We'd just finished John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men. When we read the end together out loud in class, my toughest boy, a star basketball player, wept a little, and so did I. “Are you crying?” one girl asked, as she got out of her chair to take a closer look. “I am,” I told her, “and the funny thing is I've read it many times.”
But they understood. When George shoots Lennie, the tragedy is that we realize it was always going to happen. In my 14 years of teaching in a New York City public middle school, I've taught kids with imprisoned parents, abusive parents, irresponsible parents; kids who are parents themselves; kids who are homeless; kids who grew up in violent neighborhoods. They understand, more than I ever will, the novel's terrible logic-the giving way of dreams to fate.
For the last seven years, I have worked as a reading enrichment teacher, reading classic works of literature with small groups of students from grades six to eight. I originally proposed this idea to my headmaster after learning that a former excellent student of mine had transferred out of a selective high school-one that often attracts the literary-minded children of Manhattan's upper classes-into a less competitive setting. The daughter of immigrants, with a father in prison, she perhaps felt uncomfortable with her new classmates. I thought additional “cultural capital” could help students like her develop better in high school, where they would unavoidably meet, perhaps for the first time, students who came from homes lined with bookshelves, whose parents had earned Ph.D.'s.
Along with Of Mice and Men, my groups read: Sounder, The Red Pony, Lord of the Flies, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. The students didn't always read from the expected point of view.
About The Red Pony, one student said, “it's about being a man, it's about manliness.” I had never before seen the parallels between Scarface and Macbeth, nor had I heard Lady Macbeth's soliloquies read as raps, but both made sense; the interpretations were playful, but serious. Once introduced to Steinbeck's writing, one boy went on to read The Grapes of Wrath and told me repeatedly how amazing it was that “all these people hate each other, and they're all white.” His historical view was broadening, his sense of his own country deepening. Year after year, former students visited and told me how prepared they had felt in their first year in college as a result of the classes.
Year after year, however, we are increasing the number of practice tests. We are trying to teach students to read increasingly complex texts, not for emotional punch but for text complexity. Yet, we cannot enrich the minds of our students by testing them on texts that ignore their hearts. We are teaching them that words do not amaze but confuse. We may succeed in raising test scores, but we will fail to teach them that reading can be transformative and that it belongs to them.
1. The underlined words in Paragraph 1 probably mean that a book helps to __________.A.realize our dreams | B.give support to our life |
C.smooth away difficulties | D.awake our emotions |
A.Because they spent much time reading it. | B.Because they had read the novel before. |
C.Because they came from a public school. | D.Because they had similar life experiences. |
A.she was a literary-minded girl | B.her parents were immigrants |
C.she couldn't fit in with her class | D.her father was then in prison |
A.creatively | B.passively | C.repeatedly | D.carelessly |
A.introduce classic works of literature | B.advocate teaching literature to touch the heart |
C.argue for equality among high school students | D.defend the current testing system |
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【推荐1】The term “Metaverse” is the latest buzzword (流行语) to capture the tech industry’s imagination — so much so that one of the best-known internet platforms is rebranding to signal is embrace of the futuristic idea.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that he’s changing his company’s name to Meta Platforms Inc. might be the biggest thing to happen to the metaverse since science fiction writer Neal Stephenson coined the term for his 1992 novel “Snow Crash”. But Zuckerberg and his team are hardly the only tech visionaries with ideas on how the metaverse, which will employ a mix of virtual reality and other technologies, should take shape.
What is the metaverse? Zuckerberg has described it as a “virtual environment” you can go inside of — instead of just looking at on a screen. Essentially, it’s a world of endless, interconnected virtual communities where people can meet, work and play, using virtual reality headsets and glasses, smartphone or other devices. The metaverse also could be a game -changer for the work-from-home shift amid the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of seeing co-workers on a video call, employees could join them in a virtual office.
Zuckerberg’s embrace of the metaverse in some ways contradicts a central tenet (信条) of its biggest enthusiasts. They envision the metaverse as online culture’s liberation from tech platforms like Facebook that assumed ownership of people’s accounts, photos, posts and traded off what they collected from that data. “We want to be able to move around the internet with ease, but we also want to be able to move around the/Internet in a way we’re not tracked and monitored," said Steve Jang, who focuses on cryptocurrency (数字货币) technology. There is a growing concern about Facebook trying to lead the way into a virtual world that could require even more personal data and offer greater potential for abuse and misinformation when it hasn’t fixed those problems in its current platforms.
