ESL Podcast 686 – Roles Within a Family

　　Larissa: I’m really nervous about meeting your family.
Vince: You don’t need to be. They’ll love you and you’ll fit right in.
Larissa: Okay, but I want to make sure I know everyone I’ll be meeting. Your Grandmother Celine is the matriarch of the family and your Uncle Nick is the black sheep of the family, is that right?
Vince: That’s right, but none of us let on that Uncle Nick is considered the prodigal¹ son. He was really rebellious² when he was young and left home when he was 17. He came back 15 years later, but nobody really knows what happened during that time. He’s always been a little eccentric.
Larissa: I’ll be sure to steer³ clear of Uncle Nick, in that case. Let’s see, you told me that he is the oldest and your Aunt Sue is the baby of the family. Where does your Aunt Lily come in?
Vince: She’s the middle child and is always the scapegoat⁴ for anything that goes wrong. At least that’s what my grandfather has told me all these years.
Larissa: That’s your Grandfather Albert, the patriarch of the family, right?
Vince: Yes, you’ve got it. I’m impressed you remembered so much about my family.
Larissa: If I’m walking into the lion’s den⁵, then I want to be prepared.
Vince: Don’t think of it that way. They’re all going to love you.
Larissa: Famous last words!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 prodigal   

adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的

参考例句：

• He has been prodigal of the money left by his parents.他已挥霍掉他父母留下的钱。
• The country has been prodigal of its forests.这个国家的森林正受过度的采伐。

2 rebellious   

adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的

参考例句：

• They will be in danger if they are rebellious.如果他们造反，他们就要发生危险。
• Her reply was mild enough,but her thoughts were rebellious.她的回答虽然很温和，但她的心里十分反感。

3 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

4 scapegoat   

n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊

参考例句：

• He has been made a scapegoat for the company's failures.他成了公司倒闭的替罪羊。
• They ask me to join the party so that I'll be their scapegoat when trouble comes.他们想叫我入伙，出了乱子，好让我替他们垫背。

5 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。