新西兰英语 537 School finishes

 　　Most primary schools finish today although a few finished yesterday or the day before. High school students finished earlier. Junior high school students – Years 9 and 10 – usually finish school in the second week of December while senior¹ high school students finish when their exams finish. For most of these students, their last exam was in early December. They will receive their results in January.

　　School starts again for the new school year at the beginning of February. State schools have to be open for 194 days in the year. The school year is usually divided into four terms of about 10 weeks. The last term may be shorter. Private schools often have a longer holiday between terms because many of the students are boarders and go home during the holidays. However, not many students go to private schools in New Zealand.

　　School in New Zealand is compulsory² between the ages of six and 16. However, most children start school the day they turn five, on their birthday. Many people from other countries find this strange but it is a popular custom in New Zealand. Children usually look forward to this birthday because it’s the day they start school.

　　Grammar

　　Notice that present simple is the best tense to use for routines³ or things that usually happen e.g. most schools finish, school starts, school is compulsory

　　“have to” or “must”? It is hard to give a rule but “have to” is more common than “must” although the meaning is similar; perhaps “have to” is more neutral⁴; “must” sounds angry sometimes e.g. schools have to be open; students have to stay at school until they are 16; children have to go to school when they are six (but they may go when they are five).

　　However, we do use “must” when talking about things we need to do. e.g. I must remember to ..; I must go to the bank; I must tidy my room etc. Are you confused⁵? Perhaps as a general rule, learn to use “have to” instead of “must”.

　　Idiom

　　“The day they turn five” means⁶ their birthday when they are five. To turn five (or any age) is an idiom.

1 senior   

adj.年长的；资格较老的，地位较高的；n.年长者，前辈；大学高年级学生

参考例句：

• My brother is senior to me by two years.我哥哥比我年长两岁。
• They are senior students.他们是高年级学生。

2 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

3 routines   

n.[计算机]程序( routine的名词复数 )；例行公事；日常工作；固定节目

参考例句：

• The artists were going through their daily routines. 艺术家们正进行日常的练习活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hospital routines for nurses are very rigid. 医院中护士的日常工作非常刻板。 来自辞典例句

4 neutral   

adj.中立的，不偏不倚的；中性的

参考例句：

• Behaviour is never culturally neutral.人的行为从来都受文化的影响。
• They have maintained a consistently neutral stance.他们一直持中立态度。

5 confused   

adj.困惑的，烦恼的

参考例句：

• They asked so many questions that they confused me.他们问了许多问题，都把我弄糊涂了。
• A wise man is never confused.智者不惑。

6 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。