Complete the gaps in the text below with one suitable word.

THE THOMASES

__________ our children like to chill __________ in front of the TV or computer or with
Nintendo games? Absolutely, if they __________ allowed to because they are just like
__________ modern children all __________ the world. But there __________ to be a
balance.

Parents need __________ invest time so __________ they can give their children the chance
to try __________ as many different things as they can afford __________. It’s important
that they don’t push __________ into activities, though, just because they __________
wanted to be a footballer or a ballet dancer. That’s damaging.

__________ our boys play football, for a club and the school, so they train a couple of times
a week and play __________ the weekend. Charlie also plays basketball and __________
drums. William learns the electric guitar and Laura sings and plays the guitar and
__________ kickboxing classes. They also go to trampolining lessons. But we make
__________ clear to them __________ if they want to __________ well at something they
need to work hard and keep doing it __________ and over again until they get better
__________ it.

There’s only one evening when someone is not __________, and that’s Friday. It
__________ spent eating pizzas and deciding __________ the logistics of how we are going
to __________ each child to their different classes __________ the weekend.

A. THE LUCKHURTS

The __________ thing you can give your children is time. Proper time. Not a __________
snatched minutes here and __________ while you rush them off __________ ballet or violin
lessons, but time spent playing with them, talking and listening to them. I encourage my kids
__________ play the piano, __________ only to amuse themselves. They don’t have a
PlayStation but they watch a __________ TV.

__________ days children are packed off to all sorts of lessons at __________ ever younger
age. They are expected to achieve more and more younger and younger, and __________
made to feel a failure if they don’t __________ the targets. I think the rivalry __________
parents at school is particularly sad – as __________ anyone cares __________ child learns
to ride a bike first, or learns to read before anyone else!

Childhood is the only time in your life when you can play and __________ have the worries
that adults __________. So why are we trying to rush __________?
 B. THE MCGRATHS

We lived in Span __________ three years ago and the children were constantly on the
__________ there. You see more people doing things together __________ a family like
going to the park and whenever they’re not with their parents, children tend to be outside
playing with __________ other.

Here in Britain, games consoles and the Internet __________ taken over from this. If my son
had his way, he __________ be on his Wii the minute he got __________ from school. For
Natalie it’s Internet chat-rooms. She loves them, and actually they’re a good __________ for
her to keep in __________ with her friends in Spain and __________ up her Spanish at the
__________ time.

I worry they’re not playing out __________, but __________ I separated from my husband
it’s not easy to keep them constantly entertained and sometime I’m happy for __________
to go on the computer because it __________ me a break.

I’d like to send them to classes, but I __________ afford it. The boys play football together
on the __________, and Natalie __________ cheerleading and goes to a youth club. I’d like
her to go swimming but __________ nearest pool is a bus ride and a walk __________, and I
feel uneasy __________ letting her go off __________ her own.

I know we tend to complain __________ children don’t play in the garden and go out on
their bikes the way we __________, but I doubt I’d __________ been riding bikes if we
__________ had the Internet. They are all computer literate and it’s going to be
fundamental __________ their lives, whereas maybe __________ adults we’re scared of the
world they’re growing up __________ because we don’t really understand __________.

(text adapted from First Certificate Expert by Pearson Longman )

KEY

A. THE THOMASES

Do our children like to chill out in front of the TV or computer or with Nintendo games? Absolutely, if they
are allowed to because they are just like all modern children all over the world. But there has to be a
balance.

Parents need to invest time so that they can give their children the chance to try out as many different
things as they can afford to. It’s important that they don’t push them into activities, though, just because
they themselves wanted to be a footballer or a ballet dancer. That’s damaging.

Both our boys play football, for a club and the school, so they train a couple of times a week and play at the
weekend. Charlie also plays basketball and the drums. William learns the electric guitar and Laura sings
and plays the guitar and does kickboxing classes. They also go to trampolining lessons. But we make it
clear to them that if they want to do well at something they need to work hard and keep doing it over and
over again until they get better at it.

There’s only one evening when someone is not out, and that’s Friday. It is spent eating pizzas and deciding
on the logistics of how we are going to get each child to their different classes over the weekend.

B. THE LUCKHURTS

The best thing you can give your children is time. Proper time. Not a few snatched minutes here and there
while you rush them off to ballet or violin lessons, but time spent playing with them, talking and listening
to them. I encourage my kids to play the piano, but only to amuse themselves. They don’t have a
PlayStation but they watch a little TV.

These days children are packed off to all sorts of lessons at an ever younger age. They are expected to
achieve more and more younger and younger, and are made to feel a failure if they don’t reach the targets.
I think the rivalry between parents at school is particularly sad – as if anyone cares whose child learns to
ride a bike first, or learns to read before anyone else!

Childhood is the only time in your life when you can play and not have the worries that adults have. So
why are we trying to rush it?

C. THE MCGRATHS

We lived in Span until three years ago and the children were constantly on the go there. You see more
people doing things together as a family like going to the park and whenever they’re not with their
parents, children tend to be outside playing with each other.

Here in Britain, games consoles and the Internet have taken over from this. If my son had his way, he
would be on his Wii the minute he got home from school. For Natalie it’s Internet chat-rooms. She loves
them, and actually they’re a good way for her to keep in touch with her friends in Spain and keep up her
Spanish at the same time.

I worry they’re not playing out enough, but since I separated from my husband it’s not easy to keep them
constantly entertained and sometime I’m happy for them to go on the computer because it gives me a
break.

I’d like to send them to classes, but I cannot afford it. The boys play football together on the field/pitch,
and Natalie does cheerleading and goes to a youth club. I’d like her to go swimming but the nearest pool is
a bus ride and a walk away, and I feel uneasy about letting her go off on her own.
I know we tend to complain that children don’t play in the garden and go out on their bikes the way we
did, but I doubt I’d have been riding bikes if we had had the Internet. They are all computer literate and
it’s going to be fundamental to their lives, whereas maybe as adults we’re scared of the world they’re
growing up in because we don’t really understand it.

(text adapted from First Certificate Expert by Pearson Longman 2008)