2 . Tips for Teaching Kids Responsibility

Your best friend has a teenager who helps with housework without being asked. Your cousin has a one-year-old child that puts her bottle in the sink when she finishes the milk, but no reminders are needed.     1     Raising helpful, good kids who know how to make a sandwich is not a fantasy! The following tips can give you a better chance of raising a responsible child who then grows into a responsible adult.

    2     You can't suddenly spring responsibility on a teenager and expect he will know how to follow through. He needs time to practice and totally understand what responsibility means.

Let kids help you. Don't complain when its time to do housework. Smile and invite your son to help.     3     He will take these good feelings and learn to take ownership of his home and feel proud of maintaining it.

    4     Make responsibilities age appropriate. You can show how to complete small tasks in daily life and perform them at a child's skill level. For example, if your kid wants a snack, show him where the apples are and how to wash one off.

Teach your child consequences (后果). Learning to take care of his things also helps a child develop a sense of responsibility for his actions. Get your son to clean up after an art project, and inform him that he won't be able to play with his crayon the next day if he leaves a messy table.     5     The more you carry out the riles, the more likely he is to clean up without being asked.

A．Offer specific praises on purpose.

B．Show kids how to fulfill responsibility.

C．Teaching responsibility to kids needs to start early.

D．Where do these wonderful children come from?

E．When your child is invited to participate, he feels valued.

F．Then take away his supplies if he does not take his responsibility.

G．You'll be surprised how quickly these actions become a habit for kids.

3 . “Don’t be a helicopter parent.” This message has been repeated frequently and others try to encourage parents to back off their kids and give them greater space and freedom to explore. But it doesn't actually tell parents how they should act. What kind of parenting style should be adopted in place of the overprotectiveness of helicoptering?

One possible answer is, “Be a lifeguard parent.” That means sitting apart from the action and keeping an eye on everything that’s going on, ready to jump in if needed. This was brought up by Dr. Mariana Brussoni, a developmental psychologist at the University of British Columbia and Richard Monette, editor-in-chief of Active for Life. They think life guarding should include three parts.

Open attention is the stage parents should be in most of the time, showing a caring interest in what kids are doing, but keeping their physical distance and remaining non — intrusive (不介入的). Focused attention is when a parent perceives (察觉) warning signs and becomes more alert. Maybe it’s time to check in with the child to see how they’re doing. It might be a good opportunity to help the child think through their actions, rather than directing them. Most of the time, play goes back to being safe and the parent can return to open attention. Active intervention is when a parent needs to step in to reduce immediate risk. A child might not realize they’re close to the edge of a busy road or deep water, so the parent has to ensure their safety.

Brussoni says most of a parent's time should be spent in open attention. Days could pass，without ever entering focused attention. Active intervention should be extremely rare. It’s crucial to avoid telling kids to be careful all the time. This sends a message that the child can’t do things without parental assistance.

No one said parenting was easy, but it can be less unbearable if you let go of some control, teach your kids to do things independently, and trust them to self — regulate. Everyone comes out happier in the end.

1. Why is helicopter parent mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．Warn parents not to overprotect kids.

B．Introduce another parenting approach.

C．Remind parents to give kids more freedom.

D．Make a comparison between two parenting styles.

2. What will a lifeguard parent probably do?

A．Accompany kids as little as possible.

B．Tell kids to be aware whatever they are doing.

C．Direct kids when they are climbing a thin branch.

D．Urge kids to leave a heavy traffic road immediately.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Parenting has been the toughest job since ancient times.

B．Allowing parents to self-regulate may be of great benefit

C．Less control may lead to a harmonious parent-child relationship.

D．Child should be taught to things all by themselves to grow up.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Don’t Be a Helicopter Parent.	B．Teach Kids to Identify Risks.
C．How to Guarantee Kids’ Safety.	D．Strive to Be a Lifeguard Parent.

4 . Erin and Caleb Funk now live in Toledo, Ohio, and have a 16-year-old son, a senior in high school, who has already registered in a vocational（职业的）school for this school year. The idea that their son might attend a vocational school worried the Funks at first.

“Vocational schools seemed to be reserved for people who weren’t making it in ‘real’ schools, so we weren’t completely sure whether we should support our son attending one,” Erin says.

Both Erin and Caleb worked hard to be the first in their families to obtain college degrees, and wanted the same opportunity for their three children. After touring the video- production-design program at Penta Career Center, though, they could see the draw for their son. Despite their initial worries, after learning more about the program and seeing how excited their son was about it, they threw their support behind his decision.

But not everyone in the Funks’ lives understands this decision. Erin says, “When I mentioned it to a friend recently that my eldest had decided to go to the vocational-technical school in our city, her first reaction was, ‘Oh, is he having problems at school？’ There is an attitude out there that the only reason you would go to a vo-tech is that you have some kind of problem at a traditional school.”

