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Unit 3 Social ProblemsLatchkey ChildrenKnock, Knock, Is Anybody Home?In the United States the cost of living has been steadily rising for the past few decades. Food prices, clothing costs, housing expenses, and tuition fees are constantly getting higher and higher. Partly because of financial need, and partly because of career choices for personal fulfillment, mothers have been leaving the traditional role of full-time homemaker. Increasingly they have been taking salaried jobs outside the home. Making such a significant role change affects the entire family, especially the children. Some consequences are obvious. For example, dinnertime is at a later hour. The emotional impact, on the other hand, can be more subtle. Mothers leave home in the morning, feeling guilty because they will not be home when their children return from school. They suppress their guilt since they believe that their work will benefit everyone in the long run. The income will enable the family to save for college tuition, take an extended vacation, buy a new car, and so on. The emotional impact on the children can be significant. It is quite common for children to feel hurt and resentful. After all, they are alone several hours, and they feel that their mothers should be there for them. They might need assistance with their homework or want to share the days activities. All too often, however, the mothers arrive home exhausted and face the immediate task of preparing dinner. Their priority is making the evening meal for the family, not engaging in relaxed conversation. Latchkey children range in age from six to thirteen. On a daily basis they return from school and unlock the door to their home with the key hanging around their necks. They are now on their own, alone, in quiet, empty rooms. For some youngsters, it is a productive period of private time, while for others it is a frightening, lonely void. For reasons of safety, many parents forbid their children to go out to play or to have visitors at home. The youngsters, therefore, feel isolated. Latchkey children who were interviewed reported diverse reactions. Some latchkey children said that being on their own for a few hours each day fostered, or stimulated, a sense of independence and responsibility. They felt loved and trusted, and this feeling encouraged them to be self-confident. Latchkey girls, by observing how their mothers coped with the demands of a family and a job, learned the role model of a working mother. Some children stated that they used their unsupervised free time to perfect their athletic skills, such as playing basketball. Others read books or practiced a musical instrument. These children looked upon their free time after school as an opportunity for personal development. It led to positive, productive, and valuable experiences. Conversely, many latchkey children expressed much bitterness, resentment, and anger for being made to live in this fashion. Many claimed that too much responsibility was placed on them at an early age; it was an overwhelming burden. They were little people who really wanted to be protected, encouraged, and cared for through attention from their mothers. Coming home to an empty house was disappointing, lonely, and often frightening. They felt abandoned by their mothers. After all, it seemed to them that most other children had normal families whose mothers were around, whereas their own mothers were never home. Many children turned on the television for