In the United States, secondary school is called high school; students begin high school in ninth grade, when they have completed eight years of school.
An average day for a high school student begins with a brief “homeroom” period, when the roll is taken and announcements are made. The rest of the day is divided into eight or nine “periods” of equal length, usually 45-50 minutes.
At the beginning of each period, when the bell rings, students go into a classroom to begin class. Every period they have a different class, with a different teacher, in a different room. Some of their fellow students move with them from class to class, but many have very different class schedules.
Alice is a ninth grader. She is fourteen years old. On Monday her class schedule looks like this:
8:00-8:15 am | Homeroom | |
First period | 8:15-9:00 am | French I |
Second period | 9.00—9:45 am | Algebra II |
Third period | 9:45-10:30 am | English |
Fourth period | 10:30-11:15 am | Biology |
Fifth period | 11:15 am—12 noon | Biology laboratory |
Sixth period | 12 noon—12:45 pm | Physical Education |
Seventh period | 12:45-1:30 pm | Lunch |
Eighth period | 1:30-2:15 pm | American History |
Ninth period | 2:15—3.00 pm | Choir |
a brief “homeroom” period — короткий классный час
to take a roll — провести перекличку
to make announcements — сделать объявления