In a growing number of English classes, teachers are leaving the classic novels on the shelf and letting students select the books they read. Supporters say that the new approach, called reader’s workshop, helps develop a love for reading in students who are bored by classic literature. They argue that the best way to motivate students to read more is to offer them more choices.
Not all educators are on the same page, however. They worry that students who choose trendy, less challenging titles over the classics won’t be exposed to the great writing and key themes of important works of literature.
Student reporters Donald and Sarah express their ideas about this new approach.
Donald thinks that we should turn the page. Students should be allowed to select the books they read in English class. He says he and his classmates are allowed to pick their own books in class. That makes them more focused, and they look forward to class time. Tristin, a classmate of his at Clinton Middle School agrees. “I’m reading books that I want to read, which makes class more fun and interesting,” he says. Offering students a choice may also improve test scores. Studies by Professor John Guthrie of the University of Maryland found that students in grades 4 through 6 who had some choices in the books they read showed improved reading comprehension skills during testing. Giving students the chance to decide what they read helps build a lifelong love for reading. Isn’t that what we want for our students?
Sarah holds a different view. She thinks teachers know more about books than students do. When an English teacher assigns a book, he or she keeps in mind the reading level of most students in the class. Students who choose their own books might be cheating themselves by picking books that are not up to their reading level or that are too difficult. Furthermore, a whole class can discuss a book it reads together. That makes it easier for some kids to understand what they are reading. “The students wouldn’t be able to hold a meaningful conversation if they were all reading different books,” says Kristin, an English teacher at Fleetwood Area Middle School. “If they read the same book, their conversations would be more in-depth.”What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence “Not all educators are on the same page”?
A.Educators have different opinions. | B.Educators didn’t appear at the same time. |
C.Educators wrote in different pages. | D.Educators didn’t agree with the author. |
Donald thinks that the new approach could __________.
A.helped students be more focused in class |
B.draw students to reading classic novels |
C.make students less worried in English class |
D.encourage students to red more challenging books |
Sarah thinks that the new approach might __________.
A.help students improve reading comprehension skills |
B.help students hold meaningful conversations in class |
C.make some students read books not suitable for them |
D.make some students ignore the important works of literature |
Who has the same attitude towards the new approach with Kristin?
A.Donald. | B.Sarah. | C.Tristin. | D.John Guthrie. |
The author develops the text mainly by __________.
A.listing cases | B.making comparisons |
C.following time order | D.explaining causes and effects |
LINDA MAYNARD
11 Windrift Circle
Methuen, MA
978 – 555 – 4539
JOB OBJECTIVE
Seek special education, primary school, or middle school math teaching position.
EDUCATION
Rivier College, Nashua, NH
Bachelor of Arts in Education – May, 2006
Major: Elementary Education
Have successfully completed PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II. Meet highly qualified testing requirements for Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
November, 2005 – January, 2006
Wilkins Elementary School, Amherst, NH
Student Teacher
· Developed and completed student – centered lessons in all subject areas for various groups of fifth grade special
and regular education students.
·Adapted lessons to meet students’ needs by reviewing their backgrounds and learning needs through IEPs.
·Communicated with parents on a regular basis via newsletters, daily or weekly progress reports, phone calls, and email, resulting in increased parental participation at home.
September, 2005 – November, 2005
Charlotte Avenue Elementary Scho
ol, Nashua, NH
Student Teacher
·Taught reading and writing through Language Experience Approach methods.
·Introduced a Writer’s Workshop appropriate for first grade students to help them to develop their writing skills.
·Developed learning stations in reading and science, enabling students to be more independent learners.
Spring, 2005
Wilkins Elementary School, Amherst, NH
Designed and taught a unit on Insects and Spiders, based on New Hampshire Standards to 23 self -contained, third and fourth grade students with disabilities.
Fall, 2004
Amherst Street Elementary School, Nashua, NH
Taught a class of 24 third grade students with a wide range of abilities.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
·After-Scho
ol Aid, Amherst School District, Amherst, NH (2004 – 2005)
·Summer Camp advisor, YMCA, Nashua, NH (Summers, 2002 and 2003)
·Big Brother / Big Sister Volunteer, Nashua, NH (2002 – 2005)
49.What kind of job does Linda want to get?
A.A Big Brother / Big Sister Volunteer.
B.A middle school math teacher.
C.A special educatio
n advisor.
D.A summer camp advisor.
50.Linda has worked for the following schools EXCEPT.
