親情無價，常回家看看

前幾個星期，小編回家看望爸媽。閑聊中，媽媽跟我說：“你看現在大街上的宣傳欄都寫著要尊敬父母，關愛老人，看來現在的年輕人都很沒孝心?！眿寢尶此撇唤浺獾膸拙湓?，卻讓我瞬間沒了底氣。想想自己搬出去住已快兩年了，又有多少個周末是主動回去看望爸媽呢？每次，都會因為這個同事的聚餐，那個同學的生日，而在電話中以工作之名搪塞最需要我關愛的人。然而每當我遭受挫折，發現第一個來到我身邊的，卻是平時總愛嘮叨的媽媽、嚴厲而默不作聲的爸爸……

其實自我們出生以來，爸媽就無私地愛著我們，他們對我們的愛不求回報。小的時候，他們總是希望能給我們最好的，盼望我們能夠健康快樂地長大；長大后，他們希望我們工作順利、愛情甜蜜、家庭美滿。他們對我們似乎總是有操不完的心，斷不了的牽掛。然后我們終究要離開他們，開始屬于自己的生活。此時的他們，也老了，最希望看到的，就是我們能夠?；丶铱纯?，哪怕是跟他們說幾句話，讓他們知道我們一切都好。因此，當你下次又去參加哪個親的生日派對，玩得不亦樂乎之時，別忘了家里還有等著你的二老，他們想你了……

Part 1

Mama Knows Best

Mindy對兒子Jesse總是過度保護，Jesse覺得自己長大了，應該有屬于自己的世界……

Jesse： Hey Mom， can I go to my friend’s birthday party in Brooklyn tomorrow？ ①It’s gonna be off the chains！

Mindy： Off the what？

Jesse： You’re so old！ I mean it is gonna be awesome， epic even！

Mindy： Oh yeah？ Is there going to be any adult supervision？ Or do I need to

1）chaperone you？

Jesse： Please tell me you’re kidding…There is no way on earth that I’m showing up to a party full of the coolest kids in school with my mom in tow. Are you deliberately trying to destroy my reputation， to make me a 2）pariah among my peers？

Mindy： No， my son. That was not my intention. I just don’t think it’s safe， and I don’t know nearly enough about these friends of yours. Have I met any of their parents before？ How are you planning on getting down there？

Jesse： Geez Mom！ Why do you have to be so 3）nosy？

Mindy： Because my most important job is keeping you safe for as long as I can. ②And I will go to great lengths to protect you from whatever life throws at you.

Jesse： Fine. Whatever. I don’t know most of the kids there， but there are gonna be adults there so you don’t have to worry.

Mindy： That’s good. ③So all I need is the phone number for one of these supervising adults， so I can call and make sure everything is on the up and up.

Jesse： Ummm…I would give it to you， but I don’t have it on me right now.

Mindy： ④Well， I need that number before you go anywhere， or else how could I keep tabs on you？

Jesse： Why do you always need to be in constant contact with me？ You don’t need to know exactly where I am at every waking moment！

Mindy： On the contrary， I absolutely do need to know exactly where you are at all times， because you are my responsibility， at least until you turn 18. But even after that， I’m never gonna stop worrying about you， wondering where you are and what you’re doing. You are my only child.⑤And if I had my way， I wouldn’t let you out of my sight， not even for a second.

Jesse： But I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m a young man， and pretty soon I’m gonna be out the door and off to college.

Mindy： Don’t remind me. I can already feel that 4）empty-nest syndrome coming on.

Jesse： You need to get over it， and not be so 5）suffocating and 6）overbearing. ⑥It’s really taking a toll on me， not being able to branch out and 7）assert my independence.

Mindy： ⑦You’ll have plenty of opportunities down the line to do your own thing， but for now you’re all mine. I own you， my boy…

Jesse： This sucks. I hate my life！

Mindy： You think life sucks now？ Just wait till you grow up.

Smart Sentences

① It’s gonna be off the chains！ 這一定會很牛！

off the chains： a great deal of fun， wild， crazy（非常好玩，瘋狂）。例如：

Our graduation party at Disney World will definitely be off the chains.

