66. Are classmates a more important influence than parents on a child's success in school?

It is extremely difficult, maybe even impossible, to generalize the relationships between parents and children. After all, personalities, temperaments, and values differ from person to person as does the ability to raise children. Furthermore, the relationship between parents and child changes over time, and the same is true for relationships between classmates. As a result, the question of who is a more important influence is difficult to answer, but what is undeniable is that parents should and classmates can have significant impact on a child's success in school.

Parents are responsible for raising a child, and they should instill the value of education on him. After all, a child who enjoys education and learning is more likely to do well in school. This success will open up all kinds of opportunities in his future, from studying at a reputable university to finding a good job. Therefore, parents should take an active interest in their child's education and help him through difficult times by encouraging and motivating him. Nevertheless, parents must be careful not to force their child to success, particularly in early adolescence. Many teenagers become temporarily alienated from their parents during this period of their life, and a parent's insistence on academic excellence against the child's will could further erode their relationship and also have a negative effect on the child's schooling.

Relationships to classmates have a significant effect on a child's academic performance, because it is in their company that most of a student's learning takes place. Since it is important for children of all ages to be accepted by their peers, much of a student's life is spent trying to fit in. Ideally, students will motivate and learn from each other, but often the opposite is the case. A student who shines in the classroom can become a social outcast, because his/ her classmates are jealous of his/her performance. This can then cause him/ her to become less inclined to study and work hard, because acceptance by the classmates is more important to him/her than high marks.

译文

66. 孩子学业上的成功，同学的影响比父母的更大吗？

要想总结出父母和孩子的关系非常困难，甚至是不可能的。毕竟，每个人的性格、性情、价值观和培养孩子的能力都不一样。此外，父母和孩子的关系也是在不断发展变化的。同学之间的关系也是这样。因此，“谁对孩子的影响更大”这样一个问题就很难回答了。但是不可否认的是，父母“应该”，而同学“能够”对孩子的学业成功产生重要影响。

父母有责任抚养孩子，向他灌输教育观。毕竟，喜欢学习的孩子更有可能学习成绩好。这种学业上的成功可以为他将来的成功打开大门，如考入名牌大学、找个好工作等。因此，父母应对孩子的教育积极参与、鼓励、激发他们以助他们走出难关。但是，父母一定要注意不要逼孩子成功，特别是孩子在青春期时。在这个时期，很多青少年同父母的感情疏远，如果父母不顾他们的意愿一个劲地要求他们学习成绩要搞好的话，只能使他们的关系更加恶化，对孩子的学业反而产生不好的影响。

与同学的关系可以对孩子学习成绩产生很大影响，因为他们每天学习时都在一起。对任何年龄段的孩子来说，同伴的认可都是非常重要的，所以很多孩子的生活就是怎样融入同伴中去。理想的状况是同学们互相激励互相学习。可是事实往往恰恰相反。班级中的好学生可能最终被群体所抛弃，因为同学们妒忌他或她的出色表现。因而他就不再认真学习、工作，毕竟对他或她来说，被同伴接受比高分数更重要。

Word List

• generalize ［ˈdʒenərəˌlaiz］ v. 归纳，概括
• insistence ［inˈsistəns］ n. 坚持，坚决主张
• temperament ［ˈtempərəmənt］ n. 气质，性情
• academic ［ˌækəˈdemik］ adj. 教学的；学术的
• instill［in ˈstil］ v.慢慢地灌输，逐步的灌输
• erode ［iˈrəud］ v. 侵蚀，腐蚀
• reputable ［ˈrepjətəbəl］ adj. 著名的；有名声的
• peer ［piə］ n. 同等的人，同辈；贵族
• fit in 装配好
• motivate［ ˈməutəˌveit］ v.引起动机；激发
• outcast ［ˈautkæst］ n. 被驱逐者，流浪者
• adolescence ［ˌædlˈesəns］ n. 青春期
• jealous ［ˈdʒeləs］ n. 妒忌的，猜疑的
• alienate ［ˈeiljəˌneit］ v. 离间；使疏远
• incline ［inˈklain］ v.（使）倾向于