洋话美眉在纽约

来源：时间：2008-02-05 02:42:07

　　
　　敏感话题问年龄
　　
　　Jason takes the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to Berkeley, grabs a cab, and goes to pick up Amber at her apartment. On the way to the restaurant that Ethabella suggested, Jason asks Amber her age. She is a little reluctant to tell him at first, but then does so. Is there a problem with asking this question?
　　Jason: You really do look great tonight, Amber.
　　Amber: Why, thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. (laughs)
　　Jason: (laughing also) I appreciate that. Speaking of which, I was wondering if I am older than you, because you look so young. How old are you, anyway?
　　Amber: (hesitatingly) Oh, I'm not too old, but I'm over eighteen.
　　Jason: I'm sorry, maybe that was a dumb question.
　　Amber: No, it's not that. Just... well, I was just a little surprised with your question. It's a bit unusual here for people to ask about age so soon.
　　Jason: Forgive me. I didn't mean to be impolite or rude.
　　Amber: I know. Anyway, I'm 27.
　　Jason: Really. You don't look a day over 23. How do you stay so young looking?
　　Amber: (flattered) No special way. Just a happy-go-lucky type of person, I guess.
　　Jason: Well, it works. You really don't look your age. I'm 28, by the way.
　　Amber: (jokingly) Is that right? I thought you might be a bit older…… just joking.
　　Jason: I guess I deserved that. (changing the subject) So, what about……
　　Jason乘海岸快速列车到了Berkeley，叫了一辆出租车就去接Amber。在去Ethabella建议的餐厅的路上，Jason问起了Amber的年龄。开始她有点不愿意告诉他，但最后还是说了。这个问题有什么不对劲吗？
　　Jason: 你今天晚上看起来很美，Amber。
　　Amber: 谢谢。你看起来也不错啊！(笑起来)
　　Jason: (也笑起来)非常感谢，说起这个，我在想我一定比你大，因为你看起来很年轻。你多大了？
　　Amber: (犹豫了一下)哦，我还不算太老，但是也过了18岁了。
　　Jason: 对不起，可能这是个很愚蠢的问题。
　　Amber: 不，不是那么回事，只是……我真是被你的问题弄得很吃惊。在这里，这么快地问别人有多大不太常见。
　　Jason: 请原谅我，我不是故意这么粗鲁无理的。
　　Amber: 我知道，不管它了，我27岁了。
　　Jason: 真的吗？你看起来还不到23岁。你是怎么保持年轻的？
　　Amber: (高兴状)没什么特殊的方法。只是生性快乐罢了。
　　Jason: 看来行得通。你看上去真的没那么大。另外我28岁了。
　　Amber: (开玩笑地说)是真的吗？我觉得你可能更老一点……开开玩笑而已。
　　Jason: 我想你说得对。(换了一个话题)那么……
　　
　　美眉成了电视迷
　　
　　Amber goes to a department store to buy some empty videotape cartridges. She has become enthralled by a TV program called 'Cops', and is recording every episode. She also wants to check out the video cameras while she's at it. How does she get around the store? And what is so interesting about this show?
　　Amber: (to another shopper) Excuse me. Where can I find the information desk?
　　Shopper: Just around the corner (points the way).
　　Amber: Thanks. (She gets to the information counter. He overhears an inquiry by the customer ahead of him).
　　Customer: Where's the 'Lost and Found' counter?
　　Officer: On the 2nd floor, near the elevator.
　　Customer: Where's the elevator?
　　Officer: To your right, near the middle of the store.
　　(Now it's John's turn. She steps up to the desk)
　　Amber：Hello, Can you tell me the closing time?
　　Officer: 10 PM, miss.
　　Amber: Thank you. And can you point me to the video cameras?
　　Officer: 5th floor, to the left of the escalators.
　　Amber: Thank you. (He gets on the escalator and goes to the 5th floor. First he picks up a supply of videotapes, and then he browses around the video cameras for a while. Then he overhears another customer).
　　Customer: Let's go to the food court and get something to eat.
　　(Sounds like a good idea to Amber, since she hasn't had dinner yet. She wanted to make sure she could tape the next episode of 'Cops', so she left for the department store right after work. She finds out where the food court is and goes to eat).
　　
　　Amber来到当地的一家商店，她想买一些空白的录像带。她最近迷上了一个叫‘Cops’的电视节目，每集必录。同时她还想去看看录像机。她怎样在超市里找到正确的路径呢？那个节目到底有什么吸引人的方呢？
　　Amber: (对另一个店员说)打扰一下，哪可以找到咨询台？
　　Shopper: 就在那个拐角处。(指出了方向)
　　Amber: 谢谢。(她来到咨询台，恰好听到前面的顾客在咨询)
　　Customer: 失物认领处在哪？
　　Officer: 在二楼，靠近电梯。
　　Customer: 电梯呢？
　　Officer: 在你的右边，在商店的中部。
　　(现在该轮到Amber了。她走到台前。)
　　Amber：你好，请问什么时候结束营业？
　　Officer: 晚上十点，小姐。
　　Amber: 谢谢。你能给我指一下摄影机柜台在哪吗？
　　Officer: 在五楼，就在自动扶梯的左边。
　　Amber: 谢谢。(她踏上自动扶梯上了五楼。先选了一些空白带，然后又随便看了看录像机。这时她又恰巧听见了一个顾客的话).
　　Customer: 我们去食品柜台买点吃的。
　　(Amber 觉得是一个好主意，因为她还没吃饭呢。她为了确保能录到下一集 ‘Cops’，一下班就跑到商店里来了。她找到餐厅就去吃饭了。)
　　