Matheducationinthiscountrydoesadisservicetoourchildren.Inthelowergrades,itshouldfocusonthebasic skills that students will need in higher grades to develop the ability to solve complex problems. Learning basic math skills is like learning the scales and chords that one will later use to master complicated concertos and symphonies. However, math educators in this country seem to have it backward, emphasizing in higher grades the same narrow, skills- based approach that students learned in lower grades rather than the analytical tools they will need to solve complex math problems. Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn above? - While music is common in elementary school curriculums, it is rarely taught in high school.
- On international tests of math skills, high-school students in this country performed no worse than did their
counterparts from countries where problem-solving is emphasized in higher grades. - When presented with a math problem to solve, students in higher grades are more likely to arrive at different
answers than students in lowers grades are. - Older students tend to receive higher grades in math than do younger students.
Universities in this country report a steady increase in the percentage of native first-year students who qualify to take advanced mathematics courses such as calculus.
正确答案:E
Therecentboominnewhomeconstructionhasfinallybeguntotaperoff.Developersarenotbuyingland,contractors are finding themselves going without work for longer periods, and banks are issuing fewer mortgages. People must not be as interested in buying new homes as they were even six months ago. Which of the following indicates a flaw in the reasoning above?
- Interest rates for home mortgages have increased significantly over the past six months.
- The average size of a new home has increased significantly over the past several years.
- Sales of condominiums have increased over the past six months.
- The cost of materials such as lumber and cement has decreased over the past year.
Sales of other big-ticket items, such as automobiles and boats, has remained steady over the past year. 正确答案:A
Unlikejuvenilediabetes,whichisageneticconditionpresentfrombirth,type-2diabetesisacquiredinadulthood, generally as a result of obesity and inactivity. The number of cases of type-2 diabetes has been steadily increasing in the United States since 1970, indicating to many researchers that the American population is becoming increasingly heavy and sedentary. If the government wishes to stem the spread of the disease, it should educate the public about the dangers of an inactive, calorie-laden lifestyle and promote healthful diets and exercise. Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest reason to believe that the proposed education program will NOT be effective?
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