Tiger Mom hears roar of opposition
华裔“虎妈”引发中西教育大辩论

       近来，华裔“虎妈(Tiger Mom)”成为公众关注焦点，掀起一场中西教育大讨论。支持者认为，要想孩子成才就得对他们“狠”一点。反对者则主张给孩子更多的自由和尊重。而这一事件又将带给我们怎样的思考？

lauding 赞美

ignited 点燃

allege 所谓的

sleepovers 夜不归宿

furious 愤怒的

well-off 富裕的

prodding 促进；刺激

flexible 灵活的

      As more Chinese parents adopt a Western style of parenting that allows children more freedom and encouragement, Amy Chua and her book lauding strict Chinese parenting as superior ignited unprecedented attention among Americans.
如今，提倡给予孩子更多自由与鼓励的西方教育模式越发受到中国家长的追捧，而华裔“虎妈”蔡美儿在新书中却称赞严厉的中式教育更为优越，从而在美国人当中引发空前关注。

Chua made the cover of the latest issue of Time Magazine, continuing to provoke heated discussion among Americans over her alleged Chinese parenting methods including no grades lower than A, no sleepovers, TV or computer games.
蔡美儿前不久成为最新一期《时代周刊》的封面人物，此举进一步激起美国民众对其所倡导的中式教育的持续热议，她推行的教育方式包括不准有科目低于A，不准夜不归宿，不准看电视，不准玩电脑游戏。

As many in the US became furious at her "ruthless" way, asking "where is the love and respect for children," some are wondering whether the Chinese approach creates smarter people who can take the lead in the future global marketplace - especially after teenagers from Shanghai in December posted the top scores in an international test of practical knowledge in reading, mathematics and science.
一些美国人对其“残忍的”教育方式感到愤怒，追问“孩子应得的疼爱与尊重在哪里”，而另一些人则开始思考，是不是中式教育才能培养出更聪明的孩子，从而在未来的全球化市场中独占鳌头。就在去年12月，上海中学生在一项测试阅读、数学、科学等实用性知识的国际评估中获全球第一。

The US students, in contrast, ranked 17th in reading, 23rd in science and 31st in math.
而相比之下，美国学生的阅读能力排名17，科学素养排名23，数学排名31。

"In fact, the US would benefit more from the Chinese way of parenting as nowadays more top students in well-off urban China choose the US for higher education and future employment," Liu Pengzhi, headmaster of the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, one of the top high schools in Beijing said.
北京市重点中学人大附中校长刘彭芝表示：“实际上，美国可以从中式家教中获得更多好处，因为当下中国的富裕城市中，有越来越多的学生选择到美国接受高等教育甚至毕业后留下来工作。”

Last year, China surpassed India to send the most students to the US. By the end of 2010, students from China accounted for 19 percent of the international students in the US.
去年，中国赶超印度成为留美学生最多的国家。截止2010年年底，中国留学生已占美国国内留学生总数的19%。

In 2009-2010, about 128,000 Chinese students were studying in the US, mainly in undergraduate and graduate programs, up 30 percent over the previous academic year, a study by the US-based Institute of International Education showed.
美国国际教育协会调查显示，2009~2010年间在美国学习的中国学生约有12.8万，主要就读本科以及研究生学位，这一数字较上学年上涨30%。

That the number of students from China is booming is because of a booming Chinese economy and a determination held by Chinese parents to invest money to ensure their children get the best education possible, Peggy Blumenthal, executive vice-president of the institute once told the New York Times.
该协会执行副总裁佩琪•布卢门萨尔在接受《纽约时报》采访时曾表示，中国留美学生人数之所以增加，一方面源于中国经济的繁荣，另一方面则是因为中国父母下定决心进行教育投资，以确保孩子尽可能接受最好的教育。

That sounds true to a rising number of young and well-educated Chinese parents, who have begun to adopt a new parenting method largely inspired by the Western approach.
在中国，越来越多受过良好教育的年轻父母亦是如此，他们中的大多数人受到西方教育方式的启发，开始采纳新的教育方式。

Allowing children the freedom to explore other possibilities besides academic study, respecting their rights to a happy and playful childhood, and more encouragement are among the key elements, said Sun Hongyan, a division director of the China Youth and Children Research Center.
中国青少年研究中心少儿研究所所长孙宏艳认为，赋予孩子足够的自由，以便开发其课堂外的潜能；尊重孩子的权利，让他们度过一个无忧无虑的童年；给予孩子更多鼓励，这些都是教育的主要因素。

"It`s true children need prodding and discipline but a relaxed environment coupled with quality education will help foster smart, creative, and physically and mentally healthy children rather than the goof only good at academic results," said Yang Jianfen, a Beijing-based mom who holds a master`s degree in Chinese literature and works as a civil servant.
蒋建芬（音译）是一名汉语言文学硕士，在北京当公务员。作为一名母亲，她表示：“的确，孩子需要管教惩戒，但宽松的环境以及良好的教育更有助于培养出聪明、有创造力、身心健康的孩子，而不是高分低能儿。”

In Chinese academic circles, some are also reflecting on the Chinese way of parenting and education, which seems challenged to raise creative minds like Bill Gates - a Harvard dropout.
在中国学术界，许多人也在反思中国式的教育方式，似乎中式教育无法培养出像“哈佛辍学生”比尔•盖茨这样的具有创造思维的人才。

"In my opinion, compared with highly strict Chinese parenting, the Western way exerts more positive influence on children`s mental health," said Cui Yonghua, a leading psychiatrist at Beijing Anding Hospital.
北京安定医院精神病主治医师崔永华称：“我认为，与极其严厉的中式家教相比，西方教育方式对孩子心理健康会产生更多积极的影响。”

Cui pointed out that many Chinese parents now focus too much on children`s IQ development and physical health but little on their mental health. And it`s not good for parents to protect their children from every pressure and discomfort.
崔永华指出，现在许多中国家长过分注重孩子的智商发展以及身体健康，反而忽略了孩子的心理健康。此外，家长保护过度孩子，使他们与压力绝缘，不让他们受委屈，这也是不好的。

"Parents should believe that children are able and flexible," he said.
他说：“家长应当相信孩子的能力，他们能屈能伸。”