1 . School is still out for the summer, but at Eastern Senior High School, students are hard at work. In a garden bursting with vegetables and herbs, nearly a dozen teenagers are harvesting them for the weekend’s farmers market. They work Tuesday through Saturday with City Blossoms, a non-profit that brings community gardens to schools and other places where kids gather in urban(城市的) areas.
Roshawn Little, going into her junior year at Eastern, believes that working in the garden has taught her to try all sorts of new things — like eating different kinds of vegetables more often. And she has taken those healthy behaviors home with her and her family now buy more fruits and vegetables. “ We mainly live around liquor （酒）stores and snack stores. There aren’t that many grocery stores. They’re way out, and you have to drive so far ——a common problem in low-income urban areas .”
City Blossoms is one of many groups across the country teaming up with local communities to establish school gardens, like the one at Eastern. These gardens, advocates say, are really outdoor classrooms where kids learn valuable lessons — not just about nutrition, but also about science and math, even business skills. For example, the gardens can be used for math lessons — like calculating the area of a plant bed — or learning the science of how plants grow.
On a recent weekend at the Aya farmers market, the kids work at a table decorated with handmade signs that read “onions” and “garlic”, inviting people to try their herbed salt with bread. Working at the market helps them practice public speaking skills and business skills.
Nadine Joyner of a nutrition education company has a food table next to the kids’ at the market and often buys produce from them. She is constantly impressed by the kids’ knowledge of what they’re selling — they know how to grow it, how to prepare it, and how to cook it.
1. What do students at Eastern do with the harvested vegetables?| A．Sell them on market. | B．Take them to school. |
| C．Give them to farmers. | D．Share them at home. |
| A．It is inconvenient in traffic. |
| B．It is crowded with grocery stores. |
| C．It has poor access to fresh foods. |
| D．It suffers from income inequality. |
| A．To provide nutritious food. |
| B．To improve classroom conditions |
| C．To cooperate with local community. |
| D．To create outdoor learning chances. |
2 . At a comedy night at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, members of the school's comedy(喜剧) club bring lots of laughter to their classmates with funny speeches and humorous body movements. These college student comedian’s humour entertains busy, young people and eases their stress.
Yet the club member Ariella Shua says comedy is serious work. Every comedy starts as an individual project-- each member writes their own material. Then they try it out in weekly club meetings where all club members read the material, going joke by joke and seeing what works and what doesnt. Nothing unsatisfactory will be compromised(妥协). In this way comes a satisfying comedy.
Ariella joined the club last year. Now she does not go anywhere without bringing something on which she can take notes. ''Whenever I just have a thought in my head or when I see something or overhear someone saying something in the library, I just put it down, '' Ariella explained. ''when I'm trying to write my own set, I go through that…to see if there is anything in there that I can use. ''
Club president Nicholas Scandura finds writing one of the many skills he has developed since joining the club. ''Writing jokes takes a lot of critical thinking.'' he said. The club gives its members a sense of community. When they meet, they share funny experiences. tell jokes and laugh.
Harry Kuperstein discovered the club was a natural fit. Noticing the funny qualities of different situations improved his way of looking at the world. Becoming an active member also helped him work on the future skills he'll need as a medical doctor. ''Having jokes ready to go might help smooth these interactions and make you a better public speaker, '' he said.
1. What can a successful comedy be described as?| A．A group effort | B．A personal project |
| C．A satisfying task | D．A compromised result |
| A．Creating her own style. |
| B．Going to the library regularly |
| C．Taking notes in class |
| D．Becoming a good observer |
| A．By easing his stress of being a doctor |
| B．By preparing the ground for his career. |
| C．By changing his way of communication |
| D．By developing his interest in public speaking |
| A．Laughter Is Serious Work |
| B．Humor Is an Edge in Jobs |
| C．Comedy Comes with Learning |
| D．Clubs Influence One's World View |
3 . “ Go ahead,” I told Linda. “ Pick up the rock, and see what’s under it.”
Her 4-year-old arms struggled with the rock buried in the stream bed. Her eyes got big as she examined the worms after their nest was uncovered. She watched quietly, as they walked past her foot. She gently put the rock back and said,” Are there worms under all the rocks?”
This wasn’t school — it was a nature-based summer camp in New York’s Hudson Valley that I ran when I was 17. When I turned the kids over to their parents at the end of the day, they were tired, inspired by nature and knowledge.
