Nowadays，practically2 everyone has a cell phone，and most would agree they are a great convenience. Still， they are the subjects of tremendous3 controversy４. Do they cause cancer５? Do they cause car accidents?And perhaps most importantly for millions of students， should cell phones be banned at school?

Many students depend on cell phones to coordinate6 plans with their friends and family. Mobile phones are especially useful for obtaining rides home from after-school activities. In that context７， cell phones most definitely should be available８ for student use on school property. The question is where and when may they make calls.

The smartest move is to let all students keep their phones with them on campus9，but to ban cell phone use during school hours.

Certainly， people shouldn't be gabbing10 it up with their friends during a lecture.Cell phones are a luxury11－－ not a necessity -- for students. Class is a time and place where learning should take priority12 over everything else.Cell phones do not belong in the classroom， but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed at school.

So what's the point of having cell phones on campus if students can't use them during school hours? The availability of convenient communication. Most schools have pay phones13 at students' disposal14 if it becomes necessary for outside contact to be made， but these phones are nowhere15 as immediate or convenient as a cell phone.

Letting students carry phones on campus allows them this freedom. However， whether schools do the right thing and avoid complete bans on cell phones is strictly their call.

注釋

1. ban vt. 禁止

2. practically adv. 幾乎，差不多

3. tremendous adj. 極大的，巨大的

4. controversy n. 爭議，爭論

5. cancer n. 癌癥

6. coordinate vt. 協(xié)調(diào)，調(diào)節(jié)

7. context n. (人、事、物存在于其中的)各種有關(guān)情況

８. available adj. 可利用的，可使用的

9. campus n. 學(xué)校校園

10. gab vi. 閑聊，空談

11. luxury n. 奢侈品

12. priority n. 優(yōu)先，優(yōu)先權(quán)，先進(jìn)權(quán)

13. pay phone 投幣式公用電話

14. disposal n. 配置，安排

１5. nowhere adv. 遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)在后，任何地方都不

如今幾乎每個(gè)人都有一部手機(jī)，而且大部分人認(rèn)為它們提供了很多便利。然而手機(jī)也引發(fā)了極大的爭議。它們會(huì)引發(fā)癌癥嗎?它們會(huì)導(dǎo)致車禍嗎?對(duì)于數(shù)百萬的學(xué)生來說，可能最重要的問題是可以把手機(jī)帶到學(xué)校去嗎?

許多學(xué)生依靠手機(jī)來協(xié)調(diào)與朋友和家人的計(jì)劃。當(dāng)他們參加完課后活動(dòng)找車回家時(shí)，手機(jī)就尤為有用。在那種情況下，手機(jī)確確實(shí)實(shí)應(yīng)該被帶到學(xué)校便于學(xué)生使用。問題在于學(xué)生何時(shí)何地可以打電話。

最妙的辦法就是準(zhǔn)許所有學(xué)生在校內(nèi)帶著手機(jī)，但禁止在上學(xué)期間打電話。

當(dāng)然，人們不該在上課時(shí)打電話和朋友聊天。手機(jī)對(duì)學(xué)生來說是奢侈品，而不是必需品。在課堂上，學(xué)習(xí)應(yīng)該是先于其他事的第一要?jiǎng)?wù)。手機(jī)不適用于教室，但這并不意味著它們不應(yīng)該被帶進(jìn)學(xué)校。

如果學(xué)生在上學(xué)期間不能打手機(jī)，那么在校內(nèi)帶手機(jī)的意義何在呢?是為了便捷的通訊。如果與校外聯(lián)系很必要，大多數(shù)學(xué)校都有供學(xué)生使用的付費(fèi)電話，但這些電話絕比不上手機(jī)來的直接方便。

準(zhǔn)許學(xué)生在校內(nèi)帶手機(jī)讓他們有了隨時(shí)打電話的自由。然而，學(xué)校是否既能行事得當(dāng)，又能避免對(duì)手機(jī)全面禁固。在于學(xué)校是否能嚴(yán)格限制他們的電話呼叫。