《成人学位英语课文(Texts)one~five》.doc

课文(Texts) Unit One 第一单元 Cultural Differences 文化差异 In 1993, I had my first opportunity to visit Russia as a representative of the University of California. I was there to provide some technical assistance in the area of agricultural labor management. “Russians are a very polite people,” I had been tutored before my arrival. One of my interpreters, once I was there, explained that a gentleman should pour the lemonade (a type of juice) for the ladies and show other courtesies to them. 1993年，我作为加利福尼亚大学的代表有机会第一次访问俄罗斯。我此行的目的是为俄罗斯农业劳动力管理提供技术协助。“俄罗斯人很讲礼貌”，在去俄罗斯之前就有人跟我说过。到了俄罗斯，一个翻译告诉我，在俄罗斯，男人应该给女士们倒柠檬水（一种果汁），并且还要在其他方面表现出对女士的谦恭。 Toward the end of my three-week trip I was invited by my young Russian host and friend, Dmitri Ivanovich and his lovely wife Yielena out to dinner. At the end of a wonderful meal Yielena asked if I would like a banana. I politely declined and thanked her, and explained I was most satisfied with the meal. But the whole while my mind was racing: “What do I do? Do I offer her a banana even though they are as close to her as they are to me? What is the polite thing to do?” 当为期三周的访问快要结束时，我的俄罗斯主人（也是我的朋友）达米奇·依瓦诺维奇和他可爱的妻子叶琳娜邀请我到餐馆吃晚餐。那晚的饭菜非常不错。在用餐快结束的时候，叶琳娜问我是否要个香蕉，我礼貌地拒绝了，并且感谢她的好意，我告诉她，我很喜欢这顿晚餐。与此同时，我在纳闷：“我要做什么呢？要不要为她也拿个香蕉，尽管她和我离香蕉一样近？该怎么做才算礼貌呢？” “Would you like a banana?” I asked Yielena. “您要不要来个香蕉？”我问叶琳娜。 “Yes,” she smiled, but made no attempt to take any of the three bananas in the fruit basket. “What now?” I thought. “好啊”，她笑着回答。水果篮里有三个香蕉，可她没有自己动手去拿。“怎么办？”我在想。 “Which one would you like?” I fumbled. “你要哪一个？”我试着问她。 “That one,” she pointed at one of the bananas. So all the while thinking about Russian politeness I picked the banana Yielena had pointed at and peeled it half way and handed it to her. Smiles in Yielena and Dmitei’s faces told me I had done the right thing. After this experience I spent much time letting the world know that in Russia, the polite thing is to peel the bananas for the ladies. Sometime during my third trip I was politely disabused o