1 . An important lesson in the moral education of children could be as close as the book in their hands. Among all kinds of books, stories matter. They can play a role in building moral values in young audiences, according to the results of a new study.
Lindsay Hahn is the first author of the new study, which mainly explores how media content influences children. Many studies done before have focused on broad conceptualizations (概念化), like positive or negative effects of specific content, but Hahn’s study looks at how reading of content featuring specific moral values might influence the kids’ values. Do children reading particular moral, characteristics take in those qualities and build their own morality? The findings suggest so.
“Parents, caregivers, and teachers are often wondering how media can be used for good,” says Hahn. “How can it be used for good things? How can it discourage bad habits? How can it educate?” Answering those questions begins with a better understanding of how to use media. “When parents are considering what media they might want to select for their children, they can further deliberate what particular moral value is being stressed by the main character, and how the main character is treated because of those actions,” she says.
For the study, Hahn and her workmates took the main character from a young adult novel. They wrote the content to reflect the study’s focus on moral values. Those stories were shared with about 200 participants between the ages of 10 and 14. This is a favorable range for media research because it’s more difficult to introduce the understanding of stories to younger kids, while challenging to hold the attention of older teenagers, who become bored with basic storylines, according to Hahn.
1. What kind of book helps children develop their own moral values according to the new study?| A．A poetry collection. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A storybook. | D．A reference book. |
| A．The response of the public to Hahn’s study. |
| B．The difference between Hahn’s study and previous studies. |
| C．The big contribution of Hahn’s study to children’s literature. |
| D．The negative effects of broad conceptualizations. |
| A．Describe. | B．Improve. | C．Title. | D．Consider. |
| A．A fashion magazine. | B．A sports report. |
| C．An education magazine. | D．A medical report. |
2 . Schools need to give students all the tools they need when they graduate. Besides teaching the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, teaching about mindfulness, and mental health are important life skills for young people to have. The state of Florida agrees.
Now, public schools in Florida have been required to teach five or more hours about mental health for students in grades 6-12. This new idea was welcomed by the Florida Board of Education in July and is being carried out as a potential lifesaver.
The new curriculum (课程) requires students to learn about the symptoms (症状) of mental illness and where to find help if they are feeling sad or have other problems and even teaches the teenagers how to help their friends and classmates if they see them struggling.
“We know that 50 percent of all mental illness cases begin by age 14, so we are being active in our promise to provide our kids with the necessary tools to see them through their successes and challenges. Providing mental health instruction is another important step forward in supporting our families,” Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said.
Florida is the third state, following New York and Virginia in 2020, to pass laws that require mental health education in schools. According to CNN, the New York law updated the health curriculum to include mental health for elementary, middle and high school students. The Virginia law required that mental health education be provided for 9th and 10th graders.
These three states in the US are taking bold steps to help youth deal with the intricacy (错综复杂) of life as they grow from teenagers into adults. It is a confusing world they face and giving them the tools they need is essential. Mental health is something that should be taught in schools in all the US and across the globe.
1. What can the new curriculum bring students?| A．Basic professional skills. | B．The ability to use language. |
| C．Skills that cure physical diseases. | D．skills to deal with emotional problems . |
| A．The steps of mental health instruction. |
| B．The consequences of mental illness cases. |
| C．The importance of mental health education. |
| D．The content of the mental health curriculum. |
| A．pioneering | B．surprising | C．confusing | D．suffering |
| A．A technology report. | B．An educational website. |
| C．A government document. | D．A natural science magazine. |
3 . A long-term American study shows the effect of early education on future learning abilities. The study followed more than 1,300 children from birth through the ages of ten or eleven years. The study is known as the Human Development Study of Early Child Care. It is said to be the largest, longest lasting and most complete study of child care in the United States. The children included in the study were born around 1991 in ten areas of the country. Researchers examined the quality and amount of child care the children received until they were 54 months old. Child care included any care provided by people other than the child’s mother that lasted at least ten hours a week. This included any care given by fathers or other family members. The researchers then examined cach child’s performance in school and social development. They also measured other influences, such as the quality of classroom education and parenting (教养).
