Adult children

A 20 year old man in Italy has taken his father to court for money so that he can continue to live at home with his mother and study for a new career. But at 20, are we too old to expect our parents to be responsible for us?
意大利一个20岁的年轻人起诉自己的父亲，向父亲索要钱财，这样他就可以和母亲呆在家里同时研究自己的新事业。但是20岁了。我们还能期盼父母为我们负责吗？
Adult children （成年子女）
 
Yvonne: Hello, this is '6 minute English' - I'm Yvonne Archer…
Callum: And I'm Callum Robertson.
Yvonne: Hi Callum - and thanks for joining me! In today's programme, we've got an interesting case from Italy and it makes us think about the question of – well, when as an adult, should you stop depending on your parents -financially?
Callum: Hmmm…
Yvonne:But let me ask you this: when did you stop depending on your parents?
Callum: Well I suppose, financially, it would be when I got my first job and gradually became less financially dependent¹. So I suppose, when I was about 19 -20 when I could make my own way.
Yvonne:Well we're going to hear more about that topic, obviously², but first, the big question. Are you ready Callum?
Callum: Oh – yes, another one of your tricky³ questions.
Yvonne: Yes, but you usually get them right; let's see how you do. A 12 year old boy in the United States was the first to divorce⁴ his parents – but when did that happen? Was it in a) 1992 b) 1998 –or c) 2001?
Callum: Oh – now I remember this – I remember this, but, I can't remember when it was. I'm going to plump⁵ for（投票选出） 1998.
Yvonne:Good choice, but as usual we'll have to wait until the end of the programme to find out. Now today's report – we're going back to that question about adults who are still financially dependent on their parents. As we listen to the report, we'll come across the term 'expenses incurred⁷'. Callum, can you explain that for us please?
Callum: If you 'incur⁶ expenses' – you do something which costs money. So for example, going to work usually incurs（招致，蒙受，遭遇） travel expenses – so that's the price of your bus fare, your petrol or your train ticket.
Yvonne:And what about the words 'pursue⁸（追捕，追求）' and 'aspirations¹⁰'?
Callum: Well, if you 'pursue an aspiration⁹' – you follow a dream to do something. So for example, if you pursue an aspiration to be an English teacher – then you work hard, you study and you train to become an English teacher.
Yvonne:Lovely. In today's report from the BBC's Emma Wallis, we hear about a court case – a legal case. A man was taken to the highest court in Italy because he didn't want to 'pay maintenance（生活费用）' – to give money to support his twenty year old son, David. As we listen, try to find out who wins the court case; is it David or his father?
 
EMMA WALLIS
The court ruled that David, who still lives with his mother, should carry on receiving three-hundred euros a month from his separated father, as well as half of any extra expenses he incurred. The reason; Italian law believes that 'children' have the right, even as adults, to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Yvonne:Callum, who won the court case – was it David or his father?
Callum: Well it was David who won the court case. The court ruled – or the court ordered his father to continue paying David money so that he can pursue his dream.
Yvonne:And the ruling came from the highest court in Italy, so David's father will just have to pay up! Now David is twenty years old. Is he too old to live with his mum and get money from his dad as well? What do you think Callum?
Callum: I think it's difficult – different countries have different cultures. So, ummm – the court has ruled and I don't have a better opinion than the court.
Yvonne:Now in the next part of Emma Wallis' report, we'll hear about David's dreams and aspirations are. But first, a little help with the language we'll come across: Callum, what does 'to quit a job' mean?
Callum: Oh, if you leave your job you 'quit' your job. You don't want to do it any more
– you quit.
Yvonne:And what about 'to set a precedent¹¹（先例，前例）'?
Callum: Oh, that's a legal term – 'to set a precedent'. It's when a law is given for the first time and from then on, in future cases, it can be referred to. They can say, well this happened in this case, so we can use that same law in this case.
Yvonne:Okay – here's Emma Wallis again…
 
EMMA WALLIS
David's mother said that David had quit his job to enrol¹² on a course, training to become a hairdresser. Until he's able to maintain¹³ himself economically, David's father, according to the court, which has set a precedent for all future cases, will have to keep David in the manner to which he's become accustomed.（习惯了的）
Yvonne: So David's left his job to learn how to become a hairdresser. And while he's training, he wants money from his father so that he won't have to change the way he's always lived. And the phrase we heard there was?
Callum: The money is needed 'to keep David in the manner to which he's become accustomed' – to continue with the way of life he's now used to.
Yvonne:Right and so David's a lucky man really, isn't he? But do you think that we're always children in the eyes of our parents?
Callum: Oh yes, absolutely. I don't think it matters. However old you are, you are still your parents' child. Yes, absolutely.
Yvonne:Now Callum – today's big question was: a 12 year old boy in the United States was the first to divorce his parents – but when did that happen? And you said…
Callum: 1998?
Yvonne: Ah – you're right… no, you're wrong. It was 1992 -
Callum: Ah – that long ago?
Yvonne: It was. And it was a young boy who actually terminated（终止） his mother's rights to
him so she couldn't visit with him – she didn't have any legal rights over him
any more. And that was way back in 1992.
Callum: Oh, what a sad case.
Yvonne: Quite sad indeed. But that's all we've got time for today!
(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 dependent   

adj.依靠的，依赖的，依赖他人生活者

参考例句：

• He has a mother completely dependent on him.他有一个完全靠他赡养的母亲。
• The country is dependent on foreign aid.这个国家靠外援生存。

2 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

3 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

4 divorce   

n.离婚；分离；vi.离婚；vt.离婚；脱离

参考例句：

• Did he divorce his wife or did she divorce him?是他要和妻子离婚，还是妻子要和他离婚？
• None of us like the divorce of word and deed.我们都不喜欢言行不一。

5 plump   

adj.丰满的，丰富的，直接的；vi.下降，支持，变丰满；vt.突然放下，支持，使丰满；n.突然膨胀，坠落；adv.骤降，直线下降，不加限制的

参考例句：

• The baby is plump and very cute.那个婴儿白白胖胖的，十分可爱。
• The grains are quite plump.谷粒儿很饱。

6 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

7 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

8 pursue   

vt.继续，从事；追赶，追踪；追求

参考例句：

• He began to pursue an easy and comfortable life.他开始追求安逸舒适的生活。
• This is the path that we shall continue to pursue.这是我们要继续走的道路。

9 aspiration   

n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出

参考例句：

• Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
• Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。

10 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

11 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

12 enrol   

v.（使）注册入学，（使）入学，（使）入会

参考例句：

• I like your institute but I do not want to enrol.我喜欢你们学院但我不想报名去你院。
• They decided to enrol him as a member of the society.他们决定吸收他成为会社的成员。

13 maintain   

vt.支撑；赡养，抚养；维持，保有

参考例句：

• He has to maintain a large family on a small salary.他不得不依靠很少的工资养活一家人。
• We must do our best to maintain sales at their usual rate.我们要尽力使销售额保持在平日的水平上。