Why does a large education nation like China have so few world renowned scientists as the US? Educationists from China and the US try to find out the answer to questions like this at a forum on the basic education strategy.
The forum, held recently, was jointly organized by the Education Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education in China and the Postgraduate School of the University of Pennsylvania in the US. It aims to find out similarities and differences that exist between two countries in their educational system.
While some educationists in China keep a doubtful eye to the country’s educational system in recent years. Their American counterparts give a positive answer to the basic education in China, saying that it is still one of the best in the world.
An American educationist told reporters that the basic education in the US was criticized in recent years due to its political tendency. On the contrary, Chinese government’s stress on basic education and qualified teachers has set a good example.
At primary and middle school, pupils in China did better in math and science lessons than the US pupils. However, few grow to be world “masters”. Why? Educationists attributed this to China’s stress on examinati
on rather than students’ interest.
Deputy Director of the postgraduate school of Pennsylvania University said American teachers encouraged students to focus on their strong points. In China, students are driven to study to pass the entrance examination test and they do not pay much attention to their own interest.
At the forum, director of the Education Development Research Center Mr. Zhang said in the future, the research center would make its middle and long-term basic education strategy by taking some references from other countries including the US.
He also revealed that for a long time in the future, China would make a breakthrough in setting the policy for quality education.
16. This passage is mainly about _________.
A. quality education development in the future
B. why China’s education cultivates few world masters
C. China’s good basic education
D. genius education at the primary stage
17. The underlined word “renowned” in the first paragraph probably means ________
A. famous B. active C. qualified D. experienced
18. The following statements are true EXCEPT that _________
A. basic education in the US is associated with the government’s political interest.
B. the forum aims to find out the reason why there few world masters in China.
C. all the educationists in China cast doubts in the country’s educational system.
D. Chinese government’s stress on basic education is spoken highly of.
19. Few pupils in China who did better in math and science lessons than the US pupils grow to be world “masters”, because _________
A. The US government spends more money on basic education
B. American pupils are cleverer than Chinese pupils
C. basic education in China is not as successful as that of the US
D. Chinese people pay less attention to students’ interest
20. China’s educational system will _______ in the future.
A. help students to study even harder to pass the examination
B. apply more attention to quality education referring to systems of other countries
C. allow students to pay more attention 
to their own interest without their test results
D. copy the educational system in the US