I’m not the kind of mother who normally brushes her daughter’s hair, and my daughter has never liked sitting there, waiting for me to do it.
But today, I’ve sat my daughter Sally on a kitchen seat. She’s sitting high with her eyes closed, skin still wet from the shower, and her long hair behind her back. I realize she is enjoying the moment. It’s the last time for a week that our bodies will connect. Today, I’m sending Sally away for a week of summer camp. This was all my idea. She’s nearly 12, and I noticed that I’m with my child nearly 24 hours a day.
Living on a farm without any neighbors, I’ve chosen a life that is quieter than a normal family’s. But rather than expecting space away from me, Sally has become increasingly dependent. What frightens me most is that she has become a “mini-me”, even has the same hobbies, dreams, and opinions as me. That’s why I pulled her to the summer camp: a nearby wilderness(荒野) camp called Hawk Circle.
After eating, I drive Sally to Hawk Circle. Once there, we are introduced to her fellow campers. Sally stands by them, holding my hand, horror in her eyes, trying to work up the courage to join a game of soccer. “I need you for a few more minutes,” she tells me. I pull her away to walk to one of the camp’s workers. “Excuse me,” I say loudly, “I’d like to introduce you to my daughter. Maybe you could help her meet a few of these kids.” He comes over to talk to Sally, and then I disappear before she realizes it.
It is a hard time for me to drive back. When I arrive home, I calm down and remind myself why I chose this way. I want Sally to have a chance to find herself. I want to learn who she is. If I don’t set her free, I fear I’ll never really meet her real personality.
1. Why did the writer send her daughter to the summer camp?A.Her daughter wanted to go to the summer camp. |
B.It was helpful for her daughter to make friends. |
C.She wanted to help build her daughter’s independence. |
D.Camp training was something common to her daughter. |
A.fear | B.doubt | C.hate | D.pity |
A.She was worried about her daughter’s health. |
B.She was proud that she had done something right. |
C.She was sorry and regretted sending her daughter away. |
D.She was upset but knew she had made the right decision. |
A.children are usually mirrors of parents |
B.children always expect space from parents |
C.parents sometimes need to let their children go |
D.parents should often send children to summer camps |
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【推荐1】Which of your children is your favorite? Your response is probably “none of them.” What kind of parent would choose one child as his or her favorite? The truth might be surprising to you.
Years of research supports what many have suspected-most parents have a favorite child. Studies have explored reasons from birth order to gender (性别) and shared interests. Yet even with years of research that supports this idea, most parents tend to deny the fact that they have a favorite child. Even if there is no obvious parental favorite among siblings (兄弟姐妹), studies have shown that children often feel preferential treatment of their sibling by their parents. Favoritism often results in family conflicts and feelings of sadness among family members whether parents’ favoritism is real or only felt. Thus both the kids and their parents tend to be plagued by the favoritism.
The question isn’t whether or not you have a favorite child, since it’s pretty clear that many parents do. Typically, favoritism has little to do with loving one child more. It is more about how your personality resonates (产生共鸣) with one child’s personality more than the others’. Essentially, it’s a question of “like”. Still, why is it so hard for us to admit that one of our children might be our favorite? Some parents might worry about harming their children emotionally or psychologically. Some parents confuse liking one child’s personality with the love they show to each child. However, when recognizing that you might hold preferential feelings towards one child you are taking an important step towards creating a better relationship with all of your children.
Instead of denying the fact, you can reflect on how you relate to each of your children. Examining your feelings towards each of your children can provide a greater insight into your own personality and how you function in relationships -- and in fact, how you consider your children might reflect more about your thoughts and feelings of yourself than them. Increased awareness about your inner world can help you build and keep healthier relationships with your children.
1. How do most parents respond to the result of the research?A.They’re quite concerned about it. | B.They’re unwilling to admit it. |
C.They’re sensitive to it. | D.They’re regretful about it. |
A.Encouraged. | B.Troubled. | C.Separated. | D.Confused. |
A.Because the child is worth more love. |
B.Because the child has a good personality. |
C.Because the child has more in common with them. |
D.Because the child knows how to please them |
A.Is it OK to have a favorite child? |
B.What kind of kids do parents prefer? |
C.How can parents get along well with children? |
D.Why do parents treat their kids differently? |
【推荐2】As a young man, Al was a skilled artist, a potter (陶艺工人) with a wife and two fine sons. One night, his elder son developed a severe stomachache. Thinking it was only some common intestinal (肠道) disorder, neither Al nor his wife took the condition very seriously. But the boy died suddenly that night.
