcorrect the old system
D、 accept the theories of modem psychology totally

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 态度题。考查作者的观点。结合第二段、第三段的内容可以看出，作者对现代教育办法是否定和质疑的。C选项“认为应该冷静对待现代教育方法，对旧体制不要矫枉过正”准确地描述了作者的观点，overcorrect正是You see, you can go too far的同义表述。

单选题 According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A、 Neither teachers nor children can understand the modem methods.
B、 Children must be understood and respected.
C、 Children were made to learn passively under the old system.
D、 Children are small adults and know what they need.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 推理题。第一段第四句说“孩子不只是年幼的成人，他们也应该受到尊重”，因此D选项是对这句话的过度推断。故选D。

单选题 What happen when teachers focus too much attention to the psychological method of their lessons?

A、 Education of children becomes the responsibility of psychologists.
B、 They neglect the actual lessons.
C、 Children dislike their lessons.
D、 They dare not to recount stories about violent battles.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据第二段第六句后一部分的同义转述(neglect对应forget about)，B选项为正确答案。

单选题 Why is verbal expression better than grammatical sentences?

A、 Because verbs are more useful.
B、 Because talking freely without sentences is a better form of expression.
C、 Because formal grammar rules might cause unnatural expression.
D、 Because educational theorists encourage to teach children verbal expression.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 推理题。第二段主要讲述了现代教育方法，结合原文所说的“口语化表达更好”，可以推断出C选项“使用正式的语法规则可能会导致表达不自然。”

单选题 According to the passage, the author"s attitude toward educational theorists is ______.

A、 approval
B、 admiring
C、 unbiased
D、 critical

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 态度题。作者对教育理论家的态度从第三段第二句“由于受到只会著书立说的教育理论家的影响……”可以推断出来。approval意为“赞同，钦佩”，unbiased“无偏见的”，显然都不符合文意。critical意为“批判的”，才是正确答案。