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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: I am beginning to wonder whether my grandmother isn't right when she complains, as she frequently does, that children nowadays aren't as well-behaved as they used to be. Whenever she gets the opportunity, she recounts in detail how she used to be told to respect the elders and betters. She was taught to speak only when she was spoken to, and when she went out on her own, she was reminded to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Children in her day, she continues, were expected to be seen and not heard, but these days you are lucky if you ever hear parents telling their children to mind their p's and q's. If you give her the chance, she then takes out of her drawer the old photograph album which she keeps there, and which she never tires of displaying. Of course when you look at pictures of her parents, you feel sure that, with a father as stern-looking as that, you too would have been "seen and not heard". He had a lot of neatly cut hair, long side-whiskers and a big moustache. In the photographs, he is always clutching his coat with one hand, while in the other he holds a thin walking stick. Beside him sits his wife, with their children around her: Granny and her elder brothers. It always occurs to me that perhaps those long, stiff, black clothes were so clumsy to a little girl, that she hadn't enough breath left to be talkative, let alone mischievous . It must have been a dull and lonely life too, for she stayed mainly at home during her childhood, while her brothers were sent away to school from an early age. Despite their long black shorts and their serious expressions in the photographs, I always suspect that their lives were considerably more enjoyable than hers. One can imagine them telling each other to shut up or mind their own business, as soon as their parents were out of sight. Going to see Granny on Sundays used to be a terrible experience. We would always be warned in advance to be on our best behavior, since my mother made a great effort to show how well brought up we were, in spite of our old,... Question: The writer's grandmother will complain that _ . - children used to be mischievous - children behave worse than they did in the past - children are often reminded of what to do - children are very badly behaved
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children behave worse than they did in the past

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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Toys provide more than just fun and games for kids. Most toys provide at least some opportunity for children to learn. A good toy can develop children's senses and encourage them to communicate with others. Toys for Babies Babies want to learn about the world around them very much, and they have much to learn. Every new shape, color1, taste and sound is a learning experience for them. Toys that make music are favorites of babies. Toys with different color1s are attractive to babies. They also need objects such as blocks to help them build hand-eye coordination . Giving your baby these toys will help him/her discover his/her senses. Toys for Toddlers Toddlers can play with more toys than they did when they were smaller. They might still enjoy some of the toys they played with as babies, and that's fine. The same blocks they played with a year or two ago can provide them with new and different educational opportunities as their knowledge expands. But they also need toys that are designed for kids of their age in mind. Toys for Preschool Children When children reach preschool age, it's time to start learning about letters, numbers and language skills. There are lots of toys that encourage this type of learning, from simple alphabet puzzles to high-tech electronic toys. These will introduce him/her to the things he/she will learn in school thus profiting them. Children can learn a lot from playing. When you give your child educational toys and play with them with him/her, it gives him/her a chance to learn and have fun at the same time. Question: What's the topic of the passage? - Why some toys are popular with children. - The educational benefits of children's toys. - How children's interests change as they grow. - Learning methods for children at different ages.
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The educational benefits of children's toys.

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Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Research shows that childhood friendships are important indicators of future success and social adjustment. Children's relationships with peers strongly influence their success in school, and children with fewer friends are more at risk of dropping out of school, becoming depressed and other problems. Making and Keeping Friends Is More than Child's Play When 6yearold Rachel returned to school on a recent Monday morning, her eyes immediately scanned the playground for her friend Abbie. "Though they were only separated by a weekend, the girls ran right into each other's arms and hugged," recalls Rachel's mother Kathryn Willis of Gilbert. "It was like a scene from a movie." Most parents instinctively know that having friends is good for their child. Experts agree that friendship is not simply child's play, but a powerful predictor of social adjustment throughout life. A Skill for Life "Childhood friendships serve as a very important training ground for adulthood," says Dr.Robbie AdlerTapia, psychologist with the Center for Children's Health & Life Development at the East Valley Family Resource Center. Researcher William Hartup states, "Peer relations contribute significantly to both social and cognitive development." Hartup concludes that the single best childhood predictor of adult social adaptation is not school grades or classroom behavior, but rather, how well a child gets along with other children. The work of Arizona State University professor of Developmental Psychology Gary Ladd proves that being able to make and keep friends is beneficial to kids while the lack of friends is _ . Good Friendships Don't Just Happen Experts agree that it is essential for children to establish highquality friendships. But, researchers warn, these friendships don't necessarily just happen. Often, a good friendship begins with involved parents. Psychologist Dr.Lynne Kenney Markan believes kids should be taught social skills in much the same way they are taught math and reading. Bad Company Many parents worry about the... Question: The example of Rachel and Abbie is used to indicate that _ . - childhood friendship is of great significance to their growth - a positive friendship helps children solve emotional and physical problems - it is a proven fact that peer friendship is the most rewarding experience throughout life - Rachel missed her friend Abbie very much because of their separation of one weekend
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childhood friendship is of great significance to their growth