I’m always surprised when I hear how little time kids spend outside. One study found that kids spend almost seven hours a day using electronic media.
A public school in Quechee, Vermont is taking it seriously and fighting against indoor-centric (中心的) childhoods. Eliza Minnucci’s kindergarten class there engages (参与) in Forest Mondays, during which the students spend the whole day in the woods. It’s modeled after the Forest Kindergarten in Switzerland, which is all outside all the time. The idea that’s shared across the school is to let kids learn lessons from the natural world.
So what have the results been? Mostly good.
I taught kids aged 4 through middle school. While I had some basic ideas to teach, it was mostly kids’ natural interest that drove much of what we did.
They wanted to know the names of birds and plants (biology). We created something with wood and stones (physics and teamwork). We even made up stories about ants and butterflies (language, organizing information and creativity). For the older kids, we had much clearer lesson plans, but we were still outside the whole time, and we would often suddenly start talking about a completely new subject if something interesting was happening. So the learning experience was always fresh.
On top of learning and moving around freely instead of sitting at desks, the kids were having fun while they learned, which made them excited for the next lesson. Shouldn’t that be the goal of all education?
Perhaps Vermont’s kindergarten program is an example of breaking away from the test-centric educational method. While some parents are taking their kids out hiking on the weekend or stopping their use of electronic media, teachers are bringing some of that same thinking to their classrooms.
Considering all the good evidence that being outside is great for mind and body ---as well as test scores---it seems like this kind of education is a natural next step for teachers.
1.What can we learn about the public school in Quechee?
A.It lies in the woods.
B.It is the first of its kind.
C.It teaches more than other schools.
D.It values outdoor activities very much.
2.What does the author mainly try to show through Paragraph 5?
A.Teaching outdoors brings her some thinking.
B.Learning outdoors can make kids learn more.
C.Playing outdoors brings kids many advantages.
D.Teaching outdoors proves to be more difficult.
3.What should be the goal of education according to the author?
A.To develop students’ life skills.
B.To encourage kids’ great creativity.
C.To make kids have fun while learning.
D.To teach students to think independently.
4.Why does the author write the text?
A.To encourage outdoor education.
B.To suggest spending more time in nature.
C.To give kids tips on spending time outside.
D.To ask kids to take part in after-class activities.
It was winter but people were everywhere in London at the weekend. They were in T-shirts or sandals (凉鞋). Monday was another warm day, without a cloud in the sky, and in the late afternoon the light took on a magical, honey-coloured color. It brought to mind one of those summer evenings you experienced in childhood, when you’d be in the park all day and your parents let you stay out until bedtime, and you felt like you were doing something deliciously naughty just by being there.
It wasn’t early summer: it was February. And the entire developed world has been attacking the global ecosystem (全球生态系统) for many years, and that’s how we go into this pickle.
We should try to hold on to this fact that this is not supposed to be happening. Less than a month ago, there was a video of extreme ( 极 端 的 ) cold weather coming out of Chicago. Water poured from cups immediately froze on its way to the ground. OK, that was on the other side of the world, and its temperature was- 11℃ then.
On Monday, though, the temperature hit 20.3℃ in Ceredigion, West Wales: the highest February temperature ever recorded in Britain and the first time the temperature had reached 20℃ in winter.
This isn’t good, is it? The 10 hottest years on record have all happened within the past 20 years, the five hottest were the last five. Yet the beaches and the beer gardens fill up, while the papers describe the weather as wonderful. There were those who gave in to the heat wave a little too easily. They let themselves forget it was winter and found themselves, when the sun went down and the temperature dropped, suddenly shaking and unprepared for the cold. It feels uncomfortably like a symbol.
1.What does the author want to do in the first paragraph?
A.To introduce a beautiful summer.
B.To encourage kids to play outside.
C.To share his daily activities with us.
D.To describe the scene of a warm winter.
2.What does the underlined word pickle in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Daily activity. B.Unusual place.
C.Difficult situation. D.Quick development.
3.Why is Chicago’s weather mentioned?
A.To compare it with that of London.
B.To attract more people to Chicago.
C.To show it is well-known for an online video.
D.To encourage more people to post videos online.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.The author hoped people stayed indoors.
B.The author worries about global warming.
C.The papers misled the public in weather reports.
D.The papers asked the public to prepare for the cold.
It has been four years since Grandma Joy told her grandson that she had never seen the most beautiful views of America. Since then, they have gone on many cross-country trips.
Brad Ryan had been feeling tired of studying in a vet school when he visited his 85-year-old grandma in 2015. He hoped that spending some quality family time would help lift his spirits.
As he was telling his grandma stories of his travels, however, he was heartbroken to hear that she had never seen the ocean or mountains. Ryan then asked his grandmother if she would like to go hiking with him. Needless to say, she was more than happy to agree.
They have since visited 29 different national parks across America---from the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado to the Acadia National Park in Maine. Over the four years, Ryan and his grandma have driven 25,000 miles through 38 states. And it has greatly affected his quality of life. “Seeing it through my grandmother’s eyes, who every morning wakes up and is thankful to be alive has taught me how to live,” Ryan said. “With her, I’ve had to slow down and see life in a different way, which has made it a lot richer.”
“I love my grandma so much, and it’s just really giving me a lot of peace when she passed away. I can go back to these places, feel her spirit, and feel connected to her,” he added.
Ryan posted all of their trips on Facebook. He hopes more young people will spare time to be with their elders. “I want young people to know that hanging out with your grandparents is cool. And there’s so much we can learn from our elders,” Ryan said.
1.Why did Brad Ryan visit his grandma in 2015?
A.To cheer himself up.
B.To please his grandma.
C.To take his grandma to travel.
D.To share his travelling experiences.
2.How did Brad Ryan feel when he heard his grandma had never seen the ocean or mountains?
