零距離美語會話[文化風俗差異]Lesson1:You must have been here a long time already

Unit 1 Differences in Culture and Customs

One You must have been here a long time already.
你肯定在這裏等了很久了。

1 Introduction
A Being on time is considered good manners. It’s not polite to be late for classes, meetings, or appointments. When we do business with foreigners, make sure not to be late. Foreigners keep punctual time. Punctuality can greatly increase your credibility, too.
準時被看作是很有禮貌。上課、開會或者約會遲到是很不禮貌的。當我們和老外做生意時，務必不要遲到。外國人很守時。守時作風也可以大大地提高你的信譽度。

B In America, it’s impolite to call someone’s home very early in the morning or very late at night unless there is an emergency. For example, 8 A.M. is considered too early and 10 P.M. is considered too late. Especially on weekends, many people like to stay up late and get up late. So make sure not to disturb people who may be resting or sleeping.
在美國，除非有緊急情況，早上很早或者晚上很晚打電話到別人家是很不禮貌的。舉例來說，早上八點就被認爲是很早，晚上十點就被認爲是很晚了。尤其在週末，許多人喜歡晚睡晚起。所以確定不要打擾他人休息或睡覺。

2 Sample Sentences
1. She was here a moment ago.
她剛纔還在這。
2. Don’t worry, your father will come back after a while.
別擔心, 你爸爸一會就回來。
3. The rent should be paid in advance.
房租要預先支付。
4. We must hurry up if we want to be there on time.
如果想準時到那裏的話，我們就必須動作快點。
5. I wish I could stay here another month.
我真希望我還能在這裏再呆一個月。
6. I think I can have it done in a couple of hours.
我想幾個小時之內我就可以做好。
7. Do you rent the camera by the hour or by the day?
你的照相機出租是按小時算，還是按天數算？
8. I was five minutes late for work this morning.
今天早上我上班遲到五分鐘。
9. Your watch is ten minutes ahead of time and you’re still late.
你的手錶快了十分鐘，而你還是遲到了。
10. He always leaves work at six on the dot.

他六點鐘總是準時下班。

3 Conversations1.
A Chinese girl is caught at the subway station by heavy rain. She is supposed to meet her friend, Hans, in the lobby of the Garden Hotel at 11:00 A.M., but she doesn’t have a watch, so she decides to ask a man for the time.
Girl: Excuse me, Sir, do you know what time it is?
Man: Oh, it’s almost eleven twenty.
Girl: Thank you.
Man: You’re welcome. The rain is quite heavy, isn’t it?
Girl: Yeah. I was in a hurry and I forgot my umbrella today.
Man: I have one. We could share it. Which way are you going?
Girl: Oh, that’s very kind of you. I am going to the Garden Hotel.
Man: I am going there, too. We can walk together.
Girl: Sure.

Helpful Information:
Time and weather is the topic that two strangers often begin a conversation. Usually people begin to know each other by this way.
時間和天氣，是兩個陌生人之間常開始談論的話題。人們通常是這樣開始互相認識。
【譯文】
——對不起，先生，你知道幾點了嗎？
——噢，快十一點二十分了。
——謝謝。
——沒關係。這雨可下得真大，不是嗎？
——是啊。今天我匆匆忙忙忘了帶傘。
——我有傘，我們可以共用。你往哪邊走？
——噢，那太好了。我去花園酒店。
——我也去那裏。我們可以一起走。——當然。

2. In the lobby. Hans: Hi, Cindy. I thought I’d missed you.
Girl: Oh, I am very sorry, Hans. Thank you for waiting for me. You must have been here a long time already.
Hans: It’s all right.
Girl: I was caught in the heavy rain, or I would have come earlier. I am sorry I kept you waiting.
Hans: I was in a comfortable place, so really, it’s no problem. I am happy to see you. Did the rain hold you up1 long?
Girl: Yes. When I came out of the subway, it was raining cats and dogs. And I forgot my umbrella. So I had to wait for the rain to let up2.
Hans: I totally understand.

