英文原版对话1000个:956 Gender Roles in Sri Lanka

Todd: So, Buddihini, today we're going to talk about roles and family: traditional roles or what people do. Now in Sri Lanka, is it common for usually the women to do all the cooking?

Buddhi: It was so. It was so, but still the mentality¹ is such that they expect the daughters and the wives to do the kitchen stuff² and the cleaning, the laundry and all that, but we do have a lot of working mothers now and they are many single parents as well so the culture has been changing a little bit, but still the majority is that women should do the usual household stuff and the men do the work outside and get the money. If it's like the cityside, and if the wife is also working, obviously³ it's not expected that the wife ends up doing everything.

Todd: So, what happens? Do you split⁴ the duties or do you hire a servant?

Buddhi: Yes, hiring some helper is quite common in Sri Lanka. I personally don't agree with that.

Todd: Oh, really, you don't want to have like a cook or a maid or anything like that?

Buddhi: It'd be nice to have but I wouldn't want to have. I want to do my things on my own. I think it's easier to do things on your own, and I'd make sure when I get married that I have the correct partner who'd want to help me out with things and having kids and all that. I wouldn't want somebody else to come and help us out.

Todd: So, when you get married, you'd like to split the duties with your husband?

Buddhi: Of course.

Todd: So, you expect your husband to cook and clean?

Buddhi: At least help me out and make sure that he knows what I'm doing. He values what I do 'cause I'm definitely⁵ not the kind who'll stay at home and do only the household stuff. I'll definitely go out and get the money as well.

Todd: So, you want to be the bread winner?

Buddhi: I wouldn't say that. We will share. I mean, why he suffer alone, and why I suffer alone at home. We suffer together.

Todd: Now is this a common viewpoint⁶ with most young women from your country?

Buddhi: Yeah, I'd say so. I'd say so, but there are many people who don't like to go out and be a working mom. They'd rather prefer staying at home and, you know, waiting for their husband to come home in the evening or stuff like that, but I'm definitely not that kind.

 

1 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

2 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

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 split   

n.劈开，裂片，裂口；adj.分散的；v.分离，分开，劈开

参考例句：

• Who told you that Mary and I had split up?谁告诉你玛丽和我已经离婚了？
• The teacher split the class up into six groups.老师把班级分成6个小组。

5 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

6 viewpoint   

n.观点，看法，见解

参考例句：

• He explained his viewpoint that taxes should be increased.他解释了他认为应该增加税收的观点。
• My viewpoint is in coincidence with you.我的观点与你的一致。