the whole afternoon day after day, in order to diminish feelings of isolation; furthermore, the voices were comforting. Frequently, they would doze off. Because of either economic necessity or strong determination for personal fulfillment, or both, the phenomenon of latchkey children is widespread in our society. Whatever the reason, it is a compelling situation with which families must cope. The question to ask is not whether or not mothers should work full-time. Given the reality of the situation, the question to ask is: how can an optimum plan be worked out to deal effectively with the situation. It is advisable for all members of the family to express their feelings and concerns about the inevitable change candidly. These remarks should be discussed fully. Many factors must be taken into consideration: the childrens personality and maturity, the amount of time the children will be alone, the safety of the neighborhood, accessibility of help in case of an emergency. Of supreme importance is the quality of the relationship between parents and children. It is most important that the children be secure in the knowledge that they are loved. Feeling loved provides invaluable emotional strength to cope successfully with almost any difficulty that arises in life. 挂钥匙的孩子笃、笃，家里有人吗？在过去的几十年中，美国的生活费用一直在持续增长。食品价格。服装费用、房子开销和学费都越来越高。母亲们纷纷放弃传统的全职家庭主妇的角色，这一部分是由于经济需要，一部分是想通过工作取得成就感。她们越来越多地从事家庭以外的有薪水的工作。如此重大的角色转换影响着整个家庭，尤其是孩子们。某些后果是非常明显的。例如，晚饭时间推迟了。而另一方面，这种转变对情感的影响就更微妙了。母亲们早上带着愧疚感离开家，因为孩子放学回来时她们会不在家。她们压抑着愧疚心理，因为她们相信她们的工作从长远来讲对大家有益。她们的收入将能够使家庭存下钱来供孩子上大学。度一次长假、买辆新车，等等。孩子们在情感上所受到的影响是很大的。通常，孩子会感到受伤和愤怒。毕竟，他们一个人呆几个小时，他们感到他们的母亲应该“在那儿”等着他们。他们可能需要有人帮他们完成作业，或者想把一天的活动说给母亲听。然而，母亲们通常筋疲力尽地回到家，又要面临一个紧迫的任务准备晚饭。她们的首要任务是给全家人做晚饭，而不是轻松的聊天。挂钥匙的孩子年龄从六岁到十三岁不等。每天，他们放学回家，用挂在脖子上的钥匙打开门，独自一人，孤孤单单地呆在安静而空荡荡的屋子里。对某些孩子来说，这段个人时间是很有所作为的，而对于另外一些孩子，却是令人害怕的孤单的空虚。由于安全原因，很多父母不允许孩子出去玩，或带客人到家里来。因此，孩子们感到一种被隔离的感觉。被采访的挂钥匙的孩子们反应不同。一些孩子说，每天自己呆上几个小时培养或激发了他们的独立意识和责任心。他们感到被爱、被信任，并且这一感觉鼓励他们自信。挂钥匙的女孩子通过观察母亲如何持家和工作，学习了职业母亲的行为榜样。一些孩子称他们利用这段不受监督的自由时间来提高他们的运动技能，如打篮球。还有一些孩子读书或练习乐器。这些孩子把放学后的自由时间看作个人发展的机会。这段时间带给了他们积极的、有成就的宝贵的经历。相反，也有很多挂钥匙的孩子因为不得不以这种方式生活而表现出诸多的痛苦、怨恨和愤怒。很多孩子称在很小的年龄，他们就被赋予了太多的责任；这是他们所无法承受的负担。他们还是小孩，非常需要母亲的保护、鼓励和细心照顾。回到空荡荡的家令人失望、孤单并且通常很恐惧。他们感到被母亲所抛弃。毕竟，对他们来说，似乎其他的孩子都有着“正常的”家庭，母亲都“在身边”，而他们自己的母亲却从不在家。很大孩子每天整个下午开着电视，只是为了消除孤独感；此外，电视的声音也是令人安慰的。通常，他们就这样睡着了。或者是因为经济需要，或者是实现个人价值的坚定的决心，或者两者兼有，挂钥匙的孩子的现象在我们的社会是普遍存在的。无论是什么原因，这是一个急迫的、众多家庭必须解决的局面。问题不在于母亲们是否应该全职工作。考虑到这一现象的实施状况，要提出的问题是：如何才能制定合适的计划有效地应对这种局面。可行的做法是：对于这一不可避免的变化，家庭所有成员应该坦诚地表达他们的感受和忧虑，并予以充分的讨论。很多因素必须被考虑在内：孩子的性格和成熟程度，孩子将独自在家的时间的长短，家庭周围是否安全，紧急情况下能否得到救助。父母与孩子的融洽度是最重要的。要让孩子们放心他们的父母是爱他们的，也是很重要的。感到被爱给与了孩子们宝贵的情感力量，使他们能够克服生活中的诸多困难。Its a Muggers Game in ManhattanMartin had lived in New York for forty years and never been mugged once. This did not make him confidenton the contrary, it terrified him. The way he saw it, he was now the most likely person in Manhattan to get mugged next. What are the odds of my getting mugged? he asked his friend Lenny. How much are you willing to bet? said Lenny, who was a compulsive gambler. Oh come on, this is too important to bet on! Nothing is too important to bet on, said Lenny, shocked. That was the end of their friendship. How do you think I can avoid getting mugged? Martin asked his friend Grace. Grace had not been outside her apartment in five years, as a sure-fire way of avoiding being mugged. It had failed; someone had broken in and mugged her. Ive no idea, Martin, she said. Most of these guys are on drugs anyway, and they need the money for their addiction. This