Radical Changes in Children's Lives
radical /ˈrædɪkəl/: adj. 剧烈的 (涉及根本的);彻底的;激进的
① For those over 30 in a rich country, in their childhood, they were out and about all the time; their parents hardly saw them from morning to night.
out and about: 四处溜达;外出走动
② Today such children will spend most of their time indoors, be supervised more closely, be driven everywhere rather than walk or cycle, take part in many more organised activities and, probably for several hours every day, engage with a screen of some kind.
indoors /ˌɪnˈdɔː(r)z/: adv. 在室内
supervise /ˈsuːpəvaɪz/: vt. 监管;指导
cycle /ˈsaɪkəl/: vi. 骑自行车 n. 循环
organised ['ɔ:ɡənaɪzd] adj.有组织的,有条理的
activities [ækˈtɪvədi]n.活跃;活动
engage /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/: vi. 从事;参与;与……建立联系
③ Prosperous parents these days, especially in America, invest an unprecedented amount of time and money in their children to ensure that they will do at least as well as the parents themselves have done, and preferably better.
prosperous /ˈprɒspərəs/: adj. 富裕的;兴旺发达的
invest [ɪnˈvɛst] vt.投资;投入;使⋯就职;赋予 vi.投资;花钱
unprecedented /ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd/: adj. 空前的;前所未有的
preferably /ˈprefərəbli/: adv. 最好……;更好地
④ Those endless rounds of extra tutoring, music lessons, sports sessions and educational visits, have proved highly effective at securing the good grades and social graces that will open the doors to top universities and well-paid jobs.
tutor /ˈtjuːtə, ˈtuːtər/: vi. (一对一或小班) 辅导 n. (一对一或小班) 辅导教师
sessions [ˈsɛʃən] n.集会;开庭;会议;一段时间;学年;学期;上课时间;录音时段;畅饮
educational /ˌedjʊˈkeɪʃənəl/: adj. 教育的
securing [səˈkjʊr] adj.牢固的;安全的;稳定的;安宁的 vt.系牢;关紧;保护;使⋯稳固;为⋯担保;获得
social graces: 社交礼仪
well-paid ['wel'peɪd] adj.工资高的;
⑤ Working-class parents in America lack the wherewithal to engage in such intensive parenting.
lack [læk] n.缺乏 vt.缺乏 vi.缺乏
wherewithal /ˈweəwɪðɔːl/: n. 必要的资金
engage [ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ] vt.吸引;引起;使参加;雇用;使⋯啮合;与⋯交战 vi.从事;交战;啮合
intensive [ɪnˈtɛnsɪv] adj.集中的;密集的;加强的;集约的;加强词义的 [构词成分]⋯密集的
parenting [ˈpɛrən(t)ɪŋ] n.养儿育女
⑥ As a result, social divisions from one generation to the next are set to widen.
generation [ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃ(ə)n] n.一代人;同代人;一代人的时间;一代;产生;带来;创造
be set to do sth.: 某事将会发生 (be ready to do sth.)
⑦ The reasons underlying these momentous changes in childhood range from broad social and demographic trends such as urbanisation, changes in family structure and the large-scale move of women into the labour force to a shifting emphasis in policy on the early years and the march of digital technology.
underlying /ˌʌndəˈlaɪ-ɪŋ/: adj. 潜在的
momentous /məʊˈmentəs/: adj. 重要的
range from A to B and C: 范围从 A 到 B 和 C (多用于列举)
demographic /ˌdeməˈɡræfɪk/: adj. 人口学的
urbanisation [ˌɜ:bənɪ'zeɪʃən] n.城市化(等于urbanization)
shifting [ˈʃɪftɪŋ] adj.变化的;变换的
emphasis /ˈemfəsɪs/: n. 重点;强调 march /mɑː(r)tʃ/: n. 持续的推进;稳步的发展
march [mɑrtʃ] vi.齐步走;游行示威;快步行走 vt.使行进 n.行军;游行示威;进行曲;进展
▍词汇拓展
1. radical: adj. 剧烈的;彻底的;激进的
He has radical views.
他的观点很偏激。
2. supervise: vt. 监管;指导
· supervisor: n. (学院中学生的) 导师;监督者;管理者
3. cycle: vi. 骑自行车 n. 循环
· the cycle of the seasons: 四季循环
4. engage: vi. 从事;参与
· engage in sth.: 从事/参与某事
· engage in activities: 参与活动
· engage with: 与……建立联系;打交道
You need to engage with the local communities.
你需要和当地的社区团体打交道。
5. prosperous: adj. 富裕的;兴旺发达的
I wish you a prosperous new year.
祝你新年大吉大利。
6. preferably: adv. 最好……;更好地
He would like a place of his own, preferably in the city centre.
他希望有一个属于自己的地方,这个地方最好是在市中心。
7. be set to do sth.: 某事将会发生 (be ready to do sth.)
The weather is set to change.
要变天了。