晨读英语美文60篇六级26

Education in the hospital

Surprisingly, no one knows how many children receive education in English hospitals, still less the content or quality of that education. Proper records are just not kept.

　 We know that more than 850,000 children go through hospital each year, and that every child of school age has a legal right to continue to receive education while in hospital.We also know there is only one hospital teacher to every 1,000 children in hospital.

　 Little wonder the latest survey concludes that the extent¹ and type of hospital teaching² available differ a great deal across the country. It is found that half of the hospitals in England which admit children have no teacher. A further quarter has only a part-time teacher. The special children's hospitals in major cities do best; general hospitals on the country and holiday areas are worst off.

　 From this survey, one can estimate³ that fewer than one in five children have some contact with a hospital teacher and that contact may be as little as two hours a day. Most children interviewed were surprised to find a teacher in hospital at all. They had not been prepared for it by parents or their own school. If there was a teacher they were much more likely to read books and do math or number work; without a teacher they would only play games.

　 Reasons for hospital teaching range from preventing a child falling behind and maintaining⁴ the habit of school to keeping a child occupied, and the latter is often all the teacher can do. The position and influence of many teachers was summed up when parents referred to them as "the library lady" or just "the helper".

　 Children tend to rely on concerned school friends to keep in touch with school w ork. Several parents spoke⁵ of requests for work being ignored or refused by the school. Once back at school children rarely get extra teaching, and are told to catch up as best they can. 　

Many short-stay child-patients catch up quickly. But schools do very little to ease⁶ the anxiety about falling behind expressed by many of the children interviewed.

1 extent   

n.程度，范围，限度；广度，宽度，大小

参考例句：

• The new race track is nearly six miles in extent. 这条新跑道将近六英里长。
• What's the extent of the damage? 损坏的程度如何?

2 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

3 estimate   

n.估计，估量；评价，看法；vt.估计，估量

参考例句：

• We estimate the cost to be five thousand dollars.我们估计费用为5000美元。
• The lowest estimate would put the worth of the jewel at ＄200.按最低的评估这块宝石也值200美元。

4 maintaining   

保持( maintain的现在分词 )； 保养； 坚持； 保卫

参考例句：

• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem. 维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。
• It's endless work maintaining the house in good repair. 要让房屋保持得很好是件干不完的活。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 ease   

n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松

参考例句：

• His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
• You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。