美国文化脱口秀 第367期:中美工作、生活、恋爱对比

 　　我们节目一直在探讨中美文化差异，今天Spencer和Jenny就直接从工作、生活、恋爱方面对比中国和美国。

　　关键词：

　　中国和美国

　　We're pitting China against America: 今天我们要拿中国跟美国比一比

　　We're making a comparison between China and America in different aspects of life: 我们要对比下中美生活的各个方面

　　China vs. America: 中美对比，注意vs.在英语里要按照它的完整拼写来念versus¹

　　不一样的国家、不一样的人生

　　Spencer跟中国的缘分起源于儿时最好的朋友是美籍华裔。后来大学组织来中国游学，也让他大开眼界，由此开启了他的中国情缘。

　　What brought you to China?: 你当初为什么会来中国？

　　That's a loaded question: 这问题很复杂 (如果一个问题暗藏玄机、别有用心，也可以说是a loaded question)

　　When I was a kid, my best friend was a Chinese kid: 我小时候最好的朋友是中国人

　　Because of that, I was always interested in China: 因此，我一直对中国很感兴趣

　　I first came to China on a short-term study-abroad program in college, but it was only for a month: 第一次来中国是大学时期的一次短期游学，但只来了一个月

　　It was just something so different than what I knew: 在中国的所见所闻让我大开眼界

　　China kinda smacked² me in the face with how different it was: 中国的与众不同深深震撼了我

　　This is something I'd like to experience much more in-depth: 我很想好好的深度了解一下中国

　　China turned your world upside down: 中国颠覆了你的世界观

　　中美工作、生活、恋爱对比

　　中美工作机会

　　中国经济飞速发展，伴随而来的是蓬勃的机遇。对于许多西方人来说，中国不仅机会多，在这里生活也是一种不同凡响的体验。

　　career prospects³: 职业前景

　　The Chinese market is so dynamic and the growth is really robust⁴: 中国经济充满活力，增长强劲

　　The Chinese economy dwarfs⁵ most of the developed economies: 中国经济把绝大部分发达国家都比下去了 (dwarf这个词作为名词的意思是侏儒，作为动词的意思就是把另一个远远比下去了)

　　There're a lot of different opportunities; overall, it's very exciting for me: 机会很多，总的来说，我觉得很新鲜很刺激

　　The things I get to do here, I don't really think I can do them back at home: 我在中国收获的经历美国恐怕无法给予我

　　For example, being a host at OpenLanguage and producing great content for you guys:比如成为开言主播，给大家做好内容

　　It's a different way of living: 是完全不同的一种生活方式

　　I enjoy what I've achieved for myself while being here: 我非常享受自己在中国取得的收获和成绩

　　When you're at home, you kind of feel like it's always the same old thing: 在家乡生活感觉日子一成不变

　　If you always stay there and never leave, you'll never experience much else in the world: 如果永远呆在一个地方，你就看不到外面的世界了

　　It's good to get out and try something different: 最好出来闯闯，感受不同的事物

　　朝九晚五 or 出去闯闯？

　　即便同样在中国做一份朝九晚五的工作，周遭每天都有新鲜事，生活也因此多了一份情调。

　　There're a lot of people in the West, me included, who are turned off by the idea of a conventional life characterized by a 9-to-5 job where you just repeat the cycle of getting up, going to work and going home: 西方很多人，包括我在内，特别厌倦这种一成不变、朝九晚五的工作和生活

　　Even if you have a 9-to-5 job here in China, at least the scenery and environment are totally different: 在中国即使是干一份朝九晚五的工作，所见所闻以及周遭的事物也是不同的

　　So there's still some sort of stimulation⁶: 生活也因此更刺激、更新鲜

　　There're also a lot of unexpected opportunities: 也有很多意想不到的机遇

　　There're still things here that aren't quite as established as they are back in the States: 不像美国，中国有很多东西还没有定型

　　You come here and do something that's already been done in the States but hasn't been done here yet: 可以来中国做一个在美国已经有人做，但在中国还没人做的事

　　中美收入、支出对比

　　可能光看工资单，中国的薪酬并没有美国高，但在中国生活成本比较低，对于生活自律的人来说，反而能攒下更多积蓄。

　　Be it in China or in America, how much you get paid definitely depends on what you do: 不管是在中国还是在美国，赚多少都跟干什么工作有关

