Part B Reading
Open Education
In traditional education, the teacher may feel that the students are not very grown up. Usually, teachers are older than students, and teachers feel that students are young and do not know very much about the world. The teachers feel that they must tell the students what to do most of the time, and that they must make the students study specific things. In open education, the teacher’s feelings are very different. These teachers feel that the students are individuals first, and students second.They expect the students to be responsible for the things that they do.The teacher allows the students to decide what they want to do, and does not make them study specific subjects or things. The teacher lets them decide what to study and how much to study.
The second part of the idea of open education has something to do with what the teacher does in the classroom. In the traditional classroom, the students are told what to do. There is a list of things that the students must do to finish the class. There are rules made by the teacher that the students must follow, even if the students see no reason for the rules. In open education, the teacher allows the students to choose what to do. There are no specific things for the students to do. There are no traditional rules made by the teacher. The students are allowed to discover subjects in the open classroom, instead of being made to study them.
There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school.They will not have to worry about grades or rules.
But many students will not do well in an open classroom. They will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students.
So far some of the good points and bad points of open education have been explained. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. What do you think?
(440 words)
Exercises
Task One Answer the following questions according to the text.
1. What do the teachers feel about the students in traditional education?
2. What are the students supposed to do in open education?
3. What does the teacher do in open education?
4. What does the teacher do that distinguishes open education from traditional education?
5. What are the good points of open education?
6. Why do some students dislike open education?
Task Two Match the words.
1. traditional A. detailed and exact
2. education B. to let someone do or have something, or let something happen
3. specific C. having a duty to be in charge of or to look after someone or something
4. feeling D. decision made by a unit, a group, an organization, etc. about what must or not be done
5. individual E. to grow larger, stronger, fuller or more mature
6. expect F. being part of the traditions of a country or group of people
7. allow G. the process by which one’s mind develops through learning at a school,college or university
8. responsible H. something that you feel such as anger, sadness or happiness
9. rule I. to think that something will happen because it seems likely or has been planned
10. develop J. one person, considered separately from the rest of the group
Task Three Fill in the blanks with the suitable words or expressions given below. Change the word forms if necessary.(https://www.daowen.com)
1. British higher_______________has a long history.
2. The world famous_______________, Oxford and Cambridge, dated from 1167 and 1284.
3. Cambridge is more_______________than Oxford in scientific studies.
4. In traditional classroom, the students must_______________any rule made by the teacher.
5. In_______________education, the students may study, or talk, or do nothing at all if they so choose.
6. In traditional education, the teacher may feel that the students are not very_______________up.
7. When they are too few_______________, some students will do little in school.
8. In open education, the teacher’s_______________are very different.
9. They expect the students to be_______________for the things that they do.
10. The teacher_______________the students to decide what they want to do, and do not make them study specific subjects or things.
Task Four Cloze.
( ) 1. A. will B. should C. may D. need
( ) 2. A. and B. however C. still D. yet
( ) 3. A. older B. young C. youngest D. old
( ) 4. A. that B. what C. how D. which
( ) 5. A. day B. week C. year D. time
( ) 6. A. force B. ask C. order D. make
( ) 7. A. open B. higher C. strict D. public
( ) 8. A. the same B. different C. important D. useful
( ) 9. A. like B. allow C. expect D. help
( ) 10. A. important B. same C. different D. usual
Task Five Order the words to make a sentence.
Task Six Translate the following sentences into English and use the given words or expressions.
