2004年1月英语四级 - 阅读理解A

I'm usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that today's children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children aged 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
我通常对任何研究都持怀疑态度，这些研究得出的结论是，人们比50年前更快乐或更不快乐。虽然这些说法中的任何一个都可能是真的，但实际上都不可能得到科学的证明。尽管如此，我还是被一份报告所震惊，该报告得出的结论是，今天的儿童比20世纪50年代的儿童更焦虑。事实上，分析显示，与50年前接受精神疾病治疗的儿童相比，9至17岁的正常儿童今天表现出更高的焦虑水平。

Why are America's kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
为什么美国的孩子压力这么大？该报告列举了两个主要原因：高离婚率和较少参与社区等因素导致的身体隔离加剧，以及人们越来越认为世界是一个更危险的地方。

Considering that we can't turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation.
考虑到我们不能让时光倒流，成年人仍然可以做很多事情来帮助下一代。

At the top of the list is nurturing a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
最重要的是培养对个人主义局限性的更好理解。没有孩子是一座孤岛，加强社会联系有助于建立社区，保护个人免受压力。

To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
为了帮助孩子们与他人建立更牢固的联系，你可以拔掉电视和电脑的插头。你的家人以后会感谢你的。他们将有更多的时间进行面对面的接触，他们将有更多的睡眠。

Limit the amount of virtual violence your children are exposed to. It's not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
限制你的孩子接触到的虚拟暴力的数量。不仅仅是电子游戏和电影；还包括孩子们在当地新闻上看到的很多谋杀和犯罪事件。

Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
保持对孩子的期望合理。许多非常成功的人从未上过哈佛或耶鲁。

Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn't have to ruin your life.
把锻炼作为你日常生活的一部分。它将帮助你应对自己的焦虑，并为你的孩子提供一个好的榜样。有时焦虑是不可避免的。但它不一定会毁了你的生活。