Then there is the general, all covering apology, which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act that was particularly hurtful or insulting, and which the person who is apologizing should promise never to do again. Saying “I’m useless as a parent” does not commit a person to any specific improvement.
These pseudo-apologies are used by people who believe saying sorry shows weakness, Parents who wish to teach their children to apologize should see it as a sign of strength, and therefore not resort to these pseudo-apologies.
But even when presented with examples of genuine contrition, children still need help to become a ware of the complexities of saying sorry. A three-year-old might need help in understanding that other children feel pain just as he does, and that hitting a playmate over the head with a heavy toy requires an apology. A six-year-old might need reminding that spoiling other children’s expectations can require an apology. A 12-year-old might need to be shown that raiding the biscuit tin without asking permission is acceptable, but that borrowing a parent’s clothes without permission is not.
36. If a mother adds “but” to an apology, ________.
A) she doesn’t feel that she should have apologized
B) she does not realize that the child has been hurt
C) the child may find the apology easier to accept
D) the child may feel that he owes her an apology(D)
37. According to the author, saying “I’m sorry you’re upset” most probably means “________”.
A) You have good reason to get upset
B) I’m aware you’re upset, but I’m not to blame
C) I apologize for hurting your feelings
D) I’m at fault for making you upset(B)
38. It is not advisable to use the general, all-covering apology because ________.
A) it gets one into the habit of making empty promises
B) it may make the other person feel guilty
C) it is vague and ineffective
D) it is hurtful and insulting(C)
39. We learn from the last paragraph that in teaching children to say sorry ________.
A) the complexities involved should be ignored
B) their ages should be taken into account
C) parents need to set them a good example
D) parents should be patient and tolerant(B)
40. It can be inferred from the passage that apologizing properly is ________.
A) a social issue calling for immediate attention
B) not necessary among family members
C) a sign of social progress
D) not as simple as it seems(D)
本文的材料主要內容是告誡父母們如何教導孩子向人道歉，具有很強的社會實用性，也因為這一功能，文章的遣詞造句較為平易，使用諄諄教誨的口吻，可使人把閱讀的注意力放在告誡的內容上。
全文材料一共6段，按照告誡的內容可分為兩大部分。第一部分是一至五段，講的是父母應該如何言傳身教，在需要的時候真誠地向孩子道歉，從而起到榜樣作用。最后一段講述父母們應該使孩子們明白在何種情境下需要道歉。
第一段指出父母在教導孩子如何道歉時應當首先給孩子做出榜樣(you must be good at saying it yourself)，點出本文的主要內容，而后以it can be quite tricky作為詳細講述如何做出榜樣的總起句。后面的二到四段分別列舉了三種不適宜的道歉方式，第一種是在sorry后面接but解釋道歉的原因，這會降低道歉的效果(“but” can render the apology ineffective);第二種是I’m sorry you’re upset，暗含對方主動給了別人進行煩擾的機(at fault for allowing yourself to get upset by what the other person has done);第三種是道歉過于空泛(general)，這種方式往往不會對孩子形成具體的指導(does not commit a person to any specific improvement)。
