The latest research by the Chinese Women’s Daily and the Institute of Journalism under the Chinese Academy of Social sciences, aimed at investigating the relationships between parents and children, disclosed that nearly 60 million couples throughout the country felt they had failed as parents.

“I am not very successful in educating my child. If I could live another life, I’d rather not have any children,” a mother declared. Such frustration was prevalent in the answers to the questionnaires. Some parents feel they lack means of educating, some find difficulty in communicating with their children, some feel totally lost at what their children should be taught ----- traditional Chinese morality such as honesty, modesty, forbearance and caring, or the modern ethos of competition ? Educational experts read the answers to the questionnaires, analyzed the problems, and advised parents.

About 58.2 percent of parents are worried about TV’s negative influence: children’s programs are taking up too much homework time; too many foreign cartoons are neither “scientific” nor interesting; too many explicit love scenes and violence; many TV plays are far removed from reality. Parents want to know how to prevent these influences.

About 19.9 percent of the parents complained about their children being too carefree with money. “Today’s children are spoiled. They will accept nothing but brand-name commodities. When celebrating birthdays, they like to give luxurious parties and on festivals they expect expensive gifts,’ some parents said. Many parents agree that their children are ignorant of hardship, thrift hard work, and public ethics.

With the implementation of the one-child policy, a new problem has become obvious: loneliness. Of the children who answered the questionnaire, 14.8 percent said they had no close friend, and 17.6 percent often felt lonely.

A grave problem which has bothered parents is “sex.” “I don’t know how to talk about “sex” with my child,” many parents say. “Sex” has been taboo in China for ages. Though people are now more open-minded, “sex” is often considered to be related to evil. Often when a child asks his mother where he has come from, his mother feels embarrassed.

1. How many parents involved in this questionnaire feel upset about the negative effect of TV?

A. 19.9%

B. 17.6%

C. 58.2%

D. 60%

2. Which of the following is not accepted by the today’s children?

A. foreign cartoons

B. public ethics

C. expensive gifts

D. brand-name commodities

3. Which of the following is not the reason that causes parents’ frustration?

A. children’s carefree with money

B. children’s identification of sex

C. children’s thrift

D. children’s loneliness

4. How many children involved in this questionnaire think they have no close friends?

A. 19.9%

B. 17.6%

C. 58.2%

D. 14.8%

[Key]

1. C ,可以在文章的第三段开头找到答案，要求的是有多少家长觉得电视有负面影响。

2. B, 结合文章第3和第4段可以得出答案，今天的孩子喜欢卡通，名牌和昂贵的物品。

3. C, 结合第3,4,5段可以得出答案。孩子现在缺乏的是节俭。

4. D

[WORD BANK]

investigate:  v. 调查

disclose:  v. 公开

frustration:  n. 受挫

prevalent:   adj. 普遍存在的

questionnaire:  n. 问卷

morality:   n. 道德

thrift:   n. 节俭

public ethics:   社会公德