Li: No, 不是在北极，但是 But we’re in London, and it’s cold out here. 我穿的呀其实并不多… 只不过是毛袜子woolly socks, 暖腿套leg warmers, 牛仔裤jeans, 一件T 恤a T-shirt, 两件毛衣two jumpers, 一条围巾a scarf, 手套gloves… 还有我的冬帽and a winter hat. But, Rosie, where are the rest of your clothes?
Rosie: Er, what do you mean? I’m fine.
Li: Rosie, you’re going to freeze… 你是在找冻啊That skirt is so short – your legs are going to be cold. And don’t you have a coat?
Rosie: Don’t worry about me, I’m fine… I’m English. But let’s have a look at a question on this topic by Ming, from China:
Question
“I have a question: why do people in England wear very less clothes in winter, don’t they scare cold? Thank you.”
Li: So this is a question about English culture, I suppose. Ming 纳闷为什么英国人大冬天里还穿夏天的衣服。Like you today, Rosie.
Rosie: Well, the first thing I should say, Ming, is that a lot of people do wear lots of clothes in winter – woolly jumpers, thick socks, scarves, gloves, and hats. Like Li today.
Li: Yes, but I often see guys in t-shirts and girls wearing really short skirts in winter. In China, you hardly ever see someone dressed like that when it is cold.
Rosie: Mmmm, well one reason might be that in London people don’t spend very long outdoors in winter. They go to somewhere warm like a café or a pub. And they get the train or the bus rather than walk around.
Li: 这倒也是。英国人天冷的时候不会在户外呆很长时间，最多就是五分钟，but even for just five minutes outside, it’s still nicer to be warm. I sometimes see girls wearing tiny dresses in winter.
Rosie: Some people do dress like that when they go out in the evening, especially if they’re going to a nightclub. They don’t want to go out in big winter clothes - they don’t think it looks very fashionable.
Li: 女孩子们如果晚上出去聚会的话就会穿上短裙。But they sometimes don’t even wear a coat!
Rosie: But I wonder if that’s to avoid paying the cloakroom fee? You know you often have to pay to put your coat in a cloakroom when you go to a nightclub.
Li: That’s right. Rosie 说这些女孩外出不穿大衣也许是因为怕花存衣费。存衣处是cloakroom 存衣费是fee. 也许是怕取衣服的时候排长队…
Rosie: Or maybe it’s just that English people like to be eccentric. To be honest, I’m not quite sure why some people wear summer clothes in winter.
Li: 或许是英国人喜欢古怪to be eccentric… But for those who do like to keep warm, could you tell us some important words we need to know in English?
Rosie: Well, you’ll need to know the word for jumper…
Li: 毛衣。
Rosie: Coat.
Li: 大衣。
Rosie: A hat and gloves.
Li: 帽子和手套。
Rosie: And what else? You can wear leg warmers or thick woolly socks.
Li: 暖腿套和后毛袜。
Rosie: (shivering) And all this will help to keep nice and warm.
Li: Rosie 看上去可是冻得够呛。Rosie, are you shivering?
Rosie: Brrr…. I’m fine, Li…
Li: You look like you’re freezing. You have goosebumps on your arms. 鸡皮疙瘩就是goosebumps. I told you to bring a coat!
Rosie: Well I must admit it is a bit chilly out here. Could I borrow your scarf?
Li: My scarf? No, you can’t borrow my scarf.
Rosie: Well, what about a glove? Just one glove?
Li: One of my gloves? That means one of my hands is going to be cold.
Rosie: Oh go on Li, don’t be cold-hearted…
Li: Very funny. 我可不是个心肠冰冷的人。来吧，快穿上我的这件毛衣吧。 You can wear one of my jumpers. And you can have one of my gloves.
Rosie: Thanks Li… Oh look, this looks like a nice café. Shall we have a nice warm drink?
Li: Yes, let’s go in. Well, I hope we’ve answered your question, Ming. If you have a questions about English email us at
questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.
Rosie: Bye! And remember to bring warm clothes if you come to England in winter!
Li: Brrrrrrr! Bye!