【News Takeaway】「佩佩豬是調皮鬼」：家長對這隻調皮的學齡前小豬表示不滿

'Peppa Is a Brat': Parents Turn on the Cheeky Preschooler Pig

來源：The Wall Street Journal
難度：2.5
閱讀時間：3.5

佩佩豬到底是不是個好榜樣？風靡全球的英國卡通佩佩豬曾經大受家長的稱讚，最近卻開始受到質疑，認為她粗魯、沒耐心的表現，可能會對小孩產生不好的影響。「佩佩豬」所屬的孩之寶公司則認為，佩奇所展現的直率和自信值得稱讚。

By Chavie Lieber

"Peppa Pig" is a wildly popular English cartoon about the adventures of a cheeky preschooler pig who lives with her mummy, daddy and brother. It's such a U.S. hit that American children are acting British, including talking of petrol stations and calling cookies "biscuits."
《粉紅豬小妹》是一部很受歡迎的英國卡通，講述了一隻調皮的學齡前小豬的冒險生活，她和爸爸、媽媽和弟弟一起生活。這部動畫片風靡美國，以至於美國小孩也開始學英國人說話，像是把加油站叫“petrol stations”(加油站的英式稱法，美國是gas stations)，把餅乾說成"biscuits"而不是"cookies"。

But as a new generation focuses on more gentle and respectful child rearing techniques, more parents are pushing back against Peppa, concerned she's a bad influence.
但隨著新一代家長開始注重更溫和、更尊重孩子的育兒方法，越來越多的家長開始抵制「佩佩豬」，擔心她會對小孩產生不好的影響。

"Peppa is rude and impatient," says Kayla Tychsen, a parenting coach.
育兒教練凱拉·蒂克森（Kayla Tychsen）說:「佩佩豬很粗魯，沒有耐心。」

Peppa isn't known for her social graces. When her little brother, George, cried lawn- sprinkler tears when he couldn't remember where he had left his beloved toy dinosaur, Peppa told him, "Oh, well. Mr. Dinosaur is lost forever then."
佩奇本來就不是因為禮貌懂事而聞名的。有一次，她弟弟喬治不記得把心愛的恐龍玩具放在哪裡了，哭得像草坪上的灑水器。佩佩豬告訴他:「哦，好吧，那我們就這樣永遠地失去了恐龍先生。」

Years ago, parents sang Peppa's praises. In recent months, negative comments have rolled in.
這些年來，家長們一直對佩佩豬讚不絕口。但最近幾個月來，負面評論開始大量湧現。

Hasbro, the American toy giant that owns the Peppa empire, is aware of the backlash. Hasbro's senior vice president of the franchise, says "Peppa has natural, authentic reactions to the world, and has the ability to express how she feels. Some parents may see it as too direct or rude. We see it as self-assertive and self-confident."
美國玩具巨頭公司孩之寶，佩佩豬帝國的掌管者，已經意識到了這樣強烈的反對情緒。孩之寶公司負責該品牌的高級副總裁說:「佩佩豬對世界有著自然、真實的反應，她也有表達自己感受的能力。有些家長可能會把這當做是太過直接或粗魯。但我們認為這是有主見和有自信的表現。」

Key Words:

1. brat 乳臭未乾的小孩；調皮鬼

The little brat got angry when he didn't get what he wanted.
那個調皮的小孩得不到自己想要的東西就生氣。

2. wildly 狂放地；極度地

在形容詞前使用「wildly」來表示事情發生的程度或強烈程度。
The wind howled wildly outside, rattling the windows of the old house.
外面狂風呼嘯，老房子的窗戶被吹得格格作響。

3. preschooler 學齡前兒童；幼兒

Preschoolers learn through play and exploration.
學齡前兒童透過玩耍和探索來學習。

4. child rearing techniques 兒童養育技巧

Different cultures have different child rearing techniques.
不同的文化有不同的兒童養育技巧。

5. to push back against 反對；抵制

The workers decided to push back against the company's unfair policies.
工人決定反對公司不公平的政策。

6. social graces 社交禮儀；社交技巧

She was praised for her impeccable social graces at the event.
她在活動中無可挑剔的社交禮儀受到讚揚。

7. to sing someone's praises 讚揚某人；稱讚某人

The teacher sang the student's praises for his excellent performance.
老師對學生出色的表現大加讚賞。

8. to roll in 滾滾而來

As soon as the news article was published, comments from readers started to roll in, expressing a variety of opinions.
消息一出，讀者評論紛至沓來，發表了各種不同的看法。

9. backlash 強烈反對；反彈

There was a backlash against the new policy from the public.
公眾對新政策出現了強烈的反彈。

10. self-assertive 自信的；堅定自信的

She has a self-assertive personality and is not afraid to speak her mind.
她個性有自信，不害怕說出自己的想法。

史嘉琳《英語思維50講》每個人的英語基本功，看課程