Kindness and kids just seem to go hand in hand. But 62% of more than 2, 600 participants in the NBC News State of Kindness Poll believe that today’s kids are less kind than those in the past. Women (66%) feel about this kindness fall more strongly than men (58%). Most of the participants who feel that way (77%) thank parents caused the seeming lack of kindness among today’s children, with a few thinking that society, schools, or friends caused it.
At the same time, Americans say they don’t put kindness first when it comes to teaching kids values. Among all participants, honesty is taught more than kindness as well as other things like courage, leadership and storing work ethic (道德). But the younger generation—those aged 18～24—think highly of kindness rules. They choose kindness by 10% over honesty as the most important quality to teach kids.
The question of whether kindness is learned or taught—or somewhere in between—causes different opinions. According to the study, Americans have different opinions on whether kindness in something one is born with or needs to be learned and nurtured over time. Slightly more than half (52%) of the participants believe that all of us are born with the ability to show kindness, while 48% believe kindness must be developed.
Parenthood (父母身份) makes a difference to your thoughts on the causes of kindness. Those without kids (56%) are more likely to think that people are born to be kind, while 50% of the participants with kids think kindness is developed.
Also, 51% of dads and 54% of men with no kids believe kindness is something time is born with. Slightly more than half of the moms say kindness must be learned, while 48% believe it is what one is born with.
1. What do participants aged 18～24 consider the most important for kids?| A．Honesty. | B．Leadership. | C．Kindness. | D．Courage. |
| A．kept | B．developed | C．replaced | D．protected |
| A．48% | B．51% | C．52% | D．54% |
| A．Causes of today’s kids being less kind. |
| B．The important qualities of today’s kids. |
| C．Different people’s opinion’s on kindness. |
| D．Findings of research on today’s kids’ kindness. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】It could happen anywhere at any time.
They can be relatively insignificant.Hannah Bailey from London，for example，told the Metro newspaper about how she was given her fruit and vegetable shopping for free.The seller did her a kindness when it emerged she didn’t have any change to pay.
The city of Naples has long had a tradition called‘caffè sospeso’.When buying coffee，a person who has recently been lucky would purchase two cups but only drink one，leaving the second one anonymously(匿名)，out of the goodness of their heart，for a poor person to claim for free.
However，in some cases，these little acts can be a matter of life and death.Take，for example，the unnamed commuter，who in June 2018 fell off a station platform onto an electric railway track in Toronto，Canada.A quick-thinking，but even now unknown，bystander selflessly leapt down to pull him to safety.
So，why do it?
| A．So give it a try. |
| B．Be brave to face challenges. |
| C．Often，the acts aren’t paid back. |
| D．She was happy about it all day. |
| E．She was in low spirits the whole day. |
| F．This tradition is now more common worldwide. |
| G．It’s often unexpected，but almost never unappreciated. |
【推荐2】How to Show Maturity
Sometimes it's fun to be a kid, but other times you want to show that you can be mature. Maturity can be a signpost of moving from childhood to adulthood.
●Live by your values. Maturity includes making decisions based on your values and morals, instead of what feels good at the moment.
●
●Treat people with respect. Respect builds trust and support in a relationship. Make sure you treat others with the same respect, whether it is your parents, friends or romantic partner.
●Admit your disadvantages.
| A．Keep your commitments. |
| B．This is a very mature action. |
| C．Reflect on what makes you active. |
| D．Allow your values to guide your life. |
| E．Respect others with both your actions and your words. |
| F．A good way to learn respect is to first respect yourself. |
| G．It can include intellectual, emotional and even spiritual aspects. |
【推荐3】Tim Richter and his wife，Linda，had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo，New York-he in computers,she in special education．“Teaching means everything to us，”Tim would say．In April 1998,he learned he would need a heart operation．It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life’s purpose．
Not long after the surgery，Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library,a program started by Dolly Parton’s foundation（基金会）that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer’s home town of Sevier，Tennessee．“I thought，maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire，”Tim recalls．He placed the brochure on his desk，“as a reminder．”
Five years later，now retired and with that brochure still on the desk，Tim clicked on imaginationlibrary．com．The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts．
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters．Rather than sign up online，they went to Dollywood for a look-see．“We didn’t want to give the children rubbish，”says Linda．The books-reviewed each year by teachers，literacy specialists，and Dollywood board members-included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats’s The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama series．
Satisfied，the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work．Since 2004，they have shipped more than 12，200 books to preschoolers in their area．Megan Williams，a mother of four，is more than appreciative：“This program introduces us to books I’ve never heard of．”
The Richters spend about﹩400 a month sending books to 200 children．“Some people sit there and wait to die，”says Tim．“Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left．”
1. What led Tim to think seriously about the meaning of life？________| A．His health problem． |
| B．His love for teaching． |
| C．The influence of his wife． |
| D．The news from the Web． |
| A．Give out brochures． |
| B．Do something similar． |
| C．Write books for children． |
| D．Retire from being a teacher． |
| A．To avoid signing up online． |
| B．To meet Dollywood board members． |
| C．To make sure the books were the newest． |
| D．To see if the books were of good quality． |
| A．He needs more money to help the children． |
| B．He wonders why some people are so busy． |
| C．He tries to save those waiting to die． |
| D．He considers his efforts worthwhile． |
【推荐1】September is upon us, which means one thing for parents and children alike: term time after the lockdown of COVID-19 pandemic(疫情). No Isolation collected responses from 1,005 parents and carers of 1,477 children of primary and secondary school.