Finland’s “forest kindergartens” use the natural world as a jumping off point for early academic instruction to make them enjoy learning. Finland is following in the footsteps of other European countries including Denmark, where outdoor education has been common for many years.
In the Finnish program, kids spend four days of a week, from 8:30a.m. to 6:30p.m., outside with a teacher. Built into the program is quite a bit of playtime. Kids get a lot of exercise and lesson plans are freely made so teachers can use what’s at hand and in season in their lessons.
While all this sounds less strict than a classroom-based kindergarten program, the results show that these types of programs have better results for overall physical health as well as academic performance and social development. But aren’t the kids who do this coming from wealthy, educated communities — so, of course they score better on tests? In fact, the greatest gains from spending time outdoors can be found in kids who are coming from less advantageous background. At a school near Atlanta, where kids spend 30 percent of their day outside, students have improved scores more than students from any other school in their area, and most of the kids there come from poor families.
1. Why did the author ask Linda to turn over the rock?| A．To help Linda be independent. |
| B．To see if Linda had enough courage. |
| C．To give Linda a chance to study nature. |
| D．To teach Linda how to protect animals. |
| A．To help kids learn about forests. |
| B．To popularize outdoor education. |
| C．To show the importance of play. |
| D．To develop kids’ interest in study. |
| A．seem to be less tiring | B．have no fixed lesson plans |
| C．set many strict rules | D．have no teachers around |
| A．Kids joining them score higher on tests. |
| B．They help change poor kids’ families. |
| C．They do good to communities. |
| D．Kids meet people who are different from them. |
4 . If you could design your own school and study whatever you wanted, what would you choose to learn?
This isn’t an unlikely question for students at Monument Mountain Regional High School, who are taking part in an activity called the Independent Project. The program is a special school within the Massachusetts public high school that’s completely run by students - no teachers, parents, or adults are allowed - and they’re in charge of deciding their whole curriculum (课程).
These teens’ homework and what they study in the classroom are all totally up to them. Charles Tsai, a journalist, made a 15-minute film about the project that shows the wide variety of activities different students join.
Students aren’t taking this lightly - instead of reacting irresponsibly (不负责任地) to the freedom to design their own studies, they’re dealing with their own interests by writing poetry (诗歌) collections, learning instruments and taking flight lessons.
The program is this: On Mondays students come up with questions in relation to one of their school subjects, then they spend the rest of the week researching and coming up with possible conclusions to these questions. On Fridays, they present this information to their classmates.
“I think the more choices we have in our school, the more students we will help develop into the kind of citizens that we need,”Principal (校长) Marianne Young explains in the film.
In the video, teens express their satisfaction with the program because it holds different kinds of learners, even those who don’t always succeed in a traditional study situation.
“I have difficulty in reading and writing. School has always been a big problem for me,” one student named Sergio explains in the video. “If it were not for this program, I don’t know if I’d be graduating - I don’t know where I’d be right now. I think this has really been my savior (救星) and got me through the last two years of high school.”
1. What is the Independent Project about?| A．Various activities for students. | B．Student-centered curricula. |
| C．A self-designed school. | D．Teacher-free classes. |
| A．Teachers work out a curriculum for students. |
| B．Students research topics they put forward. |
| C．Teachers work together with students. |
| D．Students serve as teachers in turn. |
| A．Curious. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．He finds it hard to graduate. |
| B．He has bitter memories of high school. |
| C．He feels grateful to the Independent Project. |
| D．He performs badly in the Independent Project. |
5 . Picture a lecture session at a business school and your probably imagine students gazing at screens filled with equations（方程式）.What you might not expect is students attempting to sing “O clap your Hands”. But Bartleby was treated to this delight on a visit to Saïd Business School in Oxford earlier this year.
There was a catch. Some of the students had to try conducting the chorus. The first to take the challenge was a rather self-confident young man. It didn’t take long for him to go wrong. His most obvious mistake was to start conducting without asking the singers how they would like to be directed, though they had the expertise and he was a complete beginner.
The session, organized by Pegram Harrison, a senior fellow in entrepreneurship（企业家精神）, cleverly allowed the students to absorb some important leadership lessons. For example, leaders should listen to their teams, especially when their colleagues have specialist knowledge.
