【一起听英语】家庭（在线收听）

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 users 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

acceptable age, Rob? 5, 8 or 11 years old?

Rob: Hmm – I know people are quite cautious these days so I'd say, 11 years old.

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010

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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 divorced 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

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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 sake 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 contestant

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 statistic: 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

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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 relatively 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: ‘skeletons 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 pawned his Mum's engagement 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

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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 pawn shop in return for money

Yvonne: And this one was odd: 'My nan votes Tory'

Rob: (Ha ha) That person’s grandmother voted for the Conservative 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

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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!