阅读理解Americanschoolsarelookingforwaystosavemoneyonbustransportationbecauseofhighfuelprices．Morechildrenmayhavetowalkridetheirbikesorfindotherwaystogettoschool

Question

阅读理解

　　American schools are looking for ways to save money on bus transportation because of high fuel prices．More children may have to walk ride their bikes or find other ways to get to school．

　　But as another effect of the high prices they may not have to go to school as often．Some schools especially in rural areas are changing to a four-day week．That means longer days instead of the traditional Monday through Friday schedule．

　　Beginning in the fall students in the Maccray school district in Minnesota will be in school Tuesday through Friday．Each school day will be sixty-five minutes longer．

　　Superintendent．(教育厅长)Greg Schmidt says the district expects to save about sixty-five thousand dollars a year in transportation costs．The district has about seven hundred students living in an area of nine hundred square kilometers．

　　State officials have agreed to the plan for three years．They may change their minds before then if learning suffers．In Custer South Dakota students have been going to school Monday through Thursday since 1995．Superintendent Tim Creal says the change has saved an estimated(估计)one million dollars over just the past eight years．

　　But he sees other benefits too．Students get more instructional time．And activities that used to prevent classes are now held on non-school days．

　　He says that in the future the growth of online classes could make it possible to require even fewer days in school．High fuel prices are driving college students to take more online classes．And in some states high school students can take them too．

　　A four-day school week sounds like a great idea for students and teachers．But working parents may have to pay for child care for that fifth day．In agricultural areas though it can mean an extra day of helping on the family ranch．

　　In New Mexico the first school district changes to a four-day week in 1974 because of the Arab oil boycott．Now seventeen out of eighty-nine districts use it．

　　The Lake Arthur School District has just one hundred and sixty students．Lake Arthur used a four-day schedule for twelve years．But a few years ago it went back to five days．Michael Grossman heads the district．He says two studies there failed to show any real educational improvement using the four-day week．And he says not much instruction was taking place during the last hour of school because teachers and students were too tired．

(1)

Which of the following is NOT the effect high fuel prices have on American schools?
[　　]
A．	It will take less time to go to school．
B．	More money will be spent on bus transportation．
C．	Walking or riding to school will be more popular．
D．	Alternative ways to get to school may be taken．

(2)

What is the attitude of state officials towards the four-day school week according to paragraph 5?
[　　]
A．	They are simply positive about its effect．
B．	They are ready to change it if teachers or students are against it．
C．	They are totally negative to it though it is passed．
D．	It has taken three years before they finally support it．

(3)

According to Michael Grossman what is the disadvantage of the four-day schedule?
[　　]
A．	Students and teachers will have to work hard in class．
B．	Parents will have to pay more for child care．
C．	Teachers will get less pay for their work．
D．	Students benefit less in the last hour of class．

(4)

By comparing all the American schools that took a four-day schedule for a period of time we know that ________ ．
[　　]
A．	all the students give a warm welcome
B．	the plan cannot save as much money as expected
C．	there will be a long way to go for the schedule to be improved
D．	most schools will go back to the traditional schedule

Answer 1

答案：1．A;2．B;3．D;4．C;