READ THE PASSAGE, AND CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER A, B, C OR D FOR EACH...

Exercise 5: Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each

question.

If parents bring up a child with the sole aim of turning the child into a genius, they will

cause a disaster. According to several scientists, this is one of the biggest mistakes which

ambitious parents make. Generally, the child will be only too aware of what his parents

expect, and will fail. Unrealistic parental expectations can cause great damage to children.

However, if parents are not too unrealistic about what they expect their children to do,

but are ambitious in a sensible way, the child may succeed in doing very well - especially

if the parents are very supportive of their child.

Michael is very lucky. He is crazy about music, and his parents help him a lot by taking

him to concerts and arranging private piano and violin lessons for him. They even drive

him 50 kilometers twice a week for violin lessons. Michael's mother knows very little

about music, but his father plays the trumpet in a large orchestra. However, he never

makes Michael enter music competitions if he is unwilling.

Winston, Michael's friend, however, is not so lucky. Both his parents are successful

musicians, and they set too high a standard for Winston. They want their son to be as

successful as they are and so they enter him for every piano competition held. They are

very unhappy when he does not win. Winston is always afraid that he will disappoint his

parents and now he always seems quiet and unhappy.

1. One of the serious mistakes parents can make is to _______________.

A. push their child into trying too much

B.help their child to become a genius

C.make their child become a musician

D.neglect their child's education

2. Parents' ambition for their children is not wrong if they____________.

A. force their children into achieving success

B.themselves have been very successful

C.understand and help their children sensibly

D. arrange private lessons for their children

3. Michael is fortunate in that_____________.

A.his father is a musician

B.his parents are quite rich

C.his mother knows little about music

D.his parents help him in a sensible way

4. Winston's parents push their son so much and he___________.

A.has won a lot of piano competitions

B.cannot learn much music from them

C.has become a good musician

D.is afraid to disappoint them

5. The two examples given in the passage illustrate the principle that ________.

A.successful parents always have intelligent children

B.successful parents often have unsuccessful children

C.parents should let the child develop in the way he wants

D.parents should spend more money on the child's education