Passage Two

　　Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

　　Every other week it seems a new study comes out that adds to our already-formidable store of parental worries. But even by those upgraded standards, the report issued last week by the federal government’s National Center for Health Statistics contained a jaw-dropper: the parents of nearly one of every five boys in the United States were concerned enough about what they saw as their son’s emotional or behavioral problems that they consulted a doctor or a health-care professional. By comparison, about one out of 10 parents of girls reported these kinds of problems.

　　The report confirms what many of us have been observing for some time now that lots of school-age boys are struggling. And, parents are intensely worried about them.

　　What is bothering our sons? Some experts suggest we are witnessing an epidemic of ADHD and say boys need more treatment. Others say that environmental pollutants found in plastics, among other things, may be eroding their attention spans and their ability to regulate their emotions.

　　Those experts may be right but I have another suggestion. Let's examine the way our child rearing and our schools have evolved in the last10 years. Then ask ourselves this challenging question: could some of those changes we have embraced in our families, our communities and our schools be driving our sons crazy?

　　Instead of unstructured free play, parents now schedule their kids' time from dawn till dusk (and sometimes beyond). By age 4, an ever-increasing number of children are enrolled in preschool. There, Instead of learning to get along with other kids, hold crayon (蠟筆) and play Duck, Duck, Goose, children barely out of diapers are asked to fill out work sheets, learn calculation or study Mandarin. The drumbeat (鼓聲) early academics gets even louder when they enter" real" school. Veteran teachers will tell you that first graders are now routinely expected to master a curriculum that, only 15 years ago, would have been considered appropriate for second, even third graders. The way we teach children has changed, too. In many communities, elementary schools have become test-prep factories---where standardized testing begins in kindergarten and" teaching to the test" is considered a virtue. At the same time, recess (休息時間) is being pushed aside in order to provide extra time for reading and math drills. So is history and opportunities for hands-on activities---like science labs and art. Active play is increasingly frowned on---some schools have even banned recess and tag. In the wake of school shootings like the tragedy at Virginia Tech, kids who stretch out a pointer finger, bend their thumb and shout" pow! "are regarded with suspicion and not a little fear.

　　注意：此部分試題請在答題卡2上作答。

　　57. What are many American parents concerned about according to the first paragraph?

　　A) Their children's health problems.

　　B) Their children's emotional and behavioral problems.

　　C) The report issued by National Center for Health Statistics.

　　D) The studies that come out every other week.

　　58. What might be the reason that caused the problems among the boys according to the author?

　　A) The wide spread of ADHD.

　　B) Environmental pollutants found in things we use.

　　C) The way children are reared and educated

　　D) Over-attention from parents

　　59. What do most parents expect of their children in preschools?

　　A) The ability to get along with other children

　　B) The freedom to learn what they like

　　C) Enjoyment of free play

　　D) Good academic performance