Issues around children learning to read are rarely out of the news, which is hardly surprising—becoming a successful reader is of vital importance in improving a child’s life chances. Nor is it surprising that reading creates a virtuous circle: the more you read the better you become. But what may come as a surprise is that reading to dogs is gaining popularity as a way of addressing concerns about children’s reading.
Underachievement (学业不良) in groups of children in the UK is recognized in international studies—and successive governments have sought to address the issues in a range of ways. Reading to dogs, so far, has not been among them, but it’s time to look at the strategy more seriously.
Many children naturally enjoy reading and need little encouragement, but if they are struggling, their confidence can quickly decrease—and with it, their motivation. This brings about the destructive cycle, and therefore reading ability fails to improve.
So how can dogs help?
A therapeutic (疗法的) presence
Reading to dogs is just that—encouraging children to read alongside a dog. The practice originated in the US in 1999.
The presence of dogs has a calming effect on many people—hence their use in Pets as Therapy schemes (PAT). Many primary schools are becoming increasingly pressurized environments and children (like adults) generally do not respond well to such pressure. A dog creates an environment that immediately feels more relaxing and welcoming. Reading can be an independent activity, but can also be a pleasurable, shared social event. Children who are struggling to read benefit from the simple pleasure of reading to a loyal, loving listener.
Children who are struggling to read, for whatever reason, need to build confidence and rediscover a motivation for reading. A dog is a reassuring, friendly audience who will not mind if mistakes are made. Children can read to the dog, uninterrupted; comments will not be made. Errors can be addressed in other contexts at other times. For more experienced or capable readers, they can experiment with intonation and “voices”, knowing that the dog will respond positively—and building fluency further develops comprehension in readers.
For children who are struggling, reconnecting with the pleasure of reading is very important. As Marylyn Jager-Adams, a literacy (读写) scholar, noted in a seminal review of beginner reading in the US: “If we want children to learn to read well, we must find a way to attract them to read lots.”
Reading to a dog can create a helpful balance, supporting literacy activities which may seem less appealing to a child. Children having difficulty with reading, for example, need focused support to develop their understanding of the alphabetic code (字母代码). But this needs to be balanced with activities which support independent reading and social enjoyment or the child can become less motivated.
Creating a virtuous circle
Breaking a negative cycle will inevitably lead to the creation of a virtuous circle—and sharing a good book with a dog enables children to apply their reading skills in a positive and enjoyable way.
Research evidence in this area is rather limited, despite the growing popularity of the scheme. A 2016 systematic review of 48 studies—“Children Reading to Dogs: A Systematic Review of the Literature” by Hall, Ge and Mills--demonstrated some evidence for improvement in reading, but the evidence was not strong. There clearly is more work to do, but interest in reading to dogs appears to have grown through the evidence of case studies. The example, often given in the media, is that of Tony Nevett and his pet dog Danny. Tony and Danny’s involvement in a number of schools has been transformative, not only in terms of reading but also in promoting general well-being positive behavior among children with a diverse range of needs.
So, reading to dogs could offer many benefits. As with any approach, it is not a cure—but set within a language—rich literacy environment, there appears to be little to lose and much to gain.
Title: How Dogs Could Make Children Better 1. ▲
| Introduction | •Reading is so important that issues around children learning to remain hot. But 2. ▲, reading to dogs becomes an increasingly popular way to address concerns about it. •Struggling to read will decrease children’s confidence and motivation and gets in the 3. ▲ of their reading ability building. |
| Benefits of reading to dogs | •Governments in the UK haven’t employed the strategy of reading to dogs to help underachievers, which needs serious 4. ▲ in the near future. |
| A therapeutic presence •Reading to a dog can help children 5. ▲ down, feel relaxed and get pleasure, for dogs are loyal and loving listeners. Reading to a dog can help children build confidence, as children can read without being interrupted or being 6. ▲ on. •Reading to a dog can also create a helpful balance, making children 7. ▲ to participate in literacy activities. | |
| Creating a virtuous circle •Sharing a good book with a dog likely enables children to apply their reading skills positively and enjoyably, though more work remains to be done to 8. ▲ it. •More case studies of reading to dogs indicate it might 9. ▲, both promoting children's reading interest and positive life. | |
| Conclusion | With so little to lose and so much to gain, it 10. ▲ to read to dogs although it is not a cure-all. |
高二英语语法填空困难题
Issues around children learning to read are rarely out of the news, which is hardly surprising—becoming a successful reader is of vital importance in improving a child’s life chances. Nor is it surprising that reading creates a virtuous circle: the more you read the better you become. But what may come as a surprise is that reading to dogs is gaining popularity as a way of addressing concerns about children’s reading.
