時差N小時:學生也可以休產(chǎn)假

One thing we don't quite understand is why thelocal press should hype the maternity leave theMinistry of Education has decided to grant high-school girls. Perhaps there was no other issue thelocal media thought interesting enough to attractreaders and viewers.

我們非常不理解，當?shù)孛襟w為何對教育部準予高中女生休產(chǎn)假這件事如此大肆炒作——大概是他們沒有其它可以吸引讀者和觀眾的事情了吧。

Such help is already available in all developed countries of the world, however. In the UnitedStates, for instance, high-school mothers can even feed their babies between classes. But, thisseemingly insignificant piece of news did not escape the eyes of reporters with a nose fornews, like those of a bloodhound for game. They wanted a hullabaloo.

其實，這種事在所有的發(fā)達國家都見怪不怪了。例如，美國的高中生母親甚至可以在課間給自己的嬰兒喂奶。但是，這件看似不起眼的消息沒能逃脫那些新聞嗅覺靈敏的記者們的眼睛。他們就像一個個獵犬一樣。他們要的是一個爆炸性的效果。

Fortunately, they did not succeed. The reason is simple. Taiwanese parents mostly agreed thatsomething had to be done for hapless girls carrying babies while attending high school.Awarding them maternity leave is the least the education ministry can and should do to helpthem. There are not many high-school mothers, but that does not mean the authorities shouldignore their predicament. For one thing, they are, as often as not, ostracized by their peers.As a result, many pregnant teens abort unwanted babies. Most of the new mothers drop out ofschool, with little chance to complete secondary education.

幸運的是，他們的如意算盤落空了。原因很簡單。臺籍家長們大多認為，他們應該為那些無助的高中生媽媽們做點什么。準許她們休產(chǎn)假算是教育部能為她們所做的最起碼的事。雖然高中生媽媽并非多數(shù)，但這并不意味著當局就應忽視她們的困境。此外，她們往往受到同齡人的排斥。因此，許多懷孕的少女選擇了墮胎。就是那些生下孩子的新媽媽們，她們大多也會選擇輟學，鮮有人能夠完成中學學業(yè)。

At any rate, it is of paramount importance that all students realize that all newborn babies arewelcome.

無論如何，所有的學生都意識到，每個新生兒都應受到呵護——這才是最重要的。

1. maternity a. 產(chǎn)婦的

例句：I am looking for maternity wear in particularmaternity sleepwear and jeans. 我在尋找孕婦裝，尤其是孕婦穿的睡衣和牛仔褲。

2. leave n.準假;

例句：Maternity leave, paternity leave, carers' leaveand sick leave are not costs but essential to ourwellbeing. 產(chǎn)假、初為人父假期、護理者假期、病假等對心靈健康至關重要,絕不是一種額外花費。

3. hullabaloo n.喧嚷聲，吵鬧聲

例句：They like to live in the countryside, far way from crowd and hullabaloo. 他們喜歡住在鄉(xiāng)村,遠離人群和喧囂。

4. predicament n.困境

例句：A loan of money would help me out of my predicament. 只需一筆貸款就能幫我擺脫困境。

5. ostracize vt.排斥

例句：He was ostracized by his colleagues for refusing to support the strike. 他因不支持罷工而受同事排斥。

6. paramount a.最高的

例句：The reduction of unemployment should be paramount. 降低失業(yè)率應是頭等大事。