英語(yǔ)美文鑒賞 035

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One of the recurring questions that my students in China often ask is：“What are the things they shouldn't talk about with Americans?”Taboo topics tend to make people feel uneasy.Every culture has these off-limits subjects.In ours，the following immediately come to mind：

1.Age Yes，age is a very sensitive subject t o many Americans，especially to women over age 30.In this youth obsessed culture，the thought of growing older is a painful one and most of us，if possible，would like to have nothing to do with it.Unfortunately aging is one of the inevitabilities of life and it happens to the best of us.As a result，many Americans work hard to maintain a youthful appearance or at least give the illusion of youth.So the last thing they want is for some one to rub their faces in harsh reality and ask the unthinkable，“How old are you exactly?”

This question may result in replies like：“How old do you think I am?”“30ish，30something.I'm in my thirties.Let' s just leave it at that.”“I can' t remember.”“Oh，don't ask me that.”“I stopped keeping track after I turned 30.”“A lot older than what I would like to be.”

Anyhow，if you are dying to know someone's age，this is how you could go about finding out.First you estimate their age by their appearance and mannerism.Then you subtract ten years from that estimation.I guarantee you will get a big smile from that person who will also blush and say，“Wow.You are my best friend.I'm 38already.Can you believe it?”You，of course，reply，“No.I really can' t.You' re kidding.You don' t look a day over28.This is amazing.”Now that' s one surefire way to boost someone' s ego。

2.Weight This is one of the touchiest subjects.In America，it is okay，even desirable，to be thin but it is a sin and a huge embarrassment to be overweight.In fact，the thinner you are，the prettier you are considered.Flip through any American fashion magazines，you'll notice that most models are nothing more than skin and bones.A woman who sports this emaciated，skeletal physique is called a waif，which is a thin person who appears fragile andneedy.Believe it not，the waif look was the hottest look of the 1990' s.Of course，there are obvious health related advantages to having a slender figure but please don't over diet for the sake of vanity.You could potentially become a victim to horrible eating disorders likeanorexia and bulimia.

什 么 是 美 國(guó) 人 避 而 不 談 的(1)

我的中國(guó)學(xué)生反復(fù)提的問(wèn)題之一就是，“他們不該與美國(guó)人談?wù)摰氖聝河心男?”忌諱的話(huà)題往往會(huì)使人尷尬。每種文化都有這些禁忌的話(huà)題，在美國(guó)文化中，立即可想起的有下列幾個(gè):

1 年齡. 是的，對(duì)許多美國(guó)人來(lái)說(shuō)，年齡是個(gè)非常敏感的問(wèn)題，特別是對(duì)年過(guò) 30 的女人來(lái)說(shuō)更是如此。在這個(gè)崇尚年輕的文化中，想到變老是很痛苦的，我們大多數(shù)人，如果有可能的話(huà)，都不想沾它的邊。不幸的是，變老是人生不可避免的事情之一，誰(shuí)都不能例外。結(jié)果，許多美國(guó)人竭力想維持外貌的年輕，或至少給人留下年輕的假象。所以，他們最不愿別人當(dāng)面觸及痛處，提那個(gè)令人不快的問(wèn)題：“你到底多大年紀(jì)了?”

對(duì)這個(gè)問(wèn)題可以有這樣幾個(gè)回答：“你認(rèn)為我多大了?”“30來(lái)歲，30左右。我30多歲了咱們不談這個(gè)了吧。”“我記不得了。”“噢，別問(wèn)我這個(gè)。”“我一過(guò)30，就不記年齡了。”“比我希望的要老得多。”

不管怎么說(shuō)，如果你極想知道某人的年齡，你也是可以打探得到的。首先，你從他們的外貌和言談舉止估算年齡;然后，從你的估計(jì)上減去10歲。我敢擔(dān)保此人會(huì)沖你綻放笑容，還會(huì)紅著臉說(shuō)，“哇，你是我最好的朋友。我早就38歲了。你能相信嗎?”你當(dāng)然會(huì)回答，“不，難以置信。你在開(kāi)玩笑。你看起來(lái)連28都不到。真讓人驚嘆。”這招肯定會(huì)讓人的虛榮心得以滿(mǎn)足。

2.體重 這是最敏感的話(huà)題之一。在美國(guó)，長(zhǎng)得瘦是不錯(cuò)的，甚至?xí)屓肆w慕，但超重就讓人極為難堪，是種罪過(guò)。實(shí)際上，你越瘦，別人會(huì)認(rèn)為你越漂亮。隨便翻翻美國(guó)哪本時(shí)尚雜志，你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)大多數(shù)模特都是皮包骨頭。瘦骨嶙峋的女人被稱(chēng)為細(xì)挑個(gè)兒，看上去弱不禁風(fēng)。不管你信不信，細(xì)挑個(gè)兒可是20世紀(jì)90年代最酷的。當(dāng)然，苗條的身材顯然還有健康的體格，請(qǐng)不要為了虛榮而過(guò)于節(jié)食。你可能會(huì)成為可怕的飲食失調(diào)的受害者，如厭食和食欲過(guò)盛