我們不能總是為我們的青少年們造就一個美好的未來，但我們卻能為未來造就優秀的青少年一代。在中國，早期教育已經成為熱門話題，卻仍存在許多問題。
　　Early Education in China
　　Chinese are very generous while educating children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to study because they believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is.① So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education.② Even poor couples will buy a computer for their children.
　　However, the best early education is usually very cheap.
　　Children’s skills vary. Most parents fail to realize though,③ what children lack today is self-respect and self-confidence.
　　The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple choice tests and study well instead of the most important skills of being confident, happy and clever. Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and other housework.
　　Cooking will improve many skills children need later in life. Though demanding patience and time, it is an enjoyable experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he works hard and gradually finishes his job successfully. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and a lot of self-confidence.
　　Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set your child plays with will make him curious and arouse his interest. He may spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them. These activities are not merely teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important.
　　［250 words］
　　行文點評
　　文章首段通過對中國早期教育現狀的描述——中國父母在孩子的早期教育過程中慷慨投入，暴露出這種投資的盲目性，自然地引出了第二段的結論，即the best early education is usually very cheap。第三段是整篇文章的中心，通過分析家長對孩子能力認識不足的現狀，指出早期教育的方向： what children lack today is self?respect and self?confidence。下面的一段針對前面提到的問題，分析了現代教育失敗之癥結所在：現在的父母只教孩子怎么做選擇題，怎么學習好，而忽略了教育他們如何成為自信、快樂、聰明的人。并緊隨其后提出了解決方案，并在下兩段中對兩個具體方案舉例進行分析。
　　文章采取夾敘夾議的形式，在舉出具體事例的同時，有明確的中心、主題句出現。多用but, not等否定句式增加強調意味。
　　好文妙譯
　　中國的早期教育
　　中國人在教育孩子方面非常慷慨。父母們常常不吝惜金錢，把孩子送到最好的學校，甚至國外去學習。他們覺得越貴的教育越好。所以家長常常不惜重金投入教育。即使家境貧困，父母也都會為孩子購買電腦。
　　但是，最好的早期教育通常并不昂貴。
　　孩子們的能力各不相同。但是很多家長卻不曾意識到這一點：現在的孩子真正缺乏的是自尊、自信。
　　問題是，父母只知道教孩子怎么做選擇題，怎么學習好，而忽略了最重要的是如何教育他們成為自信、快樂、聰明的人。要達到這一目標，家長可以教給孩子像烹調、縫紉和一些其他家務勞動等實用技能。
　　烹飪可以在多方面提高孩子的能力，而這些技能在他們以后的生活中是十分必要的。雖然做飯對耐性、時間都有要求，但它也是一種愉快的體驗。一個優秀的廚師總是試圖提高廚藝，為此他會努力付出，最終能成功地完成他的工作。他的勞動成果——一頓豐盛的飯菜，會給他帶來很大的滿足感和自信。
　　孩子玩耍的壞收音機或電視機等一些舊電器會引起孩子的好奇心，激發他的興趣。他可能一連幾小時琢磨或修理這些電器。這些活動不僅僅教會孩子讀書，還能教會他們如何思考，如何用腦。這才是更重要的。
　　詞匯斟酌
　　?generous a. 慷慨的
　　?lack v. 缺乏
　　?arouse v. 喚醒，激起
　　佳句臨摹
　　①【注釋】the more...the better…?越…越…
　　【臨摹】The sooner the better. 愈快愈好。
　　②【注釋】spend money on sth. 在…花費
　　【臨摹】He spends all the money on books. 他把所有的錢都用來買書。
　　③【注釋】fail to?做…失敗了，沒有做到…
　　【臨摹】He is so stubborn that I failed to persuade him to accept our suggestion.他太頑固了，我沒有辦法說服他聽從我們的建議。
　　思如泉涌
　　The best horse needs breaking, and the aptest child needs teaching.最好的馬兒要人馴，最伶俐的孩子要人教。
　　Let early education be a sort of amusement; you will then be better able to find out the natural bent.初期教育應是一種娛樂，這樣才更容易發現一個人天生的愛好。