【英语趣味课堂】不同寻常的圣诞节-Uncommon Christmas

Todd: So, Santi, now you are from Indonesia but you actually are Christian¹, correct?

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: And now most people in Indonesia are Muslim.

 

Santi: Yes, that's true.

 

Todd: Right, so are there any other major religions in Indonesia?

 

Santi: Oh, we have about six religions, actually: Muslim, Christians². We have two types of Christians: Catholic³ and Christians, and then we have Buddhists⁴ and Hindus and Confuciuos.

 

Todd: So you are Christian?

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: So do you have a ... do you celebrate Christmas specially⁵, like Indonesian style?

 

Santi: In my family - no - but maybe other families do.

 

Todd: So what do you normally do for Christmas?

 

Santi: We go to ... well, as a part of family, we go to the church together and then we celebrate ... well, going out for dinner, and then that's all.

 

Todd: That's it?

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: So, it's not that big of a deal?

 

Santi: No.

 

Todd: No Christmas tree?

 

Santi: No.

 

Todd: No giving presents?

 

Santi: No. Even for Christmas tree, my mom always tells that if you want to decorate the tree, you have to - well - clean it up later, so we just like ... yeah, maybe later on.

 

Todd: You don't want to do it.

 

Santi: No.Todd: Wow. OK, that's interesting. So Christmas is very basic and simple?

 

Santi: Yes.

 

Todd: Well, actually that's kind of nice. I think a lot of people from other Christian countries would probably prefer that Christmas was that way.

 

Santi: Really? Well, as a children I expect a present actually from my parents but they don't give me so ... it's OK.

 

Todd: So, were you bummed⁶ when you didn't get a present?

 

Santi: Yes, sometimes. Well, looking for other friends that they got presents, like, a bunch of presents from their parents or their uncles but, well, me and my sister just don't so ...

 

Todd: Well, that's OK, though. I mean I think maybe that's even better because maybe that teaches children a lesson, you know. So does that mean you never get presents or gifts or money or anything?

 

Santi: No, but we have a special celebration for Chinese New Year because we are raised a Chinese family, so we got presents in Chinese New Year's.

 

Todd: So, you celebrate Chinese New Year more than you do Christmas?

 

Santi: Yes, that's true.

 

major

 

Are there any other major religions in Indonesia?

 

Here, 'major' means large and well known.  Note the following:

 

This town does not have any major department stores.

We have all the major fast food restaurants.

that's all

 

We go out to dinner and that's all.

 

We add 'that's all'  when we have nothing more to say about something.  Note the following:

 

Alright class, that's all for today. See you tomorrow.

For lunch that 's all I had: an apple and some water.

not a big deal

 

It's not that big of a deal.

 

Something that is not a big deal is not a serious problem.  Note the following:

 

If you forget to bring your book to class it's not that big of a deal.

It is a big deal if you do not pay your taxes.

bummed

 

Were you bummed when you didn't get a present?

 

'Bummed' is American slang⁷ that means sad or dissapointed.  Note the following:

 

We were bummed you could not make it to the party.

He was bummed he did not get the promotion⁸.

teach ... a lesson

 

Christmas without gift giving teaches children a lesson.

 

We are taught a lesson when someone or some experience teaches us what not to do in the future.  Note the following:

 

I got sick from eating too much candy. It taught me a lesson.

My mother caught me smoking so she made me smoke the whole pack. It definitely taught me a lesson.

 

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

3 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。

4 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

5 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

6 bummed   

失望的，沮丧的

参考例句：

• I was really bummed out that there were no tickets left. 没有票了，我非常恼火。
• I didn't do anything last summer; I just bummed around. 去年夏天我游手好闲，什么正经事也没做。

7 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。

8 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。