Recently, the researchers examined whether the developmental qualities that bad been observed in young children were still present a few years later. They found that the older children who had received higher quality child care continued to show better ability in measures of language skills. The children’s understanding was observed using a method which shows their ability to name objects shown in some pictures. The study confirmed a link between high quality child care and better test results continued as the children grew older. It also found that the children’s ability was not dependent on the amount of time they had spent in child care.
Interestingly, children who had been in child care before entering school were also more likely to have shown aggression (攻击性) or refusal to obey in their early school years. However, the researchers said the children’s behavior was considered normal.
1. The children in this study________.| A．are from big chios in America |
| B．are all at the same age |
| C．were taught how to care for themselves at school |
| D．were examined for influences caused by child care |
| A．the better the child care is, the better children can draw |
| B．some of children’s abilities develop well because of child care |
| C．higher quality child care can help children develop better creativity |
| D．child care has no influence on children’s language skills |
| A．deal with different things better |
| B．develop his ability as well as those spending more time |
| C．learn to use new methods more quickly |
| D．get no benefit from child care |
| A．The study is aimed at showing the effect of early education on future learning abilities. |
| B．Researchers examined the children’s abilities in many aspects. |
| C．Child care provided by fathers was not included in the study. |
| D．Each child was examined on the quality and amount of child care for 54 months. |
4 . Nowadays, students are easier to learn in front of computers. With good reasons, many people question whether the state-of-the-art technology can finally change the way we learn. Others, however, make an argument that the traditional classroom-based learning has its own limitations. Considering both sides, my view is that the new programme can bring far more benefits than the traditional education.
First, it is obvious that, for any people, as long as they have access to Internet, can get the education resources easily. It is especially beneficial to people who live in a faraway area without schools or are short of money to pay for tuition. So, it is truly an easy way for people who are interested in learning.
Moreover, the distance rearning can help itself integrate (融入) its best knowledge materials and let go of them for sharing. For example, in the last 5 years, some famous universities, including Yale, Cambridge and Oxford University, have shared their most famous professors’ courses on the Internet, followed crazily by many students all over the world. If more and more universities take part in the programme, students will be facing a large wide and varied knowledge and the benefits for the whole human beings is huge.
That is not to say that traditional education should be forgotten. Teachers not only can teach knowledge, but also they can correct, encourage and communicate with students in person. But unfortunately it has weaknesses due to its inflexibility (不灵活) and lack of communications with teachers after class.
All in all, we should fully make good use of the modern technology to make the education opportunities available to people; meanwhile, we should not lose sight of the importance of traditional learning. Only by doing so can we bridge the gap between rich and poor, and thus make the whole society more impartial (公正的).
1. What can make getting education resources easily?| A．Schools. | B．Interest. | C．Courses. | D．Internet. |
| A．To call on more students to join in the programme. |
| B．To get more support to spread distance learning. |
| C．To show benefits of distance learning. |
| D．To introduce some world-famous universities. |
| A．Modern technology. | B．Society. |
| C．Knowledge. | D．Traditional education. |
| A．It makes the poor poorer. | B．It is the key to communication. |
| C．It will be useless soon. | D．It is still important today. |
5 . In a new study, researchers found a link between outdoor education and science grades. The findings indicate outdoor education could be a promising tool to help close gender (性别) gaps in science. “The outdoors is a space where teachers can find tangible ways to make science come alive,” says lead author Kathryn Stevenson, assistant professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at North Carolina State University.
“The natural environment is also a place that everybody has in common. In a way, it’s also a great context for employing teaching practices like hands-on, inquiry-based learning or group work. These practices can be good for all students, but they may be particularly good for reaching students who aren’t as well-served in classroom settings,” Stevenson says.
