-
All across the country, kids are heading
back to school. Despite advice from the
nation’s secretary of health and human
services,
recess
(
课间休息
) and
physical
education
have
in
many
schools
been
cut
back
or
canceled.
While
most
of
kids
are
eager
to catch up w
ith friends,
the general feeling is that “playtime is
over.”
Summer vacation does
offer most children a bit of free playtime
–
the sort that
leads
to
physical
activity
and
self-organized
play,
often
in
short
supply
during
the
school
year.
Still,
it’s
not
e
nough.
Play
time
shouldn’t
be
limited
to
summer
vacation: it’s important all
year.
For
most
American
children
in
the
past,
“going
out
to
play”
was
the
norm.
Today,
according to a University of Michigan
study, children spend 50 percent less time
outside than they did just 20 years
ago. There is a direct line between lack of play
and
some
frightening
public
health
and
social
trends:
tragic
statistics
for
ob
esity(
肥
胖
), 4.5
million children diagnosed with attention deficit
disorder(ADD)
(
儿童多
动症
), an
increase in childhood depression and classroom
behavioral problems, and
an inability
to interact well with peers.
Just an
hour a day of active play
—
running, chasing, games like dodge ball
—
can
provide
intense
skill
learning.
Physical
activity
is
known
to
lessen
the
symptoms
of
mild
attention
deficit
disorder,
and
reduces
the
risk
of
childhood
obesity.
Active
kids can perform better academically in
the long term.
We
should
be
aware
of
how
important
play
is
to
one’s
development.
Even
a
play-
deprived
social
mammal(
哺乳动物
)
like
a
rat
or
monkey
will
become
unable
to
tell
friend from enemy, and
poor at handling stress when it enters adulthood.
My studies
of
young
murderers
revealed
that
most
had
lacked
normal,
developmentally
appropriate
play as children and pre-adolescents.
Play is fun, but ultimately it is also
useful. The smarter the animal, the more
they play. For humans, play refreshes
us because it gets us in touch with our core
selves and the joy of life.
I
feel
sad
about
the
kids
who
have
given
up
on
play
for
another
nine
months.
Their
devaluation of play is a tragic loss
for them and for our society.
1.
Children lacking playtime may have the following
problems EXCEPT__________.
- 1 -
A. to become fat
B. to suffer from depression
C. to fail to get along well with
others
D. to murder their peers
2. Active play is beneficial to
children because __________.
A. it
inspires children to catch up with their friends
B. it is the best way to cure children
with obesity
C. it helps children to
improve academicachievement
D. it can
teach children to tell friend from enemy
3.
“
A play-
deprived social
mammal”
refers to an animal that__________.
A. has lost chance to play
B.
requires enough playtime
C. enjoys
playing very much
D. knows the
importance of play
4. Which of the
following statements is TRUE?
A. The
article was written before the summer vacation.
B. American children lack playtime
during the school year.
C. Schools
give children more playtime in the new semester.
D. Children with ADD should play
less than normal children.
5. Which of
the following will be the best title?
A. Summer Vacation is over
B. What
Playtime Brings to Children
C. Lack
of Play Leads to Problems
D. Let the
Children Play
参考答案
1---5
D C A B D
*****************************
*********************
结束
链接
2
（
2012
江苏卷）
Franz Kafka
wrote that
(
斧子
)
for the frozen sea inside us.
require any explanation.
We
’
d just
finished John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men.
When we read the end
- 2 -