D
Providing small classes for at least several grades starting in early primary school gives students the best chance to succeed in late grades, according to groundbreaking new research from a Michigan State University scholar.
The research by Spyros Konstantopoulos, a professor of education, is the first to examine the effects of class size over a period and for all levels of students. The study appears in the American Journal of Education.
He is also a member of a group for the Department of Education’s Instiute of Education Sciences that will give official advice on class size to the states. He said the advice will mirror his research: the best plan is to provide continuous small classes(13 to 17 students) for at least several years starting in kindergarten or first grade.
“For a logn time states thought they could just do it in kindergarten or first grade for one year and get the benefits,” He said. “I don’t believe that. I think you need at least a few years in a row where all students, and especially low-achievers, receive the treatment, and then you see the benefits later.”
His research used data from the Project Star study in Tennessee that analyzed the effects of class size on more than 11,000 students in primary and middle school. He found that students who had been in small classes from kindergarten through third grade had actually higher test scores in grades four through eight than students who been in larger classes early on.
Students from all achievement levels benefited from small classes, the research found. “But low-achievers benefited the most, which narrowed the achievement gap with high –achievers in science, reading and math, ” he said.
Although the study didn’t consider classroom practices, he said the reason for the narrowing gap is likely due to low-achieving students receiving more attention from teachers.
“This is especially important in poorer schools because teacher effectiveness matters more in schools with more disadvantaged and low-performing students, ” he said.
48．The professor argues about ________ .
A．the size of the class
B．the period of the class
C．the attention from teachers
D．the achievements of students
49．The result of the research shows that _________.
A．small classes for one year in early grade are enough
B．continuous small classes help students achieve more
C．it’s best to attend small classes in kindergarten
D．small classes do equal good to students of all levels
50．What can we infer from the passage?
A．High achievers will not benefit from small classes.
B．Continuous small classes have not been widely accepted.
C．Low-achievers should be separated from high-achievers.
D．Teachers’ attention matters less than classroom practices.
51．The underlined word “This” in the last paragraph refers to _______.
A．the gap between low and high achievers
B．continuous small classes
C．classroom practices in later grades
D．the Project Star Sturdy
Worried about how many calories you will get in that piece of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of chips? A new iPhone application (应用程序) MealSnap may help. Users just need to take a picture of the meal with the phone, and it will give a calorie read-out almost immediately.
MealSnap was developed by DailyBurn, a health social network that focuses on helping its users lead healthier lifestyles. It has created several other health and diet-related iPhone applications. The application gives users a quick reply. To do that, it matches the taken picture to a databank (数据库) with the calorie information of nearly 500,000 kinds of food. Users then get the range of calories for the meal that is photographed.
We started with something simple—an apple. A couple of minutes later, the application replied that it was an apple and between 64 and 96 calories. More impressive was the reply we received after sending a photo of a mixed salad bowl. MealSnap replied that the bowl contained “yellow rice with corn, boiled eggs and beans” and that the food was between 532 and 789 calories.
Mr. Smith, director of DailyBurn, said that usual calorie counting needed a long time, but that the application made it easier to know the calories in food. That is why it is so popular among those who are trying hard to lose weight.
In addition, MealSnap can act as a food diary. No need to write down what they’ve eaten, the photoes will be stored. The users can keep a visual log (视觉的记录). Mr. Smith said, “it’s like a food journey, but easier. All you do is to take the picture. The simple act of recording something can cause a psychological (心理的) change that can help people on their health journey. Knowing the calorie range makes me think more about what I’m eating.” The purpose of DailyBurn is to________.
| A．help people find ways to lose weight |
| B．make iPhone more popular |
| C．persuade people to buy iPhone products |
| D．help people have a healthy life |
What can be learned from the third paragraph?
| A．MealSnap is only useful for simple things. |
| B．The result of MealSnap isn’t always right. |
| C．MealSnap can also tell what the food is. |
| D．MealSnap needs a long time to show the calorie range. |
Which of the following statements about MealSnap is TRUE?
| A．It has been put into the market. |
| B．People will have a physical change by using it. |
| C．It’s popular because it was developed by DailyBurn. |
| D．People have to link iPhone with the Internet to use it. |
The fourth-graders at Chicago’s McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese. For most, who speak Spanish at home, it’s becoming their third language. They’ve been learning and using Chinese words since kindergarten, and it’s now second nature to give a hearty “ni hao” when strangers enter the classroom.
