Learn to love
By Michelle
Picture by Zhu Lijun

你曾经遭遇过这样的状况吗? 交了异性朋友, 不敢让父母知道而东躲西藏,谎话连篇? 曝光后家长与你促膝长谈,希望你以学业为重,结束梦幻游戏,不到谈婚论嫁的时候不要轻易付出感情? 相比之下,西方父母更注重让孩子在实践中学习爱. 他们乐于鼓励孩子用真实的体验去了解并学会处理异性之间的特殊关系.

During my last summer holiday, one of my friends, Natalie, a 16-year-old girl from New Zealand, invited me to her house. What impressed me most on that day was not the wonderful meal but the conversation I overheard between Natalie and her mother, Judy.

To begin with the talk, Judy first asked Natalie how she felt about her first boyfriend. After she understood that Natalie had been satisfied and pleased so far with almost everything in getting along with her boyfriend, Judy was very delighted and asked Natalie if she had also invited him today. Natalie said her boyfriend had to work in a part-time job. Judy then appreciated him for his sense of independence. "You should learn from your boyfriend and share the experience of being a part-time worker! That is good for both of you. I suggest you find something that you two can share with each other if you want to know him better. That's a good way to put motivation in the relationship".

"Thank you for the great advice, Mom! " Natalie replied.

I was deeply moved by Judy's sincere advice for Natalie.

Her words reminded me of my Dad's serious face when he found out that I fell in love with a boy. He didn't carefully consider the things I said but only forced his opinions on me, telling me how seriously this could affect my study and future, and also asking me to stop the relationship as soon as possible.

I was speachless after that because I felt like he had treated me like a child and didn't respect my opinions or take them seriously.

What lies behind all the above are the different perspectives held by Chinese parents and foreign ones. Foreign kids take their love stories as a great joy that can be shared with their parents, while the Chinese always feel hesitant and afraid.

Actually, the attitude that parents hold can influence their children's mind a lot. For most foreign parents, love is something everyone needs to learn through practice. There can be sadness and failure in the process, but at the same time you are getting experience and the ability that helps you avoid making the same mistakes again.

However, for most Chinese parents, teen love is more a worry; the positive side is always overshadowed by the negative one in their eyes. Instead of thinking about good ideas to avoid the side effects, they often prefer to stop the romance.

 

 

Crossword Puzzle
本栏目内容由 www.1cm.com.cn 提供



Across
1. To receive (something offered).
6. Not drunk.
7. A famous Turkish food.
9. Process of learning.
11. Low in cost.

Down
2. A small compartment in the office.
3. Mistake.
4. Capital of an island country in Asia.
5. An intimate addressing.
8. A kind of fruit.
10. A human-like animal.

The following people have won free movie tickets:林菊丽,张鲜芬,叶雅丽,张毅,吴晓晖,陈建欣, 苏志杭, 余炜斌, 游芸, 吴闽. Please go to the Jinying Cinema (世贸金鹰影院) within two weeks.
Please e-mail your answer to the following address: common-talk@fj172.com. Participants will have a chance to win free movie tickets to the Jinying Cinema (世贸金鹰影院). Please check the results on the website www.common-talk.com.

 

 

鸡同鸭讲

一位在河南生活了几年的外教, 说英语都带着一口河南腔. 一天, 他与一位新结识的加拿大籍中国人出去喝酒. 他问道:"Where is the best bar? "那个中国人也是第一次来河南, 哪里会知道, 回了他一句Beats me(难倒我了). 只见那个外国人走过来, 抱住他伤心地哭起来, 他说自己好久都没有痛痛快快地说英语了. 有一次他在课堂上说了同样的句子, 大家沉静了一分钟后, 蜂拥而上, 把他痛扁了一顿. 从此他对这句话相当地敏感. (他的学生一定是理解为"打我吧". 当然这里是有点小夸张. )
By Joanna

一家国内企业决定在新西兰成立海外分公司, 为此企业老总苦下工夫以集训的方式学了半年的商务英语, 终于通过了新西兰政府的考试, 顺利出国. 分公司成立不久, 迎来了当地第一位客户. 保险起见, 总经理秘书还是安排了一位翻译, 协助老总与老外沟通. 一见面, 老外便亲切打招呼并询问:"Am I speaking too fast? Can you get what I say? "只见这位老总自信满满地说:"Don't worry , don't worry My English is very strong No question understand you?" 翻译与老外瞠目结舌, 不知该如何应答.
By Miyi

