One often hears that children should arrive at school “ready to learn.” For most children, the acquisition of reading and math skills starts in the first grade. In states where kindergarten is compulsory, it begins even earlier.
Many parents, teachers, and politicians maintain that preschool is the best way to prepare children to learn. There is no real consensus, however, about how this preparation should be achieved.
For some, early childhood education relates to the development of the whole child. They think that preschool should encourage exploration and discovery. Group activities teach positive social behaviors such as sharing, kindness, and patience. Time spent alone encourages independence. Learning letters and counting is important only for children who show an interest in them. Advocates of this approach stress that each child is unique and should learn at his or her own pace.
Other people refer to research showing that children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4. They claim that early introduction to letters and numbers lays the foundation for later academic excellence. Since the 1980s, many people have stressed the value of preschool and point to the success of programs -such as Head Start - that target low-income children.
Is there proof that an academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success? Studies have not been conclusive. In the short term, evidence suggests that middle-class children who attend preschool are ahead of their peers in maths and language skills as well as in social skills, when they enter school. However, the same studies show that the gap narrows considerably by the time children reach age 8.
Children living in poverty are a different matter. Those enrolled in programs such as Head Start seem to do better than impoverished children who do not attend a preschool. For instance, youngsters in one group enrolled in the program, tracked until the age of 21, earned higher scores on intelligence tests, were more likely to graduate from high school, and demonstrated more interest in higher education.
The idea of public preschool raises many issues. Providing Head Start for all children would be a financial burden on communities that already struggle to fund current school programs. Also, where would a sufficient number of teachers trained in early childhood development be found?

Advocates of the development of the whole child believe school readiness is______ .

A．showing eagerness in exploration and discovery

B．learning basic skills, such as knowing letters and counting

C．showing great interest in basic academic concepts

D．demonstration of intellectual , social and emotional skills

According to the passage, Head Start is most probably______ .

A．a preschool program that supports disabled children

B．a program that helps impoverished children attend a school

C．an organization that aims to improve current school programs

D．a program that helps design the academic curriculum in preschool

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Preschool benefits middle-class children more than poor children.

B．Most children start school with similar language and social skills.

C．Providing Head Start for all children has encountered great difficulties.

D．All children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4.

Which of the following may best summarize the main idea of the passage?

A．An academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success.

B．Preshool is helpful, despite the disagreement about what it should offer.

C．Children enrolled in preschool demonstrate more interest in learning.

D．Preschool education shouldn't be a financial burden on communities.

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