英文原版对话1000个:934 Darren's Christmas

Dai: So Darren, it’s not long now until Christmas, are you looking forward to it?

Darren: Yes and no. I do like Christmas, the spirit of Christmas, I believe it does bring people closer together, but the thing I find year upon year is becoming more and more tiresome¹ for me is the pressure put on people, especially families with young children, to spend lots and lots of money. I think the true meaning of Christmas is lessening² year upon year.

Dai: Right. What is the true meaning of Christmas then?

Darren: Well I think it's, like I said, it’s families getting together and people showing kindness to one another. I think that should happen all the time mind, but I think at Christmas people do get together and you see people and you wish them a Merry Christmas and it’s a really lovely atmosphere to be in over a couple of weeks over the whole Christmas period. That is what I really do enjoy about Christmas, but as I said I think it’s becoming too commercialized--too much pressure to buy the latest toy. There always seems to be the in-toy to have and I think people who could afford it: great, but I think a lot of the families really struggle at Christmas and they’re probably in debt for the next twelve months until the next Christmas.

Dai: Wow, it sounds like it would put a lot of pressure on families.

Darren: Yeah, I think it does. That’s in general, but especially at Christmas I really do feel for some of the families who obviously³ are struggling with finances⁴. I’d like that to not detract from what Christmas is really about which is a great time and we have got a fairly big family and we do do a lot of visiting and we have great times at Christmas and we probably do too much on the food and drink.

Dai: Food and drink: like what kind ... you know, what are your favorite bits about the food and drink?

Darren: I always love Christmas dinner. The turkey is always cooked to perfection⁵ and wherever we go the cooking is usually absolutely spot on. No matter how much we eat of Christmas dinner, there’s always room left for a bit of Christmas pudding as well.

Dai: Christmas pudding?

Darren: Yeah, it’s a very rich, fruit-based pudding which you can usually have with either brandy⁶ sauce, which is the only time of the year you ever eat brandy sauce, or with something like cream or custard.

Dai: Oh, OK. And what does it taste like then?

Darren: It’s very, very rich. It’s one of those things where you either love it or you hate it. I think I’m the only one in my family who eats Christmas pudding, which is great news for me because it means I’ve got it all to myself, but I do suffer for it afterwards--very, very bloated and flake⁷ out on to the settee and one eye on the television and the other eye sleeping.

Dai: OK, yeah, it sounds like a good time then.
 

1 tiresome   

adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的

参考例句：

• His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
• He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。

2 lessening   

减轻，减少，变小

参考例句：

• So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少，她花多少，她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。

3 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

4 finances   

n.(pl.)财源，资产

参考例句：

• I need a professional to sort out my finances. 我需要专业人士为我管理财务。
• The company's finances are looking a bIt'shaky. 这个公司的财政情况看来有点不稳定。

5 perfection   

n.尽善尽美，无比精确

参考例句：

• Their works reach to a great height of perfection.他们的作品到了极完美的境地。
• The picture wants something of perfection.这幅画还有些不够完美。

6 brandy   

n.白兰地酒

参考例句：

• I took another drink of brandy and moved forward. 我又喝了一口白兰地，向前走去。
• The barman uses a small silver measure for brandy.酒吧招待员用一个小银制量器量白兰地。

7 flake   

v.使成薄片；雪片般落下；n.薄片

参考例句：

• Drain the salmon,discard the skin,crush the bones and flake the salmon with a fork.将鲑鱼沥干，去表皮，粉碎鱼骨并用餐叉子将鱼肉切成小薄片状。
• The paint's beginning to flake.油漆开始剥落了。