[其他]美国人的习惯(series)

liaodongqi

我在网络上搜集的一些与美国人习惯相关的文章,与网友们共享.


American Houses


　　American houses usually have private kitchens, a living room and sometimes separate areas for eating and watching television. A house usually has its own mailbox, a yard with plants or perhaps a lawn, and a place to store garbage out of sight.
　　美国住房通常有私人厨房，一个起居室，有时吃饭和看电视的地方是分开的。一所房子通常有自己的邮箱，一个种有植物，或者也许是草坪的院子，还有存放垃圾的地方。

　　A bungalow is a small house with one or two bedrooms and usually one bathroom. 　　　
　　平房是小房子，有一个或两个卧室，通常有一个浴室。

　　A mansion is a real big house with many bedrooms and several bathrooms.
　　宅第是非常大的房子，有许多卧室和几个浴室。

　　A ranch house usually has three or four bedrooms. The \"master bedroom\" for the mother and father usually has its own bathroom.
　　牧场式平房住宅通常有三个或四个卧室，父母住的主卧室通常有自己的浴室。

　　An apartment is usually one living space within a building. Several apartment can be in the same building, with a shared yard, parking spaces, and garbage.
　　公寓套房通常是大楼里的一个居住空间。几个套房可以都在同一座楼里，共有一个庭院、停车场地和放垃圾的地方。

　　A town house is a two-floor apartment. The kitchen, living room and dining room are usually on the first floor and the bedrooms are on the second floor.
　　城镇住房是两层的套房，厨房、起居室、餐室通常在一层，卧室在二层。

　　A studio apartment may have a separate kitchen, but the living room is also the bedroom!
　　一室公寓房也许有一个分开的厨房，但起居室也兼做卧室。

　　A condominium, or \"condo\" for short, is an apartment that is owned by the occupant, not the building owners.
　　个人购置的公寓套间为居住者所有，而不是大楼的主人。

　　Most American are happy to talk about their homes. And if they've done anything special in their home, they'll let you know what it was, and maybe tell you what it cost to put in the Jacuzzi, deck or patio, etc.Most Americans live in cities, but nearly as many live in suburbs. Suburban American has shopping centers called malls and residents usually need a care to get around. Most of the houses in the suburbs are one or two stories tall, with private yards and gardens and garage. There are few tall buildings in the suburbs. Cities have neighborhoods, \"warehouse\" stores, and public transportation (bused, trains and taxis) is usually pretty good. Private houses might only have a back yard, and if there is a garage it probably is small. Cities have a lot of apartment buildings and some tall buildings may seem to \"scrape the sky\", so they are called \"skyscraper\".
　　大部分美国人高兴谈论他们的住宅。如果他们在家里做了什么特殊的事，他们会告诉你是什么事，也许会告诉你安装亚可磁、露天平台或露台等花了多少钱。 大部分美国人住在城市，但住在郊区的人也不为少。美国郊区有购物中心，称做mall（步行商业区），而居民通常需要有一部车去购物。郊区大部分住房都是一两层高，有私人庭院、花园和车房。郊区很少见到高建筑物。城市有居民小区、仓储商店，公共交通（公共汽车、火车和出租车）通常也很不错。私人住宅也许只有一个后院，要是有车房，车房也不会大。城市有许多公寓楼，一些高层建筑就象是\"触摸天空\"，因此称作摩天大楼。

iampm

很不错，可将这系列文章归为一篇吗？

liaodongqi

It's my pleasure!
如果有需求, 我会一天或几天贴上一篇,
尽量把这个系列办好.

liaodongqi

3.  Food 美式食物



　　"You are what you eat." Nutrition experts often use this saying to promote better eating habits. What we put in our mouths does become a part of us. But we can look at this statement another way. What we eat reflects ho we are--as people and as a culture. Do you want to understand another culture? Then you ought to find out about its food. Learning about American food can give us a real taste of American culture.

