Too cold for recess? School policies vary as much as temps
When is it too cold for schoolchildren to go outside for recess(課間休息)? The answer varies widely based on where a school is located and what the kids are used to.
Consider: One northern Minnesota school says it has to be 15 below zero before kids are kept inside. But in areas along the East Coast, temperatures below 35 to 40 degrees could keep kids inside. Canceling recess because of the cold is no small issue considering that much of the USA is trembling through what may be its coldest winter in a generation, according to
AccuWeather.
There is no national temperature standard for when to keep kids inside during the winter months, the U.S. Department of Education says. Decisions are made at the local level, either by principals or school districts.
Consequently, policies are all over the map:
? In International Falls, Minn., the self-described "Icebox of the Nation," where the average high temperature in January is 13 degrees, Falls Elementary School Principal Jerry Hilfer says, "if it's 15 below (or warmer), they go out, no matter what." "At 20 below, it gets
iffy," he adds.
? In Wicomico County, Md., principals typically keep children indoors when temperatures drop below freezing, or if it's raining or snowing, says Susan Jones, the school system's director of elementary education.
"That's the bottom line," says Curtis Twilley, principal of Pemberton Elementary School in Salisbury, Md. Twilley says students get little exercise when recess stays indoors. At Pemberton Elementary, the students will typically play board games or computer games in a classroom because the school's gym is occupied with other classes, he says.
? For schools in Marquette, Mich., which averages about 12 feet of snow per season, school officials acknowledge students are probably a little more prepared than those in some more mild climates.
小題1:Which of the following is not true according to the passage_________.
A.No national temperature standard is made for when to keep kids inside during the winter months. |
B.Susan Jones insists students get little exercise when recess stays indoors. |
C.In Wicomico County, children are kept indoors when temperatures dip below freezing. |
D.Mich has about 12 feet of snow per season on average. |
小題2: Which place calls itself Box of Ice?
Wicomico County B. Marquette C.Salisbury D. Minn
小題3: Considering_______, canceling recess In USA because of the cold is a big issue.
A.different schools have different principles. |
B.much of the USA has very cold winter. |
C.physical activity can boost student performance. |
D.decisions are made at the local level, |
小題4: The underlined word
iffy means _______.
A.uncertain | B.surprising | C. serious | D.worse |
小題5: What will be talked about next?
A.More school policies |
B.The reasons why school policies vary. |
C.Measures to improve the situation. |
D.Necessities to improve the situation |