【2023.3.23】六分钟英语 女性参政 What's getting wom
Introduction
Thousands of women have signed up with 50:50 Parliament to register their interest in standing as an MP (Member of Parliament) in the UK. What's inspiring them to get involved? Sam and Georgina discuss the engagement of women in politics and teach you related vocabulary.
This week's question
Which country has the highest percentage of women in its parliament? Is it:
a) Rwanda
b) Sweden
c) New Zealand
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript
Sam
Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Sam.
Georgina
And I'm Georgina.
Sam
How do you do feel about politics, Georgina?
Georgina
Well, there’s a lot around at the moment!
Sam
Yes, indeed!
Georgina
One thing I would like to see in politics, particularly British politics, is more women in parliament. About 34% of our MPs are women, which is the highest it’s ever been, but it’s still not close to 50%.
Sam
In order to be elected though, you first have to stand, don’t you?
Georgina
Yes, we use the verb stand when you are a candidate someone can vote for.
Sam
Women in politics is our topic today. Before we get into it, today’s question. Which country has the highest percentage of women in its parliament? Is it:
a) Rwanda
b) Sweden
c) New Zealand
What do you think, Georgina?
Georgina
I’m not sure. I know New Zealand was one of the first countries to allow women to vote and they currently have a female prime minister – but I think it’s actually an African country. So I’m going to say Rwanda.
Sam
OK. We’ll see if you’re correct at the end of the programme. There are a number of projects in the UK at the moment trying to get more women interested in standing forparliament. One of these is the campaign ‘sign-up-to-stand’ from an organisation called 50:50 Parliament. Lucrece Grehoua is someone who has taken up that challenge and is hoping to stand in upcoming elections. She was a guest on the BBC Radio programme Woman’s Hour. She wasn’t always interested in politics, though. How does she describe it?
Lucrece Grehoua
I didn’t really see myself in the Houses of Parliament. When we see it on TV it looks extremely boring, politics looks boring, especially as a young person and so when I saw that 50:50 Parliament were including women and including young women, including a diverse range of young women, I thought ‘wow, this is really for me and it can be for me’. So I decided to #signuptostand. Ever since I’ve just been excited at the prospect of me standing for parliament.
Sam
What was her original feeling about politics?
Georgina
Boring! She thought it was boring, particularly as a young person. In fact she couldn’t see herself as a politician. She couldn’t imagine herself doing it.
Sam
She says that she is now excited at the prospect of standing. What does she mean by that?
Georgina
The prospect of something is the possibility of something. So before, she thought it was boring, now she’s excited at the possibility that she could be a member of parliament.
Sam
So, what was it that made her change her mind and think that politics wasn’t so boring after all? Here’s Lucrece Grehoua again.
Lucrece Grehoua
I think everybody has a politician within them because we all get anger about something but unfortunately when we see it, it’s all jargon, it’s not very… words that we can understand. Even just as a working class person who hasn’t, you know, been to a private school and who’s come from a disadvantaged background and so I realised politics is for absolutely everybody, it’s just the way that you speak about it has to be tailored to everyone.
Sam
One of the things she didn’t like about politics was the jargon.
Georgina
Well, no one likes jargon, do they? Jargon is the very specific language and vocabulary relating to a particular profession. Inside the profession people know what it means, but from outside it can seem very complicated and confusing.
Sam
Lucrece said she came from a disadvantaged background. This means that when she was growing up her family didn’t have very much money and that made life and study very difficult.
Georgina
But even though, or maybe because, she came from a disadvantaged background she has become interested in politics and thinks that it can be something for everyone, but rather than use jargon you have to tailor the way you speak for everyone. To tailorsomething is to make it fit – in the same way that a tailor makes clothes fit, you can tailoryour language to make it easy for everyone to understand. And one way to do that is to cut out the jargon!
Sam
That’s just about all we have time for today. But before we review the vocabulary, it’s time to get the answer to today’s quiz question. Which country has the highest percentage of women in its parliament? Is it:
a) Rwanda
b) Sweden
c) New Zealand
Georgina, what did you say?
Georgina
I made an educated guess of Rwanda.
Sam
An educated guess and a correct guess. Well done. And well done to everyone else who got that right too! According to 2019 figures, Rwanda’s parliament has over 60% women MPs. Go Rwanda! OK, let’s remind ourselves of today’s vocabulary.
Georgina
Of course. To stand is the verb we use when someone is a candidate in an election – when someone stands for election you can vote for them.
SamIf you can see yourself as something, it means that you can imagine yourself doing that thing.
Georgina
The prospect of something, is the possibility of something, so for example, the prospect of becoming an MP is something that excites Lucrece.
Sam
Something that we all hate, except when we use it ourselves, is jargon. Words and language that are very specific to a particular job and which are difficult for people outside that profession to understand.
Georgina
People who grow up without enough money and without access to education can be said to come from a disadvantaged background.
Sam
And finally, to tailor something is to change it to make it suitable for a particular purpose.
