2019年12月六级第3套仔细阅读 Passage 1 原文翻译及答案解析

Schools are not just a microcosm of society; they mediate it too. The best seek to alleviate the external pressures on their pupils while equipping them better to understand and handle the world outside-at once sheltering them and broadening their horizons. This is ambitious in any circumstances, and in a divided and unequal society the two ideals can clash outright. Trips that many adults would consider the adventure of a lifetime-treks in Borneo, a sports tour to Barbadoes - appear to have become almost routine at some state schools. Parents are being asked for thousands of pounds. Though schools cannot profit from these trips, the companies that arrange them do. Meanwhile, pupils arrive at school hungry because their families can't afford breakfast. The Child Poverty Action Group says nine out of 30 in every classroom fall below the poverty line. The discrepancy is startlingly apparent. Introducing a fundraising requirement for students does not help, as better-off children can tap up richer aunts and neighbors. Probing the rock pools of a local beach or practicing French on a language exchange can fire children's passions, boost their skills and open their eyes to life's possibilities. Educational outings help bright but disadvantaged students to get better scores in A-level tests. In this globalized age, there is a good case for international travel, and some parents say they can manage the cost of a school trip abroad more easily than a family holiday. Even in the face of immense and mounting financial pressures, some schools have shown remarkable determination and ingenuity in ensuring that all their pupils are able to take up opportunities that may be truly life-changing. They should be applauded. Methods such as whole-school fundraising, with the proceeds pooled, can help to extend opportunities and fuel community spirit. But ￡3,000 trips cannot be justified when the average income for families with children is just over ￡30,000. Such initiatives close doors for many pupils. Some parents pull their children out of school because of expensive field trips. Even parents who can see that a trip is little more than a party or celebration may well feel guilt that their child is left behind. The Department for Education's guidance says schools can charge only for board and lodging if the trip is part of the syllabus, and that students receiving government aid are exempt from these costs. However, many schools seem to ignore the advice, and it does not cover the kind of glamorous, exotic trips, which are becoming increasingly common. Schools cannot be expected to bring together communities single-handed. But the least we should expect is that they do not foster divisions and exclude those who are already disadvantaged.

学校不仅是社会的缩影；它们也调解社会。最好的学校致力于减轻学生面临的外部压力，同时更好地装备他们理解并应对外部世界——既保护他们，又开阔他们的视野。这在任何情况下都是雄心勃勃的，在一个分裂且不平等的社会中，这两种理想可能彻底冲突。许多成年人视为一生冒险的旅行——如在婆罗洲徒步、去巴巴多斯的体育巡回赛——在一些公立学校似乎已变得几乎例行公事。家长被要求支付数千英镑。尽管学校不能从这些旅行中获利，但安排它们的公司可以。与此同时，学生因家庭负担不起早餐而饿着肚子上学。儿童贫困行动小组表示，每间教室30人中有9人低于贫困线。这种差距显而易见。引入学生筹款要求无济于事，因为家境较好的孩子可以向更富有的阿姨和邻居求助。探索当地海滩的潮池或在语言交流中练习法语，可以点燃孩子的激情，提升他们的技能，并开阔他们对生活可能性的眼界。教育郊游帮助聪明但弱势的学生在A级考试中取得更好的分数。在这个全球化时代，国际旅行有充分的理由，一些家长表示，他们更容易承担学校海外旅行的费用，而不是家庭度假。即使面临巨大且日益增长的财务压力，一些学校在确保所有学生都能抓住可能真正改变人生的机会方面，表现出非凡的决心和创造力。他们应该受到赞扬。诸如全校筹款并将收益汇集等方法，有助于扩展机会并激发社区精神。但当有孩子家庭的平均收入仅略高于30000英镑时，3000英镑的旅行是无法证明合理的。此类举措关闭了许多学生的机会之门。一些家长因昂贵的实地考察而让孩子退学。即使能看到旅行不过是一场派对或庆祝活动的家长，也可能因孩子被落下而感到内疚。教育部指南规定，如果旅行是教学大纲的一部分，学校只能收取食宿费，且接受政府资助的学生免除此费用。然而，许多学校似乎忽视了这一建议，而且它并不涵盖那些日益普遍的迷人、异国之旅。不能指望学校单方面团结社区。但我们至少应期望，它们不会加剧分裂并排除那些本已处于弱势的人。