gave Martin an idea. If the muggers only needed the money for drugs, why didnt he offer them drugs instead? Then possibly they would be so grateful they wouldnt harm him. Through some rich friends he knew he bought small quantities of heroin and cocaine. He had never touched the stuff himself, so he had to label them carefully to make sure he didnt get them mixed up. One day he was walking in a part of Central Park he shouldnt have been in (the part where there is grass and trees) when three men leapt out at him. One was black, one was Puerto Rican and one was Caucasian. Well, at least mugging is being integrated he thought. You want drugs? he cried. Ive got drugs! Anything you want you can have. Just name it. But dont touch me! The three men let go of him respectfully. We almost made a big mistake there, said one of them. This guys a pusher. Hurt him, and we could have the Mafia down on us. Lets see what you got, mister. Somewhat to his surprise Martin found himself displaying his wares to his clientele. Even more to his surprise, he found himself accepting money for the drugs, much more than hed paid for them. How come you guys have all this money? He said. Why are you out mugging if you have money? Well, were not real muggers, said the Caucasian embarrassed. Were out-of-work actors. I thought out-of-work showbiz people always became waiters or barmen, said Martin. Right. But there are so many showbiz people in catering now that you cant get work as waiters. So we had to get work as muggers. When Martin got home, he bought some more drugs from his friend. Pretty soon he sold them to some more muggers. Pretty soon after that he found he was spending more and more time pushing drugs, and making more and more money at it. Being afraid of muggings had turned him into a professional drug-pusher. One day a man leapt out at him and grabbed him. You want drugs? said Martin. I got drugs. I want money, said a familiar voice. Lenny! cried Martin. Howre you doing? Badly, said Lenny. I lost everything gambling. He hit Martin over the head and took his money, wallet and all his credit cards, leaving the little packets of white powder behind. 曼哈顿抢劫犯的计谋马丁在纽约住了四十年，从没被抢过。这并没有让他很放心，相反，这令他很害怕。在他看来，他是曼哈顿下一个最有可能被抢的人。“我被抢的可能性有多大？”他问他的朋友列尼。“你想赌多少钱？”列尼说，那是个非常爱赌的人。“得了吧，这么重要的事情，也能打赌！”“没有什么事重要到不能赌的，”列尼吃惊地说道。这成为他们友谊的结束。“你觉得我怎么样可以不被抢呢？”马丁问他的朋友格蕾丝。格蕾丝曾经五年没有出公寓门，以为这就肯定不会被抢了。不过也失败了，有人入室抢劫。“我不知道，马丁，”她说，“不过这帮家伙大多吸毒，他们需要钱满足毒瘾。”这让马丁有了一个主意，如果那些抢劫的人只是需要钱来买毒品，那何不提供毒品给他们呢？通过一些有钱的朋友，他买了一点儿海洛因和可卡因。他自己从没碰过这些东西，因此，他不得不很小心地给它们贴上标签，以确定自己不会搞混。一天，他正在中央公园走着，他不该走到有草有树的那片地方的，三个人跳到他面前。一个黑人，一个波多黎各人和一个白人。哦，她想，至少在抢劫方面已经民族融合了。“你们是要毒品吗？”他喊道，“我有！想要什么都行。告诉我就行。但是别碰我！”三个人很敬重地放开了他。“我们差点犯了大错，”其中一个说道，“这家伙是毒贩子。伤了他，我们就会惹上黑手党了。让我们看看你的货吧，先生。”马丁惊人地发现自己在向客户展示商品。令他更吃惊的是，他发现自己在收他们的钱，比他买来时多得多的钱。“你们怎么会有这么多钱？”他问，“既然有钱，为什么还要打劫呢？”“恩，其实我们不是真正的抢劫犯，”高加索人有点不自然，“我们是失业的演员。”“我以为演艺圈事业的人都会去做服务员或者酒吧招待员。”马丁说道。“是的。但是现在艺人在餐饮业的人太多了，找不到服务员的工作了。因此，我们只好抢劫了。”马丁回到家后，从朋友那里买了更多的毒品。不久就卖给了更多的劫匪。不久之后，他便发现自己贩毒的时间越来越多了，钱也越赚越多了。害怕被劫使他成为了一名职业的毒品贩子。一天， 又有一个人跳到他面前，突然抓住他。“你要毒品吗？”马丁说道，“我有。”“我要钱。”一个熟悉的声音说道。“列尼！”马丁叫道，“你现在怎么样啦？”“很糟，”列尼说，“我赌博输光了。”他击中了马丁的头，拿走了他的钱、皮夹和信用卡，只留下了一小包一小包的白粉。