U1   Computer Science and the web

计算机与网络

Computers in Class

Reading Comprehension

（包括“答案与题解”）

Notes

课文参考译文

练习

●Cloze

●Reading Passages(包括“疑难长句翻译与注解”)

●Translation

●Writing(包括“审题指导”)

Computers in Class

Is this happening in your neighborhood? Children, notebook computers stuck under their arms, await the yellow bus for the trip to middle school. On the surface, the question of computers in schools is a no-brainer. It would be strange to insist that today’s technology shouldn’t be used to make the classroom experience more individualized, more effective, more immediate, more exciting. Computers have been in schools more than 20 years — and probably even done some good.

But the idea of a personal computer as a necessary daily tool for every American grammar school pupil is altogether a different thing. Beware the superficially attractive vision of 10-year-olds doing most of their work — and homework — on a computer. It’s another illusory silver bullet that promises to solve all of society’s ills through technology. Regardless of whether parents or taxpayers buy the machinery, it’s a bad policy.

Determining the proper role of computers in schools is too important to be left to computer suppliers and educators. An educated public with clear and realistic expectations needs to help determine the right track for technology.

Educators forever seem to seek the ultimate in curricular or teaching tools. They are always preoccupied with innovation — junior high school, new math, whole language, open classrooms and mastery learning, to name a few. Some ideas turned out well and over time have earned permanent positions in our education systems. Others reflected change for change’s sake and wound up in the trash bin, where they belong.

Exactly what is to be solved with computers in schools? Are we looking to improve instructional capacity and flexibility? Are we trying to make teachers and aides more productive by letting students take advantage of programmed learning tools? This all sounds good, and much has been accomplished with computer assisted instruction.

    But that’s not the same as making the computer a symbol of well-tempered educational policy. There’s danger in the message that a child is not fully educated if he or she can’t surf the World Wide Web skillfully, move around in Windows or the Finder, use a word processing program, or program in Logo or Basic.

    These skills can be learned outside the classroom. Worse, the time it takes students to acquire them is time stolen from the legitimate teaching schedule — and that’s a bad trade.

    And what kind of computers should be purchased? We’re not talking brand names. Most school systems don’t have the money to replace PCs or Macs on the two- to three-year cycle that shifting technologies demand. On the other hand, $2,500 — the cost of just one computer — invested in books for the school library produces an asset that has, shall we say, a longer shelf life.

    And who changes the factory culture of schoolrooms to allow computers to be more effective? And who teaches the teachers? These are the really tough issues — the ones that more hardware won’t solve.

Children are best served when schools contribute to shaping the solid foundations on which their future will be built. The student who can read with curiosity and understanding, who has mastered basic mathematical concepts, who can evaluate ideas critically, is the one schools should aim to produce.

1. According to the author, teaching computer in the school classroom is bad practice because          .

   ［A］ the computer is too expensive a luxury for school pupils

   ［B］ the pupils are not intelligently mature enough to master the skills

   ［C］ it takes too much time which might has been spent on regular courses

   ［D］ the pupils can learn nothing from computer assisted instruction

2. A “no-brainer” in the third sentence of the first paragraph probably means         .

   ［A］ something that is taken for granted 

   ［B］ an idea that is brainless and foolish

   ［C］ a proposal that is not worthy of serious consideration

   ［D］ a machine that can never take the place of human brain

3. Who can determine the proper role of computers in schools?

   ［A］ Computer suppliers.                  ［B］ Computer educators.

   ［C］ The educated public.                                   ［D］ All of the above. 

4. In the last paragraph the author implies that          .

   ［A］ computer skills contribute nothing to proper education

   ［B］ computer teaching is an indispensable part of education

   ［C］ the fundamental purpose of education is being ignored  

   ［D］ teachers should be taught how to teach computer skills

5. The author’s attitude towards the present way of teaching computer in schools is          .

   ［A］ critical                                    ［B］ objective

   ［C］ positive                                                    ［D］ optimistic

答案与题解

1.［C］   意为：它占用了太多的时间，而这些时间本来可以用于正常课程。

参阅第七段和最后一段。

2.［A］  

  根据下一句的意思，该词应理解为“无须思考的问题”。

3.［D］  

  第三段指出，决定计算机在学校中应该起什么作用是一件重要的事，不能仅交由计算机供应商和教育工作者来定，公众也应该有发言权。

4.［C］   

  最后一段指出，学校的根本任务是为学生的未来打下坚实的基础，学校旨在培养的学生应是具有好奇心和理解力，能掌握数学基本概念，并能对现存的一些观念进行独立评价。言外之意，由于盲目地进行计算机教育，这些基础容易被忽视。