我們在迪士尼世界的畢業派對肯定會很好玩。

② And I will go to great lengths to protect you from whatever life throws at you. 我要竭盡全力地保護你免遭生活的傷害。

go to great lengths （to do sth.）： try very hard to achieve a result（不遺余力， 竭盡全力）。例如：

Both sides have gone to great lengths to reach an agreement.雙方為了達成協議，都已竭盡全力。

③ So all I need is the phone number for one of these supervising adults， so I can call and make sure everything is on the up and up. 所以我現在需要的就是其中一位在場家長的電話，這樣我就能打電話給他＼她，確認一切都是正大光明的。

on the up and up： legitimate； open and aboveboard（正當的，光明正大的）。例如：

Is this deal on the up and up？ What’s the catch？

這事兒能見光嗎？什么情況？

④ Well， I need that number before you go anywhere， or else how could I keep tabs on you？ 好吧，在你去任何地方之前，我需要那個電話號碼，不然我怎么能監護你呢？

keep tabs on sb.： watch a person carefully in order to know what he/she is doing（密切關注某人）。例如：The police will keep tabs on him during his probation.在他假釋期間，警察會密切注意他的動向。

⑤ And if I had my way， I wouldn’t let you out of my sight， not even for a second. 如果依我的話，我不會讓你離開我的視線，甚者一秒也不會。

if I had my way： used to introduce a hypothetical statement（用以引入假設陳述）。例如：

If I had my way， this whole mess would never have happened.

如果依我的話，這個糟糕的局面不可能出現。

⑥ It’s really taking a toll on me， not being able to branch out and assert my independence. 這真的很困擾我，不能讓我走得更遠，宣示自己的獨立。

take a toll （on sb. or sth.）： cause damage or loss to sb. or sth.（造成某人或某物的損失）。例如：

Wars always take a toll on children.

戰爭總是會對孩子造成傷害。

branch out： strike off in a new direction（向新方向發展）。例如：

Brenda doesn’t want to concentrate on just one field； she wants to branch out more.

布蘭達不只是想在一個領域發展，她希望有不同的發展方向。

⑦ You’ll have plenty of opportunities down the line to do your own thing， but for now you’re all mine. 你以后會有許多機會等著你去做你自己的事情，但是現在你是我的。

Part 2

No Time for Family

工作繁忙的David今年又不能與母親Kitty過感恩節，這讓孤獨的Kitty不能接受……

David： Mom！ Long time no speak. ①How are things？

Kitty： Things are good. I just had new carpets put in. ②Since you’re finally coming home to spend the holidays here， I wanted everything around the house to be in tip-top shape.

David： Um， Yeah. That reminds me…I needed to talk to you about something.

Kitty： ③Oh no， don’t you dare try to weasel your way out of visiting this year！

David： I’m not weaseling out of anything. Something came up. It’s completely out of my control. Money is tight right now， and they’re asking me to work a bunch of overtime shifts this holiday.

Kitty： That is no excuse！ You haven’t seen your family in ages.

David： Like I said， it’s beyond the 1）scope of my control.

Kitty： ④Hogwash！ You have control enough to tell them no.

No one is forcing you to work.

David： They are not outright forcing me to work， no. But they are 2）leveraging me to do so， while dropping hints and 3）veiled threats that if I don’t work this holiday， they’ll find someone who can work this and every holiday hereafter.

Kitty： That’s great！ If they can find someone to work holidays for you， then you can come home more often and spend time with your lonely mother.

David： No， You don’t get it. If they replace me for the holidays， what’s to stop them from replacing me altogether with their new “holiday guy”？

Kitty： I don’t think you understand exactly how much you are missed around here， and how much it would mean to me to see you this thanksgiving； not to mention your uncles and aunts and cousins. They’re always talking about you and asking if you’re gonna actually show up this time.

David： Well， I can’t tell you what to tell them， but I’m working my butt off to make a life for myself， and if you all don’t understand that， then I can do it all on my own. I don’t need your approval or support.

