(单词翻译:单击)
情景对话
John: So Sarah, do you play any musical instruments?
约翰：萨拉，你会演奏乐器吗？
Sarah: Yeah. I play two. I love to play the guitar. I started playing in college, and I like to play the piano, too. I started learning the piano when I was really young. How about you?
萨拉：会。我会两种乐器。我喜欢弹吉他。我在大学时开始学吉他，我也喜欢弹钢琴。我很小的时候就开始学钢琴。你呢？
John: Oh that's interesting. For me, I started playing the trumpet when I was really young, and I don't play it much anymore. But I started playing the piano when I finished high school, and I still play it now.
约翰：哦，这很有趣。我从很小的时候开始学小号，不过我现在已经不再吹小号了。我高中毕业以后开始学钢琴，我现在还在弹钢琴。
Sarah: Oh wow. So you started learning the piano when you were older.
萨拉：哇哦。你长大以后才开始学钢琴。
John: Yes.
约翰：对。
Sarah: Do you think people can start to learn an instrument at any age?
萨拉：你认为人们在任何年龄都可以学乐器吗？
John: Yes, I think so. Do you have a theory about that?
约翰：对，我认为可以。你对此有什么见解？
Sarah: Yeah. I think that if people start to play an instrument when they're older, I think they enjoy it more because they chose to learn it. And I think they're going to play it longer. But if you have to learn an instrument when you're younger, I think you won't continue playing it.
萨拉：嗯。我认为，如果人们长大以后才开始学乐器，那他们会更享受，因为是他们自己选择要学的。而且他们演奏乐器的时间会更长。但是，如果你在小时候被要求去学一种乐器，那你不会坚持演奏。
John: Oh, because you have to practice for homework or something like that.
约翰：哦，因为你不得不在写完作业后练习。
Sarah: Yeah. I have five brothers. And we all learned how to play the piano, but as soon as my brothers graduated from high school and went away, they stopped playing the piano. And they don't play it now. In fact, they forgot everything.
萨拉：对。我有5个兄弟。我们都学钢琴，可是我兄弟们高中一毕业就不再弹钢琴了。他们现在也不弹。实际上，他们已经都忘了。
John: Oh, wow.
约翰：哇哦。
Sarah: Yeah.
萨拉：对。
John: Well, I do think that music education is very important for children because reading sheet music is like reading a language. And children can learn it much easier than adults learn. So no matter what instrument you play, if you're a child you learn how to read music.
约翰：我认为儿童的音乐教育非常重要，因为看乐谱就像读语言一样。相比成年人来说，儿童学得更容易。所以，无论是何种乐器，从儿童时期开始学习乐谱比较好。
Sarah: And I think too, it's really important for kids to be a part of a group like that. For example, singing in the choir or playing music in the orchestra, I think it's really good for kids to learn to work together and make music as a team. I have some really good memories about being a young kid in the orchestra.
萨拉：我也这样认为，对儿童来说，参加音乐团体非常重要。举例来说，可以参加合唱团或管弦乐团，我认为学习合作以及像团队一样做音乐，对儿童来说很有益处。我小时候在管弦乐团有很多美好的记忆。
John: Me too. I was also in choir and orchestra and marching band. So I don't play the orchestra instruments anymore and I don't play the marching band instruments anymore but I'm very glad that I had the experience of learning to read music and learning to work together as a team.
约翰：我也是。我参加了合唱团、管弦乐团和行进乐队。我现在已经不再演奏管弦乐器，我也不再演奏行进乐队的乐器，不过我很高兴我有这种经历，能学习乐谱，学习团队合作。
Sarah: That's true. Me too. Okay. I changed my mind. Even little kids, they should learn how to play a musical instrument.
萨拉：没错。我也是。好。我改变想法了。每个小孩都应该学一种乐器。
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. as soon as 一…就…；
例句：As soon as I had made the final decision, I felt a lot more relaxed.
我一作出最后的决定就感到轻松多了。
2. in fact 事实上，其实；
例句：In fact everything he does is opposite to what is considered normal behaviour.
事实上，他的一切作为都和人们所认为的正常举动大相径庭。
3. no matter 不管…；无论…；
例句：Don't trust him, no matter what he says.
任他怎么说，也别信他。
4. change one's mind （使）改变主意；（使）改变决定；
例句：He reserved the right to change his mind.
他保留了改变主意的权利。