A.Rivier College, Nashua, NH
B.Wilkins Elementary School, Amherst, NH C.Charlotte Avenue Elementary School, Nashua, NH
D.Amherst Street Elementary School, Nashua, NH
51.What can we know about Linda accord
ing to the passage?
A.She was merely interested in developing student’s math abilities.
B.She was not active in participating in after – school activities.
C.She is permitted to teach in any high school of New York.
D.She has plenty of experience in teaching.
52.Which of the following is NOT included in the ways Linda used to communicate with the______ students’ parents?
A.Newsletters. B.Phone calls.
C.Face-to-face talks. D.Daily or weekly progress reports.
When someone gives you advice, listen without judgment, try to find value in what you’re hearing, and say: “Thank you”. This wise advice is easy to understand yet hard to practice. I’ll give you an example from my life when I totally blew it in terms of practicing what I teach.
In my work I travel constantly. I always put off going to the airport until the last second. My wife, Lyda, was sitting next to me in the front seat. I was racing along and not paying much attention. Lyda cried out! “Look out! There is a red light up ahead. ”
Being a trained behavioral science professional—who teaches others the value of encouraging advice—I screamed at her: “I know there is a red light up ahead! Don’t you think I can see?” When we arrived at the airport, Lyda didn’t speak to me. I wondered why she seemed mad at me.
During the flight to New York, I did a cost-benefit analysis. I asked myself: “What was the cost of just listening when Lyda called out the warning? Zero.” I then reasoned: “What was the potential benefit? What could have been saved?” Several potential benefits came to mind, including her life, my life, and the lives of other people.
|
I landed in New York feeling ashamed of myself. I immediately called Lyda and told her my cost-benefit story. I convinced her: “The next time you help me with my driving, I am just going to say, ‘Thank you.’”
A few months passed, and I had long forgotten the incident. Again, I was racing off to the airport, when Lyda cried out: “Look out for the red light!” I was embarrassed, and then shouted: “Thank you!”第二部分.阅读理解(共25小题。第一节每小题2分,第二节每小题1分;满分45分)
阅读下面五篇短文,从每题后所给的四个选项中选出最佳答案。The Worst Part
Mom is usually home on Sunday but this week she was going to a big golf game and I was all alone in the house.
I was mad at Mom for divorcing Dad.
I kept looking at the telephone until I couldn’t stand it any longer. I picked up the receiver and dialed Dad’s number over in Bakersfield. I even remembered to dial 1 first because it was long distance. “You promised to phone me this week but you didn’t,” I said, feeling I had to talk to him.
“Take it easy, kid,” he said. “I just didn’t get around to it. I was going to call this evening. The week isn’t over yet.”
I thought about that.
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
“I hoped you would call, so I waited and waited.” Then I was sorry I said it.
“There was heavy snow in the morning,” he said, “I had to chain up on highway 80 and lost time.”
I know putting chains on eight big wheels in the snow is no fun. I felt a little better, as long as we were talking. “How is Bandit?” I asked.
There was a funny silence. For a minute I thought the line was dead. Then I knew something must have happened to my dog.
“Well, kid—”, he began. “My name is Leigh!” I almost yelled. “I’m not just some kid you met on the street!”
“Keep your shirt on, Leigh,” he said. “When I had to stop along with some other truckers to put on chains, I left Bandit out of the cab, I thought he would get back … I have sent out a call to CB radio, but I didn’t get an answer yet.” I was about to say I understood when there came the bad part, the really bad part. I heard a boy’s voice say, “Hey, Bill, Mom wants to know when we’re going out to get the pizza?”
41.From the story we know that______ .
A.Leigh’s dad never had a rest on Sundays
B.Leigh was a deserted boy
C.Leigh’s dad lived in another city
D.Leigh’s mother often went to golf games
42.What happened to Bandit?
A.It was frozen to death. B.It was let out of the cab and got lost
C.It was killed by a truck. D.It ran off Highway 80 and into the mountain.
43.The underlined sentence “Keep your shirt on” probably means “ ______ ”.
A.Listen to reason B.Stop talking C.Calm down D.Keep warm
44.The worst part in Leigh’s eyes may be that______ .
A.his dad got remarried B.his parents got divorced
C.his dad didn’t love him D.his mom didn’t take him to pizza
Contrary to the impression that grandmothers are delighted to help their grown daughters and care for their grandchildren, a study of multigenerational families shows that many older women hate the frequent demands that the younger generations make on their time and energy.
