ESL Podcast 622 – Having Well- and Badly-Behaved Children

Josephine: Hello. Ray: Hi, Josephine, it’s Ray. We have a meeting today at 10 a.m. and I was wondering if you would mind if I brought my kids with me. Their babysitter didn’t show up. Josephine: Oh, sure. That’s no problem. Your children are so well-behaved. Even at their age, they have impeccable manners. Ray: Well, they’re not always little angels, but they’re not too much of a handful, thank goodness. Josephine: You know what they say: Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice... Ray: It is probably a little easier with two girls. I feel sorry for my mother who raised six boys. Josephine: Six boys! Ray: Yeah, and before we were born, my father thought that children should be seen but not heard. Was he in for a rude awakening1! We were all very unruly. Imagine six boys only one year apart. We got yelled at a lot for being naughty. Josephine: But that’s how boys are, aren’t they? Girls are different. They’re quiet, sweet, and even- tempered. What’s that noise? Ray: That noise is my daughters creating a ruckus fighting tooth and nail over a toy. So much for quiet, sweet, and even-tempered! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

 

1 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。