Discussion

A study has found that some parents think doing housework is a little dangerous while others said children should focus on studying. Some parents use money to make their children to do housework. An expert warns that children will lack responsibility if they do not do any housework.

Key IdeaNews in Liberal Studies

Psychologist Gemini Cheung warns that children who do not do housework will become dependent on others and lack a sense of responsibility. (Sing Tao Daily)

ACCORDING to a survey of 500 parents on how much their children help around the house, 13 per-cent of the parents said their children are a bit lazy

when it comes to housework. Ten percent said it is because doing housework is a little dangerous, and 9 percent said children should focus on studying.

However, 35 percent of them agree that doing house-work may produce a sense of responsibility in children. Also, 17 percent say it will improve concentration as well as help the youngsters learn to take care of themselves.

To encourage children to do housework, 37 percent of parents said they often use money as a reward. Only 15 percent of parents gave instructions. Nine percent share the housework with their children, but only 6 percent thank their children for helping.

The survey, conducted by Tai Po Mega Mall, also found that 76 percent of kids between four and 12 cannot change themselves, whilst 61 percent are unable to bathe alone. Furthermore, 57 percent cannot tidy up their rooms and 42 percent are unable to eat without supervision. Also, 35 percent fail to do their homework by themselves.

Child and educational psychologist Gemini Cheung Ming-lai (張明麗) said children will become dependent on others and lack responsibility if they do not do any house-work. She said it will also badly affect their social lives in the future. She advises parents to see doing the housework as important as studying for children.

1 2 3Why is it important for children to do some household chores?

Why should parents not give children money as reward for doing housework?

Is it good for parents to share housework with their children?

Discussion

Discussion

UsefulWords

advise (v) 忠告M give one’s opinion about the best thing to

do in a certain situationE We advised him to think carefully before

making a decision.

4encourage (v) 鼓勵M make someone more likely to do

somethingE The government encourages people to

do more physical exercise.

2

Expert: housework teaches children to be responsibleKids shirking their chores

Meaning M Example E

Why should parents not give children money as reward for doing housework?

Go to http://edu.singtao.com/eng-p

to listen to the news story and download the worksheet

(Click 'Teacher's Corner' for the worksheet)

Click Like to join the Junior Standard Facebook

page, and give your opinion on this question:

1 focus (v) 集中M pay particular attention toE Some young people focus on physical

training instead of studying.

3 instruction (n) 指示M something you are told to doE You should read the instructions on the

bottle first before taking the medicine.

● Energy Technology & the Environment● Public Health ● Globalisation● Hong Kong Today● Modern China

Reading Comprehension

Answers on P12

Wednesday 10 April 2013

● Text : Anvil Ong ● Photos : Sing Tao Daily, Xinhua

Vocabulary sense of responsibility (n phr) 責任感concentration (n) 專注力

supervision (n) 監督educational psychologist (n phr) 教育心理學家

dependent (adj) 依賴的social life (n phr) 社交生活

1. Some parents do not let their children do

housework because they think it is _____ .

A. a waste of time

B. dangerous

C. very important

D. their job

2. Some parents _____ for doing housework.

A. give their children money

B. punish their children

C. scold their children

D. hit their children

3. Doing housework gives children _____ .

A. a sense of humour

B. a sense of shame

C. a sense of pride

D. a sense of responsibility

4. Not doing housework will _____ affect a

child’s social life.

A. bad

B. worse

C. worst

D. badly

ActivityMatch the following words found in the article with their defi nitions.

Person of the day

The Chinese president said no one country should be allowed to upset world peace.

Who is he?

He is the present Chinese president and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (中國共產黨總書記). He served as the Governor of Fujian (福建市長) between 1999 and 2002 and as Governor of Zhejiang (浙江) between 2002 and 2007.

What has he said?

In a speech at the Boao Forum for Asia (博鰲亞洲論壇) with foreign political leaders present, Xi said, “And no one should be allowed to throw the region, or even the whole world, into chaos for selfish gains.”

The new Xi government is being especial ly challenged over North Korea (北韓). Pyongyang’s (平壤) tests of a long-range missile and threats of nuclear strikes have concerned South Korea (南韓) and the United States. These important economic partners for China have looked to Beijing to rein in its longtime communist ally.

What is he doing next?

US officials suspect that North Korea may be preparing for a test of its missiles.

What did others say?

South Korea said it was ready for any kind of action that the North’s unpredictable leaders might make.

British Foreign Minister William Hague said North Korea’s nuclear ambitions had to be taken seriously.

Ts

Xi JinpingXi Jinping (習近平)

P03

Choose the best answer:

1. supervision

3. responsibility

2. psychologist

4. dependent

A. someone who studies how people’s minds work

C. needing the support of something or someone

B. the act of watching an activity to make sure it is done correctly

D. duty to behave in a particular way

You use ‘sense’ if you mean ‘ability to understand, recognise or react to something’.

• I caught a cold and almost totally lost my sense of smell.

You use ‘feel’ if you mean ‘a natural understanding of something’.

• Jane has a real feel for language.

sense, feel

Word Choice

(Xinhua)

Personal Development & Interpersonal Relationships