英语畅谈中国文化50主题 15
时间：2019-02-19 作者：英语课 分类：英语畅谈中国文化
15. Beijing’s Identity
A: Are you a Beijinger?
B: Not really. I was born in Shandong, but was raised in Hubei. I came to Beijing when I was ten and have lived here ever since. So, you tell me if I qualify as a Beijinger?
A: No, you are not a real Beijinger.
B: It’s no hard to find a family that has lived in Beijing for more than three generations.
A: Some people say that Beijing is very generous and open-minded. Do you agree?
B: Generous, maybe. A friend of mine had a small accident once. Her car got stuck in a ditch. Four young men, all non-Beijingers, happened to pass by. They refused to help. Then an old man came over. He was a Beijinger. Without any hesitation 1, he helped my friend pull the car out. He also told her to drive carefully.
A: That’s a typical Beijinger. Such a person is always ready to help when someone is in need.
B: I guess this has something to do with the fact that Beijing has been a capital city for several dynasties. People living here always feel obligated by a sense of honor. Also, face is very important for a Beijinger. When doing business, especially with a friend, a Beijinger doesn’t want to appear too fussy 2 about the contract or making concessions 3. He cares more about friendship and esteem 4.
A: Tolerant may not be the right word to describe a Beijinger. About twenty years ago, Beijing residence usually looked down upon non-Beijingers, believing them to be rustic 5 and ignorant.
B: That’s true. Beijing has used to look down upon outsiders. In the past, due to strict residential 6 permit requirement, it was extremely difficult to become a Beijing resident. There’s more mobility 7 now, and anyone can find a job in Beijing. Pick someone in the street a most likely that person isn’t a real Beijinger. True Beijingers do not have a feeling of superiority, and that may be why they appear to be more tolerant nowadays.
A: This is quite similar to New York. There are fewer and fewer real Americans there. Some say New York is no longer a city of Americans. I think the same is true with Beijing.
- After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
- There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
- He is fussy about the way his food's cooked.他过分计较食物的烹调。
- The little girl dislikes her fussy parents.小女孩讨厌她那过分操心的父母。
- The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
- The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。
- I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
- The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。
- It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
- We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。
- The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
- The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。