The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual, but it may soon be a common fixture(固定物) in American schools, where Chinese is rapidly becoming the hot new language. Government officials have long wanted more focus on security—useful languages like Chinese, and pressure from them—as well as from business leaders, politicians, and parents—has driven a quick growth in the number of programs.
Chicago itself is home to the largest effort to include Chinese in US public schools. The program here has grown to include 3,000 students in 20 schools, with more schools on a waiting list. Programs have also spread to places like Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and North Carolina. It’s true that the number of students learning Chinese is tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French.
Advocates see knowledge of the Chinese language and culture as a help in a global economy where China is growing in importance. “This is an interesting way to begin to engage with the world’s next superpower,” says Michael Levine, director of education at the Asia Society, which has started five new public high schools that offer Chinese. “Globalization has already changed the arrangements in terms of how children today are going to need to think about their careers… The question is, when not whether, the schools are going to adjust.”
In Chicago, the trend extends beyond schools with high numbers of Asian students. “The fact that my students are 98% low income and 99% Latino(拉丁美洲人) and they are succeeding in this, tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages,” says Virginia Rivera, principal at McCormick. “We want to give our young people opportunities to advance… and Chinese is a great opportunity to survive in today’s economy,” says Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago.The underlined word “Advocates” in the text probably means” .
| A．Supporters | B．Objectors | C．Teachers | D．Learners |
How many languages are mentioned in this passage?
| A．Six. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
In the last paragraph, the underlined word “this ”probably refers to _____.
| A．the competition between Latino and Asian students |
| B．the global economy |
| C．the interesting way to engage with China |
| D．the Chinese learning |
What CANNOT be learned from this passage?
| A．Most students at McCormick can speak three languages. |
| B．Chinese is gaining its popularity in all schools in Chicago. |
| C．French has far more speakers than Chinese does in Chicago. |
| D．Globalization in a way makes it necessary to learn Chinese. |
Which of the following is mainly about in this passage?
| A．The Chinese learning in Chicago. |
| B．The ways to learn Chinese. |
| C．McCormick Primary School. |
| D．Globalization and Chinese learning. |
On a hot summer day, a soft drink can really take away your thirst. At home, at school, in the park or at the movies---you can find one almost anywhere.
Carbonated
You can see bubbles(泡沫) in these! Of all soft drinks sold, about 75 percent are carbonated(碳酸的). But be careful, carbonated soft drinks have lots of sugar and caffeine(咖啡因). Caffeine is not very good for you in the summer because it takes water out of your body. And the sugar can make you overweight if you drink too much.
Fruit juice
There are different kinds of juice. One kind is made only from fresh fruit. This kind of fruit juice may not taste sweet enough for some people, but it is nutritious(有营养的). Another kind of fruit juice tastes good but has lots of sugar in it. Many young people buy this kind because the advertisements are good. It is bad for your teeth and bones to drink lots of this.
Energy drinks
These kinds of drinks have caffeine and things that make people get excited in them. They are sometimes called “party drinks”. Doctors say that if you drink too much of this kind, you may have a heart attack.
Bottled water
We have lots of different kinds of bottled water, such as mineral water, purified water and distilled water(蒸馏水). They are clean and easy to drink. But it is best not to drink very cold water. It may make your stomach feel bad.
Sports drinks
Most of these have funny names like “Scream(尖叫)” and “G-Vital(激活)”. They have lots of vitamins and minerals in them. After you play sports, you may want to drink one of these.
