( C )

Is early childhood education really necessary? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child’s physical, sensory, communicational and social development. Early childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for kindergarten.

There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education. Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school, and even in life. Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are less likely to receive public help or go to prison.

There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early. Time Magazine online explains that “the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work.” I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school. Yet parents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier.

Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years, studies also show that this head start is really a “false start”, as the gains are lost in middle and high school years. It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life’s success than early education. Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children. Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap.

72. The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________.

A. to develop the children’s communication

B. to give orphaned children good care and education

C. to get the children prepared for the kindergarten

D. to train the children formally and regularly

73. According to the studies, which of the following is True?

A. Children with good early education may have a rich life.

B. The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life.

C. Children without early education can do well at school.

D. Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children.

74. The underlined sentence “the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work. ” suggests that _____________.

A. the early childhood education is helpless to the child’s grade

B. it is good for the young children to receive early education

C. the early education can help the children follow the grade

D. the younger the children are, the cleverer they will be

75. The author’s attitude toward the early childhood education is _________.

A. puzzling B. negative C. indifferent D. approving

Section C

Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need. 

76.

Robot, it is a word that seems very modern, a word that creates a strong mental picture, a picture of something that looks and acts like a human. Robots are not human, of course, they are machines.

77.

The word robot, and robots themselves, are less than 100 years old. But humans have been dreaming of real and imaginary copies of themselves for thousands of years. Early people made little human statues out of clay. And they cut wood and stone to look like humans.

78.

What is the future of robots? The goal of scientists is to create a true human-like robot. Some experts have described this robot of the future as one that can act independently with the physical world through its own senses and actions. Humans have the ability to see, hear, speak and solve problems. Engineers have built robots that have one or two of these abilities. But it takes a number of big expensive computers to make the robots work.

79.

The biggest problem in creating a human-like robot is copying human intelligence. The way the human mind works is almost impossible to copy. A simple computer can do mathematical problems far beyond the ability of even the smartest human mind. But the human mind is better than a thousand supercomputers at speaking, hearing and problem-solving. Several American and Japanese companies are working to develop the senses of sight and touch for robots. The development of these senses will make robots much more useful.

80.

However, the most important human ability--the most difficult to copy--is problem-solving. An intelligent robot must be able to change the way it acts when it faces an unexpected situation. Humans do it all the time. Computers must do it for robots. This means computers must have a huge base of information about many things. They must be able to find quickly the needed information in their systems. And they must make choices about how to act. So far, this is beyond the ability of computers.

Section D

Directions: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.

From now on, never spend your precious time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.

The seeds, and the power to grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created: the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner. You were born rich. You can be a success only if you make the right choice.

You cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem. Your level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for their lives. They are the perennial (长期的) victims and martyrs. They are leaves tossed (摇摆) by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather.

You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe that you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible.

Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause, we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence.

If you associate with positive-thinking people, you are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary, the opposite happens. We are responsible for finding, planting, and nurturing the seeds that contain future victory, born from setbacks.

In short, in all areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, you are responsible. Once you recognize this, accept it, and firmly believe it, you are on the road to success.

(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS)
81. Why are people with low self-esteem compared to leaves?
 _______________________________.

82. What do losers think about their failures

______________________________.

83. According to the writer, whether one will succeed ____________________________.

84. The writer holds the view that he who connects with negative-thinking people will ___________________.