Science Daily—Kids may roll their eyes when their mothers asks them about their school day, but answering her may actually help them learn. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem best when they explain it to their mom.

“We knew that children learn well with their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were getting feedback and help,” Bethany Rittle-Johnson, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, said. “In this study, we just had the children’s mothers listen, without providing any assistance. We’ve found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn.”

Rittle-Johnson believes the new finding can help parents better assist their children with their schoolwork, even when they are not sure of the answer themselves. Although the researchers used children and their mothers in the study, they believe the same results will hold true whether the person is the child’s father, grandparent, or other familiar persons.

“The basic idea is that it is really effective to try to get kids to explain things themselves instead of just telling them the answer,” she said. “Explaining their reasoning, to a parent or perhaps to other people they know, will help them understand the problem and apply what they have learned to other situations. We saw that this simple act of listening by mom made a difference in the quality of the child’s explanations and how well they could solve more difficult problems later on.

1.According to the passage, a mom had better ________.

A. give a kid some help when he is explaining his problem

B. just listen while a kid is explaining his problem

C. work together with a kid toward the solution to a problem

D. leave a kid alone when he meets a problem at school

2. If she wants to help a child with his schoolwork, a mom ________.

A. should know the answer to a problem first

B. should pay attention to the child’s feedback.

C. may not know the answer herself

D. should not interrupt the child

3.Who will be the least help to a kid when he is explaining, according to Rittle-Johnson?

A. The kid’s mom.                                                  

B. The kid’s grandmother.

C. A peer.

D. A relative the kid doesn’t know.

4.Which of the following best gives the main idea of the passage?

A. Children learn better when their mom is hearing their explaining.

B. Children learn better if they find the solution to a problem themselves.

C. Parents should not provide any assistance to their children’s schoolwork.

D. A mom should listen more to their children when they have problems at school.

Stewart Island Ferry Services

While most visitors spend at least one night on Stewart Island, it is also readily accessible by ferry as a day excursion from Invercargill and Bluff.

Experience Foveaux Strait in comfort and style on board our express catamarans. During the one-hour crossing between Bluff and Stewart Island keep a lookout for wildlife, especially seabirds. Watching mollymawks (albatross) soaring behind the ferry is a fantastic sight.

Interesting landmarks commonly seen include Dog Island Lighthouse, Ruapuke Island, Titi Islands and Mt Anglem - Stewart Island’s highest point.

?         Free tea and coffee on board

?         Interpretation handouts are available (English only).

?         Wheelchair access available

?         Personal baggage is carried free on the ferries - max. two bags per person (one stowed and one small carry-on). Additional baggage is by prior arrangement.

?         Vehicle parking available at Bluff (extra cost - reservations recommended)

 FERRY TO STEWART ISLAND

Depart Bluff

All year 9:30am

Sep-May 5:00pm

Oct –Apr 11:00am

Jun –Aug 4:30pm

Late Dec –mid Jan8:00am             FERRY TO BLUFF

Depart Stewart Island

All year 8:00am

Sep –May 3:30pm

Oct –Mar 6:00pm

Apr 5:00pm

Jun-Aug 3:00pm

Late Dec –mid Jan 9:30am

Other departures as locally advertised

Duration 1hr

Check-in 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. (Check-in and boarding gates are closed 10 minutes prior to times stated above.)

 “20% Multi-Purchase REWARD” on Return Ferry Services

Buy 2 or more different excursions and SAVE 20% off all lower priced!

Kids Go FREE on selected departures during NZ School Holidays!

Kids Go FREE for travel 20 April - 5 May 2013.

1.If leaving a car at Bluff, a traveler had better _____.

A．refer to the handouts first

B．use wheelchair access

C．make a reservation

D．park it 30 minutes before departure time

2.John, who went to Stewart Island on Dec. 28^th, got to the ferry dock at 7:55am. When did he      most probably leave Bluff?

A．At 8:00a.m..       B．At 9:30a.m..        C．At 11:00a.m..       D．At 3:00p.m..

