每日英語 #073: Summer Camp 夏令營

2024/07/29閱讀時間約 6 分鐘

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Summer Camp

Each summer, millions of American children spend from one week to two months living away from home at a place we usually just call “camp” or “summer camp.” These children, mostly sons and daughters of middle- and upper-class parents, live with other children and adults who “supervise” (watch over) them. The adults are usually called “camp counselors,” and the children are called “campers.” These camps “traditionally” (typically in the past) taught campers skills like boating, making a fire, and “crafts” (making small objects by hand). Summer camp was a good way to give your child something entertaining and a little educational, and to give yourself a few weeks of vacation for the “chores” (jobs; duties) of parenting.

每年夏天，數百萬美國兒童會花一周到兩個月的時間，離家到我們通常稱之為“營地”或“夏令營”的地方生活。這些孩子，大多是中上階層父母的子女，與其他孩子和負責“監督”（看管）他們的成年人一起生活。這些成年人通常被稱為“營地輔導員”，而孩子們則被稱為“營員”。這些營地“傳統上”（過去通常）教授營員如划船、生火和“手工藝”（手工製作小物件）等技能。夏令營是一種讓孩子既有趣又有一點教育意義的活動，並給父母在育兒的“雜務”（工作；職責）中放幾周假。

The bad economy in the U.S. beginning in the late 2000’s has meant that fewer students are attending summer camps, and those camps that want to “survive” (continue to exist) have to offer something more than just making “s’mores” (a traditional summer camp food made from chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers). A 2011 article in the New York Times talked about the different kinds of “specialty” camps that you can now send your child to. There are camps for all kinds of special interests, from “film making” (movie making) to computer game development to playing soccer. Especially popular among rich parents are camps that will “supposedly” (apparently) help your child prepare for college, often “run by” (operated by) the same expensive colleges parents want their children to eventually attend.

自2000年代末期開始，美國經濟不景氣意味著參加夏令營的學生減少，而那些希望“生存”（繼續存在）的營地必須提供不僅僅是製作“棉花糖夾心餅”（一種傳統夏令營食品，由巧克力、棉花糖和全麥餅乾製成）的活動。《紐約時報》2011年一篇文章談到了現在可以送孩子參加的各種類型的“專門”營地。有針對各種特殊興趣的營地，從“電影製作”（電影製作）到電腦遊戲開發再到踢足球。尤其受富有家長歡迎的是那些將“據稱”（顯然）幫助孩子為大學做準備的營地，這些營地通常由家長希望孩子最終就讀的昂貴大學“運營”（經營）。

Camp counselors are no longer just college students who need a little extra money in the summertime. Now professionals are “brought in” (hired; employed) to teach the children those special skills.

營地輔導員不再只是需要在夏天賺點外快的大學生。現在會“引入”（僱用；雇傭）專業人士來教孩子們這些特殊技能。

How much do these camps cost? Some are more than $1,000 a week.

這些營地費用是多少？有些每週超過1000美元。