英语俚语天天说 第169期:不给小费就是野蛮人吗？

 　　介绍:

　　A Global Times reporter shared the embarrassment¹ she felt on her honeymoon² trip in an article published a few days ago. The question "How much should we tip" kept complicating³ the poor author's honeymoon with her husband to Thailand.

　　环球时报的记者在一篇文章里分享了自己几天前去泰国度蜜月时所感受到的尴尬。关于“我们应该给多少小费”这个问题困扰着作者和自己老公在泰国的整个蜜月。

　　embarrassment n. 尴尬，窘迫

　　complicate⁴ v. 使复杂化

　　It's true that tipping, which is not a common practice in the Chinese mainland, is a headache for many Chinese tourists. Caring too much how they are seen by locals, they tend to tip too generously and causally. As a result, Chinese tourists easily fall prey⁵ to the "enthusiastic" and "helpful" local service staff.

　　给小费在大陆并不是惯例，对于很多中国游客来讲比较头疼。太过于关心本地人如何看待自己，中国游客常常过于慷慨和随意地给小费。所以，中国游客很容易成为“热心”和“善于帮忙的”当地服务业的员工们的“猎物”。

　　common practice惯例

　　tend to 往往

　　generously adv.慷慨地

　　causally adv.随意地

　　fall prey to 成为……的牺牲品；深受…之害

　　Tipping is a cultural phenomenon that is unfamiliar⁶ on the Chinese mainland. Given the cultural differences, not being in the habit of tipping does not mean Chinese are ill-mannered.

　　给小费这种文化现象在中国大陆并不是很普遍。考虑到文化差异，不给小费并不意味着我们是粗鲁野蛮的。

　　phenomenon [ f??nɑ:m?n?n ]现象

　　ill-mannered举止粗鲁的，不礼貌的

　　We are used to expressing our gratitude⁷ to staff by frequently visiting the restaurants, hotels, and shops where they work.

　　为了对当地服务业的员工们表示感谢，我们已经习惯于频繁地光顾这些饭店，酒店和商店。

　　gratitude n. 感激之情

1 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

2 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

3 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。

4 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

5 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

6 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

7 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。