Issue 471

US students feel the heat during yearly tests P (4)

Pre-reading

1. How often do you take a test?

2. What are forms of the tests?

3. What do you think about taking frequent tests?

While reading

Skimming:

1. What does the story mainly talk about?

2. Are all the tests taken on computers?

True (T) or false (F):

1. Last year, some states made changes to these tests making it easier. 

2. US high schools don’t take the tests during the same time period.

3. Tests are usually taken with paper and pencil . 

4. Test results are a way to evaluate teachers. 

5. Students have the same classmates next year.

Post-reading

Group discussion：

1. Do you think it’s necessary to have tests? If you don’t think so, explain. 

2. If you think some changes should be made on the tests you take, how would you like to change the tests?

3. If you think the tests you take at your school are OK, why do you think that?                             

Struggling artist in the real world P (5)

Pre-reading

1. Do you like drawing? If you do, what do you like to draw?

2. What famous artists do you know about?

3. Do you know who this artist is?

While reading

Choose the answer:

1. Van Gogh did the following jobs EXCEPT ____.

A. work for an art dealer   

B. teach

C. be a priest

D. be an artist

2. According to the story, Van Gogh _____.

A. started to love art when he lived in Belgium

B. wanted to show the world exactly as it looked

C. became famous for his painting Wheatfield with Crows

D. impressed people deeply by how he used colors

3. We can learn from the story that _____.

A. Van Gogh got rich thanks to his paintings

B. Van Gogh lived a sad life in his latter years

C. Van Gogh’s art was popular during his lifetime

D. Van Gogh died because of mental problems

4. What does the story mainly talk about?

A. Impressionists.

B. Post-Impressionists.

C. Wheatfield with Crows.

D. Vincent van Gogh.

Post-reading

1. What other artists do you know?

2. Do you know their stories?

3. How do you understand the title “Struggling artist in the real world”?

Giving helps the world P (6)

Pre-reading

1. From the title, what do you guess the story is about?

2. How do you understand the sentence “Sharing is caring”?

While reading

Choose the answer:

1. What did they find when removing the wooden walls?

A. The nail on the wooden wall had fallen off.

B. A lizard’s feet were hurt by the fallen wall. 

C. A lizard died between the walls. 

D. A lizard was stuck in the small space between the walls.

2. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Another lizard came to feed the stuck one.

B. The lizards didn’t give up hope.

C. The son helped the stuck lizard out.

D. The family was moved by the lizard’s act.

3. What does the story mainly tell us?

A. Learn to trust your friends.

B. There is always a way out.

C. Love is the most important thing.

D. Animals sometimes are better than humans.

Post-reading

1. What can you learn from the lizards?

2. How do you understand these quotes?

a. Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others. - Brain Tracy

b. Always give without remembering. Always receive without forgetting. - Oprah