) c2 C5 V0 @+ F G2 D 4 N: p; J) W; w, B b( y% h% \# }- x- H: J9 B3 V
中国和美国
We’re pitting China against America: 今天我们要拿中国跟美国比一比8 L: o% u5 y' {, Y6 q
We’re making a comparison between China and America in different aspects of life: 我们要对比下中美生活的各个方面 1 k4 z; n% D1 G' C; cChina vs. America: 中美对比,注意vs.在英语里要按照它的完整拼写来念versus( e: ~. u7 D( d i
! o3 U% u' r0 H2 h% {' e" v5 g
3 w" F2 v4 \; s" t( E
+ M3 N7 j' x. D. {
+ `) h! J0 s' L' U
What brought you to China?: 你当初为什么会来中国?8 A8 _; d% ~' h" R, z6 k$ P
That’s a loaded question: 这问题很复杂 (如果一个问题暗藏玄机、别有用心,也可以说是a loaded question)$ i4 j- D; f0 F. r; K/ o
When I was a kid, my best friend was a Chinese kid: 我小时候最好的朋友是中国人. N3 `- N' l7 h; D' j& E: X
Because of that, I was always interested in China: 因此,我一直对中国很感兴趣 R- F' s. R8 `; k$ I3 z( \0 s% oI first came to China on a short-term study-abroad program in college, but it was only for a month: 第一次来中国是大学时期的一次短期游学,但只来了一个月4 q6 R2 i4 z; l/ E* s* @) ]
It was just something so different than what I knew: 在中国的所见所闻让我大开眼界; D+ p: M9 r% k
China kinda smacked me in the face with how different it was: 中国的与众不同深深震撼了我 ' H# }* U" B/ w" AThis is something I’d like to experience much more in-depth: 我很想好好的深度了解一下中国 # U$ O; l, u/ f8 u9 N, @; sChina turned your world upside down: 中国颠覆了你的世界观) o0 N6 w: X6 { P; V
5 K7 P0 A. r t
1 t% T) n1 U7 Y; f+ i r' `
career prospects: 职业前景4 O5 c& {9 k" l. A2 Y( w
The Chinese market is so dynamic and the growth is really robust: 中国经济充满活力,增长强劲$ M! R, }$ L& x1 e( T. X& D
The Chinese economy dwarfs most of the developed economies: 中国经济把绝大部分发达国家都比下去了 (dwarf这个词作为名词的意思是侏儒,作为动词的意思就是把另一个远远比下去了) 6 p+ ^2 M, S+ [8 M. w& @. EThere’re a lot of different opportunities; overall, it’s very exciting for me: 机会很多,总的来说,我觉得很新鲜很刺激/ e- ~/ R n! _: \
The things I get to do here, I don’t really think I can do them back at home: 我在中国收获的经历美国恐怕无法给予我 2 |, g/ _$ ^6 s+ k! q# T3 SFor example, being a host at OpenLanguage and producing great content for you guys:比如成为开言主播,给大家做好内容' S4 W! p$ \: h5 Q
It’s a different way of living: 是完全不同的一种生活方式 8 x9 U u7 F# c, u, Q% i5 ~I enjoy what I’ve achieved for myself while being here: 我非常享受自己在中国取得的收获和成绩 / v d6 [! f! M& RWhen you’re at home, you kind of feel like it’s always the same old thing: 在家乡生活感觉日子一成不变 6 I" p0 G) x' {& C, iIf you always stay there and never leave, you’ll never experience much else in the world: 如果永远呆在一个地方,你就看不到外面的世界了/ U2 F! f( H: _" t5 X
It’s good to get out and try something different: 最好出来闯闯,感受不同的事物 2 e% i! ~3 X1 P) T ! l% s/ [( n2 L6 R! M2 g+ s1 v" f+ r0 @: s- N( V
朝九晚五 or 出去闯闯?
* i8 D1 d8 ~9 P2 h4 l1 g
即便同样在中国做一份朝九晚五的工作,周遭每天都有新鲜事,生活也因此多了一份情调。
" U9 w7 Q0 Y. B6 [% w: g5 H9 g0 M, Q2 \2 K
There’re a lot of people in the West, me included, who are turned off by the idea of a conventional life characterized by a 9-to-5 job where you just repeat the cycle of getting up, going to work and going home: 西方很多人,包括我在内,特别厌倦这种一成不变、朝九晚五的工作和生活1 P+ B* Z2 R4 w) P/ e4 L
Even if you have a 9-to-5 job here in China, at least the scenery and environment are totally different: 在中国即使是干一份朝九晚五的工作,所见所闻以及周遭的事物也是不同的 5 H7 [( A9 A1 }" C+ }6 CSo there’s still some sort of stimulation: 生活也因此更刺激、更新鲜 ' h8 _$ x0 A' p0 l; W! ^ t6 @2 kThere're also a lot of unexpected opportunities: 也有很多意想不到的机遇4 r2 A1 `! x. Y; W& F' M, a
There’re still things here that aren’t quite as established as they are back in the States: 不像美国,中国有很多东西还没有定型 ) ~5 ^! ]. @. U" M8 QYou come here and do something that’s already been done in the States but hasn’t been done here yet: 可以来中国做一个在美国已经有人做,但在中国还没人做的事 5 f; {0 O+ k! Z6 j) V; d& \+ X( e8 a: L h