Underachievement (学业不良) in groups of children in the UK is recognized in international studies—and successive governments have sought to address the issues in a range of ways. Reading to dogs, so far, has not been among them, but it’s time to look at the strategy more seriously.
Many children naturally enjoy reading and need little encouragement, but if they are struggling, their confidence can quickly decrease—and with it, their motivation. This brings about the destructive cycle, and therefore reading ability fails to improve.
So how can dogs help?
A therapeutic (疗法的) presence
Reading to dogs is just that—encouraging children to read alongside a dog. The practice originated in the US in 1999.
The presence of dogs has a calming effect on many people—hence their use in Pets as Therapy schemes (PAT). Many primary schools are becoming increasingly pressurized environments and children (like adults) generally do not respond well to such pressure. A dog creates an environment that immediately feels more relaxing and welcoming. Reading can be an independent activity, but can also be a pleasurable, shared social event. Children who are struggling to read benefit from the simple pleasure of reading to a loyal, loving listener.
Children who are struggling to read, for whatever reason, need to build confidence and rediscover a motivation for reading. A dog is a reassuring, friendly audience who will not mind if mistakes are made. Children can read to the dog, uninterrupted; comments will not be made. Errors can be addressed in other contexts at other times. For more experienced or capable readers, they can experiment with intonation and “voices”, knowing that the dog will respond positively—and building fluency further develops comprehension in readers.
For children who are struggling, reconnecting with the pleasure of reading is very important. As Marylyn Jager-Adams, a literacy (读写) scholar, noted in a seminal review of beginner reading in the US: “If we want children to learn to read well, we must find a way to attract them to read lots.”
Reading to a dog can create a helpful balance, supporting literacy activities which may seem less appealing to a child. Children having difficulty with reading, for example, need focused support to develop their understanding of the alphabetic code (字母代码). But this needs to be balanced with activities which support independent reading and social enjoyment or the child can become less motivated.
Creating a virtuous circle
Breaking a negative cycle will inevitably lead to the creation of a virtuous circle—and sharing a good book with a dog enables children to apply their reading skills in a positive and enjoyable way.
Research evidence in this area is rather limited, despite the growing popularity of the scheme. A 2016 systematic review of 48 studies—“Children Reading to Dogs: A Systematic Review of the Literature” by Hall, Ge and Mills--demonstrated some evidence for improvement in reading, but the evidence was not strong. There clearly is more work to do, but interest in reading to dogs appears to have grown through the evidence of case studies. The example, often given in the media, is that of Tony Nevett and his pet dog Danny. Tony and Danny’s involvement in a number of schools has been transformative, not only in terms of reading but also in promoting general well-being positive behavior among children with a diverse range of needs.
So, reading to dogs could offer many benefits. As with any approach, it is not a cure—but set within a language—rich literacy environment, there appears to be little to lose and much to gain.
Title: How Dogs Could Make Children Better 1. ▲
| Introduction | •Reading is so important that issues around children learning to remain hot. But 2. ▲, reading to dogs becomes an increasingly popular way to address concerns about it. •Struggling to read will decrease children’s confidence and motivation and gets in the 3. ▲ of their reading ability building. |
| Benefits of reading to dogs | •Governments in the UK haven’t employed the strategy of reading to dogs to help underachievers, which needs serious 4. ▲ in the near future. |
| A therapeutic presence •Reading to a dog can help children 5. ▲ down, feel relaxed and get pleasure, for dogs are loyal and loving listeners. Reading to a dog can help children build confidence, as children can read without being interrupted or being 6. ▲ on. •Reading to a dog can also create a helpful balance, making children 7. ▲ to participate in literacy activities. | |
| Creating a virtuous circle •Sharing a good book with a dog likely enables children to apply their reading skills positively and enjoyably, though more work remains to be done to 8. ▲ it. •More case studies of reading to dogs indicate it might 9. ▲, both promoting children's reading interest and positive life. | |
| Conclusion | With so little to lose and so much to gain, it 10. ▲ to read to dogs although it is not a cure-all. |
高二英语语法填空困难题查看答案及解析
Americans think a great deal of about time. From childhood they learn to value time. As children, they were taught to be on time to go to school, to do work and to do everything. When they are having good time, they say that time flies. When a person is dying, they say he is living on borrowing time.
