“The Heart of the Matter,” the just-rel

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问题  “The Heart of the Matter,” the just-released report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences(AAAS), deserves praise for affirming the importance of the humanities and social sciences to the prosperity and security of liberal democracy in America. Regrettably, however, the report’s failure to address the true nature of the crisis facing liberal education may cause more harm than good. In 2010, leading congressional Democrats and Republicans sent letters to the AAAS asking that it identify actions that could be taken by “federal, state and local governments, universities, foundations, educators, individual benefactors and others” to “maintain national excellence in humanities and social scientific scholarship and education.” In response, the American Academy formed the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences. Among the commission’s 51 members are top-tier-university presidents, scholars, lawyers, judges, and business executives, as well as prominent figures from diplomacy, filmmaking, music and journalism. The goals identified in the report are generally admirable. Because representative government presupposes an informed citizenry, the report supports full literacy, stresses the study of history and government, particularly American history and American government; and encourages the use of new digital technologies. To encourage innovation and competition, the report calls for increased investment in research, the crafting of coherent curricula that improve students’ ability to solve problems and communicate effectively in the 21st century, increased funding for teachers and the encouragement of scholars to bring their learning to bear on the great challenges of the day. The report also advocates greater study of foreign languages, international affairs and the expansion of study abroad programs. Unfortunately, despite 2.5 years in the making, “The Heart of the Matter” never gets to the heart of the matter, the illiberal nature of liberal education at our leading colleges and universities. The commission ignores that for several decades America’s colleges and universities have produced graduates who don’t know the content and character of liberal education and are thus deprived of its benefits. Sadly, the spirit of inquiry once at home on campus has been replaced by the use of the humanities and social sciences as vehicles for publicizing “progressive,” or left-liberal propaganda. Today, professors routinely treat the progressive interpretation of history and progressive public policy as the proper subject of study while portraying conservative or classical liberal ideas—such as free markets and self-reliance—as falling outside the boundaries of routine, and sometimes legitimate, intellectual investigation. The AAAS displays great enthusiasm for liberal education. Yet its report may well set back reform by obscuring the depth and breadth of the challenge that Congress asked it to illuminate.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?A. Ways to Grasp “The Heart of the Matter”B. Illiberal Education and “The Heart of the Matter”C. The AAAS’s Contribution to Liberal EducationD. Progressive Policy vs. Liberal Education

选项 A. Ways to Grasp “The Heart of the Matter”
B. Illiberal Education and “The Heart of the Matter”
C. The AAAS’s Contribution to Liberal Education
D. Progressive Policy vs. Liberal Education

答案 B

解析 篇章理解题。本文以《问题的核心》报告为论述对象,第一段亮出观点,指出该报告弊大于利;第二段给出该报告的制定信息;第三段陈述该报告的可取之处;第四段是本文的重中之重,先指出该报告没有触及问题的本质——人文教育的非人文性本质,本文第四段指出许多毕业生并不了解人文教育的内容和特点,意思是他们并没有受到相应的人文教育;第五段分析问题背后的原因;第六段总结,指出《问题的核心》报告因为深度不够可能阻碍改革的进程。根据上述分析,B项“非人文教育与《问题的核心》”利用对比,道出报告本质,是最佳标题。A项“理解《问题的核心》的方法”不是本文的主要内容,文中并没有具体讲述该如何理解该报告;C项“美国人文与科学学院对人文教育的贡献”太过片面,文章有提到其报告的可取之处但是也指出该报告并未解决问题的本质;D项“激进的政策与人文教育”毫不相关。
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