美国国家公共电台 NPR--Bay Area students weigh in on what it will be like to be mask-free in class

Bay Area students weigh in on what it will be like to be mask-free in class

Transcript¹

Starting Monday most schools in California will no longer require kids to wear masks. The change is sparking a variety of emotions in students, who'll be mask-free for the first time in two years.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Today is the first time many kids in California won't have to wear their mask in class. The state dropped the indoor mandate² for schools. Lesley McClurg from member station KQED checked in with some Bay Area students to hear how they're feeling about the change.

LESLEY MCCLURG, BYLINE³: At their kitchen table, while nibbling⁴ on sugary toast, Amanda Stupi (ph) shared the big news with her 7-year-old daughter, Grace (ph), in the run up to this morning.

AMANDA STUPI: So starting on Monday, masks are going to be optional at your school.

GRACE: What does that mean?

STUPI: It means the school highly recommends that everybody wears a mask. But it's not mandatory⁵. You don't have to. How do you feel about that?

GRACE: Excited because we can finally see everybody's personality.

STUPI: Are you worried about catching⁶ COVID at all?

GRACE: I know I'm going to be safe because we have to stay an arm distance away from each other while eating.

MCCLURG: Grace isn't totally right there. There's still a risk if she's sitting near someone who's infected. Though, social distancing protocols⁷ do help. That's why Garrett Glass (ph) feels safe ditching his mask. He's a fifth grader in the North Bay.

GARRETT GLASS: We sit, like, three feet apart, I'm pretty sure. So I'm not that worried about getting it in class.

MCCLURG: Even though one of his classmates tested positive just last week, it didn't really phase him.

GLASS: I'm pretty sure everybody in our class is fully⁸ vaccinated⁹. So I wouldn't be that scared.

MCCLURG: Yet, some kids might not get why it's suddenly safe to show their face after being told over and over that face coverings save lives.

JENNY LOUIE: It's natural for them to feel some anxiety.

MCCLURG: Jenny Louie is a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, a nonprofit specializing in kids mental health. She recommends parents help transition kids by asking them lots of questions.

LOUIE: Just say, how do you feel? What do you think?

MCCLURG: And then it's important to validate¹⁰ whatever the child says.

LOUIE: Like, oh, yeah. That makes sense that you're nervous. I'm a little nervous, too. We've been doing it this way for so long.

MCCLURG: She says kids need a thorough explanation of why the situation is safer now. Like, case rates have dropped substantially and vaccines¹¹ are available. These are the details that help kids get it.

LOUIE: And that can really help ease their anxiety. Oh, the grown-ups have thought about this.

MCCLURG: And, Louie says, it's probably wise to warn kids that they might have to put their masks back on if another variant¹² emerges and cases surge.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLURG: Some kids at a playground in Oakland sounded pretty conflicted about the whole thing. Ten-year-old Kenley Gupta (ph) doesn't like her mask.

KENLEY GUPTA: Most of the time, it's really uncomfortable. And it keeps sliding down my nose. And it's just a burden hanging over me.

MCCLURG: But she's not quite ready to toss her pink tie-dyed mask.

GUPTA: The virus is simmering down. But I think it's just best to be safe still.

MCCLURG: She says there's going to be lots of kids in each class at her school.

GUPTA: With no masks on. And people are going to be sneezing and coughing. And there's going to be a lot of germs.

MCCLURG: She's got a point. California is still averaging about 4,000 positive cases a day, which is why 11-year-old Tabitha Kadel (ph) also isn't ready to toss her mask.

TABITHA KADEL: I'm a little scared about getting COVID.

MCCLURG: Tabitha is still doubling down by wearing both a cloth and a surgical¹³ mask to her school in the East Bay. There's good data showing masks do protect kids. Though, it depends on whether the mask fits properly, the type of mask and the variant you're dealing¹⁴ with. There's also some other pros¹⁵ and cons¹⁶.

KADEL: I appreciate that it hides my zits. But it's hard to breathe when I'm running in PE. And it is difficult to see what people look like.

MCCLURG: Tabitha is going to wait a week or two before showing her full face.

For NPR news, I'm Lesley McClurg in Oakland.

(SOUNDBITE OF ROCKET MINER'S "MY FRIEND COMA")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 nibbling   

v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬

参考例句：

• We sat drinking wine and nibbling olives. 我们坐在那儿，喝着葡萄酒嚼着橄榄。
• He was nibbling on the apple. 他在啃苹果。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

6 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

7 protocols   

n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划）

参考例句：

• There are also protocols on the testing of nuclear weapons. 也有关于核武器试验的协议。 来自辞典例句
• Hardware components and software design of network transport protocols are separately introduced. 介绍系统硬件组成及网络传输协议的软件设计。 来自互联网

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

10 validate   

vt.（法律）使有效，使生效

参考例句：

• You need an official signature to validate the order.你要有正式的签字，这张汇票才能生效。
• In order to validate the agreement,both parties sign it.为使协议有效，双方在上面签了字。

11 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

12 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

13 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

14 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

15 pros   

abbr.prosecuting 起诉；prosecutor 起诉人；professionals 自由职业者；proscenium （舞台）前部n.赞成的意见( pro的名词复数 )；赞成的理由；抵偿物；交换物

参考例句：

• The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前，应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 cons   

n.欺骗，骗局( con的名词复数 )v.诈骗，哄骗( con的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前，应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》