Gordon: Hey, what's up?
John: Nothing but the usual. How about yourself?
Gordon: Not much. I was just reading about houses in America.
John: Houses are so big, I dream to buy one some day.
Gordon: In your dreams. They are expensive.
John: But I want carpets, a big kitchen, a den, and a few bedrooms.
Gordon: You know a lot about houses. Can you teach me?
John: Why not?
戈登：嗨，最近怎么样？
约翰：没什么，还是老样子。你呢？
戈登：也没什么。我读了关于美式独立住宅的文章。
约翰：独立式住宅太大了，我希望有一天我能买一幢。
戈登：别做梦了，那些房子太贵了。
约翰：可我想要地毯，大的厨房，一间私人房间和几间卧室。
戈登：你知道很多关于独立式住宅的事。能给我讲讲吗？
约翰：没问题。
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NEW WORDS（生词)
1) Basement （地下室）: an underground floor, B1
We kept the kids locked in the basement when they were bad.
小孩子不听话的时候我们就把他们锁在地下室里。
2) Commute （通勤，从一个地方到另一个地方）: to go from one place to the other, travel
I don't mind the hour commute to work every day.
我不在乎每天上下班花一小时时间。
3) Garage （车库）: a building park cars
My house has a big garage. You can fit two cars in it.
我的房子带有一个很大的车库，可以放两辆车。
4) Hectic （忙碌的，疯狂的，节奏太快）: busy, crazy, moving too fast
Life is always hectic before exams.
考试前的日子总是忙忙碌碌的。
5) Story （层）: a floor, level
That office building has four stories.
那幢办公楼有四层高。
6) Suburb （郊区，城市外面建独立式住宅的地方）: a place for houses outside of the city
The suburbs are much more peaceful than the city.
郊区比市区安静多了。
Lesson 课文
Housing in the U.S.美国的住房
In the U.S, people live in houses or apartments. Most people live in houses, but some people do live in apartments. Apartments in the U.S. are mostly for young unmarried people. These people usually want to live close to work and do not want to spend that much money. People only live in apartments for a few years. Afterwards, they get married and move to a house in the suburbs. A house is usually two stories, sometimes it also has a basement. Houses are built in a yard with grass around them. They sometimes have walls or fences around them. Houses usually also have a garage attached to them. This is for parking cars inside. (If you want to see an example of a house and suburbs, you should watch the movie "American Beauty." The houses in that movie are better than average, but are still the style of the average house, only larger.
美国人一般住在独立式住宅或公寓里。大多数美国人住独立式住宅，但也有一些人住公寓。在美国住公寓的多数都是未婚的年轻人。他们通常想住得离上班的地方近些，也不想花太多的钱。人们只是在公寓里住几年，然后他们就会结婚，接着搬到郊外的独立式住宅里。一幢独立式住宅通常有两层，有的带有地下室。独立式住宅建在一个院子里，周围是草坪，有的在周围围上围墙或篱笆。独立式住宅一般都带有车库，可以用来停车。（如果你想知道典型的美式独立住宅和郊区是什么样子，应该看一下影片《美国丽人》。这部电影里的独立式住宅比一般的要好一些，但与普通独立式住宅的风格是一样的，只是要大些）。
Dialogue 对话
Molly : Hey, Gordon. How is it going?
Gordon: Life is a little hectic at the moment.
Molly : Why, what's up?
Gordon: I'm moving to the suburbs with my wife.
Molly : Wow, I could never leave the city. It's too convenient here.
Gordon: Not for me. We want to have kids soon and we think it'll be better for them to grow up in the quiet calm of the suburbs.
Molly : But, won't you be far from work?
Gordon: I will commute, driving to work every day is not that bad.
Molly : Good luck fighting through the traffic.
Gordon: Thanks, bye.
莫莉：嗨，戈登。最近怎么样？
戈登：这会儿有点忙。
莫莉：为什么，有什么事吗？
戈登：我正在和太太往郊区搬家。
莫莉：哇，我永远也不会离开城市，这里的一切都太方便了。
戈登：对我来说可不一样。我们想很快就要孩子了，我们认为住在郊区的安静环境里对孩子们的成长会好一点儿。
莫莉：可是，你上班不就远了吗？
戈登：我跑通勤，每天开车上下班没有那么糟。
莫莉：希望你路上交通顺畅。
戈登：谢谢，再见。
NEW WORDS（生词)
1) Carpet （地毯，用来铺在整个地面上的毯子）: rugs that cover the entire floor
Most American houses have wall to wall carpet.
大多数美式独立住宅都在整个儿地面上铺上地毯。
2) Closet （壁橱，储存用的小隔间）: a small room for storage, small room
We keep our coats in the small closet next to the front door.
我们把外衣放在紧靠前门的壁橱里。
3) Bathtub （浴盆，卫生间里的白色浴盆，可以躺在里面洗澡）: the white tub in the bathroom that you lay down to clean yourself in
I like using a bathtub more than standing in the shower.
与站着冲淋浴相比，我更喜欢用浴盆。
4) Den （私室，家庭用房间，通常比厨房低一点儿）: a family room, often a little lower than the kitchen
Ben is in the den watching TV with his friends.
本在内室里和朋友们一起看电视。
5) Privacy （隐私）: one's personal things, space to yourself
Privacy is very important to Americans.
美国人很重视隐私。
Lesson: 课文
The Culture of Visiting a Person's House 去别人家拜访的文化
1) Always respect a person's privacy. Never walk into their bedroom or look in their closets without asking.
要永远尊重别人的隐私。没得到允许不能进入别人的卧室或打开别人的壁橱看。
2) Try asking for the "grand tour of the house." This lets the owner of the house decide what to show you.
试着请求主人允许你“正式参观一下房子”，让房主决定该领你看什么。
3) Always wear your shoes inside! Taking off your shoes is rude because you may have stinky (bad smelling) socks.
切记穿鞋入内！脱掉鞋子是不礼貌的，因为你的袜子可能会很臭。
4) Be careful of spilling or dropping things on the carpet.
小心不要在地毯上洒出或掉落东西。
5) Always ask permission before you use the telephone or the bathroom.
使用电话或卫生间前一定要先获得允许。
Dialogue 对话
Molly : Hey, Gordon. How's life?
Gordon: Life is a little hectic at the moment.
Molly : Why, what's up?
Gordon: I have some house guests staying in my den. They are all rude dudes.
Molly : Really? Tell me more, go on.
Gordon: Well, they stay in the bathtub for two hours every day. They spill drinks on my carpet, then they take off their shoes and they have stinky feet.
Molly : You must be kidding?
Gordon: Not at all. They look in my closets without asking and walk into my bedroom when I am sleeping.
Molly : They should learn to respect your privacy.
Gordon: You are so right. I hope they leave soon.
莫莉：嗨，戈登。日子过得怎么样？
戈登：这会儿有点儿忙乱。
莫莉：为什么，有什么事吗？
戈登：我家里来了一些客人，都是些粗鲁子弟。
莫莉：真的吗？快给我讲讲怎么回事。
戈登：他们每天要在我的浴盆里呆两个小时，往我的地毯上吐饮料，还把鞋脱掉，脚臭哄哄的。
莫莉：你不会是在开玩笑吧？
戈登：一点儿都没有。他们没经过我允许就打开我的壁橱，还在我睡觉的时候进我的卧室。
莫莉：他们应该学会尊重别人的隐私。
戈登：你说得太对了，希望他们快点儿学。 |
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