题目内容
Directions：Read the passage carefully．Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.
Financial setbacks in the form of pay cuts are having a trickle-down effect(涓滴效应) as the depression persists．Families across America are cutting or even axing kids’ allowances(零花钱) to reflect what’s going on with household finances and the economy as a whole.
Some jobless parents are doing it out of necessity．Other parents are using allowance adjustments to teach children about economic realities and how to budget in learner times.
‘Try to use relevant news to explain the reasons behind the depression and how it’s hitting home．If they see it obvious in their own allowance, they’ll feel the impact and see how it all ties in,’ says financial consultant Antwone Harris.
Any reduction in allowance should be understood in age-appropriate communication, says Dr．Tony Meyer, a child psychiatrist(精神科医生) and medical director of Aurora Psychiatric Hospital．Six- to 12-year-olds are mature enough for a frank talk, but don’t set them back with a lot of details．It’s sufficient to say their allowance is lower because Mom or Dad is getting paid less at work, so there’s less money for the family to spend．With 12- to 18-year-olds, you can broaden the discussion to include the banking crisis and other factors that contributed to the depression, Meyer says．Younger kids have the idea that they’re at the center of things, and adolescents by mature are especially self-concerned．‘They’ll think they’re responsible,’ Meyer says.
A cut in allowance might seem punishing, so the message that the child is not at fault needs to come across．Depending on the child’s age, ‘You can also ask them to bring some income by working a job or helping more around the house so Mom or Dad can work more,’ he says．Kids can also contribute by means of taking over landscaping services previously done by a paid professional．‘You’ll pay lower rates, and the money stays in the family,’ financial consultant Antwone Harris remarks．Meyer also suggests implementing a stimulant program to cut household expenses．Anyone who comes up with a cost-cutting idea get 10 percent of the savings.
That way, they’ll come to understand that a paycheck only goes so far, and decisions and sacrifices are part of responsible money management.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN EIGHT WORDS.)
1.___________ is American families’ response to the financial depression.
2.What are both jobless and other parents using allowance adjustments to teach their children about?
3.When communicating with 12-to 18-year-olds about reduction in allowance, parents can broaden the discussion through ________.
4.Besides ‘working a job or helping more around the house’, what are the other two suggestions put forward by Meyer to bring some income to kids?
