Question

New School Schedule Under Investigation

In most of the United States, students attend classes for five days each week–Monday through Friday. Schools are required to hold classes for about 180 days a year. Recently, schools in some areas of the country have begun investigating（調(diào)查） the idea of holding classes for four days a week. Classes would meet either Monday through Thursday, or Tuesday through Friday. Some schools in twelve American states are now using that schedule.

The students still have the same number of total hours in class as before. But they attend school for a longer time on each of the four days. In the western state of Colorado, schools on the four-day week hold classes for seven and one half hours a day for 144 days. Traditional schools meet for six hours a day for 180 days.

Many schools on a four-day schedule offer special programs for students or teachers, trips or sports competitions on the fifth day. Officials say this gives students even more time in class than on the traditional schedule. Students do not have to miss school to go to the events. Students can also go to doctors or other appointments（約會(huì)） on the fifth day.

The main reason for shortening the school week is an economic one. Small school systems say they can save money by not providing meals or transportation for students on the fifth day. And they say research shows that students are not harmed by the shorter week.

Opponents（反對(duì)者） of the four-day school week say the research is not clear on this. They say the four-day week has not been shown to improve students’ learning. And they say that three days off from school each week is too long a time away from class.

Title: New School Schedule Under Investigation
Traditional schedule	1. Schools meet for (1)   ▲    hours each day. 2. Students attend school for five days each week. 3. Schools hold classes for about 180 days each year.
New schedule	Compared with the traditional schedule, the new one allows the students to attend school for four days a week and schools to hold classes for many (2)   ▲    days a year, but the students have to stay at school longer every day.
Opinions of the (3)   ▲	1. Due to the special programs on the fifth day, the students do not have to miss school for the events. 2. Schools can save money. 3. Research shows shortening the school week is not (4)   ▲    to the students.
Opinions of the opponents	Thinking the research (5)   ▲   , the opponents say the four-day week has not been proved to improve students’ learning. Also, three days off from school each week is not good for students’ learning.

Answer 1

1. six/6           2. fewer         3. supporters          4. harmful             5. unclear/uncertain