Green Gold and Betelnut Beauties 绿色黄金和槟榔西施
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2004年4月23日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年6月25日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：337
课文朗读
课文讲解
A uniquely Asian taste, the threesome of areca nut wrapped in betel leaf with added mineral lime is called betelnut. Archeological evidence suggests this bitter-tasting stimulant has been around Asia for over four thousand years. After a few chomps, the betelnut is held inside the cheek. As the stimulant is absorbed into the bloodstream, mild euphoria and a gush of red-tinted saliva follow.
纯粹是亚洲口味，把三样东西组合在一起：槟榔籽包在槟榔叶里，再抹上石灰就成为摊子上卖的槟榔。考古人类学的证据显示这种有点苦味的刺激物存在亚洲已经超过四千年之久。咀嚼几口之后，槟榔含在口腔里。当它含的刺激物质被吸收到血液中，就会产生温和的欣快感，并且大量分泌的唾液被染成红汁。
Betelnut is enormously popular in Taiwan; roughly one quarter of the adult male population, or 2 million people, are chewers. With an estimated yearly value of NT$100 billion, the betel business remains untaxed and mostly unregulated. Unsurprisingly, this has encouraged aggressive marketing of the “green gold.”
槟榔在台湾非常受欢迎，约有四分之一成年男子，二百万左右人口，是槟榔族。尽管这个行业的营业额，估计每年在新台币一千亿上下，但都不用缴税，而且几无条文可以管理。因此鼓励了业者积极地营销绿色黄金，并不足为奇。
A drive along many Taiwanese streets will reveal clear walled booths framed in green neon light staffed by a “betelnut beauty’ in revealing clothing. Fierce competition among these stands has led to increasingly revealing outfits and heavily flirtatious exchanges between beauties and the drivers who pull up to buy a bag of betelnuts.
驱车行经台湾街道，可以看到四面都是透明玻璃、镶着绿色霓虹灯的槟榔摊，里面坐着衣着清凉的槟榔西施。因为槟榔摊的生意竞争激烈，促使小姐们穿得愈来愈少，也更勇于和停车买槟榔的司机们打情骂俏。
Although many consider them an embarrassing eyesore, these young women take job because they can earn twice as much as in other service sector jobs. Nevertheless, betelnut beauties continue to be the subject of preventative legislation and police raids. But is this a case of persecuting the disadvantaged?
虽然很多人认为她们有碍观瞻、不堪入目，但这些年轻小姐做这一行赚的钱是其他服务业的两倍。所以槟榔西施仍将是以后防治立法和警方扫荡的目标，不过不晓得这会不会又是迫害弱势族群的事例？
Vocabulary
单词发音
betelnut [ˋbit!͵nʌt] n. 槟榔 (= betel nut )
areca nut [ˋærɪkənʌt] n. 槟榔子
chomp [tʃɑmp] n. 有力的咀嚼
euphoria [juˋforɪə] n. 兴奋异常
tinted [ˋtɪntɪd] adj.（用作定语）（玻璃等）着色的
booth [buθ] n.（有篷的）货摊
revealing [rɪˋvilɪŋ] adj. 暴露身体的，袒胸露肩的
outfit [ˋaʊt͵fɪt] n.（尤指在特殊场合穿的）全套服装
flirtatious [flɝˋteʃəs] adj. 调情的，卖俏的
pull up (使车辆)停下 to move to a position or place ahead, as in a race
eyesore [ˋaɪ͵sɔr] n. 看上去不顺眼的东西，难看的东西
raid [red] n.（警察等的）突然查抄，搜捕
persecute [ˋpɝsɪ͵kjut] v. 迫害，残害
disadvantaged [͵dɪsədˋvæntɪdʒd] adj. 弱势的
Sentence of the Day
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
不要宽以律己，严以待人。
课文讲解
A truck driver pulls up to a betelnut stand on a lonely highway, and a betelnut beauty comes out to greet him: 寂寥的快速道路上，一辆卡车司机停车在一家槟榔摊前面，一位槟榔西施出来招呼客人：
D: Hello, Miss. You look divine today!
哈啰，小姐，妳今天可真美若天仙！
B: Oh thank you so much! Are you working hard? Why don’t you take a break?
哦真多谢！今天工作忙吗？要不要歇一下？
D: That’s good idea. Give me a bag of betelnuts. I’ve got a long road ahead of me to Taipei.
这点子不错。来一包槟榔。我要去台北的路程还很远。
B: Here you go. Make sure you come back and see me again.
一包给你。下次一定要再回来看我哦。
D: How about a kiss, too?
给我亲一个怎么样？
B: Oh, I wish I could, but I think your wife might get a little hot under the collar!
噢，即使我能，但我想你老婆恐怕会恼火吧！
D: Ah, maybe you’re right. Say, I passed by here the other day and didn’t see you. Is this a new stand?
或许你是对的。但我前几天经过这里，没看到妳。妳这摊子是新开的吗？
B: Yes! I used to work somewhere else but a mean policeman didn’t like my outfit. What do you think?
是啊！以前我在别处当班，不过有个条子看我的服装不顺眼。你觉得如何？
D: Oh, I like it very much! I’m also giving my nephew here a ride to town. Can he have some betelnut also?
哦，我挺喜欢！这回我还顺道帮我侄子送他进城。也给他来点槟榔好吧？
B: No, no. He’s too young. No minors may buy any. Sorry! Is your nephew a driver also?
不行，他太年轻了。未成年不能买槟榔。抱歉！你侄子也是司机吗？
D: No, he’s a student. He’s going to college next year.
不是，他是学生，明年要进大学了。
B: So am I. I’m only working here for a few months to save money for my tuition!
我也是。我只在这儿做几个月，好多存点学费！
－by Charles Leary
Vocabulary
单词发音
divine [dəˋvaɪn] adj.【口】极好的
hot under the collar 发怒的; 尴尬的 angry
pass by 经过
mean [min] adj. 心地不好的
minor [ˋmaɪnɚ] n. 未成年人
tuition [tjuˋɪʃən] n. 学费
Sentence of the Day
They’re shooting the breeze.
他们在闲扯。
shoot the breeze【美】【口】聊天; 闲聊