Learn to get the answers right

It's no secret that many children would be healthier and happier with adoptive parents than with the parents that nature dealt them. That's especially true of children who remain in abusive homes because the law blindly favours biological parents. It's also true of children who suffer for years in foster homes (收养孩子的家庭) because of parents who can't or won't care for them but refuse to give up custody (监护) rights.

Fourteen-year-old Kimberly Mays fits neither description, but her recent court victory could eventually help children who do. Kimberly has been the object of an angry custody battle between the man who raised her and her biological parents, with whom she has never lived. A Florida judge ruled that the teenager can remain with the only father she's ever known and that her biological parents have "no legal claim" on her.

The ruling, though it may yet be reversed, sets aside the principle that biology is the primary determinant of parentage. That's an important development, one that's long overdue.

Shortly after birth in December 1978, Kimberly Mays and another infant were mistakenly switched and sent home with the wrong parents. Kimberly's biological parents, Ernest and Regina Twigg, received a child who died of a heart disease in 1988. Medical tests showed that the child wasn't the Twiggs' own daughter, but Kimberly was, thus sparkling a custody battle with Robert Mays. In 1989, the two families agreed that Mr Mays would maintain custody with the Twiggs getting visiting rights. Those rights were ended when Mr Mays decided that Kimberly was being harmed.

The decision to leave Kimberly with Mr Mays rendered her suit debatable. But the judge made clear that Kimberly did have a reason to sue (起诉) on her own behalf. Thus he made clear that she was more than just property to be handled as adults saw fit.

Certainly, the biological link between parent and child is fundamental. But biological parents aren't always preferable to adoptive ones, and biological parentage does not convey an absolute ownership that cancels all the rights of children.



1. What was the primary consideration in the Florida judge's ruling?

A) the biological link.B) the child's benefit.

C) The traditional practice.D) the parents' feelings.

2. we can learn from the Kimberly case that ________ .

A) children are more than just personal possessions of their parents

B) the biological link between parent and child should be emphasized

C) foster homes bring children more pain and suffering than care

D) biological parents shouldn't claim custody rights after their child is adopted

3. The Twiggs claimed custody rights to Kimberly because ________ .

A) they found her unhappy in Mr Mays' custody

B) they regarded her as their property

C) they were her biological parents

D) they felt guilty about their past mistake

4. Kimberly had been given to Mr Mays ________ .

A) by sheer accident

B) out of charity

C) at his request

D) for better care

5. The author's attitude towards the judge's ruling could be described as ________ .

A) doubtfulB) critical

C) cautiousD) supportive

Now let's examine the correct answers to the questions.

Question 1 deals with the Florida judge's ruling on Kimberly's case. It demands an understanding of the whole passage. Clues to the correct answer can be found in several places. For instance, Para. 3 says "The ruling sets aside the principle that biology is the primary determinant of parentage." The last sentence of Para 4 gives the information that Mr Mays decided to stop the Twiggs from visiting Kimberly because he believed that she was being harmed. Para 5 says that "the judge made clear that Kimberly did have standing to sue on her own behalf". The last paragraph says that "biological parentage does not convey an absolute ownership that cancels all the rights of children." Therefore, the correct answer to the question is B.

Question 2 is also based on an understanding of the entire passage. But it tests the ability to recognize important points. The correct answer is A) children are more than just personal possessions of their parents. However, about 35 per cent of test takers selected D). Nowhere in the passage can we find that "biological parents shouldn't claim custody rights after their child is adopted." The Twiggs were not given custody rights because Kimberly had been living with Mr Mays for 14 years and he was the only father she had ever known. The Florida judge's ruling was made in accordance with the actual situation.

Question 3 also tests the ability to recognize important facts. The correct answer is C) they were her biological parents.

Question 4 tests the ability to understand important details. To get the correct answer to this question, ie A) by sheer accident, you have to read Para 4 carefully and get the gist. The 1st sentence of that paragraph discloses everything. However, only 40 per cent of the test takers detected the correct answer. What about the others? 28 per cent marked D) for better care, about 19 per cent marked C) at his request, and another 13 per cent marked B) out of charity. Which did you choose?

Question 5 tests the ability to make accurate inferences or to understand the author's attitude. Para 3 says "That's an important development, one that's long overdue (that should have happened a long time ago)." The last paragraph also clearly shows the author's inclination. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is D) (The author's attitude ... could be described as) supportive.



Direction: This passage is from the CET-4 test of June, 2000. Read through it and try to answer the multiple-choice questions.

Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our tendency to give and receive support from one another under stressful circumstances. Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to cope with major life changes and daily hassles (困难). People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over a range of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, reveal that the presence of social support helps people fend off (挡开) illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.

Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives, and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others despite our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting (转移...注意力) us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support — financial aid, material resources, and needed services — that reduces stress by helping us resolve and cope with our problems.

1. Interpersonal relationships are important because ________ .

A) they are indispensable to people's social well-being

B) they awaken people's desire to exchange resources

C) they help people to cope with life in the information era

D) they can cure a range of illnesses such as heart disease

2. Research shows that people's physical and mental health ________ .

A) relies on the social welfare systems which support them

B) has much to do with the amount of support they get from others

C) depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles

D) is closely related to their strength for coping with major changes in their lives

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "cushions" (Line 1, Para 2)?

A) Adds up to.B) Does away with.

C) Lessens the effect of.D) Lays the foundation for.

4. Helping a sick neighbour with some repair work is an example of ________ .

A) instrumental support C) social companionship

B) informational support D) the strengthening of self-respect

5. Social companionship is beneficial in that ________ .

A) it helps strengthen our ties with relatives

B) it allows us to eliminate our faults and mistakes

C) it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable

D) it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles



Answer: A, B, C, A, D