1 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?A.To tell about true friends. | B.To start a discussion. |
C.To encourage online friendships. | D.To summarize(总结) the text. |
A.In any case. | B.In public. | C.In person. | D.In advance. |
A.Unconcerned. | B.Positive. | C.Worried. | D.Confused. |
A.Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B.It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
C.It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D.Social media help people stay closely connected. |
2 . Many kids help out around the house with chores such as emptying the dishwasher, putting laundry away, and taking out the trash. In exchange, some kids get allowances or other rewards such as extra computer time.
But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores. Susie Walton, a parenting educator and family coach, believes that by rewarding kids, parents are sending a message that work isn’t worth doing unless you get something in return. “Running any kind of household is a team effort,” Susie said. “A home is a living space for everyone in the family. It’s important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house, and that families decide together how they want their home to look, and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look.”
Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates kids to do chores, and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed (兑取) either online or in the real world. With the Chore Monster app, kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. “Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards.” says Chris Bergman, founder of Chore Monster. “Kids need positive reinforcement to help motivate them.”
What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids help out around their homes without getting anything in return?
Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids. com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is 18 February.
1. How does the author start the passage?A.By stating his own experiences. | B.By presenting some facts. |
C.By comparing different views. | D.By listing some evidence. |
A.Kids should be rewarded for doing chores. |
B.Parents decide what kids can do for the family. |
C.Kids have the responsibility to share housework. |
D.Kids can get extra computer time for doing chores. |
A.Chris Bergman’s opinion on raising kids. |
B.Main reasons why kids need encouragement |
C.How to motivate kids to try new applications. |
D.The advantage of rewarding kids for doing chores. |
A.To invite readers to express their opinions. | B.To present the author’s viewpoint about parenting. |
C.To call on readers to reflect on their behavior. | D.To inform readers of two different opinions. |
3 . In recent years, China has witnessed the growth of luxury (奢侈品) brands. In this market, Chinese consumers are now the largest spenders. It’s clear that a new generation of young, materialistic people is increasingly relying on luxury brands to improve its self-image. I am a fashionist too, at least in spirit — I love to look at clothes and shoes. But I don’t understand why people spend lots of money on designer labels. When a young woman buys a handbag that costs two months of her salary, that’s a scary thing.
What’s interesting is that scientists have found that having luxury things doesn’t lead to happiness. Study after study has shown that although we want material things, when we get them we don’t suddenly become “happy” people. In fact, a series of studies by Leaf Van Boven at the University of Colorado, US, has shown that individuals who spend money on travel and similar experiences get more pleasure than those who invest it in material things. That’s because experiences are more easily combined with a person’s identity. If I travel to Yunnan, that adventure affects how I think in the future. My memories become a part of me.
Moreover, as Van Boven has observed, young people who pursue happiness through “things” are liked less by their peers. People prefer those who pursue happiness through experiences.
It’s natural to want to express yourself through your appearance. So my advice is: create a look that isn’t tied to a designer label. Convey your own message. Take some lessons from the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. He was always in Levis jeans and a black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, routinely appears in hoodies and sneakers. These people, successful people, have style. You don’t have to break the bank to send a message about who you are. Take a trip. Go out into the world. Then come back and confidently create your own signature look.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?A.The author enjoys buying luxury brands herself. |
B.The author agrees to overspend money on material things. |
C.The author is critical of youths tying their looks to designer labels. |
D.The author finds it natural for fashionists to follow fashion trends. |
A.people dislike those who love luxuries |
B.traveling changes a person’s identity greatly |
C.luxuries have a negative effect on people’s happiness |
D.experiences can bring people more happiness than luxuries |
A.Be selective about designer labels. | B.Create your own personal unique style. |
C.Choose simple and fashionable styles. | D.Try styles like Mark Zuckerberg’s. |
A.prove how luxury leads to an unpleasant life |
B.tell how to express yourself through appearances |
C.report on a series of studies about luxuries and happiness |
D.persuade readers to invest in experiences instead of luxuries |
4 . Summer vacation is over. How many of you have burned the midnight oil to finish your homework over the last few days?
It can be hard to be this responsible. A lot of people often put off difficult or big tasks until they absolutely must be done.
I myself am a bit of a procrastinator. But most of the time, I try to finish my work earlier rather than later. It just makes more sense—if I finish my work now, I’ll have more time to relax or work on other projects later. It can be hard to encourage myself to get started sometimes.
Everyone procrastinates from time to time. It’s a natural thing to do.
A.But once I do, the work gets done quickly and with little stress. |
B.One reason we procrastinate is that we are trying to do too many things at once. |
C.Do you do your homework at the last minute before you need to hand it in? |
D.However, this is usually not a good thing. |
E.Most of the tasks we procrastinate on seem difficult or big at first. |
F.They’re called procrastinators(拖延症患者). |
G.You don’t have to beat yourself up over it. |
5 . Time was, being called “nerd (书呆子)” was a bad thing.
