Teens ask for a kinder college admissions process

山东 王新运

1By most measures, 18-year-old Gregory Woodson is a success.He works 20 hours a week as a martial arts instructor in Carson,keeps up his grades and has strong, openminded friendships.Yet as he plans for college,one word often hides in his mind:failure.

2“It's horrifying.It's lots of pressure because I feel like I have to choose now.I have to figure out what I want to do exactly,”Woodson said.Woodson and his fellow classmates have spent their winter months rushing into researching financial aid, creating pros and cons lists for schools they want to attend,and brainstorming scholarship and admissions essays.

3In recent years, that's only gotten harder.The pandemic has increased the stress of college applications because distance learning has affected teens'mental health.“I've spoken with young people across our country who feel weighed down by great pressure that's affecting their mental health and well-being.For many of them,one important source of such stress is the college admissions process,”U.S.Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said in a statement.

4It's a laborious and distressing experience for many students,especially those whose families never attended higher education or lack the money to pay to improve their children's chances of getting into selective schools.

5“Whether it is the application itself or it is the understanding that we're moving from adolescence truly into young adulthood, where we're going to be much more independent,all of that weighs on mental health,”said Josh Godinez,a high school counselor.

6Godinez said counselors can help provide valuable resources and support for college.It can make a big difference.“We set students up for their post-secondary plans.School counselors are the ones that are uniquely positioned to support students through all of it and we take great pride in making sure that we do,day in and day out for our students.”

Reading Check

1.How does Woodson feel about his future education?

A.Confident.B.Unsure.

C.Concerned.D.Negative.

2.What makes it harder for teens to apply for colleges recently?

A.The declining number of excellent selective schools.

B.The lasting pandemic.

C.The lack of open-minded friendships.

D.The popularity of distance learning.

3.Who may face the severest pressure in college applications?

A.Those whose parents have little education and income.

B.Those who feel difficult to get support from universities.

C.Those who are suffering from mental health in hospital.

D.Those who know much about adulthood.

4.Who can help the seniors in high schools greatly according to paragraph 6?

A.Doctors.

B.Parents.

C.Schoolmates.

D.School advisors.

➢语篇解码

本文是一篇新闻报道，介绍了当前美国青少年在申请大学时的迷惘和已经产生的问题，他们希望录取过程能更友善一些。

➢语言学习

Ⅰ.语料荟萃

语篇单词financial adj.财政的；财务的；金融的 admission n.（机构、组织等的）准许加入stressful adj.有压力的 affect vt.影响；（疾病）侵袭；深深打动 source n.来源；出处 process n.过程；进程；步骤vt.处理；加工 lack n.缺乏；短缺vt.没有；缺乏independent adj.独立的；有主见的 valuable adj.有价值的 uniquely adv.独特地重要短语the pros and cons 事物的利与弊；支持与反对 by most measures 从大多数方面来看 figure out 弄懂；弄清楚；计算 make a big difference 有很大影响

Ⅱ.语句分析

1.It's a laborious and distressing experience for many students, especially those whose families never attended higher education or lack the money to pay to improve their children's chances of getting into selective schools.对许多学生来说，这是一段艰难而痛苦的经历，尤其是那些从未接受过高等教育或者没有钱提高孩子进入重点学校的机会的家庭的孩子。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，句中的those 是先行词，whose 引导定语从句并在句中作定语。

2.School counselors are the ones that are uniquely positioned to support students through all of it and we take great pride in making sure that we do, day in and day out for our students.学校辅导员是特意委派来支持学生度过这一切的人，我们为确保我们每天都在为学生做这件事而感到自豪。

【点石成金】本句由and 连接的两个并列句构成：第一个并列句中含有一个定语从句，先行词是the ones，that 引导定语从句并在句中作主语；第二个并列句中的making sure是介词in的宾语，而we do,day in and day out for our students是宾语从句。

➢语言运用

Ⅰ.例句仿写

1.这个奖项将颁给作品最具想象力的作家。

The prize will go to the writer ________________________.

2.优质大学是指那些具有高质量教育水平，并且能够充分认识自己的位置和前进的方向，能将学校的潜力不断转化为进步和自身能量的学校。

Good schools are ________________________, and a good sense of where it is and where it is going, and those that are constantly ________________________and its own energy.

Ⅱ.写作实践

你校英语俱乐部本月主题月活动为“My ideal university”，请你写一篇演讲稿参加活动。内容包括：

1.描述你理想的大学；

2.介绍原因；

3.表达愿望。

注意：

1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

My ideal university

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________