ReadingOliver James' Affluenza, I thought about what often happens athome. My 12-year-old daughter is in tears. "I have to take a testtomorrow. I don't understand any of it." she cries out. Aftershouting and shutting her door, she calms down enough to go throughher notes. The following day, I ask her how the test went and shejust says "OK, I got a nine".
"Wow, welldone!" I say, before she finishes with "But I never get aten!"
According toJames, this obsession with getting top marks has been a baddevelopment, which encourages people to think of education in termsof work and money. To test this, I asked my daughter why she was soworried about her tests. She looked at me as if I was sick. "Well,if I don't get good grades, I won't get into university. Then Iprobably won't get a good job and I won't be able to afford nicethings like a car and stuff."
I was quitesurprised, because I don't consider myself a pushy parent. ButJames suggests showing any interest in grades sends the messagethat what is important is results and it leaves students feelingfailures even if they are very bright. He points to the Danishsystem (体制) of education as a better model. Creating happy citizenswho have a good social skill is seen as more important than highachievements at school or the needs of business.
For me, Icannot remember the last time I had to work out the area of acircle, recite a Shakespeare poem or grammar rules, yet I havelived a happy life. What I really needed to learn at school was howto make polite conversations, or how to avoid getting into debt orhow to develop good personality.
This is infact similar to what Oliver James really has in mind. And he islooking for schools where students are encouraged to find andfollow their own interests, something more like Tongjon. Tongjonhas been developed in some Korean private schools. It is quitedifferent from the more rigid system of learning things by heartthat is used in Korea, and indeed in many other school systemsaround the world.
As theRussian poet Pushkin said, "Inspiration (灵感) is needed in geometry(几何) just as much as in poetry", and inspiration does not come fromendlessly going for tests or getting worried about them.
56. What does the writer probably think of his/herdaughter?
A. She sets herself a goal too high toreach.
B. She should be more polite to———— her parents.
C. She is hard-working but not very bright.
D. She takes her grades much too seriously.
57. What does the word "obsession" in Paragraph 3mean?
A. A plain and unavoidable fact.
B. A satisfied and very proud state.
C. A practical and widely-used way.
D. A fixed and often unreasonable idea.
58. What can we infer from the passage?
A.Social skills are as important as high grades.
B. Interest in grades can shake self-confidence.
C. The writer regrets not having studied hard at school.
D. Danish educational system is for very smart students.
59. The writer wants to tell us that________.
A. learning happily is the key toself-development
B. top marks may be helpful to increase one's interest
C. tests should be improved to give children inspiration
D. education should meet one's need for work and money
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