2007年VOA标准英语-US Study Shows Daycare Alters Children’s Behavi

By Melinda Smith
Washington¹, D.C.
05 April 2007
 
Watch Daycare Study

Millions of people around the world send their young children to daycare centers – places where children too young for regular school are looked after while their parents are at work, for playtime with other toddlers and often a little instruction, too.  A recent U.S. study looked at these boys and girls' behavior as they continued on in school.  VOA's Melinda Smith has the details.

The study by the National Institutes of Health followed the progress of at least 1,300 children, from birth to the early years of puberty.

Some stayed home with one parent, a nanny or a relative; the rest spent at least 10 hours a week in large daycare centers.  At least one of every four American children spends time in these facilities.

Psychologist³ Margaret Burchinal of the University of North Carolina, a co-author of the study, found definite⁴ behavioral changes by the time the children were nearly 12 years old.

"Our results suggest that children who had more center-based child care – more than, say, two or three years – are showing more [signs of] arguing, talking back to teachers, perhaps hitting and fighting, not following rules, but just slightly more,” Burchinal says.  “Not the kind that would make you go into a classroom and say, 'this child had child care and that child didn't.'”

But there was also good news about these daycare children: many who attended effective child care centers scored higher on vocabulary tests at age 10. 

One mother boasted⁵ of her daughter's ability to express herself.  "She's got an outstanding vocabulary, and I'm sure that her time in the school here has contributed⁶ to that," she said.

The study evaluated⁷ the quality of care given to children ages one to four.  Dr². Burchinal says interaction⁸ between teachers and children makes a big difference.

Study co-author Margaret Burchinal

"Is she talking with them?  Does she seem to like them?” she asks.  “Does she enjoy them, or is she being kind of like a second-grade teacher and sitting behind a desk and not really interacting⁹ very much with the children?  How are the children interacting with each other?  Are they being nice kids, or are you seeing a lot of negative behavior?"

The researchers want to continue the study.  One important question still unanswered is why behavior problems persist¹⁰ for years after daycare is over.

Other studies have shown that disruptive behavior can spread among the children themselves, but then stops when a parent comes into the room.  Authors of the daycare study want parents to be reassured¹¹ that the greatest influence still comes from a child's mother and father.

1 Washington   

n.华盛顿特区(是美国首都)

参考例句：

• His birthplace is Washington,but he lives in San Francisco.他出生于华盛顿，但住在旧金山。
• They, together with my father,have gone to Washington.他们和我父亲一起去华盛顿了。

2 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。

3 psychologist   

n.心理学家；心理学研究者

参考例句：

• Dr.Sinclair is a child psychologist.辛克莱博士是一位儿童心理学专家。
• Psychologist is expert who studies at psychology.心理学家是研究心理学的专家。

4 definite   

adj.明确的，肯定的，确定的，限定的

参考例句：

• It's definite that he will come to help us.他肯定会来帮助我们。
• We demand a definite answer.我们要求明确的答案。

5 boasted   

v.有（引以为荣的事物）( boast的过去式和过去分词 )；扬言

参考例句：

• The Victorian Age is often boasted of as an age of progress. 维多利亚时代常常被夸耀为进步时代。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He boasted that he could speak six languages fluently. 他自夸自己能流利地讲6种语言。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 contributed   

捐献( contribute的过去式和过去分词 )； 捐助； 撰稿； 投稿

参考例句：

• Before closing I want to mention all those who contributed so generously. 在我结束讲话的时候，我想提一下所有慷慨捐赠的人。
• His research has contributed enormously to our understanding of this disease. 他的研究对我们认识这一疾病贡献很大。

7 evaluated   

adj.估价的，已评估的v.评价( evaluate的过去式和过去分词 )；求…的值（或数）；对…评价；[数学、逻辑学]求…的数值

参考例句：

• These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. 上述评价不是由FDA做出的。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 癌症与艾滋病
• Every life is determined and evaluated by the interior form of love. 内在的爱决定和评价着每个人的生命。 来自演讲部分

8 interaction   

n.交流；相互作用，相互影响，合作

参考例句：

• The interaction of the two groups produced many good ideas.两个组的相互交流产生了许多好主意。
• Price is determined through the interaction of demand and supply.价格在供需的相互作用中形成。

9 interacting   

adj.相互影响的；相互作用的

参考例句：

• The interacting surfaces were lubricated with a mineral oil. 相互作用表面是用矿物油润滑的。
• Proteins which have two separate but interacting sites are called allosteric proteins. 这种具有两个不同而又相互作用位置的蛋白质叫做变构蛋白质。

10 persist   

v.持续，存留；坚持不懈，执意

参考例句：

• The bad weather will persist all over the country.这种坏天气将在全国各地持续下去。
• His strength of will enabled him to persist.他的意志力使他能坚持下去。

11 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》