【小阅读^大脑袋】0526 NO.368

Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological. It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything--a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says: “Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge.” So don’t make the same old mistake of treating them as if they’re silly for being a “scaredy cat”. Handing the fears is essential.

Children can be born nervous and., if you have such a baby, you’ll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you’ll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia.
Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: “You shouldn’t force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog--one that’s good with children, of course--then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for ‘being brave’.”

CDB
答案解析：
1. Children’s fears are usually taken lightly because .
A. they will not develop into phobias
B. their influence is psychological
C. they exist widely in the world
D. they will disappear gradually
解析：C正确
通常孩子们的恐惧都被很草率地对待是因为什么？
文章开头说了孩子都会害怕东西，这是common 和normal的，因此人们没有对此有充分的重视。

2. If we fail to help children to overcome fears, they will .
A. make the same old mistake
B. overcome them by themselves
C. experience the worst of things
D. grow up lacking self-confidence
解析：D正确
如果我们没能帮助孩子们克服恐惧，他们会怎样？
可以从文中对应“Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge.”孩子思想会悲观且缺乏自信。

3. According to Dr. Andy Field, if a child is afraid of a cat, parents should .
A. tell the child not to be afraid of it
B. show the child how to approach it
C. keep the child away from it
D. ask the child to stroke it
解析：B正确
据安迪•菲尔德博士所说，如果一个孩子害怕猫，父母应该怎么做？
文中列举是孩子怕狗的例子。父母应当自己接近，告诉孩子没什么好怕的。

参考译文：
几乎每个孩子都有害怕的东西，从壁橱里的怪物到公园里的狗。但事实上，这样普遍且正常的恐惧并不意味着可以草率对待。孩子的恐惧和恐惧症要比成人强的多。这种恐惧会对孩子的身心健康产生影响。这种恐惧感会增强，所以他们会看起来害怕一切东西——这是一种童年焦虑。克雷斯威尔博士说：你的孩子似乎总会把事情往最坏的情况想，在处理任何挑战的时候都会对自己的能力缺乏自信。”所以别再因为他们是“胆小鬼”而把他们像傻瓜一样对待。帮助他们克服恐惧才是根本。

孩子可能天生有紧张感，如果你的孩子是这样，你就会避免让他们害怕。所以如果他们害怕狗，你就会让他们远离狗。但实际上，这样做只会让孩子确信狗非常可怕。更糟糕的是，让孩子远离他们害怕的事物，会让那种感觉恶化成恐惧症。相反的，你应该在一个安全的环境中帮助，鼓励他们接触自己害怕的事物。安迪•菲尔德教授是位儿童恐惧研究者，他说：“你不应当强迫，例如，让一个害怕狗的孩子走到狗的跟前。但是你可以自己去接近狗，让他们看见这没有什么可害怕的。摸摸狗，告诉他们狗是很友好的。一旦你的孩子敢于去抚摸狗了，这对孩子来说是件好事。当然了，之后你要鼓励他们继续下去，直到他们感到更加镇静。还要对他们的“勇敢”给予奖励。

词汇及短语：
monster: 怪物;坏人, 恶人
cupboard: 柜橱；食物柜；衣柜;壁橱
phobia: 恐惧症
build up: 逐步建立, 增进, 增强,使增大
scaredy-cat: 胆小鬼
stroke: vt. 轻抚, 抚摸