IELTS Speaking Part 3: Families, Parenting and Changing Roles

We've been talking about a family celebration you enjoyed.

我們剛才聊到一次你很喜歡的家庭聚會。

Now I'd like to discuss families more generally.

現在我想更廣泛地聊聊家庭。

Lovely, it's a topic close to my heart.

太好了，這是我很在乎的話題。

How have families changed in your country recently?

最近你們國家的家庭有什麼變化？

They've become much smaller, especially in the cities.

家庭規模小了很多，尤其是在都市裡。

My grandmother had seven children, but I have one brother.

我奶奶有七個小孩，而我只有一個哥哥。

Housing is so expensive that many couples delay having kids.

房價太高了，很多夫妻都延後生小孩。

Young people simply can't afford big families anymore.

年輕人根本養不起大家庭了。

Are fathers more involved in raising children now?

現在爸爸們比較常參與帶小孩了嗎？

Definitely! My brother takes his son to school every day.

當然！我哥每天都送兒子去上學。

Our father never did that, though he worked incredibly hard.

我們的爸爸從來沒這樣做過，不過他工作超級辛苦。

Roles are far more equal now, and that's a positive shift.

現在分工平等多了，這是很正面的轉變。

Should both parents be able to take paid leave?

爸媽雙方都應該可以請有薪育嬰假嗎？

Absolutely, because caring for a baby is a shared job.

當然，因為照顧寶寶是兩個人一起的事。

Some countries offer generous leave to fathers as well.

有些國家也給爸爸很充裕的假。

Children benefit hugely from time with both parents.

孩子能跟爸媽兩個人相處，好處非常多。

So who should do the washing-up at home?

那在家裡應該誰洗碗？

Whoever cooked doesn't wash up! That's the rule in my house.

煮飯的人不洗碗！這是我們家的規矩。

Do grandparents still play an important role?

祖父母現在還扮演重要的角色嗎？

Very much so, particularly when both parents work full-time.

非常重要，尤其是爸媽都全職上班的時候。

My grandmother practically raised me while my parents worked.

我爸媽上班的時候，幾乎是奶奶把我帶大的。

Sadly, many grandparents now live far from their grandchildren.

可惜的是，現在很多祖父母都住得離孫子很遠。

Families scatter across cities, or even across continents.

家人分散在不同城市，甚至不同的大陸。

That said, video calls help them stay close.

話雖如此，視訊通話還是能讓他們保持親近。

Finally, will the traditional family survive in the future?

最後，傳統家庭在未來還會存在嗎？

It will survive, but it will look quite different.

會繼續存在，但樣子會很不一樣。

Families are about care, not a fixed structure!

家庭的核心是彼此照顧，不是固定的形式！

Thank you. That's the end of the speaking test.

謝謝。口說測驗到此結束。

Oh, is that it? The time flew by!

喔，這樣就結束了？時間過得好快！

It did. Thank you for your thoughtful answers.

是啊。謝謝你用心的回答。

Thank you very much! Have a lovely afternoon.

非常感謝！祝您有個美好的下午。