美语情景对话 第414期:Children with Phones 儿童使用手机

Ruth: So Akane, what do you think about children today having mobile phones?

鲁斯：茜，你怎么看现在的孩子都有手机这件事？

Akane: Mobile phones? Well, I mean, I think they could be a good thing, I mean for safety reasons.

茜：手机？嗯，我是说我认为那可能是件好事。我是说从安全的角度来说。

Ruth: Really?

鲁斯：真的吗？

Akane: Yes if I was a parent I think I would feel safer knowing that my child had a mobile phone and I could get in touch with them whenever I need to and if something happens like an emergency then they will be able to use the mobile phone.

茜：对，如果我是家长，我认为我的孩子们有手机会让我觉得安全，我可以在需要的时候随时和他们联系，如果发生了一些紧急的事情他们也可以用手机。

Ruth: You see I would argue that they’re quite dangerous actually, because children don’t really have the best attention spans anyway and often they could, for example, walk into the road whilst they were talking on their mobile phone and generally not pay attention so I don’t think they’re very safe.

鲁斯：你看，我要说那实际上很危险，因为孩子们的注意力不太集中，比如他们会经常一边讲电话一边在路上走，而且不会太注意身边的情况，我认为那并不太安全。

Akane: Well that’s a good point but that could also teach them responsibility as well. If mobile phones are unsafe, I mean bicycles could be unsafe and toys could be unsafe, but that’s all part of growing up and I think that if you teach them responsibility, it shouldn’t be a big problem.

茜：有道理，不过这也会教他们要有责任感。如果手机不安全，我是说那自行车和玩具也不安全，但是那都是成长的一部分，所以我认为如果你教给他们责任感，那就不是大问题了。

Ruth: But I think fewer children these days play on bikes than they used to; I think children are more dependent upon technology and I see that as, as a definite negative thing because children don’t play out as they used to before. They just stay in and watch TV and play on computer games.

鲁斯：可是我认为相比于过去，现在很少有孩子骑自行车玩了；我认为孩子们更依赖科技，而我认为那绝对是负面的事情，因为孩子们不向以前那样去外面玩了。他们只是呆在家里看电视、玩电脑游戏。

Akane: True, true. I suppose so, but you know technology is a necessity in our lives and in the future if we want them to become competent in using technology and taking advantage of technology then I think it would be a good way to start.

茜：没错，没错。我想是这样的，可是你知道科技是我们生活中的必需品，如果我们想让他们以后掌握科技的使用方法，或是利用科技，那这是一种好的开始。

Ruth: Don’t you think they are really expensive though? I mean, don’t…

鲁斯：你不认为那些很昂贵吗？我是说，不要……

Akane: Oh yeah, they are.

茜：是的，是很贵。

Ruth: If I was a parent though I would not want my child to be phoning people left, right and centre because it would cost so much money.

鲁斯：如果我是家长，我不想让我的孩子和前后左右的人打电话，因为那会花费很多钱。

Akane: Well you could be right about that. They do cost a lot of money.

茜：嗯，就这点来说你可能是对的。他们的确花费了很多钱。

Ruth: Oh, I’m glad you agree. Well, yeah, like at least we agree about something now.

鲁斯：哦，我很高兴你同意我的观点。嗯，至少现在我们有观点一致的事情了。

Akane: For sure.

茜：当然了。

重点讲解：
1. get in touch with sb.
（与…）联络；（与…）联系；
eg. I'll get in touch with you by phone tonight.
我今晚和你电话联系。
e.g Not knowing her address, we couldn't get in touch with her.
由于不知道她的地址，我们无法和她联系。
2. depend upon
依靠；依赖；
eg. We have to depend upon his good sense to save us all.
我们还要依靠他的良知来搭救我们大家。
eg. The computer is a useful tool which we often depend upon.
计算机是我们经常依赖的有用的工具。
3. see as
认为；把…看作；
eg. In many respects Asian women see themselves as equal to their men.
在很多方面，亚洲女性都认为自己和丈夫是平等的。
eg. I began to see themselves as a responsible also for their friends and family responsible.
我开始把自己看作是一个对自己负责也对朋友和家人负责的人。
4. stay in
（晚上）呆在家里，没外出；
eg. I have to stay in on weeknights.
除了星期六和星期日外我每天晚上都得待在家里。
eg. We stay in almost every night and watch television.
我们几乎每个晚上都在家里看电视。
5. take advantage of
利用；
eg. You should not take advantage of his kindness and generosity by demanding too much of him.
你不该利用他的友好和大方向他要求太多。
eg. I wish to erect a deck at the backyard conjoining the north-facing living area to take advantage of all day natural sun light.
我想在房子的后院建一个平台连接朝北的生活区以此利用上全天的自然光。