A 1987 survey was given to 5,000 high school seniors. It showed that they did not know geography. Students in Boston were questioned. One - third of them could not name six New England states. Students in Baltimore were questioned. Half could not shade in the United States on a map. Here is what another survey showed. Students did not know history. Most did not know the dates of the American Civil War. Many did not know World War Ⅱ leaders.
Someone asked this question: What did students think of social studies? Their answer: Social studies was not important. They said it was the least important of their studies.
What is social studies? It is the study of individuals（个人）. It is the study of groups. It is the study of societies. Social studies covers many fields. You have read about history and geography. These are part of social studies. It covers many other areas as well. Let's say you study the way people live together in groups. This is an area of social studies. So is learning about early people. So is studying government.
Is social studies important? Early Americans thought so. Students then learned history and civics（公民学）. This was to make them good citizens. A report in 1916 set a new goal. It said, “The social studies should cultivate a sense of membership in the world community.” The world community is very large. But today it is easy to share ideas in it. We have radios and TVs. We have phones. We have computers.
Social studies helps us understand the world's people. It helps us learn about groups and societies. The 1916 goal was important then. It is even more important now. We all need to be good world citizens.
1．What did the survey given to high school seniors show?
1.Social studies______
A.use radiose,TVs,and computer
B.can be understood by questioning students
C.is the study of people,groups,and,social
D.was first taught in 1916
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