Caring for animals, tutoring kids, helping seniors: Volunteer hours are more than a graduation must, they are life lessons.
Vilma Sooknanan cleans cat cages, Max Carroll teaches children how to cook and Michael Rosenthal rolls wheelchairs at a hospital.
What does this have to do with high school education?
Everything.
The three – and almost all other South Florida high school students – have to go outside of the classroom to earn their diplomas, doing what schools call “community service”.
Broward public schools require 40 hours to graduate. Palm Beach County public schools require 20, and most private schools require at least that much.
The purpose: To give students the chance to explore a career and create a habit of volunteering.
“We hope that when they finish high school they’ll continue service,” says Mike Roland, student activities officer for the Broward School District.
About half of U.S. public schools require community service, according to a national study. Broward School Board member Bob Parks says encouraging community service has launched all kinds of new projects, including tutoring and food collections.
Sooknanan, a student at South Broward High School, is part of the Humane Society of Broward County’s volunteer program, which is so popular that even the waiting list is closed. Students work one four-hour shift a week for four months, and leave with 64 volunteer hours.
Sooknanan changes litter boxes and puts down fresh newspaper for about 100 cats.
Combined with her volunteer hours at beach cleanups and helping teachers at school, she’s well on her way toward 250 hours, which she hopes will catch the eye of Nova Southeastern University, where she wants to study marine biology.
Carroll, a junior student at South Plantation High, has connected with FLIPANY, a nonprofit organization that offers cheap physical activity and food to low-income families. He helps teach children about cooking and healthy eating.
“It has been a life-changing experience,” says Carroll, who is now leaning toward a career as a sports trainer. "I want to find a career encouraging people to lead a healthier lifestyle.”
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN 15 WORDS.)
1. How many hours of community service are students required to do to graduate from most U.S. private schools?
2. Why do some U.S. schools require students to do community service to graduate?
3. The reason Sooknanan take up so many kinds of volunteer work is that ___________.
4. Volunteer work is popular in many high schools in the U.S., not only because it is a graduation must, but also because ___________ .
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A．The great impact and progress in genetic engineering B．Worries about privacy protection C．Worries about medical use of genetic engineering D．Genetic knowledge helps to predict diseases E．Genetic knowledge may not be properly used AB．The application of genetic engineering in the medical fields |
1.__________
Current research into the human gene system is helping us understand why people have predispositions（易患某病倾向）to certain diseases．Knowing our genetic makeup can help us to judge whether or not we may be stricken by particular illness, such as cancer．Even before birth, we are able to do genetic screenings to determine what a child's genetic disorder will be．Scientists have already isolated and identified the genes responsible for the more than 4,000 genetic diseases that affect human beings．
2.__________
The implications of this knowledge are astonishing. In addition to predicting genetic predisposition towards diseases, gene therapies may provide new treatments or cures for serious diseases．Millions of people already use genetically engineered drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, AIDS, and strokes （中风）. But with the research that is now being conducted, we may find cures to many more diseases．In the near future, genetic experimentation will also allow parents to select the traits of their children. Genetic traits that determine height, weight, eye and hair color will be able to be controlled, and many parents are excited about this potential.
3.__________
Many people, however, are unwilling to accept the possibilities genetic research allowsFor example, one reason some women do not use the largest genetic testing for breast cancer is because they are afraid they will be discriminated against．Another problem is that many people do not want to discover their weakness．What if they learn that they have a disease for which there are no medical cures? How will such knowledge affect their lives? Do people really want to know what they will die of?
4.__________
Many people believe that history has not always shown human decision-making to be bright when it comes to ethical（道德的）choices. Jeremy Rifkin is probably the most well known opponent of genetic engineering. He believes that humans are not responsible enough to experiment with genes and should not “play God” He asks, “Just because it can be done, does that mean it should be done?” He points out that our society will eventually look and act the same if parents select the traits of their children, and he questions the desirability of such a society．
5.．__________
One of the fears expressed about genetic experimentation involves privacy. Already blood sample taken from patients in hospitals have been used for genetic research without the patients’ permission. Most people would agree that one’s health and genetic makeup are private concerns. But if insurance companies gain access to this information, it could have a large impact on insurance coverage or costs; if employers gain access to the information, it could have a large impact on hiring or promotion decisions. The possibilities for discrimination are obvious．
In general, it seems reasonable to suppose that we should prefer peace and quiet to noise. And yet most of us have had the experience of having to adjust to sleeping in the mountains or the countryside because it was initially “too quiet”, an experience that suggests that humans are capable of adapting to a wide range of noise levels. Research supports this view. For example, Glass and Singer (1972) exposed people to short bursts of very loud noise and then measured their ability to work out problems and their physiological reactions to the noise. The noise was quite disruptive at first, but after about four minutes the subjects were doing just as well on their tasks as control subjects who were not exposed to noise. Their physiological reactions also declined quickly to the same levels as those of the control subjects.
