When a big exam is coming up, you probably feel anxious about any wasted time and want to begin school as soon as you probably can.
But tens of thousands of British high school students will soon be getting up later. They’re taking part in a new experiment by Oxford University to see if later classes can improve their exam results.
Grades 10 students in the UK have to take the nationwide General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. They have to pass these exams in order to study more advanced courses, and later apply for universities.
The Oxford University project means that GCSE students from more than 100 schools across England will start school at 10 am, more than one hour later than the current start time (8:50 am).
The project is based on scientific evidence that teenagers are “out of sync(同步)” with traditional school hours, the Telegraph reported. And what they need is more sleep in the morning.
“We know that something funny happens when you’re a teenager, in that you seem to be out of sync with the world,” said professor Colin Epsie, who is leading the study. “Your parents think it’s because you are lazy and opinionated(固执己见的)and everything will be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings.”
Everyone follows a natural cycle of sleep and wakefulne ss. Biology has decided that teenagers go to sleep around midnight and don’t feel fully awake until 9-10 am, according to scientists. That’s two hours later than adults. And their body clocks stay like this until the age of around 21 for males, and 19 for females.
“Society provides school for learning, but the brain provides sleep. So we are exploring the possibility that if you delay the schools start time until 10 am, that will improve learning performance,” said Epsie.
The results could be positive, based on previous studies.
An early study at the UK’s Monkseaton High School in 2009 found that starting an hour later improved grades in core subjects by 19 percent.
The Oxford project is expecting to publish the results in 2018. It’s time to wait and see whether scientists will give us an excuse to get up late.
According to the article, students who take part in the Oxford University project _________.
A.will start school one hour earlier |
B.will no longer have to take GCSE exams |
C.will perform better academically than those who don’t participate |
D.will be guaranteed more sleeping time in the morning |
The underlined phrase “out of sync”in Paragraph 5 probably means _____________ .
A.breaking the habit of doing something |
B.getting used to doing something |
C.having no idea of something |
D.having trouble keeping up with something |
We can infer from the article that _______________ .
A.the Oxford University project is targeted at all British high schools |
B.getting up late is a sign of laziness in the eyes of most British parents |
C.children and adults have different natural cycles of sleep and wakefulness |
D.there is still no scientific evidence that supports a late school start time |
What is the author’s attitude toward the Oxford University project ?
A.Critical | B.Optimistic |
C.Doubtful | D.Uninterested |
What’s the best title of the article ?
A.Wake up late to excel |
B.It’s never too late to learn |
C.The later you get up, the better you’ll learn |
D.An excuse to get up late |
In today’s world, almost everyone knows that air pollution and water pollution are harmful to people’s health. However, not all the persons know that noise is also a kind of pollution, and that is harmful to human health, too.
People who work and live under noisy conditions usually become deaf. Today, however, scientists believe that 10 percent of workers in Britain are being deafened by the noise where they work. Many of the workers who print newspapers and books, and who weave(织) cloth become deaf. Quite a few people living near airports also become deaf. Recently it was discovered that many teenagers in America could hear no better than 65-year-old persons, for these young people like to listen to pop music and most of pop music is a kind of noise. Besides, noise produced by jet planes or machines will make people’s life difficult and unpleasant, or even make people ill or even drive them mad.
It is said that a continuous noise of over 85 decibels(分贝) can cause deafness. Now the governments in many countries have made laws to control noise and make it less than 85 decibels.
In China, the government is trying to solve not only air and water pollution problems but also noise pollution problems.The passage is mainly about ______ .
A.air pollution | B.water pollution | C.noise pollution | D.world pollution |
According to the passage, a continuous noise of _______decibels can make people deaf.
A.less than 85 | B.less than 65 | C.about 65 | D.more than 85 |
10 percent of the workers in Britain are being deafened because _______ .
A.they are working in noisy places |
B.they often listen to pop music |
C.they live near airports |
D.they are too busy to listen to others’talk |
The government of China is trying to reduce ______.
A.only the air pollution |
B.only the air and water pollution |
C.only the water pollution |
D.the air, water and noise pollution |
According to the passage,which of the following statement is TRUE?
A.People working and living under noisy places usually have good hearing. |
B.Many teenagers in the US was said to have bad hearing because they enjoy listening to pop music. |
C.A few people living near airports become deaf. |
D.Noise coming from jet planes or machines won’t do much harm to people. |
(A) For Sale Chinese-made bicycle Good condition Zhang Ying 306, dormitory 4 |
(B) Needed 25-year-old woman 900 yuan a month speak good English Lan Fleming 422-389506 |
(C) Roommate Wanted Male(男)---English native speaker wanted to share A 2-bedroom apartment near campus ,washer, dryer, kitchen Call Li Ming, 228-940605 Any evening after 5 |
(D) Lost Black briefcase (公文包) with 3 books on physics Call: John Smith 843-316065 |
(E)Wanted to Rent One-bedroom apartment from Feb.1 through June ,better near campus Call Robert Waller 843-429065 |
(F) Found Brown briefcase with some money See: Joseph Hofman in Chemistry Dept (系) |
You can call Zhang Ying if you want to _________________ .
