What Is Social Studies ? A 1987 survey was given to 5,000 high school seniors. ____16____ 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. ____17____ 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. 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. ____18____ Let’s say you study the way people live together in groups. This is an area of social studies. So is learning about very 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 from 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. ____19____ We have radio and TV. We have phones. We have computers. Social studies helps us understand the world’s people. It helps us learn about groups and societies. ____20____ We all need to be good world citizens. A. It covers many other areas as well. B. But today it is easy to share ideas in it. C. What did students think of social studies? D. It showed that they did not know geography. E. Why did students consider the social studies less important? F. The 1916 goal was important then, and it is even more important now. G. Therefore, we must try to persuade young people to pay more attention to social studies.