TED演讲:如何培养出成功的小孩(2)

 And here's what the checklisted childhood looks like. 清单式的生活就是：

We keep them safe and sound and fed and watered, and then we want to be sure they go to the right schools, 我们确保他们安全、健康、吃好、喝好，然后期望他们进入好学校，

but not that, they're in the right classes at the right schools,  并且是好学校的好班级，

and that they get the right grades in the right classes in the right schools.  在好学校好班级中还要取得好成绩。

But not just the grades, the scores, and not just the grades and scores,  并且不只是成绩，还要拿高分，不只要好成绩和高分，

but the accolades¹ and the awards and the sports, the activities, the leadership.  还要获得荣誉和奖项，要参加运动、活动、还要有领导力。

We tell our kids, don't just join a club, start a club, because colleges want to see that.  我们告诉孩子，不要只是参加社团，还要创建社团，因为大学喜欢这样的学生。

And check the box for community service. I mean, show the colleges you care about others. 还要参加社区服务。我的意思是，要让大学看到你会关心他人。

And all of this is done to some hoped-for degree of perfection. 这些都是期望中的完美。

We expect our kids to perform at a level of perfection we were never asked to perform at ourselves,  我们期望我们的孩子能做到完美，而我们自己却从没做到过，

and so because so much is required, we think, well then,  因为有这么多要求，我们就想，

of course we parents have to argue with every teacher and principal and coach and referee² 我们做父母的得和每个老师沟通，和校长、教练、推荐人沟通，

and act like our kid's concierge³ and personal handler and secretary. 搞的像是孩子的管家，像私人管家，像秘书。

And then with our kids, our precious kids, we spend so much time nudging,  然后对孩子，我们宝贵的孩子，我们要花心思来督促、

cajoling, hinting, helping⁴, haggling⁵, nagging⁶ as the case may be, to be sure they're not screwing up,  哄骗、暗示、帮忙、唠叨、甚至讨价还价，确保他们不会在顶尖大学申请这件事上搞砸，

not closing doors, not ruining their future, some hoped-for admission to a tiny handful of colleges that deny almost every applicant⁷. 或者故步自封，或者毁了自己的未来，即使那些大学在招生时几乎是万里挑一。

1 accolades   

n.（连结几行谱表的）连谱号( accolade的名词复数 )；嘉奖；（窗、门上方的）桃尖拱形线脚；册封爵士的仪式（用剑面在肩上轻拍一下）

参考例句：

• Unlike other accolades for literature which tend to value style or experimentation. 有别于其他偏重风格活实验性的文学奖项。 来自互联网
• Build your trophy room while amassing awards and accolades. 建立您的奖杯积累奖项和荣誉。 来自互联网

2 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

3 concierge   

n.管理员；门房

参考例句：

• This time the concierge was surprised to the point of bewilderment.这时候看门人惊奇到了困惑不解的地步。
• As I went into the dining-room the concierge brought me a police bulletin to fill out.我走进餐厅的时候，看门人拿来一张警察局发的表格要我填。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 haggling   

v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt. 我扔下他自己在市场上就一件衬衫讨价还价。
• Some were haggling loudly with traders as they hawked their wares. 有些人正在大声同兜售货物的商贩讲价钱。 来自辞典例句

6 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。