You see them in the halls, going toward their classes in a hurry. Their faces are pale with tiredness; their bodies are bent under the weight of a dozen textbooks. They are the ones struggling to hold back a yawn during class. They are the chosen few. They are the Advanced Placement(AP,大学预修课程)students.
The truth is, honors students are no longer a select few. Over half of university-bound students take AP classes, and of these, most take at least two. The AP system drills it into us that our college success depends on taking as many advanced courses as possible, but is it really worth it? “On average, I spend three to four hours each day on homework,” says one senior who is taking five AP classes. “With the number I’m taking, I really doubt whether I will be confidently going into each test.”
With increasing pressure to attend AP courses, not only for college credits but also for the weighted GPA(平均成绩), it is no wonder that students often find their grades suffering and their stress increasing. In reality, AP courses have become mere rewards, adding little to a competitive college application.
One of the major disadvantages in the AP system is that every class is fitted into a standardized test. The result is that comprehensive learning is sacrificed for test preparation, with teachers spending the most time on topics likely to appear on the AP exam.
And that a student receives a high grade on the AP test does not mean he or she will receive the college credit. Many universities now don’t consider an AP class in high school to be the same as an actual undergraduate college-level class, which is usually a three-hour, lecture-based course with varying degrees of homework.
1. What can we learn about AP students?| A．They are exhausted from AP classes. |
| B．They are the select few top students. |
| C．They take two AP classes at most each term. |
| D．They will gain confidence by taking more AP classes. |
| A．More focus on stress relief. | B．Less comprehensive learning. |
| C．Great chances of college admission. | D．Decline of academic competitiveness. |
| A．Positive. | B．Objective. | C．Negative. | D．Supportive. |
相似题推荐
Professional courses, such as Masters in International Business or MIB, have been taken by many students in the last two decades. They are choosing new-age non-conventional courses that guarantee a better future. MIB is a specialized course that teaches the international business. There are valid reasons for so much popularity of MIB course.
The course content and teaching methods of MIB are quite different from a normal MBA or Master of Business Administration. It has been designed with the sole objective of developing professionals with an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the international trade. The course offers various advantages over the conventional MBA degree course.
The massive increase in the international business and foreign trade gives excellent job prospects(前景) to the new generation. Acquiring a degree of MIB offers outstanding growth of job opportunities. Those who want to pursue in the field of marketing also have a good future after completing the degree from a reputed MIB college. Big multinational organizations look for talented people who can handle the job profile of International Marketing Manage, and people with MIB degrees are preferred. The profile needs an in-depth understanding of the overseas markets, because it is the strategic post from the perspective of company’s international business growth.
Since business finance and economics are covered at length in the curriculum of MIB, students have great job offers in the field of finance as well. Typically, organizations offer the profile of international finance controllers to those who complete MIB with the specialization of finance. The specialization covers aspects of international taxes, accounts, budgeting and so on. People in this field are well-paid, and growth prospects are unlimited. After completing degree course from a reputed MIB college, there is a good scope in the banking and finance sector as well. International banks appoint people who have an excellent grasp over the international banking policies, currency exchange, and international policies. Thus, MIB is the golden key to success with brilliant job opportunities in national and multinational sectors.
1. The second paragraph is mainly developed by _______.
| A．analyzing causes | B．listing figures |
| C．making comparisons | D．proving definition |
| A．it is a compulsory course in the colleges |
| B．it offers them conventional economic knowledge |
| C．it offers them opportunities to do small businesses |
| D．it helps them get good jobs in some organizations |
| A．The international finance controller is a high-quality job. |
| B．People get higher salary in business field than in finance field. |
| C．MIB holders are more promising in all careers than others. |
| D．International banks only accept employees from MIB colleges. |
| A．To make an advertisement for the MIB course. |
| B．To analyze the disadvantages of the MIB course. |
| C．To explain why the MIB course is getting popular. |
| D．To predict the development trend of the MIB course. |
【推荐2】Great Books Summer Program delivers excellent preparation for seminar-style college classes and the SAT critical thinking section. We are thrilled to announce Summer 2022 On-Campus programs are returning. Enrollment (注册) is open. Make your plans today!
