和老外聊天的地道口语第79期:文化差异

Paige: how's your time spent in the United States?
Kyle: well, pretty good.
P: I'm glad to hear that. What impressed you most?
K: well, the cultural differences impressed me most.
P: you mean we Chinese think differently from the Americans?
K: that's right, quite different. One day one of my American friend looked pale, so I asked him whether he was sick or not. But he was reluctant¹ to answer my question.
P: what's weird².
K: and what's more, when he told me he had caught a cold for several days, I suggested him to go to the hospital as soon as possible.
P: you really cared about your friend.
K: sure I am. But he responded by saying'what do you mean?'.
P: I'm confused. Why did he say that?
K: I felt the same at first. Later he told me that I'd better not give him any suggestions when he was sick. Offering unsolicited help or advice is like showing sympathy to the weak or the poor. Back in China, helping³ others is always regarded being kind.
P: absolutely. Now I understand why he responded that way.
 

1 reluctant   

adj.不愿意的；迟迟不合作的；不同意的

参考例句：

• The workers are reluctant to be ordered around by the employers.工人们不愿被雇主们差来遣去地随便使唤。
• I am reluctant about asking him to do this.我极不愿意让他去干此事。

2 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。