Children are prone to observe and follow their parents’ behaviors. For example, a child who sees his/her father exercising regularly will probably be active as an adult. Other positive behaviors demonstrated by parents could affect their children in various ways, including their dressing style, dental hygiene and table manners. On the contrary, children of smokers are more likely to pick up the habit of smoking because of parental modeling and because they have increased access to cigarettes. According to a recent survey conducted by the Kentucky Department for Public Health, a child of an alcoholic parent is four times more likely to become an alcoholic when he/she becomes an adult. In the cases above, the influences of parental modeling should never be underestimated with regards to how these actions affect their children.

　　托福写作举一反三：

　　① affect 影响

　　=influence, impact

　　✎ The children and spouse of a smoker will be adversely affected by the constant smoke in their environment.

　　② underestimate 低估

　　=underrate

　　✎ Children always look to their mother for guidance, and therefore the influence that a mother has over a child could never be underestimated.

　　✎ Under no circumstances should we underestimate the importance of helping students obtain a thorough understanding of what has been printed in their textbooks.

　　✎ 反义词：overestimate

　　-托福写作话题词汇-

　　家族纽带 family tie

　　亲情 family bond

　　代沟 generation gap

　　家庭观念 family value

　　核心家庭 nuclear family

　　父母指导 parental guidance

　　相互理解 mutual understanding

　　尊重父母 respect one’s parents

　　托福写作真题重现：

　　✎ Parents learn more from their children than children learn from their parents. (2013.11.9)

　　✎ Teachers had a greater influence on young people in the past than they do today. (2012.5.26)