《新概念英语》青少版第四册第99课:Homework

Lesson 99 Homework
第99课 家庭作业
Finished!Sandy cried Me too!Sue cried.
做完了!桑迪大声嚷着.我也做完了苏大声嚷着.
Gretel has often noticed that Sandy and Sue don't have very much homework.
格莱托经常注意到桑迪和苏的作业不多.
She raised the subject at dinner the other evening.
一天晚上吃饭时,她提出了这个问题.
and Mr Clark tried to explain.In some countries,he said,
克拉克先生解释说:在有些国家,
children are made to do a lot of homework from the moment they begin school.
孩子们一上学就得做大量作业.
They're often obliged to learn their lessons by heart
他们经常得背书,
and they are tested each day by their teachers.
每天教师都要考他们.
The children learn from exactly the same books
孩子们用的是同一教材,
and follow a strict state programme.
按照一个严格的全国性计划学习.
It's quite the opposite in England.
在英国恰巧相反.
Teachers rarely make very young children do any homework.
教师很少要小孩子做作业
They rarely get their pupils to learn lessons by heart.
很少要学生背课文,
The teachers themselves are usually free to choose the books they will use.
教师一般自由选择教科书
Some teachers don't use books at all!
有的教师压根儿不用教科书.
After the age of 11 or 12,of course,
当然孩子们到了十一二岁
children are generally made to do some homework,but never very much.
通常要做些作业,但作业量不大.
From the age of 14 onwards they usually have quite a lot,
从14岁开始,他们一般要做很多作业,
as they will be taking important examinations.
因为他们要参加重要的考试.
But even then,
不过即使这时,
the question of homework is largely their own responsibility.
做不做作业很大程度上还是他们自己的事.
Gretel thought English children were very lucky,
格莱托觉得英国的孩子非常幸运,
but Sandy and Sue didn't agree--which is hardly surprising!
但桑迪和苏不同意--这不会令人感到惊讶!