雅思口語(yǔ)黃金素材：old person - 雅思口語(yǔ)

Old person

詞匯庫(kù)：

feminist n. 男女平等主義者，女權(quán)擴(kuò)張論者

unruly a. 不受拘束的，不守規(guī)矩的，蠻橫的，難駕馭的

allure n. 魅力，吸引力

escendant n. 子孫，后裔，后代

rhetoric a. 花言巧語(yǔ)的

bloodshed n. 血緣關(guān)系

stature n. 聲望，地位

foster vt. 養(yǎng)育，培養(yǎng)

flattering a. 討人喜歡的，奉承的

traumatic a. 痛苦而難忘的

insecure a. 不可靠的，不安全的，危險(xiǎn)的

compelling a. 引人注目的

score vt. 成功的獲得

fraudulent a. 欺詐的，欺騙性的，騙得的

wig n. 假發(fā)

thrilling n. 驚心動(dòng)魄的，使人感動(dòng)的

privilege n. 特權(quán)，特別待遇

eccentric n. 古怪人

lovable a. 可愛(ài)的

shrewd a. 精明的

town folk n. 鎮(zhèn)上的人

eccentricity n. 怪癖

legendary a. 傳奇似的

severely a. 嚴(yán)厲地

intensely ad.強(qiáng)烈地

elaborate a. 精心構(gòu)思的

conscious a. 意識(shí)到的

on another occasion 還有一次

sense of humour 幽默感

Sb. have a good sense of humour 某人很有幽默感

rely on sb. / sth. 依賴

be weak with age 年老體弱

語(yǔ)句庫(kù):

He is aging fast.

他老得很快。

a strong and decisive leader 強(qiáng)有力而又堅(jiān)決果斷的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人

Some people consider his behavior a little bit odd，however，I appreciate him very much.

More recently，historians have studied her as a feminist icon, exploring the ramifications of her position as a woman in authority.

True eccentrics never deliberately set out to draw attention to themselves. They disregard social conventions without being conscious that they are doing anything extraordinary. This invariably wins them the love and respect of others, for they add color to the dull routine of everyday life.

真正古怪的人從不會(huì)故意做些事情來(lái)引人注目，他們玩世不恭，卻沒(méi)有意識(shí)到他們正在做著與眾不同的事情。這種做法常常使他們贏得別人的愛(ài)戴和尊敬，因?yàn)樗麄兘o單調(diào)的日常生活增添了色彩。

Up to the time of his death，John was one of the most notable figures in our town.

JOHN生前是我們鎮(zhèn)上最負(fù)盛名的人物之一。

He was a shrewd and wealthy business-man.

他是個(gè)精明有錢的生意人。

He is bald and has large ears.

She is the funniest person I have ever come across.

經(jīng)典句型：It takes sb. some time to do sth.

The old man was on the point of death.

老人快要死了。

To be in the elder's company is like reading a thick book of de luxe edition that fascinates one so much as to be reluctant to part with.

和老年人在一起就像讀一本厚厚的精裝書(shū)，魅力無(wú)窮，令人愛(ài)不釋手。

We are all going to be old one day.

有朝一日我們都會(huì)變老的。

Nowadays in North America it’s common to see older people holding hands on the street and I think it’s nice, because they still have some romance left in the relationship.

如今在北美大街上常能遇到上年紀(jì)的夫妻拉著手，我覺(jué)得那樣真好，因?yàn)槟潜砻魉麄內(nèi)匀缓芾寺?

☆ 老人在中國(guó)和西方的生活：

It a common tradition in China that children live together with their parents until they are married, and often children still live with the parents after they are married.

在中國(guó)，孩子們結(jié)婚前一直與父母生活在一起是很普遍的，許多人婚后仍和父母共同生活。

In China the grandparents stay on with the family and look after the grandchildren while the parents are at work.

中國(guó)的祖父母一直和全家人住在一起，兒女們一起去上班時(shí)的時(shí)侯，他們照看孫子孫女們。

In North America, old people usually live alone. If they are too old to take care of themselves, or if they’re really old, day over 75, then they usually live in old-folk’s homes, nursing homes, or special apartment complexes designed for senior people.

在北美，老人們一般是單獨(dú)生活。如果他們年紀(jì)太大生活不能自理，或者已逾古稀之年，比如說(shuō)過(guò)了75歲了，他們便住進(jìn)老人院、療養(yǎng)院或?qū)槔夏耆嗽O(shè)計(jì)建造的有綜合設(shè)施的公寓。

I do think that living together with the parents when we marry would be nice for the child’s stability and would also let the parents feel like an important part of the family.

我的確認(rèn)為何老人們共同生活可以使孩子有穩(wěn)定感，同時(shí)也讓老人們覺(jué)得自己仍是家庭的重要成員。

It looks like it depends on how rich a family is weather to live with the parent when we marry or not.

婚后是否與父母一起生活似乎要看一個(gè)家庭的富有程度。

That’s the trouble in some cases. Living with people of different generations isn’t always easy. It requires some sacrifices and tolerance of other’s behavior.