Time is money, is knowledge, and is everything in America. A working American must work hard for 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, that is the working time. On his spare time he also works for less money. Even Saturdays and Sundays are filled of activities. In the street you can hardly see a man who walk slowly. They walk very fast. In fact, they are running.
高二英语书面表达中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sept. 5, 2011
| 2:30 AM | Save My Planet (Repeat) Learn how to keep electronics out of rubbish; a man that changes old shipping containers into homes; a community in Costa Rica that does well in eco-tourism. |
| 3:00AM | Mary Talks Money (Repeat, TVPG) Tips on lending money to family and friends. |
| 4:00 AM | Mirror Mirror Thrift How to find the best deals in thrift stores (二手店); commonly asked beauty questions, breaking fashion rules. |
| 4:30 AM | Home with Lisa Quinn Mixing traditional and modern design elements (元素); how to style impressive food; creating a comfortable home. |
| 5:00 AM | Say Ahh (Repeat) The hosts discuss the causes of heart disease, its diagnosis, and the treatments for those with the disease. |
| 6:30 AM | Everyday Living Quick beauty tips; protect yourself from money problems; the four most common parenting mistakes. |
| 7:00 AM | My Green House Jesse looks into global warming; Andy talks about sustainable (可持续的) cleaning; an eco-friendly supply store. |
| 7:30 AM | Advice for Life (Repeat) Can you save your father from himself Starting over at 60? Laughter really is the best medicine. |
＊TVPG: Programs for children with parents’ guidance
1. According to the text, Save My Planet is mainly about _____.
A. science development B. international tourism
C. environmental protection D. ways to build homes
2. Which of the following content can’t children watch alone?
A. Tips on lending money to family and friends.
B. The four most common parenting mistakes.
C. Commonly asked beauty questions.
D. Creating a comfortable home.
3.Which of the following programs may help you deal with money problems?
A. Advice for Life.
B. Home with Lisa Quinn.
C. Say Ahh.
D. Everyday Living.
4. If you want to know Andy’s idea about cleaning, you should watch at _____.
A. 4:00 AM B. 7:00 AM C. 4:30 AM D. 7:30 AM
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most children, even the youngest of children, are delighted to be around cats and dogs. But these pets carry plenty of germs and allergens（过敏原）, prompting researchers to ask: Are cats and dogs really safe for children？
A study finds that, contrary to many parents’ fears, owning cats or dogs does not increase a child’s risk of developing allergies, and in fact, may actually protect them. The study’s lead author, Dr. Dennic Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia, says that even he was “very surprised” by the results. Ownby and colleagues followed more than 470 children from birth to age 6 or 7, comparing those exposed to cats and dogs during their first year of life to those who were not.
By using skin-prick tests for detecting common allergies, the researchers found that, contrary to what many doctors had been taught for years, children who had lived with a pet were not at greater risk.
Even more remarkable, children who had two or more dogs or cats had an even greater reduction, up to 77 percent, in risk of allergies. Researchers suggest this protective effect may be the result of early exposure to lots of bacteria that are carried by dogs and cats. Exposing young children to these bacteria helps "exercise" their immune systems early in life so that they're better able to resist allergic diseases later.
There's something very important in that first year of life when the immune(免疫) system is developing that we can retrain it away from an allergic response, said Dr. William Davis.
And while researchers are not encouraging parents to buy dogs or cats just to reduce a child’s allergy risk, they say if a family already has one or more animals, there's no need to get rid of them.
1.Why do the researchers feel “very surprised” by the results of the study?
A. Because the results are contrary to their expectation．
B. Because so many children are playing with cats and dogs．
C. Because parents are so much worried about their children．
D. Because children with animals may develop allergies easily．
2.Compared with children who have pets，those who haven’t ______.
A. will lose the chance to develop immune system
B. will reduce the harm from bacteria
C. may suffer allergic diseases more often
D. can keep doctors away
3.The underlined word “it” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.
A. the early life B. an allergic disease
C. something important D. immune system
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. How to protect your kids from allergies
B. Bacteria do good to your kids
C. Your pets may be helping your kids
D. Advantages of owning pets
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most children, even the youngest of children, are delighted to be around cats and dogs. But these pets carry plenty of germs and allergens（过敏原）, prompting researchers to ask: Are cats and dogs really safe for children？
A study finds that, contrary to many parents’ fears, owning cats or dogs does not increase a child’s risk of developing allergies, and in fact, may actually protect them. The study’s lead author, Dr. Dennic Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia, says that even he was “very surprised” by the results. Ownby and colleagues followed more than 470 children from birth to age 6 or 7, comparing those exposed to cats and dogs during their first year of life to those who were not.
