(单词翻译:单击)
情景对话
Todd: So Megen, we are both teachers, English teachers in Japan, and we both come from countries that Christmas, but Christmas is so different in Japan than in our home countries, so I though we would talk about that.
托德：梅根，我们都是老师，都在日本教英语，我们两个的祖国都过圣诞节，不过日本的圣诞节和我们祖国的圣诞节很不一样，所以我想我们可以谈谈这个话题。
Megen: Yeah, absolutely. It's particularly different to Australia because we have ... we have it in summer.
梅根：好，当然可以。日本的圣诞节和澳大利亚的尤为不同，因为我们夏天过圣诞节。
Todd: Oh, that's right. So it's a beautiful summer holiday, right?
托德：哦，没错。所以圣诞节对你们来说是美好的夏日假期，对吧？
Megen: It is, though when it get hotter here in Japan, I start to feel that it's getting into Christmas season.
梅根：对，所以当日本越来越热时，我就开始觉得要到圣诞节了。
Todd: Oh, right! So summer is Christmas.
托德：哦对！夏天过圣诞节。
Megen: Yes, yeah.
梅根：对，是的。
Todd: That's so cool. Do you still do the Christmas tree and the gifts under the tree?
托德：那太酷了。你们现在还装饰圣诞树吗？还会在圣诞树下放礼物吗？
Megen: We do and we have a lot of the same Christmas traditions, but the food is pretty different. We eat a lot of fresh fruits, and we have like fresh prawns. I guess you might call them shrimps.
梅根：会，我们的很多圣诞传统是一样的，不过食物很不相同。我们在圣诞节时会吃很多新鲜的水果，还有鲜虾。我想你们用shrimp这个单词指虾。
Todd: Right, no we call them prawns too. Prawns or shrimp. Wow! That's interesting. You know, it's cool that you brought up food because we're both in Japan and I think it's very interesting that in Japan the Christmas dinner is fried chicken.
托德：对，不过我们也用prawn这个词。两个词都可以。哇哦！那太有意思了。你提到食物太好了，因为我们现在都在日本，而日本的圣诞晚餐是炸鸡，这很有趣。
Megen: Yeah! I can't imagine eating KFC or any kind of chicken for Christmas.
梅根：对！我简直无法想象在肯德基过圣诞节，或是吃其他炸鸡过圣诞节。
Todd: Now did you know about this before you came to Japan?
托德：你在来日本之前知道这件事吗？
Megen: I didn't actually. I was shocked when I heard about it.
梅根：我不知道。我听说以后非常震惊。
Todd: Yeah, I didn't believe it at first, and then when I came to Japan, I saw the long lines outside KFC, and I thought, wow, this really is a thing. And now in Japan, not only do they have KFC chicken, but everywhere. So the supermarkets make fried chicken. The convenience stores have fried chicken. Other hamburger stores have fried chicken, all just for Christmas.
托德：对，一开始我也不相信，我到日本以后，看到肯德基外面排了很长的队，当时我还想“哇哦，这真受欢迎”。现在日本不只是肯德基有炸鸡，到处都在卖炸鸡。超市也有炸鸡。便利店也卖炸鸡。其他汉堡店也卖炸鸡，都是为了圣诞节准备的。
Megen: Yeah, yes, I don't think we usually eat chicken. Maybe some families would eat roast chicken, but usually we eat cold meats.
梅根：对，我们一般不吃鸡肉。可能有些家庭会吃烤鸡，不过通常我们吃冷肉。
Todd: Oh, right, so Australia is fresh fruit, shrimp, and cold meats.
托德：哦对，所以澳大利亚在圣诞节时吃新鲜的水果、虾和冷肉。
Megen: Yeah, we have a few Australian desserts that I haven't seen in any other coutries, but I think in Australia there's a lot of variety though, so my family in particular, that's what we eat, but I think every family is different. How about in America?
梅根：对，我们澳大利亚有一些特别的甜点，我在其他国家没有看到过，不过我认为澳大利亚的圣诞食物非常多样化，尤其是我家，不过我想每个家庭的圣诞食物都各不相同。美国呢？
Todd: Ah, in America it's very close to Thanksgiving, so usually you have a big bird, so you have turkey or chicken or ham. Ham is a big one. So you might have baked ham. But you have lots of sweets, lots of cakes, Christmas cakes, pies, cookies. Things like that. So everybody gains a lot of weight. Do you eat a lot of sweets for Christmas in Australia?
