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A Family Feud 手足阋墙

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Ryan and Claudia are discussing the upcoming birth of their second child, Stuart:  雷恩和克劳蒂雅正在讨论他们即将出世的第二个孩子，史都华：

R: I can’t wait! I want to meet our new son today.

我等不及了！我今天就想见我即将出世的儿子。

C: Me too! But I wonder how Martin will feel about becoming an older brother.

我也是！但我不知道马丁快要当哥哥的心情如何。

R: He’s going to love Stuart as much as we will.

他会跟我们一样爱史都华的。

C: I hope so. My sister and I fought like cat and dog. We still don’t see eye to eye! Didn’t you and your sister compete for your parents’ attention?

但愿如此。以前我妹妹和我常争吵不休。我们到现在都还有心结！你和你妹妹以前是不是常向父母亲争宠啊？

R: No, I think the prevalence of sibling rivalry is over-exaggerated. You and your sister must have got on sometimes.

不！我想普遍存在的手足阋墙是言过其实了。妳和妳的妹妹一定有和好的时候。

C: Yes, we were friends and enemies at the same time. We knew we could hurt each other because, at the end of the day, we’d still be sisters.

我们是亦敌亦友。我们知道会彼此伤害，因为毕竟，我们还是亲姊妹。

R: I see. Do you think because my younger sister and I are of opposite sexes, we fought less?

我了解了。妳认为我妹妹和我是性别不同，所以较少吵架？

C: Possibly. Being intrinsically different probably gave you less reason to compete.

可能吧，本质上的不同让你们比较没有理由互相较劲。

R: Well, I remember she was irritated because there were thousands of photographs of me as a baby, but very few of her.

嗯，我还记得她曾因为满屋子都是我婴儿时的照片，但只有几张是她的而生气。

C: How could your parents do that to your sister? We’d better stock up on film because there are going to be just as many photos of both our sons!

妳的父母怎么可以那样对待妳妹妹？我们最好囤积一些胶卷，因为我们两个儿子的照片会一样多。

Vocabulary

单词发音

feud [fjud] n.（个人或团体间的）仇恨；长期不和；争吵

fight like cat and dog（非正式）>（两人）争吵不休 to argue violently all the time

see eye to eye (与某人)看法完全一致 to agree with someone

prevalence [ˋprɛvələns] n. 流行，盛行；普遍

sibling [ˋsɪblɪŋ] n. 兄弟姊妹

rivalry [ˋraɪv!rɪ] n. 竞争；对抗

exaggerated [ɪgˋzædʒə͵retɪd] adj. 夸大的﹐ 言过其实的

get on 后面往往接 with, 再接人, 表示与某人友好相处 to be or continue on harmonious terms

intrinsically [ɪnˋtrɪnsɪk!ɪ] adv. 从本质上（讲）

irritated [`ɪrətetɪd] adj. 恼火的; 急躁的

stock up (为某种需要或目的)储备(某物) to build up a supply of something

Sentence of the Day

All's fair in love and war.

恋爱和战争是不择手段的。

All's fair in love and war: In some situations, such as when you are in love or waging war, you are allowed to be deceitful in order to get what you want.

课文讲解

Ryan is discussing Claudia’s concerns with his colleague, Stella:  雷恩正和同事史黛拉讨论克劳蒂雅所操心的事：

R: Claudia’s concerned Martin will be jealous after his brother’s born. Do you know what causes sibling rivalry?

克劳蒂雅担心马丁的弟弟出生后马丁会嫉妒。妳知道兄弟阋墙的原因吗？

S: Trust me, having four children, I know all about sibling rivalry! Children clash because they’re in competition for their parents’ time, attention and approval.

相信我，生过四个孩子，我知道兄弟阋墙到底是怎么一回事！小孩子们吵架是因为他们在争谁可以让父母多陪他们、多注意他们及多夸赞他们！

R: So, the first child becomes jealous after the second is born because his parents’ attention has been divided?

所以，第一个小孩在第二个小孩出生后，会因为父母亲的关爱减少而产嫉妒心。

S: Yes, the older child dislikes the situation and holds the younger child responsible. He’ll try to find ways to make the parents stop loving the new brother!

是的，较大的孩子不喜欢这种情况，而归咎于他的弟妹。他会想办法让父母亲不再疼爱新生的弟妹。

R: Well, I’m not going to allow my son to antagonize his new brother!

嗯，我不会让我的儿子和他的弟弟变成仇人。

S: You must remember that it’s natural. And it can actually be quite useful.

你要记住，那是自然的现象，而且事实上是好处多多。

R: Excuse my skepticism, but what’s useful about havoc in your home?

恕我多疑，但是家里面闹哄哄的有什么好处？

S: Well, it can help your children value another person’s perspective, teach them to compromise, negotiate and control aggressive impulses.

嗯，这样可以帮你的孩子尊重其他人的观点，教他们如何妥协、协商、和控制攻击性的冲动。

R: I think I should have been more aggressive in my negotiations with Claudia! I’m not sure why I agreed to a second child.

我想我当初跟克劳蒂雅谈这件事时应该更积极点才是！我不晓得为什么我会同意生第二胎。

S: Nobody said that parenting was child’s play, but experience is the better teacher. In a few years from now, you’ll probably be able to handle your sons’ squabbles without batting an eyelid.

没有人说养儿育女是件容易的事，但经验是良师。过几年以后，你或许能驾轻就熟地处理你儿子们之间的争吵。

－by Wade Barnett

Vocabulary

单词发音

jealous [ˋdʒɛləs] adj. 妒忌的

clash [klæʃ] n. 冲突；不协调

antagonize [ænˋtægə͵naɪz] v. 使对抗；使敌对

skepticism [ˋskɛptəsɪzəm] n. 怀疑的态度

havoc [ˋhævək] n. 浩劫﹐大破坏

perspective [pɚˋspɛktɪv] n. 看法，观点

compromise [ˋkɑmprə͵maɪz] v. 妥协，让步

aggressive [əˋgrɛsɪv] adj. 好斗的，挑衅的; 有进取心的﹐ 有冲劲的; 执着的

impulse [ˋɪmpʌls] n. 冲动，一时的念头

parenting [ˋpɛrəntɪŋ] n. 父母对孩子的养育[照顾]

child’s play 【口】容易做的事. 轻而易举之事 something very easy to do

squabble [ˋskwɑb!] n. 争吵，口角

without batting an eyelid【口】不露声色; 处之泰然 without showing alarm or response; without blinking an eye

Sentence of the Day

He never had a fighting chance.

他从没有机会一搏。

fighting chance  需经过努力奋斗才能获得成功的机会