VOA慢速英语2011--Comparing American and Chinese Parents

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。

Some American parents might think their children need better educations to compete with China and other countries. But how much do the parents themselves need to change?

一些美国家长可能认为他们的孩子需要接受更好的教育，来与中国以及其他国家的孩子竞争。但家长本身又需要做出多大改变呢？

A new book called "Battle Hymn 1 of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting. Ms. Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven 2, Connecticut, and the mother of two daughters. She was raised in the American Midwest by immigrant Chinese parents.

蔡美儿（Amy Chua ）撰写的新书《虎妈战歌》引发了一场关于在教育孩子上的文化差异的辩论。蔡女士是耶鲁大学法学院的一名教授，同时也是2个孩子的妈妈。她在美国中西部的一个中国移民家庭长大。

In the Chinese culture, the tiger represents strength and power. In her book, Ms. Chua writes about how she demanded excellence 3 from her daughters. For example, she threatened to burn her daughter's stuffed animals unless she played a piece of music perfectly 4. She would insult her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations.

在中华文化中，老虎代表的力量和权势。蔡女士在她的书中写到了她如何要求女儿表现优异。例如，她扬言要烧毁女儿的毛绒玩具，除非她们能完美的弹奏一段音乐。如果达不到她的期望，她就会责骂她们。

Ms. Chua told NBC television that she had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do.

蔡女士告诉NBC电视台说，她明确了列出了她女儿索菲亚和路易莎不允许做的事情。

AMY CHUA: "Attend a sleepover, have a play date, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play, get any grade less than an A."

蔡美儿：“在外面过夜、与同学聚会、看电视或玩电脑游戏、参加课外活动、任何一门成绩低于A，（这些都是不允许的。）”

Many people have criticized Amy Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters.

许多人批评蔡美儿，有人称她的教育方式是虐待。她承认，她的丈夫不是华裔，有时也会反对她的教育方式。但她表示，这就是她的父母教育她们姐妹四个的方式。

Ms. Chua makes fun of her own extreme style of parenting. She says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted "I hate my life! I hate you!"

蔡女士自嘲自己极端的教育方法。她说，在她的小女儿反抗并冲她大喊“我恨我的生活，我恨你！”后，她略微放松了部分要求。

Ms. Chua says she decided 5 to retreat when it seemed like there was a risk that she might lose her daughter. But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children's abilities.

蔡女士说，当她意识到她可能失去女儿时，她决定退让 。但她表示，美国家长通常对孩子能力的期望较低。

AMY CHUA: "One of the biggest differences I see between Western and Chinese parents is that Chinese parents assume strength rather than fragility."

蔡美儿：“我认为中西方父母最大的差异之一就是中国父母更强势。”

Stacy DeBroff has written four books on parenting.

斯泰西·迪柏夫（Stacy DeBroff）写了四本关于教育孩子的书。

STACY DEBROFF: "The stirring of this intense debate has to do with what does it mean to be a successful parent and what does it mean to be a successful child?"

迪柏夫：“这场激烈辩论的焦点在于怎么才算是一个成功的父母？怎么才算是一个成功的孩子？”

Ms. DeBroff says Amy Chua's parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children.

迪柏夫称蔡美儿的教育方式不仅限于华人家庭。它代表着移民家庭望子成龙的传统教育方式。

But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised.

但她也看到了这当中的风险。当孩子没有时间参加社交活动或发展自己的兴趣爱好时，他们可能就无法发展生活中取得成功所需的其他技能。迪柏夫建议家长找到自己的教育方法，而不是重复上一辈对自己的教育方式。

1.represent v.代表, 象征, 表示

例句：The pilots respectfully represented that they were not at all tired.

飞行员郑重表示他们一点也不累。

2.expectation n.预料; 期望

例句：He has little expectation of passing the exam.

他对考试及格不抱希望。

3.permit vt.vi.允许; 许可

例句：I would like to do it with you, but I am not sure whether my parents permit.

我愿意和你一起做, 但不知我父母是否允许。

allow，let，permit，leave，authorize allow普通用词，侧重听任、默许或不加阻止。在正式场合可用来表客气的请求。

这些动词均含“让、允许”之意。

let常用词，用于各种非正式场合，语气最弱，指允许或无力阻止某事，暗示漠不关心或听之任之。

permit正式用词，在多数场合可与allow换用，语义最强，指准许某人做某事，含权威或正式的意味。

leave侧重不加干涉。

authorize语气最强，指权威性的允许与认可。

4.extreme adj.极度的, 极端的; 过激的；过分的

例句：His views are rather extreme.

他的见解相当偏激。

5.rebel vi. 反抗政府; 造反

例句：The tribes rebelled against the government.

各部落反叛政府。

6.retreat vi.撤退; 退却

例句：Our soldiers force the enemy to retreat.

我们的战士迫使敌人后退。

1.Some American parents might think their children need better educations to compete with China and other countries.

compete with与…抗争

例句：She competed with her rival for a prize.

她与对手一比高低以图获得奖品。

It is difficult for a small grocery store to compete with a supermarket.

小商店很难与超市抗争。

other, the other, another与others用法区别

这些不定代词不仅在含义上有单复数之分，而且在用法上有泛指(无the)和特指(有the)之别。其用法区别可归纳如下：

1)指单数时的用法指单数时，若泛指用another，若特指用 the other。如：Give me another (one). 另外给我一个。

Shut the other eye, please. 请把另一只眼睛也闭上。

2)指复数时的用法指复数时，若泛指用 other(后接复数名词)，若特指用the other(后接复数名词)。如：There are other ways of doing

it. 做这事还有其他的办法。

Where have the other students gone? 其他学生都到哪里去了？

3)other的用法others永远表示复数意义(且其后不能再接名词)。其用法大致相当于)“other 复数名词”，同样地 the others 大致相当于

“the other＋复数名词”。如：Other people [Others] may not think that way. 别的人可能不这样想。

He is cleverer than the others [the other students] in her class. 他比班上其他学生聪明。

4)another的用法another一般只能表单数，且其后接名词也只能接单数名词。但是若其后有数词或 few 修饰时，则也可接复数名词。如：We need another few chairs. 我们还需要几把椅子。

In another two weeks it'll be finished. 再过两个星期就可做完了。

5)与 some连用与 some 对比使用时，用 others(此时与 some 同义)。如：Some say yes, and others say no. 有人说对，有人说不对。

2.She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style.

object to反对; 对…反感

例句：I object to him.

我反对他。

They objected to me on personal grounds.

他们出于个人的原因反对我。

3.Ms. Chua makes fun of her own extreme style of parenting.

make fun of嘲弄, 取笑

例句：It is wrong to make fun of a cripple.

嘲笑残疾人是不对的。

4.One of the biggest differences I see between Western and Chinese parents is that Chinese parents assume strength rather than fragility."

rather than 而不是

例句：They thus increased their annual grain production rather than diminished it.

他们这样增加了而不是减少了粮食年产量。