Let children learn to judge their own work. A child learning to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time; if corrected too much, he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the languages he uses and the language those around him use. Bit by bit, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people. In the same way, when children learn to do all the other things they learn to do without being taught-to walk, run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle-compare those performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his own mistakes for himself, let alone correct them. We do it all for him. We act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to. Soon he becomes dependent on the teacher. Let him do it himself. Let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what this word says, what answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not.

If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time on such routine work? Our job should be to help the child when he tells us that he can’t find the way to get the right answer. Let’s end this nonsense of grades, exams, marks, Let us throw them all out, and let the children learn what all educated persons must some day learn, how to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.

Let them get on with this job in the way that seems sensible to them. With our help as school teachers if they ask for it. The idea that there is a body of knowledge to be learnt at school and used for the rest of one’s life is nonsense in a world as complicated and rapidly changing as ours. Anxious parents and teachers say, “But suppose they fail to learn something essential they will need to get in the world?” Don’t worry! If it is essential, they will go out into the world and learn it.

1.What does the author think is the best way for children to learn things?

A.by copying what other people do.

B.by making mistakes and having them corrected.

C.by listening to explanations from skilled people.

D.by asking a great many questions.

2.What does the author think teachers do which they should not do?

A.They give children correct answers.

B.They point out children’s mistakes to them.

C.They allow children to mark their own work.

D.They encourage children to mark to copy from one another.

3.The passage suggests that learning to speak and learning to ride a bicycle are___.

A.not really important skills.

B.more important than other skills.

C.basically different from learning adult skills.

D.basically the same as learning other skills.

4.Exams, grades, and marks should be abolished because children’s progress should only be estimated by___.

A.educated persons.

B.the children themselves.

C.teachers.

D.parents.

5.The author fears that children will grow up into adults while being___.

A.too independent of others.

B.too critical of themselves.

C.incapable to think for themselves.

D.incapable to use basic skills.

翻译训练：普通话与方言

中国土地广阔，人口众多。尽管全国都讲汉语，但是不同地区的人说汉语的方式不同，这被称为方言。方言一般被称为地方话，是汉语在不同地区的分支，只在特定地区使用。汉语方言非常复杂。它们有以下三方面不同：发音、词汇和语法。发音的区别最为显著。2000多年前，中国人发现社交时应该使用统一的语言。和方言相比，普通话(mandarin)能被所有人理解。普通话有利于不同种族、地区人民之间的信息传递和文化交流。

翻译：

中国位于亚洲东部，是世界上人口最多的国家。中国是世界四大文明古国之一，拥有大量的中华文化光辉的古迹，此外，中国地大物博，拥有茂密的森林、雄伟壮丽的瀑布、秀丽的湖泊以及如利剑直插云霄的山峰，所有这些都令世界各国人民神往。但是，更重要的是，中国以拥有五千多年的历史而自豪，遗留下无数的历史文物，其中包括珍贵珠宝、古迹名胜、宫殿及数不尽的雄伟建筑，令人惊叹不已。这种种原因都促使中国成为许多人梦寐以求的旅游胜地。

InwhatwaydoesLauraLenox-Conynghammakeherliving?

翻译：

Bymakingvehicleslighterinweightaluminumhasgreatlyreducedtheamountoffuelneededtomovethem,(PassageTwo)