By using skin-prick(刺) tests for detecting common allergies, the researchers found that, contrary to what many doctors had been taught for years, children who had lived with a pet were not at greater risk.
Even more remarkable, children who had two or more dogs or cats had an even greater reduction, up to 77 percent, in risk of allergies. Researchers suggest this protective effect may be the result of early exposure to lots of bacteria that are carried by dogs and cats. Exposing young children to these bacteria helps" exercise" their immune systems early in life so that they're better able to resist allergic diseases later.
There's something very important in that first year of life when the immune system is developing that we can retrain it away from an allergic response, said Dr. William Davis.
And while researchers are not encouraging parents to buy dogs or cats just to reduce a child’s allergy risk, they say if a family already has one or more animals, there's no need to get rid of them.
1.Why do the researchers feel “very surprised” by the results of the study?
A．Because the results are contrary to their expectation．
B．Because so many children are playing with cats and dogs．
C．Because parents are so much worried about their children．
D．Because children with animals may develop allergies easily．
2.Compared with children who have pets，those who haven’t ______.
A．will lose the chance to develop immune system
B．may suffer allergic diseases more often
C．will reduce the harm from bacteria
D．can keep doctors away
3.It can be inferred from the passage that ______．
A．pets are ill-treated by their owners
B．less families would like to own cats and dogs
C．keeping pets is a good way to keep children healthy
D．the results of the study can make families with pets feel at ease
4.The underlined word “it” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.
A．the early life B．an allergic disease
C．immune system D．something important
5.What may be the best title of the passage?
A．How to protect your kids from allergies
B．Your pets may be helping your kids
C．Bacteria do good to your kids
D．Advantages of owning pets
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most children, even the youngest of children, are delighted to be around cats and dogs. But these pets carry plenty of germs and allergens（过敏原）,prompting researchers to ask: Are cats and dogs really safe for children？
A study finds that, contrary to many parents' fears, owning cats or dogs does not increase a child's risk of developing allergies, and in fact, may actually protect them. The study's lead author, Dr. Dennic Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia, says that even he was "very surprised" by the results. Ownby and colleagues followed more than 470 children from birth to age 6 or 7, comparing those exposed to cats and dogs during their first year of life to those who were not.
By using skin-prick tests for detecting common allergies, the researchers found that, contrary to what many doctors had been taught for years, children who had lived with a pet were not at greater risk.
Even more remarkable, children who had two or more dogs or cats had an even greater reduction, up to 77 percent, in risk of allergies. Researchers suggest this protective effect may be the result of early exposure to lots of bacteria that are carried by dogs and cats. Exposing young children to these bacteria helps" exercise" their immune systems early in life so that they're better able to resist allergic diseases later.
There's something very important in that first year of life when the immune system is developing that we can retrain it away from an allergic response, said Dr. William Davis.
And while researchers are not encouraging parents to buy dogs or cats just to reduce a child's allergy risk, they say if a family already has one or more animals, there's no need to get rid of them.
1.Why do the researchers feel “very surprised” by the results of the study?
A．Because the results are contrary to their expectation．
B．Because so many children are playing with cats and dogs．
C．Because parents are so much worried about their children．
D．Because children with animals may develop allergies easily．
2.Compared with children who have pets，those who haven’t ______.
A．will lose the chance to develop immune system
B．may suffer allergic diseases more often
C．will reduce the harm from bacteria
D．can keep doctors away
3.It can be inferred from the passage that ______．
A．pets are ill-treated by their owners
B．less families would like to own cats and dogs
C．keeping pets is a good way to keep children healthy
D．the results of the study can make families with pets feel at ease
4.The underlined word “it” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.
A．the early life
B．an allergic disease
C．immune system
D．something important
5.What may be the best title of the passage?
A．How to protect your kids from allergies
B．Your pets may be helping your kids
C．Bacteria do good to your kids
D．Advantages of owning pets
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Three quarters of Britain’s parents are too busy to read bedtime stories to their children，according to a study. The study was carried out by CITV to start their new children’s show Bookaboo，which is designed to encourage anyone to pick up a book and read with their children at any time of the day.
