国家地理:China's Lost Girls 被抛弃的女孩 -10

Boys and girls are equal, but it could take generations to change centuries of tradition. The abandonment of baby girls isn't the only consequence of the one child policy. When a child doesn't have any brothers and sisters, something else may happen.

Do you think you are a little spoiled at all?

No

Some kids in China are getting spoiled and they are getting fat, so-called fat reduction centers are popping up all over China.

Why do you do the acupuncture¹, what does the acupuncture do?

He will not, he will not feel very very hungry. And maybe even at noon.

Do you think many of the younger kids who are coming in because they are the only child, are a little spoiled?

En yes.

Some people think that because most families only have one child that the parents will let them eat anything they want. And they, they become a little spoiled, what do you think about that?

The old generation has suffered a lot. They want us, their kids to have everything, to be able to eat anything.

Now time to do the morning exercises.

And they actually have a saying in China, they characterize² only children who are somewhat spoiled and that is Little Emperors.

I wanted to say that, when... when I was adopted from China, er I felt very lucky and now I realized that if I say something very nice, maybe another kid can come back and brought, be back and with the family brought to America.

As we travel across China, the growing gender³ imbalance is evident everywhere. And I left, wondering, what their future holds for this country and its daughters. We meet up with our families down in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province in Southern China.

This is Guangzhou, China, and it's the last stop for American couples who have adopted Chinese kids. No matter where they have been throughout the country, they all have to go through Guangzhou and their next stop after a couple of other stops, er, like Beijing and Hongkong and so on, is the USA.

The American consulate⁴ here gives them the final papers to bring their daughters back to the US. Right next to the consulate is the White Swan Hotel, we see hundreds of Americans here with their new daughters. It's the last stop before bringing their children home.

A week ago, these little girls were the most discarded members of Chinese society and within a couple of days, they are gonna be in Alabama, in Texas, in Wisconsin, in Michigan and they are gonna be Americans.

Here's your visa.
Yeah. Reese
Hello, this is your baby sister's visa, I check it, I think it's perfect. Here's your passport. Congratulations.
Thank you.
You've got passport and everything.

I have to tell you that I am shocked by the transformation⁵ of these babies, I mean, this one was terrified the first couple of days. Absolutely terrified that it scared me. Do you know, 'cause you just think of that moment like how's a baby gonna adjust. And now look at her. She's a happy baby.

Bye guys. Have a safe flight.
Bye.
Well, the Hawls are leaving China today.

So the next stop is Hongkong, and then Tokyo and then Atlanta. Come on.
Thank you so much for everything.
Bye-bye Lisa.
And send me another sequel to Charlie's Angels.
Stop it.
This is as far as we can go.
Oh, you want to say goodbye. You say goodbye to China. Goodbye. Bye China.

Marissa and her sister Reese are now American girls. And Atlanta Georgia is their home.

Handing her over.

They leave behind a swelling⁶ tide of young boys who outnumber girls and in orphanages⁷ across China, tens of thousands of abandoned girls who await an uncertain future.

For more information on tonight show, check out our website at nationalgeographic.com. I'm Lisa Lin and we'll see you next week.

1 acupuncture   

n.针灸，针刺法，针疗法

参考例句：

• Written records show that acupuncture dates back to the Song Dynasty.文字记载表明，宋朝就已经有了针灸。
• It's known that acupuncture originated in China.众所周知，针灸起源于中国。

2 characterize   

v.以...为特征，描述...的特征，描绘

参考例句：

• We ordinarily characterize an action as responsible if it was intended.如果行为是有意的,我们一般将其特征归为应负责任的。
• We may characterize an atomic state by a quantum number L.我们可以用量子数L描写一个原子的状态。

3 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

4 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

5 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

6 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

7 orphanages   

孤儿院( orphanage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It is Rotarians running orphanages for children who have no homes. 扶轮社员们为没有家的孩子办孤儿院。
• Through the years, she built churches, hospitals and orphanages. 许多年来，她盖了一间间的教堂、医院、育幼院。