英国问答 第12期

翻译：许婉燕

对欧美国家来说，圣诞节是一家团圆的大日子。英国人的家庭观和我们有什么不同？让我们听听《英国问答》这个节目，从中找出答案。节目中访问了带不同口音的英国人，感兴趣的同学除了可以模仿主持人的英式发音以外，还可以进行听力训练哦！

Neil: Hello and welcome to Ask About Britain, the programme where we

answer your questions about how British people live their lives. I’m Neil, and with me today is Jean.

Jean: Hi there!

Neil: So what’s today’s question then, Jean?

Jean: Well, it’s Helen from Chongqing wants to ask about British families. Here she is.

QUESTION:

In China, families are quite close. How about in Britain? How close are British families?

Neil: Well, we asked these people how often they see their families and how close they are to each other.

We’re really close to our grandparents. All my grandparents live in the same village as my mother and father, so we, we’re all there together, and in fact one of my grandmothers lives right next door, and we’re all British, so I think that’s quite unusual.

（我们跟祖父母很亲近。我的爷爷奶奶、外公外婆和我父母住在同一个村子里，所以我们全都在一起。事实上，其中一位祖母就住在我家隔壁，而我们都是英国人，所以我觉得这蛮不寻常的。）

I’m not very close to my extended family really because…well, when my parents divorced there was lots of recriminations[指责]back and forth, and…so it’s very easy to lose track of other people’s brothers and sisters.

（我和我的家族不大亲近，因为……我父母离婚时不停地指责对方，这让人很容易就与其他兄弟姐妹失去联系。）

Neil: The woman says she’s really close to her family and all of her grandparents live in the same village as her parents.

We’re really close to our grandparents. All my grandparents live in the same village as my mother and father, so we, we’re all there together, and in fact one of my grandmothers lives right next door, and we’re all British, so I think that’s quite unusual.

Jean: Is that unusual in Britain?

Neil: She thinks it is. How about in China?

Jean: Well, in China, living close to your parents and grandparents is quite common, some even live together. But the last man isn’t close to his family at all, is he?

Neil: No, his parents got divorced. And there were recriminations. So, he says, it’s easy to lose track of people.

Jean: Here he is again.

I’m not very close to my extended family really because…well, when my parents divorced there was lots of recriminations back and forth, and…so it’s very easy to lose track of other people’s brothers and sisters.

Jean: So, in Britain, it’s unusual for the extended family to live together.

Neil: Yes, it’s very old-fashioned.

Jean: But do people think it’s important to look after their parents when they get old?

Neil: Let’s find out.

Yep, I think it’s a natural cycle really for them to look after you when you’re…you’re unable to as a youngster[年轻人], and then for you to do the same when they’re elderly.

（是啊，我认为这是一个自然循环：当你年轻还无法照顾他们时，父母会照顾你；而当他们年老时，你也应该照顾他们。）

I think it’s certainly my responsibility to look after my parents because they’ve supported me so much. They’ve given me so much money, support in many different ways that I owe them a lot.

（我认为照顾父母是理所应当的，因为他们给了我那么多支持。他们在方方面面为我花了那么多钱，那么支持我，我欠了他们很多。）

Neil: The first woman thinks it’s a natural cycle.

Jean: Listen again.

Yep, I think it’s a natural cycle really for them to look after you when you’re…you’re unable to as a youngster, and then for you to do the same when they’re elderly.

Neil: And the second woman says it’s her responsibility to look after her parents. Her parents have supported her. She feels she owes them.

I think it’s certainly my responsibility to look after my parents because they’ve supported me so much. They’ve given me so much money, support in many different ways that I owe them a lot.

Neil: So, I hope that’s answered your question, Helen.

Jean: Some families are very close in Britain.

Neil: But we don’t usually live in the same place as our extended families.

Jean: And people feel responsible for their parents when they get old.

Neil: We’ll see you next time!

Jean: Bye!