One of the marks of the Millennial Generation involves a passion for education. However, American students tend to rank unfavorably when compared with their peers in other nations globally. In his fascinating book The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century, the author Thomas L. Friedman describes how American students have fallen behind those of other nations in such subjects as math and engineering.
Meanwhile students in the U.S. are excellent at becoming couch potatoes: 65% of Americans are overweight. “We’re simply killing ourselves,” John Ratey says in his book Spark. “What’s even more disturbing is that inactivity is killing our brains too.” Low expectations produce expected results whether we are talking about the general population or students in local church ministries.
Let’s enter the Naperville school district near Chicago. In this single district, of the 19,000 sophomores (二年级学生), only 3% are overweight (compared to 30% nationally). But the students in this district reveal prowess (专长) in more ways than in fitness. In 2015 their 8th graders participated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, an international study of students’ achievement. Ratey observes that in a time students in China, Japan and Singapore rank consistently above American students, while the Naperville class ranked sixth in math and first in science globally. What happened in this school district? There are several factors, as one reason hardly ever explains such a remarkable performance. But one issue stands out: each school day in Naperville begins with a “class” called Zero Hour in which students begin not with study but with exercise.
Ratey comments, “The essence of physical education in Naperville is teaching fitness instead of sports. The underlying philosophy is that if PE lessons can be used to instruct kids how to monitor and maintain their health and fitness, then the lessons they learn will serve them for life.”
Could it be that fitness is the most inexpensive means of increasing test scores? What has happened in Naperville did not begin with a brilliant educator with a Mensa-level IQ. It started with a PE teacher who read about the growing unhealthiness of American students. You can read Ratey’s book to get the details but in brief, the Naperville students no longer take gym classes with meaningless topics like learning the dimensions (面积) of a volleyball court. They start with Zero Hour running a mile with heart rate monitors. Here is what is discovered: learning is significantly improved when students begin with exercise. If you know students struggling with academics, or perhaps someone discouraged or even depressed (沮丧的) by academic setbacks, encourage them to try exercising. Help them get up, get active, and start their day by getting their body going.
More studies than can be counted have noted the positive ripple effect of exercise on dealing with depression, on eating better, on developing discipline, and on one’s general character. Now it seems that it also can directly affect academic performance. Students serious about becoming better learners should probably not start in the library at a desk with a pile of books but at home or the gym with some running shoes or a set of weights.
And who knows? They may discover they’re smarter than they thought.
1. What’s the main purpose of the first two paragraphs?| A．To show the author’s concern for American students’ academic performance. |
| B．To introduce to us two books which have something to do with education. |
| C．To inform us that the number of overweight children in America is huge. |
| D．To list the reasons for comparing students in America with those of other nations. |
| A．the students in Naperville keep fit in more ways than we expected |
| B．it’s worthwhile to pay a visit to the Naperville school district |
| C．the Naperville students’ fitness contributes greatly to their higher test scores |
| D．students in some Asian countries do better academically than American ones |
| A．knows how to monitor and maintain students’ health and fitness |
| B．sings high praise of Thomas L. Friedman’s book on American education |
| C．may mention the Naperville students’ gym classes |
| D．has been devoting himself to students’ overall development worldwide |
| A．exercise can build up one’s general character |
| B．exercise produces more than one positive effect |
| C．exercise is the best way to improve students’ test scores |
| D．exercise has a long-term effect on students’ academic performance |
| A．during Zero Hour students themselves spend time working out before class |
| B．forty-five minutes of exercise a day may be the magic number to lose weight |
| C．during Zero Hour heart rate monitors are used to prevent students’ laziness |
| D．fitness-based exercise makes our brain more ready to learn |
| A．To improve education, employ brilliant educators with high IQs. |
| B．Spend as much time as possible on sports. |
| C．Produce expected results with low expectations of students. |
| D．To help young people academically, get them moving. |
相似题推荐
Some sports are resource-hungry．Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water．Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition．This causes major environmental effects．For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas．
There are many environment-friendly sports．Power walking is one of them that you could take up today．You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse．Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit．If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones．Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials．But the final goal should be “green gyms”．They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers．Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces．There is no special requirement for you to start your membership．And best of all, it’s free.
