英语听力精选进阶版 6284（在线收听）

Drriinnggg! That's the sound kids up and down the country do not want to hear – the alarm bell.

The school year has just started and children across the UK have to wake up bright and early to go to school.

But students at one school in north-east England can lie in for an extra hour before they go to school.

Monkseaton High School has been allowing its pupils to come into school an hour later than other schools.

The headmaster, Dr Paul Kelley, says that this approach helps students pay more attention in class.

He feels that young people are more productive later on in the day and that a late start may be better for their school career than an early one.

Dr Kelley told the BBC that "teenagers don't function very well in the morning and their need to sleep is biological."

It seems that this novel approach to teaching shows positive results. The school has already seen a drop in the number of pupils playing truant by 27%.

More importantly, Dr Kelley also said that exam results have improved by 20-30% over the past year.

Lessons at Monkseaton High School begin at 10am and finish at 3.40pm; however, the school opens from 8am to 5pm.

Quiz 小测验

1. Does the headmaster of Monkseaton High School believe that starting school late is a good thing for students? 

Yes. Dr Paul Kelley believes it makes the students more productive.

2. Have exam results improved since Monkseaton High School began to allow its students to have a lie in? 

Yes. Exam results at the school have improved between 20-30%.

3. Are more students missing lessons at Monkseaton High School? 

No. There has been a 27% drop in students playing truant.

4. Does this approach make students pay more attention in class? 

Yes. Dr Paul Kelley says allowing students to have a lie in makes them pay more attention in class.

5. When do lessons at Monkseaton High School begin? 

They begin at 10am.

Glossary 词汇表

just started 刚刚开始 

bright and early 明亮的大清早儿 

lie in 躺在床上 

students 学生 

pupils 小学学生 

pay more attention in class 更集中精力听课 

more productive 生产效率更高的 

school career 在学生涯 

function 运作 

biological 生物的 

novel 新颖的 

approach to teaching 教学方法 

playing truant 逃学，旷课 

exam results 考试成绩