M3U1（6分钟）

Mom:It’s getting late, Betty. How is your homework? 

Betty:Nearly finished.Mum, do you think that life is better today than in the past? 

Mom:Yes, of course, I do. 

Betty :I do too.People are wealthier today, and they live longer than they did in the past.

Mom:That’s true.We know more about medicine today, and there’s less fear of getting ill because we know how to deal with the ordinary diseases.But people don’t take as much exercise as they used to.

Betty:I suppose that’s because more people have cars, and they walk or use their bikes less.

Mom:Some people think life in the past was simpler and healthier than today.More wealth sometimes means less health.When the number of cars is doubled, the pollution is also doubled, or even worse.

Betty:What about work? Do people work as hard as they did fifty years ago? 

Mom:Yes, and they sometimes work harder. People seldom say they have enough spare time! Why don’t you go and ask Mrs Li,our neighbour? She’s over seventy years old.She’s seen how life has changed.

Betty:That’s a good idea.I’ll go and ask her.

Mom:Remember to speak up! 

She’s a bit deaf now.

生词表

late晚的

homework家庭作业

nearly几乎

better更好

of course当然了

wealthier更富有

live longer长寿

true事实

medicine医学

fear恐惧

deal with处理

ordinary普通的

disease疾病

used to过去

suppose觉得

use使用

simpler更简单

healthier更健康

wealth财富

doubled加倍

pollution污染

worse更糟糕

as hard as和。。一样努力

seldom很少

enough足够的

spare time空闲时间

why don't you 你为什么不

neighbour邻居

over超过

changed变化

remember记住

speak up大声说话

deaf耳背

汉语译文

妈妈:越来越晚了, 贝蒂。你的作业做得怎么样了？

贝蒂:快完了！ 妈妈，你认为现在的生活比过去好吗？

妈妈:当然了。

贝蒂:我也这么觉得。现在的人们比过去富有了，也比过去长寿了。

妈妈:确实是这样。我们现在对医学懂得更多了，知道怎样治疗普通的疾病，所以不那么害怕生病了。但是人们锻炼得也不如从前那样多了。

贝蒂:我想那是因为越来越多的人购买了汽车的缘故，他们走路少了，骑车也少了。

妈妈:有些人认为过去的生活比现在更简单、更健康。有时财富越多意味着身体越不健康。当私家车的数量翻倍时，污染也翻倍了，甚至更严重。

贝蒂:那工作呢？人们还像五十年前那么辛苦地工作吗？

妈妈:是的，有时候更辛苦。人们总说他们没有足够的休闲时间！你为什么不去问问我们的邻居李老太太呢？她已经七十多岁了，生活的变化都看在眼里。

贝蒂:那是个好主意。我去问问她。

妈妈:记得说话大点儿声，她现在有点儿耳背了。