Helpful Information：Things don’t often happen the way we expect. We may miss a lot of important things in life, but we shouldn’t miss the understanding of one another.
很多時候事情都不會按照我們想象的發展。生命中我們可能錯過很多重要的東西，但是我們不應該錯過相互的理解。

【譯文】
——嗨，辛迪。我以爲我錯過你了。
——噢，真對不起，漢斯。謝謝你等我。你一定在這裏等了很久了。
——沒關係。
——我趕上下雨了，不然我會早一點到。很抱歉，讓你久等了。
——我等的地方很舒適，真的，沒關係的。我很高興見到你。你被雨礙了很長時間嗎？
——是啊。我從地鐵站一出來，就下着傾盆大雨。而我忘了帶傘。所以我只好等雨小一點。
——我完全理解。

3. Gary and Evelyn are boyfriend and girlfriend. They’re going to see a movie together on campus. They’re supposed to meet in front of the theater at five to seven, five minutes before the movie starts. And now it’s seven o’clock and Gary still hasn’t appeared. She decides to look for him at his apartment. (Evelyn is knocking the door.)
Gary: Come in, come in！
Evelyn: Hi, Gary, what happened? I was waiting for you at the theater. Why didn’t you meet me there?
Gary: I thought we were supposed to meet HERE.
Evelyn: Don’t you know our movie starts at seven? And we were going to meet at the theater at five to seven. Then it doesn’t make sense3 to meet at the apartment.
Gary: I’m sorry. We must have misunderstood each other.
Evelyn: Why don’t you try to be clearer about your intentions4?
Gary: You’re right. I am sorry. Let’s go and watch the movie.
Evelyn: It’s okay. I don’t want to go now. We’ve already missed ten minutes of the movie. I don’t want to see a movie without watching the beginning.

【譯文】
——進來，進來!
——嗨，加里，發生了什麼事？我在電影院等你。你爲什麼沒去那裏和我碰面呢？
——我原以爲我們說好了在這裏見面。
——你難道不知道我們的電影七點開始嗎？而且我們又打算七點差五分在電影院見面。那在公寓見面就沒有道理了嘛。
——對不起。我們肯定是相互誤解了。
——你的意圖爲什麼就不想清楚一點呢？
——你說得對。對不起。我們去看電影吧。
——沒關係。現在我不想走了。我們都已經錯過十分鐘的電影了。我不想看電影不看開頭。

4. Sorry I’m late.
A high-school student from Brazil is visiting several American universities5 with her parents. They are waiting to see the dean of a small college in Maine.

Father: I see you've brought something to occupy your time while we wait. Good. We may be here a long time.
Isabel: Yes, Papa. I brought the catalog6 for the next college we're going to visit--the one in New Hampshire.
Mother: Maybe we won't have to wait long. We've only been here fifteen minutes.
Isabel: I'm not used to the way they treat time here. They wouldn't see me at that place in Massachusetts yesterday. I missed the appointment because I was forty-five minutes late. That's no time at all back in Brazil.
Father: It’s just that North Americans pay more attention to exact times. They're very punctual7 people.
Mother: I think that if you're more than thirty minutes late, you have to apologize and explain what delayed you.
Father: Our appointment with this dean is for three-fifteen. My watch says three-thirty. I'm sure we’re not late.
(The dean comes out of his office.)
Dean: Isabel? Come in. Sorry I kept you waiting. We're running a little behind schedule8 today.

【譯文】
——我知道你帶了一些東西過來，在我們等的時候來打發你的時間。這樣好。我們可能要在這裏呆很長時間。
——是啊，爸爸。我把我們將要去的下一個學院的目錄錶帶來了－在新罕布什爾的那個。
——也許我們不要等很久。我們到這裏才十五分鐘。
——我不習慣他們這裏這樣對待時間。昨天在馬薩諸塞州那個地方他們就不會見我。就因爲我遲了四十五分鐘，我連面試都錯過了。在巴西，這點時間根本就不算什麼。
——美國北方人就是更注重時間的準確性。他們很守時。
——我想如果你遲到超過三十分鐘，你就得道歉並且解釋是什麼延誤了你。——我們和這位系主任的約面時間是三點十五分。我的手錶是三點半。我想我們沒遲到。（系主任從他的辦公室出來。）
——伊莎貝爾？請進。對不起讓你久等了。今天我們比預計時間晚了一點。

4 Words and Expression
1. hold up 阻礙，攔截
2. let up 減少，暫停，減緩
3. make sense 使人懂，合理
4. intention 意圖,意向,目的
5. university 大寢室，團體寢室
6. catalog 目錄;目錄冊,目錄簿
7. punctual 嚴守時刻的;準時的
8. behind schedule 落後於預計時間