Kitty： How could I have raised such a selfish son？ Are you 4）oblivious to the fact that I need you here？ You are needed way more here than at your job. There you’re just an employee， but here you are the missing piece that makes this family a whole.

David： ⑤I’m not coming， and that’s that…Is there anything else you wanna make me feel guilty about？ Perhaps something else I’m doing wrong or something else that’s indirectly my fault？

Kitty： Don’t 5）patronize me. Everything I have ever done was in your best interest. You may not see it now， or tomorrow， but one day you will. And you， my son， will feel sorry for the way you treated your poor mother. I hope you have a Happy thanksgiving Davey…Good night.

David： Good night Mom. I’ll call you， OK？

Kitty： OK， if I’m still alive then. Maybe I’ll be gone and you’ll have missed your last chance to say goodbye.

David： （sigh） Love you Mom.

Kitty： Love you too.

Smart Sentences

① How are things？ 你最近怎樣？

How are things？： an informal expression used in greeting（用于非正式問候語）。例如：

—Haven’t heard from you for a while. How are things？

有一陣子沒有你的消息了，最近可好？

—Not too good. I’ve just recovered from a bad cold.

不怎么樣，我的重感冒剛剛才好。

② Since you’re finally coming home to spend the holidays here， I wanted everything around the house to be in tip-top shape. 因為你終于要回家過節了，我希望家里的每個地方都很棒。

in tip-top shape： in excellent condition（一流的條件，非常良好的情形）。例如：

After a whole week’s work， the car is now in tip-top shape.

經過一個星期的努力，車子現在的狀態再好不過了。

③ Oh no， don’t you dare try to weasel your way out of visiting this year！ 噢不，你今年敢再想方設法不回家看我試試！

weasel one’s way out （of sth.）： back out of a situation or commitment（逃脫，推諉）。例如：

My husband always finds a way to weasel out of the housework.

我丈夫總是想方設法逃避家務活。

④ Hogwash！ 太荒謬了！

hogwash： worthless， 1， or ridiculous speech（廢話，錯誤或荒謬的話）。例如：Oh， that’s hogwash. Nelson can’t possibly marry Susie.

噢，太荒謬了，尼爾森不可能跟蘇茜結婚。

⑤ I’m not coming， and that’s that…我不能回來，沒得商量……

that’s that： an expression that shows that sth. has ended， same as “there is no more to be done”（表示某事已經結束的表達，等同于“there is no more to be done”）。例如：

I won’t go to the party if the Smiths will be there. And that’s that.

如果史密斯一家去派對的話，我就不會去。沒得商量。

Part 3

A Lesson of Love

Barry出了車禍，母親Irene不遠千里地來照顧他，他這才醒悟：父母才是那個最愛他的人。

Irene： Here you go my brave boy.①Some 1）matzo ball soup will lift your spirts right up.

Barry： Thanks Mom. I know this soup is like Jewish 2）penicillin， but I think broken bones are beyond its healing powers.

Irene： You never know. Miracles have come to many an unsuspecting

3）disciple.

B a r r y ： B u t I’m c o m p l e t e l y undeserving of any miracles. After the accident， my girlfriend didn’t even bother to check in on me here at the hospital. I knew we weren’t that serious to begin with， but this proves that she’s not the right girl for me.

Irene： That’s right. ②You need someone who’ll drop everything at a moment’s notice to take care of you and love you 4）unconditionally.

Barry： You mean someone like you？

Irene： Well， I did fly all the way to China to come take care of you.

Barry： I think it’s just because you didn’t trust the doctors here with your only son.

Irene： You’re 5）darn right I don’t... I don’t trust anyone else to take care of you， least of all that 6）flighty girlfriend of yours.

Barry： You mean my ex-girlfriend as of this past week. I told her over the phone， in true 7）avoidant fashion， that I didn’t see us having a future together. Truth is， I never saw a future with her， and seeing how far you were willing to travel for me showed me what love is really about.