But their son has a 3. 95 GPA, a very good score. He was simply more interested in the program at Penta Career Center. He just doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.

The Funks are not alone in their misunderstandings and misgivings about the idea of vocational and technical education. Negative（负面的）attitudes and parental worries are still there even in the face of the promising future for these middle-skill students.

“It is considered a second choice, second-class. We really need to change how people see vocational and technical education,” said Patricia Hsieh, the president of Penta Career Center in Toledo, Ohio.

1. What can we learn about the funks？

A．They want their children to receive technical education.

B．They come from rich and well-educated families.

C．They decided to support their son’s decision eventually.

D．They felt ashamed of their son’s choice at first.

2. What does the underlined word “misgivings” in paragraph 6 mean?

A．Worries.

B．Shames.

C．Mistakes.

D．Refusals.

3. Penta Career Center differs from a traditional college in that ______.

A．it provides less interesting curricular	B．it can only get second-class students
C．it mainly focuses on middle-skill training	D．it is more sensitive to job market changes

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Should We Support Our Children’s Choice of Vo-tech?

B．Negative Attitudes to Technical Education.

C．Better Job Market for Vocational Students.

D．Is Vocational Education a New Trend?

5 . Nothing succeeds like success，as every parent of a straight A student knows，but trying to stress academic excellence by telling your child“You're so smart！”may be counterproductive．Why？According to a 2017 study，children who think their intelligence is fixed are less likely to pay attention to and bounce back(重整旗鼓) from mistakes than children who think intelligence can grow and change.

In the study，researchers looked at 123 children. The team assessed the children to determine whether they had a“growth mindset”(believing that you can work harder to get smarter)，or a“fixed mindset”(believing that your intelligence is unable to change)．They then asked the children to complete a fast-paced computer accuracy task while their brain activity was recorded. During the recording，researchers noted that brain activity stopped within a half second after making a mistake，as children became aware of their mistake and paid closer attention to what went wrong. The larger the brain response was，the more the child focused on the mistake. Based on the data，they concluded that children with a“growth mindset”were much more likely to have a larger brain response after making a mistake. While children with a “fixed mindset” were able to “bounce back”，only if they gave their full attention to the mistake.

For parents，the lessons are clear：Don't pay your children compliments that suggest that intelligence is fixed. If your children hands you an A^＋ score，don't say，“You're so smart！”Instead，say，“Wow，that studying really paid off！”or“You clearly mastered this material—way to go！”Note the effort，not the intelligence.

Besides，many parents shy away from addressing their children's mistakes，telling them“It's OK. You'll get it the next time”without offering them the chances to figure out what goes wrong. Instead，it's better to reassure your children that mistakes happen，and work to figure out where and how they make the mistake.

1. Which of the following best explains “counterproductive” underlined in Paragraph 1?

A．Opposite.	B．Competitive.
C．Successful.	D．Unknown.

2. How did the children with a “growth mindset” react in the study?

A．They made fewer mistakes.

B．They tried to avoid mistakes.

C．They had a smaller brain response.

D．They focused more on the mistake.

3. What should be avoided according to the study?

A．Overstressing the intelligence.

B．Paying children compliments.

C．Addressing children's mistakes.

D．Offering chances to find mistakes.

4. What should parents say when children make a mistake according to the text?

A．You are so careless.

B．Your studying paid off.

C．You'll get it the next time.

D．Let's find out how you made it.

6 . We live in a society that labels everything. We like the convenience of neatly packaged words so we can sum up the person, place or thing and know what to expect. However, especially with children, even harmless labels (标签) can play a lasting role in self-respect, behavior and long-term personality.

Children develop and define their sense of self by processing what others tell them about who they are, what they are good at, how they behave and so on. The communication principle of the “Looking-Glass Self” from Charles Cooley can be applied. Cooley believes that by reflecting back to us who we are, other people function as mirrors for us. Every time a teacher says he or she is a “good student” or a coach says “average player”, that helps define the way the child views himself or herself. Typically, that label will follow them for years to come.

However, parents often refer to children with less severe labels that are just as significant. If you notice one child follows musical interests, he becomes “the musician”. Another loves sports, and she becomes “the athlete”. Another excels in school and is the “brainiac”. None of those labels has negative ideas, but can classify children into pre-defined boxes. What if the “brainiac” really wants to try soccer? Unfortunately, there is already an “athlete” in the family, which creates a fight or flight response. The child can either fight to redefine his or her place as a smart child who also plays soccer, or go back to where he or she has already been.

