Question

    A principal in Manhattan informed parents that there would be no more homework for the public school’s students. And then came the arguments — not from teachers, but from parents. Some said they would transfer their children to another school. Some said they were finding online sources of homework for their children. They were not convinced of the explanation from Principal Jane Hsu about the negative effects of homework on young children, including lack of time for other activities and family time, and loss of interest in learning. Hsu suggested children should spend their time on activities that had been found to be good for their academic, social and emotional development.

As a supporter of Hsu’s approach, I wonder how many of the parental arguments occur not because of what children will miss out on, but because parents themselves no longer feel confident about their ability to help their children develop without highly structured activities to guide them.

I’m reminded of a meeting at the school my younger daughter was about to start when she was 6. The head of the school met with parents to say that she was also considering doing away with homework. One mom objected because homework was her “special time”  each day with her child when they could sit down together to go through the work. The head of the school appeared surprised at this. She gently suggested that the mother should read to her child, or that they should cook dinner together.

It’s been sad already to see that kids, between their structured soccer practices and their homework, have very little time to play. But it’s even sadder to see the parental nervousness about what might happen to a third-grader who has more time to create, think, read, interact with others, or imagine. What might happen, I believe, must be more happiness, more energy and better physical fitness.

1.From Paragraph 1, we know 　　　　.

A.teachers are strongly opposed to giving no homework to their students

B.the idea of no homework has led to a heated debate

C.children greatly benefit from the idea of no homework

D.other activities have taken the place of the homework

2.Why did one mom object to the idea of no homework for kids?

A.Her child might lose interest in learning.

B.Her child might have less time to think.

C.She enjoyed the time doing homework with her child.

D.Homework is good for children’s academic development.

3.What is the author’s attitude towards Principal Jane Hsu’s suggestion?

A.Indifferent. B.Positive.

C.Negative. D.Critical.

4.The passage is mainly about 　　　　.

A.whether the parents should transfer their children to public school

B.the benefits of doing homework

C.the necessity of changing the education system

D.whether the students should do homework after school

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

本文是议论文，曼哈顿的一位校长建议公立学校的学生将不再有家庭作业，这在家长中引起了热烈的讨论。校长建议孩子们把时间花在那些对他们的学业、社会和情感发展有好处的活动上。作者认为这个建议能给孩子带来更多的快乐、更多的能量，身体会更健康。

1.推理判断题。根据文章第1段“then came the arguments — not from teachers, but from parents”和“They were not convinced of the explanation…”可知，“公立学校的学生将不再有家庭作业”这个建议在家长中引起了热烈的讨论。故选B项。

2.细节理解题。根据第3段“One mom objected because homework was her “special time” each day with her child when they could sit down together to go through the work”可知， 那位母亲反对没有家庭作业，因为每天她和孩子一起完成工作，家庭作业是她和孩子一起度过的“特殊时间”。故选C项。

3.推理判断题。根据第2段“As a supporter of Hsu’s approach”和第4段“What might happen, I believe, must be more happiness, more energy and better physical fitness”，作者认为没有家庭作业的建议一定会给孩子带来更多的快乐、更多的能量，更健康的身体。作者对校长的建议是持肯定态度的。故选B项。

4.主旨大意题。校长建议公立学校的学生将不再有家庭作业，这在家长中引起了热烈的讨论。校长建议孩子们把时间花在那些对他们的学业、社会和情感发展有好处的活动上。因此文章中作者是关于学生是否应该有家庭作业的问题表达自己的观点。故选D项。