Random acts of kindness

 　　Jennifer: Hello and a very warm and friendly welcome to the first 6 Minute English of 2013. My name is Jennifer and with me in the studio for today's programme is Callum. Happy New Year!

　　Callum: Hi Jen - happy New Year!
　　Jennifer: Have you made any New Year's resolutions this year? A resolution is something that you decide you are going to do for that year - my resolution is that I'm going to get fit and go to the gym at least twice a week.
　　Callum: Well, I don't really believe in making resolutions, as I can never stick to them, but for the sake 1 of the programme, I'll say that my resolution is to eat less junk food and to be a bit healthier in general.
　　Jennifer: That's not a bad idea. But what would you think about becoming kinder in 2013?
　　Callum: Don't you think I'm kind enough already?
　　Jennifer: I do think you're quite a kind person, but maybe you could try harder?
　　Callum: Now, hang on a second!
　　Jennifer: Before you get cross, listen to today's story - it's all about a study in America, which has shown that performing a kind act every day can have lots of benefits for you in your work life and your social life.
　　Callum: That sounds interesting…
　　Jennifer: … but before we get to the story, I've got a question for you to answer. We've talked already about New Year's resolutions, so what is the most commonly broken resolution - what's the thing that people start out doing, but then don't continue? Is it:
　　a) stopping smoking;
　　b) losing weight and getting fit;
　　c) travelling
　　Callum: Well, I'm going to go with b) losing weight and getting fit; I think that's something that's very difficult for people to actually do.
　　Jennifer: We'll find out if you're right at the end of the programme. Now, let's take a closer look at today's story. It's about a study done on schoolchildren in
　　America. They were asked to carry out three random 2 acts of kindness each week.
　　Callum: If something is random, it means it's unplanned. So, a random act of kindness means that you do something for someone that you haven't planned to do, just to be nice.
　　Jennifer: It's a lovely idea. But what could a random act of kindness be? Listen to this first part of a report from BBC correspondent 3 Victoria Gill. See if you can identify some of the random acts of kindness she mentions.
　　BBC correspondent Victoria Gill:
　　This team of psychologists instructed classrooms of nine to eleven-year-old students to carry out three random acts of kindness per week. These could be anything from giving a stressed parent a hug to offering to share lunch with a friend.
　　Jennifer: What random acts of kindness did she mention?
　　Callum: The first example given was giving a stressed parent a hug. If you're stressed, you're worried and under pressure.
　　Jennifer: So that's a random act of kindness that makes you feel good and doesn't cost anything to do. What other examples were given?
　　Callum: Offering to share lunch with a friend. Would you be prepared to share your lunch with me?
　　Jennifer: No! You said you wanted to lose weight for your New Year's resolution, so keep your hands off my lunch! Seriously, though, children between the ages of nine and eleven took part in this kindness study, so what effects did being kind have on the children? Listen to the second part of Victoria Gill's report: what positive effects did the study have?
　　BBC correspondent Victoria Gill:
　　At the end of the four weeks, these kind acts had boosted 4 the children's wellbeing, but they'd also shifted 5 the dynamics 6 of the whole classroom. The short period of enforced 7 kindness made children significantly 8 more popular with their peers 9; something the researchers measured by asking every child to nominate 10 classmates that they would most like to spend time with.
　　Jennifer: We heard that the acts boosted the children's wellbeing - that means it made them feel better about themselves. It also changed the dynamics of the classroom. Can you explain the word 'dynamics', Callum?
　　Callum: The word 'dynamics' here refers to the feel - the atmosphere - of the classroom; the things that are important to the people in it and the way people act. So, being kinder has changed the general feeling in the classroom, and made it better.
　　Jennifer: Another positive effect was that children became more popular with their classmates - so people will like you more if you are kind to them! Let's hear the final part of the report and see if you can identify an adjective 11 which describes a kind and selfless act.
　　BBC correspondent Victoria Gill:
　　The researchers say that encouraging schoolchildren to perform small and simple altruistic 12 acts could make the classroom a happier place, and even help to discourage social problems such as bullying 13.
　　Jennifer: That word was 'altruistic'. If you do something which is altruistic, you do it to help someone else and not gain anything yourself.
　　Callum: It's easy to see how performing kind acts can make classrooms or offices happier places. Maybe we should start doing kind acts in BBC Learning 14 English for our New Year's Resolution?
　　Jennifer: Now that's not a bad idea! Speaking of New Year's Resolutions, we're nearly at the end of the programme, so we have to answer the quiz question! I asked what the most commonly broken resolution was. Was it:
　　a) stopping smoking;
　　b) losing weight and getting fit;
　　c) travelling more
　　Callum: And I said b) losing weight and getting fit.
　　Jennifer: Well you were… wrong, it was a) stopping smoking. According to Time magazine, only 15% of people who stop smoking in January actually succeed. But we're not very good at getting fit, either - 60% of gym memberships 15 taken out in January are never used and people don't stick to their diets, either.
　　Callum: Hmm - that's not very good, is it? Well if I'm not going to stick to my resolution to lose weight, then there is some good news…
　　Jennifer: What's that?
　　Callum: You can share your lunch with me after all!
　　Jennifer: Oh ok! Join us again for another edition of 6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com. Bye for now!
　　Callum: Bye!