That is happily different now, says Sarah Jane, director at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, which is home to the exhibit “Obsessed: The Art of Nerd-dom” through March 15. “I think the majority of my friends are nerdier than I am,” she said, “and I mean that in a ‘my friends are cooler than I am’ kind of way.”
Jane said the rise of the Internet certainly helped blossom, connecting people with common interests across geographies. Now, it’s almost mainstream—exhibitions of nerd culture fill convention halls, comic book superheroes and science fiction stories are the focus of blockbuster movies, and more.
“It has made being a nerd less of an isolating experience, and more of a community experience because you’re connecting with other people who have that shared interest,” she said.
Holladay, the co-curator (副馆长), spoke up in a meeting about what the coming exhibition season would look like.“I knew of another nerdy exhibition that had happened in LA recently... and I just thought ‘you know, I bet there are nerdy artists on the (Olympic) Peninsula and in Washington who have really quality work, where the subject matter might not fit into most exhibits’,” she said.
And she wasn’t surprised when they received plenty of recommendations.“My theory was that nerds are everywhere,” she said. “Once I got in touch with the right people, everyone was coming out of the woodwork.”
The exhibit features comic art, and things like Pokemon cards arranged in a collage (拼贴画). One work invites viewers to imagine the unique talents and abilities they have as superpowers they bring to the world. Holladay says the evolution of the idea of nerd culture has been positive over the past several years.
1. What is Sarah Jane’s attitude towards “nerds”?A.Neutral. | B.Critical. | C.Appreciative. | D.Uncaring. |
A.People’s varying views of nerd. |
B.Movies’ great influence upon people. |
C.The sufferings people have gone through. |
D.The Internet connecting people with shared interests. |
A.Springing out. | B.Getting out of the woods. |
C.Rushing outside. | D.Expecting high quality of work. |
A.The exhibition shows how being a “nerd” becomes good. |
B.The nerd culture is always evolving positively. |
C.Many unusual exhibitions are scheduled. |
D.Another different culture appears recently. |
Barry Jenkins: ‘When you climb the ladder, you send it back down’
“So, you saw the film?” Barry Jenkins is eager to ask the minute we are introduced. He gives good eye contact through those stylish thick-rimmed glasses – not the big-time, Oscar-winning writer-director speaking, but a nervous artist, anxious
Adapted from James Baldwin’s 1974 novel, Beale Street tells the story in which the personal experiences of a young black couple
Baldwin has been dead for 30 years, but his depiction of the fight against a country’s powerful prejudice is a sad reminder
Beale Street
7 . There’s a lot of anxiety around how young people, particularly teenagers, use the Internet but new research by Talk Talk suggests some of these fears may be overblown.
In a recent study, 2,000 young people aged 13—16 and the parents of the same teenagers, were interviewed about their attitudes to technology and loneliness.
The teens were mainly optimistic about technology and its uses. 51 percent said that during times when they felt lonely, tech provided a solution to their loneliness, enabling them to make new friends, receive support and advice, as well as allowing them to read positive comments online. However, social media was considered as cause for feeling lonely by 12 percent of teens, who said they felt lonely because they didn’t have many friends on social media.
When it comes to the parents, on the other hand there is an education gap between worrying about the Internet, and knowing what to do about it. For example, 70 percent of parents worry about their teens using the Internet, and knowing what to do about it. For example, 70 percent of parents worry about their teens using the Internet, but 65 percent said they did not limit the hours their teen spends using social media and tech, and 70 percent reported they don’t use parent protection controls and software. Around 37 percent said they feel ill-equipped or unsure about how to manage their teens online.
It seems like when it comes to the Internet, the main problem is with the parents not understanding what they’re doing. Research by Oxford University academics found there was little evidence linking screen time to mental health problems in teenagers. The study used a mixture of self-reporting techniques as well as time-use diaries.
We’re still learning about how things like social media affect our health and well being, but at least this research shows that the Generation Z (those born between 1996-2010) may have more of a hold on tech and its effects than their parents do.
1. What did the research by Talk Talk find?A.More teens think tech helps rid loneliness. |
B.Most parents limit their children’s use of the Internet. |
C.Social media is destroying the parent-child relationship. |
D.Teens prefer to communicate with their net friends rather than their parents. |
A.They reported it to teachers. | B.They had no idea how to solve it. |
C.They felt unsure if it was really worrying. | D.They began to control their teens screen time. |
A.Less social media, better health. |
B.Social media is the main cause of loneliness. |
C.Social media shouldn’t be allowed in high schools. |
D.Don’t worry too much about teenagers’ use of tech. |
A.giving typical examples. | B.providing research results. |
C.stating different arguments. | D.presenting a cause and its effects. |
8 . One form of social prejudice (偏见) against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn’t it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned upon (反对) by their children and grandchildren?
Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has let more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain. So that’s why grey gamers are often seen now.
When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn’t believe they would ever get familiar with them. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says, “I find it very relaxing. It’s not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate.”
