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Parents Beware: Your Children Are Watching! 父母请注意：孩子正看着你！

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Colleagues Don and Teresa are eating lunch at their office:  唐和泰瑞莎是同事，两人在办公室里吃午餐：

D: Gina and I got into another argument last night. We can’t agree on anything sometimes.

吉娜和我昨晚又吵架了，我们有时候对什么都意见不合。

T: Oh no! That’s too bad. How are your kids handling it?

不会吧！这可不太好，小孩对你们吵架有什么反应？

D: What do you mean? The kids had nothing to do with the argument.

这话怎么说？我们吵架和小孩无关。

T: Well, when kids see their parents argue, it hurts them and that pain may stay with them the rest of their lives.

孩子看到父母吵架，会感到很受伤，那种痛可能成为一辈子的阴影。

D: But what are we supposed to do? Everyone argues at one time or another.

那我们该怎么办？人难免有时候会吵架。

T: True. But if you argue, then try to control your emotions. For example, avoid yelling at each other or using foul language.

没错，但是吵架的时候试着控制自己的情绪，举例来说，避免向对方吼叫或讲出恶毒伤人的话。

D: After the kids were asleep last night, Gina and I were able to settle our differences amicably. I just realized, we always make up privately.

昨晚孩子睡了以后，吉娜和我终于能好好地把问题解决，我发现，我们总是私底下和好。

T: That’s a good observation. If you argue in front of the kids, make sure they also see you resolve the argument.

你有这样的观察很不错，如果你们在孩子面前吵架，就要确定也让孩子看到你们把问题解决。

D: Do you mean if they see us make up. It teaches them to resolve future arguments they’ll face in their own lives?

你是说如果孩子看到我们和好，他们会学习到如何解决以后人生中遇到的问题？

T: Right, and that will have a positive effect on them. Arguments are inevitable, but if resolved in a mature way, they can set a good example in the long run!

对，那对他们有正面的影响。吵架在所难免，但是如果问题能以成熟的方式解决，长远来说，对孩子会是很好的示范！

Vocabulary

单词发音

get into 进入, 达到(某种状态或情形)  to become involved in

at one time or another 曾经 on different occasions

yell [jɛl] v. 叫喊；吼叫（声）[（+at）]

foul [faʊl] adj. 下流的，恶语咒骂的

settle [ˋsɛt!] v. 解决（问题等）；结束（争端，纠纷等）

amicably [ˋæmɪkəb!ɪ] adv. 友善地，友好地；温和地

make up 和解, 言归于好  to resolve a quarrel

inevitable [ɪnˋɛvətəb!] adj. 不可避免的；必然（发生）的

mature [məˋtjʊr] adj. 成熟的; 稳重的；慎重的，周到的

Sentence of the Day

We mended our fences.

我们重修旧好。

mend one’s fences  改善关系

课文讲解

Don and Teresa are still eating lunch:  唐和泰瑞莎继续吃午餐：

T: You and Gina should also be aware of something else: the physical and emotional effects your arguing can have on your children.

你和吉娜还有一件事应该注意，就是你们吵架对孩子在生理和情绪上可能产生的影响。

D: Well, Gina and I have never hit each other, nor have we hit the kids.

吉娜和我从来不打架，也不打孩子。

T: That’s not what I mean. When kids see their parents argue, their stress levels go up. This can have physical and emotional effects.

我不是这个意思。孩子看到父母吵架，他们的压力指数会升高，这对他们在生理情绪上会有影响。

D: Can children become so accustomed to arguing that their stress levels so not go up?

小孩子会不会因为习惯了大人争吵，所以压力指数就不升高了？

T: No, their stress levels will continue to go up whenever their parents argue, even over time.

还是会受影响，只要父母吵架，他们的压力指数就会升高，即使是过了很长一段时间。

D: Ouch. What signs of unhealthy stress levels should I watch for?

这样啊，压力指数超过正常范围，有哪些警讯是我该注意的？

T: There are many. Kids may become more aggressive, more depressed more anxious….

有很多，像是孩子可能变得更有攻击性、更沮丧、更焦虑等等……

D: I’ve noticed that one of our children has been getting sick a lot lately, and the other one constantly has trouble sleeping!

我注意到我有一个小孩最近常常生病，另外一个则是经常睡不好！

T: Those are two telltale physical signs that your children are suffering from high stress levels.

这两点都是生理上的警讯，表示孩子承受的压力指数太高，他们有问题了。

D: I’m glad we had this talk. I had no idea how serious the consequences of arguing could be for our kids.

真高兴我们谈过了，我不知道父母争吵对孩子可能会有这么严重的影响。

T: I’m glad we spoke too. Just remember that your kids look up to you and Gina. Everything you do and say can affect them.

我也很高兴。别忘了孩子很仰赖你和吉娜，你们的一言一行都会影响他们。

－by Alex Adair

Vocabulary

单词发音

accustomed [əˋkʌstəmd] adj. 习惯的，适应了的

sign [saɪn] n. 征象；前兆

aggressive [əˋgrɛsɪv] adj. 好斗的﹐挑衅性的

telltale [ˋtɛl͵tel] adj. 能说明问题的；遮掩不了的（证据物等）

consequence [ˋkɑnsə͵kwɛns] n. 结果，后果

look up to 仰慕; 尊敬〔某人〕to admire

Sentence of the Day

Try to set a good example for the kids.

试着为孩子树立榜样。