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Taboos in America 美国人的禁忌 每种文化都有自己忌讳的话题。美国虽然是一个融入了各种文化的大熔炉,但她也有自己的禁忌——  Age Yes, age is a very sensitive subject to many Americans, especially to women over age 30. In this youth-upheld culture, the thought of growing older is a painful one and most of us, if possible, would like to have nothing to do with it. So many Americans work hard to maintain a youthful appearance. The last thing they want to be asked is the unthinkable, “How old are you exactly?”   This question may result in replies like: “How old do you think I am?”“I'm in my thirties. Let's just leave it at that.”“I cannot remember.” “Oh, don't ask me that.”“I stopped keeping track after I turned 30.”“A lot older than what I would like to be.”   Anyhow, if you are dying to know someone's age, this is how you could go about finding out. First you estimate (估计) their age by their appearance and special habit. Then you take ten years away from that estimation. I'm sure you will get a big smile from that person who will also get red and say,“Wow. You are my best friend. I'm 38 already. Can you believe it?” You, of course, reply, “No. I really can't. You're kidding. You don't look like over 28. This is amazing.” Now that's one certain way to meet someone's ego (虚荣心)!   Weight This is one of the touchiest(最敏感的) subjects. In America, it is okay, even desirable, to be thin but it is a sin (犯罪) and a huge embarrassment (尴尬) to be overweight. In fact, the thinner you are, the prettier you are considered. Looking through any American fashion magazines, you'll notice that most models are nothing more than skin and bones. Believe it or not, the tall and thin look was the hottest look of the 1990s.   Americans mind very much their weight and rarely disclose (透露) how much they weigh is—even if they are thin and in great shape. Therefore, you had better not ask. But if you absolutely have to comment on this subject, it's always safe to say, “Oh, you look like you have lost weight.” than “Oh, you look like you put on a few pounds.”However, if you would like to be honest but not hurtful, I suggest you choose your words carefully, perhaps by saying, “Hey, you look great. Very healthy looking.” And always remember, it's not fat. It's muscular (强壮的).   Income You should never ever ask how much someone's salary is. There's no way around this one. However, it's perfectly suitable to ask about their job title and what they do for a living. This information should give you some ideas how much they make a year.   Matters of the Heart This is a tricky (难处理的) one. Sometimes you'll run into people who cannot wait to pour their hearts out to you. Then there are those who make sure their personal business stays behind closed doors. The general rule is not to get too personal, too fast. You don't want others to think that you are looking into their lives. Therefore, try not to ask too many questions about someone's love life, marriage and family until you have a friendship with this person. Even then, you'd better wait for your friend to come to you with the matters of their heart.   Is It Real? Many Americans stand for the all-natural look. But how many truly obey this principle? With plastic surgery (整形手术) and products like colored contact lens(有色隐形眼境), hair coloring, acrylic nails(丙烯酸指甲), etc, the answer would be: not many.   Although the artificial (人造的) appears to be real, they are done to imitate (模仿) nature. At the end of the day, people want others to believe they're simply born beautiful. So, don't ruin it for them by saying, “Hey, I love your eye color. Is it real?”   Anyhow, it's difficult to always avoid conversation landmines (地雷). So, be sensible, watch your steps and try not to open a can of worms (虫子).
