Now, there is a growing movement to pay the students in American schools---in some cases, even just for coming to class.
Students at one school in New Mexico can earn up to three hundred dollars a year for good attendance. In Baltimore, Maryland, high scores in state graduation tests can be worth more than one hundred dollars. And a New Jersey school system plans to pay students fifty dollars a week to attend after---school tutoring programs.
Schools that pay students can be found in more than one---fourth of the fifty states. Other schools pay students with food or other rewards.
Robert Schaefer is a public education director. He says paying students may improve performance in the short term, but students develop false expectations for the future. He sees a lack of long term planning in these programs because of the pressure on schools to raise test scores.
Public schools need to show improvement under the education reform law. Low---performing schools may lose their federal money; teachers and administrators(行政人员) may lose their jobs. Often these schools are in poor neighborhoods where getting students to go to school can be a continual problem.
Critics(评论家) say paying students sends a message that money is the only valuable reward. But some students say it makes school more exciting. And some teachers have reported getting more requests for extra help.
In two thousand four, the city schools in Coshocton, Ohio, launched a program. They wanted to see if paying elementary school students as much as one hundred dollars would help in passing the state exams.
Now, Eric Bettinger of Case Western Reserve University (EUCWRU) has reported mixed results. Math scores increased, but only white students were able to get paid. And there was no evidence of higher scores in reading, social studies and science. Official will decide later this year whether to continue the program.Paying students who show improvement in tests __________.
A.has been done in most American schools |
B.is becoming a growing practice in the USA |
C.is not very popular with teachers |
D.only aims at high scores at school |
According to the text, Robert Schaefer _____________.
A.is a very excellent teacher |
B.thinks highly of paying students |
C.thinks students will show improvement in study in the future |
D.thinks people should make a careful plan for the paying program |
From the last paragraph we can see __________.
A.EBCWRU has got great success in its paying program |
B.not all the students in EUCWRU have made progress in all subjects |
C.only students who study math can get paid |
D.EBCWRU will go on with the paying program |
The text is mainly written to _____________.
A.persuade teachers to give students more prizes |
B.tell people how to become an excellent student |
C.introduce something about American paying students program |
D.explain the advantages of American paying students program |
Welcome to Franklin Hotel. To make you stay as enjoyable as possible, we hope you will use our facilities(设施) to the full.
Dining Room: Breakfast is served in the dining room from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Also the room staff(服务员) may bring breakfast to your room at any time after 7 a.m. If this happens, please fill out a card and hang outside your door when you go to bed. Lunch is from 12 to 2:30 p. m. Dinner is from 7:30 to 9 p. m.
Room Service: This operates 24 hours a day; phone the Reception desk(总台), and your message will be passed on to the staff.
Telephones: To make a phone call, dial(拨) 0 for Reception and ask to be connected. We apologized for delays(拖延) if the lines are very busy. There are also public telephones near the Reception desk. Tell Reception if early calls are needed.
Shop: The hotel shop is open for presents, gifts and goods from 9 a. m. to 5:30 p. m.
Laundry : We have a laundry in the building, and will wash, iron(烫) and return your clothes within 24 hours, ask the room staff to collect them.
Bar(酒吧): The hotel bar is open from 12 to 2 p. m. and 7 p. m. to 1 a. m.
Banking : The Reception staff will cash cheques and exchange(兑换) any foreign money for you.You would see this notice .
A.in a hotel bar |
B.in a hotel dining room |
C.in a bedroom of a large international hotel |
D.at the entrance of a small family hotel |
You have arrived at the hotel at 2 a. m. and want a quick meal. What should you do?
A.Go to the hotel shop. |
B.Go to the hotel bar. |
C.Hang a message outside your door. |
D.Phone the Reception desk. |
Your phone is powered off and the Reception desk is busy. The quickest way to make an urgent(紧急的) call is to .
A.go to your room and phone from there. |
B.use one of the phones in the entrance hall |
C.ask the Reception desk to help you |
D.go out and look for a public phone box |
The underlined word “laundry” (in Paragraph 6) probably means ________.
A.phone box | B.shopping centre |
C.clothes shop | D.washhouse |
The text tells us that .
A.the hotel offers at least seven kinds of services |
B.it's too difficult to stay up in this hotel |
C.you can shop at any time inside the hotel |
D.you'll have trouble without the money of the country where the hotel lies |
Geena David knew she wanted to be a movie star when she was very young. She was not sure what gave her the idea, but she wanted to look like a movie star. “I have a lot of pictures from my childhood of me wearing sunglasses,” she says. “I used to wear them to watch TV.”
Early movie actors started wearing sunglasses not because they looked good, but because their eyes hurt. The lights used on movie sets were extremely bright and could cause a painful problem known as “Klieg eyes”. It was named after the Klieg brothers who invented the lights. Actors wore sunglasses to give their eyes a rest. But when movie stars began wearing their sunglasses in public, they quickly became a must.
Eventually actors started wearing sunglasses in their movies as well as on the street. Audrey Hephburn wore ultra-cool Ray-Ban sunglasses in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As a result, Ray-Ban sunglasses started to appear more and more in the movies. In 1979, Ray-Ban “Wayfarers” were worn by Jake and Elwood in The Blue Brothers. Tom Cruise wore Ray-Ban “Aviator” sunglasses in the 1986 hit, Top Gun. Then in 1997, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made Ray-Ban “Predator” sunglasses famous in Men in Black.
Of course sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement. The main reason to wear sunglasses is to protect our eyes against UV radiation. UV radiation can damage our eyes, so people now choose their sunglasses carefully. But you don’t have to give up style for safety. The choice of frames and lenses available these days is huge. So you can protect your eyes and still be the coolest person on the beach.What is mainly discussed in this passage?
