Question

With the popularity of Harry Potter novels, the number of children applying to boarding schools has risen, many of them hoping to find their own version of Hogwarts. However, others have interpreted this trend as a reaction to longer working hours and the break up of more marriages. The boarding schools of fiction are presented as one long midnight feast with pillow fights making firm friendships. However, some people say the reality is children having more homesickness and a lack of individual attention. Modern boarding schools have done much to get rid of the image of the mass dormitories with 40 or more beds in one room, some going as far as providing private rooms with bathrooms. Similarly, they make great announcements for their academic advantage, particularly in light of the increase in exams, homework and university entrance requirements facing children wishing to succeed in the modern world.
Alongside these more conventional schools, two types of boarding schools have also become more popular recently. Sports academies and stage schools seek to cater for children with particular interests and talents, while so-called troubled-teens have been able to turn to a range of religious or wilderness schools to solve their problematic behavior.
Boarding schools allow children a safe space in which to accomplish greater control and independence over their daily lives. Teachers and staff can look after and support but they are unlikely to be over-protective. This can be a great preparation for university or for working away from home in later life as it provides an intermediate step between childhood and full independence.
However, parents are a child’s most natural support and best role models to learn from. If they are separated from them for long periods of time, this may damage their relationship and leave the child feeling anxious or alone. Schools are unlikely to be able to copy the detailed knowledge of each individual child that a parent has and therefore cannot be as effective in supporting the child.
To sum up, boarding schools have both their advantages and disadvantages, so it is up to you to decide whether to send your children to boarding schools or not.
【小題1】What do we know from the passage? 

A．More and more children go and visit Hogwarts on their own.

B．Pillow fights in boarding schools make firm friendships in reality.

C．More children want to go to boarding schools because of Harry Potter novels.

D．There aren’t special schools for the particularly talented children.

【小題2】What kind of schools may be the most suitable for the so-called troubled-teens?

A．sports academies	B．Wilderness schools
C．Conventional schools	D．Stage schools

【小題3】We learn from Paragraph 4 that __________. 

A．teachers of boarding schools are the best examples for children to learn from

B．children can be more independent if they are separated from their parents

C．parents know their children better than teachers of boarding schools

D．schools are much more effective than parents in supporting children

【小題4】What is the author’s opinion of boarding schools?  

A．Neutral （中立的）

B．Negative

C．Positive

D．Critical

Answer 1

【小題1】C
【小題2】B
【小題3】C
【小題4】A

解析試題分析：本文作者分析了兩種寄宿學校，和寄宿學校的優缺點，一方面可以培養孩子的獨立性，但另一方面因為離開父母，不利于孩子的發展。
【小題1】細節理解題。 根據第一段 With the popularity of Harry Potter novels, the number of children applying to boarding schools has risen, 可知選C。
【小題2】細節理解題。 根據第二段 while so-called troubled-teens have been able to turn to a range of religious or wilderness schools to solve their problematic behavior. 可知選B。
【小題3】 推理判斷題 根據第四段Schools are unlikely to be able to copy the detailed knowledge of each individual child that a parent has and therefore cannot be as effective in supporting the child.可推斷選C。
【小題4】作者態度題。 根據最后一段To sum up, boarding schools have both their advantages and disadvantages 可判斷，作者的態度是中立的。 選A。
考點：考查教育類短文
點評：本文主旨鮮明,很容易在文中找到答案。做題時要注意文章的首段和每一段的首句或尾句，因為它們往往就是文章的主題句。閱讀中要注意要點之間的關系。然后帶著問題，再讀全文，找出答題所需要的依據，完成閱讀任務。作者態度題的考查需要考生從作者的語氣中體會作者的真實想法。