中级美国英语Lesson49:家庭生活有关的词汇

六.COPE WITH

下面我们学学怎么用 cope with, c-o-p-e w-i-t-h, cope with 来表示 "对付" 或是 "应付". 比方, "对付心理问题是不容易的." 这句话英文可以这样说: To cope with psychological problems is not easy. 现在我们作一组代换练习,学学这种用 法. 首先老师念一个句子, 学生跟着重复一遍, 接着老师念一个词组, 学生就 把词组代换到原来的句子里. 学生作练习的时候,请你也一起作.

M: To cope with an unhappy marriage is not easy.

M: single parenthood

F: To cope with single parenthood is not easy

M: the high cost of living

F: To cope with the high cost of living is not easy.

M: emotional problems

F: To cope with emotional problems is not easy.

M: psychological problems

F: To cope with psychological problems is not easy.

M: financial problems

F: To cope with financial problems is not easy.

七.HAD BETTER

下面我们学习用 had better, h-a-d b-e-t-t-e-r, had better 加上原型动词来表示 "最好" 作某件事情. 比方 "她最好开始找个托儿所." 这句话英文可以 这样说:

She had better start looking for a child-care center. 现在我们作一组代换练习学 学这种用法. 练习的内容是说到南希既然决定跟丈夫分居,自己带大孩子, 她最 好作些什么安排, 比方存钱, 找公寓, 找托儿所等等. 请你跟学生一起作练习.

M: Nancy had better save some money.

M: get herself a car

F: Nancy had better get herself a car.

M: find an apartment

F: Nancy had better find an apartment.

M: start looking for a child-care center

F: Nancy had better start looking for a child-care center.

M: ask her parents to help

F: Nancy had better ask her parents to help.

下面一组代换练习的内容是说凯特认为南希应该跟父母谈一谈,最好三思而后 行等等. 请你跟刚才一样作练习.

F: Nancy had better talk to her parents.

M: think the whole thing over

F: Nancy had better think the whole thing over.

M: work out the problems with Steve

F: Nancy had better work out the problems with Steve.

M: make up with Steve

F: Nancy had better make up with Steve.

八.WOULD RATHER

最后我们学习怎么用英文来表示 "宁愿怎么样也不愿意怎么样". 比方 "婚姻不 美满还不如分居." Having a separation is better than having an unhappy marriage. 这句话可以换一个方式用 would rather, w-o-u-l-d r-a-t-h-e-r, would rather 加上原型动词开头的词组再加上 than, t-h-a-n, than 改成 "我宁愿分居也 不愿意有不美满的婚姻."I would rather have a separation than have an unhappy marriage. 下面我们作一组练习把这两种说法作一个比较. 练习的作法是南希 用 is better than说一句话, 请你用南希作主语再加上would rather ...than 把句子 说出来. 下面就是一个例子:

F: Coping with the high cost of living is better than coping with emotional problems.

M: Nancy would rather cope with the high cost of living than cope with emotional problems.

这组练习比较难, 请你特别用心. 每作完一句老师就会把正确答案念给你听.

F: Having a separation is better than having an unhappy marriage.

M: Nancy would rather have a separation than have an unhappy marriage.

F: Breaking up with Steve is better than having quarrels with him.

M: Nancy would rather break up with Steve than have quarrels with him.

F: Being a single parent is better than staying with Steve.

M: Nancy would rather be a single parent than stay with Steve.

F: Coping with financial problems is better than living with Steve.

M: Nancy would rather cope with financial problems than live with Steve.

F: Coping with the high cost of living is better than coping with emotional problems.

M: Nancy would rather cope with the high cost of living than cope with emotional problems.

九.听短语回答问题

今天我们要听的文章谈到美国一般人的家庭和婚姻状况.

请你注意听.

In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising five or more children were common. Over the years the size of the family has decreased. One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living.

On the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them financially dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents usually take the responsibility for all the expenses.

Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers work away from home. The break up of the family occurs when the parent divorce.

A lot of children in the U.S. live part of their young lives with only one parent.

Broken families usually result in problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling unsettled as they are moved back and forth between parents.

Usually one parent takes the responsibility for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children's emotional and psychological needs while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and leaves very little time for the parent's own personal interests.

Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship. The situations of many American families today are not good.

However, recent signs indicate that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining.

The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learnd how important families are.

现在请你回答下面三个问题. 在你回答之后请你听老师念正确答案.

第一个问题是:

M: Why have American families become smaller?

F: It is because the cost of living has increased.

第二个问题是:

M: What problems might children have when their parents break up?

F: They might have emotional and psychological problems.

第三个问题是:

M: What is a single parent?

F: A single parent is a person who raises his or her child alone.