A.The use of sunglasses. |
B.The history of sunglasses. |
C.Why movie stars like to wear sunglasses. |
D.The sunglasses wearing. |
Why did Geena David like to wear sunglasses?
A.She wanted to follow a movie star. |
B.She was a movie star. |
C.Wearing sunglasses was good to her eyes. |
D.It was good to wear sunglasses when watching TV. |
Early actors’ eyes hurt because ______.
A.they wore sunglasses |
B.they went out in the sun too much |
C.their scripts were written in very small writing |
D.the lights on movie sets were too bright |
We may know from this passage that ______.
A.Ray-Ban is the name of sunglasses maker |
B.Audrey Hephburn was a famous film star |
C.Sunglasses made Top Gun the hit in 1986 |
D.Men in Black must be an advertisement of sunglasses |
Now people wear sunglasses ______.
A.for fashion and to protect their eyes |
B.just to protect their eyes |
C.because of bright lights |
D.because movie stars wear them |
You choose to be a winner!
The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account (交易账户) where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7–that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers:
●No account keeping fees!
You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!
●Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits (储蓄) without taking them out in a month.
●Convenient
Teenagers are busy–we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet … You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part–time job!
●Mega magazine included
Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.
The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool key–card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!The Winners Club is a bank account intended for .
A.parents | B.teenagers |
C.winners | D.adults |
Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?
A.Special gifts are ready for parents. |
B.The bank opens only on work days. |
C.Services are convenient for its members. |
D.Fees are necessary for the account keeping. |
The Winners Club provides magazines which .
A.encourage spending |
B.are free to all teenagers |
C.are full of adventure stories |
D.help to make more of your money |
If you want to be a member of the Club, you must .
A.be an Internet user |
B.be permitted by your parent |
C.have a big sum of money |
D.be in your twenties |
What is the purpose of this text?
A.To set up a club. |
B.To provide part–time jobs. |
C.To organize key–cards. |
D.To introduce a new banking service. |
"Make-A-Wish” is one of the world's most well-known charities(慈善机构) . It makes wishes come true for childrenwho have serious illnesses. It gives them hope and joy and helps them forget about their health problems and have fun.
It all started in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christopher was a 7-year-old boy who was very sick. He always dreamed ofbecoming a police officer. Tommy Austin and Ron Cox, two police officers, made his wish come true. They gaveChristopher a tour of the city in a police helicopter(直升飞机)and made a real police uniform(制服) for him.
There are four kinds of wishes children usually have:
I wish to go.Children usually want to travel or go to a concert, a game or a park.
I wish to meet. Children sometimes want to meet their favourite actors, singers or
players.
I wish to be. Some children wish to become actors, singers or police officers.
I wish to have. They often want to have a computer, a game, a bike or many other things.
Let’shope more wishes will come true in the future. People who work in the charity always try for the best. Almost25 ,000 Volunteers help, work or give money. Will you be one of them?"Make-A-Wish" is a charity to help _______.
A.sick children | B.serious officers |
C.famous actors | D.popular singers |
What did the two police officers do for Christopher?
A.They gave him a computer. |
B.They gave him a tour of the city. |
C.They took him to a concert. |
D.They took him to the hospital. |
Which kind of wishes does Christopher have?
A.I wish to go. | B.I wish to meet. |
C.I wish to be. | D.I wish to have. |
The purpose of the last paragraph is to _______.
A.explain what " Make-A-Wish" is |
B.encourage more people to join the charity |
C.tell us how Christopher's wish came true |
D.introduce different kinds of children's wishes |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Sick children just wish to get well. |
B.Christopher and Tommy are two officers. |
C.A few people are working for "Make-A-Wish". |
D."Make-A-Wish" has a history of over 30 years. |
Many of the problems facing today’s world aren’t news to us. The environment is in dire need of help because it’s being damaged, hunger is widespread throughout the world, and workers in the Third World Countries are continuously being exploited. Therefore, individuals across the globe need to band(团结)together for a cause and use their collective efforts to make all the difference in the world.
For instance, one person recycling a can or a bottle doesn’t seem like much. But if every household in a given city was to recycle and conserve energy, that city could make a huge positive impact on environmental damage. Similarly, there are countless ways to help fight world hunger—whether it’s to donate money to a dedicated worldwide charity, donate canned goods to your local charity, or even make lifestyle changes like going vegetarian. World hunger is a massive problem—but it doesn’t mean individuals themselves can’t make a difference.
Worker exploitation is another huge problem. All across the world—particularly in the Third World Countries—workers are forced to labor long hours, with close to no pay. Yet these workers continue to show up to such a way of life, because they have no other options.
So, how can people like us help fight such a big problem? Simply raising awareness of the products you buy in stores—from clothing to food—is a massive start. For example, if you see two similar products side by side in a food shop, but one of them is labeled “fair trade”, you’ll know immediately that the workers who labored to produce that product were given a fair price for their goods. And true, fair trade products might cost a little bit more, but buying them is a significant start to help fight worker exploitation.
In short, each of us should be socially conscious to make a difference to widespread social problems.What problems facing today’s world are mentioned in the first paragraph?(no more than 8 words)
How can a city make a huge positive impact on environmental damage? (no more than 5words)
What should be done to fight world hunger? (no more than 8 words)
Why do workers in the Third Countries still continue to work long hours despite little pay? (no more than 6 words)
How is the product which is labeled “fair trade” different from other products? (no more than 10 words)