This impression is backed up2 by a few surveys on the mating habits of young British. In fact, British young men are five times more likely than their Italian contemporaries to have settled down by 25 .

　　So what is happening? Has the“Loaded”generation3 gone soft? Celebrity has done a service by casting its limelight on a largely invisible side of fatherhood.

　　When Michael Douglas ( ageing American actor) reveals about the wrinkly end of the paternal experience, Michael Owen is doing for boy dads.

　　Powerful celebrity role models such as Beckham help young fathers feel less of an alien. Beckham, of course , has no problem with the breadwinner bit, but his distinguishing characteristic is his public endorsement of caring fatherhood. For a young dad, this can be liberation.

　　Just 20 percent of teenage fathers remain in touch with the mothers 15 years later. It means that 8, 000 children born to teenage dad this year will not be seeing him by the time they themselves are teenagers.

　　Does this matter to the child? Hugely. According to recent findings by Professor Judy Dunn at the UK’s Institute of psychiatry, a close relationship between an estranged father and his child is highly beneficial to a child’s development, particularly when the mother became pregnant as a teenager.

　　New research from Bristol University in England suggests that young fatherhood, far from being problematic, can bring young, disadvantaged men out of social exclusion.

　　The state has yet to appreciate the potential of young fathers summed up by Michael Owen’s words:“I’ve had a few exciting moments in my career but nothing that compares to how I felt when Louise told me the news. ”

　　The example of Michael Owen’s public excitement may bolster some isolated young men. But as long as to many other people and institutions are ambivalent about his role and fail to offer a helping hand, that figure of 8, 000 children in the UK4 losing their young dads by their teenage years is unlikely to fall.

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　　練習題：

　　Ⅰ. True o r Fa lse :

　　1. Young men in UK is less likely to get married before 25 than those in Italy.

　　2. Celebrity’s way of life can affect average person.

　　3. Though father of two children, Beckham never supports caring fatherhood.

　　4. 20% of the children born to a teenage father will not live with their father when these children are in their teenage.

　　5. 80% males who get married in teens will leave their mates in 15 years.

　　Ⅱ. Questions :

　　1. Does Owen think it appropriate to be a young father? Why?

　　2. What will happen if we are reluctant to help young father?

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　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. F 2. T 3 . F 4 . F 5. T

　　Ⅱ. 1. Yes, he does. He thinks that fatherhood brings even more excitement than his career.

　　2. More children born to teenage father will lose their father who plays important role in their life .

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　　參考譯文：

　　少為人父

　　2 2 歲的足球明星邁克爾· 歐文上星期宣布, 繼27 歲的隊友貝克漢姆之后, 他不久也將迎來自己孩子的誕生。

　　一項研究英國年輕人婚戀觀的最新調查證實了人們的猜測。事實上, 英國青年在2 歲之前成家的可能性是同齡的意大利人的5 倍。

　　這是怎么回事呢? 單身貴族們昏了頭? 明星的生活將人們的視線引到了通常被忽視的少年父親的問題上。

　　美國演員邁克爾· 道格拉斯老年得子, 世人皆知, 而邁克爾· 歐文少為人父, 也給年輕的小伙子們做出了榜樣。

　　貝克漢姆等明星們的做法使少為人父不再那么另類。

　　當然, 貝克漢姆不愁養家糊口, 他與眾不同之處在于, 他公開支持慈父形象。這對一個年輕的父親來說, 是一種思想解放。

　　在少年父親中, 只有2 0% 的人1 5 年后還會與孩子的母親保持聯系。這就意味著今年8 00 0 個少年父親生養的孩子, 當他們長到十幾歲時, 父親已經不和他們在一起生活了。

　　這對小孩有影響嗎? 影響很大。英國精神病學學院的朱迪· 頓恩教授最近的調查結果表明, 分居的父親和孩子保持密切的關系, 對孩子的發展非常有益。特別是對母親在十幾歲時懷孕生下他們的那些孩子來說。

　　布里斯托爾大學的最新研究表明, 年輕人當父親有益無害, 能夠使處在弱勢的年輕人103 走 入社會。

　　國家還沒意識到年輕父親的潛能, 用邁克爾· 歐文的話說就是:“ 我的事業中有幾次令人激動的時刻, 但都無法和路易絲告訴我她懷孕的那一刻相比。”

　　歐文公開表現出的興奮可能會激勵某些孤立無援的年輕父親。但是, 只要其他的人和組織對年輕父親的角色有爭議, 沒有伸出援助之手的話, 那么, 對英國8 0 0 0 個年輕父親的孩子來說, 在十幾歲時就失去父親, 這個人數就不會下降。