Researchers have previously called for school desks to be banned to reduce obesity. 

Now a new study says getting rid of sitting desks could also help children pay more attention in class. The research found that when students learned on their feet, they increased their focus by 12 per cent. This is equal to an extra seven minutes per hour of engaged instruction time, the study found.

The findings were based on a study of almost 300 children in second through fourth grade who were studied over the course of a school year. Engagement was measured by actions like answering a question, raising a hand, or participating in active discussion and off-task behaviors like talking out of turn. Standing desks, also known as stand-based desks, are raised desks that have seats nearby, which let students sit or stand during class at their willingness.

Mark Benden, associate professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, originally became interested in the desks as a way to reduce childhood obesity. Professor Benden’s previous studies have shown the desks can help reduce obesity - with students at standing desks burning 15 per cent more calories than students at traditional desks. 

Professor Benden says he wasn’t surprised at the results of his latest study, given that previous research has shown that physical activity, even at low levels, may have beneficial effects on cognitive ability. “Standing workstations reduce disruptive behavior problems and increase students’ attention or academic behavioral engagement by providing students with a different method for completing academic tasks (like standing) that breaks up the monotony of seated work,” Professor Benden says. Considerable research indicates that academic behavioral engagement is the most important contributor to student achievement.”

“Simply put,” says Professor Benden, “we think better on our feet than in our seat.”

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1.What benefits do students have from standing desks?

A They can be more concentrated on what they are learning.

B They have more chances to answer questions in class.

C They feel relaxed when they don’t have to keep seated.

D They will improve their academic results very soon.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据文章第2段首句Now a new study says getting rid of sitting desks could also help children pay more attention in class可知，站立式书桌对学生的好处是有助于其集中注意力学习。

2.What can we infer from the passage?

A If a student stands in class, he can answer the questions better.

B If a student wants to be seated, he may just sit down.

C If a student stands in class, he can keep up spirits throughout.

D If a students stands in class, he hears the teacher better.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据文章第3段Standing desks, also known as stand-based desks, are raised desks that have seats nearby, which let students sit or stand during class at their willingness.可知站立式书桌旁设有座位，由此判断，如果学生愿意的话，他可以坐下学习。

3.What were standing desks used for at the very beginning?

A They were used to boost the students’ interest in learning.

B They were used to promote the pupils’ cognitive ability.

C They were used as a way to reduce childhood obesity.

D They were used to change the students’ learning behaviors.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据文章第4段…originally became interested in the desks as a way to reduce childhood obesity可知，站立式书桌最开始是用于儿童减肥的。

4.What does the underlined word most probably mean in the last paragraph?

A Placed.

B Seen.

C Judged.

D Expressed.

解析：选D。D 猜测词义题。根据文章最后一句we think better on our feet than in our seat.站着比坐着学习更好，这是一个结论，所以put在文章中的意思是“说，表达”。

5.Why does the author write this passage?

A To tell us that school desks will soon disappear in schools.

B To tell parents that fat children have their places to lose weight.

C To give a general report on the research of standing desks.

D To prove that standing desks are beneficial to school children.

解析：选C。C 写作用意题。通读全文可知，本文为科研结果报告，主要介绍了站立式书桌对学生的影响—既可以减肥，又有利于学生集中精力学习。故选C。