　　"你吃什么就成为什么样子"营养专家经常使用这句话来倡导更好的饮食习惯，入嘴的东西确实成为我们的一部分．但我们也可以从另一个角度来看这句话，我们所吃的反映出我们自己－－不论就人或文化而言．你想了解另一种文化吗？那么你应该去认识他们的食物．认识美国食物可以让我们得知美国文化的精髓。


　　What is "American food"? At first you might think the answer is easy as pie. To many people, American food means hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken and pizza. If you have a "sweet tooth," you might even think of apple pie or chocolate chip cookies. It's true that Americans do eat those things. But are those the only kind of vittles you can find in America?

　　何谓「美式食物」？乍听之下你可能认为答案容易得很。对许多人而言，美式食物就是汉堡、热狗、炸鸡和披萨。如果你是好吃甜食的人，你可能会想到苹果派或巧克力片饼干。美国人确实吃这些东西，但这些就是你在美国唯一找得到的食物吗？


　　Except for Thanksgiving turkey, it's hard to find a typically "American" food. The United States is a land of immigrants. So Americans eat food from many different countries. When people move to America, they bring their cooking styles with them. That's why you can find almost every kind of ethnic food in America. In some cases, Americans have adopted foods from other countries as favorites. Americans love Italian pizza, Mexican tacos and Chinese egg rolls. But the American version doesn't taste quite like the original!

　　除了感恩节火鸡以外，挺难找到典型的美国食物。美国是个移民之地，所以美国人吃的食物来自许多不同的国家，当人们移居美国，他们也将自己的烹调带了进来。那也就是为什么在美国你几乎可以看到所有不同民族的食物。在某些情况中，美国人把外国的食物视为最爱。美国人喜爱意大利的披萨，墨西哥的玉米饼和中国的春卷，但是这些东西的美国版味道却不很道地！


　　As with any large country, the U.S.A has several distinct regions. Each region boasts its own special style of food. Visit the South and enjoy country-style cooking. Journey through Louisiana for some spicy Cajun cuisine. Take a trip to New England and sample savory seafood dishes. Travel through the Midwest, "the breadbasket of the nation," for delicious baked goods. Cruise over to the Southwest and try some tasty Tex-Mex treats. Finish your food tour in the Pacific Northwest with some gourmet coffee.

　　和许多大国一样，美国有数个截然不同的地区，每个地区都以自己特有的食物夸口。走访美国南部享受乡村式的烹调；到路易斯安纳州品尝辛辣的凯郡式料理；走一趟新英格兰试尝它美味的海鲜；再到中西部「美国的面包之乡」品尝可口的烘培食品；乘船游览至西南部尝试一些好吃的墨式德州小吃，最后到太平洋西北岸，啜饮美食家的咖啡，作为美食之旅的句点。


　　Americans living at a fast pace often just "grab a quick bite." Fast food restaurants offer people on the run everything from fried chicken to fried rice. Microwave dinners and instant foods make cooking at home a snap. Of course, one of the most common quick American meals is a sandwich. If it can fit between two slices of bread, Americans probably make a sandwich out of it. Peanut butter and jelly is an all-time American favorite.

　　生活在快速步调之下的美国人通常只能「很快地吃几口」。快餐店提供赶时间的人各种食物，从炸鸡到炒饭，应有尽有。微波炉晚餐和实时餐点使得在家烧饭省事又快速。当然，最平常的美式速餐之一就是三明治。任何能夹在两片土司中间的东西，美国人就可以把它作成一份三明治，花生酱和果酱更是一直都深受美国人的喜爱。


　　Americans on the go also tend to eat a lot of "junk food." Potato chips, candy bars, soft drinks and other goodies are popular treats. Many people eat too many of these unhealthy snacks. But others opt for more healthy eating habits. Some even go "all natural." They refuse to eat any food prepared with chemicals or additives.

