Most Americans believe that good education is quite necessary to democracy and social

progress.Even during their colonial time the settlers attached great importance to setting up schools for their children, because these puritans(清教徒) were firm believers in education.

They tried hard to establish enough schools for their children.The schools were not only to teach children how to read, write and calculate but also to train clergymen(牧师) .The first college, Harvard, was set up in Massachusetts in 1636.Soon after, the colonial government passed a law requiring every town of more than 40 families to have a school and school master.By the mid-eighteenth century several well-known colleges were founded, including Columbia in New York and Princeton in New Jersey.They were used to train young people.Education did not develop very fast in the South where big plantation(农场) owners did not want to build schools for the children of the poor workers and slaves.Children from rich families usually went to England for higher education.This was one of the reasons why the South developed more slowly than the North.

Colonial schools laid the foundation for American educational system in which all the American schools were left to the care of communities or local authority.Compulsory education has been carried out and primary and secondary education has been open to American children free of charge for many years.

21.Education in most Americans'eyes is().

A.quite necessary for social development and democracy

B.important only for the earliest settlers

C.good as they have many famous universities

D.the basis of working hard

22.Which of the following was not a task of school？ ()

A.To train clergymen.

B.To teach children how to read and write.

C.To teach children maths.

D.To send children to British universities.

23.The South America developed slowly because().

A.children in the South went to England for higher education

B.there were not many rich people in the South

C.not all rich children in the South had chances to go to school in England

D.education developed quite slowly in the South

24.American educational system was built().

A.on the basis of colonial educational system

B.after some famous colleges were founded

C.by churches as they hoped to train more clergymen

D.when many children from rich families went to England

25.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？ ()

A.Princeton University was founded around 1750s.

B.Colombia University was built in 1636.

C.Harvard University was founded by the American government.

D.A law was passed by the American government that a school should be built in every town.