How to deal successfully with a child who shows outstanding musical ability?It's not always clear how best to develop and encourage his gift.Many parents may even fail to recognise and respond to their children's need until frustration explodes into difficult or uncooperative behaviour.And while most schools are equipped to deal with children who are specially able in academic subjects,the musically gifted require special understanding which may not always be available in an ordinary school--especially one where music is regarded as a secondary activity.Such children may well benefit from the education offered by a specialist music school. The five music schools in Britain are a relatively recent introduction.They aim to provide an environment in which gifted children aged between seven and eighteen can develop their skills to the full under the guidance of professional musicians. Children at specialist music schools spend between one third and one half of an average day on musical activities,for example,individual lessons,orchestras,chamber groups,voice training,conducting and theory.They also spend several hours a day practising in properly equipped private rooms,sometimes with a teacher.The rest of their time is taken up with the subjects:English,maths,basic sciences and languages.All five British specialist schools are independent,classes are small by normal school standards,with a high teacher/pupil ratio .Most children attending specialist schools tend to be boarders,leaving home to live,eat and sleep fulltime at school. What are the disadvantages?An obvious problem is the cost;the fees are high(PS12,000PS17,000 a year for boarders).However,each school will make every effort with scholarships and other forms of financial assistance,to help parents of outstandingly gifted children to find the necessary fees.Secondly,not all parents want to send their children to boarding school,especially at a very early age.Almost all the directors of the specialist schools express doubts about the wisdom of admitting... What do most school directors see as a possible disadvantage for pupils? A) Poor children may not be included. B) They may lose their individuality. C) There may be a discipline problem. D) They may not be mature enough on arrival.
D
When Johnson called again, the manager received him very politely. "That is a most remarkable oil you brought us, Mr Johnson," he said. Johnson nodded his smooth, dark head. That was something he knew very well. "I've never seen anything like it," the manager admitted. Johnson nodded again. "No?" he said politely. Then he added, "But I think you will, sir. A very great deal of it." He appeared to think for a moment. "I think you will find it will be on sale seven, perhaps, eight years from now." He smiled. The manager thought that was uncertain. He said, "It is better than our fish oils. I admit that." "So I am told, sir," agreed Johnson. "Have you any plans to produce it yourself, Mr Johnson?" Johnson smiled again. "Would I be showing it to you if I had?" "We might add some chemicals to one of our own fish oils," said the manager. "It would be expensive to do that, even if you could." Johnson said gently. "Besides," he added, "I am told that this oil will be much cheaper than your best fish oils. Cheaper than any vegetable oil, in fact." "Perhaps," said the manager. "Well, I suppose you want to make an arrangement, Mr Johnson, Shall we discuss it?" "Of course," said Johnson. "There are two ways of dealing with a situation of this sort. The usual one is to prevent it altogether or at least to delay it as long as possible. That is, of course, the best way," The manager nodded. He knew plenty about all that. "But I am so sorry for you, because, you see, that is not possible this time." The manager had his doubts, but all he said was an inquiring(asking), "Oh?" "The other way," continued Johnson, "is to produce yourself before the trouble starts." Johnson expressed his regret that the manager _ . A) could not stop the new oil being made B) would never know how to make it C) had spent a lot of money on it D) didn't know enough about it
A
Considered one of Europe's two "bicycle capitals" along with Amsterdam, Copenhagen counts more bicycles than people and cycling is so popular that its numerous bike paths can become crowded. Two-wheeler traffic jams are especially regular on the main Noerrebrogade road used by around 36,000 cyclists a day. "You have to elbow your way in to go forward and some cyclists aren't always thoughtful," complains 22-year-old university student Lea Bresell. The creation of bike highways "comes right on time", says Danish Cyclist Federation Spokesman Frits Bredal. "Copenhagen's roads are overloaded with people who want to ride their bicycles in all kinds of weather," he says. "If in the 1960s Danes viewed the car as the symbol of freedom, the bicycles have supposed that role today," Bredal says. "It's a _ of transportation used by all social classes, even politicians ride bikes," he says. It is on crowded Noerrebrogade--the busiest bicycle street in Europe, according to the cyclist association--that city planners have decided to build the first of Copenhagen's environmentally friendly roads. The jammed bike paths will be widened up to four metres on either side of the road, which itself will be reserved for bikes only. The idea is to make Noerrebrogade "Europe's great cycling street", says Andreas Roehl, Copenhagen government's bicycle program manager who is also known as "Mr. Bike". But Roehl is not content with making life easier for Copenhagen's inner-city cyclists: He wants to get suburbanites out of their cars and onto two wheels as well. His goal is to hike the percentage of suburban commuters cycling to and from the city from the 37 percent it is today to 50 percent by 2015. Why does Copenhagen plan to build the first bike highway? A) Because bike highways are environmentally friendly. B) Because it's a part of the city's development program. C) Because the inner-city commuters urge that it should be built. D) Because too many bicycles cause the paths to be crowded.
D