Step by Step1 + 1 > 2∶重組家庭的歡樂與哀愁
by Marcus MauriceDivorce is hard on parents and kids.
離婚對父母和小孩而言都很煎熬
The harsh reality of marriage is that nearly half of them
end in divorce. This is extremely difficult for all parties, especially when there are children
involved. The youngsters usually have to
adjust to one parent becoming the
primary caregiver and seeing the other parent a lot less. This usually
coincides with emotional
disagreements between the parents,
which take a heavy toll on the kids.
Sooner or later, one or both of the parents may find someone else to spend their lives with. These families must find ways to
co-exist with each other, and a lot of times, it
ends up being a
bumpy road.
Children don't
automatically take to their
stepparents right away.
Therapists have a few suggestions to make the
reconstituted families' lives easier. For parents, the number one rule is to be positive about the previous marriages.
Kids don't want to hear about how great the new stepparents are, while their real parents are openly criticized. Another way is for the stepparents to
form bonds with their
stepchildren by going on
outings together. These can be as simple as trips to the grocery store,
going for walks, or watching movies together. Soon, the stepparent and stepchild will have their own stories and jokes to
share with each other.
Being a stepparent or a stepchild is never simple, and every situation is very different. The things that both sides need to remember are never to
give up on each other and that things will
work out in the end.
1. According to the article, what happens to kids when their parents get divorced?
(A) They become much more difficult to
get along with.
(B) It is difficult for them to
get used to seeing less of one parent.
(C) They usually
despise their new stepmother or stepfather.
(D) They
have a hard time finding true love later on in life.
2. What does "
which" in the first paragraph
refer to (A) The cost of a divorce.
(B) The harmony in a
household.
(C) Two parents quarreling.
(D) The parent they choose to live with after a divorce.
3. What is something a stepparent should NOT say to a stepchild?
(A) "Stop playing with your food."
(B) "You should remember to
flush the toilet after using it."
(C) "You need to
cut down on the amount of sugar you eat."
(D) "I am a much better cook than your mother, who doesn't even know how to boil water."
4. What is the author's purpose for writing this article?
(A) To help families
blend together.
(B) To warn children about the evils of divorce.
(C) To show that children can easily
adapt to new family members.
(D) To teach parents how to live without their children after a divorce.
- divorce n. 離婚 & vt. 和……離婚
- primary a. 主要的
- caregiver n. 照顧孩子的家人
- disagreement n. 爭吵；意見不同
- co-exist vi. 共存
- stepparent n. 繼父，繼母
stepchild n. 繼子女
stepmother n. 繼母
stepfather n. 繼父
stepson n. 繼子
stepdaughter n. 繼女 - therapist n. 治療師
- reconstituted a. 重新組成的
a reconstituted family重組家庭 - openly adv. 公開地
- outing n. 外出
- household n. 家庭
- flush vt.（用水）沖洗
- blend vi. 交融，融和
- sooner or later遲早
- go for a walk/stroll散步
= take a walk/stroll - share A with B與 B 分享 A
Kids don't want to hear about
how great the new stepparents are, while their real parents are openly criticized.
小孩不想聽新的繼父母人有多好，而自己的原生父母卻被當眾批評。
注意: 本句中的 how great the new stepparents are 為名詞子句，作介詞 about 的受詞。疑問詞（how, what, when, where, why 等）可引導(dǎo)名詞子句，在主要子句中作主詞、受詞或置於 be 動詞後作主詞補語。在本句中，how 引導(dǎo)的名詞子句即作主要子句中介詞 about 的受詞。且 how 在引導(dǎo)的名詞子句中修飾形容詞或副詞時，須將該形容詞或副詞置於 how 之後，使 how 直接修飾該形容詞或副詞，因此本名詞子句中的形容詞 great 要置於 how 之後。
We all wondered
how Donna knew about her surprise party next week.
我們都很納悶為何唐娜會知道下星期為她開的驚喜派對。（how 引導(dǎo)的名詞子句在句中作及物動詞 wonder 的受詞）
Relaxing with a cup of coffee at a caf? is
how Jack deals with stress.
在咖啡廳喝杯咖啡放松一下是杰克紓壓的方式。（how 引導(dǎo)的名詞子句在句中作主詞補語）
- step by step一步一步地，逐漸地
If you follow this formula step by step, you can solve the math problem easily.
照著公式一步一步做，你就可以輕易解開這道數(shù)學題。
formula n.（數(shù)學）公式 - end in...以……告終 結(jié)束
The game with our toughest rival ended in a tie.
我們與最難纏對手交鋒的這場球賽最後以平手收場。 - involve vt. 牽涉；包含
be involved in...牽涉 卷入……
The senator's career is over because he was involved in the bribery scandal.
該參議員的政治生涯因卷入賄賂丑聞案而告終。 - adjust (oneself) to + N/V-ing
= adapt (oneself) to + N/V-ing
（使自己）適應(yīng)於……
It took the employee a month to adjust to his new environment.
這名員工花了 1 個月時間才適應(yīng)新環(huán)境。 - coincide vi. 同時發(fā)生，巧合
coincide with...與……同時發(fā)生 巧合
My birthday coincides with my parents' anniversary.
我的生日恰好與我父母的結(jié)婚周年紀念日同一天。 - take a heavy toll on...
對……產(chǎn)生惡果 造成重大損失
toll n. 傷害；損失
Excessive drinking takes a heavy toll on your liver.
飲酒過度很傷肝。 - end up + 現(xiàn)在分詞到頭來 結(jié)果……
If you keep on gambling, you will end up losing everything.
