A
Madeleine Hamilton's school in Franklin, Tennessee, recently made a big decision: Recess (课间休息) would come back. Madeleine and her sixthgrade classmates would go outside for 20 minutes every day. They could catch up with friends and kick a soccer ball around. “Recess is the one break in the day to relax and have fun，” she says.
Most middle school students don't get that chance. That's because most middle schools don't have recess anymore. Experts say that about 40 percent of US school districts have cut recess time.
Now, more and more experts agree: Schools should put recess back on the schedule.
Students have been heading outside for recess since at least the 1800s. But in the 1980s, some US schools started to cut recess. Why? American students weren't doing as well in school as students in other countries. To catch up, many schools in the US cut recess. This made more time in the schedule for important subjects like science and math.
But research shows that taking a break can actually help students learn.Your brain can get overwhelmed (应接不暇的) when you move from subject to subject without a break. That makes it harder for you to remember new information. Scientists say that resting your brain helps it work better.
Even adults have started taking breaks to rest their brains — and play. At Google, employees can stop working to use the office's LEGO station. And workers at Facebook can play video games in the company's arcade (游戏机厅)．
Recess doesn't just help students learn. Moving around can also help keep kids healthy. People who exercise daily can avoid extreme sadness. They are also less likely to become overweight.
Of course, kids can get hurt playing sports like dodgeball. Some schools have cut recess to avoid broken arms and legs. Schools also need adults to keep students safe on the playground during recess. Some schools can't afford to pay anyone to do this_job.
And 73 percent of schoolage kids in America play sports or do other athletic activities after school. Do they really need to take time out of busy school days for recess?
【语篇解读】 本文是议论文。文章探讨了中学是否应该增设课间休息。
21．How does Madeleine feel about her school's big decision?
A．Worried. B．Excited.
C．Moved. D．Surprised.
答案与解析：B 推理判断题。由第一段中的“a big decision: Recess would come back”和Madeleine说的“Recess is the one break in the day to relax and have fun”可知，对于这一决定她很高兴。
22．Why did many US schools cut recess in the 1980s?
A．To ensure students' safety.
B．To shorten students' school days.
C．To save time for students to study.
D．To let students play sports after school.
答案与解析：C 细节理解题。由第四段中的“American students weren't doing as well in school as students in other countries. To catch up, many schools in the U．S. cut recess”可知，上世纪八十年代，许多美国学校取消课间休息是为了让学生们有更多学习的时间。
23．What does the underlined part “this job” refer to?
A．Teaching students how to play sports like dodgeball.
B．Protecting students from getting hurt during a break.
C．Designing afterschool athletic activities for students.
D．Giving students medical care if they are hurt at school.
答案与解析：B 篇章结构题。由画线部分前的“cut recess to avoid broken arms and legs”和“need adults to keep students safe on the playground during recess”可知，由于有些活动会使孩子受伤，因此学校需要有成人在课间休息时间保证学生的安全。但有些学校承担不起雇人做这一工作的费用。
font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-hansi-font-family:宋体; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>D．many countries passed laws forbidding the killing of any animal
答案：B 推理判断题。通过对文章第四段的理解可以得知，动物在人们的生活中起着重要作用，故B项正确。
