英語聽力頻道為大家整理的高一英語聽力練習(xí)：網(wǎng)絡(luò)繼母，供大家參考:)
15.cyber step mother 網(wǎng)絡(luò)繼母
I've often felt that “step-parent” is a label we attach to men and women who marry into families where children already exist, for the simple reason that we need to call them something. It is most certainly an enormous “step”, but one doesn't often feel as if the term “parent” truly applies. At least that's how I used to feel about being a step-mother to my husband's four children. 我總覺得“繼父繼母”這個詞是對那些與已經(jīng)有了孩子然后又家庭聯(lián)姻的男女們所貼的標簽，這么叫原因很簡單：我們總得管他們叫個什么。“繼父母”與“父 母”有一個“繼”字之差，讓人難以真正感覺到“父母”這個詞的適用性。至少，我剛做我丈夫四個孩子的繼母時，感覺是這樣的。
My husband and I had been together for six years. Although over the years, we all learned to adjust, to become more comfortable with each other, I continued to feel somewhat like an outsider. There was a definite boundary line that could not be crossed, an inner family circle which excluded me. 我和丈夫在一起六年了，雖然這些年來大家已經(jīng)學(xué)會適應(yīng)對方，讓彼此相處得更舒服一點兒，我還是有點覺得自己是個外人。我們之間總有一條無法逾越的界線，他們那個家庭小圈子總是把我排斥在外。
When the children moved away, we contacted Cyberspace in order to maintain regular communication with them. Ironically, these modern tools of communication can also be tools of alienation, making us feel so out of touch, so much more in need of real human contact. If a computer message came addressed to “Dad”, I'd feel forgotten and neglected. If my name appeared along with his, it would brighten my day and make me feel like I was part of their family unit. 孩子們搬出去住后，為了和他們保持日常聯(lián)系，我們聯(lián)上了網(wǎng)。具有諷刺意味的是，這些現(xiàn)代化工具在加深聯(lián)系的同時又疏遠了關(guān)系。它讓我們前所未有地感到失去了聯(lián)系，感到更加需要人與人面對面的真正接觸。如果電腦信息是發(fā)給“爸爸”的，我就有種被遺忘、被忽視的感覺。如果后面加上了我的名字，就會使我一天都 感到愉快，讓我覺得自己是家里的一員。
Late one evening, as my husband was asleep and I was checking my e-mail, an “instant message” appeared on the screen. It was Margo, my oldest step-daughter. As we had done in the past, we sent several messages back and forth, exchanging the latest news. When we “chat” she wouldn't necessarily know if it was me or her dad—unless she asked. She didn't ask and I didn't identify myself either. After hearing the latest volleyball scores, the details about an upcoming dance at her school, I said I should get to sleep. Her return message read, “Okay, talk to you later! Love you!” 一天深夜，丈夫睡著了，我查收電子郵件時，屏幕上出現(xiàn)了一條“即時信息”。這是我的繼女瑪戈發(fā)過來的。像從前一樣，我們互發(fā)幾條信息交談最近的新 聞。平時我們“聊天”時，她不必知道另一端是我還是她爸爸——除非她特意詢問。這次她沒問，我也就沒表明身份。聽她談了最近的排球比分和她們學(xué)校即將召開的舞會的細節(jié)后，我說我要睡了。她回復(fù)信息：“好的，下次再談!我愛你!”
A wave of sadness ran through me as I realized that she must have thought she was writing to her father. She and I would never have openly exchanged such words of affection. Feeling guilty for not clarifying, yet not wanting to embarrass her, I simply responded, “Love you too!” 一陣悲傷在心間掠過，我意識到她一直以為是跟自己的爸爸聊天呢。我和她從來沒有公開地相互說過這種深情的話語。我為沒有澄清自己的身份感到內(nèi)疚，但又不想讓她尷尬，就簡單地回道：“我也愛你!”
I thought again of their family circle, that self-contained, private space where I was an intruder. I felt again the sharp ache of emptiness and otherness. Then, just as I was about to return the screen to black, Margo's final message appeared. It read, “Tell Dad good night for me too.” 我又一次想起了他們的家庭圈子，對于那獨立的私人空間，我只是個闖入者。我又一次感受到了那種深切的痛楚，寂寞寥落，與他們格格不入。然而，正當我要關(guān)機時，瑪戈的最后一條信息出現(xiàn)了，寫著：“請代我向爸爸說聲晚安!”