1. Why is Zuckerberg changing the name of his company?A.Because he plans to quit his present business. | B.Because he has founded the metaverse. |
C.Because he will engage in the metaverse. | D.Because he wants to draw public attention. |
A.Users should be responsible for their personal data. | B.Cryptocurrency technology should be monitored. |
C.Tech platforms should possess users’ data. | D.The Metaverse should be tracked. |
A.Do everything in the real world. | B.Have meetings in the virtual office. |
C.Defeat the pandemic. | D.See co-workers on a video-call. |
A.Facebook will gain people’s trust. | B.Facebook will make the internet a better world. |
C.Facebook may not abuse information. | D.Facebook may not play a good leading role. |
【推荐2】An extreme drought is threatening South Africa's wildlife industry. Farmers are keeping fewer animals and vacationers are visiting in smaller numbers. Parts of the country have been affected by repeated years of hotter than normal weather and below average rainfall. The conditions have burned feeding grass and dried up watering holes. In 2015, the area saw the driest year on record. The agency Wildlife Ranching South Africa ( WRSA) collets data on more than 9,000 wildlife ranches ( 牧场) in the nation. It estimates that the Northern Cape Province has lost more than .two thirds of its game over the last three years. WRSA is talking to ranchers around the country to gather information on animal loss and the financial impact the drought is having.
WRSA Chief Adri Kitshoff-Botha told Reuters News Agency the drought has continued for some time. “In some areas we've seen it has been going on for six years, ”she said. The wildlife industry brings money to South Africa's economy through tourism, hunting, breeding and meat production. Hunting —the shooting of carefully chosen animals in particular—made $ 140 million in 2016, topping the list of the four mentioned, above, breeding ranking the least, though.
In the past, the lodge (度假区) was home to around 4,500 wild animals—including 35 different species from antelope to rhino. But it has lost around 1 ,000 animals because of the drought. Now, dead animals sit in old and unused mines on the edge of the property. “The lodge has seen its spending rise as it buys more feed for animals for the sake of the drought. At the same time, hunters are paying less, and fewer tourists are visiting because the animals are in poor condition over the past year,” said WRSA’s Kitshof-Botha. The drought has also hit other parts of South Africa. In Botswana, more than 100 elephants died in two months in 2019. Botswana is home to almost one-third of Africa's elephants.
1. Which is the indirect result of the drought?A.Economy is barely declining. | B.Feeding grass has been burned. |
C.Watering holes have dried up. | D.Vacationers are becoming fewer. |
A.Hunting. | B.Breeding. |
C.Tourism. | D.Meat production. |
A.some local species need more attending in hot weather |
B.the animals in poor condition are dying out in the drought |
C.the lodge has to offer animals more food due to the drought |
D.dead animals' bodies need to be buried in' old and unused mines |
A.South Africa's wildlife industry is under the threat of an extreme drought. |
B.The rapid decreasing of national economy affects wildlife in South Africa. |
C.Most wildlife ranchers in South Africa are suffering a lot from the drought. |
D.Wildlife industry is playing a vital part in South Africa's national economy. |
【推荐3】Escape to a New Life— Everyone’s Dream?
A TV series in Wales has become a heated issue by becoming the number one choice for teenagers to watch.
The main character is a young farmer and the series is about country life, making the popularity of the series all the more surprising. The series is calm and relaxing and really the opposite to city life. Escape to a New Life describes the Welsh countryside as a beautiful and peaceful place and its people as very caring and happy.
The series director believes that this is what young people want today. She says the success of the series is because teenagers want a happier and healthier life away from the pressures of deadlines and exams. She figures this series offers a form of escape from their fast and stressful lives.
Despite this, many parents and teachers are worried about the effect this is having on young people. Parents report that their children are just watching this series and neglecting everything else, using Escape to a New Life as an excuse for not completing homework, or refusing to revise for exams, citing a need for a happier and less stressful life.
One father, Paul McGregor, said his daughter Charlotte had changed a lot. He said, “She used to be in the school athletics team and loved the javelin, but now she only wants to watch the TV series and has been dropped from the team. She no longer completes her homework saying it doesn’t matter as she just wants to ‘escape to a new life’”.
Paediatrician, Dr. Elisa Carhart who specialises in child mental health, says that TV can influence young people’s decisions in life, but believes that if a young person reacts as strongly as Charlotte, it’s likely there are other reasons for the change in her behaviour.
