今天李华从 Michael那儿学到了两个新词 redneck 和 in the sticks.

    M： Come in！

    L： Hi Michael！ 真抱歉，我没先告诉你就来了。你的电话一直占线， 所以我没法打电话给你。

    M： That's no big deal. I was on the phone with my friend Bob who lives in Georgia. He is such a redneck！

    L： 原来这样。对了，你把你朋友叫什么来着？你说他是什么啊？

    M： I said he's a redneck， R-E-D-N-E-C-K.

    L： 一个红的脖子？ 这是什么意思啊？

    M： A redneck is someone from the countryside who lives a country lifestyle.

    L： 所以你叫一个人 redneck就是说他是乡下人或很土气。哎，这样 说别人很不礼貌吧。

    M： Well， maybe. If you call someone a redneck， it means you think that they are not very cultured or sophisticated.

    L： 你就因为你朋友住在乡下，你就开他玩笑说他是redneck ，未免不太好吧。

    M： I'm not really making fun of him. Some people are proud to be rednecks. Bob likes to call himself that.

    L： 你说叫他redneck，Bob他还很得意呀。那我就不懂了。在中国，大多数住在乡下的人都巴不得往城里跑呢。

    M： Well， the U.S. is different. Being a redneck doesn't mean being poor or uneducated. It is a way of living， I guess.

    L： 那么rednecks到底像什么呢？你来说说。

    M： Let me see， how can I describe them？ When we say someone is a redneck we mean they are from the south， and speak with a southern accent.

    L： 现在我懂了， redneck呢一般是指美国南方人，或者说话有南方口音的人。不过说真的，那些南方口音我真的听不太懂。

    M： Also， rednecks like life in the countryside. They enjoy sports such as hunting or fishing. They like living in areas with lots of open space.

    L： Hmm， rednecks他们不住在城市，他们更享受乡下的生活。

    M： Exactly. Also， most rednecks have blue-collar jobs， or work on a farm. By the way， Li Hua， be careful how you use this word. Some people might get angry if you call them a redneck.

    L： 哎，对了，Michael，你那个红脖子朋友Bob为什么事打电话给你 啊？

    M： Well， he asked me if I wanted to visit him this summer. I'm not sure if I really want to go though.

    L： 真的吗？ 为什么你不想去呢？

    M： He lives out in the sticks. There's nothing for me to do out there.

    L： 他生活在那儿？The sticks 是什么地方啊？

    M： Oh， when I say in the sticks， that just means in a rural area， far from a big city.

    L： 噢，原来是指乡下啊。哎哟，只不过离开城市几天，这样你也受不了啊？

    M： Well， I am used to city life. I don't know how to fish or hunt， and I really don't like farm work. I don't think I would like living in the sticks.

    L： 你觉得你不适合乡下的生活啊，不过偶尔去呼吸一下新鲜空气不是挺好的吗？

    M： I guess. Maybe I should visit him.

    L： 要是有人自称是 redneck 的话，他也许觉得生活在乡下 in the sticks 也是很值得自豪的了？

    M： Actually， the phrase in the sticks is not very polite. You shouldn't tell someone that they live in the sticks unless you are just joking with them.

    L： 奥，说别人 live in the sticks 并不是很好，除非你是在开玩笑啊？

    M： You are right. Usually when you say something is in the sticks you mean it is far from anything civilized.

    L： 其实美国人并不懂得什么是真正的乡下。就算他们住在乡下好了， 只要一开车就到城里了嘛。

    M： That's true. Still， some places out in the sticks are pretty far from a big city， even if you drive a car.

    今天李华学到了两个新词：redneck 和 in the sticks .Redneck 是指乡下人。 In the sticks 则是指远离城市的农村地区。