别人说你孩子是“latchkey kid”到底是啥意思？

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【今日精学】

At eight, I was a latchkey kid. I'd get myself home after school every day and do homework and chores.

His parents have such hectic schedules that he has to be home alone most of the time.

His parents are now working in the city, making him a left-behind child.

【语音精讲】

【精讲部分】

⭐1⭐

latchkey kid

（因父母双双上班放学后独自在家的）

挂钥匙儿童

latchkey /ˈlætʃˌkiː/

n.（房屋等前门或大门的）碰锁钥匙

【牛津词典解释】

a child who is at home alone after school because both parents are at work

据说，“挂钥匙儿童”这个说法来自于NBC（美国全国广播公司）1944年的一部纪录片。这部纪录片讲的是二战以后，夫妻中的一方必须参军，而另一方就得出去工作养家，因此，把孩子独自留在家里的情况越来越普遍。

【例句】

At eight, I was a latchkey kid. I'd get myself home after school every day and do homework and chores.

八岁的时候，我成了挂钥匙儿童。每天放学我都自己回家，然后做作业、做家务。

Latchkey children tend to be more independent.

挂钥匙儿童更加独立。

⭐2⭐

be home alone

独自在家（无人照顾的）

home-alone

v.让…独自在家

【解释】

1. (esp of a young child) left in a house, flat, etc unattended (小孩)无人照顾被留在家里的

2. 有一部著名电影就叫Home Alone，翻译为《小鬼当家》，讲的是：凯文是一个大家庭中最年幼的成员，当他的家人飞往巴黎欢度圣诞时，他却意外地被遗下独自留在家中，而更复杂的是，凯文家不幸成为了一对贼匪的目标，小鬼凯文努力抵挡这两个匪徒，不惜翻天覆地，引发连场刺激惹笑的场面。

【例句】

His parents have such hectic schedules that he has to be home alone most of the time.

他爸妈日程安排得很紧，他大部分时间不得不独自在家。

Where are your parents?

— They have gone to Paris. They home-aloned me.

你爸妈呢？

— 他们去了巴黎，然后把我留在家里。

⭐3⭐

a left-behind kid/child

留守儿童

leave … behind 把…留下；离开…

【解释】

Left-behind children (留守儿童) refer to those children who are cared for by a single parent or grandparents, usually residing in rural areas with their parents seeking employment in the cities.

【例句】

联合国儿童基金会（UNICEF）官网的一句话：

Millions of children are “left behind” by one parent or both parents migrating to find work, continue their studies, or seek a better life.

数以百万计的儿童被父母中的一方或双方“留守家中”，因为父母要外出打工、继续学业或寻求更好的生活。

His parents are now working in the city, making him a left-behind child.

他爸妈现在在城市工作，他成了留守儿童。