VOA慢速英语:Delaying Marriage: Instead of 'I Do,' More Americans Say 'Let's Wait'

短语讲解：

1. Well, in some ways, they look like smaller versions of last month's wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William in London.

in some ways在某些方面
例句：Siamese cats are rather like dogs in some ways.
泰国猫在某些方面相当象狗。

2. But getting married is not the only way some American couples choose to declare their love.

get married结婚
例句：They will get married in November.
他们十一月要结婚。

3. I actually don't know what to say about it. I was quite surprised first of all and was trying to find out from Ellen for the longest time what this was about.

first of all首先
例句：First of all, you should know what profession suits you.
首先, 你该知道什么职业适合你。
find out发现, 看穿, 揭发, 找出;查明
例句：We must find out the truth of the matter.
我们必须弄清楚事情的真相。

4. As long as two people care about each other, love each other, whether they want to get married or not, as long as they don't hurt anyone else, and they love each other, it's not up to us to judge them, really.

as long as只要, 如果
例句：I'll stay in Mexico as long as my money holds on.
只要我的钱还能维持一天, 我就在墨西哥待一天。
care about喜欢, 在乎，关心
例句：I don't much care about television.
我并不太爱看电视。
whether … or not是否
例句：Whether you like the idea or not, I'm going ahead with it.
无论你是否喜欢这个意见, 我将继续做下去。
up to在于…, 取决于…
例句：This is up to you.
这件事取决于你。

5. In two thousand nine that number was close to half.

be close to接近,靠近
例句：Our translation should be close to the original.
我们的翻译应忠于原文。

6. Nicky Grist is the director of the Alternatives to Marriage Project. She says young couples might live together to save money or because they are trying to decide whether to get married.

save money省钱, 存钱
例句：He save money for a motorcycle.
他攒钱要买辆摩托车。

7. He points out that couples who have good incomes and college degrees tend to be married, especially if they have children.

point out指出
例句：He pointed out the finest pictures to me.
他把最好的图画指给我看。
college degree大学文凭
tend to趋向
例句：Old people tend to get fat.
老年人容易发胖。

8. What is important, she says, is that they take care of each other and depend on each other.

take care of照顾
例句：They must take care of themselves.
他们必须自己照顾自己。
depend on依赖, 依靠
例句：My success depends on my friend helping me.
我的成功是依靠我的朋友帮助我。

9. What we're seeing are increasing numbers of very stable, long-term non-married relationships, and that includes both romantic relationships and also other kinds of relationships where people are simply committed to caring for one another, whether as friends or as extended family.

commit to对…作出承诺, 承担义务, 担负责任; 使(自己)致力于…
例句：He has committed himself to the cause of education.
他已决心献身教育事业。
care for照料, 服侍, 牵挂
例句：We must care for each other and help each other.
我们要互相关心, 互相帮助。
extended family大家庭,扩大的家庭(如数代同堂的家庭)

10. And what we see is that caring goes beyond the one kind of relationship called marriage.

go beyond超出, 超载
例句：You have gone beyond your power.
你的行为已经超出了你的权力范围。

11. Some couples come up with a new combination for themselves or their children.

come up with想出, 提出
例句：He could not come up with a proper answer.
他想不出一个合适的回答。