When students and teachers at School 16in Rochester,NY, start the new school year in a newer school building,they'll leave their old building's list of problems behind.

As teachers finish unloading boxes and setting up their new classro?oms,they hope the newer buildings will give students renewed pride in their school. Ed?ucation experts say the move could also bring a rise to the school's flagging test scores,because better school buildings actually improve academic performance.

When School 16  was moved to a newer building,the school's old building was in terrible condition:bathrooms lacked sinks and privacy; stairs were missing safety rails; and the 100-year-old building was crowded. Students describe peeling paint and rats in the classrooms.

Teacher Michele Michel says the poor condition of the old building weakened the school of its spirit. "You look at that and it's like,why? Why do you want to take care of your school?" Michel says. "So what if I throw a piece of paper on the ground? It doesn't make a difference; there's other paper on the ground."

More than bad looks,bad buildings are a drain on academic performance,ac?cording to Glen Earthman,a professor. "Students see surroundings that are not very pleasant,and it does reduce their desire to learn”,Earthman says.

He says students who attend schools in disrepair score 3  to 10 percentage points lower on state tests than students in satisfactory buildings,and the effects are worse over the years students spend in the buildings.

With bigger hallways and larger classrooms,teacher Michele Michel says the boost to student confidence in the new building will improve academics. "I think if you come in and you're happy,you know,you will be all about this place," Michel says. "I think you will get it,and you'll get more successful."

But Jaida Thomas,an eighth grader,says she is not sure all of her peers will take pride in their new building. "With the negative people in the school? they'll probably just mess up the school," Thomas says. "They'll just mess it up for themselves."

1. The underlined word "flagging" in Paragraph 2 may mean "      

   A. pleasing   B. rising   C. falling   D. surprising

2. What statement may Michel agree to?

   A. Students are concerned about the safety of old buildings.

   B. Students have no mood to care for buildings.

   C. Students make no difference to the school buildings.

   D. Students behave badly in poor school buildings.

3. According to Glen,bad buildings         .

   A. make students lose interest in learning

   B. leave students in poor condition

   C. cause students to suffer pain in their eyes

   D. are to the advantage of students

4. Thomas' attitude towards the effect of new building is         .

   A. hopeful   B. doubtful   C. optimistic   D. unclear

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