总觉得自己有做不完的家庭作业?“开夜车”赶作业是常态?经常觉得被作业压得喘不过气?如果家庭作业已经成了你的负担,也许你应该制定一个适合自己的作业计划,调整做作业的方法和步调,或寻求必要的帮助,为自己减负。
Do algebra1) problems 15 through 25. Conjugate2) the verbs on page 50 of your French workbook. Read pages 12 through 20 of the Shakespeare play, and when you're finished with that, don't forget to fill in the missing chemical symbols on the Periodic Table of Elements3) worksheet.
Sound like a roster4) of your homework for the next few nights—or maybe even just for tonight? Homework is a major part of going to school: It's your teachers' way of evaluating how much you understand of what's going on in class, and it helps reinforce5) important concepts.
Luckily, there are several things you can do to make homework less work.
代数要做第15~25题,法语作业本第50页的动词要变形,还要读莎士比亚戏剧第12~20页,完成这些后,还要记得将元素周期表中空着的化学符号填充完整。
这听起来像是你今后几个晚上的作业清单——或者可能仅仅是今天晚上的?家庭作业是上学的一个主要部分:老师们用家庭作业衡量你对课堂上所学知识的掌握程度,家庭作业也能帮助你巩固重要的概念。
幸运的是,有些办法能让你做起家庭作业来事半功倍。
Create a Homework Plan
First, be sure you understand the assignment6). Write it down in your notebook or day planner if you need to, and don't be afraid to ask questions about what's expected. It's much easier to take a minute to ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night! If you want, you can also ask how long the particular homework assignment should take to complete so you can budget7) your time.
Second, use any extra time you have in school to work on your homework. Many schools have study halls that are specifically designed to allow students to study or get homework done. It's tempting8) to hang out with friends during study periods or unstructured9) time, but the more work you can get done in school, the less you'll have to do that night.
Third, pace yourself10). If you don't finish your homework during school, think about how much you have left and what else is going on that day, and then budget your time. Most high-school students have between 1 and 3 hours of homework a night. If it's a heavy homework day and it seems like you've got an assignment in every subject but gym and lunch, you'll need to devote more time to homework. It's a good idea to come up with some kind of homework schedule, especially if you are involved in sports or activities or have an after-school job.
Watch Where You Work
When you settle down to do homework or to study, where do you do it? Parked in front of the TV? In the kitchen, with the sound of dishes being cleared?
These places may have worked when you were younger and your assignments didn't require as much skill and concentration11). But now that you're older, a bedroom, study, or any other room where you can get away from noise and distractions12) is the best place to get homework done. But don't study on your comfy13) bed—opt for14) a desk or table that you can set your computer on and is comfortable to work at. It doesn't need to be large, just big enough to spread out your stuff.
创建一个
家庭作业计划
首先,确定你清楚作业的内容。如果有需要,把家庭作业的内容记在笔记本上或者每日计划中,不要害怕询问作业要求。相比之下,花一分钟时间在课上或课下问问老师,比之后一整个晚上都费劲回想要容易得多!如果你愿意,也可以问问某项作业需要多久完成,以便安排自己的时间。
其次,利用在学校的任何空闲时间做家庭作业。很多学校都有自习室,专为学生学习或做作业而设置。虽然在学习间隙或者自由支配的时间里和朋友一起出去玩很诱人,但是你在学校里完成的作业越多,那么需要留到晚上做的作业就越少。
再次,调整自己做作业的速度。如果你没能在学校完成作业,想一想还剩下多少以及这天你还有什么其他的安排,然后好好规划你的时间。大多数高中生一个晚上要花1~3个小时做家庭作业。倘若这天的作业特别多,除了健身和吃饭外,你似乎每科都有作业需要完成,那么你就需要花更多的时间来完成家庭作业。制作一个家庭作业时间表是个不错的主意,尤其是在你要参加体育运动或其他活动,又或者你放学后还要做兼职工作的情况下。
谨慎选择做作业的地点
当你坐下来开始做作业或者学习的时候,你在哪儿?是在电视机前?还是在厨房里听着洗碗的声音?
