实用英语口语:保姆荒

所属教程:口语实用

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2018年03月17日

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HS: How was your grandpa's birthday bash last week? I think it must have been
a very lively affair.

LL: It was very lively. My cousin brother and his wife came back from America
with their three year old kid in tow. The lil' kid was really well-behaved, the
moment he saw grandpa, he greeted him with a bow and wished him Happy Birthday.
Grandpa was really delighted, he was grinning from ear to ear.

HS: He he, your cousin brother and his wife must have spent a lot of time
teaching him. Hey, how old is your grandpa this year?

LL: Last week was his 80th birthday.

HS: Really? The last time I saw your grandpa over at your house, he didn't
look like he was turning 80 anytime soon? He seemed to have more vitality than a
60 or 70 year old!

LL: My grandpa has a trick: don't let his age fool you, he never stays idle.
He'll keep himself occupied with something everyday. Say, you know what, last
night grandpa announced over dinner a decision that put everyone in a fix.

HS: What decision?

LL: He wants to move into a home for the aged!

HS: Huh? Why?

LL: My grandpa said he can't get used to living with us, I think the real
reason is that he feels he's troubling us.

HS: We don't talk about troubling our own children.

LL: My grandpa has always been like that, he doesn't like to trouble people.
After my grandma passed away, he lived by himself. My dad and aunt was concerned
that it might not be so convenient for him to live alone, so they hired him a
housekeeper. But my grandpa did not agree, he said that he was healthy and it
was a pure waste of money.

HS: You needn't say more, some elderly people are like that, they're always
worried that they're no longer of any use, that they're just a burden to their
family.

LL: Yea, but my dad and aunt insisted, and he finally compromised. But his
housekeeper resigned two months ago, she went back to start a business in her
hometown, so we brought grandpa to live with us.

HS: Why not hire him another?

LL: It's not easy to hire a housekeeper for an elderly person. Generally,
it's a whole day affair for housekeepers looking after elderly people, they eat
and live together, the local housekeepers won't do the job, so normally, it'll
be someone from out of town. Such housekeepers are hard to come by, and what's
more, China's becoming an aging society, there are more and more old people.

HS: No wonder, so that's why there's a "shortage of
housekeepers", right?

LL: Yep, we asked around at a few housekeeper agencies, they don't have an
immediate supply of manpower, all we could do was register ourselves and wait
for them to call when there's someone suitable. But this time my grandpa doesn't
want to hire a housekeeper anymore, he's determined to move into a home for the
aged.

HS: Your dad and aunt agreed?

LL: That goes without saying, of course they didn't agree! My grandpa is
already so old, how can we be at peace if he's living by himself in a home for
the aged? My aunt is also concerned that the home's condition is too inferior
and proper care may not be given to the elders. If there's a housekeeper at our
home, then she'll be reassured.

HS: On the contrary, it may not necessarily be so. Last year, I was a
volunteer at a home for the aged, I thought that the conditions and service
provided there were pretty good, the old folks were quite comfortable. Moreover,
it was easy for them to get together and chat, play mahjong, have a game of
chess, and what not, it's easy for them to pass the days. Rather, I think
there's yet another reason why people are not willing to let their parents move
into a home, for fear of how other people will perceive them, gossip behind
their backs, after all, saving face is of great importance to the Chinese.

LL: To tell you the truth, for me, it's not important what others think,
rather, the focus should be on what makes the elderly person happy. That's why I
can empathize with grandpa's decision. Ever since grandma passed away, he
doesn't have anyone to chat with. Although his children are very filial, but
they're each busy with their own jobs, they don't have much time to spend with
him.

HS: This is a phenomenon prevalent in modern society. Unless they're like
your grandpa, many elderly people face the "empty nest" (syndrome), their
children are not by their sides, so it's meaningless to be at home alone. Even
if they do go out, they don't know who to talk to. So although they are not
lacking in material well-being, deep inside them, they are very lonely.

LL: That's right, my dad and the rest of them are also aware of this point.
In the end, we found a home for the aged within the city, which had better
conditions. Yesterday all of us went there to have a look, it was pretty good.
On the way back my mom and dad said, "When we're old, let's go live there
too!"

HS: Huh? So what was your reaction? Did you disagree?

LL: Why should I disagree? At that time I said, "Sure! I'll move in with both
of you, the three of us can live together!"

汉生：上周你爷爷的生日过得怎么样，一定特别热闹吧?

乐乐：挺热闹的。我美国的堂哥堂嫂带着他们三岁的儿子回来了。那小家伙可真乖，一见着我爷爷就给他磕头祝寿，把爷爷乐得不行，都笑得合不拢嘴了。

汉生：呵呵，你堂哥堂嫂之前肯定没少教他。诶，你爷爷今年高寿?

乐乐：上周是他八十大寿。

汉生：不会吧?我前一次去你家见过你爷爷，看着哪儿像快八十的人啊?感觉比六七十岁的的老人家还精神!

乐乐：我爷爷可是有秘诀的：别看他那么大年纪了，却从来不让自己闲着，每天都会找点儿事儿做。对了，你知道吗，昨天吃完晚饭，我爷爷突然做了一个让我们全家为难的决定。

汉生：什么决定?

乐乐：他想搬到敬老院去住!

汉生：啊?为什么啊?

乐乐：我爷爷说他在我们家住得不习惯。其实我觉得真正的原因是，他觉得给我们添了麻烦。