Aimlessness has hardly been typical of the postwar Japan whose productivity and social harmony are the envy of the United States and Europe. But increasingly the Japanese are seeing a decline of the traditional work-moral values. Ten years ago young people were hardworking and saw their jobs as their primary reason for being, but now Japan has largely fulfilled its economic needs, and young people don't know where they should go next.
The coming of age of the postwar baby boom and an entry of women into the male-dominated job market have limited the opportunities of teen-agers who are already questioning the heavy personal sacrifices involved in climbing Japan's rigid social ladder to good schools and jobs. In a recent survey, it was found that only 24.5 percent of Japanese students were fully satisfied with school life, compared with 67.2 percent of students in the United States. In addition, far more Japanese workers expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs than did their counterparts in the 10 other countries surveyed.
While often praised by foreigners for its emphasis on the basics, Japanese education tends to stress test taking and mechanical learning over creativity and self-expression. "Those things that do not show up in the test scores personality, ability, courage or humanity are completely ignored," says Toshiki Kaifu, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's education committee. "Frustration against this kind of thing leads kids to drop out and run wild." Last year Japan experienced 2,125 incidents of school violence, including 929 assaults on teachers. Amid the outcry, many conservative leaders are seeking a return to the prewar emphasis on moral education. Last year Mitsuo Setoyama, who was then education minister, raised eyebrows when he argued that liberal reforms introduced by the American occupation authorities after World War II had weakened the "Japanese morality of respect for parents."
But that may have more to do with Japanese life-styles. "In Japan," says educator Yoko Muro, "it's never a question of whether you enjoy your job and your life, but only how much you can endure." With economic growth has come centralization; fully 76 percent of Japan's 119 million citizens live in cities where community and the extended family have been abandoned in favor of isolated, two-generation households. Urban Japanese have long endured lengthy commutes (travels to and from work) and crowded living conditions, but as the old group and family values weaken, the discomfort is beginning to tell. In the past decade, the Japanese divorce rate, while still well below that of the United States, has increased by more than 50 percent, and suicides have increased by nearly one-quarter.
1.In the Westerner's eyes, the postwar Japan was_______.
A.under aimless development B.a positive example
C.a rival to the West D.on the decline
2.According to the author, what may chiefly be responsible for the moral decline of Japanese society?
A.Women's participation in social activities is limited.
B.More workers are dissatisfied with their jobs.
C.Excessive emphasis his been placed on the basics.
D.The life-style has been influenced by Western values.
3.Which of the following is true according to the author?
A.Japanese education is praised for helping the young climb the social ladder.
B.Japanese education is characterized by mechanical learning as well as creativity.
C.More stress should be placed on the cultivation of creativity.
D.Dropping out leads to frustration against test taking.
4.The change in Japanese life-style is revealed in the fact that_______.
