阅读理解
Getting less sleep has become
a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed
at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last
year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said they felt
tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.
How much sleep you need depends
a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours
a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is
ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10-
to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the
surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.
"More children are going to bed
with TVs on, and there are more opportunities to stay awake, with more homework,
the Internet and the phone," says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a
sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at
bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep.
Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals
called hormones not only make teenagers' bodies develop adult characteristics, but
also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.
Because sleepiness is such an
issue for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes
later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the
start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with
the results.
(1)
What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?
A . American kids' sleeping habits.
B . Teenagers' sleep-related diseases.
C . Activities to prevent sleeplessness.
D . Learning problems and lack of sleep.
(2)
How many hours of sleep do 11-year-olds need every day?
A . 7 hours.
B . 8 hours.
C . 10 hours.
D . 18 hours.
(3)
Why do teenagers go to sleep late according to Carskadon?
A . They are affected by certain body chemicals.
B . They tend to do things that excite them.
C . They follow their parents' examples.
D . They don't need to go to school early.
(4)
What does the underlined word "issue" in the last paragraph mean?
A . An obstacle
B . A problem
C . A benefit
D . An effect
答案: A
C
B
B