Labels have much more of an impact that we realize, and we need to be mindful of how we talk about our children. If you must define certain things about them to yourself or others, try to choose positive versions of the same quality, i.e. “cautious” rather than “timid” (胆小的). Keeping the focus on the child’s positive qualities, while avoiding labels, can encourage children to become healthy and happy.

1. What can we learn from the principle of “Looking-Glass Self”?

A．One tends to satisfy others’ curiosity.

B．One gains the sense of identity by mirror.

C．Children will live up to the expectations of their parents.

D．People shape self-concepts by understanding how others view them.

2. If the “brainiac” girl decides to play soccer, what will happen?

A．Her family will be in favor of her.

B．She must struggle or she must quit.

C．Her family will deny her athletic talent.

D．She can’t but give in to parental authority.

3. Which word can best describe a child who performs well in class interaction?

A．Active.	B．Influential.
C．Intelligent.	D．Competitive.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards labeling children?

A．Uncertain.	B．Indifferent.
C．Negative.	D．Positive.

7 . Generations of people in the United States have seen higher education as the best path towards a well-paying and satisfying job. But the cost of attending colleges and universities in the country has increased greatly over the last 30 years. And there is no guarantee that earning a degree will lead to a job that pays a person enough to support a family.

So, some people turn to other forms of education and training. These include programs that lead to credentials(证书) that prove a person's abilities in a given field, from construction to healthcare. These kinds of programs often cost less than traditional degree programs. And they usually take less time to complete.

New research, however, suggests that these programs are not helping women as much as they are helping men. It is found that about 27 percent of adults in the country hold at least one of these credentials. Adults who had one of these non-degree credentials made more money and were more likely to be employed than those who did not.

Yet the public policy research group New America found some troubling information within that data. Experts there found that men and women earn these credentials at about the same rate. But men who have the same credentials as women are more likely to be employed. They also make more money.

For example, 74 percent of men with a certificate but no four-year college degree were employed. By comparison, 67 percent of women with a certificate but no four-year degree were employed.

In terms of pay, 46 percent of women with a credential but no four-year degree made less than $30,000 a year. The same was true for 25 percent of men. Seventeen percent of men with only a non-degree credential earned more than$75,000. Just five percent of women with similar credentials earned that much.

1. What is the advantage of nontraditional degree programs?

A．Free of charge.	B．Less expensive.
C．Interesting to attend.	D．Popular with employers.

2. What information upset New America in the study?

A．Women lost interest in non-degree programs.	B．Men looked down upon women.
C．Men and women are not equal.	D．Women are unwilling to work.

3. How many women with non-degree credentials earned more than$75, 000?

A．46%,	B．25%.
C．17%.	D．5%.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Non-degree Programs Benefit Men and Women Unequally

B．Non-Degree Programs Replace the Traditional Universities

C．It's Unfair That Men and Women Get Paid Differently

D．College Costs Are Becoming Higher and Higher

8 . During the high school career, students may begin to question the importance of a college education. They might find themselves asking, “Why is it important to go to college?” The answer is that, more than ever, college graduates enjoy much greater opportunities available to them than those who have not received a college education.

For many high school students, being able to immediately generate an income after graduation is an appealing thought. They may also be affected by the rising cost of tuition, and while it is true that a higher education may be one of the largest expenses you will ever face, the importance of a college education has become quite evident in terms of earning potential within today’s economy.

Why should you go to college? One important answer to this question is more opportunity. As opposed to generations of the past, high school graduates today are unable to obtain high-paying jobs that were once available. The U.S. has been transformed from a manufacturing-based economy to an economy based on knowledge, and the importance of a college education today can be compared to that of a high school education forty years ago. It serves as the gateway to better options and more opportunity.

There are additional reasons as to why it is important to go to college. When students experience a post secondary education, they have the opportunity to read books and listen to the lectures of top experts in their fields. This encourages students to think, ask questions, and explore new ideas, which allows for additional growth and development and provides college graduates with more opportunities in the job market over those who have not experienced a higher education.

The importance of a college education is also stressed because of the opportunity to gain valuable resources during the study. The more connections which are collected during your college career, the more options you will have when you begin your job search. Once you have ended your job search and have started your career, however, the importance of a college education has not been exhausted. Having a college degree often provides for greater promotion opportunity.

So, why should you go to college? The reasoning does not begin and end with the job aspect. A good education is beneficial from many different viewpoints, and though the importance of a college education is quite evident for many high school students, what is often not as clear is how they will pay for that education.

1. Why do some high school graduates prefer working to college study?

A．To obtain high-paying jobs.	B．To earn money at an early age.
C．To spend less money on tuition.	D．To adapt to the knowledge-based society.

