Screen time increases by 300 percent between ...

试题详情

Screen time increases by 300 percent between the ages of 1 and 3 according to a recent study. In a perfect world, parents would always choose outdoor time over screen time. But for many parents, decreasing screen time isn't as simple as it sounds. That's because screens are increasingly used as an entertainment and distraction（分心）tool for kids which parents think is necessary due to a lack of quality childcare.

The United States government defines affordable childcare as care costing no more than 7 percent of a family's total income, yet more than 40 percent of families say they set aside more than 15 percent of their total income for it, according to a 2019 survey published by Care. com.

Affordable childcare in America is a dream. “Screen time is used as a last substitute for childcare for many families,” says licensed child therapist（治疗师）Katie Lear. “Particularly for parents who work from home, it can be hard to justify hiring a caregiver or paying for daycare. And yet children need to be able to keep themselves occupied during important work calls. Turning on the TV can buy the parent some valuable time during what can be a very tiring day."

If affordable childcare wasn't just a daydream, if the system we have wasn't dependent on two incomes, if parents could actually afford not to work 50+ hours a week, if childcare centers could afford to pay their workers a desirable wage, then maybe, we'd see screen time decrease instead of increase. We know our kids should be interacting with something other than You Tube videos and flash games for hours a week. But before we fix our broken system and before affordable, quality childcare becomes a reality, parents and caregivers are going to do whatever they can to make it, and that includes using screens as passive childcare.

1.Why do parents allow their children to spend much time on screens?

A.To please their children.

B.To make up the lack of quality childcare.

C.To attract kids' attention to classes online.

D.To help children learn about necessary technology.

2.What do the statistics in Paragraph 2 indicate?

A.Childcare workers have high income.

B.Childcare centers are popular in America.

C.Childcare is a heavy burden for parents.

D.Childcare is supported by local government.

3.Why is Lear mentioned in the text?

A.To uncover the reason for screen time as childcare.

B.To prove the advantages of adopting c-products.

C.To present the ways of parents' improving childcare.

D.To explain the benefits of hiring a caregiver.

4.What's the key in reducing children's screen time?

A.Enough company time. B.High income in the family.

C.Turning off the TV. D.Hiring a caregiver.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题