C
When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him, as his parents always had him do some housework or do some part-time jobs. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood friends. He had a better career, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier.
These are the findings of a 40-year study. Researchers followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who worked when they were young enjoyed happier and more successful lives than those who did not. "Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence (能力) and came to feel they were useful members of society," said George Vaillant, the psychologist (心理学家) who made the discovery. "And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them too."
Vaillant's study followed these males all these years. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men's mental-health scores with their boyhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort at school, and abilities to deal with problems.
The link between what the men once did as young boys and how they turned out as adults was very sharp. Those who did the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with other people, five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ (智商) and family social and economic class (社会和经济阶层) made no real difference in how the boys turned out.
Working—at any age—is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence—the basis (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must work with others towards common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this. Yet work isn't everything. As Tolstoy once said, "One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one's work."
() 56. Which of the following is true about John?
A. He liked doing part-time jobs.
B. He enjoyed his career and marriage.
C. He received little love from his family.
D. He had few friends when he was a child.
() 57. According to Vaillant, why could John be better off than his childhood friends?
A. Because he did part-time jobs after work.
B. Because he felt proud of himself when working.
C. Because his working experience in his childhood was of help.
D. Because he was happier than his friends when they were young.
() 58. How many years did the research last?
A. 40 years.
B. 25 years.
C. 31 years.
D. 47 years.
() 59. How did Vaillant and his team get the findings of the research?
A. By checking the men's mental health.
B. By comparing different sets of scores.
C. By recording the boy's effort at school.
D. By testing the men's problem-solving ability.
() 60. The purpose of the passage is to tell us that .
A. IQ plays an important role in people's development
B. social and economic class decides how our career goes
C. only working at a young age is important to our adult life
D. the ability of working with others towards goals is very important