Providing small classes for at least several grades starting in early primary school gives students the best chance to succeed in late grades, according to groundbreaking new research from a Michigan State University scholar.

The research by Spyros Konstantopoulos, a professor of education, is the first to examine the effects of class size over a period and for all levels of students. The study appears in the American Journal of Education.

He is also a member of a group for the Department of Education’s Instiute of Education Sciences that will give official advice on class size to the states. He said the advice will mirror his research: the best plan is to provide continuous small classes(13 to 17 students) for at least several years starting in kindergarten or first grade.

“For a logn time states thought they could just do it in kindergarten or first grade for one year and get the benefits,” He said. “I don’t believe that. I think you need at least a few years in a row where all students, and especially low-achievers, receive the treatment, and then you see the benefits later.”

His research used data from the Project Star study in Tennessee that analyzed the effects of class size on more than 11,000 students in primary and middle school. He found that students who had been in small classes from kindergarten through third grade had actually higher test scores in grades four through eight than students who been in larger classes early on.

Students from all achievement levels benefited from small classes, the research found. “But low-achievers benefited the most, which narrowed the achievement gap with high –achievers in science, reading and math, ” he said.

Although the study didn’t consider classroom practices, he said the reason for the narrowing gap is likely due to low-achieving students receiving more attention from teachers.

“This is especially important in poorer schools because teacher effectiveness matters more in schools with more disadvantaged and low-performing students, ” he said.

1.The professor argues about ________ .

2.The result of the research shows that _________.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

4.The underlined word “This” in the last paragraph refers to _______.

Developmentally, girls take the lead. They talk earlier, read earlier, and count earlier. In preschool, they score higher on IQ tests than their male fellows. They usually receive better grades in elementary school than boys, yet in public schools, far more gifted boys than gifted girls are identified by the fifth grade.

   Girls begin to go underground with their talents and abilities sometime between the fifth and ninth grades.

   Traditional teacher training has focused on the teaching to boys’ interests and behaviors, which is thought to help keep order in classrooms. Boys mainly express themselves by “acting out”, disturbing the classroom in a variety of ways while girls, on the contrary, mainly express themselves by “acting in”, becoming silent, withdrawn and non-participative. One way to control boys was to be sure that they were contributing --- therefore, teachers have traditionally called on boys more often than girls.

   Boys and girls come to very different conclusions about themselves, even when the data on which they base their decisions are the same. Research shows that boys are more willing to accept success and be praised for their accomplishments than girls are.

   Adults, even teachers, often have different expectations of boys and girls, especially in the area of mathematical achievement.

According to the passage, in elementary school, a schoolgirl        than a schoolboy.

   A. is better at sports                       B. gets higher grades

   C. is less talkative                            D. is more troublesome

Generally, a schoolmaster traditionally pays more attention to boys because        .

   A. they are more gifted than girls           B. they are not good at expressing themselves

   C. they are more likely to make trouble       D. they often bully girls in class

According to the passage, a traditional experienced teacher would        .

   A. have a girl as monitor of the class           B. scold boys for their bad behaviors

   C. call on girls from time to time            D. praise boys more frequently

1.According to the comments of the Physical Education teacher, Simon   .

2.Which of Simon’s subjects will attract the headmaster’s attention in future?

3.Which of the following statements best describes Simon?

HIGHFIELD COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

SCHOOL REPORT

Form Teacher: G. Baker            Pupil’s Name:  Simon Watkins

Term:        Summer 2012   Form:        Ⅳ B

Subject        Exam   Class work Comments

English         59     61       Simon has reached a satisfactory standard but now needs to apply himself with more determination.

Mathematics    77     85       Sound work and progress throughout the year. Well done!

History        46     53       A disappointing exam result. He is unable to give attention to this subject for long.

Chemistry      78     85       His obvious ability in the subject was not fully reflected in his exam work, but I have high hopes for him nevertheless.

Physics        86     94       An excellent term’s performance. He goes from strength to strength. A born scientist, I feel.

Biology        57     60       This time next year he will be taking the “0” exam. He needs to concentrate on the work, not on class conversation.

French        41     46       Clearly he didn’t bother to revise. His general attitude is far too casual.

Physical

Education      /      31       Weak. It’s time he exercised his body more and his voice less. He should try to work with a team.

FORM TEACHER’S REMARKS                     HEADMASTER

Basically satisfactory work and progress              I shall be keeping an eye on though he will now have realized, I hope, that         his progress in his weaker    in certain subject areas he needs to make               subjects though his

speedy progress.                           success in the sciences is improvement.

1.According to the comments of the Physical Education teacher, Simon_______.

A．is too talkative in the class

B．likes to work with his classmates

C．doesn’t exercise his body at the right time

D．becomes weak because he doesn’t exercise at all

2.Which of Simon’s subjects will attract the headmaster’s attention in future?

A．Biology and Maths.                      B．History and French.

C．English and Chemistry.                    D．Physics and Physical Education.

3.Which of the following statements best describes Simon?

A．He has made great progress in language classes.

B．His potential has been fully reflected in science classes.

C．His grade in maths makes him a born scientist.

D．He needs to improve his attitude on certain subjects.

4. Based on the school report, which of the following statements is true?

A．Simon didn’t bother his teacher to revise French.

B．Basically, Simon did a good job in science.

C．Simon is a determined learner in English.

D．Simon is able to pay attention to history for long.

Roger Alvarez, 22, was one of the 52 percent of students who didn’t make it through his senior year at Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles.

    He dropped out several years ago, but by the time he was in ninth grade, Alvarez says he already knew he wasn’t going to graduate.

    “There’s a certain amount of knowledge you have to have when you enter in a specific grade, and I didn’t have it.” Alvarez says,“Every class I used to go in, I was like, ‘Do I know this? I don’t know this.’”

    It was a shameful attitude, he tells his former English teacher, Antero Garcia, 29.

    “You were determined to help me, but what was I willing to give? I could have actually tried.”

    For his part, Garcia wants to know how he could have reached out to Alvarez better, but Alvarez says Garcia had always been helpful.

    “I mean, you could cheer me up, and then I see other students doing way better,” Alvarez says,“So then, I get nervous. I get stuck, and then my motivation goes to the floor.” He felt the situation was hopeless.

    “You talked to me like if I could do it, but inside me, I knew I couldn’t.” he tells Garcia,“I just didn’t want you to think that I’m…stupid.”

    Now, school is a life tool that Alvarez says he’s missing—but his teacher isn’t to blame.

    “Always, I just wanted you to know…you were a good teacher, and I always respected you.” he tells Garcia,“Some teachers, I felt like they only wanted to teach a certain group of people. But you looked at me and you paid attention.”

    “Maybe it didn’t get me to graduate, but there’re a lot of teachers, they don’t take the time to take a look. And it was never your fault.”

    Alvarez now works the night shift at a loading dock(码头). He still hopes to get his degree one day.

1.When Alvarez entered a grade, he was sure that ___________.

A. he wasn’t going to pass the class

B. he would do better than other students

C. he might learn an amount of knowledge

D. he would try his best to learn at class

2.By saying “my motivation goes to the floor”,  Alvarez meant __________.

A. he hid his goal from others              B. he lost heart gradually

C. he built up his motivation               D. he fell to the ground completely

3.In the opinion of Alvarez, most teachers _______.

A. paid no attention to teaching             B. had no time to read books

C. didn’t care about what he did             D. showed no respect to students

4.The passage mainly tells us that _________.

A. a dropout complains about being treated badly

B. a dropout plans to get his degree again

C. a dropout shows respect for not graduating

D. a dropout has thanks to his teacher not blame