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导读
近日，因为经费短缺问题，英格兰多所公立学校校长走上街头，举行了规模空前的抗议活动，希望教育部尽快拿出解决方法。因政府向地方提供的资金未能跟上需求的增长，很多学校陷入混乱：学校无法负担教科书、文具等基本开销；老师不仅要教授自己不擅长的科目，还要负责清洁工作等。事实上，这种现状的背后是英国政府在改革中小学教育经费的拨款制度，希望改变现有的政府拨款到地方，再由地方决定如何分配的制度，转而按照一个全国统一的拨款制度来计算各个学校获得的经费。
本篇课程首发于2019年4月29日，选自 The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/mar/08/its-dangerous-full-chaos-of-funding-cuts-in-englands-schools-revealed
作者：Sally Weale and Richard Adams
文本难度：★★★☆☆
话题难度：★★★☆☆
英文原文
Funding cuts causing chaos in England’s schools
教育经费缩减，英格兰学校陷入混乱
① An investigation on the impact of the funding crisis in England’s schools has revealed a system falling apart at the seams, with teachers covering for canteen staff and cleaners while essential funds are raised by parent donations and “charity” non-uniform days.
一项关于英格兰教育经费危机影响的调查显示，该地的教育体系正在土崩瓦解：老师做起了餐厅员工和清洁人员的工作，必要的资金都是来自家长的捐款和非校服日筹集的“善款”。
② Teachers and parents complain that there is not enough money even for basics such as textbooks, stationery and science equipment.
老师和家长都在抱怨经费甚至不够课本、文具和科教设备等一系列基本开销。
③ Staff have been made redundant, class sizes have gone up, subjects have been scrapped and teaching hours cut, as head teachers resort to desperate measures to make ends meet.
为了平衡收支，各校校长不得不采取极端措施，比如裁撤教职工、扩增班级容量、叫停部分学科以及缩短教学课时。
④ The reality is that as a result of the government austerity programme, schools have been forced to make cuts year on year.
事实上，因为政府的紧缩政策，学校不得不逐年缩减开支。
⑤The worry is that we are reaching a point where if significant action on funding doesn’t take place soon, the ability of schools to perform at a high level will drop off a cliff.
人们开始担心如果不针对教育经费及时采取有效措施，学校的高教学水准将出现断崖式下跌。
⑥Many schools are performing miracles with nothing, and the nothing is getting less.
许多学校在强为无米之炊，如今却进一步被逼上穷途末路。
⑦The principle of free education is being undermined by funding cuts to schools.
教育经费缩减正在动摇免费教育的理念。
⑧A whole generation of students are paying the price for austerity.
这一代的学生都在为经费紧缩付出代价。
语言点学习
canteen /kænˈtiːn/ n. 食堂；餐厅
staff /stɑːf, stæf/ n. 全体员工；全体雇员
basics /ˈbeɪsɪks/ n. （食物及其他供应的）基本供给
stationery /ˈsteɪʃənəri, ˈsteɪʃəneri/ n. 文具
redundant /rɪˈdʌndənt/ adj. 被解雇的，被裁减的；多余的，累赘的
head teacher 校长
austerity /ɔːˈsterəti, ˈɑːsterət̬i/n. （国家开支上的）紧缩，缩减
undermine /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn, ˌʌndərˈmaɪn/ vt. 逐渐削弱；暗中破坏
pay the price for 为……付出代价
▍词汇拓展
1. be falling/coming apart at the seams:someone or something is in very bad condition, very near to failure
Our plan is falling/coming apart at theseams.
我们的计划即将破产。
The health care system is falling/comingapart at the seams.
这个医疗保健体系几近崩溃。
2. cover for someone: you do someone’s workwhile they are away or ill or absent
John is on holiday, so I’m covering for himthis week.
约翰在度假，所以这周我来代班。
3. scrap /skræp/: vt. if you scrapsomething, you cancel it, and you decide to not continue doing that thing
We scrapped our plans for a trip to Francebecause of the bad weather.
因为天气不好，我们取消了去法国的计划。
Some people believe that car tax should bescrapped.
一些人认为，应该取消汽车税。
Plans for the new hospital have beenscrapped because of funding cuts.
由于资金缩减，建新医院的计划已被取消。
4. resort to desperate measures: to dosomething unusual to solve a problem, something you would not normally do:drastic measures, extreme solutions
We were so cold. We had to resort todesperate measures to keep warm. We had to burn out books to make a fire.我们当时太冷了，不得已才想出烧书生火这种办法来保暖。
They were so poor. They had to resort todesperate measures just to eat. They stole food from the supermarket.他们那会太穷了，不得已才去超市偷了东西来吃。
The company has resorted to desperatemeasures to survive. They have fired 50% of their staff.这家公司为求生存不择手段，甚至裁了一半员工。
5. make ends meet: to have enough money tobuy the things you need to live or survive
It’s not easy to make ends meet on hissmall salary with his big family.靠他那点薪水养活一大家子人确实很难。
University students often do part-time jobsto make ends meet.大学生经常要做些兼职才能养活自己。
6. drop/fall off a cliff: there is a suddendecrease or reduction; to become much less or maybe less successful very, veryquickly
The national economy has dropped/fallen offa cliff.国民经济受到重创。
The company’s profits have dropped/fallenoff a cliff.这家公司的利润急剧下滑。
7. perform miracles with nothing: achievegood results with very limited resource
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