The traditional American family is a “nuclear family”. A nuclear family refers to a husband and wife and their children. The average American family today has two or three children. In some cultures, people live close to their extended family. Several generations may even live together. In America, only in a few cases does more than one household live under one roof.
American values are valued in the home. Many homes are run like a democracy. Each family member can have a say. A sense of equality often exists in American homes. Husbands and wives often share household chores. Often parents give children freedom to make their own decisions. Preschoolers choose what clothes to wear or which toys to buy. Young adults generally make their own choices about what career to pursue and whom to marry.
Families in America, like those in every culture, face many problems. Social pressures are breaking apart more and more American homes. Over half of US marriages now end in divorce. More than one in four American children are growing up in single-parent homes. As a result, many people believe the American family is in trouble.
Even so, there is still reason for hope. Many organizations are working hard to strengthen families. Americans almost unanimously believe that the family is one of the most important parts of life. They realize that problems in family life in recent years have brought serious consequences. As a result, more and more people are making their family a priority. Many women are quitting their jobs to stay home with their children. Families are going on vacations and outings together. Husbands and wives are making a concentrated effort to keep their marriages solid.
The United Naitions has declared 1994 the “International Year of Family”. Not just in America, but all over the world, people recognize the importance of a strong family bond.
Listening task 2
Women are beginning to rise steadily to the top in the workplace all over the developed world, but in the US they are forging ahead. New figures show that in almost a third of American households with a working wife, the woman brings home more money than her husband. They are gaining more college degrees and Masters of Business Administration qualifications than men and now occupy half the country’s high-paying, executive administrative and managerial occupations, compared with 34 percent 20 years ago.
The trend is caused by two main factors, experts say—a growing acceptance of men as househusbands and mass redundancy of male white-collar workers from the technology, finance and media industries in the last three years.
The University of Maryland has produced a report that shows women to be the family’s bread-earner-in-chief in 11 percent of all US marriages. And where both spouses work, she now brings in 60 percent or more of the family income in 30.4 percent of the households
An economist at the University of Wisconsin said that ambitious women are increasingly looking for househusbands and leave men at the kitchen sink. Real World Listening
Mrs. White: What do you think is the most sensible choice for a woman in this
century? Should she return to being a housewife or combine career and family?
Daisy: I think it is rewarding for a woman to have her own career or something
else to do outside the home. Nowadays, many women are highly educated and they have enormous earning potential.
Mrs. White: I think “being a full-time housewife” is a wise choice in this
competitive world. After all, there is an increasing need for one parent to hold down the fort and take care of the kids.
Daisy: Nowadays, many women are as capable as men. Why should they,
instead of their husbands, quit their career for family?
Mrs. White: In fact, young women today are increasingly putting their personal
happiness before a big salary or high-powered career. Many women even prefer to be called “home managers”.
Daisy: Of course there is nothing new about women giving up their careers to
look after children, but dropping out of the workforce means a progressive reduction in work experience, perhaps the loss of a promotion, so her social status falls. She will completely lose her identity.
Mrs. White: But children are young for such a short time, careers can wait. Once the
child has grown up, that time can never be returned. And for a mother, I think, watching her children grow up is the greatest pleasure ever in the world. It’s understandable that women crave a work-life balance. Anyway, the age of the “superwoman”, who wants to be the world’s best mother, wife and boss, is dead.
Unit 5 Health and Diet Listening task 1
I had just turned 40, and had spent most of my adult life as a public relations consultant with little time to cook, let alone learn how to cook. But a few years ago I made a resolution to start writing down the recipes I had grown up with and posting them to my website. I come from a big family—six kids—and thought what a terrific family project to document our family recipes! Both my mother and father are excellent home cooks; mom raises us all, and dad loves to eat well and enjoys the experimentation of trying out new recipes. I’m spending a lot of time with my parents lately; we cook a meal and then over dinner discuss the finer points of the proper way to prepare the dishes, and whether or not a new recipe was worth the effort.
Many of the recipes are family recipes, and many of them are those that we pick from cookbooks, magazines, and newspaper clippings we’ve collected over 30 years. But sometimes it’s hard when you only have a clipping. The recipes shown here use mostly whole food ingredients and only occasionally a few things from cans or prepared foods. We believe in a varied, healthy diet, using real butter, real cream, eggs, and protein from meat, fish, and cheese.
About me, my name is Alice Bauer and I am a partner in a consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. I maintain several weblogs in addition to Simply Recipes as part
of alice.com.
Thanks so much for visiting Simply Recipes! Listening task 2
One of my most favorite breakfasts is a poached egg on toast, with a side of papaya and lime, including some prosciutto with the papaya. Papaya is filled with enzymes that help digestion, and is even used to tenderize meat. The ingredients you need include: 1 firm but ripe papaya, 2 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto, and 1/2 lime, cut and sliced into a few wedges. Now let’s go!