Worryingly，the study showed that only three percent of fathers now find the time to read to the kids compared to 89 percent of mothers. Lucy Goodman，creator of Bookaboo，said，“It’s important for young boys to be able to share a book with dads，granddads or male carers and it can be fun and rewarding，too.” Of the dads who said they didn’t read to their kids,87 percent blamed work while more than a third said they were too tired. While 89 percent of mums said they did read to their children，more than half of them said cleaning distracted (使分心) them and 49 percent were distracted by other household things.
Researchers also found parents are now relying heavily on other people to lend a hand with reading to their children with grandparents doing the most，followed by sisters and brothers，aunts and uncles. While 95 percent of parents read to their children at some point，only five percent read to their children during the day. More than one in ten said they read every couple of weeks or less，and five percent could not remember the last time they shared a book.
The study found parents also seem content with allowing their children to immerse (使沉浸) themselves in TV programs or playing computer games rather than reading.
Exgoalkeeper David Seaman，who is a dad of two，has been a guest in Bookaboo.He says，“I think it’s important that fathers do read to their children because it’s a special time. Sometimes my two children will come to listen to the same book—it’s a magical moment and I advise fathers just to try it.”
1.We can know from the passage that Bookaboo________.
| A．is a daily show | B．is an adults’ show |
| C．is a popular show | D．aims to encourage people to read to their children |
2.According to the study，fathers don’t read to their kids mainly because________.
| A．they are too busy with work |
| B．they don’t think it necessary to do so |
| C．they are distracted by household things |
| D．they like to play computer games in their free time |
3.Which group of people helped parents read to the kids the most?
| A．Aunts and uncles. | B．Grandparents. |
| C．Children’s carers. | D．Children’s sisters and brothers. |
4.According to the last paragraph，David Seaman________.
| A．is a goalkeeper now | B．has only one child |
| C．is the creator of Bookaboo | D．thinks it is great to read to children |
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Children are tired of learning often because they are________to do better than they can, both at school and at home.
A. suggested B. expected
C. hoped D. helped
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Because six out of every 10 accidental deaths happen to Chinese children who are playing, Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical (SJJP), a USbased pharmaceutical giant, is working on a Safe Kids Program to prevent injuries and deaths.
Since the Safe Kids Worldwide was set up in 1987 by Johnson & Johnson in the US, it has contributed to a nearly 40 percent decline in the child death rate from accidental injuries there.Learning from the successful experience, SJJP began the Safe Kids Program in China in 1999.
A recent survey conducted by SJJP and Safe Kids Worldwide China indicates that more than half of the responding parents didn't know how to help their children keep safe and that half of the parents didn't know about their children's motor skill development at different ages.The survey covered 3,359 Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou's parents with children between infancy (幼年) and 14.
Additionally, more than 40 percent of the parents didn't know how to help their children to prepare well for sports activities.For instance, they don't know how to have their children warm up or realize the importance of a playgroundcheck before sports activities.
To help correct the problems, SJJP and Safe Kids Worldwide China have been translating and editing safety education materials, sending them to parents free of charge, and delivering free lectures in kindergartens, schools and residential communities for the last 10 years.
Currently, a special team has been set up and traveling around 12 key cities of China to popularize child sports safety knowledge and offer free training for young parents.
Though SJJP refuses to say how much it has spent on the program, it says the number in terms of money, staff and technology, is large.
SJJP was founded by Johnson & Johnson in 1995 and specializes in manufacturing and development of nonprescription medicines (非处方药) and health care foods and products.So far，its investment has exceeded $41 million.
Title: Safe Kids Program
| 1. | The program is intended to 2. accidental injuries and deaths. |
| Background | ◇It is sponsored by SJJP, which specializes in making and 3. nonprescription medicine and health care foods and products. ◇It follows the example of the successful experience of Safe Kids. Worldwide in the US, which accounts for a 40% 4. in such injury cases. |
| 5. | ◇More than 50% of the parents don't know how to help keep children safe. ◇Half of the parents are not 6.of their children's motor skills. ◇40% or more of the parents fail to help their children prepare well before sports activities, such as warming up and 7. the playground. |
| Solutions | ◇They have been sending safety education materials to 8.and delivering lectures in schools and communities, all for 9.. ◇A special team has been 10.and is now traveling around to popularize child sports safety knowledge and offering free training for young parents. |
高二英语任务型阅读困难题查看答案及解析
The magazines are not allowed out of the reading room in our school.
| A．taking | B．to be taken | C．being taken | D．to take |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析