45
0Episode: Zhuhai Says No to Rental Phones for Kids
Duration: approximately 5 minutes
Level: B1 (Intermediate)
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[Mike]: Welcome back to Learn English with Podcasts! Sarah, can you rent a phone by the hour, like a bike?
zh:欢迎回到 Learn English with Podcasts！Sarah，手机能像单车一样按小时租吗？
[Sarah]: In Zhuhai, some shops near schools really did that. They called it hourly rental, or shared game machines.
zh:在珠海，学校附近的一些小店真这么干。叫小时租机，或者共享游戏机。
[Mike]: Wait, you pay a few yuan, and you get a phone for one hour? That sounds strange. Why not just use your own phone?
zh:等等，花几块钱，就能玩一小时手机？这有点奇怪。为什么不用自己的手机？
[Sarah]: Because many kids do not have their own phones. Their parents say no, and schools do not allow phones. So the shop becomes a secret solution.
zh:因为很多孩子没有自己的手机。家长不给，学校不让带。所以小店就成了秘密通道。
[Mike]: Oh, I see. No phone at home, no phone at school, but a phone for rent across the street. That is clever, and a little sad.
zh:哦，明白了。家里没手机，学校不让带，但街对面就能租到。又聪明，又有点心酸。
[Sarah]: And last week, the city said no. On September 14, the Zhuhai Zhengfa WeChat account shared a letter. It was signed by Eight departments together.
zh:而上周，这座城市说了不。9月14日，珠海政法微信公众号发了一封倡议书。落款是八个部门联合署名。
[Mike]: Eight departments? That is a lot. Who are they?
zh:八个部门？阵仗很大啊。都有谁？
[Sarah]: The law and order group, the internet office, the court, the procuratorate, the education bureau, the police, the culture and tourism bureau, and the market office. The letter itself is from September 4.
zh:政法委、网信办、法院、检察院、教育局、公安局、文广旅体局、市场监管局。信本身是9月4日写的。
[Mike]: Wow, police, court, school, market, all together. This must be serious. What did the shops do wrong?
zh:哇，警察、法院、学校、市场全来了。这事肯定很严重。这些店到底错在哪？
[Sarah]: They rented phones, SIM cards, and tablets to kids. They also gave them internet access for games, videos, and apps.
zh:他们把手机、手机卡、平板租给未成年人。还提供上网设备，让孩子玩游戏、看视频、用 App。
[Mike]: Rent by the hour sounds small. Is it really against the law?
zh:按小时租听起来是小事。真违法吗？
[Sarah]: Yes. The letter says it breaks Article 58 of the Minors Protection Law. It is like running an internet cafe without a license, and doing business without permission.
zh:是的。倡议书说，这违反《未成年人保护法》第五十八条。涉嫌变相开网吧、未经许可搞经营。
[Mike]: To get around the rules by renting phones. I learned a useful phrase: to get around the rules, it means to find a secret way to avoid them.
zh:靠租手机来绕过规定。我学到个实用表达：get around the rules，就是找 secret 路子绕开规定的意思。
[Sarah]: Good example. The letter also warns about bad content. Some rentals include games or videos with porn, gambling, or violence. That hurts kids a lot.
zh:举得好。倡议书还提醒不良内容。有些出租设备里有含色情、赌博、暴力的游戏和影音。很伤害孩子。
[Mike]: That is scary. And it also breaks school order, right? Kids play secretly, then cannot focus in class.
zh:太可怕了。而且也扰乱学校秩序吧？孩子偷偷玩，上课就没心思了。
[Sarah]: Exactly. And the punishment is heavy. Shops may get a warning, lose their illegal money, close for a time, or even lose their license. The fine can reach 500,000 yuan.
zh:没错。而且处罚很重。商家可能被警告、没收违法所得、停业整顿，甚至吊销执照。最高能罚50万元。
[Mike]: 500,000 yuan for renting a phone for a few yuan an hour? That is the worst deal in town.
zh:租一小时才收几块钱，却可能被罚50万？这大概是全城最亏的生意。
[Sarah]: Haha, your math is right. So the letter has three clear messages. First, to shop owners: just say no.
zh:哈哈，你这账算得对。所以倡议书有三句话。第一句，给商家：坚决说不。
[Mike]: To say no to kids who want to rent? Even if they offer money?
zh:对想租手机的孩子说不？就算他们给钱也不行？
[Sarah]: Yes. Say no to renting devices, say no to giving internet access, and say no to bad games and videos. Fixed shops or street sellers, all must refuse.
zh:对。不租设备、不给上网、不提供不良游戏和影音。固定门店还是流动摊贩，都必须拒绝。
[Mike]: The second message must be for parents, right?
zh:第二句肯定是给家长的，对吧？
[Sarah]: Right. Watch the pocket money. Some kids ask for money to buy study materials, but they use it to rent phones. Parents should teach healthy habits, and talk with schools early.
zh:对。盯紧零花钱。有的孩子以买学习资料为名要钱，其实拿去租手机。家长要教孩子健康上网，早点和学校沟通。
[Mike]: Oh, buy study materials. I used that excuse when I was young too, but only for comic books.
zh:哦，买学习资料。我小时候也用过这个借口，不过只是为了买漫画书。
[Sarah]: At least comic books do not have pop-up gambling ads. And the third message is for all of us. If you see a shop renting phones to kids, call 110 or 12345.
zh:至少漫画书没有弹窗赌博广告。第三句是给所有市民的。发现商家违规向孩子租手机，就打110或12345举报。
[Mike]: That reminds me of our episode 56. Scientists say 12 is a good age for a first phone. Before that, kids really need protection, not secret rentals.
zh:这让我想起我们第56期。科学家说12岁才是拥有第一部手机的合适年龄。在那之前，孩子需要的是保护，不是秘密出租。
[Sarah]: Yes, and this story is bigger than one city. Many places have shops near schools. Zhuhai just said it out loud first, with Eight departments together.
zh:是的，这不只是一个城市的事。很多地方学校附近都有这种店。珠海只是第一个由八个部门一起大声说出来。
[Mike]: So a kid pays a few yuan for one hour of games. The shop may pay 500,000 yuan for that one hour. Sarah, who is really paying for that hour?
zh:所以孩子花几块钱买一小时游戏。商家可能为这一小时赔上50万。Sarah，你说，这一小时到底是谁在买单？
[Sarah]: Hmm... maybe all of us. The kid pays attention, the parents pay worry, and the shop pays the fine. Nobody wins.
zh:嗯……可能是我们所有人。孩子付出注意力，家长付出担心，商家付出罚款。没人是赢家。
[Mike]: Thanks for listening to Learn English with Podcasts today. If you see a rental phone sign near a school, what would you do?
zh:感谢今天收听 Learn English with Podcasts。如果你看到学校旁边有租手机的牌子，你会怎么做？
[Sarah]: See you next time. And maybe share this episode with a parent or a teacher. They may need it more than kids do.
zh:下期再见。不妨把这期分享给一位家长或老师。他们可能比孩子更需要它。
