Question

It’s official. Denmark—as well as being the world’s best country to live in for women with the second-happiest people and one of the best healthcare systems in Europe—has the most contented babies. Or, at least, the ones who cry the least. According to research published in the Journal of Pediatrics, Danish, German and Japanese babies cry the least, while British, Canadian and Italian babies cry the most.

“I’m not surprised,” Danish parenting expert and co-author of The Danish Way of Parenting Jessica Alexander tells me. “The first year of a child’s life is considered so important in Denmark. Danish parents are much less stressed because they get good maternity and paternity leave (孕產(chǎn)假). The atmosphere is much calmer and, if mothers are getting more time off, that goes hand in hand with less stress, more contact, more routines and less crying.” She pauses before throwing in a final tip: “Oh, and Danish babies sleep outdoors a lot.”

In Denmark, a woman is given four weeks pregnancy leave followed by 52 weeks of paid leave that can be shared between parents. And Alexander thinks there is another important reason why Danish babies cry less: breastfeeding. “It’s just the done thing in Denmark,” she says of a country that has the world’s highest breastfeeding rates. “In other countries, there are continual discussions about whether you should or shouldn’t breastfeed. In Denmark, breastfeeding has never gone out of style. And everyone does it for a year.”

For Iben Sandahl, Alexander’s co-author, it comes down to the Danish attitude to life in general. “We are an honest and pure people,” she tells me. “We are surrounded by social support and are less likely to become angry, sad or annoyed when our babies are crying. And we are good at embracing (擁抱) all kinds of feelings, so we aren’t scared. Instead, we try to connect with the babies when they cry. It’s how babies communicate and it’s about trying to understand it.”

1.Which of the following can make a baby cry less?

A. An effective healthcare system.

B. More company from a parent.

C. An energetic busy mother.

D. More chances to meet fellow babies.

2.It can be learned from the text that ________.

A. something in the milk from breastfeeding can keep babies happy

B. Demark is second to none in protecting its females’ rights

C. Danish parents’ attitudes to a baby’s first year vary considerably

D. breastfeeding is a common and accepted practice in Denmark

3.When babies cry, Danish parents will probably ________.

A. try to figure out what they want

B. put them outdoors for a good sleep

C. seek social support for guidance

D. wait a moment for them to calm down

Answer 1