【英语时差8,16】宝宝让儿子结婚计划生变

Dear Annie:

Last summer my son got engaged. They set a wedding date for late summer. However, she became pregnant, so they are now planning to marry sooner at the local courthouse. But they still want to have their marriage blessed in church, so they intend to renew their vows² on the original wedding date, with the minister who had planned to marry them.

What do people do? By the time of the vow¹ renewal³, the baby will be three weeks old. They are going to have the white dress, bridesmaids (dresses are already bought), guys in tuxes and 200 guests, with an informal reception at a park. I am not sure their plans are in good taste or appropriate for the circumstances. Am I being too old-fashioned? － Woes⁴ in WashingtonDear Woes:

A little. An unplanned pregnancy⁵ used to mean a forced shotgun wedding, but that isn't the case here. Your son isn't hiding his marriage, but the couple would still like to celebrate and the arrangements have already been made and, in some cases, paid for. Renewing their vows is a perfectly⁶ legitimate⁷ way to do this. Stop worrying about what others will think and enjoy the moment.

to get engaged   订婚courthouse  (n.)   法院to renew  (v.)   重做；重订minister  (n.)   牧师；神职人员bridesmaid  (n.)   伴娘、女傧相reception  (n.)   接待处；宴会circumstance  (n.)   情况；情势old-fashioned   老古板；守旧者shotgun wedding   奉儿女之命结婚；（因女方怀孕）被迫举行的婚礼legitimate  (adj.)   合法的；正当的

1 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

2 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

3 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

4 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

5 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

6 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。

7 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。