在有些情況下，那也很麻煩。幾代人一起生活并不總是很容易相處的，這需要做出幾點(diǎn)犧牲，并能寬容別人的行為。

In China it’s often the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law who don’t get on well enough, until both sides agree to live apart. And it’s socially acceptable if the younger couple help the old couple in ways that are necessary. Well, for example, when the parents are strong enough to live on their own the children are expected to help when needed. When the parents are too old to take care of themselves, they should be moved back to the children’s home where they are properly fed, clothed and sheltered.

在中國(guó)經(jīng)常是婆媳關(guān)系不好，只要雙方同意分家。社會(huì)也能接受這種做法，只要小夫妻能以必要的方式幫助兩位老人。嗯，比如說(shuō)，父母體力尚好能獨(dú)立生活的時(shí)候，兒女們只在需要的時(shí)候幫忙。父母年事已高不能自理時(shí)，讓他們搬回兒女家，衣、食、住都能得到周到的照顧。

A common stereotype of older Americans is that they are usually "put away" in nursing homes and forgotten about. Actually, only about 5 percent live in some type of institution. More than half of those 65 or older live with or near at least one of their children. The vast majority of the elderly live alone and take care of themselves. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 75 percent own their own homes. Over a million senior adults live in retirement communities. These provide residents with meals, recreation, companionship, medical care and a safe environment.

一般人對(duì)美國(guó)老人家的刻板印象是被「遣送到」養(yǎng)護(hù)院去，然后被人遺忘。然而事實(shí)上，只有百分之五的人住在此類機(jī)構(gòu)中，超過(guò)半數(shù)的六十五或六十五歲以上老人，是與孩子同住或住在其中一個(gè)孩子的附近。絕大部份的老年人是自己住并自己照顧自己的，根據(jù)美國(guó)戶口調(diào)查局的統(tǒng)計(jì)，他們百分之七十五擁有自己的房子，超過(guò)一百萬(wàn)名老年人住在退休者的社區(qū)中，這些社區(qū)為其居民提供飲食、娛樂(lè)、友誼、醫(yī)療照顧、以及安全的環(huán)境。

☆ 關(guān)于代溝：

One important cause of the generation gap in the China nowadays is the opportunity that young people have to choose their own life-styles. In the past, China is more traditional, and when children grow up, they are expected to live in the same area as their parents, to marry people that their people know and approve of, and often to continue the family occupation. But now, a increasing number of young people often travel great distances for their education, move out of the family home at an early age, marry—or live with—people whom their parents have never met and choose occupations different from those of their parents.

Also, the speed at which changes are taking place in China is another cause of the gap between the generations. In the past, elderly people are valued for their wisdom, but now the knowledge of a lifetime may become obsolete overnight. The young and the old seem to live in two very different worlds, separated by different skills and abilities.

☆ 關(guān)于一位老人的病逝，看看你得到什么啟發(fā)：

At 82 he was ready to die, and I was ready to let him go so that his suffering would end. We laughed and cried and held hands and told each other of our love and agreed that it was time. I said,“Dad, after you have gone I want a sign from you that you are fine,” He laughed at the absurdity of that; Dad didn't believe in reincarnation. I wasn't positive I did either, but I had had many experiences that convinced me I could get some signal“ from the other side”.

My father and I were so deeply connected I felt his heart attack in my chest at the moment he died. Later I mourned that the hospital, in their sterile wisdom, had not let me hold his hand as he had slipped away.

父親82歲那年，生命垂危，將撒手人寰，我已做好準(zhǔn)備，這樣他的痛苦能夠終止。我們開(kāi)心地笑,我們痛苦地哭，我們牽著彼此的手，我們告訴彼此是多么地相愛(ài)，我們坦然面對(duì)這分手的時(shí)候。我說(shuō)，“爸爸，您去后我要您給我個(gè)信號(hào)，告訴我您一切都好。”爸爸對(duì)這荒唐的想法哈哈大笑;他不相信來(lái)世轉(zhuǎn)生。不過(guò)，我也不能說(shuō)我就相信，但我有很多經(jīng)歷讓我確信我可以從“那個(gè)世界 ”得到一些信號(hào)。

父親和我是如此血肉相連，以致他死的那一刻，我胸中也感到他的心力衰竭。后來(lái)我很悲哀：醫(yī)務(wù)人員為防傳染 ，父親悄然離世時(shí),沒(méi)讓我握著他的 手 。

☆ 關(guān)于老齡化問(wèn)題(Old-age Boom)

It’s time-honored virtue to respect the elderly. That’s why their own flesh and blood are supposed to look after them.

Well-being / Farewell is something, because seniors will lead a much more comfortable life.

☆關(guān)于美國(guó)老年人(可以與中國(guó)老人比較)

We all like to imagine that we're getting wiser and not just older. Most of us enjoy observing the miracle of growth in others, as well. For instance, seeing our children develop and learn new things makes us feel proud.

