关于圣诞送礼的中英文对话

　　

        The Joy of Christmas Gift-Giving

　　Cynthia, an American, and Karina, her Danish friend, are shopping for Christmas presents.

　　Karina : Isn't this the perfect gift for Bob?

　　Cynthia : Are you crazy? That watch cost you an arm and a leg. Besides, Bob doesn't wear a watch.

　　Karina : That's why he's always late! This gift will make him more punctual.1

　　Cynthia : Why do you like this particular watch?

　　Karina : It reminds me of Christmas in Denmark because it's so shiny.

　　Cynthia : What do you mean?

　　Karina : Denmark only gets a few hours of sunlight a day during winter.

　　Cynthia : That doesn't sound very shiny!

　　Karina : No, but we light candles in homes, schools, and churches to create a warm atmosphere.2 At Christmas, the whole country is lit up like a giant Christmas tree!

　　Cynthia : I'm sure that watch will brighten3 Bob's heart all winter long.

　　Karina : I hope so. In Denmark, we give Christmas gifts to every friend and family member.

　　Cynthia : In America, we do, too! But it can get expensive, though. Speaking of which, how could you afford such an expensive watch on a teacher's salary?4

　　Karina : I took a part-time job on the weekends to save the money.

　　Cynthia : That's so sweet!

　　Karina : I've got an idea. Let's walk to Da-an Park and enjoy the sunshine.

　　美国人辛西亚和她的丹麦朋友卡丽娜正在选购圣诞礼物。

　　卡丽娜：这不正是给鲍伯的最佳礼物吗?

　　辛西亚：你有没有搞错?买那只表要花上一大笔钱。更何况，鲍伯是不戴表的。

　　卡丽娜：那正是他老爱迟到的原因!这份礼物会让他更守时。

　　辛西亚：你为什么喜欢这款手表呢?

　　卡丽娜：它令我想起丹麦的 圣诞节 ，因为它看起来好闪亮。

　　辛西亚：这话是什么意思?

　　卡丽娜：冬天时，丹麦一天只有几个小时的日照。

　　辛西亚：听起来并不太明亮嘛!

　　卡丽娜：是不太亮，但我们在家里、学校和教堂中都点起烛光，以营造温暖的气氛。在 圣诞节 期间，全国上下灯火通明，就像棵巨大的圣诞树一般!

　　辛西亚：我相信那快表会让鲍伯开心一整个冬天。

　　卡丽娜：希望如此。在丹麦，我们会送圣诞礼物给每位亲朋好友。

　　辛西亚：在美国我们也一样!但买礼物可能得花不少钱。说到这点，光靠当老师的薪水，你怎么买得起这么贵的手表呢?

　　卡丽娜：这笔钱是我周末打工存下来的。

　　辛西亚：你真是有心!

　　卡丽娜：我有个想法，我们走到大安森林公园去享受点阳光吧。

　　Karina and Cynthia are talking in Da-an Park.

　　Karina : So what's Christmas in America like, Cynthia?

　　Cynthia : Well, we don't light as many candles as the Danish. But people do string1 lights around their houses.

　　Karina : How about the gifts?

　　Cynthia : Most families get up early on Christmas morning and open their gifts together. But some families open their gifts on Christmas Eve.

　　Karina : What's all this I hear about Christmas stockings2 in America? You don't wear them, do you?

　　Cynthia : (laughing) Never! But American children do hang Christmas stockings by the fireplace.3 Then their parents fill the stockings with candy and small toys.

　　Karina : Speaking of gifts, what did you get for John, your Taiwanese friend?

　　Cynthia : I decided not to buy him anything.

　　Karina : What? After all he's done to help you get settled4 in Taiwan? You could at least get him a Christmas present!

　　Cynthia : Of course I'm going to give him a present, but it's something I made.

　　(Cynthia shows Karina a painting of John.)

　　Karina : Cynthia, that's beautiful! Did you have him sit for the painting?

　　Cynthia : No, I based it on a photo I took of him at Alishan.

　　Karina : That's really wonderful. I'm sure John will be touched that you took the time to make such a delightful5 present.

　　卡丽娜和辛西亚在大安森林公园聊天。

　　卡丽娜：那么，辛西亚，在美国的 圣诞节 是什么样子呢?

