Question

  uChildren start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy; there’s no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children’s curiosity. Firstly, listen to their questions. I once visited a classroom of seven-year-olds to talk about science as a job. The children asked me “textbook questions” about schooling, salary and whether I liked my job. When I finished answering, we sat facing one another in silence. Finally I said, “Now that we’ve finished with your lists, do you have questions of your own about science?”

After a long pause, a boy raised his hand,” Have you ever seen a grasshopper（蚱蜢） eat? When I try eating leaves like that, I get a stomachache. Why?”

This began a set of questions that lasted nearly two hours. 

Secondly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that, after asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical（符合邏輯的）,complete and creative answers. 

Thirdly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don’t jump in with “That’s right” or “Very good”. These words work well when it comes to encouraging good behavior. But in talking about science, quick praise can signal that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying, “That’s interesting” or “I’d never thought of it that way before”, or coming up with more questions or ideas. 

Never push a child to “Think”. It doesn’t make sense, children are always thinking, without your telling them to. What’s more, this can turn a conversation into a performance. The child will try to find the answer you want, in as few words as possible, so that he will be a smaller target for your disagreement. 

Lastly, show doesn’t tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass（放大鏡）, and they’ll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates （蒸發）,set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop. 

1. According to the passage, children are natural scientists, and to raise their interest, the most important thing for adults to do is__________

A. to share the children’s curiosity

B. to let them see the world around        

C. to explain difficult phrases about science  

D. to supply the children with lab equipment

2. In the last sentence of the first paragraph, the word “lists” could best be replaced by_______ 

A. any questions                  B. textbook questions     

C. questions about science          D. questions seven-year-olds are curious about

3. According to the passage, children can answer questions in a more logical, complete and creative way if adult____________. 

A. wait at least for three seconds after a question

 B. tell them to answer the next day 

C. ask them to answer quickly       

D. wait for one or two seconds after a question

4. In which of the following paragraph（s） does the author tell us what to say to encourage children in a science discussion?

A. The second and third.      B. The fourth and fifth. 

C. The fifth and sixth.          D. The seventh. 

Answer 1

【小題1】A

【小題2】B

【小題3】A

【小題4】C