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晨读伴侣Passage13:美国的带薪产假

晨读伴侣Passage13:美国的带薪产假

本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试(CET-6)的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释,对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果,对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读:

当国人还在为人口多而烦恼时,美国人已经在为低生育率发愁了。当然,发达国家低生育率已经是众所周知的事儿了,再弹这种老调估计没有听众了。那么本文从带薪产假这个话题出发,详尽阐述了父母对孩子的教养之于社会的关系。人口再生产一直是人类必须面对和重视的问题,在这里介绍一个人口学术语给大家,总和生育率(total fertility rate),指的是一个妇女一生中所生子女的数量。发展中国家大多大于5,即1名女性一生中总共生大约5个小孩,而发达国家一般低于2,我国最新的统计数据是1.4-1.5,所以未来的养老会成为热门话题,在平时的学习中可以留心。

[Only] two countries [in the advanced world] provide no guarantee 1[for paid leave] [from work to care for a newborn child]. [Last spring] one of the two, {Australia}, gave up (the dubious 2) distinction 3 [by establishing 4 paid family leave] [starting in 2011]. I wasn’t surprised [when this didn’t make the news [here] [in the United States]] – we’re [now] the only wealthy 5 country [without such a policy].

发达国家里,只有两个国家没有为照顾新生儿的带薪产假提供保障。去年春天,两国之一的澳大利亚结束了这一有争议的差异,2011年起,澳大利亚将实施带薪家庭产假。这在美国没有成为新闻,对此我一点也不奇怪——现在,我们是唯一一个没有这项政策的富裕国家了。

注:1. guarantee n.保证,保证书。文中此意。例:

Advertising provides a guarantee of reasonable value in the products and services you buy.

广告为你购买的商品和服务提供了合理的价格保证。

There is no guarantee, however, that the Trade Center layer will remain so distinct forever.

不过,对于世贸中心的(建筑)层次一直会这么显眼,毫无保证。

[选自:BBC: Twin towers 'created ash footprint']

vt. 保证,担保。例:

I still cannot guarantee you that I must be there on time.

我还是不能向你保证我一定能准时到那儿。

2. dubious adj. 有问题的,靠不住的;半信半疑的,可疑的;结果未定的,不能确定的。例:

a dubious business venture 冒险的商业投资

I don’t believe you because I remain dubious about your motives.

我不相信你,因为我对你的动机仍有疑虑。

a dubious replay 含糊的回答

The results of policy will remain dubious for some time.

这项政策的成效在一段时间内将难以确定。

【派】dubiously (adv.未定地;含糊地,可疑地)

3. distinction n.差别,区分。例:

make a distinction between...区分

There is no obvious distinction between the twin brothers.

这对孪生兄弟之间没有什么明显的区别。

But the city, the state’s largest, was not solely responsible for the dubious distinction.

底特律这座城市,密歇根州最大的城市,对于这奇怪的差别不能全赖它。

[dubious和distinction都用到了。][选自:MSN: Census: Detroit's population plummets 25 percent]

【辨】distinction,unlikeness,divergence  “差别,差异”

distinction指相似或相关的事物间细节差异,只能通过仔细检查才能确定。

unlikeness 经常暗指较大和较明显的差别。

divergence指原本相似的事物间逐渐增加的差异。

4. establish vt. 建立,设立;安置,使定居。例:

The object of the patriots was to establish a representative and republic government.

这些爱国者的目标就是要建立代议制的共和政府。

We are now comfortable established in our new house.

我们现已在新居中安适地安顿了下来。

【派】established (adj.已制定的,确定的)

5. wealthy adj.富裕的,丰富的

a wealthy land 富饶的土地

a wealthy family 富裕的家庭

Mr. Obama's recent push to boost taxes on wealthy Americans has complicated that effort.

总统先生近期推动向富人征更多税的努力反倒使之复杂化了。

[选自:WSJ: Obama Chief of Staff William Daley Cedes Day-to-Day Role]

The United States does have one explicit 1 family policy, {the Family and Medical Leave Act}, passed [in 1993]. It entitles 2 workers [to as much as 12 weeks’ unpaid leave] [for care 3 of a newborn or dealing with a family medical problem]. [Despite the modesty (of the benefit),] the Chamber (of Commerce) and other business groups fought it [bitterly], [describing it as “government-run 4 personnel 5 management 6” and a “dangerous precedent 7”]. [In fact], every step (of the way), [as (usually)原 Democratic leaders have tried to introduce 8 work-family balance measures [into the law],] business groups have been [strongly] opposed 9.

