Question

In any family with more than one child, children seem to naturally compete for their parents’ love and attention. Parents say they love every child equally. But is that true?

Susan, founder of a consulting firm in Chicago, interviewed 216 women and found that even though none of her questions asked directly about a parent favoring one child over another, about two-third of the women said there was a favored child. And they also remembered their experience when they were young. One of the women said, “My mother always liked my brother better, and he got to summer camp in 1968 and I didn’t.

Plumez, who interviewed parents with both biological children (亲生孩子 ) and adoptive children for an adoption book in 2008, found that what matters most is whether your temperaments (性情 ) are pleasing. “In some cases, parents would say they felt closer to their adopted children, ”she says. “Some parents like the children with characters similar to theirs. Two people who are shy and withdrawn (内向的) might get along well, unless the shy parent doesn’t like that aspect of themselves and they try to push the naturally withdrawn child to be more extroverted.”

It could be a result of gender, birth order or how easy or difficult a child’s temperament may be, but a parent’s different treatment has far-reaching effects. Studies have found that less-favored children may suffer emotionally, with decreased self-esteem and behavioral problems in children. Favoritism (偏爱) is a reason for the next generation not to like each other.

Experts say it’s not realistic to say everyone should be treated equally, because no two people are the same and they related differently to others.

“It does not mean the parent loves or likes one child more. It has to do with which one of them is independent,” says psychologist Lauriet Kramer of the University of Illinois.

1.The study carried out by Susan shows that ________.

A. showing favoritism is common in many families

B. most mothers like their sons better than their daughters

C. only two-thirds of the women interviewed have more than a child

D. it is favoritism that leads to absence of harmony in most families

2.The underlined word “ extroverted” in the third paragraph means ________.

A. independentB. outgoingC. easygoingD. awful

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Favoritism is not beneficial to the development of children

B. Parents’ favoritism to a certain child can’t be avoided in families.

C. Parents may be favorite one of their children and don’t realize it.

D. People are very much shaped by how they were treated by their parents.

4.What’s the best title for the passage?

A. Parents’ favoritism can affect children deeply

B. Why do parents show favoritism to children?

C. Parents should give attention to all their children

D. Building a harmonious family is important to children

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.D

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲的是偏爱在许多家庭中是常见的，父母的偏爱会深深地影响孩子们。

1. 推理判断题。根据第四段最后一句Favoritism ( 偏爱 ) is a reason for the next generation not to like each other.（偏爱是下一代不喜欢彼此的原因。）根据第五段Experts say it’s not realistic to say everyone should be treated equally, because no two people are the same and they related differently to others.（专家说每个人都应该平等对待是不现实的）可知，偏爱在许多家庭中是常见的。故选A。

2. 词义猜测题。根据第三段最后一句Two people who are shy and withdrawn (内向的) might get along well, unless the shy parent doesn’t like that aspect of themselves and they try to push the naturally withdrawn child to be more extroverted.”可推知，害羞的父母不喜欢自己的这一方面，并试图让他们内向的孩子更外向一些，故B项outgoing（外向的）与划线词意思相同。

3.

4. 主旨大意题。根据第一段第一句In any family with more than one child, children seem to naturally compete for their parents’ love and attention.（在任何家庭，孩子们似乎天生就要争夺他们的父母的爱和关注。）根据第四段最后一句Favoritism (偏爱) is a reason for the next generation not to like each other.（偏爱是下一代不喜欢彼此的原因。）可知，父母的偏爱会深深地影响孩子们。故选A。

【学法指导】

任何一篇文章中的句子在内容上都不是绝对孤立的，都跟句子所在的段落及整整篇文章有关。利用上下文提供的情景和线索，进行合乎逻辑的综合分析进而推测词义，是阅读过程中的一大关键。最常见的就是利用上下文语境、常识和语法关系推断词义。抓住所需推断词汇前后的“mean”或系动词或破折号等直接定义该词的部分非常关键。5.extroverted.”害羞和内向的两个人可能相处的很好，除非害羞的父母不喜欢自己的那一方面，他们试图把生性孤僻的孩子变得更外向。根据关键词withdrawn可知B项符合题意。

考点：考查教育类阅读