Nếu đề thi yêu cầu bạn chọn một đáp án thể hiện ý chính của cả đoạn, hãy nhớ: Thông thường, câu chủ đạo (hay còn gọi là câu chốt) hay nằm ở vị trí đầu đoạn hoặc cuối đoạn. Hãy đọc thật kỹ các câu ở vị trí này và bạn có thể nắm được các ý quan trọng nhất trong đoạn. | Upon the creation of the United States, one of the core concepts on which the hopes for the new democracy were pinned was the ideal that its citizens would be enlightened individuals with clearly articulated rights and the opportunity for individual achievement and education. It was believed that in a free nation where the power belongs to the people, the commitment to education defines the progress of that democracy and is the catalyst for future progress. This core value has not only stood the test of time but has also grown in importance. In this new Information Era and international economy, education is an increasingly vital commodity, a precursor of potential success and a driving force of change. It is important to recognize, however, that we approach education today differently than in the past, partly because the kinds of jobs people had didn't require the kind of basic education and specialized training that is often required in the workforce today. In the 1950s, for instance, only 20 percent of American jobs were classified as professional, 20 percent as skilled, and 60 percent as unskilled. Today, our world has changed. The proportion of unskilled jobs has fallen to 20 percent, while skilled jobs now account for at least 60 percent of the workforce. Even more important, almost every job today increasingly requires a combination of academic knowledge and practical skills that require learning throughout a lifetime.
