Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy; there’s no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children’s curiosity. Firstly, listen to their questions. I once visited a classroom of seven-year-olds to talk about science as a job. The children asked me “textbook questions” about schooling, salary and whether I liked my job. When I finished answering, we sat facing one another in silence. Finally I said, “Now that we’re finished with your lists, do you have questions of your own about science?”

After a long pause, a boy raised his hand, “Have you ever seen a grasshopper eat? When I try eating leaves like that, I get a stomachache. Why?”

This began a set of questions that lasted nearly two hours.

Secondly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that, after asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical, complete and creative answers.

Thirdly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don’t jump in with “That’s right” or “Very good”. These words work well when it comes to encouraging good behavior(行为). But in talking about science, quick praise can signal that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying “That’s interesting” or “I’d never thought of it that way before”, or coming up with more questions or ideas.

Never push a child to “Think”. It doesn’t make sense, children are always thinking, without your telling them to. What’s more, this can turn a conversation into a performance. The child will try to find the answer you want, in as few words as possible, so that he will be a smaller target(目标) for your disagreement.

Lastly, show; don’t tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass, and they’ll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates, set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.

1. According to the passage, children are natural scientists, and to raise their interest, the most important thing for adults to do is _______.

A. to let them see the world around

B. to share the children’s curiosity

C. to explain difficult phrases about science

D. to supply the children with lab equipment

2. In the last sentence of the first paragraph, the word “lists” could best be replaced by ______.

A. any questions                            B. any problems

C. questions from textbooks          D. any number of questions

3. According to the passage, children can answer questions in a more logical, complete and creative way if adults ________.

A. ask them to answer quickly

B. wait for one or two seconds after a question

C. tell them to answer the next day

D. wait at least for three seconds after a question

4. In which of the following paragraph(s) does the author tell us what to say to encourage children in a science discussion?

A. The second and third.

B. The fourth and fifth.

C. The fifth and sixth.

D. The seventh.

5. The author mentions all of the following techniques for adults to share with their children’s curiosity except that adults should ________.

A. tell their children stories instead of reciting(背诵) facts

B. offer their children chances to see things for themselves

C. be patient enough when their children answer questions

D. encourage their children to ask questions of their own

Vocabulary:

Salary               n. 薪水

Curiosity            n. 好奇心

Grasshopper         n. 蚱蜢

Logical             a. 符合逻辑的

Evaporate           v. 蒸发

a magnifying glass    放大镜

Background Information:

日本的木村久一曾经说过：“如果孩子的兴趣和热情得以顺利发展，就会成为天才。”

本文说明了如何激发孩子们对科学的兴趣，从而引导孩子们学习科学。

【答案与解析】 (1—5 BCDCA)

1. B。细节题。根据文章第1段第3句中的…share your children’s curiosity可推知此题的答案为B。

2. C。推断题。根据文章第1段第6句The children asked me “textbook questions”可推知此题的答案为C。

3. D。推断题。根据文章第4段最后一句When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical, complete and creative answers 可推知此题的答案为D。

4. C。归纳题。根据问题的内容可在文章的第五、六段找到答案。

5. A。推断题。根据文章内容：从第4段排除C；从文章前3段的内容排除D；从第7段排除B。从而可推知答案为A。