英语标准美文100篇 050

Taboo¹ topics in American(part two)

３．Income You should never ever ask how much someone' s salary is．There's no way around this one．However，it' s perfectly² appropriate to ask about their job title and what they do for a living．This information should give you some idea how much they make a year．

４．Matters of the Heart This is a tricky³ one．Sometimes you'll run into people who can't wait to pour their hearts out to you．Then there are those who make sure their personal business stays behind closed doors．The general rule is to not get too personal，too fast．You don't want others to think that you're prying⁴ into their lives．Therefore，try not to ask too many questions about someone' s love life，marriage and family until you have a friendship with this person．Even then，you better wait for your friend to come to you with the matters of their heart．

５．Is It Real？ Many Americans are proponents⁵ of the all－natural look．Stick with what Mother Nature gave you and do the best you can with it．But how man y truly abide⁶ by this principle？With plastic surgery and products like colored contact lens，hair coloring，acrylic7) nails，etc，the answer would be：not many．I suppose some of us either like to experiment with our looks or are simply unhappy with what we're born with．

As artificial as the results of these physical alterations⁷ may be，they are done to imitate nature．At the end of the day，people want others to believe they' re simply born beautiful．So don' t ruin it for them by asking，“Hey，I love your eye color．Is it real？”

What makes certain topics taboo？These topics may lead to disclosure of information that people don't want others to know about．In other words，sometimes it' s not so much that you asked the wrong question，but that you touched a sore spot．You should never ever ask how much someone' s salary is
什 么 是 美 国 人 避 而 不 谈 的(2)

３．收入 你绝对不要问别人挣多少钱。这没什么可说的。但你完全可以问他们的工作头衔和以什么为生计。这个信息可以让你对他们一年挣多少有所了解。

４．心里的事 这是个很微妙的问题。有时你会碰到迫不及待向你倾诉心声的人。但有些人时刻确保自己的私事不为外人知晓。总的规则是，不要太急于跟人谈个人私事。不要让人认为你在刺探他们的生活。所以，不要对别人的爱情、婚姻和家庭情况提太多问题，直到你跟此人结成了朋友。即便那时，你最好还是等着你的朋友带着心事来找你谈。

５．是真的吗？ 许多美国人都主张天生的相貌。坚持从母体带来的一切并尽力善待之。但有多少人真正地遵守这一原则呢？答案是：不多，因为有整形手术和诸如有色隐形眼镜、染发剂、丙烯酸指甲等产品。我猜我们中有些人或者喜欢去尝试换个长相，或者就是对自己天生的长相不那么满意罢了。

尽管这些实物改变的效果足可以假乱真，但它们还是仿真的。到头来，人们还是希望别人相信他们就是天生漂亮。所以别问：“嗨，我喜欢你眼睛的颜色。是真的吗？”免得让人失望。

有些话题为什么犯忌呢？因为这些话题可能会把人们不愿为外人所知的情况泄露出去。换言之，有时你提错了问题倒没什么大不了，但你却戳到了他人的痛处。你绝对不要问别人挣多少钱。

1 taboo   

n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止

参考例句：

• The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
• Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？

2 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

3 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

4 prying   

adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开

参考例句：

• I'm sick of you prying into my personal life! 我讨厌你刺探我的私生活！
• She is always prying into other people's affairs. 她总是打听别人的私事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

6 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

7 alterations   

n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变

参考例句：

• Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》