Directions: There are 4 passages in this part.
Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Passage ONE
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
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 (答问卷者)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 success ful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and math emetics, 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.

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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 (强调个性发展的) 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.

11. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe

A)Japan's higher education is superior to theirs
B) Japan's economic success is a result of its scientific achievements
C) Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction
D) Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents

12. Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools should also attach importance to

A) parental guidance
B) problem solving
C) group experience
D) individually-oriented development

13. In Japan's preschool education, the focus is on

A) tapping children's potential
B) shaping children's character
C) preparing children academically
D) developing children's artistic interests

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

A) enrich children's knowledge
B) cultivate children's creativity
C) broaden children's horizon
D) lighten children's study load

15. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university:based kindergartens?

A) They can do better in their future studies.
B) They can be individually oriented when they grow up.
C) They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.
D) They can accumulate more group experience there.