有一位喜欢周游世界的日本画家懒得花时间学英语, 遇到老外常常借助画画来沟通. 有一次, 画家去美国参展, 参展的第一天就下起了瓢泼大雨. 画家回到饭店, 想吃蘑菇(mushroom), 又忘了英语如何说, 便提笔画了一朵蘑菇. 结果服务员却为他拿来一把雨伞, 让画家哭笑不得.
By Hong Ying

 

 

Hot Word
Collected by Jianjiang

● click
A Victoria Beckham lookalike from north Wales is to wed her business partner, who poses as soccer star David Beckham. "We just clicked straight away. "
一位是来自北威尔士的辣妹维多利亚"克隆版", 一位是球星贝克汉姆的替身, 这对商业搭档即将假戏真做, 喜结良缘. 他们甜蜜地回忆说:"我们是一拍即合. "
click, 一见钟情, 一见如故.

● sushi
Musicians produced a "sonic tsunami," Wall Street analysts foresaw "tsunamis" of bad earnings news and Japanese restaurants served "tsunami" sushi rolls.
一阵惊天动地后, "海啸"这个词仍有余威. 音乐家们创作模拟海啸声响的乐曲, 华尔街的分析家预测不利消息会像"海啸"一样涌来, 还有些日本饭店提供名叫"海啸"的寿司卷.
sushi, 寿司. 显然中文是音译而来的.

● fatten
Customers have committed almost $40 billion to buying a 555-seat plane, expecting it to lower operating costs and fatten profits, battered in a slowdown since 2001.
世界上最大的客机空中客车A380正式诞生. 这部造价40亿美元, 有555个座位的双层舱机型被寄予厚望. 它担负着降低成本, 扩大利润的重任, 以挽救航空业自2001年来的颓势.
fatten, 靠......发财, 常和on连用.



● holder
Since 1985 when China started to issue bank cards, the country has become the second-largest holder, following the United States, which has about 850 million cards issued.
我们身处"卡时代". 从1985年发行第一张银行卡起, 中国银行卡的发卡量目前已经达到8亿张, 在世界上位居第二, 仅次于美国的8.5亿.
holder, 持有者. a share holder, 股票持有人.

● befriend
As a man without a home, he takes up residence in the terminal itself, befriending the staff of the airport, and falling in love with an airline flight attendant.
无家可归的维克多滞留在美国, 在小机场体会大世界......《幸福终点站》在我国一上映, 便出现了"爆棚"场面.
befriend, 友好对待. befriender则是指"恩人".



● shirtsleeve
Hiring the shirtsleeve crowd represents a shift in the economy toward higher-paying jobs and a more skilled workforce.
2005年, 美国白领工作者人数在缩水多年后有所回升, 市场上对金融人才, 工程师, 律师, 会计师和IT精英的需求量上涨.
shirtsleeve意为"只穿衬衣不穿外衣的", 指代终日呆在办公大厦里享受空调, 无需穿外衣的白领工作者(white-collar workers).

 

 

Cartoon English
By Bo & Bob

 

 

Daily English
Collected by the Chef

衣食住行, 学英语要从身边的小事开始. 本栏目将带给您最实用的日常口语.

Ask for help

● Can you give me a hand? 你能帮我一把吗?
● Can you help me out on this? 你能帮我一下这事吗?
● Could you do me a favor, please? 你能帮我一个忙吗?
● I need a bit of assistance here. 我这儿需要帮助.
● Do you have a minute? 你有时间(帮我一下)吗?
● Help! Help! 救命!

 

 

疯狂假日大砍价
Collected by Suky

疯狂假日, 奇幻旅程. 假期可以约朋友游山玩水, 也可以与爱人留在家中, 享受一年中难得的休闲心情, 说说久别的甜言蜜语.