First, using a vegetable peeler, peel away the outer skin of the papaya. Then cut the papaya in half. Using a metal spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. By the way, the seeds are edible. They taste peppery, like nasturtium flowers, and can be used in salads. Next, slice the papaya halves into wedges lengthwise. Arrange them on a plate. Now what you need to do is to roll up thin sheets of proscuitto and place them between the papaya wedges. Remember the last thing, squeeze fresh limejuice over the papaya and proscuitto.
If you would like to serve the papaya as an appetizer, cut the papaya into 1-inch pieces, sprinkle on some limejuice, wrap each piece with some proscuitto, and secure with a toothpick. It serves 2-4. Real World Listening
Grace: Welcome to “Let’s Get into Shape”! I’m your host, Grace Stockdale.
Today our program is about 10-minute workouts to keep fit. Today we have Gabby Collins here to share her experience of fitness and answer listeners’ questions on physical exercises. Thanks for joining us, Gabby.
Gabby: Hi there! I’m very happy to share some time with you.
Grace: So Gabby, as I know, your two ten-minute workouts—which target
arms, stomach and legs—are a quick and simple way to get into shape.
Gabby: Right, regardless of your level of fitness, they help you lose weight and
to be vigorous enough to engage in daily routines and to handle various stresses. You know, obesity raises the possibility of developing diseases.
Grace: Absolutely! Exercise keeps you fit and healthy. And here comes the first
call for questions.
Listener 1: Hello, Gabby, running is not my thing, so where should I start?
Gabby: If you’ve never been a runner, start by walking quickly for a minute and
then alternate by jogging for a minute. Do this four minutes. If you are starting with a good level of fitness, jog for a minute and sprint for the other minute. Again do this for four minutes.
Listener 1: Thank you, Gabby.
Listener 2: Hello, Gabby. Each time after exercise, I always feel stiff and sometimes
my muscles pull, and it’s hard to start my next workout.
Gabby: After any exercise you should stretch the muscles you have used the most.
Stretching makes you feel more flexible.
Listener 2: I see. I need some cool-down exercises.
Gabby: Sure. Let’s take an arm stretch as an example. Sitting cross-legged, raise
your left arm and place your hand between your shoulder blades as if
trying to reach your bottom. Now, take your right hand reaching across the front of your chest and push the elbow of the left arm to increase the stretch. Hold for ten seconds and repeat on the other side.
Listener 3: Hello, Gabby. How often should I do these exercises?
Gabby: Hum, it depends. My two workouts aim to do at least three sessions a
week.
Listener 4: Hello, Gabby. I… Unit 6 Travel Listening task 1
I was spending my summer in a remote village in Ghana. I got afflicted with “the runny stomach”, as the family I lived with called it. After 5 days of the runny stomach, we left the village and took a 12-hour car ride to the capital city. Needless to say, 12-hour car rides and runny stomachs aren’t compatible. Once we had to stop in a village, greet the 20 or so people that were there, give a detailed explanation of my condition, and then I was allowed to use a brand-new porcelain toilet. I was very embarrassed because they had someone clean the toilet and stand outside while I did my noisy business. Through a crack in the bathroom wall I could hear some kids washing the dishes. I was splendid entertainment for the kids. Each time I let out some gas, I heard squeals of delight and hysterical laughter. They also muttered about “runny stomach”. But the highlight of my sickness had to be the wedding we attended in the capital. There I was greeted by countless guests. They asked about the details of my stomach condition. On my 8th day of sickness, we went to a private hospital and for the next two weeks I took lots of prescribed antibiotics and drank bottles of oral rehydration salts. My condition began improving in about two days. Much to my disappointment, the stool and blood samples came back negative, so my condition was a result of a change of diet. Needless to say, I learned not to be shy about stomach conditions.
Listening task 2
When he realized that his short-term memory was failing, my husband decided to wear a multi-pocketed vest. The vest, with it’s 17 pockets each serving a purpose, did work for a while. Things were going so well that he started to relax a little and one day he turned back to his traditional pants-pocket wallet.
Just seconds after boarding the crowded Rome subway, a pickpocket was attracted by the familiar bulge. My husband stared at him for a moment. Finally the would-be thief withdrew and joined the crowd.
My partner became more careful, and the next time he was better organized, all the essentials in their assigned pockets. We had checked in for our flight to Athens. Before boarding I casually asked where his Swiss army knife was. His hand immediately went to the pocket designated for the knife, and found it safe there. Then his face fell: safe, that is, for anything but air travel.
Realizing that his precious knife would be taken away at security, he returned to the check-in counter. Fortunately, the frowning attendant agreed to pack his knife in a little box and check it separately.
