考研英语历年阅读理解真题精析-（突破训练）000年part4.pdf

PartFourAimlessnesshashardlybeentypicalofthepostwarJapanwhoseproductivityandsocialharmonyaretheenvyoftheUnitedStatesandEurope.ButincreasinglytheJapaneseareseeingadeclineofthetraditionalworkmoralvalues.Tenyearsagoyoungpeoplewerehardworkingandsawtheirjobsastheirprimaryreasonforbeing,butnowJapanhaslargelyfulfilleditseconomicneeds,andyoungpeopledon'tknowwheretheyshouldgonext.ThecomingofageofthepostwarbabyboomandanentryofwomenintothemaledominatedjobmarkethavelimitedtheopportunitiesofteenagerswhoarealreadyquestioningtheheavypersonalsacrificesinvolvedinclimbingJapan'srigidsocialladdertogoodschoolsandjobs.Inarecentsurvey,itwasfoundthatonly24.5percentofJapanesestudentswerefullysatisfiedwithschoollife,comparedwith67.2percentofstudentsintheUnitedStates.Inaddition,farmoreJapaneseworkersexpresseddissatisfactionwiththeirjobsthandidtheircounterpartsinthe10othercountriessurveyed.Whileoftenpraisedbyforeignersforitsemphasisonthebasics,Japaneseeducationtendstostresstesttakingandmechanicallearningovercreativityandself-expression."Thosethingsthatdonotshowupinthetestscores—personality,ability,courageorhumanity—arecompletelyignored,"saysToshikiKaifu,chairmanoftherulingLiberalDemocraticParty'seducationcommittee."Frustrationagainstthiskindofthingleadskidstodropoutandrunwild."LastyearJapanexperienced2,125incidentsofschoolviolence,including929assaultsonteachers.Amidtheoutcry,manyconservativeleadersareseekingareturntotheprewaremphasisonmoraleducation.LastyearMitsuoSetoyama,whowastheneducationminister,raisedeyebrowswhenhearguedthatliberalreformsintroducedbytheAmericanoccupationauthoritiesafterWorldWarIIhadweakenedthe"Japanesemoralityofrespectforparents."ButthatmayhavemoretodowithJapaneselifestyles."InJapan,"sayseducatorYokoMuro,"it'sneveraquestionofwhetheryouenjoyyourjobandyourlife,butonlyhowmuchyoucanendure."Witheconomicgrowthhascomecentralization;fully76percentofJapan's119millioncitizensliveincitieswherecommunityandtheextendedfamilyhavebeenabandonedinfavorofisolated,twogenerationhouseholds.Ur