【趣谈英语】芬兰婴孩睡觉-Finnish Babies Sleep In Boxes

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

• expectant: waiting for something, especially the birth of a baby
• mortality: death
• kit¹: a package of useful items
• double: to have a secondary purpose
• onesie: a one-piece shirt and underwear set (also called a diaper shirt)
• opt² out: to decline

Finnish Babies Sleep In Boxes

 

Did you know that expectant mothers in Finland receive a maternity³ starter kit from the government? This has been a tradition since 1938. Finland’s maternity program was introduced to lower the infant mortality rate. To receive the kit, an expectant mother in Finland must visit a doctor or pre-natal clinic in the first few months of her pregnancy⁴. Before the baby is due, a cardboard box full of useful items is delivered to the mother’s home. The box itself doubles as a crib. It comes with a small mattress⁵ as well as sheets and a sleeping bag. Some contents in the box have changed over the years. Originally, mothers were given fabric⁶ to sew their own baby clothes. Today, onesies, pyjamas⁷, and even a snowsuit are included. Recently, bottles were removed from the boxes in order to encourage breastfeeding. A storybook was added to encourage reading. Mothers can opt out of the program and receive cash instead of the box; however, 95% of Finnish mothers choose the starter kit.

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

3 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

4 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

5 mattress   

n.床垫，床褥

参考例句：

• The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
• The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

6 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

7 pyjamas   

n.（宽大的）睡衣裤

参考例句：

• This pyjamas has many repairs.这件睡衣有许多修补过的地方。
• Martin was in his pyjamas.马丁穿着睡衣。