Контрольная работа № 3 Вариант 2

PRE-READING EXERCISES

Ex. 1. Before you read the text look at the following words and try to guess what the text is about:

abuse, beat, burn, strangulation, violence, trust_, injure.

Ex. 2. Choose a suitable word from those above and complete the following sentences.

1. … is extreme force in action or feeling, that causes damage, unrest.

2. … is bad or cruel treatment.

3. … is a firm belief in the honesty, goodness, worth of someone; confidence; faith.

4. … is a hurt place or mark produced by giving out heat.

5. … is an act of killing someone by pressing on the throat with the hands, a rope etc.

6. … is to cause physical harm, to hurt seriously.

7. … is to hit again and again, especially with a stick or other harsh movement.

Reading child abuse

Child abuse is a term that generally refers to mistreatment of a child by a parent or another adult. There is no standard definition of child abuse, however. A narrow definition is limited to life-threatening physical violence, including severe beatings, burns, and strangulation. A broader definition includes any treatment other than the most favorable care.

No one knows how many instances of child abuse occur each year because many cases of child abuse are never reported. However, the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect estimates that nearly 1 million children in the United States suffer nonaccidental, life-threatening physical violence each year.

Views about the causes of child abuse have changed through the years. Many social scientists once believed that only people with severe emotional problems would abuse children. However, studies indicate that most individuals who abuse children do not suffer from traditional psychiatric illnesses. Another common view is that abused children grow up to be abusive adults, a development referred to as the cycle of abuse. But research has shown that abused children do not necessarily become abusers as adults.

Today, many experts believe child abuse is widespread because society regards physical punishment by parents as a reasonable way of changing children's behavior. Thus, adults who hurt children sometimes only intend to correct them and do not realize how easily children can be injured. Another cause of child abuse is stress. Parents who are unemployed, very isolated, or under great stress for other reasons are more likely to abuse their children than parents who do not have such problems. Children who are difficult to care for, such as premature infants and children with disabilities, create more stress for parents. Thus, such children are more likely to be abused than are other children.

The problem of sexual abuse has received much attention in the media. Children are warned not to let people, even family members, touch them in ways that make them uncomfortable. Children also are told to tell a trusted adult if they are sexually abused. Children should be urged to discuss anything that bothers them with a trustworthy adult. But experts point out that frightening warnings about something small children cannot understand can terrify and confuse them.

According to experts, a better solution to the problem of child abuse is preventing family members from becoming so isolated or stressed that abuse occurs. Parent support groups, such as Parents Anonymous, and other professional services can help relieve many of the stresses that lead to abuse. In extreme cases, a juvenile court may place children in a foster home.

Before the 1800's, little was done to prevent child abuse. In the late 1800's, citizens of some large cities set up agencies to deal with social problems, including poverty, overcrowding, and child abuse.

Child abuse gained major attention in the United States in the 1960's. This increased attention was linked to the identification of the battered child syndrome by C. Henry Kempe, a professor of pediatrics, and his associates. Kempe's studies pointed out the responsibilities of people in medical, psychological, social, and legal professions to help control child abuse. All 50 states soon required physicians to report suspected cases of abuse to a government authority.

In 1974, the United States Congress organized the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. The center helps support programs that deal with child abuse. Today, state welfare experts investigate abuse cases and counsel families of abused children.