和老外聊天的地道口语第79期:文化差异
日期:2009-12-28 15:30

(单词翻译:单击)

对话文本
Paige: how's your time spent in the United States?
Kyle: well, pretty good.
P: I'm glad to hear that. What impressed you most?
K: well, the cultural differences impressed me most.
P: you mean we Chinese think differently from the Americans?
K: that's right, quite different. One day one of my American friend looked pale, so I asked him whether he was sick or not. But he was reluctant to answer my question.
P: what's weird.
K: and what's more, when he told me he had caught a cold for several days, I suggested him to go to the hospital as soon as possible.
P: you really cared about your friend.
K: sure I am. But he responded by saying'what do you mean?'.
P: I'm confused. Why did he say that?
K: I felt the same at first. Later he told me that I'd better not give him any suggestions when he was sick. Offering unsolicited help or advice is like showing sympathy to the weak or the poor. Back in China, helping others is always regarded being kind.
P: absolutely. Now I understand why he responded that way.

参考翻译
你在美国待得怎么样?
嗯,挺好的.
很高兴你这么说.印象最深的是什么?
文化差异.
你是说我们中国人和美国人的思维方式不一样?
对,很不一样.有一天,我的一位朋友脸色苍白,我问他是不是病了,可他根本不愿意回答我的问题.
这很奇怪啊.
还有更怪的呢,他告诉我他感冒已经好几天了,然后我建议他尽快去医院.
你还挺关心你朋友的.
当然了.可是他却对我说:”你这话什么意思?”
我晕.你怎么那样说话啊?
开始我和你的反应一样.后来他告诉我,他生病的时候,我最好不要给他提供任何建议.未经请求而提供帮助或建议就好像是怜悯弱者或穷人一样.可是在中国,帮助他人往往被认为是善举.
没错.现在我明白他为什么那样说话了.

核心词汇
Impress: if a person or thing impresses you, you feel admiration for them or it 使钦佩;使敬仰;给…留下深刻的好印象 ~ sb (with sth/sb)
We interviewed a number of candidates but none of them impressed us.
我们和数名申请人进行了面谈,但都没有给我们留下什么印象。 VN
She was suitably impressed(= as impressed as somebody had hoped)with the painting.
她一如所期望的对那幅油画发生了兴趣。
He impressed her with his sincerity.
他的真诚打动了她。
His sincerity impressed her.
他的真诚打动了她。
The Grand Canyon never fails to impress.
大峡谷永远让人叹为观止。 V
It impressed me that she remembered my name.
令我佩服的是她记得我的名字。

Unsolicited: not asked for and sometimes not wanted 未经要求的;自发的;自我推荐的 adjective
unsolicited comments/criticism/advice
主动作出的评论/批评/忠告
The record company receives dozens of unsolicited demo tapes each week.
唱片公司每周收到数十盘自我推荐的试唱磁带。

Reluntant: hesitating before doing something because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do 不情愿的;勉强的
reluctant agreement/support
勉强同意/支持
She was reluctant to admit she was wrong.
她不愿承认自己有错。
He finally gave a reluctant smile.
他最后露出了一丝无可奈何的微笑。
a reluctant hero(= a person who does not want to be called a hero)
不情愿做英雄的英雄

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重点单词
  • understandvt. 理解,懂,听说,获悉,将 ... 理解为,认为
  • absolutelyadv. 绝对地,完全地;独立地
  • impressn. 印象,特徵,印记 v. 使 ... 有印象,影响,
  • canyonn. 峡谷
  • reluctantadj. 不情愿的,勉强的
  • sincerityn. 诚实,真实,诚心诚意
  • sympathyn. 同情,同情心,同感,赞同,慰问
  • admirationn. 钦佩,赞赏
  • confusedadj. 困惑的;混乱的;糊涂的 v. 困惑(confu
  • impressedadj. 外加的;印象深刻的;了不起的;受感动的