School in the Slums
·
Slums – трущобы
·
Locks – замки
·
Guards — охранники
·
Permission — разрешение
Mellish school is in the slums of
Brooklyn for pupils between twelve and fifteen
years of age. There are about 1500 pupils there, and 90 teachers.
It’s a problem school, perhaps one of the most difficult schools
in America. The white teachers can’t walk to the school because they may be
attacked. They all drive to school, and their cars have special locks. There’s
always a black policeman at the door of the school. He has a radio contact with
the school guards. Pupils must have a written permission from the
teacher if they want to go to the toilet. There’s a guard outside the washroom.
Only one child can go into the washroom at a time, and he can’t stay there
long.
The children who live in that district go to that school. They are
all black children. However, why do the teachers work there?
“It’s very hard of course,” says Jane Flinch, a forty-
five-year-old teacher. Most children have problems at home. Some of them are
beaten by their parents. Some of them sleep at the lessons because they had to
work at night. Some of the children get sick at the lessons because they didn’t
have breakfast or even a meal for a day or two.
It’s the love of the job that keeps the teachers in that school.
They teach and do social work. They feel that they are doing something good for
the children who need help.
“There’s also the problem of violence,” says one of the teachers.
“Sometimes when I go into a class, I can feel that some of the children are
like a dynamite. However, I feel quite safe. I am sure that other pupils will
help me.” There is very little money for teaching in that school. There is no
money to buy food for the children.
The principal of the school has been there for many years. A lot
of his happy optimism has gone. “No, I’m not optimistic about the future. Look
around you,” he says and points out of the window at the high wall round the
school. ”It’s not a very bright sight: buildings have holes instead of the
windows, shops are closed, groups of people are sitting on the steps of the
houses. They have nowhere to go and nothing to do.”
“We need money,” he says, “money is the only way to help this
school and these people, and, of course, jobs for the people.”
Задания
к тексту.
Exercise
1. Подберите правильный ответ.
Mellish school
is for
a) small
children.
b) older
children.
c) small and
older children.
The white
teachers can’t walk to school because
a) they live
far from the school.
b) they don’t
like to walk.
c) it’s
dangerous for them.
There’s a
policeman
a) at the door
of the school.
b) near the
toilet.
c) outside the
washroom.
The white
teachers work there because
a) they can’t
find a better job.
b) they love
their job.
c) they get a
lot of money there.
The school
needs
a) more money
b) more
teachers.
c) more
policemen.
Exercise
2. Say if the statements are true, false or not mentioned.
1. Mellish school
is in the slums of Mexico.
2. Most children
have problems at home.
3. Mellish
a problem school.
4. The principal
of the school has 5 children in his family.
5. The
school needs money.
6. It’s good
salary that keeps the teachers in that school.
Exercise
3. Answer the questions.
1. Where is
Mellish school situated?
2. How many
pupils are there in the school?
3. Is it hard or
easy for the teachers to work in this school?
4. Why do some of
the pupils sleep during the lessons?
5. Is the
principal optimistic?
Exercise
4. Заполните пропуски одним подходящим по смыслу словом.
1. Mellish school
is one of the most difficult schools in ___________.
2. The
___________ teachers can’t walk to the school because they may be attacked.
3. Pupils must
have a written permission from the teacher if they want to go to the
___________.
4. The teachers
teach and do __________ work.
Exercise
5. Write about the problems of Mellish school.
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