Nearly 19 percent of teachers of color(有色人种教师) left their jobs after the 2014-2015 school year. Some left for personal reasons like taking care of their families. But 50 percent said they left because they were dissatisfied with their employment situation, such as poor working conditions, student discipline problems and large class sizes. Thus, taking immediate measures to improve it is our top priority.
For years, researchers have proved the benefits of increasing the share of minority teachers in schools, especially as our public school system has turned to one that is made up mostly of minority students. Teachers of color, who are more likely than their white counterparts to choose to work in racially diverse( 多 种 多 样 的 ) schools, offer particular benefits to their students. Graduation rates increase among minority students when they are taught by racially similar educators, research shows. They can also serve as positive role models, and their presence reduces the chance of racial discrimination at school.
The Shanker Institute report suggests that the rate of minority teacher hiring is not the whole problem. The problem is what happens after these teachers enter the classroom. These teachers often work in high-poverty rural schools. They are more likely to have less-desirable working conditions.
Diversity is a key component to equality and opportunity. Where there’s a diverse teaching workforce, all kids thrive. So solutions must be found at once to turn this trend around. Firstly, schools should develop mentorship programs that support minority teachers once they are in the classroom. Secondly, more money should be spent in improving working conditions in these schools. Of course, school headmasters should also be evaluated on their ability to retain teachers of color.
1.Among teachers of color leaving their jobs, half of them quit because .
A. they had to move to other places
B. they had to take care of their children
C. they eventually found better-paid jobs
D. their employment situation was unsatisfactory
2.Which of the following is the main idea of the second paragraph?
A. The benefits of increasing the share of minority teachers in schools.
B. The reasons for teachers of color leaving their jobs in many schools.
C. The ways to decrease the possibility of racial discrimination at school.
D. The solutions to increasing graduation rates among minority students.
3.Which of the following components is vital to equality and opportunity?
A. Honesty B. Variety
C. Ability D. Safety
4.How did the author feel when writing the passage?
A. He felt angry about the government.
B. He felt it urgent to solve the problem.
C. He was satisfied with the present situation.
D. He didn’t care about diverse teaching workforce.
Reader: For six years, I’ve run an office that has two employees: me and my boss. He used to be so appreciative that I didn’t mind doing a little extra, but about two months ago, he started being rude and demanding. Now he even yells when I don’t have time to bring his favorite wine to his home after work.
This change started when we met a wealthy new customer, who is a huge jerk (古怪的人) — my boss’s new behavior is just like his.
My boss is a good man; he and his family have treated me like a little sister. Is there a good way to discuss this with him?
Karla: Sounds like your new customer has set a bad example to your boss. You need to remind your boss that you’re in his corner— but you’re not his slave. My suggestions are as follows.
Start with a simple question in a calm moment: “Is everything okay?”
State the truth: “Until recently, I’ve felt like a valued teammate. But our relationship has become tense. Your expectations of me seem to have changed. Although I used to do occasional personal businesses for you as a favor, now it seems expected.”
Draw your lines: “If you think my job description needs to change or my performance is not good enough, let’s discuss that. Otherwise, I need you to stop yelling at me and to respect my personal time.”
Ideally, you’ll get an apology and a promise to do better. After that, it’s a matter of reinforcement (加强) . If he starts yelling, look at him with a calm expression. After he cools down, restate his request and add, “Is that correct?” For the unreasonable request, such as fetching his favorite wine after work: “I’m afraid I can’t take care of that for you.” If he keeps acting like a jerk, there are bosses out there who will better respect your time and talent.
Karla L. Miller is ready to hear your work dramas. Send your questions to wpmagazine@washpost.com.
1.We can infer that the reader’s boss used to be .
A. grateful and friendly B. rich but strange
C. proud and hard-working D. honest but self-centered
2.What does the underlined word “demanding” mean in Paragraph One?
A. appreciating too much B. scolding too much
C. apologizing too much D. expecting too much
3.When the reader’s boss asks her to do something unreasonable next time, she is advised to .
A. quit her job B. look at her boss calmly
C. refuse the request D. discuss the job description
4.What sort of problem can be solved by Karla L. Miller?
A. How do I make a friend?
B. How can I get rid of wine?
C. How do I kill my personal time?
D. How can I get along well with my workmates?
One advantage of the Internet is shopping conveniently online for clothes; one disadvantage of the Internet is also shopping conveniently online for clothes.
“Nothing fits,” said Lam Yuk Wong, a senior in electrical and computer engineering at Rice University. “Everyone says this. They order clothes and they don’t fit. People get very unhappy.”
Wong and her design partner, Xuaner “Cecilia” Zhang, are Team White Mirror, creators of what they call a “virtual (虚拟) fitting room”. Their goal is simple and consumer-friendly: to let online clothing shoppers have a perfect fit and a perfect look when shopping every time.
Both women are from China, Wong from Hong Kong and Zhang from Beijing. They both order most of their clothing online. They got the idea from their own experience as consumers and from listening to the complaints of friends and relatives. “They say, ‘The color is wrong’ or ‘I got the right size but it still does not fit.’ We want to make it like you’re in the store trying on the clothes,” Zhang said.
Using a Kinect developed by Microsoft for use with its Xbox 360 video game player,
Zhang scans Wong and turns her image into, in effect, a virtual model, keeping Wong’s dimensions (尺寸), and even her skin and hair color. “We put the clothes on the shopper’s 3-D body models and show how they look when they are dressed,” Wong said. So far, Wong and Zhang have adapted the software to show dresses and shirts, and they are now working on shorts.
Asked if she thought men as well as women might be interested in using their virtual fitting room, Wong said, “I think their wives will care about this, so it will also be important to men.”