　　忙碌的美国人也趋向于吃一大堆「垃圾食物」。洋芋片、糖果、汽水和其它好吃的东西都颇受欢迎。许多人吃了太多这类不健康的零嘴，但是其它人则选择较健康的饮食习惯，有些人甚至选择「全天然」的食物，他们拒绝吃任何有化学制品或添加物的食物。


　　American culture is a good illustration of the saying "you are what you eat." Americans represent a wide range of backgrounds and ways of thinking. The variety of foods enjoyed in the U.S. reflects the diversity of personal tastes. The food may be international or regional. Sometimes it's fast, and sometimes it's not so fast. It might be junk food, or maybe it's natural food. In any case, the style is all-American.

　　美国文化是「你吃什么就成为什么样子」这句话的好写照。美国人代表了范围广泛的背景和想法。在美国可享受到的各式食物正反映出个人品味的多样化。这食物可能是国际性也可能是地区性的；有时是快餐，有时也不见得；它可能是垃圾食物，也可能是天然食品。然而无论如何，它们都是美式的。

liaodongqi

iampm:
来此地十多天, 觉得本版很冷落?
如何使本版兴旺起来, 版主们得好好想想办法, 比如, 奖励措施了, 广告了, 不一而足.
本论坛就很兴旺.

iampm

谢谢liaodongqi，我们正努力想办法，也请你多多给建议：）

liaodongqi

4. 美国人的仪容整洁与个人卫生(1)

??Grooming and personal hygiene have been around for ages. It's hard to imagine a time when people weren't concerned with taking care of their appearance and their bodies. Perhaps these practices started when Adam first took a bath and combed his hair before going on a date with Eve. Or maybe they began when Eve put on some herbal makeup to make herself more beautiful. No matter where they started, grooming and personal hygiene have become an important part of everyone's daily routine.

??仪容整洁和个人卫生的讲究已经行之有年了。很难想象一个人们不在乎打理外表和身体清洁的时代。或许这些卫生习惯始于亚当第一次洗澡梳头去赴夏娃的约；也可能始于夏娃第一次搽上青草制的化妆品使自己更美丽。无论是从何时开始的，仪容整洁与个人卫生已经成为每个人生活例行事务中重要的一部份。


??You might think that all modern societies would have the same grooming and personal hygiene practices. After all, doesn't everybody take baths? Most people do recognize the need for hygiene, which is the basis for cleanliness and health-and a good way to keep one's friends. Grooming practices include all the little things people do to make themselves look their best, such as combing their hair and putting on makeup. However, while most modern people agree that these things are important, people in different cultures take care of themselves in different ways.


??你可能以为所有现代社会中的仪容整洁与卫生习惯都是一样的。毕竟，不是每一个人天天都要洗澡的吗？大部份人的确肯定卫生的必要性，它是清洁与健康的基础，也是维持友谊的好办法。仪容整洁的工作涵盖了所有可以使人看起来体面的琐碎小事，像是梳头和化妆。虽然大多数的现代人都同意这些事很重要，但不同文化背景的人打理自己的方法也不一样。


??There used to be an old joke in America that people should take a bath once a week, whether they need one or not. In fact, though, Americans generally take a bath-or more commonly, a shower-every day. But in contrast to some cultures, most Americans get their shower in the morning, so they can start the day fresh. And instead of going to a beauty parlor for a shampoo, many Americans prefer to wash and style their own hair. So if Americans have a "bad hair day," they have no one to blame but themselves. But most people in America do head for the beauty parlor or barber shop occasionally for a haircut, a perm or just some friendly conversation.

??以前在美国有一个老笑话，说不管人们需不需要，他们至少每个礼拜该洗一次澡。不过事实上，美国人每天会洗一次澡，或者更普遍的作法是每天淋浴一次。但是不同于某些文化习惯的是，美国人在清晨淋浴，以使他们展开清新的一天。而且美国人不上美容院去洗头，他们宁可自己洗头和整理发型。所以美国人如果有一天头发很丑，除了怪自己之外就没什么好抱怨的了。然而大部份的美国人偶尔会到美容院或理发厅去，剪头发、烫头发，或是去跟人聊聊天。

liaodongqi

4. 美国人的仪容整洁与个人卫生(2)


Americans are known for having very sensitive noses. In America, "B.O." (body odor) is socially unacceptable. For that reason, Americans consider the use of deodorant or anti-perspirant a must. Ladies often add a touch of perfume for an extra fresh scent. Men may splash on after-shave lotion or manly-smelling cologne. Another cultural no-no in America is bad breath. Americans don't like to smell what other people ate for lunch-especially onions or garlic. Their solution? Mouthwash, breath mints and even brushing their teeth after meals.

