单选题 I"m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that today"s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America"s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation—brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things—and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that we can"t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.
At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual(虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. It"s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn"t have to ruin your life.

单选题 The author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people"s state of mind are ______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 第一段第一句“I"m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago.”中skeptical表明了作者的观点是“持怀疑态度的”，所以选D项“作者认为有关人们心智状态的研究结论是可疑的”。

单选题 What does the author mean when he says, "we can"t turn the clock back" (Line 1, Para. 3)?

单选题 According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years ago ______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 根据第一段末句“In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago. (实际上，有分析表明，现在9到11岁的正常孩子表现出的焦虑程度比50年前接受精神治疗的孩子还要高。)”反推出C项正确。

单选题 The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is ______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 根据第四段“At the top of the list is nurturing(培育) a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress. (首先要培养孩子们更好地领会个人主义的局限性。任何一个孩子都不是一座与世隔绝的孤岛。加强社会联系能帮助他们更多地参与社交活动，使他们免受压力的困扰。)”所以选C项。