The researchers studied the impact of an outdoor science education program called Muddy Sneakers on fifth graders’ science grades and knowledge of, and attitude about, science.
Fifth graders from western North Carolina attended between 6 and 10 days of Muddy Sneakers. They had science lessons in nearby natural areas, including state parks and school grounds, Outdoor lessons followed the standard course of study for science through hands-on activities, hikes, nature exploration, and reflections.
Researchers compared the performance of 237 students who learned about science in the classroom to 403 students who participated in the outdoor program. When researchers evaluated (评估) students’ science grades by gender, they saw that girls who participated in the outdoor science program maintained their science grades on average (平均), while girls’ average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in the outdoor program helped girls learn more about how science works on average, but traditional classrooms did not.
Boys in the outdoor and traditional class settings had fairly stable science grades on average and saw similar gains in knowledge of how science works. “Outdoor education seems to be one of those contexts that helps everyone learn, but it may be really, really helpful for some students in particular,” Stevenson says.
1. What does the underlined word “tangible” in paragraph l mean?| A．Practical. | B．Ineffective. | C．Challenging. | D．Unfair. |
| A．To improve fifth graders’ science grades. |
| B．To provide part-time jobs for the students. |
| C．To learn the effect of outdoor education on students. |
| D．To earn some money from different kinds of courses. |
| A．By listing numbers. | B．By interviewing students. |
| C．By explaining the causes. | D．By making a comparison. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favorable. | C．Unclear. | D．Objective. |
6 . As a vocational (职业的) school teacher in England, some of my classes are filled with students of different nationalities. So their English is often rather
In the past, I took them aside and gave them
I have only
A little gesture may help people build bridges and be
| A．traditional | B．poor | C．fluent | D．advanced |
| A．miss | B．recommend | C．explore | D．complete |
| A．reports | B．prizes | C．chances | D．honors |
| A．learning | B．driving | C．dating | D．applying |
| A．improve | B．serve | C．appreciate | D．recognize |
| A．track | B．revise | C．edit | D．enlarge |
| A．structures | B．functions | C．schools | D．courses |
| A．textbook | B．poster | C．magazine | D．brochure |
| A．week | B．month | C．year | D．minute |
| A．wasted | B．waited | C．arranged | D．created |
| A．threaten | B．understand | C．help | D．accompany |
| A．conduct | B．pass | C．refuse | D．enjoy |
| A．successful | B．peaceful | C．beautiful | D．careful |
| A．renew | B．respect | C．share | D．absorb |
| A．brightness | B．kindness | C．weakness | D．sadness |
7 . Two authors, Kylen Ribeiro and Michelle Zofrea, have written a children’s book Henry’s Tech-Free Trip to explore why parents want kids to limit screen time.
The authors said they have seen many news stories and studies in recent years warning parents about monitoring (监视) both the quality of the content and the amount of time their kids spent with tablets, phones and smart watches. But they didn’t see any books that were written for kids on the topic.
“We hope that it will help kids connect the topic,” Zofrea said. She said it reminded her that her mother warned her not to overdo it on Halloween candy. She didn’t follow the advice and wolfed down all her treat and felt sick later. “Like with food, we can set rules and lecture kids. It’ll be more effective if they start to notice how they feel,” Zofrea said.
The authors both work for DefenderShield, a Tampa-based company that sells products to block electromagnetic field radiation (电磁辐射) from laptops, cell phones and tablets. Their work there is what inspired the book, though they know it can be a heated topic because of the debate over the science of radiation’s effects.
While concerns are rising about the amount of time kids spend online, parents always remain on their phones at home. “I’ve always said children learn from what we do and not what we say,” said Pam Patranella, a doctor who reviewed the book and liked the idea of taking the screen time lesson to kids.
The book’s authors said parents need to be reminded that their kids have grown up in a different world, one that has had computers and tablets since the day they were born. “We want to bring up the concept (观念) of digital wellness for families and children,” Ribeiro said.
