大學(xué)英語-習(xí)題及答案-大學(xué)英語Ⅱ-Unit1-Comparing-Education-in-India-versus-in-the-U.S4頁

1、4Comparing Education in India versus in the U.S.The basic difference between the two educational systems is the stress on math that is given in India at the elementary and high school level itself. Mathematics teaches students logical and rational thinking it lays the foundation of independent and l

2、ateral thinking. Indian schools start teaching math, like multiplication tables, at the elementary level itself. It is given a lot of importance and is a must for students who plan to do science related study in college. On the other hand, high school in America is so flexible that a lot of students

3、 who end up majoring in science in college do not take advanced math and calculus in high school. In general, I found that at the end of their 1st year of university, math majors in the US are equivalent to high school graduates in India in terms of math study. The emphasis on math in high schools a

4、nd engineering programs is also the reason why India produces so many good software engineers.The flexibility of the American education system is its greatest strength and also its greatest weakness. Students can choose among a host of classes and courses in high school and college. This means they

5、can change their major midway through college. This usually means that students in the US receive more exposure to a variety of subjects and hence, are more aware of their career options and opportunities. However, the downside is that they can avoid taking courses which are hard in their major. The

6、 computer science students in my department in the US are often criticized for avoiding a lot of important computer science courses by taking easier courses from other departments that fulfill their degree requirements. However, the flip side of the coin is that the Indian education system is very h

7、ard on kids and completely ignores their feelings, opinions and ambitions. Kids are pushed to study from the age of three and non-performers are treated as dolts and ostracized by parents and society. The preferred choice of learning and teaching is memorizing facts. These facts do help in the long

8、run; the multiplication tables we learned in elementary school keep us ahead of our American counterparts who need a calculator to find out what 6 times 7 is. However, the memorization approach to study does not allow and teach kids to think independently. The American school system lays stress on i

9、ndividual ability development and encourages kids to express themselves and their opinions from an early age. As a result, most Americans are way better at getting their point across as compared to people from other countries. Students in the U.S. build more self-confidence and are much better at pu

10、blic speaking. Classroom discussion and asking questions to the professor is encouraged. Indian students on the other hand find it hard to learn to speak up or express their opinions, and the professors expect you to treat them like God and often use their powers against students who upset them in s

11、ome way. Exercise: Directions: Decide whether the following statements are True or false.1. India high school students have already learned what American Math majors learn in the university. ( )2. The flexibility of American education system is a double-edged sword. ( )3. Indian students are good at

12、 memorizing facts but lack the ability to solve problem independently. ( )4. Both students in America and India are not supposed to challenge the authorities of teachers. ( )5. Generally speaking, American education system is superior to that of India. ( )Going to College! Going to college! What a t

13、hrill! Its a trip that has everything great that you have heard about, if you make it. It also is very serious business. To a great extent, you will be on your own. True, there are an awful lot of people ready to help you, but generally you must take the initiative and seek them out. Most of you hav

14、e decided on a career. Even though many of you will change you minds later, the initial decision allows you to set class goals and pursue them step by step toward the final objective of graduation. Such goals are essential for success. In advising students, I always tell them to discipline themselve

15、s, to be prepared to study hard and keep up from the first day on. (1) Todays world is full of precious knowledge, whether it is in the arts, literature, a profession, or a vocational skill. College is your chance of a lifetime to explore these areas. Each facet can be as exciting when discovered by

16、 you as it was discovered by the original author. Let yourself explore beyond your immediate career objectives. A student in auto-mechanics in most schools also can take courses in history, philosophy, music, or art. There is no reason a craftsman cant be a great thinker, or an explorer into the vas

17、t areas of unlimited knowledge. For a rich full life he or she should make the most use of the opportunities at hand. I hope that you have gathered by now that going to college means a lot more than earning a grade. To limit your college experience will be a waste to you and to all of the people, pa

18、st and present, who have invested their pennies, dimes and dollars-often at great personal sacrifice-to make education opportunities open for you. Putting it bluntly, college is a place to be greedy-take all that you can get and then some more. Also consider this-are you going to take a course to le

19、arn or are you going to take it only to have it on your record? I talk to far too many students going to school just to get credentials to “get a job”. Again, they are cheating themselves. Get into the subjects in great depth to gain a true understanding. Dont be content to just skim over courses wi

20、th “only to pass” in mind. By taking the in-depth approach you will be exploring many of the disciplines you will enjoy the rest of your life. Let me share with you a final observation. The person doing an honest piece of work, the work one can be proud of, is the truly happy person. This is true of

21、 the plumber, veterinarian, teacher, or whatever. The agony of just getting by will eventually tear one asunder. The habit of honest work and pride in your work can be established to a great extent in college. Thus, as you stand on the threshold of your college career, commit yourself and stand by t

22、hat commitment. From the first day in class, discipline yourself to make learning fun, not a chore, and to get the most from the educational opportunities open to you. The universities are school of education, and schools of research. But the primary reason for their existence is not to be found eit

23、her in the mere knowledge conveyed to the students or in the mere opportunities for research afforded to the members of the faculty. The justification for a university is that it preserves the connection between knowledge and the zest of life, by uniting the young and the old in the imaginative cons

24、ideration of learning. (2)The university imparts information, but it imparts it imaginatively. At least, this is the function which it should perform for society. A university, which fails in this respect, has no reason for existence. A fact is no longer a bare fact: it is invested with all its poss

25、ibilities. It is no longer a burden on the memory; it is energizing as the poet of our dreams, and as the architect of our purpose. Imagination is not to be divorced from the facts: it is a way of illuminating the facts. It works by eliciting the general principles which apply to the facts, as they exist, and then by an intellectual survey of alternative possibilities which are consistent with those principles. It enables men to construct an intellectual vision of a new world, and it preserves the zest of life by the su