Program 1: Great Books & Writer’s Workshop at Pepperdine University Malibu, CA For Rising Grades 6-8 and Grades 9 — 12 One and Two-Week Programs Choose the one-week Seminar and Discussion program. Select Writer’s Workshop for students eager to explore the art of creative writing. Or, stay for both! One-week Tuition: $2695 Two-week Tuition: $5390 |
Program 2: Great Books & Writer’s Workshop at Amherst College Amherst, MA For Rising Grades 6-8 and Grades 9 — 12 One and Two-Week Programs We will be offering Seminar and Discussion programs and a Writer’s Workshop for students eager to explore the art of writing in all forms. One-week Tuition: $2495 Two-week Tuition: $4990 |
Program 3: Great Books at Stanford University Stanford, CA For Rising Grades 6-8 and Grades 9 — 12 One and Two-Week Programs Young people gather to experience reading and life at Stanford University. Join us for one week or two of Great Books Seminar and Discussion programs! One-week Tuition: $2995 Two-week Tuition: $5990 |
Program 4: A Tall Ship Adventure For Rising Grades 9 — 12 Sail from Bangor to Portland, ME One Week Program Great Books is excited to announce the second year of Tales of the Sea: a Tall Ship Adventure. This program for high school students marries the study of maritime literature with living and learning to sail. Time will be split between seminar and discussion and sailing education with visits to coastal islands. One-week Tuition: $2995 |
All on-campus programs have Materials & Events fees of $225 for one week and $475 for two.
1. How much does an applicant pay in total for a one-week program at Stanford University?
| A．$2995. | B．$3220. | C．$3470. | D．$3945. |
| A．Program 1. | B．Program 2. | C．Program 3. | D．Program 4. |
| A．They offer seminar-style classes. |
| B．They prepare students for the SAT test. |
| C．They are designed for junior high students. |
| D．They aim to promote students’ writing skills. |
【推荐3】Welcome to Teenagers Abroad! We invite you to join us on an amazing journey of language learning.
Our Courses
Regardless of your choice, you’ll develop your language ability both quickly and effectively. Our Standard Course guarantees a significant increase in your confidence in a foreign language, with focused teaching in all 4 skill areas—speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Our Intensive Course builds on our Standard Course, with 10 additional lessons per week, guaranteeing the fastest possible language learning (see table below).
Evaluation
Students are placed into classes according to their current language skills. The majority of them take an online language test before starting their programme. However, if this is not available, students sit the exam on the first Monday of their course.
Learning materials are provided to students throughout their course, and there will never be more than 15 participants in each class.
Arrivals and Transfer
Our programme offers the full package—students are taken good care of from the start through to the very end. They are collected from the airport upon arrival and brought to their accommodation in comfort. We require the student’s full details at least 4 weeks in advance.
Meals/ Allergies (过敏)/ Special Dietary Requirements
Students are provided with breakfast, dinner and either a cooked or packed lunch (which consists of a sandwich, a drink and a dessert). Snacks outside of mealtimes may be purchased by the student individually.
We ask that you let us know of any allergies or dietary requirements as well as information about any medicines you take. Depending on the type of allergies and/or dietary requirements, an extra charge may be made for providing special food.
1. How is Intensive Course different from Standard Course?| A．It is less effective. | B．It includes extra lessons. |
| C．It focuses on 4 skills. | D．It develops your confidence. |
| A．take a language test | B．have high language levels |
| C．have an interview online | D．buy different materials |
| A．inform students of their full flight details |
| B．collect students’ luggage in advance |
| C．look after students throughout the programme |
| D．offer students free sightseeing trips |
【推荐1】Carson Kropfl, who is 12 years old enjoys the excitement of surfing. In addition to riding the waves, he likes riding his skateboard. His story is evidence that necessity is truly the mother of invention.
Carson had enjoyed skating for years. He liked to use his skateboard to go to places, including school. But over time, he grew increasingly discouraged that he had no place to store his board once he arrived. As a student, he could not change the size of his locker. But he realized he might be able to change the shape of his skateboard. And, from that small desire, a business was born.
Carson first just made a shorter skateboard in the shape of a square for himself. “But then my parents told me I had to clean and do chores(家务)to pay for my surf contest and surf lessons. But I hate to clean, so I asked them if I could try selling my Lockerboards instead.” Carson’s parents not only said yes, they also agreed to help him make it happen. They searched around for the best tools for creating skateboards.
