C
After commuting, cooking dinner and doing household chores, the average parent has just 30 minutes to devote to their children in the evenings, according to a new study. One in four working parents worry that half an hour simply isn’t enough, while almost half fret(担心)that they aren’t a good enough parent during the week.
However, parenting experts believe just 12 minutes a day may be enough for mothers and fathers to fully reconnect with their child — as long as they ask the right questions. Child psychologist Dr Claire Halsey said asking a series of open-ended questions can help improve parents’ relationship with their children.
Among the questions recommended in the research are: “How many times have you smiled today — what made you laugh?”; “Can you act out what you did at breaktime?”; “Who is taller — mummy or your teacher?” and “What are the names of the toys you played with today?” Parents of older children are advised to start up a conversation with: “I’ve got a great story for you but I want one in return… you first!” or “Tell me some school gossip … I’m all ears!”
Dr Halsey, working with the makers of Ribena Plus, who commissioned(委任)the research, said: “There is no one as tough on their own parenting skills as a parent — but this study shows there is no need for parents to be so harsh. It’s hard for working parents to juggle(尽量兼顾) all their responsibilities and it can feel like guilt is simply a parent’s lot — but it’s absolutely not. By using clever tactics(策略)such as a little preparation alongside use of open-ended questions — such as ‘Tell me what the best bit about your day was?’ — parents can reduce the time worrying about chores and work and spend more time learning about their children’s day.”
26. The underlined word reconnect in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________.
discuss B. communicate C. understand D. combine
27. According to Paragraph 1, almost half of the working parents ________.
can spare only about half an hour to be with their kids every day
spend their daytime commuting, cooking dinner and doing household chores
worry that half an hour’s stay with their kids is far from enough
fear that they aren’t a good enough parent during the week
28. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 mean?
I will be glad to listen.
I will be very interested.
I will listen carefully.
I will call your teacher at school.
29. Which of the following open-ended questions is for a three-year-old child?
Where are you off to with your friends this weekend?
Who played the best in your football match today?
What science project are you doing at the moment and can I help with it?
What are the names of the toys you played with today?
30. What does Dr Halsey intend to tell us in this passage?
It is not necessary for parents to spend too much time with their children.
It is natural that working parents do not afford more time to reconnect with kids.
It is important that working parents learn more parenting skills.
It is clever that parents ask their kids questions instead of doing chores.
D
Some people believe that international sport creates goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together, they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: international competitions encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred.There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sport encourages international brotherhood.Not only was there the tragic incident including the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by incidents caused mainly by smaller national contests.
One country received its second-place medals with visible anger after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were sure that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents’ victory was unfair. Their manager was in great anger when he said, “This wasn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension(停赛)of the team for at least three years.
Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals, or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism(爱国主义).
31.According to the author, recently the Olympic Games have ______.
A.created goodwill between the nations
B.brought about only false national pride
C.hardly showed any international friendship
D.put an end to misunderstanding and hatred
32.The underlined word “disallowed” (in Paragraph 2) means “______”.
A.permitted to pass B.considered as reasonable
C.won by the other side D.refused to accept
33.What did the manager mean by saying, “Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished"?
A.His team would no longer take part in international games.
B.Hockey and the Federation are both ruined by the unfair decisions.
C.There should be no more Hockey matches organized by the Federation.
D.The Federation should break up.
34.The author gives the example in paragraph 2 to show ______.
A.how false national pride led to undesirable incidents in international games
B.that sportsmen are often against the final decisions
C.that competitiveness in the games discourages international friendship
D.that unfair decisions are common in the Olympic Games
35.What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A.The organization of the Olympic Games must be improved.
B.Athletes should compete as individuals in the Olympic Games.
C.A game should be played competitively rather than for the love of the game.
D.More and more athletes will compete for their own honor.