1. I have a crush on you.
我对你有点动心.
crush在这里是迷恋, 动心的意思. 老美经常这么用哦. 另外还有I care about you deeply. (我非常关心你. ) 或I'm fond of you. (我对你有好感. )

2. You light up my life.
你照亮我的生命.
多动听的一句话啊, light up使原本平淡的生活一下子有了色彩, 温暖了冰冷的心. 记住这句话吧, 听到它的人, 也会在心上涌起一股暖流的.

3. I can't live without you.
没有你我活不下去.
可惜, 现在已经很少能在现实中听到这样的深情告白了.

4. You mean the world to me.
你对我来说是最重要的.
在恋人的眼中, 经常会把很多东西省略. 但相处久了, 你的世界就已不再单纯, 要求更多. 你还是我的全世界吗?

5. You take my breath away.
你让我忘记呼吸.
想想, 已经多久没有送花给你的爱人, 想想已经多久没有下厨做一份爱心早餐. 这个假期就开始行动吧.

 

 

Football 足球世界
By Ivan

"心, 暖了又灰; 世界有时候孤单得很需要另一个同类. "我们给那些零散的单词寻找同类, 也为热爱生活的您找一片合乎兴趣的乐园. 同类系列英语愿能换得您默契的会心一笑.
非常欢迎读者来信来电"点题", 我们将尽力满足大家的要求. (联系电话:5581650;电邮地址:common-talk@fj172.com)

● free kick, 任意球
天马行空, 潇洒恣肆, 能自由发挥的东东总是大受欢迎. 难怪擅长任意球的球星更讨喜, 比如小贝.
● penalty kick, 点球
penalty是处罚的意思, 的确, 在常常是一球定胜负的足球场上, 一个点球无异于最为严酷的判罚.
● scissors kick, 倒钩球
我们有个很生动的叫法"倒挂金钩", 而英文用scissors(剪刀)来形容球员的体态也是惟妙惟肖.
● off side, 越位
是否知道"越位", 常被当成判断真伪球迷的标准. 你瞧, 就算从英文字面上看, 也很难搞清它的意思.
● total play, 全攻全守
也难怪大家都钟爱这种打法, total play, 全部球员一起压上, 同时退回, 怎能不赏心悦目?
● policeman, 拖后中卫
不管是中文的"清道夫", 还是英文的policeman(警察), 都是在异曲同工地突出这个位置的关键作用.
● formation, 阵式
排兵布阵往往是比赛的灵魂, 也是最容易引发争论的焦点. 四三三阵式就是"4-3-3 formation".
● wall pass, 二过一
wall做动词有"围住, 加强"的意思, 历史上有太多"二过一"的经典瞬间, 重温中自己意会这个词吧.
● fast break, 快攻
break有"分裂"的意思, 也可以做"闯"解释. 势如破竹地撕裂对方防线, 用这个词真是一举两得.
● blanket defence, 密集防守
如果看过02年世界杯英阿之战, 看到这个词应该会心一笑吧. 当英国队十个球员密密麻麻挤在禁区内时, 放眼望去, 说是片红色地毯也不为过.

 

 

Psychological test

新年伊始, 很多年轻人都喜欢预测一下自己的运势如何. 习惯了中文的心理测试, 不妨玩一玩英语版本的, 还可以顺便考证一下中英文之间是否有差异. 本栏目非常欢迎读者的投稿. 如果您发现了什么好玩有趣的英文游戏, 不妨发送到common-talk@fj172.com. 稿件一经采用, 必付稿酬.

1. What is your favourite out of these three?
a. cat
b. bird
c. dog

2. What is your favourite colour?
a. pink
b. white
c. black

3. Do you like the mountains, or the beach better?

4. Do you like to watch the:
a. sunrise
b. sunset

5.What's your favourite number from 1-10?

6. What is your favourite plant?
a. red rose
b. fern (蕨类植物)
c. a dead one

7. What is your favourite season?
a. spring
b. winter
c. summer

Okay, now for the results:

1. a) cat: you love yourself the most.
b) bird: you like hearing yourself talk.
c) dog: you put others before yourself.
2. a) pink: you're out-going.
b) white: you're classical.
c) black: you're living on the edge.
3. a) mountains: you will get married early.
b) beach: you will get married late.
4. a) sunrise: you're a morning person and you get more done.
b) sunset: you are romantic and it is difficult for you to fall in or out of crushes.
5. The number you picked is how many it will take before you find your true love.
6. a) red rose: your life will be beautiful but sometimes thorny.
b) fern: your life will be predictable and safe.
c) a dead one: you're one sick person!
7. a) spring: you're hopelessly romantic.
b) winter: you're a hugging kind of person.
c) summer: you're a bare-all kind of person.

上期英语脑筋急转弯答案

1. What do you throw out when you want to use it, but take in when you don't want to use it?
An anchor.

2. You throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside and throw away the inside. What is it?
An ear of corn.

3. Every day, a cyclist crosses the border between France and Germany carrying a bag. No matter how much customs officials investigate him, they do not know what he is smuggling. Do you know?
The bicycle.