12．About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table，I couldn't help overhearing parts of their conversation．At one point the woman asked，"So，how have you been？"And the boy-who could not have been more than seven or eight years old-replied．"Frankly，I've been feeling a little depressed lately．"
This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed （確認） my growing belief that children are changing．As far as I can remember，my friends and I didn't find out we were"depressed"，that is，in low spirits，until we were in high school．
Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years．Children don't seem childlike anymore．Children speak more like adults，dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to．
Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say，but it certainly is different．Childhood as it once was no longer exists．Why？
Human development is depended not only on born biological states，but also on patterns of gaining social knowledge．Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new social positions．Children have always been taught adult secrets，but slowly and in stages； traditionally，we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders．
In the last 30 years，however，a secret-revelation （揭示） machine has been equipped in 98 percent of American homes．It is called television．Television passes information to all viewers alike，whether they are children or adults．Unable to resist the temptation （誘惑），many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging，more attractive moving pictures．
Communication through print，as a matter of fact，allows for a great deal of control over the social information which children will gain．Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials．
67．According to the author，feeling depressed isD
A．a sure sign of a mental problem in a child
B．a mental state present in all humans，including children
C．something that cannot be avoided in children's mental development
D．something hardly to be expected in a young child
68．Traditionally，a child is supposed to learn about the adult worldB
A．through connection with society
B．gradually and under guidance
C．naturally without being taught
D．through watching television
69．According to the author，that today's children seem adultlike results fromA
A．the widespread influence of television
B．the poor arrangement of teaching content
C．the fast pace of human scientific development
D．the rising standard of living
70．What does the author think of communication through print for children？D
A．It enables children to gain more social information．
B．It develops children's interest in reading and writing．
C．It helps children to read and write well．
D．It can control what children are to learn．
71．What does the author think of the change in today's children？B
A．He feels their adultlike behavior is so funny．
B．He thinks the change worthy of note．
C．He considers it a rapid development
D．He seems to be upset about it．
分析 本文屬于議論文閱讀，作者通過這篇文章主要向我們講述的是作者偶然聽到孩子類似于成年人的話，從而分析了孩子之所以如此成熟的原因并表達了自己的看法，他對孩子的這些變化感到焦慮，認為這種現象應當引起人們的重視．
解答 67．D．細節理解題，根據第二段"As far as I can remember，my friends and I didn't find out we were"depressed"，that is，in low spirits，until we were in high school"可知，作者認為對于如此小年齡的孩子來說，depressed是很難想象的；故選D．
68．B．推理判斷題，根據第五段Children have always been taught adult secrets，but slowly and in stages：traditionally，we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders可知一個孩子應該在指導下逐漸了解成人世界，故選B．
69．A．細節理解題，根據第六段"Communication through print，as a matter of fact，allows for a great deal of control over the social information which children will gain"可知，作者認為是電視劇的普及，讓孩子出現了這樣的特征；故選A．
70．D．推理判斷題，根據最后一段Communication through print，as a matter of fact，allows for a great deal of control over the social information to which children have access可知，作者認為通過印刷的方式可以控制孩子所學的東西；故選D．
71．B．推理判斷題，根據文章作者的口氣和觀點可以看出，他對孩子的這些變化感到焦慮，認為這種現象應當引起人們的重視；故選B．
點評 考察學生的細節理解和推理判斷能力，做細節理解題時一定要找到文章中的原句，和題干進行比較，再做出正確的選擇．在做推理判斷題不要以個人的主觀想象代替文章的事實，要根據文章事實進行合乎邏輯的推理判斷．