1.Why is shopping conveniently online for clothes a disadvantage?
A. Clothes bought online may not fit.
B. Students may easily get addicted to it.
C. It attracts more online clothing shoppers.
D. It causes shoppers to waste too much money.
2.Wong and Zhang got the idea to design a virtual fitting room from .
A. the Xbox 360 video game player B. a program at their university
C. some shop-owners’ complaints D. their shopping experiences
3.Which of the following shows the process of using the virtual fitting room?
A. scanning—trying on clothes—getting images
B. trying on clothes—getting models—scanning
C. scanning—getting models—trying on clothes
D. trying on clothes—getting images—scanning
4.What did Wong think of her virtual fitting room?
A. It is perfectly developed.
B. It will have its market share.
C. It is limited to women shoppers.
D. It is like a kind of video game player.
On a Friday night, a poor young artist stood at the gate of the New York railway station, playing his violin. The music was so great that many people stopped to put some money into the hat of the young man.
The next day, the young artist came to the same place, and put his hat on the ground gracefully. Different from the day before, he took out a large piece of paper and laid it under his hat. Then he began to play the violin. It sounded more pleasant than ever.
Soon he was surrounded with people who were attracted by the words on that paper. It said, “Last night, a gentleman named George Sang put an important thing into my hat by mistake. Please come to claim(认领) it soon.”
After about half an hour, a middle-aged man rushed through the crowd to the violinist and said, “Yes, it’s you. I knew that you were an honest man and would certainly come here.” The young violinist asked calmly, “Are you Mr. George Sang?” The man nodded. The violinist asked, “Did you lose something?” “It’s a lottery ticket(彩票),” said the man. The violinist took out a lottery ticket on which George Sang’s name was seen. “Is it?” he asked. George nodded and took the lottery ticket and kissed it, then danced with the violinist.
The violinist was a student at an arts college and had planned to attend advanced studies in Vienna. Later his classmate asked the violinist, “At that time you needed money to pay the tuition(学费) and you had to play the violin in the railway station every day to make money. Why didn’t you keep the lottery ticket for yourself?” The violinist said, “Although I don’t have much money, I live happily. But if I lose honesty I won’t be happy forever.”
Through our lives, we can gain a lot and lose so much. But being honest should always be with us.
1.What did the young artist do at the railway station on Friday?
A. He waited for the train to Vienna.
B. He came to buy a train ticket to Vienna.
C. He played the violin to make some money.
D. He walked around the New York railway station.
2.Which of the following statements is true according to the words on the paper?
A. The hat belonged to George Sang.
B. George Sang had lost something important.
C. The young artist needed George Sang’s advice.
D. The young artist wanted some money from George Sang.
3.From this article, we can learn that .
A. being honest is very important to us
B. playing the violin can make you honest
C. it’s acceptable to keep the lottery if you find one
D. we should share something valuable with others
I stopped to watch my little girl busy playing in her room. In one hand was a plastic phone; in the other a toy broom. I listened as she was speaking to her make-believe(假想的) little friend and I’ll never forget the words she said, even though it was_____.
She said, “Jane’s in the corner because she’s not been very ____. She didn’t listen to a word I said or do the things she should.” In the corner I saw her baby doll all dressed in lace and pink. It was clear she’d been put to sit _______and think.
My daughter continued her “______”, as I sat down on the floor. She said, “I’m all___up. I just don’t know what to do with her any more. She cries whenever I have to work and wants to play _______, too. She never lets me do the things that I just have to do. She tries to help me with the dishes, but her arms just cannot_____. And she doesn’t know how to fold towels. I don’t have the_____to teach. I have a lot of work to do and a big house to keep clean. I don’t have the time to sit and play — Do you see what I _____?”
And that day I thought a lot about making some ____in my life, as I listened to her words that cut me like a knife. I hadn’t bee n paying enough ______to what I hold most dear. I’d been caught up in responsibilities that increased over the years.
But now my _______has changed, because, in my heart, I realize that I’ve seen the world in a different light_____my little darling’s eyes. So, let the cobwebs(蜘蛛网) ______the corners and the dust rabbit rule the floor. I’m not going to worry about keeping up with them any more.
I’m going to fill the house with______of a child and her mother, for we are granted only one childhood, and we will never get another.
1.A. attracted B. confused C. moved D. imagined
2.A. gentle B. happy C. good D. helpful
3.A. normally B. alone C. quietly D. ahead
4.A. conversation B. intonation C. operation D. preparation
5.A. cut B. fed C. made D. eaten
6.A. balls B. cards C. music D. games
7.A. reach B. settle C. arrive D. handle
8.A. skill B. duty C. energy D. reason
9.A. care B. mean C. feel D. learn
10.A. influences B. changes C. plans D. troubles
11.A. attention B. money C. excitement D. convenience
12.A. purpose B. principle C. attitude D. interest
13.A. beside B. on C. across D. through
14.A. cover B. manage C. make D. stop
15.A. explanations B. messages C. imaginations D. memories
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。将答案填写在答题纸的相应位置。
Many times we spare no effort at work, 1.(offer) hours of overtime by ignoring our family life. We spend time with people who we have nothing in common with, and attend social 2.(activity) we have no interest 3.. We always find ourselves living our lives in the way that pleases and impresses others instead of being ourselves. In fact, for the majority of people, they only think about 4.(they) 99% of the time, and 5.(rare) give us a second thought, as a result of 6.we often end up unhappy and feeling out of place.
In view of this, it’s time to think about ourselves, our own family, and start creating a future 7.(base) on our own likes and dislikes. 8., think it over next time when we are required to work overtime. Trying to be a loving parent or good friend 9.(be) very likely to give us far more 10.(please) and a feeling of security, connection and belonging.
