Question

There is a popular belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have ever taught in has ever ignored spelling or considered it unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority (优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without holding him back with the complexities (复杂性) of spelling. That’s why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content (内容) rather than spelling.

If spelling becomes the only focus of his teacher’s interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to “play safe”. He will tend to write only words within his spelling range, choosing to avoid adventurous language.

I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a piece of writing about a personal experience. “This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling mistakes and your writing is terrible.” It may have been a sharp comment on the pupil’s spelling in writing, but it was also a sad sign that the teacher had failed to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child’s deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the mistakes, but if his priorities had centered on the child’s ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the spelling would have given the pupil more encouragement to seek improvement.

1.Teachers are different in their opinions about ______.

A. the difficulties in teaching spelling

B. the complexities of the basic writing skills

C. the role of spelling in general language development and writing ability

D. the necessity of teaching spelling

2.Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that ________.

A. students will have more confidence in studying

B. students will be able to express their ideas more freely

C. students will have less trouble in correcting mistakes

D. students will learn to be independent of teachers

3.The author seems to think that the teacher’s comment on that piece of writing is ________.

A. fair    B. unreasonable    C. amusing    D. careless

4.The major point discussed in the passage is ________.

A. the importance of developing writing skills

B. the complexities of spelling

C. the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition

D. the correct way of marking compositions

Answer

1. C

2. B

3. B

4. C

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文。作者通过这篇文章向我们介绍了关于教导学生拼写的一些问题，但是对于拼写教学，教师们之间也存在分岐，教师们的分歧在于如何进行单词拼写教学，以及拼写教学与培养学生全面的语言能力和写作能力上哪个更具优先考虑权。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段There are, however, different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority (优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without holding him back with the complexities (复杂性) of spelling.可知，教师们的分歧在于如何进行单词拼写教学，以及拼写教学与培养学生全面的语言能力和写作能力上哪个更具优先考虑权。故选C。

2.细节理解题。文章第一段提到That’s why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content (内容) rather than spelling.可知，教师鼓励学生用字典是为了让他们在表达自己的想法时不再受拼写的限制。故选B。

3.细节理解题。从最后一段It may have been a sharp comment on the pupil’s spelling in writing, but it was also a sad sign that the teacher had failed to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child’s deep feelings.可知，作者认为老师这么做是不合理的，他没有注意到孩子蕴含着美丽表达的深层情绪。故选B。

4.主旨大意题。根据全文可知，整篇文章是围绕拼写和写作内容的关系。故选C。