点击收听单词发音  






1
sake

  
 


n.缘故，理由


参考例句：





He loves poetry for beauty's sake.他因为爱美而喜欢诗歌。
We can't risk big things for the sake of small ones.我们不能因小失大。












2
random

  
 


adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动


参考例句：





The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。












3
correspondent

  
 


n.记者，通信者；adj.符合的，一致的，相当的


参考例句：





He volunteered as a correspondent for the war.他自愿担任作报道这次战争的记者。
The result was correspondent with my wishes.结果与我的愿望是一致的。












4
boosted

  
 


v.促进( boost的过去式和过去分词 )；增加；吹捧；向上推起


参考例句：





The shop's new look has boosted its takings considerably. 焕然一新的店铺大大提高了销售额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The boy had to be boosted up onto the large horse. 那男孩必须让人托着才能骑上那高头大马。 来自《简明英汉词典》












5
shifted

  
 


v.改变( shift的过去式和过去分词 )；去掉；摆脱掉；换挡


参考例句：





He shifted his position from the horizontal. 他从水平姿势变换成其他姿势。
He nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot. 他很紧张，重心在双脚之间来回换。 来自《简明英汉词典》












6
dynamics

  
 


n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态


参考例句：





In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。












7
enforced

  
 


n.强迫的v.实施( enforce的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；强迫；强制执行


参考例句：





a period of enforced absence 不得不离开的一段时间
This reform must be enforced. 此项改革势在必行。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》












8
significantly

  
 


adv.意味深长地；值得注目地


参考例句：





Prices did not alter significantly during 2004. 2004年期间，价格没有大的变化。
American English is significantly different from British English. 美国英语与英国英语有很大差异。












9
peers

  
 


n.同等的人，贵族vi.凝视，窥视vt.与…同等，封为贵族v.凝视( peer的第三人称单数 )；盯着看；同等；比得上


参考例句：





She enjoys the respect of her peers. 她受到同侪的尊敬。
She peers into my eyes. 她盯着我的眼睛。 来自《简明英汉词典》












10
nominate

  
 


vt.提名，推荐，任命


参考例句：





I nominate Tom to make the tea.我指派汤姆去沏茶。
The EU would nominate two members to the committee.欧盟将为该委员会指定两名成员。












11
adjective

  
 


n.形容词；adj.形容词的，用作形容词的


参考例句：





Don't apply that adjective to me.不要用那个字眼来形容我。
The adjective loose has several senses. 形容词loose有几个义项。












12
altruistic

  
 


adj.无私的，为他人着想的


参考例句：





It is superficial to be altruistic without feeling compassion.无慈悲之心却说利他，是为表面。
Altruistic spirit should be cultivated by us vigorously.利他的精神是我们应该努力培养的。












13
bullying

  
 


v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈


参考例句：





Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》












14
learning

  
 


n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词


参考例句：





When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。












15
memberships

  
 


n.全体会员( membership的名词复数 )；会员身份，会员资格


参考例句：





The memberships of this committee are stacked to give the majority party substantial control. 有人在这个委员会的组成上搞了鬼，以使多数党取得相当多的控制权。 来自辞典例句
You can specify security group memberships for this user. 您可以为此用户指定安全组成员身份。 来自互联网