Mothers

BBC Learning¹ EnglishWeekenderMothers
Jackie:  Hello, welcome to Weekender with me, JackieDalton. This Sunday is aspecial day for mothers in Britain. It's Mother's Day – aday when sons and daughters are meant to thank and honourtheir mothers for all their love and hard work. And quiteright too, when you think about all the effort they putinto making us into sensible², happy, useful adults.
　　But can our mothers have too much influence over us? Thereare moments when I wonder if, as I'm getting older, I'mslowly turning into my mother. Sometimes I'll answer thephone and people will think I'm her. Or I'll realise thatI'm wandering around the house singing loudly and out oftune – a bit like my mother does. Am I the only one whofeels this way? It's time to find out.
　　In the programme this week, I'll be asking people inBritain if they think they take after their mothers. To'take after' someone means to be similar to them. Listenout for that phrase now. Does this first woman I spoke³ totake after her mother?
　　ClipIn some ways, but not in all. I think I take after my dadmostly.
　　Jackie:  This lady says she takes after her motherin some ways, but takes after her dad more. The next womanwe'll hear admits she is similar to her mother in someways. Try to spot three ways in which she says she is likeher mother.
　　When I look in the mirror and see my legs, I think of mymother. Sometimes I hearmyself speaking to my children, reprimanding them, and Ithink 'My God, I sound like my mother!' And I used to haveher temper⁵, but I've managed to moderate⁶ that.
　　Jackie:  Did you spot three things? She thinks herlegs look like her mother's.
　　And when she reprimands her children she sometimes soundslike her mother. To 'reprimand' someone is to tell them offfor doing something bad. She also says she used to have atemper like her mother's. If you'have a temper' you get angry and lose control quiteeasily. Note that the woman says 'I used to have hertemper.' That's a shorter way of saying 'I used to have atemper like hers…' 'I used to have her temper.' Listen tomore examples of how this kind of shorter structure can beused. Instead of saying…Voice:  My legs are like my mother's. Jackie:  You couldsay…Voice:  I've got my mother's legs. Jackie:  Or, insteadof saying…Voice:  That baby has got eyes just like his father's.
　　Jackie:  You could say…Voice:  That baby has got his father's eyes.
　　Jackie:  The next woman we'll hear says she is likeher grandmother rather than her mother. In what ways is shelike her grandmother? Again, try to identify three things.
　　My grandmother, not my mother. I look a bit like her and Ihave her mannerisms andher temper.
　　Jackie:  The three things this woman has in commonwith her grandmother are that she looks like her, she hasher temper and her mannerisms. A'mannerism' is a way of speaking or moving that's typicalof a particular person – children often develop mannerismssimilar to those of their parents. Listen again.
　　ClipMy grandmother, not my mother. I look a bit like her and Ihave her mannerisms and her temper.
　　Jackie:  Does this woman take after her mother?
　　ClipOh, I sure take after my mother! My mother right now is 89years of age, living totally independently in Canada, onher own and she had raised 6 daughters and two sons and allof us are really independent.
　　Jackie:  This lady says she is very similar to hermother. This is because, like her mother, she and herbrothers and sisters are all very independent. To be'independent' means to be good at living without the needfor other people.
　　Clip⁴…all of us are really independent.
　　Jackie:  Does this man think he is like his mother?
　　I'm completely different, I'm an individual, you know.
　　Jackie:  He insists he's completely different – anindividual. To describe yourself as 'an individual'
　　suggests you are not like other people, you have your ownway of being and doing things. The next man we're going tohearsays he does take after his mother - in what way?
　　ClipYeah, in a lot of ways, just attitudes, stuff⁷ we buy, youknow.
　　Jackie:  This man says he and his mother havesimilar 'attitudes'. Your 'attitude' is the opinions andfeeling you usually have about something. Listen to theseexamples.
　　ExamplesMichael's attitude towards women is really worrying. Shehas such a negative attitude towards her work.
　　Jackie:  Now, listen again to the clip.
　　ClipYeah, in a lot of ways, just attitudes, stuff we buy, youknow. Jackie:  And what about this man?
　　ClipYeah, I'm very caring and very friendly.
　　Jackie:  He thinks he's like his mum because he iscaring and friendly – to be'caring' means to want to help people and make sure they'rehappy. Just what makes a great mother!
　　Jackie:  Well, not everyone seems to think that theytake after their mother, but others have admitted that likeme, they often find themselves sounding like their motheror realise they have similar attitudes. Let's end with areminder of some of the language we've looked atto take after someone to reprimand someone to have a tempermannerismsto be independent to be an individual to be caring attitudeJackie:  That's all for now, but keep practisingyour English with us at bbclearningenglish.com!

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 sensible   

adj.可察觉的，意识到的，实用的；n.可感知物

参考例句：

• Are you sensible of the dangers of your position? 你觉察到你处境中的危险了吗？
• He was sensible enough to mind his own business.他颇有见识，不去管闲事。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 clip   

n.夹子，别针，弹夹，片断；vt.夹住，修剪

参考例句：

• May I clip out the report on my performance?我能把报道我的文章剪下来吗？
• She fastened the papers together with a paper clip.她用曲别针把文件别在一起。

5 temper   

n.恶劣的心情，心绪焦躁；性情，脾气

参考例句：

• The man lost his temper and struck out wildly.那人因发怒而大打出手。
• One day the man flew at me in a temper.一天,那个人冲着我大发脾气。

6 moderate   

adj.适度的，稳健的，温和的，中等的；v.节制，使...稳定，使...缓和；n.稳健的人

参考例句：

• You should moderate your language when children are present.在孩子面前，你说话应该有节制。
• The wind is moderate today.今天的风很柔和。

7 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。