1. The author thinks the golf is resource-hungry because of the following EXCEPT that ________.
| A．Golf wastes large areas of countryside |
| B．Golf runs out of much water |
| C．Golf is bad for people’s health |
| D．Keeping golf court in good condition needs too much energy |
| A．hiking in the hills | B．swimming in the pool |
| C．playing basketball in the gym | D．motor racing in the desert |
| A．it improves our health | B．it is an outdoor sport |
| C．it is recommended by experts | D．it uses fewer resources |
| A．examples and explanation | B．comparison and persuasion |
| C．facts and descriptions | D．figures and conclusion |
【推荐2】A new urban sport, parkour, is hitting the streets. It has evolved from obstacle course training into a fitness option for young people. In parkour, the outside world is the gym!
Mark Toorock, who teaches the techniques of parkour at his fitness gym, says that parkour is a method to train the body and mind using obstacles as the medium. He says that this new sport is demanding and takes years to master.
But Toorock, who used to be a martial arts expert, says that everyone can benefit from learning the basic skills involved in parkour like running, jumping and crawling (爬行). These are the things that humans used to have to do all the time.
Georges Hebert, a French navy officer, was so impressed by the effortless athleticism of African tribes that he devised a training method based on running, climbing, jumping, balancing and throwing. The word parkour comes from parcours de combatant, the French term for a military obstacle course.
Dr Kenneth Kao explains that the sport of parkour is not extreme — it is the environment which is extreme and dangerous. Being outside, jumping off railings and flipping over park benches can be quite frightening, so parkour courses in gyms concentrate on practicing all the individual moves to make everything easier.
| A．Gyms provide thick floor matting (垫子) for rolling and rubberized boxes for jumping over. |
| B．The bridges, buildings and railings (栏杆) of each and every city are the equipment. |
| C．Every action in parkour is natural, so everyone must have the ability to move in this way. |
| D．Parkour was introduced into china in recent years and has gained popularity. |
| E．But today, due to modern transport, these basic skills are no longer used on a regular basis. |
| F．The French word for people who participate in the sport is traceurs or traceuses. |
| G．Beginners should realize that they won’t be jumping over buildings any time soon! |
【推荐3】Girls should take part in competitive sport to build confidence, the leader of a group of girls’schools will argue this week. Helen Fraser, director of the Girls Day School Trust (GDST), will tell the group that sport can help girls cope with failure.
“All girls and not just the sporty ones should take physical exercise”, Ms Fraser will say. Research that girls are far less active than boys is worrying, she argues. Ms Fraser will tell the group that she backs “sport for all”. “That’s why I love it when our schools have A, B, C and D teams and beyond”, she will say.
The GDST draws on research from the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation which suggests only a quarter of girls in England meet basic levels(水平)of activity each week. One in five girls do no activity at all, twice the proportion (比例)of boys, the research suggests.
Ms Fraser says other research suggests that more than 80% of women business leaders played sports while growing up. She uses the examples of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, once a skater and tennis player, while the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, was in the French national swimming team. Ms Fraser says Olympic medallists like Jessica Ennis, Katherine Grainger and Nicola Adams are excellent role models for young women but says women’s sport needs more money and more news reports.
Valerie Dunsford, head of Sheffield High School, part of GDST, said it was important to offer a large number of sports to attract different types of girls. “Not everyone wants to be out playing the hockey (曲棍球)”, said Ms Dunsford.
1. Which of the following ideas would Ms Fraser agree with?| A．Those taking part in the sport are always failures. |
| B．More should be done to make girls do sports. |
| C．Girls are less confident than boys. |
| D．Boys are born to be sport lovers. |
| A．1/10. | B．1/4. |
| C．1/5. | D．2/5. |
| A．hard work will pay off. |
| B．it’s not easy to be great. |
| C．sport can help girls to succeed. |
| D．it’s necessary to balance work and sport. |
| A．To explain the key to success. |
| B．To show the importance of sport. |
| C．To introduce more games to girls. |
| D．To encourage more girls to do sports. |
【推荐1】Urban (城市的) heat kills about 600 Americans every year, and sends another 65,000 to the emergency room, according to a recent report from the Urban Land Institute. Climate change is going to make these problems worse, the report’s authors write.