Loneliness is difficult to describe and talk about for adults.
Another way that we can deal with social isolation(孤独) is through the use of technology, especially video calls. Video calls have been common during the pandemic.
Are you worried about how your child might be struggling, or concerned that a more digital life could be leaving them isolated
| A．They need help and support. |
| B．The first thing to do is talk with them. |
| C．Children especially can struggle with this. |
| D．The school and teachers should be responsible for it. |
| E．Sadly, more than 3/4 of these children felt lonely during the lockdown. |
| F．However, they are not necessarily the answer for those studying from home. |
| G．Actually, they are quite useful and effective for all the children studying from home. |
【推荐2】Your peers are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other’s choices and behavior. This is often ________ — it’s human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.
Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you’re uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, or taking dangerous risks when driving a car.
The pressure to conform (随潮流) can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it. Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless — or something that has more serious consequences. People may feel pressure to conform, so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues (暗示) about what is and isn’t acceptable.
The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else’s lead first. Then others may go along, too — so it can be easy to think, “It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they’re doing.” Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd — perhaps on something they might not otherwise do.
Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature — but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground.
It’s not always easy to resist negative peer pressure. But when you do, it is easy to feel good about it afterwards. And you may even be a positive influence on your peers who feel the same way — often it just takes one person to speak out or take a different action to change a situation.
1. Which of the following is a kind of peer pressure?| A．Your teachers give you a lot of homework. |
| B．Your classmates persuade you to cut class. |
| C．Your parents expect high scores from you. |
| D．Your relatives invite you to attend a party. |
| A．positive | B．negative |
| C．impossible | D．uncertain |
| A．get a feeling of being accepted |
| B．feel a sense of achievement |
| C．set a good example for others |
| D．stand out in a crowd |
| A．Giving in to peer pressure is unavoidable. |
| B．Peer pressure usually leads to serious results. |
| C．Everyone can make a difference by resisting negative peer pressure. |
| D．Going along with the crowd usually means making a right choice. |
| A．different types of peer pressure |
| B．ways to deal with peer pressure |
| C．thoughts on peer pressure |
| D．the influence of peer pressure on people |
【推荐3】Everywhere I look, there are new buildings under construction. The neighborhoods that I knew as a boy, filled with beautiful old buildings, have mostly disappeared, and in their place, modern, high-rise buildings have appeared. There is good reason for this. Residents want all the conveniences of modern living. However, how can our children understand and maintain their cultural identity if we erase so much of the physical evidence of it?
The arguments for preserving historic buildings are not simply about an emotional attachment to the past. There are also good economic arguments in favour of preservation. The renovation (修缮) and preservation of historic districts can become an economic engine, drawing tourists and small businesses to the area. For example, in Dubai, the historic Al Bastikiya district draws thousands of tourists every year from all over the world. It also attracts local residents, eager to learn about their city's past.
Some have argued that historic preservation is too expensive, but many recent projects have demonstrated that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, renovation of an existing structure for adaptive reuse can cost about £40 per square metre less than even the most basic new construction, while preserving the beauty of the original building. And, although it is often claimed that old buildings have a more significant environmental footprint than new construction because they aren’t very energy efficient, architects and environmental experts maintain that the greenest building is the one that is already built. New construction almost always has a more serious environmental impact (影响) because it requires the use of all-new materials that must be transported, often over long distances, instead of recycled materials that are already on site. We recycle so many other things. We can and should recycle buildings, too.
Historic preservation is an option that opens many possibilities; demolition (拆毁), in contrast, is irreversible. Once these treasures are lost, they are lost forever, an important link in our heritage that can never be recovered.
