To offer an alternative to the risks of being a grandparent, Planned Grandparenthood‘s carefully written literature would detail all the joys of life grandchild-free: a calm and uncluttered living room, extra money for luxuries during the golden years, no spit-up stains on the shoulders of shirts and no diapers in the trash can. Potential grandparents would be reminded that, without grandchildren around, it’s possible to have a conversation with your kids, who—incidentally—would have more time for their own parents.
Planned Grandparenthood would emphasize that most parks in our country are filled with kids at play and that it‘s easy to observe these happy children from a safe distance and even talk to them, if necessary. For would-be grandparents, the beauty of watching kids at a playground or on a soccer field is, of course, that they don’t have to let them into their houses or incur any of the usual expense and hardship that family bonds necessitate.
Planned Grandparenthood would be welcomed by children so besieged by their parents that they are leaning toward having children of their own. It‘s an unfortunate truth—exemplified in politics at all levels—that even the most irrational arguments sound more cogent when delivered by an acquaintance. This truth applies to the relationship between aging parents, desperate for grandchildren, and aging children, unsure about whether to have their own kids.
Think about the enormous insider clout wielded by grandchildless parents aiming to persuade their kids to produce children. First, parents have unbelievable access. Most sons or daughters will take a call from a parent, even if they‘re swamped with work. They will listen to their parents (“Do yourself a favor and be a father”) even when they would hang up on someone else saying the exact same thing. And they will often listen to their parents repeat the litany over and over again.
In addition, like cash-carrying Washington lobbyists, some parents make offers of much needed money payable upon the grandchild‘s birth. Sometimes these gifts not only cover expenses associated with the birth and the infant, but extras, too, like a vacation. (Never mind that there is no vacation after you have kids.) In any case, as we know from observing Congress, cash gifts can weaken the resolve of even the most noble person.
Furthermore, it‘s difficult—if not impossible—for children to ignore longtime family friends, whom their parents enlist in their “Grandchildren Now” campaign. They sit down with you before Thanksgiving dinner and say:
“How are you, Jason?” “Fine, how are you, Martha?”
“Jason, now that you‘ve grown up, why don’t you just have a baby?” “I don‘t want to have a baby. I can be grown up and not have a baby.” “You’ll regret it. Children are the joy of life, and your parents would make such wonderful grandparents.”
“Thank you, Martha. Now, how are you?” “Jason, seriously, why not have a baby? ……”
At Planned Grandparenthood, children targeted by their parents to reproduce could obtain nonbiased information about the insanity of having their own kids. The catastrophic environmental, psychological and economic costs of childbearing would be emphasized. The symptoms of morning sickness would be listed and horrors of childbirth pictured. NO MORE GRANDPARENTS bumper stickers would be available. A monthly newsletter would not only contain stories about overwhelmed parents but offer guidance on how childless adults can respond to the different lobbying tactics that would-be grandparents employ.
When I think about all the problems of our overpopulated world and I look at our boy grabbing at the lamp by the sofa, I wish I could have turned to Planned Grandparenthood when my parents were putting the grandchild squeeze on me.
If I could have, I might not be in this parenthood predicament. But here‘s the crazy irony. I don’t want my child-free life back. Dylan‘s too much fun.
说明：本文的作者为男士(一位father)，但是考试文章由于字数限制，信息不够丰富，所以人们印象中往往以为作者为女士，故出题时也用her代替。
21. What‘s the purpose of the proposed organization Planned Grandparenthood?
A) To encourage childless couples to have children.
B) To provide facilities and services for grandchildless parents.
C) To offer counseling to people on how to raise grandchildren.
{D) To discourage people from insisting on having grandchildren. }
22. Planned Grandparenthood would include depressed grandparents on its staff in order to ____.
A) show them the joys of life grandparents may have in raising grandchildren
{B} draw attention to the troubles and difficulties grandchildren may cause }
C) share their experience in raising grandchildren in a more scientific way
D) help raise funds to cover the high expense of education for grandchildren
23. According to the pas
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