(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 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 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 at The Children's prefix = st1 /HospitalofPhiladelphia. 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. 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
B
If you are a fruit grower--or would like to become one--take advantage of Apple Day to see what's around. It's called Apple Day but in practice it's more like Apple Month. The day itself is on October 21, but sinceit has caught on, events now spread out over most of October around Britain. Visiting an apple event is a good chance to see, and often taste, a wide variety of apples. To people who are used to the limited choice of apples such as Golden Delicious and Royal Gala in supermarkets, it can be quite an eye opener to see the range of classical apples still in existence, such as Decio which was grown by the Romans. Although it doesn't taste of anything special, it's still worth a try, as is the knobbly Cat's Head which is more of a curiosity than anything else. There are also varieties developed to suit specific local conditions. One of the very best varieties for eating quality is Orleans Reinette, but you'll need a warm, sheltered place with perfect soil to grow it, so it's _ for most apple lovers who fall for it. At the events, you can meet expert growers and discuss which ones will best suit your conditions, and because these are family affairs, children are well catered for with apple-themed fun and games. Apple Days are being held at all sorts of places with an interest in fruit, including stately gardens and commercial orchards .If you want to have a real orchard experience, try visiting the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, near Faversham in Kent. What is the author's purpose in writing the text? A) To show how to grow apples. B) To introduce an apple festival. C) To help people select apples. D) To promote apple research.
B
Q: One Saturday morning we were on our way home and decided to stop at a local gas station to get something to eat since it was a good hour and a half before we got home. We noticed a man standing outside in front of the building. You could tell that he was a homeless man. His clothes were worn and dirty, and not enough on this terrible cold day of the year. He must have not had enough money to get something to eat. The next thing I remember is a dog that walked up to the front of the building. Being a dog lover, I noticed she was part wolf and probably part German shepherd . I could tell she had been feeding puppies . She was terribly in need of something to eat and I felt so bad for her. I knew if she didn't eat soon, she and her puppies would not make it. We noticed people walked by and didn't even care for her. She might not have been as pretty and clean as most, but she still deserved better. We still did not do anything. But someone did. The homeless man, who I thought did not buy himself anything to eat, went into the store in front of him. Any what he did brought tears to me and my wife. He brought a can of dog food with what money he may have had and fed that dog. I was so moved and walked to him and gave him all my pocket money. I know this story isn't as moving as most stories, but it plays a great part in our lives. You see, that day was Mother's Day. And a lot of people forget that some animals are parents too. And animals as well as we are God's creations. The homeless man showed me what I should have done. He made a decision to be a better man in future. From the text we learn that the dog _ . A) was pretty and clean B) was seriously injured C) was a German shepherd D) had its young to feed
A: D
Stopping teens from smoking is a big challenge many communities face today. Many communities can only watch without being able to act while local businesses continue to sell tobacco products to children, even under the risk of punishment by law. Recent studies show that a large percentage of teens today are getting their cigarettes from stores, mostly gas stations or convenience stores. As teens continue to be able to buy their own cigarettes, more and more communities begin to punish those who sell cigarettes to the teens. One community has experienced success in their attempts to stop the sale of tobacco products to children. Woodridge, Illinois, started a program seven years ago which forbade and strictly punished the sale of tobacco products to children. The entire program includes local licensing of vendors , repeated undercover inspections to see if the sale to children has stopped, and education programs in schools. Woodridge has become a model community as other communities are moving to stop teen tobacco use. A recent national study showed that 36.5% of females, and 40.8% of males buy their cigarettes from stores, whether it is a gas station or a supermarket. Hopefully, as more and more sellers see the trouble they face if caught selling to children, they will stop selling. True, tightening down on stores that sell tobacco to children isn't going to completely stop the problem of teen tobacco use. Teens continue to get them from other sources. But it definitely does prevent their efforts. With more education in schools, and perhaps stronger punishments for teens caught with tobacco, more and more teens will see the problems with the tobacco usage, and will stop the habit. To stop teens from smoking, more and more communities are _ . A) punishing those who sell cigarettes to teens more severely B) punishing teens caught with tobacco more severely C) educating those who sell cigarettes about the danger of teen smoking D) stopping the sale of tobacco products in stores
A