Given that risk, Boston — like many cities around the country —plans to plant more trees. Urban trees have benefits beyond shading and cooling. They clean the air, reduce noise pollution and help prevent flooding by absorbing storm water. “Great,” you might be thinking, “let’s plant many trees.”
Unfortunately, the solution isn’t that simple; a lot of street trees don’t make it more than a few years in the big city. “It’s tough to be a baby street tree because their roots are really little. And the summers in Boston are quite hot, so drought alone can kill them,” says Andrew Trlica, who recently earned an urban biogeochemistry doctorate fromBoston University.
An urban tree, especially one planted on a sidewalk bordering a busy street, has many factors against it. “Cars run into them. Bikes getting locked to them is really surprisingly damaging when they’re little because their bark (树皮) is weak,” Trlica explains. “Road salts are hard on their roots. Dogs would pee on them. It’s just a tough environment.”
Trlica says he began to wonder: If city officials want to increase tree canopy (树冠) cover to deal with climate change, should they focus on planting new trees or helping older ones survive? To figure it out, he looked at two conditions for Boston: spend the next two decades planting saplings (树苗) in every available sidewalk location,or spend the time reducing the mortality rate of older trees by 50%.
For Trlica, the answer was clear. Yes, Boston should continue planting trees, but the real canopy pay off will come from preserving bigger, leafier ones.
1. Why does the author mention the recent report from the Urban Land Institute?| A．To show urban heat in America is serious. |
| B．To show Americans care about urban heat. |
| C．To prove climate change leads to urban heat. |
| D．To prove urban heat can be deadly worldwide. |
| A．Baby trees shouldn’t be planted on streets. |
| B．It is difficult for baby street trees to survive. |
| C．Planting trees in cities isn’t a good idea. |
| D．More trees should be planted in Boston. |
| A．Success. | B．Growth. | C．Recovery. | D．Death. |
| A．Environment. | B．Health. | C．Education. | D．Science. |
【推荐2】Imagine this: You’re at a movie theater food stand loading up on snacks. You have a choice of a small, medium or large soda. The small is $3.50 and the large is $5.50. It’s a tough decision: The small size may not last you through the whole movie, but $5.50 for some sugary drink seems ridiculous. But there’s a third option, a medium soda for $5.25. The medium might be just right for you, but the large only cost a quarter more. If you’re like the majority of people, you end up buying the large.
If you’re wondering who would purchase the medium soda, the answer is almost no one. Actually, there’s a good chance that the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy(诱饵), making you more likely to buy the soda rather than the small.
I have written about this unique human nature previously with my friend Dan Ariely, who, after noticing pricing for subscription(订阅) to The Economist, studied this phenomenon extensively. The digital subscription was $59, the print subscription was $125, and the print plus digital subscription was also $125. No one in their right mind would buy the print subscription when you could get digital as well for the same price, so why was it even an option? Ariely ran an experiment and found that when only the two“real”choices were offered, more people chose the less-expensive digital subscription. However, the bad option increased people’s likelihood of selecting the expensive print plus digital option.
Brain scientists call this effect“asymmetric dominance” and it means that people are attracted to the option that is closest to an obviously inferior(较差的) option. Marketing professors call it the decoy effect, which is certainly easier to remember. It works because of the way our brain assign value when making choices. Value is rarely absolute; rather, we decide an object’s value relative to other choices. If more options are introduced, the value equation(方程) changes.
1. What’s the function of the example in paragraph 1?| A．To offer background information. | B．To explain an economical phenomenon. |
| C．To arouse the readers’ interest in the topic. | D．To illustrate a rule when buying drinks. |
| A．The Economist’s print edition turns out to sell the best. |
| B．More readers choose the digital over the print edition. |
| C．Lower-priced goods attract more customers. |
| D．The Economist’s promotional strategy works. |
| A．https://www.lifestyle.com/health | B．https://www. science.com/local |
| C．https://www.consumers.com/money | D．https://www.education.com/science |
| A．by considering its usefulness. | B．Comparing it with other choices. |
| C．By examining its value equation. | D．By taking its low quality into account. |
He begins by reminding us of just how firmly we have been sticking to the idea of experiential learning :“Experience is respected；experience is sought；experience is explained.” The problem is that learning from experience involves（涉及）serious complications（复杂化），ones that are part of the nature of experience itself and which March discusses in the body of this book.