ThiefHe is waiting at the airline ticket counter when he first notices the young woman. She has glossy black hair pulled tightly into a knot at the back of her headthe man imagines it loosened and falling to the small of her backand carries over the shoulder of her leather coat a heavy black purse. She wears black boots of soft leather. He struggles to see her faceshe is ahead of him in linebut it is not until she has bought her ticket and turns to walk away that he realizes her beauty, which is pale and dark-eyed and full-mouthed, and which quickens his heartbeat. She seems aware that he is staring at her and lowers her gaze abruptly. The airline clerk interrupts. The man gives up looking at the womanhe thinks she may be about twenty-fiveand buys a round-trip, coach class ticket to an eastern city. His flight leaves in an hour. To kill time, the man steps into one of the airport cocktail bars and orders a Scotch and water. While he sips it he watches the flow of travelers through the terminalincluding a remarkable number, he thinks, of unmarried pretty women dressed in fashion magazine clothesuntil he catches sight of the black-haired girl in the leather coat. She is standing near a Travelers Aid counter, deep in conversation with a second girl, a blonde in a cloth coat trimmed with gray fur. He wants somehow to attract the brunettes attention, to invite her to have a drink with him before her own flight leaves for wherever she is traveling, but even though he believes for a moment she is looking his way he cannot catch her eye from out of the shadows of the bar. In another instant the two women separate; neither of their directions is toward him. He orders a second Scotch and water. When next he sees her, he is buying a magazine to read during the flight and he becomes aware that someone is pushing him. At first he is startled that anyone would be so close as to touch him, but when he sees who it is he musters a smile. Busy place, he says. She looks up at himIs she blushing?and an odd grimace crosses her mouth and vanishes. She moves away from him and joins the crowds in the terminal. The man is at the counter with his magazine, but when he reaches into his back pocket for his wallet the pocket is empty. Where could I have lost it? He thinks. His mind begins enumerating the credit cards, the currency, the membership and identification cards; his stomach churns with something very like fear. The girl who was so near to me, he thinksand all at once he understands that she has picked his pocket. 8 What is he to do? He still has his ticket, safely tucked inside his coathe reaches into the jacket to feel the envelope, to make sure. He can take the flight, call someone to pick him up at his destinationsince he cannot even afford bus fareconduct his business and fly home. But in the meantime he will have to do something about the lost credit cardscall home, have his wife get the numbers out of the top desk drawer, phone the card companiesso difficult a process, the whole thing suffocating. What shall he do? First: Find a policeman, tell what has happened, describe the young woman; damn her, he thinks, for seeming to be attentive to him, to let herself stand so close to him, to blush prettily when he spokeand all the time she wanted only to steal from him. And her blush was not shyness but the anxiety of being caught; that was most disturbing of all. Damned deceitful creatures. He will spare the policeman the detailsjust tell what she has done, what is in the wallet. He grits his teeth. He will probably never see his wallet again. He is trying to decide if he should save time by talking to a guard near the X-ray machines when he is appalledand extremely happyto see the black-haired girl. She is seated against a front window of the terminal, taxis and private cars moving slowly beyond her in the gathering darkness she seems interested in a book. A seat beside her is empty, and the man