四级冲刺练习阅读156_大学英语阅读_大学英语-查字典英语网

四级冲刺练习阅读156

　　The pessimist would have to say that this cannot go on foreverpeople will surely tire of this constant clamor for school reform that seems to produce disappointing results and turn their attention elsewhere. A more optimistic view could look at several factors which, though less visible than the continued failure in so many schools, nevertheless might cause reform not only to continue but to increase in the nineties.

　　The most important basis for optimism is that the political force that has been driving educational reform in the eighties is still as strong as everthey fear that continued educational failure will lead to economic decline and a lowered standard of living. Reform movements of the past have been based either on educational ideas that did not necessarily have widespread support or on national emergencies whose urgency faded within a few years.

　　Its true that the connection of these economic fears to education would not necessarily have to last. If experts came along with other explanations and ways for improvement of American economic position, the interest in education might indeed decrease. On the contrary, however, more and more people are seeing that our failure to prepare our young people for productive and responsible adulthood has terrible economic as well as social consequences and that investing in our youth has to be an important component of Americas success in the world economy of the future.