??美国人的鼻子是出了名的灵。在美国，体臭在社交上是不被接受的。因此，美国人会认为使用除臭剂或止汗剂是必须的。女士们通常会再抹点香水以增加清香；男士则拍一些刮胡水或是男性古龙水在脸上。在美国文化里的另一项禁忌是口臭。美国人不喜欢闻别人午餐后留在口中的味道--尤其是洋葱或大蒜。他们怎么解决这问题呢？漱口、吃薄荷糖、甚至饭后刷牙。


??Some of the cultural variations in grooming practices result from physical differences between races. Whereas many Asian men have little facial hair, Westerners have a lot. As a result, most American men spend some time each day shaving or grooming their facial hair. Beards and mustaches are common sights in America, although their popularity changes from generation to generation. Most American men who wear facial hair try to keep it nicely trimmed. American women, on the other hand, generally prefer not to be hairy at all. Many of them regularly shave their legs and armpits.

??有些仪容整洁方面的文化差异是源自于种族间生理条件的不同。亚洲男性面部的胡髭长得并不多，但西方人却长得多，因此美国的男性每天得花些时间去刮除或整理他们的脸毛。在美国，男人在下巴部份或嘴唇上方留胡子是很普通的，不过不同时代胡子受欢迎的样式不相同。在美国大部份留胡子的男性都会试着将胡子修剪整齐，但另一方面，美国女性通常不喜欢毛茸茸的，很多人会定期地刮除腿部和腋下的毛。


??Americans put great value on both grooming and personal hygiene. For some people, taking care of themselves has become almost a religion. As the old saying goes, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Whether or not being clean and well-groomed brings one closer to God, it certainly brings one closer to others. Americans look down on people who don't take care of themselves, or who "let themselves go." To Americans, even if we don't have much to work with, we have to make the best of what we've got.

??美国人非常看重仪容整洁与个人卫生。对某些人而言，打理自己几乎成了一种信仰，如一句古老的谚语说：清洁是仅次于圣洁第二重要的事。不管整齐清洁是不是能使人更接近上帝，但它的确能拉近与人的距离。美国人轻视那些不在乎打理自己或让自己随随便便就好的人。对美国人而言，就算我们没有非常好的先天条件，但至少该尽力将已有的好好发挥。

iampm

very interesting~I can remember clearly that at the trade fair there are filled with scents of colognes....some smell pleasing some disgusting^_^

liaodongqi

Cooking 美式烹饪 (1)


　　At a local supermarket, two women push half-filled grocery carts. The ladies are good friends, but they couldn't be more different. One is a stay-at-home housewife who loves to create culinary masterpieces from scratch. The other is a training supervisor at a prestigious advertising agency. Household chores, particularly those in the kitchen, are not her idea of fun. The two ladies stop for a moment in the frozen foods section. "I'm so tired," sighs the professional woman. "I don't know what to do about supper." Her friend suggests, "What about a microwave dinner?" The weary professional sighs, "No, I don't feel like cooking tonight."

　　在一间本地的超市里，两位女士推着半满的购物车。这两位女士是好朋友，但两人之间的差异是大得不能再大了。一位是持家的主妇，她喜欢大展厨艺，从全生的作料，一步一步创造佳肴杰作。另一位是在一家颇具声望的广告公司任职人事训练主管。家务琐事，特别是厨房事，并非她乐趣所在。二位女士在冷冻食物区前停了一会儿。职业妇女叹道：「我好累，我不知晚餐要作什么好。」她的朋友建议说：「何不来一顿微波炉晚餐。」这位疲惫的职业妇女又叹道：「不，我今晚不想作饭。」


　　If you think American cooking means opening a package and tossing the contents into the microwave, think again. On the one hand, it's true that Americans thrive on cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant dinners. From busy homemakers to professional people, many Americans enjoy the convenience of prepackaged meals that can be ready to serve in 10 minutes or less. On the other hand, many Americans recognize the value of cooking skills. Parents-especially mothers-see the importance of training their children-especially daughters-in the culinary arts. Most Americans will admit that there's nothing better than a good home-cooked meal. But with cooking, as with any other skill, good results don't happen by accident.

