Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir (回忆录) of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.
Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.
Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.
Tyler became well-known nationally in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.
Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent spirit in their work.
Although Tyler officially retired (退休) in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives (目标) that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools.
One day, I was caught in a massive 6-lane traffic jam at a stoplight. But it was an overheated car, dead in the middle lane.
With cars driving all around her, I couldn't 1 anywhere without making things worse. I had to turn left in thick traffic and couldn't 2 for a couple of blocks. I thought, "Maybe this is one I should let someone else take care of."
But I turned around and 3 on a far entrance ramp (坡道). To approach and get her off the highway looked 4. But then a miracle happened. The crowded cars in lanes, going both ways, instantly 5 wide for me to get to her.
I asked her to free her brake while I 6 her car to the highway's right shoulder. I saw the fear and 7 in her eyes. I hid my fear from her. So she thought I 8 what I was doing.
Once again the sea of rushing cars 9 and we shouldered the car 10 just before the police car pulled up behind us. The policeman was shocked at what he had 11. The girl said her friend was on the way and didn't need my 12 anymore.
I explained I parked 13 the highway to the officer. Just then the "walk" light came on for me to cross the 14. And soon I 15 away after helping out for only a few minutes.
Shadow play has a long history and isunique kind of art form. It is performed sending shadows of puppets (木偶) on a piece of white cloth. The puppets made of leather (皮革) (paint) in very bright colours, so that the shadows they make are very (colour).
The players stand behind the cloth and move the puppets against strong light when (show) a shadow play, and the shadows of the puppets fall on the cloth. At the same time, the players talk or sing, telling a story with (music) playing the drums and other instruments, such as erhu, sanxian, sheng, etc. People on the other side of the cloth can see the shadows of the puppets do all kinds of movements. It's just like the movie today.
Shadow play started in the Han Dynasty. is said that Emperor Wu of Han was sad and didn't want to do anything because one of his favourite wives died. (cheer) him up, his officer made a puppet like the emperor's dead wife with leather. He moved it and made it (act) behind a piece of cloth. The emperor enjoyed it very much. After that, shadow play became (popular) known in China.
