(单词翻译:单击)
中英文本
Oscar:So you're back from your mother's birthday dinner. How was it?
奥斯卡:你回来啦，你母亲的生日晚宴怎么样？
Priscilla:Same old, same old.
普瑞斯莉亚:老样子，还是老样子。
It isn't a family gathering without a major meltdown or blowup.
不争吵怎么能叫家庭聚会呢。
Oscar:Yikes, what happened?
奥斯卡:啊？发生什么事了？
Priscilla:You know how it is.
普瑞斯莉亚:你应该清楚啊。
It starts out with bickering and somebody taking offense at some slight or dig, or bringing up some old grievance.
最开始是拌嘴，而后有人为了一点鸡毛蒜皮小事冷嘲热讽，或提起一些老掉牙的恩怨。
Oscar:Well, that happens in most families.
奥斯卡:大多数家庭都会这样。
Priscilla:Yeah, but in mine, they often turn into screaming matches.
普瑞斯莉亚:但到我们这里就经常变成比谁嗓门大。
We all raise our voices and somebody always storms out.
我们都会提高嗓门，然后有人会愤愤离开。
Oscar:Even at your mother's birthday dinner?
奥斯卡:你母亲的生日晚宴上也是这样？
Priscilla:The occasion doesn't matter.
普瑞斯莉亚:这跟场合没关系。
My mother tries to be the peacemaker, but it doesn't take much for tempers to flare.
我老母亲想做和事佬，但她很快也开始动气。
Oscar:That never happens in my family.
奥斯卡:我们家就从来不这样。
Priscilla:What?! Your family doesn't fight when it gets together?
普瑞斯莉亚:什么？你的家庭聚会上没有吵架吗？
Oscar:No, we try to sweep things under the rug and put on a brave face.
奥斯卡:没有啊。我们尽量去忘掉那些不愉快的事情，然后装作若无其事。
Priscilla:What happens when you get mad at each other?
普瑞斯莉亚:那你们生彼此的气怎么办？
Oscar:Nothing.
奥斯卡:什么也没有啊。
Priscilla:What do you mean nothing?
普瑞斯莉亚:“什么也没有”是什么意思？
Oscar:A lot of our family meals are eaten in stony silence.
奥斯卡:我们在家庭聚餐时都是在冷冰冰的吃饭沉寂中度过的。
Priscilla:Wow, I think I prefer our knock-down, drag-out fights!
普瑞斯莉亚:哇，我还是更喜欢我们这种乱战或拉锯战！
重点讲解
1.start out 启程，出发
例句:The child'll start out by making relatively few distinctions in the language.
孩子开始时不太能辨别语言中的差别。
2.turn into 变成；译成；成为
例句:It could well turn into some kind of a media circus.
这很可能会演变成媒体的一场闹剧。
3.storm out 非常气愤地出去
例句:A storm has made roads treacherous and knocked out power.
一场暴风雨致使公路隐患重重且电力瘫痪。
4.get together 聚会；联欢；收集
例句:This is the only forum where East and West can get together.
这是东西方可以聚首的唯一论坛。
