- You will hear a recorded passage. After that you will hear five questions. Both the passage and the questions will be read twice. When you hear a question, you should complete the answer to it with a word or a short phrase (in no more than three words). The questions and incomplete answers are printed in the textbook for your reference.
- 1. What do Chinese people have in common with Americans in naming their children?
Both the Chinese and Americans would when they name their children.
2. According to the speaker, how do Chinese people choose their children’s names?
It seems to the speaker that the Chinese choose their children’s names because they do not know anybody that.
3. How do people in the West choose names for their children?
They usually choose names for their children precisely because they are the names of people they or .
4. According to the speaker, how would the Americans usually name their first sons?
The Americans often name first sons .
5. Do the Americans pay particular attention to the meaning of names they choose for their children?
No. The majority of them do not know or the meanings of the names.
- 正确答案:1. choose carefully 2. called 3. know, respect 4. after their fathers 5. concern themselves about
- Script:
Just like the Chinese people, we Americans choose carefully when we name our children. But there are certainly differences between your custom and ours in naming the children.
It seems you choose your children’s names because you do not know anybody called that. In the West, we usually choose names for our children precisely because they are the names of people we know or respect. Americans take it further, often naming first sons after their fathers. For Catholics it must be the name of a saint.
Furthermore, you consider carefully the meaning of the names you choose for your children. The majority of us do not know or concern ourselves about the meanings of the names. We do not usually choose them on that basis.
- 正确答案:
- 正确答案:1. choose carefully 2. called 3. know, respect 4. after their fathers 5. concern themselves about
- Script:
Just like the Chinese people, we Americans choose carefully when we name our children. But there are certainly differences between your custom and ours in naming the children.
It seems you choose your children’s names because you do not know anybody called that. In the West, we usually choose names for our children precisely because they are the names of people we know or respect. Americans take it further, often naming first sons after their fathers. For Catholics it must be the name of a saint.
Furthermore, you consider carefully the meaning of the names you choose for your children. The majority of us do not know or concern ourselves about the meanings of the names. We do not usually choose them on that basis.
脚本:
就像中国人一样,我们美国人在给孩子起名时也很慎重。但是,在给孩子起名方面,你们的习惯和我们的习惯当然是不同的。
你选择孩子的名字,似乎是因为你不知道有谁叫这个名字。在西方,我们通常为孩子取名字,正是因为他们是我们认识或尊敬的人的名字。美国人走得更远,经常用父亲的名字给长子起名。对天主教徒来说,它必须是圣人的名字。
此外,你会仔细考虑你为孩子选择名字的意义。我们大多数人都不知道或不关心名字的含义。我们通常不会在这个基础上选择他们。
- Unit 02 : Names > Text Study > Text A
- What’s in a Name
1 “What’s in a name?”According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, not too much.“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names and titles matter a great deal.
2 Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives, not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a “Jennifer” more attractive than a “Betha,” for example. The last name, or surname, must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic, but strange. Parents may avoid names that remind them of people they don’t like.On the other hand, people might name their children after a respective older relative or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common, like Fanny or Elmer, sound old-fashioned today. But other names like John and David, Mary and Sarah have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.
3 People in America don’t always call their friends and relatives by their given names. Instead, they often use nicknames. Sometimes they call a friend by the short form for a longer name. For instance, a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa, or Betsy. As children grow up, they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called. If they consider their nickname childish, they may start using a more adult form. Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names, like B. J. or R. C. And of course, people may call their children or their sweethearts other special names. Often they have a sweet flavor, like Honey or Sugar.
4 In informal settings, people are normally on a first-name basis.Sometimes older people even allow young people to call them by their first names. But in most formal situations, people use an appropriate title such as Mr. (Mister), Ms. (Miss or Mrs.), Dr. (doctor) or Prof. (professor) with a person’s last name. After an introduction, the person may say, for example, “Please call me Tom.” If not, use his or her surname.
5 Americans still use a very few formal titles which reflect their Old World heritage. The British address their king and queen as Your Majesty; Americans address the judge in a court as Your Honor. Americans speaking to their national leader respectfully call him Mr. President. And many churches address their leader as Reverend. In everyday situations, the polite forms sir and madam (or ma’am) show a measure of respect. But Americans don’t generally use the names of occupations or positions as formal titles. Students might address their teacher as Mr. (or Ms.) Hudson, but not Teacher Hudson.
6 What’s in a name? A name really means a lot. So if you are choosing an English name for yourself, take care to choose a good one. A made-up name could sound strange to native English speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name, either.But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression.As an American politician once said, “In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears.”
- Translation:
- 名字算什么
- 1 “名字算什么?”根据莎士比亚的《罗密欧和朱丽叶》,名字不算什么:“玫瑰如果换个名称,闻起来依然一样芬芳。”然而,莎士比亚也许错了。在很多文化里,名字和头衔都非常重要。
- 2 美国人给孩子取名时很用心。美国父母通常考虑的是孩子的名字给他人的印象,而不是名字本身的意义。比如,大多数美国人认为“Jennifer”这个名字比“Betha”更能吸引人。取名字的时候,还要结合姓氏一起考虑。像“Lester Chester Hester”这样的姓名,听起来富有诗意,但有点怪。美国父母一般避免取那些让他们联想起他们讨厌的人的名字。另一方面,父母可能会以令人尊敬的亲人或者名人的名字为孩子取名字。某些名字在不同时代中受欢迎程度会不同。比如,像“Fanny”和“Elmer”这样的名字曾经很普遍,但现在听起来就过时了。可是“John”、“David”、“Mary”、“Sarah”这样的名字历经时间的考验,到现在依然是人们的最爱。
- 3 美国人对朋友和亲人并不总是称呼他们的名字;他们倒是常用昵称。有时,他们会把朋友的名字简化。比如,人们称“Elizabeth”为“Lisa”或“Betsy”。孩子长大后,会自己决定更愿意别人用什么绰号称呼他们。如果他们认为自己的绰号太幼稚,会用显得更成熟些的绰号。有些人干脆用名字的首字母缩写,比如“B.J.”或“R.C.”。当然,人们在称呼自己的子女或爱人的时候会用一些特别的昵称,这些昵称常常带着甜蜜的意味,比如“蜜糖”。
- 4 在非正式的场合,人们相互之间一般直呼其名。有时,长者也允许年轻人直呼其名。但在多数正式场合,人们会用适当的称谓(如“先生”、“女士”、“医生”、“教授”)加上姓氏称呼对方。相互介绍之后,对方可能会说:“叫我Tom吧。”如果对方没有这样说,那就应该以其(称谓加)姓氏称呼。
- 5 美国人至今仍沿用一些非常正式的称谓,反映了美国人的欧洲传统。英国人称其国王和女王为“陛下”。美国人称法官为“阁下”。在与国家领导人说话时,美国人尊称其为“总统先生”。许多教会称其领袖为“大人”。在日常生活中,“先生”、“女士”这样的称呼表示一定程度的敬意。不过,美国人很少用职业或职位作为正式称谓。比如,学生可能会称老师为哈得森先生(或女士),但不会喊“哈得森老师”。
- 6 名字算什么?名字很算回事。所以,如果你想替自己取个英文名,那么就仔仔细细挑选个好名字。一个生造的名字在以英语为母语的人听来,会显得不伦不类。直接把你的中文名译成英文名也不一定合适。好名字才能给人留下正面的、持久的印象。就如一位美国政治家说过,“不同于莎士比亚的戏剧,现实生活中玫瑰是否芬芳取决于它的名字。”
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