In one interesting part of book，for example，he turns a double eye toward the use of stories as the most effective way of experiential learning. He says “The more accurately（精确的）reality is presented，the less understandable the story，and the more understandable the story, the less realistic it is.”
Besides being a broadly knowledgeable researcher. March is also a poet, and his gift shines though in the depth of views he offers and the simple language he uses. Though the book is short, it is demanding；Don’t pick it up looking for quick, easy lessons. Rather, be ready to think deeply about learning from experience in work and life.
1. According to the text, James March is ____________.
| A．a poet who uses experience in his writing |
| B．a teacher who teachers story writing in university |
| C．a researcher who studies the way humans think and act |
| D．a professor who helps organizations make important decisions |
| A．is overvalued |
| B．is easy to explain |
| C．should be actively sought |
| D．should be inactively sought |
| A．Experience makes stories more accurate. |
| B．Stories made interesting fail to fully present the truth. |
| C．The use of stories is the best way of experiential learning. |
| D．Stories are easier to understand when reality is more accurately described. |
| A．To introduce a book. | B．To describe a researcher. |
| C．To explain experiential learning. | D．To discuss organizational decision making. |
【推荐1】Psychological science is full of interesting topics, many of which tell a coherent picture of human nature, but some of which create seemingly contradictory stories. A case in point is the tricky, and misunderstood, overlap between strength-based science and the research on narcissism (自恋).
There is now convincing evidence to show that narcissism is on the rise, especially in our youth. Some researchers say that about 25% of young people showing symptoms of narcissism. The inflated ego of Generation Me is reflected in reality TV, celebrity worship, and out-of-control consumerism.
We are correct to be concerned about this phenomenon, but our fear that all kids are potential narcissists has caused an unhelpful counter-reaction to approaches that seek to make our children and teens feel good about themselves.
In my own research on strength-based parenting, it is common for people to wrongly think this approach to be the cause of narcissism. Their argument seems to be that a child who knows their strengths will automatically view themselves as better than everyone else. It is argued that the self-assurance that comes with identifying and using their positive qualities will make a child selfish and uncaring. Genuine confidence about one’s strengths is categorized as over-confidence; desirable self-knowledge is branded as excessive self-admiration.
Why does this occur? It’s partly because more is known about narcissism than strengths. While strengths psychology has largely stayed within the limit of academic journals, research on narcissism has made its way into the mass media and our daily life. The New York Times noted that narcissism is a favored topic and that people everywhere are diagnosing others with it.
The fear that a strength-based approach will cause narcissism also occurs because of our binary (非此即彼) thinking. We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. We focus on Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Without confidence in their strengths, Gandhi and Mother Teresa couldn’t have achieved so much, and yet modesty and selflessness are their qualities.
When we assume that strength-focus is the same as a self-focus, we fail to make the idea clear that people who know their strengths are, actually, more likely to be pro-social and ready to help others.
It’s easy to conclude that every young person is at risk of becoming a narcissist but I’d like to stand up for the thousands of young kids I have worked with who are caring, thoughtful and humble—even when they use their strengths.
1. Why are teenagers’ strengths often considered as narcissism according to Paragraph 5?| A．There is a lack of narcissism in our common sense. |
| B．The general public has less access to strengths psychology. |
| C．Many people are diagnosed with narcissism by doctors. |
| D．Academic journals report more on narcissism. |
| A．To say all kids are potential narcissists is overstating (夸大) the case. |
| B．It’s unhelpful for us to make our children feel good about themselves. |
| C．Strength-based parenting leads to narcissism. |
| D．Children who know their strengths tend to be more selfish and uncaring. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Disapproving. | C．Neutral. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Teens’ Psychology Research | B．Teens’ Narcissism Diagnosis |
| C．Teens’ Strength-based Approach | D．Teens’ Confidence Misunderstood |
【推荐2】Much of the public debate around early childhood education comes down to which matters more： academics or play. That's a false dilemma. Play is really the way that young children learn and guided play is the key. It's a way that they experience the world, and it helps them learn more deeply.