Knowing the death could have been avoided if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, he always felt he was guilty. To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than Al could stand, and he turned to alcohol to help, In time Al became an alcoholic.
As the alcoholism progressed, Al began to lose everything he possessed-his land, house etc. Finally Al died alone in a small bar. Hearing of AI's death, I thought, “What a totally wasted life! What a complete failure!”
As time went by, I began to reevaluate my earlier rough judgment. I knew Al's now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most caring and most loving men I have ever known, I saw the love between Ernie and his children, thinking that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere.
I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father. One day, I worked up my courage to ask him what on earth his father had done so that he became such a special person. Ernie said quietly. “As a child until I left home at 18, Al came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, ‘I love you, son.’”
Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to judge Al as a failure. He had not left any material possessions behind. But he had been a kind and loving father, and left behind his best love.
1. What directly made the author think of Al as a failure?A.His losing everything and his life. | B.His older son's death. |
C.His strong addiction to alcohol. | D.His wife's divorcing him. |
A.His father's life was indeed wasted. |
B.The love from his father made him what he was. |
C.A great fortune must have been left to him. |
D.He was not very kind but very loving. |
A.Love you, son | B.A failure father | C.Parents' love | D.A skilled artist |
【推荐3】Everyone would agree that it is parents’ job to teach their kids right from wrong. The rise in teen crime suggests that some parents are failing at these tasks. To correct the problem, lawmakers in some states require parents to serve jail time when their children get into serious trouble again and again. The lawmakers hope that this punishment will motivate parents to take their responsibilities seriously.
Supporters of these laws believe that the threat of jail will scare parents into paying more attention to their teens’ behavior than before. They think that these parents would be happy to let the state try to straighten out their kids at juvenile detention centers (少管所), because the centers took the responsibility off the parents’ shoulders. With the new laws, the responsibility is put back on the parents. “The hope is,” a supporter said, “that if parents are held legally responsible, they’ll work harder to keep their youngsters in line.”
However, many people think the laws are unfair. They argue that parents should not be punished for the criminal acts of their children, unless it can be shown there is a contributory fault on the parents’ part.
People who oppose parental responsibility laws also believe that punishing parents won’t create a change in the kids’ behavior. These people argue that parents may not be at fault. The children of good parents can fall in with the wrong kids and get into trouble, they say. Worse yet, if mom is in jail, there may be no one at all to control her kid. …
The unfortunate fact is that jailing a parent punishes the rest of the family. The jailed parent cannot work to help support the family and may also be fired from a job for missing too much work. Furthermore, little evidence exists to support the idea that the threat of punishment improves a parent’s ability to control a teenager. Opponents of parental responsibility laws say that parents who are in this situation need help, not a jail sentence.
1. The phrase “keep their youngsters in line” (in Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to “________”.A.get their kids to stay at home | B.make their kids behave well |
C.help their kids make a living | D.require their kids to queue in public |
A.So, they believe that it’s easy for mom to control her kid’s behavior. |
B.So, they believe that mom should be jailed for her contributory fault. |
C.So, they believe that lack of mom’s control may then lead to more crime. |
D.So, they believe that mom’s control has a negative effect on her kid’s behavior. |
A.parents should never be punished for their kids’ crimes |
B.jailing a parent may drive the family into a worse situation |
C.the laws are unfair even if they help parents control their kids |
D.responsible parents needn’t worry that their kids will commit crimes |
A.Whether parents should be jailed for their kids’ criminal acts. |
B.How parents deal with young troublemakers in their daily life. |
C.What parents need when their kids commit crimes again and again. |
D.Why laws should be made to hold parents responsible for their kids. |
【推荐1】After the first half-day of kindergarten, Abe had something on his mind. His mum, Ricki Weisberg, had made him a sandwich for lunch but Abe wasn’t having it. It was not a good sandwich. So after he stepped off the school bus, he said, “Mommy. Terrible sandwich by the way. Really terrible.”
The honest exchange between Abe and his mum was recorded on video by Weisberg. Weisberg shared it online and it became a hit and brought a lot of laughter to so many people. “It makes me happy because of the gaiety it probably brought to people,” said Weisberg. “For me, I just love that piece of that. Life is hard. So giving people laughter makes me happy.”
But most people just wanted to know one thing: What was the sandwich?
