一、如何描述和父母之间的关系
◆与父母之间的矛盾
1. It really hurts me to … ……真的让我感到很受伤害
When I show them my grades, they’re not surprised because they know I’m going to get a good grade anyway. It really hurts me to see them act this way.
2. focus on 关注；get sacrificed 牺牲
Some Chinese parents do focus on test scores and good degrees. But what gets sacrificed along the way is their kids’ capacity fully to develop and to enjoy life.
3. exam-oriented 应试教育的
China’s education is exam-oriented so students are under pressure from their family to do well in the college entrance exam.
4. give sb space 给某人空间；be used to 适应
Teenagers get angry because they feel parents don’t respect them and aren’t giving them space to do what they like, and parents get angry because they aren’t used to not being in control or they disagree with the teenagers’ decisions.
◆建立和谐关系
1. generation gap 代沟
It is necessary for children to exchange ideas with parents from time to time so that the generation gap between parents and children can be narrowed.
2. listen to one’s advice 听从意见
Children should listen to their parents’ advice because they’re more experienced in life.
3. relate to 理解；go through 经历
Remember that your parents were teenagers once and that, in most cases, they can relate to what you’re going through.
4. be upset about 对……感到伤心；misinterpret one’s feelings 误解某人的感受
Make sure you talk to your parents when you’re not emotionally upset about their reaction to something. If you listen to what they say, you may learn that you’ve been misinterpreting their feelings.
5. think on one’s own 独立思考；mutual understanding and respect 相互理解和尊重
Listening to children’s ideas and encouraging them to think on their own may help the parents and the children improve mutual understanding and respect.
6. impose one’s ideas on sb 将观念强加给某人
Parents should treat their children as independent individuals rather than impose their ideas on their children.
7. have a point 有道理
The mother has a point when it comes to setting challenging goals for kids.
◆感恩的心
1. keep sth in mind 铭记
Always keep one thing in mind – whatever our parents do comes from their love for us.
2. turn to sb 寻求帮助；desert 抛弃
Our mothers are our truest friends. We turn to them when difficult times fall upon us. And when other friends desert us, still they are there, returning peace to our hearts.
3. quarrels and reconciliations 争吵和和解；remind sb of sth 让某人想起
The quarrels and reconciliations in the poem reminded me of my life with my parents.
4. fall on 到来；public expression 公开的表达方式
Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday in May. It is a public expression of our love and respect for all the mothers in the worlds.
实战训练：
最近，某中学生英文报开设了名为“My parents and me”的栏目，请你根据以下提示，为该栏目写一篇英文稿件。1. 讲述一件发生在你父母和你之间的故事；2. 讲述你从这件事中得到的体会；3. 就如何处理和父母之间的关系提出建议。
参考范文：
Piano was my decision; practicing was my mom’s. At twelve years old, I would practice piano for two hours a day, depending on how concessions (让步) were made. My mom would sit next to me and work through what I had to do methodically while I took the occasional long glance out of the window where my neighbourhood friends were throwing a football in the yard or running around doing something fun and exciting. At twelve, piano was the biggest drag, but now, at seventeen, I wonder about how my piano would sound without my mom’s persistence. Sometimes negotiations are necessary to maintain the balance between parents and their children. In the long run, it is fairly obvious who really knows best.
