In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.
As a writer I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being apparent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.
A revelation came last week when I asked her, “...Don’t you want to win again?” “No”, she replied. “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly, “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that was co-opting my daughter’s experience.
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.
1.What do we learn from the first paragraph?
2.What did the author say about her own writing experience?
3.Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?
4.The author took great paints to refine her daughter’s stories because( ).
5.What’s the author’s advice for parents?
问题1选项
A.Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities.
B.Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy her leisure time.
C.Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing.
D.A lot of distractions complete for children’s time nowadays.
问题2选项
A.She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer.
B.Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations.
C.She was constantly under pressure of writing more.
D.Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers.
问题3选项
A.She believed she possessed real talent for writing.
B.She was sure of winning with her mother’s help.
C.She wanted to share her stories with readers.
D.She had won a prize in the previous contest.
问题4选项
A.she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance
B.she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so much
C.she was to help Rebecca realize her dreams of becoming a writer
D.she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing
问题5选项
A.A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue.
B.Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience.
C.Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in.
D.Children should be given every chance to voice their opinion.
第1题:D
第2题:B
第3题:C
第4题:A
第5题:B
1.判断推理题。根据文章第一句,“In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied.”,在这个网络聊天、电子游戏和电视真人秀的时代,总有让孩子可以做的事情,并且这些活动不需要动脑。可判断出现在孩子们的时间完全被许多干扰因素占据了。选项D符合题意。
2.细节事实题。根据文章第二段,“As a writer I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories.”,作为一名作家,我知道什么是成功,什么是失败。我知道努力写一篇文章却收到出版商的退稿单是什么感觉。我也知道我承受着巨大的压力,为的是不辜负过去的胜利带来的荣誉。可判断出作者的写作经历充满痛苦和挫折。选项B符合题意。
3.细节事实题。根据文章第三段,“I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”,她只是想把一个关于天使上一年级的故事讲给别人听。可判断出丽贝卡想参加写作比赛的原因在于她想和读者分享她的故事。选项C符合题意。
4.细节事实题。根据文章第四段,“Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales.”,我告诉自己,我只是一个经验丰富的作家,引导着年轻的作家穿过大厅,为她的故事提供人物、冲突和结局方面的建议。可判断出作者帮助女儿改善故事的原因在于她相信自己有知识和经验可以提供指导。选项A符合题意。
5.判断推理题。根据文章最后一句,“All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.”,我也会提醒自己,孩子们需要实验的空间,需要成长的空间,需要拥有表达自我的声音。可判断出作者建议父母应该让孩子们通过自己的经历,自由成长。选项B符合题意。