Well, the “terrible” sandwich was a hurried, thrown-together butter and jelly sandwich, said Weisberg. On Abe’s first day, Weisberg reread the school communication and realized she would need to pack him food. At first, Weisberg thought she could make him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But because of food allergy (过敏) considerations at the school, peanut butter was out of the question. So she made him a butter and jelly sandwich.
Weisberg said, “I thought I made a good sandwich and I was being a good mum, so I was just expecting him to be happy. I was quite surprised when he hit me with that sandwich review.”
The butter, Weisberg would later find out, had gone bad. The sandwich tasted really terrible. “It’s really hard being a mum. You never really know if you’re doing it right. I just want to encourage parents to build that level of trust with your kids so they can be honest with you,” said Weisberg.
1. What does the underlined word “gaiety” mean in Paragraph 2?A.Confusion. | B.Challenge. | C.Awkwardness. | D.Joy. |
A.Peanut butter wasn’t allowed in kindergarten. | B.She wanted to make something different. |
C.Her son didn’t like peanut butter. | D.Her son had an allergy to peanut. |
A.Abe’s first day in the kindergarten went smoothly. | B.Abe thought the sandwich was awful. |
C.Abe learned honesty in kindergarten. | D.Abe tried her creative sandwich. |
A.Interesting. | B.Strange. | C.Close. | D.Hard. |
【推荐2】Two years ago, Holmes participated in Back to School Bash. He was holding down two jobs at the time — one with the city’s public works department, the other as a barber. Saturday was his busiest hair-cutting day, but he chose to donate his time and give free haircuts to kids from poor families so they’d look neat and clear on that first day of classes. But then an idea hit him — “The kids should earn their free haircut by having to read a book to me,” Holmes said.
The idea was so popular that he continued it the first Tuesday of every month for the next two years. Boys from five to ten years old would grab a favorite book, settle into the barber chair, and read aloud while Holmes was doing their hair. If they found a word obscure, Holmes was there to help. After the haircut, they’d review the book, from the characters and vocabulary to the themes — just like in school, only more fun. Holmes, who is married and has two sons, ages three and four, recognizes that not every parent has the time to read with their kids. Holmes admits he, too, benefits from the process.
Holmes and his family have recently moved to a small town in Chicago. When they get settled, he plans to take up his role as the Story-book Barber. “The way the world is today with guns and violence,” he says. “It’s a safe heaven for the kids, to come to the barbershop and read books.”
1. What do we know about Holmes?A.He lived a hard life. | B.He was the busiest barber in the city. |
C.He offered free haircuts to the poor kids. | D.He organized Back to School Bash. |
A.Reading books aloud. | B.Discussing the characters. |
C.Reviewing the vocabulary. | D.Talking about their favorite books. |
A.Simple. | B.Awkward. | C.Attractive . | D.Confusing. |
A.Brave and creative. | B.Caring and helpful. |
C.Honest and positive. | D.Lucky and outgoing. |
【推荐3】In the mid1950s, I was a somewhat bored earlyadolescent male student who believed that doing any more than necessary was wasted effort. One day, this approach threw me into embarrassment.
In Mrs Totten's eighthgrade maths class at Central Avenue School in Anderson, Indiana, we were learning to add and subtract decimals (小数).
Our teacher typically assigned daily homework, which would be recited in class the following day. On most days, our grades were based on our oral answers to homework questions.
Mrs Totten usually walked up and down the rows of desks requesting answers from student after student in the order the questions had appeared on our homework sheets. She would start either at the front or the back of the classroom and work towards the other end.
Since I was seated near the middle of about 35 students, it was easy to figure out which questions I might have to answer. This particular time, I had completed my usual two or three problems according to my calculations.
What I failed to expect was that several students were absent, which threw off my estimate. As Mrs Totten made her way from the beginning of the class, I desperately tried to determine which maths problem I would get. I tried to work it out before she got to me, but I had brain freeze and couldn't function.
When Mrs Totten reached my desk, she asked what answer I'd got for problem No. 14. “I…I didn't get anything,”I answered, and my face felt warm.
“Correct,” she said.
It turned out that the correct answer was zero.
What did I learn that day? First, always do all your homework. Second, in real life it isn't always what you say but how you say it that matters. Third,I would never make it as a mathematician.
If I could choose one school day that taught me the most, it would be that one.
