(单词翻译:单击)
情景对话
Todd: So what island do you live on?
托德：你住在哪个岛上？
CleAnn: I live in Trinidad, on the island of Trinidad. I'm happy that I live in Trinidad, I'm very proud of it because Trinidad is beautiful. Although it's not known for beaches, we have a lot of wetlands like swamps and natural savannah. I think we are the only island in the Caribbean that has savannah. People usually think that an island is too small to have savannah 'cause...we have savannah in Trinidad, mangrove forests also. They are also an important part of the ecosystem. But if you meet somebody from Tobago, they will tell you that they are from Tobago and maybe not necessarily from Trinidad and Tobago because they are extremely proud.
科勒安：我住在特里尼达岛。我很高兴我住在特立尼达岛，我对此非常自豪，因为特立尼达非常漂亮。虽然特立尼达的海滩并不出名，不过我们有很多湿地、沼泽和稀树草原。我想我们是加勒比地区唯一拥有稀树草原的岛屿。人们通常认为岛屿非常小，所以不可能有稀树草原，不过我们特立尼达岛有稀树草原，还有红树林。这些都是生态系统的重要组成部分。如果你遇到多巴哥人，他们会告诉你他们来自多巴哥，而不一定会告诉你他们来自特立尼达和多巴哥，因为他们对自己的岛屿无比自豪。
Todd: Yeah.
托德：好。
CleAnn: Because Tobago, although we're one country, they have somewhat of a unique history in that in the colonial days when we were colonized by pretty much everyone from the British, Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese — Tobago has a very strong Dutch history also. So actually most of the whites who live in Tobago are still of a Dutch or German ancestry. So they are very proud that they have something unique that sets them apart from Trinidad and actually the accent is different. You may not be able to tell the difference but we in Trinidad can hear when somebody is from Tobago.
科勒安：虽然我们是一个国家，但是多巴哥的殖民历史和我们不同，我们特立尼达曾被英国、西班牙、法国、荷兰和葡萄牙殖民，多巴哥也有经历过荷兰的殖民。所以现在大部分在多巴哥生活的白人都有荷兰或德国血统。他们对此非常自豪，他们有同特立尼达区分开来的独特之处，而且他们的口音也不一样。你们可能听不出来口音的不同，不过我们特立尼达人能分辨出谁是来自多巴哥的。
Todd: Oh, interesting.
托德：哦，真有意思。
CleAnn: It's very distinct, yes.
科勒安：对，非常不同。
Todd: And now but the official language is English, right?
托德：不过官方语言是英语，对吧？
CleAnn: English is... We speak English. But now in schools French is being taught compulsory I think for at least the first two to three years depending on which school you go to and Spanish.
科勒安：不过现在法语是学校的必修课，我想这要看各学校的安排，不过至少前两三年也要学习法语，而且也会学习西班牙语。
Todd: And actually, I'm sorry, it's not even an official language, it's the native language, correct?
托德：抱歉，可以说你们不止有一个官方语言，或者说母语，对吧？
CleAnn: Native language. We don't know any other language but English. It's native. And we have what we call some Creole languages which are mixtures of English and French. And in Trinidad the Creole language is called Patois and I can't speak it because it's very French — shortened French words and grammar mixed in with some English...what do you call it...the structures of the sentences. It's extremely interesting if you can ever get a chance to meet someone who speaks Patois and for someone who speaks French. You will never be able to understand them even if you speak French.
科勒安：母语。除了英语，我们没有其他语言。英语就是母语。我们还有一种克里奥尔语，这种语言混合了英语和法语。在特立尼达岛，克里奥尔语算方言，我不会说，因为这种语言更偏向法语，是把简写的法语词汇和法语语法同英国的句式结构混合在一起。这其实非常有意思，如果你有机会认识说克里奥尔语的人，即使你会说法语，你也无法明白他们在说什么。
译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
重点讲解
重点讲解：
1. be proud of 自豪的；
例句：We are justly proud of our new achievement.
我们有充分的理由为我们的新成就感到骄傲。
2. be known for 著名的；
例句：He was known for running a brutal extortion racket.
他因干过一起残忍的敲诈勒索而出名。
3. set apart from 使与众不同；使突出；
例句：What sets it apart from hundreds of similar small French towns is the huge factory.
与其他数百个法国小镇不同的是它拥有巨大的工厂。
4. be able to do sth. 能够；可以；
例句：I am able to pick you up on the short wave radio.
我能用短波收音机收听到你的信号。
5. depend on 依靠；
例句：I will say in a couple of day, or even sooner, depend on the temperature.
我想要几天时间，或者更快，这取决于温度。
6. even if 即使；
例句：Try to act naturally, even if you're tense.
即使紧张也不要做作。
