武汉市2014高考英语阅读理解训练题（23）附答案 Psychiatrists (精神病专家) who work with older parents say that maturity can be an asset in child raisingolder parents are more thoughtful, use less physical discipline and spend more time with their children. But raising kids takes money and energy. Many older parents find themselves balancing their limited financial resources, declining energy and failing health against the growing demands of an active child. Dying and leaving young children is probably the older parents biggest, and often unspoken, fear. Having late-life children, says an economics professor, often means parents, particularly fathers, “end up retiring much later.” For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream. Henry Metcalf a 54-year-old journalist, knows it takes money to raise kids. But hes also worried that his energy will give out first. Sure, he can still ride bikes with his athletic fifth grader, but hes learned that young at heart doesnt mean young. Lately hes been taking afternoon naps (午睡) to keep up his energy. “My body is aging,” says Metcalf. “You cant get away from that.” Often, older parents hear the ticking of another kind of biological clock. Therapists who work with middle-aged and older parents say fears about aging are nothing to laugh at. “They worry theyll be mistaken for grandparents, or that theyll need help getting up out of those little chairs in nursery school,” says Joann Galst, a New York psychologist. But at the core of those little fears there is often a much bigger one: “that they wont be alive long enough to support and protect their child,” she says. Many late-life parents, though, say their children came at just the right time. After marrying late and undergoing years of fertilily (受孕) treatment, Marilyn Nolen and her husband, Randy, had twins. “We both wanted children,” says Marilyn, who was 55 when she gave birth. The twins have given the couple what they desired for years, “a sense of family.” Kids of older dads are often smarter, happier and more sociable because their fathers are more involved in their lives. “The dads are older, more mature,” says Dr. Silber, “and more ready to focus on parenting.” 13. What does the author mean by saying “For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream”（Paragraph 1）? A. They are reluctant to retire when they reach their retirement age. B. They cant obtain the retirement benefits they have dreamed of. C. They cant get full pension unless they work some extra years. D. They have to go on working beyond their retirement age. 14. The author gives the example of Henry Metcalf to show that _ . A. older parents should exercise more to keep up with their athletic children B. many people are young in spirit despite their advanced age C. older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodies D. taking afternoon naps is a good way to regain energy 15. Whats the biggest fear of older parents according to New York psychologist Joan Galst? A. Approaching of death. B. Slowing down of their pace of life.C. Being laughed at by other people. D. Being mistaken for grandparents. 1315、 DCA *结束A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self-made man the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts, usually beginning by working with his hands. While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and commands greater respect in the community than the common laborer or even the skilled factory worker, he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or laborer of some sort.This attitude toward manual(体力的) labor is now still seen in many aspects of American life. One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even luxuriously (豪华地) furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel, expensive hobbies, and college education for the children; yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself, will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward, furthermore the dinner will not consist merely of something quickly and easily assembled(收集) from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery. On the contrary, the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes. A professional man may talk about washing the car, digging in his flowerbeds, painting the house. His wife may even help with these things, just as he often helps her with the dishwashing. The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living, or during the summer he may work with a construction gang on a highway in order to pay for his education.5. From paragraph 1, we can know that in America _.A. people tend to have a high opinion