1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 indicate?A.It is wise to value one's time. | B.It is important to make an effort. |
C.It is right to stick to one's belief. | D.It is enough to do the necessary. |
A.asked questions in a regular way |
B.walked up and down when asking questions |
C.chose two or three questions for the students |
D.requested her students to finish their usual questions |
A.the class didn't begin as usual |
B.several students didn't come to school |
C.he didn't try hard to make his estimate |
D.Mrs Totten didn't start from the back of the class |
A.An unforgettable teacher | B.A future mathematician |
C.An effective approach | D.A valuable lesson |
【推荐1】Modern life is full of things that can influence your ability to be sensitive and responsive to your child. These include extra work, lack of sleep, and things like mobile devices. Some experts are concerned about the effects that distracted (分心) parenting may have on emotional bonding and children’s language development, social interaction, and safety.
If parents are not available, kids can get distressed and feel hurt or ignored. They may have more emotional outbursts, feeling alone and even lose emotional connections to their parents.
It can be tough to respond with sensitivity during tantrums, arguments, or other challenging times with your kids. “If parents respond by being bad-tempered or aggressive themselves, children can copy that behavior, and a negative cycle then continues to upgrade,” explains Dr. Carol Metzler.
According to Crnic, kids start to regulate their own emotions and behavior around age three. Up until then, they depend more on you to help them regulate their emotions, whether to calm them or help get them excited. “They’re watching you to see how you do it and listening to how you talk to them about it,” he explains. “Parents need to be good self-regulators. You’re not only trying to regulate your own emotions in the moment, but helping your child learn to manage their emotions and behavior.”
“When parents engage positively with their children, teaching them the behaviors and skills that they need to cope with the world, children learn to follow rules and regulate their own feelings,” Metzler says.
1. What may distract parenting according to the text?A.Working overtime, | B.Too much sleep. | C.Negative emotions. | D.Social interactions. |
A.Bad habits of ignored children. | B.Bad effects of parents’ absence. |
C.The outcome of parents’ availability. | D.The behavior of emotional children. |
A.Mental relaxation. | B.Extreme anger. | C.Heated discussions. | D.Desperate hunger. |
A.Be strict with their children. | B.Control children’s emotions. |
C.Stay involved with their children. | D.Ask children to copy their behaviors. |
【推荐2】One thing that’s never in short supply at the beginning of each new year?
Another common mistake people make when setting goals is becoming overly concerned about the amount of time it will take to form a new habit. There’s no one right answer when it comes to how long new habits should take to form.
So the yearly ritual of resolution setting doesn’t have to be an annual disappointment. Sometimes, the difference between success and failure is simply choosing the right habits and the process you use to go about achieving it. Most importantly, remember to be kind and flexible with yourself and to celebrate any and all progress along the way.
A.Good intentions. |
B.Congratulations and best wishes. |
C.In other words, you must also readjust your diet. |
D.It’s essential to choose a habit you think enjoyable. |
E.A common error many people make is not choosing right habits. |
F.It depends on what habit you’re trying to develop and who you are. |
G.It’s not just the end goal that matters—it’s the journey along the way. |
【推荐3】Most of us assume those hyper-achievers who are always able to squeeze in their workout, eat healthy foods and pick their kids up on time must have superhuman self-control. But science points to a different answer:
The way you define the goal you hope to turn into a habit does matter. Goals like “meditate regularly” are too abstract, research has shown.
A plan like “I’ll study Spanish for 30 minutes every weekday” is OK. But a detailed, cue-based plan like “Every workday after my last meeting, I’ll spend 30 minutes studying Spanish in my office” is more likely to stick as a habit.
3.We’re strongly influenced by the behaviors of the people around us, evidence shows. Want to start running regularly? You’re probably better off joining an established running club than asking a few friends who aren’t yet in the habit of jogging to get in shape with you.
However, it’s important not to get too crazy - if you try to train with marathoners when you’re just hoping to work up to a 5K, it can be discouraging.
4.Make it fun to repeatResearch has shown you’ll persist longer and ultimately achieve more if you focus on finding ways to make goal pursuit fun. One excellent way is to try “temptation bundling”. Research shows that temptation bundling improves follow-through; it transforms goal pursuit into a source of pleasure, not pain.
A.Find the right kind of social support. |
B.Tell your friends and family about your goals. |
C.What we mistake for willpower is often a natural outcome of habit. |
D.You’ll benefit from being more specific about what exactly you aim to do and how often. |
E.Having a bite-size objective makes it less daunting to get started and easier to see your progress. |
F.Now you have established a specific goal, it’s time to think about what will cue you to follow through. |
G.For example, watch your favorite show while at the gym or enjoy a beloved podcast while cooking healthy meals. |