英语听力—环球英语 687 The Importance of Play

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Robin² Basselin.
Voice 2
And I’m Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Play. It is something that every child does naturally. Play is fun. It is joyful³ and it is done freely⁴. Play does not require a goal or end result. In fact, many people define⁵ play as a joyful activity that appears to have no purpose.
Voice 2
Play is basic to childhood. But as people grow into adults, they often lose their desire to play. Many adults think play is foolish and unimportant⁶. Often, parents encourage their children to play less. They believe extra studying, music and organized sport are more helpful. However, more and more experts are arguing that play is necessary to human development. Today’s Spotlight is on the mental, emotional⁷ and social importance of play.
Voice 1
Charles Whitman was a 25 year old engineering⁸ student at the University of Texas in the United States. He was a former soldier, a husband and an intelligent person. He was well liked by many people. And he seemed like a very normal person. However, in August of 1966, Whitman did a terrible thing. He climbed to the top of a tall building at his university and shot many people. He killed 14 students and hurt 23 other people. At the time, this was the largest mass murder in United States history. The actions of Charles Whitman shocked many people.
Voice 2
What caused Whitman to do such a terrible thing? The Texas government asked a doctor named Stuart Brown to find the answer to that question. Brown was a psychiatrist⁹ - a mental health doctor. He gathered together an international team of doctors and experts to study Whitman’s case. The team found that there were many things which, together, caused Whitman’s sudden violent act.
Voice 1
At the time of the shooting, Whitman suffered from stress, severe headaches, and many mental and physical pressures. He struggled in school. His parents were divorcing¹⁰. Whitman felt out of control. And he did not know how to manage his stress.
Voice 2
But all people have stress in their lives. What made Whitman different? As a child, Whitman’s father hurt him physically¹¹ and emotionally¹². The team of experts suggested that because of this abuse¹³, Whitman did not know how to react normally¹⁴ to stress. However, the experts noted¹⁵ another possible cause. This cause surprised many people. Dr. Brown explained,
Voice 3
“The team investigating Charles Whitman’s life and the causes of his actions identified his life long lack of play as a key reason for his murdering actions.”
Voice 1
Lack of play? Could that really cause such terrible actions? At first, it seems like a strange reason for violence and murder. However, since 1966, Dr. Brown has studied many other violent criminals. And he has found a similar lack of play in many of their lives. Today, Dr. Brown is an expert on play. He has studied the play life of over eight thousand people. And he has found important connections between play and positive human development.
Voice 2
Dr. Brown is not alone. More and more experts are beginning to recognize the important ways that play helps children learn and develop.
Voice 1
Play is a basic way that children explore their world. Through playing, children learn many things. Play is also important for brain development. Experts say that the most important kind of play is free play. Free play is when children choose how to play. It is a kind of play that involves imagining and creating. Free play can be done with basic toys like blocks or baby dolls. However, free play depends on the child starting and managing the play process. Studies suggest that free play increases creativity and problem solving.
Voice 2
Play also helps children learn many important social skills. When children play together, they learn how to work together. When parents are not involved, children must learn how to take turns, compromise¹⁶ and solve conflict. Through play, children also learn how to set their own rules. By trying new things and even making mistakes, they learn how things work best. This helps children learn to organize their world.
Voice 1
Free play also increases communication skills. Children use more words when playing with other children. They also use more complex sentences. This happens because adults more easily understand childlike communication. A child does not have to work very hard to communicate with adults. They can use shorter sentences with fewer words. However, communication between children must have more detail and explanation. A child must be clear and provide enough information for their friends to understand.
Voice 2
Surprisingly, children also increase their language skills when they play by themselves. This is because children often talk to themselves during free play. This kind of private talk helps children guide themselves through the play process. It helps them to think through problems, express emotions, and encourage themselves. This basic process is called self-managing.
Voice 1
Self-managing is a very important product of free play. In fact, some experts believe this may be the most important part of play. By playing alone or with other children, a child learns how to manage themselves and their world. They experience problems and they learn how to react. This basic skill is what helps people positively¹⁷ manage stressful situations. And this is a skill that many criminals, like Charles Whitman, lack.
Voice 2
For these reasons, and many more, the United Nations considers play a child’s basic right. The United Nations Convention¹⁸ on Rights of the Child says,
Voice 4
“Every child has the right to rest and free time, to be involved in play activity correct for the age of the child and to be freely involved in cultural life and the arts.”
Voice 1
Sadly, play all over the world is decreasing. Some children live in areas of war and violence. Other children are forced to work during their childhood. And still other children live in poverty and hunger. However, even in many wealthier areas of the world, particularly in cities, free play is decreasing.
Voice 2
Children in these areas have plenty of time and resources, but they still play less. Often, their time is spent watching television or playing video games. This kind of play is not active. Experts say that this is not helpful free play. There is also a rise in more structured, adult managed play - things like organized sport, educational competitions and music. These things are good, but too much adult managed play keeps children from managing their own play.
Voice 1
People like Dr. Brown and the United Nations Children’s Fund¹⁹ are working to educate people about the importance of free play for child development. However, Dr. Brown is clear that play is important even after childhood. He told the radio program, Speaking of Faith,
Voice 3
“If you look more closely²⁰, you find that the human being is designed biologically to play through out life. When one does not play at all or very little as an adult, there are negative effects: deep sadness, difficulty with change and loss of humor²¹. These are important things that help us to manage in a world of many demands.”
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