Georgina
So for example, if you want to make politics accessible for more people, you have to tailor your language and cut out the jargon.
Sam
Indeed! Well, it’s time for us to go now, but do join us again soon. Bye for now.
Georgina
Bye!
Vocabulary
to stand
to be a candidate in an election
to see yourself (doing something)
to imagine that it is possible for you to do something
the prospect of
the possibility of
jargon
vocabulary and expressions related to a particular job
a disadvantaged background
growing up in a family situation without much money
to tailor (what you say)
to change (how you speak) to make it suitable for a particular group
双语版Transcript
Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Sam.
大家好，这里是六分钟英语，我是萨姆。
And I'm Georgina.
我是乔治娜。
How do you do feel about politics, Georgina?
你对政治有什么看法，乔治娜？
Well, there's a lot around at the moment!
嗯，现在关于政治的东西周围有很多！
Yes, indeed!
是的，的确！
One thing I would like to see in politics, particularly British politics,is more women in parliament.
我在政界会看到的一件事是，特别是英国政界，有更多女性进入议会。
About 34% of our MPs are women, which is the highest it's everbeen, but it's still not close to 50%.
大约34%的国会议员是女性，这是有史以来的最高比例，但它仍不到50%。
In order to be elected though, you first have to stand, don't you?
然而为了当选，你首先得参加竞选，不是吗？
Yes, we use the verb stand when you are a candidate someone can vote for.
是的，当你是某人可以投票选举的候选人时，我们用动词"参加竞选"。
Women in politics is our topic today.
政界女性是我们今天的主题。
Before we get into it, today's question.
在我们深入讨论这个话题之前，是今天的问题。
Which country has the highest percentage of women in its parliament?
哪个国家的议会中女性比例最高？
Is it: a) Rwanda, b) Sweden, or c) New Zealand?
是a)卢旺达，b)瑞典，还是c)新西兰？
What do you think, Georgina?
你觉得呢，乔治娜？
I'm not sure.
我不确定。
I know New Zealand was one of the first countries to allow women to voteand they currently have a female prime minister, but I think it's actuallyan African country.
我知道新西兰是最先允许女性进行选举的国家之一，而且目前该国有一位女总理，但我认为议会中女性比例最高的国家实际上是一个非洲国家。
So I'm going to say Rwanda.
所以我说是卢旺达。
OK. We'll see if you're correct at the end of the programme.
好的。我们将在节目最后看看你是否正确。
There are a number of projects in the UK at the moment trying to get morewomen interested in standing for parliament.
目前英国有很多项目试图让更多女性对参加议会竞选感兴趣。
One of these is the campaign 'sign-up-to-stand' from an organisationcalled 50:50 Parliament.
其中之一是名为"议会男女比例一比一"的组织发起的"报名参加竞选"活动。
Lucrece Grehoua is someone who has taken up that challenge and is hopingto stand in upcoming elections.
鲁克丽丝· 戈鲁斯基亚已经接受了挑战，并希望参加即将到来的竞选。
She was a guest on the BBC Radio programme Woman's Hour.
她是BBC广播节目《女性时间》的嘉宾。
She wasn't always interested in politics, though.
不过，她并不是一直都对政治感兴趣。
How does she describe it?
她是怎么形容的？
I didn't really see myself in the Houses of Parliament.
我真的没想象过自己进入议会大厦。
When we see it on TV it looks extremely boring, politics looks boring,especially as ayoung person, and so when I saw that 50:50 Parliament wereincluding women, and including young women, and including a diverserange of young women, I thought 'wow, this is really for me and it can befor me'.
当我们在电视上看到议会时，它看起来非常无聊，政治看起来很无聊，尤其是作为一个年轻人，当我看到"议会男女比例一比一"包括女性，包括年轻女性，包括各种各样的年轻女性时，我就想"哇，这真是为我准备的，很适合我"。
So I decided to #signuptostand.
所以我决定参加"报名参加竞选"活动。
Ever since I've just been excited at the prospect of me standing forparliament.
从那以后，我就对自己有参加议会竞选的可能感到兴奋。
So what was her original feeling about politics?
那么她对政治最初的感觉是什么？
Boring! She thought it was boring, particularly as a young person.
无聊！她认为那很无聊，尤其是作为一个年轻人。
In fact she couldn't see herself as a politician.
事实上，她没想象过自己是一个政客。
She couldn't imagine herself doing it.
她无法想象自己会成为政客。
She says that she is now excited at the prospect of standing.
她说她现在对自己有参加竞选的可能感到很兴奋。
What does she mean by that?
她那么说是什么意思？
The prospect of something is the possibility of something.
某事的前景就是某事的可能性。
So before, she thought it was boring, now she's excited at thepossibility that she could be a member of parliament.
所以以前，她认为那很无聊，现在她对自己有成为国会议员的可能感到兴奋。
So, what was it that made her change her mind and think that politicswasn't so boring after all?