如果你繼續(xù)賭下去，到頭來什麼都會失去。 - bumpy a. 崎嶇不平的；顛簸的
Gina had a hard time staying balanced on her bike on the bumpy road.
吉娜在崎嶇不平的路上很難在自行車上保持平衡。 - automatically adv. 自動地
The door opens automatically when you stand in front of it.
你站在門前，門就會自動打開。 - take to...對……產(chǎn)生好感；喜歡上……
The rescued kitten took to its new owner after a few hours.
這蘋獲救的小貓幾個小時後便接受了它的新主人。 - form bonds/a bond with...
和……建立關(guān)系
bond n. 情感聯(lián)系
How long did it take you to form bonds with your students?
和學生建立關(guān)系花了你多久時間？ - give up on sb放棄某人；對某人徹底失望
Don't give up on your child just because he is a slow learner.
不要因為孩子學習遲緩就放棄他。 - work out解決；有好結(jié)果，成功
Sally did everything she could to save her marriage, but it didn't work out in the end.
莎莉竭盡所能挽回婚姻，但最後還是行不通。 - get along with sb 和某人相處（融洽）
Jill gets along really well with her siblings.
吉兒和手足間相處十分融洽。 - get used to + N/V-ing變得習慣於……
= get accustomed to + N/V-ing
Every relationship has its ups and downs. You just have to get used to them.
每段感情都有苦有樂，你一定得習慣那些事。 - despise vt. 厭惡，嫌惡；鄙視
James has despised Eric ever since elementary school.
打從小學起，詹姆士就一直很討厭艾瑞克。 - have a hard time + V-ing做……有困難
When Toby first got here, he had a hard time adapting to the city.
托比剛來的時候，挺難適應(yīng)這個城市。 - refer to...指的是 言及……
Party A in the contract refers to you, while Party B refers to the people who are buying your house.
合約中的『甲方』指的是你，而『乙方』則是指買你房子的人。 - cut down on...減少……的量
The government made recycling mandatory to cut down on the amount of garbage.
政府強制回收以減少垃圾量。
1 + 1 > 2∶重組家庭的歡樂與哀愁 離婚對父母和小孩而言都很煎熬。
婚姻殘酷現(xiàn)實的一面是近一半以離婚收場。
這對夫妻雙方來說都極為難熬，特別是牽扯到小孩子的時候。小朋友通常得適應(yīng)父母其中一方成為主要的照顧者，以及見到另一方的時間變得很少。這種情況時常伴隨著父母間的爭吵，這會對小朋友造成嚴重的傷害。父母雙方或其中一方遲早會找到跟他們共渡一生的人。這些家庭必須找出共存之道，而大多數(shù)時候，這是 1 條崎嶇多舛的道路。
小孩子不會立即主動接納自己的繼父母。治療師有幾項建議可讓這類的重組家庭生活得更自在。對父母來說，第 1 條規(guī)則就是正面看待上一段婚姻。小孩不想聽新的繼父母人有多好，而自己的原生父母卻被當眾批評。繼父母和繼子女建立關(guān)系的另一種方法，就是和他們一起出門，這可以簡單到像是一起去雜貨店、散步，或是看場電影等。很快地，繼父或繼母就會跟繼子女有共同的故事和笑話可以彼此分享。
繼父母或繼子女的角色都很難為，而且每種情況也大不相同。父母和子女雙方都要謹記，永遠別放棄對方，而且一切終會否極泰來。
1. 根據(jù)本文，小孩在父母離婚時會如何？
(A) 他們變得更難相處。
(B) 他們對於不?？吹礁改钙渲幸环綍懿涣晳T。
(C) 他們通常會討厭新進門的繼母或繼父。
(D) 他們?nèi)蔗岷茈y找到生命中的真愛。
題解∶根據(jù)本文第 1 段，小朋友通常得適應(yīng)父母其中一方成為主要的照顧者，以及見到另一方的時間變得很少，可知應(yīng)選 (B)。
2. 第 1 段中的 which 所指為何？
(A) 離婚的代價。
(B) 家庭的和諧。
(C) 父母的爭吵。
(D) 離婚後他們選擇跟爸爸還是跟媽媽住。
題解∶此處的 which 為關(guān)系代名詞，指的是前面句中的先行詞 emotional disagreements between the parents（父母間的爭吵），故選 (C)。
3. 什麼話繼父母不應(yīng)該對繼子女說？
(A) 『別再玩你的食物了?！?br> (B) 『用完馬桶後要記得沖水?！?br> (C) 『你有必要減少糖的攝取量?！?br> (D) 『我比你媽還會煮菜，她連燒個開水都不會?！?br> 題解∶根據(jù)本文第 2 段，小孩不想聽新的繼父母人有多好，而自己的原生父母卻被當眾批評，可知應(yīng)選 (D)。
4. 作者撰寫本文的目的為何？
(A) 為了促進家庭和諧。
(B) 為了警告小孩離婚之惡。
(C) 為了告訴大家，小孩很容易適應(yīng)新的家庭成員。
(D) 為了教導(dǎo)父母親離婚後如何度過沒有小孩的生活。
題解∶根據(jù)本文第 3 段，繼父母或繼子女的角色都很難為，而且每種情況也大不相同。父母和子女雙方都要謹記，永遠別放棄對方，而且一切終會否極泰來，由此可知，(A) 應(yīng)為正選。
答案∶1. (B)2. (C)3. (D)4. (A)
