In communities north of Denver, residents are pitching in to help teachers and administrators as the Vrain school District tries to solve a $13.8 million budget shortage blamed on mismanagement. ”We’re worried about our teachers and principals, and we really don’t want to lose them because of this,” one parent sail. “If we can help ease their financial burden, we will. ”
Teachers are grateful, but know it may be years before the district is solvent(有综合能力的). They feel really good about the parent support, but they realize it’s impossible for then to solve this problem.
The 22,000-student district discovered the shortage last month. “It’s extraordinary. Nobody would have imagined something happening like this at this level,” said State Treasurer Mike Coffman.
Coffman and district officials last week agreed on a state emergency plan freeing yp a $9.8 million loan that enabled the payroll(工资单) to be met for 2,700 teachers and staff in time for the holidays.
District officials also took $1.7 million from student-activity accounts its 38schools.
At Coffman’s request, the District Attorney has begun investigating the district’s finances. Coffman says he wants to know whether district officials hid the budget shortage until after the November election, when voters approved a $212 million bond issue for schools.
In Frederick, students’ parents are buying classroom supplies and offering to pay for groceries and utilities to keep first-year teachers and principals in their jobs.
Some $36,000 has been raised in donations from Safeway. A Chevrolet dealership donated $10,000 and forgave the district’s $10,750 bill for renting the driver educating cars. IBM contributed 4,500 packs of paper.
“We employ thousands of people in this community,” said Mitch Carson, a hospital chief executive, who helped raise funds. “We have children in the school, and we see how they could be affected.”
At Creek High School, three students started a website that displays newspaper articles, district information and an email forum(论坛)。
“Rumors about what’s happening to the district are moving at lighting speed,” said a student. “We wanted to know the truth, and spread that around instead.” (345words)
1.What has happened to the Vrain School District?
A)A huge financial problem has arisen.
B)Many schools there are mismanaged.
C)Lots of teachers in the district are planning to quit.
D)Many administrative personnel have been laid off.
2.How did the residents in the Vrain School District respond to the budget shortage?
A)They felt somewhat helpless about it.
B) They accused those responsible for it.
C) They pooled their efforts to help solve it.
D) They demanded a through investigation.
3.In the view of State Treasurer Mike Coffman, the educational budget shortage is_________.
A)unavoidable
B)unthinkable
C)insolvable
D)irreversible
4.Why did Coffman request an investigation?
A)To see if there was a deliberate cover-up of the problem.
B)To find out the extent of the consequences of the case.
C)To make sure that the school principals were innocent.
D)To stop the voters approving the $212 million bong issue.
5.Three high school students started a website in order to__________.
A)attract greater public attention to their needs
B)appeal to the public for contributions and donations
C)expose officials who neglected their duties
D)keep people properly informed of the crisis
【解析】这篇文章报道了美国科罗拉多州首府丹弗北部的Vrain校区面临的因管理不善而造成的一千多万美元的财政预算短缺问题。很多学生家长自发筹款，帮助学校解决经费问题。州财政负责人感到发生这样的情况令人不可思议，要求对此展开调查，弄清该地区官员是否有意掩藏此问题。一些学生建立了一个网站发布消息，告诉人们这一危机的真相。
1.本题为细节题，答案是A：出现了很大的财政问题。
参见文章第1段：In communities north of Denver, residents are pitching in to help teachers and administrators as the Vrain school District tries to solve a $13.8 million budget shortage blamed on mismanagement.这句话的大意是：在丹佛北部的一些居民区，当地居民正在努力(pitch in)帮助教师和管理人员解决Vrain校区因管理不善而造成的一千三百八十万美元的财政预算短缺问题。
其他选项：【B】哪里的很多学校管理不善;【C】该地区的很多教师打算离开;【D】很多管理人员被解雇。这些均不符合题意。
2.本题为推论题，答案是【C】：他们集中力量帮助解决。
参见文章第7段，8段全文。
其他选项文中都没有提到。
3.本题为推论题，答案是【B】：难以想象。
参见文章第3段Coffman的原话：“It’s extraordinary. Nobody would have imagined something happening like this at this level,” said State Treasurer Mike Coffman. 这句话的大意是：这非常异常。谁也没有想到事情会发生到这种程度。
其他选项：【A】不可避免的;【C】不能解决的;【D】不能取消的。
4.细节题，答案是【A】：了解是否有人曾故意掩盖问题的真相。
参见文章第6段： Coffman says he wants to know whether district officials hid the budget shortage until after the November election.
5.推论题，答案是【D】：使人们得知这一问题的真相。
