One school night this month I quietly approached Alexander, my 15-year-old son, and patted him on the cheek in a manner I hoped would seem casual. Alex knew better, sensing by my touch, which remained just a moment too long, that I was sneaking (偷偷地做) a touch of the beard that had begun to grow near his ears. Suddenly he went stormily to his computer screen. That, and an angry look of his eyes, told me more forcefully than words: Mom, you are seen through!
I realized I committed a silly behavior: not showing respect for my teenager’s personal space. “The average teenager has strong feelings about his privacy,” said two young women experts. Ms. Frankel and Ms. Fox, both 17, are the authors of Breaking the Code, a new book that seeks to bridge the generational divide between parents and adolescents. It is being promoted by its publisher as the first self-help guide by teenagers for their parents, a kind of Kids Are From Mars, Parents Are From Venus that de-mystifies the language and actions of teenagers.
Personally, I welcomed insights into teenagers from any qualified experts, and that included the authors. The most common missteps in interacting with teenagers, they instructed me, result from the conflict between parents maintaining their right to know what goes on under their roof and teenagers striving to guard their privacy. When a child is younger, they write, every decision centers around the parents. But now, as Ms. Fox told me, “often your teenager is in this circle that doesn’t include you.”
Ms. Fox and Ms. Frankel acknowledge that teenagers can be quick to interpret their parents’ remarks as negative or authoritative and respond with aggressiveness that masks their defenselessness. “What we want above all is your approval,” they write. “Don’t forget, no matter how much we act as if we don’t care what you say, we believe the things you say about us.”
8. In the second paragraph,
Kids Are From Mars, Parents Are From Venus is mentioned because ______.
A.it disapproves of opinions in Breaking the Code |
B.it shares the same theme with Breaking the Code |
C.it employs the same language style as Breaking the Code |
D.it ranks right after Breaking the Code among self-help guides |
9. With their book, Ms. Frankel and Ms. Fox ______.
A.declare teenagers’ rights | B.remind parents of teenagers’ missteps |
C.help parents know teenagers better | D.arouse much disagreement from the public |
10. What often leads to conflicts between parents and teenagers based on the passage?
A.Teenagers’ defense of their privacy. |
B.Parents’ striving to instruct teenagers. |
C.Teenagers’ refusal to follow experts’ advice. |
D.Parents’ dislike in teenagers’ attitudes to life. |
11. What can be learned from the last paragraph?
A.Teenagers always rush to judgement on others. |
B.Parents often seek to create an authoritative image. |
C.Parents’ opinions about teenagers matter much to them. |
D.Teenagers feature good comprehension and defenselessness. |