实战口语情景对话 第550期:Students and Jobs 学生和打工

Todd: You know, Greg, we were both talking about how we have part-time job, you know, I think there's a lot of benefit but looking back, sometimes I wonder if it's not so good if children work.
托德：格雷格，我们之前谈过，我们两个人都打过工，你知道，我认为打工有很多益处，可是回想一下的话，有时我觉得让孩子们打工可能不太好。

Greg: Why?
格雷格：为什么？

Todd: You know, I just think, basically, that kids get in this trap, they start working, they start getting a little money, they kind of get into buying things, consumerism, and they really don't focus on studying or being in clubs or just doing extra-curricular activities when they're young.
托德：你看，我在想，孩子们面临诱惑，他们开始工作后就会挣到钱，然后他们就会拿这些钱去买东西、去消费，这样一来他们可能就不会专心学习了，而是在小小年纪开始去俱乐部，或是做一些课外活动。

Greg: But sometimes if people work, they learn that they have to work in order to get something and then they transfer that to school and say, OK, I have to work at school in order to get good grades, or to get into the high school I want, or into the college I want.
格雷格：不过人们在工作以后会明白要想得到某件东西他们就必须要工作，他们会把在工作中学到的道理应用在学业上，孩子们会明白要拿到好成绩或是考进理想中的高中或大学就必须要努力学习。

Todd: I think it's nice to look at it that way but I think in reality, most people that are wealthy, their children don't work and they get better grades and they do activities that help their school resume, and as a result they get into the best schools, and they get the best jobs.
托德：这样看还不错，不过我认为在现实生活中，大部分有钱人的孩子都不工作，他们也能取得好成绩，而且他们也会做一些为学校评价增分的活动，这样一来他们就能进入好学校，然后找到好工作。

Greg: Maybe the rich people are able to go to better schools cause their better schools in the rich area so their getting a better education, that might be one.
格雷格：有钱人能进入好学校可能是因为富人区的学校比较好，所以他们能获得更好的教育。

Todd: Yeah, that's true but I think maybe that if kids, if they start working and they work too much, then they lose their priorities, which should just be about an education.
托德：没错，不过我认为孩子们如果打太多工，那他们就会忽视掉学习才是他们的首要任务。

Greg: I agree if they work too much, but I think you learn a lot of things, which are very important, you know, there's a difference between book knowledge and world knowledge.
格雷格：我同意，如果孩子们做太多工作的确有这种可能，不过我认为打工可以让你学到很多重要的知识，书本知识和生活知识是不同的。

Todd: OK, that's true. Well, so how many hours would you suggest that a child works? Like for you what's the maximum hours that a kid in high school should work?
托德：没错。你会建议孩子们工作多长时间呢？你认为高中生的打工时间最多不能超过几个小时？

Greg: A high school student should probably work no more than 10 hours a day.
格雷格：高中生的打工时间最好一天不要超过10个小时。

Todd: OK, I agree. I agree. See when I was in high school, I was like working 25, 30 hours.
托德：我同意，我也这么认为。我上高中的时候可能会工作25或30个小时。

Greg: That's, that's a lot.
格雷格：那太多了。

Todd: Right, and that's why I'm not a rich man today.
托德：对，这就是为什么我现在没有成为有钱人的原因。