　　辛西亚：嗯，我们不像丹麦人一样点那么多蜡烛，但人们会在房子的四周挂起一串串的灯饰。

　　卡丽娜：那圣诞礼物呢?

　　辛西亚：大多数人家会在圣诞节清早起床，一起拆开礼物。有些人家则在平安夜打开礼物。

　　卡丽娜：我听说美国人会准备圣诞节长袜，是怎么一回事?这些长袜应该不是拿来穿的吧?

　　辛西亚：(笑声)当然不是!不过美国的小孩都把圣诞节长袜挂在壁炉旁，然后爸爸妈妈就会在长袜里装满糖果和小玩具。

　　卡丽娜：谈到礼物，你买了什么礼物给你的台湾朋友约翰?

　　辛西亚：我决定不买任何东西给他。

　　卡丽娜：不会吧?他帮你这么多忙，帮助你在台湾安顿下来，你至少可以送个圣诞礼物给他吧!

　　辛西亚：我当然会送他礼物啰，但我要送的是我亲手做的东西。

　　(辛西亚拿出一幅约翰的画像给卡丽娜看)

　　卡丽娜：辛西亚，这幅画真好看!你是请他过来坐着让你边看边画吗?

　　辛西亚：不是，我帮他在阿里山拍了一张照片，这幅画是按着那张照片画的。

　　卡丽娜：真是别出心裁。你花时间为约翰做了这么赏心悦目的礼物，我相信他一定会很感动。

　　It's Christmas Eve, and John and his English roommate, Bob, are preparing food for a Christmas party.

　　John : What do people eat on Christmas Day in England?

　　Bob : The best part of Christmas in England is the Christmas pudding. It's like a big hot cake that's covered with flaming1 brandy.

　　John : What else do you have?

　　Bob : Turkey, sausages,2 mince pies, cranberry jelly, chestnut stuffing...

　　John : It sounds like you have cooking experience!

　　Bob : Yeah, I used to cook for my family every Christmas. And after dinner, we’d sing carols3 and play card games.

　　John : Check out these Christmas gifts I've prepared.

　　Bob : 3 x 5 note cards? Why are you giving people office supplies4 for Christmas?

　　John : Ha-ha. The point is not the cards...it's all the great things the cards can get you.

　　Bob : So, they're like coupons?5

　　John : Exactly! Some are for a free massage, some are for a free home-cooked dinner, and others are for a weekend trip to the hot springs.

　　Bob : That's cool!

　　John : Thanks. I used to buy gifts, but then I decided that my time is the best thing I can give others.

　　(The doorbell rings)

　　Bob : You'd better get your cards ready...I think our guests have arrived!

　　John : I'll get the door.

　　Karina and Cynthia: Merry Christmas!

　　平安夜当晚，约翰和他的英国室友鲍伯正为一场圣诞派对准备食物。

　　约翰：英国人在圣诞节都吃些什么?

　　鲍伯：在英国，圣诞节最棒的食物是圣诞甜果糕(编者按：这是英国特有的圣诞糕点，以麦粥、面粉及干果混合制成，味道浓甜，咬起来有如糯米糕般黏稠)，是一种热腾腾的大块糕点，上头淋上白兰地，上桌时再点上火焰。

　　约翰：其他还有什么?

　　鲍伯：还有火鸡、香肠、碎果派、小红莓酱、栗子馅等。

　　约翰：听起来好像你做菜经验很丰富的样子!

　　鲍伯：没错，以前每年圣诞节，我都会做菜给家人吃。饭后，我们全家会一起唱圣诞颂歌和玩纸牌。

　　约翰：看看我准备好的圣诞礼物。

　　鲍伯：三乘五大小的纸卡片?你为什么要把办公用品当作圣诞礼物送人呢?

　　约翰：哈哈。重点不在于这些卡片，而在于它们可以带来的种种好处。

　　鲍伯：这么说，这些卡片就像是优待券啰?

　　约翰：对呀!有些是免费按摩优待、有些是免费家常菜招待，还有一些是免费周末温泉之旅伴游。

　　鲍伯：很不错耶!

　　约翰：谢谢。以前我会买礼物，但现在我觉得自己可以给别人的最佳礼物，就是我的时间。

　　(门铃响了)

　　鲍伯：你最好把卡片准备好……我想我们的客人已经到了。

　　约翰：我去开门。

　　卡丽娜和辛西亚：圣诞快乐!