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New York City restaurant culture

2013-02-22 09:13

J: Hi everyone! I'm Jody and welcome to American Cafe

Y: 大家好，我是楊晨，歡迎您到[美語咖啡屋]。在我們這個小小的咖啡屋，您可以了解美國文化，還可以認識美國朋友，最重要還可以學地地道道的美國英語。

J: That's right! And on today's program, we are going to take you to the Big Apple...New York City, to talk about something New Yorkers cannot live without. Restaurants!

Y: 對，今天這個題目大家一定都喜歡。我們要帶您到最有美國特色的大都市紐約，了解對紐約人來說至為重要的餐館文化。

J: Well, Yang Chen I spoke with Brian Carson, who is the manager of restaurant located in the heart of New York City.

Y: 這個 Brian Carson 是我們今天要認識的第一位美國人，他在這個熱鬧的紐約市中心的一家餐館作經理。好，我們來聽聽他怎么解釋這個餐館文化對紐約人來說意味著是什□c。

ACT Brian Carson, Manager at Crispo's Restaurant in New York City

"Most people don't cook in this city because it's set up to eat. You walk outside your door and there's a sea of 10,000 restaurants on the isle of Manhattan. It's just, it's part of the convenient, ummm, way of life in New York City. People eat out. They dine out, that's what they do."

Y: 哇，你聽到了嗎? 他說光是在曼哈頓就有一萬個餐館。而且他用了一個詞, 用"sea"來形容餐館林立的情景。

J: He said "a sea of 10,000 restaurants" to describe when something is abundant. You could say, "The grassy field was a sea of green." Ah, you could say, "She is drowning in a sea of confusion."

Y: 你是說我嗎？

J: No, not you. Another example, "The streets of New York are a sea of people."

Y: 確實，中文里也有"人山人海"這種說法。下面我們再接著聽聽 Brian 介紹餐館文化的意義。

ACT Brian Carson

"What makes...um, things special for New Yorkers is when they throw dinner parties. It's the opposite. They invite people into their world and they create feasts in their environments. That to me and to them is a special night. Eating out is like a necessity in this city. It's just what people do."

Y: 這么說來，紐約人請別人到餐館吃飯是很普通的，如果請你到家里

那是特殊的情況，是不是？

J: Right. And when I spoke to a customer, her name's Tammy, she was very honest in her response. She also said she doesn't cook. Much like you, Yang Chen.

Y: 就是想我一樣。

J: And she said that it's simply easier for her to meet her friends out at restaurants. But it is a very special event when they come to her home.

ACT Tammy Scotsafaber, customer and New Yorker

"Eating out is very important for me because I don't cook, A. It's what we do in order to see other is to go out for dinner. I think it's very important. It's one of the main ways that people end of seeing their friends. It's either dinner and drinks. If you have people to your home you have to be a hostess as opposed to being just able to relax and have dinner."

Y: 她說得太對了！你想一想，在家請客又費力，又費心，花了怎么多精力來準對不對？

J: Sorry to interrupt, but I was going to say, you also have to clean your house.

Y: 沒錯！

J: And New Yorkers, I mean, people who live in big cities, not only New York, Shanghai, Beijing, Los Angeles, you just don't have time.

Y: 并不是說我很懶惰！

J: No. It's not because we're lazy. We're busy women!

Y: 應為我的時間太寶貴。說起服務員的工作，其實這份工作挺好的。

J: Well, we spoke with a man by the name of Aaron Zebrook and he has many reasons why he likes to work as a waiter.

ACT Aaron Zebrook, Waiter/Student

"Pretty women. Lots of cash. Stuff like that is involved. Good food. You learn about wine, you learn about food. You have to know these things. And that's again appealing. Who doesn't want to learn about food and wine and try all this good stuff and make cash at the same time at night when you have free time?"

Y: 哇，他總結得很精彩，美酒佳肴，金錢美女，聽起來真的是很誘人。

J: You learn about lots of stuff, food and wine and people. It can be a really good job.

Y: 也是一種社會經驗。

J: Yeah. And I'll tell you what, for students, it is one of the most popular jobs to have. All this talk about restaurants, Yang Chen, is making my stomach growl.

Y: 對，我聽到你的肚子在叫了！

J: I know! It's embarrassing, but I'm starving! So, let's go to a restaurant and get something to eat.

Y: 好了，今天我們的節目時間到了！我和 Jody 要趕快到外邊吃飯去了！

J: Thanks for joining us on American Cafe! Let's go eat!

Y: 咱們走吧！