A.sell a bike | B.buy a bike |
C.have your bike repaired | D.borrow a bike |
If you want to find a job, and you can speak English, you can call ____________
A.843-429065 | B.228-940605 | C.843-316065 | D.422-389506 |
One of the reasons why Li Ming wants someone to share his room is that __________.
A.he wants to live near the campus |
B.he wants to improve his English |
C.he wants his washer, dryer and kitchen to be used |
D.he wants someone to use his kitchen |
Robert Waller wishes to rent a room__________________ .
A.near the school | B.far away from the school |
C.inside the school | D.outside the city |
If you want to find your briefcase with money,you should visit____________
A.John Smithl | B.Lan Fleming | C.Joseph Hofman | D.Robert Waller |
One day an ant was drinking at a small stream and fell in. She made desperate efforts to reach the side, but made no progress at all. The poor ant almost exhausted was still bravely doing her best when a dove saw her.Moved with pity, the bird threw her a blade of grass, which supported her like a raft, and thus the ant reached the bank again. While she was resting and drying herself in the grass, she heard a man come near. He was walking along barefooted with a gun in his hand. As soon as he saw the dove, he wished to kill it. He would certainly have done so, but the ant bit him in the foot just as he raised his gun to fire. He stopped to see what had bit him, and the dove immediately flew away. It was an animal much weaker and smaller than herself that had saved her life.The ant could not reach the side though _______.
A.she cried for help |
B.she asked the dove to save her |
C.she tried very hard |
D.she could smell well |
The dove saved the ant because _______.
A.she was the ant's friend |
B.she took pity on the poor ant |
C.the ant was almost exhausted |
D.the ant had been struggled in the water for a long time |
The ant succeeded in getting on the bank with the help of _______.
A.a leaf | B.a piece of wood | C.a blade of grass | D.a raft |
Just as the man shot at the dove, _______.
A.the dove immediately flew away |
B.the dove hid himself in the grass |
C.the ant told the dove to leave at once |
D.he felt something biting him in the foot |
In writing the story, the writer wants to show _______.
A.how clever the ant was |
B.how kind the dove was |
C.how the ant and the dove helped each other |
D.we often need help from others, therefore we should help others as much as |
An expensive car speeding down the main street of a small town was soon caught up with by a young motorcycle policeman. As he started to make out the ticket, the woman behind the wheel said proudly, “Before you go any further, young man, I think you should know that the mayor of this city is a good friend of mine.”The officer did not say a word, but kept writing. “I am also a friend of chief of police Barens,”continued the woman, getting more angry each moment, Still he kept on writing. “Young man,”she persisted, “I know Judge Lawson and State Senator (参议员) Patton.” Handing the ticket to the woman, the officer asked pleasantly , “Tell me, do you know Bill Bronson.”
“Why, no,”she answered.
“Well, that is the man you should have known,”he said, heading back to his motorcycle, “I am Bill Bronson.”The policeman stopped the car because_____
A.it was an expensive car |
B.the driver was a proud lady |
C.the driver was driving beyond the speed limit |
D.the driver was going to make trouble for the police |
The woman was getting more angry each moment because _____.
A.the policeman didn’t know her friends |
B.the policeman didn’t accept her kindness |
C.the policeman was going to punish her |
D.she didn’t know the policeman’s name |
The policeman was _______.
A.an honourable fellow | B.a stupid fellow |
C.an impolite man | D.a shy man |
The woman was _______.
A.kind-hearted |
B.a person who depended on someone else to finish her work |
C.trying to frighten the policeman on the strength of her friends’ powerful positions |
D.introducing her good friends’ names to the young officer |
The policeman _______.
A.had no sense of humor | B.had s sense of humor |
C.had no sense of duty | D.was senseless |
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times. ”
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy. How did the author get to know America?
A.From her relatives | B.From her mother |
C.From Books and pictures | D.From radio programs |
Upon leaving for America the author felt.
A.confused | B.excited |
C.worried | D.amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author.
A.often lost her way |
B.did not think about her future |
C.studied in three different schools |
D.got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
A.She worked as a translator |
B.She attended a lot of job interviews |
C.She paid telephone bills for her family |
D.She helped her family with her English |
The author believes that.
A.her future will be free from troubles |
B.it is difficult to learn to become patient |
C.there are more good things than bad things |
D.good things will happen if one keeps trying |