2. The author most likely agrees with the idea that ____.

A．too much time is spent on lectures in college study

B．high school education is a gateway to more opportunity

C．college graduates gain more chances over others in job market

D．a college degree guarantees promotion in American companies

3. What is most likely to be talked about in the paragraph after the last paragraph of the passage?

A．Refusing college education.	B．Changing college education.
C．Receiving college education.	D．Affording college education.

4. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．Importance of college education.	B．Education means opportunity.
C．Which is more important, job or education?	D．How to survive in the college.

5. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?

I: Introduction       P: Point       Sp: Sub-point (次要点)       C: Conclusion

A．	B．
C．	D．

9 . It’s reported that the American College Board has made several changes to the SAT test to help more poor students receive higher education. It offers a scoring criterion beyond its own SAT test, which measures only oral and math skills. The new tool is designed to help admissions officers find if applicants have risen above limitations in their social or economic circumstances by expressing a particular characteristic: resourcefulness(足智多谋).

The new criterion, called ECD, has been tried by 50 colleges over the past year and will be carried out by 150 institutions this fall. Relying on public data , it looks at 15 factors(因素) in neighborhoods and schools that might passively influence a candidate’s college readiness. These statistics include crime rates, education levels, joblessness, and the family members that receive food stamps. It applicants come from a highly disadvantaged background yet have proper but perhaps not high SAT scores , a college might then admit them.

Resourcefulness shows an ability to seek support outside one’s self. It requires a clear purpose in learning. The new tool “shines a light on students who have shown remarkable resourcefulness to overcome challenges and achieve more with less,” says David Coleman, the College Board’s president.

The ECD also has the advantage of not taking race into consideration in admissions, a practice being increasingly closed off by the Supreme Court and many states. At the same time, in stressing a key quality for academic success, it may help prevent discrimination in admissions.

The tool is not an absolute measure of resourcefulness. It misses other types of circumstances, such as personal or family problems. Colleges must weigh many factors in admissions. Still, it could lead to a greater focus on character in education beyond the traditional pursuit (追求) of knowledge and career skills. Graduates who have stood out despite their hardships are highly desired by today’s employers.

1. Which people can benefit from the new criterion?

A．Students from poor families.	B．Students doing well at maths.
C．Students having much money.	D．Students with good spoken skills.

2. What are the new criteria when judging a candidate?

A．The attitudes to schools.	B．The remarks from colleges.
C．The difficulties a candidate will face.	D．The institutions a candidate will study in.

3. What is the advantage of ECD?

A．It can make applicants successful.	B．It can improve the ability of races.
C．It can provide clear learning purposes.	D．It can treat applicants equally.

4. Which graduates do employers prefer?

A．Those with excellent qualities.

B．Those having experienced hardships.

C．Those making progress in difficult situations.

D．Those with the traditional pursuit of knowledge.

10 . Today's world is not an easy adjustment for young adults. Key skill set for success is persistence (毅力), a characteristic that researchers say is heavily influenced by fathers. Researchers from Brigham Young University discovered that fathers are in a unique position to help their adolescent children learn persistence.

BYU professors Laura Padilla-Walker and Randal Day arrived at these findings after following 325 American families over several years. And over time，the persistence gained through fathers led to higher achievement in school.

"There are relatively few studies that stress the unique role of fathers，"Padilla-Walker said. "This research also helps to prove that characteristics such as persistence-which can be taught-are key to a child's life success.”

Researchers determined that dads need to practice an "authoritative" parenting style. Authoritative parenting is not authoritarian:rigid，demanding or controlling. Rather，an authoritative parenting style includes some of the following characteristics:children feel warmth and love from their father；responsibility and the reasons behind rules are stressed children are given an appropriate level of autonomy(自主权).

In the study，about 52 percent of the dads exhibited above-average levels of authoritative parenting. A key finding is that over time，children raised by an authoritative father were significantly more likely to develop persistence，which leads to better outcomes in school.

This particular study examined 11 to 14-year-olds living in two-parent homes. Yet the researchers suggest that single parents still may play a role in teaching the benefits of persistence，which is an avenue of future research.

1. What is special about the BYU professors' study?

A．It centered on fathers' role in parenting.

B．It was based on a number of large families.

C．It analyzed different kinds of parenting styles.

D．It aimed to improve kids' achievement in school.

2. What would an authoritative father do when raising his children?

A．Ignore their demands.	B．Make decisions for them.
C．Control their behaviors.	D．Explain the rules to them.

3. Which group can be a focus of future studies according to the researchers?

A．Single parents.

B．Children aged from 11 to 14.

C．Authoritarian fathers.

D．Mothers in two-parent homes.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Three Characteristics of Authoritative Fathers.

B．Key Skills for Young Adults to Succeed in Future.

C．Children Tend to Learn Determination from Father.

D．Family Relationship Influences School Performance.