所以是什么让她改变了观点并认为政治并不是那么无聊？
Here's Lucrece Grehoua again.
再听听鲁克丽丝·戈鲁斯基亚是怎么说的。
I think everybody has a politician within them because we all get angerabout something, but unfortunately when we see it, it's all jargon, it'snot very… words that we can understand.
我认为每个人心中都是一个政治家，因为我们都会对某事感到愤怒，但不幸的是，当我们了解这件事时，发现它全是行话，并不是我们能理解的词汇。
Even just as a working class person who hasn't, you know, been to aprivate school and who's come from a disadvantaged background, and so Irealised politics is for absolutely everybody, it's just the way that youspeak about it has to be tailored to everyone.
更甚说只是一个没有上过私立学校的工人阶级的人，一个来自贫困家庭的人，所以我意识到政治绝对是针对每个人的，只是你谈论政治的方式必须适合每个人。
One of the things she didn't like about politics was the jargon.
政治让她不喜的地方之一就是行话。
Well, no one likes jargon, do they?
没有人喜欢行话，是吧？
Jargon is the very specific language and vocabulary relating to aparticular profession.
行话是与特定职业相关的特定语言和词汇。
Inside the profession people know what it means, but from outside itcan seem very complicated and confusing.
行业内的人知道它是什么意思，但行外人看来，它似乎非常复杂，令人困惑。
Lucrece said she came from a disadvantaged background.
鲁克丽丝说她来自贫困家庭。
This means that when she was growing up her family didn't have very muchmoney and that made life and study very difficult.
这意味着，在她成长过程中她家没有很多钱，那使得生活和学习非常困难。
But even though, or maybe because she came from a disadvantagedbackground, she has become interested in politics and thinks that it canbe something for everyone, but rather than use jargon you have to tailorthe way you speak for everyone.
但即便如此，或许是因为她来自贫困家庭，她对政治有了兴趣，并认为每个人都可以成为政客，但你必须调整自己的说话方式，而不是使用行话。
To tailor something is to make it fit – in the same way that a tailormakes clothes fit, you can tailor your language to make it easy foreveryone to understand.
调整某事就是让它适合——就像裁缝让衣服合身一样，你可以调整你的语言让每个人都容易理解。
And one way to do that is to cut out the jargon!
其中一种方法就是去掉行话！
That's just about all we have time for today.
以上就是我们今天的全部内容。
But before we review the vocabulary, it's time to get the answer totoday's quiz question.
但是在我们回顾词汇之前，是时候揭晓今天问题的答案了。
Which country has the highest percentage of women in its parliament?
哪个国家的议会中女性比例最高？
Is it: a) Rwanda, b) Sweden, or c) New Zealand?
是a)卢旺达，b)瑞典，还是c)新西兰？
Georgina, what did you say?
你说是什么，乔治娜？
I made an educated guess of Rwanda.
我据理推测是卢旺达。
An educated guess and a correct guess.
据理推测并且猜对了。
Well done.
做得很好。
And well done to everyone else who got that right too!
其他做对了的人也很棒啊！
According to 2019 figures, Rwanda's parliament has over 60% women MPs.
根据2019年的数据，卢旺达的议会中有60%以上的女性议员。
Go Rwanda!
选卢旺达！
OK, let's remind ourselves of today's vocabulary.
好的，让我们回顾一下今天的词汇。
Of course.
当然。
To stand is the verb we use when someone is a candidate in an election.
"参加竞选"是当某人是选举候选人时我们所使用的动词。
When someone stands for election you can vote for them.
当某人参加竞选时，你可以投票支持他们。
If you can see yourself as something, it means that you can imagineyourself doing that thing.
如果你能想象自己是某类人，那指的是你能想象自己在做那类事。
The prospect of something is the possibility of something, so forexample, the prospect of becoming an MP is something that excites Lucrece.
某事的前景是某事的可能性，例如，成为议员的可能性是让鲁克丽丝兴奋的事情。
Something that we all hate, except when we use it ourselves, is jargon.
我们都讨厌的东西就是行话，除了我们自己用的时候。
Words and language that are very specific to a particular job, andwhich are difficult for people outside that profession to understand.
它是针对特定工作的词汇和语言，对行外人来说它很难理解。
People who grow up without enough money and without access to educationcan be said to come from a disadvantaged background.
那些成长过程中没有足够的钱，没有机会接受教育的人可以说是来自贫困家庭。
And finally, to tailor something is to change it to make it suitable for aparticular purpose.
最后，调整某事物就是改变它，使它适合于特定用途。
So for example, if you want to make politics accessible for morepeople, you have to tailor your language and cut out the jargon.
例如，如果你想让更多的人接触到政治，你必须调整你的语言，去掉行话。
Indeed!
确实！
Well, it's time for us to go now, but do join us again soon.
好了，现在是时候结束我们的节目了，下次再见。
Bye for now.
再见啦。
Bye!
