老外想聊的100個英語口語話題（77)：智力運動

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https://online2.tingclass.net/lesson/shi0529/0009/9426/77.mp3

https://image.tingclass.net/statics/js/2012

dialogue 1

簡: I like chess better than xiangqi. And you?( I like chess better than xiangqi.= I prefer chess to xiangqi.)

比起中國象棋.我更喜歡國際象棋.你呢?

詹姆斯: For my part, xiangqi. Maybe it`s because my girlfriend is Chinese.

我嘛.更愛中國象棋.大概因為我女朋友是中國人的緣故吧.

簡: I think chess is more reasonable. You see, each side has eight pawns, a larger number than that of the soldiers in xiangqi. A true battle should be like that. Soldiers should outnumber the commanders.

我覺得還是國際象棋比較有道理.你看.每方擁有8個士兵.比象棋的兵多吧?真正的戰(zhàn)役就應該這樣嘛.士兵總得比指揮官多吧?

詹姆斯: Quite right. And unlike the soldiers in xiangqi, the pawns in chess can promote once they reach the furthest rank. It is very agreeable to grant merits to people with good performance.

太對了.不像象棋里的兵.國際象棋的兵只要到達了對方的戰(zhàn)線.就可以升級.論功行賞.多好啊!

簡: Correct! Another contrast is the rules for the general and the king. It seems the general or marshal in xinagqi is much too incompetent. They are required to stay in the palace, waiting to be checked and fleeing for life under the cover of the guards. Loo

說得好!另外一大區(qū)別是將與王的規(guī)則.象棋里的將(帥)太沒用了.他必須待在“宮”里，等著別人來將他，在貼身衛(wèi)士的掩護下逃跑。可是看看國際象棋里的王吧，厲害多了，至少他可以向四周任意方向的格子里運動。

詹姆斯: Yeah, and though the king in chess doesn`t have bodyguards, he has a queen who is the most powerful piece. I think this demonstrates the relatively higher social status of aristocratic womaen in medieval Europe than in China.

對!雖然王沒有貼身衛(wèi)士.卻有一位戰(zhàn)斗力最強的王后.恐怕這就說明.中世紀歐洲貴族婦女比起同時期的中國婦女來.社會地位相對高一些吧.

簡: There`s antoher distinctive contrast. Bothe board games use a total of 32 pieces, but siangqi is played on a 9-by-9 board, bigger than the 8-by-8 board used in chess.

嗯.還有一大區(qū)別.象棋和國際象棋都是共有32枚棋子.但是象棋的棋盤是9乘9的.比國際象棋的8乘8棋盤要打.

詹姆斯: You mean, xiangqi pieces are allowed a larger space in which to move around?

你是說.象棋棋子的活動空間更大?

簡: Sure. On a chessboard, fire is much more intensive. It has a smaller board, while those bigger pieces-chariots, horses and bishops-can conver longer distances.

當然啦.國際象棋的火力密度更大.棋盤小了.那些主要的棋子.像車.馬.相的移動范圍卻大了.

dialogue 2

J: I've been learning to play Go recently. It's an amazing game!

最近我在學習下圍棋，發(fā)現這是項很有意思的游戲。

C: Weiqi? It must bc a greatest Chinese invention. I've tried hard to learn it. Its rulcs can't be any simpler, but I've never won a game of Go. Wcll, it's all Greek to mel

圍棋啊?圍棋一定是中國人最大的發(fā)明.我曾試著學過，規(guī)則簡單得不能再簡單，可是至今我還沒有贏過一局.唉，看來，我就是搞不通這個啊。

J: At least you have obtained a very basic understanding of the gamc, havcn't you? I think it is perfect for boosting intelligence, cultivating personality and nexible learning. Every intellcctual wishing to gain any insight into Chinese culture should leam to play Go.

至少你對圍棋已經有了一個非?；镜睦斫饬税?我覺得，圍棋非常有益子開發(fā)智力、培養(yǎng)人的秉性。任何一個希望深入理解中國文化的知識分子都應該學學圍棋。

C: I heard it is included in the four major arts of China. is it?

倉我聽說，圍棋是中國舊時的“四藝”之_.對嗎?

J: Sure. It was considcrcd dcsirable that a well-cducated ancient Chinese scholar should be well versed in zither, weiqi, calligraphy and painting. I think wciqi is the most fantastic of them. It embodies ancicnt Cbincsc wisdom and cultural profoundness.

沒錯，每·個中國古代文人必須通曉琴、棋、書、畫。其中，我覺得圍棋最神奇，最能體現中國古人的智慧和文化.

C: I know it is quite different from Western chess.

我明白，它跟西方人的國際象棋很不一樣.

J: YeS. Playing chess is a very aggressive experience. All the pieces are supposed to capturc their opponents. Wbenever I start a chcss game, I can't heIp but imagine a concrete battle in which all rightcrs stand ready to kill.

當然了。下象棋讓人覺得殺氣騰騰一雙方棋子之間你死我活地來回廝殺.只要一坐到棋盤面前，我就會想象：又是一次戰(zhàn)斗，勇士們各就各位準備殺人。

C: But isn't it the same with wciqi?

難道圍棋不是這樣的嗎?

J: Certainly not. The obi∞t of wciqi is to surround a larger area than the opponent. In other words,each side is struggling for a greater living space by mapping out a territory on the board. Hence, chess aims to kill, while wciqi is much concemed with how to survive.

當然布是了.圍棋比的是誰圍起的區(qū)域更大.也就是說，雙方其實是在調兵遣將占領地盤，以取得更大的生存空間.所以我說，象棋殺氣太重，而圍棋卻是關于如何求生存的。