2011年12月英语四级阅读备考材料(8)

　　Americans always have different opinions in their 11 toward education. On the one hand, free and universal public education was seen as necessary in a democracy, for how else would citizens learn how to 12 themselves in a responsible way? On the other hand, America was always a country that offered financial opportunities for which education was not needed on the road from rags to riches, ___13 —beyond the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic—was an 14 detour.

　　Even today, it is still possible for people to 15 financial success without much education, but the number of 16 in which this is possible is decreasing. In today's more complex world, the opportunities for financial success are 17 related to the need for education, especially higher education.

　　Our society is rapidly becoming one whose 18 product is information, and dealing with this information requires more and more 19 education. In other words, we grow up learning more and more about fewer and fewer subjects.

　　In the future, this trend is likely to 20 . Tomorrow's world will be even more complex than today's world, and, to manage this complexity, even more specialized education will be needed.

　　c chief D. unnecessary

　　G. specialized H. attitudes

　　K. situations L. continue

　　O. manage

　　A. realize B. schooling

　　E. altitudes F. closely

　　I. govern J. achieve

　　M. strictly N. positions

　　II. H 12. I 13. B 14. D 15. J 16. K 17. F 18. C 19. G 20.