When it comes to parenting, it can be hard to know which issues are important and which ones are not. According to parenting expert Anne Murphy, a family dinner matters. “Having a family dinner doesn’t only mean hours of sharing various kinds of food,” she said. “It means getting together as long as you can —even if it’s just 15 minutes for pizza. Or make it breakfast or lunch—whatever you can do.
Never waste your valuable time on TV. Keep the conversation joyful—Murphy thinks it makes a difference. Studies have shown that teenagers whose families eat together are less likely to abuse drugs. They also have better grades and—perhaps most importantly—better relationships with their parents. It brings more benefit to children than many after-school activities, she added.
Homework has become a hot issue recently. According to a study, the amount of time kids spend on homework has increased by 51 percent since 1981.
“The point of homework is to make students continue to learn after school hour,” Murphy said. “However, giving too much homework runs the risk of turning kids off school and even worse—turning them off learning in all forms. They will turn to other things, such as computer games, some of which are aggressive, or drinking for fun. Therefore, some experts came up with an idea, that is, kindergarteners and first-graders get 10 minutes of homework. Second-graders get 20 minutes, and so on.”
Murphy offered tips to parents who think their children are getting too much homework. “Talk to other parents to see if they also think so, and then talk to the teacher,” she said. “Have a discussion about it, and let the teacher know that you want to work together on a solution.”
60. According to Anne Murphy, ___________.
A. parents should tell children what matters during dinner time
B. parents should save time and not cook for children
C. it’s important for the family to have a good talk during dinner time
D. it’s important for the family to discuss sharing together
61. Which of the following is the benefit of families eating together?
a. Children are more likely to avoid drugs.
b. Children may have better grades.
c. Children may have a close relationship with their parents.
d. It can save children’s time and prevent them from watching TV.
e. It encourages children to have more after-school activities.
A. a, b, c B. c, d, e C. a, c, e D. b, c, e
62. What do we know about homework from the passage?
A. The time spent on homework shouldn’t be over 10 minutes.
B. Too much homework may make students lose interest in study.
C. Homework does not help children continue learning after school.
D. Parents should decide the amount of homework for their children.
63. From the passage, we can learn that___________.
A. children’s time spent on after-school activities is being reduced
B. computer games are making children increasingly aggressive
C. it is unnecessary for young children to do homework
D. some experts think it necessary to reduce children’s homework
64. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. What matters most in parenting.
B. How to develop a close relationship with children.
C. Family education is important for children.
D. Parents say no to too much homework.
