美語三級跳: 016A 社會文化初級課程

所屬教程:美語三級跳

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Jane和Will初次約會，想多了解對方，他們談到了彼此的宗教信仰。Jane的父母來自中國，她是個佛教徒，Will則在美國長大，信基督教。

Professor: That's right, Winnie. When you talk about religion, it's important not to offend other people.

沒錯，在美國，宗教信仰是私人事務，也是個敏感話題，所以談到這個問題的時候要禮貌、小心，不然可能會 offend other people - 得罪別人。

Will: So Jane, what religion are you?

Jane: I guess I'm a Buddhist because both my parents are Buddhist. But I'm not really practicing.

Will: I see. So you don't pray very often?

Jane: No. The only time I pray is during the holidays with my parents.

哇，Will 怎么一上來就問人家的宗教，這個約會開場白還真少見。

Professor: Right. And what does Jane say?

Jane說，因為她父母都是佛教徒，所以她自己應該也算是個佛教徒，不過她并不真的practice。 Professor, practice a religion 就是虔誠地信奉某個宗教，按宗教教義來生活的意思吧？

Professor: Exactly. For example, a practicing Jew would go to the synagogue every Friday to pray.

哦，a practicing Jew - 一名虔誠信奉猶太教的教徒會每星期五去synagogue - 猶太教堂禱告。這樣堅持不懈也很不容易哦!

Professor: Well, many people think that praying helps them spiritually.

Jane: What about you, Will? What religion do you believe in?

Will: I'm a Christian. Most of my family are Christians too, but my brother converted to Islam.

Jane: Oh really? Why did he do that?

Will: He married a Muslim woman. She wanted them to share the same faith, so he converted.

Will的家人大多是基督教徒，不過他哥哥convert to Islam. Professor, 這是什么意思呢？

Professor: When you change to a different religion, you can say you converted to a different religion.

哦，convert，c-o-n-v-e-r-t 就是改變宗教信仰。Will的哥哥以前也是基督徒，但因為交了個女朋友是Muslim - 穆斯林，所以也改信Islam - 伊斯蘭教了。

Professor: Yes, Winnie. Have you noticed there are two different words used to describe Islam? The religion is called Islam. The people who believe in Islam are called Muslims.

對，伊斯蘭教是Islam, 而伊斯蘭教徒則是Muslims, 也就是“穆斯林”。

Will: Are your parents devout Buddhists? Do they go to the temple often?

Jane: Yes, they go there to pray a lot. Do you go to church often?

Will: I go to church every Sunday.

Jane: Isn't it hard waking up so early on the weekend?

Will: Sometimes, but going to church is very important. I'm a pretty religious person.

聽起來Will比Jane更加虔誠，因為他每個星期天都去church--教堂。對了，professor, 基督徒去church，佛教徒去temple - 寺廟，猶太教徒則去synagogue，那么Muslims 去那里禱告呢？

Professor: Muslims pray at their mosque.

哦，對! mosque，m-o-s-q-u-e，清真寺! Will每星期天都要起大早，去教堂，他說這樣雖然有點累，但既然是教義規(guī)定的，他就得執(zhí)行。

Will: So Jane, do you think your parents would be mad if you married someone who isn't a Buddhist?

Jane: Did you say marry? Will, it's only our first date!

Will: I know! But I just wanted to ask you, just in case...

Jane: Actually, my parents have told me that it's OK to marry someone who believes in other religions.

這個Will，初次約會就提到結婚的事兒了! 還好，Jane的父母同意女兒嫁給不信佛教的人! 對了，Professor Bowman, 在中國，人們可以既拜佛，拜菩薩，又拜太上老君，玉皇大帝?？墒俏野l(fā)現(xiàn)，西方人只能信一種宗教。

Professor: That's true. Which do you think is better?

我看對所有神明都崇敬，都拜，那一定就會有神來保佑你的!

這次的美語三級跳就播送到這里。