3.Which of the following is false about the ferry services?

A．Tea and coffee are free for passengers.

B．Children go free for travel for about 15 days.

C．Travelers are sure to see some seabirds during the crossing.

D．Passengers have to pay extra cost for extra pieces of luggage.

It’s freezing outside. You ______put on your coat.

Ship tourism to Antarctica is on the rise: More than 35,000 tourists are expected to visit Antarctic this summer. In 1992-1993, 6,750 visited Antarctica, according to the Antarctica Treaty. All of this tourism, however, is putting both tourists and the environment in great danger.

Among the tourist ships that visit the continent, the Explorer, a Canadian ship, was one of the first. Put to use in 1969, it was built to carry tourists to Antarctica. Last week, however, it became the first commercial passenger ship to sink beneath the waters. Fortunately, all of the passengers and crew members were rescued from the ship. However, the sunken ship endangered the Antarctic’s fragile(脆弱的) environment. The ship was estimated to be holding 48,000 gallons of fuel.

The accident was not unexpected. Both the US and UK had warned a conference of the Antarctic Treaty member countries in May that the tourism situation in this area was a potential disaster. The US said in a paper, people “should take a hard look at tourism issues now, especially those related to ship safety.” Although the Antarctic seas are relatively(相对地) calm, floating ice causes a potential threat to ships. The owner of the Explorer blamed the sinking on a fist-like hole in the ship created by ice.

Many of the other large ships now visiting Antarctica are not designed especially against thick ice. Such ships generally can only come to the continent in summer. But the tourist rush is pushing ships into dangerous situations. “The increasing number of ships operating in Antarctic means that the ship are under great pressure to get there in time for the key visiting sites,” the British government wrote in a paper at the meeting of member countries.

As a natural frontier, Antarctica is in a messy legal situation. There are no obvious answers as to who is responsible for dealing with the threat that tourist may cause to human life and the environment.

There is no coast guard for Antarctica. Do we want it to become Disneyland, or do we need some controls?

Which of the following is true according to this passage?

A. Antarctica tourism has a history of about 17 years

B. The number of tourists to the Antarctic is over 5 times as large as that of 17 years ago.

C. The tourism boom has caused holes in the floating ice in the Antarctic.

D. The Antarctica Treaty is responsible for the problem.

The sinking of the Explorer____________.

A. led to a conference about the tourism situation in the Antarctic.

B. was caused by the rough seas

C. had been predicted

D. did harm to the Antarctic.

It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A. a Disneyland will be built in the Antarctic

B. fewer people are visiting the Antarctic because of the warnings given

C. not all the ships are suitable to go to the Antarctic

D. some ships take risks visiting the Antarctic in other seasons rather than in summer

In this passage, the writer suggests that___________.

A. people had better not make a tour of the Antarctic

B. ships to the Antarctic should be built strong enough

C. there should be legal controls over tourism in the Antarctic

D. the Antarctic’s environment is fragile

What attitude does the writer hold towards Antarctic tourism?

A. Supportive.     B. Positive.       C. Indifferent.        D. Anxious.

Stewart Island Ferry Services
While most visitors spend at least one night on Stewart Island, it is also readily accessible by ferry as a day excursion from Invercargill and Bluff.
Experience Foveaux Strait in comfort and style on board our express catamarans. During the one-hour crossing between Bluff and Stewart Island keep a lookout for wildlife, especially seabirds. Watching mollymawks (albatross) soaring behind the ferry is a fantastic sight.
Interesting landmarks commonly seen include Dog Island Lighthouse, Ruapuke Island, Titi Islands and Mt Anglem - Stewart Island’s highest point.
?         Free tea and coffee on board
?         Interpretation handouts are available (English only).
?         Wheelchair access available
?         Personal baggage is carried free on the ferries - max. two bags per person (one stowed and one small carry-on). Additional baggage is by prior arrangement.
?         Vehicle parking available at Bluff (extra cost - reservations recommended)