Historians tend to tell the same joke when they are describing history education in America. It's the one【C1】______the teacher standing in the schoolroom door【C2】______goodbye to students for the summer and calling【C3】______them, 'By the way, we won World War II.' The problem with the joke, of course, is that it's【C4】______funny. The recent surveys on【C5】______illiteracy(无知)are beginning to numb(令人震惊): nearly one third of American 17-year-olds cannot even【C6】______which countries the United States【C7】______against in that war. One third have no【C8】______when the Declaration of Independence was【C9】______One third thought Columbus reached the New World after 1750. Two thirds cannot correctly【C10】______the Civil War between 1850 and 1900.【C11】______when they get the answers right, some are【C12】______guessing. Unlike math or science, ignorance of history cannot be【C13】______connected to loss of international【C14】______But it does affect our future【C15】______a democratic nation and as individuals. The【C16】______news is that there is growing agreement【C17】______what is wrong with the【C18】______of history and what needs to be【C19】______to fix it. The steps are tentative(尝试性的)【C20】______yet to be felt in most classrooms. 【C1】