　　假如您以为美式烹饪就是打开一个料理盒而将里头的东西拋进微波炉加热，那你得改变想法了。从某一方面来说，美国人以早餐的冷麦片，午餐的三明治及快餐晚餐而发育健壮，这倒是真的。从忙碌的家庭主妇到上班族，许多美国人喜欢享受事先包装好的便餐所带来的方便，这些速餐在不到10分钟内就可上桌。从另一个角度来看，许多美国人都认同厨艺的价值。父母亲--特别是妈妈看到训练孩子，尤其是女儿，烹饪艺术的重要性。大多数的美国人都承认没有什么比得上一顿自家做的餐点。而谈到烹饪，一如其它的技巧，好的成果并非偶然天成的。


　　Probably every cook has his or her own cooking style. But there are some basic techniques and principles that most people follow. For example, baking is a primary method of preparing food in America. The dinner menu often has casseroles, roast meats and other baked goods. For that reason, Americans would find it next to impossible to live without an oven. American cooks give special attention to the balance of foods, too. In planning a big meal they try to include a meat, a few vegetables, some bread or pasta and often a dessert. They also like to make sure the meal is colorful. Having several different colors of food on the plate usually makes for a healthy meal.

　　大概每一位厨师都有他自己的烹饪方式。但仍有一些基本方法和原则是大多数的人遵行的。例如，烘培在美国是烹饪的一种主要方法，晚餐菜单上通常有「焗烤菜」，烤肉及其它的烘培食物。因此，美国人会觉得没有烤箱几乎是无法过活。美国厨师们也特别留意食物的均衡。在计划一顿大餐时，他们会试着加入肉，几样蔬菜，一些面包或面食，而且通常有甜点。他们也喜欢使餐点色彩亮丽。若盘中有不同色彩的食物，通常令人觉得是健康的一餐。

liaodongqi

Cooking 美式烹饪 (2)



　　For those who need guidance in their cooking, or for those who have just run out of ideas, recipes are lifesavers. Recipes list all the ingredients for a dish (generally in the order used), the amount of each to use, and a description of how to put them together. Finding recipes in America is as easy as pie. Most good cooks have a shelf full of cookbooks ranging from locally published recipe collections to national bestsellers like the Betty Crocker Cookbook. Magazines devoted to home management, such as Good Housekeeping and Family Circle, are chock-full of scrumptious selections. Friends often augment their recipe collection by passing around their favorites written on cards.

　　对于那些在烹饪方面需要指导、或已江郎才尽的人，食谱就是救星。食谱列出做每一道菜所需要的所有材料(通常是依照使用的顺序列出)，每一种的用量以及如何将它们搭配的说明。在美国寻找食谱可谓易如反掌。大多数的好厨师们都有一架子的食谱，从本地出版的各式食谱到像「蓓蒂?克劳克」的全国畅销食谱。一般理家杂志，如「好管家」及「家庭圈」都满满地刊载很多美味的精选食谱。朋友们经常把自己最爱的食谱写在卡片上，相互传阅，来增加自己的食谱收藏。


　　For experienced cooks, true artists that they are, recipes are merely reference points. They often make adjustments as they go along, depending on the quantity of people they need to serve, the ingredients they have available and their personal taste. Some cooks use recipes very little, preferring instead to depend on their intuition as they add a pinch of this and a dash of that to create just the right flavors.

