第41章 恋爱与婚姻
David: So please tell me what you think about loveand marriage in China?
你怎么看待中国人的爱情和婚姻?
You: I think love and marriage is very traditional inChina. People who have known each other sometime, get married, whereas in other countries, theycan live together without marrying.
我觉得中国人在爱情和婚姻方面十分传统。人们彼此了解一段时间以后才会结婚。而在一些国家，人们不结婚也可以住在一起。
David: Yeah, in the United States, the concept of love and marriage has adopted modernideas. I think in traditional China people don't have a choice of who they would marrysometimes.
对。美国人对爱情和婚姻的理解源自现代观念;我觉得在中国古代，人们没有选择婚姻的自由。
You: Because in those times, it's difficut for young men and women to communicate witheachothers.
因为那时候，青年男女很少有机会交流。
David: Very difficult to know each other? Why?
很难相互了解?为什么?
You: Because there were some rules, for example, boys and girls couldn't be alone in the sameplace and they needed chaperons if they went out on a date. Girls had to stay at home andlearn how to be good wives, while their parents arranged their marriages.
因为有规定。男孩和女孩是不能单独约会的。如果有约会的话，都会由侍女陪同。女孩子应该规规矩矩呆在家里并学会怎样做一个好妻子，而她的婚姻是由父母包办的。
David: Arranged marriages?
包办婚姻?
You: Yeah.
是的。
David: But now people have more choice in who they get married to.
但现在人们有婚姻自由了。
You: Yeah, but I have a feeling that it's really hard to find a good spouse..
确实是这样的。但我觉得要找一个称心如意的对象是很难的。
