Ridgewood is a small town 20 miles from Manhattan, New York. It is a quiet town, perfect for raising children away from the rapid pace of the city. However, besides hours of homework, many Ridgewood children have too many afterschool activities—from swimming to piano classes. Some kids compare their life to that of a New York general manager who has an 80hour workweek.
Children’s schedules filled with homework and activities made a lot of townspeople worried, so the town decided to start a movement called “Ridgewood Family Night—Ready, Set, Relax！”The mayor(市长) made a public statement, calling for a townwide night for families to do nothing. And schools and clubs agreed to support the movement so families could relax and get together.
Some parents like to talk about their childhood, one without so many scheduled afterschool activities. As kids, they just went out to play with neighborhood friends after school. However, almost all these parents take their children to their regularly scheduled activities. These fathers and mothers feel it is their duty to make sure their children are prepared to survive in today’s highpressure work environment. They are afraid that their children can’t enter the “right” universities and won’t succeed in a more and more competitive world.
However, it seems that Family Night worked, at least to a certain degree. Cars moved freely around Ridgewood’s normally busy downtown streets. Some families ate supper together for the first time in months. One family watched home movies of when the children were little, baked cookies and played games together.
At first, some people were excited that they could take back their lives. But sadly, few families now believe that one night will change them. Nearly all of the townspeople are sure that they will fall back into the old habit.
【解题导语】 本文是一篇议论文。距离纽约曼哈顿不远的里奇伍德市发起了家庭之夜活动，旨在让人们放松休息，享受家庭时光。
1．Which of the following can be used to describe the life of Ridgewood children?
A．Really exciting. B．Very relaxing.
C．Quite peaceful. D．Terribly busy.
D 解析：细节理解题。由第一段中的besides hours of homework, many Ridgewood children have too many afterschool activities—from swimming to piano classes可知，里奇伍德的孩子们过着非常忙碌的生活，故选D项。
2．How can people benefit from Family Night?
A．They can learn and share knowledge.
B．They can rest and enjoy family time.
C．They have more time to discuss family matters.
D．They have enough time to talk about schoolwork.
B 解析：细节理解题。由第二段中的Ridgewood Family Night—Ready, Set, Relax和families could relax and get together可知，通过家庭之夜这项活动，人们能够放松休息，享受家庭时光，故选B项。
3．What is most important for kids in the eyes of Ridgewood parents?
A．Spending a happy childhood.
B．Doing things at their own pace.
C．Working hard for a better future.
D．Enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle.
C 解析：细节理解题。由第三段中的almost all these parents take their children to their regularly scheduled activities. These fathers and mothers feel ... won’t succeed in a more and more competitive world可知，里奇伍德的家长们认为，对孩子们来说为了更美好的未来而刻苦学习是最重要的，故选C项。
4．How do most Ridgewood people look at Family Night?
A．It won’t change their lifestyle.
B．It will help take back their lives.
C．It can’t be accepted by the public.
D．It may help break kids’ bad habits.
A 解析：推理判断题。由最后一段中的few families now believe that one night will change them.Nearly all of...the old habit.可知，大多数里奇伍德人认为家庭之夜不会改变他们的生活方式，故选A项。