Irene： ③All I know is that when your company called to tell me you’d been in a car accident and were going under the knife， I was beside myself with grief.

Barry： I was pretty scared myself. I kept asking the doctor if they needed to 8）amputate， but the language barrier was obviously a 9）stumbling block. Thank god I still have both my hands and feet.

Irene： I was freaking out， and didn’t have any details. I tried calling every hospital in Guangzhou looking for you， but no one spoke any English.④And getting an emergency visa was another whole 10）ordeal in itself.

Barry： I’m pretty lucky to have a mom like you， huh？

Irene： Barry， I pray that one day you know what it’s like to have children， because the day you were born was the happiest day of my life.

Barry： I know， I know. You always say that.

Irene： But what you don’t know is the feeling that your heart is not inside your own body. It’s like whenever we’re apart， it feels like a piece of me is missing； like your 11）umbilical cord is still 12）invisibly connected across twelve time zones.

Barry： Aw…That’s so sweet…a bit disgusting and creepy…but mostly sweet.

Irene： ⑤No matter how hard you push me away， I’m always going to be here to help you up and dust you off whenever life knocks you down.

Barry： I love you so much Mom. And I’m sorry I’ve been so distant since I moved away. ⑥I wanted to prove that I could succeed on my own， without anyone’s help， but I’ve really missed you， and I promise to be more 13）accessible from here on out.

Irene： ⑦I’ll hold you to that.

Smart Sentences

① Some matzo ball soup will lift your spirts right up. 喝點面包球湯能讓你心情好起來。

lift sb.’s spirits up： put sb. in a cheerful mood（讓某人有愉快的心情）。例如：

I’ve tried everything this morning but couldn’t lift John’s spirits up.上午我什么方法都試過了，但就是無法讓約翰的心情好起來。

② You need someone who’ll drop everything at a moment’s notice to take care of you and love you unconditionally. 你需要一個人能夠馬上拋開一切來照顧你，無條件地愛你。

at a moment’s notice： with very little advance notice（一經通知，隨時）。例如：

I had to go on a business trip at a moment’s notice last week.

上周，我一接到通知就得馬上出差了。

③ All I know is that when your company called to tell me you’d been in a car accident and were going under the knife， I was beside myself with grief. 我只知道當你的公司打電話告訴我你出了車禍，準備做手術，我傷心極了。

beside oneself： in a state of extreme excitement or agitation（處于異常興奮或激動狀態）。例如：

They were beside themselves when they knew China was to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

當他們得知中國將主辦2008奧運會時，欣喜若狂。

④ And getting an emergency visa was another whole ordeal in itself. 而拿到緊急護照的過程又是另一場磨難。

a whole ordeal in itself： a very difficult or unpleasant experience（某事非常不易或令人不快）。例如：

Getting a train ticket to go home for the Spring Festival was difficult enough. Actually going home was another whole ordeal in itself.

光是買火車票回家過年就很難了，而真正回家也不容易。

⑤ No matter how hard you push me away， I’m always going to be here to help you up and dust you off whenever life knocks you down. 無論你多用力把我推開，每當生活打擊你，我總是會在這里幫助你、讓你重新振作起來。

dust sb. off： recover from failure or unpleasant experience and move on（振作起來）。例如：

Three months after the bankruptcy， he dusted himself off and started a new business.

在破產三個月后，他振作起來，又開始了一家新的公司。

⑥ I wanted to prove that I could succeed on my own， without anyone’s help， but I’ve really missed you， and I promise to be more accessible from here on out. 我想證明能夠靠自己取得成功，不需要任何人的幫助。但是我真的很想你，我保證從現在起你能隨時找到我。

from here on out： from this point forward（從今以后）。例如：From here on out， we won’t used disposable chopsticks again.從今以后，我們不會再用一次性筷子了。

⑦ I’ll hold you to that. 我會監督你。

hold sb. to （a promise）： make sb. keep his/her promise（讓某人實現諾言）。例如：

We’ll all hold you to your weekly work-out promise.

我們都會督促你實現你那每周健身一次的諾言。