Section B
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage isfollowed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are fourchoices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with asingle line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
Let children learn to judge their own work. A child learning totalk does not learn by being corrected all the time: if corrected too much, he will stoptalking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the languagehe uses and the language those around him use. Bit by bit, he makes thenecessary changes to make his language like other people's. In the same way,when children learn to do all the other things they learn to do without beingtaught to walk, run, climb; whistle, ride a bicycle--compare those performanceswith those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But inschool 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 hewould never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct itunless he was made to. Soon he becomes dependent on the teacher. Let him do ithimself. Let him work out; with the help of other children if he wants it, whatthis word says, what answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way ofsaying or doing this or not.
If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics orscience, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why shouldwe teachers waste time on such routine work? Our job should be to help the childwhen he tells us that he can't find the way to get the right answer. Let's end thisnonsense of grades, exams,marks. Let us throw them all out. and let thechildren learn what all educated persons must someday learn, how to measuretheir own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.
Let them get on with this job in the way that seems most sensibleto them with our help as school teachers if they ask for it. The idea thatthere is a body of knowledge to be learnt at school and used for the rest ofone's life is nonsense in a world as complicated and rapidly changing as ours.Anxious parents and teachers say, "But suppose they fail to learnsomething essential, something 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.
57. What does the author think is the best way for children tolearn things?
A) By imitating 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.
58. The passage suggests that learning to speak and learning toride a bicycle are
A) not really important skills
B) mort important than other skills
C) basically different from learning adult skills
D) basically the same as learning other skills
59. According to the passage, the author thinks teachers in schoolshould
A) allow children to learn by himself or herself
B) point out children's mistakes whenever they're found
C) correct children's mistakes as soon as possible
D) give children more book knowledge
60. The author believes the teacher's role in children's learningshould be.
A) the identifier and corrector of their errors
B) their helper and guide
C) the person to grade their performance and give feedbacks
D) the person to pass on something essential to them
61. The title of this passage could probably be
A) Let Teachers Stop Work
B) Let Us Make Children Learn
C) Let Children Correct Their Own Papers
D) Let Children Learn by Themselves