1. What drives people to replace old buildings with new ones?| A．Their dislike of old buildings. | B．Their pride in cultural identity. |
| C．Their concern about young generations. | D．Their desire for modern comforts. |
| A．Historic renovation costs much money. |
| B．Local governments support small businesses. |
| C．Historic preservation brings economic benefits. |
| D．International tourism promises economic recovery. |
| A．It uses green materials. | B．It damages architectural beauty. |
| C．It reduces enviromental impact. | D．It worries environmental experts. |
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Disapproving. | D．Objective. |
【推荐1】A person seeking a new career opportunity might consider looking in a museum. Museums provide jobs in fields such as research, management, graphic arts, public relations, education, preserving, cataloging, fund-raising, and construction. A museum may have one employee or thousands.
Many museum workers do not work directly with the objects in the museum; for example, the staff of a finance department prepares budgets and financial reports. Accountant and bookkeeper are typical positions. Staffers in the development department, meanwhile, work to increase museum membership and donations and to plan fund-raisers, such as dances or auctions. Publications department personnel may write newsletters, brochures, or books.
Some museums have an education department responsible for planning talks, teaching workshops, directing tours, or training tour guides.
People who prefer to work directly with a museum's collection have many career options. A person who pays attention to detail may enjoy being a registrar, the person who keeps track of the objects in a museum. Registrars keep records of objects, noting what they are, when and how they were obtained, and whether they are on loan to another museum or on display.
Curators are the people responsible for a museum's collection. One of their duties is to choose items for exhibits; then they work closely with designers who plan the best way to arrange exhibits. Other specialists do things such as arrange lighting or build display cases. Expert craftspeople can also find jobs re-creating historic buildings, such as the Pilgrim village at Plimoth Plantation.
A museum also often employs conservators to repair and take care of its collection. Many conservators are specialists who care for one kind of item, such as books or paintings. The Henry Ford Museum employs many conservators, including some who are experts in caring for antique cars.
Some historic homes, such as George Washington's home in Mount Vernon, have gardens, farms, and woods, as well as buildings. Gardeners are employed to care for the grounds and livestock handlers to care for farm animals.
Museums offer many other career opportunities too. They may have gift shops where sales assistants sell books, postcards, and other items or. restaurants where meals are prepared and served. Depending on one's interests, a museum could be a great place to look for a job.
1. A museum's education department might _____.| A．plan fund-raisers | B．prepare financial reports |
| C．write brochures | D．conduct workshops |
| A．work directly with museum collections |
| B．choose museum collections |
| C．prepare financial reports |
| D．choose items for exhibits |
| A．teachers | B．writers | C．craftspeople | D．bookkeepers |
| A．Curators work closely with designers in the arrangement of museum exhibits. |
| B．There are many kinds of museums in such fields as history, art, and science. |
| C．Museums, although they vary in purpose and size, offer a wide range of career opportunities. |
| D．Museums serve as an ideal workplace for those only interested in museum collections. |
【推荐2】In Florida’s Everglades, few species are more closely tied to this place’s health than an endangered bird, the snail kite, which eats just one thing: snails. Over the last century, due to changing environments, these local snails have become hard to find, and the birds are dying out. But the number of snail kites has increased recently thanks to an unusual invasive (入侵的) snail, which is a pretty uncommon event.
Snail kites got their name from their amazing flying ability. They were one of the last bird species discovered in the U. S. because of where they live, often hidden in the Everglades. Over the past century, as many of their living places became pretty dry and water stopped running through parts of the Everglades, the snail kite population fell rapidly. It was one of the first birds put on the endangered species list in the 1960s. And by 2007, fewer than 800 had remained.
Right shortly after that, this invasive snail came in, and just started flourishing and getting into every wetland. Since then, the snail kite population has been slowly increasing. By last year’s count, there are now more than 3,000 snail kites. And, although it’s early in the season, researchers are finding lots of nests with eggs and young birds.
Efforts to restore (恢复) Florida’s Everglades have also helped the snail kite, bringing back local plants and the flow of water. The restoration work has been in place for more than 30 years with a cost of more than $20 billion. But progress is slow.
Though some scientists say the invasive snail may have saved the snail kite, Professor Robert Fletcher is feeling uneasy about the possible influence the species will have on the Everglades over the long term. He says, “What we should be thinking about is how to restore local snails to get those benefits rather than depending on this invasive species that can harm the ecosystem. The snails may already have a bad effect on some local plants, and a sign trouble may be showing soon.”