1. What is the TV series Escape to a New Life mainly about?A.How people escape from city life. | B.How a Welsh farmer lives his life. |
C.How teenagers balance work with life. | D.How the young live a relaxing life. |
A.Paying no attention to. | B.Making the most of. |
C.Feeling at home with. | D.Complaining about. |
A.Unfavorable. | B.Supportive. | C.Unclear. | D.Forgiving. |
A.One should not jump in with both feet. |
B.One man’s meat is another man’s poison. |
C.We’d better be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud. |
D.We should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. |
【推荐1】GOING TO UNIVERSITY is supposed to be a mind-broadening experience. But is it actually true? Jessika Golle of the University of Tubingen, thought she would try to find out. Her result, however, is not quite as expected. She found those who have been to university do seem to leave with broader minds than those who have spent their immediate post--school years in vocational(职业的)training for work. However, it was not the case that university broadened minds. Rather, work seemed to narrow them.
Germany had three tracks in its schools: a low one for pupils who would most probably leave school early and enter vocational training; a high one for those almost certain to enter university; and an intermediate one, from which there was a choice between the academic and vocational routes.
The team used two standardised tests to assess their volunteers. One was of personality qualities. The other was of attitudes. Of the original group, 382 were on the intermediate track. University attracted 212 of them. The remaining 170 chose vocational training and a job.
Years later, Dr Golle found that the personalities of those who had gone to university had changed not a statistically detectable jot. The same goes for those who had undergone vocational training, except in one crucial respect. They had become more earnest. That sounds good, certainly compared with the common public image of undergraduates as a bunch of spoiled layabouts (懒汉). But changes in attitude were more worrying. In the university group, again, none were detectable. But those who had chosen the vocational route showed marked drops in interest in tasks that are investigative and enterprising in nature. And that might restrict their choice of careers. Some jobs, such as scientific research, are, indeed off limits to the degreeless. But many, particularly in Germany, with its tradition of vocational training, are not. The researchers mention, for example, computer programmers, finance-sector workers, estate agents and entrepreneurs as careers requiring these qualities.
If Dr Golle is correct, and changes in attitude brought about by the very training Germany prides itself on are narrowing people's choices, that is indeed a matter of concern.
1. According to the research, ''university broadened minds'' is not quite right because__________.A.university narrowed one's mind |
B.work narrowed one's mind |
C.university offered no better education than work |
D.work was more important than university |
A.they stick to the end and go to university directly |
B.they leave school early and receive certain professional training |
C.they choose to drop out and enter workforce |
D.they make it to the midway and make a choice |
A.The fact that the university group's changes in attitude were not obvious. |
B.The fact that the university group's changes in personality were not obvious. |
C.Those who had chosen the vocational route showed less change in personality |
D.Those who had chosen the vocational route showed less interest in enterprising tasks. |
A.Computer programmers and scientific research |
B.Finance-sector workers and estate agents |
C.Entrepreneurs and scientific research |
D.Scientific research and estate agents |
【推荐2】A baby born today will be thirty-something in 2050. If all goes well, that baby will still be around in 2100, and might even be an active citizen of the 22nd century. What should we teach that baby to help them survive and flourish in the world of 2050 and beyond? What kind of skills will they need in order to get a job, understand what is happening around them, and navigate their tough life?
At present, too many schools across the world focus on providing pupils with a set of predetermined skills, such as writing computer code in C++ and conversing in Chinese. Yet since we have no idea how the world and the job market will look in 2050, we don’t really know what particular skills people will need. We might invest a lot of effort in teaching kids how to write in C++ or to speak Chinese, only to discover sooner or later that AI will have been able to code software far better than humans, and that a new translation app will have enabled you to conduct a conversation in almost flawless Mandarin, Cantonese or Hakka, even though you only know how to say ni hao.
So what should we be teaching? Many experts argue that schools should downplay technical skills and emphasize general-purpose life skills: the ability to deal with change, to learn new things, and to preserve your mental balance in unfamiliar situations. In order to keep up with the world of 2050, you will above all need to reinvent yourself again and again.
To succeed in such a demanding task, you will need to work very hard on getting to know your operating system better—to know what you are and what you want from life. This is, of course, the oldest advice in the book: know thyself. This advice was never more urgent than in the mid-21st century, because unlike in the days of Laozi or Socrates, now you have serious competition. Coca-Cola, Amazon and Facebook are all racing to hack you.
