In colleges almost half a million students have to take the
course of introductory Calculus(微积分)in any academic year, and the number is
growing. A large (47) have no choice. Calculus is a
(48) that must be overcome on the way to a professional career
in medicine or engineering. Even disciplines like history now sometimes
(49) some college mathematics. But for many
people who in the last few years have passed through such a course, the word
"Calculus" brings back painful memories. In many universities about half of the
students who take the course fail it. A (50) large number
must take the course several times to get through. At the same time, engineering
and physical sciences professors (51) that even the students
who pass don’t know very much about it, not to mention how to use it. Too often
Calculus is taught by (52) instructors to ill-prepared
students in an environment with (53) feedback, the result is
a serious (54) in the number of students pursuing advanced
mathematics, and a majority of college graduates who have learned to hate
mathematics. Now many educators have started a movement to
(55) what is taught in an introductory Calculus course, to
improve the way it is taught and to bring the teaching of Calculus into the
computer age. Though they admit that there is nothing they could do about
Calculus, many of them do bring (56)
suggestions. A)surprisingly
F)decline
K)unfamiliar B)inexperienced
G)adequate L)proportion C)barrier
H)require
M)glorify D)worthwhile
I)change
N)competence E)gradually
J)insufficient
O)complain