Reading. To cure the cruelty of children

TO CURE THE CRUELTY OF CHILDREN

Psychologists believe that the combative and aggressive instinct is permanent in

all human beings; but it is probable that, with a correct understanding of children, the

instinct for aggression need not survive childhood. It's certain that to repress the

aggressiveness of a child will make him later more aggressive and anti-social; he will

later on revenge himself for his sufferings by criminality or by acts of cruelty. The

desire to hurt living things generally appears in the child who has been given a

strong hatred of authority. This problem of cruelty is very difficult to handle. It

requires the parents to use good temper and good sense, trying to find out where

the child's real interests lie and guiding its energy to these channels. Except in the

worst cases, sympathetic treatment by parents and teachers will gradually suffice to

cure, for it will give back self-confidence, self-love, and a belief in life, and it is the

absence of these which is the cause of cruelty.

EXERCISE 1: Find words or phrases in the passage which mean the same as:

COLUMN A COLUMN B

a) eager to fight or argue

b) natural behaviour, without thought or plan

c) continue to exist or live

d) control; stop feelings from showing

e) behaving in a way that most other people don't

like or think is right

f) hurt or punish someone when we believe

wrong has been done to us (two words)

g) things that make someone feel pain or

unhappiness

h) wish; strong feeling of want

i) the ability to behave well and make good

decisions

j) ways; directions

k) understanding, especially of someone's

feelings

I) be enough to do something, or to meet a need

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EXERCISE 2: Choose the correct answer according to the passage.

1. According to psychologists

A) the instinct for aggression normally exists only during childhood

B) if the child's aggressive instincts can't be eliminated, he'll revenge himself in his later life

C) aggressiveness is an instinct which exists in all human beings

D) the problem of cruelty is too difficult for parents to deal with on their own

E) combative and aggressive instincts should be repressed in childhood so that the person

won't turn out to be a cruel adult

2. Psychologists suggest that to cure cruelty,

A) first of all, the causes of it should be found out so that the best results can be obtained

B) the child should be directed to spending his energy on what he is really interested in

C) the child should be persuaded to give up his desire to hurt living things

D) parents and teachers should work in cooperation with psychologists

E) the child should be provided with an environment which will keep him in contact with society

3. It's pointed out in the passage that

A) aggressiveness is the result of parents using authoritative approaches against the child

B) the aggressive instinct of a person can only be cured by psychologists

C) parents are not aware of the dangers of repressing the aggressive instinct in the child

D) if a child has a desire to hurt living things, parents should use more authority on him

E) in serious cases of cruelty, parents' or teachers' understanding approach won't be a sufficient

cure

EXERCISE 3: Complete the sentences by selecting words from Column B in EXERCISE 1.

1. I've always had a to stop working and travel the world.

2. She was unable to her anger when she gave the manager her list of

complaints.

3. The teacher was very when her student explained how his family

problems were affecting his studies.

4. There is no need to take medicine if having a good rest will

5. If you had any, you wouldn't have tried to carry those heavy bags with

your bad back!

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