Question

Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. “The door to his room is always shut,” Joanns noted.

Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. “She used to cuddle up (蜷伏)with me on the sofa and talk,” said Mark. “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring out which time is which. ”

Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what’s on their minds. “In fact, parents are first on the list.” said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. “This completely changes during the teen years.” Riera explained. “They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last.”

Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.

1.“The door to his room is always shut” suggests that the son _______.

A. keeps himself away from his parents

B. doesn’t want to be disturbed

C. is always busy with his studies

D. begins to dislike his parents

2.What troubles Tina and Mark most is that ________.

A. their daughter isn’t as lovely as before

B. they don’t know what to say to their daughter

C. they can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly

D. their daughter talks with them only when she needs help

3.Which of the following best explains “the wall of silence” in the last paragraph?

A. Teenagers talk a lot with their friends.

B. Teenagers do not want to understand their parents.

C. Teenagers talk little about their own lives.

D. Teenagers do not talk much with their parents.

4.What can be learned from the passage?

A. Parents are unhappy with their growing children.

B. Parents should try to understand their teenagers.

C. Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers.

D. Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.B

【解析】文章讲述了父母经常认为他们自己和孩子的良好关系，然后以几个社会存在的普通现象来解读，分析青少年与父母之间的关系，并且提出建议。

1.推理判断题。句意的意思是他房间的门总是一直关着。联系前文得知孩子长大，与父母之间的距离加大，孩子这么做的目的是想阻止家长的进入，想留有自己的私人空间，故选A。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段的描述以及本段最后一句The problem is figuring out which time is which.可知，他们的问题是不知道他们的女儿什么时候需要什么，也就是说读不懂他们女儿的内心想法，故选C。

3.推理判断题。“the wall of silence”沉默之墙，在本文中指的是父母和孩子之间的沉默，根据上一段最后一句“They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last.”可知孩子们有话说也是先跟朋友，再跟老师，最后才是父母，所以这堵沉默之墙是孩子不愿意跟父母说他们的想法，故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them.以及Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.可知父母要创造机会去理解孩子们想说的话，以他们所理解的方式去与他们沟通，和孩子们做朋友，以更好的方式去了解和理解他们，故选B。