Question

A primary school in UK has banned Valentine’s Day cards because of concerns that young pupils spend too much time talking about boyfriends and girlfriends.

Ashcombe Primary School in Weston?Super?Mare，Somerset，has told parents that cards declaring love can be“confusing” for children under the age of 11，who are still emotionally and socially developing. In this month’s newsletter(通讯)，Peter Turner，the head teacher，warned that any cards found in school would be confiscated(没收)．He wrote：“We do not wish to see any Valentine’s Day cards in school this year. Some children and parents encourage a lot of talk about boyfriends and girlfriends. We believe that such ideas should wait until children are mature enough emotionally and socially to understand the commitment involved in having or being a boyfriend or girlfriend.”Mr.Turner said any families wanting to support the Valentine’s Day idea should send cards in the post or deliver them to home addresses by hand.

His views were endorsed by Ruth Rice,46，who has twins Harriet and Olivia at the school. She said，“Children at that age shouldn’t really be thinking about Valentine’s Day，they should be concentrating on their schoolwork.”They are at an age when they are impressionable(易受影响的)and most parents including myself are with Mr.Turner. “She added that the cards cause” too much competition. If someone gets a card and another doesn’t，then someone will be disappointed.

However，Rajeev Takyar,40，who has two children Jai,11，and Aryan，five，at the school，said he was “outraged”．He said，“There are schools that have banned conkers(栗子游戏)and snowballs，and now Valentine’s Cards.”I think banning the cards stops children from having social skills. How are they going to learn about relationships otherwise？It’s ridiculous. Alec Suttenwood，father of three children，said of the ban：“It’s totally ridiculous. Young children just send the cards to each other as friends and to their parents. It’s just a bit of harmless fun. There is no difference between this and Mother’s or Father’s Day.”

1.Which of the following is the best title?

A．Ban on Valentine’s Day cards at school is well received.

B．Ban on Valentine’s Day cards at school causes argument.

C．British children spend too much time talking about love.

D．A British high school bans Valentine’s Day cards.

2.The underlined word “endorsed” means________.

A．criticized B．quoted

C．disapproved D．approved

3.What do you know about Harriet and Olivia?

A．They will send Valentine’s Day cards this year.

B．They are strongly against the school’s decision.

C．They are of the same age.

D．They are the children of Rajeev Takyar.

4.According to Rajeev Takyar，________.

A．sending Valentine’s Day cards helps develop children’s social skills

B．banning Valentine’s Day cards will benefit children

C．the cards cause too much competition among children

D．children are too young to talk about love

5.The newsletter by Peter Turner probably appeared on________.

A．February 22 B．February 6

C．March 18 D．August 1

 

Answer 1

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.A

5.B

【解析】

试题分析：孩子们之间应该送情人卡吗？这一话题在英国引起了争论。这场争论是由英国一所小学的校长禁止学生之间送情人卡的规定而引发的。不同的人对此有不同的看法，有的家长认为孩子们情感发育不成熟，应该禁止。而有的家长却认为这样做妨碍了孩子社交能力的培养。

1.

2. Rice,所说的话可以判断这位家长对校长的做法是持赞同态度的，由此推测该词意思是“赞同”，选D。

3. has twins Harriet and Olivia at the school.可知这两个孩子是双胞胎，所以年龄相同，选C。

4. Takyar所说的话“,I think banning the cards stops children from having social skills. How are they going to learn about relationships otherwise？It’s ridiculous.”可知他认为孩子互换卡片有助于交往能力的培养，选A。

5. do not wish to see any Valentine’s Day cards in school this year.”可以判断这则新闻应该是在情人节之前，选B。

考点：考查社会教育类短文阅读