But if you just spend your summer holiday sitting around watching TV, you won’t need them at all!Which two types of drinks may make you overweight?
| A．Carbonated and fruit juice. |
| B． Energy drinks and sports drinks. |
| C．Carbonated and energy drinks. |
| D．Fruit juice and bottled water. |
Which one may lead to your heart disease?
| A．Carbonated. | B．Fruit juice. |
| C．Energy drinks. | D．Sports drinks |
After sports, you have sports drinks because______.
| A．they can take away your thirst |
| B．they can put back minerals you’ve lost in sweat |
| C．they have funny names that sound very exciting |
| D．they have no sugar |
The writer wrote this passage to______.
| A．warn us to keep away from soft drinks |
| B．teach us some useful ways of keeping healthy |
| C．tell us how to choose a good one from all kinds of drinks |
| D．make the advertisements for soft drinks |
First Lady Michelle Obama is a big fan of volunteering. Volunteering means working for free to help someone else. Mrs. Obama says volunteering is very important. “It should be part of everyone’s life,” she says.
Many teens agree. They say that helping others feels great and makes a difference. These days, more teens volunteer than work for pay. Teens clean up parks, walk dogs at animal shelters, visit the elderly and more.
Some cities ---- including Seattle, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. ----require high school students to volunteer. Students must volunteer in order to graduate. The student volunteers learn new skills and help their communities.
Many parents are in favor of the idea ---- they say volunteering helps teens build job skills. But most teens don’t want to be forced to volunteer. They say they are busy. And they say volunteering is only fun if it’s a choice.
Read both sides of the debate and decide.
YES
Volunteering can help teens get into college or get a job.
Many cities and towns need help. Volunteers can help keep important programs going.
Not all teens will volunteer if it isn’t required. Schools should require students to do all they can to get ready for adult life.
NO
Most teens are already very busy with classes, homework, jobs and sports. Forcing them to do more isn’t fair.
It should be up to each person. Helping out doesn’t feel as good if you have to do it.
Finding a volunteer job isn’t always easy. Students shouldn’t be kept from graduating because of something they can’t control.The writer mentions Michelle Obama in order to___________.
| A．show she enjoys volunteering | B．explain what volunteering is |
| C．tell what she does for the US | D．introduce the topic of the text |
According to the text, in Chicago, .
| A．finding a volunteer job is quite easy |
| B．volunteering is a must for high school students |
| C．more people would rather work for pay |
| D．college students have to volunteer before graduation |
Which question does the text mainly discuss?
| A．Should students be required to volunteer? |
| B．Is volunteering good for students? |
| C．What is the best time to volunteer? |
| D．Which volunteer jobs should students do? |
If you, a man, are looking through this, congratulations: you are a survivor (幸存者). According to a survey, you are more than twice likely to die of skin cancer than a woman, and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. If you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.
There are many reasons for this. Men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke—but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should.” says Dr. Gullotta,“This is particularly so for the over 40s, when diseases tend to strike.”Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45, it should be at least once a year. Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed(延迟) doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year. “When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer.”he says.“Earlier finding and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have made him live longer.”
According to a recent survey, 95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
“A lot of men think they are strong enough. While some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know. Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies.” Dr. Gullotta says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be found out by check-ups. Regular check-ups for men would place strain on the public purse, Gullotta says. “But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to cure the diseases. Besides, the final/highest cost is far greater: it is called premature death(过早死亡).”
From the first paragraph, we can know that _________.
| A．women are more likely to die of skin cancer |
| B．men are more likely to get some deadly diseases |
| C．men can live five years longer than women |
| D．men who live long are very lucky |
What is a more important reason for man’s death?
| A．Men take more risks than women. |
| B．Diseases tend to strike men easily |
| C．Men don’t go to doctors for check-ups. |
| D．Men like drinking and smoking. |
Why does the author take a 50-old-man as an example?
| A．To realize the importance of disease prevention. |
| B．To show he could have avoided death. |
| C．To prove smoking leads to lung cancer. |
| D．To think highly of the doctor’s work. |
What can be drawn from the last paragraph?
| A．Treatment would cost a lot of money. |
| B．Cars are more valuable than health. |
| C．Men are brave to accept the reality. |
| D．Check-ups are necessary and worthwhile. |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号