哥哥最爱欺负弟弟妹妹？英国的这项研究揭晓了答案！
If you grew up being beaten by an older brother, you are not alone. Big brothers really are the biggest bullies, particularly for those in larger families. A study has found when it comes to sibling name-calling, teasing and other types of behaviour, older boys tend to be the perpetrators. Junior girls are more likely to be targeted by their siblings, especially if they are the babies of the family.
Psychologists followed 6,838 British siblings up until the age 12. They found firstborn children and older brothers are the most likely to pick on others in their family. Dr Dieter Wolke, who led the study, said, “A firstborn child gets 100 per cent of parents’ attention, toys and playtime but that gets cut to 50 per cent when a second child is born, and it falls even further when more children come along. So siblings turn into bullies because they are competing for attention or they are frustrated for someone else is taking their parents away. Teasing and name-calling may also be an attempt to get more focus from parents and more treats, like toys and snacks, by casting their siblings in a bad light so the parents like them less.”
Sibling bullying is usually psychological, most often involving name-calling. But hitting, kicking or pushing is also a popular tactic, along with making fun of other family members. Boys are the biggest bullies, being 69 per cent more likely to pick on their siblings, and older children are more than twice as likely to be bullies too.
It made no difference to sibling bullying levels if children came from a higher class or had a single parent. But children with higher self-esteem were less likely to be bullied for they had the skills of protecting themselves properly.
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1.Who will most likely be bullied in a family?
A The big brothers.
B The older boys.
C The baby girls.
D The older girls.
解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句Junior girls are more likely to be targeted by their siblings, especially if they are the babies of the family.可知家庭中的小女孩,尤其是女婴最容易被欺负。故选C。
2.Why do the firstborn children tend to bully their siblings?
A They want to get more attention from their parents.
B They are just interested in picking on their siblings.
C They’re afraid of their siblings taking their parents away from them.
D Both A and C.
解析：选D。细节理解题。根据第二段第四句So siblings turn into bullies because they are competing for attention or they are frustrated someone else is taking their parents away.可知是因为其他孩子争夺了父母对自己的关注，或者担心父母会被其他孩子抢走才使他们开始欺负他们的兄弟姐妹的。故选D。
3.Which of the following is NOT true about sibling bullying?
A Sibling bullying is a kind of psychological problem.
B Name-calling and physical conflicts are common in sibling bullying.
C Boys are more than twice as likely to pick on their siblings than girls.
D Sibling bullying levels have much to do with the family background.
解析：选D。细节理解题。根据第四段第一句It made no difference to sibling bullying levels if children came from a higher class or had a single parent.可知这种欺凌程度与阶级、家庭构成等家庭背景并没有什么关系。故选D。
4.Whom is this article most likely written for?
A The ones who liked to bully their siblings.
B The ones who were bullied by an older brother.
C The firstborn children who were lack of attention.
D The single-parent children who came from a upper class.
解析：选B。推理判断题。通读全文可知，本文主要围绕哥哥爱欺负弟弟妹妹这种普遍的社会现象展开叙述，且由第一段第一句If you grew up being beaten by an older brother, you are not alone.可推知这篇文章主要是针对有过这种被欺凌的经历的人写的，旨在引起共鸣。故选B。