I remember vividly the day I first stepped into Marguerite-d' Youville Elementary School in Saguenay, which is a school looking totally different. It all started back in 2017, and a group of Quebec-based education advocates, including celebrated architect Pierre Thibault, broke with tradition. They persuaded then education minister to kick in $3 million to create Lab-École, a non-profit aimed at developing learning environments that would make children excited to go to school. Lab-École's model, inspired by primary schools in Denmark, Finland and Japan, included large windows, natural materials, and spacious room for kitchens, common spaces and play.In 2019, six schools were chosen to receive Lab-École makeovers, one of which was Marguerite-d' Youville Elementary School. The $16.75-million design featured three interconnected, all-wood pavilions (亭子) with sloping roofs reminding all of Saguenay's Little White House.When I walked into the first wing of the school, it houses offices and kindergarten classrooms, while the second, central wing has a cooking lab and multi-purpose creative lab, along with a community learning center that doubles as a library and gathering space. In the third wing, the school's 12 elementary classrooms are spread out between three homey cottage-like structures. Outside, the yard is surrounded by the U-shaped main building, protecting the area from high winds and other wild weather. There's an outdoor classroom, a sports circuit and lots of climbable play structures made with repurposed wood from old buildings. Bio-retention basins are built into the garden to manage storm water runoff. Here, we had the chance to learn the ins and outs of urban agriculture.After doors opened in August of 2023, the structure received good reviews from its 290 pupils, including me and the public, who make regular use of its park and kitchen. The province has no plans to extend Lab-École after all its schools are completed this year, but the program has already aced its assignment: to get Canadians thinking differently about what a school can be.
(1)
Why was the non-profit Lab-École established?
A . To popularize a sustainable living style.
B . To make schools appealing to students.
C . To develop students' critical thinking.
D . To call for harmony in local community.
(2)
What does the author intend to explain about the upgraded school in paragraph 3?
A . Its cost.
B . Its design.
C . Its location.
D . Its history.
(3)
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A . Students will perform more assignments in the class.
B . Parents and kids hold different views on the structure.
C . The province plans to extend the model to all schools.
D . The school's makeover won popularity with the public.
(4)
Which is the most suitable title for the text?
A . Lab-École: Innovating Canadian School Design.
B . Challenges Facing High School Students in Canada.
C . An Introduction to Quebec-based Education Advocates.
D . Marguerite-d' Youville Elementary School: a Newly Constructed School.
答案: B
B
D
A