Question

【题目】The traditional American school year begins in late August or early September.It ends in May or June, followed by summer vacation. 【1】___ Because long ago, young people had to help their families harvest summer crops. At least this is what people today may think.

【2】__ A recent report from an education policy center at Indiana University explored the historical roots of the traditional school calendar.

In the early days of the United States, children were not required to attend school School calendars depended on local needs. 【3】__ They worked on family farms during the other months. City schools were often open much longer, some for eleven months of the year.

After the Civil War, more and more people saw the need for a system of required education.__ 【4】______Many city schools wanted a shorter year and a longer summer break. The schools were often crowded. There was no modern air conditioning. Hot days would make it difficult to learn. Many rural educators, however, pushed for a longer school year. They thought it would keep children safe from industrial dangers when there were few child-labor laws.

So the traditional school calendar was a compromise (折中). The average school year used to be one hundred and seventy days. Times have not changed much. 【5】___ But some experts think the traditional school calendar needs to change because the needs of the nation have changed. This thinking has led some schools to keep students in class longer.

A. Why such a long break?

B. Today the common average is one hundred and eighty days.

C. Americans think highly of their traditional school calendar.

D. Most schools had similar school calendars.

E. But the reason has more to it.

F. Students in rural areas went to school for no more than six months of the year.

G. But they had different ideas for the calendar.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】E

【3】F

【4】G

【5】B

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述学校假期安排的起源并分析其中原因。

【1】A 根据下文提到Because long ago, young people had to help their families harvest summer crops（因为很久以前，年轻人要帮家人收庄稼）可知，空格处在问为什么有这么长的假期，故选A项。

【2】E 根据下文提到A recent report from an education policy center at Indiana University explored the historical roots of the traditional school calendar（来自最近印度大学教育政策中心的报告探索学校传统日历的来源），故选E表明原因是多种的。

【3】F 根据下文提到They worked on family farms during the other months. City schools were often open much longer, some for eleven months of the year.（他们在其他月份在家庭农场工作。城市学校往往开放更长的时间，一些一年开十一个月）可知，空格处应该将农村孩子上学时间短暂，故选F。

【4】G 根据下文提到Many city schools wanted a shorter year and a longer summer break（许多城市学校想要一个短点的学期和一个长的假期），故选G项（他们有不同的假期安排）。

【5】B 根据上文提到The average school year used to be one hundred and seventy days. Times have not changed much（平均每年有一百七十天，时间没有什么改变），故选B项（今天平均是一百八十天）。

考点 ：考查对文章的整体内容和结构以及上下文逻辑意义的理解和掌握