According to a poll, around 70 percent of American kids stop playing organized sports by the age of 13 because "it’s just not fu

admin2019-11-13  49

问题    According to a poll, around 70 percent of American kids stop playing organized sports by the age of 13 because "it’s just not fun anymore." However, the actual reason is some cultural, economic and systemic issues that result in our kids turning away from organized sports when they could benefit from them most, though playing sports offers everything from physical activity, experiencing success and bouncing back from failure to working as a team and getting away from the universal presence of screens. Why this happens?
   The first explanation is that as children get closer to high school, the system of youth sports is geared toward meeting the needs of more competitive players, and the expectations placed on them increase. The pressure to raise "successful" kids means that we expect them to be the best. If they’re not, they’re encouraged to focus on areas where they can excel.
   A second argument is that for kids, playing at a more competitive level can mean having to prioritize their interests and work tirelessly. The required investment of time and money is so substantial that kids of lower-income or single-parent families are simply shut out of the game.
   It seems to me that it’s just the age. At 13, kids have more difficult school work. Most are encouraged to start choosing what interests them most and what they’re best at. There’s no longer time for them to do as much as they did in elementary school. Social and emotional changes they experience also push them to make decisions such as quitting sports. Kids become more focused on and influenced by friends, many of whom are walking away from organized sports.
   Social media, smartphones and the Internet also count. Most U.S. kids receive their first cellphone or wireless device by the age of 12. 92 percent of teens aged 13-17 report being online every day, and 24 percent are online "almost constantly." As kids become teenagers, their priorities change. How they socialize, study and spend their time changes with them.
   The system of youth sports is set up to cater to more elite players as they approach high school, leaving average kids with fewer opportunities. Our culture encourages specialization and achievement, which discourages kids from just playing for fun. Most kids leave because we haven’t given them a way to stay. We don’t stand a chance of solving this problem until we change the parenting culture that emphasizes achievement and success over healthy, happy kids.
The main purpose of this passage is to explain______.

选项 A、how important sports are to teenagers
B、whether sports will become more popular
C、what is wrong with American culture
D、why American kids stop playing organized sports

答案D

解析 本文关注的是青少年逐渐远离体育活动的原因。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/wxHO777K
0

最新回复(0)