世界节假日博览 第97期:国际家庭日

 The International Day of the Family is held on May 15 every year. This day celebrates families around the world and highlights¹ their importance. It aims to strengthen the family unit by making family members aware of their responsibilities. The day hopes to raise awareness² of equality within families and of sharing domestic³ duties. It also focuses on how families should encourage employment⁴ for all. The day was created by the United Nations General Assembly⁵ to support families and encourage them to contribute towards society. There is a different theme each year. In 1996, it was “Families: First Victims of Poverty and Homelessness”. Themes since then have focused on families and education, human rights, development, and disabilities.

每年的5月15日是国际家庭日。庆祝全球家庭，提高家庭重视程度。增强责任意识，加强家庭凝聚力。提高家庭平等意识，共担家庭义务。鼓励所有家庭成员劳动。国际家庭日由联合国大会创建，旨在支持家庭，贡献社会。每年主题各有不同。1996年的主题为：“家庭：贫穷和露宿者的头号受害者”。自此，话题开始向家庭、教育、人权、发展以及残疾人方向侧重。

The family is the most important unit of society. It is a group of people who share many things in common. These things include a residence⁶ and economic cooperation. A family also has one or more children. Some experts say the main function of the family is to continue the human race. Parents usually start a family because of their desire for children and to be happy. Every country has its own culture or cultures. Every culture has a different understanding of what family is. The way people look at families is changing as the world changes. Centuries ago, the extended⁷ family was the norm⁸ all across the world. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins all lived together. Today, the nuclear family is becoming more common.

家庭是组建社会的最重要单位。家庭成员间共同分享。包括住房，资金。还会养育一个或多名孩子。有专家指出，家庭的主要作用是繁衍生息。通常，组建家庭是为了养育后代，寻求幸福快乐。不同国家的文化习俗各不同。对于不同文化，对家庭的理解也就各不相同。随着时代发展，人们对于家庭的看法也发生了改变。数百年前，大家庭已经成为一种常态。祖父母、叔叔阿姨、堂兄堂弟生活在一起。如今，两代人家庭更为常见。

1.in common 共有的

例句：Electronic computers are now in common use all over the world. 

电子计算机已在世界各地普遍使用。

2.economic cooperation 经济合作

例句：While in the past we stressed aid, now we stress economic cooperation. 

我们过去侧重提供援助， 现在强调经济合作。

3.extended family 大家庭

例句：My grandparents live with us, so we are an extended family. 

我的祖父母和我们住，因此我们有个大家庭。

4.nuclear family 核心家庭

例句：My cousin is not part of my nuclear family. 

我的堂表兄弟姊妹并不是核心家庭的一部分。

1 highlights   

n.头发挑染部分；全球知名儿童刊物及相关产品的发行和销售商的名称、商号及商标

参考例句：

• The report highlights the major problems facing society today. 报告特别强调了当今社会所面临的主要问题。
• The report highlights a number of instances of injustice. 这篇报道重点列举了一些不公正的实例。

2 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

3 domestic   

adj.家里的，国内的，本国的；n.家仆，佣人

参考例句：

• This is domestic news.这是国内新闻。
• She does the domestic affairs every day.她每天都忙家务。

4 employment   

n.雇用；使用；工作，职业

参考例句：

• A large office requires the employment of many people.一个大办事处需要雇用好多人员。
• The state of employment in this city is improving.这个城市就业状况正在改善。

5 assembly   

n.集会(不可数)；会议(可数)，装配(不可数)

参考例句：

• He took his seat in an unobserved corner of the assembly room.他在会议室一个不为人注意的犄角坐下来。
• It was very quiet in the assembly hall.会场里静悄悄的。

6 residence   

n.住处，住宅；居住，(合法)居住资格

参考例句：

• They are only allowed one month's residence.他们获准只逗留一个月。
• He took up residence in Australia.他去澳大利亚居住。

7 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 norm   

n.标准，规范，平均数

参考例句：

• Of his age,the child is above the norm in arithmetic.在他那个年龄，这个孩子的算术能力是超过标准的。
• These events were aberrations from the norm.这些事件不合常规。