4 freely   

adv.自由地，随便地，无拘无束地

参考例句：

• She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水，痛痛快快地哭了起来。
• A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动，无固定形态。

5 define   

vt.解释，下定义，阐述，限定，规定

参考例句：

• Please define the words.请解释这些字的意义。
• It's hard to define exactly what has changed.很难解释清楚到底发生了什么变化。

6 unimportant   

adj.不重要的，无意义的

参考例句：

• Let's not quarrel about such unimportant matters.我们不要为这些小事争吵了。
• Money seems unimportant when sets beside the joys of family life.与天伦之乐相比，金钱显得微不足道。

7 emotional   

adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的

参考例句：

• Emotional people don't stop to calculate.感情容易冲动的人做事往往不加考虑。
• This is an emotional scene in the play.这是剧中动人的一幕。

8 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

9 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

10 divorcing   

v.与…离婚( divorce的现在分词 )；分离；与（某人）离婚，判（某人）离婚

参考例句：

• They' re divorcing each other / getting divorced. 他们离婚了。 来自辞典例句
• Supporters argue that no-fault will reduce litigation and conflict between divorcing couples. 支持者说，无过错离婚可以减少诉讼案件和离婚夫妇之间的冲突。 来自互联网

11 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

12 emotionally   

adv.感情上，情绪上，冲动地

参考例句：

• a special school for emotionally disturbed children 为精神异常儿童开办的特殊学校
• A wide range of emotionally stressful events may trigger a relapse. 多种令人情绪紧张的事情都可能引起旧病复发。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 abuse   

vt.滥用；辱骂；诋毁；n.滥用；恶习；弊端

参考例句：

• You can't make personal abuse on her.你不可对她进行人身攻击。
• She screamed abuse at me.她尖声责备我。

14 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

16 compromise   

n.妥协；妥协方案；vt.损害；vi.妥协，让步

参考例句：

• The spokesman made it clear that no compromise was yet in sight.发言人表明，目前还不会妥协。
• The probable outcome of the talks is a compromise.会谈的结果很可能是妥协。

17 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

18 convention   

n.惯例，习俗，常规，会议，大会

参考例句：

• How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到？
• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。

19 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

20 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

21 humor   

n.(humour)幽默，诙谐

参考例句：

• He is distinguished for his sense of humor.他以其幽默感著称。
• American humor is founded largely on hyperbole.美式幽默主要以夸张为基础。