留学生在中国 第41期:恋爱与婚姻 Love and Marriage

 　　Chapter 45 Love and Marriage第45章 恋爱与婚姻David: So please tell me what you think about love and marriage in China?

　　你怎么看待中国人的爱情和婚姻？

　　You: I think love and marriage is very traditional in China. People who have known each other some time, get married, whereas¹ in other countries, they can live together without marrying.

　　我觉得中国人在爱情和婚姻方面十分传统。人们彼此了解一段时间以后才会结婚。而在一些国家，人们不结婚也可以住在一起。

　　David: Yeah, in the United States, the concept² of love and marriage has adopted modern ideas. I think in traditional China people don't have a choice of who they would marry sometimes.

　　对。美国人对爱情和婚姻的理解源自现代观念；我觉得在中国古代，人们没有选择婚姻的自由。

　　You: Because in those times, it's difficut for young men and women to communicate with eachothers.

　　因为那时候，青年男女很少有机会交流。

　　David: Very difficult to know each other? Why?

　　很难相互了解？为什么？

　　You: Because there were some rules, for example, boys and girls couldn't be alone in the same place and they needed chaperons if they went out on a date. Girls had to stay at home and learn how to be good wives, while their parents arranged their marriages.

　　因为有规定。男孩和女孩是不能单独约会的。如果有约会的话，都会由侍女陪同。女孩子应该规规矩矩呆在家里并学会怎样做一个好妻子，而她的婚姻是由父母包办的。

　　David: Arranged marriages？

　　包办婚姻？

　　You: Yeah.

　　是的。

　　David: But now people have more choice in who they get married to.

　　但现在人们有婚姻自由了。

　　You: Yeah, but I have a feeling that it's really hard to find a good spouse³..

　　确实是这样的。但我觉得要找一个称心如意的对象是很难的。

1 whereas   

conj.而，却，反之

参考例句：

• They want a house,whereas we would rather live in a flat.他们想要一座房子，而我们宁愿住在一套房间里。
• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。

2 concept   

n.概念，观念，思想

参考例句：

• A small baby has no concept of right and wrong.婴儿没有是非概念。
• He was asked to define his concept of cool.他被要求说明自己关于“酷”的定义。

3 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？