Dialogue A
Karen is greeting Martin.
Karen: Welcome to New Orleans!
Martin: Thanks, I've come to experience Mardi Gras.
Karen: Well, you're in the right place.
Martin: I can't wait to see people in costumes parade through the city. Why do people celebrate Mardi Gras1 anyway?
Karen: Mardi Gras is the last day of a festival called Carnival. Other places celebrate it, but New Orleans has its own unique traditions.
凱倫正在迎接馬汀。
凱 倫:歡迎來(lái)到紐奧良!
馬 ?。褐x謝,我是來(lái)體驗(yàn)狂歡節(jié)的。
凱 倫:那你可來(lái)對(duì)了地方。
馬 汀:我等不及看到穿著各式服裝的人們穿梭在整座城市中。不過(guò)人們到底為什么要慶??駳g節(jié)?
凱 倫:有一個(gè)慶典叫嘉年華會(huì),而狂歡節(jié)是其中的最后一天。別的地方也會(huì)慶祝這項(xiàng)活動(dòng),但紐奧良有其獨(dú)特的傳統(tǒng)。
Dialogue B
Martin: Why does everyone wear masks?
Karen: Our French ancestors loved throwing masked parties. Masks are a good way to make everyone have fun. People who are usually quiet have a chance to go crazy.
Martin: Maybe I should buy a mask! Boy, I'm hungry…
Karen: You should try some Creole food and check out a jazz club.
Martin: I'm definitely in the mood for some fresh sounds.
Karen: Then you will want to swing by the French Quarter.
Martin: That'll be my first stop.
馬 ?。簽槭裁创蠹叶即髦婢?
凱 倫:我們的法國(guó)老祖宗喜歡舉辦面具派對(duì)。面具是讓人玩得盡興的好方法。平常沉默寡言的人都可以玩得很瘋。
馬 ?。夯蛟S我該買(mǎi)個(gè)面具來(lái)戴!天啊,我餓了……
凱 倫:你應(yīng)該吃吃看克里奧爾式料理,再到爵士俱樂(lè)部瞧瞧。
馬 汀:我的確想聽(tīng)一些令人耳目一新的音樂(lè)。
凱 倫:那你就會(huì)想到法國(guó)區(qū)看看。
馬 ?。耗抢锞褪俏业牡谝徽?。
Building Your Vocabulary
1.parade vi. 游行
The football players paraded through the city after they won the championship.
美式足球員贏得冠軍后,在城市里游行。
2.unique a. 獨(dú)特的
Where is the most unique restaurant in town?
鎮(zhèn)上最特別的餐館在哪里?
3.masked a. 戴面具的
Three masked men robbed a bank.
三名蒙面人搶劫了一家銀行。
Phrases for Learning
1.throw a party 舉辦派對(duì)
Did you throw a party for Patty's birthday?
你是否有幫佩蒂辦場(chǎng)生日派對(duì)?
2.be in the mood for... 想做∕有心情做……
I'm not in the mood for ping pong right now.
我現(xiàn)在沒(méi)那個(gè)心情打乒乓球。
3.swing by... 順便到訪……
Let's swing by Erin's house and surprise her.
我們順便到厄琳家給她一個(gè)驚喜吧。
參考字詞
1.Mardi Gras n. 狂歡節(jié)
2.Carnival n. 嘉年華會(huì)
3.ancestor n. 祖先
4.Creole a. 克里奧爾人的(克里奧爾人為在美國(guó)路易斯安那州出生的法國(guó)后裔)
5.fresh a. 新的;清新的
6.quarter n.(城市中的)區(qū)
Enjoy Box
爵士樂(lè)之都──紐奧良
爵士樂(lè)最早的起源可回溯到殖民時(shí)期。當(dāng)時(shí),初到美洲的黑奴工作時(shí)所哼唱的做活歌(work song)有輪流應(yīng)答的特色,此特色為日后爵士樂(lè)表演的重要技巧。19世紀(jì)末,美國(guó)南北戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)結(jié)束,黑人獲得解放,醞釀已久的黑人文化終于爆發(fā)。再加上戰(zhàn)后軍樂(lè)器價(jià)格大跌,讓黑人有機(jī)會(huì)帶著樂(lè)器到處表演謀生,早期的爵士樂(lè)于是誕生。曾為法國(guó)、西班牙殖民地的紐奧良,因當(dāng)?shù)睾谌吮姸?,便成為孕育爵士?lè)的大搖籃,進(jìn)而享有爵士樂(lè)之都的美名。
在紐奧良,每年四月底五月初會(huì)舉行爵士音樂(lè)節(jié),樂(lè)手一整天輪番上場(chǎng)表演,讓劉易斯阿姆斯特朗公園狀似音樂(lè)運(yùn)動(dòng)場(chǎng)。臺(tái)上臺(tái)下唱唱跳跳,熱鬧非凡,到處都充滿(mǎn)著爵士、藍(lán)調(diào)、鄉(xiāng)村歌曲、西部音樂(lè)等悠揚(yáng)旋律,儼如美國(guó)南方的文化大展。紐奧良可謂是爵士樂(lè)迷必到的朝圣之地。
Tips In Use
Maybe I should buy a mask!
(或許我該買(mǎi)個(gè)面具來(lái)戴!)
maybe 譯成『也許』。
注意:
maybe 與 may be 完全不同。maybe 是副詞,相當(dāng)于 perhaps,使用時(shí)通常置于句首修飾全句,但 perhaps 則是句首或句中均可使用。
May be he'll be coming tomorrow. (X)
→Maybe he'll be coming tomorrow. (○)
=Perhaps he'll be coming tomorrow.
(也許他明天會(huì)來(lái)。)
而 may be 是 be 動(dòng)詞之前加了助動(dòng)詞 may,譯成『也許是』。
You maybe right. (X)
→You may be right. (○)
(你也許是對(duì)的。)