An old problem is getting new attention in the United States—bullying. Recent cases included the tragic case of a 15 year old girl whose family moved from Ireland. She hanged herself in Massachusetts following months of bullying. Her parents criticized her school for failing to protect her. Officials have brought criminal charges against several teenagers.
Judy Kuczynski is president of an anti-bullying group called Bully Police USA. Her daughter Tina was also the victim of severe bullying starting in middle school in the state of Minnesota. She said，“Our daughter was a very outgoing child. She was involved in all kinds of things and had lots of friends. And over a period of time her grades fell completely. She started having health issues. She couldn't sleep. She wasn't eating. She had terrible stomach pains. Didn't want to go to school.”
Bullying is defined as negative behavior repeated over time against the same person. It can involve physical violence, or it can be verbal—for example, insults or threats. Spreading lies about someone or excluding a person from a group is known as social or relational bullying.
And now there is cyberbullying, which uses the Internet, e-mail or text messages. It has easy appeal for the bully because it does not involve face-to-face contact and it can be done at any time.
The first serious research studies into bullying were done in Norway in the late 1970s. The latest government study in the United States was released last year. It found that about one-third of students age twelve to eighteen were bullied at school.
Susan Swearer is a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-director of the Bullying Research Network. She says schools should treat bullying as a mental health problem to get bullies and victims the help they need. She says bullying is connected to depression, anxiety and anti-social behavior and bullies are often victims themselves.
1. From the case of Tina, we can know that ________.
A. bullying is rare
B. victims suffered a lot
C. schools are to blame
D. personalities are related
2. Which of the following is NOT bullying?
A. To beat someone repeatedly.
B. To call someone names.
C. To isolate someone from friends.
D. To refuse to help someone in need.
3. Why is cyberbullying appealing to the bully?
A. Because it can involve more people.
B. Because it can create worse effects.
C. Because it is more convenient.
D. Because it can avoid cheating.
4. According to Susan Swearer, ________.
A. bullies are antisocial
B. bullies should give victims help
C. students are not equally treated
D. bullies themselves also need help
答案与解析
1.B 细节理解题。第二段讲述了受害者蒂娜的遭遇。从她母亲的叙述可以看出，校园的恃强凌弱使她学业下降，身体和精神都受到摧残，因此选B项。该例子没有谈到学校的责任或与人品的关系。
2.D 推理判断题。从第三段的叙述看，A、B、C项都是校园内恃强凌弱的例子，而D项“不帮助需要帮助的人”不在其列。
3.C 细节理解题。由第四段第二句可知，网络欺凌对那些恃强凌弱者很有吸引力，因为这种欺凌不需要面对面，而且随时可以进行，由此判断选C项，这样的行为更方便。
4.D 细节理解题。由最后一段中苏珊的方法“get bullies and victims the help they need”和“bullies are often victims themselves”可知，恃强凌弱者同样也是受害者，她认为这样的人也需要帮助。