#112. Should young children spend most of their time on school studies or playing?
Some people believe that it is important for children to begin their education at a very early age, and spend most of their time on academic studies. Others believe that children should spend their time playing instead of studying. To understand the logic behind these two views, we must compare their advantages and disadvantages.
If a child spends all of his/her time studying, he/she will advance quickly in school. He/she will learn things early in life that other children, who spent their time playing, will not learn until they are at least a few years older. This child will learn the value of education early on, and will be able to impress his/her parents with his/her knowledge, therefore gaining self-confidence and motivation.
If a child spends most of his time playing, he/she will not learn about mathematics and science, but he/she will learn another important skill: socialization. When children spend their time playing together, they learn how to interact with others. They learn how to share things, and how to settle a disagreement amicably. Children can also increase their motor skills if they spend their time playing games that involve hand-eye coordination.
Both of these perspectives have valid points. However, I think it is best to try and combine playing with learning. If children can learn about the basics of academics in a fun and playful environment, they are likely to become more interested in it. A very young child has no interest in studying, and I believe that adults must allow children to have fun. Otherwise, the children will grow up to be uncaring, antisocial adults. This does not mean, however, that education is not important. I feel that there is a right time to introduce studying and academia to children, and this time is not when they are very young. It is better to wait until the children are at least five or six year old before trying to get them to study.
112. 儿童应将大部分时间用于学习还是玩耍？
有些人认为，让儿童在很早的年纪就开始受教育，并且把他们大部分的时间用在学业上，这是很重要的。其他人则认为，儿童应该把他们的时间用于玩耍，而不是用来学习。要明白这两种观点背后的逻辑，我们必须比较它们的优势和劣势。
如果一个儿童把他或她所有的时间都用在学习上，他或她在学业上将会迅速进步。他或她将在生命的早期学会一些事情，而这些事情是其他把时间用于玩耍的儿童年长好几岁之后才会学到的。这名儿童将很早就知道教育的价值，将能够凭借他或她的知识给父母留下深刻印象，从而获得自信和动力。
如果一个儿童把大部分的时间用于玩耍，他或她将学不到数学和自然科学，但是他或她将会掌握另一种重要的技能：交际。当孩子们把他们的时间用于一起玩耍的时候，他们学习如何与他人互相交往。他们学习如何分享事物，以及如何友好地解决分歧。如果孩子们把时间用来做一些涉及手眼协调的游戏，还可以增进他们的动手能力。
这两种观点都有合理的成分。然而，我认为最好尝试把玩与学结合起来。如果一个儿童能够在有趣活泼的环境中学习学术的基础知识，他们可能会对此变得更加有兴趣。年纪很小的孩子对学习是没有兴趣的，所以我觉得大人应该让孩子们开心地玩耍。否则，孩子们将会成长为冷漠孤僻的成年人。但是这并不意味着受教育不重要。我觉得让孩子开始学习和接触学术有一个恰当的时间，而这个时间并不在他们年纪很小的时候。最好是等孩子到了至少五六岁的时候，再试着让他们开始学习。
- academic ［ˌækəˈdemik］adj. 学术的，教学的
- coordination ［kəuˌɔ:dnˈeiʃən］ n. 协调
- perspective ［pəˈspektiv］ n. 观点，看法
- logic ［ˈla:dʒik］ n. 逻辑
- valid ［ˈvælid］ adj. 合理的
- self-confidence ［ˈselfˈka:nfidəns］ n. 自信
- playful ［ˈpleifəl］ adj. 活泼的，有趣的
- motivation ［ˌməutiˈveiʃən］ n. 动力
- uncaring ［ʌnˈkεəriŋ］ adj. 冷漠的，漠不关心的
- socialization ［ˌsəuʃəliˈzeiʃən］ n. 交际
- interact ［ˌintərˈækt］ v. 互相交往
- antisocial ［ˌæntiˈsəuʃəl］ adj. 孤僻的，不擅社交的
- amicably ［ˈæmikəbli］ adv. 友好地