1. What does the uncommon event in the first paragraph refer to?| A．The snail kite’s population keeps changing. |
| B．The local snail kite has found a new food source. |
| C．An invasive snail positively influences a local species. |
| D．A local snail has lost its living places to an invasive snail. |
| A．Their losing good flying ability. | B．The absence of a protection list. |
| C．The appearance of an invasive snail. | D．Their long-lasting dry living conditions. |
| A．Falling slowly. | B．Growing rapidly. | C．Changing quickly. | D．Disappearing largely. |
| A．The restoration work in the Everglades has stopped. |
| B．Bringing the Everglades to its normal condition is difficult. |
| C．The Everglades is facing different kinds of natural disasters. |
| D．Protecting the Everglades’ water is key to snail kites’ survival. |
【推荐3】How often are students absent from school? Are they ready for college? Is their school a welcoming place? States are beginning to plan new ways to grade their schools. Under the new law, states are paying more attention to whether students are getting better at school. They will not only look at whether students have achieved a certain level of understanding in reading and maths, but also see whether students have improved over time.
Mike Petrilli, the president of an organization that supports education, said the new law was different from the No Child Left Behind Act, the earlier education law. “It will be a fairer way to measure school quality,” he said. With the No Child Left Behind Act, schools were measured(评价)by how well students did on tests. If students did not do well, their schools would often get less money from the government. The new law gave states more choice about how their schools should be measured.
So far, nine states have given their plans to the National Education Department, while seven other states are completing them. When checking school quality, states are experimenting with new measures. Almost all of the early states have considered absences as a key measure, which counts how many students are absent from school more than one-tenth of the school year.
Connie and Delaware will track college preparation. They will see whether high school students are taking advanced classes. At the same time, they will also see how well students do on tests to get into college. Tennessee wants to give every public school a grade from A to F, and the grade will consider how well English learners are doing. It also will look at whether disabled students are being served. In addition, the schools will also be graded by whether students are ready for college, as well as how many students graduate.
Marc.Magee, an official of an education group, said, “there are so many differences in how states want to examine their schools. Then comparing states to each other could be difficult.”
1. According to the passage, the No Child Left Behind Act_______.| A．doesn’t care about the quality of education |
| B．pays more attention to students’ scores |
| C．forces schools to give up students’ physical practice |
| D．encourages the government to give schools more money |
| A．Students’ scores are not important. |
| B．Schools have to provide Chinese lessons. |
| C．Schools’ grades are related to college preparation. |
| D．The more students graduate, the more money schools will get. |
| A．Comparison among schools should be called off. |
| B．Students may be doubtful about the new law. |
| C．The new law will have a long way to go. |
| D．States should be given equal rights. |
| A．Objective(客观的) | B．Hopeful | C．Doubtful | D．Uninterested |
【推荐1】When presented with a Make-A-Wish grant, most 13-year-old boys would buy a gaming system or take a trip to Disney World. But Abraham Olagbegi is not like most teens!
Abraham is recovering from a bone marrow transplant (骨髓移植) resulting from rare genetic blood disorder. Last year was a scary time for him and his family, but the transplant was successful, and he’s now on a path to good health. When he found out he was qualified for Make-A-Wish, he shocked everyone with his request.
“I remember we were coming home from one of his doctor appointments and he said, ‘Mom, I thought about it, and I really want to feed the homeless,’” said Miriam Olagbegi, Abraham’s mother. “I said, ‘Are you sure, Abraham? You could do a lot… You are sure you don’t want a PlayStation?’”
Abraham’s whole family thought it was a great idea, especially since they’ve tried to teach their kids to give freely and openly to others whenever possible. In the 13-year-old’s words, “My parents always taught us that it’s a blessing to be a blessing.”
Make-A-Wish granted Abraham’s special request, spending a day in September handing out free plates of food to people experiencing homelessness in Jackson, Mississippi. Local businesses donated all of the food and supplies, and together they managed to feed about 80 people!
Abraham said seeing the gratitude on their faces made his wish come true and “warms our hearts”. Now, the Make-A-Wish team will continue Abraham’s program named Abraham’s Table every month.
We’re just very excited to be able to continue on this program. It’s just so rewarding.” Miriam said. “If I was out there on the streets, homeless, I would want somebody at some point to think of me and to do something special for me. So, that’s what I try to teach my kids and we just try to pay it forward, by doing what we were raised to do.”
