In an Educational Testing Service study of five countries and four Canadian provinces, American 13-year-olds graded last in math and nearly last in science.

How did America, birthplace of Thomas Edison and Wright brothers come to such a dangerous situation? One reason is lack of enough financial support for science education. After Sputnik, funding（基金）for the National Science Foundation, the leading U.S. founder of scientific research, shot up from 18 million dollars to 130 million dollars. By 1982 financing for NSFS education had fallen rapidly to zero.

To be sure, changeable funding is only one reason why U.S. scientists are becoming a scarce commodity（稀有商品）. The image of scientists is less lustrous than it was in the 50’s and 60’s when men and women in lab coats were seen as national heroes helping the U.S. beat the Russians to the moon. Today, the country’s brightest desire is to be bankers and lawyers, not chemists or rocket designers.

1.From the passage, we can know that the computer chip, genetic engineering are _______.

    A. examples of American scientific achievements

    B.names of modern technology

    C.seen everywhere throughout the world

    D.obtained by Russia

2.America is losing its highest position in research and technology because _______.

    A. American students are flowing to Canada

    B.men and women in lab coats are seen as national heroes

    C.Thomas Edison and Wright brothers died

    D.financial support for science education is not enough and scientists are less respected

3.According to the passage Sputnik is _______.

    A. a research project of National Science Foundation

    B.the name of an education department

    C.a scientific achievement of Russia

    D.a scarce commodity

4. The word “l(fā)ustrous” in the last paragraph can be replaced by_______.

    A. difficult

    B.shinning

    C.smart

D.shocking

5.The main idea of the passage is that_______.

    A. America’s leading position in scientific research is in danger

    B.America’s needs more funding in scientific research

    C.the National Science Foundation needs financial support

    D.American students are not good in science

Moon landing. The computer chip. Genetic engineering. The artificial heart. The achievements of U.S. scientists are known and admired throughout the world. But whether American highest position in research and technology will continue into the 21st century is far from certain. Thirty-two years after the Russians sent up Sputnik setting off a hot race to produce more and better U.S. physicists, the scientific pipeline is drying up. The reason for this crisis（危機）: American science education is in disorder.

    In an Educational Testing Service study of five countries and four Canadian provinces, American 13-year-olds graded last in math and nearly last in science.

How did America, birthplace of Thomas Edison and Wright brothers come to such a dangerous situation? One reason is lack of enough financial support for science education. After Sputnik, funding（基金）for the National Science Foundation, the leading U.S. founder of scientific research, shot up from 18 million dollars to 130 million dollars. By 1982 financing for NSFS education had fallen rapidly to zero.

To be sure, changeable funding is only one reason why U.S. scientists are becoming a scarce commodity（稀有商品）. The image of scientists is less lustrous than it was in the 50’s and 60’s when men and women in lab coats were seen as national heroes helping the U.S. beat the Russians to the moon. Today, the country’s brightest desire is to be bankers and lawyers, not chemists or rocket designers.

1.From the passage, we can know that the computer chip, genetic engineering are _______.

    A. examples of American scientific achievements

    B.names of modern technology

    C.seen everywhere throughout the world

    D.obtained by Russia

2.America is losing its highest position in research and technology because _______.

    A. American students are flowing to Canada

    B.men and women in lab coats are seen as national heroes

    C.Thomas Edison and Wright brothers died

    D.financial support for science education is not enough and scientists are less respected

3.According to the passage Sputnik is _______.

    A. a research project of National Science Foundation

    B.the name of an education department

    C.a scientific achievement of Russia

    D.a scarce commodity

4. The word “l(fā)ustrous” in the last paragraph can be replaced by_______.

    A. difficult

    B.shinning

    C.smart

D.shocking

5.The main idea of the passage is that_______.

    A. America’s leading position in scientific research is in danger

    B.America’s needs more funding in scientific research

    C.the National Science Foundation needs financial support

    D.American students are not good in science