　　Given that I have a Master's degree, I do think if I were back in the States right now doing whatever 9-to-5 job I have, overall I'd be making more money: 我有硕士学位，所以如果我在美国找一份朝九晚五的工作，薪资应该比现在高

　　But my expenses would be more: 但开销也会更大

　　This is kind of a trade-off: 有得必有失

　　Money's important, but it's not everything: 钱很重要，但钱不是万能的

　　The life experience I've gained by living here is invaluable⁷: 在中国的生活经历是钱换不来的

　　In real dollar terms, you might be making a little bit less, but you actually have more disposable income: 光看钱的话，在中国收入可能比美国低，但可支配收入实际上更多

　　We're netting more money: 实际到手的钱更多

　　I have more savings⁸ at the moment than I ever had: 我的积蓄比在美国时多

　　financial discipline: 经济自律，特别指存钱

　　中美生活对比：热闹、方便、治安

　　中国的热闹和方便绝对是美国大多数地区不能比的。另外，也有很多美国人觉得中国治安更好。很多美国人都觉得晚上出门不太安全，在中国就不太会有这样的顾虑。

　　Living within the inner ring here in Shanghai is even more convenient late at night: 住在上海内环内的话晚上更加方便

　　public transportation system: 公共交通系统

　　Big cities have very condensed populations: 大城市人口相对集中

　　China is definitely more lively/more stuff going on/more happening: 中国肯定是更热闹

　　Gun ownership is a right guaranteed in the US Constitution, but it's also caused a lot of problems: 枪支持有权是美国宪法规定的权利，但也造成了不少问题

　　public safety: 治安

　　Going out alone late at night is not considered very safe in the States regardless of yourgender: 不管是男是女，在美国半夜独自出门总归是不安全的

　　For most parts, Shanghai is pretty safe: 总体来讲，上海真的挺安全的

　　中美恋爱对比

　　在中国约会恋爱是不是也更有声有色呢？许多初到上海的老外都会觉得眼花缭乱、目不暇接，但Spencer作为一个“资深老外”表示，重要的是质量不是数量，所以要找到一个情投意合的伴侣也并不是件容易的事。

　　Many foreigners feel even love life is more exciting in China: 很多外国人觉得在中国的爱情生活也更加精彩

　　When I first came, I was in my honeymoon period, so I was more optimistic and excited: 我刚来中国时，在那段蜜月期内，（恋爱）心态也特别乐观、特别激动

　　Maybe I've been longing for somebody more culturally similar to me：现在可能我更渴望一个在文化上跟我比较接近的伴侣

　　Lately, I don't share that sentiment as much as I used to: 所以现在我的感觉、看法跟以前也不太一样

　　The dating scene: 恋爱、约会氛围

　　It's hard to find people who click with you on an intellectual level: 要找到一个跟你有心灵撞击的对象很难

　　I don't think that has anything to do with China; China's always been China and will always be China: 我觉得这不是中国的原因；中国一直就是中国，以后也还是

　　It has more to do with me and my personal wants: 这更大程度上是我个人的原因和想法

　　This doesn't mean other foreigners can't find things like satisfaction or love here: 我也不是说其他外国人在中国就不能收获一份满意的爱情

　　When I first came here, I thought to myself, “Oh my God, there's beautiful women everywhere”: 刚到中国时，我心想：“天啊，这里美女也太多了吧”

　　But it's not about the quantity; it's about the quality: 但重要的是质量、而不是数量

　　Maybe it's becasue you've matured, so your take on things is different: 也许是因为你更成熟了，所以看事情的角度也不一样了

　　Yes, you have access to more people: （在中国）你也许能遇见更多人

　　I highly value quality now: 但现在的我非常注重质量

1 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

2 smacked   

拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He smacked his lips but did not utter a word. 他吧嗒两下嘴，一声也不言语。
• She smacked a child's bottom. 她打孩子的屁股。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

5 dwarfs   

n.侏儒，矮子（dwarf的复数形式）vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Shakespeare dwarfs other dramatists. 莎士比亚使其他剧作家相形见绌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The new building dwarfs all the other buildings in the town. 新大楼使城里所有其他建筑物都显得矮小了。 来自辞典例句

6 stimulation   

n.刺激，激励，鼓舞

参考例句：

• The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。
• You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。

7 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

8 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。