常用短语 “crash the gate”(无门票乱闯;没被邀请却硬厚着脸皮要进) 例句: “The boys tried to crash the gate at our party, but we didn’t let them in.” “play with fire” (自找危险) 例句:“Why you like to leave the door unlocked at night? Don't play with fire,OK?” “fill one’s shoes”( 代替,顶替或接班) 例句:“He is going to fill his mother’s shoes because she will retire soon.” “fill the bill” (基本还算可以胜任某一项工作等) 例句:“The boss was worried about hiring that young girl for the job, but after he tried her out for a week, he said she filled the bill." “off the air”(不播放) 例句: “The talk show is off the air on Saturdays.” “second to none”(一流的,出类拔萃的) 例句: “Our university is second to none in this province.” “now and then”(偶尔,时常),例句: “Now and then she goes to a party with me,but we are not a couple.” “take French leave”(悄悄走人,不辞而别),例句: “The party was so boring that they decided to take French leave.” "go up in smoke“(化为泡影,消失,毁掉),例句: “Her dreams of going to the U.S. to study went up in smoke after she lost her legs in a bad accident last month.” "up to no good“(成心要准备做坏事),例句: “I told you not to hang out with those kids because I know they are up to no good.” “cut no ice” (不奏效,没用),例子: “I don’t care who your father is because it cuts no ice with me. You are not allowed to get in without a ticket.” “piece of cake” (容易,简单),例子: “The final exam was really a piece of cake.” “cup of tea”(感兴趣的话题或事物),例子: “Let’s not talk about work. It’s not my cup of tea.” “make the grade” (成功,进步,长进),例子: “You have been in this business for 12 years, but you haven't made the grade yet.” “pack of lies”(谎言成堆,全是假话),例子: “His story about his work experiences was nothing but a pack of lies.” “under one’s breath”(低声嘀咕),例子: “She told my brother the bad news under her breath but I overheard her.” “warm the bench” (坐冷板凳,候机替补),例句: “We all hope the coach will let Tom play this year because he has been warming the bench for two years already.” “have something on”(抓住某人的把柄),例句: "Although she is not working very hard, her boss doesn’t fire her simply because she has something on him.” “make one’s mark” (留下名声,创下业绩),例句:“He made his mark as an actor.”
THE RED SHOES (安徒生童话 红舞鞋) FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN THE RED SHOES by Hans Christian Andersen ONCE upon a time there was little girl, pretty and dainty. But in summer time she was obliged to go barefooted because she was poor, and in winter she had to wear large wooden shoes, so that her little instep grew quite red. In the middle of the village lived an old shoemaker's wife; she sat down and made, as well as she could, a pair of little shoes out of some old pieces of red cloth. They were clumsy, but she meant well, for they were intended for the little girl, whose name was Karen. Karen received the shoes and wore them for the first time on the day of her mother's funeral. They were certainly not suitable for mourning; but she had no others, and so she put her bare feet into them and walked behind the humble coffin. Just then a large old carriage came by, and in it sat an old lady; she looked at the little girl, and taking pity on her, said to the clergyman, "Look here, if you will give me the little girl, I will take care of her." Karen believed that this was all on account of the red shoes, but the old lady thought them hideous, and so they were burnt. Karen herself was dressed very neatly and cleanly; she was taught to read and to sew, and people said that she was pretty. But the mirror told her, "You are more than pretty- you are beautiful." One day the Queen was travelling through that part of the country, and had her little daughter, who was a princess, with her. All the people, amongst them Karen too, streamed towards the castle, where the little princess, in fine white clothes, stood before the window and allowed herself to be stared at. She wore neither a train nor a golden crown, but beautiful red morocco shoes; they were indeed much finer than those which the shoemaker's wife had sewn for little Karen. There is really nothing in the world that can be compared to red shoes! Karen was now old enough to be confirmed; she received some new clothes, and she was also to have some new shoes. The rich shoemaker in the town took the measure of her little foot in his own room, in which there stood great glass cases full of pretty shoes and white slippers. It all looked very lovely, but the old lady could not see very well, and therefore did not get much pleasure out of it. Amongst the shoes stood a pair of red ones, like those which the princess had worn. How beautiful they were! and the shoemaker said that they had been made for a count's daughter, but that they had not fitted her. "I suppose they are of shiny leather?" asked the old lady. "They shine so." "Yes, they do shine," said Karen. They fitted her, and were bought. But the old lady knew nothing of their being red, for she would never have allowed Karen to be confirmed in red shoes, as she was now to be. Everybody looked at her feet, and the whole of the way from the church door to the choir it seemed to her as if even the ancient
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