英文原版对话1000个:967 Swiss Politics

Todd: So, Anja, you are from Switzerland?

Anja: Yes, exactly.

Todd: So, I thought we would talk a little about your country.

Anja: OK.

Todd: First of all, what do you like most about being Swiss?

Anja: Actually, what I like the most about Switzerland is that the country is neutral¹, so that means that we have an army but we don't have war with any country. We go abroad to support people and help people if there is some sort of war or some trouble abroad, but we don't fight against any country.

Todd: So when there's a major conflict, you don't take a side.

Anja: That's exactly.

Todd: So, how about ,,, are Swiss people very political? Like are they in terms of your country, like are they very involved with politics?

Anja: Yes, actually you have to, especially young people are very involved in politics as well, and like we have votes and whatnot, like every month there's something we have to give our vote, and people always do it. It's really amazing. I like that a lot.

Todd: What a minute! You vote every month?

Anja: Yeah, for some local things or prefectural things and we always get the stuff² back home in the mail, and then we have to fill it out. You know, tick³ a yes or a no and bring it to the, how do you say?

Todd: Like the post office?

Anja: Yes. Then vote.

Todd: So, it's like a referendum? It's about some local issue.

Anja: Yes, exactly. Like referendums or yeah, for the prefecture, for your city or for your village all the time.

Todd: That's pretty amazing. Now, are these issues that you take time to look into, or do you just kind of guess?

Anja: Well, it depends a little bit, like, if it's not of very big importance, like of course, everything is important, but then, you know, you just do what you feel is the right thing and you just tick a yes or no, but if you feel like it's a really big deal, like a lot of money's being invested⁴ or it's like something that concerns the whole country, then of course you will do like research on it and well, it's on the news anyway, so you .. they like the government informs you a lot and you get brochures like for the topics and so, yeah. It's a really big deal.

 

1 neutral   

adj.中立的，不偏不倚的；中性的

参考例句：

• Behaviour is never culturally neutral.人的行为从来都受文化的影响。
• They have maintained a consistently neutral stance.他们一直持中立态度。

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 tick   

vi.(指钟表等)滴答滴答地响

参考例句：

• The clock goes'tick-tock,tick-tock'.时钟发出滴答滴答的声音。
• They could hear the regular tick of the clock.他们能听见时钟有规律的滴答声。

4 invested   

v.投资，花费( invest的过去式和过去分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• The money will be invested in managed funds. 这笔钱将投资于管理基金。
• He invested his lawyer with complete power to act for him. 他让律师全权代办。 来自《简明英汉词典》