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About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings.Instead,
they receive their elementary (初等) and high school education by working at home on computers.The
Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools", and that is about twice as many as two years ago.
The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they
live.Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools.They
also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well.
Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed.These
people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools.They say
learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school.
Whatever the judgment of cyberschools, they are getting more and more popular.For example, a new
cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall.It will serve
children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen.
Children get free equipment for their online education.This includes a computer, a printer, books and
technical services.Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their
computers when necessary.
Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another.But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time.They were guests of honor at
their graduation.
1. What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschool?
A. They have to take long bus rides to school.
B. They study at home rather than in classrooms.
C. They receive money from traditional public schools.
D. They do well in traditional school programs.
2. What is a problem with cyberschools?
A. Their equipment costs a lot of money.
B. They get little support from the state government.
C. It is hard to know students' progress in learning.
D. The students find it hard to make friends.
3. Cyberschools are getting popular because ________.
A. they are less expensive for students
B. their students can work at their own speed
C. their graduates are more successful in society
D. they serve students in a wider age range
4. We can infer that the author of the text is ________.
A. unprejudiced in his description of cyberschools
B. excited about the future of cyberschools
C. doubtful about the quality of cyberschools
D. disappointed at the development of cyberschools
