I’m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation—brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things—and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.
At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games andmovies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a goodmodel for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn’t have to ruin your life.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1.The author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people’s state of mind are ________.
A. surprising
B. confusing
C. illogical
D. questionable
2. What does the author mean when he says, “we can’t turn the clock back” (Line 1, Para. 3)?
A. It’s impossible to slow down the pace of change.
B. The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.
C. Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.
D. It’s impossible to forget the past.
3.According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentallyill 50 years ago ________.
A. were less isolated physically
B. were probably less self-centered
C. probably suffered less from anxiety
D. were considered less individualistic
4.The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is ______
A. to provide them with a safer environment
B. to lower their expectations for them
C. to get them more involved socially
D. to set a good model for them to follow
5.What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A. Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped with.
B. Children’s anxiety has been enormously exaggerated.
C. Children’s anxiety can be eliminated with more parental care.
D. Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.
1.[D] 题目中的people’s state of mind就是本文第1句中either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves。而对于这种研究，作者开门见山地表明自己的态度是skeptical怀疑的，因此该研究结论是questionable “可疑的”，故选D。
2.[B] 第3段说“虽然我们无法使时光倒流,但是我们成年人还是可以做很多事情来帮助下一代，使他们可以妥善应对”所以，“使时光倒流”实质上是改变孩子们现在所生活的环境，正确答案为B。
3.[C] 只要读懂第1段最后一句的比较结构:该分析显示，现在9到17岁的普通儿童比50年前接受精神病治疗的儿童所表现出来的焦虑不安程度还要高,此题答案就一目了然，即选C。
4.[C] 根据第4段开头的At the top of the list可知答案可在该段中寻得。由该段最后一句“加强社会联系有助于社区的建设,也有助于使个人免受压力的侵扰”可知正确答案为C。
5.[A] 根据文章最后两句“有时候焦虑是难免的,但它并不是非要毁掉你的生活不可”可知A说法与之相符，故选A。
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