零距离美语会话[社会问题]Lesson2:Aboutsociety

Two   About society. 
    关于社会

 1   Introduction
A    Some people find it’s very meaningful to be kind to the young and care for the old.  America is a wealthy nation, but it has many problems like poverty and loneliness.  So, many people volunteer their time to help teach poor children, or they visit elderly people who are lonely.
一些人觉得尊老爱幼很有意义。美国是个富强的GJ，但是也有很多贫穷和孤独这些问题。所以，许多人自愿给出时间来帮助教育贫穷的孩子，或者去探望年迈孤寂的老人。
B    In many western nations, people are concerned about others who drink or smoke too much.  And drugs are a problem that people openly discuss.
在西方许多GJ，人们关注那些酗酒或抽烟太多的人。毒品问题就是人们公开谈论的一个话题。
C    Pregnancy can be an issue that causes arguments in America.  Pregnancy, abortion, and birth control, are topics that people do not agree on.
在美国，怀孕是一个可以引起争执的话题。关于怀孕、堕胎以及节育这些问题，人们都持有不同意见。
D    It is a common tradition for some Westerners to donate money to charities that help to solve problems such as poverty, disease, and intolerance.
捐钱给慈善机构去帮助解决像贫穷、疾病和无法容忍这样的问题，这是一些西方人所共有的一个传统。
E    The suburbs are popular because people enjoy more space for their homes and the crime rate is usually lower. 
郊区很受欢迎，因为人们可以享受更大的住房空间，犯罪率通常也要低一些。

 2    Sample Sentences
1.   Do you prefer the city or the country?
     你喜欢城市还是乡下？
2.   Watch your diet.
注意节食。
3.   You have lost some weight. / You have come off some weight.
     你瘦了一些。
4.   At an early age, I found that positive relationships with elderly, infirmed, and disabled people, were personally fulfilling.
    早年，我就发现和年老的、体弱者，还有残疾人积极地相处很令人充实。
5.   I have the power to change my body and my health, yet I can’t seem to get the job done. 
     我有能力改变我的身体状况和健康，但是我似乎就是不能把这事搞定。
6.   I think that once you become accustomed to life in a place like New York State, New England, or Minnesota, you would be happy to live there.
    我想一旦你习惯了在像纽约州、新英格兰（美国东北部六州的总称）或者明尼苏达州这样的地方生活，你会很高兴住在那儿的。
7.   Carl was very supportive of your right to be an individual.
     Carl 很支持你作为个人的权力。
8.   He seems very respectful of people of different backgrounds.
     他看起来很尊重来自不同出生背景的人。
9.   How would you react if your friend wanted an abortion?
如果你的朋友要求流产的话，你会有什么反应？
10.  I haven't had a personal experience with abortion other than knowing someone who had one.
     除了认识一个人有过此经历外，我个人还从未经历过流产。

 3   Conversations
1.  Dieting.
George:  Do you hear what happened to Sally?
Joanne:  No, what?
George:  She had to go to the hospital. 
Joanne:  Why?
George:  She passed out1 in class.  Seems she hadn't eaten anything in days.
Joanne:  Why on earth would she do that? You mean that she intentionally2 did not eat any food for days?  That's crazy!
George:  Yeah, but that's what she did. 
Joanne:  I can't believe that there are girls who are willing to do that to their bodies.  And all for a certain look.
George:  Well, it's not just the girl’s fault.  It's also society's fault - magazines and ads that show wafer3 - thin models all saying “It's in to be thin”.  It's hard for them not to listen. 
Joanne:  True, but there are limits.  Being thin is one thing; starving oneself to death is another.  No one forces them to do this.
George:  I know that, but sometimes it's hard to make the right decision.  And besides, anorexia4 is a psychological5 problem as well.  Anorexics never think that they are thin enough, and they keep pushing themselves.
Joanne:  Well, they should do more to tone down6 those messages and try to promote a healthier body image. It really hurts girls if they grow up thinking they're always too fat.
George:  I agree.
【译文】
——你听说莎利出什么事了吗？
——没有，什么事？
——她必须去医院。
——为什么？
——她在课堂上昏倒了。好像她几天没有吃东西了。
——她究竟为什么要那样做？你是说她故意几天不吃东西？那真是疯狂！
——是的，但她是那么做的。
——我不相信有女孩子愿意对她的身体那样做，况且仅仅是为了某些方面好看。
——唔，这不只是这个女孩子的过错。也是社会的过错——那些登着最瘦模特的杂志和广告都说“减肥很流行”。对她们来说，不听是很难的。
——是这样，但也要有限度。减肥是一回事，把自己饿死是另外一回事。没有人强迫她们这样做。
——我知道，但有时做出正确的决策是很难的。而且此外，厌食症也是一个心理问题。厌食者从不认为她们已经够瘦了，而不停地压制她们自己。
——唔，她们应该努力减弱这些信息的影响，尽量提倡一个更健康的身体形象。如果女孩子长大时总认为她们太胖了，这确实是在伤害她们自己。
——我同意。

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