英语博客：ESL Podcast 790 – Giving Birth to Twins

 　　Jerome: Congratulations! I just heard that you’re pregnant with twins.

 

　　Paula: Thanks. We’re very excited, although I’m a little worried about a multiple birth.

 

　　Jerome: I come from a long line of multiple births. My father is an identical twin and he had cousins who are fraternal twins.

 

　　Paula: I see what you mean.

 

　　Jerome: That’s not even the half of it. My maternal¹ grandmother gave birth to triplets and my aunt had quadruplets.

 

　　Paula: Wow, multiple births certainly run in your family. What about your immediate² family?

 

　　Jerome: You’re not going to believe this, but my mother had octuplets. I have seven brothers and sisters the same age.

 

　　Paula: And all of you survived?

 

　　Jerome: Yup, every single one of us. We often joke that my mother didn’t have babies. She had a litter!

 

　　Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。