unit 2 lesson 4 American social relations美国社会关系.doc

Unit 2 lesson 4American social relations美国社会关系American society is much more informal than that of many other countries and, in some ways, is characterized by less social distinction.美国的社会比其他国家的社会更加非正式，在某些方面，美国社会的特征就是较少的社会差别。 That指societySocial adj.社会的 society n.社会Informal adj, 非正式的 inform v.通知 form n.表格 v.组成 formal adj.正式的In some ways在某些方面Be characterized by以为特征Distinction n. 区别; 荣誉; 特质; 卓越;The American mixture of pride in achievement and sense of “Im just as good as anybody else.”Along with lack of importance placed on personal dignity, is difficult for a foreigner to understand.美国人是成就感与“我同其他任何人一样优秀”的感觉的混合体，同时又不太重视个人尊严的习惯，这让其他国家人很难理解Mixture n.混合物 sense n.意识，观念 place importance on重视Pride n.自尊，骄傲 v,以.自豪 proud adj.自豪的 praise n.赞扬 prize n.奖品Along with 与一道，伴随 lack of缺乏 dignity n.尊严Americans in general do not like to be considered inferior, and they grumble loundly about inconveniences or not getting a “fail deal”.yet they do not make a point of their personal honor.通常来讲美国人不喜欢被别人看成低人一等的，他们也会为自己遭受的不便而抱怨，还会为自己没有得到公平的待遇而抱怨。然而，他们也不是很重视自己的荣誉。In beneral 通常，一般而言，总的来说 make a point of 重视，强调Inferior adj.下等的 grumble about grmbl报怨 inconvenience n.不方便，麻烦As an illustration of the difference between European and American reflection in this respect, JohnWhytein“AmericanWordsandWays”givesthefollowingaccount在这一方面，为了更好展示欧洲人和美国人的不同反映，JohnWhyte在美国语言和方式这本书里给了我们如下的描述。Illustration n.说明，例证 account n.记述A European professor visiting in America was once sent a bill for hospital severces which he had never enjoyed.有位欧洲的教授曾在美国访问，他有次收到一份在医院接受治疗的账单，实际上他并没有接受过任何治疗。The bill was accompanied by a strong letter demanding payment.随附账单还有一封措施很强烈的信件。Accompany v. kmpni 陪伴 pay v.付款 payment n.付款 company n.作伴It was abvious that a mistake in name had been made ,but the professon, thoroughly aroused by this reflection on his character and financial integrity,wrote a vigorous letter of reply(which an American might also have done).显然是名字出现了差错，但是这位教授的个性及财务方面的廉洁被这种非难彻底地唤醒，他就写了一封措辞强硬的回信（美国人也可能会这么做的）。Thoroughly adv.彻底地 arouse v.唤醒 reflection n.意见，想法 ，反映 Integrity n.正直，诚实 vigorous adj.有力的But in this letter of reply he demanded that the creditor write him a fomal letter of apology. For this reflection for his honor 但这封回信中，他要求债权人应对他名誉上的指责写一封正式的道歉信。就因为这种对他人格的指责。Creditor n.债权人 credit card n.信用卡 apology n.道歉 apologize v.道歉Since no publicity could possibly have been given to this mistake, for mistake it was, most Americans in that situation, after getting the matter of chest (or without doing that) would have let the matter rest.既然这种误会不可能宣扬出去，错就错了，在那种情况下，发泄了胸中郁闷（或根本无事）之后，大部分美国人就会不再深究此事了。Publicity n. 公众信息 chest n.胸部 let sth rest give poblicity to 宣传 get the matter of chestAn example of the same thing may be that although Americans like to talk about their accomplishments, it is their custom to show certain modesty in reply to complishments.其他例子也表明了同样的差异。尽管美国人喜欢谈论他们的成就，但他们习惯对称赞做出谦虚地回答。Accomplishment n,成就 complishment modesty n. mdsti 谦虚When someone praises an American upon his achivement or upon his personal appearance, which,incidentally, is a very polite thing to do in Amarica, the American turns it aside.如果有人称赞一位美国人的成就或他的长相，这种礼貌做法在美国偶尔会遇到，那么美国人就不屑一顾。Praise v. n.赞扬 incidentally adv.顺便说一下 turn aside撇开appearance n.外貌If someone should say, “congratulations upon being elected president of the club,” an American is expected to reply, “Well,I hope I can do a good job.” Or something of the sort.如果有人说:”祝贺你当选为俱乐部的主席，“美国人可能会回答道：“啊，我希望我能够做好这项工作，”或诸如此类的事情。Or if someone says, “thats a pretty blue neckite you are wearing,” an American is likely to say, “ Im glad you like it.” Or “thank you. My wife gave it to me for my birthday.”另外如有人说：“你戴的蓝色的领带真漂亮，”美国人经常会答道：“我很高兴你能喜欢”或“谢谢，这是我妻子送我的生日礼物”。Necktie领带The response to a compliment seldom conveys the idea, “I, too, think Im pretty good.”对于赞扬，回答很少用“我也认为我很好”。Compliment n.恭维 convey v.传达Likewise, there are fewer social conventions that show social differences in America.同样，在美国存在着极少的显示社会差异的社会习俗。Converntion n.习俗Students do not rise when a teacher enters the room.当教师进教室时，学生不必起立，One does not always address a person by his title, such as “Professor” or “Doctor”(“Doctor” is always used, however, for a doctor of medicine).Address v. n.称呼称呼时一般不用“教授”、博士这样的头衔，DOCTOR如果从医药学方面来称呼也是可以的）。The respectful “sir”is not always used in the northern and western parts of the country.充满尊敬的称呼“先生”在美国的北部和西部也经常用到。表示尊敬含义的SIR在美国北部和西部也是很少使用的。