Other business schools have also realized that their students can learn from the arts. At Carnegie Mellon University , Leanne Meyer has introduced a leadership-training programme that includes poetry and a book club. She believed that involvement in such pursuits can help develop empathy（同理心） in future leaders and that the programme benefits students in terms of how they promote themselves to recruiters（招聘人员）.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has trained many great dramatists. It also offers training courses for managers. “Acting about finding the truth in the character and in yourself.” says Walker-Wise, one of RADA'S tutors. Being a manager involves a lot more than just setting targets. It requires empathy and a knowledge of human nature. An education in the arts might help develop those qualities. Above all, the students on Harrison's Course were experiencing something Bartleby never expected to see in those attending an MBA lecture they were having fun.
1. What does “this delight" in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Singing in a business class. | B．Visiting Said Business School |
| C．Picturing a lecture session. | D．Gazing a screens full of equations. |
| A．Common and influential. | B．Educational and effortless. |
| C．Challenging and instructive. | D．Controversial and practical. |
| A．Offer promotion opportunities. | B．Value team members’ opinion. |
| C．Set specific targets. | D．Control every step. |
| A．It provides entertainment. | B．It develops goal-setting skills. |
| C．It exposes the truth in business. | D．It helps understand human nature. |
6 . In her 17 years working at Rollins College in the US, there have often been students who have appeared in Anca Voicu’s office and confessed (坦白) they have no idea what to do with their lives once they graduate. That’s why the economics professor decided to add career planning to her class, even starting before young people step onto a college campus.
Throughout this semester, Voicu’s real-world economics class has visited about 100 Winter Park High students. It has asked them to think about everything from picking the right major (专业) to the job market and the cost of higher education.
“They have to balance what they need to do and what they love to do,” said Rollins freshman Nicholas Kay, 18.
During their final class of the semester, Kay and his classmates reflected on what it was like helping younger versions (版本) of themselves explore the future. Voicu expects to continue the class so she can collect data (数据) to see if working together is making a difference.
“These kids were only eight months younger than me,” said Rollins freshman Blake Buell, an 18-year-old business management major.
The high school students also went on a tour of the Winter Park college, seeing what life was like on campus, how admissions worked and what a dorm room looked like. They asked
Rollins students questions including “How does the food taste?” and “What are classes like?” Winter Park sophomore (二年级学生) Sebastian Zendejas, 15, said it was eye-opening and helped him to understand how college could be.
“I don’t want to have a bunch of (大量的) debt when I’m leaving college,” said Zendejas, who plans to study business.
The lessons that showed students’ job availability were something many had never thought about before, said Tim Arnold, one of the four Winter Park High teachers involved in the project. The students also took personality tests to see where they might fit best.
Looking at the data and realizing how many good jobs there were in the science, technology, engineering and math fields made some of Voicu’s students feel better. “I should really stick with this,” said computer science first-year student Brandi Moore, 18.
1. Anca Voicu decided to add career planning to her class mainly to _____ .| A．establish the connection between economics and real-world problems |
| B．help students get to know and think about their future |
| C．show students what life was like on campus |
| D．collect some data to make a difference |
a. Getting high school students to consider how much college costs.
b. Teaching students how to socialize at college.
c. Giving high school students a taste of life on campus.
d. Showing data about job availability.
| A．ab | B．cd |
| C．abc | D．acd |
| A．she felt the personality test worked well |
| B．she would love to retake Voicu’s class |
| C．she is now more confident in her major |
| D．she had had serious doubts about her major |
| A．describe Voicu’s new class |
| B．give advice on career planning |
| C．remind readers of the importance of early career planning |
| D．show how colleges can help students with their future plans |
| A．it is wise to choose what we are most interested in as a major |
| B．the course benefits high school students more than college students |
| C．career planning requires the help of teachers and college students |
| D．it’s important to make a well-balanced choice when making career plans |
7 . Schools consume a large amount of energy, which has a bad effect on the environment.
Use natural light when the sun is bright. It may not always be necessary for you to have the lights on in your classroom. There may be times of day when the sun is especially bright andenough for what you are doing in your classroom.
Set up a recycling station at your schooL Recycling is a great way to save energy because it reduces the need to produce new materials.
Get others involved.
| A．Postsigns about conserving energy. |
| B．Whether you are a teacher or a student. |
| C．Ifyour school does not have one. |
| D．Turn offyour computer when it's not used. |
| E．Shut down the lights when rooms are not in use. |
| F．Other times of day you might only need half ofthe lights. |
| G．If your school's garbage company offers recycling services |
8 . Montgomery County Special Olympics held its eighth yearly show of unified (联合的) basketball at Blessed Sacrament School. The gym was filled with cheerleaders (啦啦队队员), parents and friends. The walls were covered with posters made by thirdandfourthgraders at the school. And all the elementary, middle and high school unified teams were playing hard and having fun. Every basket, no matter which team scores, is cheered and celebrated.