当你还小的时候,或者你的作业不需要很多的技巧或专注的情况下,这些地方或许还可以勉强应付得过去。但是现在你长大了,卧室、书房或者其他能远离噪音和杂乱的房间是做作业的最佳地点。但是别在舒服的床上——选择能够放下电脑的书桌或者桌子,能让你舒服地完成作业就行。桌子不需要特别大,足够把你做作业所需的物品摆放开就可以了。
Get to Work
When you start your homework, tackle15) the hardest assignments first. It's tempting to start with the easy stuff to get it out of16) the way, but you'll have the most energy and focus when you begin, so it's best to use this mental power on the subjects that are most challenging. Later, when you're more tired, you can focus on the simpler things.
If you get stuck on a problem, try to figure it out as best you can—but don't obsess17) and spend too much time on it because this can mess up18) your homework schedule for the rest of the night. If you need to, ask an adult for help or call or email a classmate for advice. But don't pick someone you'll be up19) all night chatting with or you'll never get it done!
Take a Break
Most people's attention spans20) aren't very long, so take some breaks while doing your homework. Sitting for too long without stretching or relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people. (But if you're really concentrating, wait until it's a good time to stop.)
Once your homework is done, you can check over it if you have extra time. Be sure to put it safely away in your backpack—there's nothing worse than having a completed assignment that you can't find the next morning. (And no teacher still believes that "chewed by the dog" line21)—even when it's true!)
Get Help When You
Need It
Sometimes even though you're paying attention in class, studying for tests, and doing your homework, certain classes seem too hard. Although you may hope that things will get easier or that the explanation to the geometry22) theorems23) will magically appear in your dreams, most of the time this doesn't happen.
What does happen for many people is that they work harder and harder as they fall further and further behind. Naturally, this makes them hate a class and everything to do with it. If you need extra help, the most important thing to know is that there's nothing weird24) or embarrassing about it. No one is expected to understand everything, and people have very different learning styles.
The first place to turn for help is your teacher. He or she may be able to work with you before or after school and explain things more clearly. But what if you don't feel comfortable with your teacher? If you're in a big enough school, there may be other teachers who teach the same subject. Speak to a guidance counselor or to the other teacher directly and you may be in luck. Sometimes it just helps to have someone new explain something in a different way.
You might also be able to get some help from another student. If there's someone you like who's a good student, think about asking that person if you can study together. This might help because you'll be hearing the information from the perspective of one of your peers. However, keep in mind that this might not get you the results you need. Lots of people understand something perfectly without being able to explain it.
Another option for extra help is a tutor, either after school, on weekends, or in the evening. You'll need to talk to an adult about this because it costs money to hire a tutor. Tutors sometimes come to your home, but there are also tutoring centers across the country. A tutor may have broad knowledge of many things or may be trained in just one subject. Tutors work with you one on one25), helping review and further explain things taught in the classroom. The advantage of having a tutor is that it gives you the opportunity to ask questions directly and work at your own pace.
If you're interested in a tutor, get a referral from a teacher, or friend or classmate who has a tutor. And if you live in or near a town with a college or university, you may find tutors there. Often college students will tutor high school students in their areas of study to help cover the costs of school.
开始做作业
当你开始做作业的时候,首先解决掉最难的部分。谁都愿意从容易的部分开始做起,好把它从作业表中划掉;但在开始的时候,你的精力比较充沛,注意力也最为集中,所以最好在脑力强劲的时候完成最具挑战性的科目。稍后,当你比较累的时候,再集中解决比较容易的部分。
如果你被一道题目难住了,尽全力把它解决掉——但是别让它扰乱了你的心绪,也别浪费太多的时间,因为这会打乱你这个晚上剩下的家庭作业计划。如果有需要,向大人求助,或者打电话发邮件跟同学讨论一下。但是别挑一个你会跟他聊一整个晚上的人,否则你就永远没法完成家庭作业了!
