Four How much did this painting cost?
这幅画多少钱？
Introduction
A Many Americans love adventures. They are often interested
exploring other cultures when they have
chance to. When they return from their vacations, they usually bring back souvenirs from their travels.
许多美国人热爱冒险。
旦
机会，他们就经常喜欢探索异国文化。当他们渡假归来，他们通常带回些旅游纪念品。
B Americans are often very affectionate people when
comes
family
close friends. They often exchange hugskisses with those who are very closethem.
谈到家庭、亲密
朋友，美国人般都充满
深情。他们经常与那些亲密人互相拥抱、亲吻。
C Another aspect
American culture
the tendencysay “I love you”those they are particularly close to. Men usually don’t say thatanother man.
美国文化另
方面
他们喜欢说“我爱你”，尤其对那些与他们特别亲密人。男人通常
对另男人说这句话。
D Very rarely would one American ask another what their income is. Such things are considered private. So, itnot unusual thatfamily member would not know how much money another one earns.
很少时候美国人会向另外人问起他们收入。这样事被认为私事。所以家庭成员知道另外家庭成员收入多少很平常。
2 Sample Sentences
. 
hope things turn out
the best.
我想事情会圆满解决。
2. He likes
independencedoes not wantbeburden.
他喜欢独立，想成为负担。
3. I’m lookingsomeonecan go
vacation with.
我在找能和我起去度假人。
4. At
harbor festivals, you gettaste that group's foods, hear their music,buy traditional things from their country.
在港口节日
，你可以品尝到那民族食物，听到他们音乐，并买到来自他们国家传统物品。
5. If he wantslive by himself, why don't you see if you can arrange fornursevisit him every week?
如果他想独自生活，你们为什么看看否能安排保姆每周去探望他呢？
6. Within five years,hope I’ll have seen morethe world.
在五年内，我希望我将会目睹世界更多地方。
7.should have thought more about my finances beforetook such an expensive trip.
在我开始这次豪华旅行之前，我早就应该多考虑到我经济状况。
8. It usually doesn’t embarrass me very much when someone criticizes mefrontother people.
别人当着其他人面批评我时，通常我觉得很尴尬。
9. really enjoyedadventureshadChina these five years.
我真好好享受这五年来在中国激动人心经历。
0. Something I’d feel comfortable aboutliving alone.
件让我感到舒适事：人住。
3 Conversations
. An innocent hug. Atparty.
Hans: Dianasuchwarm, friendly person. always love seeing her.
Werner: Me, too. She smiles so easily, andlikeway she hugs people when she greets them.
Elsa: Well,don't. Backmy village,girl doesn't hugboy unless she's seriously dating him.
Hans: Are you jealous because she's so popular? Perhaps you don’t understand her culture.
Elsa: I'm friendly,lotspeople like me. listenmy friends, andcare about them. just don't want boysgetwrong idea.
Werner: How can you getwrong idea about something as innocent2 ashug? It'sfriendly waygreet people. like it. You should try it.
Elsa: Well,don't think it's right.
【译文】
——戴娜热情友善人，我总很喜欢见到她。
——我也同感。她喜欢微笑，我喜欢她问候别人时拥抱别人方式。
——噢，我就喜欢。要在我村里，女孩子会拥抱男孩子，除非这女孩子真在和他谈朋友。
——她如此受欢迎，你吃醋? 也许你懂她们那儿文化。
——我很友善；很多人喜欢我。我倾听朋友诉说，我关心朋友。我只想男孩子会错意。
——仅仅单纯地拥抱怎么会让你错意呢？这种友好地问候别人方式。我很喜欢。你应该尝试下！
——噢，我认为这样子好。
2. How much do you make?
A Chinese businessmanvisitinggovernment trade officialWashington, D.C.,nation's capital.
Wong: Thank youshowing me your offices, Mr. Becker. can see why Washington bureaucrats3 enjoy their jobs.
Becker: Why do you say that?
Wong: The citybeautiful,off ...,offices are moderncomfortable,the workso interesting.
Becker: Many people workthe federal4 government their entire adult lives. Government service can berewardingsecure career.
Wong: Do you mean financially rewarding?
Becker: Well, many positions pay salaries that are comparable to5 thoseprivate industries.