美国确实有一项明确的家庭政策,就是1993年通过的《家庭与医疗休假法案》。它使职工有权享受长达12周的无薪假期用来对新生儿的抚养或处理家庭医疗问题。尽管说这项法案给职工带来的好处少得可怜,但是商会和其他商业团体仍为此大动干戈,将其描述为:“政府主导下的人力管理”和一项“危险的先例”。事实上,(通常情况下)民主党领导人试图将工作与家庭平衡的措施引入法律时,每走一步都会遭到商业团体的强烈反对。

注:1. explicit adj. 详述的,明确的;坦率的。例:

give explicit direction给予详尽明确的指示

He gave me explicit direction on how to get there.

他明确地告诉我怎样到达那里。

The critics were explicit in their criticism.

那些评论家直截了当地表述了自己的批评意见。

2. entitle vt. 给以权力(或资格);给...以称号;给...提名

be entitled to 有权...,有资格...。例:

I am entitled to know what goes on.

我有权知道事态的进展情况。

This book is entitled So Young.

这本书被命名为《致青春》。

What it does mean is that a high score will entitle the department to extra funding for research.

这意味着高分将为学系带来额外的研究经费。

[选自:BBC: News | Education league Tables 2001]

3. care在这里是名词,后面的of作后置定语修饰之。如果care是动词,前面的for将限制care必须用ing动名词形式。or 后面的deal就是ing形式。文中有意翻译成“用来对新生儿的抚养”,利于大家对词性的理解。当然,如果在翻译中,翻成抚养新生儿也是不错的。

4. government-run adj. 官办的,政府运作的

government-run monopolies 政府经营的垄断企业

government-run universities 公立大学

government-run school 公立学校

5. personnel n. 全体成员,全体职工;人事(部门)。例:

personnel exchange 人才交流

Airline personnel can buy flight tickets at reduced prices.

航空公司职员购买飞机票可享受价格上的优惠。

personnel department人事部

personnel manager 人事经理

6. management n. 经营,管理;管理部门。例:

They need to improve their management right now.

目前,他们需要提高管理水平。

The management are considering finishing up the project.

管理部门正在考虑结束这个项目。

7. precedent n. 先例,范例;惯例。例:

It needs strength and courage to shatter precedent.

打破惯例需要力量跟勇气。

The challenge, says Upchurch, is that there is simply no precedent for selling space travel.

挑战也是有的——Upchurch说道——就是从来没有过开卖太空旅游的先例。

[选自:MSN: Space tourism poised to blast off in the next two years]

8. introduce v. 引入,带来。通常的意思当然是介绍,这里不讲解熟意了。例:

The bill will introduce a new system of scrutiny of medical certificates of cause of death.

该法案对死因的医学证明书,将引入新的详细检查制度。

[选自:BBC: Certification of Death Bill debate]

9. oppose vt. 反抗,反对。例:

It is we who oppose this travesty today who are, in fact, supporting our Constitution.

今天是我们在反对这种歪曲,但实际上,我们是在支持我们的宪法。

[it is who强调句型,所以译文中用“是我们”来表示强调。][选自:CNN: Transcript: House debates articles of impeachment]

【派】opposed(adj.反对的);opposing(adj.相反的)

[As (Yale law professor) Anne Alstott argues,] justifying 1 parental support depends on defining the family [as a social good] (that, ^in some sense^, society must pay for.) [In her book] {No Exit: What Parents Owe Their Children and What Society Owes Parents}, she argues that parents are burdened 2 [in many ways] [in their lives]: there is “no exit” [when it comes to children.] “Society expects – and needs – parents [to provide their children] [with continuity 3 of care], [meaning the intensive 4, intimate 5 care] (that human beings need to develop their intellectual 6, emotional and moral capabilities 7.) And society expects – and needs – parents [to persist in 8 their roles] [for 18 years], or [longer] [if needed 9.]”

