Question

As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.

Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”

The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”

1.The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.

A．show the relationship between parents and children

B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table

C．report on the findings of a study

D．give information about family problems

2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.

A．they are busy serving food to their children

B．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table

C．they have to pay more attention to younger children

D．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family

3.By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.

A．have to help their parents to serve dinner

B．get the least attention from the family

C．are often kept away from the dinner table

D．find it hard to keep up with other children

4.Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.

A．why TV is important in family life

B．why parents should keep good order

C．why children in small families seem to be quieter

D．why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life

5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?

A．It is important to have the right food for children.

B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.

C．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.

D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.B

4.D

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：文章讲述在餐桌上父母和孩子的交流对孩子的发展很重要，而父母往往会过去重视最大的和最小的孩子，呼吁父母应该给所有的孩子同样的机会，让他们有同样的发展机会。

1.C 细节题。根据文章第一段第二句. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.可知本文讲述的是一项调查报告的结果。故C正确。

2.B 细节题。根据第二段3,4行But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make.可知当孩子数量众多的时候，父母的精力就放在了维持纪律上了。故B正确。

3.B 推理题。根据文章倒数4,5,6行Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,”可知父母的注意力集中在最大的孩子和最小的孩子，位于中间的孩子往往被忽视。故B正确。

4.D 细节题。根据第二段7,8行The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹).说明D项正确。

5.C 推理题。根据文章讲述在餐桌上父母和孩子的交流对孩子的发展很重要，所以父母应该给所有的孩子同样的机会，让他们有同样的发展机会。故C正确。

考点：考查调查报告类短文阅读