1. What did Abraham Olagbegi request as a wish?| A．A gaming system. | B．A trip to Disney World. |
| C．Free food for the homeless. | D．Donation of his family’s income. |
| A．They felt confused. | B．They were unsatisfied. |
| C．They tried to change his mind. | D．They fully supported it. |
| A．They are rich and generous. | B．They are very strict parents. |
| C．They influence Abraham positively. | D．They decide everything for Abraham. |
| A．Abraham’s Special Wish | B．Abraham’s Journey to Good Health |
| C．Influence of Family Value on Abraham | D．Community Support in Abraham’s Table |
【推荐2】After growing up in the foster (寄养) care system, Shanté Elliott is working to help others transition(过渡，转变) out of it. Elliott is no stranger to the foster care system. She was forced to change schools and adapt to different homes over and over again before finally being adopted at the age of 13. Elliott became the first member of her family to graduate college, double majoring in literature and communication and earning a master’s in education policy. Today she is pursuing her doctoral degree.
Elliott knows the challenges facing teenagers within the foster care system. “Often, teenagers are not viewed as children but as adults,” she recently told Reader’s Digest. “Think about it—most families looking to adopt want to adopt an infant or a young child, so they can experience developmental milestones with the child.”
There are ways to help foster children without becoming a foster parent, but finding permanency is still what most foster youth need most. And for those who age out of the system without finding those forever homes, there are additional challenges to face. According to Youth.gov, these kids are at greater risk of homelessness, health problems, dropping out of school and legal issues, all of which can make succeeding in adulthood more difficult.
Elliott wants to see that stigma end. “We need to change the national dialogue around this in a way that highlights the needs of older children. All foster-involved children want consistent homes. Potential families need to realize this.”
It’s a reality Elliott is passionate about helping others realize. “The need for protection, love, opportunity, and safety has no age limit. If more teenagers were adopted, youth would have more successful long-term outcomes after foster care.” That’s something these older foster kids who found their forever homes can prove.
1. How was Elliott’s early adoptive life?| A．Difficult. | B．Busy. | C．Strange. | D．Successful. |
| A．Because teenagers are too old to be fostered. |
| B．Because infants lack personal experience and education. |
| C．Because parents can become part of the children’s growth process. |
| D．Because they want to foster children without becoming foster parents. |
| A．Homeless children will drop out of school. |
| B．People don’t want to become foster parents. |
| C．There are some ways to help foster children. |
| D．Children without forever homes may suffer in the future. |
| A．Few teenagers want to find forever foster homes. |
| B．It’s easy for teenagers to find forever foster homes. |
| C．Teenagers are supposed to be offered permanent homes. |
| D．Only teenagers need protection, love, opportunity and safety. |
【推荐3】When asking for money, teens usually spend money in eating and having fun. But Garland Benson, a 14-year-old boy in Austin, Texas, asks for money to help his sister, Christiane.
Garland is trying to raise $1 million to help cover the cost of starting a clinical trial (临床试验) to develop a treatment for Batten disease that can cause blindness. Christiane was found having Batten disease at age 5, and she was 15 in 2018.
“It’s $1 million that I’m going to raise by myself,” Garland told KXAN. “My first goal was to get 100,000 people to give $10 each, and I can do that by spreading it on social media, getting people to donate (捐赠) $10 until 10 people and then keep going like that and finally I’ll get there.”
Garland’s $1 million plan, called “Be a Hero!”, started in February, 2017. He has nearly reached his goal and be has raised $869,525. He has used school projects and even at school-based group of brothers called “Brothers for Batten” who do things like garage sales to raise the money.
Christiane hasn’t allowed Batten disease to keep her from experiencing life. She still goes skiing with her family, rides horses and is a part of her school’s cheerleading squad (啦啦队).
Garland and Christiane’s parents, Charlotte and Craig, started the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation in 2008 in the hope of funding a clinical trial for treatments that may slow the progress of Batten disease. Mom Charlotte is proud of both her kids for doing what they can to help each other and others with Batten disease.
1. Why does Garland Benson want to raise $1 million?| A．To pay for his sister’s schooling. | B．To help fight his sister’s disease. |
| C．To collect money for his daily fun. | D．To do a research on a deadly disease. |
| A．It has nearly succeeded. |
| B．It is a school-based group of brothers. |
| C．It helps slow the progress of Batten disease. |
| D．It is a website designed for people with Batten disease. |
| A．Cheerful and brave. | B．Clever but upset. |
| C．Unlucky but positive. | D．Active and hard-working. |
| A．A Little Girl Fights Against Disease. | B．A Great Project Treats Volunteers. |
| C．Batten Disease Can Cause Blindness. | D．A Boy Raises Money To Help His Sister. |