“Young women with children are under a lot of pressure these days, and they expect their mothers to help them pick up the pieces,” noted Dr.Bertram J.Cohler, a behavioral scientist at the University of Chicago.“This is often the strongest source of complaint on the part of Grandmother, who has finished with child caring and now has her own life to live.Grandmothers like to see their children and grandchildren, but on their own time.”
Dr.Cohler is director of a study, sponsored by the National Institute of Aging, of 150 workingclass families that live in a Midwestern suburb.He and Dr.Henry U.Gruebaum of Harvard Medical School, have already completed their study of four such families in New England.
Dr.Cohler tells of a middle-aged Boston woman who works as a cook all week and for her parish (教区) on Sundays.Every Saturday, her one day off, her daughter and family visit, expecting mother to make lunch, shop, and visit.“That's not how she wants to grow old,” said Dr.Cohler, who was told by the older woman, “My daughter would never speak to me if she knew how angry and unhappy I get.”
In all the four New England families studied, the older women disliked the numerous phone calls and visits from their grown daughters, who often turned to the mothers for advice, physical resources, love, and companionship as well as baby-sitting services.“American society keeps increasing the burdens for older people, particularly those in their 50s and 60s,” Dr.Cohler said in an interview here.“They're still working and they're taking care of their grown children and maybe also their aged parents.Sometimes life gets to be too much.”
67.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the expression “pick up the pieces” in the second paragraph?
A.Save a bad situation. B.Put children's toys in their proper places.
C.Gather up pieces of clothing. D.Keep the room in good order.
68.The middle-aged Boston woman ______.
A.expects her mother to cook lunch for her
B.enjoys the room in good order
C.visits an older woman every Saturday
D.works six days a week
69.The passage is mainly about ______.
A.young women's inability to look after their children
B.Grandmothers' attitudes toward helping their grown daughters
C.average American women's family life
D.grandmother should give more help to their daughters
70.From Dr.Cohler's study we may reach the conclusion that ______.
A.daughters should be independent of their old grandmothers
B.grandmother should give more help to their daughters
C.mothers and daughters should support each other
D.daughters should be more considerate toward their mothers
It is natural that children are curious about the world around them.For example, they want to know how their hearts beat.They want to know why the ocean water tastes salty.
As children grow up, they become curious about different kinds of things.When they are babies, they are interested in the parts of their bodies and in the smiles of their mothers.They become interested in the physical world around them: the plants, the animals, the sky.Later, they become interested in the things that people have made: wheels, bicycles, cars.And when they are adults, their curiosity continues.Sometimes this curiosity leads to a career in science.
Scientists spend their lives trying to find out about the world.Those who work with the earth sciences study the earth, the oceans, and the sky.Other scientists who study living things work with the biological sciences.A third group of scientists study the physical sciences, e.g.physics, chemistry .
These scientists have already discovered a lot about our world.For example, they tell us why your heart beats fast when you run.They say that when you are quiet, your heart normally beats 65 or 75 times a minute.Your heart is a pump that pumps blood to all parts of the body.The blood carries oxygen and nutrition.When you run, your muscles work very hard and use the nutrition that the blood carries to them.The muscles need oxygen, too.So your brain sends a signal to the heart.The signal means that the muscles need more nutrition and oxygen.Then the heart beats fast and sends blood quickly to the muscles.It may beat 90 to 140 times a minute.
Of course, scientists cannot answer all of our questions.If we ask, “Why does the ocean water taste salty” scientists will say that the salt comes from rocks.When a rock gets very hot or very cold, it cracks.Rain falls into cracks.The rain then carries the salt into the earth and into the rivers.The rivers carry the salt into the ocean.But then we ask , “What happens to the salt in the ocean? The ocean does not get saltier every year.” Scientists are not sure about the answer to this question.
We know a lot about our world, but there are still many answers that we do not have, and we are curious.
63.According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A.People are curious in the same way.
B.People in different countries are interested in different things.
C.People of different ages are interested in different things.
D.Men and women are curious about different things.
64.Scientists who work with the biological sciences study____.
A.the earth , the oceans and the sky B.plants and animals
C.man-made things D.ocean water
65.A rock cracks _____.
A.in wet regions B.in dry regions
C.when salty water falls in D.at very high or very low temperatures
66.People are always curious because _____ .
A.they know little about the world B.they know nothing about the world
C.they can not explain many things D.they want to be scientists