Wong: I've always thought that most bureaucrats are lazy.
Becker: Sometimes that's true, but not usually. Most feds are honest, hard-working professionals. It’s hardkeep highly trained people, sopayworking conditions havebe attractive.
Wong: How much do you make?
Becker: I'mGS-5. That's highthe scaleworkers, but evenGS-paidliving wage.
Helpful Information：
Often, government workers are paid accordinga salary scale. Their salaries increase with yearsservice, education, or promotion. A new employee might be“G-”,an older employee might be“G-3”.
政府员工拿薪水往往根据工资表。他们薪水随着工作年数、受教育程度和晋级而增加。新员工可能“G-”级，而老员工可能就“G-3”级。
【译文】
——贝克先生，谢谢你带我参观你们办公室。我能看出为什么华盛顿政府人员会喜欢他们工作。
——你为什么这么说呢？
——城市很漂亮，办……，办公室既现代化又舒适，而且工作又这么趣。
——许多人成年生活都在联邦政府度过。政府部门工作可以很回报，很保障。
——你说经济回报吗？
——很多工作付薪水和那些在私人企业工作能媲美。
——我直以为多数政府人员很懒惰。
——时候真，但通常这样。大部分联邦官员都很专业，诚实又努力工作。很难留住这些受过高水平培训人，所以工资和工作环境必须要具吸引力。
——你赚多少钱？
——我GS-5。在员工当中，算高，但连GS – 人，起码生活薪水还。
3. Compliments.
Cindy,Chinese girl,visiting an American woman’s apartment with other two foreigners.
Bruce: Hey, look at these paintingsthe wall! Aren’t they beautiful? Linda bought some good paintings.
Gilbert: Yeah, very impressive6. Oh, this one’s marvelous!
Cindy: Sure, they’re very colorful.
Linda: Thank you. You are very generous with your compliments7.
Bruce: You knowfirst thing most Chinese students would ask“how much did this painting cost?”
Gilbert: Right. I’ve noticed that too. They always ask that question before they say anything else.
Cindy: That’s true. Most Chinese do that. don’t know why. It’s justhabit. I’ve noticed that foreigners often make compliments soon after they seeproduct someone has bought - even if they don’t really mean it.
Bruce: Yeah, we’re just different. We can’t figure out why many Chinese people don’t give big hugstheir own parents after they grow up.
Cindy: No, we don’t do that. At least very few peopleknow do that.
Gilbert: And as far asknow, it’s not common forChinesesay, “I love you”anyone includingor her soul mate8.
Linda: Cindy, please don’t misunderstand. We’re not saying that one waybetter than another. They’re just different, that’s all.
Cindy: know. Americans say those three wordslot, especiallymovies. wonder if they really mean it.
Gilbert: We do, mostthe time. Sometimes we tell our loved ones that we’re proudthem too. Words are important.
【译文】
——喂，看墙这些画！它们难道漂亮吗？琳达买油画真错。
——啊，很令人钦佩。噢，这幅画很起哦!
——当然，它们很鲜艳。
——谢谢你们。你们真乐于夸奖别人。
——你知道大部分中国学生第件会问事便“这画多少钱？”
——啊。我也注意到。在他们说其它话之前，他们老喜欢问那问题。
——确这样。许多中国人都这样做。我知道为什么。只习惯。我注意到外国人看见别人买东西常常会马称赞番——即使他们并真正发自内心。
——啊，我们就样。我们明白为什么许多中国人成年以后就再拥抱他们自己父母亲。
——，我们这么做。至少我认识人中很少人会这样。
——而且据我所知，对于中国人来说，说声“我爱你”很常见，即使对他们心人。
——辛迪，你要误会。我们在说哪比另好。它们只同，就这样。
——我知道。美国人说这三字说得特别多，尤其在电影里。我想知道他们否说真。
——大部分时间，我们说真。时候我们也告诉我们爱着人我们很为他们自豪。言语重要。
4 WordsExpressions
. jealous 妒忌, 吃醋
2. innocent 无罪,清白
3. bureaucrat 官僚;官僚主义者
4. federal 美国联邦政府,国家
5. comparable比得
6. impressive 予人深刻印象;感人
7. compliment 赞美话;恭维;敬意
8. soul mate 性情相投人,情人