我們都喜歡想象著自己能夠越來(lái)越有智能，而不只是變老，我們大部份人也同時(shí)較喜歡觀察別人成長(zhǎng)的奇跡。例如：看到我們的孩子長(zhǎng)大并學(xué)習(xí)新的事物使我們感到驕傲。

Growing old is not exactly pleasant for people in youth-oriented American culture. Most Americans like to look young, act young and feel young. As the old saying goes, "You're as young as you feel." Older people joke about how many years young they are, rather than how many years old. People in some countries value the aged as a source of experience and wisdom. But Americans seem to favor those that are young, or at least "young at heart."

在美國(guó)這個(gè)以年輕人為中心的社會(huì)中，老化對(duì)人們而言并不是一件愉快的事，大部份的美國(guó)人都希望自己看起來(lái)年輕、行動(dòng)年輕、并且感覺(jué)年輕，如一句古老的名言說(shuō)：「你感覺(jué)自己有多年輕，你就有多年輕?！估夏耆苏f(shuō)自己的年齡時(shí)常開(kāi)玩笑說(shuō)自己是多少 years young，而不說(shuō)多少 years old 。某些文化中的人視老年人為經(jīng)驗(yàn)與智能的資源，可是美國(guó)人似乎比較喜歡年輕人，或者至少是「心里年輕」的人。

Many older Americans find the "golden years" to be anything but golden. Economically, "senior citizens" often struggle just to get by. Retirement-typically at age 65-brings a sharp decrease in personal income. Social Security benefits usually cannot make up the difference. Older people may suffer from poor nutrition, medical care and housing. Some even experience age discrimination. In 1987, American sociologist Pat Moore dressed up like an older person and wandered city streets. She was often treated rudely-even cheated and robbed. However, dressed as a young person, she received much more respect. Of course, not all elderly Americans have such negative experiences. But old age does present unique challenges.

許多美國(guó)的老年人覺(jué)得他們的「黃金年代」一點(diǎn)都不黃金。在經(jīng)濟(jì)上來(lái)說(shuō)，老年人常是掙扎著勉強(qiáng)度日。退休--通常在六十五歲的時(shí)候--使個(gè)人收入驟減，而社會(huì)保障制度的福利并不能補(bǔ)足差額，老年人常遭遇營(yíng)養(yǎng)、醫(yī)療照顧、和居住環(huán)境的問(wèn)題。有些人甚至曾經(jīng)碰到年齡歧視的問(wèn)題，在一九八七年有一位美國(guó)的社會(huì)學(xué)家派特·摩爾裝扮成老人在街上游蕩，結(jié)果人們多半對(duì)她很粗魯，甚至騙她或搶她的東西，可是當(dāng)她穿著年輕時(shí)，人們就對(duì)她尊重多了。當(dāng)然也不是所有的美國(guó)老人家都有這樣糟糕的經(jīng)驗(yàn)，不過(guò)年紀(jì)大確實(shí)會(huì)遭遇一些特別的挑戰(zhàn)。

Ironically, the elderly population in America is expanding-fast. Why? People are living longer. Fewer babies are being born. And middle-aged "baby boomers" are rapidly entering the ranks of the elderly. America may soon be a place where wrinkles are "in." Marketing experts are already focusing on this growing group of consumers. And even now the elderly have a great deal of political power. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), with over 30 million members, has a strong voice in Washington.

而很不幸偏偏美國(guó)老年人口又正在擴(kuò)增中--很快速地?cái)U(kuò)增，為什么呢?因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)在的人越來(lái)越長(zhǎng)命，嬰孩的出生卻減少，而當(dāng)初在嬰兒潮時(shí)出生現(xiàn)在是中年人的很快地就要進(jìn)入老年階段了，美國(guó)恐怕馬上會(huì)成為一個(gè)皺紋「很流行」的國(guó)度。行銷專家們已經(jīng)開(kāi)始注意這群人口持續(xù)增加中的消費(fèi)者，而這群老年人現(xiàn)今甚至在政治上也相當(dāng)有力，因?yàn)槊绹?guó)退休人員協(xié)會(huì)擁有超過(guò)三千萬(wàn)的會(huì)員，對(duì)華盛頓具相當(dāng)?shù)挠绊懥Α?

Despite the challenges they face, Americans in their "twilight years" generally refuse to give up on life. They find a variety of ways to keep themselves active. To help them stay in shape, they may join mall walkers clubs, fitness programs and even the "Senior Olympics." They can enjoy hours of entertainment at senior centers and adult amusement parks. Many enroll in continuing education programs to maintain their mental skills.

縱然他們?cè)庥鎏魬?zhàn)，處在遲暮之年的美國(guó)老年人通常還是不愿意放棄他們的生活，他們尋求各種不同的方法使自己更有活力，為了保持強(qiáng)健的身體狀況，他們參加購(gòu)物中心的競(jìng)走俱樂(lè)部、健身課程、甚至奧林匹克老人運(yùn)動(dòng)會(huì)。他們可以在老人中心和成人公園里逍遙好幾個(gè)小時(shí)，許多人報(bào)名參加延伸制教育以維續(xù)他們的心智技能。

☆關(guān)于年輕人與老年人：

The young live in the present rather than in the past or future.

The young should feel grateful to the older generation, who has created a good life for them.

The older generation fought in the two world wars. They faced real problems, but the young have an easier life.