Question

    On her first morning in America, last summer, my daughter went out to explore her new neighborhood alone.

Of course we were worried; we had just moved from Berlin, and she was just 8. But when she came home, we realized we had no reason to worry. She told us with pride how she had discovered the little park around the corner, and had made friends with a few local dog owners.

When this story comes up in conversations with American friends, we are usually met with polite disbelief.

A study by the University of California has found that American kids spend 90 percent of their free time at home, often watching TV or playing video games. Even when kids are physically active, they are watched closely by adults, either in school, at home, at afternoon activities or in the car. It seems that America’s middle class has taken overprotective parenting to a new level, with the government even acting as a super nanny.

Just take the example of the case of 10-year-old Rafi and 6-year-old Dvora Meitiv in 2015, in Silver Spring, Maryland, who were picked up by the police because their parents had dared to allow them to walk home from the park alone. The state’s Child Protective Services said their parents were guilty.

In reality, child abductions (绑架) by strangers in Silver Spring park are as rare as tiger attacks. Children are overprotected, which encourages dependency and affects their abilities to care for themselves and weigh risks. Mark Hemingway writes in The Federalist, “You know what it’s called when kids make mistakes without adult supervision (监督) and have to struggle with the possible results? Growing up.”

At least, parents who want to give their children more room to walk around shouldn’t be punished. Children are not easily damaged objects to be protected at all times.

1.Why does the author mention his daughter’s experience?

A.To express his worry about her safety.

B.To share the happiness of her growing up.

C.To show she has the space to take risks alone.

D.To encourage us to learn about the environment.

2.What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?

A.How American kids are raised at present.

B.Why many American kids like staying home.

C.The necessity of supervising kids in America.

D.The weaknesses of the American school system.

3.How is the text mainly developed?

A.By telling an interesting story.

B.By using examples to explain.

C.By pointing out similarities and differences.

D.By showing the effect and then explaining the causes.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。主要介绍了当今美国社会对孩子过于保护的现象，分析了形成其中原因并提出了相应建议。

1.推理判断题。根据第六段中“Children are overprotected, which encourages dependency and affects their abilities to care for themselves and weigh risks.”可知孩子们被过于保护，会助长他们的依赖感并且会影响他们照顾自己、衡量风险的能力。分析文章结构可知作者引用自己女儿的经历是想从正面表达应该给孩子空间独自冒险。故选C项。

2.段落大意题。根据第四段中“A study by the University of California has found that American kids spend 90 percent of their free time at home, often watching TV or playing video games. Even when kids are physically active, they are watched closely by adults, either in school, at home, at afternoon activities or in the car.”可知一项研究表明美国孩子在家里90%时间是在看电视玩游戏。哪怕孩子们在运动的时候，也被家长紧紧盯着，要么在学校、要么在家里、要么在车里。意在表明此段介绍了美国孩子是怎么被抚养长大的现实。故选A项。

3.逻辑结构题。根据第一段“On her first morning in America, last summer, my daughter went out to explore her new neighborhood alone.”和第五段中“Just take the example of the case of 10-year-old Rafi and 6-year-old Dvora Meitiv in 2015, in Silver Spring, Maryland, who were picked up by the police because their parents had dared to allow them to walk home from the park alone.”可知文章通过举了“女儿独自冒险去交朋友”和“Rafi与Dvora Meitiv在外面玩被警察发现，父母因为敢让孩子独自出门而深感愧疚”等例子展开行文。故选B项。