By the time we got to Athens at midnight we were both exhausted. Our luggage
emerged and all the other passengers were gone. My husband was still watching the carousel going round and round and round. Finally, he went to find a baggage handler and a half hour later reappeared triumphantly with his knife. Real World Listening
Kim: Hey travelers! We are back from another escapist hour of planning and
dreaming. Cindy, author of Sunday’s lead piece on travel planning will join us today. So ask away!
Andrea: I have a quick question. What is a good time to visit Costa Rica? Would
June be a bad month? Thanks!
Cindy: Generally Dec. through April is the so-called dry season and May-Nov. is
the rainy season, but two things temper that information. First, Costa Rica has microclimates, and it can be raining in the mountains but not on the coast, along the Caribbean but not the Pacific. Second, even on a rainy day it tends to rain late in the day or the evening and you’re still likely to get 5 or more hours of sunshine.
Ann: I’m in the process of planning our delayed honeymoon this summer, most
likely to Europe. I’ve been abroad a couple of times, but my future husband hasn’t traveled as much as I have. But he is adventurous and willing to try anything. I’ve “done” Italy, and we’ve both “done” Great Britain, so ruling those two out, if you had 10 days to go travel around Europe, where would you go, or would you take a Mediterranean cruise?
Cindy: I’d go to Eastern Europe. Your dollars will go at least slightly farther so you
can get some of the honeymoon element in there, choosing higher end accommodations, for example. I think Croatia sounds like a romantic adventure and in fact I believe it is popular for honeymooners. What do you say?
Unit 7 Language Listening task 1
Jessica Bucknam shouts “tiao(跳)”and her fourth-grade students jump. “Dun(蹲)!” she commands, and they crouch. They giggle as the commands keep coming in Mandarin Chinese. Most of the kids have studied Chinese since they were in kindergarten.
They were part of a Chinese-immersion program at Woodstock Elementary School, in Portland, Oregon. Bucknam, who is from China, introduces her students to approximately 150 new Chinese characters each year. Students read stories, sing songs and learn math and science, all in Chinese.
Half of the students at the school are enrolled in the program. They can continue studying Chinese in middle school and high school. The goal: to speak like natives. About 24,000 American students are currently learning Chinese. Most are in high school. But the number of younger students is growing in response to China’s emergence as a global superpower. The U.S. government is helping to pay for language instruction. Recently, the Defense Department gave Oregon schools $700,000 for classes like Bucknam’s. The Senate is considering giving $1.3 billion for Chinese classes in public schools.
“China has become a strong partner of the United States,” says Mary Patterson, Woodstock’s principal. “Children who learn Chinese at a young age will have more opportunities for jobs in the future.” Isabel Weiss, 9, isn’t thinking about the future. She thinks learning Chinese is fun. “When you hear people speaking in Chinese, you know what they’re saying,” she says. “And they don’t know that you know.”
Want to learn Chinese? You have to memorize 3,500 characters to really know it all! Start with these Chinese characters and their pronunciations. Listening task 2
An idiom is an expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through conventional use. In the English expression to kick the bucket, a listener knowing only the meaning of kick and bucket would be unable to deduce the expression’s actual meaning, which is to die. Although kick the bucket can refer literally to the act of striking a bucket with a foot, native speakers rarely use it that way.
Idioms hence tend to confuse those not already familiar with them; students of a new language must learn its idiomatic expressions the way they learn its other vocabulary. In fact many natural language words have idiomatic origins, but have been sufficiently assimilated so that their figurative senses have been lost.
Interestingly, many Chinese characters are likewise idiomatic constructs, as their meanings are more often not traceable to a literal meaning of their assembled parts, or radicals. Because all characters are composed from a relatively small base of about 214 radicals, their assembled meanings follow several different modes of interpretation—from the pictographic to the metaphorical to those whose original meaning has been lost in history. Real World Listening
Q: Why are some idioms so difficult to be understood outside of the local culture? A: Idioms are, in essence, often colloquial metaphors—terms which require some
foundational knowledge, information, or experience, to use only within a culture where parties must have common reference. As cultures are typically localized, idioms are more often not useful for communication outside of that local context. Q: Are all idioms translatable across languages?
A: Not all idioms are translatable. But the most common idioms can have deep roots,
traceable across many languages. To have blood on one’s hands is a familiar example, whose meaning is obvious. These idioms can be more universally used than others, and they can be easily translated, or their metaphorical meaning can be more easily deduced. Many have translations in other languages, and tend to become international.
Q: How are idioms different from others in vocabulary?
A: First, the meaning of an idiom is not a straightforward composition of the
meaning of its parts. For example, the meaning of kick the bucket has nothing to do with kicking buckets. Second, one cannot substitute a word in an idiom with a related word. For example, we cannot say kick the pail instead of kick the bucket although bucket and pail are synonyms. Third, one cannot modify an idiom or
apply syntactic transformations. For example, John kicked the green bucket or the bucket was kicked has nothing to do with dying.
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