occupies it. Ive been looking for you, he said. She glances at him with no sort of recognition. I dont know you, she says. Sure you do. She sighs and puts the book aside. Is this all you characters think aboutpicking up girls like we were stray animals? What do you think I am? You lifted my wallet, he says. He is pleased to have said lifted, thinking it sounds more worldly than stole or took or even ripped off. I beg your pardon? the girl says. I know you didat the magazine counter. If youll just give it back, we can forget the whole thing. If you dont, then Ill hand you over to the police. She studies him, her face serious, All right, she says. She pulls the black bag onto her lap, reaches into it and draws out a wallet. He takes it from her. Wait a minute, he says. This isnt mine. The girl runs; he runs after her. It is like a scene in a moviebystanders scattering, the girl zigzagging to avoid collisions, the sound of his own breathing reminding him how old he isuntil he hears a womans voice behind him: Stop, thief! Stop that man! Ahead of him the brunette disappears around a corner and in the same moment a young man in a marine uniform puts out a foot to trip him up. He falls hard, banging knee and elbow on the tile floor of the terminal, but manages to hang on to the wallet which is not his. The wallet is a womans, fat with money and credit cards from different stores, and it belongs to the blonde in the fur-trimmed coatthe blonde he has earlier seen in conversation with the criminal brunette. She, too, is breathless, as is the policeman with her. Thats him, the blonde girl says. He lifted my wallet.小偷他第一次注意到那位年轻女子是在机场售票处排队买票的时候。她闪亮的黑发在脑后紧紧地盘了个髻男士想象着头发散下来一定可以垂到她的腰部她身穿皮衣，肩上挎着一个沉甸甸的黑包包。她脚上穿着黑色的软皮靴。他很想看清楚她的脸（可她排在他正前边），直到他买了票，转身离开时，他才完全看到了她的美丽，白皙的皮肤、黑黑的眼睛、饱满的嘴唇，令他心跳加快。她似乎意识到他正盯着她，连忙垂下了目光。售票员打断了他。男士没再盯着那个女子，买了一张到一个东部城市的往返经济舱票他想她可能有二十五岁。他乘坐的班级将在一小时后起飞。为了打发时间，男士进了一个机场的鸡尾酒吧，要了杯加水的苏格兰威士忌。他边抿着酒，边看着机场的人流，其中不少穿着时尚的未婚美女直到他又看到了那个穿着皮衣的黑发女孩。她正站在一个旅客咨询处旁，和另一个女孩聊得开心，那个女孩金发碧眼，穿着一件镶着灰色皮毛的全棉外套。不知怎么的，他想吸引这个黑发女孩的注意，无论她要到哪儿去，他想在她离开前邀请她一起喝杯酒，但是尽管他一度认为她正在朝他这边看过来，他却不能透过暮色的酒吧与她的目光相遇。过了一会儿，两个女子分开了；不过两个人都没朝他这边走。他又要了杯威士忌。他又看到她时，他在买杂志，准备在飞机上看的，他觉得有人在推他。起初，他很奇怪会有人离他那么近，碰到他，可当他看到是谁的时候，挤出一个笑容。“这里太挤了。”他说。她抬头看了看他她脸红了吗？奇怪的表情在她的嘴角一闪而过。她从他身边走开，汇入了机场的人群之中。男士还拿着杂志站在柜台边，但当他伸手到后面口袋拿钱包时却发现口袋空了。会在哪儿丢的呢？他想。他的脑海中开始闪现出信用卡、现金、会员证和身份证；内心的恐惧感搅动着他的胃。那个女孩跟我那么近，他想他顿时明白了就是她偷了他的钱包。他该怎么做呢？票还在，安全地折在他的上衣口袋里他伸手到夹克里摸了摸信封，再确定一下。他还能上飞机，打电话叫人到目的地接他因为他连坐公交车的钱都没有了办完公事，再飞回家。但是同时，他还得处理丢失的信用卡打电话回家，要妻子从桌子最上面的抽屉找到卡号，打电话给信用卡公司整个过程太难了，整件事让他感到憋气。他该怎么办呢？首先：找个警察，告诉他发生的事情，描述那个女人的样子；该死的，他想，好像在对他表示好感，让自己和他站那么近，他说话时还红了下脸这一切不过是想偷他的钱。她的脸红不是害羞，而是怕被捉住；这是最让人恶心的。骗人的家伙，见鬼去吧。他将不跟警察谈及细节只告诉他们她做了什么，钱包里有什么。他咬牙切齿，他很可能再也见不到他的钱包了。正当他犹豫要不要花点时间告诉X光检测机旁的警卫时，他惊奇地极度喜悦地看到了黑发女孩。她正背对着候机厅正面的一扇玻璃窗坐着，暮色中，的士和私家车从她身后缓慢驶过；她似乎正在专心看一本书。她身边的位置空着，男士坐了下来。“我一直在找你。”他说。她看了他一眼，不认识的样子。“我不认识你。”她说。“你肯定认识。”她叹了口气，把书放在了一旁。“你们这些人都是这么想的吗结交我们这样的女子，好像我们是迷途的动物。你把我当成什么人了？”“你偷了我的钱包。”他说。他很高兴用了“偷”这个词，认为比“窃”、“取”、甚至“抢”都听起来显得老练的多。“你说什么？”女孩说道。“我知道是你干的在杂志柜台前。如果你把钱包还给我，整个事情就此忘记；如果你不，那么我就要把你送交警方。”他观察着她，表情严肃。“好吧，”她说，她把黑包提到膝盖上，从里面摸出一个钱包。他拿了过来。“等等，”他说，“这不是我的。”女孩跑了，他跟在后面追。就像电影里的一幕，围观者四下散开，女孩绕来绕去，以免撞到，他自己喘气的声音提醒了他已经老了直到他听到身后传来一个女人的声音：“站住，小偷！拦住他！”他面前的黑发女孩在一个拐角处消失了，与此同时，一个身穿海军制服的年轻人伸腿绊倒了他。他摔的很重，膝盖和胳膊肘重重地摔在了机场的地板上，可手里仍紧紧抓着那个不属于他的钱包。钱包是女士的，装满了钱和不同商店的信用卡，那是穿着皮边衣服的金发女郎的就是早些时候和偷钱包的黑发女孩谈话的那个。她和跟着她的警察也都气喘吁吁的。“就是他，”金发女孩说道，“他偷了我的钱包。”碰巧男士连自己的身份都无法向警察证明。两周后，所有的尴尬和愤怒都消失了，私人律师的费用付了，家中的混乱也平息了这时，钱包却出现了一封早上的邮件中，没有任何说明。钱包完好无损，分文不少，所有的卡也还在原来的地方。尽管他松了一口气，他还是觉得下半辈子见到警察就会有犯罪感，在女人面前则会感到羞愧。10
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