Bullfighting 斗牛
L: Local T:Tourist
L:当地人 T:游客
T: Hi. I wonder if you can help me. One of my friends recommended going to see the bullfighting. Could you tell me where I should go?
T:你好。能帮我个忙吗?我有个朋友建议我去看斗牛表演,你能告诉我应该去哪儿看吗?
L: I'm happy to help. In Andalusia it's the only thing to do, but I hope you have some time on your hands. A "corrida" can take the whole afternoon.
L:很高兴我能帮上忙。在安达路西亚这个地方,只有斗牛值得一看,不过我希望你多准备些时间,因为看一次斗牛要用整整一下午。
T:Really? Why does it take so long?
T:真的吗?为什么要那么长耐间?
L: There are six bulls, which are to be killed by three matadors.
L:因为3个斗牛士要杀掉6头牛。
T: Matador.....that's the man who fights the bull?
T:斗牛士……是斗牛的那个人吗?
L: Absolutely! You can only find the finest ones in Andalusia.
L:没错!只有在安达路西亚才能看到最棒的斗牛士。
T:How do they fight them? I mean, I saw on TV that they wave capes around at them.
T:他们怎么跟牛斗?我是说,我在电视上看过,他们围着牛晃动披风。
L: They do not just wave the cape. it's an art. They also use a sword. called an "estoque" and a smaller cape, called a "muleta" which is used at the end of the fight.
L:他们不只是晃动披风,这是一门艺术。他们还用一种剑,叫estoque.还用一种比较小的布,叫斗牛红布,在斗牛结束时才用。
T: sec. And how long does each fight last?
T:我明白了二那斗一场牛需要多长时间?
L: Usually, around fifteen minutes, give or take.
1: 15分钟左右,一般没有太大变化。
T: And the matadors wear such beautiful clothes! What can you tell me about them?
T:斗牛士穿的衣服非常漂亮!你能给我讲讲吗?
L: The matador wear a distinctive costume, consisting of a silk jacket heavily embroidered in gold, skintight trousers, and a "montera" , which is a special hat.
L:斗牛士的装束是与众不同,有一件丝质夹克,上面有密密麻麻的金色刺绣-还有紧身裤和布帽——一种特殊的帽子。
T: I bet the costumes are expensive.
T:我敢说这套装束一定很贵。
L: Very expensive. A “traje de luces " , which means " suit of lights " , can cost several thousand pounds; a top matador must have at least six of them a season.
L:非常贵。一件traje de luce.意思是“光明之衣”,要花几千英镑,一个出色的斗牛士一个季节必须至少准备6套这样的衣服。
T: They must spend more on clothes than most women do!
T:他们花在衣服上的钱一定比大多数女人要多!
L: But not only are their costumes expensive, the bulls are too a season.
L:不但衣服很贵,牛的价钱也不低。
T: Really? Why do they use expensive bulls if they are just going to kill them?
T:真的吗?既然他们要杀死这些牛.那为什么还要用这么贵的牛?
L: Only the best can be used. Most bulls weigh more than 460 kilos, the fully experienced matador uses bulls which are only older than four years. It costs a lot of money to keep a bull for four years.
L:他们只用的牛。大多数的牛重达460多公斤,经验较丰富的斗牛士只用4岁以上的公牛,而把这些牛养4年要花好多钱。
T: It sounds so interesting. Where is the arena?
T:听起来很有意思。竞技场在哪儿?
L: You are in luck,because there is one at the end of this street. That's where I'm going, come along if you'd like.
L:你的运气真好,这条街走到头就有一个。我也要去那里,如果你愿意.我们一起去吧。
T: Oh, yes please.
T:噢,好的,清。
【单词词组】
some time on your hands由你支配的一些时间
take the whole afternoon 需要整整一下午
give or take无大变化;允许有小的误差
skintight trousers鬃身裤
distinctive costume与众不同的装束
top matador出色的斗牛士
You are in luck你的运气好。
only the best只有量好的
【背景介绍】
斗牛是西班牙的国粹,风靡全国,享誉世界,尽管从动物保护的观点上看目前人们对此存在争议,但是作为西班牙特有的古老传统还是保留到现在,并受到很多人的欢迎。
斗牛场面壮观,格斗惊心动魄,富有强烈的刺激性,千百年来,这种人牛之战吸引着世界各地的人们,更是现代西班牙旅游业的重要项目。
西班牙全国共有400多个斗牛场,首都马德里的范塔士斗牛场规模,伊斯兰式的建筑壮观堂皇,可容纳三四万人。
西班牙的斗牛历史可追溯到两千多年前,他们先是以野牛为猎获的对象,而后拿它做游戏,进而将它投入战争。18世纪以前,斗牛基本是显示勇士杀牛的剽悍勇猛,1743年马德里兴建了个性的斗牛场,斗牛活动逐渐演变成一项民族娱乐性的体育活动。