就像耶鲁大学教授Anne Alstott所说的那样,为父母支持正名,取决于将家庭看成是一种在某种程度上的社会商品,而社会需要买单。在她的《没有出路:父母欠孩子什么以及社会欠父母什么》一书中,她写道,父母在生活中承担着各种各样的担子:在孩子的问题上是“没有出路”的。“社会期望——也需要——父母为孩子提供持续的关爱,意指那种深厚而亲密的关爱。这种爱是人类所需的,可以使孩子们智商,情商和道德方面得到发展。而且社会期望——也需要——父母把自己的角色至少扮演好18年,如果需要的话还可以更久。”  

注:1. justify vt. 证明...是正当的,认为有理。但文中用的是动名词形式作主语了,在这里还是做动词学习。例:

To justify this claim, he provided a lot of evidence.

为了证明该主张是合理的,他提供了大量的证据。

【派】justifiable(adj.有理由的)

2. burden v. 使负担,烦扰。例:

They may be burdened by guilt and regret.

他们内心可能承受着内疚和悔恨。

The hospital is to change administrative procedures so clinical staff would not be burdened.

医院在更改行政上的一些流程,如此一来,不会烦扰到医务人员。

[选自:BBC: Princess Alexandra Hospital]

【派】burdensome(adj.繁重的)

3. continuity n. 连续性,继续;[影视]剪辑。例:

The continuity of service is thereby guaranteed.

服务的持续性因此得到保证。

These industries are required by law and regulation to have a business continuity plan.

这些受到法律和规则限制的行业,需备妥企业持续经营计划。

[选自:FORBES: Why Verizon Has Its Own HAZMAT Team]

4. intensive adj. 加强的,集中的;深入细致的。例:

intensive training 强化训练

intensive reading 精读材料

energy-intensive 能源密集型的

5. intimate adj. 亲密的,密切的。例:

Each program is limited to 15 campers ensuring an intimate experience with fellow survivors.

为了保证每一位“幸存者”的亲密体验,每个项目均不超过15名营员。

[选自:FORBES: First Descents: Cancer Camp For Young Adults]

【派】intimacy (n.亲密,密切)

6. intellectual n. 知识分子。例:

He is a highly qualified intellectual.

他是个高级知识分子。

adj.智力的,有智力的,显示智力的,文中此意。以下词组中皆为形容词作定语。

intellectual powers 智力

an intellectual worker脑力劳动者

intellectual property 知识产权

【派】intellectualism(n.智力活动;知型主义);

intellectually(adv.智性上地,智力上地)

7. capability n. 本领,能力;性能。例:

I felt my capability was being compromised.

感受我的能力正在受损。

At last the dynamics capability of the protecting housing is analyzed.

最后,对防护壳体的力学性能进行了分析。

8. persist in v. 坚持;偏要;偏执。例:

Does he persist in saying so?

他仍坚持那么说吗?

9. if needed = if it is needed,这里是一个省略了主语的条件状语从句。这种表达随处可见,例:

It said it was using these to pump back-up supplies to smaller local reservoirs if needed.

如有需要,据说就是抽这里的备用水去为地方上更小的水库供水。

[选自:BBC: South West Water moves supplies to avoid hosepipe ban]

[While most parents do this [out of 1 love],] there are public penalties 2 [for not providing care]. What parents do, ^in other words^, is of deep concern [to 3 the state], [for the obvious reason {that caring for children is not only [morally] urgent but essential 4 [for the future of society].}] The state recognizes this [in the large body of family laws] (that govern children’ welfare 5,) yet parents receive little help [in meeting the life-changing obligations] (society imposes 6.) To classify parenting as a personal choice (for which there is no collective 7 responsibility) is not [merely] [to ignore the social benefits of good parenting]; [really], it is [to steal those benefits] [because they accrue to the whole (of society)] [as today’s children become tomorrow’s productive citizenry.] [In fact], [by some estimates 8], the value (of parental investments in children, investments of time and money (including lost wages)原), is equal to 20-30% (of gross 9 domestic 10 product). [If these investments generate huge social benefits –] ^as they clearly do^ – the benefits (of providing more social support for the family) should be that much 11 clearer.

当然,大部分父母因为爱而呵护孩子,但不作为的话则会受到公共惩罚。换言之,父母所做的种种对国家来说至关重要。原因很明显,关爱孩子不仅在道德上很紧迫,而且对社会的未来也非常重要。尽管国家在管理孩子福利的法律体系中也承认了这点,但是父母在履行社会赋予的改变孩子人生的责任上,却没有得到什么帮助。把抚养孩子划分为一种无集体责任的个人选择,不仅忽略了高质量抚养带来的社会利益;实际上,这样做偷走了这些利益,因为随着今天的孩子变为明天具有生产力的公民,他们在为整个社会作积累。事实上,据估计,父母在孩子身上的投入,投入时间和金钱(包括因误工而未得到的工资),价值等同于国内生产总值的20%到30%。如果这些投入产生巨大的收益的话——而它们显然也产生了——那么为家庭提供更多社会支持的好处就再明显不过了。

注:1. out of prep. 从…里;离…一段距离;离开 ...;出于。例:

A group of girls dashed out of the classroom.