# |( a8 I. d( M( c J. z) g 8 r2 d: B: u: M. A3 hBe it in China or in America, how much you get paid definitely depends on what you do: 不管是在中国还是在美国,赚多少都跟干什么工作有关7 W7 e, V$ F, C# Y7 z) k
Given that I have a Master’s degree, I do think if I were back in the States right now doing whatever 9-to-5 job I have, overall I’d be making more money: 我有硕士学位,所以如果我在美国找一份朝九晚五的工作,薪资应该比现在高 ! t& \- C2 K/ z& B0 w: ABut my expenses would be more: 但开销也会更大 ' r% c$ ^3 h6 e0 ^; P7 TThis is kind of a trade-off: 有得必有失/ }3 g7 M* \( t# e- R) y
Money’s important, but it’s not everything: 钱很重要,但钱不是万能的5 O# A8 }# y6 D# c% Q1 v8 C
The life experience I’ve gained by living here is invaluable: 在中国的生活经历是钱换不来的 6 j; j, i- m: d8 i; ?# I9 TIn real dollar terms, you might be making a little bit less, but you actually have more disposable income: 光看钱的话,在中国收入可能比美国低,但可支配收入实际上更多 4 c3 Z d2 ? W; {5 B' n" KWe’re netting more money: 实际到手的钱更多4 n& ~' {; s$ u1 a
I have more savings at the moment than I ever had: 我的积蓄比在美国时多 * |" }5 E, N3 X" G9 q1 c# j/ [financial discipline: 经济自律,特别指存钱 ) D/ X: g7 n: q5 y! q6 q) j/ h* C& B( M1 ^' u4 u2 x
8 h* e' P7 c$ R
中美生活对比:热闹、方便、治安
2 {) W1 O( e0 K q- \* s4 g中国的热闹和方便绝对是美国大多数地区不能比的。另外,也有很多美国人觉得中国治安更好。很多美国人都觉得晚上出门不太安全,在中国就不太会有这样的顾虑。
% T$ U% d- c* A; L& [4 _+ T9 B- j2 z 6 c& x( A4 p: BLiving within the inner ring here in Shanghai is even more convenient late at night: 住在上海内环内的话晚上更加方便' T2 G, X, K. u W
public transportation system: 公共交通系统 . [5 C, J3 i( j8 n2 I eBig cities have very condensed populations: 大城市人口相对集中) z5 E0 a. i$ M# Z; C
China is definitely more lively/more stuff going on/more happening: 中国肯定是更热闹 ) v! Y9 t0 R, mGun ownership is a right guaranteed in the US Constitution, but it’s also caused a lot of problems: 枪支持有权是美国宪法规定的权利,但也造成了不少问题 % e# V9 R+ T1 npublic safety: 治安 0 ~' l/ b- @: \( b! z/ F. C1 D1 fGoing out alone late at night is not considered very safe in the States regardless of yourgender: 不管是男是女,在美国半夜独自出门总归是不安全的& s& X1 r- H7 S0 ]- B$ O, g
For most parts, Shanghai is pretty safe: 总体来讲,上海真的挺安全的5 _' O: O, z2 M# b
+ | k8 C! L" C1 E' l7 w& i+ L
- l( x8 l9 b q4 m
中美恋爱对比
3 a8 f5 }0 H. E
在中国约会恋爱是不是也更有声有色呢?许多初到上海的老外都会觉得眼花缭乱、目不暇接,但Spencer作为一个“资深老外”表示,重要的是质量不是数量,所以要找到一个情投意合的伴侣也并不是件容易的事。
" t {: e+ a% O8 z# j ~% F0 c, v7 |5 d- A1 r, }Many foreigners feel even love life is more exciting in China: 很多外国人觉得在中国的爱情生活也更加精彩$ [5 d9 ]% a5 }
When I first came, I was in my honeymoon period, so I was more optimistic and excited: 我刚来中国时,在那段蜜月期内,(恋爱)心态也特别乐观、特别激动 $ O; N. g- A/ `$ e% b" Q+ {Maybe I’ve been longing for somebody more culturally similar to me:现在可能我更渴望一个在文化上跟我比较接近的伴侣 8 |8 ^7 l* j% f- Y) z: h% X# F, r( kLately, I don’t share that sentiment as much as I used to: 所以现在我的感觉、看法跟以前也不太一样& \$ W" G8 C% I4 T; ]( D: ~3 U {& s' e
The dating scene: 恋爱、约会氛围 * y: p) {; L9 C& |# O6 BIt’s hard to find people who click with you on an intellectual level: 要找到一个跟你有心灵撞击的对象很难5 K! |5 E0 r7 R2 e
I don’t think that has anything to do with China; China’s always been China and will always be China: 我觉得这不是中国的原因;中国一直就是中国,以后也还是 / d) g( N7 t& w* d7 c& h7 bIt has more to do with me and my personal wants: 这更大程度上是我个人的原因和想法 4 ]1 m4 A* N/ r9 O/ q& R) F' sThis doesn’t mean other foreigners can’t find things like satisfaction or love here: 我也不是说其他外国人在中国就不能收获一份满意的爱情( s/ O. H) q6 Z" x# T! S: r
When I first came here, I thought to myself, “Oh my God, there’s beautiful women everywhere”: 刚到中国时,我心想:“天啊,这里美女也太多了吧” ' v, e6 B! r9 Y( F8 \But it’s not about the quantity; it’s about the quality: 但重要的是质量、而不是数量 0 c( _4 b1 k, a" SMaybe it's becasue you’ve matured, so your take on things is different: 也许是因为你更成熟了,所以看事情的角度也不一样了: W8 k- P# i6 p/ P% s, Q6 f
Yes, you have access to more people: (在中国)你也许能遇见更多人1 X4 `! {/ @) i, P3 s9 A- f
I highly value quality now: 但现在的我非常注重质量 1 c# c/ N/ P+ @% r: i/ w; G9 N; s( r/ |) U7 y; d: C" B
$ e/ O0 c0 ~8 Z: v9 o% T