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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
016A 社会文化: 初级课程
Jane和Will初次约会,想多了解对方,他们谈到了彼此的宗教信仰。Jane的父母来自中国,她是个佛教徒,Will则在美国长大,信基督教。
Professor: That's right, Winnie. When you talk about religion, it's important not to offend other people.
没错,在美国,宗教信仰是私人事务,也是个敏感话题,所以谈到这个问题的时候要礼貌、小心, 不然可能会 offend other people - 得罪别人。
Will: So Jane, what religion are you?
Jane: I guess I'm a Buddhist1 because both my parents are Buddhist. But I'm not really practicing.
Will: I see. So you don't pray very often?
Jane: No. The only time I pray is during the holidays with my parents.
哇,Will 怎么一上来就问人家的宗教,这个约会开场白还真少见。
Professor: Right. And what does Jane say?
Jane说,因为她父母都是佛教徒,所以她自己应该也算是个佛教徒,不过她并不真的practice。 Professor, practice a religion 就是虔诚地信奉某个宗教,按宗教教义来生活的意思吧?
Professor: Exactly. For example, a practicing Jew would go to the synagogue every Friday to pray.
哦,a practicing Jew - 一名虔诚信奉犹太教的教徒会每星期五去synagogue - 犹太教堂祷告。这样坚持不懈也很不容易哦!
Professor: Well, many people think that praying helps them spiritually.
Jane: What about you, Will? What religion do you believe in?
Will: I'm a Christian2. Most of my family are Christians3 too, but my brother converted to Islam.
Jane: Oh really? Why did he do that?
Will: He married a Muslim woman. She wanted them to share the same faith, so he converted.
Will的家人大多是基督教徒,不过他哥哥convert to Islam. Professor, 这是什么意思呢?
Professor: When you change to a different religion, you can say you converted to a different religion.
哦,convert,c-o-n-v-e-r-t 就是改变宗教信仰。Will的哥哥以前也是基督徒,但因为交了个女朋友是Muslim - 穆斯林,所以也改信Islam - 伊斯兰教了。
Professor: Yes, Winnie. Have you noticed there are two different words used to describe Islam? The religion is called Islam. The people who believe in Islam are called Muslims.
对,伊斯兰教是Islam, 而伊斯兰教徒则是Muslims, 也就是“穆斯林”。
Will: Are your parents devout4 Buddhists5? Do they go to the temple often?
Jane: Yes, they go there to pray a lot. Do you go to church often?
Will: I go to church every Sunday.
Jane: Isn't it hard waking up so early on the weekend?
Will: Sometimes, but going to church is very important. I'm a pretty religious person.
听起来Will比Jane更加虔诚,因为他每个星期天都去church--教堂。对了,professor, 基督徒去church,佛教徒去temple - 寺庙,犹太教徒则去synagogue,那么Muslims 去那里祷告呢?
Professor: Muslims pray at their mosque6.
哦,对! mosque,m-o-s-q-u-e,清真寺! Will每星期天都要起大早,去教堂,他说这样虽然有点累,但既然是教义规定的,他就得执行。
Will: So Jane, do you think your parents would be mad if you married someone who isn't a Buddhist?
Jane: Did you say marry? Will, it's only our first date!
Will: I know! But I just wanted to ask you, just in case...
Jane: Actually, my parents have told me that it's OK to marry someone who believes in other religions.
这个Will,初次约会就提到结婚的事儿了! 还好,Jane的父母同意女儿嫁给不信佛教的人! 对了,Professor Bowman, 在中国,人们可以既拜佛,拜菩萨,又拜太上老君,玉皇大帝。可是我发现,西方人只能信一种宗教。
Professor: That's true. Which do you think is better?
我看对所有神明都崇敬,都拜,那一定就会有神来保佑你的!
这次的美语三级跳就播送到这里。
1 Buddhist | |
adj./n.佛教的,佛教徒 | |
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2 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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3 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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4 devout | |
adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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5 Buddhists | |
n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 ) | |
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6 mosque | |
n.清真寺 | |
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