A.the young are less tolerant of discomforts
B.the divorce rate in Japan exceeds that in the U.S.
C.the Japanese endure more than ever before
D.the Japanese appreciate their present life
5.Which one ISN'T the social problem of present Japan due to lack of proper education?
A.Over productivity. B.Violence. C.Divorce. D.Suicide.
长难例句分析
［长难例句］The coming of age of the postwar baby boom and an entry of women into the male-dominated job market have limited the opportunities of teen-agers who are already questioning the heavy personal sacrifices involved in climbing Japan's rigid social ladder to good schools and jobs.
［结构分析］本句中，主干是The coming of age and an entry of women have limited the opportunities of teenagers。who引导的定语从句修饰teenagers。involved in climbing Japan's rigid social ladder是过去分词短语作定语，修饰sacrifices。固定搭配sacrifices to sth. 的意思是“为……作出牺牲”。
［参考译文］战后婴儿潮一代的步入成年加上妇女打入男性统治的劳动力市场使得青少年的发展机遇变得极为有限，这些青少年对为了爬上日本国内那通往优秀学校和体面工作的严酷的社会阶梯所付出的沉重的个人代价发生了质疑。
全文参考译文
日本在战后并非毫无目的的发展，它的高生产率和社会和谐让欧美各国羡慕不已。但是，日本人正在经历传统职业道德价值观的日益衰落。10年前的年轻人工作努力，把工作当做生存的主要目的。可现在日本在很大程度上已满足了经济需求，结果导致年轻人不知道他们下一步的目标在哪里。
战后婴儿潮的一代步入成年加上妇女加入男性统治的劳动力市场对青少年的发展机遇有所限制，这些青少年对从攀比上好学校到找好工作这一严格的社会阶梯所付出的沉重的个人代价产生了质疑。在最新的一项调查中发现，和67.2％的美国学生比较，仅有24.5％的日本学生对学校生活彻底满意。另外，和被调查的其他10个国家的工人比较，有更多的日本工人对工作表示不满意。
虽然日本的教育由于强调基础知识而经常受到外国人的称赞，可它往往强调应试和机械性学习而不重视创造性及能动性。占垄断地位的自由民主党教育委员会主席Toshiki Kaifu说：“考分中无法展现的个体、能力、勇气或慈悲心——这些被完全忽略。由此引发的沮丧感导致学生辍学，放荡不羁。”去年，日本发生了2125起校园暴力事件，其中有929起是针对教师的。在人们的强烈谴责声中，很多保守党领导人正尝试恢复到战前那样，即强调道德教育。去年，当时任教育大臣的Mitsuo Setoyama就提出责难，认为二战后美国就业当局推出的改革开放政策削弱了日本人孝敬父母的道德观。
但是这也许与日本人的生活方式有更大关系。教育家Yoko Muro说：“在日本，问题绝不是你是否喜欢自己的工作及生活，而只是你能承受多少。”伴着经济的发展实现了居住的集中化。在1.19亿日本人中，足足有76％住在城里。在城里，社区和大家庭已不复存在，取而代之的是独立的两代人的家庭。城里的日本人长久以来忍受着漫长的上下班交通和拥挤的居住环境，然而，伴着旧的群体和家庭观念的削弱，这种不舒适开始出现。在过去的10年中，日本人的离婚率，虽然仍远远低于美国，可已上升了50％，而自杀率上升了差不多25％。
题目答案与解析
1.战后的日本在西方人看来________。
A.处于漫无目标的发展之中 B.是个正面例子
C.是西方国家的竞争者 D.在衰败
【答案】B
【解析】本题可参照文章的第一段。从中可知，日本在战后并非毫无目的地发展——日本的生产力水平以及社会的融洽程度令欧美国家羡慕。据此可知，西方人认为，战后的日本值得学习。B项与文中the postwar Japan whose productivity and social harmony are the envy of the United States and Europe的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
2.依照作者的观点，什么是日本社会的道德水平下降的主要原因？
A.女性参加社会的活动受到限制。 B.更多的工人对其工作不满。
C.过多地重视基本训练。 D.生活方式受西方价值观的影响。
【答案】D
【解析】从文章第一段的第二句话可知，日本人的传统工作道德价值观在逐渐淡化；从第二段的内容可知，战后生育高峰时期的到来以及女性进入以前由男性主导的工作领域限制了日本青少年的机会；此外，表示对工作不满意的日本工人远远多于所调查的另外10个国家的工人；从文章第三段的内容可知，虽然外国人经常称赞日本人注重基本训练，但是，日本的教育往往强调的是应试和机械学习，而不是创造性和个性表现的培养；自民党教育委员会主席指出，个性、能力、勇气或人道等全都被人们忽略了，由此而受到的挫折导致孩子们辍学、放荡不羁；从文章最后一段的内容可知，日本人的生活方式也发生了变化，人们逐渐放弃了社区和大家庭的观念，转而建立独立的两代人家庭；过去10年间，日本的离婚率虽然仍远低于美国，但是却增加了50％多，自杀率上升了将近25％。据此可知，作者认为，日本社会道德水平之所以下降，主要是因为日本人受了美国自由主义思想的影响。D项与文章的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
3.依照作者的观点，下面哪项是说法正确的？
A.人们称赞日本的教育有助于年轻人攀登社会阶梯。
B.日本的教育具有机械学习和创造力双重特征。
C.应该更注重创造力的培养。
D.辍学导致对应试教育的沮丧。
【答案】C
【解析】本题可参照文章的第三段。从中可知，虽然外国人经常称赞日本人注重基本训练，但是，日本的教育往往强调的是应试和机械学习，而不是创造性和个性表现的培养；据此可知，作者认为日本的教育应该注重创造性和自我表现的培养。C项与文章的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
4.日本人的生活方式发生了变化，其显示的事实是________。
A.年轻人更不能容忍生活中的不便之处 B.离婚率超过了美国
C.日本人忍耐的东西甚至比以前更多 D.日本人欣赏现在的生活
【答案】A
【解析】本题可参照文章的第四段。从中可知，这可能与日本人的生活方式关系更大。教育家Yoko Muro指出，在日本，你是否喜欢你的工作或生活从来都不是问题，唯一的问题就是你能够忍受到何种程度。在日本，人们逐渐放弃了社区和大家庭的观念，转而建立独立的两代人家庭。日本的城市居民长期忍受着漫长的乘车上、下班和拥挤的生活环境之苦，但是，随着传统的群体和家庭价值观念的淡薄，这些不便之处开始显露出来。过去10年间，日本的离婚率虽然仍远低于美国，但是却增加了50％多，自杀率上升了将近25％。由此可知：日本人的生活方式发生变化的标志就是——他们忍受不了生活中的不便之处。A项的“年轻人更不能容忍生活中的不便之处”与文章的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
5.下面哪项不是因为缺乏正确教育而导致的当今日本的社会问题？
A.过度的生产力。 B.暴力。 C.离婚。 D.自杀。
【答案】A
【解析】本文探讨了当今的日本社会由于过度追求经济增长、放松人文道德教育而导致的社会问题：年轻人生活没有目标，迷惘，暴力犯罪增多，家庭结构变化导致个人幸福感降低，离婚率高，自杀人数上升，人们不是享受生活而是忍受生活等。本题考查全面综合能力。日本过度的经济增长是日本社会的主要特征，是优点而不是缺点。
