Read the following passage. Answer the questions according to the information given in the passage.
In Britain and other countries, young people usually take a “gap year”, a year off between high school and college. This idea never gained a big following in the United States. Recent news reports have suggested that interest may be growing, though there are no official numbers.
Charles Deacon, the dean of admissions estimates that in the current first-year class of one thousand six hundred students, only twenty-five percent decided to take a year off. He says this number has not changed much over the years. He says the most common reasons to have a chance to travel, but international students may take a gap year to meet requirements at home for military duty.
Some high school graduates see a year off as a chance to recover after twelve years of required education. But it can also give students a chance to explore their interest.
Many colleges and universities support gap-year projects by permitting students to delay their admission. Experts say students can grow emotionally and intellectually as they work at something they enjoy. The Harvard admissions office has an essay on its Web site called “Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation”. It praises the idea of taking time off to step back, think and enjoy gaining life experience outside the pressure of studies. Of course, a gap year is not for everyone. Students might miss their friends who go on directly to college. And parents might worry that their children will decide not to go to college once they take time off. Another concern is money. A year off, away from home, can be costly.
Holly Bull is the president of the Center for Interim Programs. Her company specializes in helping students plan their gap year. She notes that several books have been written about this subject. And she points out that many gap-year programs cost far less than a year of college.
小题1:How do many colleges and universities support gap-year projects? (No more than 8 words)
小题2:According to Charles Deacon, how many students in the current first-year class of his school decided to take a gap year? (No more than 8 words)
小题3:What is the purpose of some high school students taking a gap year?( No more than 6 words)
小题4:Why do parents worry about children’s gap year? (No more than 15 words)
