Question

　    Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance. The purpose is to let children learn from experience at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly. The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family. Timing is another consideration. Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance. In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money.

At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this, they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget. Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until the next allowance. The object is to show young people that a budget demands choices between spending and saving. Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics.

Many people think it is not a good idea to pay your child for work around the home. These jobs are a normal part of family life. Paying children to do extra work around the house, however, can be useful. It can even provide an understanding of how a business works.

Allowances give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with money. They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can save it. Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice: you have to cut costs and plan for the future.

Requiring children to save part of their allowance can also open the door to future saving. A saving account is an excellent way to learn about the power of compound interest. Compounding works by paying interest on interest. So, for example, one dollar invested at two percent interest for two years will earn two cents in the first year. The second year, the money will earn two percent of one dollar and two cents, and so on. That may not seem like a lot. But over time it adds up.

14. Many parents give children an allowance regularly to ______.

   A. meet children’s basic need for life        B. give control over their children

   C. see whether they have financial mistakes   D. help children learn how to manage money

15. For Children who receive allowances, they’d better not ________.

   A. waste money to buy gifts for their parents or friends

   B. buy their favorite clothing or electronics for themselves

   C. save money like their parents or other adults

   D. ask for the next allowance before the decided date.

16. If children are required to save their allowance, they ______.

   A. can experience the three things related to money

   B. can understand the relation between goals and sacrifice

   C. will do more work around the house

   D. help themselves found the basis for their future life

17. What does the underlined phrase “compound interest” mean?

   A. The interest based on the original money and unpaid interest.

   B. A way of helping children earn two percent interest.

   C. The interest intended for children to earn money.

   D. A saving account opened for children’s allowance.

18. What would be the best title for the text?

   A. How to Give Children an Allowance

   B. Spend Your Allowance within a Budget

   C. Allowance Helps Children Learn about Money

   D. Doing Housework Earns Children Allowance

Answer 1

14---18      DDBAC  

解析:

本文讲述的是孩子处理零花钱的方式以及家长在钱的问题上如何教育孩子问题。

14. D。   细节理解题。根据文章第一段“The purpose is to let children learn from experience at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly”，其目的就是要他们学会如何经营金钱。故答案选D。

15. D。   细节判断题。根据文章第四段，孩子们可以利用这些钱来买礼物，可以买他们想买的东西，也可以象大人们那样节省钱。因此，选项A、B、C不对；从文章第二段来看，花完上次的父母给的钱而下次给钱的时间还没有到，在这种情况下向父母要钱的话是不好的。故答案选D。

16. B。   细节理解题。根据文章第四段和第五段，节省父母给的钱一方面可以理解自己的“目标”和“牺牲或损失”之间的关系，从而更好的节约和计划；另一方面，可以为自己的未来投资奠定基础。故答案选B。

17. A。   词义猜测题。根据文章最后一段作者对于compound interest的解释以及所举的例子可知，“compound interest”是指存钱到期没有取出，并且一块把利息又放进去，从而实现“利息生利息”。故答案选A。

18. C。   标题概括题。本文主要是介绍了家长固定给孩子零用钱，从而让孩子学会如何节约，如何利用这些钱；同时，让孩子懂得钱的来之不易，从而学会理财。选项C正揭示了文章的主题。故答案选C。