3LatchkeyChildren—Knock,Knock,IsAnybodyHome[N]

Latchkey Children—Knock, Knock, Is Anybody Home? [N] 挂着钥匙的小孩— — 笃，笃，有人在家吗？ In the United States the cost of living has been steadily rising for the past few decades. 在美国过去的几十年中，生活开支一直在持续上升。Food prices, clothing costs, housing expenses, and tuition fees are constantly getting higher and higher. 食品价格、服装开支、 住 房 开支以 及 学 费 不 断 增 高 。 Partly because of financial need, and partly because of career choices for personal fulfillment, mothers have been leaving the traditional role of full-time homemaker. 母亲们已经不再扮演专职家庭主妇的传统角 色 ，这 在一定 程 度 上是 出 于 经 济 上的需 要 ，一定 程 度 上也 是 为 了 使 自 己 有一种 成 就 感 。 Increasingly they have been taking salaried [N] jobs outside the home. 她们越来越多地在从事家庭以外的带薪水的工作。 [2] Making such a significant role change affects the entire family, especially the children. 这样重大的角色转换影响着整个家庭，尤其是小孩。Some consequences are obvious. For example, dinnertime is at a later hour. 某些后果是显而易见的，例如，晚饭时间推迟了。The emotional impact, on the other hand, can be more subtle. 然而，这种转变对感情的影响更为微妙。 Mothers leave home in the morning, feeling guilty because they will not be home when their children return from school. 母亲们早上带着负疚感离开家，因为孩子放学回家时她们不能在家等候。They suppress their guilt since they believe that their work will benefit everyone in the long run. 她们压抑着负疚心理，因为相信从长远来看这份工作对大家都有利。 The income will enable the family to save for college tuition, take an extended vacation [N], buy a new car, and so on. 她们的收入能够使家庭积攒起孩子的大学学费、全家度一个更长的假期、买一辆新车，等等。 [3] The emotional impact on the children can...