标准美国英语口语 08 Talking About Families（在线收听）

Unit Eight Talking About Families

141 How many people are there in your family?

142 There are fifteen people in my family.

143 My family is big and traditional.

144 My grandparents, parents,unmarried aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, a cat and a dog all live together.

145 In my family, the old people are taken good care of.

146 In family, we love each other and look after each other.

147 My family has my dad, my step-mother and me.

148 Do you get along well with your step-mother?

149 Jane's family is small and modern

150 Her parents do not live with their grown-up children.

151 Her family is medium-sized.

152 My parents are democratic.

153 They treat their children as friends rather than as babies.

154 His parents are tyrannical.

155 His parents always want him to do what they want .

156 They have high expectations for their children.

157 Parents and children should respect to each other.

158 There is a big generation gap in my family.

159 Is there a lack of understanding between you and your parents?

160 Is your familly important to you? Is family “what makes the world go around”?

Conversation 1:Pan's family is big and tradional.

Alice: How many people are there in your family?

Pam: There are 15 people in my family.

Alice: What did you say? How many?

Pam: 15 people .

Alice: Wow. That is a very big family. Do you all live together?

Pam: Of course we do! My father's parents, Mum, Dad ,three unmarried aunts, two uncles, my two brothers, my three sisters and me.

Alice: But you don't live at home anymore.

Pam: Right,but that's where my heart is. But you're right,now there are only 14 living at home.

Alice: My goodness! Your family must live in a huge house.

Pam: Yes. My family lives in rural Korea, near Pusan. We have a huge house.The first floor of the house is a part-time private school.In the afternoon, students come for special tutoring in biology, English, and math.

Alice: Wow! you grew up in a school! No wonder your English is excellent!

Pam: My aunts and uncles are all teachers.

Alice:You are so lucky!

Pam: I guess so. While growing up, I read hundreds of interesting English storybooks every year.

Alice: That's what i did in America. I was reading all the time. I was never a big TV watcher. TV wastes time.

Pam: I agree. Reading for fun is why all the English students at our family school have excellent English. All the students read 800 easy storybooks during their second year of studing English.

Alice: 800 books? I'm impressed!

Pam: My aunts studied in the American universities.They say that extensive reading for fun is the most effective way to improve your English.That's what they learn here in America.

Conversation 2 Alice's Family Setup Is Different.

Alice: How could you handle living in such a big family? Does everyone get along?

Pam: Sure. We love each other and take care of each other.

Alice: In such a big family, there must be a head. Who's the head of your family?

Pam: My grandpa. He has the final word about almost everything. My grandpa is “President,” and Grandma is “Vice-President.” My parents, uncles and aunts try to arrive at a consensus on important questions. They want to maintain family harmony. Everyone has high expectations of young people.

Alice: Is a family like yours common in South Korea?

Pam: No. Not anymore.Mine is highly educated but traditional family. Most South Korea families today are a lot smaller .In traditional families, the old people are well respected and taken good care of. How about your family?

Alice: My family setup is a bit different. In New York city, there're only three people, my mother,my stepfather and me. During this summertime, I fly out to California and live with my dad. Dad's getting married this summer to a woman with four young boys. I'm going to the wedding. After that, I'm not sure they'll have a room for me.

Pam: Of course there'll be a room for you!

Alice: To be blunt, maybe I won't be able to get along with his new wife or her kids.

Pam: Yours is a modern family. I'm sure your dad loves you and would want you to stay for the summer. You just need to try your best to get along with your new stepmother and her boys.

Alice: But four boys!

Pam: It will be a new experience, and you might as well learn to adjust to changes.

Alice: You are right,I guess.The world keeps changing, and so do families. But I like a small-sized or medium-sized family where everybody is equal to everybody else. That's what I want.

Pam: It is good to have goals in life. If California doesn't work out, come and visit me in Korea, OK?

Alice: That's a great idea!

Pam: We could share a room! It would be fun. And we could do some traveling around Korea. You could see for yourself what life in a big family is like!

Alice: That sounds like an excellent offer . I might take you up on that. Thank you for the wonderful invitation.

Conversation 3: Before class

Cindy:You look unhappy this morning, Sharan. What's wrong?

Shaon: I'm unhappy. At breakfast this morning I had a big argument with my mum and dad.

Cindy: About what?

Sharon: My parents are bossy.They're tyrannical, not democratic.They always want me to do what they think is important. They expect me to become something I'll never be.

Cindy: What do you mean?

Sharon: My father always wants me to go into business. He says making money is important. Mom is even worse. As a little girl,she dreamed of becoming a lawyer or an international businesswoman. Now she wants me to live out her dreams.

Cindy: That sounds a little tricky.

Sharon: That's for sure. I don't like lawyers and I don't want to be a businesswoman! I really hate school. High school will be all over in 6 month. Then I want to be a flight attendant. Working for an international airline would be fun. I could travel around the world and meet new people all the time.

Cindy: That sounds interesting. My uncle Dan is a pilot. He says that flight attendants have to work pretty hard and he hates jet-lag.You might get tired of it ,too.

Sharon: If I do,I will go back to school and become a nurse. But my parents are mad at me about my plans.They do not realize that I'm a grown-up. I have the right to make my own choices.They shouldn't treat me like a baby.

Cindy: I guess it will take some time to convince your parents.

Sharon: Definitely.There is a big generation gap in my family.They don't understand that making big money isn't important to me. I want to enjoy my life.

Cindy: OK,wait until they chill out. Then talk to them about how you feel. Tell them that you respect their advice and that they should respect your choices.

Sharon: I hope they will understand me. Anyway I love them so much.

Cindy: Your parents also love you. They want you to have a good life. You can work things out. Remember,family is what makes the world go around.

Sharon: I know that! But why can't they accept that I'm an adult?

Cindy: I guess, being an adult means you must have patience.

Sharon: I didn't really want to hear that.

Cindy: I know. But both friends and parents tell you how it is ,not just what you want to hear.