Historians tend to tell the same joke when they are describing history education in America. It's the one【B1】the teacher standing in the schoolroom door【B2】goodbye to students for the summer and calling【B3】them, 'By the way, we won World War II.' The problem with the joke, of course, is that it's【B4】funny. The recent surveys on【B5】illiteracy(无知) are beginning to numb(震惊): nearly one third of American 17-year-olds cannot even【B6】which countries the United States【B7】against in that war. One third have no【B8】when the Declaration of Independence was【B9】. One third thought Columbus reached the New World after 1750. Two thirds cannot correctly【B10】the Civil War between 1850 and 1900.【B11】when they get the answers right, some are【B12】guessing. Unlike math or science, ignorance of history cannot be【B13】connected to loss of international【B14】. But it does affect our future【B15】a democratic nation and as individuals. The【B16】news is that there is growing agreement【B17】what is wrong with the【B18】of history and what needs to be【B19】to fix it. The steps are tentative(尝试性的)【B20】yet to be felt in most classrooms. 【B1】