　　对于经验丰富的厨师，他们是真正的艺术家，食谱仅仅是作为参考，他们常常一边做菜，一边依照他们宴请的人数，现有的作料以及个人的口味，来调整食谱。有些厨师们很少参照食谱，反而比较喜欢凭自己的直觉加一点这个，加一点那个，来作出刚好的味道。


　　Of course, Americans don't have a corner on the market when it comes to good cooking. Wherever you go in the world, people love to eat. As a result, every culture and nationality has its own share of mouth-watering delicacies. And America, as a "land of immigrants," has imported practically all varieties of cooking. Most good cooks in America are "fluent" in several cooking "dialects": Mexican, Italian, Chinese and good old American style, just to name a few. But whatever the dialect, cooking is a language everyone understands.

　　当然，谈到好厨艺，美国人并非独占鳌头，无论您到世界何处，人们总是爱吃。所以，每一个文化及国家都有它特有的、令人垂涎三尺的佳肴。而美国，这个「移民之地」实际上也引进了各式的烹调。在美国大多数的名厨对于几种烹饪「方言」都很「流利」。随便举几个例子：墨西哥、意大利、中国以及传统美国风味。且不论那一种「方言」，烹饪是一种人人皆懂的语言。

liaodongqi

Drinking in American（I） 　　　


　　在美国及各州、市、县对饮酒都制定了相关的法律。顾客要饮酒必须达到法定的年龄，一般规定在18至21岁以上。顾客进酒吧时，常需接受保安人员对其年龄进行核实。此时，只需出示自己的驾照或其他有效证件即可，因为这些证件上注有持证人的出生日期。

Alcohol(含酒精的饮料) and the law

It is difficult to give a description of American laws
concerning alcohol because they vary from state to state and
city to city. The following, though, may be noted.
Some towns,even state are totally is sold at all except
that they allow the sale of very weak (3.2 percent alcohol)
beer,known as “three-two” beer. Some places do not allow the
sale of alcohol on Sundays, even in shops—you may find a bar
locked over the alcohol shelves. You can see it but not buy
it! Other places permit alcohol to be sold on Sunday
afternoons and evenings, but not on Sunday mornings. (Note
that this means sales have to stop at midnight on Saturday.)
In many parts of America, you are not allowed to drink
alcohol in a public place.That is, you may not sit in a parkor
walk along a street drinking beer,and you cannot even take a
nice bottle of wine on your picnic. In some places, people can
be seen taking drinks in public places from cans wrapped in
brown-paper bags. These are not cans of Coca-Cola. And in many
states you are not allowed to drink alcohol while driving, or
even have an opened alcohol container in the car.Some bars
have a license(执照) only for beer and wine. Others are also
allowed to sell spirits(烈性酒) and thus, as Americans say,
“mixed drinks”.
Many bars have a period known as “happy hour”, often
longer than an hour, when they sell drinks at lower-than-usual
prices. This is usually around 5 p.m. and may be only on
certain days of the week.

The Legal Drinking Age

Legal drinking age varies from place to place but is
generally between 18 to 21. Some places permit the
consumption(消费) of beer at 18 but spirits only at 21. Others
permit the consumption only of “three-two” beer from 18 to 21.
(Young people therefore often drive from one place to another
with more liberal drinking laws.) In any case, in some parts
of the USA young people are allowed to vote, marry, raose
children, keep full-time jobs, be tried in courts as adults,
join the army and even buy guns—but NOT have a glass of beer.
In some places people aged between 18 to 21 are allowed to go
into bars but not allowed to drink.
　　Another even more interesting aspect of American
drinking-age laws is that in some places people below legal
drinking age are not even allowed to sell alcohol.

Providing Proof of Your Age

In most places these drinking laws are fairly rigidly
enforced(严格地实施). You may, for example, find people lining up
to get into a bar and discover that the queue is caused by a
guard on the door who is asking everybody for ID(身份证). If you
ask him why he wants to know who you are, he will inform you
that he actually wants confirmation(确认) of how old you are. On
such occasions Americans often show their driving licenses,
which have their date of birth written on them.

iampm

I also bought recipes though till now i can only make soup*^*
anyway,very interesting stuff,wait for more~