实战口语情景对话 第184期:西班牙和日本 Spain and Japan

 Hi! I've lived in Spain and Japan and so I'm just going to talk about a few differences between the two countries that I've found. In, Spain, when you meet somebody you give them two kisses. First on the left and then on the right cheek, and in Japan there is definitely no public kissing at all, so that is definitely a faux pas, here. In Japan you just bow or you hand shake which is normal. In Spain, also the people are very caliente, which means they are very warm and very open and extremely loud, extremely loud. In fact, when I was living in my host family's house, the first few months when my Spanish wasn't the best, I thought my host mom was mad about everything. I thought she was just, I thought she was at the point of just leaving the entire household for good, and then when I realized what she was saying it was just, "When are you going to take out the dog?" but screaming this mind you, or,"Let's do your homework!" or even just like, "Pass me the salt!" Everything screaming. Japan people are very quiet. They, definitely don't scream about things like that....Um, the food, ah, Spanish food is the best in the world. I really like Japanese food, but Spanish food they use a lot of olive oil, a lot of beans, a lot of vegetables and fruit. It's a Mediterranean¹ diet and lots of fish but it's heavier food. In Japan they also use, eat a lot of fish, but it's lighter² and rice and seaweed, ah, but Spanish food is the best. The best in the world, definitely. 嗨！我在西班牙和日本都生活过，因此我想谈谈我发现的这两个国家之间的不同之处。在西班牙，你见到某人的时候会和他们亲吻两次。先是亲左脸颊，然后是右脸颊，而在日本，完全没有公开的亲吻问候，所以那在这里绝对是失态的举动。在日本一般会鞠躬和握手。在西班牙，人们非常热情，意思是他们非常温暖、开放，而且声音很大，非常非常大。事实上，我住在接待家庭的时候，前几个月我的西班牙语说的不好的时候，我认为接待家庭的妈妈对所有事情都很疯狂。我认为她就像……我认为她马上会永远离开全家人，之后我才意识到她只是在说，“你什么时候要出去遛狗？”但会尖叫着让你注意，或是说“开始做作业吧！”或者只是“把盐拿给我！”每件事都在尖叫。日本人则安静地多。他们绝对不会对那些事尖叫……嗯，食物，西班牙菜是世界上最好的。我真的很喜欢日本菜，但是西班牙菜会大量使用橄榄油、豆类、蔬菜和水果。它属于地中海饮食，所以菜品会包括许多鱼类，而味道更重一些。日本菜通常也会做许多鱼类，他们也常吃鱼，但是味道更淡，而且会配米饭和紫菜，嗯，西班牙菜是最好的。绝对是世界上最好的。 

重点讲解：

1. faux pas

失态；有失检点；失礼；

eg. It was not long before I realised the enormity of my faux pas.

没过多久，我就意识到自己有多么失态。

eg. In a competitive job market, employers have the luxury of choice, and even a minor³ faux pas can hurt your chances.

在竞争激烈的就业市场上,雇主们拥有众多选择,微小的失礼也可能毁掉你的机会。

2. at the point of

将近…的时候；接近；

eg. Man can be incredibly intelligent at the point of danger.

人类在危险时就会异常机智。

eg. He admitted his guilty at the point of death.

弥留之际，他承认了罪行。

3. for good

永远；永久；

eg. The days of big-time racing⁴ at Herne Hill had gone for good.

在赫恩山举行盛大赛马会的日子早已一去不复返了。

eg. A few shots of this drug cleared up the disease for good.

注射几次这种药物就根除了这种疾病。

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

3 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

4 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。