VOA标准英语2008年-'Specialized' Schools Are New York Specialty

New York City is not only home to the nation's most diverse population, its public school system also has the largest variety of so-called "specialized¹" schools. These academies concentrate on everything from science and the performing arts to social history and the city itself. VOA's Adam Phillips reports.
　
Students at Stuyvesant High School learn about the properties of liquid nitrogen in one of the school's chemistry laboratories

One of the most illustrious of these schools, the Stuyvesant High School in downtown Manhattan, was founded over a century ago as a manual trade school for boys. "Stuy," as it is known locally, is world famous for a science, technology and mathematics curriculum that has produced more than its share of Nobel Laureates, mathematics Field Medalists and other world class thinkers.

Its 3000 or so students can choose from 55 college-level "advanced placement" courses, including such non-scientific offerings as Gothic literature, architecture, and, government, a favorite subject of graduating senior Eva Sadej. "Science is very important to America, but laboratory science can't really act alone," she says. "Government is actually going out there and making science reachable to other people."

Sadej is planning to go to the prestigious² Massachusetts Institute of Technology next year. It will further an arc of achievement that began for her and all other Stuyvesant students with a fiercely difficult competitive examination. But, according to Principal Stanley Teitel, life for students at "Stuy" doesn't get much easier once they're admitted.
　
"Stuy" Principal Stanley Teitel says that to do well, his students must work hard and get plenty of rest. Socializing is an afterthought

"I joke with the students that there are three things one can have at Stuyvesant: a high grade point average, a good night's sleep, or a social life." Teitel then tells them to "pick whatever two [of those] you like, because there isn't enough time in the day for you to have all three of them."

Not that there isn't any fun at "Stuy." The school does offer many extra-curricular activities, including chess clubs, sports and musical groups.

Uptown, at the High School of Computers and Technology in the Bronx, enterprising students have rigged the classroom bells to sound a "cuckoo" alarm. Work and play go together here, says robotics teacher Stan Bellis, who is overseeing a student-led team project to build a go-kart.
　
Stan Bellis, who teaches robotics at the High School of Computers and Technology in the Bronx, enjoys his subject every bit as much as his students do

"The students like working with their hands. They like thinking things out," he says. "They have ideas and they come up with solutions and then they try it out."

Bellis adds that all the students love coming to school. "They could stay here 24 hours a day if I let them."

In addition to the required academic subjects, students at the High School of Computers and Technology are taught all aspects of computer maintenance and repair and graduate with Microsoft certifications that can land them high-paying entry level jobs. But Principal Bruce Abramowitz stresses that the school is not the sort of vocational school that once trained students for low-level factory and manufacturing jobs, where academic skills were unimportant or irrelevant³.

"Let's face it," says Abramowitz, "in this day and age in the computer industry… the kids… have to be highly trained in technical [skills] and very adept⁴ in academic areas."

Abramowitz likes to tell people that today's cars have more computer-controlled components⁵ on them than the Apollo spacecrafts that went to the moon. He confidently predicts that "of the kids we have graduating this year, I bet none of them wind up [working] in a fast food restaurant flipping⁶ burgers."
　
Girls outnumber boys in this dance class at the Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts

At a dance class at the Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts in Queens, New York, many of the students are flipping themselves, as they rehearse an acrobatic bit of choreography. "Sinatra" offers specializations in dance, fine art, drama, and both instrumental and vocal⁷ music.

Students get three 45-minute periods of instruction in their chosen art form every day. But they must also take a full load of required academic subjects.. The challenge is integrating those subjects with the students' chosen art forms.

"We're talking about a real in-depth understanding of the history of their particular art form," says Principal Donna Finn, "as well as its cultural significance, the criticism, and the ability for students to be able to be articulate about their art. So they're supporting their literacy skills in every aspect of their education here at Frank Sinatra." She pauses for a moment, then adds with a broad smile "I wish I had this school when I was in high school!"

The combination of academics and art instruction has worked well for graduating senior Richard Quatrano, a percussionist⁸. "I get to not only excel academically and get challenged on a daily basis, but I get to do what I love every day." Quatrano says that music will always be his passion. "But I've also learned to communicate. I've learned to analyze⁹. And if that doesn't make me a well-rounded person ready to tackle anything, I don't know what will!"
　
Bulgaria-born Liana Mitova loves her art and sculpture classes at "Frank Sinatra," and is constantly inspired by the cultural riches the Big Apple has to offer

For her part, Bulgaria-born Liana Mitova is delighted to be in a school where she can take all the painting and sculpture classes that were lacking in her city school curriculum back home. "I wouldn't be the same person without this opportunity," says Mitova, "and to do it in New York City, the cultural capital of the world, is truly amazing!"

New York City itself is the focus of one of the city's specialized schools, while others are devoted¹⁰ to social history, public health, writing, and the study of the future.

 

1 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

2 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

3 irrelevant   

adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的

参考例句：

• That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。
• A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

4 adept   

adj.老练的，精通的

参考例句：

• When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。
• He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。

5 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

6 flipping   

讨厌之极的

参考例句：

• I hate this flipping hotel! 我讨厌这个该死的旅馆！
• Don't go flipping your lid. 别发火。

7 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

8 percussionist   

n.打击乐器演奏者

参考例句：

• She overcame her deafness and eventually became a successful percussionist. 她克服了耳聋的毛病，最后当了打击乐队敲打手。 来自辞典例句
• For many years I practiced these techniques as a professional percussionist in jazz and new music. 许多年来作为一个职业的爵士乐和新音乐演奏者我不断实践着。 来自互联网

9 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

10 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。