With tear-filled eyes, I turned the machine off. 關(guān)掉時電腦，我熱淚盈眶。
I've often felt that “step-parent” is a label we attach to men and women who marry into families where children already exist, for the simple reason that we need to call them something. It is most certainly an enormous “step”, but one doesn't often feel as if the term “parent” truly applies. At least that's how I used to feel about being a step-mother to my husband's four children. 我總覺得“繼父繼母”這個詞是對那些與已經(jīng)有了孩子然后又家庭聯(lián)姻的男女們所貼的標簽，這么叫原因很簡單：我們總得管他們叫個什么。“繼父母”與“父 母”有一個“繼”字之差，讓人難以真正感覺到“父母”這個詞的適用性。至少，我剛做我丈夫四個孩子的繼母時，感覺是這樣的。
My husband and I had been together for six years. Although over the years, we all learned to adjust, to become more comfortable with each other, I continued to feel somewhat like an outsider. There was a definite boundary line that could not be crossed, an inner family circle which excluded me. 我和丈夫在一起六年了，雖然這些年來大家已經(jīng)學(xué)會適應(yīng)對方，讓彼此相處得更舒服一點兒，我還是有點覺得自己是個外人。我們之間總有一條無法逾越的界線，他們那個家庭小圈子總是把我排斥在外。
When the children moved away, we contacted Cyberspace in order to maintain regular communication with them. Ironically, these modern tools of communication can also be tools of alienation, making us feel so out of touch, so much more in need of real human contact. If a computer message came addressed to “Dad”, I'd feel forgotten and neglected. If my name appeared along with his, it would brighten my day and make me feel like I was part of their family unit. 孩子們搬出去住后，為了和他們保持日常聯(lián)系，我們聯(lián)上了網(wǎng)。具有諷刺意味的是，這些現(xiàn)代化工具在加深聯(lián)系的同時又疏遠了關(guān)系。它讓我們前所未有地感到失去了聯(lián)系，感到更加需要人與人面對面的真正接觸。如果電腦信息是發(fā)給“爸爸”的，我就有種被遺忘、被忽視的感覺。如果后面加上了我的名字，就會使我一天都 感到愉快，讓我覺得自己是家里的一員。
Late one evening, as my husband was asleep and I was checking my e-mail, an “instant message” appeared on the screen. It was Margo, my oldest step-daughter. As we had done in the past, we sent several messages back and forth, exchanging the latest news. When we “chat” she wouldn't necessarily know if it was me or her dad—unless she asked. She didn't ask and I didn't identify myself either. After hearing the latest volleyball scores, the details about an upcoming dance at her school, I said I should get to sleep. Her return message read, “Okay, talk to you later! Love you!” 一天深夜，丈夫睡著了，我查收電子郵件時，屏幕上出現(xiàn)了一條“即時信息”。這是我的繼女瑪戈發(fā)過來的。像從前一樣，我們互發(fā)幾條信息交談最近的新 聞。平時我們“聊天”時，她不必知道另一端是我還是她爸爸——除非她特意詢問。這次她沒問，我也就沒表明身份。聽她談了最近的排球比分和她們學(xué)校即將召開的舞會的細節(jié)后，我說我要睡了。她回復(fù)信息：“好的，下次再談!我愛你!”
A wave of sadness ran through me as I realized that she must have thought she was writing to her father. She and I would never have openly exchanged such words of affection. Feeling guilty for not clarifying, yet not wanting to embarrass her, I simply responded, “Love you too!” 一陣悲傷在心間掠過，我意識到她一直以為是跟自己的爸爸聊天呢。我和她從來沒有公開地相互說過這種深情的話語。我為沒有澄清自己的身份感到內(nèi)疚，但又不想讓她尷尬，就簡單地回道：“我也愛你!”
I thought again of their family circle, that self-contained, private space where I was an intruder. I felt again the sharp ache of emptiness and otherness. Then, just as I was about to return the screen to black, Margo's final message appeared. It read, “Tell Dad good night for me too.” 我又一次想起了他們的家庭圈子，對于那獨立的私人空間，我只是個闖入者。我又一次感受到了那種深切的痛楚，寂寞寥落，與他們格格不入。然而，正當我要關(guān)機時，瑪戈的最后一條信息出現(xiàn)了，寫著：“請代我向爸爸說聲晚安!”
With tear-filled eyes, I turned the machine off. 關(guān)掉時電腦，我熱淚盈眶。