【英语趣味课堂】青少年的生活条件改善了吗-Teen Life

Mark: Hey, Mike. Here's a question. Do you think teenagers these days, have a better life than say we did when we were teenagers?

 

Mike: Well, it's, that's a debate that's been going on since the days of Socrates and Plato, I think, but again, and probably like Socrates had said himself, "You know kids today are a lot different than they were when we were younger", that's for sure. Whether it's better or not, I personally think we had it better because we weren't stuck behind a computer or behind a TV set all day. I think we tended to do things more outside, but I think whether you're a teenager now or then, probably the same kind of issues¹ went on in your head.

 

Mark: Yeah, that's the way I feel about it, actually.

 

Mike: Think so.

 

Mark: Well, these kind of, these kind of debates or these kid of issues, I feel like there is no better or worse, it's just different, you know.

 

Mike: How do you think it's different?

 

Mark: Well, in obvious ways, like the technology now. Like I can remember the first, my first microwave and my family's first VCR, and those were, you know, pretty exciting moments, yeah, absolutely.

 

Mike: How's about going to the library to have to get research.

 

Mark: Yeah! That's interesting, but people don't do that much anymore and I don't even realize that, but yeah the technology is definitely² better now, but it's more addictive³. I mean kids don't play outside. They just play video games all day and you know, I wasn't allowed to stay inside so much when I was a kid.

 

Mike: Same here. Same here. I was sort of forced to go outside, but also, although, I guess you could make an argument and say the kids do kind of play with each other when they get on those, the internet gaming sites, and there's a whole group of them from Morocco to Mexico to Canada to the States, all playing online, of course, they never see each other but they're all trying to kill each other.

 

学习内容：

 

that's a debate that's been going on since the days of Socrates and Plato

 

Regarding⁴ whether it was better then or now, that's a debate that's been going on since the days of Socrates and Plato. 

A 'debate' is a discussion⁵ between two opposing⁶ groups. If something has 'been going on since the days of Socrates and Plato' it means⁷ that it is something that started a very long time ago and still continues today. 'Socrates and Plato' were philosophers⁸ who lived around 400 B.C. Notice the following:

 

That's a debate that we will never finish.

These ideas have been around since the time of Socrates and Plato.

stuck behind a computer

 

We weren't stuck behind a computer or behind a TV set all day. 

When you work on a computer you can say that you are 'stuck behind a computer.' It means that you have to stay working on the computer because you have a responsibility⁹ to do something there, but you would prefer to be doing something else. Notice the following:

 

When I spend the whole day at work stuck behind a computer I feel really tired when I get home.

My eyes hurt from being stuck behind a computer all day.

in your head

 

Whether you're a teenager now or then, the same kind of issues went on in your head. 

Things that go on 'in your head' are things that you think about. Notice the following:

 

She has a lot going on in her head right now.

Sometimes I don't understand what goes on in your head.

same here

 

Same here - I wasn't allowed to stay inside so much when I was a kid. 

You can say 'same here' when you want to agree with someone and say you feel the same way or have had the same experience. Notice the following:

 

Same here - I wasn't allowed to eat candy very often.

Same here - I love playing sand volleyball.

forced to go outside

 

When we were kids, we were sort of forced to go outside to play. 

When you are 'forced to go outside' it means that your parents make you leave the house temporarily to be outside in the fresh air. Notice the following:

 

The kids were forced to go outside after they broke the lamp.

After we eat lunch on Sundays our parents always force us to go outside.

1 issues   

（水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题

参考例句：

• Let's start with the more easily addressable issues. 我们先从较容易处理的问题着手。
• Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics. 就业和征税是很重要的政治问题。

2 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

3 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

4 regarding   

prep.关于，至于；就…而论，在…方面

参考例句：

• Regarding John,I will write to him at once.至于约翰，我将立即给他写信。
• Regarding these facts,a special committee is to be appointed.鉴于这些事实，必须成立一个专门委员会。

5 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。

6 opposing   

adj.反作用的；反向的；相反的；对立的v.反对

参考例句：

• The two opposing armies faced each other across the battlefield. 敌对两军在战场上严阵对峙。
• She earned a black mark for opposing company policy. 她因反对公司政策而得到考绩不良评语。

7 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

8 philosophers   

n.哲学家( philosopher的名词复数 )；豁达的人

参考例句：

• Philosophers sometimes overweight their negativism. 哲学家往往偏重于否定态度。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Strictly speaking, they shouldn't be called philosophers, but rather 'philophilosophers.' 严格讲起来，他们不该叫哲学家Philophilosophers,该叫‘哲学家学家’philophilosophers.” 来自汉英文学 - 围城

9 responsibility   

n.责任，职责

参考例句：

• The safety of the ship is the captain's responsibility.确保船的安全是船长的责任。
• The matter is outside my area of the responsibility.此事超出我的责任范围。