一群女孩子从教室里冲出来。

It’s a dishonest scheme and I’m glad to be out of it.

那是个骗局,我幸而置身事外。

She married the rich man out of vanity.

她出于虚荣心而嫁给了那个富人。

2. penalty n. 处罚,惩罚。例:

death penalty 死刑

Howell was too young at the time of the crime to face the death penalty.

该罪面临着死刑,而Howell当时还太小。

[选自: BBC: Mullany honeymoon murders: Sentencing adjourned]

a financial penalty 经济惩罚

penalty for 对...的处罚,惩金。例:

The penalty for speeding is a 50$fine in this city.

该市对超速行进者处以50美元的罚款。

3. be of concern to 被关注,成为什么的关注所在。例:

The control of the house price is of concern to the government

房价的控制是政府关注的事情。

This will be of concern to the senior Israeli command.

这将成为年长的以色列人统治的关注所在。

[选自:BBC: Where next for under-pressure Israel?]

4. essential adj. (to)必要的,必不可少的;本质的,基本的。例:

Getting enough vitamins is essential to life.

获取足够的维生素是维持生命所必须的。

The lawyer’s essential decency makes it possible to dislike him.

这位律师本性正派,让人不喜欢他都不行。

【派】essentially(adv.本质上);inessential(adj.无关紧要的)

5. welfare n.福利;安宁,幸福。例:

welfare work 福利事业

welfare state 福利国家

welfare benefits 福利待遇

week the people’s welfare 为人民谋幸福。例:

The parents looked out for their children’s welfare.

父母期待他们的孩子能够幸福平安。

6. impose vt. 征(税);处以(罚款、监禁等);(on)把...强加给。文中强加之意。例:

It is inequitable to impose different rules on academies and other types of schools.

对学术机构和其它类型的学校施以不同的政策,这是不公平的。

[选自:BBC: Primary schools national 'offer day' for places]

The commission proposed to impose a new tax.

该委员会提议征收新税。

The regulator has no power to impose fines.

执法者无权罚款。

The government impose restrictions on trade.

该政府对贸易强行施加管制。

7. collective n. 集体,团体。例:

The collective of laid-off workers has founded a new company.

这个由下岗工人组成的团体已经成立了一家新公司。

adj. 集体的,共同的。文中此意,作责任的定语,但又跟责任一起作了主语。例:

The past hard days remain in their collective memories forever.

过去艰苦的岁月永远留在他们共同的记忆里。

8. estimate vt. 估计。例:

I estimate there must be 50 names in the list.

我估计名单上有50个人.

vi. 估价,估算。例:

We asked our builder to estimate for repair of the ceiling.

我们要求施工人员估算一下修理天花板的费用。

n. 估计,估价。文中此意,作名词。例:

He thought my estimate of her character was one-side.

他认为我对她性格的评价是片面的。

The GFE form includes an estimate for title insurance, but you can shop around.

诚信估价表包含了对于产权保险的评估,但你可以自由购买。

[GFE-Good Faith Estimate][选自:MSN: As housing prices drop, closing costs are rising]

9. gross adj. 总的,毛(重)的;显而易见的,粗鲁的。例:

gross income 总收入

gross annual profit 年度毛利

I can’t bear such gross kind of behavior.

我无法忍受这种粗鲁的行为。

n. 总额。例:

My gross income is too poor to support the family.

我们的收入少的可怜,无法养家糊口。

10. domestic adj. 家里的,家庭的;本国的;驯养的。例:

domestic appliance家用电器

domestic market国内市场

Those domestic cattle are healthy.

这些驯养的牛很健康。

文中就是gross domestic product(GDP)国内生产总值

11. that much [那]么多,[那]么些。例:

Do you really have that much time to waste?

你真的有那么多时间去浪费?

Also the hardware is not that much of an upgrade as it is with the macbook.

(New MacBook)对于MacBook来说,在硬件升级上也并没有那么多。

[选自:ENGADGET: New MacBook / MacBook Pro unboxing and first impressions]

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