FOX新闻：孩子想要的圣诞礼物太贵怎么办

燕山大学 刘立军 编写

u TRANSCRIPT

Fox on Family.

The holiday season can put parents under pressure, not knowing if Santa can deliver the top of the wishlist. Sometimes it's just too expensive: "Really this is the perfect time to have a discussion of values with our kids."

Author and father of three, Andrew Whitman, says for older kids, be honest about financial priorities: "And then, if it's really something they want, come up with a plan to execute getting it. Starting with them saving their money, and then figuring out ways to earn money to get it later on down the road."

And if it's something that you don't want them to have yet: "Just tell them straight up, 'Hey, you're not ready for that yet.' But give them benchmarks to look forward to... Right?

And I'm going to set up intermediary gifts until they reach that maturity level to handle it."

Now, for younger kids, similar might be close enough: "Whatever they think they've got to have right now, they get distracted with the newest greatest thing, if you put it in front of them, they're going to love it."

Wittman also says kids act how we act, by dreaming big and being grateful for whatever we have.

With FOX on Family, I'm Lisa Brady.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/201812/575077.shtml

u VOCABULARY

1. execute v. (formal) to do a piece of work, perform a duty, put a plan into action, etc. 实行；执行；实施。例如：

l They drew up and executed a plan to reduce fuel consumption. 他们制订并实施了一项降低燃料消耗的计划。

l The crime was very cleverly executed. 这一犯罪活动实施得非常巧妙。

l Check that the computer has executed your commands. 检查一下计算机是否已执行指令。

2. benchmarks n. something which can be measured and used as a standard that other things can be compared with 基准。例如：Tests at the age of seven provide a benchmark against which the child's progress at school can be measured. 七岁时进行的测试为孩子在学校中的学习发展提供了一个测量基准。

3. intermediary n. intermediary (between A and B) a person or an organization that helps other people or organizations to make an agreement by being a means of communication between them 中间人；调解人。例如：

l Financial institutions act as intermediaries between lenders and borrowers. 金融机构充当贷方和借方的中间人。

l All talks have so far been conducted through an intermediary. 到目前为止所有的谈判都是通过调停人进行的。

u QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

What’s Andrew Whitman’s advice to parents for older kids?

 Be honest about financial priorities.

 Tell them that you don't want them to have yet.

 Get a similar one which might be close enough.  

 Have a discussion of values with them.

What does the sentence “kids act how we act” mean?

 Set a good example for parents in daily life.

 Educate kids to be grateful for whatever they have.

 Educate our kids to dream big.

 Set a good example for kids in daily life.

u KEY

A。细节题。命题出处：Author and father of three, Andrew Whitman, says for older kids, be honest about financial priorities: "And then, if it's really something they want, come up with a plan to execute getting it. Starting with them saving their money, and then figuring out ways to earn money to get it later on down the road."

D。推断题。命题出处：Wittman also says kids act how we act, by dreaming big and being grateful for whatever we have.