The reading skills of young male students may improve more when huts are tutored (辅导) by women, a Canadian study shows, contradicting some school policies to hire male teachers to improve boys' literacy.
Herb Katz, an education professor at the University of Alberta, took 175 boys in the third and fourth grades, identified as struggling readers, and paired them with a research assistant who worked on their reading skills for 30 minutes a week over 10 weeks.
On average, the boys paired with female tutors felt better about their reading skills after the 10 weeks than those who were guided by a male research assistant, the study found.
Katz said the study, published in the US journal Sex Roles, may cause educational policy - makers in countries such as Australia and Britain to rethink policies that call for more male teachers to be hired to provide role models for boys whose reading skills fall behind their peers (同龄人). "It tells us that the way governments respond with policy is perhaps a little too quick and a little too simple," Katz said." Boys and girls enter kindergarten with similar reading skills, Katz said, but by the end of the third grade, boys have lower reading scores than girls. The reasons behind that difference are not entirely clear. "I don't know that reading skills fade so much as teachers may not recognize what boys are doing," he said. "We don't really know a lot about boys, even in those early years."
The boys involved in the study attended 12 schools in the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Most were from downtown neighborhoods. About a third were native Canadians and 55 percent came from ethnic minority groups.
60. What's the purpose of this passage?
A. To encourage boys to do more reading. B. To persuade schools to hire female teachers.
C. To advise good ways for reading skills. D. To provide some information about a study.
61. The underlined word "contradicting" in the first paragraph probably means"_________".
A. finding out B. going against C. standing by D. bringing about
62. Which of the following is TRUE about the boys taking part in the study?
A. They have difficulty in reading. B. They take no interest in reading.
C. They come from different Canadian cities. D. They have no female teachers at school.
63. It can be known from the passage that _________.
A. women must be better al teaching than men
B. girls do more reading than boys
C. male teachers are preferred to help reading- troubled boys in Australia
D. governments will change their policy on hiring teachers
第二节:完形填空(共20小题;每小题1.5分,满分30分)
阅读下面短文,从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
I am a team leader in an insurance company. We are going through a lot of changes right now, which is 36 much stress for all of us.
A few weeks ago I was having a day so 37 that I even doubted if I had the ability to do this challenging work, and was about ready to change to a less stressful job 38 . Something happened that day to change my way of 39 and I am so appreciative of this young lady. I want to let her know that the small act 40 .
On the top of my cubicle (工作隔间) I have a small collection of lighthouses (灯塔) to let people know where I am sitting 41 my team members have to find me for emergencies.
That day I came into the office and was about to get the day 42 when Crystal came over. l asked if she needed anything. She said, "I 43 you something. " I looked at her with a 44 look and said, "Well, thank you, but why 45 you buy me anything?" I had never spoke to this young lady _46 . She said, "Every day I stand up and look across the 47 and see your lighthouses. Then I feel I am not alone and I encourage myself that there are always 48 things in life. I saw this on the way to work and thought 49 would like it. I wish it would have the same 50 as your Lighthouses do. " In her hand she had a small globe with a Lighthouse and a ship on it. I gave her a hug and 51 her. I don't think she knows how much that small act of 52 changed my day: 1 remained 53 the rest of the day.
For anyone that reads this, I hope you remember, no matter what the 54 is, you could change
someone's day, 55 even his views on life.
36. A. preventing B. reducing C. causing D. suffering
37. A. funny B. nice C. bad D. dull
38. A. everywhere B. elsewhere C. anywhere D. nowhere
39. A. working B. behaving C. speaking D. thinking
40. A. broke my heart B. touched my heart C. lost my heart D. tore my heart
41. A. in case B. so that C. as if D. even though
42. A. ended B. started C. changed D. avoided
43. A. borrowed B. lent C. sold D. bought
44. A. delighted B. puzzled C. thankful D. worried
45. A. might B. dare C. could D. would
46. A. before B. then C. since D. after
47. A. dorm B. office C. ship D. tower
48. A. bright B. challenging C. bad D. stressful
49. A. colleagues B. leaders C. you D. I
50. A. opinion B. cause C. expectation D. effect
51. A. praised B. thanked C. scolded D. refund
62. A. justice B. courage C. kindness D. tolerance
53. A. careful B. encouraged C. tired D. alone
54. A. present B. work C. gesture D. intention
55. A. so B. for C. or D. nor
President Obama held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing, ________ economic recovery, climate change and stopping the spread of nuclear weapons.
A.which was discussed |
B.in which they-discussed |
C.when they discussed |
D.which discussed |
A small plane crashed into a hillside five miles east of the city, ________ all four people on board.
A.killed |
B.killing |
C.kills |
D.to kill |
At first, his teacher couldn’t' realize that Lang Lang had a ________ for music though he said he wanted to learn the piano so much.
A.knowledge |
B.present |
C.gift |
D.desire |
-- Perhaps Tom's not in.
-- ________. Look, the light's on.
A.Yes, he can be at home |
B.No, he mustn't go out |
C.Yes, he must be at home |
D.No, he needn't go out |