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美语训练班056

所属教程:美语训练班

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Jessica 在北京学汉语,她的中国朋友要是遇到了不知道用美语怎么说的词,就会来请教他。今天是吴琼要问的:宅男宅女。

Jessica: Wuqiong, 听说你表妹从上海来看你了,怎么样, Are you two getting along?

wq: 唉,她哪是来看我。整天待在家里,根本不理我,每天就知道上网,看电视,也不出去玩儿。标准的宅女! 像这种特别“宅”的人,在美语里叫什

么?

Jessica: I think you can call them "homebodies". A homebody is a person who prefers to stay at home and seldom goes out.

wq: homebody? home 就是家的意思,body 是身体,两个词连在一起---身体长在家里了,就是homebody! 宅男宅女! My cousin is totally a homebody! 哈哈,我回家要告诉她这句话!

Jessica: Well, you can also call her a "shut-in". s-h-u-t, shut; i-n, in--shut-in.

wq: 哦,shut-in也是指不愿意出门和别人交往的宅男宅女! 我要告诉我表妹,Don't be a shut-in! Go out and get some fresh air!

Jessica: 对! 让她出去转转,不然,Her brain will rot if she stays home and stares at a screen all the time!

wq: 啊?r-o-t, rot 不是腐烂么?Her brain will rot 就是“她脑子要发霉”的意思吧?

Jessica: That's right! Being a couch potato isn't healthy.

wq: 没错。couch potato, 沙发土豆,就是一天到晚赖在沙发上看电视的人。每天不运动,变得圆滚滚的,跟个potato--大土豆一样!

Jessica: I'm sure your cousin doesn't wan to look like a potato! Now, tell me what you've learned today!

wq: 第一,宅男宅女叫 homebody, 或者 shut-in;

第二,一天到晚坐在沙发上看电视的人叫 couch potato;

第三,说脑子要发霉了,就是Your brain will rot!

B: See杨琳,if you become a homebody, then you'll probably become a couch potato, too....

A: 然后就会长肉!! 太可怕了太可怕了。不过我也不是每天都在家,你看上周我就去了华盛顿的使馆之旅,就是每个国家的大使馆都对公众开放,特别好玩!

B: Oh fun! I bet you learned about a whole bunch of different cultures and customs!

A: I sure did, plus I tasted tons of different foods from around the world! 说到这,在今天的美语三级跳里,我们就再去领略一下不同文化!

B: Let's listen!

Culture: Advanced

今天我们为您播出“美语三级跳”节目“社会文化”单元的高级课程。

Professor: Today we're learning some words for talking about "affirmative action" programs in the US. Winnie, if a college or business has an affirmative action program, that means it gives preference to minority students, who have traditionally been underprivileged in American society.

嗯,这个我听说过。美国的"Affirmative action", 平权法案,要求对少数族裔人口实行入学、就业方面的优惠政策。我想,这个政策应该是为了帮助少数族裔,改善他们的社会地位,可难免也会引发一些不满和争议吧?

Professor: Yes, it has been quite controversial. Let's see what Will and Jane have to say about it.

Will: So Jane, where do you go to college?

Jane: I'm at the University of California, in Los Angeles. It's a great school academically, but also because it gives me the chance to meet people of all different nationalities, races and backgrounds.

Will: Yeah, US colleges have become much more diverse ever since affirmative action policies were put in place. But even though that's a good thing, some people still gripe about them.

Jane: Of course, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding them. After all, affirmative action is a pretty blunt instrument for helping disadvantaged groups improve their lives.

Professor Bowman, 什么叫 gripe?

Professor: To gripe is to complain about something. For example, the employees at every company I've worked at have always griped about how rich the boss is, even though they make good salaries.

哦,gripe, g-r-i-p-e, gripe, 就是“抱怨”的意思。 Will 说,虽然平权政策使很多少数族裔学生得到了上大学的机会,提升了美国大学校园的多样性,但还是有人对这个政策不满。对了,Jane说,平权法案是个 blunt instrument,Professor, 这是什么意思呢?

Professor: Winnie, a "blunt instrument" is a method that uses too much force, so that, in achieving your aim, it also causes some harm or trouble. For example, "War is a very blunt instrument for settling disputes between countries. It's better to resolve them through careful negotiations."

我明白了,blunt instrument就是“生硬的方法”,用这种方法做事,往往事倍功半,效果不佳。

Will: Why do you think some people are opposed to affirmative action?

Jane: A lot of people think we no longer need affirmative action, and that it's unfair. If two people apply for a job, should one be given better treatment because of his or her skin color?

Will: I see your point. But many of the poor people in American society are minorities. I think we should try to give them a leg up.

Jane: True, but there are lots of poor people who aren't minorities too. Shouldn't they get help too?

Will: I agree that it isn't a perfect solution, but it's a pretty good way of leveling the playing field.

听起来Will很支持平权法案,他说,美国很多穷人都是少数族裔,平权法案可以give them a leg up--助他们一臂之力,使他们获得一些优势。

Professor: That's right. Will also says he thinks that affirmative action policies are a good way of "leveling the playing field".

对,level the playing field 就是说为大家提供公平赛场,让所有人站在同样的起点上。Will觉得,平权法案虽然并不完美,但至少缩小了白人和有色人种之间的社会差距。

Jane: You know, I think one thing that everybody can agree on is that we should live in a world where affirmative action isn't necessary.

Will: I totally agree. When each person has the same opportunities in life, regardless of his or her skin color, the world will definitely be a better place.

Jane: Hey Will ..... just a suggestion, but can we talk about something less serious? All this talk of religion and discrimination isn't what I had in mind for a first date.

Will: Well sure .... we can talk about something light and fun. What do you think about global warming?

Jane: Waiter, can you bring the check please?

哈哈,Jane终于受不了了! Will尽和她谈这些严肃话题,让他换个轻松点的,他居然会想到 global warming--全球暖化!怪不得Jane急着给钱走人!

Professor: Yup, sounds like Will made a pretty bad move.

A: 这个Will可真无聊,约会非要谈这些严肃的话题,我看他们也不会再一起出去了!

B: Yeah, you bet. That IS a boring date, and believe me, I know about boring dates...

A: 哎呀,不过我还是在想,你请假出去玩了,就没人跟我耍贫嘴了,真无聊! I will have a lot of bad, boring days!

B: 哈哈,那可不! I'm the sunshine that brings you happiness every day! Kidding kidding. 好了,刚才你谈到a bad day, 咱们下面就去听听Harry讲讲他倒霉的一天!

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