新闻热词：学龄前儿童

英语自学网

　　近段，日本民间首创的“弃婴摇篮”收到一名三、四岁的“婴儿”，由此也引起了一场轩然大波。公众在谴责孩子父亲不负责任的同时，也对启用“弃婴摇篮”的伦理价值提出了质疑。
　　请看外电相关报道：Japan's first anonymous drop box for unwanted babies triggered a wave of anger and soul searching Wednesday after it was discovered that a preschooler -- and not an infant -- was left by his father on the service's first day.
　　Newspapers condemned the father and warned that the operation was open to abuse and could traumatize youngsters.
　　报道在界定这一孩子的年龄时，用了“preschooler ”(学龄前儿童)一词。英语中，一般称“婴儿”为“infant/baby”，称“1-3岁初学走路的孩子”为“toddler”，而“preschooler”则指“3-6岁未入学的儿童”。
　　此外，“preschooler”相应的形容词形式“preschool”指“学龄前儿童的”，如：preschool toys(学龄前儿童的玩具)。