A
In 2009 a group of parents in Lymington started sharing worries about their children’s money-management skills. Pocket money was now stored in a building society rather than a piggy bank (储蓄罐); household shopping was done online; the children rarely saw their parents handling cash. They were spending online, too. Money had become intangible. How, then, were children to learn its value?
The answer they came up with was GoHenry, an app now available in America as well as Britain. It is designed to help young people learn good spending habits through real-world money activities. Parents sign up with their own bank accounts and pay a monthly fee of ￡2. 99 or $3. 99 for each child aged six or over. Adults and children download separate versions. Parents can schedule pocket money and set chores. When those are marked as done, the child is paid the agreed amount. Parents can see what the child has bought and where. And they can choose where the card can be used: in shops, online or at ATMs.
Children get cards printed with their names. They can put money in savings pots, view their spending and balances, and set savings targets. “They could decide to save ten dollars for a friend’s birthday in four weeks’ time, or set a goal at 12 to have $2, 000 to buy a car at age 18, ” says Dean Brauer, one of GoHenry’s founders. “The app tells them how much to save each week to meet their goal. ”
A big benefit of such apps is that they inspire family conversations about money. According to the latest research, more than half of British parents find the subject hard to discuss with their children. And yet most agree that children’s attitudes to money are formed in their early years.
Some GoHenry customers are wealthy parents who worry that their children will grow up with little knowledge of money. Others have slim incomes but regard the app as a preparation for their children’s future. Some say that they have been in debt and want their children to avoid that mistake when they grow up; others say that the app is cost-effective because their children learn to plan to spend money. Even though young people no longer touch and hold money, they can still be taught to handle it well.
【语篇概述】本文是一篇说明文。介绍了一种帮助年轻人学习理财的手机应用程序。
1. What does the underlined sentence suggest?
A. Money no longer existed physically.
B. Money was spent by children.
C. Money took on a fashionable look.
D. Money became less valuable.
【解析】选A。词义猜测题。根据第一段中的“Pocket money was now stored in a building society rather than a piggy bank; household shopping was done online; the children rarely saw their parents handling cash. They were spending online, too. ”可知, 第一段介绍了种种有关金钱花费的方式, 如今的钱已不再以现金形式存在, 以无形的方式存在。故选A。
2. What is the purpose of GoHenry app?
A. To update people’s idea of money.
B. To educate kids on money management.
C. To promote parent-kid relationship.
D. To build up wealth in American families.
【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据第二段中的“It is designed to help young people learn good spending habits through real-world money activities. ”可知, GoHenry app的目的是教育孩子理财。故选B。
3. How do parents or children benefit from GoHenry?
A. Parents monitor children’s using of money.
B. Children have freedom to earn extra money.
C. Parents lend much money to children in relief.
D. Children turn to saving instead of spending.
【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据文中第二段中的“Parents can see what the child has bought and where. And they can choose where the card can be used: in shops, online or at ATMs. ”可知, 父母可以看到孩子买了什么, 在哪里买的。他们还可以选择卡的使用地点: 商店、网上或自动取款机。故选A。
4. What is the best reason for the popularity of GoHenry among parents?
A. It brings to the table the topic of money.
B. It trains kids to deal with money wisely.
C. It ensures a successful future for children.
D. It makes it possible for kids to get wealthy.
【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Some say that they have been in debt and want their children to avoid that mistake when they grow up; others say that the app is cost-effective because their children learn to plan to spend money. Even though young people no longer touch and hold money, they can still be taught to handle it well. ”可知, GoHenry在父母中受欢迎的原因是: 它训练孩子们明智地理财。故选B。