Right now, the algorithms (算法) are watching where you go, what you buy, and who you meet. Soon they will monitor all your steps, breaths and heartbeats. They are relying on big data and machine learning to get to know you better and better. And once these algorithms know you better than you know yourself, they could control and manipulate (操纵) you. In the end, authority will shift to them.
Of course, you might be perfectly happy giving up all authority to the algorithms and trusting them to make decisions for you and for the rest of the world. If, however, you want to maintain some control over your personal existence and over the future of life in general, you have to run faster than the algorithms. To run fast, don’t take much luggage with you. Leave all your illusions (幻想) behind. They are very heavy.
1. What does the underlined word “downplay” in paragraph 3 most probably mean?A.Give too much emphasis on something. |
B.Make people think that something is less important. |
C.Offer your reasons why something is right or wrong. |
D.Decide something in advance so that it does not happen. |
A.imagination | B.adaptability | C.self-discipline | D.a good sense of balance |
A.if we don’t, algorithms will hack all our devices. |
B.it is an essential skill for us to succeed in the world of 2050. |
C.we need to learn how algorithms work and make full use of them. |
D.we need to outrun algorithms to keep some control over our personal life. |
A.the importance of knowing yourself |
B.the threats and dangers of technology |
C.what kind of skills we might need in the future |
D.some potential benefits algorithms would bring to humankind |
【推荐3】Does Chinese philosophy influence your parenting? It is the question I am most often asked. Chinese philosophy contains many lessons that are useful, accessible and timely when applied to the challenges of parenting. Confucianism and Daoism suggest ways to guide your children toward meaning and fulfilment rather than wealth and fame.
Parenting is tough, especially because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Different kids need different things. How do we stay focused on what matters most? How do we navigate difficult times with our kids and support them when they struggle? All of us want our children to be successful, partly because we love them and want them to be happy. But it is easy to mistake “success” with certain kinds of academic or athletic achievements.
Of course, one can define success in this way. But ancient Chinese philosophers believed that real success is not measured by fame, money or power. A successful life is one in which a person flourishes: they are happy, fulfilled, and they find meaning in what they do and who they are. This type of fulfilment comes from loving and being loved by others within the context of meaningful, lasting relationships; giving generously of what you have to others; caring for and having a genuine love of nature; and shouldering your responsibility.
Most of us know that having an Ivy League degree and a high-paying job is not going to make our children happy and fulfilled in life. Yet we worry about how they will find things they love to do and that they are good at. Philosophers from the two most influential ancient Chinese traditions — Confucianism and Daoism — talk more about human flourishing, virtue, happiness and fulfilment than about “success”.
Chinese philosophers argued that we genuinely flourish — are happiest and most fulfilled — when we develop these virtues. This can never be measured in terms such as earning power, entering famous schools or getting jobs. Instead, it is measured in how we treat people — how one loves and is loved by one’s family and friends — and in what one does to make the world a kinder, gentler, more humane and beautiful place. They encourage us to help our children learn more about the world around them.
The Confucians and Daoists were a little like yin and yang: Confucians have a lot of active, hands-on ways to help children grow, such as participating in traditions, while the Daoists recommend simpler activities, such as exploring the beauty of nature. Their diverse views on living a good life are precisely what makes Chinese philosophy such a great resource for parents.
Parenting is messy. It is not simple or straightforward but complex and difficult. There are no magic solutions that make things easy or smooth. Most of us will need to piece together different approaches in order to find something that works well and feels right in different situations, for different children, and at different times in a child’s life.
1. According to the author, parenting is challenging because________.A.Parents don’t know what success refers to |
B.Children don’t believe in Chinese philosophy |
C.There are many theories of parenting to choose |
D.One can’t find a standard approach to suit every child |
A.People who flourish can feel successful because they live a meaningful life. |
B.Only when people make contribution to society can they feel successful. |
C.A successful life can be measured by reputation and wealth. |
D.Success just means one should be friendly to nature. |
A.Confucians think graduating from famous university can make children intelligent and fulfilled. |
B.Daoists are more influential than Confucians because of their simpler activities. |
C.Confucians and Daoists together can provide parents abundant resources. |
D.It is enough for parents to just learn Chinese Philosophy well. |
A.Critical . | B.Objective. |
C.Indifferent. | D.Suspicious. |