Clothing in America, as in every place in the world, to a certain degree reflects a persons social position and income, or, at least among the young, his attitudes toward society or toward himself.Clothing n.服装 clothes n.衣服 To a certain degree一定程度上在美国，和世界上的每个地方一样，衣着在一定程度上反映着一个人的社会地位和收入；至少在年轻人当中是这样的，一个人的着装是他对社会及本人的态度的反应，Yet no person is restricted to a certain uniform or manner of dress because of his occupations Or class in society. Be restricted to 受限制于 occupation n.职业 class n.等级然而因为职业及社会地位的不同人们的着装不会局限于某种制服或礼服，A bank president may wear overalls to paint his house and is not ashamed of either the job or the clothing, and a common laborer may wear a rented tuxedo at his daughters wedding.一个银行董事可能会在粉刷房子的时候穿上大罩衫，他不会因工作或服装的原因而感到羞耻；一位普通的劳动工人可能会穿上租来燕尾服去参加女儿的婚礼。Laborer 劳动工人 tuxedotksi:d 晚礼服 Overalls工装 Yet in spite of all the informality, America is not completely without customs that show consciousness of social distinction.尽管有这一切不拘礼的行为，美国并非完全没有表示人们意识到社会差别的风俗。Custom n.习惯 consciousness n.观念For example, one is likely to use somewhat more formal language when talking to superiors.Superior 例如，当和高级人物交谈时，人们经常会使用稍微正式的语言，Superior n. 上级 somewhat adv.稍微While the formal “hello”is an acceptable greeting from empoyee to employer, the employee is more apt to say , “hello, Mr. Ferguson,” whereas the employer may reply, “ hello, Jim.”然而从员工到老板，随意点的问候“你好”被人们所接受认可，员工会经常说：“你好，福吉逊先生“，老板却可能回答：“你好，吉姆”，Acceptable adj.可接受的 apt adj.易于的 whereas conj.然而Southerners make a point of saying “yes, sir,” or “yes,maam,” or “No, sir,” or “No, maam,” when talking to an older person or a person in po-sition of authority.当和年长者或当权者谈话时，美甲南部人主张说“是的，先生，”“是的，夫人”或“不，先生，”“不，女士”。Make a point of 主张 Although this is a good form all over the United states, “Yes, Mr. Weston” or “No,Mrs. Baker” is somewhat more common in a similar situa-tion in the North or West.尽管在整个美国这种交谈方式是好的，但像“是的，威斯顿先生”或“不，培克夫人”这样的说话方式在美国的北部和西部同样的环境下更常见一些。Form n.表格,方式 Certain other forms of politeness are observed on social accasions.在社会交往场合中，人们还遵守一些其他的某些礼仪Observe v.遵守，观察，研究politeness n. 礼仪Though people wear hats less now than the past, women still occasionally wear hats in church and at public social functions(except those that are in the evening)Function n. 功能，作用，重大聚会与过去相比，尽管人们戴帽子的机会少了，但在教堂或在盛大宴会上（晚上的除外）女士们仍时不时地戴上帽子。In America there are still customs by which a man may show respect for a woman.在美国，仍然存在一些显示出男士对女士尊敬的社会习俗，He opens the door for her and lets her precede him through it.Precede 处于前面的位置男士会替女士开车门，并且会紧随女士；He walks on the side of the walk nearest the street.he takes her arm when crossing a street or descending a stairway.Walk n.人行道 descend v.下来 stairway n.楼梯他会走在靠近大街的一侧，他会在过马路或下楼梯时搀着女士的胳膊。A younger person also shows respect for an older one in much the same fashion, by helping the older person in things requiring physical exertion or involving possible accident.Exertion n.费力 involve v.牵涉同样的情况下，年轻人会显示出对老人的尊敬，比如帮助老人做一些耗体力的活或有危险的事情。American surface informality often confuses the foreigner because he interprets it to mean no formality at all. He does not understand the point at which informlity stops.Confuse v.使困惑 interpret v.解释美国人表面上的不拘礼经常会使外国人感到困惑因为他把它解释为一点都不拘礼，他对这种不拘礼表达的意义不理解。A teacher,though, friendly, and informal in class, expects students to stuty hard, and he grades each students work critically and carefully.Grade n. 成绩等级 v.评分一个在课堂上友好、和善、随意的老师希望学生努力学习，他评分时对每个学生的作业非常挑剔，很认真。He also expects to be treated with respect.although students are free to ask questions about statements made by the teacher,and may say that they disagree with what he says, they are not expected to contradict him.当然，他也希望得到学生的尊敬，学生可对老师的陈述自由提问，或提出不同的见解，但是他们不应该抵触老师。Contradict v. 抵触，反驳Similarly, in boy-girl relationships a foreign student should not mistake the easy relationship and flattery that are part of the dating pattern in the united states, nor presume that it means more than it does.与此相类似，在男女学生的各种关系中，一个外国学生不应该把构成当今美国的约会方式的随便交往和奉承恭维搞错了，也不应该认为这里面还另有文章。Flattery n.奉承 dating pattern约会方式 presume v 认为，以为Also, because an American is perhaps more likely to admit and laugh at his own mistakes than one who stands more on his dignity, a foreigner sometimes does not know how to handle the americans apparent modesty.同样，与保持自己的尊严相比，美国人或许更愿意承认或自嘲自己的错误，所以有时候外国人不知道怎样去应付美国人表面形式的谦虚。Apparent adj.表面的The american is quite ready to admit certain weaknesses, such as “I never was good as mathematics.” “Im a rotten tennis player.” Or Im the worlds worst bridge player.”美国人非常愿意承认某种缺点