Helen: 大家好，我是Helen。

Neil: Today we’re going to look at words and phrases that have recently become part of the English language.

Helen: 在今天的地道英语中，我们来学一些英语中新出现的习惯表达。

Neil: New words enter the English language all the time.

Helen: 所以跟着Real English学习英语，及时更新，保持新鲜的英语词汇是很重要的.

Neil: Of course.

Helen: 那Neil，我们今天要学的是什么新词呢？

Neil: Today’s new expression is 'the school run'.

Helen: The school run. School 学校，run 跑步？这难道是一种体育运动？

Neil: No, actually! The school run is when mothers drive their children to school in the morning and collect them again in the evening.

Helen: 这个school run 原来专门指的是妈妈们接送小孩儿上学，放学啊。但是，为什么要专门弄个短语来特指这个意思呢？

Neil: Well, many people complain about the school run because it means there is a lot of extra traffic on the roads when they are trying to drive to work.

Helen: 这个school run 的时间一到，路上一下子多了好多车，在上下班高峰期的时候，就造成堵车。

Neil: Nowadays most children are taken to school by one of their parents in a car.

Helen: 这样啊，就造成了交通堵塞，给上下班的人带来了不少麻烦。

Neil: That’s right. It’s caused by the school run.

Insert

A: You’re early. You don’t normally arrive till 9.30!

B: I know, but it’s school holidays so I avoided the school run traffic and it took me much less time than normal.

Helen: 你以前是走路上学吗？Neil?

Neil: No, I took the bus. I lived about 2 miles from my school.

Helen: 我住的地方到是离学校很近，只要用20分钟就走到了。

Neil: The school run is a problem if you live near a school.

Helen: 对，送完孩子，想要去哪儿去都不太容易，因为好多车都挤在一起了。

Neil: Yes – it can be difficult to park your car, or it will take you longer in the morning to get to work.

Helen: That’s a problem.

Neil: Yes, Helen. I wish the kids and their parents all took a bus or walked.

Helen: 好啦，我们来复习一下今天学的 the school run – 就是家长们开车接送孩子上下学，因此而导致了拥挤的交通。

Neil: Well, it’s time to go. You’ve been listening to Real English from BBC Learning English. Join us again soon for more up-to-the-minute Real English. Bye.

Helen: See you next time.