Whenever anyone measures educational success, East Asian countries are always top scorers. But in a recent league table, a European country, Finland, was top of the class. South Korea was still in second place, though. Britain was at number 6. In Korea the school day is long--typically 7 or 8 hours, followed by hours of private tutoring in the evenings. _ leaves Korean students so tired, they sometimes fall asleep in class next day. Worries about the effects of late night cramming led the government to force cramming schools to close by 10 p.m. Finnish children spend the least time in class in the developed world, often finishing just after lunch, with about one hour of homework a day. Private tuition is uncommon. The British and American school day is quite long in comparison, around 6 hours, and secondary school pupils do 2 or 3 hours of selfstudy a night. The Korean education system, like many in Asia, is intensely competitive, with students even competing to get into the best cramming schools, to help them get ahead. Finnish education is far less cutthroat. Classes are all mixed ability, and there are no league tables. British schools again occupy the middle ground, with quite high levels of competition for places at university, and schools and universities battling to come top of league tables for everything from exam results to student satisfaction. Korea and Finland both do well, yet their education systems are so different. However, there are some similarities between Korea and Finland. In those countries, teachers have high status in society, and education is very highly valued. Those attitudes can't change quickly. But it can be done. They might be the star pupils now, but until the 1970s, Finland's education system was poor. Their thoroughly different approach to schooling has taken them to the top in just a generation. According to the author, the key to improving education is _ . A) the attitude B) the schooling time C) star pupils D) new teaching approach
A
(Question)
A sun-starved Norwegian town has finally seen the light--by installing giant mirrors on the surrounding mountains to reflect rays onto its market square. The small town of Rjukan sits deep in the narrow Vestfjord Valley,in the Telemark region south-west of Oslo. The towering peaks that surround it rise to almost 2,000 meters above sea level and block out the sunlight for half the year, meaning Rjukan residents live in a permanent shadow from September to March. But all that changed this week, with the official launch of a project first proposed a century ago. Three high-tech mirrors,with a combined reflective surface of 50 square meters, have been put into operation on a ridge on Gaustatoppen mountain,brightening up the previously gloomy town center by _ it with up to 600 square meters of sunlight. Twenty-first century technology has made the $850, 000 project possible, with heliostats--computer-powered mirrors--shifting every 10 seconds to track the movements of the sun during the day. But the idea to lighten up the dark town actually dates back 100 years. Rjukan was originally founded as a company town for Norsk Hydro, which set up a fertilizer plant here to make use of the hydro power from the nearby 104 meter Rjukanfossen waterfall. The story goes that the aluminum and renewable energy company's founder,Sam Eyde,wanted a way to brighten up the existence of his shadowed 1aborers--and also to make them work more effectively during the winter. The local newspaper published a suggestion by local bookkeeper Oskar Kittelsen to use a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the town,and Eyde picked up on the idea. Technological limitations of the day meant the plan never came to fruition,however, and instead northern Europe's first cable car was built in 1928 to give Rjukan residents sunlight exposure at the top of the mountain. Norsk Hydro set up Rjukan because _ . A) there were quantities of cheaper labors B) there existed large amounts of hydro power C) it was very convenient to use water D) there was rich aluminum and water resources
(Answer)
B
Ques: WHY do we sometimes struggle with moral dilemmas? Why is it a crime to take certain drugs but it's acceptable to take others? Why is it wrong to create human embryos to cure diseases suffered by millions? Often, we follow rules that bring little benefit and can even be positively harmful. But the rules are not set in stone, so there is nothing to stop us getting rid of those that don't work and putting better ones in their place. Now an experiment suggests that morality isn't entirely about benefits to individuals. We also tend to make and obey arbitrary moral rules, probably as a way of promoting social consolidation . A classic psychology experiment called "trolley experiment" suggests that our minds have two moral systems, and they don't always agree. In the trolley experiment, participants are told that an out-of-control trolley could kill five people on the tracks. They must decide whether to turn it onto a second track with only one person on it. Almost everyone does it, sacrificing one to save five. But if instead you have to push one person off a bridge onto the track to stop the trolley, most people say no. That suggests most of us have a strict rule against killing people directly, even for the greater good. How are such rules formed? Although people with morality appear to _ the act of killing in the bridge experiment, most moral behavior in animals appears focused on outcomes--the death of an individual, say--rather than the death of the majority. When an animal experiences harm to help a , biologists view this as increasing the chances that the animal's genes will survive. Many psychologists think that human moral rules are an extension of this "kin selection". Kurzban of the University of Pennsylvania did the experiment further. Kurzban's team gave volunteers changes of the bridge situation. Volunteers were asked what they would do and whether their actions were morally right. 85% of them said it would be morally wrong to push one person off to save five, whether these people are... Our moral dilemmas lie in the fact that moral rules _ . A) can hardly be changed once set B) are against individual benefits C) can be harmful as well as beneficial D) are promoting social consolidation
Ans: C
Question: Nobody wants to be called a helicopter parent,who manages to be responsible for whatever a child does, however small a matter is--but parents want to protect their kids.At least no playing with sticks means no risk of lost eyes. Yet as Gever Tulley points out in Fifty Dangerous Things(You Should Let Your Children Do),children who grow up as safe as possible become adults who aren't adventurous,highly adaptable,or confident.Sometimes you have to fall out of a tree to figure out how to climb one the right way,and learning that you can accomplish such a thing on your own teaches you that you can be self--sufficient. With Fifty Dangerous Things,Gever Tulley,has written a handbook of activities that are,yes,dangerous at some level-like playing with fire,breaking glass,and opening batteries.The book is a blueprint to help parents and children explore the world,and ensure the children grow up,with a little common sense and a lot of curiosity. Both the advice and the warnings are down to earth.Yes,there are risks,but Tulley provides good ways to learn to avoid them through your own skill.It takes work to raise a child who can use a table saw or build a campfire.But with this book in hand,it'll be a satisfying adventure. We see a child climbing a tree and the first thing we think of is how they might fall and be disabled for life.We seldom say,"Look at how well Sarah is climbing that tree!" When we protect children from every possible source of danger,we also prevent them from having the kinds of experiences that develop their sense of self--reliance,their ability to deal with risks,and their sense of accomplishment. When seeing a child doing dangerous things,most parents will_. A) praise the child for his bravery B) do whatever possible to stop it C) offer some advice on coping with risks D) stand by and watch him patiently
Answer:
B