（Natural News）Many parents have tried to gave their children a head start on education with get-smart videos and enrichment activities as early as infancy, but free play is often sacrificed, so the American Academy of Pediatrics says that the best medicine for busy children is an increase in traditional “playtime”.

A number of studies suggest that unstructured（无条理的）play can help children become creative, discover their own interests, develop problem-solving abilities, and relate to others socially, according to a report prepared by two academy committees for release Monday at the group’s annual meting. On the contrary, a lack of such playtime can create stress for both children and parents, and it can also cause obesity（肥胖）when children spend too much time sitting in front of educational videos. The report notes lack of playtime could even lead to depression in many children.

The report thinks the lack of playtime lies in the fact that parents want to have super-smart children and safe places for children to play is decreasing. A balance between free playtime and educational activities should be struck, the report states.

“In the current environment, where so many parents feel pressure to be super parents, I believe this message is an important one,” said Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, the report’s lead author and a pediatrician（小儿科医师）at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Noted pediatrician, author, and presenter of cable TV’s “What Every Baby Knows,” Dr. T. Betty Brazelton agreed. “Children with structured activities” are missing the chance to dream, to make their own world work the way they want it. That to me is a very important part of childhood.

1. From the passage we can see that today’s children really need more 　　 　　　.

A. enrichment activities　　　 B. conventional playtime

C. structured activities　　　 D. educational activities

2. Which of the following is a proper word to describe today’s children?

A. Dull. 　　　　 B. Busy. 　　　　 C. Happy. 　　　 D. Free.

3. According to the report, the balance between 　　 　　　_ is important for a child.

A. structured activities and unstructured activities

B. educational videos and recess time

C. fee playtime and traditional playtime

D. enrichment activities and social activities

4. Dr. T. Berry Brazelton mainly emphasizes 　　 　　　 in the last paragraph.

A. children’s ability to dream

B. the roles of structured activities

C. the important activities in his childhood

D. the harm of too many structured activities

5. It can be inferred from the passage that 　　 　　　　　 　　　.

A. children given a lot of unstructured activities can be more creative

B. get-smart videos and enrichment can create super children

C. there is a competition among parents to be super parents

D. child obesity is mainly caused by lack of playtime

 

Being a mother is obviously not like it was in the good old days.

Today’s parents miss the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.

The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.

Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Research Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on mothers to work a “double shift” — to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.’

It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring (子女), according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.

The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.

1. What does the passage mainly talk about?

　 A. The good old days of mothers in the 1970s and 1980s.

　 B. The great sufferings of today’s children.

　 C. The statistics of working mothers and full-time mothers.

　 D. The big problems that today’s working mothers face.

2. Which of the following problems is not mentioned in the passage?

A. Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves.

B. The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family.

C. Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays.

D. Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children.

3. From para. 4, we can infer that ___________.

　 A. Working mothers can seek help on line

　 B. Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues

　 C. Working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother

　 D. Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers

4. What critics say means that _____________.

　 A. it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders

　 B. too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health

　 C. nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children

　 D. children do not like nurseries or childminders at all

 

Being a mother is apparently not like it was in the good old days.
　　Today’s parents yearn for the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.
The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.
Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Research Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on mothers to work a “double shift”— to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.
It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
　　Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.
　　The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.
【小题1】What does the underlined phrase “yearn for” probably means ___________.

A．hate

B．forget

C．miss

D．control

【小题2】Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves.

B．The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family.

C．Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays.

D．Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children.

【小题3】From Para. 4, we can infer that ___________.

A．Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues

B．working mothers can seek help on line

C．working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother

D．Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers

【小题4】 What critics say means that _____________.

A．it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders

B．children do not like nurseries or childminders at all

C．nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children

D．too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health

Being a mother is apparently not like it was in the good old days.
　　Today’s parents yearn for the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.
The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.
Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Research Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on mothers to work a “double shift” — to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.
It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
　　Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.
　　The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.
【小题1】. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．The good old days of mothers in the 1970s and 1980s.

B．The great sufferings of today’s children.

C．The statistics of working mothers and full-time mothers.

D．The big problems that today’s working mothers face.

【小题2】. What does the underlined phrase “yearn for” probably means ___________.

A．hate

B．miss

C．abandon

D．control

【小题3】 Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves.

B．The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family.

C．Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays.

D．Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children.

【小题4】 From para. 4, we can infer that ___________.

A．working mothers can seek help on line

B．Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues

C．working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother

D．Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers

【小题5】. What critics say means that _____________.

A．it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders

B．too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health

C．nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children

D．children do not like nurseries or childminders at all

Being a mother is apparently not like it was in the good old days.

　　Today’s parents yearn for the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.

The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.

Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Research Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on mothers to work a “double shift” — to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.

It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

　　Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.

　　The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.

1.What does the underlined phrase “yearn for” probably means ___________.

A. hate            B. forget          C. miss        D. control

2.Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves.

B. The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family.

C. Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays.

D. Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children.

3.From Para. 4, we can infer that ___________.

   A. Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues

   B. working mothers can seek help on line

   C. working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother

   D. Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers

4. What critics say means that _____________.

   A. it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders

   B. children do not like nurseries or childminders at all

   C. nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children

   D. too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health