CHICAGO ---Call it a reward, or just "bribery ". Whichever it is, many parents today readily admit to buying off their children, who getgoodies for anything from behaving in a restaurant to sleeping all night in their own beds. That's what worries parenting experts. "I think that reward systems have a time and a place and work really well in certain situations," says Marcy Safyer, director of the Adelphi University Institute for Parenting. "But what often gets lost for people is being able to figure out how to communicate to their kids that doing the thing is rewarding enough," Safyer says. Parents and experts alike agree that thedynamic is partly a reflection of the world we live in. It's unrealistic to think a parent wouldn't reward their children with material things sometimes, says Robin Lanzi, a clinical psychologist and mother of four who's the research director at the Center on Health and Education at Georgetown University. "But you want to make sure that they match the behavior, so it's not something huge for something small," Lanzi says. She recalls hearing about a father who offered his child a Nintendo Wii game system for scoring a couple goals in a soccer game. Elizabeth Powell, a mother of two young daughters in Austin, Texas, knows what she means. "You want to raise them in a way that they're respectful and appreciate things," Powell says of her children. "But sometimes, you wonder now if kids appreciate even a new pair of shoes. " Parenting experts are worried that _ . A) today's children are fed up with material things B) parents are rewarding their kids improperly C) today's children are more and more demanding D) there is lack of communication between parents and children
B
Whether it's a carol service or an evening of karaoke in the pub, many people will enjoy a good old singsong this Christmas. Singing aloud will not just lift the spirits---it's good for your physical health as well. Filling the lungs with air, increasing the heart rate and getting blood pumping round the body faster can all help our physical health. For the past few years Heart Research UK has been Funding a Christmas campaign aimed at getting people singing, simply for the benefit it can bring. The organizer of the campaign says singing is a safe, simple and social activity that everyone can enjoy. "Singing is linked to long life, stress reduction, and general health protection. It also brings a great amount of happiness. It is impossible to sing well with a long face because it affects your pitch ." Professor Graham Welch, who leads the International Music Education Research Centre at the University of London, has spent more than 30 years studying the effects of singing. He says that singing is a form of exercise. It means we're also having a strong aerobic activity when we're singing, which results in increasing the feeling of pleasure while decreasing that of stress. "And communal singing--like in a singing group, a church service or even a singsong in the pub--helps improve our sense of self-respect. It increases our sense of satisfaction with ourselves, a greater sense of feeling included. " Helen Astrid, a singing teacher, also sees the great effects that singing brings. "It lifts us up on a spiritual level, it helps our self-respect, and it's great for all ages from small kids to grannies--you can have a good sing and _ ." But she warns people not to have too many beers or glasses of wine, though a glass may help them gather courage before taking to the stage during the holidays. Heart Research UK holds a campaign to _ . A) encourage people to sing for God at Christmas B) study the effects of singing on people C) get people to sing and improve their health D) bring happiness to people during holidays
C
Q: More students than ever before are taking a gap-year before going to university.It used to be called the "year off" between school and university.The gap-year phenomenon originated with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year. This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by University and College Admissions Serbice(UCAS). That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. "Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be stisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible," he said. But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students(NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hadship - young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. "New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to PS15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and More students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree.NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods,"he said. What do we learn about the gap year from the text? A) It is increasingly popular. B) It is flexible in length. C) It is a time for relaxation. D) It is required by universities.
A: A
China has mapped out plans for its new launches in the Shenzhou program on the next flight. But one conclusion seems to have escaped most reports in the aerospace media.The flight of Shenzhou 7 could be timed to coincide with the Beijing Olympics. Plans for 2008 Summer Olympics call for the events to be held between the 8th and 24th of August in that year. It's reasonable to expect that China will use the event to display its achievements before the world, and human spaceflight is China's most significant recent breakthrough. Shenzhou 7, China's next manned space mission, was originally advertised for 2007.This fit the pattern of staging a two-gap between crewed Shenzhou missions, which have previously launched in 2003 and 2005.But Chinese media statements have amended this to 2008.Chinese media have reported that the whole program is going well, more time is needed to work on spacesuit that will be used on this flight to stage China's first spacewalk. It's possible that Chinese engineers want to make best preparations for this complex mission. China could intend to carry out the mission of Shenzhou 7 just as media attention is focused on the lead--up to the Olympics. The crew of the fight, and possibly China's other flown astronauts, could then take part in the opening ceremony. China has previously honnoured her space travelers in great celebrations, such as the Hong Kong event that saw Yang Liwei singing with Jacky Chan. China has decided to carry out the human spaceflight in 2008 in order to _ . A) attract more athletes to take part in the Beijing Olympics B) show its great achievements to the whole world C) prove China has become a great developed country like the USA D) introduce its technology to the world
B