Dear Mom, Clear My Calendar

September is around the corner, and some of us are already complaining about summer’s end. But parents have a special reason to do so. The end of summer means the start of school. And these days, planning a young child’s schedule is a big challenge. The challenge is no longer finding activities to fill a child’s day; it is saying no to the hundreds of options available. Our mailbox is filled with brochures urging us to sign our kids up for classes from cooking to martial arts(武术).

Educators are themselves discouraged by the number of special classes that many children attend. In the name of “enrichment,” three-year-olds not only go to preschool in the morning but study French or gymnastics after lunch. One teacher tells of a four-year-old asking for help in the toilet before hurrying off to tennis. Another teacher says that children sometimes hold on to her at pickup time. What happened to unstructured time?

A generous explanation is that we enjoy giving children opportunities we never had. The truth however is that many parents have doubts about how much time they spend away from their families. And one way to reduce this guilt is to believe that time spent in these classes is somehow more beneficial to children than the time we know we should be giving them ourselves.

David Elkind, an expert on children, suggests that the 1960s gave birth to the belief that earlier is better. Parents hope that early music lessons, for example will build a child’s confidence. The truth, however, is that any time children are asked to do too much, too soon, they are at greater risk for feelings of failure.

A child’s time does not have to be planned to be meaningful. Remember the lazy days of summer? Some children sleep late and play with the kids across the street until it’s time to come home for dinner. However, with the majority of mothers working, fewer children enjoy that idle (空闲的) time now.

Come September, children across the country will finish a full day of kindergarten, only to attend an after-school program until 6 P.M., when a working mom or dad comes to take them home. That’s too much for a five-year old. Finances, of course, do limit some parents. But let’s be honest with ourselves – our own busy schedules, whatever they involve, are no excuse for burdening a young child’s.

1.The author holds that it’s a challenge to plan a schedule for a child mainly because _____.

A. a child’s schedule is too complex

B. activities suitable for kids are limited

C. parents are stuck in numerous choices

D. children always say no to parents’ advice

2.What the two teachers say in Paragraph 2 implies that _____.

A. children love to stay at school

B. they are popular with children

C. children dislike after-school classes

D. after-school classes are of poor quality

3.According to the author, what is the real reason for parents to send their children to after-school classes?

A. Parents want to make up for their own regrets.

B. After-school classes develop children’s potential.

C. Parents have doubt about their own ability to guide children.

D. After-school classes give parents an excuse for being absent.

4.Which of the following will the author probably agree with?

A. For children’s benefits, the earlier the better.

B. Children’s spare time should be carefully designed.

C. Idle time for children is becoming a thing of the past.

D. Parents should be forgiven if they have a good reason.,

Aristotle once wrote that “happiness is a state of activity”. In other words, whether you are Seeking life-long satisfaction or a few moments of good cheer, you’ve got to move forward. We’ve interviewed the experts and found five steps to take toward a sunny mood(心情):

Over a 30-year period, University of Illinois researchers asked nearly 120,000 people how income, education, political participation, volunteer activities and close relationships affected their happiness. Reported Newsweek’s Sharon Begley on the findings, “The highest levels of happiness are found with the most stable and satisfying relationships.”

Singing aloud, talking to a stranger, raising your hand: all may increase a feeling of happiness, according to a study from Wake Forest University. Participants(参与者)followed the development of their moods for two weeks and reported feeling happier when they were more outgoing and less happy when reserved or withdrawn.

The editors of forbes.com gave $5 or $20 to 46 strangers by chance. Half the group was told to spend the money on themselves, while the other half was told to spend it on others. Those who’d shared the wealth felt much happier at the end of the day than those who’d spent it on themselves. There was no difference in happiness between those who spent $5 or $20, suggesting that it’s not how much money you spend, but how you spend it, that inspires the spirit.

Studies from the Positive Psychology Center showed that discouraged people who wrote down three good things that happened to them each day for six months reported an improved attitude.

Drinking water really can help keep you cheerful. A small 2012 study from the University of Connecticut suggested that even slight dehydration(脱水) affected the moods of its female participants.

Title

1._____for Happiness

Introduction

You will move2.______in the course of finding happiness.

The findings of3._____

Some4..______toward happiness

•Value your relationships

•The5._____happiness lies in the most stable and satisfying relationships

•6._____

yourself

•You can gain happiness by singing aloud or talking to others.

•Spend money on others

•Your spirit will be inspired by7.____the wealth.

•8._____on the positive

•You attitude would be improved when you fix your attention on good things.

•Drink water

•If a woman takes in enough water,her9.____of happiness may remain.

Conclusion

Happiness can be found if all10._____have been done.

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