Another development that has favored “grey games” is a change in the type of video games available on the market. There’s a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy and simulation (模拟) games. For example, Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real — world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challengers, such as keeping to a strict timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm.
Some people argue that “grey gamers” simply don’t have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the “grey gamers” may well be far better than the young. In games where speed is the main consideration, older people would be at a disadvantage because they may have slower reaction. time. On the other hand, “grey gamers” have a preference for slower — paced, mind challenging games.
1. The second paragraph is intended to___________.A.show the best way to exercise the brain | B.stress the importance of good health |
C.explain why grey gamers exist | D.teach how to play video games |
A.Doubtful. | B.Concerned. | C.Enthusiastic. | D.Supportive. |
A.offering numbers | B.giving examples | C.making comparisons | D.providing details |
A.mind challenging games are not suitable for older people |
B.teenagers should improve their skills with practice |
C.playing computer games requires analytical thinking |
D.older people may perform well in computer games |
9 . According to a new US study, couples who expect their children to look after them in old age should hope they have daughters because daughters are twice as loving as sons generally.
The research by Angelina Grigoryeva, from Princeton University, found that, while women provide as much care for their elderly parents as they can manage, men do as little as they can get away with and often leave it to female family members.
Her analysis of the family networks of 26, 000 old Americans concluded that gender (性别)is one of the most important things that decide whether or not people will actively care for their elderly parents.
In a paper presented at the annual conference of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco, she concludes that simply having a sister makes men likely provide less care. Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been recording those people over 50s for the last decade, she analyzed that women provide an average of 12. 3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5. 6 hours.
“Sons reduce their relative caregiving efforts when they have a sister, while daughters increase theirs when they have a brother.”
“This suggests that sons pass on parent caregiving responsibilities to their sisters.”
In the UK, the 2011 Census showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities, a figure which has risen by a tenth in a decade.
But many are doing so at the risk of their health. The census showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a fulltime job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their working counterparts who are not carers.
1. According to the passage, what’s the key factor to decide if people will actively care for the old?A.Education. | B.Gender. | C.Career. | D.Income. |
A.having a sister makes men less likely to look after their parents |
B.sons are twice as likely as daughters to care for parents in old age |
C.sons are unwilling to leave caregiving responsibilities to their sisters |
D.sons and daughters seem to give equal care to their parents |
A.People should give up their jobs to care for the elderly. |
B.Many care providers work longer hours than others. |
C.Many care providers have potential health problems. |
D.People shouldn’t pass on caring responsibilities to others. |
A.explaining social networks of careers |
B.describing people’s experiences |
C.analyzing various researches and data |
D.comparing different gender |
10 . A night at the movies is always a good idea. But when you leave the theater and realize you just dropped $45 on a ticket and some snacks, you’ll wish you had been patient enough to wait until the movie came out on Netflix. The average movie ticket price in the United States in 2000 was $5.39; now, a ticket is over $9.
The main reason that movie tickets have gotten so expensive is because of inflation (通货膨胀). It was actually more expensive to go to the movies in the 70s than it is now. A ticket in 1978 cost $2.34. If you plug that into an inflation calculator, the same ticket would cost you $9.46 today. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average cost for a ticket today is $9.11.
Another reason you need to spend some of your life savings to see a movie on the big screen is that theaters are competing with streaming services that produce their own films, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. And let’s be honest, sitting at home on your sofa or in your bed is more comfortable than sitting in a cold theater.
Because of streaming technology, theaters have to do something to bring in customers. Attractions—including alcohol, reclining seats (躺椅), surround sound, and 3-D movies are all examples of that. And those upgrades come at a price, leading to more expensive tickets.
“There’s all that extra cost, and it’s really important for theater owners and companies to make that experience as enjoyable as possible,” Patrick Corcoran, vice president of the National Association of Theatre Owners told Marketplace. “Because you’re offering a superb experience—audience expectations are for the latest and greatest technology. Audiences are willing to pay more for a particular experience.”
1. According to the passage, what makes movie tickets so expensive?A.The viewers are wealthier than before. |
B.The movie theatres offer popcorns, alcohol for free. |
C.Inflation has made the ticket price appear higher than before. |
D.The popular movies with famous stars deserve the high price. |
A.Netflix is always a better choice for movie viewers than theatres |
B.with comfortable seats, theatres are more attractive than streaming services |
C.the viewers actually pay more for the updates of the movie theatres |
D.the theater owners and companies update the theaters to make the theatres famous |
A.It’s unwise for viewers to pay so much to watch a movie in the theater. |
B.The high price of a movie ticket is supposed to agree with a wonderful experience. |
C.It’s a waste of money to provide the latest technology in the theatre. |
D.The viewers would prefer to sit at home on the sofas or in the beds. |
A.Behind the Increasing Price of Movie Tickets |
B.Technological Improvement on Movie Theatres |
C.The Competition between Movie Theatre and Streaming Services |
D.How to Save the Viewers’ Wallets |