The problem with the joke, of course, is that it’s 4 funny. The recent surveys on 5 illiteracy (無知) are beginning to numb(令人震驚): nearly one third of American 17-year-olds cannot even 6 which countries the United States 7 against in that war. One third have no 8 when the Declaration of Independence was 9 . One third thought Columbus reached the New World after 1750. Two thirds cannot correctly 10 the Civil War between 1850 and 1900. 11 when they get the answers right, some are 12 guessing.

　　Unlike math or science, ignorance of history cannot be 13 connected to loss of international 14 . But it does affect our future 15 a democratic nation and as individuals. The 16 news is that there is growing agreement 17 what is wrong with the 18 of history and what needs to be 19 to fix it. The steps are tentative (嘗試性的) 20 yet to be felt in most classrooms.

　　1. A) about B) in C) for D) by

　　2. A) shaking B) waving C) nodding D) speaking

　　3. A) in B) after C) for D) up

　　4. A) rarely B) so C) too D) not

　　5. A) historical B) educational C) cultural D) political

　　6. A) distinguish B) acknowledge C) identify D) convey

　　7. A) defeated B) attacked C) fought D) struck

　　8. A) sense B) doubt C) reason D) idea

　　9. A) printed B) signed C) marked D) edited

　　10. A) place B) judge C) get D) lock

　　11. A) Even B) Though C) Thus D) So

　　12. A) hardly B) just C) still D) ever

　　13. A) exclusively B) practically C) shortly D) directly

　　14. A) competitiveness B) comprehension C) community D) commitment

　　15. A) of B) for C) with D) as

　　16. A) fine B) nice C) surprising D) good

　　17. A) to B) with C) on D) of

　　18. A) consulting B) coaching C) teaching D) instructing

　　19. A) done 　 B) dealt C) met D) reached

　　20. A) therefore B) or C) and D) as

　　[完形填空答案]

　　1.A about 2. B waving 3.B after 4.D not 5.A historical

　　6.C identify 7.C fought 8.D idea 9.B signed 10.A place

　　11. A Even 12.B just 13. D directly 14. A competitiveness 15.D as

　　16. D good 17.C on 18. C teaching 19. A done 20.C and