参考译文
Celeste: So, here is my shortlist.
塞莱斯特:看,这是我列的小单子。
Albert: A shortlist for what?
阿博特:什么小单子?
Celeste: Baby names.
塞莱斯特:孩子的名字。
Albert: We have months to decide. Don’t you think we should wait?
阿博特:我们还有好几个月的时间呢。你不觉得我们应该在等等吗?
Celeste: No, I want to be prepared. Here, take a look. See what you think.
塞莱斯特:不,我想准备好。来,看看吧。说说你怎么看。
Albert: Ezekiel?! You want to name our child Ezekiel? He’ll be teased by every kid in school.
阿博特:Ezekiel?!你想让我们的孩子叫Ezekiel?学校里别的孩子会笑他的。
Celeste: It’s a family name. I was trying to appease my parents. They’ve been suggesting a lot of family names. We could call him by a nickname, maybe “Zeke.”
塞莱斯特:那是个姓。我想讨我爸妈喜欢。他们一直建议给孩子起个带姓的名字。我们可以给他起个小名,要不就叫“Zeke”。
Albert: I’m not naming my child Ezekiel. His name would be Ezekiel Eckleman. That’s a mouthful. I also want to steer clear of alliterative names. I’ve never liked them.
阿博特:我不想让孩子叫Ezekiel。他的名字不就成了Ezekiel Eckleman嘛。拗口,我不想要有头韵的名字。我一直不喜欢那样的名字。
Celeste: Okay, are there any names you like on my list?
塞莱斯特: 好,单子上有你喜欢的名字吗?
Albert: Not Alan Phillip. That’s for sure.
阿博特:不喜欢Alan Phillip. 一定不选它。
Celeste: Why not? I thought we’d name the baby after my grandfather. Alan is a nice first name and Phillip is a nice middle name.
塞莱斯特:为什么不选它?我还以为我们可以用我祖父的名字呢。Alan 是个好名字,Phillip 是个挺好的中间名。
Albert: His initials would be “A.P.E.” – ape! He would never live that down.
阿博特:那他的名字的首字母不就成了“A.P.E.”——猿了嘛!
Celeste: How about “Mikol”?
塞莱斯特:“Mikol”怎么样?
Albert: You mean an alternate spelling for “Michael”? People don’t know how to pronounce a name with an odd spelling.
阿博特:你是说“Michael”的另一个拼法吗?这么奇怪的拼写,人们不知道怎么读。
Celeste: Well, are there any names you do like?
塞莱斯特:好,有什么你喜欢的名字吗?
Albert: Albert Eckleman Junior has a nice ring to it.
阿博特:“Albert Eckleman Junior”
Celeste: As you say, we have months to decide. Let’s keep an open mind.
塞莱斯特:就像你说的,还有好几月呢。我们也听听别人的意见吧。
Albert: Humph!
阿博特:哼!
听力原文
Celeste: So, here is my shortlist.
Albert: A shortlist for what?
Celeste: Baby names.
Albert: We have months to decide. Don’t you think we should wait?
Celeste: No, I want to be prepared. Here, take a look. See what you think.
Albert: Ezekiel?! You want to name our child Ezekiel? He’ll be teased by every kid in school.
Celeste: It’s a family name. I was trying to appease my parents. They’ve been suggesting a lot of family names. We could call him by a nickname, maybe “Zeke.”
Albert: I’m not naming my child Ezekiel. His name would be Ezekiel Eckleman. That’s a mouthful. I also want to steer clear of alliterative names. I’ve never liked them.
Celeste: Okay, are there any names you like on my list?
Albert: Not Alan Phillip. That’s for sure.
Celeste: Why not? I thought we’d name the baby after my grandfather. Alan is a nice first name and Phillip is a nice middle name.
Albert: His initials would be “A.P.E.” – ape! He would never live that down.
Celeste: How about “Mikol”?
Albert: You mean an alternate spelling for “Michael”? People don’t know how to pronounce a name with an odd spelling.
Celeste: Well, are there any names you do like?
Albert: Albert Eckleman Junior has a nice ring to it.
Celeste: As you say, we have months to decide. Let’s keep an open mind.
Albert: Humph!