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Voice Your Opinion:Change Is Needed in Youth Sports

Everywhere you look,you see kids bouncing a basketball or waving a tennis racquet （网球拍）.And these kids are getting younger and younger.In some countries,children can compete on basketball,baseball,and volleyball teams starting at age nine.（46） And swimming and gymnastics classes begin at age four,to prepare children for competition.

It's true that a few of these kids will develop into highly skilled athletes and may even become members of the national Olympic teams.（47） This emphasis on competition in sports is having serious negative effects.

Children who get involved in competitive sports at a young age often grow tired of their sport.Many parents pressure their kids to choose one sport and devote all their time to it.（48） But 66 percent of the young athletes wanted to play more than one sport-for fun.

Another problem is the pressure imposed by over-competitive parents and coaches.Children are not naturally competitive.In fact,a recent study by Paulo David found that most children don't even understand the idea of competition until they are seven years old.（49）The third,and biggest,problem for young athletes is the lack of time to do their homework,have fun,be with friends—in short,time to be kids.When they are forced to spend every afternoon at sports practice,they often start to hate their chosen sport.A searchers found that 70 percent of kids who take part in competitive sports before the of twelve quit before they turn eighteen.（50） Excessive competitive away all the enjoyment.

Need to remember the purpose of youth sports – to give kids a chance to have developing strong,healthy bodies.

A.But what about the others,the average kids？

B.The youth soccer organization has teams for children as young as five.

C.A survey found that 79 percent of parents of young athletes wanted their children concentrate on one sport.

D.Very young kids don't know why their parents are pushing them so hard.

E.Sports for children have two important purposes.

F.Many of them completely lose interest in sports.

[参考答案]

46.B[解析]句意：少年足球组织有低至5岁的足球队。

本句前…kids are getting younger and younger.In some countries，children can compete…start-ing at age nine，而后面…swimming and gymnastics classes begin at age four，这些都在说低龄儿童参与体育项目。所以本处也要谈低龄儿童和体育项目这类的内容，很明显补入B项的内容后意思非常清晰。故选B.

47.E[解析]句意：但是其他普通的孩子呢？

本句前面It's true that a few of these kids will develop into highly skilled athletes and may even become members of the national Olympic teams的a few指出了少部分孩子运动竞技成绩好，此处笔锋一转，转向大多数其他孩子。所以本句选E.

48.A[解析]句意：调查发现79％的年轻运动员家长希望他们的孩子能够专心于从事一项体育运动。

此句前面Many parents pressure their kids to choose one sport and devote all their time to it，后面 But 66 percent of the young athletes wanted to play more than one sport for fun，说明父母和孩子对待体育活动的态度不同，父母希望孩子能专注一项运动，而孩子却希望能从多项活动中获得乐趣，将A项内容补入后，进一步说明父母的态度，正好与后面But一句形成转折关系，所以本题选A.

49.F[解析]句意：幼小的孩童不懂为什么他们的父母把他们逼得那么紧。

本句前一句…most children don't even understand the idea of competition until they are seven years old说明很多孩子直到7岁才能理解竞赛的含义，补入F项内容后进一步说明幼小的孩子不明白竞赛的含义，所以本题选F.

50.C[解析]句意：他们中的很多人失去了对运动的兴趣。

此句前面70 percent of kids…quit before they turn eighteens说明研究结果，而后面Excessive competitiveness took away all the enjoyment说明过分强调竞赛使人失去运动的乐趣，所以此处选C项，补充前面的研究结果，且与后文形成递进关系。故选C.