September is around the corner，and some of us are already complaining about summer’s end.But parents have a special reason to do so.The end of summer means the start of school.And these days，planning a young child’s schedule is a big challenge.The challenge is no longer finding activities to fill a child’s day；it is saying no to the hundreds of options available.Our mailbox is filled with brochures urging us to sign our kids up for classes from cooking to martial arts(武术)．
Educators are themselves discouraged by the number of special classes that many children attend.In the name of“enrichment”，three­year­olds not only go to preschool in the morning but study French or gymnastics after lunch.One teacher tells of a four­year­old asking for help in the toilet before hurrying off to tennis.Another teacher says that children sometimes hold on to her at pickup time.What happened to unstructured time?
A generous explanation is that we enjoy giving children opportunities we never had.The truth，however，is that many parents have doubts about how much time they spend away from their families.And one way to reduce this guilt is to believe that time spent in these classes is somehow more beneficial to children than the time we know we should be giving them ourselves.
David Elkind，an expert on children，suggests that the 1960s gave birth to the belief that earlier is better.Parents hope that early music lessons，for example，will build a child’s confidence.The truth，however，is that any time children are asked to do too much，too soon，they are at greater risk for feelings of failure.
A child’s time does not have to be planned to be meaningful.Remember the lazy days of summer？Some children sleep late and play with the kids across the street until it’s time to come home for dinner.However，with the majority of mothers working，fewer children enjoy that idle(空闲的)time now.
Come September，children across the country will finish a full day of kindergarten，only to attend an after­school program until 6 p．m.，when a working mom or dad comes to take them home.That’s too much for a five­year­old.Finances，of course，do limit some parents.But let’s be honest with ourselves—our ownbusy schedules，whatever they involve，are no excuse for burdening a young child’s.
文章大意：这是一篇议论文。主要分析了孩子们被各种特长班所累的真正原因。
32．The author holds that it’s a challenge to plan a schedule for a child mainly because __C__.
A．a child’s schedule is too complex
B．activities suitable for kids are limited
C．parents are stuck in numerous choices
D．children always say no to parents’ advice
解析：细节理解题。根据文章第一段中“The challenge is no longer finding activities to fill a child’s day；it is saying no to the hundreds of options available.”可知，父母们在给孩子安排时间时，面临很多的选择，这也是一种挑战。故选C项。
33．What the two teachers say in Paragraph 2 implies that __C__.
A．children love to stay at school
B．they are popular with children
C．children dislike after­school classes
D．after­school classes are of poor quality
解析：推理判断题。根据文章第二段第一句“Educators are themselves discouraged by the number of special classes that many children attend.”，并结合对本段的整体理解可推知，孩子们对那些课外活动并不感兴趣。
34．According to the author，what is the real reason for parents to send their children to after­school classes？ __D__
A．Parents want to make up for their own regrets.
B．After­school classes develop children’s potential.
C．Parents have doubt about their own ability to guide children.
D．After­school classes give parents an excuse for being absent.
解析：推理判断题。通过对文章第三段的整体理解和最后一段最后一句“But let’s be honest with ourselves—our own busy schedules，whatever they involve，are no excuse for burdening a young child’s.”可推知，父母把孩子们送去上各种培训班是为自己不能够在家好好照顾他们找的一种开脱方式。
35．Which of the following will the author probably agree with？ __C__
A．For children’s benefits，the earlier，the better.
B．Children’s spare time should be carefully designed.
C．Idle time for children is becoming a thing of the past.
D．Parents should be forgiven if they have a good reason.
解析：推理判断题。根据文章第五段最后一句“However，with the majority mothers working，fewer children enjoy that idle(空闲的)time now.”可推知，孩子们享受空闲的时间已经成了过去的回忆了。故选C项。