休息一下
大多数人的注意力不会集中太久,所以做作业的时候要休息几次。偶尔停下来会比长时间坐着不伸展也不放松更有效率。对大多数人来说,每小时休息15分钟是个不错的主意。(但如果你真的很专心,就等到合适的时候再停下来。)
一旦你完成了作业,如果还有多余的时间,你可以复查一遍。确保你把作业平安无事地放到了书包里——没有什么比你第二天找不到已经做好的作业更糟糕的事了。(而且没有老师还会相信作业“被小狗吃了”这种骗人的话了——即便这是真的!)
需要的时候寻求帮助
有时候,即使你在课堂上专心致志地听讲,努力准备考试,认真完成家庭作业,但某些课程似乎还是很难。尽管你希望事情会变得简单,或是希望几何定理的证明会魔术般地出现在你的梦里,但多数情况下,这是不会发生的。
大多数人都遇到过这种情况:越是奋发向上、努力学习,成绩却越来越差,一落千丈。很自然地,这就使得他们不喜欢课堂以及所有与课堂相关的东西。如果你需要额外帮助,那么你首先要知道的是,这并不奇怪也没什么好尴尬的。没有人会被寄希望于懂得一切,而且每个人都有自己不同的学习方式。
寻求帮助的首选是你的老师。老师可以在课前或课后跟你一起解决,将问题解释得更清楚。但如果你感觉找自己的老师不太合适怎么办?如果你的学校足够大,会有教授这个科目的其他老师。找个指导教师或者直接找其他老师谈谈,也许运气就来了。有时候,也许只是一个不熟悉的人从另一个角度解释问题就能有所帮助。
你也可以从同学那儿得到一些帮助。如果有谁是你比较喜欢的,而他又是个好学生,如果你们能一起学习,可以考虑一下向这个人求助。这个办法也许管用,因为你将能听到同龄人的意见。但是要记住,你也许得不到想要的结果。很多人都能很好地理解某事,但却并不能很好地解释它。
寻求额外帮助的另一个选择是在课后、周末或者晚上请家教。你需要跟大人沟通一下,因为雇佣家教是要付费的。家教有时可以去你家,但也有些家教中心。有的家教可以多学科辅导,有的只辅导一门。家教是一对一地教学,帮助你复习,进一步解释课堂上学习的内容。有家教的好处是你有机会能直接提问,并且以你自己的步调学习。
如果你想找家教的话,请老师推荐一个,或者请那些请了家教的朋友或者同学推荐。如果你居住的地方或者附近有学院或者大学,你可以在学校里找一个家教。通常情况下,大学生会给高中生担当其所学专业的家教,以贴补他们在学校的花销。
1. algebra [5AldVIbrE] n. 代数学
2. conjugate [5kCndVu^It] vt. 【语】列举(动词的)词形变化(或变位)
3. Periodic Table of Elements:元素周期表
4. roster [5rEustE(r)] n. 项目单
5. reinforce [7ri:In5fC:s] vt. 强化,使更有力;加深(印象、看法等)
6. assignment [E5saInmEnt] n. (分派的)任务;(指定的)作业
7. budget [5bQdVIt] vt. 规划,安排
8. tempting [5temptIN] adj. 诱人的,吸引人的
9. unstructured [7Qn5strQktFEd] adj. 松散的,自由的
10. pace yourself: 自我调节,控制节奏
11. concentration [7kCnsen5treIFEn] n. 专心,专注
12. distraction [dI5strAkFEn] n. 分散注意力(或分心)的事物
13. comfy [5kQmfI] adj. 舒服的,轻松的
14. opt for: 选择
15. tackle [5tAkl] vt. (着手)对付,(开始)处理
16. get ... out of: 从⋯⋯取出;从⋯⋯拔出
17. obsess [Eb5ses] vi. <主美> 受困扰,心神不宁
18. mess up: <美口> 把事情弄糟,铸成大错;陷入狼狈的境地,陷入困境
19. up [Qp] adj. <口> 处于兴奋(或快乐)状态;处于激动状态
20. span [spAn] n. 持续时间
21. line [laIn] n. <口> 欺骗性的话
22. geometry [dVI5CmEtrI] n. 几何(学)
23. theorem [5WIErEm] n. 【数】定理
24. weird [wIEd] adj. <口> 奇怪的
25. one on one:一对一