Tue, Mar 14, 2006 page14

• Grades less important in Japan 日本學生較不重視成績

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  Japanese high school students are less motivated in class and less ambitious about the future than their peers in the United States, China and South Korea, a Japanese survey found.

  Japanese students' top concern is being liked by others, while US and Chinese students hope to excel in their studies and South Koreans most value being able to do the things that are asked of them.

  Fewer than 41 percent of Japanese students said they cared about excelling in class, compared with an overwhelming 83 percent of American teens, 80 percent of Chinese and 67 percent of South Koreans.

  Only 23 percent of Japanese students said they were keenly interested in their grades at school, compared with 37 percent in the United States, 47 percent in South Korea and 50 percent in China.

  Japanese students were also the most concerned with fashion, with 40 percent interested in shopping, compared with 37 percent in South Korea, 20 percent in the United States and only 11 percent in China.

  "The survey paints an image of Japanese high school students as pleasure-seeking ... and little motivated," said the Japan Youth Research Institute, which released the survey.

  The survey also found that Chinese and South Korean teens were more interested in Japan than Japanese youths were in the other two countries. Forty percent of Japanese students expressed an interest in the United States, compared with only 10 percent who said they liked China and 17 percent who liked South Korea.

  Twenty-five percent of Chinese students said they liked Japan, 34 percent were drawn to the United States and 47 percent said they liked South Korea.

  In South Korea, interest in both Japan and the United States was 24 percent, while only 7 percent expressed a liking for China. (AFP)

  日本一項調查發現，相較於美國、中國和南韓同年齡的學生，日本高中生在課堂上較不積極，對未來也較沒有抱負。

  日本學生最在乎受到他人的愛喜；美國和中國學生則希望在學習上精益求精；南韓的學生最看重是否能達成他人請求。

  不到４１％的日本學生表示希望在課堂上有傑出的表現，相較美國青少年的８３％、中國學生的８０％及南韓學生的６７％，明顯低了許多。

  只有２３％的日本學生表示熱衷於課堂表現，相較於美國學生有３７％﹔南韓有４７％，中國有５０％。

  日本學生也是最關心時尚的一群，有４０％的人喜歡購物，南韓則有３７％，美國２０％，而中國只有１１％。

  日本青年研究院指出：「這項調查描繪出日本高中生追求享樂、只求平庸度日、沒有企圖心的一面。」日本青年研究院是公佈這項調查的機構。

  調查還發現中國和南韓的青少年對日本的興趣比日本對他們的興趣還高，４０％的日本學生表示對美國有興趣，只有１０％的人喜歡中國和１７％的人喜歡南韓。

  中國學生有２５％表示喜歡日本，３４％嚮往美國，而４７％的人喜歡南韓。

  南韓方面，有２４％的人對日本和美國感興趣，只有７％的人對中國有興趣。 （法新社）

  Publication Notes

  Today's words 今日單字

  1. motivated adj. 積極的 (ji1 ji2 de5) 例：I know I should start doing my homework, but I can't get seem to get motivated. （我知道我應該開始做功課，但我就是提不起勁。） 2. peer n. 同儕 (tong2 chai2) 例：Our teacher lets us call him by his first name, and asks that we think of him as a peer, not an authority figure. （老師要我們叫他的名，把他當成同輩，而不是權威。） 3. excel v.i. 擅長 (shan4 chang2) 例：You'll have to practice more if you want to excel as a baseball player. （想成為一位棒球好手就得多多練習。） 4. keenly adv. 敏銳地 (min3 rui4 de5) 例：Sam is keenly aware of his boss' disapproval. （山姆強烈地察覺到上司的反對立場。）

  Publication Notes

  Reading Comprehension
  閱讀測驗

  1. What do Japanese students say they most care about? a. Shopping. b. Getting good grades. c. Whether or not other people like them. 2. Which country's students say they care the most about doing well in school? a. China. b. The US. c. South Korea. 3. The survey found that ... a. Japanese students are lazy. b. Japanese students want to go to the US. c. Japanese students are more interested shopping than they are in South Korea. 4. Chinese students are interested in Japan ... a. more than Japanese students are interested in China. b. more than they are interested in South Korea. c. more than they are interested in excelling at school.
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