美語情景對話 第414期:Children with Phones 兒童使用手機

Ruth: So Akane, what do you think about children today having mobile phones?

魯斯：茜，你怎麼看現在的孩子都有手機這件事？

Akane: Mobile phones? Well, I mean, I think they could be a good thing, I mean for safety reasons.

茜：手機？嗯，我是說我認爲那可能是件好事。我是說從安全的角度來說。

Ruth: Really?

魯斯：真的嗎？

Akane: Yes if I was a parent I think I would feel safer knowing that my child had a mobile phone and I could get in touch with them whenever I need to and if something happens like an emergency then they will be able to use the mobile phone.

茜：對，如果我是家長，我認爲我的孩子們有手機會讓我覺得安全，我可以在需要的時候隨時和他們聯繫，如果發生了一些緊急的事情他們也可以用手機。

Ruth: You see I would argue that they’re quite dangerous actually, because children don’t really have the best attention spans anyway and often they could, for example, walk into the road whilst they were talking on their mobile phone and generally not pay attention so I don’t think they’re very safe.

魯斯：你看，我要說那實際上很危險，因爲孩子們的注意力不太集中，比如他們會經常一邊講電話一邊在路上走，而且不會太注意身邊的情況，我認爲那並不太安全。

Akane: Well that’s a good point but that could also teach them responsibility as well. If mobile phones are unsafe, I mean bicycles could be unsafe and toys could be unsafe, but that’s all part of growing up and I think that if you teach them responsibility, it shouldn’t be a big problem.

茜：有道理，不過這也會教他們要有責任感。如果手機不安全，我是說那自行車和玩具也不安全，但是那都是成長的一部分，所以我認爲如果你教給他們責任感，那就不是大問題了。

Ruth: But I think fewer children these days play on bikes than they used to; I think children are more dependent upon technology and I see that as, as a definite negative thing because children don’t play out as they used to before. They just stay in and watch TV and play on computer games.

魯斯：可是我認爲相比於過去，現在很少有孩子騎自行車玩了；我認爲孩子們更依賴科技，而我認爲那絕對是負面的事情，因爲孩子們不向以前那樣去外面玩了。他們只是呆在家裏看電視、玩電腦遊戲。

Akane: True, true. I suppose so, but you know technology is a necessity in our lives and in the future if we want them to become competent in using technology and taking advantage of technology then I think it would be a good way to start.

茜：沒錯，沒錯。我想是這樣的，可是你知道科技是我們生活中的必需品，如果我們想讓他們以後掌握科技的使用方法，或是利用科技，那這是一種好的開始。

Ruth: Don’t you think they are really expensive though? I mean, don’t…

魯斯：你不認爲那些很昂貴嗎？我是說，不要……

Akane: Oh yeah, they are.

茜：是的，是很貴。

Ruth: If I was a parent though I would not want my child to be phoning people left, right and centre because it would cost so much money.

魯斯：如果我是家長，我不想讓我的孩子和前後左右的人打電話，因爲那會花費很多錢。

Akane: Well you could be right about that. They do cost a lot of money.

茜：嗯，就這點來說你可能是對的。他們的確花費了很多錢。

Ruth: Oh, I’m glad you agree. Well, yeah, like at least we agree about something now.

魯斯：哦，我很高興你同意我的觀點。嗯，至少現在我們有觀點一致的事情了。

Akane: For sure.

茜：當然了。

重點講解：
1. get in touch with sb.
（與…）聯絡；（與…）聯繫；
eg. I'll get in touch with you by phone tonight.
我今晚和你電話聯繫。
e.g Not knowing her address, we couldn't get in touch with her.
由於不知道她的地址，我們無法和她聯繫。
2. depend upon
依靠；依賴；
eg. We have to depend upon his good sense to save us all.
我們還要依靠他的良知來搭救我們大家。
eg. The computer is a useful tool which we often depend upon.
計算機是我們經常依賴的有用的工具。
3. see as
認爲；把…看作；
eg. In many respects Asian women see themselves as equal to their men.
在很多方面，亞洲女性都認爲自己和丈夫是平等的。
eg. I began to see themselves as a responsible also for their friends and family responsible.
我開始把自己看作是一個對自己負責也對朋友和家人負責的人。
4. stay in
（晚上）呆在家裏，沒外出；
eg. I have to stay in on weeknights.
除了星期六和星期日外我每天晚上都得待在家裏。
eg. We stay in almost every night and watch television.
我們幾乎每個晚上都在家裏看電視。
5. take advantage of
利用；
eg. You should not take advantage of his kindness and generosity by demanding too much of him.
你不該利用他的友好和大方向他要求太多。
eg. I wish to erect a deck at the backyard conjoining the north-facing living area to take advantage of all day natural sun light.
我想在房子的後院建一個平臺連接朝北的生活區以此利用上全天的自然光。