托德：啊，在美国，圣诞节和感恩节离得很近，所以通常圣诞晚餐会做火鸡、鸡或火腿。火腿非常大。所以晚餐会有烤火腿。另外还有很多甜食，很多蛋糕，圣诞蛋糕、各种馅饼和饼干，基本上就是这些。所以所有人都会长胖很多。澳大利亚在圣诞节时会吃很多甜食吗？
Megen: Well, I imagine they eat more baked goods in America, but we eat a lot of cold, like parfait, kind of desserts. With a mix of like sponge cake and jelly and cream, and we do eat cookies and different like chocolate sweets, and yeah, I think we do some baking but, yeah, not so much pies.
梅根：嗯，我认为美国吃很多烘烤食品，而我们吃很多冷食品，比如冰淇淋水果冻，这相当于甜点。把海绵蛋糕和果冻还有冰淇淋混合起来，我们也吃饼干和各种巧克力甜点，我们也吃烘烤食品，不过不会吃太多馅饼。
Todd: So in Australia because it's so warm, do you spend the day at the beach?
托德：因为澳大利亚的圣诞节很温暖，那你们是在海滩过圣诞吗？
Megen: We do! Yeah, a lot of people have pools. Their own pools, so they will go swimming in their backyard, or they'll go to the beach, or play cricket outside.
梅根：没错！很多人家里都有游泳池。他们有自己的私人泳池，所以他们会在后院游泳，或是去海滩，或者在室外打板球。
Todd: That's great! So do you barbecue? Is Barbecue a common way?
托德：那太棒了！那你们烧烤吗？烧烤常见吗？
Megen: Yeah! Especially for Christmas. It's really great to be outside. And there are barbecues you can use near the beach or in the parks, so a lot of people go outside and mingle with the locals. It's great.
梅根：有！尤其是圣诞节。在户外烧烤太棒了。可以在海滩附近或是公园里烧烤，很多人会去户外，和当地人交流。非常不错。
Todd: Oh, that's fantastic. So in the Northern Hemisphere, Christmas is often associated with snow, so you have the snowman and things like that. Do you have those types of decorations in Australia?
托德：哦，那真美好。在北半球，圣诞节时通常会下雪，所以会有雪人之类的。澳大利亚有这种装饰吗？
Megen: We do! Although we don't have any snow, we still have the snow decoration. And usually Santa Claus still wears the long sleeve winter clothing, although we do have our own version of Santa Claus, that wears singlets and shorts.
梅根：我们有！虽然我们过圣诞节时并不下雪，不过我们也有雪花装饰。通常圣诞老人也是穿长袖的冬季服装，虽然我们有澳大利亚版的圣诞老人，是穿背心和短裤的圣诞老人。
Todd: That's nice. So you've lived in a country with a warm Christmas, and a country with a cold Christmas. Which do you prefer?
托德：那不错。你的祖国在过圣诞节时天气很温暖，你也在圣诞节时很寒冷的国家生活过。你更喜欢哪种？
Megen: Well, I think because I've spend so many Christmases in Australia, that I still feel like it's Christmas when it gets warmer, and when I see things like peaches and watermelon in season I want to celebrate Christmas.
梅根：因为我在澳大利亚过了太多次圣诞节了，所以我依然觉得天气越来越暖和时就快到圣诞节了，我看到桃子和西瓜等应季水果，就想庆祝圣诞节。
Todd: That's so cool.
托德：那太酷了。
Megen: Do you want to experience a Christmas in Australia?
梅根：你想体验一下澳大利亚的圣诞节吗？
Todd: I do. I do! That is definitely on my bucket list now, to have a warm weather Christmas.
托德：我想，非常想！在温暖的气候中过圣诞节肯定在我的遗愿清单上。
Megen: It would be so strange for you!
梅根：那对你来说会很奇怪的！
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重点讲解
重点讲解：
1. bring up 谈到；提到；
例句：If you try to bring up the matter again, you will be very foolish.
如果你想再提出这件事，那你就太傻了。
2. at first 最初；起初；开始时；
例句：At first he was a little shy in class, but now he acts more natural.
他起初在班里有点害羞，不过现在自然多了。
3. in particular 尤其；特别；
例句：This article discussed the importance of security in general and authentication in particular.
本文讨论了安全性尤其是身份验证的重要性。
4. mingle with 应酬；交际；
例句：Go out of your way to mingle with others at the wedding.
去跟婚礼上的其他人聊聊。
