Reducing arts classes destroys chances of success

浙江宁波市鄞州高级中学 温宏娟

难词探意

uproar/΄ʌprɔː(r)/n.骚动

Children are introduced to the arts in many different ways.Participation in the arts improves personal confidence,problem solving skills,and even memorization and social skills.As young brains develop,it is vital that the creative side of the brain receive equal attention to the logical side of the brain to ensure maximum education.Unfortunately,there are those who believe creativity holds little or no value.However,they could never be farther from the truth.

According to a National Education Association research report,“Teenagers and young adults of low socioeconomic status(SES),who have a history of in-depth arts involvement,show better academic outcomes than low-SES youth with less arts involvement.”This research report shows that the arts strengthen the academic hemisphere of the brain.According to recent studies,as the brain focuses on math problems or reading,only certain areas of their brain are activated.However,when teenagers and young adults are listening to music,drawing a picture or engaging the mind creatively,multiple areas of the brain are working at the same time.As a result,more areas of the brain are strengthened,resulting in stronger overall brain activity.

With all the benefits of arts education,it is shocking that some educational boards still believe sufficient education can be reached without the benefits of the arts.In January 2017,the Utah State Board of Education released an official command that added two classes to the school curriculum,requiring all students between sixth and eighth grades to take those courses.This in turn limited the opportunity for the students to take elective arts courses.This command created an uproar among parents and teachers in Canyon School District and—thanks to protests—was not put into effect.

Participation in the arts is one of the most precious gifts we can give our children.It brings them joy,creativity and helps them excel academically.Our education system is weakening the critical role the arts have in education.If we limit the arts within school systems,we take away our children's chances of present and future accomplishments.We cannot do that.Our children need to have every opportunity to expand their minds through the means of the arts.We must give our youth the opportunities and advantages to reach their highest goals and dreams if we are to secure a bright future for generations to come.

Language

Study

Ⅰ.Useful words in scientific articles

vital至关重要的

in-depth深入的；彻底的

involvement参与

academic outcome学业结果；学习成绩

engage吸引；使参加

sufficient足够的；充足的

release公开；发布

put into effect实施

excel擅长；突出

accomplishment成就；成绩

Ⅱ.Difficult sentence

Unfortunately,there are those who believe creativity holds little or no value.However,they could never be farther from the truth.

翻译：不幸的是，有些人认为创造力不是很重要，或一点都不重要，然而，这些人都是非常不对的。

分析：此句包含了两个英语中常用的词组，分别是hold little/no value“不重要”和far from the truth“远非事实的”。其中，句中的far from the truth是以比较级的形式出现，和否定词never连用，比较级和否定词连用表示最高级，在此处，字面意义是他们离事实最远，即强调这些人非常不对。

Reading

Check

阅读短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

写作导引

Summarizing skills

概要写作中的一大难点是如何做到不遗漏要点，尤其是要点里的重要支撑信息，或者说是次要点。学生基本上能做到一段一要点，但是在每个要点里不知道如何把握次重要信息。解决此难点的一个重要方法就是在段落里继续分层。

比如第一段，可以在Unfortunately,there are...这里将这一段分为两层，前面一层讲述了艺术的重要性，后一层引出有不同想法的人。第三段，可以在This command created...这里分层，前一层讲述了犹他州教育委员会出台的一条增加课程的条例，后一层讲述部分家长和教师表示反抗。第四段可以在We cannot do that...这里分层，前一层再次重申艺术的重要性，后一层大声疾呼不可减少艺术课程。这样分层之后，学生就能较为准确地把握段落里的信息，从而在概要写作过程中不会遗漏重要的次要点。