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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
我们都因为有个幸福的家庭而感到幸福，我们应该珍惜现在，珍惜所有....
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne…
Rob: And I'm Rob.…
Yvonne: And this is 6 Minute English! Now lots of people have been getting together
with their relatives for Christmas and the New Year, so we thought we’d talk
about families today.
Rob: Now BBC radio in the UK has had a family week. They surveyed their
listeners and web users1 to find out how they feel about their families.
Yvonne: And - they got some really interesting results! Before we hear them, I have a
question for you Rob. Are you ready?
Rob: Of course.
Yvonne: People in the UK were asked, at what age should their children be able to go to
school on their own. Can you guess what most people thought was an
acceptable2 age, Rob? 5, 8 or 11 years old?
Rob: Hmm – I know people are quite cautious3 these days so I'd say, 11 years old.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 7
Yvonne: Umm - as usual I won’t tell you the answer now, but we'll find out what the
answer is at the end of the programme. Now recently, there's been a lot of
attention given to the break-down of traditional British families.
Rob: The break-down of families – that's when parents get divorced4 or separate.
Yvonne: And lots of children are brought up by single parents
Rob: Single parents – just one parent, either a mother or a father
Yvonne: There’s also been a lot of talk about people needing to be better parents – or
even attending parenting classes. But despite the negative view of families we
might read about in the newspapers, most people said that their families made
them happy.
Rob: People were asked which of the following things made them most happy –
family, friends, job or hobbies.
Yvonne: Now families came in at almost 80%, friends just over 60%, next came hobbies
and last on the list of the things that make people happy were their jobs. Only
about 25% of the people surveyed said their jobs make them happy!
Rob: Umm - interesting!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 7
Yvonne: Hmmm. One of the most surprising things was reading about how people felt
about staying together if they were unhappy in their marriage but they had
children. Would they stay together for the sake5 of the kids?
Rob: For the sake of the kids – if you do something for the sake of something –
you’re not doing it for yourself, you’re putting other people's needs and
feelings first, even if you're suffering.
Yvonne: Here’s Radio 5 Live’s Chris Warburton:
Chris Warburton/Quiz contestant6
How many people say they would stay together for the sake of the children?
Woman:
40%
Nearly two thirds of you think it’s better not to stay together for the sake of the kids.
Yvonne: So Chris Warburton says two thirds of people from the survey think they
shouldn't stay in unhappy relationships just for the sake of the children.
Rob: Perhaps that's because there are many happy single parent families. It is not
unusual for children to grow up in single parent families. It's socially
acceptable in modern Britain.
Yvonne: Now here's an interesting statistic7: a large majority of people said they'd report
a relative to the police if they found out their relative had committed a crime.
Here’s more from Radio 5 Live’s Chris Warburton:
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 7
Chris Warburton
A big majority of people said that they would report to the police if they thought they had
committed a serious crime. 84 per cent of people are prepared to do that even if the
consequences were pretty tough.
Yvonne: 84 percent of people said they were prepared to tell the police if they found out
their relative had committed a crime – even if the consequences were pretty
tough.
Rob: Pretty tough – that's relatively8 severe, like having a large fine or going to
prison
Yvonne: People were also asked about their family secrets. You may have heard the
phrase: ‘skeletons9 in the closet’.
Rob: Those are uncomfortable secrets which people try their very best to hide.
Yvonne: Ha ha – and most families have a few skeletons in the closet. The BBC’s
Stephen Chittendon found out about some of the secrets people knew about
their family, but, would rather others didn’t know. Rob, you may have to help
us out here with some of the words and phrases we hear.
Stephen Chittendon
1. My brothers and sisters don't know I'm adopted.
2. My brother in-law pawned11 his Mum's engagement12 ring.
3. My Nan – this not all from the same person (woman: that's a relief to hear) – My nan votes
Tory.
Yvonne: So, we heard: 'my brothers and sisters don’t know I’m adopted'
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 7
Rob: OK, well if you’re adopted, you don’t live with your biological parents – other
people become your new parents.
Yvonne: And – 'my brother-in-law pawned his Mum’s engagement ring'
Rob: The sister's husband – my brother-in-law - gave his mother’s precious
engagement ring to a pawn10 shop in return for money
Yvonne: And this one was odd13: 'My nan votes Tory'
Rob: (Ha ha) That person’s grandmother voted for the Conservative14 Party! Of course,
that wouldn't be a secret for all families.
Yvonne: OK, thanks very much, Rob. Now, do you have any skeletons in your closet?
Rob: Nothing at all. I'm very honest and upfront. No secrets at all.
Yvonne: Umm, I don't know if I believe you Rob!
Rob: I wouldn't tell you anyway; it's a secret!
Yvonne: (Ha, ha). And the answer to our question - what age do most people think it’s
appropriate for children to go to school on their own?
Rob: And I said 11 years old.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 7
Yvonne: And you're right, Rob! The largest number of people from the survey think that
children are ready to walk to school on their own when they're 10 or 11. Thank
you, Rob. We hope you’ve had fun with us today on "6 Minute English" - and
that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Goodbye!
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1
users
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| 用户，使用者( user的名词复数 ) | |
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2
acceptable
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| adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的 | |
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3
cautious
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| adj.十分小心的，谨慎的 | |
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4
divorced
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| adj.离婚的；分开的；不相干的；脱离的v.与…离婚(divorce的过去式和过去分词)；分离；与某人离婚，判某人离婚 | |
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5
sake
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| n.缘故，理由 | |
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6
contestant
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| n.竞争者，参加竞赛者 | |
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7
statistic
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| n.统计量；adj.统计的，统计学的 | |
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8
relatively
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| adv.比较...地，相对地 | |
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9
skeletons
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| n.（建筑物等的）骨架( skeleton的名词复数 )；骨骼；梗概；骨瘦如柴的人（或动物） | |
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10
pawn
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| n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押 | |
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11
pawned
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| v.典当，抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
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12
engagement
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| n.订婚，婚约，约定，约会 | |
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13
odd
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| adj.奇特的；临时的；奇数的；n.[pl.]机会 | |
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14
conservative
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| adj.保守的，守旧的；n.保守的人，保守派 | |
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