17．Child development
People live much longer than most other animals，so human childhood also lasts a long time．Unlike baby animals，human children need many years to learn how to live on their own as adults．As children's bodies grow，so do their minds．（36）A
There are several stages of child development．Infancy （嬰兒期） is the most helpless stage．Over their first year infants gradually learn to roll over，sit up，crawl （爬），and take their first steps with someone helping them．As they grow out of infancy，babies begin to make sounds similar to words．
The toddler stage （學(xué)步期） begins when a baby starts to walk，usually at about the age of 1．Most children also start saying words at about this time．As toddlers grow they become stronger and have more control of their bodies．Their thinking skills also improve．（37）F They like to copy what other people say and do．
Between the ages of 3and 5，children are in the preschool stage．Children learn many important skills during this stage．They learn to share and to take turns．（38）C Playing with others helps them learn how to get along with all kinds of people．
Starting school marks a new stage．Children's minds develop quickly as they learn reading and writing．They also learn more about cooperating with others．
Between 9and 12years old，children are preteens．（39）D They become better at controlling their behavior．Preteens also understand how to be helpful to others．
（40）E As preteens become teenagers，they move one step closer to becoming adults and living on their own．
A．This growth is called child development．
B．As their bodies grow stronger，they try sports．
C．They learn how to play simple games with rules．
D．During this stage they become much more independent．
E．The end of the preteen years marks the end of childhood．
F．They slowly start putting words together to make sentences．
G．Preteens also become more aware of the world beyond their home．
分析 本文是一篇選句填空閱讀，屬于說明文．人們活得更長比大多數(shù)其他動物，所以人類的童年也會持續(xù)很長一段時間，不像動物寶寶，人類的孩子需要多年來學(xué)習(xí)如何獨立生活，隨著孩子的身體成長，他們的思想也在成長．文章以此展開，主要介紹了孩子童年時期成長的各個階段．
解答 36．A．考查上下文聯(lián)系及句意理解．由第一段的描述以及下文中的 There are several stages of child development可知，有幾個兒童發(fā)展階段．故A項"這種成長被稱 為兒童發(fā)展"符合此處語境．故選A．
37．F．考查上下文聯(lián)系及句意理解．由該空前的 Their thinking skills also improve 和該空后的 They like to copy what other people say and do 可知，他們的思想技巧提高，他們會模仿人們說和做．故F項"他們慢慢開始把詞放在一起來組句 子"符合此處語境．故選F．
38．C．考查上下文聯(lián)系及句意理解．由讀空前的 Children leam many important skills during this stage 以盡該 空后的 Playing with others helps them leam how to get along with all kinds of people可知，孩子們在這個階段學(xué)習(xí)許多重要的技能，故C項內(nèi)容"他們學(xué)習(xí)如何玩有簡單規(guī)則的游戲"符合此處語境．故選C．
39．D．考查上下文聯(lián)系及句意理解．由該空后的 They become better at…understand how to be helpful to others可知，在接近青春期的歲月，他們會變得更加獨立．故D符合語境．故選D．
40．E．考查上下文聯(lián)系及句意理解．由上文的描述以及該空后的As preteens become teenagers，they move one step closer…可知，當(dāng)孩子成為青少年，他們接近成為成年人和依靠自己生活．故E項"接近青春期歲月的結(jié)束標(biāo)志著童年的結(jié)束"符合此處語境．故選E．
點評 本文是一篇選句填空閱讀，屬于說明文，題目主要考查上下文聯(lián)系及句意理解．做題時學(xué)生應(yīng)仔細(xì)閱讀原文，把握文章主要內(nèi)容，聯(lián)系文章上下文內(nèi)容并結(jié)合所給選項含義，從中選出正確答案，一定要做到有理有據(jù)，切忌胡亂猜測．
