TED演讲:如何培养出成功的小孩(3)

 And here's what it feels like to be a kid in this checklisted childhood. 那么在清单式童年中长大的孩子是怎样的呢。

First of all, there's no time for free play. 首先，他们没有自由玩耍的时间。

There's no room in the afternoons, because everything has to be enriching, we think. 整个下午都没有空闲，因为我们觉得任何事都要充实起来。

It's as if every piece of homework, every quiz, every activity is a make-or-break moment for this future we have in mind for them, 就好像每一项作业、每个测验、每个活动，都对于我们为他们规划好的未来成败攸关。

and we absolve¹ them of helping² out around the house,  我们不让他们做家务，

and we even absolve them of getting enough sleep as long as they're checking off the items on their checklist.  甚至不让他们有充足睡眠，只需要他们把清单上的事情做好。

And in the checklisted childhood, we say we just want them to be happy,  在清单式童年中，我们口头上希望他们开心，

but when they come home from school, what we ask about all too often first is their homework and their grades.  但当他们放学回家，我们通常第一时间询问他们的却是作业和成绩。

And they see in our faces that our approval, that our love, that their very worth, comes from A's. 他们从我们脸上看到的我们的认可，我们的爱，看到的他们的价值，却是来自成绩单上的A。

And then we walk alongside them and offer clucking praise like a trainer at the Westminster Dog Show -- 和他们走在一起的时候，我们就像威斯敏斯特宠物展上的训狗员一样表扬他们，

coaxing³ them to just jump a little higher and soar a little farther, day after day after day.  哄他们跳得再高一点，再远一点，日复一日。

And when they get to high school, they don't say, "Well, what might I be interested in studying or doing as an activity?" 等上了高中，他们不会问，“我该对哪些课程，哪些活动感兴趣呢？”

They go to counselors⁴ and they say, "What do I need to do to get into the right college?" 他们只会去问辅导员，“我要怎么做才能进入好大学？”

And then, when the grades start to roll in in high school, 然后，当他们拿到成绩单，

and they're getting some B's, or God forbid some C's, they frantically⁵ text their friends and say, 如果拿了几个B，甚至是可怕的C，他们会狂躁的给朋友发短信，

"Has anyone ever gotten into the right college with these grades?" “有谁考这个分数进了好大学吗？”

1 absolve   

v.赦免，解除（责任等）

参考例句：

• I absolve you,on the ground of invincible ignorance.鉴于你不可救药的无知，我原谅你。
• They agree to absolve you from your obligation.他们同意免除你的责任。

2 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。

3 coaxing   

v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应

参考例句：

• No amount of coaxing will make me change my mind. 任你费尽口舌也不会说服我改变主意。
• It took a lot of coaxing before he agreed. 劝说了很久他才同意。 来自辞典例句

4 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

5 frantically   

ad.发狂地, 发疯地

参考例句：

• He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
• She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。