美語情景對話 第550期:Students and Jobs 學生和打工

Todd: You know, Greg, we were both talking about how we have part-time job, you know, I think there's a lot of benefit but looking back, sometimes I wonder if it's not so good if children work.

託德：格雷格，我們之前談過，我們兩個人都打過工，你知道，我認爲打工有很多益處，可是回想一下的話，有時我覺得讓孩子們打工可能不太好。

Greg: Why?

格雷格：爲什麼？

Todd: You know, I just think, basically, that kids get in this trap, they start working, they start getting a little money, they kind of get into buying things, consumerism, and they really don't focus on studying or being in clubs or just doing extra-curricular activities when they're young.

託德：你看，我在想，孩子們面臨誘惑，他們開始工作後就會掙到錢，然後他們就會拿這些錢去買東西、去消費，這樣一來他們可能就不會專心學習了，而是在小小年紀開始去俱樂部，或是做一些課外活動。

Greg: But sometimes if people work, they learn that they have to work in order to get something and then they transfer that to school and say, OK, I have to work at school in order to get good grades, or to get into the high school I want, or into the college I want.

格雷格：不過人們在工作以後會明白要想得到某件東西他們就必須要工作，他們會把在工作中學到的道理應用在學業上，孩子們會明白要拿到好成績或是考進理想中的高中或大學就必須要努力學習。

Todd: I think it's nice to look at it that way but I think in reality, most people that are wealthy, their children don't work and they get better grades and they do activities that help their school resume, and as a result they get into the best schools, and they get the best jobs.

託德：這樣看還不錯，不過我認爲在現實生活中，大部分有錢人的孩子都不工作，他們也能取得好成績，而且他們也會做一些爲學校評價增分的活動，這樣一來他們就能進入好學校，然後找到好工作。

Greg: Maybe the rich people are able to go to better schools cause their better schools in the rich area so their getting a better education, that might be one.

格雷格：有錢人能進入好學校可能是因爲富人區的學校比較好，所以他們能獲得更好的教育。

Todd: Yeah, that's true but I think maybe that if kids, if they start working and they work too much, then they lose their priorities, which should just be about an education.

託德：沒錯，不過我認爲孩子們如果打太多工，那他們就會忽視掉學習纔是他們的首要任務。

Greg: I agree if they work too much, but I think you learn a lot of things, which are very important, you know, there's a difference between book knowledge and world knowledge.

格雷格：我同意，如果孩子們做太多工作的確有這種可能，不過我認爲打工可以讓你學到很多重要的知識，書本知識和生活知識是不同的。

Todd: OK, that's true. Well, so how many hours would you suggest that a child works? Like for you what's the maximum hours that a kid in high school should work?

託德：沒錯。你會建議孩子們工作多長時間呢？你認爲高中生的打工時間最多不能超過幾個小時？

Greg: A high school student should probably work no more than 10 hours a day.

格雷格：高中生的打工時間最好一天不要超過10個小時。

Todd: OK, I agree. I agree. See when I was in high school, I was like working 25, 30 hours.

託德：我同意，我也這麼認爲。我上高中的時候可能會工作25或30個小時。

Greg: That's, that's a lot.

格雷格：那太多了。

Todd: Right, and that's why I'm not a rich man today.

託德：對，這就是爲什麼我現在沒有成爲有錢人的原因。

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重點講解：
1. look back
追憶；回顧；
例句：Looking back, I am staggered how easily it was all arranged.
回頭一想，我驚異地發現這一切的安排竟是如此簡單。
2. focus on
集中（注意力）；關注；
例句：We should focus on day-to-day work.
我們要把主要精力放到經常工作方面。
3. in order to
爲了；以便；目的在於；
例句：He is cautious in order to get promoted.
他爲求升遷而小心謹慎。
4. in reality
事實上；實際上；
例句：We thought he was serious but in reality he was joking.
我們以爲他是認真的，但實際上他是在開玩笑。