英语口语畅谈世界文化之日本58:Geisha艺伎mp3

英语口语畅谈世界文化

之日本

58 Geisha 艺伎

T：Tourist    G: Museum guide
T:游客    G：博物馆导游

T:  Excuse me, could you tell me something about this exhibition
T:请问，你能给我讲讲这次展览会吗？

G: Yes. certainly. You are interested in Geisha then?
G:好的，没问题。那么说你对艺妓很感兴趣了？

T: Oh, yes, very interested. I have just finished reading an amazing book, Memoirs of a Geisha, and I felt I must come to Japan to discover more. It's such a wonderful. But hidden profession. Well, it's hidden to us in the West anyway. Most people believe Geisha are just prostitutes.That isn't true though, is it?
T:噢，是的，很感兴趣。我刚刚看完一本很有意思的书，叫《艺伎回忆录》，我觉得一定得去日本多了解一些情况。这种职业太奇妙了，就是不太为人所知。不管怎么说在西方我们对此是不了解的。大多数人认为艺伎就是妓女，这是不对的，是吧？

G: The word " Geisha" actually means "person of the arts" and a Geisha's training is extensive and lasts throughout their life. A Geisha never stops training in the ans, such as dancing, singing and playing certain musical instruments. You see this one here? That's a shamisen , it's a little like a guitar, Many Geisha excel in shamisen.
G：艺伎这个词实际意思是“从事艺术的人”，艺伎的训练内容很广，一辈子不间断。她们要一直进行艺术训练，比如舞蹈、唱歌和乐器弹奏。你肴到这个了吗？那是三味线，有点像吉他。很多艺伎都擅长这种乐器。

T: So, Geisha are musicians too?
T：那艺伎也是音乐人?

G:Yes, they must have a wide range of skills induding inteUectual conversation and wit. They must have the gift of entertaining, using the arts. conversation and the abdity to tell a funny joke !
G:是的，她们必须有广博的技能，包括高水平的谈话技能，语言要风趣。她们一定要有应酬天赋，懂艺术、会交流、能讲笑话。

T: Wow! So Geisha must be multi-skilled, then. I've heard some stories about young girls being sold into slavery and then forced to become Geisha.
T:哇！所以艺伎一定要多才多艺。我听说过一些故事，说年轻的女孩被卖为奴隶，然后被迫成为艺伎。

G: It's true, being a Geisha is sometimes a cruel profession. Some Geisha were bom into it, their mothers and grandmothen were Geisha, so they started their uaining at the traditional age of 3. But some girls, who worked as servants wanted a new life, so if they had something special. maybe about their appearance and were Iucky enough to bc chosen, they too could train.
G:确实是这样，有时艺伎是个很残忍的职业。一些艺伎生来就注定当艺伎，因为她们的妈妈、祖母都是艺伎，所以她们一般3岁就开始训练。但是还有一些女孩，她们身为仆人，日想过一种新的生活，所以如果她们有什么特别的本钱，或许是长相好或者是运气好，她们也能被选中接受训练。

T: I see. In the book I mentioned, the girl who became a Geisha was sold to a Geisha house, worked as a maid and later became a Geisha. She had something very special, blue eyes. Quite different here in Japan !
T：我明白了。在我提到的那本书里，就有一个女孩被卖进艺伎馆，先做女仆，后来就成艺伎。她与众不同的是那双蓝眼睛。在日本这样的眼睛很少见！

G: Yes, have you seen the movie of che book? It was very popular in Westcm countries
G：是的，你看过根据这本书改编的电影吗？在西方国家非常受欢迎。

T: It started Zhang Zi Yi. It's a wonderful movie, although I enjoyed the book much more.
T:影片由章子怡主演，电影很精彩，不过我还是更喜欢看这本书。

G: I agree. The original book is always better than the movie. Let's continue walking, we can take a look at somc kimonos next . . .
G:我同意你的看法。原着总是要比电影好。我们接着往前走走，可以看看后面的一些和服。

【单词词组】
Could you tell me something about…？你能给我讲讲……？
a wide range of skills广博的技能
the ability……的能力
be sold intoslavery 卖为奴隶

【背景介绍】
日本艺伎（Geisha）产生于17世纪的东京和大阪。最初的艺伎全部是男性，他们在妓院和娱乐场所以表演舞蹈和乐器为生。18世纪中叶，艺伎职业渐渐被女性取代，这一传统也一直沿袭至今。

艺伎并非妓女。她们的交易是满足男人们的梦想——享乐、浪漫和占有欲。通常与她们交易的，都是上层社会有钱有势的男人。 在昂贵的餐厅和茶舍里，谈论生意的男人们喜欢请一位艺伎相伴，为他们斟酒上菜，调节气氛，而这最少也要花费1千美元。今天，仍有少数女性抱着浪漫的幻想以及对传统艺术的热爱加入艺伎行业。但在二战以前，绝大部分艺伎是为了生计，被迫从事这一职业的。