5.［A］   意为：批评的。

文章从第二段起就开始对目前的计算机教学提出了批评，并在最后一段强调指出它对培养学生基本能力的不良影响。

1.  第一段第三句中no-brainer作“无须思考的问题”讲。

2.  第二段第三句中silver bullet作“魔力、魔法”讲。

3.  第四段第二句是一个简单句。句架是They are always preoccupied...。破折号后面的内容是讲创新的范围。

4.  第四段第四句是一个简单句。 句架是Others reflected change ... and wound up..., where...。where是关系副词引导非限制性定语从句，修饰trash bin。句中others = other ideas。

5.  第六段第二句是一个简单主从复合句。句架是There’s danger in the message that a child...if he or she can’t surf..., move around..., use a word  processing program, or...。句中that引导名词从句，是message的同位语，World Wide Web是万维网，Windows, Finder, Logo, Basic都是计算机术语。

课文参考译文

课堂电脑

你们附近发生过这样的情况吗？儿童用胳膊夹着笔记本电脑等黄色公共汽车去中学上学。在表面上，电脑是否可以进学校是无须思索就能回答的问题。如果坚持认为今天的技术不应当用来使课堂经验变得更个性化、更有效、更直接、更激动人心那就奇怪了。电脑进学校已20多年——大概也起了一些有益的作用。

但是个人电脑成为美国每个小学生的日常必备工具的想法则完全是另一回事。当心10岁小孩在电脑上做大部分作业——和家庭作业——这个表面上具有吸引力的幻想。这是有希望通过技术解决社会上所有弊病的另一个梦幻般的魔法。不管家长或纳税人是否买电脑，这是一个坏政策。

电脑在学校的应有作用问题太重要了，因而不能留给电脑供应商和教育工作者来决定。受过教育的公众抱有明确的和现实的期望，需要他们帮助确定技术发展的正确轨道。

教育工作者似乎总是在课程或教学工具中寻求终极目标。他们总是全神贯注于创新——初中、新数学、完整的语言、公开教室、熟练学习，只是列举几个例子而已。一些想法取得了良好结果，并且随着时间的推移在我们的教育系统中取得了永久的地位。其他的想法则是在为变化而变化，最终进入了它们所属的垃圾箱。

究竟在学校用电脑能解决什么问题？我们是在指望改进教学能力和灵活性吗？我们是试图使老师和其助手通过让学生利用已编好程序的学习工具来取得更多成果吗？这一切听起来很好，而且借用电脑辅助教学也已取得了很大成绩。

但是，这与把电脑当做健全教育政策的象征并不一样。有一种说法，说如果一个儿童不能熟练地在万维网上浏览，不能在Windows或Finder上浏览，不能使用文字处理程序，或者不能使用Logo或Basic程序，就不能说是受过完整的教育。这种说法很危险。

这些技巧能在教室外学会。更糟糕的是，学生学会这些技巧所花的时间是从正当的教学计划那里偷来的时间，这是一个坏交易。

应当买哪一类电脑？我们不是在谈品牌名称。大部分学校系统没有钱根据不断变化的技术的要

求每过两到三年更换一次个人电脑。另一方面，我们是否可以这样说：把2 500美元——只是一部电脑的价钱——投资于学校图书馆书籍所产生的资产拥有更长的使用期。

谁能改变教室中使用计算机进行教学的模式，从而让电脑变得更有效？谁来教老师？这些问题是真正难以回答的问题——是更多的硬件所不能解决的问题。

当学校在为孩子的未来打下牢固基础方面做贡献时，孩子们才能得到最好的服务。学校的目标应当是培养能怀着好奇心和理解力去读书，掌握基本算数概念，并能批判地对一些观念、想法进行评价的学生。

练习