It’snosecretthatmanychildrenwouldbehealthierandhappierwithadoptiveparentsthanwiththeparentsthatnaturedealtthem.That’sespeciallytrueofchildrenwhoremaininabusivehomesbecausethelawblindlyfavorsbiologicalparents.It’salsotrueofchildrenwhosufferforyearsinfosterhomes(收养孩子的家庭)becauseofparentswhocan’torwon’tcareforthembutrefusetogiveupcustody(监护)rights.
Fourteen-year-oldKimberlyMaysfitsneitherdescription,butherrecentcourtvictorycouldeventuallyhelpchildrenwhodo.Kimberlyhasbeentheobjectofanangrycustodybafflebetweenthemanwhoraisedherandherbiologicalparents,withwhomshehasneverlived.AFloridajudgeruledthattheteenagercanremainwiththeonlyfathershe’severknownandthatherbiologicalparentshave"nolegalclaim"onher.Theruling,thoughitmayyetbereversed,setsasidetheprinciplethatbiologyistheprimarydeterminantofparentage.That’sanimportantdevelopment,onethat’slongoverdue.
ShortlyafterbirthinDecember1978,KimberlyMaysandanotherinfantweremistakenlyswitchedandsenthomewiththewrongparents.Kimberly’sbiologicalparents,ErnestandReginaTwigg,receivedachildwhodiedofaheartdiseasein1988.Medicaltestsshowedthatthechildwasn’ttheTwiggs’owndaughter,butKimtonlywas,thussparkingacustodybattlewithRobertMays.In1989,thetwofamiliesagreedthatMr.MayswouldmaintaincustodywiththeTwiggsgettingvisitingfights.ThoserightswereendedwhenMr.MaysdecidedthatKimberlywasbeingharmed.
ThedecisiontoleaveKimberlywithMr.Maysrenderedhersuitdebated.ButthejudgemadeclearthatKimberlydidhavestandingtosue(起诉)onherownbehalf.Thushemadeclearthatshewasmorethanjustpropertytobehandledasadultssawfit.
Certainly,thebiologicallinkbetweenparentandchildisfundamental.Butbiologicalparentsaren’talwayspreferabletoadoptiveones,andbiologicalparentagedoesnotconveyanabsoluteownershipthatcancelsalltherightsofchildren.
练习题：
Choosecorrectanswerstothequestion:
1.WhatwastheprimaryconsiderationintheFloridajudge’sruling?
C.Thetraditionalpractice.
2.WecanlearnfromtheKimberlycasethat
A.childrenaremorethanjustpersonalpossessionsoftheirparents
B.thebiologicallinkbetweenparentandchildshouldbeemphasized
C.fosterhomesbringchildrenmorepainandsufferingthancare
D.biologicalparentsshouldn’tclaimcustodyrightsaftertheirchildisadopted
3.TheTwiggsclaimedcustodyrightstoKimberlybecause
A.theyfoundherunhappyinMr.Mays’custody
B.theyregardedherastheirproperty
C.theywereherbiologicalparents
D.theyfeltguiltyabouttheirpastmistake
4.KimberlyhadbeengiventoMr.Mays
5.Theauthor’sattitudetowardsthejudge’srulingcouldbedescribedas
1.[B]推理判断题。根据第2段最后一句“女孩被判给她认识的父亲，即养父，而非生父”以及全文的最后一句中alltherightsofchildren,可以推断,该判决是从孩子本身的利益出发的，故选B而排除A。
2.[A]事实细节题。根据倒数第2段最后一句“金伯莉不仅仅是大人们觉得合适就可以随意处置的“财产”可知a与该句相符，其中的personalpossessions为原文中property的同义表达。
3.[C]事实细节题。第4段第2、3句指出“金伯莉的亲生父母，欧内斯特和里贾纳·特维格，......医学测试显示……金伯莉才是他们的孩子，从而引发了特维格夫妇与罗伯特·梅斯之间的监护权争讼案”，由此可知，C与之相符。
4.[A]事实细节题。第4段第1句提到，金伯莉·梅斯与另一名婴儿被阴差阳错地调换了，她们跟着不是自己亲生父母的人一起回了家，由此可知A正确。
5.[D]观点态度题。在最后一段作者用But转折句说明自己的观点，即“但生身父母并不总是比养父母更合适”,可见作者是支持法官将金伯莉判给其养父的。
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