There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious. We all know what a nerd is: someone who wears thick glasses and ugly clothes: someone who knows all the answers to the chemistry or math homework but can never get a date on a Saturday night. And a geek, according to Webster's New World Dictionary, is a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens. It is an obvious fact about our language and our culture that someone devoted to the pursuit of knowledge is compared to such a strange person.
Even at a famous educational institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is widespread: Many students are ashamed to admit how much they study. The same thing happens in US primary and high schools.
Enough is enough. The anti-intellectual values that have spread throughout American society must be fought. There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the US. In most industrialized nations, especially in East Asia, a kid who studies hard is praised. But in America, average professional ballplayers are much more respected and better paid than professors of the best universities.
How can a country where typical parents are ashamed of their children studying mathematics instead of going dancing be expected to compete in the technology race with Japan? How long can America remain a world-class power if we constantly put social skills and physical strength over academic achievement and intellectual ability?
Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by bringing in our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, as we have done for a major portion of this century without making an effort to also cultivate a prointellectual culture at home?
【小题1】Why does the author mention Webster's New World Dictionary in Paragraph 1?A.To show that vocabulary use is always up-to-date. |
B.To show the unfairness of calling intelligent people. |
C.To convince readers with reference from an authoritative. |
D.To prove that words the author uses in this article are accurate. |
A.The US government doesn't mean to spend much money on education |
B.Anti-intellectualism is not popular in industrialized countries in East Asia. |
C.Few students work hard for their grade in famous universities like Harvard. |
D.Professors earn more than professional basketball players on average in the US. |
A.Concerned. | B.Supportive. | C.Neutral. | D.Objective. |
A.Life | B.Science | C.Education | D.Politics |