반바지 때문에 싸우는 모녀
Dear Abby:
I'm 14, and I don't wear shorts because I'm self-conscious about my legs.
My mother is always nagging me to wear them in the heat.
The other day, I overheard one of Mom's girlfriends ask her why I don't wear shorts, and what's wrong with my legs?
The next day, Mom told me she was going to put on some shorts and how much cooler she felt.
Then she asked, "Aren't you hot in those jeans? You should start wearing shorts."
Today, Mom had on some new shorts, and she said they were the most comfortable she had ever worn.
Then she handed me a bag with four pairs of shorts and told me, "I got you some, too." She told me to try on a pair. I told her I wasn't wearing them.
She yelled that I was being ridiculous to wear jeans in 95-degree weather.
Later, I got out of the shower and saw the shorts on my bed.
All my jeans and pants were gone.
Mom then came in and told me to put on the shorts.
She said, "You have nice legs and good wearing shorts. You look normal now -- and don't you feel a lot cooler?"
She said she expects me to wear shorts every day for the rest of the summer. What should I do?
-- NEEDS ADVICE IN TEXAS
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Dear NEEDS ADVICE:
You'll wear the shorts, and probably resent your mother every day you put them on -- or attempt a compromise.
Believe it or not, you don't need advice as much as your mother does.
She has won the battle, but at what price?
She turned your insecurity into a power struggle and pulled rank.
There was no reason to force you to wear shorts other than the fact she felt self-conscious in front of her friend.
Talk about misplaced priorities!
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어휘 및 표현
1. self-conscious : excessively and uncomfortably conscious of your appearance or behavior
1. 수줍어하는, 자의식이 강한
2. nagging : continually complaining or faultfinding 잔소리
3. compromise : a settlement of differences in which each side makes concessions 타협
4. insecurity : the anxiety you experience when you feel vulnerable and insecure 불안감
5. pull rank : to use one's superior rank to gain an advantage 계급을 이용하여 명령으로 누르다
6. talk about : an idiom used to emphasize something as an extreme example (반어) ~ 이라니 (어림도 없는 소리다)
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[Question]
1. If you are in the position NEEDS ADVICE IN TEXAS, what will you do ?
2. Suppose you are a child's parent, don't you want your child to obey you without any sign of discontent ?
해석
Dear Abby:
I'm 14, and I don't wear shorts because I'm self-conscious about my legs.
저는 14살인데 다리에 자신이 없어서 반바지를 안 입어요.
My mother is always nagging me to wear them in the heat.
그런데 엄마는 더울 때 반바지를 입으라고 항상 잔소리를 하세요.
The other day, I overheard one of Mom's girlfriends ask her why I don't wear shorts, and what's wrong with my legs?
하루는 우연히 엄마친구 한 분이 엄마한테 제가 왜 반바지를 안 입냐면서 다리에 무슨 문제가 있냐고 묻는 걸 들었어요.
The next day, Mom told me she was going to put on some shorts and how much cooler she felt.
다음 날 엄마는 반바지를 입어야겠다며 정말 시원할 거 같다고 하셨어요.
Then she asked, "Aren't you hot in those jeans? You should start wearing shorts."
그런 다음 저에게 "청바지 입으면 덥지 않니? 반바지 입지 그래."라고 하시는 거에요.
Today, Mom had on some new shorts, and she said
they were the most comfortable she had ever worn.
또 오늘은 새로 산 반바지를 입으시고는 지금까지 입어 본 옷 중에 가장 편하다고 하셨어요.
Then she handed me a bag with four pairs of shorts and told me, "I got you some, too." She told me to try on a pair. I told her I wasn't wearing them.
그리고 나서는 반바지 4벌이 들어 있는 가방을 주면서 "네 것도 사왔어" 라고 하시더군요. 엄마는 저보고 한번 입어 보라고 했어요. 저는 안 입겠다고 했죠.
She yelled that I was being ridiculous to wear jeans in 95-degree weather.
엄마는 95도나 되는 더운 날씨에 청바지를 입는 게 말이 되냐며 화를 내셨어요.
Later, I got out of the shower and saw the shorts on my bed.
얼마 후, 샤워를 하고 나왔더니 반바지가 제 침대 위에 놓여있었어요.
All my jeans and pants were gone.
청바지와 다른 긴 바지들은 몽땅 없어져 버렸고요.
Mom then came in and told me to put on the shorts.
그 때 엄마가 들어오시며 반바지를 입어보라고 하시는 거에요.
She said, "You have nice legs and good wearing shorts. You look normal now -- and don't you feel a
lot cooler?"
엄마는 "넌 다리가 예뻐서 반바지를 입어도 잘 어울려. 하나도 안 이상하다니까. 훨씬 시원할 것 같지 않니?" 라고 했어요.
She said she expects me to wear shorts every day for the rest of the summer. What should I do? -- NEEDS ADVICE IN TEXAS
그리고는 제게 남은 여름 동안은 반바지만 입고 지내라고 하셨어요. 어떡하죠?
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Dear NEEDS ADVICE:
You'll wear the shorts, and probably resent your mother every day you put them on -- or attempt a compromise.
반바지를 입고 매일 어머니를 원망하던지 아니면 어머니와 타협을 시도해 보세요.
Believe it or not, you don't need advice as much as your mother does.
믿기 힘들겠지만 당신보다는 당신의 어머니께 더욱 조언이 필요하네요.
She has won the battle, but at what price?
어머니가 싸움에서 이겼어요. 그런데 그 대가가 뭐죠?
She turned your insecurity into a power struggle and
pulled rank.
당신이 다리에 자신 없는 것을 권력 싸움으로 만들고, 어머니라는 지위를 이용해 억지로 반바지를 입게 하는군요.
There was no reason to force you to wear shorts other than the fact she felt self-conscious in front of her friend.
오직 자기 친구들 앞에서 창피를 당했다는 이유 하나 때문에요.
Talk about misplaced priorities!
뭐가 더 중요한 지를 모르고 계시는군요.
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