书城外语英语PARTY——多元时空
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第14章 说东道西(2)

Mary: You,ve joined a health club? I would never have dreamed that you,d take something like this so seriously.

Bill:So, how about it? Can you tear yourself away from the TV tonight?

Mary: Why not? If you can break your unhealthy eating habits, I can surely break a sweat.

高血压者多“盐”无益

比尔和玛丽是同事,他们正在公司的自助餐厅吃午餐。

玛丽:比尔,我真不敢相信我的眼睛。你午餐只吃沙拉?不吃汉堡?

比尔:玛丽,你得开始习惯喽。我已经决定永远不吃汉堡了。大部分快餐,钠的含量都很高。

玛丽:这我知道。但你为什么突然想减少盐的摄取量?

比尔:医生说我必须少吃高钠盐的食物以降低血压。

玛丽:你有高血压?你还这么年轻。

比尔:事实上我的血压也没有那么高,但据说血压会随年龄的增长而增高。

玛丽:啊,真高兴看到你开始比较注意饮食了。

比尔:我也想降低得心脏病和中风的危险。

玛丽:我也是,这就是为什么我一直想降低胆固醇指数的原因。

比尔:我注意到你最近大吃蔬菜水果。

玛莉:没错。这样我还可以减掉几磅。

比尔:既然如此,你应该跟我一起去健身俱乐部。

玛丽:你参加健身俱乐部了?我做梦也没想到你会这样认真对待一件事。

比尔:怎么样?你舍得不看今晚的电视吗?

玛丽:为什么不呢?你都可以改正不良饮食习惯,我流点汗又何妨?

Dragon Boat Racing

Bryan,s friend Juliet has been watching Bryan,s dragon boat team practice.

Juliet:You make dragon boat racing look so easy.

Bryan:Moving a boat with eighteen people is harder than it looks!

Juliet:Who are those two people standing up in front?

Bryan:They,re the drummer and the flagcatcher. One keeps time and the other helps us win!

Juliet:But I like your boat best! Are all dragon boats so brightly painted?

Bryan:Yes. The eyes are painted during a party. We say it “brings the boat to life.”

Juliet:Well, with such a beautiful boat, I,m sure all eyes are going to be on your team.

划起龙舟驱鬼怪

布赖恩的朋友朱丽叶正在观看布赖恩的龙舟队训练。

朱丽叶:你让龙舟竞赛看上去很容易。

布赖恩:18人要划一艘龙舟可是比看上去还要困难呢!

朱丽叶:那站在龙舟前沿的两个人是谁?

布赖恩:他们是鼓手和夺标手。一个负责对时间,另一个则帮我们赢得胜利。

朱丽叶:不过我最喜欢你的龙舟了。所有龙舟的颜色都会如此的鲜艳吗?

布赖恩:没错,龙舟的“眼睛”会在一个仪式中被点中,我们称作“画龙点睛”。

朱丽叶:有了这么漂亮的龙舟,我相信你的队伍将会吸引所有人。

Sachets of Dragon Boat Festival

After the practice, Juliet goes back to Bryan,s house.

Juliet:You have branches on your door, too! Why do people do that around the time of Dragon Boat Festival?

Bryan:Chinese believe there are more ghosts and sickness in summer. These branches keep them away!

Juliet:Is that also why your sisters are wearing those sachets?

Bryan:Yes! We believe the strong smell will keep them healthy.

Juliet:I don,t want to get sick either!

Bryan:Then drink some of this realgar wine.

Juliet:What if that,s not enough? I,d better go home to make some sachets too. No ghosts are going to get me!

千千情结端午包

训练后,朱丽叶回到布赖恩的家。

朱丽叶:你的门上也插有艾草的枝条!为什么人们在端午节期间都会这么做?

布赖恩:中国人相信夏天会有较多鬼怪的出现和疾病的发生。这些枝条就是要来驱走它们!

朱丽叶:这也是你的姊妹都戴着香包的原因吗?

布赖恩:没错!我们认为那强烈的香味可以使她们保持健康。

朱丽叶:我也不想生病!

布赖恩:那么就喝一些雄黄酒吧。

朱丽叶:如果那还是不够呢?我最好也回家做一些香包,这样就没有鬼怪把我抓走了!

Coffee Culture

Hillary is introducing her friend James to her new favorite coffee shop.

James: Cappuccino, mocha, caféau lait... I never knew a cup of coffee had so many names!

Hillary: Not only that, but in Vienna, people think the kind of coffee you drink says something about your personality.

James: So for them, coffee is more than a drink. It,s also a lifestyle statement?

Hillary: It sure is. Drinking coffee is a way to connect with the romantic lives of artists and philosophers, like Brahms and Voltaire.

James: Did they drink a lot of coffee?

Hillary: Oh, yes! Brahms had a regular table at his favorite coffeehouse in Vienna, and Voltaire used to drink 50 cups a day.

James: We,d better hurry up and order. I have to get back to work!

Hillary: Relax! As the Viennese would say: If you don,t have time for a coffee break, then your life needs changing.

咖啡文化

希拉里正介绍她的朋友詹姆斯去她近来喜欢去的一家咖啡馆。

詹姆斯:卡布其诺、摩卡、牛奶咖啡……我从来不知道一杯咖啡有这么多名堂!

希拉里:不止如此呢,在维也纳,人们认为你选择的咖啡的种类会透露出你的性格。

詹姆斯:那么对他们来说,咖啡不仅仅是种饮料。它也是生活方式的一种表达喽?

希拉里:当然是啦。喝咖啡是一种和像勃拉姆斯和伏尔泰那样的艺术家、哲学家的浪漫生活联系的方式。

詹姆斯:他们喝很多的咖啡吗?

希拉里:噢,是的!勃拉姆斯在他最喜爱的维也纳的咖啡馆里有固定的座位,而伏尔泰常常一天喝50杯咖啡。

詹姆斯:我们最好赶快点咖啡。我得回去工作了!

希拉里:放轻松!如同维也纳人所说的:“如果你连喝杯咖啡的时间都没有,那么你的生活需要改变一下了。”

Mixed Menu

Kamala and Amrit are mother and son. Amrit wants to have his girlfriend over for dinner. Kamala is reluctant to invite her because she does not approve of the relationship. Listen to how she raises objections while trying to avoid confrontation.

Kamala: I don,t think we,ll be able to have Julia over for dinner this week, Amrit.

Amrit: Okay, how about next week then?

Kamala: Let,s wait and see how things pan out.

Amrit: What does that mean?

Kamala: Well, it,s hard to say what night would be best.

Amrit: You don,t like Julia, do you?

Kamala: Did I say that? I,m simply telling you that this week is not possible.

Amrit: You don,t like my girlfriend!

Kamala: Amrit, I don,t really have time for this. I have to get dinner ready.

Amrit: I bet you don,t like her because she,s not Indian.

Kamala: Help me wash the vegetables would you please?

Amrit: You think because I am Indian I have to date another Indian-that is racist!

Kamala: Look, it is not racist to want to see your son with someone from the same culture.

Amrit: Why do you care so much about our differences? You don,t have to date her!

Kamala: That,s enough! Hand me those carrots.

Amrit: Anyway, what differences are you talking about?

Kamala: Diet, for example. Are you going to start eating meat?

Amrit: Relax mom, Julia,s a vegetarian.

Kamala: Well, religion is a very big problem for mixed couples.

Amrit: We aren,t even religious!