BBC Chinese, Oct. 4, 2010.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2010/10/101004_children_of_middleclass.shtml
My comment:
(a) I was clueless about 交通卡. It turns out to be a similar card that we
use in Boston for subway and bus (both are run by the same state-owned
corporation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority). See
上海公共交通卡股份有限公司
http://www.sptcc.com/home.php
No wonder the article states, "她说自己最终决定送价值1000元的交通卡，这样既
不显山露水，老师也心知肚明其中的价值."
However, at least in US, people tend to lose or forget about things, such as
this kind of cards and gift cards. (It happens ot me many times.) Each year
, American corporations make billion of dollars out of this, so they are
eager to issue cards like these.
(b) 文法学校 garmmar school
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar_school
(in UK and its former colonies or territories; The original purpose of
medieval grammar schools was the teaching of Latin)
section 4.1: "In other areas, grammar schools survive mainly as very highly
selective schools in an otherwise comprehensive county, for example in
several of the outer boroughs of London.
section 5.7 United States: "Grammar schools on the British model were
founded during the colonial period, the first being the Boston Latin School,
founded as the Latin Grammar School in 1635. In 1647 the Massachusetts Bay
Colony enacted the Old Deluder Satan Law, requiring any township of at least
100 households to establish a grammar school,
* Boston Latin School is both the first public school and oldest existing
school in the United States, Harvard University being established in 1636.
(c) Taiwan does not use 划片. But after I searched teh web, I guess I know
what it means.
(d) The article finally says, "他说，其实这就是一个良性循环，家长交费高，学
校就有资金请好老师，提供好服务，好设施，就可以有好教材，等等……"
I agree. Taiwanese mostly prefer low tuition in public universities (thus
dragging down tuition in private universities so as to compete) so that kids
from poor families can receive good education. (Public universities are
better than private ones in Taiwan, as a thumb of rule.) Education in Taiwan
certainly have other problems. So Taiwan ends up like UK, with ordinary
universities.
American universities charge a lot, particularly private ones. Just like
what 朋友C says, professors the world over like to teach in US. UK and India
suffer loss. (Many Nobel laureates born in India teach--and retire and die-
-in US.)