6 . In recent years advances in medical technology have made it possible for people to live longer than in the past. New medicines and machines are developing every day to extend life.

However, some people, including some doctors, are not in favor of these life extending measures, and they say that people should have the right(权利) to die when they want. They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself, and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become unbearable. They say that people should be allowed to die with dignity(尊严) and to decide when they want to die.

Others don’ t agree and say that life under any conditions is better than death and that the duty of doctors is always to extend life as long as possible. And so the battle goes on and on without a definite(明确的) answer.

1. People can live longer than in the past. It’ s because________.

A．medical technology develops	B．we have big hospitals
C．there are many good doctors	D．we eat better than before

2. According to some people whether a dying patient has the right to die is up to ________.

A．the doctors	B．the surroundings
C．his or his family	D．the patient himself or herself

3. In the writer’ s opinion, ________.

A．death is better than life	B．life is better than death
C．neither life nor death is good	D．none of the above

7 . Julie Kenerson loved taking her two sons Lukas and his brother Jake who used a wheelchair due to his rare illness, to the Charlestown playground in Mayor Thomas M. Menino Park.     1     Lukas and Jake could spin on the carousel (旋转木马) together and slide down slides at the same time. They also loved Martin’s Park in the Seaport District, where they could go on adventures in the wooden fishing boat.

    2     “I’d be sitting there with Jake singing songs because there was really nothing for him to play with,” Julie said about the lack of wheelchair-friendly playground elements at many other town playgrounds.

In 2019, Jake passed away at age 11 from complications of his metabolic (新陈代谢的) disorder.     3     She started with their hometown of Arlington, where Julie worked with local officials to make playgrounds more welcome to kids and caregivers with disabilities.

Over the past decade, playground accessibility has advanced due to more awareness and more options for designers. Parents like Julie are telling public officials and planners that more work still needs to be done to make playgrounds truly inclusive.     4     In Arlington, workers will start construction next month on a new playground design that incorporates Julie’s feedback.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires equal access for people with disabilities in public spaces, was passed in 1990. But it didn’t specifically address outdoor recreation in its original regulations. Updated guidance came in 2010, and any playground that is now built or renovated must be ADA-compliant. But, according to Julie, there is a gap between what she calls “ADA on paper” and “the lived experience of ADA”.       5    

A．Fortunately, those in charge are listening.

B．But not all playgrounds were accessible to Jake.

C．However, some officials turn a deaf ear to Julie’s requests.

D．The playground has plenty of wheelchair-accessible designs.

E．One of Julie’s main themes is that play should be for everyone.

F．Hence, she still attempts to make playgrounds accessible to all.

G．Since then, Julie has been on a special playground-related mission.

10 . The COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019 and for the best part of two years, children were forced to learn at home, staring at computers. As they start the 2023-24 school year, a terrifying proportion still seem barely to be back.

According to a study published in early August, in the 2021-22 academic year 28% of schoolchildren missed at least three and a half weeks of school. The study, conducted by Thomas Dee, an education professor at Stanford University, found that “chronic (长期的) absenteeism”, defined as when a pupil misses 10% of the school year, almost doubled overall between 2018-19 and 2021-22. In Alaska, nearly half of all pupils missed enough school to be counted.

Explaining this is tricky. Students skip school for many reasons: lack of transport, poverty, the weather. But these are unlikely to have worsened recently. A more reasonable explanation for the lasting rise is that, having experienced remote learning, some students — and perhaps their parents — no longer think it necessary or even worthwhile to sit in a classroom. “It’s the same thing as in the workplace,” says a teacher in New Orleans. “Once you’ve gone down to only being there two or three days a week, coming back all five is hard.”

Attending school in person is important. Studies show that children who skip more school get significantly worse grades. One published by the Institute of Labour Economics by three American academics found that missing ten maths classes reduced the chance of a high school student graduating on time by 8%. Schools also connect pupils to important services. In Baltimore, schoolchildren can get free meals or be fitted for glasses through school, and their parents can be hooked up with social services. Educators can also spot if a child is being ill-treated or neglected. Pupils develop social skills in school, take part in after-school programmes and learn sports.

There are few easy fixes, though some look for them. Chicago Collegiate is encouraging attendance by giving pupils individual rewards and by holding class pizza parties. In Baltimore, Mayor Brandon Scott plans to award the school with the most improved attendance rate. Most teachers, however, are simply trying to adapt. “Our youngsters, the competition for their attention has never been more difficult,” sighs a teacher in a New York City middle school. The challenge, he says, is to “attract kids to school”.

1. What’s the real reason for the rise in chronic absenteeism after the pandemic?

A．Economic challenges.	B．Worsening transportation.
C．Online learning experience.	D．Irresponsible school teachers.

2. Which of the following is NOT the benefit of attending school in person?

A．It lowers the risk of falling ill.

B．It improves academic performance.

C．It offers access to important services.

D．It promotes the development of social skills.

3. What does the underlined word “fixes” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Effects.

B．Origins.

C．Responses.

D．Solutions.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Various measures have been taken to improve school attendance.

B．In-person attendance at school is beneficial to students’ development.

C．Chronic absenteeism in schools saw a significant rise after the pandemic.

D．Online learning is gaining in popularity among students and parents.