We should be concerned that the“skill and drill”approach to teaching academics is most frequently used in classrooms serving at-risk preschoolers, in an attempt to close the gap on school readiness. Unfortunately, these teaching methods can turn young kids off to school and introduces the possibility of shame and anxiety. 46 Skill and drill” doesn't teach kids the curiosity and critical (批判的）thinking skills that they need to develop in early childhood.
However, pure free play—an approach advocated more frequently by wealthier groups—also misses the mark. “I hear a lot about just ‘free play classrooms’. ” But Suzanne Bouffard, an education researcher, said if it only involves setting out materials and not thinking about learning goals, there’s a real missed opportunity. For example, she said, researchers have found that children used more complex language about building activities when they had a goal in mind.
What effective preschools aim for is “guided play”，in which adults create a purposeful play environment that encourages students to explore，For example, in setting up blocks, a teacher might put up pictures of buildings to inspire kids. They may ask students, “What are you doing?” and gently push kids’ thinking by offering new information.
Of course, the ability to find this balance rests with teachers. Good teachers make it look really easy，That's why it's really important that we invest(投入）in teachers and give them the training to guide play without overly controlling it and to encourage kids to develop an understanding of letters and numbers without “skill and drill”.
1. Which of the following matters most in early childhood education?| A．Having guided play. | B．Learning after play. |
| C．Seeing the world. | D．Studying academic courses. |
| A．It works best for preschoolers. |
| B．It helps develop kids’ curiosity. |
| C．It limits kids’ development. |
| D．It bridges the gap on school readiness. |
| A．Meets learning goals. | B．Loses points in exams. |
| C．Troubles the classroom. | D．Fails to achieve the goal. |
| A．To encourage the kids to copy. |
| B．To offer extra information. |
| C．To share the teaching purpose with the kids. |
| D．To inspire the kids to explore. |
【推荐3】Children looked after by grandparents while their mothers are at work would be better off in nurseries, a study finds.
It discovered that children in the care of grandparents struggled to socialize with their peers by the age of 3, had significantly more behavioral problems and were behind at key developmental stages compared with those in nurseries. The only clear benefit was their good vocabulary.
The latest study of 4,800 children born in 2000 and 2001, was conducted by researchers at the Institute of Education, University of London. All had mothers who worked when their children were babies. Children cared for by grandparents made up over one third of the sample and the researchers said that the differences between this group and the others were considerable.
In terms of social skills, boys in the care of grandparents did particularly badly, regardless of social background. The researchers said that other researches suggested that formal childcare with qualified people could help children to develop the social skills needed to get on with their peers and to avoid more serious problems later.
“Children who are looked after by grandparents, on the other hand, spend more time with adults,”said Kirstine and Denise, of the Institute of Education.
The threeyearolds who had been in formal childcare from nine months achieved higher scores in a “school read” assessment(评估) that measured their understanding of colors, letters, numbers, sizes and shapes.
In terms of vocabulary, the children cared for by grannies did well, especially if they had highly educated mothers. “This may, of course, reflect the better vocabulary skills of grandmothers in such families,” said Dr Hansen, research director of the Millennium Cohort Study. “But it may also be partly because grandparents talk to children more than other carers, not only because they have more time but because they make up for a reduction in physical activities with the child.”
1. What does “the sample” in Paragraph 3 refer to?| A．A small part of a song from a CD or a record. |
| B．A group of children chosen for the research. |
| C．A small part of something that is examined. |
| D．A small amount of a product for customers to try. |
| A．Formal childcare with qualified people could avoid more serious problems later. |
| B．Formal childcare makes children have better “school read” ability. |
| C．Boys cared for by grandparents have poor social skills. |
| D．Children cared for by grandparents have strong feeling of dependence on adults. |
| A．They have better language ability. |
| B．They know better about numbers. |
| C．They like talking with their peers. |
| D．They are good at making friends. |
| A．children in formal childcare act more actively |
| B．well educated grandparents love telling stories |
| C．children cared for by grannies lack physical activities |
| D．grandparents are too old to take care of children |
| A．Where should children go, home care or a childcare center? |
| B．Children do better with grandparents than in a childcare center. |
| C．Children are better off in a nursery than looked after by grandparents. |
| D．Grandparents contribute both positively and negatively to childcare. |
