Historians tend to tell the same joke when they are describing history education in America. It’s the one 61 the teacher standing in the schoolroom door 62 goodbye to students for the summer and calling 63 them, "By the way, we won World War II."
The problem with the joke, of course, is that it’s 64 funny. The recent surveys on 65 illiteracy (无知) are beginning to numb(令人震惊): nearly one third of American 17-year-olds cannot even 66 which countries the United States 67 against in that war. One third have no 68 when the Declaration of Independence was 69 . One third thought Columbus reached the New World after 1750. Two thirds cannot correctly 70 the Civil War between 1850 and 1900. 71 when they get the answers right, some are 72 guessing.
Unlike math or science, ignorance of history cannot be 73 connected to loss of international 74 . But it does affect our future 75 a democratic nation and as individuals. The 76 news is that there is growing agreement 77 what is wrong with the 78 of history and what needs to be 79 to fix it. The steps are tentative (尝试性的) 80 yet to be felt in most classrooms.
61. A) about B) in C) for D) by
62. A) shaking B) waving C) nodding D) speaking
63. A) in B) after C) for D) up
64. A) rarely B) so C) too D) not
65. A) historical B) educational C) cultural D) political
66. A) distinguish B) acknowledge C) identify D) convey
67. A) defeated B) attacked C) fought D) struck
68. A) sense B) doubt C) reason D) idea
69. A) printed B) signed C) marked D) edited
70. A) place B) judge C) get D) lock
71. A) Even B) Though C) Thus D) So
72. A) hardly B) just C) still D) ever
73. A) exclusively B) practically C) shortly D) directly
74. A) competitiveness B) comprehension C) community D) commitment
75. A) of B) for C) with D) as
76. A) fine B) nice C) surprising D) good
77. A) to B) with C) on D) of
78. A) consulting B) coaching C) teaching D) instructing
79. A) done B) dealt C) met D) reached
80. A) therefore B) or C) and D) as
完形填空答案：
61.A about 62. B waving 63.B after 64.D not 65.A historical
66.C identify 67.C fought 68.D idea 69.B signed 70.A place
71. A Even 72.B just 73. D directly 74. A competitiveness 75.D as
76. D good 77.C on 78. C teaching 79. A done 80.C and
