68. According to the author, that today’s children seem adultlike results from ________.

　　　A. the widespread influence of television

　　　B. the poor arrangement of teaching content

　　　C. the fast pace of human scientific development

　　　D. the rising standard of living

67. Traditionally, a child is supposed to learn about the adult world _________.

　　　A. through connection with society　　　　　　 　　　　 B. gradually and under guidance

　　　C. naturally without being taught　　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. through watching television

66. According to the author, feeling depressed is ________.

　　　A. a sure sign of a mental problem in a child

　　　B. a mental state present in all humans, including children

　　　C. something that cannot be avoided in children’s mental development

　　　D. something hardly to be expected in a young child

65. The best title for this passage should be _____.

A. Facing New Challenges　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Growth-Product or Process

C. Two Basic Ways of Growth　　　　　 D. Overcoming Internal Fears

C

About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table, I couldn’t help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked, “So, how have you been?” And the boy - who could not have been more than seven or eight years old - replied. “Frankly, I’ve been feeling a little depressed lately.”

　　　This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed (确认) my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn’t find out we were “depressed”, that is, in low spirits, until we were in high school.

　　　Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don’t seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to.

　　　Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists. Why?

　　　Human development is depended not only on born biological states, but also on patterns of gaining social knowledge. Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new social positions. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages; traditionally, we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders.

　　　In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation (揭示) machine has been equipped in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, whether they are children or adults. Unable to resist the temptation (诱惑) , many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more attractive moving pictures.

　　　Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information which children will gain. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials.

64. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. It is not so easy to measure personal growth.

B. To try and fail on the new road facing the unknown is unavoidable.

C. There are only two ways to see a person’s growth.

D. If you are too shy to take any risks in life, you cannot grow up.

63. For personal growth, the author is in favor of all the following except___.

A. being curious about more changes　

B. being quick in self-adaptation

C. having an open mind to new experiences　

D. staying away from failures and challenges

62. Which of the following can be viewed as the process of personal growing?

A. Our manager was always willing to accept new challenges.

B. Jane won the first prize in the speech competition．

C. Jerry picked up French during his stay in Paris.

D. Father’s salary rose from 5, 000 to 7,000.

61. In the author’s eye, one who views personal growth as a process would ____.

A. succeed in climbing up the social ladder

B. grow up from his own achievements

C. face difficulties and take up challenges

D. aim high and reach his goal each time

60. Where can we probably find this article?

　 A. In a scientific fiction.　　　　　　 　　　B. In a history book.

C. In a newspaper.　　　　　　　　　　　 D. In a travel leaflet

B

There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as an external (外在的) result or a product that can easily be identified and measured．The worker who gets a rise, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language-all these examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts．

By contrast (对照) , the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way．The process is not the road itself, but the attitudes, feelings people have , and their caution or courage, as they meet with new experiences and unexpected difficulties．In this process, the journey never really ends；there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept．

In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to face the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first．How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is necessary for our ability to grow．Do we see ourselves as quick and curious? If so, we tend to take more chances and be more open to unfamiliar experiences．Do we think we’re shy and indecisive? Then our sense of fear can cause us to hesitate, to move slowly, and we think we are slow to adapt change or that we’re not smart enough to deal with a new challenge．Then we are likely to take a more passive role or not try at all．

These feelings of insecurity and self-doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow．If we protect ourselves too much, then we stop growing．We become trapped inside a shell of our own making．

59. Which is the best title for the passage?

　 A. A French writer wins 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature.

　 B. Four Nobel Prizes have been handed out this year.

　 C. The Nobel Prizes have been awarded annually.

　 D. Life of a French writer-Le Clezio.