Carson made his first sales in the room where students ate at his school. He put a few skateboards on a table and his schoolmates started buying them up. Within months, Carson had an agreement with a producer. The young man says he has now sold about 700 skateboards.
His skateboards come in a number of shapes and designs. Each one costs around $100. But not all the profit goes to Carson. Some money goes to a non profit group that supports the health and well-being of a place close to his heart. “I donate one dollar for every Lockerboard sold to Ocean Unite because they’re focused on ocean conservation.”
Carson’s hometown of San Clemente sits along a beautiful coastal area of the Pacific Ocean. And Carson, the surfer, wants the ocean to stay that way.
1. What troubled Carson at school?| A．He had no access to the Internet. |
| B．Skating was not allowed at school. |
| C．He didn’t have a locker of his own. |
| D．The locker didn’t fit in his skateboard. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．The ocean. | B．The locker. | C．The classroom. | D．The market. |
| A．They were mostly of a larger size. |
| B．They had strange designs on them. |
| C．They were popular with the students. |
| D．They were handmade by Carson himself. |
【推荐2】“Cool” is a word with many meanings. Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold. As the world has changed, the word has had many different meanings.
“Cool” can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything. When you see a famous car in the street,maybe you will say, “It’s cool.” You may think, “He’s so cool,” when you see your favourite footballer.
We all maximize (扩大) the meaning of “cool”. You can use it instead of many words such as “new” or “surprising”. Here’s an interesting story we can use to show the way the word is used. A teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall (瀑布) they had visited. On one student’s paper was just the one sentence, “It’s so cool.” Maybe he thought it was the best way to show what he saw and felt.
But the story also shows a scarcity (缺乏) of words. Without “cool”, some people have no words to show the same meaning. So it is quite important to keep some credibility (可信性). Can you think of many other words that make your life as colourful as the word “cool”? I can. And I think they are also very cool.
1. We know that the word “cool” has had ________.| A．only one meaning | B．no meanings |
| C．many different meanings | D．the same meaning |
| A．see | B．show | C．know | D．feel |
| A．interested in | B．angry about |
| C．afraid of | D．unhappy with |
| A．pleased with | B．strange to |
| C．worried about | D．careful with |
| A．can be used instead of many words |
| B．usually means something interesting |
| C．can make your life colourful |
| D．may not be as cool as it seems |
【推荐3】You have probably heard of the Mozart effect. It’s the idea that if children or even babies listen to music composed by Mozart, they will become more intelligent. A quick Internet search reveals plenty of products to assist you in the task. Whatever your age there are CDs and books to help you taste the power of Mozart’s music, but when it comes to scientific evidence that it can make you more clever, the picture is more mixed
The phrase “the Mozart effect” was made up in 1991, but it was a study described two years later in the journal Nature that sparked real media and public interest about the idea that listening to classical music somehow improves the brain. It is one of those ideas that sound reasonable. Mozart was undoubtedly a genius himself; his music is complex and there is a hope that if we listen to enough of it, we’ll become more intelligent.
The idea took off, with thousands of parents playing Mozart to their children, and in 1998 Zell Miller, the Governor of the state of Georgia in the US, even asked for money to be set aside in the state budget so that every newborn baby could be sent a CD of classical music. It was not just babies and children who were exposed to Mozart’s music on purpose, even an Italian farmer proudly explained that the cows were played Mozart three times a day to help them to produce better milk. I’ll leave the debate on the impact on milk yield to farmers, but what about the evidence that listening to Mozart makes people more intelligent? More research was carried out but an analysis of sixteen different studies confirmed that listening to music does lead to a temporary improvement in the ability to handle shapes mentally, but the benefits are short—lived and it doesn’t make us more intelligent.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．Mozart composed many musical pieces for children. |
| B．Children listening to Mozart will be more intelligent. |
| C．There is little scientific evidence to support Mozart effect. |
| D．There are few products on the Internet about Mozart’s music. |
| A．People were strongly against the idea. |
| B．The idea was accepted by many people. |
| C．The US government helped promote the idea. |
| D．Mozart played an important part in people’s life. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Positive. | C．Objective. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．What music is beneficial? | B．What is the Mozart effect? |
| C．Listening to Mozart, necessary? | D．To be or not to be? |
