Question

When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying，“We have to go to work now.” you're left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is , until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the “work” they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre.

Stage schools often act as agencies (代理机构) to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name “stage school” are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education.

A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn't settle for spending only hal

f the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?

Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 do 80 days.

The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don't make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case.

1.People would stop feeling uneasy when realising that the children they're talking to  ________.

A. attend a stage school

B. are going to the theatre

C. have got some work to do

D. love singing and dancing 

2.In the writer's opinion, a good stage school should  ________ .

A. produce star performers

B. help pupils improve their study skills

C. train pupils in language and performing arts

D. provide a general education and stage training 

3.“Professional work” as used in the text means  ________ .

A. ordinary school work

B. money?making performances

C. stage training at school

D. acting, singing or dancing after class 

4.Which of the following best describes how the writer feels about stage schools?

A. He thinks highly of what they have to offer.

B. He favours an early start in the training of performing arts.

C. He feels uncomfortable about children putting on night shows.

D. He doubts the standard of ordinary education they have reached. 

Answer 1

1----4    ADCD       

解析:

1.这是一道细节题。从第一段中最后一句可知，这些孩子们说的“工作”实际上是在剧院舞台上演出，而不是实际上的外出工作，因而他们也就不必为孩子们担心了。答案为A。 

2.这是一道归纳判断题。从第二段可知，作者认为一个好的stage school应该提供普通教育和舞台训练。答案为D。 

3. 这是一道词义理解题。根据上下文，上文第三段说孩子们半天进行普通的学校学习，第四段又说剩余的半天他们“…make a name and make a little money in some big shows.”这是学校提供给他们的“professional work”，第五段开始又说“The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained.”从which引导的定语从句中，我们可知这种professional work应该是stage training。答案为C。 

4.这是一道推理判断题。从文章最后一句可知，作者对孩子们学校里可以受到正常的教育感到怀疑。答案为D。