Special Olympics support more than 20 unified games. What are unified games? They are programs designed for players with special needs. In the games, they play with kids who are volunteers, called unified partners. The special athletes are unable to play normally like other healthy kids, and some of them are wheelchair (轮椅) users. In basketball, the unified partners rebound (抢得篮板球), pass and sometimes push a special athlete’s wheelchair. As Brian Ross, a seventhgrader at St. Albans School in Washington, says, “ You just try to help and get everyone to take part.”
Some special athletes have come a long way to be where they are. Caleb Head is a 15yearold special athlete. When he started, Caleb would only stand at the door and watch. Then Caleb began to practice his shooting but still would not play in the games. Now Caleb runs up and down looking for his shot.
The special athletes are not the only ones who benefit (受益) from unified sports; the unified partners do, too. Marla Grusin, whose son Tyler is a special athlete, says every kid should come to a Special Olympics game. If they do, they will learn “ to share the ball” and that the game “ is not all about me”.
Not a bad lesson for any athlete.
1. The first paragraph is about____________.| A．an exciting unified basketball game | B．special Olympics’ development |
| C．the benefits of playing basketball | D．the meaning of unified games |
| A．are disabled | B．love cheerleading |
| C．know little about ball games | D．want to become a star player |
| A．a cheerleader | B．a unified partner |
| C．a special athlete | D．a basketball teacher |
| A．learn basic basketball skills | B．become more selfless |
| C．improve their health | D．get better grades |
9 . Homework is made up of out-of-class activities and at-home activities teachers assign to students. It can include practice assignments that emphasize newly acquired skills.
Homework can also help build up children’s confidence.
In addition, homework gives students a chance to learn from their mistakes and overcome their weakness. It provides them with a platform to express what they know or have newly found, and exhibit their talents.
However, to be as beneficial to students as possible, homework should be assigned properly. The amount and difficulty level of homework assignments should match the ages and abilities of students.
| A．Otherwise, it will become a punishment. |
| B．Homework can benefit students in many ways. |
| C．Teachers give comments on the work that students do. |
| D．It also gives students the practice of whatever they learn in school. |
| E．Completing homework requires planning, organizing and acting upon it. |
| F．Students can gain a sense of accomplishment after completing homework. |
| G．It can be preparation assignments to make students ready for class activities. |
10 . In high school I was very shy, content to hang around with my small group of friends and to concentrate on my courses. I was quickly labeled a "brain." I did so well that by the end of senior year I had perfect grades and enough college credits to give up an entire quarter of coursework.
But in early June of senior year, the principal called me into his office. He asked me to give a speech at graduation. I was surprised to look at him, my heart thumping. This was the reward for my hard work? I murmured something and fled the office, blaming myself for staying away from physics, a subject sure to have broken up my perfect record.
I finally agreed to a compromise. I would share the honor with five other students. I agreed to introduce my friend Judy, who would then give her own, full-length speech.
Graduation day soon arrived, I’d been practicing my speech for days, and I had it memorized. The first half hour of the ceremony passed in a blur, and then my moment came. My name was announced. I managed to reach the stage without falling down. I faced my classmates. My voice trembled a little, but mostly it was clear and strong. But within seconds, I was done and heading back to my seat. I accomplished something I’d never dreamed of — I spoke in front of hundreds of people.
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, the successful completion of that speech gave me the confidence to take part in class at college, to give oral reports, and to eventually break free of my shyness. I never would have chosen to give a speech at graduation — or ever. But I’m glad I did. I no longer hesitate when I’m faced with the prospect of doing something I feared. I know it may very well turn out to be one of my shining moments.
1. Why was the writer called a "brain"?| A．She was the most intelligent student. |
| B．She was the head of her small group. |
| C．She was a bookworm all the time. |
| D．She did more coursework for good grades. |
| A．She ruined her health by studying hard. |
| B．She got the reward as was expected. |
| C．She was grateful for giving a speech. |
| D．She wasn't good at physics at school. |
| A．Excited. | B．Moved. |
| C．Scared. | D．Embarrassed |
| A．She had nothing to fear in life, |
| B．She won enough college credits. |
| C．She got rid of her sense of shyness. |
| D．She desired to become a speaker. |
