EZCNN 易英网

Teentalk 青少年的话题

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Mark and Stephanie, long-time friends who both have teenage daughters, are talking about sex among American teenagers:  马克和史蒂芬妮是老朋友，两人都有女儿正值青少年时期，在一起谈到美国青少年的情行为：

M: My daughter’s got this boyfriend who’s about four years older than her, and she doesn’t want to listen to anything I’ve got to say.

我女儿有一位男朋友，比她大四岁，结果现在我说什么话，她都听不进去了。

S: About the boyfriend or sex?

有关男朋友，还是有关性的话题？

M: Both. I don’t mind her dating the boyfriend, but I don’t think she’s ready to have sex. She’s only seventeen.

两者都是。我不介意她交男朋友，但我还不认为她已经到了可从事性行为的年龄，她才十七岁。

S: But that’s not for you to decide. Teenagers are much more mature today than we were at their age. There’s sex everywhere: on TV, the movies, advertising…..

但这件事你没办法做主。现在的青少年比我们以前同年龄时，成熟多了。现在性四处泛滥：不论是电视、电影、或广告…

M: I know, but she’s still my little girl! I guess the sexual liberation of our generation has contributed to the prominence of sex in today’s media.

我晓得，不过她还只是个小女孩！我想我们那一代的性解放运动促成现代媒体的情色抬头。

S: But sex education has changed too. In a lot of ways, teenagers are more responsible when it comes to using birth control and preventing STDs.

不过性教育也有改变，很多方面现在的青少年比较负责任，像是生育控制和防治性传染病。

M: I’m not too worried about her getting pregnant or catching AIDS. I just don’t think she’s emotionally mature enough yet for a sexual relationship.

我并不很担心她会怀孕或被传染爱滋，我只是不认为她心理上已经够成熟到处理性关系了。

S: Well, that’s something she alone can decide.

这种事只有她自己能决定。

M: That’s what I’m afraid of. I must sound like a stupid old man.

我就是怕这样。听起来我一定像个愚蠢老头。

S: No, just a concerned father. But your daughter is a bright girl. She’ll make the right decision.

不像，只是个关切的老爸。不过你女儿是个聪明人，她会自己做正确的决定。

Vocabulary

单词发音

sexual liberation 性解放

prominence [ˋprɑmənəns] n. 引人注目的事物（或地方）

STD = sexually transmitted disease 性传染疾病

concerned [kənˋsɝnd] adj. 挂虑的，担心的

Sentence of the Day

She's a chip off the old block.

他和双亲很像，像是一个模子出来的。

chip off the old block【口】酷肖父母者(尤指酷肖父亲者)

课文讲解

Stephanie discusses her daughter with Mark:  史蒂芬妮和马克讨论有关她女儿的事：

S: One day, my daughter came to me and said she was ready for a sexual relationship. Before I could say anything, she started reeling off all these statistics on teenagers and sex.

有一天我女儿来对我说，她已经准备好要有性关系了。我还没来得及说话，她就滔滔不绝发表了一大堆有关青少年和性的统计数字。

M: It’s pretty bold of her to just come up and tell you. What did she say?

她很有胆量，敢来对妳讲这些。她说了些什么？

S: She started by saying, “Did you know that American teens use birth control more successful than teens of twenty years ago?” while I stood there in shock.

刚开始她说：「妳知道吗？现代美国青少年的生育控制比廿年前成功得多。」我则大为震惊呆站在那儿。

M: I heard that one from my daughter too. How did the rest go? I think it was something about the teenager pregnancy rate declining about 20 percent in the early 90s. Where do they get this stuff?

我也听我女儿说过这些。其他呢？是不是有关九十年代初期，青少年怀孕比廿年前下降了百分之廿。她们从那儿得来这些资料的？

S: Sex education at school. The classes have certainly made my daughter more aware of how to protect herself against the unwanted outcomes of sex.

学校里的性教育课程。这些课程的确让我女儿比较懂得保护自己，如何远离一些不好的性后遗症。

M: Sure. But sex education should come from the parents too.

当然，不过父母也应该给她们一些性教育。

S: Agreed; that’s why I allow my daughter to bring her romantic companion home. That way I can know she’s safe and who she’s with.

我赞成，所以我同意女儿把男朋友带回家，这样我可以知道她是否安全，以及她和谁在一起。

M: That’s very liberal. But treating your children as mature people does not always mean they will be responsible in return.

这做法很开放，不过把孩子当大人看待，并不能就担保他们愿负责任以做为回报。

S: I know, but sometimes you just have to trust them.

我了解，但是有时你必须信任她们。

－by Eddie Cameron

Vocabulary

单词发音

reel [ril] off 滔滔不绝地讲(或背诵) to recite fluently and usually at length

statistics [stəˋtɪstɪks] n. 统计，统计资料

bold [bold] adj. 大胆的

come up 走近; 走到跟前

shock [ʃɑk] n. 震惊

outcome [ˋaʊt͵kʌm] n. 结果；结局；后果

liberal [ˋlɪbərəl] adj. 心胸宽阔的，开明的

Sentence of the Day

It is important to touch base with your kids.

父母要能与孩子沟通谈心非常重要。

touch base 把某一件事的情况告诉有关的人