1. Why did Zofrea mention Halloween candy?| A．To express thanks to her mother. | B．To explain that awareness matters. |
| C．To tell kids to have sugar-free food. | D．To show the meaning of the festival |
| A．what may catch people’s attention online |
| B．what inspires scientists to design phones |
| C．what radiation’s effects mean for children |
| D．what leads the authors to write the book |
| A．Put effort into reading. | B．Pick up phones at home. |
| C．Act as a role model. | D．Talk to kids patiently. |
| A．Kids’ Screen Time | B．A Connected World |
| C．Parents’ Concept | D．A Digital Course |
1. Where is school attendance required in the USA?
| A．In the whole country. | B．In most states. | C．In a couple of states. |
| A．Levels 1 and 2. | B．Levels 2 and 3. | C．Levels 3 and 4. |
| A．Undergraduate education. |
| B．Post-graduate education. |
| C．Pre-school education. |
| A．Education policy in the USA. |
| B．The four levels of education in the USA. |
| C．The purpose of education in the USA. |
Khan Lab School is bringing back the one-room model to teach young students in Mountain View, California. The school is
Students aged 5 to 15 attend the experimental Khan Lab School. It has no grade levels and no homework. The students are in school from 8:30 in the morning until 6:00 in the afternoon. And, the school is open all year long, with small
The school is the idea of Salman Khan, the founder of Khan Academy. Khan Academy is
Khan
The one-room model lets the older students help younger students,
Khan said students also learn the study material at their own speed through videos. At last, they get more attention through one-on-one discussions with teachers. They also learn by
10 . “Why does grandpa have ear hair?” Just a few years ago my child was so curious to know “why” and “how” that we had to cut off her questions five minutes before bedtime. Now a soon-to-be fourth grader, she says that she dislikes school because “it’s not fun to learn.” I am shocked. As a scientist and parent, I have done all to promote a love of learning in my children. Where did I go wrong?
My child’s experience is not unique. Psychologist Susan Engel notes that curiosity — defined as “spontaneous (自发的) investigation and eagerness for new information” — drops greatly in children by the fourth grade.
In Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science, Yale psychologist Frank C. Keil details the development of wonder — a spontaneous passion to explore, discover, and understand. He takes us on a journey from its early development, when wonder drives common sense and scientific reasoning, through the drop-off in wonder that often occurs, to the trap of life in a society that denies wonder.
As Keil notes, children are rich in wonder while they are rapidly developing causal mechanisms (因果机制) in the preschool and early elementary school years. They are sensitive to the others’ knowledge and goals, and they expertly use their desire for questioning. Children’s questions, particularly those about “why” and “how,” support the development of causal mechanisms which can be used to help their day-to-day reasoning.
Unfortunately, as Keil notes, “adults greatly underestimate (低估) young children’s causal mechanisms.” In the book, Wonder, Keil shows that we can support children’s ongoing wonder by playing games with them as partners, encouraging question-asking, and focusing on their abilities to reason and conclude.
A decline in wonder is not unavoidable. Keil reminds us that we can accept wonder as a positive quality that exists in everyone. I value wonder deeply, and Wonder has given me hope by suggesting a future for my children that will remain wonder-full.
1. How does the author introduce the topic of the passage in paragraph 1?| A．By listing some statistics. | B．By presenting an explanation. |
| C．By making some comparison. | D．By asking some questions. |
| A．They annoy their parents too often. |
| B．They ask too many strange questions. |
| C．Their desire for fun disappears quickly. |
| D．Their desire to learn weakens sharply. |
| A．They control children’s sensitivity. |
| B．They slightly change in early childhood. |
| C．They hardly support children’s reasoning. |
| D．They develop by children’s questioning. |
| A．A news report. | B．A book review. |
| C．A research paper. | D．A children’s story. |