But there are limits to adaptation and loud noise becomes more troublesome if the person is required to concentrate on more than one task. For example, high noise levels affect the performance of subjects who were required to monitor three dials at a time, a task not unlike that of a plane pilot or an air-traffic controller. Similarly, noise did not affect a subject’s ability to track a moving line with a steering wheel, but it did affect the subject’s ability to repeat numbers while tracking (Finkelm and Glass 1970).
Probably the most significant finding from the research on noise is that its predictability is more important than how loud it is. We are much more able to “tune out” long-lasing background noise, even if it is quite loud, than to work under circumstances with unexpected disturbance of noise. In Glass and Singer’s study, in which subjects were exposed to bursts of noise as they worked on a task, some subjects heard loud bursts and others heard soft bursts. For some subjects, the bursts were spaced exactly one minute apart (predictable noise); others heard the some amount of noise overall, but the bursts occurred at random intervals (unpredictable noise). Subjects reported finding the predictable and unpredictable noise equally annoying, and all subjects performed at about the same level during the noise portion of the experiment. But the different noise conditions had quite different after-effects when the subjects were required to proofread written material under conditions of no noise. The study shows that the unpredictable noise produced more errors in the later proofreading task than predictable noise; and soft unpredictable noise actually produced slightly more errors on this task than the loud predictable noise.
Apparently, unpredictable noise produces more fatigue than predictable noise, but it takes a while for this fatigue to take its toll on performance.
1.When talking about people’s difficulty in sleeping in the mountains, what can be inferred in the passage?
A. They usually do not prefer peace and quiet to noise.
B. They may be exposed to short bursts of very strange sounds.
C. They prefer to hear a certain amount of noise while they sleep.
D. They may not have adapted to a higher noise level in the city.
2.What did Glass and Singer find in their noise experiment?
A. Problem-solving is much easier under quiet conditions.
B. Physiological reactions prevent the ability to work.
C. Bursts of noise hardly disturb problem-solving in the long term.
D. The physiological reactions of the control subjects declined quickly.
3.Researchers discovered that high noise levels are not likely to affect the __________.
A. successful performance of a single task
B. tasks of pilots or air traffic controllers
C. ability to repeat numbers while tracking moving lines
D. ability to monitor three dials at once
4. What does “take its toll on performance” in the passage probably mean?
A. Destroy the performance completely.
B. Have a negative effect on the performance.
C. Improve the performance greatly.
D. Have a positive influence on the performance.
One often hears that children should arrive at school “ready to learn.” For most children, the acquisition of reading and math skills starts in the first grade. In states where kindergarten is compulsory, it begins even earlier.
Many parents, teachers, and politicians maintain that preschool is the best way to prepare children to learn. There is no real consensus, however, about how this preparation should be achieved.
For some, early childhood education relates to the development of the whole child. They think that preschool should encourage exploration and discovery. Group activities teach positive social behaviors such as sharing, kindness, and patience. Time spent alone encourages independence. Learning letters and counting is important only for children who show an interest in them. Advocates of this approach stress that each child is unique and should learn at his or her own pace.
Other people refer to research showing that children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4. They claim that early introduction to letters and numbers lays the foundation for later academic excellence. Since the 1980s, many people have stressed the value of preschool and point to the success of programs -such as Head Start - that target low-income children.
Is there proof that an academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success? Studies have not been conclusive. In the short term, evidence suggests that middle-class children who attend preschool are ahead of their peers in maths and language skills as well as in social skills, when they enter school. However, the same studies show that the gap narrows considerably by the time children reach age 8.
Children living in poverty are a different matter. Those enrolled in programs such as Head Start seem to do better than impoverished children who do not attend a preschool. For instance, youngsters in one group enrolled in the program, tracked until the age of 21, earned higher scores on intelligence tests, were more likely to graduate from high school, and demonstrated more interest in higher education.
The idea of public preschool raises many issues. Providing Head Start for all children would be a financial burden on communities that already struggle to fund current school programs. Also, where would a sufficient number of teachers trained in early childhood development be found?
1.
Advocates of the development of the whole child believe school readiness is______ .
A. showing eagerness in exploration and discovery
B. learning basic skills, such as knowing letters and counting
C. showing great interest in basic academic concepts
D. demonstration of intellectual , social and emotional skills
2.
According to the passage, Head Start is most probably______ .
A. a preschool program that supports disabled children
B. a program that helps impoverished children attend a school
C. an organization that aims to improve current school programs
D. a program that helps design the academic curriculum in preschool
3.
