2006年VOA标准英语-Young People in US Expanding Boundaries of

By Brian Wagner
Washington
17 May 2006
 
watch Delayed Marriage report

These days, in the United States, wedding ceremonies range from the traditional to the exotic. But it is not only in the ceremonies that there is greater variety. When and how young people choose to get married and whom they choose as their partners is changing, as well.

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Newlyweds James and Darcy Morgan pose for a photograph on a bench outside Martinsville Speedway after NASCAR Kroger 250 Craftsman¹ Truck Series race, April 1, 2006
  

On any Saturday or Sunday, men and women across the United States sign marriage licenses² and exchange vows³ of love and commitment to each other. Those are generally the basic elements of any marriage. But how and where couples exchange vows is open to interpretation⁴, whether it is under water, dropping out of airplanes, or in a sports stadium.

When it came to planning their recent wedding, Nick Bundy and Maritza Maxwell were looking for something different. And they settled on exchanging vows aboard a boat near the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, with no friends or family present. 

Nick Bundy and Maritza Maxwell on their honeymoon  
  
"It all sort of happened at the same time. We both knew we did not want the traditional church wedding, where you walk down the aisle⁵ and have 100 people staring at you. That made us both sort of uncomfortable," Maritza said. "So, we just decided⁶ all at the same time, we wanted to do something different."

And, it is not just the ceremonies that have changed. So has the way people choose to make a commitment to each other, which may not involve marriage. And, says, family counselor⁷ Sandy Malawer, so has the definition of 'couple.'

"Really, in the last 20 years of practice, I have seen different trends, and that includes some couples living together and not making it legal, gay couples, and couples - it used to be where the man was traditionally two years or so older than the woman, now I see women who are many years older than men," she explained. "You have to be open to difference. The world is not what it used to be."

Malawer says another change is timing⁸, as more people stay single into their 30's.

 
Sandy Malawer 
  
"I would say that, generally, the young people today are waiting. I think, the high divorce rate of their parents is influencing the decision to either not marry, or marry much later," she noted⁹.

That is partly true for Christine Dzieciolowski. She says her parents' divorce made her think hard before deciding to marry her boyfriend of four years, Brian Coffey. The ceremony is planned for June.

"I think, for me, I am not the person that wanted to get married right out of college, anyway. I would have preferred to kind of know myself more, because I changed so much in college, I changed so much after college, and, for me, it is really important to kind of know yourself before you have to get involved with knowing someone else. While it was not in my plan, like [thinking] 'I want to get married when I am 28 years old,' but I think that, for me, it is pretty natural that it happened this way," said Dzieciolowski.

Brian Coffey and Christine Dzieciolowski  
  
While few expect a marriage to be perfect, many young couples are taking steps to relieve some of their concerns. For some, that means living together before marriage, and for others it means seeking counseling with their future spouse¹⁰.

Fayola Wolfe is studying counseling to help couples before, or after their marriage.

"I believe everybody should receive pre-marital counseling. You have to be educated on these things. I think, it will cut down on divorce rates, if people that want to get married receive pre-marital counseling. They would, hopefully, learn how to communicate, how to resolve conflict, how not to have false expectations of the other," said Wolfe.

 
A bride and groom¹¹ exchange their first kiss -- during their underwater ceremony
  
Sandy Malawer, the family counselor, says she is seeing more couples before they get married.

"It does not have to mean that you are deeply troubled, or you have deep psychological problems. It could just mean you need an objective third party, who can listen and give you some feedback," she added.

No matter where a marriage begins, young people hope the ending is a long way down the road. Their promises of love and understanding are something that really has not changed for generations.

1 craftsman   

n.技工，精于一门工艺的匠人

参考例句：

• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
• The craftsman is working up the mass of clay into a toy figure.艺人把一团泥捏成玩具形状。

2 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

3 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

4 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

5 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

8 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

11 groom   

vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁

参考例句：

• His father was a groom.他父亲曾是个马夫。
• George was already being groomed for the top job.为承担这份高级工作，乔治已在接受专门的培训。