A.Shocked. B.Sad.
C.Doubtful. D.Excited
3.What influence did Brad Ryan’s grandma have on him?
A.She made him live a better life.
B.She helped him find his life goal.
C.She told him to have peace of mind.
D.She gave him a lot of encouragement.
4.What is Brad Ryan’s purpose of posting their trips online?
A.To advise young people to take a trip.
B.To share his joy of travelling with his grandma.
C.To encourage the young to keep their elders company.
D.To show young people what they can learn from their elders.
Come and see the Snowman
Experience the magic of The Snowman in a whole new way this Christmas. Carrot Performers are the world’s most experienced performers of The Snowman film. They are delighted to be touring with their Christmas show again this December. The show will feature a live orchestra.
The concert will open with a Christmas Medley (集锦) followed by a fun introduction to the orchestra. All the instruments are presented in a fun way, offering young audience members the valuable experience of seeing – and hearing – the instruments individually.
Following this there will be one of two exclusive (独家的) films:
A Donkey’s Tale
The world premiere ( 首 映 ) of a brand new work created especially for us by Daniel Whibley. Set amidst the wild landscape (景色) of Connemara in the west of Ireland, it tells the heartwarming story of Dillon, an ordinary donkey with an extraordinary dream that takes him on a journey that will change his life.
The Bear and the Piano
This beautiful tale of music, friendship and adventure was first brought to the big screen in 2017. With music by Daniel Whibley played live by a professional orchestra, and a narration ( 旁 白 ) recorded by superstar Joanna Lumley this creation looks set to become a family favorite for the next generation.
● For CHESTER performances, please telephone: 01244 500959 (open 9-5 Mon-Sat)
● For WINCHESTER performances, please telephone: 01962 857275 (open 10-4 Mon-Fri, 11-4 Sat, closed Sunday and public holidays)
● For all other performances, please telephone: 0344 8000 410 (open 9-9 Mon- Sat & 10-5 Sundays and Bank Holidays. Calls will be charged at your local rate)
Tour dates & ticket prices
● Chester Cathedral (+A Donkey’s Tale)- 25/12/2018 2:00 pm
Center seats: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £15; Adult £21
Rear seats: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £11; Adult £19
Restricted (受限制的) view: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £9; Adult £15
● Winchester Cathedral (+The Bear and the Piano)- 26/12/2018 5:00 pm
General Tickets: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £16; Adult £19
Theatre Card Members: £16
● Beverley Minster (+The Bear and the Piano)- 27/12/2018 6:00 pm
Center seats: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £15; Adult £20; Senior (Over 60) £15
North Aisle (走道): Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £10; Adult £16; Senior (Over 60) £10
South Aisle: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £10; Adult £16; Senior (Over 60) £10
Rear seats: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £12; Adult £18; Senior (Over 60) £12
● Durham Cathedral (+A Donkey’s Tale)- 28/12/2018 7:00 pm
Front seats: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £16; Adult £20 Side Aisles: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £14; Adult £18 Rear seats: Child (18 Months to 17 Years) £11; Adult £16
1.What do we know about the performances on The Snowman tour?
A.You can see three films with one ticket.
B.Joanna Lumley narrates A Donkey’s Tale.
C.It’s the premiere of The Bear and the Piano.
D.The Snowman is played live by a professional orchestra.
2.Which number should you call for the show at Durham Cathedral?
A.01244 500959. B.0344 8000 410.
C.01962 857275. D.01962 500959.
3.Where can you get a better ticket price with a membership card?
A.At Winchester Cathedral. B.At Durham Cathedral.
C.At Chester Cathedral. D.At Beverley Minster.
One day I went to a mall to search for a job. I saw a guard in tidy uniform (制服). I was _______ by it, so I walked to her and_______ her, and in return, she said hello to me with a smile, appearing very _________ . I asked her the _______ of her company and where it lay. She responded nicely. I said to myself I_______ to work like her.
When I got home I_______ my first CV ( 简 历 ). The following day I went to the_______ company where the guard worked and was told there were no ___________ currently. I begged her to keep my CV and hand it in when there were jobs offered and she _________ it. After a month the company________ me, inviting me to come for an interview. I really________ the chance.
The interviewers were very __________, so I was invited to a month long training. I ________ the training and the trainer put me on the first group due to the good ________ I got in the training. I was________ at the same place as the lady, which________ me.
From that day on I told myself nothing is________ in life. If you dream it and fight for it, then you can________ it. We are always limiting ( 限 制 ) ourselves by saying the sky is the limit, but the________ is that only you can limit yourself. So only you can go beyond the________.
1.A.drawn B.affected C.moved D.shocked
2.A.comforted B.greeted C.praised D.encouraged
3.A.patient B.careful C.professional D.friendly
4.A.rule B.history C.name D.service
5.A.agreed B.loved C.afforded D.learnt
6.A.saw B.read C.remembered D.wrote
7.A.only B.special C.exact D.similar
8.A.jobs B.tasks C.projects D.plans
9.A.kept B.watched C.chose D.refused
10.A.found B.needed C.thanked D.called
11.A.created B.shared C.appreciated D.improved
12.A.confident B.kind C.calm D.satisfied
13.A.requested B.passed C.received D.organized
14.A.goals B.habits C.exercises D.results
15.A.working B.training C.shopping D.playing
16.A.touched B.helped C.surprised D.disappointed
17.A.important B.impossible C.boring D.valueless
18.A.enjoy B.develop C.achieve D.explain
19.A.fact B.discipline C.message D.promise
20.A.dream B.sky C.interview D.chance
—You look so tired. You________ late last night.
—Yes. I had to to do an important report and stayed up till I completed it.
A.should sleep B.must sleep
C.should have slept D.must have slept
