Why read this: This short article tells a real story from the news. A small college in the United States is closing. It is not the only one. Many small US colleges have closed in the last few years. Students learn one big idea: when a college closes, the students and the town both lose. The article uses simple words and short sentences. It is good for A2 readers who want to read real news.
What to notice: Notice the two main reasons. First, the colleges have money problems. Second, there are fewer young students. Notice the numbers: 4,000 colleges, 100 closed, 70 percent and 60 percent. Look for two new words in boxes — federal aid and demographic cliff. Each new word is in a box with a clear meaning.
Skills practised: Students practise reading short news in simple English. They find facts in the text — names, places, and numbers. They practise listing reasons and giving examples. They learn two new words from the world of school and money. They also practise writing short answers about cause and effect.
Why small US colleges are closing
Many small colleges in the United States are running out of money and students.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Lastlast: Most recent — 最近的 week, Hampshire College said it will closeclose: to (social) To finish, to terminate — 结束；终止. It is a small college in Massachusetts. It will shut down after fall 2026. Hampshire is not alonealone: Without any other people; by yourself. — 独自的；单独的. Many small colleges in the United States are closing.
There are about 4,000 colleges in the United States. Around 100 have closed since the Covid pandemicpandemic: A pandemic disease; a disease that affects a wide geographical area and a large proportion of the population — 大流行病；（疾病的）大范围流行. Many more may close in the next ten years. Big publicpublic: Available or belonging to everyone. — 公共的；公开的 universities and rich privateprivate: Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group — 私人的；非公开的 schools like Harvard are still safesafe: Not in danger; out of harm's reach — 安全的. But small colleges in small towns are in troubletrouble: A distressing or dangerous situation — 麻烦.
Why are these colleges closing? There are two big reasons. First, they have money problems. They borrowedborrow: To take something that belongs to someone else and return it later. — 借；借用 a lot of money. They also cut prices to attractattract: To cause someone to like something or feel interested in it, or to draw towards. — 吸引；引起……的兴趣 students. Some colleges got federal aid: money from the US national government to help schools or students — 联邦资助 during the pandemic. Without that money, they would have closed sooner.
Second, there are fewer young students. People had fewer babies during the 2008 money crisiscrisis: A time of intense difficulty or danger; a turning point. — 危机. Those babies are now 18. So colleges have fewer students this year. This is called the demographic cliff: a sudden big drop in the number of young people of college age — 人口悬崖. Also, fewer high school students choose to go to college today. In 2016, 70 percentpercent: A part or other object per hundred — 百分比 went to college. Now only about 60 percent go.
What happens when a college closes? It is bad for the students. About half of them move to a new college. The other half stop their studies. Many lose their old class creditscredit: Praise or recognition given to someone for doing something well. — 功劳；赞誉；信用. Some students go to a new college, and then that one closes too.
A college closing is also bad for the town. The college was a big employeremployer: A person or company that pays people to work for them. — 雇主；老板. People lose their jobs. House prices go down. Students used to buy food and rent rooms in town. When they leave, small shops lose money. Many of these colleges are in small country towns. Without the college, young people leave too.
Lastlast: Most recent — 最近的 week, Hampshire College said it will closeclose: to (social) To finish, to terminate — 结束；终止. It is a small college in Massachusetts. It will shut down after fall 2026. Hampshire is not alonealone: Without any other people; by yourself. — 独自的；单独的. Many small colleges in the United States are closing.
There are about 4,000 colleges in the United States. Around 100 have closed since the Covid pandemicpandemic: A pandemic disease; a disease that affects a wide geographical area and a large proportion of the population — 大流行病；（疾病的）大范围流行. Many more may close in the next ten years. Big publicpublic: Available or belonging to everyone. — 公共的；公开的 universities and rich privateprivate: Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group — 私人的；非公开的 schools like Harvard are still safesafe: Not in danger; out of harm's reach — 安全的. But small colleges in small towns are in troubletrouble: A distressing or dangerous situation — 麻烦.
Why are these colleges closing? There are two big reasons. First, they have money problems. They borrowedborrow: To take something that belongs to someone else and return it later. — 借；借用 a lot of money. They also cut prices to attractattract: To cause someone to like something or feel interested in it, or to draw towards. — 吸引；引起……的兴趣 students. Some colleges got federal aid: money from the US national government to help schools or students — 联邦资助 during the pandemic. Without that money, they would have closed sooner.
Second, there are fewer young students. People had fewer babies during the 2008 money crisiscrisis: A time of intense difficulty or danger; a turning point. — 危机. Those babies are now 18. So colleges have fewer students this year. This is called the demographic cliff: a sudden big drop in the number of young people of college age — 人口悬崖. Also, fewer high school students choose to go to college today. In 2016, 70 percentpercent: A part or other object per hundred — 百分比 went to college. Now only about 60 percent go.
What happens when a college closes? It is bad for the students. About half of them move to a new college. The other half stop their studies. Many lose their old class creditscredit: Praise or recognition given to someone for doing something well. — 功劳；赞誉；信用. Some students go to a new college, and then that one closes too.
A college closing is also bad for the town. The college was a big employeremployer: A person or company that pays people to work for them. — 雇主；老板. People lose their jobs. House prices go down. Students used to buy food and rent rooms in town. When they leave, small shops lose money. Many of these colleges are in small country towns. Without the college, young people leave too.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How many colleges have closed in the United States since the Covid pandemic?
- 02
Which kind of college is most at risk of closing?
- 03
Why are there fewer young students for college today?
- 04
List two reasons why small colleges in the United States are closing.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Describe what happens to a small town when its college closes.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How many colleges have closed in the United States since the Covid pandemic?
- 02
Which kind of college is most at risk of closing?
- 03
Why are there fewer young students for college today?
- 04
List two reasons why small colleges in the United States are closing.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Describe what happens to a small town when its college closes.
Suggested length: ~50 words