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小贴士：
2024年的最后一天，回顾过去的一年，可能你经历了许多成长与挑战，或许有欢笑，或许有泪水。即将站在2025年的新起点上，每一天，都是重新开始的机会。不要因为曾经的遗憾而止步，也不要让困难遮住前方的光。
——大橙子留
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上期划线句答案
In a political compromise, church and science leaders of the scientific revolution agreed to the split: the mind, soul, and spirit went together and were the church’s province alone.
在一次政治妥协中，科学革命时期的教会和科学领袖达成一致：心灵、灵魂和精神由教会独自管理。
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本期内容
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双语阅读
Para.1
Christmas is, or at least can be, a time for reminding us of what we genuinely value. And one of those things, it turns out, is school uniform. This is a popular time for non-uniform or Christmas jumper days — well-meaning events that can lead to drops in attendance because children whose families cannot afford such a festive jumper or particularly expensive clothing instead stay at home. One value of school uniform is that, if it is implemented sensibly, it can have a useful equalising effect in the classroom. It can be a way to ensure that, however briefly, no child is easily marked out from another due to their inability to afford the latest fashions or a popular item of clothing.
Para.2
The benefits of school uniform don’t only go to the worst off, either. Reasons I have heard from adults for disliking not having a school uniform when they were growing up range from their parents’ unfamiliarity with the styles of their adopted country, their parents’ religiosity or simply not knowing how to dress to fit in. All of these disadvantages can be mitigated simply by having a uniform. And almost everyone is either cash- or time-poor, particularly parents. At this time of year, I frequently hear from parents who, in addition to juggling their own responsibilities to ageing relatives, work and their children, are desperately having to clean a favourite item of clothing or a Christmas jumper in addition to the usual school uniform.
Para.3
Eighteen per cent of children whose parents or carers report struggling with the cost of uniform had been sent home from school due to failures to wear stipulated items, according to research commissioned by the previous government. Given that one major plus of having school uniform is to make it easier and cheaper for families, the fact that around 35 per cent of schools do not facilitate the sale of hand-me downs, while under a quarter of families report that they can buy a school uniform from any shop, is suboptimal.
Para.4
That said, this is an area where relatively light-touch government intervention seems to have had a big and beneficial effect. On more or less every metric of affordability, schools improved between 2015 and 2023, when the previous government commissioned its first and last studies. Even without anything in the way of carrots or sticks, the mere act of measuring the problem seems to have had a significant effect in encouraging schools to get better at making uniforms available at a lower price and to have uniform codes that make it easier for parents and carers to buy from a wider range of outlets.
Para.5
There are still useful bits of best practice to be drawn here. Part of the judgment for school leaders is working out when and where to be prescriptive. The length and size of hairstyles, for instance, which in 2020 led to one London school falling foul of the equalities watchdog, doesn’t need to be in a uniform code. But mandating the use of plimsolls rather than trainers in PE kits is a simple, quick win that can shift preferences away from one of the priciest bits of sportswear to one of the cheapest.
本文节选自：Financial Times（金融时报）
发布时间：2024.12.16
作者：Education
原文标题：The case for school uniforms is compelling
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写作句总结
原句：Given that one major plus of having school uniform is to make it easier and cheaper for families, the fact that around 35 per cent of schools do not facilitate the sale of hand-me downs, while under a quarter of families report that they can buy a school uniform from any shop, is suboptimal.
结构：Given that X is Y, the fact that A, while B, is Z.
例句：Given that lifelong learning is essential for personal growth, the fact that many individuals lack access to quality education, while some have limited interest in reading, is concerning.
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阅读理解题
According to the provided sources and our discussion, which of the following is NOT a typical benefit of school uniform policies?
A) They can help to ensure that children are not easily distinguished from one another based on their families' ability to afford fashionable or expensive clothing.
B) They can mitigate disadvantages faced by children whose parents may not be familiar with the styles of their adopted country, have religious restrictions, or simply do not know how to dress their children to fit in.
C) They can ease the burden on parents who may be cash or time-poor, by reducing the need to constantly choose outfits that fit in with current trends.
D) They guarantee that all students will have access to the latest fashion trends and popular items of clothing.
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全文概括
School uniforms, while sometimes criticized for their cost, offer significant benefits. Uniform policies, when implemented effectively, promote equality among students by minimizing socioeconomic disparities in clothing. Furthermore, uniforms can simplify the lives of parents, reducing the stress of managing children's wardrobes and ensuring children are appropriately attired for school. Although challenges remain, like affordability and access to uniform provisions, recent improvements suggest that focused attention on these issues can result in positive change. The text suggests that even small interventions can lead to more affordable and accessible school uniforms.
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打卡作业
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翻译 | 大橙子
校对 | 慢慢
词汇词组 | 胖葛柔儿
划线句讲解 | 流木
写作句总结 | 大橙子
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