新西兰英语 101 School Starts for the Year

　　School starts again this week for most students. This is the start of the new school year. Children who turned five during the holidays will start school for the first time. Children starting a new school often feel nervous if they don’t know anyone. It is especially hard for children who go to boarding¹ school. Some rural² children, when they reach high school age, go to boarding school instead of travelling long distances by school bus.
Most children, though, are happy to be back at school to see friends again. Parents are usually happy too. They can return to their normal life.
High school principals³ are worried that they will not have enough teachers and classrooms because more senior⁴ students are returning to school. Jobs are hard to find and some 17- and 18-year olds are deciding to go back to school if they can’t find a job.
It is too soon to know if the same thing is going to happen with polytechs and universities. Unemployment⁵ is increasing because of the economic⁶ problems. Young people know that they will need a qualification⁷ if they want a good job in the future. Early enrolments in polytechs and universities are showing there will probably be more students this year.

1 boarding   

n.木板（建造之物）；寄膳（宿）；用木板制成的物体；上船（或火车、飞机等）v.上（船、车或飞机）( board的现在分词 )；收费供…膳宿；强行登（船）；使搭伙

参考例句：

• We were sent to boarding school at a tender age. 很小的时候我们就被送到了寄宿学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There is a small boarding school in the little town. 那个小镇上有一所不大的寄宿学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

3 principals   

n.负责人( principal的名词复数 )；[法律]本人；主要的人（或物）

参考例句：

• I must consult my principals. 我得同委托人商量一下。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The subsequent rapport between the two principals assisted the transition process. 这两位首脑在这次会谈后所建立的和谐关系帮助了交接工作的进行。 来自辞典例句

4 senior   

adj.年长的；资格较老的，地位较高的；n.年长者，前辈；大学高年级学生

参考例句：

• My brother is senior to me by two years.我哥哥比我年长两岁。
• They are senior students.他们是高年级学生。

5 unemployment   

n.失业，失业状态

参考例句：

• The government will look into how to reduce unemployment.政府将研究如何降低失业率。
• He gave a talk on the theme of teenage unemployment.他就青少年失业的主题作了一次报告。

6 economic   

adj.经济上的，实用的，节省的

参考例句：

• Europe is divided into economic zones.欧洲分成多个经济区。
• Our economic construction is vivid with life.我们的经济建设生气勃勃。

7 qualification   

n.合格条件，资格，限制

参考例句：

• They had every qualification for success.他们具备获得成功的各种条件。
• He has no qualification to teach college students.他没有具备教大学的资格。