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Preschool benefits middle-class children more than poor children.
B. Most children start school with similar language and social skills.
C. Providing Head Start for all children has encountered great difficulties.
D. All children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4.
4.
Which of the following may best summarize the main idea of the passage?
A. An academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success.
B. Preshool is helpful, despite the disagreement about what it should offer.
C. Children enrolled in preschool demonstrate more interest in learning.
D. Preschool education shouldn't be a financial burden on communities.
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Billboard May 30-June 5, University of Waterloo |
Wednesday, May 30
Gloria Steinem, author of “Revolution From Within” will discuss her book. 8 p.m. Public Library Park Branch. Further information: Susan Smith, 824-4120. ext. 2896.
Thursday May 31
Noon hour concert at Art Centre Music Hall featuring chamber music; Jana Skareski, composer. 12 : 30 p.m. Admission free.
Archeology Open House at WLU. Displays of photographs and objects from Africa, Southwest Asia, the Old and New World; the university’s permanent collection. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Archeology rooms, 202 Regina St. Exhibit continues until June 6.
Friday, June 1
Noon hour discussion with Arthur Read, Dean of Arts and Science, WI.U.
Topic: “Universities in the 2000’s”. Public Library Mairt Branch. Details: 743-0271. Food and drinks available.
Saturday, June 2
Arts Lecture Series with Dr. Mary Malone, Religious Studies, St. Jerome’s College.
Topic: “Woman and Religion”. 9 : 30 a.m. Humanities Theatre. Details: 884-8110.
Chamber Music Concert at WLU performed by music students of WLU. 8 p. m. Art Centre Music Hall. Admission: $ 6 adults; seniors and WLU students and staff member $ 3; High school and primary pupils, free.
Sunday, June 3
University of Waterloo 2001 Campus Day featuring Chemistry Magic Show, animal show, fashion show, square dancing and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Biology & Chemistry Block, WLU Campus. Further details: 824-4120, ext. 8366.
Monday, June 4
Slide/Video Presentation featuring Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore. Sponsored by International Graduate Students Committee (IGSC). All graduates welcome; free. 5 : 00~8 : 00 p.m. Humanities Theatre. Free snacks provided.
Tuesday, June 5
Quick Questions. Drop in to see Ms. Barb Riley, who can answer your brief career or job-related questions. 1 to 4 p. m. Career Services. Public Library Main Branch: For information call ext. 3001.
84. Rosa’s parents are both WLU professors. They are going to see Rosa perform on Saturday evening together with her grandpa and her 15-year-old sister. How much will the family pay for the tickets?
A. $12. B. $18. C. $15. D. $9.
1.
Nick is eager to find a good job after graduation. From whom can he get some information?
A. Gloria Steinem.
B. Ms. Barb Riley.
C. Jana Skareski.
D. Arthur Read or Mary Malone.
2.
When are you likely to meet quite a few graduates of Waterloo University?
A. 5:00~8:00 p.m., Monday.
B. 9:30 a.m., June 2.
C. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday.
D. 12:00~1:00, June 1.
3.
If you are interested in all the activities and lectures at weekend, how many places can you go at most?
A. 2. B. 3. C. 4. D. 5.
To learn English well you must learn about yourself. You must discover what your own special needs are in English. You should pick out what makes English different from your own language and concentrate on those parts. And above all, you should pick out your own personal weaknesses in English, pick out your own special problems, find out what mistakes you most often make and make a list of them.
It will be best if, in your preparation, you can practise doing the various sorts of work you will be asked to do in examination. You should then make a careful note of any mistakes you make more than once. Count up how many times you make each mistake, and the mistake you make most often should be at the top of your list, the next most common in second place, and so on.
For example, if your own language is Japanese, you may find the problem of articles comes at the top of your list. If you speak German, you may find using some of the conjunctions is your biggest problem. If your mother tongue is French, you find you are always having trouble with some of prepositions. And if Italian is your language, you may constantly forget to use a suitable pronoun when you should.
But these are only examples of mistakes typical of certain languages. They may or may not
be your particular personal mistakes. As I say, these personal ones are the most important of all to discover.
1.
To learn English well the most important thing is to ______.
A. learn about yourself as much as possible
B. discover your own special needs in the language
C. find out the difference between your own language and English
D. pick out your own personal weaknesses in English
2.
The writer advises the readers to ______ .
A. spend as much time on English as possible
B. take examinations of various sorts
C. find out their own problems in doing selected exercises
D. keep a notebook with the important languages points in it
3.
The first item on the list should be the mistake you make ______ .
A. more than once B. many times C. most often D. very often
