I take the firm position that parents do not owe their children a college education. If they can afford it, they can certainly send them to the best universities. But they must not feel guilty if they can't. If the children really want to go, they'll find a way. There are plenty of loans (货款)and scholarships for the bright and eager ones who can't afford to pay.
When children grow up and want to get married, their parents do not owe them a down payment on a house. They do not have the duty to baby-sit their grandchildren. If they want to do it, it must be considered a favor not an obligation.
Do parents owe their children anything? Yes, they owe them a great deal.
One of their obligations is to give their children a personal worth. A child who is constantly made to feel stupid and unworthy, constantly compared with brighter brothers, sisters, or cousins will become so unsure, so afraid of failing that he (or she) won't try at all. Of course they should be properly corrected when they do wrong, but it's often better to let children learn their mistake by themselves in time. All our parents should do is to trust them, respect them, tolerate(宽容) them and give them chances to try and fail. They must learn to stand failure. When criticisms(批评) are really needed, they should be balanced with a smile and a kiss. That is the way children learn.
Parents owe their children a set of solid values around which to build their lives. This means teaching them to respect the rights and opinions of others; it means being respectful to elders, to teachers, and to the law. The best way to teach such values is by deed. A child who is lied to will lie. A child who sees no laughter and no love in the home will have difficulty laughing and loving.
No child asks to be born, If you bring a life into the world, you owe the child something.
9. According to the author, ________.
A. parents must support their children even after they married as a duty.
B. if they don't afford, parents should take loans to send their children to go to college.
C. parents needn't feel guilty if they are unable to send them to university.
D. parents should give their children a down payment on a house.
10. The author mainly talks about in this massage________.
A. the duties of the parents
B. the best way to teach their children.
C. the reason why children feel stupid and unworthy.
D. why parents owe their children something.
11. What does the underlined word “obligation” mean in the second paragraph?
A. duty B. debt C. right D. blame
12. According to the author what should parents do when children make mistakes?
A. criticize and correct them immediately.
B. let children learn their mistake by themselves in time.
C. tolerate them and tell them not to do that again.
D. compare them with brighter brothers, sisters.
答案与解析：
9. C 推理判断题。根据第1段第 2 句 If they can afford it, they can certainly send them to the best universities. But they must not feel guilty if they can't 可知如果父母能送孩子上大学，他们当然送孩子上最好的大学，如果不能，他们也不必有负罪感。因此可推知答案 C。
10. A 主旨大意题。文章前两段说父母没有送孩子大学教育的义务、没有支付房子定金的义务，也没有看孙子的义务。然后第3、4段阐述父母应尽的责任和义务。因此可推断本文主要谈论的是父母的义务。故答案为A。
11. A 猜测词义。根据第2段第 2 句 They do not have the duty to baby-sit their grandchildren 可知父母没有责任照顾孙子。因此可知下句 If they want to do it, it must be considered a favor not an obligation 如果他们想照顾孙子，要把它看成是恩惠而不是义务。故答案为 A。
12. B 事实细节题。根据第4段中的 Of course they should be properly corrected when they do wrong, but it's often better to let children learn their mistake by themselves in time 可知答案为 B。